Sunday Afternoon

Clarice on Palin and Biden.

Comments

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

Clarice's Pieces just gets better and better!

[Clarice]

Jane, people are starting to talk, (Thanks, TM and Jane)

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

They should talk - about Pieces!

[Charlie (Colorado)]

This was an especially good one. I do think it's interesting how the same people saying Palin is so stupid seem to constantly have Palin eating their lunches.

[Danube of Thought]

Great stuff, C. Meantime, JPod has a rather fascinating piece on Biden at the LUN.

[Clarice]

Thanks, Chaco and Dot. Yes, DoT, I thought the jpod anecdote was a good one. Interestingly enough I thought once again that Barone and I were seeing lots of the same things..and that makes me feel good because I think he is rather clear sighted.

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

That was fab DOT.

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

I could tell you guys what I am doing tonite, but you might laugh so hard your sides would split.

[narciso]

The fact that they trotted Cutter, back out there, over the gang plank, without a decent
interval, certainly suggests 'Duck Season' or
'Duck Soup, regardless a top knotch campaign organization, from the ranks of Conquistador
Coffee.

[narciso]

In the same light, who can forget this rocket surgeon,

http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/08/13/lamborghini_morsi

[narciso]

Honestly who could doubt her instincts;

In June 2008 Ms. Cutter was appointed Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama for the 2008 Presidential general election campaign.[4] She served as the Chief Spokesperson for the Obama-Biden Transition Project.[5] She served as Timothy Geithner's counselor. In May 2009, Ms. Cutter was appointed to serve as adviser to President Obama in the Supreme Court nominations.[6

[Clarice]

Whisper in my ear, Jane. Your secret is safe.

[derwill]

Great Pieces, Clarice!

If I was given to conspiracy theories, I would think there's a Clintonista or two high up in Bam's campaign, deliberately trying to hurt his reelection chances. Seriously, who's idea was it to announce that from now on he will be by-passing the WH press corps in favor of soft interviews with the likes of People and Entertainment Tonight because those guys are just as important? I can see trying to do it on the sly if you're worried about more "you didn't build that" moments, but why tell the world you're doing it? They dissed the WH reporters to their faces, in public, and openly treated them like the skanky hos that they are. But even skanky hos have got their pride. Will they turn on him over this? Probably not yet, but come October if he's behind . . . ?

Also this Biden kerfuffle . . . The man's been saying stupid stuff his whole life and no big deal, just Joe being Joe. So why this week did his latest stupidity become headline news, to the point where everybody's talking about replacing him and the name of Hillary! is on everyone's lips? Then lo and behold we're all told that Bam asked her to save his bony ass and she turned him down. I mean, who looks desperate here, and who looks like the king maker?

I'm just sayin' . . .

[NJ Jan]

Apparently Twitter is all a flutter about a statement made by Missouri Senate candidate Troy Akin. From what I can gather he said something about being raped cant make you pregnant. Anybody know anything about this?

[Clarice]

Along those lines, Andrea Mitchell was quite out of sorts this week that the WH was bypassing the national pressies. I mean, really..what was the point of all those years of ass kissing if the WH is going on local suck up stations?

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

What will all those morons do when Romney wins? No access, no love, no Christmas presents, no tingles.

Oh well they will have to get ready for 2016.

[Jim Eagle]

Great pieces, Clarice.

Been lurking.

NJ Jan: Its Todd Akin and here is what he said.

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

YAY!!!! It's JIB!

[hit and run]

Oh, yay the power's back on!

narciso:
The fact that they trotted Cutter, back out there, over the gang plank

Stephanie Cutter on CNN this morning was asked why Obama's not doing any news conferences. Her reply:

"Well, you know, the president was talking to reporters on the ground in Iowa. Do you think that's less important than talking to someone like you?"

The "how dare you question the emperor!" attitude toward CNN -- CNN! -- is smugly condescending while simultaneously being condescendingly smug. It is quite a feat.

Then asked about Obama giving interviews to Entertainment Tonight and People, "are they more important than the national news media?" - Cutter responds:

"I don't think they're more important, they're equally important. I think that's where a lot of Americans get their news, and I think the President is going to continue doing that."

I hope he continues doing that too, Steph, can I call you Steph? I hope so, because most every other name I would probably call you would be insulting. Anyway, please relay my wishes to President Obama that he consider a Cosmo interview next, in honor of Helen Gurney Brown. He must have some secrets in bed he wants to share.

[NJ Jan]

Jib,

My brain knew the name was wrong, but my fingers typed and posted anyway. Thank you for posting the link.

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

Occidental College Schoolmate: I Thought Obama Was ”Gay”

[Danube of Thought]

NJ Jan, I Googled the name as you wrote it and got a lot of info on the Cowboys QB.

Looks like Akin really stepped on his crank. Why do they do things like that?

[(A) nuther Bub]

Looks like Akin really stepped on his crank. Why do they do things like that?

Well there goes that seat. (Please insert very bad swear word here). You know, I had never seen a photo of Akin until I looked at JiB's link. Anyone with such an egregious combover was not slated to win, anyway. That alone would have put me against him in the primary.

[Clarice]

Because they're morons, DoT?

[Clarice]

Eric Singer argues that it's a mistake to invest in stocks when Congress is in session. Here's his website. Any thoughts?http://www.congressionaleffect.com/index.php

[Stephanie]

Akin is actually further ahead in the science than the progs on this one. Seem to remember a few science posts at insty that referenced how females can produce certain chemicals to reduce the risk of pregnancy when they are cheating on spouses and I think the same occurs during rape. The posts were concerning the ability of nature to give cover to cheating spouses thereby keeping intact the family unit by stealth. He worded it terribly but there is science to back him up on this.

[Janet]

Powerline has a new post - The Spinal Tap Presidency.

I posted Dave (in Ma)'s photo on John Hinderaker's FB page. It goes perfectly.

[Janet]

Dave (in MA) made this photo to go with Iowahawk's comment - "Funnier than Spinal Tap playing the amusement park ampitheater. At this rate, he'll be spinning a sign for Mattress World by election day."

[Stephanie]

Is that Stonehenge ?

[NJ Jan]

Dot,

Maybe subconsciously I was hoping the Qb said it, not the candidate. I don't why they do things like this. One can be pro life without coming out with this type of statement. If asked just agree you are pro life and then pivot to economic issues. McCaskill is having a field day with this as a distraction.

[Captain Hate]

Great pieces, C. That's its generated over 100 comments with nary a troll (at least what I read) speaks volumes about the level of discontent with the JEF. Plus you've been an early advocate of the unerring instincts of the Huntress, which continue to be displayed.

[boris]

Really dumb thing to say but doubt we can get any consensus on rape pregnancy stats given it has become an issue in the everlasting abortion debate.

A selfish gene argument might predict a higher rate as a protection mechanism. If rape is an aberrant procreative trait then greater probability of reproduction should diminish odds of physical harm.

[(A) nuther Bub]

I've read the same speculation, Stephanie, not only in relation to cheating spouses but about unmarried women too -- that conception occurs less frequently when the social consequences may be stern. Still, you and I would know better than to pronounce that as fact in a public forum when we are seeking office, especially in a year when the Dems never quit talking their war on women garbage. Comments like that are damaging to all Republicans who will now be called on to defend or oppose him. What a stupid thing to do.

[Jim Eagle]

While we are zapping the Taliban with hellfire missies, Curiostiy just zapped its first rock.

I wonder when Obama will take credit for killing "The Rock"?

[daddy]

Excellent Clarice.

I am interested now in watching how the Clinton's deal with the Media if and when the Media goes into full Clinton ingratiation mode.

Some members of the Media cut the legs out from under Hillary at some pivotal points in the 2008 Dem Primary Campaign, and I know the Clinton's have a long, long memory and are not always the forgiving type. I want to see if there is any payback coming to those who jumped ship and sunk Hillary for Obama. And I also want to see if those MSM folks who now slowly undercut Obama's reelection (which I believe is what the Clinton's would like to see) will be rewarded by Bill and Hill via interviews etc.

[pagar]

"McCaskill is having a field day WITH THIS"

Because no one talks about the fact that the President of the United States of America doesn't care how many babies die on storage room shelf and has voted to allow it repeatedly.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/2008/aug/08081209

[Captain Hate]

Btw, I was amused when driving on the Penn turnpike last week to see a Ferrari Testarossa get sandwiched between two trucks when one of them tried passing the other on a hill (never a good idea) followed by another and get stuck there for over a mile.

Previously it seemed like it only happened to me; somehow it made my inconvenience less bothersome. And yes, the car was gorgeous.

[JM Hanes]

DoT:

I was struck by this JPod observation because the President sometimes seems to have a somewhat less advanced case of the same:

After 20 minutes without so much as a breath, it was clear to me and others around the table that... our guest simply did not know how to conclude his peroration.

Obama clearly tries to limit the number of questions in press conferences by consuming the maximum amount of time with his answers, but it's often as if he also feels like he'll somehow arrive at the perfect turn of phrase if he just keeps at it long enough.

[pagar]

Leftists continue to demand that everyone be allowed to kill inconvenient babies; meanwhile the:

"http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57338704-504083/philadelphia-da-drops-death-penalty-for-cop-killer-mumia-abu-jamal/

IMO, This is insane!

[NJ Jan]

Pagar,
Its true that obama 's stance is abhorrent, but the political reality is the media downplays or does not report on it, while Akin 's statement will be reported and used to full dem advantage.

[Clarice]

Thanks, CH. This week I had an email exchange with 2 professors who should know better who claim she is stupid and--no surprise--they could offer no examples in which what she said was dumber than what Obama and Biden normally say.

[rse]

narciso-People Acting for Community Together affiliated with DART, the Direct Action and Research Training in Miami is also community organizing ed.

Other culprits are Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations for Hope, Community Coalition and its youth arm in LA. Philadelphia and the Bronx and Oakland all have outlets associated with PICO, People Improving Communities Through Organizing.

Which would mean Jerry Brown is well acquainted with this tactic.

They are all through Texas and Arizona and LA too.

Isn't "ORGANIZED COMMUNITIES, Stronger Schools" an inspiring way to look at ed and America in general?

Gee, I love afternoon naps.

And, porch, today's post and that link make the Dana Center and Treisman's work make so much more sense.

Time for Pieces!

[Stephanie]

"Abortion is not on the minds of voters who are hurting from unemployment and rising fuel and food costs and I don't care to be distracted from those problems that are hurting voters right now. Working to get the Romney/Ryan plan in place will do much to solve voter's problems. Next question?"

Yes, he stepped on his crank with a truthful statement. He should have sidestepped the question. Having now injured his member, maybe he should double down and comment that "I'm sorry if you democrats are not up to date on the latest scientific information regarding sex, but it is not something that is worrying voters right now" and refocus into the above redirection.

Small blip. Won't hurt him as much as McCaskill's BS on Obamacare. She was and is a poster child for all that was wrong in that debate.

Object lesson. Republicans should, like Henry Higgins, stick to what they know is important.

[Captain Hate]

Keep calling them out for examples of why she's stupid, C; and good luck on ever getting a legit response that supports that attitude.

[Clarice]

I doubt the'll raise that again. All three women in the exchange (1 PhD and 2 JDs) took my position.

Newsweek says it's time for Obama to go..really..
http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/50312c3669bedd6c67000015/newsweek-obama.jpg

[Janet]

Obama clearly tries to limit the number of questions in press conferences by consuming the maximum amount of time with his answers, but it's often as if he also feels like he'll somehow arrive at the perfect turn of phrase if he just keeps at it long enough.

SO true, JM Hanes! You wrote awhile ago - "The longer it takes you to say nothing, the brighter our political class thinks you are." Hah!

PUK on Obama - "...his first instinct is to lie, his second instinct is to elaborate on it."

PUK on Sotomayor - "...Amazing how these lefties come off sounding like adolescent,all mouth and trousers.Being liberal means never having to talk sense."

PUK on Obama - "I think Obama is trapped by his own smartarsedness.Because his mantel of omnipotence forces him to opine on every subject that arises,he goes into the blagging mode that he has used all his life. ..."

Mark Steyn on Obama - "He had nothing to say, but he said it anyway."

E.Nigma on Obama - "...second guess everything. Clever & wordy guy, but really not as intelligent as he thinks he is."

Cheney on Obama - "...he filled the air with vague and useless platitudes."

matt - "I am Barack Obama & I don't understand this message."

Appalled on Obama - "Boldness without specifics. Vision without implementation."

Captain Hate on John F'n Kerry (but is true of Obama too) - "Thinking...this gasbag doesn't understand a damn thing that he's blathering about."

I could go on...

[JM Hanes]

Stephanie:

"Seem to remember a few science posts at insty that referenced how females can produce certain chemicals to reduce the risk of pregnancy when they are cheating on spouses and I think the same occurs during rape."

That would really surprise me, and I'd be interested in what sort of evidence there is to support that theory. As far as I know, research suggests that women who are inclined to cheat on their husbands are actually most likely to do so when they are ovulating. The idea that women are designed to cheat for the purposes of procreation is certainly a staple of so called "evolutionary psychology." It was also my impression (but based on what, I'm not sure) that women who are raped are, in fact, quite likely to get pregnant. Evolutionary psychologists apparently have some theories about that too.

[Stephanie]

I think it was Insty's posts on this

LUN

[Ignatz]

--It was also my impression (but based on what, I'm not sure) that women who are raped are, in fact, quite likely to get pregnant.--

I've read approximately 5% of rapes result in a pregnancy. Whether that number is reliable or not I don't know and whether that's a lot or a little I don't know either.

It wouldn't surprise me that actual science finds evidence to contradict the claims of the pseudo science known as evolutionary psychology.

-- As far as I know, research suggests that women who are inclined to cheat on their husbands are actually most likely to do so when they are ovulating.--

Not sure what that tells us about the likelihood of pregnancy. Doesn't it mostly tell us that's when most women are the horniest?

[JM Hanes]

Wow, Janet. You could give hit a real run for the thread mining crown!

[Clarice]

I'd be interested to see how one sets up a reliable model for testing how often cheating wives produce chemicals that keep them from becoming pregnant ..ditto..rape victims..

[Janet]

Ya know...civilization has been going downhill for a long time. From the 70s "Raquel Welch’s Space-Girl Dance"

[Stephanie]

Doesn't it mostly tell us that's when most women are the horniest?

My initial take on that one, too. I was commenting initially on my remembering some impressions I was left with from some of the Insty posts... probably some of his "21st Century Relationships" or just some of his general science stuff. I don't always read all of the articles about science, but he usually provides enough of a blurb to give you the gist of the findings. Same thing with his nano stuff and rocketry stuff... I notice the general direction that the science is taking but don't fully internalize the article - sometimes because it's over my head (surprise! - not) and sometimes because it's not something I'm generally interested in enough to do other than make a mental impression of the bullet point that was the focus.

[Ignatz]

Here's a monograph from an admittedly pro life MD who openly admits the difficulties in determining the pregnancy rate for forcible rape, but which nevertheless comes up with a much more believable number than the 5% I read elsewhere.
He also discusses the question of stress and trauma on the likelihood of pregnancy.

[hit and run]

JMH:
Wow, Janet. You could give hit a real run for the thread mining crown!

Janet keeps files of her favorite quotes. Such discipline makes me very jealous. I have to rely on a memory that can usually piece together enough keywords to get back to old comments. But google has become so unreliable that even when I know exact quotes, it has more often recently not shown any results.

[Danube of Thought]

From Ferguson's Newsweek cover article:

"According to Ron Suskind’s book Confidence Men, Summers told Orszag over dinner in May 2009: 'You know, Peter, we’re really home alone ... I mean it. We’re home alone. There’s no adult in charge. Clinton would never have made these mistakes [of indecisiveness on key economic issues].' On issue after issue, according to Suskind, Summers overruled the president. 'You can’t just march in and make that argument and then have him make a decision,' Summers told Orszag, 'because he doesn’t know what he’s deciding.' (I have heard similar things said off the record by key participants in the president’s interminable 'seminar' on Afghanistan policy.)"

He "doesn't know what he's deciding" could be read as "he's just not that smart."

[Extraneus]

civilization has been going downhill for a long time.

Heh.

[Clarice]

PJ Tatler
In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year,” Akin said in a just-released statement. “Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.”

The most recent poll released one week ago on the Missouri Senate race had Akin up on McCaskill by 11 points, with an even wider 14-point margin among women.

****

Janet, I thought that video was a brilliant egg and sperm dance/ Was I wrong?

[Ignatz]

--Ya know...civilization has been going downhill for a long time. From the 70s "Raquel Welch’s Space-Girl Dance"

Posted by: Janet | August 19, 2012 at 05:29 PM--

The real test of hotness is not how some gal looks loaded with makeup and false eyelashes lounging on satin sheets; it's still looking hot while doing something as morbidly embarrassing as that Space Dance monstrosity. Raquel passed with flying colors.

BTW I loved that Retronaut site Janet. For a good laugh read down the list of book covers under lesbian pulp fiction 1935-1958.

[Janet]

I have no idea, Clarice. I don't think I'd recognize a brilliant egg & sperm dance if it walked up & shook my hand. My list of incompetence is growing...
math
classic literature
classical music
clarinet playing
egg & sperm dance critic

[derwill]

Akin was an idiot and we'll be lucky if he didn't cost us an easy pickup Senate seat.

Changing the subject back again . . . I started to feel like Bush was going to win in 2004 when about a month before the election I started noticing in my local fishwrap, the SF Chronicle, that when they showed photos of the campaigns, Bush was always standing in front of a huge crowd, and Kerry was always shown in close-up, so that you couldn't tell the size of his crowd. Who they thought they were fooling I do not know, but then when you consider their market . . . Anyway, ditto in 2008, when even though Sarah was drawing big crowds, Obama's were even bigger and "my friends" was only doing those small, "intimate" town hall meetings.

Anyone who believes Bam's campaign is deliberately tamping down the size of the crowd is as stupid as duda and ben.

[Barbara]

O/T - I just saw an ad on TV for a new movie that's coming out next week called Hit & Run.

Plot line according to Yahoo: "A young couple risks it all when they leave their small town life and embark on a road trip that may lead them towards the opportunity of a lifetime. Their fast-paced road trip grows awkwardly complicated and hilarious ..."

Who'da thunk it. Hit & Run is famous!

[Janet]

Yeah it's a great site, Ignatz.

[rse]

Ignatz-back in 1982 I saw Woman of the Year on Broadway with Raquel. There's a scene where she gets water thrown on her so you can imagine the effect. After the show, I wanted to know her age because she was clearly aging well.

She was also good with comedy.

[Porchlight]

Of course pregnancy from rape is relatively rare, just as pregnancy from consensual sex is relatively rare. The conception window is quite small - any woman who has tried to conceive can tell you that.

If there is a single study that backs up what Akin said about the body going even further to potentially prevent conception from nonconsensual sex, the campaign can cite it and then what are they going to say? He qualified it anyway by saying "let's say that doesn't work." And then went on framing a standard pro-life argument, which presumably is already resonant with Missouri voters.

This isn't Virginia in 2006. I don't see it being a major problem.

[Stephanie]

What does the probability of these chicks getting any do for evolutionary psychology's claims? Or are they counted as evolving?

ISTM that Goldstein's right that "In the sixties and seventies, the feminists wanted the State out of their vaginas. Today, the establishment feminists insist the State get in there and make a second home of the thing. You've come a long way, baby, indeed."

LUN

[Bruce]

Akin is actually further ahead in the science than the progs on this one. Seem to remember a few science posts at insty that referenced how females can produce certain chemicals to reduce the risk of pregnancy when they are cheating on spouses and I think the same occurs during rape. The posts were concerning the ability of nature to give cover to cheating spouses thereby keeping intact the family unit by stealth. He worded it terribly but there is science to back him up on this.

Except that the contrary theory is that women cheat in order to optimize the genetic inheritance of their children. And, this is arguably why women change their preferences for males during the month, preferring alphas around ovulation, and preferring more domesticated betas the rest of the time. This way, they get the beta husband to raise their kids (since the alpha male will most often already have a wife), and the alpha genes. It is win-win for everyone except for the beta male. The alpha gets more offspring and the cheating wife gets better genes for her kids. Not so good for the beta male, because he will be spending is scarce resources raising someone else's children. Which is why cheating is much more dangerous to women, and possibly why women are sneakier about cheating.

[daddy]

Don't know why this thought popped into my head, but I'll blame it on Janet's Raquel Welch Space Dance.

In some SciFi future, if a fetus was able to be easily removed from the female and implanted inside a male for the nine months required to be brought to term, I wonder if that would alter the opinions of guys like Akin?

[Stephanie]

Like I said, it was just the gist of what I remember about what Insty was posting at that time. Science is probably about as settled in this field as glowbull warming or breakfast (bacon/eggs/butter) and is Akin (see what I did there) to Lies, Damn lies and Science as an axiom to live by nowadays...

[Extraneus]

From Ig's link, Lesbian Twins:

Obedient to Mom's insistence, Hilda started upstairs to join Jane for a nap. Jealousy stabbed at Bill's heart as the ugly visions multiplied in his brain.

Yeah right.

1 used from $93.24

[Ignatz]

--Except that the contrary theory is that women cheat in order to optimize the genetic inheritance of their children.--

Well yeah, evolutionary psychology is quite long on contrary theories and by necessity quite short on actual scientific data in support, which I suspect is what attracted many of its philosophers in the first place.

[hit and run]

Barbara:
Who'da thunk it. Hit & Run is famous!

I've always angled for infamous.

[Men without]

Who would read those books? Men without a sex life?

[Captain Hate]

Posted on the barely breathing thread: At least I'll save on alumni contributions http://weaselzippers.us/2012/08/19/university-of-maryland-students-and-staff-petition-school-to-have-chick-fil-a-kicked-off-campus/

[Jim Eagle]

Can someone explain to me that if 99% of women are on birth control how they can get pregnant from rape? Has Sandra Fluke been consulted about this claim?

BTW, the left never lets science or medical evidence interfere with political hyperbole.

If PETA wasn't such a bunch of bitchy nannies we could experiment this on mice or even chimps.

[Extraneus]

Who would read those books? Men without a sex life?

Men without regular three-ways with hot lesbians. IOW, losers.

[narciso]

As with many things, the Huntress had better instincts. oh well, hope he doesn't like the taste of his own feet too much.

[JM Hanes]

Ignatz:

I'm second to none in my disdain for the fiction that "evolutionary psychology" is a science, but I do think there are differences between plausible and implausible speculation.

I really have no idea what the stats on rape victims might or might not suggest, either. I was just relating an unsourced impression which could certainly be wrong, so I'll stick to opining on cheatin' hearts:

"Doesn't it mostly tell us that's when most women are the horniest?"

Sure, but if you're most likely to sleep with someone other than your husband when your baby making hormones are going full throttle, it makes very little sense that you would be simultaneously secreting "chemical" preventatives.

I have trouble imagining how you would even design a study which would allow you to make that determination -- which is why I'm doubly interested in knowing what sort of evidence for it has been proffered.

[Extraneus]

Currently featured at Drudge:

[boris]

Actually a lot of the science behind evolutionary sex behavior comes from birds.

[Sara]

Well, speaking from experience, Akin's theory didn't work for me. If you are ovulating and you have sex or get raped, the chance you will get pregnant is high, given you are healthy in all other regards. And the more you don't want to get pregnant, the greater the likelihood you will. Just as when you really really want to get pregnant, you don't.

[Clarice]

JMH, we both erred, I fear. Had we become evolutionary psychologists we coulda brainstormed to our hearts' content without interference and traveled in style from one fancy academic conference and fellowship to another, marking only the social trends most likely to yield the best rewards for our "findings".

[boris]

Supposedly there are both natural preventitive and enhancement abilities. There was one discovery type cable show on the subject that claimed female orgasm as an enhancement that occurs more frequently with a woman's lover than with her husband.

Don't miss if these things are true they developed over thousands of years before there was safe abortion and birth control.

[daddy]

An OT for DoT, from my Australian History read I just finished by First Fleeter, Watkin Tench.

Tench here describes an interesting even that occurred in 1791, by a band of convicts who had recently arrived via the 3rd Fleet shipped south to Sydney. Punch line is in the last sentence.

"November 1791. A very extraordinary instance of folly stimulated to desperation occurred in the beginning of this month among the convicts at Rose Hill (Parramatta). Twenty men and a pregnant woman, part of those who had arrived in the Last Fleet, suddenly disappeared with their clothes, working tools, bedding, and their provisions for the ensuing week, which had just been issued to them. The first intelligence heard of them was from some convict settlers, who said they had seen them pass and had enquired whither they were bound. To which they had received for answer, "To China." The extravagance and infatuation of such an attempt was explained to them by the settlers, but neither derision nor demonstration could avert them from pursuing their purpose...

In the course of a week the greatest part of them were either brought back by different parties who had fallen in with them, or were driven in by famine. Upon being questioned about the cause of their elopement, those whom hunger had forced back did not hesitate to confess that they had been so grossly deceived as to believe that China might easily be reached being not more than a hundred miles distant and separated only by a river. The others, however, ashamed of the merriment excited at their expense, said that their reason for running away was on account of being overworked and harshly treated...One or two of the party had certainly perished at the hands of the natives, who had also wounded several others.

I trust that no man would feel more reluctant than myself to cast an illiberal national reflection, particularly on a people whom I regard in an aggregate sense as brethren and fellow citizens; and among whom I have the honor to number many of the most cordial and endearing intimacies which a life passed on service could generate. But it is certain that all these people were IRISH."

[boris]

"without interference and traveled in style"

Selfish gene, sociobiology, and evo psych are all somewhat related. Sociobiology was so rabidly denounced when it came out that the word had to be abandoned.

Evo psych is much more PC and may contain less valid science as a result.

[Sara]

Commenting from the other thread . . . I also played the clarinet, until the orchestra teacher informed my Dad that he'd have to spend big bucks to get me my own customized instrument that was fitted for my small fingertips. My Dad would not consider spending the money after he heard me say that I hated orchestra and the "dumb" chamber music we had to learn. I wanted to play like this and this.

[Ignatz]

-- which is why I'm doubly interested in knowing what sort of evidence for it has been proffered.

Posted by: JM Hanes | August 19, 2012 at 06:39 PM --

Stephanie linked a study which found a woman's hormones and immune system made it harder for her to be impregnated by a man's sperm which she had not had contact with in the previous three months which would seem to argue exactly the opposite of the evolutionary psychologists' position stated here.

BTW I prefer nice pics of attractive chicks to this type of TMI discussion.

[Clarice]

Al right, iggy, but when it gets dull on the rialto again, I cannot promise that I won't play evolutionary psychologist and offer up some real humdinger hypotheses..for science, you understand, not for (ugh)personal aggrandizement.

[boris]

"contact with in the previous three months which would seem to argue exactly the opposite ..."

Your inference would depend on the time between visits with her lover(s).

[Stephanie]

BTW I prefer nice pics of attractive chicks to this type of TMI discussion.

Well I did also link to chicks (which was also about a TMI topic, BTW) but I don't think attractive would apply so... FAIL. Bad Stephanie!

[Porchlight]

An OT for DoT, from my Australian History read I just finished by First Fleeter, Watkin Tench.

Every time I see that name, daddy, I think of Benmont Tench who plays keyboards in Tom Petty's band. What a name.

One of the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin novels is partially set in Botany Bay. I forget which one - maybe Clarissa Oakes? Pretty brutal stuff.

[Ralph L]

Which is why cheating is much more dangerous to women
Especially in certain countries.

Benny Hill in bed: Goodnight, Mother of six!
Old Cow in nightie: Goodnight, Father of one.

[Extraneus]

Obama Heads Out to Church

Obama has been to regular Sunday services in Washington this year I think once or twice before this.

[rse]

Clarice-I have noticed the Social Psychologists are on that same international junketing at our expense circuit. And the research is getting someone to adopt the theory and record the actual effects.

[Ralph L]

Why do national pro-life candidates even try to answer these questions, when it should be the state governments that hammer out the law?

[Stephanie]

I've known women who cheated who didn't want to get preg but just 'have some fun' and I've known women who were dating who went out of their way to get preg. Both instances were what could be classified as opportunity sex - though for very different reasons. I suspect that the chemical reactions involved were probably vastly different for both "opportunities" and I bet both women felt they "won."

[Captain Hate]

BTW I prefer nice pics of attractive chicks to this type of TMI discussion.

I think I read a study that said this type of discussion causes ED. I could've drawn the wrong conclusion, I suppose.

[Captain Hate]

Why do national pro-life candidates even try to answer these questions, when it should be the state governments that hammer out the law?

That's the answer that seems to either elude them or people that say it don't have it subsequently reported. It should be drummed into every pro life candidate.

[daddy]

Speaking of sperm...

Last week bumped into one of my work acquaintances in a bar in Japan. He is on wife number 3, and told me that at her nagging he had finally capitulated and had the un-Vasectomy; the surgery to reconnect what 20 years previously had been sundered.

Said it was painful as the dickens, much more so than the original, and that they were fooling around down there for 5 hours!

Said recuperation was also miserable, taking approx 5 times longer to quit limping around in agony than previous.

I was quite tickled by the whole episode. Excellent bar chat.

[Bruce]

Stephanie linked a study which found a woman's hormones and immune system made it harder for her to be impregnated by a man's sperm which she had not had contact with in the previous three months which would seem to argue exactly the opposite of the evolutionary psychologists' position stated here.

Except possibly that if a woman were cheating with an alpha male, it is probably not just a one time thing, and therefore, this preventative measure wouldn't work with their sperm.