22 July 2018

Link round-up for 22 July 2018

Various interesting stuff I ran across on the net over the last week.

o o o o o

Never forget this.

Troll your local fundies with pentagram shoes.

It's a cat-meleon.

What do the controls on Darth Vader's chest panel do? (found via Calvin)

I'd watch this one.

This classic floppy disk held 2.2 megabytes.

You can terrorize people with bananas.

Have yourself a creepy teatime (found via Mendip).

Don't jump to conclusions based on a photo.

Earth is better than all the Star Wars planets combined.

Crazy person is crazyCrazier person is crazier.

A photo has leaked from the Trump-Putin private meeting.

Jill Dennison collects oddball news items, including a giant avocado and a giant squirrel.  More snippets here.

Things can get lost in translation.  In fact, this is why real translation is done by humans, not machines -- humans understand what they're reading (though as we know, Bible translators did get some details wrong).

"Is America even real at this point?"

Professor Chaos fisks Thomas Friedman.

Jesus has returned and launched a new war against sin in Hobart, Australia.

Eighth-graders can't see a movie that's about them.

The world needs more socialism and less propaganda.

Boycott these assholes.

There are, it seems, substantial differences of opinion within the Catholic Church about homosexuality.

Journalists, do your job.

Racism is racism.

It was never about the anthem.

Only one side is expected to uphold civility (found via Aunt Polly).  Here are some disgusting examples.

What would have happened if this man had not had a gun?

14 years of reports of sexual abuse didn't stop the Catholic Church from promoting this guy to Cardinal.

Scott Pruitt's Environmental Protection Agency protected only the environment of Scott Pruitt.

If you believe in horseshit, seek out the advice of those who believe in more complicated horseshit.

We were warned about Trump two hundred years ago -- and two thousand (both found via Calvin).

Here's a discussion on atheism and morality.

Who really wrote the Book of Mormon?

It's fair when we do it, but not when somebody else does.

Apparently the Jehovah's Witnesses have something to hide.

Fox News is no longer wingnutty enough for some of the enemy.

Some Protestants think Catholics aren't Christians because blah blah gobbledygook (found via Arkenaten).  Even if you're a Christian, you should oppose theocracy -- it might be run by a sect which is intolerant of yours.

Here's why personal experience unsupported by evidence isn't convincing in the case of extraordinary claims.  See the comments, too -- some people don't understand that a bald assertion of opinion counts for nothing against an assertion of opinion with supporting evidence.

Children aren't naturally prejudiced -- it's adults that teach it to them.

Give theocrats a win on discrimination, and they'll push for more.

Most actions we're told to take as individuals to fight global warming are worthless -- the problem must be addressed through politics (found via Ranch Chimp).

Secularism correlates with prosperity (link from commenter Nick M).

They threatened a three-year-old with a gun.

DNA testing can bring unwelcome surprises.

Here are some of the year's best astronomy photos (found via Miss Cellania).

Technology allows us to read ancient texts too fragile to open.

Why aren't whales even bigger? (found via Mike the Mad Biologist)

How the world has changed:  HuffPost sounds the alarm over a series of disease outbreaks that have killed a total of 190 people and "could kill thousands".  Until a century ago, epidemics that killed millions were common.

Some Americans don't understand Europe.

The UK has almost completely phased out coal.

Anti-Semitism surfaces in Poland and Germany.

If Estonia can do cybersecurity, so can we.

Japan and the EU, which combined make up one-third of the world economy, have just signed the largest bilateral free-trade deal in history -- another example of how other countries are working around Trump's America (found via Shaw Kenawe).

Kaveh Mousavi defends some unpopular views.

Korean "turtle ships" were the cutting edge of 16th-century war technology.

Summer heat in India is reaching lethal levels (found via Mike the Mad Biologist).

A potentially dangerous trend takes hold in west Africa.

"Democrat" Joe Lieberman betrays the party by openly rejecting its nominee.  This is exactly the kind of mentality we need to get rid of.

If your vote didn't matter.....

It's not enough to get the Republicans out of power -- we need to keep them out.

What we already know about Trump and Russia is damning.  Mueller's report will put Republicans to the test.

Democrats probably can't stop Kavanaugh, but they can learn from the fight.

At the Trump-Putin meeting, body language says it all.  Religionists rush to defend Trump's performanceRepublican politicians won't do anything unless the base turns on him. Is it treason?  Green Eagle makes the case.  George Will and James Comey have a late awakening.

Tariffs will hurt red America badly between now and November.

Republicans shouldn't assume that future Russian meddling will help them.

Calvin has a round-up of Trump images.  The last one here is priceless.

For more links, see Perfect Number and Fair and Unbalanced.

[549 days down, 913 days to go until the inauguration of a real President!]

6 Comments:

Blogger Mary Kirkland said...

The other day when I read that the MGM was bringing a lawsuit against the Las Vegas victims, my head damn near exploded. I couldn't believe it. I understand they are just trying to get the lawsuits against them dropped. But they are at least in part culpable for letting that idiot get all those rifles in his hotel room. Just makes no sense that they would do this. I live in Las Vegas so this pissed me off.

I love the diagram that shows how to lace your shoes like a pentagram. That's fun. Cats are funny. I've never had a cat as a pet but maybe one day I will. I was known as the crazy rat lady back when I had rats as pets. So crazy cat lady wouldn't be too hard to think of.

22 July, 2018 06:57  
Anonymous nonnie9999 said...

Hi Infidel!

I would lace my shoes in a pentagram, but I think I would have to hire an engineer to explain to me how to do it. Maybe I'm better off with Velcro.

I always thought the buttons on Darth Vader's chest was a thermostat. It has to get hot under his burqa.

I would watch that Jurassic Park, too. Most of all, though, I am shocked Yertle McConnell was such a good sport in putting on that costume.

Just think what you could put on evangelical Twitler voters' bananas to freak them out. Maybe we can make them stay home instead of voting.

Oh, how I hope Queen Liz used those ceramic sculptures for her tea with Twitler and Malaria.

What disturbed me about that baseball player and his "fragile masculinity" was the bucket he was standing on. I thought it was for chewing tobacco, and the thought of that much of that crap makes me gag. I had to google, and I was relieved to find out Hi-Chew is actually candy.

I don't know what was worse. The dingbat who is suggesting JFK, Jr. and his wife faked their (and her sister's) deaths or the comments from other dingbats who are absolutely convinced she's right.

I hope MGM's stock value goes into the toilet (a toilet purchased at Lowe's or some independent plumbing place). Same goes for Home Depot.

Well, I'm hungry now. I've gone to all the fun links, and now I'll make something to eat and get to the rest of the links while I'm eating. Thanks for the link to The Raisin!

22 July, 2018 13:13  
Blogger Les Carpenter said...

Interesting list. Much to peruse and consider. The 226 year and 2,060 year old quotes fortelling the tRump's political birth caught my eye right on. Posted with hat tip and brief commentary at my place.

Keep up the good work Infidel. Now Back to perusal.

22 July, 2018 17:19  
Blogger Adam said...

I kind of wonder if Lucas really put any thought on those buttons

23 July, 2018 21:07  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Mary: I think MGM is going to regret this big time. The story is spreading and it looks terrible.

Nonnie: No doubt some entrepreneurial sort will invent a velcro pentagram.

We need "banana psychological warfare" squads across the country. At least, to me the idea has a peel.

There's no limit to what the wingnuts will believe these days. They're totally unmoored from reality.

Rational: Fine with me -- they're not original with me. I doubt Cicero will come after you for royalties.

Adam: I don't think much thought was put into Star Wars generally. Fan exegesis has gone far beyond what's really there.

24 July, 2018 02:46  
Blogger Martha said...

Great round up! Laughed at some, cringed at others. So many nasty people out there.

And that letter from Jesus... And these are the people who are supposed to be loving Christians. Complete separation of church and state! There is no other way.

25 July, 2018 05:52  

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