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Looking for sapphires in Coober Pedy

Aluminum oxide in its alpha crystal form is a mineral called corundum. Pure corundum crystals are naturally colourless, but they usually contain impurities that give them colour, and they can be almost any colour. If they're red, these crystals are called rubies; if orange-pink, they're called padparadschas; and in any other case they're called sapphires. Blue sapphires are one notable variety.

(27 October 2009)

On rights, liberties, and claims

Roger Ebert wrote an excellent piece about the current US healthcare nonsense. I don't have a lot to say on that particular topic; I'm not sure how much interest it has for my readers, and he's much better positioned to talk about it and be listened to than I am. One thing I'd like to say, though, is that it reminds me how glad I am I'm living in Canada. Another thing is that, okay, Ebert talks about how "socialism" is a dirty word and used as an excuse for turning off one's brain. Any rational argument on US healthcare can be trumped by calling the other party "socialist." Well, in Canada's own health care debates, which are going on right now though on a much smaller scale than the ones in the States, we have a dirty word like that too. It's used as an excuse for abandoning rational thought. If you propose a plan and I disagree with it, all I have to do is accuse you of proposing a (this dirty word) plan, and that's it, I win, no more debate allowed. Just like calling someone "socialist" in the USA; but the dirty word in Canadian health care debates isn't "socialist."

(24 August 2009)

Stupid and entitled

When you think I am "stupid," then you lose the ability to convince me of anything. It doesn't matter whether you say it politely or say it at all. It doesn't matter whether you are right. Having that thought makes it impossible for you to communicate with me effectively. Is it worth it?

(1 June 2008)

Doing and being

You can do it, or you can be it.  I mean that the things we do seem to have two different kinds of status:  there are things to do, which are at arm's length from our identities, and things to be, which are actually part of how we define and describe ourselves.  Think of someone who says "I'm an actress - but right now I'm waiting tables to support myself." An actress is something to be; waiting tables is something to do.  It's possible to imagine someone saying the opposite:  "I'm a waitress - but right now I'm doing some acting to get my name out in the community." That would have a different meaning, though, and it would be a more suprising meaning.  The same actions can be things to do or things to be, we see a difference between those kinds of things, and some actions are expected to be more likely one kind or the other even though they can fall into either category. (2 January 2008)