Letters to the Editor
oswald
Published Letters: 16 Editor's Choice: 1
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"'Women are the canaries in the coal mine,' Lenore Blum, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University,"
[Read the article: Sexing up computer science]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I dunno. Actual coal mines seem to have survived despite a lack of interest by women, even though many male miners have not. Where is the outcry over that disparity?
Does anybody really think that CS is in danger of extinction or severly stunted growth without a significant influx of women into the field? How on earth did disciplines such as math, astronomy, medicine, law, government and engineering hold on all those centuries without women? Don't get me wrong, women definitely bring a lot into any field they go into, but we're now getting to the point where the only way to try to counter women's obvious lack of interest in CS is to try to convince society that the field's very existence hangs in the balance? Ridiculous.
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"Men as a group are wealthier than women, and hold virtually all of the power in corporate America, so the cuts have disproportionately favored them."
[Read the article: Awaiting Mexico abortion vote]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't think that's accurate. It's my understanding that, although men may earn more in wages, women possess the majority of the wealth in the U.S.
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"But some health problems are related to behavior -- not to biological differences. "
[Read the article: Should there be an Office on Men's Health?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree completely. But I also I think that part of the author's point, even if she didn't state it as clearly as she should have, is that the medical profession and society at large does not discuss the health care issues of men as seriously as they do those of women. Her example of depression is a pretty good one. As she points out, the medical profession does not use specific tools to diagnose depression in men, which certainly must contribute to higher levels of alcoholism and suicide in men. Seems like there might just be a correlation there.
We have breast cancer awareness month and the Susan G Kommen foundation and the office of women's health and wear red for the day to support women's heart health and WIC and many other federal programs directed at women's health. Is there any such initiative for men's health. Not so much.
Still, men do need to appreciate the wisdom of *preventative* medicine.
Just sit them down and explain to them that it's sorta like an oil change.
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"So fear not, rich white men of the world, the world you have created and continue to run will no doubt continue to serve your interests above and beyond all others."
[Read the article: Should there be an Office on Men's Health?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]And all of you rich white women of the world should feel pretty at ease as well.
After all, you possess the majority of the overall wealth, enjoy far more choices between work and home life, consume the majority of clinical and research directed health care resources and live 5 years longer. Nice gig.
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How do you go from...
[Read the article: Stone Age women "created a future"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"It is impossible to say with any certainty who did exactly what in prehistory - that is, human history before the advent of writing and record keeping. There's simply no direct evidence one way or another upon which to base ironclad conclusions."
to...
"it has come to light that female humans have been the chief engine in the unprecedentedly high level of human sociability. (They) were the inventors of the most useful tools. (They) shared equally in the provision of food for human societies. (They) almost certainly drove the human invention of language. And (they) were the ones who created agriculture."
And still expect to have any credibility?
Or..
"In her 1994 book "Women's Work," Elizabeth Barber, a linguist at Occidental College in Los Angeles, compared the invention and use of fibers to the development of the steam engine.
String ties things up, she said. It can be used to catch, to hold, to carry. "From these notions come snares and fish lines, tethers and leashes, carrying nets, handles and packages, not to mention a way of binding objects together to form more complex tools."
And yet fail to provide any substantial evidence of who invented string?
If there is no evidence that men and women engaged in any division of labor back then- which makes sense- then wouldn't it be likely that they both invented such things?
And then this-
"Perhaps, but Adovasio argues there's a larger point to be made about the relative values of these activities. While knowing how to corner and kill a cave bear was undoubtedly useful to Stone Age cultures, Adovasio and others say the ability pales in comparison to the lasting value of being able to make clothing and fish nets, farm and communicate with one another."
...when you're operating off the premise that you have no idea who invented such technology.
And you can't invent too much if you get slaughtered by bears or any of the other creatures hunting you.
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Get over it
[Read the article: Michelle Obama's sacrifice]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Since the Obamas are liberals, Michelle is bullet proof. Anyone who dares to insult her with the same level of vitriol as has been visited on Hillary Clinton and leading white Democrats like Nancy Pelosi or Dianne Feinstein will be trampled by a herd of black ministers, civil rights leaders and church ladies in big hats. (Condoleezza Rice doesn't get the same protection.)"
Thank you for so carefully articulating(even crowing about) the rank hypocrisy of liberals when it comes to race.
And I think this is maybe not the best example of the unfairness of a woman putting her career on hold for her husband's. Hillary was just about the same age when Bill ran. Think Ms Obama might have some designs on a late career in politics? Or maybe she'll just become a millionaire lobbyist.
And she's not exactly from the ghetto either. Chicago's South Shore is not a bad place and her father was a democratic precinct captain.
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"That these courageous young doctors are fighting back and responding to abortion restrictions by increasing the availability of abortions is a stroke of genius."
[Read the article: The next generation of abortion providers?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I wouldn't say that they are actually increasing the availability of abortions. It's more like they are slightly decreasing the unavailability of abortions. The fact is, no matter what the Supreme Court decided in Roe, or how pro-abortion activists feel, the medical community is clearly uncomfortable promoting the procedure.
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Holy sh*t
[Read the article: Periods, rabbis, panties and more]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Those cons are pretty tight! lol