21 November 2003

Language Police Files

[source]

Eric Canuteson, whose real estate investment company is registered as a Los Angeles County vendor, reports receiving the following notice the other day from Joe Sandoval, manager of purchasing and contract services at the county’s Internal Services Department:

The County of Los Angeles actively promotes and is committed to ensure a work environment that is free from any discriminatory influence be it actual or perceived. As such, it is the County’s expectation that our manufacturers, suppliers and contractors make a concentrated effort to ensure that any equipment, supplies or services that are provided to County departments do not possess or portray an image that may be construed as offensive or defamatory in nature.

One such recent example included the manufacturer’s labeling of equipment where the words ”Master/Slave” appeared to identify the primary and secondary sources. Based on the cultural diversity and sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable identification label.

We would request that each manufacturer, supplier and contractor review, identify and remove/change any identification or labeling of equipment or components thereof that could be interpreted as discriminatory or offensive in nature before such equipment is sold or otherwise provided to any County department. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance.

Best comment - ‘Well, there goes my Master’s Degree!”.

Posted by orbital at 7:21 PM | View 0 TrackBacks | Trackback URL

Stop the war so we can fight the peace

[source, source]

A group of Italian anti-war militants is raising funds to support the armed Iraqi resistance, the BBC has learned.

Reader Raymond Sauer emails: “How can a BBC reporter say ‘anti-war militants’ with a straight face?”

I think they have classes for that.

They may be militant but an actual war gets in the way of the kind of peace crimes they’d like to commit.

Posted by orbital at 6:58 PM | View 0 TrackBacks | Trackback URL

Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas

A letter from a weblogger in Iraq that he sent to the New York Times.

My family has a property in the green zone in down town Baghdad on Abi-Nuas street. The New York Times rents the adjacent property. For several weeks now my brother Ali Al Ali has been denied automobile access to our property by security guards. Until two days ago we thought this was a coalition security measure. Now we known these guards are not coalition personal but are instead the private security force employed by your news paper.

The family property has two store fronts. Yesterday (Saturday November 15, 2003) my brother and two hired men were in one of the stores installing shelves. My brother lost his livelihood in the war and needs to open this store to make a living. His efforts were interrupted by several of the security guards employed by your paper. He was knocked roughly to the floor and threatened. Your guards pointed there AK-47 rifles and my brother and his work men and told them they would be shot if they did not leave immediately.

I feel sure if learned the United States Army was responsible an incident such as this you would feel obligated to publish the story and condemn the act.

In this his case I respectfully suggest you have an obligation to do somewhat more.

Well, if they’re hiring former Ba’ath thugs like many other journalists this isn’t a surprising result.

Posted by orbital at 6:53 PM | View 0 TrackBacks | Trackback URL

San Francisco takes the lead

[source]

San Francisco has surpassed Detroit as the city with the highest per-capita rate of syphilis in the United States.

With a 127 percent increase in syphilis cases last year, San Francisco jumped from sixth place nationally to first, ahead of Detroit, Atlanta, Newark, Baltimore and Oklahoma City.

Actions have consequences.

Posted by orbital at 5:19 PM | View 0 TrackBacks | Trackback URL