Hey everyone. Long time, no see. This last semester, much of my time has been taken up writing for the Spartan Daily. Last week, I covered a story at city hall about whether or not the city should install porn-filtering software on the library computer network. Over the weekend, I wrote an opinion piece based on what I experienced at the city hall debate. Unfortunately, my editors decided it would be a conflict of interest to cast my opinion on a story which I covered, because it would skew the perception of the news article. But the blogosphere has no editors, so here is my opinion piece for your enjoyment.
Word Count: 527
During last week’s city hall debate over the application of porn filtering software on library computers, there were a lot of stories from the pro-filter side about parents witnessing perverts getting off while watching porn in public, and in front of their children.
Shocking already. But the stories got more shocking.
The response of these parents in each story was not to confront said perverts, but to go tell a librarian whose alleged reply was, “There is nothing I can do.”
I don’t know which is more despicable, the librarian’s lack of authority to protect people who use the library appropriately from sexual deviants or the parent’s inability to confront the problem and protect their children.
I guess the librarians were in a screwed up situation where they had neither the authority nor the training to remove the problem individuals.
The parents, on the other hand, did not defend their children from a threat nor did they do anything to remove the threat. Instead, they did what every elementary school child is told to do, get a grownup, in this case a librarian, to handle the problem for you.
When the librarians were unable to stop the problem, the parents just went to the next person they thought could fix their problems for them, city hall, which led to a debate over an expensive piece of censorship. In the meantime, these perpetrators of public masturbation that began this ordeal are still perusing the public libraries, by most accounts.
Talk about swatting flies with a cannon.
This whole debate could have been avoided in the first place had the parents stopped acting like children themselves and actually acted like parents.
In this situation, the solution is not to swat at flies with a cannon, but rather swing at perverts with a dictionary, or equally sized piece of literature.
There is no excuse for these sick bastards doing what they are doing in public libraries and in front of children, but there is also no excuse for allowing this sort of behavior in front of children, whether they are yours or not.
But am I recommending that people commit assault?
Yes I am. Over and over again, if necessary.
When the authorities, whether it be librarians, police or city hall, say they cannot do anything to protect the innocent, especially the most innocent of all, it is up to the people to do what is right.
In the year-and-a-half that this issue has been debated in San Jose, nothing has been done to deter these offenses.
But if one parent, one individual, took a solid stand and made an example of one of these serial-spankers, word would get out and libraries would become a place of fear for perverts and a place of sanctuary for children.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the legal repercussions of taking Webster’s dictionary to some degenerate’s dome. It would take a pretty cold judge and jury to punish someone for protecting children.
Once upon a time, people in this country could deliver a good ass kicking to someone who truly deserved it. Maybe we need to get back to a simpler time.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Personal Blog Post
In my last blog post, I reported about the 241 Toll Road extension in south Orange County finally being shot down by the California Coastal Commission. While I was visiting my family in Orange County over winter break I came across an editorial on the subject in the Orange County Register. I know that the Register is known to be a conservative paper, but I could not help but notice the condescending and elitist tone used when referencing the toll road opposition and their arguments.
The editorial, entitled “South O.C. drivers run into a ditch: No-growthers and authoritarian Coastal Commission get 241 Toll Road extension,” begins by expressing disagreement with the Commerce Department for not overturning the state Coastal Commission’s decision to protect “a sliver of the San Onofre State Beach, a portion that doesn’t even come close to the ocean.”
The author, however, neglects to mention how much “a sliver” is and what they consider “close to the ocean.” The proposed extension was planned to go through the San Mateo Watershed, which is a rare and delicate stretch of undeveloped Southern California. One needs only to stand on the Cristianitos Rd. overpass, a shoreline of development overlooking a small sea of undeveloped land, and look south to realize that the proposed location of this project would have an irreversible effect on the local environment, from the watershed to the ocean.
Of course the long-term goal of this project was to relieve traffic congestion, however, the author, perhaps not intending to, provided a great argument against this expansion. “This approach – spending decades in a futile attempt to expand road capacity - will only lead to more congestion.”
I agree.
Word Count: 280
The editorial, entitled “South O.C. drivers run into a ditch: No-growthers and authoritarian Coastal Commission get 241 Toll Road extension,” begins by expressing disagreement with the Commerce Department for not overturning the state Coastal Commission’s decision to protect “a sliver of the San Onofre State Beach, a portion that doesn’t even come close to the ocean.”
The author, however, neglects to mention how much “a sliver” is and what they consider “close to the ocean.” The proposed extension was planned to go through the San Mateo Watershed, which is a rare and delicate stretch of undeveloped Southern California. One needs only to stand on the Cristianitos Rd. overpass, a shoreline of development overlooking a small sea of undeveloped land, and look south to realize that the proposed location of this project would have an irreversible effect on the local environment, from the watershed to the ocean.
Of course the long-term goal of this project was to relieve traffic congestion, however, the author, perhaps not intending to, provided a great argument against this expansion. “This approach – spending decades in a futile attempt to expand road capacity - will only lead to more congestion.”
I agree.
Word Count: 280
Personal Blog Post
I am proud to report that San Onofre State Beach and Trestles, a world famous surf break, has been saved from the proposed 16-mile extension of the 241 Toll Road.
On December 18, 2008, the Department of Commerce announced that it would uphold the ruling made by the California Coastal Commission against the building of an extension to the 241 Toll Road in southern California. This ruling has made the building of the toll road, proposed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, illegal under state and federal laws. The proposed construction project would have been built through the San Mateo Watershed and San Onofre State Beach, both located in an undeveloped stretch on the border of San Diego and Orange counties.
The proposed extension has been the subject of a bitter dispute between several organizations on both sides of the issue for several years now. Local beach users, including a sizable and highly vocal population of surfers, along with the Surfrider Foundation and the Sierra Club, among others, have argued that the project would intrude and negatively impact the San Mateo Watershed - a home to known endangered species, the San Mateo campgrounds – which would be completely removed, and the world-famous surfing break known as Trestles – the only stop on the mainland United States for the Association of Surfing Professionals’ World Championship Tour.
On the other side of the argument, the TCA and its supporters, including commuters and construction workers who look forward to the income produced by building the extension, have argued that the is necessary to mitigate the expected 60% traffic increase in south Orange County over the next 25 years.
Word Count: 273
On December 18, 2008, the Department of Commerce announced that it would uphold the ruling made by the California Coastal Commission against the building of an extension to the 241 Toll Road in southern California. This ruling has made the building of the toll road, proposed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, illegal under state and federal laws. The proposed construction project would have been built through the San Mateo Watershed and San Onofre State Beach, both located in an undeveloped stretch on the border of San Diego and Orange counties.
The proposed extension has been the subject of a bitter dispute between several organizations on both sides of the issue for several years now. Local beach users, including a sizable and highly vocal population of surfers, along with the Surfrider Foundation and the Sierra Club, among others, have argued that the project would intrude and negatively impact the San Mateo Watershed - a home to known endangered species, the San Mateo campgrounds – which would be completely removed, and the world-famous surfing break known as Trestles – the only stop on the mainland United States for the Association of Surfing Professionals’ World Championship Tour.
On the other side of the argument, the TCA and its supporters, including commuters and construction workers who look forward to the income produced by building the extension, have argued that the is necessary to mitigate the expected 60% traffic increase in south Orange County over the next 25 years.
Word Count: 273
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Individual Blog Post #1
Tasers, or stun guns, are supposed to be non-lethal weapons. These devices, which are widely used by law enforcement, use high voltage electricity to cause neuromuscular incapacitation and strong muscular contractions in order to disable a person. Though they are considered by supporters to be non-lethal weapons, the rising body count is evidence to the contrary. I recently read an article in the San Jose Mercury News reporting that the city of San Jose will be paying $70,000 to the family of a man who died after police used a Taser on him. The victim was involved in a domestic dispute in November 2005. When police were unable to subdue him, they resorted to using batons and Tasers, as well as pepper spray according to one news report I saw. The coroner’s report said that the victim died as a result of a heart attack brought on by the struggle, cocaine and the effects of the Taser. Supporters of the use of Tasers would like to use drug use and the victim’s personal health as scapegoats, claiming that they were the deciding factors in such a death. However, when one considers who the Taser operators were, such a defense cannot stand. For a weapon to be considered non-lethal it should be universally non-lethal. Not non-lethal if the victim is of sound mind and body, physically fit and drug and alcohol free. The moniker of non-lethal is more of a public relations ploy to make a very powerful and dangerous weapon seem more acceptable to society than anything else.
Word Count: 258
Word Count: 258
Monday, December 1, 2008
Word of the Week #8
Word #8
Stanchion
Source: State of Fear by Michael Crichton, p. 351
How it was used: Each stanchion had caught debris floating downriver; the pylons were now wrapped with a tangled mat of tree branches, burned trunks, old boards, and floating junk, so that there was little room to pass by.
Definition:
Noun – an upright bar, post or framing forming a support of barrier.
Example: Rescuers were able to save several of the flood victims when they were found clinging to the stanchions barricading the old creek bridge.
Word count: 89
Stanchion
Source: State of Fear by Michael Crichton, p. 351
How it was used: Each stanchion had caught debris floating downriver; the pylons were now wrapped with a tangled mat of tree branches, burned trunks, old boards, and floating junk, so that there was little room to pass by.
Definition:
Noun – an upright bar, post or framing forming a support of barrier.
Example: Rescuers were able to save several of the flood victims when they were found clinging to the stanchions barricading the old creek bridge.
Word count: 89
Word of the Week #7
Word #7
Philanthropist
Source: State of Fear by Michael Crichton, p. 39
How it was used: The millionaire philanthropist stamped his feet and pulled on gloves, trying to warm himself.
Definition:
Noun – a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, esp. by the generous donation of money to good causes.
Example: Thanks to a large donation by an unknown philanthropist, we are finally able to build the youth center that we need.
Word count: 75
Philanthropist
Source: State of Fear by Michael Crichton, p. 39
How it was used: The millionaire philanthropist stamped his feet and pulled on gloves, trying to warm himself.
Definition:
Noun – a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, esp. by the generous donation of money to good causes.
Example: Thanks to a large donation by an unknown philanthropist, we are finally able to build the youth center that we need.
Word count: 75
Word of the Week #6
Word #6
Cavitation
Source: State of Fear by Michael Crichton, p. 19
How it was used: He had only one interest today, and tat was to sell cavitation machines.
Definition:
Noun – The formation of an empty space within a solid object or body.
Example: The undetected cavitation of the underlying rock caused the freeway overpass to collapse during the last major earthquake.
Word count: 63
Cavitation
Source: State of Fear by Michael Crichton, p. 19
How it was used: He had only one interest today, and tat was to sell cavitation machines.
Definition:
Noun – The formation of an empty space within a solid object or body.
Example: The undetected cavitation of the underlying rock caused the freeway overpass to collapse during the last major earthquake.
Word count: 63
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