Ethnic Joke: German & Chinese

Here's one of my favorite half-breeds. This is from the very early Dick Gregory. Back when he was funny:

Q: What do you get when you eat Chinese and German food?

A: An hour later, you're hungry for power.

Dymphna commenting on a thread,
The Thin-Skinned Need to Grow UP.

Pot as a Way of Life

Marijuana and chemotherapy go together like apple pie and Chevrolet.

Marie Schrader Breaking Bad S02E02

Ted Rall to his Future Eulogizers: Drop Dead

In his latest editorial, If I Die in Afghanistan, Ted Rall has it out with those who would praise the dead for being dead. Ted Rall is holding a future grudge for those media outlets who would praise him in death and never hire him in life. I have never understood the convention of a kind obituary if you disagree with someone in life you can disagree with someone in death.

Here is obit when the last Saudi clan leader died

Pakistan's ISI: Just Another Terrorist Group

In recent article about recent arrests of the Taliban leaders, Pakistanis Tell of Motive in Taliban Leader’s Arrest, there is reference to Pakistan's ISI displeasure in Taliban behavior. There wasn't anger over terrorism but to peace overtures.

It is too common in the Taliban war to describe the Pakistani government/military as "partners in fighting terrorism". We need to remember that the more accurate description of this state is "partner of terrorists, who we should be fighting".

Definitions of the Third World

In the discussions of BRIC there are comments of how Brazil is no longer part of the "Third World". I wouldn't categorize Brazil or Argentina or Chile as ever being part of the "Third World". At the last turn of a century these countries had living standards comparable to Western Europe. These countries had developed export markets, bustling cities, an educated populace, influxes of skilled emigrants. The problem that these countries had/have is not abnormally low living standards but a lack of growth for the last century or so.

I would describe these South America countries as not the third world but as fallen First World countries.

Columns, Specs by Vitruvius

I read Vitruvius' De Architectura (or should that be Vitruviorum De Architectura) a long time ago. One of the sections of the book is the proper proportions and spacings of columns. The above illustration is from a 1914 translation. After reading this book you notice buildings with "classical" accents that look wrong, with columns too thin, too widely spaced. I am aware that the look of Greco-Roman classical architecture was a result of limitations of building technologies and material science.

Pacific Columns is a company that provides custom made columns. Check out their column maker.

Dealing with Near Dead Criminals

In other words what is his [Krazy-8] reputation for violence?

Walter White

Well, um, he did tried to kill us both yesterday.

Jesse Pinkman

Breaking Bad s01E02

The Ballad of Fry, Bender and the Professor Lost in Time

In the Year 105105
If Man is still alive
If Robot can survive
They may fly


In the year 252525
The backwards time machine still has not arrived
In all the world there is only one technology
A rusty sword for practicing proctology


In a future year that ends with a twenty
A schlubby merman will try to get shovey
He may look like watery wimpy
When in fact he's blood thirsty shrimp


In the year one million and a half
Humankind is enslaved by giraffe
Men maust pay for his misdeeds
When the tree tops are stripped of their leaves

Futurama S06E07

The Perils of Being Mario in a GTA World

Bubbles on a Beach

University: the Place to Retrain Obsessive-Compulsives

At this stage in life I am too organized, too driven. I need to learn how to be irresponsible. I need a place where my potential won't shine through and I can veg out.

Tommy

Such a place exists?

Harry

Yeah, it does. I'm going to college.

Tommy

How to be a more normal human being discussion on
3rd Rock From the Sun S06E06

R Crumb Predicts the Future

In Zap #0 in a segment title City of the Future R Crumb has this prediction of future. The problem of absorbing the "facts & fancies" of the internet is that the direct neural input has not been perfected. People sometimes miss the biggest stories because of the sheer volume of information on the internet.

On one history program that presenter was explaining how the first renaissance men came about and why they were not generations of them. These were people a wide range of expertise. They were also part of the first generation of printing when to become an expert in a field was to read a couple books. Soon there was too much knowledge printed for some people to be experts in multiple fields.

Dead Monitor

I wonder when I'll see flat screen monitors and flat screen TVs are abandoned on garbage day. Will CRTs be antiques then.

Teenage Mutant Chi-Com Turtles

On the chicom version of Youtube is this mashup of the theme to TMNT and some Chinese communist propaganda broadcast/concert. The original video was probably from before the Cultural Revolution because the band/orchestra that we see is using western instruments like the violin.

From a link from The Vulture
on AH.com's Things that look like alternate history, but aren't.

Futurama and The Pastafarians

The FSM is seen in Futurama S06E09 protesting the teaching of evolution.

Join The Borg for the The Cool Tech

from Bob the Angry Flower

Adrenalin Junkies

You're a doctor, an army doctor.
Sherlock Holmes

Yes.
Dr John Watson

Any good?
Sherlock Holmes

Very good.
Dr John Watson

Seen a lot of injuries then, violent deaths.
Sherlock Holmes

Um, yes.
Dr John Watson

A bit of trouble too I bet?
Sherlock Holmes

Of course, yes. Enough for a lifetime, far too much.
Dr John Watson

Want to see some more?
Sherlock Holmes

Oh god Yes.
Dr John Watson

Exchange between Watson & Holmes
in Sherlock S01E01

Midcentury Modern: Another View

Jeez, it looks like an Italian hospital.

Freddie Rumsen getting hired at SCDP,
Madmen S04E02

For People Who Like Drama