I have found my way home, weary and worn, and now I go to sleepeth, to winnow with giant arms the slumbering green, battening upon huge seaworms in my sleep.
(Episode CCCXLV: Nerds, geeks, dweebs.)
Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
Audley
Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute
Argh, I need to start on a quilt for friend’s baby. The parasite is due in January :)
Ugh bad interviews from everyone in Ing house. Morale is extremely low. Heat is not helping.
Would you think that if the Power Company was planning “rolling blackouts” They would tell us beforehand?
Ing
I’m really sorry to hear.
Is there anything we can do?
I’m so sorry, Ing.
I’m just mad that the interview I got called in specifically for on short notice, and was told I was a good match for, didn’t even bother telling me I was disqualified. They just cut off contact with me.
One of the ratlets has been named. The little ‘blonde’ one. I remarked to Mister that he looked like a selkie…so, he’s Giles, after Giles de Mer from the Dragon Knight series.
Ing, dianne, and anyone else who needs sympathies: *sympathies*.
(I’m mostly-threadrupt.)
—
Nowhere near … ;-)
‘God particle’ does not believe in God
… equals awesome.
(/Four five-trillionths omitting commercial breaks. As those, also, are a universal constant.)
I would say that the “god particle” is as much evidence for the existence of god a tha ladybug is for the existence of the virgin Mary
ING: so sorry this shit is happening to you. Do you still suspect you’re being Fucked over by your old job?
_____
Me: getting back to normalcy (for me anyway) feels so good. Just finished a workout at the YMCA (I know, but mom paid for a year membership for me when I was unceremoniously terminated last year & I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth). I’ve got 25lbs or so to get back to my body pre-M’s death. It works wonders for depression.
Audley, the bib and booties combo is so good. Soooo smart, so baby-about-town, so damn adorable. Love ’em.
.
Ing, I’m so sorry. That whole situation is horrible and it does grind you down – I really hope there’s a way to get round it if this is your former employer bad-mouthing you, which certainly sounds possible considering how badly they treated you already. I want at least TET to be a place where you can relax and just vent or share a cold one when you want to.
Nutmeg’s uncle:
This made me think of Jerry Weinberg’s Buffalo Bridle: “You can make a buffalo go anywhere just as long as they want to go there.”
Or, more relevantly, you can make them go anywhere you want as long as you want them to go where they want. ;)
Tony:
You know that they changed from YMCA to just the Y, didn’t you? There was a fuss about it at the time. :D Besides, nothing wrong with the Y. I’d hit up ours all the time if I were closer to town. They have a pool.
Aren’t all fields “everywhere all the time”?
Does the electron have as much claim to knowing God as does the Higgs?
Audley, those are entirely precious.
When I was pregnant with my first child, once I was ready to buy something for it, the first thing I got was a wee pair of baby socks. Because yes, OMG the mini-feet.
Bummed. I bought a dress online, waited over a month for delivery and went through no end of hassle on it because of being out of town, it came today, and… doesn’t fit. And I have no one to blame but myself, because I provided custom measurements. And to add insult to injury, the misfit is that the chest region is much too big. Thanks a lot, dress.
Um, so this can’t bleed over to facebook, but I am absolutely busting to tell someone so…
You all know my asshole sister? The one who has made comments about my size and whatever?
… Yeah, she’s 4 months pregnant. She apologized to me today for (her words) “being a bitch” and blamed it on morning sickness/mood swings/being worried about her own pregnancy.
I’m actually really happy for her, but the holidays are going to be CRAZY! around here. :p
Ing, hugs if you want them.
Sili, I hope you get some relief from an increase in your dosage.
Audley, those are adorable. Also, good to hear that your sister is trying to mend bridges with you.
CongrAZD!
Audley: I’m glad that things are looking up with your sister. And the octopus bib is absolutely adorable!
***
I’ve been looking everywhere for decent long, casual shorts. My problem is that I’m short with stubby legs, so shorts that are meant to be long on other people are two-thirds of the way down my knees. I looked all over the mall this afternoon. I even ventured into the boys’ department in a larger store, because I’m a big fan of cargo shorts these days. Nothing. Any ideas? I ended up consoling myself with some fudge from the chocolate shop, so at least the trip wasn’t an utter loss.
We are having 30°+ again.
Poor kitty.
Well, I’ve just been shot in the head with my own stupidity…
Rubin is pregnant. Excuse me while I go pound my head into a wall.
Caine
OMG
*hugs*
Audley:
‘Bout time! /Bender
Seriously, I’m glad she did.
Chigau:
Thank you, I’m in need of them.
1. They are.
2. They may do, but leptons aren’t bosons. ;)
Caine:
Wait… I thought Rubin was a male rat…
♥ Good luck with the second litter.
Me too. Her apology/reasoning has really helped shed some light on the situation.
Hell, I’m glad that she even told me that she’s pregnant. She hasn’t told anyone in our family yet (only her mother-in-law) and I’m supposed to keep it under wraps. Since none of you all know her, I think I’m in the clear for my TET expulsion.
Audley:
Yes, well, I mentioned the attack of stupid I’ve been under, right? Jesus, I qualify for the “Idiot of the Year” award.
Caine:
Oh geez, Caine. Hugs if you want ’em. That’s quite a shock.
Thanks, Jessa. I’ll take all the hugs I can get.
Oh, Caine. Oh dear.
… congratulations?
I guess at least now you’ve narrowed down who the father was, right?
@Caine
Don’t feel bad. I have a friend who wound up with piglets because their barrow impregnated a sow.
If you didn’t sex the adult rat correctly, it may be wise to have someone else sex the ratlets. Perhaps you could import Pteryxx?
Sympathies.
Audley, glad your sib is trying to mend bridges there. Best health wishes all round.
.
Caine, oooooooohhhhhh …. oh boy. Well, but don’t – uh, the wall there – mind your head – well, damn. I just think I’ll send you something fortifying via USB, ok?
Oh, geez, Caine.
*generous serving of the grog of your choice*
@Caine,
Oh noooooooo.
*hugs*
Kristinc:
No. We’re running under the assumption it’s Sam, though, as she & Sam have been hanging together since day one.
Caine:
*hugs!* and good luck with the impending litter.
dianne:
This makes me wonder how much cringing English Lit professors do when listening to Joss Whedon’s dialogue on Buffy…
~~
LDTR:
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Out of those 3 options, #1 seems like the only possibility and even that is supremely out of character for me.
I’ve never been much of the destroying type (when I get really pissed off though, I want to break things; throw a glass against a wall and watch it shatter kind of thing; I usually refrain from doing even that as I don’t like having to clean up bits of glass).
As for #3, :::looks above at ‘nym and thinks “no, my name isn’t Leah”:::
~~
Katherine @456:
The “teach you to love it” line can be taken a couple of different ways. It could be an insensitive way for him to convey that he likes you as you currently are. I won’t even mention the horrible ways that line could be taken. It does not take into account your desires though, and that seems like a big problem. It’s understandable if he isn’t attracted to “chicks with dicks” (is there a less offensive phrase that’s a suitable substitute?), but he also needs to understand that this isn’t about him. It’s about you and your needs.
Also, I second Krasnaya @466.
~~
Nutmeg:
I was glued to my phone reading your rafting story. It sounds like a canoe full of fun (except the parts where peoples’ safety was in question).
~~
:::waves to Vilem Saptar!:::
~~
Audley:
re: Creation Store- give me a few days to work up the courage :)
I don’t completely agree with you, but that’s tentative. It’s contingent on how much Katherine has told him about herself. If she’s discussed things to a degree of depth (enough to convey her wishes to him) and he *still* has that response, then yeah, I say dump him.
::I’m ignorant about gender reassignment and quite a bit about trans (people?) issues, and I have *zero* interest in offending Katherine (or anyone else for that matter), so if I have done so (or do in the future), please slap me across the head and correct me::
re: Your sister-I’m glad she apologized to you. No need to consider writing a letter I guess. Did it feel like a heartfelt apology and what was your reaction?
~~
Ms. Daisy:
re: ‘weak’, ‘feel your pain’, and ‘intelligence based insults’-I’m right there with you. Gingerale and hir use of “retard” earlier royally pissed me off. If xe had gone with ‘idiot’, ‘moron’, or ‘stupid fucker’ I wouldn’t have cared.
I wonder about ‘sociopath’ and ‘psychopath’ (for myself), because I don’t know the clinical definitions of them and would rather avoid using words that carry baggage or that I don’t fully understand.
~~
Krasnaya @479:
Peas are evil.
There are many wonderful people on this planet that have not accepted this lesson. I do not hold it against them, I just ask that they peaze not force me to eat any :)
~~
<fighting in the Lounge<
While I'm happy for this to be a relaxing, casual environment, did PZ say no fighting, or just no protracted battles taking up large portions of TET threads?
ImaginesABeach:
That’s not the problem. Rubin was incorrectly labeled by whoever supposedly sexed her and we simply didn’t think to check again. As I said, stupidity was the rule of the day.
Opposablethumbs:
A truckload of booze ought to do it. :D Thanks.
Nutmeg & Cipher, thank you. ♥
Audley,
Congrats on the future addition to the Darkheart extended family, and your sister’s apology! Hopefully things will go more smoothly for you both.
Yikes Caine. *fluffy hugs*
…Assuming you found out the pregnancy by eye/feel, then you probably only have a week or so, and now TWO litters and moms to isolate and segregate… aiyiyi.
I’m kind of far away but if you want, I could attempt to sex them from photos of their underparts.
Caine:
OMG, another pregnant rat. At least you know what to expect this time.
Re: the Y-
I didn’t know they changed the name. I will say that their membership card makes it clear they are still a religious oriented gym:
http://thumbp13-ne1.thumb.mail.yahoo.com/tn?sid=29273397986763370&mid=APKkiGIAASaDT%2FtkXgveWTl7kVw&midoffset=2_0_0_1_869427&partid=2&f=1127&fid=Inbox&w=717&h=430&httperr=1
I was in there Saturday and one of the programs they had on tv (the music wasn’t on; maybe it god doesn’t like satellite radio) was a young (as in teenage) Christian band. I didn’t notice at first, but then some dumb lyric hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course after that, I couldn’t shut that shit out of my head.
Oh okay, never mind then. (This happens ALL THE TIME. Honestly people working in pet stores, learn what rat balls are!)
Also, Caine, don’t feel bad… I made that EXACT same mistake with one of my pet rats, taking the person’s word for it that she was a male; and this is my freakin’ job. Lucky for me I caught the mistake within a few days.
Dr AudleyZD:
I’m grinning broadly right now. I think¹ I suggested asking why she was being such an asshole. There was an /armchairpsychiatrist and everything. ;-)
Safe conveyances and deliveries for both of you.
—
¹ Except I can’t make Google find it. Maybe I typed it up and didn’t have the conviction to hit submit. Oh well. This will have to do.
Tony:
Yes. It was quick, but she was acting kind of… embarrassed (not quite the emotion I’m going for, but you get it). I gave her a hug and told her that I love her.
Of course, since she’s decided not to be an asshole, this means that I don’t get to nit-pick her every decision. Drat! I guess this means that I’ll just have to be happy for her instead. :D
cm:
Yup, I think you’re right.
To by honest, Mr Darkheart and I have suspected it for at least a month now, but obviously we didn’t just want to be all, “yo, are you knocked up, too?” That’s kind of rude (to say the least.)
Thank you and thanks to everyone else for the well wishes!
Pteryxx:
I’m pretty sure we don’t have 7 days, more like 4 or 5. We’re heading into town tomorrow, we’re going to pick up another bookcase to convert into a second Rat Condo.
This is where my incredible stupidity kicks in…I knew better.
Tony:
Yes, a dozen more ratlets…
Audley: Well, at least she apologized. If need be, though, I hope you have the guts to remind her that being pregnant doesn’t mean she can still be a jackass to you.
——————————————–
Caine: Oh my . . . ho boy. You’re going to have a LOT of ratlets to find homes for if you have no plans on keeping any of them. I assume you are counting down the days until you will finally be able to get some decent sleep? Good luck and hugs.
——————————————–
OK, time to catch up with rest of thread.
Shit, Caine. Can anyone take the next litter off your hands (as in, to raise them, not to put them down)?
Tony:
You and Cecily will never know the joy of my spaghetti carbonara.
As for the Y, I don’t know about the central organization, but what’s played on the TV or the PA system likely varies from gym to gym and region to region. Up here in the Northeast, I’ve attended a few different Ys, and none of them put on religious programming.
Yay, Darkfetus will have lots of cousins. Sister apologizing must feel like a particularly lovely vindication. I have a judgmental older sister who does everything more perfectly than me too. :P
What in tarnation is going on with this epidemic of TET fertility?
Have we finally reached that magical femmilestone where the combined fempower has reached critical f-mass and can now transmute the males into females?
Rubin needs a new moniker. Perhaps Ruby, or Ru-Barb?
Audley,
Since have a Halloween-ish due date, I’ll share something amusing from my childhood. I was born two days before Halloween, so every birthday cake I had as a child was Halloween-themed. White cake with white icing, orange and black piping, and plastic picks in the shape of black cats, ghosts, and tombstones. Yes, tombstones. On a child’s birthday cake. It’s funny now, but it creeped me the fuck out when I was young.
PTI:
Ha! Thanks. :)
Daisy:
No. If I were to do that, someone would have to take Rubin, too, and I could never do that to her. Rubin is beyond spooky and I don’t think she’d cope with a new situation.
Tethys:
No, it will stay Rubin. I’ve tried Ruby out before and Rubin absolutely hates it.
PTI:
I’ve already got my reply all lined up, should she decide to get all assholish again: “Remember, I’ve been doing this longer than you.”
Tethys:
I have no idea what’s up with TET. In my personal life, it has been joked that all of these pregnancies have been cause by proximity to my turtle– aka “the fertility turtle”.
(My sister lives downstairs and my sister-in-law (who is also pregnant) was Emery the turtle’s original owner.)
Hey, Janine, wasn’t Aaron Baker here the inspiration for your one-time handle “Janine Is Still An Asshole”? He seems to still be smarting from his experience on Pharyngula.
Note this comment of his:
Dontpanic calls him on that spectacular bit of straight privilege (CC in both Illinois and Massachusetts tried to weasel out of having to place kids with gay adoptive parents).
Caine, I’m interested in this Rat Condo concept… are there any pictures of the condo or construction? (I used big wire cages with plastic flooring to protect rattie feet.)
Here, have a “you” for the second word in the first sentence.
Jessa:
I would have loved that, but I was a creepy little kid. :D My birthday’s in mid-October, so I would get some Halloween stuff mixed in with birthday stuff, but not to that level.
I really want to give birth on Halloween, but then again, I’m not sure if I want to saddle a kid with a holiday birthday, even one that doesn’t involve gifts.
Pteryxx:
You can kind of see it here, last photo: http://moblog.net/view/202021/for-sprocket
Audley:
I was, too. I think most of the creep-out may have actually been indignation that it was my birthday, dammit, not Halloween. Halloween needed to get its own cake instead of appropriating mine.
This thinking made total sense to a 10-year-old.
Jessa:
Hey, that makes sense to a 30 year old!
(We have a ton of October birthdays in my family: me, my asshole sister, and both my parents so it would have never occurred to me to make a Halloween cake. If I can, I think I might just do that this year!)
oo, thanks for the Rat Condo pic. That and some searching got me apprised of the concept.
I suspect some of us 4th of July babies would have been okay with the black & orange birthdays. I still think red, white & blue look like crap together.
Meanwhile, on Planet Wingnut, George Will says the record heat wave is just “summer.”
Octopus bib and booties are cyoot!
–
*massive pile of hugs* for entire Ing Household.
–
Well, Audley, at least you now have an explanation for your sister’s behavior. All that, and an apology too.
–
Nutmeg, I know the “short with stubby legs” problem all too well. What I’m getting by with right now is capri shorts; the ones that are meant to come to just below the knee on Standard Issue Legs are not usually too ridiculously long on me—generally they come to about mid-calf. This is convenient, since my lower legs have always been bowed in a distressingly unattractive (to me!) manner.
–
Rubin…is…pregnant.
*gape*
I thought Rubin was a masculine rat….
*hugs* and commiserations, and *very strong drink*
–
I remember reading it, so you almost certainly are correct that you remember writing it.
:)
–
And also had the capacity for inadvertant tactlessness, if the root of the problem was envy, i.e., if she desperately wanted to be pregnant, but was encountering technical difficulty.
–
It is a joyless spaghetti carbonara that incorporates *shudder* peas.
–
I wanted to get married on Halloween. Dressed accordingly.
Shoulda stuck to my guns.
–
May I suggest Ru-Paulette?
So, is someone making octopus bibs for all the ratlets? I won’t even ask about shoes…
I think Rhubarb the Rat would be cute, but maybe that’s just me.
Oops, just caught up.
FIFMyself
Cicely:
Thank you! ♥
Lyn:
Aauugh, no!
Richard:
Rat booties!
*faints!*
cicely:
That was my other worry, besides the rudeness. I know that she wants kids, but I did not know if she and her husband had been trying or not.
But, yeah. Happy she told me!
It’s Rubin. It will remain Rubin. Rubin likes Rubin. If people can name their girl sprogs things like Madison and Emery and Kennedy and so forth, Rubin can remain Rubin.
Audley:
I don’t think it’s possible to make ’em that small…
feralboy12:
Yeah, I can understand that. Those of us born on or near holidays have a unique perspective on birthday celebrations.
Do we have any commenters with Christmas birthdays? My cousin was born on December 27, and she always hated that she never had a “proper” birthday. It was always lumped in with the Christmas present-opening.
(insert usual moaning about threadruptedness here)
troll…..bah (ignore, scroll scroll scroll)
dianne…oh no. oh no. oh no. :-( I am so sorry.
Tony – depends on how strong you feel – on a good day, I could go in and chuckle, but these days, I would go in and then go home and crawl under the covers for the rest of hte day.
Seconded. I was about to congratulate you on a pleasant weekend, Kitty, but the follow-up posts made my heart sink for you. Please take it slowly and remember what Krasnaya said because it is true – you are so precious just as you are – just as you will be, when you decide and how you decide – and you deserve a partner who will love you for who you are, completely.
And hello Krasnaya!!
My best friend is 12/24. He doesn’t mind the “single present for both” thing as much as he minded never getting to do what he wanted to do on his birthday, because his family celebrates on Christmas Eve.
My step-dad is 12/26, but Boxing Day isn’t a big thing in Chicago.
Still, I make an active effort to get them both separate Christmas and birthday presents, and to make sure they’re even delivered separately so that there’s no cross-over whatsoever.
*scuffs toes in dirt*
Sorry I made the silly joke in the first place. I’m sure you aren’t finding the situation one bit amusing.
*commiserations on the fucketonne of work ahead and tea and a bowl of special salad*
Absolutely agree. When I was in college, I had two red-eared sliders: Mortimer and Beauregard (they were named well before they were given to me). And then Mortimer laid eggs. Everyone wanted me to change Mortimer’s name to Morticia, to which I responded, “Why? Do you think she cares that she has a ‘boy name’?”
Jessa:
I feel really bad for Mr Darkheart– his birthday’s near the end of December, his family celebrates both Hanukkah and Xmas and his younger brother was born on the same day (he’s two years younger).
Mr Darkheart has never really hated it, he just never cared much for his birthday. To this day, he doesn’t understand my love for birthdays* (or how I can manage to stretch my bday into a week long celebration).
*Mine and everybody else’s.
Jessa:
Ha! My female red-eared slider is Emery. Since she responds to her name, there’s no way it’s gettin’ changed now.
Caine—no chance for a rat-bortion?
Audley:
I do the same thing with birthdays. Everyone gets a week.
Richard,
That was my cousin’s issue. She usually received a much better single present, but our family’s tradition was to open presents on Christmas Eve, eat ourselves comatose on Christmas Day, go shopping on the 26th (gotta stock up on Christmas stuff on sale for next year), and travel home on the 27th. Until my aunt moved far enough away that they couldn’t visit every year, my cousin never had a birthday party. Even then, her friends were usually out of town with their families.
Tethys:
It’s okay, this isn’t my best day, to say the least.
Thank you! Oh, that reminds me, I have to stop at Pier 1 tomorrow to get more little dishes for tea. Rubin, like Esme, has a fit if expected to go without tea every day.
Josh:
I’m afraid not. Rats are tricky, they don’t show at all until 7 days before they birth. I’m pretty sure we don’t have 7 days with Rubin.
*Waves frantically!*
Just a drive by, something I had to share.
Eldest Gel called from university. Her new English lecturer is…
PROFESSOR TRIBBLE!
11!11!
Audley:
Morty and Beau are now *counts on fingers and toes* 19 and 18 years old, respectively. My parents currently have them; they built a small pond for them. I think I have some pictures of my parent’s dachshund herding them back into their pond in my Facebook photos.
When I was small we got a parakeet that I named Katie. Yup,. Katie turned out to be a guy parakeet. His name was still Katie.
amblebury: That is an entirely new level of awesome!
Second ratlet litter: Crap, I only ordered a dozen rattie secwet agent communication implants.
*Reads* Whut!? Rubin too? Oh Caine, here’s a tankard of Mother’s Ruin through the USB. I know there were a few good suggestions last time – but eugh, it ain’t easy whichever way you slice it.
Heh, Audley! I’m glad she realized her behavior was out of line, and apologized. Good news for all.
Oh, dear. I’m so, so sorry, Caine. This is not what you needed right now.
Audely – heh. Good explanation, but I hope she’s decently ashamed of her behavior too.
amblebury:
Thank you, that sounds just perfect! ♥
Jessa:
Awe!
Emery’s
2526, but I’ve only had her for about a year now. I “turtle sat” for Emery when my SiL and her family went on vacation last year– I wasn’t aware that it was a “trial run” and they were planning to ask me to take her. My SiL had became a little overwhelmed with work and her kids and she felt really guilty about not being able to care for Emery like she used to. Of course, I instantly fell in love with Emery, so it worked out quite well for everyone. :)Carlie:
No, it isn’t, but what is said is true, that stupidity is its own reward.
Audley:
What’s her life expectancy?
Thanks, everybody!
We’ll see how it goes with my sister– for now I’m just glad that she apologized and that she’s happy to be pregnant.
Caine:
80-ish, I think.
I plan to pass her along to DarkFetus.
All these gender-inappropriate pet names (purses lips). How am I expected to buy the right colors for these creatures?
Audley:
Emery, the family heirloom! :D
A. R Inorite? Daughter was falling over herself laughing at how much trouble he might turn out to be :)
It’s a beautiful, still, cool and sunny winter’s day here, and must get back to the Tradescantia albiflora (Creeping Christian/Wandering Jew). I see this is used as a house-plant in the US – O.O? Here it’s a noxious, invasive weed that can take over large tracts of land, (it prefers shade) and it’s nigh-on impossible to eradicate.
Any tips re. control gratefully accepted.
Josh:
Rats have a marked preference for yellow. For realz.
Oh no, Dianne! That’s terrible news. And in a truly ghastly display of synchronicity – one that surely proves that if there is a god, then it’s an evil motherfucker – a friend of mine has just been diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer. She and her bloke were part of our travels around Turkey last year, and she’s such a lovely warm-hearted person. Breaks your heart.
ARGH. Brought in the recycling bins from the garage to take out the recycling. There was a mouse in the bin. Neither the mouse nor we were pleased with this.
Caine:
Oh, Emery will be DarkFetus’ gift when she first strikes out on her own. :)
***
Also: thinking about my sister’s assholery:
I wonder if some of her snappiness was seeing what I went through and worrying about herself– I’ve been healthy so far, but I’ve experienced a lot of the discomforts earlier than many other women. I had back and ligament pain right away, I was “showing” in month 3, my ankles and hands started swelling at the beginning of my second trimester, etc. Sure, every woman’s pregnancy is different, but it’s not hard to look at a relative and think “that could happen to me“.
Or she just could have been tired and nauseous and I’m puttinng way too much thought into this. :p
Dianne and Alethea—I’m so sorry to hear about those awful cancers. And they are awful. Sigh. I commiserate having been there with a good friend.
I’ve heard ~50-70. My parents have warned me that it is likely that the turtles will outlive them and that I am expected to provide a proper turtle home.
dianne and Alethea: Oh dear. It seems I missed some very bad news. *Hugs* and grog if you need them.
Audley, I’m glad to hear that your sister apologized – and wow! Darkfetus will have 2 cousins close in age. FUN!!
Caine…Oh. My. MY. MY. ((silently pours generous and fortifying tonic into USB)
Jessa, I feel for your 10 year old self. Yes, you did indeed deserve to have your own day.
LOL Christmas birthdays? Why stop at Christmas? NiftyOffspring did it all – Mr Nifty and I failed utterly in our attempts to conceive spring babies in spite of our best efforts.
NiftyDottir #1 born 3AM December 26
NiftyDottir #2 Thanksgiving (so not the same day every year – her birthday falls on the day every few years and obviously on the weekend when everyone is away the rest of the time.
NiftySon #1 Father’s Day! (luckily, a moving holiday)
NiftyTwins – Twelfth Night (which my Shakespeare geekiness loves) and in my homeplace, Christmas season ends on January 6, so three children in Christmas season.
We always had totally birthday themed birthdays for everyone – and children chose their own birthday suppers – Dottir #1 loved turkey dinner more than anything so even though traditional turkey for Christmas Day, I always cooked a second one for her the very next day every year she requested it (which was most years).
Still, it was hard for parties with all their friends tied up with family holiday events.
Funny, though, my eldest (Boxing Day girl) said it never occurred to her to feel cheated by holiday birthday until one of her friends in middle school said it must be terrible. She was all, “What? I LOVE my birthday!” lol Maybe she was just trying to make me feel good because she knows (now as an adult) that we had to have made an effort.
Wait, what?
*scrolls up, tries going back to earlier comments*
Oh fine, Life, you always throw a stinkbomb into the mix.
More grog and hugs, dianne and Althea.
*hug* for Alethea. Major suckage, there.
I guess this sort of thing is what lurks behind the “you must fear god” approach to religion (directly opposite to the, “No! God is luuuuuv!” philosophy); what if the bastard takes notice of you, next. So, kiddies, keep your heads down and your eyes lowered, and stay on your knees, in the hope that he’ll cut down the tallest blades of grass instead.
–
Jessa:
Even if Emery’s life expectancy is a little shorter than I was told, assuming that DF lives with us until her early 20s or so, I’ll still be able to give the turtle as a graduation/house warming/whatever gift. :D
Niftyatheist – spring doesn’t necessarily help; spouse occasionally has Easter, while I have Mother’s Day. :)
Carlie, haha! True! I was hoping to shoehorn them in early April or early May, but no dice. With the twins, who were a happy surprise (and a double one at that!), we had a shot, as they were due at the end of February (and I thought maybe a few days later – MArch!), but alas- twins,premature, yadda yadda. I’m just glad they were healthy. Fuck the overcrowded Christmas calendar. :-)
After work on Wednesday, Mr. Beach, GirlChild, BoyChild and I are piling in the minivan and heading for Chicago for a couple of days! My parents are meeting us there. We are going to do the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium and the Museum of Science and Industry. GirlChild calls it the perfect geek vacation. My dad is a retired physicist, so he’s looking forward to it as much as the kids are. And BoyChild has been practicing saying “paleoichthyologist” because my dad’s cousin is one who works at the Field Museum. Is there anything else we should do in Chicago? We only have most of Thursday, all of Friday and most of Saturday.
Alethea, almost missed your post – so sorry to hear about your friend. Ugh, cancer is …:-(
Alethea, I am so sorry.
Nifty, thank you. ♥
ImaginesABeach – Chicago has free trolleys – last I checked 3 different routes – the museums route, the Mag Mile shopping route and the historical/architecture route. It is hop on-hop off. If you stay downtown, you can park the minivan and take free trolley transport to all of those museums (except the Museum of Science and Industry which is further south of the loop, I believe) AND get to look around quite a bit! :D
Also, unless you and the family really find art and architecture boring, do try to visit the Chicago Art INstitute while you are in Chicago. It really is awesome – and depending on the young Beach’s ages, the halls of medieval suits of armor and the Asian antiquities might be interesting!
Chicago is a fine city!
Tradescantia albiflora: Wait a minute, did someone really decide to name a noxious invasive Creeping Christian? Must have been an atheist.
P.S. I heartily second your girlchild’s assessment of hte minibreak – that does sound like a wonderful itinerary! The Field Museum alone could take you two days, though, so pace yourself! :D
Audley:
*does math, realizes that there are no spawn to give the turtles to* Assuming both me and the turtles live to the outside of their expectancy…the estate planner will have an interesting situation on their hands.
Jessa:
I’m sure you’ll think of someone* to will them to.
*May I suggest DarkFetus?
Trying to catch up after my first full day of custodial training.
@ Katherine:
That bodes not well. I’m with Ms Daisy Cutter, DMFTA. I also third Krasnaya’s #466
@Dianne and Alethea I’m so sorry to hear that. *internet hugs*
@Ing:
Sympathies for being jerked around by interveiwers, and suspected problems re:you’re old job. The only reason I didn’t suspect that from my pprevious employer was because even the employment bureau couldn’t actually get hold of a human through the phone tree at the contact number I was told to use.
@Caine:
Squeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
@Krasnaya Koshka:
Best to you as well.
@Ms Daisy Cutter #476
Idiot didn’t even start out as a medical term. Idiot comes from Greek referring to a person who was too focused on their own affairs to take part in the town meetings (and was eligible to do so). It rapidly shifted to mean “Foolish or unskilled person” and has kept that meaning through Latin, French, and English.
@ChasP
Fuck off already, will you? You’ve never contributed a damn thing to any thread I’ve seen you on, and your assholery detracts from the atmosphere around here.
@Dr Audley
Yay for your sister apologizing, and congratulations on the pending expansion of your family.
Nifty – BoyChild (age 11) would probably like the Art Institute. GirlChild (age 13) and I would probably like the armor and the Asian antiquities. The thing about art is, for the most part, I don’t get it.
The aquarium is non-negotiable. For his birthday in March, BoyChild said that what he really wanted was to go to the Shedd Aquarium. We were there when he was 7, and he wants to go back. And the Museum of Science and Industry is non-negotiable for GirlChild. And we have to go to the Field Museum to see Cousin Paleoichthyologist. I’ll add the Art Institute to the list of “if we can”.
Ing :-( I rushed trying to catch up and flew past your interview posts. Sympathy and bracing beverages – I hope things turn around very soon.
A.R. Creeping Christian is the Jewish take of someone I knew, a spoof of the very commonly used Wandering Jew. He thought Wandering Jew was anti-semitic, (there’s some tale associated with the Jesus mythology, I think. I can’t remember) I liked his take on it :)
+
dianne and Alethea I just caught up on your bad knews. I’m so sorry, both of you.
+
As someone who has a justifiable fear of developing cancer, what’s the best way to catch it before it gets to stage 4? I just hear too often of cancers detected only when they’re too advanced to be treated effectively. Annual blood tests? Ultrasound/sonogram?
ImaginesABeach – looking at the time you have – and the non-negotiables are all such excellent choices! – I’d advise you to stop right there and give those as much of your time as you can.
DOn’t forget the trolleys though! That way, you can get free rides to the Museum campus (Field, Shedd, Adler) AND sightsee along the way – two outings in one!
Ah, here it is. Yes, it is antisemitic to name a noxious, invasive creeper Wandering Jew. Creeping Christian it is.
+
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandering_Jew
Beach;
Yay, I go there all the time!
Take ideas below with salt:
Field Museum and MSI definitely ROCK. No doubt about that.
Shedd Aquarium has very very long lines (especially recently with the new dolphin calf). Haven’t been there often.
Art Institute bores me for some reason. To each their own art, it seems.
Adler’s good, (esp. the shows), especially for an astronomy fan like me.
Most importantly, do a bit of sightseeing. And have fun!
Audley:
*pencils in DarkFetus for turtle care*.
We Halloween children have to stick together. ;)
Thunk! How was Convergence? What did you think of Minnesota?
Respectively, cvg was fun and exhausting, partying with PZ and all.
The northern mart of MN was parts scenic and eyesore, but yet cool and wet. We went around most of the south half of Lake Superior as well. I’ll need to do the rest sometime.
random depressing crap:
Laci Green, of the Sex+ youtube channel, is taking a break from her tumblr because of violent threats.
http://lacigreen.tumblr.com/post/26843554247/hey-peeps-i-am-going-to-be-taking-a-break-from
Thunk –
When I was in high school in St. Paul, I swore that I would get out of Minnesota as soon as possible. I told everyone that I was going south for college. I ended up 50 miles south, on a hill surrounded by sod farms.
All the way through college, I swore that I would go someplace interesting for law school. I even looked into it and found that the University of Hawaii at Manoa had an excellent nautical law program. And I ended up at the University of Minnesota Law School.
All the way through law school, I swore that I would go someplace interesting once I graduated. I now live 10 miles from where I grew up. I think you summed Minnesota up pretty well – part scenic and part eyesore. “Cool and wet” only applies in the summer, however. In the winter, Minnesota can threaten the sturdiest brass monkey.
and among the Twitter conversation was this gem:
http://indiegamerchick.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/unlocked.png
DIE MISOGYNIST SCUM.
when I visited, that is. Hot and Wet were the excursions from the norm then (when I visited).
Whoops. Redundant and contradictory thunk!
Alethea,
Thats must be awful, sorry to hear.
Ing,
Tough luck re:job situation. Isn’t there some way you could communicate to your prospective employers about your differences with boss at old job? (I’m assuming either they were genuine or maybe boss was an asshole)
Most may not make efforts to be considerate about it, but with luck, some may sympathize/empathize with your situation.
Caine,
Oh thats just…tragicomical? Here have one *hard drink*
Audley,
Qyoot baby outfit! Also, nice that your sis apologized.
ImaginesABeach,
Have a good vacation! *waves*
Last comment before bed:
For the past few months, I have been working my way through all the Star Trek series. I watched TNG and DS9 when they were broadcast, but had never seen Enterprise or Voyager. I got to Voyager a few weeks ago, and I have this serious problem with the chief security officer. Every time he speaks, or someone mentions his name, I cringe and think “what a misogynistic jerk.”
Thanks, yes, it completely sucks. You just feel so helpless. C’s in Sydney, too, so it’s not easy to just drop in and bring dinner or whatever. We’ll be doing a few weekend trips.
The trouble with cancer is that there’s no such thing. No, not that it’s a fungus or an acid or whatever woo crap, but that there is no simple singular thing. No cancer, only cancers. Some are preventable, some are curable, some are manageable, some are detectable early, some are symptomless until it’s too late. In some, the cure also kills – my friend H died of heart disease in her 40s because of the chemo that let her live beyond her childhood.
ImaginesABeach: I do the same thing. I can’t watch Voyager without thinking “now here’s a decaying porcupine, you know what to do.”
(more hateful crap)
Steph Guthrie, who curated the Storify about Ben Spurr’s hateful flash game, also gets death threats now:
http://www.gameranx.com/features/id/7851/article/woman-receives-death-threats-for-confronting-bendilin-spurr-misogynist-game-designer/
Their Twitter community has been putting the picture together, not just about Ben Spurr, but about the pattern of hatred directed at any woman who speaks out.
From John Epler of Bioware:
Wow, even more welcomes, thanks everyone.
Not caught up yet, but just wanted to offer thanks to Kausik, that’s extremely well put together! I predict it’s going to be VERY useful in the future.
Note: coffee is not USB compliant. Your computer will detect it as a generic USB device, but Folgers does not have drivers available for download, and USB cables die. The more you know…
:D I’m a grandmammy! …. to snakes!
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9204/valaclutch1.jpg
This is the first pip from my two favorite corn snakes. So happy!
All of these incidents is making me think what the heck is wrong with people. Honestly, in what alternate universe is giving death threats okay?
Alethea
Yay™ scientific medicine?
—-
Krasnaya Koshka
It’s worth repeating because it applies to Everyone Everywhere Everytime.
Weird case here. (Though, yes, still misogynistic.) The death threat she posted called her “transphobic cunt” and was angry that she insulted Islam.
Some of the other people on Tumblr seem confused; some think “transphobic” may be in reference to a video several years ago where she used the slur “tranny,” which she has since apologized for (fairly well, I think) after learning that it was a harmful slur. At least one person has expressed some level of approval for the death threat. Numerous posters are intent to blame the threat on the “social justice” people on tumblr.
Obviously, most people disapprove. The point has been made that the message may be from someone attempting to discredit trans and social justice people.
In any case,
GAH.
I don’t give one fat fuck whether it’s a “weird” case. She doesn’t deserve death threats. Full stop. I don’t give a shit whether they’re coming from someone who identifies with Islam, a trans person, cis or straight people with a bone to pick. I don’t give a shit.
I also don’t give a shit (in this context, for these purposes) whether she apologized or not for whatever transgression she may have committed. Calling her a cunt, threatening her life, and putting her address in a Tweet is NOT OK.
Got it?
Yeah. If she said transphobic things she should be brought to task. I have in my past, and I rightly got called out for it, thank fuck.
But what the hell does that have to do with this?
Highlights of the day:
1- going to the gym (this used to be a non event; 3 years ago, I was at a gym 5 times a week; getting back there); on the way home, I was dancing in my car (well the upper half of me was)-I know I’m feeling good when I jam to music in the car!
2- seeing a really attractive guy at the gym (ah, if only) was-for a split second-nice.
3- Being hit on at Dillards (bought some nice cologne and two cool t shirts). Two cashiers hit on me (they were female). One asked me if I had a girlfriend or if I was single (later I realized I was annoyed that the woman *assumed* that I was heterosexual). The compliments were nice.
4- receiving two discount gift cards from Panera Bread.
I had lunch there and though my pager was buzzed, it turned out my food was overcooked. To make up for that, I was told the manager wanted to compensate me. Even though I initially said it wasn’t necessary and that it wasn’t a big deal (it wasn’t really; I think I waited all of 10 minutes; during which I caught up on TET), the manager insisted. Knowing how difficult some customers can be, I wonder if she insisted *because* I didn’t have a problem.
5- Dinner with friends.
I got to have homemade pizza (yeah, I work at a pizza place, so I’m 100 light years beyond burned out on the stuff, but it was a chance to catch up and I was hungry) with two friends whom I haven’t seen in a while.
5- Got to spend time with T and E at home. We discussed The Amazing Spider-Man and the theatrical and Nickelodeon Avatar: The Last Airbender.
~~
as I write all this, I’m watching Anderson Cooper on CNN interviewing Astra Woodcraft-a former Scientologist-and I am absolutely appalled to discover that teen marriage is common, as well as family members being forced to cut off contact with those members who leave the
churchcult.O.o
Yes.
Obviously.
I just found it interesting, weird, and mostly upsetting how the story is playing out – I don’t know if this is Big News on Tumblr in a way that would cause it to spill over and the details would be relevant, but since we’re actually talking about it, some sense of the context – especially since it’s unlike the contexts we’re used to here – seems useful.
What the hell does the content and context of the death threat have to do with the conversation about the death threat?
Gee, I don’t fuckin’ know.
Many atheists have called for religious leaders to speak up for social justice. The following was forwarded to me from my mother and it brought a huge smile on my face:
Sorry Cipher. . .I’m rubbed raw and what looks like justification jumps out at me even when it isn’t.
rowanvt:
What a beauty!
Rattlets.
Kittens.
Piglets.
Snakies.
What’s next for TET?
Check back next week, same Bat time. Same Bat channel.
Tony
I’m thinking she just assumed you are hawt.
It
neverseldomsometimes doesn’t hurtsto ask.Chigau,
No, you don’t assume someone’s hawt, when you can actually see them in front of your eyes ;) You come to know that they are.
You can’t see their orientation, so you assume it :-)
For physical definitions of hawt, of course.
People can also be hawt in non-physical ways, which also you can see for non-physical definitions of see, that is.
Vilém Saptar
I was attempting Clever™.
Tony used the word “assume” so I repeated it.
*sigh* text only
—-
On another topic:
I can hear coyotes singing.
Oh, in that case…
Wait, what coyotes? Is that some kind of a code?
Good morning
Yay! I’m currently making plans with DDMFM for Berlin
Audley
Congratulations to your sister. It must have been hard for her to apologize
Caine
Oh my Dog. But it kind of explains why Esme only became pregnant once Sam and Havelock turned up. Good luck with the additional ratlets.
As for the name, I think there’s a Discworld troll lady called Rubin :)
Jessa
Why didn’t your parents ask? I mean, the little one’s birthday is around Halloweenish, but it’s her birthday and if she wants a pink butterfly cake that it’ll be.
Althea
Oh no, I’m sorry for your friend :(
Yeah, the thing about chemo and radiation is that it’s controlled poisoning. My aunt is still dealing with the aftermaths, but hey, she’s fighting lung cancer!
++++
Birthdays: My other BFF is New years Day. Not too bad, I think. If you want to celebrate, you can throw your own party on Dec 31st, if not somebody else will throw a party for you.
+++++
Our two cockatiels were named Alfons and Chaplin. Both laid eggs. With cockatiels you can only sex them once they shed their first feathers. After that the males will have all grey tails, the females mixed colours. But before that they all look like mummy.
++++
I wish them good luck, seeing how that went in the atheist community….
++++
QFFT
Vilém Saptar
No code.
From my back yard I can hear the coyotes in the river valley.
Tony
Batlets?
Come on, doesn’t anyone have a belfry around here? :-)
chigau:
Unfortunately this is something I’ve heard-literally-from women before.
“Oh, I don’t believe you’re gay. You’re hot.”
or
“You’re such an attractive guy. Are you sure you’re gay?”
The implication being that gay men can’t be attractive. If she had said that, I think I would have been offended (and that’s me on my best day; I’m very self deprecating and have never had terribly high self esteem {acne as a teenager ruined that for me}, so I don’t generally think of myself as anything other than an average looking guy)
Gilliel,
Hey!
Sorry about your aunt. Damn, seems everyone has someone close to them who has cancer.
Chigau,
Okay…
(Can’t be too careful around members of the Politburo of TZT)
Tony
That is so very strange.
I will sleep on it.
—-
Vilém Saptar
You seem to understand.
Perhaps A. R and/or theophontes will recognize your potential.
I’m such a coward. There was this huge moth this morning (almost as big as my palm, but it needs to be taken into consideration that I have freakishly small hands) in the hallway. I didn’t want to kill it, so I tried to guide it out. Closed all the doors except one and opened a window there.
But then the thing started flying around erratically and it was going at me and I escaped into another room and now have no idea where the monstrous thing is.
Eeee
Tony
Really?
Around the here the trope is the other way round: attractive men are gay. Probably due to the fact that the average gay guy cares a bit more about grooming, haircuts and clean clothes than the average straight guy.
There’s a very funny German movie from the 90’s where the straight sister dates guys in her gay brother’s restaurant so he can have a look and assists her in evaluations, and then there’s this guy who’s just Mr. Perfect. And he says “He’s so perfect, he’s gotta be straight” and she says “He’s so perfect, he’s gotta be gay”.
Vilém
Well, if you think that 46% of the population will get cancer at one point of their lives, that’s not surprising. It is frightening if you think about it as “you or your partner” or “one of your two children”. Fortunately, our perception is disturbed. Unless people are very close to us, people only see those who suffer imensly and those who die. They don’t see those who have treatment and then go on woth their lives. During her chemo, my mum in law was complimented with looking very good, especially her hair was always so pretty. Good wigs are good wigs.
Ruby.
Oh, wait, in German, that is Rubin.
They™ have ways of finding things out.
They™ being Them™.
.
.
.
Viva la revolución!
(As Public Enemy № 𝟙, I am obligated to agitate, foment dissent, and otherwise act in a subversive manner)
Gilliel,
46%? Really? Its that high? I had no idea.
Yeah, it’s a good thing lots of people are able to survive and get their lives back on track. But many are also unlucky not to.
MIL’s wig and compliments, thats so…smile-worthy :)
Owlmirror,
You’re a revolutionary, against the Politburo? Hold on…
Chigau,
Hmm, lots of coyotes in your backyard.
I texted the guy last night with something that was summed up “if you aren’t completely behind me in my transition, then I can’t be with you.”
So far no response. I’ll suppose at the moment he’s either not seen it or is mulling it over. I’ll give him til I go to sleep tonight.
Josh #154:
-waves grog under Josh’s nose- Calm down…you’re safe in the lounge now…
—
I CAN’T STOP LISTENING TO INFECTED MUSHROOM
Fun fact: Never read it in German, my brain did that all by itself. It’s totaly possible that it’s still Ruby in the German translation
Vilém
Yep, I remember that number back from when they were discussing the nuclear fallout from Fukushima and how much radiation increased the cancer risk by what percentage.
Katherine
*hugs*
Giliell #175: you mentioned Fukushima, which reminded me of something I saw on one of the Local Occupy groups where someone claimed they had an irradiated garden!!!! (Yeah, because dangerous amounts of radiation from a well-known disaster involving a public resource are what is going to be covered up, not oil or chemical spills from private entities…)
Setár: Why would you WANT to stop?
That happens to be my favorite Infected Mushroom song, coincidentally…
That figure is slightly misleading, as not everyone who has cancer will present with symptoms, or even have any symptoms. In older people cancers can be very slow growing, and the person will die of something else before the cancer becomes a problem.
chiptuneist: …yeah, you’re right. I’m still poking through a lot of my collection, but Slowly and Semi Nice are both good.
Katherine: *offers anklehugs* Good for you. IF he’s going to be awful about it, at least you’ll find out now; and you’re giving him every chance. Here’s hoping he turns out to be willing.
Dalillama, Schmott Guy:
gosh, I’m sorry you feel that way.
I frankly don’t recall ever seeing you on any threads, but I guess you feel comfortable enough here in the lounge to tell me to fuck off, eh? That’s fine. However, while I do mostly abstain from commenting here these days, it’s probably more true to say that my assholery is part of the atmosphere around here.
Perhaps one of the lounging regulars can instruct you in the proper use of the killfile script.
Matt Penfold
I’d say that the figure is accurate, but our perception is screwed. Yeah, grandma has some weird form of breast cancer (Still nobody understands why the idiot OB/Gyn didn’t just remove the although he was told not to be squeamish about it when she was under general to see what it actually was some years ago), but there are big doubts that it will actually kill her or even accelerate her death.
Here’s something the US science community needs to do: march on Washington to protest the death of evidence. It’s happening in Canada today. Definitely looooong overdue in the US. Seeing the TeaBaggist/Mormon GOP in charge of ANYTHING after November is like the Reaper taking it away forever.
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Scientists+march+Ottawa+protest+death+evidence/6909007/story.html
totally threadrupt.
I heard from David M., he’s back now, and is gonna have another horde meet-up soon. Enjoy!
Regarding Christmas as birthday: my one cousin’s son was born on Christmas Eve (when you get presents in Germany). So they decided to celebrate his birthday on June 24.
A Buddhist gay wedding will be held in Taiwan on August 11. Yay! (HT to Tigger the Wing)
English news report
Chinese news report (with picture)
So, as an aside, why one of the women chose the English name “Fish”, it’s basically a pun. Her Chinese name is “美瑜” mei3 yu2, which means “beautiful jade” but yu2 can also be fish 魚.
@ Tony #150:
Re the Church of Scientology, urgh. I knew about family members forced to cut off those who get away from the organization (or “suppressive persons”, as they call them in their charming lingo). It’s basic MO for paranoid, authoritarian cults. And it makes it harder for members to leave the fold and blow the whistle.
But the emphasis on marrying young, even as teens… Didn’t know about that, although it makes a lot of sense for the CoS to control marriages and to pair off together young, malleable, freshly trained adepts and incite them to breed. It worked for Christians, for Islam, for Mormons, after all!
@ Chas:
If you don’t remember *any* comments by dalillama on Pharyngula, may I respectfully suggest that there’s a problem with a) your memory, or b) your recent knowledge of the blog? Because it’s definitely not the first time they post here.
Infected Mushroom? Hell yeah.
I’d link to my favorite (Deeply Disturbed) but pink ladybrain still can’t figure out the link tags on FTB.
My aunt is still dealing with the aftermaths, but hey, she’s fighting lung cancer!
If you don’t mind my asking, what kind of lung cancer and is she a nonsmoker or minimal smoker? For a few very specific types of lung cancer, usually found in non- or minimal smokers, there are more specific chemotherapies that mainly target mutated genes and so can be given for quite a long time without making the person quite so sick.
Alethea:
I’m so, so sorry.
Dalillama:
Heh, Girl Genius reference. And, yes, you’re correct w/r/t the etymology of “idiot.” Which should be more widely known, given how detrimental such behavior is to a free society.
A.R: From Wikipedia, re “Wandering Jew”:
Interesting. And reminiscent of the
evolutionrepurposing of the Dolchstoßlegende from the Nibelungenlied.RowanVT: Eeeee, snakeys!!
Cipher and Josh: Tumblr, whose user base skews quite young, has a rep for being Baby’s First Encounter with Social Justice. Without getting into derailing details, and without excusing anything, a lot of people there have a lot to learn.
Giliell, best of luck to your aunt.
Tony:
0_o
I wonder if what they mean is, “You’re hot, and you don’t conform to my stereotypes of what all gay men are like.”
Kitty:
Good for you. Stick to your guns.
Dianne
Ehm, dunno the exact details.
Sadly, she’s a heavy smoker, still. Yes, she should be the very person to know best that smoking is fucking dangerous, but she’s also an addict who really doesn’t have any strength left to fight an addiction.
Part of the problem is that probably the radiation made her teeth rot, and, of course, her lung is badly damaged so she catches every infection around :(
BUt still, it’s been almost two years already, so that’s good.
Yes, hello everyones.
Kitty;
we support you. *anklehugs and regular hugs*
Alethea:
Oh ouch with the kidney cancer. *Also hugs and sympathies*
Daisy Cutter:
Yes; a lot of the people I know in my age range (esp. some of my reasonable friends) use tumblr. [/anecdata]
@Giliell: Probably not the right mutation then. Sorry. Stopping smoking after developing cancer does seem to have a marginal benefit, but if she’s already in stage IIIb/IV, it might not be worth it to her. Crappy disease, lung cancer.
There are cancers that aren’t so terribly deadly. Patients with early stage prostate cancer actually have a better than average chance of being alive in 5 years, for example. But there are a lot of really nasty ones still out there. Lung, pancreatic, renal…we just don’t have a lot of options for them. Well, not a lot of effective options, anyway.
Ms Daisy:
I never thought about it that way. It’s entirely possible that you’re right.
Though I’m not sure that is any better than “gay men aren’t attractive” (enh, slightly).
Kitty
*hugs*
Also, sympathy and anklehugs, if you want them, to Gileill, Althea, and anyone else I’ve missed because I’m kind of threadrupt.
Tony
I think it meant, “I find you attractive and it saddens me that I don’t have a chance.”
Still stupid, though.
Good news:
New silk technology stabilizes vaccine and antibiotics so refrigeration is not needed http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-vaccine-antibiotics-stabilized-refrigeration.html
This will be really important for third-world countries and for outbreak management. Kudos to the researchers and hope they get a Nobel!
— — — — —
Finland team uses Earth’s magnetic field for phone indoor positioning system http://phys.org/news/2012-07-finland-team-earth-magnetic-field.html
— — —
Imec’s industrial-level silicon solar cells exceed 20% efficiency http://phys.org/news/2012-07-imec-industrial-level-silicon-solar-cells.html
— — — —
Microalgae ‘bulging with biofuel potential’ http://phys.org/news/2012-07-microalgae-bulging-biofuel-potential.html
— — — —- —-
Laser plant offers cheap way to make nuclear fuel ( but also makes it easier to build a nuke program undetected) http://www.nature.com/news/laser-plant-offers-cheap-way-to-make-nuclear-fuel-1.10945
The web page for the Creation Store in Pensacola, if anyone is curious (I took a look at the children’s books online and it’s horrific; dinos and children running around together):
http://pensacola.creationstore.org/index.php
Matt Penfold,
Are you saying the rate is even higher? 0.0
Katharine Lorraine,
I can’t offer any advice better than everyone’s already done so. It’s great you’ve decided to wait and watch and proceed on evidence.
Setár,
Great song! Would be even more awesome with real shrooms to go along with :-)
Thunk,
Hello too!
New job interview next week. This one may be a better match but we’ll see. Exploring other avenues.
Ing, #200 – I am so happy to read this today!
That friggin’ word always trips me up. I had trouble understanding it when reading a bit of the Stepford Wives in English class once. Who designed this stupid language? I wish to register a complaint.
Well I guess that my constant monitoring of every thread and my exquisite note taking and spreadsheets I keep about all comments on this and every other thread on Pharyngula must be suspect as well.
Can I just toss out there, a big THANK YOU to y’all commenters (you know who you are) who actually do read big chunks of Endless Thread and post long multi-responses. They’re a great help to the threadrupt like myself. *hugs the Horde’s ankles, mostly nip-free*
Fingers crossed, Ing.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who uses them that way! :)
This might be a stupid question, but if we really do go with biofuels, wouldn’t you know…burning them for fuel, be basically reducing the biomass of the planet? Or would the carbon released from burning be easily recoverable?
Giliell
No, I second Tony here. I’ve heard this (both directed at me – rarely – and at other gay guys) almost always while hanging out in gay bars, which just adds to the surrealism.
Ms. Daisy
I honestly think it’s more “I’m straight and I’m only attracted to Real Men™, and I’m attracted to you, so I find it hard to believe you’re not a Real Man™.” I’ve actually had a short conversation to that effect, which ended with the woman looking quite confused at why a bunch of cute gay guys weren’t terribly happy with her.
@Tony
What general area do you live around (NW, SW, NE, SW, MW, blah blah blah) because I’m with Gillel that here on the NE I think the stereotype is that attractive==gay more often than not. Because God is just tormenting all the straight women by making all the god men gay, as the trope goes.
No. The 46% figure would seem to be the figure for people who develop cancer, not for people who present with symptoms of cancer. Not everyone who has cancer will be aware they have it. If the cancer is slow-growing, something quite common in cancers in older people, they might well die of something else, before the cancer starts to cause problems.
Blerg.
–
No way in hell am I going into the kitten torture thread.
–
Thinking of which, TLC is being very quiet. Did he announce a hiatus, and I missed it, or sumpthin?
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*tentacles crossed* for your interview, Ing.
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The caffeine…it does nothing….
*lapses back into coma*
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pteryxx 204 and carlie 206 – thirded!
@Cicely
Would you care for someone to give you a digest version with actual violent details redacted for easier consumption?
Via Ed, having a laugh at idiot (thanks someone) legislators in Louisiana:
http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/07/10/you-mean-we-cant-fund-only-christian-schools/
I must have missed something, but why ankle hugs? (Maybe I’m the weird one, but this phrase just give me shivers…)
Re 46% of people developing cancer: Does this include non-melanoma skin cancers? Because they’re generally fairly non-lethal. (Though I do have a story involving immigration and a lesion let go too long…)
Cancer is something that you get more often as you get older. So part of the high cancer rate is simply people not dying of other things first. It’s a confused mess of success and failure that has led to the high cancer rate. Success in not dying of other things first, failure in that we could almost certainly do better in preventing cancer.
Fuck the police, Toronto edition. (TW; hover over URL for summary.)
Ing:
On kitten torture? No. I don’t want to consume that. Insufficient shielding today between conscious mind and imagination.
On TLC’s absence? Yes.
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irenedelse: sorry, anklehugs is just my way of doing. On the Internet I’m a chicken-sized fluffy dinobird with sharp teeth who tends to hide under things. So, when I’m being friendly, that’s as high as I can reach sans furniture, shrubbery, or claws. ~;>
@ Pteryxx:
Oh, friendly nibbling, then? ;-)
Soooo…. regarding Scientology that was brought…. long ago in a dumpster some friends of friends of friends found this book. It is a rule book for the higher ups. And it contains some real *gems* of WTFery.
Under Ethics:
“When a person has no hat he lacks purpose and value.
When he has no purpose and value he not only goofs, he will commit crimes.
It is apparently easier to hit with ethics than to program and give someone a full hat and get him trained on it. ”
So far we think we’ve translated “hats” to mean “jobs” or “role”. But taken literally, this passage is hilarious.
(bolding mine)
No shit. What a surprise that the police is using humiliation to keep
their victimscitizens in line.My leg really hurts :( I’m not sure what’s wrong with it. My arthritis is acting up everywhere, but my leg is having muscle pain. I haven’t been particularly active. My mom says it’s because I wore terrible shoes on my walk.
You may.
The answer is (b).
I might read maybe half the threads here anymore.
What do you care?
Cipher: bad shoes could do that, sure. Is your foot okay – right temperature, not numb, same color as the other one? Also if it’s really severe pain down the back/outside of calf muscle, that might be sciatica from pinching in the lower back, which can also happen from strange posture or bad shoes.
You brought it up O.o
Pt’xx:
Well that explains a lot. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of those claws though. thunks are soft and squishy.
Yep, pteryxx, my foot seems okay aside from the arthritis messing with my ankle adding to the problem (which is both ankles). And yeah, it is the back of my calf :(
Cipher – I get horrible leg pain when I go for a walk with my sandals on. The flatness of them does something to my leg muscles. Hope the pain goes away quickly.
I figure this is the perfect group to share this with…
Cuddlefish Vinyls!
In other news, I am still working my way through the last I Get Email and I just wanted to say that I admire the hell out of those of you who keep up the fight despite repeating yourselves over and over and over again. I was getting a headache and all I was doing was reading.
Hey H-Bomb! Thanks. But your link is broken :(
Oh, man… preview fail!
Cuddlefish Vinyls!
Cipher: if I may suggest, on the chance it IS sciatica, then taking strain off your lower back might help. Such as lying flat on a blanket on the floor or similar. It’s counterintuitive because one’s *back* often feels just fine; but if back care helps leg pain, that’s basically how y’ confirm sciatica in the first place.
That’s right Cipher etc., I brought it up in a direct response to Dalillama etc. I then asked irenedelse etc. why she cares.
And now I’m asking you the same.
Pteryxx:
Cipher, if this technique doesn’t work (it doesn’t for me), then you can try laying on the opposite side as you’ve got the pain with a pillow between your knees. It will help take pressure off of the nerve.
In other news: I am back from the doctor! All is well with myself and DarkFetus– it’s a little weird to only get good news from a doctor, but I think I can get used to it. :D
Hi, H-Bomb!
Cipher, I mentioned here that some Tumblr “SJ” types have track records from elsewhere indicating that their motivations are less than good, but I didn’t want to derail that thread. A prime example of such a person would be this one (TW for all kinds of bigotry).
http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2011/11/qa-steven-pinker-0
You describe the concept of pure evil as a myth in the book. Why?
The myth of “pure evil” is a debating tactic. We don’t think of it that way because that very awareness would undermine the credibility of our brief. If the myth of pure evil is that evil is committed with the intention of causing harm and an absence of moral considerations, then it applies to very few acts of so-called “pure evil” because most evildoers believe what they are doing is forgivable or justifiable.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/458/play-the-part?act=2
Considering that most people of really high intelligence are both atheistic and somewhere on the asperger’s specturm, this segment totally clicked with what is going on in some comment threads. When skepchicks post about sexual harassment, the only kind of comments they want are “wow, that sucks, there oughta be a law/policy”. They don’t want suggestions of various solutions, pedantry, comparisons, analysis, etc. They just want commiseration and agreement, but might make an exception for an exceptionally well-written comment. The words used to describe violations of this tacit social rule are “mansplaining”, “victim-blaming”, “derailing”, etc. Aside from those aspies, there are the real misogynists sending threats, vitriol, and trolling as what they probably perceive as revenge for some perceived insult to them or persons they identify with.
The format there isn’t exactly conducive to that either. No comment system by default, ‘asks’ have to be as short as tweets, the reblog system is a terrible way to have discussions (or arguments). It’s hard to learn where you’re making mistakes if it’s that fucking unfeasible to even point them out.
Here’s some fuel for the fire. A bit of a personal favorite for when I’m getting weary of pointing out the obvious to those who should know better.
Citation needed asshole
Comment by jonathanray blocked. [unkill][show comment]
I mean really…I just can’t be bothered.
Can you back up that ‘most’?
Can you back up that… everything?
Jonathan Ray shares two shitty links with us.
Yes, the rich people who starve and enslave everyone else are just like the Jews or the infidels or the heretics. Get yourself an iPod and forget about the threat income inequality poses to a stable society, and also forget about the violence committed in the name of capitalism, too. Good ol’ Pinker, always ready to stand up for the poor beleaguered status quo.
I can’t listen to multimedia at work, but whoever’s blaming cluelessness about sexism on Asperger’s knows jack shit about either Asperger’s or sexism.
THIS CANNOT BE SAID TOO MANY TIMES.
Whoops, I borked that first link.
Chiptuneist, yeah, Tumblr’s format was designed for the reposting of pretty pictures, not the holding of extended conversations. (I can’t view videos at work, so I can’t comment on “fuel for the fire,” at least not right now.)
Also bullshit bullshit bullshit bullshit!
Pinker is apparently very stupid or very dishonest to ignore the whole Pinkerton element of Capitalism.
And that Capitalism had the ideology of social Darwinism. Liar, just fucking liar!
I may have misread but as I read it he’s blaming Asperger’s for OUR reaction and our ‘simplistic’ need to just have a ‘rule’ to fix harassment rather than the nuance everyone else wants.
It’s a wonderful fantasy narrative.
Ing, I read it as blaming Asperger’s for inability to grok that some discussions warrant empathy and not “hyperskepticism.”
Blaming Asperger’s is such a red herring. Even skimming that makes my brain hurt. Yeah, I want the sexism and sexual harassment to stop because I haven’t to have a mental disorder.
Not because I’m a frakking human being.
chiptuneist:
I love VNV Nation, but it’s been ages since I listened to them, thanks for that link!
About your ‘nym, any connection to the demoscene?
Someone on Manboobz quotes an anti-Sarkeesian troll on Helen Lewis’s New Statesman article:
Women sense his power and they seek his life essence. He does not avoid women, Mandrake, but he does deny them his essence.
Daisy:
Funny, that’s exactly how I got preggers.
(Speaking of OM NOM NOM! This chocolate is OMG SO GOOD, Daisy!)
Also, what the hell? Us Femi-fascists aren’t allowed to scam gay men out of their sperm? Totes unfair.
I don’t particularly. I just think it was a dumbass question to ask.
Words: They mean stuff.
Cipher’s free tip of the day.
Ooo, I can use it already?
Hello there, jonathanray! You seem to be seeking feedback on your uniquely piquant opinions. Luckily for you, there is a thread made exactly for such feedback! Kindly direct your opinion to the TZT thread, conveniently available on the right-hand side of the page in the Profile section. Please do not submit your comment multiple times, as that will invalidate your submission. Enjoy your stay, and may you receive exactly the kind of feedback you deserve.
Ernst Hot:
I make music on an old DMG model Gameboy (the big grey brick!) armed with LSDJ, sometimes backed up by guitar. Chip music is always going to be connected to the demoscene, of course, so I guess there’s a tangential connection there, but I’ve never been DIRECTLY involved with the demoscene.
Only if you have a radical gay feminazi cooter.
uh huh. Well, your opinion is noted.
@Ms Daisy
I was inspired to change it by someone’s comment in the I get email thread, to the effect that everyone who has a username that’s a combination of (word for intelligence/wit/reason) (Word for a male human) is a complete prat. I figured I would experiment with the direction of the causality.
@Rev. Bigdumbchimp
I’m admittedly not the most prolific poster on here. That’s usually because I’ve arrived late and others have already made the points I would have, and I try to have something fresh to say if I’m going to.
@Ing:
Here’s hoping.
RE #271:
This kind of thing is exactly what leads me to hold that the police, in general, are scum, pretty much anywhere in North America. (I have very little knowledge of police procedure elsewhere.)
Re: Pinker:
yeah, even in some of his otherwise good stuff (Better Angels of our Nature seemed pretty solid to me), he has a real thing about the glories of the market and its invisble hand.
TMI warning:
So, apparently I have a peptic ulcer, which I discovered this morning by waking up vomiting blood. The trip to the ER (just in case; I haven’t got a regular doctor) just made my day.
NEW THREAD!
And since I’m an especially nice guy, I’ll now lift the quarantine on Ixchel or whatever the heck he’s calling himself now (with one plea: please try to stick to a thematically consistent series of nyms).