The Weird, Random, and Interesting things that Fit Nowhere Else Thread

[Lexx]

^ this is so awesome. I love all of their robot videos. Really wish they would release more of them, faster. :>

[Malcador]

http://www.bbc.com/news/education-35659685

 

At first I thought this would affect stuff like an M.Sc or M.A. But not that bad

[Amentep]

http://www.bbc.com/news/education-35659685

 

At first I thought this would affect stuff like an M.Sc or M.A. But not that bad

 

'Harvard academics say that the word "master" derives from the Latin term "magister" - a form of address for scholars or teachers. It is similar to terms such as "school master" or "head master".'

 

So why not change "House Master" to "House Magister" then?  Faculty Dean is a boring title - I can see a lot of people thinking "House Magister? That's kinda cool" though.

[Gromnir]

 

forcing tina turner, a black woman, to call a white man "master" were offensive and left a permanent and indelible stain on Gromnir's soul.

 

...

 

in actuality, we saw the film while in high school... went with some friends from the football team.  as we attended a school that had a +90% black enrollment, it should come as no surprise that the guys we saw the movie with were all african-american or o' mixed backgrounds.  we all thought tina were fantastic... and given just how dangerous were our neighborhood, am certain we all used "safe space" different than did the kids from harvard who were offended by titles. 

 

*shrug*

 

martial arts movies must drive the harvard kits absolutely nuts... and star wars.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Malcador]

House Master sounds like a 90s DJ.

[Gromnir]

admission: we would never voluntarily call another person master.

 

the only person who can teach us the five-point exploding heart technique is Master pai mei?  if the old buzzard insists that we call him master, then Gromnir is gonna need be left ignorant o' the technique in question.  if the folks at harvard were insisting that students actual call'em "master," Gromnir woulda' likely supported their cause, but that is doubtful.  is unlikely that harvard headmasters were insisting on being called "master."  

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Hurlshort]

I don't know, anyone named Bates is worth it just for the giggles.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Hurlshot

[Volourn]

Funny enough not one eprson crying about this 'master' thing has ever been a slave or likely has never been forced to call someone 'master' in a slave-master relationship.

 

But... the FEELZ... OH THE FEELZ.................

[Amentep]

is unlikely that harvard headmasters were insisting on being called "master."

"Call me...'head'"

[Malcador]

Recall a similar fuss about Master/Slave terminology in electronics.

[Gfted1]

Back in the day, we used to call diagonal wire cutters "dikes". As you can imagine that term has fallen out of favor.

[Hurlshort]

Getting in a huff about changing terminology is just as ridiculous as getting in a huff about terminology.  

[Amentep]

Recall a similar fuss about Master/Slave terminology in electronics.

Wasn't there one about male/female connectors as well?

[Vaeliorin]

Getting in a huff about changing terminology is just as ridiculous as getting in a huff about terminology.  

While it's not a huge deal, when you become used to terminology, it's really annoying when it gets changed.  It's even more annoying when people give you flak for using the old terminology out of habit.

[Malcador]

Wasn't there one about male/female connectors as well?

Hah, not that I am aware of but yeah I can see someone being offended over those terms.

[Volourn]

"Getting in a huff about changing terminology is just as ridiculous as getting in a huff about terminology. "

 

Until they lock you up for using the old terminology because they'll use it as 'proof' that you 'pro slavery'. And, don't think they won't.

[Elerond]

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/couple-killed-inglewood-police-shooting-asleep-mayor-butts-369902981.html

 

"Both the man and woman who were mortally wounded during an officer involved shooting were unconscious when Inglewood police first responded to where they were sitting in a car, said Inglewood Mayor James Butts Tuesday in response to questions about the incident.

For at least 45 minutes, police attempted "to rouse" them in an effort "to de-escalate the situation," said Butts. It is the first public explanation for what transpired early Sunday morning during the time between the initial call and the shooting. Police previously had stated responding officers saw the woman had a gun, retreated to behind cover, and then gave orders for the couple to exit the vehicle."

 

I am not sure what sort de-escalation techniques lead to shooting two people sleeping in the car, but I would say they don't sound very effective. 

[Malcador]

Police use de-escalation techniques ?

[Volourn]

WHAT THE HELL.

 

 

"Obviously at some point they were conscious because somebody felt threatened,"

 

No. that isn't obvious. Where is the evidence that was the case?

 

All we got is this couple was asleep when the cops approached, cops saw a gun, retreated, and started firing. Nothing tell us that couple woke up and starting threatening/shooting the cops. Stop making ASSumptions. That's what the cops seem to do here and why two people are dead.

 

And, how do you descaulate something that ain't an issue. THEY WERE SLEEPING.

 

What heinous crime were they committing? I guess sleeping in your car is now a crime worthy of immediate execution.

 

 

Now the cops are gonna spin and lie their way out of this and  the couple don't even get a chance for their say. BRILLIANT.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Volourn

[Elerond]

[Raithe]

heh. in random entertainment news..

 

Kylie Minogue files court notice to stop Kylie Jenner trademarking her name

 

 

It's the battle of the Kylies as Kylie Minogue and Kylie Jenner go head-to head over legal ownership of their names. The pop princess has filed a court notice in a bid to stop the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star from trademarking their shared first name.

 

The 18-year-old reality star, first filed the application in May last year to trademark 'Kylie' for "entertainment in the nature of providing information by means of a global computer network in the fields of entertainment, fashion and pop culture".

 

However, court documents reveal that Minogue has formally opposed the application. The opposition was filed by KDB Pty Ltd under claims of 'likelihood of confusion, dilution by blurring and dilution by tarnishment'. KDB is registered in Melbourne, Australia and lists Minogue and her parents Ronald and Carol as company directors.

KDB, named after Kylie, Dannii and brother Brendan, a television cameraman, filed the opposition notice on February 22.

 

The 47-year-old singer already owns various trademarks including the name 'Kylie' for the services of education and entertainment. She has also owned the domain name kylie.com since August 21, 1996, a year before Jenner was born.

 

Opposing the claim the court documents make reference to Jenner's past controversies and the negative associations that might be made. "Ms. Jenner is active on social media where her photographic exhibitionism and controversial posts have drawn criticism from, e.g., the Disability Rights and African-American communities," the statements read.

In September last year Jenner was accused of racism after apparently buying her mixed race friend a birthday cake with the inscription "happy birthday N****" written in icing. And in December she posed in a wheelchair in a fashion shoot for Interview magazine, provoking outcry from disability rights groups.

 

In a less than flattering description Jenner is described in the court documents as "a secondary reality television personality who appeared on the television series Keeping Up With the Kardashians as a supporting character."

 

According to the Mirror, Minogue has recruited attorney Rebeccah Gan, of Washington D.C. based law firm Wenderoth LLP as her representation. The firm lists themselves as "an Intellectual Property firm with one primary focus - prosecution", adding: "We have been serving the needs of clients around the world in the patent and trademark arenas since 1921."

Earlier today, in an apparent reference to the legal battle and to make a point, Minogue tweeted a pertinent lyric from her 2000 song Light Years, writing : "Hello ... My name is KYLIE #lightyears".

[Malcador]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35688401?SThisFB

 

A Catholic priest caught on video snorting what appeared to be cocaine has taken leave from the priesthood.

 

Fr Stephen Crossan is reported to have sniffed coke through a £10 note on a night of drinking in July 2015 in Banbridge, County Down.

 

He was in a room with Nazi memorabilia and seemed to say "I shouldn't" as he snorted, the Sun on Sunday reported.

Image copyright Sun on Sunday

Image caption Father Crossan pictured in the video clip taken in his parish home last July

 

The bishop of Dromore said in a statement that he had no knowledge of the incident.

 

It allegedly occurred in the parochial house last July after a party.

 

The Sun on Sunday said it happened at what was then Fr Crossan's parish home in the grounds of St Patrick's Church, Banbridge, in July 2015.

 

Father Crossan told the newspaper that he took the drugs but said: "It was just the one night and that was it."

Image copyright Sun on Sunday

Image caption The eagle with a swastika pictured in the video obtained by the Sun on Sunday

 

A source said that a group ended up back with Fr Crossan after a party and found Nazi memorabilia including flags, hats and an eagle with a swastika on a plinth on his mantelpiece.

 

In his defence, Fr Crossan told the paper that he was no Nazi and that he collected historical items from every country.

Image copyright Sun on Sunday

Image caption A Nazi hat from the video taken of Father Stephen Crossan

 

He said he had been on sick leave with depression at the time of the video and said he had since left the Church but was being backed by the parish.

 

In his statement, Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey said that Fr Crossan had asked for and been granted leave from his pastoral duties at Seapatrick parish in May 2015. He said he had been receiving counselling and was considering his future.

 

At the start of February 2016, the statement said that the priest had asked for an extended leave of absence from the priesthood.

 

Bishop McAreavey said he was concerned for the priest's health.

 

Fr Crossan is no longer living at the parochial house.

[ShadySands]

This isn't recent but it's new to me

[Elerond]

17th-Century Female Spies Smuggled Information Through Eggs and Artichokes

[Bartimaeus]

Reminds of the story of how Roman "monks" smuggled silk spiders from China all the way back to Constantinople. The Romans then proceeded to monopolize the silk trade in all of Europe and the Middle East (and incidentally make the famous "Silk Road" more or less obsolete in regards to actual silk trade) for the next half millennium. Spies be whack, yo.

Edited March 2, 2016 by Bartimaeus