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Volume 32, Issue 1:
The Heuristic Playboy

Pirate Battle

Pirates ended the careers of many a brave seaman, even those who survived the tumultuous waters south of Cape Horn, the monsters of the great Atlantic, and the pleasant oases of the Pacific. Pirates were feared for their unforgiving tactics, pillaging and plundering without regard for the innocence of man,
woman, or child. But when pirate met pirate, the devil himself shook, for only the most ruthless of rap battles would settle their turf war. We found a transcript of just such a trial of wills, reprinted below:

Let it be known that this lyrical fistfight and verbal dynamite may take place between our two contestants, Lil Jon Silver and Arr Kelly. Sucka emcee spits first.

Arr Kelly: [nods, takes deep breath] When I set sail to your mother’s seas I drop
anchor with rancor / I give that broad’s broad side a broadside when I pull up and flank her / ‘Cause while you just a Lil Jon, this Long John sank her.

Lil Jon Silver: When I met your mother I crept up where she was layin’ then / And got her good with my belayin’ pin, I started dismayin’ then / ‘Cause your mom’s got crabs like the ocean’s got shore / That salty lass was on me
like, “Polly wanna crack whore?”

Arr Kelly: You know I made your mom my first mate / But she wasn’t my first
mate / Since I was a laddie I been raisin’ the birth rate / I cut lass with my cutlass / I’ve had more pirate booty than the loot in my trunk has.

Lil Jon Silver: The first time with your mother we was really in a rush / So
keep it hush-hush, but I musta bust my blunderbuss / Your mom’s sick like
Ahab GAA always lookin’ for Mo’ Dick.

Arr Kelly: You know the game ain’t the same since I came to the Spanish Main / I spent a few Gs just to sail these seven seas / And Zanzibar is nice, but I got spice / Up in the West Indies where the lassies be into me / I bust hymen like icebergs versus Titanic / An’ my rhymin’ panicks enemies / So get outta the Atlantic if you not a friend of me.

Lil Jon Silver: I give no quarter on the quarterdeck / If I plunder your booty, then you’ll never get a quarter back / I show less mercy than scurvy / And the rhymes that I drop is contagious like herpes / My ride is the S.S. Stallion, just one of my battalion / And the chrome on this galleon you gotta measure in gallons / I got diamonds on my main mast, making lassies gasp / And before I even start my rap, you like Smee / Wonderin’ what Captain Hook gon’ be.

A panel of judges, including Blackbeard, William Kidd, and Barbarossa, announces that Lil Jon Silver is the winner. JS gives a sporting hug to his competitor, to show that both pirates are truly winners. Still, Arr Kelly is forced to walk the plank.

Bush Calls for Draft

In response to the growing violence and anti-American sentiments in Iraq, the conscription of young American men is needed, said a rhododendron on the west side of the UC Berkeley campus.

The bush shouted his right-wing sentiments as loud as he could, but was heard only by what he called “tree-hugging pussies.” The listeners in question called the bush a racist and continued their veganism with extra zeal.

A New, Old-school Workplace

In my job search, I’ve found there to be certain unnecessary equalities arbitrarily built into our legal system. The Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and U.S. Constitution are way too progressive for my liking. I mean, how can these bleeding-heart, unbiased corporate executives ever hope to hire anyone qualified for the position? Hey execs, the world doesn’t need another Mahatma Gandhi. We therefore must enforce discrimination and prejudice policies to ensure that able-bodied, white, heterosexual males are employers’ top priorities.

Interview One

CEO: Explain some of your work experience, please.
Melissa: Well, I worked at Mercer for three years as a financial consultant before working as…
CEO: No, no, no. Explain your work experience. [Makes handjob motion]
Melissa: Oh, that wasn’t on my resume? Weird. Well, I’ve given 74 handjobs, 65 blowjobs, and four rimjobs.
CEO: [Face lights up] You certainly seem qualified for the position, but I would like you to work through a case study. [Unzips pants] Don’t worry, there’s no math involved.
Melissa: Great, math disgusts me. [Crawls under desk]

Interview Two

CEO: Wow, how did you find a parking space?
Allen: I was driven here by my father.
CEO: Oh, so he feels guilty for producing a bad seed, does he?
Allen: I lost my legs in the Iraq War, if that’s what you’re referring to.
CEO: It looks like you also lost your dignity, your sense of value, what would appear to be your right index finger, and a job opportunity here.
Allen: If I had any legs, I’d kick you in the balls.
CEO: If you had any legs, you’d kick Melissa in the head as she sucked my two balls.
Melissa: [Lifts up head] I thought you said there’d be no math.

Interview Three

CEO: It says here you’re incredibly lazy.
Dancing Bear: Where does it say that?
CEO: Across your Mexican face! [Slaps self high-five]
Dancing Bear: I’m not Mexican. I’m Native American.
CEO: Oh, in that case, I have a joke. How many Native Americans does it take to screw in a light bulb? All three of them. You and your
two drunk friends probably named something stupid like “Fire Belly” and “Fixes Lightbulbs.”
Dancing Bear: I see now that my type is not welcomed in these parts. Unless, of course, you still need that lightbulb changed.
CEO: I sure do.
Dancing Bear: [Reaches for phone and calls his two remaining friends, Fire Belly and Fixes Lightbulbs]

Interview Four

CEO: Let’s start by looking over your resume and vagina. In fact, can I grab your boobs?
Cicely: Jesus, what kind of girl do you think I am? I will not jeopardize my morals…unless, of course, I am offered a job first.
CEO: Will you bring your hard work ethic and breasts to work every day?
Cicely: I’ll bring my breasts.
CEO: What about your work eth…oh fuck it. You’re hired. Pull your hair back and let me show you around the office. [Points beneath
desk]
Oh, by the way, that’s Melissa.
Melissa: Hrumph humph.

Interview Five

CEO: I’m not sure if we have the facilities to accommodate your disabilities.
Carl: Disabilities?
CEO: Did I say “disabilities”? Because I meant to say “your fat fucking ass.”
Carl: I know I have a bit of a weight problem, but I’m currently trying to shed some pounds.
CEO: Does your plan include seeing doctors who could internally give you liposuction or gastro-bypass surgery?
Carl: Yes; yes it does.
CEO: Well, in that case, I must recommend my friend Martin Stokee. He’s very good. He did my wife’s penis reduction surgery.
Carl: Your wife has a penis?
CEO: A reduced penis, yes. At least she has an employed husband, which is more than your wife can say. Now let me get a team of secretaries to lower you out of here.

Volume 14, Issue 4: Blood Yahtzee

Make Your Own Action Movie

The Briefing

Government Official: (gravely) I assume you all know why you’ve been called in here today. We’ve got three hours/seven days to diffuse this atomic/biological warhead planted by the notorious global corporation/ syndicate globotron/corp. I know you’re all just a bunch of ex-military/college students/normal citizens with blue-collar occupations, but you’ve got what it takes/you’re the best trained/you’re the only ones left to do the job. I trust you understand what’s at stake here.
Joker: Your cushy government job/our reputation?
(Group chuckles)
GO: Funny. The transport leaves for the moon at oh five hundred.

The Mounting Tension

(Team looks at bomb)
Team Captain: Okay team, whatever you do, do not press this button/cross these wires/move.
Vlad: (banging warhead with wrench/hammer/pipe while drinking from bottle/flask labeled “alcohol”) What? This is how to diffuse bomb in Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan/Russia.
(Bomb opens revealing a clock)
Captain: Great. All we need to do now is…
(Crazy guy starts pressing button/crossing wires/moving)
Teammate: He’s got space/mind dementia!
(Team tackles crazy guy, but not before equipment is damaged/teammate is killed/hope is temporarily lost)

The Decision

Pilot/Driver/Vehicle Operator: (gravely) Okay, one of us needs to stay behind. (No one volunteers) I didn’t want it to have to come to this. Pick a straw/pick a number between one and seven/rock, paper, scissors, best two out of three.
(One by one, teammembers select/face off until only one remains)
The Chosen Guy: Tell my wife/girlfriend/son I love her/him. Tell her/him I’ll always be watchin’.

The Complication

Government Official: (via intercom) Okay, I’ve got some good news and some bad news…
Expendable Character: I’ve got a baaaaad feeling about this/This doesn’t look so good…
Captain: (gravely) Okay, what’s the good/bad news?
GO: There’s an asteroid headed directly for your position on the moon. You’ll have to use the bomb to deflect it.
Captain: (after a moment of resignation) Okay, what’s the bad/good news?
GO: That was the bad/good news.

The Critical Moment

Expendable Character: (via intercom to guy still on the moon) We’re running outta time/there’s no time/hurry up!
The Chosen Guy: One…more…minute…/just…another…second…
(Clock gets cracked open, revealing two wires/two liquid-filled tubes/another bomb)
TCG: (wiping brow) Hey Captain, what’s your favorite color/wine/movie?
Captain: (intensely) Blue/port/Casablanca.
TCG: (to himself) Ahhh, I never liked you anyway. (Grabs handful of wires/tubes/bombs and pulls them out, activating spring system and hurtling bomb towards asteroid)

The Aftermath

TCG: (Gets out of chopper and is hugged/kissed/hugged by wife/girlfriend/son) C’mon baby, let’s go home/make some heavenly collisions of our own/play some soccer.

Top Ten Reasons to Escape

  1. Ctrl-Alt-Del not working
  2. Town’s just one long dead-end drive since the factory closed down, so maybe it’s time to pack up your lucky hat and suitcase full of dreams and hit the road like the young guys says they should, and the old men say they should’ve. Also, you killed a cop.
  3. Chemo ward smells like old people
  4. You’re already a medical experiment; might as well go horribly wrong
  5. Most Dangerous Game not actually Beer Pong
  6. Quarantine, shmarantine!
  7. Just blew up Bond villain’s secret Antarctican complex; also, are James Bond
  8. There was a big line for not escaping
  9. You’re a famous black comedian and the hooker has an Adam’s apple
  10. Pirates unsympathetic about rope allergy

Top Ten Slavery-related Rock Bands

  1. Audioslavery
  2. New Kids on the Auction Block
  3. Men at Work for No Pay
  4. 2/5 Less Than Jake
  5. Jefferson Davis Airplane
  6. Men Without Hats…or Freedom
  7. Godspeed You! Former Black Emperor Running North
  8. The Dandy Civilwarhols
  9. Colored Me Badd
  10. The Velvet Underground Railroad