THE "CHATBOX"

[Flabbergasted]

it would be nice if we could solicit from the membership for extra.

K and I are looking for members of this site willing to sit in with us on an issue of the Clues Chronicle.

Yes to both.

[Seneca]

This morning my grandfather passed away peacefully. I would like to share some of the stories he told me. He was rather quiet but liked to talk about his past. For example about how as a young boy living on a farm during WW2 they managed to hide their cow (cows?) from the German occupier. When he turned 18 he had to go into hiding to avoid being drafted by the Germans. (forced labor in German factories). What he liked to talk about most was a short period after the war ended. For some reason we was selected by the Belgian government to work as an interpreter. He was sent to help the English occupying forces in Germany. Even though he hadn't finished high school. He didn't speak a word English. Not more than a few words German. He found it quite funny that they hired him. I don't know exactly how he managed to communicate with the English officers. Probably by interpreting their body language. If they asked "do you understand?" he always said yes.
For him it was a time of affluence despite the poverty in Germany. In addition to his pay he would get cigarettes and coffee which he could sell on the black market.

He was a bit embarrassed that he didn't get a "proper" education. But he also told me it is not a bad thing if people think you are stupid. If they underestimate you, you can use it to your advantage. Which he probably did with his boss. He told many stories about how, as a worker at his factory he would know much more of the machines than the engineers.

[hoi.polloi]

Thank you ElSushi and Flabbergasted, let's get you on the show when we can! That is great news!

Seneca, thanks for sharing the anecdotes and I hope you are emotionally doing well.

[simonshack]

Seneca, thanks for sharing the anecdotes and I hope you are emotionally doing well.

Huh? Why this sentence, Hoi?

[hoi.polloi]

"Huh?" to you, yourself. What do you mean? Life can be hard and sad. What should I say?

Maybe not, though? "Stay positive"? I can get down with that, too. Good stories!

[simonshack]

I was just wondering why you wrote to Seneca that you hope he is" emotionally doing well". It sounds a bit strange - or even somewhat condescending.

[hoi.polloi]

Not intended that way at all!

In what way is it condescending?!

It just seemed as though the post completely lacked any sort of report on an emotional state, so I wanted to do a "check" on that and make sure Seneca knew it was okay to feel ... however he/she/it feels. Nothing more than that.

I am not sure why I have to remind people (you, most confusing of all!) to read my words without those people assuming I mean or am suggesting the worst possible thing or the opposite of what I'm saying, but this sometimes happens. So, yeah, please stop reading "into" my words with some intent to find evil, please. Perhaps this is the down side of all the sarcasm on our forum. It is difficult to read things as is.

Text is really an inadequate means of full human expression, anyway, and that's why I really don't think it's a great (and it's definitely not an ideal) place to post for emotional connection to other people, in my opinion. But please, I would ask that you of all people don't forget our real human connection altogether when you're interacting with me here.

Oh, well, I guess I will just keep my condolences to myself next time to avoid confusion?

I noticed literally nobody else wrote a public reply except me. Am I being told to shut up? Or it's my job to remind people of something or say something in particular when someone shares anecdotes about loved ones? Just let me know! Seriously. This is not sarcasm, and I have no ill or condescending intent!

If you're suggesting we should maybe let personal stories just sit there without comment, I wouldn't necessarily disagree, since then there is no risk of endorsement of a story — nor is it disrespectful as you apparently interpreted my comment? Should that be our "policy"?

[Seneca]

I didn't find Hoi's response condescending or strange at all. I wasn't trying to express my emotions or looking for sympathy, yet his words did make me feel a bit better. Because of our human connection. I am not emotionally well but that's OK.

I was trying to honor this man I loved and respected, who showed in his modest way how someone with little access to external resources can resist different "authorities" (military, political, scientific..). I know I didn't do a very good job at it but I am glad I did it. I forgot to tell that in his spare time he built a house all by himself, mostly with materials that he recovered from various places. He told me that he tried to make the best use of the only asset that he had, his labor (he was not a communist).

I didn't expect a reaction, I was in fact a bit anxious that I would get a negative comment like "this is not Facebook." If there hadn't been a reaction that would have been fine also.
So thank you all.

[simonshack]

Hoi, I sincerely apologize - there was also no ill intent in my question! I now wonder why I even wrote it.
Seneca, I found your post about your father interesting - and no, not 'facebooky' at all.

[hoi.polloi]

Okay, whew!
Let's all get along, here, as difficult as it may be.

I am busy at work on The Clues Chronicle Issue 16 lately. K and I just recorded it the other day. It's now in the editing stages.

I have corrected the problem of the music sounding washed out by adding it in later unaltered after the voice balancing is done. I hope you noticed it in the last episode; it should sound more accurate to Simon's original pro mixing.

[ICfreely]

This morning my grandfather passed away peacefully. I would like to share some of the stories he told me. He was rather quiet but liked to talk about his past. For example about how as a young boy living on a farm during WW2 they managed to hide their cow (cows?) from the German occupier. When he turned 18 he had to go into hiding to avoid being drafted by the Germans. (forced labor in German factories). What he liked to talk about most was a short period after the war ended. For some reason we was selected by the Belgian government to work as an interpreter. He was sent to help the English occupying forces in Germany. Even though he hadn't finished high school. He didn't speak a word English. Not more than a few words German. He found it quite funny that they hired him. I don't know exactly how he managed to communicate with the English officers. Probably by interpreting their body language. If they asked "do you understand?" he always said yes.
For him it was a time of affluence despite the poverty in Germany. In addition to his pay he would get cigarettes and coffee which he could sell on the black market.

He was a bit embarrassed that he didn't get a "proper" education. But he also told me it is not a bad thing if people think you are stupid. If they underestimate you, you can use it to your advantage. Which he probably did with his boss. He told many stories about how, as a worker at his factory he would know much more of the machines than the engineers.

Dear Seneca,

First of all, I'd like to offer you my deepest condolences on the passing of you dearly departed grandfather. May he Rest in Peace! Secondly, I thank you for sharing the trials/travails of his life with CF's readership. We all can (and should to the best of our abilities) preserve, contemplate and learn from people like him.

Best regards,
IC

[ICfreely]

There's nothing wrong with leaving after even a single good post, as far as I'm concerned. You gave us a wealth!

By the way, ICfreely, would you be interested in doing the next Clues Chronicle with K and me?

Maybe not the next one. But hopefully in the future. We'll see. I'm not sure I could contribute much to speak of. Either way you and K are doing a great job. Keep up the great work!

[Kham]

Thank you all for your kind words about Clues Chronicles. I am so proud of the work Hoi has been doing and how well spoken our guests have been. Rollo, of Radio Rollo at fakeologist.com, referred to me as "K, from Clues Forum", when expressing his enjoyment about listening to Clues Chronicles 15 with Chris Kendall, from hoaxbusterscall.blogspot.com. "K, from Clues Forum". That was quite an honor to hear and am even more honored to be able to participate with you all here. I am grateful for your hours of dedication or perhaps it's therapy, or a bit of both, that we all do here in exposing reality.

Email me any time about anything. Things I may not be candid about in text or on air might be discussed in emails or skype. I am at khammad.tube@yahoo.com

[hoi.polloi]

Thank you for the donations! We are now paid up until August! Thank you all for appreciating/defending our little web space.

[simonshack]

Thank you for the donations! We are now paid up until August! Thank you all for appreciating/defending our little web space.

Yes, warm thanks to all supporters of our sites - your help is very much appreciated. Hoi, I've received a few more contributions in the last few days - so our various hosting costs should be covered for the whole year.