The tragedy is terrible- but it has nothing to do with the quality of the song.

I can't stand "saccharine-style" mainstream singing- and melodies-

It's just taste <Travis>-- I hate that kind of music. And that song in particular, because yes- I don't like the idea that the audience has to like a song because it's based on a tragedy.

That Country Western star that made a "Hit" with a truly awful quality song about <9-11>--

<South Park> made vicious fun of him. And it was hilarious, because nobody was going to say anything about how CRAP the song was because of the extent of the tragedy.

Impassioned know- it - all rhetoric about art in particular, <Travis>, is just my style.

I exagerrate the quality of the music I love- "Best ever" etc...

And I exagerrate the quality of the music I hate- "Worst ever" etc.

That's mainly just rhetoric. I knew a guy in Montreal who only ever gave two reviews about a song-

If he liked it, he would nod his head.

If he didn't, he'd just say AWFUL!

But he'd say it really loud and pronounce it "AWWWWW FULL"

And he wouldn't budge from it. Ithought he was hilarious- particularly when he disagreed with me. That' just how I roll.

So one last time- <Ebony and Ivory> is written and performed by two of the greatest singer/songwriters in history. Both are nice guys. The subject-- racial harmony in the world-- is super important.

But the song itself- that paricular song - is UTTER CRAP.

People make fun of it on a daily basis because of how saccharine the song is.

I don't like crappy mainstream songs that cover important topics- personal tragedy, major tragedy, serious problems in world history- and cover these topics with a STYLE of music I despise.

I don't despise <Eric Clapton, Alan Jackson, Stevie Wonder, or Paul McCartney>.

And I certainly don't despise YOU.

I know you.

I don't know those other guys.

And I love you too- you are similar to me in your passion. Which is why you are yelling at me.

<Travis> if you look back at our posting history, I have never said anything remotely mean or even negative about you- not even after you put me on ignore.

So please bear that in mind.

Also, everything I"ve just said is really true--

When that <Eric Clapton> song comes on the radio- or <Ebony and Ivory> for that matter, and a thousand other CRAP SONGS, I "dislike" them so much I actually have to leave the location I'm at.

That's not a "normal state of affairs". Most people don't love or hate particular kinds of pop music like that. And they are able to tune it out. I can't. Every CRAP NOTE and CRAP FAKE EMOTION in their voice is like a dagger to my heart.

Duke was one of my favourite albums..

But <Peter Gabriel's> career went in the same trajectory--

<Peter Gabriel IV> was the last "Genesis" or Prog Rock style record.

Then he made some POP Smash hits, like Genesis and then Phil did- in the 80s.

Then he got in to "World Beat" - like Paul Simon and David Byrne and some others.

There is a six hour remastered <Genesis DVD> covering their career from <Tresspass> until <Wind and Wuthering>. Including probably the GREATEST CONCERT EVER FILMED- <Genesis Live at Shepperton in 1974>

Post- Pete, <A Trick of the Tail>, <Seconds Out (live!)>, and <Wind and Wuthering> were the only Prog Rock style records.

After that it becomes saccharine CRAP in my not so humble opinion.

<A Trick of the Tail> is a masterpiece. It becomes super apparent just how heavily <Tony Banks> had been responsible for the "signature sound" of Genesis from the beginning. He undertook the bulk of the songwriting on that great, great, record.

<Seconds Out> is a great, great record- and Phil is a great singer on it.

But as my buddy told me- when Phil sings the last line of <Supper's Ready>-

"And take them to,
The new, Jerusaleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!"

It's very good- but Pete sings it about 20,000 times better.

She sure was cute though.

Was he drunk when the boy fell out the window? Anybody else would be jailed for child abuse.

allegedly.

I might perhaps cry.

That's stuff and nonsense.

"If your date declares that you "lack moral fortitude", do you ask her what the phrase "moral fortitude means?"

I hope this wasn't a deal breaker if she was cute like you say.

Remember, what they look like is 99% of dating.

The Hillbillies are most pleasant to me. They know I'm teaching their kids, so they give me bribes and favors in the shops.

This is one of the advantages of living in a tiny rural backwater.

I'm going in to "town" today though, to buy <seven chess books> from the only Book store with an English person in it within 300 miles.

I have printed out the Amazon pages for the books I want.

Er... You're not actually <Paul Theroux>, by any chance?

But i saw it 15 years later. Nice landscapes and fly buzzin' meat market.

In fact it's probably a movie better watched silent with ELO playing.

ANd now that I think about this might be true for MOST movies these days.

I was White and had to face <Alekhine's Defence>.

I remembered the main line to this position, and played it-

click for larger view

After this, I was on my own. I lasted around 30 moves before he secured a decisive advantage.

However- look at this- here is the "Main Line" 13 moves deep-

Do you all know this position? Would you like to play from here with the White pieces? Or the Black pieces?

After <13.b4>:

click for larger view

I see you have taken up "forum hopping."

Many names spring readily to mind: <Kortschnoi, Keres, and Bronstein> to name just a few.

But who remembers the great <Efim Bogoljubov>?

Efim Bogoljubov

Here is one of his finest moments- during the ultra strong <Bad Pistayan> tournament of 1922.

Game Collection: Bad Pistyan 1922

<Bogoljubov> won this event despite the presence of <Alekhine, Spielmann, Grunfeld, Reti, Samisch, Tartakower, Tarrasch, and Euwe>.

This spectacular win over <Samisch> in <Round 8> features an amazing "open field" piece sacrifice in exchange for two pawns and an enemy King stripped bare in the center of the board.

This is not such an easy game to convert from this point- try it out against your Engine to confirm:

Bogoljubov vs Samisch, 1922

click for larger view

White to play.... and then hunt

i tend to say stupid things sometimes, and need to be smacked around on occasion.

your efforts to keep the page somewhat on-topic are greatly appreciated and long overdue.