Who’s ‘They’? – The New York Times

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From last Sunday’s NYT Magazine, called “Who’s They” online and “Multiple Choice” in the dead trees edition:

In December, the Post copy editor Bill Walsh called “they” “the only sensible solution to English’s lack of a gender-neutral third-person singular personal pronoun,” with “sensible” being the key word. The singular “they” gained favor with The Post’s standard-bearer partly because the presumptive “he” “hasn’t been palatable for decades,” but also because a generic “she” feels “patronizing” and “attempts at made-up pronouns” — like “xe,” “xim,” and “xir” — strike Walsh as “silly.”

But then, ten years ago, wouldn’t we have thought “text” as a verb or “blog” as any sort of word at all were silly?   How about “tweet”?   Or earlier, “fax”?  “Email”?

Xe, xim, and xir maybe new, unfamiliar, not-yet-widely-adopted, or (is it just me?) hard to pronounce, but they are not silly.

Asshole.*

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* Widely-adopted pronoun indicating (among others things) an arrogant, misguided fool.  Example: “Hey, asshole, take a sec to think about the fact that you sound like a cis-privileged old fart before you publish.”

Blizzard Photos

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Last Tuesday, March 22, it was 75 degrees in Denver.   I wore shorts to walk the dogs.

The next day:

Image: Framed in an open front door, the branch of a tall shrub is bending under heavy snow. In the foreground, a smaller branch with small yellow flowers.

My brave forsythia!  We ended up getting about two feet, making the propane heater look like Jiffy Pop.

Image: Tall propane heater on a back patio with a large pouf of snow on top.

The next day was gorgeous and sunny and made for some cool photos (if I do say so myself).  Steam rising from our back gate.

Image: four pickets of a fence with patchy snow and steam rising.

Somehow even the slush was pretty.

Image: Puddle of slush with chunks of snow photographed at a low angle with sunflares.

A couple of shots from the street by our house.

Image: Long shot along a street with snowy trees on either side and cars driving toward the photographer.

Image: Long shot along a plowed path next to the street with snowy trees on either side with the sun in the background and a dog in the foreground casting a long shadow toward the photographer.

Holly is such a petite golden that the snow came most of the way up her sides.

Image: Golden retriever dog standing in the snow up to her sides and chin.

Proving that the most mundane thing can be gorgeous against the bright blue Colorado sky.

Image: snow covered branches against a bright blue sky.

American Exceptionalism

How are we going to defeat Daesh when we are frightened of the configuration of the body parts of the person who is peeing in the stall next to us?

Seriously, conservatives, get a grip.  It’s time for America to act like a grown-up country and face our real problems.

‘Imbeciles’ and ‘Illiberal Reformers’ – An NYT Book Review Mini-Rant

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‘Imbeciles’ and ‘Illiberal Reformers’ – The New York Times Book Review

Trigger warning:  The review contains a discussion of “eu”genics.  May lead to depression at the unlikely prospect that the American elite will ever be anything but entitled assholes.  May also cause excessive swearing and the urge to vomit.

The book under review examines the people and law behind the notorious Buck v. Bell decision, in which Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, writing for an 8-1 majority, endorsed the practice of sterilizing people perceived to be of lower intelligence — called, in the law and in his decision, “imbeciles.”

The tone of this review is that not only is forced sterilization wrong but that it is somehow shocking to find support for it amongst the progressive elite of the turn of the 20th Century.

“Imbeciles” examines one of the darkest chapters of progressive reform, and “Illiberal Reformers” looks at the perils of intellectual arrogance in dealing with explosive social issues.

The review concludes in the future warning tense:

Buck v. Bell “has never been overturned.” In a world where the Human Genome Project is currently mapping heredity at breakneck speed, that fact alone should send shivers down the spine.

No, dear readers, the intellectual arrogance that puts people’s life at risk based on their cognitive and physical abilities does not live in a dystopian future of genomic discrimination.  It has tenure and a chair with a name at Princeton — endorsing the murder of infants with disabilities — and is currently at work in many state legislatures around the country, trying to pave an easy path to physician-assisted suicide for people with disabilities.

Image: Cartoon showing woman in a wheelchair looking at two entrances to a building: on the left, a door labeled "Suicide Prevention Program" that is up a set of steps; on the right a door labeled "assisted suicide" which is up a ramp with the international symbol of accessibility.

Cartoon credit:  Amy Hasbrouk, Toujours Vivant/Not Dead Yet.

Why is it so easy to see now that Buck v. Bell was wrong and evil, but not to come to the same conclusion about Peter Singer and the urge to make suicide easier for people with disabilities?

 

 

Verizon customer support — verbatim

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I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet that I don’t really take anywhere; when I travel, I just take a Kindle for reading, and otherwise use my Surface Pro, which can be a laptop or a tablet.  It finally dawned on me that I did not need to pay Verizon $10 per month to never connect this device to the internet, so I decided to delete it from my account.  I thought I could do this little transaction online, but could not find a “disconnect this device” option.  There followed this customer service chat/epic upselling effort with “Charlie”:

Thank you for contacting the Verizon Wireless Chat Team regarding your account. How can we help you today?

Me:  I would like to remove a device from my bill

Me:  I figured out how to “suspend” it but I would like to remove it permanently.

Charlie: Just to make sure I understand you correctly, do you mean switching the device on the line or removing it permanently?

Me:  removing permanently.

Me:  a tablet I no longer use

Me:  and have not replaced

Charlie: Oh my! It’s saddening to hear that you want to remove a device from your account. I will go over the account details to check all available options and fees before processing your request.

Charlie: Let me first pull up the account, may I have your name and mobile number?

Me:  ###-###-#### Amy Robertson

Me:  that’s the number on the account; not the tablet

Charlie: Thank you Amy.

Charlie: May I also have the mobile number assigned to the Tablet that you want to cancel to check its details?

Me:  ###-###-####

Me:  it’s month to month

Charlie: Thank you Amy.

Me:  i thought i had canceled it long ago; so i just want to stop paying the monthly cost

Charlie: Got it.

Charlie: May I know who was originally using this Tablet? What change occurred that made you not use it anymore?

Me:  Long story.

Charlie: If you won’t mind, I am here to listen to make sure we get to the bottom of this and provide you with out best recommendation.

Me:  Seriously, I’m good. All set. Just want to remove this device from my bill. Thanks.

Charlie: I understand. Just before I make any changes, you might be interested in upgrading this tablet to an Ipad. We got a variety of Ipads available and for a limited time, I can give you a $200 discount on any new iPad.

Me:  You are doing a GREAT job upselling me, and I promise I will give you 5 stars on any follow up survey, but I’ve made up my mind: I would like to remove this tablet from my account. Can I ask you to do that now? Thanks!

Charlie: I completely understand. Let me start the process for you now.

Charlie: Please stay online with me.

Me:  No problem. Thanks.

Charlie: Thank you.

Charlie: I am starting the process now.

Charlie: While processing this disconnect, would you happen to know anyone who might be willing to take over this line? It can help someone get crucial and reliable cell service while avoiding startup activation fee of $40.00. It can also help someone get into a brand new device since it’s an out of contract line, like a new iPhone 6s Plus or S7 Edge.

Charlie: Also, if you don’t know someone off the top of your head who might be interested in taking over this line, I can help you get it suspended without billing for up to 3 months so you don’t have to pay for it in the meantime.

Me:  I don’t know of anyone to take over this line. Would like to just remove it from my bill.

Charlie: I completely understand and thank you for giving us a chance of laying out all available offers for you. I already have the validation result. Checking here, we have to wait for your billing cycle date which is on the 22nd so we can avoid the prorated charges on your final/ next bill. Since we already gone through the process, when you call us back on your billing cycle date, all we have to do is hit the disconnect button and the line will be totally removed from your account.

Me:  No, seriously, disconnect it now.

Me:  I’ll pay this month’s charge. I don’t want to have to call back.

Me:  That way I just pay through 3/22 and not after.

Charlie: Got it. I can finalize it now so you won’t need to call back by the 22nd. The line will automatically be canceled once it reaches the end of its cycle.

Charlie: Yes. That will be the case.

Me:  Perfect.

Charlie: 🙂

Charlie: Almost done submitting the request now.

Charlie: All done! I’ve submitted your request to cancel and the line #### will automatically be canceled once it reaches the end of the cycle. No need for you to do anything from your end.

Me:  Thanks very much!

Charlie: You’re welcome! I’m glad I took ownership of your concern today by submitting your request to cancel the tablet line since it is no longer being used.

Charlie: Do you have any further questions or concerns I may assist you with?

Me: Nope.  All set.  Thanks!

Excellent typo

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Reading through a site survey, the surveyor referred to the window at the pharmacy counter as the “consoltation” window.  Perfect!  “I’m so sorry you have to take statins now.”

Not sure what to think of this

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Everyone in our neighborhood just got this email from one of the moms on the block

I think we knew this day was coming…With the warm weather (and growing sense of mischief), [our son] and his 14 yr. old pals have taken to roaming the neighborhood after dark. You may have noticed some tree decorating at our house last night and a roaming band of hooded boys walking openly down the street. What you may NOT have noticed was [our son] hiding in various yards wearing his full ghillie suit (Aussie camo garb) crouching in bushes trying to scare his friends. They seem to mostly be up to harmless pranks and of course, we have tried to impress upon him to be respectful of the neighborhood. BUT, they are 14, and [our son] is now 5’10” and looks like a full size adult. So we thought it appropriate to warn everyone so you would not be alarmed at first sight of them, if you see them. And of course, let us know if they cause real trouble or damage. Otherwise, feel free to holler at them and send them on their way! Expect another warning email in about 18 months when [our son] starts driving.

On another note, [our son is] looking for ways to earn some money over the summer, so if you are in need of dog walking, dog/cat sitting, house sitting or lawn mowing or general yard work help, please let us know.

My first thought was:  but they’re white; what are they worried about?  Their kid is free to dress in camo, hide in the bushes, roam the neighborhood in a hoodie,* and likely survive any chance encounters with the police.

Then I thought:  We live in Denver — are even white parents scared of the DPD?

Then I thought:  Mostly harmless?**  Maybe I should be concerned.

Then I thought:  Wow, what an awesome job rec for your son!  I’m totally going to give him the keys to my house and ask him to feed my pets while I’m away.

Then I just thought wtf.  Seriously, wtf.

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*I’m really hoping “hooded” means “wearing a hoodie” and not “wearing that other sort of hood that’s getting a lot of press these days.”

** Though Hitchhikers fans will recall that this was the Guide‘s one-line description of Earth.  Then again, I’m not sure how comforting that is.

 

“Zara Drops a New Genderless Clothing Line”

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“The retailer is the latest to embrace gender-defying fashion.”

Folks, this doesn’t defy anything.  This clothing line consists of items you could obtain, without patting yourself on the back for genderforwardness, by shopping at Hanes.com.    .

What I’m waiting for is Business Casual Ungendered Work Slacks in which the waist fits and I don’t have to cut a foot of fabric off the bottom.  This will be a huge boon for my particular subgroup: short rectangular women with no perceivable waistline.  I wear men’s Levi’s, but that’s not an option for work slacks.

Sadly, fashion that actually fits short people is a step too far for even the most forward-thinking fashion house.

Also I have to make a word-nerd comment that will conclusively identify me as an old fart, but when did “drop” start meaning “add”?  I read the headline to mean Zara had a genderless clothing line, which they ultimately decided not to carry, and thus dropped it.

Source: Zara Drops a New Genderless Clothing Line | Complex

My brain with a cold.

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Image description: White on black silhouette of a woman's head, divided into two sections. The front section including the nose and forehead is labeled "bricks;" the back section is labeled, "Recurring tape loop of all the things I have to do but feel too crappy to do."

Image description:  White on black silhouette of a woman’s head, divided into two sections.  The front section including the nose and forehead is labeled “bricks;” the back section is labeled, “Recurring tape loop of all the things I have to do but feel too crappy to do.”