BS: Siamese fighting fish

Subject: BS: Siamese fighting fish - a little tale
From: Helen
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 06:05 PM

Picture this.

Some Siamese fighting fish (also known as the betta) in separate aquarium tanks but able to make fighting postures and gestures at each other from the safety of their own castles.

Some of the tanks are on the left, some of the tanks are on the right and some of the tanks are in the middle.

A few of the members of this species are attempting to quell the fighting urges and exhorting these Siamese fighting fish to behave civilly towards each other, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, outside the tanks are some members of a higher, more civilised species who now and then observe the antics of these fighting fish and gain a little amusement from this until tiring of the limited display and returning to higher pursuits with more interesting and worthwhile outcomes. The fighting fish are just a momentary distraction from real life. Unfortunately for the fighting fish they appear to be oblivious to the spectacle they are providing for the observers from a higher species.

They continue to taunt each other, "You're a fighting fish!", "No, you are a fighting fish!, "I said it first", "No, I said it first", "That's not a fighting fish, THIS is a fighting fish" and so on, ad infinitum.

It reminds me of a cartoon I saw in a Sci-Fi magazine many decades ago.

An astronaut is aiming to travel to the boundary of the universe and beyond. Finally he reaches the boundary and passes right through it. The next frame in the cartoon shows God, white haired and white bearded, picking a teeny-tiny spaceship off the floor from next to his aquarium tank, saying "I'll just put this one next to all the others" as he places it on his mantelpiece.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 06:37 PM

This reminds me of the UK political thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 06:54 PM

I think that may be Helen’s point, Donuel.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 07:22 PM

I proudly owned a Siamese fighting fish when I was 12..

It cost a lot of pocket money,
and only lasted a few weeks before it's belly swelled up so much,
I found it one morning dead with it's guts hanging out..
and the otherfish nibbling on them..

..so what's your big profound metaphorical realisation about that then Donny...???

In the meantime, here's a quick one from me..

.. it's just like British political threads
when they get stuffed too much from behind
with smug snidey American interference...???

However, To cheer myself up I bought 3 Tinfoil Barbs,
who grew bigger
devouring every other fish in the Aquarium..

That was great fun for a 12 year old boy to watch...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 07:50 PM

PFR I follow your wit and wisdom. You're not a cold fish like some.
Are you declaring a NO foreigner zone for your UK thread?
If so is that part of your small c conservative position?
I'm a liberal

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 08:04 PM

Funny song, Donuel!

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 08:10 PM

Donny - you are confused, and confusing..

Iains is a conservative with a small c...,
he openly boasted about it..

We didn't ask to be pushed into a single thread ghetto,
but we try our best to comply with mods.

I'm not a xenophobe by any means,
but I will call out unwelcome American interference and snideness in our political discussions..

There's nothing I can do about the big picture of trump running Britain by proxy,
but I can have a little say in mudcat...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 20 - 09:43 PM

I am confused - in the UK thread not having a lifelong knowledge of UK affairs and personalities but I try to understand. I look for similarities to the American experience but they are few and far between. The only things I can say there are broad sweeping generalized
statements about interactions or some other drivel.
I don't know better than you guys about what is happening to England but it doesn't sound good.

This is my experience with the conservative media here

ps- I really was a hypnotist.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 02:02 AM

I’ve always wondered if a hypnotist can hypnotise himself. And, if he can, can he also un-hypnotise himself?

I’m beginning to understand the answers to those two questions are not the same.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 05:06 AM

Siamese fighting fish are what they are. Only idiots would go to see them, expect something entirely different and then complain about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: G-Force
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 06:01 AM

We had a Siamese Fighter when I was a kid. I used to think it was great fun holding a mirror up to the side of the tank and watching it go berserk.

I'm more sensible these days. I play the concertina.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: gillymor
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 06:48 AM

A fable for our time.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 01:08 PM

Pondering further...

..and a gentle reminder for our goodly middle class liberal American and Antipodean friends..

This thread could be seen by as symptomatic of institutionalised prejudice,
at worst - lower level racism..

Not that any of us hardy Brits are so snowflakey
as to to get offended and make a big fuss
about being treated as social pariahs,
and forced into a confinement ghetto...
Though, there are plenty of over-sensitive folks on the internet who would kneejerk into hysterical protest..


Nah - nice folks don't tolerate such apartheid like segregation any more...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 01:42 PM

Yep. Not nice.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 03:21 PM

I had no idea you felt that way. The UK politics thread has 10 high calibre individuals who while polarized by Brexit are passionate about their country with a solidarity and resolve rarely seen. It is to be envied. You don't see a similar US politics thread have such longevity due to many factors I won't discuss here.

Feeling like a social pariah is usually a self delusion that normally comes with age, weight gain and the appearance of ones home. A feeling of accomplishment can be right around the corner by simply sprucing up the curb appeal of your home. Its hard work so weight loss may result. Do for others more often and your reputation will be more sympathetic. You wouldn't want to be in other peoples clubs but you might make a friend.

Maybe you're just having a laugh but I assure you that you are not in a ghetto like a Warsaw Jew. This may only be anxiety about the self isolation.

And as for racism, its like the blues. You have to live it to know what it is. Have you really lived it?

My uncle Ben, a simple man, used one philosophy of 'stupid is as stupid does'. He would say a pariah is what pariah does.

At the risk of being too honest, most of the male display of dominance is just a bunch of old lonely guys who feel a fading glory.

All will be well, even Steve healed the tiff with Senofou. Forgiveness is pretty damn easy unless its pathological.
Now back to stiring the pot...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 04:22 PM

An interesting assumption, pfr. "Middle class liberal"?

How very British of you to make assumptions about, and to place importance on, social class and an interesting assumption about my political leanings as well.

I wouldn't take bets on the "goodly" bit either with reference to myself.

As the only Antipodean person on this thread so far, I am guessing you were referring to me. Well, as a matter of fact, that reference could equally apply to you in the UK in relation to us here in Australia, given the actual meaning of the word "antipodean".

You've given me a few good laughs to start the day off.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 05:31 PM

And your rather lofty and condescending (clumsy?) attack on the Brits in your unsubtle opening post, well, didn't exactly give us a laugh, but it might have caused a couple of knowing smirks. We'd all like to be pretend mods, Helen. But best to wait until you're actually asked.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 06:07 PM

A man wants to work for his pay
A man wants a place in the sun
A man wants a gal proud to say
That she'll become his lovin' wife
He wants a chance to give his kids a better life
Well hello, hello, hello brother

You can travel all around the world and back
You can fly or sail or ride a railroad track
But no matter where you go you're gonna find
That people have the same things on their minds

A man wants to work for his pay
A man wants a place in the sun
A man wants a gal proud to say
That she'll become his lovin' wife
He wants a chance to give his kids a better life
Its not about nationality brother
we all want the same

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 07:05 PM

It looks like your antipodean post was exsponged Steve.
Old school bigotry is not like wine that gets better with age.
On this we could agree Steve. You know how big Iains' ego is? Well yours is so big you trip on it. I've concluded you just can't help it.
Too bad your ego isn't your johnson or that you are so defensive about marrying money. I for one never felt I had to obey your rules, prejudice or expectations. That does not make you or I a bad person. You prefer your paradigms and I enjoy mine. For you're a jolly good fellow, for you are a jolly good fellow, for urine folly green jello, which nobody can deny.

Lime green jello is not to everyones liking.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 07:32 PM

Blow it out yo' ass, Donuel.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 08:14 PM

Well I've had a long stressful day dealing with real life problems..
At least mudcat helpfully provides opportunities for slight comic relief..

Any mudcatters who've known me long enough,
are well familiar with my dark, absurdist, transgressive irreverent sense of humour..

.. if it amuses folks and makes 'em think about any serious underlying 'messages'...???


We gotta try to laugh off the shit life throws at us,
without smearing too much of it over our mates...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 08:29 PM

Well pfr, you already know that I appreciate not just your humour but your positive contributions to Mudcat. Your posts are always insightful, always worth reading and considering, always respectful of other people, even when you are taking the mickey, which as you know is also a highly-appreciated pastime in Oz as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 08:40 PM

Good job we Brits are here then, innit, cobber?

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 09:05 PM

Punk is the champion, punk is the champion...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 11:11 PM

Helen - piss takers of the world unite...!!!

It's the stuck up snobs we all have to beware of...

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 22 Apr 20 - 11:42 PM

Yes, blessed be the piss takers!

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 02:21 AM

I thought it was blessed are the cheese makers

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 02:24 AM

Yep. Them too.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 07:36 AM

Be quiet big nose

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 07:54 AM

Where would the world be without the Monty Python crew?

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 08:18 AM

Comedy shows of many kinds, in Britain at least, would be a hell of a lot better. In my view. Or perhaps another set of graduates of the same universities and the same background would have taken the same position in the BBC, given that it's still stowed with graduates of the same universities and the same backgrounds. The visual humour was the only thing I ever found amusing, the rest self-indulgent wilfulness. And I saw the stuff when it first came out, in the 1970s I think. Junk then, junk now. In my view.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 04:41 PM

I see your point but I think it was a sudden injection of a totally new way of doing comedy on TV so more of a change of direction, a new way of thinking. I have to admit I don't watch the re-runs all the way through these days.

My all-time favourite comedy show from the UK was Goodness Gracious Me with Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, etc. That really turned mainstream comedy on its head, in my opinion.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 04:47 PM

I liked Python and the Goodies. It has to be Father Ted for me though :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: gillymor
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 04:59 PM

I was partial to The Young Ones and Doctor in the House. I liked the Pythons first time around, not so much any more.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: mg
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 07:10 PM

I liked father ted and hyacinth bucket. and there was one where the young priest from father ted was a space alien or something. he is very funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 07:55 PM

mg, that one was called My Hero. Very funny!

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 23 Apr 20 - 11:47 PM

Surprised that the Mont. Pyth. public schoolboys didn't get more support! From a Scottish perspective, series like "Still Game" and the great "Rab C. Nesbit" have humour that can lead to laughter, instead of just being recognised as a joke, but a very weak or obvious one.
Shouldn't the scrapping fish not now be called "Burmese"? Or is it Thailand?

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Helen
Date: 24 Apr 20 - 12:40 AM

Yep, Thailand.

I haven't heard of those two series, "Still Game" and Rab C. Nesbit". If I can find them I'll check them out.

Some of the MP skits are still funny today, but I find it painful watching their lame or even patronising humour when they dress up as women.

I think they broke a lot of the old school rules about humour and were pioneers of a new perspective which opened up a lot of avenues for comic geniuses (genii?) coming after them.

If you just look back at them from today's perspective you could be forgiven for saying, "Ho, hum! Whatever!" but compared with what came before them they were groundbreaking, in my opinion. Although I can also see some connections to the old slapstick humour and ridiculous situations of comic geniuses like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Apr 20 - 05:50 PM

Life of Brian would not have been made without George Harrison who paid for near everything.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 25 Apr 20 - 09:12 AM

Spike Milligan, with Peter Sellars and to a lesser degree Secombe and Bentine, had done a great deal of anarchic - and to my mind genuinely funny - material long before, admittedly on Radio. Interesting that some people today, understandably, will find the portrayal of women, normally screeching hoarsely in a strained falsetto, unpalatable. I also find their portrayal of working-class people, brutish and inarticulate, offensive in the extreme, but then, that's just my background showing. "I will tell you this, boy, I will tell you this; "They weren't Messiahs of Comedy, just very arrogant Public School Boys".

Good Luck (and don't forget L&H from the Golden Days of b&w, and even "Silents").

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 08:52 AM

Don't forget Beyond The Fringe.

Subject: RE: BS: Siamese fighting fish
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 02:11 PM

Here is Christopher Hitchens' appreciation of Beyond the Fringe.