Sorry I wasn't around yesterday. I guess all work no sleep caught up to me… I've reached the point where I'm literally passing out during the day and just collapsed. When I woke up it was evening (and then I went to bed early). I've got a lot to do today and over the next week so I hope I survive (but it's better than being bored: I'd rather die with a hammer in my hand than with a sword or a beer).
Right now I'm just deleting mail I don't feel like replying to. Like this reply from the girl who submitted the picture below… some crappy webcam shot with a black dot put on it to look like a labret (which all but the very stupidest of us can instantly ID as fake).
Subject: Re: I gotta lb pic
From: Kayla
Uhh ok to bad that wasent a fack photo asshole.!!!!!
Here's a hint. If you're too stupid to spell “fake”, you're probably are also too stupid to actually create a convincing fake photo. Not that it makes any better, but at least sometimes they have a sense of humor about it, like this girl (I think) who got caught submitting a fake experience:
Ah, no worries.
I was just researching a new tat and wanted to look at more pics for inspiration.
Didn't realise the story would actually be read and approved - there's no fooling you is there?
Oh well, spent all the money I had for it on drugs and drink now.
Maybe next month.
Adios.
Mo
Most people aren't so laid-back about being asked to correct shortcomings in their submissions though.
Subject: Re: Chris's trip to 7/16ths
why i am being turned down, i mean this isnt a fucking english report, people know what hte fuck i mean if my i's arent capitolized. Chill the fuck out, am I being graded or some shit?
Subject: Re: my sexy ear!
screww you people to ill post my story somewhere else!
Subject: Re: Our trip to winnipeg!
ahhh your all a bunch narrow minded people!! you did not understand the humour at all im my writting!!! BOOOOO FOR YOU!!!!!!!!
Subject: Re: Plain boredom
hey fuck you guys……. BIG TIME
Subject: Re: The big stretch
oh common…you asked for experiences and this is my experience!!!!!
And I'm all for the capital letters…cuz it's called drama! It adds to the story!
AND have you seen any other experiences that you have on bme? They all say fuck! So give me a break!
I don't care who is uneduacted. Cartalige stretching bleeds. Everyone knows that. Just read your own fucking site.
I've had this EXACT story on bme before, and they didn't have a problem with that. You guys piss me off.
Well, you all have a GREAT day (theres capital letters again, and I don't say fuck THAT much, opps I did capitals again…oh no I should just DIE.)
Subject: Re: The centre of attention- my centre tongue piercing
Well just to let u kno i did use a spell and grammar check and im very loyal 2 this site so i wont bother tryin 2 help nxt time
Anyway, back to the grindstone.
I hope this is of interest… It's a little bit more nerdy than the stuff BME normally covers, but I really feel strongly that transhumanism and body modification are parallel journeys that face many of the same issues. Here is the first part of my Transvision 2004 coverage. Part two (a few days from now) is a long video interview with Stelarc.
TransVision 2004
PART ONE: A RAMBLING OVERVIEW OF TV2004
“Transhumanism is a way of thinking about the future that is based on the premise that the human species in its current form does not represent the end of our development but rather a comparatively early phase.”
- Prof. Nick Bostrom
Oxford University
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Transhumanism, at its simplest, is a way of thinking and being that embraces the idea that our experience as homo sapiens is just one small step in an ongoing evolution, and that we should take an active rather than passive role in “making ourselves better”. Transhumanists are a mix of philosophers, futurists, sci-fi buffs, and bona fide scientists advocating ideas such as uploading (the transfer of consciousness into computers), genetic enhancement, immortality, machine-human integration, and nanotechnology. Body modification culture lies on a related path and represents a real-world application of breaking the biological mold and transforming ourselves into something we perceive as “better” than what nature gave us.
(more)
Anyway, I hope some of you enjoy this. I've only touched on the surface of what people were talking about, so if the general theme inspires you, do check out the links — whenever possible I've put in links to more information so you can explore transhumanism.
(Original forum unavailable, sorry)*
So people are all up in arms about how the remnants of the Roman Empire Catholic Church have reiterated their stance that women are less than men. Big deal. For almost two thousand years Christianity has officially held this stance. While early Christians didn't have a problem with women, in order to get more male followers and to strike at the woman-positive religions at the time, Christianity embraced hatred of women as an official policy. Here are a few quotes from both the Bible, canonized saints, and other important figures in Christian theology that are considered “official”.
Personally I have no idea why a woman would ever want to swear allegiance to such a religion… but I suppose this recent outcry to the Pope saying “yes, it's still true” is evidence that most Christian women probably just pretend this is not what the faith is about. I'm not saying people shouldn't be Christians, but you kind of don't have a choice but to support bigotry as one (unless you reject the Bible and the Church, and seek out some “direct” path).
Of course, if raping little kids doesn't turn people off of the Church, I suppose nothing will. To be real clear, I'm talking about the Church, which is basically a corporation that survives by tricking people into believing fearing that an all powerful omnipresent omnipotent God has to hire an army of hateful perverts to reach people. I'm pretty sure that if God wants to talk to you, he'll call you directly. |
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“Every woman should be filled with shame by the thought that she is a woman. The very consciousness of their own nature must evoke feelings of shame.”
- St. Clement of Alexandria
“[Women] are the devil's gateway: you are the unsealer of that tree: you are the first deserter of divine law: you are she who persuaded him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God's image, man.”
“Woman is a tool of Satan and a pathway to Hell.”
“Woman is a temple built upon a sewer.”
“To embrace a woman is to embrace a sack of manure.”
“It is a good thing for man to have nothing to do with a woman.”
“We must conclude, that a husband is meant to rule over his wife as the spirit rules over the flesh.”
“Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to keep silent.”
“Girls begin to talk and to stand on their feet sooner than boys because weeds always grow up more quickly than good crops.”
“When you look upon a woman consider that you not face a human being but the Devil himself, the voice of a woman is the hiss of a snake.”
Had a great time at TV2004 today, super speakers on today's roster. Afterwards Phil and I did a nice long video interview with Stelarc… Both of those articles I should have for you later in the week. In the interim, here are some photos from today (you can wait for the article for details or google their names). Finally, a big thank you to George and Simon from BetterHumans for inviting me.
Shannon Bell (left), Jose Luis Cordeiro (om shirt), Stelarc (middle), me, and some people I don't know yet.
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Aubrey de Grey speaking on removing toxic aggregates that our cells can't break down.
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Rafal Smigrodski and I.
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Rafal Smigrodski talking on mitochondrial DNA replacement therapy.
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Anders Sandberg and I.
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Aubrey de Grey and I.
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Torsten Nahm talking on aging from the perspective of information theory.
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Ben Hyink speaking about his ideas on non-fatal uploading.
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Nick Bostrom giving the closing talk on “why”. |
Rudi Hoffman and I. |
George Dvorsky and I. |
Allen Randall talking on quantum miracles and immortality. |
I really want to emphasize that when events like this come to your area, you really should consider going. Not only will it open your mind in new ways, but it's an amazing opportunity to get first hand time with world class scientists, philosophers, writers, and artists. Next year it's in Caracas, Venezuela!
You'd think after having this system for so long I'd have figured out Avid by now, but I have to admit that I really find it incredibly counterintuitive. Anyway, with any luck I'll have this thing done and rendered for either later tonight or in the morning… so much to do, so little time!
Wonder why McCain defends Kerry? This article alleges that McCain is a treasonous coward and that Kerry sold out the POW-MIA crowd for money… This is still going to get a lot dirtier.
