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{ Monthly Archives } March 2007

On saying “no”: The Next Generation

A recent conversation came to mind apropos of threads at Pandagon and Hugo Schwyzer’s blog. Eldest Daughter: Mama, I think I might have been a little too blunt at school today. Me: OK, what happened? ED: Well, see, this boy asked me if I want to go out with him– Me: You’re too young to [...]

Out of Poverty

John Scalzi follows up his amazing essay on “Being Poor” with an answer to the question of how to help people out of poverty–or, more accurately, how they can help themselves.

Story Minute: She Waits

“Another cigarette?” she asked. He nodded, and she fished one out of the half-empty pack for him. She watched with interest to see if he could get it between his lips and operate the lighter one-handed without dropping either. It was awkward, but he got it lit and took a long draw.

“They want women out of their worlds”

Among many other good posts in the blogosphere about the harassment of Kathy Sierra is Violet Blue’s piece in the SF Chronicle–correctly pointing out that this isn’t an issue of one tech clique hatin’ on another, but a fairly typical example of the mentality of boys who love computers because computers, unlike women, don’t turn [...]

The Perjury Trap

Okay, I know he’s her lawyer and he’s gotta say something, but Monica Gooding’s attorney is not doing such a bang-up job with the impressive advocacy here. His explanation for why she is invoking her Fifth Amendment right to refuse to testify? John Dowd, Goodling’s lawyer, suggested in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman [...]

Give Blood

On the top ten of List of Things You Do Not Want to Hear when calling to find out how your wife’s surgery went: “She lost a lot of blood.” However, thanks to an anonymous donor with my blood type, I’m back home today to blog about how you all should, if you are able [...]

The Last Tampon

I’m sitting in my new doctor’s office while he reviews the results of another bunch of blood tests. We know I’m anemic; eating red meat and taking iron daily isn’t working, and I’m tired of assuming it’s just something I have and have to put up with. He flips through the file and asks me [...]

“Policy decisions” are too slow on the draw

Deborah Palfrey has found a buyer for her little black book. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Washington, DC.

And speaking of “policy decisions”…

Deborah Palfrey was indicted on racketeering and money-laundering charges related to her allegedly running a prostitution ring in Washington, D.C. After federal prosecutors brought a forfeiture action to tie up all her assets, she threatened to sell off her client list to raise money for her defense. Prosecutors responded by asking the court to gag [...]

Memo to DoJ: Stop Digging

Having been caught firing competent U.S. attorneys because they were insufficiently obedient, or because they were in the way of a favor somebody owed an up-and-coming young lawyer, the Department of Justice offers not only excuses, but really stupid excuses: At the time, none of the attorneys was given any reason for his dismissal. When [...]