Re: Topic For Paper?

On Mar 31, 9:13 am, "La N" <nilita2004NOS...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Eugene Griessel" <eugene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:460e5367.20569632@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



"La N" <nilita2004NOS...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Eugene Griessel" <eugene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:460e3e67.15210874@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Arved Sandstrom" <asandst...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

[ SNIP ]
We note with amusement that SOME of the naïve pogues and poguettes
have
been less willing to be conned by Reedy, SINCE my initial post --
while
others, the stupidest and most naïve of all continue to play the
assigned
role of the designated fool and flummoxed patsy.

"We" note? Who's "we"? You have a friend?!?

All schizophrenics have friends ......

Heheheh ... Hines truly is very well acquainted with the voices in his
head
...%)

Which leads me even further off-topic but still on the subject of
"friends".

Acquired one of those historical atlases at a junk sale today -
printed in 1939. As well as showing year by year who owned which bits
of the world it has a fairly detailed section on Europe showing who
was friends/allied with who. I think nothing brings home the futility
of human attempts to run countries more clearly. For exanmple one
page - 1793 has England and Spain allied against France and a few
pages on - 1797 has Spain and France allied against England.
Obviously national "friendships" are tenuous ephemeral things easily
sacrificed on the altar of expediency at the drop of a hat. Why the
flock of underlings accept this is a mystery and why the notion that
such "friendships" exist today is a bit beyond understanding. It is
clear that these friendships are nothing more than self-serving
political moves and have absolutely nothing whatever do with the
things most people associate with the term "friendship".

Ah well - raving on an empty stomach isn't good for me - better go and
cook something up for lunch.

BTW is it within the bounds of reality that David Spencer Hines and
Koos Nolst Trent are manifestations of the same evil spirit? Both
seem equally impervious to anything approaching rational thought.

I think one can safely throw The Highlander into that fray for good measure.

btw, kinda on topic .... I've just started to read a biography of Samuel
Hearne. From a young age he absolutely *knew* he wanted to join the Royal
Navy, and his weeping mother reluctantly took him at the age of 12 to enlist
and apprentice with Captain Samuel Hood. Seems the RN were constantly
taking on the French and the young Hearne had a hard time adjusting to his
new reality. Whilst a boy and serving on The Antelope, his ship encountered
on the North Coast of France the French "Aquilon". During the battle he
experienced iron balls whizzing by his head, slicing open body parts of
fellow sailors. This resulted in him throwing up over the side of the ship.
He was told he would get over it in time, but he didn't believe that.

In the initial phase of his career he also witnessed the cold-blooded
execution of Admiral Byng, something that evidently he couldn't get out of
his head. Not to mention the practice of bringing "wives" (borrowed ladies)
onto the ship for play time when the ship was in port.

I can't wait to read about the rest of his stellar career to see if he
eventually suffers from PTSD ...;)

Also, about Admiral Byng. Was he justly executed? Or was he just a
scapegoat. Enquirying minds and all that ...

- nil

Which brings to mind the song "Barrett's Privateers"

BARRETT'S PRIVATEERS

Oh, the year was 1778, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
A letter of marque come from the king,
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen,

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.

Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
For twenty brave men all fishermen who
would make for him the Antelope's crew

chorus

The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight, HOW I WISH I WAS IN
SHERBROOKE NOW!
She'd a list to the port and and her sails in rags
And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags

chorus

On the King's birthday we put to sea, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE
NOW!
We were 91 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way

chorus

On the 96th day we sailed again, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four pounders we made to fight

chorus

The Yankee lay low down with gold, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days

chorus

Then at length we stood two cables away, HOW I WISH I WAS IN
SHERBROOKE NOW!
Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in

chorus

The Antelope shook and pitched on her side, HOW I WISH I WAS IN
SHERBROOKE NOW!
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the Maintruck carried off both me legs

chorus

So here I lay in my 23rd year, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
It's been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday

chorus

.

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