What your lives are worth to me.

I saw 5 minutes of a DS9 episode this afternoon while eating lunch. The episode treated the age-old dilemma of weighing lives against one another.

What typically happens in these scenarios is that the noble leader refuses to make a decision to sacrifice one life for 8000 or 1000 lives for 2 million, and then the hero comes along and somehow manages to save all of them. The hero of course only just barely had enough time to do so because the noble leader wasn't willing to say that 1 person is less valuable than 8000 and stalled the necessary decision.

Now, I can see this kind of reaction making sense in scenarios of negotiating with criminals, because of course you don't want a bunch of criminals to take 100 people hostage and then ask for the prime minister or their least favourite contestant on Canadian Idol to be offed.

However, in these movies it is often a decision of resources. We can survive this [natural catastrophe/accident of your choice] if only we [action of your choice that will inevitably kill someone innocent].

What bothers me is the mathematical inconsistency. Apparently, we claim that all people are equally valuable. If that is true, then the logical conclusion is that 100 people are more valuable than 1. If we say we cannot decide whether we should sacrifice one to save 100, then we are saying that potentially one could be worth more than another.

So, in conclusion, if I ever get to be a Navy General, and you're stuck in that section of the u-boat I need to shut off hermeneutically to contain a fire, expect to die.

Unless, of course, I like you. Then it gets much more complicated.

Thankfully, I don't like too many people. I would make an excellent Navy general.

Wondrous words

Something I didn't expect to say today:

"If I'd skipped class, I could have cut out the pages of my journal in the shape of a monkey head too."

Something I didn't expect to hear yesterday:

"No, no, I would still never leave the earth's orbit."

Should I broaden my horizons or self-indulge?

I'm looking for one more course to take in the summer term. So far, I'm considering:

Native Studies 200
Math 115
Religious Studies 220
Linguistics 100 or 101

Have you anything to say about any of these? The religious studies class is about Islam, and it and the Native Studies course are attempts to ameliorate my ignorance in these areas. Math and Linguistics are clearly self-indulgent. What to do?

Looking to buy Super Nintendo Games

Aladdin
Zelda
Lion King
Indiana Jones
Super Bomberman 1 or 2
Super Mario World 2

Got any?

And, by all means, feel free to make fun of me for either my choice of console or choice of games (or choice of boyfriend, although that one is kind of getting old by now, just like the boyfriend).

I'm putting Star Trek in there *somehow*.

Man, feminist theory can be a bunch of wordy bullshit. A Manifesto for Cyborgs?...Hmmm..Cyborgs...Borg...Star Trek...

Ha! And there's my angle for the oral presentation I have to do in two hours.

Feminist Theory and the Borg. Feminist theory is futile? Resistance is feminist?

Hot Damn, I'm not having a good pun day.

I just wish this was over already.

I-week happenings.

I met my hero. I shook his hand. I stuttered. I blushed. Then, I said, loudly and clearly:

"It's my birthday today."

That is why it now says in the front of my copy of Race Against Time :



To Catrin:


I am honoured to
have shared your birthday
with you.
In friendship,
Stephen Lewis

I am a total nitwit. Thankfully there is no danger of him remembering me.

On other breaking news, the team: "The Pancakes", consisting of Babil Pobee, Steve Smith, Sara Ghebremusse, Chris Henderson and me has won the 18th annual International Quiz. Amongst many others we beat a team consisting of the UofA chaplains. Thank *God* they took that section on religious symbols out. And man, was it ever funny when they announced that.

Earlier that day, I got my hair braided into three corn rows for black history month and looked ridiculous. Or so I was told at least.

Also, I have gotten involved with the Kamit African Carribean Society and am trying to help them with their fund raiser- all proceeds go to alleviate the AIDS crisis in Africa. They are thinking of donating it to the Stephen Lewis foundation, but they haven't gotten the green light to use his name yet, so forget I said that.

The fundraiser is a Jazz, Art and fashion night with African hors-d'oeuvres. If you are an artist who would like to donate a piece of art- the theme is "Persevering in th Face of Hardship"- then please contact me. There will be a silent auction for your art and also a panel of judges who will pick the best pieces for prizes- most likely cash prizes- so you could come out way ahead.

If you are just interested in going to a nice event with food, performances and art, and would like to see me and Steve Smith model African clothing in the fashion show- I'm thinking of giving him corn rows as a punishment for ridiculing mine-, then contact me as well. Prices are $10 for students and $ 15 otherwise.