Things that make you go "Hmmmm…"

[ewmayer]

Originally Posted by retina

And indeed almost all modern societies require some form of dress code. Just try walking around naked in public and see how far you get before starting to have your freedom curtailed. Perhaps there are still some remote tribes in Africa or South America or somewhere that wouldn't care but for the most part you will find it difficult.

I was going to mention an exception in the form of a onetime local celebrity in my area, but apparently even in loonie-liberal Berkeley he ended up having his freedom curtailed. Met a tragic end a few years back.

[ixfd64]

http://www.maths.bris.ac.uk/~cl7907/reinhardt

[kladner]

Just try walking around naked in public and see how far you get before starting to have your freedom curtailed.

Don't people engage in such behavior on at least some European beaches? I have seen Euro-tourists going topless, at least, on the Mexican Caribbean coast. To go all the way, it was better to walk a good distance up the beach from town. It is less common in much of the States, though I have been on one such in Texas, and another in California.

The trick, in Texas (South Padre Island) is to drive far enough north on the beach to be in the next county. Hence, enforcement would have to drive all the way down the coast, and a similar distance back north. Driving that far requires that there have been high enough tides, or better still, heavy rains, to wet some of the sand enough to pack in a relatively solid surface. Four wheel drive can help, but I've seen a Hummer, clearly driven by an idiot, axle-deep in dry sand.

On the other hand, Black's Beach in San Diego requires considerable physical effort to reach. I'm not sure what the legal status is.

[retina]

Originally Posted by kladner

Don't people engage in such behavior on at least some European beaches?

I have no doubt they do. People also do that inside their own houses. But those places are not public places AFAICT. Private beaches with restricted "club member" access, and private houses, etc. aren't public places. Try going to your local government office naked to pay your taxes and let us know the outcome.

[kladner]

Originally Posted by retina

I have no doubt they do. People also do that inside their own houses. But those places are not public places AFAICT. Private beaches with restricted "club member" access, and private houses, etc. aren't public places. Try going to your local government office naked to pay your taxes and let us know the outcome.

I wasn't referring to private places, though they may have been designated public places. I agree that there are dress codes in most places, though they may be extremely broad as long as certain parts are relatively covered. However, nudity is just one degree of the attire spectrum. For example, in Mexico it is disrespectful and rude to enter a Catholic church wearing short pants, even baggy, knee-length cargo shorts.

In fact, in everyday Mexico City, one felt a bit out of place wearing shorts. You just didn't see them that much, in the part of town we were in.

It was extremely different at the Gay Pride parade. Costume ranged from full-blown Frida Kahlo imitators, to a guy whose costume was a mask, a cape, sandals, and body paint suggesting a superhero tights. He walked in the parade and posed for photos at the end in the Zócalo.
None of the very many cops he walked past batted an eye, though like most other people there, they were taking pictures with their phones.

[LaurV]

Not only in Mexico, I think everywhere in the world, and not only in churches, but also in temples, etc. Here they will give or lend you a piece of fabric (very seldom you have to pay something like US 30 cents for an hour, but generally is free) to wrap around your legs like a long skirt (no matter if you are male or female) if you want to go in a temple, and if they consider your shanks too much exposed, no mater if you are man or woman. Which is ok, except when they do this exclusively for money - such places are easy to spot and I will "protest" by not going in, at all . And generally, I would have nothing against your masked/painted man, but I would not accept him to walk in the office like that.

[retina]

Originally Posted by LaurV

And generally, I would have nothing against your masked/painted man, but I would not accept him to walk in the office like that.

Why not?

[kladner]

Quote:
Originally Posted by LaurV http://www.mersenneforum.org/images/...s/viewpost.gif
And generally, I would have nothing against your masked/painted man, but I would not accept him to walk in the office like that.

Why not?

I suspect that he would not try it in his place of employment, either, unless it was a Gay bath house or strip bar that he works in.

[LaurV]

Originally Posted by retina

Why not?

Because you can not wear mask in an electronic factory... people have to see your face, to make sure you are not terrorist...
(gotcha!)

[retina]

Originally Posted by LaurV

... people have to see your face, to make sure you are not terrorist...

I think the TSA could learn something from this.

[only_human]

Meet the Guy Who Sorts All the World’s Numbers in His Attic
"Neil Sloane curates the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS) from his attic home office in Highland Park, N.J."