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December 28, 2005

Comments on Another question:
#2 ::: Xopher (Christopher Hatton) ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 12:43 PM:

This is the beauty of the internet, don't you think? The next time you need a graphic of an Iron Maiden cover with Spongebob, you'll know exactly where to go!

#3 ::: SeanH ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 12:53 PM:

The real question is, why wasn't there before?

#4 ::: Adam Rice ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:08 PM:

Xopher's right. This is like asking "why climb Mt Everest?"

#5 ::: BSD ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:12 PM:

Because it's the internet.

#6 ::: Kevin Marks ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:24 PM:

Because their label hasn't found where to send the legal notice yet?

#7 ::: Harry Connolly ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:25 PM:

Wow. Who knew there were so many things in this world that I really wanted to see?

#8 ::: punkrockhockeymom ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:30 PM:

My son (pseudonym Puppy, age 11), a newly minted rockstar-in-training (received electric guitar and amp for Christmas), is going to think that is the best. site. ever.

#9 ::: Dan Blum ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:33 PM:

I blame the interstate highway system.

#10 ::: Steven desJardins ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:35 PM:

Well, if there were only half a web page devoted to Iron Maiden album covers with Spongebob Squarepants inserted into them, what would you fill the rest of the page with?

#12 ::: SeanH ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:39 PM:

Sayeth M. desJardins:

Well, if there were only half a web page devoted to Iron Maiden album covers with Spongebob Squarepants inserted into them, what would you fill the rest of the page with?

Stills from the Spongebob Squarepants cartoon with Eddie inserted?

#13 ::: Claude Muncey ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:43 PM:

To misquote Thomas Berger: because it wasn't there.

#14 ::: Livia ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:44 PM:

No, the question is: how did the hell you find it?

#15 ::: fidelio ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:47 PM:

Clearly, it's Al Gore's fault for inventing the internet.

#16 ::: Paula Helm Murray ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 01:54 PM:

clearly someone has waaaaay too much time on their hands.

#17 ::: Lex ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 02:15 PM:

The real question is: What took so long?

#18 ::: Sandy ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 02:15 PM:

Well, if I'd had the idea, I woulda done it. . .

what?

#19 ::: abi ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 02:36 PM:

The internet is where the odds are good and the goods are odd.

#20 ::: Erik Nelson ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 02:52 PM:

"clearly someone has waaaaay too much time on their hands." (I have heard people say this more than once about silly web pages)

Wasn't there a book called "Leisure, the Basis of Culture"?


#21 ::: Lenny Bailes ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 03:52 PM:

This link would have been a good candidate for Mark Evanier's exciting online quiz game: "There's no such website!"

#22 ::: Josh Jasper ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 04:18 PM:

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you and feed you to Squidward.

#23 ::: dan ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 04:23 PM:

"Wasn't there a book called "Leisure, the Basis of Culture"?"

Yep, Josef Pieper...

#24 ::: John Scalzi ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 04:23 PM:

Squidward looks more like Eddie, anyway.

#25 ::: Linda Fox ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 04:34 PM:

My question is why would anyone want to use one of these as a wallpaper?

#26 ::: Laurie Mann ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 04:59 PM:

One might also ask why there is a page about elf sex according to Tolkien but... ;->

Well, at least I understand the "why" of THAT one!

#27 ::: sdn ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 05:55 PM:

i love the internet SO MUCH. i think i will marry the internet!

#28 ::: julia ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 06:21 PM:

If an infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of Wacom tablets...

#29 ::: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 06:47 PM:

Erik Nelson writes, quoting Paula Helm Murray:

"clearly someone has waaaaay too much time on their hands." (I have heard people say this more than once about silly web pages)

Wasn't there a book called "Leisure, the Basis of Culture"?

Somewhere, Patrick has an excellent rant on the insult of "too much time on his hands," also known as "get a life."

If I manage to locate it, I will report back.

#30 ::: Josh Jasper ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 08:05 PM:

Hokay, so this is the closest thread to an Open Thread I've seen that anyone is currently checking. I thought I'd trot this bit of inanity out.

I was reading Instapundit (because it's good to know what the bad guys are up to) and I came across this link reguarding Baen Books

In the comments section was this gem:

Too bad Baen only publishes right-wing trash. David Weber is the Heinlein of the 21st century, which is to say he is miliaristic, imperialist, racist and fascist as Heinlein was. One can hear the goosestepping behind every page. It's trash like this which the Faux-watching Red Stater dittohead bloggers love, which is why our nation becomes more of a fascist cesspool every day. What "treasures" are coming out in January? A quick scan of Baen's freerepublican site shows it Timoth Zahn, Johnny Ringo and Steve White -- Redstaters to the core. All we need is Ayn Rand and we can have a little nazi party. - Educated Progressive | Homepage | 28.Dec.05 - 22:16 |

He gave Daily Kos as his home page. I'm figuring there's a chance he's a right wing troll impersonating a real progressive, but sometimes the Verhoeven approach to Heinlein, and any SF that has the military shown in a positive light takes over people's brains.

#31 ::: TexAnne ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 08:14 PM:

wha...Weber's a fascist? Dear me, and all this time I thought Honor Hornblower was one of the good guys! But maybe things have changed, because I quit reading when we were introduced to Lord Whosis with the invalid wife. [eyeroll] I get it, she's Nelson, shaddap already!

#32 ::: P J Evans ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 09:34 PM:

John Ringo does seem to be a real conservative, based on his own website. I can't speak to the political leanings of their other authors.

#33 ::: julia ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 09:40 PM:

I don't know that you have to be kneejerk to have issues with Heinlein's worldview.

#34 ::: Graydon ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 09:56 PM:

TexAnne --

You might actually like what wound up happening with Lord Whosis and his invalid wife. :)

Weber has described himself as a 19th Century liberal -- he's really big on freedom from excessive regulation and to trade -- but he's also really big on government support for education and infrastructure, freedom of worship/religion, and the obligation to use the power of government to restrain the rapacious mega-corporation to the rule of law.

The guy is, after all, an historian.

Ringo, yeah, Ringo has been drinking the koolaid.

#35 ::: Bruce Arthurs ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 10:40 PM:

And David Weber, on the one occasion I've met him, seems like an extremely decent fellow.

I recall Weber and Dave Luckett, at that Bubonicon several years ago, having a long and well-mannered discussion about politics, from very different ends of the political spectrum. It could easily have seen print in a Making Light thread.


(Although this digression really should have gone into an open thread.)

#36 ::: Josh Jasper ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 11:23 PM:

But all the open threads were so far away :-)

#37 ::: Michael Roberts ::: (view all by) ::: December 28, 2005, 11:58 PM:

Heinlein isn't fascist. Not in my universe, anyway. Heinlein was one of my great influences in adolescence, growing up in *THE* Red State, Indiana. Made me a libertarian, which in turn made me embrace Quakerism (what could be more libertarian than that there is that of God in every person and that you can't find God in a book or a building?) and that led me to peace, and that led me to the realization that to attain peace you need justice, and that in turn led me to the notion that justice requires a societal infrastructure, and lo! a liberal Red Stater. (Or at least a libertarian Green. Whatever the hell that is.) And it all started in the Hagerstown Public Library, and Mrs. Grimes' inspired recommendation of Have Space Suit, Will Travel.

Just sayin'.

[nod to the actual, you know, topic]: Iron Spongebob rawks!

#38 ::: katharine ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 12:07 AM:

Maybe the same reason there's a LiveJournal community for furries who drive Scions?

I didn't need to know this...no, really....

On the other hand, there's something right about a wall of Spongebob Squarepants' evil brother Ed.

I suspect Kevin is correct:

Because their label hasn't found where to send the legal notice yet?

And I agree with Livia:

No, the question is: how did the hell you find it?

How do you find these things, Patrick?

#39 ::: Dawno ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 12:11 AM:

Thank you, Patrick, for posting that link. It's the first time _ever_ that I've been able to forward the SO to a site of that type that he's hasn't already seen.

#40 ::: Alan Hamilton ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 12:26 AM:

Back in the Elder Days of the web, The Useless Pages was a nice collection of, um, useless pages. It was inspired by finding a site that was a list of CDs the person owned.

#41 ::: Sandy ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 08:03 AM:

"It's the first time _ever_ that I've been able to forward the SO to a site of that type that he's hasn't already seen."

. . .on what dimension is "that type" sorted? I like the idea of "primary color: yellow."

#42 ::: JohnD ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 10:20 AM:

Don't know about most of the other Baen authors, but Eric Flint at least is well left of center, so there is some diversity of views there.

#43 ::: Erik Nelson ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 10:25 AM:

Most brilliantly useless website I have ever seen:
a directory of nonexistent phone numbers that characters in movies had.

(they all begin with 555, because that way you don't invoke a real phone number and cause a real person to get random calls from silly people.)

#44 ::: Scott Janssens ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 10:31 AM:

This is clearly the result of fluoridated water.

#45 ::: Sandy ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 11:33 AM:

Wasn't there some movie crew that got a real phone number, put an answering machine on it, and put it in the movie?

("Hi. You've reached David Lynch. Glad you liked my movie!")

#46 ::: slacktivist ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 11:58 AM:

In "Bruce Almighty" they didn't use the 555- prefix, instead using a real, live number for, of all things, God's phone number. The poor folks with that same number had to endure not only calls from silly people, but also calls from the kinds of more-sick-than-silly people who would call a phone number from a Jim Carey movie thinking they were actually calling God.

Re: the original question/koan -- things like this have been popping up on the Internet ever since Google switched to its new improbability drive.

#47 ::: Skwid ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 12:02 PM:

As the conspiracy theorist talk-show host in GTA:SA says to the caller who claims that the fluoride in toothpaste made him kill his therapist "Why should we worry about a chemical the government is putting in our water supply?"

Why indeed...

#48 ::: Lin Daniel ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 02:50 PM:

Checking out the Particles makes me wonder how TNH and PNH spend their days. I love TNH and PNH for bringing these things to my attention. I love the internet for allowing these things to be.

It makes me feel so normal. (*ack* dirty word! dirty word!)

#49 ::: Josh Jasper ::: (view all by) ::: December 29, 2005, 10:24 PM:

(area code) 555 1212 is directory assistance. I tend to leave it on all registration requests that ask for a phone number.

#50 ::: Carrie S. ::: (view all by) ::: December 30, 2005, 09:41 AM:

(area code) 555 1212 is directory assistance. I tend to leave it on all registration requests that ask for a phone number.

I've had that backfire on me at least once: it recognized the number and declared it invalid--whereupon I had to type in all my information again, not just the phone number. That is, the form was set up so that it didn't just let you fix the bad bit.

One wonders if it was to punish people who were trying to give them easily-recognizable fake info.

#51 ::: Michael Turyn ::: (view all by) ::: December 30, 2005, 04:23 PM:

Why is there an entire web page devoted to...

Because if you tried to fit all the "Bob"-sponged Iron Maiden covers on half of a web-page, they would be what we web pros calll 'too tiny'.

#52 ::: Robert L ::: (view all by) ::: December 30, 2005, 09:15 PM:

Because Iron Maiden's covers are cooler than Ozzy's.

#53 ::: Josh Jasper ::: (view all by) ::: December 30, 2005, 09:52 PM:

Carrie, in that case, I might give them the toll number of the national consumer affiars bureau of the FTC.

#54 ::: Alex Merz ::: (view all by) ::: December 30, 2005, 11:34 PM:

Hey! Lookie what's running again...

http://www.longstoryshortpier.com/

..yippeeeee!

#55 ::: Janet McConnaughey ::: (view all by) ::: December 31, 2005, 01:54 PM:

about that infinite* number of monkeys - they've made it up to 24 letters so far.

*Oh, okay. When the monkeys reached 24 letters, there numbers weren't quite infinite. But the simulator had made it to 2,737,850 million billion billion billion monkey-years.


#56 ::: Siggy ::: (view all by) ::: December 31, 2005, 07:58 PM:

Lazy bums! Post a new topic already!

#57 ::: PiscusFiche ::: (view all by) ::: December 31, 2005, 10:20 PM:

About the monkeys: I figure the monkeys have also typed the first part of my novel. All I have to do is refresh the monkey typewriter simulator until it ejects that first page or so. My work is done. No more slaving away at the computer, when I have infinite monkeys to do the work for me.

#58 ::: Michael Turyn ::: (view all by) ::: January 01, 2006, 03:26 PM:

Interestingly enough, as far as I can reckon, an infinite number of monkeys still couldn't read the complete works of Shakespeare in any meaningful sense of the term...although, given that the canonical case has them generating without comprehension, I suppose flipping the pages one at a time in order might count as "reading".

Or they could riffle them like a deck of cards, and one could claim that they were speed-reading with no loss of comprehension relative to their flipping them more slowly.

Otto: Apes don't read philosophy.
Wanda: Yes they do, Otto, they just don't understand it.

#59 ::: P J Evans sees comment spam ::: (view all by) ::: January 31, 2007, 01:10 PM:

of the linky persuasion

#60 ::: Tania is really sure she sees icky spam ::: (view all by) ::: March 18, 2007, 02:08 AM:

Ick.

#62 ::: Fragano Ledgister thirds the ick ::: (view all by) ::: March 18, 2007, 11:56 AM:

Definitely icky. Spammer should be fed to the zombies.

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