A little common courtesy
Bradley Manning announced her decision today and that's the last time I will refer to her by that name. She has stated she is now Chelsea Manning and all of us should be willing to use that name. Even before she seeks a name change through the legal system.
However, the probability that the Army will give her the hormone treatment and psychological/psychiatric treatment required to make the transition to being female in body as well as mind is probably lower than the chances we will be sending a manned mission to the Sun anytime in the near future.
Like it or not, she is still in the Army until she finishes her time in jail. The Army routinely discharges its personnel who are diagnosed with gender identity disorder. The military is still struggling with homosexual personnel and now isn't the right moment to make the Manning case the first shot in the war for transgender rights for military members. The first transgender person seeking to serve openly should not be pending a dishonorable discharge the moment their term at Fort Leavenworth ends.
The Army will not provide what she seeks. She will be in prison for seven years minimum and even then the chances of parole are unlikely. Fort Leavenworth is a prison for male personnel only. Ms Manning is reportedly going to seek a pardon from President Obama and that request will almost certainly be denied. So what to do?
Suing the military and/or the federal government won't accomplish anything. Non-military federal prisons would give Chelsea Manning access to the hormone treatments and transitional assistance she seeks.
Rather than grant a pardon, President Obama should order the Army to transfer Ms Manning into the federal prison system. At a time when the nation is reeling from the information disclosed by Manning and Edward Snowden, this could be the beginning of the healing process. Be the "Solomon" of this era, President Obama. Keep Manning behind bars, but let her start her journey into the future.
* * *
The reason I didn't blog yesterday was I didn't have enough moments in front of the computer to write anything coherent. When I finally tried last night I was simply too tired. I met this morning with the "device" specialist and I will be having that defibrillator installed next month. I'm not nervous. It is a minor procedure and the risks are minimal. But if I didn't have a lot of faith in the doctor who is telling me I should do this, I wouldn't be doing it.
* * *
President Obama has hit a home run in my mind with his proposal on awarding federal aid to colleges based on metric that rate the "quality" of education they deliver. In order to be fair, the rating measurements need to be complex because of the vast disparities in income by chosen profession.
I'd create a point system for this purpose that would measure the following items on a school by school basis:
Rate of graduation at that institution among entering undergrad students. Students who begin at this college but graduate elsewhere would count in the graduation rate where they matriculate.
Rate of graduation at that institution among entering graduate students. Again, the institution where they matriculate will get to count the student as part of their graduation rate.
Rate of graduate school acceptances for a college's undergrads who apply to graduate school.
Annual average wage income among an institutions graduates by major. That number will be used for another measurement, average ratio of student loan debt to average annual wage income.
The idea being that someone who majors in Business at Cal State Los Angeles and ends up with $40,000 in student loan debt can be fairly compared to someone who majors in Business at Harvard and winds up with $160,000 in student loan debt, by measuring their relative income. This should be the predominate factor in the rating system. A Harvard grad who earns double what a Cal State Long Beach grad earns, but has four times the student loan debt, isn't doing as well.
However, in order to make this a more accurate measurement, you have to measure the rate for graduates across the board in the post-graduate population. When these two graduates are 25, the Harvard grad might be earning only "double" that of the CSULB grad. What about when they are 35? 45? 55? You can't measure the value of the education just in the short-term.
I like the President's idea. Even if it will probably never come to pass.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
The theater owner in Kentucky who won't show "The Butler" at his theater because he dislikes Jane Fonda has every right to make this decision. As stupid as it is. Then again, perhaps if Ms Fonda had truly apologized for her trip to North Vietnam in whole, and not just for posing for a photograph sitting in an anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down Americans, people like this guy would forgive her. I won't not go see a movie just because she's in it. Freedom of speech and all.
Since there is a new unintended consequence of "Obamacare" coming to the fore, the fact that many employers will use it to stop offering coverage to spouses of their employees, is it going to become more vulnerable to being repealed (probably not)??
Just when you think Clayton Kershaw can't get any better, he does. Dodger fans who believe in prayer should pray for his continued good health. He is simply amazing.
Are there enough fans of dart throwing that not only is it a professional sport, it has a governing body? It does and one of the pro dart throwers just got a four match suspension.
So not only is Detroit broke, it's being overrun by stray dogs??
Would you consider $135 for four expressos with shots of Amaro (heck yeah)??
Why did former NBA superstar Allen Iverson feel the need to "officially" retire? He's been retired for years in the minds of everyone else.
Why would a woman want to have a Disney-themed bachelorette party, where she and the guests dressed up not just as Disney characters, but as Disney employees, complete with name-tags??? I guess when you consider that the bride wore roller-skates during almost her entire tenure as a Hooters Girl, it makes a little sense.
* * *
This Date In History:
On this date in 564, Columba reports seeing a monster in Loch Ness.
On this date in 1138, the Battle of the Standard takes place between England and Scotland.
On this date in 1642, Charles I calls the British Parliament "traitors".
On this date in 1654, Jacob Barimson arrives in New Amsterdam. First Jewish immigrant in America.
On this date in 1717, Spanish troops land on Sardinia.
On this date in 1770, James Cook lands on Possession Island, Queensland and claims the east coast of Australia as New South Wales.
On this date in 1831, Nat Turner's slave rebellion begins.
On this date in 1848, the United States annexes New Mexico.
On this date in 1851, the ship "America" wins the very first America's Cup.
On this date in 1864, 12 nations sign the First Geneva Convention.
On this date in 1902, the Cadillac Motor Company is founded.
On this date in 1910, Japan annexes Korea.
On this date in 1932, the BBC experiments with television broadcasting.
On this date in 1941, German troops reach Lenningrad, leading to the siege of that city.
On this date in 1950, Althea Gibson becomes the first black competitor in international tennis.
On this date in 1952, Devil's Island's penal colony is permanently shut down.
On this date in 1968, Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogota, Columbia. First pope to visit South America.
On this date in 1972, Rhodesia is expelled from the IOC.
On this date in 1989, Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson, his 5,000th strikeout. He becomes first pitcher to ever achieve that milestone.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Pope Leo XII
Samuel Pierpoint Langley
Claude Debussy
Leni Riefenstahl
Deng Xioaping
John Lee Hooker
Ray Bradbury
Honor Blackman
H. Norman Schwartzkopf, Jr.
Annie Proulx (Oscars aren't won and lost based on what your idea of stirring contemporary culture is, Ms Proulx)
Valerie Harper
Carl Yastrzemski
Bill Parcells
David Chase
Ron Dante
Cindy Williams
Diana Nyad
Scooter Libby
Gordon Liu
Colm Fiore
Debbi Peterson
Mats Wilander
Ty Burrell
Rick Yune
Kristen Wiig
Movie quotes for today come from 2004's "Kill Bill, Vol II" to honor the birthday of Gordon Liu:
Bill: Pai Mei taught you the five point palm-exploding heart technique?
The Bride: Of course he did.
Bill: Why didn't you tell me?
The Bride: I don't know... because I'm a bad person.
Bill: No. You're not a bad person. You're a terrific person. You're my favorite person, but every once in a while, you can be a real cunt.
#2
Pai Mei: [in Mandarin; subtitled] It's the wood that should fear your hand, not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.
#3
Elle Driver: [to Budd, as he is dying] Now in these last agonizing minutes of life you have left, let me answer the question you asked earlier more thoroughly. Right at this moment, the biggest "R" I feel is Regret. Regret that maybe the greatest warrior I have ever known, met her end at the hands of a bushwhackin, scrub, alky piece of shit like you. That woman deserved better.
#4
Bill: I suppose the traditional way to conclude this is, we cross Hanzo swords. Well, it just so happens, this hacienda comes with its very own private beach. And this private beach just so happens to look particularly beautiful bathed in moonlight. And there just so happens to be a full moon out tonight. So, swordfighter, if you want to sword fight, that's where I suggest. But if you wanna be old school about it - and you know I'm all about old school - then we can wait till dawn, and slice each other up at sunrise, like a couple real-life, honest-to-goodness samurais.
However, the probability that the Army will give her the hormone treatment and psychological/psychiatric treatment required to make the transition to being female in body as well as mind is probably lower than the chances we will be sending a manned mission to the Sun anytime in the near future.
Like it or not, she is still in the Army until she finishes her time in jail. The Army routinely discharges its personnel who are diagnosed with gender identity disorder. The military is still struggling with homosexual personnel and now isn't the right moment to make the Manning case the first shot in the war for transgender rights for military members. The first transgender person seeking to serve openly should not be pending a dishonorable discharge the moment their term at Fort Leavenworth ends.
The Army will not provide what she seeks. She will be in prison for seven years minimum and even then the chances of parole are unlikely. Fort Leavenworth is a prison for male personnel only. Ms Manning is reportedly going to seek a pardon from President Obama and that request will almost certainly be denied. So what to do?
Suing the military and/or the federal government won't accomplish anything. Non-military federal prisons would give Chelsea Manning access to the hormone treatments and transitional assistance she seeks.
Rather than grant a pardon, President Obama should order the Army to transfer Ms Manning into the federal prison system. At a time when the nation is reeling from the information disclosed by Manning and Edward Snowden, this could be the beginning of the healing process. Be the "Solomon" of this era, President Obama. Keep Manning behind bars, but let her start her journey into the future.
* * *
The reason I didn't blog yesterday was I didn't have enough moments in front of the computer to write anything coherent. When I finally tried last night I was simply too tired. I met this morning with the "device" specialist and I will be having that defibrillator installed next month. I'm not nervous. It is a minor procedure and the risks are minimal. But if I didn't have a lot of faith in the doctor who is telling me I should do this, I wouldn't be doing it.
* * *
President Obama has hit a home run in my mind with his proposal on awarding federal aid to colleges based on metric that rate the "quality" of education they deliver. In order to be fair, the rating measurements need to be complex because of the vast disparities in income by chosen profession.
I'd create a point system for this purpose that would measure the following items on a school by school basis:
Rate of graduation at that institution among entering undergrad students. Students who begin at this college but graduate elsewhere would count in the graduation rate where they matriculate.
Rate of graduation at that institution among entering graduate students. Again, the institution where they matriculate will get to count the student as part of their graduation rate.
Rate of graduate school acceptances for a college's undergrads who apply to graduate school.
Annual average wage income among an institutions graduates by major. That number will be used for another measurement, average ratio of student loan debt to average annual wage income.
The idea being that someone who majors in Business at Cal State Los Angeles and ends up with $40,000 in student loan debt can be fairly compared to someone who majors in Business at Harvard and winds up with $160,000 in student loan debt, by measuring their relative income. This should be the predominate factor in the rating system. A Harvard grad who earns double what a Cal State Long Beach grad earns, but has four times the student loan debt, isn't doing as well.
However, in order to make this a more accurate measurement, you have to measure the rate for graduates across the board in the post-graduate population. When these two graduates are 25, the Harvard grad might be earning only "double" that of the CSULB grad. What about when they are 35? 45? 55? You can't measure the value of the education just in the short-term.
I like the President's idea. Even if it will probably never come to pass.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
The theater owner in Kentucky who won't show "The Butler" at his theater because he dislikes Jane Fonda has every right to make this decision. As stupid as it is. Then again, perhaps if Ms Fonda had truly apologized for her trip to North Vietnam in whole, and not just for posing for a photograph sitting in an anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down Americans, people like this guy would forgive her. I won't not go see a movie just because she's in it. Freedom of speech and all.
Since there is a new unintended consequence of "Obamacare" coming to the fore, the fact that many employers will use it to stop offering coverage to spouses of their employees, is it going to become more vulnerable to being repealed (probably not)??
Just when you think Clayton Kershaw can't get any better, he does. Dodger fans who believe in prayer should pray for his continued good health. He is simply amazing.
Are there enough fans of dart throwing that not only is it a professional sport, it has a governing body? It does and one of the pro dart throwers just got a four match suspension.
So not only is Detroit broke, it's being overrun by stray dogs??
Would you consider $135 for four expressos with shots of Amaro (heck yeah)??
Why did former NBA superstar Allen Iverson feel the need to "officially" retire? He's been retired for years in the minds of everyone else.
Why would a woman want to have a Disney-themed bachelorette party, where she and the guests dressed up not just as Disney characters, but as Disney employees, complete with name-tags??? I guess when you consider that the bride wore roller-skates during almost her entire tenure as a Hooters Girl, it makes a little sense.
* * *
This Date In History:
On this date in 564, Columba reports seeing a monster in Loch Ness.
On this date in 1138, the Battle of the Standard takes place between England and Scotland.
On this date in 1642, Charles I calls the British Parliament "traitors".
On this date in 1654, Jacob Barimson arrives in New Amsterdam. First Jewish immigrant in America.
On this date in 1717, Spanish troops land on Sardinia.
On this date in 1770, James Cook lands on Possession Island, Queensland and claims the east coast of Australia as New South Wales.
On this date in 1831, Nat Turner's slave rebellion begins.
On this date in 1848, the United States annexes New Mexico.
On this date in 1851, the ship "America" wins the very first America's Cup.
On this date in 1864, 12 nations sign the First Geneva Convention.
On this date in 1902, the Cadillac Motor Company is founded.
On this date in 1910, Japan annexes Korea.
On this date in 1932, the BBC experiments with television broadcasting.
On this date in 1941, German troops reach Lenningrad, leading to the siege of that city.
On this date in 1950, Althea Gibson becomes the first black competitor in international tennis.
On this date in 1952, Devil's Island's penal colony is permanently shut down.
On this date in 1968, Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogota, Columbia. First pope to visit South America.
On this date in 1972, Rhodesia is expelled from the IOC.
On this date in 1989, Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson, his 5,000th strikeout. He becomes first pitcher to ever achieve that milestone.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Pope Leo XII
Samuel Pierpoint Langley
Claude Debussy
Leni Riefenstahl
Deng Xioaping
John Lee Hooker
Ray Bradbury
Honor Blackman
H. Norman Schwartzkopf, Jr.
Annie Proulx (Oscars aren't won and lost based on what your idea of stirring contemporary culture is, Ms Proulx)
Valerie Harper
Carl Yastrzemski
Bill Parcells
David Chase
Ron Dante
Cindy Williams
Diana Nyad
Scooter Libby
Gordon Liu
Colm Fiore
Debbi Peterson
Mats Wilander
Ty Burrell
Rick Yune
Kristen Wiig
Movie quotes for today come from 2004's "Kill Bill, Vol II" to honor the birthday of Gordon Liu:
Bill: Pai Mei taught you the five point palm-exploding heart technique?
The Bride: Of course he did.
Bill: Why didn't you tell me?
The Bride: I don't know... because I'm a bad person.
Bill: No. You're not a bad person. You're a terrific person. You're my favorite person, but every once in a while, you can be a real cunt.
#2
Pai Mei: [in Mandarin; subtitled] It's the wood that should fear your hand, not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it, you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin.
#3
Elle Driver: [to Budd, as he is dying] Now in these last agonizing minutes of life you have left, let me answer the question you asked earlier more thoroughly. Right at this moment, the biggest "R" I feel is Regret. Regret that maybe the greatest warrior I have ever known, met her end at the hands of a bushwhackin, scrub, alky piece of shit like you. That woman deserved better.
#4
Bill: I suppose the traditional way to conclude this is, we cross Hanzo swords. Well, it just so happens, this hacienda comes with its very own private beach. And this private beach just so happens to look particularly beautiful bathed in moonlight. And there just so happens to be a full moon out tonight. So, swordfighter, if you want to sword fight, that's where I suggest. But if you wanna be old school about it - and you know I'm all about old school - then we can wait till dawn, and slice each other up at sunrise, like a couple real-life, honest-to-goodness samurais.
posted by me at 4:24 PM
<< Home