Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

I think you do alright for an old man - imagine what you would be like if you were given a clean bill of health?!!

But I'm not an old man, ffs!

I'm not complaining, by the bye, (about my health), I just find it all quite curious that I've ignored all the "be healthy" nonsense & gotten away with it. So far, anyway. I genuinely have a daft notion, though, that work is the best thing going to maintain health, physical & mental. It works for me, anyway.

[Laxie]

Not sure if it's related, but every person 'of age' I've ever met in Ireland liked to play cards.  I've a 96 year old neighbour across the road.  Baby plays 45 and knock 31, drinks a hot port every night before bed and smokes maybe half a dozen cigarettes in the year. 

When I was working the Ladbrokes Festival this past June we had an entry in the Main Event who was 89.  He flew around the place with ease and had his few 'pints and shorts' every day while he was there. 

Could list a dozen more without blinking or thinking too.  Every one of them over the age of 85.  And every one of them loves to play some game of cards or other.  They say it keeps their mind active and gets them out of the house socialising. 

At that rate - you're sure to get the birthday letter and cheque from the Queen some day. 

[tikay]

Some amazing guff in this (American) report about Facebook, too. I simply don't buy some of this. Busiest time on FB is 3pm ET? No way!

http://mashable.com/2010/10/28/facebook-activity-study/

[Dingdell]

Ssshhh - stop talking - the great British bake off in on the tv and Red is still playing at DTD. GL Reddog!!!

[Bongo]

Google fired off a pretty big statement of intent at facebook this week too:
"hands off our data unless you share yours too"

[tikay]

Google fired off a pretty big statement of intent at facebook this week too:
"hands off our data unless you share yours too"

Yes, I saw that Paul, can you explain it, please?

As I understand it, Facebook data is behind a "wall", & thus not accessible to others, whereas FB want their cake & eat it, & free access to other sites. Is that the gist of it?

[Bongo]

It's basically that - Google offer an easy way for other sites to gain access to your data (with your permission) - in this case facebook could check your address book and let you know if your friends are on Facebook. Facebook don't offer a similar service in return and Google don't like - I'd reason because it makes it onerous for a user to switch social networks if they have to re add everyone etc and that will make it hard for Google to compete

[tikay]

It's basically that - Google offer an easy way for other sites to gain access to your data (with your permission) - in this case facebook could check your address book and let you know if your friends are on Facebook. Facebook don't offer a similar service in return and Google don't like - I'd reason because it makes it onerous for a user to switch social networks if they have to re add everyone etc and that will make it hard for Google to compete

....and google are keen - VERY keen - to rule the roost in the social networking circus. google have a policy of being leaders in the various fields in which they compete, so this could get interesting.

[Bongo]

It would be interesting how far they could get into social networking without starting attract regulatory interest. I'm sure all the user data would really help their ad serving business for example.

[The Camel]

Some amazing guff in this (American) report about Facebook, too. I simply don't buy some of this. Busiest time on FB is 3pm ET? No way!

http://mashable.com/2010/10/28/facebook-activity-study/

Recently I bumped into someone I hadn't seen for over 25 years.

It was good to catch up and hear what has happened to him in the intervening years.

But really, we have nothing in common and no reason to keep in touch, losing touch with him was natural.

But read Shaniacs blog http://shaniaconline.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html and he makes an excellent point. "The main thing that fascinates me about Facebook, though, is that young people will never get to experience the dynamic of NOT being in touch with people from one's childhood."

With fb and twitter and blah de blah you don't really have the option of losing touch.

[redarmi]

I'm taking LML with me, she stayed at my Hotel last night, as there was no point in her going back to North London last night, then back here again this morning. So I'll drive back to the Hotel & pick her up for 10.15am, & off we go.

I am a bit socially uncomfortable with passengers in my car on long journeys. She's a friend, of sorts, more than an acquaintance anyway, but not "close", & I'm not good with people skills in these spots, because I am a epic fail at small talk, & I "switch off" very quickly unless the convo stimulates.

I've lived alone since I moved away from the family home 30 odd years ago, happily alone too. I drive all over the place, 2, 3, 4 hour journeys alone, & am entirely happy with myself for company. There are probably only 2 or 3 people who I can properly relax with, & let my guard down.

If a situation arose where I never got to talk to a soul on earth, ever again, for the rest of my life, sure I'd miss 1 or 2 a great deal, but I'd be 100% fine, I really would. I never fall out with myself, see, & I don't have to worry about what I think or say.

Yes yes, I know, I'm a bit funny.

Have a great weekend, whatever you do.

I dont think this is 'a bit funny' in the slightest.  On the contrary I think that someone that is comfortable with silence and doesn't feel it neccesary to 'fill' silences is normally worth listening to when they do talk and it more than makes up for the silent periods.

Never seen Shaniacs blog before but have just spent a couple of hours reading it and he seems an interesting guy.  Very good blog.

[tikay]

Some amazing guff in this (American) report about Facebook, too. I simply don't buy some of this. Busiest time on FB is 3pm ET? No way!

http://mashable.com/2010/10/28/facebook-activity-study/

Recently I bumped into someone I hadn't seen for over 25 years.

It was good to catch up and hear what has happened to him in the intervening years.

But really, we have nothing in common and no reason to keep in touch, losing touch with him was natural.

But read Shaniacs blog http://shaniaconline.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html and he makes an excellent point. "The main thing that fascinates me about Facebook, though, is that young people will never get to experience the dynamic of NOT being in touch with people from one's childhood."

With fb and twitter and blah de blah you don't really have the option of losing touch.

That's an interesting angle, Keith, but even more interesting is that Blog - what a find (for me) that is, thanks. A modern day "extempore" (Paul Phillips), no less, writes & articulates beautifully, with much to provoke thought. I never even knew he had a blog, & it seems to me that there is a desperate shortage of "thinking" Blogs alongside an absolute mountain of incredibly turgid stuff. This struck several chords ith me.....

Facebook is just another aspect of the Con Air Dilemma--diverting our collective attention to a constant stream of mostly meaningless, but easy to absorb, fragments of bullshit--but it's not the overarching problem. Lately, I am just more aware of the double-edged sword of the information age.

I can think of dozens of examples of how the internet has improved my life, especially since I consider things like entertainment and travel to be an integral part of human existence, but my ability to filter out the noise from the quality seems to be deteriorating and that impacts my ability to enjoy solitude, to interact with people in the flesh, to find that ever-elusive balance

As always, it's the balance that's the struggle.

[tikay]

Some amazing guff in this (American) report about Facebook, too. I simply don't buy some of this. Busiest time on FB is 3pm ET? No way!

http://mashable.com/2010/10/28/facebook-activity-study/

Recently I bumped into someone I hadn't seen for over 25 years.

It was good to catch up and hear what has happened to him in the intervening years.

But really, we have nothing in common and no reason to keep in touch, losing touch with him was natural.

But read Shaniacs blog http://shaniaconline.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html and he makes an excellent point. "The main thing that fascinates me about Facebook, though, is that young people will never get to experience the dynamic of NOT being in touch with people from one's childhood."

With fb and twitter and blah de blah you don't really have the option of losing touch.

3 things Keith, the first is easy - I have not forgotten your latest PM (Bet sizes....) & I'll reply later today. I'm compiling some evidence for you, which may in fact surprise you.

The second thing is Twitter, in which I see daily evidence of your Tweets, & clearly it's a platform you enjoy. Aside from your Tweets to & from Miss C, which are so insightful & intriguing to us outsiders - it's like listening in on a private convo where you just hear statches of the convo! - you seem to "think out loud" a lot in your tweets about all manner of stuff, though mostly football & betting.

As a stereotype, I cannot imagine anyone less likely to be a Tweeter. So what is it's attraction to you? And before you ask, mine is work-inspired, no more, no less. I'd switch off Facebook the very second I give up work, never to go near it again, but almost certainly I'd retain Twitter, which I find far more satisfying. Will it last, or do a "MySpace" & disappear up it's own hype-filled arse? Time will tell, & maybe not long, these fads rise & fall amazingly quickly these days.

And lastly - how has Jake taken to School? How did he handle being regularly parted from Mum & Dad for the first time? Bawl his eyes out, or could not wait to get the fairy wheels off?

[tikay]

I'm taking LML with me, she stayed at my Hotel last night, as there was no point in her going back to North London last night, then back here again this morning. So I'll drive back to the Hotel & pick her up for 10.15am, & off we go.

I am a bit socially uncomfortable with passengers in my car on long journeys. She's a friend, of sorts, more than an acquaintance anyway, but not "close", & I'm not good with people skills in these spots, because I am a epic fail at small talk, & I "switch off" very quickly unless the convo stimulates.

I've lived alone since I moved away from the family home 30 odd years ago, happily alone too. I drive all over the place, 2, 3, 4 hour journeys alone, & am entirely happy with myself for company. There are probably only 2 or 3 people who I can properly relax with, & let my guard down.

If a situation arose where I never got to talk to a soul on earth, ever again, for the rest of my life, sure I'd miss 1 or 2 a great deal, but I'd be 100% fine, I really would. I never fall out with myself, see, & I don't have to worry about what I think or say.

Yes yes, I know, I'm a bit funny.

Have a great weekend, whatever you do.

I don't think this is 'a bit funny' in the slightest.  On the contrary I think that someone that is comfortable with silence and doesn't feel it necessary to 'fill' silences is normally worth listening to when they do talk and it more than makes up for the silent periods.Never seen Shaniacs blog before but have just spent a couple of hours reading it and he seems an interesting guy.  Very good blog.

Well it seems funny to me, because it's so out of step with convention, so you've made me feel better. I adore silence, & am increasingly irritated by irrelevant background noise or talk for talks sake. Henry Longhurst, the greatest golf TV commentator & writer ever born, often fell silent for minutes on end, allowing the picture to tell the story.

And a peculiar oddity on R4 yesterday morning. A man - more of whom later - selected a record to play, which was 4 minutes of total silence. The point being, only in total silence can we "hear" certain things, & we think differently when we are not being assailed by trash noise. Anyway......they only played 13 seconds of this total silence. And why? Because if R4 "broadcasts" total silence for longer than 15 seconds, automatic monitors detect the silence & automatically insert some "we have problems, we'll be back soon" music. So silence is not allowed on BBC Radio any more. A shame those monitors don't activate when the tosser Brand is spouting off.

If I were to start on about my irritation with other people's noise invading my privacy everywhere, public spaces most especially, I'd be here all day, so I'd best swerve that. But probably an age-thing. Sometimes I go to Tom's place, & sit outside, just listening to nature, & the birdsong. I'm so envious of Tom's set up there in Leicestershire. Total peace & silence. Except, of course, for Mrs Red.

[tikay]

Poetry sucks. It's right up there with Opera, Ballet, & Shakespeare in my mind. OK, it does not suck at all, but hard as I try, I just don't get any of those things. I feel inferior & inadequate that I don't get it, but I don't, & that's that.

Tom likes poetry, but even though I read every word Tom writes, I swerve the bits of poetry he frequently publishes. It's all above me, end of.

So it was a bit of a disappointment to find that yesterday's Desert Island Discs subject was a poet. A poet, sigh.

Oh yea, really? He was awesome.

Never have I so taken to a man so quickly. He was my sort of man. Humble, self-deprecating, with a good - wonderful - moral code.

His name was Ian McMillan, & I fell in man-love with him there & then. I excitedly phoned Tom, & implored him to catch it on i-Player or whatever. "yeah yeah" said Tom, used to my impatient & infantile outbursts, but I know he'll check it out, & I'll want to know what he thinks. Why do we do that? - want so badly to share stuff, & see if we are in agreement?

Please try & listen to it, for a heart-warming 30 minutes about a wonderfully successful but down-to-earth Yorkshireman.

Just google "Ian McMillan, Poet", he has acres of stuff, including a Wiki page, & his own website. He is, it would seem, & you get a flavour of him poking fun at himself even in this....

"Ian is poet-in-residence for English National Opera, The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He’s UK Trade & Investment’s Poet, Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet and Humberside Police’s Beat Poet.

Ian is Visiting Professor at Bolton University . He’s an honorary doctor of Sheffield Hallam University, North Staffs Polytechnic and most recently University Centre Barnsley  -   Huddersfield University." ‘