A thing I learned today

[DzM]

always gave me religious accoutrements that I hadn’t the faintest idea what one did with being an ill bred child.

When I was a kid I wanted rosary in the worst of ways 'cause I thought it was a pretty bitchin' looking necklace. My hippy mom was bemused AND horrified.

[firehazard]

Learned Spider was born in Eastbourne.

When I was up there trying to learn this damn language (that I still don't master) I took the train and totally randomly went to Eastbourne. Found a motorcycles convention there. Spent the day taking pics of old bikes I wasn't interested in and walking around.

Had I known it was Spider's birthplace I sure would have found better things to do!

It's many years since I've been to Eastbourne, but from what I remember of the place, finding things to do was quite a challenge...

It's always vaguely amused me that according to the Bios page on Medusa, Eastbourne is in London. Erm...

Corrections welcomed Mr. Editor-Guy.

I'd recommend just taking out the "London" from "Eastbourne, London" in the top line.
Which reminds me, I think some years ago we were saying something about bringing Mr C's bio up to date. And I have the feeling I sort of got volunteered to do it... My work hours are being cut from next month (thanks to a deadly combination of feckin Covid and baxtard Brexit), which should give me some more free time, so I'll see if I can get my head round it.

[DzM]

Learned Spider was born in Eastbourne.

When I was up there trying to learn this damn language (that I still don't master) I took the train and totally randomly went to Eastbourne. Found a motorcycles convention there. Spent the day taking pics of old bikes I wasn't interested in and walking around.

Had I known it was Spider's birthplace I sure would have found better things to do!

It's many years since I've been to Eastbourne, but from what I remember of the place, finding things to do was quite a challenge...

It's always vaguely amused me that according to the Bios page on Medusa, Eastbourne is in London. Erm...

Corrections welcomed Mr. Editor-Guy.

I'd recommend just taking out the "London" from "Eastbourne, London" in the top line.
Which reminds me, I think some years ago we were saying something about bringing Mr C's bio up to date. And I have the feeling I sort of got volunteered to do it... My work hours are being cut from next month (thanks to a deadly combination of feckin Covid and baxtard Brexit), which should give me some more free time, so I'll see if I can get my head round it.

Done.

I honestly don't recall where most of these bios came from. I blame that forgotten misty source somewhere in the distant past.

[firehazard]

I honestly don't recall where most of these bios came from. I blame that forgotten misty source somewhere in the distant past.

Just looking at them again. Weirdly, they all seem to finish around the mid to late 90s. Maybe they were found carved on stone when the foundations of Medusa were first dug.*

So there's a potential updating project for someone. Hm.

[*Editorial query: Rafts don't actually have foundations, do they?]

[Low D]

[*Editorial query: Rafts don't actually have foundations, do they?]

The foundations of the raft of the Medusa were incompetence and sharks.

[firehazard]

The foundations of the raft of the Medusa were incompetence and sharks.

This could also be applied to the state of the rest of the world right now.

[Low D]

The foundations of the raft of the Medusa were incompetence and sharks.

This could also be applied to the state of the rest of the world right now.

The architects of our doom
Around their tables sit
And in their thrones of power
Condemn those they've cast adrift
Echoes down the city street
Their harpies laughter rings
Waiting for the curtain call
Oblivious in the wings

The casket is empty
Abandon ye all hope
They ran off with the money
And left us with the rope

[DzM]

Depressingly prophetic. Or depressingly forever true.

[firehazard]

Depressingly prophetic. Or depressingly forever true.

Depressingly same as it ever was.

There was a recent BBC art documentary series by Simon Schama, The Romantics and Us, which featured The Raft of the Medusa prominently. It's worth catching if you have access to it.

Schama wrote a thing about it which is on the Financial Times website, but seems to be behind a paywall.

[Christine]

Sorry to hear, firehazard. But it would be great if your spare time benefits Mr C's memory. I had been hoping for a compilation of his theatre reviews, but I need to retire first.

You can get the FT article if you put the title into Google, or try this:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.usa-vi ... cades/amp/

And yes, we are all on the raft. Incompetence and contempt are doing us in. Look at this PBoy version:
https://vimeo.com/378115284

[Frances]

And yes, we are all on the raft. Incompetence and contempt are doing us in. Look at this PBoy version:
https://vimeo.com/378115284

It’s interesting that he did the splatter effect first. But obviously...

Dumbest thing I ever did was not pay £20 to see a Pollack exhibit at the Tate Modern, but anyone who has literally been starving in London because they chose a semi livable room (in Paddington or wherever ) knows what that’s like.

Have a relative who lives beside the most amazing mural, just fantastic.
Like the Edgar Allan Poe one in Northern Liberties but totally different.

You’d smile every time you went by, I’d think. Kinda like living near a dog park.


I miss Philip’s random commentary on food as much as his theatre expertise. Arguments with the ill informed about American corned beef vs British or his love of meringue. I don’t know why but stuff like that always cracked me up.

[firehazard]

Sorry to hear, firehazard. But it would be great if your spare time benefits Mr C's memory. I had been hoping for a compilation of his theatre reviews, but I need to retire first.

You can get the FT article if you put the title into Google, or try this:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.usa-vi ... cades/amp/

And yes, we are all on the raft. Incompetence and contempt are doing us in. Look at this PBoy version:
https://vimeo.com/378115284

Thanks Christine. I'm pretty relaxed about the cut in hours, to be honest, and attempting to focus on using the extra time.

The PBoy mural was featured in the Schama series too. We found it fascinating.

[left]

I’ve always been mr. Latecomer. Once again:

Listening for the millionth time to Modena City Ramblers’ Canto di Natale, I realised that - drumroll - it is a direct hint at our boys’ FONY.

I kind of knew the songs were somehow related but never made the connection.

I’ll explain why this is far beyond a normal “uh, never realised that”:

- By ~1995 I was already listening to both the Pogues and MCR, so, 25 years of time...
- the title is “Christmas Carol”
- the lyrics are more or less this (very rough deepl translation, sorry):

Lady of the dark alleys from the old wasted coat
Dry your eyes and smile there's another Christmas coming soon

You don't hear screams and voices and something strange in the air

Even the greyed walls of the alleys shine under the moonlight

Do you remember we met on a snowy and cold day

And in the evening we had a glass of dark and a round of waltzes.

With many regards to another Christmas

Lady of the dark alleys give me a big hug tonight
Even cats sometimes celebrate and sing under the stars
Forget the cold tears and mud-covered shoes
And the fate of an old drunkard lulled by the song of the wind

Do you remember we met on a snowy and cold day
And tonight we will have a glass of dark and a round of waltzes
With many regards to another Christmas.

Lady of the dark alleys do not give up the fight
There will come better moments the time is a wheel that turns
We will see the shores of the sea on a sunny summer day
We will drink fifty bottles in the shelter of a distant sky

Do you remember we met on a snowy and cold day
And tonight we'll go out dancing in the streets and toast a toast
And a cordial fuck off to another Christmas

Rings a bell UH?

I’m hopeless.

[left]

I learned that DzM’s website is full of quite old, yet very interesting stuff.

I’m avidly reading http://dzm.com/out/aol.html at the moment. I learned that you worked for Netscape, well that maybe I knew already, but all the story, who is Jamie Zawinski, that in 2000 homegroceries.com was big in the USA (yes, my Swiss fellow citizens, we’re 20 years behind!).
Still reading it.

You should do sit-dow-by-the-fire session where you tell netscape/aol tales DzM. Would be entertaining. Sorry, not trying to make you feel old, it’s the internet time that goes faster!

[firehazard]

I learned that DzM’s website is full of quite old, yet very interesting stuff...
You should do sit-dow-by-the-fire session ...

I'm very much hoping that it would finish with "now fuck off to bed".