Nerds. Nerds EVERYWHERE...

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

Montgomery was not the best British general by any stretch of the imagination. Auchinleck, after he took direct command of the army, set about reshaping it into combined artillery, armoured and infantry units along the German lines. His error had been in waiting too long to sack Ritchie, a static war general. Dorman-Smith, the military brains behind Auchinleck, was absolutely brilliant and had always understood how to use a modern mechanised army. Auchinleck/Dorman-Smith had Rommel's respect. Montgomery didn't. Wavell and O'connor also understood modern warfare very well. Montgomery inherited a dominant situation, benefited from Dorman-Smith's work in defending against Rommel's attack at Alamein and then proceeded to unimaginatively send men into a meat grinder. He relied on material advantage. I don't think that Montgomery reshaped the army along lines which would have been effective against Rommel on equal terms. Rommel would have made mincemeat of him in the conditions which prevailed earlier in the campaign. The fact that Montgomery could discern some obvious shortcomings in the Italian campaign says nothing about his ability to conduct a battle in fast-moving desert conditions against an adequately equipped Rommel. Churchill had a vested interest in promoting Montgomery and minimising the abilities of his predescessors and his memoirs distorted the truth, as did Montgomery's.

The British army at the time was a technologically modern army crippled by a command hierarchy which followed the class system. There were forward thinkers amongst the officers but they were often overruled by traditionalists. Good generals like O'connor and Wavell were let down by stripping of their forces and coerced into acting against their better judgement by politicians and their reputations suffered unfairly.

That's very interesting material about Auchinleck & et al. I am not that familiar with that phase of the African campaign -- can you recommend any good books?

IIRC, Rommel found Montgomery competent but predicable.

Monty was in command when battles were won. Of course he was made into a propaganda wonder kid and national hero. Recent trend has been a pendulum swing toward excoriating him. I'd guess the truth lies somewhere in between.

Churchill was a gonk who got extremely lucky.

The Desert Generals by Corelli Barnett covers the whole North Africa campaign. Barnett did converse with Dorman-Smith a fair amount, but I don't think he allowed that to influence him. Interestingly, Ernest Hemingway was a friend of Dorman-Smith and based one of his characters on him. He also slipped a jab at Montgomery into one of his books.

[Brive1987]

churchill was the right man at the right place from 1040 to 1941. After that he was out of his pay grade.

To assert that, you must posit that Churchill knew that Hitler was an even bigger gonk, who would totally fuck things up.

cf. Invasion 1940, by the above-mentioned Max Hastings.

But they were the colateral of having a bulldog in charge which is exactly what was needed to keep the wheels turning pre Pear Harbour.

And remember the Apple-mo!

No he could hope but not know circumstances would pan out. My comclusion only needs Churchill to be a stubborn bastard who remembered 1917 and understood Roosevelt was no Wilson. Even then the United States wouldn't have unilaterally decared war on Germany in 1941 without Hitler making his single biggest mistake by doing so first.

[Matt Cavanaugh]

...I doubt anyone outside of the nazis, and lackeys like Keitel & Jodl, just thought they could overcome it...

I don't have the relevant sources in front of me, but from memory, Zeitzler, and Von Kluge were both convinced the operation should go ahead even in July.
Admittedly, Von Kluge's motivations seem to have included (a) pissing off Guderian with whom he'd been feuding since December 1941, and (b) elevating his own prestige after a period of six months or so when practically all attention and resources had been going to Manstein and Army Group South.

Clever Hans could be a bit too clever for his own good when it came to playing office politics. Zeitzler wasn't a bad fellow, just over-eager not to rock the boat & get a quick axe like all his predecessors.

[Guest]

The Martian > Anyone else have problems with the central character?

goodreads.com topic/show/1826905-anyone-else-have-problems-with-the-central-character#comment_98699097

Mark Watney is a character that we have seen in science fiction lots and lots of times. He is a "competent white man in space" of the type of hero Heinlein was well known for and has been massively overused in the genre. Rather than deal with trauma and other mental challenges that can cope with prolonged isolation we get constant positivism, machismo and cheap, occasionally mildly homophobic wisecracks.

My problems with this are:-

a) As a character he is not very interesting. There is no character development (he started perfect and unflappable and he finished in the same way with no character arc).

b) I have seen this character with little variation many, many times before. All that has been done to update this character is pop culture references and modern vernacular.

c) I am not too comfortable with some of the underlying politics that go with this character in general in SF and specifically with Mark Watney. There is a real distrust for authority in these stock characters very often and a promotion of individualism. Not too sure how to add spoiler tags or I would give some concrete examples but as a psychotherapist I did struggle with the lack both to which Mark suffered or was affected by prolonged isolation and the implication throughout the book that someone who didn't deal with these sort of challenges with cheap quips and positivism would somehow have been a lesser person.

Not just man in space, but white man in space.
Psychotherapist upset novel's characters like much SF promote distrust of authority and promotion of individualism.
Psychotherapist upset with promotion distrust of authority and promotion of individualism.

Please tell me this is a troll or SJW Poe.

Same dude, a bit further on

Just for clarification my problem c) is not so much about gender or ethnicity but rather more to do with individualism. The sense that one person with just a few resources and a "can do" attitude can do just about anything and is better suited to solve problems than all the best minds on earth combined.

That many of these "Heinlein Competent man" characters are also full of machismo and at least small amounts of misogony, homophobia and racism does not help (not saying Watney is these things himself) but it is not the main problem I have.

If this guy is any indication, then yep, Watney is a defacto misogynist, racist and homophobe because he is a white competent male.

Others in the comments point out no one can remember in the book where it says he is white. Of course, white is the default because Hollywood is prejudiced not because the reader might be.

towleroad.com 2015/06/damon-martian.html

@Mike-

I loved the novel and have it as an e-book. I didn't recall any misogyny or homophobia and I don't think anyone who likes Sci-Fi, or even just action-adventure, could find it boring. Can you quote any passages from the book which demonstrate misogyny or homophobia?

Since my memory isn't perfect, I searched the text for the words woman and women and every use was either positive or neutral from what I saw.

As for homophobia, h*mo, q*eer, and f*g were not used at all. The only time the word gay was used was in this exchange from mission control to Watney, the character Matt Damon is playing:
"... By the way, the name of the probe we’re sending is Iris. Named after the Greek goddess who traveled the heavens with the speed of wind. She’s also the goddess of rainbows.
[08:47] WATNEY: Gay probe coming to save me. Got it."

The Watney character is basically a smart-ass so this is typical for dialog regardless of the subject matter. You may see things differently. Since we, the LGBT community have used the rainbow since the '70s (I think) how do you think it is homophobic for someone to connect rainbows with gay?

[Brive1987]

Barbarossa, Case Blue and Citadel were the three major German summer offensives from '41 - 43. Each of diminishing size. There was no way Citadel (Kursk) was going to be canned even if in hindsight operations had devolved to hitting heads against brick walls. All prev experience had been 'break the crust and exploit'.

And yet that was exactly the consensus among the Army high command (OKH). Given the terrible losses of the past year, but also considering the amazing success of Manstein's counterstroke following Stalingrad, a major Spring offensive was deemed impracticable; while waiting on the defensive, ready to counterstrike again, was the preferred strategy. There was, however, certain advantages to a limited operation against the Kursk salient: namely, to shorten the front and to deny the Soviets an advanced position from which to launch their offensive.

Hitler, of course, was adamant about YA major offensive. Which is why they tried three times that March to kill the motherfucker.

OKH saw the war in more conventional terms than Hitler. Hitler believed there was no room for nuance in approach - crush or be crushed. There was always going to be a major offensive in 1943, reasonable sensibilities not withstanding. OKH was not the active agent here.

[katamari Damassi]

Somehow their conversation turned to sex fantasies and she said that she had a rape fantasy. So he went for it. As he was about to
enter her she said No. From behind. He misunderstood that as meaning she wanted it in the butt so he penetrated her anally some
thing she was not prepared for. It was painful for her and she was pretty pissed about after. She never had sex with him after that

Why did she not say no when she realised he was going to fuck her in the arse
Why allow him to engage in a sex act with her that she definitely did not want

This was a genuine misunderstanding and he can not be held responsible for it as she did not object at the time
I would be interested to see what Nerd of Redhead would have to say on this as it violates Crystal Clear Consent

I don't have those answers. I don't recall if he even addressed those issues. My impression is that the whole thing was over very quickly, which could also explain why she never fucked him again.

[Matt Cavanaugh]

Anal sex and tanks. Reason #481 why The 'Pit rocks!

[katamari Damassi]

The Martian > Anyone else have problems with the central character?

goodreads.com topic/show/1826905-anyone-else-have-problems-with-the-central-character#comment_98699097

Mark Watney is a character that we have seen in science fiction lots and lots of times. He is a "competent white man in space" of the type of hero Heinlein was well known for and has been massively overused in the genre. Rather than deal with trauma and other mental challenges that can cope with prolonged isolation we get constant positivism, machismo and cheap, occasionally mildly homophobic wisecracks.

My problems with this are:-

a) As a character he is not very interesting. There is no character development (he started perfect and unflappable and he finished in the same way with no character arc).

b) I have seen this character with little variation many, many times before. All that has been done to update this character is pop culture references and modern vernacular.

c) I am not too comfortable with some of the underlying politics that go with this character in general in SF and specifically with Mark Watney. There is a real distrust for authority in these stock characters very often and a promotion of individualism. Not too sure how to add spoiler tags or I would give some concrete examples but as a psychotherapist I did struggle with the lack both to which Mark suffered or was affected by prolonged isolation and the implication throughout the book that someone who didn't deal with these sort of challenges with cheap quips and positivism would somehow have been a lesser person.

Not just man in space, but white man in space.
Psychotherapist upset novel's characters like much SF promote distrust of authority and promotion of individualism.
Psychotherapist upset with promotion distrust of authority and promotion of individualism.

Please tell me this is a troll or SJW Poe.

Same dude, a bit further on

Just for clarification my problem c) is not so much about gender or ethnicity but rather more to do with individualism. The sense that one person with just a few resources and a "can do" attitude can do just about anything and is better suited to solve problems than all the best minds on earth combined.

That many of these "Heinlein Competent man" characters are also full of machismo and at least small amounts of misogony, homophobia and racism does not help (not saying Watney is these things himself) but it is not the main problem I have.

If this guy is any indication, then yep, Watney is a defacto misogynist, racist and homophobe because he is a white competent male.

Others in the comments point out no one can remember in the book where it says he is white. Of course, white is the default because Hollywood is prejudiced not because the reader might be.

towleroad.com 2015/06/damon-martian.html

@Mike-

I loved the novel and have it as an e-book. I didn't recall any misogyny or homophobia and I don't think anyone who likes Sci-Fi, or even just action-adventure, could find it boring. Can you quote any passages from the book which demonstrate misogyny or homophobia?

Since my memory isn't perfect, I searched the text for the words woman and women and every use was either positive or neutral from what I saw.

As for homophobia, h*mo, q*eer, and f*g were not used at all. The only time the word gay was used was in this exchange from mission control to Watney, the character Matt Damon is playing:
"... By the way, the name of the probe we’re sending is Iris. Named after the Greek goddess who traveled the heavens with the speed of wind. She’s also the goddess of rainbows.
[08:47] WATNEY: Gay probe coming to save me. Got it."

The Watney character is basically a smart-ass so this is typical for dialog regardless of the subject matter. You may see things differently. Since we, the LGBT community have used the rainbow since the '70s (I think) how do you think it is homophobic for someone to connect rainbows with gay?

Trying to avoid spoilers, but he eventually gets a lot of help from teams comprised of vast numbers of people of all sexes, ethnicities, and at least one guy on the autism spectrum. How can they not love that?

[Shatterface as Guest]

It's fucking Robinson Crusoe set on Mars. Of course it's about a fucking indinidualist - he's the only fucker on the planet.

As to promoting mistrust of authority - you know who doesn't mistrust authority? Fucking authoritarians. the clue 'a in the fucking name.

These cunts would literally starve themselves to death than lift a finger to save their own fucking lives.

I would willingly go to fucking Mars just to get away from these cunts. I'd rather live in a tent full of my own shit than their fucking safe spaces.

[/rant]

Shatterface

[Guest]

This is a safe for plot trailer that reveals no spoilers.

youtube.com watch?v=CumZP6_9sHU

If you google it, the unabridged audiobook is on YT and the few minutes make for a terrific "trailer".

There's also a google talk that I haven't listened to:
youtube.com watch?v=gMfuLtjgzA8

[windy]

He is an unabashed heterosexual if I recall correctly, so yes, that would mark him a misogynist. There may have been a few jokes/cracks/discussion of the women in the crew. The book is about one dude beating up and getting beat up by Mars. Not a whole lot of room for sex in that book, unless you count the few times he took liberties with the potatoes he was growing.

There are no love stories on Mars. Except for the love between a man and his potato.

[Brive1987]

Ha! Just saw Pear Harbour and the apple-mo

:)

[Shatterface as Guest]

Also, psychotherapy is a sack of shit.

This cunt is whining about anti-authoritarianism because he/she belongs to a cult that thinks mental illnesses can be cured by resolving daddy issues.

Shatterface

[Guest]

It's fucking Robinson Crusoe set on Mars. Of course it's about a fucking indinidualist - he's the only fucker on the planet.

As to promoting mistrust of authority - you know who doesn't mistrust authority? Fucking authoritarians. the clue 'a in the fucking name.

These cunts would literally starve themselves to death than lift a finger to save their own fucking lives.

I would willingly go to fucking Mars just to get away from these cunts. I'd rather live in a tent full of my own shit than their fucking safe spaces.

[/rant]

Shatterface

Mark Watney and Matt Damon are white and the movie is about this white guy refusing to accept nature and fighting with Ares, a Mediterranean (ie brown) god of war. It's a movie about colonization and appropriation.

If it had been Sandra Bullock or Kanye West in the role it would be about a person of color's epic fight with Ares, a greek (ie white and male) god of war. It would have been transgressive and all destroying the patriarchy and bringing down the white man's culture, and a rejection of the white male culture of violence.

[Søren Lilholt]

Somehow their conversation turned to sex fantasies and she said that she had a rape fantasy. So he went for it. As he was about to
enter her she said No. From behind. He misunderstood that as meaning she wanted it in the butt so he penetrated her anally some
thing she was not prepared for. It was painful for her and she was pretty pissed about after. She never had sex with him after that

Why did she not say no when she realised he was going to fuck her in the arse
Why allow him to engage in a sex act with her that she definitely did not want

This was a genuine misunderstanding and he can not be held responsible for it as she did not object at the time
I would be interested to see what Nerd of Redhead would have to say on this as it violates Crystal Clear Consent

Get thee to a physician, sir!

[Shatterface as Guest]

Mark Watney and Matt Damon are white and the movie is about this white guy refusing to accept nature and fighting with Ares, a Mediterranean (ie brown) god of war. It's a movie about colonization and appropriation.

If it had been Sandra Bullock or Kanye West in the role it would be about a person of color's epic fight with Ares, a greek (ie white and male) god of war. It would have been transgressive and all destroying the patriarchy and bringing down the white man's culture, and a rejection of the white male culture of violence.

There's no ideological difference between The Martian and Gravity. I never hear complaints about 'competent' women. Since when did being fucking competent become a crime?

Christ, you think you've seen the dumbest shit possible and then somebody shits something even dumber.

Shatterface

[BarnOwl]

Did I misgender someone again? Sorry, I'm such a shitlord. BarnOwl, feel free to substitute it with "Lady".

That's OK, but I am shaking and crying and breathing into a paper bag right now. So triggered.

On the internet, no one knows your social constructed gender.

<---- standard issue middle-aged cishet XX human of Northern European ancestry

[heddle]

Holy crap Phil I'm so sorry to hear that. That's awful. I'll tip back a couple fingers of single malt for a speedy recovery.

Hey all! Back from the hospital at last!

So here's the short version of the latest prank the universe pulled on me: Friday 29th May was 'neighbors day", where all neighbors gather to have a BBQ and drinks. We did ours at a friend's boat in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer. Nobody could drive me home to Nice, so two friends invited me to stay at their place until morning. The living room floor was very sleek marble and I had new sandals worn for the first time that evening. In short, I suddenly slipped, fell, didn't have time to do any kind of safe reception and landed reaaaaally hard on my left side.

I couldn't stand up by myself due to intense pain, so one of the friends carried me to the couch, everyone hoping it was minor injury. Next morning the pain was still there so we called the EMT right away. They drove me to the hospital where I got x-rayed and learned I had a broken hip (yes, the old-people stuff). Thankfully, I had been fasting for more than 12 hours at this point, so they could perform surgery right away.

I didn't get full anesthesia this time, but through my spine they numbed and paralyzed everything below my belly-button. It was interesting to discuss with the surgeons as they were working on me. They placed nails and whatnots to try and get the bone fixed. The main risk now would be necrosis of the femur's head, in which case I'll have to have a full prosthetic installed. I'll know about that at the beginning of July.

Meanwhile, the pain is quite constant whatever the position, though moderate thanks to pain-killers. No joking, the neck stuff was a walk through the park compared to this. I'm not allowed to use my left foot for walking for at least the next 5 weeks, which means I'm going to stay at home and work on some music.

Added bonus: no alcohol allowed during that period, so I think I'll take the opportunity to definitely quit altogether.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words, and glad to be back. Going to catch up on things now.

[BarnOwl]

social ---> socially-

Damned edit button NEVER works. ::breathes into paper bag::

[Ape+lust]

Hey, Phil! I'm glad you're on the mend. Do you have a supply of skin lotion? If they're dosing you with opiates, it'll help with the crazy itches (if you don't want to take antihistamines on top of everything else).

I think it's clear by now, Phil -- you don't bounce. If you keep going to the hospital because you're not-bouncing, we'll have to see if Christophe Godin will be the Pit's bald Frenchman (Oddly, I wouldn't be surprised if he can bounce. We'll have to push him off a building someday).

http://imgur.com/k2eLyZu.jpg

[free thoughtpolice]

Apparently there are so many volunteers for suicide bombers that there is a waiting list, and queue jumpers:
http://www.24news.ca/the-news/world-new ... mselves-up

[KiwiInOz]

I just noticed the reference in BarnOwl's location: "The wrong trouser of Time". Great choice, Sir.

"Sir"?

or Madam.

Or something on the spectrum between Sir and Madam?

[Ape+lust]

Alex continues his quest to be the FtBer most annoying to FtBers and allies.

Baboons are getting on each others nerves a lot lately :D

http://imgur.com/yW8qGMD.png

http://imgur.com/c8HqFtF.png

http://imgur.com/HsXADxY.png

[KiwiInOz]

Hey all! Back from the hospital at last!

So here's the short version of the latest prank the universe pulled on me: Friday 29th May was 'neighbors day", where all neighbors gather to have a BBQ and drinks. We did ours at a friend's boat in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer. Nobody could drive me home to Nice, so two friends invited me to stay at their place until morning. The living room floor was very sleek marble and I had new sandals worn for the first time that evening. In short, I suddenly slipped, fell, didn't have time to do any kind of safe reception and landed reaaaaally hard on my left side.

I couldn't stand up by myself due to intense pain, so one of the friends carried me to the couch, everyone hoping it was minor injury. Next morning the pain was still there so we called the EMT right away. They drove me to the hospital where I got x-rayed and learned I had a broken hip (yes, the old-people stuff). Thankfully, I had been fasting for more than 12 hours at this point, so they could perform surgery right away.

I didn't get full anesthesia this time, but through my spine they numbed and paralyzed everything below my belly-button. It was interesting to discuss with the surgeons as they were working on me. They placed nails and whatnots to try and get the bone fixed. The main risk now would be necrosis of the femur's head, in which case I'll have to have a full prosthetic installed. I'll know about that at the beginning of July.

Meanwhile, the pain is quite constant whatever the position, though moderate thanks to pain-killers. No joking, the neck stuff was a walk through the park compared to this. I'm not allowed to use my left foot for walking for at least the next 5 weeks, which means I'm going to stay at home and work on some music.

Added bonus: no alcohol allowed during that period, so I think I'll take the opportunity to definitely quit altogether.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words, and glad to be back. Going to catch up on things now.

I'm late to the party. Have all the best frogs' legs jokes been taken?

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G ... 8110.L.jpg

Speedy recovery mon ami.

[BarnOwl]

Apparently there are so many volunteers for suicide bombers that there is a waiting list, and queue jumpers:
http://www.24news.ca/the-news/world-new ... mselves-up

[youtube]Es0t50H44IE[/youtube]

[Really?]

Alex continues his quest to be the FtBer most annoying to FtBers and allies.

Baboons are getting on each others nerves a lot lately :D

http://imgur.com/yW8qGMD.png

[youtube]szrof4WJsKw[/youtube]

[comhcinc]

I just noticed the reference in BarnOwl's location: "The wrong trouser of Time". Great choice, Sir.

"Sir"?

or Madam.

Or something on the spectrum between Sir and Madam?

Milady.

[Lsuoma]

... Churchill was an egomaniac & heavy alcoholic, whose head was filled with preposterous fantasies he mistook for strokes of strategic genius.

Yes, but to give him his due he did often curb his own impetuous instincts and defer to Alan Brooke's judgement through gritted teeth. He was not entirely unaware that his own recklessness had caused problems in the past. For all his faults, he was able to see the war coming before many others and did what he could to prepare the country. He also had Stalin's number fairly early. In fact, he tried to persuade Roosevelt to push through Italy rather than France to cut of the Russians. Roosevelt, though was more suspicious of Churchill than he was of Stalin.

And yet it's Roosevelt and Churchill celebrated in sculpture at Hyde Park (NY, not London):

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/ ... sevelt.jpg

and Bond Street:

http://i.pbase.com/u46/seebee/large/298 ... 2112CR.jpg

[John Greg]

Oh look; they show Churchill as shorter than Roosey. Isn't that bullldogism, or something? Ophie, can you help us out on this one?

[Ape+lust]

Melody's recent washerwoman doo-rag ensembles...

http://imgur.com/VFNUqJb.jpg

...finally create the hypocritical mismatch between avatar and social justice scolding we've come to count on from her. It took 2 years, but it was inevitable:

http://imgur.com/mXbKY4u.png

[Really?]

http://i.pbase.com/u46/seebee/large/298 ... 2112CR.jpg

http://cdn0.dailydot.com/cache/40/8c/40 ... f620dc.jpg

[Lsuoma]

Thunderf00t has a new vid up about tanks in WWII.

[youtube]xlzMYiqHe20[/youtube]

No SU-85, 1/10, would not bang.

To be fair, though, the Tu-85 is more of a plane than a tank:

http://forum.valka.cz/files/tu-85_003_585.jpg

[Guest]

Randi Harper shakes down OSCON over diversity, then blasts GHC conference.

storify.com endomorphosis/randi-oscon-shakedown

(In which we learn that Randi, who claims to charge $140 / hour consulting is offended when a conference does not pay her expenses to promote herself as a speaker at their conference. Many people charging $140 / hour to give a general (non-academic) talk at a conference might chalk that up to marketing expenses, ...)

[Lsuoma]

The Desert Generals by Corelli Barnett covers the whole North Africa campaign. Barnett did converse with Dorman-Smith a fair amount, but I don't think he allowed that to influence him. Interestingly, Ernest Hemingway was a friend of Dorman-Smith and based one of his characters on him. He also slipped a jab at Montgomery into one of his books.

The Desert War by Alan Moorehead is also very good.

[Ape+lust]

Alex continues his quest to be the FtBer most annoying to FtBers and allies.

Baboons are getting on each others nerves a lot lately :D

http://imgur.com/yW8qGMD.png

[youtube]szrof4WJsKw[/youtube]

Brutal :shock:

[youtube]D6Z2RhnqwI0[/youtube]

[comhcinc]

Randi Harper shakes down OSCON over diversity, then blasts GHC conference.

storify.com endomorphosis/randi-oscon-shakedown

(In which we learn that Randi, who claims to charge $140 / hour consulting is offended when a conference does not pay her expenses to promote herself as a speaker at their conference. Many people charging $140 / hour to give a general (non-academic) talk at a conference might chalk that up to marketing expenses, ...)

Just sign up for an account Nero

[Lsuoma]

...I doubt anyone outside of the nazis, and lackeys like Keitel & Jodl, just thought they could overcome it...

Das war ein Befehl!

http://photo2.ask.fm/892/723/830/239000 ... tredge.png

[Billie from Ockham]

Apparently there are so many volunteers for suicide bombers that there is a waiting list, and queue jumpers:
http://www.24news.ca/the-news/world-new ... mselves-up

I'd jump the queue, too, because I can do math(s) and, at 72 per bomber, Moslem heaven is running seriously short on virgins. Be a serious bummer if you go through the hassle of blowing yourself up and then they hand you a cup of coffee and point you towards the elevator.

[deLurch]

Dear Phil: Please take up knitting...

On second thought, please don't do that (eyes are important parts of our body). Maybe try reading in front of a fire...NO, don't do that.
Hell, I can't think of anything. Just stay in bed.

Finally, a Slymepitter invests the spoons to calmly and rationally approach the critical issue of our time. Apology accepted.
- Melody Hensley

I know just how Phil feels with his broken neck and broken femur. This one time I got a hairline fracture on my wrist...

[Lsuoma]

Apparently there are so many volunteers for suicide bombers that there is a waiting list, and queue jumpers:
http://www.24news.ca/the-news/world-new ... mselves-up

I'd jump the queue, too, because I can do math(s) and, at 72 per bomber, Moslem heaven is running seriously short on virgins. Be a serious bummer if you go through the hassle of blowing yourself up and then they hand you a cup of coffee and point you towards the elevator.

Or all you get is Emma Sulkowicz and upward gardening...

[ConcentratedH2O, OM]

Hey, Phil! I'm glad you're on the mend. Do you have a supply of skin lotion? If they're dosing you with opiates, it'll help with the crazy itches (if you don't want to take antihistamines on top of everything else).

I think it's clear by now, Phil -- you don't bounce. If you keep going to the hospital because you're not-bouncing, we'll have to see if Christophe Godin will be the Pit's bald Frenchman (Oddly, I wouldn't be surprised if he can bounce. We'll have to push him off a building someday).

Unequivocal death threat.

*Reported*
*Blocked*
*Fucked into the ground*

[ConcentratedH2O, OM]

Nerd of Redhead remains a stupid cunt:

http://i.imgur.com/sSZkiXJ.png

[jet_lagg]

Mykeru appears to have gone full MGTOW. He's having a twitter meltdown reminiscent of his pit flounce back in the day. So far there is no scat porn, but I'm not confident the calm will last.

[Kirbmarc]

Nerd of Redhead remains a stupid cunt:

http://i.imgur.com/sSZkiXJ.png

http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/a8/a87c8529 ... d6fc6e.jpg

[Tigzy]

Alex continues his quest to be the FtBer most annoying to FtBers and allies.

Baboons are getting on each others nerves a lot lately :D

http://imgur.com/yW8qGMD.png

I'm no fan of Alex 'Mushroom' Gabriel, but Spokesgay can just fuck right off when it comes to lecturing others on 'crossing the line into cruelty.' That fat fuck pretty much wrote the book on Baboon nastiness. Cunt's more than happy to dish it out - he's just pissed that lil Alex had the temerity to shit on his favorite faghag (Ophelia).

Fucking Spokesgay, of all people. Snivelling lardass hypocrite.

[ConcentratedH2O, OM]

Alex continues his quest to be the FtBer most annoying to FtBers and allies.

Baboons are getting on each others nerves a lot lately :D

http://imgur.com/yW8qGMD.png

I'm no fan of Alex 'Mushroom' Gabriel, but Spokesgay can just fuck right off when it comes to lecturing others on 'crossing the line into cruelty.' That fat fuck pretty much wrote the book on Baboon nastiness. Cunt's more than happy to dish it out - he's just pissed that lil Alex had the temerity to shit on his favorite faghag (Ophelia).

Fucking Spokesgay, of all people. Snivelling lardass hypocrite.

PM me if you've got a link to Spokesgay photos. TVM.

[Kirbmarc]

Alex continues his quest to be the FtBer most annoying to FtBers and allies.

Baboons are getting on each others nerves a lot lately :D

http://imgur.com/yW8qGMD.png

I'm no fan of Alex 'Mushroom' Gabriel, but Spokesgay can just fuck right off when it comes to lecturing others on 'crossing the line into cruelty.' That fat fuck pretty much wrote the book on Baboon nastiness. Cunt's more than happy to dish it out - he's just pissed that lil Alex had the temerity to shit on his favorite faghag (Ophelia).

Fucking Spokesgay, of all people. Snivelling lardass hypocrite.

They're all people who claim to be very compassionate fighting each other for who's more compassionate than others.

[deLurch]

So this is a thing:
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/59 ... 00x400.png
Anyone know about it? I saw it on FtB and wondered if it had come up.
@SSJcon

SS Justice Conference? Where is it, Wannsee?

Interesting.
http://www.secularsocialjustice.com/

About the only person there from the usual crowd is Heina Dadabhoy on the speaker list. And the list of supporting organizations is not the typical social justice warrior click. So I wonder if Watson, pz myers, and the rest of the FTB brigades will attend in droves, or shy away in droves. I predict they will shy away in droves.

[Tigzy]

Futher to my earlier post - I believe a correction is in order: 'his favourite faghag' should have been 'his only faghag'.

Carry on.

[ConcentratedH2O, OM]

Futher to my earlier post - I believe a correction is in order: 'his favourite faghag' should have been 'his only faghag'.

Carry on.

PM me if you've got a link to Spokesgay photos. TVM.

[Shatterface as Guest]

Futher to my earlier post - I believe a correction is in order: 'his favourite faghag' should have been 'his only faghag'.

Carry on.

That whole exchange is composed of the kind of tortured more-PC than thou language you expect from people who really want to say 'Stop being a cunt' but can't.

Shatterface

[dogen]

Thunderf00t has a new vid up about tanks in WWII.

[youtube]xlzMYiqHe20[/youtube]

No SU-85, 1/10, would not bang.

To be fair, though, the Tu-85 is more of a plane than a tank:

http://forum.valka.cz/files/tu-85_003_585.jpg

Either I'm missing a joke, or you think I typed "SU-85" when I meant "Tu-85". If the latter, do you even tank destroyer? Or can't you even?

[Tigzy]

Futher to my earlier post - I believe a correction is in order: 'his favourite faghag' should have been 'his only faghag'.

Carry on.

PM me if you've got a link to Spokesgay photos. TVM.

Just google 'Ron Kray'. Bizarrely enough, Spokesgay looks almost exactly like the notorious 1960s London mob boss. Both were gay, too. And fat*. However, there the comparison ends. Ron Kray was known to be quite nice on rare occasions.

*Ron Kray was finally imprisoned after being convicted of shooting fellow mobster George Cornell, after taking exception to being referred to by Cornell as 'that fat poof'. I think it was the 'fat' bit that did it for poor George. I've never known a gay who takes kindly to being considered as overweight. I reckon even Christopher Biggins might get a bit tasty with someone who brought up his rotundity.

[Service Dog]

So this is a thing:
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/59 ... 00x400.png
Anyone know about it? I saw it on FtB and wondered if it had come up.
@SSJcon

SS Justice Conference? Where is it, Wannsee?

Interesting.
http://www.secularsocialjustice.com/

About the only person there from the usual crowd is Heina Dadabhoy on the speaker list. And the list of supporting organizations is not the typical social justice warrior click. So I wonder if Watson, pz myers, and the rest of the FTB brigades will attend in droves, or shy away in droves. I predict they will shy away in droves.

Sikivu Hutchinson blogs at FtB. She's the one who called Dawkins 'white supremecist'. Take it away, Justy...
[youtube]yUQdID3EBAg[/youtube]

Soraya Chemaly is the one who claimed UConn's revamped logo was a "rape meme" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-ch ... 65756.html

[comhcinc]

I've never known a gay who takes kindly to being considered as overweight.

Don't know a lot of bears huh?
http://sdgln.com/files/bears1-27715.jpg

[Tigzy]

I've never known a gay who takes kindly to being considered as overweight.

Don't know a lot of bears huh?
http://sdgln.com/files/bears1-27715.jpg

Those are the smiles of people covering up a lot of internal hurt and anguish, like the classic teary-eyed rictuses of sad clowns.

Hmmm. 'Like the classic teary-eyed rictuses of sad clowns'.

I believe I've discovered a new law: that it's impossible to mention circus clowns in even a lighthearted or romantic manner without it sounding sinsister.

[Tigzy]

Or sinister, even. However apt 'sinsister' might inadvertantly be.

[ConcentratedH2O, OM]

Futher to my earlier post - I believe a correction is in order: 'his favourite faghag' should have been 'his only faghag'.

Carry on.

PM me if you've got a link to Spokesgay photos. TVM.

Just google 'Ron Kray'. Bizarrely enough, Spokesgay looks almost exactly like the notorious 1960s London mob boss. Both were gay, too. And fat*. However, there the comparison ends. Ron Kray was known to be quite nice on rare occasions.

*Ron Kray was finally imprisoned after being convicted of shooting fellow mobster George Cornell, after taking exception to being referred to by Cornell as 'that fat poof'. I think it was the 'fat' bit that did it for poor George. I've never known a gay who takes kindly to being considered as overweight. I reckon even Christopher Biggins might get a bit tasty with someone who brought up his rotundity.

Well that was fucking useless. You may as well have told me his name was John Smith.

And just as I wrote that, I realized you weren't actually saying Spokesgay's name is Ron Kray, just that he looks like that. Well shit, son, just PM me a fucking photo wouldya?

[KenD]

Mykeru appears to have gone full MGTOW. He's having a twitter meltdown reminiscent of his pit flounce back in the day. So far there is no scat porn, but I'm not confident the calm will last.

I've just had a look through his Twitter timeline. He doesn't care about Mercedes so much, and is so completely unbutthurt about his exchange with her, that he's spent about 15 hours straight ranting about it, throwing insults her way, and blocking any "white knights" who mock him for it.

Considering his obvious love of shit stirring, the whinging about "dogpiling" is particularly embarrassing.

Nine hours into that "mop up mission" and he's still throwing the same hissy fit at the same people. If he keeps on like this he'll end up with Twitter PTSD.

There is at least a glimmer of self awareness...

...but he doesn't exactly come out well from all this trolling and bullshit.

[Ape+lust]

Futher to my earlier post - I believe a correction is in order: 'his favourite faghag' should have been 'his only faghag'.

Carry on.

PM me if you've got a link to Spokesgay photos. TVM.

Just google 'Ron Kray'. Bizarrely enough, Spokesgay looks almost exactly like the notorious 1960s London mob boss. Both were gay, too. And fat*. However, there the comparison ends. Ron Kray was known to be quite nice on rare occasions.

*Ron Kray was finally imprisoned after being convicted of shooting fellow mobster George Cornell, after taking exception to being referred to by Cornell as 'that fat poof'. I think it was the 'fat' bit that did it for poor George. I've never known a gay who takes kindly to being considered as overweight. I reckon even Christopher Biggins might get a bit tasty with someone who brought up his rotundity.

:lol: :lol:

I once saw a picture of Spokesgay long ago. He looked like his birth presaged the invention of office cubicles, which he would one day inhabit as his native environment.