[CricketOnTheHearth]

Regarding the rancor against Obama… What I see directed against Obama seems to be of the same flavor as what was thrown at Bill Clinton– except possibly a bit less shrill. Yes, you read that right– I was *amazed* at the intensity of hatred that was directed at Clinton upon his inauguration. It seemed like he hit the ground running through a mudstorm.

Since the tenor of the attacks feels the same to me, I wonder if it is really racism, or rather a venomous hatred of the idea of a Democratic president and all the Democrats stand for. The racism appears to me to be just another convenient handful of mud to pitch at Obama, not the main event here.

If anything, there even seems to me to be a bit of holding-back on the part of the right wingers here; clearly if they let fly all-out with racist attacks on Obama they would totally discredit themselves. They felt no such compunctions when attacking Clinton for his sexual misadventures, labeling him “Slick Willy” and so on. Or else, they *are* letting fly, but the big-media is not giving it as much coverage as the attacks on Clinton got.

Of course, some wits commented back in those days that Clinton was “our first Black president”. Hmmm.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

Regarding the rancor against Obama… What I see directed against Obama seems to be of the same flavor as what was thrown at Bill Clinton– except possibly a bit less shrill. Yes, you read that right– I was *amazed* at the intensity of hatred that was directed at Clinton upon his inauguration. It seemed like he hit the ground running through a mudstorm.

Since the tenor of the attacks feels the same to me, I wonder if it is really racism, or rather a venomous hatred of the idea of a Democratic president and all the Democrats stand for. The racism appears to me to be just another convenient handful of mud to pitch at Obama, not the main event here.

If anything, there even seems to me to be a bit of holding-back on the part of the right wingers here; clearly if they let fly all-out with racist attacks on Obama they would totally discredit themselves. They felt no such compunctions when attacking Clinton for his sexual misadventures, labeling him “Slick Willy” and so on. Or else, they *are* letting fly, but the big-media is not giving it as much coverage as the attacks on Clinton got.

Of course, some wits commented back in those days that Clinton was “our first Black president”. Hmmm.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

Regarding the rancor against Obama… What I see directed against Obama seems to be of the same flavor as what was thrown at Bill Clinton– except possibly a bit less shrill. Yes, you read that right– I was *amazed* at the intensity of hatred that was directed at Clinton upon his inauguration. It seemed like he hit the ground running through a mudstorm.

Since the tenor of the attacks feels the same to me, I wonder if it is really racism, or rather a venomous hatred of the idea of a Democratic president and all the Democrats stand for. The racism appears to me to be just another convenient handful of mud to pitch at Obama, not the main event here.

If anything, there even seems to me to be a bit of holding-back on the part of the right wingers here; clearly if they let fly all-out with racist attacks on Obama they would totally discredit themselves. They felt no such compunctions when attacking Clinton for his sexual misadventures, labeling him “Slick Willy” and so on. Or else, they *are* letting fly, but the big-media is not giving it as much coverage as the attacks on Clinton got.

Of course, some wits commented back in those days that Clinton was “our first Black president”. Hmmm.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

Regarding the rancor against Obama… What I see directed against Obama seems to be of the same flavor as what was thrown at Bill Clinton– except possibly a bit less shrill. Yes, you read that right– I was *amazed* at the intensity of hatred that was directed at Clinton upon his inauguration. It seemed like he hit the ground running through a mudstorm.

Since the tenor of the attacks feels the same to me, I wonder if it is really racism, or rather a venomous hatred of the idea of a Democratic president and all the Democrats stand for. The racism appears to me to be just another convenient handful of mud to pitch at Obama, not the main event here.

If anything, there even seems to me to be a bit of holding-back on the part of the right wingers here; clearly if they let fly all-out with racist attacks on Obama they would totally discredit themselves. They felt no such compunctions when attacking Clinton for his sexual misadventures, labeling him “Slick Willy” and so on. Or else, they *are* letting fly, but the big-media is not giving it as much coverage as the attacks on Clinton got.

Of course, some wits commented back in those days that Clinton was “our first Black president”. Hmmm.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

A most enjoyable discussion.

I have to agree with earlier comments by both sdgrrl and Zeitgeist– in ways, society has gotten both nicer and less polite. I guess I should put it, common courtesy, at least among whites, has waned while egalitarianism has greatly improved.

In my childhood in a white surburb in first half of the 60’s, there was indeed that civility. Teenagers always said “ma’am” and “sir” to adults, there was a dress code, and there was a place for everything (and everyone). It actually seemed rather stultifying in some ways. If you were a white male it was probably pretty nice, but as a white female child I realized pretty quick that a lot of doors were closed to me. I asked my parents at a pretty early age, “where are the women scientists?” and the only example they could come up with was Marie Curie. I can only imagine (I’ve heard stories) of what life was like for black and brown people of all origins at that time.

Then after 1965 things started opening up. In my school in the 2nd grade they allowed girls to wear pants for the first time, and suddenly I had full run of the playground equipment without having to worry about an embarassing “accidental revelation”. Dr. Leakey sicced his four women grad students on the four different great apes, and soon documentaries about Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey began to land on the TV. The Civil Rights Act was passed, the voting age lowered to 18, and many other changes that gave many more opportunities to those who had not had them before.

Speaking of “radicals”, in my childhood the following ideas were considered radical:
-women being able to apply to Yale and Harvard and be considered on their merits;
-women being allowed to run the Boston Marathon;
-a talented black tennis player;
-women and/or black newscasters;
-women and/or black judges, doctors, lawyers, scientists, veterinarians, Congresspeople, mayors, etc;
-girls’ sports covered in the newspapers at all, let alone with pictures;
-sports for girls beside cheerleading and tennis, period;
-and too many more to list here

For my growing-up years, it seemed like the doors opened just as I reached them. I would not have wanted to have been born even a year earlier than I was. Thank God for the feminists, civil rights activists, and all the others who forced those doors open.

At the same time, people also threw off some of the “chains” of politeness, and swear words, rudeness, and “acting out” became much more common. At first it seemed like a liberation from stultifying authoritarianism, but by now the flailing crass language about, overbearingness on the road, etc just seems needless and overdone to me.

The sexual revolution involved some badly-needed dialogue about family planning, compassionate sexual relations, rape, child molestation, etc… but also over-swung into heedless and careless promiscuity, the latter resulting in upswings in STDs, not to mention the spread of AIDS.

The ’80’s seemed to be a backlash, not just against the excesses, but also against the worthy gains of the 60’s and 70’s, with many propaganda efforts to push women back into the kitchen, etc. The ’90’s and ’00’s, thankfully, seem to have wrung most of the anti-egalitarian sentiment out of our culture.

Still, I did not believe that I would see so soon a solid female or solid black candidate for president, who had a credible chance of winning, let alone both at the same time. Even in 1990 Hillary would have been generally laughed off the playing field, as Geraldine Ferraro was in the ’80’s. So to see this election, and especially the primary, was absolutely brilliant to me. I had favored a different candidate, but still, watching the battle between Hillary and Obama was one of the sweetest times of my life, for what it meant– a woman and a black man competing, and being judged by, the content of their character.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

A most enjoyable discussion.

I have to agree with earlier comments by both sdgrrl and Zeitgeist– in ways, society has gotten both nicer and less polite. I guess I should put it, common courtesy, at least among whites, has waned while egalitarianism has greatly improved.

In my childhood in a white surburb in first half of the 60’s, there was indeed that civility. Teenagers always said “ma’am” and “sir” to adults, there was a dress code, and there was a place for everything (and everyone). It actually seemed rather stultifying in some ways. If you were a white male it was probably pretty nice, but as a white female child I realized pretty quick that a lot of doors were closed to me. I asked my parents at a pretty early age, “where are the women scientists?” and the only example they could come up with was Marie Curie. I can only imagine (I’ve heard stories) of what life was like for black and brown people of all origins at that time.

Then after 1965 things started opening up. In my school in the 2nd grade they allowed girls to wear pants for the first time, and suddenly I had full run of the playground equipment without having to worry about an embarassing “accidental revelation”. Dr. Leakey sicced his four women grad students on the four different great apes, and soon documentaries about Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey began to land on the TV. The Civil Rights Act was passed, the voting age lowered to 18, and many other changes that gave many more opportunities to those who had not had them before.

Speaking of “radicals”, in my childhood the following ideas were considered radical:
-women being able to apply to Yale and Harvard and be considered on their merits;
-women being allowed to run the Boston Marathon;
-a talented black tennis player;
-women and/or black newscasters;
-women and/or black judges, doctors, lawyers, scientists, veterinarians, Congresspeople, mayors, etc;
-girls’ sports covered in the newspapers at all, let alone with pictures;
-sports for girls beside cheerleading and tennis, period;
-and too many more to list here

For my growing-up years, it seemed like the doors opened just as I reached them. I would not have wanted to have been born even a year earlier than I was. Thank God for the feminists, civil rights activists, and all the others who forced those doors open.

At the same time, people also threw off some of the “chains” of politeness, and swear words, rudeness, and “acting out” became much more common. At first it seemed like a liberation from stultifying authoritarianism, but by now the flailing crass language about, overbearingness on the road, etc just seems needless and overdone to me.

The sexual revolution involved some badly-needed dialogue about family planning, compassionate sexual relations, rape, child molestation, etc… but also over-swung into heedless and careless promiscuity, the latter resulting in upswings in STDs, not to mention the spread of AIDS.

The ’80’s seemed to be a backlash, not just against the excesses, but also against the worthy gains of the 60’s and 70’s, with many propaganda efforts to push women back into the kitchen, etc. The ’90’s and ’00’s, thankfully, seem to have wrung most of the anti-egalitarian sentiment out of our culture.

Still, I did not believe that I would see so soon a solid female or solid black candidate for president, who had a credible chance of winning, let alone both at the same time. Even in 1990 Hillary would have been generally laughed off the playing field, as Geraldine Ferraro was in the ’80’s. So to see this election, and especially the primary, was absolutely brilliant to me. I had favored a different candidate, but still, watching the battle between Hillary and Obama was one of the sweetest times of my life, for what it meant– a woman and a black man competing, and being judged by, the content of their character.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

A most enjoyable discussion.

I have to agree with earlier comments by both sdgrrl and Zeitgeist– in ways, society has gotten both nicer and less polite. I guess I should put it, common courtesy, at least among whites, has waned while egalitarianism has greatly improved.

In my childhood in a white surburb in first half of the 60’s, there was indeed that civility. Teenagers always said “ma’am” and “sir” to adults, there was a dress code, and there was a place for everything (and everyone). It actually seemed rather stultifying in some ways. If you were a white male it was probably pretty nice, but as a white female child I realized pretty quick that a lot of doors were closed to me. I asked my parents at a pretty early age, “where are the women scientists?” and the only example they could come up with was Marie Curie. I can only imagine (I’ve heard stories) of what life was like for black and brown people of all origins at that time.

Then after 1965 things started opening up. In my school in the 2nd grade they allowed girls to wear pants for the first time, and suddenly I had full run of the playground equipment without having to worry about an embarassing “accidental revelation”. Dr. Leakey sicced his four women grad students on the four different great apes, and soon documentaries about Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey began to land on the TV. The Civil Rights Act was passed, the voting age lowered to 18, and many other changes that gave many more opportunities to those who had not had them before.

Speaking of “radicals”, in my childhood the following ideas were considered radical:
-women being able to apply to Yale and Harvard and be considered on their merits;
-women being allowed to run the Boston Marathon;
-a talented black tennis player;
-women and/or black newscasters;
-women and/or black judges, doctors, lawyers, scientists, veterinarians, Congresspeople, mayors, etc;
-girls’ sports covered in the newspapers at all, let alone with pictures;
-sports for girls beside cheerleading and tennis, period;
-and too many more to list here

For my growing-up years, it seemed like the doors opened just as I reached them. I would not have wanted to have been born even a year earlier than I was. Thank God for the feminists, civil rights activists, and all the others who forced those doors open.

At the same time, people also threw off some of the “chains” of politeness, and swear words, rudeness, and “acting out” became much more common. At first it seemed like a liberation from stultifying authoritarianism, but by now the flailing crass language about, overbearingness on the road, etc just seems needless and overdone to me.

The sexual revolution involved some badly-needed dialogue about family planning, compassionate sexual relations, rape, child molestation, etc… but also over-swung into heedless and careless promiscuity, the latter resulting in upswings in STDs, not to mention the spread of AIDS.

The ’80’s seemed to be a backlash, not just against the excesses, but also against the worthy gains of the 60’s and 70’s, with many propaganda efforts to push women back into the kitchen, etc. The ’90’s and ’00’s, thankfully, seem to have wrung most of the anti-egalitarian sentiment out of our culture.

Still, I did not believe that I would see so soon a solid female or solid black candidate for president, who had a credible chance of winning, let alone both at the same time. Even in 1990 Hillary would have been generally laughed off the playing field, as Geraldine Ferraro was in the ’80’s. So to see this election, and especially the primary, was absolutely brilliant to me. I had favored a different candidate, but still, watching the battle between Hillary and Obama was one of the sweetest times of my life, for what it meant– a woman and a black man competing, and being judged by, the content of their character.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

A most enjoyable discussion.

I have to agree with earlier comments by both sdgrrl and Zeitgeist– in ways, society has gotten both nicer and less polite. I guess I should put it, common courtesy, at least among whites, has waned while egalitarianism has greatly improved.

In my childhood in a white surburb in first half of the 60’s, there was indeed that civility. Teenagers always said “ma’am” and “sir” to adults, there was a dress code, and there was a place for everything (and everyone). It actually seemed rather stultifying in some ways. If you were a white male it was probably pretty nice, but as a white female child I realized pretty quick that a lot of doors were closed to me. I asked my parents at a pretty early age, “where are the women scientists?” and the only example they could come up with was Marie Curie. I can only imagine (I’ve heard stories) of what life was like for black and brown people of all origins at that time.

Then after 1965 things started opening up. In my school in the 2nd grade they allowed girls to wear pants for the first time, and suddenly I had full run of the playground equipment without having to worry about an embarassing “accidental revelation”. Dr. Leakey sicced his four women grad students on the four different great apes, and soon documentaries about Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey began to land on the TV. The Civil Rights Act was passed, the voting age lowered to 18, and many other changes that gave many more opportunities to those who had not had them before.

Speaking of “radicals”, in my childhood the following ideas were considered radical:
-women being able to apply to Yale and Harvard and be considered on their merits;
-women being allowed to run the Boston Marathon;
-a talented black tennis player;
-women and/or black newscasters;
-women and/or black judges, doctors, lawyers, scientists, veterinarians, Congresspeople, mayors, etc;
-girls’ sports covered in the newspapers at all, let alone with pictures;
-sports for girls beside cheerleading and tennis, period;
-and too many more to list here

For my growing-up years, it seemed like the doors opened just as I reached them. I would not have wanted to have been born even a year earlier than I was. Thank God for the feminists, civil rights activists, and all the others who forced those doors open.

At the same time, people also threw off some of the “chains” of politeness, and swear words, rudeness, and “acting out” became much more common. At first it seemed like a liberation from stultifying authoritarianism, but by now the flailing crass language about, overbearingness on the road, etc just seems needless and overdone to me.

The sexual revolution involved some badly-needed dialogue about family planning, compassionate sexual relations, rape, child molestation, etc… but also over-swung into heedless and careless promiscuity, the latter resulting in upswings in STDs, not to mention the spread of AIDS.

The ’80’s seemed to be a backlash, not just against the excesses, but also against the worthy gains of the 60’s and 70’s, with many propaganda efforts to push women back into the kitchen, etc. The ’90’s and ’00’s, thankfully, seem to have wrung most of the anti-egalitarian sentiment out of our culture.

Still, I did not believe that I would see so soon a solid female or solid black candidate for president, who had a credible chance of winning, let alone both at the same time. Even in 1990 Hillary would have been generally laughed off the playing field, as Geraldine Ferraro was in the ’80’s. So to see this election, and especially the primary, was absolutely brilliant to me. I had favored a different candidate, but still, watching the battle between Hillary and Obama was one of the sweetest times of my life, for what it meant– a woman and a black man competing, and being judged by, the content of their character.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

A most enjoyable discussion.

I have to agree with earlier comments by both sdgrrl and Zeitgeist– in ways, society has gotten both nicer and less polite. I guess I should put it, common courtesy, at least among whites, has waned while egalitarianism has greatly improved.

In my childhood in a white surburb in first half of the 60’s, there was indeed that civility. Teenagers always said “ma’am” and “sir” to adults, there was a dress code, and there was a place for everything (and everyone). It actually seemed rather stultifying in some ways. If you were a white male it was probably pretty nice, but as a white female child I realized pretty quick that a lot of doors were closed to me. I asked my parents at a pretty early age, “where are the women scientists?” and the only example they could come up with was Marie Curie. I can only imagine (I’ve heard stories) of what life was like for black and brown people of all origins at that time.

Then after 1965 things started opening up. In my school in the 2nd grade they allowed girls to wear pants for the first time, and suddenly I had full run of the playground equipment without having to worry about an embarassing “accidental revelation”. Dr. Leakey sicced his four women grad students on the four different great apes, and soon documentaries about Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey began to land on the TV. The Civil Rights Act was passed, the voting age lowered to 18, and many other changes that gave many more opportunities to those who had not had them before.

Speaking of “radicals”, in my childhood the following ideas were considered radical:
-women being able to apply to Yale and Harvard and be considered on their merits;
-women being allowed to run the Boston Marathon;
-a talented black tennis player;
-women and/or black newscasters;
-women and/or black judges, doctors, lawyers, scientists, veterinarians, Congresspeople, mayors, etc;
-girls’ sports covered in the newspapers at all, let alone with pictures;
-sports for girls beside cheerleading and tennis, period;
-and too many more to list here

For my growing-up years, it seemed like the doors opened just as I reached them. I would not have wanted to have been born even a year earlier than I was. Thank God for the feminists, civil rights activists, and all the others who forced those doors open.

At the same time, people also threw off some of the “chains” of politeness, and swear words, rudeness, and “acting out” became much more common. At first it seemed like a liberation from stultifying authoritarianism, but by now the flailing crass language about, overbearingness on the road, etc just seems needless and overdone to me.

The sexual revolution involved some badly-needed dialogue about family planning, compassionate sexual relations, rape, child molestation, etc… but also over-swung into heedless and careless promiscuity, the latter resulting in upswings in STDs, not to mention the spread of AIDS.

The ’80’s seemed to be a backlash, not just against the excesses, but also against the worthy gains of the 60’s and 70’s, with many propaganda efforts to push women back into the kitchen, etc. The ’90’s and ’00’s, thankfully, seem to have wrung most of the anti-egalitarian sentiment out of our culture.

Still, I did not believe that I would see so soon a solid female or solid black candidate for president, who had a credible chance of winning, let alone both at the same time. Even in 1990 Hillary would have been generally laughed off the playing field, as Geraldine Ferraro was in the ’80’s. So to see this election, and especially the primary, was absolutely brilliant to me. I had favored a different candidate, but still, watching the battle between Hillary and Obama was one of the sweetest times of my life, for what it meant– a woman and a black man competing, and being judged by, the content of their character.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

North Park Hardware on University near 30th makes an effort to stock USA-made products. A year or so ago I got a hammer there that weighs 3 or 4 oz more than all the other Chinese-y hammers but is so well-balanced that it feels *lighter* than them.

I also in 2007 or so bought a very nice handcart (“dolly”) from Home Despot that was made in Milwaukee. Sure it was more expensive than the Chinese ones next to it but the bombproof construction shone out even from the store rack. Much sturdier.

For the smaller consumer-type goods, clothing, towels, dishes etc good luck. Most of this seems to have been offshored.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

North Park Hardware on University near 30th makes an effort to stock USA-made products. A year or so ago I got a hammer there that weighs 3 or 4 oz more than all the other Chinese-y hammers but is so well-balanced that it feels *lighter* than them.

I also in 2007 or so bought a very nice handcart (“dolly”) from Home Despot that was made in Milwaukee. Sure it was more expensive than the Chinese ones next to it but the bombproof construction shone out even from the store rack. Much sturdier.

For the smaller consumer-type goods, clothing, towels, dishes etc good luck. Most of this seems to have been offshored.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

North Park Hardware on University near 30th makes an effort to stock USA-made products. A year or so ago I got a hammer there that weighs 3 or 4 oz more than all the other Chinese-y hammers but is so well-balanced that it feels *lighter* than them.

I also in 2007 or so bought a very nice handcart (“dolly”) from Home Despot that was made in Milwaukee. Sure it was more expensive than the Chinese ones next to it but the bombproof construction shone out even from the store rack. Much sturdier.

For the smaller consumer-type goods, clothing, towels, dishes etc good luck. Most of this seems to have been offshored.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

North Park Hardware on University near 30th makes an effort to stock USA-made products. A year or so ago I got a hammer there that weighs 3 or 4 oz more than all the other Chinese-y hammers but is so well-balanced that it feels *lighter* than them.

I also in 2007 or so bought a very nice handcart (“dolly”) from Home Despot that was made in Milwaukee. Sure it was more expensive than the Chinese ones next to it but the bombproof construction shone out even from the store rack. Much sturdier.

For the smaller consumer-type goods, clothing, towels, dishes etc good luck. Most of this seems to have been offshored.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

North Park Hardware on University near 30th makes an effort to stock USA-made products. A year or so ago I got a hammer there that weighs 3 or 4 oz more than all the other Chinese-y hammers but is so well-balanced that it feels *lighter* than them.

I also in 2007 or so bought a very nice handcart (“dolly”) from Home Despot that was made in Milwaukee. Sure it was more expensive than the Chinese ones next to it but the bombproof construction shone out even from the store rack. Much sturdier.

For the smaller consumer-type goods, clothing, towels, dishes etc good luck. Most of this seems to have been offshored.

[CricketOnTheHearth]

CONCHO 10:20 am– Right on!!

I keep a couple of searches out on Monster.com going, just to keep some low-level antennae out on the job market, and I am amazed at the picky, specific/exotic, unique-to-their-company knowledge that many job posters are looking for.

“Oh, we are looking for a mechanical engineer with 6 years experience in designing left-handed vreeblefetzers in Pro/Engineer, who also has at least 3 years of experience in designing parts for GE retroencabulators…” etc etc for 3 paragraphs. Obviously I am not qualified for the job because obviously the guy who used to do the job just retired and they are looking to replace him… EXACTLY.

In my current work I do both ME and some CS-type work, depending on the assignment, but this work is heavily flavored by the my-company-specific nature of the expertise I have to use. (Printer-design technology, in-house CAD parts database and standards, etc). I don’t care how good you are, if you are migrating to another company which is operating in even a slightly different technological area you will have to do some training up in the in-house expertise.

Not to say all Monster postings are this unreasonable, but it is pretty rare for me to see a posting where they ask for Basic Skill Set A and say “we will train you into our company-specific skills.”

But I am told most job postings are written by script kiddies in Personnel with no clue about the actual job anyway.

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