THE BRITISH THREAD II

Hmm. Well everyone likes people that are dying.
She was 'genuine' apparently. I suppose that made her fun to have an opinion on.

She was the genuine article, that's true.

I want to say my piece now on all the hand-wringing that's going on, and will go on and on and on if the form book is to be relied on, about that bloke Tomlinson who got pushed over by the police and died of a heart attack.

That's not proper police brutality. The man was being insolent and did not clear out of the way sharpish as he was no doubt being directed to. It's no surprise he got pushed, but it was his own fault. A policeman in riot gear, his mates with dogs, fired up by a violent demonstration and getting ready for more, is not your best friend.
It's a shame the authorities are being so mealy-mouthed about it.

I've only seen the video once but it looked indefensible to me.

I was there.
I don't know.
I didn't see that man get pushed over but my friend did.
It's hard because I think a lot of people were anxious to see the police be put at fault.... However, I was shocked at how they acted. At the front line people were getting completely bloodied. I was in the crowd (as observer of course) and I didn't think it was that rowdy. The only reason the RBS window got smashed was because we were blocked in and couldn't march anywhere.

Yeah, every time I get blocked in, I look for a plate glass window to smash.

I'm back home fromEngland, but I was there during that mess..

Nothing unusual..

Queenie- if you were only there as an observer what did you want to march for.

Camp followers don't march. What were you protesting about? Did you miss any academic work?

Gee! Did you see that Ennio Morricone in Venice show on Sky Arts?

No. Was it any good?

No Brits?

I see no Brits.*

(* orig. attrib. Captain Horatio Nelson, adapted McTag)

Ah I knew you'd disapprove, Dad. No, I didn't miss any academic work.
Why was I there?
Well not for the exact reason these people were:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O84AG3toNeg&feature=Responses&parent_video=343bCGrM3nU&index=0&playnext=1&playnext_from=RL

I needn't bother with the link. Boredom with the mechanomorphic cosmology of modern science and industrial organisation which is characterised by a sense of a lack of significance and purpose in times of peace and prosperity.

When the Universe is regarded as a great machine pointlessly grinding its way to stagnation, decay and death what else can be expected? Finding something to fill up this hollow pointlessness with external stimuli is only natural. Reading newspapers, getting vicarious thrills from movies and soaps, tapping the feet to pap music, idle chatter, sport and having a good time are only okay up to a point. An occasional demo is thrilling. And the cops enjoy it too. It gets them away from the dreary paperwork and office politics and gives them a sense of mission.

War is best but it's a bit messy. A demo is a nice comfortable substitute. One can be heroic and then go off to dinner.

But generally, when it is all over and the dust has settled, disillusion, fatigue and cynicism succeed the enthusiasm and a need for even greater and more intense distractions sets in and planning begins for next time.

The laugh is that in a pointless and meaningless universe a demo can be thought of as having a temporary and partial significance.

What it's like for non-smokers I shudder to think. Watching wisps of smoke from my cigarette float into and interact with the sunbeams bathing my sofa does it for me. Art is about patterns of light. (And sound).

I remember when I was your age that I could blow a large smoke ring when lying on the NAFFI snooker table and send a series of smaller, faster ones right through it.

That was a brilliant post.
I agree entirely.
My friend made a joke while we were in the crowd; 'Gee, I hope this doesn't take all day, I want to be home in time to watch The Apprentice.'

I saw one of the blokes who'd run into the RBS building sell a hard-drive he'd stolen to someone next to him for £5, then go back to waving his anti-capitalism banner.

In the most simple sense, I don't think there's anything detrimental about being a statistic in order to demonstrate a certain dissatisfaction.

Nicholas Parsons on Clement Freud: "There are very few people about whom you could apply the word unique".

I suppose that's so, Nicholas.

No more of books being out-of-print.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/24/espresso-book-machine-blackwell

Blackwell's unveils Espresso Book Machine - any title printed while you wait

They wouldn't print Readers' Wives, innit?

Do you know a book of that title?

Eh, no, actually I don't know one.

I've seen some Mac. There's some juicy babes in them I can tell you. Have you seen Viewer's Wives? Very sporting.

Oh, oh.