Carpe diem

[french frank]

I have decided to close the Politics & Current Affairs board as from 31st December. This is only partly to do with 2015 being a general election year.

Debates on politics and current affairs (as generally thought of as topics dealt with on news programmes and the news sections of newspapers) will be excluded from the rest of the forum. Platform 3 will continue, as intended, for diverse, more light-hearted topics. Sundry references, humorous or not, to kippers, neo-cons, neo-libs, lefties, feminists (when intended to disparage) &c will be disallowed. Discretion will be exercised where topics develop without the habitual divisions of opinion.

I would like especially to thank regular posters here Richard, Serial, team, da Jazbo and ahinton (non-mention should not be taken as indicating other than temporary memory lapse, for which I apologise) for their thoughful contributions.

[MrGongGong]

"Music has nothing to do with politics"


Your gig boss ;-)

[Ferretfancy]

I have decided to close the Politics & Current Affairs board as from 31st December. This is only partly to do with 2015 being a general election year.

Debates on politics and current affairs (as generally thought of as topics dealt with on news programmes and the news sections of newspapers) will be excluded from the rest of the forum. Platform 3 will continue, as intended, for diverse, more light-hearted topics. Sundry references, humorous or not, to kippers, neo-cons, neo-libs, lefties, feminists (when intended to disparage) &c will be disallowed. Discretion will be exercised where topics develop without the habitual divisions of opinion.

I would like especially to thank regular posters here Richard, Serial, team, da Jazbo and ahinton (non-mention should not be taken as indicating other than temporary memory lapse, for which I apologise) for their thoughful contributions.

I don't use the Politics board very much, so I'll wait and see how things develop. If as it seems, you wish to isolate musical discussion from the rest of life in all its messiness, these boards will become very boring, and I'll probably lose interest and look elsewhere.

I know that there are some contributors who enjoy themselves bating others, but they should not be gagged. If I just want to read concert reviews or CD reviews untouched by personal opinion concerning the world at large there are plenty of other sources. Please do not muzzle idiosyncratic opinions, which, irritating as they can be, add a certain zest to these discussions.

[Richard Barrett]

Wer nur von Musik etwas versteht, versteht auch davon nichts.

Hanns Eisler

"Anyone who only understands music doesn't understand that either."

[MrGongGong]

Please do not muzzle idiosyncratic opinions, which, irritating as they can be, add a certain zest to these discussions.

Why oh why oh why oh why is Arnold Bax ignored by the BBC?

Why do almost everyone sing the wrong rhythms in "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come all Ye Faithful"?

Why are most foods improved by the addition of either Lime Zest, Anchovies, Garlic or Olive Oil?

Can I start an "idiosyncratic opinions" thread?

[french frank]

Just call it end of year weariness. I've had more complaints from USERS of this board about EACH OTHER and had to deal with them. So much for 'freedom of speech'.

And with respect to all, you don't have to deal with the flak from here and outside. In that respect you are the ones who have had all the power and no responsibility.

People who use other forums to discuss politics are free to guide anyone from here to those boards. I don't think the forums I am familiar with would thank me for introducing such members to their communities.

[P. G. Tipps]

I don't use the Politics board very much, so I'll wait and see how things develop. If as it seems, you wish to isolate musical discussion from the rest of life in all its messiness, these boards will become very boring, and I'll probably lose interest and look elsewhere.

I know that there are some contributors who enjoy themselves bating others, but they should not be gagged. If I just want to read concert reviews or CD reviews untouched by personal opinion concerning the world at large there are plenty of other sources. Please do not muzzle idiosyncratic opinions, which, irritating as they can be, add a certain zest to these discussions.

My sentiments precisely, Ferret!

However, as much as I've mostly enjoyed and greatly appreciated this forum, it's always been pretty clear that some views are simply not welcomed by a few members and, clearly and most importantly, the Administrator. The latter's idea of 'thoughtful contributions' will not be shared by all members, I suspect, and indeed at least two of those singled out for official approval certainly raised my eyebrows, and no doubt those of others who have been the butt of their frequently self-righteous and dismissive sneering.

Why 'feminism' should be a "sacred cow" (no pun intended!) and not to be 'disparaged' whilst, say, religion is regularly fair game for disparagement only deepens the suspicion of partiality. Of course, when it is your own forum you can be as partial as you like!

Never mind, whatever their sociopolitical views, I'll take this opportunity to wish everyone here all the very best for 2015 and only add that it has been fun while it lasted!

[Flosshilde]

I have decided to close the Politics & Current Affairs board as from 31st December. This is only partly to do with 2015 being a general election year.

Does it have anything to do with the general election? Surely discussion of policies, parties & the elction itself is allowed? It's not like a court case, where discussion of it could be considered sub-judice.

[french frank]

Why 'feminism' should be a "sacred cow" (no pun intended!) and not to be 'disparaged' whilst, say, religion is regularly fair game for disparagement only deepens the suspicion of partiality.

I might have mentioned you 'with approval' [sic] if it hadn't been for the fact that I felt you took too many opportunities to make disparaging comments in that area while not admitting that there were two valid points of view. I thought that was deliberately provocative (calculated to attract retaliation). I had no quarrel otherwise with the way you fought your corner. I don't believe any of the others mentioned 'disparaged' religion which I would have preferred not to have introduced on this forum: forum members were asked in a poll whether they wanted a Religion & Ethics board, as was requested, and said they didn't want one. If you knew my background I think you would find it hard to argue that I had any prejudice against religion.

As for "Music has nothing to do with politics" : no one has said that, nor denied it. But it doesn't in any case mean that everything in politics is connected with music or everything in music is connected with politics. If people were expected to make clear what all their political utterances had to do with music or what all their musical utterances had to do with politics they would say considerably less than they do.

[Flosshilde]

As for "Music has nothing to do with politics" : no one has said that, nor denied it. But it doesn't in any case mean that everything in politics is connected with music or everything in music is connected with politics. If people were expected to make clear what all their political utterances had to do with music or what all their musical utterances had to do with politics they would say considerably less than they do.

Well, up to a point. Music eduaction (especially in schools) has a great deal to do with Politics and politics, as has subsidy for the arts. Are we not then able to discuss such topics? Even the choice of the next conductor of the Concertgebouw orchestra has a political element to it. Which prompts me to ask, is it only UK politics we are banned from discussing? or are politics across the world also taboo?

[french frank]

Well, up to a point. Music eduaction (especially in schools) has a great deal to do with Politics and politics, as has subsidy for the arts. Are we not then able to discuss such topics? Even the choice of the next conductor of the Concertgebouw orchestra has a political element to it.

The musical connection in both cases seems pretty clear, doesn't it? But there has been very little on this board which had such obvious connection with music/the arts.

Which prompts me to ask, is it only UK politics we are banned from discussing? or are politics across the world also taboo?

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer I gave a moment ago. I suspect that discussion ends and trouble begins at the point where people start pointing the finger of blame at any group, be they feminists, the PC brigade, Guardian readers, the coalition, the Americans, religious bigots. Music seems to have very little to do with that. And these are issues where I'm inclined to think that there is little possibility of reconciliation between the two sides, nor of people changing their minds.

[MrGongGong]

The musical connection in both cases seems pretty clear, doesn't it? But there has been very little on this board which had such obvious connection with music/the arts..

I wouldn't say that
the bad acting of the kipper king has come up many times


:JOKE:

[P. G. Tipps]

May as well go out with a last swipe at my forum obsession, I suppose ... :-)

Wigan FC owner Dave Whelan has now been fined £50,000 and banned for six weeks from 'all football-related activity' for 'making racist comments' about Jewish and Chinese people. The 78-year old is also ordered to attend one of those creepy-sounding 'education courses'.

However the FA political correctionists are 'satisfied'' Whelan is not a racist and didn't intend to cause any offence'. Some, of course, have been insisting that was clearly the case all along.

So I suppose that begs the bleedin' obvious question as to why .....oh never mind!

Happy Hogmanay!

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30643217

[french frank]

So I suppose that begs the bleedin' obvious question as to why .....oh never mind!

Happy Hogmanay!

One immediate thought would be that there is a great deal of troubling racism within football, players, supporters, and the FA is therefore anxious to come down heavily in any case where racism is involved. The higher they stand, the greater their responsibility to uphold that view rather than undermine it.

One can argue pointlessly about why anyone who is not a 'racist' would make racist comments. And what is racism if it excludes making such comments.

The fines/penalties (if I may!) are to be seen to be proportionate, dependent on the profile of the offender and their ability to pay.

[P. G. Tipps]

The point is surely that the comments were not racist, as even the FA appears to concede.

Imho, by far the most offensive factor in this absurd case is the outrageous suggestion that Whelan is a racist.

At worst he was simply unwise to even think of uttering words now deemed to be 'unacceptable'.

He should have known better and displayed more caution with his words, but to punish a man for outmoded and stereotypical language regarding other races is distinctly worrying for those who genuinely cherish freedom of speech?

The fact is he has been punished solely for his comments and nothing else!