*Bob*

That's nonsense. When you to the theatre or the cinema or to watch a band, do you go and see every play, film or band in the hope you'll chance across something you'll like? Of course not. You read reviews. You get recommendations. You trawl through the dross and try to avoid it. It's exactly the same.

I'd be amongst the first to diss the growing amount of dross on TV, but to say 'every minute you spend in front of the box is a wasted minute' is quite a statement. Unless you have absolutely no interest in anything whatsoever (music, film, art, documentary, biography, literature, news). Turning on the telly to see what's on is not the way to do it though. Just like anything else these days you have to sift through the cack to find the gold. I'd challenge anyone - armed with a full programme schedule and a PVR recorder equipped with freeview - to fail to find at least ten hours of top-notch programming every week, ready to watch at their convenience.

giggirl Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don't have a TV; haven't had one for years... TV is rubbish and it's getting worse. How would you know?

Well, Living TV are on a push to increase their audience share, so it'll probably end-up on there, along with Richard & Judy.

Doneven no wot the pens are I just dunnit for the buzz man lol rofl (tu)

After getting the upmteenth brief of the year to write and record music for a new show, "Wash My Pet" to be presented by Penelope BigTits (runner-up on Big Brother 5) on a budget of 50p (tbc), I can definitely confirm that TV is indeed getting shitter and shitter.

Nope. A four pack of strongbow and a load of Parker pens lifted from Ralon. The bag and 'top dressing' is just there to give and air of respectability.

Once you've finally got your bag, don't forget to put the right things in it.

I liked her advert for Benecol.. the one where she demonstrated that Benecol could actually help 'lower' your cholesterol by pinching her fingers together when she said the word 'lower'. Because up until that point I didn't actually know what 'lower' meant. Thanks, Carol!

I don't see anything wrong in principle with having a multi-millionaire and all-round maths whizz telling you who'll still give you a loan - even if you've already got a fistful of credit cards you can't pay off, CCJs, no job, a criminal record and your house is about to be repossessed.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think there is a disconnect between the way > people lead their lives today and the vision John > has - as shown in his example of the couple with > "no" interest in music. I think you're reading too much into it. People just don't like getting stopped in the street and automatically say anything to get away.

Don't fancy yours much

Here's my rescue plan. Private members club with a membership of 75 'music lovers'. 75 sets of keys cut. One stereo system. Lots of comfy chairs. A refrigerator.

I believe shes' expanding a one-pager on the basic rule's of grammar into a full-length book - so that idiot's can buy it and make her rich.

Yeah.. and what about those so-called moon landings then?! Eh? EH?

Huguenot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I disagree with the idea that something is > offensive if someone 'takes' offence, offensive > can only be used to describe the intention of the > behaviour surely? Offence is something that's > delivered, not taken. Perhaps.. but that would also be to deny that there's any sort of crossover between 'being offensive' and 'having caused offence', which there is. I once heard a bloke in a pub get all uptight when someone was talking about political correctness and shout "I've been saying n igger for fifty years now and I aint gonna stop sayin' n igger just cos the fackin' n iggers don't like it!"

I'm looking up the thread. I can only see a couple of comments of the type you mention. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that (considering what you're asking) the amount of those sort of comments are conspiciously few. Which means people are in fact cutting you plenty of slack by not putting the boot in, as they usually do. I admit I'm being a bit bullish, but only because of your failure to communicate what you're trying to do, and it's a bit frustrating, because it might be interesting. Say there are several hundred people reading this thread. This is your shop window, so put something in it. I guarantee most those several hundred won't be coming into the shop for a face-to-face one-to-one briefing.

All I'm doing is giving you a chance to explain what the place is about, because no-one knows. It's no good wafting ideas like 'community spirit', 'mucking-in' and 'inspirational' if no-one has a bloody clue what it's all about, how it works, why it's a good idea, what the point is. And if you're going to get spit the dummy because someone (ie me - THE OGRE) asks a couple of basic questions which are apparently so hard to answer that it's easier to shut the shop then what's THE POINT?

Strawbs Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- I can totally see what he is trying to do, he is trying to run the shop with the help of the community (ie get people to staff it for nothing) particularly in the financial sense (and get them to pay the rent as well) and on the surface I dont think its a bad thing.. (not bad for who?) I think if it worked it could be a really good thing so long as everyone felt involved and a sense of ownership (what are they owning, other than the 'chance' to give up their time in order to not sell enough records to cover the rent?) I think what is missing here though is the shop needs to be generally something that impacts each person in the community and that we couldnt do without (So perhaps not selling records then, which lets face it is a superniche market) I put my name down to help but didnt hear back (rrright), went down on the weekend to take a look and unfortunately it was closed.. (rrright) ?

I'm still not getting the concept of an unprofitable, occasionally-staffed record shop. However, if it does work out, I might - with the help of the good people of ED - open a bank or something.

I just had an email, subject header "Peniss reattached aafter maid cuts it off" and the email simply says "Heyello, Briing your wife We'll fucck her! That's right we'll fucck your wife! :) Click here" It is, of course, of no use to me whatsoever as I'm not married.

I've noticed that some of our high-posting forum blabbermouths (Keef, Sean 'The Fence' Mac, possibly Mockney too (judging by the amount of Peruvian nose-flute electrogabbahouse he has on vinyl) seem to be involved, but they're all weirdly silent as well.

Is this like a Fight Club thing? The one rule about The Dream Machine is that you're not allowed to talk about The Dream Machine.

Alan will come back to us. The girl in question will soon see through his vague attempts at charm.

I'm admiring the 'build it and they will come' philosophy, but I'm still none the wiser as to what 'it' is. What does the record shop have to do with the everything else you want to achieve? Surely you don't need a record shop to create a label, manage bands and book them to play in local venues, create a vibrant local music scene etc? Surely the record shop (which you currently can't pay the rent, or staff properly) is just an albatross round your neck?