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Poll

Proper response to intelligent spider

Kill
Kill with fire
Ask someone else to kill it
Run
Befriend
Befriend and start a spider silk company
Befriend and sic on enemies
Capture and study, because they shouldn't exist
Use to create a spider army
Offer waffles
Offer Cheerios

Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5] 6 7   Go Down

Author Topic: WCDT: 2465-2469 (10-14 June, 2013) Weekly Comic Discussion Thread  (Read 64220 times)

ankhtahr

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Interesting fact: I don't really react to tarantulas. I even had a mexican redknee on my hand once. What bothers me are smaller, quicker spiders. The worst spiders I encounter where I live are "domestic house spiders". I almost screamed out loud when the image popped up when I googled for the English name. These things are terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. I grew kind of used to cellar spiders/Pholcidae sitting in corners because of me storing my bicycle in the cellar, but when there's a house spider on the wall I carry my bike up through the staircase instead of going out through the backdoor.
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GarandMarine

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Yeah I'm usually okay with tarantulas. It's the tiny super poisonous ones I hate. Fun fact? That cobalt blue one on the last page is named after Metallica.
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I built the walls that make my life a prison, I built them all and cannot be forgiven... ...Sold my soul to carry your vendetta, So let me go before you can regret it, You've made your choice and now it's come to this, But that's price you pay when you're a monster with no name.

ihaveavoice

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I needed a trigger warning.
No you didn't. You needed to take responsibility and check beforehand (it's noted on the Wikipedia page), or be willing to deal with your own fears (you have pause and/or mute buttons, I presume). I really, really hate the concept of trigger warnings, it's a bad form of coddling.

Also, leave the poor shift key alone.

Okay, I know I used the word "seriously" but I thought it was clear I was joking. It doesn't seem like you're joking because you're all scoldy and talking about how trigger warnings are coddling. So I really must say, dude. It was a joke. It generally amuses people to see hyperbolic all-caps freakouts on the internet. I know they give me a good laugh. Actually, I'm not really sure how any sequence of words that includes ASDFGHJKL; could have been taken seriously, but whatever. It's still not right to randomly spout off about trigger warnings being coddling. If I seriously would have a panic attack at the sight of that many bugs instead of just getting seriously creeped out, it would be a real dick move not to tell me. I now regret joking about needing a trigger warning considering that fact. It just would've been nice to know beforehand is all.

BTW, Masterpiece, the bit he quoted was part of my ZOMG remarks about a scene in the second Indiana Jones movie, not the comic.

You can totally post cute spider pics, Zebediah! It's the sheer amount and inescapability of the Indiana Jones giant WTF!bugs that made me all  :psyduck: and I would just scroll past them if they were on a thread anyway. Also, that Spider Zone looks so fun! I want one, too!

Sorflakne, that tarantula is gorgeous!

AND THEN IHAVEAVOICE BURNED NEW HAMPSHIRE TO THE GROUND.
You missed.

Whoops! Thanks for the correction. I, uh...I suppose I should apologize to the charred remains of New Hampshire now....
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jwhouk

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They can't be worse than Jersey drivers.
You've never been cut off by a FIB driving down I-94 who's doing 80 mph in a 65.
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cesium133

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Yeah I'm usually okay with tarantulas. It's the tiny super poisonous ones I hate. Fun fact? That cobalt blue one on the last page is named after Metallica.
Now "Enter Sandman" is stuck in my head. I hope you're happy with yourself.  :psyduck:

"It's just the beasts under your bed / in your closet, in your head."
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The nerdy comic I update sometimes: Cesium Comics

Unofficial character tag thingy for QC

Loki

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Cesium! Haven't seen you in a while!

Try replacing it with Unforgiven. Better?

I prolly missed it, but what's a fib?
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bhtooefr

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Fib = lie.
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GarandMarine

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Unforgiven is my jam!

and you can't be cut off by a lie in traffic so jwhouk is obviously using a different definition
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I built the walls that make my life a prison, I built them all and cannot be forgiven... ...Sold my soul to carry your vendetta, So let me go before you can regret it, You've made your choice and now it's come to this, But that's price you pay when you're a monster with no name.

bhtooefr

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IIRC, jwhouk said FIB (as an acronym) is a slur against Illinois residents (the F and B both being swear words).
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Kugai

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(click to show/hide)

Yes, that is a real cobalt blue tarantula.  And yes, that is its natural color.


Dawwww

Looks like a Tachikoma
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James The Kugai 

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cesariojpn

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Dawwww

Looks like a Tachikoma


What I don't look like that how dare you compare me to such a small thing that thing probably doesn't have the stuff I can do I can do better than that thing you are so mean in doing that maybe I should just sulk away.
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Method of Madness

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Interesting what you get when you google for images of "spider zone".

(click to show/hide)

If my son saw this, he would want one.
Are you saying you don't want one?
80 mph in a 65.
Wait, is that considered fast?
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They call me Mr. Madness.

Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

ZoeB

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SIGH

You know, a lot of people have a visceral reaction even to the idea that Intersex people might exist.
It's a lot like their reaction to the idea of intelligent spiders.

I know the poll's a joke. No offense intended. I shouldn't take it too seriously, and I don't.

But you know what? In my mind I substitute "Zoe Brain" for "Intelligent Spider". Then look at the responses from the good, cluey, kinder than average people here.

Tell me - would your vote changed if an intelligent spider wrote a comment like this one?
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Akima wrote thus : " Besides which, forgiving other people is something you do for yourself, not for them. "

ZoeB

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Or how about a  SEAL?

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/transgender-former-navy-seal-to-anderson-cooper-no-one-ever-met-the-real-me-video/news/2013/06/07/68262#.UblBMpzhesI

Quote
“I want to have my life,” she says.

“There’s a lot of prejudice out there. There’s been a lot of transgender people intelligent spiders who are killed for prejudice, for hatred. When the book came out — some amazing support and some amazing praises — but also some pretty amazing bigotry and hatred.”

“I don’t want you to beat me up and kill me. You don’t have to like me, I don’t care. But please don’t kill me.”

Unless I can comprehend these reactions - to intelligent spiders or whatever - how can I make things better? I have to get inside your heads, to understand. And right now I can't, maybe I'm too neurologically different from the norm.
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Akima wrote thus : " Besides which, forgiving other people is something you do for yourself, not for them. "

GarandMarine

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Not really, I'm not easily swayed by primordial evil after those classes I took at Miskatonic U for my Occult Studies MA.

I just don't see the connection you're reaching for. Spiders are inherently scary to a lot of people, and an intelligent spider would be something very alien. Intrasex, Trans* issues, they're medical conditions. Real people with real, allegedly understandable problems... I just think some people suck. I don't think the connection between the reactions to intelligent spiders and intrasex/transpersons is there though.

Here's a break down of how my brain processes it.

Person = Not Spider
Spider = Not Person
Spider = Primordial Evil
Therefore:
Person = O.K.
Spider = Hell Spawn
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I built the walls that make my life a prison, I built them all and cannot be forgiven... ...Sold my soul to carry your vendetta, So let me go before you can regret it, You've made your choice and now it's come to this, But that's price you pay when you're a monster with no name.

Loki

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GM: wouldn't intelligence imply personality?

...now I feel bad for choosing "Capture and study, because they shouldn't exist" as one of my options. On the other hand, my other choice was "Offer waffles".
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Is it cold in here?

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If I had an intelligent spider around I would converse with it, and otherwise treat it according to its actions.
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Skewbrow

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Re: Poll.  I voted "befriend". Largely because there wasn't a "study" option that did not involve capturing.
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Method of Madness

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Mine was befriend and start a spider silk company.
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MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
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Is it cold in here?

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I'd want to study it but without the prejudice that it shouldn't exist.

I'd offer ZoeB waffles but I don't think that is a healthful diet for a spider.
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J

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GM: wouldn't intelligence imply personality?

not necessarily. or at least, not necissarily one that we as primates would recognize.

if we assume an intelligent creature from a completely different evolutionary branch, with a completely different nervous system & brain structure, why would that intelligence or psychology in any way resemble our own?
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Loki

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And now I feel stupid because I brought up the same "intelligence we would not recognize as such" in the discussion on AI religion  :roll:

Okay, but the way the question is worded seems to imply that you have to choose your action(s) already having the knowledge that the spider is intelligent?
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WAYF

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Hannerdad is DEFINITELY a Space Wizard. Almost literally.

Hannelore loves reacting immediately, doesn't she? It's like an automatic panic mechanism: What is the fastest and most efficient way that this threat can be neutralized?
Considering her parentage, threats or things that make her uncomfortable would always have had a very fast, VERY efficient solution.

And sometimes it feels like she doesn't consider the fallout of the efficient methods, a la Mercenary Solutions:
Quote from: Kane and Crowthorne
"The U.S Government figures we owe them 50 large ... something about blowing up the wrong embassy."
"But we also destroyed the RIGHT embassy!"
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mustang6172

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Sorflakne

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(click to show/hide)

Yes, that is a real cobalt blue tarantula.  And yes, that is its natural color.


Dawwww

Looks like a Tachikoma
That never crossed my mind until just now :psyduck:

And Hannderdad has a Rods from God system...God help us.


Quote
Hannelore loves reacting immediately, doesn't she?
And here she didn't run screaming from the store or go catatonic.  Either she had a dose of medication recently, or her mellowing out has reached a new stage.
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J

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Quote from: wikipedia
Project Thor

Project Thor is an idea for a weapons system that launches kinetic projectiles from Earth orbit to damage targets on the ground. Jerry Pournelle originated the concept while working in operations research at Boeing in the 1950s before becoming a science-fiction writer.[1][2]

The most described system is "an orbiting tungsten telephone pole with small fins and a computer in the back for guidance". The weapon can be down-scaled, an orbiting "crowbar" rather than a pole.[citation needed] The system described in the 2003 United States Air Force (USAF) report was that of 20-foot-long (6.1 m), 1-foot-diameter (0.30 m) tungsten rods, that are satellite controlled, and have global strike capability, with impact speeds of Mach 10.[3][4][5]

The time between deorbiting and impact would only be a few minutes, and depending on the orbits and positions in the orbits, the system would have a world-wide range.[citation needed] There is no requirement to deploy missiles, aircraft or other vehicles. Although the SALT II (1979) prohibited the deployment of orbital weapons of mass destruction, it did not prohibit the deployment of conventional weapons. The system is prohibited by neither the Outer Space Treaty nor the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.[4][6]

The idea is that the weapon would inflict damage because it moves at orbital velocities, at least 9 kilometers per second. Smaller weapons can deliver measured amounts of energy as small as a 225 kg conventional bomb.[citation needed] Some systems are quoted as having the yield of a small tactical nuclear bomb.[5] These designs are envisioned as a bunker buster.[4][7]
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ZoeB

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...now I feel bad

Please don't. That wasn't my intention, to cause distress, and you don't deserve to. Sorry.

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Akima wrote thus : " Besides which, forgiving other people is something you do for yourself, not for them. "

mtmerrick

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Now there is a pest extermination method I strongly approve of :P

Also, yes he is Sam =D (and I bet he would actually appreciate being labeled as such :P)
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Is it cold in here?

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I thought Hermione and Ginny got rid of all of them.

Dora, remember that you said you only approve of murdering customers after they've paid? The spiders in the basement could be customers for the cafe you mentioned in that one tweet. You could offer the spiders caffeine (http://www.trinity.edu/jdunn/spiderdrugs.htm) and say "Do you want flies with that?".

How could Dora not have known there were that many spiders in her roasting area?
« Last Edit: 13 Jun 2013, 00:00 by Is it cold in here? »
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Carl-E

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The roasting area is near the one working light down there. 


Sam and Faye went 'splorin' in the less-well lit areas. 





Arrr, there be spiders...
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Near Lurker

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Yes, Sam.  Yes, he is.

I thought Hermione and Ginny got rid of all of them.

And here I was thinking Weird and Gilly.
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After seventeen years, once again, sort of a lurker.  (he/him)

Akima

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Considering her parentage, threats or things that make her uncomfortable would always have had a very fast, VERY efficient solution.
Between her Dad's orbital weapons, and her Mum's elite mercenaries? Yeah, don't frighten the space-princess.

I wanted to befriend the intelligent spider and go into the silk business. Because, well... Silk!
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J

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bulletproof designer garments?
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EspyPsyche

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There was no "terminate with extreme prejudice" option, so I went with "kill with fire".
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Lummer

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I for one think orbital bombardment is a perfectly reasonable way to deal with spiders.
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mtmerrick

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Also, intelligent spider question:

If can be reasoned with/befrinded: sic on enemies.

If cannot be reasoned with/befriended: kill with fire (or tungsten rod)
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TinPenguin

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Remember: four legs good, two legs bad, eight legs AWESOME.
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Sidhekin

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Four legs feed two legs; six legs feed eight legs.
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The Sidhekin proves that Sidhe did it!

Lummer

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Four legs ALWAYS good!

Kitteh <3
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gopher

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I beleive the accepted procedure for dealing with spiders is birds, though it can get out of hand.
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ankhtahr

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And then you have a bird problem instead of a spider problem. Then you could get cats to deal with your bird problem. There is no such thing as a "cat problem". Just ask Eleanor Abernathy.
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pwhodges

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"Being human, having your health; that's what's important."  (from: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi )
"As long as we're all living, and as long as we're all having fun, that should do it, right?"  (from: The Eccentric Family )

Sidhekin

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And then you have a bird problem instead of a spider problem. Then you could get cats to deal with your bird problem.
I'm with you so far, but I fail to see how getting a goat is supposed to deal with your dog problem.
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The Sidhekin proves that Sidhe did it!

Border Reiver

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I would like that app.

Just sayin' that an "orbital bombardment" option would make me the best BSM(Battery Sergeant Major) ever!
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I wonder how that works?
Walk into a place, tag a location, pick a payload and a minimum delay (to get outta there), and it tells you what satellites are on track for that intercept? And if there will be an additional delay, I guess.
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Zebediah

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So I had to check - there actually is an Orbital Bombardment app for iOS. Also Orbital Bombardment Lite.

(click to show/hide)
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@Mr_Rose: Only if you use the Foursquare or LinkedIn add-on (really, who would use those sites? I always know where I am, even if I don't always know where I am supposed to be...).

Although, it could also be a useful add-on to Google Earth. They'll never know it's coming :evil:.

On the polls, I selected "Befriend" and "Create a spider army". I have no problem with spiders, really. Just not on me (I have a "touch me and you're dead!" policy to spiders, roaches, flies and mosquitoes). And the army f***ing because.
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Sam_bedge

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Faye has the 1000 mile stare on and just wandered out of frame - what IS she going to come back with? (place bets now) welding torch set Alien mode?. Ravens Coffee Spider get up?

As for spiders Love them to bits! unfortunately my wife does not feel quite the same way (not that she's scared just doesn't really like them)  and so I must contend myself with staring longingly into the tanks at my local exotic pet stores. Fortunately as i own a Bearded Dragon i get to go there regularly for locust (which are also cute and interesting in their own right)
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Cant rain All the time

westrim

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I am again curious, why are the spiders themselves a heath hazard?

*Fist pump* Yes! Controversy!

But it's mostly that 'unestablished definitions' thing again. I was talking about trigger warnings in the internet sense of an alert that something may be uncomfortable angering, or disgusting to the viewer, not trauma triggers (seriously, going from movie creepy crawlies to PTSD is quite a leap), not bullies or phobias (it was strongly indicated, and has been confirmed, that ihaveavoice was fearful, not phobic) or NSFW tags or parental advisements or whatever else. I was strictly arguing against giving such warnings because they ignore the responsibility people have to inform themselves (does this movie have bugs? let's check!), to analyze (this), and to avoid (mute/power/back button).

Also, Shjade, that sucks for your friend, but if she has such a serious condition I put it on her to ask a person if something is alarming (unless said person was a good friend that already knew) before going to an unknown link and scrolling down.

J was pretty much spot on as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry I didn't link to specific comments, but they are long and this is already very long.

Comparing a recognised clinical condition with a non-clinical "phobia" which is in fact prejudice is indeed belittling.  Of course, it would be better if homophobia was referred to as homomisia (meaning hatred of or disgust for homosexuality) - but that won't happen.
I did not realize until checking after your comment that it wasn't a clinical definition. Darn culture and it's appropriation of words for inaccurate uses.

What did Gandalf say about staying on the path?
I didn't realize I had crossed into Mirkwood!

You forgot the obvious:
"Nuke it from orbit. Just to be sure."
But the Federation inexplicably doesn't do orbital bombardment, just masses of troops with mininukes and assault rifles. Pity the mobile infantry.

SIGH
You know, a lot of people have a visceral reaction even to the idea that Intersex people might exist.
It's a lot like their reaction to the idea of intelligent spiders.
I know the poll's a joke. No offense intended. I shouldn't take it too seriously, and I don't.
But you know what? In my mind I substitute "Zoe Brain" for "Intelligent Spider". Then look at the responses from the good, cluey, kinder than average people here.
Tell me - would your vote changed if an intelligent spider wrote a comment like this one?
I was surprised at the number of people that focused on 'spider' and went the kill route, not 'intelligent' and running or befriending. Since all the options are available and equal, it is known to the person choosing that the spider is intelligent and befriendable.

There's a scifi series I'm reading called The Lost Fleet which a couple books ago introduced a species that was half spider, half wolf, and all ugly, and human sized to boot. Despite that, it's the only alien species that humanity has run across whose response to contact isn't hiding, fighting, or suicide, so the characters comment on suppressing their gut reactions to the first friendly species they've met- and the aesthetic beauty such outwardly ugly creatures create, from ships and programs that make their engineers and techs drool to shipmanship that makes the military command very impressed, and very grateful they aren't enemies.

A good chunk of the last book was escorting a diplomatic contingent of the 'Dancers,' as they get nicknamed after the less savory ones get stamped out, to Earth, for reasons they wont explain, which makes the characters very nervous and suspicious (it should be noted that humanity has long since spread to the stars and adopted an ancestor based religion, so Earth is the holy of holies to them). It turns out the reason was to return the body of a human explorer of hyperspace they found, and hadn't molested with any kind of physical examination, to the place a postcard in his capsule named- Lyons, Kansas.

I didn't include a study without capture option because I figured befriending it would be enough for that.

Lastly, here is what you get when you cross spiders with crabs and press 'supersize.' I love these things.
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toffee-skye

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re: trigger warnings. i was always told it was just a polite thing to do if you're discussing a touchy subject, e.g. specific acts of violence, or abuse. in my mind it isn't really coddling, it's more just an alert that this post might be upsetting and it might best be avoided. i mean, they do it for news stories over here in the UK; if there's a clip about violence in Syria showing injured people, the newsreader says, "this report contains images some viewers may find distressing" or words to that effect.

re: intelligent spiders. i tend to pretend the spider isn't there unless it's very large and right in front of me. but it is a good question, as i'm doing as ZoeB said and trying to substitute a person in place of the spider. i think to myself, i'd ask the spider to be out of my sight as large spiders make me uncomfortable, but when i put a person in place of the spider it seems really very rude and quite offensive to say "please move aside, i would like to come upstairs and people like you make me uncomfortable". that feels awful in my mind!

re: comic. good grief Hanners. i know i said previously that a basement full of spiders isn't my ideal holiday destination but that's a bit extreme.

Warning - while you were reading a new reply concerning deeply philosophical questions about spiders has been posted. You may wish to review your current prejudices to future spiders you come across.

well when you put it like that, i think i am prejudiced against spiders. and for some reason that makes me feel very sad. i'm sorry, spiders.
« Last Edit: 13 Jun 2013, 06:18 by toffee-skye »
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my name is Anna and i like people, places, and things.
current MRes student and serial timewaster
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