The comma, the horror! Couldn’t help but focus on that myself!

Well they got one thing right…They didn’t turn out well.

And seven fingers

I spent two months or so travelling around the north and south islands and barely saw any sheep! Far more cows strangely. I didn’t feel like I had missed anything and wasn’t actively looking gor them, but it was surprising!

I know, and they just keep trying to walk the ball into the net.

It amazes me that no-one ever seems to say (not that I have seen, at least)…Isreal is a western, democratic state with nuclear weapons in the middle east.

It’s basically a major power base for the west in the predominantly arab part of the world.

Anything else is a side arguement as far as I’m concerned.

I certainly agree that a fact simply is, noting your lack of belief, however communication is only possible through description so I suspect some somantics here. My point was that within an arguement, opinions can be extrapolated from known facts to suggest unkown/unproven facts, if only so to the individuals involved. Essentially this is that basis of any argument - to exchange ideas/possibilities etc to reach the ultimate goal of determining what is a fact.

Though, as you say, many discussions and arguments, especially in a casual scenario, are taken as exercises in ‘winning’ rather than with the aforementioned aim. I agree this is frustrating and understand your stance.

Re respect. If you respect a person (your approach being much the same as my own), does that not preculde that you respect what they say?, at least in most instances, even if they are mistaken or incorrect? Though I think there may be two points here, one re emotional beliefs & one re fact-based beliefs. The latter being more what I’ve been refering to. Emotional beliefs are much closer to pure opinion than facts.

I don’t think in terms of respect about something like this as this leans towards some kind of snobbery or predudice. Either I agree or don’t. Regardless of any perceived level of knowledge or intelligence behind an argument, I’ll respond as a point of advancing shared knowledge rather than trying to ‘win’.

Unfortunately there are many subjects where all the facts aren’t known, therefore opinions must be discussed to advance the understanding and ultimately help to establish future facts. Also, one person’s believed facts may be a misunderstanding, for example, hence why discussions and arguments may happen.

As such, there is (nearly) always a point to it!

The owl look great and I’m glad you explained what the fish was for! ;) drinks cover is a good idea too :)

Having The Doctor as a contestant on Master Chef…now that would be messing with the programming. Soufflé girl could work though…

On a side thought, Master Cheif as a Disney princess…

Good point, I’d forgotten about that. The intro special to the new series does already show a certain step up special effects. Not sure I’m overly keen on that, the roughness has always been a bit of a charm for me!

Definitely the most disturbing part. I could live with the rest of it.

I see your threes and raise you fourteens! Snapped this just yesterday:)

Alas, I’ll never be able to afford Airwolf!

She did knock off her arch enemy using voodoo, marry a russian hitman and be the first woman on Mars, pretty badass that!

It’s pronounced bouqueeet!

It’s definitely tough when you get criticised just for chilling out. My advice is to try and not be offended by those comments unless they come from people close or important to you. Ask yourself: why does their opinion matter/what value does it actually have? Is it jyst a throwaway comment from a e.g. stranger or friend of a friend of a friend. You do not need other’s opinions to validate yourself, so long as you’re not causing harm to anyone else, keep doing what you’re doing because it’s good for you and leave the busibodies to their ignorant opinion and to waste only their time and effort on it, not yours.

Ps you share my broad approach of treating others well if they treat me well. Thumbs up for that!

I think the problem with your comment was that you summed it up by saying ‘it’s simple’ when it’s a time of our lives when we start to have some freedom to explore our desires (sexual or otherwise) without the control/pressures of home and/or school life. There’s also ongoing peer pressures pushing and pulling us about. It is nothing like a simple time in our lives (hence why so many people go online and talk about if, as you highlighted).

Yes, I’d agree with the sentiment to keep treating others well and to be patient (broadly what my approach to life has been, now 45 so older like you), but it certainly isn’t easy or simple to do especially when there’s a lot of seeing others having what you don’t.

It’s one more than ten, so yeah, it’s better.