In his recent TEDx talk, Jay Smooth explains that in the context of talking about racism, we need to start thinking about being good as a practice: We need to move away from the premise that being a good person is a fixed, immutable characteristic, and shift towards seeing being good as a practice. A …
My Mom is Gonna Rock the Vagina Monologues
You heard that right, my Mom is going to rock the Vagina Monologues next week in Sacramento. I don’t write a lot about my mom here. My father, being the more notorious parent, seems to take up more space. However, I should work on that because my mom is a smart and resourceful women and …
Quick Note About BarCamp and Burnout
I’ve been feeling really burnt out and for several weeks, if not months. In fact, it’s been a tough couple of years: job changes, marriage, family crises, health challenges. In other words, Sherri and I are going through a bunch of life crap just like everybody else is. Lately I’d started questioning why I was …
Spoek Mathambo “Control”
A stunning take on Joy Division’s She’s Lost Control from South African musician Spoek Mathambo. The video is a collaboration with photographer Pieter Hugo, cinematographer Michael Cleary and neighborhood kids who run their own dance troop called Happy Feet.
Civil Partnerships are Anything but Equal
Recently a co-worker posted the following on his personal blog (which was syndicated on Planet Mozilla): Civil partnerships and marriages in the UK give exactly the same legal rights and operate under the same constrictions. Opponents of marriage equality inevitably issue statements like this to make their views seem reasonable and non-discriminatory. And far too …
The (Overdue) Need for Community Conduct Standards at Mozilla
Next week marks my sixth-month anniversary as a Mozilla employee. I have been planning to write a post to mark the occasion and to share with everyone what an awesome (albeit challenging) experience it is working at such an innovative, mission-driven organization. However, recent events on Plant Mozilla (see Hate Speech Is Not Free Speech …
No Way to Say Goodbye
This Spring marks a decade since I last saw my father. We didn’t speak and he didn’t actually acknowledge my presence, but I know he saw me in the courtroom because his public defender requested that the judge have me removed as a potential witness. The judge denied this request, and I stayed to watch …
Vegan Moral Superiority and Other Misunderstandings
Since moving to Portland 4 years ago, I have only traveled back to California once to spend Thanksgiving with my family. There are many factors that go in to my decision to stay in Portland for the holiday: the hassle and expense of travel, the possibility that weather negatively impact travel, having to be away …