One race--human!

For most of my adult life, I've had a problem with the idea that I need to be defined by my race. Maybe it's because I'm such a mix--everything from Scotch-Irish to Hispanic to Native American. Or maybe because my parents taught me that who I am is defined by what I do, not who my ancestors are. Or maybe it's because I want to look forward at what we can become instead of back at what we were.

I also detest the "victim of race" mentality that I think hinders many people more than their actual race does. Socio-economic factors, not racial ones, have a greater effect on advancement in our society today. However, until we get past the concept of race, we don't be able to fully concentrate on those issues, which affect people of all races.

So that's why yesterday, this article made me smile. Edward James Olmos was part of a panel about Battlestar Galactica being held at the UN. (Glad to see the UN being useful.) This is from the Entertainment Weekly article:

When one of the UN's representatives talked about how part of their mandate was to safeguard the human rights of everyone, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and station, Olmos got a little heated. "You never should've invited me here," he said, before blasting the UN for continuing to use race as a term of separation, of division among peoples. His voice rose, steadily, as if years of social activism was coming to a head on this night. Then, directing his attention to the high schoolers: "Adults will never be able to stop using the word 'race' as a cultural determinant....There is only one race: the human race. SO SAY WE ALL!"

I swear to you, everyone in that chamber shouted it right back at him.

Sadly the author of the article attributes this to the fact that "Captain Adama asked us to." I think he missed the point.

I think most, at least, shouted back because they know he was right.

So say we all!

Bill Gates and the Cylon Conspiracy

Received this from an anonymous reader.

I applaud your bravery in revealing the identity of the Final One. Many of us have suspected for some time now, but have been afraid to reveal it--except the Linux users, but who would believe them?

How it came to pass that a cylon could be here on Earth is not important at the moment; but you all need to be warned! The process of incorporating him into our society has left the last of the Bills with no conscious memory of his true heritage (much like the Final Four in the colonial fleet). However, it did instill in him a longing for his kind, a longing he's spent his life trying to fulfill. Fortunately for us Terrans, 21st century programming is not up to the challenge.

We have found a dangerous sign. Already, Microsoft is working with automobile manufactureres to install windows in automobile computing systems. We must make the Public aware!

Just a lot of paranoid hokey? Please consider: The Hybrid:





Hybrid ships speak nonsense only they understand. Windows ™ speaks nonsense only it understands. Windows ™ is being installed in transportation vehicles. Hybrids run transportation vehicles.

Do We See the Pattern, People?

Writing Chores and a Battlestar Galactica Epiphany

I've been hard at work writing saint stories for teens for a school planner I'm writing. It's actually been a challenge because each story must:
--be 200 words
--cover that month's virtue (determined by the publisher)
--be a saint whose feast day is in that month
--be "diverse" (i.e., not too many men, too many Europeans, etc.)

Research has been the hardest part. I kept finding saints with really cool stories but not for the virtue of that month. Or I'd have to reject them because I had enough men or already had someone from Spain, or... I found eleven that fit the bill nicely, I think. Now, I'm having some teens read them to tell me if I'm "lame."

Then I spent the weekend checking Magic, Mensa and Mayhem for passive voice. Wow, does Vern use "was" a lot! Three days I spent re-writing sentences. Now I'll read it once more and send it off.

My only breaks have been watching Full Metal Alchemist, Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica.



The Colonials and the Cylons certainly share one common trait: complete lack of foresight. ("Hey, we need to talk to the hybrid. Let's plug her in." Did anyone think to disconnect her from any vital systems like, I don't know, the JUMP drive? They probably clean their guns loaded, too. Except Athena. She just empties it into somebody first.)

Anyway, this morning, it occurred to me how the show ends. The last unknown cylon isn't in the fleet--he's already on Earth!


(Bill Gates)

It all makes sense now....