‘Human sacrifice’ staged at CERN's Shiva Statue

[backtoiam]

I have to get on the same side with the Wombat on this. Too much vitriol and personal mud slinging in this thread. No need for all that. This is a trivial event considering its wider implications. I consider RI a research foundation, of sorts, not a place for personal causes. I expect too much, but I hope for it....

[conniption]

I love Mac and guruilla!!! Without them--and a few others-- this place would offer little more than mainstream-politically correct thought and opinion.

Thank you for that!

[brainpanhandler]

I love Mac and guruilla!!! Without them--and a few others-- this place would offer little more than mainstream-politically correct thought and opinion.

Beg to differ.

Few

1 : consisting of or amounting to only a small number <one of our few pleasures>

2 : at least some but indeterminately small in number —used with a <caught a few fish>

I would agree that both Mac and Guruilla exemplify, charitably speaking, very forthright voices not terribly concerned with offending people. But they are hardly 2 of only a few posters here that think way outside the mainstream. I would say it is the other way around. It is a very few members here that take a mainstream view of anything.

As far as politically correct thought and opinion... Maybe you could provide some examples of politically incorrect thought and opinion that you feel is frowned upon here? Who is being stifled from saying what? Or are you just saying most of the members here are so brainwashed by the mainstream media that they do not even know they are self censoring their politically incorrect thoughts?

[Harvey]

I am sort of speechless, having been ready to climb on my horse & tip my hat; either that or launch a Molotov cocktail.

Hearrtfelt gratitude for having the balls to love when it was most needed, D&C/Grr/W-R.

Hope you don't leave! Mac neither! (I'd still come and read your blog anyway so you wouldn't get off that easy) I hope all is well with you.

It's hard to make it constantly clear through a few words in a box on a forum that differences of opinion aren't a problem (quite the opposite in fact) and that the exchanges are good natured (from my perspective but I suspect for almost everyone here) and how much I value the many voices I've encountered at RI over the years. It would get a bit saccharine if we spent all our time constantly reassuring each other, but absolutely, I really value your and Macs insights and macs explosive indignation and would miss you both were you not here.

Another thing, I very often don't respond to posts which have moved and informed me because I have so little to add and my ignorance is vast and unrelenting. Perhaps I should do that a little more. Likewise, when I'm not convinced by an idea and say so I don't expect the other to adopt my view, it's offered for consideration and nothing more, even when I get emotional or talk shit, as I frequently do.

So let's not be anything less than robust in arguing our case or questioning others and let's be slow to take offence because the world is too interesting and there's too much at stake to reduce RigInt to petty squabbling or bland agreement.

Here's to plurality!

[divideandconquer]

I love Mac and guruilla!!! Without them--and a few others-- this place would offer little more than mainstream-politically correct thought and opinion.

Beg to differ.

Few

1 : consisting of or amounting to only a small number <one of our few pleasures>

2 : at least some but indeterminately small in number —used with a <caught a few fish>

I would agree that both Mac and Guruilla exemplify, charitably speaking, very forthright voices not terribly concerned with offending people. But they are hardly 2 of only a few posters here that think way outside the mainstream. I would say it is the other way around. It is a very few members here that take a mainstream view of anything.

As far as frowned upon politically incorrect thought and opinion... Maybe you could provide some examples of politically incorrect thought and opinion that you feel is frowned upon here? Who is being stifled from saying what? Or are you just saying most of the members here are so brainwashed by the mainstream media that they do not even know they are self censoring their politically incorrect thoughts?

Most here are not brainwashed/indoctrinated to the degree that the majority of the population is, however, I think many, --not all, or maybe not even most-- "of the members here are so brainwashed by the mainstream media [mainstream science, mainstream academia, mainstream institutions, mainstream culture...] that they do not even know they are self censoring their politically incorrect thoughts."

As for frowned upon politically incorrect thought and opinion? Well, let's just say I skip threads on certain issues/subjects as I know that my opinions/thoughts would inflame/offend 99% of the people who post here. That's not why I come here so I keep those thoughts and opinions to myself.

[Blue]

Mac said:

Another point: Notice the lighting, a permanent fixture there which is designed to cast giant shadows of Shiva in several directions, upwards, onto several walls.

(It's a distinctly creepy effect in itself. Why would CERN want that? How would it tend to affect the mentality of people working there at night? It's not exactly a cheerer-upper.)

It's Art. Public Art. A gift. Shiva represents the cosmic cycle of life, death and rebirth.

"According to quantum field theory, the dance of creation and destruction is the basis of the very existence of matter. Modern physics has thus revealed that every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of creation and destruction. For the modern physicists then, Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter, the basis of all existence and of all natural phenomena.”

Writing about the statue, Aidan Randle-Conde, a post-doc student working at CERN wrote: “So in the light of day, when CERN is teeming with life, Shiva seems playful, reminding us that the universe is constantly shaking things up, remaking itself and is never static. But by night, when we have more time to contemplate the deeper questions Shiva literally casts a long shadow over our work, a bit like the shadows on Plato’s cave. Shiva reminds me that we still don’t know the answer to one of the biggest questions presented by the universe, and that every time we collide the beams we must take the cosmic balance sheet into account.”

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-maha-shivratri-why-cern-the-world-s-largest-particle-physics-lab-has-a-statue-of-lord-shiva-2186655

About the security issue. I doubt if they are monitoring all 300 (where did that number come from?) cameras 24/7. Guards are human. It was the middle of the night.

[Novem5er]

So let's not be anything less than robust in arguing our case or questioning others and let's be slow to take offence because the world is too interesting and there's too much at stake to reduce RigInt to petty squabbling or bland agreement.

Here's to plurality!

That last part, right there. There's no need for everyone to agree, and there's no reason for anyone to act so indignant about disagreement. My calling out of other posters has nothing to do with disagreement, but the way they get personal with their disagreement. I disagree with posters all the time, but not once have I called someone's posts shitty, called them unqualified, uneducated, inebriated, or a dull pencil. Not once have I read a post and then put a label on someone and tried to classify them, be that a "neoliberal" (he keeps using that word wrong, BTW), a New RIer, a puppet, or slave to the Mainstream.

Nearly every squabble we've had on RI over the last few months is because someone disagreed with a point, or questioned it, and the original poster then lashed out at the other person, rather than the argument. It's like people aren't allowed to disagree without being subjected to personal attacks. That discourages participation and shuts down discussion.

[MacCruiskeen]

That discourages participation and shuts down discussion.

I know, it's terrible, isn't it. Look at this twerp on the right, discouraging participation and shutting down discussion. What a bully. What a snob.



It makes my blood boil.

[MacCruiskeen]

This guy too, the one in the raincoat. Doesn't he realise that all opinions are equally valid??



Can you believe it? His patience is not endless. What an elitist! He just arrogantly discourages participation and shuts down discussion. (I bet he thinks he's so smart.)

Ooh, it makes my blood boil, I tell you.

[MacCruiskeen]

All opinions are equally valid and must be entertained respectfully forever.

Surely this is obvious to everyone? That's what Rigorous Intuition means, after all! People, people... If we've learned anything from Jeff, surely we've learned that? Isn't that what brought us all here in the first place?

As for those immature snobby bullies who resort to sarcasm or actual invective... Well, I can't tell you what they do to my blood. Frankly, I think they should grow up and stop pretending they are so smart. They are not the boss of me.

[Novem5er]

This guy too, the one in the raincoat. Doesn't he realise that all opinions are equally valid??

I'm going to just chalk it up to cultural differences. Maybe in the UK the normal reaction to disagreeing with someone is to insult them (is doss cunt appropriate?), share a pint, and then move on. Maybe that's jerky behavior over there, too, and Mac is just a jerk.

I live in the American South, where I guess people are more polite about things (they keep the real bad stuff behind closed doors, don't you know). If I'm having a discussion with someone here, on the street or in the office, and a person starts in the way you do, it causes an argument and eventually a fight. Being rude in the South starts brawls.

Likesay, cultural differences.

[norton ash]

In the south one just says... Well, bless your heart.

[MacCruiskeen]

norton ash was drawn to this thread by Novem5er's unauthorised use of the term "doss cunt", on which norton holds copyright. A stiff lawyer's letter is heading for Dixie.

[norton ash]

D C.... That's really just a hat tip to my Celtic bloodlines and Scots/Irish friends. Canadians don't really use the term, but I LIKE IT. And I certainly claim no copyright.

Did you know that 'goof' is the real insult that causes Canadians to drop the gloves? It evolved from prison culture, where 'goof' implies 'child molester'.' You can listen to a string of the vilest insults exchanged as a confrontation escalates ... but "You fucking GOOF" usually triggers the first swing.

[Novem5er]

In the south one just says... Well, bless your heart.

I'm going to start using that as a response now, thanks! I'll keep posting my asinine comments, like wondering if there'd be trace blood evidence after a sacrificial ritual with a knife or the ridiculous notion that the cultists with too-short robes, high socks and sneakers are probably rank amateurs, and when someone comes at me like a teenager with Asperger's, I'll simple bless their hearts.