Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot

Note: this is my Goodreads review of Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot by quadriplegic Oregon cartoonist John Callahan (ISBN: 0679728244, ISBN13: 9780679728245).

I've been a fan of Callahan's cartoons for a long time and remember when he was being published in Willamette Week. This book is fascinating in its gritty realism and stark descriptions of daily life when you require help to do just about everything.

Less compelling, however, were Callahan's portrayals of the AA culture and his (justifiable) rants at the welfare system. I personally found the most touching moments in the book had to do with Callahan's search for his birth parents and coming to terms with the sense of abandonment he felt even as a small child.

Several very obvious usage errors detracted somewhat from the narrative (for example, "midrift" instead of "midriff," on one page referring to his brother as Skip and later on the same page as Kip. All in all, however, a thoughtful and eye-opening memoir.

Employment, Lifestyle Statements and Conscience

During his 14 years at Shorter University, Michael Wilson, a librarian, built a library collection for the college’s satellite campus in Atlanta. He shaped his post as the first full-time librarian for adult and professional students. Then he won tenure, and planned to stay at the Baptist college in Rome, Ga., until retirement.
Instead, last week, he effectively handed in his resignation.

In October, the college announced it would require all employees to sign a “lifestyle statement” rejecting homosexuality, adultery, premarital sex, drug use and drinking in public near the Rome, Ga., college’s campus.

Good on you, Mr. Wilson, for standing your ground. I suspect, as you apparently do, that the university won't go for you crossing out the bits you disagree with, and it's just a damn shame. Why isn't it enough anymore to be competent at what a person does professionally?

I've always thought that it is no employer's business what I do on my own time -- unless they feel like paying a 300% FTE salary -- and you know that ain't a-gonna happen. That said, however, there are a couple of private colleges in my area that have posted in the usual places recruiting librarians. I read through their faculty "morals" clauses and don't bother applying. Which is too bad, because many of these positions otherwise sound fascinating. And frankly, I think many of the students at colleges like this are too sheltered and they can only benefit from being exposed to people like me. (I'm not gay, but I am divorced. My partner isn't divorced, but he's been legally separated at least 18 years).

Michael Wilson is my new librarian hero. Right up there with Nancy Pearl and Sanford Berman. 

Save Our Shorter

Minority Birth Rates Higher than Whites, Census Reports

"For the first time, racial andethnic minorities make up more than half the children born in theU.S., capping decades of heady immigration growth that is nowslowing."

A short while back, there was an article on HuffPo (which I did not read) about how the various states making it more difficult for women to get abortions were aimed at white women because this very scenario was feared. In view of this announcement from the Census Bureau, I have to believe there is something to it. Not only is the Hispanic population younger, they also tend to be Catholic, and for this reason, IMO, their percentage of the total population will continue to climb.

Diversity is a good thing. It used to be that Americans were proud of our melting pot tradition. These days it seems to be a dirty word.

Español solamente, y'all.

Okay, not really. Learn English too (especially you vehement native-speaking EO advocates). Russian wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

Virtual Walden

Finally! A role-playing video game worth the time you spend being sucked in. Or, as Erik Hayden of Time puts it,

Get ready for some edge-of-your-seat 19th century transcendentalist action!

I guess I have some mixed feelings about this project undertaken by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Is it just me, or is there some degree of irony inherent in a video game about living simply and purposefully? And yet, if people are smart, they will anticipate that when petroleum runs out (there were only so many dinosaurs to turn into oil, after all) reverting back to this lifestyle will be necessary if humankind is to survive.

My only quibble with the trailer is where they state "Walden, the Game, will bring the writing of Thoreau to life in an immersific experience where his work will be encountered by a new generation of readers in a form that will capture their attention and imagination." Cuz you know, words are like, so hard and all.

According to Time, this game is intended as a supplement to Thoreau's text, not as a substitute. What's next, Little Virtual Women? Why not? Sure beats Grand Theft Auto.

Wayne Kamp Would Be So Proud

Well, Mr. Kamp, my beleaguered math teacher at Lewis Junior High, would be proud. In the intervening years since I took his class, I have to a large degree overcome my innumeracy. So much that I have been able to piece together some interesting stats in honor of Tax Day tomorrow. I have every confidence that Mr. Kamp would now be blown away by my ability to fill in the missing chunks of info to compile this list. Oh, and Mr. Kamp, you should see me calculate my discount per yard and per total purchase when the fabric store is having a sale.

Some noise has been made on the Interwebz regarding the respective tax rates paid by President Obama and his secretary. This was in relation to the announcement that Romney, rather than releasing his taxes as did the Obamas and the Bidens, filed a request for an extension to file with the IRS. Certainly, there is nothing remotely illegal or underhanded about filing such a request. Millions do it every year. However, when one is campaigning for the highest office in the land, it would behoove him to realize how this will appear to his potential employers, the voters.

On the surface, it might seem scandalous to rightwingers that Obama does indeed pay a lower tax rate than his secretary. The White House has made no secret of it. However, the difference is only half a percentage point, so even though the rate is lower, Obama still paid nearly twice the actual amount that Breckenridge did.

Were Romney to pay the same rate as Obama, his tax liability would be $9,260,875 – or nearly 10 times the AGI for Breckenridge, or 3 times what he estimates he owes this year.

What a difference context makes. And BTW, Mrs Breckenridge must be one rocking secretary to score a salary roughly twice what the Occupational Outlook Handbook says is the median for secretaries. Kudos to you, madame!