Random Thoughts

[Rev. Rye]

That awkward moment Three Arrows' new video about Rammstein gets you interested in the V-2 Programme, and you find out the only book about it in your local library was written by David Irving:

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And apparently, The Mare's Nest is one of David Irving's few books where the scholarship actually still holds up. I don't know if this makes it better or worse.

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[Rev. Rye]

Fun fact: on downtime at the store, my coworker watches videos on his computer. Lately, it's been reviews of the Powerpuff Girls reboot (by ShadowStreak), and sometimes, I look over his shoulder and find myself thinking questions like "Why the fuck did anyone think this is an appealing art style?" or "did that kid just grow a beard and tear it off and grow it back again?" or "why are the girls elderly now?" or "Chemical W? Fucking really?"

But one I looked at and I recognised immediately:





There was an entire episode of Fargo devoted to this logical puzzle, and I couldn't help but notice the problem here. Full disclosure, this has so many forms I'll just simplify the participants as Carnivore, Herbivore, and Feed. In order for this problem and its one passenger only rule to make sense, all three participants have the be roughly the same size (I'm going to go out on a limb and say that for the participants in the Fargo version, a rabbit and a cabbage combined would be close to the size of a fox, if not smaller.) If the Herbivore and Carnivore are left alone, there's a good chance that Carnivore will eat and likely kill Herbivore in the time it takes to bring Feed to the other side. But, in my estimation, if Herbivore and Feed are left alone and Herbivore has eaten all the feed, capacity wouldn't be as much of an issue, would it? You could probably leave the Feed on the boat floor (if it's a cabbage, you could even just break off a piece for the Herbivore and nobody's any the wiser). Sure, Herbivore germs on the remaining Feed might be an issue, but I have not found a version where they bring that up. Hell, the earliest versions were written over a millennium before Semmelweis. There's a blatant Asymmetry between the Carnivore-Herbivore and Herbivore-Feed dilemma is all I'm saying.

Thankfully, TedEd's got a version that rectifies this asymmetry:




And here's the answer for those of us who tried to take it on its own terms and didn't get it:

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Shuri got to say racist things.

[Rev. Rye]

Watching Pulp Fiction for the 97th time and now this scene got me thinking:





Is Butch’s killing Vincent justifiable homicide? On the one hand, from the leftover hand cannon on the kitchen counter, it’s clear that Vincent was going to kill Butch, but on the other hand, he was just coming out of the bathroom as Butch killed him with his own gun. On the off chance that he doesn’t go to Bora Bora, and the LAPD don’t notice any of the other shit that he does in his chapter and just that, could Butch get off on a self-defense plea (barring the fact that he’d inevitably implicate Marcellus Wallace when he explained what was going on, no doubt putting him in further danger?)

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Yes, killing Vincent was perfectly justifiable.  Not only was Vincent going to kill Butch (or worse, turn him over to Marcellus), but Vince had called him 'punchy' and 'palooka'.

For other reasons, shooting John Travolta is ALWAYS justifiable in a film.  I can't think of a single Travolta film (including 'Grease') that wouldn't have been more enjoyable had his character been gruesomely executed during the opening credits.

Boru

[Rev. Rye]

Just so we’re clear, I’m talking strictly in a legal sense. Morally, it makes all the sense, but morality and the law aren’t always compatible. And given that you’re based out of Ireland, I’m not sure how different the homicide laws there are to America (or California, since murder is a state level charge in the US.)

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Just so we’re clear, I’m talking strictly in a legal sense. Morally, it makes all the sense, but morality and the law aren’t always compatible.  And given that you’re based out of Ireland, I’m not sure how different the homicide laws there are to America (or California, since murder is a state level charge in the US.)

I see.  Yes, I think Butch could mount a justifiable homicide defense.

1.  Vince was a known criminal.
2.  Vince worked for a crime syndicate.
3.  Butch can demonstrate that said syndicate was out to kill him.

All of these make for a pretty plausible 'I was in fear for my life' defense.

By the way, did you notice that Vince coming out of a toilet never ends well?  He comes out of the toilet, and finds that Mia has OD'd.  He comes out of the toilet, and Honey Bunny and Pumpkin are robbing the diner.  He comes out of the toilet, and Butch kills him.

Boru

[onlinebiker]

My only problem with John Revolta getting whacked is it's always too quick.....


Some things need to be savored....

[The Valkyrie]

I just realised I haven’t insulted Iggy for a while.

So...


Iggy, as an outsider, what do you think of humanity?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Since the 1960s, one of the standard emblems of the New Zealand Air Force has been the kiwi, a flightless bird.

Rather a cruel joke, I think.

Boru