Sunday, 16 March 2014

Spanked with historical facts

quote [ "They had flushing toilets, with wooden seats and an overhead reservoir. The Minoan royals were the last group to use flushing toilets until the re-development of that technology in 1596." ]

A small blog post that made me chuckle, and it is full of cool information...if you are into ancient plumbing technology.
[SFW] [humor] [+7 Informative]
[by rapscallion@2:58amGMT]

Comments

ept said @ 5:55am GMT on 16th Mar [Score:3 Underrated]
Uh... the Minoans are from Europe, and none of the rest of the examples of plumbing came from Africa either. Minos (Europe), Maya (Central America, and don't actually predate Roman plumbing as the article claims), Pakistan (subcontinental), Shang (China). The only thing that is African is a one-liner mentioning Armana in Ancient Egypt, without actually saying what they did. Next to Armana is another one-liner not mentioning what people did in Perseopolis... which has the entire Arabian peninsula between it and Africa.

So as far as 'burns' go, it's an utter failure - "Romans had plumbing before Africans? Well, here are all these non-Africans that had plumbing, the second-earliest being European themselves". The original bigot was a dick, but so was the respondent. Also, the "Dark Ages" are a myth, just the same as "Africa had no technology".
azazel said @ 7:43am GMT on 16th Mar
This is all without even bothering to question whether plumbing is a signifier for a civilised culture to begin with.
Abdul Alhazred said @ 8:03am GMT on 16th Mar
I would say it's a pretty good indicator. It means that a large group of people worked cooperatively on a pretty labor-intensive project involving the use of ceramics or stone to create piping systems with a continuous grade to them, which indicates that they planned to be in that area for a good amount of time. They also either knew that sewage made them sick or just plain didn't like the reek. And there were systems to supply running water to houses. Based on those things alone, I'd call that civilization. What you consider a civilized culture is another thing altogether and is a matter of opinion. Some might consider the UAE to be a less than civilized culture, for instance. (I'm not among them- I consider the place pretty well civilized.) But there are areas of England, for instance, that I'm not sure I would call civilized...
rapscallion said @ 12:46pm GMT on 16th Mar
While the comment that started the shit storm was African vs. European themed, I think the author of the response was approaching it more from a European vs rest of the world model.
seneschal said @ 2:34am GMT on 17th Mar
Yeah, but that's why it fails as a response. It is analogous to responding to a claim that martians can't add by responding that plenty of extra-terrestrials are good at math, and the Venusians invented addition.
sanepride said @ 5:25pm GMT on 16th Mar [Score:1 Good]
Speaking of sewage, WBC founder Fred Phelps is reportedly on his deathbed.
I wonder if anyone will protest at his funeral?
mechanical contrivance said @ 11:46pm GMT on 16th Mar
No, because we're better than he is.
Abdul Alhazred said @ 11:50pm GMT on 16th Mar
That said, someone should plant some fruit and nut trees at his gravesite and see if anyone makes the connection.
mechanical contrivance said @ 12:58am GMT on 17th Mar [Score:1 Insightful]
I'd rather he not be remembered at all.
seneschal said @ 2:35am GMT on 17th Mar
He won't be, but there are plenty more like him.
Abdul Alhazred said @ 3:55am GMT on 17th Mar
Perhaps then the best way to salute his memory is by decorating his grave with used condoms, preferably in rainbow colors?
mechanical contrivance said @ 4:04am GMT on 17th Mar
That would mean remembering him. Let his memory fade away.
seneschal said @ 2:42am GMT on 17th Mar
Yeah. I get that. I really do. At the same time, I think of him and burn with anger.

I'd say that turnabout is fair play, and protesting at his funeral, although not noble, is at least fair. I won't do it, but I can understand those who would.

Part of the reason that I won't do it is that it would bring him great comfort to know that his funeral will be protested. He fucking LOVES that kind of any publicity.

I do want something cathartic, but not overtly or publicly malicious, to do to celebrate his pending inability to commit evil.

I also wish that there was some way he could find out at the last minute that there isn't a god for whom he claims to have committed so much evil. I'd like to think of him finding out by omission. But that's not what will happen. He gets off easy I suppose - no big reveal, he will just end.
ithaqua10 said @ 3:13am GMT on 17th Mar
I almost wish that he finds a god, but one that feels what he did is evil and torments him for all eternity.
seneschal said @ 3:30am GMT on 17th Mar
There is some comedy in that line of thinking.

Cut to scene: Pearly gates with a big sign stating: "All Welcome!"

Cue St Peter, a man with pink wings, dressed in pink robes decorated with stylized images of erect penises. He is holding a rainbow flag in one hand and a large dildo in the other.

"Welcome brother to the kingdom of heaven. Now let's correct a few common misconceptions. First: God 'loves' all mankind, so everyone gets into heaven and get ready for some lovin'. Second: Don't be alarmed at God's appearance - he only created part of man in his image - if you know what I mean." He waves the dildo around and winks. "Now, head right on in and have some fun!"
mechanical contrivance said @ 4:07am GMT on 17th Mar
Phelps might like that since he's probably a repressed closeted homosexual.
ithaqua10 said @ 12:54pm GMT on 17th Mar
I was thinking more he shows up at the pearly gates to protestors with signs with phrases like God hates fag bashers, who then beat Phelps all the way down to hell.
sanepride said @ 1:03pm GMT on 17th Mar
Phelps & WBC's brand of outrageous extremism makes a pretty easy target for derision, but in the end they are largely harmless crackpots, universally despised.

A lot more harm comes from mainstream politicians and their supporters who say things like 'I've go nothing against gays, some of my best friends are...' and at the same time continue to support policies of institutional inequality and discrimination.
seneschal said @ 3:47pm GMT on 17th Mar
Really? I think Phelps' radicalism helps normalize the more 'mainstream' homophobia you describe. I also cannot discount the personal trauma Phelps' family inflicts on soldiers' families and others.
sanepride said @ 7:59pm GMT on 17th Mar
I think it's a good bet that mainstream, institutional homophobia would be just as pervasive with or without Phelps. As for the military funeral protests, no doubt they've exacerbated family's personal anguish, but the very idea of such bizarre, outrageous tactics just keeps them well outside any claim to legitimacy.
azazel said @ 3:02am GMT on 17th Mar [Score:1 Funny]
azazel said @ 3:12am GMT on 16th Mar
medievalpoc (the blog) is also very good, worth a look through its other posts.
GordonGuano said @ 3:23am GMT on 16th Mar
I keep wanting to read that as "medievalpoo". Otherwise, bad-ass.
mechanical contrivance said @ 5:29am GMT on 16th Mar
Damn you, dark ages!
Dantron said @ 3:15pm GMT on 16th Mar
So in short, shit run's down hill, Don't chew your finger nails and payday is on Fridays. You to can be a ancient plumber


bltrocker said @ 7:52pm GMT on 17th Mar
So, basically two guys arguing poorly on the www. Not into it.
bltrocker said @ 8:35pm GMT on 17th Mar
Also, shitrichcollegekidssay (which is where this "burn" comes from) is tumblr social justice snobs at their absolute worst. They've pulled their head so far back to look down on ignorant people, they don't realize they're just staring into their colon.

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