Bush and Science

From the David Isenberg newsletter which I subscribe to, comes this link:

http://www.house.gov/reform/min/politicsandscience/

The presenter of the site believes that the Bush administration is actively interfering with,
and distorting scientific research - and gives examples.

... the term "social engineering" comes to mind. It used to be applied
as a form of insult to anyone with left-wing/liberal views". Now it seems
the right has cottoned on to the idea quite happily.

If the left is characterised as bleeding-heart and loony, then after reading the material in the web site above I'd have to characterise the right as stone-hearted and brainless.

Poking fun at ecommerce sites, being politically correct

This is an excellent site poking fun commerce sites on the web:
http://www.huhcorp.com/index2.htm

Some other interesting things about the huh? site:

Hidden in the html for the page is a link to another business spoof site,
http://www.massivecorporation.com

I don't know why the authors of the huh? site hid this link away - perhaps because it seems to link to real business sites who might take offense.

Also, look at the "huh?links" drop down list at the bottom of the page.
It points to two artists whose sites are definitely worth a look at (I particularly like Mia Tavonatti's work)
The third site is interesting.
http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com/ It is supposedly making fun of "p.c. honkies".

It is interesting because of the very different reactions the site seems to create in different people. I found it kind of ambiguous - I was left feeling that I needed more context to work out what point was being made. I felt kind of angry with the site because I couldn't work out it's intent! Then I looked at the link "your letters", and found that same ambiguity in the letters there. (assuming these weren't just made up, of course).

My reaction is partly explained, I think, because of my views about the use of the description "politically correct" to someone's views. I hate the term because I think it is often used to simply dismiss a point of view without any kind of argument or thinking through of the issues. ("Oh, what a silly thing to say, you're just being p.c."). I might hear a "racist" joke about, say an aboriginal, and mostly I don't find them funny because I think they are just pointless put-downs. On the other hand, if an aboriginal tells the same joke, it might be funny. Or if someone, whom I know is not racist, tells the joke, it might be funny too. The context matters a great deal. Now the thing about this web site is that I can't read the context very well, so I am not sure how to take it. Perhaps the very ambiguity is the point. Of course it shows I'm sensitive about being called "politically correct" because clearly I think I am merely "correct"!

My wife had a completely different reaction/interpretation to the site than I did - she said she felt embarrassed, because she hates the insincerity that she perceives in some peoples adoption of "worthy causes" and the like. She is right, of course, because that is why I laugh at the business spoof sites - they are poking fun at the insincerity and lack of authenticity in the kinds of statements made in so many business sites.

What the rest of us think of the USA's Foreign policy under Bush

smh.com.au - The Sydney Morning Herald

Afterthought: Sorry, this link is only up for a week, so the original isn't there anymore. The link probebly points to a cartoon topical for the past week at the time you are reading this.