What do T-Mobile and the International Labor Organization Have in Common?

With last night's debates, there was a lot of talk about whether or not we will speak to evil people, and a lot of it boils down to whether we will recognize them or not.

Frankly, I think the whole conversation is silly, because it's easy to recognize these people.

Fidel Castro - at least until he went for the short-haired Willie Nelson look - was very recognizable. Heavy beard, military fatigues, cigar. You could recognize him from 90 miles away.

Same for Arafat. Headdress, stubbly beard, machine gun in his hand - pretty easy to recognize.

Seriously, this whole "recognition" thing isn't only a problem for the United States. I've already mentioned how the International Labor Organization pretends that Taiwan doesn't exist as a sovereign nation. But Franklin Avenue included a story that indicates that businesses are also guilty of non-recognition. This is what a T-Mobile 411 operator said to Mike of Franklin Avenue fame.

"Sir, 818 is not part of Los Angeles."

Ooh, dem's fightin' words. Of course, quite a huge chunk of Los Angeles is in the 818!

"No, 818 is in Los Angeles."

She got testy. "Sir, I'm gonna need a city name."

Ugh. I know what's happening here; 411 considers neighborhoods like Northridge or Reseda as separate cities.

"OK, what cities do you have there?" I asked.

"Van Nuys, Reseda..."

"But, but, THAT'S LOS ANGELES!" I spit out.

And I won't even get into the whole Rita Moreno of Arte thingie.

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