You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Off Topic Chat
>
Watcha Doing? Version 2015
message 1951:
by
Travis
(new)
Apr 23, 2015 07:41AM
I can't remember exactly but I'm pretty certain the last US Census came out and offered 3 choices of black, african-american or negro. As they tried to offer an option to make everyone happy. As I read the artical whivh was written by a census taker, most could care less whether they x'd black or african american but the negro option seemed to really offend most all. I can remember one form having 2 options of either white or caucasian and I had to go ask if I x'd both or was there a difference because I was confused as to which I was
reply
|
flag
Just check the other box :-) let them figure it out!
I don't know if it was political correctness that caused the shift from Secretarys' Day to Admin Prof Day here. I think it was done to include all admin/clerical staff and not just secretaries, since most companies were already doing that.That was a terrible experience, Lisa. I'm glad you filed a complaint.
I was sick over Christmas one year and missed the three days between Christmas and New Year's stat holidays. The company's personnel policy dictated that if you missed work immediately before or following a stat holiday, or if you missed 3 consecutive days, you required a doctor's note. I hit two stat holidays and missed 3 days, so off to the doctor I went. He decided there was nothing wrong with me because I didn't have any congestion in my chest, nor was my throat sore. I asked, "Did I complain of chest congestion or sore throat? No. I complained about plugged sinuses and severe headaches." (You just had to look at me and listen to my voice to know I was sick.) He stormed out, stormed back in, threw the script at me and declared, "Maybe it's time to start looking for another job if you have such terrible job security." I sobbed all the way home. I decided it was time not to look for a new job, but to look for a new doctor.
Such bad experiences Lisa and Janice. You would expect people in such professions to be more sensitive and caring.
I keep looking for the box which just says human as I've always that if we didn't constantly make race such a big deal the world just might be a better place. There's going to be racist people regardless so why keep making society keep track of the numbers.
Couldn't agree more Travis! There's a lot to do now in Europe about the many refugees who cross the mediteranean in crappy boats, and the hundreds if not thousands of people who drowned in the past weeks. This creates a lot of horrific responses ('too bad 25 survived', 'yes, 800 less fortune seekers who want to live lazy lives in Europe that we have to pay for'), and also many people who say 'own people first, all money should go to dutch people who are poor or old'. What happened to us all being humans, and no us vs. them? It makes me so mad. And sad.
It sounds like quite a few people have had bad experiences at doctors, hospitals etc. I know everyone has bad days but you definitely shouldn't take it out on your patients. It's very unprofessional and you go to those places because you want them to make you feel better, not worse.
Sandra wrote: "Good luck with your blood work, Lisa. I find very weird the episode with the flags and the pub... I thinks it's really an exaggeration the warning of facing arrest. I think things are going to far ..."I agree Sandra and KimeyDiann, I think political correctness is starting to go too far these days. In some cases it is justified but more often than not it is over something trivial and seems to consist of people getting offended just for the sake of feeling offended.
Travis of NNY wrote: "I keep looking for the box which just says human as I've always that if we didn't constantly make race such a big deal the world just might be a better place. There's going to be racist people reg..."YES!
Happy book day to everyone!!How would our life be without books?
I just read a news article of a bus company in one province in Canada that wouldn't allow a girl to read a book while on the bus. They have a policy that everything must stay in a child's pack for safety sake. Coupled with ridiculous laws about openly celebrating certain holidays because someone might take offense, we also have ridiculous laws over protecting people for fear of possible injury law suits. I'm glad my childhood wasn't lived in such a fear saturated, sanitized world.
That's such a stupid rule, Janice!
That is crazy, Janice!Somewhat related to this topic, I read an article today explaining how several large automakers are backing a new law that would prohibit people from working on or modifying their cars. It started as part of an anti-piracy law and is possibly being expanded to automobiles due to the complex computer systems today's cars have. Basically the article said that it would make it illegal for a person to work on their own car... it would also close down a lot of independent garages.
While I feel like the article probably exaggerated the facts, it is still a very real concern for people like my husband who's passion and pastime is working on cars and building racecars.
The proposed law is part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that already exists. The proposal includes classifying cars as mobile computing devices! Oh, and Travis might be interested in this.... it isn't just big auto manufacturers like GM and Toyota, it also includes John Deere.
That is pretty crazy Janice! That is literally health and safety gone mad.Talking of buses, check out this story from a few years ago here in the UK. Pretty appalling!
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Blind...
I read that too Janice.Can I just say about the Census debate is that it's actually really important from a demography and public policy planning perspective to get an accurate idea about ethnicity and race in populations and areas. As much as we are all human, and I completely agree, some groups of people due to their genetic makeup sometimes tied to their race, are more susceptible to certain diseases or medical problems. Or require other services such as translation services or some such. It's really useful to know about the distribution of populations of people so you can plan how many services you have in certain areas.
For example in Australia, Indigenous populations are over 6 times more likely to get diabetes than other ethnicities in Aus. So knowing how many Indigenous peoples are in an area means you plan medical services (diabetes educators, endocrinologists, dialysis services) accordingly in certain areas.
We're still having weather, but calmed down somewhat. The chicken coop has half collapsed, but nothing major compared to entire towns underwater, trees smashing through roofs, houses falling off cliffs and people in houses swept away to their deaths (both the people and the houses). Rain all weekend looks like, hoping up north is having a bit of a break seeing a lot of Sydney up to Newcastle is underwater and/or smashed to bits. Science is out on climate change my arse.
Rusalka wrote: "We're still having weather, but calmed down somewhat. The chicken coop has half collapsed, but nothing major compared to entire towns underwater, trees smashing through roofs, houses falling off cliffs and people in houses swept away to their deaths... ."How horrific! I was looking at pictures on CNN and it looks scary.
Rusalka wrote: "I read that too Janice.Can I just say about the Census debate is that it's actually really important from a demography and public policy planning perspective to get an accurate idea about ethnici..."
That sounds scary Rusalka! Hang on in there! Are storms typical Australian autumnal weather or is this a particularly bad one?
Hope the weather calms down there, Rusalka!
Stay safe Rusalka. I hope the winds blow themselves out soon. Weather has definitely got stranger and more severe worldwide these last few years.As a Genealogist, I love Census returns. They are so helpful at trying to piece together your ancestor's lives. I think they are fascinating. I agree that they ask way too many questions now but I never begrudge filling them in. That said, I've only done one as an adult. I did do one as a student (notice how I don't include myself as an adult then) - I listed Jedi as my religion then like many of my friends. Talking of Jedis, both excited and terrified at the prospect of the new film coming out.
Just made sure I'm registered to vote in the upcoming General Election. Not quite so straightforward being on the electoral roll when you don't have an address. Not that it's actually worth me voting, some w@~%*r is going to get in regardless - they are all as bad as each other.
I agree on the PC stuff. The problem with the St George's flag here now is that it was kind of adopted by the EDL (English Defence League) and so it has taken on a bit of a racist tint, making it anti-muslim. So I get why perhaps the Police would rather Pubs etc. not have them up. It's crap when it's our national flag.
Lisa wrote: "That sounds scary Rusalka! Hang on in there! Are storms typical Australian autumnal weather or is this a particularly bad one? "We tend to have more storms, but we don't tend to have cyclone strength winds for days. Or 100mL of rain in one town in an hour (eek!). They call them East Coast Lows, and they are getting more and more common. But this is the worst I've seen. Last one a couple of years ago that was pretty bad beached an oil tanker.
Oh yes. Ross Noble gave us a run down on your election last night when we saw him.It's always worth voting! If you don't vote, you're not allowed to whinge at the result. Thems the rules.
Mind you, this is the compulsory voting country person here speaking, and I can't understand electoral systems that don't make voting compulsory. You want to live here, then you have to turn up at the ballot box, get your name ticked off, put in a vote on who you want to represent you or put in a blank/drawn on ballot if you wish, and buy a $1 sausage from some 7 year old with no food hygiene skills for their soccer/gymnastics/scouts/ferret appreciation group. It gives you a smug feeling of participatory democracy, tomato sauce and pig fat.
Oh and you don't wear shoes Lexx says (he thinks this is very important), and if you take a beer with you, you need to find a nice old lady from the Greens to look after it until you get out (no alcohol in the voting station).
That is the main reason I registered Rusalka. I think compulsory voting sounds like a good idea. I also think it should be more representative - I think you have proportional representation in Australia don't you? I know there was a vote a while back here for changing the voting system but they made it all way to complicated and hardly anyone went to vote so we're still stuck with the same crappy system. We'll probably get a coalition again is my bet. Was Ross Noble on the TV or a live show? I might have to see if I can find that on the net.
Yeah we have proportional and preferential voting. I have 5 people on the ballot, I number who I want from 1-5. If my number 1 doesn't get in, the votes get distributed to number 2 and so on until someone hits the quota they need to be elected. Means your vote goes along the line of next wanted (or least hated) so you still count.I realise your system is pretty different. It's first past the post right?
Live. We had 3 hour with Ross Noble last night at the theatre. His ad lib/spontaneous stuff was fantastic. He's a very lovely and funny human. But unfortunately his routine stuff wasn't as good, but when he got going on tangents upon tangents of stories and observations, I was crying with laughter.
On a lighter note, yesterday was world's book day. In Quebec, participating bookstore people walked out of their store and gave litterary prescriptions around town. They had prescription pads silmilar to doctors' and all.
Great idea.
That's cool, Esther :-) what an awesome thing!
Sarah wrote: "I agree on the PC stuff. The problem with the St George's flag here now is that it was kind of adopted by the EDL (English Defence League) and so it has taken on a bit of a racist tint, making it anti-muslim. So I get why perhaps the Police would rather Pubs etc. not have them up. It's crap when it's our national flag.."Ah! I get it now. I didn't realize that it has racist connections.
That is somewhat the case with the Confederate flag here, I think some people perceive it to be racist. I am not a southerner so I really have no feeling one way or another. . Although if someone is flying the Confederate flag in California it probably really does have racist meaning!
Sometimes I really think I have too many books. Especially with ebooks I lose track of what I have and what I don't. A month or two ago I came across The Hero of Ages in a secondhand shop, bought it, and since then I've been looking for cheap copies of book 1 and 2. Just now I was browsing among books on my ereader only to find all three books on there... And it's not the first time this has happened. I think I have two ebooks and one paperback of The Song of Achilles.I have a shelf on GR for ebooks and usually I check before buying, but sometimes one slips through I guess.
I always check Goodreads to see if I have a book marked as to read or to listen to. Any book on those two shelves are books that I own. I started doing that because I had the same problem. But even still, books can sneak their way in.
I have an 'own' shelf so I only have to go to one. I tend toward online ordering (even of used books) though so it's easy to look before I buy.
I lost track at how many copies of Wool Omnibus I own but I even have multiple audio of that with different narrators. Not because itsy favorite book ever but it was always in sales and I never could remember if I owned it. Well I do own it. a lot
Berit wrote: "That is somewhat the case with the Confederate flag here, I think some people perceive it to be racist. I am not a southerner so I really have no feeling one way or another. . Although if someone i..."The Confederate Flag (or "Rebel Flag" as it is often called) just so happens to also be the official flag for the state of Mississippi. It never had really bothered me one way or the other, but the older that I've gotten it has become more and more a symbol of racism to me. No one displays the Mississippi flag, they display the Rebel Flag. The people you see with that pattern on their trucks' windows or hanging from their front porch are almost always "good ole boys." I suppose for a lot of these people it isn't meant to signify racism, but that is what I think when I see it. I automatically think they are backwards rednecks. And I'll be honest with myself here, I'm stereotyping them, but it comes from real experiences. There are entirely too many "good ole boys" (and girls) in my rural area that will tell you they aren't (ain't) racist, but have no qualms about using derogatory slurs when talking about people of other races.
Because that symbol is connected with racism from the civil war, and because most southerners are already stereotyped as backwards rednecks by people from other areas, and because that symbol further enforces that stereotype even by other Southerners, I have grown to strongly dislike my state's flag. I am not a person that is easily offended and I'm not actually offended by the flag, but I do feel like it is holding Mississippi back.
Sorry for the little rant! I wish I had felt this strongly about the flag about 15 years ago when changing its design was on our ballots. I wasn't actually old enough to vote then, but I had to write an essay about my opinion for an American History class in high school and I'm pretty sure I didn't really have an opinion then. LOL.
Yes we're first past the post Rusalka. Re: Ross Noble - I actually think most stand ups are better when they ad lib.Well I started ripping the floor up in the bathroom. Kind of wish I hadn't now as the floorboards are rotten - now I have parents visiting tomorrow to help us rip the rest up along with ripping the shower and sink out and laying a new floor. Do you reckon we'll finish by the end of tomorrow? I don't think we will.
Came home today from a trip to disney with the family. We had a wedding in Orlando and decided to make a week trip out of it. I am slowly making my way through all the threads, tons to get through! I read very little as most of our time was spent at the parks and then crashing at night. I'm happy to be home but it was a fun time.
Welcome back, Tasha! Glad you had fun!!
KimeyDiann wrote: "That is crazy, Janice!Somewhat related to this topic, I read an article today explaining how several large automakers are backing a new law that would prohibit people from working on or modifying..."
Ha! well I do have a lot of green in my yard but CaseIH has been taking our money lately as that green paint is considerably more expensive than red lately
I've been traveling past week. On the road in Texas, visiting one brother to catch up and celebrate his 56th birthday, and meeting up with second brother to help him house hunt for a place to live upon return from Malaysia with wife and sons. Plus some time at home in between to catch up. Very grateful for some time with my brothers.
I have atleast four books I have a duplicate copy of because I can never remember. I still have to update my owned books from the 95 I have added to the 450 that I have. I can't possibly keep a track of all the ebooks though. They are in thousands!
Tasha wrote: "Came home today from a trip to disney with the family. We had a wedding in Orlando and decided to make a week trip out of it. I am slowly making my way through all the threads, tons to get through!..."Glad you had a nice time Tasha! :)
Dawn wrote: "I have an 'own' shelf so I only have to go to one. I tend toward online ordering (even of used books) though so it's easy to look before I buy."I also have an 'own shelf' and I find it works a treat.
Lisa wrote: "Dawn wrote: "I have an 'own' shelf so I only have to go to one. I tend toward online ordering (even of used books) though so it's easy to look before I buy."I also have an 'own shelf' and I find ..."
I have a own&library shelf. Saved me from buying some duplicate also.
Pragya wrote: "I have atleast four books I have a duplicate copy of because I can never remember. I still have to update my owned books from the 95 I have added to the 450 that I have. I can't possibly keep a tra..."Did you get the ebooks from Amazon? There's an auto-import feature for that. Haven't tried it. (Don't buy a lot of books from Amazon.)
Bella wrote: "Pragya wrote: "I have atleast four books I have a duplicate copy of because I can never remember. I still have to update my owned books from the 95 I have added to the 450 that I have. I can't pos..."Oh yes, I have almost all my ebooks from Amazon. I should try and find where this feature is. Thanks, Bella.
Pragya wrote: "Bella wrote: "Pragya wrote: "I have atleast four books I have a duplicate copy of because I can never remember. I still have to update my owned books from the 95 I have added to the 450 that I hav..."You get to the Add Amazon feature by first clicking on the link at the top of the page called "My Books". On the "My Books" page, on the left side there's an area called "Tools", click on the link "add Amazon book purchases". Clicking on the "add Amazon" link will open a new window asking you to log onto your Amazon account.
Esther wrote: "I have a own&library shelf. Saved me from buying some duplicate also...."I have a library shelf too, it's very handy. :)
I took Blake (our dog) over to the new apartment today :) he seems to like it :) there are soooooo many little dogs in the complex! I thought to myself, Blake is going to be the biggest dog here, lol! Then I met a neighbor and he has a weimeriener (sorry for the spelling) and he said there are at least 3 or 4 other dogs bigger than his dog in the complex :)
Pets are a great ice breaker when meeting new neighbors. Cleo likes to sneak out the door and then make me chase her down the hallway. Several of my neighbors report that their cats do the same thing.
Bella wrote: "Pragya wrote: "Bella wrote: "Pragya wrote: "I have atleast four books I have a duplicate copy of because I can never remember. I still have to update my owned books from the 95 I have added to th..."Thank you, Bella for the step by step instructions. But it doesn't show for me the 'Add Amazon purchases' link. :(
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (other topics)Gateway (other topics)
The Casual Vacancy (other topics)
The Thirteenth Tale (other topics)
The Fellowship of the Ring (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Isabel Allende (other topics)Enid Blyton (other topics)
Karin Slaughter (other topics)
