Posted 3 years, 7 months ago in the early evening by oso
First off, a very quick note. Normally, I’d just bookmark this on del.icio.us, but I’m way too excited that my favorite radio station, KCRW, will start offering podcasts tomorrow. I’m subscribing to all the feeds right now.
Before I upload my own podcast later this week, I wanna go over some quick misconceptions about podcasting. First of all, you don’t need a iPod to listen to it. A podcast is simply a recorded mp3 file so you can do all the same things you do with any other music on your computer. A couple of my friends burn the podcasts they’ve downloaded onto a CD and listen to them on their car radio. Thivai, I’m pretty sure, still listens to podcasts on his computer.
Or, if you have an mp3 player (it doesn’t matter which one) you can take the podcast with you to the gym or while you go for a walk. That’s what I like to do and now I actually look forward to doing exercise ’cause I want to listen to the Daily Source Code, Democracy Now!, and On The Media.
Anyway, my plan is to try and upload two podcasts each month, one in English and the other in Spanish. The one in English I’ll try to keep to 20 minutes and in Spanish to about 10 minutes. They’ll be a mix of my own thoughts, the voicemails you guys send me (Elena, I need another story … or song … or both), and some music I like. The podcast feed will be the same as the blog feed - http://feeds.feedburner.com/oso - and I’ll make separate feeds for just English and just Spanish.
To subscribe to the podcast, just download “podcatching” software like iPodder or Nimiq (I’ve started using Nimiq and think it’s much better). And then enter http://feeds.feedburner.com/oso as one of the podcasts you’d like to start subscribing to.
Last thing, I feel like I’ve been standing on a soapbox, doing a lot of yelling lately. So instead, I’d like to ask you guys a question about something I heard on a podcast from Australia last week. I assume it was a recorded show from a while ago because the point of the show was to commemorate White Ribbon Day - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Anyway, the show was about what people, but especially men, can do to help eliminate violence against women. And one of the questions put to the callers was, what should you do if you’re somewhere in public and you see a man hitting a woman?
In the United States, there is no doubt, I would go up and approach the couple and at least tell them to try some time apart even if it meant me getting into a fight with the guy. But here in Mexico I’m not so sure. I asked some friends down here what they’d do if they saw a man hitting a woman in the street (or anywhere for that matter) and they all said they wouldn’t do anything; that in Mexico you stay out of a couple’s business. I was wondering what you guys thought. What should a guy do if he sees another guy hitting a woman? (one thing from the podcast is, every person who called in and said he had tried stepping in, the woman just ended up getting more upset and going away with the guy anyway)
Hope everyone’s doing really well and got through Monday ok.
You know when my sister got her purse stolen last week in the middle of a Wal-Mart parking lot at 5:30 p.m. no one did anything. She was tugging on the purse as the thief was walking the other way and no one tried to help her until she called for help. Makes me wonder what went through the minds of the people who saw a young woman getting robbed. I know if I was being attacked or beaten, I’d certainly like someone to step in.
I know the feeling. I was robbed by knifepoint in broad daylight once with at least 20 people just staring at the whole thing happen. At least your sister is safe. Much better down a purse than being injured or worse.
But what I was referring to is when it’s obviously a couple - husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend and they’re in an argument that has escalated into violence. When should someone step in?
no matter what country i would step in. it’s just not right. but that’s what i say now. i hope i would do it. i’ve done it before. it’s just easier to look the other way.
- dude, you lose me everytime you talk about your fancy techonlogy stuff.
I do nothing. And I have had the situation happen both here and in Mexico. In Mexico I was in my neighborhood church plaza, tons of people. Man kept punching his partner, threw her on a huge pile of rocks, which must’ve hurt and kicked her some more. I did nothing. I would do nothing, until she calls out for help. She calls out for help I am fucking kicking the shit out of that mother fucker….but she didn’t so, I just watched.
In the US I haven’t seen as much continued violence, just the slap or punch. And I watch. I was with some friends who called the police once when a guy punched his girlfriend. The police came and told them he hadn’t done anything.
Until the victim asks for help, they are likely to defend their abuser, say it was their own fault, and if you step in you might get their ass kicked even more as the abuser blames the victim for the audiance.
So, no, I don’t do anything unless asked. And beware sometimes when asked the victim will go right back to the abuser.
Oso, I wanted to add one more thing (I know I already had a rant of great length).
I think you accurately noted that in general in Mexico there is a much greater view of some things as being a “family matter” or a “personal matter”. Incest is viewed the same way.
“ Abortion is illegal in Mexico, except when the mother’s health is in serious danger or in cases of rape. The law doesn’t address incest, which is considered a family matter.”
Do nothing. It’s not my business, I don’t know their history, background, situation, etc. Do nothing unless someone asks for help or it gets to the point where you would attempt to “break it up” no matter if it was a couple or not.
Re Podcasts - That is swass. I love KCRW. I still want FM on my mp3 player though, I’m stubborn. Apple is forcing me to buy an iAUDIO.
Re Abuse - In my experience, getting involved always ends up badly, but I would feel worse not doing anything. Another country, that’s something different. I feel far too exposed to confront anyone. If it was serious I would call the cops, but that’s probably about it. It is always a fine line - at what point do universal human morals give way to cultural sensitivity?
Huh, I was expecting everyone to say they’d step in no matter what.
That’s what I’ve been dealing with the most these past couple weeks. It’s a tough question, especially since I have a tough time believing in “universal human morals” period. So instead it becomes a question of imposing my values on someone else. (which lately I’ve been doing a lot lately - “why can’t you dumbshits learn how to drive?!!!” I scream every day)
Anyway, I’m pretty sure that there are people all over the world - men and women alike - who believe it’s a man’s duty to hit his wife, just like it’s a parent’s duty to spank his/her child.
Hello man. I recently read a news article that pointed out that a man had stabbed his wife, got arrested, was forgiven by his wife… for the third time!!
Hey, this instant preview is really cool. LOL. I managed to find a way around that javascript function I posted the other day about.
Anyhow, about just standing there, watching the whole thing happen and not doing nothing… here is a graphically animated example.
The woman cut in the waiting line, the guy calls his girlfriend and says that the pizza ‘might take a bit longer’… the woman gets pissed off, her boyfriend comes… and well, the rest is history.
if i saw a man hitting his wife/girlfriend i would not get involved. you never know how she is going to react and good intentions can backfire. perhaps asking her if she wants/needs help is an option? but i would definitely place a call to the police.
Yes, I do listen to them all the time on my computer–its my Tv and radio at home (since I can find what i want to hear/watch when I want)… you are luring toward the I-Pods despite my misgivings about walking around with ear phones–it seems to seal me off from the world that i should be pating attention to (outisde my four walls)… but it does sound good for running …
KCRW: never heard of it before, been listening to it while working the last two days, it’s good stuff. It’s better than the itunes radio streaming I’d been using. And I can’t seem to get into podcasts yet, whether offering or listening to. I don’t commute anywhere and can’t work with talk radio on, it’s too distracting. I don’t even like vocals in the music, instrumental electronica or classical is the best and like fuel for the entire day - I tend to forget the lunch hour when really going.
Abuse: I thought I’d be the good samaritan type for most of my adult life, but when I was actually faced with it in San Francisco a few years back, the situation played out in a way that changed my thinking. I conscientiously called the cops and watched with smug satisfaction as they showed up near instaneously. I was thinking, that’s right pal, you’re going to get your comeuppance now. What happened? She saw the cops, started hugging him and acting all lovey dovey, even trying to put herself between him and them, telling the cops they were wrong, nothing happened. Then they finally get her aside and the Asian woman cop (she was gorgeous, perfect makeup) started patting him down, searching for stuff and she just kept. Running. Her. Mouth. The guy cop finally had to turn to her and yell at the top of his voice to SHUT UP. That’s when she looked up and looked like she was going to cry, like this “great, now what, what could go worse?” kind of moment. You idiot, he could have snapped your neck and when the cavalry comes, you treat them like they’re the problem? WTF man.
I’ve been conflicted ever since and leave people to their own devices now. Reading Ayn Rand recently didn’t help either, pushed me even further away trying to be responsible for other people’s problems.