“Every word that is uttered creates an angel.”
Joined December 2012
- Tweets 415
- Following 684
- Followers 1,072
- Likes 39,524
28 Photos and videos
42m
Do foreigners actually like it when as a tourist you say “good morning” or whatever in their own language, even though it’s clear you’re an American and the rest of the conversation will have to be in English? Like do they appreciate your effort? Or do they just find it annoying?
17
Also it’s annoying when dumb people accuse people of lying just because don’t understand what they’re saying
1
1
10
Aaron retweeted
This is what I call phoney American friendliness. A lot of European exchange students experience this. First day, first week of school, perfect strangers are nice to then than friends they have had all their lives. A month later those same people are absolute strangers. Don't be fooled.
30
1
17
70,371
10h
Underrated movie. For all the technical wizardry, I was most impressed by how the film caught what it’s like trying to protect children in a dangerous situation where they’re uncooperative and fighting between themselves. Realistic, unsentimental depiction of parenthood.
Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the absolutely insane camera movement in this shot from WAR OF THE WORLDS
65
Jun 14
I know I’m missing the point here but is the word “center” pretty much gone from the English language? Does everyone say “epicenter” now because it sounds so much more intelligent?
Jun 14
1/ A group calling itself "Voices for Palestinians" decided to adopt a road in Oakland County, MI.
Out of all the roads available, they chose one that was in the epicenter of the Jewish community.
1
1
229
Jun 12
Never saw this, but it’s a good “couldn’t make this today” example.
“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” was an unabashedly pro-military story. It celebrated fighting men (Rikki) and mocked those civilians who just get in their way and “don’t know when to do the right thing at the right time.”
Jun 11
Released in 1975, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi was an animated television special directed by legendary animator Chuck Jones and based on the classic story by Rudyard Kipling.
The story follows a brave mongoose who takes on two deadly cobras to protect the family that rescued him. For a generation of kids, it was one of those rare animated films that felt genuinely intense. The stakes were real, the villains were terrifying, and you couldn't help but root for Rikki-Tikki every step of the way.
More than 50 years later, it's still remembered as one of the finest animated adaptations ever put on television.
Did you watch Rikki-Tikki-Tavi growing up?
2
1
305
Jun 14
I finally watched the “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” cartoon and they (Chuck Jones?) totally whitewashed the Darzee character.
In the story it was clear that Kipling despised Darzee. Darzee was a fool whose misguided liberal, universalist ethics interfered with the war effort. In the cartoon, this part is changed: Rikki-tikki never asks Darzee to pretend his wing is broken, so Darzee never refuses.
My guess is that Chuck Jones (or somebody) had basically the same morality as Darzee, and that’s why they whitewashed the story to take out Kipling’s criticism of Darzee’s (their) morality.
1
35
Jun 14
Also in the cartoon it was Darzee’s wife who tells Rikki-tikki where Nagaina’s eggs are.
The cartoon removes thepart where Darzee tells him NOW and Rikki-tikki asks in exasperation, “And you never thought it worth while to tell me?”
The producers really whitewashed Darzee.
21
Jun 14
Took him three tweets until he said “Schmittian”
During Disclosure Day, I found myself thinking about Independence Day, which came out 30 years ago. The clear lesson of ID4 was “aliens are pure evil and must be genocided.” DD’s is: “aliens are wise empaths who must be listened to”—which is a very old idea about aliens…/1
1
32
Jun 12
This was the New Math. I was taught it in elementary school and it was one of the dumbest pedagogical ideas anyone ever had.
I think it might have been dreamed up by mathematicians. Let’S TeaCH tHE chILdReN tO ReaLly UnDerStAnd ThE ConCepTS. It was soon scrapped, another failure
Jun 11
We should teach set theory in elementary school instead of arithmetic. It relies on fewer axioms and is probably more comprehensible to developing minds.
2
6
508
Jun 11
This is a great movie for those Jewish–Americans who’ve “gotten in touch with their Jewish identity” after October 7.
David Mamet shows us in this movie that getting in touch with your Jewish identity can go very, very badly. Watch all the way to the twist ending.
Jun 10
This is the dialogue we all crave.
Homicide (1991) dir. David Mamet
4
312
Jun 11
This was a great movie, unappreciated by a lot of critics (but Roger Ebert gave it four stars). Unpopular opinion but I think it was Mamet’s best film.
(Also you might think the plot was stupid until you see the twist at the very end, where you realize it was really smart.)
Jun 10
This is the dialogue we all crave.
Homicide (1991) dir. David Mamet
3
353
Aaron retweeted
Jun 9
“I believe you’re anti-Semitic.”
No. Stop. Keep cheapening that word, and you’ll soon face the real thing.
I don't trust you.
I believe you're antisemitic, and it shows every time you talk about Israel.
I don't think you're good for Trump, either. You're a bad influence in his circle, and you're not acting in his best interests.
Israel's interests and your interests clearly diverge. Israel seeks to defeat terrorism, while you seem intent on preserving it.
45
18
166
59,927
Jun 10
I saw a talk by a qualitative sociologist whose interpretation of her data was so biased and tendentious it was laughable. She was out to smear her informants as racists, and she twisted their words as much as necessary in order to do that. (She was white, by the way.)
Walking out I ran into an acquaintance who was also there, who was then a Ph.D. student and is now the chair of a very highly ranked African American Studies department in America. We shared our opinions of the talk. When I said why I thought the research was biased her reply was, “Sorry you couldn’t hang with it.”
Jun 9
Sociologists have a choice.
1. Admit their field is devoted to left-wing activism. Be proud of it, openly defend it, and let the public decide if they want to support it. Don't throw a fit if they say no.
2. Admit it and demand reform.
3. Deny it and blame people for noticing.
1
14
1,973
Jun 9
“White phosphorous—a banned incendiary (chemical) weapon”
—“Canada’s leading journalist and political commentator”
Multiple credible sources claim that Israel has used and continues to use white phosphorous - a banned incendiary (chemical) weapon that can severely maim or even kill civilians.
hrw.org/news/2024/06/05/leba…
1
1
157