Comments

  1. Ogvorbis: qui culpam, non redimetur says

    And safe supportive higs to Beatrice. The black dog of depression is not nice.

  2. opposablethumbs says

    Anne, Lurking Feminist Harpy & Support Staff

    Anyone else in need of safe hugs, they’re over here for you.

    I’ll take some, thanks. Just got to finish one thing, then I’m going to be in the fort for a while.
    A very big thank-you to all of you who keep that fort so well-maintained and generously stocked with hugs and all manner of comforting things (blankets, pillows, soothing distractions to read/listen to/watch, Cups of Tea, Much Moar Biggerer Cups of Alcoholic Beverages, chocolate, dogs and/or cats).

  3. blf says

    Vegemite also works to achieve a realistic chipped paint effect on a model tank.

    How can you tell? Doesn’t the model tank, worktable, and building quickly dissolve and start working on a China syndrome tunnel through the Earth? (Which, amusingly enough, would actually come out rather close to Ozland, as I recall…)

  4. Ogvorbis: qui culpam, non redimetur says

    blf:

    Paint the model tank in the proper primer colour (say, red lead). Let it dry. Spackle some vegemite artisticly on the tank. Let it dry. Spray the camouflage colour over the vegemite and the primer (say, panzer grey). Let it dry. Use a toothbrush (I once used my older sister’s toothbrush for this) to scrape off the camouflage colour and the vegemite. Wash with dish soap to remove the grease from the vegemite. Viola, a large violin. Er, I mean, viola, chipped paint. Then carefully package the paint chips and vegemite and send it off to France.

  5. Ogvorbis: qui culpam, non redimetur says

    how in the name of the seven pluperfect purple hells below us can I get “camouflage” correct and cannot spel the simple word “hugs”?

  6. Beatrice, an amateur cynic looking for a happy thought says

    camouflage camouflage camouglafe

    ooops

    higs seem nice

  7. blf says

    Then carefully package the paint chips and vegemite and send it off to France.

    Far more cultured than those fecking yankees, but it’s Ingerland who has the marmite problem (although I believe Kākāpōland has also become infested).

    Basically, yer model tank primer paint must be made of British Industrial Cheddar or other(if there is another) substance which doesn’t dissolve under the onslaught of vegemite. Which is still quite puzzling, how does one paint anything with British Industrial Cheddar? The stuff is so indestructible it can survive the combination of Nutella, Miracle Whip, peas, and Cheese Whiz.

  8. blf says

    how in the name of the seven pluperfect purple hells below us can I get “camouflage” correct and cannot spel the simple word “hugs”?

    Someone just started playing very loud French rap “music” there, too? That stuff is even more distracting than vegewhipnutpeaorse.

  9. cicely says

    *hugs* for JAL.
    I’m sorry about your difficulties with your mom.

    *hugs* for Beatrice.
    At least there’s this.

    Red pandas are almost as adorable as kittens.

  10. Beatrice, an amateur cynic looking for a happy thought says

    Reading for my First Aid exam.
    I’m on the chapter about amputation. *whimper*

    next one is burns. *whimper*

    ….There was never a question about me going to medical school. I almost feinted while listening to a doctor talk about amputation. (no pics, thank gad)

  11. says

    […] “I would like to think that these guys could pay with their lives, hanging from a noose in front of the U.S. Capitol Building,” she said. “What they are doing is they are putting their own interests above that of America, and to me that is criminal.”

    King specifically suggested hanging members of the Congressional Black Caucus, saying “their districts are all dumb clucks because these dumb clucks wouldn’t be electing these people if they knew better.”

    “How do people like this get to represent us in Congress?” she asked. “Because there are stupid people out there in those congressional districts who are so ignorant it’s dangerous…. Stupid, stupid people. Our lives are on the line and all they can think of is skin color. All of us will turn black if we end up in a cage on fire.”

    Ummm, what? WorldNetDaily commentator and radio host Andrea Shea King wants any Democrats, especially those who are part of the Congressional Black Caucus, put to death if they boycott Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.

    Right Wing Watch link.

  12. says

    Good news from Nebraska:

    […] On Monday [today], U.S District Judge Joseph Bataillon – a President Bill Clinton appointee – struck down the Cornhusker State’s voter-approved amendment prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from marrying.

    “It is time to bring this unequal provision to an end.” […]

    The decision also comes just days after Nebraska’s child welfare officials agreed to stop enforcing the state’s policy blocking same-sex couples from becoming foster parents. […]

    Calling the “Defense of Marriage” amendment “an unabashedly gender-specific infringement of the equal rights of [Nebraska’s] citizens,” Judge Bataillon rejected the state’s defense that its ban encourages “biological family units.” He placed a stay on the effects of his ruling until March 9, meaning same-sex couples won’t be able to marry in Nebraska before then. […]

    He went on to say that “[f]or the majority of married couples, those without children in the home, marriage is a legal and emotional commitment to the welfare of their partner.” State laws can encourage that commitment, said Bataillon, but they “must be enforced equally and without respect to gender.”

    “It is time to bring this unequal provision to an end,” he concluded. […]

    http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/nebraska-same-sex-marriage-ban-goes-down

  13. A. Noyd says

    Lynna (#17) [#517]

    Andrea Shea King wants any Democrats, especially those who are part of the Congressional Black Caucus, put to death if they boycott Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.

    I just linked that to the Morning in America thread and then refreshed here only to find you beat me by 20 mins in this thread.

  14. says

    A. Noyd @20: Great minds ….

    I was going to cross post to the Morning in America thread, but I see you’re on it.

    In other news, Carly Fiorina spoke at CPAC, and she said a bunch of stupid stuff.

    […] “Too many women are influenced by the rhetoric of the ‘War on Women’ and don’t know how to push back,” Fiorina said. “So I took on the war on women and tried to lay out the facts.”

    But Fiorina’s facts often missed the mark. She told the audience that the Supreme Court ruling last year that allowed employers to deny insurance coverage for contraception was no big deal, saying, “Women had plenty of access to birth control both before and after the decision.” Like many in her party, Fiorina focused on the legal right to purchase birth control, a right that means nothing if women workers can’t afford it without insurance.

    Fiorina then claimed that “women are disengaged from the political process because they don’t like the vitriol. They feel marginalized by both parties.” Yet in recent years, women have turned out to vote at higher rates than men. And a poll last year found that women overwhelmingly believe Republicans are out of touch with their interests.

    Turning to economic issues, Fiorina hit Democrats for framing their push to raise the minimum wage as a women’s issue — though at least two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. Fiorina asserted — incorrectly — that 62 percent of minimum wage workers are still in high school, when the real number is closer to a third. “The real war on women is being waged by liberal policies in communities across America,” she argued. […]

    http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/02/28/3628141/war-women-lie-anti-women-assertions-annual-conservative-convention/

  15. says

    Male Fox News host says stupid stuff:

    Fox Business host Charles Gasparino on Monday elicited gasps from his female co-panelists after he dropped a vulgarism during the web-only segment of “Outnumbered.”

    Discussing the harsh language that Vanderbilt University basketball coach Kevin Stallings hurled at a rival player last week, Gasparino said, “I think what he did to that kid is completely appropriate.”

    “The bigger story here is the wimpification of men that’s going on in this country,” he added.

    “Wimpification!” repeated co-host Harris Faulkner, impressed.

    “I would’ve said something else,” Gasparino replied.

    “You can say whatever you want, it’s the web!” Faulkner said, staring down at her iPad.

    “So, pussification,” Gasparino said.

    Several women on the couch gasped. […]

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/fox-news-host-pussification-of-men

  16. says

    Pat Robertson says some stupid stuff that’s also kind of funny. I laughed when I tried reading this out loud:

    Televangelist Pat Robertson said on Monday that marijuana users and drinkers are “enslaved to vegetables.”

    Speaking on his Christian Broadcasting Network television show “The 700 Club,” Robertson said that addiction is contrary to God’s will, because man has dominion over “all the vegetables.”

    Robertson continued: “Cocaine is the product of a vegetable, alcohol is the product of a vegetable, marijuana is a vegetable. And yet, people are enslaved to vegetables.”

    “Why would you become a slave to a vegetable?” Robertson said. “Why? Why would you do it?”

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/pat-robertson-marijuana-vegetable-slavery

  17. cicely says

    Beatrice:

    why do we hate February?

    It’s not so much hatred of February, as that is standing between us, and less toe-freezingly unpleasant months; very much in the same way that Wednesday, though innocent of any wrong-doing, is good to see receding in the rear view mirror, because it means that the weekend is one day closer.

  18. Ice Swimmer (was Nakkustoppeli) says

    By Robertson’s logic eating is ungodly, because we are dependent on “vegetables” and animals. Would becoming a geogan (stone and soil eater) help theologically? OTOH calling cannabis Devil’s lettuce is fun.

    So, we men are pussified, meowwwwrrr ssshhhhhhhh!

    I’ve sometimes wondered, which Carly Fiorina really is: an empty suit (toom tabard), completely self serving or actually a competent business executive with a nasty conservative world view.

  19. says

    Good morning

    Hugs all around

    +++
    rq

    I always confuse ‘marmite’ with ‘marmot’.

    Could lead to unpleasant bites when trying to eat.

    +++
    Ha! I managed NOT to break my foot yesterday. That’s a huge improvement from last year’s second of March.

  20. opposablethumbs says

    Definitely have some hugs, carlie. May I suggest one of those relatively long squish-hugs with optional slight rocking motion, where both parties shut the world away for a few seconds before blinking suspiciously bright eyes and facing the fray again? That’s the kind I’m after, anyway.

    Congratulations on not breaking your foot, Giliell :-)

  21. Beatrice, an amateur cynic looking for a happy thought says

    Good for you and your foot, Giliell.

    Mode: barely functional at work. I feeltired

  22. bassmike says

    Giliell not breaking your foot is a good start to the day. I tried to break my elbow on a door this morning, luckily I failed.

    Fluffy hugs for Beatrice and anyone else who needs them.

    rq confusing marmite and marmot would make eating twiglets a dangerous pastime!

    Possibly TMI but two nights ago I dreamed I was gay and last night I was playing in goal for a women’s football team. Social Justice has infiltrated my subconscious!

  23. says

    Well, went to college, handed in a paper, went to an office, pcked up a piece of paper, moved it about 10m to a different office.
    Also, somebody managed to drive his car almost straight into the fence of the upper parking decke instead of around the corner. Luckily for him and the passenger, the fence stopped them from falling down 3 m. Doesn’t surprise me the least. The kids there drive like nuts, speedimg up to 50km/h on the short distance, the younger and manlier the worse.

    +++
    Yesterday I linked to a piece of the Canto General. Today I found my most favourite recording on Youtube
    It’s probably my most favourite piece of music ever. The man you hear at the start is Neruda himself, reciting a small piece. This music, for some reason, was the first casette my parents would put on when we went on a holiday. (Going on a holiday meant driving 2-3 days with a caravan in tow. It would be equally resonable if that piece made me despair) For me it became “The Holiday Music”. It is also the start of my love affair with the Spanish language. Enjoy!

  24. birgerjohansson says

    The Daily Mash:
    Human penises all either massive or tiny, confirm scientists. Men’s penises are either porn-style monstrosities or minuscule sources of amusement, it has emerged. http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/science-technology/human-penises-all-either-massive-or-tiny-confirm-scientists-2015030395885
    .
    Paris mass grave contains tourists who were unable to get served. A mass grave beneath Paris contains the bones of foreigners who starved while attempting to summon a waiter, it has emerged. http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/paris-mass-grave-contains-tourists-who-were-unable-to-get-served-2015030395881
    .
    Other news: Sinkholes; badgers’ revenge.
    Prince George rejects Christianity.
    Of course I smoke crack, says Boris.

  25. rq says

    re: marmite/marmot
    I’d usually just wonder why my sandwich filling is wandering off.

    *hugs* to Beatrice!

    +++

    Exclusive: Lost City Discovered in the Honduran Rain Forest, because finding lost cities in the jungle is just awesome!

    A new campaign is trying to put one of these 15 women on the $20 bill, cross-posted from Reagan’s Morning. Something to look into!!!

    I’ve had this sitting around since the Dress Debacle. No one could see the color blue until modern times. I mean, the title is a bit silly, because not having a word does not mean not having any kinds of descriptors for shades of blue, but the colour test within is rather interesting… Personally, I could spot the green square that was different, but it took a while. And then Friend on FB came out and said that in Japanese, the word for ‘green’ actually stems from the word for ‘blue’, and that Japanese can have difficulty differentiating green from blue. Is this true? Anyway. It’s all so interesting!

    Three-Dimensional Mid-Air Acoustic Manipulation [Acoustic Levitation] (2014-) . Is that real???

    For the title. ‘Out of My Mouth Comes Unimpeachable Manly Truth’. An experiment a la listening only to Republican radio, but in Russia. o.O

    And for fans of Frozen, Watch the Frozen Gang Return in Trailer for Frozen Fever.

  26. Saad says

    (TW for rape)

    Rapist in the 2012 India “Nirbhaya” rape case goes full victim-blamer. Even the most dudebroest of the MRAs would be impressed by the vileness reached by this piece of shit.

    Speaking from jail, he says in the interview, “Women are more responsible for rape than men.”

    Singh, 28, refers to the savage attack as “an accident” and says, “When being raped, she shouldn’t fight back. She should just be silent and allow the rape. Then they’d have dropped her off after ‘doing her’, and only hit the boy.”

    He claims that his execution will endanger rape victims. “Now when they rape, they won’t let the girl go like we did. They will kill her. Before, they would rape and say, ‘Leave her, she won’t tell anyone.’ Now when they rape, especially the criminal types, they will just kill the girl. Death,” he says in the interview.

    He also says it is up to women to prevent rape. “You can’t clap with one hand – it takes two hands. A decent girl won’t roam around at 9 o’clock at night. Boys and girls are not equal. Housework and housekeeping is for girls, not roaming in discos and bars at night doing wrong things, wearing wrong clothes. About 20 per cent of girls are good,” he says.

  27. rq says

    Sounds good, but including a link to the 10 Greatest Libertarian Science Fiction Stories in the article kind of… reduces my faith in something inclusive and watchable. Basically another manly-man revenge story, yes?

  28. bassmike says

    Saad I saw that on the BBC website. It looks like it’s going to take a major cultural shift to get male attitudes to change.

  29. opposablethumbs says

    Hi rq!
    I think I nicked this off QI, but what about the way we (um, anglo-saxon denizens of Brit-land at the time) called all orange things red until (apparently) we finally got a word for orange from the introduction of the fruit?
    Robin red-breast, red deer and red squirrel are all orange.
    So … the suggestion is that we didn’t see orange as a separate colour in its own right before then.

  30. rq says

    opposablethumbs
    Funny, it’s nearly the same in Latvian – used to be, ‘red’ meant anything from a dark maroon-brown right up to salmon orange. :P Nope, didn’t see those colours at all!

  31. bassmike says

    If we didn’t have orange as a colour opposablethumbs my daughter wouldn’t have any colours to point out at all! Everything is either orange or ‘don’t know’.

  32. says

    Greetings to all.
    I’ve finally nearly finished the cloak and sword room. The new floor is one row of laminate from being done. Then the baseboards go back in, hopefully completed today. Thanks to my “they-don’t-make-them-like-that-anymore” house construction, it’s sometimes very difficult to nail into the walls. I think today will be full of swearing. Luckily, my very handy dad will be coming out to help (he knows some good swears).

  33. says

    Netanyahu is speaking before Congress. A bit of history and perspective is welcome.

    […] For Netanyahu, in other words, Iran should be seen as the most powerful example of this extremism. He speaks, reasonably enough, of Iran’s past sponsorship of terrorist acts, its bloody suppression of the popular uprising that followed the election of 2009, and former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s call to “wipe Israel off the map.” But Netanyahu also wants his audiences to understand a point that his own former chief of staff denies: that Iran’s ruling clerics are fundamentally irrational and share a self-sacrificial mindset with terrorists.

    It is more reasonable to see Iran’s clerics, like the Saudis, as a brutal, pragmatic, authoritarian theocracy with a tenuous hold on power. The regime is likely to go through serious upheavals in the coming years. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is seventy-six years old. The Guardian Council, which elected him, is filled with both reformers and reactionaries. The powerful and rich Revolutionary Guard could conceivably carry out a coup. A rising generation, which was shaped by the protests and repressions after the elections of 2009, could once again take to the streets. Iran, in other words, is less a terrorist state than a turbulent one, and its continued isolation poses far greater dangers to the international community than a process that draws it closer to the rest of the world—with monitors on the ground, regular diplomatic exchanges, and greater economic integration. […]

    http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/netanyahu-speech-congress

    In other words, President Obama is right. Netanyahu, John Boehner, and everyone who wants to bomb Iran — those people are wrong.

  34. says

    The governor of New Jersey and presidential hopeful, Chris Christie, is in trouble again. As is usual with Christie, the trouble is of his own making:

    […] A judge was poised to rule on damages, and New Jersey was seeking $8.9 billion – $2.6 billion to help restore the damaged areas and $6.3 billion in compensatory damages. The fact that Exxon was responsible was not even at issue anymore.

    And then the Christie administration decides it’ll settle for $250 million, most of which the governor can now apply to his state budget shortfall – rather than, say, environmental recovery. […]

    What I don’t get is this: if Christie gets to apply all but $50 million to the state budget shortfall (which he also created), why wouldn’t he support taking more money from Exxon? A judge was ready to take much more, but Christie’s office called and said, never mind, we’ve settled out of court. Does anyone else think Christie and his cohorts may be getting some kind of under-the-table incentive to settle? Maybe we should check to see if Exxon contributed to Christie’s PAC.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/christies-exxon-deal-spurs-questions

  35. says

    Republican dunderhead, Scott Walker, who is also a presidential hopeful, is carrying the anti-intellectual flag these days. Walker is the new rockstar of rightwing politics. A lot of rightwing commentary describes him as “sexy,” always a bad sign.

    […] Walker responded by ticking through his recent itinerary of face time with foreign policy luminaries: a breakfast with Henry Kissinger, a huddle with George P. Shultz and tutorials at the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution.

    But then Walker suggested that didn’t much matter. “I think foreign policy is something that’s not just about having a PhD or talking to PhD’s,” he said. “It’s about leadership.”

    Walker dropped out of college, so his anti PhD attitude is one way of putting down his critics.

    George W. Bush told the same joke over and over: “I remind people that, like, when I’m with Condi, I say, ‘She’s the Ph.D. and I’m the C student and just look at who’s the president and who’s the advisor.’”

    Texas Governor Rick Perry tells this joke: “I graduated in the top 10 of my graduating class – of 13.”

    Self-depreciation is fine, but the constant drumbeat of anti-education coming from the rightwing really bugs me.

    “The insistence that there are simple, brute-force, instant-gratification answers to every problem, and that there’s something effeminate and weak about anyone who suggests otherwise – has become the core of Republican policy and political strategy. The party’s de facto slogan has become: ‘Real men don’t think things through.’”

    That’s Paul Krugman correctly analyzing the issue.

    I’ll add that relying on “guts,” “instinct,” and “leadership” is a fuzzy, ineffective plan for candidates hoping to be elected President of the USA. Too often, they don’t even describe “leadership,” so we don’t know what the fuck they mean — except that they don’t mean acquiring knowledge and experience before acting.

  36. rq says

    awakeinmo
    Good luck with expanding the swearlexicon! And also with the remaining flooring. ;)

    bassmike
    One colour down, six more to go! ;)

  37. blf says

    I managed NOT to break my foot yesterday.

    Ah! So you’re the one who broke yesterday. I was wondering why it kept malfunctioning. Maybe this also explains the confusion between February and March?

  38. blf says

    I’d usually just wonder why my sandwich filling is wandering off.

    Hint: Check to see if there is a mildly deranged penguin attached. (Is there an odor, faint, not, of herrings in the air? Or LOUD screams?) Cheese, MUSHROOMS!, and numerous other fillings tend to acquire an attached mildly deranged penguin, albeit frequently moving at high speed, not “wandering off”…

  39. says

    This is a followup to birger’s comment @32.

    Yes, the Westboro Baptist Church was thwarted in their attempts to picket Leonard Nimoy’s funeral.

    The church posted a Twitter update lamenting its inability to picket the event, which it said was due to a lack of publicity over the location.

    I just love reading this kind of news. As “Retroactive Genius” wrote: “Awww…that’s a shame: the crazed, rancid bigots couldn’t make it.”

  40. says

    This is a follow to my comment #42. Here’s some analysis of Netanyahu’s speech before Congress.

    […] In an implicit challenge to President Obama, Mr. Netanyahu told a joint meeting of Congress that Iran’s “tentacles of terror” were already clutching Israel and that failing to stop Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons “could well threaten the survival of my country.” The deal Mr. Obama seeks will not prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, he said, but “will all but guarantee” it. […]

    NY Times link.

    […] This foreign leader does this in our own country, invited here by our own Republican Congress. It’s quite despicable, as well as unprecedented More importantly, Netanyahu’s speech is extremely dangerous. Brought here by Republican House Speaker John Boehner to spite President Obama, Netanyahu continues to push his war mongering agenda well knowing crucial and sensitive multi-country negotiations with Iran are taking place. […]

    Daily Kos link.

  41. says

    State legislators in Idaho decided it was time once again for them to look stupid. After all, several days have passed since they dropped one of them asked if a pregnant woman could swallow a miniature camera to examine her uterus.

    Not sure why the Idaho legislators hold cow worship against Hindus, since some of them have ranching backgrounds, but here we go:

    Seven Republican lawmakers skipped a Hindu invocation at the Idaho state Senate on Tuesday morning, a day after a senator accused the ceremony of undermining Judeo-Christian values, the Spokesman-Review newspaper reported.

    State Sen. Steve Vick (R) told the Spokesman-Review on Monday that he would walk out of the invocation, delivered by Hindu leader Rajan Zed. He explained that the U.S. was “built on the Judeo-Christian not only religion but work ethic,” and said he didn’t want to see that “undermined.”

    Hindus “have a caste system,” he added. “They worship cows.” […]

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/hindu-invocation-steve-vick-idaho

  42. says

    rq

    Sounds good, but including a link to the 10 Greatest Libertarian Science Fiction Stories in the article kind of… reduces my faith in something inclusive and watchable.

    Whoever wrote that list is a hack, incidentally. They included at least 2 anarcho-communist stories (News from Nowhere and The Dispossessed), and I’m pretty sure Wells’ Men Like Gods too. The Bester, Russell, Anderson, and Vance examples are pretty questionable as well, so they’ve actually got maybe 3 genuine examples of libertarian sci fi on that list.

  43. says

    To follow up on #42 and #52, Netanyahu left a few things out of his emotional and stirring, anti-Obama speech. He did not offer an approach to Iran that differs from Obama’s approach. He said Obama (and the coalition Obama put together) is taking the wrong approach, but Netanyahu offered no solutions of his own (unless you count all-out war as a solution).

    Netanyahu said he wants “a much better deal” with Iran, but did not specify what that deal would include. Looks like PR and propaganda to me, and not like diplomacy or foreign policy.

  44. says

    Yep, mormondom’s top leaders are really old.

    The LDS Church has never had an older First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

    The average age of the 15 men — who together comprise the faith’s top leaders — turned 80 for the first time in the history of the 185-year-old Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. […]

    First Presidency
    Thomas S. Monson • 87.53 years
    Henry B. Eyring • 81.75 years
    Dieter F. Uchtdorf • 74.32 years

    Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
    Boyd K. Packer • 90.48 years
    L. Tom Perry • 92.57 years
    Russell M. Nelson • 90.48 years
    Dallin H. Oaks • 82.55 years
    M. Russell Ballard • 86.40 years
    Richard G. Scott • 86.32 years
    Robert D. Hales • 82.52 years
    Jeffrey R. Holland • 74.25 years
    David A. Bednar • 62.71 years

    Link
    One thing we can conclude is that the LDS church must pay for good, free healthcare for these guys.

  45. blf says

    How many nukes does Israel have, again, Mr Netanyahu?
    How many artillery shells were fired at the UN schools, Mr Netanyahu?
    How much money are you withholding from the Palestine government, Mr Netanyahu?
    Just what is wrong with the Palestine government joining the ICC, Mr Netanyahu & Mr Obama?

     …
      …

  46. says

    Netanyahu really needs to make up his mind: Is Isreal in permanent danger as he keeps telling the non-jewish rest of the world, or is it a safe place where you want to live, as he keeps telling Europe’s jews?

    colours
    “grue” (blend of green and blue) is an interesting construct. Russian doesn’t have it, they have light blue and dark blue. To me, indigo, as one of the seven colours of the rainbow is just a version of blue, as indeed German knows the word “indigo blau”. Light pink and pink pink are seen as very different colours in German, where we have “rosa” and “pink”. And don’t get me started on the colour of “violets”.

  47. says

    Glenn Beck loves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and he loves Netanyahu’s speech to Congress even more. He loves it almost as much as he loves his own “Restoring Love” speech. Right Wing Watch link.

    That ought to tell us something.

  48. Azkyroth Drinked the Grammar Too :) says

    Different shades called “indigo” are either variants of blue or purple. “It’s ‘violet’ not ‘purple'” is pedantry almost as obnoxious as “black isn’t a color, it’s the absence of all color!” >.>

  49. says

    Oh, how much the rightwing hates those dark or brown-skinned immigrants! Sandy Rios lets us know how much, while also revealing that she is so steeped in ignorance that there’s no room for facts in her world.

    On her radio program this morning, the American Family Association’s Sandy Rios claimed once again that young immigrants are responsible for a recent outbreak of Enterovirus D68, even though health experts have found that there is no link between immigrants and the debilitating illness. After reading a Washington Post story about the illness that didn’t mention any connection with immigration, Rios went ahead and suggested that Central American children who “were shuttled to unknown place around the country” spread Enterovirus D68 to other kids.

    Rios backed up this assertion by claiming that immigrant children don’t have any basic understanding of hygiene and are largely unvaccinated, despite the fact that Central Americans have a higher vaccination rate than U.S. youth. She even claimed that the kids don’t even know how to use the bathroom.

    “We have vaccinations and hygiene and cleanliness and we teach people in western civilization how to go to the bathroom properly, how to take care of things, how to do things in a sanitary way,” Rios said. “Do you not think that when we open our borders to a glut of people from another world who have never been trained, don’t know that, that that’s not going to bring in disease?”

    Right Wing Watch link

  50. says

    Sarah Silverman’s boyfriend, actor Michael Sheen, made some sense recently when he gave a political speech. The speech sounded better than Sheen sounded when he played Tony Blair, IMHO.

    […] Do we want to be a society where each person is recognised? Where all are equal in worth and value. And where that value is not purely a monetary one. A society that is supportive, that is inclusive and compassionate.

    At a time now, when people mistrust politicians as being too professional, too disconnected, no longer representing the voice of the people they have been elected to serve but more likely to represent the voice of wherever the money is. No longer standing for anything meaningful, or inspired by strongly held beliefs. […]

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-31707929

  51. Rowan vet-tech says

    My boyfriend managed to finally annoy me into making a doctor’s appt, which is good because I really don’t take my health as seriously as I should. I’m half-thinking I might have hypothyroidism.

    I’ve been unreasonably fatigued. Even when my house is 72* I feel like I’m freezing. I last shaved my legs 3 weeks ago, and only about 1/10th the normal amount of hair has grown back; I’m normally very hairy so my mostly-bald legs look really strange to me.

    So in 2 weeks I guess I’ll fast for 12 hours, get a bunch of bloodwork and we’ll see.

    At least I’m pretty darned sure diabetes isn’t a possibility. When I last used a former coworkers glucometer (she offered to everyone) after having not eaten for half a day, my blood sugar was 67. Everyone sent me to lunch so I didn’t keel over after they saw that. XD

  52. Rise Kujikawa says

    Are we allowed to discuss controversial topics here? The thunderdome scares me. I have something I would like to calmly and rationally talk about, but it is a subject that is never broached in that manner.

  53. Azkyroth Drinked the Grammar Too :) says

    Rise: That depends, and your phrasing is going to be pinging a LOT of people’s pattern matching….

  54. Rise Kujikawa says

    Yes, I often seem to phrase things in the manner of a dictionary atheist. Communication is not my forte, to say the least.

    I don’t want to cause problems or anything. I just generally appreciate the opinions of people on this site, and would like to talk about something with intelligent people. I don’t really know where to go for that. Apologies, I think it’s probably best brought up in the thunderdome.

  55. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Yup. Very loud pinging, and I’m pretty sure that’s not tinnitus.

    Yep, definitely loud pinging.

  56. Rise Kujikawa says

    Well, I appear to have failed something miserably here. Apologies, and please forget I said anything.

  57. rq says

    re: violets
    In Latvian, violets, lilacs and irises are commonly known as being ‘blue’, even when they’re clearly ‘purple’, though now people tend to differentiate occasionally between ‘violets’ and ‘lillā’ (at least I seem to) – both are words recently introduced. And in the ‘red’ group, orange is the only colour that has differentiated out of it. The flag is clearly a browny-maroon, but it gets called ‘red’, as does the bright red of the Austrian flag.
    I once heard a linguist lady say that the Latvian words for blue, green, yellow, silver and gold all had the same root in a word meaning ‘to shine or to glitter’, which is just absolutely absurd (is it?), but she was trying to make a mystical point. So I dunno. Colours. How do they work?

  58. rq says

    Washington, DC, police chief on marijuana: “All those arrests do is make people hate us”

    Lanier told the American News Women’s Club last Wednesday, according to the Daily Beast, “All those [marijuana] arrests do is make people hate us.” She added, “Marijuana smokers are not going to attack and kill a cop. They just want to get a bag of chips and relax. Alcohol is a much bigger problem.”

    The police chief clarified her comments to emphasize that she believes marijuana isn’t healthy. “But I’m not policing the city as a mom,” she said. “I’m policing it as the police chief — and 70 percent of the public supported this.”

    Lanier is making a nuanced but firmly supportive legalization argument. She said that marijuana isn’t always healthy for users. But she also acknowledged that it’s a relatively benign drug in terms of public safety, and its use is so widespread and accepted that arresting people for pot can actually do more harm than good by hurting police relations with the community.

    The comments are generally supported by drug experts and a vast body of research. Marijuana, with its tame effects on behavior, generally doesn’t cause crime. But alcohol does: it’s a factor in about 40 percent of violent crimes, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

    That doesn’t mean marijuana is perfectly safe. “The main risk of cannabis is losing control of your cannabis intake,” Mark Kleiman, a drug policy expert at UCLA, previously said. “That’s going to have consequences in terms of the amount of time you spend not fully functional. When that’s hours per day times years, that’s bad.”

    DC legalized the possession, growing, and gifting of marijuana last Thursday, after it enacted a voter-approved ballot initiative. The drug remains illegal at the federal level.

    She sounds surprisingly sensible for a public official.

  59. says

    Well, in German you even have the word “Veilchenblau”, blue as a violet, which is actually a synonym of violet. And when somebody has a black eye that is colloquially known as a “Veilchen”, too.
    “Lila” was introduced via the plant, you still got “lilac” in English, but the name for the plant didn’t stick in German. Actually, if you think about it, why would people in a pre industrialized Europe have needs are for a name for that colour, since it’s fucking rare in nature here?

    +++
    Some people. A parent at the little one’s daycare was discussing with the teachers that she doesn’t want to pay the full price, since she doesn’t need the daycare all day. You know, if you don’t need the one daycare in town that is open from 7-18, the daycare people sign their kid up for when they got a positive pregnancy test because they need the long flexible hours, maybe just don’t send your kid there? There’s nothing wrong with just needing a few hours to clean the house and cook lunch, but in that case, just go to a different daycare (yes, there’s another one in walking distance), FFS, and don’t ask the teachers for some extra special discounts for your fucking special snowflake.

  60. rq says

    Giliell
    Interesting, the word in Latvian for lilac is ‘ceriņi’. I have no idea where it comes from, but the ’30s were big on inventing new Latvian words to reinforce the national identity. And yeah, it’s a rare enough colour to have its own name (in Latvian it’s ‘zils’, by the way, for any linguistic people smarter than me who have any ideas on the origin).

  61. ledasmom says

    Rowan: Here’s hoping they find something easily fixable. Those 12-hour fasts for bloodwork are a complete pain in the keister – I always thought the coffee shops in the medical center had a bit of an unfair advantage, since they got everyone who’d just been to phlebotomy for fasting bloodwork.

  62. birgerjohansson says

    Hindus “have a caste system,” he added. “They worship cows.”

    I think the good state senator is confusing “venerating” with “worshipping”.
    The caste system is totally absolutely different from the idea that poor people should not get any of those benefits they have paid for through their tax money. Or get any free health care. Or free education. Because Mercun contempt for the poor is purely non-religious.
    — — — —

    Saudi Arabia: blogger Badawi may now face the death penalty http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2015/03/03/badawi-may-now-face-the-death-penalty/
    Comment from Ed Brayton’s blog:
    ”When ISIS starts selling us sufficient quantities of oil at an agreeable price, their killings will cease to be atrocities, right?”

  63. bassmike says

    For all of those who are interested: I followed up concerning the gender mix of our department’s outreach program and I’m very pleased to report that there are indeed a number of women intrinsically involved in the whole project. They go out to schools and give talks etc. It’s something that the whole department is focused on and continually monitors.

    I am reassured!

  64. rq says

    bassmike
    Here’s a *high five* to the outreach program in your department. Yay! And thanks again for looking into it. *hugs*

  65. Saad says

    Ben Carson speaks in support of separate but equal:

    “Why do gay people want to get married? Why do they say they want to get married? Because they want to have various rights — property rights, visitation rights,” he said. “Why can’t any two human beings, I don’t care what their sexual orientation is, why can’t they have the legal right to do those things? That does not require changing the definition of marriage.”

    He’s also a clueless person overall and thinks creepy thoughts about gay people in prison:

    Asked whether being gay is a choice, Carson responded: “Absolutely.”

    “Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight — and when they come out, they’re gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question,” Carson said.

  66. Saad says

    Actually… this whole “gay is a choice” makes fuck-all sense. I mean it’s inherently contradictory and impossible.

    So a gay person is a straight person who is choosing to be gay. But…. a straight person is someone who is not attracted to the same sex, and doesn’t want to be in a same sex relationship. But they say straight people are defined by not being attracted to the same sex. But apparently millions of straight people are. So…. some straight people are actually gay? Wut.

  67. birgerjohansson says

    Canada’s Central Bank Asks Canadians to Stop “Spocking” Bills to Honor Leonard Nimoy http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/03/03/spocking_canada_s_five_dollar_bill_tribute_to_dr_spock_leonard_nimoy.html
    .
    Animal functional diversity since the Cambrian explosion started out poor, became richer over time http://phys.org/news/2015-03-animal-functional-diversity-poor-richer.html
    .
    Is cannabis a gateway drug? http://www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2015/mar/03/is-cannabis-a-gateway-drug

  68. birgerjohansson says

    Medicine:
    Newly discovered hormone ( MOTS-c*) mimics the effects of exercise http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-newly-hormone-mimics-effects.html
    *encoded in the DNA of mitochondria.
    .
    Implanted stem cells reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s during experiment, researchers say http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-implanted-stem-cells-symptoms-alzheimer.html
    .
    Analysis of spider venom reveals seven promising compounds with potential to relieve chronic pain http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-analysis-spider-venom-reveals-compounds.html

  69. birgerjohansson says

    Baby Weasel Flying On A Woodpecker http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/03/baby-weasel-woodpecker-photo_n_6791944.html
    .
    Stewie’ Griffin’s lemonade stand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OtU_y5qOPE
    That’s an enterpreneurial young man!
    .
    Elbonian internet http://dilbert.com/strip/2015-02-19
    .
    The Daily Mash: Human penises all either massive or tiny, confirm scientists
    Men’s penises are either porn-style monstrosities or minuscule sources of amusement, it has emerged. http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/science-technology/human-penises-all-either-massive-or-tiny-confirm-scientists-2015030395885

  70. birgerjohansson says

    Bloody hell! I double-posted the stuff about penile size. Please ignore.
    .
    Next time republicans use the term “fiscal responsibility” we should post ads in newspapers and TV quoting this giveaway of billions of expected Exxon damages.
    “FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY (OR CORRUPTION)”

  71. birgerjohansson says

    So Chris Christie settled for 2.8 % of the potential damages.
    He is either a complete idiot, or completely corrupt.

  72. nich says

    Saad@87:

    That was awesome. Good to see they fired that one asshole.

    Of course this triggered the inevitable #freezepeach brigade. “Somebody somewhere is being held accountable for the things they say! TO THE FREEZEPEACHMOBILE!!!”

  73. rq says

    birgerjohansson
    It wasn’t a baby weasel but a lesser weasel, and I’m determined to believe it is a sign of the coming apocalypse, where weasels and octopoda will unite against humans for mastery of the earth and skies. And seas. I’m pretty sure raccoons have a role somewhere, too.

  74. rq says

    Saad
    I’m as confused as you are about the whole ‘gay is a choice’ thing.

    nich
    Honestly, no one told them to stop saying those things. They just happened to be suspended. And fired. But no one took their twitter away! :P

  75. rq says

    The point with ‘gay is a choice’ is that I really, really wanted to talk about that big moment in life where I chose to be straight. Because if being gay is a choice, then being straight must be, too, no?
    A rite of adulthood: choose your orientation! Do you go with the status quo, or are you a rebel at heart? :P

  76. carlie says

    I liked Curt Schilling’s response and the responses of the people in charge over those jerks. I do hope that they would have responded that way regardless, but I would bet that his celebrity has a lot to do with it. Still, good example to set. Also, his wife wrote a book about having a kid on the autism spectrum that I read a few years ago.

    rq – I love the brain/heart comics.

  77. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    Mom came through, yay! Maybe now I can sleep.

    *collapse*

  78. Yellow Thursday says

    Mildly ‘rupt, since I can’t seem to find time to keep up any more. I’ll add some hugs to the pile, because we might need some after this….

    TW: Sexism on dating sites.

    I’ve had a profile on okcupid for about 2 months now. Besides the annoying silliness of the scammers and/or bots, I’ve had to add this to the end of my profile: “Show me that you’ve actually read my profile by not mentioning my smile or calling me ‘beautiful’ when you message me.” Then there were a these messages from the past few days:

    Message #1 seemed pleasant enough, until I asked him what he was looking for in a partner, and he replied “a woman who knows the worth of a woman…” When I asked what he meant, he replied that a woman should be a wife and take care of the household. I told him off and stopped responding to him.

    Message #2: “mwah”. That was the entire message. I told the guy off, reminding him that it would be sexual assault if he kissed a stranger in “real life,” so what made him think it was appropriate online?

  79. rq says

    JAL
    Yay!! Hope you manage some sleep and rest.

    Yellow Thursday
    But… but… MWAH = maybe we are happy! FREEZE PEACH! Or whatever those gesture-words count as on the internet.
    More seriously, I hope the next few messages are more promising.
    Message #1, though… ugh.

  80. says

    This is a followup to comments 43 and 92 (92 is from birger).

    Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and Sen. Raymond Lesniak said they’ll file a motion to intervene in the lawsuit because the reported settlement amounts to just 3 cents for every dollar of the estimated damages.

    “The agreement would sell us short by failing to make up for the harm to natural resources and the threat to the public’s health,” Sweeney said. “It would let Exxon off the hook when they have already been held responsible.”

    Asbury Park Press link.

    Let’s hope that intervention works. Getting 3 cents on the dollar from Exxon is a travesty.

    As I suspected, Exxon did contribute to the Christie cause, giving at least $500,000 to the Republican Governor’s Association. Other sources cite $751,200.

    Timing, indeed, was a factor in this: Christie put a provision in this year’s budget that allows him to divert huge sums from settlement of environmental cases into the general fund, to help him balance his books. That provision expires at the end of June, so Christie may be settling on the cheap to get this done fast.

    The jaw-dropping aspect to this settlement, however, is that the court had already applied retroactive liability for damages under the Spill Act. The only thing to determine was price: The state determined it would take $2.6 billion to clean the sites, and requested another $6.3 billion in compensatory costs.

    Consider the argument again: In November briefs, the state justified the cost by calling the damage “staggering” and “unprecedented.” In February, it settles for three cents on the dollar?

    New Jersey, nj.com, link.

  81. Beatrice, an amateur cynic looking for a happy thought says

    Giliell,

    thanks for mentioning this. Got myself a bundle :)

  82. says

    Uh-oh. Bad news out of Alabama … more bad news to add to the anti-marriage-equality news we saw earlier:

    As of a few weeks ago, the status of marriage rights in Alabama was no longer in dispute, despite some strange legal wrangling. Federal courts had struck down the state ban on marriage equality, and though Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) tried to intervene, telling state courts to ignore federal court rulings, U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. Granade, appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush, explicitly told Alabama that this matter is not optional.

    And so, Alabama joined the growing collection of states in which same-sex marriage is now legal. That is, until last night.

    The Alabama Supreme Court ordered all the state’s probate judges late Tuesday to stop issuing marriages licenses to same-sex couples, the latest in a growing legal tussle playing out in Alabama over whether the decisions of federal justices trump those made by state judges. […]

    “…Each such probate judge is temporarily enjoined from issuing any marriage license contrary to Alabama law as explained in this opinion,” [the Alabama justices] wrote.

    State Supreme Court justices in Alabama are elected, and in the current makeup of the court, all nine jurists are Republicans.

    The case was brought to the state court by a group called Liberty Counsel, an organization created in part by Jerry Falwell’s ministry. […]

    MSNBC new link.
    Maddow Blog link.

    The new legal folderol gives probate judges 5 days to write in and say why they should give marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The thing is, federal courts trump state courts. The feds have said that marriage equality is legal in Alabama. Dunderheads on the state Supreme Court, in league with the likes of Jerry Falwell, have said said no, no it is not legal. The judges in the lower state court positions must be very confused.

    The state Supreme Court judge(s) who are defying the federal court ruling should be prosecuted, in my opinion.

  83. rq says

    Giliell
    Crap, did I miss it?
    How many books, what would be a decent price? I have no way to tell since I can’t see the list. :(

  84. rq says

    Giliell
    I DO have mail!! And a response. ;)

    Beatrice
    I know Portia does. And I think Esteleth?

  85. says

    Well, isn’t that special. The specious lawyer arguing for an incredible stupid interpretation of the Affordable Care Act, an interpretation that would deny millions of individuals their health care subsidies, that lawyer is a dunderheaded right-winger.

    Michael Carvin, the attorney arguing on behalf of the plaintiffs in the King v. Burwell case, said this challenge is different because the argument against the law centers on a statute that was “written by white women and minorities.” […]

    Carvin argued that the difference between this lawsuit and the one in 2012 is that unlike the 2012 challenge, the argument on Wednesday is on “a statute that was written three years ago, not by dead white men but by living white women and minorities.”

    “It hasn’t had time to ‘grow’ or ‘evolve,'” Carvin added, a jab that mocks terms liberals have used for constitutional doctrines that conservatives have argued aren’t supported by the Constitution. […]

    “I don’t know that four justices, who are needed to [take the case] here, are going to give much of a damn about what a bunch of Obama appointees on the D.C. Circuit think,” Carvin said.

    In the same interview, he added that he didn’t expect to lose Republican-appointed judges in arguing against Obamacare. […]

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/michael-carvin-obamacare-statutes-white-women-minorities

    Michael Carvin also compared himself to Atticus Finch from the movie “To Kill A Mocking Bird.”

  86. says

    Justice Scalia, you need to get a clue. The current Congress will not act to fix Obamacare if you break it.

    Justice Antonin Scalia expressed confidence on Wednesday morning that Congress would act to mitigate the damage if the Supreme Court ruled to invalidate Obamacare subsidies for millions of Americans.

    “You really think Congress is just going to sit there while all the disastrous consequences ensue?” he asked Obama administration lawyer Don Verrilli.

    The U.S. solicitor general had a sarcastic retort.

    “Well, this Congress?”

    The audience in the packed courtroom laughed.

    “Yes,” Scalia protested, “I think this Congress would act.” […]

    The Republicans, the majority, in the Congress want Obamacare to implode. They want it to go away. They do not care about millions of low-income individuals who would lose their subsidies.
    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/scalia-congress-obamacare

  87. says

    In Georgia, state Republican legislators wait until there is a bathroom break announced, then, as soon as the Democratic legislators leave the room, the Republicans quickly vote on whatever evil bill they have cooked up. Think Progress link.

    Republicans did this recently to vote on a “religious liberty” bill that would enshrine discrimination against LGBT rights.

  88. says

    Moments of Mormon Madness, rabbits and other wildlife category.

    Utah is considering a bill that would allow patients with certain debilitating conditions to be treated with edible forms of marijuana. If the bill passes, the state’s wildlife may “cultivate a taste” for the plant, lose their fear of humans, and basically be high all the time. That’s according to testimony presented to a Utah Senate panel last week by an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

    “I deal in facts. I deal in science,” said special agent Matt Fairbanks, who’s been working in the state for a decade. He is member of the “marijuana eradication” team in Utah. Some of his colleagues in Georgia recently achieved notoriety by raiding a retiree’s garden and seizing a number of okra plants. […]

    Maybe Agent Matt Fairbanks is high. Though probably not, since marijuana intake of any kind is frowned on by mormons.

    Agent Fairbanks has some of his science wrong, or at least questionable, since it is likely that the bunnies will not smoke weed, now will they process weed before adding it to brownies.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/02/dea-warns-of-stoned-rabbits-if-utah-passes-medical-marijuana/

    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/dea-agent-warns-utah-lawmakers-fearless-stoned-rabbits-article-1.2135339

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/03/stoned-rabbits-dea_n_6789232.html

  89. says

    Anne @119:

    Lynna, gah at all of your stories. But that OC lawyer in particular! Too bad we’re stuck here, there are times when I’d just love to move back to LA county…

    I’m with you on “gah” factor. Sorry you have to live near a high percentage of bigots and doofuses in OC.

    Maybe the stoned bunnies can come visit you and restore calm.

  90. says

    More Moments of Mormon Madness, anti-green-technology category. A lot of mormons in the state have talked about supporting green energy, but in terms of action they usually fall short. Salt Lake City has one of the worst air pollution records in the USA. The state’s politicians talk about fixes, and then they talk anti-regulation. They specialize in deception.

    The showroom is built and the gleaming luxury cars are in place, but a grand opening planned Friday for Utah’s first Tesla dealership is on hold indefinitely after the state refused to grant the dealership a license. […]

    It’s the latest conflict between Utah’s laws and companies with unconventional business models wanting to enter the state. […]

    The Utah attorney general’s office last week sent a letter to Tesla Motors on behalf of the Motor Vehicles Enforcement Division informing the company its license to sell cars in the state had been denied because it was defined under Utah law as a manufacturer and not a franchise owner. […]

    Chen said Tesla expects to generate between $7 million and $10 million of economic activity in the state in its first year, along with a few dozen jobs. The company has been posting ads online to hire employees for the dealership. […]

    Tesla has run into similar problems in states such as Arizona, Texas and Connecticut. The company has called the states’ laws anti-competitive, hostile to business and has asked state legislatures to change them. […]

    Chen said the company’s attorneys thought they would be OK to sell cars in Utah and had early indications from the state they were right.

    The rejection “puts a serious damper on our ability to invest in Utah,” Chen said. “Unless, through either our discussions with the attorney general or the success by Rep. Coleman in getting her bill through, we are, in fact, stopped from being able to offer our vehicles for sale in Utah.”

    Some Utahans are speculating that Tesla did not “pay to play.” In other words, they didn’t bribe enough mormon officials, legislators, etc.

    http://www.sltrib.com/news/2245987-155/run-in-with-utah-law-could-block

  91. says

    From the readers’ comments section associated with the Salt Lake Tribune article about Tesla (see comment 123):

    Forcing a manufacturer of any product to sell through a middleman sure has the appearance of coercion. Maybe Telsa can hire some good lawyers and see how the Federal RICO laws might apply.
    —————-
    The State clearly has issues with electric cars………they want to jack up the registration fee’s for a starter and now this. Probably getting secret campaign funds from the Petroleum Industry and trips to Bermuda be my guess. […]
    ——————-
    I’d bet my house that a substantial donation the good ol’ boys club would get the doors open tomorrow.
    —————-
    Utah House of Representatives and Utah Attorney General, these aren’t the “leaders” Tesla needs to work with. Perhaps offering a couple of higher ranking spiritual advisors a free Tesla’s would help move the theocracy.
    —————–
    Middle men are sanctioned by God. Just ask the men at Temple Square.
    —————
    Now that Larry Miller is dead [famous, infamous mormon owner of car dealerships and of the Utah Jazz]…can we please revise the law that he insisted on…closed on Sunday because he didn’t want to be open..obsolete and get on with the car business? This idiocy with Tesla is asinine.
    ————-
    [from a True Believing Mormon] Who is hurt by dealers being closed on Sundays? The employees that get the day off? The dealership? The consumer? Being open on Sunday would not sell one more car in Utah.
    ———–
    The law states just one weekend day, does not have to be Sunday — dealers in Utah can be open for business on Sunday so long as they are closed on Saturday.
    —————-
    Banks and realtors and car dealers are your friends!
    —————
    This is an example of how capitalism really works. Those controlling a market pay for laws that limit new players from entering their market.
    —————-
    “Laws in Utah prohibit a manufacturer from owning more than 45 percent of a dealership. Instead, they are required to work with franchisees, who act as middlemen”. And since this is Utah those “middlemen” must be Mormon Republican males, preferably also legislators. Oh and all car dealerships must close on Sunday, because if the bros are at church no other business is allowed to be open and making money.

  92. says

    Wow. It’s been a few days since I dropped in here. I’m working a few more hours now, which has resulted in commenting less here and on my blog. I’m more threadrupt than normal as a result. But on the plus side, last month was the first time I managed to pay all my bills without any help from my parents, which was a big deal for me since they’ve been such a lifeline for the last 8 months.
    I’ll catch up in a moment, but I wanted to dump this intriguing link:
    http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/03/04/google-exploring-a-big-change-guaranteed-to-make-republicans-lose-their-minds/

    Google is working on a new way of ranking web pages. Republicans, notorious for spreading lies to further their political agenda, are sure to hate Google’s new search. It ranks web pages based on facts. That’s right, it ranks web pages higher on the search engine result page based on how truthful they are!

    The primary influencing factor in Google’s current search technology is the number of incoming links a website receives. Each incoming link counts as a vote for the website’s credibility. Google places websites with the most votes toward the top of the search results page.

    This ranking system has its faults. One striking disadvantage is that it allows websites containing misinformation to reach the top of the results page. In this case, Google’s goal, to provide its user with the most accurate and relevant information, has failed.

    According to New Scientist, the new ranking system would tap into an expansive library of facts called the Knowledge Vault. Web pages that spew misinformation, contrary to these generally accepted facts, appear further down on the search results page.

    Imagine a Google search that delivers someone questioning Obama’s birthplace to web pages debunking birtherism, climate change deniers to factual scientific data and arguments, anti-vaxxers to web pages that offer credible information about vaccines. Web pages that misinform would be pushed to the bottom of Google search results as they are not based in fact. That’s the new search!

  93. rq says

    *pouncehugs Tony nearly to death*
    Sorry about that, mind getting me a Campari and orange? ;)

  94. Pteryxx says

    *waves to Tony* Good to hear!

    and good article about the g**gle searches, except that it immediately links to a Sh*rm*r video about baloney detection. Sigh…

    I only have internet intermittently these days, so pretty much threadrupt on everything; so I’ll just leave this pile of somewhat dusty, slightly rusted, mothball-smelling hugs here. Nothing a good vacuuming and/or squirt of WD-40 won’t fix.

    Thanks especially to rq for keeping the America threads running.

  95. says

    Good to see you as well Pteryxx. I hope all is well with you.

    ****
    Like many people I have an irrational fear of roaches. I’ve tried confronting this fear a few times over the years, mostly by forcing myself not to recoil in horror whenever one skitters across the floor. I haven’t been terribly successful (though I’ve not been trying *that* hard). Articles like this don’t help either:
    http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27080-cyborg-cockroach-has-its-nerves-controlled-wirelessly.html#.VPdyZPnF8SM

  96. says

    Yes, the Republicans in the House of Congress are rabidly anti-science. They proved that last year. Now they are proving it again:

    […] of particular interest this week is the Republican effort to “improve” the EPA’s Science Advisory Board. Pending legislation would, among other things, prevent EPA experts in a given field from participating in “advisory activities.”[…] — if a state was doing an investigation into smog, for example, EPA experts who’ve conducted research on smog would be legally barred from offering guidance.

    This bill […] passed the House in 2014, before getting ignored by the Senate […]

    […] the bill’s back, with an additional provision: members of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board would now be prohibited, by law, from even considering research on climate science from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s National Climate Assessment. […]

    The House will probably pass this proposal, at which point it’ll go to the Senate, where it will be taken up by Senate Environment Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) – the guy who believes snowballs in the winter disprove climate science.

    […] this is now a prominent part of the House Republican agenda, which means we can expect to see GOP lawmakers continue to push the idea so long as they’re in the majority.

    Link

  97. says

    This is a followup to comment #117, in which we see Justice Scalia trying to reassure everyone the Congress will act to fix the ACA if the Supreme Court breaks the ACA.

    Justice Scalia, Republicans in Congress have voted at least 56 times to repeal the ACA. Congress is not functional. Most of the Republican legislators want the Supreme Court to burn the ACA to the ground. If they can’t do it, they want you to do it.

  98. says

    Ruth Bader Ginsburg is on the case. She is doing her best to prevent Justice Scalia and his cohorts from decimating the Affordable Healthcare Act.

    During the Supreme Court oral arguments Wednesday morning in King v. Burwell, the case that threatens to destroy Obamacare, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg wasted no time in grilling the attorney seeking to eviscerate the Affordable Care Act about a significant technical matter that could blow up his case.

    As soon as Michael Carvin, the Jones Day partner representing the four plaintiffs named in the anti-Obamacare suit, started his opening statement, Ginsburg interrupted him with a slew of questions about whether his plaintiffs had a recognizable injury that would allow the case to proceed. A plaintiff, she declared, “has to have a concrete stake in the question…you would have to prove the standing if this gets beyond the opening door.”

    […] four plaintiffs may have dubious claims of standing in this case. According to legal filings in the case, two of the plaintiffs were likely not adversely affected by Obamacare because they could claim an exemption from the law’s requirement to purchase health insurance due to their low income levels and high health care costs. The other two plaintiffs, Doug Hurst and Brenda Levy, would have benefited substantially from the Affordable Care Act had they obtained insurance through an Obamacare health exchange. (Levy said she was paying $1,500 a month for non-Obamacare insurance, which she could have bought on the federal health care exchange for $148 a month. Hurst, according to bankruptcy filings, had been paying more than $600 a month for his insurance in 2010. The ACA would have provided him insurance for $62 a month.)

    Much of this information was not part of the court record; […] Consequently, these issues weren’t among the questions posed to the Supreme Court before it agreed to take this case.

    That didn’t stop the 81-year-old justice. She quizzed Carvin about the backgrounds of two of the plaintiffs. She wanted to know, for instance, whether Levy was truly qualified to bring the lawsuit. Levy turns 65 in June, at which point she will be eligible for Medicare, not Obamacare, making her largely exempt from any repercussions from her case. […]

    […] Carvin said that the lower courts had not raised any issue regarding the plaintiffs’ standing. Ginsburg, though, didn’t care. She replied, “The court has an obligation to look into it on its own.” […]

    Link

    Loving me some Ruth Bader Ginsberg

  99. rq says

    Question: Eldest’s teacher has initiated a points system in her classroom to reward good behaviour and to draw attention to bad behaviour. Among good behaviour she has specifically listed ‘giving priority to girls’, which is my bad translation for, basically, old-fashioned chivalry (letting girls cut in line, opening doors for them, etc.). So, (1a) what is a good way to address this – straightforward but kind, as this isn’t the first noticed sexism-type behaviour I’ve noticed in the teacher (nothing overt, but typical gender-role-type stuff); and (1b) does anyone have a good link to a good article or two on benevolent sexism and its harm, something in possibly not-too-complicated English, as I do not know how well his teacher reads English (they have a different teacher for English)?
    I would like to address this as low-key as possible (so personally via e-mail, most likely, but also non-confrontationally), since Eldest will be learning with this teacher for the next 3 (and a half) years – until the end of grade 4 (barring any unexpected teacher-changes). And it’s not a major point, I suppose, but already today he told me that a friend of his got a green sticker (good) for opening and holding the door for a few of the girls. I mean, that’s nice, but… do boys get stickers for holding the door for boys, and do girls get stickers for holding the door for girls and boys?
    We’ve been pretty good about not discriminating by gender, even in good deeds, at home (Eldest is usually the first to say ‘well of course girls can do that’ and ‘of course that’s not just a girl colour’, and oh boy, you should have seen his horror when I told him that some people don’t think girls should play hockey professionally, but anyway, I doubt everyone in his class receives that kind of education). I don’t want him to start thinking that girls have special privileges or that he, as a boy, isn’t allowed to receive any help or polite consideration from others. I would like them all to be taught politeness and kindness towards each other as people and human beings, not that some are more deserving due to some accident of birth. I know that’s probably a pretty impossible demand (Latvian society being what it is), but it would be nice to at least have his teacher give thought to these things.
    Anyway. That was rather long. Any suggestions welcome!

  100. says

    rq @137:
    Maybe this will help–http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/psysociety/2013/04/02/benevolent-sexism/

    Something can’t actually be sexist if it’s really, really nice, right?

    I mean, if someone compliments me on my looks or my cooking, that’s not sexist. That’s awesome! I should be thrilled that I’m being noticed for something positive!

    Yet there are many comments that, while seemingly complimentary, somehow still feel wrong. These comments may focus on an author’s appearance rather than the content of her writing, or mention how surprising it is that she’s a woman, being that her field is mostly filled with men. Even though these remarks can sometimes feel good to hear – and no one is denying that this type of comment can feel good, especially in the right context – they can also cause a feeling of unease, particularly when one is in the position of trying to draw attention towards her work rather than personal qualities like her gender or appearance.

    In social psychology, these seemingly-positive-yet-still-somewhat-unsettling comments and behaviors have a name: Benevolent Sexism. Although it is tempting to brush this experience off as an overreaction to compliments or a misunderstanding of benign intent, benevolent sexism is both real and insidiously dangerous.

    What Is Benevolent Sexism?

    In 1996, Peter Glick and Susan Fiske wrote a paper on the concept of ambivalent sexism, noting that despite common beliefs, there are actually two different kinds of sexist attitudes and behavior. Hostile sexism is what most people think of when they picture “sexism” – angry, explicitly negative attitudes towards women. However, the authors note, there is also something called benevolent sexism:

    We define benevolent sexism as a set of interrelated attitudes toward women that are sexist in terms of viewing women stereotypically and in restricted roles but that are subjectively positive in feeling tone (for the perceiver) and also tend to elicit behaviors typically categorized as prosocial (e.g., helping) or intimacy-seeking (e.g., self-disclosure) (Glick & Fiske, 1996, p. 491).

    [Benevolent sexism is] a subjectively positive orientation of protection, idealization, and affection directed toward women that, like hostile sexism, serves to justify women’s subordinate status to men (Glick et al., 2000, p. 763).

    Yes, there’s actually an official name for all of those comments and stereotypes that can somehow feel both nice and wrong at the same time, like the belief that women are “delicate flowers” who need to be protected by men, or the notion that women have the special gift of being “more kind and caring” than their male counterparts. It might sound like a compliment, but it still counts as sexism.

    For a very recent example of how benevolent sexism might play out in our everyday lives, take a look at this satirical piece, which jokingly re-writes Albert Einstein’s obituary.

    To quote:

    He made sure he shopped for groceries every night on the way home from work, took the garbage out, and hand washed the antimacassars. But to his step daughters he was just Dad. ”He was always there for us,” said his step daughter and first cousin once removed Margo.

    Albert Einstein, who died on Tuesday, had another life at work, where he sometimes slipped away to peck at projects like showing that atoms really exist. His discovery of something called the photoelectric effect won him a coveted Nobel Prize.

    Looks weird, right? Kind of like something you would never actually see in print?

  101. vereverum says

    @ Saad #86 and rq #96
    It’s really quite simple but you have to look at it from the fundamentalists’ point of view. In their system, (by axiom) people are God’s creation and (by axiom) God would not create a gay person, therefore it must be a choice. It is impossible for it to be a function of biology because that would contradict their axiom. It’s also why you can’t use logic or reason with them. It’s similar to the “proof” that 1=2 which is based on dividing by zero, somewhere in your line of reasoning you will contradict one of their axioms and therefore your whole argument is simply wrong.
    As to how people can be like that, I really don’t know; maybe I’ll read Why People Believe Weird Things.
    .
    .
    Re #64-68
    No specifics, but the comment just sounded trollish to me. I read Thunderdome and while it is often rambunctious, even animose, I’ve never sensed it to be hateful or mean spirited. But my question is about the use of the word pinging. Is this jargon that indicates you saw through the commenter’s pretense and it was a troll as in the usage in submarine warfare? I’d really like to think I’m right since it’d mean I figured something out on my own.
    .
    .
    @ rq #77
    If Latvian has many words derived from Latin (and not being from Vermont by Latin I mean ancient Romans) it could be based on caeruleus which is Latin for dark blue, not so dark blue, dark green, azure, etc.; cerini* looks like it may be a cognate. Just a guess, I dint research it.
    .
    * I don’t know how to put the little dot under the n.

  102. says

    Related to benevolent sexism…I just read a status update from a friend on FB. He said something to effect of “ladies when someone holds the door for you, you’re supposed to say ‘thank you’ “.
    My response: “I hold the door for people, regardless of gender, and I don’t get disappointed if no one thanks me. I don’t hold doors to receive thanks.”

  103. says

    vereverum @141:

    No specifics, but the comment just sounded trollish to me. I read Thunderdome and while it is often rambunctious, even animose, I’ve never sensed it to be hateful or mean spirited. But my question is about the use of the word pinging. Is this jargon that indicates you saw through the commenter’s pretense and it was a troll as in the usage in submarine warfare? I’d really like to think I’m right since it’d mean I figured something out on my own.

    I think you’re pretty close (you could also liken pinging to Spider-man’s spider-sense, which warns him of impending danger), though I’ll add that comments that set off alarms for people are sometimes false positives. The comments from Rise Kujikawa certainly set off some alarms for me, but I’m not certain if they were looking to troll or genuinely have a discussion about a controversial subject.

  104. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Vereverum #141

    No specifics, but the comment just sounded trollish to me.

    I wouldn’t say trollish per se, but the vibe of wanting to discuss something likely to result in strong criticism or an argument in the Lounge was there.

    We’ve seen it in folks trying to avoid strong criticism of their ideas by avoiding the T-dome. How we react there, depends on them, what ideas they present, what evidence they present to back up those ideas, and their reaction to mild criticism or disbelief.

  105. Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says

    Just a pile of love I’m dropping here for rq and Tony! and pteryxx and Lynna, and ajb47 and WMD Kitty and Giliell and opposable thumbs and

    Oh, hell. Here’s a bunch of love for all y’all.

    Sorry I’ve been a bit too busy lately to drop by more often, and when I do drop by to comment much.

    You’re all still in my brain, snugging my thoughts.

  106. Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says

    Fucking hell, rq, I don’t know the answer to that one.

    The best I could say is to frame it as **your** problem.

    I’m sorry to bother you, but I love the new rewards system and I was wondering if you could also give out rewards to boys who hold doors for boys and other such things. We’re having some difficulty at home teaching our children how to behave with their neighbors, and you could really help us out by rewarding all the generous behavior.

    Just one idea of an approach. I wish I had better. I’ll think on it.

  107. says

    The whole “gay people choose it” boggles my mind. Over the years, I’ve had many people inquire about my sexuality. I’ve told them all pretty much the same thing:
    When I hit puberty, my hormones led me in a different direction than heterosexual men. I didn’t choose to be gay. I didn’t wake up one day and think gosh, it sure would be nice to start sucking cock“.

    I think many people conflate (deliberately or unintentionally, I’m unsure) people being gay with the coming out process. Being gay isn’t a choice. Coming out is. I chose to come out of the closet and live my life openly as a gay man (not completely though; I still hesitate before informing others of my sexuality; to the vast majority of people who know me though, I’m quite out).

  108. Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says

    @ Tony!, #148:

    I think many people conflate (deliberately or unintentionally, I’m unsure) people being gay with the coming out process.

    Oh, it’s worse than that. Many people intentionally conflate “being gay” with having sex. Like you’re obviously not queer if you haven’t gone down on anyone lately. Duh.

    Thus the idea that people who sexually assault children will “turn” those children queer. If the perp is of the same gender and/or sex, presto! those kids are already “gay” because they had gay sex! Quick, someone give them a jesus!

    If the perp is of a different gender and/or sex, presto! those kids have been traumatized in a way that will cause them to **not** choose heterosex! And we all know that when two women choose to have sex with each other, the real crime isn’t done by ramming home a dildo or kissing someone’s clit. No, the real crime victims are all the poor, poor penises that aren’t going unsucked and unfucked because of their selfish, selfish lesbianism.

    Ugh, that shit pisses me off so much. Being a QT* isn’t about how often you have sex or how much you enjoy sex or how old you are or when you lost your virginity (if ever). Being a QT isn’t a sex act.

    Heterosexist douchegabbers.

    *Say it out loud. Go on. Say it.

  109. says

    Crip Dyke @149:

    Oh, it’s worse than that. Many people intentionally conflate “being gay” with having sex.

    Yeah, I’ve seen that firsthand.
    When I came out to my parents, my father’s reaction was “butt sex hurts”. At the time I didn’t have a rebuttal, but now, if I were confronted by that, I’d likely say something like “when I think of you or mom, I don’t immediately start thinking of what you do in the bedroom, bc that has no relevance on who you are or the type of person you are. Being gay is far more than having sex with someone of the same sex (and not every gay person wants to have sex), and reducing me-a complex human being-down to butt sex is deeply offensive.”

    (incidentally, when I came out to my parents, I hadn’t had sex yet)

  110. says

    http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/scientists-trace-origins-last-two-hiv-1-groups

    When HIV first burst onto the scene in the 1980s, what it was and where it came from sparked huge debate among the public and scientific community, with ideas ranging from some unknown “contagion” to a “gay disease” to some kind of man-made pathogen released by the government.

    Of course, we now know that the causative agent of AIDS is a virus and that HIV has its origins in viruses found naturally in various non-human primate species. These viruses jumped the species barrier and entered the human population on several separate occasions, giving rise to the different groups of HIV. While this much was known, what has remained hazy is which apes harbored the viruses that resulted in two of the four known HIV-1 groups. Now, after decades of confusion, scientists have finally pinpointed their origins: western lowland gorillas.

  111. vereverum says

    @ Tony! #144 and Nerd @145
    Thanks, I’ll try and remember what I’ve learned.
    .
    Tony! I’m with you on door opening. Otherwise I’m doing it for a reward, not because it’s just what I do for people. When it’s done for me I try to always say thank you, though I think your friend’s “supposed” is too forceful. I’m old, my upbringing was that I was always to be polite. Regardless. And while I think it is a good characteristic, I don’t expect it of others.
    Probably TMI.
    .
    Nerd

    trying to avoid strong criticism of their ideas

    I can understand that, I don’t like criticism either expecially if it’s true. That’s the worst kind! But I’ll go with Truman: If you don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen.
    .
    .
    This is really a nice place.

  112. jste says

    A just-announced new initiative to combat online abuse headed up by the Randi Harper, the author of ggautoblocker:
    http://onlineabuseprevention.org/

    Joining Harper are Alex Lifschitz (Crash Overrride Network), Zoe Quinn (Crash Override Network), and Sheri Rubin (Design Direct Deliver) who serve as inaugural members for the organization’s board of directors.

    I’m looking forward to seeing what they manage to achieve!

  113. says

    A live action Zelda series sounds amazing.

    I’ve had fun with the whole living on my own thing. Until yesterday when I had a flat tire. And with the snow inbound, I couldn’t risk driving on the donut spare while I compared prices, I had to stop at Firestone in the mall parking lot. Oh, and they didn’t have any cheaper tires. On the plus side, my federal tax refund came in last night. Nowhere near what the tires cost, but it will help getting through the week.

    As the nym change indicates, I’ve worked some gender stuff out:) Which is good. Still a great many practical questions left on where to go from here, but at least I have a much better idea of who I am. So it’s a start. It was my paternal great grandmothers first and middle name(annie isn’t short for anything- that’s just what her name was). Being a Jr sharing a name with my paternal grandfather, it seemed appropriate. And with her having been an immigrant, that seemed appropriate for linking the two phases of my life.

  114. Rowan vet-tech says

    I HAVE KITTENS! They finally got me some healthy babies so no more “here, it’s probably gonna die, but if anyone can save it you can” animals. … Only I asked for at most 2, and Patti was like “Well… there’s 3 of ’em?” and I was all “er… hmmn, you know what, okay.” And she went and got them and returned and said “Don’t hate me. Turns out there’s 4. ” and made sad-face at me.

    So now I have 4 (argh) kittens that if they turn out to be super duper fussy eaters like the last 4 they will find a different foster mama for, because I can’t do 1-hour-to-feed-only-4-kittens again. I will go insane. But providing they don’t turn into little turds, what should I names them? I need plant names for 4 boys, 3 of which are orange and one is a brown tabby and white.

  115. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Time to play old fart. Be the first to throw out an idea, and let the younger ones improvise upon/reject them.
    Pumpy, squash, orange, and stripes.

  116. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Dang, forgot the blockquote in #159, responding to Rowan for kitty names.

  117. Saad says

    Beatrice, thanks for the Broadchurch recommendation. Just started watching it and I’m hooked.

    Happy Valley was really good too. It’s sort of similar in some ways, so I think you’ll like it too.

  118. says

    Annie Bruce @156:

    As the nym change indicates, I’ve worked some gender stuff out:) Which is good.

    I’m happy for you :)

    ****

    So I’m looking for RWAs mouthing off about African-Americans needing to display “personal responsibility” (if anyone has any quick links to examples, I’d appreciate it), and I came across this Metapedia entry on “black privilege“:

    Blacks have the right to take pride in their race. Whites don’t.
    Blacks can never be racist. Whites are always racist, even if they don’t try to be.
    Blacks get to play the race card. Whites don’t.
    Blacks never have to feel guilty about being black. Whites are trained to feel guilty about being white.
    Blacks have the right to make blacks only organizations like the Black Student Union and the Congressional Black Caucus. Whites don’t.
    Blacks have the right to never take responsibility for their own actions. Anything bad which happens to a black person can be blamed on racism or white people. Whites have to take responsibility and apologize for their actions.
    Rich black people have a right to be rich. Rich white people don’t.
    Black people have the right to demonize white people. White people don’t have the right to demonize black people.
    Black people are excused when they are prejudiced against white people. White people are never excused for prejudice against black people.
    Black people are a “protected class.” White people are not.
    Violent crimes by whites on blacks are “hate crimes.” Violent crimes by blacks on whites are just “random” crimes.
    Blacks have the right to affirmative action and minority set-asides. Whites have to earn their positions.
    Blacks are “cool.” Whites are “squares” and “rednecks.”
    Blacks have the right to say words like “nigger,” which whites are never allowed to use. They have the right to incessantly repeat the word “nigger” in front of white people, to intimidate them and keep them in their place.
    Blacks can make the most racially insensitive comments and, more often than not, no one blinks twice. They are allowed to insult others without repercussion.[1]
    Blacks can spend their rent money on designer handbags and then complain about how they don’t have the same economic opportunities as everyone else. And they get away with it.[2]
    Black men are sexual supermen. White men are sexually inadequate. Black men have huge penises. White men have small, inadequate penises.
    Blacks have “civil rights”. Whites don’t.
    Blacks are in prison because of racism. Whites are in prison because they’re criminals.
    Black jury members have the right to acquit criminals, if they’re black.
    Blacks have the right to put a halt to any policy, statement, symbol, statistic, outcome, word or expression they find offensive. Whites have no such rights.
    Blacks are morally superior to whites.
    “[Blacks] enjoy cultural cache around the world as victors over oppression and the hard reality of what that looks like at this point in world history. The music that they enjoy, the clothes that they wear, their very mannerisms carry a certain amount of gravitas.”[3]
    Blacks can assign collective racial guilt to “you white folks.” White people cannot do the reverse because that would be racist.
    White people everywhere, and at all times, bear guilt for the crimes of a minority of white people in the past (e.g., slave owners, Adolf Hitler). Making blacks bear guilt, as a race, for the despicable crimes of their criminal minority is stereotyping, racist, and an insult to reason; after all, no one should ever be blamed for the acts of some unrelated person.
    Blacks have “black culture.” Whites are not allowed to have white culture.
    African-American studies is a celebration of blackness and black culture. Whiteness studies is a demonization of white people and white culture.
    White people need to undergo diversity/sensitivity training. Black people don’t.
    “… any generalization–favorable or unfavorable–about any minority that someone does not like is by definition “racist” and deserves to be suppressed–as long as it is said by a white person. Black diversity consultants, in contrast, can parade, without a shred of empirical evidence, the grossest racial and ethnic stereotypes with virtual impunity.”[4]
    It’s racist to point out racism by blacks. It’s never racist to point out racism by whites.
    Whites have to walk on eggshells around blacks. Blacks don’t give a shit what whites think.
    Blacks have the right to riot and commit violent acts in response to perceived grievances. White people have to obey the law at all times.
    Blacks have the right to never be portrayed as criminals or lowlifes in films or on TV. Bad guys on the screen must always be White.
    Blacks have the right to never be ridiculed, mocked, belittled or laughed at. Whites have no such right.
    Black criminals have the right to have their race censored in media reports.
    Facts which cause blacks embarrassment or cast them in a bad light must be suppressed. Facts which cause whites embarrassment or cast them in a bad light are reported as is.
    Blacks can silence and intimidate whites by calling them racist. Whites can’t silence and intimidate blacks because that would be racist.
    Forcing whitey to apologize shows black power and clout. Whites can never force blacks to apologize because that would constitute a lynching.
    Whites are held to a system of ‘sensitivity’ requirements that do not apply to blacks.
    “Whites are monitored, pestered, and punished for preposterous reasons–for a look, for an innocent word, for wearing a T-shirt, for expressing a plausible argument–but blacks can say almost anything with perfect impunity.”[5]
    “In discussions of race between black people and white people the conscious black person is always right; is always the ultimate authority on questions having to do with race and racism; must always be regarded as the ‘injured party,’ or the oppressed. . . . [Whites] cannot possibly be expected to be objective about questions of race.”[6]
    Blacks may work for explicitly racial goals but whites may not.
    Blacks are permitted to notice race. Whites are not.
    “It is quite acceptable for either party to explicitly go after the black, Hispanic, or even the Jewish vote. In fact both parties gain an indispensable moral authority by doing so. But it is absolutely verboten for either party, or any white candidate, to appeal to whites as a racial identity group. Racial identity is simply forbidden to whites in America and across the entire Western world. Black children today are hammered with the idea of racial identity and pride, yet racial pride in whites constitutes a grave evil. Say ‘I’m white and I’m proud’ and you are a National Socialist.”[7]
    A black who punches a White person is a hero standing up to oppression. A White person who punches a black is a racist.
    It can be publicly admitted that blacks are superior to Whites in certain pursuits (i.e. basketball). It can never be publicly admitted that Whites are superior to blacks in other pursuits (i.e. winning Nobel prizes in science).
    When blacks are overrepresented in a desirable field, it is due to their abilities. When Whites are overrepresented in a desirable field, it is due to racism. When blacks are overrepresented in an undesirable field, it is due to racism. When Whites are overrepresented in an undesirable field, it is their own fault.
    Most African countries are made up almost entirely of blacks, and have some of the world’s highest birth rates. Most European countries consist of White people having to live alongside blacks and other non-whites, and have some of the world’s lowest birth rates.

    I can’t even with this…
    I’ve never heard of Metapedia, but it sure does sound like an offshoot of Conservapedia.

  119. JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says

    Thanks everyone.

    Beatrice: jals(dot)snark(dot)tentacles at teh googly.

    Sleep was great. Waking up coughing so hard I almost threw up was not. Roomie has also come down sick. Stress fucking sucks. Little One has only been sneezing thankfully (for now) and tooth pain. :( She’s losing teeth and the adult ones are taking forever to break through.

    and Roomie did not get the programming job he wanted. :(

  120. says

    I need to watch Broadchurch. I’ve been meaning to now that I can stream more or less freely now, but I’m in the middle of watching Star Trek: Enterprise. Which I really should have watched years ago, I’m loving it.

    As for cat names, when our cat had kittens, we named one Squeaks because he squeaked a lot while working out the whole meow sound.

  121. says

    Darnit. My comment got stuck in moderation. Let’s try it again (and a bit differently).

    Annie Bruce @156:

    As the nym change indicates, I’ve worked some gender stuff out:) Which is good. Still a great many practical questions left on where to go from here, but at least I have a much better idea of who I am. So it’s a start.

    I’m very happy for you :)

    ****

    I’m writing a post about a RWAs lack of “personal responsibility” and went looking for examples of RWAs telling black people and poor people they need to be more responsible (incidentally, if anyone has a link to any examples, I’d be grateful). While searching, I came across an entry on black privilege from Metapedia, a site that strikes me as an offshoot of Conservapedia. Their examples of black privilege cite this misguided article from Madame Noir.
    Here are some of the examples:

    Blacks have the right to take pride in their race. Whites don’t.
    Blacks can never be racist. Whites are always racist, even if they don’t try to be.
    Blacks get to play the race card. Whites don’t.
    Blacks never have to feel guilty about being black. Whites are trained to feel guilty about being white.
    Blacks have the right to make blacks only organizations like the Black Student Union and the Congressional Black Caucus. Whites don’t.
    Blacks have the right to never take responsibility for their own actions. Anything bad which happens to a black person can be blamed on racism or white people. Whites have to take responsibility and apologize for their actions.

    Once again, the concept of privilege is misunderstood.
    The link contains many more lovely gems like the above.

  122. Morgan!? the Slithy Tove says

    Rowan, vet-tech,

    But providing they don’t turn into little turds, what should I names them? I need plant names for 4 boys, 3 of which are orange and one is a brown tabby and white.

    Tangerine, Kabocha, Curry, Marigold, Butternut, for the brown and white tabby – coconut.

  123. Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says

    Tumeric.

    Hyssop.

    Cosmos.

    Cinnamon.

    Pomegranate.

    Tithonia.

  124. says

    Also – I used the vacuum (borrowed) and did all my dishes today. Took all day, but I did get them all done. Only two sinkfuls, but when you can only stand at the counter two minutes at a go, that takes a while.
    Yay! Energy to do housework! During winter! A sincere fucking miracle.

  125. A. Noyd says

    CaitieCat (#174)

    I used the vacuum (borrowed) and did all my dishes today.

    That’s… a novel way to do dishes.

  126. says

    Fans of SyFy’s Sharknado series will have to put up with someone unexpected in the role of Vice-President in the next installment.
    http://dcist.com/2015/03/sharknado_3_casts_leaders_of_the_fr.php

    A D.C.-set Sharknado 3 is really, truly happening. Need proof? Syfy made some major casting announcements today, including the roles of President and Vice President.
    Joining the ranks of Bill Pullman, Jeff Bridges, Michael Douglas, Kevin Kline, Harrison Ford, and more as great movie Presidents is a dude from that show Shark Tank, who happens to own the Dallas Mavericks. His Veep will be that conservative commentator who really hates soccer.
    Yes, that’s right: Mark Cuban and Ann Coulter will play the President and Vice President of the United States of America, respectively.
    Other recently announced casting, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, includes: Bo Derek as star Tara Reid’s mother; Jerry Springer as a “manic tourist;” ‘N SYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick as a lifeguard; and finally, wrestler Chris Jericho as a roller coaster ride operator. OK, then.

  127. rq says

    rowan
    Baklazhan. It’s a purple vegetable, but it’s an awesome name. ;)

    vereverum
    I don’t think Latvian has that kind of a relationship with Latin, although it’s an intriguing idea. The Romans never got this far north (vermontish or otherwise :P) but there were trade routes with lots of amber going back the other way.
    I’ve looked into it a little bit, and you know what’s interesting? Online etymology says that yellow used to mean blue and blue could be yellow. And a lot of other colours. Interestingly, I’ve always associated ‘livid’ with a deep red-purple colour.
    And this whole colour-naming business is complicated.
    As for ceriņi (not a dot, a comma! ;) ), turns out, it’s probably from the Latin name – whose Greek root is shared with the word ‘syringe’.
    Language is funny.

    Cait
    Yay for the vaccuuming! Yay for the energy! Hooray!!! Which god do I bow to for this? ;)
    *gentle restful yet enthusiastic hugs*

    Annie Bruce
    Congratulations, and I hope everything goes well for you!! :) I’m very happy for you.

    Crip Dyke
    That’s actually a pretty good suggestion, I’m going to think about this a little more, and try to have a reply for the teacher in the afternoon. I’ll probably go something along the lines of the other children-door combinations and if they get stickers for the good behaviour, too. *sigh* I had this thought last night that some kind of a gender studies course for teachers should be mandatory learning for all of them.

    Oh and Tony thanks for that link to benevolent sexism, I may make use of that!

  128. says

    CaitieCat @174:
    Glad you found the energy to get housework done.

    ****

    Things I learned about Star Wars today, thanks to Cracked:

    Like everything great, Star Wars came within an ass-hair’s width of being total shit. You gotta remember that in the ’70s anyone with a doofy beard and a plaid shirt could shoot a movie just by telling people what to do and not giving them the chance to disagree. It was a magical time.
    But through George Lucas’ devotion to an acid flashback he was apparently having for three straight weeks, when production wrapped, he found himself with a masterpiece of celluloid, right?
    Nope! Turns out that the first cut of Star Wars was an incomprehensible mess, and it was up to George’s wife and editor, Marcia Lucas, to swoop in and save the day … again.
    Actually, Marcia was Lucas’ “muse” through the entire production, if by “muse” you mean “person who had all the good ideas.” It was her idea to kill Obi-Wan (apparently George’s first draft had him just disappearing at one point) and demanded that Lucas keep the “For Luck” kiss scene that would snarl the series up in a knotty mess of incest once the third movie was released. But, most importantly, she’s totally responsible for the Battle of Yavin, also known as The Death Star Trench Run scene, also known as The Part at the End of the Movie Where the Good Guys Win.

  129. vereverum says

    @ rq #178
    Thank you for the Etymonline site!
    It’s great, I’ve bookmarked it.

  130. says

    Good morning
    Leaving lots of fluffy hugs for you!

    +++
    Caitie
    Yay for energy!

    +++
    Hello Annie. Nice to meet you!

    +++

    Pending legislation would, among other things, prevent EPA experts in a given field from participating in “advisory activities.”[…] — if a state was doing an investigation into smog, for example, EPA experts who’ve conducted research on smog would be legally barred from offering guidance.

    I’m totally in favour of this, if in return the same applies to Republican politicians’ healthcare. So, when they have a headache, maybe they see an urologist. Their open heart surgery is performed by the orthopedian. For anything related to bloodworks, see the ophtamalogist.

    +++
    being gay vs having sex
    Actually, the idea of a sexual orientation is a pretty new one. Oscar Wilde wouldn’t have thought himself gay. He had sex with men. It was only at the start of the 20th century that gay was something that you were and not something that you do.

    +++
    rq
    I know there are studies out there that show that this benevolent sexism still lowers girls’ self-esteem. I’d probably try and go the “general politeness” route: You’re teaching your kids that politeness is very important and that you don’t want the boys to get the idea that they only have to be polite towards girls.

  131. says

    BTW, Here‘s an interesting article why the upcoming movie about sexual violence in India (the one from which we got that lovely interview) is problematic.

    +++
    Also, do you all remember the attack on the German newspaper shortly after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Well, of course everybody knew it was them ebil muslims who couldn’t stand the cartoons.
    Turns out everybody was wrong. It was some youth who failed to set their school on fire and therefore turned to the next best thing.

  132. says

    I
    Fuck
    How
    My uncle has died.
    My mother just called me to tell me. He’d been visiting my parents just this last Sunday and today my cousin found him dead in his bed. Now my father has to tell my grandma who at 93 has to bury her son. I have no clue how she’s going to deal with that.

  133. opposablethumbs says

    … and girls learn to be considerate too (isn’t that the bit that’s actually important about “politeness” – the fact that you’re showing consideration for someone else’s needs/feelings?) by opening doors for other girls and for boys and hey, how about all the kids opening the door for the school cleaner/janitor/anyone with their hands full. I don’t know what it’s like in this case, of course, but I’ve noticed here that sometimes people like the cleaners have amazing powers of invisibility :-(((((
    (yes I know girls are usually getting an overload of “be helpful” messages, and usually all the wrong ones :-( but because holding doors is always such a go-to icon of gentlemanliness maybe it can simultaneously be used to cast strangeness on what’s expected of girls too)
    Good luck rq! Who knows, maybe the teacher will even be moved to look at their own assumptions :-)
    I do the usual thing – whoever’s nearest the door opens it and goes through, holding it for the convenience of whoever’s approaching it next. Extra consideration for the overburdened and/or infirm.

    Dalillama, I wish I had a good source of oomph – I’d bake some for myself and send you some too.
    Nice nym, Annie! Ongoing good energy wishes to CaitieCat. Salutations to the Horde

    I like Cinnamon for a cat name. And there’s always Sandy … or Citrine? Carnelian? Apricot?

  134. rq says

    Oh, cat names: Rutabaga, Pastinak (means parsnip, but I know you had a cat of that name already, right?).

  135. Beatrice, an amateur cynic looking for a happy thought says

    Giliell, *hugs*

    JAL,
    you’ve got mail

  136. says

    Thanks
    It’s just so surreal.
    And to make matters worse, half an hour ago my sister called me to give me the news.
    I thanked her and told her that our mother had already called me.
    My sister was surprised, because some 10 minutes before, beofre they left to tell our gran, our mother had claimed that I didn’t know anything yet….

  137. carlie says

    Plant names for cats – I was just thinking yesterday that plant hormones would make good cat names.
    Auxin, Gibberello, Jasmon, and Brassino. :)

    Congratulations, Annie!

    I’m sorry, Gilliell. That won’t be easy to manage.

  138. bassmike says

    Tony! great to see you back! I had noticed that you weren’t around. Please accept these *hugs* as a welcome back.

    rq I agree with what others have said regarding the politeness thing. I’ve always been of the opinion that letting a door swing into anyone’s face is rude. As an aside: is anyone aware of a cultural difference on this with regard to people in China? When I was in Hong Kong, locals consistently failed to keep doors open for others and I wondered if this was a cultural thing.

  139. says

    Giliell I’m sorry for your loss. I think I have a spare hug or two around here somewhere if you want it.

  140. says

    Giliell, [hugs] and I’m so sorry.

    Annie, excellent new name choice. ;)

    rq, I open doors for anyone who has their hands full. It freaks people out sometimes, but that’s part of the joy of being helpful, right?

    I don’t know what I’m doing today. Yesterday was going to be a quiet day, but I started sorting paperwork and stuff in my mini-office on the china cabinet and it turned into an all-day project. Maybe I’ll take today off. Or not. There’s so much around here needs to be done…

  141. rq says

    Thanks to all for the suggestions. I hope I phrased it nicely, I basically said to Teacher if it would be possible to remove the focus from let-girls-go-first and the like, and just focus on interpersonal politeness and kindness, as we are trying to teach our children that it’s important to be polite and helpful to anyone, and that it’s actually a lot nicer if they’re all helping each other out rather than differentiating.
    I also added a thank you for her hard work so far this year.
    *sigh*
    Things like this always make me nervous.

  142. pHred says

    Threadrupt – just swinging through to leave a pile of hugs and virtual chocolate. (Take care Giliell)

    I have found that licorice root/slippery elm bark/marshmallow root tea has been working wonders for my throat. It has been killing me at the end of classes lately. And I don’t even like anise flavor – but the tea has been great.

    Ugh. I want the horrible gloomy days to GO AWAY! I want some sunshine!

  143. says

    This is a followup to comments 134 and 183 (Giliell) regarding environmental protections that Republicans in Congress are busy destroying.

    Mitch McConnell advises all states to ignore the EPA.

    […] hold back on the costly process of complying. A better outcome may yet be possible. […]

    McConnell wants to take President Obama’s agenda to reduce carbon pollution to the courts. He wants to have the courts declare it illegal. In the meantime, McConnell wants to see as many delaying tactics as possible.
    Link

    This looks like more of the states-don’t-have-to-follow-federal-laws wrongheadedness.

  144. Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says

    @Giliell:

    I’m so sorry.

    My best to you in a sucky time.

  145. says

    OMG, but not really surprising. Chris Christie’s office is mired in so many scandals … what’s one more.

    This is a followup to comments 43, 92 (birger), and 105. Yes, Governor Christie’s office did push the ridiculously low settlement with Exxon.

    […] when the news came that the state had reached a deal to settle its $8.9 billion claim for about $250 million, the driving force behind the settlement was not the attorney general’s office — it was Gov. Chris Christie’s chief counsel, Christopher S. Porrino, two people familiar with the negotiations said.

    NY Times link

    […] Bradley Campbell, the commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection when the lawsuit was first filed, argues today that Christie’s chief counsel “inserted himself into the case, elbowed aside the attorney general and career employees who had developed and prosecuted the litigation, and cut the deal favorable to Exxon.” […]

    Link

  146. birgerjohansson says

    Lynna, I expect an unmarked truck loaded with dollar bills to drive up to Christie’s next super-PAC….

  147. says

    Yes, Democrats in the House of Congress are still governing.

    In a rare bipartisan vote, the House today approved an Amtrak funding bill that will keep the trains running for another four years …
    The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act passed on a vote of 316 to 101 (132 Republicans joined 184 Democrats in voting for the bill; 101 Republicans voted against). […]

    Just before the bill passed, a GOP amendment to eliminate all federal subsidies for Amtrak failed on a vote of 147 to 272.

    Looks like a new coalition of reasonable Republicans and Democrats may be emerging.
    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/04/390841422/house-approves-amtrak-funding-rewrites-rules-to-allow-furry-riders