The Daves Collective

Possible surfeit
2004-06-01 14:33

Only the second time this year (tsk). Went off too fast (possible surfeit of coffee). Nearly threw up (possible surfeit of coffee). Left foot still lazy (possible surfeit of ADSL). Sinuses gave birth (possible surfeit of pollen). Managed two miles (possible surfeit of hyperbole). Might try again tomorrow (possible surfeit of optimism).

Copyright vs Community
2004-05-29 17:18

Last week, a day out south of the river (ugh) to the one day Copyright vs Community event at Ravensbourne College. This featured talks from Fravia, Richard Stallman and Cory Doctorow.

Fravia's talk was great, although having slurped up much of his Searchlores site years ago, there wasn't much I didn't already know. He concentrates on locating and extracting information which is known to be out there. That isn't my current problem; to research those litigious bastards at SCOX, I need to use readily available information to discover connections. Nevertheless the talk was good fun (sadly, perhaps a bit misleading about Moldova) and his ability to hold an audience whilst performing a live demonstration was very impressive.

On this occasion Richard Stallman concentrated (as was appropriate) on copyright. His was the most conservative, nay, boring and measured of the three talks - why is he constantly depicted as some sort of loony? - until the audience egged him on to ever greater condemnation of the music business. That brought his talk to life; clearly it's not just software that RMS cares about.

Cory Doctorow's talk was hugely entertaining (lots of arm waving, agitation and good points bluntly made) but very much to the point. In some ways his was the most, er, (ahem) well-developed critique of modern copyright practice, but very reassuring that he made such a good case for current-day radicalism being just another iteration of the historical orthodoxy of innovation.

The most memorable bit was when Fravia took his radiomike with him for a quick pee before he started, treating the lecture theatre to an impromptu broadcast.

Kingmaker
2004-01-22 11:19

An Official Communiqué from Lord Roos, Marshall of England, on behalf of the Army Council of the Daves Collective.

Right last night. First Roder was a no show, so that was good from the off. Next we all got a pretty good deal, I got Constable of the Tower of London, superb. Unfortunately game turn one 'King to Preston' (of all places) and Scuttler pounced on him. I got me hands on matey in Harlech, sorry to say this but I topped him.

Pete had woshisname in Calais, John finally stormed York to get the Hunchback, Scuttler also managed to get Margaret and the brat. Couple of Scuttler's nobles was close to my faction so I steamed in with all my lads, shat all over him. Scuttler not happy. By now one of my chaps was Marshall of England, bad news was sent to Bodmin. Had another go at Scuttler, beat him again. He and Johnny attack me at Bodmin, bad weather delays attack, ha ha!

They try again next turn, out number me 5 to 4 ish victory card was 4 to 1 victory, ha ha they haven't got enough lads. Suckers! Then Marshall to Thetford, hoorah I get away.

Me and Pete a faction by now, so are the other two. Scuttler slotted all 3 Lancastrians because of my unprovoked attacks on him, Johnny crowns Dicky boy as King. Pete and I can't get all our lads in the same place at the same time. However Johnny moves to the west country (where he gets an additional 100 blokes), we follow, still not at full strength, at least 3 battles fought, all inconclusive.

Finally the decisive battle. We had 670 lads to their 580 or 610 can't remember, draw the card MAJORITY VICTORY! Huzzah We WIN! What's more it's a Yorkist win, we of course slot all their nobles and Dicky boy and put young Clarence or what ever his name is on the royal potty as our little puppet monarch. Oh how I beamed with delight. One of the best games we have ever had.

Update - Factional feedback

Pete requests this addendum:

However, they did have Richard of York, whilst all we had was his 4th son, [Yorkist spermatozoa clearly top notch - Ed.] Richard of Gloucester (the hunchback). ["differently vertebrated"] You could have mentioned that we were devout Lancastrians [Boo!] facing an overwhelming Yorkist force [Hoorah!] and although the Lancastrians were slotted, [Hoorah!] we still fought to have 'our man' in place (even though he was a Yorkist). [poor mixed-up souls] Also, Johnny had one of the largest forces in the field, and crowned Richard of York as king (a usurper). [just like Henry Bolingbroke] You should also mention that Scuttler is guilty of regicide!! [you mean "an act of proletarian liberation" - Ed.]

Return Of The King
2004-01-07 21:44

Good points: Celtic knotwork on tents, plausible plate armour, funky trebuchets, and the Orcish Reichsmarschall had nasty inflammation and chapped lips. Bernard Hill should be acclaimed the next Star Trek captain (nobody else acted much). Mega battle scenes masterpieces of rendering. Saw it on Screen 13, which is the largest multiplex screen in the UK! Looked fab!

Bad points: "Excuse me, that wasn't in the book". Hobbits still far too gay. It wasn't nearly messy enough when the Nazgul King's flappy thing had its head chopped off. Scottish dwarf saying "laddie" all the time, oh dear. No Wormtongue. Oathbreakers looked like unscary green ooze when they pitched in. Ice cream too cold.

For old times sake - titles from The Office
2003-12-10 22:50

Left to right: car park twirly thing, Unisys building (abandoned), some other building (abandoned), O2 building (pity it didn't burn down that time).

Charter of the Daves Collective
2003-12-02 14:00

An Historical Document, from the Official Keeper Of The Scrolls and Joint Founder of the Collective, Weasel Rex IOM

CHARTER
of the Daves Collective

1. Some **** or other may get the better of one of us occasionally.
2. We get the better of each other all the time.
3. But NOBODY EVER gets the better of both of us.
4. Anyone getting the better of us will be got the better of by the collective, with extreme prejudice, in our own good time, make no mistake matey.

Week to 23 Nov
2003-11-23 14:14

Thursday, Drill - Slewins La - Hornchurch - Harrow Drive - Osborne Rd. That is all. For one thing its bloody pouring with rain today. Unnatural hazard of the week: spotting a brand new Penny Farthing for sale outside a shop in Hornchurch and having the Prisoner music sloshing around in me head for the rest of the day.

Pudsey
2003-11-21 19:49

Well obviously anyone with sense will avoid Children In Need like the plague, fair enough. But for some never explained reason every year we have to put up with ignorant southerners referring to Paddzey. Thank god the bloody place is now firmly settled in Leeds. Antidote at Martian FM.

Week to 15 Nov
2003-11-15 20:31

Monday, anticlockwise via what is apparently Carlton Rd. Tuesday, the same. Wednesday, just to the Drill and back. Saturday: via the Drill to Emerson Park and back on Osborne Road. Note to self, need to suss out how far that is. Right leg hurt a bit today.

This week's unnatural hazards: getting distracted by stuff in skips that's too good to chuck away, sinuses (or is it swollen turbinates), and lungfuls of smoke from antisocial bozos burning their autumnal garden rubbish.

The Human Sinus, a User's Guide
2003-11-12 15:50

Bad sinus day today (LHS) following overnight rain. Went for a jog to see if that would help. Got back, too knackered even to take contacts out so had a bath instead of a shower. Unfortunately, whereas when your sinus gives birth in the shower you can just gob it out, in the bath you can't. Let me know if this is too much detail.

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