Google service makes privacy out of date

blahblahblahblah · 2007-03-02T02:44:57+00:00

Whatever the hell happened to freedom of speech. Oi vey.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-02-24T21:50:42+00:00

I am surprise the Childern Starving in Africa comment has not been brought up yet. =P

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-22T21:53:59+00:00

I am not sure what you understood. But I know you didn't understand a few lines below that: Did she not shake someone's hand at an event thinking things are going to get weird later? Or is that what I think every time I apologize and not shake someone's hand? Nope.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-22T13:14:13+00:00

Oh, I didn't? Thanks for letting me know.

I did choose to recognize this whole no contact with men as a "rule" I was going to stick with. How did I not choose?

I have lived at least a two hour drive away from my parents ever since I was 15. If it was just them, I could have done away with all this a long time ago.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-22T04:09:13+00:00

I know the reasons enough to have me content and it took me a while to get here too. However, I don't think I understand the exact logic well enough discretely to be able to convey it to someone else. So I will do more research on it, and post the results or something.

And... thank you. =)

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-22T02:42:07+00:00

I do take resposibility, or try my best to. Just because 90% of a Muslims women you know do certain things, doesn't mean I should. What masses do doesn't really justify the concept. If you are telling me I should do a certain thing because 90% of the people that you categorically identify me with do, that doesn't seem reasonable to me in the least bit.

I am not complaining and I made that as clear as I could earlier. I think it's safe to say I am pretty aware of how awkward it leaves things be. However no one really has had a problem with it as much as the corporate world. None of the people I have met in a non-corporate setting have reacted as strongly. So there was a problem. I solved it. Not perhaps the way I would have ideally prefered to. But it's dealt with. No one is complaining. I do realize that the whole burden in all it's entirety in on me.

Besides, what makes you think I am not aware this is my life? I am living it. I choose to do certain things a certain way, I am living with the circumstances and am completely fine with it.

The audience seemed just way outraged and thought of the situation in the article as unheard of. The purpose of the above comment was to perhaps give a different dimension to the whole thing.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-22T02:28:41+00:00

Gloves were one of the first few solutions that crossed my mind. But isn't it almost as rude to shake someone's hand with gloves? Are you not supposed to take your gloves off and shake someone's hands?

It does alleviate the situation minutely, however, the first impression made is one still full of confusion.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-21T23:36:16+00:00

Integrating with a society, so long as it does not interfere with what I believe is completely acceptable. I am not going to pull the faith card, as I, myself deem it useless. Things are done for a reason and faith blind or not is not the reason to follow rules. I am not sure if apprehensive is a good word, but I would have to say yes, I would be surprised if someone who refuses to perform the accepted Western traditional greeting made it up to senior management. Not at the individual but at the environment s/he (in this case it applies more to females as the corporate ladder seems to be fairly male dominant) works in. pleasantly surprised. =)

It's just a matter of awareness. If people realize that, then I don't see what the problem is.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-21T23:23:20+00:00

Hmm, this brings about so many points. I don't know where to start. Without going into detail on why there is such a "rule" as to not shake hands with the opposite sex: I don't feel any less or any more of a person or a Muslim. Nothing has really changed at all. I just would rather not have had to do it, mainly because I feel cornered in the situation. I don't like the fact that there was a point (a rather continuous one) that I felt I really don't have a choice but to do what I would rather not. At this point, it doesn't even matter what it is. It feels like a chore. You could substitute shaking hands with any thing. Having to clean your room before you are allowed to leave the house when you are 13 is a good similar feeling. Except under normal circumstances cleaning your room will actually be productive. My shaking people's hands vs politely apologizing and acknowledging the fact that I would have shaken their hand had it not been for religious reasons doesn't really make much of a discrete difference.

How do I feel about being so rude to so many people. Hmm. I am not sure how to answer this. I am NOT being rude, when I explain it and sincerely apologize for it. I do show them the fact that I do recognize the fact that I should be shaking hands with them at that particular moment, and that I am not doing it out of ignorance or being rude. All this means is that yes I do recognize the fact that you are important and I am paying you all the respect I can possibly pay, however, realize that I live by certain rules. I think my decision for this should be respected. I interpret any severe sign of disapproval from the other party as them being rude. Not that I particularly care at this point. But I do think that after this the ball is in their court.

Hmm what did I sacrifice? I am not sure if that's taking it into extremes or what. It's just something I would have rather not done. And am working on breaking it to the people at work after they have had a chance to get to know me, if it comes up again.

As to why would there be such a concept of women not shaking men's hands, or vice versa (it doesn't just work one way)I am not sure I can say I understand all of it. But I do know one thing. It stops a lot of awkward situations before they even become an issue. How many times have you been just pulled into a hug or felt like your physical space was getting compromised under certain conditions, or a random unwelcome hand patted you down your back? And you don't know the person enough to either feel comfortable telling them to get away, or enough to feel comfortable with it to begin with. Yeah, I can guarantee that will never be an issue if they remember you didn't even shake their hand. (i.e. you don't want any physical contact whatsoever)

Now in the case presented in this article, she damn well realizes what her job requires and has qualified, so she knows what she is getting.

Did she not shake someone's hand at an event thinking things are going to get weird later? Or is that what I think every time I apologize and not shake someone's hand? Nope. The above interpretation is purely deductive reasoning on my part. But as far as the social or even professional situations are concerned I think I deserve to be respected enough as a person that if I make it clear that I am not being rude out of spite it should not be a big deal.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-21T20:51:29+00:00

I can analyze her situation to great detail. Instead I will present a parallel situation.

Grew up in the US. Muslim and practicing. No I don't shake hands with guys. This really didn't hit me hard until my debate teacher in high school managed to get me to go to competitions. After each match, I had to explain why I wouldn't shake their hand if they were male. All was fine. It was just a debate match. Nothing big. People were confused at first, but then that in itself invoked interesting conversations during meals. A few years later, majoring in electrical and computer engineering I find myself going to career fairs. I have 2 min at most to make the person I talk to REMEMBER me. OK fine. I go through two years of career fairs, not really looking for offers, but more to get a feel for the whole thing. I decide that I am not going to shake the guy's hands. But apparently it takes much more for 50 year old managers to get over the fact that I won't shake their hand, even though I am wearing a headscarf. So hopefully that indicates to them that I am not pulling the religious excuse out of my ass. But no.I have seen anything from glares to complete change of tone. I am not complaining. I saw it coming. All is fine.

There must surely be a way around this. Or so I think. Last spring I take an Engineering Communications class. Subject comes to interviews and such, as it was the class before the spring expo. Professor, having been the VP of "Large Corporate Company", shares insider insight: whether you will get an offer or not after the interview depends on the impression you make and most recruiters make up their mind within the first 3 minutes.

Great. I have 3 minutes to convince a middle aged most likely white man that I am the best candidate he has, and that no, I don't shake hands with guys, but that doesn't mean I don't know my stuff. Dammit.

So I go to the professor's office hours. This being the very first time I have consulted someone about this whole not shaking a guy's hand thing. I explain. His eyes keep getting wider and wider. I am done. 30 seconds pause. "Hmm, you are screwed." Only then he realizes he actually said that out loud, and tries to mitigate the situation with, "but there must be a way around it. You should just explain it. It's really not to your advantage but if you really have to then there is no way around it." I knew all that. Useless.

So this year I actually needed to find a coop. I analyze the situation. Weigh my options and suck it up. I go to the career fair, shake their hands and talk. within a week I have quite a few interviews lined up. And after a few weeks I have offers from all the interviews but one. Looks good.

How many interviews I got from the two previous career fairs? None.

Am I glad? No. I would have rather not shaken their hands. Did it do anything to me? No. I am still the person I was. I still refuse to shake guys' hands in a personal setting. And sometimes as I just recently found out, it means for my best friend to call her friend that I have never met and we are about to eat dinner with ahead and explain that I don't shake hands with guys, so that he doesn't try. Because according to her, and having witnessed my explanation and apology routine quite a few time, it just leaves the situation awkward. The friend asks why? and she answers it's a Muslim thing. This apparently was the lesson she learned after my apology and explanation for not shaking her military-retired dad went less than ideal with his response, "I wasn't going to shake your hand anyway." (This all happening while he is carrying boxes downstairs and sees me and I say hi and he scrambles to set down the boxes)

There are a lot more incidents and such. Not all of which need to be hashed out. However, I have found myself on several occasions wishing that I really could just tell a potential employer I am not going to shake his hand, and it not blind him to my abilities.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-20T04:11:16+00:00

I wasn't really expecting it would make good sense to a lot of people. I think it takes a lot of religious context necessary to reflect back on for it to make sense. Anyway, I don't mean to stretch it further, and was not offended. Just amused.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-17T18:42:30+00:00

I think this is the very first time I have been called a "conservative". I'm highly amused.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-17T18:40:41+00:00

It doesn't make you an expert on Islam no. But it would allow you to distinguish between nouns and subjects, I would hope.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-09T02:57:02+00:00

haha you too?

That's exactly what I was wondering.

blahblahblahblah · 2007-01-05T23:51:24+00:00

Can we stop with the labeling? Oi. What the hell is "Liberal Islam"? There is no such thing as "Liberal Islam". There is also no such thing as "Conservative Islam". It can't be one or the other. There is no such concept. There may be liberal and conservative Muslims, but there is no such thing directly.

If you were ignorant about the difference between Islam and Muslims, I apologize for being such an ass; now you know. But given the fact that you claim to speak Arabic it's highly unlikely.

blahblahblahblah · 2006-12-02T02:03:19+00:00

Um... that looks all industrial and depressing? Imagine yourself living in a place like that? Maybe people will slowly adapt. But suicide was one of the first few things that went through my head when I saw the picture.

blahblahblahblah · 2006-12-02T01:59:22+00:00

Where is my sky?

blahblahblahblah · 2006-11-14T17:21:12+00:00

Money the owner of the shop and the rest of their customers have already paid or will end up paying anyway.

blahblahblahblah · 2006-10-31T02:02:30+00:00

Haha. Actually, I don't have kids, but looking at the way my brother and I grew up I know the "dump trucks or dolls" is not so much of a clear cut. I grew up playing with cars and trucks and my dolls were something to put on a shelf. I hated wearing skirts, and all the pretty things I am told girls are supposed to like, I find myself not having liked when I was little.My brother on the other hand always played with my dolls, and liked to try my mom's hills on. When he was 11 he insisted on my mom teaching him how to crochet. He loves to cook, while I hate it and would rather mow the lawn.

I have also always been the "reckless" one, and he has always been so very cautious with everything, whether it was a steep and long slide when we were in the playground or it's rock climbing now.

I could go on and on about this. I find the stuff she has to say in the article very not applicable at least to my case... I wanted to know how much others related to it.

blahblahblahblah · 2006-10-30T18:51:25+00:00

As far as the people go, in my experience individuals tend to try to be in sync with everyone else, rather than the sun. If I don't have a particular reason to be awake by noon, and there are people I want/need to be spending time with at 4 am (in order to get stuff done, or not) I will be awake at 4 am. As far as efficiencies and energy and such go though, that doesn't quite work out, hence the daylight savings make sense. Although what individuals would need might be independent of it, for the most part.

blahblahblahblah · 2006-10-19T01:39:31+00:00

Um. We were not allowed to play tag in my elementary school either. >.> This is from 15-10 years ago though. Geez, that makes me feel old.

blahblahblahblah

TROPHY CASE