I just feel like posting videos today.
Can you guess the underlying theme here?
Well, I kind of gave it away with the title, huh?
Enjoy the videos, or not, as you wish, and consider this an open thread.
Categories
We Hunted The MammothBucking the Backlash
Fi – I think living in the Top End is brain-addling all by itself. My sister lives in southern Queensland, but for some weird reason all the ads she gets on telly are made for the Territory … and fuuuuck, they make the Queensland hinterland look positively sophisticated.
mildlymagnificent – same here. I’ve no time for Rudd, but the Mad Monk is horrific. And yes, Sophie Mirabella, gods what a vile person.
Do you get John Clarke’s “answers to the quiz” column in any of your papers? He had an election special today. Some of them were priceless.
“4. False. Neither party is led by the preferred prime minister. The preferred prime minister is Malcolm Turnbull. One of the reasons he is preferred is that he cannot become prime minister.”
“8. True. In one 24-hour period, Tony Abbott confirmed that no one is the suppository of all knowledge, that a female candidate he supported had sex appeal, and that allowing people to marry on the basis that they wanted to would be too radical a change to existing laws. These were the playful errors of a man abundantly qualified to lead the country.”
“13. True. Sophie Mirabella has been to her electorate on many occasions.”
I <3 John Clarke.
Best thing I read today, though, was a very funny column by Monica Dux on whether the comb-over will return to *cough* fashion *cough*. As she says, it's not so long since massive beards were Not A Thing, but now they're around, and people over 20 are claiming they always liked them, really. Fortunately, as yet no hipster has had "sufficient stores of irony" to go for the comb-over look. Let us hope they never do.
@Kitteh
Ah, I get it. I’ll try to keep that in mind, then. =] That fear of being unlikable is a result of my low self-esteem, so it’s hard to suppress such thoughts when trying to make friends, but until it gets better, I need to learn to work around it so that it doesn’t continue to interfere with my social life.
@katz
That’s a reasonable suggestion. My initial reaction to such a suggestion is that it wouldn’t work since I’m already afraid of people being insincere, but that’s precisely where the whole “conscious effort” as you said is needed. At the very least, it will help me get more used to socialization, which of course will in turn help me befriend people.
Ally – if it helps, think that people you’re just meeting have no reason to dislike you. I don’t think you’re unlikeable anyway – that’s your jerkbrain repeating the lessons your dirtbag parental unit taught it. BUT it’s also important to remember that whatever you’re like, people are not mind-readers. They’re not getting into your head and worming out your deepest, darkest Moments Of Shame and Scuzzy Habits. They’re not mentally looking under your bed and saying “Ewww, dust bunnies and long-lost socks!” They’re just ordinary people and don’t know any more about you or have any more mind-reading powers than you do.
Plus, these are people new to uni, same as you. There’s every chance most of ’em are just as nervous or stressed about this very different environment (especially if they’re just out of school), just as worried about making a good impression, just as afraid nobody’ll like them. There might be people there who’ll be really glad to meet you, as someone who’s smart and kind and funny and is decent to them – someone they’d like as a friend.
Hey, wanted to throw y’all a song what must’ve been written by a prescient proto-MRA, tryin’ ta set people wise about hatred for tha guys:
http://www.perfessorbill.com/covers/hhhannah.jpg
In old Savannah, I said Savannah,
The weather there is nice and warm!
The climates of a Southern brand,
But here’s what I don’t understand:
They got a gal there, a pretty gal there,
Who’s colder than an Arctic storm,
Got a heart just like a stone,
Even ice men leave her alone!
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town;
Leather is tough, but Hannah’s heart is tougher,
She’s a gal who loves to see men suffer!
To tease ’em, and thrill ’em, to torture and kill ’em,
Is her delight, they say,
I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan,
There was Hannah pouring water on a drownding man!
She’s Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, GA!
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town;
Talk of your cold, refrigeratin’ mamas,
Brother, she’s a polar bear’s pajamas!
To tease ’em, and thrill ’em, to torture and kill ’em,
Is her delight, they say,
An evening spent with Hannah sittin’ on your knees,
Is like travelin’ through Alaska in your BVDs.
She’s Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, GA!
Can you imagine a woman as cold as Hannah
She’s got the right name, The vamp of Savannah
Any time a woman can take a great big pan
And start pouring water on a drownin’ man
She’s hard hearted Hannah
The Vamp of Savannah GA
Ohh she’s sweet as sour milk
http://www.perfessorbill.com/covers/hhhanna1.jpg
Bel, Biv, DeVoe. Now you know.
Ally good luck. I liked the area around UCSC when I stayed near there and the bus service was good. I’m sorry you are still under your father’s control.
I’d suggest trying to join some societies but that might be difficult with timing. I think some universities also run hobby classes which can help meet people. Everyone at university is nervous and looking to meet people. You will find friends. Look for people who share your interests and ideas. Would you be able to join something like the lgbta or would there be too much risk of your dad finding out?
@kittehs
What a load of wank is going on today. Even the “liberals R better at economy lol” argument that has catapulted them to this travesty has little to no basis in reality. Looks like Pauline may have a seat in my state, too – can’t that lady go back where she came from?
Well, that’s it, we’re screwed again. Stinking goddamn Liberals in government, and that utter piece of shit Abbott as PM.
And Hanson back in Parliament? Holy hell, way to prove the whole “clever country” line was and remains bullshit.
This thread doesn’t seem to have a clear topic, so I hope it’s ok if I come here to say thank you to everybody who welcomed me a couple of days ago. I don’t recall ever coming across such a kind crew of commenters.
Now, a little more on topic, good luck to Ally, my condolences to all inhabitants of the land of Oz, and go banana slugs.
Aaaaaaah, I just came back from a conference, I’m leaving for another conference on Monday morning, it doesn’t look like anybody bothered to print my poster (even though I asked them super nicely and they’re usually efficient and helpful), I have to write a grant proposal that is due right after I come back from conference number 2 and the power supply of my laptop has died. On top of that, I’m already suffering from conference-related exhaustion and the Golden Sperm guy is way too entertaining.
Anyway, thanks for indulging me in my spazzing. I will now try to find a post-it note and stick it on my computer with a reminder that I need to breathe.
/mad scientist
Hanson?
I didn’t see any mention of her on the ABC coverage. Surely not. Please, no.
pleeeeease.
Just asked mr. He said there was a mention (prolly when I was outside desperately smoking yet another ciggie). His recollection was that she was unlikely to get that senate seat. I’m not going to check on that – it’s made me a little bit happy.
Nonsense! Everyone knows that we’re a fiercely territorial group of dogmatists who attempt to drive off all well-meaning newcomers by labeling them as trolls. Here, have a welcome package.
Already had one, katz, thanks!
Now, a little something on the topic of (girlscientist’s) conference posters, cos I can’t resist it. My university’s printing service is always very diligent in promising they’ll have my poster ready just in time for the conference. On the day I’m supposed to collect it, however, they instead send me an email saying that they don’t quite know how to open my PDF file and that I’ll have to find somewhere else to print it. This already happened twice.
@lane deau: You have all my sympathy!
Belated response – yes, Kitteh, you got it.
I just woke up from a dream that combined two of my least favorite dream tropes, being back at work and having trouble walking. Finally ‘woke up’ at home. Realized it was Tuesday and I’d been asleep since Thursday. Then woke up for real. Somewhat disorienting.
OOOOOH Check this out funny comic strip SO relevant for this site! http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/2013/03/negging/
@Pear_tree
Thanks. I’m definitely going to join some kind of LGBTQ group at UCSC, although I’ll have to conceal any activity done in association with that group. Fortunately, I’ll have a lot of time on my hands because my class schedule is easy to work around. I tmean, there’s only one day of the week that has more than one class. And I have weekends free, too.
@Kitteh
What are you talking about? Of course I have mind-reading powers! After all, it’s exceedingly easy for me to predict when an MRA is going to accuse me of making an ad hominem argument. =P
But seriously, I really appreciate your advice. I’ll definitely take it to heart once I’m at UCSC.
Those aren’t YOUR mind-reading powers, they are The FerretCat Hivemind’s, shared by the Power of Dave!
Oh no, you’ve been cursed with eternal waking!
RE: Great American Satan
That’s nice dear. Here, have some metal! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygUPP02XHwg
Oh wow, katz, where’s that page from? It looks like an EC page from the inking and coloring, but the lettering looks Nineties to me.
It’s from The Sandman volume one and you should read it because it is good and by Neil Gaiman.
The artist is the inimitable Sam Kieth! We were really into him back in high school. (Oddly, never did get into Sandman.)
I have read one volume of Sandman, and it was the one with the Midsummer Night’s Dream pastiche, the dream of the Furrinati, and something where a woman with superpowers had to make herself a clay mask to pass as human … and it falls off in the middle of dinner.
I need to read more.