cactoblasta

The past is a different country in History JoeUser Forums

There's a lot of things to admire about the past. Sure, it was a time of less attractive people, where ugliness was a deadly virtue and fun was a practice popularly frowned upon, but there are some things it did well. Bloodymindedness coupled with wilful ignorance - the secret to many a successful relationship - was always a great strength of those days of yore. When the beforetimers did things, they did them for no discernible good reason and without a hint of planning, much

Reply to When Gays get Married, Who does it Really Bother? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]America was founded on Christian morals and principles. America also was founded as a democracy. Are you saying that Gays being allowed to marry is Christian? Is ruling in favor of a minority, or making special cases for a minority Democratic?[/quote] No, what I'm saying is that values change over time. England was founded on the principles of various pagan groups like the Angles, Saxons and Jutes. But we rarely hear of danegeld any more, and although one man recently requested

Reply to When Gays get Married, Who does it Really Bother? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]It saddens me that America has lost so much morality. We hold nothing sacred, and we've become so concerned over each individuals right that we have lost perspective as a nation- a nation that used to be a Democracy.[/quote] You should take another look at what you're saying here. America holds nothing sacred, and yet [I]in the very same sentence[/I] you say that it holds individual rights sacred. So which is it? A shift in America's sacred cows away from your preferred

Reply to Smart advice in the most unusual places in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I try and make a habit of living my life according to unusual advice. Anyone can live their live by the tenets of the bible, but it takes creativity to achieve the same results with aircraft safety guidelines. Your sister is very lucky to have you.

Reply to Respecting Your Fellow JUs in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]Do not forget that Caligula had a slander campaign launched against him, which resulted in him, in a famous act, raping a dog.[/quote] What on god's green earth does this have to do with anything? Nevertheless, I love it. You're getting karma for that one. Most bizarre reference to obscure historical fact for some crazy reason today!

Reply to When Gays get Married, Who does it Really Bother? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]The union of two people of the same sex is simply not natural. [/quote] As a woman who makes her living entirely from manipulating the horrifyingly unnatural (with nearly everything a techie uses made directly or indirectly through the desecration of the remains of the long-dead, as used for plastics or in transportation) I'm surprised you're against the unnatural. I guess we all have our hang-ups! [quote]Maybe if we treated it a bit more sacredly we would have

Reply to When Gays get Married, Who does it Really Bother? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

The wolf is coming, the wolf is coming!

Reply to When Gays get Married, Who does it Really Bother? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

[quote]mar·riage Pronunciation[mar-ij] –noun 1. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.[/quote] I really don't see why we should live our lives in the manner in which some godawful nerd says we should. Dictionaries are written by people too - they're not an infallible source of wisdom, nor do they necessarily reflect how most think about words right now. The mean

Reply to Truth and Power. in Current Events JoeUser Forums

The only thing Foucalt ever wrote about that makes even a lick of sense to me is what he's written about imagined communities. Sure, other writers touched on it more lucidly than him and it's hardly an original concept for anyone with half a brain, but he did give it a vocabulary and force academics to actually think about it, so that was good. But I really wish the man wasn't so self-indulgent. There's no need to obscure meaning - only idiots respect a man who uses big words to hide sm

Reply to Bianca deserves an Oscar for best actress in Movies & TV & Books JoeUser Forums

Do. Ignore the name, it's really good. I recommend watching it with your missus - it's that kind of movie.

Reply to Poetry is loathsome in Poetry JoeUser Forums

[quote]Mebbe I'll pollute your anti-poetry thread with one of my own later this morning, but only if you promise to critique it just as harshly![/quote] If you want. Dunno when I'd have time to read it, or if I want to. I don't know if you've picked it up so far, but I [I]really[/I] dislike poetry. [quote]Oh, fuck, well dangle me above the pit, let the shit run into my mouth but you won't stop me, I tells ya, you won't... [/quote] Bet you a dollar. ;)

Reply to Poetry is loathsome in Poetry JoeUser Forums

By the way, keep the recommendations of suicide to a minimum, please. I tend towards the laissez faire school of good threadkeeping, but I don't think anyone gains through suicidal dreams. Sexy dreams, yes, but suicidal dreams, no. I would never wish death on someone I disliked, because then I wouldn't be able to dislike them as much. And the loss of an opportunity to indulge in mindless vendetta is much worse than the convenience of a missing foil.

Reply to Poetry is loathsome in Poetry JoeUser Forums

Ugh. He rhymes. I hate rhyming poetry above all. Why does it have to rhyme? Why make something serious and, frankly, bloody bleak, rhyme? Let's prosify these lines and look at what he's really saying, shall we? [quote]This Be The Verse (an essay in futility by Philip Larkin) They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had and add some extra, just for you. But they were fucked up in their turn by foo

Reply to My Thoughts on How NOT to be a JU Leper in Blog Communities JoeUser Forums

Cool avatars are good. Note my brilliant avatar, which has a monkey on it listening to an ipod. It says a lot about the human condition, that one. As for the untouchables - I don't believe in that. No one's untouchable. If it's done properly and with a touch of elan I'm pretty sure what passes for untouchable around here won't mind being struck down a peg or two. Everyone's in it for the show, after all. But no one can stand being insulted badly. It's so disheartening to realis

Reply to The heinous Pervy McPervington. in Current Events JoeUser Forums

I think exchange programs breed people like Mr McPervington. There were a couple in my exchange as well. I've always thought they were like coathangers, with secret ways in the back of the cupboard, only in this case their mysterious propagation takes place in the seat behind you on the plane.

Reply to Respect and Acceptance on JU in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I'm not your biggest fan, but so far as I can recall I think it's based on the length of your paragraphs rather than anything else, so that's hardly set in stone. In this article your usage of 'I' is a bit offputting, but nothing serious. Of course, I'm a bit fickle when it comes to internet people. Consistency in reaction is for the dead and the dead at heart. In response to your actual article, I don't think there is some JU force of nature which dictates how things work. When I joine

Reply to Happy Birthday Piano Man in Music JoeUser Forums

[quote]As usual, I wrote what I meant poorly. What I mean is that when a recording company is looking for new "talent," talent in music is the last talent they seem to be looking for. A marketable image is first. And notice what happens to a musician that speaks out against the recording industry. They vanish - almost over night. Fiona Apple anyone?[/quote] I see now what you're talking about. I've never really considered that sort of thing (ie marketable images) to be significant,

Reply to Happy Birthday Piano Man in Music JoeUser Forums

[quote]What about the live experience? Will people pay to watch some guy fire up his computer and hit play on Sonar? Probably not.[/quote] They will. Hardly any bars have live music these days. Live DJing is an art all of its own, but mere disc jockeying isn't particularly rare either. There's probably a big market for a festival where you simply have a videoscreen of a band playing and then a good sound system pumping out popular tracks. I know I'd go if I had an idea of the setl

Reply to Bianca deserves an Oscar for best actress in Movies & TV & Books JoeUser Forums

I'm glad to see someone's taking my advice. It is an awesome movie, despite the stupidly indy advertising and the dumb name.

Reply to Happy Birthday Piano Man in Music JoeUser Forums

It's interesting to hear you use the rifle example. I wonder how closely the changes in the musical world in the last half-century mimic the changes in the military arena with the introduction of gunpowder? There are a couple of obvious differences (besides the whole art is war thing). For one thing, music isn't necessarily about efficiency, although it can be. But I think you've hit upon something important here. The decline of the professional soldier was brief; so too I think the decl

Reply to Happy Birthday Piano Man in Music JoeUser Forums

[quote]Musicians are able to convey emotion, imagery...their music takes the listener to a different place to share in the beauty they have created.[/quote] Well, let's take a song like 'Fridays' by Matty B. He's an MC, so none of the music on the track is played by him nor does he have any real talent for singing. But I've never heard a song express what Friday means more. The contemporary preference for skill in arrangement over technical skill is what I like. Take a pop song

Reply to Happy Birthday Piano Man in Music JoeUser Forums

[quote] These days to be a musician, musical ability and knowledge is the LAST thing that's important. Image is far more important.[/quote] For some styles, but I quite like the new way of music. No longer is mere technical skill the sole measure of talent. These days good music only takes an ear for music and a talent for arrangement. It's a more musically democratic world, with something for everyone. Still, technical skill is always impressive, so all respect to those who s

Reply to The Purpose of this blog. in Just Hanging Out JoeUser Forums

Welcome. JU is as much a forum as a blogsite, so you can be guaranteed someone will read what you write, even if they don't comment.

Reply to A Snake in the Grass in Misc JoeUser Forums

I lived in Brisbane for a few years when I was a kid, and we used to have brown snakes around the place all the time. They're a nasty piece of work - a bite could easily mess you up very badly or kill you, especially for a kid. One time I remember going for a swim in a neighbour's pool. When I climbed the ladder to get out I saw a brown snake had taken up station about two metres from the edge of the pool. I'm not ashamed to say I freaked out big time and refused to get out of the water unti

Reply to The Ugly American in US Domestic JoeUser Forums

[quote]Hell, I can live without us appreciated, it would just be nice if we weren't hated for it.[/quote] Unfortunately life isn't that simple. I've helped people personally and seen the hate it engenders. Many people can't handle the idea that they need help, and they resent that need and displace it onto their helper. It's just something people do. It doesn't help that aid policy is nearly always carried out in the national interest of the aiding country (AusAID's mission statemen