R.I.P FSZ

The Wiz has decided (or is thinking about) dismantling the FSZ and disallowing furious political rants. On this subject I am saddened, but will abide by his desires as he sets forth.

As my hockey season winds down, I am reminded of one of the utmost of rituals in a sport filled with such displays, that being the post game handshake. All season you battle, hit, punch, grab, slash, trip, wrestle, hook and sometimes bite on your opponents, sometimes out of the necessity of the game, sometimes out of sheer bloodlust. However, once that final horn sounds, and there are no more contests left, each member lines up and congratulates every other foe on a battle well fought, Without Exception. Although I dont quite expect it, I invite any who are willing to engage in a like display as our battles, too, are winding down. It's been a hell of a season, has it not?

Another fun little tradition we have is sort of a get together, as Frank Costanza would say, "an airing of grievances". This is where we bring up the most offensive of acts performed throughout the season and ponder over them between pitchers of ale under the umbrella of brotherhood. 10 times out of 10, the incident that caused the biggest uproar is the one that garners the most laughter, and the best memories. While I dont expect, or even want, anyone to call out *each other* personally, I thought it'd be fun to talk politics one final time in a light, humor filled view on the people who rule us all. Kids say the darnedest things, but they couldn't hold a candle to our elected officials.

On that note, would anyone care to share the most epic blunder you've ever heard a politician utter? Yeah, this is pointless, but we're passionate enough to fight hard enough, and dirty enough, for The Wiz to take notice, maybe it'd do us all a bit of good to take a step back and see what we're really fighting about. Feel free to join in if you so choose, I will start off with my two favorites...

I forget who said it, but it was quite recent, on the topic of wind energy. As an absolute opponent of such wind farms, he gave the arguement that wind, as it is, is what creates and stabilizing our environment. His main issue - If enough wind farms are built, the force used to turn the windmill will slow the air. Eventually, with enough farms, the air will cease to blow...FOREVER...thereby, I dunno, ending the world or some such nonsense. I thought that one was a real treat.

And my absolute favorite thing I've ever heard anybody dare put words to, Congressman Hank Johnson. On the topic of the deployment of 8,000 troops to Guam, and an additional 80,000 persons to help with construction, he aired his fear that the entire island MAY TIP OVER, as if it were some giant tropical canoe made of dirt, due to such an amount of people flooding one specific area. This little diddy literally brought my department to a halt as we could not spend less than 2 hours discussing it's absurdity. What a riot.

See? Doesn't that feel better? I understand where the passion, and therefore rage, can come from when speaking on such matters, but really, is it terribly necessary? Isn't it nice to sometimes take a step back and laugh at them, and ourselves, for the things we do and say to each other in these instances? I sure think so, it makes it easier to handle them and to tolerate one another. After all, it's just politics, it's not like these people...have.....any control.....over....our lives....or our futures? OMG!!!! >< (lol)

>The Wiz has decided (or is thinking about) dismantling the FSZ

he is?

btw, your posts are long, but your signature is nice and short [and should have been included in that thread]

Quote: odiousgambit

he is?

btw, your posts are long, but your signature is nice and short [and should have been included in that thread]

Thank you for the compliment.

Re FSZ going bye-bye, I think so. Check FSZ thread "Fleastif's manifesto..." Sounds to me as if it's on the chopping block

I think the Wiz will keep the FSZ, just that he may enforce more dictatorial rights for the most blatant offenses to our sensibilities. Whichever he chooses, I trust his judgment.

Quote: Face

And my absolute favorite thing I've ever heard anybody dare put words to, Congressman Hank Johnson. On the topic of the deployment of 8,000 troops to Guam, and an additional 80,000 persons to help with construction, he aired his fear that the entire island MAY TIP OVER, as if it were some giant tropical canoe made of dirt, due to such an amount of people flooding one specific area.

I had to take a look at that video. I assumed that he was trying to make a joke and it just came out badly. But you're not kidding. He sounds like an idiot. To be charitable maybe he got high that morning. I would hate tto think that a congressman actually is capable of thinking like that without being under chemical influence.

Video of Congressman Hank Johnson

Quote: pacomartin

I had to take a look at that video. I assumed that he was trying to make a joke and it just came out badly. But you're not kidding. He sounds like an idiot. To be charitable maybe he got high that morning. I would hate tto think that a congressman actually is capable of thinking like that without being under chemical influence.

Aye, also to be fair, it was stated after this gaffe that he had 'a mental condition' that caused his error in thinking, which apparently was complications from Hepatitis C. I don't know enough about the disease to verify it as a legit reason, but then they also said he wasn't speaking of a literal flip of the entire island, but rather he made a poor analogy of how the economic balance would flip. I don't know about you, but anytime multiple excuses get thrown around, I usually assume the original statement was intended to be all that more true. I felt sorry for Georgia that day, and a little scared for us all.

You just have to laugh at this stuff. Thinking too hard on the possible ramifications is too scary for me, I need to laugh lest I drive myself crazy. It's kind of like Bill O'Rielly's "You can't explain that" statement on how the tide's work. "Tides go in, tides go out. You can't explain that." If you think about this statement too hard, you're head will unquestioningly explode. Sure, Bill's just a talking head, but anyone that popular with that many followers has real power. And anyone with that much power who doesn't understand the moon, or the nature of something as simple as gravity,... eeesh. That's some scary stuff.

I encourage you to look up the internet meme's (viral videos mocking O'Rielly) as they provide some much needed and HILARIOUS comic relief. "Bread goes in, toast comes out. You Cant Explain That!" is an example of one, and one of my favorites =).

"Magnets, how do they work?" as the Insane Clown Posse say... I never realised that both Bill O and the ICP had that much in common.

Quote: Face

Aye, also to be fair

You just have to laugh at this stuff. Thinking too hard on the possible ramifications is too scary for me, I need to laugh lest I drive myself crazy. It's kind of like Bill O'Rielly's "You can't explain that" statement on how the tide's work. "Tides go in, tides go out. You can't explain that." If you think about this statement too hard, you're head will unquestioningly explode. Sure, Bill's just a talking head, but anyone that popular with that many followers has real power. And anyone with that much power who doesn't understand the moon, or the nature of something as simple as gravity,... eeesh. That's some scary stuff.

I encourage you to look up the internet meme's (viral videos mocking O'Rielly) as they provide some much needed and HILARIOUS comic relief. "Bread goes in, toast comes out. You Cant Explain That!" is an example of one, and one of my favorites =).

To be fair...I'm no fan of O'Reilly, but it's almost a cliche that you can selectively quote and/or zoom in on a few things just about anyone says and make that person look like an idiot. I would like to see the context of what O"Reilly said, because I doubt (as all the giggling little internet/Facebook posters imply) that he doesn't know how tides work.

It's as unfair as if I selectively pulled out your misspelling of the word "your" (as "you're") and the needless apostrophe in "meme's" (or, for that matter, the fact that you misspelled "O'Reilly") and then told all and sundry that you were functionally illiterate.

Quote: mkl654321

To be fair...I'm no fan of O'Reilly, but it's almost a cliche that you can selectively quote and/or zoom in on a few things just about anyone says and make that person look like an idiot. I would like to see the context of what O"Reilly said, because I doubt (as all the giggling little internet/Facebook posters imply) that he doesn't know how tides work.

It's as unfair as if I selectively pulled out your misspelling of the word "your" (as "you're") and the needless apostrophe in "meme's" (or, for that matter, the fact that you misspelled "O'Reilly") and then told all and sundry that you were functionally illiterate.

I understand your issue with selective quotes and I agree with your point, however, I don't believe that what I did falls into that category. Here's a transcript for all to judge...

O'Reilly: I'll tell you why [religion's] not a scam. In my opinion, all right? Tide goes in, tide goes out. Never a miscommunication. You can't explain that. You can explain why the tide goes in...
Silverman: Tide goes in, tide goes out...?
O'Reilly: Yeah, see, the water -- the tide comes in and it goes out, Mr. Silverman. It always goes in...
Silverman: Maybe it's Thor up on Mount Olympus who's making the tides go in and out...
O'Reilly: No no, but you can't explain that... you can't explain it...

And, after being criticized on his comment and explained to about the moon and such, he came back with this...

O'Reilly: "Okay, how did the moon get there? How'd the moon get there? Look, you pinheads who attacked me for this, you guys are just desperate. How'd the moon get there? How'd the sun get there? How'd it get there? Can you explain that to me? How come we have that and Mars doesn't have it? Venus doesn't have it. How come? Why not? How'd it get here?"

See? I'll admit it's not funny to everyone, and my finding it 'funny' neither makes me right or him wrong, but to take him seriously causes me stress, whereas assuming he's a buffoon brings me laughter. I prefer to giggle than seethe with anger. Thank you though (seriously) for pointing out my grammer mistakes. I can't stand them either. "Your" was just typing too fast, but "meme's" is a word I just barely know. Thanks for the lesson. But where did the word 'meme' come from, anyway? You Can't Explain That! (tee-hee) =)

Meme is either Hofstadter or Dawkins. Possibly both helping the Meme meme establish itself and survive.

From President Bush's own web site...


"There is one terrible pilot..."

"Must have been some horrible accident"

"When I get all the facts straight..."

Bill O'Reilly's down with the clowns? That's quite an interesting visual you just gave me, thecesspit, thanks. =)

And diskflicker, tread carefully on the subject of GWB. If others jump on board and post all his laughable quotes, The Wiz is going to be quite upset as the sheer volume may crash this site. Others may do as they please, but I personally shall refrain from GWB references. He stopped being funny when my childhood friends started returning from Iraq, and their legs did not. I don't mean to be a downer, but I'm not quite able to begin laughing at him quite yet. But I'm trying ;)

If you need the board crashed, just say that God is dead.

Nietzche did that, and he never crashed.

Quote: Face

Bill O'Reilly's down with the clowns? That's quite an interesting visual you just gave me, thecesspit, thanks. =)

There's actually a interview out there with Bill-o interviewing the clans. The look of distaste on his face is only matched by the sheer absurdity and idiocy of the Clowns position (it's the record company's fault you are hearing own brand of civil disorder and shout outs to go do something stupid). I think if the ICP opened their own Magical Box, they'd find Bill inside, and if Bill opened his, he'd find the ICP inside. Truly hell is other people... :)

Quote: Face

And, after being criticized on his comment and explained to about the moon and such, he came back with this...

O'Reilly: "Okay, how did the moon get there? How'd the moon get there? Look, you pinheads who attacked me for this, you guys are just desperate. How'd the moon get there? How'd the sun get there? How'd it get there? Can you explain that to me? How come we have that and Mars doesn't have it? Venus doesn't have it. How come? Why not? How'd it get here?"

I admit to not following Bill O'Reilly at all, nor any other talking-head infotainment performer (let's face it, that's what they are), but the idea that the structure of the solar system is unexplainable is just ridiculous. Even the ancients could predict eclipses and comets, and that just requires a minimal understanding of the way the planetary objects move around the sun (or just the fact that they do). If you read closely, it's as if O'Reilly is suggesting that neither Mars nor Venus have the sun...

Imagine if he walked up to a dice table and said "Okay, how did the point of 10 get there? How'd it get there? Look, you pinheads who attacked me for this, you guys are just desperate. How'd the point of 10 get there? How'd the point of 5 get there? How'd it get there? Can you explain that to me? How come we have a point of 10 and the last shooter didn't? The shooter before didn't. How come? Why not? How'd it get here?"

The moral of the story, aside from O'Reilly being silly, is that everything is clearer when you put it in the context of making a bet. :)

Quote: MathExtremist

I admit to not following Bill O'Reilly at all, nor any other talking-head infotainment performer (let's face it, that's what they are), but the idea that the structure of the solar system is unexplainable is just ridiculous. Even the ancients could predict eclipses and comets, and that just requires a minimal understanding of the way the planetary objects move around the sun (or just the fact that they do). If you read closely, it's as if O'Reilly is suggesting that neither Mars nor Venus have the sun...

Imagine if he walked up to a dice table and said "Okay, how did the point of 10 get there? How'd it get there? Look, you pinheads who attacked me for this, you guys are just desperate. How'd the point of 10 get there? How'd the point of 5 get there? How'd it get there? Can you explain that to me? How come we have a point of 10 and the last shooter didn't? The shooter before didn't. How come? Why not? How'd it get here?"

The moral of the story, aside from O'Reilly being silly, is that everything is clearer when you put it in the context of making a bet. :)

I thought I'd resist the urge to jump on the O'Reilly hate wagon, but since you brought it up....

I didn't read closely enough to believe he was suggesting that neither Venus nor Mars had the sun, I simply read what he said... "How come we have that and Mars doesn't". Assuming 'that' refers to the topic he is speaking on (the moon and tides), I cringed even more. I mean, OK, I'll give him the benefit of doubt that he's a political talking head and having an intimate knowledge of Phobos and Diemos would not be required, but tides require WATER, or at least some sort of liquid medium in order to occur. Maybe 20, 30 years ago I could forgive this, but since the relatively recent Mars exploration missions, I'd figure any American over the age of 6 would know that Mars has no surface liquid. But.../sigh. I just dunno. It hurts when I think about it too much, so give it a giggle and move on. (tee-hee)

Your craps analogy did literally make me laugh out loud, well done sir =). As for how the 10 point got there? I Can't Explain That!

Quote: Face

I mean, OK, I'll give him the benefit of doubt that he's a political talking head and having an intimate knowledge of Phobos and Diemos would not be required, but tides require WATER, or at least some sort of liquid medium in order to occur.

No, they don't. Tides require a gravitational source, nothing more. The Earth's crust, which isn't liquid or fluid, is as affected by the Moon as are the oceans. But not being fluid, the effect is much less pronounced. BTW, tides on Earth are not produced only by the Moon, the Sun also has an effect, albeit a smaller one because it's more distant.

Mars' moons are too small to produce much in the way of tidal action, and it is farther away from the Sun than the Earth is, but the red planet does experience this kind of diminished tides anyway.

Anyway, I'm never impressed with the ignorance argument for God. That is, if we don't know every little detail about the universe, then it can only be explained by the actions of God.

Quote: Nareed

No, they don't. Tides require a gravitational source, nothing more. The Earth's crust, which isn't liquid or fluid, is as affected by the Moon as are the oceans. But not being fluid, the effect is much less pronounced.

Indeed. I see in the physics sense 'tide' can mean simply "a gravitational stress on something", whereas I used it in the much more typical sense as an "effect on liquid". Half credit at least? =)

Quote: Face

Indeed. I see in the physics sense 'tide' can mean simply "a gravitational stress on something", whereas I used it in the much more typical sense as an "effect on liquid". Half credit at least? =)

Deal.

But only because I took a huge risk, since I don't really understand tides. That much became apparent when reading Niven's "The Integral Trees." I never figured out why there was gravity on the trees.