Monday, October 08, 2018
On a light note
If you need a break from thinking about our wretched political situation, take a gander at the very brief video embedded above.
I shot the raw footage some time ago. Tonight, I put together this "preliminary" video for the benefit of anyone out there who knows something about Parkour. I'd like to know if the stunts described in those 1951 newspaper articles can be replicated by today's athletes.
I think they can. I think that the 1951 "Phantom of Baltimore" was a real guy who could do some amazing stunts.
Of course, the followers of this blog probably are not Parkour experts. But if you happen to know someone who has knowledge in this area, I'd be very grateful.
(I was quite surprised to learn that a nearby cemetery had such a colorful piece of lore attached to it.)
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41 comments:
If you compare any objective athletic accomplishment, be it running, jumping or throwing, from 1961 and 2018, the 2018 record will dwarf the 1961 record. People just keep getting bigger, stronger and faster. It is not possible that somebody in 1961 was able to surpass the high jump record of 1961 without being known, let alone be better than anyone today. I remember going to Fort McHenry and hearing a ranger there say that singers were better in the 1700s than they are today because they were able to sing all the chords of the tune to the Star Spangled Banner so easily back then. That was obviously ridiculous, the tune was a bar song sung by a group, not by an individual. People, as a race, improve in ability from generation to generation. Of course, not to say we get smarter.
joseph: I concede your point, although I should note that the event occurred in '51, not '61. That said, I'm not sure that it was impossible for someone to jump down from a 20 foot roof and leap across a 6 foot fence topped with some scary-looking barbed wire.
The point is, it's easier for me to think that there was an early-day Parkour enthusiast performing those stunts than it is to think that some supernatural agency was involved. I'm sure that you understand (and probably share) my bias on that point.
I've been to Fort McHenry a couple of times. Thankfully, nobody said anything so ridiculous about singing ability. It amuses me that Francis Scott Key, one of the worst poets who ever poeted, should have inspired that massive statue of Orpheus.
Now I know that the High Jump is different thing.
But American high jumper George Horine did 6’ 7” in 1912.
It seems reasonable that the postwar interest in martial arts could have cross pollinated with Parkour to have inspired an individual to have ...umm... reached such heights.
Interesting topic.
Tom
Joseph, I agree, though I think the whole story is an urban myth which demonstrates how memory works, or doesn't work, in a community to generate a false narrative. But two segues: First, any discussion of Francis Scott Key, who may have been a good lawyer as he got the doctor out of the brig and off the boat naturally leads to a discussion of Phillip Barton Key and his murder by Daniel Sickel, the worst general of the Civil War. That was, I believe, the first successful use of the temporary insanity defense in the United States. And second, when discussing the poor poetry of Key, another lawyer who fancied himself a poet, and was terrible, was Edgar Lee Masters. And then Masters wrote Spoon River Anthology. Go figure.
This is the kind of post I dig. I am lifetime MD resident and learned something from this post. Any E.A.P thoughts you’ve picked up living in Balmer?
Anon, I don't know who or what killed Poe, but I have solved (kinda, sorta) the mystery of the "Poe Toaster."
http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/2014/06/poe.html
This sounds suspiciously like the Springheel Jack urban legend. See:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/meet-springheeled-jack-the-leaping-devil-that-terrorized-victorian-england
Are we in interesting times yet?
Bill Palmer seems to think so.
The only question in the lead up to November 6 is when republicans release the rat fuckery and how much of it will be #metoo?
Given what's at stake why haven't Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein made statements supporting Democrats?
What part will Facebook play in voter suppression this time around?
Mr. Mike:
I saw on Ari Melber the other day Ralph Nader. Maybe it was yesterday. I can’t remember, it’s all so horrible. October 15 or 16.
Ralph was talking up the Billionaire Michael Bloomberg as being brilliant. I’ve talked to him, Ralphie said. He’s just the guy to “shake up the Democrat party.”
..... Ralph Nadir. Guy has the sad look of one of those malnourished losers who lives to be 110. Still on TV. Why?
Tom
Zucky announced the formation of a Facebook war room to counter bot accounts posting fake news and voter suppression posts. I suppose they will delete offending accounts and take down their posts.
I'm reminded of that Communist guy what said the real power belongs to the ones counting the votes. It will be interesting to see who gets disappeared, republican or Democrat leaning posters.
@Mr. Mike: Zucky's war room activity: keeping it all the more untraceable and deniable.
And now this Monday morning Oct 22, comes a new report of improving poll numbers for Trumpp.
But, I think those polls are faked.
And I think that MSNBC reporting are borderline reprehensible; the necessary skepticism is lacking. It all looks and smells like the roll-out of the latest psychological warfare campaign.
We know that the Russian (and other) hackers are inside of every computer system of any importance in the world. It seems reasonable that they are also hacking the poll data or processing thereof.
This sort of thinking is not really conspiratorial or paranoiac. We know from reporting that the Russians spend at least tens of Millions of dollars on these activities. Their universities produce plenty of top flight math and computer people.
Tom
Where have you gone, Joe Cannon,
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Joseph, you haven't posted for a while.
Not that you're obligated to, but I hope you're okay.
No witty words from Joe for a while now. Hope all is ok! -Rick
The bombs sent to Clinton, Soros, Obama and CNN will help get the Repuglican vote out on 6 November. Pipe bombs! Clinton! Soros! The meedja! Yeah! What more do wrestling fans want? Voting at the polling station will be like having a ringside seat! It will be akin to an act of standing up and shouting.
It's that simple.
We hear that Donald Trump says that a "major federal investigation" is underway, that "any acts or threats of political violence are an attack on our democracy itself", and that "those engaged in the political arena must stop treating political opponents as morally defective." None of that will be heard by the target market, except that if they bother to listen they will think the way he says it sounds presidential. The words themselves either have too many syllables or they represent notions that are too abstract.
Bomb! Soros! While the Mussolini man on the stage displays resolve, complete with facial movements, hand gestures, and voice tone. Trump went on to say that the media have "a responsibility to set a civil tone and to stop the endless hostility and constant negative and oftentimes false attacks and stories". Yeah! Fake news! Bomb! Killary started birtherism and now she causes bombs to get sent! Note that nothing Soros, Clinton or Obama themselves say in response will win many votes for the Democrats.
I doubt the Democrats will take the House, whatever Nate Silver thinks. How can they respond to these events - and more may come - in a way that causes voters who would otherwise abstain to vote Democrat, Democrat party activists to make more effort, or voters planning to vote Repuglican to abstain or flip?
Time for paranoia?
What happens when the bomb maker is found and claims they did it to expose republican hate mongering?
All the false flag accusations come true and the Blue Tsunami dries up.
MAGABOMER suspect arrested, one Cesar Sayoc from Florida. The falseflaggers haven't been deterred. They know it's a setup bc the window stickers aren't sunfaded and the van is in pristine condition for it's age. Their reasoning is ANTIFA vandals would have destroyed it by now. 35% of America is lost to common sense and logic.
Joe, your extended silence has me concerned at this point. Everything OK?
I've solved Trumpism. The following are connected:
* Extremely widespread opiate addiction in the US
* The reduction of sex drive that opiate addiction causes
* The rise of "red in tooth and claw" support for Trump
I call this the Trump Triangle: drug addiction, limpness, and the psychology of violence, all orbiting around Stupid.
Some might call this mechanistic. But you don't have to be keen on Reichian cloudbusters and orgone accumulators to realise that decreased sex drive among parts of the population for whom addiction to opiates has become normal, in what is a highly sexualised culture, is going to have an effect. "We favour what's real!" and "All the rest is fake news!" are the watchwords of the aggressive, animalistic, highly anti-intellectualist Trumpians.
In short: if you're a Trumpian, the reason you hate Hillary and Soros is that you can't get an erection, and when you receive the stimulus from those who sell you the wrestling you light the torches and you want to "kill, kill, kill". One needn't labour the point that guns and gun fantasies come into this.
Hypothesis: to win the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic party should choose a candidate who drips sex appeal.
Refuah Shlema, Joseph.
b@ 5:58, The sexy candidate phenomenon has been a topic since Kennedy NIxon. One anecdote from that time is people who listened to the presidential debates gave Nixon the win. Those who watched on TV gave it to Kennedy. Clinton v Bush worked the same. Bush v Gore, ditto. Sadly for us America chose an orange bufoon over the experienced but older looking woman. There must be something in the water that other nations have elected women leaders but the U.S. is still using the testosterone standard.
Part of the blame rests on the print and broadcast news media biases.
Hi Joseph, Lurker here. Hope you are okay. I miss your commentary.
Before someone corrects me: I mean opioids, not opiates.
Hillary is younger than Trump.
You are missed Joseph. Hope all is well. Susan
@MrMike - I reckon some of the redneck vote for Trump is explained by low libido caused by opioid use, with sex drive sublimated into a version of ringside cheering of the violence of Trump's act, including the crazy hatred that is aimed at Hillary Clinton. Now I'm going to have to check which states have the most opioid use. A heart-throb like Beto O'Rourke might be well placed to beat Trump. He looks a bit like JFK too.
Agreed, what's going on Joseph?
Trump to visit Pittsburgh tomorrow, Tuesday, several Jewish leaders have told him he is not welcome. I suppose we will be treated to more grinning like an idiot Parkland victims hospital photos. Here's hoping nobody let's him in their room. He can visit that Bowers guy.
From the good-side of Reddit: Journalist Scott Stedman is warning of an attempted Mueller smear story tomorrow https://www.reddit.com/r/RussiaLago/comments/9slgkw/journalist_scott_stedman_is_warning_of_an/
Joseph, your long silence is troubling. Do you have designated successor? Anxiously curious minds want to know.
I am the only true anon.
HOLY SH%T!
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10142190205
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/special-counsel-refers-scheme-targeting-mueller-to-fbi/574411/
I thought the news about muller would bring you back, if nothing else just to say I told you so
Hello? Anyone know the fate of Joseph? I worry a bit about him.
We haven't heard lately from the faction on the left who actively worked to elect Dump. Their goal was to ruin the system so a new one can be erected in it's place,or that what they hoped for. Are we sure they aren't working hard at it,quietly,this time? my guts telling me they are. I don't want to play Joe cannon on tv,but in his absence someone has to do it. Joe, please don't abandon us.
Joseph, you better not die. After midterms the country, people already here, and people seeking asylum will be in a slightly better position. Everyone who reads this blog needs you to tell us why slightly better isn't good enough.
Also, Charlie needs you even if you don't believe that. If anything happened to Charlie, email me. I have no truck with the AKC, and I know where great Aussies from nonshow lines bred for work are available all over the country.
Are you alive, old friend?
Please come back.....??
I do find the continued posting of comments to be a good sign regarding the existence of Joseph.
I’m hoping for a lengthy essay posted to the blog after certain obvious, and perhaps some not so obvious, knowing our host, events have come to pass.
Keep well.
Tom
I think we will hear from Joseph after the election.
Maybe Joseph is on a sabbatical until the mid terms are over? Although the picture of a cemetery as the final post from almost a month ago becomes somewhat ominous as time goes on.
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