Overnight Open Thread (9-11-2014)

Recessional

Hmmmmmm

(thanks to tmi3rd)

Update: Apparently this happened early this morning and according to UPS was due to legit computer issues.

Michael Wright's Escape from the 81st Floor of the World Trade Center on 9/11

The List of Common Misconceptions

Here are just a couple:

• It is true that life expectancy in the Middle Ages and earlier was low; however, one should not infer that people usually died around the age of 30.^[6] In fact, earlier low life expectancies were very strongly influenced by high infant mortality, and the life expectancy of people who lived to adulthood was much higher. A 21-year-old man in medieval England, for example, could by one estimate expect to live to the age of 64.^[7]
• There is no evidence that Vikings wore horns on their helmets.^[8] In fact, the image of Vikings wearing horned helmets stems from the scenography of an 1876 production of the Der Ring des Nibelungen opera cycle by Richard Wagner.^[9]
• Napoleon Bonaparte (pictured) was not short; rather he was slightly taller than the average Frenchman of his time.^[36][37] After his death in 1821, the French emperor's height was recorded as 5 feet 2 inches in French feet, which is 5 feet 7 inches (1.69 m).^[38][39] Some believe that he was nicknamed le Petit Caporal (The Little Corporal) as a term of affection.^[40] Napoléon was often accompanied by his imperial guard, who were selected for their height - some suggest that this could have contributed to a perception that he was relatively short.^[41]
• The redhead gene is not becoming extinct. In August 2007, many news organizations reported that redheads would become extinct, possibly as early as 2060, due to the gene for red hair being recessive. Although redheads may become more rare (for example, mixed marriages where one parent is from a group without the redhead gene will result in no children, but some grandchildren, with red hair), they will not die out unless everyone who carries the gene dies or fails to reproduce.^[225] This misconception has been around since at least 1865, and often resurfaces in American newspapers.

• The Quran does not promise martyrs 72 virgins in heaven. It does mention virgin companions, houri, to all people-martyr or not-in heaven, but no number is specified. The source for the 72 virgins is a hadith in Sunan al-Tirmidhi by Imam Tirmidhi.^[345][346] Hadiths are sayings and acts of the prophet Mohammed as reported by others, and as such they are not part of the Quran itself. Muslims are not meant to necessarily believe all hadiths, and that applies particularly to those hadiths that are weakly sourced, such as this one.^[347] Furthermore, the correct translation of this hadith is a matter of debate

"Sorry Mr. President, ISIS Is 100 Percent Islamic"

So just to review how the left has responded to a 100 years of inconvenient history, National Socialism wasn't "real" socialism, except that it certainly was - it was just socialism that the rest of of the left didn't like. The Soviet Union wasn't "real" communism or socialism, except that as Tom Wolfe once impolitely reminded "liberals" in the mid-1970s, "On the contrary - it was socialism done by experts!" And now ISIS isn't Islamic. Gotcha.

WRM on Obama's Big Speech: 'A President Surrenders'

CBC Warns Canadians of "US Law Enforcement Money Extortion Program"

Authorities claim it's legal, but some prosecutors and judges have called it what it is: abuse.
In any case, it's a nasty American reality.

...So, for any law-abiding Canadian thinking about an American road trip, here's some non-official advice:

Avoid long chats if you're pulled over. Answer questions politely and concisely, then persistently ask if you are free to go.

Don't leave litter on the vehicle floor, especially energy drink cans.

Don't use air or breath fresheners; they could be interpreted as an attempt to mask the smell of drugs.

Don't be too talkative. Don't be too quiet. Try not to wear expensive designer clothes. Don't have tinted windows.

And for heaven's sake, don't consent to a search if you are carrying a big roll of legitimate cash.

Huh: Palin Family Allegedly Involved In A Brawl

Okay I thought this was a joke at first but it seems to be real. On one hand I get that the Palin are public targets but from initial details this appears to just be snowbillies doing their thing. Note to self: Do not mess with snowbillies.

According to local blogger Amanda Coyne, witnesses at the scene said Palin's eldest son, Track, showed up to the party in a stretch Hummer. He then confronted a man who had previously dated one of his sisters, according to Coyne and another blog called Immoral Minority.

"That led to some pushing and shoving, which escalated somehow to the family being asked to leave the premises," Immoral Minority, reported.

"Word is that Bristol has a particularly strong right hook, which she employed repeatedly, and it's something to hear when Sarah screams, "Don't you know who I am!" Coyne reported.

..."As people were leaving in a cab, Track was seen on the street, shirtless, flipping people off, with Sarah right behind him, and Todd somewhere in the foreground, tending to his bloody nose," a witness told Coyne.

Anchorage police declined to provide details told Immoral Minority that none of the parties involved wanted to press charges. No arrests were made.

According to police alcohol was a factor.

Yet Another Crime of White People: Making Minorities Fat

Most Powerful Russian Revolver Ever?

According to the sign it's a .50 caliber so most likely it fires the ASh-12.7 (12.7x55mm) cartridge used by Russian security forces.

Great Moments in Disrobement for Comedic Effect

A knowledgeable Moron has probably seen many of these and can recall the scenes just from the title. And sometimes the titles alone are entertaining such as SCTV's "Dr. Tongue's 3D House of Stewardesses".

Extinct Snail 'Killed' by Climate Change Returns From the Dead

Well I for one am now concerned about these zombie snails.

Since 2007, the Aldabra Banded Snail (Rhachistia aldabrae) has been the chief poster mollusc of climate alarmists across the globe. That's because - according to a peer-reviewed paper published by an "expert" in the field Justin Gerlach - it was the first extinction directly attributable to climate change.

...The snail - quite handsome by molluscular standards, with a conical shell and a natty, black and reddish-pink go-faster stripe pattern - was recently rediscovered in "dense mixed scrub forest on the coastal fringe of Malabar island, Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles".

This reduces to a grand total of zero the number of species extinctions around the world due to "climate change" - something which will no doubt prove gravely disappointing to global warming alarmists everywhere.

Yahoo group. That is all.

Come on be a smartie and join the yahoo group party! For the children.

And my lo-fi Twitter spew.

Tonight's post brought to you by the picture they want you to forget:

Notice: Posted by permission of AceCorp LLC. Do not taunt happy-fun ball on this day of all days. Open your packets at midnight.

posted by Maetenloch at 10:32 PM

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