deathtokoalas
see, i don't think this is an argument to ban guns. rather, i think it's a demonstration of natural selection. so, stop pretending that banning weapons is going to make any difference (i hate guns. but i know better.) and give this man the darwin award that he earned fair and square through his astonishing stupidity.

but, no, you shouldn't give guns to children.

you shouldn't give them alcohol, let them operate a motor vehicle, administer a nuclear power plant or run for president, either.

youpumpertube
LOLOLOL - Awesome!

geddoe316
and what of the parents?

deathtokoalas
i don't think they made a smart choice, and it's going to badly affect her for probably the rest of her life, but i don't think they ought to face legal consequences. buddy put the gun in her hands and stood there entirely out of his own free will. he had every right to refuse.

(deleted response)

deathtokoalas
i'd love to be rid of guns, but in order to be rid of guns what we need to be rid of is gun culture. a lot of people are asking how the fuck a 9 year-old ended up holding a loaded uzi, and i think that's a valid question but it leads to questions about the place that americans hold weapons in their culture, not to laws restricting behaviour.

banning things just doesn't work. if i thought it would work, i'd be all for it. and i do recognize that the tool has some valid uses. i mean, i'd like to get rid of religion, too - that didn't work out so well in the soviet union, where the church is now basically running the country. how's the ban on drugs working out? prostitution?

it's just a really dumb approach to dealing with social issues. you need to get to the root of the various problems, not ban the consequences of those problems. with religion, there's some evidence it may actually be something worked into our dna that may be impossible to eliminate without changing our species designation. with drugs, the solution is probably legalizing less harmful drugs and treating more harmful ones as a health problem. with prostitution, you need to separate into prostitution that's done out of free will and prostitution that's done out of social inequalities, let the prostitution that is free happen and deal with the social inequalities underlying the stuff that's done out of necessity. and, with guns there needs to be a shift in culture.

so, it's a part of a general worldview that stands with the anti-gun activists in intent but rejects their solutions as ineffective.

Mckessa
You don't see this in civilized countries, truly astounding.

Derek
oh no its the the guns fault at all, im sure that little girl could kill that soldier/di with her fists or a knife by accident, fucking moron.

deathtokoalas
but, who gave her the gun, derek?

(deleted response)

deathtokoalas
i'm not going to suggest you're psychotic, but you've gotta keep in mind that part of the problem of having guns lying around is that you don't really know where they're going to end up or who's going to use them. another thing you've got to keep in mind is that humans are very emotional creatures that are very easily driven over tipping points - it doesn't take a lot to temporarily tip an otherwise rational human into madness, and it only takes a few seconds to pick one up and pull the trigger.

my understanding is that most of the gun deaths you see from otherwise law abiding gun owners are either accidents or the result of being lost in a moment that evaporates as soon as the trigger is pulled, and then it's "oh my god, what have i done".

what i would advocate is aggressively marketing a shift in social attitudes that shifts the dominant cultural narrative from "owning guns is our constitutional right" to "having one in the house is not worth the risk". that's a gigantic shift in culture that would fundamentally alter what america is. it's maybe a little presumptuous for me to sit up in canada and say it, but i'm rooting for that side of the debate to win out...

it has to be a debate, though, and it has to be done consensually in a process of mass understanding.

a full ban on guns would create a black market. you'd have gun buyers going to neighbourhood gun pushers that would buy from gun cartels connected to organized crime (and quietly getting supplies from the big corporations). it would not reduce gun ownership or gun violence, it would just restrict oversight and ultimately result in easier access and less regulation.

Derek
Well because, from your perspective it had nothing to do with the fact that it was a gun. How was it not the guns fault? Do you think a 9 year old could accidentally kill someone participating in a legal activity any other way? You think while she is eating breakfast her spoon is going to fly out of her hand and kill someone? Its because it was a gun that this little girls life is turned upside down and she will probably have psychological issues now, maybe depression who knows? If that little girl never held a GUN, not a spoon, knife, toy sword, toothbrush.. a GUN she would have never murdered a human being. That's why it was the gun, yes it was a culmination of negligence on the instructors part, her parents part... etc. But whoever s fault it was doesn't change the fact that it was because she was holding a gun that he is dead. I happen to think it was completely his fault for letting her shoot once then goin OH HOT DAMN FULL AUTO FIRE AWAY. But it doesn't change what caused this mans death at the end of the day. He could have been negligent as fuck if she was holding a spoon, her parents wouldn't even have to watch but she was holding a gun and the bullet from the chamber of that gun killed the man. She didn't attempt to kill him intentionally aim it at him he died because it was a gun... fucking moron.

(deleted response)

deathtokoalas
irresponsible or not, i don't think most gun owners have their guns locked in a safe. i mean, i agree that if you must have one, that's where it ought to be - i just don't think that's where they usually actually are. they're hiding under beds, in cabinets, in drawers, etc.

i don't have a desire to shoot a gun. my stepmother's father was a retired military officer and had a shooting range in his basement. i was over a few times when i was around ten, and refused to even enter the basement. that's the closest i've ever been to a firearm, and the closest i'd like to get to a firearm.

what i'm expressing is a fairly common attitude in canada, and this is the reason our per capita deaths from guns are so much lower, not authoritarian laws.

MACK DRE.
we start banning guns its going to be the same as banning beer.  ppl find ways to get it. right Now guns are in our streets,from gang-banging kids, to drug-dealers. and non of those are licensed guns nor licensed ppl to owen a gun. and  .. blaming it on untrained, being the reason of that mans death is point less. him as an instructor should have been behind the gun not in front.

(deleted response)

deathtokoalas
i'm glad you're a responsible gun owner, zachary. but i think the logic running through most people's heads is "it's of no use to me in case of break-in if it's locked in a safe". bluntly - there's clearly an issue, which means people aren't following these precautions. but that's just another example of a law that isn't working.

(deleted response)

deathtokoalas
i need to comment that i feel your comment is somewhat sexist, but there's a kernel of truth to it as it applies specifically to petite women. however, that logic would also apply to men of smaller stature, and not apply to muscular women.

it's the muscle strength that is important, not the gender.

Plethman Channel
They have laws to say how old you must be to drive a car, funny there are no laws on how old you can operate a gun.  That little girl could hardly hold that weapon.  That weapon weighs 10 pounds with a full clip. The instructor did not worn her what was about to happen. Your argument has zero merit.

(deleted response)

deathtokoalas
natural selection isn't guided or logical, it's a mostly random process and i'm fully aware that i'm not using it entirely correctly. i'm getting a point across.

the darwin awards themselves have been (correctly) criticized for this, but there's a certain amount of artistic interpretation in the process.

ApEaZed
bullshit. You can't expect everyone to be cautious. Americans are humans and humans make mistake. Ban guns and this won't happen. Period.

deathtokoalas
which is exactly why banning drugs took all the heroin off the streets, right?

LilGreenBuddy
you have a good mind and will be great wisdom to your peer group

deathtokoalas
nah, nobody listens to me.

MyQueen1994
If it makes you feel better I wouldn't listen to you either because I'm a Murican. Our only job is be lazy and ignorant. We don't understand resson and if you think differently then instead of having possible benefits we well politely ask you to leave in the most rude way possible. Muricah, bitches!

deathtokoalas
canadians are a little bit more polite about it, and maybe a bit more idealistic - they tend to just ignore me as a sort of a buzzkill, smashing through their idealizations with realism.

Jose Roman
I  hope the young girl understands that this is100% the "instructors" fault. He stands in front of a kid with a loaded Uzi, let's her fire once, switches to auto, then tries to adjust her stance and show her how to stand while she holds a loaded gun and then he let's her go to town. He didn't let her load the weapon or teach her how to safe the weapon and then stands right next to her, literally by the barrel while she shoots.

MyQueen1994
Whoa. You said about five to ten words I can't read or understand but I have a bigger pickup truck than you so I instantly win any argument. Muricah!

Wait, there are heroin instructors? Why was I not informed of this?

deathtokoalas
most people call them "musicians".

MyQueen1994
I don't understand metaphors and if you're asking why I would give that statement I'm response to your reply then. ....ummm...uhhhh... Muricah! My jeans are blue and my guns are big.

deathtokoalas
don't forget about your bible...

MyQueen1994
I'm a Murican I don't read it but I will quote and enforce it.

deathtokoalas
*misquote

MyQueen1994
Is it misquoting if I only get specific lines and rearrange them in any order to benefit myself?

====

dmac
That's it! I'm moving to Canada!

cowtipper99
canada has its fare share of idiots too, ever heard of this idiot named rob ford?

Solid Snek
Nice try but Canada has a shitload of guns too.

America
ill drive

purplemutantas
Some types of guns are easier to own legally in Canada than in the US. Short barrelled shotguns don't have any special restrictions in Canada like they do here. They have the same rules and regulations as any other shotgun.

Denise Dspain
Do you think one less whiner will hurt anyone?  LOL  Please do go by all means!!!

Solid Snek
Yeah people from here seem to be suprised at the sort of firepower you can own here. Most shotguns and rifles are perfectly legal here including the AR-15, M-14, Bushmaster ACR, IWI Tavor and the XCR to name a few. Hell even .50 cal rifles and armor plates are legal. That's better than Kommiefornia in some ways.

deathtokoalas
the reason canada has less gun violence per capita is not a consequence of our laws but a consequence of our culture. i wish you luck in escaping the wild west, i'd just request that you please be polite when you get here.

deathtokoalas
i don't think this is staged; i do think what you're seeing here is occurring all over the world.

this kid was cut off, probably because he was failing school.

"school is for losers. video games are cool."

there's millions of kids trapped in this industry, which turns them into consumerist slaves getting shots of dopamine from the technology.

we need to start holding them back in school.

if we do that then, in a few years, parents will get the hint.

Gizmo Gaming
Then again, it more or less depends on the person and the parents. The parents shouldn't be letting them play for 5 hours straight. >.<

deathtokoalas
when you're dealing with this kind of dopamine-driven addiction, it's not as easy as asking your kid to stop playing. and, that's what the problem is. i might find the idea of killing things distasteful, but i don't think it's really problematic in any kind of social way. it's the addiction that ruins them...

prague
I'm 27 and pretty much a video game addict.  The way you describe it as a "dopamine addiction" is pretty much spot on.  Although, as an adult I completely accept myself as an addict.  I was once an opiate addict and to get off of the pills I began playing video games.  I basically stopped one thing and picked up another.  I'd say that I'd rather be addicted to video games than hard drugs, but it still does take a lot out of my life and my bank account.  I barely want to do anything else.  I have lost friends because of my addiction.  It's funny too because I didn't become this until I was about 22-23.  The only thing I can say is that I'm glad I'm not a child going through this.  A child would not admit or even know what it means to be an addict.  When they hear that word, they think "drugs", not "technology".  Everyone, I believe, has an addiction though.  We all find something in our lives that we can't seem to go too long without.  Most people I know are either addicted to drinking, shopping, eating, sex, etc.  The ONLY thing I can say about video game addiction is that if one plays the right games it CAN be a good thing in many ways as long as that person does not become dependent on the games to feel complete as a person.  Let's take "Computer Chess" for example.  Chess can be a very strong stimulant for brain development.  It can teach problem solving skills, critical thinking, etc.  But the problem lies in the moment that person playing the game cannot go without it.  The kids in the video are playing Call of Duty.  I'm not going to say "Oh, Call of Duty is a POS game".  Looking closely, it CAN help develop the exact same things as Chess, but it's the socialization and culture behind it that is completely 180 degrees from something like Chess.  I strongly believe that all games in general, not just video games, can prevent certain diseases in some people's future.  Take Alzheimer disease.  I believe that playing games regularly can stimulate a part of the brain that keeps the gamer healthy in the mind which in turn MAY help prevent such a disease.  I'm not a scientist, nor a doctor, so this is all speculation, but the point of this is that there is a large portion of people out there that when they hear the words "video games" they think "nerd" or "loser" or something of that variety.  It may be the case for some, but there are video game players out there that AREN'T addicted and can maintain a healthy relationship with others AND themselves.  Me personally, I'm what I call a "mild-video game addict".  My house is clean.  I maintain a full time job.  I have a dog.  But I haven't had a relationship since I started playing games religiously.  I wake up in the morning and that's the first thing I want to do.  I make up stories and lie to get out of social situations like get-togethers and even just going to see my parents.  Stuff like that.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that video games get a bad rep because people think that it's the root of all evil and can transform people into doing things they wouldn't normally do, like for example killing people in real life because they played some game.  I have to say that that's not even close to the truth and has probably only happened a few times, but those people were already on that path and just happened to be playing certain games.  I play everything.  War games.  Puzzle games.  Adventure games.  To me it's like watching a movie, but you get to be the actor or at least control the actor.  In regards to your last comment, I think it IS more problematic in the social arena than anything else.  Look at the kid in the video.  He just lost two friends most likely because of his addiction.  He probably talks to his parents like he does to someone who isn't "playing the game right".  He ONLY wants to play games and not socialize, therefore it IS a social problem FOR HIM.  It's not for everyone, nor is it socially threatening for all game addicts.  In fact, it's HELPED my social confidence, but in turn it's KILLED my social desires.  I just don't ever want to go out on weekends, go to bars, etc.  In regards to your first comment, about the "consumerist slaves"...  I think that that's a bit lofty.  EVERYONE is a consumerist slave if you look at the big picture.  If you're not growing your own food on a farm; creating your own electricity from natural sources;  making your own clothes;  etc. etc. you are a consumerist slave to the system.  It's what our government wants.  They want us hopelessly dependent on their support.  It's NOT just video games.  It's EVERYTHING.  I agree with you on everything though, but it all has to be seen in perspective.  Have a nice day :D

deathtokoalas
what i meant is that i don't think the violence in the games is promoting violence in society, i think it's the other way around. i don't really get what attracts people to killing things, but i don't think it's causing school shootings. i do think it's preventing kids from living up to their potential.

the dopamine thing has been studied. cocaine temporarily boosts your dopamine level through chemistry, causing the high - as well as the crash and subsequent addiction. video games are constantly setting off your reward centers, making it more of a "natural high". but you get hooked on the same chemical basis - the more you play, the more dopamine your body releases. the result is something similar to how a monkey or even a rat gets addicted to pushing a button to get rewards. and, they'll sit there for hours. that's a little bit of a stronger level of slavery than we see in the general consumer culture because it's driven by that chemical response rather than pressure or status - although it's certainly a consequence of it.

what that also means, though, is that the games that integrate the most frequent "rewards" trigger the most dopamine and get you the most hooked. some of the simple strategy-type games on your phone are probably worse for this than shooter games, as they give you a shot every few seconds rather than when you kill something. chess? well, how many kids do you see playing chess? when a kid says "chess is boring. i'd rather play something else." what they mean is "chess isn't designed for constant rewards, and isn't getting me my fix.".

i played a lot of chess with my dad when i was young, but could never get into it over a computer (i tried) because there wasn't that human element to it. it's a battle of wits, not a dopamine release. well, i guess the dopamine release would get through after a good move, but it's too infrequent for the reinforcement - and not the aim of the struggle. it's a different thing altogether. i have no argument against kids playing chess...

i used to play civ2 when i was a kid, which is probably still the best example of a middle point between strategy-based and reward-based. but i couldn't get my friends into it. they'd be bored within twenty minutes. i suspect it just wasn't getting them that rush, because they'd built up a much stronger tolerance that i didn't have, from not playing more violent games.

you talked about moving from opiates to video games. i think that any kind of addiction is ultimately beaten by moving to a different habit. i was never a heavy gamer, but i haven't really played much of anything at all since the end of 1997, when i got a synthesizer and a 4-track recorder around christmas (i was 16). that's where all my excess energy went after that - into something creative.

at that age, the big problem is that it's arresting their development and preventing them from developing the skills necessary to succeed. i have friends in their early thirties that haven't migrated more than a foot from where they existed when they were eight years old - in their parent's basement, pushing those buttons for that hit. they have the same job they had when they were sixteen and the same life goals they had when they were seven - find money to buy games. it would be really remarkable to see a time lapse of them sitting on that floor, playing different controllers over the last few decades but ultimately occupying the exact same physical space.

Bradley 
No.. This is patrick

MyFutureDream
Imstopped being like that, i used to always play games ignore school, be popular, but now it's different, straight A's! In 7th grade. Thanks to my brother took my xbox one away. (Good thing) I started realizing I played too much.

HopeDoesGaming Second Channel
I agree, the addiction to games are hard to get rid of, but they aren't easy getting into either. People say they played the game for 6 hours when they honestly hated it, we should NOT stop video games and tech for good! People NEED breaks every once in a while, but do you think playing it 24/7 (Without taking 1 little movement) is healthy for your brain, eventually a kid is going to smash his ps3d tv because it look so real. Who would think that the ring of fire on the xbox360, when your dad says the ring of fire, you STICK A HOSE IN THE CONSOLE, that's crazy talk! All of those who don't want to get off the game the games when yo mom tells you to, I FEEL YOU! The game messes with your brain, especially violent ones, the violent games have inappropriate crap that makes your brain think it's the right thing to do in life, ITS FAKE! So take 5 minutes right now after reading this and put down the mouse, or controller, step outside, and breath! I am a huge gamer myself, but do NOT stay on it 24/7 or you will pick up bad habits, play sports, study for a school test, run around! Idc what you do as long as you make the right choice which is taking a break from technology! Please like if you agree with me! Also, make sure to check out me youtube. There is not many videos lately because I'm punished but thanks for your time :)

YourCasualNintendoPlayer
I definitely agree.

ZombiecoHQ
I'm 13, most likely addicted to PC haha. Play all day :P I'm not like the idiot in the video though. I do homework, go to school, get good grades etc. I can also control anger unlike the fatass in the video. Idk is this even considered an addiction?

deathtokoalas
when i was 13, i got perfect grades without studying. the little bit of "homework" that was assigned was mostly finished at school during busy work periods. in fact, i often had time to do my friends' homework, too (which i regret, it didn't help them in the long run). they don't really expect a lot out of young kids in north america (as compared to some other places in the world); you're given a lot of time to "be a kid", and if you happen to be a relatively smart and lucky one it could result in what seems like total freedom. i'm going to guess the kid in the video is more like 15 or 16, and there is a pretty big difference in terms of what the school system expects of you jumping from grade 6 or 7 to grade 10 or 11. i'm sure you've been informed of that by teachers and older friends or siblings.

you're going to have a choice regarding how you spend your time in the next few years.

like anything else that's addictive, it's going to affect people differently. you might stop playing to spend more time doing other things, or you might find it's increasingly eating into your productivity.

but, yes, it's an addiction, in terms of how it chemically affects your brain.

try this experiment: stop playing for a week and tell me how you feel.

ZombiecoHQ
I've stopped for weeks in the past (being grounded, going on vacation, etc.) and I just have to forget about it and focus on something else. When I'm really bored though, I can't stop thinking about the glorious thing that CSGO is :D

Andrew Conti
i may not play video games a lot,  but fuck school, its fucking useless ESPECIALLY  history

deathtokoalas
history class is very important in understanding how things came to be. i know they may test you on silly things like dates, but if you understand the way things work together then the dates fit in naturally.

for example, there's war in syria and iraq right now. if you want to understand that, you need to understand the history. and if you want to understand america's reaction, you have to understand it's history, too.

the future frightens me.

deathtokoalas
bad acting.

good idea, though.

and it is a good idea. he can buy his games back with the money he makes working... in the mean time, hopefully he finds something better to do.

Владимир Путин 
Yeah,and the way to make him do that,is to destroy something he has a psychological connection with. All the people in this video would make great parents,apparently

deathtokoalas
awww. he has a psychological connection with de video games and mean daddy took them away. awww.

maybe he could try building a connection with something that doesn't involve murdering people?

Gergely
what if the guy streams gaming, plays competitively or makes gameplay videos earning money? nowadays lots of people make a living gaming and entertainment connected to gaming

deathtokoalas
that would be a job, which he clearly does not have.

DamnPanda
well not anymore hahaha...

Ivory11
tough love. kids like that when they get WAAAAAYY too into their games, the only things that can break them out of it is some tough love.

and that's what this dad did, he loves his son too much to let him waste his life away sitting on the couch playing games 24/7, he's clearly tried everything but nothing else has worked, so the only thing he can do is to take the thing that his son has wasted months and years away on, and outright destroy them.

at least then the son would have motivation to go out and get a job, even if it's just to get enough money to buy back those games.

karatekid
As you say kids i assume you are an adult. Have you ever played a good game or read a good book or watched a good movie? You like some characters in them I am sure and if you spent more time with that character (from you favourite book for example) you get attached. My point is that's not a phenomenon restricted on games. And as long as it's not a unhealthy relationship I don't think it's something you have to "break out" someone.

When his dad loves him so much why would he take something that his son loves away? And waste is such a hard word. I mean where is the point in working if you have everything you want? When you have everything you want you would to what you like and in his case it's gaming. (May that be something else for everyone.) I think it is counterproductive destroying games so he gets a job to buy them again. He probably should work for his food and stuff but that money he can do with games.

James
I agree, it's definitely acting. So he wouldn't actually mow the real fkn games hahaha, he's probably mowing over empty discs.

Sir TurtleNipz
no dude i believe it hell my mom through my Xbox down the stairs what the hell do you think my dad would do cause he made me hammer my own lap top

James
yeah but the cameraman's supposed "reaction" to the kid screaming was obviously fake. He knew to look at the whiteboard straight away and see the message. Then the argument between the Dad and the son is just horrificly bad acting.

deathtokoalas
there's a different physical and psychological response with gaming, as it hits different reward centers. if you approach it naively, it might seem like it's like reading a book, but if you study the way your body reacts to it, it's more like smoking crack.

if daddy had mowed his crack pipe, this wouldn't be controversial. the difference is that video game addiction is more socially accepted. but, give it time and society will treat video games the way we now treat smoking - as something that is unhealthy, anti-social and should be avoided.

you'll see video game addicts come up with all kinds of absurd reactions...

but have you ever seen a survey on smokers, asking them to answer the question of if they think smoking causes cancer? the results are consistently astonishing.

Mark
"maybe he could try building a connection with something that doesn't involve murdering people?" Like playing Mario kart? Not every game involves murder...

But without kidding it doesn't look like the dad is a good father either... You should never let it come this far. Even if it is acted.

deathtokoalas
believe it or not, there was actually a time in the 80s and early 90s when the gamers were actually the smart kids. but, they were playing fantasy-based role playing games. it was an extension of dungeons and dragons, really. the industry today is not what it was then.

as for the father, it's hard nowadays, with the strength of the industry stealing your kids' brains and turning them into consumerist slaves of technology. yes, this is staged - but the premise is believable. and there's plenty of videos of actual kids absolutely freaking out when you try and take away their dopamine rush.

when you're dealing with a heroin addict that refuses treatment, one of the tactics is to lock them in a room and destroy the narcotics. this is entirely analogous, and just as justifiable.

i think this is a demonstration of excellent parenting, and i'd like to throw out a call to action for real-life parents to be equally harsh on their addicted children.

whatever their age.

Mark
Being a Nintendo gamer I'm stil kinda stuck in the 90's :P. There are still games that doesn't only involve murder. Zelda is an example. But in my eyes you failed as parent if your children react like this on HIS age. If it was a 5 year old kid I would understand but he should be atleast 18 years old? Atleast I have never saw such an extreme case.

And no I wouldn't call this excellent parenting. You should atleast have a conversation with him first... You know, with words, the old way? Without violence.

deathtokoalas
i'm assuming everything was attempted and this was a last resort, but there's not enough context. i don't think it's fair to think this was the father's first attempt...

i think the point you're trying to make is that he will relapse back into his addiction if he doesn't make the choice to stop. i agree with this. but, some addictions are too strong for reasoning - they require physical restraint for a period of days or weeks to allow the addicted person to clear their heads and come down.

Mark
I agree and sorry for my bad english. It isn't my first language :(. We don't know enough context indeed to make the conclusion this was his first attempt.

karatekid
Your first thesis seems very interesting. But I can not go that far that smoking crack and playing games have the same effects. (I would be happy if you have prove though.) I agree that there are addictions that arn't as socialy accepted as others but that had nothing to do with the video. ^^

deathtokoalas
the information is out there.

i'm ok with providing information if something is obscure, but we have an internet now (and you're on it), thereby shifting the responsibility on to you to look it up, rather than on to me to do it for you.

karatekid
Well normaly i would say yes to that. But thats not how discussions work. If you put an argument you have to support it and not let others do the work for you.

deathtokoalas
that's how things used to work before the internet. i'm making it a principle to enforce the fact that things have changed, now.

here's my source:
google.com

try searching for video games and dopamine.

deathtokoalas
i thought she did acoustic music?

and, surely, she can afford to eat?

this actually could be a fairly interesting pop song, but that hook is just mercilessly drilled in without much development....

i know, i know. i'm asking a lot. i'm just used to my big band pop more in the over-the-top style of peter gabriel or bjork.

no, honestly.

somebody tell taylor to get this into the hands of an over-the-top remixer. fuck, i'll do it.

that's a serious offer.

Lily N
My daughter is as skinny as Taylor and trust me.. she eats.. tons. Not everyone has the same body type. No matter the age, some people are just thin or other sizes.

deathtokoalas
is she keeping it down? i'm extremely thin myself, but there's a point where you're dealing with body types and a point where you're starving yourself.

i'm not really interested in criticizing the woman. that's not my point. the makeup is masking it a bit, but she really looks like she's not getting enough calories or is burning too many off. do i hope she deals with it? sure. but i'm actually more concerned about the messaging...

James M
Ever heard of fast metabolism???

deathtokoalas
sure. i have one myself. i can't go more than an hour after a meal without ejecting a substantial amount of matter.

but that's a level of thin that transcends a fast metabolism.

sportagus3
I'm sorry I didn't realize that you oversee Taylor's diet. How are you going to automatically know what she eats just by looking at her. I'm a thin person too that eats a bunch of food. It's not that uncommon...

deathtokoalas
well, obviously i have no idea what she eats - i'm just pointing out that it's blatantly clear that she's either not eating enough of it or she's spending too much time in the gym.

eating disorders are very common. by denying the obvious, you're not helping.

Janah
Does it really matter what she eats? Should we care? Shouldn't we just pay attention to he music and not her body size?

MrDarcyBabie
I thought she looks a lot skinnier in this..don't want any hate I'm just giving my opinion.

deathtokoalas
well, there's a lot of literature that suggests that these kinds of images are the cause of eating disorders, and they're probably what started them in taylor, herself. i can't think of any way to break the cycle other than to point it out.

loudly. and repeatedly.

it might put her in a bit of an awkward position, but nobody says "think about the heroin addict's feelings". people say "this person needs help". you people have your priorities fucked up.

wait wait wait. i think i get it.

taylor is a celebrity, and you right fucked americans worship your celebrities as superior beings.

so, she can't have an eating disorder. that would suggestion an imperfection within perfection, which is a contradiction in terms. qed.

right?

fools...

it's in front of your faces, and the more you deny it, the more you perpetuate the cycle.

taylor needs help, not denial.

Pandaboy90
So cute you care

Meghan S
its called keeping fit....

deathtokoalas
no. that's beyond a fitness regimen. her bones are jutting out of her neck and shoulders....

(deleted response)

when your bones are sticking out, that means you're emaciated. you could even use that as a working definition of emaciated, although it's not quite technical enough for more general use.

there's a lot of reasons you shouldn't eat burgers. i cheat sometimes, but it's pretty rare. not the burger - that's even more gross.

you shouldn't stand up for your emaciation, you should realize you have a sickness that will likely cut your life short rather substantially and is deeply fucking you up on a hormonal level, which may have very negative effects on your ability to breed, amongst other things.

(deleted response)

emaciation is not "just skinny".

see, this is why we need to have a discussion on the topic. media portrayals of women have created an entire culture of people that think bones sticking out of their skin is a natural consequence of high metabolism, part of being "fit" or "just being skinny". it's been completely normalized.

i also want to point out that informing an obese person of their obesity and trying to convince them to take steps to better their health is in no way rude, it's putting the pressure on them that they need to change their diet and habits.

cassie jenkins
true but don't make fun of her

deathtokoalas
if i'm going to make fun of somebody, it's almost always going to be related to their intelligence and absolutely never going to be connected to their physical appearance.

i actually think this is the first taylor swift song i've ever heard. i don't have the slightest idea of whether she's worth making fun of or not.

i was really attracted to the horns, and think the track needs a remix to make it a bit more interesting. pop music has been so boring for so long now, it was just nice to hear a glimpse of something a bit more developed. but this has a long ways to go before it gets there.

(deleted response)

yes, i realize that obese people know they're obese, but the strongest and most preferable form of group coercion for the common good (which includes minimizing waste of health care resources) is peer pressure. peer pressure is preferable because it is a positive type of coercion and isn't hierarchical (and consequently isn't bullying). this is what is called an anarchist approach to social control.

the other two solutions are the authoritarian approach of refusing them treatment (i don't like that one) and pretending that resources aren't finite (this is the existing status quo of delusional liberal capitalism that you're all taking for granted, the one that assumes unending growth curves and infinite resources and assigns access in a hierarchy based on wealth).

cassie jenkins
that's ok you don't have to i'm just saying i do .

deathtokoalas
well, if it makes you feel better about yourself....

i mean, at the end of the day, making fun of people to make themselves feel better is the only thing that bullies have.

it's sort of cruel to take that away from them.

Jessica;

I would like to clear up a few points in your email.

While your landlord may be correct in that the house may be serviced
by separate storm and sanitary connections (I can't confirm that),
both these connections would outlet to the same combined sewer in the
road. There is only one sewer Cataraqui and one on Marion, and they
are both combined sewers meaning that they accept both rain water and
sewage.

With respect to the Wyandotte project, there is no sewer work being
undertaken as part of that project. Windsor Utilities is replacing
the watermain and services and the City will reconstruct the pavement
following that work. This project would have no impact on the sewers
servicing your property.

You are most likely correct in that there is a correlation between
rainfall and the slow running plumbing in your house. This is due to
the combined nature of the sewer that services your property. During
rain events, combined sewers fill with rainwater and therefore have
limited capacity to accept flows from buildings.

With respect to the apartment building across the street from you, all
rainfall runoff from this property would have entered the sewer system
via foundation drains prior to the fire, so the fact that the basement
may have flooded and the water is now entering the floor drain would
change the drainage pattern very little. In fact, rainwater entering
the sewers from this property would be very small in proportion to
that coming from the catchbasins draining the roads in the area.

With respect to abandonment of the connections servicing the apartment
building, that would be addressed when the building is demolished by
the Building Department. If you have concerns regarding the state of
the building, please contact the Building Department via 311.

Hopefully, this answers some of your questions. Please contact me if
you want to discuss this matter further.

Sincerely;
Name Withheld, P.Eng.
A/Contracts Co-ordinator

the plug was like 50 feet deep in the drain, almost certainly in the city pipes. if i understand correctly, that means the city should have paid to remove it...

i've seen people throw everything you can think of down the drains. it was probably garbage from the street that washed through after the storm.

i want to be clear: i can't complain about my landlord in terms of responsiveness, interest, etc. i mean, he just paid to clear a city drain. on the other hand, it's because he wouldn't listen to what i was saying....

odsp mail for september arrived today. no letter of doom yet.

i'm waiting, patiently, though.