Facebook’s approach to “hateful” content…
Where is the line drawn?
The social networking giant has been taking heat on its willingness to allow specific hate related “Groups” to post pages on its site while the same time removing others.
Recently, a KKK group was removed by Facebook for violating it’s “hateful content” policy, however, it has not made any type actions towards a couple of pages which propagate that the Holocaust never happened.
The primary opponent of this allowance is Brian Cuban, attorney brother of Dallas Maverick’s owner Mark Cuban. Cuban has published an open letter stating his utter disapproval and distaste for Facebook’s unwillingness to remove these two pages.
I have varying views on this. I whole heartily agree that the Web should remain a free, open forum for the world in which viewpoints can be equally shared. On the flipside, I do not think the message of hate should be allowed to randomly propagate on websites in which advertisers, sponsors, and millions of general innocent users interact with on a daily basis. What I find ironic is that advertisers would not dare associate their service or products on TV stations or printed media for groups that preach hate, but essentially are doing that very thing by pimping ads on Facebook. If Facebook continues to expand its acceptance of all genres and types of users, including those who preach hateful, disrespectful messages, then what happens to the credibility of the site? Facebook stated in the article that it repeatedly reviews these issues and takes the necessary steps to hold the website to a standard.
As sick and disgusting as some of these groups can be; the web is still their best medium to enlist followers and spread these messages. I am also a firm believer that social networking sites, like Facebook, need to do the right thing.
Bdbdbdbdbd…dat’s just the Swine Flu ee’ee’verybody
As of right now, you probably don’t have it and very unlikely that you will. They don’t currently have a vaccine to kill the media bug but it’s coming…god I can only pray!
Just follow a few standard and simple rules:
1) Don’t share glasses with a stranger in a bar right now
2) Don’t lick door handles in strange places
3) Don’t purposely run into the middle of someone’s sneeze pretending like it’s a sprinkler on a hot, summer lawn
4) Don’t eat fallen food that has surpassed the 20 second rule on your desk. However, food dropped on the sidewalk, in my opionion, seems cleaner so the rule doesn’t apply.
5) You can eat pork and the pork industry wants you to know this.
It should be taken seriously to prevent any further cases like we have seen in Mexico. The influenza virus can be very dangerous if not treated promptly, so take care of yourselves. Wash your hands, cover your sneezes, stay home if you feel poopy, don’t fly to Mexico unless you have a bachelor party scheduled, and lastly drink a lot of water and get your Zzzzz’s. Bust most of all, please do not freak out!
The California octuplets – there’s just too much to the story not to address it
First, I am a guy and it’s automatically assumed that a guy couldn’t possibly have an opinion on this – not true. Or better yet, a guy doesn’t have the inherent right to chime in when it comes to issues of fertility, childbirth, and the issues surrounding the practice. I would beg to differ since men and women are both involved in the miracle of childbirth and all the expense that goes into it. Expense meaning it is costly to raise kids – diapers, food, shelter, health care, clothing, medication, schooling, etc.
Even more expensive can be the use of fertility treatments and I know a lot of couples who have taken on the process with mixed results. Some find that adoption is their only recourse due to an underlying medical condition and others experience the miracle of childbirth- and most often – multiples!
Jon and Kate Gosselin, better known as “Jon and Kate Plus 8″ from the hit TV show on TLC, gave birth to six children (six more children!) on May 10th , 2004 after receiving fertility treatments. We see everyday how challenging and taxing the rearing of this many children can be. The Gosselin kids are raised in a household with at least one steady wage earner and a part time OB nurse, plus the fact I’m sure they make money from the show.
Now you’re probably starting to wince and you know where I am going with this. Typically, the introduction of multiple births is greeted with elation, positive press coverage, and support from sponsors (diapers, formula, etc). Sadly, this hasn’t happened in the case of Nadya Suleman and her babies. Instead, we are seeing a great debate unfold in front of us:
Should a single mother with limited means be allowed to undergo these treatments and bring this many kids into the world?
The practical, realistic side of me immediately thinks no way. I say that from the stance of being a father myself – a father who takes financial responsibility for my own child, a father who knows how important my role is in my child’s life, a father who has seen my child spend time in a hospital and has felt the extreme emotion, a father who has witnessed close friends struggle with miscarriage and sorry, a father who has witnessed couples burdened with the fertility process and its frustrations, and a father who pays into the system which provides the same support services that Miss Suleman currently receives. I have sympathy for a mother who was wronged by a biological father or might have experienced some other form of economic hardship – but not a woman, who in my view has a mental illness, to be allowed to essentially become a “baby making machine” for the sake of popping out kids. I don’t think I’m taking the “standard reaction” or jumping on the bandwagon of every other critic out there. Her case goes from extreme to flat out irresponsibility.
Let me take the side of the opposition and address the possible question- can’t going on disability be considered an economic hardship? Initially yes- from what I have read she was injured in a mental facility riot (She was an employee not a patient)…but when you already have six kids, three of which are disabled, and make a conscious choice to increase your current economic hardship with the conception of more children – then no, it’s not just a hardship – it’s an abuse. That’s like the baseball player who severely injures his back and is forced to become a bench coach, only to become a drunk and lose his ability to fulfill his role as coach. It’s the act of compounding an existing hardship to the point of being rendered helpless – that is what she is doing.
Here are the facts: Nadya Suleman had embryos inserted for each of her first six children. It’s also known that she currently receives about $500 in food stamps every month, three of her previous children have a disability and receive state aid, she was put on disability herself in 1999 and saved money from the nearly $165,000 dollars in payments to help pay for the treatments.
Here are the alleged facts: Her parents tried to force her last doctor not to perform the treatments, so Miss Suleman changed doctors. All 14 births have the same biological father (which is good), he is the boyfriend and she refuses to marry him (probably not good). Suleman’s parents have stated that they were forced to build bunk beds, share in the feeding chores , and have stated that the house is a mess with clothes piled up everywhere. (sounds like our house)
The obvious here – there are few or no detailed laws in place that can adequately keep up with the ethical side of this issue. I tend to think our laws our geared towards honoring the welfare of our children…rather than welfare used to honor our children. Did this medical staff act with the best interest of the children or was this a jackpot in the bank account of the clinic? All I care about is seeing that those children are cared for- however it stings me deeply that the mother is relying completely on financial aid to do so. In my personal opinion, this is a selfish move by her and the part of the clinic.
Frankly, like I mentioned earlier- I think the woman has an emotional problem or mental illness that has turned her into a baby factory and this practice needs to be regulated better. In her view- these services are designed to support a mother in her situation – but what exactly is her situation? This is not the typical story of the married couple who have worked hard and spent thousands of dollars to seek treatment for the children they so desperately want. Hell, even if she was a single mother wanting kids- eight more? I can’t imagine how many couples see this story and resent the entire system for giving her 14 kids and is unable to provide them with one! Sadly, she is the poster child example that every outspoken, conservative vocalist thrives off of.
I don’t take that political view- but I still don’t like seeing this. I see her as a guinea pig for the fertility treatment and its effort to see how far they can go to produce as many babies as possible. She isn’t a surrogate and she is abusing an apparently flawed fertility system for her own personal gratification (and theirs) – of which I think is wrong. This issue is a matter of personal values and she thinks that this is an acceptable practice- and she had the cooperation of the medical staff.
Is it acceptable and how much should law come into play? It gives me a head ache thinking about it.
Some papers did not carry the election results on the front page – Big damn deal
Picture of Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery - San Antonio, TX
Up on my pedestal again I guess, but I am sick of hearing about local papers not carrying the Barack Obama wins the Presidency story on the front page, or for that matter at all. WHO CARES? Really, who the heck has so much time on their hands and so little going on in their life that they feel the need to berate an editor or a town for not carrying the story as a headline?
I wonder, do these same people complain when the paper does not carry the death count in the wars around the world, the atrocities in 3rd world countries, genocide, or the horrendous education system in this country, I think not? In fact I do not hear people crying foul when national papers do not cover these stories. What makes Barack Obama’s win so much more important than these real and ongoing issues that effect all of us, and all the citizens of Earth, the answer is nothing, absolutely nothing.
But knowing this will not keep them off their high horse, and will not keep them from spouting their ignorance to anyone who will listen. I ask these so called patriots who say they are only expressing their pride and joy for the sake of America to look at every paper in this country today, and if Veteran’s Day is not on the front page, and if the paper does not show 100% of the due appreciation for our Veteran’s on this day then by all means make that paper explain themselves, because today and all days like it deserve the front page.
I am sure even the new President Elect would agree that our Veterans are far more important than he is, and I encourage you to ask him if I am wrong.
Did you hear the one about how the rich are educated and the poor are not?
Stop the insanity, and demand education!
I do not remember how the whole joke goes, but it ends with the poor uneducated person being taken advantage of, and the rich better-educated person laughing all the way to the bank. It is a real hoot. The problem with any good joke is there has to be a grain of reality for it to resonate with the audience, and this one has more than a grain it has the entire wheat plant and the stems.
Education should be the number one cause in America. Education should be the first thing voters demand reform for, and it should be the primary reason they cast their vote for a candidate. Education is the foundation for which all of the good in America is created, and the lack of education is the foundation for all of the bad. This may seem like a simplistic view, but I believe with all my heart that it is not simplistic, but rather just that simple.
Starting today “We The People” should demand education reform from the highest offices to the council members of our towns and cities. We must demand that testing not be the priority, but rather the real and comprehensive knowledge of subject matter should be the objective. Most children can be programmed to answer yes or no questions, and to fake it until they make it, but not all children are made alike and therefore they should not be tested the same way.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but little Johnny may not have the same capacity to learn as little Matthew, so it is unfair to insist that Johnny be educated in the same manner as Matthew. I do not want to create a Brave New World type of culture, but I do think it is time that we realize that real change takes multiple generations to materialize, and although it is unfortunate that little Johnny will most likely not be a world leader or a titan of commerce, it is encouraging to think that little Johnny’s children will have a shot at these accomplishments, as opposed to the current trend in society which is little Johnny’s kids will more than likely be cast in the same stone as the now big Johnny and the whole cycle will repeat itself.
Let me try and paint a picture of just how strongly I agree with myself. I am actively involved in every aspect of my child’s life. I spend countless hours making certain my son is provided every advantage a child with 30x his means has. In fact I have dedicated my life to making sure my son is educated and well rounded, certainly more educated and well rounded than I am. I make that statement so you understand my son will have advantages that most children will not. I further make that statement so you realize I have in essence sacrificed my life and lifestyle to insure he skips a generation of hardness, because based on the current system that is the sacrifice I need to make in order to get him and his children one or two rungs above where they should be. I have come to this belief through sure will and determination. I forced myself to take on careers that were well outside of my social and economic boundaries, because I had the great fortune of attending great public schools as a child, and interacting with children who were by all accounts destined for greatness. I saw children growing up whose parents made the same sacrifices I am making to give their children the “upper hand”, and I was enlightened enough to learn from their example.
Our probable future President also benefited from this belief. Barack Obama was put on a path for greatness through his foundation in education. Whether it was his Grandmother’s desire for him to excel in secondary education, or his accomplishments at Harvard that distinguish him from other never-do-wells is unclear, but one indisputable fact is that his education makes him viable for his current role, and without Harvard or an equally stellar educational background behind him, he would simply be Barry from Chicago who needs to focus on his daughters chances to succeed, because his journey would be over before it started.
I am going to draw this post to a close for now, but I will continue with my beliefs on education in the future. It is a passion of mine, and I hope in some subtle way my passion could grow through you all, and who knows, maybe one day the United States will lead the way in education.
Heard It In A Bar RSS Feed- Texas – what the hell is wrong with you!? September 3, 2010I’m going to be honest with you, it is going to be very difficult for me to be calm about this. First, we had the Rep. Barton apologizing to BP for the Obama “shakedown”. Even his own party rolled their eyes and popped their Tums. I was up in arms over this and even got [...] […]She
- Lost is over and I actually miss it… September 3, 2010Six years of roller coaster loop de’ loops, dozens of undeveloped characters, and a story line that was as easy to follow as a chicken in a barnyard. If you didn’t watch Lost, you missed a show which challenged the fan to no end. Season after season of questions, theories, hypotheses’, cliff hanging plots, and a [...] […]kansasview
- Teetering on the edge…how does Bret Michaels do it? September 3, 2010I have to give Bret Michaels credit, he has battled a life of disease and he keeps bouncing back. At the age of six, he was diagonosed with Type I diabetes and has struggled to maintain his health all the while becoming an 80’s glam metal rock god, a history of hard hard partying, and what [...] […]kansasview
- A softball player who just happens to know the law, sign her up… September 3, 2010Does this woman really matter to you? If you look deep into the background of a possible supreme court justice, do you want actual bench experience or do you prefer someone who knows the law and has written a few hundred papers on well…the law? Princeton graduate, Harvard Law Dean,…on the surface at least Elena Kagan [...] […]kansasview
- When it rains for Tiger, it pours… September 3, 2010The muscle of this man has shrunk and shows more sign of atrophy as each new story surfaces. This blog did a pretty good job of leaving Tiger alone and I have to say after the recent events, I still stick to that credo. The bomb of the last couple months has dropped, the shrapnel has [...] […]kansasview
- Where have we been? September 3, 2010Well, a few good men and an even better woman started the idea of this blog and we owe it to someone to unspill the contents of our head, or at least mine. The time has come to once again say all the things I want to say and it’s an invitation for you as well! It’s [...] […]kansasview
- Brittany Murphy’s death is troubling September 3, 2010Not that it’s another tragic celebrity death, not that it’s another young life taken so early…these are all troubling and sad in their own right. It’s another tragic case of someone getting caught up in the web of drugs…the legal type! It truly saddens me that so many of these stars seek out more and more prescription [...] […]kansasview
- Internet fun for the weekend… September 3, 2010By far one of my favorite websites of late is called GraphJam.com. Essentially, the website attempts to break down the world and how we interact with it in a series of graphs. It is hilarious when you see how the world around us can be so easily summed up in a pie or bar chart. [...] […]kansasview
- So why are more companies not yet hiring? September 3, 2010U.S. Workers are still filing a large amount of unemployment claims and this is after five weeks of declines in this area. Where are the culprits and which industries are still hurting? It’s apparent as we have seen over the last year is that a gradual stabilization of the economy does not naturally translate to a increase [...] […]kansasview
- Facebook is down…Facebook is down…5:42 (cst) September 3, 2010This website is not a help desk for Facebook but it’s a civic duty to keep the American public aware of all possible natural disasters!! Facebook is down! Facebook is down! Don’t toss your Iphone in the river or hurl it at your wife and complain that it doesn’t work worth a s***. Here is the current [...] […]kansasview
- Texas – what the hell is wrong with you!? September 3, 2010
