A massive asteroid from outer space heads straight for earth...
August 31, 2008 1:40 PM Subscribe
Here is the original eight-minute version (sans inappropriate music). It's in Japanese.
posted by dydecker at 1:46 PM on August 31, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by dydecker at 1:46 PM on August 31, 2008 [4 favorites]
Once, I made a comment defending SLYT posts with no context. Now I feel dirty for having done that. This is not Best of the Web. Plus, you broke loquacious. I can only hope "All Things" includes you doing this again.
posted by chudmonkey at 1:49 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by chudmonkey at 1:49 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
I saw this during its original airing and though "Whoa, awesome."
posted by mediocre at 1:49 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by mediocre at 1:49 PM on August 31, 2008
I have an apocalyptic prediction for this post I'm afraid...
posted by stumcg at 1:50 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by stumcg at 1:50 PM on August 31, 2008
Um. Point of this post? Was it supposed to be funny, a thousands Auschwitzes in an instant, just because there's stupid music over it?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 1:50 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 1:50 PM on August 31, 2008
The last frame looked an awful lot like a small moon.
Wait, that was no moon.
posted by An Infinity Of Monkeys at 1:52 PM on August 31, 2008
Wait, that was no moon.
posted by An Infinity Of Monkeys at 1:52 PM on August 31, 2008
....a thousands Auschwitzes in an instant...
Now I'm imagining the asteroid with a Hitler-esque mustache and a eugenics bent.
posted by chudmonkey at 1:52 PM on August 31, 2008
Now I'm imagining the asteroid with a Hitler-esque mustache and a eugenics bent.
posted by chudmonkey at 1:52 PM on August 31, 2008
Well, I laughed.
posted by BeerFilter at 1:54 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by BeerFilter at 1:54 PM on August 31, 2008
...a thousand Auschwitzes..."
The holocaust was a natural disaster? In any case, I always used to listen to "Yakkety Sax" during takeoff and landing, since if the plane crashed, I knew it death wouldn't seem so bad when such a silly song was playing. Soon, I stopped flying altogether.
posted by Faze at 1:57 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
The holocaust was a natural disaster? In any case, I always used to listen to "Yakkety Sax" during takeoff and landing, since if the plane crashed, I knew it death wouldn't seem so bad when such a silly song was playing. Soon, I stopped flying altogether.
posted by Faze at 1:57 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
Want to try to make something funny, but don't have a creative, clever, or funny bone in your body? Just randomly put Yakety Sax over some video footage, and voila!
Seriously, it's the laziest attempt at humor these days as far as making "funny" videos go. Just don't.
posted by the other side at 1:57 PM on August 31, 2008
Seriously, it's the laziest attempt at humor these days as far as making "funny" videos go. Just don't.
posted by the other side at 1:57 PM on August 31, 2008
Just randomly put Yakety Sax over some video footage, and voila!... Seriously, it's the laziest attempt at humor these days as far as making "funny" videos go. Just don't.
Still, it beats "Destructive asteroid is destructive" or "I'm on ur planet, smashin ur citiez"
posted by chudmonkey at 2:01 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Still, it beats "Destructive asteroid is destructive" or "I'm on ur planet, smashin ur citiez"
posted by chudmonkey at 2:01 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
I laughed too.
posted by MarshallPoe at 2:05 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by MarshallPoe at 2:05 PM on August 31, 2008
Man, the McCain campaign ads are getting weird.
posted by PlusDistance at 2:06 PM on August 31, 2008 [39 favorites]
posted by PlusDistance at 2:06 PM on August 31, 2008 [39 favorites]
This thread will probably get deleted - but that did cheer me up.
Disclaimer: I knew that asteroid way before it was famous (but I don't want to go on about it).
posted by panboi at 2:07 PM on August 31, 2008
Disclaimer: I knew that asteroid way before it was famous (but I don't want to go on about it).
posted by panboi at 2:07 PM on August 31, 2008
What the hell?
posted by aclevername at 2:08 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by aclevername at 2:08 PM on August 31, 2008
Wow...so we all die when the Death Star hits Earth?
posted by mrmojoflying at 2:08 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by mrmojoflying at 2:08 PM on August 31, 2008
Here's the same video with full English narration, for anybody miffed by the crappy music.
posted by Rhaomi at 2:10 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by Rhaomi at 2:10 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
Well, that was stupid.
posted by puke & cry at 2:11 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 2:11 PM on August 31, 2008
yeah, mods delete me please. i'm drunk and easily amused.
posted by grippycat at 2:14 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by grippycat at 2:14 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
I don't understand. Why didn't the video speed up when the music started?
posted by chillmost at 2:17 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by chillmost at 2:17 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
No! Don't delete grippycat, for he and he alone made me laugh today. Stay drunk, grippycat, stay drunk!
posted by bicyclefish at 2:19 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by bicyclefish at 2:19 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
...a thousand Auschwitzes..."
The holocaust was a natural disaster?
No, but it's the only distaster involving lots of people being incinerated I could think of. "Hundreds of thousands of St. Pierre, Martiniques" would have been excessively obscure.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 2:27 PM on August 31, 2008
The holocaust was a natural disaster?
No, but it's the only distaster involving lots of people being incinerated I could think of. "Hundreds of thousands of St. Pierre, Martiniques" would have been excessively obscure.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 2:27 PM on August 31, 2008
Welcome to Digg I guess
posted by Senor Cardgage at 2:29 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by Senor Cardgage at 2:29 PM on August 31, 2008
I would, however, be interested to learn about the history of setting jaunty music to depressing/harrowing/outraging imagery for ironic effect. When did this start?
I feel like such an ignoramus for coming up with "The Atomic Cafe"...it must go back before that.
posted by Beardman at 2:31 PM on August 31, 2008
I feel like such an ignoramus for coming up with "The Atomic Cafe"...it must go back before that.
posted by Beardman at 2:31 PM on August 31, 2008
At least after the Apocalypse we won't have to worry about SLYT posts.
posted by Miastar at 2:34 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by Miastar at 2:34 PM on August 31, 2008
This is still less stupid than the Palin baby rumors.
posted by dirigibleman at 2:38 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by dirigibleman at 2:38 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
But still stupid.
posted by jeffamaphone at 2:50 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by jeffamaphone at 2:50 PM on August 31, 2008
Next up: Faces of Death to the tune of Hand in my Pocket.
It'll be deep and meaningful, I swear.
christ on a stick people
posted by mr_book at 3:00 PM on August 31, 2008
It'll be deep and meaningful, I swear.
christ on a stick people
posted by mr_book at 3:00 PM on August 31, 2008
Imagine the earth is John McCain's presidential campaign, and the asteroid is Governor Sarah Palin...
posted by Flashman at 3:00 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Flashman at 3:00 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Rhaomi: "Here's the same video with full English narration, for anybody miffed by the crappy music."
Excellent. This should be the FPP-SLYT.
One month after the impact the planet has been sterilized.
Change is good.
posted by stbalbach at 3:06 PM on August 31, 2008
Excellent. This should be the FPP-SLYT.
One month after the impact the planet has been sterilized.
Change is good.
posted by stbalbach at 3:06 PM on August 31, 2008
I would, however, be interested to learn about the history of setting jaunty music to depressing/harrowing/outraging imagery for ironic effect. When did this start?
I feel like such an ignoramus for coming up with "The Atomic Cafe"...it must go back before that.
Well, there's the end of Dr. Strangelove.
posted by Rangeboy at 3:07 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
I feel like such an ignoramus for coming up with "The Atomic Cafe"...it must go back before that.
Well, there's the end of Dr. Strangelove.
posted by Rangeboy at 3:07 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Aw man, y'all bashing on grippycat's second post. It's not deleteworthy.
That Yakkity Sax is wonderfully tacky.
Before I got it into my seriously thick noggin' that one wasn't supposed to put additional links into a thread after making the post *cringe, I referred to this awesome video, sans Yakkity Sax, a couple of times when discussing meteorites: Kaboom and in MeteorFilter. But then the video was taken down from Youtube for copyright infringement. Glad it's back up there again. It's an amazing piece of animation.
There is something deliciously schadenfreudish about the Japanese voiceover in the original version, all purring, cooing and soft as the meteor impacts, depicting The End of Life As We Know It.
posted by nickyskye at 3:11 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
That Yakkity Sax is wonderfully tacky.
Before I got it into my seriously thick noggin' that one wasn't supposed to put additional links into a thread after making the post *cringe, I referred to this awesome video, sans Yakkity Sax, a couple of times when discussing meteorites: Kaboom and in MeteorFilter. But then the video was taken down from Youtube for copyright infringement. Glad it's back up there again. It's an amazing piece of animation.
There is something deliciously schadenfreudish about the Japanese voiceover in the original version, all purring, cooing and soft as the meteor impacts, depicting The End of Life As We Know It.
posted by nickyskye at 3:11 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
metafilter: drunk and easily amused
posted by pyramid termite at 3:13 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by pyramid termite at 3:13 PM on August 31, 2008
Well there is this which is pretty distasteful if not predictable.
posted by puke & cry at 3:14 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 3:14 PM on August 31, 2008
I added "Yackety Sax" to my playlist named "Incase of Apocalypse."
And I added most of this, too.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 3:14 PM on August 31, 2008 [5 favorites]
And I added most of this, too.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 3:14 PM on August 31, 2008 [5 favorites]
Sorry, this is not worthy of FPP status. Which is sad, because the standards for FPP worthiness aren't that high.
posted by jayder at 3:15 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by jayder at 3:15 PM on August 31, 2008
Ha-ha, just like Don Fowler, the former national chairman of the Democratic National Committee, joking about Gustav hitting New Orleans on Monday and saying, “That just demonstrates God’s on our side.”
posted by wallstreet1929 at 3:19 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by wallstreet1929 at 3:19 PM on August 31, 2008
Ha-ha, I know, that's completely relevant to this post.
posted by puke & cry at 3:22 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by puke & cry at 3:22 PM on August 31, 2008
I watched peripherally. But when Yakety Yak came on, I raised and eyebrow.
Then I smiled. Then I cracked up.
Best of web? Yeah, well, what can you say?
In my book, inevitable doom merits at least a chuckle.
Otherwise, why have laughter at all?
Eat, drink, and be merry, for [end]
posted by humannaire at 3:38 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Then I smiled. Then I cracked up.
Best of web? Yeah, well, what can you say?
In my book, inevitable doom merits at least a chuckle.
Otherwise, why have laughter at all?
Eat, drink, and be merry, for [end]
posted by humannaire at 3:38 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
I dunno.
It makes me think of all of the people who have been crying out against "killjoys" who want them to quit sending helium balloons into the sky, use plastic bags indiscriminately, and control the rest of their impact on the planet and how truly ironic (i.e., not in the "Reality Bites" way) it would be if it didn't matter one whit if they did get their act together because of a massive, unavoidable meteorite.
And that makes it funny.
posted by batmonkey at 3:41 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
It makes me think of all of the people who have been crying out against "killjoys" who want them to quit sending helium balloons into the sky, use plastic bags indiscriminately, and control the rest of their impact on the planet and how truly ironic (i.e., not in the "Reality Bites" way) it would be if it didn't matter one whit if they did get their act together because of a massive, unavoidable meteorite.
And that makes it funny.
posted by batmonkey at 3:41 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm not one to place faith in conspiracy theories, but take a look at that video one more time. Something's not right. Notice how the asteroid strikes: Back, and to the left... back, and to the left...
posted by panboi at 3:43 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by panboi at 3:43 PM on August 31, 2008
This "an asteroid is going to hit the earth and kill us all" stuff is really starting to get depressing, even with wacky music. I miss the days when the fad was all about ninjas.
posted by moonbiter at 3:44 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by moonbiter at 3:44 PM on August 31, 2008
Yeah, I thought the music was in pretty bad taste when I saw it on Discovery.
posted by hwestiii at 3:46 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by hwestiii at 3:46 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Do you even realize how many ninjas hitting the planet at hyper velocity it would take to destroy the planet?
posted by Balisong at 3:49 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by Balisong at 3:49 PM on August 31, 2008
This "an asteroid is going to hit the earth and kill us all" stuff is really starting to get depressing
especially seeing as our damned government has failed to make FEMA trailers fireproof
posted by pyramid termite at 3:51 PM on August 31, 2008
especially seeing as our damned government has failed to make FEMA trailers fireproof
posted by pyramid termite at 3:51 PM on August 31, 2008
Oh, come now. This wasn't even done well. You can't just Yakkety Sax a video and speed it up slightly. What about waves of magma suddenly rolling backward for an instant, accompanied with a slide flute crescendo, then rolling forward again? A building toppling, then bouncing back up with a "boooooing"? Falling chunks of the earth's mantle chasing a group of bikini-clad women behind trees? Honestly, Bennie Hill would be rolling in his grave if his body hasn't been processed into dog food years ago.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:10 PM on August 31, 2008 [6 favorites]
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:10 PM on August 31, 2008 [6 favorites]
Do you even realize how many ninjas hitting the planet at hyper velocity it would take to destroy the planet?
One, my friend. Just one.
posted by Bookhouse at 4:15 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
One, my friend. Just one.
posted by Bookhouse at 4:15 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
What, 9000?
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 4:17 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 4:17 PM on August 31, 2008
My theory: the last time this happened nothing larger than a chicken survived, mammals evolved, mankind evolved stupid and warlike, developing ever more powerful weapons. World wars evolved, during the last, one tribe developed atomic bombs another tribe rockets capable of escaping the gravity well. Meanwhile a Swiss chemist developed a compound that seemed to increase intelligence, put that together and we have tools to defend the planet as a whole from celestial impacts, if we are smart enough not to use them on ourselves. Meanwhile the central nevous system of the planet is evolving with more connectivity developing everyday. The trees are the lungs of the world the oceans and soil the digestive.
Mankind: part of the brain neural network of the living sentient planet. Nuclear weapons Earth's anti bodies.
posted by hortense at 4:18 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
Mankind: part of the brain neural network of the living sentient planet. Nuclear weapons Earth's anti bodies.
posted by hortense at 4:18 PM on August 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
hi-larious! and inspiring...not only am i also adding yakkety sax to my end of the world playlist, i just may lobby for the local air raid sirens to play it as well...that'd be rad.
posted by sexyrobot at 4:21 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by sexyrobot at 4:21 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
It makes me think of all of the people who have been crying out against "killjoys" who want them to quit sending helium balloons into the sky, use plastic bags indiscriminately, and control the rest of their impact on the planet and how truly ironic (i.e., not in the "Reality Bites" way) it would be if it didn't matter one whit if they did get their act together because of a massive, unavoidable meteorite.
Isn't that the whole neocon philosophy? That apocolypse is soon coming so we might as well grab as much power and money as we can and to heck with the environment, economy, the country, and the world, since it won't matter in the long (or short) run anyway? Isn't this the entire basis for their moral bankrupcy? That it is all irrelavent considering what is soon coming?
We need a high speed video of Bush and his cronies with the Yakety Sax playing in the background.
posted by eye of newt at 4:26 PM on August 31, 2008
Isn't that the whole neocon philosophy? That apocolypse is soon coming so we might as well grab as much power and money as we can and to heck with the environment, economy, the country, and the world, since it won't matter in the long (or short) run anyway? Isn't this the entire basis for their moral bankrupcy? That it is all irrelavent considering what is soon coming?
We need a high speed video of Bush and his cronies with the Yakety Sax playing in the background.
posted by eye of newt at 4:26 PM on August 31, 2008
Oh shit. Reddit's here.
posted by Hypocrites at 4:27 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Hypocrites at 4:27 PM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
BENNY HILL IS SPINNING IN HIS GRAVE
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:30 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:30 PM on August 31, 2008
i just may lobby for the local air raid sirens to play [Yakety Sax] as well...that'd be rad.
We have those in my town, and no, it isn't. Last time there was a false alarm - around Gulf War 1, I believe - people were running in tightly-packed groups that were able to somehow all fit behind a single tree, this poor skinny old guy kept getting his scalp slapped by some deranged, bloated pervert, but there were a couple quaint Vaudeville-esque song and dance numbers that weren't so bad. Then the pervert died while watching Teletext.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:37 PM on August 31, 2008
We have those in my town, and no, it isn't. Last time there was a false alarm - around Gulf War 1, I believe - people were running in tightly-packed groups that were able to somehow all fit behind a single tree, this poor skinny old guy kept getting his scalp slapped by some deranged, bloated pervert, but there were a couple quaint Vaudeville-esque song and dance numbers that weren't so bad. Then the pervert died while watching Teletext.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:37 PM on August 31, 2008
Here's a link if you don't believe me.
what's reddit?
posted by eye of newt at 4:38 PM on August 31, 2008
what's reddit?
posted by eye of newt at 4:38 PM on August 31, 2008
All civil defense sirens should play Yakkity Sax.
posted by longsleeves at 4:39 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by longsleeves at 4:39 PM on August 31, 2008
'Doh!
posted by longsleeves at 4:40 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by longsleeves at 4:40 PM on August 31, 2008
no wait - i can explain exactly why i thought this would be an awesome second fpp:
i'm too cheap to buy any battlestar galactica dvds, so i was looking on youtube for dvd extras. did you know that there's a crapload of extended/deleted scenes, cast-and-crew-and-family-filmed behind-the-scenes videos and workprints with unreleased video and alternate storylines all over the place for all kinds of movies?
then, from one of the related links from the crow, i ended up on a series of ghostbustery/fortean sites, and was re-reading a few ghost stories i remembered from a few years back about Black-Eyed Kids, and was bemused to find it was a deliberate, kinda-successful attempt by the author to create memey majicks. then from reading about successful and unsuccessful meme attempts, i ended up on tvtropes and reading about how there are somethings which can make anything funny (like adding monkeys. or midgets.). i'd heard that adding yakety sax could make anything funny, so i figured the apocalypse was pretty much as objectively unfunny as you could get, and searched for yakety sax apocalypse. the result was so awesome i had to share.
i'm so sorry, i'm going to fit myself with mittens and back away from the computer.
i promise i'm out of rye.
posted by grippycat at 5:00 PM on August 31, 2008 [8 favorites]
i'm too cheap to buy any battlestar galactica dvds, so i was looking on youtube for dvd extras. did you know that there's a crapload of extended/deleted scenes, cast-and-crew-and-family-filmed behind-the-scenes videos and workprints with unreleased video and alternate storylines all over the place for all kinds of movies?
then, from one of the related links from the crow, i ended up on a series of ghostbustery/fortean sites, and was re-reading a few ghost stories i remembered from a few years back about Black-Eyed Kids, and was bemused to find it was a deliberate, kinda-successful attempt by the author to create memey majicks. then from reading about successful and unsuccessful meme attempts, i ended up on tvtropes and reading about how there are somethings which can make anything funny (like adding monkeys. or midgets.). i'd heard that adding yakety sax could make anything funny, so i figured the apocalypse was pretty much as objectively unfunny as you could get, and searched for yakety sax apocalypse. the result was so awesome i had to share.
i'm so sorry, i'm going to fit myself with mittens and back away from the computer.
i promise i'm out of rye.
posted by grippycat at 5:00 PM on August 31, 2008 [8 favorites]
This is not a NoMeansNo video and I am therefore disappointed.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:05 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:05 PM on August 31, 2008
The year 1994. From out of space comes a runaway planet, hurtling between the Earth and the Moon, unleashing cosmic destruction. Man's civilization is cast in ruin.
Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn. A strange new world rises from the old: a world of savagery, super-science, and sorcery. But one man bursts his bonds to fight for justice. With his companions Ookla the Mok, and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, his courage, and his fabulous sun-sword against the forces of evil. He is Thundarr, the Barbarian!
posted by steef at 5:22 PM on August 31, 2008 [8 favorites]
Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn. A strange new world rises from the old: a world of savagery, super-science, and sorcery. But one man bursts his bonds to fight for justice. With his companions Ookla the Mok, and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, his courage, and his fabulous sun-sword against the forces of evil. He is Thundarr, the Barbarian!
posted by steef at 5:22 PM on August 31, 2008 [8 favorites]
eye of newt succinctly inquired:
"Isn't that the whole neocon philosophy?"
Precisely! Which is why I think the tune is what makes it funny. They (neo-cons/fundies) really think it's all fun and games and getting to Rapture. Transposing the horror of a truly humanity ending event that erases everything they ever stood for and technically makes their dreams come true with Yakkity Sax is ludicrous, which makes me giggle.
Maybe that's just further proof of something not being right with my poor little brain, but it seemed worth chiming in on with all of the cries for deletion.
posted by batmonkey at 5:27 PM on August 31, 2008
"Isn't that the whole neocon philosophy?"
Precisely! Which is why I think the tune is what makes it funny. They (neo-cons/fundies) really think it's all fun and games and getting to Rapture. Transposing the horror of a truly humanity ending event that erases everything they ever stood for and technically makes their dreams come true with Yakkity Sax is ludicrous, which makes me giggle.
Maybe that's just further proof of something not being right with my poor little brain, but it seemed worth chiming in on with all of the cries for deletion.
posted by batmonkey at 5:27 PM on August 31, 2008
I am not a lawyer, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but anyone who didn't find this funny is gay and fat
posted by Damn That Television at 6:16 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by Damn That Television at 6:16 PM on August 31, 2008
Ain't much one can do about an impact this big; however, there are many many smaller rocks that can easily kill us all if we're not prepared, but can't kill us all if we're ready, hence the desire for governments to spend some money, you know, looking for the things.
posted by jeffburdges at 6:16 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by jeffburdges at 6:16 PM on August 31, 2008
Early on in our relationship my wife and I were... how does one put this delicately... becoming biblically familiar for one of the first times. This in our typically frantic and drunken falling-over-the-fold-out-couch-tripping-over-beer-bottles-stupid-pants-won't-come-all-the-way-off manner. And as was our way back then— with the TV on. To PBS of all things. A Benny Hill marathon. Blaring.
To this day my wife virtually assaults me when Yakkity-sax plays.
posted by tkchrist at 6:23 PM on August 31, 2008 [4 favorites]
To this day my wife virtually assaults me when Yakkity-sax plays.
posted by tkchrist at 6:23 PM on August 31, 2008 [4 favorites]
Mankind: part of the brain neural network of the living sentient planet. Nuclear weapons Earth's anti bodies.
Which entity will achieve roughly human-equivalent consciousness/sentience/intelligence first?
-Electronic/Photonic/Quantum Computer (Conventional AI, include robots here)
-Electronic/Photonic/Quantum Computer (Upload of existing sentience)
-Large corporation (Wal-Mart, GE, huge financial/investment firm)
-Large government (US, EU, China, etc...)
-Anonymous
-The Internet (Distributed/Network AI)
-Engineered biological species (neglect great apes, dolphins, and possibly a few others one might argue already meet the criteria)
-"Naturally" evolved biological species (same exclusion criteria)
-Write in
Extra credit: For all but the last and possibly your write in, will this be intentional or unintentional?
Show all work as the Singularity will be grading you; if not now or within your lifetime, when it recreates you as part of some variation on an Omega Point effort after Tipler.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 6:50 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Which entity will achieve roughly human-equivalent consciousness/sentience/intelligence first?
-Electronic/Photonic/Quantum Computer (Conventional AI, include robots here)
-Electronic/Photonic/Quantum Computer (Upload of existing sentience)
-Large corporation (Wal-Mart, GE, huge financial/investment firm)
-Large government (US, EU, China, etc...)
-Anonymous
-The Internet (Distributed/Network AI)
-Engineered biological species (neglect great apes, dolphins, and possibly a few others one might argue already meet the criteria)
-"Naturally" evolved biological species (same exclusion criteria)
-Write in
Extra credit: For all but the last and possibly your write in, will this be intentional or unintentional?
Show all work as the Singularity will be grading you; if not now or within your lifetime, when it recreates you as part of some variation on an Omega Point effort after Tipler.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 6:50 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
...a thousand Auschwitzes..."
The holocaust was a natural disaster?
Would you rather die in a drive by shooting or be eaten by a tiger.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:15 PM on August 31, 2008
The holocaust was a natural disaster?
Would you rather die in a drive by shooting or be eaten by a tiger.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:15 PM on August 31, 2008
Which entity will achieve roughly human-equivalent consciousness/sentience/intelligence first?
None of the above: humankind is not the brain of the Earth. The Earth is the brain of the Earth; mankind is a parasite, or behaving like one, anyway.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:22 PM on August 31, 2008
None of the above: humankind is not the brain of the Earth. The Earth is the brain of the Earth; mankind is a parasite, or behaving like one, anyway.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:22 PM on August 31, 2008
According to Wikipedia, Yakety Sax was also recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets. Coincidence?
posted by twoleftfeet at 7:53 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by twoleftfeet at 7:53 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Smaller asteroid landing in water and spawning tidal waves + hypercanes would have been more interesting.
posted by BrotherCaine at 7:57 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by BrotherCaine at 7:57 PM on August 31, 2008
For more on this subject that doesn't involve Benny Hill:
The odds that a potentially devastating space rock will hit Earth this century may be as high as one in 10. So why isn’t NASA trying harder to prevent catastrophe? Other scientists are making equally unsettling discoveries. Only in the past few decades have astronomers begun to search the nearby skies for objects such as asteroids and comets (for convenience, let’s call them “space rocks”). What they are finding suggests that near-Earth space rocks are more numerous than was once thought, and that their orbits may not be as stable as has been assumed. There is also reason to think that space rocks may not even need to reach Earth’s surface to cause cataclysmic damage. Our solar system appears to be a far more dangerous place than was previously believed.posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 8:11 PM on August 31, 2008
You know who else was into genocide and saxophone music?
posted by blue_beetle at 8:11 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 8:11 PM on August 31, 2008
mankind is a parasite, or behaving like one, anyway.
I'd argue for a description more as quasi-cancer - if we're viewing Earth as a superorganism, humans certainly aren't external parasites. I say quasi-cancer because there is the potentiality for humans to go from the current "malignant" state to a "benign" or "useful" one, and also because cancer cells (to my knowledge, though biology is a fucking wily thing) do not perform useful functions to the greater organism while one can argue that humanity does or will (such as potentially protecting the Earth from impact events) even while doing harm.
The Earth is the brain of the Earth;
Now do please describe the cognition you see as being carried out by the Earth sans humans. I feel I'll either disagree strongly or find myself intrigued and subscribing to your newsletter.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 8:23 PM on August 31, 2008
I'd argue for a description more as quasi-cancer - if we're viewing Earth as a superorganism, humans certainly aren't external parasites. I say quasi-cancer because there is the potentiality for humans to go from the current "malignant" state to a "benign" or "useful" one, and also because cancer cells (to my knowledge, though biology is a fucking wily thing) do not perform useful functions to the greater organism while one can argue that humanity does or will (such as potentially protecting the Earth from impact events) even while doing harm.
The Earth is the brain of the Earth;
Now do please describe the cognition you see as being carried out by the Earth sans humans. I feel I'll either disagree strongly or find myself intrigued and subscribing to your newsletter.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 8:23 PM on August 31, 2008
Gee whiz, Tim, just having a little fun here. But since you serioused:
Now do please describe the cognition you see as being carried out by the Earth sans humans.
The claim that humanity is the Earth's brain implies that the Earth would die without us, and all its life functions would cease. I don't think that's the case, which you seem to agree with, but I think in asking what the Earth's "brain" is, we then need to define what the Earth "organism" is - just the geological mass? Plus or minus atmosphere? What about life forms? Everything, including the humans? If just the geo mass, then I guess the brain would be the various and sundry currents of magma under the surface, or whatever drives them. If we include the atmosphere, then we have things such as composition, temperature, wind speed and direction contributing to the health of the planet. If we include life on the planet, then there are of course different species that depend on other species for their survival, and so on. It doesn't seem to me that we can really separate one "part" of the Earth organism from the others and say "yes, this is the thing running the whole show".
Now, if you mean "cognition" in the psychological, self-knowing sense - I have no idea if our planet possesses self-awareness. It's a warm, comforting thought, though.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 8:48 PM on August 31, 2008
Now do please describe the cognition you see as being carried out by the Earth sans humans.
The claim that humanity is the Earth's brain implies that the Earth would die without us, and all its life functions would cease. I don't think that's the case, which you seem to agree with, but I think in asking what the Earth's "brain" is, we then need to define what the Earth "organism" is - just the geological mass? Plus or minus atmosphere? What about life forms? Everything, including the humans? If just the geo mass, then I guess the brain would be the various and sundry currents of magma under the surface, or whatever drives them. If we include the atmosphere, then we have things such as composition, temperature, wind speed and direction contributing to the health of the planet. If we include life on the planet, then there are of course different species that depend on other species for their survival, and so on. It doesn't seem to me that we can really separate one "part" of the Earth organism from the others and say "yes, this is the thing running the whole show".
Now, if you mean "cognition" in the psychological, self-knowing sense - I have no idea if our planet possesses self-awareness. It's a warm, comforting thought, though.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 8:48 PM on August 31, 2008
Was it supposed to be funny, a thousands Auschwitzes in an instant, just because there's stupid music over it?
Isn't that the whole neocon philosophy? That apocolypse is soon coming so we might as well grab as much power and money as we can and to heck with the environment, economy, the country, and the world, since it won't matter in the long (or short) run anyway? Isn't this the entire basis for their moral bankrupcy? That it is all irrelavent considering what is soon coming?
Wow! So many smart words about a youtube video. Sounds like someone needs a girlfriend.
At least the one that puts out.
posted by c13 at 9:29 PM on August 31, 2008
Isn't that the whole neocon philosophy? That apocolypse is soon coming so we might as well grab as much power and money as we can and to heck with the environment, economy, the country, and the world, since it won't matter in the long (or short) run anyway? Isn't this the entire basis for their moral bankrupcy? That it is all irrelavent considering what is soon coming?
Wow! So many smart words about a youtube video. Sounds like someone needs a girlfriend.
At least the one that puts out.
posted by c13 at 9:29 PM on August 31, 2008
LOL, where are the womens in skimpy clothing?
posted by zengargoyle at 10:45 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by zengargoyle at 10:45 PM on August 31, 2008
Gee whiz, Tim, just having a little fun here. But since you serioused:
Fun is Serious Business, like the Internet.
The claim that humanity is the Earth's brain implies that the Earth would die without us, and all its life functions would cease.
I think I disagree with your assumption that organisms need a brain. Many organisms get along just fine without one.
(We could talk about what's a good definition of organism and what's a good definition of brain, but I'm going to bed, also Serious Business.)
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:00 PM on August 31, 2008
Fun is Serious Business, like the Internet.
The claim that humanity is the Earth's brain implies that the Earth would die without us, and all its life functions would cease.
I think I disagree with your assumption that organisms need a brain. Many organisms get along just fine without one.
(We could talk about what's a good definition of organism and what's a good definition of brain, but I'm going to bed, also Serious Business.)
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:00 PM on August 31, 2008
I think I disagree with your assumption that organisms need a brain.
I didn't say this. It was said here that man was a part of Earth's brain, so I was using that as the starting point of saying that man isn't the brain of the Earth. Things that have brains need those brains to live. I don't see mankind as necessary to Earth's survival. Ergo, the question of whether or not an organism needs a brain never entered the picture.
/srsbsns
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:11 PM on August 31, 2008
I didn't say this. It was said here that man was a part of Earth's brain, so I was using that as the starting point of saying that man isn't the brain of the Earth. Things that have brains need those brains to live. I don't see mankind as necessary to Earth's survival. Ergo, the question of whether or not an organism needs a brain never entered the picture.
/srsbsns
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:11 PM on August 31, 2008
Would you rather die in a drive by shooting or be eaten by a tiger.
Tiger.
If I died in a drive-by shooting, I wouldn't be the target, just collateral damage, the result of an error, and then I'd probably be incinerated. My death would be pointless and I'd end up air pollution.
If a tiger ate me, I'd be lunch for a big, rare, beautiful animal, and then maybe I'd be fertilizer for some lovely plants.
Wait. Drive-by.
If some asshole kills me in a drive-by shooting, he (with luck) goes to jail forever, so my death takes a murderous asshole off the streets.
If a tiger eats me, some asshole will probably kill the tiger. I don't want the tiger to die.
posted by pracowity at 11:37 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Tiger.
If I died in a drive-by shooting, I wouldn't be the target, just collateral damage, the result of an error, and then I'd probably be incinerated. My death would be pointless and I'd end up air pollution.
If a tiger ate me, I'd be lunch for a big, rare, beautiful animal, and then maybe I'd be fertilizer for some lovely plants.
Wait. Drive-by.
If some asshole kills me in a drive-by shooting, he (with luck) goes to jail forever, so my death takes a murderous asshole off the streets.
If a tiger eats me, some asshole will probably kill the tiger. I don't want the tiger to die.
posted by pracowity at 11:37 PM on August 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
Also, I liked the video. What music better expresses the futility of everything we do?
posted by pracowity at 11:38 PM on August 31, 2008
posted by pracowity at 11:38 PM on August 31, 2008
Once, I made a comment defending SLYT posts with no context. Now I feel dirty for having done that.
As you should.
posted by tkolar at 12:23 AM on September 1, 2008
As you should.
posted by tkolar at 12:23 AM on September 1, 2008
God, I hope this happens. Our species should be wiped out.
posted by wastelands at 2:16 AM on September 1, 2008
posted by wastelands at 2:16 AM on September 1, 2008
Hypocrites: Oh shit. Reddit's here.
This saddens me in a couple of ways.
posted by stace at 7:53 AM on September 1, 2008
This saddens me in a couple of ways.
- That reddit's overall quality has sunk to make that comment quite befitting
- That indeed, Oh shit. Reddit's here.
posted by stace at 7:53 AM on September 1, 2008
I still don't get the reddit comment (I assume it was directed toward me). Did you notice the subject matter of this post? It is an asteroid striking the Earth to Benny Hill music. And you are complaining about the comments?
I thought it was silly, but it made me laugh, so I posted a comment with a political angle in an attempt to make the powers that be see a more serious discussion going on (I know this is debatable) and then maybe they wouldn't delete it.
I still don't know what reddit is--yet another in the million plus sites on the net I don't have time or desire to investigate, but I'm curious what the criticism is.
posted by eye of newt at 9:23 AM on September 1, 2008
I thought it was silly, but it made me laugh, so I posted a comment with a political angle in an attempt to make the powers that be see a more serious discussion going on (I know this is debatable) and then maybe they wouldn't delete it.
I still don't know what reddit is--yet another in the million plus sites on the net I don't have time or desire to investigate, but I'm curious what the criticism is.
posted by eye of newt at 9:23 AM on September 1, 2008
I didn't laugh.
posted by katillathehun at 10:38 AM on September 1, 2008
posted by katillathehun at 10:38 AM on September 1, 2008
eye of newt, I interpreted the comment as being directed at the post itself, not your comment.
reddit used to be high quality content. Now it's devolved to digg2. It's sad.
And I've been personally predicting/fearing that this pattern would follow to MeFi.
posted by stace at 1:33 PM on September 1, 2008
reddit used to be high quality content. Now it's devolved to digg2. It's sad.
And I've been personally predicting/fearing that this pattern would follow to MeFi.
posted by stace at 1:33 PM on September 1, 2008
OK, so if we play that music over some unconvincing disaster video, many people find it funny?
I'm just beginning to understand the deep mystery of why people laughed at Benny Hill.
posted by Phanx at 2:18 PM on September 1, 2008
I'm just beginning to understand the deep mystery of why people laughed at Benny Hill.
posted by Phanx at 2:18 PM on September 1, 2008
OK, so I'll screen old news footage with Elephant's Cake Walk playing over it. I'll be the new King of Satire.
posted by Phanx at 2:24 PM on September 1, 2008
posted by Phanx at 2:24 PM on September 1, 2008
I guess for some people the end of the world doesn't necessarily require massive asteroids slamming into the planet.
posted by panboi at 3:18 PM on September 1, 2008
posted by panboi at 3:18 PM on September 1, 2008
You know who else was into genocide and saxophone music?
Kenny G?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:57 PM on September 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
Kenny G?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:57 PM on September 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
boots randolph?
posted by pyramid termite at 6:41 PM on September 1, 2008
posted by pyramid termite at 6:41 PM on September 1, 2008
I watched peripherally. But when Yakety Yak came on, I raised and eyebrow.
Whoops. Meant Yakety Sax.
posted by humannaire at 8:44 PM on September 1, 2008
Whoops. Meant Yakety Sax.
posted by humannaire at 8:44 PM on September 1, 2008
I am not a lawyer, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but anyone who didn't find this funny is gay and fat
Fuck?
posted by humannaire at 9:06 PM on September 1, 2008
Fuck?
posted by humannaire at 9:06 PM on September 1, 2008
Metafilter: Metafilter is supposed to be my bastion from this stuff.
posted by humannaire at 9:09 PM on September 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by humannaire at 9:09 PM on September 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
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posted by loquacious at 1:44 PM on August 31, 2008