“Children can’t differentiate between toys and nutritional items”
No, it’s not a classic piece of ‘Onion‘ reportage; it’s a quote from Miriam Gruß, a member of the German parliamentary children’s committee, on why the Germans plan on banning Kinder Eggs (are these available in the US?).
Charlie Brooker’s characteristically hilarious retort is best placed here.
What, really? Don’t get me wrong - I think children are idiots. But even I find that statement a tad unfair and sweeping. I used to have a spud gun when I was a kid. In case you’re not familiar with that concept either, it was a small metal pistol that fired chunks of potato. Not once did I aim the potato at anyone. Or try to deep-fry the gun. And I was thick as sh!t. I guess it was luck.
In fact my run of luck was pretty impressive. Other toys I failed to ingest include a Scalextric, several boxes of space Lego, the board games Operation and Mousetrap, and a complete collection of Paul Daniels’ TV Magic Tricks - even though the latter included an egg-shaped gizmo called The Magic Egg. Somehow, miraculously, my conker-sized kiddywink brain managed to differentiate it from a real egg. Thus my life was saved by a whisker.
Gruss won’t countenance such a slapdash approach to child safety. Not on her watch. “It’s a sad fact,” she said. “Kinder Surprise eggs have to go.”
Godwin’s Law is an adage formulated by American attorney and author Mike Godwin in 1990. The law states:
As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.
The rule does not make any statement whether any particular reference or comparison to Hitler or the Nazis might be appropriate, but only asserts that one arising is increasingly probable. It is precisely because such a comparison or reference may sometimes be appropriate, Godwin has argued that overuse […] should be avoided, because it robs the valid comparisons of their impact.
As an ex-regular of Wikipedia’s Talk:Main_Page, this humorous law is permenantly etched into my psyche.
(Mike Godwin was the first staff counsel of the EFF, and is currently general counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation.)
Don’t have the time to watch that new film or read that classic book? Got a minute?
Movie-a-Minute
Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles (1941)
Orson Welles: Rosebud. (dies)
Reporter: What does it mean?
Everybody Else: We don’t know.
THE END
Book-a-Minute
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Gatsby: Daisy, I made all this money for you, because I love you.
Daisy: I cannot reciprocate, because I represent the American Dream.
Gatsby: Now I must die, because I also represent the American Dream. (dies)
Nick: I hate New Yorkers.
THE END
Republican site Barackbook mocks Obama’s Facebook support.
With ‘his’ status set as “Barack is hoping to settle on an Iraq policy before November”, Barackbook attempts to highlight some of Obama’s “more controversial real life ‘friends,’ while cheerfully mocking his much-hailed online sheen”.
In all, the site is a shockingly clever 21st century twist on the age-old political tactic of guilt-by-association. It capitalizes on some of the key attributes of successful communication on the web: Brevity, graphics, and a subtle sense of humor. A related Facebook application even lets people become “fans” of Barackbook, and post comments.
Most of the comments on Tuesday were in support of Obama.
I’m always amazed at how ‘dirty’ American elections are. Amazed. If similar smear campaigns and personal attacks happened in the UK there would be uproar. Barackbook is still a bit much for me, but it’s a step in the right direction.
via Threat Level