My time here is drawing to a close.
I came back here mostly for a couple of friends and one or two groups. It's taken substantially less than my three free months to understand that SG and I have parted ways.
I miss llouys; the hardest=working group owner in the history of SG, and one of the nicest members. I was proud to be his friend, just as I am for the few I've refriended here. I hope he's well, and happy.
I used to spend a lot of time on CE, back when I was someone else; made some friends. One got zotted; another got uberzotted; a few are still here, but one at least hates this incarnation of me; it's sad to see kneejerk reactions, especially from teachers. SG was always somewhat clique-driven, for sure; but this time round it appears that it's entirely that way. It's a shame.
So, I suppose I have a couple of weeks of free membership left, technically. But I can't see any reason to use them. (In particular, the groups I loved are moribund; and everything else I care about is public.)
So I'm done here.
I came back here mostly for a couple of friends and one or two groups. It's taken substantially less than my three free months to understand that SG and I have parted ways.
I miss llouys; the hardest=working group owner in the history of SG, and one of the nicest members. I was proud to be his friend, just as I am for the few I've refriended here. I hope he's well, and happy.
I used to spend a lot of time on CE, back when I was someone else; made some friends. One got zotted; another got uberzotted; a few are still here, but one at least hates this incarnation of me; it's sad to see kneejerk reactions, especially from teachers. SG was always somewhat clique-driven, for sure; but this time round it appears that it's entirely that way. It's a shame.
So, I suppose I have a couple of weeks of free membership left, technically. But I can't see any reason to use them. (In particular, the groups I loved are moribund; and everything else I care about is public.)
So I'm done here.
My bass guitar died. Not making me happy. Shoddy workmanship, probably; it's been a battery hog since I got it (second-hand), so it's always been suspect; but now it's going through about one a week. Time I learned to solder, I reckon.
I've been offline since the 24th, and nothing has happened here since; my last post on the CE board is the fourth thread from the top. Hmmm.
Today I saw some of these:
(Bohemian) Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus.
(Not my picture, sadly. But there is a chance I saw this individual bird today.)
Never seen one before.
It's not every day you see a lifer. And especially not from your own house.
(Bohemian) Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus.
(Not my picture, sadly. But there is a chance I saw this individual bird today.)
Never seen one before.
It's not every day you see a lifer. And especially not from your own house.
RIP Don van Vliet.
I never understood Trout Mask Replica.
But Clear Spot - damn me, what a record.
I never understood Trout Mask Replica.
But Clear Spot - damn me, what a record.
I don't know why I bothered coming back (not that it cost me anything other than time).
There's nothing going on here. Just little cliques doing their little things. Nothing in the groups either.
I did work something out: the CE board has gone back to the way it was when I was first here, before there was a CE board. I can't remember what it was called back then. I should probably care, but I don't.
Anyhow, it was much livelier then. There was a genuine desire for honesty, at least among the members (apart from Stockula and his ilk, of course). Or perhaps I'm deluding myself.
There's nothing going on here. Just little cliques doing their little things. Nothing in the groups either.
I did work something out: the CE board has gone back to the way it was when I was first here, before there was a CE board. I can't remember what it was called back then. I should probably care, but I don't.
Anyhow, it was much livelier then. There was a genuine desire for honesty, at least among the members (apart from Stockula and his ilk, of course). Or perhaps I'm deluding myself.
Certainly I felt then I might be able to learn something from it. Maybe I did. But that's one of those things you can't return to.
If I did learn anything, the things I learned are gone from SG. I should not be surprised, or disappointed. But I am.
.
I've been trying to work out what Wilko Johnson does, in this clip, for a long time. It's not just the hands, it's the moves and the movement.
(I am not a guitarist. It might be easy. But it really doesn't look it.)
(The best bit about that clip is at 2:31, about 10 seconds from the end, when Wilko tries hard to stop grinning and put his Mr Implacable face back on; and fails miserably. Priceless
)
(Lee Brilleaux is the star, though. No doubt of it. Look at him: mean, seedy, and dangerous. And hot as fuck.)
Anyhow... what was I saying.
... now I've got it: here is what Wilko's actually doing: He's attacking the audience.
Watch him go.
(It's the guitarist, on the left, if you hadn't worked it out already.) - From about 1:40.
And, here's the proof, if you needed it: spectacular.
(I am not a guitarist. It might be easy. But it really doesn't look it.)
(The best bit about that clip is at 2:31, about 10 seconds from the end, when Wilko tries hard to stop grinning and put his Mr Implacable face back on; and fails miserably. Priceless
)(Lee Brilleaux is the star, though. No doubt of it. Look at him: mean, seedy, and dangerous. And hot as fuck.)
Anyhow... what was I saying.
... now I've got it: here is what Wilko's actually doing: He's attacking the audience.
Watch him go.
(It's the guitarist, on the left, if you hadn't worked it out already.) - From about 1:40.
And, here's the proof, if you needed it: spectacular.
I wanted to reply to Bean, here. I didn't, for some reason I can't quite remember; probably cowardice (for some reason, I still worry about what people think of me here).
This is what I wanted to say, in reply:
Story of the 21st century, for the remainder of my life:
American economy in stasis or declining, while American military power remains unrealistically high.
Developing world economies rising swiftly; therefore, American political influence declines steadily.
Oil getting rapidly more expensive.
Ecology steadily going to shit.
Story of the 21st century, at or around my death:
American economy in freefall, while American military power remains unrealistically high.
Oil price spikes sharply.
American political needs dictate military action against the rising powers.
American military power declines sharply. American economy disintegrates.
Ecology rapidly going to shit.
I'll be 50 next year. I doubt I'll make it to 70.
Story of the 21st century, after my death:
No oil.
Ecology completely fucked.
Few of us will make it that far. Most of them will wish they hadn't.
So, I give you maybe 30 years; each of which will be worse than the year before.
Edit: I wish I'd never become a parent. I might, just, if everything goes right for me, die of natural causes (or my own bad habits). My son will not.
This is what I wanted to say, in reply:
Story of the 21st century, for the remainder of my life:
American economy in stasis or declining, while American military power remains unrealistically high.
Developing world economies rising swiftly; therefore, American political influence declines steadily.
Oil getting rapidly more expensive.
Ecology steadily going to shit.
Story of the 21st century, at or around my death:
American economy in freefall, while American military power remains unrealistically high.
Oil price spikes sharply.
American political needs dictate military action against the rising powers.
American military power declines sharply. American economy disintegrates.
Ecology rapidly going to shit.
I'll be 50 next year. I doubt I'll make it to 70.
Story of the 21st century, after my death:
No oil.
Ecology completely fucked.
Few of us will make it that far. Most of them will wish they hadn't.
So, I give you maybe 30 years; each of which will be worse than the year before.
Edit: I wish I'd never become a parent. I might, just, if everything goes right for me, die of natural causes (or my own bad habits). My son will not.
This is my third incarnation here. I become more abrasive with each new incarnation. I don't know if that's me getting older, or something else. I's possible the boards are getting dumber, but that doesn't seem likely. Nonetheless, I seem to be getting into paranoid arguments with people I would normally agree with.
=$=
I've been to see my friend H this weekend. Interesting, and depressing.
She's actually less hopeful than I am about the way things are going. She's deeply involved in business, works closely with movers and shapers in the business community. Yet she says that capitailsm is failing; and that democracy will fail with it. I am certain she is correct; mostly because we have never really bought in to democracy - mostly, in turn, because it's not actually compatible with capitalism or the class system.
Her best outcome is the Chinese model; "benevolent dictatorship", in her terms. (Don't equate the two too closely; I've known her for most of my life, and we can talk a little more loosely than the CE board would tolerate.)
I'm not sure she's wrong. I think that's probably the only sustainable outcome; and while it is not particularly compatible with unrestricted individual freedom, I am bright enough not to see that as a bad thing.
===*
http://suicidegirls.com/boards/Lifestyle/344506/ seems to miss the point. How can anyone break out of the mould their society puts them in, by behaving exactly in that mould? I'm fine that they do that, if that is really what they want. But the idea that that makes them free...
well, they may be, if that really is what they have freely chosen.
Question is, how am I to distinguish between them and those who haven't chosen? Why would I take one more seriously than the other?
That's not going to make me popular.
=$=
I've been to see my friend H this weekend. Interesting, and depressing.
She's actually less hopeful than I am about the way things are going. She's deeply involved in business, works closely with movers and shapers in the business community. Yet she says that capitailsm is failing; and that democracy will fail with it. I am certain she is correct; mostly because we have never really bought in to democracy - mostly, in turn, because it's not actually compatible with capitalism or the class system.
Her best outcome is the Chinese model; "benevolent dictatorship", in her terms. (Don't equate the two too closely; I've known her for most of my life, and we can talk a little more loosely than the CE board would tolerate.)
I'm not sure she's wrong. I think that's probably the only sustainable outcome; and while it is not particularly compatible with unrestricted individual freedom, I am bright enough not to see that as a bad thing.
===*
http://suicidegirls.com/boards/Lifestyle/344506/ seems to miss the point. How can anyone break out of the mould their society puts them in, by behaving exactly in that mould? I'm fine that they do that, if that is really what they want. But the idea that that makes them free...
well, they may be, if that really is what they have freely chosen.
Question is, how am I to distinguish between them and those who haven't chosen? Why would I take one more seriously than the other?
That's not going to make me popular.
Ahahaha...
Marks will be docked for poor spelling, punctuation and grammer in GSCE exams, under new rules.
My underline.
On the broader point, this is not a good move, because its intention is not what it appears to be.
I applaud the idea of teaching grammar, punctuation and spelling; but that isn't the intention. The intention is to roll back the education system, because the Tories would rather teach Imperial history than anything dealing with its consequences. Watch: they will replace Chimua Achebe with Somerset Maugham. They will remove any teaching which involves critical analysis of texts, because they are beholden to the owners of the Daily Express and the Daily Mail and the Sun. Liars, thieves and fools.
Edit: This is the kind of jackass we're dealing with.
Notice that Mr Cameron is still allowing this dickhead a vote in the Lords. That is to say, he's packing the voting system with his cronies.
Marks will be docked for poor spelling, punctuation and grammer in GSCE exams, under new rules.
My underline.
On the broader point, this is not a good move, because its intention is not what it appears to be.
I applaud the idea of teaching grammar, punctuation and spelling; but that isn't the intention. The intention is to roll back the education system, because the Tories would rather teach Imperial history than anything dealing with its consequences. Watch: they will replace Chimua Achebe with Somerset Maugham. They will remove any teaching which involves critical analysis of texts, because they are beholden to the owners of the Daily Express and the Daily Mail and the Sun. Liars, thieves and fools.
Edit: This is the kind of jackass we're dealing with.
Notice that Mr Cameron is still allowing this dickhead a vote in the Lords. That is to say, he's packing the voting system with his cronies.
