Psychologist or wizard?
In 1995, during the discussion about shrinks as 'hired guns' as witnesses in court the New Mexico state senator Duncan Scott suggested the following amendment: "When a psychologist or psychiatrist testifies during a defendant's competency hearing, the psychologist or psychiatrist shall wear a cone-shaped hat that is not less than 2 feet tall. The surface of the hat shall be imprinted with stars and lightning bolts. Additionally, a psychologist or psychiatrist shall be required to don a white beard that is not less than 18 inches in length, and shall punctuate crucial elements of his testimony by stabbing the air with a wand. Whenever a psychologist or psychiatrist provides expert testimony regarding the defendant's competency, the bailiff shall contemporaneously dim the courtroom lights and administer two strikes to a Chinese gong." Either he had a bad experience with a psychologist, or he wanted to see if anyone was listening. (Via Weird Universe)
Furie at frog's political leap
Matt Furie, the creator of Pepe the Frog, has struck back against a self-published children's book that depicted Pepe as an Islamophobic, alt-right champion on a mission to make his farm great again. Furie has reached a settlement with The Adventures of Pepe and Pede author Eric Hauser. That settlement prevents further sale of the book and forces Hauser to donate all profits to a Muslim-American advocacy group. Source: vice.com
Is the shoe vegan?
Fuel volatile
Mobile phones are more dangerous than most people realise, writes a reader. "I was a fuel tanker truck driver and the volatility of fuel should not be taken lightly. When we are loading or unloading a tanker all electrical currents (static electricity being the worst) could become an ignition source (within the right environment or oxygen and fuel ratio as it's the vapour that is flammable) and it's something all fuel companies take very seriously so much that the trucks are fitted with a "yard switch" so that when we are at a fuel terminal all non essential electrical equipment is isolated from being an ignition source." Would you trust Myth Busters after watching this video we watched as a part of our training?
Tweet goodness
Must read long read
This story in GQ, looks at why Dylan Roof shot and killed 9 black people in Charleston, South Carolina to try and start a race war. Read the full story here, here's a snippet. "If I had a dinner party right here with just white Ph.D.'s, it would not be socially acceptable for me to make any slur to an African-American person or a Hispanic person or a Muslim, but if I refer to poor whites as rednecks-"
"Or crackers or white trash," I interjected, saying the words he didn't want to say.
He grimaced but acknowledged them.
"That would almost be socially acceptable to say those things. It just shows you how alienated they are. And these poor white working-class guys, they must realize this. See? So maybe Dylann's family is a good example of downward social mobility. And Trump showed us this, that we underestimated how vulnerable and precarious self-esteem is for white, working-class people in this society. They not only see the white elites, but then they see..."
"They see us, black people, coming from behind, eclipsing them."
Video Pick
A short history of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall...
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz