Random Thoughts

[The Architect Of Fate]

Dave Chapelle has single-handedly made the dumbest statement about abortion ever 

This is theirs, the right to choose is their unequivocal right. Not only do I believe they have the right to choose, I believe that they shouldn’t have to consult anybody, except for a physician, about how they exercise that right." He added "And ladies, to be fair to us, I also believe that if you decide to have the baby, a man should not have to pay. That’s fair. If you can kill this motherfucker, I can at least abandon them. It’s my money, my choice."

1. The choice to abandon a born person is not equal to the choice to not remain pregnant. Also, some women can't have abortions for medical reasons.


2. Money and bodily autonomy are not equal either. You paying some money every few weeks is not equal to having your body used as an incubator for 9 months. 


3. The idea that children's poverty should be used as a weapon against women exercising bodily  autonomy is gross and Chapelle should be ashamed.

[The Grand Nudger]

I think he's on to something there - but this allegedly pro-life state isn't going to pick up any tabs for raising children when they could simply force those who never wanted those children to foot the bill.

See the recent scotus decision for a demonstration of that. The way we've set this up is the worst of all worlds for the mother..and for the father, and alot of the time, in exactly the same way - because assholes aren't creative. Forced birthing is forced fathering, too. I think we all know how splendidly kids turn out when the only thing that kept daddy around, however much he was around, was the color of law. This isn't just an issue with forced births, either. Sometimes a child is wanted, but if one party can unilaterally decide de jure or de facto that this party is no longer a party to that childs life, why does the state and that same party, then, determine that this other party's wallet is forever indebted to the same? One of my (very much wanted) children is going to Temple. The rest of my (equally desired) children will be lucky if I can afford a community college. The only difference..I've not seen or heard from one of them in 16 years, for 13 years having been the primary caregiver for the others.

It's all garbage. Abusive patriarchy hurts men too, men first, most likely, if only to compel them to help subjugate women, instead. Assholes decided all of this stuff..not just the forced birthing. As a demonstration of that, I refer you to tracking the biggest child support offenders..who, despite having never in their lives seen the amounts of money they owe the state (not the mother..you innocent fools, lol)..still live with that sword hanging over their heads. I'm still personally 50k in debt to cse, exactly as much in debt as I was from the first moment that the child support order was written adjusted for "fees" - and at the rate of penalties, I always will be - even though my former so will never actually see that cash. The amount of money I spend on my four other children, per week, is less than the amount of money I'm obliged to send to a single child I never see, and I have no say in that matter whatsoever, despite legally sharing custody. Not because I'd prefer to..but because that's what's left in the budget.

......and I have far more now than I did when that order was set......child support commitment was the singlular reason that my second wife and our four children were on public assistance for years (thanks american taxpayer!), to say nothing of the negative impacts to earnings and credit from the same which have effected -only- my second wife and our four children. It was actually iffy, for awhile, whether or not I'd be able to earn any money, in order to pay my child support, on account of the actions taken by child support enforcement. To give you a direct example. I drove for a living..and when my living wasn't enough to pay, which is to say from day one of the assessment...my license was suspended. Work that shit out.

All this, ofc, because I actually meet my commitments and I'm not a giant asshole myslef - but what kind of fucked up commitment system is that? Where the people who do right get fucked - and when they don't do right...the kids get fucked?

[Angrboda]

For Boru....

On the second floor of Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum, the skeleton of an older, ganglier cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex stands tall. But if the creature were alive today, it might be limping. More than 70 million years ago, this Gorgosaurus would have been an apex predator in what are now the badlands of Montana and western Canada. Apex doesn't mean invincible, though. The animal's right shin is a mess of broken bone that healed over in life.

What broke the poor tyrannosaur's leg? Short of hopping in a time machine, researchers can't be sure. But elsewhere in the same museum, visitors can get a glimpse of one of the best—and most exquisite—suspects in this Cretaceous cold case.

Meet Zuul crurivastator, a new species of ankylosaurid that's also the most complete fossil of its kind ever found in North America. In life, the animal was a 20-foot-long living tank bristling with armor and weighing as much as a white rhinoceros. In death, its hulking fossil is amazingly well-preserved from its snout to its sledgehammer-like tail—the perfect weapon for delivering bone-shattering damage.

While Zuul's discovery was announced in May 2017, the fossil skull and tail were unveiled to the public on December 15 as part of a new museum exhibit. It's a multimedia extravaganza, featuring a full-size model of the fossil, a huge animation of Zuul in action, and even educational arcade games. (See pictures from an exhibit in New York that showcased dinosaurs in all their feathered glory.)

The rest of the fossil is still being unlocked from its sandstone tomb in a much more sedate warehouse about a hundred miles east of the museum.

(National Geographic)

[Fireball]

"Zuul"? I didn't go to the link. Maybe they watched the original "Ghostbusters" movie for the name? 

[Fake Messiah]

Gas prices have declined 21 days in a row, which means Fox News is about to discover a migrant caravan in about 10 hours.

[arewethereyet]

Thank goodness for saving emails, etc. that most people would get rid of. Must be the old school bookkeeper in me.

Question came up about royalties we are paying and why the amounts aren't correct....I was using what the owner sent me and luckily still had the email.

[arewethereyet]

OMFG it's hot. That is all.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

OMFG it's hot.  That is all.

We're currently at a scorching 56F. Supposed to rocket up to 64F this afternoon.

Boru

[TheJefe817]

OMFG it's hot.  That is all.

Yes, yes it is.  And my car's air conditioner only works when it wants to.  It's taunting me.  It's like being married again, but without the small chance of sex.

I refuse to spend another dollar on the piece of shit after replacing the transmission already recently, so my options seem to be 1) tough it out for a while 2) trade it in 3) push it into the lake.

[arewethereyet]

I think you are on the other side of DFW from me, if I remember correctly.

It's even too hot to get in the pool unless you take a bar of soap and some shampoo with you and just take a damn bath.