Friday Ephemera

Scenes. || Scenes 2. (h/t, Darleen) || Quality time. (h/t, Damian) || The somewhat extended shipping forecast. || Their internet connection is faster than yours. || Cat distraction of note. || Birds on public transport, a thread. || Otters versus butterfly, a battle of wits. || When amphibians attack. || Dog balloons. (h/t, Samizdata) || She does this way better than you. || Neighbourly decisions. || There goes the neighbourhood. || Today’s word is glamorous. || Luxurious and inviting. (h/t, Dicentra) || This, on Renaissance fertility weasels, is one of these. (h/t, Things) || Long shot. || Chemistry. || Made of sand. || “Modern toilet restaurant.” || Four-dimensional toy box. || And finally, lunchtime interruptus.

Comments

[Steve E]

Today’s word is glamorous.

Already been done. Activate the cone of silence.

[TimT]

Kink.

[Hal]

Cat distraction of note.

I like the shadow of the ears turning up first . . .

[Hal]

When amphibians attack.

Oh, yes, speaking of horrible nasty dangerous beasties found in Australia: Cane Toads.

[Hal]

Four-dimensional toy box.

Mimsy Were The Borogroves, read by William Shatner.

[Hal]

And finally, lunchtime interruptus.

. . . . . Just what part of Very fresh food, locally sourced do you not understand?

[sk60]

And finally, lunchtime interruptus.

I have questions...

[JuliaM]

"Neighbourly decisions. "

Clearly, US neighbours are a lot better than the UK kind.

[JuliaM]

"This, on Renaissance fertility weasels, is one of these."

From the article: "In the Renaissance, it was widely believed that weasels conceived through their ears and gave birth through their mouth. "

Oh, those wacky old timers! We've come a long way, at least science now understands there's 367 genders and...

What?

[JuliaM]

Well, this is fine...

Baghdad Bob could not be reached for comment.

[David]

Morning, all.

Mimsy Were The Borogroves, read by William Shatner.

Shockingly, inexcusably, I’d forgotten about that.

Regarding the 4-D toy box, the chap responsible is also developing a 4-D game.

[John D]

Renaissance fertility weasels

Band name.

[[+]]

There goes the neighbourhood.

'Always respect the media'

https://twitter.com/CalebJHull/status/1266222112458629120

[David]

Well, this is fine...

‘Always respect the media’

MSNBC is increasingly like a broadcast from some parallel universe.

Presumably, the way to “protest” for “justice,” and indeed “social justice,” is to destroy local businesses by the dozen, loot anything in sight while laughing, financially cripple your neighbours, and burn down low-income housing developments. Until the guts of your own home city looks like a third-world war zone. The creatures responsible don’t seem to comprehend the clear message they’re sending, not least about who and what they are. And by extension, how much, or little, one should be concerned for their wellbeing.

[Felicity]

extended shipping forecast

have added to favourites for next time I can’t sleep.

[Captain Nemo]

Hopefully that fixes the italics.

[Mike]

Quality time.

Kid can sing!

[David]

[ Fixes italics overflow. ]

Everyone glare at Felicity.

[David]

I‘ll just leave this here, I think. Until the blushing subsides.

[David]

Kid can sing!

The big chap, Joseph Clarke, is a vocal coach. The young lady, Bri’Anna Harper, aged 12, is just… really good.

[Hal]

glare at Felicity

Band name.

Wannabe Bowie clones.

---Albeit also band name.

[Hal]

Kid can sing!

Is that a real bunny?

---I think the bunny needed to go full Groucho:

Of course I'm a real bunny. Are you a real judge?

[David]

By the way, the giant mechanical kookaburra – now there’s a string of words – reminds me of the opening to The Surfaris’ beach party anthem, Wipe Out.

Just sayin’.

[Jen]

When amphibians attack.

LOL That went badly.

[David]

That went badly.

I think it’s safe to say that mom’s intervention didn’t significantly improve the situation.

#GreatParentingMoments

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Neo-confederate uniform of note.

[Felicity]

Ok, blushing subsided. Can I come back in? It’s cold out here and the smell of burning coats is making me nauseous.

[David]

Ok, blushing subsided. Can I come back in?

[ Points to rickety stool with only two legs. ]

[David]

Our betters and their throbbing brains.

Via Julia.

[David]

She’s a poet, apparently. A being of great depth and sensitivity.

Pronouns declared, obviously.

[Steve E]

A being of great depth and sensitivity.

But doesn't understanding the meaning of the word random. Plus I'm betting the three people are actually one.

https://twitter.com/oliviagatwood/status/1265384734776913921?s=20

[David]

But doesn’t understand the meaning of the word random.

Alas, Ms Gatwood has now protected her tweets. Doubtless on account of her immense sensitivity.

[pst314]

But doesn't understanding the meaning of the word random. Plus I'm betting the three people are actually one.

The bold and brave twat has hidden her Twitter posts.

[Steve E]

Doubtless on account of her immense sensitivity.

Doubtless. I guess we'll just have to satisfy ourselves with "Ode to My Bitch Face". Some first rate Vogon poetry right there.

[pst314]

Some first rate Vogon poetry right there.

"They [Vogons] are one of the most unpleasant races in the Galaxy. Not actually evil, but bad-tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous."

So, about the best we can hope for from Progressives.

[Jacob]

the chap responsible is also developing a 4-D game.

That's mad and brilliant. When's it out?

[David]

When’s it out?

No date yet. He’s been working on it for years. Still not entirely sure how the gameplay will work, though there are some small hints, like how to walk through walls.

[Jacob]

Thanks, David.

[Mags]

Our betters and their throbbing brains.

Blue tick? Check.
Pronouns? Check.
Sounds like a spoiled child? Check.

[Alex DeWynter]

The There goes the neighborhood tweet seems to be unavailable. Unfortunate, since the comments hint at great hilarity.

[David]

the comments hint at great hilarity.

Well, darkly farcical. See here.

[Chester Draws]

how to walk through walls

Around walls, using the fourth dimension.

Going through walls would be like quantum tunneling.

A game with the player given the abilities of an electron -- with wave/particle duality, quantum tunneling and entanglement would be quite something.

[Darleen]

Coronavirus lockdown, Red China sweeping up Hong Kong, looting stores of liquor and 65" flatscreens "for justice" -- and Toronto is right there on the important issues of the day. BTW, spot the missing word.

[Alex DeWynter]

Well, darkly farcical. See here.

Ye gods. It's like a train derailed into a dumpster full of burning zombies.

[Steve E]

...and Toronto is right there on the important issues of the day.

Declaring Menstrual Hygiene Day is the equivalent of shouting "squirrel" to a Torontonian.

BTW, spot the missing word.

Darlene, is it woman or women? Otherwise, I'm not sure what a menstruator is. It sounds like a small appliance you buy on late night commercial television. It slices, it dices, it walks your dog...

[Chester Draws]

It slices, it dices, it walks your dog...

It makes you a sandwich?

[Killer Marmot]

Last time they serve pork for lunch.

[David]

Heh.

It was only a matter of time, Damian.

[David]

Around walls, using the fourth dimension.

By the way, if, as a result of this thread, anyone here develops higher-dimensional space-folding technology, the house takes 20% of any commercial, military, or pornographic applications.

[David]

Meanwhile, in the strange, childlike mind of Michael Moore.

[Hal]

By the way, if, as a result of this thread, anyone here develops higher-dimensional space-folding technology, . . .

He had some trouble at first with the inspectors over these four projecting rooms but by using strong girders and folding money he had been able to convince them of the soundness of this engineering.

[Hal]

Meanwhile, in the strange, childlike mind of Michael Moore.

Now, now, now, he's a director.

All that architecture and budgeting Stuff is what the production staff and bankers are for.

[Rafi]

pornographic applications

Band name.

[Daniel Ream]

the house takes 20% of any commercial, military, or pornographic applications

Aperture Science would like to speak you about helping beta test some of their new products.

[David]

Heh.

[Sam Duncan]

“A game with the player given the abilities of an electron -- with wave/particle duality, quantum tunneling and entanglement would be quite something.”

Not quite that (in fact, not that at all), but still pretty cool.

[Nikw211]

"Every adult ... made a choice ... they're morally culpable"

Not a point of view one would commonly associate with a Labour Mayor of Hackney.

[David]

Not a point of view one would commonly associate with a Labour Mayor of Hackney.

Ah, but the notion of individual volition, and by extension responsibility, is deeply problematic and best avoided altogether.

[David]

File under speaks volumes about the person tweeting this.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

File under speaks volumes about the person tweeting this.

OTOH, if your vocals have to be autotuned, you are not a vocal "artist" and should probably stick to singing in the shower, unless you own a dog, then just don't.

[sH2]

File under speaks volumes about the person tweeting this.

Garbage politics for garbage people.

[Sam Duncan]

“Ah, but the notion of individual volition, and by extension responsibility, is deeply problematic and best avoided altogether.”

The number of Tweets under the Mayor's calling for “enforcement” is striking. Precious few talking about education and bringing kids up with a sense of responsibility.

[pst314]

"Not a point of view one would commonly associate with a Labour Mayor of Hackney."

Theodore Dalrymple wrote on this in "Litter: How Other People's Rubbish Shapes Our Life":

"It is more than four hundred miles from London to Glasgow, and the roadside is strewn practically every yard of the way with litter. I know, because my wife and I recently made the journey...We drove beyond Glasgow to Loch Lomond: it was the same there. The littering ceased only when we reached the island of Mull."

[David]

Precious few talking about… bringing kids up with a sense of responsibility.

As I said in the linked post, above,

The report that Mr Matthews cites, supposedly as evidence of unfairness, actually states that council cleaning resources are “skewed towards deprived neighbourhoods” – with councils spending up to five times more on those areas than they spend on cleaning more respectable neighbourhoods. And yet even this is insufficient to overcome the locals’ antisocial behaviour. A regular visit by a council cleaning team, even one equipped with military hardware, won’t compensate for a dysfunctional attitude towards littering among both children and their parents. And fretting about inequalities in litter density is a little odd if you don’t consider how the litter gets there in the first place.

And yet our leftist journalist - and the other leftists he cites to in order to bolster his terribly leftist argument – perform all kinds of contortions in order to avoid any reference whatsoever to choices and behaviour. Presumably on grounds that it would somehow be unfair.

[pst314]

And yet our leftist journalist - and the other leftists he cites to in order to bolster his terribly leftist argument – perform all kinds of contortions in order to avoid any reference whatsoever to choices and behaviour. Presumably on grounds that it would somehow be unfair.

Leftist journalists here in the United States have been telling exactly the same lie for decades.

[Nikw211]

Actual LOL

[David]

Leftist journalists here in the United States have been telling exactly the same lie for decades.

One more time:

“I only got a ‘C’ on my maths test. Maybe I should have studied more.”

“Studying won’t help. It’s because of white supremacy.”

“I feel awkward and unattractive because I’m 300lbs. And my chest hurts.”

“Don’t let the patriarchy body-shame you. Fat is beautiful.”

And variations thereof.

Self-satisfied peddlers of bad medicine.

[Hal]

if your vocals have to be autotuned, you are not a vocal "artist"

Autotune: Allowing someone who can't sing to sound like someone else who can't sing . . .

Also:

The evolution of muzak:

First generation: Pop music, rock, or so, given a melody only classical music arrangement with lots of violins.

Second generation: Pop music, rock, or so, arranged as melody only, now using synthesizers.

Third generation: Anything with autotune.

[Hal]

“I feel awkward and unattractive because I’m 300lbs. And my chest hurts.”

“Don’t let the patriarchy body-shame you. Fat is beautiful.”

Fat Farm---Orson Scott Card.

[WTP]

Thomas Sowell
@ThomasSowell
·
May 10, 2018
"If you want to see the poor remain poor, generation after generation, just keep the standards low in their schools and make excuses for their academic shortcomings and personal misbehavior. But please don't congratulate yourself on your compassion."

[fnord]

The creatures responsible don’t seem to comprehend the clear message they’re sending, not least about who and what they are. And by extension, how much, or little, one should be concerned for their wellbeing.

Democrats burning down Democrat cities.
And the downside is..............?

[WTP]

The downside is you will be paying for it. They don't have any money. That's on top of the reality that they have already convinced the majority of people like you that people like you are the problem. Along with even further degradation of the rule of law. Now pay up, honkie.

[pst314]

Another downside is that they are successfully radicalizing our society, a favorite tactic of revolutionaries who know that a large peaceful majority is an impediment to insurrection: they would like you to be on their side but they will settle for you being radically violently on the other side because a shooting war is what they want.

[Hal]

Another downside is that they are successfully radicalizing our society . . .

Nope.

Too many are spotting the oddities . . .

Then again, I rather suspect that conservatives actually rather do outnumber the mere left and right wing liberals.

I've been working in the middle of what's turned out to be a a riot area. So I have coworkers get through the front door and announce having made it in to work. . . . And then after some short bit there will be the followup note: Go back to the door to look out past the cops, note that protesting is indeed protesting, with there definitely being issues to protest about, and that those looting and rioting are not protesters, they're just a collection of idiots . . .

The other night after things quieted down around us, we stood around outside and eyeballed assorted storefronts. Some were destroyed, some are quite armored and completely locked down, and we matter of factly assessed which corporations had no clue that something could occur, which corporations knew that something could occur and spent the money to build for protection, and which corporations still have to beat the other corporation on the opposing corner, and have decided to just write a check for replacement anytime something blows up.

At no point was there any discussion amounting to Ooh, oooh, this is a war and we gotta go break things!!!

[pst314]

There has been radicalization going on--or, if you wish, polarization--for a good while now. A trend does not have to reach an endpoint to exist, after all.

[Hal]

There has been radicalization going on--or, if you wish, polarization--for a good while now.

Ah, yes, there definitely are rather a lot of individuals who have decided to go about being assholes^2,^3,^4, for quite some time now.

But even when one such exponented hipster gets in touch with another hipster, both of 'em are still trapped in Me! Me! Me! Me! and still remain very limited individuals.

And such totally infantile individuals still aren't going to get any adults to play along, we have real lives and have better things to do.

So, society doesn't get radicalized, we've got better things to do.

---And the overall issue with the current protests vs the riots is that adults do a perfectly fine balancing act of being adults and just going about the day---or night, as the case may be---and one doesn't have to have a locked door or ongoing enforcement 'cause, well, with adults, adults don't do that crap of requiring that there be 24/7 enforcement of this rule or that.

But the hipsters do that crap, and then do it again, so with even more extreme situations such as what is now going on, the adults with the badges are being stuck playing whack a mole as hipsters are looting, deliberately breaking windows, setting fires, and encouraging that others do more of the same.

And all the hipsters---regardless of what chronological age or personal history or background,---are doing both the destruction and the encouragement of same, 'cause Me! Me! Me! Me!

And, a very major issue that is again being pointed out in detail, is that there is that ongoing history of hipsters getting handed badges regardless of being hipsters rather than adults, so that there is a hipster, and then others, with the mindset of Me! Me! Me! Me! and this time with a badge.

So according to that hipster, why yes, kneeling on the neck of someone with a particular appearance, long enough to kill that someone, is perfectly acceptable to that hipster, because that hipster just wants to do it . . . .

While that particular hipster did get fired and is getting charged with murder, now the adults with the badges also have to play organizational whack a mole, again, even while playing societal whack a mole . . . . . .

[pst314]

And yet every year we have more politicians, judges, prosecutors, etc who support communists, islamo-fascists, black racist fascists, and so on. Not to mention the teachers and professors who likewise, but the election of such monsters shows a worsening of the general population.

[Hal]

. . . a worsening of the general population.

As noted.

[Hal]

The other night after things quieted down around us, we stood around outside and eyeballed assorted storefronts. Some were destroyed, some are quite armored and completely locked down . . .

One particular store nearby is an excellent example of utterly armoured glass, plexiglass, whatever they've got, all the lights turned up full, with even additional neon glowing away inside the store, and nothing more needed than locked doors to keep out the unwanted.

When I got in the other night, a coworker commented on seeing some wannabe looter going at the doors with an apparent glass cutter, and not even getting anywhere with that---or at least not quickly enough to get in before the cops arrived.

This evening, going in to work, I noted that even the ocean of impenetrable transparency is now covered from one side to the other with slabs of plywood.

[Hal]

ocean of impenetrable transparency

Album title, of course.

This'll be the third studio album, or mebbe the fifth, done as a concept album in association with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Dunno what band, though.

Albeit given the available suspects, I suspect The Badlands Of Wimbledon to be the culprits.

Oh, right:

the available suspects

Band name.

[Hal]

This evening, going in to work, I noted that even the ocean of impenetrable transparency is now covered from one side to the other with slabs of plywood.

Oh, right^2:

Ocean Of Impenetrable Transparency was the third studio album from the band called Slabs Of Plywood, done as a concept album with the LSO.

This after SoP's first incarnation as Erskine May and The Wigs, a parliamentary aide pickup band that actually got offered a recording contract, told the Westminster Mandarins to bugger off, and went professional.

---Yes, yes, and in turn, The Westminster Mandarins were a Lords based pickup band . . .