The Refuge of the Toads

#7501

ERV wrote:Im not going to stop talking about Kesha.

I love her and you can all go Die In A Fire (TM).

What she sounds like when she writes a song, limited electronic modification of her voice/accompaniment, and a non-shit producer (Flaming Lips dude):
[youtube]DL1B1D3QJI0[youtube]

If you love her so much how come you keep misspelling her name?

I have yet to hear a track by her that I would consider good. I don't mean that in a "I like this" good type of way but in a yes this hits all the marks.

In the case of this track it's Ke$ha that is the fail. Her vocals are not good and the lyrics don't really make sense.

I prefer the other writer's work.

[youtube]34u_3Z9_LUw[/youtube]

#7502

BANNED.

#7503

re NECSS

They decided that there are serious issues regarding feminism / women's rights that need to be discussed.

So much so that they were prepared to set up a panel for them at their latest conference. Dawkins was invited but will not be able to attend due to health concerns. (Fair enough).

But, these issues as identified by NECSS still stand - so if their concerns are serious the panel should still take place.

I would suggest - Rebecca Watson & Karen Straughan to represent contrasting points of view or even Ophelia Benson (for TERF inclusivity). Though I'm sure people might have other candidates in mind.

An alternate take on this would be that there are already plenty of conferences and spaces where feminist issues can be discussed - and the NECSS could defer to them. (If I recall correctly as a skeptics conference they have taken a similar stand with respect to discussing atheist issues in the past).

Of course, if they were never serious about the panel except to provide 'correction' to Dawkins views (as I suspect) the idea of the panel will sink wihout a trace (or will present one point of view only).

What does everyone else think? Should non traditional issues such as feminism or even politics be discussed or is it 'bigfoot skepticism' only?

#7504

Tigzy wrote:Jesus - why is anyone debating Steers' ideas about women? I swear, first time the dude met some pussy he put a coin in it, pressed a tit and got confused when some sex was not deposited out of the female's mouth.

'I fear this machine is not up to my exacting standards.'

Ha, I know what you're getting at. I found this on image search, invoking a bit Dicky Carrier too :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjMw/ ... SM/$_1.JPG

#7505

Keating wrote:
free thoughtpolice wrote:Not a new video, but Mrs. Buntzums really blows a well known sexist's argument out of the water :drool:
[youtube]xNtSjSsoAaY[/youtube]

Right, time to work out the foes list to add you to it.

Buntzums is the second or third worst.

#7506

comhcinc wrote: If you love her so much how come you keep misspelling her name?

Actually she dropped the $ and does go by Kesha now. I hate that that information is taking up limited space in my brain.

#7507

NoGodsEver wrote:
comhcinc wrote: If you love her so much how come you keep misspelling her name?
Actually she dropped the $ and does go by Kesha now. I hate that that information is taking up limited space in my brain.

It's the only thing making her special. I will do her a favor and keep calling her that.

#7508

comhcinc wrote:
NoGodsEver wrote:
comhcinc wrote: If you love her so much how come you keep misspelling her name?
Actually she dropped the $ and does go by Kesha now. I hate that that information is taking up limited space in my brain.
It's the only thing making her special. I will do her a favor and keep calling her that.

How dare you dead-name her, King Kong Bundy!

#7509

Tigzy wrote:Norty Smellody. You know very well that Dawkins hasn't harassed or harmed anyone. You, however, seem to be doing that very thing which caused you to get all ill and fat when others were apparently doing it to you.

Harassing a guy who is recovering from a stroke, no less. You'd think Melody of all people might have an ounce of compassion in those circumstances. Who am I kidding? After all... It's OK when we do it!

How must it have burned her to have to be at that last CFI party with Dawkins, knowing that she was on the way out. And how mad must she have been to find out after she'd left that he would be running the show by proxy? That must really have stung.

#7510

NoGodsEver wrote:
How dare you dead-name her, King Kong Bundy!

I have more hair everywhere. Plus I have no talent in anything. His name is also better.
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2011 ... undy.5.jpg
He is also not a complete and total failure at life.

So....Thanks?

#7511

MarcusAu wrote: What does everyone else think? Should non traditional issues such as feminism or even politics be discussed or is it 'bigfoot skepticism' only?

I'm all for skeptical conferences discussing any issues that skepticism can be applied to. Feminism is certainly a valid subject. However, it could never be discussed impartially and objectively because today's idiotic victim radfems wouldn't stand for their sacred cow to be casually dissected. They would just end up hijacking panels and getting all butthurt because they know their bullshit would wither under the spotlight of skepticism. That's a shame, because in theory a calm and rational discussion about the claims of today's third wave feminism would be a wonderful thing.

#7512

Tigzy wrote:Norty Smellody. You know very well that Dawkins hasn't harassed or harmed anyone. You, however, seem to be doing that very thing which caused you to get all ill and fat when others were apparently doing it to you.

I wonder if she asked this guy before drafting him into her inane "revolution"?

She pitched herself as a fashion maven to get $1500 for the camera. Now all she does is make little JC Penney blurbs on top of pictures. If it was a food blog, she'd describe menus.

There might be a lesser talented hack out there, but I don't think I've met them.

http://imgur.com/7NBfmfE.jpg

#7513

John D wrote:One of my daughters was having a bit of a celebration. She switched her birth control to the new shot that you get every six months. One of the nice side-effects is that you stop having a period. She was really happy about this until I explained to her that Steersman says she is no longer a woman! ;)

:) Guess you'll just have to console her with the fact that she can change into being that whenever she wants. No doubt, a trick that Bruce Jenner, Zinnia Jones, and that Aidan dude wish they could do similarly .... ;-)

#7514

#7515

Ape+lust wrote:
Gumby wrote:
Ape+lust wrote: I think it's wonderful that self-important bag of assholes now lives with that other self-important bag of assholes so they can reinforce and amplify each other's delusions. The paranoia and playacting in their household must be epic.

http://imgur.com/cNT8mz5.png
1) I love how they puff themselves up by touting this silly schism (that they instigated) as a "war" in which they are serving multiple tours of duty.

2) How could Elevatorgate have "foreshadowed" Gamergate, when they have absolutely fuck-all to do with each other?

3) "Top talent"? You mean second and third rate clickbate rage-bloggers? :lol:

4) Being disagreed with and mocked is cyber "harassment", worthy of being investigated by law enforcement? :lol: :lol:

What a sad, pathetic bunch.
1) I know! They:

a. Hate the military.
b. Love martial imagery.

How do so many wind up like that? Daddy issues? It never seems to occur to them their goofy posturing can be seen by soldiers who actually got their shit blown up.

Jason Thibeault. Third tour veteran. Pale pipe swinger :lol:

Melody Hensley: compares her Twitter PTSD to the trauma suffered by military members.

Thibeault: compares writing for FTB to serving multiple tours of duty in a war zone.

Perspective? None.

#7516

ERV wrote:Im not going to stop talking about Kesha.

I love her and you can all go Die In A Fire (TM).

What she sounds like when she writes a song, limited electronic modification of her voice/accompaniment, and a non-shit producer (Flaming Lips dude):

I have never heard her sing without vocoding/autotuning. For all I know, that's her real voice.

#7517

Billie from Ockham wrote:
John D wrote:One of my daughters was having a bit of a celebration. She switched her birth control to the new shot that you get every six months. One of the nice side-effects is that you stop having a period. She was really happy about this until I explained to her that Steersman says she is no longer a woman! ;)
At the risk to owing a few dead kittens, what is the correct label for my sexuality if my "wife" doesn't meet Steersman's criteria for woman? And does the label depend on the status of my own tubes?

Nominally or superficially heterosexual? As for your "own tubes" then, assuming they've been "tied", I would guess - by the power invested in me by Merriam-Webster, Random-House, and Oxford Dictionaries plus various encylopaedias - that you're technically not a man. Though one might reasonably ask how that would detract from the pleasure you might take in your wife's company.

Sure seems a lot of people put a great store in labels - totemism writ large. Given that "we" justifiably throw stones at many of the SJWs who engage in the virtual apotheosis of "da feelz", one might at least raise an eyebrow at those in this neck of the woods who seem guilty of the same crime.

#7518

Ape+lust wrote:
She pitched herself as a fashion maven to get $1500 for the camera. Now all she does is make little JC Penney blurbs on top of pictures. If it was a food blog, she'd describe menus.

If that's what she wants to do, I say great. Personally, I grin when I think about her bilking her friends out of $1500 for a camera when the camera on her phone would have more than sufficed for her skill level and the type of pics she's taking.(hurry-up snaps of people who have places to be and don't want too much of their time wasted). Melody Hensley made the mistake of thinking that an expensive camera would make her a better photographer. That, and she saw the opportunity to score a cool toy for free. But as long as her sucker friends got taken by that talentless fraus, I'm happy :)

#7519

*fraud

#7520

Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.

#7521

HunnyBunny wrote:Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.

Right - so that's one vote for Steers to attend the NECSS panel on feminism.

#7522

MarcusAu wrote:
HunnyBunny wrote:Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.
Right - so that's one vote for Steers to attend the NECSS panel on feminism.

Lol he is way too chickenshit to go in to his bullshit in rl much less public.

#7523

Brive1987 wrote:So after Nevada is Trump home and hosed? I don't understand the nuances at play.

So Trump is ahead in the delegate count by far, and he will probably continue that way if the Republican Party does not thin out the heard of candidates.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... count.html

Jed Bush recently dropped out so it is:
Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Kasich & Carson still running.

Since Cruz & Rubio are more or less running neck & neck, either one of these more traditional candidates would have a real shot of winning in a two man race against Trump. Trump is only polling at 30-35% in popularity. And I bet the bulk of the Republican voters would go for one of them over Trump. But with a full selection of candidates, the traditional Republican voter's are split.

Kasich & Carson just need to flat out drop out. If Cruz or Rubio does not bow out soon, Trump will win the delegate count for the Republican nomination.

I expect the remaining candidates (especially Rubio & Cruz will hold out until Super Tuesday on March 1st). Carson & Kasich should drop out by then.

If both Rubio & Cruz stay in too long, they may have to strike a deal and have their delegates vote for which ever one of those two comes out on top in order for the GOP to keep an establishment candidate.

#7524

HunnyBunny wrote:Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.

[youtube]PxVsbyPGRDk[/youtube]

#7525

deLurch wrote:
I expect the remaining candidates (especially Rubio & Cruz will hold out until Super Tuesday on March 1st). Carson & Kasich should drop out by then.

Rubio and Kasich have their best shots in their home states, both of which vote in the first winner-take-all primaries on March 15th.

#7526

p.s. Cruz will stay in until he loses Texas.

#7527

free thoughtpolice wrote:Not a new video, but Mrs. Buntzums really blows a well known sexist's argument out of the water :drool:
[youtube]xNtSjSsoAaY[/youtube]

That is some serious cultural appropriation going on there.

#7528

Looks like Sam Harris and Maryam Namazie's conversation was a somewhat hostile cringefest and now Maryam is giving and receiving some mockery/hate on Twitter. I'm halfway through it and it's not great. Harris could have handled it a bit better by giving Maryam a bit more rope. And he got defensive at times when he needn't be. But Maryam was muddled and very defensive. She made some good points about being careful about political allies but holy crap that was pure cringe. Not as bad as Harris/Chomsky but pretty bad.

Somewhere PZ Myers is doing a happy dance.

#7529

MarcusAu wrote:
HunnyBunny wrote:Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.
Right - so that's one vote for Steers to attend the NECSS panel on feminism.

:lol: Maybe I should set up a GoFundMe or such to pay for my trip there? :-) Maybe even the rumour would cause the usual suspects to lose their cool.

#7530

RonSwanson wrote:Looks like Sam Harris and Maryam Namazie's conversation was a somewhat hostile cringefest and now Maryam is giving and receiving some mockery/hate on Twitter. I'm halfway through it and it's not great. Harris could have handled it a bit better by giving Maryam a bit more rope. And he got defensive at times when he needn't be. But Maryam was muddled and very defensive. She made some good points about being careful about political allies but holy crap that was pure cringe. Not as bad as Harris/Chomsky but pretty bad.

Somewhere PZ Myers is doing a happy dance.

Indeed. Interesting though that Harris seems (haven't listened to podcast yet) to be in favour of "closing borders, collective blame on Muslims":

But while I think she does good work - the whole "One Law for All" thing, I think she has some seriously divided and compromised loyalties:

#7531

RonSwanson wrote:Looks like Sam Harris and Maryam Namazie's conversation was a somewhat hostile cringefest and now Maryam is giving and receiving some mockery/hate on Twitter. I'm halfway through it and it's not great. Harris could have handled it a bit better by giving Maryam a bit more rope. And he got defensive at times when he needn't be. But Maryam was muddled and very defensive. She made some good points about being careful about political allies but holy crap that was pure cringe. Not as bad as Harris/Chomsky but pretty bad.

Somewhere PZ Myers is doing a happy dance.

Harris bores me in that I just don't find his podcast entertaining. His books are alright. Anyway all this has lead to why I follow Namazie on Twitter.

#7532

HunnyBunny wrote:Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.

:lol: Though one might suggest that "Pointless Argument" is decidedly moot. Apropos of which, you might take a look at a comment by Michelle on one of Nugent's recent threads. A salient quote:

This is surprising as every single person here was born of a woman, humans sexually reproduce and you can’t just tell people their class doesn’t exist in any meaningful way. Current rhetoric erases that, reduces women to clothing and other superficial things rather than being female being essential to being in that class. This is done so males can use this category, but ends up being harmful to women in the end. And you know, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Except those who were "untimely ripped". But I'm not really focusing on the dictionary definitions for "woman" and "man" just for the fun of it; it does have some relevance to Michelle's point.

And, relative to what you no doubt consider another "pointless argument", you might consider the recent posts about Namazie & Harris. A somewhat more balanced view from Cathy Young even if I think she was engaged in a bit of a whitewash of Islam, although it was maybe understandable given that it was some 5 years ago:

#7533

d4m10n wrote:p.s. Cruz will stay in until he loses Texas.

I'm actually rooting for Trump to win Texas on Tuesday, thinking this will send Cruz packing and turn it into a two man race that Rubio can win. IMO, Cruz is even worse than Trump. Cruz flaunts his disrespect for church-state separation, whereas this isn't among Trump's many faults. And Cruz's anti-immigration rhetoric has almost been as bad as Trump's lately. The latest polls have them neck and neck in Texas, with one poll having Rubio within spitting distance. Of course, it would be best if Rubio wins, but I think this is highly unlikely. Because Texas proportionately divides their delegates, Trump won't get a big relative delegate advantage by winning.

March 15 will really be telling, as that's when several large states have winner-take-all primaries and there's the possibility of getting massive delegate advantages. If Trump does well, he'll almost certainly be winding up with at least a plurality of the delegates at the end but could still lose a brokered convention if he doesn't have an outright majority (and then he'll probably run third party, sigh). If Rubio does well, it's a whole new ballgame.

#7534

comhcinc wrote:
RonSwanson wrote:Looks like Sam Harris and Maryam Namazie's conversation was a somewhat hostile cringefest and now Maryam is giving and receiving some mockery/hate on Twitter. I'm halfway through it and it's not great. Harris could have handled it a bit better by giving Maryam a bit more rope. And he got defensive at times when he needn't be. But Maryam was muddled and very defensive. She made some good points about being careful about political allies but holy crap that was pure cringe. Not as bad as Harris/Chomsky but pretty bad.

Somewhere PZ Myers is doing a happy dance.
Harris bores me in that I just don't find his podcast entertaining. His books are alright. Anyway all this has lead to why I follow Namazie on Twitter.

She's worth following. I do. She's very strong on free speech. She's genuinely brave (see Goldsmith incident). But she's gotten it into her head that Harris is at worst a bigot or at best a useful idiot for bigots. For an actual bigot and useful idiot she'd best turn around and take a long look at PZ.

#7535

Wow! One fine example by one of my fellow Michiganders. Dood's house has no power because of a storm. He sets up a generator and he PUTS IT IN HIS BASEMENT. Entire family is now dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.

http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-n ... 7145-story

#7536

The Harris podcast is only as good as his guests. Paul Bloom, Max Tegmark, Douglas Murray and David Deutsch eps were really cool. Harris is a better writer than speaker.

Makes Hitch's ability at both writing and speaking that much more amazing.

#7537

RE: The US Election

So I have been paying attention because I enjoy politics but haven't thought much about it because I assumed I wouldn't be voting. I assumed that because I registered to vote back in October but never heard from back from them. I assume they just decided not to let me vote because I had a felony. I have be granted the right to vote back but I have found that at least in Alabama I had to always apply and show paperwork to that affect. I don't have access to that paper work and while voting is really important to me I have been dealing with other things in my life.

Yesterday I got my voter registration card in the mail. Now I have to figure out before Tuesday, which party primary I am going to vote in and then which person to vote for. Alabama votes so late it never matters. Now my vote may actually count.

#7538

With all the focus on the US presidential primaries and the Brexit referendum in the UK I thought I'd remind everyone of the very important / totally not irrelevant upcoming Dail election here in Eire . With this in mind, I'd like to share a sample of some of the finest moments in recent Irish parliamentarianism.

[youtube]ugailEn8U5o[/youtube]
[youtube]nRhWNoTcpj8[/youtube]

#7539

Brive1987 wrote:
...and nothing more wrote:So I heard Brive1987 talking about The Orbit on the Sargon of Akkad podcast, but does anyone know what's happening with the Burning Bridges network ? Their FB page seems to be updated regularly enough but there doesn't seem to be any site up and running.
They reached $750 of a $3000 target - which barely met their $300 utterly basic setup requirement which itself relied on the JasonT free labour caveat. Their Twitter is quiet (@burningblogs). I'd say a decent nosh up was had by the gang and a toast to fallen ideas was drunk.

Hmm I'm not quite sure of how Patreon works ( I get the general gist just not sure of rules/regulations ) but if you don't meet your target is it not the case that the donations are refunded ? Or is it that if certain targets are met, in this instance the $300 basic setup costs, the funds are kept ?

#7540

deLurch wrote:If both Rubio & Cruz stay in too long, they may have to strike a deal and have their delegates vote for which ever one of those two comes out on top in order for the GOP to keep an establishment candidate.

I agree, but wish to point out that a lot of states are winner-take-all, so Trump could have a majority on the first round of voting, which prevents a brokered convention. Thus, one of them needs to drop out early enough to stop Trump from having said majority or all the dealing in the world won't stop him.

#7541

Billie from Ockham wrote:
deLurch wrote:If both Rubio & Cruz stay in too long, they may have to strike a deal and have their delegates vote for which ever one of those two comes out on top in order for the GOP to keep an establishment candidate.
I agree, but wish to point out that a lot of states are winner-take-all, so Trump could have a majority on the first round of voting, which prevents a brokered convention. Thus, one of them needs to drop out early enough to stop Trump from having said majority or all the dealing in the world won't stop him.

Carson may be the Republican's Steven Bradbury.

[youtube]fAADWfJO2qM[/youtube]

#7542

This is what can happen if you believe the victim unquestionably because it fits your ideology.

#7543

jugheadnaut wrote:
d4m10n wrote:p.s. Cruz will stay in until he loses Texas.
I'm actually rooting for Trump to win Texas on Tuesday, thinking this will send Cruz packing and turn it into a two man race that Rubio can win. IMO, Cruz is even worse than Trump. Cruz flaunts his disrespect for church-state separation, whereas this isn't among Trump's many faults. And Cruz's anti-immigration rhetoric has almost been as bad as Trump's lately. The latest polls have them neck and neck in Texas, with one poll having Rubio within spitting distance. Of course, it would be best if Rubio wins, but I think this is highly unlikely. Because Texas proportionately divides their delegates, Trump won't get a big relative delegate advantage by winning.

March 15 will really be telling, as that's when several large states have winner-take-all primaries and there's the possibility of getting massive delegate advantages. If Trump does well, he'll almost certainly be winding up with at least a plurality of the delegates at the end but could still lose a brokered convention if he doesn't have an outright majority (and then he'll probably run third party, sigh). If Rubio does well, it's a whole new ballgame.

Trump isn't the worst candidate in the Republican lineup, that's for sure. Right now Cruze's and Rubio's dueling egos might put Trump on the ticket. Somehow I have trouble envisioning what a Trump presidency might look like.

#7544

John Greg wrote:A links/citations/stats request:

A while back, someone posted some links to charts showing that men and women receive approximately the same level of online "harassment". Can someone repost those links please?

I am planning to respond to an anti-trolling article that, for one thing, holds Sarkeesian in high regard and as an exemplar of wrong online harassment. My primary reason for responding is that this article is on a BC online news site which usually provides really well researched and factual stuff (The Tyee), but in this case has provided an SJW stylee article, which really should be rebutted.

It would be great, hint hint, if some of the Pit's better SJW, online harassment, and Sarkeesian historians went there and rebutted with facts and links I don't have close to hand.

link: http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2016/02/24 ... olidarity/

Hint hint.

...

Hint hint.

Hmmm.

Well I seem to recall that PEW is regarded as fairly credible by most so how about this 5 facts about online harassment?

Men and women have different experiences with online harassment. Online men are more likely to experience at least one of the six types of harassment we queried – 44% have had some sort of harassment experience compared with 37% of online women. Men are somewhat more likely to experience certain “less severe” kinds of harassment like name-calling and embarrassment. They are also more likely to receive physical threats online.

The above though is part of their report on Online Harassment report and some context is:

Overall, men are somewhat more likely than women to experience at least one of the elements of online harassment, 44% vs. 37%. In terms of specific experiences, men are more likely than women to encounter name-calling, embarrassment, and physical threats.

I suggest you read the full report though. Not enough is being conveyed via my quotemine.

Also, not exactly what you asked for but how about the finding from the US EEOC that around half of the charges of Alleging Sexual Harassment were dismissed for "No Reasonable Cause"?

Archived link from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - EEOC on Charges Alleging Sexual Harassment FY 2010 - FY 2015. Live link is here

#7545

I like Rubio can't stand Cruz (not that he can be president anyway, fucking Canadian!)

Trump's presidency would be one big yawn. He wouldn't be able to get anything past and if he would elected I believe it would swing congress back the other way enough to just stalemate government.

4 years of Meh.

#7546

KiwiInOz wrote:This is what can happen if you believe the victim unquestionably because it fits your ideology.

And this.

#7547

HunnyBunny wrote:
Phil_Giordana_FCD wrote:I made a joke. A stupid one at that (come on, it was a leap of absurdity. I strongly disagree with Steerzo about post-menopausal women, but that doesn't make him a pedophile).

So for all that it's worth, I sincerely apologize to Steersman about calling him a pedophile (even in jest).

He's still a bell end, but that's beside the point.

Scented and Com: make up!

(and put the video on youtube, please.)
Why is this even being discussed again? It was done to death weeks ago, and even then it was faintly ridiculous for people to get up in arms about an anonymous avatar being 'libelled'.

I can't even begin to figure out why anyone got slightly upset over it.

#7548

Phil_Giordana_FCD wrote:
Steersman wrote: After extreme and continual provocation. People and glass houses and all that.
I will keep to my previously stated values that you don't kick someone when they're down. Sorry Steers, but no amount of Com being a dick to you will excuse your own dickishness when you attacked his personal life while he was in the middle of a huge struggle.

It's just not something any decent person would do. In this regard, I totally understand Com having some grievances with you.

I just realized: Steerzo is PitTrump. "I'm JUST BEING HONEST! SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH!"

#7549

Phil_Giordana_FCD wrote:
Phil's input was an exercise in logical absurdity - operating outside a toxic history. So it wobbled across the room and out the window to an uncertain fate.
Story of my life. :|

If it was that, it would have broken a hip getting out of the chair :-P

#7550

I thought I was the only one but a lot of Aussies obsess over the US elections. Now Bush has gone Rubio will get the establishments blessings. Expect to see a lot of cash thrown at Rubio.

#7551

HunnyBunny wrote:Fuck it, I was going to reply to Steers. I fell off the wagon by clicking 'show this post', I will yet again review the 12 steps. I will be free one day, when someone quotes Steers I will be able to point & laugh.

Perhaps we need 'Steersman Pointless Argument Addiction' forum to help each other not reply.

I'd join. I was recently weak on Twitter on a burner account. You think by pointing out something obvious, he/it will actually finally understand. But he/it exists to troll, to argue and for attention. Probably the only human interaction he/it doesn't have to pay for. For anybody still tempted to argue with him, go back in his history and find how many times he has changed his mind on sny major or even relatively minor point. It is utterly pointless and encourages him/it. And remember that if he/it is human, he's a really crappy one.

#7552

What nobody seems to get about the dynamics of the US primaries: the intersection of immigration and job-outsourcing. Middle class Americans are sick of both. Rubio is pro- both, and a slippery little shit to boot. Trump is anti- both. Cruz is a theocrat, which resonates with a distinct minority, but falls on deaf ears otherwise. Trump and Sanders are anti big banks. Hillary and Rubio are the big banks' whores. Sanders appeals to upper middle class whites & their pampered progeny, whose comfort & security allow them to be comfortable with iconoclasm. Hillary appeals to the powerless living hand-to-mouth, who care less about integrity & principle, than having a strong friend in power.

People are also genuinely worried about the threat of jihadists. Democrats poo-poo any threat; Trump has made it the primary feature of his candidacy.

Sanders cannot win the general election. If he is the Dem nominee, Bloomberg will run as an independent. Trump can win in that wild scenario. Trump also wins if there is a terrorist attack between now and election day.

Hillary is fucked right now, because Sanders is forcing her to run to the left. She's also fucked because Sanders supporters are already pouting and vowing to vote 3p if she's the nominee. (These are, btw, in large part the same cunts who in 2008 demanded Party Unity™ of HRC supporters, but who also in 2000 were "No Difference" Nader voters.)

tl;dr: One way or the other, we are all fucked.

#7553

HunnyBunny wrote:
Scented Nectar wrote:
welch wrote:
She's tired from trying to find a smartphone vendor that won't sell to muslims.
Just no phone privacy for the terrorist ones with confirmed kills. Everyone wants the poor oppressed mass murderer's privacy protected. After all, if Apple helps the FBI on this one extreme case, they will magically be obliged to help on any and all cases (even without search warrants) and will be everyone's bitch - foreign gov'ts, slave work via forced software creation, carte blanche backdoor access, etc. It's magic! A magical slippery slope.
agreed. Terrorists don't get to have their right to privacy protected. *shrug* But what do I know, I think Julian Assange is a twat, & Snowden a wannabee twat. Not everyone worships at that particular altar.

Were I to live in the US or UK, I wouldn't care if my phone could be hacked, because I don't do anything that people would be that desperate to find out about. But, Dear Muslima, I live in Hong Kong, where there is now real reason, with disappearing booksellers & a bunch of other Chinese lols, to worry about expressing dodgy opinions. And I still don't care - much.

Although I do care enough to have switched to a nym on twitter, and to connect there using TOR. A few weeks ago, I got followed by a mainland chinese state 'newspaper' on twitter. I meant to block them, but forgot. Next thing, I was being quoted in the paper with a negative opinion on Hong Kong. I guess if I want to continue express dodgy opinions on China I would need to get more paranoid as time goes by and set up a new account.

I'm sure though that anyone caught in China with an iphone, when faced with the firing squad or a chance will not be concerning themselves with the ethics of privacy laws.

You do realize that the FBI and quite a few DoJ people are actively advocating for making non-government approved encryption illegal right? And these are the same people who literally got busted blatantly lying about how they used the patriot act, and in fact monitoring 100% of internet communications in the United States. Even between citizens who were in fact doing nothing wrong.

See, this is where the "If you're not doing anything wrong" shit falls down flailing, because the only sane reply is "Since I'm not doing anything wrong, you have no reason to monitor me".

Yet, as there is voluminous proof, Law Enforcement and Intelligence agencies in the US refuse to play by the rules. You know, minor ones, like the constitution. Not isolated incidents, but year after year of doing this shit, with no signs of slowing down. For over a decade. This is not about one phone, a case the FBI picked solely because they knew shallow thinkers would obsess with OMG TERRORISTS and completely forget about how legal precedents work.

This is about a government group who literally said they needed a terrorist incident to turn public opinion against encryption so they can force companies making it to give them the keys to it. Decisions in a court of law never just apply "This once". This goes wrong, and the FBI et al will be now able to demand the end of any form of encryption not maintained by the government in this country.

#7554

comhcinc wrote:I like Rubio can't stand Cruz (not that he can be president anyway, fucking Canadian!)

Trump's presidency would be one big yawn. He wouldn't be able to get anything past and if he would elected I believe it would swing congress back the other way enough to just stalemate government.

4 years of Meh.

Apparently nobody can stand Cruz. Which is why that's the wildcard in the whole mix.

#7555

Michael J wrote:I thought I was the only one but a lot of Aussies obsess over the US elections. Now Bush has gone Rubio will get the establishments blessings. Expect to see a lot of cash thrown at Rubio.

But will it do any good? Rubio seems unable to inspire, even though he is the clear establishment favorite. The real question is whether the surprising success of Sanders and Trump is getting through to the establishment of both parties, that people are sick of the status quo.

#7556

Fucking ninja horse.

#7557

comhcinc wrote:
Scented Nectar wrote: You know, for someone who acknowledged a while back that they did a really shitty thing, you sure don't like it when others mention that you did a really shitty thing.
Fuck really? So in you like when people constantly bring up shitty things you did? Because that what that comment makes it sound like.

Dude, you're arguing with a "former" radfem who shed naught but the title. The WITH ME OR AGAINST ME thinking doesn't even have to get up off the couch to get it's own beer.

#7558

Scented Nectar wrote: I think this is only the first time I've brought it up since back when you did it. And there's no ingroups or outgroups. We're not in a competition for Pit friends, in my view. There's no either you're with me or not type of thing happening. Anyways, toughen up. You know what you did, and you know that it is on the level of shittiness that means people might not let it go too quickly. You weren't even going to delete it. You only did it because of the shit you were getting for it. You admitted that. And no, this is not some sort of excuse to hate you. This thing is the only thing you've done that I consider shitty, and I otherwise liked you.

"I know i've hammered you on this over and over, but I really like you, so it's okay. Baby, if you'd just stop making me hit you, things could be the way they were again."

#7559

welch wrote: You do realize that the FBI and quite a few DoJ people are actively advocating for making non-government approved encryption illegal right? And these are the same people who literally got busted blatantly lying about how they used the patriot act, and in fact monitoring 100% of internet communications in the United States. Even between citizens who were in fact doing nothing wrong.

I think it's also important to point out the NSA believes that encryption is a good thing.

#7560

welch wrote: You do realize that the FBI and quite a few DoJ people are actively advocating for making non-government approved encryption illegal right? And these are the same people who literally got busted blatantly lying about how they used the patriot act, and in fact monitoring 100% of internet communications in the United States. Even between citizens who were in fact doing nothing wrong.

See, this is where the "If you're not doing anything wrong" shit falls down flailing, because the only sane reply is "Since I'm not doing anything wrong, you have no reason to monitor me".

Yet, as there is voluminous proof, Law Enforcement and Intelligence agencies in the US refuse to play by the rules. You know, minor ones, like the constitution. Not isolated incidents, but year after year of doing this shit, with no signs of slowing down. For over a decade. This is not about one phone, a case the FBI picked solely because they knew shallow thinkers would obsess with OMG TERRORISTS and completely forget about how legal precedents work.

This is about a government group who literally said they needed a terrorist incident to turn public opinion against encryption so they can force companies making it to give them the keys to it. Decisions in a court of law never just apply "This once". This goes wrong, and the FBI et al will be now able to demand the end of any form of encryption not maintained by the government in this country.

Welch is entirely correct. It would be marginally different if all this information collection had led to actually preventing terrorist attacks or helped to make arrests, but it didn't. Billions for knowing an awful lot about theoretically law-abiding citizens. Anything on the terrorists phone is old news, and any connections will have long since covered their tracks and gone truly dark.