I’ve been following the latest education flap concerning the teaching (or dropping) of cursive handwriting. Those who are against cutting it from the syllabus claim that somehow learning cursive wires the child’s brain for greater things. The silliest argument I read this morning wailed about future anthropologists and linguists not being able ( Read more... )

I’ve put off writing about the coming release of the movie, Ender’s Game, and my reaction to it. But this touches on something so important to me that I couldn’t just dismiss it. For those of you who might’ve been busy with your own life and thus missed the memo, I’ll give a little background.
Orson Scott Card, a science fiction and fantasy author, ( Read more... )

I’m late coming to the party. I belatedly realized there was a commotion over the latest edition of the SFWA Bulletin; I had it sitting on my bedside table but hadn’t opened it yet. It’s not like it’s the most important publication I receive in a week.
Even if I had looked at it, I probably wouldn’t have read the offending article, the ongoing “ ( Read more... )

I’m still trying to process the unthinkable. Last night, I lay in bed thinking about the children who were witnesses to this carnage in Connecticut, but survived. What will their lives be like from now on? Can children survive an event that is likely to bring on what is essentially Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome? Can they be helped? I cried when I ( Read more... )

I've just heard about the passing of Ray Bradbury, not unexpected but a very great loss nevertheless. He was an enormous influence on my writing, and in tribute, I'm going to re-post a piece I wrote about his work for a longer examination of science fiction's debt to metaphor and mythology:

OF MYTH AND MEMORY
Recently, after hearing Ray Bradbury ( Read more... )

The bigots lost this round. The California appeals court refused to overthrow the judge's decision that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. Now on to the SCUSA. Keep your fingers crossed they refuse to hear it.

Could we finally be joining the 20th century, let alone the 21st?

Do go over and read Elizabeth Moon's excellent analysis of the terrible state of American Health Care, and the threats to demolish whatever little progress we have recently made toward a saner system:

http://e-moon60.livejournal.com/386648.html

I’ve been thinking about this a lot these past few days, and I need to state what I believe ( Read more... )

Now that Don't Ask, Don't Tell has gone the way of the dodo, can we please move forward on repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

My local newspaper ran a readers’ poll yesterday on reactions to the California judge’s decision in the Proposition 8 case. The results: 50% approve, 50% disapprove. I suppose this is progress of a sort, better than the original election results, anyway. But it’s still puzzling. Here are the main issues as I see them in the judge’s opinion ( Read more... )