Message Forum

Jack and Mike,

Well said.

But help me clear up some confusion - I am old and getting feeble minded.

Is the correct term "A Bull in a China Shop" or is it "A Bully in a China Shop".

02/23/25 01:46 PM

#15083

Dave:

I'm going to assume, just for the hell of it, that you are asking that as a legitimate question.

So:

Let's start by asking: which makes more sense as an idiom that is meant to create an image symbolizing a scenario in which a very dangerous and explosive person or thing is introduced in a situation, rendering it perilous for all involved. Which one of those two options would also be more colorful and exagerrated, as idioms tend to be?

Granted, both the bull and the bully would be problematical. But if you were to picture it happening in your own mind, or, say, if you were a filmmaker pulling it together as a scene, or a storyteller using the idiom to liven up his story, which would you choose?

Not to put you under any pressure here but I'll be inclined to judge you as to whether or not your are a sensible human being who can take care of yourself or, on the other hand, whether it's best for us to start looking around on your behalf for a situation where you'll be cared for and fed well and tucked into bed safely each night.

And what self respecting macho sneering smelly-armpits bully would be caught dead in a prissy little china shop in the first place?

02/23/25 02:06 PM

#15084

Well sure we've had chats here lately on what some may consider more important matters, but as for me it was the sober - nay, scholarly - discussion of one particular meaning of the word "digital" on this site is what made my day.

As energizing as it was, even the back and forth about bullying and bulls comes in second place. Though I have to admit it made me snort a time or two.

02/23/25 02:44 PM

#15085

James Hamilton, M. D.

Pathways of TDS

1. Worsening TDS -- Admit to General Hospital Ward - (worsens) - Transfer to ICU - ( worsens) - Code Blue - Put on Life Support - Vegetative State.

2. Worsening TDS -- Cognative Behavioral Therapy (Improvement) - Acceptance and able to live with it.

Jim

02/23/25 03:12 PM

#15086

Mike,

I do not feel guilty. Just bored as hell. I have actually found my last resort to fight it. I have finally begun to write a book. I can pick it up or put it down as the mood strikes me.

02/23/25 04:00 PM

#15087

John Jackson

Jim, since you obviously don’t suffer from TDS you must not be upset about Trump’s attempt to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. And I guess that even though he tried this once, you're not concerned that he might try it again.

I assume you’re also OK with his pardon of the Jan. 6 rioters.

And both Trump and J.D. Vance have said that they might ignore court rulings that they don't agree with - that's not a big deal - right?

And you're fine that co-President Musk is calling the shots in areas where his many government contracts involve blatant conflict of interest questions? Surely he doesn't fit the description of an oligarch.

Am I wrong that you think turning Gaza into "the Riviera of the Middle East" is a good idea? And ditto for turning Canada into the 51st State? And that we should take over Greenland?

And you’re fine with Trump going out of his way to stick his finger in the eye of our closest friends overseas, abandoning alliances that Republican and Democratic Presidents have labored to uphold and strengthen since the end of WWII?

And surely you think that Trump cozying up to Putin and rewarding his aggression by selling out Ukraine is no big thing.

But can you tell us why?

02/23/25 09:46 PM

#15088

Mike,

I should cautuion you that nothing I ever ask is a "legitimate" question.

(other than asking the Nuns permission to go to the bathroom)

02/23/25 09:56 PM

#15089

Geography was always my favorite subject.

02/24/25 12:08 AM

#15090

I sure wish I knew why so many people like trump. The surveys along those lines come back saying fears about the economy and immigration were what folks who voted for him cited as reasons. But that's not what I'm taking about. The guy's icky. I could never vote icky.

02/24/25 10:23 AM

#15091

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Jim. You lost me for a second. I wondered What is"tds"?

went down a few dead ends before i ran across "trump derangement syndrome" which i assume is what you had in mind - meant to describe, from what I gathered, people who don't like what trump represents as being crazy.

And after thinking it over I'd have to agree with the overall word usage applicability. "Derangement" sure comes in handy in summing up the situation we find ourselves in as a country given a president who dials back support from longtime allies and recently fired an array of high end generals who disagreed with him. It's quite the derangement arrangement.

PS that approval rating chart on trump is quite the eye opener.

"May you live in interesting times."

Ever heard that expression? It's a little dated.

Maybe everybody knows this but I had to look it up. It's British and tongue in cheek. It means the opposite of what it looks like. It means "the xxxx has certainly hit the fan, and we're in for a rough ride these days."

ps: mary margaret. in all seriousness this place would be boring as hell without you, so good on you to that extent at the very least.

02/24/25 12:13 PM

#15092

02/24/25 01:50 PM

#15093

Sowell is brilliant. Only problem is any time I read him I wind up walking away depressed. seems so fatalistic.

I'm gonna muzzle myself for a bit.

retiring has made me blabby.

back in a few.

I tire of this. (fanning himself). Truth be told I only post on this forum to save it from itself. yes i'm just kidding. can't say we aren't paying attention to current events.

02/24/25 04:37 PM

#15094

I have long respected Tom Sowell as one of the leading thinkers in conservative circles. But the prior interview seem so broad and vague I can't tell what his point is?

Must be my slow witted nagging old age and again.

02/24/25 08:14 PM

#15095

https://www.forbes.com/sites/omerawan/2025/02/20/cdc-halts-successful-flu-vaccination-campaign-sparking-health-concerns/

Alright will the person who sent me this, please reveal yourself.

02/24/25 09:53 PM

#15096

John Jackson

Joe, brilliant solution – way more effective than anything Trump/DOGE will do!

And now that we’re in the worst flu season since 2009, HHS Secretary RFK Jr is doing his bit to prevent pesky seniors like us from living too long by canceling the CDC program to encourage flu vaccination:

02/25/25 01:41 PM

#15097

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Yesterday I was invited to attend an invitation only showing at the Packard Museum. The invitation was from a friend who is co-president of the regional Morgan Car Collector/Owners club. Without that I would never have been permitted to view one man's collection of these beautiful automobiles.

Sorry some of the pictures turned counterclockwise.

Now I queitly turn the Forum back to a Professional - Mike

02/25/25 03:12 PM

#15098

Joe...I have had a fascination and love of any type of antique cars and I have always loved going to car shows, especially cars from the 40's, 50's and 60's!! My favorites in this collection are that stunning blue car with white walled tires with the spare tire on the side of the car! Is it a Mercedes or a Rolls? I also love the deep maeve (?) colored car. Thanks for sharing.

02/25/25 08:37 PM

#15099

James Hamilton, M. D.

Joe McC.,

Not only fabulous automobiles, but also great photos of them. 📸

Next stop: maybe Jay Leno's garage?

Jim

02/25/25 09:47 PM

#15100

Mary Margart, you had me going for a minute, alright two or three. But I remember you were pretty sharp in high school so I'm not going to say look at the pictures again and the ones that show the front of the buiding state "PACKARD MUSEUM".

Most of these were built in Detroit it was towards the end of it's life when Packard moved to Indiana.

There are twenty or so of the cars in the "Showroom". His workers are rebuilding another in the backroom that thy expect to have ready for the showroom in about one year.

Very roughly I figure his collection is worth between $2 and $5 million.

In one of the pictures I tried to show the "second" windshield for the passengers in the rear seat when the convertible top is down. That is the Red converible.

02/25/25 09:50 PM

#15101

And now for a commercial, sorry Mike you can have the forum back in just a minute.

02/26/25 08:30 AM

#15102

Mary margaret: we had a dark blue packard when i was a kid. sorry if i mentioned already. sleek outlines with the heart and the heft of a tank. slamming a door generated a fourth of july level repercussion that popped your ears if you were sitting in the fuzzy back seat, sticky on hot days because of no ac. It was a hand me down from my mom's father, a doctor who operated out of his office/examining room adjacent to his two story brick home on main street that i have mentioned here before.

boy do i wish i had that packard. the upholstery was thick and kinda scritchy as i recall. no seat belts back then. but swear to God the steel was steelier then. Tank you very much indeed.

02/26/25 01:00 PM

#15103

I should have interjected that Thee Packard, in it's time, was looked by Rolls Royce, Bentley and Mercedes as something they wanted to emulate. Yes, they were so far advanced on many levels that many placed them at the top of the list.

I was told that during the first world war, and the depression, sales dropped significantly because they cars would use so much gasoline that it would cost the equivalent of almost a months wages just to drive it to the market and back. Probably a tall tale.

Now Mike continue to interrupt.

02/26/25 01:38 PM

#15104

My Aunt Norma Mitchell drove several Packards and I just rember the weirdet feature. It had a self leveling thing that if my cousin Jim and I would sit on one rear corner, it would automaticaly raise that lower corner with a slight buzz sound.

And speaking of old weird cars, my dad drove a Studebaker (one of the ugliest cras ever designed) - see photo of our driveway. I beleive that's 1952 (or '53) model. (In the lower right foreground is a 1948 model nose-picking brat)

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Maxima Culpa! I believe I may have lied. the 1948 model "Brat" is NOT a nose-picking model, but is in fact the earlier "thumb sucking" model. So sorry.

02/26/25 02:01 PM

#15105