A Stellar Interview With Sahra-T

[Sunstone]

Good day, Sahra-T and welcome to the Interview Place, where we conduct stellar interviews with members of the RF community. Now that we've been introduced, I feel we know each other well enough that I should call you, "Jones". Am I being too forward?

Good day, dear Viewers, and welcome to an interview with our dear friend, Jones. Today we'll be looking to uncover the real Jones, the Jones you all should love and cherish, the Jones who is not just her stock portfolio, not just her political tastes, not just her clothing style, but also not just her hairdo. On with the questions then!

Who is your favorite Jane Austin character and why is that character your favorite?

Is it reasonably true of you that you secretly thrill to recieve spam for home mortgage loans?

What are your academic interests at this time in your life, besides the classification of South American beetles?

Do you plan to pursue any of your current academic interests at uni?

Have you moved around a bit or pretty much stayed in the same home most of your life?

Please name three of your top five RF posters who you would most like to dine with, and tell us why each would make a good dinner companion?

How did you find RF? Was it by search engine, referal from an aquaintance or friend, or some other way?

What are the three things you like most about RF?

What is the one thing you like least about RF, and how would you improve it?

True or False: Tony Blair is secretly the cross dressing mistress of Laura Bush, which explains why you Brits went into Iraq with us Yanks, and also why the French were miffed to be left out of the decision making process by dear Tony.

Which typical human behavior ranks as the foremost absurdity our species routinely committs?

Besides your parents, which older person are you closest to, and what have you most recently discovered about him or her?

How important is your spiritual side to you, and what do you mean by spiritual?

Your favorite mood disorder?

Would you describe what your sitting on right now and tell us whether you're comfortable?

Can it reasonably be asserted of you that your politics are immensely more bizarre than your sex life? Or is it, as most Finns have claimed of you, precisely the other way around?

Do you believe it's more important to have many friends or a few very good friends? Please exclude pets from your assessment.

When was the last time you wrote a poem and what was the title and subject?

How long have you had a compelling desire to learn the swine business from the mud up?

Do you have more than 100 books in your room? Regardless, which book have you read most recently?

 

[sahra-t]

Good day, Sahra-T and welcome to the Interview Place, where we conduct stellar interviews with members of the RF community. Now that we've been introduced, I feel we know each other well enough that I should call you, "Jones". Am I being too forward?

You’d be surprised how many people call me Jones. You know that phrase “Keeping up with the Jones’”? That’s about me.

Good day, dear Viewers, and welcome to an interview with our dear friend, Jones. Today we'll be looking to uncover the real Jones, the Jones you all should love and cherish, the Jones who is not just her stock portfolio, not just her political tastes, not just her clothing style, but also not just her hairdo. On with the questions then!


Thanks for inviting me to be interviewed, Sunstone.



Who is your favorite Jane Austen character and why is that character your favorite?


*mumbles about the spelling of favourite* I’ll avoid the most obvious cliché but stick with the obvious book, as I’ve not read all that many Austens. Mr Darcy is my favourite (no I don’t have a Bridget Jones type obsession) but I sort of detach myself from people like he does, I sympathised more with him than I did Lizzy Bennett.

Is it reasonably true of you that you secretly thrill to receive spam for home mortgage loans?


*sigh* I’d be happy to receive any mail. Although home mortgage loans is perhaps a bit too much, too soon. I’m still waiting for Readers Digest to pick me to be entered into their prize draw, though.

What are your academic interests at this time in your life, besides the classification of South American beetles?

The classifi- oh, besides that, I enjoy all the subjects I was pursuing at school until, well, Thursday. That is- Maths, Philosophy and Politics. I don’t know if it’d count as an academic interest, but I also really enjoy exploring the English language.

Do you plan to pursue any of your current academic interests at uni?


Yes, two of them- all depending on how the results go this summer, I’d like to study Maths & Philosophy. The answer would have been more interesting if you’d omitted the word “academic” from the question but that’s an opportunity for another day.

Have you moved around a bit or pretty much stayed in the same home most of your life?

Up until I was 13/14, I’d stayed in the same home in London my whole life. My parents then divorced, so I have since then lived in two homes- still both in London.

Please name three of your top five RF posters who you would most like to dine with, and tell us why each would make a good dinner companion?

Well, I have already dined with one of them- but he made such good company that I’d invite stemann with me. Good conversation, always willing to disagree with you, and he has such a nice smile. What else could you ask for?

Sunstone, how could I not invite someone who has discovered my secret desire for spam about home mortgage loans? It’s always interesting answering questions you have never been asked before.

I’d also invite Victor, because I am convinced he will really have a blue face in real life.

How did you find RF? Was it by search engine, referral from an acquaintance or friend, or some other way?

It came about during my stalking of stemann, of course- I planned on being stealthy and just watching his movements but I got so drawn in that I had to sign up.

What are the three things you like most about RF?

I like the friendliness of the members, most other forums frown upon a “hey, I’m new thread”, but you guys developed a whole subforum for them!

Naturally the intellectual nature of the board makes it quite refreshing- and with so many members it’s great having someone from every demographic.

And of course, I love the frubals and gifts. Especially receiving them. *hint*

What is the one thing you like least about RF, and how would you improve it?

It’s not really something that can be improved by anyone else except me! As I’m still pretty new, and fairly reserved about when I choose to post rather than just read, I’m still establishing myself among the forums, and am still getting familiar with the regular members. But I guess that’ll come with time, especially as I have a whole summer ahead of me with nothing to do!

True or False: Tony Blair is secretly the cross dressing mistress of Laura Bush, which explains why you Brits went into Iraq with us Yanks, and also why the French were miffed to be left out of the decision making process by dear Tony.


I love conspiracy theories and this one ranks right up there just behind David ‘son of God’ Icke’s “reptilian bloodline” Illuminati. So, it must be true. You just can’t make things like this up!

Which typical human behavior ranks as the foremost absurdity our species routinely commits?

I’m fairly liberal in my political views; so I’d have to say that our species’ tendency to routinely deny others the right to live their life how they want (of course, without then infringing on others’ rights) is an absurdity which occurs on a daily basis all over the world.

Besides your parents, which older person are you closest to, and what have you most recently discovered about him or her?


When you discounted parents does that mean we’re allowed siblings? I’m closest to my brother, at 27 I think he can count as an “older person”. The most recent revelation about him is probably his paternal side that has come out since he has been with his current partner- who has a young son. It’s quite weird for me to see.

How important is your spiritual side to you, and what do you mean by spiritual?

I don’t really have much of a spiritual side, I’m not even sure how I’d define one. In terms of religion, I was brought up as Catholic, but now I’m old enough to be able to, I’m trying to disassociate myself from Catholicism- there’s nothing wrong with it, but I can no longer say I have the beliefs. It’s too hard for me to see past what is tangible, or accept there’s anything there.

Your favorite mood disorder?

I’ll come clean and admit here that I had to brush up on my mood disorders- they were not my forte. However, having looked into it- it seems to pretty much revolve around depression. But bi-polar disorder involves people with wild mood swings from euphoria to depression, and hey, who doesn’t want to see someone being euphoric?

Would you describe what you’re sitting on right now and tell us whether you're comfortable?

I am currently sitting on a royal blue computer swivel chair. And now that you mention it, it’s not all that comfortable- the small twisty knob that’s supposed to be on the back has fallen off, so the back of the chair is lower down than it ought to be and it’s not doing a stellar job of supporting my back.

Can it reasonably be asserted of you that your politics are immensely more bizarre than your sex life? Or is it, as most Finns have claimed of you, precisely the other way around?

I think that the first was a fair assertion to make (although I’ll admit, it’s a close one), those Finns have always had trouble making close calls.

Do you believe it's more important to have many friends or a few very good friends? Please exclude pets from your assessment.

It feels to me like there is a “right” answer to this, but it’s not mine. For most people, I’d say a few close friends are more important- but for me, I prefer having many friends. I like my friends to be people I enjoy spending time with, not people I can have serious life-changing conversations with. I don’t tend to confide in them very often, I like to keep myself to myself- so lots of friends suits me.

When was the last time you wrote a poem and what was the title and subject?

Oh dear. I hoped that I’d never have to remember this poem- it was called “Fish”. I wrote it when I was 12, it was about (you guessed it) fish, swimming in their tank, eating flakes, &c. It was actually put into a poetry book of poems written by children in North London, although that doesn’t mean it was good- trust me.

How long have you had a compelling desire to learn the swine business from the mud up?


Although I’m not entirely sure exactly what the swine business is, Rebecca Loos is an inspiration to us all.

Do you have more than 100 books in your room? Regardless, which book have you read most recently?

Including old school textbooks, it probably hovers around the 100 mark, or just a bit lower. The most recent book I read was called “A Year In The Life Of The Man Who Fell Asleep”. A rather surreal “diary”, inspired by the material in his website. While presented as a diary, you must question some of the accuracy of the entries. In the first day, Jesus comes to visit him.

 

[Sunstone]

Welcome, Viewers, to the second segment of A Stellar Interview With Jones. In our first segment we explored the deep inner psyche of the now famous RFer; we probed her most secret wanton desires; we stumbled our way through the jungle of her innermost longings; and we discovered the Golden El Dorado of her true deepest heart. But today we explore what you've all been waiting for: the superficial and shallow side of her.

Welcome back, Jones! Let's get right to the superficial and shallow side of you!

What do you think of the notion that a culture's traditional legal system positively correlates with its dominant epistemology, and does this truly explain once and for all the East/West divide in their respective approaches to the rule of law? That is to say, why is red your favourite color for kites?

Have you ever clicked your heels together and wished you were in Kansas?

What tragic childhood accident traumatized you to the alarming extent that you are now the only RFer to have ever listed Sunstone among your top favourite posters to have over to dinner? *mutters about spelling of favorite*

Do you agree that the logical proof for 2 + 2 = 4 is actually done with smoke and mirrors by mathematicians who laughingly know more than we do?

Do the British really have a serious immigration problem or is the problem being exaggerated by some politicians and pundits?

What area of philosophy most intrigues you at this stage in your life because you have mistaken it for a sure path to a sex life?

Have women achieved full political equality with men in Britain?

In about 12 US states, there are now laws against cybor stalking. Do you think that laws against cybor stalking are a good thing in principle and would you support the spread of such laws elsewhere, including to the Isles?

What more must society do to help victims of domestic violence and abuse?

Can it be safely said of you, Jones, that you harbor a secret bitterness over the world's refusal to recognize you as an authority on kumquats?

Roughly how many species of birds have you spotted near your home in London within the last year or so?

Have you ever seen a fox in the city or know personally of someone who has?

Do you typically prefer to wear shorts, pants, dresses, skirts, or loin cloths?

What three things do you most like about living in London and on which basis you would recommend the urban life to others?

What do you like least about living in London?

How old were you when you relinquished your last vestige of any desire to marry an Armenian fruit vendor?

What do you hope to do for a career?

Will computers have achieved true user friendliness when the monitors finally become scratch and sniff?

Do you have any siblings besides your 27 year old elder brother and if so what are their names and ages?

Are you currently making plans for world dominion?

Well, this wraps up our two part interview with our lovely friend, Jones. Thank you, Jones, for your wonderful participation in this stellar interview!

Anyone who has any questions or comments for Jones, or on the interview itself, is invited to post them in the thread for comments on this interview in the comment forum. Good day, Viewers!

 

[sahra-t]

Welcome, Viewers, to the second segment of A Stellar Interview With Jones. In our first segment we explored the deep inner psyche of the now famous RFer; we probed her most secret wanton desires; we stumbled our way through the jungle of her innermost longings; and we discovered the Golden El Dorado of her true deepest heart. But today we explore what you've all been waiting for: the superficial and shallow side of her.

Welcome back, Jones! Let's get right to the superficial and shallow side of you!

What do you think of the notion that a culture's traditional legal system positively correlates with its dominant epistemology, and does this truly explain once and for all the East/West divide in their respective approaches to the rule of law? That is to say, why is red your favourite color for kites?

Well obviously because it is the colour of Liverpool's home kit!

Have you ever clicked your heels together and wished you were in Kansas?

No but I have wished I was somewhere else a few times, usually after making a really embarrassing/stupid comment.

What tragic childhood accident traumatized you to the alarming extent that you are now the only RFer to have ever listed Sunstone among your top favourite posters to have over to dinner? *mutters about spelling of favorite*

Ah, Sunstone, I needn't be traumatised to have listed you… But there was this one incident where I fell backwards onto a hard floor- never quite been the same since.

Do you agree that the logical proof for 2 + 2 = 4 is actually done with smoke and mirrors by mathematicians who laughingly know more than we do?

It's more often done with steam and reflective surfaces, but smoke and mirrors can be used in a pinch.

Do the British really have a serious immigration problem or is the problem being exaggerated by some politicians and pundits?

It's very hard to know what's true and what has been fed to us by politicians, but I do think that some of the immigrants come here not with the intention to live and work to make a living.
The fact that this happens, however, is no justification for the racism said immigrants meet. I think *illegal* immigration is what should be considered a possible problem; of course, since it is illegal, it should be considered as a problem anyway.

What area of philosophy most intrigues you at this stage in your life because you have mistaken it for a sure path to a sex life?

Soteriology. If I can be saved from sin, I can be as sinful as I want!

Have women achieved full political equality with men in Britain?

This depends on how broadly you define "political equality". Arguably, we have had it for a while- women got the vote in 1928. Of course, feminists would say "the personal is the political". Socially, patriarchy is still pretty entrenched in things that (I'd say) don't matter. The one area I think needs attention is in the employment sector. It's well known that women get lower wages than men in the same jobs, and the proverbial "glass ceiling" definitely exists.

In about 12 US states, there are now laws against cybor stalking. Do you think that laws against cybor stalking are a good thing in principle and would you support the spread of such laws elsewhere, including to the Isles?

Well, a little harmless googling of someone's name should be okay I think a line needs to be drawn somewhere between what can and can't be done on the internet, though, since the actual law has great trouble throwing its weight around in there.

What more must society do to help victims of domestic violence and abuse?

Everyone needs to be aware, and unafraid to report suspected incidents. I think the victims also need to be given the confidence to do something about it themselves.

Can it be safely said of you, Jones, that you harbor a secret bitterness over the world's refusal to recognize you as an authority on kumquats?

My kumquat sensei died in a drive-by fruiting before he could give me a reference. My bitterness is tied in with regret and fond memories.

Roughly how many species of birds have you spotted near your home in London within the last year or so?

I have ticked off every species in my Garden Birds Handbook.

Have you ever seen a fox in the city or know personally of someone who has?

A fox? In the *city*?? No way.
I see foxes all the time, I'm only in the suburbs.

Do you typically prefer to wear shorts, pants, dresses, skirts, or loin cloths?

The loin clothes I save for special occasions. I'll wear all of the above except dresses, though 90% of the time I'm in jeans.

What three things do you most like about living in London and on which basis you would recommend the urban life to others?

Although many people would probably put this in the question below, I really like the public transport. It covers most places and the service isn't as bad as some people would tell you. I like to think you could place me anywhere in London and I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get home without panicking. The tubes are great, one comes every few minutes and they go pretty much anywhere worth going.
This one is kinda superficial but I just like the fact that I live in London; one of the most well known cities in the world. I like that when someone, from anywhere in the world, asks me where I'm from I can say London and they'll know it. I like that it's so ethnically diverse, and that I have so much culture on my doorstep. Particularly every different cuisine, with areas like Soho, Mayfair, Chinatown, Brick Lane and Camden catering for specific tastes. I don't think I could ever claim I have nothing to do- there's really something for everyone.
I went on a bit in that last one so it can count as two

What do you like least about living in London?

Well obviously, it's too far away from Bolton *cries*
But other than this I can think of nothing, I love London. I'll miss it a lot.

How old were you when you relinquished your last vestige of any desire to marry an Armenian fruit vendor?

In my heart, I don't think I ever will relinquish this desire. It will sit in the back of my mind as a possible life plan forever more.

What do you hope to do for a career?

Philosopher; Arsonist; Candlestick maker, I don't know. I think I'd make a good secretary though. Seriously.

Will computers have achieved true user friendliness when the monitors finally become scratch and sniff?

Not in *my* room.

Do you have any siblings besides your 27 year old elder brother and if so what are their names and ages?

I have an older sister (supposedly. She must be adopted). She's called Michelle, and I also have an older step-brother, named Steven.

Are you currently making plans for world dominion?

No, that sounds like far too much effort. I'm very lazy!

Well, this wraps up our two part interview with our lovely friend, Jones. Thank you, Jones, for your wonderful participation in this stellar interview!

Anyone who has any questions or comments for Jones, or on the interview itself, is invited to post them in the thread for comments on this interview in the comment forum. Good day, Viewers!