This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly.
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Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly.
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
Giliell@477,
Has usually happened to me either when someone phones for my wife and I answer, or from a cold-caller – when we had a landline, her name was in the directory but mine (by my choice) was not. Hasn’t happened, as far as I recall, for the past 9 months, when we’ve been without a landline. In Italy, where we’re currently based most of the time, and which is in most ways a disgustingly sexist culture, women do not take their husband’s name (although they do generally inherit their father’s).
@opposablethumbs, #487:
What? No! I’d never heard of Fishel. This is brilliant! I love it. Will have to listed to more. Thanks, OT!
@Giliell, #500:
Have you ever tried to deliberately fuck up the first sentence?
Sometimes it helps me. I usually don’t recover right away, but if I deliberately write a bad sentence or two, then try to wind it around to writing seriously, that often takes a lot less time than waiting for that perfect first sentence to show up fully formed in my brain.
@Cicely & Caitie Cat:
Thanks! Keep ’em coming, silly or not. One of them is going to strike a chord.
Giliell
Re: the first sentence, I would say write it out as stupid as it is, then keep writing. You will be editting anyway, right? ;) If it gets you started, then just get it down and over with. The brain is trying to trick you into not writing because it is declaring that you need THE PERFECT OPENING SENTENCE RIGHT NOW, when in fact it is just trying to get out of writing.
So yeah, start at grade 3 if you need to, and then upgrade. :) Good luck!
And thanks for the strawberry. YUM. I agree, the Spanish ones were shite this year, but I have to say, the Greek ones have been excellent.
CD
Thanks I may try that. The thing is: you’re starting this whole fuck. This is the very first thing your reader will see about your text and writing style. And you sound like your third grade book report: “This text was written by this person and it’s good. ”
Head->desk.
Really catchy openings are not OK ’cause academia.
BUT I made the new laptop and the old printer talk to each other. That’s something!
Giliell
Just a little bit god then? Maybe a small god?
Crip Dyke, I’m so glad you like it :-)))
I especially like his song about the music industry.
I’ve got several (and a couple of his videos) on my mp3 player, they’re very singable!
bassmike
It explains why rq’s Greek ones were much better: their Pantheon is much more kick-ass.
+++
Well, I got started. That’s something, isn’t it? Tomorrow I’ll write more. For today… well, daycare is still on strike…
bassmike
Barely demigod, actually. Well, the Spanish ones available in Latvia, at least.
Can’t wait for the local-local ones, though. They’re about the only kind of strawberry that I actually like (not a huge strawberry fan, raspberries here!). I guess it fits, as the Latvian pagan pantheon is pretty darn awesome.
Irregular Webcomic http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3381.html
It’s baaack!!!!
Just posting 2-3 times a week, but better than zero.
— — — —
IR. a few episodes on mentions Eta Cassiopeiae, a star much like our own.
.
This reminds me; I have recently read “Lucky Planet”, a book supporting the anthropic principle since the Earth is currently at the edge of habitability in many ways, which is what we would expect if intelligent life is rare.
By “edge” I mean in a relative sense. The Earth can still sustain life for another 600-1000 million years but haqs already used up 4.5 billion years of its “lifespan”.
An example in the book:. A massive moon is good (probably because it can help induce “Milankovic cycles” with frequent ice ages) but is also likely to slow spin until the Earth enters orbital resonance (very bad, axial tilt becomes chaotic).
In fact our arrangement in terms of moon size and other lunar details is one of the least stable options for a wide range of conditions.
If big moons (with conditions that eventually evolve close to orbital resonance) are important for their ability to induce frequent ice ages, you would expect a world with intelligent life to be at the edge, at a sweet spot, with frequent ice ages but just short of getting orbital resonance (wich would create huge axial tilt and make the Earth uninhabitable for most life).
(the author’s assumption is that ice ages shake up evolution and promotes rapid biological innovation)
Tpyo, IR should be IW. Me coffee need.
Let pregnant school girls back into the classroom in Sierra Leone:
The author of this article in The Grauniad is Scott MacMillan, “a senior writer and communications specialist at Brac USA.” BRAC, which now just seems to be a name, formerly stood for “Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee”, and describes itself as “the largest development organization in the world, […o]rganizing the poor using communities’ own human and material resources [and] creating an ecosystem in which the poor have the chance to seize control of their own lives. We do this with a holistic development approach geared toward inclusion, using tools like microfinance, education, healthcare, legal services, community empowerment and more.” (I am not familiar with BRAC.)
I assume the thugs in the UK will be joining the thugs in the USA in rapidly implementing Sierra Leone’s new policy, and also putting BRAC under obtrusive surveillance with a free trip to the Gitmo Bay colony on offer.
At the moment, I believe the situation is unchanged in Sierra Leone; that is, the new law is in effect and presumably being enforced / obeyed, with unquestionably bad results.
Presidential hopeful Ben Carson bases 10% tax plan on biblical tithing. That presumably will not appeal to the thug base, who seem to prefer the current scheme, slightly adjusted: The 1% pay a nil rate of tax and “create jobs”, the 47% pay a 100% rate of tax and are jailed as freeloaders, Blacks in the remaining 52% are shot by the
policegoons, and the remaining serfs pay for everything (medical care, education at all levels, …) and any remaining funds as tax, which is refunded to the 1% and kicked-back to the lawyers and politicians.Someone — apologies to the person who suggested this, but sorry, I don’t recall precisely who at the moment — recently suggested a drink made from Kracken, rum, port, and something else (I forget what). I just tried a mix of Kracken, rum, port, neat, and, well, yuck! (Is, that, enough, commas, or, do, I, need, some, more, commas, ?,),
Different tastes, presumably.
I added some organic apple juice, which made it palatable, but please excuse me if I won’t be trying it again. Nonetheless, THANKS for the suggestion, which was a bit of a rarity as I happened to have all of the ingredients (except the one I cannot now recall) at-hand.
Back with aching feet & legs and pitier kids (66.66% centipede bites rate during three days).
Friday eve, I’ll check on farmers market for soft veggie peppers and Scotch bonnets. The latter can colour into orangish, deep red or purplish brown (the latest is most difficult to find). I’ll aim for ten/twenty seeds each sample each var. CD will tell me how many samples do stand on the list, you can sign up until friday (or later, if by chance there are enough samples).
Now that I remember (I have hundred of seeds and it is about time to plant them), I can also send in Gwozey Peyi (Carribean “Redcurrant”) seeds, whose calyces can be cooked into teas or jellies.
I don’t know if cultivation can resume into harvest in more temperate places, but best is to give a try. Please note that you would have to cross pollinate yourself if you grow them.
CD: I’m going to try send you an email just after this comment.
Kudos to the New York Times. They published an article about a week ago on the exploitation of manicurists and there was been quite some fallout, not only in New York City, but elsewhere in the USA. (I admit to having not watched the story too closely, hence the lack of hyperlinks.) The Grauniad is now reporting Cuomo cracks down on nail salons in move to protect exploited workers:
I assume Faux & Kochroache Bros. will freakout about something (probably several things). In the meantime, lawyers will devise a way of dodging the new regulations, and their pals, the politicians, if they ultimately do bother to draft a law, will ensure it ultimately achieves the main purpose, enriching their pals, the lawyers.
Eye surgery in less than an hour, due at Dr in about 25 min.
I owe CaitieCat and e-mail, I’m just putting that out there.
So…I’ll be back as soon as I’m allowed by my doctor to open my eyes.
Love all and thanks for everyone’s help the last few days.
See you on the other side, CD.
Crip Dyke
*all the thumbs*
Okidemia
Curious… This Caribbean red currant… I’m interested in that (European mailing list), though I’d need some growing/harvesting/using tips.
Colleague has bought cute puppy and brought pics. SQUEEEE!
— — —
(OT) creationists say the damndest things: “Louisiana State Senator Claims Scientists Used to Burn Heretics Who Didn’t Agree with Them” http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/05/08/louisiana-state-senator-claims-scientists-used-to-burn-heretics-who-didnt-agree-with-them/
This looks like a particularly odd form of cognitive dissonance.
See you after, CD, and crossed tentacles for a smooth op!
Could “Dumping the Info” make a good name for a band?
“Prince Shared a Gorgeous New Song in Tribute to Baltimore and Freddie Gray” http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/05/09/prince_shares_baltimore_a_tribute_song_for_the_city_of_freddie_gray_to_be.html
— — — — — —
Last Irish solider to be pardoned for fighting Nazis in WWII dies http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Last-Irish-solider-to-be-pardoned-for-fighting-Nazis-in-WWII-dies.html?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=paid
What the fuck??? They put people in prison for fighting Hitler? What is wrong with Ireland?
— — — — — — —
What makes peaceful neighbours become mass murderers? It’s time to ask uncomfortable questions about the brain mechanisms that allow ‘ordinary’ people to turn violent, says Itzhak Fried. http://www.nature.com/news/what-makes-peaceful-neighbours-become-mass-murderers-1.17504
— — — — —
The first late-night show ever was insane. Why have we never heard of it? http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/television/2015/05/broadway_open_house_1950_the_first_late_night_show_was_insane_and_we_ve.html
Crip Dyke, all appendages crossed for you!
All the best, CD
Special thoughts for CD.
I’m going to have a selfish little rant here:
Yesterday we spent the day with my brother and his family. After I had been there awhile, brother’s girlfriend explains that her kid #1 had a really high fever the night before. OK, this is where normal people might have sympathy for the kid. But me, I’m offended and terrified that they allowed me to play with a sick kid! I get sick really easily, and it usually turns into extra bad stuff (when people around me get colds, I get a ramped-up tonsillitis version). So now I’m sitting here just waiting to keel over. Oh, I want to have more empathy for the kid, but right now I’m too scared to care much. I really wish they understood how awful this is for me (again, empathy failure on my part). [sarcasm] Is it really too much to ask that parents of sick children put my needs first?[/sarcasm]
awakeinmo, I don’t think you are unreasonable. If they’d warned you, you could have made your own decision about how close to get to the kid. [hugs] offered and fingers crossed that you stay healthy.
Speaking of crossed fingers, it looks like we might have fixed the dryer. Husband spent most of Saturday checking various possibilities. It looks like accumulated lint underneath plus, of all things, a wodge of plastic grocery bags in the vent pipe to the patio. Anyway, today one load has dried as it should. I’m anxiously awaiting the completion of the second.
Congressional dunderheads are not yet done with the “pain-capable” abortion bans:
http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/house-will-consider-20-week-abortion-ban-week/
Republicans are also still talking about ways in which they can defund Planned Parenthood, and tactics that will result in curtailing reproductive rights. They are spending some serious time on culture-war issues.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/us/politics/state-legislatures-put-up-flurry-of-roadblocks-to-abortion.html
Giliell, the tastelessness you describe for strawberries sounds very like the problem I’ve had with most store-bought tomatoes; they looked a good game, but had no flavor, together with a sorta mealy texture. Yuck! Do not want!
“They” seem to have gotten around to addressing the problem fairly recently; perhaps “they” will move on to restoring edibility to strawberries next.
–
Crip Dyke: Informotional Publications? (Informative, and meant to facilitate motion?)
(Not germane to the Point At Hand, but Booze Clues Press leaps to mind, for a publisher of tasty tipple tips (though it’s possible that there might be copyright-related issues…).)
(Later)
*tentacles crossed* on behalf of your eyeball/s.
–
birgerjohansson:
What.
The.
Ever.
Lovin’.
Fuck???
–
awakeinmo: What Anne said.
–
Anne, here’s hoping that your dryer is, indeed, healed.
–
Forgotten Wonders of the Digital World: Second Life. The future is already here. Somewhere. Languishing.
The last load is out of the dryer. Success. Now that I know about lint buildup under the dryer, though, I’ll be cleaning under there on a more regular basis.
I’d still like to know how those plastic bags got into the pipe. Some alien nest-builder perhaps?
rq #19:
Can’t tell much as for growing tips: it’s a weed and often turns out as a garden pest (though making a strong come back as a cash crop here, and it is cultivated as monocrop). I’d simply throw seeds out in May/June and get flowers by end of year, and harvest about two/three weeks after the flower is gone.
I guess that it might grow well and fast wherever summertime is continental, as long as watered. The issue is more about how the plant deals with shortening days and in which reproductive state it is at the time. If it is flowering or it did flower early before, then harvest should not be a big deal. If it did not flower yet, I’d think it couldn’t offer any possible harvest.
But predicting it from scratch is difficult, plants resilience to short days/long days is not easily managed.
George Zimmerman has been involved in another shootout.
Link
In other news, Republicans apparently object to healthcare for military dogs.
A bill was proposed to take care of these dogs once they become too old or otherwise infirm to do their job. Republicans neutered the bill.
Link
Lynna
Jenny Trout weighed in on that: Is there a bail fund set up for the person who shot Zimmerman yet? Any kind of financial way we can show our support?
And: I feel like if you run around getting involved in high profile gun-related incidents, people will assume they need to “shoot first.”
I’m dying to know the details of Zimmerman’s 85th example of being an upstanding citizen.
Since so far we know it had to do with road rage, and since George has had a similar incident not in the distant past where he was the aggressor (IIRC, he even followed the other person to their work), I’m guessing this isn’t going to exactly paint him as a model citizen either.
Yeah, how many people can you attack and still claim that YOU were the one standing your ground.
Cicely, let us not forget how the particle physicists demanded the death of Salman Rushdie.
More “I’m not a racist” racism from Georgia:
Link
In a notpology issued later, Nancy Gordeuck, blamed the devil.
Lynna
… And her son ranted at the n*gg*rs via Facebook. So.
It’s all in the family. The devil, too.
More on the shooting incident involving Zimmerman:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/george-zimmerman-lake-mary-shooting
rq @38, thanks for the additional info. I hadn’t seen that. Sheesh.
In other news, Jeb Bush says he would have done the same as W. did in 2003. Yes, Jeb would have invaded Iraq.
Some good news — also, yay for green energy science!
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/11/3657220/solaroad-producing-energy/
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/150510092535171.html
Well, right-wingers have gone a step further: the USA’s morals are no longer like those of Nazi Germany, they are are worse. Yes, worse than the Nazis.
Link
Let’s see how many forms of bigotry and stupidity can be included in one statement by Ann Corcoran, a conservative woman full of hate and misinformation:
Link
The USA plans to allow about 2000 Syrian refugees into the country this year. That’s two thousand out of about 4 million. Ann Corcoran doesn’t want them in her backyard.
“I can say from the standpoint of the Islamic reason for doing this, is that Mohammed told his followers to migrate to create an Islamic state throughout the world, and that’s exactly what they’re doing. Migration is a form of jihad.”
It’s not just in America. Black Canadians face questionable police attention, often for doing nothing more that breathing while black.
http://www.torontolife.com/informer/features/2015/04/21/skin-im-ive-interrogated-police-50-times-im-black/
Questionable is too much of a weasel word for this, isn’t it? Unwarranted is a bit better.
Making birds and salmon the greatest threat to the America.
timgueguen @44: Desmond Cole discussed this recently with Steve Paikin.
I’m sure Ann Corcoran can say how things are “from the standpoint of the Islamic reason”.
She forgot to say that migration is literally a form of jihad.
Saad @46:
Thank you for that. I needed a laugh-out-loud moment.
Monarch butterflies … also jihadists.
Migrating Humboldt squid … jihad via predatory jumbo squid along the Pacific Ocean Shelf.
Migrating sharks … sharknado jihad, one that we could send to Maryland, right? This is what Ann Corcoran needs to make her fantasies come true. An Islamic sharknado to rub diversity in Ann’s nose.
More WTF moments associated with the drought in California:
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/05/08/wal-mart-bottled-water-comes-from-sacramento-municipal-supply/
So my former partner–who was the one who left me, citing a loss of love–said he still loved me and that he’s angry and has a lot of stuff he wants to say, but worries it would be hurtful instead of helpful. My response was to cut off contact with him, with one last email saying he could be the one to re-initiate contact when he was no longer angry.
I feel kind of heartless, but I don’t see how any of that is going to be healthy for me. I’ve got no obligation to subject myself to the anger and apparent wild swings in feeling (“I don’t love you anymore and want to end this”/”I’m still in love with you and outraged over this ending”) of somebody I used to be involved with. :/
TMM,
Heartless? Perish the thought. I believe this comes under “Good Self Care.” I’m with you 1000%
TMM @ 51
I think you did the right thing. HE should know that it’s up to him to make a change. hugz.
Anne and cicely
Thanks.
Also, Anne
Good luck with the dryer.
TMM, you did the right thing. Hugs and tea and cookies offered.
Horde,
I saw my sister-in-law yesterday. The first time since her suicide attempt. Her husband and daughter were present. We went to Grandma’s house for Mother’s Day brunch.
I have never seen anyone look that bad and not be dead. I now know what a zombie would look like if they were real. The entire situation was very tense but thank Maude that mother-in-law was under instruction from me and from her granddaughter to be on her best behavior. That translates as STFU.
I haven’t found out what meds she is taking, but whatever it is, it made her nearly comatose. The woman should not be out of the hospital. Our fucking medical industry won’t cover any more treatment.
I am glad I saw her and hugged her gently and told her we love her. But oh Maude, I am exhausted today. I am glad that my chronic depression is still in hibernation.
Saad & Lynna:
re-migration…you two had me in stitches. Thanks :)
I find myself wondering what Corcoran thinks about Europeans “migrating” to the New World and causing the genocide of Indigenous Peoples.
Or any other example of colonialism for that matter.
****
morgan @55:
Hugs and commiserations. I hope you get some well-deserved rest.
Oh, and you’re good people.
****
Mellow Monkey @51:
As others have said, self-care is important and I don’t think you’re being heartless at all.
As Inspector Gadget used to say-Wowzers! USAmericans spent more money last year on lottery tickets than on books, sporting events, movie tickets, and video games combined.
Before clicking on the link, anyone want to guess at the amount (no cheating by hovering over the link either)?
*hugs* and *higs* to Morgan (just… *hugs* and I hope she realizes the support she has and gets better), and The Mellow Monkey (no, he is not entitled to your time, esp. if the intro is about anger and this possibly not being a good idea – take care of yourself, and six months down the line, when he’s less angry, he can try a different approach and maybe laugh at himself, and even then, he will not be entitled to your time *hugs*).
Speaking of Inspector Gadget, I’ve realized that that show portrays sexism at its finest (possibly in the scientific community?) – at least, the first couple of seasons do, it’s what the boys have been watching, haven’t caught them up to the new seasons yet. But the storyline, every time, is: extremely smart and technologically savvy (and non-sexualized! jeans and t-shirts and sneakers!) young girl figures out plot and saves the day while extracting bumbling middle-aged white man from various situations with trusty canine sidekick; bumbling middle-aged white man gets all the credit and has no clue it isn’t his to take. I sometimes wonder if he really is that unaware, but I’ve been quite impressed with how capable Peggy is in all kinds of situations.
And I have a giant confession to make, pretty much on the scale of I-hate-zombie-movies (I do): I hate superhero movies. And I hate superheroes. I’ve been reading stuff about Age of Ultron and trying to decide if I should see it, and inevitably there’s always a segment about other superhero movies or TV shows, and I have this really odd, visceral, negative reaction to it all. So Daredevil series? Nope. I may give Agents of SHIELD a try, and I will do my best to go into it without any pre-negativized feelings, but… Spiderman movies? Superman? Nope. Ironman? Batman? After all, they’re technologically-based superheroes, not genetically altered people or non-human… But no. No. I think it comes down to hating the idea of saviours. I just have huge trouble identifying with the characters as superheroes (maybe I’ve watched too few superhero movies). I don’t get superheroes.
Annnnyway. This does not in any way alter my opinions of those of you who love superhero movies and TV shows :) and I hope it won’t diminish your opinion of me. Just thought I’d get that out.
(Agent Carter gets a pass because while it’s a superhero universe, the superheroes aren’t the focus of the story – it’s all about kicking ass as humanly as possible. From my perspective. As is all of this. Which I admit, can be and probably is flawed and totally wrong.)
TMM and Morgan,
*hugs*
This sounds mostly cool, though a bit scary too- Jeff Greenwald recounts his trip
crossing the U.S. in an open-air, two-seater plane (excerpt):
Pics available at the link.
rq @58:
As someone holding the polar opposite opinion about superhero movies and tv shows, my opinion of you is not diminished in any way, shape, or form.
‘rupt again. I elected to try to learn the facebooks and be more social, get back in touch with old friends and all that lot. Spent a week staring paralyzed at my computer screen, not talking to anyone. Very depressed now.
*hugs* all ’round, particularly JAL, Azkyroth, TMM, and Morgan.
Will take a runup and try to post again tomorrow sometime.
Good morning
Little one was a bit clingy this morning when I dropped her off at the emergency daycare. And that after she asked me yesterday why I picked her up that early. Well, one more day and then my in-laws will be back and somebody else can have that place.
+++
re: Syrian refugees
Which, of course, causing a world-wide shortage in irony metres because those very people are fleeing from a jihad.
First of all, not all Syrian refugees are muslim. #1’s friend and classmate isn’t. Second, if I wanted people who are very, very opposed to Daesh, I’d try Syrian refugees. If anybody is guaranteed to have a bad opinion of those people, it’s them.
+++
TMM
Your former partner sounds very entitled to me. It seems to me like he expects you to react positively to whatever mood change he is currently having without you getting any say. You don’t have to be his manic pixie girl. You’re doing the right thing.
+++
morgan
Hugs for you and your family
Re Syrian refugees: maybe they should turn the Statue of Liberty round so she has her back turned to the huddled masses escaping to a new world. /sarcasm.
My orchestra has a concert on Sunday afternoon. We have a couple of singers singing show tunes with us. We’re only doing two pieces without them: An American in Paris and a Broadway medley. I think we have the balance slightly wrong. But if we have a sold out concert…I’m in the minority!
bassmike
To make up for the wrong balance, play extra-loud during the pieces with singers. ;)
In all seriousness, a sold-out crowd? Always a good sign. (And yes, it’s a bit painful to notice that it’s always the popular show tunes that bring out the huge crowds, not the heart-stopping, time-changing instrumental pieces. :( The trials of a classical musician.)
I hope it goes well and is a lot of fun for everyone! (And that everybody stays on-key and in-time.)
Local news has a headline, I think from Joan Collins? “Young men don’t want to see women over 40 in movies”. So? WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF US? (I haven’t read the article. I just feel like being outraged just for the headline; I think it’s enough.)
Thanks rq . I’m sure it will be fun in the end. Under our previous conductor we did too many ‘time-changing instrumental’ pieces and alienated a considerable portion for our audience. Now, in most concerts, we have the balance right. This is a one-off concert, but if it’s popular, we may do more. I enjoy shows, but I find the show medleys we’re doing this time a little cheesy. Not enough to attract the MDP, but still!
Another black man found dead, hanging from a tree
This is the second occurrence in two months.
Yep. A black man hanging from a tree in the South. Nothing seems to point to foul play.
Two articles related by subject in The Grauniad:
(1) US taxpayers subsidising world’s biggest fossil fuel companies: “Shell, ExxonMobil and Marathon Petroleum got subsidises granted by politicians who received significant campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry…”.
(2) …FBI violated its own rules while spying on Keystone XL opponents:
“● Houston investigation amounted to ‘substantial non-compliance’ of rules
● Internal memo labels pipeline opponents as ‘environmental extremists’
● FBI failed to get approval before it opened files on protesters in Texas”.
Decided to nap.
Just had a dream where Tony and Obama were visiting the country and I was about to offer our cottage (in Canada) for Obama’s use, as he said he needs a summer home for vacation. Tony was just having a good time. :)
A new Pew poll of religion in America is out. The trend continues of more Americans saying they have no religion, and more of those with no religion calling themselves atheist or agnostics.
Wair, what?
Why does #1 have the rest of the week off and why don’t I know about this?
OK, the latter one is probably explained by #1 being her chaotic self, but why do they turn a holiday on Thursday into a five day break?
Eight hour video of Irish river goes viral. For those who don’t like staring at flames but need something calming. Soooo pretttyyyy…
The Muppets with Josh Groban and Lindsey Stirling. For some overdramatic, melodramatic fun!
rq #19:
Sorry I forgot about uses tips. It is mostly cooked, but I guess it might be possible to find a recipe that turns it into a wonder carmine dye. I always get out of the kitchen with bloody hands when I use it.
I have mostly a single use of it as a refreshing drink. I throw sepals from immature fruits in boiling water (say ca 20 flower remains in a liter). After two minutes I switch off the fire and let it cool down. When at room temp I sweeten and add half a lemon juice. Than I refrigerate it. Beware this is really an addictive drink… :)
You have many other preps, some people prefer light infusions and consumme it warm.
Some more info is coming in on the perpetually armed racist thug Zimmerman’s story.
Oh. You have to filter it before refrigeration step.
Many hugs to TMM and to Morgan. fwiw, I think that you are doing the right thing … come to think of it that kind of applies in both cases – what I meant was, that TMM you are right to be a bit wary and make sure you look after yourself in these circumstances; and Morgan I’m glad you were able to remind your SIL that people care about her – it must be very hard for her and for those trying to offer support too. Wishing you both all the best.
Good luck with the concert, bassmike! Hope it’s fun :-)
Hey, rq! ::just waving, just because:: PS if I get the deadly l’Inspecteur Gadget earworm (it was in France that I heard it a lot) I will blame you.
Giliell 72
I really like that my kids’ school district gives out calendars at the beginning of the school year with the days off marked. It hangs on one of our corkboards and we always know when the kids stay home.
rq @70:
I imagine the right wingers inhabiting the world of your dream would be incensed that Obama would hang out with an atheist, secular humanist, feminist, socially progressive person such as myself.
Tony
He seemed like a really fun guy. (You did, too, but that’s kind of a given. :) )
He lost our
soccerfootball, but we all had a good laugh about it!::looks at the comment from opposablethumbs @ 78 and begins to chortle maniacally::
Inspector Gadget theme song (video)
Go Gadget Go!
Tony @83
Well, I’m glad I’m not the one who stooped so low… Or should I say, ‘shooped so low’?
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo INSPECTOR GADGET!
Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo OO-OOOOOOO!!
All of the kids know it. That, and the theme song to Duck Tales. And they yell at me when I get the words wrong.
Fox Host Downplays Need For Title IX Protections Because Female Athletes Are “Better At Fundraisers.”
Brian Kilmeade: “Girls Are Even Better At Fundraising For The Most Part Than Boys. They’re More Enthusiastic, More Dedicated, And I’ll Be Sexist In Saying That”
Oh, FFS. Yeah, that is sexist.
It was only a matter of time. Right-wingers have decided that Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be President, but because it is likely she will win the office they are laying the groundwork now to claim that she got there through “affirmative action.”
http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/unassailable-virtue-victims_941011.html
A female reporter stands up to DudeBro hecklers:
Salon link
That kind of harassment reminds me of the awful, aren’t-we-badasses stupidity associated with some the frat boy songs that PZ highlighted recently.
Anne:
My guess would be, birds. Birds’ll drag the damnedest stuff up a dryer vent-pipe.
–
birgerjohansson:
*smacking forehead*
D’oh! How could I forget!
If they could’ve made up their minds—burned at the stake? drawn and quartered? dragged to death by wild peas? all of the above???—the poor man would have been a goner for sure.
–
*hugs* for The Mellow Monkey.
I think you did what you had to do.
–
51
Bwahahahaha Tony, you cannot make me click on that link you know. (thank goodness).
Fortunately, too, also, as well, I know two earworm cures: doing anagrams (which works according to QI, though I’ve never tried it yet) and thinking of another tune (I have a couple mentally to hand at the moment, one of which is an odd (? maybe? it certainly sounds atypical to me) bit of Ellington/Strayhorn called the Vulture Song :-) which I heard at two performances recently (Ellington is not normally my thing; eh, of course it was because SonSpawn was playing … ))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmMumJ3tr_c
= link to the Vulture Song, if anyone happens to be curious (this is not the actual performance I heard but a professional recording – the original Ellington, if I understand correctly – though I promise what we heard (played by undergraduate conservatoire students) sounded very close to identical (they were playing for the Duke Ellington Society UK, and the whole thing was an exercise in reproducing the period execution as authentically as possible). The singer sounded different, of course, as it was a different voice. And the tempo was a shade faster, but other than that it was just like this. I really liked it, much more than the more typical (?) pieces.
*hugs* for Morgan!?
I’m so sorry about your SIL and her condition. Perhaps they can/will adjust her meds?
*moar hugs*
–
Tony!:
*blank-eyed stare*
Besides, 1) , and 2) .
–
rq, if I can deal with your Horse-loving ways, your superhero-hating ways can not diminish you in my esteem.
:D
–
*hugs* for Dalillama.
Social stuff is hard.
–
Saad:
Nope; nothing to see here, just move along, citizens….
–
The migratory-jihadist birds are going to bring down Western Civilization by blocking up all our dryer vents, thus back-flushing lint into our homes and lungs, causing an increase in respiratory ailments.
Yes, folks—Their sinister plan is to drown us all in our own snot.
–
Lynna @86:
Reminds me of something my ex (who refused to vote) said after Obama was elected the first time. “They only elected him to prove to themselves that they aren’t racist.”
Oh, Texas, you have legislators who are making you look like vindictive, bigoted asshats … again.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/anti-gay-measure-set-to-pass-in-texas-house
The mildly deranged penguin approves — no cheese-eating
scumsnot — but suggests more screams. She refuses to disclose the source of the plastic bags, but does point out they don’t eat cheese, albeit the lintsphyxiated longpigs did.A small but pleasant breath of air:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/12/america-less-christian-percentage-non-believers-grows
Ah. I see. I will raise the penguin alert status to bright red forthwith.
Yer still using merely audible alerts? That’s so BCE, it’s BBB…BBCE the protoplanet’s work stoppage (strike). Back then, the dinosaurs were still waiting in the departures bar, drinking Galactic GargleBletches (the earliest known incantation of the Pan-Galactic GargleBlaster, rumored to be only as lethal as horse stuffed with zucchini). Even the peas were waiting for a Universe to be worth terrorizing.
blf, blf, tch tch tch… [shakes head]. How twenty-first century of you. Who said anything about audible alerts? After all, we don’t want the penguins to hear. We wouldn’t want
them to know we’re on to their fiendish plansto hurt their feelings, now would we?My left eye is open!
And ouch!
And, tired.
Okay that’s enough for now. Going back to bed.
all the love to everyone, spread around as needed.
Yay CripDyke!
*hugs* Dalillama and Morgan
TMM, ex forfeited any right to “make” you listen to them when they so abruptly broke up. They might “need” to talk to you, but that doesn’t mean you “need” to give them a platform and pay attention. This is a simple case of TOUGH COOKIES.
Crip Dyke, hugs and comforting foods/drinks of your choice offered.
Good going CD. It gets better with time. Too slow, in my case, with two steps forward, and one back. Stepping forward at the moment. But who knows what tomorrow brings?
This could be trouble. I got a few hours of sleep, and then woke up at 2am local time (which was 7pm Minnesota time). I’m wide awake. I’m giving a morning plenary talk in a few hours, which will probably be about the time I start crashing, and then I have to stay conscious through the day.
There will be coffee in my future. Lots and lots of coffee. Then I will pay dearly for it tonight.
Here’s what happens when Bronies and unfunny right-wing political cartoons collide.
Just to be clear, this was not near us. Though my wife will probably have a hell of time getting to work in the morning, since our regional rail trains run on some of the same tracks as the Amtrak ones.
“Just to be clear”? What kind of ridiculous intro was that? “Just to inform you” would have been better.
CD
How many fingers am I holding up?
….
PZ
How many fingers am I holding up?
Crip Dyke,
I’m glad the surgery went well!
So does anyone else here live in the Houston area? If so is your residence currently flooding like mine is? The water’s up to my ankles inside my apartment, outside it’s got another foot to go before it starts coming through the window, and the rain shows no signs of stopping.
This is gonna be a long night.
Crip Dyke:
Glad to hear the surgery went well. Hope you recover swiftly.
****
ajb47 @105:
My heart goes out to the family and friends of everyone affected by that crash and I hope investigators will discover the cause as soon as possible.
****
samihawkins @109:
Crap. That sounds awful. I hope you and your family are able to remain safe. Hopefully the rain will cease or diminish significantly before it comes through the window.
samihawkins
*hugs**air mattress*
*water pump*
sympathy
Everyone, Mad Max will probably be an amazing movie. Because they (didn’t) say so. ;)
Also, this kitchen slave is just not impressed. Not.
Eh, don’t worry about me. There’s no real danger, even if it rains all night it won’t be high enough to do me harm. My family are safe as far as I know, I called mom when this first started and she seemed more annoyed at being woken up than worried about the water. I moved my PC, TV, and other stuff I care about to high spots in the apartment before it got really bad. I still got power and internet, which is just shocking to me considering they usually go out any time there’s lightning. My car is ruined, but it was a POS dodge that I needed to replace anyway. I’ve also been wanting to get a new apartment so this is the perfect excuse for that. No way could I get to sleep with this going on, I’m an insomniac under normal conditions much less this, so if the power/internet holds out I’m just gonna spend the night infront of my computer.
Alright that’s the last of my ranting. I’ll report back if something interesting happens, but now that I’ve gotten all this off my chest I should be fine.
rq,
Cool. I was afraid Mad Max would strengthen the trope of “white man to the rescue” instead of subvert it, but maybe I got the trailer wrong.
(It looked like the women were strong and awesome, but of course, not strong and awesome enough to get by without whatevershisname who starts off chained to a car.)
ajb47
Glad you’re okay, and my condolences to the families of those who died in that crash. I hope recovery and repair and all else will proceed quickly.
Crip Dyke
So, having one good eye, pick up this pencil! Then touch this dot! And here’s to a quick return of both eyes and depth perception. Have a good rest!! ♥
samihawkins
I’d send you a helicopter but I’m all out, sorry. :( I hope the water stays out from the windows, at least – and yeah, here’s another stack of pumps and air mattresses! (Hope nothing valuable (emotionally or otherwise) is irreparably damaged.)
seconding all the well wishes for you, samihawkins. Take care
samihawkins (and everyone)
Good thing PZ is away.
We all know how he hates that ‘guy on the roof in a flood’ thing.
Stay safe samihawkins . I hope the rain has subsided.
CD it’s good to hear from you. I hope everything continues to improve and with as little pain as possible.
Good morning PZ ! (Just taking the opportunity while you’re in roughly the same time zone.)
Yay, CD! Sorry for the pain, hope that is short-lived and that you are soon fully binocular again.
Stinging nettles are called ‘stinging nettles’ for a reason.
And I was wearing gloves.
Ah well, traditional folk… wisdom… has it that it’s good for the skin. Princess hands for me! HA hahahahahahaha ha ha hah hah haaa…
Yay! CD
rq
There’s one sort which, when in bloom, doesn’t sting. And you can take the flowers and suckle the nectar out of it, which is very sweet and was one of the trats my grandpa introduced me to as a child.
+++
Also: gnarf. I got a bit more than half a page written and I can be glad if I make it to two pages today because family.
Giliell
Yes, I know that kind, too. Ripped up some of that from around the roses. But we had a patch of the nasty stinging stuff, complete with intricate, networked root system, that I want to eradicate from the more trafficked bits of the yard before shorts-and-bare-feet season is upon us. I just didn’t know if could sting right through gloves, too…
rq how can getting stung be considered good for your hands? What kind of twisted folk wisdom is that?
Giliell at least you made it past the first sentence! I don’t know how you fit everything in.
bassmike
Something something well SOMEbody has to get that stuff out of the garden? I don’t know, honestly. :P It massages your nerve endings.
When I was a kid a friend of mine slipped and rolled down a hill entirely covered in nettles. He must have lovely skin now!
bassmike
I just bet he does, smooth as silk!!
+++
My sister always said, it’s the soundtrack that makes a scene. Heh.
PZ, the Germans used something called “panzerskokolade” to deal with lack of sleep….
— — — — — —
Which reminds me: “Researchers discover how cocaine, amphetamines disrupt the brain’s normal functioning” http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-05-cocaine-amphetamines-disrupt-brain-functioning.html
— — — — — —
LightSail team prepares for tests of mylar space wonder http://phys.org/news/2015-05-lightsail-team-mylar-space.html YEHAAAAA!!!!! I have been waiting for this since the seventies.
— — — — —
Tweaking the beak: Retracing the bird’s beak to its dinosaur origins, in the laboratory http://phys.org/news/2015-05-tweaking-beak-retracing-bird-dinosaur.html
Imagine a bigger, smarter flightless Kea parrot, with a beak full of teeth .
The truth is out there http://satwcomic.com/the-truth-is-out-there
The Reptilians, the Greys and the Nordic!
I really hate those commercials or PSAs that show a day in the life of [white young man], and they go through all of his accessories: football, backpack, girlfriend… *sigh*
birgerjohansson
I get the feeling that panzerschokolade wasn’t really chocolate…
rq, #129
This is a must watch for you then. Two rich white men deciding to meet up in their Porsche Macans after work to go jet skiing.
I remember literally laughing at the absurd opening of the video.
Oops, didn’t mean to link that to start 52 seconds into the video. Scroll to the beginning.
CD Best wishes for a fast recovery.
samihawkins Say safe, and sorry about the mess.
Good lord. Child 2 has been having some more problems in school, and the guidance counselor thinks it might be useful to set up a behavior plan for him. Great, this is what we knew all along, that once he was off services he could always go back if needed. EXCEPT, they say now that his diagnosis is “too old”, and that he needs a new one to get back on a plan. Because autism magically goes away as you age? Really? It has to be a “current diagnosis”. I’ll try talking with the person who was his counselor until last year to see if that would work, but otherwise we’re talking about a huge ordeal of testing again, which might be a big blow to him since he thinks he’s doing much better. UGH.
carlie
Ugh, *hugs*
carlie, hugs and I hope you can get things sorted out quickly.
blf:
The MDP always recommends more screams.
The Horses don’t eat cheese.
Just sayin’.
Indeed. Anguished, gurgling, congested screams.
–
Anne:
Soon, we will all be at Code Milky-Green.
–
Speedy recovery, Crip Dyke!
–
samihawkins
*lifeboat*
I hope you and yours weather the storm as intactly as possible.
–
birgerjohansson:
So, whaduya think, fellow-gamers? 2d4 bite damage?
–
*hugs* for carlie; May reason and good sense prevail.
Yeah, I know—the world doesn’t exactly run on reason and good sense; but, still….
–
Argh, carlie! Shit, I so sympathise with this – we’ve been going through what feels like an endless merry-go-round of assessments assessments assessments with as yet nothing to show for it in terms of actual godsdamn concrete support ffs.
I really hope there’s a way round it for you, and that #2 doesn’t have to go back on the testing treadmill :-(
I mean, I get that it’s necessary and can be helpful to have assessments and for them to be updated sometimes – I just wish the seemingly endless stream of different services (divided here by borough, by age-of-person-concerned, by health-service-vs-education-service) could and would bloody well talk to each other more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even the people working in them seem to get confused as to which umbrella a given need should come under.
My fingers shall remain xd for you and #2; it’s just so !?!??!?!?!?! when things knock a child back, when child is often making this huge effort to deal.
carlie
Hugz.
carlie @134:
Hugs.
Hopefully Child 2 doesn’t have to go through another round of tests.
****
Hey cat lovers!
A little gray cat takes action to prevent her human from playing the accordion in her presence (video).
****
For octopus lovers-
Curious octopus plays an impromptu game of ‘hide and seek’ with an underwater photographer (video).
The mildly deranged penguin? Well, Ok, she’s better dressed that a parrot, and as the BBC revealed, isn’t flightless, and I’ve no idea how big a Kea is or whether or not Keas eat cheese, and she certainly doesn’t need any imagining (especially when she is racing up the stairs and then on up the wall and then gilding down the stairwell all the while playing what is either Bohemian Rhapsody or Mac the Knife on a bombarde, and, of course, screaming). Certainly the beak has teeth. So the quoted description is mostly spot-on.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/amtrak-budget-house-panel-crash-117904.html
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/2016ers-react-amtrak-derailment
Tasteless, clueless jerk:
Lynna, #143
I read your blockquote before clicking on the link and just a few words into it I knew exactly who it was.
LOL… “I know how to build”
“I know how to build”
If it’s about building stuff, my one-year old niece is pretty amazing with a jumbo LEGO set. You’ve got tough competition, Donald.
Speaking of Mack the Knife (spelled correctly this time), it occurred to me I’d never fully grasped the lyrics of that song. After consulting Ye Pfffft! of All Knowledge on the song, I found this rendition, Kurt Weill: Mack the Knife — Baritone, harmonium, Pleyel piano. The singer (George Spitzer) is obviously skilled, but what makes it stand out (for me) is his enunciation — I can actually understand what is being said / sung, and get a vastly better idea what the song is actually about.
Question for anyone:
How do I make use of donotlink when blogging?
Tony, #147
I think you’d just go to the donotlink site and enter the URL and it will give you the donotlink version of the address to use. I’m not sure if there’s a different way to do it for blogs, but that’s how I’ve used it.
Just saw this at Ophelia’s today. I did not know about this being a thing either. But what a disturbing activity. Misogynists never cease to disgust me.
Both eyes now open.
Hard to loo at the screen, but since I touch type, I can navigate with blinks then add comments with eyes closed.
Unfortuantely, that means I can’t actually **read** much. Did a search for ce and for crop to make sure I was getting your messages, but I can’t catch up on the thread yet. Things are getting better. I’m not relentlessly tired for no good reason 24 hours a day. I’ts dows to 19. I’m told that is about to get dramatically better, like in the next day or 2 I’ll be on my regular schedule.
Had a small complication with incompatibility with the special contact lens they use to protect the healing areas after the surgery. The actual healing was going fine, but the lens was causing other problems. So now it’s out and I have to double-triple-pinkie promise not to rub my eye. Which I did. And then rubbed my eye thoughtlessly because the damn thing itches. Sigh.
In any case, my above-average pain response to this particular surgery seems to be related to the lens, and haven it gone means I might be down to reasonable pain levels in 24 hours as well.
After that, it’s just waiting for the light sensitivity to ge low enough to read again.
I wish I could say I’m taking advantage of my incapacity, but since it’s my eyes, I can’t even kick back with a good book.
Any way, more love, thanks for the support, and see you all soon.
…………
Oh, and what do people think about Border Crossing Press?
Another thought, but I don’t like it quite as much, is “Press Up”.
Good to see you with both eyes, CD, but sorry you’re in so much discomfort :-(((((
If you have books on download, you should be able to get a program that will read it for you, if it isn’t already built into Kindle, iBooks, etc.
Crip Dyke, glad to hear you’ve got both eyes openable!
Goggles, maybe? As a barrier to unthinking rubbing?
–
CD, both eyes open is a good thing :)
May I ask what procedure you had done?
CD, I have been known to refer to myself as an immigrant to womanhood; one of my former blogs was “twice_immigrant”. Twice Immigrant Press is rather nice too, come to think of it. Glad to hear you’re improving rapidly. :)
Also, Fuck. Cancer.
The best goalie I ever played with, Susan, died Monday from lung cancer in Toronto. She was brilliant, tall and strong, commanding in her area, and a lovely, highly intelligent, and well-read woman off the field, patron of the lesbian theatre, mother of two grown children, Nana to three grandchildren. It’s gutting to know she’s died, though not at all surprising or unexpected, as she was at home from the hospice for the purpose. FUCK CANCER. fuck.
In other exciting (read: terrifying) news, my disability hearing is tomorrow. Basically, one hour of questioning by my lawyer, and then a single person decides whether or not I get it.
Monkey Dance Iron Dancer Challenge!
Now to go blow up some pixelpeople in various inventive ways to make all kinds of play money, as a sort of poor woman’s therapy (Grand Theft Auto Online; no actual people will be harmed, well maybe Chris is he’s a jerk, but only his avatar will be sieve-ilized).
Oh – and is anyone else playing SimCity BuildIt? I’d love to add a friend or two in the game.
*hugs*, *higs*, and a big steaming cup of bosons to all as needs ’em, including (but not limited to) from memory Jackie, Morgan, TMM, carlie, o’thumbs, Giliell, rq‘s poor stung hands, and JAL/DL in poor-person solidarity. And I’ve probably missed a few in there, please accept my apologies for not having a better memory, but it’s the meds, see, they mess with my head. :/
Terrorist attack on Shias on bus in Karachi kills 43
Most of my family is in Karachi. This is so scary and depressing. Random violence isn’t a rare thing there, but terrorist attacks like these usually stayed more in the north.
There are several terrorist groups active in Pakistan, but this is the first time I’m hearing of Jundallah. What’s even scarier is that apparently they left pamphlets behind that declared their support of ISIL. This is pure hate. The Agha Khanis are some of the most peaceful and progressive people in Pakistan. They can’t even pretend to claim some sort of retaliation against the government here.
Yay for useless corrupt theocratic governments. All these terrorist groups definitely have some influence on the government. No way would a country with a capable military like Pakistan would let a bunch of terrorist groups exist within its borders and massacre its citizens on a regular basis.
Saad, would you be willing to e-mail me to discuss some private stuff about my daughter? If you would, get me on cavebabe the bolded parts 21@gmail of this .com sentence. Thanks.
Pteryxx, I got your e-mail, just had a big pile of stuff on my mind this week with the hearing coming up. After it’s over, I should be in a better space to get back to things. :)
*hugs*
sorry, I’m a bit ‘rupt
Cops behaving like asshats, again:
Yes, there is video. Without the video, no justice.
http://www.kmov.com/story/29048813/authorities-investigating-after-video-shows-alton-officer-macing-teens-in-handcuffs
Republicans may not be in charge of their own debate process during the selection process for a presidential candidate:
Seriously? Seriously.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/us/politics/gop-seeks-strategy-for-debates-amid-expanding-candidate-list.html
Rightwingers have pushed their latest conspiracy theory so hard that they now have 1/3 of Republicans believing that President Obama wants to use the U.S. military to take over Texas.
Link
Half of all Tea Party supporters believe the conspiracy theory described in comment #161.
This is so funny.
Fiendishly clever to limit it to living presidents. Respect to whomever came up with that question. I wish I could see the Republicans squirm.
CaitieCat, #157
Sure thing. :)
Cue their theme music.
White people upset over having privilege and college misbehavior questioned by sociology professor
Nerd, #164
Good to know that doesn’t only happen to my links. I’m afraid your link is going to a ‘not found’ FTB page.
Saad, my copypasta is sometimes borked. my #164
Should have been to a U-tube video of the Twilight Zone theme.
My fault for not previewing (which wasn’t working last night).
This is the most bizarre news I’ve read in a few days.
On an unrelated note as a bit of venting, I found out about this from my dad. Upon hearing that I hadn’t heard this yet, he mocked me by saying “Oh that’s right, you only worry about the Taliban news”, clearly referring to the bus massacre in Karachi that just happened (even though I hadn’t even spoken to him about it yet!). Just some of the moderate Sunni indifference to anti-Shia violence that I have to put up with. Pisses me off so much.
Ah, back to the old “this is where I put this”, but from the description, no in la casa.
In this case, for a roast duck. Must have a piece of equipment I’ve never seen, so I don’t know what it looks like.
Saad:
My sympathies regarding the terrorist attack. Likewise for how your father treated you.
Minor details that make hunting for items easier. I did find the SS roaster pan and “x” stand for it like she said. Nope, no stainless steel pan in that cupboard matched that description. But there was a BOX that said 5 piece roaster set….
“oh, I never took it out of the box”.
At least I don’t have to use it to cook her dinner (probably a small lasagna nuked from the freezer, with a glass of red wine…with a straw).
Chigau @ 130, the USAAF used the same stuff for aircrew doing long-range missions*
There is a Jack Reacher novel about it.
*Imagine a flightcrew with a nuclear bomb being stoned out of their minds.
— — — — —
Conga rats for Crip Dyke (but do you have the Evil Eye?? ).
— — — — —
Monsters vs. the middle class http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=3724
Can we make bio-history a thing? Can we? Pleaaase! http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=3727
CaitieCat @155:
I’m sorry to hear about your friend Susan.
Also, good luck tomorrow with your hearing. Fingers crossed.
****
Tangentially related to the subject of cancer-
The identity of the new female Thor has been revealed.
(while I won’t reveal who it is, I should add some mild spoilers, so…)
Mild Spoilers Ahead:
She’s a supporting cast member of Thor Odinson’s book, and she was recently diagnosed with cancer. In a twist on Thor Odinson’s secret identity of Donald Blake back in the 60s, when she transforms from Thor to her human form, her cancer worsens. I’ve read enough by writer Jason Aaron to trust that he will handle the subject appropriately.
Incidentally, since the new Thor debuted, the book has seen higher sales than it did when Thor Odinson was the title character. Take that misogynists, supporters of the status quo, and diversity whiners!
Here is Jason Aaron discussing the reveal of the new Thor’s secret identity and touching on the tragic nature of her transformation from god to human.
CaitieCat:
*hugs*
Fuck cancer.
An “immigrant to womanhood”. I like it!
:)
Continuing to *cross all tentacles* for your hearing, tomorrow.
–
*hugs, or other-and-acceptable gestures of solidarity and support* for Saad, with a hope for the safety of your family, friends, acquaintances, people vaguely associated with you, people…yeah.
The safety of people.
A wish for sanity and peace.
–
Thanks, and hugs for all.
I’ve seen this kind of thing before, but the more the merrier: women in art dropping polite hints.
Fuck.
At least 45 people dead, 26 missing in slipper factory fire in the Philippines.
carlie
Thank you for that link.
Tony!
oh, goody
I just bought some cheap croc-knock-offs.
:( :(
7AM is not the time you want to hear “Mum, there’s a funny lump on my head right here” (and no, you can’t just say, “Oh, that’s your nose, honey!”).
It was a TICK. Scramble for a local doctor that is awake and practising before 8AM (yay). Then got some mixed news: we could send it in for testing, but it would be pointless because (a) Eldest is vaccinated against encephalitis and (b) they don’t have a test for Lyme disease anyway. (Yes, we have incredibly infectious ticks here – the encephalitis vaccine, while not covered by state health, is a pretty routine thing.)
Now it’s watch-and-wait. *siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh* And I was starting to feel all better n everything.
And it’s not the stinging nettles making me feel itchy all over this morning. :(
Tony! 177
Plus ca change…
Liberians breathe a sigh of relief as country declared ‘Ebola-free’.
My basement is Ebola-free.
There is other stuff down there….
Does anyone here know how to get rid of Adblocker Manager? I’ve checked for it in Firefox’s Add-On menu and Control Panel, but it’s not there.
Indonesian military insists on virginity tests to determine ‘naughty’ female recruits is quite important for …turn[ing] back migrant boat with more than 500 on board: “Boat full of Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis given fuel and provisions and told they are not welcome”. (Actually, it was Malysia which turned back the boat, not Indonesia.)
That second link, on the migrant boat, is distressing. Apparently there are a number of ships full of migrants (often, as per above, Rohingya Muslims (from Myanmar)) holding them hostage until they / their families can pay a ransom, after which they are returned to land (often(?) Thailand); what then happens I do not know. The Rohingya Muslims are “officially” stateless — Myanmar denies them citizenship — so I assume whatever does happen is not good…
The Thais are cracking down on the people smugglers and arresting them. As a result, the captains / crews of those ships are, apparently, now starting to abandon the ships, leaving the captives / hostages to fend for themselves. To-date, despite pleas from the UN for Thailand and other countries in the area to act, there has been a suspicious lack of sightings and no rescues.
Slightly ‘rupt
I need an office.
Really.
+++
*hugs* for carlie
+++
Privilege burn
A glimpse into the mind of the well-meaning, very privileged person, aka Mr
I don’t remember what exactly prompted my response, but I mentioned “well, that’s because you belong to the group of people who has been considered a person since the end of feudalism”
He: “Huh?”
Me: “Well, when you think of the Enlightenment, 1848 Revolution, all that jazz, when they said “human rights”, they were never talking about women, PoC or gay people.”
He: “They weren’t? But I always thought that this was universal, like universal human rights!”
Me: “Well, that’s what they want to make you believe.”
Then we mentioned a few laws that were (and are) in existence during our lifetimes that clearly divide humans into people (straight white cis guys) and everybody else, and even though he knew them, it never made him realise…
The good thing_ he is willing to learn.
CaitieCat I’m so sorry about your friend. It’s horrible. Many {{{hugs}}} if acceptable.
ugh, rq. Hope nothing comes of that tick or any of its small friends and relations, for any of you.
Yikes, rq! How big was the tick? If it was on for less than 24 hours, chance of any transmission is very low.
Hugs to all in need.
Just paid my tax bill for 2014. If anybody is interested here is how my tax Euro is spent here in Spain.
40% Pensions and other social benefits
14% Health
9% Education
9% Infrastructure, agricultura, energy etc.
8% General public services, institutions and development aid
7% Interests
5% Public order and security
3% Culture, sport etc.
2% Environment
2% Defence
1% Housing and community services
Following-up me@185, The New York Times published an editorial, The Rohingya Refugees, Adrift on SE Asia’s all-but-explicit refusal to assist the multiple thousands of people abandoned on ships:
When the mildly deranged penguin wakes up, after providing her with an N-dimensional map to the exit (or nearest wall, about the same thing as far as she is concerned), a collection of gourmet tips and ballistic missile launches to the cheese shops is suggested.
carlie
It was a reasonably fresh tick, but it took the doctor two tries to get it out, and they can start puking when disturbed. And then it turned out that she left a piece of the mandible in by accident, so Eldest’s school nurse took the rest out sometime in the afternoon. So I just don’t know. :( Right now he’s being his usual cranky after-school self, but it’ll be a few days before I calm down. :)
*hugs* to CaitieCat, as squeezy as desired!
Caitie
*hugs*
My aunt is in for another round of chemo, but thankfully the tumor is limited to the original location and has not spread to other body parts. That’s what’s counting for good news these days.
+++
On the bad news side: Today somebody stole #1’s plushies on the playground. Fuck assholes. Fuck asshole parents.
+++
On the annoyed side: Yesterday we visited my other gran. When I hear my 93 year old gran being so sorry for my poor mother, I could puke. (Gran doesn’t know that the problem is that mum is an enthusiastic alcoholic)
Cancer news is bad in my corner of the forest too. Friend’s mobility is currently badly fucked (possibly due to growth pressing on nerves) and digestive system impaired.
I just want to send her things that are interesting/beautiful/funny – I sent her one or two wierd-and-wonderful links thanks to people here, now I come to think of it – so thank you Tony! (for the high-diving giraffes) and I’m always on the lookout for anything curious/intriguing/fun/probably not too taxing; any and all suggestions gratefully received.
Oooh, shiny!
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/05/beautiful-abstract-bird-plumage-photographs-by-thomas-lohr/
(Not going to try to make it pretty, because I just spent too long trying that and then somehow closed that tab, argh.)
On the latest set of N.Korean executions — which have not yet been confirmed — an analysis in The Grauniad yesterday (Purges and political manoeuvres: how volatile is Kim Jong-un?) points out “the most likely explanation for Hyon’s death is an insecure Kim attempting to exert his power and authority: ‘ultimately, this is not the sign of a man confident in his job’ [said Michael Madden, writing for the BBC].”
Today, reflecting the extreme lack of clarity about what has happened or is happening in N.Korea, The Grauniad reports South Koreans row back over North Korea anti-aircraft gun execution claim:
It is perhaps worth pointing out that whilst the alleged purge / execution happened at the end of last month, it wasn’t until Wednesday-ish that the S.Korean NIS reported it (with the reports then being passed on indirectly in an obviously error-prone process). Hence, it’s not too surprising there hasn’t been much coverage.
Hugs and a hearty “Fuck cancer” offered to opposablethumbs, CaitieCat, and anyone else I may have missed.
The school principal from Georgia who thinks she’s not racist because she didn’t use the “n” word has been fired.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/05/10/apologetic-georgia-principal-blames-the-devil-for-racist-remark-at-graduation-ceremony/
Mitchell and Webb are so awesome.
Such a good point. Jesus gets called out for “inherent racism”.
Thank you Anne !- I snagged a couple of those feather photos, in fact; they’re lovely :-)
In other news from our beloved and not at all racist southern states, Jeremiah Heaton, a mining executive, planted a homemade flag on some land in Africa and, well, claimed it.
Washington Post link
There’s more:
Daily Kos link
There’s a photo of this asshat at the link. I admire his love for his daughter and I am disgusted by his cluelessness.
Art news, or money news, or Fox News pathetic awfulness news?
Christie’s Auction House sold Pablo Picasso’s “Les Femmes D’Alger” for $179.4 million. Fox News covered the story by covering the breasts in the painting. Well, they didn’t actually cover the breasts, they just blurred parts of the painting. This is proof that right-wingers can recognize a breast no matter where or how it is represented in art.
This is also proof that Fox News is deeply bizarre. Fox News is indecent. No nipples for you.
Link
Photos and screen grabs at the link.
Lynna
I read about the ‘founding’ of the ‘Kingdom of North Sudan’ a while ago – I did not know Disney was making a movie about it. What. Absolute. Shit.
As if there are no actual Sudanese princesses (or those from the area historically within the borders of what is now Sudan) about whom to make a good movie. Or not even a princess, just an ordinary girl living an extraordinary life in Sudan, right now. But alas, I suppose the darker the skin, the more invisibility you have.
Fuck that family. I’m glad he loves his daughter enough to make her a real-life princess, but it just screams so much ENTITLEMENT and the cost is way too high.
I hope the girl’s consciousness is raised very soon and that she gains enough social awareness to… abdicate, I suppose. :/
Anyway.
Lynna
Also, he’s ready to go to the ends of the earth to grant his children’s wishes – okay, (a) why not some remote location in, say, Alaska? and (b) what happens when his daughter says, ‘Bring Kitty back to life, daddy! I don’t like that she’s dead!’?
(Because being a princess is just about owning some land, not actually governing or doing any of that hard, difficult shit with sorting out problems, issues and participating in the international community.)
Sorry. I’m feeling (disproportionately?) pissed off about that article.
Update on politicians trying to give money to Ken Ham:
http://www.salon.com/2015/05/14/louisiana_gop_bill_could_provide_millions_in_public_incentives_for_religious_theme_parks/
Well, fuck cancer, fuck princesses, fuck Disney, fuck everything.
I guess I’m over there in the pillow fort.
I guess I’m not in a good place at the moment, with everything being a bit much.
I mean, I should be really ok with what I got done this week, right? I started writing on Monday and I finished the theory part today, about 10-12% of the whole fucking thing, and probably the hardest part, ok?
But do I feel good about it? Nope.
So I’m over there with all the chocolate.
more *hugs* for everyone
Giliell,
I don’t think you got all the chocolate as I have some right here on my table. You can have that one too.
I have banana bread.
Fresh out of the oven.
Anyone want some?
Giliell, I just bought some chocolate today, and I have fresh hot tea. Here you go.
chigau – I just made banana bread too!
Now let us carefully put the chocolate on top of the banananana bread and the evening might be salvagable
MMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm… I’m just going to grab a tiny slice while contributing some of this Oreo cheesecake (Oreo.Cheese.Cake.).
I feel like all the recent inability to cope (smashing the crockery, not wanting hugs, etc.) is a prelude to something much bigger that could be diverted… somehow… but I’m not sure how, right now, because all the way that would seem like they would work? Are pretty much unavailable for one reason or another.
And while taking a weekend out in the country during apple blossom season (it should be this weekend!) seems like a really good idea, I can’t tell if it is. But staying at home on my own just means I’m going to go to work and face the shitstorm that’s brewing there, too.
Okay, back to the cake(s). Sorry for taking up so much space here. I really wish I was contributing better here, but I can’t even seem to do that. Please know that I have only the very best wishes and all the sympathies for everyone here (please apply as appropriate – you too, Giliell).
Anyway. C’est la vie, I suppose, and that’s enough for now.
CAKE.
Sorry, that was rather bad timing with regard to leaving that comment right here right now.
Sorry.
@Tony!, #182:
Librarians breathe sigh of relieve as buildings declared E. Zola free.
*A delivery person staggers toward the door of the Lounge dragging an enormous box*
*Knock knock*
Doorkeeper: Yes?
Delivery Person: Delivery for Teh Horde.
Doorkeeper: What is it?
Delivery Person: Label says “abundant hugs, distribute liberally.”
Doorkeeper: Yes! Just leave it in the middle of the room. Thanks.
Delivery Person: Just sign here, ma’am.
Doorkeeper: Okay. Can I give you a hug?
Delivery Person: *grins* Yeah, sure.
Hearing went unexpectedly well. More later, collapsing now.
Yay, Caitie
rq
Exactly that!
I know that for me this “being at home all day” is really not good, but that’S the way things are at the moment.
I will get my break next week. I’ll drive up to Cologne for a short meet up with PZ. If he’s coming all the way over ye olde pond I can drive for three hours, right?
Giliell
You’ll have to extend greetings from this EuroPharyngulite.
Cait
Yay, and I hope it results in positive things for you, too. Preferably financially positive.
From this one too.
Warm-blooded fish discovered. A fish. Warming its own blood. Huh. Probably growing a brain and plotting our demise, too.
Yay, CaitieCat! I hope you get a good result.
rq, I’m sorry things sound like they are so piled up right now. Have some hugs? Looks like we just got a fresh delivery … and maybe a nice cup of tea, too.
A.N. Other EuroPharyngulite.
Caitie,
Conga rats on the good outcome. Hugs. Get some rest.
rq, I advise breaking out the sledge hammer. And opah (warm blooded fish) are huge and beautiful.
For everyone who is dealing with the curse of cancer… Fuck cancer. My skin cancer on my face just re-erupted, but it is tiny and not a big deal and will get taken care of. Except they always leave these odd ugly scars. Oh well, from young beautiful thing to an old scarred and wizened crone… such is life.
And we will probably get more snow tomorrow. We couldn’t get any winter weather all winter. Now, we can’t get rid of it.
Grumble.
Morgan
I’ll probably take your advice. Can’t wait for pruning season (pickings are slim at the moment).
Also, good luck with your skin cancer, hopefully it gets taken care of as well as on all previous occasions.
Also, snow???
opposablethumbs
Thank you. *hugsback* Would love to have tea with you. :)
So….
It looks like the worst of what I was feeling yesterday was complications from the protective post-surgical lens. That lens was removed yesterday in a minor procedure that is scarcely more complicated than any time someone holds you motionless and removes your contact for you with forceps sharp enough to skewer a frozen pea. My doc has good hands.
in any case, I was having far more light sensitivity than I should have had on day 3 (though serious sensitivity is expected, debilitating, “Zoh my god, who turned on that 1w led nightlight. You’re killing me! I wanted the 1w incandescent night light!. Turn it off, turn it off or my visual cortex will melt!” sensitivity was NOT expected.)
We’ve got things back to where they should be, maybe even a bit better. Downside for folk who have having eye surgeries that compromise the integrity of their endothelium?
You’re not allowed to use swimming pools. Or hot tubs.
And, apparently, being the oral in oral-vaginal sex is considered a risk factor for endothelial infection and is thus not possible as it would put me in peril.
I suggested to my partner that perhaps just a prim little kiss wouldn’t be too perilous, but no. “Much too perilous, I’m afraid,” she said.
:sigh:
Today has been a disaster. Not in any important sense, just annoying…
I made it a point to get up whilst the sun was still out since today was, or so I recalled, an interesting local festival. Er, nope, I got the day wrong…
Well, Ok, we can salvage being up before noon by having a nice lunch… Er, yes, but… The first restaurant I went to (let’s call it F) was, to my surprise, not-open. This was doubly annoying since I’d tried to go to F recently and they were full.
F‘s being full is actually a good thing! I worry that many times when I’m at F‘s there are few-to-no other customers. It could, I suppose, be me — more likely the mildly deranged penguin (she’s off-putting whether you know her or not) — but none of the other restaurants seem to have the same problem, even if they are not as good (F‘s is quite good albeit the carte de vin could be better).
So I wound up going to another reliable restaurant, which I’ll call M. Started off Ok, but there was some language confusion when I placed my order. Nothing serious, just amusing. And then the “Big Wait” — that time during any restaurant visit / dining when you suddenly seem to not exist at all, nothing seems to happening, the waiters seem to be ignoring you, and the mildly deranged penguin starts farting — in this case, it was practically an hour before I was served my starter. I was a bit annoyed, perhaps especially since they didn’t seem to be very busy but did seem to have a full front-of-house staff — but decided not to make a fuss since it did give me a change to read the entire newspaper and solve the sudoko puzzle (not much luck with the crossword).
Home, a few comments at FtB, and a nap. Ok, but when I wake up, an internal debate on whether to go out for dinner or just toss something together myself. Decide to go to F‘s for dinner. They are open. Yeah! More language problems, so the ordering was a bit confused, but the vin was great. The food? Well… prepared as ordered. But my appetite wasn’t up to it… too “heavy”, I either should have either ordered something “lighter” or just “tossed together” something myself. Going out for dinner was a mistake, despite the vin…
The waiter at F‘s, who knows me, was clearly surprised and a bit concerned — I didn’t even order any cheese! — but his usual jovial self, with the “Big Wait” (which wasn’t all that big) being only for the bill.
(Yeah, I know, “first world” “problems”…)
California judge bans abstinence-only teaching in teenage pregnancy ‘hot spot’: “Ruling says sex education must be ‘medically accurate and free of bias’ in suit against Clovis Unified school district which has some of state’s highest teen pregnancy and STD rates”.
I am slightly familiar with the area (near-ish Fresno) since my family used to live in the general vicinity. At the time I was there: Extreme wingnutsland (so the district’s apparent policy doesn’t surprise me), near-chattel slavery of immigrants from Mexico (mostly), and oil barons. I got an accurate “sex ed”, perhaps because, as I’ve commented previously, I had the good fortune to attend a so-called “model high school” which was run more on University lines and academic / scholar-orientated, and before Prop 13 kicked-in.
I am not sure my sister, 5-ish years younger, had the same benefits (albeit she did get an AA degree at the same community college mentioned in the other thread). By that time, as I understand it, the high school had reverted to the more “traditional” model, and whilst I don’t know what the “sex ed” was then like, there are reasons to think it was B*S*. Probably with plenty of macho B*s.
Its plotting is succeeding.
Last Friday I had the worst internet connection ever! Typing in the comment field involved a ten-second latency for every character. It was hopeless.
I’m at my son in law’s mother’s house now since we had to forgo the six-u Inner Tube to save dollars.
I am raising the distress flag. Been putting it off in hopes of not having to but . . .
Here is the scenario–SIL has lost the mortgage. We have a hard deadline to move out. It is June second.
SIL and surviving daughter have finally finally! come around to the awareness of the cost of their dummy dope habit and have entered a treatment program. Wish the hell they’d done so six months ago when I told them what was going to happen if they didn’t knock off the stupid shit.
We have found some local assistance for utility bills and for food. I’ve had to pick up the bill for water and am spending more out of pocket to keep the pantry stocked. The extra strain on my bank account is nail bitingly worrisome.
Now, Older and Younger Mancubs are coping admirably well considering. I’m a nervous wreck which is not normal for me by any stretch. I’m also feeling like tits on a boar hog for not being able to hold a normal job. The part of me that lends verticality has walked off the job. I can make a little cash making sawdust at the bench but even combined with my Social Security it lends little clout to my wallet.
SIL’s car is in the shop with a mystery problem so that leaves V’Ger as the only functioning vehicle for the five of us. (I looked down at the odometer one day last month and saw this sequnce of digits: 234567. Almost to the moon. Expecting Lunar Orbital Insertion around Octobert. Sooner if SIL’s car isn’t fixed.)
Soooooo, I’m running up the distress flag.
The Horde has shown its generosity many times, once for my benefit even. This time I’m asking not only for myself but for four others as well. If you have the wherewithal to throw some coins into my tin can then I can assure you that it will be spent judiciously and I will have at least two of the family here in the Lounge, in person, to acknowledge your compassion and generosity.
On the prior occasion the wonderful Esteleth acted as intermediary in funneling your dollars to me. I’ve just sent her an email asking if she would do so again. For the moment, then, I’ll pause and then go check my in box and then I’ll come right back here.
It pains me to have to ask but if I did not ask and we found ourselves in an even stickier wicket, then, well, a damned deep price for pride, eh?
Back in a few minutes.
Morgan, sorry about the skin cancer but hope it is as minor and easily dealt with as can be.
CD, you are made of way sterner stuff than I. Just having a very very minor snip done a few years ago (under local anaesthetic) right next-door to a tear duct froze me with fear, even before the scalpel got within a foot of me. Hope you are all-the-way better soon (and have lots of lovely post-temporary-abstention sex to the joy of all concerned) (if that isn’t too impudent of me).
That was way too impudent of me. I blame … I don’t know, I think I blame Things and also Stuff. My apologies.
Crip Dyke 227
Tell me you asked for just a little peril? Also, I didn’t know your vacancy light was grail-shaped.
Ozland out to feck the entire world, Australia lobbies Unesco to stop it from listing Great Barrier Reef as ‘in danger’:
Oh, wicked, bad, naughty Crip Dyke! She has been setting a light to our beacon, which, I’ve just remembered, is Grail shaped. It’s not the first time we’ve had this problem.
Crudely,
I so sorry for all the sucky things. I truly hope the drug rehab takes this time. Financially things are uber tight right now but let me do a bit of juggling and see what I can do.
We really need the commune.
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/may/14/early-men-women-equal-scientists
Cue outrage :-)))
(it’s already started in the comments, from those who fail to notice that even if early human society were as ultra-macho as they like to imagine, it still wouldn’t justify discrimination today)
Hello, Morgan!
Anything will help. If many give a little needs might just be met. Most important now is keeping V’Ger gassed up and ready to go. I spent most of the last of this month’s stipend getting her annual safety inspection and renewing registration. Plus, kids gotta eat.
I appreciate your concern. Means a lot. This place has some of the most pleasingly functional people. And we all get along so well!
Folks, I gotta bug out right now. Grandpa’s limo and mobile think tank service is needed.
I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Late morning, I suspect.
*here, take these assorted hugs and pillow refills for the fort–I think if you dig down in the refills there might be some grog and maybe a chocolate something. Oh, here’s some love, too*
I can be the conduit for Crudely Wrott again. My PayPal is linked to the email address that is my nym at google. Inquires related to other methods of sending funds can also be directed to that address.
Damn. It is snowing. Didn’t wait for Friday. Spring? What spring?
Phew, got the back yard mowed before the rains hit. I swear it was getting too tall for a goat.
So, the slightly longer version.
When I got there, there was an immigrant lady with her sister also there for a hearing, and since they had eight kids waiting between them, I let them go first. My lawyer cringed a bit when she said we’d had bad luck, as the tribune on this tribunal was a hardass. She said to expect hard questions, and a focus on medical evidence. ALSO, the Ministry sent someone to oppose my appeal; they don’t always, per resources, but they did for me. Huzzah.
We get inside, and the first two questions established the tone that would continue: turned out that the tribune and I had the same baccalaureate, from the same university. We bonded briefly over linguistics, and she oohed and aahed over my translating languages. Far from being a hardass, I nearly had her in tears at least three times: when I mentioned my family cutting me off after transition, when I mentioned being in the military and having some…issues with military police who objected to my queerness, and when I mentioned being sexually assaulted by a doctor during transition. On the latter, she said, “I hope you reported him and had him charged.” I said I hadn’t, because he had sign-off on whether or not I could transition, so like my sisters before and after, I submitted and just took the chance to keep the thing on track.
Anyway, we get to the end, and she’s still chatty and pleasant; my lawyer said in the elevator that you could have knocked her over with a feather to see how nice the lady was, and that she was quietly but firmly optimistic about how it had gone. Then, in the parking lot, we encountered the devil’s advocate, who had done her job competently but fairly, and while we chatted she asked if she could hug me. Which I said okay to, and she did, and I got to drive away thinking that things must have gone well, when opposing counsel wants to hug me.
Her Ex-Cellency was at the hearing with me, and she said she thought it had gone really well too, so we can hope, anyway.
Thanks for the warm thoughts and hugs and stuff, it was nice to be able to consider while waiting for the hearing to start.
NEW THREAD.