mike carey

Symbiotic relationships between humans and dogs have been around for millennia. I have seen the case made that they domesticated us, not the other way around. Not a pet relationship but on the south coast of New South Wales in the 19th century, killer whales trained human whalers to feed them. They herded prey whales to the boats and in return received the tongues.

I'm sorry, I don't see bestiality in any form as being acceptable. Any presumption of consent is preposterous.

So it was TB then!

My thoughts are with you, @Funguy

As I read through this, I got as far as '35 degree weather' and assumed you were talking about going back to PS for the weekend, it was only when I read 'with a luscious tan' I realised that you meant 35F and 'going back' meant going home after the weekend. Who says I don't automatically think in Celsius!

I may well be, will have to reconsider.

@Eric Hassan, I'm glad you are so up-beat about your situation and wish you a speedy recovery. You seemed similarly positive on Monday evening when I first heard of the accident. Still in shock, I suspect. I guess the next challenge will be sitting still in aeroplane seats on the way home! (I remember my brother getting a nasty knee wound in a motor bike accident and then within days having to take the three day sleeper train trip from Canberra to Perth for the start of the university term. His cabin mate (a uni friend of his) was NOT impressed when David used the hand basin in their cabin to piss.) Fortune has smiled on you (relatively, at least) but it's a salutary reminder of how tenuous our hold is on this life, and if nothing else does, should prompt us to enjoy each day to the fullest. It's also useful dose of perspective on how small some of the disagreements we have in here really are. My thoughts are with you and David over the coming days.

I was alluding to the oil money he made in Texas, and I did say I didn't know how much money he had before that. Point taken.

If I understand correctly, when she dropped out of college to marry George it was before he had made his money, although I don't know how much he had to start with. She could not have known where he or their marriage would go, and how the future would play out. Oh, and her trademark pearl necklaces have been universally referred to as fake pearls, not what you would expect of someone who was 'all about the money'.

Or perhaps: Some guys do not give a fuck, Dylan gives a fuck. Some guys could not care less, Dylan could care less. I've been known to say, 'I could care less, but not very much less'.

I suspect you might have that arse-about in @VictorPowers' case.

Thanks latb, I've read and enjoyed your first two blog posts about the weekend.

No, I'm happy with subtitles.

Kurtis does.

PrEP and condoms both provide a degree of protection against HIV, and condoms provide a level of protection against other STIs. None of them is absolute. From my perspective, people need to recognise the various levels of protection that are provided, and not condemn people for making a judgment as to what level of protection they are comfortable with.

Is that @VictorPowers?

Young people having café breakfasts of avocado on toast is a popular thing to criticise them for when they complain about not having enough money to buy a house. I'm sure it's not just here. This picture just popped up on my twitter feed. Avoca is a town in western Victoria, the road sign and the modifications (whether real world or photo-shopped) is brilliant.

I've seen that checking flights for a trip I'm thinking about later in the year. It seems that whether it's a direct flight or one with a connection (no matter how far out of the way the connection is) means less for the price than what they have available. And it's not just AA. When checking fares Qantas will often show me fares from Canberra to LA via Perth and Sydney rather than just via Sydney (that's across the continent and back to travel 250km). If airline elite status matters to you, and the extra few qualifying miles or sectors would make a difference at the end of the year, I can see the point of taking the nutty route you cited if the fare were comparable.

Click on @mkenneth99's handle, either here or just under his avatar, and then click on 'Start a Conversation' in the pop-up box. Or you could go to 'Inbox' at the top right of the screen, click on it then start a conversation. Going that way you then have to type in his handle (a pick list will come up as you type).

I'm sure you don't need any encouragement to do so, but have a great birthday @alexhawk! I'm sure there are plenty of other guys around the pool that will give you a helping hand, or something else.

Valid and important counterpoint. Nonetheless, I think his moment of (sort of) epiphany was important for him to share.

Joke of the week (from the SMH) Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School. "Well, Mum, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.” “Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?” his Mother asks, dumbfounded. “Well, no, Mum, but, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!”

Never organised an event of the scale you're talking about but I have organised work lunches and the same guidelines apply. By all means get a rough idea of preferences, but once that's done book the restaurant, set the menu options and advise everyone where and when. If people don't like it they don't have to attend. On the original question of why PS and not Orlando, simple. The organisers had ties there and wanted to set something up. It's the Palm Springs weekend, it's not the annual forum weekend. Similarly, the DC lunch (when it happens) isn't an event looking for a location it's an event at a location (and timed to coincide with another separate event [MAL]).

Don't jump to conclusions about people you meet. This guy was annoyed by the guy next to him in his management class until he found out what he was actually doing.

I do barrack for them. When they play Collingwood! (I remember when I was first interested in any way in Aussie Rules it was said that there were three teams that started with F, Footscray, Fitzroy and f**king Collingwood.)