There’s a lot of rubbish in the blogosphere, isn’t there? Rubbish
blogs, rubbish comments on rubbish blogs, like this one. Too many
“amateur” opinionists who should leave “comment” and “opinion” to the
professionals (according to arch self-abuser Howard Jacobson in The Independent the other day).
Every now and again, though, somewhere in the blogiverse, a post, or
a discussion arising from a post, does seem to make it all worthwhile,
and an example of one such discussion is below.
It’s from the Sydney Morning Herald, and began with a post about Bob
Geldof’s 2006 concert in Milan, which was called off
after only 45 people turned up to a 12000 seater venue.
The conversation initially sticks close to its subject, but before
long a personal battle ensues between “onanist”, “Les Miserable” and “Uncle
Pervy”.
The debate manages to convey a convincingly
Australian flavour - culturally sophisticated one minute, abusive and menacing the next.
It also demonstrates quite effectively why online netiquette recommends extreme caution when criticising someone else’s
spelling - if only because, in doing so, you will almost inevitably
commit an even worse orthographical blunder yourself.
Here is the last part of the discussion, copied verbatim from the
Sydney Morning Herald website.
Schadenfreude is an ugly spectacle,
bloggers. Why do we like to pillory self-righteous do-gooders? What are
the alternatives to them - the hugely apathetic masses, or at the other
extreme, terrorists and criminals, that’s who.
Get off St Bob and Bono’s backs. It’s
very hard sustaining a career in entertainment over 30 years. Geldoff
is having a go, and he is passionate about the things he believes in,
which at the minimum do no harm to others and might possibly do some
good. How many of us can say that?
Posted by: onanist at July 25, 2006
5:27 PM
What’s the point of pilloring the apathetic masses ?? They don’t
give a
fig.
Pillory a criminal/terrorist and you end up getting run over by a bus
in the shower.
Too dangerouus.
Self-righteous do-gooders are a much softer target; resume firing…
Posted by: fiskers at July 25, 2006 5:40 PM
Especially when they’re as up themselves as “Sir” Bob Gelding. I
reckon
he topped Hutchence, by the way. Not many people know this but INXS
were about to release a cover of “I don’t like f**king Mondays” when
poor old Mick bought the farm.
Posted by: les miserable at July 25, 2006 8:15 PM
I suppose Fiskers is right - any appeal to principle on a blog
like
this is a waste of finger effort. Blogs such as this are for the bored
to respond to the under-employed about the boring for meagre mutual
gratification. Actually, rarely mutual, usually solitary. There is no
principle involved, very little point and certainly no meaningful
wisdom or understanding is ever imparted. All in all a worthwhile
exercise and probably typical of the zeitgeist.
Posted by: onanist at July 25, 2006 9:04 PM
“Onanist” means “wanker” does it not?
Posted by: les miserable at July 26, 2006 3:04 AM
Did you swallow a German psychology textbook…
Posted by: fiskers at July 26, 2006 8:44 AM
I remember reading somewhere that the Irish govt gives huge tax
breaks
to Irish artists who make it big in the world.
As far as I know, Bono lives on some tax free haven of an island
and
doesn’t pay tax in Ireland, so where’s the benefit to his home
country’s coffers? And he preaches about giving to the needy. Pfuuhhh!
As for Geldof, how on earth does he make any money anyway? Surely
the
royalties from his one hit wonder couldn’t be supporting him so well?
Posted by: Killer Bees at July 26, 2006 10:31 AM
No, fisker, I just read Freud while sitting in the shade. Freud
-in-shade, geddit. Oh, and Les miserables, well observed, great
contribution.
Posted by: onanist at July 26, 2006 12:43 PM
Champagne comedy, Sheisskopf…
Posted by: von fiskers at July 26, 2006 2:00 PM
That’s “Miserable”. Get it right. I’m related to Les Patterson,
the
Cultural Attaché. Geddit wanker?
Posted by: les miserable at July 26, 2006 3:10 PM
That’s Scheissekopf, mit e, you dummkopf…………..
Posted by: Onkel Pervy at July 26, 2006 4:24 PM
Les, perhaps that should be mirable, not miserable, as in c’est un
mirable that the wonders of modern technology allow you & me such
easy communication of such little consequence. And fiskers, are you
being free with deutch abuse just because I misplaced your ‘s’? If so,
beware of launching an ill-advised attack operation Barbarossa style.
Posted by: onanist at July 26, 2006 8:02 PM
I presume you mean “miracle” Mr Wanker. Never heard of “mirable”.
But
you’re right about “little consequence” - don’t know why I bother
really.
Posted by: les miserable at July 27, 2006 3:09 AM
Les - no, I meant ‘mirable’ as in ‘quel mirable’. From the online
dictionary: ‘Mi´ra`ble
a. 1. Wonderful; admirable.’
“don’t know why I bother” - I couldn’t tell that you did.
Posted by: onanist at July 27, 2006 1:44 PM
Neither do we really, ever thought of using your shining dome as a
chock for an 18 wheeler????
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at July 27, 2006 3:36 PM
No but I’d consider using it to do a Zidane on you, you moron.
(Pervy
is still pissed off that I barred him from my blog for inappropriate
comments)
Posted by: Les Miserable at July 27, 2006 6:18 PM
No I’m not, I couldn’t give a toss about your blog.
If I wanted to come back I’d grovel accordingly or at least go to
another PC and plaster your, sleep inducing electronic gallery of
buffoonery, with links to “inappropriate web sites”.
You middle aged windbag.
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at July 28, 2006 7:57 AM
Well now viewers…that’s a funny thing isn’t it. Moron here is in
his
mid-forties and delights in making disgusting comments about teenage
girls. But I don’t suppose Radar will run this. Good thing too. Just
encourages him. The poor, sad lonely little pervert with no life and a
damaged date.
Posted by: Les Miserable at July 28, 2006 3:30 PM
I learned my trade from you Malkie, you twisted little oaf.
Your main problem is, I got their before you!!!
And make that 50 years old thanks.
PS: the date’s getting better, but not quickly enough for me.
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at July 28, 2006 4:12 PM
(Whispering so everyone but Malkie can hear)
Don’t be too concerned by Malkie’s outburst folks, people who grew
up
at “THAT” end of The Peninsular always tend to be a bit hysterical.
Just humour him and he’ll settle down soon enough.
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at July 28, 2006 4:50 PM
If you were a local (as you claim) you’d know it’s spelt
“peninsula”,
moron.
Posted by: Les Miserable at July 28, 2006 6:01 PM
Got the ‘insular’ part right though.
Posted by: Blondie at July 31, 2006 2:25 PM
You spotted my deliberate error Malkie, well done.
I will send you your prize, an autographed CD of Smokey Dawson’s
and
Kamahl’s “Inspired Duets, Live at Mona Vale RSL”.
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at July 31, 2006 3:18 PM
Here’s a shovel - see if you can dig yourself an even deeper hole.
And
flick the correspondence lessons in comedy - they aren’t working -
you’re about as funny as a fart in a Fanta bottle.
Posted by: Les Miserable at July 31, 2006 7:16 PM
Sorry Mal, I’ve heard it referred to as the Peninsular too. Same
as
with the Shire - the Insular Penisular…
Posted by: actonb at August 1, 2006 9:34 AM
Yeah so there, stick that in your escargot shell and smoke
it…………. NYAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at August 1, 2006 12:24 PM
Nic, I presume you mean “peninsular” not “PENISULAR”.
You may have heard it referred to as the “peninsular” but that
doesn’t
make it right, does it? I note that Hutchinson’s online dictionary says
that “peninsula” is the noun and “peninsular” is the adjective.
But…you know…like…whatever. Let’s just settle on “PENISULAR”. As
in “Uncle Pervy comes from the Penisular”.
Posted by: Les Miserable at August 1, 2006 4:15 PM
Works for me Les!!
In fact I was constantly being complimented along those lines,
everyone
used to tell me “Pervy, you have the biggest dick on the Peninsula”.
No wait, that’s not what they said, I remember now, it was “Pervy,
you
are the biggest dick on the Pen…”.
Hang on…………THAT’S NOT A COMPLIMENT!!!
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at August 2, 2006 8:32 AM
Finally…the sun shines through his freckle.
Posted by: Les Miserable at August 2, 2006 3:47 PM
I’ve known that for years Les, though it must be a disappointment
for
you to have to admit that sun doesn’t shine out of yours.
Posted by: Uncle Pervy at August 2, 2006 4:24 PM
ROFL not…now back to our programme…did you know Bob Geldof has
only
an honorary knighthood from the Queen? And as he’s not a citizen of a
Commonwealth realm he’s precluded from using the title ‘Sir’.
And…and…”I don’t like effing Mondays” wasn’t the Boomtown Rats
first #1 Hit - “Rat Pack” was.
Posted by: Les Miserable at August 2, 2006 8:15 PM
Thanks Gareth for alerting us to the Guardian story of Burton’s chic (sic) T-shirt with its trendy design proclaiming “Очистим Русь от нерусских”. The store’s buyers were told that this translated loosely as “Be proud of Russia”.
Now here’s a funny thing. We all know, don’t we, that the last proper Apple single release was R6012, George Harrison’s rather dour This Guitar (Can’t Keep From Crying) (no doubt unintentional, but sounding like a deeply ironic valediction to the label that George later said was his biggest waste of money).
And so what’s this we have here? R6015, Let ‘Em In by Wings, on Apple?!