[CR]Why Joe Starck shouldn't give up the day job and a rare Saxon frame for sale

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PX-10LE)

From: "brucerobbins" <brucerobbins@supanet.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <20050202023807.24850.qmail@web42001.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 08:41:46 -0000
reply-type=original
Subject: [CR]Why Joe Starck shouldn't give up the day job and a rare Saxon frame for sale

Joe,

I've been a newspaper reporter for 25 years. In that time I've encountered a few writers such as yourself who confuse big words and complicated sentence construction with good writing. They usually disappear up their own backside pretty quickly. You seem to be labouring under the misapprehension that what you write is clever or insightful. It's neither. It reminds me of the many Government reports-running into hundreds of pages-that I've had to condense into ten or twelve pars to a tight deadline and put into plain, simple English. Writing that is inaccessible to many people, as your words are, is a failure of communication. English, written and spoken, is first and foremost a form of communication and, in your pompous and pretentious way, you are singularly failing to communicate your message. I can readily understand what you have written because I have more than two decades experience in dealing with badly written reports. I sincerely hope that you weren't "taught" to write like that at journalism school or your tutors should be sacked. If you have something to say and you want it to be interesting and readable, drop the pretensions-of which you have many-and start learning from a guy like Bill Bryson.

Now that we've both had a pop at each other on-list, if you have to reply to this-and I'd prefer not to hear from you again-please do so off-list.

Now to the interesting stuff. A pal of mine has offered me a 22-inch 1939 Saxon twin tube frame. It's a lovely old bike in very good structural condition but is in need of refinishing. He's asking £100 for it. I'd have bitten his hand off for this a year or so ago but I'm suffering from e-Ritchie syndrome at the moment with too much stuff and not enough time to do anything about it. If anyone is interested please give me a shout and I'll pass on the seller's email address. He's a very honest guy and may be able to help you out with some period parts for the build-up. There aren't any jpegs available at the moment but I can do some pics in a week or two.

Bruce Dundee Scotland

From: "Joe Starck" <josephbstarck@yahoo.com> Subject: A fallacious puff of wind from Scotland


>
> --- brucerobbins <brucerobbins@supanet.com> wrote:
>
>> > From: Joe Starck <josephbstarck@yahoo.com>
>> > Subject: Re: [CR]Re: File Marks
>>
>> Joe wrote (heavily snipped before I nodded off)
>>
>> > Bruce,
>> > "Anal" is not synonomous with "perfection." "Anal
>> is
>> > derisive. It connotes a disorder. It pathologizes
>> what
>> > is, in fact, a virtue. Perfectionism is a virtue.
>> It's
>> > creative; it's procreative. It conserves; it
>> > preserves. It ensures; it endures. It protects.
>> It's
>> > all that and more. It is a learned, guiding
>> pursuit.
>> > Perfectionism reigns supreme in Science, Art and
>> > Craft. It's been around since, at least, gee whiz,
>> the
>> > beginning of civilization." zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
>>
>> Joe,
>>
>> I take it that, in your two years at journalism
>> school, you studied pompous
>> crap in your first and pretentious crap in your
>> second?
>>
> Bruce,
> If you think you understand what I mean in my words
> above, prove it; I don't think you can prove it, I
> don't think you understand, I mean, your words above
> are cowardly, your statement is a sneer, meant to
> convey more than you possess. Every line I wrote above
> I assert as fact, based on my education, experience
> and understanding; they are my words, I'm not quoting
> or recollecting, but confident and willing to take on
> all challengers. If you don't understand what I mean
> in my words above, you should just ask for
> clarification. I have a personal mantra, a mantra I've
> held for about eight years, a mantra that could be
> said by Shakespeare in a roundabout way, and has, but
> since my mantra is direct, I'm claiming it as mine.
> But, I'm sharing it with you. Rooty toot toot,
> drumroll please...NAMING IS NOT SYNONOMOUS WITH
> UNDERSTANDING. That said, step down off your throne,
> put down your sceptre, walk away from your magic
> kingdom, step into the waters of the Atlantic and look
> me square in the eye or soak your head.
> Joe Starck,
> masidon, wi
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> The all-new My Yahoo! - Get yours free!
> http://my.yahoo.com