The News Thread

[TechnicalBarbarity]

 

[CiG]

Incredible.

 

[Dak]

That Alex Jones guy seems like a complete fucking clown. how the fuck does he have an actual fanbase?

I followed the website stories at one point (like 06-10). Eventually Jones turned it into a cult of personality, about the time that it was obvious all the doomsday predictions weren't panning out. The persons following him now have to just enjoy the schtick, like my stepdad.

 

[Einherjar86]

Incredible.

Dude, post this in my weird science thread plz k thnks. So awesome.

 

[CiG]

As a reaction to so many of my left-wing friends on FB shitting on Trump's statements about a space force I went around to see if scientists had made statements about it and I stumbled on a seemingly endless series of videos of Neil deGrasse Tyson brutally slapping aside the shrieking of the Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferers.









The Joe Rogan podcast clip is the most interesting one by far. I'll be honest Tyson's elaboration on the concept is probably leagues deeper than what Trump was thinking when he said he wanted to create a space force, especially the idea Tyson expresses here that a space force would be great for defending the earth from asteroid threats.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Pretty sure we can already predict incoming asteroids years in advance, as well as shooting them out of space from the earth.

 

[CiG]

I don't know shit about asteroids.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Do you guys even have a space program?

 

[CiG]

Yeah we have the ASA. No idea what they've ever achieved though.

Edit: In 1967 Australia was the third nation, behind only the US and Russia, to launch a satellite into space.
Now the head of the newly formed Australian Space Agency (ASA) says it's time for Australia to return to the forefront of the space race.

 

[The Ozzman]

I didn't even know Australia had a space program. Amazing.

 

[CiG]

For how much most Australians virtue-signal about science, tech and research funding you'd think we'd be more developed than we are regarding a space program. Dundee knows they fucking tax us enough.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

Don't care. People can have really fucking dumb and sometimes terrible opinions and then change them. Keep on selectively reading the wiki page like you're somehow proving your point and not playing provocateur.

 

[CiG]

Isn't he also a 9/11 conspiracy theorist? I can't keep up with the bullshit he believes. That's actually part of why I don't feel any moral outrage over what he says, whereas Cenk is at least attempting to be a serious person who doesn't spew conspiracies and so it's a lot more creepy to me that he was a literal genocide denier for decades.

 

[rms]

Don't care. People can have really fucking dumb and sometimes terrible opinions and then change them. Keep on selectively reading the wiki page like you're somehow proving your point and not playing provocateur.

or you can just admit you were wrong? Alex Jones sucks like they all do, he's just farther off the spectrum.

and at least Alex made one of the greatest podcasts ever!!!

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Obligatory incentive for @CiG to play the world's greatest computer game

 

[CiG]

 

[CiG]

LOL: En garde! Texas open carry sword law takes effect Friday.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

So although Texans will be allowed to walk down the street carrying a katana, it's illegal to take blades exceeding 5.5 inches to the following places:

• Bars and restaurants that derive 51% or more of their income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption.

• Schools and universities.

• Polling places.

• Secure areas of airports.

• Racetracks.

• High school, collegiate or professional sporting events (unless the person is a participant in the event and a location-restricted knife is used in the event).

• Correctional facilities.

• Hospitals, nursing homes and mental hospitals (unless written authorization is given).

• Amusement parks.

• Churches, synagogues or other established places of religious worship. Also, people under age 18 will not be allowed to carry such blades if not directly supervised by a parent or guardian.

Kinda defeats the purpose.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

or you can just admit you were wrong?

Not really, no.

Crossing the divide
Do men really have it easier? These transgender guys found the truth was more complex.

Interesting read.

Prior to my transition, I was an outspoken radical feminist. I spoke up often, loudly and with confidence. I was encouraged to speak up. I was given awards for my efforts, literally — it was like, “Oh, yeah, speak up, speak out.” When I speak up now, I am often given the direct or indirect message that I am “mansplaining,” “taking up too much space” or “asserting my white male heterosexual privilege.” Never mind that I am a first-generation Mexican American, a transsexual man, and married to the same woman I was with prior to my transition.

....

Life doesn’t get easier as an African American male. The way that police officers deal with me, the way that racism undermines my ability to feel safe in the world, affects my mobility, affects where I go....
One night somebody crashed a car into my neighbor’s house, and I called 911. I walk out to talk to the police officer, and he pulls a gun on me and says, “Stop! Stop! Get on the ground!” I turn around to see if there’s someone behind me, and he goes, “You! You! Get on the ground!” I’m in pajamas and barefoot. I get on the ground and he checks me, and afterward I said, “What was that all about?” He said, “You were moving kind of funny.” Later, people told me, “Man, you’re crazy. You never call the police.”

....


The creative department is largely male, and the guys accepted me into the club. I learned by example and modeled my professional behavior accordingly. For example, I kept noticing that if guys wanted an assignment they’d just ask for it. If they wanted a raise or a promotion they’d ask for it. This was a foreign concept to me. As a woman, I never felt that it was polite to do that or that I had the power to do that. But after seeing it happen all around me I decided that if I felt I deserved something I was going to ask for it too. By doing that, I took control of my career. It was very empowering."

 

[Dak]

So it takes a trans man to validate the stuff straight men say, and in the career case specifically what JP says. Whatever works I guess.