Pharyngula

Posted by: lordsetar | January 25, 2011 3:08 PM

Argh. I'm still agonizing over whether I should just take my damn guitar to the pawnshop sans amp since I'm missing the sound cable.

Also, I've found a couple DVDs and a stack of PS2 games that I've never played and will never have the time/patience to play all of. Worth it to take those as well?

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 25, 2011 3:10 PM

Previous thread: Psych-Oh, I hope that when you get those false and alarming e-mails, you Reply All with "That's a lie" and explain why. I hate to let lies go unchallenged.

I thought sperm competition mostly came in the form of more volume of liquid (unless you're an insect; then glue plugs seem to be in order)?

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 25, 2011 3:11 PM

Lordsetar,
What games? Anything good?

(You might be able to get more money for used games through a retailer that resells videogames.)

Posted by: blf | January 25, 2011 3:16 PM

What.

He's on second base.

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 25, 2011 3:18 PM

sandihj,
That is pretty scary. Sounds like driving needs to be curtailed.
___

Rev,
Don't touch my food. It's in the other container, and despite its appearance is not fit for consumption.
___

The Sailor,
Wow. Sorry to hear that. Hugs on offer.
___

Lord Setar,
Compartmentalization at its best.
___

David M,
The Permian Mass-Extinction by magma and coal? Sounds interesting.
___

Sven,
That is not a good feeling. So sorry. Hugs if you want 'em.

(True, it's possible the request was phrased something like "wanna open him up and poke around?")

And PZ with the TMI to start. Well played.

Posted by: lordsetar | January 25, 2011 3:28 PM

Sven:

The what? The cable connecting the axe to the amp? That's an accessory; they won't care.

Just asking because I have to walk, it's not terribly long but at the same time I don't want to have to haul my amp there and back.

ODS #7:

What games? Anything good?

Also going to throw in Halo 3 and ODST because I never play them, and I also have a Star Wars Episode IV DVD (with a second disc that has the original theatrical release on it) and a couple of Saiyuki DVDs in case. Might also throw in my copies of FFVII and FFVIII.

(You might be able to get more money for used games through a retailer that resells videogames.)

Posted by: MinnieTheFinn, kaamea ateistifeministinarttu | January 25, 2011 3:32 PM

Cicely @previous thread:

funny you should mention excorcism. Just finished watching the last one.

Basic premise was ok from the point of woo-meisters and woosters. The end Fails. Not even scary. So, won't get my recommendation.

But as cats go, I think they're eternally possessed by an evil feline demon that is catness. Otherwise, they'd be dogs =)

Posted by: lordsetar | January 25, 2011 3:33 PM

MinnieTheFinn #15: I was pondering making a reference, I saw that movie too (well, most of it). Creepy shit.

Posted by: blf | January 25, 2011 3:43 PM

Markita, my fav shirt at NASA had equations for orbital mechanics on the front, the back said "As a matter of fact, I am a rocket scientist."

My dad was a rocket propulsion engineer, who used to work for Rocketdyne. Whenever someone pulled the rocket scientist bit on me, I'd suggest we ask dad, pointing out he's a rocket scientist. (Obviously an exaggeration, but it got some humorous reactions.)

Posted by: Lynna, OM | January 25, 2011 3:47 PM

From the tail end of the previous chapter:

Holy crap Lynna. Do Mormons claim their doctrine is peaceful or shit like that? That's fucking insane.

They also list guns as part of their Armageddon or End-of-Times preparation gear.

Yes, they are fucking insane. They say, for example, that they love all their homosexual brothers and sisters, but that said brothers and sisters are either perverted, or engaging in perversion. Mormon love is fucking insane love. And they cry a lot to show that they are sincere when they say you are hurting their feelings and god's feelings by engaging in teh gay, perverted sex.

Also from the previous chapter of the endless thread:

Lynna, chalk up another point for religious-based domestic U.S. terrorism.

For more info on the murderous Danites, see:
http://1857massacre.com/MMM/danites_index.htm
Porter Rockwell killed 17 people for the LDS Church.

There are commenters on the Salt Lake Tribune website that use "Porter Rockwell" as their nym. The comments of present day Porter Rockwells are full of threats, threats toned down just enough to get past the moderators of the online newspapers.

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 25, 2011 3:50 PM

Rutee,
I stand corrected.

I was going on a couple of assumptions here: the pawn shop isn't going to give jack diddly for any game (or even know what games are popular) and the PS2 is still a popular game console. I was saying that you'll prolly get less for a game at a pawn shop versus just about anywhere else.

And I totally agree, private sale is the way to go for the most profit from old games.

Really, I was just trying to see if there was anything that I could take off of lordsetar's hands :) (Even though my PS2 is in storage and in several pieces. But Mr ODS's might still be kicking around.)

Posted by: lordsetar | January 25, 2011 3:58 PM

ODS #23:

Really, I was just trying to see if there was anything that I could take off of lordsetar's hands :) (Even though my PS2 is in storage and in several pieces. But Mr ODS's might still be kicking around.)

Also, the place I'm talking about isn't really a retailer, they do renting and sales for both games and movies, including extremely old games. That being said, I still wonder what I should do with the games...Halo 3, ODST and my one Wii game alone probably won't fetch much

Posted by: Quodlibet | January 25, 2011 4:05 PM

What.

He's on second base.

Actually, if he's at the scooping stage, he's hit a home run.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 25, 2011 4:12 PM

and this asshole said "what!? she's a fucking rocket scientist!?" Me:"Yes, yes she is ... security!"

That's one of the fun things about living in Huntsville. There actually are a bunch of rocket scientists around. I went to school with a guy whose dad was named--no joke--Bubba. And he was a rocket scientist.

He did tend to go by his more professional name at work, from what I understand.

He has a bunker filled with guns.

Ah, the South.

Posted by: Rutee, Shrieking Harpy of Dooooom | January 25, 2011 4:14 PM

There's always money orders for receiving payment. If Western Union works for mexicans to send money home, I assume it works for folks to send money to Canada.

Neither of you may want to do this, but the option does exist.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 25, 2011 4:35 PM

Oh noes! Teh trooolllzzz!!1!!one!!

Apparently Channel 11 News is stuck in 1995.

Posted by: chigau (◦_◦) | January 25, 2011 4:37 PM

Where the fudk are my glasses this time???

Posted by: Lynna, OM | January 25, 2011 4:43 PM

Mormon pedophiles trying to keep up with the Catholics?

A Carmichael [California] man who had an active role with boys in his church sits in the Sacramento County Jail accused of possessing and distributing child pornography.
     Neighbors said they watched as the FBI arrested Dustin Scott Cassady, 29, at his Carmichael home early Wednesday....
     A search of Cassady's desktop computer taken from his home uncovered additional pornographic images, according to a sworn statement by an FBI agent.
     Following his arrest, Cassady told agents he worked with boys 12 to 14 years old at a Mormon church in the area.
     Agents said he had taken pictures of some of the boys without their knowledge, including several pictures with boys not wearing shirts.
     Cassady also admitted giving the boys gifts, including money and a laptop computer, which the lead FBI investigator characterized as "grooming behavior of people who have sexual interests in children."...
     He is being held without bail pending a detention hearing in federal court Monday afternoon.

i know dustin cassady.. hes a great man.. everyone makes mistakes and his just happened to be illegal.. give him a break. most of you guys if not all are on here slamming him when you dont even know the guy.. lets say you were in his shoes.. and you were the one with the perfect family and leading others to spiritual happiness.. then you get busted for a bad habbit that you knew yourself had nothing to do with your actuall life.. judging people is wrong.. we all know and i know that, yes, he made a horrible stupid pervert decision.. but that has nothing to do with who he is.. im not looking for simpathy on his part. but just for you guys to understand what you are doing to those who knew dustin well. your rude and uncaring comments are hurting others as they read them.. they know that he is not what you percieve him to be and they cant do anything to stop it all.. it hurts.. it really does.. so stop.. please.

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 25, 2011 4:44 PM

If you're rushing over from the previous thread to put a "first" here, I warn you: my penis has amazing scooping abilities.

What.

From here:

For instance, Jesse Bering concludes that sperm competition had to have been a very significant factor in our profligately promiscuous ancestors, and that the shape of the human penis has been selected specifically for a function in extracting competitor's sperm from the vaginal canal. Unfortunately, when you look at the actual research cited for this semen-scooping function, it's underwhelming.

Posted by: Rutee, Shrieking Harpy of Dooooom | January 25, 2011 4:53 PM

For instance, Jesse Bering concludes that sperm competition had to have been a very significant factor in our profligately promiscuous ancestors, and that the shape of the human penis has been selected specifically for a function in extracting competitor's sperm from the vaginal canal. Unfortunately, when you look at the actual research cited for this semen-scooping function, it's underwhelming.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 25, 2011 5:01 PM

I cannot believe I just typed that.

Posted by: The Sailor | January 25, 2011 5:04 PM

Underwhelming is one of my favorite words.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 25, 2011 5:11 PM

It's drizzling out, so now to debate whether I should take the mile-long bike ride and attempt to rid myself of these damn games at the store there, or just sell them on ebay/craigslist.

Posted by: Tim, not my real name. | January 25, 2011 5:15 PM

-Almost barfed laughing when I heard the bit about Jesus using a waterfall as a stairmaster. I have not seen a stand-up act where someone has added a cartoon. Me likey, thanks as usual PZ.

-Sorry to poop on the J Cash fan club, but I think I read somewhere that it was Rick Rubin that picked almost entirely the songs (including hurt) recorded with American... For sure it is a nice version of hurt, but it kinda pisses me off when he changes 'crown of shit' to 'crown of thorns'? (color me 'sometimes wish I was gay so I could understand my hopeless crush on Trent Reznor'.) Which leads to;

-KOPD - attraction happens, IMO you don't have to figure it out. Roll with it, people can be beautiful. It might be something to worry about if you weren't noticing others.

Unless it is a vampire, then you should stay very far away. Fuck that twilight shit.

Posted by: Rey Fox, Bird Caller Guy | January 25, 2011 5:22 PM

Cassady's mormon buddies are sticking up for him online.

Dear Cassady's buddy: The period is for ending complete sentences. Use it once at the end of a sentence. Only once.

Also, you're in denial about your pedophile buddy.

Sorry about your cat, Sven. Hope your family can cope.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 25, 2011 5:24 PM

Jules #47: Okay then...ebay or craigslist? I'm not good at this selling thing x.x;

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 25, 2011 5:30 PM

Unless it is a vampire

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 25, 2011 5:37 PM

lordsetar,
You will almost certainly not be the only person selling ps2 games, see what others are asking. Also, consider a package price, you'll get less per game, but selling to one buyer reduces the stress immensely. When we sold our Wii two years ago we included every game and did reasonably well overall while only needing to coordinate one meet up.

Posted by: feralboy12 | January 25, 2011 5:38 PM

Sorry to poop on the J Cash fan club, but I think I read somewhere that it was Rick Rubin that picked almost entirely the songs (including hurt) recorded with American...

As I understand it, they started out with old songs that Johnny wanted to sing, recording whatever he wanted to do. After that proved successful, Rubin started bringing in suggested songs. Johnny still made the decision (ever try to get a financially secure man in his 60's to do something he didn't want to do?); he loved "Hurt" but didn't originally think it would work for him.

Of course, Rick Rubin wasn't there in 1963 when Johnny recorded a Bob Dylan song, or 1983 when he did Bruce Springsteen, among other examples.

Posted by: Tim, not my real name. | January 25, 2011 5:41 PM

BRB

Posted by: MinnieTheFinn, kaamea ateistifeministinarttu | January 25, 2011 5:50 PM

So, care to tell me what the dunnie is, then?

Yours, signed
Curious North European

Posted by: Dania | January 25, 2011 5:53 PM

Feynmaniac,

I'm wonder how the memes should actually be arranged though. Alphabetically seems arbitrary, as does by order in which they were entered into the article.

I was wondering about that too. And then there's stuff I don't know whether to put there or on a page of it's own. Or both, like "Shock Horror" and "Goats on Fire"...

I was trying to decide what to do with Deep Rifts and SIWOTI syndrome too. I was going to create those pages but honestly I'm not feeling very creative today so I guess I'll leave it to someone else.

Hm, and there should be a page about Pete Rooke where we could put his famous "I would never inflict oral sex on a women" quote. Hm.

I have many ideas but I don't feel like writing stuff today. :/

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 25, 2011 6:00 PM

I have many ideas but I don't feel like writing stuff today. :/

Too bad. You got some pretty good ideas :).

Posted by: Tim, not my real name. | January 25, 2011 6:04 PM

@ 59,

Looks like I have to do some googling now.
Part of the story I read, I think it was a Rick Rubin interview in Rolling Stone, suggested that Rick Rubin approached J Cash because he was exactly the opposite of financially secure. He had been through a rough patch as they say, and Rick saw an opportunity. It was with total respect.
Part of the story as I recall it, John picked some songs, but Rick kept creative control. There was also some discussion as you say that John did not want to do hurt at all, being uncomfortable with the whole thing. Besides being a great producer, Rick makes money, and John was convinced of that.
At first dubious, Reznor approved, and that matters. It's a great song.
Johnny Cash was a great entertainer of his generation, rip.

Posted by: oodiesmith | January 25, 2011 6:24 PM

Cath, thanks cobber, onya. And I agree, it would be best if we could select a better date than this to hav ethe national celebration.

Minnie, a dunny is the place where you borrie.

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 25, 2011 6:33 PM

Good news: the corals are spreading north! No idea about south.

More on fly ash and the end-Permian mass extinction: "the literal smoking gun", "like throwing the kitchen sink at the world".

I'll join the Pharyngula Wiki ASAP!

Sven, you don't strike me as the huggy type, so how about a stiff drink or three for you and hot chocolate for Svensdóttir?

Blue Dot Designs. Succinct, pretty, and easy to remember.

Glorious Dawn is pretty, but it sounds like something from Communist China.

QFT. :-)

BTW, I read "You don't want your hard work to go to waste and, besides, a girl that's willing to go steady is a girl worth keeping my friend." as
"You don't want your hard work to go to waste and, besides, a girl that's willing to go steady is a girl worth keeping AS my friend."

A sentiment I wholly endorse.

...Oh. I did note the missing "as", but thought that didn't change anything.

Now I fear there was a comma intended to go in that place, so that "my friend" would be the reader, not the girl. <headdesk>

"I was in a terrible accident with my husband. Just as we were about to crash, I felt an energy bubble envelope us. The car was totalled, but we were uninjured. This was due to our husky, who knew we were in trouble and sent mental energy to protect us. So our dog saved our lives."

To paraphrase my teens: LOLWUT!?

Hey, at least the husky exists.

...I hope.

If you're rushing over from the previous thread to put a "first" here, I warn you: my penis has amazing scooping abilities.

<facepalm> That's Molly-worthy.

time wrap

B-)

I cannot believe I just typed that.

Glad to have you commenting again, Mattir.

^_^

Only 40 more to run. And after that, well, we can't really talk about it. /calvinball sex ed.

:-D

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 25, 2011 6:49 PM

US Americans have probably heard, but Michelle Bachmann has been preaching racist revisionism.

Cross-pollination.

Posted by: ibyea | January 25, 2011 7:20 PM

I don't understand. Why do some Minnesotans keep electing Michelle Bachman?!

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 25, 2011 7:28 PM

You're already there!

X-) That had to be expected. I'll have a look tomorrow. Good night.

Why do some Minnesotans keep electing Michelle Bachman[n]?!

[vɶsˈd̥ɛb̥ˑɐd̥san]. </Viennese>

Cuz they're st00pid. And/or so ignorant it manifests as stupidity. :-|

Posted by: Silič O'Nopolitanopoulos, Färschdbischuf Beesknees aus Ulm und Klein Elguth, Elector Pharynguline. | January 25, 2011 7:36 PM

Save it to a text file on your desktop (infinitybar.txt, or whatever), and open it to copy and paste from there.

There are also stickynote/post-it applications for saving repeatedly-used snippets of text like that.

Speaking of going to bed: Happy Burns Night!

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 25, 2011 7:40 PM

Pharyngulites. This time I'll really go to bed.

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 25, 2011 7:51 PM

I'm not convinced the elipse is perfect either . . .

Posted by: Dania | January 25, 2011 7:52 PM

Ahem... approximately an oblate spheroid. :-p

Oooh, Deep Rift! Deeeep Rift!!!

... Wait, you're saying it's not a Deep Rift?

Well, then this is an echo chamber. An echo chamber I tell you!

/getting too childish, need to go to bed

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 25, 2011 7:55 PM

What.

He's on second base.

I'm not asking who's on second.

Posted by: Ring Tailed Lemurian | January 25, 2011 8:00 PM

Please tell me that, of course he'll win the appeal, the US justice system isn't that depraved.
US child appeals against being tried for murder as an adult

Lawyers for a child in Pennsylvania who was 11 when he allegedly shot and killed his father's pregnant fiancee attempted today to persuade an appeals court not to try him as an adult under America's harsh system of juvenile justice. Unless the lawyers for Jordan Brown who is now aged 13, can convince the judges to change tack, he will be tried in adult court and if convicted will serve an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole. He would become the youngest child in US history to be sentenced to be incarcerated forever.

Oh, wait.

The US is the only country where juveniles are serving life imprisonment without parole under the so-called "life means life" policy. Only the US and Somalia have refused to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which rules out life sentences with no chance of release for crimes committed before the age of 18.

Somalia. Nice company.

Posted by: trinioler | January 25, 2011 8:16 PM

Markita Lynda, Munchkin would probably have hours of fun, and then trample it flat in her runs around the cage.

Posted by: Ring Tailed Lemurian | January 25, 2011 8:27 PM

Ing, he hasn't been found guilty yet.
And if this is the best the prosecution can come up with ...

Brown allegedly carried out the killing using his own hunting rifle, a shotgun designed specifically for children. The prosecution alleges that the killing was premeditated and they found residue from the gun on Brown's shoulder.

I imagine that any 11 year old with a gun often sits in his bedroom, puts the gun to his shoulder, and pretends to shoot stuff.

(It's also incredible to me that a child has unsupervised access to a firearm and ammunition, but that's another matter).

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 25, 2011 8:41 PM

Whoever's doing the 'wiki, don't forget "delugionist".
-

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 25, 2011 8:57 PM

Right. What's on second.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | January 25, 2011 9:10 PM

Oops that's the cover link for youtube. Ah well. My name links to the blog anyway. Lyrics after the jump.

Posted by: trinioler | January 25, 2011 9:28 PM

More SOTU liveblogging: Good on Obama to point out the benefits of a mixed economy for research. They're investing in biomed, IT, and clean energy technology. Good, now follow through!

Good. He's telling stories of government loans helping people. Putting faces and names to numbers, personalizing it.

1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. That will help somewhat.

OH YES, he's getting rid of oil subsidies!

2035, 80% of america's energy from clean energy sources. Why not 2015 or 2020?

Posted by: bastion of sass | January 25, 2011 9:34 PM

The Baltimore Pharyngula Fans group will be celebrating its first anniversary this Friday!

One year ago, the Baltimore Blasphemous Bastards, AKA to the people at the bar where we usually meet as "The Squid People," was born as a result of PZ's "I Want a Unity Convention" post.

Our first get-together was on January 29, 2010. We've met every month since, with the exception of November.

Posted by: Rey Fox, Bird Caller Guy | January 25, 2011 9:35 PM

And I hear the word dunny is falling out of the Australian vernacular.

I'll do my part as an American to keep it in circulation. It's easily the best word that I picked up in Australia when I went there.

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 25, 2011 9:38 PM

It looks like Joe Biden is thinking gummy bears.

(I love Biden. I have a soft spot for people who are funny uh oh.)

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 25, 2011 9:44 PM

trinioler: And how do we do that while weeding out the ones who aren't good teachers?

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 25, 2011 9:46 PM

I don't know what lordsetar and Dhorvath are talking about.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | January 25, 2011 10:09 PM

"New educational law to replace No Child Left Behind?"

Honestly, the more it dismantles NCLB the better IMO.

"More respect for good teachers, rewarding the good ones. How do we do that?"

I don't know exactly but I have some ideas. Stop tying funding of schools to test performance, and push for stricter administrative coherence with opportunities for specific target achievements. Allow them to compete for perks in key areas instead of focusing on averages in order to survive at all. Drop the broad penalties and establish a means for recognizing differences in school environments. For some schools the biggest focus will need to be on helping kids with specific environmental problems. Allow high achievers in specific areas to mentor others to share their strategies.

Recognize that the biggest part of needs-based education is assessing needs.

Ruthlessly educate teachers. Not on what to teach, but on what teaching can be.

Will it happen?

Meh.

Probably not.

Posted by: Owlmirror | January 25, 2011 10:14 PM

Lo, truly these young people know not the ways of olde, and they do walke to and fro upon the green before mine house, for alle that I do scolde them to remove themselves frome ytt.

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 25, 2011 10:43 PM

2035, 80% of america's energy from clean energy sources. Why not 2015 or 2020?

Pffft, I doubt it will be that high even by 2035. The Daily Show had a good bit showing how every American president since Carter has been calling for cleaner energy.

Posted by: llewelly | January 25, 2011 11:02 PM

Dhorvath | January 25, 2011 7:51 PM:

I'm not convinced the elipse is perfect either . . .

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | January 25, 2011 11:07 PM

""For the controll group, I'll be myself. For the controll group, I'll tell complete bullshit about myself. Then I'll see which one get's more offers to get laid."
Me: "Hypothesis: Neither."
He asks what I meant.
Me: "Well, you're contending there is a population of women that would sleep with someone on the first date, if only you told bullshit about yourself. I contend thats a false idea.""

Please tell me this conversation happened at a bar. After a lot of drinking.

Posted by: Mattir-ritated | January 25, 2011 11:20 PM

Yeah, well, who wouldn't want the guy who brags online about his penis-scooping superpower to have the worst teaching load and have to chair the department? Serves you right, IMO.

Have I mentioned that you corrupt the youth of America?

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 25, 2011 11:28 PM

one word, man: "Sabbatical".

I don't know it.

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 25, 2011 11:37 PM

I'm afraid not everyone loves bacon so much. Got anything else to lure them, KOPD?

Posted by: Reality Enforcer | January 26, 2011 12:02 AM

KOPD: The only bacon I've tried was more salty that I would like. However, it was Boy Scout bacon.

onion girl: I'm not sure I want to know the answer, but what was the punchline to the Blu-ray player joke? Having thought deeply on it for a very small amount of time, I still have no idea what it is.

Mattir and PZ: I can get more corrupted?

RTL: I really detest the criminal justice system.

On a totally unrelated note, two strange things happened today. One, I found out that I have another gum abscess. Two, someone mistook me for a college student and attempted to get my phone number.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 12:14 AM

Looks like someone used your name over on the "Channel Awesome Wiki"

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 12:39 AM

Those who are having trouble with the Wiki interface crashing can try changing a couple of preferences:

Editing > Rich Text Editor
or
User profile > Site Layouts > Monobook

Posted by: Weed Monkey | January 26, 2011 2:44 AM

Sorry if this is old news, I only just stumbled upon this myself: The New Atheists' Narrow Worldview

Curiously content-free attack on the Gnus by professor Stephen T. Asma. "Tehh westerners know not what they're talking about, and if something feels kinda nice it must be good. PS. Buddhism rocks."

Posted by: lordsetar | January 26, 2011 3:20 AM

So someone came by my friend's house today in a cherry-picker, cut his cable (which also means internet and phone) and left without a word.

...brb.

Posted by: lordsetar | January 26, 2011 3:46 AM

*reading Pharynguwiki*

Wait a second. Isn't PZ a PROFESSOR, not just a professor?

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 26, 2011 4:35 AM

lordsetar: sounds like something straight out of xkcd.

Posted by: Birger Johansson | January 26, 2011 5:09 AM

Miscell. factoids:

“WikiLeaks servers could fire up Stockholm church” http://www.thelocal.se/31630/20110125/
“New painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities near to market” http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-painkiller-apparent-side-effects-addictive.html

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 26, 2011 5:51 AM

From the WP article on the kid accused of killing his stepmom-to-be:

[She] was pregnant with child at the time and both persons died as a result of the attack.

Posted by: Moggie | January 26, 2011 6:38 AM

#126:

Welp, looks like yet another day off looming.

Your job involves looming? I used to do a bit of looming myself, but now I mostly slouch. The pay's the same, but you can do it sitting down.

Posted by: MrFire | January 26, 2011 7:26 AM

KevQ: speaking of which, I'm adding Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Zach Quinto on my list of unambiguously attractive men.

That goddammed waistcoat in Inception. Brrr. Plus, he's Cobra fuckin' Commander!

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 26, 2011 7:42 AM

Well, we have a bit of a problem. One of the guinea pigs nipped at my finger twice when I was holding her yesterday, and today she bit Child2 and drew blood. Argh. I understand these are rodents, not Disney characters, and sometimes things will happen, but I'm not quite sure how to exercise our options. We have almost two weeks to take it back to the pet store if we want and get a different one, and so far the school of Google tells me that either guinea pigs will respond to gentle care and grow out of biting, or the ones who bite are just biters and always will be. So, 50-50 chance of it not being always a biter, maybe? I'm just not sure. And of course, no chance of a knowing if a new one would be a biter either. Or if it's going to bully around the other one. Argh.

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 26, 2011 7:50 AM

Never mind, that was over fast. Spouse (who has raised many types of rodents) is having none of it; guinea pig is getting taken back and switched today. If he gets it done now, chances are most likely that the other guinea pigs at the store are still the same batch the first ones came from, so the nice one who is still here already knows whichever new one comes home.

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 7:54 AM

@MrFire:

Oh yes... very much so. He grew up nicely (so someone else said and I can't recall who ATM.)

@David M:

Yea - would've retracted that part of the post, realized a couple minutes after posting that I should've said "not many are" and removed the last sentence, but I had already headed out to get some milk for my bowl of cereal at the time. Hadn't had the chance to come back and make an addendum post before you caught it :)

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 26, 2011 7:56 AM

Clarification:
blf at #9 started it, so I responded at #89, then
lordsetar and Dhorvath continued at #98 and #99, then at #113 I was fishing for what Owlmirror did at #116.

:)

Posted by: Moggie | January 26, 2011 8:02 AM

guinea pig is getting taken back and switched today.

Too late for my suggestion: cuy.

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 26, 2011 8:11 AM

David: you mean this?

:-D

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 26, 2011 8:27 AM

I signed up to the Pharyngula Wiki, confirmed the e-mail address, logged in, and nothing happened. I've confirmed the e-mail address again, logged in again, and still nothing happens. I'm not logged in. The "Log in" and "Sign up" buttons in the top right corner are still there, and when I edit a page, my IP address* is shown instead of my username.

Even though my user page exists.

WTF?

* Dynamic. Don't worry about it.

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 26, 2011 8:51 AM

MrFire,
Joseph Gordon-Levitt? At first I was all, "He's too scrawny, boo." but there seems to be something about him that is growing on me and I'm not sure what it is.

Maybe it was his cover of Bad Romance. XD
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=x6zMwGkY7z4

(I hope that linky works. If not, I'll give it another shot.)

Posted by: Dania | January 26, 2011 8:56 AM

Can anyone track down the comment that originated the "Gay Sex with Brownian" meme? I wasn't there, so it's harder... more difficult for me.

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 26, 2011 9:12 AM

New educational law to replace No Child Left Behind? Hmm, wonder how good that'll be.

How easy would it be to be worse than No Child's Behind Left?

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 26, 2011 9:28 AM

Thanks for the replies, everybody. It's definitely been something to think about. You think you know yourself after 30 years, but some understanding and an open mind can still reveal some surprises. That can be a bit disconcerting.

Kev,

It's okay to be attracted to people of the sex you're not attracted to sexually. My brother (married, with a kid and a second one on the way) thinks that Isaiah Mustafa is a very attractive man. Where we differ is that I... (hrumhum NSFW stuff)... where he wouldn't.

David,

As far as I can tell, I really am 0, and two or three other Pharyngulites have made the same claim about themselves.

Posted by: a_ray_in_dilbert_space, OM, A little FUCKING ray of sunshine | January 26, 2011 9:40 AM

Have to say I'm with David on the Kinsey scale thing. If I am not a zero, I'm assymptotically close. WRT Mustafa, I realize objectively that he is an attractive man. I think he's funny, but he just doesn't do anything for me.

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 26, 2011 9:52 AM

But there's no desire for contact of any kind. I just find watching the person to be enjoyable.

That a woman is sexy means I want to gaze; it doesn't necessarily mean that I want to touch or that I fantasize about touching.

I thought that about myself until this month.

Judging from your original question, you seem not to have known that options other than 0, 3 and 6 exist. You're not 6 and not 3, so you figured you must be 0... right?

If I am not a zero, I'm assymptotically [snicker] close. WRT Mustafa, I realize objectively that he is an attractive man.

Then what do you mean by "objective" and "attractive"?

Posted by: AJ Milne OM | January 26, 2011 10:01 AM

Re the 'Gnus' article, thanks, SC, will fix.

Re #178: I'm pretty sure Kinsey was of the opinion it's not just the perception but the actual preference will frequently drift with time over one's lifespan. But that's just my (unreferenced, unsourced, as of now) vague recollection talking.

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 10:03 AM

@KOPD:

Yea, don't worry too much about it. There are some very attractive people. Unless you find yourself (hrumhum NSFW hrumhum) then you're probably still straight. If, however you find yourself (NSFW NSFW) then you may be veering more bi than anything.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 10:11 AM

I consider myself to be approximately Kinsey-1.5. I'm sexually attracted to feminine* people, not necessarily female (bio or trans) people. There are men (again, either bio or trans) I'd consider a relationship with, but they're few and far between, and they're all markedly feminine. (I'm not going to hypothesize about whether that's culture or something else; it doesn't matter anyway, since my preferences are pretty much set.)

* This doesn't mean "girly-girl", either. K is far from a "girly-girl", and I find her very attractive.

I also acknowledge the distinction between recognizing someone's sexual attractiveness and being attracted to them sexually. For instance, Mustafa (I assume you're talking about the Old Spice guy, right?) is sexually attractive, and I can acknowledge that... even though I'm not attracted to him.

That doesn't mean I can't be attracted to him in other senses. For instance, I'd take lessons from him in "manliness", and he'd probably be a neat person to have a beer with.

From my perspective, a relationship needs both friendship and lust. Whether the friendship or the lust needs to come first is an open question, but they both have to be there.

Posted by: trinioler | January 26, 2011 10:19 AM

For those who want to read the SOTU, NYT has a transcript up: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/us/politics/26obama-text.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Here's the oil subsidies quote:

With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. (Applause.)

We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I'm asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. (Applause.) I don't know if -- I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own. (Laughter.) So instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's.

Very good phrasing on that last sentence. It should get repeated by many pundits, which'll make it stick.

Carlie:
Munchkin nips me occasionally. She only bites hard when I'm carrying her. I've had a couple of friends carry her with no biting, so its something to do with how I'm carrying her I think. She has stopped nipping me when she's in my lap though. I'm sorry to hear about the behavior of one of your little ones.

Is it wrong to wonder how cuy tastes?

Posted by: trinioler | January 26, 2011 10:22 AM

Okay lets correct that quote:

With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. (Applause.)

We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I'm asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. (Applause.) I don't know if -- I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own. (Laughter.) So instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's.

Posted by: trinioler | January 26, 2011 10:25 AM

I too am attracted to feminine people. I've seen some guys I wanted to just start making out with. Unfortunately, one of them is the little brother of one of my business partners...

So, yeah, awkward! He's just so pretty...

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 10:31 AM

David M:

I'm surprised this isn't a lot more common. Maybe it is.

I think it's more common than we think; it's just that the pervasive "eww, teh ghey!" culture we live in makes it difficult to acknowledge.

Do you mean "I can see what others find about him, even though I don't"?

Something like that. Granted, there are some people that are widely considered attractive, and I have no clue why. But I acknowledge that it's possible to recognize attractiveness without being attracted.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 10:33 AM

If I say a man is attractive, it means I want to be in his shoes.

If I say a woman is attractive, it means I want to be in her pants.

Posted by: Ing: PhD Trollologist | January 26, 2011 10:36 AM

I'm sexually attracted to feminine* people, not necessarily female (bio or trans) people.

I'm surprised this isn't a lot more common. Maybe it is.

My thoughts
a) it is
b) A big mistake people make is presuming there is one kind of femininity/masculinity.
c) my tastes are so far over the map I'm probably not helpful at all.

Posted by: windy | January 26, 2011 10:41 AM

can you imagine what a god-man's diapers would be like?

Can god pinch a loaf so big that he couldn't create a diaper strong enough to hold it?

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 10:50 AM

President Obama crosses the Potomac River, on foot.

CNN reports, "President Obama Crosses Potomac".

Fox News reports, "President Obama Can't Swim".

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 26, 2011 10:55 AM

Lust vs Admiration. That helps me.

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 26, 2011 10:57 AM

I wouldn't mind having his head on my wall to admire.

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 26, 2011 11:00 AM

And I should've added that it reminds me of a certain Queens of the Stone Age video.

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 26, 2011 11:04 AM

Objectively attractive means that he conforms to norms that are generally considered attractive in the community in which I find myself embedded, e.g. good physique, face fairly, but not too symmetric, twinkle in the eye... In other words, if of those who were to be attracted to a male, most would agree that he is attractive. Maybe attractive by majoritarian standards would be a better phrase

OK. I'm not unable to learn, so I can do that – but I'm remarkably bad at it about men. For instance, as I've said before, William-Shatner-as-Cpt-Kirk has been so much fawned over, but to me his face... lacks properties altogether, sort of.

Jennifer Aniston would be an objectively attractive female, I suppose

(...With that chin? GAH! Always found her one of the uglier Hollywood actresses.)

Every time he was on the screen I was thinking that man had the purtiest eyes I ever did see, and couldn't not watch him.

Heh. Can't happen to me – I'm not attracted to eyes in the first place :-)

By which I mean... I've never noticed "quality differences" in eyes. I don't know what ugly eyes would look like.

It was interesting. There was no lust at all, but I wouldn't mind having his head on my wall to admire. I think this is one of the complicating factors here, that attraction is highly multidimensional, and efforts to reduce it to "would I have sex with that person" distort reality.

I think you just confirmed my suspicion that one's ideas of beauty and sexiness needn't align to the same sex(es).

Posted by: Dania | January 26, 2011 11:06 AM

I'm pretty sure this is it:

Ah, thank you, Feynmaniac! I had given up already.

I'm pretty sure it's the first I'm reading that. Huh. I think they broke him.

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 26, 2011 11:20 AM

PZ:

There was no lust at all, but I wouldn't mind having his head on my wall to admire.

I- uh. Wow. I would have never thought that someone that wanted to mount human heads on the wall* could be so damned cuddley looking.

*quietly edges out of the coversation before running and hiding*

*Ick, remember Sin City?

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 26, 2011 11:22 AM

[...] instead of my normal puzzle of a "system" (ok, today I want to try woodcarving, so if I move the embroidery bag over THERE I can wiggle the paintbox over HERE so, hey, a foot square of space appears [insert sound of something falling off the other end of the table]...[...]

Falyne...what are you doing in my house? Why are you messing with my SCA stuff? *hastily inserting stack of books into newly-cleared square foot of space, before the adjoining stack destabilises*
-

However, I loathe it at an other level. It's utterly moronic to turn science into a competition.

Well, yes; but if you're trying to engage the morons....

Mean to say, there's a certain vocal, proudly-iggernant population within the US that won't value the science for its own sake, but if you can convince them that it's an adversarial, competitive situation, and the US is losing it, there's some chance that at least some of them will be stung in their egos to get on-board with education, science, the whole ball o' wax. 'Cause the US always wins. Thems the rules rite thar, Slick.

(Of course, your chances are better if you can threaten their pocketbooks and cushy lifestyle at the same time; but that requires leading the horse to water. And you know how horses are.)
-

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 26, 2011 11:25 AM

For cicely:

Twinkle, twinkle, little butt,
How I hate that you were cut!
MRSA ate your flesh
Now you look like such a mess

chorus:
Twinkle, twinkle, little butt,
How I hate that you were cut!

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 26, 2011 11:31 AM

Unfortunately, as you already know, the eyes are basically bags of water and would not preserve well. Even if you did mount that head on your wall, you'd have to go with glass approximations of his purty eyes. Though I'm sure you'd have the originals in a jar of formaldehyde in your fridge.

'aesthetic appreciation'

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 26, 2011 11:37 AM

(That is, you can lead a horse to water, but it'll bite the hand that feeds it.)
-

Posted by: KG | January 26, 2011 11:54 AM

I'm another near-0 on the Kinsey scale*, but it seems bizarre to me that some people claim they can't tell whether people they are not sexually drawn to are attractive or not. OK, I can get it "wrong" (in relation to the judgement of those who are sexually oriented towards men), but this is, I think, mostly with regard to those who are not conventionally attractive (tall, regular features, broad-shouldered, strong chin, full head of hair) but are nonetheless judged to be "hot" by straight or bi women and/or gay or bi men. IIRC, there's quite a lot of psychology research showing that people of both sexes who are more conventionally attractive are also judged more intelligent, honest, friendly, etc., by those of both sexes (I don't know if orientation was controlled for).

*I can remember a few occasions when I've felt a kind of warmth toward a man that, subjectively, related to their appearance, which is the only thing stopping me saying I'm a Kinsey 0; but I don't recall any hint of sexual arousal (and in retrospect, the thought of any sexual contact with these men is still a turn-off).

Posted by: trinioler | January 26, 2011 11:57 AM

But the issue is figuring out who the best teachers are. Many of the schemes I've seen have had some very righteous schemes leveled against them. There is also the fact that teachers' unions are our worst enemy in terms of improving education.

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 26, 2011 12:01 PM

SQB, :D Second verse:

Twinkle, twinkle, since my ass
Surgically decreased in mass,
It sure hurts when I sit down,
Putting on my face a frown.

_{The Cuttlefish would do it better, but I do it with feeling.}
-

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 26, 2011 12:11 PM

cicely: Did you know that the Dutch word for 'buttocks' is 'billen'?

Posted by: onion girl, OM - Social Workers: Fixing Fuck-ups Since 1880 | January 26, 2011 12:22 PM

Reality Enforcer: onion girl: I'm not sure I want to know the answer, but what was the punchline to the Blu-ray player joke? Having thought deeply on it for a very small amount of time, I still have no idea what it is.

To be very honest, I'm not even sure there really WAS a punchline, other than: anything can sound like sexual innuendo if you work at it. :) I think we were all a little punchy and giggly and...yeah, basically just 12. :) As was said multiple times that night: Growing up doesn't mean you have to grow old.

On a totally unrelated note, two strange things happened today. One, I found out that I have another gum abscess. Two, someone mistook me for a college student and attempted to get my phone number.

Ouch! :( *hugs* for your gums--or maybe Novocaine through the web :) As for the college student --
*narrows eyes* In a creepy or intimidating way? If so, tell me who and they will cease to be an issue. /protective auntishness

If not...well, never mind. :)

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Benjamin: If I say a man is attractive, it means I want to be in his shoes. If I say a woman is attractive, it means I want to be in her pants.

Yeah, that's pretty much my sexuality--with the genders reversed.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
David: William-Shatner-as-Cpt-Kirk has been so much fawned over

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no idea why. I really, really, really, REALLY dislike that man.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
I have an ETSY STORE! :) I ended up having to go with Galaxy Rise Designs simply because Blue Dot Designs already existed.

I'm still putting it together, and obviously haven't had a chance to put any work up, but I will be taking commissions and intend to do primarily custom work. I'm hoping to get everything set to open on Valentine's Day.

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 26, 2011 12:25 PM

See, I kind of operate the other way. There aren't a whole lot of people who I wouldn't consider touching in familiar ways, which is to say that I can find sexy in most people.

I do have a couple of limitations, but I doubt there is a person working in film, tv, or music who I would look at and not say, 'I like the way they look and wouldn't mind seeing the rest.' I just chalk it up to people don't get famous unless they have some sexy to push along with their other talents. Of course, the big sexy to me is confidence and I think that is truly a necessary component of performance.

As for the whole Kinsey scale, I don't think it is particularly useful, far too limited in dimension to adequately represent me, but I would guess that three would be my best fit.

Posted by: onion girl, OM - Social Workers: Fixing Fuck-ups Since 1880 | January 26, 2011 12:28 PM

PharynguWiki

I haven't had much time to play with the Wiki yet--work is closed today due to snow, so I may have time, if I can get this migraine under control.

But there is one thing I wanted to address:

As far as attribution and copyright, I propose a section of the Wiki where regulars can indicate their preferences in regards to any quotes, recipes, research they've done, etc. It could be something like this:

The Once And Future Janine, OM:
Permits any music or book recommendations to be posted with attribution.
Permits any references to scholarly articles or journals, attribution not needed.
Requires notification and attribution if posting any personal quotes.
Does NOT permit recipes to be posted.

Lynna, OM:
Permits posting of any article clippings from "Moments of Mormon Madness."
Requires notification and attribution if posting any commentary or analysis on "Moments of Mormon Madness."
Permits recipes to be posted with attribution.

SGBM put up a page here that covers this topic; be aware the Wikia requires Creative Commons licensing, so anything you permit to be posted would be covered under that licensing.

Another option, if I understand this correctly, may be to allow linking only of certain things. For example:

David Marjanović:
For any posts explaining linguistics permits linking only to the comment on the Pharyngula Endless Thread.

Thoughts?

(Also--I'm going to preface any comments about the wiki with a bold title like I did on this comment. That might be a helpful strategy for others discussing wiki information to make it easier to locate on the Thread or searchable.)

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 12:35 PM

I signed up to the Pharyngula Wiki, confirmed the e-mail address, logged in, and nothing happened. I've confirmed the e-mail address again, logged in again, and still nothing happens. I'm not logged in. The "Log in" and "Sign up" buttons in the top right corner are still there, and when I edit a page, my IP address* is shown instead of my username.

The Wikia techs did a software regressionupdate last night. As of this morning I am unable to change my preferences, though I am at least able to log in with Firefox.

David, it's possible that it's just a session cookie not being set. Try telling it to "remember me on this computer" (and log out later if it's a shared computer).

Otherwise, which OS and browser (and version number) are you using? I'll pass on your bug report on to the staff.

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 12:47 PM

@onion girl:

I think it's related to the fact that I was talking about why I liked Beau (he's cute, he's nice, he gave me a BluRay player) and for some reason it was picked up as an innuendo... and we just couldn't handle it XD

Posted by: chigau (◦_◦) | January 26, 2011 12:52 PM

Buttars
butt-ars(e)
billen
There must be a joke in there somewhere.

Posted by: Lynna, OM | January 26, 2011 12:57 PM

Lynna, OM: Permits posting of any article clippings from "Moments of Mormon Madness." Requires notification and attribution if posting any commentary or analysis on "Moments of Mormon Madness." Permits recipes to be posted with attribution.

I would prefer that postings of my Moments of Mormon Madness (or any excerpts from them) require notification and attribution. Some of the MoMM posts stand up over time, and others do not. So, I'd like to remove any of the weak or factually incorrect posts that may end up on PharynguWiki. If people feel that removing them is not in the PharynguWiki spirit, then I'd like the opportunity to fess up when they're wrong or incomplete or misleading.

Does that make sense?

BTW, I did not write the current meme entry for Moments of Mormon Madness.

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 26, 2011 12:58 PM

Meme order: I suggest

* newest entry on top

* most recently invented on top (with date of first mention in "()"

* in alphabetical order

Posted by: Psych-Oh | January 26, 2011 1:00 PM

there's quite a lot of psychology research showing that people of both sexes who are more conventionally attractive are also judged more intelligent, honest, friendly, etc., by those of both sexes (I don't know if orientation was controlled for).

Trinioler

There is also the fact that teachers' unions are our worst enemy in terms of improving education.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 1:13 PM

I would prefer that postings of my Moments of Mormon Madness (or any excerpts from them) require notification and attribution. Some of the MoMM posts stand up over time, and others do not. So, I'd like to remove any of the weak or factually incorrect posts that may end up on PharynguWiki. If people feel that removing them is not in the PharynguWiki spirit, then I'd like the opportunity to fess up when they're wrong or incomplete or misleading.

Does that make sense?

Makes great sense. I've put this up at the permissions page. Does that work for you?

BTW, I did not write the current meme entry for Moments of Mormon Madness.

That was Janine's tribute to you.

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 26, 2011 1:41 PM

Is this going to end with the US yelling at China*, "Come back you coward and I'll bite your kneecaps off!"?

*Or the EU, Australia, Japan, India, Brazil, etc.

Quite possibly.

Whereupon China might say something along the lines of, "If you fight, we'll call in your mortgages. And incidentally that's my pike you're pointing at me. I paid for that shield you're holding. And take my helmet off when you speak to me, you horrible little debtor", to blatantly steal from Pratchett's Feet of Clay.
-

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 2:20 PM

Lynna, I don't know what they're capable of, so I can't advise on that.

Whatever your decision, I will ensure it is honored. If you want the references to you left up or taken down, provisionally or otherwise, it's your call.

Posted by: Lynna, OM | January 26, 2011 2:33 PM

Thanks, strange gods. Let's leave it as-is for now. I'll come back to the issue when I'm more clear-headed. I'm still under the weather, health-wise. Being somewhat sickish, I don't think I'm in a good mode for making decisions.

I'll just assume that, should I change my mind, I can ask you later to delete references to my name, or to Moments of Mormon Madness.

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 2:36 PM

Aw :( My parents had to put my kitty to sleep. He was a good kitty, a black and white tuxedo cat.

We got him the night that my first kitty died - she was real old and her body was shutting down, but the vet said she could have another month if we gave her special cat food and medicine. My parents left for church and my sister and I were all alone. I went to check on her in the room she was sleeping in, pet her and she looked up to me and died right there in my arms.

Cried so much and went over to my friend's house where their cat had a litter a few weeks before. The last cat they couldn't get rid of was there and he jumped up onto my lap and curled up and slept while we watched movies and I ate candy. Named him Quincy - after the city and after the fact it sounded like a proper gentleman's name. He had a bad tooth cause my friend's mom kicked him in the jaw accidentally and broke it - so he was a Snaggle Tooth after a few years when we just decided to get it pulled instead of force him to take medicine.

He would want pets, and snap at you if you touched him wrong, but he was a good kitty :(

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 2:41 PM

Hugs accepted *hug*

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 26, 2011 2:43 PM

*hugs* for Kev. I'm sorry about your kitteh.
-

Posted by: onion girl, OM - Social Workers: Fixing Fuck-ups Since 1880 | January 26, 2011 2:54 PM

*hugs* Kev. :( Losing kitties is hard.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
PharynguWiki
Lynna--I'd just used you and Janine as example, so of course you should decide what you're comfortable with.

I'd offered the linking idea as a type of compromise:

If, for example, Caine didn't want her garlic mayo recipe to be under CC license, but didn't have a problem with people having access to it, we could list the garlic mayo recipe by link only on the Wiki.

Ex:

Caine's Garlic Mayonnaise Recipe:
Caine offered this recipe to the Thread in Month, Year. Recipe may not be posted on wiki but can be located at this URL:

Or something similar. Allows folks who don't want their information/quotes to go under CC license, but provides a mechanism for the information to be easily found.

Does that seem to make sense?

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 26, 2011 2:58 PM

Pharynguwiki sounds confusing. Glad I don't have anything of substance to worry about, (but sad I don't have anything of substance.)

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 3:00 PM

Of course. But I can't stop others from sharing them off-wiki under the license,

That's if they grab it within the window of time before I scrub it, of course. If I scrub first, then that's that.

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 26, 2011 3:03 PM

Two people losing cats in sequential threads. This sucks. My sympathy to you both. e-hugs.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 3:08 PM

Pharynguwiki sounds confusing. Glad I don't have anything of substance to worry about, (but sad I don't have anything of substance.)

Well, it can be very simple. If someone says "just do whatever, I don't care," then it's trivial. For the fuzzy cases, we have a couple of wikilaw veterans on board, and more among the wider Wikia community to fall back on.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 3:11 PM

I am going to strongly suggest that anything written by someone who no longer comments be linked only.

Yep! That's already copyright law. We can't lift and copy people's original writing without their explicit permission.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 3:15 PM

sgbm:

We can't lift and copy people's original writing without their explicit permission.

Depends on a few things, including whether posters agree to turn over copyright, or at least reprint rights, to PZ and/or the SciBorg. (That's how Wikipedia, for instance, can get away with it: adding to Wikipedia is granting a license to reuse under one of the CC licenses.)

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 26, 2011 3:17 PM

SGBM,
I just had no idea that it would matter. In my naivety I just assumed that if it is on here it is already public access and it wouldn't matter to have it mirrored in the wiki. As it appears that is not the case, I am feeling a little confused. Don't worry, I am not making any additions to the wiki so you needn't worry about explaining to me the difference.

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 26, 2011 3:22 PM

Previous thread: Machine Intelligence re "Get of" vs. "Get off" the Unicorn: Thanks for clearing up exactly how it happened. I had read another interview, or account of an interview, where a misprint or typo was mentioned, and fleshed out what I thought it meant.

I can't log in to the wiki, either. I registered and logged in, closed the page and logged in again, but the interface is telling me to log in.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 3:26 PM

Oh, and the crucial question: what's a reasonable price? (1 unmatted 8x10, 2 matted 8x10s in 11x14(?) frames, and 1 matted 11x14 in a 16x20 frame.)

Posted by: Katrina, radicales féministes athées | January 26, 2011 3:32 PM

{{{Hugs}}} for Kev.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 3:43 PM

Depends on a few things, including whether posters agree to turn over copyright, or at least reprint rights, to PZ and/or the SciBorg.

I haven't looked at the legal stuff here, but it's unlikely that we're giving away copyright; that only happens at thoroughly disreputable sites.

Reprint rights generally do not allow for relicensing.

In any case, such permissions would end with PZ and SciBorg until they agree to pass on reprint rights, and that isn't going to happen. PZ isn't going to do that to his Horde, and SciBorg isn't going to let go of whatever exclusivity they have.

That said, I am not a lawyer.

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 3:48 PM

@Markita:

My sister has a few - we lost a lot when my parents' HD crashed, but here's the best of him.

http://i53.tinypic.com/veyg79.jpg

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 4:00 PM

Markita Lynda, which OS and browser version are you on? I'll pass this on to Wikia. And have you tried a different browser?

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 26, 2011 4:04 PM

Strange Gods,
I wasn't telling you that you shouldn't explain, just that I didn't think you should worry about it for my sake.

Posted by: Lynna, OM | January 26, 2011 4:49 PM

Benjamin @280: You can get some idea of standard prices by poking around a bit here:
http://leland-howard.artistwebsites.com/art/all/utah/framed+prints

Note that there are options in the left column for viewing prints on stretched canvas, framed, standard, etc.

Caption and category info may also be of some interest to you.

Look at a few of the different categories, then check the lefthand navigation column to see how it changes.

Posted by: Rey Fox, Bird Caller Guy | January 26, 2011 5:01 PM

For anyone who was concerned, they finally caught the Library of Congress hawk. They used a bal chatri trap baited with a pair of live starlings. No, the hawk was not allowed to eat the starlings.

The bird is a bit dehydrated and hungry, but otherwise in good health. They plan to release it "into the wild", although it seems to me that she was doing all right for herself in the city before somehow getting into the dome.

Posted by: Rey Fox, Bird Caller Guy | January 26, 2011 5:07 PM

And before I forget again, condolences to Kev for the kitty.

Posted by: David Marjanović | January 26, 2011 5:34 PM

The Tunisian Revolution, having spread to Algeria, is now brewing in Egypt, where mass protests keep going on despite "mass brutality from the police apparatus" as the TV news says. Interestingly, the Muslim Brothers, who used to be the only opposition that was left in Egypt, do not participate. The protesters don't say "Islam is the solution" as the Muslim Brothers used to, they say "Tunisia is the solution"!

Hugs for Kev.

Mean to say, there's a certain vocal, proudly-iggernant population within the US that won't value the science for its own sake, but if you can convince them that it's an adversarial, competitive situation, and the US is losing it, there's some chance that at least some of them will be stung in their egos to get on-board with education, science, the whole ball o' wax. 'Cause the US always wins. Thems the rules rite thar, Slick.

Point taken!

The non-Americans here might not be aware of that stereotype.

Indeed I wasn't.

Now I want to scream.

For some odd reason it seems more socially acceptable for a heterosexual woman to say certain women are attractive than for heterosexual men to say the some about a man.

Over here, I get the impression it's socially expected of all women to have that ability. No idea why. Probably the preferences of patriarchs are treated as objective facts...

I have an ETSY STORE! :)

:-)

See, I kind of operate the other way. There aren't a whole lot of people who I wouldn't consider touching in familiar ways, which is to say that I can find sexy in most people.

I suppose that's what "pansexual" means, and the difference between your (lack of?) orientation and Kev's orientation is that between pan- and bisexuality (which, indeed, the Kinsey Scale doesn't distinguish).

David Marjanović:

For any posts explaining linguistics permits linking only to the comment on the Pharyngula Endless Thread.

Um... I don't think I've done Original Research™ on Pharyngula, and I'm just an armchair linguist anyway, so I don't have a problem with my comments on linguistics being copied to the wiki (with a link to the original)... is that what you mean?

And why would anyone post my stuff on linguistics on the wiki? I thought the wiki is more for tropes?

David, it's possible that it's just a session cookie not being set. Try telling it to "remember me on this computer" (and log out later if it's a shared computer).

It's not a shared computer, so I always give in to my laziness and have myself remembered on this computer.

I just tried again. As before, when I click on "log in" after having filled in my username and password and clicked "remember me", the site reloads the page where I was before, and I'm still not logged in.

Naturally I suspected the ć could be the problem, but my user page was created correctly.

Otherwise, which OS and browser (and version number) are you using? I'll pass on your bug report on to the staff.

WinXP Service Pack 3, IE8.

Please note the highest-rated comment.

I wish!

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 5:44 PM

@David M:

Actually I'd consider myself pansexual too, since I don't care if they're male, female, trans, or intersex. If they're attractive, have a great personality, and a brain - they're okay by me.

Posted by: llewelly | January 26, 2011 6:03 PM

Kev Quondam, Kevque Futurum, PKoD | January 26, 2011 12:47 PM:

I think it's related to the fact that I was talking about why I liked Beau (he's cute, he's nice, he gave me a BluRay player) and for some reason it was picked up as an innuendo... and we just couldn't handle it XD

Posted by: llewelly | January 26, 2011 6:07 PM

Kev Quondam, Kevque Futurum, PKoD | January 26, 2011 5:44 PM:

Actually I'd consider myself pansexual too, since I don't care if they're male, female, trans, or intersex. If they're attractive, have a great personality, and a brain - they're okay by me.

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 26, 2011 6:19 PM

They plan to release it "into the wild", although it seems to me that she was doing all right for herself in the city before somehow getting into the dome.

She'll probably be back.
City-pigeons are good eatin', and a renewable resource.

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 26, 2011 6:34 PM

@llewelly:

Additionally, one can be 'potsexual' or 'spoonsexual' or 'spatulasexual'.

And yes... Starlings were allowed to live? They're like... rat birds.

Posted by: Silič O'Nopolitanopoulos, Färschdbischuf Beesknees aus Ulm und Klein Elguth, Elector Pharynguline. | January 26, 2011 6:36 PM

The non-Americans here might not be aware of that stereotype.

Nor drive, but now I can (supposedly) do CPR and work an automatic defibrillator.

Posted by: drbunsen | January 26, 2011 6:50 PM

Morning all. Attempting to rethread - if I miss anything important, well, sue me.

Resolution introduced in Vermont legislature calling for a constitutional amendment to repeal corporate personhood:

Excellent article, excellent arguments, especially page 2.

I note elsewhere that former Governor Jesse Ventura is suing the DHS and TSA for unconstitutional unreasonable search and seizure. No link, blame the current lack of caffeine.

Operation Talk Sense To An Idjit proceeds more-or-less as planned: conclusion; still an idjit. Latest:

I posted a link on his wall to Less Wrong Wiki. This was the response:

Idjit: this is again exactly what i have been saying...
progressive - so that means if something is true, it is not necessarily true,
but seems to be true enough that its ok, but can change in the future..
Idjit: ‎"if you are equally good at explaining any outcome, you have zero knowledge."
lol

Me:
‎"but can change in the future.."
only for something ~less~ wrong. changing it for something more wrong would be just silly ... wouldn't it?

Here, try this one; this is where the title of the wiki comes from. Plus, it's rilly short, and it's by Asimov, so that's a win.

http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm

Idjit: ‎"only for something ~less~ wrong"
, or something more conditional.
if you consider leaves, our general simplistic common usage is wrong. what we may consider as leaves are not, or what we consider as spines are leaves.

Me: ‎' "only for something ~less~ wrong"
, or something more conditional. '
You honestly think those two sentences mean the same thing?

Idjit: yes.
proposition A is true under a set of particular "real" conditions.
post a truth, any truth.
sorry,
...post a provisional acceptance, and preferrably a fairly neutral one :)
and then consider under what conditions it is true.

Facepalm. The other hordelings who have shown up to pile on his imbecilic responses to my post (more recruits always welcome) have proven much better at demolishing the specific idiocies of his waffling, incoherent sophisticated theology, and more persistent. I am worn out from months of battling this loon, and most of his "arguments", such as they are, blur in my eyes into a jelly-like, vague poo-splatter of wrongness that I have difficulty approaching in any sensible way. I'm left spluttering "but ... what? no really, what?? You actually think that makes sense??"

His latest tactic of continuing fail is huffing about language and taking his ball and going home (baleeting all his comments on that thread, flouncing, predictably not sticking the flounce)

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 26, 2011 6:57 PM

I'm sorry to hear about Quincy, Kev. He had a good life, though, and he had you, most importantly, the one who just adored him, no questions asked.
--------------------

Moggie (waaay upthread): The day has gone from "looming' to "almost here." Even if the second wave of snow stops during early hours tomorrow, there's no telling if the streets will be clear enough for schools to open. This has been a hard winter, and I'm thinking it could get worse before the end.

Heh, I almost wish I made a living by weaving on a loom (which is what I thought of first upon reading your post), but there doesn't seem to be a huge market for that here.
----------------------

Re: attractiveness and sexuality - I have no clue where I'd be on the Kinsey scale. I have taken another test online that was based on it, and expanded on it, and came out as "male preference." I don't know if that's still the case.

In contrast to those here who like feminine, I seem to prefer a more masculine look; women with a touch more masculinity in their looks tend to attract me, the most obvious example I can think of being Claudia Black. OTOH, I find Catherine Zeta-Jones to be very attractive, and she's got...softer(?) features, some maybe it's not quite a hard-and-fast rule.

I've seen many women whom I found attractive, thought not sexually. It took me a while to realize that it's quite all right for guys to do the same. Once I did, it became second nature to simply agree or disagree. It removes a lot of stupid BS from your life, and IMO that's a good thing.

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 26, 2011 7:08 PM

Owlmirror, Entropy, now that's some impressive SIWOTI.

David, how many of screens is that on your computer and does it beat your record?

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 26, 2011 7:21 PM

Holy Crap. Sometimes he just scares me.

Yeah, I'm reading it right now and it's really, really good.

That's why it would be a great loss if he was banned for fucking around in the comments box!

Posted by: sandihj | January 26, 2011 7:36 PM

Sven, Kev, so sad to hear about your kitties.

To all who have expressed thoughts about my situation with my dad, thanks much, and I have a little update.

Step-brother contacted my brother directly with a more detailed account, and in some ways it was worse even than we realized. He was wandering lost for 7 hours, and wasn't found by either family or police, but eventually turned up at home exhausted at 10pm. He did not have a cell phone with him, and the people he called didn't understand he was lost, just thought he was late and told him not to worry, just go home. Also it turns out that he had been driving without insurance for several months until step-brother accidentally found out and fixed it. All except step-mother agree he must stop driving, but we're not quite sure how to convince the two of them that this is not negotiable.

The bright side is that my brother (lawyer with lots of connections) is going out there so he and step-brother can present a united front, and so he can get dad's financial affairs and mail transferred to him so we can head off disasters like the insurance things.

And for something entirely different, because I did an Excel coaching session for one of our grant partners, I was treated to a delicious lunch from one of the better Thai restaurants near us. Spicy beef salad is so good.

Posted by: Dania | January 26, 2011 7:37 PM

Yeah, I'm reading it right now and it's really, really good.

That's the scary part. It's so fucking long but it doesn't bother you and it never stops making sense. It was a quite an easy, pleasurable read, actually. I don't know how he manages it, but I'm glad he does!

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 26, 2011 7:48 PM

Perhaps we need an article on PharynguWiki entitled 'Best Comments by Pharyngulites'?

Owlmirror translating Alan Clarke, KG ripping apart libertarianism, truth machine being truth machine, etc.

Look around in your quote files, people.

Posted by: Dania | January 26, 2011 7:53 PM

Besides memes and tropes, would it be possible to have a page linking to classic summaries or teaching moments like, for instance, Owlmirror's recent comment, or some of the earlier flood and geology posts?

I have been thinking about that but haven't had the time start digging up old stuff yet. I also wanted to write a more detailed history of the Thread. We had the delugionists, then the panexperimentalists, then Sean Pitman and so on. But that will take time, and I have to go to bed now.

But since we're talking about Owlmirror, this has be linked in the wiki, somewhere (btw, we need a crackergate page!). And I just love this one (btw, we need a page about presuppositionalism!).

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 26, 2011 8:16 PM

Besides memes and tropes, would it be possible to have a page linking to classic summaries or teaching moments like, for instance, Owlmirror's recent comment, or some of the earlier flood and geology posts?

That's a great idea.

bad wiki news:

The login problem apparently is not something we can fix on our own. We're not the only wiki seeing these issues. It's going to have to be the Wikia staff who fix it on their end, and they haven't answered my first email yet (I'm sure they're getting deluged with complaints from other wikis too).

So if you're unable to log in, or you can't change your preferences, there's nothing to be done for it right now. You'll have to either edit without registering, thus displaying your IP, or you'll have to wait. I'm sorry!

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 26, 2011 8:25 PM

Looking at #321 I see I should hit refresh before commenting.

Posted by: drbunsen | January 26, 2011 8:44 PM

Also, a recent status update of his, clearly in reference to our discussions, and my replies:

a rationalist should acknowledge their irrationality, to do otherwise would be to irrational.

Rationalists do acknowledge their irrationality. Then learn to understand it, and learn the known-to-work disciplines, self-criticism and communication techniques to work around it. They also welcome it when others pull them up on it.

Irrationalists never do.

oh yes, and so the scientific method is open to progression [*]... but are you ? or are you so in control of your irrationality, that you never need to consider it?

Ask yourself this [idjit]. Is there such a thing as being flat out, simply and objectively and positively, wrong?

ask yourself that [drbunsen] ;)
can one ever know the depths of their irrationality?

I have asked myself that. The answer is yes.
Still sidestepping the question though. I asked you first. What's your answer?

[*] This is referring to this previously posted link (headdesk alert), which he seems to think is an example of "science", and proves ... something or other. Anyway, it's doubleplusgood!

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 26, 2011 9:19 PM

I've never really understood pansexuality. I know a working (albeit limited) definition of it, but it's not like I could explain what it is if someone asked me.

Posted by: Muse | January 26, 2011 9:25 PM

@PTI - for me a lot of the difference between being bi and being pan has to do with acknowledging that gender isn't binary. If you're bi, there is an automatic implication of 2. Pansexuality allows for it to be a lot more complex.

Pansexuality also tends to be people who feel that it's less about the gender of the person and more about other things. In some ways how you identify (pan or bi) can also be very cultural and community based.

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 26, 2011 9:28 PM

*adds Muse's explanation to her working definition*

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 26, 2011 9:36 PM

Or one could be like Captain Jack, who has been described as "omnisexual". :)

Oh, sorry ODS, that sounds rotten. Take lots of ibuprofen.

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 26, 2011 9:43 PM

Ibuprofen and massage. It won't take away the soreness completely, but it'll be more bearable.

Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM | January 26, 2011 9:49 PM

Ibuprofen

Posted by: Ing: PhD Trollologist | January 26, 2011 9:55 PM

UUUUUUUUUUUGH

trying to fix my computer a bit by removing a broken bit of adobe illustrator 3 (got 5)

Which of course deleted the shared components so now photoshop doesn't work

Fuck it...time to shill out the 300 for the C5 media package uuuuuuuuuuugh

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 26, 2011 9:59 PM

David M., I don't have any accents in my name and I can't log in either, with Firefox or Internet Explorer.

In case anyone is expecting freezing rain in the next winter storm, if you can leave a little snow in place, afterwards you can remove the ice by digging down below the ice crust into the snow and lifting it off. That makes it easier to clear off windshields, steps, and walks, etc. Sometimes you can put plastic over car windows. Some people lift their cars' windshield wipers up off the windshield so they won't be glued down by ice. Mostly, stay home and stay warm!

Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives | January 26, 2011 10:02 PM

ODS - if it gets particularly bad, you can push the dosage times closer together if you alternate ibuprofen and acetaminophen. It's supposed to be 4 hours between doses, but you can shorten it to 2-3 if you're alternating (so each individually still has 4-6 hours between doses). At least, that's what my doctor has always told me (waits for the actual medical doctors here to refute).

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 10:08 PM

trinioler:

Jeebus, but those commenters are morons. Some of 'em, anyway. A few of 'em actually sound coherent and respectful.

BTW, that's one of a few reasons I don't play online much with people I don't know offline: there are just too many loud idiots.

Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM | January 26, 2011 10:16 PM

ODS, I think the certain OTC NSAIDs tend to work better with certain body biochemistries. Find what works for you. Naproxen works very well for me. Open up your USB port, as I have some vicodin/acetaminophen left over from my tooth problems last summer. A days worth should help.

Carlie, aspirin tends to inhibit other NSAIDs, so shouldn't be used in the mixed regimes. Acetaminophen is very hard on the liver, so unless it works very well for you, avoid it except for rare usage.

Posted by: trinioler | January 26, 2011 10:23 PM

Only ibuprofen works for me. Acetaminophen just... doesn't. Not to the same extent.

And yeah, I know Benjamin. Its rather disappointing.

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 26, 2011 10:27 PM

no over the counter pain meds to a damn thing for me.

Goody's headache powder (Or BC for that matter) can help for a small headache, but generally I stay away from anything because it doesn't do shit for me.

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 26, 2011 10:31 PM

Cicely,
Icy stairs are even more treacherous! I swear, they are out to get me!

Nerd,
I usually take me acetaminophen for headaches, menstrual cramps and the like. It works well for me but I'm worried about some minor swelling, so I'm gonna take some ibuprofen and hope that I'm not too sore/stiff tomorrow morning.

I'll go to bed as soon as the painkillers kick in. :)

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 26, 2011 10:39 PM

I thought it was acetaminophen and alcohol together that were hard on the liver.

Pretty much any organic chemical that wasn't part of our evolutionary history, plus a bunch that were, inc. alcohol, is "hard" on the liver. Mixed-function oxidases are not cheap. Mix 'em and all bets are off. The acetaminophen/alcohol combo has shut down lots of livers recently.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 10:45 PM

By the way, I bought new pants today: one pair of jeans (regular fit) and one pair of denim shorts (relaxed fit).

They're size 48. And they fit.

For comparison, when I started dieting, I was wearing size 52, and those were snug...

Posted by: Rey Fox, Bird Caller Guy | January 26, 2011 10:52 PM

If they release her anywhere but her own territory, she'll probably die, because it will be someone else's territory and they'll drive her out due to superior confidence and familiarity with the topography.

She's a first-year bird and it's winter, so she is most likely in post-fledging dispersal mode. I wouldn't worry too much about it, although I'd personally prefer they just cover where they think she got in and release her in the park nearby.

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 26, 2011 10:59 PM

Goody's headache powder

That's acetaminophen, aspirin, & caffeine.

Caffeine plus one or the other is Anacin, Excedrine, Alka-Seltzer, etc.

Once when I talked to a physician about migraines, I was prescribed a Special Headache Pill containing acetaminophen, caffeine, and a short-acting barbiturate.

When my exish-wife was suffering weird pregnancy headaches, cold caffeine (Diet Coke) alone would sometimes do the trick.

Posted by: SC OM | January 26, 2011 11:02 PM

So it doesn't get lost...

Luke Heddle.

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 26, 2011 11:11 PM

Luke Heddle.

hoo!
damn

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 26, 2011 11:19 PM

I read recently (though I don't have the source) that a "moderate" amount of alcohol with acetaminophen is typically okay, for people who do not have other liver problems (diagnosed or otherwise). But I didn't see the part where they said what a "moderate" amount was. Probably better to avoid it, though. As for acetaminophen by itself, stay under the max dosage on the bottle and you're probably okay. The danger with it is that it is used in a lot of formulas (fever reducers, cough suppressant, etc), so it can be easy to get it from two or three different sources and overdose on it if you're not careful. Pay attention to what medications you are taking, and remember that some of them may contain doses of the same active ingredient that you need to add together to figure out how much you are actually taking. If you take a cough suppressant that contains acetaminophen, and then a Tylenol for your headache, you have to count them both toward the max dosage.

Unfortunately, I have to take a lot of acetaminophen. I get cluster headaches that make it hard to function, but naproxen and NSAIDs are hard on my GI tract. Aspirin doesn't seem to help much. Acetaminophen keeps the headaches at bay, sometimes even makes them go away when I'm lucky. At least for a few hours. The bottle say no more than 8 in a 24 hour period, I get by on 4-6 a day. It goes on daily for a week or two, then I'm fine for a few weeks. Rinse and repeat. This is one of those weeks.

I figure it's probably psychosomatic, but knowing that doesn't make them go away.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'll catch up later.

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 26, 2011 11:23 PM

So it doesn't get lost...

Luke Heddle.

So good.

Posted by: SC OM | January 26, 2011 11:34 PM

It's a video out of the windshield of a car crossing a bridge and entering Newport News, VA, with every sign read either forward or backward.

Oh. That's cool. :)

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 26, 2011 11:40 PM

That's why I'm glad they make an acetaminophen-free NyQuil now. (Why don't they make a DayQuil like that?)

Posted by: Ing: PhD Trollologist | January 27, 2011 12:02 AM

Because the best fucking thing you can do with a character you're claiming is an icon of feminism is to put it int he hands of the guy who gave us Charlies Angels Movies

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 12:06 AM

Wikia has given me a support ticket number now. Trying to resist temptation to end my comments with ~~~~

Posted by: Falyne, FCD | January 27, 2011 12:12 AM

Ugh.

Statements of Purpose are hard to write.

"I want a transcript with a higher GPA than I got in undergrad and a better degree to wave in an employer's face", in closer to 500 words. Bleh. :-P

Posted by: Ing: PhD Trollologist | January 27, 2011 12:23 AM

MOre stupid comic news

BEHOLD YOUR X-MEN VILLAINS!

Look if you want to intimidate anyone you nee to wear some goddamn cloths, or at least not look like the most oblivious show girl at Vegas. Frankly I'm shocked we don't see Mr. Sinister in the Borat mankini

You know I keep hearing there's traces of feminism in comics, apparently I am to take that on faith though. ugh.

Posted by: SC OM | January 27, 2011 12:44 AM

Ugh.

Statements of Purpose are hard to write.

Sorry if I missed it - what (subject) are you going to grad school for, and why?

Posted by: Falyne, FCD | January 27, 2011 1:14 AM

Comp Sci MS.

My undergrad was CS and International Relations, double-major-BS. My GPA was only a 2.5, but I managed to get 710 Verbal / 800 Math /5 Writing on the GRE, so I'm thinking I might have a shot.

I'd been having trouble finding a job (like everyone else), so I figure this'll a.) give me something to do for now and b.) give me an edge once I graduate.

It's also probably my last big push for the ambitious life. If I don't get in, I'll probably wind up owning a microbrewery or a comic shop, and live happily ever after (if having to squelch, from time to time, the rantings my inner adolescent who swore she'd write her name in the history books, or at least not be content with just "happiness" like the rest of the worthless ants, but to always strive for greatness even if I'd likely be a miserable failure. I read too many books, causing me to judge myself by interstellar-assassin levels of acheivement, and prooobably should've started depression meds still in high school. But that would've been a sign of weakness, and I couldn't have THAT...).

Posted by: drbunsen | January 27, 2011 1:25 AM

lordsetar #56:

I dunno what kind of price would be reasonable, though, and I don't consider myself a good judge in that regard.

Then set a start price that covers your costs (for me, $5 usually covers the combined eBay and Paypal fees - listed as $4.95 for the usual reason), make sure you list it as not including postage and handling, give yourself a nice long auction (ten days is the longest IIRC without having an eBay store account) and let the market work out what's "reasonable". Allow combined postage - that will encourage bidders to bid on more than one item in your list, at no extra cost to you, and shipping multiple sales to one buyer is a heck of a lot more convenient. I would suggest a $5 packing & handling fee per buyer, not per item, and actual postage on top of that.

Protip: time your auction listing to end on a Sunday evening.

Jennifer Aniston

Meh. Another supposedly universally appealing celeb: Cameron Diaz does nothing at all for me in most situations, except in the Charlie's Angels films. I think the difference there is that she seems to be having a crapload of fun

there's a certain vocal, proudly-iggernant population within the US that won't value the science for its own sake, but if you can convince them that it's an adversarial, competitive situation, and the US is losing it, there's some chance that at least some of them will be stung in their egos to get on-board with education, science, the whole ball o' wax. 'Cause the US always wins.

Worked in the Cold War with Sputnik going up before the US achieved orbit. Plus, of course, the massive funding surge in research and education that followed.

For me, musical talent on top of (subjective, of course) physical beauty is a clincher.

Oh god, cello players /argleblargleblarg

Sven and Kev, sorry about your kitties.

onion girl: Good luck with Etsy! Let us know when you have some items up.

there's quite a lot of psychology research showing that people of both sexes who are more conventionally attractive are also judged more intelligent, honest, friendly, etc., by those of both sexes (I don't know if orientation was controlled for).

Yes, lots of research on this. But... most of the studies uses pictures/photos of people to make the judgments.

One I've heard of that didn't rely exclusively on photos was a study of emergency rooms: people considered more beautiful had a higher rate of interventions before being pronounced deceased; they were given CPR more often and more persistently, for example.

Posted by: Orange Utan, Librarian of Death | January 27, 2011 1:44 AM

@Benjamin "insert clever nickname here" Geiger

They're size 48. And they fit.


For comparison, when I started dieting, I was wearing size 52, and those were snug...

Congrats man. I'm still a 52.

Have you seen this?

Posted by: SC OM | January 27, 2011 1:54 AM

Comp Sci MS.

My undergrad was CS and International Relations, double-major-BS. My GPA was only a 2.5, but I managed to get 710 Verbal / 800 Math /5 Writing on the GRE, so I'm thinking I might have a shot.

I'd been having trouble finding a job (like everyone else), so I figure this'll a.) give me something to do for now and b.) give me an edge once I graduate.

It's also probably my last big push for the ambitious life.

OK, no.*

Essays: Your entire life till this point has been preparing you for the Comp Sci MS in pursuit of higher goals. Your life is an arrow, and this degree is a point on the arrow's path. Every fact of your life is in service of this goal. Tell this story. The more specific you can be in terms of a project/mentor (are you in touch with one?), the better.

*Congratulations on your test scores!

Posted by: Caine, ghetto féministe | January 27, 2011 1:56 AM

Driving by to say:

Josh, Word.

Benjamin, congratulations on your weight loss, that's fantastic! You must be so pleased.

Posted by: John Morales | January 27, 2011 2:27 AM

Josh:

I'm sorry, straight male friends, but this seems to be a mystery and a condundrum only to you. Gay men and most straight women take it for granted that one can be an appreciator of beauty without that being tied to an urge to have sex with the person in question.

So, you're telling us gay men and women make a discrimination that straight men don't, but should.

I'm about as gay as they get. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seriously considered having sex with a woman (or been actually turned on by the thought). But I love to look at a gorgeous woman (by my definition). There are women who leave me slack-jawed they're so lovely. But I don't want to fuck them.

Unlike you, I am not a straight spokesperson, but for myself I just don't find males beautiful (delighting the senses; enjoyable to perceive), and accordingly don't use such terminology — though I might well say a male is good-looking.

I assure you that my finding women beautiful doesn't necessarily entail desiring to fuck them.

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 3:01 AM

I have no idea why most straight men seem unable to separate "I find him beautiful/attractive" from "I want to have his babies,"

Posted by: drbunsen | January 27, 2011 3:19 AM

people considered more beautiful had a higher rate of interventions before being pronounced deceased;

Asserted with no evidence provided, I note.

the "more beautiful" people would simply be the younger ones

Also a good point; and I have no idea whether the original study corrected for age (although, if they didn't - autofail). I could try and dig it up if anyone cares.

Posted by: drbunsen | January 27, 2011 3:28 AM

Bear suit

Posted by: llewelly | January 27, 2011 6:02 AM

Josh, Official SpokesGay | January 27, 2011 12:57 AM:

I have no idea why most straight men seem unable to separate "I find him beautiful/attractive" from "I want to have his babies," but it's a problem pretty much confined to you guys. The rest of us don't find that very mysterious.

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 27, 2011 7:31 AM

cicely: Yeah there would've been a good pun in that. Like that visiting English lady who wanted to see the bill. After insisting, the Dutch waiter dropped his trousers.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 27, 2011 7:49 AM

Falyne:

It's like you're my doppelganger. I got nearly-identical GRE scores (I only got a 4 on the writing part, though), but my GPA was a bit better (3.36 overall, 3.68 for my junior and senior coursework).

Posted by: a_ray_in_dilbert_space, OM, A little FUCKING ray of sunshine | January 27, 2011 8:09 AM

More blood on the hands of American Fundagelicals:

A Ugandan gay rights campaigner who last year sued a local newspaper which outed him as homosexual has been beaten to death, activists say.

Police have confirmed the death of David Kato but say they are investigating the circumstances.

Uganda's Rolling Stone newspaper published the photographs of several people it said were gay next to a headline reading "Hang them".

Homosexual acts are illegal in Uganda, with punishments of 14 years in prison.

An MP recently tried to increase the penalties to include the death sentence in some cases.

The BBC's Kevin Mwachiro says it is unclear whether the death is linked to the Rolling Stone campaign.

There has been a recent spate of "iron-bar killings" in Mukono, where Mr Kato lived, in which people have been assaulted with pieces of metal.

Witnesses have told the BBC that a man entered Mr Kato's home near Kampala, and beat him to death before leaving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12295718

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 27, 2011 8:25 AM

An egotist is a person of low taste - more interested in himself than in me.

favorite quote of the moment

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 27, 2011 8:42 AM

Thanks to everybody for the well wishes and painkiller advice.

I've been taking ibuprofen, but I'm still sore as hell. I think I'll survive. :)

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 27, 2011 8:46 AM

Liriodendrons: I have ben meaning to tell you that I dig that nym. We considered the singular nominative form when naming our daughter. Just seeing the word makes me nostalgic for the Smokies.

My niece loves it when I point out Liriodendron tulipifera on hikes near my parents place in the Appalachians. Not sure she really cares about the tree as much as her weird uncle singing the name of it. Her other favorite is Liquidambar styraciflua.

Posted by: AJ Milne OM | January 27, 2011 9:07 AM

Bullshit alert: Wakefield of the bullshit MMR study is on the CBC's 'The Current' live in a few minutes. Listen live via:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/

... pick an 'Eastern' link to hear what I'm hearing. He's not on this minute; they're doing the mail; but it shouldn't be long.

If you miss it, it'll be below:

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/

... in a day or so.

Posted by: drbunsen | January 27, 2011 9:10 AM

Hubble glimpes galaxy from a mere half-billion years after the Big Bang.

Posted by: Ogvorbis, Parenthetical Death | January 27, 2011 9:21 AM

On pain meds:

I've used just about every type out there and every damn one stops working at about the 15th or 20th dose (for painkilling (I think the anti-inflamatory part continues working longer)). I try very hard not to take pain killers as the meds start working again after I haven't taken them for a couple of months. For 'normal' knee pain, though, Alleve works pretty well. As does plain aspirin (the only one that doesn't appear to become less effective (though (if I take it for more than a week, my tummy starts to get weird)). Occasionally. Ibuprofin, however, does nothing.

--------------------

Happy Tuesday.

--------------------

I was going through my closet last night looking for things to throw out/donate and I came across one of my old felt Stetsons from work (the classic NPS flat hat). I glanced at it and wondered why I had stopped wearing it. It wasn't worn out. Then I looked at the top and remembered.

Some years ago, the urban national park at which I work had a bad pigeon problem. We tried everything -- spikes, fake owls, recordings of raptors (modern, not Cretacious) -- to get rid of the winged rats and failed. Finally, nature took a hand.

Two pairs of Kestrels (the bird, not the V12) built nests in our musuem area (outdoors). And swept the pigeons from the sky. They also regularly dive-bombed anyone wearing a flat hat, but that just added to our interpretive opportunities.

One day, I was leading a tour across an open area. It was mid-spring, so I was still in my winter uniform. As I talked with the visitors, I noticed they were not looking at me, but rather above me.

"Ah," I said. "I see you have noticed our Kestrels."

Then they gasped. And took a step back. Apparently, the Kestrel had slammed into, and killed, a pigeon, in flight, over my head. And I was sprayed in the blood of a rock dove (there appears to be some Christian death cult symbolism there, but I'll leave that to y'all's imagination). I gave a quick explanation of the witnessed hunting habits of the raptor and then continued with my tour.

The blood came out of my shirt. It soaked into the beaver felt hat and wouldn't come out so I had to spring for a new ($145.00) hat.

Damn pigeons.

The Kestrels built nests there for three seasons. And the local pigeon population disappearerd. The Kestrels went on to new hunting and nesting grounds but, ten years on, the winged rats have not returned.

Nice Kestrels.

Sorry 'bout that. Y'all are a good audience for my weird stories. And you can't walk away. Or start throwing things.

-------------

How can you recognize a future trombone player in an elementary school playground?

He (or she) is the one who can't swing and has problems with the slide.

Posted by: llewelly | January 27, 2011 9:31 AM

A note about naproxen sodium. Not all generics are alike. I found that both the "kroger" (Smiths) and "equiline" (Fresh Market) generics made me queasy even when consumed with a full meal. Furthermore - they behave as if there is no time release mechanism in them; their effect is strong shortly after they start to take effect, but it weakens rapidly thereafter, and is practically gone within about 4 hours. I did not have either of these problems with "Kirkland" (Costco) or "Aleve"; both of those I can take with only a glass of water - no meal needed, and I don't feel queasy at all, and they both maintain a steady level of painkilling strength for about 8 hours.

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 27, 2011 9:36 AM

Shala,
Thanks. :) You're a little young for hip problems, did you injure yourself or something? 'Cos that totally sucks, dude.

Ogvorbis,
The only painkillers I've taken on a regular/consistent basis are codeine and vicoden, which didn't lessen the pain for me in the first place, let alone get weaker with time. They did help me relax and sleep, however, which is why I stuck with them. Most of the time with minor aches and pains I just tough it out and rest, I really have to be in a lot of pain to consider taking a pill.

(Thankfully, I'm a relatively healthy person that doesn't have to worry about pain management. My heart goes out to everybody with chronic pain.)

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 27, 2011 9:43 AM

Please stop discussing/comparing female celebrities' attractiveness.

The conversation started here.
Is there an excess adjective in your request?

Posted by: Jadehawk, cascadeuse féministe | January 27, 2011 9:52 AM

my crown fell out.

any idea how much it would cost to have it reattached, or alternatively just have the remains of the tooth pulled and solve the problem once and for all?

Posted by: Shala | January 27, 2011 10:03 AM

Thanks. :) You're a little young for hip problems, did you injure yourself or something? 'Cos that totally sucks, dude.

It was from laying on my sides for really long amounts of time. My left one in particular is awful. The pain is still there but not as horrible as it used to be, so I always have to roll around at night (and made cuddling with the bf an...interesting experience if nothing else).

Posted by: Ogvorbis, Parenthetical Death | January 27, 2011 10:12 AM

any idea how much it would cost to have it reattached, or alternatively just have the remains of the tooth pulled and solve the problem once and for all?

Reattaching the crown shouldn't cost that much. Just cleaning the surfaces, applying the glue, sticking it on and checking for occlusions is all it takes (my Mom once had a crown come out three days into a two-week hike around the west side of Mount Whitney. she glued it in with some super glue. when she went to the dentist after the hike, he looked at what she had done and told her that when it falls out again in two years, he'll fix it for her.).

Pulling the tooth should cost around $200 to $300, depending on anesthesia and how much there is to grab. I had 3/4 of a molar pulled and it ran me $225 which included the painkiller shot but no general aneshesia.

And after your tooth is pulled (if that is what you do), re-read the information above about pain killers.

Trust me on that one.

Posted by: Shala | January 27, 2011 10:13 AM

About attractiveness:

Though I'm bisexual and find many types of people attractive, there's always the lingering thought at the back of my mind that the person could turn out to be a Homophobic Fuckwit. It makes me feel really awful when I find myself saying someone looks attractive and then their personality turns out to be ugly like that.

I mean, it wouldn't be as much of a problem if I could ask a guy out and reasonably just expect a "no, I'm not into men" instead of the possibility of being beaten and tortured to death.

Posted by: Erulóra (formerly KOPD) | January 27, 2011 10:16 AM

Jadehawk,

If it just needs to be re-glued, that shouldn't cost too much (as compared to having it installed the first time). I'd guess ~$150. It's been a while since I had an extraction, so I couldn't guess what that runs. My memory is too short.

Posted by: Psych-Oh | January 27, 2011 10:22 AM

JadeHawk - Unfortunately, it depends how old the crown is and if everything under it is in good shape. Could be a cheap, easy fix. Or it could be massive dental work to save the tooth (which might push you towards the pull option).

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 10:24 AM

Second point: fair enough. There's a goose & gander argument to be made here, but I won't make it.

Good, because that would make you an extraordinarily dense gander, who appears not to notice that discussion of the succulency of ganders does not relate to systemic discrimination against ganders.

And an extraordinarily dense gander might be delicious indeed.

Personally I find all of the discussions here that consist solely of everybody airing their personal opinions (about food, celebrities, music, sex, over-the-counter pain relievers, other commenters, etc.) extraordinarily tiresome. I just don't care.

Yet you do care enough to speak up when a goose asks for it to stop.

honk!

Posted by: SQB (fuck death) | January 27, 2011 10:25 AM

... which might push you towards the pull option ...

Posted by: Shala | January 27, 2011 10:33 AM

But old prejudices die hard- the pessimist in me doesn't think we'll see an end to homophobic fueled violence in my lifetime.

Things probably will get better, someday. It won't stop the fear I'll always have because of homophobic, sexist, pro-life (anti-woman) parents and terrible schoolkids, but I can hope that shit dies off someday.

Posted by: Mattir-ritated | January 27, 2011 10:36 AM

Holy Freaking Unicorn, can we please not start this again?

Posted by: Walton, Marquis of Carabas | January 27, 2011 10:41 AM

Personally I find all of the discussions here that consist solely of everybody airing their personal opinions (about food, celebrities, music, sex, over-the-counter pain relievers, other commenters, etc.) extraordinarily tiresome.

:-/

I'm curious. What do you prefer to talk about? (Other than turtles, that is.)

I'm not being snarky. I genuinely want to know which kinds of discussion topics you find more interesting. Surely almost any discussion involves people sharing personal opinions about something or other?

(Obviously, it's theoretically possible to have discussions that are purely empirical and that don't involve any statements of personal preference, value-judgments, rhetoric, tastes, emotional reactions, or anything like that. But I imagine that would make for a very odd, and rather sterile, comment thread.)

Posted by: onion girl, OM - Social Workers: Fixing Fuck-ups Since 1880 | January 27, 2011 10:47 AM

Cicley: We had a Merlin too...actually, two Merlins. :) Right before I was born my parents had Guinevere, a black and white cat, and Lancelot, a miniature Sheltie. (Detecting a theme, here? :) When they died, my mom found a male, blue-eyed white-haired cat--not deaf. We kept him till we moved to Pennsyl-tucky. And there, at the animal shelter, was another male, blue-eyed white haired--not deaf--kitten. :)

Merlin II lived until about a year after my mother died. When my mom was dying Merlin would bring her a mouse or baby rabbit or something every morning, and drop it right in front of her bed. He'd been a hunter before that of course, but it wasn't until she got sick that he consistently did it almost every single day, and dropped it right next to her bed.

I don't know enough about animal behavior to say that there was anything significant in that, but it made my mom laugh, and that was the important thing. :)

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 10:50 AM

These people put themselves out in the public eye (or at least are complicit when their agents do so) as "beautiful people". Their beauty, or lack thereof, is fair game.

If discussions of muggles' beauty somehow, magically, did not impact mundanes' views of their own beauty, you would have a brilliant point right there.

And I don't think it's that Sven "cares enough to speak up when a goose asks for it to stop"; it's more that he's willing to point out hypocrisy.

If men generally were already feeling the same pressure as women generally, to meet mythic standards through plastic surgery and eating disorders, then SC's request might indeed be hypocrisy.

(For the record I don't want more pressure on men; I want less pressure on women.)

Posted by: Ogvorbis, Parenthetical Death | January 27, 2011 11:00 AM

Quodlibet:

No question they were Kestrels. I even double checked the id using this photo: http://sdakotabirds.com/species_photos/photos/american_kestrel_1.jpg

When one of them took out a pigeon, they dove on it from above, hit it hard (picture an explosion of feathers and blood), intercepted the carcass as it fell and flew/dragged it away (at very low altitude (1 foot above the ground) or with the pigeon remains actually dragging on the ground as the bird dragged it off to an eating place). We had the kestrels for three breeding seasons and the two pairs who nested here raised five chicks to fledge. The kestrels were about the same size as the rock doves and the predation was wonderfully effective.

I do see peregrines around here, too. They are much larger and have no brown.

Posted by: Walton, Marquis of Carabas | January 27, 2011 11:05 AM

I think it is important to note that the gutter-media's obsession with female celebrities' bodies - "Is X putting on weight?!" "This is what Y looks like without makeup!!1!" - does tend to promote body dysmorphia and eating disorders in the general public, as well as causing a substantial amount of demonstrable psychological harm to many of the women who get this kind of negative attention.

I know no one here would want to encourage any of that kind of exploitative media bullshit: but it is very prevalent in our society, and I think that's a good explanation for why people might legitimately be a little more sensitive to comments about female celebrities' looks, even if well-intentioned, than to comments about male celebrities' looks. I'm not saying either kind of comment is inherently "okay" or "not okay", but I think there's a rational reason for treating them differently.

Posted by: Jadehawk, cascadeuse féministe | January 27, 2011 11:11 AM

hmmm... a couple hundred bucks, I can afford that I guess. Thanks for the answers everyone, and thanks for the link Camille, I'll check them out :-)

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 11:21 AM

I got a confirmation e-mail from Wikia and confirmed my membership. As before, I show as logged in in the community but not in the Pharyngula wiki.

Thanks, Markita. I'll pass this on to them.

Posted by: Ogvorbis, Parenthetical Death | January 27, 2011 11:24 AM

Quodlibet:

We do have some photos of the birds nesting (and I'm trying to locate them (none online)) so I can try to confirm the species. Small birds (a little smaller than the pigeons) and they were really into dive bombing attacks (especially against humans wearing flat hats (no idea why)). Never saw any hovering attacks, just the dive bombing. And when the pigeons moved on, so did the birds.

Posted by: Dianne | January 27, 2011 11:24 AM

Interesting study in the latest NEJM. They examined probability of psychological illness in women who underwent abortion and found-brace yourselves for a shock-no difference compared with baseline. Childbirth, OTOH, was associated with a moderate increase in risk of mental disorders. Reference. Wonder how the anti-choice movement is going to play this one.

Posted by: Quodlibet | January 27, 2011 11:28 AM

"Childbirth, OTOH, was associated with a moderate increase in risk of mental disorders."

Wow, what a surprise. (Post-partum depression, anyone?)

Though it's good to quantify, by scientific means, what is common knowledge.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 11:31 AM

than to comments about male celebrities' looks.

Generally.

(The tabloid media marketed to gay men does the same "has X gained weight" about some men who are seen as gay icons. And this does negatively impact the self-image of gay men, especially youth.

But as all women are judged, while only some men are so judged, mixed straight/queer company's usual discussions about men are not necessarily as problematic.)

Posted by: Quodlibet | January 27, 2011 11:33 AM

Thanks, Ogvorbis. One of the things I love about watching and studying birds is their endlessly fascinating behavior and the opportunity to learn more about them.

I'm supposed to be working this morning but I confess to spending most of the time watching the birds at the feeders. We had nearly a foot of snow last night in CT, and the feeders are busy. Our resident Cooper's Hawk will probably stop by soon. Two years ago she handily dispatched half a dozen invasive starlings. :-)

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 27, 2011 11:35 AM

@sgbm:

I judge all male celebrities (I used to have a big crush on Cary Elwes, but he got fat.)

Posted by: Quodlibet | January 27, 2011 11:39 AM

Oh, Ogvorbis, I forgot to add - one of the best field marks for American Kestrel is the slate-blue wings of the male. Really distinctive. Female has bright rusty brown wings and tail, male has bright rusty back and blue-grey wings. Male and female peregrines are generally the same color (within subspecies).

My Sibley's field guide has Kestrel at 9" from head to tail. That's a little smaller than an American Robin 10")

Posted by: Dania | January 27, 2011 11:41 AM

The truth is that where I used to read the Thread in terms of "us" I find myself recently more and more thinking of it in terms of "you people."

I... know what you mean. I'm gradually starting to feel more and more like that. I don't know why, but it is a lot less fun this way. Most conversations bore me. Hell, I bore myself sometimes when commenting here.

Gah.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 11:44 AM

That's great, Kev, now if we could just get everyone to follow your lead, we could have an epidemic of eating disorders for straight teenage boys too.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 11:48 AM

but it is a lot less fun this way.

Lions are starving, need more Christians.

Posted by: Dania | January 27, 2011 11:53 AM

Lions are starving, need more Christians.

:D

Posted by: Jadehawk, cascadeuse féministe | January 27, 2011 12:00 PM

Thanks Algernon...

...I wish we had a dentist around. I've heard about the "need" for a bridge or implant after an extraction, too, but no one ever bothered to explain why I'd need to replace a lost tooth...

Posted by: Walton, Marquis of Carabas | January 27, 2011 12:01 PM

Checks the fuck out of thread.

:-(

Sorry if I said the wrong thing on this topic. I don't normally get involved in these kinds of discussions, and I hope I didn't make things worse. I'll stop now.

Posted by: Jadehawk, cascadeuse féministe | January 27, 2011 12:05 PM

though, I should note that the only "credit" for an expensive dentist would be to get a student loan and lie to them about what it's for. I have no credit, and therefore no credit-cards and no loans. So a really expensive dentist is out of the question anyway.

Posted by: SC OM | January 27, 2011 12:07 PM

Time for me to take a break. Take care, all.

Posted by: First Approximation, L'esprit de l'escalier | January 27, 2011 12:08 PM

It's so fucking long but it doesn't bother you and it never stops making sense. It was a quite an easy, pleasurable read, actually.

Yeah, I find a lengthy comment, article, book, etc. only to be a problem when the quality is low.

Surely almost any discussion involves people sharing personal opinions about something or other?

Well, Sven said he found conversations that "consist solely of everybody airing their personal opinions" tiresome [bold mine].

Lions are starving, need more Christians

There were quite a few here yesterday.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 12:09 PM

Kev I refer you to

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/episode_clxi_now_thats_a_messi.php#comment-3173096

and

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/episode_clxi_now_thats_a_messi.php#comment-3172985

and then the last four words of

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/episode_clxi_now_thats_a_messi.php#comment-3173390

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 27, 2011 12:16 PM

I think this topic has gotten entirely out of hand and bow out now. I was wrong, and I'm being dumb.

Posted by: Algernon, elle sans chapeau | January 27, 2011 12:18 PM

Oh I see you have no credit history at all. I see now. I assume you don't have a stafford or perkins loan then?

Check about payment plans with the dentist or dental school then. Some times they will be willing to negotiate.

If you go the extraction route you *may* be able to get it done in a hospital, and they typically will let you do a payment plan.

True facts for survival in America: Never be too proud to give medical workers a reason to laugh their asses off at you if it will get you the medical care you need when all other options are exhausted.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 12:23 PM

Dania is fast.

Posted by: Dania | January 27, 2011 12:33 PM

There were quite a few here yesterday

In fact, I'm enjoying that thread. I know, high concentration of Stupid but... Sastra!!! Owlmirror! Iain Walker (I like him more by the day)! And so on. How can it not make for a good read?

Posted by: Walton, Marquis of Carabas | January 27, 2011 12:40 PM

True facts for survival in America: Never be too proud to give medical workers a reason to laugh their asses off at you if it will get you the medical care you need when all other options are exhausted.

:-( :-( :-(

Now that's depressing.

Damn. In so many ways we live in a horrible world.

Posted by: drbunsen | January 27, 2011 12:46 PM

None of us have stated anything having to do with 'a woman should look like [celebrity X] or she's unattractive.'

My contribution, clumsy as it was, was part of an effort to refute that very idea. I know that my own IRL tastes run the gamut.

I'm sure there are some males who hear "Isaiah Mustafa is dreamy" and look at themselves as being unappealing in response.

Anecdata: I do :( When he says "now look back at your husband", I identify with that guy.

Posted by: Shala | January 27, 2011 12:50 PM

ACtually I think a lot of it is limited to some feminist comic fans who fight for more feminism in the media and maybe one writer or two who is good.

While not a writer, I love Linkara's comic reviews that he does. He's a feminist and really amusing to watch.

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 27, 2011 12:54 PM

The problem with Wikia persists. Logged in again, on Internet Explorer, but it still prompts for a login.

Posted by: Ing: PhD Trollologist | January 27, 2011 12:56 PM

@516

Linkara is a good example of a male who pretty much gets it. And more shockingly is willing to use the title unapologeticly.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 27, 2011 1:02 PM

I repeat my question for those who missed it the first time:

Is there a standard for information cards for artwork? I'm referring to the ones tacked up beside the frame, generally giving the title, the artist, the medium (not really applicable here, as they're photos), and (if for sale) the price.

What other information should be included? What size card, and what order?

Posted by: RemembersABeach | January 27, 2011 1:04 PM

Jadehawk -

With regard to my previous post, even if you live on the Minnesota side of the river, and were Medicaid eligible, Medicaid might not be able to help with your dental issue. I don't know enough about dental services to know if it would fall into the description of covered services.

Minnesota Statute 256B.0625

Subd. 9.Dental services.(a) Medical assistance covers dental services.

(b) Medical assistance dental coverage for nonpregnant adults is limited to the following services:

(1) comprehensive exams, limited to once every five years;

(2) periodic exams, limited to one per year;

(3) limited exams;

(4) bitewing x-rays, limited to one per year;

(5) periapical x-rays;

(6) panoramic x-rays, limited to one every five years except (1) when medically necessary for the diagnosis and follow-up of oral and maxillofacial pathology and trauma or (2) once every two years for patients who cannot cooperate for intraoral film due to a developmental disability or medical condition that does not allow for intraoral film placement;

(7) prophylaxis, limited to one per year;

(8) application of fluoride varnish, limited to one per year;

(9) posterior fillings, all at the amalgam rate;

(10) anterior fillings;

(11) endodontics, limited to root canals on the anterior and premolars only;

(12) removable prostheses, each dental arch limited to one every six years;

(13) oral surgery, limited to extractions, biopsies, and incision and drainage of abscesses;

(14) palliative treatment and sedative fillings for relief of pain; and

(15) full-mouth debridement, limited to one every five years.

(c) In addition to the services specified in paragraph (b), medical assistance covers the following services for adults, if provided in an outpatient hospital setting or freestanding ambulatory surgical center as part of outpatient dental surgery:

(1) periodontics, limited to periodontal scaling and root planing once every two years;

(2) general anesthesia; and

(3) full-mouth survey once every five years.

Posted by: SC OM | January 27, 2011 1:06 PM

Isn't a bit ironic that you're asking people to stop discussing these things when in this comment you clearly stated that peoples request to stop arguing/asking doesn't matter?

How? In the previous thread when you were asked to stop arguing, you were under no obligation to do so. Now you are asking for people to stop discussing a certian topic that you find distressful. It's pretty much the samething.

Look, asshole, you're not even making sense. I didn't say anything didn't matter. I pointed out that people's requests that others stop arguing are not binding; no one but PZ can stop anyone from posting. But, I said, these requests (and the comments about how enjoyable people's Thread experience is) do affect us and our decisions about whether to continue posting in general, because in general we care what other people think of our behavior. (That was the fucking point of the comment you linked to - that it matters.) strange gods' demand that we not discuss certain choices because he thinks it's harmful mattered to me, but in the end I disagree with his reasoning. Later, I asked that people stop debating women's beauty because I think it's harmful. I expected the request to matter to people in the sense that they would consider it, but they're free to disagree with my reasoning and to find the request annoying. And of course I can't stop anyone from posting what they want. There's no irony. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

And now, my break. :)

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 27, 2011 1:11 PM

I just fell down the stairs and managed to fuck up my right shoulder, my left hand, and my ass. I am going to be one sore sad-sack tomorrow morning. :(

Personally I find all of the discussions here that consist solely of everybody airing their personal opinions (about food, celebrities, music, sex, over-the-counter pain relievers, other commenters, etc.) extraordinarily tiresome.

I could see if it became monotonous that it would no longer be pleasurable, but for me the topics themselves are great to revisit. It's just an issue if it becomes the same conversation over and over. That's not my experience with Teh Thread™, but I haven't been following it as long as you have (well, at least not thoroughly following).

These people put themselves out in the public eye (or at least are complicit when their agents do so) as "beautiful people". Their beauty, or lack thereof, is fair game.

Hell, I'm not even close to Hollywood pretty, and I still go through this shit. And when I was acting onstage, there was usually a nice gaggle of fellas waiting around afterward to chat me up because, you know, there's no way I could possibly care about the art involved, I must just want their goddamn attention. Why else would I put myself on a stage, if not to be ogled?

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 1:17 PM

#526 QFT and Ramen.

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 1:18 PM

Oh, well, gee, SC you were so fucking concise when you made that request. Why I must be some fucking retard to not realize that this:

Please stop discussing/comparing female celebrities' attractiveness.

Was completely different from this:

Please stop discussing it.

Oh my bad for having perceived it as being inconsistence with your idea that you can post about anything in the thread. And not my bad for not making it clear what I meant: that you cannot reasonably expect people to stop discussing a certain subject matter that may be distressful when you yourself had been discussing things that other people find distressful.

Next time, just say this:

Later, I asked that people stop debating women's beauty because I think it's harmful. I expected the request to matter to people in the sense that they would consider it, but they're free to disagree with my reasoning and to find the request annoying. And of course I can't stop anyone from posting what they want.

It would have saved me the trouble.

(FWIW, I still think it's wrong. Not talking about a problem on perpetuates that problem.)

And pot kettle black on the asshole comment.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 27, 2011 1:32 PM

basic socializing is tiresome. in meatspace, it's downright exhausting, since unlike on the internet, you're not allowed to walk away at random. It's also not very intellectually stimulating.

But I know it is different for different people. Sven just doesn't seem introverted and hasn't made the claims that you have along those lines. So I was wondering if it was something personal to him or personal to the Thread.

Also, I walk away at random if I'm no longer interested in a conversation. I found that I have too hard a time extricating myself otherwise. People chalk it up to my being eccentric, so usually I don't offend anyone too badly. Perhaps you should affect some sort of eccentricity (I suggest a fedora and walking cane) so you can have an easy out.

Posted by: SC OM | January 27, 2011 1:33 PM

I meant: that you cannot reasonably expect people to stop discussing a certain subject matter that may be distressful when you yourself had been discussing things that other people find distressful.

WTF? You know nothing about my expectations or whether I had any at all. I made a request. Anyone can request that people not discuss anything. These requests may or may not be well founded, annoying, or heeded. They are not binding. The only way my request would have been ironic or inconsistent would be if I had said that people shouldn't ever request that others stop discussing anything or that all such requests should/shouldn't be heeded, which I didn't.

Oh my bad for having perceived it as being inconsistence with your idea that you can post about anything in the thread.

That's not my idea. That's a fact: PZ is the only person who can stop people from posting what they want.

(FWIW, I still think it's wrong. Not talking about a problem on perpetuates that problem.)

Which would make sense as an objection to what I've said if I asked people to stop talking about a problem.

Fuck but you're dense.

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 1:35 PM

Walton and Jadehawk

I disagree. I find meatspace socialization very intellectually stimulating at times. And you can walk away there as much as here. Also, even if we are at an aquaintance level, there are many ways to engage the discussion in such a way that a long drawn out conversation will ensue. It really depends on what type of people you want to engage with.

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 1:39 PM

Why is it that, every time I visit the Thread these days, there's a vitriolic row flaring between the regulars about one thing or another?

Lions are hungry, need more Christians!

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 1:44 PM

As are you, SC. I've already stated that if you had made it clear, I would not have made the mistake in the first place. And you're right, I can't know your expectation, which is I jumped to my conclusion. Without clarification, I'm left to make my own assumptions, erroneous as they may be.

(And no, you are not obligated to clarify anything for me or anyone else. But that also mean I get a free pass to interpreted what you meant.)

(I've already said multiple times that I'm possibly the dumbest regular commenter here. So excuse me, SC

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 27, 2011 1:45 PM

Sven just doesn't seem introverted

bwaha
21 out of 30 on the Myers-Briggs Introversion scale.

(yeah, yeah, Carl Jung, whatever)

Posted by: cicely (Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac) | January 27, 2011 1:45 PM

The return of the Old Spice guy.
-
On the subject of meds and livers, does Naproxen belong on the list of liver-affecting drugs?
-
Benjamin, congratulations on the shrinkage of your pants. :)
-

You must not be familiar with Emma Frost. Well, rest assured, she can kill you with her mind.


She has also, for whatever reason, become the epicenter of ludicrous costuming at Marvel.

Aaaaand, DC has Power Girl.
-
Ah, nostalgia....

Scroll down to view The Wandering Damage System Matrix.

The awesome just never wears off.
-

I will say this, though: I don't understand why Brad Pitt gets the appearance accolades he does.

Because he cleans up nice; just not when wearing the ratty beard.
-

Childbirth, OTOH, was associated with a moderate increase in risk of mental disorders. Reference. Wonder how the anti-choice movement is going to play this one.

I don't. Wonder, that is. Since it doesn't reinforce their bias, they'll ignore it completely. </cynicism>
-

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 27, 2011 1:47 PM

@heddle:

*gnaws*

Posted by: Jadehawk, cascadeuse féministe | January 27, 2011 1:51 PM

And you can walk away there as much as here.

I've had to resort to the "massive headache" excuse too many times to get out of an exhaustingly boring social situation without pissing off half the room to still believe that people are ok with you walking out of a conversation.

unfortunately, part of the reason The Thread has been disintegrating lately is because people have started to import meatspace socialization rules/behavior into it, resulting in more unwritten rules, more boring small-talk, and more hurt feelings.

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 27, 2011 1:54 PM

There really is no depths to which the likes of Beck will stoop, is there? I swear, they make the mentally stunted (retarded? challenge? too many terms and I don't even know which one is acceptable anymore) look like geniuses. Probably because those people don't routinely go out on a limb to try and smear anyone who doesn't agree with them.
-----------------------------

Childbirth, OTOH, was associated with a moderate increase in risk of mental disorders. Reference. Wonder how the anti-choice movement is going to play this one.

I'll second on what cicely said, because it's true and anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't been paying attention. Besides, it's the only other tactic they use for such times aside from twisting facts to support their ideas.

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 1:55 PM

that's bullshit. you try walking away halfway through someone talking at you at excruciating length about something you don't give a fuck about, and see if they don't get pissed at you.

Oh, well that's what spacing out is for. :)

Posted by: Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort | January 27, 2011 1:56 PM

@Jadehawk:

Happens to me all the time. My family will just walk away from me when I'm saying something they're completely disinterested in.

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 2:00 PM

I don't know what the hell I was supposed to make clear. Your claim about irony was just wrong.

Fuck it. I'm the dumbass who didn't make any sense. There. Happy?

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 27, 2011 2:02 PM

this place has gotten messy

Posted by: strange gods before me ॐ homintern radfem | January 27, 2011 2:04 PM

Oh yeah, heddle? Well, presuppositionalists taste like dust.

Posted by: Benjamin "pardon my French" Geiger | January 27, 2011 2:07 PM

Got some tags on my framed photos. Here are some crappy cellphone pics of two of 'em.

first

second

Posted by: onion girl, OM - Social Workers: Fixing Fuck-ups Since 1880 | January 27, 2011 2:07 PM

If anyone has a moment, would you take a look at these? They're potential logos for my Etsy shop.

I'm not entirely sure if I even like this particular concept, but it's what I'm working with at the moment.

Posted by: 朴競花/박경화 (Gyeong Hwa) | January 27, 2011 2:10 PM

Jadehawk,

My personal expirience and opinion here: Pissing people off can open the door to a better conversation.

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 27, 2011 2:13 PM

ODS,
Ouch! Take care of yourself.
___

Benjamin,
Four inches off the waist, that is a coup.
___

ARiDS,
That is pretty savage. Iron bars? How can anyone hate another so much?
___

I have to say that having had three teeth pulled in my adult life, not everyone needs painkillers to recover.
___

Jules,
I think I am in your boat on this, I like people, I like talking to people, and I will frequently avoid any other action because there are people to talk with regardless of the topic.
___

GHP,

I've already said multiple times that I'm possibly the dumbest regular commenter here.

Posted by: Antiochus Epiphanes | January 27, 2011 2:14 PM

you try walking away halfway through someone talking at you at excruciating length about something you don't give a fuck about, and see if they don't get pissed at you.

I spill my drink on myself, and then run for paper towels. Sure, the laundy piles up, but no-ones feelings get hurt.

I have a million such tricks by the way.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 27, 2011 2:19 PM

You know what I think The Thread needs?

More Brownian.

*puts out Brownian signal*

Posted by: Dhorvath, OM | January 27, 2011 2:21 PM

Oh well.

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 27, 2011 2:25 PM

This is like when it's 5am and the coke has run out.

Strange, that's precisely what I was thinking.

Posted by: blf | January 27, 2011 2:26 PM

Follow Jules's advice and start cultivating a true sense of eccentricity.

The mildly deranged penguin says that doesn't work.

Posted by: Dianne | January 27, 2011 2:27 PM

I don't. Wonder, that is. Since it doesn't reinforce their bias, they'll ignore it completely.

Sigh. You're probably right. If it's brought to their attention, they'll then say that the study is "flawed". Not has X, Y, and Z flaws, just that it is "flawed" and dismiss it completely. Challenging them to explain what flaws they see usually produces an amusing systems error in their brains, but no actual results in terms of either producing flaws or changing minds.

Posted by: Jules, Bride of Death | January 27, 2011 2:30 PM

Follow Jules's advice and start cultivating a true sense of eccentricity.

The mildly deranged penguin says that doesn't work.

Posted by: Rey Fox, Bird Caller Guy | January 27, 2011 2:33 PM

Socializing...necessary evil, or evil necessity?

Walton:

Having to make banal small-talk with vaguely-friendly-acquaintances - people I know just well enough that I can't ignore them, but don't know well enough to want to talk about anything interesting to - is one of those social duties that can be tiresome.

True 'dat. I guess I often find socializing to be a chore when people around are talking about things I don't know or care about. I tend to start feeling bored or excluded (depending on my self-esteem at the moment). You could call that selfish, but I think we all have that to some extent.

Jadehawk:

you try walking away halfway through someone talking at you at excruciating length about something you don't give a fuck about, and see if they don't get pissed at you.

Are you talking about one-on-one conversation, or group? I've never felt much problem with leaving a group if I'm not presently engaged in the conversation and I have somewhere else to go. Hell, I thought that was what "mingling" was supposed to be.

Jules:

And when I was acting onstage, there was usually a nice gaggle of fellas waiting around afterward to chat me up because, you know, there's no way I could possibly care about the art involved, I must just want their goddamn attention. Why else would I put myself on a stage, if not to be ogled?

Judge: Mr. Simpson, do you have anything to say for yourself?
Homer: Yes, I do. I believe that famous people have a debt to everyone. If celebrities didn't want people pawing through their garbage and saying they're gay, they shouldn't have tried to express themselves creatively.

(btw, hope you're feeling better now)

My trouble with people dishing on the supposed unattractiveness of a celebrity is that the same people I knew in college who could say that Uma Thurman was unattractive would certainly be fawning over her at a bar. It's just macho posturing bullshit.

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 27, 2011 2:34 PM

I watched one ER show where it seemed that white people got LOTS more medical intervention, e.g. twice their blood volume poured through them, and dark-skinned people got pronounced dead a lot faster, e.g. sorry she's bleeding to death internally.

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 27, 2011 2:35 PM

Who you gonna believe, PTI? Me or the penguin? I mean, seriously. Who's got more eccentricity street cred, here?

Hmmm. Jules or the penguin?

The one who spends time hunting for cheese and such, or the one who's likely got more field experience?

Tough choice.

Well first of all, what does the deranged one think to be a better approach?

Posted by: Part-Time Insomniac, Zombie Porcupine Nox Arcana Fan | January 27, 2011 2:39 PM

Christ, that ad for that series with Larry the Cable Guy has preceded both of the videos I've watched on YouTube in the past fifteen minutes. Just let me have my Enya, and no one gets hurt, you fuckers.

Posted by: Lynna, OM | January 27, 2011 2:41 PM

Ex-mormons are still having fun riffing on the "state handgun" for Utah.

Story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/opinion/27collins.html

Ex-mormon riff begins here:
Publicity that came to the legislature from naming an official state handgun has inspired the following addition official designations:

30 bullet clip - official state magazine (Ensign, runner up)

Mark E Peterson - official state bigot.

Orson Scott Card - official state rabid homophobe (this required making him an official state resident first)

NuSkin - official state MLM

Usana - official state supplement

Noni - official state gag-inducing drink

Jon Huntsman Jr - official state liberal

Chris Buttars - official state embarrassment (contested by Carl Wimmers)

Gayle Ruzicka - official state busybody

Eagle Forum - official state phone tree.

Prozac - official state candy

Bankruptcy - official state family financial plan.

Polygamy - official state secret

Porn - official state addiction.

Seriously, Arizona used to pretty much have a lock on the "Batshit Crazy State" designation, with Oklahoma being first alternate. Looks like Utah is making a serious run at the title. We now have an official gun, with proposals to put state gun day on the same day as MLK Day, and a proposal to do away with a concealed-carry permit requirement altogether. Gaah!

Posted by: Jadehawk, cascadeuse féministe | January 27, 2011 2:42 PM

re you talking about one-on-one conversation, or group?

*during the dig I went to with David M last year, people didn't realize I spoke Polish for over 24hrs after I got there, because I didn't initiate any conversations.

Posted by: Falyne, FCD | January 27, 2011 2:44 PM

I've fallen in love with Grubhub.com (and SeamlessWeb, back when I lived in NYC, but Grubhub seems to have a wider range) for my food-ordering needs.

Online ordering for local restaurants that deliver! No need to talk to people. No need to recite and clarify and spell out every item. Credit card or paypal is simple and quick. If there's multiple people ordering, everyone just enters what they want on the website. And there's a paper trail. Win-win, all around!

Posted by: Audley Z. Darkheart OM, purveyor of candy and lies | January 27, 2011 2:51 PM

blf,
Pfffft! It's 35° (F) outside right now! If that's not underpants weather, I don't know what is.

Mattir,
I'm actually surprised that you feel socially inept at times. You were delightful when we met in Rhinebeck!

Posted by: Falyne, FCD | January 27, 2011 2:53 PM

Onion girl @566:

I like the font in the top two in the middle column. If it didn't get all pixel-y on the zoom, I think I'd like the top middle staggered-layout better than the straight up and down of the middle-middle.

On the other hand, I kind of like the inclusion of "custom jewelry" and the more squished title of the middle row right column. Maybe using the font of the middle one, that'd look pretty cool?

Also, I am so not a designer, so apply salt grains liberally and do whatever you want. ;-)

Posted by: Mattir-ritated | January 27, 2011 2:54 PM

I don't feel socially inept some of the time, I feel socially inept pretty much all of the time. The Pharyngula get-togethers have actually been the only times I've gotten together with new folks and not felt like an alien. I think it's because I'm fairly sure that the folks I've met through Pharyngula are the same sort of alien.

Posted by: Markita Lynda: Healthcare is a damn right | January 27, 2011 2:56 PM

ODS, you need two mirrors so you can put your back to one and look into the other. A hand mirror will do for the second. A daily digital photo can be interesting, too, as they go from pink to blue to purple to yellowish before fading out. (I had a bit of a tumble last summer and had huge purple bruises for a week.)

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | January 27, 2011 3:01 PM

Beyond being a member of a fucked up cult, anyone who talks like that is just fucking weird.

celestial kingdom

give me a fucking break.