9:53 p.m. - 2008-04-03
THE DOG ATE MY POST
My plan for this entry was to post large swathes of an AIM conversation I had with Ben over at savemyseoul in which he elaborates on his childhood dream of a pet shark, and how this desire was expressed via a SimLife character that eventually morphed into a destructive anemone named Mike. We also made plans to resurrect Mike and unleash him on some unsuspecting Second Lifers.
Why were we discussing this? Well, it's because I was telling him about my secret desire to accidently use a 'flagged word' once too often in this thing, and get an NSA agent of my very own assigned to sorting through my textual internet droppings. Assuming that this scenario doesn't culminate in me getting sent to an unidentified military holding facility, of course.
There was a connection between these two things, probably. Sadly, I accidently closed the conversation window and now we'll never know.
Fortunately, I am creative and resourceful, and will now think of a new thing to talk about.
Ummm.....
How about some links?!
Here's a page full of BYU modesty posters
This was already linked to by Dooce, so many of you may have seen it. However, I would like to draw your attention to the one featuring a picture of a plush Taco-Bell-style chihuahua. The Stupid Stuffed Dog (hereafter known as SST) is holding a sign in his mouth that says "Yo quiero modesty." Here's the thing: The 'yo quiero Taco Bell' slogan worked back in the day because the translation of Taco Bell is...Taco Bell. It's a proper name, so no need to translate. Technically, this sign should read 'you quiero modestia.'*
It's the remaining text that I would really like to look at, though. It reads:
(above chihuahua) Would I be immodest?
(below chihuahua) No! Never! I'd die first!
This seems a bit extreme to me. Possibly they are drawing a link (more of a chain) from BYU to Taco Bell to Mexico to Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who said "It is better to die standing than to live a century on your knees." Possibly. In any case, I sincerely doubt Zapata would agree that it is better to die than to wear above the knee shorts or sleeveless shirt. Not to mention that this particular sentiment strikes me as a particularly extremist version of the old conception of rape as 'a fate worse than death.'**
(further below chihuahua) Think inside the circle.***
My, what an interesting thing to say to a group of college students whose minds you are responsible for molding. Also, YHGTBFKM.****
*This may be colloquially incorrect. Literal translation is all my puny Spanish knowledge is good for.
**Rape is certainly a Very Bad Thing, but worse than death? No.
***The SST is sitting inside of a circle.
****You Have Got To Be Fucking Kidding Me.
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And now, for our moment of Pravda:
Whipping Therapy Cures Depression and Suicide Crises
My favorite line from this article is a quote from Sergei Speransky, Doctor of Biological Sciences: "The whipping therapy becomes much more efficient when a patients receives the punishment from a person of the opposite sex. The effect is astounding: the patient starts seeing only bright colors in the surrounding world, the heartache disappears, although it will take a certain time for the buttocks to heal, of course."
Aliens Downed Tunguska Meteorite to Save Earth
Thanks, benevolent alien starship! That was a close one.
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And now for a serious one:
This is a letter written by a high school student to Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern, and I think it does an excellent job of describing what exactly made her comments so terrible.
-Britt
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