The Lair

The York diocese has granted permission to exhume a Yorkshire aristocrat in the hope of finding clues about bird flu. This unfortunate diplomat died in the Spanish flu pandemic of 1919 and was buried in a lead lined coffin. The virus that killed him may have been preserved.

This or a scenario close to it has been the subject of only a few dozen blockbuster movies. The hapless researchers doing the digging up are among the first to die (unless they happen to be reasonably good looking females).

But back in the real world, this step does raise a few interesting questions - for example, if more people jump on the cryonics bandwagon - they could conceivably be thawed out in future to allow scientists to study viruses and other nasties that were frozen with them.

And interesting enough to not just be a snippet, 10 modern delusions. I would say Amen for 2, 8, 9 and 10 in particular but then I’d be contradicting delusion number 6 - Astrology and similar delusions are “harmless fun”. I also wish more people (especially those calling themselves economists online) understood delusion number 5 (Laissez-faire capitalism is the prerequisite for trade and prosperity) too. And also, I’m shocked, absolutely shocked that the Guardian saw fit to run a piece praising Thatcherite era policies.

And seen in an obscure IRC channel last night: various ogles and cringing over pictures, new names for glamour couples, yet more discoveries about Colombo (and miniscule degrees of separation with entirely the wrong sorts of people), lecherous thoughts over jailbait and other idle chatter.

[drac] the meeting of minds here is … portentous of great great advances in stalkery
[drac] [I didn't say annals. I am proud of myself]

[rastiadu] eww.
[rastiadu] really?
[rastiadu] it looks like caterpillars died on his forehead
[chickenbutt] yess that was the dude in the prom pic
[rastiadu] and are decomposing
* drac chortles
[chickenbutt] ‘ i want a nappy ‘ sorta pic
[drac] wooohoo.. a threesome

[s4ge] and i never DID THE FRICKIN BOOBIE LEAN DAMN YOu ALL TO HELL
[drac] OF COURSE you did
[s4ge] elric and his drunkeness. gah.
[drac] I dinstinctly remember a boobie lean when you were persuading him to take our movie round entries late
[drac] she went and chatted him up
[drac] it got to the point where she refused to let anyone else go
[s4ge] look, i can’t help it if i KNOW the guy
[s4ge] i had to say hi
[drac] I knew people in there too.. I just wave and then ignore - busily drown myself in beer
[drac] but nooooooooo
[s4ge] you fuggers made me go!
* drac sniggers
[drac] my current song is appropos of s4ge’s weak attempt at defending herself
* s4ge cringes
[s4ge] what’s your current song?
[drac] Pet Shop Boys - I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
* s4ge rolls her eyes
[drac] hey, I could have said “Love Comes Quickly”
[rastiadu] bwahaha
* s4ge shudders
[drac] or … “Rent”
[s4ge] i should just kill myself

[s4ge] i like the pretty boys. i like that they look like i could teach them a thing or two.
[drac] ok, that’s just WRONG

[drac] besides, my cache is filled with pics of [name edited for obvious reasons]
[rastiadu] GAH.
[drac] a case against me would collapse
[drac] they would however sue me for bad taste
[s4ge] oh, you’d hit that eh drac?
[drac] dude, it’s in my CACHE
[drac] my cache would hit it

[drac] if he isn’t teh ghey, that’s just GOTTA work
[rastiadu] just because he’s pretty, you think he’s gay?
[s4ge] i’m afraid he might be closet.
[drac] no, I’m saying that since he’s apparently pretty - he’ll think nothing of you two ladies offering him a threesome
[drac] us ugly types are far more suspicious
[rastiadu] HAHA

[drac] in the absence of anything to blog, I may excerpt parts of this conversation
[s4ge] it’ll be very inside jokish though
[drac] and this has bothered me, when?
[rastiadu] but that’s just up drac’s alley
[drac] thanks but err
[drac] let’s keep my alley out of this
[rastiadu] i was wondering, when the dirty alley would come up
[drac] yes, it’s the coming up that concerns me..
[rastiadu] all these people + inside jokes + alleys
[rastiadu] it’s just too much
[s4ge] oh the wrongness

And lots more like that. You probably had to be there.