Periodic Table of Swearing

[cunt]

I love that she's going through everything that she can find by Shermer. Aha! Deep voices in politics, or something, whatever, got you now you misogynist toad!

[cunt]

How dare you accuse me of being a witch finder.

*combs through a decades worth of articles to find minor points that could possibly be mis-construed and tortured into being somehow anti-woman or ignorant*

[Steersman]

Tigzy said ".... Svan, you wouldn't know a principled disagreement from a suppository"
....
stupid sow, i'm not playing by her rules.

Somewhat apropos, a big hello to Stephanie on her latest post where my comment is still – surprise, surprise – “awaiting moderation”:

http://i46.tinypic.com/a9tp1t.jpg

Of course it's still in moderation! Don't you know that "witch hunt" is a misogynist term? And don't be giving me any lip about all of this "context" nonsense!

Terribly amusing that, as I believe CommanderTuvok noted recently, Ophelia complained about that “witch-hunt” nonsense yet was happy to compare TAM with Nazi Germany. While I think she was entitled to use that analogy as I hardly thought, as Paula Kirby suggested, that Ophelia was claiming that TAM was about to engage in genocide, I also think that she was decidedly out to lunch in not recognizing “witch-hunt” as a metaphor – a little surprising in one who asserts some claim to being more than just a “journalist” ….

But I also find it tremendously amusing – and quite encouraging – that posts at not-only-free-from-thought-blogs-but-completely-clueless-about-the-concept [NOFFTBBCCABTC] are screen-captured and posted here. Little difficult to maintain any degree of credibility in claiming any allegiance to the concept in the face of that.

[JackRayner]

[...] And when one volunteered she asked him if he would like to kiss her to which he acceded with some enthusiasm and after which she said, “Congratulations; you’ve just kissed the lips that have sucked a thousand cocks”.

What was the point of that, exactly?

Why are sex acts elevated to this special place where they're assimilated into your DNA and never ever come off? Why aren't we ever told, as if there's some point to be made by it, "Congratulations; you've just shaken a hand that has masturbated thousands of times", or given handjobs, or whatever else?

And if sucking cock or eating cunt are these acts that never ever come off of our lips, and the practice is common enough to conclude that we've all kissed lips that have done this, when does it become to many? Three cocks? FOUR? Fifty?! How about cunts? Is six the point at which one crosses the threshold for too many cunts eaten? Twenty-four? Seventy?!

Excuse my rant, but statements like that are so stupid. It's like that bullshit they taught us in sex-ed: "If you sleep with someone, you've slept with everyone that person has slept with!" No the fuck you haven't. So, so stupid....

[bhoytony]

It is not unusual in towns near Garrisons to witness signs in bars saying 'no soldiers'.

I never saw one. You sure that's not an urban legend?

Where I live there used to be an army camp nearby. Eventually the soldiers were told by their higher powers that the town was off-limits and they couldn't drink there. This was after loads and loads of trouble with the natives. The squaddies would come into this very small mining town, which at the time was only classed as a village, and get mortally drunk and aggressive, starting fights with the locals. Anybody who lives in a small town knows how that goes. Everybody knows everybody else and if some outsiders come in and start trouble with someone then they get trouble with everyone. I got tired of seeing the landrovers getting tipped over. It never ended well for the squaddies, you can't fight a whole town. So, they weren't banned by the bars, but the army itself banned them.
This broke the hearts of every fat ugly bird for miles around as they used to come here in droves when the army was in town, jesus those squaddies would fuck anything with a pulse. I was quite impressed.

[decius]

Soldierwhy, I would like to see some evidence of such bans. Are you sure that they didn't originate from specific requests by the base commanders themselves?
I think a club or a bar may refuse entrance to individuals on a case-by-case basis, but groups cannot be singled out. Some clubs are very selective and doormen could conceivably reject everyone looking in a certain way, but just hanging a notice outside the door won't do, and I'm pretty confident that it's illegal.

[bhoytony]

Soldierwhy, I would like to see some evidence of such bans. Are you sure that they didn't originate from specific requests by the base commanders themselves?
I think a club or a bar may refuse entrance to individuals on a case-by-case basis, but groups cannot be singled out. Some clubs are very selective and doormen could conceivably reject everyone looking in a certain way, but just hanging a notice outside the door won't do, and I'm pretty confident that it's illegal.

In the UK licensees can refuse to serve anyone they choose,

[decius]

Renee, you have my deepest sympathies as well.

[Rystefn]

It is not unusual in towns near Garrisons to witness signs in bars saying 'no soldiers'.

I never saw one. You sure that's not an urban legend?

Where I live there used to be an army camp nearby. Eventually the soldiers were told by their higher powers that the town was off-limits and they couldn't drink there. This was after loads and loads of trouble with the natives. The squaddies would come into this very small mining town, which at the time was only classed as a village, and get mortally drunk and aggressive, starting fights with the locals. Anybody who lives in a small town knows how that goes. Everybody knows everybody else and if some outsiders come in and start trouble with someone then they get trouble with everyone. I got tired of seeing the landrovers getting tipped over. It never ended well for the squaddies, you can't fight a whole town. So, they weren't banned by the bars, but the army itself banned them.
This broke the hearts of every fat ugly bird for miles around as they used to come here in droves when the army was in town, jesus those squaddies would fuck anything with a pulse. I was quite impressed.

That I have seen on many occasions. Not whole towns, but establishments and even neighborhoods. I suppose a small enough town would make sense in that context, though.

Also, yeah, most soldiers will bang anything with a hole, it seemed like. It's like every weekend they just got out of prison or something.

[bhoytony]

That I have seen on many occasions. Not whole towns, but establishments and even neighborhoods. I suppose a small enough town would make sense in that context, though.

Also, yeah, most soldiers will bang anything with a hole, it seemed like. It's like every weekend they just got out of prison or something.

Well I didn't literally mean the whole town, but enough of them.

[Steersman]

[...] And when one volunteered she asked him if he would like to kiss her to which he acceded with some enthusiasm and after which she said, “Congratulations; you’ve just kissed the lips that have sucked a thousand cocks”.

What was the point of that, exactly?

Why are sex acts elevated to this special place where they're assimilated into your DNA and never ever come off? Why aren't we ever told, as if there's some point to be made by it, "Congratulations; you've just shaken a hand that has masturbated thousands of times", or given handjobs, or whatever else?

And if sucking cock or eating cunt are these acts that never ever come off of our lips, and the practice is common enough to conclude that we've all kissed lips that have done this, when does it become too many? Three cocks? FOUR? Fifty?! How about cunts? Is six the point at which one crosses the threshold for too many cunts eaten? Twenty-four? Seventy?!

Excuse my rant, but statements like that are so stupid. It's like that bullshit they taught us in sex-ed: "If you sleep with someone, you've slept with everyone that person has slept with!" No the fuck you haven't. So, so stupid....

Maybe I didn’t elaborate enough for you, but the context was, I thought, the implied condemnation of a woman who might have been “hit” a million times – which triggered the “thousand cocks” memory. Which gave me the lead-in to raise the question as to why prostitutes are generally so reviled – which Hollander was addressing, if somewhat obliquely, and which you underline with your comment about "bullshit sex-ed" – and why they are murdered so frequently and why, in the Benighted States of America, prostitution is illegal yet every yellow-pages book in the country has literally hundreds of advertisements for their services. Hypocrisy much? Somewhat apropos is Robert Service’s The Harpy, salient verses being these:

There is no hope for such as I on earth, nor yet in Heaven;
Unloved I live, unloved I die, unpitied, unforgiven;
A loathed jade, I ply my trade, unhallowed and unshriven.
…
For life is not the thing we thought, and not the thing we plan;
And Woman in a bitter world must do the best she can --
Must yield the stroke, must bear the yoke, must serve the will of man;

Must serve his need and ever feed the flame of his desire,
Though be she loved for love alone, or be she loved for hire;
For every man since time began is tainted with the mire.
….
Was I not born to walk in scorn where others walk in pride?
The Maker marred, and, evil-starred, I drift upon His tide;
And He alone shall judge His own, so I His judgment bide.

Fate has written a tragedy; its name: "The Human Heart".
The Theatre is the House of Life, Woman the mummer's part;
The Devil enters the prompter's box and the play is ready to start.

You might also be interested in this recent article in The New Statesman on the topic.

[JackRayner]

Where I live there used to be an army camp nearby. Eventually the soldiers were told by their higher powers that the town was off-limits and they couldn't drink there. This was after loads and loads of trouble with the natives. The squaddies would come into this very small mining town, which at the time was only classed as a village, and get mortally drunk and aggressive, starting fights with the locals. Anybody who lives in a small town knows how that goes. Everybody knows everybody else and if some outsiders come in and start trouble with someone then they get trouble with everyone. I got tired of seeing the landrovers getting tipped over. It never ended well for the squaddies, you can't fight a whole town. So, they weren't banned by the bars, but the army itself banned them.
This broke the hearts of every fat ugly bird for miles around as they used to come here in droves when the army was in town, jesus those squaddies would fuck anything with a pulse. I was quite impressed.

That I have seen on many occasions. Not whole towns, but establishments and even neighborhoods. I suppose a small enough town would make sense in that context, though.

Also, yeah, most soldiers will bang anything with a hole, it seemed like. It's like every weekend they just got out of prison or something.

The constant wearing of beer goggles doesn't help.

As far as being banned from places, we had many. Anything from whole hotels, strip clubs, tattoo parlors, and yes, even bars. Our command would give us all a list of places we weren't allowed as part of the first briefing we'd get upon arriving at any base where we were allowed off on weekends or holidays. Pretty sure these bans were agreements between the businesses and the command. Neither liked it when Marines got shitfaced and destroyed stuff....

[Gumby]

But I also find it tremendously amusing – and quite encouraging – that posts at not-only-free-from-thought-blogs-but-completely-clueless-about-the-concept [NOFFTBBCCABTC] are screen-captured and posted here. Little difficult to maintain any degree of credibility in claiming any allegiance to the concept in the face of that.

And as we all know from the routinely high number of anonymous "guests" here...

...there are plenty of people - many of them no doubt FtB fans who just can't help themselves - who come here to fill in all the missing pieces of the puzzle. And some of them will have the FtB brainwashing dislodged.

The posting here of memory-holed dissenting posts is a great thing. It shows the world just how duplicitous, cowardly and hypocritical these assclowns really are.

[decius]

As far as being banned from places, we had many. Anything from whole hotels, strip clubs, tattoo parlors, and yes, even bars. Our command would give us all a list of places we weren't allowed as part of the first briefing we'd get upon arriving at any base where we were allowed off on weekends or holidays. Pretty sure these bans were agreements between the businesses and the command. Neither liked it when Marines got shitfaced and destroyed stuff....

Yeah, I can't see that happening without some egregious precedent or military reason.

Out of curiosity, are troops allowed to frequent local brothels? Prostitution is perfectly legal, in Germany.

[soldierwhy]

Soldierwhy, I would like to see some evidence of such bans.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4993831.Pub_turns_away_frontline_soldiers/?ref=mr

Are you sure that they didn't originate from specific requests by the base commanders themselves?

'Out of Bounds' establishments originate from the Chain of Command. In my experience these are the pubs that usually have no problem letting soldiers in and are placed out of bounds for various reasons (drugs, gangs etc). I have had absolutely no problem in the past drinking in 'out of bounds' pubs.

I think a club or a bar may refuse entrance to individuals on a case-by-case basis, but groups cannot be singled out. Some clubs are very selective and doormen could conceivably reject everyone looking in a certain way, but just hanging a notice outside the door won't do, and I'm pretty confident that it's illegal.

It's not, certainly not in the UK anyway and obviously not in Germany either.

[Steersman]

But I also find it tremendously amusing – and quite encouraging – that posts at not-only-free-from-thought-blogs-but-completely-clueless-about-the-concept [NOFFTBBCCABTC] are screen-captured and posted here. Little difficult to maintain any degree of credibility in claiming any allegiance to the concept in the face of that.

And as we all know from the routinely high number of anonymous "guests" here...
http://i45.tinypic.com/2jdjsqc.jpg
...there are plenty of people - many of them no doubt FtB fans who just can't help themselves - who come here to fill in all the missing pieces of the puzzle. And some of them will have the FtB brainwashing dislodged.

The posting here of memory-holed dissenting posts is a great thing. It shows the world just how duplicitous, cowardly and hypocritical these assclowns really are.

Exactly. Encouraging to see more than a few guests who have “de-lurked” and who have indicated that they had become disillusioned with the FfTB dogma ….

[KiwiInOz]

... Encouraging to see more than a few guests who have “de-lurked” and who have indicated that they had become disillusioned with the FfTB dogma ….

This is obviously because we are dogmatically undogmatic.

[soldierwhy]

Out of curiosity, are troops allowed to frequent local brothels? Prostitution is perfectly legal, in Germany.

There was certainly no rule against it when I served in Germany. In my experience however very few squaddies partook of the services of the ladies of the night* and were more interested in the cheap beer and trying to get off with one of the locals.

*Mad weekend in Hamburg for someone's 21st being the exception to the rule.

[decius]

Thanks for all the clarifications.

[sacha]

I don't see "karma", or its western counterparts, as a useful concept, at all. There are so many exemples going contrary to your aphorisms that said aphorisms become meaningless.

And I think that's all I'll say about this subject. You never know, it might tarnish my "karma".

"Karma" is not necessarily a spooky concept, nor in any way bound to religious concepts of morality. It can also be quite useful psychologically in a non-Deepak Chopraish way. There are two examples -

In Australia and NZ (and probably Britain) there is the idea of "what goes around, comes around", which is a simplistic version of "enlightened self-interest". First, it encourages altruism, to be generous when possible and when it does not impact anything else - with the idea that if everyone does it, it will come back to you eventually - providing you remain humble and do not demand your "rights" or "entitlements". Second, when you are on the receiving end of generosity, simply accept it graciously, without any airs or any insistent refusal. Just say "cheers mate".

The other is when ills are visited on you of the kind that you may have in the past inflicted on others. It gives you something to contemplate - an understanding of why you were probably an asshole. This is called a "life lesson" - and you take something away with it, get up and move on. As opposed to baboons who learn nothing, just wallow in their misfortune and howl their grievances to the world in endless, shameless and protracted exhibitionism.

I agree with that, just don't call it "Karma"

[bhoytony]

The constant wearing of beer goggles doesn't help.

[Gumby]

Yeesh, that beer goggles pic reminds me of a frat party I attended during Rush Week my freshman year...

[TheMan]

Thinking of you both Renee...

[JackRayner]

[...] And when one volunteered she asked him if he would like to kiss her to which he acceded with some enthusiasm and after which she said, “Congratulations; you’ve just kissed the lips that have sucked a thousand cocks”.

What was the point of that, exactly?

[...]

Excuse my rant, but statements like that are so stupid. It's like that bullshit they taught us in sex-ed: "If you sleep with someone, you've slept with everyone that person has slept with!" No the fuck you haven't. So, so stupid....

Maybe I didn’t elaborate enough for you, but the context was, I thought, the implied condemnation of a woman who might have been “hit” a million times – which triggered the “thousand cocks” memory. Which gave me the lead-in to raise the question as to why prostitutes are generally so reviled – which Hollander was addressing, if somewhat obliquely, and which you underline with your comment about "bullshit sex-ed" – and why they are murdered so frequently and why, in the Benighted States of America, prostitution is illegal yet every yellow-pages book in the country has literally hundreds of advertisements for their services. Hypocrisy much?

You might also be interested in this recent article in The New Statesman on the topic.

Yes, I kinda missed that. So, to your point then:

I don't know that prostitutes being murdered frequently* is a direct** result of their essential-by-way-of-trade-promiscuity in this hypocritically puritanical society. A serial killer here and there wouldn't add that many to the numbers, I would think. [Open to being corrected.] For others, you'd have to show me that their motivation for killing a prostitute was because of their promiscuity. I've mentioned that the first time that I saw cross dressing/trans-women prostitutes was when I first moved to the U.S. in the mid 90's. It wasn't a nice part of town that we lived in, so they weren't the only prostitutes around. The only people I ever saw chasing them down were their respective pimps. With my small, anecdotal sample in mind, I'll say that my assumption [totally up for being refuted and corrected] is that the majority of prostitute murders are "business related". With that in mind...

*How frequently are they murdered, exactly? You say seven times more than the next largest profession, taxi cab drivers, but I don't know those numbers. And also...are they murdered more frequently than your common drug dealer or professional criminal? Which dovetails nicely into the next question-as-footnote...

**If your point is that, indirectly, they are murdered more often because of the puritanical values that keep their trade illegal, which makes them reluctant to seek law enforcement intervention, then I could swallow without too much reflexive gagging. [Ah, ahhh. See what I did there? ]

[sacha]

Sounds like applying the concept of karma for practical common benefit to me.

It's kinda fundamentalist to simply ditch a word because of its preconceived associations rather than ruminate on the ideas behind the word. Sure, it has it's roots in eastern mysticism - but that does not automatically mean it's gibberish glasshoppa.

No, it's applying true concepts for practical benefit, rather than taking a woo concept and all its baggage and trying to 1) apply it as a white lie to benefit society 2) Strip away the baggage.

enlightened self interest = good, true, useful
Karma = woo and not useful in and of itself.

You have a problem with the word "concept" don't you?

no, honey, we (sorry SPAKlick) I have a problem with using a word that means something even more insidious than Jesus is watching you, or Santa Claus will give you coal instead of toys if you are bad.
The word "karma" clearly means something entirely different than what you are describing, it's not a "western version" or "the concept of Karma" that you are referring to, and it gives credibility to the woo meaning by referring to enlightened self interest as essentially the same concept.

[ReneeHendricks]

Thanks to all for the well-wishes, thoughts and advise. They've all helped quite a bit today.

See, I'm smiling ->

[skepCHUD]

Witch of the Week is Welch!!!
Not only is he being cyberstalked by Ms. Svan but pedoloon has chimed in and called him "welchy"!
One can only hope he can withstand the intellectual artillery aimed at him!

[JackRayner]

As far as being banned from places, we had many. Anything from whole hotels, strip clubs, tattoo parlors, and yes, even bars. Our command would give us all a list of places we weren't allowed as part of the first briefing we'd get upon arriving at any base where we were allowed off on weekends or holidays. Pretty sure these bans were agreements between the businesses and the command. Neither liked it when Marines got shitfaced and destroyed stuff....

Yeah, I can't see that happening without some egregious precedent or military reason.

Out of curiosity, are troops allowed to frequent local brothels? Prostitution is perfectly legal, in Germany.

It being illegal here in the states didn't stop many of the guys I knew! While training a little in North Carolina before heading out to Iraq, 4 of the guys shared a call girl! [Well...three of them, technically. The guy that paid for it just watched. One of our favorite stories to spread from that deployment!]

There was also this...um, "massage parlor" in Missouri that we weren't allowed to go to, but guys went there anyways.

[sacha]

Karma is defined as a result from a reaction, that's it. Karma is not punishment or retribution but simply an extended expression or consequence of natural acts. There is no such thing as good/bad karma because there is no such thing as good/bad as far as the universe is concerned. People involved in the paranormal used to drive me crazy with the "karma comes back to you tenfold".... bullshit.

Karma is the law of moral causation.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma
http://www.skepdic.com/karma.html

Yes I concur that is the Buddhist definition.

Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म[1] IPA: [ˈkarmə] ( listen); Pali: kamma) in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect (i.e., the cycle called saṃsāra) originating in ancient India and treated in the Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh religions.

It is the only definition.

The modern view of karma, devoid of any spiritual exigencies, obviates the need for an acceptance of reincarnation in Judeochristian societies and attempts to portray karma as a universal psychological phenomenon which behaves predictably, like other physical forces such as gravity.

it is about cause and effect of morality, as if it is a law of the universe.

[Gumby]

Witch of the Week is Welch!!!
Not only is he being cyberstalked by Ms. Svan but pedoloon has chimed in and called him "welchy"!
One can only hope he can withstand the intellectual artillery aimed at him!

WOTW always seems to be the person that is currently making them uncomfortably squirm the most. I'm glad Welch is it this week, and I'm doubly glad Zvan assisted us so ably by advertising his great blog post on her own blog. The more people who see it the better!

[Steersman]

... Encouraging to see more than a few guests who have “de-lurked” and who have indicated that they had become disillusioned with the FfTB dogma ….

This is obviously because we are dogmatically undogmatic.

Quite right.

Although I’ve periodically wondered about that type of stance – being apparently somewhat hypocritical for one thing, hypocrisy of course being something that is anathematized in this neck of the woods.

But, for instance, it seems to be some “Slyme Pit dogma”, an article of faith, that, as Phil is fond of quoting Hitchens on, “What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.” But while that certainly seems like it generally holds quite a bit of water, it also seems that one can quite reasonably argue that we all accept many things without proof that no level of proof is apparently sufficient to dismiss – free will and that “mind” is something more than just “brain”, for examples.

[BarnOwl]

Ok, will do. We should be finding out more soon. We're waiting on a call back today (at least to schedule him in for a more intensive look). Thanks!

Another cancer researcher here, in complete agreement with what Dick Strawkins wrote. Feel free to PM me any time with questions or just if you need someone to listen or commiserate.

My thoughts are with you and your guy, and remember that it's OK for both of you to ask the physicians lots of questions about diagnosis and treatments. Everyone in the family deserves support too ... not just the patient.

[BarnOwl]

Quite relieved that the Mayan Apocalypse failed, according to Australia and New Zealand. I just joined a running club two weeks ago, and I'd hate to think that all those brutal workouts went to waste.

[sacha]

A small point of disagreement, if I may.

I addressed this in one of my videos sometime back. When I was in the Army, there was always one implicit, though unbreakable rule.

Never leave a person behind.

The circumstances didn't matter. Whether it be the battlefield or going out on Friday night getting sloshed, you looked out for your friends and never left them behind.

If at some point they meet up with someone and want to split away from the group, a couple things come into play. The group assesses if you're too far gone to make that decision by yourself. If you are, then you aren't leaving. I don't care if a fist fight erupts because of it. You're not leaving.

If you are able to make that decision by yourself, then somebody from the group makes sure that all relevant information is obtained. Where does this person live? What is his/her phone number? When do you plan on being back? How will you get back? etc, etc...

Leaving a person behind to fend for themselves was a taboo one simply did not break. If you did, be prepared to be a pariah.

Now, I understand that casual social groups aren't like the bonds you have in the military, but if more people looked at it that way, then there would be much less of this going on.

Regardless of gender, you shouldn't be out by yourself, drinking yourself silly in unfamiliar places. And, you also shouldn't be doing said activities with "friends" you can't trust.

Never leave a person behind.

you shouldn't be out by yourself, drinking yourself silly in unfamiliar places.

first, going out drinking with friends, and letting one of those friends make an adult decision to hook up with with someone, is not like leaving someone behind in the military sense.

second, I take responsibility for my actions, I don't need or want a babysitter, because I don't get drunk, especially in a public place.
I don't have a problem with a situation where you are meeting someone alone for the first time, and give a friend the name of the person you are meeting, the address, and any other pertinent information, and tell them that if you don't call by a certain time, something is wrong.
but for fuck's sake stay sober, or stay in public.

third, I used to tend bar, for many years, in all different types of places. I've seen it all. I've also had to babysit numerous times.
It is a bloody nightmare, arguing with someone when they are drunk, or on drugs about what is in their best interest, or dealing with them being emotional, or trying to stop them from instigating a fight with someone, or trying to calm them down and talk them out of their paranoia or jealousy, or standing outside the door to the toilet making sure they don't pass out, or choke on their own vomit.

The only people who have an excuse for getting so drunk, they are ready to do things they would never do sober, are college age or younger, and in that case you better watch your friend's back, because it will probably be you who needs a nanny the next evening.

If you are an adult, and want to behave like a college kid in a bar, Hire a fucking chaperone.

Why should an adult have to deal with a petulant, spoiled child when they are there to enjoy themselves? It is incredibly narcissistic, self-absorbed, and childish to drink until you cannot be trusted to be in control of your decisions, because your friends will have your back.

and it's always the same people who need babysitting,
and they never learn, and they don't give a fuck because someone always rescues them.

I choose my friends wisely. We don't need mothering, and we don't need to be rescued from self-inflicted neurosis.

[decius]

Quite relieved that the Mayan Apocalypse failed, according to Australia and New Zealand. I just joined a running club two weeks ago, and I'd hate to think that all those brutal workouts went to waste.

Just wait for the deluge of post-hocs and inevitable rescheduling to future dates. No pseudo-scientist and purveyor of nonsense will take the opportunity to learn from mistake. Here's a prediction you can count on.

[sacha]

Yeah, because as everyone knows, death is the most likely outcome of drunken sex.

hahaha!

[Rystefn]

But while that certainly seems like it generally holds quite a bit of water, it also seems that one can quite reasonably argue that we all accept many things without proof that no level of proof is apparently sufficient to dismiss – free will and that “mind” is something more than just “brain”, for examples.

I see no evidence whatsoever that "we all" accept anything of the sort. I'd wager a great deal of money that you'll find many people who reject the idea of mind-brain duality outright, and more than a few that reject the idea of free will as well. Try again.

[BarnOwl]

Quite relieved that the Mayan Apocalypse failed, according to Australia and New Zealand. I just joined a running club two weeks ago, and I'd hate to think that all those brutal workouts went to waste.

Just wait for the deluge of post-hocs and inevitable rescheduling to future dates. No pseudo-scientist and purveyor of nonsense will take the opportunity to learn from mistake. Here's a prediction you can count on.

Especially when there's money to be made by those purveyors of nonsense!

The joke for tonight's workout, at a nearby university track, was that it was the last run before the world ends. I decided to listen to a trippy Shpongle album during my run, for appropriate mystic electronica.

[decius]

But while that certainly seems like it generally holds quite a bit of water, it also seems that one can quite reasonably argue that we all accept many things without proof that no level of proof is apparently sufficient to dismiss – free will and that “mind” is something more than just “brain”, for examples.

I see no evidence whatsoever that "we all" accept anything of the sort. I'd wager a great deal of money that you'll find many people who reject the idea of mind-brain duality outright, and more than a few that reject the idea of free will as well. Try again.

WTF is the loon on about? Reasonably argue my arse.

[Reap]

It is the only definition.

The modern view of karma, devoid of any spiritual exigencies, obviates the need for an acceptance of reincarnation in Judeochristian societies and attempts to portray karma as a universal psychological phenomenon which behaves predictably, like other physical forces such as gravity.

it is about cause and effect of morality, as if it is a law of the universe.

It seems to me you are not quite correct despite your declaration- Falun Gong differs from Buddhism in its definition of the term "karma," in that it is taken not as a process of award and punishment, but as an exclusively negative term.

I'll tell them you won't allow a differing definition, that always works. If it doesn't I'll try the "If I say so it must be true" approach. I would prefer not to squabble over something that is at least debatable unless you insist.

[sacha]

So, let me get this straight, Watson doesn't learn to drive until she's in her thirties (presumably because she was never sober enough to get behind the wheel) and McFreight rode a bike for the first time last year. What is wrong with these people? Then we have McFreight's dad, who is going to beat up the internet because they're making fun of his princess, but he couldn't even take the time to teach her to ride a friggin' bicycle. Man that's just weird.

Watson-driver's-license: I have a friend who only recently got her license (she's almost 30) due to a massive amount of fear and panic while being behind the wheel. I have others who never bothered to get one as they live in cities where it's almost impractical to have a car (traffic, parking fees, etc.). So, I can cut Becky some slack in this area.

Jenny-ain't-gotta-bike: Ok, that's just weird. What child doesn't ride a bike/tricycle/Big Wheel?

I didn't.

It isn't all that uncommon for children who grew up in a big metropolitan city to have no bicycle experience. I've met a lot of people from New York City who never learned to ride a bike. It's not like suburbia, or out in the countryside.
Where would you be safe on a bike as a kid? Certainly not in NYC traffic. I never felt as though I was missing something important. I could get anywhere I wanted, I either walked, took public transportation, or got a ride. It wasn't like it is now, where children aren't permitted to get on a bus alone.

Although Jenny is much younger, and would not have had the freedom to come and go the way I did. All of the people I've met who could not ride a bike, were my age or older, and Jenny is not a big city kid, so yeah, it's weird.

[JackRayner]

But, for instance, it seems to be some “Slyme Pit dogma”, an article of faith, that, as Phil is fond of quoting Hitchens on, “What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.” But while that certainly seems like it generally holds quite a bit of water, it also seems that one can quite reasonably argue that we all accept many things without proof that no level of proof is apparently sufficient to dismiss – free will and that “mind” is something more than just “brain”, for examples.

Just so that I don't jump in before verifying: Did you just say that we all accept "free will" and that the "mind" is something more than just the brain?

[welch]

Hahaha, yes! You could always ask Greta Christina for some of that leftover money. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to pass it along!

Seriously, though, tell your guy to hang in there, Renee! And you, too.

Thanks!

Wonder if any of the FTBwats will take six seconds to be human and express any sympathy.


Lol. What AM I thinking. SP's don't deserve any consideration

[acathode]

Quite relieved that the Mayan Apocalypse failed, according to Australia and New Zealand. I just joined a running club two weeks ago, and I'd hate to think that all those brutal workouts went to waste.

Just wait for the deluge of post-hocs and inevitable rescheduling to future dates. No pseudo-scientist and purveyor of nonsense will take the opportunity to learn from mistake. Here's a prediction you can count on.

Hmmm, are there's actually any "real people" (ie. not a handful of already crazy nutters) who take the Mayan calender stuff seriously, so that woo-woo people actually can (could) make money out of it?

I've barely seen anything about it here in Sweden, except a few jokes about it on a few forums and a article or two about potential apocalypse scenarios (as a ironic homage).

[welch]

Indeed. This is now Ophelia's new excuse for people thinking she talks a load of shit - that her voice is too high-pitched.

Strange thing is, there are plenty of women I can listen to, some of which have high-pitched voices. Then again, they have actual talent, unlike Opheliar, whose recent posts have been a complete and total embarassment.

BAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Sorry, but one of the jokes from Melissa and the AMB audience is how when I get going, I go soprano. I don't even know I'm doing it, but the more emphatic I get the higher the pitch goes.

Pitch = competence?

Here I always thought it was competence. Learn sumthin' new every day

[welch]

That I have seen on many occasions. Not whole towns, but establishments and even neighborhoods. I suppose a small enough town would make sense in that context, though.

Also, yeah, most soldiers will bang anything with a hole, it seemed like. It's like every weekend they just got out of prison or something.

Well I didn't literally mean the whole town, but enough of them.

In the late 70s I think, after a couple shootings, and the popular "clean up Biloxi, kill an airman" bumper stickers got too common place, the Keesler AFB commander closed e base. No one left except on official business, if you lived off base, your ass moved on base.

As this was before the return of the casinos, it eviscerated the local economy, and the locals got the point. You don't have to like the Air Force, but there are limits.

[Polterguest]

Amusing on Twitter:

Alex Gabriel is making up #toryfilms on Twitter. E.g:

Alex Gabriel ‏@AlexGabriel
The Talented Mr Ripley Is Nonetheless Made Redundant #toryfilms

Ophelia responds:

Ophelia Benson ‏@OpheliaBenson
@AlexGabriel You're good!

https://twitter.com/OpheliaBenson/statu ... 0660335616

Gabriel thanks her:

Alex Gabriel ‏@AlexGabriel
@OpheliaBenson I thank you!

https://twitter.com/AlexGabriel/status/ ... 6201435136

What would be the perfect next tweet from Gabriel? Yes, you guessed it!

Alex Gabriel ‏@AlexGabriel
Cunts. (It's not currently a film, but if anyone's planning a docudrama...) #toryfilms

https://twitter.com/AlexGabriel/status/ ... 8486180865

[welch]

... Encouraging to see more than a few guests who have “de-lurked” and who have indicated that they had become disillusioned with the FfTB dogma ….

This is obviously because we are dogmatically undogmatic.

Fuck, we have multi page arguments over fucking packaged cookies. About all I think we agree in is that oolon's a stupid tit, and a good chunk of FTB thinks that

[ReneeHendricks]

Watson-driver's-license: I have a friend who only recently got her license (she's almost 30) due to a massive amount of fear and panic while being behind the wheel. I have others who never bothered to get one as they live in cities where it's almost impractical to have a car (traffic, parking fees, etc.). So, I can cut Becky some slack in this area.

Jenny-ain't-gotta-bike: Ok, that's just weird. What child doesn't ride a bike/tricycle/Big Wheel?

I didn't.

It isn't all that uncommon for children who grew up in a big metropolitan city to have no bicycle experience. I've met a lot of people from New York City who never learned to ride a bike. It's not like suburbia, or out in the countryside.
Where would you be safe on a bike as a kid? Certainly not in NYC traffic. I never felt as though I was missing something important. I could get anywhere I wanted, I either walked, took public transportation, or got a ride. It wasn't like it is now, where children aren't permitted to get on a bus alone.

Although Jenny is much younger, and would not have had the freedom to come and go the way I did. All of the people I've met who could not ride a bike, were my age or older, and Jenny is not a big city kid, so yeah, it's weird.

Ok, that makes sense. I need to remember that not everyone grew up in suburbia/country. I suspect that's not the case with Jenny but I could be wrong.

[welch]

Witch of the Week is Welch!!!
Not only is he being cyberstalked by Ms. Svan but pedoloon has chimed in and called him "welchy"!
One can only hope he can withstand the intellectual artillery aimed at him!

More like getting leg humped by a tea cup chihuahua.

[decius]

Quite relieved that the Mayan Apocalypse failed, according to Australia and New Zealand. I just joined a running club two weeks ago, and I'd hate to think that all those brutal workouts went to waste.

Just wait for the deluge of post-hocs and inevitable rescheduling to future dates. No pseudo-scientist and purveyor of nonsense will take the opportunity to learn from mistake. Here's a prediction you can count on.

Hmmm, are there's actually any "real people" (ie. not a handful of already crazy nutters) who take the Mayan calender stuff seriously, so that woo-woo people actually can (could) make money out of it?

I've barely seen anything about it here in Sweden, except a few jokes about it on a few forums and a article or two about potential apocalypse scenarios (as a ironic homage).

Oh yes, the French authorities had to take extreme measures in order to turn away the cream of the world's gullible from a favourite gathering spot. No recent figures as yet, but the village has been besieged by tens of thousands over the past year alone.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... llage.html

[Wild Zontargs]

But, for instance, it seems to be some “Slyme Pit dogma”, an article of faith, that, as Phil is fond of quoting Hitchens on, “What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.” But while that certainly seems like it generally holds quite a bit of water, it also seems that one can quite reasonably argue that we all accept many things without proof that no level of proof is apparently sufficient to dismiss – free will and that “mind” is something more than just “brain”, for examples.

Just so that I don't jump in before verifying: Did you just say that we all accept "free will" and that the "mind" is something more than just the brain?

I'm prepared to serve as a counter-example if necessary.

[Rystefn]

Watson-driver's-license: I have a friend who only recently got her license (she's almost 30) due to a massive amount of fear and panic while being behind the wheel. I have others who never bothered to get one as they live in cities where it's almost impractical to have a car (traffic, parking fees, etc.). So, I can cut Becky some slack in this area.

Jenny-ain't-gotta-bike: Ok, that's just weird. What child doesn't ride a bike/tricycle/Big Wheel?

I didn't.

It isn't all that uncommon for children who grew up in a big metropolitan city to have no bicycle experience. I've met a lot of people from New York City who never learned to ride a bike. It's not like suburbia, or out in the countryside.
Where would you be safe on a bike as a kid? Certainly not in NYC traffic. I never felt as though I was missing something important. I could get anywhere I wanted, I either walked, took public transportation, or got a ride. It wasn't like it is now, where children aren't permitted to get on a bus alone.

Although Jenny is much younger, and would not have had the freedom to come and go the way I did. All of the people I've met who could not ride a bike, were my age or older, and Jenny is not a big city kid, so yeah, it's weird.

Ok, that makes sense. I need to remember that not everyone grew up in suburbia/country. I suspect that's not the case with Jenny but I could be wrong.

My understanding is that she grew up in Indiana. Do they have any cities there?

[Lsuoma]

Yeah, because as everyone knows, death is the most likely outcome of drunken sex.

hahaha!

Don't know why you're laughing: 100% of people who have drunken sex die eventually.

[welch]

A small point of disagreement, if I may.

I addressed this in one of my videos sometime back. When I was in the Army, there was always one implicit, though unbreakable rule.

Never leave a person behind.

The circumstances didn't matter. Whether it be the battlefield or going out on Friday night getting sloshed, you looked out for your friends and never left them behind.

If at some point they meet up with someone and want to split away from the group, a couple things come into play. The group assesses if you're too far gone to make that decision by yourself. If you are, then you aren't leaving. I don't care if a fist fight erupts because of it. You're not leaving.

If you are able to make that decision by yourself, then somebody from the group makes sure that all relevant information is obtained. Where does this person live? What is his/her phone number? When do you plan on being back? How will you get back? etc, etc...

Leaving a person behind to fend for themselves was a taboo one simply did not break. If you did, be prepared to be a pariah.

Now, I understand that casual social groups aren't like the bonds you have in the military, but if more people looked at it that way, then there would be much less of this going on.

Regardless of gender, you shouldn't be out by yourself, drinking yourself silly in unfamiliar places. And, you also shouldn't be doing said activities with "friends" you can't trust.

Never leave a person behind.

you shouldn't be out by yourself, drinking yourself silly in unfamiliar places.

first, going out drinking with friends, and letting one of those friends make an adult decision to hook up with with someone, is not like leaving someone behind in the military sense.

second, I take responsibility for my actions, I don't need or want a babysitter, because I don't get drunk, especially in a public place.
I don't have a problem with a situation where you are meeting someone alone for the first time, and give a friend the name of the person you are meeting, the address, and any other pertinent information, and tell them that if you don't call by a certain time, something is wrong.
but for fuck's sake stay sober, or stay in public.

third, I used to tend bar, for many years, in all different types of places. I've seen it all. I've also had to babysit numerous times.
It is a bloody nightmare, arguing with someone when they are drunk, or on drugs about what is in their best interest, or dealing with them being emotional, or trying to stop them from instigating a fight with someone, or trying to calm them down and talk them out of their paranoia or jealousy, or standing outside the door to the toilet making sure they don't pass out, or choke on their own vomit.

The only people who have an excuse for getting so drunk, they are ready to do things they would never do sober, are college age or younger, and in that case you better watch your friend's back, because it will probably be you who needs a nanny the next evening.

If you are an adult, and want to behave like a college kid in a bar, Hire a fucking chaperone.

Why should an adult have to deal with a petulant, spoiled child when they are there to enjoy themselves? It is incredibly narcissistic, self-absorbed, and childish to drink until you cannot be trusted to be in control of your decisions, because your friends will have your back.

and it's always the same people who need babysitting,
and they never learn, and they don't give a fuck because someone always rescues them.

I choose my friends wisely. We don't need mothering, and we don't need to be rescued from self-inflicted neurosis.

I got ordered to do it. In tech school in Biloxi. Well, all the guys (all - male squadron) from larger cities were. It seems that the kids from dogfucker Nebraska weren't real good at spotting the high quality drag queens of NOLA. So, when one of them went to NOLA, one of us did too. The commander paid for us, so that was awesome. Seemed they'd had a couple of suicide attempts due to culture shock.

Worked out too, at least on one of my trips.

"JOHN! JOHN!"
"Yes Allen? (Who was fucking plastered"
"I won't be coming back to the room, I gonna SCORE!"
"Fuckin' sweet man, which one?"
"The tall one by the bar, the blonde!"
"Um...dude. That's a guy."
" SHE IS NOT! SHE's too pretty!"
"Sigh, come on."
Walk over to bar, where aforementioned drag queen is hanging all over Allen as soon as he gets near enough.
"So settle a bet here...you're a big ol' drag queen, and a pretty damned talented one, aintcha?"
"Well yeah honey, of course, and thank you for the compliment!"
Strangled sounds start emanating from Allen, and he runs off to the bathroom.
"Wait, did he think I was..."
"Yup"
"OH NO, I'm so sorry, will he be okay?"
"Oh he'll be fine. He's from some antknuckle-sized town in Nebraska."
Much laughter. She paid for both our tabs, was a real fun camper when I went back got he bar after getting Allen back to the room. He made me promise I'd tell no one. That cost him some serious cash. Make me not tell an awesome story like that, that was just uncharitable.

[decius]

One in Ten Believe Mayan Prophecy is True (10%), Fear World Will End in 2012 (8%)

Tuesday, May 01, 2012
New York — One in seven (14%) global citizens agree ‘the world will come to an end during my lifetime,’ according to a new poll by global research company Ipsos on behalf of Reuters News. One in ten (10%) believe ‘the Mayan calendar, which some say ‘ends’ in 2012, marks the end of the world’ and another one in ten (8%) admit they ‘have been experiencing anxiety or fear because the world is going to end in 2012.’ The poll was conducted among 16,262 adults in 21 countries.

[KiwiInOz]

Yeah, because as everyone knows, death is the most likely outcome of drunken sex.

hahaha!

La Petite Mort?

[KiwiInOz]

... Encouraging to see more than a few guests who have “de-lurked” and who have indicated that they had become disillusioned with the FfTB dogma ….

This is obviously because we are dogmatically undogmatic.

Fuck, we have multi page arguments over fucking packaged cookies. About all I think we agree in is that oolon's a stupid tit, and a good chunk of FTB thinks that

Cookies? COOKIES? Fuck you Welch. They're biscuits.

[CommanderTuvok]

Opheliar is the gift that keeps on giving...



Realising that her post on Shermer reaks of embarassing bullshit and desperation, she attempts to backtrack a bit. Suddenly, she says Shermer is now REPORTING on the phenonemon, you know, as skeptics do! Ophelia then suggests that she "never meant to suggest he thinks its fine". Oh really, Ophelia? Because your article didn't make that clear, and in fact, just appeared to want to smear Shermer on the basis of the most tenuous connection you could think up.

Oh, and that bit about "noticing" what Shermer said is complete bullshit. You were CYBERSTALKING, Ophelia. You found something you thought you could point your finger at and shout "sexism", but instead, you have egg on your face. Further, the reasons you are itching to get Shermer is because he pwned you recently on his Skeptic site. If there is one thing the Baboons don't like, it is getting "called out". It happened to Rebecca Watson recently as well, and she also responded with an embarassing post about rape, which ended up with Queen Bee herself getting accusations of being a rapist!

Tis the season to be hilarious. Thanks, Ophelia. You really keep my lulz rate going. Bitch.

[Steersman]

Steersman said: "And when one volunteered she asked him if he would like to kiss her to which he acceded with some enthusiasm and after which she said, Congratulations; you’ve just kissed the lips that have sucked a thousand cocks."

What was the point of that, exactly?
[...]
Excuse my rant, but statements like that are so stupid. It's like that bullshit they taught us in sex-ed: "If you sleep with someone, you've slept with everyone that person has slept with!" No the fuck you haven't. So, so stupid....

Maybe I didn’t elaborate enough for you, but the context was, I thought, the implied condemnation of a woman who might have been “hit” a million times – which triggered the “thousand cocks” memory. Which gave me the lead-in to raise the question as to why prostitutes are generally so reviled – which Hollander was addressing, if somewhat obliquely, and which you underline with your comment about "bullshit sex-ed" – and why they are murdered so frequently and why, in the Benighted States of America, prostitution is illegal yet every yellow-pages book in the country has literally hundreds of advertisements for their services. Hypocrisy much?

You might also be interested in this recent article in The New Statesman on the topic.

Yes, I kinda missed that. So, to your point then:
….
I don't know that prostitutes being murdered frequently* is a direct** result of their essential-by-way-of-trade-promiscuity in this hypocritically puritanical society. A serial killer here and there wouldn't add that many to the numbers, I would think. [Open to being corrected.]

Sorry, should have provided a link and a quote earlier:

The homicide rate for female prostitutes was estimated to be 204 per 100,000,[2] which is considerably higher than that for the next riskiest occupations in the United States during a similar period (4 per 100,000 for female liquor store workers and 29 per 100,000 for male taxicab drivers).

As for who is doing the killing and what their motivations are, that seems to be quite a bit more difficult to determine than just the number of them. But the article indicates that they seem to be “favoured” by serial murderers, one of whom – Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer – said in a documentary I remember seeing that he figured he was doing society a favour by killing them. Raises some interesting questions – some sticky wickets, actually – as to how much society is culpable in those crimes. And in cases like the D.C. Madam – Deborah Jeane Palfrey – who commited suicide rather than go to jail as a result of those “puritanical values that keep their trade illegal”.

… which makes them reluctant to seek law enforcement intervention, then I could swallow [that] without too much reflexive gagging. [Ah, ahhh. See what I did there? ]

Practice. Although the foregoing cases, and many more that are just as odious, are more than enough to make me gag or at least make me rather ill. It is maybe a relatively small demographic - 0.02% in America to .3% in London to 3% in Amsterdam according to this - but the grief due to societal values still seems not inconsiderable. I’m reminded of, although I don’t have the details handy at the moment, that just after the end of the second world war a whole bunch of the townspeople in places like Belsen and Auschwitz were marched through the concentration camps to show them what they had been part of or had in effect condoned.

[Punker]

[CommanderTuvok]

Great cartoon, although it has to be noted that Rebecca's hair is now blue.

She can't change the fact that she is a rapist, though.

[sacha]

It's just a word right now, Renee
Try to keep a clear head, and don't panic over the unknown.

So while (s)he may not talk about it a lot, it may not be a show of strength. (S)he may just genuinely not want to talk about it constantly, and get rather annoyed if it's all (s)he gets to talk about for the next few months... if (s)he doesn't want to talk about it, let him (her) not talk about it.

can someone please explain this to my mum?


can someone else explain to me why so many women are unable to comprehend this?

[ReneeHendricks]

It's just a word right now, Renee
Try to keep a clear head, and don't panic over the unknown.

So while (s)he may not talk about it a lot, it may not be a show of strength. (S)he may just genuinely not want to talk about it constantly, and get rather annoyed if it's all (s)he gets to talk about for the next few months... if (s)he doesn't want to talk about it, let him (her) not talk about it.

can someone please explain this to my mum?


can someone else explain to me why so many women are unable to comprehend this?

Trying very hard to do so, Sacha. And the very reason why I mentioned it here and nowhere else (meaning where my family frequent) is because I have a few relatives who do not understand that we *don't* want it to be a topic of discussion on a daily basis (the way my family members handle these things). Constantly asking every day how you're feeling, what's going on, what have the doctors said, have you done this, have you done that, on and on. So, we opting to keep this very, very local - me, him, my kids and that's it.

[sacha]

looks like my gal will finally be able to leave the hospital after the upcoming weekend.

great news!

I hope the upcoming weekend will be the last one I'll spend mostly at a hospital bed for some time.

I hope so too.

I'll mention your well wishes to MKG.

[Lsuoma]

FTFY

[sacha]

Who needs feminism?

Not this man.

Good 'ol paternity fraud.

That's why I am an advocate for DNA tests. A woman asking "Don't you trust me?", or getting all "offended" is just a fucking red herring. I put much more stock on people's capacity to act like the animals that we are and to then to lie about it forever. You don't? Then, by all means, carry on being a chump and believing that people are all that they say they are...

the court knew he was not the father:

For 13 years, Hatley made payments to the state until learning, in 2000, that the boy might not be his biological son. A DNA test that year confirmed that there was no chance he was the father, according to court documents.

Hatley returned to court and was relieved of any future child support reimbursement but was ordered to pay more than $16,000 that he had owed the state before the ruling.

Latesha Bradley, an attorney who represented Hatley in that hearing, told CNN the argument for keeping Hatley liable for the back payments was that he had signed a consent agreement with the office of child support services. The court agreed that Hatley had to comply with the consent agreement for the period that he believed the boy was his son.

Court documents show that Hatley for the most part continued to make payments. He was jailed for six months in 2006 for falling behind on payments during a period of unemployment, but afterward he resumed making payments and continued to do so even after he lost another job in 2008 and became homeless, court records state.

Last year, he again became unable to maintain the payments and was once again jailed.

[JackRayner]

Sorry, should have provided a link and a quote earlier:

The homicide rate for female prostitutes was estimated to be 204 per 100,000,[2] which is considerably higher than that for the next riskiest occupations in the United States during a similar period (4 per 100,000 for female liquor store workers and 29 per 100,000 for male taxicab drivers).

As for who is doing the killing and what their motivations are, that seems to be quite a bit more difficult to determine than just the number of them. But the article indicates that they seem to be “favoured” by serial murderers, one of whom – Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer – said in a documentary I remember seeing that he figured he was doing society a favour by killing them. Raises some interesting questions – some sticky wickets, actually – as to how much society is culpable in those crimes.

I’m reminded of, although I don’t have the details handy at the moment, that just after the end of the second world war a whole bunch of the townspeople in places like Belsen and Auschwitz were marched through the concentration camps to show them what they had been part of or had in effect condoned.

I don't condone crap, and I reject the idea that I have any responsibility for prostitution being kept illegal, or for some serial killer going after them because they've internalized whatever value system, or even just some automatic reaction, that causes them to see prostitutes as worthy of death. There are LOTS of laws in the books that I think are bullshit. How exactly am I supposed to show that I don't condone them? Break them? Shoot a lawmaker/law enforcer in the face, maybe? (It's easier to do with societal norms, but I'm not exactly always winning friends when I speak out against woo, homophobia, feminism, theism, "true love", PETA, the green movement, "bro code", many kinds of moral outrages sold as objective morality,and all sorts of other shit that I think is just straight up retarded. [lol, ableism.])

I do what I can. I spread awareness among the people that I know on things that I think are problematic and vote against shitty laws. Unless it is cause by my order [I do accept the death of animals I pay to eat being partly on me] or by my own hand, no one's death is on me.

[Ms. Ogynist]

All these years presenting SGU and globetrotting - turns out Rebecca Watson is a rapist.

Full marks for honesty, and all that - but from now on I have no other option than to refer her as Self Confessed Rapist, Rebecca Watson.

[JackRayner]

Who needs feminism?

Not this man.

Good 'ol paternity fraud.

That's why I am an advocate for DNA tests. A woman asking "Don't you trust me?", or getting all "offended" is just a fucking red herring. I put much more stock on people's capacity to act like the animals that we are and to then to lie about it forever. You don't? Then, by all means, carry on being a chump and believing that people are all that they say they are...

the court knew he was not the father:

For 13 years, Hatley made payments to the state until learning, in 2000, that the boy might not be his biological son. A DNA test that year confirmed that there was no chance he was the father, according to court documents.

Hatley returned to court and was relieved of any future child support reimbursement but was ordered to pay more than $16,000 that he had owed the state before the ruling.

Latesha Bradley, an attorney who represented Hatley in that hearing, told CNN the argument for keeping Hatley liable for the back payments was that he had signed a consent agreement with the office of child support services. The court agreed that Hatley had to comply with the consent agreement for the period that he believed the boy was his son.

Court documents show that Hatley for the most part continued to make payments. He was jailed for six months in 2006 for falling behind on payments during a period of unemployment, but afterward he resumed making payments and continued to do so even after he lost another job in 2008 and became homeless, court records state.

Last year, he again became unable to maintain the payments and was once again jailed.

I know. Call it retroactive parental fraud in this instance, then.

Hatley had to comply with the consent agreement for the period that he believed the boy was his son.

He could have never agreed to anything had he know it wasn't his son from the start, though I fully understand that DNA testing wasn't exactly widely available back then....

[sacha]

But, for instance, it seems to be some “Slyme Pit dogma”, an article of faith, that, as Phil is fond of quoting Hitchens on, “What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.” But while that certainly seems like it generally holds quite a bit of water, it also seems that one can quite reasonably argue that we all accept many things without proof that no level of proof is apparently sufficient to dismiss – free will and that “mind” is something more than just “brain”, for examples.

Just so that I don't jump in before verifying: Did you just say that we all accept "free will" and that the "mind" is something more than just the brain?

I'm prepared to serve as a counter-example if necessary.

[sacha]

Yeah, because as everyone knows, death is the most likely outcome of drunken sex.

hahaha!

La Petite Mort?

death by overdose from mainlining oxytocin due to orgasm is not the worst way to go.

[JackRayner]

Hatley had to comply with the consent agreement for the period that he believed the boy was his son.

He could would have never agreed to anything had he know known it wasn't his son from the start, though I fully understand that DNA testing wasn't exactly widely available back then....

I blame my quickly deteriorating grammar on my tiredness. Been up since 7 this morning after only a few hours of rest. [20 minutes to midnight here on the East Coast of the U.S.] Like, imagine staying in character for that many hours of the day. Now, replace "character" with "second language", and that's what we've got going on here.

I'm just stating that because I noticed some fuck ups in my response to Steersman, too, and I don't like them. Carry on.

[Reap]

If no one has done so already I would like to show my respect to Justin Vacula for the work he did today. It is a great example of someone who not only pecks away at his keyboard but actually steps away from that keyboard to engage in activism that has an effect on his community, all the people in it, (whether they have internet access or not) and reality. Despite being labeled by people who have no real knowledge of his character as a bad example of atheism and a generally unlikable fellow he did let it get him down. Justin proved today that those people can babble all they wish and claim petty hollow victories to their little black-hearted desire, it does not intimidate him. Justin Vacula will not allow those simplistic socially retarded miscreants lessen his ability to be effective while not being a bitch. When he sees a battle that needs to be fought he gladly rides to the frontline ready to do battle and win! Let those pathetic lurkers stay safe and sound in their homes as if nestled to their mothers bosom feeding on her teat. Children have no place in a real fight anyway. Leave that fight to people like Justin Vacula and screw you Stephanie Zvan.
Great work Justin

[sacha]

He could have never agreed to anything had he know it wasn't his son from the start

precisely. contract null and void, all payments should be reimbursed.