Episode CCXLIV: A Norwegian serenade


Since the president of the Norwegian Humanist Association, Åse Kleveland, is also a well-known singer over here, and since she did do a little tune for us at dinner tonight, I thought I’d share.

(Last edition of TET)

Comments

  1. serendipitydawg (one headed, mutant spawn of Echidna) says

    @Kitty:

    When I can locate the perfect picture, I will change it just for you (and I know which one is the perfect picture, I just don’t know which machine it is on…)

  2. serendipitydawg (one headed, mutant spawn of Echidna) says

    @Kitty,

    BTW, glad you went with yours, that really is a flattering pic :D

  3. triskelethecat says

    How do I upload a picture so I have a gravatar? Is there a special site? I have a GREAT kitteh picture I would use, in honor of Katherine Lorraine

  4. triskelethecat says

    @Katherine Lorraine: well, there’s the problem. The email address I used to create my WordPress login I can’t access from home today. So, either I create a new WordPress login or see if I can access Gravatar from work. Think it would be easier, given my wacky work blocks, to create a new WordPress login.

  5. triskelethecat says

    Let’s try again..Yay! it worked on preview so let’s see how it looks in real life..

  6. triskelethecat says

    Something is strange…my picture looks fine on preview but still get a weird graphic in real life?

  7. Carlie says

    MAJeff is on Twitter, so although he doesn’t post here much anymore, one can follow him there and get a pithy 140-character update now and then. :) (I miss reading him here too!)

  8. says

    MAJeff is on Twitter

    Yup, I don’t use it much, but he sends the odd status update there.

    What do the USanians here know about the so-called “Burning Man” festival in Nevada ? One of my collegues here is going, and I’ve never heard of it before.

  9. serendipitydawg (one headed, mutant spawn of Echidna) says

    I forgot to say: I finally managed to see the last instalment of HP. After several attempts with varying degrees of failure†, I am pleased with what they did. The later books required much shuffling and cutting to turn them into screenplays and, aside from a lack of house elves, I thought they did a good job.

    †I know, it’s my own fault for not praying enough.

    No <sub>/<sup>? WTF!

  10. Brother Ogvorbis the Perpetually Confused says

    I need help (well, other than the obvious). At my 40-hour-a-week computer, we use MS IE7 (yes, 7) because many of the online intranet sites we use for ordering and dealing with our CMS system will not work in newer versions. How do I, in step-by-step-for-an-idiot (that would be me) instructions, clear my page cache without restarting the entire computer?

    And at home, I can easily comment anonymously (when I have the time) but if I use my actual login, I get one comment, sometimes two or three, and then start getting a 404 error which continues until I reboot the entire computer. Does that make sense to anyone?

    Oh, and happy Friday. I get to go on vacation, just Wife and I, up to the Adirondacks for three nights of camping, so you’ll be hearing even less of me (if that is possible, considering the difficulties I am experiencing commenting (and if this comment doesn’t go through, I may give up!)) for a week.

  11. Sheesh (as seen on Sadly, No!) says

    Brother Ogvorbis,

    Click Tools in the menu,
    Click Internet Options,
    In the new window that should appear, click the General tab
    Find and click the button marked Delete…
    In the new window that should appear, click Delete files…
    Click close
    Click OK

  12. Sheesh (as seen on Sadly, No!) says

    (Amusingly, in Firefox the above steps are replaced by “Press control, shift, and delete at the same time. Good day!”)

  13. says

    Janine @140, regarding your itchy and heavy gravity-magnet-laden underwear: this sounds like an excellent time for you to run a multi-level marketing scheme in Utah. Tell them they need to wear gravity-magnet underwear over their sacred garmies. (I, for one, would love to see them wearing yet one more layer in the hot summer months.)

    The threat of freezing to death or of being asphyxiated if ever the underwear is removed is right in line with threats from 1940s mormonism. Their idea was that magic undies would protect you from most forms of physical harm, including fire, bullets, and unlawful intercourse with Satan, but, hey, not freezing and asphyxiation! There’s a loophole in the magic underwear scheme, and you need to exploit it.

    Don’t talk about swimming, nor even wading. Heavy underwear plus water is not a good thing.

    Wait, there is one way you could include swimming in your promotional materials. Just repeat the warnings Joe Smith put about, the ones in which Satan rides the waves, just waiting to pull you under. So, technically speaking, heavy underwear is one more deterrent to swimming. One more way to put distance between you and Satan.

  14. Matt Penfold says

    Well good news about the game I bought and downloaded yesterday but could not play because I did not get sent an activation code.

    The company noticed there was a problem this morning and have already sorted it out. So now I will name them and praise them. Well done JustFlight.

  15. says

    RemembersABeach @521, I’ll look into it. I haven’t researched that particular story of a Boy Scout in Utah flirting with death simply by joining a Utah troop, but the chances are good that either the kid is LDS, and/or his troop is LDS sponsored.

    From info supplied by the Salt Lake Tribune:

    The LDS Church became the first institutional sponsor of Scout troops in the United States in 1913. Today it reports that it sponsors more Scouts and Scouting units in the United States than any other organization.
    The three Boy Scout councils with headquarters in Utah say they serve 180,000 Scouts in traditional units, and 70 percent of males in Utah between the ages of 8 and 18.

    From comments following a different, recent tale of questionable dealings in LDS-sponsored Boy Scout troops:

    You have to understand that in the LDS church, scouting is an auxiliary organization, meaning that it provides a supporting role to the overall mission of the church, to help it’s members come unto Christ. If ever scouting failed to fulfill that function, the program would be dropped in favor of another that more closely met the Church members needs.

    Maybe they should put more emphasis on safety, and less on Christ.

    Mormons are not just in Utah. Our Moment of Mormon Madness for today comes from Virginia.

    A Virginia school board has removed a Sherlock Holmes book from its sixth-grade reading list after a parent challenged the book as derogatory toward Mormons, according to The Daily Progress.

    Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/52380650-180/book-holmes-sherlock-according.html.csp

    … “A Study in Scarlet has been used to introduce students to the mystery genre and into the character of Sherlock Holmes. This is our young students’ first inaccurate introduction to an American religion,” according to the newspaper.

    First intro the young students receive in which mormonism has not been whitewashed by the mormon PR machine — that would be a more accurate way to describe the book.

    The newspaper article doesn’t elaborate on what specifically was offensive to the parent about the book, but a USA Today article may provide a clue, quoting a paragraph in which a character says the idea of his daughter marrying a Mormon would be “a shame and a disgrace.”

    Part of the story takes place in 19th-century Utah. According to a 1994 Salt Lake Tribune article, the book bolstered the idea that “Danites, the Avenging Angels of Mormondom, were steeped in the assassination of apostates, and that polygamy was white slavery.”

    Sounds accurate to me.

  16. Quodlibet says

    Finally, I have reason (howsoever small) to appreciate Glen Beck. He sent us some nice chew toys. Yesterday’s entertainment. in both beck-ish threads, was just wonderful.

    I am wondering how Barbara is dealing with church this morning. She seemed to be coming apart at the seams toward the end of her visit to Pharyngula, and I wonder if any reason and light might have seeped into her.

    Naw, probably not.

  17. 'Tis Himself, OM says

    Lynna, OM #530

    unlawful intercourse with Satan

    Is there lawful intercourse with Satan?

    Mattir, you’re a lawyer, can you answer this?

  18. says

    Thanks Jadehawk, I have passed that link on to the nurse who is going there…:-)

    I note Rebecca Watson seems to have developed a kitty obsession…:P

  19. Dhorvath, OM says

    Any word from Weedmonkey? I know he was in a bad way and note he isn’t in this or the previous thread.

  20. says

    ‘Tis himself, lawful intercourse with Satan can be had in Hell, and in parts of Nevada.

    I think the Mormon view in the good old days was that Satan was always trying to get into everyone’s underpants, but that some people (we won’t say who) actually invite Satan in. It’s the invitation that is unlawful.

    Of course, women who wear immodest clothing invite Satan in. (Oh, dear, we did say who.)

    If Satan forces his way in, and you can prove that you put up a good fight, you might get a priesthood blessing and be cured. You had intercourse with Satan, but it wasn’t unlawful.

    But if you weren’t wearing your sacred underwear and Satan entered your nether portals (the portals of your nether regions?), then really, you are partially at fault.

    I think we do need Mattir to clear this up for us.

    I think demons can have lawful intercourse with Satan, and unlawful intercourse with Christians, Mormons, Japanese men and women, and Hindus.

    This is probably some of that sophisticated theology that gets muddier the more you stir it up.

    Current thinking seems to be that infidels (all non-mormons) are under the control, or at least under the influence of The Adversary. So, if one were to have gay sex with Brownian, or nautical trysts with ‘Tis Himself, one would be having intercourse with Satan. Dude has no working equipment of his own, so he borrows the bodies of others.

    If two infidels have intercourse, is that unlawful? And is Satan getting his jollies from both parties?

  21. Psych-Oh says

    I am chuffed to bits by all of your fantastic responses to Barbara and Dan. That made for some good Sunday morning reading.

  22. Beatrice, anormalement indécente says

    There are kneeling pads for the spectators.

    And I thought that story couldn’t get more disgusting.

  23. Dhorvath, OM says

    Gah! Glad he’s locked up, but shit like that is still going on. Destroying something worthwhile to pretend at the sacred is disgusting.

  24. Katrina, radicales féministes athées says

    Benjamin @474: Sorry about that. I feel a bit responsible, since I am the one who asked if he was insane when he started going on about how terrible it was to use a microwave. Unless, of course, you feel it was no great loss – in which case I’m glad I could help.

  25. says

    Some of the women who escaped from the polygamist colony, taking their children with them, still suffer from the effects of the brainwashing that goes on there.

    Flora Jessop. a woman who’s been out long enough to get herself almost back to normal, is running some support group activities. She noted in an interview that after Warren Jeffs stated in court that God would bring a “wasting disease” to punish all who persecute him or even disobey him — after that little announcement, former polygamist women were calling Flora in a panic. They were worried sick that their children would be punished with a wasting disease, that the children would be punished for the sins of the mother … her biggest sin being disobeying Warren Jeffs.

    Flora said she had her hands full trying to take care of anxiety-ridden mothers.

    It doesn’t help that they see even the downgrading of the U.S. credit rating as fulfillment of Warren Jeff’s prophecy. The hand of God, as wielded by Warren Jeffs, is still a reality in their minds.

    BTW, ‘Tis Himself, I enjoyed your comment about this on the old Warren Jeffs thread.

  26. Sili says

    The Salt Lake Tribune’s latest follow-up on the saga of Warren Jeffs is topped by a photo of the bed he used to rape girls. It’s part of the temple at Yearning for Zion. There are kneeling pads for the spectators.

    That is very considerate. I know it’s hell on my knees, when I have to masturbate on the bare floor.

  27. Sili says

    It doesn’t help that they see even the downgrading of the U.S. credit rating as fulfillment of Warren Jeff’s prophecy. The hand of God, as wielded by Warren Jeffs, is still a reality in their minds.

    Ooooh! Someone please, please, tell Bachmann.

  28. says

    Rorschach @ 541, well of course there are provisions for the comfort of the witnesses of the “heavenly sessions.” What were you thinking? You wouldn’t make a very good prophet.

    In the audio tapes of the heavenly sessions one can hear at least three female voices saying “Amen” after Warren concludes his exertions with, “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

    Warren Jeffs kept very good written and audio records. His sect believes that if they don’t have all the records straight for family ties, and goodies associated with obedience on earth, etc. their rewards will be screwed up when they get to the Celestial Kingdom.

    Accounting, therefore, includes solid evidence of the rape of 12 year old girls, with witnesses present.

    Accounting includes money, property, wives as property, actions taken, cows sold, buildings built, babies born, and even whether or not the 12 year old girl’s father smiled when he gave her to Warren. There will be auditors in Heaven.

    Accounting includes a note that male leaders were present during the rapes of little girls.

  29. Quodlibet says

    The Salt Lake Tribune’s latest follow-up on the saga of Warren Jeffs is topped by a photo of the bed he used to rape girls. It’s part of the temple at Yearning for Zion. There are kneeling pads for the spectators.

    The anger rises in me like vomit.

    And religious people worry that gays, atheists, etc., are shredding the “moral fabric” of this country. Right. Right.

  30. says

    Here’s a video interview with Sam Brower. The interview is hosted by Book TV. Brower is a private investigator who looked into the FLDS, and then wrote a book, “Prophet’s Prey”.

    When Utah courts failed to convict Warren Jeffs, Brower called it “shameful.”

    Brower talks about the powerful men in the polygamist colony using young girls as a reward system.

    There’s also a discussion of Warren Jeff’s rise to power.

    “An organized crime syndicate that specializes in child abuse…” is how Brower describes the FLDS. He notes that the FLDS colony has its own doctors, nurses, midwives, and other services. That allows them to hide most of their abuse.

  31. Sili says

    And religious people worry that gays, atheists, etc., are shredding the “moral fabric” of this country. Right. Right.

    Well, duh. When was the last time you raped a young girl and/or your daughters?

  32. Sili says

    Forgot to mention in my post @553 that Brower also discusses evidence that Warren Jeffs raped and sodomized young boys.

    Ah! An ecumenical matter!

  33. says

    Sam Brower brings up the FLDS “zeal for raising money,” and lists, among other money-making ventures, the failed O-ring that brought down the Space Shuttle — that was a product of Short Creek. They also make night vision goggles.

    Most of their money, though, comes from us, from taxpayers.

  34. says

    Sam Brower, the investigator that brought to light some of the abuses in the FLDS colony is LDS himself, so that’s a little strange. But for the most part, he seems to be capable and efficient. He’s a friend of Jon Krakauer.

    While Brower was compiling evidence for several court cases, some of Warren Jeffs’s henchmen stalked him. An affidavit that Brower filed detailing the stalking and threats contains this interesting bit:

    …It has also been reported by former church members that Dee Jessop has been the presenter of a demonstration on how to be able to survive in the last days, wherein he takes a steer, and while still alive [I believe he means the steer is still alive, and is not referring to future zombie Dee Jessop as being “still alive”], cuts the steer’s throat in a shocking demonstration of what it may take if the need should arise, to end an animal’s life in that manner. This demonstration was among many put on before elementary school age children and the children are required to watch the animal suffer and bleed out until it is dead, and then it is butchered, also in front of the children. Because of Dee Jessop’s propensity and reputation for violent shock value, and the fact that he had been part of a hoax call attempting to locate me and get a room next to mine, the information that I received caused me a great deal of consternation…

    What struck me was the fact that FLDS members are shown, very graphically, what will happen to them if they don’t obey the Prophet. And it’s typical of them to make a half-assed attempt to disguise this kind of demonstration as education for the End Times.

  35. says

    Let’s just say, interesting results when one argues that 30.000 religions can’t all be right, therefore they are more likely to all be wrong, with a filipina. That is all.

  36. RemembersABeach says

    Between our 2 Minnesota Republican candidates for president, I would rather have Pawlenty drop out. He is more likely to appeal to independent voters than Bachmann, who has the support of the far right but who makes moderates cringe.

  37. First Approximation says

    Looks like there was an story about Mabus on the news.

    The Montreal Gazette also has two articles on him:

    Montreal police pressured into investigating renowned internet bully ‘Mabus’
    Montreal police start probe of Twitter threats

    MONTREAL – Bombarded with “a few hundred” screen shots of various Twitter threats alleged to have been issued by a St. Laurent man – and by more than 3,200 email complaints from all over the world so far this week – Montreal police said Wednesday they have begun a criminal investigation.

    Prior to Lafrenière’s announcement, PZ Myers, a frequent recipient of threats from ‘Mabus,’ and a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, blogged that the St. Laurent man’s tone has escalated in recent years – “his hate messages have gotten crazier, more vicious, and more frequent.”

    “I have reported him to the police,” Myers added, and “seen these complaints climb the ladder from the local department, to the FBI, to the RCMP, to the Montreal city police, where they promptly fizzle out.”

    Montreal police, according to Myers, have had “this deranged man making death threats on their watch for over a decade, and have done nothing.”

    Lafrenière said he wasn’t aware of any complaint from Myers.

  38. says

    Doris Hanson is an odd example of Americana. She hosts a show called “Polygamy: What Love is This?” She looks like a toned-down Tammy Faye Baker, is fond of glitter, sports shiny plastic earrings, and has helmet hair.

    She runs “Shield and Refuge Ministry,” a fact which should give one pause. However, she does help people escape from polygamist colonies.

    In this interview she interviews Brent Jeffs, the nephew of Warren Jeffs. Doris doesn’t get to the interview part of the show until after 4 minutes of other church-ladyish blather.

    Brent Jeffs was molested by Warren Jeffs. Brent wrote the book, “Lost Boy.” When Doris finally allows Brent to speak, the interview is quite good.

  39. says

    Ed Brayton tells me that the transition to FTB has lead to a 1/3 loss in blog visitors. That feels about right. When I google Pharnygula, the FTB page isnt shown for a long time, until page 3 or so. Got to work on that.

  40. RemembersABeach says

    Someone who knows my cooking issues gave me a “4-Ingredient Dinners” cookbook. Page 28 is “Warm Hot Dog Pasta Salad”. I’m not going any further.

  41. theophontes says

    @ nemo the derv #478

    Masks of God.

    Thanks Nemo, I shall look out for it. I have read his other book on the subject called “The Hero of a thousand faces”, which I can recommend.

    @ Benjamin

    Somehow I managed to infect myself with an earworm. And now you all have it too.

    Haha. Oh no you don’t. I did not click your link – so you can not infect me.

    *blinks*

    Aaaaaaaaaaaaarggh …but now I have a dreadful outbreak of CURIOUSITY… damn.

    @ Lynn

    Warren Jeffs

    I keep thinking that the stories of his sordid behaviour could not get worse. But it just goes on and on. He is like an endless wellspring of depravity.

  42. says

    Continuing our “Whiskey in the jar” series, here is Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell playing the song live….Man, that guy knows how to make music, insane…

  43. Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies says

    Oggie,

    . I get to go on vacation, just Wife and I, up to the Adirondacks for three nights of camping, so you’ll be hearing even less of me (if that is possible, considering the difficulties I am experiencing commenting (and if this comment doesn’t go through, I may give up!)) for a week.

    Oh, have fun! The Adirondacks are beautiful. :)

  44. says

    Quote by Etha Williams on FB (a former Pharyngula commenter and Molly owner, for those who don’t know her) :

    “There are mountainous, arduous days, up which one takes an infinite time to climb, and downward-sloping days which one can descend at full tilt, singing as one goes.”

    *Sigh*. Yes indeed.

  45. Sheesh (as seen on Sadly, No!) says

    Chigau,

    Cookies commonly store session information (logged in state). Firefox clears cookies by default when you “Clear Recent History” (uncheck cookies from the details section). That would be my first guess without your stating which browser you use, etc.

    (I sort of assume that most people use Firefox around here.)

  46. Tethys, calmar-garou says

    Milquetoast bows out, and crazy repressed church lady wins.
    (insert Iowa joke featuring corn and pigs here)
    But I did find one enjoyable tidbit over on the daily dish.

    The twitter accounts for Michelle Bachmann, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Rand Paul combined have fewer followers than a twitter account for a cobra that escaped the bronx zoo. @BronxZoosCobra

    Social media revolution anyone?

  47. Katrina, radicales féministes athées says

    Update from PET:

    There are still five members of PET who have not identified their connection to Pharyngula. The mods have given them until Monday to correct this. If you are a member of the Facebook group, please check the “Secret of Nym” document to be sure your association with TET is clear. We will begin purging “mystery members” tomorrow.

  48. says

    If you are a member of the Facebook group, please check the “Secret of Nym” document to be sure your association with TET is clear. We will begin purging “mystery members” tomorrow.

    Good. Too many people chatting there who I don’t recognize already.

  49. 'Tis Himself, pour encourager les autres says

    “There are mountainous, arduous days, up which one takes an infinite time to climb, and downward-sloping days which one can descend at full tilt, singing as one goes.”

    The same sentiment is sometimes expressed as “some days the elevator, some days the shaft.”

  50. says

    The same sentiment is sometimes expressed as “some days the elevator, some days the shaft.”

    Ah,man, just don’t go there and ruin a perfectly nice thought…:-)

  51. Classical Cipher says

    Good. Too many people chatting there who I don’t recognize already.

    Doubt that’ll be cured, as there seem to be very few people going to be purged and they’re not people who are around.

  52. Katrina, radicales féministes athées says

    Good. Too many people chatting there who I don’t recognize already.

    We’ve also re-organized the doc so it’s easier to figure out who people are.

  53. Katrina, radicales féministes athées says

    Why the hell did I hyphenate “reorganize”? Time for another espresso, stat!

  54. Benjamin "van Driessen" Geiger says

    And life is like a dogsled race. If you’re not the lead dog, the scenery never changes.

  55. cannabinaceae says

    Note: I am on Google Plus now only because they offer multi-node videoconferencing for free. When working well, it is almost as satisfying an experience as a paid Skype account, when Skype is working well. When there are net storms, it can be better or worse, depending.

    But, being there for whatever reason, it is now the social networking I use. I do try to check back in with FB every week or so, to find out if there’s anything I missed.

    Also: I wouldn’t hyphenate, I would offer diacritique: reörganize.

  56. Katrina, radicales féministes athées says

    Don’t worry Bill, we know who you are. Eh-heh-heh.

    cannabinaceae, your ‘nym is already in the doc so whenever you stop by is fine.

  57. Carlie says

    The twitter accounts for Michelle Bachmann, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Rand Paul combined have fewer followers than a twitter account for a cobra that escaped the bronx zoo. @BronxZoosCobra

    I actually followed the bronx zoo cobra feed when it was on the loose. Heh.

  58. Janine, The Little Top Of Venom, OM says

    The Salt Lake Tribune’s latest follow-up on the saga of Warren Jeffs is topped by a photo of the bed he used to rape girls. It’s part of the temple at Yearning for Zion. There are kneeling pads for the spectators.

    So, rape is both a holy sacrament and a spectator sport.

  59. Brother Ogvorbis says

    Ogvorbis – awesome! Where in the Adirondacks are you going?

    We will be camping in Wilmington (no, not Delaware).

  60. broboxley OT says

    went to the meat display case at the local carniceria. Saw a package of sausage that looked suspiciously like boudin noir. Closest place to me for boidin noir is New Iberia LA. Check the ingredients pork beef blood rice shalottes and spices.
    Just finished one, the columbian sausage company got it right, they are awesome

  61. Carlie says

    Ogvorbis – Ooo, I know several people who love the Whiteface climb. Have a great time!

  62. 'Tis Himself, pour encourager les autres says

    It’s been raining steadily all day. The Weather Channel© has been giving a 50% chance of rain for every hour from 7:00 AM on.

  63. David Marjanović, OM says

    TV news sez Assad uses battle ships to shoot at protesters in the harbor of Latakia. 23 dead already, adding to the total body count of, like, 1800. It’s way past time to remove him from power.

    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

    Let’s see what happens to the graphic facepalm from comment 400 if I put it in a monospace font (the code tag):

    . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ,.-‘”. . . . . . . . . .“~.,
    . . . . . . . .. . . . . .,.-”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“-.,
    . . . . .. . . . . . ..,/. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ”:,
    . . . . . . . .. .,?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\,
    . . . . . . . . . /. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,}
    . . . . . . . . ./. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,:`^`.}
    . . . . . . . ./. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,:”. . . ./
    . . . . . . .?. . . __. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :`. . . ./
    . . . . . . . /__.(. . .“~-,_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,:`. . . .. ./
    . . . . . . /(_. . ”~,_. . . ..“~,_. . . . . . . . . .,:`. . . . _/
    . . . .. .{.._$;_. . .”=,_. . . .“-,_. . . ,.-~-,}, .~”; /. .. .}
    . . .. . .((. . .*~_. . . .”=-._. . .“;,,./`. . /” . . . ./. .. ../
    . . . .. . .\`~,. . ..“~.,. . . . . . . . . ..`. . .}. . . . . . ../
    . . . . . .(. ..`=-,,. . . .`. . . . . . . . . . . ..(. . . ;_,,-”
    . . . . . ../.`~,. . ..`-.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..\. . /\
    . . . . . . \`~.*-,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..|,./…..\,__
    ,,_. . . . . }.>-._\. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|. . . . . . ..`=~-,
    . .. `=~-,_\_. . . `\,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
    . . . . . . . . . .`=~-,,.\,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . `:,, . . . . . . . . . . . . . `\. . . . . . ..__
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .`=-,. . . . . . . . . .,%`>–

    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

    I’ve been a bit depressed lately, and this little shot of happiness and fulfillment was exactly what I needed.

    :-) :-) :-)

    Hah, spellczech denies ‘hearted’ is a word.

    What does it think of good-hearted?

    It’s so goddam hard to deal with someone who isn’t sane, for whatever reason. I have to maintain his trust while pointing out his insanity. It’s like talking to a teabagger, except teabaggers have guns and they won’t let me take them away. </kinda joking>

    There’s a Star Trek: Enterprise episode about that. Yes, [phaser] guns included.

    And there’s a campfire scene where they see the sun as just another star… :-)

    The rest of the episode, though… meh. Strange new planet not only has plants exactly like Earth (we already knew that from TOS), but also insects like Earth and even marsupials like Earth. Argn.

    despite shaking uncontrollably through the first half hour of the exam, I walked out of the classroom feeling damn good about it, which is extremely rare for me. Plus, if I’m understanding the grading scale here correctly, I only needed an 89% on the final to achieve an A+ overall. I know I got that, so yay! *throws confetti about*

    *pounce* *hug* ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^

    African slaves brought to America, he argues, were essentially lucky: “Africa, like any other pagan country, was permeated by the cruelty and barbarism typical of unbelieving cultures.”

    Africa: still a country.

    I bought PZ a beer on the Queen Mary and we hung out with Sasha.

    Do you mean Sastra?

    Caine – Gawd damnit, I thought the laughing so hard I didn’t need to loosen the corset stage was over for this thread…oh hell no, you just had to post the Jesus Who? menu.

    Seconded.

    The Jesus Who? Menu can always be added to, I’ll be happy to keep maintaining the list.

    I’m surprised that Jesus Hussein Christ is missing from the list. :-)

    SC – Please relay my sentiments to MAJeff too. I really miss him.

    The other voice of wisdom I miss is Broken Soldier.
    *le sniff*

    All seconded.

    Morgan la Fey

    Ah. La fée, the fairy.

    …where “fairy” is Féerie, the country of fées.

    Sending myths back and forth a few times between Wales, England and France is fun! :-)

    we use MS IE7 (yes, 7) because many of the online intranet sites we use for ordering and dealing with our CMS system will not work in newer versions

    You have, of course, been lied to. IE8 and 9 have the so-called compatibility mode which displays MSHTML just like IE7 does. The symbol is between the address bar and the refresh button.

    The Salt Lake Tribune’s latest follow-up on the saga of Warren Jeffs is topped by a photo of the bed he used to rape girls. It’s part of the temple at Yearning for Zion. There are kneeling pads for the spectators.

    Écrasez l’infâme !

    Between our 2 Minnesota Republican candidates for president, I would rather have Pawlenty drop out. He is more likely to appeal to independent voters than Bachmann, who has the support of the far right but who makes moderates cringe.

    Seconded.

    Quote by Etha Williams on FB

    Why doesn’t she come back?!? Doesn’t she know how we miss her!?!

  64. David Marjanović, OM says

    Oh FFS. The Picard facepalm is too broad for the comment column. *Picard & Riker double facepalm*

    Watched another Enterprise episode. Reed is really a lot like Sili.

  65. JPS, FCD says

    @ Matt Penfold, or anyone else with an interest in British football:

    I’ve followed Wrexham FC since 1994. I uswed to waste a good deal of time reading the 606 boards on the BBC. Last May the BBC deactivated 606. Has anything taken its place, as far as you are aware?

  66. Nerd of Redhead says

    Ben, did the upgrade to Lion reverse the up/down scrolling direction for you? I feel my scrolling has been turned upside down.

  67. says

    boudin noir, isn’t that blood boudin!? I thought that was illegal. (Tho when I lived in New Iberia it was winked at by the local constabulary. Blanche’s Black Orchid had the best, best being a relative term. Boudin is an acquired taste and I never acquired it.)

  68. David Marjanović, OM says

    Been reading a bit more of the Glenn Beck thread. Fun, fun, fun. :-)

    Though it does make me want to hug Barbara and explain the whole world to her all week long. The thing about anti-knowledge comes to mind. “If there are three people on a bus, and five get out, how many have to get in till there’s nobody on the bus anymore?”

  69. David Marjanović, OM says

    I thought that was illegal.

    Like Romulan ale?

    “That stuff should be illegal”…

  70. strange gods before me says

    All you folks laughing about GRAVITYMAGNETISM are going to feel pretty silly when we build a particle accelerator big enough to encircle the galaxy!

    (During the Planck epoch, gravitymagnetism may have occurred, and it would be theoretically replicable at high enough energies.)

  71. says

    Caine: (from the Beck thread)

    There’s a wonderfully diverse and large bird population here and I provide top quality food and lots of it, because these guys help me to make a living. :)

    They do sound far more diverse that the ones we have in Merry Olde Englande – how do you make a living from them?

  72. broboxley OT says

    Sailor, not made very often but not illegal as far as I know. (been a while)
    I have been known to wake up my wife when I lived in Florida and go “I want some boudin NOW”, then drive to louisiana to get some.

  73. strange gods before me says

    Something like 10^32 K, I guess, give or take a digit. I’m pretty terrible at this.

  74. strange gods before me says

    Or, as Josh already observed, “hawwwwwt.”

    I guess I’m not saying anything new then.

  75. 'Tis Himself, pour encourager les autres says

    TV news sez Assad uses battle ships to shoot at protesters

    The last battleship, USS Wisconsin (BB64), was striken from the Naval Register in March 2006. Syria never has had battleships in its navy. The report is of warships shooting at the city of Lattakia.

    The largest ships in the Syrian Navy are two 40+ year old Petya class frigates armed with four 76mm guns.

    &lt/pedant>

    It’s interesting that Lattakia is an anti-Assad stronghold, since many of the residents are Allawite Muslims and Christians. Assad, who is an Allawite, has repeatedly said if the majority Sunnis gained political power they would crush other sects and religions. It appears many of the inhabitants of Lattakia are not concerned about this possibility.

  76. cicely says

    @Cicely: no peas tonight (I assume chickpeas don’t count?) :)

    Not in my world, they don’t, any more than guinea pigs count as pigs. :)

    Lynna! Cipher! *hugs*

    I notice that Teh Thread is experiencing a short-fall in the MDP department. You don’t suppose that she…did something…to blf?

  77. 'Tis Himself, pour encourager les autres says

    The battleship (actually a battlecruiser) with the longest service was the Turkish Yavuz. Originally built as the German SMS Goeben and launched in 1911, Yazuv was decommissioned in 1950 and scrapped in 1973.

  78. says

    David:

    I’m surprised that Jesus Hussein Christ is missing from the list. :-)

    Consider it added. :) The list was started in ’93, if that’s helpful at all.

    Le Havre en Chêne:

    how do you make a living from them?

    Stock nature photography.

  79. says

    Oh well, hell. I just realized I didn’t post the full Jesus Who? Menu. One more time, and maybe I’ll get it right this time…

    Jesus Jumping Christ on a Pogo Stick
    Jesus H. Christ on roller skates
    Jesus H. Tap-Dancing Christ
    Jesus H. Christ on a motorized dildo!
    Jesus Christ on a Tilt-a-Whirl!
    Christ in a sidecar
    Jesus H Baldheaded Christ on a Raft!
    Great green biodegradable Christ in hot pants
    Jesus H. Christ on a collapsible aluminum crutch!
    Jesus Christ on the dancefloor!
    Jesus jumped-up Christ on a chariot-driven crutch
    Crispy Christ
    Christ on toast
    Sweet cream of Jesus over noodles
    Sweet Zombie Jesus!
    Ohh, Sweet Sirloin of Jesus au Jus avec TRUFFLES!
    J. Haploid Christ roller skating nekkid through the crosswalk
    Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ on a stick
    Jesus asthmatic Christ with a nebulizer
    Jesus Christ On A Loose Chunk Of Ice
    Sweet cream of Jesus on toast points!
    Sweet poached Jesus onna plate
    Soft-boiled Jesus in an egg cup
    Jesus Christ in a white wine sauce, with mushrooms, shallots and garlic
    Deep-fried Jesus! Onna stick!
    Sweet Jesus on rye bread with a dill pickle
    Sweet Jesus on rye bread with coarse-ground mustard
    Christ on a cracker!
    Great Bald Headed Jesus Christ on a moped
    Jesus jumped-up Christ in a sidecar
    Sweet Jesus with a yellow plastic shoop-de-doo
    Christ assraping Buddha!
    Jesus Haploid Christ
    Jesus H Chocolate Christ On A Stick
    Jesus H. Christ and his black bastard brother Harry
    Jesus H Christmas on a fire engine
    Jesus Christ on acid
    Jesus-Christ-Eating-A-Dennyburger
    Jesus Christ eatin’ a corndog
    Jesus H Christ on a pair of stilts!
    Jesus Christ on TWO crosses!
    Sweet Buttfucked Baby Jesus
    Jesus Christ on the 38 Geary Limited Outbound to Point Lobos
    Jesus Christ riding a vacuum
    Jumping Jesus Christ
    Jesus Christ on a string of cheap plastic beads
    Crispy Fried Christ
    Jeezuss deep-fried crispy Christ
    Jesus Christ in a jumping bean!
    Sweet Jesus in a TEACUP
    Sweet Jesus on a tortilla
    Sweet Jesus on a mint toothpick
    Sweet Jesus in an ice cream truck
    Sweet Jesus in a chicken basket!
    Dear sweet Jesus on a lathe
    Sweet Jesus Christ with lowfat maple syrup!
    Sweet Jesus on a balance beam
    Sweet Jesus on crack
    Sweet Jesus in a purple cadillac!
    SWEET JESUS WEARING PANTIES!
    Sweet jumping Jesus on steroids
    Jesus-Sweet-Sacred-Heartbreak-Of-PSORIASIS
    Sweet barbecued Jesus
    Sweet turbaned Jesus
    Sweet Gingham Jesus
    Sweet Creamed Jesus with a side of Spam!
    Sweet 2% Jesus past the expiration date
    Sweet Slashing Jesus with a hockey stick
    Sweet Pickled Jesus on parlsey!
    Sweet Curried Jesus on Rice
    Jesus on a skateboard
    Sweet lemon flavored Jesus-douche!
    Sweet futo-maki jesus with extra wasabi!
    Jesus H. Bloody Christ on a Half Shell!
    Sweet Cream of Jesus over Wild Rice
    Sweet Cream of Jesus on Corn Pone
    Sweet Mary Consomme of BEEF!
    Sweet pickled Mary and Joseph loaf with Jesus-and-parsley sauce
    Jesus in frilly pink panties
    Jesus Christ on a raft boat
    Jesus Fucking Crist on a Honey-covered Popsicle
    Sweet baby Jesus on a rocket-powered snowboard
    Jesus FUCKING Christ on the bezel of a Rolex watch
    Christ in a catbox
    Jesus on a Ritz
    Jesus Harrypotter Christ on a Nimbus 2000
    Great spiral sliced Jesus in ASPIC!
    Great neutered Jesus
    John Jacob Jesusheimer Schmidt
    Jesus God Almighty on a bed of linguini!
    Jesus J.H. Fucking Christ on a pogo stick with bells on
    Jesus con arroz, frijoles, y una cerveza
    Jesus Fucking Christ, Holy Masturbation
    Sweet sky blue Jeebus on a bed of bachelors-buttons
    Holy Jesus with no pants on
    Jeesus Purple Peep Christ in an Easter basket
    Sweet’n’spicy baby Jesus tied in a knot and dipped in honey mustard!
    Jeebus eatin’ raw prawns on flatbread
    Jesus Christ on a raw bar plate surrounded by bivalves.
    Ho’lee Shred’ded Je’sus On Pas’ta
    Jeebus shoved out of bed by a Newfie
    Corned Christ on Rye
    Cocoa-Crunch Christ with extra sugar
    Jesus H Chocolate Christ on a Stick
    The Nun Bun, Jeebus on a Tortilla, and the Virgin Mary on Toast.
    Jeebus fucking J.H. Christ on a pogo stick with bells on.
    Sweet mother of KKKhrist.
    Christ on the crapper
    Jesus Tap Dancing Christ in a sidecar
    Jesus Fucking Christ on a gurney
    Jesus Christ taking bong hits
    Batter-dipped Deep-fried Christ on a stick!
    Jesus H. McGoatfucking Christ
    Jeebus X in a series I Landy with electrical failure and all the petrol on the driveway
    Oh, bleeding wounds of JC on a sped-up merry-go-round
    Frankenchrist on a crutch!
    Christ on Crack.
    Jesus Christ in a Masala sauce!
    Jesus Creamed Chipped Christ on Toast
    Jesus wept, man. Jesus fucking threw up, fell down and wept.
    Gluten-free couch potato Christ
    Jeebus Menorah
    Fermented Jesus Juice in a Chimay Bottle.
    Jesus Christ in a petri dish
    Jesus Christ in an ultrasound!
    Jeezus Christ playing a violin
    Tempura-fried Jeezuz on a stick?
    Kentucky-fried Jeebus, with 11 secret herbs and spices.
    Jesus Christ smothered in onions.
    Jesus on a fried twinkie
    Sweet pickled Jesus
    Hot toasted Jesus onna stick.
    Jesus McGonigle!
    Jesus Ignatius Christ on the 28 Geary Limited Outbound to Point Lobos.
    Jesus kangaroo-fucking Christ
    Scalloped-kee-ryst-on-spianch-fettucini
    Kee-rysting on toast points
    Sliced Jesus onna Wheat Thin
    Jesus Christ in a designer wedding gown
    Sweet Priority Jeebus with Day-Glo Green Delivery Confirmation!
    Jesus H. in a frilly lil’handbasket!
    Jesus Creamed Chipped Christ on Toast
    Sweet Corned Brisket of Jesus with Cabbage!
    Jesus Hussein Christ

  80. strange gods before me says

    Breaking news: Ms. Daisy Cutter is upset that some feminists are not atheists.

  81. Ms. Daisy Cutter says

    Caine, I believe you left out “Jesus H. Christ rimming His Virgin Mother.”

  82. says

    Cath:

    Some of those are hilarious! What was the context? How did such a list come to be created?

    Those were all thought up by people on a usenet group I was part of, where after a while, “Jesus Christ!” simply seemed much too tame. After some of the more creative efforts came about, it turned into something of a game, then people wanted to know if anyone was keeping a list. I spent ages trolling through the archives, but I know I missed a bunch.

    On my list, a lot of them are credited with the names/nym of the person who came up with them, but I’m not going to publish those without permission. Ron Sullivan will probably recognize them if she sees them, we were on the same usenet group. :D

  83. Wowbagger, Madman of Insleyfarne says

    Re: Jesus-related curses; I came up with own nonsensical one – ‘six kinds of the colour Jesus’. Don’t ask me what it means, ’cause I’ve got no idea. I just find myself saying it from time to time.

  84. Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan says

    Dammit Caine, you’re gonna get me in trouble! All it’ll take is one comment from someone and I’ll be trying not to laugh as something from the Jesus Who? Menu pops into my brain.
    ———————————

    Rain. Rain. And more rain. I guess it’s about time, but still, talk about being rained on.
    ———————————

    And here I though Warren Jeffs couldn’t get any more weird and disgusting. People watched as he raped those girls? Did they hand out refreshments as well? Talk about scumbags!

  85. Classical Cipher says

    Final exam 8/15/2011 100 / 100
    Final Grade A+
    Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

  86. Katrina, radicales féministes athées says

    I’m glad I didn’t add a link to my name here. The thought that Barb’s long silences mean she’s following everyone’s nym links and reading through their blogs is kind of creeping me out.

  87. Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan says

    Congrats on your final score CC! When you’re done with the first tankard, I’m buying the next one!

  88. Classical Cipher says

    Thanks all! Times a million! I don’t even know what to do. Other than sporadically go “Eeeeeee!”

    I might not have technically completed a perfect exam – there were a lot of points on it, and a small amount of extra credit was available, so there was room for a little bit of error while maintaining a gradebook 100%. But really, I’m not going to quibble :D I worked really hard and did a damn good job. So I will happily, gratefully, and proudly take your grog and congratulations! Also, eeeeeeeeeeee!

  89. Quodlibet says

    Katrina @ 633, I had the same thought. OTOH, perhaps she’s getting an eyeful of how real people live. Who knows, maybe it can nudge her toward reality.

  90. says

    PTI:

    Dammit Caine, you’re gonna get me in trouble! All it’ll take is one comment from someone and I’ll be trying not to laugh as something from the Jesus Who? Menu pops into my brain.

    Sorry, sorry!

    CC:

    Final exam 8/15/2011 100 / 100
    Final Grade A+

    Woohoo, congratulations!

  91. Quodlibet says

    Barbara is getting cranky.

    She’s like a piece of gum you’ve been chewing too long – it tastes good at first, nice and juicy, then it loses its flavor and becomes a chore, until finally you spit it out.

  92. Ibis3, féministe avec un titre française de fantaisie says

    I can’t do it. I got to post 608 of the Glen Beck thread and couldn’t keep going. Got to get some sleep sometime. Too bad, because I’d have joined in if I’d had a chance. Well, maybe it will still be there tomorrow (though I’m not sure I’ll ever catch up). Great work from the gang Horde. Good night everyone.

  93. Patricia, OM says

    100/100?! WOO HOO!

    You now have a mahogany paddle.
    Feel free to spank Walton until he begs for…more.

    Congratulations! A round of grog for the house!

  94. Patricia, OM says

    Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    Last time I did that I had an earwig in my underpants. So I understand the thrill. ;)

  95. cicely says

    Congrats, Classical Cipher! Well done! *confetti and popping champagne corks*

    Speaking of Jesus:
    has anyone else read this:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behold_the_Man ?
    I read it as a nascent atheist and my heid like to ‘sploded.
    I’d love to read it again.

    Yep. It’s been a while, though, so the details aren’t sharp.

    For my nascently-atheistic noggin, the asplosive story was Harlan Ellison’s The Deathbird.

  96. Benjamin "van Driessen" Geiger says

    Nerd:

    Yes. But you can change it back.

    – – – –

    As I’ve complained before, I’m required to take 12 credit hours’ worth of classes. That means either four courses or three courses and three seminars. (I’m almost certainly going for 3/3.)

    But holy assballs, books are fucking expensive. I’ve got two books in my Amazon cart and it’s coming up to $210. And those are just the books for the two core courses I’m required to take.

  97. Patricia, OM says

    Benjamin – If you would have said sweet holy assballs of jesus you could have had that added to Caines Jesus Who? list.

  98. Classical Cipher says

    You now have a mahogany paddle.

    *tearful* Of my very own? Thanks be to you, Mistress Patricia, Our Lady of the Paddles!
    Caine and cicely and David, *HUGS!* Thanks! Yay!

  99. says

    Patricia,

    My brain sees Going hwat, perhaps that’s what it means in Olde Sluttish.

    Well, I am hot right now causing me to be lessed clothed. :D
    The nym means “strong flower”.

  100. Patricia, OM says

    Gyeong – Fuck, I have to scroll up three times to type that. (it’s either my brain on hillbilly or Naughty Marvin distracting me by playing intertubes porn behind me.)

    Anyway, my family had a Shar Pei dog many years ago whose name was Hu Pei Ho Hua, I was told that ment Tiger Lilly, which would be a strong flower. We started calling her “Who Pay” as a puppy, and then as she got older it ended up being “Hoop”. I guess this proves that no name is immune to ‘Merican bastardization.

  101. Patricia, OM says

    Markita Lynda – Thank you, I’m pretty excited. It’s a sweet little 883 with a 1200 coversion slipped into it’s jugs.

    Burn baby, burn!

  102. theophontes , flambeau du communisme says

    @ Gyeong Hwa

    The nym means “strong flower”.

    That would be (word for word): “qiang hua” in Chinese (Putonghua). Probably sounds pretty close in pronunciation too?

  103. Benjamin "van Driessen" Geiger says

    Markita:

    The used prices at the campus bookstore are higher than Amazon’s new prices, and I’ve never had good luck buying used books sight unseen. (I bought a copy of the Koran via Amazon’s used book system; it was listed as “Very Good”, but if they were being honest, it would have barely reached “Acceptable”.)

  104. Benjamin "van Driessen" Geiger says

    Also, I would consider borrowing/renting the books, but considering that the two books I’m looking at are for core courses (which, of course, means that the qualifiers will cover them), I want to be able to hold onto them as long as necessary.

  105. Benjamin "van Driessen" Geiger says

    By the way, one bit of good news: They’ve changed the Ph.D. program requirements starting this semester.

    Advantage #1: It’s 72 hours now, instead of 90. Previously, a Comp Sci Ph.D. student had to take two minors (one of which must be Mathematics). No longer. (We’re still welcome to if we so choose, but it’s not required.)

    Advantage #2a: Three qualifiers, not four. There are still tests on the core subjects (Algorithm Analysis, Architecture, and Operating Systems), but no test on the Major Research Area.

    Advantage #2b: Instead of a qualifying exam, we’re required to complete a survey paper for our Major Research Area within a year of passing the quals. This is an advantage and not a disadvantage for one primary reason: We would have had to write it anyway. (It’s typically chapter 2 of one’s dissertation.)

    So, yeah. Not everything is set up to screw me over.