I Speak of Dreams

Irascible

Today, I'm grumpy and easily moved to rant, and I don't know why, exactly.  I have enough food to eat, my money's safe, one long-awaited house project is underway, so what's the problem?

Vast tracts of stupidity and venality masquerading as "masters of the universe", maybe.

With All the Talk of Dollars, and The Magic On/Off Campaign, You Might Have Missed This: US Army Assigns A Brigade to "The Homeland".

I didn't understand this at first.  I thought nothing of it--military divisions rotate home all the time. Then Terry Karney and Glenn Greenwalk woke me up.

Summary: an Army brigade (a significantly large unit, consisting of between 1,500 and 3,200 soldiers)

has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.

In other words, impose martial law.  That mission runs smack up against the Posse Comitatus Act.  (If your Latin is rusty, the phrase means  generally the "power (force) of the county".   If the historical meaning of the Act is rusty, consult Wikipedia.)

It is another example of the current administration trampling on checks and balances and civil liberties.

Be Inspired! Chris Burke and Angels on Stage

There's a new theater group in the San Francisco Bay Area called Angels on Stage.  It was founded by DeAnna Pursai, with the goal

To provide an opportunity to children with differing abilities of any type and degree, ages 5-22, in San Jose CA to participate in annual professional musical theatre productions.

There's a benefit concert coming up:

Chris Burke, the national TV star with Down syndrome who has played in hit TV shows such as “Life Goes On” and “Touched by an Angel,” will be in the Bay Area with his band to do a benefit performance for Angels on Stage, a new theatre troupe in San Jose comprised of children with differing abilities.

The performance will take place on Sunday, October 5th from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Palo Alto. 

Buy your tickets here.

Pursai was inspired to form the troupe by her sister, Angel Ellington (here's a story about Angel competing in the Special Olympics Ballroom Dancing Competition.)

Mark your calendars.  The first production will be The Wizard of Oz and the season will run  March 5, 6, 7 2009

David Kirby and Mark Blaxill Attemp to Indoctrinate Congressional Staffers; Fail

On September 24, David Kirby (Age of Autism) and Mark Blaxill (SafeMinds) made a presentation claiming that "yes indeedy, autism is caused by vaccination!"  The target audience was U.S. Senators and Congresspeople, but most were busy with more pressing affairs.  A few  sent staffers.  Sullivan (LeftBrain/RightBrain) covered what really happened in On the Hill I, On the Hill II, On the Hill III, while Kevin Leitch contributed While Mother Warrior McCarthy Oprahed

Rahul K. Parikh jumped into the conversation in a post I'm calling Correcting Mr. Kirby's Response to My Review,  and then more thoroughly in Deconstructing David Kirby, in which Dr. Parikh goes through the slides Kirby used in his talks:

There you have it.  Mr. Kirby effectively uses fancy medical lingo to build his credibility and tell us things we already know, relies on science that he can’t cite the source of or that can’t be applied beyond monkeys, gives us book reports on mitochondrial diseases and neuro-inflammation,  calls court decisions and quotes from famous people proof of his point. 

Just what was that point, anyway?   

I wonder if Mr. Kirby will respond.  Feel free to look at AgeofAutism.  Also feel free to look at the attendees list, and see if your elected representatives sent staffers.

Recognize, Relate, Respond

The Crisis Prevention Institute has developed a half-day seminar, Autism Matters at Work

to raise awareness and dispel myths about autism. It is designed to help professionals—those who have occasional workplace encounters with people on the autism spectrum—interact safely, effectively, and respectfully. This seminar provides important information that helps minimize risks and prepares staff for workplace contact with individuals on the autism spectrum.

They Should Have Been Wearing These

I almost hit a bicyclist last night.  On the freakin' freeway!  In the dark.

My route takes me on 280 south.  Just past Farm Hill Boulevard, I saw little twinkly lights on the shoulder.  ???  It was three bicyclists -- the leader had no reflective lights or garments.   (image source)  They were going danged fast downhill.  It really gave me a fright.

I surmise they got on at Farmhill and were planning to exit at Woodside Road,

Boingboing also had some reflective garmets, but cooler: here and here.

Skeptic Shock: Does Local News Coverage of Health and Science Do More Harm Than Good?.....

Link: Skeptic Shock: Does Local News Coverage of Health and Science Do More Harm Than Good?......

The most telling quote comes from the autistic child's mother. She explains that "The timing was too coincidental to ignore and I definitely believe in my heart the vaccinations triggered his autism,". There isn't anything someone like me, or even Paul Offit himself, could ever tell this woman that would convince her otherwise. At least it isn't very likely. And while I don't blame this poor grieving mother for being ill-equipped to critically wrap her brain around her child's diagnosis, I do blame the media for using her situation for the manipulation of readers via another's loss. Her story isn't news and we don't need to know about it. It serves no purpose other than to mislead and confuse.

Paul Offit's official website

What Dr. FreeRide Says about Sarah Palin

Link: Adventures in Ethics and Science: Argumentation: FAIL..

One of the big things philosopher-types like to do with their students is work on extracting arguments from a piece of text and reconstructing them. This can be useful in locating sources of disagreement, whether they be specific premises or inferences.

But some chunks of text that seem like they ought to have arguments that can be extracted and reconstructed end up being ... opaque.

For example, this question and answer between Katie Couric and Sarah Palin (transcript by way of Shakesville):

Really, you should go read the whole thing.

Skeptics' Circle #96 is Up--The Genesis Version

Link: -endcycle-: Skeptic's Circle 96.

SO. It's time for YET ANOTHER SKEPTIC'S CIRCLE!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO! Right then. Before you go any farther, a few words about this edition-

Help the Graduate Student with a Course Assignment? Profile of Adult with "Mild-Moderate" Disabilities

As some of you know, I'm a graduate student at Holy Names University in Oakland, working on an M.Ed. and a certificate in educational therapy.  This term I'm taking a class in "mild-moderate" disabilities.  We're required to write two short essays:    

You will complete two one-page profiles of TWO well-known individuals with a mild-moderate disability.  The exercise is to collect and share with class colleagues someone whose life has been productive, inspirational, and can serve as a role model for students with that disability.  The role models can be historic figures or living.  Describe each person's disability and a statement about his/her unique contributions.  Cite your source of information for each.

Personally, I'm fed up with the "famous person X has disability Y!" meme.  I don't think it is as helpful as stories about every-day people who are living full lives with disabilities.

I've written a lot of  profiles of "high achieving dyslexics" http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/high_achieving_dyslexics/

I'd like to write a profile of a non-famous person, other than dyslexics.

Dear readers, if any of you would like to volunteer your story, please feel free to email me privately (ponytrax@batnet.com) If any of you have suggestions of someone other than yourself to profile, please feel free to post it here in the comments, or email me.