Tuesday, April 22, 2003

Reality TV I am trying (in vain) to grade a batch of student essays. Larry King Live is on in the background because I have lost the remote and am too lazy to get up and change it. Besides, I am trying to work (still in vain). The show is about Laci Peterson. Well, not exactly. It's a bunch of lawyers talking about Scott Peterson. And people from throughout the country are calling in offering their insight into the murder. Ahem. There are at least two families and untold friends who are grief sticken at what has occured intheir family. A woman has been brutally murdered. Her to-be-child did not survive the mayhem. What business is this of ours? Here are some things to consider: One person is murdered every 60 seconds throughout the world.1 8,000 - 16,000 children are killed by landmines each year (that's 21 to 43 kids each day).2 In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner.3 Where are the tv shows about this? Why do we not raise our voices and question this? Why is it that we focus on a single person simply becuase that is what the media has decided w should look at? -- References 1. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/03/health/main524231.shtml 2. http://www.unicef.org/sowc00/map6.htm 3. Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief, Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, February 2003 comment []  permalink  posted by: jgh  9:56:30 PM

Murder as Leading Cause of Death in Pregnant Women So implies Dr. Cara Krulewitch, an epidemiologist at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, who was among the first researchers to find a link between pregnancy and homicide. Excuse me while I shudder. I've been pregnant. I've had pregnant friends. All of us were concerned for our babies and yes, if one is realistic, about ourselves too. What would happen? Would the baby be okay? Would labor be awful? Were my genes okay? What about genetic defects, chromosomal anomalies, toxemia, preecplamsia, gestational diabetes, AIDS, learning disabilities... the list goes on. Now, all these concerns may not matter. According to a two-year old report from ABC News, in which Krulewitch was a primary source, almost 40 percent of the deceased pregnant women studied had been murdered, making homicide the leading cause of death for mothers-to-be. Anyone thinking gender wars? Or genocide? Or that we, as a civilized, super-power nation, may have a problem? comment []  permalink  posted by: jgh  7:14:44 PM

A Land of Profits and Sheep Speaking about Carnival Cruise's recent decision to ban those from Toronto, Canada from boarding their ships because of the Sars outbreak, a Carnival Cruise representative said on ABC New Tonight, "it would be devasting for our company and the cruise industry in general." Not to mention the people infected. Cross Carnival off my list of 'maybes' as a vacation choice. On a related (but yet to be connected note), USA Today named LeBron James as the national player of the year. They did this today. Clearly they sweated this call. Mr. James has been alleged since Novemebr to be the only logical first pick at the NBA draft. And this is the point... We all site back and wait. Wait for someone bigger than us to come out with what we will say and who we will be. And disssenting voices grow quieter for fear of jobs, threats, safety. Doesn't say much for the strength of that Constitution of ours that guarantees us this right, does it? comment []  permalink  posted by: jgh  6:46:57 PM

Karbala, Clerics, and Electricity In Karbala, there is power, according to a CNN report this morning. There is also little looting. And Americans have been asked to stay away and not provide security. Shia clerics have managed to do what 'coalition' forces have not. They have maintained order and public safety in a city where perhaps millions will gather by tomorrow. But all is not happy. Chants of "No to America, No to Israel, No to the Devil" morphed into to "Death to America. Death to Israel." Carl Penhaul of CNN reports: "These pilgrims are sending a very serious political message to U.S. and coalition forces. They are saying: 'Thank you for the help in ridding Iraq of Saddam Hussein, but now your work is done.' They are telling them they now want to set up their own form of government, possibly based on some form of Islamic law." This latter statement is what worries some. Yesterday the 'coalition' arrest of Shaikh Muhammad al-Fartusi, who had spoken to 50,000 at Friday prayers, created a protest outside the Palestiine Hotel by thousands of Shiites. Reasons for the arrest are sketchy at best. The increasingly angry protestors though are clear. They welcome their newfound religious freedom, but want their own government, taking into account their religious preferences. Sheikh Hussein al-Assadi, a student of Sheikh Fartusi, "warned that, since U.S. forces had set foot in Iraq, they should be aware of Muslim sensibilities, 'otherwise there will be an explosion.'" Does this mean they don't want to be American? comment []  permalink  posted by: jgh  6:10:10 AM

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