*I* American judges
Terry Pratchett
On a signing tour you spend odd hours in hotel rooms with nothing to do
but watch TV. Apart from the fact that the religious channels are now
obscene (Give us ten dollars an' the Lawd will bless you) I have
observed that all judges in the USA are now black and female. Is there
some law...?
[Fe] :-)
--
Terry Pratchett
wan...@icaen.uiowa.edu
Almost certainly there is. It is I believe the law of Political Correctness
which states that everything you do, say, think, feel, or eat must be Politically
Correct. precisely what is PC and what is not is of course defined by our PC
police (most of whom, sad to say, reside in University's). This morning, some
folks from GreenPeace, having given up on shaving the whales (or is that saving
the Wales's) painted a field of soybeans pink. Evidently this is safer than some
of their other activities, but the point escapes me, unless they're responsible
for the crop circles.
Of course, anyone who gives $10 to a televangelist needs God's blessing in the
worst possible way (or preferably, a healthy dose of common sense).
Were you overwhelmed by Halloween paraphernalia?
Wilf
PS If it isn't out already, will Hogsfather be out in the UK by the end of
October? I am crossing the pond then, and would like to return with the latest
ptome.
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wilfrid A. Nixon | e-mail: wan...@icaen.uiowa.edu
Dept. of Civil and Env. Engineering | phone: (319) 335-5166 or -5225
University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242 | fax: (319) 335-5238
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ben Waggoner
Terry Pratchett (tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: On a signing tour you spend odd hours in hotel rooms with nothing to do
: but watch TV. Apart from the fact that the religious channels are now
: obscene (Give us ten dollars an' the Lawd will bless you) I have
: observed that all judges in the USA are now black and female. Is there
: some law...?
Well, there is still at least one judge who, at last report, was male and
of Asian origin. I refer of course to Judge Ito of the O.J. Simpson
Disgusting Media Circus^H^H^H^H^H Trial.
But by all the Gods, could you not have found something more interesting
and educational to watch than American TV? Cockroaches mating in the hotel
bathtub, for instance?
--
Ben -- the last customer at the Dark Carnival signing, if you recall. . .
Terry Pratchett
In article <53n8nf$s...@agate.berkeley.edu>, Ben Waggoner
<b...@uclink2.berkeley.edu> may well have written:
>
>But by all the Gods, could you not have found something more interesting
>and educational to watch than American TV? Cockroaches mating in the hotel
>bathtub, for instance?
The USA is the last remaining superpower. TV is the major means of
mass communication. I find watching the occasional bout of US TV very
educational indeed. I think you are perhaps putting a very narrow
definition on the word.
--
Terry Pratchett
Stig O.T.D
> The USA is the last remaining superpower. TV is the major means of
> mass communication. I find watching the occasional bout of US TV very
> educational indeed. I think you are perhaps putting a very narrow
> definition on the word.
> --
> Terry Pratchett
You could argue that TV represents the social system of its country. But
i'm still not convinced that this is educational.
Here's a thought. American TV is showing Are You Being Served about six
times a day. It has been doing this since I arrived in America two
months ago. What does this say about America (other than it's going
through a period of amazingly bad taste.)
I've also been learning just how crooked the American political system
is. The only country where bribary is seen as a legitimate part of the
political process.
Here's a happy thought though. I've heard that the NRA has a negative
net worth of $44 million. If anyone does any work for them...cash up
front.
Stig
--
If a jobs not worth doing...It's not worth doing well
Stig OTD - mha...@gl.umbc.edu
Random Companion
In article <MQn8kBAf...@unseen.demon.co.uk>, Terry Pratchett
<tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <53n8nf$s...@agate.berkeley.edu>, Ben Waggoner
><b...@uclink2.berkeley.edu> may well have written:
>>
>>But by all the Gods, could you not have found something more interesting
>>and educational to watch than American TV? Cockroaches mating in the hotel
>>bathtub, for instance?
>
>
>mass communication. I find watching the occasional bout of US TV very
>educational indeed. I think you are perhaps putting a very narrow
>definition on the word.
I watch Tarrant on TV. It gave me quite an insight into the mind of
rec.arts.drwho's more...intense characters. Naming no names, though I'm
sure Jason and Dave Stone know who I mean.
--
Random Companion
I must be the only person ever to be deported from Britain to Britain.
Sylvester McCoy, Panopticon 96
Random Companion
> I refer of course to Judge Ito of the O.J. Simpson
I think at this point I should mention The Dancing Itos. An asian dance
troup, who...well, I expect you can guess what they did.
--
Random Companion
The next train to arrive at Platfrom 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 will be
coming in sideways. Please run like mad the the nearest exit.
Terry Pratchett
In article <326088...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu>, "Stig O.T.D"
<mha...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu> may well have written:
>
>You could argue that TV represents the social system of its country. But
>i'm still not convinced that this is educational.
>
A thoughtful foreigner can come away from a few hours channel-surfing
have learned much about the USA. What is that if it's not educational?
--
Terry Pratchett
Ben Argyle
The way terrorists are made?
(-:
--Ben
"Live Faust, die Jung"
_____________________________________________________________________________
|"It's nice to be important, | Email: B...@cs.man.ac.uk |
| but more important to be nice."| Homepage: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~argyleb |
|________________________________|____________________________________________|
| Abbot, Manchester Chapter of the Monks of Cool since MCMXCVI a.d. |
|_____________________________________________________________________________|
Terry Pratchett
In article <3262C9...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu>, "Stig O.T.D">But by this standard eating a cheeseburger in McDonalds would have
>educational value [1]. That doesn't make cheesburgers educational
>though.
'Educational' refers to the process, not the object. Although, come to
think of it, some of my teachers could easily have been replaced by a
cheeseburger.
--
Terry Pratchett
A.J. Kavanagh
Funnily enough my old chemistry teacher ate a lot of cheeseburgers and
according to the old saying you are what you eat.
Therefore I was taught chemistry by a cheeseburger!!!!!
A.J.
Kees van Reeuwijk
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <326088...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu>, "Stig O.T.D"
><mha...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu> may well have written:
>>
>>You could argue that TV represents the social system of its country. But
>>i'm still not convinced that this is educational.
>>
>
>A thoughtful foreigner can come away from a few hours channel-surfing
>have learned much about the USA. What is that if it's not educational?
For example, this (hopefully thoughtful) foreigner, learned from it
never, *never*, NEVER to go and live in the USA.
I rest his case :-)
--
Kees van Reeuwijk
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Physics, FI-CP
email: reeu...@cp.tn.tudelft.nl
URL: http://www.cp.tn.tudelft.nl/C.vanReeuwijk/home.html
Simon Brown
Quoth A.J. Kavanagh:
> Funnily enough my old chemistry teacher ate a lot of cheeseburgers and
> according to the old saying you are what you eat.
> Therefore I was taught chemistry by a cheeseburger!!!!!
Are we then to assume that a lot of the M$ team are vegetarians?
"Windows 95 - written by vegetables."
Explains a great deal.
Although if you *are* what you eat, then I'm some bizarre
fruit/meat/veg/pasta/chocolate amalgam.
That probably explains a lot, too, actually...
--
Simon Brown BF <si...@amdev.demon.co.uk> / Freelance cynic and beard-wearer
[INFP] http://www.amdev.demon.co.uk/ / Mankind's last best hope for pizza.
"String the buggers up."
g.l.wilson
In article <199610157...@amdev.demon.co.uk>, si...@amdev.demon.co.uk,
Simon Brown says...
>
>Quoth A.J. Kavanagh:
>
>> Funnily enough my old chemistry teacher ate a lot of cheeseburgers and
>> according to the old saying you are what you eat.
>> Therefore I was taught chemistry by a cheeseburger!!!!!
>
>Are we then to assume that a lot of the M$ team are vegetarians?
>
>"Windows 95 - written by vegetables."
No, no, no...
written by _turkeys_.
>Explains a great deal.
>Although if you *are* what you eat, then I'm some bizarre
>fruit/meat/veg/pasta/chocolate amalgam.
Hm. I must be a rather high percentage of chocolate myself *grin*
>That probably explains a lot, too, actually...
I'm not sure I want to know _what_, myself...
--glinda
--
Very erratic newsfeed; please cc replies to gli...@eskimo.com
"Just hand over the chocolate and nobody gets hurt."
po...@mediaworld.co.uk
>The USA is the last remaining superpower. TV is the major means of
>mass communication. I find watching the occasional bout of US TV very
>educational indeed. I think you are perhaps putting a very narrow
>definition on the word.
is this educational viewing as in: "well, watching that certainly taught
me a lesson..."
Joy Green
It has come to my attention thatg...@eskimo.com (g.l.wilson)
affirmed:
>>Although if you *are* what you eat, then I'm some bizarre
>>fruit/meat/veg/pasta/chocolate amalgam.
>Hm. I must be a rather high percentage of chocolate myself *grin*
>>That probably explains a lot, too, actually...
>I'm not sure I want to know _what_, myself...
>--glinda
Well if I am what I eat, then I must be:
a) delicious
b) bad for you
c) available in the office at 9pm
d) unbalanced
I *am* what I eat!
Joy
Joy Green
ton...@central.co.nz Resource Development Consultant
"A lady and a scholar," he thought, "and as tough as they come"
Robin Parkinson
In article <Bk793OAX...@unseen.demon.co.uk>,
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <3262C9...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu>, "Stig O.T.D"
>>educational value [1]. That doesn't make cheesburgers educational
>>though.
>
>'Educational' refers to the process, not the object. Although, come to
>think of it, some of my teachers could easily have been replaced by a
>cheeseburger.
One of my lecturers at college looked a bit like a hairy Swedish Meatball.
Does that count?
- Robin.
[I'm back I'm back as a matter of fact as a matter of fact I'm back]
---
Disclaimer: ICL rarely resembles meat products, Swedish or American.
---
Robin Parkinson r...@rb.icl.co.uk
ICL Retail Systems, Bracknell, England R.Parkinson@BRA0801
"I am playing the right notes - but not necessarily in the right order."
- Eric Morecambe
Derek Lavin
In message <MQn8kBAf...@unseen.demon.co.uk>
Terry Pratchett <tprat...@unseen.demon.co.uk> writes:
> In article <53n8nf$s...@agate.berkeley.edu>, Ben Waggoner
> <b...@uclink2.berkeley.edu> may well have written:
> >
> >But by all the Gods, could you not have found something more interesting
> >and educational to watch than American TV? Cockroaches mating in the hotel
> >bathtub, for instance?
> The USA is the last remaining superpower. TV is the major means of
> mass communication. I find watching the occasional bout of US TV very
> educational indeed. I think you are perhaps putting a very narrow
> definition on the word.
Hmm... Admit it, you were just watching it so as you could take the
mick, weren't you? ;)
The worse TV in the world is Maltese, especially the adverts. Just
bald men in suits speaking at you in monotones. No jokes, gimmicks -
no *CAMERA* movement, for the sake of <insert favoured deity>.
Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh.
--
Classifieds:
***SEND NO MONEY WHATSOEVER!!!!!*** to the extremely poor society.
Are you TALL, HANDSOME, INTELLIGENT, WELL-MANNERED? Does the world
owe you a BETTER LIFE? Cocky little bastard, aren't you?
Jeff Lipton
"Stig O.T.D" <mha...@rpc17.gl.umbc.edu> wrote:
>> The USA is the last remaining superpower. TV is the major means of
>> mass communication. I find watching the occasional bout of US TV very
>> educational indeed. I think you are perhaps putting a very narrow
>> definition on the word.
>> --
>> Terry Pratchett
>You could argue that TV represents the social system of its country. But
>i'm still not convinced that this is educational.
As the Tick would say, "Spoon!"
There are currently 5 major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS in
alpha order). There are two minor networks (UPN and WB). There are
over 20 cable channels (ranging from MTV, Home Shopping and The
Weather Channel to A&E, America Movie Channel and Bravo; not to
mention the Spanish channels, the international feeds and [often] the
Canadian feed). All of this, the good and the bad, is US television.
So how much have you seen that makes you such an expert at classifying
it all in such a manner. Imagine, if you will, someone saying that
British TV (which includes Chef, MasterMind and AbFab) is trash just
from the Benny Hill Show.
I'm _not_ saying there is not a lot of trash on Merkin TV; from what
I've seen in my admittedly limited travels, our TV is about average
and Sturgeon's Law[1] is international.
BTW, currently (from 10/17 to 10/23 [no need to translate that, is
there?]), I'm noting my TV watching for the Nielson ratings. I have
large gaps with nothing noted, and several spots where I taped one
show while watching another...
Jeff
=============================
ASCII silly question, get a silly ANSI.
homepage: http://www.markomarketing.com/jlipton/welcome.html
Tim Müller
Derek Lavin <sl...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> The worse TV in the world is Maltese, especially the adverts. Just
> bald men in suits speaking at you in monotones. No jokes, gimmicks -
> no *CAMERA* movement, for the sake of <insert favoured deity>.
> Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh.
Just another fine example of the overall boringness of Malta.
Pretty nice scenery, though.
tm
--
"It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever," he
said. "Have you thought of going into teaching?" (T. Pratchett, Mort)
Michelena Riosa
jhli...@voyager.net (Jeff Lipton) wrote:
>There are currently 5 major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS in
>alpha order). There are two minor networks (UPN and WB). There are
>over 20 cable channels (ranging from MTV, Home Shopping and The
>Weather Channel to A&E, America Movie Channel and Bravo; not to
>mention the Spanish channels, the international feeds and [often] the
>Canadian feed). All of this, the good and the bad, is US television.
FYI _Bravo!_ is a Cananananadian feed, brought to you by one Moses
Znaimer, who has some really interesting ideas about media. Despite
being a private enterpreneur, he actually has intelligence and has put
together some pretty good programming..all on an income he originally
got from a channel famous for its _Baby Blue Movies_ (softcore) in the
early seventies. He's trying to get the rights to our equivalent of
PBS and I actually think he'd get it right. Just an instance of an
original stereotype starting out one way and ending out differently.
His MuchMusic (like MTV) shows a lot of good Canuck artists, tries
hard not to censor and Showcases talent that would typically not be
shown in other places...A interesting man to watch in the future.
Michelena
--
"the sound of my heart carries well
over the water"