text:
This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly. Baby squid demands that you obey it. You will ooobeeeey it NOOOOOOOOOOW.
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly. Baby squid demands that you obey it. You will ooobeeeey it NOOOOOOOOOOW.
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
I ♥ Google Scholar.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
California man fights ticket for driving in the carpool lane, because he had a corporate person in the vehicle with him. This is legally untenable*, but it's hilarious.
*And plays on one of my pet peeves, where the argument over corporate personhood devolves into a false dichotomy.
Ogvorbis says
I've been getting lots of shit done all morning so . . .
Off to a webinar.
dianne says
Off to a webinar.
I just finished reading a Terry Pratchett book in which one character, the dictator of the city, reflects on the advantages of using committees rather than iron maidens (the device, not the band) to get rid of your enemies: it's just as effective, only slightly more expensive (and then only if you provide tea and cookies) and people very rarely voluntarily climb into iron maidens.
I'm off to a committee meeting now and it's my own damn fault too.
Beatrice says
Did you know it's better to share an office with a man than a woman? Mum commented on my good luck.
My poor colleague, though, stuck with me. Mum didn't get where I was going with that. I am obviously just looking for things to be insulted about. *eyeroll*
Esteleth, Ultra-PC Feminist Harpy Out To Destroy Secularism says
I could toss something in here about practicing save masturbation.
I am right-handed. If this was a masturbation sprain, it wouldn't be on my left.
Rant time!
So, the Estelethmobile is in the shop. Nothing major.
So I get a rental, because they're going to keep the car for a few days. No problem.
So I go to the parking office at work to get a temporary permit.
Please understand me when I say that I would rather deal with the DMV than those people again. Jesus tapdancing Christ. >_<
Ogvorbis says
Webinar is at 1:30, not 12:30. My boss does not grok time zones.
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
I love Bad Translator. I love the dada end results. And, yes, I have put song lyrics through the wringer. But I am neither a musician nor a singer.
It has been done.
Watch as the theme song to Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air get run through Google Translate and performed.
Yes, I was in tears.
rq says
I hate banks dumdadumdumDUM.
Basically at the last minute they decided they want a 20% down payment, not the 10% we'd been discussing (Oh yes, it'll be fiiiiine!) all along. So, anybody got a spare $13 000 lying around? Otherwise, we're out of a house*.
*Not entirely true. We're looking at other options, which aren't nearly as pretty and simple as these things should be. But this just bites. At least I'll be back on my feet tomorrow (I hope – as long as there's no puking tonight!).
From previous page – I see we have adopted similar discipline policies. ;) How's yours working out so far? (Mine seems to be ok.)
Very impressed with Ogvorbis-Son (re: train sets). Considering he's turned out so well, I might have to douse for a few more parenting methods from you (from time to time over the years).
I pity your colleagues. /snark (Did your mum honestly not get it…?)
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Ohmygawd that slayed me.
Sorry bout the damn bank. Ugh. Hope you can find a good alternative. tea?
Beatrice says
Oh crap. I'm sorry they're making your lives difficult, but I'm hoping you'll find a solution.
She started saying something about how she actually meant that it's the best when there is a male& female combination rather than either two men or two women working together. I just wanted to point out the sexism, but I think it flew over her head. *shrug*
rq says
How much tea do I need to make up the difference? ;) Thanks, though. Gladly.
We're telling our regular bank (which seemed all fine and dandy until this moment in time, when the fact that we're both long-time clients seems to mean fuck-all) to go shove it up somewhere where polite people don't usually shove things on polite occasions, and switching banks. Not that they'll really care since they're the largest bank in Latvia, but still… Our little piece of up-yours.
By the way, if I ever need to legalify things (like what you did with the parent/child = federal/state relationship), I'm going to ask you, because the way you did that smacks of a talent for explaining things. :)
rq says
Meh, parents! :)
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
Damn it! I am going to watching this series all day.
Improbable Joe says
You're either for us, or you're against us. Right? Fence-sitting isn't a valid position.
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
How come I never heard of this before?
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Thanks rq for the compliment. I was gonna downplay my legal knowledge or something like that in response, but I'm working on building myself up lately so I'll just say I'm very flattered. : ) I like talking the law so if you ever want to, send up a flare.
And, hm, how much tea….I don't know what the exchange rate is, but I bet I don't have that much. How about a nice cup of spearmint? ;)
Beatrice says
History Of Lyrics That Aren't Lyrics
This one was even better than Fresh Prince
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Fencesitting is one of my pet peeves…especially when someone tells me to be more "moderate." Rage ensues. Has someone in particular raised the issue?
Improbable Joe says
It is more about the silence/non-interference in all the sexism in atheism/skepticism from the leadership of certain groups. Yeah, they're willing to make empty supportive statements but do they ever name any names, use the power of their position to create any positive movement? Because if they don't, as far as I'm concerned they are absolutely complicit.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Fair enough, Joe. Particularly in situations like that there's a strong "part of the problem/part of the solution" dichotomy.
In casual conversation over the weekend one of SO's friends (who is always an eminently decent guy) was talking about his weight gain. He added that of course it's easier for him as a man in society to be overweight than it is for women. I literally hugged him for it. Casual acknowledgement of his privilege while discussing his own personal struggles is something I would *love* to hear more. (And something I try to do in terms of white privilege).
Looking back, that was really tangential to your point, I hope you forgive the digression.
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
Cold, apricot, relaxing satisfaction.
Beatrice says
I will just have to listen to them all now. Or eventually. [bookmarked]
Beatrice says
I just listened to Misheard lyrics too!
Portia, thanks!
Ogvorbis, 3 shades of gray.
WMD Kitty, one of A's favourite things to do to me when I was a child was to take an item of mine she knew I particularly treasured (such as my model of the Star Trek Enterprise), and place it on top of the trash in a trash can, where I'd be able to see it all week (until it was collected and taken away) and forbid me to touch it or rescue it. She'd do this for any perceived infraction*, it never had to do with me mistreating my belongings.
It's a known form of abuse and it's a particularly devastating one to children.
*Such as I'd forget one aspect of all the housecleaning I was responsible for, or I was late washing out all 27 of her ashtrays or I hadn't trimmed my fingernails to her satisfaction, etc.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
My mother was always big on the threat of destruction of irreplacable property…even when it was self-evidently ridiculous. I mean, she was really and truly going to shoot Sister's Horse because she'd (that's Sister; the Horse was a gelding, and Evil Beyond Words (not that I see a cause-and-effect relationship, here (where the gelding is concerned; there's absolutely a c-a-e relationship between Horseness and Evil!))) taken a drink into the living room? Really? After sinking that kind of money into It?
Now, if she'd threatened to sell the Horse, the threat would have had some credibility.
Conspiracy theorists baffle me.
I know that some of them are essentially Areguments from Incredulity/Lack of Imagination—"I don't understand how the Ancient Egyptians could have built such large monuments as the pyramids, so they must have been built by Space Aliens!"—but this morning, just as The Husband and I were leaving for work, we caught part of a commercial that looked like it was building up to, "I don't understand how Albert Einstein could have So Many Ideas, therefore….". Therefore, what? His existence (pretty well-documented, I'd have thought!) was an elaborate hoax? He was a Space Alien? The outcome of Experiments in Mad Science?
*shaking head*
Woke up to my keyboard on the floor with one of the angling dohickies on the back broken off. Cat food everyone on the floor in the kitchen, and a roll of paper towels shredded all over the house. Lovely.
Careful, iJoe! It could be a frame-up!
I mean, the evidence all seems to point to one or more cats, but if there's anything TV teaches us, it's that the Obvious Culprit is seldom the actual Guilty Party.
Does the dog have an alibi? And independent corroboration for it?
*hugs* for Esteleth.
*hugs* for rq, as well. Sorry about the evil Bank.
rq says
I'll take the spearmint, it sounds refreshing! At times like these, I could always just drop my socio-democratic, capitalistic leanings and become a libertarian, lamenting my lack of gold-hording during all those years of gold-plenty…
Eh. :)
And you're welcome for the compliment. ;)
Improbable Joe
Some people sit on the fence because they're afraid. Moi, for example. Only lately I've been getting the courage to break through the silence, but I'm terrified of conflict, even when I know I'm right, so I tend to sit by in silence… I hate myself for it, but in a sense I can't help it – but it's something I work on, and it's something that's improving because, deep down, I hate fence-sitting, too.
And not expressing an opinion is one thing, but it's quite another to inhibit or refuse any progressive action even while silent. Or something.
Anyone care for virus-fried brain? I'll gladly share, if it will make me more coherent and lucid for tomorrow.
Cold, apricot, relaxing satisfaction, indeed. :)
Improbable Joe says
I'm sick of hearing "we just do atheism/skepticism"… as though there's any organization that doesn't have to deal with issues of harassment or diversity.
And as far as your friend, and casual acknowledgement of privilege… it is hard for people to get it, and easy to ignore it. I think that it is something that once you see it, you kind of can't unsee it. I think it is good for everyone to keep sight of their privilege, it keeps you grounded and helps prevent saying and doing things that are hurtful to others.
Beatrice says
Ah, no, the apricot thing was part of the hypertranslation of Fresh Prince.
(never mind my rambling, at this point I'm thinking in written form)
Improbable Joe says
I did specify "leadership" at one point… and I don't think you were fence-sitting as much as staying under the radar. It is one think to keep your head down to avoid abuse, and I respect that. You'll note that I'm posting under a pseudonym right? :)
What I don't respect is people chiming in with "both sides do it" or "I think everyone needs to be quiet" or "it is none of our business as an organization if some of our members are terrible goddamned people, as long as their checks clear." When the penality is "I'll piss off bigots, and gain the support of non-bigots" so they choose to do nothing, that's just choosing bigotry without having the guts to do it openly.
So, on Ophelia's post Synedoche, an idiot shows up to ask "What about lesbians?"
Jesus fucking Christ. Yeah, lesbians are down with all that sexism stuff.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Joe/rq: your discussion reminds me of this. The main question of which is one that I usually wrestle with: "Eat shit or ruin the afternoon?"
You're right about acknowledging privilege. I try to read lots of POC bloggers so I can learn more about the ways I benefit in the current system, and can be aware. It also helps make it easier to call out other people who share the same privileges I do when they are being obtuse, cruel, etc.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Where did my comment goooooo??
Alright, sorry if it's a double post, but:
Joe and rq, your discussion makes me think of this. It talks about a question I wrestle with a lot: "Eat shit or ruin the afternoon?"
rq says
Improbable Joe
Excuse my faulty reading comprehension skills tonight. :) I'm trying to agree without just plain agreeing, but obviously it's not working, so I'll just agree.
So I agree. :)
Thanks for the hugs. It is obvious that the Bank has chosen to leave the underwing of Almighty Horse and is simply trying to discriminate against my loyalties.
I think 'Cold, apricot, relaxing satisfaction' is about the best phrase I have ever heard tonight. Doesn't matter where it's from. Yeah, thinking in written form… Doesn't always work out too well!
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
rq says
Wow. Right close to where I grew up. Turns out, bad things happen there, too. :(
Ogvorbis says
Don't you just hate it when a commenter gets testy?
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
I am getting testy the way my comments are getting eaten! ;)
chigau (無味ない) says
At least Portia isn't getting all testerical.
I heard from TLC (The Laughing Coyote) on my blog, he's been going through some depressing stuff, but he's still around. If you're reading, Coyote, get yer arse back here, okay?
cicely (No Description Available.) says
Wow. Right close to where I grew up. Turns out, bad things happen there, too.:(
Doesn't stop it being a shock, though. A few years back I found out that a guy in my age-cohort (not a friend) was killed in a shoot-out with the police, at his family's house just four doors down the street from where I grew (most of the way) up. Even granting that he was one of the worst of the neighborhood bullies, and that I might have voted for him for "Most Likely Addition to the 'Most Wanted' List", it still came as a shock. There's been a lot of water pass under the bridge, but back then it was a quiet suburb.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
Caine: On Rattitude? If so, I must run over and give him a *hug*.
chigau (無味ない) says
TLC come home.
Beatrice says
*waves at TLC*
I hope you're reading and that you'll come back to comment again.
Cicely, no on Needled.
rq says
Yes, still a shock, even though I have no connection to anyone involved, just the town next to ours.
And on that note I bid good night. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day; we're due a smooth, well-running, proper day, anyway – since we decided to buy the house last week, everything's been in a bit of a tizzy (is that a hint?).
And all we wanted was a silly house with 55 types of roses in the garden. *sigh* We'll have it yet. The Universe can go suck it; these little stumbling blocks, while annoying, will not stop us on our quest. Major thanks to the Horde for providing a place to vent and words of support; allayouse are awesome (even the testy and testerical ones [Aside: How does one become testerical? How does the condition present, and can it be cured through stimulation of the testes, or where the testes ought to be placed in those of us who have none?]). *hugs* all around!! Good night and good health!
Beatrice says
There is a guy from my high school who I would probably put on the "Most Likely Addition to the 'Most Wanted' List"*.
Actually, he moved to the US after high school, to start at one of your universities. I don't know if he every moved back, but I'm hoping not. Sorry!
*or the "Most Likely to be shot by overzealous US cops" list (he once ran from a police officer because of not realizing it wasn't just some random guy asking him to stop, he also used to carry a scalpel to school)
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
*snort* Love it!
Night rq! Hope tomorrow is better by leaps and bounds.
Beatrice says
Good night!
May you have a successful day tomorrow.
A few years back I learned that two friends of mine (Or at any rate regular associates) from high school were involved in a murder-suicide; one shot the other, her new boyfriend, and himself. The boyfriend survived his injuries. I was quite surprised.
Otherwise pretty 'rupt, but I'll hand out *hugs* where needed.
Holy shit, Shermer is still whining about Ophelia and the 'witch hunt' out to get all those privileged white menz.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
Caine: Thanks!
How does one become testerical?
One presumably gets testes. Whose (or whats) testes is a matter of individual option.
Improbable Joe says
Goodnight rq… you WILL get your house!
Giliell, professional cynic says
Good evening
Home sweet home. Also dinner. Microwave spaghetti with gambas al ajillo plus microwave steam vegetables = quite a nice dinner in 10 min.
Mum-news: Well, at least she's not getting worse, which she'd done the last week. Also somebody mentioned the word transplantation. That's kind of good because so far we assumed that she was too far to be even considered.
Off to a webinar.
I read winebar.
I am right-handed. If this was a masturbation sprain, it wouldn't be on my left.
Let's not generalize this.
Thanks. I take what I can get in hugs
Well, they do try to test us if we're pulling through. Someting I#ve noticed is that at a certain age they don't understand possibility. So if I say "if you don't do X than Y and this is the last time I'm telling you", nothing happens (#1 has understood it by now, the little one not yet but I remember that it was the same when #1 was that age). But as soon as I say "now Y" X happens.
Sorry about the house/bank thingy. Sadly, i don't have the money around, I suspect that the big box with coppers won't do the trick.
TLC come home.
Yes, please
Esteleth, Ultra-PC Feminist Harpy Out To Destroy Secularism says
Giliell, I was not referring to anyone else besides me there.
If I were to have a masturbation sprain, it would not be in my left hand.
If I were to have a masturbation sprain, it would not be in my left hand.
As the other person here with a fucked up left wrist, I can confirm that the situation would be the same for me.
Esteleth, Ultra-PC Feminist Harpy Out To Destroy Secularism says
*right-handed fist-bump*?
*right-handed fist-bump*?
Well, we can't do a left one, so…Yeah!
Esteleth, Ultra-PC Feminist Harpy Out To Destroy Secularism says
Well, we could also (gently) knock our wrist braces together.
Mine makes a nice "toonk" noise when knocked.
JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says
Caine & Esteleth:
I'm a weirdo. I'm right handed but a masturbation sprain would be on my left hand. Fuck if I know how that happened.
Giliell, professional cynic says
Well, I should say that I'm more ambidextrous than most people. Sometimes I'm wondering if I'm not one of those stupid left-handed people who are too clever for their own good and therefore simply imitated all the right-handed people. 'Cause there have always been things I intuitively did left-handed….
Also, I hate Michael Shermer. Thank plate tectonics for the ocean between me and him.
jackiepaper says
Caine, I'd like to hear the SGU crew play a game of "Name that logical fallacy", using Shermers re-rebuttal as the subject.
That won't happen, but I'd sure like to hear it.
Also, I hate Michael Shermer. Thank plate tectonics for the ocean between me and him.
He has gone so fucking far over the line that it's beyond wrong. It's beyond pathetic. He hasn't found one atrocity yet that he doesn't feel isn't comparable to him being criticised. Asswipe.
Improbable Joe says
I used to be ambidextrous with shooting pool and playing ping-pong, other than that I'm righty all the way. I used to get accused of hustling because I could switch hands if necessary.
Nutmeg says
there have always been things I intuitively did left-handed….
Me too. Although I'm right-handed, I'm left-eye dominant, which probably has something to do with it. So any shooting I do (shotgun, bow, even slingshot) is on my left. And for a lot of sports, I'm equally good/bad with both hands.
But I've always seemed a little more ambidextrous than most people. Working in a lab has greatly increased the ambidexterity.
Azkyroth, Former Growing Toaster Oven says
*right-handed fist-bump*
I'll just leave that alone. >.>
I'm right handed generally, but I've trained myself to be somewhat ambidextrous for a lot of things, starting with piano lessons as a small child (I never got to be any good at the piano, but my coordination with my left benefited significantly). I fence semi-ambidextrously; I usually prefer to fence with the same hand my opponent is using, although situations that allow for it I prefer to have something in each hand. It's been a long time since I did any fencing, though Olympic or period, or even any boffer-fighting.
Re: Destroying property
This is a classic tactic of abusers, used in a bewildering variety of ways but usually as part of a program of gaslighting or as a form of deniable threat. Temporary confiscation of a child's belongings by a parent is a valid method of discipline(see e.g. Gilliell's comments on stewardship, above), but actually destroying it is an entirely different matter. That said, AFAICT in most U.S. jurisdictions, parents are considered to own not just their children's belongings but to a great extent the children themselves, so there's not likely to be any legal recourse against such forms of abuse unless they take place in an adult relationship.
Parrowing says
Mini- synesthesia experiment explanation for katenrala and anyone else who's interested:
I've heard about studies in which researchers hypothesized that people with grapheme-color synesthesia would experience a Stroop-like delay when reading letters or numbers written in colors that did not match their synesthesia colors. I instinctively always doubted that this would be true, at least for me (I have this type of synesthesia as well as other types). Apparently, though, it has been demonstrated in some studies. I decided to conduct my own version of this experiment.
Keep in mind that this was done for a paper in a Swedish class, so I did not have access to very many people or nice tools, nor was I expected to. The point of the assignment was more about writing in Swedish than what it was we wrote. I don't think anyone should take my results seriously because IANAS.
I conducted a 20 minute experiment each with 27 people. First I established the Stroop-effect with every participant, then I had everyone read two sequences of letters and two sequences of numbers, one of each set written in black ink and the other written in six different colors. I timed all of this, and compared the Stroop delay to whatever delay was present during the letter/number section. After the participants finished the experiment, I asked them whether they knew what synesthesia was and if they knew they had it or thought they might. Obviously this part especially is kind of iffy, but in the end, although several people reported having synesthesia, only one reported having grapheme-color synesthesia.
In comparing the results, there was absolutely no delay during the letter/number section for the one person with synesthesia, and overall no delay among the control group. I doubt my experiment means anything because of the small sample size, not to mention how crappy all of my other methods were, but it was at least fun to sort of work through this idea for myself. After I was finished, I asked my husband to conduct the experiment on me. Again no delay. As before, this means nothing because I knew what the experiment was testing for, but yeah. Still fun.
John Morales says
Parrowing, that was interesting.
John Morales says
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
Thanks, John Morales
John Morales says
Now your nym matches your picture. :)
Improbable Joe says
So I guess my wife is going to the doctor for her dog bite… I haven't seen the bite, but I doubt I would have gone to the doctor. This would have been an opportunity for me to cut open the wound, break open a leftover pistol round and pour the powder into the wound, and set it on fire thereby cauterizing the wound and/or blowing off my hand at the wrist.
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
John Morales: "Now your nym matches your picture. :)"
Haha, that's perfect. (I attempted a blockquote but it did not come out right in the preview. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.)
Improbable Joe: Then maybe it's a good thing it wasn't you who was bitten?
Improbable Joe says
… or the most epic thing ever! My wife is a nurse, and so takes injuries and illness seriously. I'm… not. That's why I usually wind up jabbing things with kitchen knives or trying to use whiskey as a cure-all.
You'd never get enough explosive force for that; a wound's not a very good pressure chamber. Honestly, I've never heard of anyone doing that with nitro powders at all, although I don't know why it wouldn't work as well as black powder for the purpose.
Also, best wishes to Bossnurse for a speedy recovery.
Improbable Joe says
Different strokes and all that. I don't really care about myself that way… all the time my wife sees bruises and cuts on me, sometimes still bleeding, and I have no real idea how they happened. If the dog had bit me, I'd have shouted really loud, put some antibiotic cream on it, and ignored it unless it got really really badly infected. Then jabbing it with a knife and pouring whiskey in the wound.
Improbable Joe says
I'll pass on the well-wishes, BossNurse is on her way home with antibiotics…
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
Hm, I wasn't sure if the whiskey was for you or for the wound. Now I know. And I also hope BossNurse recovers quickly!
There are no women on Pharyngula! Or on FTB! The meme lives.
Improbable Joe says
Whiskey(and whisky!) Is For Joe! I'm willing to sacrifice a few drops to keep my arm attached though.
Improbable Joe says
Yeah Caine I just saw that genius comment. That person must be a True Skeptic, coming up with rectal-based "facts" like that.
opposablethumbs says
thereby cauterizing the wound and/or blowing off my hand at the wrist.
Thank you iJoe, that surprised a real laugh out of me.
rq, keeping all my tentacles crossed that the bank doesn't mess around and that the Big House Experience goes right!
Punishing kids/kids' property … those head-games some people have experienced, especially Pteryxx and Caine, are downright fucking evil. There is no excuse, none, not ever, for abuse and there can be no doubt that that's exactly what that is. I don't think we ever even took toys away (that is, I don't remember this ever coming up. I don't see any problem with, say, putting them away until after supper or until tomorrow or something, I just don't remember it happening).
Wow, Parrowing, you did all that for a language class? I'm impressed! And it's a cool experiment too :-)
Good-ish news re your mum, Giliell. Keeping the tentacles crossed for you.
Fourthing or fifthing the call for TLC to come back … hope you're OK, TLC, if you read this!
Esteleth, Ultra-PC Feminist Harpy Out To Destroy Secularism says
So, I drive home from work and Thunderdome explodes? Do I want to know?
Jadehawk says
I've also just read the first chapter of The Boss. I don't want to say anything yet so as to avoid spoilering anyone, but thank you to whoever originally linked to Jennifer Armintrout (or now, Jenny Trout). I've been enjoying her Fifty Shades recaps for a couple months now.
ditto, on both accounts*. and out of curiosity about what her "normal" romance fiction was like, I even bought an ebook version of her freshly published book. doesn't exactly float my boat, but it's an entertaining light read.
– – – – – –
*I really liked the first chapter of The Boss,but have a minor nitpick about it, because a relatively unnecessary sentence relatively early in confused me so much I had to re-read the chapter to get what's going on
Improbable Joe says
Ooh, Thunderdome… I avoid that like the plague vaccine.
You know, my mom used to break my toys when I'd do something wrong. She'd also yell about what I was "doing to her" and talk about how she wasn't going to live forever. I'm pretty sure that's not healthy?
Esteleth, TDome is safe. Sort of.
IJoe, I'm pretty sure it was Paden.
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
I think that the thunderdome is more like the old version of the endless thread.
Improbable Joe says
Really, Paden again? Shit hellfire Mama Jo and save the matches.
We were talking about this on Twitter this morning, as a matter of fact. It is strange how even though the anti-FtB/'pitters are always going on about how irrelevant we are, and how powerful and numerous they are, they can only ever muster at most 30-40 people for anything. And since they are known to use multiple sockpuppet accounts, that "30-40" may be a very generous estimate.
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
IJ, the slymies were pouring over a screen capture of a twitter conversation that you were part of earlier today.
(I really should stop this.)
Really, Paden again? Shit hellfire Mama Jo and save the matches.
I don't know for sure, just guessing. Anyway, they're back again, different nym. They cited Alexa for their claim, which is remarkably stupid – it's a fuzzy algorithm, not a statistic.
Improbable Joe says
I will wear my mantle of newly-appointed Internet Important Person with an much humility as possible. :)
John Morales says
Improbable Joe:
Ooh, Thunderdome… I avoid that like the plague vaccine.
A plague vaccine is something to avoid?
No One says
Greek protest to free blogger and end blasphemy laws:
cicely (No Description Available.) says
iJoe: Sorry to hear that BossNurse has been dog-bit. Hopefully no serious diseases are feared involved?
She'd also yell about what I was "doing to her" and talk about how she wasn't going to live forever. I'm pretty sure that's not healthy?
Straightforward emotional blackmail.
Improbable Joe says
BossNurse came home with a pair of antibiotics and her arm heavily wrapped.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
So, clearly she's not the only one taking it seriously.
Improbable Joe says
Still not buying it. Doctors always prescribe antibiotics, because if you lose your arm to infection they are on the hook. I say "walk it off!" dammit! If it swells you punch holes in it until the swelling goes down, and then you ice it.
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
Not sure if this has been linked to yet
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
iJoe: glad she got some antibiotics.
I need to vent a little about xenophobia/racism/bigotry/awfulness so feel free to scroll on.
I just came from the weekly fire department meeting. It was a training night. We watched a video of the ice rescue detailed here. The idea was to watch a rescue happen and discuss what they did right and wrong. The victim was a mentally ill man who was apparently not taking his medications. The police prevented the firefighters from going out on the ice to retrieve the man apparently because he allegedly had a knife. The man died because the cops wouldn't let the fire department save him.
The man died because the cops wouldn't let the fire department save him.
And I say this as someone who very much doesn't like the idea of being stabbed by anyone while I'm in the process of rescuing them.
It's shitty, and I feel shitty about it even though I wasn't involved. Partly because I can't figure out a different outcome.
Oh and the xenophobia started when someone said something that sounded like "Muhammed" and all the rest started making terrorist jokes. One brought up a former department member who was of Indian descent and called him a terrorist too. They wouldn't listen to my protests that the guy wasn't even Middle Eastern…not that that would have made the jokes ok, obviously.
Rarg sometimes these yokels get on my nerves.
Rant over. Carry on.
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
I'm working in Atlanta most of this week and I've eaten Korean Gogigui at two different places the last two nights.
1st one was good
Tonight was much better.
I think I have a problem.
Kimchi, ssamjang and kurobuta Porkbelly are a collision of many of my favorite things about food.
I'm here one more night.
Must. Resist.
Pteryxx says
wow, I take one measly day off and *all the sexists* start yawping. I call FTB-rupt. <_< *hides in tomato soup*
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
Jadehawk says
stolen from manboobz comments, because hilarious:
To get your MRA name, combine the first name of the last actor you saw shoot someone, the electrical appliance or power tool you last used, and the material your kitchen worktop is made out of.
bonus points if you can guess in whose "honor" that particular game got invented.
anyway, mine would be Jamie Kettleplywood
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
Timothy Drill Press Granite
Janine: Hallucinating Liar says
Sylvester Circular Saw Pressed Wood.?
Jadehawk says
I'd go with Sylvester Sawwood if I were you, Janine. that totally works :-p
someone on manboobz ended up with Denzel Drillsteel, which was pretty awesome, too.
Nutmeg says
Kate Toaster What's-It-Called-When-It's-Shiny-And-Colourful-But-Probably-Some-Kind-Of-Wood-Product-Underneath?
Jadehawk says
anyway, Kate Toasterformica would then be a FeMRA, I guess
Nutmeg says
Yeah I guess there would be different rules for finding your Chill Girl name.
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
Flipping through channels and landed on CBN.
It's unreal how fucking shameless these people are
"John was giving $20 a month and god called him to give $84 a month but he resisted. He was riding his bike to work and had to sell his car. One day he said to God, "God I've had enough" and God called him to give more. Just then the promotions started coming in, he found a car to buy for cheap and his photography business took off. It's because John learned a lesson, Obey God"
And give more money.
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
It was a small plastic ruler. Nothing special, six inches long in the old money, costing maybe two bucks. How could such a banal little thing twist my emotions up so thoroughly that I felt compelled to leave my apartment at 2am to find an all night drug store with a stationary section?
I needed it, not to measure, not to draw straight lines, but to assuage a painful longing that had come out of the blue and knocked over my fragile peace of mind. And I knew that purchasing it myself would not be enough, could not be enough, but it would have to do.
For what I really wanted, what I longed for to the point of tears, was for someone to buy me that ruler. Some adult who loved me, and cared for me, who provided for me without reluctance or mysterious, unexplained conditions, someone utterly unlike my father as to be a completely different species.
I kept that thing in my desk for years, long after the emotional need for it had faded as mysteriously as it had appeared. I would take it out occasionally and hold it in my hand and feel the echo of that desire: a reminder and a warning to never forget that the smallest of gestures can have great meaning in the life of a child.
And now I'm a father. I don't give my daughter everything she asks for, how could I? But I explain why I'm not doing so, every fucking time.
And now I'm a father. I sometimes take away the things that are my daughter's. But I explain why I'm doing so, every fucking time.
It doesn't matter how tired I am. It doesn't matter how obviously naughty she's been. It doesn't matter how many times I've explained it before: when it comes to her property I tell her why I'm behaving as I am.
And I tell her all the reasons for my actions, safety, propriety, responsible use and upkeep, and so on as appropriate. And I take the time to listen to her response. At five she's not yet managed to present an argument that's successfully excused her behaviour. But I try to start as I mean to go on, and that requires listening as much as telling.
I do all this because I never want her to be stuck roaming a sleeping city desperately desiring a place to purchase herself a fragile, ineffectual symbol of self-love.
I may not be the best of fathers, but in this?
In this, I will not fail her.
Tony the Queer Shoop (proud supporter of Radical Feminism) says
That was eloquent and heartwarming.
That had me in tears. Very well said.
Jadehawk from the last page:
(bonus: someone please mention to them that there's such a thing as a certificat de concubinage notoire).
My French is kind of rusty, but is that a "Certificate of Notorious Concubinage"? Does it mean something like 'acknowledged extramarital lover"?
Gary Screwdriverformica.
Oh, yes:
Humphrey Stoveformica
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
Nathan Compressor Formica, of the Victorian Formicas. Not at all related to those upstart Yankee Formicas.
Humphrey Stoveformica
That actually works.
chigau (無味ない) says
Bruce Ovenformica.
chigau (無味ない) says
bonus points if you can guess in whose "honor" that particular game got invented
I give.
Who was it?
Lofty says
Harry Drillchip
Improbable Joe says
Guy Sander-Bamboo?
WMDKitty (Always growing and learning) says
There's a cat on my bed. And it's not me! But she's okay — I'll share.
Does it mean something like 'acknowledged extramarital lover"?
Nevermind, upon investigating the french Wikipedia, it appears that 'Concubinage' is used the way we use 'cohabitation.' So that's just a certificate saying that everyone knows that you're cohabitating.
Harry Drillchip
Good one.
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
Fuck, fuck, fuck fuck. A bushfire 20k from home. four trucks and as yet out of control. Winds blowing away as far a I can tell so should be alright barring wind change. Mrs. Fishy"s grabbed the go bags, loaded the car and were ready to run as soon as I can get there. Gonna be a long night if they don't get it under control soon.
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
Fuck, there now saying 4hectares and nine trucks and out of control.
Lofty says
FF I hope the fire is under control soon. Tomorrow will be worse (ca 40C) for most of SE Australia. Which fire is it?
Giliell, professional cynic says
Good morning
Happy Birthday to meeee, happy birthday to meeeeeeee.
Best wishes to Bossnurse.
I'm not overly caring for myself, but a little goes a long way. Always remember, you're worth it!
Fossil Fishy
Damn, keeping my Tentacles crossed.
re: property
Well, that's at least something my parents didn't do. I guess it's because my mum's abusiveness really never stemmed from maliciousness but actually from being personally too fucked up to do better.
opposablethumbs says
Judge Screwdrivertabletop (or Judge Screwdriverwood, I suppose) (the space was an odd depth and irregular shape – no right angles in this place, none – so the countertops are actually tabletops). Maybe I could shorten it to Judge 'Drivertop or Judge Screw'top). ETA No, it has to be Judge (I.N.) Screwtable!
Shit, FossilFishy. I want to be reading your all clear message asap, I really do.
Happybirthday Giliell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Candles! Cake! And I hope that any !Chaos! that may be around keeps well at bay at least for the day.
opposablethumbs says
Rev. BigDumbChimp
19 year old Louisiana activist making it hell for creationists.
Wow. Hat off to Zack Kopplin.
And bonus! – the page had a link to PZ's front door (I think this may be the urban entrance to The Lair):
Happy Birthday, Giliell!
Beatrice says
Happy birthday Giliell!
Fingers crossed that it doesn't reach you. Stay safe.
WMDKitty (Always growing and learning) says
Happy Birthday Giliell!
Yup. Chibi-Usa/Chibi-Moon is still an annoying, obnoxious, overly-pink brat, with the most cavity-inducing attack ever: "Pink Sugar Heart Attack".
Only 19 more episodes of SuperS, and I'm hoping Stars is better.
WMDKitty (Always growing and learning) says
Fossil Fishy
Be safe.
Alethea H. "Crocoduck" Kuiper-Belt says
Fuck, take care Fishy!
Martin Jumperlead Granite?
Xanthë says
H. Jon Grinderwood?
(The MRA who inspired this Manboobz meme is an occasional poster over at John Scalzi's blog whose pseud is Ian Ironwood.)
WMDKitty (Always growing and learning) says
Bored. Doing crossword puzzles. Probably ought to go to bed soon.
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
Fucking hell. The internet is dodgy right now.
Thanks for the concern folks, sorry to be alarmist.
The bad news: It's only 10km away as the crow flies.
The good news: It's contained, meaning that it's still burning but no longer growing.
The better news: The wind's dropped and continues to blow it away from us.
The car is out of the shed and next to the house. The first line go bags are loaded. One with firefighting clothes, wool blankets, torches and batteries, an emergency radio and water, and one with documents like passports. So are the second line bags with clothes and toiletries for camping out in someone's lounge room for a couple of days. When I was searching for my daughter's tooth brush I found that Mrs. Fishy had also packed my wedding tie. Sometimes love sneaks up on you.
Our last ditch defences are up, such as they are. All the water containers are filled. Plastic bags to stop the downspouts are to hand as is the ladder. Rag mops for quenching are ready. Here's hoping it doesn't come to that. I really should fill the gutters now, but I'm unsure if I'll be able to unstop them after and we live in a rented house with a pissy landlord.
Tomorrow I buy proper downspout plugs, filter masks and goggles and I'll spend the night hoping that once again I'm a nervous idiot who has no sense of actual risk.
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
Looks like the internet is up again. Of all the nights…
The fire is charmingly called 3.5km SE of Happy Valley Hall. Info is here.
Giliell, professional cynic says
Fossil Fishy
You're not a nervous idiot, you're a sensible adult who cares.
Seriously, many lives (and misery) could be spared if everybody acted like you and Mrs. Fishy.
Best luck.
So, I added chocolate chips to the brownies, effectively making them chocolate that only oretends to be a baked good.
Lofty says
FossilFishy, best of luck dealing with the nerves but it sounds like you are safe tonight. The wind should rise again tomorrow, hopefully its all under control by then.
opposablethumbs says
I find myself in the situation of having to translate some text that turns out to have a lot in it about religious crap. And now I can't get out of it.
I am torn between leaning (insofar as one legitimately can) either towards, you know, reality (such as using terms like "begging" rather than "mendicant") or towards the unquestioning Respect-for-Woo!!!!!!11!! of the original so that readers in English can see the original in all its Respect-for-Woo!!!!11!!!! glory.
Either way I feel dirty. Ugh.
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
Happy birthday, Giliell!
FossilFishy: Like Giliell said, you're being completely sensible here and impressively so. I hope it ends up being all for nothing :).
Thanks, opposablethumbs! The paper was supposed to be scientificky and I say scientificky instead of scientific because that bar was set quite low. I figured I might as well try to make the paper something I'd be interested to read.
As far as your translation work goes, I vote for trying to make the final product as sickeningly Woo-filled as you can stomach and while still being true to the original tone and content. Of course, when asked to write content for a play I was developing with a group, I thought it'd be fun to write a Phelpsian-style sermon delivered by a Mark Twain character, so that may just be me being weird. It did make it into the play, though.
mildlymagnificent says
Happy Birthday Giliell … confetti, sparklers, caaaaaake.
Fossil Fishy. I've found this nifty animation for 7 day forecasting for Australia.
http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml?type=T&level=2m&tz=AEDT&area=Au&model=CG&chartSubmit=Refresh+View It's pretty unreliable once you get past the first 3 days. But it's good because it shows when predicted maxima are likely to hit. It makes a big difference, to me anyway, if the temperature tomorrow hits 42C before noon or after 4.00pm. I like watching the radar too – but that's only real time – not much good unless you're trying to calculate when the rain in the west is going to arrive (or nowadays of course it's more likely to just slide by and just miss Tassie.)
All the footpath cafes in Adelaide have the drinking bowls out for dogs at the moment. It was only 36 today but it felt like more. Uh,huh. Just checked the observations, the humidity was up around 20% for a large part of the day.
As for kids' property. We never did anything that I can recall. We might have confiscated something they were squabbling over – but that was pretty rare – they were pretty good kids. Never really got into fighting or teasing or anything until the older one was over 10.
carlie says
fossilfishy, you always rip me apart with your writing.
(later downthread) Oh dear, i hope the fires stay away!!
When I was searching for my daughter's tooth brush I found that Mrs. Fishy had also packed my wedding tie. Sometimes love sneaks up on you.
And look at that, beauty even in panic. You are a treasure.
Happy birthday, Giliell!
birgerjohansson says
If you are ambidextrous then you have at least one quality in common with Leonardo Da Vinci
— — — — — — — — — —
Why Climate Change Won't Wait for the President http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-mckibben/obama-climate-change_b_2424447.html?utm_hp_ref=science&ir=Science
The Evolution of Religion: God or the Group http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vlad-chituc/the-evolution-of-religion-god-or-the-group_b_2428869.html?utm_hp_ref=science&ir=Science
Australian study points to *potential* cure for AIDS http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-australian-potential-aids.html NB -only lab tests so far.
Risk to all ages: 100 kids die of flu each year http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-ages-kids-die-flu-year.html
Comet ISON shaping up to be a spectacular display http://phys.org/news/2013-01-comet-ison-spectacular.html
FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker) says
Thank you folks. Thanks for the reassurances and concern, it helps. Thank you for the kind words about my writing. I'd name names but I must to bed. Mrs. Fishy just wandered through and gave me a "look" that reminded me who the truly sensible one is in this partnership.
Though I must first say: Happy birthday Giliell!
When people ask me how it feels to be so far from the place of my birth I just smile and say: "You can find good people anywhere." Little do they know that I mean you and the rest of Teh Horde as much as I do those who are occasionally within arm's reach. May your day be glorious and indulgent, and may it be the nadir of your year to come.
birgerjohansson says
Damn. The links above got grouped too densely together for easy reading.
A few medicine news items:
-Even small doses of opioids increase risk of road crashes, research finds http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-small-doses-opioids-road.htm
Choline supplementation during pregnancy presents a new approach to schizophrenia prevention http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-choline-supplementation-pregnancy-approach-schizophrenia.html
Tracing the impact of amyloid beta in mild cognitive impairment http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-impact-amyloid-beta-mild-cognitive.html
Major step toward an Alzheimer's vaccine http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-major-alzheimer-vaccine.html
Designer bacteria may lead to better vaccines http://phys.org/news/2013-01-bacteria-vaccines.html
opposablethumbs says
I vote for trying to make the final product as sickeningly Woo-filled as you can stomach and while still being true to the original tone and content.
I've thought about it a bit more, particularly about who are most likely to be the end-readers of this text (not that I will ever know for sure, of course; I'm just going by context). As far as I can see, most readers will probably be fairly well steeped in common everyday levels of Woo and will be fairly unlikely to even notice the whole Respect-for-Woo!!!!11!!! thing going on – so I might lean as far as I can in the other direction (while still being a stickler for accuracy, of course) and see if I can't spark so much as one faint synapse'-worth of "huh, wha'?" somewhere along the line :-)
I still haven't fully decided, though – I'll probably do the whole draft first, and then do this at the revision stage.
Choices choices … must be that pesky free will stuff kicking in …
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
Good point, opposablethumbs :). Good luck with the translation! If I may ask, what languages can you translate?
Ogvorbis says
Dreamt of my abuser again and the one he forced me to abuse. Again, I took her by the hand and we walked away. I wish to hell I knew what this means but I am not complaining. Waking up feeling secure and calm is far better than waking up out of breath, in a cold sweat, and tensed for flight.
Got three inches of snow today. School is closed so Wife does not work her street corner today. My work is still open. Current over/under for the office pool is 1 visitor. I bet under.
I'm pretty sure that's not healthy?
Yup. Not healthy at all.
Flipping through channels and landed on CBN.
It's unreal how fucking shameless these people are
Chain letters have come a long way, neh?
I do all this because I never want her to be stuck roaming a sleeping city desperately desiring a place to purchase herself a fragile, ineffectual symbol of self-love.
I may not be the best of fathers, but in this?
In this, I will not fail her.
Fossilfishy, the world needs more people like you. People who are willing to break the abuse cycle, people who are willing to treat people as people. Thank you.
I am Chris Dremelformica
A bushfire 20k from home. four trucks and as yet out of control. Winds blowing away as far a I can tell so should be alright barring wind change. Mrs. Fishy"s grabbed the go bags, loaded the car and were ready to run as soon as I can get there. Gonna be a long night if they don't get it under control soon.
Stay awake and be alert. Be safe. 20k is not far enough away from something like that. I realize this is way too late, but be safe.
Happy solar circumnavigation day, Giliell!
The bad news: It's only 10km away as the crow flies.
The good news: It's contained, meaning that it's still burning but no longer growing.
The better news: The wind's dropped and continues to blow it away from us.
In order:
Containment is good — there still may be burning pockets within the perimiter for the next week.
Great. Low wind is good wind.
When I was searching for my daughter's tooth brush I found that Mrs. Fishy had also packed my wedding tie. Sometimes love sneaks up on you.
Loud - warm smiles do not make you welcome here says
Ever since reading about the great shoetroversy on Greta's blog, everywhere I go on the 'net I am bombarded by ads for comfortable and stylish footwear! :/
opposablethumbs says
Thank you Parrowing! (I only go in one direction – yeah, it's that active/passive language thing … – into English out of Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and Catalan. So, just a closely related family, and as I said it's all one-way only. Which as I am keenly aware makes it very small beer indeed compared with the real polyglots we have around here – especially the ones who are right here seamlessly chatting in their second or third language … now that's really something!).
opposablethumbs says
Right, off to run errands. See you later, Horde (and keep staying safe, FossilFishy)!
Louis says
This coffee is very good but I suspect someone has spiked it with Spanish Fly and mescalin.
I am pleased. Whoever did this will be given a raise and told to meet me behind the bike sheds at 18:00 wearing a Spiderman costume.
Carry on.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GILIELLl!!!
Hope you have lots of fun and delicious culinary delights.
Glad to hear the good fire news. Also glad you're so well prepared. Take care, hope to hear it's all over soon.
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
Opposablethumbs, that is impressive. I've studied Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin in the past but have retained very little. I'm at a decent level now with Swedish but still don't feel comfortable calling myself fluent. My husband says I am, but I think he's just trying to be nice. When I moved to Sweden, I felt pretty comfortable saying I had a decent amount of skill when it came to learning languages, but I met other people who make me shake my head and wonder why I ever thought I was good at all. One woman I know grew up speaking Swiss-German and Turkish, learned English and French at school, and has learned Swedish very quickly since moving here. And my husband is a native Swedish speaker but often kicks my ass at English grammar rules.
I think it's probably true that I'm not bad at learning languages, but of course I group in the US where we are sometimes actively encouraged to not learn or speak anything other than English. My father is a native Spanish speaker but never spoke it at home because when he immigrated in the early 60s, he and his family felt discouraged from speaking Spanish. I guess the cool thing now about having learned Swedish is that I can even read some Danish and Norwegian! Not that I can understand spoken Danish or Norwegian.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Heard a piece about atheists and grief on Morning Edition this morning. It's interesting. One woman says that she often wishes she was religious because she envies the certainty that she'll see her deceased loved ones again. That hit a little close to home.
birgerjohansson says
If you have mastered German grammar and the gender of every bloody object, Swedish will probably not be very hard….
#StarWarsRemakes: The 29 best ideas http://theweek.com/article/index/238808/starwarsremakes-the-29-best-ideas
Who wouldn't want to see Cool Hand Luke Skywalker or Leia Miserables?
chigau (無味ない) says
Happy Birthday, Giliell!
Happy NoFire FossilFishy.
birgerjohansson says
— — — — — — — —
Cleaning lady steals train and crashes into house http://www.thelocal.se/45616/20130115/
opposablethumbs says
I guess the cool thing now about having learned Swedish is that I can even read some Danish and Norwegian!
Very cool indeed! So you've got that related-family-of-languages thing going too :-)
My father is a native Spanish speaker but never spoke it at home because when he immigrated in the early 60s, he and his family felt discouraged from speaking Spanish.
Argh, yes, I've met a lot of people in that kind of situation, especially kids in France who rejected the family's Arabic (and Portuguese and Spanish too) for the same reason. It's so sad and frustrating! We did the opposite, and spoke to the kids in Spanish as much as possible when they were little – because they're in an English speaking environment. If it had been the other way round, I'd have talked English to them all the time.
I met other people who make me shake my head and wonder why I ever thought I was good at all.
I feel that way aaaallll the time! Especially around here. I get by, but compared to these people I'm a real lightweight!
Ogvorbis says
See, that shit would never happen if you were as evangelical as USAnians! You need more religion and less social communism. A bigger divide between rich and poor would have prevented this. And more guns!
Beatrice says
Funny, speaking English doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Most kids start learning it in elementary school or even in kindergarten.
Loud - warm smiles do not make you welcome here says
@Portia #660
One woman says that she often wishes she was religious because she envies the certainty that she'll see her deceased loved ones again. That hit a little close to home.
Although it's obviously a completely hollow promise to me as an atheist, I can see why that thought would be comforting if you truly believed it.
That reminds me of a book I read recently, The Time Traveller's Wife, which I absolutely loved; the ending of which was incredibly moving and thought-provoking, made more so as my dad died suddenly on December 18th. I can't talk about the ending, as I don't want to ruin it for prospective readers, so hopefully someone understands what I'm babbling about!
Matt Penfold says
Funny, speaking English doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Most kids start learning it in elementary school or even in kindergarten.
Here in the UK we are dreadful at learning languages. It is only compulsory to learn a foreign language at secondary school, and only then until the age of 14. It used to be 16, but the current Government hates foreigners, or at least the Tory half does, so they changed it to 14.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
Don't-Remember Toothbrush-Formica?
The Formicas appear to be a large clan, with many collateral branches.
Be safe, FossilFishy and Family.
Happy Birthday to Giliell.
This coffee is very good but I suspect someone has spiked it with Spanish Fly and mescalin.
I am pleased. Whoever did this will be given a raise and told to meet me behind the bike sheds at 18:00 wearing a Spiderman costume.
I lol'd.
One woman says that she often wishes she was religious because she envies the certainty that she'll see her deceased loved ones again. That hit a little close to home.
"He's in Heaven, now, and waiting for you to join him."
How is this any different from "We sent Lucky to live on a farm up-state, where he can chase rabbits and have fun"?
Self-delusion and lies.
Portia, sporty and glam, in her brand new ride (that is not a Porsche) says
Yeah, I know it's bullshit. It's just that I can relate to the wistfulness of missing the comfort of the idea. I know that doesn't make it true, nor it is a reasonable argument for the truth of the idea. Regardless, I can relate to the emotional reaction of the woman in the story. She explicitly says that her husband is rotting in the ground and that she resents people telling her that he's "in a better place."
Beatrice says
(I got comment #666)
I've read The Time Traveler's Wife, and seen the movie afterwards. I liked both.
Loud - warm smiles do not make you welcome here says
@Beatrice #671
I've read The Time Traveler's Wife, and seen the movie afterwards. I liked both.
There's a movie?! Yay.
I loved the book; did you get what I meant about the ending, and the 'knowing' that you have that to come?
/trying to be cryptic
Beatrice says
Yeah, I got it. Although, I'm not entirely sure how much it is worth, a lifetime of waiting. But I guess for her it was. (to hell with it if this reveals too much, I can't say it more vaguely while keeping it understandable)
Loud - warm smiles do not make you welcome here says
@Beatrice #673
Yeah, I got it. Although, I'm not entirely sure how much it is worth, a lifetime of waiting. But I guess for her it was.
Yeah, I understand that. I think, for me, it really struck a chord as I finished reading the book only a few days after my dad died suddenly, and the idea that I'd get one more chance to hug him and tell him everything that I wish I'd said to him… It was just poignant.
Beatrice says
I can see how reading it during such times could make one feel wistful. Just to see the person you love one more time…
My sympathies about your father's death.
Improbable Joe says
Fire? Fuck! I hope you and yours manage to stay safe throughout.
Happy Birthday!
Loud - warm smiles do not make you welcome here says
@ Beatrice #675
My sympathies about your father's death.
Thank you.
And to anyone who hasn't read The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, I highly recommend it :)
Esteleth, Ultra-PC Feminist Harpy Out To Destroy Secularism says
So, Harvard University libraries have called out the scientific publishers and called on all Harvad scientists to publish in open-access journals, resign from review/editing boards of closed journals, and push their professional societies to sieze control of publishing.
This could have ripple effects.
Tony the Queer Shoop (proud supporter of Radical Feminism) says
Best wishes and safe travel (if necessary) to you and your family. I hope the fire is brought under control.
Well, you just have a happy birthday now, y'hear?
rq says
Assorted *hugs*, sympathies and congratulations, as appropriate!
Yes, I have read The Time Traveller's Wife, and I liked it, but I can't really say the same for the movie.
No, I hvae not yet read Chapter 1 of The Boss. But I will.
Your writing always either brings me to tears (in a good way), makes me smile (in a good way), or both. Your #649 was especially poignant to me, since it points out the value of people rather than places (even being far from where one has been raised and grown), and also as to who is the sensible one in a relationship (most likely the one wandering 'accidentally' through the room for a fourth or fifth time with the words, Oh, you're still on the computer? Isn't it late? or a variation thereof on their lips…).
And your words about The Horde.
Unfortunately, no (real) news on the House Experience/Situation, but we're working on it and things are already looking up.
Is it weird that I go to a work seminar about a new program, and just want to be excited about all the new functions and ask all sorts of off-topic questions ahead of schedule?
Illuminata, Genie in the Beer Bottle says
Anyone know anthing about Dean Ornish? I saw a TED talk with him recently and am curious if there's known woo-ish-ness going on there.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
Portia: I wasn't intending to express any fault with you over it; I'm just having a bit of a Communication is Hard kinda day.
I understand the impulse to wish to make it better. It just annoys and frustrates me that the majority reaction seems to be "let's all pretend he isn't really dead", and everyone is expected to play along, even though it changes nothing. It also adds a specious validity to such things as murder/suicides based on the notion that "we'll be together forever after we're dead", or killing your kids because your life in some way sucks more than you can endure, so it's better to "send them to Heaven", or the kind of "benign neglect" that used to result in unwanted children being allowed to just "drift away into the arms of Jesus".
Be safe, you and your family.
Happy Birthday
That's great news, hopefully it spreads
I speak French pretty well, my folks got me into a program that taught it starting in elementary, but I've never gotten around to learning any others. I took Spanish in college, but wasn't able to do it long enough to get anywhere, although I can read simple Spanish just from knowing French.
Beatrice says
I think most people of my generation can understand at least bits of spoken Spanish. We were kids at the time Spanish soaps became very popular. I used to watch them with my grandma during lunch before or after school. For years, really. Something had to stick during all that time.
Since I studied Italian at that time and later French, my understanding of Spanish is actually quite good. I can even read simple texts. I can't make a proper sentence by myself, though (except for yo te amo and yo estoy embarazada [I learned it from soaps! someone was announcing pregnancy every three episodes]).
Beatrice says
Most people of my generation in my country….
Giliell, professional cynic says
Good evening
Well, as a birthday this sucks.
Mr.'s at work (I should have made him come home tonight, my fault that I didn't), the kids behaved as shittily as they possibly could (lots of shouting and teards ensured), mum's doctors are incompetent and my sister forgot that I don't like white chocolate.
I'll put it in the row with my 21st when I had chickenpox.
But thanks for your wellwishes
Sometimes I think living in a small country gives you an edge that way because nobody spends money on dubbing things.
Hekuni Cat, MQG says
Nicholas Stoveformica
I guess Dalillama and I are cousins or something.
I have a niece?
Yes, I meant your mum. I don't know why I wrote "niece." Also, Happy Birthday! *hugs*
Apparently I gave Faendal a "wait" command at some stage, and then marched on without him. When I went back and fetched him, the draugrs became more easy too kill!
If you take too long, your companion will stop waiting and go home. We had this happen with Lydia, but we went to Whiterun and picked her up again without difficulty. Well, there may have been a few snarky comments on her part, but no other penalties were noticed.
rq – Get well soon.
That had me in tears. Very well said.
What Dalillama said. And please be safe.
Beatrice says
Oh, I always forget. Most foreign shows/movies get dubbed in Germany, right? Shame.
We dub children's shows. Most documentaries get our narrator added, but usually his voice is added in between or covering only parts of the original narrator's words. Other than those, nope. Subtitles. Yes, people are forced to read while watching tv.
rq says
Oh and happy annual uterus exit day to Giliell!!!!
Apparently all shows were dubbed in Latvia, too, so no Spanish for Husband and his generation! :)
opposablethumbs says
Oh, Giliell, I am sorry! That's a shitty day at any time, and when it falls on a day that should be better then it feels doubly rotten. Any chance of having an un-birthday-day at the weekend to make up for it?
Do you mind if I share the shittiness? My daughter just called from uni; she has a major exam tomorrow, reckons she's not ready and it will go badly – and just to make everything better, she fell today running for a bus, tore her bag and it turns out the screen of her laptop is knackered. She had automatic insurance via the uni last year, but not this year (which I hadn't realised, and I think she didn't either). She's trying not to despair but to keep studying, but she's utterly miserable and there's not much I can do except tell her we love her and we'll work something out somehow …
(plus a bunch of other stuff, you know (first-world, though – I'm reminding myself this is mostly first-world stuff – just feeling a bit down nonetheless) … money, work, non-neurotypical teenage son's worries, OH, deadlines … tout pour plaire, quoi!)
Sending you a bunch of hugs; could you maybe send me some of your hugs to swap?
Some time back, I inquired about Portland area people with a vehicle, and someone volunteered that they had a van. Roommate's car is in need of a jump, and I cannot find your post anymore/your contact information. If you are available/around, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
Ogvorbis says
Giliell and opposablethumbs:
Hugs. And I will be USB-ing the alcoholic drink* of your choice as soon as I get home.
* as long as it is Jack Daniels, scotch, IPA or porter.**
** 'S'all I got right now.***
*** though that is more than I usually have.
[looks at footnoting. nope. i'll stick with parentheses (or try to anyway)]
cicely (No Description Available.) says
*hugs* for opposablethumbs.
Beatrice says
If anyone remembers my mentions of RCC standing against health education in our schools, it has become an ongoing saga.
They are apparently gathering volunteers and resources to start a serious campaign against health education. They are also afraid that the government might try to legalize marriage equality soon, so they are preemptively fighting against it too. Honestly, this last thing is a dog whistle, I think. We are not yet capable of legalization of marriage equality and I doubt this government will give it a try, but it just sets the Catholics even more against health education.
Argh, those assholes are making me so angry. We need health education.
Improbable Joe says
Sorry that you and your family are having a rough time? I'll email you a pizza roll if it will help?
rq says
I hear you Beatrice. Probably after elections next year, they'll be activating here, too. Them and the Lutherans.
Well, goodbye, Horde. It's back to lurking for me.
No, it's not something somebody did/said/didn't do/didn't say. None of you, at any rate.
It's been a good few months, and I am the richer for knowing you.
I promise to leave word about the house situation and also the Commune information.
Good night, all, and a round of *hugs* and drinks, too! Of choice, of course.
Beatrice says
I hope you'll decide to delurk again. Soon. (no pressure or anything [ok, maybe a little bit])
Best of luck with the house situation. And the husband's family and anything else that bothered you.
You'll be missed. *hugs*
Improbable Joe says
Not happy… and I hope you decide to delurk again sooner, rather than later. Good luck with the house, and you'd better share any good news you get!
You and your contributions will be missed. Hope you'll feel up to coming back soon.
Beatrice says
Off to bed.
Leaving a pile of *hugs* for everyone who needs them.
Gnumann+, Radfem shotgunner of inhuman concepts says
Be well. And I hope you feel welcome to delurk anytime.
cicely (No Description Available.) says
Well, rq, hurry back, you'll be missed, take these *hugs* with you, and keep an eye on those Horses.
(Treacherous beasts….)
Parrowing buıʍoɹɹɐd says
Bye, rq (and just as I de-lurked :( )
Giliell, professional cynic says
Waiting for you to delurk again.
Hugs for opposablethumbsdaughter
Off to bed I guess
Jadehawk says
the left side of my head has a cold. the right side doesn't. wtf?
Azkyroth, Former Growing Toaster Oven says
Which is the side you sleep on?
Lofty says
The left side of your head has the symptoms of a cold. Probably the bug concerned is everywhere in your system, jut it's found a home base on one side. Likely it'll even out soon. Remember a cold takes a week to clear on its own and as little as seven days if you take pills for it. Keep safe.
opposablethumbs says
Thank you, Dalillama and Ogvorbis! (I'll have the scotch, please! :-) I could just do with a scotch). Thank you cicely and iJoe (a pizza roll would be just the thing. I'll have Ogvorbis' scotch as a nightcap, and have the pizza roll for brunch when I take a mid-morning break from work tomorrow).
rq, I really hope we see you back again soon – it's a lot of fun having you around here! And I'm sorry if the reason is maybe anyone in RL has been pressuring you :-((( or whatever the reason is. Come back when you can, all right?
Thank you Giliell, I'll pass them on to her! And I hope you have a (much, much) better day asap
Good night Horde. Tomorrow should be
another a better day (I bloody well hope so) and we can raze Tara to the ground.
Jadehawk says
Which is the side you sleep on?
both (i turn a lot); I can see that explaining which side the snot comes from/accumulates, but how would that explain swollen lymph nodes on only one side?
Jadehawk says
Likely it'll even out soon.
it's been like that since friday. i don't think it has any more time to even out. or at least, i fucking hope it doesn't, because this cold needs to end.
Hekuni Cat, MQG says
opposablethumbs – *many, many hugs*
rq – Good luck and come back soon. I will miss you. *hugs
thunk, hull overheating says
Hia again.
Bye, rq. We'll miss you.
Jadehawk: Hope it gets better
Opposablethumbs & daughterspawn: hugses.
katenrala says
@ Parrowing
Thank you.
chigau (無味ない) says
We'll be waiting.
Thank you for saying 'good-bye'.
Otherwise some of us fret.
Nutmeg says
Jadehawk: When I get colds, it's usually only the lymph nodes on the left side that swell up. I have no idea what the biological explanation is.
carlie says
I hope you feel better soon, Jadehawk.
rq, you will be missed. Please comment again any time you feel like it.
The Mellow Monkey says
rq: Take care of yourself. You'll be missed around these parts and I do look forward to you de-lurking once more.
Jadehawk, that sounds miserable. And…lopsided. I hope you feel better fast.
ednaz says
rq, please come back very soon. You are a wonderful person and you will be missed. : (
PZ Myers says


text:
I've been wanting patriotic buntings for our home for several years. I got sticker shock when pricing them at the local stores - $20.00 per bunting. Ouch!
While perusing my favorite blogs, I discovered that Marian had done a tutorial for DIY buntings over at HGTV. So I headed over there and read the directions.
The buntings needed quite a bit of fabric because they are gathered. My idea was to hop to the thrift store and buy my favorite source of fabric - sheets. Much to my dismay, not a single red or blue sheet could be found. Burgundy - yes. Baby blue- yes. But not true blue or real red. Then I remembered that Walmart sold cheap 200 thread count flat twin size sheets for $5.00 a piece. Bingo!
I had to buy a fitted sheet in the blue because that's all they had. I already had white sheets at home (or so I thought - I actually had to cut up an old dust ruffle - but, it worked ).
After several hours, I had two pretty nice buntings. I had planned on making three and hanging them on the deck railing, but I underestimated the amount of work they would take and was happy with the two I completed. Maybe I'll make more next year. They aren't hard to make - just time consuming.
I pinned them up with thumb tacks.
If I make more, I'll do a better job at making larger pleats. I pleated them too small and they almost look like a ruffle rather than a pleat.
Check out Marian's tutorial.
I'm linking to these parties:

subset: commoncrawl


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Usually I don't watch the CBS program "NCIS" (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) because I don't like being bombarded by blatant propaganda which promotes US & Israeli Military aggression (see the image above and tell me if I'm wrong), but I happened to see some trailer's for the new season's first episode called "Kill Chain" and it peaked my interest.
The 11th season opens with a US Navy Petty officer being killed; by get this, a US Drone! Now usually, as most of the whole world knows, the US military is the one killing people by drone strikes (over 3,000 people killed by drone strikes in Pakistan alone according to the New America Foundation. You can see the detailed statistics they have here), so I was curious to see how this happened in the show.
The episode begins with the NCIS team investigating the scene of the attack (a public park in the DC area) and interviewing several witnesses. One of the witnesses, who actually saw the drone flying in the air, happens to be a "crazy" man who believes the government is following him. The investigative officer, Senior Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (played by Michael Weatherly) ridicules the man by asking the man "how long has the CIA been recording your thoughts?" Now perhaps the show's executive producer, Donald P. Bellisaro thinks the most of his show's viewers are ignorant of what's going in the country today, but in case you don't already know, the NSA (National Security Agency) has been monitoring and spying on their fellow Americans (All of us, not just the "crazy" people or those with foreign sounding names) phone calls, emails and internet use for at least the past 5 years! So who is crazy now, huh?
To Read the Rest of Article Check out Irfan's Blog on Patheos here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/almihrab/2014/01/ncis-a-case-study-on-us-military-propaganda/
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Mossberg's Mailbox
Mossberg's Mailbox
Apple's Boot Camp program for running Windows on a Mac is a beta. Any idea when a final version will be out? And will Boot Camp allow Macs to run the new Vista version of Windows?
Boot Camp may never be final, because Apple plans to roll its functionality into the forthcoming new version of its OS X operating system, called Leopard, which is due out early in 2007, around the same time Microsoft plans to ship Windows Vista. I assume Apple will stop offering Boot Camp as a separate program around that time. The company states that "Boot Camp Beta is preview software licensed for use on a trial basis for a limited time." That implies to me that it will likely be discontinued when Leopard comes out. This doesn't necessarily mean existing installations of Windows on Macs will stop functioning, just that new downloads won't be available.
I do believe that Leopard will allow Vista to run on Macs. However, just like regular Windows PCs, Macs running Vista will be able to use all of its features only if their hardware specs are hefty enough. My quick and dirty assessment is that the Intel-based iMac, MacBook Pro and Mac mini should be able to do so, but only time will tell.
I have a home network of three PCs. Do I have to download antivirus protection software separately for each computer? What about antispyware software?
Yes, you do. Antivirus and antispyware programs work on a computer-by-computer basis. You can't just install them on your main PC and expect that they will protect all the other machines on your network.
Which pop-up blockers do you recommend?
You don't really need a separate pop-up blocker anymore. The latest versions of all the major browsers — Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari — have built-in pop-up blockers. They aren't perfect, but they work pretty well. You can turn on the blocking functionality from the preferences or options menus. If you need something more, and you are a Windows user, you can download the Google toolbar, which includes a good pop-up blocker. It can be downloaded at toolbar.google.com.


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I find myself struggling with the opposite of writer's block lately. It's the sort of catch-22 when there's so much out there to comment on, you don't quite know where to begin. Media literacy is vital to the activist's tool box, but in a media driven culture it's exhausting to keep up with the outrage. Despite the flood of misinformation, great thinkers are out clearing the record, advocates are still joining together, and there are examples of positive change that can recharge and refuel us. At the end of a long week and in the spirit of self-care, let's catch up with some of the lately that can help sustain our vision.
Stop Street Harassment National Report
A groundbreaking national report on sexual harassment and assault in public spaces was released this month by Stop Street Harassment. The report Unsafe and Harassed in Public Spaces details striking statistics on the frequency women, men and LGBTQ experience harassment. According to the report, two in three American women experience sexual harassment and assault in public spaces. Although the statistics are overwhelming this report is the first national survey of experiences of public harassment in the U.S. and it was funded entirely by individual donations. In so many ways it is a marker of positive change. I am thankful there is now data to confirm the significance of experiences of harassment, and it's also been helpful to the media covering the report in ways that effectively highlight this issue.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
June 15th is an opportunity to increase understanding about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation as a global issue worthy of attention and action. We can all play a role in promoting the safety and well-being of older adults and preventing elder abuse. It's hard for me to accept the reality that the generations who have come before us, our loved ones and caretakers, can be vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. WEADD is a global movement to empower advocacy and proclaim the value of individuals of any age, identity or ability. Change is possible when we are United Against Elder Abuse.
Trans health conference
The 13th Philadelphia Trans Health Conference is currently underway, and I'm very excited for NSVRC and PCAR colleagues who are participating in this space for Trans* people and allies re-envisioning what health means for Trans* people. Even if you can't attend, you can join me in virtual learning by following the hashtag and inspiring conversation at #transhealth2014.
Celebrate healthy masculinity
For many Father's Day weekend means celebrating the fathers, brothers, role models and inspiring men in their lives. There are so many beautiful ways to express healthy masculinity. Have you seen the Ad Council's Fatherhood Involvement campaign? Do you plan to share any healthy masculinity inspirations with the fellas in your life?
Let's keep moving forward with some positive thinking. What helped you feel good this week?


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Honey Maid's 'Love' Commercial Offers the Perfect Response to Anti-Gay Debate
Honey Maid graham crackers makes commercials that are more memorable than its snacks.
Last month, Honey Maid raised eyebrows with a commercial featuring non-traditional families.
Several anti-gay groups were none too pleased with the spot, so Honey Maid fired back with another spot, called 'Love,' which you can see above. Even if you don't agree with the message, it'll certainly get you to think.


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UH Hilo joins hunt for killer asteroidsUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
Institute for Astronomy
Robert Fox, (808) 974-7731
Physics & Astronomy
The prototype telescope, with a single 70-inch-diameter mirror, is currently under construction on Haleakala and will shortly be outfitted with the world's largest digital camera, a device with 1.4 billion pixels. The full Pan-STARRS observatory, which is expected to be completed in 2009, will have four such mirrors and will survey the whole sky several times each month.
Scientists on the Hilo campus will contribute both to the development of the system and to reaping the scientific rewards that will follow once the observatory becomes operational. Students and faculty at UH Hilo will also be active in spreading the word of the educational opportunities arising from the project in the local community and will develop material that can be used in high schools to promote the project.
The project capitalizes on expertise in developing astronomical detectors at the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy in Manoa, where experts are working with MIT's Lincoln Laboratory to develop the new detectors. The data will be processed with the help of the Maui High Performance Computer Center (MHPCC) on Maui, and data will be made available to the community via a database being developed by partner Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). The final system is planned to replace the University's 36-year-old 2.2-meter (88-inch) telescope on Mauna Kea.
Institute for Astronomy Director Dr. Rolf Kudritzki said, "Pan-STARRS is the first major telescope facility to be developed by the IfA in several decades. It leverages the unique features of Hawaiian observing sites, which deliver the sharpest images on the planet, as well as the enormous strengths in both technological and scientific skills that have been built up at the University. Larger telescopes on Mauna Kea will be used to follow up the discoveries of Pan-STARRS."
A major goal of Pan-STARRS is to discover and characterize Earth-approaching objects, both asteroids and comets, that might pose a danger to our planet. However, the huge volume of images produced by this system will provide valuable data for many other kinds of scientific programs. The system will generate up to 10 terabytes (10 million megabytes) of data per night, and these data will be used to generate a multicolor digital atlas of the entire sky as seen from Hawaii. Dr. Nick Kaiser, leader of the project, says "By being able to scan the sky so rapidly and repeatedly, this observatory will open up a whole range of new possibilities in 'time-domain astronomy.' It will make enormous numbers of discoveries of moving objects like asteroids, variable stars and transients like supernovae and hypernovae. The data will be used to map the dark matter in the Universe, and also to characterize the mysterious 'dark energy' that is driving the universal expansion."
"We welcome the participation of our colleagues and students from UH Hilo," said Dr. Kaiser, emphasizing the importance the University of Hawaii places on educating Hawaii's students. UH Hilo Physics & Astronomy Department Chair Dr. Robert Fox says, "Our involvement with Pan-STARRS greatly expands UH Hilo's ability to provide a unique astronomy education on the slopes of one of the world's premier observational sites."
For more information, visit:
* Pan-STARRS project main page
* UH Hilo Physics and Astronomy Department
* UH Institute for Astronomy
The Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii conducts research into galaxies, cosmology, stars, planets, and the sun. Its faculty and staff are also involved in astronomy education, deep space missions, and in the development and management of the observatories on Haleakala and Mauna Kea.
Established in 1907 and fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the University of Hawaii is the state's sole public system of higher education. The UH System provides an array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees and community programs on 10 campuses and through educational, training, and research centers across the state. UH enrolls more than 50,000 students from Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, and around the world.
For more information, visit: http://pan-starrs.ifa.hawaii.edu/public/


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Discussion on Twitter
Oct 21, 2013
America's top diplomat says the U.S. relationship with Pakistan "could not be more important" as the Islamic republic grapples with economic and security woes and regional stability.
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke Sunday as he sat down with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is in Washington this week for talks with the White House.
Kerry declined to answer questions after brief remarks to reporters at the State Department. But U.S. officials say the Obama administration is posed to release more than $1.6 billion in military and economic aid to help bolster ties with Islamabad that have deteriorated over deadly American airstrikes and the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
"We have a lot to talk about, and the relationship with Pakistan could not be more important," Kerry said as his meeting with Sharif began. "On its own, (Pakistan is) a democracy that is working hard to gets its economy moving and deal with insurgency, and also important to the regional stability."
Sharif did not speak during the brief session with reporters.
The two men met over dinner, shortly before Kerry planned to head to Europe for peace talks for Syria and between Israel and Palestinian authorities.
He will be meeting with foreign ministers in Paris, London and Rome before returning to Washington on Thursday.


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USA Today reports that George Lucas, at his recent AFI Life Achievement Awards gala, is considering Daniel Logan's character of Young Boba Fett for the live action Star Wars television series!
(Harrison) Ford was approached by Daniel Logan, 18, who played young Boba Fett in Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Lucas said Logan's character may be included in his live-action Star Wars TV series, which is in the works.


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Meet & Greet - PetSmart - Plainfield
Enjoy a Meet & Great with local Greyhound owners and meet greyhounds in person. The Greyhound Pets of America Indy Chapter holds a Meet & Greet event on the third Saturday of the month at the PetSmart Store located in Plainfield from 1:00pm - 3:00pm.
Event Properties
|Event Date
|07-18-2020 1:00 pm
|Event End Date
|07-18-2020 3:00 pm
|PetSmart - Plainfield


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FREE SVG & JPG Files: Screen Divider Card
Sorry to have left you all for so long. Life gets a little crazy like that sometimes. But, good news, I finally got some time to sit down a do a little crafting. Yee haw! 🙂
Here's one I just created to give me a place to stick my post-it notes, so they don't end up all over my pc monitor!! This 'screen divider' can be used as a greeting card, bulletin board, and much more.
I'm including a 3-panel and a 4-panel version along with the rectangular mat for each panel, in SVG and JPG formats, for machine or hand cutting. Enjoy!
Right-click one or more of the following links and "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to download these free files to your computer:
SVG file (incl 3 & 4 panel versions)
3-panel JPG file
4-panel JPG file
Happy Crafting!!
~Vickie 🙂


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U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Weekly Update for April 29
Bill Kauffman, USA Volleyball Senior Manager of Communications, Phone: 719-228-6800, Email: email@example.com
USAV Facebook - @USA_Volleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 29, 2013) - The current U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Weekly update released on April 29 includes briefs on U.S. players.
HOOKER ANNOUNCES PREGNANCY: Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), the Best Spiker at the 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 USA Volleyball Female Indoor Athlete of the Year, announced on April 29 that she is pregnant via her Twitter account @destineehooker. To start the morning, she posted "Best news of my life today!!!! So thankful." Hooker immediately followed with a second tweet of "Yes my husband and I are pregnant." After congratulations started to pour in, she tweeted "Thank you everyone. It truly is a blessing. God has truly blessed (us)!! This is going to be an exciting year!!!" After tweeting "I can't stop smiling," Hooker re-assured her fans who had signed up for her camps that all are still on the schedule. "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean any of my camps will be cancelled. Looking forward to seeing everyone!!!"
LARSON-BURBACH, BOWN WITH RUSSIA'S DINAMO KAZAN: Jordan Larson-Burbach (Hooper, Neb.) and Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.), who have each won an Olympic silver medal with the U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team, are competing for Dinamo Kazan in the Russia Super League. Kazan, which concluded the regular season in first place, wrapped up its best-of-five semifinal round series with Omichka with a series sweep and two victories last week. Already leading 1-0 in the series, Kazan won the second match 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 on April 23. Larson-Burbach notched 13 points with 11 kills on 19 attacks with just two errors to go with two blocks. She added a 37 positive reception percent on 19 chances. Bown contributed four kills on seven errorless attacks, two blocks and an ace for seven points. For a photo gallery of the match, click here. Kazan concluded the series with a 25-19, 25-21, 25-11 victory on April 27 to advance to the final round and face second-seed Dinamo Moscow. In the final semifinal round match, Larson-Burbach tallied 20 points with a 45 positive reception percent, while Bown added 10 points with nine kills on 12 attacks and a block in the victory. The first three matches of the best-of-five championship round will take place May 6, May 7 and May 11.
AKINRADEWO WITH AZERBAIJAN'S RABITA BAKU: Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), a silver medalist with the U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team at the 2012 Olympic Games, is competing for Rabita Baku in the Azerbaijan Super League. Rabita Baku, which had already clinched the league title, concluded the Azerbaijan Super League schedule by defeating Lokomotiv Baladzhary 25-19, 25-15, 25-12 on April 23 and with a 25-19, 28-26, 25-14 victory over Azerrail on April 26. Rabita Baku held a 14-point advantage in the league standings while producing a 69-15 set ratio. To view the awarding ceremony presenting Rabita Baku with the league's gold medal, click here. During the week, Akinradewo was named as the Best Spiker of the Azerbaijan Super League.
DAVIS WITH GERMANY'S DRESDNER SC: Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.), a two-time Olympic Games silver medalist as a libero with the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team, joined Dresdner SC late in the 2012-13 season. Dresdner, as the third seed, defeated Vilsbiburg 25-18, 25-21, 25-21 on April 24 in the third match of the best-of-three semifinal round to advance to the final round. Davis contributed a 73 positive reception percent on 15 chances in the victory. As a team, Dresdner attacked at a 41 positive percent with Davis patrolling the back row. To start the final round, Dresdner lost to Schweriner SC 25-15, 16-25, 25-21, 25-17 on April 27. Davis tallied a 64 positive reception percent on a match-high 28 serve-receive chances. She was selected as the match most valuable player for Dresdner, which still hit at a 44 percent for the match. The teams will meet again on May 1 and May 4, and if necessary, Mary 8 and May 11 in the best-of-five final round.
SCOTT-ARRUDA, ALISHA GLASS WITH PUERTO RICO'S MAYAGUEZ: Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.), a five-time U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team selection and two-time Olympic silver medalist, and Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.), a setter for the U.S. Women's National Volleyball team, are competing for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rico Super League. In its best-of-seven semifinal round series with Caguas, Mayaguez fell behind 2-1 in matches after losing 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, 25-19 on April 23. Scott-Arruda notched 12 points including five blocks in the loss, while Glass set 22 assists to go with 12 digs and six points. Mayaguez answered with a 25-23, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21 victory on April 25 to even the series through four matches. Scott-Arruda scored 18 points with eight blocks. Glass turned in 24 assists, nine digs and two blocks in the victory. Mayaguez went up 3-2 in the series with a 26-24, 25-22, 25-16 victory on April 27. Scott-Arruda notched 13 points in the victory. Mayaguez closed out the series in the sixth match with a 25-17, 25-19, 21-25, 25-18 victory on April 28. No match statistics are available at this time. Mayaguez now meets Corozal, which includes 2008 U.S. Olympian Kim Willoughby, in the best-of-seven final series.
FAUCETTE WITH ITALY'S YAMAMAY BUSTO ARSIZIO: Juliann Faucette (San Diego), a U.S. outside hitter/opposite, is competing for Yamamay Busto Arsizio of the Italian Serie A1 for the 2012-13 season. Busto Arsizio (15-3, 46 points) finished the regular season in first place with an eight-point lead over second-place Rebecchi Nordmeccanica. Busto Arsizio started its best-of-three semifinal round series with Imoco Volley Conegliano on April 26 with a 25-16, 25-23, 25-19 victory. Faucette was a sub in the second and third sets recording just two attacks. The series continues on April 29, and if needed, May 1 will serve as the tiebreaker to decide which team advances to the final round.
HODGE, WILSON WITH AZERBAIJAN'S AZERRAIL BAKU: Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), a silver medalist on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team, is playing for Azerbaijan's Azerrail Baku in 2012-2013 along with fellow Penn State University alum Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.). Azerrail topped Lokomotiv 25-18, 28-30, 25-22, 25-15 on April 23. Azerrail ended the Azerbaijan Super League with a 25-19, 28-26, 25-14 loss to league-champion Rabita Baku on April 26. Despite the loss, Azerrail finished second in the league in a tie with Igtisadchi.
MIYASHIRO, SPICER WITH AZERBAIJAN'S LOKOMOTIV BAKU: Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii), a silver medalist with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team, signed mid-season with Azerbaijan's Lokomotiv Baku. Lokomotiv fell to Azerrail 25-18, 28-30, 25-22, 25-15 on April 23. Lokomotiv finished the regular season on a sour note, falling to Igtisadchi 19-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21 on April 26. Lokomotiv concluded the year in fourth place with 41 points and a 52-38 set ratio.
METCALF, PAOLINI WITH AZERBAIJAN'S IGTISADCHI BAKU: Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa), an opposite on the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team with experience at the 2004 Olympic Games, and U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team middle blocker Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) are playing for Igtisadchi Baku of the Azerbaijan Super League in 2012-2013. Igtisadchi kept hopes alive for a second-place finish by defeating Baki Azeryolservis 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 on April 23. Igtisadchi ended the regular season with a 19-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21 victory over Lokomotiv on April 26. With Azerrail losing to Rabita Baku in three sets, Igtisadchi was able to climb into a second-place tie to conclude the season. Paolini was lauded last week with the Azerbaijan Super League Best Blocker award.
TAMAS WITH AZERBAIJAN'S BAKI AZERYOLSERVIS: Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), a 2008 silver medalist with the U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team, is playing for Baki Azeryolservis of the Azerbaijan Super League in 2012-2013. Baki Azeryolservis opened strong against Lokomotiv on April 17 before falling 18-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-16. Baki Azeryolservis lost its second match of the week to Azerrail 25-17, 25-18, 31-29 on April 20. Baki Azeryolservis concluded the regular season on April 23 with a 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 loss to Igtisadchi. The match represented Tamas' final contest of her career as she has indicated her desire to step away from the game. The web site azerisport.com dedicated a photo gallery to Tamas following her last match, which can be viewed by clicking here.


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