Reason.tv: Boobquake, Live from Dupont Circle

On Monday April 26, 2010 at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. a group small in number (five to seven participants) but large in heart participated in Boobquake, an event coordinated online through Facebook and Twitter to respond to a Islamic cleric's recent comments that "women dressing immodestly" led to earthquakes.

"Many women who do not dress modestly…lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes," Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media. Sedighi is Tehran's acting Friday prayer leader. (He is not available for children's parties.)

For the record, there was an earthquake off the coast of Taiwan that was possibly related to Boobquake.

Here's a short video explaining from the event. Approximately 1.36 minutes; shot and edited by Dan Hayes.

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Comments

[Draco]

Has anyone noticed that ever since Pamela Anderson first appeared on Baywatch (not to mention her subsequent video appearances), earthquakes have been a common occurrence worldwide?

[Some dude]

Very scientific

[The Other Kevin]

Sadly, participation in my geographic area was very limited.

[Valerie]

You'd be surprised. A t-shirt and jeans are considered "immodest" in some places.

[Further Proof]

"Washington is Hollywood for ugly people"

[Draco]

Sir, you are a cad. You should not insult these lovely women who've shown the courage they've shown here. If this were the 18th century, you might need to answer for this deed with cold steel.

[Further Proof]

I only see the face of 2 of 7 participants. The spokeswoman might be OK but the lack of a camera angle showing waist-to-hip ratio is troubling.

[John]

What do you mean by "legalize it"? Is it Reason's position that every person who wants to should be able to come? If so, how do you plan to pay for the welfare benefits such people will be entitled to? Given the problems in Mexico, it is difficult to imagine how anyone wouldn't come here for safety if nothing else.

Maybe you if you legalized drugs first and killed the drug problem in the Mexico and did something about the entitlement disparity between the two countries, you could set up like an EU with Mexico and Canada. But until you solve those two problems, you are just pissing in the wind screaming legalization.

[hmm]

I say legalize boobs!!

wait what?

[C-man]

"enTITlement disparity"...took me a while to figure out what the hell you were talking about.

[hmm]

hmmmmm boobs

[Slim Charles]

The first women is well-spoken, highly rational, and has a swell rack.

I may be ready to marry.

[Further Proof]

What if her waist circumference equals or exceeds her that of her hips ?

[Slim Charles]

Does the word may mean anything to you?

[bob]

Doesn't bother me.

[leviramsey]

Not to mention lacks a ring.

[The Big Secret]

There is a God, and he hates clerics, ALL OF THEM.

Your primary purpose in life is to THINK. To figure shit out. Faith requires you to stop doing that, and when you start pulling any old shit out of your ass like the idea immodesty causes earthquakes because your standing as a 'Man of God' allows you to get away with it, you really, really piss Him off. Think about it. Your most unique quality is what you do with your mind, not with what you do with you loins. If there be a God, why would he not be offended that you take his greatest gift for granted? Yet, these clerics want you to believe their intellectual sloth is less offensive to Him than wearing short shorts or showing cleavage.

If you want to avoid Hell, don't become a cleric.

Dawkins is going to be surprised when he is standing at the pearly gates, and God in human personification comes up to him and shakes his hand, and says, 'well, you got most of it wrong, but it is good of you to at least try.'

[God]

Don't speak for me.

[The Big Secret]

Just because I have your number you really old fuck is no reason to get all pissy about it.

[zoltan]

Are you the sequel to that book that came out last year?

[Ken Shultz]

You know, every day, there's an earthquake somewhere.

And the other thing you have to think about is moral hazard...

All it takes is a one Mullah over there who gets a kick out of seeing thousands of women on YouTube exposing themselves just because of what he said, and all of a sudden he's blaming scantily clad women for epidemics, tsunamis...

Only next time, maybe he blames it on thongs... Like givin' himself a birthday present!

[New World Dan]

I think this is a subject that needs to be studied with scientific rigor. We'll have to line up a bunch of random days where women are directed to show as much cleaveage as possible, some more random days where they cover up as much as possible, and some control days where no directions are given. We'll need to devise a unit of measure for cleaveage and we'll need some volunteers to go out and do some statistical sampling and report back.

And you're right, if this bears out, we'll have to examine all sorts of depravities: thongs, alcohol, oral sex, Pauly Shore movies, and pizza with anchovies.

[BakedPenguin]

I don't care if Pauly Shore movies cure cancer, that is one depravity that should not be examined. Rob Schneider, niether.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Bobcat Goldthwait
Gilbert Gottfriet
Dana Carvey

what are your positions on them?

[Nick]

Well, this cleric douche, by saying immodest dress causes earthquakes, triggered these women to dress immodestly to prove him wrong. Yet an earthquake did happen in Taiwan that would not have happened if he had kept his trap shut, ergo he caused the earthquake in Taiwan. God hates his dumbassery.

[Mark]

Wrong, God bless him! What a great idea to get women to show their bodacious ta-tas.

I only wish I had thought of it. I guess God IS smarter than me...

[Michael Ejercito]

Who would have imagined that Iranian sex could cause earthquakes?

Did the people who said that even think of the implications?

[Ska]

Why isn't reason girl wearing something a little more provocative for the cause?

She does look a bit flat-chested, but I'm sure she has some tricks for that.

[Dan T.]

Whew, thank goodness for Boobquake, for a while there I was about to take Sedighi's proclamation seriously.

Kudos to all involved! I love it when people go out on a limb.

[Warty]

"It's okay. He poured the milk. It's over."

I smiled. "It's over for today, Otis. But we cannot be sure that the transmissions have ceased. There could be more."

Otis was silent. I opened the door to find him back behind the counter.

"Finding everything okay?" he asked.

"Sure, I just needed to take a shit," I told him.

The tall man was gone. I looked down at my thumb. It had stopped bleeding.

[Citizen Nothing]

I don't think, technically, that those are "limbs."

[SugarFree]

They are more powerful than any leg and more expressive than any arm.

[Slut Bunwalla]

I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Dan T. on this one. Boobquake is incredibly stupid. Yeah, the cleric said something dumb. Everyone fucking knows it was dumb. What is the motherfucking point of this stunt? It's not clever.

[P Brooks]

Paging Warty!

[Jamie Kelly]

I must say that my girlfriend's tits really rock my world.
Not at any measurable geological scale, but still...

[joe b]

This proves nothing as it is likely the cleric was referring only to the immodestly of Muslim women. While there may have been Muslim women participating in the Boobquake trial there is no real way to know that unless the test was designed to control for them. We need more tests. Moreover, can we be certain the intensity of immodestly was sufficient to attain the necessary threshold for earthquake production? Increase the dose.

[alan]

I knew an irreligious Palestinian girl from a Muslim background who possesses some huge fucking titties. We did go to the beach once where she wore a bikini about as modest as a wicked weasel. The resulting tsunami killed thirty thousand people.

[Horatio]

It's only an outrageous claim until you post the photos to prove it.

[troy]

Here here. We need more testing.

[Pat in Colorado]

And more pictures.

[Rich]

Of course those clerics are wrong! Earthquakes cause "women dressing immodestly". It's a simple matter of post hoc ergo propter hoc.

[James Anderson Merritt]

"For the record, there was an earthquake off the coast of Taiwan that was possibly related to Boobquake."

It was only 6.5; perhaps the organizers didn't get enough enough participatory cleavage?

[Jake]

There is apparently a rather high activation energy required for immodesty-induced earthquakes. All is not lost, however. A nice start translated into a nice little temblor... we'll just need to make it bigger and bustier next time to show those women-oppressing Iranian clerics.

[Urkobold?]

THESE POOR GIRLS HAVE MISTRANSLATED SEDIGHI'S QUOTE. THE WORD MODESTLY IS AN IMPROPER INSERTION. THE CORRECT TRANSLATION IS "Many women who do not dress...lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes."

IT IS OBVIOUS TO ANYONE SCHOOLED IN FARSI THAT THE PRAYER LEADER WAS OBJECTING TO WOMEN WALKING AROUND IN PUBLIC IN A STATE OF TOTAL NUDITY, NOT TO THEM WEARING SLIGHTLY REVEALING ATTIRE.

[rosignol]

I feel it is necessary to test this hypothesis. Due to the extraordinary danger earthquakes pose to human life and property, this is obviously an urgent matter that should be investigated as soon as possible.

[heller]

I concur. We should tell the women this.

[?]

Wake me when it's time for Slotquake.

[Jaime Kelly]

Surely, you mean "Slitquake."

[Man The]

HARPOONS !!!

[Muslim Cleric]

I'd also like to point out that the volcanic eruption in Iceland is caused by whorish American women giving out far too many blowjobs. It's terrible, and I as an asshole fundamentalist would be absolutely furious if the women of America were to try to prove me wrong somehow.

[American Paternalist]

I also hate it when our women get all "uppity" and try to prove you wrong. We may disagree on the details of our religions, but we agree in that they should know their place... and it is decidedly *not* between the knees.

[troy]

Damn all you. Did Katherine participate? If so, is thier photographic evidence? If so, can someone please mail it to me? And is there evidence. God damn it, this is the most important issue of the day.

[troy]

And Katherine. Please don't get me wrong. I will always love you most for your mind and those to kill for eyes.

[Jaime Kelly]

Say that when she's cumming, and she just may believe you.

[Constitution First]

I''m here to apply for the grant, to study the viability of boobquakes... I'm going to need a lot of money, It may be an extended study, you see...

[Paul]

More observation is required.

[ed]

I didn't watch the vid. Does she take off her shirt or not?

[Late to the Party]

This vid needs more boobs.

[Grace]

Do you know what IMMODEST mean?

immodest
adj.
1. Lacking modesty.
2.
a. Offending against sexual mores in conduct or appearance; indecent.
b. Not properly restrained in expression or self-assertion; boastful.
3. Arrogant.

adjective
1. indecent, esp. with regard to sexual propriety; improper
2. bold, impudent, or shameless

Adj. 1. immodest - having or showing an exaggerated opinion of your importance, ability, etc.
domineering - tending to domineer
proud - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride.
disrespectful - exhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous

Those who are immodest are simply in Satan's side.