Friday Ephemera

Why dogs don’t rule the Earth, part 2. || Kid’s got skills. || Lucas wants to warm his legs. || Liverpool’s public wash-houses, 1959. || Feminist scholarship, part 209. || The future is now. || 30 Die Hard factoids. || On stealing Einstein’s brain and keeping it in a beer cooler. || Bunny Lewis in A Couple of Beauties, 1972. Also starring Bernard Manning. || “Radio broadcasts leave Earth at the speed of light. Hear how far the biggest hits of the past have travelled.” || The Hubble advent calendar. || Three-player chess. || The medical effects of Marmite. || Grand Canyon time-lapse. || Disrespected pizza. || Snow in Amsterdam. || John McWhorter on the modishness of Ta-Nehisi Coates. (h/t, Damian) || Hats. || Rokshok. || An oral history of Viagra. || And finally, a short story featuring cats.

Comments

[Pogonip]

I was glad to see this come up; when you were later than usual I feared you’d been attacked by Chinese food again.

[Fred the Fourth]

Hubble

Sigh. Way way way back I made and used my own Newtonian telescopes, and currently own a modest Celestron-8. But it's hard to be bothered to admire the stars with my own gear, when modern tools splatter images like these all over the net.

[R. Sherman]

If you were smart enough to understand the complexities and nuances, you'd be smart enough to realize why we eliminate certain fundamental rights. It's for your own good, don't you know?

[Wh00ps]

R. Sherman :
Whenever I read an article that starts with "As an X, Y, Z that 1,2,3, I..." my eyes just glaze over. I know exactly what I'm in for.

[Connor]

The future is now.

"the San Francisco SPCA adorned the robot with stickers of cute kittens and puppies… as it was used to shoo away the homeless from near its office."

I laughed. I denounce myself.

[Connor]

John McWhorter on the modishness of Ta-Nehisi Coates.

That. Looks like he's having a breakthrough. :-)

[David]

‘Morning, all.

This.

And this too.

Via Obnoxio.

[David]

Looks like he’s having a breakthrough. :-)

It’s quite funny, watching the full video, how often McWhorter, a Democrat who lectures in comparative literature at Columbia, teeters on the edge of the obvious before finally saying it. The academic environment seems terribly inhibiting. There seems to be a list of things you aren’t allowed to discuss in a remotely realistic way, at least on campus, among your peers.

[rjmadden]

Also starring Bernard Manning.

You're spoiling us with this quality material.

[David]

You’re spoiling us with this quality material.

Heh. I imagine the makers of it had visions of Some Like It Hot, but the result is bewilderingly awful. It makes the 70s Carry On films seem polished and upmarket. I’d forgotten just how bad a zero-budget early-Seventies British comedy about a female impersonator on the run from gangsters could be.

[John D]

"50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot"

http://www.nme.com/photos/50-unfashionable-but-brilliant-80s-bands-that-time-cruelly-forgot-1408481

*YMMV

[David]

50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot

Oh no. I’m having an 80s flashback. I believe that at some point I owned records by at least four of those happening beat combos.

[Tom]

50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot

Dang. The Frank Chickens, I'd forgotten all about them, until now, thanks John D. The dulcet tones of Fujiyama Mama are ear worming their way through my brain.

I love these articles because it never fails that they'll mention the band's one big 'hit' and I'll think, I've never even heard that one, I know them for 'X'. Case in point, Roman Holiday, who I know for Stand By because it received some airplay on WLIR, the local New Wave station in the 80s and for the video which was in minor rotation on the nascent MTV, which would play anything just to fill airtime in the early days. The article lists Don't Try To Stop It which I have never heard.

[Pogonip]

I think “as an X, Y, Z that 1, 2, 3...” could be a fun game.

“As an African violet that often forgets to start the dishwasher...”

“As a heterosexual henchlesbian that rides a pogo stick to work...”

“As a werewolf-American that feels nerfballs are sacred symbols of blah blah blah...”

Try some yourself!

[Pogonip]

David bought records in the ‘80’s? Over here you couldn’t even get them, except used. For new music you had to buy CDs or cassettes. I even have a couple of those stupid cassette singles around here somewhere.

“As a fashionably gay blogger that bought unfashionable records in the 80’s...”

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Hats.

Everyone who thinks that antifa bandanas and hoodies are "libertarian", and that hipster douchbag fedoras are "libertarian" and "economic-right", please raise your hand.

If you raised your hand, you are dismissed. Carry on.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Some bozo proves repealing "net neutrality" destroyed the internet by tweeting a picture of his phone.

OK.

[David]

Some bozo proves repealing “net neutrality” destroyed the internet by tweeting a picture of his phone.

And it’s only the beginning.

[PiperPaul]

I was curious about girl band We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna Use It!! but was disappointed to find out the the mentioned fuzzbox was apparently referring to a hair modification apparatus.

[David]

And as we’re being forced to revisit the music of the 80s, it’s only fair that I torment you with this again.

[Trevor]

A Couple of Beauties, 1972.

Oh! to be back in 1972. I'd happily swap intersectional QWERTYdom for power strikes, nylon underpants and Stork margarine.

[Trevor]

50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot"

Rip Rig and Panic and Linx were pretty good but will we ever again see the like of this?

[David]

but will we ever again see the like of this?

It’s a wonder anyone survived that decade.

[R. Sherman]

It’s a wonder anyone survived that decade.

It would appear we colonials missed a lot. BTW, didn't all that arise during the height of "Thatcherism?"

Asking for a friend.

[R. Sherman]

Although in fairness, this beast made an occasional appearance once or twice during those times. I had a roommate who obtained a copy in order to attract co-eds to our abode where prohibitions against pre-21 age drinking were normally honored in the breach thereof.

[David]

Although in fairness, this beast made an occasional appearance once or twice during those times.

I’m guessing you eschewed the eyeliner.

Having following the links above, my YouTube recommendations are now filling up with 80s electropop. Of varying quality.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Although in fairness, this beast made an occasional appearance once or twice during those times.

Here is the Soft Cell - Tainted Love - Where Did Our Love Go - 12 inch Version

The jokes, as the kids say, they write themselves...

[R. Sherman]

I’m guessing you eschewed the eyeliner.

Quite. I generally stood in a corner wearing sunglasses indoors and sporting an ever so slight head-bob and waited for the decadence to come to me. Thus was Mizzou in the early '80s.

[David]

I generally stood in a corner wearing sunglasses indoors and sporting an ever so slight head-bob and waited for the decadence to come to me.

Happily, I’ve always generated an aura of intrigue and mystique.

Or mistake, as The Other Half likes to correct.

[jabrwok]

The Pizza-Burger actually looks quite appetizing, though I'd want the top pizza bun to be face down so my fingers wouldn't get quite a greasy eating it.

[David]

The Pizza-Burger actually looks quite appetizing,

I think you’ll find your coat on the pavement outside, and possibly on fire.

[R. Sherman]

Pizza Burger Recipe:

One or more beers.

1/2 and 1/2 ground (minced for you English types) beef and Italian sausage pressed into burger forms.

Onions, Peppers and mushrooms sauteed until you think they're done.

Mozzarella and provolone cheese.

A decent tomato sauce.

Italian seasoning.

Ciabatta sandwich rolls.

Olive oil and crushed garlic.

--------
Open and begin drinking the beer. Repeat as necessary.

Grill patties of meat.

Toast the bread using olive oil and garlic.

Patty on lower half of roll.

Add a slice of lettuce if you're vegan or a commie.

Add a patty.

Add some sauce.

Add the sauteed veg.

Add the cheese.

Broil until melted.

Dust with with Italian seasoning.

Top part of the toasted roll.

Thank me later.

[pst314]

The 2018 Social Justice Kittens calendar:
http://liartownusa.tumblr.com/post/165834277465/announcing-the-2018-social-justice-kittens

[Triumphant Ape]

Rokshok, because if you didn't record it and upload for public approval it didn't happen and was meaningless.

[Sam Duncan]

“If you raised your hand, you are dismissed. Carry on.”

Awww. I always fancied a fedora. Never had the nerve.

“I was curious about girl band We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna Use It!! but was disappointed to find out the the mentioned fuzzbox was apparently referring to a hair modification apparatus.”

They played my school once. Posh place. I'll never forget the Rector reading out the announcement. Much hilarity among the ranks. (I was a geek though, and didn't go.)

[Sam Duncan]

Ooh, the Trash Can Sinatras. Their version of To Sir, With Love is definitive (if, yes, a bit weird - “Those schoolgirl days...” and all that - but hey, it's a great song). Trust me.

[Pogonip]

As a kitten that has been oppressed by our heterocaninopatriarchal society...

[Farnsworth M. Muldoon]

Awww. I always fancied a fedora.

There are fedoras, and then there are fedoras.

Hipster douchebag fedora:

Proper fedora.

[champ]

Oh, my...

http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/40044/

[Hal]

"50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot"

Just by definition, anything that originated in the nineteen empties with even the slightest fantasy of any capability of cultural reference is totally unfashionable . . . .

---Oh, yes, there were indeed slight through immense amounts of quite tasteful and stylish through the 'empties . . . with every instance being a carryover from the 'seventies and 'sixties . . . .

[jabrwok]

I think you’ll find your coat on the pavement outside, and possibly on fire.

Harumph! And here I thought this was a *class* joint (you have pickled eggs and everything)!

I can't even...

[Hal]

Oh, my...

http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/40044/

Ehn.

These being unis, or so, there are rather prolly instances of football teams, and possibly also rugby clubs and martial arts groups doing hitting people stuff. Very probably there are student theatrical events, so assorted costuming is rather included there.

Oh, and these being unis, or so, there will also be instances of students having sex.

[champ]

Oh, and these being unis, or so, there will also be instances of students having sex.

Yeah, but bondage?

[Pogonip]

I can’t remember what it’s called, but there’s an entire branch of martial arts devoted to tying people up and escaping when you are tied up. (Houdini-do?)

[Pogonip]

Is Laurie Penny really a man? Looks like a feminine-type man. You can’t go by the name these days!

She could also be a female who’s male this week for publicity purposes or outrage points.

[David]

Is Laurie Penny really a man?

It’s a photoshopped caption. The person being interviewed isn’t Laurie Penny. Though it is quite funny, every few weeks, to see Laurie earnestly explaining to someone on Twitter that the person in the photo isn’t her, seemingly unaware that most of the people circulating the photo are quite aware of this.

[Hal]

It’s a photoshopped caption. The person being interviewed isn’t Laurie Penny.

In parallel.

[Governor Squid]

Yeah, but bondage?

Given the indentured servitude in these students' futures, I think bondage is quite appropriate.

[Daniel Ream]

There are fedoras, and then there are fedoras.

More accurately, that first one is a trilby.

University free speech debate is really about power
Author: Abigail Curlew, PhD Sociology, Carleton University

For what it's worth, Carleton is one of the few universities in Canada with a poorer academic reputation than Wilfrid Laurier U. Having someone from Carleton defend the faculty at WLU is hilarious in that dry, self-deprecating Canadian way.

[champ]

we eliminate certain fundamental rights

From the linked webpage: "As a PhD student in sociology and a trans woman who writes about surveillance issues in technology, media, and politics, I am closely aligned with these issues."

https://briarpatchmagazine.com/images/made/varimages/contributors/22539844_1990764667847688_4172160491131906108_n_300_300_90_s_c1.jpg

He sure looks lovely...

[Farnsworth M. Muldoon]

More accurately, that first one is a trilby.

"Many fedoras have a wide brim. Those with small brims are often called trilbies."

Begun the hat wars have.

[Farnsworth M. Muldoon]

The future is now.

Well, maybe not quite yet...

A robot patrolling a street in San Francisco to ward off homeless people has been removed after complaints from locals, who also knocked it over and smeared it with feces.

How, you may ask, did the locals complain ?

The K5's presence also angered the local community, who took to social media to complain.

No house but I gots my twitters and Faceplace.

What, you may ask, did they tweet ?

"The money that was spent on these robots could have gone towards homeless shelters," said another tweet.

SO could the money used for whatever was being used to tweet, but that point seems to have been lost on the tweeter.

RTWT, the robot doesn't appear to have a stellar track record.

[champ]

Looks like we have another one...

https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/mystery-pooper-running-amok-buffalo-suburb/

[Pogonip]

So who is the effeminate fake Laurie?

[Pogonip]

When I was a kid, a pizzaburger was a hamburger with a slice of mozzarella and pizza sauce in the middle. You used two very thin patties and pressed them together on the outside edges before frying.

[Chester Draws]

Oh no. I’m having an 80s flashback. I believe that at some point I owned records by at least four of those happening beat combos.

I loved early Age of Chance. And I owned (and liked) at least five more of those bands. There's a couple more I used to listen to but can't remember if I bought or not (Tackhead and Front 242). My wife still plays the Les Negresses Vertes, but my records were destroyed in a flood and I threw out my tapes when I shifted countries.

I'm hoping with the kids leaving home that I can get back into listening to new music.

[Fred the Fourth]

When I was a kid an 11-year-old friend introduced me to quickie pizza like so: take a slice of white bread, mash flat everything but the crust, slather with bolognese sauce from a jar, and bake a few minutes in a toaster oven.
Yuck.
Fortunately that classmate had redeeming virtues. Mainly that his family kept a horde of lovely Malamutes in the house and yard.

[Pogonip]

Malamutes are beautiful. I’ve read that, like most working dogs, they’re not very good housepets, but they sure are easy on the eyes!

[False Profiteer]

I've just become aware of a new "ism": colorism

[Pogonip]

Those tweets seem a bit COMICal. 😊😉

🎄

[David]

“The whole family is in transition,” said Austin.

And no, they’re not moving house.

[Jonathan]

I feel a cough coming on.

Cough, cough...

http://twitter.com/AwardsDarwin/status/941630385439551488

via Philippe Lemoine.

[MC]

The whole family is in transition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EH1G4EwljM

[Pogonip]

Re cough syrup: best over-the-counter cough syrup EVER was “white” [clear] terpin hydrate w/codeine. One spoonful and no coughs for 2 days.

[David]

One spoonful and no coughs for 2 days.

Or memories, for that matter.

[Pogonip]

Well, I’d forgotten that part.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

“The whole family is in transition,” said Austin.

Meanwhile, over in England from the same, "As Twig is Bent So Grows The Tree", department, young Star Cloud is being raised as "gender fluid".

Parents Nikki and Louise Draven say they are ‘just ordinary’ and are being ‘who they want to be’. Star calls Louise, 31, his mummy, but she is in fact his biological father and is transitioning to become a woman with hormone treatment...While Star’s daddy is pansexual Nikki, 30, who was born a woman and is his biological mother.

I am not sure they know what "ordinary" means.

Meanwhile, SJWs get bent out of shape by facts about parrots.

Yes, it is real, though the original tweet seems to have been deleted from the site (which, incidentally, appears to have been hijacked by Bernie Sanders supporters), there are plenty of tweets alluding to it.

[David]

Well, I’d forgotten that part.

That’s the thing. A good phlegm tincture should always leave you with cavernous passages, dilated pupils, and a handful of questions. Such as, “Where did all these dogs come from?” And, “Why are all my shoes being sold on eBay?”

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Stolen from Ace, someone who does not quite understand how any of this works.

[David]

someone who does not quite understand how any of this works.

I have no idea whether this is a parody or another product of expensive education. I suppose that should be worrying.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

...or another product of expensive education.

More likely a product of public K-12 education, which is more worrying given the numbers of those so afflicted.

[Ted S., Catskill Mtns., NY, USA]

50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot

I've only heard of two of them (Lisa Lisa, and the Replacements), but then, I'm not British.

[Ted S., Catskill Mtns., NY, USA]

Oh! to be back in 1972.

Does this bring back memories?

[Ted S., Catskill Mtns., NY, USA]

someone who does not quite understand how any of this works.

That's not how any of this works.

[David]

Oo-er.

[WTP]

When bad flash mob! Bad! Bad!...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAi4VBoBSM&feature=share

[Jonathan]

Unicorn of note(s):

http://twitter.com/andrewhuang/status/833851580906627078

[PiperPaul]

Great costume!
"Delicious dubbed French Canadian 1971 low budget holiday hackery. A creepy Martian in a shitty costume with a space fish net face mask lures children into his spaceship and takes them on crappy 'adventures'. Essential holiday viewing."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE3DE9QYNxw

[Hal]

One spoonful and no coughs for 2 days.

Or memories, for that matter.

Someone's medicine review from a few years ago: Nameofbrand, your coughing, sneezing, why am I lying on the floor staring at the ceiling?? medicine.

---As I recall, the ingredients had just been changed, and whateveritwas wasn't working as well anymore . . .

[Captain Nemo]

Oh, my...

I think there are plenty of things going on in universities at the moment that one can, and should, legitimately criticise, but that seems to me to be one of the least bothersome campus happenings I've read about in a long time. A far greater concern to me than "kinky sex" classes is the silencing of dissenting campus voices of all political persuasions.

Also, on a lighter note, here's what happens when you combine "Oh, my..." with "50 Unfashionable But Brilliant* 80s Bands That Time Cruelly* Forgot":

https://mobile.twitter.com/oldpicsarchive/status/942097500508389377

[Ted S., Catskill Mtns., NY, USA]

For some reason, posting here has stopped working when I'm using Firefox and connected to my regular ISP. I tried using my mobile data on my desktop and that worked. I went on to my tablet which has Chrome and using my regular ISP's wifi, and that worked. I went on to my smartphone, which has both Chrome and Firefox on it. When I connected it to wifi (my home ISP), I couldn't post from Firefox. When I went back to mobile data from the same browser, it suddenly worked.

Basically, what happens in Firefox is that I have the name/email/URL information in the box at the bottom and try to type a post in the comment box, but the Post and Preview buttons never become clickable. Any idea what the hell could be going on? This is the only site where I've noticed it. I downloaded Opera for my desktop (Linux Mint) and am posting now from that. The change only happened this morning, as far as I know.

[PiperPaul]

See what happens now that Net Neutrality is gone?

[David]

Any idea what the hell could be going on?

Sounds like it may be an issue with Firefox. Try emptying the cache. Or go to Firefox > help > troubleshooting information > reset Firefox.

[David]

Ted’s gone awfully quiet.

[ Across the ocean, some three thousand miles away, Ted’s computer is now on fire. The internet is on fire. And the Catskills are being evacuated due to an unnamed blogger’s inadequate tech support. ]

[Pogonip]

I guess this settles the fire or ice question.

[pst314]

Ted

I strongly suspect you are using Firefox with the NoScript javascript blocker, and you recently updated both to the latest version. The latest Firefox is a radical rewrite, which required a massive rewrite of NoScript (a rewrite which is still in progress.) Try disabling NoScript, and see if the problem goes away. If so, re-enable it and then carefully review the URL's that are blocked/allowed--I'll bet that there is one that you must unblock.

[Darleen]

"Jingle Bells" is racist, according to another professor who would look better in tar and feathers.

[Pogonip]

Meh. Everything is racist.

[Captain Nemo]

When she discovers Irving Berlin's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas", she'll have a fit...

[Farnsworth M. Muldoon]

The Clown Quarter strikes again, in Minnesota, during your "neutral themed" winter celebration party, no wrapped presents because wrapped presents are for some reason magically transformed into Christian or Jewish religious symbols in winter, but not at birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or other gift giving occasions.

The smallness of the minds of the twits who think this crap up, and how eager they are to be offended, (or to pretend to be champions of fragile "minorities" who might be "harmed" by seeing such things), never ceases to amaze me. In the real world, I've been in more than one Muslim country and, infidel though I am, invited to Eid al Fitr parties, and OTOH had our very Muslim interpreters come to Christmas parties (with wrapped gifts - even for the Jewish guy), and on one occasion, had one play Santa - but then, they had real problems and hardships, and didn't have to invent them.

[Pogonip]

I agree with Farnsworth. Jews and even Muslims can enjoy Christmas, and then invite us to share their holidays. It happens all the time amongst us normal folk.

Bexley, Ohio, has a longstanding tradition of Jews volunteering as emergency dispatchers to relieve as many Christians as possible to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

[Spiny Norman]

Another musical post.

Because.

(And for the earworm, you're all very welcome.)

[Simen Thoresen]

Pancakes for breakfast today.
https://youtu.be/_Zye8oM4hG4
-S

[David]

“Jingle Bells” is racist, according to another professor who would look better in tar and feathers.

We await Dr Hamill’s equally self-satisfied revelations regarding the problematic history of certain Islamic holidays and their trappings. Or would that be considered churlish?

[David]

Bexley, Ohio, has a longstanding tradition of Jews volunteering as emergency dispatchers to relieve as many Christians as possible to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

For once I get to say this without a trace of irony: that’s the spirit.

[ftumch]

Another Laurie Penny lookalike is found:

https://twitter.com/wirespyuk/status/940867914642673666

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

...a longstanding tradition of Jews volunteering as emergency dispatchers to relieve as many Christians as possible...

Among house staff it has always been quite common to trade call to accommodate each other's holidays, but no I am not taking all eight consecutive days...

Another Laurie Penny lookalike is found:

Actual LOL at that one, strong work.