The Left-wing war on learning

 Crazy, dumbassery, Forward!, news, politics, youtube, ಠ_ಠ  16 Responses »
Nov 172015
 

Example from Dartmouth on November 12: students were studying in the library when a large group of protesters came in and harassed them. Reports include a whole lot of profanity and bullying, trying to force everyone in the library to abandon their studies and take up a life of following the herd and chanting mindless slogans.

It’s good that everyone has access to video-capable cell phones these days, but if I was attending a college today I’d make sure to have one of those small, disguised wearable cameras on me at all times.

It seems no actions have been or will be taken by the university against these students who were behaving in a way that is clearly beyond the pale. Scream your head off all you want out on the quad… but in the *library*? Get bent, chucklefarks.

 

 Posted by at 4:54 pm

“Patches” the thrift store cat

 cats, photography  12 Responses »
Nov 162015
 

According to the store owner, Patches came with the store when they leased it. Some customers have apparently complained (not because she’s an ill-behaved cat, but because she merely exists), but the owner pointed out quite reasonably that Patches was there before they were.

WP_20151116_026 WP_20151116_027 WP_20151116_028

 Posted by at 8:58 pm

This Age of Power and Wonder

 art, history, nukes, rockets, science fiction, spacecraft  4 Responses »
Nov 162015
 

The title alone points out that this is about something from an earlier time, as “Wonder” seems in short supply these days and “Power” is something you’re supposed to be ashamed of.  The New York Public Library has digitized a series of “cigarette cards” (predecessors of the sort of cards that used to be sold with gum, and now are sold by themselves) from 1935-38, originally sold in packs of “Max Cigarettes.” The 250 cards in the “This Age of Power and Wonder” series are all over the place, covering history, fairy tales and future speculation, but a few are kinda interesting. For example, the value of atomic power to propel ships:

atomcard1

atomcard2

And speculation on the possibility of space travel, illustrated with a stereotypical art deco 1930’s spaceship:

spacecard1 spacecard2

 Posted by at 4:28 pm

Racist joke found under painting

 AARRRGH, art, blather, Crazy, dumbassery, Gah., history, news, ಠ_ಠ  4 Responses »
Nov 162015
 

Racist joke found written underneath one of the world’s most famous paintings

In short:Kazimir Malevich painting ‘Black Square’ from 1915…

After looking at the painting under a microscope, experts found that the inscription says: ‘Battle of negroes in a dark cave.’

I suppose that’s racist enough. But if you *really* want to be offended, consider this:

‘Black Square’ has long been considered one of the most important artworks of the early 20th century’s avant-garde movement.

When I think of “important artwork, guess what I *don’t* think of:

malevich

Well, at least the title is honest. But really, how pretentious does someone have to be to see a square of black paint as Important Art?

Don’t answer that.

 Posted by at 12:47 pm

Russia ejected from the game

 Hmm..., news, politics, russian empire  6 Responses »
Nov 162015
 

This will go over well…

IAAF Suspends Russia From International Competitions

Competitive athletics: could I give a damn? If someone paid me to, I’m sure I could gin up some enthusiasm for a game of sportsball or whatever. But in general, watching millionaires run around playing kids games… meh. Still, the politics of sports can get entertaining. I actually used to watch the Olympics, back when it was a Titanic Struggles Against The Soviets. Looks like politics might come into sports again, now that the Russians have been booted out of things like track-and-field Olympic events because of their doping up their athletes.

Personally I think this is the wrong decision. I say: rather than booting out doped-up athletes… segregate them. Instead of holding back scientific experimentation… go with it! Divvy up, say, a marathon into *four* categories:

  1. Unaltered humans
  2. Humans on the latest pharmaceuticals
  3. Humans genetically modified
  4. Anything goes (mixes of drugs and genetics and cybernetics and magic and brainwashing and whatever)

Transhumanism *is* coming, in perhaps a whole range of ways. Might as well accept it and see what we can get. A lot of the tinkering, especially with genetics, will have problematic side effects… might as well test them out of athletes first. They will be well compensated for the risk, unlike regular schmoes who’ll get upgrades because they *need* them for medical reasons.

That would certainly make the Olympics more interesting. Not only for the pure spectacle, but because, at last, average people could watch Olympians and *honestly* think that, just maybe, *they* might be able to do that too.

 Posted by at 10:38 am

Guess who ain’t evil…

 Crazy, dumbassery, Forward!, politics, ಠ_ಠ  15 Responses »
Nov 152015
 

Some religions are quite clear that “evil” is a Real Thing. Other religions are vaguer. A lot of secular worldviews hold that evil is not an objectively real thing. But even the athiest of atheists generally accept that “evil” is often a useful way the sum up a value judgement. And then there’s this guy:

Candidate for Minnesota House Ends Campaign After Tweeting That “ISIS Isn’t Necessarily Evil”

1520636191479837581

Dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

 Posted by at 5:56 pm

Horseshoe Magazine

 art, awesomeness, history, weapons, youtube  2 Responses »
Nov 152015
 

Here’s a firearm I’ve never seen before: the French “Union” pistol dating from the 1930’s. The pistol itself is fairly conventional; where it’s different is the 35-round magazine, bent into a horseshoe shape. The far end of the magazine simply fits up against the underside of the pistol frame. Manufacturing quality is apparently high. This was a select-fire .32, justifying the large magazine capacity. Not explained: how you holster the thing.

 Posted by at 11:25 am
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