gfxgfx
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
logo
 
gfx gfx
gfx
680601 Posts in 27601 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 29, 2024, 06:08:25 AM
*
gfx*HomeHelpSearchCalendarLoginRegistergfx
  Show Posts
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 8 9 10 11 ... 164
126  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Scott Bennett Update: He's Due to Be Released on: August 16, 2018, 08:29:38 AM
I didn't say anything about superior lifestyle & deciding what the others live like. Not sure where you read it. Merely gave advice in 1st post. The way you stated point-blank it's normal & reasonable behavior to get intoxicated sounds like you stated it as fact. Which is not. It's your opinion. Some people may disagree with it.

It's not an opinion. It is a fact. And, yes, some people do disagree with facts but, to be honest, I have no patience for that.
127  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Scott Bennett Update: He's Due to Be Released on: August 16, 2018, 08:20:27 AM
What? It's perfectly reasonable & normal behavior to get intoxicated? Since when? & I very much disagree when you say that for some, it's pleasurable experience to get intoxicated. It's, once again, illusion. But when they get out of it, it leads to bad things. You can't go against this fact. Then, why should people get pleasurable experience? Is living about pleasures? Since when? Plus, there's many nice safe joys to enjoy instead op being tipsy & such.

Neither you nor I get to define what is a pleasurable experience for others nor how they choose to live their lives. Just as no one has the right to come along and denigrate or restrict your tea-totaling, no one has the right to denigrate or restrict people who choose to become extremely intoxicated.

There was a time in my 20s, when I used to take great pleasure in getting together with my buddies, getting extremely intoxicated, and having some laughs.   Nobody did anything foolish or reckless.   Other than some bad hangovers, nobody got hurt.   And we're all still alive and well to tell the tale.  

Of course, now, I just prefer to catch a nice little buzz to relax.   But, I have zero regrets about those times from my 20s.  

Sounds perfectly reasonable and normal to me!  Smiley

Also, I should say that myself I very rarely drink and when I do it's almost never to the point of intoxication. However, I would never think to impose my own lifestyle choices on others. Just as when it irks me when people, say, want to impose their eating habits and workout regimes on others because they believe it to be a superior lifestyle choice. I don't eat beef or pork and I try to work out when I can but I make it a point never to criticize others who are not living the same lifestyle that I am. As far as political systems go, that's another matter...  Cheesy
128  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Scott Bennett Update: He's Due to Be Released on: August 16, 2018, 08:11:34 AM
What? It's perfectly reasonable & normal behavior to get intoxicated?

Yes.

Quote
Since when?

This has always been the case.

I very much disagree when you say that for some, it's pleasurable experience to get intoxicated. It's, once again, illusion. But when they get out of it, it leads to bad things. You can't go against this fact. Then, why should people get pleasurable experience? Is living about pleasures? Since when? Plus, there's many nice safe joys to enjoy instead op being tipsy & such.

Neither you nor I get to define what is a pleasurable experience for others nor how they choose to live their lives. Just as no one has the right to come along and denigrate or restrict your tea-totaling, no one has the right to denigrate or restrict people who choose to become extremely intoxicated.
129  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Scott Bennett Update: He's Due to Be Released on: August 16, 2018, 07:39:57 AM
Neither one of you 'get' what I'm saying.  He was guilty and found so.  With that I agree 100%.  The fact that she was defenseless did not give him license to do what he did.  It was not an invitation.  It was not a reason for him to violate her.  The fact that she was in THAT condition, though, was HER fault.  She left herself totally vulnerable.  For that she HAS to take some responsibility.  There are,after all, consequences for actions...in REAL time.

I can't say I agree with this element of your discussion, Lee.

The fact is is that, for some, getting blitzed out beyond self-control is a very pleasurable experience. If someone wants that experience, it shouldn't be considered as a "fault". In a decent society, one should be able to get into those particular states of intoxication without the fear that they are going to possibly going to come under physical attack when they are there. It isn't too far from basic civility to operate under the belief that when one is slightly or even fully incapacitated that we don't abuse them, regardless of whether they made the perfectly reasonable choice to become that intoxicated or whether they didn't.

"Ah, but human nature," one might respond. We can't rely on the decency of humans and therefore other people's lack of a moral compass should therefore restrict our own actions. That is, the people who lack basic decency should get to decide for us how we treat our own bodies. Well, even if you put aside the fact that the very premise is obscene, I would also reply that what we call "human nature" is in reality something that is not set in stone. Human behaviour can change. Therefore, surely, if we are going to push for change, it should not be to talk people out of perfectly normal and reasonable behaviour - that is, going out and getting intoxicated beyond self-control - but instead work to convince more and more people that when people are engaging in that perfectly normal and reasonable behaviour that we don't abuse them.
130  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: What are you watching now?/Favourite Movie of the Moment on: August 16, 2018, 06:28:07 AM
I recently went on a inadvisable spending spree and bought about eight movies - some cheap, some expensive. One of the more expensive purchases was Bergman's trilogy - Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and The Silence. I had seen the first two before but not the last but I decided to watch all three this week, completing The Silence last night. These are, in my view, monumental movies and Winter Light belongs in my all-time favourite movie list. Maybe The Silence needs to be re-watched or sink in a bit more because I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two. It's still very good though. It's difficult for any film to measure up to both Winter Light and Through a Glass Darkly.
131  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Kokomo Is 30 article in Stereogum on: July 30, 2018, 08:16:55 AM
It's hip to diss it because it's Mike's Beach Boys, and Brian isn't on it. i'm sure all the Brianistas would celebrate the idea of the group having a late career hit if Brian had sung on it - and produced and co-written it.

There are a staggering amount of people who I have met in my life who talk about how terrible this song is and have absolutely no idea who any of the members are. So I'm unconvinced by your assessment.
132  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: David Marks Arrested on: July 29, 2018, 10:09:19 AM
"My biggest regret is that time David Marks was arrested"
133  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / Smiley Smilers Who Make Music / Re: My Beach-Boys-Influenced Demos on: July 29, 2018, 07:12:01 AM
I love the sound. I would say keep them exactly like this other than the final mixing. The harmonies sound great to me.
134  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Mike Nesmith Reveals Quadruple-bypass Surgery - Still Plans to Tour In September on: July 26, 2018, 08:30:34 PM
I saw one of the last - if not the last - Mike & Micky show before the tour was cancelled. I had no idea why until now. Glad to hear he seems to be recovering nicely. He did seem off during the show and, in fact, the stage interaction was awkward. The band sounded great though and I was happy to have seen the show.

Isn't it amazing to read Mike had an oxygen tank setup backstage at those shows like the one you saw? I don't think anyone had a clue outside the inner circle and tour staff, and I know fans around Philly including those who drove pretty far from out of state to attend were shocked when that show was canceled hours before curtain. All I got to see were the various Facebook live streams of a few songs from various tour dates that they were putting up.

Yes, it's quite sad. All things considered, he put on an amazing show.
135  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Mike Nesmith Reveals Quadruple-bypass Surgery - Still Plans to Tour In September on: July 26, 2018, 08:15:57 PM
I saw one of the last - if not the last - Mike & Micky show before the tour was cancelled. I had no idea why until now. Glad to hear he seems to be recovering nicely. He did seem off during the show and, in fact, the stage interaction was awkward. The band sounded great though and I was happy to have seen the show.
136  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: MLB 2018 on: July 25, 2018, 10:05:15 AM
As a Jays fan, I am just thankful to the Orioles for keeping us out of the basement.
137  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Was Back in the USSR the 1st Beach Boys parody? on: July 25, 2018, 04:33:57 AM
So, sure, it's funny in that that's the Beatles take on it but it would be the equivalent of writing a song from the perspective of a man from Holland in the style of Blue Suede Shoes, called Yellow Wooden Clogs.

Only no self-respecting man from Holland would give a sh*t what you did with his yellow wooden clogs. LOL

Ha!
138  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Was Back in the USSR the 1st Beach Boys parody? on: July 24, 2018, 07:35:15 PM
This is semantics, but I always considered the song more pastiche than parody. For me the difference is that pastiche imitates while parody makes fun of. And furthermore, it's a pastiche of not just a style but, in my view, two different songs: Chuck Berry's Back in the USA and The Beach Boys' California Girls.

I kinda respectfully disagree.

Especially since the tune is called "Back in the USSR", which is a deliberate take/pun on the whole US pride type thing, it's (to my ears at least) an intentionally jokey reference to the BB's song Surfin' USA, and some of the lyrical themes of California Girls.

IMO, it's both an homage and also making fun of that Beach Boys aesthetic a little bit (but not in a mean way).  It's not just that the song goes into a Beach Boys style randomly for a bit simply because The Beatles appreciated The BBs' music; it's a very purposeful joke on US vs USSR, national pride, and very much a wink wink, nudge nudge thing, since the BBs always bragged about their girls, and sang about national pride.

Maybe it's a hybrid parody/pastiche, but to me it's a bit like when Get Smart did their Casablanca episode; there's undeniable parody involved.

I hear you but I disagree with your analysis.

For one, it seems to elide the fact that a central source text for the song is Chuck Berry's Back in the USA. Look at the first verse of both songs:

Back in the USSR:

Oh, flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C.
Didn't get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man I had a dreadful flight
I'm back in the U.S.S.R.

Back in the USA:

Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
We touched ground on an international runway
Jet propelled back home, from over the seas to the U. S. A.

There's definitely a humour in the song but the target is not The Beach Boys. Rather, McCartney is just taking this rock and roll convention (and to be fair, most of it comes from Chuck Berry here and not The Beach Boys) and considers it from the perspective of "the enemy" in order to show that the Russian man has the same story as the American man and when it comes right down to it, we are all the same. Now a more serious version would simply argue that people have the same values everywhere and the same capacity of making good choices, flawed choices, etc. But The Beatles are a bit more creative than that and from a more musical perspective say, just as an American can write "Back in the USA," a Russian can write "Back in the USSR" and just as an American can write California Girls, a Russian can sing about Moscow girls.

So, sure, it's funny in that that's the Beatles take on it but it would be the equivalent of writing a song from the perspective of a man from Holland in the style of Blue Suede Shoes, called Yellow Wooden Clogs. The target wouldn't be Elvis or Carl Perkins. I mean, I guess it could be, but not if your goal is to show that people all over the world have the same concerns.
139  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Was Back in the USSR the 1st Beach Boys parody? on: July 24, 2018, 06:16:09 AM
This is semantics, but I always considered the song more pastiche than parody. For me the difference is that pastiche imitates while parody makes fun of. And furthermore, it's a pastiche of not just a style but, in my view, two different songs: Chuck Berry's Back in the USA and The Beach Boys' California Girls.
140  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Pet Peeves on: July 17, 2018, 09:30:52 AM
On a totally different note (but relevant to the thread), I really dislike the hyperbole-clickbait style of YouTube video titles, as well as headlines in some publications. For example, I enjoy watching debates on YouTube. But so many of them have titles like "[Person A] CRUSHES libtard [Person B]," or "Conservative DESTROYED IN FIVE MINUTES!" or whatever. Right now in my recommended videos is "Atheist Dan Barker Mutilates The Christian."

It's as if the typical YouTube commenter--which is to say, a hyperbolic idiot--titles them all.

I agree entirely. I think it's a symptom of being treating politics like its a spectator sport. In many ways, we have been highly influenced to think about politics in those terms.
141  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Pet Peeves on: June 04, 2018, 05:55:11 PM
Decided to delete post. Just frustrated at how my country is going downhill.

That's too bad. I was about to comment on it.
142  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Had SMiLE been released, what would Brian have subsequently done? on: May 31, 2018, 09:15:17 AM
I think it would have been a crossroads moment. If Brian wanted to continue being part of the production race, I think that the band would have split up. If his preference was to keep the band together, I think they would have had to go the Wild Honey route. In fact, I think that was very much the dilemma Brian was facing in 1967 anyway.
143  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: What are you watching now?/Favourite Movie of the Moment on: May 22, 2018, 06:49:02 PM
I think the idea that studio audiences are there to coerce the audience into laughing is a somewhat false belief that probably even some studio execs hold.

Perhaps consider it this way. There are currently many, many stand up comedy specials available on Netflix. Now imagine how they might work if there was no audience in those shows. Whatever thought you just had in your head about how they might work is probably what many performers over the years thought when they considers their own comedy shows without an audience.
144  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: May 19, 2018, 06:50:51 AM
The Captain - Perhaps not useful in everyday life, but beneficial in others. True Canadians and Americans have benefited from English being the lingua franca  at a cost, although don't Canadians have to learn both French and English in school?

There are quite a few French immersion schools, yes. I took French from grade one all the way through the end of high school. However, it's not a requirement and there are some English-only schools here just as I'm sure there are French only schools in Quebec. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province but I don't know how that works in terms of schooling. My partner is from New Brunswick though. I should probably ask her.
145  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: May 17, 2018, 06:02:46 AM
Help me CSM deal with this craziness! Wink

I'm barely hanging on myself.
146  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: May 17, 2018, 06:02:09 AM
they do become very interested in the internal goings-on of a country when they are a target for US military intervention. I don't think we could go more than a minute without hearing about the horrors committed by Saddam Hussein or the repression carried out against the people of Iran throughout the 2000s. And, for different reasons, we have heard quite a lot about the internal politics of Russia over the past few years.

Also, in my view, Israel is not so much a friend as much as they are a satellite or a colony, which should make the American people concerned about what goes on there.

Re the objects of our aggression, I’d assume that’s because the media tends to cover stories basically as fed them by the WH, the Pentagon and similar sources during those periods, to ensure some level of public support. The 03 Iraq war may be the best modern example.

As for Israel, I just meant to share the narrative, not the truth.

Yes, I think we are in agreement on this.
147  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: May 16, 2018, 07:49:38 PM
I think Americans really don't focus on anything outside the borders of the country, with a few occasional very broad-stroke narratives. And in this case, "Israel = special [do-no-wrong] friend" is one of those narratives, and "Muslim bad guys" is another. So even if they did realize what and where Gaza is, and know what is going on there ... they generally won't know what's going on there, because it's so shaded, if not entirely obscured, by the narratives.

The most recent Intercepted podcast has a nice Norman Finkelstein interview on the topic.

OH--and my initial "top answers" post should have probably included something about the Iran nuclear deal. That would definitely be among the top responses, in some way or other.

Norman Finkelstein is a fantastic scholar and one of the best writers on the topic.

I do agree with you to an extent about Americans and their focus on issues outside of the borders. However, to add to your good point about narratives, they do become very interested in the internal goings-on of a country when they are a target for US military intervention. I don't think we could go more than a minute without hearing about the horrors committed by Saddam Hussein or the repression carried out against the people of Iran throughout the 2000s. And, for different reasons, we have heard quite a lot about the internal politics of Russia over the past few years.

Also, in my view, Israel is not so much a friend as much as they are a satellite or a colony, which should make the American people concerned about what goes on there.
148  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: May 16, 2018, 07:19:11 PM
My entirely honest--I know this will read otherwise, but I'm not being sarcastic--answer is something like this (in order of most common answer to "how are you feeling about what is happening in Gaza right now?"):

1. "What's Gaza?"
2. "What's happening in Gaza?"
3. "That's the Muslims, right? Israel has a right to self defense against terrorists."
4. Probably something about Obama's [Syrian] red line.
5. Maybe a Saddam Hussein reference?


I can appreciate that response. Given how well-informed and intelligent you are, I genuinely believe that's a testament to just how in the dark Americans are kept on the realities of the Israel-Palestine issue. And I don't think that's your fault but rather the fault of your media and political system.
149  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: May 16, 2018, 06:27:54 PM
I'm curious what the general feeling is in the US about what's happening in Gaza right now?
150  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: May 14, 2018, 03:23:29 PM
It still does in many schools.

I guess I shouldn't talk because here we make our kids sing the national anthem in the morning. But making a pledge to be loyal to the State seems to be a whole other level of ridiculousness.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 8 9 10 11 ... 164
gfx
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines Page created in 2.339 seconds with 21 queries.
Helios Multi design by Bloc
gfx
Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!