G force! Omg! I totally forgot about that one. I guess that was my intro to anime cuz I watched it in elementary school wayyyy before speed racer. At the time we had no idea it was Japanese. It was just cool. Also RoboTech !

Long meandering thought dump ahead…

I finally closed on the sale of my old house. It will be a few weeks before I close on my new one, but it's nice to have one big mental burden removed.

I was worried that my new house was too rural a locale and would have limited internet options and spotty cell service. I'm not sure about the latter, but I found out the current owner has high speed cable internet. So I'm less worried about that. It is located about 20 miles from the nearest groceries. I will have to adapt after spending the last five years in the heart of a small city with all the city services.

I'm heading to an Airbnb with my dogs tomorrow to start my new job Sunday. The Airbnb is even further out in the countryside than my new house.

I haven't drawn in many months now, and I miss it.

Unrelated to those big changes: My last group of pet rats turns two this week. I'll be without rats within a year. I've had pet rats (from this same line) since 2001.

Everything is changing. It needs to change. But it's unnerving. At least the dogs can join me at every step of this.

And I will get back to webcomics once I'm settled. But I'm giving up my paid webhosting. I used it for my rat breeding and my webcomics mirror. But it's an insane expense for that. Especially since now it's just Used Books, and Used Books is here, so why bother?

Everybody's talking about these old Cartoon Network shows, and I remember far enough back to have seen shows like Toon Heads, the old public domain cartoons, and all the random Hanna Barbera Saturday morning shows they used to air. I must be one of the few 30-somethings that knows of a show like Centurions (“Power Extreme!”)

Best of luck with all the changes, Usedbooks!

Ah money worries…

-I just had to pay for some fixes to the site, that'll come to about $400 AUD.
-I got a bill for my ambulance ride today, that is $1027 AUD for a 10 minute hospital transfer ride where the ambulance people did nothing. I could have flown to the USA for that.
-I'll have to pay for the cap to go on a tooth next week, the completion of a root canal. That will probably cost close to $1000 or over…. I don't even know.


ARGH…

Ozoneocean wrote:
Ah money worries…

-I just had to pay for some fixes to the site, that'll come to about $400 AUD.
-I got a bill for my ambulance ride today, that is $1027 AUD for a 10 minute hospital transfer ride where the ambulance people did nothing. I could have flown to the USA for that.
-I'll have to pay for the cap to go on a tooth next week, the completion of a root canal. That will probably cost close to $1000 or over…. I don't even know.


ARGH…

WTF? That ambulance ride cost you a little short of my monthly salary! You could go skydiving twice from that amount. This is baaaaaaad.

You need to do your dental work in Central Europe, or anywhere south-east from that. A root canal cap costs like 80 AUD here. Just schedule a holiday trip, do all your dental work you need for the next 20 years and we'll chill with a beer. You might even buy some traditional costume for your collection or look up a few local providers if those cost less for web stuff.

InkyMoondrop wrote:
You need to do your dental work in Central Europe, or anywhere south-east from that. A root canal cap costs like 80 AUD here. Just schedule a holiday trip, do all your dental work you need for the next 20 years and we'll chill with a beer. You might even buy some traditional costume for your collection or look up a few local providers if those cost less for web stuff.

My private health insurance might cover the ambulance because they have it marked as an “emergency” on the bill… because they were taking me to hospital to see if I'd fractured my spine or had a head injury.
So if that happens than PHEW!!!!! O_O
If not then F**K

…

SERIOUSLY? $80? AUD?
Are you joking? That's so cheap!
Are they good with minimising pain though? I m a wimp when it comes to pain, especially dental. And these guys were really quite good at taking the pain level down to almost zero.

But yeah, if you can recommend me a good Central European Dentist and it only costs that much I would be there man! I have 3 more teeth that will need that work. My bestie in Serbia said it was pretty cheap there too.

But yeah, if you can recommend me a good Central European Dentist and it only costs that much I would be there man! I have 3 more teeth that will need that work. My bestie in Serbia said it was pretty cheap there too.

What I mentioned is the average price for that procedure in Hungary. And sometimes even cheaper. Lots of good dentists, foreigners as well, it really comes down to the reviews, but I imagine most wouldn't ask for more, than a 100 even with extra costs. Like to give you an example, I went to a cheap place with a chinese staff but a local dude did my teeth, he had to drill, cap, grind and replace one with a bridge, I went there 4-5 times over the course of two months to get it done and even that was under a 1000 AUD total. I imagine even a better dental place wouldn't've charged me more, than 1300 for it all. The painkiller varies from place to place. Some like to save money on the lido, but they give injections and after the needle hits you can hardly feel anything other than discomfort (unless it's inflammed, but then you'd have to wait anyway for it to go down). So even if you don't pay extra, they'll numb it.

Sorry, I probably misunderstood. So if you need a crown for the tooth, that's more, but it's still about half the price of what you mentioned here, or less, depending on the quality.

WTF !
Ozone, are those prices WITHOUT insurance ?
the most Ive ever paid for dental work was 7,500 Yen. I dunno what that is in Australian money but prolly around 50 bucks. I think it was like a root canal or a cap or some shit, seroius stuff where it took multiple visits andd they had to make mold of my toth or something.

I get my antidepressants and tranquilizers for hella cheap too



Medics over there be straight gouging! its fucking robbery

So even in Japan is cheap for dentistry? Wowsers…
I will habe to start investigating dental tourism hahaha!

Damn!

—

I occasionally this meme about girls being told to “smile” by strangers and how offensive it is and how no one ever say that to guys. 😅😅😅
What world are these people from?
People have always said that to me since I was a little kid (usually women), and I hear it said to other guys just as often as I've ever hear it said to women.

It's so strange to me that people imagine that's only said to women.

So many people just lack experience with the rest of the world…

Yeah, same here. The worst was random dudes at parties that would come up to me and ask “why you mad dawg?” And shit like that. Or the time a fucking literal nazi chased my car and kicked the door cuz he thought I was leering at his girlfriend. I don't smile unless I feel like it

Ozoneocean wrote:
So even in Japan is cheap for dentistry? Wowsers…
I will habe to start investigating dental tourism hahaha!

Damn!

According to this, Turkey might be your best shot if you wanna save money.

Never used to smile. Rarely if ever, but after 2003? Smile all the time. Be surprised all what a difference a genuine smile can make in personal interactions. That stupid adage about “smile and the world smiles with you. Cry and you cry alone is true ”

As far as dentistry, I live in the nation of way overpriced dentists. My crown costs over $3000 USD. That's not including the extraction and post. All told it'll cost more than my wife and mine cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean where I got to meet Tantz. But insurance covers most of but there's still over a $1000 USD we paid out of pocket. Still paying off my eye surgery from four years ago. People out west routinely go to Mexico for dental work.

Got an email from my employer offering congratulations on my fifteen years with the company. I got to choose a free gift. I really did need a new radio. The one I have is so old it has a cassette player in it. Must be from the 1980s. Tuning is going as are the switches. Have to flip the one just right or all the sound comes out muted.

@Inkmoondrop- Thanks! Overall the cheapest seems to be Hungary, of you add up the root canal and the crown together. So looks like a great travel option.

Hmmmm, I could go back to Serbia and have a road trip with my friend there up to Budapest. It's a possibility!

@Bravo- radio? I only listen to them streaming online now.
I had such a cool little transistor radio that I got as a gift from my elderly great aunt Molly who was a nun. She got it in Africa during her work there. I still have it and used to listen to that one all the time but I broke years ago :(

Ozoneocean wrote:
@Inkmoondrop- Thanks! Overall the cheapest seems to be Hungary, of you add up the root canal and the crown together. So looks like a great travel option.

Hmmmm, I could go back to Serbia and have a road trip with my friend there up to Budapest. It's a possibility!

Sounds great, let me know if you get there, would love to meet the man behind the duck! :)

InkyMoondrop wrote:
Sounds great, let me know if you get there, would love to meet the man behind the duck! :)

I 100% will if I put that plan into action :)

—————–

I'm having a bad day with the pain from my accident today. It's just getting me down that I cant even bend down to take off my shoes without pain ripping into my chest and back. I can't get out of bed in the morning without it punishing me and I can't even roll over in bed at night. I can't run, or breath deep or even sneeze (which hurts worst of all). I cant make sudden moments either.
I don't know why but it's making me sad.

It's getting a bit better every day to be honest, but it's still there and I'm moving like an invalid.

Sorry for monopolising the rant thread guys

Ozoneocean

Sorry for monopolising the rant thread guys

If no one else posts, you're not really monopolizing anything.

The world falls apart just a little bit more everyday. Stuff happens and it's really hard. I really can't stand being forced into the of Cassandra. Doomed to be right, but not heeded. A life of “told you so.”

That sounds horrendous, hope it gets better soon! Rant to your heart's content! Totes justified.

Ozoneocean wrote:

I'm having a bad day with the pain from my accident today. It's just getting me down that I cant even bend down to take off my shoes without pain ripping into my chest and back. I can't get out of bed in the morning without it punishing me and I can't even roll over in bed at night. I can't run, or breath deep or even sneeze (which hurts worst of all). I cant make sudden moments either.
I don't know why but it's making me sad.

It's getting a bit better every day to be honest, but it's still there and I'm moving like an invalid.

Sorry for monopolising the rant thread guys

Feeling much better now. I still have hard days where the pain flares up all over my back or chest, but it's a lot better now when it's not in a flare up. I can actually get out of bed in the mornings without suffering and I can lift weights and do pushups again now. Still stiff and slow but I can do it.

It took about 2 weeks till my head was in order and my thinking was normal again. I was feeling just slightly out of touch for quite a while- a bit stupider, a bit more impulsive, not full “present”.

This rant might be a bit controversial:

Some weirdo BBC newsreader is in trouble for paying a 17 year old for photos.
And by paying I mean something like 37000 British pounds!
Apparently the 17 year old exposed the guy because they basically wanted more money for drugs or something.

This is crap. Sexual exploitation of minors is wrong but in this case this idiot is paying a fortune for basically nothing- for stuff this person is probably giving away free to people. And they took all that money and just wasted it on drugs and now they're ruining the creepy guy because they can't get more money.
At least two others of similar ages have come forward and made similar claims.

I just can't get behind blaming of villanising the guy. I don't care that they're that young because he apparently didn't do anything sexual to them and he paid them a literal fortune and yet they're trying to destroy him. That's sicker than they're trying to paint him.

——
I know a bit about the world of photography, though I only EVER photograph adult people and they pay ME for that, NOT the other way around.
But I've talked to people who started off as models when they were much younger and they were often paid for shoots like the teens in the story, so that's apparently normal. Though not paid nearly as much.

The story seems to be a part of the British tabloid driven appetite for sexual deviancy and it's sad and pathetic.

In Australia we have what's called “the tall poppy syndrome” where we like to criticise anyone who stands out too much, especially celebs that put on airs and graces. In the UK it's all about a sort of fake puritan fervor where people are hounded for anything to do with sex.
Which is justified in the case of pedophiles but it's rarely limited to them.

Which is justified in the case of pedophiles but it's rarely limited to them.

That word means absolutely nothing in today's day and age. It's used for age gap romances, for people who are attracted to minors, for people who sexually prey on minors and are predatory in behaviour, for people who ship the wrong fictional characters, sometimes even for 20 year olds who think a 17 year old looks hot. People use these interchangeably, it means literally nothing at this point.

As for the case in question, it sounds like he could've saved himself a whole lot of trouble if he just asked 18 year olds for photos, but to be honest whether this kind of a business was mutually exploitative or not does not really matter from a legal standpoint and if you're famous, you probably shouldn't assume buying anyone's nudes for a shitload of presumably hush money will go smoothly. At least not anymore.

InkyMoondrop wrote:
That word means absolutely nothing in today's day and age. It's used for age gap romances, sometimes even for 20 year olds who think a 17 year old looks hot.

This unfortunately reminds me of something that transpired between a couple of mutuals of mine well over a decade ago (I'm hesitant to call them friends in hindsight).

Let's just call them “Dante” and “Persophone” for the sake of identifying them but not by their real names. At the time, Dante was about 19-21 or so, and Persophone was 15 (I was also 19-20 at the time). Somehow or other, Dante and Persophone ended up falling for each other, but I foresaw messiness with such a romance, but the age difference was only part of the problem: after knowing him for some time, I came to realize what a manipulator Dante could be - a bit of a cunny and craft fox you might say, and even though Persophone was mosty smart and wise for her age, she clearly was still rather impressionable. Sure enough, I gradually began to see how Persophone was changing, and basically becoming a mirror image of Dante, which greatly concerned me . . . I'm not saying Dante was a bad guy persay, because he did have some good qualities about him, but he was very toxic, and considering he also studied psychology and stuff, he loved playing mind games with people - he'd even try to pull my wool cap over my eyes a time or two. I even tried to talk to Persophone about this at least once and address my concerns for her (apparently Dante even felt threatened that I was trying to vie for Persophone's affection, but that was hardly the case) but her explanation to me was she felt that she met her match in Dante, saying that she “could see a lot of herself in him.” It only got worse from there, and eventually, Persophone became just as toxic and manipulative as Dante to the point that I severed ties with both of them. I don't even know how long they remained together, or if they even remained together at all, but frankly, I didn't really care anymore.

But as far as their age difference was concerned, and I do remember addressing my concerns about their relationship being a pedophilic one to another friend of mine (who had been in a similar relationship with such an age gap once before), whose opinion on the matter was as long as Persophone consented, it wasn't morally pedophilic (legally was still a different matter, obviously). Dante was at least smart enough to not let his relationship with Perosphone evolve into a sexual one, but I don't think that quelled any sort of desires that either of them may have had at the time.

Either way, I'm on the fence about age differences and gaps between romantic partners, and not just because I too was once upon a time in love with a woman who was over three years older than I was. On the one hand, I can see the whole “age is just a number” argument, but on the other hand, even I think that the wider the age gap is (say over five years or so), the more problematic it could be - and yes, this is especially true of instances where one party may be over 18 (if only barely), while the other party is still under the legal age of consent. There's a good Storybooth video about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKPZ7h_0ekU

Either way, I'm on the fence about age differences and gaps between romantic partners, and not just because I too was once upon a time in love with a woman who was over three years older than I was. On the one hand, I can see the whole “age is just a number” argument, but on the other hand, even I think that the wider the age gap is (say over five years or so), the more problematic it could be - and yes, this is especially true of instances where one party may be over 18 (if only barely), while the other party is still under the legal age of consent.

I don't know what morally pedophilic means, I generally think such age gap romances you described, or ones where one party if about twice the other's age are a bad idea, because even though it's not unprecedented that two people with different ages being emotionally mature enough to handle such relationships and be together in harmony without toxicity, it's the exception, not the rule. There are significant cognitive differences, significant differences in lifestyle choices, etc and even two consenting adults struggle to make a relationship work in healthy ways sometimes. I did know people who were in a relationship with a significant age gap and it worked out, at least for the 7-8 years I've talked to them, but I'd argue, that from the older party, if the other is technically still a minor, there is always a huge moral responsibility that comes with this and that can't be negated by “she consented”. Many if not most people are simply not equipped to handle heavy responsibilities even with their peers of age.

About Ozone's post… I think soliciting nudes from a minor is immoral, regardless of someone being a pedophile or not, because it rewards behaviour and strengtens a culture where minors use their bodies to get attention in place of other ways to get it and I think that society going towards the idea that such or revenge porn or celeb leaks or child porn or whatever are harmless - is not a good direction. The more we lose our respect for other people's right to their privacy and bodily autonomy the less safe the world is going to be for our children to grow up. And I'm saying that as someone who could literally not care any less about what kind of fiction people jerk off to in the privacy of their homes, because as long as it doesn't harm anyone, your kink or fetish is none of my business.

Ugh. If there's one disservice I can think of the internet doing, it's widening the exposure to some of the weirdest and most abstract fetishes I have ever known, with deviantART perhaps being the biggest offender for such; I really wish I never learned what vore is, and to think that people get off to that . . . yeah, I can just imagine THE MUPPET SHOW being like porn for these guys, considering there was so much of characters eating other characters.

But, I digress, that's not exactly what we're discussing.

Unfortunately, part of the problem is that many contemporaries within our modern society are trying to normalize a lot of this morally questionable and reprehensible notions because they feel it shouldn't be demonized or have so much taboo placed upon it - some are even going so far as to compare it to the normalization of LGBTQ+ rights in recent years, which is quite a false equivalence if you ask me - and I know friends of mine in the LGBTQ+ community do not appreciate having such pedophiles and other sexual deviants trying to lump themselves into such a spectrum, but there are some out there who very much try to excuse their perversion as legitimate sexual identities . . . as a matter of fact, IIRC, there was actually an SVU episode about that very thing: a pedophile who was on trial for having a “consentual” relationship with a teenage girl actually tried to justify his attraction to underaged girls as a legitimate sexual orientation that should be normalized and not demonized like homosexuality. I'm also deeply disturbed when you look at the social media profiles of promiment young stars and content creators, and see comments from people who admit that they're thirsty for these young people despite being grown-ass adults.

But generally speaking, all of this just goes to show how much we've fallen as a civilized society.

Unfortunately, part of the problem is that many contemporaries within our modern society are trying to normalize a lot of this morally questionable and reprehensible notions because they feel it shouldn't be demonized or have so much taboo placed upon it - some are even going so far as to compare it to the normalization of LGBTQ+ rights in recent years, which is quite a false equivalence if you ask me - and I know friends of mine in the LGBTQ+ community do not appreciate having such pedophiles and other sexual deviants trying to lump themselves into such a spectrum, but there are some out there who very much try to excuse their perversion as legitimate sexual identities . . . as a matter of fact, IIRC, there was actually an SVU episode about that very thing: a pedophile who was on trial for having a “consentual” relationship with a teenage girl actually tried to justify his attraction to underaged girls as a legitimate sexual orientation that should be normalized and not demonized like homosexuality. I'm also deeply disturbed when you look at the social media profiles of promiment young stars and content creators, and see comments from people who admit that they're thirsty for these young people despite being grown-ass adults.

But generally speaking, all of this just goes to show how much we've fallen as a civilized society.

I don't find thoughts and emotions morally questionable, so if anyone wants to normalize not getting beaten to death for merely existing, my personal disgust makes no difference in the matter and I follow the live and let live rule, especially since I personally hate crowd mentality. If anyone wants to normalize harming, exploiting others in any way, I do have a problem with that individual, but based on actions, really. I want my future kids to grow up in a world where actions have consequences but whatever they turn out as psychosexually and whatever they fantasize about should not be enough for them to be treated as monsters. I know that's a radical stance, but I live in a country where the government applies your logic to oppress LGBT people and technically ban books with LGBT characters for anyone under 18+. I've seen plenty of harm what disgust, fearmongering and stigmatization can do in the name of “protecting the children”, so the point I subscribe to is that whatever fetishes, kinks or preferences people have, it's their business and if they harm anyone with their actions it's not just their business anymore. But I like to separate fiction from reality and individual from group when I meditate on these things. In any case, I don't think taboos help anyone. Some things should be accepted, like LGBT identites and some things should be at least medically researched by professionals and treated if necessary to reduce and prevent harm. Stigma and taboos hurt both causes, just like it hurts teenagers who feel different from the rest in any way and without support they are more likely to harm or kill themselves. As I said, where I live, that support is getting reduced to zero day by day.

Oh yeah, and people leaving creepy, sexually pumped up comments publicly under other people's pictures and videos bothers me as well. I could never get behind this thing, 100% not my cup of tea and is just generally offputting. Especially disturbing when it's a minor's content, but regardless of age, it's too much for someone like me. (except for like… commenting on plymayer's content, but obviously reading an adult comic on the Duck is not the same thing as going around on facebook and displaying arousal at someone's casual Sunday pilates photos.)

InkyMoondrop wrote:
I want my future kids to grow up in a world where actions have consequences

This. Right here. That's yet another problem in many cases, and something that some people admit that they don't even think about until it's too late; case in point: STDs, “accidental” pregnancies", etc.

I live in a country where the government applies your logic to oppress LGBT people and technically ban books with LGBT characters for anyone under 18+. I've seen plenty of harm what disgust, fearmongering and stigmatization can do in the name of “protecting the children”

That is exactly what the fanatical rightwing of our political system has actively been doing for the past several years, and a lot of it is even at state level . . . I'm sure you've heard a lot about what Governor Ron DeSantis has been doing to the state of Florida, where the basic concept is if you don't have white skin, don't speak perfect English without an accent, don't subscribe to Christianity, aren't wealthy, don't conform to gender norms, and aren't heterosexual, then you basically have no human rights whatsoever. Drag is now completely illegal in my state, so I guess that means I can't watch M*A*S*H anymore because of Corporal Klinger running around in dresses to get a discharge from the Army.

so the point I subscribe to is that whatever fetishes, kinks or preferences people have, it's their business and if they harm anyone with their actions it's not just their business anymore.

I can definitely go along with that, although if some could have their way, they would police even what people think in private to cure them of impure thoughts.

Oh yeah, and people leaving creepy, sexually pumped up comments publicly under other people's pictures and videos bothers me as well. I could never get behind this thing, 100% not my cup of tea and is just generally offputting. Especially disturbing when it's a minor's content, but regardless of age, it's too much for someone like me.

The most disturbing one I can remember was on YouTube years ago, somebody had posted a cute little video of their young daughter dancing - nothing wrong with that, but sure enough, there were a bunch of lewd comments from grown men expressing their thoughts about the girl and her dancing. Of course, there were others who were responding and condemning their comments as inappropriate and immoral, but there was one guy in particular who said something to the effect of that there was nothing wrong with expressing attraction to children, and likening it to picking fruit just before its ripened. No seriously, that's what they said. Then again, I've also heard some people likening pre-marital sex to test driving a car before purchasing. Once again, kind of false equivalence, but I suppose people are going to justify such thoughts and opinions how they can.

Of course, there were others who were responding and condemning their comments as inappropriate and immoral, but there was one guy in particular who said something to the effect of that there was nothing wrong with expressing attraction to children, and likening it to picking fruit just before its ripened. No seriously, that's what they said.

Yeah, some people stand by the notion that there's nothing wrong with making sexual advances on a child. And they're fucking unhinged.