Interesting Links for 22-03-2013

[andrewducker]

• Public consultation backs lowering drink drive limit in Scotland
  (tags: scotland alcohol driving )
• Cyrpus bailout plan: good idea, badly implemented?
  (tags: banking cyprus )
• Why Charlie Stross doesn't self-publish (much the same reason I'm not a contractor)
  (tags: charlesstross writing publishing )
• Trans woman commits suicide after being bullied

Comments

[vereybowring]

I would also say jokes about language are not of themselves actually racist, but the delivery and wording can be.

One of the biggest laughs after all is seeing a foreign innocent product with a name that in your own language is just bloody funny.
In the incident talked about the apparent delivery of the joke was a bit off to me, but as said the "victim" was also being quite sexist and judgemental (and other slightly off putting quirks) in her article.

[bart_calendar]

Right?

In France there is a white soda called "Jizz!"

If I laugh at that (and at their competitor called "Pshit!") I am not being racist!

[vereybowring]

No, that is just funny - especially the fact the competitor did it too.

[philmophlegm]

I'm an accountant, not a lawyer, but can I point out that a contract does not need to be in writing to be a contract (except in certain specified exceptions such as contracts for the sale of property)?

If there is a) offer, b) acceptance, c) consideration (i.e. payment) and d) the intent to establish legal relations between two parties, then there probably is a contract.

This would probably apply to, for example a freelancer agreeing (acceptance) to do some work when asked to by someone else (offer) in return for £100 (consideration) because in a commercial situation, the intention to establish legal relations (d) is assumed. (It wouldn't be if say you agreed to help your mate move house in return for him helping you clean out the shed the following weekend.)

[philmophlegm]

Interesting contrast between the link to the famous author who thinks there is nothing wrong with political correctness and it's just "treating other people with respect" and the story about the Singaporean gentleman who has used political correctness to "fuck with" two people he didn't like.

If political correctness was just about "treating people with respect", it wouldn't be a problem.

[andrewducker]

The other people were definitely not treating him with respect. And once you hand someone a lever like that, they can use it to beat you with. Same with, say, sexual harrassment - if you give someone the ability to use them to make your life a misery, and they're an unpleasant person, then they will.

[andrewducker]

I'd assume that most companies have in place a "Treat people with respect, and act in a professional/businesslike manner" rule, and that violating repeatedly it will lead to warnings, and then dismissal.

I'd have been very surprised if _one_ violation led to that (and so would a variety of other commenters above), I'd expect a verbal or written warning to start with.

[chess]

Whatever the racist joke incident was, the linked blog entry has been deleted :-(

[kerrypolka]

Yeah - could someone summarise please?

[andrewducker]

Person from Singapore works in a performing company of some kind. Someone makes a joke about the Chinese language sounding like a bunch of tin cans falling down stairs. Person complains that this is racist, and is told to have a sense of humour. Person takes this to management, who deal with it well, get everyone together, get an apology, etc.

Person is, however, not very nice, and uses sexist, ableist language throughout their post, and is clearly more interested in revenge on people that improving things.