Comments for RealityBucket

Comment on Unconstitutional by Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:59:33 +0000

Requiring=wrong. Encouraging=not a bad idea. That’s as far as it should go though.

Comment on It seems like it’s repeating itself at shorter intervals, now. by this is the samaBlog » Blog Archive » What’s Happening???

this is the samaBlog » Blog Archive » What’s Happening??? — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:59:59 +0000

[...] this far more effectively than I could have, so let’s just quote them directly, shall we (via deb)? The [Associated Press] article states that slowing a car from 70 to 60 miles per hour will give [...]

Comment on Gloucester Girls by Dan

Dan — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:08:42 +0000

I think there’s no way around the fact that, like most teenagers, those girls just aren’t smart.

Comment on Zoo Humans by Tenar Darell

Tenar Darell — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:41:32 +0000

Yes, it is paternalistic to not reveal the truth to these people. However, historically, we know we’ve rarely gotten these things right. I believe an excess of caution is warranted before taking any action that is irrevocable. Even if this means “protecting the tribes’ habitat” from loggers’ intrusions.

Using a shared metaphor…the “Prime Directive” became a science fiction trope because of our own history. Yes, everyone forgets aliens are alien; human history and sociology will be inadequate guides to first contact with aliens. They are, however, good guides to first contacts between humans.

First, there is the danger of our very common diseases, which we know can be deadly to isolated populations. Then there is a great deal of historical and current evidence that so called ‘primitive’ human cultures can suffer greatly when contacted by more complex ‘advanced’ cultures. (There are aspects of American culture that are corrosive to more traditional cultures. Heck, there are even groups of people in this country who pretend it is still 1950, or even 1850 in order to deal with daily life).

And don’t forget, they know we’re watching. Our giant angry birds have already flown over them many times. So, I don’t think we can “protect” them forever; eventually, something will happen to accidentally, yet truly, reveal the outside world to these tribes. But, I do think a great deal of care, and study, should occur before actual contact.

Comment on Sometimes I’m not sure that I walk the line successfully between snark and just plain childishness. by caltechgirl

caltechgirl — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:26:45 +0000

that second article is SUPER interesting. There’s some thought that preeclampsia is Mom’s response to stress molecules (cytokines) in Baby, and we know virus exposure can trigger cytokine release in HUGE amounts….

Comment on Everything is class, even if class isn’t everything. by Margi

Margi — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:48:23 +0000

Amen! Like, as in, um, you know, how much I’m DEVALUED as a person if I’m “just staff” in a law office but yet elevated to a higher level if I do essentially the same thing (i.e. type their drivel) yet WITHOUT the daily headache of actually dealing with the lawyers on a daily basis as a self-employed typist? (Oh, and for the record, with my special brand of clientele, you can add “marketing strategist” and/or “doctor” to the mix and you’d be saying the same thing, because I type for all those people.)

Boggles the mind.

Comment on Minivans by Sharon

Sharon — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:59:00 +0000

You got that right. We had one car seat and two kids in the sable before the van and that was tight. We never would have been able to fit if the other two were still in car seats.