I was watching that Springwatch coastal special thing earlier, and
being thoroughly depressed by it. 

It did get me thinking though, as I watched seals and reflected on the
various bits of mythology that are supposed to be associated with
them. I thought of the mermaid thing and the song of the sirens and
how some would tell us that it's all seals, really, and that made me
think 'yeah, if you'd been at sea for *years* and had really bad
eyesight' which reminded me of the prog where Bill Oddie explained
some ghosts or something as hares boxing seen with bad eyesight...

In any case, this led me to wonder, was it inevitable that our species
tried to destroy the rest of them as we cut our ties with the past and
tried to deny that we are superstitious and irrational? As science
grew in power and modernity crept in was it necessary for us to prove
to ourselves that we could stomp on the ghosts of our past and that
our eyesight had improved? "Ha, see, it's only a seal really, and look
I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?


-- 
"...responsibility and delight can co-exist..."
 -Philip Pullman

On 2008-06-16, Halla  wrote:

> As science grew in power and modernity crept in was it necessary for
> us to  prove to ourselves that we  could stomp on the  ghosts of our
> past and that our eyesight had  improved? "Ha, see, it's only a seal
> really, and look I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?

"Oh wow, it's not a ghost, I wonder if it tastes nice?"  :-)

Regards, 

Jeremy Henty

On Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:18:39 -0500, Jeremy Henty
 blethered:

>On 2008-06-16, Halla  wrote:
>
>> As science grew in power and modernity crept in was it necessary for
>> us to  prove to ourselves that we  could stomp on the  ghosts of our
>> past and that our eyesight had  improved? "Ha, see, it's only a seal
>> really, and look I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>
>"Oh wow, it's not a ghost, I wonder if it tastes nice?"  :-)

Surely they'd have known that before though? :-)


-- 
"...responsibility and delight can co-exist..."
 -Philip Pullman

"Halla"  wrote in message 
news:rhqd5450v5v9g1h05jbtc5n8t2evi0n9vu@4ax.com...

 "Ha, see, it's only a seal really, and look
> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?

Nothing will happen *immediately*.

Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase: "think 
on".

Jani

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:15:59 +0100, "Jani" 
blethered:

>
>"Halla"  wrote in message 
>news:rhqd5450v5v9g1h05jbtc5n8t2evi0n9vu@4ax.com...
>
> "Ha, see, it's only a seal really, and look
>> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>
>Nothing will happen *immediately*.
>

I like that, as a statement. :-)

>Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase: "think 
>on".

I bet there are a clutch of stories about those who didn't, too. Just
because someone wiser comes along with a dire warning it doesn't mean
that the intrepid hero(ine) pays any attention, ever. <g>


-- 
"...responsibility and delight can co-exist..."
 -Philip Pullman

On 2008-06-16, Halla  wrote:

> As science grew in power and modernity crept in was it necessary for
> us to  prove to ourselves that we  could stomp on the  ghosts of our
> past and that our eyesight had  improved? "Ha, see, it's only a seal
> really, and look I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?

I have to state the obvious, something bad happened for the seal...

Morgan

On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:17:31 -0700 (PDT), Morgan Sarum
 blethered:

>On 2008-06-16, Halla  wrote:
>
>> As science grew in power and modernity crept in was it necessary for
>> us to  prove to ourselves that we  could stomp on the  ghosts of our
>> past and that our eyesight had  improved? "Ha, see, it's only a seal
>> really, and look I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>
>I have to state the obvious, something bad happened for the seal...

Yebbut 'it's only a seal' etc. Unless you're suggesting that selkie
tales etc. are cleverly distributed seal propaganda? ;-)


-- 
"I have a hobby...I have the world's largest collection of sea shells. 
I keep it scattered on beaches all over the world. Maybe you've seen 
some of it... "

"Jani"  wrote in message 
news:g3dt6s$1q4k$1@energise.enta.net...
>
> "Halla"  wrote in message 
> news:rhqd5450v5v9g1h05jbtc5n8t2evi0n9vu@4ax.com...
>
> "Ha, see, it's only a seal really, and look
>> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>
> Nothing will happen *immediately*.
>
> Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase: "think 
> on".

We still do in my family and its nowt to do with Wicca - just being sort of 
Northern passive aggressive <G>

Jo

>
> Jani
>

Jo Blair wrote:
> Jani wrote
> > Halla wrote

> >> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>
> > Nothing will happen *immediately*.
>
> > Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase: "think
> > on".
>
> We still do in my family and its nowt to do with Wicca - just being sort of
> Northern passive aggressive <G>

Yannow, I reckon it's less of a northern thing, and more of a people
with sense thing. 'S gotta be, 'cause my mom and dad used to use it on
me, and we ain't northern (nor southern for that matter, well, 'less
you're northern yourself, and so I s'pose that'd make us southern to
you ;)).

--
trin

On Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:09:44 -0700 (PDT), trin
 blethered:

>Jo Blair wrote:
>> Jani wrote
>> > Halla wrote
>
>> >> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>>
>> > Nothing will happen *immediately*.
>>
>> > Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase: "think
>> > on".
>>
>> We still do in my family and its nowt to do with Wicca - just being sort of
>> Northern passive aggressive <G>
>
>Yannow, I reckon it's less of a northern thing, and more of a people
>with sense thing. 'S gotta be, 'cause my mom and dad used to use it on
>me, and we ain't northern (nor southern for that matter, well, 'less
>you're northern yourself, and so I s'pose that'd make us southern to
>you ;)).

You're all Southerners from where I'm sitting. ;-)






































And if that doesn't shake some Highlanders from the rafters then...
it's all been in vain! ;-)


-- 
I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. 
I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice 
activated and bio-degradable.

"Halla"  wrote in message
news:vim564ta15ka510alc7ovbujhacuqliq58@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:09:44 -0700 (PDT), trin
>  blethered:
>
> >Jo Blair wrote:
> >> Jani wrote
> >> > Halla wrote
> >
> >> >> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
> >>
> >> > Nothing will happen *immediately*.
> >>
> >> > Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase:
"think
> >> > on".
> >>
> >> We still do in my family and its nowt to do with Wicca - just being
sort of
> >> Northern passive aggressive <G>
> >
> >Yannow, I reckon it's less of a northern thing, and more of a people
> >with sense thing. 'S gotta be, 'cause my mom and dad used to use it on
> >me, and we ain't northern (nor southern for that matter, well, 'less
> >you're northern yourself, and so I s'pose that'd make us southern to
> >you ;)).
>
> You're all Southerners from where I'm sitting. ;-)

*sticks tongue out and rasps*
Not my damn fault the great gramps decided to up sticks and move to
Teesside. Mind you, if they hadn't we could still be living in a Glasgow
slum LOL
My lot are both Northern AND common :-P

>
>
>
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>
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>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> And if that doesn't shake some Highlanders from the rafters then...
> it's all been in vain! ;-)

Do they live in rafters? I thought they all lived in quaint crofts with the
sheep

*runs and hides*


Jo

On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:49:42 +0100, "Jo B..."
<spirit_craft(antispam)@hotmail.com> blethered:

>
>"Halla"  wrote in message
>news:vim564ta15ka510alc7ovbujhacuqliq58@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:09:44 -0700 (PDT), trin
>>  blethered:
>>
>> >Jo Blair wrote:
>> >> Jani wrote
>> >> > Halla wrote
>> >
>> >> >> I can kill it and nothing bad will happen!"?
>> >>
>> >> > Nothing will happen *immediately*.
>> >>
>> >> > Before the Wiccan rede was invented, we in the north had a phrase:
>"think
>> >> > on".
>> >>
>> >> We still do in my family and its nowt to do with Wicca - just being
>sort of
>> >> Northern passive aggressive <G>
>> >
>> >Yannow, I reckon it's less of a northern thing, and more of a people
>> >with sense thing. 'S gotta be, 'cause my mom and dad used to use it on
>> >me, and we ain't northern (nor southern for that matter, well, 'less
>> >you're northern yourself, and so I s'pose that'd make us southern to
>> >you ;)).
>>
>> You're all Southerners from where I'm sitting. ;-)
>
>*sticks tongue out and rasps*

That sounds painful, commiserations. ;-)

>Not my damn fault the great gramps decided to up sticks and move to
>Teesside. Mind you, if they hadn't we could still be living in a Glasgow
>slum LOL

Possibly not the same one though, they did demolish and rebuild then
demolish and rebuild some of them after all. I believe bits of the
Gorbals are now being demolished for the third time, or possibly this
is the second phase of the second demolitions, I've lost track. I
didn't know any of that as a child though, and used to wonder why
anyone had built a lonely pub all on its own at the corner of what
looked like a street, only there were no other buildings between the
pub and the high rise flats.

>My lot are both Northern AND common :-P

Heh.

>
>>
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>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>> And if that doesn't shake some Highlanders from the rafters then...
>> it's all been in vain! ;-)
>
>Do they live in rafters? I thought they all lived in quaint crofts with the
>sheep

I thought they'd all moved to cities - Inverness or Aberdeen for the
nightlife and Glasgow for the TV industry.

>
>*runs and hides*

<also runs and hides>


-- 
I’m in-the-moment, on-the-edge, over-the-top and under-the-radar. 
A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistic missionary.