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creepy open thread

Happy Day Before Post-Valentine’s Day Candy Sales! Open Thread with BONUS CREEPY V-DAY CARDS

Uh, what?

By David Futrelle

My earlier post today was so depressing I thought I’d post a thread to get everyone’s mind off of it. Celebrate V-Day or share your plans for the post-V-Day candy sales. Or just talk about whatever. No trolls!

Here are a few creepy vintage Valentine’s Day cards just for the hell of it.

Apparently some of the card-makers confused Valentine’s Day with Murder Day, which I don’t think is even an official holiday.

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Crip Dyke
5 years ago

@Buttercup Q. Skullpants:

Lexington’s a nice place (I grew up one town over, still miss it).

Wait, really? My BFF – who is visiting me right now, though she’s in the other room on a telephone job interview – grew up two (or maybe 3?) towns over in Wakefield. I’ve even been a couple times to visit her old haunts and to escort her to family occasions (a couple reunions and a funeral).

Which town is your “next town over”?

My favorite story of hers about growing up in Wakefield is that she had to take the bus line that ends in North Reading (pronounced “redding” for those following along) to get home from Boston. But back in those days, the bus could display fewer characters and didn’t have computer screens, so the sign they put on the front of the bus to identify the route just said

No Reading

Apparently even on that route they were allowed to crack a book as long as they did so politely, but she was very concerned and had to ask mommy if she could read her library book because the bus had said “No Reading”!

Ah, kids!

===============
On a related topic, did you ever chant, “Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin, you never come out the way you went in…”

Cat Mara
Cat Mara
5 years ago

@Ariblester:

Nice one! I’ve been meaning to write something similar (I wrote a block script for FreeThoughtBlogs after the Pharyngula blog there got invaded a while back by a particularly obnoxious contingent of TERFs and JAQ-offs but I never got it out of private beta) but my Greasemonkey-fu is weak.

Userscript: https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/377808-whtm-quote-helper

When I click on the link, it wants me to create an account on GreasyFork first– is that intentional?

Ariblester
Ariblester
5 years ago

Cat Mara wrote on
February 15, 2019 at 12:17 pm:

@Ariblester:

Nice one! I’ve been meaning to write something similar (I wrote a block script for FreeThoughtBlogs after the Pharyngula blog there got invaded a while back by a particularly obnoxious contingent of TERFs and JAQ-offs but I never got it out of private beta) but my Greasemonkey-fu is weak.

Userscript: https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/377808-whtm-quote-helper

When I click on the link, it wants me to create an account on GreasyFork first– is that intentional?

Honestly, I have next to no JavaScript experience at all. This script was the result of several days of trial and error.

As for the need to create a Greasyfork account: totally not intended. I made the script unlisted, which apparently means that only direct links to the script itself can work. The actual link is

Userscript: https://greasyfork.org/scripts/377808-whtm-quote-helper/code/WHTM%20Quote%20Helper.user.js

Alan Robertshaw
Alan Robertshaw
5 years ago

Re: Presidential power to declare national emergency

For anyone interested in the legal aspects, this is the key case.

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/343/57

It’s hard to give a summary of the ratio decidendi* as they say in the trade; the opinions are all over the place.

However the one thing the majority seemed to agree on was that the President had an absolute discretion to declare an emergency; and that decision wasn’t amicable to judicial review.

However the actions taken to respond to the declared emergency is very much in the purview of the judiciary.

That sound when Trump said “I didn’t need to do this…“? The collective headdesking of his legal team.

(* Rationale for the decision)

Gaebolga
Gaebolga
5 years ago

@Crip Dyke

Thanks for your Google-fu!

…and seconding how that went offroad in a weird direction pretty damn quick.

Jenora Feuer
Jenora Feuer
5 years ago

@Alan:
Considering that Trump’s legal team includes Rudy Giuliani, who’s very much a Trump fan/hanger-on, he was probably cheering and refused to see the problem.

(When I wrote ‘hanger-on’, I had a mental shift to the Japanese line about ‘goldfish poop’ that gets used in anime to refer to any unwanted hanger-on; Naga from Slayers being one of the classic examples. Then I thought about who Giuliani was trailing on after, and I figured neither of them was any better anyway, and then my brain rebelled before going too deep into figuring out appropriate metaphors because it’s lunch time.)

Crip Dyke
5 years ago

@Alan Robertshaw:

Your link is bad. I assume you’re talking the Truman steel-nationalization case with Youngstown Steel?

That’s here.

Although I was born in the US, I went to Canadian law school, so I may miss some things, but as I understand it you would be correct that the President’s ability to declare an emergency in this current (Wall) context is governed by Youngstown, but given that there’s an authorizing statute in this case – which there wasn’t for steel industry nationalization – I’m wondering whether or not you think that Youngstown is an appropriate precedent for judging the diversion of monies budgeted by congress.

It seems to me also that the ability to declare a national emergency in 1952 is a different legal question than whether there are implied requirements for a national emergency under USC &sec; 1601 passed in 1976.

I don’t see anything in the statute that makes me think the presidential power to declare emergencies is constrained in any way, but it could be. If it is, however, this would only be for the purpose of triggering additional authority under statutes that reference emergency declarations (and thus explicitly or implicitly reference &sec; 1601). Making the declaration is unlimited. Having the declaration satisfy 1601 might – possibly – be different (though I doubt it).

If those aren’t different questions, then congress really has screwed the pooch on handing out unlimited power to declare emergencies (which in 1976 they would have known was unlimited since Youngstown had been decided 24 years prior) and then scattering additional authorities throughout the US code.

I mean there are a LOT of places the USC references national emergencies. The US lawyers on TV aren’t fucking around when they say that they have reason to fear a vast expansion of presidential power now that Trump has dispensed with the voluntary constraints of politics, reason, and moderation.

On the other hand, I was still living in the US when the line-item veto case was decided & that gave specific statutory authority to the office of the president to fuck with the budget & that was struck down on the basis of the constitutional investiture of primary budgetary authority with the House of Reps IIRC. If you can strike down that explicit statutory grant of presidential discretion, then I suppose there’s no reason you can’t strike down the grant of discretion contained in national emergency-conditional powers.

Weird ass way to run a railroad.

Alan Robertshaw
Alan Robertshaw
5 years ago

@ jenora

I think that statement could be just about salvageable. I think the inevitable court case might go something like this:

1. Agree President can declare emergency.

2. However, where a constitutional means of achieving the desired outcome is available (i.e. getting funding from Congress), the court will only interfere is the matter is time critical, and the constitutional process would take too long.

[The full statement was that he didn’t need to do this, but he didn’t want to wait. I think it’s here you could argue that all Trump meant was that he knew there was a constitutional way, but the urgency was too pressing.]

3. Lots of argument about whether it is time critical; with a side argument that the inevitability of congress never agreeing to fund feeds into that.

4. If they decide yes, there’ll be arguments about whether the response being reviewed is limited to bypassing the regular route, or whether the court can look at the actual steps subsequently taken (i.e. the necessity for the wall itself).

That’s just a guess of course, and it’s always dangerous to try to second guess judges. But it is kind of my job so I thought I’d give it a go.

Alan Robertshaw
Alan Robertshaw
5 years ago

@ crip dyke

Yes, that’s the one. Thanks for posting a working link.

I’ve done a sort of bullet points on what I think might happen; issuewise anyway; but it’s not as good as your analysis, so I’m hoping the WordPress mammoth eats it.

ETA: Oh now you work posting mammoth!

Jane Done
Jane Done
5 years ago

RE: National Emergency:

One step closer to fascism…I just don’t have any more shock left. The doom clock probably went up. The world is on fire. This_is_fine.jpg

And yet again, it’s not the disgusting fact that this is all blatantly about white nationalism that has the people with power to stop it talking, it’s what esoteric legal process is possibly/maybe/might not be followed closely enough. Maybe we as a society need to re-think how we do this law thing, y’know, that thing that we as a society created, made up. Maybe change it into something that takes into account how not being evil is kind of important.

@Ooglyboggles: awesome job! good luck on the next ones!

@Cat Mara: as a bit of a fan of horror, I find that statement offensive…to r/cursedimages (obviously nsfw).

Weird (and tired of trumplings) Eddie
Weird (and tired of trumplings) Eddie
5 years ago

Ok, so now we’ve got clear lane to build a wall. We’ve already agreed we don’t have a workable design (notwithstanding the fact that it won’t work anyway). We’ve got engineering to do, design work to do, and trump will be wanting to pour concrete tomorrow.

This is an igno-right republican’t project, and it will be carried out in an igno-right republican’t manner….

When the deadline for completion comes, the wall will be 2/3 done, 300% over budget, none of the work will meet specification, and no one will have any idea where the money went.

And the trumpling will call it a success, while in the same breath blaming the liberals for its failure.

Jane Done
Jane Done
5 years ago

@Weird Eddie:

As has been pointed out by other much better-versed and educated people, I don’t think its about a functional structure as much as it is about sending a message. The wall is kind of like confederate statues. It’s america’s attempt at erecting the biggest, most imposing monument to racism ever, and, in the eyes of the hopeful and regressive right wing, a symbol of a turning-back point in history.

Weird (and tired of trumplings) Eddie
Weird (and tired of trumplings) Eddie
5 years ago

@ Jane Done:

NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT!!!

It’s not about actually building the wall, it’s about giving the bigot base renewed hope, to keep them shouting trump’s name until they all get bored and wander off to watch All-Star Wrestling.

One of the best descriptions I have heard is, It’s not a wall, it’s golden calf, to be worshiped by people who have forgotten what their nation is SUPPOSED to stand for.

Buttercup Q. Skullpants

@Crip Dyke: Whoops! I miscounted. FIFTH one down. “I don’t want you to be my brother. I want you to be my valentine.” Eek.

I grew up partly in Lincoln, partly in Concord (aka Kahnkid). Wakefield is indeed a few towns away, really easy to get to. I remember playing them in soccer a couple of times. Sounds like your BFF still visits regularly?

That “No Reading” story is classic! Years ago, when I worked for a company in Belmont, I had to call the Staples recorded line to find out where the nearby stores in Massachusetts were. They mispronounced every.single.town on the list. “Wor-chester. Bill-erica. Haver-hill. Nah-tick. Walt-ham…”. Ree-ding was probably on the list too. That was the first time I realized how deeply weird Massachusetts is.

Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin

Ha ha! We used to chant that all the time. I also used to do “trot-trot to Boston, trot-trot to Lynn…trot-trot to Gloucester, but don’t FALL IN” with my kids, back when they were small enough to bounce on my knee.

Rabid Rabbit
Rabid Rabbit
5 years ago

@Jane Done, Weird Eddie

It’s the logic of the gated community. Which, really, ought to put to rest once and for all the idea that it’s poor white people who got Trump into office as opposed to rich ones.

Red R. Lion
Red R. Lion
5 years ago

@ Buttercup

That was the first time I realized how deeply weird Massachusetts is.

But why pronounce all 3 syllables when 2 does just as well?

My town is boring in that it is pronounced about the way it is spelled. We do have a selectboard though.

Lumipuna (formerly Arctic Ape)
Lumipuna (formerly Arctic Ape)
5 years ago

An emergency
Nation responds with vigor
Meet you in courthouse

Redsilkphoenix: Jetpack Vixen, Intergalactic Meanie
Redsilkphoenix: Jetpack Vixen, Intergalactic Meanie
5 years ago

Dumb question: does anyone remember a book from ~mid-1980’s (that I swear was) called A Legend in Wolfsong? It was one of the books inspired by the success of Watership Down, but with this one about the size of a normal paperback, and about North American wolves.

The main character was a wolf called Wolf, who was sent on a mission by the ancient wolf spirit/god Dirus to restore singing (howling) to all the wolves generations after another wolf, Rufus, taught them that singing was dirty and shameful, fit only for the dirty coyotes to do. Eventually, with the help of pack members Elder and She-Wolf, he figures out the best way to complete his quest.

From time to time I have tried to search the ‘net for a copy of this book, but have come up blank every time. Which makes me wonder if I somehow totally misremembered the title to this story. So does that plot summary ring any bells with anyone? At least enough to get me the actual title to that book so I can track down a copy for myself again?

My thanks in advance for any help given.

Hambeast
Hambeast
5 years ago

re: Massachusetts – Sitting here in California, I have to admit that I’m kinda jealous that there are states that have their own nursery rhymes…

Redsilkphoenix: Jetpack Vixen, Intergalactic Meanie
Redsilkphoenix: Jetpack Vixen, Intergalactic Meanie
5 years ago

@Crip Dyke,

Thank you. I swear I’ve searched under that title at least once, but the search engines would show me everything with that title except that book. But now, the engines are all ‘oh, so THAT’S the book you were looking for!’ and will now show the 10 zillion pages that talk about its themes.

Computers. >.<

Another question, this time more for the writer contingent. I recently came across an old art school project I did back in the 1980’s. The assignment was to transform one object into another in a minimum of 12 steps, or if you chose to do it as a story, it had to be at least 12 pages long.

I chose to do it as a story, and the result was something that the teacher said could be turned into a kids book. And looking at it now, the story Young Adult-me came up with could still work today, with a couple of tweaks and better drawing skills.

Reason I’m bringing this up now? I was also told (not by this teacher, btw) that in order to be considered for publication, kids’ books need to have words in them to tell the story. And quite frankly, I don’t feel words would add anything to this piece, if I went through to getting it to a publishable quality level.

Admittedly the right words may yet come out, but for now, wordless is what it’s saying it wants to be. (Maybe the kid(s) would tell the adult(s) the story(ies) they see in the pictures? Especially if I add in lots more stuff going in around the main characters?)

My experience with small kids and how they think is extremely limited. I have no idea if a book with no words would be suitable for small children to read or not. Does anyone here have thoughts on that part?

Crip Dyke
5 years ago

Wordless picture books can be good. Parents are the limiting factor more than kids. Kids already look at picture books that have words they can’t read when parents/sibs/others aren’t available to read to them. Parents want the words because psychologically they’re convinced that the purpose for early books is to teach kids to read, and they don’t see the point of wordless books.

The barrier you’re up against, then, is one of marketability. If you’re serious about publishing it without words, your best bet is to track down one of the few publishers of wordless children’s books (so you get someone who understands the value of your book and has some practice marketing books like it).

Alternatively, you can add words that don’t have anything to do with “story”. In a transformation book of the kind you’re talking about, you can add lines that are developmentally appropriate for your target audience but that simply invite the reader to look again at the picture. e.g.

Now there is more green. Do you like green?

if you send me the visuals, my BFF and I can try to come up with example text just to show you what’s possible. In addition to my other talents, I’m an author. I don’t have that many credits to my name, but some of those I have won serious awards, so while I”m not greatly “business experienced” I can promise you that I’ve got good writing skills. My BFF is a specialist in childhood language development but not a published author. Together we could probably give you several first drafts of different ways that words could be added, if you’re interested in just seeing what’s possible to find out if any of the major options are ones you hadn’t thought of or that strike you as more viable after being presented with an example than they did in the abstract.

Do not mistake us as experts in writing children’s books, but on the other hand using us for ideas would be quick & easy.

Crip Dyke
5 years ago

Here’s one list of wordless picture books.

Here’s another.

You can use those to look up the publishers to see who might be more interested in your idea if you keep it wordless.

Bookworm in hijab
5 years ago

@ Weird Eddie,

It’s not a wall, it’s golden calf, to be worshiped by people who have forgotten what their nation is SUPPOSED to stand for.

Oh. My. God. YESSSSSSS.

And, bringing together wordless books and immigration, has anyone read Shaun Tan’s book “The Arrival”? It is breathtakingly, searingly lovely.

Ariblester
Ariblester
5 years ago

I’ve released v1.1 of the WHTM Quote Helper.

This is a userscript / bookmarklet that adds a “Quote” button to the bottom of each WHTM comment. Clicking it automatically copies the comment into the reply text box, including

– Username
– Permalink to comment
– formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, blockquotes)
– links
– images
– and YouTube embeds

Changelog:
– Added an additional routine that removes unnecessary paragraph tags from the quoted comment

Userscript: https://greasyfork.org/scripts/377808-whtm-quote-helper/code/WHTM%20Quote%20Helper.user.js

Bookmarklet: https://pastebin.com/veeD48m9