Every eccentric needs a norm from which to deviate.
Perhaps Greece won't pass the new austerity measures in their parliament? Or perhaps Greek people will begin to pay their taxes.
What should be the norm - and who should be allowed to deviate?
I was pretty interested by the coverage of the LGB Pride event in Toronto this last week - where the mayor (who is fairly blunt, conservative and not a "friend" of the Gay community) was booed for not having the "courage" to show up.
So.. er, the gay community doesn't want to tolerate people who don't think the community is the best thing since sliced bread?
Live and let live.. norms, eccentrics, gays, straights, whatever. Who cares - we're all individuals anyway!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Greece, Euro
It's a funny thing, having feet on two continents. I read the BBC news most days, as well as a quick look on the CBC.
This whole thing with Greece.. it's a question of fairness, isn't it? Who has caused Greece to go so catastrophically under water - and why, rather like a drunk being forcefed whisky, are the Major European Powers trying to get Greece to take on more and more debt?
Self interest, obviously. And that's sad. It seems to me that Germany and France's governments are trying really hard to make sure their banks, that lent irresponsibly and caused Greece's problems (in part - the Greeks are of course partially to blame as well, but the banks should have measured the risk more carefully), are protected.
The banks are commercial entities. They are companies. Structures, legal entities - not people. The people running the banks were greedy/sheep and eventually turned out to be lemmings... except that their respective governments don't want them to actually die.
Perhaps, rather than foist further unrepayable debts onto the Greek people, the sovereign governments should buy the current debts from their own banks and write them off (in exchange for a stake in the banks in question).
Effect: Greek debt is smaller and more plausible - and so recovery more likely. The banks in question are less exposed to dodgy debt. The governments have more leverage with their banks.
Everyone wants to get their money back but the problem is that money didn't exist in the first place.
This whole thing with Greece.. it's a question of fairness, isn't it? Who has caused Greece to go so catastrophically under water - and why, rather like a drunk being forcefed whisky, are the Major European Powers trying to get Greece to take on more and more debt?
Self interest, obviously. And that's sad. It seems to me that Germany and France's governments are trying really hard to make sure their banks, that lent irresponsibly and caused Greece's problems (in part - the Greeks are of course partially to blame as well, but the banks should have measured the risk more carefully), are protected.
The banks are commercial entities. They are companies. Structures, legal entities - not people. The people running the banks were greedy/sheep and eventually turned out to be lemmings... except that their respective governments don't want them to actually die.
Perhaps, rather than foist further unrepayable debts onto the Greek people, the sovereign governments should buy the current debts from their own banks and write them off (in exchange for a stake in the banks in question).
Effect: Greek debt is smaller and more plausible - and so recovery more likely. The banks in question are less exposed to dodgy debt. The governments have more leverage with their banks.
Everyone wants to get their money back but the problem is that money didn't exist in the first place.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Slutwalks
There is something infuriating about slutwalks - protests against rape, apparently. Or protests against the perception of rape.
Rape is bad. Rape is illegal. Rapists should be put in prison. People who cannot control their sexual urges have problems (perhaps they should go to a prostitute.. oh, except that's illegal too.).
But the thing is that these walks.. they seem to be about responsibility. If I wear revealing clothing, that's not my responsibility - my desire to wear revealing clothing is paramount.
People seem to forget in our civility, our bland society, that life is *ALL* *ABOUT* *SEX*.
Sex is - literally - why we are here. Its a huge driver.
Guess what - marketing departments know it. Guess what - most adverts, most magazines have pictures of sexy (as in, people would want to have sex with) women.
And so - the misfits of our society. People who can't get sex. People who are surrounded by people in their office job who are sexy, pictures on the TV that are sexy, pictures on the internet that are *very* sexy.
It just drives them crazy. Is it their fault that marketing agencies use sex to sell cars/watches/alcohol/music/pretty much anything? Is it - really - their fault that they don't fit into a society of whatever it is our society is of?
Yes - they should be able to control themselves. Yes - they should certainly respect everyone, even those dressed in sexy clothing. And they have absolutely no right to force themselves, in any way, on anyone.
But.
"No buts!"
No, no buts to that.
But - "slut walk"? The whole thing is about selfishness. *I* have the right to do what I like. I have the right to shove what I think I want to do in anyone's face.
Sorry, since when? Since when have we humans had no responsibility to other humans?
I have the right to keep slaves. I have the right to dress in as little as I want. I have the right to reposess your house. I have the right to...
No. We'd be so much better off if people had sympathy marches, opened dialogues and had discussions.
But "slut walk" gets better headlines.
There should be equality not just of the sexes, but of all humans. But not just equality of your *rights* - equality of *respect* and *responsibility* also.
At the end of it, what is the purpose of looking good? To make you feel better about yourself? Well - dress up, wearing as little as you like, and take a photo and remember. There aren't that many mirrors in dark nightclubs anyway - so the wearing of clothes is clearly to alter other people's perception of you.
What is the point of that? Isn't a club where people go to meet, find partners and - ultimately - produce offspring? That's the fundamental drive behind it.
Women - and men - should have an unrevoccable right to not be raped. Absolutely. Perhaps with that right goes a responsibility to our fellow humans, as well. Or perhaps selfishness dictates that it's "all about me".
Rape is bad. Rape is illegal. Rapists should be put in prison. People who cannot control their sexual urges have problems (perhaps they should go to a prostitute.. oh, except that's illegal too.).
But the thing is that these walks.. they seem to be about responsibility. If I wear revealing clothing, that's not my responsibility - my desire to wear revealing clothing is paramount.
People seem to forget in our civility, our bland society, that life is *ALL* *ABOUT* *SEX*.
Sex is - literally - why we are here. Its a huge driver.
Guess what - marketing departments know it. Guess what - most adverts, most magazines have pictures of sexy (as in, people would want to have sex with) women.
And so - the misfits of our society. People who can't get sex. People who are surrounded by people in their office job who are sexy, pictures on the TV that are sexy, pictures on the internet that are *very* sexy.
It just drives them crazy. Is it their fault that marketing agencies use sex to sell cars/watches/alcohol/music/pretty much anything? Is it - really - their fault that they don't fit into a society of whatever it is our society is of?
Yes - they should be able to control themselves. Yes - they should certainly respect everyone, even those dressed in sexy clothing. And they have absolutely no right to force themselves, in any way, on anyone.
But.
"No buts!"
No, no buts to that.
But - "slut walk"? The whole thing is about selfishness. *I* have the right to do what I like. I have the right to shove what I think I want to do in anyone's face.
Sorry, since when? Since when have we humans had no responsibility to other humans?
I have the right to keep slaves. I have the right to dress in as little as I want. I have the right to reposess your house. I have the right to...
No. We'd be so much better off if people had sympathy marches, opened dialogues and had discussions.
But "slut walk" gets better headlines.
There should be equality not just of the sexes, but of all humans. But not just equality of your *rights* - equality of *respect* and *responsibility* also.
At the end of it, what is the purpose of looking good? To make you feel better about yourself? Well - dress up, wearing as little as you like, and take a photo and remember. There aren't that many mirrors in dark nightclubs anyway - so the wearing of clothes is clearly to alter other people's perception of you.
What is the point of that? Isn't a club where people go to meet, find partners and - ultimately - produce offspring? That's the fundamental drive behind it.
Women - and men - should have an unrevoccable right to not be raped. Absolutely. Perhaps with that right goes a responsibility to our fellow humans, as well. Or perhaps selfishness dictates that it's "all about me".
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