Do any of our participants of the Jewish persuasion think a toy octopus is anti-Semitic?
(From National Review): "The show University Challenge is a quiz challenge in which two teams, each consisting of four students from a university, compete against one another in trivia knowledge. Christ Church College of Oxford University was featured in an episode that aired on Monday. The team’s mascot was a plush toy blue octopus that was perceived as a symbol of antisemitism. After the episode aired, some viewers suggested the team’s mascot was a reference to Nazi imagery, which depicted an octopus encircling the globe with its tentacles to signal control over society."
The interwebs went loo-loo.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this episode was filmed in March,” the statement continued. “The mascot is one of many chosen by the team during the course of the series and is one of their favourite animals.” The BBC further dismissed claims that one of the Oxford students was wearing the colors of a Palestinian flag. “The jacket worn by one of the contestants was navy blue, orange, pink and green, bought from a High Street retailer. It has no connection to any flag,” the BBC said. "
I got a yarn octopus for Daughter C at the Hospice Thrift Store in Leesburg, FL, last week, and I plan to get her some octopus cookies (from a girl on NextDoor) when she has her melanoma surgery. Also jellyfish.
My first Christmas with Pam, I took her Mom Janet to go sewing machine shopping, earning me "favorite SIL status". We got her a good sewing machine (still a "starter" one, but one that was well made). Pam loved sewing, making outfits, etc. She took a class on making ties, and I still have half a dozen ties, all whimsical. When pam died I gave the machine to Janet.
I remarried, and my wife Katie liked sewing, but had a very old machine. Due to her quilting room being overly cramped, Janet "lent" Katie Pam's sewing machine. The two began working on projects together, eventually attending a twice annual quilting retreat. Katie now leads the quilting group, it has grown from 12 women to over 55 (a group of 20 want to split off and form a new one, due to the size). Did I mention Katie supplanted me as "favorite in-law".
A few years later, I took Janet sewing machine shopping again, and we bought Katie a $2,500 dewing machine, a Husqvarna. It has all sorts of bells and whistles, but I am clueless what they are. We also cleared a room in the basement for her "quilting kingdom", although she refuses to make a fabric "moat" to put across the doorway.
Katie sews a lot of gifts for people. Two years ago at a family reunion she made 20 purses for her nieces. I wanted one to carry my kindle in, she said no, a 5 year old had claimed it first. As new babies come into our extended family, she makes each of them a baby quilt. On the back she uses alphabet fabric blocks to spell their name. Every teacher at school has a table runner Katie has made. My DIL has one with the periodic elements in it (she's a chemistry teacher). For the plumber in the family I asked her if she'd make one with poop emojis, but she said no. She makes 2-3 full quilts a year, all as gifts to people.
Janet is getting older, and has arthritis, she doesn't sew as much. She had promised a quilt to a granddaughter. Katie did 95% of the sewing. Janet wants to put Katie's name on the back of it, but Katie declined, she wants the quilt to be from Janet to the granddaughter.
So what I am thankful for? For so many things, to be sure. But I am thankful that a knucklehead like me asked my wife's mom for advice on a gift, and her advice has led to that gift touching the lives of hundreds of people, for a wife who gives out of joy.
Do any of our participants of the Jewish persuasion think a toy octopus is anti-Semitic?
(From National Review): "The show University Challenge is a quiz challenge in which two teams, each consisting of four students from a university, compete against one another in trivia knowledge. Christ Church College of Oxford University was featured in an episode that aired on Monday. The team’s mascot was a plush toy blue octopus that was perceived as a symbol of antisemitism. After the episode aired, some viewers suggested the team’s mascot was a reference to Nazi imagery, which depicted an octopus encircling the globe with its tentacles to signal control over society."
The interwebs went loo-loo.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this episode was filmed in March,” the statement continued. “The mascot is one of many chosen by the team during the course of the series and is one of their favourite animals.” The BBC further dismissed claims that one of the Oxford students was wearing the colors of a Palestinian flag. “The jacket worn by one of the contestants was navy blue, orange, pink and green, bought from a High Street retailer. It has no connection to any flag,” the BBC said. "
I got a yarn octopus for Daughter C at the Hospice Thrift Store in Leesburg, FL, last week, and I plan to get her some octopus cookies (from a girl on NextDoor) when she has her melanoma surgery. Also jellyfish.
I posted this on the mothership, but here goes.
Me? I'm grateful for my wive's sewing machines.
My first Christmas with Pam, I took her Mom Janet to go sewing machine shopping, earning me "favorite SIL status". We got her a good sewing machine (still a "starter" one, but one that was well made). Pam loved sewing, making outfits, etc. She took a class on making ties, and I still have half a dozen ties, all whimsical. When pam died I gave the machine to Janet.
I remarried, and my wife Katie liked sewing, but had a very old machine. Due to her quilting room being overly cramped, Janet "lent" Katie Pam's sewing machine. The two began working on projects together, eventually attending a twice annual quilting retreat. Katie now leads the quilting group, it has grown from 12 women to over 55 (a group of 20 want to split off and form a new one, due to the size). Did I mention Katie supplanted me as "favorite in-law".
A few years later, I took Janet sewing machine shopping again, and we bought Katie a $2,500 dewing machine, a Husqvarna. It has all sorts of bells and whistles, but I am clueless what they are. We also cleared a room in the basement for her "quilting kingdom", although she refuses to make a fabric "moat" to put across the doorway.
Katie sews a lot of gifts for people. Two years ago at a family reunion she made 20 purses for her nieces. I wanted one to carry my kindle in, she said no, a 5 year old had claimed it first. As new babies come into our extended family, she makes each of them a baby quilt. On the back she uses alphabet fabric blocks to spell their name. Every teacher at school has a table runner Katie has made. My DIL has one with the periodic elements in it (she's a chemistry teacher). For the plumber in the family I asked her if she'd make one with poop emojis, but she said no. She makes 2-3 full quilts a year, all as gifts to people.
Janet is getting older, and has arthritis, she doesn't sew as much. She had promised a quilt to a granddaughter. Katie did 95% of the sewing. Janet wants to put Katie's name on the back of it, but Katie declined, she wants the quilt to be from Janet to the granddaughter.
So what I am thankful for? For so many things, to be sure. But I am thankful that a knucklehead like me asked my wife's mom for advice on a gift, and her advice has led to that gift touching the lives of hundreds of people, for a wife who gives out of joy.
Happy Thanksgiving !