Okay so I had been avoiding doing a blog post because the one I was planning
is very deep and sensitive and had been on my mind a lot recently.
However two things have cropped up lately so I'm inserting this in-between my planned post which I will do next week. On that note since my posting has been, erratic to say the least, I am going to choose a day in the week to do a consistent post, not sure when yet.
I want to talk about the recent plans to make busking without a license an arrest able offence in Liverpool and the 'discovery' of the Higgs Boson.
First of all I am unclear on the facts for both of these stories, but my intention is to examine the hypothetical ideas.
Buskers, as you may or may not know, is what we call those people you often find in city centres playing music in the street for tips. First of all I HATE the stereotype that these people are all homeless beggars. Nonsense, most are very talented musicians and are part of bands etc. Busking is a good way for new musicians to become known and also just to liven up an otherwise dull and ugly urban setting, why would people not want their lives brightened with music?
Secondly these people are clearly not beggars, you can tell just by checking out the instruments and equipment most have.
Anyway off my tangent.
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/keep-spontaneous-street-performance-alive
It is my understanding that there are already generally license requirements for busking publicly and I suppose the more I think about it I do understand why this makes sense.
The trouble, as this article is suggesting, is it is restricting who can busk far too much, part of the point of busking is to give new musicians experience, not just to cherry pick the very best, that’s basically signing a musician, and yet with no perks of such a thing.
Street performing is a delight of the modern world and yet local authorities do not seem to want it.
Why?
I have tried to work out what it is that restrictive councils don't like about them. For a start do people forget Liverpool got European Capital of Culture in 2008, something our Council made a very big deal about.
I doubt completely that our skilled street buskers did not in any way contribute to this title, and how do we reward them? More limitations.
Now anyone who has read my University Dissertation (which none of you have, so I'm not sure why I've said that, would anyone like me to post it?) would know that I do actually believe in limitation on things like information. I do not believe in freedom of speech and I certainly do not believe in the freedom of information and that blasted Wikileaks.
However that restriction is based on the idea of public and national safety being the bigger priority.
Unless I am grossly misinformed busking is at worst an irritation to people who don't understand it and then at best a passion for those who enjoy it. On balance I do not see how busking is a threat to the public and therefore should not be so tightly regulated.
The excuse of " These measures will greatly enhance Liverpool's ability to attract the very best buskers and will add a new dimension to the visitors experience...Buskers themselves will benefit from a better regulated process...retailers and shoppers will be delighted the city has finally made this leap."
However two things have cropped up lately so I'm inserting this in-between my planned post which I will do next week. On that note since my posting has been, erratic to say the least, I am going to choose a day in the week to do a consistent post, not sure when yet.
I want to talk about the recent plans to make busking without a license an arrest able offence in Liverpool and the 'discovery' of the Higgs Boson.
First of all I am unclear on the facts for both of these stories, but my intention is to examine the hypothetical ideas.
Buskers, as you may or may not know, is what we call those people you often find in city centres playing music in the street for tips. First of all I HATE the stereotype that these people are all homeless beggars. Nonsense, most are very talented musicians and are part of bands etc. Busking is a good way for new musicians to become known and also just to liven up an otherwise dull and ugly urban setting, why would people not want their lives brightened with music?
Secondly these people are clearly not beggars, you can tell just by checking out the instruments and equipment most have.
Anyway off my tangent.
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/keep-spontaneous-street-performance-alive
It is my understanding that there are already generally license requirements for busking publicly and I suppose the more I think about it I do understand why this makes sense.
The trouble, as this article is suggesting, is it is restricting who can busk far too much, part of the point of busking is to give new musicians experience, not just to cherry pick the very best, that’s basically signing a musician, and yet with no perks of such a thing.
Street performing is a delight of the modern world and yet local authorities do not seem to want it.
Why?
I have tried to work out what it is that restrictive councils don't like about them. For a start do people forget Liverpool got European Capital of Culture in 2008, something our Council made a very big deal about.
I doubt completely that our skilled street buskers did not in any way contribute to this title, and how do we reward them? More limitations.
Now anyone who has read my University Dissertation (which none of you have, so I'm not sure why I've said that, would anyone like me to post it?) would know that I do actually believe in limitation on things like information. I do not believe in freedom of speech and I certainly do not believe in the freedom of information and that blasted Wikileaks.
However that restriction is based on the idea of public and national safety being the bigger priority.
Unless I am grossly misinformed busking is at worst an irritation to people who don't understand it and then at best a passion for those who enjoy it. On balance I do not see how busking is a threat to the public and therefore should not be so tightly regulated.
The excuse of " These measures will greatly enhance Liverpool's ability to attract the very best buskers and will add a new dimension to the visitors experience...Buskers themselves will benefit from a better regulated process...retailers and shoppers will be delighted the city has finally made this leap."
Is completely
insane! How on earth are buskers going to benefit unless they are already the
top of their game? Yes we want to attract the best buskers, but why should we
reject the ones not as good, is this fair? Should people of all abilities not
be able to express their art?
Furious.
Right second topic. Apparently CERN has discovered a particle that fits with their model for the Boson. This is very exciting news for the science world:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/4/3136527/higgs-boson-discovery-cern-announcement
Furious.
Right second topic. Apparently CERN has discovered a particle that fits with their model for the Boson. This is very exciting news for the science world:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/4/3136527/higgs-boson-discovery-cern-announcement
First of let
me clarify that the Higgs Boson does not disprove God or any of this nonsense
(I personally believe it adds more reason for believing but I'm not going into
that), it is called the God Particle which people think mean it is a substitute
for God. Well first of all the Media gave it this name not scientists and
secondly all they meant is it is such an exciting discovery it would be like
discovering proof of God, it is that amazing a particle. That particular phrase
is a poor choice of words and causes far more arguments than it should.
It should be clarified that it is NOT certain that this is the Boson yet, what is certain is that it is a new particle. The more we learn about the way the universe works the better, the more advancements we can make and the better life can be improved. Now we can also start manipulating the universe, which is a handy thing to do!
Anyway my next post will be the one I had scheduled and it links in some ways to this post, I'll aim for Wednesday of next week. I also intend of doing Teaser Tuesdays so keep an eye open for those posts too.
DFTBA
It should be clarified that it is NOT certain that this is the Boson yet, what is certain is that it is a new particle. The more we learn about the way the universe works the better, the more advancements we can make and the better life can be improved. Now we can also start manipulating the universe, which is a handy thing to do!
Anyway my next post will be the one I had scheduled and it links in some ways to this post, I'll aim for Wednesday of next week. I also intend of doing Teaser Tuesdays so keep an eye open for those posts too.
DFTBA
I'd leave buskers alone but the street preachers on the other hand, i, and i doubt other people do either, like being told they're sinful and going to hell shouted down there ears by some dodgy looking dude.
ReplyDeleteAlso, i love you paul but writing about a subject you' dont know the facts about' isnt going to look good to anyone haha :P still im glad youve listened to my advice to post on a specific day :) xx
Yeah, I normally research my posts better but as I came across the two articles today I just needed to get my thoughts down quickly, thats why I tried to keep it hypothetical :)
ReplyDeleteStreet preachers I agree with you, that does need much stricter regulation
Fair enough. Mom says that buskers have always needed licenses and she seems to agree with that. which i understand to an extent i suppose but i think the majority of buskers, after paying for a licence will probably find its pointless in the end as they are losing money. particuarly in todays day and age where nobody has money to give.
Delete