The Middle Ages was no time to start a rave—but that didn’t stop Frau Troffea. On July 14, 1518, she stepped onto the streets of Strasbourg, France, and, although there was no music playing, began to boogie uncontrollably. Troffea danced for three straight days, and by the time she was tied up and hauled away, more than 30 other people had joined in. Within a month, 100 people were frantically jigging—and none of them could stop.
This was no ordinary dance party. Hyperventilating and hallucinating, most of the dancers seemed to be totally unconscious. Seldom able to stop for food or rest, some literally danced until they dropped dead of heart attack, stroke, or exhaustion. Local physicians ruled out supernatural causes, blaming the “dancing plague” on “hot blood.” They also decided that the best course of action was to encourage the delirium to be danced out. Authorities erected a stage and hired musicians, but the plan backfired: It just encouraged more people to dance.
This wasn’t the first time a European village had been plagued by “dancing mania.” The first outbreak had occurred in the seventh century, and cases sporadically struck every few decades. No country was immune: Italy, France, Holland, and Germany all suffered. The Strasbourg plague, however, was the worst. It struck 400 people and lasted until September, when it suddenly stopped as mysteriously as it began.
Wikipedia covers other incidents. And brings up one of the alternate names for Dancing Mania, St. Vitus’ Dance, which led to the Black Sabbath and Bauhaus songs of the same name.
The Prayer is a robotic mouth by artist Diemut Strebe that chants algorithmically generated prayers
[read more: https://t.co/EMfn1hYWej]pic.twitter.com/PIWUhBWWd4
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) June 13, 2023
Not only is this the plot of Arthur C. Clarke’s 1953 short story, “The Nine Billion Names of God”, it is also the name of the AI in David Bowie’s “Saviour Machine” from 1970’s The Man Who Sold the World that rejects its role as the savior of man out of disgust with its power over the human race.
President Joe once had a dream
The world held his hand, gave their pledge
So he told them his scheme for a Saviour Machine
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Its logic stopped war, gave them food
How they adored till it cried in its boredom
Please don’t believe in me, please disagree with me
Life is too easy, a plague seems quite feasible now
Or maybe a war, or I may kill you all
Don’t let me stay, don’t let me stay
My logic says burn so send me away
Your minds are too green, I despise all I’ve seen
You can’t stake your lives on a Saviour Machine
I need you flying, and I’ll show that dying
Is living beyond reason, sacred dimension of time
I perceive every sign, I can steal every mind
Don’t let me stay, don’t let me stay
My logic says burn so send me away
Your minds are too green, I despise all I’ve seen
You can’t stake your lives on a Saviour Machine
In 1935, fishermen caught a tiger shark and put it on display in an aquarium in Sydney.
Within a week, it became ill and vomited in front of a small crowd, leaving the left hand and forearm of a man bearing a distinctive tattoo floating in the pool.
Fingerprints of the hand… pic.twitter.com/Y9EyWfw80k
— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) June 13, 2023
Dance fever!
You can read about it in Gilbert Rouget’s Music and Trance.
Also called Footloosius Kev Baconus disease.
A six degree fever?
Yowza yowza yowza!
Ergot Poisoning?
Don’t you mean feuer frei?
🤘🏻BANG! BANG!🤘🏻
Some Rammstein for Q
Title literally translates to “big boobs”.
That checks out.
That is fantastic. Had not heard that one.
All members of the band grew up in the former East Germany, are all old enough to remember Communism, and are all Leftists.
OFFS!!
Majority of Eastern Germans Feel Life Better under Communism
I’ll defend that a little having spent time in the region shortly after communism fell. First, the article is from 2009, so a long time ago and opinions may have changed. Second, old people got screwed. They were on a fixed pension and inflation totally wiped them out. It’s understandable that they would be unhappy. People who were little kids probably remember that it was safer for kids to roam around unsupervised, at least that’s what my wife tells me. She says as a kid it a pretty good place to grow up especially since they were oblivious to other options. If you were not political at all, who cares if there was no freedom of speech? I’m not saying I agree with them, but I see how they can come to that opinion.
Also, over time, people tend to forget the bad stuff. I hear complaints like that from my inlaws.
“Everything is so expensive now. It’s terrible.”
“Hey, didn’t you just get back from vacation in xyz country?”
“Yeah.”
“If things are so expensive, how could you afford it? Were you able to do that during communism?”
“No.”
“How did you get to the airport?”
“Our son dropped us off in our car.”
“If things are so expensive, how did you afford a car? Did you have a car during communism?”
“No.”
“Hey, nice shoes you have there. Tell me about buying shoes during communism.”
“Well if you saw a line, you got in it. If you were lucky, they didn’t run out by the time you got to the front. If you were really lucky, they had your size. If you were really really lucky, you knew someone behind the counter at the shoe store who would set some aside for you.”
“How would you let them know you needed shoes? Did you call them?”
“Oh no. Nobody had working phones back then. They just knew. Everyone needed shoes.”
And so on.
My very first reaction was “2009 isn’t that long ago” and then it dawned on me that it is 14 years ago! *sigh* Where’d the years go?
Perhaps you are “Reeling in the Years”?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dPRGfGmCmU
Not. Clicking.
Not. Clicking.
It’s a good song.
MikeS doesn’t like Steely Dan because he is without music appreciation.
😣
Mikes, you are on the side of the angels.
Here is an Americana prize for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THlgU-8dMYg
Pretty good. Thanks! I’ll have to check out more from them.
I was totally into that song until the singing started. That voice… *shudder*
Mo’ you just described me every time I hear a Rush song.
Oh, I know. I love you anyway.
😊
People tend to go either way about David Eugene Edwards voice. Either they absolutely love it, or they have the same reaction you had. Me? I think it is better than most, and fits the songs he sings quite well.
Sixteen Horsepower was amazing. I saw them many times back in the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0dpHMRWAz0
Front man David Eugene Edwards now plays with Wovenhand.
I’ve heard similar things about KMFDM as well…
There’s a reason I try to avoid learning too much about the politics of artists I like. That way I can be pleasantly surprised when one doesn’t disappoint me.
#metoo
Mike from your last thread you do realize SD has about twice the population of Staten Island in NYC, right?
Or NYC itself has over 6x the population of the entire state.
So imagine the entire state with an AIQ of over 400 where something like 40% of those people will walk over a mile to work and be subways platform where the AIQ is approaching 500.
So I’d imagine if a fog blanket the entire state it would likely get equal airplay, but that’s just my opinion of somebody that has lived in both rural and urban environments.
Thanks for the geography lesson.
You really believe that? Because it happens in many places all around the country every year, but never gets anywhere near the apoplectic coverage (if any) that we just saw when NYC got it.
Was it bad in NYC? Hell yes it was. And I feel bad for everyone that went through it, especially those with respiratory issues. But it only matters to the national media when it happens in their backyard. And don’t even get me going on “cold” temps and blizzards.
So changing the topic, does population count as geography or social studies?
We’ve bastardized the two.
I agree with this. We had it bad enough to where we were all wheezing and my wife had a couple good asthma attacks.
*crickets*
And I was kidding because of the high unlikely bit of every part of the state being blanketed.
And I do get the navel gazing of both east and west coast media. Hence the term flyover country which I consider rude when not used ironically.
“Geography” didn’t feel right to me, either. I almost said “geo-political”, but didn’t know if that would be correct, either. Like you said, “social studies” is what it used to be called. Now???
Queer Theory
Social Geography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_geography
I’d go with demographics.
That was supposed to be a reply.
I guess geography stuck in my head because I read a landmass comparison in your reply that I know see wasn’t there.
Funny how that happens!
“read more”
Nah, I’m good.
“Fingerprints of the hand identified the arm as that of former boxer and petty criminal James “Jim” Smith, who had been missing since 7 April 1935.”
That’s the least effort boxing nickname ever.
“Initially, Holmes denied any association with Brady but four days later, on 20 May 1935, the businessman went into his boatshed and attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head with a .32 calibre pistol.
However, the bullet instead flattened against the bone of his forehead and he was merely stunned.”
You would think Australia would have better criminals.
Was he some kind of Curly Howard. Oooohhhh look!.
Whadda you, a wise guy?
The English didn’t send their best.
Stunned?
‘E’s probably pinin’ for the fjords.
All the good criminals didn’t get caught and deported.
That’s why you shoot at an upward angle into your mouth, correct?
I dunno. A criminal with a bulletproof skull is pretty badass.
NO RELATION TO STEVE SMITH. STEVE SMITH ON RIGHT SIDE OF LAW, AND BACK SIDE OF HIKER.
BACK SIDE, FRONT SIDE, INSIDE, OUTSIDE. STEVE SMITH TAKE ALL SIDE.
STEVE SMITH WEIGH IN. AND BY WEIGH IN MEAN, RAPE SHARK. GOOD FUN AND CHALLENGE!
Bringing this over from the dead thread, just because:
Who believes, for one instant, Powell would not continue to unhesitatingly finance every penny of Treasury debt?
I remember when John Dean, Democrat candidate for President, mocked George W Bush for running the economy on the Argentine model. Those were the days.
Sorry, I don’t, but remember how one outburst ended his Presidential campaign.
Howard Dean?/pedant
Oh, that’s who I meant. John Dean was the Watergate guy?
YEEAAAAAHHH!
John Edwards?
That prayer mouth is going to lead to a lot of emergency room visits.
One in a million shot doc.
Looks very much like something they had on Big Bang Theory.
“Honest! I just fell on it.”
Nobody on the Big Bang Theory except Penny would know what to do with it.
The Middle Ages was no time to start a rave—but that didn’t stop Frau Troffea. On July 14, 1518, she stepped onto the streets of Strasbourg, France, and, although there was no music playing, began to boogie uncontrollably.
Everyday I’m shufflin’.
that didn’t stop Frau Troffea. On July 14, 1518, she stepped onto the streets of Strasbourg, France,
Madame Troffenschmidt stepped onto the streets of Munich as well
Oh sweet Jesus, that thing is disturbing.
You already ordered one, didn’t you?
Made one out in the garage.
Shhhh….
Initially, Holmes denied any association with Brady but four days later, on 20 May 1935, the businessman went into his boatshed and attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head with a .32 calibre pistol.
Oops.
So you’re saying there’s a long history of mass public hysteria? Interesting.
Hey, Happy Pride Month, everyone!
It’s reverse Lent/Ramadan. Be more libertine than normal.
I thought Carnivale or Mardi Gras were reverse Lent.
Have those expanded to month long events?
Due to the bleakness of a lot of 80s music I was mostly listening to Bad Brains and the like, but I humbly confess to enjoying that Real Life song at the time, despite its Peak 80s-ness (fingerless gloves, those pew-pew drum pads, etc.).
That band is an all-time 80s favorite. Pushed all my buttons at the time. They put out two good albums, one decent EP, and then dropped a turn every five to ten years since.
turnturdI love that song, too.
I had the fingerless lace gloves a la Madonna, the skinny brass bangles, and black O-rings, and punk haircut*.
*My dad wouldn’t let me grow my hair out (which in hindsight is probably a good thing, with the way my hair lies), always insisting I have a boy-short cut. Anyway, my hairdresser felt sorry for me and she said, “Let’s give you a punk cut and see what he says.” So she did. And he thought it looked awesome. (It was good enough for my particular hair type.) He didn’t have a clue.
That’s a great song. It bothers me somewhat that it is 40 years old.
Love the shark story. It would make a great movie!
Saviour Machine is awesome, but I prefer a Silver Machine.
The Prayer is a robotic mouth by artist Diemut Strebe that chants algorithmically generated prayers
Don’t put your dick in that.
So, are you saying it is crazy?
You’re not my supervisor!
My corporate and social responsibility project manager just use the term Pacman or Pacwoman. As in “the icon for the giving site looks like a Pacman or Pacwoman”. The person sounds and looks like what you would expect. It’s a good thing all of this is BS will help me make new products.
You mean a Pacman or a Ms. Pacman?
She used Pacwoman instead of Ms. Pacman
I think I would have had to ask who the fuck Pacwoman is.
“Is that Tupac’s bottom bitch?”
I was trying to think of one and you beat me to it.
Shouldn’t she use Pacman and Pac non-man?
Otherwise, bigot, no?
Birthing Pac / Nonbirthing Pac
Stupid ideas are getting traction.
The FBI is putting its efforts towards replace its rubber tires with “soy-based” tires.
FBI Whistleblower @RealStevefriend joins @EmeraldRobinson to detail their ridiculousness..
Shhhh!
Great idea, FEEBS!!
They never heard of rubber trees?
I endorse this idea
Howard Dean?/pedant
Ya got me, sheriff.
Too many things rattling around in my brain.
“‘They are not your kids’: DeSantis and Musk slam White House for Pride tweet celebrating the ‘LGBTQI+ Community’ and ‘our kids’ that are a part of it”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12195259/DeSantis-Musk-slam-White-House-Pride-tweet-celebrating-LGBTQI-Community-kids.html
It takes a village to molest a child.
Rule. Of. Law.
No one is above the law!
*uncontrollable snickering*
He tried to keep a straight face.
They’re experts! You cannot deny their pronouncements!
Old school robotic mouth
“First People Sickened By COVID-19 Were Chinese Scientists At Wuhan Institute Of Virology, Say US Government Sources
The three scientists were engaged in “gain-of-function” research on SARS-like coronaviruses when they fell ill”
https://public.substack.com/p/first-people-sickened-by-covid-19
Man, what a coincidence. What are the odds?
They just really like bat soup
There was a bogo on Pangolin that day.
The balls on this woman.
.@HillaryClinton: Republicans defending Trump on classified docs “beyond anything that I ever thought possible in this country” [via @PodSaveAmerica]
Wow. And she knows nobody who counts will ever call out her bullshit.
Chutzpah must be next to Clinton in the dictionary. But with our luck, it’s more likely to be Cleavage.
‘Viking disease’ hand disorder may come from Neanderthal genes
At last, an explanation for both my early-onset Dupuytren’s contractures and my mighty brow ridge.
And your irrational fear of sabre-tooths.
Not “sticky trigger”? Surgery corrects trigger finger sticking quickly but not the same as Dupuytren’s.
I’m mostly Swedish as well but with a Latvian name
Aka the shocker
Sub-orbital crest.
Democrat controlled Maine House of Representatives shoots down waiting period law
The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted narrowly Tuesday against a bill that would have instituted a 72-hour waiting period on all firearm purchases.
The vote came as advocates had begun ramping up their push for gun safety legislation, citing a new poll showing that more than 72% of Mainers support reforms such as waiting periods and universal background checks.
It also came as the Mills administration on Tuesday said a potential compromise proposal to tighten gun regulations is no longer expected to materialize this session. The governor has not taken a position on any of the gun proposals pending before the Legislature.
The 73-69 vote against L.D. 60, sponsored by Rep. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, shows the difficulty of passing gun legislation in Maine, which has a strong outdoor heritage and tradition of gun ownership.
Best lawn ornament ever?
Sadly it is super small. I bought the Godzilla version of that.
There’s a house I bike by on a regular basis that has several metal dinosaur sculptures out in his yard.
Best street view I could quickly find.
I’d go with the 1/5th scale STEVE SMITH myself.
Best lawn ornament ever. Only $75 + shipping.
NICE!!
Yours?!?
Yup. They officially go on sale at a local craft show in 2 weeks
Fuck yeah. Are those for planters?
Sure could be. Intended use is to hold a couple beverages.
Diameter?
I’ll retract the “sure”. Planter, no. Small flower pot, maybe. Inside diameter of the can holder is 3.5″. I could also easily make a custom size.
Is Steve making an “ok” symbol? Not cool man, not cool.
I did have a sensible chuckle thinking about that when I was drawing that bit.
No, that’s a glory hole.
🙂
“Demi Lovato ‘got tired’ of using ‘they/them’ pronouns: ‘It was absolutely exhausting’
Demi Lovato switched back to identifying as “she/her” in addition to “they/them” because she “got tired” of explaining the meaning behind the latter pronouns.
“I constantly had to educate people and explain why I identified with those pronouns. It was absolutely exhausting,” the “Cool for the Summer” singer told GQ Hype Spain in an interview published Tuesday….
“I face this every day. For example, in public toilets. Having to access the women’s bathroom, even though I don’t completely identify with it,” she explained.”
https://pagesix.com/2023/06/14/demi-lovato-got-tired-of-using-they-them-pronouns/
OFFS!!
Nobody cares. Go OD or something.
I think the OD fried her brain.
Do you have a vagina or not? This isn’t complicated.
One simple test…
With they/them you’re plural. You have to do at least twice as much. No wonder she’s exhausted.
Female they/thems only do 150% of two men.
So do they get paid the sum of their pronouns or the average? 178% or 89%?
Having to access the women’s bathroom, even though I don’t completely identify with it,” she explained.”
If she can use a urinal then I’ll believe her struggle.
To be fair, it must get exhausting having your head that far up your own ass.
This girl gives some good advice. Probably. I wasn’t really listening, to be honest.
Overalls with nothing underneath…that gets me every time.
Damn.
Summertime is the best time on the farm
Them catfish are jumpin’.
Good advice for 1985. Less so, now.
Nice outfit, though.
Appropriate.
And this was in the sidebar.
Guys that can do this annoy me.
Good Lord.
Yeah, sure…
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-warned-ukraine-not-to-attack-nord-stream-7777939b
Does anyone believe it? Nuland and Biden bragged about it.
WaPo readers might.
Don’t attack Nord Stream! We’ll handle that.
“You might run into one of our guys!”
Kind of like how my parents would use reverse psychology on me as a kid. “Whatever you do, don’t eat those vegetables. Hey, what did I tell you, don’t do it. Put that fork down…”
And this is only what they admit to.
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/federal-agencies-admit-3-trillion-improper-payments-2004
A trillion here, a trillion there. Pretty soon you’re talking about real money.
Doesn’t matter. It has the same economic effect.
J.M. Keynes.
Pffftttt….. it’s been multiplied.
Krugabe
Yes and that applies regardless who spends it. Your business or Reggie on crack.
Simple and completely over-the-top.
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/06/lets-brew-wednesday-1912-russell.html
I bet it was tasty. Big alcohol, Big hops, Brett.
Well. Now Oreilly Auto Parts wants to charge shipping fees on parts ordered from their warehouse. The part itself is about double what rockauto wants for comparable.
I guess I’m back to buying parts from rockauto. It would be really handy to go through Amazon Prime, but I don’t trust them to get the right part to my door two times out of five.
I’m only linking for the clickbait image
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/dont-call-it-skip-fed-pause-prompts-wild-swings-across-all-assets
Condo papers signed & sent back to Virginia. Buyer countersigns and we’re done!
I shall be drinking alcohol on a skoolnite, maybe even on zoom
Congrats, KK!
How’s the little monster? Digging the happy vibes?
Vicious beast
https://ibb.co/N2BCfYh
Sadly, that thing is likely more aggressive than this stupid shepherd puppy. She barks and puts on a good show, but runs away like a rabbit the moment anything startles her.
Adorable.
My sweet kitty almost killed a baby rabbit and my daughter screamed like she was being murdered. Cat dropped the rabbit and ran like he was on fire.
w00h00!!!
I’ve got PTO through Monday, so I can drink with no qualms.
Congrats!
Wishing you the best countersignature ever.
Nice!!!
🙂
I always find myself alone on Wednesday Night zoom. I attribute this to antisemitism.
Well, I’m no anti-Semite; just a misanthrope. But given a link I’ll pop by the Zoom here in a little while.
It’s the usual http://www.glibertarians.com/humpdayzoom I think.
I’ll toddle along here in a bit.
Bring NPR Lady into the Zoom.
Okay, so it’s >30 minutes past post time and it’s a links post, so I feel free to announce…
XY absolutely smashed his GED yesterday, a full year before he was to graduate.
Yay XY!
That’s awesome!
Yeah, baby!
Sweet!
Congrats! Time to get some federally guaranteed loans!
That’s the plan.
/not kidding
Good job !
🙂
Fantastic news. Go go go!
@Not Adahn regarding hearing protection:
I have yet to look into this but it sounds promising for quality ear pro on a budget.
https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/firearm-hunting/hunters-hearing-loss-and-new-tech-to-fix-it
Where the hell have you been? 😉
Thanks!
Good on the Lad!
Get him a lunch bucket, the black kind with a thermos, for his grad gift!
That’s a hilarious grad gift. I might actually do it.
Evan is currently in a bit of a state. My parents are worried and should be. Had a small-ish episode today. Mostly emotional. Talked to mom and she had me call a hotline to set something up.
I did. We talked about my suicidal thoughts, which I have but only as an idea, a “Piss Off” joke to distract myself. I’ve never hurt myself and wouldn’t, but the way people do it is so rude and unseemly. Hence my going back to (probably) Cambodia the way I’d do it. No blowing your head off with a shotgun and leaving your corpse for others to deal with. Go into the jungle and have some fun. Just get drunk and do a speedball. At least go out with a smile. The jungle will take care of most of the clean-up.
I’m not doing this or anything else. I’m actually quite chipper and am always telling jokes. Doing stand up is a legit thing that I think will come up soon. A big vent would be therapy and I could get a few laughs while being serious about how fucking miserable Short Fry’s existence is. It no joke should be next step. Something to write and something to honestly care about. The closest answer I had for “things I love or make me want to get up in the morning” was more embarrassing than George Costanza’s: “…I like to read the news.” I honestly chuckled and said “Baseball? Go Cubs.”
I’m a bit of a wreck. I’m better now than I was earlier. Sorry all and thanks. This too, shall pass.
Also the intro to Unsong.
The difference being that the Divine Names can only be verified by being spoken by someone with a soul. So Google (who owns the algorithm and resultant Divine Name IP) hires independent contractors to pronounce the potential names and reort back. One contractor gets bored with his job and says “Meh. Meh meh meh men meh” right after one of the potential names. Hijinx ensue.
Bring on the cleansing fire.
That’s… um… biblical.
Somehow this doesn’t seem to be on our coastline.
https://www.zerohedge.com/military/us-coast-guard-expand-operations-waters-claimed-china
When did “Indo Pacific” become the coast of the United States?
Read through posts…
Okay people, we can’t have two good news posts, it messes with thr vibes here!
Congrats KK and Mojeaux XY!
Well, Im a ball of anxiety over New Job if that helps. Im trying to sedate my over-firing neurons with copious amounts of cheap beer.
Sure we can! That makes it a Frabjous Day! 😃🥳🍾🥂
Callooh! Callay!
Tone it down over there, Suzie Sunshine. Im trying to have a panic attack.
Maybe we should combine the two? Call it KY? Anyone jelly with that?
+1
+1
Justice
A grand jury has indicted former U.S. Marine Daniel Penny in connection with the chokehold death of Jordan Neely aboard a subway train, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
The exact charges will not be unsealed until Penny appears in court at a later date, the sources said. Penny was initially arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge.
Video showed Penny, 24, putting Neely in a chokehold on May 1. Several witnesses observed Neely making threats, assistant district attorney Joshua Steinglass told the judge.
Some witnesses told police that Neely was yelling and harassing passengers on the train, authorities said. Police sources told ABC News that Penny was not specifically being threatened by Neely when he intervened and that Neely had not become violent and had not been threatening anyone in particular.
Neely was homeless at the time of the incident.
That vigilante murdered him for being homeless.
If that’s how things like this are going to play out, why NOT go full Death Wish?
“vigilante murdered him for being homeless.”
Weren’t we told by one official demagogue that he was “killed for riding the subway?” To be fair, Penny would not know the guy was homeless, abandoned by his family and friends, or even the “vicious thug” that the post-mortem investigation revealed.
I think “vicious thug” was probably apparent to everyone in that car. I’ve experienced it a zillion times myself.
Just remember, grand jury + ham sandwich.
Indeed.
New Tucker
Uh… I think I’ve seen this movie.
“The Ministry of Defence has signed a deal with Google to use artificial intelligence (AI)”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/06/14/mod-google-ai-technology-warnings-human-race/
Shit. First they’ll find us, then play ads for medication and woke Netflix shows until we succumb.
“HE MADE FUN OF BIDEN AND STEPPED IN A GREEN PUDDLE. YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT…”