From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V12 #248 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Sunday, October 7 2007 Volume 12 : Number 248 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [AVALON] Facile observations - Andy Mackay in London [Chandla911@aol.com] To leave the list, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon-digest ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 08:02:34 EDT From: Chandla911@aol.com Subject: [AVALON] Facile observations - Andy Mackay in London Martin Stockman aimed to shoot down in flames thus: "Richard, to compare the "courage" of the likes of Eno and Bob Crow with the Burmese monks and students (many of whom - thousands - have disappeared and are undoubtedly being tortured) is, frankly, a disgrace. This facile argument revolts me, and I'm sure everyone on the list." I don't know why. Martino has the monopoly of pithy epithets and quickfire putdowns but is it absolutely necessary to riposte every single contribution I make. In an attempt to match the facile and pointless observations made almost daily on this list, you know, Bryan Ferry lookalie spotted near the manager's dugout at a football match, that kind of thing... Last week, Adam Ant told a story on a London stage about Bryan Ferry. I reported it in case anyone was interested. But this fuelled not one but two mentions in subsequent jibes from his Holiness. Now, for whatever reason, Martini Bianco thinks to use "quote marks" around the word courage before the names of Eno and Bob Crow. Can you enlighten little old me? I have not at any time used the word "courage" to describe the actions of these two gentlemen, so why suggest I did? So you seek to misrepresent me, fine, it's your prerogative. But take some misguided moral high ground at the same time? You are revolted by my argument AND you wish to misquote AND misunderstand me? Per-leese. I did suggest that Eno might be a bored thrill-seeker, but so are people in their gap year bunjee jumping over Victoria Falls. It's not something I would do, but does alone make it courageous? Or just adrenaline overdose? I get the impression that Martino Rossi may have been inconvenienced by a transport strike. Oh dear, what a shame. You poor thing. But I'm not sure Bob Crow deserves acrimony on that basis alone, when considering his every decision. But at no time have I suggested he is courageous either. The facts are these. At some point, the government is Burma decided to restrict the freedoms of its people and now we find ourselves in this international turmoil. At the first instant, the move would have maybe seemed imperceptible. But the thin end of the wedge in whatever country we might live in is when we blithely dismiss the erosion of personal freedom because we can't bring ourselves to agree with someone who made us late home for dinner. Brian Eno, Tony Benn, Mark Thomas, even Bob Crow...they could all just turn a blind eye and get on with their lives next Monday Oct 8. But sneering at the protest from some notional ivory tower while assuming "everyone on the list" (see what I did there? I used quote marks to copy words you've previously used) will agree with you is truly beneath contempt. If patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel, using the unconsented assent of an unconsulted group is the one before last. But never mind, back to business in hand. Last night was the second night of three concerts at Ronnie Scotts in London by chanteuse Gabrielle. Enjoying his dinner and the concert was our good and stalwart friend Andrew Mackay with his good lady. Wearing ENORMOUS spectacles, his silver hair coiffed and maybe just a little thin at the back, he was wearing a dapper bottle green suit. He was most gracious and was happy to chat to those who spotted him. But he would not speculate on dates for future Roxy projects. More the kind of story you enjoy reading? Try Hello magazine... All good things Richard Mills ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V12 #248 ***************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest