Johncymru’s blog

Doesn't THAT remind you of a lyric... ?

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 10:25:28 +0000

Walking along, and chanced upon this....

which reminded me of that Zappa slime-video-propoganda song:

"I may be vile and pernicious
But you can't look away
I make you think I'm delicious
With the stuff that I say
I'm the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozin' out
From your TV set"

Frank Zappa - I'm The Slime Lyric

[backing vocals Tina Turner & The Ikettes]

I am gross and perverted
I'm obsessed 'n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little has changed
I'm the tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious
But you can't look away
I make you think I'm delicious
With the stuff that I say
I'm the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozin' out
From your TV set

You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need you
Don't go for help . . . no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold

That's right, folks . . .
Don't touch that dial

Well, I am the slime from your video
Oozin' along on your livin' room floor

I am the slime from your video
Can't stop the slime, people, lookit me go

I am the slime from your video
Oozin' along on your livin' room floor

I am the slime from your video
Can't stop the slime, people, lookit me go

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Wish upon a star...

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 08:28:35 +0000

Wish upon a star...

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The Collectors Cabinet: Port_Talbotism

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 10:21:32 +0100

Port Talbot: Some more specimens from the Collectors Cabinet

Port Talbot

1 See Interview with Reynolds:

NG: Chasm City is a diseased metropolis, a utopia gone radically to seed. What inspired your vivid portrayal of this warped locale?

AR: I can't, and wouldn't, claim any originality for it -- it's just a fusion of all the great, festering fictional cities I have loved. Nothing too surprising, either: Blade Runner's LA; Judge Dredd's Mega City one; the Radiant City of the Mr X comics...dozens of others. Also Port Talbot, the steelworks down the M4 from where my family still live in Wales. At night it's the most amazing sight -- mile on mile of illuminated chimneys, belching smoke and flames. Oddly enough, I've even heard that Ridley Scott's vision of LA in Blade Runner was itself inspired by a drive past Port Talbot, so it's all circular in the end.

2 A further Port_Talbotism

Towards Port Talbot

See Situationist Raoul Vaneigem's concluding chapter of The Revolution of Everyday Life, a touchstone of May '68- a utopian-revolutionary impulse, just in case all this dystopian cyberpunk stuff colours our vision too much:

Chapter 25 "You're Fucking Around With Us? - Not For Long!"

In Watts, Prague, Stockholm, Stanleyville, Gdansk, Turin, Port Talbot, Cleveland, Cordoba, Amsterdam, wherever the act and wareness of refusal generates passionate break-outs from the factories of collective illusion, the revolution of everyday life is under way. The struggle intensifies as misery becomes universal. What for years were reasons for fighting specific issues - hunger, restrictions, boredom, illness, anxiety, isolation, deceit - now reveal misery's fundamental rationality, its omnipresent emptiness, its appalling oppressive abstraction. For this misery, the world of hierarchical power, the world of the State, of sacrifice, exchange and the quantitative - the commodity as will and representation of the world - is held responsible by those moving towards an entirely new society that is still to be invented and yet is already among us. All over the globe, revolutionary praxis, like a photographic exposer, is transforming negative into positive, lighting up the hidden face of the earth with the fires of rebellion to ink in the map of its triumph.

3 The Collectors Cabinet

Dreaming... Brazil

The otaku impulse-

pattern recognition or apophenia ?

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LLanmadoc

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:18:50 +0100

Rhossili

We were going to discuss a project on art, landscape and memory.

We arranged to make an early start and head for the Gower. The rest was up to the weather. A superb Ocotber's day meant that nothing short of a full route beyond Llanmadoc Hill to Rhossilli would do.

Hence- park car up at Bury Green just as the big white Pullman scooped the kids up for school, detour to see the fort near Fairy Hill, and thence Ryers Down, Llanmadoc Hill, Llangennith, Rhossili - the bottom route just above the beach, Rhossili and around the head alongside Worms Head and on to Fall Bay, Rhossili and lunch stop in pub, then Rhossili Down, LLangenith - and another pub stop as the sun was so insistent upon a beverage; the Pullman now dropping off the kids - and to make life easier the direct route along the road back to Bury Green.

Once I was home I recalled a connection between Cedric Morris - who painted Llanmadoc Hill - and East Anglia, where he set up his East Anglia School of Painting (-including Lucian Freud amongst his students):

"In 1937 Morris and Haines, with hardly any qualifications for doing so, opened the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing at nearby Dedham in Essex. By the close of its first season, its pupils had grown in number from one to sixty, and the future of this unorthodox establishment was assured. Even the catastrophic burning-down of the original premises in 1939 proved only a temporary setback: the school, and Morris and Haines with it, moved the next year to Benton End, a Georgian mansion with a sixteenth-century core, set in acres of land on the edge of the Suffolk village of Hadleigh. At Dedham pupils had lodged in the village; at Benton End they lived in the house, joining in the lively dinners every evening, cooked and supervised by Haines, and dancing afterwards to gramophone records of Latin-American music. Instruction was often given outside, watched over by peacocks, cockatoos, cows and ducks, while gardeners wove their way around the easels - the garden itself, and especially Morris's collection of irises, soon became as well-known as the school. Pupils of all ages were admitted and encouraged, non-professional artists as well as those ambitious for a career in painting: among the latter were Lucian Freud, David Carr, Joan Warburton, Glyn Morgan and Maggi Hambling (...)" (x).

Morris hailed from the industrialist's family which gave the industrial suburb Morriston its name. A former student of Morris recalls his left leanings - for instance once a year Morris opened his gardens at Hadleigh, and some locals "would have been pained to learn that the admission fees went to Labour Party funds" (x).

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It was a sunny October day in Cathays Park...

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:38:14 +0100

Cardiff City Hall, Clock Tower

I was on my way to a conference, where I attended a debate on Innovation

Villa Cardiff, 1905

Narration of the nation- and the future of innovation.

How come efforts to focus on "a national story for Wales" leads to cul de sacs?

Whither the industrial revolution?

Whither the digital revolution?

Innovation? Wales?

Yes, packet switching and Donald Davies.

"The concept of packet switching had two independent beginnings, with Paul Baran and Donald Davies"

Festa Della Madonna

At the drinks reception afterwards, Penry Williams' Festa Della Madonna caught my eye. Penry Williams' early patronage was through the iron master Crawshay of Merthyr Tydfil. Thence he enjoyed a successful career at the centre of British aristocratic patronage- in Rome. The Festa Della Madonna- the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. A long way from the iron works.

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Red Latvian Riflemen

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:47:49 +0100

Latvian Riflemen | Red Latvian Riflemen | Latviešu strēlnieki | Latviešu sarkanie strēlnieki |

Part of the frustration when visiting a new country for work-related activities such as a conference, is that you rush by interesting sights bereft of any historical commentary.

In the case of this monumental sculpture, Wikipedia proved a useful tour guide after-the-event:

Monument to the Red Latvian Riflemen in Riga, Latvia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvian_riflemen
Latvian Riflemen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monument to the Red Latvian Riflemen in Riga, Latvia

Latvian riflemen (Latvian: Latviešu strēlnieki, Russian: Латышские стрелки) were military formations assembled starting 1915 in Latvia in order to defend Baltic territories against Germans in World War I. Initially the batallions were formed by volunteers, from 1916 by conscription among Latvian population. A total of about 40,000 troops were drafted into the Latvian Riflemen Division.

From 1915 to 1917, Latvian Riflemen fought in the Russian army against the Germans in positions along Daugava river. In December 1916 and January 1917, Latvian riflemen suffered heavy casualties in month-long Christmas battles which began with a surprise attack on German positions during Christmas. Suffering heavy casualties, Latvian riflemen managed to break German line of defense but the effort was wasted as the attack was not continued. The Russian Army lost over 26,000 soldiers in the failed attack. The casualties included 9,000 Latvian riflemen, about a third of the total number at that time. The heavy casualties resulted in a strong resentment for the Russian generals and tsar among the riflemen. This resentment led to an increased support for the Bolsheviks, who were advocating an end to the war.

Latvian Riflemen | Red Latvian Riflemen | Latviešu strēlnieki | Latviešu sarkanie strēlnieki |

Red Latvian Riflemen

In 1917, a large number of Latvian riflemen sided with the Bolsheviks. They became known as Red Latvian Riflemen ((Latvian: Latviešu sarkanie strēlnieki, Russian: красные латышские стрелки) and actively participated in the Russian civil war. The riflemen took active part in suppression of anti-Bolshevik uprisings in Moscow and Yaroslavl in 1918. They fought against Denikin, Yudenich, and Wrangel. In 1919 the division received the highest military recognition of that time — the Honorable Red Flag of VTsIK. Latvian Red Riflemen officer Jukums Vācietis became the first commander-in-chief of the Red Army. Latvian red riflemen were also a part of the attempt to establish Soviet rule in Latvia in 1919. They were defeated by Baltic German volunteers in Western Latvia and then by the Polish and new Latvian army in Eastern Latvia.

11,395 former Red Riflemen returned to Latvia after the 1920 peace treaty between Latvia and Bolshevist Russia. Other former riflemen stayed in Russia and took positions in the Red Army, Bolshevik party, Cheka. Many of them were arrested or executed during the Great Purges, when ethnically Latvian Communists became one of the groups particularly targeted by the Purges.

Latvian Riflemen | Red Latvian Riflemen | Latviešu strēlnieki | Latviešu sarkanie strēlnieki |

Post Soviet Views

How to describe the red riflemen is a hot issue in Latvia after the fall of the Soviet Union. There has been disagreement over whether the statue (pictured) should be demolished or kept. Some see the red riflemen as pro-communists and want the statue removed, while others see them as pro-Latvian and want the statue to remain. The building now housing the Latvijas Okupacijas Muzejs (Occupation Museum of Latvia) originally was the Latvian Red Riflemen's Museum.

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Twilight

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:08:05 +0100

Cory's Buildings | Bute Street, Cardiff

Cory's Buildings

"Several more opulent banks and offices opened around the square - Baltic House, Ocean Building, Cory's Buildings, Cambrian Buildings..." ( X )

"But around the turn of the twentieth century, south Wales was one region where growth was still breakneck and full of promise. It was Old King Coal of course, who was the kingpin; he had conquered the British navy and his city had become the greatest coal port in the world. In 1921 he had at his command 270,000 miners (...). But this was not simply a matter of coal export huge though it was, of John Cory's bunkers straddling the world and south Wales keeping the greatest navy in the world afloat staggering though these were. The capital, technology, the enterprise, the skill and the labour of south Wales fertilised large and distant tracts of the world, from Montana and Pennsylvania to Chile, Argentine and Russia" (Gwyn A Williams, When Was Wales?)

Richard Cory (1799-1882) of Devon, was the owner of a small vessel which traded between Cardiff, Bristol and Ireland in the early part of the 19th century. In 1838, he opened a ships' chandler store in Cardiff, Glamorgan. In 1844, Richard Cory was joined by his sons, John (1828-1910) and Richard (1830-1914), and traded as Richard Cory and Sons</a> . They described themselves as ship brokers, ship owners, coal merchants and exporters. In 1859, when Richard Cory (the elder) retired, John and Richard re-named the business Cory Brothers & Co. It became a limited liability company in 1888. John and Richard Cory became coal owners in their own right with the purchase of Pentre colliery in the Rhondda, Glamorgan, in 1868. Gelli, Tynybedw and Tydraw collieries were later acquired, as were several collieries in adjoining valleys. The brothers also became the largest private wagon-owners in the United Kingdom. They opened coaling stations around the world, and by 1908 had 118 agencies and depots on all the major shipping routes. They supplied coal on a worldwide basis, most of it coming from their collieries in the Rhondda. The company opertaed subsidiary companies including Aden Coal Co. Ltd and Gueret, Llewellyn and Merrett Ltd. In 1942, the company was bought by the Powell Duffryn Group, but has maintained its identity as a shipping agent to the present. As their wealth increased, the brothers began to give assistance to social, educational, and moral reform causes in Cardiff, and to evangelical movements, particularly the Salvation Army. They supported the temperance movement, and established the Cory Temperance Hall which was made available for public meetings. In memory of his work for the people of Cardiff, a bronze statue of John Cory, designed by Sir William Goscombe John, was erected in the city in 1905. ( X )

JOHN, Sir William Goscombe (1860 - 1952)
John Cory(1828-1910), Date 1906

After his election as Associate of the Royal Academy in 1899, Goscombe John began to receive commissions for public monuments and portraits of major figures in public life and in 1905 he made a bronze statue of the philanthropist John Cory which was erected in front of City Hall. Cory was the son of Richard Cory who traded between Cardiff, Bristol and Ireland. In 1859, John and his brother Richard established their own coal exporters Cory Brothers and Co. They established depots, offices and agencies on a world-wide basis. In addition they owned collieries and were reputedly the largest private wagon owners in the UK. Both brothers backed the Temperance Movement and were active Methodists. John's charitable donations amounted to nearly £50,000 annually, in the years before his death. It is likely that this bust was a gift to him to mark the unveiling of the City Hall statue.

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Flaky GPS shit

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 00:17:15 +0100

... its become a catchphrase.

* * *

Locating locative media?

Bearing point # 1

Art of ... (Wired News)

"There is an explosion of art projects using wireless -- "locative media" is a buzzword -- a lot of it is banal, fetishizing GPS technologies..."

Bearing point # 2

Future Wireless (Cybersalon & Open Spectrum UK, National Science Museum, London)

The Cybernetic Wireless Dream? - How are wireless technologies changing our personal and social spaces - or how are our personal and social spaces changing wireless technologies? (x)

Bearing point # 3

The Wireless Event (x and x )

Peter Cochrane keynote: Seamless Freedom: The Wireless Revolution (Video, 30 mins)

"Smart digital radio technologies give us a whole raft of new freedoms, but the old analogue history still seems to dog our progress. All thats needed is a change of mindset, the technology will do the rest."

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Glamorgan Canal

nobody@vox.com(Johncymru) — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:32:44 +0100

Heron

Yes - thats a heron, centre frame. Taken on the Glamorgan Canal at Forest Farm nature reserve.

Signs of the industrial past saturate the landscape- but one needs the eye of an industrial archaeologist to render them visible.

Find of the day - Gelynis Farm was built in 1574 for the master of the Pentyrch Iron Foundry.

The vineyard at Gelynis Farm is said to include cuttings from the former Castell Coch vineyard nearby, planted by landowner-industrialist the Marquis of Bute in 1875 ( - a noteworthy experiment in the annals of British viticulture )

Iron Bridge

Gelynis Farm

Vineyard

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