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[LeeC]

huh, found the video

At first I thought he kept his forearms under arms hidden so she can't see the blades, but after watching the video, yeah I'm still trying to figure it out.

[jwhouk]

It's in his bones. Don't you read?

[Carl-E]

So they even make the noise.  Something tells me this was a set-up...

Also, Russian! 

And I think he's getting them from under the table.  He spends a good bit of time looking there when he first sits down. 

[Papersatan]

It doesn't matter if most people rationally think that providing money to beggars is a bad idea, or if these particular beggars *need* the money,  we live in a society which values generosity/caring about others and there is social utility in appearing to have those values (I'd argue that the need to defend not giving them change is actually evidence of this). Not giving them money isn't a sign that you are not these things, but having others see you give them money, or attempt to has a social reward of others thinking more highly of you.  If you start to pay attention, to yourself or to others, you will notice a strange trend of people patting a pocket, but not making eye contact or even breaking stride. They are not looking for change, they are attempting to get the benefit of complying with the norm without the cost.  Again, it's not a deliberate "I'm going to trick people into thinking I care" thing, it's a result of social pressure to conform with norms.

Another example: next time you are on crowded public transportation and someone gives up their seat for an elderly person, watch the leg muscles of the people seated around them.  Chances are someone will flex as though they were "just about to get up but you beat me to it!".  They didn't want to give up their seat, and likely would not have, but, once the cost of having to stand is taken away, they will give token compliance to the norm, and likely receive the social benefit from those around them. 


I don't want to derail this thread by making too many points, so here is a cat:

[Is it cold in here?]

Excreted gut bacteria are as harmless as they come.  There are better reasons for washing your hands at that stage.

An enormous amount of public health work has gone into safe disposal of excreted gut bacteria. They cause a lot of trouble in the wrong places.

[pwhodges]

The important risk is not from normal gut bacteria, though, but from those causing sickness, such as gastroenteritis; but remember that using shared toilets where there is a risk of infection from unknown strangers, you are also at risk of infection after washing your hands, from the taps and door furniture when you leave.  If you yourself are unwell, it is of course your responsibility to take steps to avoid leaving such a trail of infection, and washing is important there (so is not giving in to the notion that "you're well enough to go to work" is sufficient justification for going in to infect all your co-workers).  My remark was too flippant as it stood, though, I agree.

[ackblom12]

[jwhouk]

My concern is Epidemic Flu and those pesky autoimmune viruses I have to deal with on occasion (Hepatitis, HIV). I work in an environment where there's a lot of young kids who can spread disease easily - and they have a nasty habit of not washing their hands.

[Carl-E]

My younger daughter's going on IV IG's next week*. 

We've stocked up on hand sanitizer, and she's not allowed to see her boyfriend, who works in a grocery. 


At least it's not the radioactive iodine treatments she went through two years ago... you sweat that stuff out, have to wash the sheets daily, can't be close (within 8 feet) to her for more than a half hour at a time, 6 times a day tops.  And wash, wash, wash if you have to touch her.  Oh yeah, I'm the guy who transfers her to and from bed and her chair...



* intraveinous immunoglobulin - an immune system suppressant.  There's some thought that the intercranial hypertension (high brain fluid pressure) might be an autoimmune response to god knows what.  Fuckin' medical mystery child. 

[pwhodges]

I do like an honest advert...

the PERFECT GUARD HORSE

[GarandMarine]

Have some AWESOME music with my compliments: (Warning, these tunes are written and performed by Air Force fighter pilots, these means they are inherently massive jackasses, there is offensive language in all these videos)

Fox one! When you got nothing left, Fox two it's that heater in your chest, Fox three! The only friend you'll ever need, that cock sucker, motherfucker Jeremiah Weed.

So here's to you fighter pilots victors of the war, who got us all this real estate backed up shore to shore, now oil's a buck a barrel and it's all because of me, because I'm the motherfucker who started world war three.

Someone's got to make the call I'm going in for guns.

And now the most popular song about pilots amongst mechanics ever. Pilots: If your maintainers are singing this or humming it when you walk up, you need to buy them a box of doughnuts or some shit stat to avoid getting a wrench in your intake.

[LeeC]

@Papersatan: Yeah I notice that stuff too on the train, and I revel in making people do that by giving up my seat first.  Sometimes they try to explain that they didn't see the pregnant lady just standing next to them, or the old man struggling to stand with a walker.  I see them purposely pretending not to see them or do the whole fake get up thing and its quite pathetic.  When its the "homeless" in this city, I don't give change/money, nor do I do the pat my pockets thing.  I just say "sorry pal I got nothing for you" or just plain ignore them.  Sure I've given food away but people coming up to me to "rap me a song for some change" as I am hurrying to work, or the bums who are fully capable of working but fake injuries and lay in the street rejecting food but asking for money, those people can get change or take up time from someone else but not me.  I am just glad they arnt aggressive about it like in some other cities where they follow you or try to fight you...yet.



In other news, Spiderman and Wolverine go to a bar.

[Barmymoo]

Don't be too hard on people who look like they're "fully capable of working". Long-term unemployment fucking sucks and it saps your self-confidence and your energy until all you can do is get through each day. I'm not saying that you should give money to people begging in the street - actually I think this is a bad idea, because it simply assuages a sense of guilt without actually doing anything meaningful to help - but I do encourage supporting charities which work with people who've fallen on bad luck (and I consider debilitating drug addictions to be bad luck, even if bad choices led to that state), especially ones like The Big Issue. "Just get a job" is an attitude which shows complete ignorance of what it is like not to be able to get a job, and to watch your life crumbling and not know how to stop it.

[Carl-E]

Been there.  I'm 51, with a Ph.D. that qualifies me for very little.  I couldn't even get a job at the envelope factory, because I don't have line production experience; I don't have a CDL (Commercial Driver's license), so I can't drive a delivery vehicle or a bus.  The taxi services weren't hiring.  I don't have a mechanic's / plumber's / electrician's license, so even though I can do all those (and frequently do around my own house and for friends and our church), I can't legally get a job at it.  That left retail, and... well, I'm short, fat, bald and old.  Not gonna get hired when there are all those attractive schoolkids out there for hire.  Can't teach high school or lower without state teacher's certification which requires an Ed. degree, even though I've been teaching for about 30 years, and the area colleges aren't hiring. 

We almost lost the house. 

That probably would have pushed me over the edge, especially if I'd lost my family in the process as well.  You would have seen me on street in pretty short order. 

I know there are professional beggars, alcoholics, the mentally ill out on the streets.  I think what most people don't know is how close they are to being there themselves. 

Sorry, that wasn't really pointless.  Here's a crabby old kitty. 

[Sorflakne]

So there's a pickup in my town that I've seen a few times.  If you wanted to conjure a caricature of a stereotypical Deep South redneck, this vehicle, its owner, and his friends are it.  The pickup is a F250, has a lift kit, they blare country music, dress like rednecks, the girls wear Daisy Dukes (I've seen em as one girl puts her legs up on the dash), they're all drinking beer, and the icing on the cake is the 3x5' Stars and Bars that flies on a short flagpole mounted in the box.  Every time I've seen this pickup, that is the scene I've seen.  Only thing missing is the gun rack in the back window (it might be there, I haven't gotten a good look at that area).

I've been tempted to roll down my windows and crank my music volume (I have an aftermarket sound system that came with my vehicle) and play something like Ramstein or House music or some other most uncountry-like music possible to see how they'd react; and the fact that I'm driving a Toyota and have CA plates would just add to it.  But frankly, I don't feel like getting shot.

[jwhouk]

Hm. I think I drove past about five of those yesterday.

We have a saying here in this part of the state: "North of 64, South of Mason-Dixon." (Highway 64 is a state route that bisects the northern part of Wisconsin from the central and southern part; the Mason-Dixon line... well, Carl-E can explain that one.)

[cesium133]

I grew up a couple miles from the Mason-Dixon line, and I'd have to say there are about as many hillbillies north of the line as south of the line, at least in Somerset County...

[lepetitfromage]

We are well above the Mason-Dixon and still have our fair share here too. Where there are wooded areas and animals to be shot.....the hillbillies will a' follow.

[GarandMarine]

They're a bit odd in them thar hills.

[The Seldom Killer]

edible zeotrope

http://vimeo.com/42706538

[bhtooefr]

There's tons of those brodozers around here, and I'm WELL north of the Mason-Dixon. (Not as far north as what jwhouk is talking about, though.)

Although, the stars and bars aren't anywhere near as popular here. More common is a pair of 4" stacks, with the (diesel) engine massively overfueled, dumping very large, thick clouds of black smoke all over everything.

[Carl-E]

See a few of those around here, too, and every one of 'em has the stars and bars either in the rear window (as a one-way visible transfer), or painted on the tailgate.  There is one with the huge flag on the bed-mounted pole.  And they're all over on the front plate holder of cars (PA only has rear plates). 

You'd never know we're nearly 100 miles north of the line... many PA residents fought for the confederacy back in the day. 

[GarandMarine]

I went up to Lancaster last night, I didn't see any brodozers, saw a couple horse and buggies though. It made me sad cause I want a horse.

[Kugai]

Bit of an Amish Paradise there isn't it?

[ankhtahr]

Damn you, Kugai. Now I won't get that song out of my mind for days.

[Kugai]

Huh?


Oh yeah!  Sorry, not really what I meant, but funny nonetheless.

[ankhtahr]

I didn't mean to imply that you referred to the song, but your post immediately reminded me of it. So now I'll have Weird Al in my head for at least a few hours.

[Kugai]

Heh

[Pilchard123]

Ankh: how did your driving go?

[ankhtahr]

Which driving? I've been driving a lot lately. Have the exam for the trailer license on wednesday.

[Welu]

I love Dara O'Briain. One of the funniest comedians I've ever seen.

[Method of Madness]

Just read through this thread instead of doing homework. Also playing Candy Box thanks to the first page.

[lepetitfromage]

Me too......I have been playing nonstop for the last week. I just beat Chuck Norris last night!

[jwhouk]

What's really funny - we have an Amish "village" east of the city (FAR to the east). You see them coming in and out of Wal-Mart every now and again.

[Blue Kitty]

[GarandMarine]

Shelves and filing cabinets are just in it for the sex, you should seek a lasting relationship with less whorish furniture.



In case you guys can't see it: http://9gag.com/gag/aD0WNVK

[Method of Madness]

Excellent.

[Sorflakne]

So apparently the racists and people of otherwise lesser intelligence are butthurt over the fact that an American who happens to be of Indian descent won Miss America.

[pwhodges]

[kyomi]

[Ups and downs of life]
Holy crap.. that was sad

[Warning posters]
I wonder if that was part of the set that was in Fight Club

So I spent the better part of the entire weekend playing Mortal Kombat on the PS3.
Let me tell you... Challenge Tower 275/300 is such a bitch it's ridiculous.  3 Goro's with one life meter, with Ermac.
That was about 3 hours of getting my ass handed to me... and another 2-3 hours trying to practice his combos.

Still.. pretty awesome game

Edit: Checking around at the other updated threads and I saw this at the top:
"News: my butt itches (mod note: itchy butt is a common symptom of Butts Disease)".. hehe

[LTK]

Here is something to take your attention off Candy Box:

http://orteil.dashnet.org/nested

[kyomi]

Neat... and now to expand every single one of those...

Within the first minute of looking at Nested.. I found a peasant with leather underwear >.>

Candybox is now: wait for enough candies for sword upgrade till max upgrade and then go fight dragon again

[Welu]

[LeeC]

So apparently the racists and people of otherwise lesser intelligence are butthurt over the fact that an American who happens to be of Indian descent won Miss America.

I'd like to think most of it is hyperbole or trolling, considering its the internet.

'Murica moment

[kyomi]

"You threw 1000 candies on the ground...? (;_;)"

I'm not part of your system. Man... I'm an adult.

[kyomi]

'Murica moment

Is... is that a crocodile nuke?

[LTK]

So apparently the racists and people of otherwise lesser intelligence are butthurt over the fact that an American who happens to be of Indian descent won Miss America.

I'd like to think most of it is hyperbole or trolling, considering its the internet.

I wish I shared your optimism.

[Akima]

So apparently the racists and people of otherwise lesser intelligence are butthurt over the fact that an American who happens to be of Indian descent won Miss America.

Presumably the same ones who got all bent out of shape when an American-born US citizen sang "God Bless America" at the 2013 MLB All-Star game.I've met plenty of people who think you have to be white to be a Real Australian, so I doubt those tweets are anything other than what they seem.

[Valdís]

Yeah, it's really gross. It's so blatantly obvious that when people talk about "immigrants" here that they mean "middle-eastern looking" people; immigration not required. Similarly when other Swedes internalize those attitudes as "us immigrants". Dude, you were born here.

Always it gets back to scary brown people. I've literally heard "it makes you scared of being around them" recently in person. No, actually, it doesn't. It makes your xenophobic ass scared of being around 'them'. I have the basic thinking skills to not consider some random brown person as representative of everyone else.

If anything it makes me a whole lot more concerned being around YOU. The fearmongering far-right doesn't exactly have an amazing record of being non-transphobic.

[LeeC]

'Murica moment

Is... is that a crocodile nuke?

Yes, yes it is.  And Ronald McDonald is using a shot gun int he background.


@ Akima and LTK
I don't consider myself sheltered (far from it) but I usually don't encounter stuff like that in real life.  Maybe its because my ancestors are West European and I don't encounter racism all that often.  However, on the internet plenty of people will say stuff like that just to get a rise out of people and not actually meaning it.  I can't say the same for Oz though.