The Swamp

howard wrote:I held out as long as I could, not starting this thread. I'll try not to veer too far beyond sports.

Texas Dad Alleges Bullying In 91-0 Football Game

This involved a state law mandated investigation for evidence of bullying. This is in fucking Texas, FFS. We are so fucked.

rass wrote:Another recent example in sports.

And don't get me started on the pussification of the Swamp.

Gunpowder wrote:It's one parent. I hate when people (generally all over my Facebook wall) use the term "this is what's wrong with America" every time a story like this breaks in a country of 350 million people.

Back in the '80s, when men were men, people were indignant that Jimmy Johnson put a beating on Garry Faust and Notre Dame.

howard wrote:This pained me to hear my old friend Nick (who was anything but a pussy back in our UCDavis days) bitching like this. He was a pretty calm guy, but on rare occasion could snap when pushed. I'm guessing Nick had a bad day, or has a bug for Leach, or both.

Scottie wrote:What about dressing up as Ward Churchill? Is that okay?

University of Colorado tells students they can't wear 'offensive' Halloween costumes

And, of course, pretty much everything can be interpreted as offensive if you are, say, insane.

'Making the choice to dress up as someone from another culture, either with the intention of being humorous or without the intention of being disrespectful, can lead to inaccurate and hurtful portrayals of other people's cultures,' wrote Suhm Azklownn.

Does stretching on a mat to warm up before physical exercise constitute yoga?

That question came up during a recent meeting of the Legislative Education Study Committee in Santa Fe. Ann Paulls-Neal, a physical education teacher from Albuquerque, was there with other teachers and a physician to talk about student health and, especially, combating childhood obesity.

The John Baker Elementary School instructor told the panel she refers to her exercises as “stretching or mat work” rather than yoga because she doesn’t want to give the impression that religion is involved.

But Rep. Alonzo Baldonado, R-Los Lunas, a non-voting member of the committee, expressed concern. Because yoga is linked to Eastern religions, he said, specifically Buddhism and Hinduism, he wanted to know if parents were given the “option to opt out,” or if kids are offered alternative activities.

“Are we teaching yoga in public schools now?” he asked. “Are parents notified?”

After all, he said, he wouldn’t want his daughters to be exposed to non-Christian religious practices.

Paulls-Neal answered that one student, a Jehovah’s Witness, was excused for religious reasons.

Baldonado, a Christian, insists he has nothing against Buddhism or Hinduism, but said yoga could be seen as a gateway to Eastern religion. “It’s just not something we partake in,” he said in an interview.

He and his wife home-school their three daughters so there’s little chance they will be exposed to yoga or other religious practices, he said. The girls are on a swim team, he added, “and when the coach uses yoga, we opt out.”

“We have the authority, the charge from God, to raise our children as we see fit.”

Baldonado said he “didn’t go looking for a discussion on religion. It just came up.”

Even though Paulls-Neal reportedly referred to stretching and mat work as yoga, she said religion is not discussed or even mentioned in class. The only reason for the exercises is to increase flexibility and help maintain good health.

Baldonado is a GOP House caucus chair and a Valencia County real estate broker.

The head of a nonprofit progressive advocacy group took issue with the questions Baldonado raised at the meeting.

“Of all the things a legislator could focus on to get our public schools back on track, Rep. Baldonado chose this one as his most important,” said Patrick Davis of ProgressNowNM.org. “Even for conspiracy theorists, this one seems far-fetched. How he thinks a rudimentary stretching routine meant to improve physical health could lead students to join a religious cult is beyond me.”

But Baldonado said his position is entirely reasonable, given separation of church and state requirements and general opposition to prayer in public schools.

howard wrote:thus, water is a gateway to Christian religions.

A client just received a letter from one of their employee's attorney requesting FMLA leave for an unknown amount of time. The employee, who coincidentally recently filed a claim for discrimination based on sexual orientation, refuses to reveal the nature of his medical condition. Only that he is currently in the hospital and it will be "some time before he is able express his appreciation for any well wishes." Bizarre.

Anywho, my curiosity is piqued. What medical condition would he not want to reveal to the employer? It is pretty important to know what the medical condition is and how it affects a major life activity in order to determine if the FMLA applies. The lawyer will supply medical certification of medical necessity, but the certification will not reveal the actual medical condition.

Pruitt wrote: I mean, seriously?

The guy is on a paid leave from work and doesn't have to tell his boss what is wrong?

Sounds like Norway or something Scandinavian like.

howard wrote:Illinois girls basketball players suspended for racy hand gesture

Giff wrote:Where does "football fans whining about the name of the bowl games" land on this list?

howard wrote:Oregon starter to miss Alamo Bowl due to snowball fight

Pretty mild stuff. I think he is the guy who dumped the blue box full of snow on the car windshield.

AB_skin_test wrote:I don't think that's very cool at all.

BSF21 wrote:Pretty tame. Though I would be 100% on the side of the guy who got out of the car had he grabbed that kid by the collar and planted him face first into a snow drift.

howard wrote:

AB_skin_test wrote:I don't think that's very cool at all.

BSF21 wrote:Pretty tame. Though I would be 100% on the side of the guy who got out of the car had he grabbed that kid by the collar and planted him face first into a snow drift.

I agree completely. I'm talking the punishment. Getting grabbed by the collar and planted face first--perfect punishment. Missing a bowl game? This has nothing at all to do with football, the university, or anything. Being an uncool throng of dipshits is below the threshold of what college authorities need to be bothering with, other than to justify their own salaries and authority. That is the pussy part.

ETA: a cop pulling a gun under those circumstances should be criminally charged, ADW, as well as fired. But, of course, that never happens. That cop who fired on a van filled with kids got fired, but no charges. Different kind of gripe of mine, but in some sense related to the insanity of our current cultural norms.

Nonlinear FC wrote:Yeah, we had something kind of/sort of go down like that in Dupont Circle in DC last time we got a good snow dump. Huge snowball fight, and pelting of cars, only one of them happened to contain a plain clothes police dude. He flipped out, got out of his unmarked car and I believe pulled out his gun.