WaPo: blame the men?

Interesting article in today's Washington Post about the British Parliament's hearings on that country's own financial industry problems. According to this, lots of people have taken a look at the fact that almost all of the banking industry's top executives are men and concluded that, to avoid similar problems in the future, they should put more women in charge.

Okay. Here's my take, as a card-carrying feminist. Do I think that it's a good idea to randomly promote women to run financial institutions (or any company) based on the principle that women are inherently more risk-averse than men? Um, no. Not even close. I don't for one minute buy that "women" (gotta love it when millions of people are lumped together as one unit) are either naturally less aggressive and more deliberative than "men," and that therefore all of this mess could've been avoided if only we had more vaginas on Wall St. And frankly, the idea that a woman, any woman, just because she's a woman, is too nurturing to act with the ruthless carelessness we've seen in the finance biz - it kinda pisses me off.

Here's what I do believe. I think that people - regardless of gender - who tolerate (and even enjoy) high-stress environments are attracted to jobs in finance (this does not include me, or my my male boss, which is why we work in higher education instead). I think that both men and women are capable of making the bad choices and cutting the corners that led to the current financial crisis.

I also think that any organization needs to have a diversity of personalities, viewpoints
and working styles, not just cosmetic "diversity" where everyone still thinks the same way. Let's go back to the example of my boss for a moment. He's a white man in his 40s, and I guarantee you that, had he been in the room when whatever genius it was hatched the plan to bundle worthless mortgages, he would've cried foul. So would every other man I work with. I'd rather have any of them at the table than, say, Carly Fiorina.

I really wish that the Post article had explored this more, instead of just regurgiating the same old "men are from Mars, women are from Venus" crap.

(Signing) Days of our Lives

I've long maintained that sports are just soap operas for guys - college sports most of all. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lane Kiffin for proving my point.

Okay, look, Lane. You're cute and all, and you get points for coaching my grandmother's favorite team. But a) in the immortal words of Jim Croce, you don't tug on Superman's cape, and b) don't you think that accusing another coach of "cheating" while in the very process of recruiting away two of that coach's previously committed players is, well, a little tacky? You're in the South, now, honey. Tacky matters.

And I can't help it...Richardson, Teague - you're ditching the team that just won its second national championship in what, three seasons, and which by the way plays in frakkin' Florida, in favor of playing in the mountains in one of the whitest areas of the country - (in your most recent visit to UT, did you somehow fail to notice all the snow everywhere???) - and I'm supposed to think you're cool? I've never been to Gainesville, but I've been to Knoxville. And sweethearts, believe me, this will not end well.

"I thought I blew it"

David Letterman interviews my future husband a day after the Super Bowl.

Really, tell me he's not completely adorable. (Ben, not Dave.)

Update: House passes DTV delay

So, yes, the House of Representatives belatedly voted to delay the planned switch to digital broadcasts, given that millions of Americans are still not ready - among them the most vulnerable members of our population, like the elderly, the disabled and the poor.

And yes, Virginia Foxx still voted against it.

This may be the funniest thing I have ever seen in my entire life

Little kid coming off of a baaaaad trip to the dentists' office.

Aw, it reminds me of college.