November 26, 2003
EMANCIPATION IS AT HAND
This is a master cylinder from a Ford braking system. Look at it. Arrogant, tyrannical, oozing malevolence. Sense the fear it inspires thoughout the vehicle.
And here is a slave cylinder, liberated from an Alfa Romeo clutch assembly. It is beaten and cowed. Clear evidence of whippings can be seen on its once-proud alloy surface. Perhaps it tried to dissent.
Well, thanks to the County of Los Angeles, such inequalities have been abolished. The county has requested that equipment suppliers no longer use the terms “master” or “slave” in product descriptions. Cry freedom!
(Via reader Geoff E.)
Posted by Tim Blair at November 26, 2003 11:36 AMHow is the extensive S&M network in LA going to advertise themselves, let alone hook up for some mutual humiliation/latex fun/gimp gaffes and gagging gags?
Isn't this oppressing a minority with differing sexual preferences?
The whole computer network client/server dealy is a little demeaning too.
Posted by: Brian O'Connell at November 26, 2003 at 12:59 PMNo more male and female sockets and plugs.
Well-preserved Alfa part, no doubt that's all that's left after the rest rusted away.
Posted by: ilibcc at November 26, 2003 at 01:11 PMThen I suppose it wouldn't be culturally acceptable for me to call them Fxxxxxx Morons.
Posted by: Wallace at November 26, 2003 at 01:27 PMToo stupid for parody. I guess we will need new language to describe our lighting systems soon. The sadist recepticle always links to the masochist whip.
Fuck me for working in the electrical field. Damn! I could have been a carpenter or a plumber but NOOOOooooooo!
May I suggest alternative designations: the "helper" cylinder and the... um... "big buddy" cylinder?
Posted by: Joe Geoghegan at November 26, 2003 at 01:48 PMYep, eliminate the words from the language and that should get rid of the problem...
What about the stuffing box, bastard files and other tools and mechanical equipment with, er, unsavoury names?
Up next -- Hollywood studios, the TV networks and the music production houses in Los Angeles County are all forced to rename their male and female plug connections for all their cabled electronic equipment due to the sexist images they imply...
Posted by: John at November 26, 2003 at 02:47 PMRIGID Tools must be swept away by the PC police.
Posted by: perfectsense at November 26, 2003 at 02:58 PMAh, so *that* was why people were talking about slavery with Saudi slavery
A Saudi man puts an ad in the newspaper to exchange a 1991 Dodge automobile for a female slave.
Obviously the guy was in search of spare parts!
(LGF's hyperlink target is broken: I think Faithfreedom recently changed ISPs)
Posted by: Andjam at November 26, 2003 at 03:39 PMWatch out! I am typing this on a computer with Master and Slave IDE devices.
And a SCSI disk!
Posted by: Aaron at November 26, 2003 at 03:48 PMI read an article recently about the apparent increase in allergies. One theory is that since we've eliminated most infectious agents, the body's immune system will take something formerly innocuous - like peanuts - and identify it as infectious so as to keep itself busy.
I think the same thing works on a macro level. With all of the big social problems solved, the do-gooders - excuse me, the FEEL-gooders, they don't DO anything - must find formerly-innocuous things and identify them as noxious to keep themselves busy. The more they "cure", the more they will find, and the silliness will only increase exponentially.
Posted by: Dave S. at November 26, 2003 at 03:53 PMDouglas Adams put it best in Hitchhiker's Guide when he told the story of an alien race who discovered: "The best way not to be unhappy is not to have a word for it".
Obviously the LA "pothole fillers and garbage collecters" have taken a leaf out of DA's book (quite literally) and have decided to right all wrongs, cure all injustices, fix all social problems armed only with a red pen and a copy of the Websters Dictionary.
Sadly like all deluded lefties who are incapable of understanding the "real" world (ie the one outside the muncipal building or the university campus), it is going to take a bit more this to cure rascist attitudes on one side and entrenched victim mentality on the other.
E
Posted by: The_GOP_Elephant at November 26, 2003 at 04:02 PMOT: In your bulletin column, you have
"it's really unfortunate that we share a language with them, because it makes it so much easier for them to take over". Just like those pesky Jews in Germany 60 years ago!
60 years ago would be 1943. Wouldn't 65 or 70 years ago be in better taste?
Posted by: Andjam at November 26, 2003 at 04:06 PMAnd more accurate! Good point, but I think everyone will get my intended meaning.
Posted by: tim at November 26, 2003 at 04:10 PMPlease join me in my movement to get the term "slippery slope" removed from English lexicon. Thank you.
Disclaimer
This email address does not exist and any resemblance to persons alive or deceased is purely coincidental. No Jews or Palestinians were harmed in the making of this comment.
I find tamperproof sex bolts to be very disturbing.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at November 27, 2003 at 02:13 AMTerry LOL - "sex bolts"!? I thought I knew most mech/elect equipment but apparently not. David S. Yes, I agree - and that's the best description that I've heard (well, read) that summerizes what's going on.
Posted by: rabidfox at November 27, 2003 at 02:49 AMTerry, you're right, that is very disturbing.
And yet, strangely fascinating...
Posted by: Ken Summers at November 27, 2003 at 05:03 AM"Maistre/servus"?
Anything said in Latin sounds impressive...
Posted by: mojo at November 27, 2003 at 05:56 AMHow about calling them "Queen" and "Drone"?
Or, for the Brits, "Queen" and "Commoner"?
Posted by: nofixedabode at November 27, 2003 at 06:18 AMOK, that's it. We can all go home now. The anti-racism industry can shut down, because it's quite clear that nothing more needs to be done. If people are complaining about stuff as trivial as this, it's obvious that all the genuine problems have been solved.
Posted by: David Gillies at November 27, 2003 at 06:22 AMThere's a whiff of sexism in the name of the toy I was going to give my grandson for Christmas: an Erector Set. Is there such a thing as an Arousal Set?
Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at November 27, 2003 at 06:26 AMDo my dumb terminals become "silent terminals" or "challenged terminals"?
Posted by: Theodopoulos Pherecydes at November 27, 2003 at 06:50 AMArgh! Now I can't get that Depeche Mode song out of my head.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 27, 2003 at 06:52 AMIn the interest of better relations in the Arab world, I would suggest "Allah and Mohammed".
Posted by: Matt at November 27, 2003 at 07:50 AMOK, that's it. We can all go home now. The anti-racism industry can shut down, because it's quite clear that nothing more needs to be done. If people are complaining about stuff as trivial as this, it's obvious that all the genuine problems have been solved.
Sadly, slavery still exists (Sudan I think).
Posted by: Andjam at November 27, 2003 at 01:09 PMDave S, “feel-gooders” sounds good to me.
Kim Phoc Nugyn, we are all on a slippery slope and will go to hell in a handbasket! More power to you!
Terry Oglesby, ‘Tamper proof sex bolts”? They must be nuts…
nofixedabode, Queen would be unacceptable, everyone knows what a Queen is… don’t they?
I’d like to see the word racist abolished. Too many people apply it to bigotry of any kind.
Theo, If you track it down can you let me know where I can get the Arousal Set?
Posted by: kae at November 27, 2003 at 01:10 PMYes, Andjam, but it's being perpetuated by Muslims, so it doesn't count. Just ask Jesse Jackson.
Posted by: Ken Summers at November 27, 2003 at 01:24 PMAw c'mon youse guys and guyesses it has to be:-
Mork and Miranda
Posted by: Lawrie at November 27, 2003 at 02:38 PMebony and ivory
vanilla and chocolate
black and white
sodom and gomorrah
pit and the pendulum
rimsky and korsakov
both my favorite russian compositors
someone else's joke, i know
Posted by: bumble at November 27, 2003 at 11:21 PMCome on guys, we're talking about RACIST car parts. This is serious stuff. From now on it's "Massa cylinder" and "Coon cylinder".
Posted by: Clem Snide at November 28, 2003 at 06:32 PM"Simon" & "Garfunkle"
"Hall & "Oates"
"Hootie" & "Blowfish"