The Logic Off Topic list

Tony Thompson wrote:

>I had to read that last sentence several times to get my head round it, but
>I presume you're separating numbers and trends from general principles.
No.

>The principles go way back and are quite simple.
Yes.

>Statistics and sociological research can end up being ......
irrelevant in this instance.

The general principles I was referring to were things like 'be kind to your 
neighbour' which it's good to think about from time to time in order to 
find out if you're actually doing it. When not enough people treat their 
neighbour Muslims or neighbour Jews or neighbour 'Wily Oriental Gentlemen' 
with a sufficient degree of humanity, then we have a major social problem 
which can only be addressed by each individual person lifting up the nose 
from the mire and examining their own actions a bit. Plus ... passing a few 
laws about discrimination in the work place and in public places doesn't go 
amiss either. That's what I was referring to.

>great stuff for journalists and politicians to
>make a fine hash of and get everyone confused.
As above, not what I was referring to ... except that sometimes passing a 
few laws and banging a few heads is a pretty good way to go about things.


>Who does the research, how
>it's done and the motivations behind its commissioning are also important
>questions. I suppose I'm quite cynical
Rightly so. But ... sometimes it gets people thinking about their own 
lives. No bad thing. And ... sometimes a newly passed law gets some 
publicity so that people can understand that everyone is deadly serious 
about this and they'd better shape up smartish or there'll be some jail 
time for them. People like Steven Lawrence still getting killed, though. Or 
... would you rather we rolled the clocks back and repealed all them laws 
that make sure that when I go round your neighbour's flat to check it out 
cause I'm thinking of renting it and he doesn't feel like renting it out to 
a Wily Oriental Gentleman he can just do so and face no consequences? Would 
that be preferable?

>and tend to feel that people issue
>nice well-bound reports, appear on breakfast television to discuss issues
>and then stuff gets buried again for another few years
The stuff getting buried is certainly no good. But ... there've been a few 
reports that banged people's heads together and actually got things done. 
Not a lot. But a few.

>until it's time for a
>report on the lack of progress on the report and another round of breakfast
>television interviews.
That's stupid. Be a lot easier if people smartened up in the first place. 
Unfortunately, this tends not to happen.

>The basic idea wasn't bad, but the singing was doleful and draggy in the way
>that solo writers often can be without external feedback.
You shoulda heard that tape I sent in to Joeri. He was very polite about it 
and pretended that he listened to it, but between you and me I think he 
binned it without even listening to it. He could be heard screaming way 
across in Paris as soon as he saw the postmark. Don't know what the tape of 
mine that GA Moore put his name to was like, though. It was probaly an 
improvement!!

>  Nigerian music, in
>my experience, is strong on good simple melody and he hasn't really drawn on
>that enough.
Then he's in trouble!!

>If he can get someone else to sing it it might make a decent
>album track.
Aaah. I think we've all seen that movie!!

>I'm striving for a nice clear mind empty of irrelevancies,
Good luck!!

>I'm probably clogged up so much with my own junk that
>any input of yours won't register on the scale.
Maybe not. But I can keep trying, can't I??!!!!!!!

Stay well.

Kool Musick
Keep Musick Kool



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