What are you reading?

Worldly and otherworldly topics
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Ferrus
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by Ferrus » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:41 am

MoneyJungle wrote:
Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:43 am
I am not too far away from a Masonic cemetery I was thinking of walking around. Once I get thru the book I’m starting a thread. These people must be stopped and only this forum can do it.
My grandfather was a freemason back when it was a useful place to do networking, I know they would have meals and had some kind of special handshake. I never really knew much about it as my father never wanted to join (why, I am not sure, but it may have been for religious reasons) despite being offered the necessary recommendations by friends and acquaintances that were members. I did visit the Freemasons' Hall in London which is where the United Grand Lodge is, but much of what is presented feels like something from a different age with little relevance now.

In Spain there are not many Masons left but there are plenty of old masonic buildings abandoned and used for other things. There is a famous restaurant in Barcelona called Set portes that is very expensive and was the preserve of aristocracy and film stars in the past (and have one of the best paellas in Barcelona) - that has a chequered floor that is a tell-tale sign of masonic connections.

In the 19th century they had a big following in Spain - and indeed prominent masons were influential in the Latin American independence movement - largely among consitutional liberals who had supported the Cadiz constitution in 1812 who by the end of the century when consitutional monarchy was more firmly embedded (after the 1823 invasion by France and the Carlist wars) rotated power in a system of rigged elections called pucherismo. The civil war in 1936 ended much of masonry however as both sides were hostile to the Freemasons as the liberals got sidelined in the Republican side and Franco considered it part of a conspiracy against Spain closely connected to the old enemies of England and protestantism that he saw as having brought down the old Spanish empire.

Freemasonry therefore in many Spanish speaking countries has a slightly rebellious, anti-clerical, anti-Catholic tinge to it, which is interesting because it Britain it is considered a highly conservative organisation patronised by royalty and aristocracy that is the preserve of vicars, lawyers, policemen, judges, doctors and other respectable members of society that now has lost lots of its social relevancy but used to be part of the fabric of middle class society.
Ex falso, quodlibet

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SomeInternetBloke
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by SomeInternetBloke » Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:57 pm

hi, 37 y.o. single, binary male (my pronouns are: ... , asshole, huh?, *pets*) , applied math/GIS major, and to take the liberty of intentional literal thread topic interpretation. I'm here for reading "everyone's" posts so as to not be such a weirdo (ya know, for learnings and such lol. Yes, I know about the "what are you here for?"-thread. *flashes handicap placard* :sobs: pls be nice people change. evolution of change :hat: :popcorn:)
"My favourite song from one of my favourite albums, Nena asking you to please, please let her be your pirate. So smooth and joyful, I have to listen to it three times if I listen once" - ashi

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SomeInternetBloke
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by SomeInternetBloke » Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:59 pm

"binary" as in lame... nvm :bananas: y.g.t.p.(*leaves*)
"My favourite song from one of my favourite albums, Nena asking you to please, please let her be your pirate. So smooth and joyful, I have to listen to it three times if I listen once" - ashi

djm
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by djm » Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:56 pm

SomeInternetBloke wrote:
Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:57 pm
hi, 37 y.o. single, binary male (my pronouns are: ... , asshole, huh?, *pets*) , applied math/GIS major, and to take the liberty of intentional literal thread topic interpretation. I'm here for reading "everyone's" posts so as to not be such a weirdo (ya know, for learnings and such lol. Yes, I know about the "what are you here for?"-thread. *flashes handicap placard* :sobs: pls be nice people change. evolution of change :hat: :popcorn:)
Hmm not sure what that is meant to be about.

However if you were trying to look like an arse - well done. Nail on head.

As a certified placard-waving handicapper (autism) can I be the first to hope your standard of posting improves.

djm
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by djm » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:35 pm

Re-reading Life and Fate by Vassily Grosman.

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SomeInternetBloke
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by SomeInternetBloke » Fri Apr 02, 2021 3:00 am

I guess I felt it idiotic to have even mentioned binarism. I immediately felt having compulsively stated the obvious was lame i.e. the opposite of interesting. The realized that most of autistic friends wouldn't've made that mistake and therefore amused myself by the irony of lame's other definition: unconvincingly feeble (despite debilitatingly autism). Lastly, I thought it amusing to subsume the self-loathing sentiment in pictorial form with a "fuck me" emoji i.e. why do I even bother communicating at all. I briefly considered how posting that would ruin the intro but, smacked the submit button dreaming to score a run. Like when an umpire barely calls "Heeee's Saaafe!"-kinda thing. Meh, so I struck out... un-lucid minds are the greatest contributors toward the absurdities of life, which if we're honest, are the truest opiates of social amusement. *clumsy guy trips on banana peel emoji*

Don't take me seriously. Perspective is a destination, so enjoy the journey -kinda thing.
"My favourite song from one of my favourite albums, Nena asking you to please, please let her be your pirate. So smooth and joyful, I have to listen to it three times if I listen once" - ashi

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SomeInternetBloke
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by SomeInternetBloke » Sat Apr 03, 2021 2:37 am

For realsies this time. I'm doing lay epidemiologic research on viruses that tortured the Colonial American/Native American era peoples to death i.e. Syphilis, Small Pox, et etcetera. Of course I'm focusing on the ickiests bits with lots of photos and such. :shock: Easy A! :w00t:
"My favourite song from one of my favourite albums, Nena asking you to please, please let her be your pirate. So smooth and joyful, I have to listen to it three times if I listen once" - ashi

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horvack
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by horvack » Wed Apr 14, 2021 5:28 pm


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SomeInternetBloke
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by SomeInternetBloke » Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:14 pm

(Edit)
I've been rereading the Stairway to Heaven lyrics by Led Zeppelin. When I read them with my interpretation it tickles my funny bone because usually there's evil stuff hidden in lyrics but this time it's not the case lol. Hysterical.

There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway
To heaven

When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get
What she came for

And she's buying a stairway to heaven

There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes
Words have two meanings

In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts
Are misgiven

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder

There's a feeling I get
When I look to the west
And my spirit is crying
For leaving

In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those
Who stand looking

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder

And it's whispered that soon
If we all call the tune
Then the piper will
Lead us to reason

And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo
With laughter

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
And there's still time to change the road you're on

And it makes me wonder

Your head is humming and it won't go
In case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all, yeah
To be a rock and not to roll

And she's buying a stairway to heaven

Songwriters: Plant R A, Page James Patrick
"My favourite song from one of my favourite albums, Nena asking you to please, please let her be your pirate. So smooth and joyful, I have to listen to it three times if I listen once" - ashi

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MoneyJungle
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Re: What are you reading?

Post by MoneyJungle » Fri Apr 16, 2021 4:42 am

Life for Sale - Yukio Mishima. A Japanese copywriter capriciously attempts suicide, survives and sells his life in the classified ads. I haven’t read anything cool and edgy in a long time and I’m generally fond of 20th century Japanese novels (Silence by Endo is my favorite. Completely different book from this one but I promote it every chance I get). I’m not bullish on loving this book but it seems like a lot of stuff will at least happen. Inb4 someone cares about his politics because I don’t.

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