Comments

1

What. CATS? What.

2

I'm with you CalliopeMuse.

CATS. Cats? CATS!

That looks so freaking weird... and I REALLY want to see it for some reason?? Idefk (I don't even fucking know LOL).

3

"Equally, if not more, important is that these structures are invariably named after old, dead, European men (or men of European ancestry), who were (statistically speaking) likely to have identified as cis and hetero. "

Dear God--not that!!!
These people have way too much time on their hands.
They should be seen to and chemically altered.

4

I'm hesitant to agree about the anatomy thing. For most of the examples I know, these structures were named after men (yes, mostly white men) who were legitimately innovative and influential in their fields. It's almost like saying we should change all the Latin names of species that were named after white male people.

I don't know the rules for naming body parts, but since you're basically not allowed to name a species after yourself (I really like this convention in biology), most of the people after whom species were named were truly talented, dedicated individuals that someone else chose to recognize by naming a species after them. (And a surprising number of species are named after local guides and non-traditionally educated local experts who may not have been white or male.) I suspect the trend is similar in anatomy.

Of course, going forward, a concerted effort needs to be made to include minorities (including but not limited to racial minorities) and women in naming conventions and everything else in science (something big needs to be named after Rosalind Franklin, for example) -- indeed, to place their achievements at the forefront. (I say this somewhat selfishly as a women attempting a career in science.) But just because their gender or ethnic group unfairly dominated/dominates the field (in general), it doesn't erase the contributions of individuals (in particular) to their fields.

That said, though I do care to some extent what other biologists are up to, I have no personal stake in human anatomy terms (or human medicine unless I'm the human taking the medicine). If members of that field decide to change the names of structures I take little interest in, so be it. Human anatomy and physiology terms (or, indeed, anatomical terms for most terrestrial and vertebrate species) have little relevance in my chosen career (cross you fingers for me) as a marine invertebrate zoologist (unless they overlap with invertebrate anatomy).

5

It's the "Equally, if not more, important" that makes me cringe. This should be no more than a somewhat pleasing side-effect of giving those structures a more descriptive name (which actually is useful). I mean, they might have been men and white, but they did discover those structures, right? Should we stop mentioning Newton when we talk about gravity?

As for Cats, I just saw the preview, and I now formally withdraw my vote for Idris Elba as the next James Bond. This just sucked all the badassness out of him.

6

I still want him to be Bond. Or the Doctor. Just to see his face more often.

7

There’s going to be a female black woman as the next Bond, Ricardo. I’ve read that this week.
Is it true.

8

That sounds interesting Muse. Crossing fingers.

9

Calling it the bulb.... gland of course makes it much easier to locate.

10

@7 LavaGirl: The next 007, not the next Bond. James Bond is still around somewhere and she's a new agent given the designation/title/code 007 after Bond's resignation or whatever.

11

I see. Thanks, Anky. So Idris might still pop up as Bond, with a new number or going numberless. Oh the intrigue.

12

+1 Grade of Execution to Ms Muse for leading with her self-interest.

Whatever they do with Mr Bond and/or the number (although I must report being as completely unfamiliar with them as Mrs Musgrove was with whether or not Mrs Croft called Bermuda or Bahama the West Indies), just please let it remain entirely in the realm of the Wainthropps. Any attempt to gayify the character would bring me immediately to LMB (Laissez-Moi Barf for anyone who has joined us since its last outing). I'll defer to Ms Fan or Mr Alan on any putative biification.

As for the column, Mr Savage should not have to backtrack about the evangelical-adjacent couple. Given the circumstances, the burden of proof was on LW to make it abundantly clear that his wife was on the side of the angels. Barring edited information, he didn't.

13

I don't think anything can suck the badass (or the hotness) out of Idris Elba and would definitely still like to see him as Bond. Or, like @6 calliopemuse, just anything where I can see his face more. Also, I'm oddly and unexpectedly intrigued by that preview. Also ALSO I think Cats' weird human cat thing is gonna tick some peoples kink box really well. Maybe have some overlap with furries, human cats, or some sort of animated thing?

14

I would like to nominate the bisexual 31-year-old female for citizen of the year.

15

I wouldn't say I "reject Andrew Lloyd Weber and all his work," though I was severely underwhelmed by Phantom of the Opera. I've never seen CATS (or any of Mr. Weber's work other than Phantom), and I suppose I'd be willing to give it a shot, upon further reflection. If only weed was legal in New York...

(My psychiatrist tells me that with the cocktail of medication I'm on, it's actually safer for me to get stoned than to get drunk. Go figure.)

16

Marine invertebrates! I hope you get to name some awesomely weird species after interesting people.

17

Eh-hem. Jesus Christ Superstar is still awesome, nearly 50 years later. And this is coming from a non-christian anti-religionist atheist.

18

Also, no religion should ever be taken seriously. Ever.

19

@17. Okay, I'll give you that. Listen to it frequently.

20

“She’s in ministry” could mean she’s a church music director or youth group leader, etc.

21

Hey Kinky Minister, God botherers have caused so much trouble for so many years, with their fanciful stories and rules
Surely there’s some Christian sex advice columnist they could ask.. you interested? They turn up here, an atheist’s page, then they get that response. Tough titty.

22

Am I the only one who had to fight against reading "she's in ministry" as "she's in Ministry," the legendary Californian industrial band? Just me, I guess.

And come on people, there's a huge opportunity here: Idris Elba as the next Bond "girl" to the new female 007. You know it makes sense.

23

Dr. Sylvester, that was really interesting, thanks!

"Pouch of Douglas" makes Doug sound like a kangaroo!

24

@22 BiDanFan But then we'd have to watch him die...

25

“A Poly, Kinky Minister Who Curses And Is Tried Of Your Shit”

This person mentions being a member of a leftist sect and is not in the Evangelical Ministry, I don’t think they understand that regressive social conservatives are not like them. They didn’t even care to read or understand the letter. Is this one of those brag replies? I don’t get it, they can’t be that ignorant of right-wing Evangelicals in this world.

26

No, Dan: not Evita, too! (sobs quietly)

27

@23: Hannah Gadsby's new show, "Douglas," had a whole riff on the Pouch of Douglas. It was only mildly funny, but when I read Dr. Sylvester's list of names, I felt very important because I already knew that one.

28

I don't think minister man has to point out that he curses. It's like he's trying too hard to be cool. You're a member of the world's most popular religion, no need to be insecure. We like you just the way you are.

29

@28 TheLastComment
"We like you just the way you are."

Absolutely. Particularly if he's out poly to his congregation.

And maybe someday he'll even get over needing an imaginary sky friend.

30

Ms Rand - Uh-oh; we agree. The new minister writing in seems to think Mr Savage has a much higher opinion of NALTs than he's acknowledged.

31

Callipe @ 6 + Kitten @ 13 - And why do you only want to see more of his face? I want full frontal!

Lava @ 11 - Waiting with bated breath.

Marty @ 17 - Jesus Christ Superstar is still awesome indeed, to this atheist at least, but that's probably because Judas is the good guy in it and Jesus is just a conceited fart who believes his own legend. Also because the theme song questions why would god have chosen such a backward place and time to send its son if it was serious about spreading its message, since that truly makes no sense.

BDF @ 22 - Along with the news of the female 007, they also announced that the "girls" would be referred to as "Bond women" from now on. That's progress, I guess. They'll probably still end up dying, though, so I'm not sure they care.

32

Oh, and happy moon landing day, everyone!

33

Science.

...

(More people have walked on the moon then have been to the deepest part of the ocean. Ocean exploration is important, too! And wildly underfunded.)

34

(We also know more about the surface of Mars than we do about the ocean floor.)

35

Reminds me of the song by the Aussie band The Angels. When they performed the line from the song of the same name,
“Am I Ever Going To See Your Face Again, “ the punters in the audience would yell back in unison, “ No Way, Fuck Off....”

36

I'm afraid that if I saw Cats while high it might trigger a psychotic break. Watching the trailer sober was nightmare-inducing enough.

37

Not sure I’m interested either way, nocute. Musicals made into movies are a hard sell.
Not that I’m a true musicals fan, the last one I saw was Hair. I got on the stage at the end too. Fitting finale to my musicals watching life.
My childhood was filled with musicals in life and movies and seeing pantomimes, I think I was done.
Nice to see you undead.

38

I should clarify for you younger ones, ha. The cast invited us up on stage at the end of Hair, to have a dance.

39

the anatomy doctor deserves the “over thought woke comment of the year” award. So underrepresented folk don’t go in to STEM fields because some obscure body parts are named after long dead white men. This doesn’t even pass a basic logic test.

40

How did our anatomist miss the shift from "hymen" to "vaginal corona," given the much more culturally loaded consideration of that part of the human anatomy?

41

@40 All I know is that the name of the order Hymenoptera (sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants) hasn't been changed.

42

Probably not caffeinated enough but Dan thinks cream pies are delicious? Um...I must be missing something. Maybe he means the actual pastry?

43

@5 Since we don't call gravity "Newtonpull", that's really a terrible example to put forward. You could suggest equivalence to renaming the unit of force from Newtons to something else, but no one usees Newtons anyway. Naming anatomy after men who discovered them at a time when only other white men were allowed to discover such things is idiotic. And as the LW pointed out - it's counterproductive on many levels.

44

Did no one else miss the hidden meaning in the Headline? Dan Blew...

45

Oh, and no one was preventing non-white men from discovering anything... apparently in the areas where non-whites are native they either weren't much interested or not educationally developed enough.

46

That ED letter was... something

I mean, implying that the major cause of ED, or even a relevant one is being bored of your partner
And apparently it's "pop a pill = recieve boner" type of deal

while, barring physiological issues, anxiety is one of the biggest contributors

47

Circle of Willies! Count me in!

Daniel Savage, release the inner Catholic! You relax with ALW and pot edibles. You have confused the spelling of Max WeBer, the theorist of the Protestant work ethic, and Andrew Lloyd WeBBer. Freudian, Mother? Ask the question. And why not relax by issuing joke advice? One letter in ten? Live a little!

48

@45 - You sound like someone who knows a lot about not being educationally developed

49

Thing is, the Poly, Kinky Ministers Who Curse are shoveling the same shit as the Southern Baptist dicks, just mixed with flowers and in smaller doses. I know good people who are deeply religious. But I don't know anyone who is good because they are deeply religious, only in spite of it.


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