Do you ever call someone that you would not like to be public knowledge? For $110 anyone can buy a list of all your phone calls, reports the Chicago Sun-Times! [Your phone records are for sale].
If you’re not worried, imagine this:
“Suspicious spouses can see if their husband or wife is calling a certain someone a bit too often.
And employers can check whether a worker is regularly calling a psychologist — or a competing company.”
Just in case you thought otherwise, this is apparently not illegal.
January 7th, 2006
Terrified that lonely, sexually frustrated GIs in Iraq will turn to pornography and (gasp!) masturbation, the fundamentalist Christian New Life Ministries is kindly making available kits to promote purity:
“The kits — from New Life Ministries, which broadcasts on 150 stations nationwide — promote Bible-based abstinence: no pornography, adultery, nonmarital sex or masturbation.”
“’ Your goal is sexual purity,’ the text says. ‘You are sexually pure when no sexual gratification comes from anyone or anything but your wife.’”
“Each kit comes with an ‘Every Man’s Battle’ book and workbook for men or an ‘Every Woman’s Battle’ book and workbook for women, plus a Bible study guide and a daily devotional.”
These books are carefully designed to combat the dangers to the soul so prevalent in Iraqi bases:
“”Even while we were in Iraq, the pervasion of this problem was evident — soldiers had porno CDs they could play on their personal DVDs, and they had sexually suggestive magazines ‘graciously’ donated for the soldiers’ entertainment,” Brandt said. “The problem is an age-old one with the military: Soldiers are far away from home for a long time, sexual frustration sets in, and the visual stimuli become the easiest release.””
January 7th, 2006
President Bush spoke last week to wounded soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center and uttered these immortal words, indicating a lack of true appreciation for the suffering of the gravely wounded, often permanently disabled soldiers he was speaking to:
“As you can possibly see, I have an injury myself — not here at the hospital, but in combat with a Cedar. I eventually won. The Cedar gave me a little scratch. As a matter of fact, the Colonel asked if I needed first aid when she first saw me. I was able to avoid any major surgical operations here, but thanks for your compassion, Colonel.”
This was far from the first time Bush uttered bizarre sounding comments in response to the injuries of others. For some perspective on his behavior, compare what is known about him with the and Statistical Manual (IVth edition: DSM-IV) definition of narcissistic personality disorder [for clarification, I am not suggesting that this diagnosis be applied to President Bus. One should be extremely cautious about diagnosing people at a distance, based only on public, filtered, data.]:
“A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy.”
It is diagnosed by the presence of at leat five of these nine criteria:
“Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
Requires excessive admiration
Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes”
Whether or not a particular diagnosis fits, this comparison certainly suggests that the President has narcissistic tendencies, which may be both his strength and his undoing.
January 7th, 2006