I think that it is amazing that there are organizations that take a stand against cancer. Susan G. Komen For the Cure (do not mess with the name), which funds breast cancer research and provides grants to organizations that provide preventative screenings, is the best-known and best-funded breast cancer charity in the United States. Komen just announced that it will no longer provide grants to Planned Parenthood, as of this year. Although the organization declined to give a reason, many people believe that this is because the anti-choice stances of those who comprise Komen’s leadership.
I find it pretty galling that an organization that purports to want to eliminate breast cancer would remove a reliable source of low-cost mammograms from low-income women. I’m not omniscient, but it seems to me that the speculation over what prompted Komen to pull this funding is probably dead on. Still, I’ll leave the expressions of annoyance/outrage/disappointment to those who express things better than I do. My response is simple: first, I will never again knowingly purchase something that funds the Komen organization. I’m not defeatist, and I don’t think that any non-discriminating cancer charity should suffer in the fallout over this. Instead, I’ll keep funding Planned Parenthood (as will a lot of other people who are upset over Komen’s move) and also donate to the Young Survival Coalition, which seems to have a more expansive view of what a breast cancer organization can do for people than Komen does (based on their partners).
Pink really isn’t my color anyway (in case you’re wondering what is: harlot red).
In India, dressing up like Gandhi is A Thing. And This Thing happens possibly all the time, but definitely on the anniversaries of Gandhi’s birth and death. On the eve of the latter anniversary, 485 adorably small Gandhi impersonators appeared at a Delhi peace rally. One stated purpose of their appearance at this rally was to promote non-violent protest, which is an excellent goal. Another purpose? To break the Guinness World Record for the number of people simultaneously dressed up as Gandhi. The previous (official) record seems to have been 308, so these kids should win easily. I love everything about this.
Awesome | Nicole | January 30, 2012 11:31 am | Comments Off on 485 boys simultaneously melting my heart
I’ve been reading a lot today about VIP Deals, a company obviously run by boneheaded morons. They offered to (and did) refund Amazon.com customers’ purchases if they reviewed a VIP Deals product that they purchased, the Vipertek Kindle Fire case. The incredibly helpful company strongly hinted that these reviews should give the products 5 stars. As of last week, 93% of the case’s reviews gave it 5 stars. Amazon for its part, denied knowing of any wrongdoing before being approached by the New York Times about this matter. Within days though, the reviews were gone from the online merchant, and the product went from unavailable to being removed entirely from Amazon.com.
This whole sequence of events leaves me with a ton of questions. The first is, how did VIP Deals even make any money off of this? They refunded customers’ entire purchases in return for (favorable) reviews. There’s no way to know if everybody who bought this case received the offer, or how many of them accepted it, but I wonder how many customers actually ended up paying for this item? Was it really cheap enough to make that the amount paid by those who didn’t write reviews covered the costs of those who did? Also, how did Amazon not smell a rat with this? It’s pretty telling that some of the reviews even mentioned a deal or having their money refunded. While I don’t expect a human at Amazon to read every single review before it’s posted (even though that’s what the retailer says happens), you’d think that somebody, human or machine, would have caught wind of something weird with this item.
Facepalm, Seriously?? | Nicole | January 28, 2012 4:04 pm | Comments Off on Free with your five star review
Today, January 18, 2012, several web sites, including Wikipedia, Reddit, and popular sites have gone dark to protest PIPA/SOPA. Here’s an explanation of what PIPA/SOPA are, and a thoughtful analysis on TheVerge about why they do not agree with it.
Wikipedia, January 18, 2012
Politics | Nicole | January 18, 2012 11:18 am | Comments Off on Internet Blackout Day
So Philly’s mayor, Mike Nutter, somehow knows the words to Rapper’s Delight, which is not an easy song to rap. Also, he’s not afraid to tell people not to be assholes!
Factor in the number of Wawas within its city limits, and Philadelphia is looking better and better all the time.
This guy‘s two nights in Miami are just like The Hangover. Except without friends, Mike Tyson, an ill-advised marriage, or a pissed-off tiger. Also unlike that movie (I haven’t seen the second one, so let’s just pretend it doesn’t exist), the roofied shenanigans of famous-in-Philly meteorologist John Bolaris had actual consequences. AmEx ruined his credit, but then had to pay him damages; let’s put this one in the “Good” column. His job first suspended him, and then went ahead and fired him all the way; that would go in the “Not Good” column. This table is further developed below.
While this story added nothing to my life and just reminded me that I’m an awful person who will laugh at anything, I am grateful that I read this article, if only for the following words: “In Philly, weathermen and chefs are stars. John has been a huge star in Philly for years.” Sixth borough (are people still trying to make that one happen?), I love you so.
Good
Not Good
AmEx paid him damages
After they'd refused to reverse the roofie charges and ruined his credit score.
He had the possibility of getting laid
He was roofied instead by beautiful women who made him buy expensive stuff
He awaked the next day alive and okay
He went out with the roofiers again, because they were still beautiful women
He cares enough about meteorology that he gave the forecast over his Twitter account when he was suspended
It's a good thing that he finds intrinsic satisfaction in his job, because he was first suspended, and then fired, and no longer receives money for doing it.
He apparently had no idea that his credit card could send him text alerts about what is happening on his account
He apparently values the potential for sex more than he does his own welfare.
Education, Facepalm, Seriously?? | Nicole | January 9, 2012 12:16 pm | Comments Off on No, slaves and beatings are not appropriate subjects for word problems
Politics, This is why we can't have nice things | Nicole | 
February 1, 2012 8:17 pm | 
Comments Off on In search of a less disappointing cure 
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