Jamie123

Gentamicin has seen to it that I hear continuous noise day and night. It's always with me, a kind of devoted but annoying friend that never, ever shuts up.

Jesus is risen!
To commemorate the Resurrection of our Savior, Redeemer, and King I thought perhaps we could share things we could resurrect in our own lives to try to be better and do better.
I will resurrect my life by:
*Praying more
*Reading and studying more
*Spending less time online
*Being less contentious while still vigorously defending the Restored Gospel
*Making more of an effort to show kindness to those around me
*Being more diligent in my daily labors
*Communicating more regularly with family
He is risen indeed!

May you hear an intermittent buzzing noise in your bedroom just when you want to go to bed, with no sign of an actual fly no matter how many hours' sleep you lose searching for it.
May said fly descend upon your face the moment you give up and put the light out.
May the Yorkie bar you bought for your mid-morning treat inexplicably taste of mint. (Not that there's anything wrong with mint chocolate, but when you buy a Yorkie bar you expect a Yorkie bar and not an After Eight.)
May your next door neighbour start tinkering with his car on Saturday Morning, just as you sit down to watch Little House on the Prairie.

May your belt loops get caught on every door handle.

I believe that in this day and age the most common abuse is based in heterophobic hatred.  Especially towards white heterosexual males.  Shucks – the abuse is so bad that heterophobic does not even make it through spell check in Microsoft Word.
 
The Traveler

Dang - are you sure you aren't me?  I had a startlingly similar experience when I was 6, and then again when I was 7, and then throughout the rest of elementary and middle school.   My elementary school was in the '70's, middle/high school in the '80's.  And you had this experience in the UK?  I grew up in Salt Lake City.  Well, we're all born stupid.  I guess there are recurring themes as kids form social circles and look for things to include and things to exclude. 
From what I can tell about today's kids, it's now trendy and cool to be part of the alphabet and feel guilty about being white.  The bad kids are transphobes and fascists and haters.

As the late great Neil Peart once said...
 

As a kid, I was subjected to homophobic abuse. And I'm not even gay! In fact I am SO not-gay, I think many of those who homophobe-abused me were gay by comparison. In fact I suspect some were actually real-gay with an "I'll homo-abuse the allegedly gay kid to get the attention off myself" type of agenda.
But that's speculation.
The point is, I know that homophobic abuse is an actual thing, coz I've been on the receiving end. And though I agree there is much nonsense talked about "hate speech", homophobia (along with transphobia) is a real thing.
But it's so easy to think after the event what you should have said. I was never able to think on my feet. So I'm going to indulge in a little wish-fulfilment fantasy...
There was one kid - somewhat older than me - whom I'm going to call him "CT". He once gave me a grilling about what I'd do if I were propositioned by a half-naked Bo Derek, beckoning me to bed. When I didn't immediately respond in words to the effect that I'd "do" her, he told me I was not normal, while his bully-partner (a smirking sycophant whom I'll call "CV") snickered snottily away to himself in the background.
CT: So? What would you do? There's Bo Derek calling out for you, wanting you!"
Me: Well... (Not sure how to respond. Even then I had a superstitious view of sex [barring masturbation], even though I was not very outwardly religious.)
CT:  Come on! It's Bo Derek? You do know who Bob Derek is, don't you?"
Me: She was in 10. And Tarzan the Ape M..."
CT: So...? What would you do?
Me: OK, well tell me first what you'd do?
CT: Oh well...haha...what wouldn't I do? Haha...mmmemmmmemmmm... (performs bodily contortions intended to convey sexual arousal, but actually more suggestive of diarrhea)
This is where fantasy takes over...
Me: So you'd have had "carnal knowledge" of her?
CT: Mmmm...you could put it that way....(continued vocalizations and bodily contortions). But you'd just run away, wouldn't you? Like a scared little rabbit, that's you! You'd...
Me: Has it never occurred to you that Bo Derek is married?
CT: (Momentarily taken aback) What...?
Me: Yes. To John Derek. That's how she got the name 'Derek', you know. Or did you think that's the name she was born with?
CT: I don't believe this! If you think...you're actually saying that...?
Me: That I think the sanctity of marriage is important? You bet I am! Or are you the sort of slimy little toad who goes around sleeping with other men's wives?
CT: What...? (looking over to CV for support, but getting none.)
Me: Because if you are, then I hope that when you get married, some other little slime ball comes and has his way with your wife! And I hope she enjoys him ten times better than you!
CT: But...
Me: And I hope he tells everyone about it, and everyone has a good laugh at Mr. Cuckoo-Cuckold! *does cuckoo impressions*
It's good to dream...

Still probably her best work.

As a kid, I was subjected to homophobic abuse. And I'm not even gay! In fact I am SO not-gay, I think many of those who homophobe-abused me were gay by comparison. In fact I suspect some were actually real-gay with an "I'll homo-abuse the allegedly gay kid to get the attention off myself" type of agenda.
But that's speculation.
The point is, I know that homophobic abuse is an actual thing, coz I've been on the receiving end. And though I agree there is much nonsense talked about "hate speech", homophobia (along with transphobia) is a real thing.
But it's so easy to think after the event what you should have said. I was never able to think on my feet. So I'm going to indulge in a little wish-fulfilment fantasy...
There was one kid - somewhat older than me - whom I'm going to call him "CT". He once gave me a grilling about what I'd do if I were propositioned by a half-naked Bo Derek, beckoning me to bed. When I didn't immediately respond in words to the effect that I'd "do" her, he told me I was not normal, while his bully-partner (a smirking sycophant whom I'll call "CV") snickered snottily away to himself in the background.
CT: So? What would you do? There's Bo Derek calling out for you, wanting you!"
Me: Well... (Not sure how to respond. Even then I had a superstitious view of sex [barring masturbation], even though I was not very outwardly religious.)
CT:  Come on! It's Bo Derek? You do know who Bob Derek is, don't you?"
Me: She was in 10. And Tarzan the Ape M..."
CT: So...? What would you do?
Me: OK, well tell me first what you'd do?
CT: Oh well...haha...what wouldn't I do? Haha...mmmemmmmemmmm... (performs bodily contortions intended to convey sexual arousal, but actually more suggestive of diarrhea)
This is where fantasy takes over...
Me: So you'd have had "carnal knowledge" of her?
CT: Mmmm...you could put it that way....(continued vocalizations and bodily contortions). But you'd just run away, wouldn't you? Like a scared little rabbit, that's you! You'd...
Me: Has it never occurred to you that Bo Derek is married?
CT: (Momentarily taken aback) What...?
Me: Yes. To John Derek. That's how she got the name 'Derek', you know. Or did you think that's the name she was born with?
CT: I don't believe this! If you think...you're actually saying that...?
Me: That I think the sanctity of marriage is important? You bet I am! Or are you the sort of slimy little toad who goes around sleeping with other men's wives?
CT: What...? (looking over to CV for support, but getting none.)
Me: Because if you are, then I hope that when you get married, some other little slime ball comes and has his way with your wife! And I hope she enjoys him ten times better than you!
CT: But...
Me: And I hope he tells everyone about it, and everyone has a good laugh at Mr. Cuckoo-Cuckold! *does cuckoo impressions*
It's good to dream...

No idea if you sing this hymn, but...
I vow to thee, my country
All earthly things above
Entire and whole and perfect
The service of my love The love that asks no questions
The love that stands the test
That lays upon the altar
The dearest and the best The love that never falters
The love that pays the price
The love that makes undaunted
The final sacrifice   And there's another country
I've heard of long ago
Most dear to them that love her
Most great to them that know We may not count her armies
We may not see her King
Her fortress is a faithful heart
Her pride is suffering And soul by soul and silently
Her shining bounds increase
And her ways are ways of gentleness
And all her paths are peace   (Sung to the tune of Jupiter from Holst's The Planets)  

I already hear this has been a good career boost for her, and I'm happy for her.

I suspect the latter. He's a bit of a fantasist. He's self-published about a dozen novels, which are largely believed to be AI-generated. If he was a cynical swindler he'd have run off with the money instead of stopping around to take the abuse, and giving refunds. I wonder how much out of pocket he is. Quite a lot I'm betting!
P.S. I read somewhere the girl who played "The Unknown" has now been hired by London Dungeon to do a regular performance there!

I love karate. I just wish I was better at it. (Balance was always my biggest problem.)

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/3fe9eedb-4583-44c4-8f31-361fbe816914#psHkgLaD.copy
 

Yep, Abandoned Wonka Warehouse made it to my tiktok.
Don't forget the Oompa Loompa!

 
 
 
In other news, I really liked DUNE II:

 

A while ago I posted about Elizabeth Holmes, the queen of unsuccessful "fake-it-till-you-make-it". The cautionary tale of Billy Coull is not dissimilar. It's probably funnier too - because nothing life-and-death (such as blood testing) was ever at stake - but also quite heart-rending when you think of the poor little kiddywinks expecting to see Wonka's factory in it's glory...

...and actually getting this...

Wonka: The Scandal that Rocked Britain review – a whole hour of TV on the chocolate disaster that went viral | Television | The Guardian
Coull was an idiot of course. He used AI to create a wonderful website, and a lot of people bought into it. (Just as they bought into Elizabeth Holmes' pretty face and Steve Jobs demeanour.) Could he create such a thing in real life? Well I believe he thought he could, and when real life caught up with him, he was the first to admit his own stupidity. He did blame some of it on being "let down by suppliers" (which could be true - who knows?) but at least he didn't skip off to the Bahamas. He was there in the thick of it, taking the flack from enraged parents who called him a "scammer". (And if you don't know what angry Scotsman - or Scotswoman - is like, think Groundskeeper Willie times a hundred!) A true scammer would have been long gone, leaving his hapless employees to pick up the pieces.
It reminds me of this verse (don't know the author, but it's about bricklayers):

Happy St. David's Day!
The daddodils are coming into bloom too!

Not being a Mormon, General Discussion is my usual go-to, since Current Affairs is mostly about America (though I do check it out sometimes). I do check out the other forums though, so if you make fun of my Owl costume there, I'll cry! 😭

Not being a Mormon, General Discussion is my usual go-to, since Current Affairs is mostly about America (though I do check it out sometimes). I do check out the other forums though, so if you make fun of my Owl costume there, I'll cry! 😭

Not being a Mormon, General Discussion is my usual go-to, since Current Affairs is mostly about America (though I do check it out sometimes). I do check out the other forums though, so if you make fun of my Owl costume there, I'll cry! 😭

Looks like @Jamie123 only reads General Discussion. We should go to the other forums and talk about him. He'll never know.

I was talking about the General Discussion forum - not the site as a whole.

Funny you should say that, since the tragedy at Marathon might have been prevented by something like a bicycle.

Humans invent new and creative ways to kill.
Cats just tear your throat out and are done with it unless they're bored. 
Yeah, cats are among nature's murder machines. People keep forgetting this and so don't respect cats as they should.