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Under a Rock

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Clarissa

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I have finally had a moment to open my newsfeed, and this is what I found:

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past week, you’ve probably heard about the Ben Affleck/Bill Maher/Sam Harris scuffle on Maher’s show Real Time.

I’ve been totally living under a rock because there’s been too much work this week. Can anybody update me on what happened? Also, what is this I’m hearing about another killing of a black man in St. Louis? Does anybody know what’s been going on? Are there any other news I’ve missed?

This is proving to be the hardest semester ever. Please inform me of the important events in the news if you want to spare yourselves some whining about my difficult semester. Remember, I’m an academic, I can outwhine anybody!

16 responses to “Under a Rock”

  1. cliff arroyo Avatar
    cliff arroyo

    AFAICT (not investigating closey due to my distaste for fatuous debate about non-issues) it has to do whether or not you think criticising Muslim beliefs is the same as “Islamophobia”.

    Maher says it’s not and Affleck and Harris (whoever he is) say it is. I think Juan Cole is on Affleck’s side so that’s probably a good indication that Maher is probably on to something.

    Also, Maher has publicly noticed that per capita Muslims are responsible for more political violence than other religious groups at present. And the thought establishment hates it when people notice things.

    I don’t know about the St Louis thing.

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      I liked Maher more when he was against all religions equally.

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      1. cliff arroyo Avatar
        cliff arroyo

        I never much liked the little I’ve seen of him, but I do think people’s private religious beliefs should not be off limits for criticism/ridicule.

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        1. Clarissa Avatar
          Clarissa

          The documentary Religulous is very funny and very well-made.

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  2. Stringer Bell Avatar
    Stringer Bell

    An off-duty St. Louis cop shot and killed an 18 year old tonight. Police say he had a gun, opened fire on the officer, then fled. Protesters saying he was only armed with a sandwich.

    The police account doesn’t make any sense, as usual. They’ve managed to stop short of claiming the victim jumped the cop, yelling ‘YOU’RE GOING TO DIE TONIGHT!’

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    1. ladyleahjane Avatar
      ladyleahjane

      And the media are already jumping on the idea that the dead man was to blame because had a past criminal record. Which makes me wonder: The police officer couldn’t distinguish a gun from a sandwich in the dark, but he could look close enough to identify him as a past offender? I don’t think so, so how is that relevant, at all?

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      1. Clarissa Avatar
        Clarissa

        And how was it relevant that Trayvon Martin misbehaved at school? There were people who used that as a justification for his murder.

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  3. el Avatar
    el

    Have you read “Honour” by Elif Shafak? Is it good?

    ‘My mother died twice. I promised myself I would not let her story be forgotten . . .’

    Leaving her twin sister behind, Pembe leaves Turkey for love – following her husband Adem to London. There the Topraks hope to make new lives for themselves and their children. Yet, no matter how far they travel, the traditions and beliefs the Topraks left behind stay with them – carried in the blood.

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  4. el Avatar
    el

    In case Clarissa missed and/or other readers may help:

    I wanted to ask whether you can recommend a good female Canadian novel. Can be by immigrant author. Has to be relatively recent, f.e. like Atwood.

    Turns out:

    ” Elif Shafak is Turkey’s most-read woman writer and an award-winning novelist. She writes in both English and Turkish, and has published 13 books, nine of which are novels, including: The Bastard of Istanbul, The Forty Rules of Love, Honour and her nonfiction memoir Black Milk. ”

    But reviews say “Honour” isn’t that good.

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  5. el Avatar
    el

    // I wanted to ask whether you can recommend a good female Canadian novel.

    By female author and about women.

    For instance, I liked “Obasan” by Joy Kogawa and would love to find another novel on the topic by Canadian author. Or a novel by a Japanese-Canadian author on another topic.

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  6. ladyleahjane Avatar
    ladyleahjane

    “And how was it relevant that Trayvon Martin misbehaved at school? There were people who used that as a justification for his murder.”
    Racists have been craving and concocting excuses to justify Court-and-Jury-free executions of black youth since the days when their grandparents were doing it for the terrible crime of allegedly whistling at a white woman.

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  7. el Avatar
    el

    Uri’s newest column – “Crusaders and Zionists” :
    http://www.avnery-news.co.il/english/

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  8. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    I too must have been living under a rock because I had not heard of this debate. Perhaps a good principle is the one found in spy novels: you deal with these things on a “need to know” abasis. Do I really need to know what Ben Affleck and Sam Harris and that other guy I hadn’t heard of before were arguing about? Thought not.

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  9. el Avatar
    el

    I read

    Why Africa Can’t Handle Ebola: the Destruction of the 3rd World
    http://www.ianwelsh.net/why-africa-cant-handle-ebola-the-destruction-of-the-3rd-world/

    Wanted to ask whether you agree with the analysis. I know ~ zero about reasons for situation in Africa, except one economist saying “they don’t have enough capital to invest into development.” If you have opinion, may be, you could write a post about the topic? Has West harmed / helped poor African countries in the latest decades? Is help harmful, as Ian claims? What can Africans and West do to improve the situation? Why can’t real long-term help / investment into developing countries be advantageous for the West?

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  10. el Avatar
    el

    Security services monitoring ‘thousands’ of terrorism suspects in London, says Boris Johnson
    Mayor of London discloses that threat from Isil and other terrorist groups is larger than previously known
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11154733/Security-services-monitoring-thousands-of-terrorism-suspects-in-London-says-Boris-Johnson.html

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  11. Jones Avatar
    Jones

    I love living under a rock …

    … but I prefer living in a solid concrete bunker, especially during hurricane season.

    My hotel has television, but I’ve noticed that I have been catching up on all of the back series of Top Gear with the help of BBC America.

    I had no idea that America worships at the altar of Jeremy “I Can’t Stick My Foot Up My Own Arse Hard Enough, Please Help A Man Out” Clarkson.

    Ah, but it is in your nature to whine
    While you’ve got a surplus of time
    But my British sarcasm shall ring true
    Over your unpleasant tones of blue
    ‘Cos my shilling’s worth more than your dime.

    [ahem] 🙂

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A conservative literary critic and college professor

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