56589--Vorps's response to RP's and G's jabs

Giovanni Schwartz · Post by **Giovanni Schwartz** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:08 am

Face it, man. You're three times the age of most of the other people here.

In my book, that be ancient.

Post by **C is for** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:44 am

This post sounds like you took seriously vorpal's comment. Which was not a serious comment.

He knows he's ancient (and wise and wonderful, or something

).

vorpal blade · Post by **vorpal blade** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:06 am

To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, "I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue [in this forum]. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, [your] youth and inexperience." -during a 1984 presidential debate with Walter Mondale

One of the definitions of ancient is venerable, meaning "commanding respect by virtue of age, dignity, character, or position." So, thank you Giovanni Schwartz.

Damasta · Post by **Damasta** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:29 am

I have some friends who served their missions in Italy and there they call the Elders "Anziano", which means "ancient" or "elder".

vorpal blade · Post by **vorpal blade** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:45 am

Excellent point, Damasta. I served my mission in Italy, and our title was "Anziano" meaning elder, senior, or ancient. People often looked at us a little funny when we would introduce ourselves as "Anziano [Blade]," or "Anziano Smith," or whatever. I should have remembered that and used it in my response. So, I've been called "ancient" since I was 19 years old.

You know, to a six year old many of you are ancient, as well.

Unit of Energy · Post by **Unit of Energy** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:48 am

Isn't that the truth. My younger sisters, aged 9 and 5, have declared me beyond the age of getting married respectably. I just smile and nod. The nine year old declared two years ago that she was going to come to my wedding, but only if she was still alive.

Post by **C is for** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:29 pm

Unit of Energy wrote:Isn't that the truth. My younger sisters, aged 9 and 5, have declared me beyond the age of getting married respectably. I just smile and nod. The nine year old declared two years ago that she was going to come to my wedding, but only if she was still alive.

Love it! One of my favorite things to do is ask my little cousins how old they think I (and my other sisters) are.

How old I are. Oh, parentheses, I love you.

Post by **Marduk** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:32 pm

Props Vorpal, for being of significant importance to be mentioned. Any press is good press, am I right?

TheAnswerIs42 · Post by **TheAnswerIs42** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:25 pm

My thoughts exactly. Being mentioned on the real Board would be a highlight to my day, even if they said something like that about me . . .

Giovanni Schwartz · Post by **Giovanni Schwartz** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:44 pm

Hehe... Well, Vorps, you are way older than us. I think you are older than the majority of the people in the world at this point. I'm not positive on numbers, but most people don't live to 100, which would make this make sense. Therefore, you are ancient. As in, "freaking old". Not "venerable".

But you know it's all in love. We tolerate you because we love you. [ =

bismark · Post by **bismark** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:36 pm

same is true for Japanese.

é•·è€ (chourou): the head old person.

Gimgimno · Post by **Gimgimno** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:52 pm

I was going to italicize "ancient" for comedic effect, but chose not to. I kind of regret it now. I think ancient looks wonderful in italics.

ancient.

Yeah, I regret it.

vorpal blade · Post by **vorpal blade** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:13 pm

That is interesting, Bismark, about Japan, which tends to honor their elders. I've noticed the same respect for elders shown in Bollywood movies.

My wife tells a story about when she was a little girl. She told her grandmother, "You are really old, grandmother!" Her grandmother asked my wife how old she thought her grandmother was. "Oh...maybe 25!" Her grandmother loved to retell that story.

Well, it is nice to be "loved." I was surprised to see my "name" mentioned. I'm sure many of the readers of the Board must have wondered, "Who is vorpal blade?" I donâ€™t think they would know, unless they frequently read this message board, where we know each other pretty well. I guess I do stand out as being more "ancient," more outspoken, and probably for being more conservative, and more controversial, and maybe more cantankerous by a lot than other readers of the Board.

I was interested to see what the median age of the world is, to see if I was older than the majority of the people in the world. A short Google search turned up conflicting numbers, but the median age seems to be a lot younger than I expected. According to the CIA World Factbook â€œCurrently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan.â€ (https://www.cia.gov/library/publication ... /2177.html)

If you are 18 or over you are older than the majority of the people of Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mayotte, Mozambique, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Uganda, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

Okay, most of those nations are small. But the median age in the United States is just 36.7 years old. In China, the biggest nation, the median age is 34.1 years old. In India, the second most populous nation, half the people are under 25.3 years old.

Are you beginning to feel old as well?

Sky Bones · Post by **Sky Bones** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:50 pm

I would just like to point out that for the last several years, Japan's death rate has been higher than it's birthrate. Over 20% of Japan's total population is 65 years or older. Japan is an old country (in many ways).

Vorpal, you'd fit in like a charm here.

Of course, I don't know exactly how old you are and there the whole issue of not looking Japanese. But, you'd probably at least get a lot more respect here for your age. Just sayin'.

Wisteria · Post by **Wisteria** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:05 am

For some reason, this is making me think of th time that my brother, in trying to explain that the microwave in his college apartment was ancient and dilapidated, described it as "venerable."

vorpal blade · Post by **vorpal blade** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 1:37 pm

Sky Bones, more respect--definitely. More fun--I don't know.

Wisteria, dilapidated? Ouch!

Giovanni Schwartz · Post by **Giovanni Schwartz** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:07 pm

vorpal blade wrote:Sky Bones, more respect--definitely. More fun--I don't know.

Wisteria, dilapidated? Ouch!

The truth hurts.

Tao · Post by **Tao** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:59 pm

Just glad that no one has mentioned spavined.

How are your shins?

vorpal blade · Post by **vorpal blade** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:52 pm

My children, I have no problems with shins.

But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own shin.

And remember,

He that is without shin among you, let him first cast a stone .

Post by **Marduk** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:07 pm

Wow, Vorpal, that was just awful. I think you just shinned against humanity.