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slugslugslug · May 19, 2006, 06:10 PM

Damn, I shoulda started a new thread like the current one instead of making this post back in the Ultra Mega MacBook Speculation Thread of Doom™.

I'd like to think the I coined "BlackBook" there, though I'm sure lots of folks woulda independently come up with it anyway..

shabbasuraj · May 19, 2006, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Yakov

I made a similar joke about pianos in a Music Theory class one time. ("African-American keys.") I was blown away by the reaction I got in the (all-caucasian) room: total, stunned silence. I thought it was a pretty simple, quick, harmless joke... I've tried it a few times since then. It seems to go over better in a mixed crowd. Might not work so well on a message board.

Shabba, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone to agree with your proposal, nomenclaturologist or no.

In biology, nomenclature and taxonomy is a recognized/appropriate field of study. The derivative 'niger' is extensively used throughout the pure and applied sciences.

This is a fact, and has NOTHING to do with me suggesting something RACIST, as my intention was to put forth a truly accurate name. No more no less.

Many animal/plant scientific names using the linnean system use niger...

For example...

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...18821ecac4390c

I guess some here do not know this fact, and I should have provided some background info.

Now...as for your poor judgement in your music class, that sir is an altogether different story, and that reaction was completely warranted, as it may have revealed your overall ignorance.

Back to the topic on hand...

For those biologists in the crowd...

May I suggest...

Kingdom: Electronicae
Phylum: Personal Computeria
Class: Appleoria
Order: Notebookora
Family: Intelae
Genus: MacBookis
Species: niger

Binomial Name: MacBookis niger (Shabbasuraj 2006)

Yakov · May 19, 2006, 06:34 PM

Then as now, I feel like it's a pretty harmless gag. (Both as it was originally posted here and in my rendition from several years back.)

The joke is about political correctness, I think, more than anything else, and the phemonenon most of us go through of setting up an automatic mental system of replacing "black" with "African-American" (when, of course, a visibly "black" person could just as easily be African-American as African-Israeli, African-Chinese, African-French, African-Australian, African-Korean-Irish, or Tiger Woods, among many other possibilities).

We're getting off-topic, of course, and into strangely offensive territory, so this will be my last post on this topic.

(That's a great link. You should send it to the South Park creators...)

Y

Moderator · May 19, 2006, 07:07 PM

The African American joke was funny. So was the Nigerbook joke.

I like BlackBook just fine...and at 13" it sounds just about right.

elcheapo · May 19, 2006, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Moderator

The African American joke was funny. So was the Nigerbook joke.

I like BlackBook just fine...and at 13" it sounds just about right.

Are you sure it is not Too Beaucoup?

hndsmman · May 19, 2006, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Moderator

The African American joke was funny. So was the Nigerbook joke.

I like BlackBook just fine...and at 13" it sounds just about right.

Hahahahhahhahhaha I literally loled at that one.

HarriganC · May 19, 2006, 09:57 PM

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH! That was priceless..

icruise · May 20, 2006, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by shabbasuraj

Why?

You are aware I typed "Niger" and not the racial slur...

Niger is a latin derivative/word meaning black or dark.

My suggestion is perfect.

Many scientists studying nomenclature would agree.

Yes I am aware of that, but in the context it was given anyone with half a brain would interpret your post a reference to the "N word" and I do not find that funny. I had no problem with the original "African American Book" thing (lame as it was) but frankly there are some places that you should not go. I find it very hard to believe that it never occurred to you how it might appear.

And for those readers who may not be familiar with Mr. shabbasuraj's posting history, let me just say that he has a history of making one word or one sentence posts that contribute nothing to the discussion. That may have contributed to my own short-tempered reaction.

onlykaria · May 20, 2006, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by Icruise

Yes I am aware of that, but in the context it was given anyone with half a brain would interpret your post a reference to the "N word" and I do not find that funny. I had no problem with the original "African American Book" thing (lame as it was) but frankly there are some places that you should not go. I find it very hard to believe that it never occurred to you how it might appear.

And for those readers who may not be familiar with Mr. shabbasuraj's posting history, let me just say that he has a history of making one word or one sentence posts that contribute nothing to the discussion. That may have contributed to my own short-tempered reaction.

i agree that first joke was unfunny, but harmless, but to say that the second on had nothing to do with the n word, that is really, really, hard to believe.

rcarlosnyc · May 20, 2006, 10:31 AM

Pismo 2

I went to the Apple store yesterday and checked it out. It looks EXACTLY like a slim wide screen Pismo even down to the texture of the material used for the case. I think it's funny Apple went back to an old favorite for the design.

shabbasuraj · May 20, 2006, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Icruise

Yes I am aware of that, but in the context it was given anyone with half a brain would interpret your post a reference to the "N word" and I do not find that funny.

sure pal...I provided my logic and explanation.. it is legit... now if you don;t believe it ... o well..

Cadaver · May 20, 2006, 03:11 PM

MacBook Blāk (kinda like the new Coke Blāk).

/didn't say it was funny...

Elixir · May 20, 2006, 05:20 PM

what a lame thread.

i wouldn't be suprised if we see something on youtube with two cartoon whitebooks beating down on the blacbook rodney king style.

chrisutley · May 20, 2006, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by Icruise

StealthBook

or

SR-71 BlackBook

StealthBook is a no-brainer.

rcarlosnyc · May 21, 2006, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by shabbasuraj

NigerBook

I just read this crap. You're a jack ass and it IS offensive.

rcarlosnyc · May 21, 2006, 03:13 AM

Originally Posted by Bryanmc

And just because one person doesn't find it funny doesn't mean it's not.

I'm not laughing either. That is 2. It's not funny.

shabbasuraj · May 21, 2006, 03:54 AM

Originally Posted by rcarlosnyc

I just read this crap. You're a jack ass and it IS offensive.

sure buddy...

get informed....

WOPR · May 21, 2006, 04:39 AM

How come there's no 'ignore poster' button on this forum?

Ah - just found it

GlobalNomad · May 21, 2006, 09:35 AM

African American-Book (clearly all the black people are from africa... clearly)

SlaveBook (someone had to do it)

sbc · May 21, 2006, 10:26 AM

Mods please close this thread.

Simon · May 21, 2006, 11:27 AM

Now this is really becoming stupid. Gosh people.

WOPR · May 21, 2006, 11:37 AM

Some stunning posts in this thread. Well done people, you should be so proud of yourselves.