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roboturkey's comments:
on International Students in Oregon
Odd contrast of conversational styles with the guest from The Ivory Coast. The guest is tentative, very scared for her family, and by the tone of her voice, unsure and under extreme stress. Host Dave is jovial and conversational, pressing for information. Sounds a bit like an interrogation.
THe guest is obviously very reluctant to revisit the harsh realities of her home country and danger to her family.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Changing Child Sex Crime Law
THis kind of "tough love" advice does not take into account the reality of this type of crime and lasting effects on an individual. "Get Over It" is a recipe for PTSD and deeper problems.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Changing Child Sex Crime Law
Given that the trauma carried for a lifetime is real and damaging, does your guest believe that the basic perceptions as an abused 15 year old are reliable enough to base testimony and a conviction on.
Is there any memory masking or confusion about events, dates, and people involved? The farther away in time from an event, usually the less reliable human recollection is.
Did the guest ever write down a narrative of this that can be used to memorialize his memory?
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Finding Work
The guests all point out how tough the job market is right now. I really appreciate their resillience, although it is apparent from their voices how the process of job searching has drained them.
I always recommend that job searchers do any volunteer activites they can, and interact with the other volunteers, board members, or volunteer agency folks they meet. Everyone has connections and I have found people to be generally empathetic to job searchers.
I know that it may not be for everyone, but large mainline churches are tremendous sources of contacts and potential job leads. It takes time to join a congregation and get to know the people who can help, but attendance at volunteer church-sponsored functions and the opportunity to get to know folks is exceptional in a church, especially if you share the faith backgound.
The "social networking" avenues are jammed right now. I would recommend a more person-to-person contact through volunteer opportunities close to your field of interest.
Also, anyone can try to start their own business. If you are going to spend 8 hours a day looking for work, you might as well spend 8 hours a day building a business niche of your own.
Good luck and best wishes to all job searchers. It is a tough and emotionally demanding process.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Finding Work
The age issue is a huge point. Over 50, a person needs to really try to spruce up and essentially "reinvent" themselves to get into a 30-ish dominated job market. It takes more effort and self-care to look like one can compete with younger job candidates.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Intervention in Libya
Redbridge: I am just following the photos of the "rebels" provided by alJazeera English. There is no organized aspect to the way these folks are acting. Just a bunch of guys with guns. Every time a video camera is on they start grinning and shooting into the air and nobody shows any military-worthy discipline.
Perhaps we are being fed images by manipulative media, but there still does not appear to be any organization behind the opposition. Which relates to the fundamental question of why we should back a disorganized hodge-podge without staying power. That is how we get into quagmires of no end.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Intervention in Libya
Note: Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, numerous military activity authorized by Executive Directive or "Finding", Iraq (1 and 2), Afghanistan, and now Lybia.
And, you can go back to the US imperial adventures in the 19th century and find numerous expamples of the Commander in CHirf exercising executive power to direct US military adventures without the ratification of Congress.
It just happens. THe empire needs perpetual war.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Intervention in Libya
Can your guest enlighten us as to who the "new" leaders of Lybia will be if the "rebels" are successful. Right now this looks like rabble. Who will form a new government?
Is there a set of "founding principles" that can lead to a government for the "rebels". Right now it looks like chaos. What will be "better" if Ghadaffi's regime is run off. Is there an equivalent of a Lybian 'declaration of independence".
This just looks like another imperial land grab by the West, led by the biggest and most agressive military in history.
posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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on Food Access
an obvious angle to this conversation is the whole auto-centric design of our cities and towns.
As fuel price climbs, farmers markets, coops, and neighborhood food sources like coop gardens will become more visible and easier to start. At $6/gallon gas, imagine how we will begin to focus on bringing basic services like grocery stors within a radius of 1 mile around our homes, probably working way out ahead of any government planning initiative.
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on Food Access
I have kind of the opposite problem. Within 3 miles of my house are 2 Safeways, 2 Fred Meyeres, 1 winco, 1 albertsons, all sorts of convenience stores, and when the warm weather comes, 2 farmers markets. I am always baffled by the conundrum of how major supermarkets can afford to build so many duplicate markets all over. ALso, there is a food coop or two available if we want to go that direction.
As to the transportation angle, we can walk, bike (use a trailer) or drive to stores.
It seems that eating is important enough that a person choosing a place to live should figure that out before you rent or buy. You have to eat, so pay attention. If you have to drive to the store, make sure you have a car. If you can walk, get a big-ass backpack.
Access to healthy food is an individual responsibility, not the responsibility of a community government. THis is a pure market-driven function.
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on The Culture of Pimping
So far, no compelling reason why the new legislation would be effective. OK. Higher fines and so forth...all of the defenses currently in place will be in place with the new law.
Higher fines will just move the trade further underground and into further levels of internet screening for a john to get together with a prosty.
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on The Biomass Question
Some basic questions for those of us who are not up to speed on "bio-mass" projects:
Is this just the relatively clean burning of wood and other ag products in state-of-the-art fluid reactors to produce heat to spin turbines?
Burning plants seems so retro as a power source. Why not just "turn up" the dams and use some of the dormant turbines in the BPA system? Pay the system to produce the power it was designed to do. Now that the aluminum plants are gone there is a huge surplus of capacity on the Columbia system.
What is the relative carbon production from biomass vs just using less of an equivalent amount of electricity?
Why does a state legislature have to debate this? the least efficient design of a power system comes from legislation.
Is there a unified standard that can be adopted without all the fuss in Salem? There are other states and countries working with this concept. Somebody must be doing it right.
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on Behind the Scenes: Medicine
None of your guests are building much confidence. These folks are coming off as mercenary technicians (sorry, but the vibe is very costs/benefits oriented from the doctor's point of view, not the patient's)
The model represented by your guests is based on our present system where the scale of dollars involved is just out of line. Everybody seems to be totally invested in the system as it is.
How about some discussions about alternative training and wellness related medical practice.
interesting topic, but the guests are not making me any more willing to go see a doctor for any reason.
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Creating Sustainable Jobs
I thnk we are learning that the "American Dream" that is continuously "sold" to the public as part of our national mythology is just smoke and mirrors. The true "American Dream" is a lot more Ayne Rand-y. Indivudual opportunity in exchange for individual responsibility and the willingness to work your ass off and accept risk.
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Creating Sustainable Jobs
the guest's term "very good living supplemental wage" is a bit of very harsh double-speak. If you cannot pay an employee enough to allow them to live a reasonable lifestyle, you are not paying a living wage. period.
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Creating Sustainable Jobs
A "sustainable job" depends on a stable local economy, a reliably relevant market niche, good management, and loyal and diligent employees who buy into the company's goals.
None of these things apply to most small companies. Right now a Sustainable job would be very rare. Folks are scrambling. Part-time rent-me employee arrangements are the new "normal", as is a steadily shrinking selection of benefits that an employee can expect.
I think that a sustainable employee right now is the equivalent of a partner who is willing to accept the risk and obligations of a company in exchange for long-term awards.
The BEST "sustainable job" is the one you create for yourself, either beginning a company or developing skills that are valuable to a wide range of companies.
Great topic
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Waldport Reacts to Shooting
The assumption is that the fugitive shot an officer. Seems dangerous enough, doesn't he? Also, let's assume a firearm because it was a gunshot.
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Waldport Reacts to Shooting
good program.
Interesting blend of citizen concerns , contrasted with the genuine public safety issues involved in catching a fugitive.
Given the real danger and the real crime involved this is great live radio.
posted 2 years, 4 months ago
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on Gadgets, Gizmos & Grey Matter
Technology for the classroom is a pretty wide field. My fear is that the technology that is finally chosen is the gimmick that has the best sales team. How can you make the decisionmaking process as far as acquiring classroom technology somewhat immune from sales pitches and pure money incentives?
posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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on Gadgets, Gizmos & Grey Matter
good points. and thanks for these links to check out
posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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