As Dead As Angels

I Am No Saint But....

Before I get to the rainbow of the rain, this is one post where the header bounced around my head like a kitten on amphetamine. Usually I can take the 'pulse' of a situation and the headline will follow like a vampire's thrall, but here I landed a few that I liked. They can be so important and yet so throwaway and its one occasion I didn't want anything not made perfectly clear. So in the spirit of on the hoof blogging, I decided on two leave it stand.

I always admit that I am no angel. Not because I want to show that im prepared to stick the first nail into my crucifixion but because I like how the more I say it, the more I believe (or hope) it will sink in for those readers who might be tempted into thinking im preachy and pure hearted and thus deserving of praise. No. I can be as cruel as fish, am largely solitary and have no need of anything like that. Here's it may get hazy - I am no consciously thinking what I believe so have no desire for applause. I just am, me. I think good things, I think bad. That is indeed that. Bullet stop.
While I admit my views can be more barbed wire than cotton, one thing im thankful for is that that I treat everyone as equal (though sometimes they get a head start as im not perfect). Black, white, blue, fat, thin, killer, saint, rich, poor, wise. Bring them all on, petty 'faces' all to which I pay no heed, they don't matter. But the rest? Ah now the rest is up to you. Or even YOU.
I like it best this way, my way. A lifetime of razors and sunshine, all stacked up to shape the spirit of my machine.
Now like I say, im no saint but the rest of the world seems to think it is (which is probably why ive walked this earth largely solitary watching events from afar like a sniper watching war through a lens and caring little so the puzzle flees from me so far).
Even now while large parts of the real world are dying from hunger or being shot to bits from the words of holy books, the lucky side of the world (first world problems and all that) is at war with itself over their circle jerk Oscar award tosh (and again, first world problems huh?)
And jerking is right, they are not talking at all, merely w**king. Pulling themselves off over how clever and wise they all love to be. (Kept a straight face there, almost).

Woe is a world fuelled by such petty bullsh!t nonsense. One of the things a new friend notices about devil old me, is my rich diversity of friends and ex lovers. Onward they march from all corners of the map of life and morality. Like Buddah himself (but much less cool) I care not for sights and sounds. Like I keep saying, its what comes after that matters to me. And its what sane men throughout the ages have believed and why I feel dull here typing it out. The majority ought to get this by now but its apparent they don't still.

If you really must have awards for things, judge the work by the workers and if say the blue workers haven't done a decent shift one time, vote for another who has. Okay this years Oscars might be heavy on the white side but I would hope (for all my keen wisdom im still severely naïve) that its because they did the best movies this year? Could be that next year it swings opposite and those actors work will be recognised.
Please tell me this is how it works?

Quit all this petty bull crap. Like my 'friend' from GTA IV said once

You can't shake no hands when ye fist be clenched

― Little Jacob

007 Elba

The love for all things 007 has always left me standing cold. I have never even watched arguably the most famous Bond, Sean Connery in the iconic role. The adventures of cool British secret agent (or whatever he is), doesn't interest me in the slightest. Hang on scrap that, I did watch Daniel Craig in Skyfall and enjoyed it (mostly) but then he could have been playing any secret agent and I would have thought the same.
I wouldn't normally bother comment on who the next 007 should be but this fuss over the author having said that British actor Idris Elba wasn't "sauve enough" to play Bond has me pulling my fingernails out. And its exactly the kind of nonsense I knew would come from trying not to offfend anybody. The compassion of a "new age" has all the ingredients to hurt everyone but I digress slightly and move back to film.
Many moons ago (before political correctness was hip) I suggested to a group of friends that Wesley Snipes would make a cool Bond. Naturally I was shouted down but I still think it a good idea today. Snpes might be a black actor, and he isn't British but it wouldn't bother me if I was a fan of those movies. So you can see that having Elba in the role wouldn't be an issue for me.
Saying that however, I DO see where others are coming from when they say he's not right for the role.
And before someone tries saying it, no this isn't me going down the "im not racist but..." route however much saying that makes it easier for people to cast my opinion aside. Racist louts are easy to dismiss, common sense and stone cold sanity are a little harder.
I am a huge comic fan but would a black actor playing Superman or Batman cut it? I doubt it very much but am I suddenly racist for thinking this? Of course not (at least I hope you wouldn't think it, otherwise we've already turned down the road of no return).
One of my favourite films, which funnily enough stars Wesley Snipes, is "White Men Can't Jump" and what I got from that film was "hey, we're all different but you know, thats okay" and im totally fine with that as its the world I love living in. Things like colour shouldn't be a problem, especially in entertainment and I am convinced that some of those who bang on about equality and fairness, are the people who are really against it.

Just my thoughts.

Oh and for the record, eventhough im not a big movie guy these days, I consider Idris to be one of our finest British actors (and no, that's still not me saying "im not racist but..."

Okra Winfrey Throws a Tanty

Mr Jakes will be honest here; before Oprah Winfrey was told by a Swiss store that a handbag was "too expensive for her" (it cost £24,000) he had barely heard of the woman. Sure the name sounded familiar but as a gentleman who shuns television almost totally, I had imagined she was a music producer or something in that line. Since this (non) story broke, research has revealed that Winfrey is rather famous in her country, and not only famous but a billionaire to boot. There's nice, we are all thrilled for you dear. Honest.
However I am shocked some of the more serious papers over here are carrying this (non) story, and worse running with the "racism" tag. Sorry but this has nothing to do with race. All it is, is a jumped up American 'celebrity' who because the Swiss are sensible and don't show her silly programme (ive Googled it) in their country, her nose has been put out of joint because they don't know who she is. This my dear readers is about a fragile ego and vanity, not racism. Well live with it woman, we Brits hardly know you either.
This is one of the things about Americans that annoys me (and I know plenty of sweet ones.) They like to think they are the center of the universe in everything, and woe betide anyone who fails to recognise this (or any of their half baked 'celebrities'.) And no doubt they will be supporting Oprah over her traumatic European experience, while the rest of the world looks on, scratching their heads at the rampant display of egomania.
Not to fear! Dai Jakes to the rescue! *Puts Jakes cape on* Here look (below), ive made a handbag just for Oprah...


Suits you madam

Bongo Bongo Land

They drink it in the Congo you know

I had to chip in to this affair if only because of the opportunity to have an interesting title and use the classic Um Bongo advert from the 80s.
Godfrey Bloom (UKIP) has come under fire for being filmed declaring that Great Britain should not send foreign aid to "Bongo Bongo Land". Result? Lots of angry people shouting and Tweeting like Billy-O, claiming racism and that Mr Bloom has brought shame on the country. One wrote: "the Alan Clark tradition is one of extreme right-wing comedy which is designed to provoke."
Does it though? Am I the only person who thinks this is massive fuss over nothing? Well no, actually I am not because an African lady called LBC radio and knocked the nail bang on the head when she said, "Bongo Bongo land is not offensive, certainly not as offensive as white liberals always jumping in to try and defend blacks." Well said lady, this really needed saying after hearing all the other pompous guff that has been said online over this.
I don't think for one minute that Godfrey meant anything malicious when he said "Bongo Bongo Land". Crikey the late Alan Clark used the words himself, and it didn't do him any harm. That was many years ago though, we have become too sensitive as the years piled up. And just to be clear here, there is no place for racism in the 21st century. Racism is abhorrent and belongs only in the minds of knuckle-draggers and thugs. But "Bongo Bongo Land"? No worse than calling us Welsh "sheep sh*ggers", or the Australians "convicts" (which I saw Tweeted often during the last Ashes cricket match. Well done on that victory too!)
Like I say, we have become too sensitive, too ready to be offended and spout faux outrage on Twitter and Youtube. I shudder to think where its all heading, especially being a poet/writer where I am making up new names/titles every day. I don't wish to live under a constant dread of offending somebody by using those newly created names. Respect different cultures by all means, its the civilised way but let's not get so worked up over silly, throwaway names that should never be able to provoke such anger in the first place. We will bitterly regret it if we do, mark my words.

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.