Sunday, May 26, 2019
I read the news today, oh boy . . . .
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Princess Mary flips the bird:
The Girl from Oz who married a prince, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and now titled Queen in Waiting, hasn’t put a foot wrong since becoming a Royal. She’s good looking, learned Danish, became a Lutheran and popped out a (an?) heir and a spare. Mary hails from Tasmania and met her Prince Charming in a very Australian way: at a pub (when Crown Prince Frederick was visiting Sydney for the 2000 Olympics).
There’s something about Mary: she rarely puts a foot wrong.
Not so in the week just gone when she was pictured flipping the bird:
Nahh, that’s not the truth of the story. The Danish couple were in Korea for a three-day visit to Seoul. Whilst there Mary visited the Jongno Children Theatre, where she was photographed clicking her fingers with officials. The angle and moment made it look like she was giving the doigt d'honneur.
Source:
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By the way . .
How did giving the finger become “flipping the bird”?
“Fillip” means "a blow or gesture made by the sudden forcible straightening of a finger curled up against the thumb". This is the basis of the “flip” in flipping the bird but whence the origin of “the bird”?
According to the Online Dictionary of Etymology:
Bird:
"middle finger held up in a rude gesture," slang derived from 1860s expression give the big bird "to hiss someone like a goose," kept alive in vaudeville slang with sense of "to greet someone with boos, hisses, and catcalls" (1922), transferred 1960s to the "up yours" hand gesture (the rigid finger representing the hypothetical object to be inserted) on notion of defiance and contempt. The gesture itself seems to be much older (the human anatomy section of a 12c. Latin bestiary in Cambridge describes the middle finger as that "by means of which the pursuit of dishonour is indicated").
https://www.etymonline.com/word/bird
Roman stone busts from Bar Hill Fort, Scotland. Silenus and bearded man with middle finger extended in the "infamis digitus" to ward off the evil eye.
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Jacinda and the Silo:
Most people will have seen enough news footage of Jacinda Ahern to know that she is the New Zealand Prime Minister and that she is lovely, compassionate and caring. Indeed, so many people admire her in Oz think so that a recent poll placed her first in a list of the most trusted politicians … in Australia. There is an organisation called OPR which inter alia conducts a Believability Index whereby 1400 Australians are asked to rate 12 politicians on six measures related to their “believability”. This is how those measures were defined:
• Relevance: Is in touch with the issues and things that matter to me;
• Integrity: Has strong principles and is driven by an ethical compass;
• Shared values: Reflects my beliefs and social/political priorities and values;
• Commitment: Has my community’s best interests at heart;
• Affinity: A person I can relate to and like;
• Follow through: Delivers on their promises, does what they say they will.
The poll was conducted prior to last week’s Federal election so the results may have altered, but this was the outcome of the poll, based on a score out of 100:
1. Jacinda Ardern, 77
2. Penny Wong, 53
3. Julie Bishop, 52
4. Tanya Plibersek, 50
5. Anthony Albanese, 46
6. Richard Di Natale, 45
7. Pauline Hanson, 44
8. Scott Morrison, 43
9. Bill Shorten, 42
10. Tony Abbott, 36
11. Peter Dutton, 34
12. Clive Palmer, 30
Source:
Which brings me to the item the subject of this post, Jacinda and the Silo. Sounds like a kids’ book, right? Not so since it involves mass murder, bigotry and narrowmindedness.
On March 15 a white supremacist killed 51 people in Christchurch in two mosque shootings. PM Jacinda Ardern described it as "one of New Zealand's darkest days" and, wearing a hijab, she hugged a grieving Muslim woman at a gathering or mourners. The image was powerful and poignant, saying more than words ever could.
The image circulated worldwide and was even projected on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Fast forward to Tinning Street in Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne. The residents living opposite a silo asked the silo owner for consent to have a mural of that hug painted onto it. The owner agreed and a crowd funding page in one day raised the $11,000 needed to pay the artist, Loretta Lizzio. Money over that amount is being donated to the Christchurch Shooting Victims’ Fund.
Some images:
This will give an idea of the size of the work, compare the ring to the completed image below.
However, instead of being “a beacon of tolerance, love and peace” it has iecome a source of intolerance and divisiveness.
The mural has faced backlash from some of the burghers of Melbourne and locals, who have complained variously that:
· it is not relevant to Australia;
· the money would be better spent in helping the homeless;
· the money should be spent helping the earth.
A petition to remove the piece has received more than 15,000 signatures.
Artist Loretta Lizzio has now responded to the critics and to the backlash.
Her response to the complaint that she has chosen to celebrate something that is not Australian: “It’s like, f***. What is wrong with you people?! It was an Australian man that did this”, referring to accused terrorist Brenton Tarrant who not only killed the worshippers but livestreamed it as he killed them.
According to Lizzio:
There’s so many people out there who treat other people like shit because they don’t understand their background, or where they come from. They should feel like they can walk down the street and not feel like they’re looked down upon. No matter who they are. People say to me, ‘What about Sri Lanka?’ Or, ‘What about the Christians? Where’s their mural.’ Well, go crowdfund for it.”
We would do well to remember the words of the gofundme page which sought contributions towards the creation of the mural:
“The image of Jacinda hugging a Muslim woman has become a beacon of tolerance, love and peace in these divisive times. We want this message, this moment in time, remembered. We want to learn from it, we want it to hold us up, to strengthen us. We want everyone to know we are them, that they are us and, that we are, and always will be, stronger together.”
Source:
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Skin Art
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From website Bored Panda, a collection of tattoo cover ups where people have removed their ex from their bodies as well as their lives, with reader comments.
Source:
Was death the best choice or accurate choice...
Symbolic of the death of the relationship, perhaps. Or maybe the person likes skulls! 💀
The fist tattoo was already very well made, but the cover up is awesome
Now that's clever. "You're dead to me now."
Wow from sentimental to stupid...an even stronger reminder of a failed relationship
Am I seeing things, or you can still see what was initially written?
No, you're right. I can also see it's still there. But you probably won't notice it unless you know to look for it.
I'd just write "Charles" above her ex name. :D
Getting a tattoo of someone named Darwin is bad enough haha
I'd have thought long & hard about changing it to read "My ex is a Darwin Award winner." I love the cover up!
I thought that logo was another tattoo for a second, lol.
Very well done. Why people get names tattooed on their skin is baffling. Unless it's a memorial or something, just don't.
The original was horrible, did it cause the break up?
There is "Żabka" written below the original, which means "Little frog" in polish. just in case you were wondering.
Also it's a word of affection, like "honey" or something.
The original looks like a little girl
That 1st one needed to be inked over regardless of whether or not there was a breakup. And the artist (and I use the term loosely) needs to re-think his/her career choice.....
Homemade portrait tats are always a nightmare. I'd love to know what these people were thinking. At least they got a proper artist for the re-do.
D'oh!
Now THAT’S funny!
This would have been better with a simple X through the name.
They could have found a much more appealing pic of Marge. I guess they just opted for the one that was on the cover of Maxim.
That's a LOT of name.
I never understood that idea to tattoo a name ...
The original kind of looks as if they wrote it down with a gel pen
Fantastic cover up.
NEVER get someone else's name tattooed on your body! (Unless it's a child or parent)
Now this is original
Must have been a hell of a break-up
That's cold.
Is that the same woman from the hooded skull tattoo coverup? Either someone got 2 tattoos of her or she's a real heart breaker.
It's really well done, but I'd always be noticing that her hair, neck and shoulder are still there. I had a tattoo covered/redone and there's a whole 1 line of the original left, and it really bothers me when I see it.
He opens himself up to evil influence this way. From the fireplace into the fire.
The image is ugly, but I can appreciate the artistry that went into it. It was done well for what it is.
I believe this is a Japanese Oni. Some of them are demons/devils of jealousy so maybe this fits.
Now he can't see the Chloe for the trees!
Chloe is lost in the woods forever.
That's a lazy af artist. I would not be happy with that cover up at all.
Those blue eyes are hypnotizing. Beautiful tattoo!!
The artist really did an amazing job at this!
Love this day of the dead inspired tat.
Now that's how you do a cover up, but I can see areas that could be improved. The hair is good, but there's no depth or contrast in the face and the bottom outline of the lips is jacked. This artist needs to apprentice with a proper one and learn some basics.
I think "Day of the Dead" images may look pretty dated in a few years.
That is a large and substantial tattoo to cover one little name.....
Mmmm,go around with a tattoo of your ex or replace it with a very random gorilla. Tough choice :)
No random gorilla, that's Harambe.
All hail Harambe!
You know things have gone south when someone turns your face into a gorilla, lol.
That is effing BRUTAL!!!
That is real cool
Until you turn 13...
How is this the same arm?
The arm rotated
Go big or go home!
WOW that's a serious cover up!
I guess Jessi really needed to be eradicated...
Was all that really necessary? Seems like a bit much and Batman? How old are you?
And speaking of tatts, how amazing are these?
Friday, May 24, 2019
Funny Friday
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Some religious humour this week plus a Trump - Putin item that is too good not to post.
Some smiles and laughs to set you on the course for the weekend.
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Timmy didn’t want to put his money in the offering plate Sunday morning, so his mother decided to use some hurried creative reasoning with him.
“You don’t want that money, honey,” she whispered in his ear. “Quick! Drop it in the plate. It’s tainted!”
Horrified, the little boy obeyed.
After a few seconds he whispered, “But, mommy, why was the money tainted? Was it dirty?"
“Oh, no dear,” she replied. “It’s not really dirty. It just ‘taint yours, and it ‘taint mine,” she replied. “It’s God’s.”
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Mrs. Smith was fumbling in her purse for her offering when a large television remote fell out and clattered into the aisle.
The curious usher bent over to retrieve it for her and whispered, “Do you always carry your TV remote to church?”
“No,” she replied, “but my husband refused to come with me this morning, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally.”
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A little girl from Alabama went to church for the first time ever when she was visiting her grandparents in Michigan. When the pastor announced it was time for Holy Communion, she was excited–and hungry. The congregation filed up to the altar rail, and the child watched in confusion as her grandparents received a wafer and small plastic cup of wine. She could hardly wait to get back to the pew to tell her grandma that Jesus wasn’t from Alabama.
“How do you know that, dear?” asked her grandma.
“Because that was the poorest meal I’ve ever seen,” she said. “Mama would’ve at least given everybody some corn bread and sweet tea.”
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Mr. Green peered over his fence and noticed that the neighbour’s little boy was in his backyard filling in a hole. Curious about what the youngster was up to, Mr. Green asked, “What are you doing, Jimmy?”
Tearfully, little Jimmy replied, “My goldfish died, and I’ve just buried him.”
“That’s an awfully large hole for a goldfish, isn’t it?” Mr. Green said.
Patting down the last bit of earth, little Joey replied, “That’s because he’s in your cat!”
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Trump and Putin arranged a competition to determine whose nation had the bravest troops. The two leaders arrived, at the designated hour, on a plateau in Finland high above the water. Each was accompanied by a battalion of crack troops, smartly uniformed. The leaders shook hands.
Trump went first. He addressed his battalion of Marines:
"Private Jones! Front and center."
Private Jones saluted and briskly marched to the front of the ranks, facing his commander.
"Private Jones! March to the edge of the cliff."
Private Jones saluted and briskly marched to the very edge of the cliff.
"Private Jones! Jump!"
Jones just stood there, unmoving.
"Private Jones! I said jump!"
The man's knees started to shake, but he was otherwise motionless.
"Private Jones! This is your Commander-in-Chief. I ORDER YOU TO JUMP!!!" Private Jones wailed out: "I can't! I have a wife--and a family!"
The MPs arrived and escorted Jones away for court martial. Trump backed off in disgrace. It was now Putin’s turn.
"Comrade Dmitrivich! Front and center."
Comrade Dmitrivich saluted and briskly marched to the front of the ranks, facing his commander.
"Comrade Dmitrivich! March to the edge of the cliff."
Dmitrivich saluted and briskly marched to the very edge of the cliff.
"Comrade Dmitrivich! Jump!"
Dmitrivich jumped off the cliff.
By some miracle, he is snagged on a branch and he lands on a crag some 50 feet below the top of the cliff. Dmitrivich is badly injured, but still alive and conscious. He is carried away on a stretcher.
As Dmitrivich is carried past Private Jones, Jones cannot resist asking him:
"Dmitrivich! How could you do it? How could you jump?"
Dmitrivich answered: "I had to! I have a wife--and a family!"
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From the vault:
A man was out playing his weekly round of golf when he hit a shot into the trap off the 11th green. So he pulls out his sand wedge and takes a swing at the ball only to hit something metallic underneath. Being curious, he digs away the sand only to find what looks like Aladdin's Lamp. It's kind of dirty, so he takes out his golf towel to clean it off. All of a sudden... POOF! ... a genie appears from the lamp and says,
"Sir, you have freed me from the lamp! For this I will grant you 3 wishes!"
The man thinks for a moment and says, "You know, I have everything I could possibly want. Give the wishes to someone else." He quickly putts out and leaves for the 12th tee.
The genie is flabbergasted. "To think that someone in this world could feel so fulfilled that he could pass up not just 1 but 3 wishes! I know what I'll do. To reward him, I'll grant him 3 things without him knowing. Now let’s see. What does every man want? Money! He will have all the money he can use. Power! Every man wants that. And what else? ... Sex! All that he wants."
A couple of weeks later the man is coming toward the 11th green and there is the genie - sunning himself in the trap.
Genie: (feeling smug) "Hey. How's it going?"
Man: "Couldn't be better. Last week I raised over $1,000,000 and gave the most spellbinding and effective talk of my life. It looks like I'm gaining more influence among my peers and superiors. Things are great."
Genie: "If you don't mind me asking, how's your sex life?"
Man: "It's great. I've had two women in the last two weeks."
Genie: (looking puzzled) "TWO women? That's not very good!"
Man: "It is if you're a priest in a small parish!"
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Limerick of the week:
Was uncommonly large in the chest.
Any man’s close attention
To her outside dimension
Brought his own measurement to its best.
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Gallery:
Only one today:
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Corn Corner:
God is talking to one of his angels and says, “Do you know what I have just done? I have just created a 24-hour period of alternating light and darkness on Earth. Isn’t that good?”
The angel says, “Yes, but what will you do now?”
God says, “I think I’ll call it a day.”
-----------oOo-----------
There will be a meeting of the Church Board immediately after the service,” announced the pastor.
After the close of the service, the Church Board gathered at the back of the sanctuary for the announced meeting. But there was a stranger in their midst — a visitor who had never attended their church before.
“My friend,” said the pastor, “Didn’t you understand that this is a meeting of the Board?”
“Yes,” said the visitor, “and after today’s sermon, I suppose I’m just about as bored as anyone else who came to this meeting.”
-----------oOo-----------
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Some fun
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1. Pick a number between 1 and 10, not 1 or 10.
2. Multiply that number by 9.
3. You now have a 2 digit number. Add those 2 digits together.
4. Subtract 5.
5. If:
1 = A
2 = B
3 = C etc,
find the letter that corresponds to your number.
6. Think of a country beginning with that letter.
7. Take the second letter of that country and think of an animal beginning with that letter.
8. Think of the colour of that animal.
9. I will now predict what you have selected . . .
Wait, there must be something wrong . . .
There are no gray elephants in Denmark.
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Okay . . .
. . . here is the answer . . .
. . . . turn the pic upside down:
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Here is another version . . .
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Stare at the dots in the centre of the image for 30 seconds, then either close your eyes until an image appears or stare at a white wall until the same thing happens.
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Solving a conundrum:
A farmer stopped by the local mechanics shop to have his truck fixed. They couldn't do it while he waited so he said he didn't live far and would just walk home. On the way home he stopped at the hardware store and bought a bucket and a gallon of paint. He then stopped by the feed store and picked up a couple of chickens and a goose. However, struggling outside the store he now had a problem - how to carry his entire purchases home.
While he was scratching his head he was approached by a little old lady who told him she was lost. She asked, 'Can you tell me how to get to 1603 Mockingbird Lane ?' The farmer said, 'Well, as a matter of fact, my farm is very close to that house I would walk you there but I can't carry this lot.'
The old lady suggested, 'Why don't you put the can of paint in the bucket. Carry the bucket in one hand, put a chicken under each arm and carry the goose in your other hand?'
'Why thank you very much,' he said and proceeded to walk the old girl home.
On the way he says 'Let's take my short cut and go down this alley. We'll be there in no time.'
The little old lady looked him over cautiously, then said, 'I am a lonely widow without a husband to defend me. How do I know that when we get in the alley you won't hold me up against the wall, pull up my skirt, and have your way with me?'
The farmer said, 'Holy smokes lady! I'm carrying a bucket, a gallon of paint, two chickens, and a goose. How in the world could I possibly hold you up against the wall and do that?'
The old lady replied 'Set the goose down, cover him with the bucket, put the paint on top of the bucket and I'll hold the chickens.’
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