platitude

the devils dictionary
The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. The wisdom of a million fools in the diction of a dullard. A fossil sentiment in artificial rock. A moral without the fable. All that is mortal of a departed truth. A demi-tasse of milk-and-morality. The Pope's-nose of a featherless peacock. A jelly-fish withering on the shore of the sea of thought. The cackle surviving the egg. A desiccated epigram.
(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

opposition

the devils dictionary
In politics the party that prevents the Government from running amuck by hamstringing it.
The King of Ghargaroo, who had been abroad to study the science of government, appointed one hundred of his fattest subjects as members of a parliament to make laws for the collection of revenue. Forty of these he named the Party of Opposition and had his Prime Minister carefully instruct them in their duty of opposing every royal measure. Nevertheless, the first one that was submitted passed unanimously. Greatly displeased, the King vetoed it, informing the Opposition that if they did that again they would pay for their obstinacy with their heads. The entire forty promptly disemboweled themselves.

"What shall we do now?" the King asked. "Liberal institutions cannot be maintained without a party of Opposition."

"Splendor of the universe," replied the Prime Minister, "it is true these dogs of darkness have no longer their credentials, but all is not lost. Leave the matter to this worm of the dust."

So the Minister had the bodies of his Majesty's Opposition embalmed and stuffed with straw, put back into the seats of power and nailed there. Forty votes were recorded against every bill and the nation prospered. But one day a bill imposing a tax on warts was defeated — the members of the Government party had not been nailed to their seats! This so enraged the King that the Prime Minister was put to death, the parliament was dissolved with a battery of artillery, and government of the people, by the people, for the people perished from Ghargaroo.

logomachy

the devils dictionary
n. A war in which the weapons are words and the wounds punctures in the swim-bladder of self-esteem — a kind of contest in which, the vanquished being unconscious of defeat, the victor is denied the reward of success.

'Tis said by divers of the scholar-men
That poor Salmasius died of Milton's pen.
Alas! we cannot know if this is true,
For reading Milton's wit we perish too.
(also: The Devil's Dictionary)


opera

the devils dictionary
A play representing life in another world, whose inhabitants have no speech but song, no motions but gestures and no postures but attitudes. All acting is simulation, and the word simulation is from simia, an ape; but in opera the actor takes for his model Simia audibilis (or Pithecanthropos stentor) — the ape that howls.

The actor apes a man — at least in shape;
The opera performer apes an ape.
(also: the devil's dictionary)

marc antony

trustycoffeemug
marcus antonious (83-30 BC) is a dead roman guy.

once a sidekick to julius caesar, whom he served faithfully as a general but also humiliated a few times by routinely turning up to the senate pig-bastard drunk (this got him into a pissing match with cicero).

when julius kicked the bucket, marc took over as big cheese and set to work thrashing his old master's assassins. however, he was beaten to the punch by augustus caesar, the adopted son of the late caesar, who managed to take control of rome while marcy went skulking around the eastern world looking for allies. this led marc antony to shack up with cleopatra vii, with whom he had a torrid love affair. this sordid romance came to an end when marc antony's armies were well and truly smashed in actium, and he committed suicide to escape octavian's reprisal.

a dead british guy named william shakespeare wrote a little ditty about it.

medical tourism

medical tourist
average costs of medical procedures abroad

Dental Procedures:

Dental Implants:
Turkey: $1,200 - $2,000
Mexico: $1,500 - $2,500
India: $800 - $1,500

Teeth Whitening:
Turkey: $240 - $400
Mexico: $400 - $600
India: $100 - $300

Dental Crowns:
Turkey: $400 - $640
Mexico: $500 - $800
India: $300 - $500


Plastic Surgery:

Liposuction:
Turkey: $2,400 - $4,000
Mexico: $3,000 - $5,000
India: $2,000 - $4,000

Rhinoplasty (Nose Job):
Turkey: $2,400 - $4,000
Mexico: $3,000 - $5,000
India: $2,000 - $4,000

Breast Augmentation:
Turkey: $3,200 - $4,800
Mexico: $4,000 - $6,000
India: $2,500 - $4,500

Tummy Tuck:
Turkey: $4,000 - $5,600
Mexico: $5,000 - $7,000
India: $3,500 - $5,500

Facelift:
Turkey: $4,000 - $5,600
Mexico: $5,000 - $7,000
India: $3,500 - $5,500



Orthopedic Procedures:

Joint Replacement (Hip or Knee):
Turkey: $8,000 - $12,000
Mexico: $10,000 - $15,000
India: $5,000 - $8,000

Spinal Surgery:
Turkey: $10,000 - $15,000
Mexico: $12,000 - $18,000
India: $6,000 - $10,000

Cardiology Procedures:

Angioplasty:
Turkey: $7,000 - $11,000
Mexico: $9,000 - $13,000
India: $5,000 - $8,000

Heart Bypass Surgery:
Turkey: $10,000 - $15,000
Mexico: $12,000 - $18,000
India: $6,000 - $10,000

Cancer Treatment:

Chemotherapy:
Turkey: $5,000 - $8,000
Mexico: $6,000 - $10,000
India: $3,000 - $5,000

Radiation Therapy:
Turkey: $7,000 - $11,000
Mexico: $9,000 - $13,000
India: $5,000 - $8,000

Eye Procedures:

LASIK Eye Surgery:
Turkey: $2,000 - $3,000
Mexico: $2,500 - $3,500
India: $1,500 - $2,500

Cataract Surgery:
Turkey: $2,000 - $3,000
Mexico: $2,500 - $3,500
India: $1,500 - $2,500



Accommodation Costs:

Turkey: $30 - $80 per day
Mexico: $30 - $70 per day
India: $20 - $50 per day


Flight Costs:

From USA:
Turkey: $800 - $1,200
Mexico: $400 - $800
India: $800 - $1,200


From West Europe:
Turkey: $300 - $600
Mexico: $200 - $400
India: $500 - $800

drunk

trustycoffeemug
(adj.) suffering, as a result of alcohol, from reduced good judgment and impaired sense of balance, but with the positive effect of total immunity from criticism and greater insight into hidden or nonexistent beauty

also (n.) one who frequently and uncontrollably becomes drunk

life lie

orikami
(n.) chaining yourself to an anchor and throwing yourself out to sea... except the anchor is a thick collection of personal beliefs that things are not good now and cannot change (or be changed), e.g. for the better; and the sea is life.

these anchors are sticky and hard to break, I know. so fight (or dance! sometimes you gotta switch the MO) with everything you have, to crash your previous relating to the world: life owes me, people don't love me, they don't respect me, and so on.
start building up whatever emotional need you have -- from within. people don't love you? ok, love yourself. love yourself like your life depends on it. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15704926-love-yourself-like-your-life-depends-on-it life owes you? give your care, your attention, some skill, and make a habit of it in some definite (if small) way; and breathe; and you will know your rewards.
"make like a tree and have a long, stable life benefitting those around you."

(also: black-pilled)
(also: learned helplessness)
(also: doom and gloom)
(also: doomer)

(also: gold-pilled)
(also: stoicism)
(also: serenity prayer)
(also: solarpunk)
(also: long view)

rome wasn't built in a day

lister
"Rome wasn't built in a day" is a phrase that has been around for centuries but when it comes to the construction of the ancient city of Rome it may as well have been built in the blink of an eye compared to the amount of time it takes to build a decent cup of tea.

Yes, that's right, I'm talking about the art of tea-making. The perfect cup of tea takes time, effort and patience - much like the building of an ancient city. You have to get the water temperature just right, let the tea steep for the optimal amount of time and add just the right amount of milk and sugar.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Lister, how can you compare the construction of an ancient city to making a cup of tea?" Well, let me tell you, both require a delicate balance of ingredients and timing. One misstep and you could end up with a bitter cup of tea or a collapsing city.

So, let us not forget the true meaning behind the phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day". It's not just about the construction of ancient cities, it's about the finer things in life like a good cup of tea. So, next time you're in the middle of a long, drawn-out tea-making process, remember, great things take time. And if it takes you a little longer to make a decent cup of tea, just think of all the time and effort that went into building the mighty city of Rome.

In conclusion, let us raise a cup of tea to perseverance, patience and the ancient Romans for inspiring us to take our tea-making just as seriously as they took city-building.

fries

trustycoffeemug
(n.) elongated fragments of potato that have had the nutritional value fried and salted out of them. a highly accessible food sold in many venues as a side dish

playfully referred to as "french fries," though our best intelligence suggests they may have come from belgium instead (they may also be called "freedom fries" if the french are going through a period of significant unpopularity)

creation of the universe

trustycoffeemug
There are a number of theories as to the ultimate cause which brought the universe into existence.

personally, i prefer to believe we were laid by an unimaginably vast chicken as a cosmic egg, and in honor of that, the egg is to be worshiped. will our souls ascend to a grand new state of being in the divine hatching, or will we be burned in the eternally frying pan of damnation?

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