Science vs Faith Flowchart

I love the breakdown of the breakdown of the scientific way of doing things...

No vaccine for arrogance

http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2007/12/no-vaccine-for-arrogance.html


Does anyone know how to do trackbacks?

On ageism affecting women

http://daisysdeadair.blogspot.com/2008/01/where-are-old-women-bloggers.html


After turning 50 in September, I became somewhat obsessed with the age of bloggers. I discovered I could find a lot of male bloggers in the 50-and-older category. But where are the women?

I know, there are a few. And I am not talking about Arianna Huffington, who is 57 and a billionaire (and therefore looks 25), but about us ordinary bloggers, such as Raven, Jackie, Risa, JJ, Marion, Maitri and Shadocat. I try to find them and link them on my blog... they are like precious jewels.

I have wondered if the hyperventilating over WOMEN'S AGE might be the cause of this phenomenon; we might call it The Botox Effect. We cover up the "lines" in our writing, as we try to cover the lines in our face. We minimize that which makes us seem old. If there is something new we don't understand, such as contemporary slang, we don't dare ask for clarification and thereby give ourselves away. Perhaps, then, there are more of us than I realize? Many women pointedly do not provide their ages on their blogs, while men usually do; a silly, sexist and archaic cultural habit.

At times when I write about nostalgia, as I enjoy doing, I get replies from isolated people (who will not comment publicly, it is worth noting) thanking me for publicly remembering something that they agree needs recounting. But they say it in hushed, secretive emails, as if I have said something dirty out loud. THE PAST IS OLD, and therefore, not a good thing. NEW is good, new is revolutionary, new is a product that has been improved, reformulated, with all kinds of good shit added to it to make it a rockem-sockem, highly-evolved and BETTER thing... better car, better house, better suburb, better dishwashing liquid.

Various cultures throughout the world once prized the old, as those who had knowledge and wisdom. As American imperialism runs roughshod all over the world and into every nook and cranny of the globe, we see all that is old is shunned and shunted aside. Hatred of what is old is now invading hearts and minds and cultures everywhere. Universally, the belief that old age equals wisdom is fast disintegrating. NEW NEW NEW shall reign. The old is hidden or eliminated, and that includes old people.

Rest here: http://daisysdeadair.blogspot.com/2008/01/where-are-old-women-bloggers.html

A Call to Arms...

http://blackwomenvote.blogspot.com/2008/01/black-queen-know-your-terrain.html


BLACK QUEEN: KNOW YOUR TERRAIN


Queen,

The first lesson in the Queenly Art of Political Warfare is to fully understand your territories. You must learn how to fully master each one of these holdings in order to effectively rule your kingdom. Today, I will teach you of only one: the Territory of Communications.

Communications is the only tool used to establish your reputation. And a Queen’s ability to generate cooperation, build allies, and lead her people is in direct proportion to the strength of her reputation. -- Ujuzi



COMMUNICATIONS (THE MEDIA)

Black women must immediately understand how overwhelmingly critical communications are to the overall success of any political strategy. All strategists know that if you allow your opposition to define your reputation, your intentions, or your agenda to the people, then you have already lost the battle.

Black women in America do not fully realize or understand this principle, and for that reason, we have very few allies today. There is a picture of us in the mind of bankers, politicians, city planners, employers, governors, and teachers, and it’s not pretty. Many of these people are at best, indifferent to the collective pain that black women experience.

According to the established rules of The Art of Political Warfare, the very first move for us should be to establish a positive general perception of black women. (Notice that people want us to back off from the word 'positive' and replace it with an 'accurate' perception of us... however, they never seem to want to make that petty distinction when white men inaccurately portray themselves as the owners and saviors of the world.)

Strategists like Colin Powell will tell you that in all wars, the first objective of the military is to utterly destroy the opposition’s communications, by fair means or foul. For example, in Iraq, before even one soldier laid a pinky toe on foreign soil, the Air Force flew over the country and bombed every satellite dish, radio tower, radio station and television studio in sight.

Notice that Condoleeza Rice did not tip-toe to the Afghani studio executives, to politely request that they show ‘positive’ images of soldiers, to give Afghanis a ‘balanced view of America’.

When you take control of the communication of your image, likeness and reputation,

* Your enemies can not use the power of influence to create even more enemies against you.
* Your enemies can not interfere with your ability to create powerful alliances


Rest here: http://blackwomenvote.blogspot.com/2008/01/black-queen-know-your-terrain.html

Comics to get

1. 100 Strategies of War
2.36 Strategems
3.6 Strategies for War
4. Gems of Chinese Wisdom
5.The Art of Gov't: Three Strategies of Huang Shi Gong

Guide 2 Women Muslim Leaders

http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Muslim_Leaders.htm

Oh boy. Don't I have a pile of research to do. Linked by Saladin, a commenter on The Angry black Woman's thread on the death of Benazhair Bhutto. http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/again-why-im-angry/#comment-27092

WOOOHOOOO: OBAMA WON IOWA!!!!!!

And Huckabee for the Republicans...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080104/ts_nm/usa_politics_dc

Obama, Huckabee win first 2008 vote

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent 8 minutes ago

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee capped come-from-behind campaigns with Iowa victories on Thursday to win the first contests of the U.S. presidential nominating race, U.S. media reported.

The two one-time underdogs defeated candidates who had for months been leading in the polls with Obama beating Hillary Clinton and Huckabee knocking off Mitt Romney in the fight to be the presidential candidates in the November election.

Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister, beat Romney fairly easily despite being dramatically outspent by the wealthy former Massachusetts governor and venture capitalist.

Obama, an Illinois senator, surged late in his three-way battle with Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady, and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Second place was still too close to call.

Iowa voters filled gathering spots in more than 1,700 precincts around the state to declare a presidential preference in Iowa's caucuses, which open the state-by-state battle to choose candidates in the November 4 election to succeed President George W. Bush.

Huckabee's upset reshaped a Republican race where no candidate has been able to claim front-runner status.

Iowa, where a sizable bloc of religious conservatives had fueled Huckabee's rapid rise, represented perhaps the best chance for the former Arkansas governor to break through with a win and reshape the Republican presidential race.

His rise has been fueled by evangelical and religious conservatives who constitute a sizable bloc in Iowa.

He will face tougher going in the next contest on Tuesday in New Hampshire, where there are fewer evangelicals, and he has lingered well behind Romney and Arizona Sen. John McCain in polls.

The loss for Clinton, who a few months ago was considered in some quarters the almost certain Democratic nominee, put immense pressure on her to turn around her campaign in New Hampshire.

The 2008 campaign is the most open presidential race in more than 50 years, with no sitting president or vice president seeking their party's nomination.