Friday Ephemera
Slow-motion moths. || The most intelligent lifeform on planet Earth. (h/t, Elephants Gerald) || The Museum of Everything Else has an Instagram page. (h/t, Things) || Also, mice farm. || Burly tumbleweed. || The thrill of budgerigars. || Talking Dog. || Cats will do that. || Cat versus cobra. || “Vasily was generously rewarded.” || Viewing dispute. || Pearls detected. || “Completely waterproof.” || The thrill of South Korean candy manufacturing. || They increase in mass. || Just like normal people. || Unhappy conversions. || Highway liveliness. || Illusion of note. (h/t, Julia) || Christopher Lee reads Sherlock Holmes. || Honing skills. || One woman and her bear. || And finally, the thrill of cleaning.
Don’t know what to tell you. I, and therefore presumably many other, people saw that story months(?) ago, and it caused just as much impotent outrage as the 100 other atrocities reported on that week, and about as much real-life response. IE, a bunch of jabbering on the internet, per usual.
I can’t imagine how any reasonable person…
Because you are reasonable you’re physically unable to imagine it.
I imagine the authorities paid to protect citizens, most especially children, instead remember how rescuing Elian Gonzalez from Cuba wasn’t an option, much less from a crazed cultist (the mother) whose cause currently sits atop the progressive stack.
Pace Daniel Ream, until we get to helicopters it’s all just meaningless talk.
A palate cleanser from the news, relaxing music edition.
Something to put a bad taste back in your mouth: North Korean Defector Robbed by Black Muggers, as Woke White Bystanders Call Her a Racist.
Old: “I hate Illinois Nazis.”
New: “I hate Illinois liberals.”
instead remember how rescuing Elian Gonzalez from Cuba wasn’t an option
Yeah…wrong hill to die on but typical of conservatives…”conservatives”. Once that boy returned to Cuba his future, in relatively speaking Cuban terms, was secured so long as he was properly brainwashed, minded his P’s and Q’s, and didn’t do anything stupid like stick his neck out for others. Cuba is, and without a doubt will remain a shithole so long as the Castroites and such run it. But there was no doubt after all the hullabaloo went down that Elian would be well taken care of in context. James Younger is going to lose his balls. Here. In America. Hell, he’d be better off in Cuba himself.
Because you are reasonable you’re physically unable to imagine it.
In the context of my use of that phrase, your point is…irrelevant. I can imagine that much.
Pace Daniel Ream, until we get to helicopters it’s all just meaningless talk.
Talk of getting to helicopters itself is meaningless talk.
James Younger is going to lose his balls. Here. In America.
And in the UK and also the US too prolly, teenage girls are getting their tits chopped off and sometimes even their inside lady bits carved out. Quillette had an article about 2 UK teens who regretted that later in life, and the thing they were most angry about was how no one questioned their decisions. They were railroaded into the operating room, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. David previously linked to S Watson’s video about what that experience was like – the chopping, the love bombing, and then the regretting. I wonder if the NHS makes ’em wait like actual physically sick people, or if tit chopping and banana peeling/inverting operations get fast-tracked so Stonewall stays happy.
James Younger’s mother is at the top of the Progressive Stack right now – Trans Inc is right up there with BLM – I wish they’d actually have to battle it out for top status, but the current PTB seem ok with letting them both share the top at everyone else’s expense.
There was a lot of outrage when this story first broke. And after the father lost court battle after court battle – what are “conservatives” supposed to do? Storm the Texas Capitol building? That only works in Wisconsin if you are Lefties who are mad about an election. Doesn’t work so well when conservatives do it – ask anyone about Jan 6 and see what they say. Burn down Portland, Minneapolis, and Kenosha, and that’s Peaceful Protesting. Be Lefties and occupy and trash a State Capitol building because your guy lost the election – Democracy in action! Be Lefty protestors let in to the Supreme Court inner chambers by a D representative and create a ruckus, Democracy in action! Be Righty or even a hair Right of Center and be let into the Capitol Building by Capitol Police, create a ruckus, TERRORISM, RIOT, INSURRECTION!!
What are “conservatives” supposed to do?
Hell I’m not even sure voting harder would work – there’s flash drives and boxes of votes just waiting to be found so the correct judge, legislator, sheriff, governor, etc can be elected.
I think people simply expect better of Texas and it’s citizens. I understand the sentiment, and definitely rate the state highly, but the truth is Texas is only different from California in degree, not kind, when it comes to government, courts, etc. The political and cultural inertia is the same around the West, regardless of tradition or climate.
It’s Friday.
So here’s the thing. I have raised this issue a few times in different forums, conservative…”conservative” forums since I first became aware of it about a year or so ago. Nearly every time I get more pushback, more butthurt than agreement. It’s like conservatives…”conservatives” are so in love with the term, so identify with being “conservative” that they can’t see how conservatives…”conservatives” are screwing them without getting their knickers in a snit and lashing out at anyone who makes them aware of it.
Now I’m sure I’m not the lowest person in these forums in regard to political influence. But OTOH, I certainly have not lived in, nor aspired to, political power. But I do know one person whose brother has played golf with (proper) POTUS Trump. I’m trying to see if something can be worked that way to get something done. Of course there are many such people and this person really doesn’t have that much influence. And I have no idea how well she still gets along with her brother. A little boy is going to lose his balls. We all (now) know this will happen. It cannot be reversed.
Here’s what really gets me…people are now all Epstien! Epstein! Get those bastards who helped him! Yet there were plenty of people who knew what was going on long before. The asshole was even in prison doing day camp service. He could/should have been stopped 10 years earlier. It was all out in the open.
You are correct, Mr. Crainium — Novosibirsk is at about the same latitude as Moscow, just more east.
Which means that apparently, not everything on the Internet is true.
“knowledge of this James Younger transgender situation”
Followed this rather closely. The reality is that both parents are complete nuthatches, and the “gender” bit is a play by the mother’s attorney. This has been playing out for nearly 4 years, so…
The reality is that both parents are complete nuthatches,
OK, here it is again. What is the problem with the father? Anything that predates this custody battle?
Get well soon. Fred!
“This was considered worthy to be included on the bbc news front page. Not the “Europe” page, the main one.”
Yet this, for some reason, wasn’t.
Yet this, for some reason, wasn’t.
Think of the BBC is waging war against England and the West.
Anything that predates this custody battle?
Seems so, but I don’t care. It’s become a clickbaity topic for nearly a half decade. Kid’ll probably turn out fine, despite stupid parents.
[ Wheels jukebox into view, hits play. ]
[Plays this instead]
I know it is early on this side of the big ditch, but possibly the most absolutely nonsensical thing you are likely to read today.
Today in Racism™: history of present illness.
Bear in mind this was written by an alleged medical student.
Absolute utter bullshit. Race seems as if it would be generally easy to presume when a patient walks into one’s exam room, but not always, for example, in actual cases, a person paler than I (hard to accomplish) whose dad was black, or the one with the Irish name who looked like a cartoon leprechaun but with a problem normally found in Mediterranean people, but then the Legions did get around.
This stuff is important, race related history may be an important factor, and may, contrary to the learned opinion of a second year student who has never had full responsibility for a patient’s care, prevent a patient from receiving the wrong treatment.
However, I don’t need to tell you this, because this eminent sage goes on to argue against herself with several other examples, e.g.:
Invasive blood draws. Gasp. Later that same day…
Of course, if we don’t have a reasonable SWAG at race to begin with, we don’t know if they might be at risk, but let’s go ahead an drop a small fortune on full up genetic mapping.
Why is black capitalized and brown not ? Does presuming someone is pure 100% Grade A yte also possibly “introduce immediate bodily harm” ([cough]-see examples above) ? Seems racist to me, but I am absolutely fed up to the back teeth with this “bodies” horseshit. The word is “people” except to race-baiting commie clowns who think of people only as a commodity. Well, maybe also pathologists and morticians, but mainly commies.
Yeah, how about taking a flying leap at a rolling donut. So much for SciAm being a respectable journal.
Farnsworth,
SciAm…(post about 1970)
Yeah. Enough said.
the mostly white forefathers of the medical profession,
Wait, what … you mean yte peepo didn’t steal all that science from BIPOC Cultures?
The word is “people” except to race-baiting commie clowns who think of people only as a commodity.
Or things to use as slave labour or things to put in mass graves.
…you mean yte peepo didn’t steal all that science from BIPOC Cultures?
Of course they did, but then they turned it into a tool to use against BIPOC Cultures and Black and brown bodies.
I just realized as I wrote that, that on certain sites it wouldn’t be perceived to be ironic.
“The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.”
This is an oft-used quote among the CRT set, but I’ve never understood the logic of the underlying analogy. The same tools used to build a real house can also be used to dismantle it.
In practice, it’s used to do discredit the use of reason and empirical evidence as weapons against racism, but as David often notes, the idea that those tools are somehow inescapably racist and incapable of being turned against racism seems to be simply asserted rather than argued. Of course, since argument implies reason and that is one of the “master’s tools”…
In practice, it’s used to do discredit the use of reason and empirical evidence as weapons against racism
The left abandoned reason and evidence when its policies all failed so spectacularly.
California’s safe and secure elections, what could possibly go wrong ?
Something tells me it’s not her first time.
So much for SciAm being a respectable journal.
Nowadays I always write it with scare quotes: “Scientific” “American”.
The word is “people” except to race-baiting commie clowns who think of people only as a commodity.
Interestingly, I think I’ve only seen non-whites described as “bodies”. Whites, and whites only, have the dignity of being people rather than mere bodies. Evil, demonic people who ate each other and didn’t know how to bathe before being taught by far more advanced natives whom they inexplicably were able to conquer, but people nonetheless.
Oh, a juke box… [inserts quarter on a string] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOSyxpJ9D9U
Kicks juke box…
Kicks juke box…

I know just how he feels.
Something tells me it’s not her first time.
It’s the brazenness of it all, almost admirable!
Kicks jukebox
That a very fine wig he has.
Heh.
Do follow the link for Emilia Clarke’s attempt at a comic book.
Speaking of cultural matters, this.
It’s the brazenness of it all,
And the practised patter.
Do follow the link for Emilia Clarke’s attempt at a comic book.
Well, except for the other six word balloons that say otherwise, but you go gurl.
…how women authors might better appeal to men…
You know what would be crazy – if a woman wrote a book about a scientist who made a reanimated monster, and that book got turned into countless movies and spinoffs. Yeah boy howdy, that would smash the patriarchy, but never happen.
Yes. I see your point. This little boy will probably turn out fine. I’m sure there’s nothing to this. It’s just click bait.

How silly of me.
Do follow the link for Emilia Clarke’s attempt at a comic book.
High school dropout and chemical engineer. Riiight. And “sex worker” too because, well, because it’s a feminist comic.
It is an absolute mystery why this lot aren’t taken seriously by rational people.
How silly of me.”
*shrugs*
Shorter WTP: Why isn’t everybody fixing on my fixation?
Reminiscent of Hal.
Then there’s one thing you men will be able to say when this war is over and you get back home. Thirty years from now when you’re sitting by your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks, what did you do in the Chik-Fil-A Wars ?’ You won’t have to cough and say, ‘Well, your granddaddy shoveled shit in Louisiana.’
Reminiscent of Hal.
Fuck you, Charlie. Fuck you. This is why conservatives are such bloody losers. It’s not about this specific issue, it the general failure of conservatives to stand for a damned thing. Conserving a little boy’s balls, in Texas no less, is not as big of a thing as say, some tranny adult choosing to be and ranting about being a tranny. Or people in blue cities letting BLM and antics burn them down. Or furries on a train for that matter.
Hal was pretty much the opposite. Constantly making excuses for the failure of conservatives to do or speak up about anything. Claiming to be somewhat conservative yet denying that conservative positions about things happening in the real world were conservative.
Hal? After thinking about it, I suppose I get your point, minnow. Apologies if I bored you.
Standing for a half decade divorce case case?
Yeah, no.
The Dr phil show is still on, no?
Hal was pretty much the opposite. Constantly making excuses for the failure of conservatives to do or speak up about anything.
In my time here, Hal never once articulated a position on anything. He would make a seemingly random and disjointed statement and then offer five links to multiple page rambling documents that, themselves, never made a point either.
I think you give him too much credit. Either that or you’ve custom painted him as one of the bogeymen you’re obviously fighting. You’ve told us here about burned bridges and broken relationships that seem to be occurring with increasing frequency. Yet you’re going down that road with the people here, lashing out because they don’t care enough or they don’t meet your standard of whatever.
It’s a shame because I used to enjoy reading your comments. At your best, you’re witty and sarcastic while still being earnest and insightful. Now you seem to struggle with self-pity and lashing out. I sincerely hope you find a way to deal with whatever you’ve got going on.
In my time here, Hal never once articulated a position on anything.
If I can offer the one counter-example that springs to mind, he seems to have really had it in for the 1980s.
he seems to have really had it in for the 1980s.
Lol. And to this day the 80s hide from him.
My key word is “articulated”. He clearly had lots of positions on lots of things.
I think you give him too much credit. Either that or you’ve custom painted him as one of the bogeymen you’re obviously fighting.
Yeah…yeah. Hal actually searched me out on FB and dropped an implausibly deniable hint here in that regard. I was the one constantly warning y’all to stop feeding the troll. Hal was your most fakey-fake of conservatives, if the term “conservative” even remotely fits him.
Look…let’s review. I asked a question, what I think is a perfectly reasonable question, as to why this story hasn’t gotten much play. I suspected maybe there’s something about the father that I am missing and asked that specifically. What I get in response is snarky/lawyer-ly non-answers (ooh, the crap I’m having to deal with regarding lawyers yet again…but I digress) implying that there is some issue there but the most solid thing I hear is in the context that the divorce is taking five years or some such. I don’t see where that is relevant and having recently gotten my HOA out of a 12 year legal battle over a tree, mostly because the woman on the other side (and maybe possibly due to some women on “our” side from before I got involved) was a…what’s the word…bitch, report that the divorce contest has been going on for five years when it is involving a woman who is willing to cut her little boy’s balls off…well that info isn’t informing me of anything. Anything about the father, anyway. And the Elian Gonzalez comparison…I mean, come on. Completely political on both sides. And I say that as someone who hates the term “both sides are doing it”.
It’s a shame because I used to enjoy reading your comments. At your best, you’re witty and sarcastic while still being earnest and insightful.
Thanks. Well at least there’s that.
I sincerely hope you find a way to deal with whatever you’ve got going on.
Thanks for you concern. And I do mean that sincerely, no sarcasm. However, after much, much thought about these things I have come to the conclusion that in spite that conservatives, by their very nature, should be holding most of the cards…or the best cards…or whatever the bungled analogy is, they continue to lose because ultimately nothing really matters to them. Oh, sure, they can bitch and moan amongst themselves in safe spaces amongst other conservatives in blogs and church and Facebook groups and such, but when there’s a serious issue, and it definitely does not have to be this one it’s just this one is sooo bloody extreme and happening in Texas of all places, a huge opportunity to not just make political points but to spare a child from being disfigured in the most permanent way, not just physically but mentally, essentially down to the brain stem, there’s not much real interest in pursuing it. Though I feel similarly about what has been happening to Andy Ngo, though that does get a bit more attention. But also the big, big failure of conservatives…”conservatives” that continues to this day is the total abandonment of George Zimmerman. A strong pushback at that time would have precluded the whole BLM matter entirely. But no one wanted to push back. So BLM gathered steam and grew on the phony “Hands up, don’t shoot” and every cop incident where the cop was right up to the George Floyd idiocy. People around the world start burning looting and kneeling over this drug addicted, quasi-suicidal thug. Thus Derek Chauvin (oh, and the attacks on him from “conservatives”) gets convicted on absolutely nothing reasonable. And now Kyle Rittenhouse sits in prison. But hey, really shouldn’t talk about that stuff now.
I sincerely hope that for the sake of the children and grandchildren and such this idiocy comes to a stop. But I don’t see any real, serious fight. Mostly a lot of pushback on people who bring it up. I see a whole lot of conservatives living in denial. Just as they did decades ago when I tried to tell them we were headed in this direction. Not that even I, with all my cynicism, thought it would get this bad this fast. If I upset people, well I’m sure you can get over it. Eventually.
If I can offer the one counter-example that springs to mind, he seems to have really had it in for the 1980s.
Help me out here…WTF was the “nineteen-empties” that he was going on about? Was that it, the 80’s? I usually am pretty good at picking up on such things but there were times I thought he meant the early 2000’s. I know the “nineteen” but I thought that was part of the joke.