From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V5 #285 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 Monday, November 27 2000 Volume 05 : Number 285 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Alloy: Calendar project ["Robin" ] Re: Alloy: Calendar project [Spencer2424@aol.com] Re: Alloy: OT : To the citizens of the United States of America ["Diva" <] Re: Alloy:.....Tim gets carried away again (OT) [Beth Meyer Subject: Re: Alloy: Calendar project - ----- Original Message ----- From: > Robin, > > I'd still like to try to get an image to you for the calander. When do you > need it by, and at what size and resolution? I don't have any set deadlines for this since I'm doing it online & won't need a printing schedule etc. (I *was* initially going to actually print them like real calendars and mail them out, but costs/potential schedule complications were way too prohibitive!) Instead, just send it in when you get it done I suppose, in advance of whatever month you'd like to be featured in if you have a preference. .jpg format is best for me... resolution should probably stay around 72 dpi so it won't take long for people to download... I think size can really be up to you, within reason! :) no larger than the size of the average computer screen is probably best, so people can see your work all at once without having to scroll all over the place. I look forward to seeing what you're working on! xxxx Robin T ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 02:40:47 EST From: Spencer2424@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Calendar project Thanks Robin! If possible, I'd love to have October! - - Craig ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 16:06:12 -0000 From: "Diva" Subject: Re: Alloy: OT : To the citizens of the United States of America Robin asked: >How much coverage is 'Indecision Day' getting in England? is it really seen as >interesting? Why? Are you kidding? I stayed up all night just to watch the US election results (big mistake!) British Satellite TV has had live coverage of the court cases and the news on all channels has constant updates. We are very much aware of the whole issue. Why? Well first, it's always wise to keep an eye on the toughest kid in the playground. Then, despite the fact that our politicians are dragging us into Europe without our consent, we have far more in common with America, culturally, historically, linguistically, politically etc etc. We got a referendum in the 70s to ask if we wanted to be in the Common Market for trading purposes. We are now in a situation where European law has become our law without us ever being asked if we wanted to give away the laws we had developed for hundreds of years. Doesn't matter who we vote for, no party will take us out now. I read an article where someone said we should join the US, not Europe and it's true - we have far more in common with you guys - as far as I know, you don't prosecute people for selling vegetables by the pound, which is *really* happening right here right now. Looking at the USA is like looking into a cracked crystal ball - it's not a perfect guide to the future, but allowing for the cracks, it's a pretty good indicator of where our politics might go. Your choice of president may well change my future, at least until Britain is totally integrated into Europe, whereupon I'm going to stop using words like "future", because we won't have one. Oh, and now some other Brit is probably going to disagree with me totally - we're like that! Sally diva@tn.prestel.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 15:38:44 -0500 From: Beth Meyer Subject: Re: Alloy:.....Tim gets carried away again (OT) Hi, folks; Before we leave the topic of WWII & 80's music, I just had to note that I am glowing at having just received last night an import copy of Joe Jackson's "Big World" CD. That import is available through CDNow at a most excellent price for an import ($13.99, as I recall), though most sources of recorded music simply say that it is out of print. I had despaired of getting it in a more currently usable form than the cassette tape I bought in '86, which I'm not sure is even playable anymore (unlike some Alloyites, I am *not* at all good at preserving the various media of my music collection. I just play them to death...). This is a most excellent album in my opinion, made even more notable by the fact that it was recorded live, but you hear no audience noise whatsoever. The WWII connection is my favorite song on the album, "Forty Years", which was written on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the end of the war. Each verse features someone kinda griping about another culture -- a Berliner (citizen, not pastry) complaining about the Americans and Soviets (I think), an American from DC complaining about those wussy Europeans, and a Brit complaining about those loud and tasteless Americans. Then a hauntingly beautiful chorus that's simply something like, "Once allies danced and sang, but it was forty years ago." A little bit dark, but touching nonetheless... Oh well, back to your regularly scheduled discussion of all things Dolby -- Beth (daughter of a WWII bomber pilot, by the way) P.S. Another fun fact about the "Big World" import is that the lyrics are provided in five languages. Though Joe only sings them in English, of course :-) Interestingly, the line from "Right or Wrong" about "You like the Yankees or the Mets this year?" is translated apparently using local team names for France and Germany... Tim Hudson wrote: > Whilst on the subject of the Invasion and loss of life can I just go > off message and say the following? > > The sacrifices made by the US soldiers are never far from my mind - theres > five and a half thousand of them burried just up the road from me here > in Luxembourg and next door to the US cemetary is the German one with > 15 000 buried four to a cross. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 23:56:08 +0000 From: Slarvibarglhee Subject: Re: Alloy: OT : To the citizens of the United States of America Robin Thurlow wrote: > Slarvibarglhee wrote: > > > > No offense meant. > > None taken, dear Slarv, this decree has already made the rounds at my > university. My supervisor posted it in our department! > > How much coverage is 'Indecision Day' getting in England? Johnny Rotten has > been over here covering the elections on his show, and says a lot of people > in Britain are interested in US politics. is it really seen as > interesting? Why? > (you may reply privately if you don't wish to be OT, but maybe others here > would be interested!) > Robin T Well, let's see now. You may be sorry you asked, as once I get started ............ The Presidential Election has been the lead story on virtually all the major TV network news bulletins in the UK since voting day. I have to say that I have no great interest in politics, at least, not political parties or politicians, as I wouldn't trust any of them to organize a church fete, so I haven't taken a great deal of notice of ALL the goings on. But I am increasingly amazed by the twists and turns of this story that I HAVE heard about. The first thing that struck me was that arguably the most technologically advanced country in the world could not manufacture machines that can successfully punch a hole in a card. So now a lot of (probably very highly paid) people are sitting around in groups, examing these cards, one at a time, to see if they can agree where the machines tried to punch a hole. And it appears that the design of some of the voting machines was such that people intending to vote for one candidate may have ended up voting for the opposition. And we're all learning new terms for the different types of indent made by those machines, although I think I've managed to forget them already. Weren't 'dimple' and 'pregnant' in there somewhere? Then there is the situation where thousands of votes will simply not be counted. The result's been delayed for days (or is it weeks now?) and some votes will still not be counted!!!! I really can't understand that. What's the point in voting if your vote will not be counted? And now I hear that when the result is announced, the loser will appeal against it, so there may be further delays. Both candidates want the counting to continue until they're declared the winner. If they're going to do that, why didn't they just have a 100m sprint to decide who would be the new president. It'd make as much sense. If you wrote this scenario as a piece of fiction, you'd be hard pressed to find a reputable publisher prepared to look at it. I think the whole thing has been a fiasco, the vote should be declared nul and void, the election should be re-held, using the old fashioned 'X in a box on a piece of paper' method, and all votes cast should be taken into consideration. Then maybe you'd get an indisputable result. But I know there's no chance of that happening. I also think that the USA's credibility in the rest of the world has probably suffered a great deal because of its failure to handle one of its most fundamental issues. I take Sally's point about keeping an eye on the US, as we do seem to follow its lead in a lot of cases. I think this is very dangerous and to be avoided unless there are sound reasons for doing so. Neither do I think we should be following anyone else, be it our Eurpoean neighbours, the Japanese, Chinese, Middle East, Far East, former Eastern Bloc countries or anyone else, with the possible exception of the Aussies, who seem to have a nice laid back attitude to a lot of things, though even they are now becoming more like other 'Western' countries, with their own skeletons falling out of the odd closet. Global communications are now so advanced that we now know what's going on in maybe 75% of the world, and the internet means that we can all hear it right from the horse's mouth. Sounds great in theory, but it means that the world is a very complicated place to live and I can't think of any country that's not in trouble of some kind, be they economically or informationally (is there such a word? There is now.) rich or poor. You'd think that by now we'd be able to make sure that everyone is well nourished and has a roof over their head, but we can't even manage that. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I knew I'd go off at a tangent once I got started. Anyway, you get the picture. To sum up, news about the election IS readily available over here. Whether the majority of UK citizens are interested in it, I really don't know. I DO know that I've heard more talk among people I know about the first person in the UK to win #1m on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' than I have about the election. I think that speaks volumes. Slarv ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 23:31:03 -0500 From: "Charles E. Kemp" Subject: Re: Alloy: OT : To the citizens of the United States of America On 26 Nov 2000, at 16:06, Diva wrote: Well first, it's always wise to keep an eye on the toughest kid in the playground. Yeah, it's always good to know where the noogies and wedgies will come from. Then, despite the fact that our politicians are dragging us into Europe without our consent, we have far more in common with America, culturally, historically, linguistically, politically etc etc. Two peoples divided by a common language... We got a referendum in the 70s to ask if we wanted to be in the Common Market for trading purposes. We are now in a situation where European law has become our law without us ever being asked if we wanted to give away the laws we had developed for hundreds of years. Doesn't matter who we vote for, no party will take us out now. That sounds amazingly similiar to how things are here in the States. Government sets policy, citizens oppose policy, policy stays in place. I read an article where someone said we should join the US, not Europe and it's true - we have far more in common with you guys - as far as I know, you don't prosecute people for selling vegetables by the pound, which is *really* happening right here right now. Please, do yourself a favor and don't join ANYBODY. It really is the sensible thing to do. Besides, no matter which government you are attached to, you still end up with Bono and Sting trying to tell the government what to do. Looking at the USA is like looking into a cracked crystal ball - it's not a perfect guide to the future, but allowing for the cracks, it's a pretty good indicator of where our politics might go. Your choice of president may well change my future, at least until Britain is totally integrated into Europe, whereupon I'm going to stop using words like "future", because we won't have one. Yet another sentiment that strikes close to home. :) Actually, just about every American on the list would likely disagree with me on just about any point. First, I am one of those evil people who is of a conservative bent, and second, there are certain issues that I am proudly extremist about. One of those issues (since you brought up the EU) is the rights of the the individual states. I loathe the thought of a Californian making a law telling me how to live my life here in the Great State of Indiana. In fact, I am even in favor of secession from the union, but unfortunately I don't think that would ever come to pass. In any event, my views are too far OT for further discussion here on the list, so I shall desist. Also, I must say that my statement on Californians should in no way be taken as a slight to my favorite Californians, Steph and Mary. Or Thomas, for that matter, although I still consider him a limey. :) Oh, and Robin, put me down for July 16. - - Chuck Sally diva@tn.prestel.co.uk + Charles E. Kemp +++++ beeble@indy.net + Just for the sake of it make sure you're always + frowning, it shows the world that you've got + substance and depth. - Neil Tennant ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V5 #285 ***************************