SCIENTIFIC EYE CANDY

Just some damn fascinating science-related pictures that have more artistic qualities about them than almost anything that normally gets labelled "art" by the snooty folk.

(big hat tip to Lynn of Reflections in d minor for the link, and there's more picturey stuff in her post)

WHAT WOULD VICTOR HUGO DO?

I've heard the phrase "loose cannon" dozens of times, but I never really understood what it meant until a few years ago. I always assumed that the "loose" part meant "easily fired".

Then I read one of Victor Hugo's more obscure novels, a historical piece set during the latter stages of the French revolution, "Ninety-Three", and found out why a loose cannon is a bad thing.

On old naval vessels, the cannons, large heavy things, probably 500-1000 pounds, are mounted on wheels so you can move them from one side of the ship to another, as the battle requires. And they're tied in place. If a cannon breaks it's ties, you now have a 1000-pound iron object rolling freely around the munitions area, smashing and breaking people and things. It moves randomly with the tossing of the ship, it's far too heavy for any one man to contain, and if it hits you, you will be dead or injured, no exceptions. That is a loose cannon.

In the story, there is a brilliantly described sequence in which the ship's Master-at-Arms does battle with a loose cannon, eventually succeeding in re-securing it and saving the ship. For his heroism, he is given a medal.

He is then shot, because it's the Master-at-Arms duty to ensure that cannons don't get loose in the first place.

Matt O'Blackfive has been discussing the case of Colonel West recently:

************

There has been a lot bandied about LTC Allen B. West this week. He admitted to having two sergeants rough up an Iraqi policeman who was working for terrorists. Then, when physical coercion didn’t work, LTC West took matters into his own hands. He used his sidearm – once firing at a container and another time in some other direction – in order to influence the bad guy. After the incident, LTC West reported himself to his superiors for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He violated it because he threatened a prisoner – something both proscribed by the UCMJ and the Geneva Convention. This is all according to LTC West. The Army has not released any other details.

************

Matt takes the position [grossly oversimplified here] that, although West did protect his men, he still violated regulations, and needs to be punished.

Misha, [also a veteran, remember] on the other hand, says [also oversimplified]: hey, it's war. He protected his men, and the hell with the Islamoscum that got roughed up. Protecting American lives takes precedence, first, last and always. Let West go.

Me [also, also a veteran] am completely torn in half on the issue. So I'll take the Victor Hugo approach. First, give that man the Congressional Medal of Honor for saving the lives of his men. THEN punish him as a court-martial may direct for violating his orders.

If you see a contradiction here, then you're not familiar with the military.

ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM - SO THERE!

In the past, I've been accused of using "big words". Once by a niece, who wasn't exceptionally bright anyway, and once by someone who had enjoyed a snarky piece I wrote for the college paper, but was concerned that, because I used so many "big words", a lot of people might not understand me. My response was the same in both cases: a blank look. Yes, I occasionally go nuts with the polysyllabics, but it's not because I'm some kind of egotistical freak who gets off on flaunting his vocabulary (quiet, you!). I use the "big words" because there are specific, subtle, nuanced, conceptual tones that I wish to communicate [translation: "they say what I wanna say"]. If you don't understand what I'm saying, grab a damn dictionary & edumacate yourself. That's where I picked the stuff up at. I can't count the number of times I've had a Stephen King novel in one hand and a dictionary in the other out of sheer necessity. The right word makes the story better, and good writers use the right words, regardless.

Lynn, over at Reflections in d minor, has a son with a similar problem, and I find her discussion of the matter to be engaging and thought provoking:

************

The thing is though, my son does sometimes toss around obscure words. He reads a lot of sci-fi (a lot of Larry Niven) and a lot of non-fiction science related stuff. He's proud of his vocabulary like a weight-lifter is proud of how much he can bench press. And why not? Are we supposed to keep secret our knowledge of some words because we might run into someone who is unfamiliar with them? And how are we supposed to know which of the words we are comfortable using might be obscure to someone else?

There's an old saying, "If you've got it, flaunt it." I'm afraid most people wouldn't consider that good advice. Flaunting what you've got is supposed to be a bad thing but, at least when it comes to vocabulary, I disagree. I don't have a huge vocabulary and I'm not going to reduce it further because I might know a word or two that some other people don't know.

************

So if you've ever been accused of using "big words" stop by Lynn's place...

...and pick up a few more to confuse people with. Mheh.

HOT & NASTY!

Kevin's got a filthy, sexually themed Bonfire going this week. And it's every bit as thrilling as seeing your grandmother naked

*shudder*

My "Dear God, NO!" pick of the week would have to be this bit of whoring that makes a Philippino hooker on aircraft-carrier-duty look like a nun in solitary confinement. This blogger has NO FREAKING SHAME!

SAVE THE PUPPIES!

(A FILTHY LIE)

I was reading the Wisconsin State Journal recently, and my attention was drawn to a bit in the opinion section, calling for increased state regulation of pet breeders. Now, I'm a libertarian at heart, and I believe in regulation by reputation, rather than by legislation, so I disagreed with the premise of the piece. However, there was one sentence that caught my eye:

"They found more than 100 dogs living in their own feces, in cages intended for animals the size of a rabbit, unable to walk because their feet were deformed by the wire floors of their pens."

"Glenn! You bastard!" I thought to myself, and dialed his number.

[ring....ring...ring...]

Evil Glenn: I will crush you all like BUGS! I rule the blogosphere from my dank imperial cavern and none shall escape my foul clutches! You are doomed! DOOMED! I am your Lord and Master! Bow down before me! BWAHAHAHA!... then leave a message at the beep.

[beep]

Harv: Damn you, Reynolds! I know what you've been doing! Blending isn't enough for you, is it? Now it's on to crippling & torture, isn't it? You cruel, heartless, subhuman degenerate!

Evil Glenn: That's lawyer to you, currency-freak. Sorry I couldn't get to the phone, but that damn hobo wouldn't stop squirming. What's your major malfunction this time?

Harv: I read all about your nefarious activities in the Wisconsin State Journal. You've got a lot to answer for, you brutal, savage...

Evil: Yo! Ease up, money-molester. I haven't set foot in your sorry state since the tiddlywink tournament. Heh. Naked Helen Thomas. Indeed!

Harv: EWWWW! Don't remind me. But that's beside the point. It says right here in the paper that everyone who attended the hearing on the proposed pet-dealer licensing law was in favor of it... with ONE exception. Gee... I wonder who that could be?

Evil Glenn: Wasn't me, crappy-cash-collector. Get yourself another scapegoat.

Harv: Cut the bullshit! Who else would be against saving puppies?

Evil Glenn: Well, you just got done saying YOU were against it. Geez! Don't you even read your own blog?

Harv: Not very often. It's kinda dull & repetitive - "graffiti currency" this, and "love note" that - Blah! Blah! Blah! What a bunch of crap! Who the hell would read that drivel? The only traffic I get is from people looking for XXX black peeing porn, and... DAMMIT! Would you please quit trying to change the subject?

Evil Glenn: Heh. Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Harv: Now answer my question! Why are you torturing little doggies?

Evil Glenn: Look, dollar-defacer, you've got the wrong guy. I may be a puppy-blending, hobo-murdering, Satan-worshiping, robot-dancing, communist-sympathizing, Frank J.-punching, white-supremacist, penguin-porn addict who makes inter-species sex films, but that doesn't make me a monster.

Harv: Lawyer

Evil Glenn: Touché. However, the fact is that when I blend puppies, I use the "liquefy" setting so that it's over with quickly. I just want a fast energy drink, I don't want the little sweet-meats to actually SUFFER... except maybe the Yorkies... nasty, ankle-biting, yipping little annoyances. They're like tiny, fuzzy Frenchmen.

Harv: Can't argue with you there.

Evil Glenn: Besides, there's hardly any money in the puppy-mill industry. Way too small-time for an important guy like me to piddle around with. I seek world domination, and I'm working on a scheme right now to bring the global economy to its knees. So until the profit margins on animal abuse increase significantly, I've got bigger fish to fry.

Harv: EWWWW! And I thought penguin porn was gross. You're sicker than Troy McClure!

Evil Glenn: Idiot! I said "fry", not f***!

Harv: Oh. Sorry. Anyway, what's this evil scheme of yours?

Evil Glenn: You'll find out. MUAHAHAHA!

[click]

And find out I did. When we got our last shipment of currency from the Federal Reserve, I saw this horrifying sight:

[too evil for words]

Evil Glenn my not be crippling helpless canines for profit, but he's still a threat to the American way of life and he must be stopped!

INSTAPUNDO DELENDA EST!

(hat tip to American Digest for the picture and Blogless Brother Tom for the news story)

TODAY'S LOVE NOTE

(Introduction)

Never before have I awoken with a feeling like this. A feeling that lifts me up from out of the darkness and leads me into light. Never before have I believed in angels on Earth, or that a simple fairytale would become my very life. Never before have I trusted someone with my mind and my heart, or fallen asleep only so I could see another enchanting day with someone. Never before have I been so in love or so happy.

TODAY’S GRAFFITI CURRENCY



...better grabbeth a kleenex.

2015: THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD

Looks like BigStick.US already got part 2 up. It's everything I hoped for.

It's 2015, and President Andy Scott just drove his motorcycle into the UN, fired a few rounds into the ceiling to get everyone's attention, and is now explaining himself:

**********

"[F***] you. [F***] your whiny bitching, and [F***] this pathetic little club of whiny bitches. We're out. That is all. Oh, and the diplomatic immunity of all foreign U.N. personnel currently in the United States will expire in 24 hours. Any questions?" Several hands went up. Scott pointed to the Mexican delegate.

"Excuse me, Señor President," he said, "but have you been drinking?"

"My, you're a bright one, aren't you? The truth is, I can't stand to deal with most of you people when I'm sober," Scott replied. He noticed the British and Australian delegates, among others, nodding in agreement with him. He reached into his jacket and produced a liquor flask with a portrait of Ronald Reagan engraved on the side. "I'd like to let you all know that I've invented a new drinking game. Whenever any of you say anything stupid, I'm going to drink. It looks like I have a bit of catching up to do." He unscrewed the top of the flask and took a long draw of the contents, then pointed at the German delegate.

**********

Plenty more goodies where that came from. Get going and start catching up. Here's part 1 if you need it. Trust me, you're not going to want to be left behind on this one. Get caught up NOW.