Corvid 19 UK Response

To be clear, this video isn't mine, its by Footman 447 on YouTube who recently went viral (you have probably seen it already). Its excellent and the government should consider putting it out as a television advert immediately.

Dragon Ball

*The title to this post was a given if you know your Japanese fighting games

Regular readers of my blog will know that my knowledge of football (a game I have always called 'soccer' despite other Brits insisting its football), begins and ends at zero. Heck, the only reason I know Leicester City won the Premier league is because it was big news and impossible to ignore. It was also a perfect example of how passion trumps money every single time but that's a blog for another time.
Of course nobody needs to be an expert to fire up a prediction (in fact some of the most accurate predictions come from laymen) so seeing as I misplaced my drum roll im going for a 3 - 2 final score in favour of we Welshies.

And why not? Its closer to the mark than our neighbours on the other side of Offa'a Dyke will be getting. You gotta have a ticket to win the raffle

Wales 3 = 2 Portugal

And even if we lose then leaping from a world rating of 117 to arrive at the door of a Semi Final is still hreat going mun.

Auld Hamish Went Away

Prime Minister makes heartfelt speech

Its all been said before. Politicians, singers, actors, bloggers, even the shy walking-the-dog types who do little more than gaze out at the seas, minds content in a happier place. So Dai Jakes will cast his shilling into the cap as well. This week Scotland votes yes/no to Independence which will herald a new 'dawn' for Great Britain. We will all be affected: Wales, England, Northern Ireland, not just the Scots (and by the way, it is Scots and not "Scotch" as some (usually foreigner) have written. Scotch is a drink).
Now as a proud Welshman, and 100% Celt, one would think I'd be up for this Independence lark. Who knows? If it worked out for Scotland, then us Welsh could try it too and in my heart it all sounds grand. Its perfect in fact, I can feel my Welsh soul dance with the music it was born with.
But alas my head thinks opposite. My mind is filled with doubts and what ifs? and is weighed down by the simple fact that should Scotland choose to break from the union, hundreds of years of history will be shattered. Not forgotten, or cast away like some moth eaten rug but definitely shattered.
We have defended this great island for over a thousand years as one, and during two world wars our fathers and grandfathers fought not as Scos or Welsh but as British. We were, we are Great Britain, stronger and better together. There is too much risk in splitting such a wonderful nation who lets not forget has given the world so much.
As Stephen Glover writes today in the Mail Online:

"I know I will grieve on Friday morning if my country, Britain, has been voted out of existence. Millions of people will feel likewise. The end of the nation that has done more than any other to shape the modern age, and saved the free world as recently as 1940, is really too big an idea to get one’s mind around."

I 100% agree with Mr Glover in this. Our tabloids speak of a 'Broken Britain'? Come the end of this week, and should Scotland go its own way, then we shall know of a broken Britain. And I for one will mourn for it.

Dai Does Retro

It'll be fun!

Long time readers of the Dai Jake's Book will know he has a very keen eye on anything retro, especially if its from the 1970's and 1980's when Mr Jakes first went into 'print' in the notebook of a daydream loving schoolboy in West Wales.
So its been decided in the office that there is to be a Dai Jake's Retro Edition and it will be hosted by our spiffy new chums over on the Tumblr website. So what are you waiting for? Get on over there and follow us! Please? Pretty please? We have Welshcakes. And bacon.

Im Not R But....

Finally after 19 years, the killers of Stephen Lawrence are sentenced for their wicked crime. Dobson recieved a minimum of fifteen years and two months, while Norris got fourteen years and three months. The Lawrence family fought an uphill battle for nearly twenty years to get here, largely due to the simple fact that they were black. Shame on us all.
And don't for one second believe that its got any better since Stephen's murder in 1993 because it damned well hasn't. You will people utter the title of this article dy in, day out, all across the country, "Im not racist but..." and you just know the next words spilling from their mouths will be exactly that; RACIST. (By the way the reason I have omitted the rest of the letters after R is the poet in me wanted it to look more 'arty', whether it does or not).
One only has to look at current stories in football where some players have been accused of racially insulting each other to know that racism is far from gone. Its just that in a lot of instances, the 'style' of racism has changed, its not (football aside) as direct as it used to be. Its subtle but still as vile of course. I remember reading a story where Oprah Winfrey went shopping in Paris and she asked for a certain shop to stay open for her but they refused. There were hints that had it been a white celebrity, things would have been different. Now who knows for sure if this would have been the case but I know what I think. Subtle.


Simple enough for you?

And look at all the Islamophobia that has arised from the ashes of terrorist attacks. Some misguided souls now believe that ALL Muslims are terrorists, hell bent on whiping out the great white satan. It matters not that these atrocities were carried out by a tiny few, condemn them ALL seems to be the reasoning. I could post jokes about Allah and Islam on the internet all day and nobody is offended. (In fact I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot have foolishly convinced themselves that these jokes are based on fact. This is how dim they are).
Yet if I poke fun at, God forbid (pun intended), Christianity these same saps go quiet or tut like nuns at an orgy. The internet is rife with racism, one only has to visit a forum or read the comments under a news story dealing with the subject to see the evidence. (And not all forums are this way I hasten to add). I really had hoped the human race had advanced somewhat, and while most of us are , there are the sad, brainless few who keep holding us in the grip of ignorance. And fear. A lot of racism is down to fear.
And before you shoot this post down in bloody shreds, racism rears its ugly head in every group of colour or culture. For every white supremacist there is someone who dislikes whites. Its a big stinking smelting pot of hate, seeping its poison all over the land. Keeping us pinned to the wall of neanderthals where only one tribe can ever be perfect. Be honest, its nonsense. Nothing short of madness. Do we really want to go back to the days of segregation and all that crap? I for one do not wish to live in a such a horrid world. The subject shouldn't even be an issue, and I feel silly for writing about it in such supposed 'enlightened' times but some people need reminding; Racism IS wrong.
I suspect a lot of people who expect a ticket into their 'Heaven' when they finally flake out will be disappointed, as im almost sure religion *insert your pick here* and its associated prophets had something to say about hate. (Here's a hint, it wasn't good). Religion is where I have noticed racism creep in the most on my internet travels, having met a lot of white Christians (with litle Christian charity) who revel in mocking Muslims and Islam, believing it to be a 'religion of hate'. (And they do it without a hint of irony too). Of course were I to stray onto Muslim sites I know Id see similar rubbish going on there too.
Its a depressing state of affairs, and I fear for the furure of Mankind if this is the way it intends to carry on. Humanity seems to want, almost need aggravation to have something to do. I can sit on my porch some nights , looking up at the stars and despair at a world that is seemingly content to turn on hatred and fighting. (Little wonder I find the shine on a bottle so appealing).
Strip away the skin and you will find the heart and spirit of Man to be of equal value. This is as simple as its ever going to get and if you still don't understand then the grave that you will eventually make for yourself will be a very cold one indeed.

Muppet Cole

I really don't care about The X Factor (in my house its known as the Crap Factor) and have absolutely zero time for the perma airbrushed Cheryl Cole but the story of her being dumped from the US version of the show is plastered everywhere, so i'll throw in my shilling's worth in a shallow attempt to boost blog ratings.
What has this woman done that will be remembered? All she's ever done was appear in a girl band (that are ten a penny these days), and was only ever a major deal in Britain, they could never have hoped to have broke into the US. And lets face it, the UK is hardly a big place. Chaz n' Dave made it big here FFS! Cole is not what you could call a major talent like other British artists who have been successful in America like Elton John, Rod Stewart and George Michael. She is not on this level and never will be. Feel free to come back andd leave a comment under this post if she does, i'll be waiting.


Average: Cole

The tabloids are full of faux shock that Cheryl, 'Britain's sweetheart' (give me a f**king break!) has been unceremoniously chucked off the US Crap Factor because the Americans couldn't understand her accent. Can anyone outside of Newcastle understand it? I certainly can't and coming from West Wales where we have a lot of different accents, this is saying something. And no offence to Geordies, but they do have a ghastly accent.
Face it, Cheryl Cole does not possess the star quality to make it big in America and was rightly given the boot, because if she did have that quality she would still be Stateside, foul accent or not.
And for the red tops to say that this has shredded her hopes of launching a successful singing career over there is quite frankly ludicrous. Better face it people, Cole isn't the Madonna or even Kylie that you had thought and is now back where she belongs, on a tiny unspectacular stage. Goodbye Cheryl.

Obam and Cam Flippin' Da Burgers

As everyone knows, the President of the United States is in town and how nice of Downing Street to hold a barbecue for Mr Obama (or 'Barack' as our PM, Dai calls him in a plastic 'buddy buddy' type way). I liked the fact the barbie was for servicemen from both Britain and America and not just some VIP crap. Okay the cynic in me is saying it was just a PR stunt but I like to think it wasn't. I want to believe our leaders do actually care for our military men and women.


We Love You Obama!

Away from the burgers and ribs, Barack seems to be much more popular this side of the pond. Some people meeting him have behaved the same as they would if meeting a rockstar. One lady said after meeting him drooled, "he was beautiful!" Not really the type of thing one expects to hear after meeting the world's most powerful chap. Still, its in keeping with all of this first name terms buisness, keeps it all informal and jolly.
To be honest, and im more honest than a bare elbow, im not really interested in the politics and pomp. Im more fascinated (and im betting im not the only one) by the fact that the President has one thousand people in his entourage, and I enjoy reading about his limousine, 'The Beast', which has bullet proof windows and the wheels can still run on their rims. James Bond eat your heart out! Come on guys, you all want to drive this baby! Mind you it did get stuck on a kerb in Ireland, so its not entirely flawless.
As I type this now, Obama is speaking at the mighty Westminster, becoming only the third US President to do so (Reagan and Clinton were before him). And no matter what you might think of him, this is an important moment. Without turning this blog into a history lesson, Westminster has been the scene of some pretty big events, including a King being sentenced to death. Put it like this, if the walls of Westminster could write a book, it would be a pretty, darn interesting read without a doubt.
The President must be a contented man right now, whatever his critics say. In the last few days, the guys had Guiness in Ireland (sheer Heaven, take my word for it), burgers at Downing Street, dinner with the Queen and had a VIP tour of London's most historic spots. Not too shabby whatever your politics and an offer only a dullard would turn down.
Watching all of these people like Winston Churchill's grandson Nicholas Soames, shake Obama's hand after his speech (I typed this in two sittings) has got me wondering why they haven't made goldenballs David Beckham attend the shenanigans? Afterall the lad seems to be forced to turn up at every other big 'do' we have in Britain. Perhaps he'll turn up for tea and scones later on.
And please, in the name of all that is British will someone take the Obamas for some fish & chips before they fly back to the States! A trip over here isn't complete without fresh cod soaked in vinegar and wrapped in a newspaper. Food of the Gods.