Double the fun!

It's been a while, but I'm happy to announce the arrival of two new old editions to the archives, both souvenir issues. Principia Ludocris proclaimed the acceptance of the Mindbenders Club with ALSAA, while Manus Sinistra Issue # 1 from April 1988 contained a Colour Supplement, a bevy of letters to the editors coordinators and the Trainee Questionnaire, replete with self-portraits.

Manus Sinistra I (Editio Princeps) published

So we've begun turning the dial on the time machine to the left, and with that we now have Manus Sinistra (Editio Princeps) from April '88 available. Worryingly like an organ of the establishment in places, it finds its feet and starts to reveal where the true interests of the "Co-ordinators" lie.

Manus IV is out there!

I'm happy to announce that the fourth and what I believe was the final edition of the second coming of Manus Sinistra has been published in full - Manus Sinistra IV (XII - MCMXCIV). A little wordier than other versions, it contains the usual sprinkling of nuggets, including one of my own all-time favourites, matching the drink to the ALSAA regular - memorialising a wonderful display by Ev at one of the many booze ups. Enjoy

Manus III has been published

Well, it didn't go without a fight, but Manus Sinistra III is now available in full. Will look to get Manus IV out there next weekend before turning attention to the relics.

Original Masts

Check out the catalog of original title masts from the bounty delivered by Cormac.

Mick, Gary & Jim

The late Gerry Ryan had Syl, Peter and Ned. Here's the kind of conversation you could expect to hear of a Friday night in ALSAA from our own version of the Magi.

Exciting Developments

Stay tuned for new old content to be published this weekend. I've received a treasure trove of unofficial publications, including a Manus Sinistra original edition from 1988 and an additional episode of the 1994 oeuvre. Most notably, Vols 1 and 2 of a publication I didn't even know existed will be introduced to the blog, so look forward to reading "Principia Ludocris" (not to be confused with the rap singer) at this burgeoning repository.

Manus-able Content

Just to keep the momentum going as I await additional back-issues to be sent to me, here's a piece culled from Dave Whelan that would definitely be considered Manus-worthy.

Ladies, it's simple.

You're in a shoe shop, second in the queue for the till. Behind the shop assistant is a pair of shoes, which you have seen and you must have.

The female shopper in front of you has seen them also and is eyeing them with desire. Both of you have forgotten your purses. It would be rude to push in front of the first woman if you had no money to pay for the shoes.

Your friend is trying on another pair of shoes at the back of the shop and sees your dilemma. She prepares to throw her purse to you.

If she does so, you can catch the purse, then walk round the other shopper and buy the shoes! At a pinch she could throw the purse ahead of the other shopper and "whilst it is in flight" you could nip around the other shopper, catch the purse and buy the shoes!

BUT, you must always remember that until the purse has "actually been thrown", it would be plain wrong for you to be in front of the other shopper.

And now you understand OFFSIDE!

Site Restructuro

'Manus II', the complete second edition, has now been published. With that, the standalone pages that featured some individual articles from that edition have now been verifiably decommissioned. I hope you find the new 'Manus Index / Table of Contents' page with clickable links directly to each individual piece of content a good way to quickly find your own personal favourites.

Life in EI I.T. - An Illustrated History

Many thanks to Paul Donlon for this collection of gems. A bit rough and ready at the moment, but worth putting out there now for all to enjoy as much as I did.

Why did Manus go off the air?

This is is probably the simplest explanation for those wondering why Manus Sinistra took a hiatus. The original editorial staff collectively followed a Shakespearan stage direction ('Exeunt') while this SVN was one of several that appeared in 1988 looking for fresh meat. And for some professionals to work with such meat, although those vacancies may have been unrelated.

The HR person who wrote the SVN likely flourished in the property boom describing hovels with ridiculous asking prices if the expression "attractive salary progression" is anything to go by. In fairness, I did progress from bread-line to subsistence by the end of probation, so I can't complain.

Thanks to Paul Donlon for this and some other treasures that will be appearing shortly.

Manus Sinistra I (XI - MCMXCIII) - The Complete First Edition

Right, added the final few elements to Manus I - it's now complete. Notable addition is the Organ Donor Card with what appears to be a hand drawn logo. Not sure if Brian did this or it was around from the original series.

Favourite Links

Okay, okay, the "Favourite Links" are very self-indulgent. But then I couldn't think of anybody else I'd rather indulge. Ecco homo, ergo elk.

I.T. Times & GRAMANAS

The Manus Sinistra Archive, while not quite the Library of Congress (let's call it a Library of the Incongruous) just keeps on giving. In what appeared to be a flagrant mooning of the flaccid rag mentioned in an apology in the same edition, and an apparent breach of copyright that could ruffle Big Bird's feathers, Manus Sinistra II (published II - MCMXCIV) lead with a daring backpage title and theme that could easily have been mistaken. Of course, upon closer inspection, even authoritarians with an overstated sense of personal power soon knew they would have to bide their time and wait for a better opportunity to bring these subversives to their knees.

It also featured the much loved GRAMANAS, anagrams of the names of actual people working in I.T. at the time or shortly before. Productivity was inversely proportional to the craic that was had developing these. I found myself chuckling like the addled old fool I will shortly become (two out of three ain't bad for now) as I rewrote my favourite, the brilliantly simple: "I RISK EATING".

Enjoy!

Manus Puzzle Page

Like any self respecting publication, Manus Sinistra of course contained a puzzle page to cater to the more educated elements of its readership.

But being Manus, it took it one step further and created new games, such as this cross-chess-word.

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As well as putting its own take on more familiar puzzle formats. As with many things Manus, things were not always as they first appear.

Do you find conventional newspaper puzzles are not enough for you as you struggle for identity as a middle-management wage slave? No problem. Try our award winning (sic.) board game 'RESTRUCTURO!'. You'll now be able to look out the window in the morning safe in the knowledge that you'll still have something to do in the afternoon.

Buzzphrase Generator

Published as it was before the advent of the internet, Manus Sinistra's version of the Buzzphrase Generator deserves its due. Of course it never would have been possible without the BIS/BeeCom structured methodology course that everyone went to around this time.

Apology

In the last issue of Manus Sinistra, we ran an article which referred to 'The I.T. Times' as a "flaccid rag". We would like to make it clear that this article should have been titled "Habeamus Manus" and not "Habaemus Manus". We apologise for this spelling mistake and regret any distress it may have caused.

Liam's Lament

Brian Drumm's unique poem, as delivered at the 1992 CLAP luncheon if I recall, has been posted.

Keeping the legend alive

Will attempt to transfer the small hard copies I have of three Manus Sinistra editions I have from the late '93 and early '94 era for posterity. Or at least for all the bums who worked in Imbus House at that time. I believe Brian Drumm was editor in chief in this incarnation of Manus. First edition of the new era is now available.