The Dread Slender Gnome

The more you push me, the less I'll give in.

"Correct, but obscure." (Feart, 2022 or thereabouts)

From an anonymous YouTube commenter:
"I never gave these nutters my consent to change my reality."

Ceterum censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam!

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npub1h3g89n0zgn5w6930njtwqva3yw6tcg0meag065rm7ezzpmctqcgq4kz77e

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Gnomeshatecheese@spinster-xyz.mostr.pub

Profile Code

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henhouse.social/relay

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Last Notes

2025-03-25 19:53:41

Hey, knitters!
Input needed!
I'm trying this cast-on for a thing that needs to be very stretchy. But the stitches I made with this cast-on do not slip at all. It's like I have a series of knotted loops. However, when I unravelled the cast-on edge, they pulled through like regular knit stitches.
Could someone else try the method shown in this video (!) and tell me if they also end up with non-slipping stitches? Because if these stitches are supposed to slip like normal stitches, I'm clearly doing something wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5IESzx5vLU

2024-11-23 12:42:05

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Thing is, I'd prefer them to be custom, as I can be quite picky about the fit. Especially with cardies.
But honestly I didn't even know there are such websites, I'll probably have a look if there's anything that ships and see how the items are presented.

2024-11-12 20:13:09

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My, my.
Who would've thunk.

2024-10-22 19:44:48

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Shallow, just a regular frying pan.
If you want the recipe, I can type it out. The worst thing about it is that it's quite big, but I expect you could freeze the leftover pies, since there's no yeast in the pastry.

2024-09-01 09:29:17

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Thought so. Just wanted to confirm.
Think he's one of those people who disagree with genderism, but consider it a distraction and unimportant?

2024-08-10 17:08:42

My controversial opinion for the day:
Not every damn athletic, or even borderline physical activity needs to be included in the Olympics.
Seriously.
Skateboarding?
Surfing?
What next? Kickboard tricks? Darts?
I mean, really.

2024-08-08 20:50:37

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If that happened now, the Rebecca Watsons of this world would be on the side of the dopers, decrying how people are just witch-hunting women who aren't sufficiently feminine.
I wish I believed I was exaggerating on that one.

2024-08-08 20:45:20

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Although, now that I think of it.
I would NOT put it past Watson to mention that canard in her video too.
So... still looking for that brave person willing to throw themselves on this particular sword.
Anyone...?

2024-08-08 20:41:18

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Wha...?
Algerian?
Black??
Let me guess... these people are Americans?

2024-08-08 15:09:42

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Well in that case I'm going to keelhaul him twice.

2024-08-08 15:04:45

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Can I also tar and feather, as well as keelhaul him?
Pretty please?

2024-08-08 15:01:40

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Yeah, bro. SLEEEEK. MODERN. TRENDY.
I swear, it's a good thing I don't work in a regular office with recular IT support. I would've already committed grievous bodily harm on some early-adopter-pro-tech-twit.

2024-08-08 14:47:31

If anyone out there allows their kids to have smartphones, they might want think about twenty-eight times whether they allow the kids to use TikTok.
Spoiler: the issue involves numerous kids selling soft core sexual services to random strangers on TikTok live chats.
I mean, if one wasn't already concerned enough by the apparently massive detrimental effect it has on kids' attention spans and ability to concentrate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbv-VteX5H8

2024-05-28 16:43:52

Regarding the supposedly wonderful and amazeballs school system of Finland, which reportedly (yeah...) keeps coming up on top in international comparisons. The image below was sent to me by a Finnish teacher I know, who said it's absolutely accurate.
"Koulu" means school, in case someone needs it explained.
https://media.spinster.xyz/5fd58144aa4fe5d88ad582e8cdbdf389b25c6c38eb9fe48b5b8059457731a3b5.png

2024-05-26 19:56:55

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Mine are doing that too!

2024-05-25 20:15:32

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Several islands in that part of the world do have impressive numbers of languages. More than anywhere else density wise, even. It's quite impressive.
No idea whether that would deter anyone from taking the place over though.

2024-05-25 11:49:24

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That is gorgeous, it looks like it's made out of cloured foils!

2024-05-22 18:49:07

Anyone have a link to where a person could watch the ice hockey world championships without having to sign up to a service or something?
The public broadcasters I saw mentioned in one article aren't reliably broadcasting the games I'm interested in.

2024-05-21 20:02:52

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What?
Criminal class??
Wha...?
Where's that image of Jackie Chan going essentially WTF?
So many questions...

2024-05-21 11:13:23

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Whenever I see the ingredients of these fake meats, I'm left wondering how much energy and resources their production actually requires. And how in fact does that compare to a beef patty from a pasture raised bovine.
The contention often is that fake meat requires less resources than real meat. I'm very far from being convinced of that.

2024-05-19 16:12:22

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No, I still see the individual post. Just can't see any responses or threads.
But the individual linked post shows up fine.

2024-05-17 14:27:49

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What? Whose evil far right government?

2024-05-17 14:22:42

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He's not an idiot.
But he is a dickhead.

2024-05-17 13:45:50

That teacher, who got a student to actually look at the facts and change his mind about Rowling being transphobic, has been fired.
Because of course he has.
About 7min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTvz9oatUiw

2024-05-17 09:54:44

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This type of flower.
https://image.laji.fi/MM.123696/JR29122.JPG
Definitely not bulbs, a lot "grassier" if you like.
Honestly, I just assumed, as this is the only common bell-shaped blue flower I know to be a common wild flower. It never even occurred to me to check.

2024-05-17 09:50:56

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That looks like a bulb flower, or am I mistaken?
Seems I've misunderstood the English word "bluebell" then. I thought it referred to a different kind of flower.

2024-05-15 10:27:21

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Not just women and homosexuals. Infidels, atheists, wine-drinkers, bacon-eaters, non-Ramadan-observers...
So basically everyone except a core of True Believers (tm).
The only difference will be to which degree they will be fucked.

2024-05-15 10:22:13

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And in the meantime, lying or obfuscating about the actual goals of Hamas and its compatriots only helps the Islamists.
And we know how much they want peace...

2024-05-15 10:10:56

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Of course, this is not to say there aren't Gazans or West Bank inhabitants who would like to share. It's just that the groups that hold the power have no intention of sharing (and of course in Gaza Hamas was actually voted into power).

2024-05-13 08:43:26

Genuine question.
When and where did this idea come from, that "I disagree with your claim" or "I oppose your political goal" equals "I deny your humanity"?
I see it all over the political spectrum and I'm baffled.
I find it obviously vacuous and pointless, not to mention an obvious attempt at guilt-tripping, that I can't imagine even coming up with it.
Has it been around forever and I've just not come across it until relatively recently? Or has it just been popularised and brought to mainstream by the wokesters? Or is it really a new thing?

2024-05-12 10:42:27

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Rather than tackling the gangs head-on, the ‘yakuza exclusion ordinances’ were introduced. These didn’t outlaw the criminal gangs but made it illegal for anyone else to do business with them.
That is a very clever way of getting at criminal gangs. Well played.

2024-05-12 07:55:04

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This summer a BBC presenter travels to Finland to observe arctic species, and attempts to pronounce the original Finnish names of the animals.
The publication of the episode may be delayed due to production difficulties.

2024-05-11 12:19:31

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Ah, one of those.
I've had the misfortune to come across a few of that type too.

2024-05-11 12:09:14

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Hence also sanctimonious, not just obnoxious.
Nobody likes someone who publicly shines their own halo.

2024-05-09 10:26:22

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Surely the Federal Criminal Police Office should then also be prosecuted for incitement to hatred, since they're the ones who originally collected and published the statistics.

2024-05-09 08:26:27

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I just spoke to a friend in Finland and she said a lot of shops are actually scrapping self-checkouts because of the theft issue.
I'd say that's the sensible course of action. Acknowledge that it was a mistake, and roll it back. Not compound on the mistake.

2024-05-07 18:12:48

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Do you have an archive link by any chance? For some reason it won't load for me without a huge "login" popup which obscures the text.

2024-05-07 17:58:59

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I have better chances against a person than most bears, though. See also the "track by scent" bit.
And frankly, if I'm dead, I won't be around to care anymore.

2024-05-07 17:57:21

Here's a perspective on islamic coverings (hijab etc.) I haven't heard brought up before, and frankly I'm surprised I come across it only now. Explained by a mainstream ex-muslim man.
Spoiler (probably not really): the clothing is expensive and complicated, and constitutes an extra financial and practical burden on the woman who feels obligated to wear it.
11+ minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKpecsLgAjo

2024-05-07 13:41:25

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On a serious note, I can't see those salutes and not think of "czar".
I've said before that I don't think Russia ever truly moved away from the age of the empire and emperors.

2024-05-06 16:49:51

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I know someone who grew up in England, and moved to Finland as an adult.
He says living in Finland was the first time he actually was warm.

2024-05-06 16:47:08

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I keep forgetting that some places don't have proper insulation and heating...

2024-05-06 16:00:04

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The spouse makes most of our everyday bread with a no-knead method.
I don't use it, but he has consistently had good results. Maybe gone wrong 1-3 times within the last few years.
I could ask for a link to the instructions he used, if you like.

2024-05-04 10:54:28

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Ah ok. Gave me a bit of a fright there.
Interesting that he's aware of it though. Did he say how he came to learn about it?

2024-05-04 10:51:16

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Oh it's in UK as well?
Oh dear.

2024-05-03 17:15:29

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I've had a vague feeling of regret about never having Latin in school, but now I'm REALLY regretting not having had Latin.

2024-05-02 13:35:57

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I've seen a lot of reports of straight-up anti-Jew sentiments among the protests, but of course I'm relying on the international reporting that comes my way.
What's your take on this, having seen live coverage on it. Any explicitly anti-Jewish signs, chants or slogans that you would've witnessed yourself in the footage?

2024-05-02 11:22:01

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PSU president Ann Cudd promises no consequences for occupiers and a recommitment of more funding for DEI and CRT.
And this, if true, is why this shit will not stop.
It will not stop until the administration stops rolling over when faced with any demand and starts saying "no".

2024-05-02 10:57:01

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Hamas staging the biggest pogrom since I-don't-even-know is all fine, but these kids not being allowed access to the cafeteria meal plans they "have paid for" because they are occupying and vandalising a building, is beyond the pale.
Right.
Standpoint epistemology and morality at its finest.

2024-05-01 19:22:21

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I refer you to my previous answer.

2024-05-01 19:16:30

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Smartphones and social media. Particularly low threshold, algorithm-driven short-form media (=TikTok).
That's why.

2024-05-01 19:07:08

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Still funny though.

2024-05-01 19:02:10

Has this been posted here yet?
(Humza Yusaf content)
https://9gag.com/gag/a6Zwq6R
@npub1e3x…kndc in particular

2024-05-01 18:55:18

Here's reason number 483 for not allowing children to have smartphones (or tablets).
About 30min.
In short: social media-fuelled obsession with cosmetics among young children, with the apparently unavoidable accompanying surge of bad behaviour.
See also: parents who won't parent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzm5mckxfcc

2024-05-01 15:26:45

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They're out in force already enough for the ducks to find something to eat?

2024-05-01 15:11:28

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Cool traditions.
I'm afraid my people are rather uninteresting in that respect. We just get drunk on Vappu.
As to be honest, we get on almost every other holiday as well.

2024-05-01 15:07:48

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So what are they eating in your plant beds?

2024-04-01 18:55:25

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Sweet, sweet music to my ears.

2024-04-01 18:41:24

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AMAZING.
Now I hope also that tweet saying that Humza Yousaf has been reported for hate speech over a speech he made is also true...

2024-04-01 18:35:40

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Is that true?? Please for the sake of all that is good in the world, let that be true!!
Because if it is...
It's STARTED!
And it looks like it will be glorious.

2024-04-01 07:12:03

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Careful now. You're committing literal mass murder by denying their existence. Hear that thudding? That's all the trans people dropping dead of brain aneurysms or heart attacks because you said they didn't exist.
(Also, you're now a criminal in Scotland, as soon as someone north of the border sees this.)

2024-04-01 06:40:17

To celebrate both April Fools and The Scottish Law*, here's some content, the posting of which will almost surely make me a criminal, if anyone views this post in Scotland.
A live audience viewing of Count Dankula's Nazi pug video. The video in question being already confirmed by a UK court to be a hate crime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgU-fdQEz48
There you go. I'm now definitely a criminal in Scotland.
*I may just call it that from now on, seeing as it's a tad shorter, in the style of "The Scottish Play".

2024-03-29 20:34:05

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I hadn't actually even heard of that one, but if the rest of his work is anything to go by, I'd still likely consider it overrated.
Which, you know, it might not be. It's not out of the realm of possible he might have done something watchable in addition to Eyes Wide Shut.

2024-03-29 18:45:39

Despite of all the controversy surrounding the gender issue, I do hold opinions potentially even more controversial.
One such being, that "2001: A Space Odyssey" is an entirely overrated film, and so is everything else by Kubrick.

2024-03-28 11:53:05

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I do have to emphasise that these are really mild in flavour, I'm mostly enthusiastic about the texture.
I was skeptical and expected them to taste like cardboard though, so even a mild flavour is a big improvement compared to what I expected. 😆

2024-03-28 10:28:36

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Seems to be Alnatura. Just grabbed some at the supermarket.
I'm not brand loyal when it comes to these though, I just look at the main ingredient. So far no brand has stood out from the others either way.

2024-03-27 15:53:07

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I just feel like raging at someone. But that's very much Not Productive and in most cases would cause damages I'd have to fix later, so it's not worth it.
But take that emoticon gif I posted and imagine me doing that IRL.

2024-03-27 15:27:20

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Doesn't help that I really need to clean today and I HATE cleaning.
https://media.spinster.xyz/e1b1f129e3477221a3874d96b0cf5ea89c034bf9099b883993aee0643931f023.gif

2024-03-27 13:17:07

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It's not paper, it's iron-on ... glue sheet? Something that's used to attach fabrics together.

2024-03-27 12:05:56

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Without having read the article (yet, will get to it later), is that not essentially same as false dichotomies? Just framed in terms of discourse strategy.

2024-03-26 13:50:15

Anyone like colouring?
Well you're in luck, because apparently there's a project that has published a whole host of online downloadable colouring books, with images from historical sources.
These will definitely be different from your regular colouring books sold in bookshops.
https://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/
(I do some colouring myself, but I have enough to do with my anatomy/botany books. I just think this sort of thing is really cool.)

2024-03-26 11:23:23

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I must say, apart from anything else, the choice of that particular photo of Yousaf to illustrate the story is spot on.

2024-03-26 10:57:01

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Also, here's an archive link to the full article.
https://archive.is/xx5vm

2024-03-25 17:05:13

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Reposting on the off chance that someone who would otherwise miss this, sees it.

2024-03-25 15:30:50

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So just out of curiousity, are these extra charges and price hikes also going to target companies, that run lit-up advertising, keep lights partially on after closing, or in otherwise use extra electricy they wouldn't strictly speeking need to?

2024-03-25 14:01:53

A while ago I mentioned how everyone knows not to put petrol in a diesel car, but somehow a lot of people have been convinced that doing the equivalent in the human body is fine.
The only inaccuracy in that analogy is that the human body is unimaginably more complex and unpredictable a system than the internal combustion engine.
#note1cvf…nkpc

2024-03-25 13:20:12

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The way I see it, it's not that it's all connected out there in the real world, but it all gets connected in people's heads.
Get them to accept authoritarian principles or actions in one sector, and that paves the way for them to accept them in another sector. Because hey, it was ok for this context, then why not for that other one.

2024-03-25 13:07:49

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Well personally I can't take any credit. I'm just listening to what other people are saying, especially when it comes to tech. That sort of comes with the turf (ha) of being straight-up luddite.
But I tend to be very old-fashioned when it comes to things like being allowed to repair, re-sell and in general, fully OWN things.

2024-03-25 12:57:26

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Relevant, VERY relevant quote from the video:
The thing that I fear above all else, is that people are not gonna notice that it affects them until it's too late. Until you can't really reverse it, you can't change course.
See also self-ID being first legislated, then entrenched.

2024-03-25 08:18:42

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These paintings are technically very good, and the colour schemes are good, but damn it if the perspectives don't make my eyes itch.

2024-03-23 20:59:28

Mozart (in Noel Coward voice, except in German): Here's a little something I wrote when I was twelve.
I can't even hate him for that, it's all just too damn good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq0ODTHNAL8

2024-03-23 15:46:41

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I fear that I probably am that friend...

2024-03-23 13:45:26

Is there a word in English, or any other language you happen to speak for that thing when it looks like spring is coming, everything's growing and it's warm, but then you get a cold spell and possibly snow again?
Finnish does, it literally translates to "back/return winter" (takatalvi).
German? French? Slovak? Italian? Japanese? Spanish? Polish? Swedish?
Anyone?

2024-03-23 12:49:14

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I think you probably have a point and that's likely a part of it.
There seems to be something about the Internet that removes people's understanding that what someone says to someone else (!) does not affect them. In addition to that, something seems to have changed in that people aren't expected to show resilience in the face of insults anymore.
There used to be this idea around that reacting explosively to insults is immature and childish. Not only does that seem to become very unpopular, anything that could be construed as being emotionally wounding seems to have been promoted into an insult or attack.
It's like paradoxically, the absence of the actual person in one's physical vicinity has made people take words alone excessively seriously.
Maybe also because it actually IS possible to completely shut someone out on the Internet? In real life, if there's someone in one's family or workplace whose ideas one finds insufferable, there's rarely anything one can do about that beyond studiously avoiding the subject. But online it's just a matter of clicking the "block" or "report" button.
So maybe a combination of nurtured emotional fragility and normalisation of censoriousness in reaction to conflicting ideas?
Although weirdly, at the same time people ARE being absolute dicks to each other on the Internet, and that seems to be just a regular old normal thing that everyone does as well.

2024-03-22 21:46:03

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Isn't that the same people who insist trans-identified kids should cut off their parents completely if the paren't isn't absolutely on board with transness? And that going in any way against gender identity silliness makes a parent a horrible, bigoted transphobe who's the worst of the worst?
I smell a double standard.

2024-03-22 12:44:39

Oops.
Looks like we're out of Noilly Prat now.
My bad.
Sorry not sorry.

2024-03-22 10:44:45

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So what are ts hotep and Kia Kamara going to do to protect the victim of the assault?
Or even, what course of action do they suggest for the victim to prevent the assailant from attacking her again?
In other words, what alternative to calling the cops are they offering her?
No need to worry, I'll wait.

2024-03-22 08:57:51

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Everything's the opposite now.
Isn't that the truth.
It's genuinely odd how I, just by virtue of holding on to essentially the same principles and ideals, have apparently moved from "essentially lefty" to "far-right" according to the popular consensus in certain parts.
The one that boggles my mind is that freedom of speech is apparently now a "far-right" or even just "right" cause.

2024-03-21 13:53:41

Related to the discussion on the Scottish hate speech law, though not exactly directly. From the comments of a YT video on the Count Dankula affair.
Do they really expect a Scottish person to NOT BE OFFENSIVE
I'm not Scottish, but, well... there is a point there, is there not?

2024-03-20 14:37:08

If you have a shady spot with not-ideal air circulation in your veggie garden, into which you could put a potentially covered raised bed, what would you grow there?
There's direct sunlight for part of the day, but most of the day it's in indirect light. Sort of a dead-end space between three walls.

2024-03-19 20:38:48

I thought I was buying 10 A4 sheets of blotting paper. I only needed one piece smaller than A4, but the minimum order was 10 sheets.
In reality, I bought 5 A2 sheets.
Anyone need blotting paper..?

2024-03-19 18:53:11

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Ok.
I was wondering how they would work for baking. Wouldn't matter so much for cooking, but I imagine too large eggs could throw off the ratios in e.g. a cake.

2024-03-19 18:51:08

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How big are they? I'd imagine somewhere between goose and chicken eggs?

2024-03-19 18:02:20

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Eggs or roast?
Or both?

2024-03-18 20:54:20

Because sometimes you just need a laugh.
https://youtu.be/V_F8voK4Y8I

2024-03-17 19:35:28

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Just based on the quote, I'd not necessarily agree (too tired to read the whole thing).
Finland seems to do perfectly well with general two-stage conscription. The first is common to all, then the best conscripts are selected for further training as officers.
I'm sure Norway's system works, but I don't think Finland's general conscription system is bad either. I think it depends on the defensive needs of a given country, and I suspect strongly that Finland has particular reasons to want to have as large a trained military reserve as possible coughRussianlandbordercough.

2024-03-08 22:45:50

So I just saw someone mention on a forum that pregnant women are told not to take hot baths, because apparently getting too hot during pregnancy can be somehow risky.
So I got curious, and did a web search in Finnish for "pregnancy" and "sauna".
And low and behold, the first search result to a large health website states "80-90% of pregnant women bathe in sauna regularly".
I'm not at all surprised. Try keeping a pregnant Finnish woman out of the sauna for 9 months..?
Yeah. Not bloody likely.
On the other hand, it would be interesting to see someone attempt that. Should make for good entertainment.
(Incidentally, sauna was where all births used to take place. My mother was born in a sauna rather than a hospital ward.)

2024-03-08 21:52:59

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Had to look it up quickly.
Wikipedia claims this:
DNA evidence supports a South American origin for marsupials, with Australian marsupials arising from a single Gondwanan migration of marsupials from South America, across Antarctica, to Australia.
Gondwana predated AND followed Pangaea, so marsupials would've spread to Australia either before Pangaea or after it split up in a single migration event. Why they didn't spread during Pangaea's days, no idea.

2024-03-08 21:38:31

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Looks like two of those clippy things that used to plug into proper phones, connected by about one cm of cable.
... as far as I can tell, and that's really not saying much.

2024-03-08 20:43:42

Incidentally, just in case someone hasn't yet posted this.
Spotted on Kiwifarms, with some kind sould archiving this before it got completely obliterated by Reddit mods.
The stuff that either doesn't happen or if it happens, people really shouldn't concern themselves about it, is happening and at least one person was very concerned.
(Toronto Uni gym locker rooms, woman comes out of a shower and basically runs into a man. Is disturbed, writes to Reddit for advice, is promptly kicked off.)
https://archive.ph/18RcX