Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Rod Paradise]

http://www.take-a-view.co.uk/2013_winners.htm

Since yours is the diary for real artistic photography Red, I thought I'd post this link here. Don't tell Tikay but there's even trains in some of the pics.... steam trains.

Also the BBC Wildlife results are out - some real stunning photgraphy here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24534109

[RED-DOG]

Some real beauties there Rod. Thank you.

[RED-DOG]

Morning Tony.

Whilst driving to an appointment this morning I listened to a Radio 4 lecture on the subject of what is and isn't art. Where, it asked, do the boundaries lie?

It was wonderfully well written and presented. I found it hugely entertaining, so much so that I decided to ask, nay implore you to listen to it, I was even going to find you a link and everything...

But then I realised that as soon as you saw the word 'art' the shutters would come down, and you would refuse to have anything to do with it.

It is even possible that I would have managed to persuade or cajole you into listening, but even then you would have done so through the shutters.

I've decided that I will post a link, but instead of posting this on your diary, as was my original intention, I've decided to post it on mine. At least I know that it is frequented people who are at least a tad less philistinic than your good self.


There. Posted in the vain hope that curiosity will get the better of you. xx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03dsk4d

[tikay]

 

[RED-DOG]

Sigh....

[david3103]

Morning Tony.

Whilst driving to an appointment this morning I listened to a Radio 4 lecture on the subject of what is and isn't art. Where, it asked, do the boundaries lie?

It was wonderfully well written and presented. I found it hugely entertaining, so much so that I decided to ask, nay implore you to listen to it, I was even going to find you a link and everything...

But then I realised that as soon as you saw the word 'art' the shutters would come down, and you would refuse to have anything to do with it.

It is even possible that I would have managed to persuade or cajole you into listening, but even then you would have done so through the shutters.

I've decided that I will post a link, but instead of posting this on your diary, as was my original intention, I've decided to post it on mine. At least I know that it is frequented people who are at least a tad less philistinic than your good self.


There. Posted in the vain hope that curiosity will get the better of you. xx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03dsk4d

I can thoroughly recommend a listen to Episode 1 of this series too Tom

[tikay]

Sigh....

Oi! That was an artistic "thumbs up".

And how & why did I know of le pouce? (See, even French itt).

Well, in today's Times, they report that at the Barbican Pop Art Design exhibition in London (runs until February), the French sculptor bloke Cesar Baldaccini has his le pouce on exhibit.  

So there. Thumbs up, & poked right in yer eye.




ODE TO THE THUMB
 


Poem by Robert Curtis
 
Oh! mighty digit that thou art.
 From other fingers kept apart.
 Included only when called "hand".
You do so point to some other land.
 You really do stand quite alone.
Pointing off to some twilight zone.
 
You are so often much abused.
With such terms as "clumsy" so acused.
 There is much amusement at your expense.
When the term "All Thumbs" is brought hence.
 The Thumb turned down by Romans meant.
The quick demise for some vanquished gent.
 
The Thumb turned upwards brings forth a grin.
It's the international sign for good fortune.
 The victor is also oftimes praised.
With this distant and silent digit raised.
 
Even when unseen it's still in use.
Holding back fingers to produce.
 That Boy Scout salute or Churchill's V.
It truly is used universally.
 




The crystal version (1989) of César's 'the thumb' (Le Pouce).

 



To thumb your nose is the insult gross.
 It is often used when at a loss.
 For words four letters so oft abused.
 That only silent signs are used.
 You stubby digit by Jack Horner famed.
 And almost omnipoetic named.

[tikay]

I never wrote that, by the bye, I nicked it from here.


http://www.handresearch.com/news/ode-to-the-thumb-le-pouce-cesar-baldaccini.htm

Click to see full-size image.

[AndrewT]

Here's an image for future reference Tikay.

[tikay]

Quite right too, Andrew.

You listening, Tom?

[RED-DOG]

Morning Tony.

Whilst driving to an appointment this morning I listened to a Radio 4 lecture on the subject of what is and isn't art. Where, it asked, do the boundaries lie?

It was wonderfully well written and presented. I found it hugely entertaining, so much so that I decided to ask, nay implore you to listen to it, I was even going to find you a link and everything...

But then I realised that as soon as you saw the word 'art' the shutters would come down, and you would refuse to have anything to do with it.

It is even possible that I would have managed to persuade or cajole you into listening, but even then you would have done so through the shutters.

I've decided that I will post a link, but instead of posting this on your diary, as was my original intention, I've decided to post it on mine. At least I know that it is frequented people who are at least a tad less philistinic than your good self.


There. Posted in the vain hope that curiosity will get the better of you. xx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03dsk4d

I can thoroughly recommend a listen to Episode 1 of this series too Tom

I'll add it to my list, thank you David.

You listening Tony?

[RED-DOG]

There was a great programme about grammar on Radio 4 this morning. Apparently, for the most part, we're all experts.

For instance, we know instinctively that it's a 'little black dress' rather than a 'black little dress', and that the the words describing an 'itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini' have be in the right order.

Some things really surprised me though. According to the expert, if you say, "I'm living with my girlfriend." you are describing a temporary arraignment, where as, "I live with my girlfriend." is permanent.  

I.e. "I'm wearing odd socks." is not the same as "I wear odd socks."

I love words n stuff.

[Tal]

Bit busy atm, but you get that in French more clearly (bear in mind the base of our language is heavily influenced by the Norman invasion):

You use the perfect tense to recall a thing that happened in the past (apologies for any errors, francophiles):

J'ai joué des échecs

I played chess

And the imperfect tense to recall the process of doing something in the past:

Je jouais des échecs quand j'ai eu mal à la tête

I was playing chess when I got a headache

[RED-DOG]

Bit busy atm, but you get that in French more clearly (bear in mind the base of our language is heavily influenced by the Norman invasion):

You use the perfect tense to recall a thing that happened in the past (apologies for any errors, francophiles):

J'ai joué des échecs

I played chess

And the imperfect tense to recall the process of doing something in the past:

Je jouais des échecs quand j'ai eu mal à la tête

I was playing chess when I got a headache

I won't be correcting you Mr Tal, keep it coming.

[RED-DOG]

Listing to some tunes that I haven't heard for ~ 30 years.

Great Lyrics.



Well, he was wino, tried and true.
Done about everything there is to do.
He worked on freighters, an' he'd worked in bars.
He worked on farms, an' he'd worked on cars.
It was white port that put that look in his eye,
Grown men get when they need to cry.
We sat down on the curb to rest,
And his head just fell down on his chest.

He says: "Every single day it gets,
"Just a little bit harder to handle and yet. . ."
Then he lost the thread and his mind got cluttered,
And the words just rolled off down the gutter.

Well, he was elevator man in a cheap hotel,
In exchange for the rent on a one room cell.
An' he's old: years beyond his time,
No thanks to the world, and the white port wine.

So he said: "Son." He always called me son.
Said: "Life for you has just begun."
An' then he told me the story I'd heard before
How he fell in love with a Dallas whore.

Now, he could cut through the years to the very night,
When it ended in a whore house fight.
And she turned his last proposal down,
In favor of being a girl about town.

Now it's been seventeen years, right in line,
He ain't been straight in none of the time.
It's too many days of fightin' the weather,
An' too many nights of not being together.
So he died.

Instrumental break.

An' when they went through his personal effects,
In among the stubs from the welfare checks,
Was a crumblin' picture of a girl in a door,
And an address in Dallas and nothing more.

An' the welfare people provided the priest,
A couple from the mission down the street,
Sang "Amazing Grace", and no one cried,
'Cept some lady in black, way off to the side.

We all left and she's standing there,
A black veil covering her silver hair.
Ol' One-Eyed John said her name was Alice,
An' she used to be a whore in Dallas.

So let him roar, Lord, let him roll.
I bet he's gone to Dallas, rest his soul.
Just you let him roll, Lord, let him roar
He always said that heaven
Was just a Dallas whore.

Just you let him roar, Lord, let him roll.
I bet he's gone to Dallas, rest his soul.