Friday Ephemera

Spherical tyres: This reminded me of the Audis’ wheels in I,Robot. Directional changes are especially nifty. It’s a very cool idea but looks really difficult to actually implement.

Another hair metal thing:
http://liartownusa.tumblr.com/post/127135320265/rattt-kinggg-promo-photo-1985
That guys a genius, by the way. Just keep scrolling and scrolling.

“Allegedly”
https://twitter.com/TheMichaelMoran/status/710365470386421760

That.
Brilliant. 🙂

It’s a sign of the times that I’m not sure if the pencil sharpening thing is real or not.

Ban shredded cheese, make America grate again! (stolen from some meme)

“And a full English breakfast can be served like this.”
OMG they mixed the salt and pepper! I bet they put milk in the teapot as well.
Heathens.

I’m not following the problem that is claimed for teleportation. The ‘no cloning’ rule says that all the essential information for the person in the sending device must be destroyed in order for that information to appear in the receiving device. Surely that’s a good thing. It means that we’ll never run the risk of duplicating commander Riker through some bizarre transporter malfunction, and the device can never be used to create armies of identical soulless warriors.

“White life is wrong… Our argument is that we should never affirm white life. White life is based off black subjugation… Struggling against the structure means putting yourself on the line, putting your body on the line, do it. Affirmative suicide, that’s cool, it’s one little step in the right direction.”
http://eagnews.org/video-harvard-students-debate-whether-whites-should-kill-themselves-due-to-privilege/

For those in London a date for your diary.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1687203221523601/
“Hi everyone, just a reminder that this is on on Monday. I will have books and zines to sell, and have a snazzy card reader so you don’t need cash either. If you’re still undecided about whether or not to come, please be aware that this is the last time I’m going to be talking specifically about fat queer activism in London for a verrry looong tiiiime. Be there or be square if you don’t want to miss this.”

More proof that identity politics is poison.
Prolonged exposure is very corrosive to a person’s probity and sense of realism. In high doses, like those above, it’s hard to distinguish from malice.
For instance, the notion of “white privilege” and therefore “white guilt” – i.e., the accusation of some inescapable, collective sin – is a license for opportunist hustlers and outright sociopaths. (Note the pointedly non-reciprocal argument of the chap in the video above, the one playing Browner Than Thou™.) It’s a way for obnoxious and sadistic people to inflict psychological harm, chiefly for reasons of pleasure, while using their victims’ discomfort as a lever to extort special favours – usually a combination of deference, resources, exemptions and double standards.
You can imagine the kinds of personalities to whom that might appeal.

More proof that identity politics is poison.
The irony being that the kinds of people who try to manipulate others into feeling “white guilt” in order to extract deference (or just for malign pleasure) are themselves the very people who ought to feel guilt, if only they were capable of it. Sadly, the inclination to play privilege poker at hardcore levels often goes hand in hand with a pointed disregard for moral reciprocation and an absence of the empathy they demand, unilaterally, of others. It’s a kind of sociopathy and such people are best avoided.

Maybe she’ll do a beatboxing tour of the Islamic world.
Now there’s a reality show.

Beatboxing feminists has a slightly different meaning over there, I think she’d find out.

I tried to post this off firefox, but it wouldn’t let me. Had to use IE… Firefox with noscript. Not David’s fault, but FF is pissing me off much of late

I tried to post this off firefox, but it wouldn’t let me. Had to use IE… Firefox with noscript. Not David’s fault, but FF is pissing me off much of late
David and I thank you for volunteering, as apparently it’s your turn now.
I reported the same thing to David couple of day ago, noted having changed nothing in my copy of Firefox, and having continued with no changes, now have functioning Post and Preview buttons again.

Writing in the Guardian, Labour MP David Lammy says “we need answers” to the supposedly baffling question of why ethnic minorities make up a large proportion of the prison population. At no point in his speculations, which are numerous and almost all of which centre on racism, does he even entertain the possibility that different racial demographics commit crimes at very different rates. For him, it’s simply unthinkable. And so he doesn’t think it.

Identity politics feedback.
Devotees of identity politics are by nature captious and many of them seem to lead lives of endless rancour. All that competitive bitching sounds a bit dreary and lacking in joy. And then I remember that scolding other people, given the slightest chance, is what gives them pleasure.

Hector was a stone drag, man. And Sybil didn’t get half the slapping around she deserved.

That.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)