Displaying comments 1 to 50 of 661
MeFi post:
Drowning
It's also interesting to me that everyone seemed to buy in to the whole Myanmar thing, and then seemingly switched it off and started calling it Burma again. It's a neat little "fuck you" to the gang in charge.
Both names "Burma" and "Myanmar" are derived from ethnic groupings - the Bamar and Myanma people. Myanmar has been used since the 13thC as the name for various regions within what we know and call Burma (or Myanmar)... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Kerasia
at 4:14 AM on August 21, 2008
MeFi post:
James Powderly's story of his Beijing detention
“I plan to make the Chinese government regret not keeping my ass there the rest of my life,” [Powderly] said.
I already regret it.
posted to MetaFilter by rusty
at 8:13 AM on September 3, 2008
“When I first got put into a detention cell I thought I was going to have to fight someone like a mad man or get owned — then this guy gives me a blanket and a candy bar, and I’m thinking I’m already being made his bitch,” he said. “But it turns out that none of these people had committed crimes — they were all there for visa issues and paperwork problems, and they were doing everything they could to help each other survive.”
His first indicator that... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST]
at 9:57 AM on September 3, 2008
MeFi post:
The Bechdel Test
One I like to think about is whether violent death gets top billing. To pass, there have to be no murders, no wars, no monsters run amok, no giant natural or manmade disasters, no unnatural deaths other than perhaps an everyday accident. The story is about people living, not people tossed into a blender to see what sort of mess comes out.
You hate everything I love.
posted to MetaFilter by Astro Zombie
at 7:34 AM on September 3, 2008
cortex : Anyway, if we want to talk sequel decay, let's talk Highlander vs. Highlander 2.
Heresy! Highlander had no sequels. There was no spin off TV show, there were no action figures. There was just one clever story which ended.
There was only one.
*places fingers in ears*
LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU
posted to MetaFilter by quin
at 1:35 PM on September 3, 2008
MeFi post:
Sarah Palin as McCain's running-mate
I have this dreadful feeling that America *will* vote for four eight years more of McBush. Obama seems a bit too good to be true, and a adding a somewhat 'progressive' (if an anti-abortion, life-time member of NRA can be called that) swing to his campaign... my somewhat bitter money is on McCain winning this thing.
Also, she (hopefully unfairly) reminds me of Mrs. Kitty Farmer from Donnie Darko.
posted to MetaFilter by Harry
at 8:10 AM on August 29, 2008
"Senator McCain, where is your VP candidate from?"
"Alaska"
"No, I'm asking YOU the question, Senator."
posted to MetaFilter by flashboy
at 8:16 AM on August 29, 2008
I don't like Sarah Palin. I admit it's something of a pet issue of mine, but her wildlife management practices in Alaska are horrible. After Alaskan voters voted against aerial hunting of wolves, she went against the will of the people by adding a bounty for wolf kills.
I'm sick to death of this entire "presidential race" and I wish they could just get things over with and let the Republicans steal the election now so we can all go back to our lives already.
posted to MetaFilter by infinitywaltz
at 8:25 AM on August 29, 2008
P-A-N-D-E-R-I-N-G.
posted to MetaFilter by agregoli
at 8:36 AM on August 29, 2008
Think John Connally eviscerated Dan Quayle? Just you wait.
I'd love to hear Biden say this: "I knew Dan Quayle. I served in the senate with Dan Quayle. You are no Dan Quayle."
posted to MetaFilter by Mcable
at 8:46 AM on August 29, 2008
Man, I just want to hear the dialogue between Fleischman and O'Connell about this. He'd say something about how she's not competent to be president, and she'd take it as sexist, and then he'd have to dig himself out of a hole. Then, a couple of seasons later, they'd fuck. Off-camera, of course. Ah, man *wipes away a tear* good times, good times.
Too bad Ruth-Anne never ran for governor.
posted to MetaFilter by Eideteker
at 9:58 AM on August 29, 2008
MeFi post:
St. Paul Police say Democracy? No.
There are designated areas where to protest and where to set up your cameras and do your journalistic duties.
Yes, and the First Amendment designates the USA as such an area.
posted to MetaFilter by homunculus
at 7:19 PM on September 1, 2008
Dave Faris:
If this were truly the totalitarian police-state that people are decrying it to be
...then it would be far, far too late to complain.
Truly totalitarian police states aren't dropped from orbit. They're built, piece by piece, on good, normal people saying things like "This isn't anything new, and these guys shouldn't be surprised that they got busted".... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by regicide is good for you
at 8:22 PM on September 1, 2008
Nazi Germany, for example, came into being through violent means, including street battles, the burning of the Reichstag, and Kristallnacht, followed by a Nazi revolution, which swept away the Wiemar Republic. It wasn't a gradual loss of freedom, it was an overthrow of existing institutions by means of violence in the streets.
And in America you have had street battles, election fraud, September 11, the Minutemen, and, oh, more street battles. If... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by regicide is good for you
at 10:01 PM on September 1, 2008
I've always felt that threads like this are a litmus test for authoritarians.
posted to MetaFilter by Bora Horza Gobuchul
at 10:06 PM on September 1, 2008
Slithy_Tove writes "Nazi Germany, for example, came into being through violent means, including street battles, the burning of the Reichstag, and Kristallnacht, followed by a Nazi revolution,"
31 July, 1932: Nazi Party wins majority of seats in the Reichstag (German Parliament), voted by the German people.
30 January, 1933: Hitler becomes Reichskanzler (Head of Government).
27 February, 1933:... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by orthogonality
at 10:16 PM on September 1, 2008
This part (via Greenwald) was the best:
"the police ended up agreeing not to do anything so long as the front door was fixed by 6pm (the front door they'd busted in)."
Part of me now wants to cling to the slim hope that this is actually an intricately staged advertisement for an upcoming Blu-Ray rerelease of Brazil.
Unfortunately, that's just not plausible. If this was being backed by... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by roystgnr
at 11:50 PM on September 1, 2008
On the other hand, I'm tremendously upset at the conduct of some of the protesters. As Democrat that has despised the GOP's actions over the course of the Bush Administration, I had hoped for a huge, peaceful march not unlike one Martin Luther King would have advocated if he were still with us.
First of all, these same types of people were doing the same thing at the Democratic convention in Denver, although it sounds like there were not as many and... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by delmoi
at 12:41 AM on September 2, 2008
I live comfortably, work in my chosen profession, come and go as I please, buy what I want, associate with who I like, and so on.
Hundreds of millions of Chinese people could say the exact same thing. So what?
posted to MetaFilter by delmoi
at 7:33 AM on September 2, 2008
I live comfortably, work in my chosen profession, come and go as I please, buy what I want, associate with who I like, and so on.
Me too. The only difference is I tried to organize a march at the Republican Convention. Suddenly there was a SWAT team breaking down my front door to inspect for "fire code violations". Turns out my freedoms were mostly illusions.
posted to MetaFilter by ryanrs
at 8:53 AM on September 2, 2008
take the USA for example (could we pick any place else?!?!). When did it become a "liberal democracy"? When they freed the slaves maybe?
Now, now. I remember those days and nothing about them was "horrible". I lived comfortably, worked in my chosen profession, came and went as I pleased, bought what I wanted, and associated with whomever I liked (except those darkies), and so on. If that wasn't a liberal democracy, then I guess... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Durn Bronzefist
at 9:49 AM on September 2, 2008
it's all kabuki theater - both sides show up, go through their motions, say the usual things and nothing is actually changed by either side
and they all get their egos boosted because they fought for "their side"
the protesters want to be repressed and the police want to be seen as thugs
it's good public relations with the people who support them
what a charade
posted to MetaFilter by pyramid termite
at 9:49 AM on September 2, 2008
MeFi post:
Big Fat Lies, two years later
Well, you're not exactally grossly overweight either mathowie. ;) It's tough for those of us who want to loose weight but can't get up the energy to really get some active exercise. I tried Atkins in hopes I'd loose enough to get into a normal exercise/eating routine.
But I have to agree - I really, really hate all this "low carb" crap coming out. It's mostly high in fat - much of it trans fat and is the flipside of the problems with low fat - (ie low in fat,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by bkdelong
at 11:50 AM on July 15, 2004
MeFi post:
Fascination with the Dodo Bird, by Adam Savage
here is the whole thing in one go, so you won't have to click through all kind of youtube pages.
Personally I liked the bit at the 45 minute mark (watch 2 minutes from there) because I know one of the students in the rfid mess personally (and I host rfidguardian.org for her)
posted to MetaFilter by DreamerFi
at 12:40 AM on August 30, 2008
This is good.
I finished watching this and then the moon special.
Now I want to find more things to be nerdily passionate, because I feel like I don't have enough half finished projects already.
posted to MetaFilter by mrzarquon
at 1:41 AM on August 30, 2008
I was there in person for this talk and it's one of the most inspirational, life-affirming things I've ever seen. Sometimes people from the TV turn out not to be so awesome in person; Adam was every bit as great, and more. His pro-science, pro-learning, pro-doing message really, good on its own, really resonates with a hacker crowd. I can't begin to describe how happy the audience was. Now imagine an entire convention of non-famous but similarly cool people, talking about their own... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by grimmelm
at 6:00 AM on August 30, 2008
MeFi post:
How Buildings Learn
Christopher Alexander speaks briefly in the first part, he of the broadly influential "A Pattern Language". I soaked happily in that book over a time, and when remodeling our house tried to use his ideas too.
At some point it occured to me that the ideal architectural world he was proposing was Hobbiton.
posted to MetaFilter by Mei's lost sandal
at 10:16 PM on August 27, 2008
Ask post:
Capture the magic of the olympics--two weeks after it's over.
NBC's videos on line don't work if you have an older computer. Those of us who don't upgrade their operating systems ever 8 minutes, and who opt out of the extremely expensive and useless (except once every two years) cable tv system basically got swimming, track (like 17 heats of every fucking sprint and every blessed mile of the marathon), pointless repetitive interviews, and endless endless endless beach volleyball. Coverage could only be considered comprehensive it you're either rich or a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by nax
at 4:14 AM on August 25, 2008
MeFi post:
Hands On A Hard Body
I think it's worth noting that the Times Online has a "Post To Fark" button at the bottom of every story...
Some days, Fark has a "Post To Metafilter" button at the bottom of every story.
posted to MetaFilter by stavrogin
at 9:34 PM on August 23, 2008
They're totally genetic freaks. Every single one of them. Unfortunately, most of them will pass on those genes. With all the fucking that goes on at the village, I imagine that they occasionally pas on those genes with each other. Creatures with hands the size of walrus flippers and legs like treetrunks, able to shatter steel with one punch and hit the bullseye from 300 yards by throwing the genetic baseline at it.
And, actually, I'm with fcm on this:... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ten pounds of inedita
at 3:51 PM on August 24, 2008
MeFi post:
Biden Wins Veepstakes!
Some random thoughts:
- I like how Biden's got McCain beat in terms of Senate service by nearly a decade. What was that about experience, again?
- Biden actually advised Kerry to choose McCain as his running mate last time around. Sure, McCain has been bodysnatched since then, but still... awkward.
- Obama bin Biden? *groan*
Also, the official McCain camp... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Rhaomi
at 11:33 PM on August 22, 2008
MeFi post:
Separating the wheat from the chaff
From the first link:
"U.S. coalition spokeswoman Rumi Nielson-Green said Saturday that the operation was led by Afghan National Army commandos, with support from the coalition." so your "US attack" assertion seems ax grindy.
and
"Complicating the matter, Afghan officials are known to exaggerate civilian death claims for political payback, to qualify for more compensation... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Daddy-O
at 4:27 AM on August 23, 2008
MeFi post:
Not Even Once
I have literally heard the "just once" story from kids. I've seen kids I thought were on the mend turn around and get into far worse trouble than they were in before.
I leave the kids behind in the program building, head down the street to the snobby wine bar, crack open a dense book and a glass of Sineann, and watch the richer people drink to excess and not have a problem. I wonder where the line goes between the guy putting away a bottle or two of wine a... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by thethirdman
at 3:23 AM on March 9, 2007
MeFi post:
Well, there's a surprise
Next time, let's just have the folks at Pixar put on the Olympics.
posted to MetaFilter by never used baby shoes
at 8:06 AM on August 20, 2008
How was 4chan involved in all this?
posted to MetaFilter by Inspector.Gadget
at 8:11 AM on August 20, 2008
Why can't under-16's compete, anyway? (Seems to me that rule can't have been around for very long.)
Doesn't it also have something to do with the fact that the weight to strength ratio of kids around 12-14 is higher than the ratio for girls over 16? It would make it easier to pull off some of those gymnastics moves--and would sort of be cheating.
posted to MetaFilter by reformedjerk
at 8:25 AM on August 20, 2008
"...the era when it was possible to keep secrets is pretty much over."
Now begins the era where it is possible to convince people to care about the revelation of these secrets, but unlikely. For reference, please see the past ~8 years of US administration.
posted to MetaFilter by Eideteker
at 9:14 AM on August 20, 2008
Speaking of damage, if you're dating a ballerina don't look at her feet unless you absolutely have to EVER.
Fixed that for you. Lovecraft obviously took a lot of inspiration from ballet feet. The horror!
posted to MetaFilter by sixswitch
at 9:41 AM on August 20, 2008
