Living Planet

[flatandy]

I found "hot cross buns" in the local supermarket yesterday. It is like a cat playing the piano, a woman throwing, or a conservative trying to show empathy. It's a total failure, but it's incredible that they've tried to do it at all.

The cross is basically a thick sugar icing. The "fruit" is that candied fruit you get in bad fruitcakes - bright pinks and greens. And there seems to be no spice at all. As a hot cross bun it was rubbish, and even as a generic toasted bread product it was pretty nasty. But, still, it's the first commercial hot cross bun I've ever seen in the US so it's kinda exciting.

[ootlg]

[perrykneeham]

England fan, I see.

[flatandy]

I thought that was his hot cross bun that he'd speared and was toasting over a fire, with the hordes of angels pleading to have a bite.

[mids]

An early attempt at LGBT Jesus.

[voice]

As it's Jesus Zombie day I'm celebrating by lurching to the top on a local mountain, beautiful sunny spring day here. BC going into a 3 week lockdown so the trails should be quiet.

[ootlg]

I've ripped up some floorboards and ripped out an old fire because something stank. Found a putrifying mouse. But it's good because the fireplace is defunct, the surround of no architectural interest, and I've discovered that the supporting oak beams are iron hard and in a good state. Now put it all back together again and plaster the wall.

All because of a f**k**g mouse.

[flatandy]

I took the new MTB out to ride on the local gravel rail trail just to see what the bike felt like. It turns out that the rail trail is mostly paved. Still, 40 miles is a good outing in the sun.

We will be eating the easter bunny later. As is traditional, we have got rabbit for dinner.

[perrykneeham]

Death sentence carried out on two Yardies who killed a West Indian grandmother:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-56633104

[flatandy]

I haven’t heard “Yardie” in a long time. It feels old and almost quaint, like the idea of the Italian mafia or East End cockney gangs when these days it’s all Yakuzas, Triads and Mexican cartels.

[perrykneeham]

Kew Gardens inextricably linked to colonialism:

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/02/the-guardian-view-on-botanical-gardens-inextricably-linked-to-empire

Yeah, so what?

These people need to be put to sleep.

[flatandy]

It's named after Sir Horace Gardens, Third Earl of Barnstead, who made his fortune collecting cannibal dung in West Africa and selling it to Indian farmers who he convinced that human faeces was a holy fertilizer. It's a terrible relic of imperial hauteur and arrogance.

[voice]

it was nice out today

[perrykneeham]

Nice shot. Very affecting.

[flatandy]

Voice lives in Mordor?

[perrykneeham]

"She did not break any rules, but Sarah Voss's full-body suit this week at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships defied convention.

Until now women and girls have only covered their legs in international competition for religious reasons.

Voss, from Germany, said she was proud of her decision and she was supported by her country's gymnastics federation.

Two team-mates then did the same on Friday, wearing full-body suits during the women's all-around final.

The German federation (DTB) said its gymnasts performing in the Swiss city of Basel were taking a stand against "sexualisation in gymnastics", adding that the issue had become all the more important to prevent sexual abuse."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56858863.amp

You know, we must be living in especially safe and uninteresting times for this to be a topic for concern. It's the first time that I've ever realised that leotards are sexy or sexualising. They don't do anything for me, probably because I associate leotards with little girls going to dance classes or doing gymnastics. I assumed that they were just practical sportswear. Granted, they look far better on a toned professional (adult) athlete but, even then, meh.

[mids]

So, not against the rules, nobody cares but a great blow has been struck for wwyymmyynn all the same.

[perrykneeham]

She's probably just too lazy to make herself presentable. German.

[mids]

Next week, bathing machines to be trialled for female swimmers at the Tokyo Olympics

[perrykneeham]

Haha. Yeah and full length dresses for beach volleyball with curtains to head height around the court.