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February 27, 2006
I'm in the New York Times today
Read here.
In fact, it turns out, it was a Front Page article. The research referenced is here in draft form.
Posted by John Bambenek at 11:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 26, 2006
My Column Next Week: Sex Out Loud
Here's a heads-up to what I'm writing on this week, the annual festival of debauchery, Sex Out Loud. Below is the email they sent out, read for yourself.
===
Dear Organizational Representative,
Please forward this to your organization, coworkers,
friends, classes, staff or faculty:
The Fourth Annual Sex Out Loud! Sexual Health Awareness Fair
will be taking place on Wednesday, March 1, from 9a - 3p in
the Union rooms A, B, and C.
This exciting, free event provides an open and safe
environment for people to learn about, discuss, and explore
sexual health information and resources. This year's event
will feature a live DJ, a teen dating violence skit
performed by the Teen Awareness Group, an excerpt
performance of the Vagina Monologues, interactive games and
activities, prizes, and information on topics including:
Abortion
Abstinence
BDSM
Birth Control
Body Image
Body Modification
Emergency Contraception
Healthy Relationships
HIV/AIDS
International Women's Rights
Intersexed People and Sexuality
LGBT Issues
Men's Health
People with Disabilities and Sexuality
Sex Toys
Sexual Myths and Facts
Sexually Transmissible Infections
Violence Against Women
Women's Health
And Much More!
Sex Out Loud! is cosponsored by:
Annie Hopkins, Rehabilitation/Disability Studies Student
Champaign County Health Care Consumers
CIL-KY
Greater Community AIDS Project
Fantasy's
Feminist Majority
Interfaith Religious Leaders
Kim Rice, Sexuality Educator at McKinley Health Center
Lamba Pi Upsilon
Men Against Sexual Violence
New Life Tattoos
NOW, UIUC Chapter
Office of Women's Programs/CARE
Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois
PRIDE
Pure Romance
Rape Crisis Services/A Woman's Fund
Reverend Karen Bush, United Church of Christ
Sexual Health Peers
Sexual Orientation Diversity Ally Committee, Counseling
Center
TAG
Tim Shea, McKinley Church
Help support sexual health awareness and come to the Fourth
Annual Sex Out Loud! Sexual Health Awareness Fair on March 1
in the Union.
Thank You!
Megan Kough
President Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance at the
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:17 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
DI Article Up: Race-Baiting for Fun and Profit
Here it is. I think it kinda sucked. I was tired.
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Universal Health Care and Euthanasia
There are two events that should give people pause when considering universal health care. First is Hurricane Katrina and several facilities euthanisizing patients not because of terminal illness, but because they didn?t think they could move them. Second is Charlotte Wyatt who doctors want to euthanize (or more accurately let die) because they don?t think she is worth saving. A court has rules that the doctors can make this decision even though it is contrary to the will of the parents. In the first case, it is people making mistaken practical judgments. In the second case, it?s little more than outright eugenics.
It is one thing to let some one commit suicide because they've lived a full life and have little hope of recovery. It is another to mandate death to people because they aren't worth taking care of. The first case can be called "right to die". The second case is more properly called the "right to kill". Confusing the two makes it easier for the "right to die" crowd to be a "right to kill" crowd.
Right now it is particularly difficult for people to be put to death against their stated (or their family members) will in the United States; that is until universal health care is introduced (and hopefully it never will be). To summarize, the government can't be trusted to know which phone calls belong to terrorists and which belong to moms planning on getting their kids to soccer practice. The government can't be trusted to get industry advice and not sell out to the rich. The government can't be trusted even to hold prisoners captured on the field of battle. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE ALL MY MEDICAL RECORDS AND HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER MY HEALTH CARE!!!
The problem comes in that the government uses different priorities to make decisions than people do. For instance, the Irish Health Service had other priorities in mind when deciding on health care for the elderly. Or stateside, an Illinois pension fund seems to be operating under different priorities then actually keeping pensions around for teachers. Bureaucrats like wasting money, when they waste too much there isn?t enough to take care of business. Apply this to health care and it means people without money who have come to rely on public health care will get screwed.
What happens when people get screwed by the health care system? Well they'll be euthanized more often than they are now. New Orleans medical professionals decided that it was too much effort to try to keep them alive so they killed them. Not because they were terminally ill. Not because they were in incredible pain. It was because they assessed the situation and didn?t think it worth trying to find a way to help them. The difference is when they aren't the government, they'll be prosecuted. When they are operating with a government imprimatur, they'll get away with it more likely than not. The government will decide who is worth treating and who should die based on some dollar calculation.
If the NSA can't be trusted to listen to some phone calls, what makes people think that this health care calculus will be honest?
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:01 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 15, 2006
Campus Parking Now Tried to Ruin My Day... Comes Up Short
They didn't learn the lesson the first time.
They wrote me a ticket at 4:53 pm for not feeding the meter. One problem, you don't have to feed the meter afte 4pm. Good game, guys.
Posted by John Bambenek at 6:08 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
For the Love of All That is America, Learn What The First Amendment Is…
Throughout the cartoon controversy people on both sides talk about free speech and a free press. While in general, these can be construed as the freedom to say what you want, people are conflating Constitutional protections with the idea that one shouldn't face any consequences to their speech.
Free speech, but more specifically, the Constitutional protection of free speech has absolutely nothing to do with private individuals and what they can do. The First Amendment is not a protection from your fellow citizens (or foreigners). It is a protection against what the government can do, and the government alone.
When the Dixie Chicks protested that people were boycotting their music, they claimed Free Speech. No one said they didn't have the right to say what they did; they were saying they weren't going to continue giving them money if they wanted to engage in that behavior. This is perfectly legal and why our country is so great. We don't need the government to create hate speech laws here; the free market system largely takes care of the problem. Yes, you have a right to say stupid things, but that doesn't mean you have the right to continue to get subsidized by the public if you do. This is the lesson that the creators of "Book of Daniel" learned.
When Islamic radicals (who are the minority) burn down embassies and threaten violence, it is shameful behavior. You don't protest the stereotype of being a fanatical murder by being a fanatical murder. However, Muslims hacking websites is not a Constitutional issue. There are laws to prevent it, sure. It's bad behavior, sure. But it is not an attack on the First Amendment. It is high time people on both sides realize what the First Amendment is and what it is not.
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:20 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
DI Column Up: False Religion
Oh yeah, I have a column up,False Religion. Take a look.
Posted by John Bambenek at 8:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Why I'm Sick of Talking Politics
It's crap like this. Why is this front page news? Why does the NYT need to fantasize over a grand jury to investigate an accident? He was hunting, someone got shanked. It happens, and if nothing else the NRA is pissed because there is another data point out there on why all guns should be banned.
Making jokes is one thing, but Democrats trying to make it a political issue is just stupid. I seriously feel dumber for having read those articles. Any time there is bad news, they blame Bush. Doesn't matter what it is.
Posted by John Bambenek at 8:24 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 14, 2006
DI: Editors who ran cartoon suspended
Yes, it's true. Yes, it's a sham.
Here is the Publisher's note.
Posted by John Bambenek at 9:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DI: My Comment up about the cartoons
You can read my comments on running the cartoons in the DI. It's the second blurb, the attribution is on the second page (i.e. it starts with journalists and telling stories).
Posted by John Bambenek at 10:06 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 13, 2006
Editorial up: The Edit Board Revolts over Cartoons
I'll let you read it for yourselves. There's an all-staff meeting this evening, high comedy will likely ensue.
UPDATE:
The editor-in-chief and opinions editor wrote a response that did not get published. Perhaps a strange technical glitch...
UPDATE 2:
The response is now published.
UPDATE 3:
Additional thoughts from another DI staffer up at the Next Frontier.
UPDATE 4:
As far as the Sabir issue is concerned, yeah wrote a letter and yeah, he's Acton's friend. But he's also the student body VP and a Muslim. He's the best pick for public voice here, and it wasn't like he didn't come down hard on Acton.
Posted by John Bambenek at 8:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Immigration Analysis by Darnell McGavock
By Darnell McGavock at Independent Conservative
Contrary to popular belief, most illegals coming to the USA already had jobs in the country that they left. Also, they are seeking much higher paying jobs than some might believe. Their days of trying to just pick fruit are over!
Here are some details, although it is best to read this entire article:
Study: Most illegal immigrants had jobsThe research, believed to represent the largest-ever study of undocumented migrants, contends that the vast majority of illegal immigrants from Mexico were gainfully employed before they migrated to the United States, and failure to find work in their native Mexico did not seem to be the primary reason for their departure, said Rakesh Kochhar, associate director for research at the center and author of the report.
…
In fact, the majority of new migrants will look for work with higher wages in industries such as construction, hotels or sales, said Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center.
…
Only 5 percent of the 4,836 migrants surveyed were unemployed in Mexico before moving to the United States - a significantly lower number than in past studies and theories about migrants, Suro said.
…
Ironically, Kochhar added, immigration status (in the United States) has little to do with finding employment. Migrants without identification had the same chance of landing a job as those with valid U.S. IDs.
…
So much for all that talk about illegals needing to find work. They already had work where they came from. They just come to the USA for a higher wage. And so much for all that talk about illegals only filling jobs "that Americans will not do". As I've previously explained, Americans did those jobs and can do them again. And never mind "those jobs", now the illegals are going for YOUR JOB. They want to move up the pay scale. The illegals coming in now are better educated than prior generations and so they are seeking higher paying jobs that require a higher skill set.
The actual report is available here.
The complete report mentions:
Once they arrive and pass through a relatively brief period of transition and adjustment, migrants have little trouble finding work. Family and social networks play a significant role in this; large shares of migrants report talking to people they know in the U.S. about job opportunities and living with relatives after arrival. They easily make transitions into new jobs, even though most find themselves working in industries that are new to them.
…
There is a steady and strong demand for migrant workers from Mexico in agriculture, construction, manufacturing and hospitality. These four industries employ about two-thirds of the survey respondents, irrespective of their background in Mexico or their year of arrival.
…
Migrants from Mexico are responsive to regional variations in demand for their services. Construction is the dominant industry for employing migrants in Atlanta, Dallas and Raleigh; hospitality is the major employer in New York City; manufacturing in Chicago; and agriculture in Fresno.
…
The percentage of survey respondents employed in agriculture in the U.S. has dropped from 17% of those in country more than 15 years to 9% of recent arrivals. At the same time, the percentage employed in construction and hospitality has increased from 23% to 42%.
…
The time is now to close our borders to illegal immigration.
This has been a production of the Guard the Borders Blogburst. It was started by Euphoric Reality, and serves to keep immigration issues in the forefront of our minds as we're going about our daily lives and continuing to fight the war on terror. If you are concerned with the trend of illegal immigration facing our country, join our blogburst! Just send an email with your blog name and url to euphoricrealitynet at gmail dot com.
Blogs already on board:
Posted by John Bambenek at 8:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 10, 2006
Union Busting?
Below is an email I intercepted from the local anti-war group (who's stance against war is more often than not that the wrong people are being killed not that no killing should take place). We have a Hilton coming in, and when they decided to do construction they choose not to go union. The horror!
Of course there are protests against the "union busting". Now union busting is smashing attempts of employees to join unions. As far as I know there was no attempt by the construction workers to form a union, Hilton simply choose a firm that wasn't part of the union.
What this protest is, is the "monopolistic" attempt to demand all jobs in various industries have to go to union-approved firms. It's bad enough that they try to foist unions on people who don't want them, but now they also insist that all jobs in a certain industry have to go to the union or they are behaving unethically.
=====
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 10:44:13 -0800 (PST)
From: XXXX
Subject: [Peace] Solidarity picket at NOON Friday
To: AWARE peace
Message-ID: <20060209184413.62245.qmail@web31014.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Just a reminder about the SOLIDARITY picket in support
of the Building
Trades this Friday ( 2/10/06 ) at NOON on Kirby Ave.
between Neil st.
and
State st.
Let the mega-corporate Hilton hotel chain know that
the
Urbana-Champaign
community WILL NOT TOLERATE Union busting in OUR city.
See you there, and dress warm.
In Solidarity
XXXX
----- Original Message -----
From: XXXXX
...
Subject: Solidarity picket this Friday at noon!
> **Please Forward**
>
> Union-busting,
> It's disgusting!
>
> You are cordially invited to join the local Jobs
With
> Justice Organizing Committee in a show of support
for
> the efforts of Building and Construction Trades
Unions
> in town this Friday February 10 at noon.
>
> We'll meet outside the work site on Kirby between
Neil
> and State St., where Tatman is building a new hotel
> and renovating an old one - one of the largest
> non-union projects in town in years. Signs will be
> there. Dress warm. Look for the big rat.
>
> p.s. The nearby Walgreens construction site is NOT a
> target of this picket. This construction is being
> done union, respecting wages, benefits, working
> conditions, etc.
Posted by John Bambenek at 12:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 9, 2006
SANS Handler of the Day Diary Up
I got my Internet Storm Center Diary up. 5 critical security updates for Windows coming next Tuesday...
Fun.
Posted by John Bambenek at 7:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
DI Reprints Mohammed Cartoons...
I got wind of this early, but today the Daily Illini reprinted the infamous Mohammed Cartoons and as was expected, they were flooded with phone calls, letters, etc. The news has broken nationally with the old editor and chief posting updates.
Personally, I don't know how I feel about it except to say that the new editor meant to prove a point and got the reaction he wanted. At some point I'll write on my opinions of the mischaracterizing of free speech (private citizens influencing others to not run things is not a free speech issue, certainly not in terms of the 1st Amendment), but the situation is pretty deep in all the issues it covers. I'm trying to put together a panel discussion on the issue, we'll see where it goes.
Michelle Malkin plugs it and more on the issue.
UPDATE: Here is the Chancellor's response.
UPDATE 2: Here's a brief quote from the AP article out on the subject (Not known is it is linked online anywhere yet)...
AP-IL PROPHET DRAWINGS DAILY ILLINI Student-run newspaper reprints some of Danish newspaper's cartoonsCHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - The student-run newspaper that serves the University of Illinois community on Thursday ran reprints of some of the cartoons whose publication has sparked outrage and violence in many parts of the Islamic world.
The Daily Illini, which is independent of the UI, ran only six of the 12 cartoons first published in September in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten, but led with the one that has caused the greatest furor: a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb as part of his turban.
Posted by John Bambenek at 5:14 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 8, 2006
DI Column Up: Mass Taxing District
My weekly DI column is up at the DI.
Despite claims to the contrary, I'm not a libertarian. The CU-MTD is just a waste of money.
Posted by John Bambenek at 3:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Christian Carnival CVIII
Welcome to this week's Christian Carnival CVIII, a weekly roundup of self-submitted blog posts from Christian Bloggers. Sorry for the lateness of getting this posted but having just returned from vacation, I've fallen somewhat behind. Posts are in the uncreative order of receipt.
Here's this weeks entries:
Martin LaBar of Sun and Shield presents Dick Fischer on taking Gensis literally, pointing to an on-line article by Dick Fischer, wherein he argues, with quite a bit of evidence, that most or all of the claims of Young-Earth Creationism are contradicted by scripture.
John Howell of Braing Cramps for God presents Natural Law: Its Source and Discernment.
Miss O'Hara at Miss O'Hara presents Numb.
Kim C at Life in a shoe: a peek into the methods and madness of one mother of 7 presents Abortion in America. Good news from the other side: it's becoming harder and harder to get an abortion.
FMF at Free Money Finance presents The Tithe is for Today. Talks about why tithing is a New Testament principle.
John Luke at Blogcorner Preacher presents
The Random Yak, for the Random Maniyak at Random Yak presents A Song of Wandering, but Not Alone
David Taylor of Disciple's Journal presents On missions: What about the persecuted church?. While the nations rage about . . cartoons . . I provide a brief profile of Christian Freedom International as one example of ministry to believers in some of the toughest areas of the world to be a Christian.
Ed of Attention Span presents A Hint of the Eternal. What does it mean that God is eternal? How can we as finite humans wrap our minds around that concept? At Attention Span, rev-ed sees "A Hint of the Eternal" in a spring by the side of the road.
Laura Curtis of Pursuing Holiness presents Here we go again.... Christians will protest the “crucifixin’s” segment of Will and Grace furiously if the American Family Association has anything to say about it. And that is our right. However, before we act on this, let’s take a moment to think. Christians will protest the “crucifixin’s” segment of Will and Grace furiously if the American Family Association has anything to say about it. And that is our right. However, before we act on this, let’s take a moment to think.
Will Hinton of Dignan's 75 Year Plan presents End of the Spear Controversy. "The casting of Allen does present ironies if not outright dilemmas. Saint himself said so, but has continued to offer Allen support (see below). But how far do these culture warriors want to take this? Because the logical conclusion of this approach leaves you in a cultural hermetic bubble, without any relationship to those of differing beliefs and practices. This isn't about surrendering to PC ideologies. It's about loving our neighbors and not confusing "in the world" with "of the world."
Rev. Trudy Mackay of The God Blog presents How do we walk in love?. "Today it is impossible to keep track of the people you affect. Through our blogs, Rev. Trudy and I communicate with thousands of people every day. We can’t know how our words sit with them. Some take courage and inspiration; others might disagree. Even if you don’t have a blog, the simple act of going to town and walking in a store puts you in a situation beyond your own control. You are seldom seen as you see yourself. There is nothing you can do about this without the Lord’s help."
John Hollandsworth of Light Along the Journey presents Neo's Choices in the Matrix. John draws out some parallels between the choices that Neo makes in the famous film with the choices that all of us are faced with in our walk with God.
Matthew Jones of Random Acts of Verbiage presents Judges 19. A look at an extremely difficult Biblical passage. Where is the good news?
Richard Anderson of dokeo kago grapho soi kratistos theopilos presents The Fruits of the Theology of Matthew. Richard discusses the significance of Matthew using the word "fruits" six times in his gospel including three times in the Parable of the Wicked Tenants.
Adam Graham at Adam's Blog presents Poem: Our Father. Adam at Adam's Blog begins a series of poetic meditations on the Lord's Prayer with "Our Father."
Michael Meyer of Chasing the Wind presents Trusting in God's Promises. Half-hearted Christians never learn to conquer the giants in their lives. Trust in the Lord to receive His promise.
Kim at Mother-Lode presents There is More. How do we reconcile our longings and disappointments with Christian contentment? Kim maintains that it is neither a Candide-like insistance that we live "in the best of all possible worlds" nor a Buddhist-friendly denial that anything matters.
Lennie of CrossBlogging presents Tolerance and Compassion in Islam. The last few days have provided some interesting events. The incidents in particular are the Cartoon in a Danish Newspaper and the Painting of Bin Laden portrayed as Christ. The first has outraged Muslims. They are rampaging in the Middle East attacking and threatening Westerners. The cartoonist have now gone into hiding after threats on their lives. Contrast this to reaction by Christians offended by the Bin Laden as Christ painting. The Christians have been speaking out and sending emails. They are not out rioting and threatening to kill the artist.
Jerry of Truth be Told presents Brockback, Jacked Up, and Screwed Up.
deputyheadmistress at The Common Room presents The Mission Field
Richard Crout of Give Your All 4 God presents Important Lessons from the Pinewood Derby.
Phil Dillon of Another Man's Meat presents The Luigig Cascioli Case - Prooof for the Existence of Fools. This post is the ongoing case in Italy where a priest was sued and has to prove Jesus did exist.
A Penitent Blogger presents Commandments of Men. A reflection on how our Lord's denunciation of the Pharisees might also apply to us.
Jeremy Pierce at Parableman presents Neither Male nor Female, Jew nor Greek. This post responds to an argument that Paul's statement that there is no male or female, Jew or Greek, slave or free cannot be used to argue against racial segregation if it is interpreted in a way that allows gender role distinctions.
Kim Bloomer of Sharing Spirit presents All We Need is Love on how love is not about feelings but about action.
Rev Bill presents Pro Bono. Rev. Bill gives us some words from Bono of U2 -- and a link to the speech Bono made at the National Prayer Breakfast.
Terry Hull of Terra Extraneus presents Why I am No Longer a Fundamentalist Christian. "When I was a teenage believer, I knew I was a fundamentalist Christian. I believed the fundamental doctrines of historic Christianity. I still believe those things today. However, today I am no longer a fundamentalist. Today I know that the term "fundamentalist" comes with a lot of cultural and emotional baggage, including a lot that I vigorously reject.
Louie of The Marshian Chronicles presents Some Truth About Accountability. The first of three articles on the importance of accountability in ministry, the reasons so many avoid it, and why it's a pain in the butt!
CWV warrior of Christianity is Jewish presents Here a Year. cwv warrior talks about being a voice in the wilderness after one year of blogging for God.
Kathleen Dalton of Vegetable Soup presents Minor Prophets... Major Prophets... Ordinary Men. Here you will see some practical ways many people (and these are all people I know personally) have tried to fulfill their calling to be like the prophets of old…risking reputations, jobs, family acceptance, even safety…for the privilege of sharing their part of the picture of Jesus for all the world to see.
Alex of Jordan's View presents What was the Point at "The End of the Spear"? Like others in the blogosphere, Jordan was critical of the filmmaker's decision to cast a homosexual activist, but sees the film's greatest flaw to be its muted gospel presentation, which sadly results in a film that does not fulfill its potential either as an evangelistic tool or as an artistic statement
Mark Olson at Pseudo-Polymath presents Considering Worship and Prayer Again. "I'm a tyro when it comes to prayer as evidenced by my carnival entry a few weeks ago. Anyhow, I take another stab at it and solicit suggestions."
Derek Gilbert of P.I.D. Radio presents The Long War. American evangelicals need to step back and take a hard, critical look at this Republican administration we've elected. While we in no way support some of the key moral issues promoted by Democrats, Christian conservatives must wake up to the fact that President Bush is using a war that will never end to justify broad government powers our forefathers fought a war to escape.
Jeff the Baptist presents A Record of Prayer. To all the world this is a boring blue memo pad. You can get five of them for a few dollars at any supermarket or drug store. Yet inside is something precious. Every page is contains prayer requests...
All Kinds of Time presents The Doubters' Commission. A closer look at who Christ was commissioning in the Great Commission.
...in the outer... presents Will the Church Survive?. Thoughts on the feared repercussion of the Italian litigation against Rev Enrico Righi that might lead to an adverse result to the church brought about by an appeal to the EU Court.
Donna-Jean of Liberty and Lily writes of the death of a long-time friend in her tribute, "At Home".
View From the Pew presents Study of Mark: Mark 8:27-31. 'I've been doing a study of Mark (for an unfortunately long time!) and this is the latest installment on one of my favorite passages in the Gospel -- "Who do you say that I am?"'
That's it for this week. Next week will be hosted at Pursuing Holiness. God bless!
Posted by John Bambenek at 2:54 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 7, 2006
Back from Vacation, Christian Carnival Coming
I'm back from a week long vacation to Oklahoma. Check this space around noon tomorrow for the latest edition of the Christian Carnival and for my DI column that will be published tomorrow.
Posted by John Bambenek at 8:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 1, 2006
DI Column Posted: A revolution of mediocrity
You can read it here.
Posted by John Bambenek at 7:25 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
