Notes of an Immortal Alchemist

The parable of the lost sheep

2006-09-13T15:32:00.000Z

The crevice was well hidden and the ewe was, after all, now content that she had her lamb. She saw now reason to bleat, even when the shepherd wandered about the rocks calling, cursing, and, eventually pleading. The shepherd had a hundred sheep; in fact, it was because he was the kind of man prepared to spend days looking for a lost sheep that he had a hundred sheep.

Terry Pratchett, Small Gods.

Caffine

2006-09-07T15:34:00.000Z

Caffeine was first isolated from coffee in 1820 and tea in 1827 and was named after the French for coffee, cafe. The formula for caffeine is C8H10O2N4, GMM 194, and its structure is shown in Figure 1.

Its name is 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione or 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. It is known as an alkaloid. An alkaloid is an n-containing compound of plant origin containing heterocyclic rings and one or more basic nitrogens. A heterocyclic ring is a ring containing atoms other than carbon. It belongs to the same chemical family as nicotine, morphine, codeine and cocaine. The essential amino acid tryptophan is also an alkaloid. A compound with a similar structure to caffeine is theobromine (which contains no bromine!), which is found in chocolate.

Theobromine does not contain bromine, despite its name. It is named after the tree theobroma cacao, the cacao tree from which chocolate is obtained. The name comes from the Greek theos (= god) + broma (= food), i.e. the food of the gods. The alkaloid theobromine was obtained from cocoa by adding the -ine ending used for alkaloids. (The apparent connection with bromine is thus fortuitous. However, the words broma and bromos are connected in Greek: bromos originally referred to the smell of food that had gone bad.) Cocoa contains around seven times more theobromine than caffeine.

...out there lies a circumstance

2006-08-21T17:37:00.000Z

Better the mornings hope than the stag at bay in the fall of night.
A foot to the stirrup and a swing of a leg.
Somewhere out there lies a circumstance that keeps the worst away.

The hunt is on.

Ship called Dignity

2006-08-17T11:02:00.000Z

and he takes no lip off nobody
and litter off the gutter
puts it in a bag
and never seems to mutter

Back then when we had nothing we clutched to our dignity as the only thing left. Now that we have everything...

It has come to this

2006-08-14T14:50:00.000Z

This article is the first bit of evidence showing that, while subsidies were horrendously flawed, they at least protected against shortages.

Heat

2006-07-20T14:36:00.000Z

We lay there in languidity, expressing delight at any gnat's fart of a breeze.

Collecting ones thoughts

2006-07-17T15:53:00.000Z

"I just popped out to collect my thoughts, I had left them on the bench by the bridge. Thankfully no one had run off with them."

Mislabelled Pessimism

2006-07-13T14:26:00.000Z

What is the point of being an optimist under a clear blue sky.

Deflecting Apologies

2006-07-12T15:08:00.000Z

It is but a leaf upon the track of my train wreck life.

The Universe is Eccentric

2006-07-10T13:59:00.000Z

While one is the centre of the world it is important to remember that the universe does not revolve around you.

Character

2006-01-05T16:07:00.000Z

Good character as resonace.
That which is broken does not resonate, or rather it is very difficult to as the energy from one part leaks into another.
Thus resonance indicates a wholeness.

The eye of the needle

2006-01-05T16:05:00.000Z

"No one mentioned anything about getting the camel through the eye of the needle at full tilt."

Of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day

2005-11-11T16:56:00.000Z

The rememberance of the First World War marked a turning point.
No longer could those in power simply cast armies towards their deaths. For now we value their sacrifice and will not have it spent on any worthless cause.

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon

End of the vine

2005-10-12T11:09:00.000Z

End of the vine
Love the punchline

Let them eat cake

2005-10-10T10:38:00.000Z

One is reminded of Marie Antoinette apologising to her executioner for stepping on his toe. So completely divorced from reality.
Golden curtain divides old and new Russia

They may not own you, but they will sell you.

2005-10-07T10:56:00.000Z

A month in Tescoland

Being the kind of person that I am, and coming from a country that was once excessively controlled by a single organisation, the idea of letting such a small number of companies supply such a large number of services is just asking for trouble.

"but the doomed and melancholy air that hangs around pallid rows of naked, trussed and oh-so-very-dead chickens is an inescapable reminder of the fundamental futility of existence. But when they are being piled high and selling for less than £1 a pound, it's hard not to intuit that something, somewhere has indeed gone terribly wrong."

What will they think of next

2005-10-06T15:57:00.000Z

The thinking beer mat

Where did our waists go?

2005-09-21T15:02:00.000Z

Where did our waists go?
Wait for the science bit further on.

Random Wisdom

2005-09-14T11:19:00.000Z

Go to your music player of choice (in this case, winamp) and put it all on "shuffle." Say the following questions aloud(or not as you prefer), and after each one press play(or next). Use the song title as the answer to the question.

1. What do you think of me, random music player?
Air - Playgroung Love
2. Will I have a long and happy life?
Interpol - NARC
3. What do my friends really think of me?
Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance
4. What does my S/O think of me?
Bach - Concerto for two violins
5. Do people secretly lust after me?
Whipping Boy - Tripped
6. How can I make myself happy?
Sheryl Crow - C'mon C'mon
7. What should I do with my life?
Muse - Interlude
8. Why must life be so full of pain?
Wilco - Pieholden suite
9. How can I maximize my pleasure during sex?
Muse - Butterflies and Hurricanes
10. Will I ever have children?
Muse - Space Dementia
11. Will I die happy?
Snow Patrol - Ask me how I am
12. Can you give me some advice?
Emilliana Torrini - Easy
13. What do you think happiness is?
Stereophonics - I wouldn't believe your radio
14. Do you have any advice to give over the next few hours/days?
Kings of Leon - Day old Blue

Required reading

2005-09-01T10:42:00.000Z

"When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly half way between. It is possible for one side simply to be wrong."

From On side can be wrong by Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne.

Equally damming is 'I'm just glad I saw it' by former New York Times editor Howell Raines.

Super-Heroin

2005-08-30T14:51:00.000Z

It would appear that Limerick is safe from the super-bug due to our high heroin consumption. At least that's what the juxtaposition of the headlines "Heroin epidemic sweeps region" and "No Limerick deaths by superbug" in the online edition of the Limerick Leader

What light through yonder window breaks

2005-08-24T11:01:00.000Z

So I finally get my first credit as "fighting coach" and no one lost any fingers.
They had far less space to work with than I expected so one or two things we had worked on got dropped. That and there was so much going on at the same time that you couldn't see exactly what was going on.

It was, I must say, the most enjoyable performance of Shakespeare I have seen in a long while. A lot more emphasis on the bawdy entertainment factor and less of the toffee-nosed high art crap. The localisation helped a great deal, it brought a lot more personality to the piece than usual.

My Pirate name

2005-08-19T14:37:00.000Z

My pirate name is:

Bloody Roger Bonney

Every pirate lives for something different. For some, it's the open sea. For others (the masochists), it's the food. For you, it's definitely the fighting. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

Election2008

2005-08-15T10:14:00.000Z

Seeing as the current incumbent is suspected of only playing the parts that his advisors tell him to wouldn’t it be better employing somebody who can actually act.
http://www.walken2008.com

Rocket Science

2005-08-12T15:55:00.000Z

"This isn't rocket science; if it was right now things would be getting very hot."

Going out in Style

2005-08-05T11:48:00.000Z

Sometimes when the game is up, it's up, and all that is left is to keep ones chin up (or firmly on the block, depending on the occasion) and strike out with some style and panache.

Some fine examples of this are:
Marie Antoinette, whose last words were to apologise to the executioner for stepping on his foot. Such a fine example of her upbrining, probably the reason for her being there.
Deputy Robert, who was arrested as apart of the deux-decembre coup, upon the arrival of the police stated, "Oh so I am to be arrested. Pour yourselves a sherry gentlemen, I shall get dressed".

How you don't go out is pleading and begging or saying things like; "Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." Francisco "Pancho" Villa, Mexican revolutionary

The Markets

2005-08-03T15:36:00.000Z

Ah the markets!

A behemoth now endlessly chasing its' own tail.

The fact that euro market data is only considered positive when it is, not just up but, up beyond what was forecast; serves to illustrate what a pathetic fallicy the market is. Only if you can out-do someone elses second guess, will you be considered good.

Conversation in Steel

2005-08-02T10:57:00.000Z

Nous avons énuméré et expliqué les mouvements, attaques et parades de l’escrime à l’épée.
Il ne suffit pas de savoir exécuter ces coups séparément, sous le regard du maître, en prenant bien les positions que nous avons définies. Il faut encore apprendre à les employer de façon opportune.
Chacun de ces coups, chacun de ces mouvements, n’est, pour ainsi parler, qu’un mot de la langue des armes.
Imaginez un débat entre deux personnes : elles échangent des réflexions plus ou moins brèves, plus ou moins vives, plus ou moins rapides, selon la gravité de la question qui a provoqué leur discussion, selon le caractère et l’importance des sujets incidents qu’elles rencontrent, selon la tactique qu’elles ont choisie. Ainsi, leur dialogue, d’abord calme, réservé, prudent, peut-il devenir animé, ardent, pour s’assagir ensuite, puis reprendre bientôt avec violence, et s’apaiser de nouveau, les arguments de l’une étant toujours inspirés par ceux de l’autre. Eh -bien ! l’escrime est un débat semblable.
Les attaques et les parades en constituent les vocables offensifs et défensifs. Autant de coups, autant de mots !
Avec ces mots, il s’agit de former des phrases correctes, serrées, auxquelles il soit difficile de répondre et qui puissent, comme on dit, clouer l’adversaire. Quand on sait improviser de telles phrases avec facilité, mais alors seulement, on est digne du nom d’escrimeur. Jusque-là, on n’est qu’un enfant incapable de s’exprimer correctement et utilement.
Et, remarquons-le pour montrer que l’art des armes n’est pas ce que beaucoup pensent, combien rares sont les Cicérons de l’épée !

Big Brother

2005-07-26T14:13:00.000Z

I herby declare my intention to bring a law-suit against Endemol productions, they of Big Brother etc., on behalf of one Xavier de Maistre.
It is my contention that Mr de Maistre is in fact the originator of the idea of locking people away an then disseminating their thoughts. Even more so Mr de Maistre managed to be witty and insightful, rather than the characterless muppets that Endemol parade for our 'allegded' entertainment.
Mr de Maistre was actually on 42 days house arrest for duelling and chose, instead of just sleeping, drinking and not actually managing bitching, to take the time to contemplate such things as the finest portrait ever painted, one that everyone looks at when ever they see it to the distain of everything else, ... the mirror.

We're not afraid

2005-07-13T11:28:00.000Z

werenotafraid.com

Useful

2005-07-11T14:20:00.000Z

I got something useful done today but it appears to have melted.

but then

2005-07-06T14:58:00.000Z

... no phone calls, slept in until ten to ten.

Some days are better than others, eh Bono.

and more of them

2005-07-04T11:56:00.000Z

...and then Tuesday starts with a phone call from the Limerick Leader

These days

2005-07-04T10:54:00.000Z

It's when your week starts with a phone call from the mid-western correspondant of the Irish Examiner.

Constructive Dismissal

2005-06-22T15:01:00.000Z

Constructive dismissal?

Is that like constructive criticism.

"We are firing your for the good of the company"

Receipts

2005-06-14T10:57:00.000Z

Receipts and invoices; better to give than to receive.

fup!

2005-06-08T13:13:00.000Z

Nail:Head

2005-06-03T10:50:00.000Z

Finally a member of the European Union (Robin Cook) owns up

We have all behaved in a way that almost lives up to the caricature of Europe as an institution that exists for the perpetual extrusion of ever-longer treaties that meet the preoccupations of the political elites rather than the priorities of its peoples.

The brighter side of No

2005-06-02T10:55:00.000Z

The French No vote has brought on a slide in the euro against the dollar, down to 1.22. So at least our exports get a slight relief.

No may just mean No

2005-06-01T13:12:00.000Z

Ah the best laid plans of men.

So yet again one of the rails has cracked and the whole European Project seems to be in a spot of bother.

But of course the no vote wasn't a vote against europe. It was a vote against individual governments. At least thats the tripe they are coming out with. Which is a lot like concluding that 'Maybe white mice are prone to cancer'. No you silly little people love europe, don't you.

Well do I?
I like the freedom of movement, I like the euro, (for all its inflation causing) I can happily swap suppliers due to transparent prices and no currency fluctuations and I like those large roads which were part financed by our friends on the continent.

What I don't like is the fact that the European Union is becoming easily identified as that group of career statesmen and civil servants who have become entirely engrossed in the "Project". In an age when people are less and less involved in politics how is being sold down a treaty by detached eurocrats going to solve anything.

Do we really need a constitution, do we really need a common foreign policy.

I liked the european union that facilitated the development of my country.
I don't like a European Union bound and gagged.

Star Wars

2005-05-31T13:11:00.000Z

George Lucas had too much time on his hands...

30 Years.

Layer Cake

2005-05-30T13:17:00.000Z

Highly recommended film

Susan's House

2005-05-27T10:32:00.000Z

Here comes a girl with long brown hair
Who can't be more than seventeen
She sucks on a red popsicle while she pushes a baby girl
In a pink carriage
And i'm thinking that must be her sister
That must be her sister, ... right?

What classic film are you?

2005-05-23T14:20:00.000Z

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Similar Minds

2005-05-19T15:21:00.000Z

Similar minds leader test
Increasing the number of questions I went from JFK through Abe Lincon and Hitler to:

Alterpreneur

2005-05-16T13:26:00.000Z

It turns out that I may in fact be an alterpreneur.

The Line

2005-05-16T11:45:00.000Z

What separates the sport and the Art is the idea that one should not sacrifice ones safety for the sake of a hit.
"Yes", the sportsman may say, "I can reach that bit further, let my point drift off the target that bit more, because on average I get the touch."
"On average", replies the Artist, "is not good enough."

The sportsman has succumbed to the idea that all hungers must be satisfied including their hunger for the hit.
The Artist is more willing to have a nibble and live to hunt another day.

Ones place in the Universe

2005-05-09T10:38:00.000Z

The French believe they are the center of the universe,
the Americans believe they are the universe,
Australians & New Zealanders believe the universe is over there
and wouldn't it bea nice place to visit.

Gentlemen-Rankers

2005-05-06T13:48:00.000Z

To the legion of the lost ones, to the cohort of the damned,
To my brethren in their sorrow overseas,
Sings a gentleman of England cleanly bred, machinely crammed,
And a trooper of the Empress, if you please.
Yea, a trooper of the forces who has run his own six horses,
And faith he went the pace and went it blind,
And the world was more than kin while he held the ready tin,
But to-day the Sergeant's something less than kind.
We're poor little lambs who've lost our way,
Baa! Baa! Baa!
We're little black sheep who've gone astray,
Baa--aa--aa!
Gentlemen-rankers out on the spree,
Damned from here to Eternity,
God ha' mercy on such as we,
Baa! Yah! Bah!

Oh, it's sweet to sweat through stables, sweet to empty kitchen slops,
And it's sweet to hear the tales the troopers tell,
To dance with blowzy housemaids at the regimental hops
And thrash the cad who says you waltz too well.
Yes, it makes you cock-a-hoop to be "Rider" to your troop,
And branded with a blasted worsted spur,
When you envy, O how keenly, one poor Tommy being cleanly
Who blacks your boots and sometimes calls you "Sir".

If the home we never write to, and the oaths we never keep,
And all we know most distant and most dear,
Across the snoring barrack-room return to break our sleep,
Can you blame us if we soak ourselves in beer?
When the drunken comrade mutters and the great guard-lantern gutters
And the horror of our fall is written plain,
Every secret, self-revealing on the aching white-washed ceiling,
Do you wonder that we drug ourselves from pain?

We have done with Hope and Honour, we are lost to Love and Truth,
We are dropping down the ladder rung by rung,
And the measure of our torment is the measure of our youth.
God help us, for we knew the worst too young!
Our shame is clean repentance for the crime that brought the sentence,
Our pride it is to know no spur of pride,
And the Curse of Reuben holds us till an alien turf enfolds us
And we die, and none can tell Them where we died.
We're poor little lambs who've lost our way,
Baa! Baa! Baa!
We're little black sheep who've gone astray,
Baa--aa--aa!
Gentlemen-rankers out on the spree,
Damned from here to Eternity,
God ha' mercy on such as we,
Baa! Yah! Bah!

Rudyard Kipling

On the seventh day...

2005-05-04T13:46:00.000Z

... we finally get the keys.

Common Courtesy

2005-05-03T09:22:00.000Z

A number of conversations, recently, have revolved around the topic of chivalry and etiquette, or the lack thereof.
In reflection these terms may not have been what we should have been discussing. Chivalry being solely the attitudes to men towards women and etiquette too often being confused as a set of rigid rules regarding which knife to use.
No what we should instead have been discussing is the lack of simple common courtesy.
Common courtesy like common sense does not presuppose any requirements of education or rank. Just as it is common sense not to stick a knife in the toaster while it is on so is it common courtesy to hold the door for the person coming behind you.
On that note; Medusa was not well known for holding open doors for people so therefore you are highly unlikely to be turned to stone were you to gaze upon the person who holds the door open for you and acknowledge their existence.

It is signed

2005-04-27T09:20:00.000Z

As of 9:20 ante meridiem, on the 27th of April in the year of our lord two thousand and five, le Comte de Saint Germain has signed the warrant for his own bankruptcy.

Saint N'evil'le

2005-04-21T13:12:00.000Z

Use of the off-hand

2005-04-21T10:54:00.000Z

Random thought:

While the use of the off-hand in foil is proscribed it would be fun if one were to relax the rule for defence against the fleche.
I can see it now; he comes crashing towards you, in no describable line, so you pirouette on your front foot, swing your off hand round and bowl him over your front leg sending flying into the crowd with a cry of “howzat!”

Liberty

2005-04-20T13:29:00.000Z

Function: noun
a : freedom from external (as governmental) restraint, compulsion, or interference in engaging in the pursuits or conduct of one's choice to the extent that they are lawful and not harmful to others
b : enjoyment of the rights enjoyed by others in a society free of arbitrary or unreasonable limitation or interference

Popery

2005-04-20T09:15:00.000Z

So Jim Henson finally gets to be Pope Benedict the "...now where was I?"

Rules of the Playground

2005-04-19T09:22:00.000Z

Standing infront of the bestsellers shelf in the bookshop; one suddenly notices that there are a damn sight of books on dating on it.
Where exactly did it all go wrong that we now can't meet just people or need such swathes of advice on what to do when we meet them?

I believe I know and I am going to blame it on the culture of youth.

The french call it la formation, we call it adolescence. It is that period during which we do the most of becoming who we are. It is also a period during which we are locked into a tight social circle, where everyone knows who you talked to and where the concept of an economy based on kudos is most real. It is unfortunately not the most rational period of our lives.

It is my contention that our current miasma is caused by us carrying on the rules of the playground into our mature lives. Fears such as "I can't just walk up and say `Hi' ". Of course you can, who is there to stop you. No one is going to know, you're an adult now, your worth is no longer defined by who you hung out with at lunch.

As my barber once said to me:

I used to worry about what people thought about me,
but then I found out
that they only thought about themselves.

Go on, think for yourself. You never know what might happen.

Sunday Morning

2005-04-18T09:30:00.000Z

At 5:30 in the morning you get exactly what you ask for.

Giuseppe Magrini

2005-04-15T10:39:00.000Z

I have already mentioned the famous maestro, giuseppe Magrini, as the pioneer of sabre-play in england. The story concerns his first public performance in England, when Britain was first treated to a demonstration of his wonderful art. Incidentally it was his first taste of our lusty rather than trusty blade. Origionally a Seargent-Major Elliot of the Life Guards was due to encounter the Italian master, but for illness or some other reason was forced to cry off, and another opponent - somewhat of an unknown quantity whom we will call Mr. X. - was selected to meet him in this exhibition bout.
Magrini was first to appear, leaping lightly to the platform to the accompaniment of enthusiastic applause from a very distinguished audience, comprising leaders of every phase of society. He was indeed a resplendant figure in black satin knee-breeches and silk stockings, waving right and left in flamboyant salute a light and fragile-looking sliver-plated sabre.
In contrast to this sartorial display, Mr. X. was being actually lifted on to the platform at the other end, clad in heavy canvas, shin guards and cage-like mask, clutching a heavy blunted cavalry sword - in short, thoroughly over-girded and over-weighted for the fray, and looking more like a deep-sea diver than a swordsman.
From the word "Play," Magrini soon gave a taste of his quality. Two or three dazzling feints were sufficient to place the defence all at sea, then with gossamer touch he drew the blade swiftly across the chest to draw "first blood." Simultaneously Mr. X., who had made one wild attempt to follow the steel, abandoned defence and cut wildly at head. The flat of the blade curled over Magrini's mask and he recieved the full force of the blow on his back. There was an embarrassing silence until the director of the combat recovered his presence of mind and retrieved an awkward situation by a hurried "On guard!" Magrini's face distorted with pain, also showed no little perplexity. what sort of Adversary was this, so utterly lacking in the instinct of self-preservation? Believing his first impression of British sabre-play too bad - and too painful - to be true, Magrini advanced to the attack once more. following a couple of bewildering feints came the circular cut executed with feathery touch. Once again Mr. X. floundered, hit out blindly, and for the second time his blade curled down the Italian's spine, whereupon Magrini whipped off his mask, held out his hand, and despite obvious agony, said distinctly, "Thank you Sir. You are a much better man than I."

Jesus

2005-04-14T14:19:00.000Z

He was the best man imaginable, but romantic and thoughtless.

Boycotts

2005-04-12T11:43:00.000Z

Yet again people are insisting that words be watered down, worse again people are trying to tell the Irish the meaning of a word that the Irish called into being.
I must remind people that the principle of Boycotting was laid down by Mr Parnell in a speech to farmers in County Clare where he stated that:

"When a man takes a farm from which another has been evicted, you must shun him on the roadside when you meet him, you must shun him in the streets of the town, you must shun him at the shop-counter, you must shun him at the fair and at the market-place and even in the house of worship, by leaving him severely alone … by isolating him for the rest of his kind, as if he were a leper of old, you must show him your detestation of the crime he has committed."

A boycott is that and nothing less.

Unitarian Jihad Name

2005-04-11T18:41:00.000Z

Neutron Bomb of Reasoned Discussion

Nothing

2005-04-11T13:08:00.000Z

In the interests of amicable relations between the Art and the sport le Comte de Saint Germain, Major Frazer and their driver took themselves, on Saturday, to the barbarous uncivilised wastelands of the east, and in particular Maynooth where the practicioners of the sport were having their nationals.

So what happened?

Were we welcomed with opened arms as fellow practitioners of the sword?

Did it all go horrible wrong? Did le Comte insult everyone by telling them that their sport was a sham, that they were failing their students, reducing the system of the Art to natural fighting and that he considered them fair game and wouldn’t rest until he had driven them all into the sea?

No. Nothing of either sort happened.

Why? Because they are not even that competent.

The only reason le Comte knew where the event was taking place was because he had been engaged in an archery competition there some years earlier. This was fortuitous as the directions given online were non-existent, simply stating that the competition would be held in NUI Maynooth, and there were no signs anywhere to tell you where the top competition of the Irish sports fencing community was being held.

All this was before we went through the doors.

Had the three of us walked into a gay bar at least eventually someone would have either come over and hit on us or tell us to get out because we were spoiling the atmosphere by being so nervous.

Instead we had walked into an incredibly closed circle where anybody not in whites was obviously there attached to some one who was fencing. So when three gentlemen stand in the middle of the hall quite clearly outside of all what is going on do you think that anyone came over and asked a,) were we in the right place b,) did we know what was going on c,) who we were. Of course not, they glanced and they stared and they wondered who the hell we were and said nothing.

Eventually I spotted the individual with whom I had started the correspondence that brought all this about and went over and introduced ourselves. To which we received the most uninterested response I have ever heard before shuffling away to hide from us.

Nobody else approached us, even though it was clear that the facts of our identity had spread beyond the individual we had introduced ourselves to.

Has anyone subsequently solicited my opinions of what I saw? No.

Am I going to inform them of their incapabilities? No, for at least one party involved has some manners.