Varieties of Chutzpah, und zo weiter

... also Fundamentalism, Accessories, Puppet Pubic Service Announcement, &c.

www.argusonline.com.au/index-yellow.htm
www.argusonline.com.au/Articles/encount.htm (inner frame)
Encounters with fundamentalism
by Bill O'Loughlin

... the 'fundamentalist beast'. I described fundamentalism as any strongly held system of belief that purported to provide all answers to society's problems. The discussion was healthy ...
Now I understand 'fundamentalism' to be about holding a set of beliefs that
denies the right of others to hold a different view. Fundamentalism is about
asserting the dominance and superiority of one world view over another. It
arises when people feel threatened or oppressed ...

Extraordinary accessories - The Skinbag & associated articles
http://www.skinbag.net/skinbag-gb/code/upstreet-GB.html

... a SkinBag. I ordered one and the first time I walked around with it I had the impression I was taking part in an installation.

Already because of its art work side: each bag is unique and numbered to reach maximum personalisation. During the manufacturing process inscriptions, dedications, text, images or logos that characterise the future owner are inserted into the material like tattoos. And then peoples' reactions are fairly lively, and the way they eye up this object makes one presume they undergo a shock before thinking about it. People stopped me all along the way to the local store, astounded.

It was strange. In spite of myself I'd become part of a new kind of performance, ready-to-wear body art. But this sensation didn't last, probably because I spend more time in old ladies' cafés than at arty evenings. Twenty-four hours after I got the SkinBag, it had become an accessory, a singular one of course, totally integrated in my look.

Its functional side imposed itself, a lot lighter than leather. Such supple material allows to stuff in a quintal of muck and it's always pleasant to wander around with a Mary Poppins' bag.

Pete the P0rn0 Puppet
msnbc.msn.com/id/4874417/

... And the fact that it was filmed by a p*rn*gr.ph,r for an anti-p*rn Christian group should make it a sure-fire hit with the media. Comedy Central’s Daily Show with Jon Stewart did a brief piece gently mocking everyone involved. On May 4 TechTV, a cable network devoted to quirky technology will air the director’s cut (which actually features simulated puppet s3x and m.st-rb.t!*n) and interview Gross and Foster. But Pete may just be too h.rdc*re for prime time.

The PSA is meeting resistance at just about every network and local cable outlet. Nobody wants to air it as it was intended—as a free public service announcement, says Gross, who is prepared to raise the $5,000 to $10,000 needed to air it on television. The Christian Broadcasting Network’s flagship program The 700 Club planned to run a segment on it last week, but it was killed at the last minute by evangelical host Pat Robertson
...
Ironically, it is the p*rn*gr.phy industry itself that has been the most supportive of XXXchurch’s mission to keep children sheltered from *bsc,n!ty. Indeed, DiGiorgio is mulling the idea of putting the spot in his own releases as a warning to kids and a reminder (or potential buzzkill) to parents before the h.rdc*re action begins.

Pictures in Baghdad - part of a "Family in Baghdad" blog
A Cat

BTW, a caller on Australia Talks Back called 'Being There' Ronald Reagan's biography.

Reemco's "Cat Mantis"

Contrast with Magnifico passage -


Example of real life Chutzpah

Having been caught plagiarising on your final exams, and told you would get no marks, chutzpah is then announcing that you would be suing the University, because you'd been plagiarising your way through the last four years of higher education and they should have caught you earlier.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/3753065.stm
"I hold my hands up. I did plagiarise. I never dreamt it was a problem.
"I can see there is evidence I have gone against the rules, but they have taken all my money for three years and pulled me up the day before I finished.
"If they had pulled me up with my first essay at the beginning and warned me of the problems and consequences, it would be fair enough.
"But all my essays were handed back with good marks and no one spotted it."

This could be useful - an online printing cost estimator (might have to make an Oz version)
www.authorslawyer.com/l-print0.shtml#estimator

Apparently, in a 40 mph (~60 kph ?) crash into a solid barrier, the Cooper Mini does significantly better than the Ford F150 pickup -- "the USA's best-selling 'car'."
www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/ CrashTestingMINICooperVsFordF150 (with photos)
"there's no question what would win in a head-on collision between the two but then again the majority of accidents involve only a single car"

Great Advantages of Deregulation: Chapter the Nth

Enron Tapes Anger Lawmakers
LOS ANGELES, June 2, 2004
www.cbsnews.com/stories/ 2004/06/02/eveningnews/main620795.shtml

During California’s rolling blackouts, when streets were lit only by head lights and families were trapped in elevators, Enron Energy traders laughed, reports CBS News Correspondent Vince Gonzales.


...California's attempt to deregulate energy markets became a disaster for consumers when companies like Enron manipulated the West Cost power market and even shut down plants so they could drive up prices ...

describing his reaction when a business owner complained about high energy prices, another trader is heard on tape saying, ... "I said, 'Move.' (laughter) The guy was like horrified. I go, 'Look, don't take it the wrong way. Move. It isn't getting fixed anytime soon."

... It's clear from the tapes that Enron employees knew what they were doing was wrong, ...

Eventually, the lies unravelled and traders scrambled ... "I'm just -- f--k -- I'm just trying to be an honest camper so I only go to jail once," says one employee.

Also see comments at nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/005299.html -- It would be interesting to get comments from Adelaide & Melbourne (possibly all of SA or Vic) about their experience of electricity supply deregulation.
___________________________

You may need something to cheer you up after that last one. I haven't tried this out yet. Looked like it might appeal

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