“We are here on Earth to fart around”

moleitau1 Comment

Doc Searls channels Vonnegut on conferences and workshops:

I've been amazed lately at the growing difference between conferences and workshops. Conferences are like television: everybody in the "audience" faces speakers and panels that comprise the conference's "program". In workshops, everybody participates. They get together in rooms and around tables and talk about common interests with purposes in mind. Progress usually happens. Stuff moves forward. It's amazing how well this works.

  You have to do workshops in person. Kurt Vonnegut writes,
  Electronic communities build nothing. You wind up with nothing. We are dancing animals.
  How beautiful it is to get up and go out and do something. We are here on Earth to fart around. Don't let anybody tell you any different.

Read and post comments

Richard James/Turntable Cafe: A Noson Llawen

moleitau1 Comment
The Seven Sleepers Den
The Seven Sleepers Den
Richard James

We just came back from a performance by Richard James and supporting band at the Purcell Rooms, organised by St. Etienne as part of their "Turntable cafe" events.

It was a special Welsh-themed event, with screenings of vintage Welsh pop TV show "Disc-A-Dawn" preceding the ex-Gorky's Zygotic Mynci member's show.

In a word it was lovely, especially for someone extremely jetlagged. It would be kindest to say that the lyrics were undemanding – but his guitar and banjo playing more than made up for that.

I walked out with the album, and also the Welsh Rare Beat compilation compiled by Gruff Rhys, Andy Votel et al.

Also walked out with a conviction to get back to my schoolboy standard of Welsh-speaking before next St. David's Day…

Many thanks to Russell for turning me on to the event. Cracking stuff.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend