Uncle Bob On Painting

Some advice for my nephews; I know my brothers have much more sense than me so they don’t need this advice.

If your better half ever casually mentions that she’s having the entire house painted, don’t just grunt and say “Yes dear” allowing this tidbit to pass untouched through the hollow orb rampant upon your shoulders.

Have her committed or take a long trip.

Seth Roberts On Transsexuals (The Huffington Post)

Blanchard had proposed that there are two types of transsexuals: homosexual and autogynephilic -- in other words, that all or almost all transsexuals fall into one of these two categories. I'm going to call them Type 1 (homosexual) and Type 2 (autogynephilic).

Both are men who become women or who want to become women; but they are otherwise quite different. There are many surface differences -- so many that it is no surprise that, as Bailey says, the two types almost never mix socially. Type 1 appear far more like other women than Type 2, who sometimes resemble men wearing dresses. As children, Type 1 acted feminine; Type 2 did not. Type 1 often work in occupations full of women, such as beautician and hairstylist; Type 2 usually work in male-dominated professions, such as policeman, truck driver, scientist, engineer, and computer programmer. Type 1 usually start living as a female before age 25; Type 2 usually start much later, after age 40. Type 2 have usually been married (to a woman); Type 1 have not.

Blanchard proposed that these surface differences derive from a difference in motivation. Type 1 transsexuals are sexually attracted to men; changing their sex will help them attract men. (They prefer straight men to homosexual men.) Type 2 transsexuals are sexually aroused by thinking of themselves as a woman; this is why they seek sex-change surgery.

Tom Waits On Stealth

Did you bury your fire?
Yes sir
Did you cover your tracks?
Yes sir
Did you bring your knife?
Yes sir
Did they see your face?
No sir
Did the moon see you?
No sir
Did you go 'cross the river?
Yes sir
Did you fix your rake?
Yes sir
Did you stay down wind?
Yes sir
Did you hide your gun?
Yes sir
Did you smuggle your rum?
Yes sir

-"Don't Go Into That Barn", Real Gone

jcr On Environmenalism (Slashdot)

IIRC American Indians, many African cultures, and even our old agricultural society were much respectful of the environment.
-marcello_dl

Bullshit. The American indians simply lacked the technology to have a significant impact on their environment until they got horses, at which point their population expanded and they routinely exhausted hunting grounds, and became far more mobile as a result. As for African cultures, the majority of the Sahara desert became so because of goats, which were protected from predators by humans.

The fact is, it's the industrialized world that first became concerned about the environment, because we're rich enough to have the luxury of considering issues beyond subsistence.

Stan Goff On Needs (Feral Scholar)

Self determination and independence are just abstractions in the absence of local food security.

Mike Gerber On Ingmar Bergman

Bergman was the last link to the golden age of foreign cinema, where themes like alienation, mortality and loss were considered awesome date movies. "What would you do if there was another Black Death? I know what I would do -- I'd have sex ALL the time..." Once you get somebody thinking about the fragileness and brevity of our time here on Earth, their bra strap practically unhooks itself.

The intellectual breeds seldom, if at all; Ingmar Bergman helped everybody get laid. And that, to me, is the true definition of genius.

Richard Tedlow On Mental Baggage

[Intel] knew they had to get out of [the memory chip business]. Freud talks about a cognitive state he calls "knowing but not knowing," which he defines as a state of rational apprehension that does not result in effective action. Intel was being clobbered by Japanese manufacturers. They knew something was happening, but they didn't know how important it was. They were feverishly debating various ideas of how to respond.

Andy proposed a thought experiment to his then boss, Intel CEO Gordon Moore. "What would happen," he asked, "if the board kicked us out and brought in new management?" Moore immediately replied, "They'd get us out of memories." Andy looked at him and said, "Why don't we walk through the door, come back, and do it ourselves?"

By creating a fantasized new management, he was able to escape from the legacy of Intel as the memory company. At least in part because of that moment, the United States today is the world's leading manufacturer of microprocessors.