16 July 2017

Link round-up for 16 July 2017

After a long day of fixing computers, kittens go for a run.

Word gets around.

I'd have changed this license plate too.

Well, it's an eye-catching sign.

Fanciest bed ever.

Robot fish are all very well, but another type of robot has the enemy freaking out.

Would you?

Computers used to be.....this.

Here's why uptight people just can't stand other people's taste in fiction.

Fanart is an old concept.

Catholic extremists fume at the rank-and-file's tolerance for divorce (don't miss the nutty comments about giants).

What if Fox News had reported the story of Jesus?

Religion used to be.....different.  Maybe it was just part of the culture.

Sappho had a touch of modern sensibility.

The "Ravenna relief" illustrates the quality of ancient Roman sculpture.

Here's how freezers worked in 400 BC.

50 years after Loving v Virginia swept away the last legal barriers, interracial marriage has become commonplace.

A new comic, Calexit, envisages California's secession from a fascist US.

After Texas Republicans defunded Planned Parenthood, the state's teenage abortion rate predictably surged.  Texas has more bad legislation coming.  Nationally, the Republican minority-rule regime is trying to make data harder to collect.

See rare photos of famous people (it's a wingnut website, so if you browse further, be warned).

No, Wonder Woman does not indulge in sexploitation.

53% of Americans now support single-payer.

Not all heroes wear capes. And sometimes heroism is not rewarded.

The "tiny house" trend is aimed at helping the homeless, but might someday mean affordable housing for the broader public.

A vicious attack on New Atheism is exposed and debunked.

Republicans reject education, affirming themselves as the party of stupid.

Planned Parenthood has some basic facts on abortion.  And here's the opposition.

That Chicago "dyke march" lunge into anti-Semitism just gets worse.

It's not in the Constitution (found via Yellowdog Granny).

The good guys:  This post has a list of companies and groups that supported this week's protest for net neutrality.

Sometimes a photo is not what it seems.

Harvard is getting absurdly bossy.

The American prolongation of childhood reaches even more absurd extremes.

This guy wants to kill pretty much everybody.

If there's an intelligent designer, he's stupid.

Crazy Eddie looks at the birth of a trillion-ton iceberg.

100 companies account for 71% of global greenhouse-gas emissions.

General anesthesia can have an alarming side effect.

Here's an example of the harm done by not vaccinating.

The Juno probe delivers new imagery of Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

If you like cheese, you're probably white.

Trump hints he might reconsider leaving the Paris agreement.

Here's a map of policies on mandatory paid maternity leave.  An international look at healthcare is also informative.  But how much would universal coverage cost?

Malta, formerly dominated by Catholicism, legalizes gay marriage.

Some Europeans display Confederate flags, but the reasons vary.

That Afghan girl robotics team got into the US after all, thanks to protests.

A new study confirms Saudi Arabia as the main driver of Islamist extremism in Europe.

Here's the latest in stupid censorship.

Goddamn religion won't even let you post a video of your dog.

Wow, this guy killed Satan, but the government is unimpressed.

Remember Biafra?  It's ready to erupt again.

Hackwhackers has reactions to Trump's idea of a cybersecurity partnership with Russia.

This particular Republican move stinks worst of all.

The Trumplings seem unaware of just how much trouble they're in, what with Donald Jr's e-mails and creating opportunities for blackmail.  How did they get into this mess?

Wingnuts are being so wingnutty, Green Eagle needs two separate wingnut wrapups to keep up.

Republican Michael Steele is fed up with Trump's bullshit.  So is neocon Max Boot.

Trumpanzees weren't the only ones conned by Russia.

Trump may lash out at the Justice Department.  Or maybe he'll just trust in God.  He'd better not count on his social skills.

10 Comments:

Blogger Tommykey said...

Saudi Arabia is probably a driver of extremism throughout the world. I have read how they fund pesantrans (schools) in Indonesia to promote Saudi style Islam there, which appears to be succeeding in making what had once been a more moderate country embrace fundamentalism. And as Indonesia is the third most populous country in the world, this is very troubling.

16 July, 2017 11:24  
Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

A few words from the Chimp here ... nice little round up

Really thought the Tiny House Trend story was good ... I'm confident that the people regardless of corporate intervention, neoliberalism or whatever ... will do what they will to take care of their own. The thing that alwayz I hear like a broken record over the years, is also one of the dumbest things ... is that poverty, homelessness, etc ... are just part of healthy capitalism. Capitalism can still thrive and be profitable with no poverty or homelessness is my point. Never trust the oligarchs anywayz, they look out for their own, our job is to look out for ours ... they would love nothing more for all the sick, elderly, homeless or anyone that dont contribute to "their" success and monetary gain to die ... these people are NOT humanitarians, there is no logical reason they would want to let those kind of people live anywayz. I would kill them like that, just as quick as they would kill me if I could ... and think nothing of it, other than getting the job done.

Liked the kittens party and the bed with 4 women at the corners ... can I get one with transvestites or dominatrixes? (humour {:-)

Enjoyed the rare photos ... nice stuff ... Geronimo still looks like he has the red- ass {:-)

Afghan girls robotic team ... good story ... and good to have folks like them gals in Afghanistan ... what a mess that country had to take on.

Havard's plan to restrict students from non- Havard memberships ... I expect that anywayz being Harvard ... they want to keep it pure from outside thought, make sure they groom the next steam of establishment politicians, CEO's, lawyers, etc ... to be part of their vision only.

As far as what I expect ... I also expected the surge in teen abortions in Texas, when you take away needed health services. These politicians that do these things ... have no idea how people really are, what they're are up against and what they will do when they need to. They constantly say we dont know how things work ... but, neither do they outside their circle.

OMG ... imagine that ... the Constitution doesnt mention ole JC and not saturated with the usual religious garb ... that there should tell fundamoralists something, that alwayz talk about the Constitution ... ding- ding ... keep the shit out of it.

I actually been following that iceberg break off in Antarctica myself, just didnt get around to a posting on it.



16 July, 2017 15:57  
Blogger Ranch Chimp said...

The piece on Saudi Arabia promoting extremism ... that's what I felt myself. I may seem hard on Saudi Arabia on my blog, but I also see reason to. I personally have no reason whatsoever to kiss their ass or their f'n Sharia Laws like many Americans or politicians ... I'd flush them both down the f'n toilet and just take their oil ... they would do the same to folks like myself and my culture.

India to censor the "Cow" word, eh? ... maybe we can censor "cameltoe" eh? {:-)

White folks loving cheese? ... it is old culture like .. the milk thing, etc I like cheese myself (yep, I'm white), but dont eat much of it, milk or any of it ... much to do with my age and just eating a little differently than I did when I was younger. But dont keep black folks out of milk and cheeses ... cheese fries, cheese steaks, chili cheese frito's and other cheesy items are very big sellers in the black communities like Dallas' South Central district, or even lower Harlem in NYC or anywheres in America.

Malaysian women and her dog Bubu slammed ... I expect that ... just more fundamoralism in a different wrapper ... same crap. In my view, if there really was a God ... the SOB would probably first attack religion just to clean up the human race and planet. But the gal and dog ... that's what I call "Puppy Love" {:-)

Dillon Reagan stopping the kidnapping and getting fired by Home Depot ... that is a perfect example of the "correctness" that we live under. I would have done the same as Dillon myself, regardless of the corporate rules.

So ole Pastor Paseka Pest went to Hell and took on Satan and his armies, eh? Like you alwayz said ... religion is like a dangerous drug, affects the mind the same way. I'm sure he will increase his following, make some money or get some sex out of it.

Robotic Sex deal ... doesnt surprise me that even fundamoralists as well as leftist feminists will attack that too. I'm all for it, as well as the commercialization of it, even sex robot rental agencies ... after all, I'm a capitalist too and pro- business {:-) ... and even as I posted back about 5 years ago on my blog, I'm for not only robotic sex ... but also human robotic marriage. And it's not because I lacked sex ... I had plenty of sexual interaction with humans since about age 13/ 14 or so. But they will also say that people that want to have robotic sex, is because they cant find or interact with a human partner or whatever ... nonsense.

Off subject story: Yesterday I had a wreck and totalled my car. I was driving westbound lanes on a street (both west and east bound have 3 lanes each), center lane, a couple ladies were supposed to wait for green arrow in eastbound traffic or yield on green ... they were in a hurry and pulled out into the intersection to make a left or u-turn ... I caught it quick about 20 feet back and hit my brakes, but because of the downslope on the street and the rain, my car slowed a bit down from the speed limit of 35mph which I was doing and just hit their passenger side rear. Hardly any damage to the oversized Ford Expedition SUV they were driving, but my little 4cyl Toyota front end crunched like an accordion. My air bag also DID NOT deploy ... I am surprised I escaped injury besides getting bumped up a little bit ... I guess I just got lucky on that one. The were from out of town, and the passenger was trying to navigate for the driver she said ... nonetheless ... you cant do that shit. 2 Dallas PD squad units drove around us and wouldnt even stop, I called 911 to ask for a cop to come for a report to file, they told me to go to my nearest police division to report it, or get the form online, they cant send cops to a wreck unless there is an ambulance needed and injury for such or fatalities. But yep, it is totalled ... probably get a few thousand from insurance is about it, but a cash car.

16 July, 2017 17:24  
Anonymous nonnie9999 said...

Hi Infidel,

I hope you are well.

That license plate is hilarious, and i would probably change it, too. On the other hand, I've had my license plate for years, and I cannot for the life of me tell you what it is. For some reason, it's totally unmemorable. I could tell you my sister's, son's and nephew's plate numbers, but not my own.

Not sure how anyone could sleep in that bed. All those eyes watching.

I want robot fish! I want robot plants, too. I have a tendency to kill both. I'll pass on the sex robots, though. Unless they clean houses or something else useful.

Faux News would never have covered Jesus like that. A " suspicious dark skinned socialist?" We all know that Jesus was white. Just like Santa!
That's very cool (no pun intended) about the ancient Persians being able to keep things ice cold, even in the summer. I'd like to live in one of those yakhchals, because it's as hot as hell down here.

Where do Texans find their politicians? Seriously, have they ever done anything that actually helps their citizens (other than the very rich ones, I mean)? I thought they hit the stupid limit with Dubya, but then Little Ricky Goodhair came along and lowered the bar even further. Now, the new shithead Abbot, who seemed smarter than Little Ricky on paper, has made up for any intellectual prowess he might have with a total lack of empathy for anyone.

Home Depot support Twitler, and I will not support them. Thanks for another reason for avoiding that store like the plague.

I wonder if the Trumplings (I like that and might steal it someday) are not worried about their legal troubles, because Daddy has already told them that they already are or will be pardoned. That's why I keep hoping the states' attorneys general will get the goods on all of them.

Michael Steele is full of shit. He has just enough outrage to keep his job at MSNBC as the reasonable Rethug, but, in the end, he will always go with the Rethugs, no matter how despicably they are behaving. That said, I am happy to see the intellectuals of their kind leaving the party in disgust. They might differ in their viewpoint, but at least they have some integrity and won't put their stamp of approval on the shitshow that is the Rethuglican Party.

16 July, 2017 22:54  
Blogger Shaw Kenawe said...

The license plate link was very funny. All of the links were especially wonderful this week in a week that was especially awful. Thank you for the laughs and information.

17 July, 2017 15:06  
Anonymous NickM said...

As to the numberplate... Well, years back when I lived in Leeds there was in my 'burb a small, old Peugeot with the plate "A11AH". Now, considering there are over a million muslims in the UK and at least a reasonable number of them have no taste whatsoever (that is not Islamophobic - that is a general observation about all humanity) then that plate was undoubtedly worth much more than the car.

18 July, 2017 03:43  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Tommykey: It's tragic that the Saudi family and the Wahhabis seized control of Arabia, whose oil wealth would later give them such an absurdly outsized influence. Things could have been very different.

Ranch: The problem with housing is that so many people see it as an investment, which is going to produce tremendous political obstruction against doing anything to make it more affordable. For something like "tiny house" to succeed more generally, that must be overcome.

With enough money I'm sure you could get a dominatrix bed -- might be a bit difficult to sleep with the automatic flogging, though.:-)

I don't think the fundie cranks know much about the Constitution. They just listen to sermons from their equally ignorant leaders explaining what it "really" means.

Indian religious censorship is pure cow-word-ice.

That same pastor earlier claimed he went to Heaven and was even allowed to take pictures, but then his camera got stolen and he doesn't have the pictures any more. How sad.

If sex robots ever become feasible, you can bet that (a) the fundies and assorted bluenoses will go into outraged hysterics, (b) the said hysterics will have no effect on the industry, and (c) society will go on pretty much like before.

Dang, I hope you get enough insurance money for a decent replacement car. When my car was wrecked a few years ago (the guy who hit me ran a red light), the police showed up in minutes to take over the situation, even though I hadn't called them. Maybe the Texas cops are too busy watching bathrooms for trans people.

Nonnie: I'm with you on pets. I doubt I could even keep a cockroach alive. Maybe a robot one, if they make them.

The ancient Persians also knew about boiling water to make it safe to drink. We regressed so much during the Dark Ages, we forget how advanced Classical civilizations were.

The irony about Texas is that blacks and Latinos combined form a majority, and there are fairly-liberal urban enclaves like Dallas and Austin. If voter participation were higher, it would be a blue state.

Shaw: Glad to have provided some relief!

18 July, 2017 04:46  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Nick: They'd probably have found it blasphemous for some reason and stoned the car.

18 July, 2017 04:49  
Anonymous NickM said...

Saudi is a true tragedy in that sense. As a Brit I feel ashamed that we support their government.

"Maybe the Texas cops are too busy watching bathrooms for trans people."

Oddly enough, this from Yorkshire...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/18/south-yorkshire-police-helicopter-crew-filmed-people-naked-sheffield-crown-court-told

18 July, 2017 07:40  
Blogger Pinku-Sensei said...

"Indonesia is the third most populous country in the world" -- No, Tommykey, it's not. The U.S. is with ~324,000,000. Indonesia is fourth with ~258,000,000. Source.

Infidel, thanks for linking to my post about the giant iceberg.

19 July, 2017 09:49  

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