Re: Crossed the threshhold

On 23.09.2023 23.14, Merlyne wrote:
> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:
> 
>> On 17.09.2023 19.50, Merlyne wrote:

>>>> [*munch* Mmmm crunchy usenet post]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Right. Never mind. So obelisks. The egyptians made a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> lot of those back in the day. And then the English
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (and the french) stole some of them. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fascinating. Also very phallic.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Stealing obelisks? That's more of an imperialistic
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> thing, I would say. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Obelisk envy. Definitely a guy thing ...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I wouldn't know... I don't feel deprived. Also I have no
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> good place to put an obelisk.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> It definitely needs to go out by the road where passersby
>>>>>>>>>>>>> can admire and/or steal it.
>>>>>>>>>>>> I could put it where my tower used to be, I suppose. ('My
>>>>>>>>>>>> tower' being an old power distribution hut they took down a
>>>>>>>>>>>> couple of years ago.) Also we don't get a lot of englishers
>>>>>>>>>>>> (or frenchers) around here so unlikely anyone will steal an
>>>>>>>>>>>> obelisk. A stele on the other hand... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Who would steal a stele over an obelisk?
>>>>>>>>>> I'm sure the englishers (and the frenchers) have done some
>>>>>>>>>> stele stealing as well over time - when there were no obelisks
>>>>>>>>>> around. Ultimately it's going to be a stelistic choice, innit?
>>>>>>>>>> Also an obelisk is pretty unhandy to lug about unobtrusively.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> They would put it lying down in the back of wagon, no?
>>>>>>>> If they happen to have a wagon. Many of the foreign types coming
>>>>>>>> by here are biking... I can't imagine it will be easy to take
>>>>>>>> away a stele on a bike without being noticed.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I guess it depends on how big it is.
>>>>>>> Size matters.
>>>>>> There are practical limits to how big a bike can be... not least
>>>>>> if it is to be powered the proper way: with people muscles.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I thought you meant the size of the stele.
>>>> I did, but the idea of a (cargo-)bike big enough to carry a stele -
>>>> or an obelisk - appealed to me. It would probably have to be made of
>>>> steel... for sturdyness. Quite a job to get something like that up
>>>> the hills. Especially laden with a stele.
>>> What is the minimum stele size? Maybe we should focus on stealing
>>> small steles.
>> I imagine there is a practical minimal size for steles - a tiny rock
>> isn't going to be very impressive, and also it would likely be
>> difficult to still make out the inscriptions for old steles. Also
>> stumpy stolen steles aren't as attractive in a tourist-trap sense as
>> the bigger ones. 
>>
> I dunno.
> In 2020, people were really into those rocks that kids were painting and 
> leaving in parks. Maybe we could colourize a small one to make it more 
> attractive?
In 2020 people were really into going to parks in general.
Also painting a stele would compromise the sense of historical impact
and thus the monetary benefit. See how people reacted when museums
started displaying greek and roman sculpture with the original paint scheme.

>>> Make sure you bring a tarp so that the stolen stele is stealth.
>> I think that is stipulated in the stele-stealing subject...
>>
> It wasn't.
It is my understanding that stealthily stealing large objects involves
covering it up en route. Similar to using carpets for moving bodies.

>>>>>>>>>>> You need to put up a signage on a busy road. 
>>>>>>>>>>> "Come and see the obelisk 2 km ---> "
>>>>>>>>>> I would be nervous someone might accuse me of having stolen
>>>>>>>>>> the obelisk. 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> That seems like a Viking kinda thing to do...
>>>>>>>> Nah... If it ain't gold or silver (or wimmen) it ain't worth the
>>>>>>>> space. 
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I pity the fool who steals me.
>>>>>> Oh, I'm sure I could get a decent price for you in the
>>>>>> Mediterranean market...
>>>>>>
>>>>> But why would you want to?
>>>>> I has a sad now :(
>>>> It's what the Vikings did, mostly. In Ireland at least. Sometimes
>>>> they took the wimmen to Iceland instead - to work in the service
>>>> industy. 
>>>
>>> Freshen your drink, Govner?
>> That too, I suppose - but mostly milk the cows and churn the butter
>> kind of stuff. Also a considerable amount of Irish-origin DNA is still
>> present in the Icelandic population.
>>
> Uh-huh
> 
>>> My colouring is more from the Scottish ancestors. Your might get
>>> charged with fraud or beaten up for trying to pawn me off as Irish.
>> I rather think it would make little difference, as long as you are
>> good at thrashing grain and herding sheep and such...
> 
> 
> I see. By 'service industry' you meant slavery. I thought you meant 
> prostitution. 
> Slop your hog, gov'ner?
I don't know if they brought pigs along to Iceland.
And they were definitely going out of fashion in the mediterranean market.

>>>>>>>>> And so what if they think it's stolen? It's not like they can
>>>>>>>>> prove anything. 
>>>>>>>> They could if the obelisk is signed. A lot of obelisk have
>>>>>>>> inscriptions on them.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> But not signatures, surely.
>>>>>> I think they do have the name of whoever carved the inscription -
>>>>>> or at least who ordered it.
>>>>>> Runic inscription almost always is mostly just that, in spite of
>>>>>> how modest and self-effacing scandinavians are.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Oh you and your sarcasm!
>>>>
>>>> You noticed... :-)
>>>
>>> I usually notice and then ignore it.
>>> {Oooo! I think that's the first time I noticed you using a smiley}
>>
>> I have been known to use the odd ascii combinations at times. As long
>> as they don't get autotranslated into graphic emoticons...
> 
> Why's that?
I don't like when what is displayed is not what I put. Also I'm not a
fan of picture texting.

> This Usenet client is so old that it doesn't do graphics or hyperlinks 
> or even utf-8 encoding.
> 
>>
>> (*' `* - two hairyballs having knife fight.)
>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A Danish very easy crossword, I meant.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> They have picture clues which solves as
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> horrible puns... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> i
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _____  = I over ate
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A cartoon of two young witched trying to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ride brooms with an older witch looking
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> unamused. Solution: Kostskole. Kost = broom
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> or meal(s) (different pronunciation) Skole =
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> school Kostskole = boarding school
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Very punny.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I would never get any right since I don't
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> speak the language. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's really easy:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHlEOsM5jtA 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *bookmark for later*
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Good luck with that later.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'll probably forget or get distracted by a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> squirrel or something... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Squirrels aren't distractions - they are a joy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of nature. Unless you have a walnut tree of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> course. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Which I don't.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Neither do I, but still I have "hidden" walnuts
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> all over every year. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anyway the other day I had one rather small
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> squirrel being chased off the cherry tree and all
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the way to the treeline - by sparrows. Turns out
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> sparrows don't think squirrels are a joy of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> nature. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> They aren't, really.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Soemtimes they get in my garden and take 1 bite out
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of every single ripe tomato.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Quality control.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Death wish, more like.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You wouldn't...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I would if I didn't think another squirrel would take
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> its place. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You can never have too many squirrels...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's at times like this, I wish I could send you some.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Me too. I suspect the gray squirrels would be considered
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> an invasive species, and not allowed for import. It didn't
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> go too well for the brits when they did it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I would send the red squirrels. They really are little
>>>>>>>>>>>>> shits. 
>>>>>>>>>>>> But pretty. And also cute the way they flitter about in the
>>>>>>>>>>>> trees in between stealing produce.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Must be some odd definition of the word 'cute' that I was
>>>>>>>>>>> previously unaware of.
>>>>>>>>>> Clearly you are biased against the cute little critters... I
>>>>>>>>>> wouldn't be chocked to learn that you don't find a baby skunk
>>>>>>>>>> cute either. Unharden your heart, girl.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Sure. Baby animals are cute.
>>>>>>>>> There's video making the rounds of a baby elephant chasing
>>>>>>>>> ducks. Very cute!
>>>>>>>>> Squirrels - not so cute.
>>>>>>>> Baby squirrels! QED
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *eye roll*
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How do you even do that?
>>>>>
>>>>> I'll show you when I go over to see your water feature.
>>>>
>>>> That could be a while. Can't you just tell me now?
>>>
>>> Too much typing. Anyways it's more of a visual thing.
>> It would be - invo0lving the eyes as it does. But there have to be
>> some technique involved. Or violence...
>>
> It's 100% an underrated mad skill.
Which you should teach me. Then I would have one mad skill.

>>>>>> I'm glad you finally relent in the face of my crushing logic.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I wouldn't refer to twisting my words as crushing logic.
>>>>
>>>> Well, anyway I win.
>>>
>>> Sure. If you say so.
>> {point}
>>
> Don't point that at me, it has a nail in it.
But it's a well trimmed nail...

>>>>> But whatever floats your boat.
>>>> Water displacement?
>>>>
>>> If that's what does it for you, who am I to judge?
>> Not just me - that's how everyone's boat float. Physics!
>>
> 
> Stience!
Or something that's spelled much like that...

-- 
BeH

" We are trapped by language to such a degree that every attempt to
formulate insight is a play on words." - Niels Bohr