The Daily Dealings of a Merchant Commentary

[Merchant of Venice]

Let thy comments come........

[McScottish]

My good sir, it does not surprise me - as an Australian - that you would doubt British interest in ANZAC Day, but allow me to put this to rest and assure you that we feel as strongly here as our comrades in Oz and New Zealand about the events of Gallipoli; indeed, I celebrated it during my time in the Land of the Long White Cloud, and ANZAC biscuits are some of my favourite.

In short - the motherland's got your back!

[Merchant of Venice]

My good sir, it does not surprise me - as an Australian - that you would doubt British interest in ANZAC Day, but allow me to put this to rest and assure you that we feel as strongly here as our comrades in Oz and New Zealand about the events of Gallipoli; indeed, I celebrated it during my time in the Land of the Long White Cloud, and ANZAC biscuits are some of my favourite.

In short - the motherland's got your back!

It wasn't so much I doubted your interest rather I didn't think you would know about it all. I only guessed the French and Turkish would know because we invade their lands every year for our memorial services.

Well the whole ANZAC thing could have been avoided if you hadn't sent out troops in like that.....

Yes, Anzac biscuits are quite delicious.

[McScottish]

Well the whole ANZAC thing could have been avoided if you hadn't sent out troops in like that.....

My good sir, while I do strongly regret what happened (not that I can apologise for an entire country - and one from the past at that), please let me remind you of the Chindits, of the Burmese jungle, and of Britains equally valid attempts to halt and push back the Japanese during a later conflict and of the cruelties inflicted upon those captured.

Too often the Yanks (helpful as they most certainly were!) get hailed as the saviours of the Pacific (and the war) - of Oz and NZ as well - and it frustrates me that many do not even know that the British were even involved in the Pacific theatre after slugging it out in Europe for years.

To the previous comment though I shall say this as well - while we sent you into a meat grinder, we also sent our own young lives, and let it be known that the 'disappearing act' from Gallipoli was also planned and executed by the same nation that had foolishly sent your countryfolk there in the first place.

Oh yes, it could have been avoided, but I for one am - apart from being slighty offended by your assumption - glad that, in my eyes, such conflicts have forged us into a closer alliance and stronger unit; for all the hate of Poms and so forth, we still love you guys.

[Merchant of Venice]

My dear Scottish friend don't think that my previous comment was anything but a cruel jest. Unlike quite a few of my countrymen I don't blame the British for Gallipoli. Well I blame the British commanders (and Australian commanders as well) but not the British soldiers or even the government. And I think that after any failed campaign it is only reasonable to blame the commanders responsible.

And yes I can certainly agree that the Americans and even my own government has certainly exaggerated US involvement. In both wars they let everyone else do the hard fighting until the enemy was weakened and then swept in and 'won' the war. While that certainly doesn't diminish the sacrifices of the individual American soldiers, there involvement, while helping win the war, was quite late. The siege of Singapore was quite definitely in my opinion one of the bloodiest campaigns of the pacific theatre and further more the prisoners of war in the japanese prisons were horrendously treated and consisted of a lot of British men and women.

And furthermore, you British had to of course endure the endless bombings which didn't just affect your military but also your civilians. It was thee resistance of the British people as well as the soviets on the eastern front which pretty much won the war even if d-day( which albeit was a remarkably executed victory) officially won the war almost.

If anyone is to be thanked from North America it should be the Canadians. Canadian soldiers not only enlisted in their own military but even in the British military and like the Australians in Villers-Brettoneux, their are many villages in France which owe their liberation to the hardy Canadian soldiers in WW1.

And don't worry we don't hate you at all. Well not for the war. If anything we dislike you for your inability to swim yet still visiting our beaches!

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

As content staff, you should be allowed a front page blog, no?

[Merchant of Venice]

I'm fairly sure I have the permission too but I'm going to make sure I can commit to a blog first before making one for the front page.

[ccllnply]

Just caught up on the last two posts and they were very enjoyable. I feel this blog is getting better and better with each new update.

Firstly, I'll comment on Anzac day. Now that I think about it, I'm certain that kind of stuff happens in Ireland. By that I mean exploiting war and death in order to market your products. Ireland was in a similar position as Australia and I have seen at least one documentary about Gallipoli on our national broadcaster and the newspapers over here are usually quick to jump on the bandwagon with their pullouts and leaflets crap. While the media here is bad, a supermarket using the war as a marketing tool for food is bloody disgusting, not to mention piss-poor marketing. Again, I'm sure it is happening here too and I just haven't seen it and I'm sure with the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising less than a year away it will get to horrendous levels in the coming months. I'm all for being somewhat ruthless in business, within reason, but you're essentially using a national tragedy to sell goods. I mean I'm sure 9/11 was used in the US to sell flags and such but who thinks of their countrymen being slaughtered in trenches in Turkey and associates it with buying sausages from your local store? I'd imagine no one would be the answer, people are either going to shop there or not, that sort of advertising will have little effect if any. So not only is it morally wrong, it's awful business especially considering the potential reputation risk you're taking.

I really associated with your last update on a personal level. Apologies in advance for going on about myself but lately I've found myself in an annoying situation. I did my end of year exams early this year but I had to go do a work placement as part of my course. As a result I was finished my study over a month before my girlfriend or any of my friends and now while I've been taking it easy they've all been studying and doing exams. This wouldn't usually be a problem as I don't like going out and I don't meet up with people a whole lot anyway. For some reason though this time it's leading to a lot of boredom. I'm coming home from work or sitting around on the weekend and I'm doing something out of desperation from boredom. Then I get sick of doing it and stop but feel an unbelievable amount of annoyance and frustration because there's nothing else I feel like doing and I'm just stuff being bored.

Anyway, a big part of this is my change in attitude to reading lately. I've been a avid reader for about 3 years now and it's one of my favourite pastimes. Recently though my approach to it has changed. Because of the exams and getting work placement sorted I had less time to give to it and fell out of rhythm. My favourite genres changed from historical fantasy and historical fiction to fitness books and sports biographies. This is quite a difference and I thought it led to this problematic thought I'm having I've having read "everything". I don't mean I've read every book but that I've read the "top" books in every genre I like and as a result can't be bothered reading anything else.

I think this is heavily influenced by my interest in fitness books because after you've read the few top, reliable experts, everyone below is talking crap either because they don't know or they're trying to make a quick buck or they are just repeating what the top experts have said because that's the stuff that really works. This has influenced me in the other genres and as I result I'm not really getting into books. I had a small rest-bite from this a week or two ago when I picked up a futuristic sci-fi book for free called "Empire" out of sheer boredom and actually began to enjoy it. Unfortunately I ditched it soon after and went back to one of the fitness books I had left unfinished.

However, this is why you're latest post really got through to me. You're right that books are there to be fun and I'm guilty of feeling like I'm wasting time because I'm not reading the best of the best. I definitely need to start experimenting with books more and giving stories ones a chance. After all that's how I found some of my favourite books in my three years of reading. I mean I would have never given The Fault in our Stars a second look thinking it was girly and for teenagers but after reading your blog post I'm seriously considering giving it a gander.

So I really appreciate that last post and I'm looking forward to reading more from this blog.

[Merchant of Venice]

Just caught up on the last two posts and they were very enjoyable. I feel this blog is getting better and better with each new update.

Firstly, I'll comment on Anzac day. Now that I think about it, I'm certain that kind of stuff happens in Ireland. By that I mean exploiting war and death in order to market your products. Ireland was in a similar position as Australia and I have seen at least one documentary about Gallipoli on our national broadcaster and the newspapers over here are usually quick to jump on the bandwagon with their pullouts and leaflets crap. While the media here is bad, a supermarket using the war as a marketing tool for food is bloody disgusting, not to mention piss-poor marketing. Again, I'm sure it is happening here too and I just haven't seen it and I'm sure with the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising less than a year away it will get to horrendous levels in the coming months. I'm all for being somewhat ruthless in business, within reason, but you're essentially using a national tragedy to sell goods. I mean I'm sure 9/11 was used in the US to sell flags and such but who thinks of their countrymen being slaughtered in trenches in Turkey and associates it with buying sausages from your local store? I'd imagine no one would be the answer, people are either going to shop there or not, that sort of advertising will have little effect if any. So not only is it morally wrong, it's awful business especially considering the potential reputation risk you're taking.

I really associated with your last update on a personal level. Apologies in advance for going on about myself but lately I've found myself in an annoying situation. I did my end of year exams early this year but I had to go do a work placement as part of my course. As a result I was finished my study over a month before my girlfriend or any of my friends and now while I've been taking it easy they've all been studying and doing exams. This wouldn't usually be a problem as I don't like going out and I don't meet up with people a whole lot anyway. For some reason though this time it's leading to a lot of boredom. I'm coming home from work or sitting around on the weekend and I'm doing something out of desperation from boredom. Then I get sick of doing it and stop but feel an unbelievable amount of annoyance and frustration because there's nothing else I feel like doing and I'm just stuff being bored.

Anyway, a big part of this is my change in attitude to reading lately. I've been a avid reader for about 3 years now and it's one of my favourite pastimes. Recently though my approach to it has changed. Because of the exams and getting work placement sorted I had less time to give to it and fell out of rhythm. My favourite genres changed from historical fantasy and historical fiction to fitness books and sports biographies. This is quite a difference and I thought it led to this problematic thought I'm having I've having read "everything". I don't mean I've read every book but that I've read the "top" books in every genre I like and as a result can't be bothered reading anything else.

I think this is heavily influenced by my interest in fitness books because after you've read the few top, reliable experts, everyone below is talking crap either because they don't know or they're trying to make a quick buck or they are just repeating what the top experts have said because that's the stuff that really works. This has influenced me in the other genres and as I result I'm not really getting into books. I had a small rest-bite from this a week or two ago when I picked up a futuristic sci-fi book for free called "Empire" out of sheer boredom and actually began to enjoy it. Unfortunately I ditched it soon after and went back to one of the fitness books I had left unfinished.

However, this is why you're latest post really got through to me. You're right that books are there to be fun and I'm guilty of feeling like I'm wasting time because I'm not reading the best of the best. I definitely need to start experimenting with books more and giving stories ones a chance. After all that's how I found some of my favourite books in my three years of reading. I mean I would have never given The Fault in our Stars a second look thinking it was girly and for teenagers but after reading your blog post I'm seriously considering giving it a gander.

So I really appreciate that last post and I'm looking forward to reading more from this blog.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. The problem with advertising and Gallipoli and war and stuff is that the line is very blurred between remembrance and marketing. Like no one can really tell except for the marketing people at the companies whether they are being sincere or using it to appear sincere.

I think in some genres or types of books, quality definitely comes into play. Like with the fitness books you read, you really don't care about reading the crappier stuff once you've read the better stuff and really, reading that crappy stuff isn't really going to be that enjoyable or informative. Its like that with most non fiction, although at times, with history books, there is a fine line between informative and dry and boring. And with non fiction in general, it depends what knowledge level they are catering for, be it casual or amateur, or professional.

I think I'm going to go on a bit more on the young adult literature in the next blog post only because I found some interesting articles for both sides of the argument. I'll sum up pretty much what I'll write and that is that not all 'adult' non-fiction is as good as it claims to be as well as the difference between a book conveying themes in a new and interesting way or being complicated and annoying because the author thinks he or she are smart.

Anyway, thanks a lot for reading and I hope you enjoy my future blog posts.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

I wouldn't worry. Exams are kind of like iPods. You buy one, then a year later it gets replaced by something else and the original one no longer matters. So in England we do SATs, which are important until you do GCSEs, which are important until you do A Levels, which are important until you do a Bachelors, which is important until you do a Masters, which is important until you do a doctorate, which is when you win (or lose, depending on your perspective ) at education. Most of it all gets thrown out the window in favour of work experience when going for a job though. So my GCSE results literally don't count for anything anymore, neither do my A Levels, in three or four years neither will the degree I do now if I get a Masters. Exams are just stepping stones designed to ensure you know enough to go on to the next thing. So if you have a creative writing section in the exam, you're meant to actually demonstrate you can apply and use what you've been taught in class, rather than produce your best, most creative work. It's all about ticking the boxes the examiner has on their marking sheet. Your teachers should provide you with a marking scheme before an exam, so you know what you have to do They also take time constraints and inability to edit into account, usually lowering grade boundaries, so no need to worry about that either

[waveman]

I kinda agree with a lot of what you said. I don't know what country you're from, but in the US for the advanced English classes in high school you take a multiple guess (choice) test and then write several essays with about 45 min per. Essentially the process was, for me at least, word-vomit, which evidently I was good at it. I like to compare it to a night of heavy drinking: you design the "essay" much as one "aims" for the toilet or trash bin while puking. Perhaps a bit nasty, but it holds with my comparison to word-vomit.

And on another note, to add to what you've said, I think a lot of people complain about it because of the context. I, for example, have no need of it beyond whatever stimulus it provides for the brain and creativity in general if all goes well and I get a degree in science, but despite that I enjoy it on my terms and when I please. In any case, good luck with all that

[Merchant of Venice]

I wouldn't worry. Exams are kind of like iPods. You buy one, then a year later it gets replaced by something else and the original one no longer matters. So in England we do SATs, which are important until you do GCSEs, which are important until you do A Levels, which are important until you do a Bachelors, which is important until you do a Masters, which is important until you do a doctorate, which is when you win (or lose, depending on your perspective ) at education. Most of it all gets thrown out the window in favour of work experience when going for a job though. So my GCSE results literally don't count for anything anymore, neither do my A Levels, in three or four years neither will the degree I do now if I get a Masters. Exams are just stepping stones designed to ensure you know enough to go on to the next thing. So if you have a creative writing section in the exam, you're meant to actually demonstrate you can apply and use what you've been taught in class, rather than produce your best, most creative work. It's all about ticking the boxes the examiner has on their marking sheet. Your teachers should provide you with a marking scheme before an exam, so you know what you have to do They also take time constraints and inability to edit into account, usually lowering grade boundaries, so no need to worry about that either

I'm not worried so much for my own marks (in fact I went really well in the test for those who care and I'm considering post a version of the short story here) but rather I feel it gives people the wrong impression of creative writing and makes the those who like it lose interest.

I kinda agree with a lot of what you said. I don't know what country you're from, but in the US for the advanced English classes in high school you take a multiple guess (choice) test and then write several essays with about 45 min per. Essentially the process was, for me at least, word-vomit, which evidently I was good at it. I like to compare it to a night of heavy drinking: you design the "essay" much as one "aims" for the toilet or trash bin while puking. Perhaps a bit nasty, but it holds with my comparison to word-vomit.

And on another note, to add to what you've said, I think a lot of people complain about it because of the context. I, for example, have no need of it beyond whatever stimulus it provides for the brain and creativity in general if all goes well and I get a degree in science, but despite that I enjoy it on my terms and when I please. In any case, good luck with all that

Yes, for me it is worse because with some of our exams we are in fact given the extended response or essay question beforehand so the test transforms into not just word-vomit but word-vomit that you've previously puked out but then have re-eaten and this is the second time you're puking it out. Perhaps a bit gross...

[waveman]

That just sounds downright unpleasant

[Alwyn]

If music be the food of love, play on
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die

- Duke Orsino, Twelfth Night

Congratulations on playing Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night. That sounds like a lot of fun. (When I took part in a performance of Twelfth Night, I played the servant who Duke Orsino sent to woo Olivia on his behalf, who returns to the Duke to report his failure.) I think that the first line of the quote, above, is sometimes misunderstood by people who think it's romantic. As I see it, Duke Orsino is not feeling gooey and romantic. He's in love with someone who does not love him and he's utterly sick of his situation. Perhaps you know, all too well, how he feels? That's a long-winded way of saying that I am sorry to hear about the recent event which left you in a downward spiral and feeling that life is monotonous. I hope that you get whatever you need, to find life interesting, to let go of Writer's Dread and rekindle your motivation to write. (I like your new term, Writer's Dread, by the way.)

[Merchant of Venice]

If music be the food of love, play on
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die

- Duke Orsino, Twelfth Night

Congratulations on playing Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night. That sounds like a lot of fun. (When I took part in a performance of Twelfth Night, I played the servant who Duke Orsino sent to woo Olivia on his behalf, who returns to the Duke to report his failure.) I think that the first line of the quote, above, is sometimes misunderstood by people who think it's romantic. As I see it, Duke Orsino is not feeling gooey and romantic. He's in love with someone who does not love him and he's utterly sick of his situation. Perhaps you know, all too well, how he feels? That's a long-winded way of saying that I am sorry to hear about the recent event which left you in a downward spiral and feeling that life is monotonous. I hope that you get whatever you need, to find life interesting, to let go of Writer's Dread and rekindle your motivation to write. (I like your new term, Writer's Dread, by the way.)

That's exactly the interpretation I had of Orsino's character. You're right, he doesn't want music because he wants to be in love or he wants more of love because it's so good, but rather he wants an overload that he gets sick of it and finally over Olivia. But in a way, he is also semi-masochistic because he seems to almost enjoy Olivia not loving him and it's kind of just a game to him. You say, you played Valentine right? I love that character as well because he's like Orsino's best bud until Viola comes along as Cesario and you can see he starts getting jealous and desperate for Orsino's attention. Thanks for your kind words as well much appreciated. How are you going?

[Alwyn]

Ah, that's an interesting dimension of Duke Orsino's character - that being in love with Olivia is painful because she doesn't love him, but part of him is holding on to that as a kind of semi-masochistic game. Yes, I played Valentine - and yes, for a very minor role it's good that his reactions develop, even though it's through jealousy and desire for attention. (Perhaps that's a reminder for writers on TWC to think about the emotions and development of our minor characters?) I'm doing well, thanks - I have re-read Frank Herbert's Dune and read Jeremy Popkin's A Concise History of the Haitian Revolution, while preparing for my forthcoming Haiti AAR and have drafted the first four chapters (I'm thinking about how to integrate aspects of Frank Herbert's story, parts of the historical story and my ideas, before posting anything).

[Merchant of Venice]

Well I can't wait to read your Haitian AAR will surely be very fascinating.

[Lugotorix]

Ah, that's an interesting dimension of Duke Orsino's character - that being in love with Olivia is painful because she doesn't love him, but part of him is holding on to that as a kind of semi-masochistic game. Yes, I played Valentine - and yes, for a very minor role it's good that his reactions develop, even though it's through jealousy and desire for attention. (Perhaps that's a reminder for writers on TWC to think about the emotions and development of our minor characters?) I'm doing well, thanks - I have re-read Frank Herbert's Dune and read Jeremy Popkin's A Concise History of the Haitian Revolution, while preparing for my forthcoming Haiti AAR and have drafted the first four chapters (I'm thinking about how to integrate aspects of Frank Herbert's story, parts of the historical story and my ideas, before posting anything).

Dune and the Haitian revolution? He who controls the sugar cane and timber, controls Hispanola?

[Alwyn]

Hi Lugotorix! That's the general idea. Since there is no spice (as in Dune), the coffee, sugar and timber - and the wealth which comes from them - play a similar role to the spice in Frank Herbert's book. (I wrote a longer reply, which I will post on your profile page rather than here, since I don't want to derail Merchant's commentary thread.)

[Tigellinus]

I am indeed enjoying the blog! It is interesting to read about your own experiences in Melbourne! I went there a few years back. (I was about twelve-thirteen) and I loved teh trams

You think your schooling is bad? Today I received a letter from one of my favourite teachers, not a letter of hello, or informing me of a grade. It was a letter giving me work to do that is due on the first day back. (We have four more days.) Why I couldn't have received this earlier I do not know

Italy certainly is amazing, by the way! Rome especially. I am going to Florence and Venice and all of Italy next year with a friend and her family, so I'll tell you how it all is there
Also going to Paris and such, travelling is amazing!

Thanks

Tigellinus