wileysworld - Latest Comments

Re: Disabling aircraft recliners

christraveler — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:30:06 -0000

thanks for the info!

Re: Lauging Gas

rutty — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:59:07 -0000

I can't stop watching this vid - it's so blimmin' funny :-D

Re: Reception with Hilary Benn, MP

stu leary — Wed, 17 May 2006 13:31:36 -0000

on the issue of clean water, there are some very cheap medications which destroy water-bourne worms in children which greatly improve life expectancy. The worms take 10 years to multiply in the body to a dangerous level - so a tablet every 10 years or so is enough. More needs to be done on these low level, low cost solutions

Re: Questions for Hilary Benn MP

Choicemaker — Sun, 07 May 2006 22:07:42 -0000

Consider:
The missing element in every human 'solution' is
an accurate definition of the creature.

The way we define 'human' determines our view
of self, others, relationships, institutions, life, and
future. Important? Only the Creator who made us
in His own image is qualified to define us accurately.
Choose wisely...there are results.

Many problems in human experience are the result of
false and inaccurate definitions of humankind premised
in man-made religions and humanistic philosophies.

Each individual human being possesses a unique, highly
developed, and sensitive perception of diversity. Thus
aware, man is endowed with a natural capability for enact-
ing internal mental and external physical selectivity.
Quantitative and qualitative choice-making thus lends
itself as the superior basis of an active intelligence.

Human is earth's Choicemaker. His title describes
his definitive and typifying characteristic. Recall
that his other features are but vehicles of experi-
ence intent on the development of perceptive
awareness and the following acts of decision and
choice. Note that the products of man cannot define
him for they are the fruit of the discerning choice-
making process and include the cognition of self,
the utility of experience, the development of value-
measuring systems and language, and the accultur-
ation of civilization.

The arts and the sciences of man, as with his habits,
customs, and traditions, are the creative harvest of
his perceptive and selective powers. Creativity, the
creative process, is a choice-making process. His
articles, constructs, and commodities, however
marvelous to behold, deserve neither awe nor idol-
atry, for man, not his contrivance, is earth's own
highest expression of the creative process.

Human is earth's Choicemaker. The sublime and
significant act of choosing is, itself, the Archimedean
fulcrum upon which man levers and redirects the
forces of cause and effect to an elected level of qual-
ity and diversity. Further, it orients him toward a
natural environmental opportunity, freedom, and
bestows earth's title, The Choicemaker, on his
singular and plural brow.

Human is earth's Choicemaker. Psalm 25:12 He is by
nature and nature's God a creature of Choice - and of
Criteria. Psalm 119:30,173 His unique and definitive
characteristic is, and of Right ought to be, the natural
foundation of his environments, institutions, and re-
spectful relations to his fellow-man. Thus, he is orien-
ted to a Freedom whose roots are in the Order of the
universe.

Let us proclaim it. Behold!
The Season of Generation-Choicemaker Joel 3:14 KJV

- from The HUMAN PARADIGM

Re: UK Methodists Frappr!

John — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 22:01:52 -0000

I didn't know that there were so many!

Re: Christmas Day Dr Who

Greg — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 06:52:06 -0000

Hi Richard,

Happy New Year to you!

Yes we did enjoy it, no hiding behind cushions for us, we're made of hard stuff! Well that and Euan's new Yoda Lightsaber kept us safe!

Hope you all had a great holiday, I hope you had chance to find time to relax a bit, though I expect you were pretty busy what with Christmas and New Year both falling on Sunday.

Cheers, Greg.

Re: Christmas Day Dr Who

Richard Hall — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 04:26:11 -0000

So -- did you enjoy it?

Re: Christmas Day Dr Who

Greg — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:51:08 -0000

Hi Richard,

I hope you won't be too scared by Dr. Who. Euan will have his Granddad to hide behind if things get too scarey!

Certainly looking forward to Christmas, though I'm not so sure about volunteering to cook the Christmas dinner was such a good idea! At least I didn't have to brave the hordes at the supermarkets today.

I hope you and all your family have a fantastic Christmas.

God Bless, Greg.

Re: Christmas Day Dr Who

Greg — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:48:06 -0000

Hi Greg,

Thanks for dropping by. I hope your project to restore your home speeds along in 2006!

Merry Christmas!

Re: Christmas Day Dr Who

Richard Hall — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 09:50:06 -0000

I wouldn't have thought the world was large enough for *2* Greg Wileys! :o)

The Hall hosehold is looking forward to Christmas day Dr Who, too. Wishing you and yours all the best Greg. Merry Christmas!

Re: Christmas Day Dr Who

Greg Wiley — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 17:08:27 -0000

Every once and ahile I "Google" Greg Wiley to see what's going on. Saw your site and thought I'd take a look. Looks like you have a very nice family. Congratualtions. (Must be the name. ;-)

I live in St. Louis, Missouri in the center of the U.S. I'm 54--unfortunately divorced--and I have 2 daughters who are 23 and 25. One's a Graduate Nurse who works on a Neuro-Surgical floor at St. Louis University Hospital and the other went to work, after graduating form the Univesity of Indiana, at the HQ of a large Department Store here called Macy's. (proud father)

I am restoring an older home (1896)and live in an older part of St. Louis. I work for a large publisher of, Pet related, books and magazines and handle sales to major national retailers for them. (Wal-Mart and other national chains)

Merry Christmas to you and your family,

Greg Wiley

Re: Cardiff

Greg — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 07:54:08 -0000

I met Louise at university in Aberystwyth and we both had quite a few friends from Cardiff. I was also the Welsh universities Methodist Society Rep nationally so was often down in Cardiff. It's a great city and it was good to be back. I expect it's even better when there's rugby internationals on!

Re: Good Rehearsals

Greg — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 07:49:41 -0000

Hi Steve, thanks for your comment. I'm looking forward to playing some of this new music. I hope I can do it justice!

Re: Good Rehearsals

Bandmaster of Northwood HQ Vol — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 05:12:32 -0000

Hi Greg, Glad you are enjoying the band, it's great to have a cornet player in our midst. Dixieland Jamboree, to which you refer, is a good little number and one which we will play more often now we have a trumpet player! I have puchased over £300 worth of music for the band this year so there is plenty more good music to come...

And now the plug....if anybody reading would like to join a friendly, sociable band please come and give us a try. We rehearse every Monday and Wednesday (8pm to 10pm)at Northwood HQ, Sandy Lane. Give Steve a ring on 01923 833190

Re: Cardiff

Steve Brinkworth — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 05:00:26 -0000

Hi Greg and Family. I was born and bred in Cardiff and my parents still live in Fairwater. My wife, Cathryn, was also brought up in Cardiff and her parents live in Cyncoed. Add to that the fact that my brother-in-law worked on the design and building of the Wales Millennium Centre. Small world eh!

Re: The Starbucks Challenge

green LA girl — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 13:04:13 -0000

Yey! Thanks for taking the challenge -- and hope you had a safe trip! I just tagged you to the feed :)

Re: The Welsh Are…

Richard Hall — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 12:36:26 -0000

If you fancy meeting up for coffee while you're in this part of the world, I'd be glad to do that. We could call it a Methodist blogmeet!

Re: UN World Summit

Revwilly — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 12:02:02 -0000

Another message we should send to the UN is to urge them to clean up the corruption which was revealed in the Oil For Food report so that we can be confident that the money set aside to end povery is used properly.

Re: Blowing My Own Trumpet

Jim Collns — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 20:55:57 -0000

I saw your add and from what I read sounds like you want to play trumpet in band, well have I got the ticket for you me and this drummer want to start a band like the blues brothers are or were if sounds cool let me know or call me at 410-6110 and ask for Jim 24/7 monday through thursday saturday and sunday and fridays before from 10am to 5pm

Re: Band stuff

Greg — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 04:57:52 -0000

Heh, band and moaning, who'd have thought it :)

It's not the competing that gets me down is the approach taken by the MD when leading the band, so yes, you've hit the nail on the head. I did speak to the MD whilst I was chairman about the lack of praise and encouragement. It usually had an effect for 1 or 2 rehearsals, then I guess it was a case of old habits die hard.

I completely agree with your last paragraph. If I didn't have the young family and my work and church commitments I would continue to participate in the running of the band. For now though, I have a life outside of band so I'm restricting my band activities to playing and running the website (and moaning on here :) )

Re: Band stuff

Craig — Wed, 09 Feb 2005 07:02:42 -0000

Hello again,

From what you have said, I would be surprised if you're in a minority...maybe just differing degrees of dissatisfaction. I usually find everyone has something to moan about in a band, quite often just insignificant little gripes, but not always.

When it comes to competitions, is it this that is really getting you down? Seems to me, as far as you are concerned, it's just the way the MD communicates and manages a rehearsal. If so, wouldn't the normal route be to either talk to him directly, or via the committee? Surely, if things are as they should be in the band, this should help matters???

It's good news that there are plenty of players who want to join your ranks...I just hope that the committee and MD do not assume this to be because of everything that they are currently doing to be the best way?!!! Close communication with the band is so important, and dangerous to the bands health if those running the band ever forget this.

Re: Band stuff

Greg — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 11:28:46 -0000

I suspect I'm in a minority, but certainly not a minority of 1!

I don't think there has ever been the question of whether or not we contest put before the band as a whole. As Watford have a history of competing I think it may be assumed that we still do, but the decision is made between the committee and MD.

The band is run fairly democratically, though there are more vociferous elements in the committee and the band who try to sway opinion. Whilst I was chairman I made an effort to ensure that decisions were communicated and opinion sought from the band as a whole. Not sure if that is continuing though:(

At the moment the band is in a reasonably good growth spell. Having lost many players about 2 years ago we're now pretty much complete and just last week I was contacted by a trombone player who's moved into the area. The benefits of having a decent website is paying dividends in that respect:)

Re: Band stuff

Craig — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 10:53:00 -0000

Hi Greg,

Your reply is very insightful...makes me wonder whether you are alone with this point of view, or if this is also the opinion of the majority of the band.

Personally, I am on your side when it comes to competitions...I enjoy the performance to an audience, rather than the scrutiny of judges (and competitors). But this begs another question...does your band want to be a competition band, or was it the instigation of somebody else? And yes, if we are to be criticised, we do need to be commended now and again, too.

I hope your band is run democratically, otherwise it could be in severe danger of losing players, especially if they agree with your point of view???

Re: Band stuff

Greg — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 10:23:55 -0000

Hi Craig,

What do I expect from playing in a band? For me it is two fold, first of all I enjoy playing for playings sake. It is so completely different from how I spend the rest of my time I find it a good way to relax and unwind; for me playing is a hobby. Secondly I enjoy the thrill of the performance when playing in a concert environment, whether it's a bandstand setting or a concert hall setting.

One thing I don't enjoy is contesting. I can't see the enjoyment in practicing a test piece for months on end and then, on contest day, hanging around for hours, playing for 10 minutes, then hanging around for hours more to be told how badly you played. Band players will always say that this is how a band can improve, and whilst I agree it may be one way in which a band can improve, it's not the only way. I'd much rather be playing in a couple of big concerts where the pieces in the programme stretch the band so that they need to improve to pull them off. In that setting there's no waiting around to play or to hear results and you're playing to an appreciative audience who want to be there (rather than the opposing bands in a contest) and the band can make money out of it (rather than losing money at a contest).

However, the main gripe in my post is more to do with the MDs methods. Of course I strive to play to the best of my ability and would hope the other band members do too, after all, banding is about playing in a team. But, as a hobbyist I don't go to band to be shouted at or have snide and sarcastic comments directed at me. I would expect criticism that is constructive and respectful when it's due and praise when it's due. We get plenty of criticism a lot of which isn't constructive and there's very little praise.

Hard work and team work are definitely required and there are definitely some who don't put as much effort in as others which can be for a number of reasons. My biggest frustration is with players who either don't listen, or don't remember what's been said from rehearsal to the next.

Re: Band stuff

Craig — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 09:59:40 -0000

I am rather amazed by your disillusioned comments in this post. Having read your witterings, I am left wondering what you might expect from playing in a band???

In my experience, if you want to gain success in your performance (which I assume you and the band do), then each individuals failings have to be rectified to the MD's satisfaction (that is his job, after all). If not, then go and find a group of players who just don't care how good or bad they are (surely competition is about being THE best).

Personally, as a band player myself, I find it both frustrating and infuriating when certain individuals don't have either the capacity or interest in gaining higher achievement...the fulfilment of which is always worth the hard work along the way! It's all too easy to feel that what we're doing is ok...but is it?!!!