In 1986, Carlo Cipolla wrote an essay describing his views on the basic laws of human stupidity. Published in the public domain, it can be found various places around the web. This version is taken from the Whole Earth Review (Spring 1987 pp 2 – 7).
This is pretty cute — motorized ears that respond to changes in the wearer’s brain waves (not actually sure if this is so — the article doesn’t describe how this works). But it is funny, and if someone can actually make it change in a predictable way, they could be very fun.
Not yet for sale in the US, unfortunately.
From a boingboing.net post from today:
“Difference is a blessing, not a challenge. We define ourselves by knowing other people. We know our world by learning about difference. What is the word we often use? Tolerance. Is that a positive notion? Not really. ‘For the time being, I will tolerate you?’ I’m against that concept. It means difference is a threat. Difference is a blessing and you don’t tolerate a blessing. You embrace it.” — Mohammad Mahallati, presidential scholar in Islamic studies at Oberlin College. This quote comes from a Conference on World Affairs panel about Practicing Religion in a Pluralistic Society.
This just seems to so perfectly capture my personal philosophy.
From GalaxyExpress’s Heather, comes a list of recommendations for SciFi romance novels that your butcher, more macho friends will like too.
YouTube – 早乙女太一☓チームラボ [吉例]新春特別公演「龍と牡丹」-剣舞／影絵-.
How do they do this?? This is awesome!
Howard Taylor, creator of Schlock Mercenary web comic, gave a talk at UVA a while ago that describe the basic difference between talent and practice. His assertion is that it’s not talent that gets you noticed or makes you good at something, but doing a lot of practice. This talk is not what I would consider the best presentation (Howard still needs to practice at creating presentations and public speaking), but the concepts are very applicable to all human endeavours. As one of my mentors has said “Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly at first.” Howard exemplifies this view and expands on it in this talk.
This is a total rip-off of Scalzi’s column “Things I Don’t Have To Think About” because I don’t want to lose it. Do him a favour and read it there: Things I Don’t Have to Think About Today.
Also, his follow-up post is pretty near perfect: Narrative Usurpation: Quick thoughts on the previous post.
Today I don’t have to think about those who hear “terrorist” when I speak my faith.
Today I don’t have to think about men who don’t believe no means no.
Today I don’t have to think about how the world is made for people who move differently than I do.
Today I don’t have to think about whether I’m married, depending on what state I’m in.
Today I don’t have to think about how I’m going to hail a cab past midnight.
Today I don’t have to think about whether store security is tailing me.
Today I don’t have to think about the look on the face of the person about to sit next to me on a plane.
Today I don’t have to think about eyes going to my chest first.
Today I don’t have to think about what people might think if they knew the medicines I took.
Today I don’t have to think about getting kicked out of a mall when I kiss my beloved hello.
Today I don’t have to think about if it’s safe to hold my beloved’s hand.
Today I don’t have to think about whether I’m being pulled over for anything other than speeding.
Today I don’t have to think about being classified as one of “those people.”
Today I don’t have to think about making less than someone else for the same job at the same place.
Today I don’t have to think about the people who stare, or the people who pretend I don’t exist.
Today I don’t have to think about managing pain that never goes away.
Today I don’t have to think about whether a stranger’s opinion of me would change if I showed them a picture of who I love.
Today I don’t have to think about the chance a store salesmen will ignore me to help someone else.
Today I don’t have to think about the people who’d consider torching my house of prayer a patriotic act.
Today I don’t have to think about a pharmacist telling me his conscience keeps him from filling my prescription.
Today I don’t have to think about being asked if I’m bleeding when I’m just having a bad day.
Today I don’t have to think about whether the one drug that lets me live my life will be taken off the market.
Today I don’t have to think about the odds of getting jumped at the bar I like to go to.
Today I don’t have to think about “vote fraud” theater showing up at my poll station.
Today I don’t have to think about turning on the news to see people planning to burn my holy book.
Today I don’t have to think about others demanding I apologize for hateful people who have nothing to do with me.
Today I don’t have to think about my child being seen as a detriment to my career.
Today I don’t have to think about the irony of people thinking I’m lucky because I can park close to the door.
Today I don’t have to think about memories of being bullied in high school.
Today I don’t have to think about being told to relax, it was just a joke.
Today I don’t have to think about whether someone thinks I’m in this country illegally.
Today I don’t have to think about those who believe that freedom of religion ends with mine.
Today I don’t have to think about how a half-starved 23-year-old being a cultural ideal affects my life.
Today I don’t have to think about how much my life is circumscribed by my body.
Today I don’t have to think about people wanting me cured of loving who I love.
Today I don’t have to think about those who view me an unfit parent because of who I love.
Today I don’t have to think about being told my kind don’t assimilate.
Today I don’t have to think about people blind to the intolerance of their belief lecturing me about my own.
Today I don’t have to think about my body as a political football.
Today I don’t have to think about how much my own needs wear on those I love.
Today I don’t have to think about explaining to others “what happened to me.”
Today I don’t have to think about politicians saying bigoted things about me to win votes.
Today I don’t have to think about those worried that one day people like me will be the majority.
Today I don’t have to think about someone using the name of my religion as a slur.
Today I don’t have to think about so many of the words for me controlling my own life being negatives.
Today I don’t have to think about still not being equal.
Today I don’t have to think about what it takes to keep going.
Today I don’t have to think about how much I still have to hide.
Today I don’t have to think about how much prejudice keeps hold.
Today I don’t have to think about how I’m meant to be grateful that people tolerate my kind.
Today I don’t have to think about all the things I don’t have to think about.
But today I will.
Totally awesome commercials for the Kia Soul featuring hamsters: via YouTube.
The good folks at Improv Everywhere have done it again with a reenactment of the opening scene of Star Wars 4: A New Hope, where Vader captures Princes Leia:
Artist joebot over at etsy made this great album cover for an imaginary group River Tam and the Fireflies based on the Joss Whedon tv show Firefly and movie Serenity (this one is actually based on the movie Serentity, so no Jayne’s Song).
River Tam and the Fireflies
Link to the back cover.