Ugh. I’ve been hit with a nasty flu, so I will be out of commission today and probably for several more as this thing runs its course.
Which is a pity not only because I feel like crap but also because there’s lots of stuff going on. It’s (Not My) Presidet’s day, and there are anti-Trump protests around the US (and in London too, but for different anti-Trump reasons).
Meanwhle, our old friend fiend MILO was scheduled to be one of the keynote speakers at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) but, oops, conservatives discovered that their favorite hateful bigot has, on a number of occasions, explicitly defended pedophilia oh sorry “ephebophilia.” And now he’s been un-scheduled. See the latest here!
Anyway, I’m going to go lie down. Feel free to use this as an open thread of course.
@ Walter
It had always been a bit of a mystery why early pictures of rhinos sometimes showed them with shoulder horns. It turns out though that sometimes they do. This is an outgrowth of skin from their common shoulder bumps though rather than hair like their shnozzle horns.
http://s3.zoochat.com.s3.amazonaws.com/large/dsc078171-46936.jpg
That potter must be kicking themselves now! 🙂
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ayjRBllgbDk/TjiHt8IhI1I/AAAAAAAAATw/nn_O3Z9VPrk/s1600/Rhino2.jpg
@Walter H. Hunt: That’s Albrecht Dürer’s rhino woodcut, ca. 1515, if I’m not mistaken.
If you want to keep rhinos around a bit longer then I’d invite peeps to look into supporting this organisation (even if just by spreading the word):
http://www.iapf.org
One thing to note is that they generally come down on the side of a regulated legal rhino horn trade. I’m still not convinced about that; but I can see the force of their argument.
But, that notwithstanding, their anti poaching and educational work is proving very effective; albeit an uphill struggle.
@Chiomara
Thank you for the offer, I’m pretty sure I’ve got a handle on it. It’s just frustrating sometimes to not be able to do anything but talk…
Also, the stuff Axe said. And yes, gal here.
Hi, Chiomara. Glad to have you back. It’s strange, but a few days ago, I was wondering what had happened to you…I didn’t remember your name, only that you were in Brazil.
Thanks for your commenting pre-US Presidential election, on how the election could potentially affect non-USasians.
@Alan
Oooooh, you remember! Thank you, thats awesome.
And that vÃdeo got me jaw dropped all through it. Guess Im learning some yoga now.
@Falconer
Awwww, im guessing they are twins? Thats adorable, how old are them? Happy birthday to them ^^
@Axe
Its old news then! My, I have been out for quite a while. Didnt realize it was this long.
Not exactly a couple counselor because of how unexperienced i am with relationships in general, but a lot of people from my social circle come asking me for advice when they enter a ldr, which has plenty specifics and is much more difficult than it looks. And I unfortunately am quite the Specialist on how to survive *sigh*.
I imagine that i asked your gender before. I am sorry, i have a horrible horrible memory for these things like name, birthday, age, gender (when it isnt obvious), even faces sometimes. I swear its not bad intent, its just how my head works.
Im so happy for you!
@scild
Heeeyy! Thank you!
@Dali
Im glad! I hope you can meet soon. Are you skyping? Its important.
@Everyone ELSE
Thank you! Its só good to be back!
Indeed, Skype or FaceTime is really helpful. My LDR fifteen years ago didn’t have the benefit of that. We could see each other some weekends, but it didn’t work out in the end.
My LDR now is going much better, though we *can’t* visit each other much. We have a few more months to tough it out until I move.
So, Milo has resigned from Breitbart? Or is this a case of “we’re firing you but we’ll let you save face by pretending it’s your decision?”
@Axe and Dali
I’m happy for the both of you!! I hope you have many many happy years together!
@Chiomara: They are twins! They turned 4.
Delighted to hear Milo finally managed to piss off conservatives. Especially delighted to see how this makes them look like shitty human beings who had no problem with Milos hate speech until just now.
@Victorious Parasol
Apparently, half a dozen breitbart employees vowed to quit if Milo was allowed to stay on. I’ll let that speak for itself.
@Chiomara
Welcome back!
http://i.imgur.com/7Z7PAES.gif
Some more good news:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/19/democrats-resistance-donald-trump-we-will-replace-you?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=214061&subid=16078814&CMP=GT_US_collection
Hello!
The freeze peach lot are doing my head in. And I’m British too so it’s not even like it’s the same over here. >_< If they were all just stupid and awful it'd be the norm, but some of them seem actually confused.
I don't understand how they can insist that publishers *must* publish hateful crap or mah free speech! Is…is there a word for that? Their 'anti-totalitarianism' somehow sounds awfully totalitarian, if publishers are to be obliged to publish whatever (hmm…if I send a bunch of poorly-considered scribblings, and then don't get an advance as good as Milo's, does that mean I can claim my free speech is being restricted?).
The bit about the advance makes me want to cry the most honestly. It's just such a petty proof that life is entirely unfair.
As for Milo's actual comments, this might be controversial, but what do y'all think of them? I would say dodgy as hell, and certainly extremely irresponsibly and offensively flippant, but given his discussion of his own experiences (which far as I can tell, and please do correct me immediately if I'm wrong, were not abusive though the power dynamics were dubious. Which then contradicts his own defence where he suggests he was a victim, though), that context does frame it differently. It sounds like the publishers and his supporters were looking for a reason to dump him, anyway. I'd be smug, but from their perspective this is probably mostly about homophobia, and might hurt other gay people. : /
Either way, the more reasoned arguments about the free speech issue seem to rely on the assumption that the opponents whose right they're defending to the death are themselves reasonable people and not a bunch of post-truth literal Nazis.
@ Leo
When it comes to Milo’s remarks, about anything, I tend to assume he’s not telling the whole truth, simply because he tends to posture more often than not. I don’t like feeling this way, because I generally prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I also don’t think Milo is honest in front of an audience. (He might be more honest in private; who knows?)
@Moocow
Yeah, I heard that as well. I can’t say I’m surprised. Is there anybody who actually likes Milo for himself?
I’m at work, but we have CNN on and they’re reporting that Milo quit Britfart.
@Chio
Here she is in all her photo unhygienic glory.
http://i.imgur.com/fGf3uZt.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vfUvjTi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xFaVAQC.jpg
@Falconer: I believe you’re right, that’s Dürer.
Yes, there’s growth on the rhino’s back, but the traditional rhino prior to the Clara tour showed an actual dorsal horn, like the ones on the rhino’s face – sometimes far more extreme than the print displayed above.
Hey David – first time I’ve ever commented here (and on something non-political!) but I read the blog regularly and really appreciate the work you’ve done. Get well and keep it up.
@ Walter
When they first reconstructed the iguanadon skeleton they stuck his toe bone on his nose to give him a horn. When I clone dinosaurs for my theme park that’s definitely the look I’ll be going for.
(I’ll use that crispr thing from the Mammoth people)
Get well, David!
I guess most people here have read Laurie Penny’s excellent piece on Milo from last July. But it seems like a good time to link to it again, for the benefit of anyone who hasn’t seen it:
I’m With The Banned
I assume you are referring to what Milo has said about his “relationship” as a boy with a priest. Well.
Those “power dynamics” you speak of make the act abusive, period, no matter how the victim may think of it. That’s the whole point of having a concept of “statutory rape.”
Alongside all the satisfaction I feel at the adult Milo’s downfall, I also feel a very strong pull of compassion for the boy Milo was. As an adult, he has betrayed that boy by identifying with the abuser. It probably explains a great deal of why his behavior is so toxic and hateful, though it certainly does not excuse it.
Get well soon David!
Those in need of a laugh, check out this:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kavinsenapathy/2017/02/20/male-chiropractor-wants-women-to-glue-labia-shut-with-lipstick-to-contain-menstrual-flow/#5563970ba7b4
The Facebook page for the product itself is down at the moment, sadly. (“hacked”, allegedly)
But ketchup spewing heatherns are having fun with screencaps and commentary here:
https://m.facebook.com/theamakesmagic/posts/10208593043160363
@LG
Milo is British, as am I, and stated he was 17 at the time as far as I’ve seen? (though confusingly then describes himself as a victim) The might be a legal thing I’m missing but it wasn’t statutory rape, was it? Even if there’s one of those ‘age of consent higher for same-sex acts’ things, while it would then be a crime, then I’d be more inclined to say the law is wrong, there. Or do Priests count as someone in position of authority, like teachers? (which would make sense)
Abusive though, definitely, but not sure if so in the sense of literally a crime, I’ll have to look it up.
I do feel sympathy to an extent because he has so much internalised homophobia, and this kind of thing being a coping strategy makes a certain sense. Doesn’t make it Ok to say by a long shot, though.
@ Victorious Parasol
Agreed. Though suspecting he’s posturing and not being totally honest potentially is giving him more benefit of the doubt. It’s often better than assuming he meant all of what he said, even if it’s a narrow distinction.
Here, I hope criticism from our side (which he deserves, sure) stays reasoned even though the issue is understandably one that leads towards strong feelings – the right will do the rest anyway and it’s potentially playing into their hands to go overboard in describing him as (a gay man) literally advocating paedophilia (apologising for is at least a more accurate characterisation, at least in the common usage of the term – he’s almost right as far as the semantics go, though it should be age 14). I really hope this sounds reasonable and wanted to specifically ask those who’re probably not all located in the UK what they thought, because from a UK perspective sometimes entirely well-intentioned people can seem to be dogmatic on this issue in a way that’s limiting – for instance this is NOT the situation here in this case, but from a UK perspective it can be a bit baffling to find someone in the US passionately outraged at the idea of a 16 year old in a sexual relationship with someone older and insisting that they are a child and it’s sick, evil and disgusting paedophilia (what it is, is creepy and potentially abusive), no discussion, you’re awful and an apologist if you disagree in any way (yes I have actually seen this happen and am sure the person was well-intentioned and can appreciate why they felt so strongly but they didn’t seem to understand the age of consent varies). I would support raising our age of consent from 16 and strongly oppose lowering it. Milo is wrong to call it arbitrary, it’s there for good reasons to protect children and teens, but if the age of consent becomes treated as wholly objective then that kind of discussion becomes harder to have too. It also limits the discussion of abusive power dynamics.
When I was 16, my best friend ended up involved with a creepy middle aged guy – I hated him so much and saw him as using her, she was vulnerable in some ways. I think he’s scum and hope he drops dead but he wasn’t a paedophile. So, reasoned discussion on this matters to me because I do see it as very serious, not a point scoring against political opponents issue, and I don’t want my side to stoop to their level.