This is a longer version of this video, but with more owls! yay!

Gosh, realblankman, you sure know where to find them. I don’t know where to begin. I already found the camel spider video upsetting (but that’s just because I like spiders, and camels spiders do bite but are not really that dangerous and all those vid’s from Iraq try to make them look bigger and more dangerous than they really are, and 10 years ago we believed fish couldn’t feel pain and 50 years ago we thought babies couldn’t, so I guess the jury is still out on what spiders feel and btw spiders are not insects; but that’s all beside the point).

What seriously worries me is that thousands of people being killed doesn't seem to raise the uproar this vid did. And, indeed, is it because there are images available (but then: what about Abu Ghraib?) or because a cute puppy dog is such a nice and easy symbol for pure innocence getting hurt? So, for whatever reason, and even if it’s fake (and if someone is kind enough to replace the dead video), I would upvote this anytime, just because of all the issues it raises.

If I had to define macha politics or behaviour, it would be when women who feel like they don't have any real power, use manipulation and subterfuge to get some kind of control. I come from a long line of women who behave this way, so I've got lots of personal experience of this.

I think this kind of behaviour is worthy of discussion, especially in the area of family relationships and workplace politics.

It does not really apply to the situation being discussed in this video, which is the current government's approach to discipline and crime, especially in the U.S.. I don't think you could say that this is not a macho approach. The psychology behind campaigns and policies is, show 'em who's the boss(the toughest). Even campaign slogans reveal this attitude. Tough on crime. Tough on drugs. Tough on delinquents.

That's not to say that women aren't also capable of behaving in a macho way. Thatcher is a great example. In male-dominated circles, like politics, women who want to get to the top, often choose to grow a pair and that pair can end up looking bigger than those of the men around her. This video doesn't talk about this issue, because it's not pointing the finger at either male or female politicians. It's saying that the tough approach is failing us.

Cool -- like Lendl, I too got my glider license when I was 16. We had 2-33's and a Krosno.

I *did* get in trouble one time however -- or almost -- it was one of the first flights of the season so I was out of the habit of keeping a close watch on my altitude. I was just glancing at it and thinking "oh I've got plenty" (the ground was at 800' ASL, so what looked like a lot of altitude on the gage was 800 feet less in actuality). I'm just cruising around, enjoying the sunshine and being up there alone again after a long winter, and it wasn't a strong day for thermalling (nor did I ever really have the knack for it) so I was naturally descending the whole time. Finally it occurred to me that the tractors and cars down below were looking bigger than they usually did from up there...! I woke the fuck up and realized with a shock that I was well below circuit height and still a good two miles from the airfield. I made it back but not by much.

"I think it's hysterical, to be honest. I really don't get the fascination with boobs. I really don't understand. I mean they're just...fat. There's nothing interesting about them. Sure they look good in the right dress, but why obsess about it? Every time I go out in public they post a new picture up and they write things like: 'Does the left one look bigger than the right?' It's ridiculous." - J.L.Hewitt

well, Jenn, you could say the answer to why boobs are cool lies in our... genes! (ba-dum-dum)