Thought for the day...

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,357

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,357
The end-game of COVID-Zero in China.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/22/china/china-covid-deaths-crematorium-intl-hnk-mic/index.html
When CNN visited a major crematorium in Beijing on Tuesday, the parking lot was completely packed, with a long line of cars snaking around the cremation area waiting to get in. Smoke billowed constantly from the furnaces, while yellow body bags piled up inside metal containers.

Grieving family members waiting in line clutched photos of the deceased. Some told CNN they had been waiting for more than a day to cremate their loved ones, who died after contracting Covid. One man told CNN the hospital where his friend passed away was too full to keep the body, because so many people had died there. His friend’s body was left on the hospital floor, he said.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
32,940
Elimination of harmful language

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle...-phrases-to-avoid-causing-offence/ar-AA15vb6M
So, a “blind study” – which “furthers an ableist culture” - becomes a “masked study”.
So what do we call "window blinds"? Or the "blind spot" in a driver's visibility around their vehicle? Or a "blind via" on a PCB? What do we go down if not a "blind alley"? What's the acceptable name for a "blindfold"? Or a "hunting blind"? Can horses no longer wear "blinders"? And what do we call it when a person is so narrowly focused that they are described as "having blinders on"?

About 30 years ago, I spearheaded a fundraising Bowl-A-Thon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association because they had really provided a lot of support for someone I knew that had ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Most of the participants raised somewhere between $20 and $100. I raised over $600, far exceeding second place (and it wasn't because I was a good bowler!).

While we were there, a friend of mine commented about my baldness. I don't recall what the context was that allowed him to bring it up, but he was good at finding a way to segue into that topic (as I was good at finding a way to mention how short he was). These were standing jokes between us. But before I could use one of my normal comebacks, the gal from the MDA had to jump in and said something like, "It's not appropriate to call attention to someone's deficiencies using language having such negative connotations. If you must say anything, the proper term is 'folliclely-challenged'." To which I couldn't resist and immediately said, "Thank you, I couldn't agree more. However, I don't feel it is appropriate to use any terminology that indicates any kind of disability. Instead, we need to celebrate the positive aspects of any situation." Slight pause while my friend, who had a real good idea what was coming next, tried not to smile too obviously in light of the rather smug look on the gal's face. Then I finished with, "I would much rather be referred to as 'reflectively-enhanced'." She made a point of not talking to me any more than absolutely necessary for the remainder of the event.

The next year, all of the participants were invited back to take part again. Except me. Clearly they valued political correctness over demonstrated ability to help fund their work.
 
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