Technology, Innovation & Telecomm

http://www.afr.net/newafr/wekickedgodout.asp

I just read this on Yahoo news. It simply blows my mind. It definitely makes me wonder what our society has come to.

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Just so I understand, the Toys for Tots folk turned down *free* toys for kids, on the basis of a fear that they may end up in the hands of non-Christians who would most certainly be offended by a FREE gift.

A few questions come to mind:

1. Would they turn down a talking Allah doll? How about a doll extolling Satanism? Or, would they refuse a Pilgrim doll, since it could be taken as an affront to the Indians who felt abused at the hands of the early settlers? What about those with gender sensitivity? If someone gave a male doll to someone who prefers female dolls, what do you do about them?

2. How can the Toys for Tots folks say what the reaction will be to the dolls? It seems to me that they’re depriving a potentially large, grateful group of recipients of the *opportunity* to actually approve of the gift they’ve been given.

3. If someone is offended by the gift, what stops them from getting rid of it, perhaps by themselves giving it to some needy, appreciative Christian (or at least not anti-Christian) soul?

4. What is the percentage of folks who would dearly love such a gift vs. those who would be offended by it? Seems like a pretty un-balanced decision.

If the Toys for Tots folks start making these kinds of distinctions (which clearly they are), then aren’t they obligated to treat *every* gift as potentially offensive? We are talking about charity here…giving gifts, expecting nothing in return.

Man, have we gotten screwed up…

I’m in the process of reading Malcom Gladwell’s book “Blink“. The sub-title is “The Power of Thinking Without Thinking”. Anyone who knows me might claim that’s generally how I get by…(ha!) But in all seriousness, it’s an interesting read from the few chapters I’ve gotten through thus far. More »

He was extremely creative. He could sing bass like nobody’s business. He was gentle, selfless and without guile. He loved art in all its forms. He dug computers. And, we met 20 years ago this month.

His name was Stephen Haines and he passed away tonight, the result of an illness he’s battled for too long.

There’s simply no way to say just how much we’ll miss him. You can’t put a quantity on relationships like that. I can think of no better way to describe our friendship than to say that I loved him like a brother.

Our lives have been made so much better for knowing Steve, and I’m sad beyond belief. Yet in my grief, I’m glad he’s gone home, his toils ended.

There’s so much more I can say about him. But not tonight.

…Tonight I’ll remember.

Our thoughts, prayers and support go out to all those affected by the atrocity of the cowardly attacks on the UK. We’re with you.

Terry Shiavo died just a little while ago.

Thanks to America’s continuing de-valuation of human life, we continue our slide…