Sunday, January 5, 2014

I like This Idea for a Post This Morning

Nicholas Kristof is asking readers to suggest "crucial-but-neglected" issues they would like him to write about.
So here’s your chance to tell us what we’re missing. I invite readers to suggest issues that deserve more attention in 2014. Make your suggestions on my blog, nytimes.com/ontheground. I hope to quote from some of your ideas in a future column.
Granted, I'm not much of a writer, certainly not in the category quoted above, but, we do have a lineup of talented writers, commentators, whom, may be persuaded to write about something you might be interested in. Who knows, maybe, long lost given up for dead subjects could be revived and reunited with a grateful reader.
You could make your suggestions on the comments, here. While I can't promise anything, it will be good to know what interest you.

95 comments:

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

It's not easy coming up with fresh material day after day and most people don't even try.

Unknown said...

Give up your blind faith democrat loyalty and think for a change.

chickelit said...

I'd like an explanation for the NYT's scrupulous avoidance of any serious criticism of President Obama.

As the de Blasio administration develops, I'd expect some heavy local lifting on their part.

chickelit said...

It depends on whether you think the media should cheerlead certain political factions or represent a greater public interest.

edutcher said...

Truth in journalism?

AllenS said...

When journalists decided to spell journalist, journolist, that's where and when the problem started. I wouldn't believe any of them again on any subject. They are liars. They have a story to tell and they could care less if there's any validity to it.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Sorry i missed the linking.

I'm Full of Soup said...

He's the navel gazer who wrote a column explaining why he would no longer use his middle initial in his byline. No wonder he is seeking suggestions for his column.

KCFleming said...

"Crucial-but-neglected" issues?

Apparently everything else has been solved.

chickelit said...

Lem wrote: Granted, I'm not much of a writer, certainly not in the category quoted above, but, we do have a lineup of talented writers, commentators, whom, may be persuaded to write about something you might be interested in.

I do miss those extended discussions with Palladian about sundry perfumery ingredients, many of which have deep roots in transcultural molecules. But it seems that that was mostly spontaneity, and hard to do deliberately.

chickelit said...

Hell, I'm going to watch a football game today (Green Bay) and maybe can join all the other reindeer.

bagoh20 said...

I think something that is very important to a huge number of real people, yet is rarely covered is the subject of opportunity. How can people young and old find, develop, and exploit opportunities to succeed, grow, and build things outside of the standard and over-used one of go to school, go to more school, succeed at school, and then when you are already grown up, go figure out how to make a living by talking someone into hiring you to do what THEY want you to do.

It's not a plan for happiness or self-fulfillment for many people. It's a path based on maintaining the security of doing what you are supposed to for as long as you can pull it off. It's avoiding risk, avoiding challenge, and missing your calling as an individual. It delays for as long as possible your contributing to the people around you, which is how you become self-sufficient - by people needing your work.

The only place I see this stuff addressed is in the work of Mike Rowe. We need more discussion about how people can become valuable assets to their community through self-development that starts out very quickly paying off, and keeps building that throughout a life.

Our education system is a shambles of narrow political experimentation and pet projects of a few philosophies which are antagonistic toward diversity and unconcerned with results. They are experiments insistent on proving their hypothesis with no interest in real results for individuals. Failure is ignored and success is manufactured, and failure is what a great many are getting.

We need more discussion, exploration and experimentation with teaching trades, commerce, business building, how to work in a way where you parlay your minor successes into big ones over a lifetime.

Many immigrants are learning these things, and leaving natives behind in the area of personal development and growth because they arrive without the standard plan as an option, blocking their view of their real opportunities. The reason that immigrants take so many jobs is that they take the damned job. Then, they run with it, advance, start businesses. They don't see their parents' couch as the only alternative to college or a cushy job.

Many millionaires and highly successful, self-actualized individuals and families living great lives owe little or nothing to the standard plan.

I'm not against education - I still work on it every day for myself - but the way it is being done and sold is mostly a scam - a high end version of the stuff sold on late night TV as get-rich-quick lies. They take your money, waste you valuable time, and in the end, leave you to your own devices anyway, but wounded and broke.

That's a lot of rant against what isn't working, but I see the successful people all around me, including myself, and many found a different ways, which people don't really see anymore. They are there. They should be better known.

john said...

Bag o water - that's very well put. You should try your hand at writing.

bagoh20 said...

Thanks John.

It's not that college is not valuable - it's absolutely imperative for our society that some people take that path, but for many people, it's just taking a long detour and wearing out your shoes on the way.

deborah said...

You right good, Bags.

I think high schools have been trying for quite a while to prepare the non-academic track kids. When I was in high school it was called DECA. Recently, two of my second cousins have been in culinary arts in high school. And of course you can do all sorts of plumbing, auto, carpentry in community college.

Once on Bloggingheads, Megan McArdle made a statement that gave me pause (super-paraphrase), 'if people are not smart enough to avoid overdrawing their accounts, and racking up fees, over-using their ATM and racking up fees, and not knowing their credit card interest rules, that's on them, too bad, so sad' And though she didn't quite say it, the takeaway for me was, if they don't lose money though being legally ripped-off by the banks, they'll just waste it on other crap anyway. I'll try to find the link.

I bring that up with regard to parents who send their kids to college for non-lucrative degrees. Shame on them.

chickelit said...

Who knows, maybe, long lost given up for dead subjects could be revived and reunited with a grateful reader.

I just did a quick scan through the viewer sats of my own blog posts here at Lem's. Thank you, each one of you who take the time to read and click on what we write here.

It's impossible to predict what people want to read -- early on, publishing anything on the origins of this blog was sure to get hits but I think we're moving beyond that.

deborah said...

I'm reminded of a commercial I saw only once. It shows a work-worry woman of color settling into a subway seat after a long day's work, and the voice-over is saying, paraphrase, 'In America, millions of people come home every night worn out from working long, hard, back-breaking hours...and they thank God for it every night.'

deborah said...

Oops, that's 'work-weary.'

I'm Full of Soup said...


Mr Kristof- please write a column stating what % of GDP the fed govt [it is about 27% today] should be and what the maximum total income tax rate should be? 20% 30% 70%?

I'm Full of Soup said...

Mr Kristof:

Charles Payne of Fox Business Network said once "if people can afford cigarettes which cost as much as $10 a pack, they have enough money to have savings and investments too". Do you agree or disagree with that?

bagoh20 said...

AJ, The answer from the left is simply "whatever it takes". The ends they imagine are so amazing and righteous that it doesn't really matter what is lost on the way there. If we have to, we will eat Toto to get to the wonderful green city.

bagoh20 said...

If cigarettes were only free market priced at maybe $1.50, they wouldn't be so damaging to peoples' lives. They would still cause cancer, but why do we insist you be broke on top of it. Isn't cancer enough of a punishment?

Here is the logic: This product will make you smell bad, be unhealthy, cause you some social stigma, and eventually kill you, but we need to dissuade you from it by also taxing it. Hopefully you will go broke before you die. That will teach you.

chickelit said...

@Lem: Well, I think you found something that people don't want to talk about.

In other news, I heard it was darcy's and DBQ's birthdays today.

Happy Birthdays you two!

bagoh20 said...

Yea, lets talk about chicks!

Happy Birthday Ladies!

deborah said...

Chick is not only AWESOME, he has a huge slinky brain!

Happy birthday to two sweet gals, Deebs and Darce <3 <3

Chip Ahoy said...

You put their birthdays on your calendar.

Honestly. I am fairly certain these ladies appreciate your acknowledgement. It's nice in a Facebook online sort of way.

If you will allow me to show you how to make a simple pop-up card, an unusual greeting that surpasses online automated reminders and is actually sort of fun in itself, then you can blow their fucking minds lastingly no wait, I meant that would be a bit of an improvement.

Michael Haz said...

Gee, I dunno. How about restoring the tally of Americans killed in the middle east? That number, on the top of page one, was a feature right up until the day Obama was sworn in.

Did Americans stop dying on that day?

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I heard it was darcy's and DBQ's birthdays today.

Happy Birthdays you two!


THANKS... Mine is actually tomorrow. Jan 6. Epiphany! (I think Darcy is the 6th as well) Same day....way different years :-) Gonna celebrate by having a BBQ steak grilled to perfection by the Dumbplumber and a glass of some 12 yr single malt scotch.

They (the birthdays) are coming fast and furious. It seems like time is just flying by. We need to enjoy every moment.

Regarding knowing basic life skills like how to balance a check book, budget for life and many others. The schools are falling down in teaching these basic economic skills. I used to do a one day class for the high school kids on how to shop for and finance a car. A car is something that they ALL aspire to buy. It was really eye opening for some of them. Their expectations of what they wanted and what they could actually get were suddenly made clear.

The schools should get back to the 'tracking' of students. Those that were going to go to college taking appropriate courses and those who weren't (for whatever reason) take vocational courses. ALL students should take home economics and those types of life skill courses.

Chip Ahoy said...

* Enters dates in electronic calendar *

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Happy Birthday DBQ.

Michael Haz said...

Happy Birthday, DBQ! Best wishes for many more happy and sunny years.

Darcy's birthday is today, I believe.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Good Idea Chip.

Michael Haz said...

Darcy shares her birthday with Betty Draper (January Jones), Marilyn Manson, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, Zebulon Pike, Walter Mondale, Juan Carlos I King of Spain, Jesse Draper, Suzy Amis, and America Olivio.

Michael Haz said...

DBQ shares her birthday with: Rowan Atkinson, Norman Reedus, Joan of Arc, Nigella Lawson, Danny Thomas, Bonnie Franklin, Malcolm Young, Loretta Young, Howie Long, Carl Sandburg, Lou Holtz, Tom Mix and Earl Scruggs.

deborah said...

I welcome guest posts :)

Trooper York said...

Guest posts would be great. Some of the more prolific commenters should get a chance to make a post. People like bagho, Pogo, phx, edutcher, Ritmo, and A Reasonable Man should all get a shot. It would be really interesting.

deborah said...

I agree, Troop. They and many more.

deborah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Trooper York said...

You should have them email a post to you and then publish it.

I would be interested in hearing what they have to say about some of the issues that are before the congregation without being limited to the comment format. Just sayn'

Trooper York said...

By the way....I just want to say that Lem is a very generous blog host.

His humility and integrity are a refreshing change from the ego driven narcissism from assholes like me.

deborah said...

Lem is an angel, and I was touched and grateful he gave me this privilege.

And for people who wish to guest post, please see my email in my profile.

All types of subjects welcome.

Trooper York said...

That is very nice of you Debbie.

chickelit said...

And for people who wish to guest post, please see my email in my profile.


I would like to read a "Ghost Post" from Sir Archibald. He knows where to reach me.

Michael Haz said...

Why not just send guest posts to Lem?

bagoh20 said...

I'll do a guest post as soon as I think I know something before everyone else does. Don't hold your breath. At 55, I'm just learning what it's like to fall in love. Next goal: spelleng.

Meade said...

"Why not just send guest posts to Lem?"

I know, right? I thought this was Lem's blog. Lem's Levity. Who does everyone else think they are?

deborah said...

Have you told her yet you associate with crazy peoples on the internets?

chickelit said...

Who does everyone else think they are?

People who recognize talent and who also want to help out Lem.

Trooper York said...

It's Sunday night.

This gets repetitive and boring.

Sort of like the Packers choking in the playoffs.

The Dude said...

Alcohol is one hell of a drug.

bagoh20 said...

Deb, She is the only person our age I know who doesn't have internet at home, so she doesn't read blogs. I actually showed her the advice I got here when I said I had a date. She thought you all were sweet. She found AllenS's advice to ride her instead of a horse to be "intriguing".

Michael Haz said...

Easy there, Bags. Show her the photo of his tractor that Allen posted earlier this week and slam dunk.

Allen has his ways.

deborah said...

No internet? This is early, but I think this is the beginning of a beautiful thing. If she is half as good as you (and I mean that in the spiritually kind sense) she's good enough for you, because that makes her a superior person.

Now about her dog(s). How many, what kind, what ages, please.

bagoh20 said...

Haz, I think when I left the room at one point I saw her looking up Allen's profile and writing down something, but maybe I'm just paranoid. That tractor is all a man needs to steel a woman away.

bagoh20 said...

Like I said, spelling is next. "steel"? Sheese!

The Dude said...

Deborah is correct - it's all about the dogs. Very little else is important. Not even speeling.

Unless she thinks "alot" is a work - that right there is a deal breaker.

bagoh20 said...

Her current dog is a 2 year old Australian Shepard, who got along great with my pack when they were here. What else matters?

bagoh20 said...

"a work"? Hahahahahahah! That will teach ya.

The Dude said...

Nothing. She has a great dog. Seal the deal. Invite us to the wedding.

The Dude said...

Typoze r us, just sayin'...

deborah said...

Australian shepherds are beautiful.

bagoh20 said...

It's actually a pretty strange story. I've known her for 33 years. Much of that time she's been a close friend. Apparently, we both have been very attracted to each other the whole damned time, but didn't know it. We were never both single at the same time. We both went through a couple long-term relationships and those people became part of our circle of friends, so we both always totally suppressed our feeling for each other to keep the peace. We had never allowed ourselves to be alone together even once over 3 decades of friendship. Now we are both single and you can imagine how such a thing might play out. Well, you'd be wrong, cause it's better than that. She is an amazingly beautiful, and kind person, which is why I have always been very attracted to her, and I'm an idiot who blew 30 years, but this is now, and I'm blown away - a helpless fool, who hopes she doesn't notice.

chickelit said...

That tractor is all a man needs to steel a woman away

Italian proverb updated for the 21st century:

Tira più un pelo di figa che un trattore

A pussy hair pulls more than a tractor.

The Dude said...

Lament not time lost - be grateful for what lies ahead. She sounds wonderful. Sometimes it takes time to know what is real and good in life. And to coordinate divorces or gaps in relationships. I know about these things.

Enjoy dude, and take good care of her dog.

bagoh20 said...

I never heard that Chickie, but leave it to the Italians to put such thing in perspective. Still, that tractor has me seriously concerned. I ain't got no tractor.

chickelit said...

She may have a tractor beam, so to speak.

The Dude said...

I had a tractor, gave it to a former girlfriend. Perhaps there is a story in there somewhere. Or a proverb or an ironic twist on a story as old as history.

bagoh20 said...

BTW, where is AllenS, cause I have no idea where my woman is right now. That tractor better not be rumbling in the dark tonight.

Michael Haz said...

Well, Bago, you could do worse than to show up at her home on a trusty ol' Ford 9N tractor.

Total chick magnet.

The Dude said...

This is like my bad ride.

bagoh20 said...

Haz, with a tractor like that, a man has to worry that the woman might just up and leave him for the tractor. I mean who needs a man if have a ride like that. It's hard for a man to match the slow rhythm of those heavy springs.

chickelit said...

Bago, there are dudes out here with steam tractors. Those things really give ladies the vapors.

Here's a related photo: link

Michael Haz said...

Whoa, Sixty. Totally offset, man.

ndspinelli said...

The Bloody Mary's must start @ 8am on Sundays.

The Dude said...

They are! Marvelous little Corn Binders, plenty of them are still working the land here in NC. Mine move up to the mountains and is probably used to plant corn. Or is that only available in a jar up there?

Trooper York said...

Bags you are way to modest.

You witty banter and seventies porn mustache is more than enough for you to close the deal.

Remember the immortal words of Ogden Nash.

Trooper York said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Trooper York said...

Do you need a drivers license to drive a tractor?

chickelit said...

Do you need a drivers license to drive a tractor?

I think not: link

bagoh20 said...

Thanks Trooper. Do you recommend manscaping, or shorts, or both for situations like this? Remember, I have to overcome a severe tractor deficiency.

Trooper York said...

I would go with the seventies look bags. That is your style.

Thing Burt Reynolds. I am sure you have some shirts with wide collars and a few medallions on gold chains.

Oh and dig out that old bottle of High Karate.

bagoh20 said...

I have a question for the ladies:

Call or not?

I want to talk to her (If I can't touch) every waking minute, but I have resisted it to avoid looking like the desperate fool I am for her. What is the right amount to call that will let her know I really like her, but not scare her off?

Freeman Hunt said...

Call.

bagoh20 said...

Thanks Freeman, Already done. I couldn't resist anyway.

JAL said...

Well I 'm late for Darcy -- Happy un Birthday!

But just in time for DBQ. What a great day to have a birthday! Epiphany!

I try to keep my Christmas tree up till then, because Christmas isn't over until the wise men come ;-)))

Happy Birthdays and may we share many ore with both of you.

JAL said...

"more"

"ore" would be nice if it could be made into 24 carats

JAL said...

And I am so glad for the update Bags. I was wondering and thought I had missed something. Sounds good.

Relax. She knows who you are.

Sixty -- Or is that [corn] only available in a jar up there?

Ha ha ... we feed cows up here dude. Of course we plant corn.

I have one of these though is is smaller than it appears.

And a T-shirt which says "Will Trade Husband for Tractor." But didn't have to do that when push came to shove after all ... thank goodness!

bagoh20 said...

To end this chapter on my novella for now, a 2 hour talk that definitely sealed the deal. I'm driving the 300 miles to stay with her for a few days this week. I never felt so sure about anything in my life. Of course that's not any great guarantee, but no matter how it turns out, it sure feels good! I can't believe you can know and even love someone for 3 decades and then suddenly FALL in love with them, but that seems to be the undeniable truth of what's happening. You know that feeling you get when you stand on a cliff and it seems to be pulling you to jump? Watch this!

deborah said...

Lucky Bags :)

Darcy said...

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!

And happy birthday, DBQ! Hope you have a lovely one.

BAGS! Wow. I got tears in my eyes reading all of that. Very happy for you and thank you for sharing your story.

I'm late, but yeah, call. I think the only time a guy calling a lot is annoying is when the chemistry isn't right anyway. But I was never one to know how to play the game and think the game is stupid. Follow your heart.

Darcy said...

@deborah

I call DBQ "Deebs" in my head! It's a cute nick. Glad you wrote it because it made me smile.

MamaM said...

I'll admit, "Deebs" is darn cute. However, when it comes to the use of cute nicks, especially ones first used without the other's permission, there's also this to consider:

The power of nicknames to offend or belittle—even unintentionally—is enormous so tread carefully there.

However, this power can also be used intentionally, and for other purposes. To name a thing is to define it in your own terms. To nickname a person is to define them in your own terms. This is a form of social domination. It’s a power-play.

deborah said...

MamaM, re your second paragraph, I already knew that, and that's why I always try to remember to call you by your full name.

I was not planning to call DBQ Deebs from now on. It was a sign of affection and fun :)

MamaM said...

deborah, the name MamaM is the palindrome I've chosen as my online designator. It's not my full name any more than I'd assume small "d" deborah to be yours.

I consider use of a commenter's online name or letter abbreviation to be standard protocol unless otherwise indicated or agreed upon, one that doesn't require any extra effort to "try" and remember to do so.

I was not planning to call DBQ Deebs from now on.

The interesting thing about nicknames is the way they seed themselves in another's head when used, hence the caution. While I understand and appreciate signs of affection and fun, I also know there is no way of knowing what another is "planning" with regard to use when it comes to cute nicks.

deborah said...

Thank you for further clarifying your view on nicknames. I will continue to be careful not to use inappropriate ones.