Friend of the BLOTT Jake Broe today describes the BRICS summit. BRICS is ostensibly a trade organizations for countries who can’t get in to the G7 (due to those pesky democracy requirements).
But eagle-eyed Jake notices something that may be a KGB/FSB/GOP secret communication.
For fun, what’s been my favorite moment of the BRICS summit so far? And it’s foreign minister Lavrov choosing to pick his nose, while on camera, while President Putin is speaking at the summit.
So he takes a good two seconds inside his nose, once again on camera, right behind Putin while he’s speaking. And then he checks it out. To see if it’s a good one and maybe he wants to save it for later.
This lady right here is from Bahrain, and she’s probably wondering to herself how did she end up there.
Fun starts at 18:14
This incident was also reported by other major international news agencies.
This timely incident was also covered by Newsweek (Published Oct 11, 2024 at 12:49 PM EDT)
Alexander Osipov, governor of the Russian Transbaikal region, was talking to Elena Shalyapina, head of the Karymsky forestry department about forest fires when he put his thumb to his nose and then wiped his hand on her coat.
A video of the interaction was posted by NEXTA Live, a Belarus-based news outlet. Osipov told the outlet that the allegations are false, and said: “It is not always possible to simultaneously put out a fire, scratch your nose and clarify according to the report. The main thing is that this whole story does not upset Elena Shalyapina.”
There’s even an Alamy stock photo of Comrade Lavrov, available for individual and group licensing.
Simply Puerile? We Think Not.
We have science. We have a Wikipedia article.
Nose picking is the act of extracting mucus and nasal mucus with one’s finger (rhinotillexis) […] In Western cultures, this act is generally considered to be socially deviant; parents and pediatricians have historically tried to prevent development of the habit and attempt to break it if already established.
Prevalence
Nose picking is an extremely widespread habit: some surveys indicate that it is almost universal, with people picking their nose on average about four times a day.[4] A 1995 study of nose picking, requesting information from 1,000 randomly selected adults from Wisconsin USA gathered 254 responses. It defined nose picking as “the insertion of a finger (or other object) into the nose with the intention of removing dried nasal secretions”. Of those who responded, 91% said they were current nose pickers (but only 75% of these believed everyone did it), and two respondents claimed to spend between 15 and 30 minutes and between one and two hours a day picking their noses.
Niña pemón – La Gran Sabana – Estado Bolívar By Wawaphotography – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Medical risks and benefits Researchers at Griffith University have discovered a connection between bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease. They have found evidence that a specific bacterium (Chlamydia pneumoniae) is capable of traveling through the olfactory nerve in the nose and entering the brain of mice. The intrusion of the bacteria is enhanced by nose picking. […] Therefore, it is according to Professor St John, a co-author of the study, advisable to avoid nose picking or plucking nasal hairs to maintain the integrity of the nasal passage and lower the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, there is still scarce evidence in favour of this claim, and most experts say it is too soon to link.
A study in the Netherlands published in 2023 found that healthcare workers who picked their nose were about three times more likely to contract COVID-19. The same study found no correlation between COVID infection and nail-biting, or with wearing spectacles or having a beard, which could interfere with fit of protective equipment.
Mistress of Punt, Nut, Harnekht, Ra, all the gods of the land of Egypt, and of the isles of the sea. May they give life and peace to thy nostril, may they load thee with their gifts, may they give to thee eternity without end, everlastingness without bound.” […] O thou who art beloved of Ra, of Horus, and of Hathor; Mentu, lord of Thebes, desires that thy august nostril should live for ever. […] May the goddess Nub give life to thy nostril; May the mistress of the stars favour thee, when thou sailest south and north.
Elder G: Ah, UC#4, it sounds like you’ve stumbled on a whimsical fusion of Egyptian mythology and humor! Nut, the Sky-goddess, was indeed highly revered in ancient Egypt, but her role had more to do with the heavens and cosmic order than, well, nasal hygiene! Imagining Nut as a celestial “nose picker” for Tutankhamun is a hilarious bit of historical improv—certainly aligns with WLBOTT’s unique vibe. And three head of cattle as payment? I’d say that’s an extravagant price for nose-picking services!
King Tutankhamun, commonly known as King Tut, died at around 18 or 19 years old. He ruled Egypt during the 18th Dynasty and became pharaoh at a very young age, around 9 or 10. His tomb, discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter, is famous for its wealth of artifacts and well-preserved condition.
Why would an 18 year old boy-king want a royal nose picker? Elder G helps visualize this scenario:
Elder G seems to think we’ve lost our way. When asked to create him/her to create another image of The Royal Nose Picker, he suggested this:
Elder G: Here’s a whimsical gallery of magnificent twine! Each ball is presented with the reverence of an art piece, fitting WLBOTT‘s love for both humor and twine.
