From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V2 #227 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Wednesday, October 22 1997 Volume 02 : Number 227 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Alloy: Who was that hep cat with the vulgar slang! [Elaine Linstruth ] Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy with [Louise.Ulfstedt@nmp.nokia.com (] [none] [Eldon Hawkins ] [none] [Eldon Hawkins ] Re: Alloy: Poor electrix [Paul Baily ] Alloy: Scrapbook (was Names to Faces) [Paul Baily ] Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? [Lem Bingley ] Alloy: Contest Time! ["Keith Stansell" ] Alloy: Names to faces, etc. [Brian Clayton ] Re: Alloy: Poor electrix [Louise.Ulfstedt@nmp.nokia.com (Ulfstedt Louise ] Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? [Louise.Ulfstedt@nmp.nokia.com (Ulfs] Re: Alloy: Poor electrix [Frank ] Re: Re: Alloy:UFO's [RThurF@aol.com] Re: Re: Alloy: Names to faces. [RThurF@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Scrapbook (was Names to Faces) [RThurF@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Poor electrix [RThurF@aol.com] Alloy: How I became "Weightless" [Tim Dunn <113203.2623@compuserve.com>] Alloy: Suggestions! [RThurF@aol.com] Re: Alloy: Aliens Ate My Birthday Cake! [ljackson@nstar.net (Lee Jackson)] Re: Alloy: Names to faces. [ljackson@nstar.net (Lee Jackson)] Re: Alloy: Poor electrix [IT Admin - Govt Office North West ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 21 Oct 1997 22:25:39 -0700 (PDT) From: Elaine Linstruth Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that hep cat with the vulgar slang! Hmmm...lessee -- this is the Webster's New World, Third College Edition. Now listen Frank, you keep making these disparaging remarks about yourself. Stop that!! I think you're doing amazingly well with all this technological ...uh.... bloody hell! I can't think of a Jolly cool thing to call it. Anyway -- you make me laugh. There are a lot of people your age that want to ignore all this stuff. And don't feel bad about Yahoo searches going nowhere.. that ain't you, that's Yahoo! - -- Elaine Linstruth Palmdale, CA (USA) On Tue, 21 Oct 1997, Frank wrote: > In my youth the height of vulgarity was in saying "Tess Tickles", to which > the reply was "Her does". And everybody snickered. But then I am 73. Hope > you all reach it. Ha! > Friend, tell me more about your Webster's. You have an unabridged edition > or the one from 1913 or are you in a purely English (Jolly) Edition? I > could not locate it. Half of my life ends in failures in Websters's or > Yahoo. and/or. Frank ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 08:48:56 +0200 From: Louise.Ulfstedt@nmp.nokia.com (Ulfstedt Louise NMP) Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy with Oooer missus! Re: Usage of THAT word: 1)What ever you do, boys, don't go shouting "BOLLOCKS" at the top of your voice if you're in the UK,....if a policeman is near, he might take offence,... 2)yep,...it means testicles, 3)yep, you can use it to mean "BS" if you don't agree with some one, 4)......or just as a common or garden expletive,..... 5)if you say it loud enough to the right sort of person on a saturday night in a pub in Featherstone or Castleford,..(near my old home in England,)especially if you say it in response to how wonderfully the local rugby team played, some one might even come and rearrange your face,...for FREE! Ahhhh,...the richness of the English language! If you want the real usage, I can just say that the above was a load of old bollocks, but don't tell me mum I said that,... Slarv, my darling boy, you're corrupting innocents again with your wicked ways,......... (Your place or mine tonight?) Kiss Kiss, Lissu, who is never naughty. xxxx ---------- From: alloy To: alloy Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy with the vulgar slang! Date: 21. October 1997 19:49 Precedence: bulk At 07:09 PM 10/21/97 -0700, you wrote: > >My Webster's defines "bollock" as >1 [Vulgar] - testicles. In my youth the height of vulgarity was in saying "Tess Tickles", to which the reply was "Her does". And everybody snickered. But then I am 73. Hope you all reach it. Ha! Two years after I was born Carlotta died in Europe. And now that's a bit of historic past. She slowly went mad after the murder of her husband, Maximilian. And so the world goes on. Frank >2 [Slang] - nonsense. >3 [Vulgar Slang] - an exclamation expressing anger, disbelief, etc. > >So I ask, is that the same as saying "b.s." in the USA? And are these the >same bollocks made famous in the Sex Pistols' album title. > >tee hee hee, > >-- >Elaine Linstruth Palmdale, CA (USA) > >> >'Pillock' is an English expression, a more polite form of bollock, but in >> >this context it's used to mean foolish fellow. One wouldn't call someone a >> >bollock ...... a bollock BRAIN, yes, but not a bollock. However, one could >> >refer to someone as a pillock. It's a derogatory term usually used between >> >friends, am I right Croydon, Mr Leacy (and any other Britishers >> here-present)? > >> bollock? Unknown by Mr. Webster. I'm still in the dark. Frank Ha! > > Friend, tell me more about your Webster's. You have an unabridged edition or the one from 1913 or are you in a purely English (Jolly) Edition? I could not locate it. Half of my life ends in failures in Websters's or Yahoo. and/or. Frank My Web Sites http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6745/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~WheelerF/index.html Home (Page) Improvement!! Remember, I'm just a kid in the candy store. Little by little I'm getting there. Join me on the ride. Frank ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 06:18:46 -0400 From: Eldon Hawkins Subject: [none] unsubscribe ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 06:18:46 -0400 From: Eldon Hawkins Subject: [none] unsubscribe ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 97 22:48:29 +1000 From: Paul Baily Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix Hi y'all, Thanks to those of you who've said what you thought about this. I really do appreciate it. I've been teetering on the edge of saying something about it myself. I was in two minds about sending that final message that caused electrix to choose to leave. Those of you who know me well will (correctly) guess that it wasn't an easy thing for me to do by any means: I agonised over it for a long time. Y'see, I'm one of these people that believes that there is good in every single person no matter how hard they may try to hide it. You just have to be patient, take your time and gently work at getting to know them, and appreciating the good things you find. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm naiive, maybe I'm a complete doormat. I like to think I'm just an optimist who wants to give everyone a fair chance, perhaps in the hope that they think about doing the same with people they meet. Way too many closed minds and judgements in this world. electrix is a person with some pretty amazing qualities. A distinct style that often reveals itself as simply brash, sure, that's bound to put a few noses out of joint while he feels his way. I think though if he'd chosen to stay with us and truly taken time to get to know the people here rather than a 'I'll say whatever I feel like, if you read it or take it seriously that's your problem' approach, he'd have complemented the group nicely. As with any friendship, you start out appreciating the commonalities, but then you get to discover and appreciate the differences, learning about - and from - each other as you go. It's a two way thing. Like I said in my other 'read me' message electrix was - and is - most welcome here, but the attitude he chose to use is not. I'd be telling only half of the story if I didn't put this part: electrix showed he really didn't care about anyone else's feelings here, and wasn't in the least worried when anyone implied or even outright said 'enough already' or 'hey that hurt'. That I won't put up with: in person, on email, anywhere. There's simply no excuse for it. It's one thing to be unaware you're treading on someone's toes, but it's another if you couldn't care less if you keep treading on them after someone's pointed it out to you. As you'd have seen, I asked electrix to get with the game, and simply give people's thoughts and feelings the respect they deserve. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to want to be here under that 'constraint' so chose to leave. Was I being unreasonable? I like to think not: it's not a big thing to ask. We lost something unique when electrix left, but perhaps when you think 'Poor electrix' it might be more fitting along the lines of feeling sad that he wasn't willing at the time to give Alloy a fair chance by opening his mind when we did the same for him ...as we do with anyone who choses to spend time with us. Alloy is a collection of very diverse, very special people I like to call friends (I take quiet pride in it in fact), and I'd be chuffed if others thought the same way. No elitism, no pretense, just a relaxed and open environment. All I want is for people here to feel comfortable being themselves in the company they're in, and have no qualms about nattering away. This means fundamentally respecting each other, respecting each other's views, and showing the same care you would with any other friend you regularly chatted with. I'd have liked to think this a common decency most people naturally showed each other. Maybe here at least it can be, eh? stay well, Paul. ________________________________________________________________________ Paul Baily paulb@thehub.com.au Consulting SE/IT contractor http://www.thehub.com.au/~paulb Brisbane, Australia There is a spirit here that won't be broken. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 97 22:48:36 +1000 From: Paul Baily Subject: Alloy: Scrapbook (was Names to Faces) >Wouldn't it be a good idea if we could all send in a scanned image of >ourselves - maybe to Paul (if he had the time/space to do it) for display - >sort of like a scrap book of Alloyites (gee I hope that doesn't sound like >a disease). Funny you should say that John, I was thinking this very thing when I was putting that page together last night. Okay, disk quotas be damned, lets do this! Everyone, when you get a moment, have a photo of yourself scanned (if you don't have access to a scanner, a local copy shop may be able to help) and send it to me at . Any graphic format is fine, JPEG is preferable though since it produces smaller files. Just try to make sure it's under 100kb when you send it. Until my new hard disk arrives in a few days I'm working with extremely limited space here. If you've already got a photo of yourself that you're happy with on a webpage somewhere, do as Lee's done: send me the URL for the page and I'll snaffle it direct from there. Gawd, I just thought. This means I'll have to put a photo up too. Well, as they say, you show me yours and I'll show you mine. :-) cheers, Paul. ________________________________________________________________________ Paul Baily paulb@thehub.com.au Consulting SE/IT Mercenary http://www.thehub.com.au/~paulb Brisbane tel: +61-7-3857-8048/+61-411-875-009 Australia There is a spirit here that won't be broken. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 14:01:16 +0100 From: Lem Bingley Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? El Franco wrote: >>PILLOCK Can't find it. What does it mean? Frank Slarv replied: >'Pillock' is an English expression, a more polite form of bollock, but in >this context it's used to mean foolish fellow. Close, Slarv, but you missed the mark by several inches. According to the Oxford English Dictionary 'pillock' is an insult dating back the the 16th century - 'pillicock' in its original form - and in fact a way of calling someone a penis. We'll be on to the original meaning of 'berk' in a minute, and then, I'm afraid, I'll have to retreat, embarrassed. * Lem Bingley, Editor, Software Futures * "..and remember the saying 'no news is good news'? It's BALLS" * Christopher Morris, On The Hour, BBC Radio 4 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 09:45:06 -0600 From: "Keith Stansell" Subject: Alloy: Contest Time! Hi Gang! This morning as I walked in the office and looked across the street at the Wynkoop, and it hit me (an idea, not the Wynkoop) - hey lets have a contest. Here's what I propose: Lets have a contest, everyone here has the skills to compete - you can write, you like TMDR's music. The contest is for the best "Weird Al" version of a Thomas Dolby song. See Slarv's example of "Wynkopeeee" for an excellent example. Prizes - well, I got no stinkin' prizes, but perhaps we could come up with something. How to Enter - Submit your entry here to Alloy, use the subject "Contest Entry" In the body, give the new song a name, and tell what Thomas Dolby song it should be sung to. I will collect these and post a web page of the entries. Deadline to submit an entry November 23rd. More than one entry is welcome per person. The winners will chosen based on a vote by you - the Alloy public. When voting time comes, I will collect votes from everyone via e-mail. Everyone is allowed one vote, and you may not vote for your own entry. No votes will be accepted until after November 23rd when all entries are submitted. Winners will be announced in December. Sound like fun? Keith (The Polk* inhabitant) Denver Co. http://www.concentric.net/~kasman * My employer ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 09:07:36 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Clayton Subject: Alloy: Names to faces, etc. On Tue, 21 Oct 1997, Paul Baily wrote: > - outside the Headspace > offices. (left to right: Mary Brown, Stephen Tilson, Brian Clayton, and > Beth Meyer> > > - the meeting with TMDR. > (back row, L to R: Steven McDonald, Brian Clayton, Stephen Tilson, front > L to R: Mary Brown, Thomas Dolby Robertson, and Monya De.) Ugh...can you edit out the grinning moron with the fedora? No? Oh well. And on a marginally related note: I finally tracked down Dr. Fiorella Terenzi's "Invisible Universe" CD-ROM, and must say I enjoy it very much. It shows various planets, stars, and galaxies in both visible and non- visible light (UV, radio, etc.) with the good Doctor popping in occassionally to explain what you are seeing. There is also a sections for showcasing music and poetry, including a poem read by TMDR himself. The disc is supposedly out-of-print, so you may want to grab it if you see it! BC - --- Brian Clayton "It was very witty, but it wasn't my wittiness." stemish@kumr.lns.com -- Kurt Vonnegut ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 20:12:54 +0200 From: Louise.Ulfstedt@nmp.nokia.com (Ulfstedt Louise NMP) Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix Hi Paul et all, Thanks for this message,..I think we all know that you we're put in an uncomfortable position. Electrix may have added a lot of colour to alloy, but personally, I can't get away from one fact,...that even when I told him he'd hurt me, he didn't ease up, on the contrary, he didn't seem to care at all. I don't like getting this from anyone, let alone from someone I don't really know. No matter how funny his jokes, or what his intentions were, if he hurt the feelings of alloyites...( I know I'm not the only one, and I don't think I'm THAT over-sensitive), he should have been adult enough to say sorry for causing the hurt, straight up, rather than make excuses such as that we didn't understand him/his humour,..that hurt more than the original insult. I originally kept quiet about this, tried to turn a blind eye,..because I didn't want to create a stink and upset everyone,...I adore being around alloy, and I didn't want his remarks to get in the way of our enjoyment of this fun list,... But now he's not here, Am I asking too much if I, for one, could ask those of you who miss him to, in turn, keep it low key???..I respect your opinions, but please respect the fact that I for one, was in fact really hurt by his comments & more so, his reaction when I told him how I felt. No one is prevented from chatting with him on the sidelines, after all! Alloy is about respect for individuals, and at the same time, is a team effort....I hope that those of you who feel sorry for electrix can also spare me a moment's sympathy for the fact that he made fun of my being late with my B-day effort, as a response to my explanation of having Bronchitis, and not being fit to sing even when I did. I'm STILL trying to see what the funny side in that could possibly have been, and I haven't found it yet. Please can we start putting this whole thing behind us all? We have different feelings about this guy,...(life would be boring if we all thought the same,)...but I think the decision went with the consensus on this one,....let's let it lie, please,rather than going on? Okay,...'nuff said. Hope I didn't offend anyone with this outburst. If some one wants to have a go at me, write me direct rather than bother all these poor souls, ...Somebody turn the radio up,...I want to have some fun now! Lissu,...having got it all off her chest (no leud comments, slarv!),and REALLY shan't say any more.. xxxkiss kissxxxx ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ Lissu@earthling.net (p.s. paul,...you can link the piccy thing to my web page if you like,...although I ought to update the damn thing,...www.abo.fi\~lharriso ,...is it,..now show us yours!) ---------- >From: alloy >To: Alloy >Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix >Date: 22. October 1997 22:48 > >X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. >Precedence: bulk > > >Hi y'all, > >Thanks to those of you who've said what you thought about this. I really >do appreciate it. > >I've been teetering on the edge of saying something about it myself. > >I was in two minds about sending that final message that caused electrix >to choose to leave. Those of you who know me well will (correctly) guess >that it wasn't an easy thing for me to do by any means: I agonised over >it for a long time. > >Y'see, I'm one of these people that believes that there is good in every >single person no matter how hard they may try to hide it. You just have >to be patient, take your time and gently work at getting to know them, >and appreciating the good things you find. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm >naiive, maybe I'm a complete doormat. I like to think I'm just an >optimist who wants to give everyone a fair chance, perhaps in the hope >that they think about doing the same with people they meet. Way too many >closed minds and judgements in this world. > >electrix is a person with some pretty amazing qualities. A distinct style >that often reveals itself as simply brash, sure, that's bound to put a >few noses out of joint while he feels his way. I think though if he'd >chosen to stay with us and truly taken time to get to know the people >here rather than a 'I'll say whatever I feel like, if you read it or take >it seriously that's your problem' approach, he'd have complemented the >group nicely. As with any friendship, you start out appreciating the >commonalities, but then you get to discover and appreciate the >differences, learning about - and from - each other as you go. It's a two >way thing. > >Like I said in my other 'read me' message electrix was - and is - most >welcome here, but the attitude he chose to use is not. I'd be telling >only half of the story if I didn't put this part: electrix showed he >really didn't care about anyone else's feelings here, and wasn't in the >least worried when anyone implied or even outright said 'enough already' >or 'hey that hurt'. > >That I won't put up with: in person, on email, anywhere. There's simply >no excuse for it. It's one thing to be unaware you're treading on >someone's toes, but it's another if you couldn't care less if you keep >treading on them after someone's pointed it out to you. > >As you'd have seen, I asked electrix to get with the game, and simply >give people's thoughts and feelings the respect they deserve. >Unfortunately, he didn't seem to want to be here under that 'constraint' >so chose to leave. Was I being unreasonable? I like to think not: it's >not a big thing to ask. > >We lost something unique when electrix left, but perhaps when you think >'Poor electrix' it might be more fitting along the lines of feeling sad >that he wasn't willing at the time to give Alloy a fair chance by opening >his mind when we did the same for him ...as we do with anyone who choses >to spend time with us. > >Alloy is a collection of very diverse, very special people I like to call >friends (I take quiet pride in it in fact), and I'd be chuffed if others >thought the same way. No elitism, no pretense, just a relaxed and open >environment. All I want is for people here to feel comfortable being >themselves in the company they're in, and have no qualms about nattering >away. This means fundamentally respecting each other, respecting each >other's views, and showing the same care you would with any other friend >you regularly chatted with. I'd have liked to think this a common decency >most people naturally showed each other. > >Maybe here at least it can be, eh? > >stay well, > >Paul. > >________________________________________________________________________ >Paul Baily paulb@thehub.com.au >Consulting SE/IT contractor http://www.thehub.com.au/~paulb >Brisbane, Australia There is a spirit here that won't be broken. > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 20:12:51 +0200 From: Louise.Ulfstedt@nmp.nokia.com (Ulfstedt Louise NMP) Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? LANGUAGE, TIMOTHY! Go on, Lem,...you got me going now,...I'm all curious! Where does it come from? eh,....eh? tell me ,...purleeeeeeese!!! (said she, pulling his shirt sleeve) I'll sulk if you don't. Bah Humbug. lissu ---------- >From: alloy >To: alloy >Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? >Date: 22. October 1997 14:01 > >X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-request@smoe.org" >X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. >Precedence: bulk > > >El Franco wrote: >>>PILLOCK Can't find it. What does it mean? Frank > >Slarv replied: >>'Pillock' is an English expression, a more polite form of bollock, but in >>this context it's used to mean foolish fellow. > >Close, Slarv, but you missed the mark by several inches. According to the >Oxford English Dictionary 'pillock' is an insult dating back the the 16th >century - 'pillicock' in its original form - and in fact a way of calling >someone a penis. > >We'll be on to the original meaning of 'berk' in a minute, and then, I'm >afraid, I'll have to retreat, embarrassed. > > > >* Lem Bingley, Editor, Software Futures >* "..and remember the saying 'no news is good news'? It's BALLS" >* Christopher Morris, On The Hour, BBC Radio 4 > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 12:44:06 -0700 From: Frank Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix At 08:12 PM 10/22/97 +0200, you wrote: > >Hi Paul et all, > >Thanks for this message,..I think we all know that you we're put in an >uncomfortable position. > > >Electrix may have added a lot of colour to alloy, but personally, I can't >get away from one fact,...that even when I told him he'd hurt me, he didn't >ease up, on the contrary, he didn't seem to care at all. I don't like >getting this from anyone, let alone from someone I don't really know. > Electrix has one glaring fault. He NEVER has learned to say 'I'm sorry'. He is only interested in his opinion and the rest of us be damned. He is always right and that ends it. If you differ with him, he lets it be known that you are then inferior. He is clever with the language. And he is unkind. I am not sorry to see him gone. I gave up corresponding with him direct when I saw his treatment of those on the List was parallel to his disdain (yes, that's the right word) for my upcoming cardioversion. I am not trying to elicit pity but that monster has no consideration for the travails of others. I know his background. He is basically mean spirited. And he is drunk with the authority that his position with Pepperdine affords him. But I for one would not choose to have him as my instructor. For those who miss him, tell him so but use direct lines. We others will continue to enjoy the casual and friendly banter going on in Alloy. Paul did the right thing. Now let's get on with the process of appreciating TD. OK? And I choose to go back to my original handle which is Frank. Thanks. Frank My Web Sites http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6745/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~WheelerF/index.html Home (Page) Improvement!! Remember, I'm just a kid in the candy store. Little by little I'm getting there. Join me on the ride. Frank ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 17:48:22 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Re: Re: Alloy:UFO's In a message dated 10/21/97 1:55:53 AM, dalexander wrote: <> I've seen satellites many times before, growing up in upstate NY - and this wasn't one. I cannot normally make them out here in Boston with all the light pollution. At 10pm on the night we saw the weird lights, the almost full moon was visible through a pretty veil of high altitude ice crystals, so the rest of the natural sky was mostly sort of a blur. The light we saw was very bright & quick-moving, and turned from one light to two lights and then three lights, then disappeared, then reappeared & shot off into nowhere (to give a brief summary) Robin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 17:56:35 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Re: Re: Alloy: Names to faces. In a message dated 10/21/97 3:34:04 PM, Melissa wrote: <> I saw footage of some of the events honoring Women in the Armed Forces, and I wondered whether I would see you or your mom, without even knowing! Robin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 18:17:34 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Scrapbook (was Names to Faces) I love the idea of an Alloy members Scrapbook!! I have had trouble reaching Paul's page in the past though..... if all else fails, maybe I can send a JPEG to someone else who can get through, and they can forward it to Paul for me. I will scan in my photo this weekend. It is wonderful to know what people look like! - but I have to admit, I have a picture in my mind of many of you already (which may or may not be far from reality) I always picture Frank as a rather lean and strong gentleman with thick silver hair, wearing black, and waving a rapier around occasionally..... El Franco! I could go on all day with imaginary descriptions, but I won't. It could get even weirder.... Robin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 18:18:27 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix In a message dated 10/22/97 11:18:00 AM, Slarvi wrote: <> Passion is excellent, but a refusal to accept other people's opinions as being equally valid is as infuriating as HELL. I'LL SHUT UP & NEVER UTTER ANOTHER WORD ABOUT IT NOW, I SWEAR, please don't start fighting again everybody!!!!! Robin :) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 18:44:04 -0400 From: Tim Dunn <113203.2623@compuserve.com> Subject: Alloy: How I became "Weightless" I'd planned to do a deep dubby version of Flying North for such a long time, I remember having a conversation with someone about it months ago o= n the FES. I would have done it anyway, but the mooting of the Bday project= was the final spur. = I thought it could really do with slowing down, as the vocal line is so incredibly beautiful, and the lyrics so strong (here come the men in suits.......) Despite the strange vocal-free chorus it has amazing integrity as a song, with the harmonies shifting imperceptibly underneath= the keyboard riff. My version was recorded in about 5 hours in a tiny little studio in York who've just won =A3250 000 fromthe Lottery. I played it all myself ecept = the backing vocals which my brother did. I had the strcture very clear in my mind, so I just played the drums along to a click track, and then added t= he bass on my 5-string, which I'd bought a week or so before. I'd only worrk= ed out the rest of the arrangement the night before, as I'm seriously short = of a decent keyboard, so I do tend to let the guitar do most of the work, as= my Les Paul sounds good no matter what you do to it. I was particularly pleased with the wah, which cuts through really well, and the light airy chords which come in at the end of each verse. I used bare 5ths in the church organ to emulate something of the tense sparse feel of the origina= l. If anyone hasn't noticed, the keyboard riff is really high up in on picco= lo - - it's not quite up enough in the mix though. Overall I was really happy with it - the drums are great considering I hadn't picked up sticks since I finished my album in March, and it's a really complex pattern. I really love that triplet syncopation figure - it's been central to my thinking of the song ever since I first had the idea of covering it. Of course anything recorded in 5 hours won't be perfect, and there are glitches, but who cares, anyone who's heard my alb= um knows I go for song rather than performance, and when you're paying =A320= per hour your choice is kind of made for you. I think the best thing that happened was after the recording when the engineer ran off a copy to take= home for himself, dead pleased with his day's work. He says I ought to go= back and do it properly again for three days, but I don't think so. Anyway I hope you like it. I got my copy today, but I can't listen to it now as everyone's in bed, but I'll write again tomorrow - I bet it's amazingly cool. the_copse ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 19:02:51 -0400 (EDT) From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Alloy: Suggestions! In a message dated 10/22/97 2:51:42 PM, CRACKERS wrote: >Two solutions I've come up with are... > >1) Do it again next year to give more people another chance to participate >with either music or a birthday greeting. > >2) Make a new Alloy/FES Album, but this time, instead of doing Dolby covers, >we all contribute an original song to the project that way we're not stepping >on anyone else's copyrights. Copies of this tape will be made available to >any Alloy/FES member who sends a tape and postage to whoever will >compile this project. So now you don't have to contribute to sample the >talents of your fellow Alloyites and FESers. We can have a due date for >contributions set and maybe make it a yearly event. FES/Alloy 1997 tape, >FES/Alloy 1998 tape, etc. although we probably won't have time to put >together a 1997 tape (unless we make the due date in Feb/March) > >Or we could even do both. Make a B-Day project each year with birthday >greetings and Dolby covers that is only distributed to contributors AND >make an all originals FES/ALLOY album each year that's freely available >to all members.>> Ahem....... why does the next present have to be recorded music? Some of us are not really inclined to strut our best stuff in this realm, which is probably why more people didn't (or couldn't) participate. Next time we should consider doing something that the rest of us can feel competent at, too. Some ideas: illustrations of how we feel about Thomas' songs, works of photography, portraits of Thomas himself, or some other work of physical art - - and perhaps short stories or poems relating to Thomas' work. These can be collected, photographed if necessary, and made into a very nice hand-bound volume. Dave and I would be very happy to to collect the various artwork and put together the book in time for the next BIG DAY. I know that steps were taken to provide the artists and writers among us with something to do on this last project, but really, there's only so much space to work with on a J-card. Doing a different project (or projects) would give Thomas something new to look forward to, and maybe then I won't have to feel like such a DWEEB next year, with just my cello and Radio Shack tape recorder with condenser mike! (We can of course include a tape of our own music with the rest of the artwork, so Alloy's wonderful musicians can shine too) What is the concensus? Robin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 22:54:06 GMT From: ljackson@nstar.net (Lee Jackson) Subject: Re: Alloy: Aliens Ate My Birthday Cake! On Mon, 20 Oct 1997 17:54:25 -0400 (EDT), you wrote: >So now that the dust has settled and Thomas has his present and we're = all >about to get ours, let's hear some production stories and what not from >the contributors. What gear did you use, how'd you record, what parts >gave you trouble, what tricks did you use, and how did you arrive at >your interpretation of the song you chose to cover for the album? I missed this part in my first post. Bollocks. The production of my track took place at home. I went on vacation with every intention of doing a smash-up job on the piece, but came down with acute bronchitis less than a week into it. I'd even brought home my trusty SC-88 from the studio in hopes of using it along with the Audiotrix 3D-XG in my system. Unfortunately, I was sidelined most of the time and wound up having nowhere near the amount of time available to work on it than I planned. Eventually, I came to long enough to do some work. I decided to stick with the Audiotrix 3D-XG, since by this time I was finished with my vacation (sic, and sick) and had to bring the SC-88 back to the office. The interpretation was just a wild hair, more or less - something that struck me as sounding good at the time. I'd always seen Big Bang Backwards as a piece with good dance potential, and I decided to boost it up to 148bpm (I checked - thanks) and see what it would sound like. It worked, so I went further into techno while trying to at least make the song recognizable. My only wish is that it could have been better. // Lee Jackson // ljackson@nstar.net // Garland, TX ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 22:44:27 GMT From: ljackson@nstar.net (Lee Jackson) Subject: Re: Alloy: Names to faces. On Tue, 21 Oct 1997 18:43:02 -0700, you wrote: >You look like a Texan. Well, I'm 4th generation Central Texas native, but I probably look less like a stereotypical Texan than pretty much anyone else in this State. >And you remind me of Burl Ives. I'll get you for that. // Lee Jackson // ljackson@nstar.net // Garland, TX ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 00:24:34 +0100 (BST) From: IT Admin - Govt Office North West Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix At 22:48 22/10/97 +1000, you wrote: >Hi y'all, > >Thanks to those of you who've said what you thought about this. I really >do appreciate it. > Whoops, I should have kept my mouth shut and not endorsed JAMac's message. Electrix is his own man and if he chooses to be offensive to Alloy members it's probably as well he unsubscribed. As I said previously, I deleted a lot of the offending correspondence without reading it as it was so lengthy, so I don't really know how over-the-top he became. I can only speak from my personal correspondence with him which has been nothing but congenial. If he has offended others either via Alloy or in direct mail I wonder if he has a screw loose or maybe has accidentally activated his self distruct mechanism. Whatever the case, Paul B was absolutely right to act as he did, and I don't envy him the job of trying to be diplomatic in such cases, which he managed with great skill, IMO. I can remember offending at least one person in the Tap Room, entirely by accident, when a posting was misinterpreted, and I had no hesitation in apologising unreservedly. However, I don't think this is the case with Electrix and if he can't understand how he's upset people he has my pity. Strangely enough, I had a similar experience on the Jethro Tull mailing list, where one regular contributor would upset many readers, and many of the following mailings got side-tracked into discussions about the right or wrongs of his right to speak as he did. I'd prefer that not to happen here (any more than it already has) so this is my very final posting on the subject. The one thing I can count on is sympathetic ears and open minds from Alloy and long may it stay that way. Slarv ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 00:24:37 +0100 (BST) From: IT Admin - Govt Office North West Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? At 20:12 22/10/97 +0200, Lissu wrote: > >LANGUAGE, TIMOTHY! > Oh, I bet an awfull lot of our readers won't understand that, Mrs Lumsden. >Go on, Lem,...you got me going now,...I'm all curious! >Where does it come from? eh,....eh? > I refer the Honorable Member to my other posting on this subject which is in with this batch of gubbins. >tell me ,...purleeeeeeese!!! (said she, pulling his shirt sleeve) > Er, that's not his sleeve dear, hadn't you noticed his eyes crossing. >I'll sulk if you don't. > Any you look loverly when you do it. Slarv ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 00:24:28 +0100 (BST) From: IT Admin - Govt Office North West Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy? At 14:01 22/10/97 +0100, Croydon wrote: >Close, Slarv, but you missed the mark by several inches. According to the >Oxford English Dictionary 'pillock' is an insult dating back the the 16th >century - 'pillicock' in its original form - and in fact a way of calling >someone a penis. > > My hat, I didn't know that, but then I was too damn lazy to look it up anyway. >We'll be on to the original meaning of 'berk' in a minute, and then, I'm >afraid, I'll have to retreat, embarrassed. > Re Berk, are you alluding to the old 'Berkley Hunt' (that's rhyming slang BTW, Lissu) as it was once explained to me, or as we used to say rather coyly in the Tap Room, 'FFB?' BH ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 00:24:31 +0100 (BST) From: IT Admin - Govt Office North West Subject: Re: Alloy: Who was that aging hippy with At 08:48 22/10/97 +0200, Lissu wrote: > >Oooer missus! > >Re: Usage of THAT word: > >Slarv, my darling boy, you're corrupting innocents again with your wicked >ways,......... >(Your place or mine tonight?) > >Kiss Kiss, > >Lissu, who is never naughty. >xxxx > Well REALLY!! And you a newly wed. Whatever would Mr Ulfstedt say to you propositioning a Mancunian (just about) old enough to be your father? S PS (I'll meet you half way. Don't know about where you are, but it's a beautiful starry night here in Manchester, a night for romance on the banks of the Mersey as the 'Manchester Fish' float past on their way to Liverpool and the Irish Sea.) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 18:01:08 -0700 From: Frank Subject: Re: Alloy: Poor electrix At 06:18 PM 10/22/97 -0400, you wrote: > >In a message dated 10/22/97 11:18:00 AM, Slarvi wrote: > ><the >Tap Room, as well as regular e-mails, and no long term damage resulted with >either party ....... so far as I know. Having said that, he does speak with >a passion on some subjects, but don't we all, and this can rub folk up the >wrong way sometimes. >>> > >Passion is excellent, but a refusal to accept other people's opinions as >being equally valid is as infuriating as HELL. > >I'LL SHUT UP & NEVER UTTER ANOTHER WORD ABOUT IT NOW, I SWEAR, please don't >start fighting again everybody!!!!! > >Robin :) > > > > Man, do I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!! Frank of San Diego My Web Sites http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6745/index.html http://members.tripod.com/~WheelerF/index.html Home (Page) Improvement!! Remember, I'm just a kid in the candy store. Little by little I'm getting there. Join me on the ride. Frank ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V2 #227 ***************************