Mar 112020
 

Trump announces travel ban from Europe amid growing fears of coronavirus

It’s still cool to come in from Asia, though, right? At least Japan is still acceptable, IIRC.

Bonus round:

Ruh-roh… the virus is hitting America’s celebrities now. NOW it’s serious!

 Posted by at 8:43 pm
Mar 112020
 

Huh.

When I produce something, I usually give it an accurate, functional name. “Aerospace Projects Review. “US Bomber Projects.” Sometimes, the names are self-deprecating yet still accurate, such as “The Unwanted Blog.” I always figured that that was the way to do it, because *clearly* what the public wants is clarity and accuracy.

Guess I was wrong.

Abstract art with “pseudo-profound” BS titles seen as more meaningful

Which describes the findings of this paper, available in PDF:

ᛒᚢᛚᛋᚺᛁᛏ makes the art grow profounder

Across four studies participants (N= 818) rated the profoundness of abstract art images accompanied with varying categories of titles, including: pseudo-profound ᛒᚢᛚᛋᚺᛁᛏ titles (e.g.,The Deaf Echo), mundane titles (e.g.,Canvas 8), and no titles. Randomly generated pseudo-profound ᛒᚢᛚᛋᚺᛁᛏ titles increased the perceived profoundness of computer-generated abstract art,compared to when no titles were present (Study 1). Mundane titles did not enhance the perception of profoundness, indicating that pseudo-profound ᛒᚢᛚᛋᚺᛁᛏ titles specifically (as opposed to titles in general) enhance the perceived profoundness of abstract art (Study 2). Furthermore, these effects generalize to artist-created abstract art (Study 3). Finally, we report a large correlation between profoundness ratings for pseudo-profound ᛒᚢᛚᛋᚺᛁᛏ and “International Art English” statements (Study 4), a mode and style of communication commonly employed by artists to discuss their work. This correlation suggests that these two independently developed communicative modes share underlying cognitive mechanisms in their interpretations. We discuss the potential for these results to be integrated into a larger, new theoretical framework of ᛒᚢᛚᛋᚺᛁᛏ as a low-cost strategy for gaining advantages in prestige awarding domains.

The sci-fi novel I wrote a few years ago and failed to get published had a pretty mundane title. Maybe I should look up an artsy gibberish generator.

 Posted by at 2:06 pm
Mar 102020
 

Ladies and gentlemen, the possible next President of the United States:

Biden, accused of wanting to end 2nd Amendment, responds: “You’re full of sh**”

“This is not OK, alright?” the man said, to which Biden replied, “Don’t tell me that, pal, or I’m going to go out and slap you in the face.”

“You’re working for me, man!” the worker said.

“I’m not working for you,” Biden said. “Don’t be such a horse’s ass.”

 

He wants to make AR-15’s as illegal to own as machine guns. And AR-14’s as well. And you shouldn’t be allowed to own 100 bullets if I’m hearing him right. And if you say he wants to take our guns, why, you’re wrong. Somehow. I’m sure if you are senile enough it makes some sort of sense.

What the frak is it with these jackhole politicians who, on the one hand, say quite clearly that they want to make standard capacity magazines illegal and to ban conventional firearms that millions of people own… and then promptly say that they’re *not* going to take the peoples guns away?

ADDITIONAL: When Beto O’Roarke endorsed Biden, Biden made sure to point out that Beto – who has previously declared his intention to decree tens of millions of Americans overnight felons, eligible for no-knock SWATting raids with doubtless many summary executions – to be his point man on dealing with the “gun problem:”

 Posted by at 11:00 am
Mar 092020
 

Protestors try to lob a firebomb at the Mexican Presidential residence and end up setting their own ablaze.

Stunning and brave, ladies.

Tim Pool has some interesting comments on this incident and the protest around it.

 

 Posted by at 5:37 pm
Mar 092020
 

I’m not much an ideologue on the issue of abortion; I can see valid points on both sides. But *this*? Nope. Nuh-uh.

There are good reasons for getting an abortion: rape, incest, dire health risk to the mother, visible monsterism. But because you gots ta get rich? Ya suck.

By the way, that thumbnail created for the video is never going to not be hilarious. Especially given that the Bond villain shown is known for *not* being much of a monologuer.

 

 

 Posted by at 2:15 pm
Mar 092020
 

In 1985 Rockwell International thought that there might be a business case for space based nuclear power systems. The customer base for nuclear reactors in space seemed to be restricted to military satellites (warning and recon mostly) and deep-space exploration systems. Advantages over solar power include resistance to the degradation of PV arrays due to passing through the ionizing Van Allen radiation belts and no need to track the sun. Costs, however, were high… high enough that in the end nothing came of it.

 Posted by at 10:31 am
Mar 082020
 

Coronavirus: Northern Italy quarantines 16 million people – BBC News

Say, that’s neato.

Italy has placed up to 16 million people under quarantine as it battles to contain the spread of coronavirus. Anyone living in Lombardy and 14 other central and northern provinces will need special permission to travel. Milan and Venice are both affected. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the closure of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues across the whole country.

 

 Posted by at 12:39 pm