it's diversity month at work

...and in honor of diversity month, they gave us a stupid little white plastic bowl. Apparently it has something to do with how bowls are standard objects around the earth, and the use of such a bowl would bring us all together. My colleagues' response, after the initial "this thing is so cheap" and "what a waste of money" was: "If it's a diversity bowl, then why is it white?"

The bowl is too small for human use; I'm using it for cat food. (One of my coworkers used the bowl to eat Honey Bunches of Oats. In his words, "the corn flakes, oat clusters, and almonds were not overwhelmed by the majority 2% white milk, though the bowl did not keep them from getting soggy.")

My cube is actually a model of diversity; B is white, A is Indian, and I am Chinese. (Though really we never notice, since we're all middle-class nerds anyway.) B claimed that he was more diverse than either of us, because although A and I were each of only one race, B combined many races: Italian, Greek, German, and so forth. I thought that was a lovely way to look at things.

Although the diversity bowl is undoubtedly stupid, I also think it's kind of sweet that the company is at least making an effort. My previous workplace could have used a similar attitude adjustment. ( More on diversity, Obama, and workplace experiences )

where John McCain lost my respect

I went literally dizzy with anger during the debate when McCain pooh-poohed the idea of a health exception for late-term abortions, saying that a "health exception" (air quotes and all!) could mean anything. I was so overcome that I couldn't even concentrate on the education section that followed.

( cut for political raging )