The Bluestocking: the one where AI finally learns what a blackbird is (we hope)

[Magpiecomplex]

Welcome all, New Year (nearly), new thread!

I looked 'bum' up in a couple of dictionaries of Hiberno-English, and one of them (Bernard Share's Slanguage I think) gives it an American Civil War origin and suggests that it may be derived from an Irish word I've already forgotten (bom . . . ?) meaning to boast or brag. Considering the huge number of Irish who fought on both sides in that war, and the scope for camp-followers during and after, that sounds credible.

How's this for Pedant's Corner? Fella was just complaining because the narrator of a wildlife programme called a grizzly bear a carnivore. He said it was wrong because they are omnivores. I maintained the narrator was correct because carnivore is what they are, their Order I think, omnivore is their diet.

To save me starting a thread in AIBU what's your thinking?

You're correct, Cake. Fella can shut his cakehole...
With all the confidence of the recently be-Wikied, I didn't know that they are Ursus arctos horribilis. Seems a bit mean, calling them horribilis. No wonder they have such a reputation - I'd be pissed off too!

They aren't obligate carnivores the way cats are. But if a hungry bear was eyeing me I wouldn't put much faith in distracting it with a baked potato. I think my learned judgement on this matter is 'it depends what you mean by carnivore'.

'horribilis' in Classical Latin means 'terrifying', 'dreadful' (with the meaning 'filling someone with dread').

I reckon that's fair enough.

Makes sense! I never had the opportunity to learn Latin. German and French were what my school offered.

I suppose he could quibble, strictly speaking (I think) they're Carnivoran but any road up there's no Order Omnivora.

I do find it odd though to think of pandas being carnivores.

Cloudy here.

I do find it odd though to think of pandas being carnivores.

Well, that's just silly.

Labour making another tiktok?

Surely pandas are Bambooivores?

<Whispers to @Chersfrozenface >

I've hidden some oxycontin, some temazepam, a couple of spliffs and a lighter in the bottom of the bag under the grapes. You'll be off your tits in no time 😘

Cutie-vores

I'm obviously already off my tits as I hadn't noticed Cher appears to have had a whole leg removed!

<goes off to find different image...>

Oops! That was an unfortunate mistake to have made about Cher - If you could turn back time, eh?
I notice she's getting grapes intravenously now, and that seems to have restored the missing leg, so all's well now

I was watching Vera and they had the Unthanks sing Magpie.

I think it's a folk song and it maybe this song that provided the first lines used for the kids' show Magpie.

But it's a beautiful witchy song and I thought I would post the lyrics here for @Magpiecomplex.

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
Five's for silver, six for gold
Seven's for a secret, never told
Devil, devil, I defy thee
Devil, devil, I defy thee
Devil, devil, I defy thee

Oh, the Magpie brings us tidings
Of news both fair and foul.
She's more cunning than the Raven,
More wise than any Owl.
For she brings us news of the harvest;
Of the barley, wheat, and corn.
And she knows when we'll go to our graves,
And how we shall be born.

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
Five's for silver, six for gold
Seven's for a secret, never told
Devil, devil, I defy thee
Devil, devil, I defy thee
Devil, devil, I defy thee

She brings us joy when from the right,
Grief when from the left.
Of all the news that's in the air,
We know to trust her best.
For she sees us at our labor,
And she mocks us at our work.
And she steals the eggs from out of the nest.
And she can [mob the hawk?].

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
Five's for silver, six for gold
Seven's for a secret, never told
Devil, devil, I defy thee
Devil, devil, I defy thee
Devil, devil, I defy thee

The priest, he says we're wicked
For to worship the Devil's bird.
Ah, but we respect the Old Ways,
And we disregard his word.
For we know they rest uneasy,
As we slumber in the night.
And we'll always leave out a little bit of meat
For the bird that's black and white

One's for sorrow, two's for joy
Three's for a girl, and four's for a boy
Five's for silver, six for gold
Seven's for a secret, never told

The song can be seen here:

Oh, I like that, Myrtle!

Much better than the kids tv theme tune!

Thanks for the panda, @MarieDeGournay . Are there any other animals which so resemble a chubby child attempting gymnastics? - the forwards roll was particularly delightful.

You're welcome. It was haunting and magical x

Thank you Myrtle, that's beautiful in a spooky kind of way.

The Unthanks song is a modern 'take' on the traditional rhyme, by David Dodds
Sound Tradition sang Magpie in 2017 on their CD Well Met, My Friend. They noted:
Apparently, David Dodds had given a lift to an old lady who insisted on quoting: “Devil, devil, I defy thee”, and spitting of the floor of his new car every time she saw a magpie (a traditional response to counteract the bird’s supposedly evil effect). Understandably, it didn’t go down too well. However, it resulted in this wonderful song. A well-known superstitious rhyme is used as a chorus; also included are many widely held folk beliefs about the bird.
The Magpie [David Dodds]

It really emphasises the creepiness of magpies. Wonderfully sung by the Unthanks.

I still think magpies are such handsome and elegant birds, and as I've said before, I love that they always appear impeccably dressed for dinner, even if it's only a dry crust

Needless to say I had to look into the origin of the unusual name Unthank - the most plausible seems to be from the Anglo-Saxon unþanc, without leave or permission, meaning a squatted piece of land .

Needless to say I had to look into the origin of the unusual name Unthank - the most plausible seems to be from the Anglo-Saxon unþanc, without leave or permission, meaning a squatted piece of land .

There are a lot of places called Unthank in the north of England and Scotland en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unthank

<wanders in with ice on my boots and coat>

Been busy fiddling with one of my few Xmas pressies, basically an air fix model for old biddies, a stick it together miniature greenhouse.

Am doing well thus far with no instruction fails.

To my left the pedant discussions, to my right drugs.

Hi boily how are you doing?

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I saw a Myrtle Lion prowling on another thread. Just giving you a heads up @WhiteHairedMyrtle in case it wasn't you.