Greatest … Of all time

Lists such as the 100 greatest anything are always subjective, and I’ve found it impossible to create a definitive list for publication as I make a list, say of the 100 greatest albums of all time, once it’s finished I’ll take time out to chill before reviewing the list. Then I’ll make amendments thinking this album is better than that. The list changes depending on my mood, time of day, what I’m listening to at that time, etc.

Does anyone else have these problems? I’m sure we all do but when there’s a deadline to meet then you have to come up with a list and live with it. Anyway, I dabbled briefly with artworks the other day and at the time I was going to give you my top 5, but for some reason I only put 4 in their and 3 of those were for the same album. Once I’d hit the publish button I realised my mistake but had already changed my mind. Here is my (current) list of the best, in MHO, of the 5 best album covers of, now at this moment in time, all time.

5 – David Bowie, The Man Who Sold The World

4 – Roxy Music, Country Life

3 – The Beatles, Revolver

2 – Roxy Music, Roxy Music

1 – The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Bubbling under these 5 at the moment are 2 by the Rolling Stones, 2 by Pink Floyd and 1 by P!nk to complete the top 10.

The elephant and the kangaroo

The elephant and a kangaroo were talking in the jungle one day, following elephants escape from the zoo.

What’s it like to fly, asked elephant loudly.

I don’t know said kangaroo, I’ve never mastered the art.

The elephant’s a funny bird,
It flits from bough to bough
It makes its nest in the rhubarb tree
And whistles like a cow.

The kangaroo’s a funnier beast
It floats on the wind like a kite
Don’t ask it to hang around
Because it just might

Kangaroo poo smells awful
Looks almost as good
If it lands on top of you it
Will do you no good.

I said Hello and I replied Hello

The width of a circle gave me tonight’s title, from David Bowie’s third album (his second rock album). The album was the Man Who Sold the World. The first copy I bought was the US import with this cover:

After wearing out this copy, I acquired a copy with the original uk artwork

Before I bought the most recognisable RCAVictor cover on cassette. Now it’s been remastered by EMI and is available in the cover with that “man-dress” featured.

Same album, three different covers and I think I prefer the current cover, however the album is still one I listen to. Not as often as I did but its still one of my top 100 album covers of all time, the top changes, but at the moment it’s being occupied by another glam artist, Roxy Music’s first album cover:

Here I go again

Following the holiday weekend, I’ve got a hospital appointment to discuss my next major operation but the DWP think I’m well enough to get a job. How many employers would be willing to take someone on for 6 to 8 months before letting them go off on the sick for anything up to 24 months? I can’t think of any either, that’s why I’m appealing against that decision.

My friend, who finds walking almost impossible, failed with his appeal as he, apparently, is not ill enough. He uses crutches to get around all the time and has never been over to see me as I live on the 1st floor with no lift.

Everyone knows that the benefit shake up and austerity measures imposed by this coalition are designed with the Tory desire to make those at the top of the tree better off at the expense of those at the bottom. They can’t be seen to make life easier for the wealthy minority so they are making those poor at the bottom worse off, after all, if a few or a few thousand, sick and disabled die who will care?

Less people then to vote against the Tories come election time. ‘Nuff said.

Just shows to go you

One quip as you play Devil’s Advocate and bang, you lose all your followers at a single stroke. I have been appalled, but not surprised, by the reaction of ordinary people and racists and bigots who have tried to burn mosques with innocent men, women and children inside. I think the police have to crack down on those involved as firmly and as swiftly as they have done with the militant Muslims. The Qoran, as does every Holy Book, preaches love, tolerance and understanding, exactly the same as the Bible followed by Christians everywhere.

I am not a religious person any more, but I will die to protect the rights of anyone to follow their chosen religion in safety, no matter what a minority of thugs claiming to follow their religion have done. This used to be a country opposed to Fascists and yet, it seems to me, Fascists are walking amongst us today.

All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing.

life lapse

the inked window

Birds mouths move, i hear nothing

i crunch into an apple, it’s tasteless

the sun shines on me, i feel no warmth

the ocean sparkles fifty shades of blue

i see grey trapped in this violent silence

time-lapsed world around me

life-lapsed disengaged body

breathing heart-beating

living but not alive

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Once more into the breach

After the events of the last few days, I think I need to lighten the mood of this blog of mine and I hope you’re still with me dear reader. In order to give you (and I) a chance to do this I will relate a tale my daughter shared.

A few weeks ago, she went to the cinema with a friend and 6 children, 4 of which are my grandchildren. Anyway, they decided which movie to go to with the children and duly bought the tickets. As money is tight, they’d bought sweets and drinks before going to the cinema. The eldest of my grandchildren decided he wanted popcorn to eat during the film and almost shouted loud enough to be heard outside the complex “Mam, we need some cockporn for the film!”

My daughter tried telling him it was popcorn not what he said and he was arguing with her by the shop area, with everyone listening to him getting louder and louder until the manager came over with a complimentary serving of popcorn and told this loud 9 year old that, yes, Mum was right it is popcorn. My daughter and her friend were blushing quite badly by this time so they thanked the manager and rushed off to find their screen.

I remember when my daughter was 2 or 3, my mum came to visit us in Basingstoke, where we were living, commenting on the state of the step at the front door, she grabbed a bucket of water and the hard brush and proceeded to clean it. My daughter, being curious as to the noise, went outside and demanded of her Gran, “What the f**k do you think you’re doing?” I was mortified but tried to cover it over while almost choking, so I didn’t laugh out loud. Mum did eventually come to blame my wife as she swore all the time, as did I (apart from when mum was with me). It could’ve easily been either of us she’d picked the bad language off.

I used to keep myself fit when I was younger, but since my illness became worse, I’ve been unable to exercise much. Because of this I’ve, naturally, put on several stones in weight. All the women reading this will probably know where I’m coming from when I say that the weight is easier to put on than take off. If anyone has any tips that don’t involve spending 2 hours a day at the gym I’d love to hear them. My food budgie, however, is limited to £25 per week owing to the bills I have to pay. Please don’t tell me to cut out things like bread, potatoes, or other veg as that forms the bulk of my diet.

Some people never can tell

I’m back again and wondering if anyone else saw the post on Facebook from an unknown person? I don’t have a Facebook account myself but I was told what it said by my daughter when she rang this evening.

Basically, this person was telling the dogs who come into our country to preach hatred, lies and half truths to make this country feel more like the one they left should turn around and go back there. We don’t need them, we don’t want them, and they would be no burden on our over stretched welfare system.

English should be the only language spoken, after all those immigrants from Jamaica, India and Pakistan who came over in the 50’s, as well as the Czech’s, Poles, Italians and French who have been coming here to live and work for over a century, all learned English. My mastery of other languages is non-existent but I try whenever I’m abroad to learn at least some phrases in whichever language the natives speak.

The thing is, people think I’m a racist, but I’m not. I couldn’t care less what colour someone’s skin is. The only thing I ask is that they follow their chosen beliefs without trying to ram it down our throats. I don’t try to convert them to paganism so why do they try to force me to become Muslim? Christians leave me alone and that’s all I ask of anyone. We have a multicultural society and that’s a good thing for anywhere. I enjoy myself without annoying anyone so why can’t others do the same?

If the Welsh, Irish and Scots have all learned English (some may speak there own brand of Gaelic when with others who understand it) why can’t those who come from the Middle East and seek asylum here? I believe the Australian President (or Prime Minister) is passing judgement on those seeking entry to Oz that English has to be spoken and understood before anyone can apply for citizenship. Quite right in my opinion. After all we get a lot of foreign students in the UK from Asia who have managed to learn English as well as get to grips with the subjects being taught in our Universities.

What is the big thing about hiding your face? Because most of the modern terrorists are Arabic Muslims (a minority we know as not all Muslims are terrorists, only a very small minority give us cause for concern) the Muslim communities feel they are being targeted, we have to let them know they can come here, work and pay taxes like the rest of us do and be welcomed into our community. However we will not give up our traditions, anymore than we would ask them to change for our sakes were we to move to the country they recently called home.

I think I’ve said enough, but the Muslim communities where these terrorists live must have an idea of who they are. We should encourage the majority to give up the minority living among them so we can all get along together.

No apologies part 2

I realise my words have upset some of the conspiracy brigade out there. For that I am sorry, for you and your misguided ideas that everything is a plot by all Governments to unite all people on the planet under some dictator and his oppressive regime. I have listened to the conspiracy rumours surrounding 9/11 and, for the most part, they don’t hold any water. I feel more sorrow for the fear felt by the children in school, where they should have felt safe but didn’t, as this atrocity took place outside a primary school, just before the end of their day.

I am a believer in non-violence but these animals take that as a sign of weakness and there are lots of decent people out there, Muslims as well, who are going to be wrongly targeted merely because a few rotten apples have tarnished their religion to try and overthrow Christianity.

I couldn’t care less about someone’s sexual inclinations, religious beliefs, skin colour, as long as they respect my right to live in this country which I was born in, in peace and with the same respect I show them. After all there is nothing stopping them from turning around if they don’t approve of our way of life and head back to whichever hell hole and rock they crawled out of because they sure as hell have never been anywhere civilised before coming here.

I make no apology for the statement made in either of these blogs. I know I’m not alone feeling enough is enough and if our leaders won’t act then what choice do we have? It’s come down to war being declared on our streets by a faceless invisible enemy to scared to show their true colours before they commit terrorist acts. I say bring them on, lets really give them something to fear and make them think twice about coming here and bringing their war mongering rhetoric to these great nations.

No apologies One Of Our Heroes Killed In London Is A Threat To Us All

Why is it that Muslim terrorists are allowed to knock down, kill and mutilate one of our heroes in the streets of London? Because our government are too frightened to act on suspicions from the security services in this country and the USA. We deserve better from our politicians than they have given us, and our brave men and women fighting on our behalf to keep these atrocities away from us here at home.

Decent law abiding citizens, Christian, Seikh and Muslim, who are looking to our leaders to act swiftly to bring these animals to justice will not stand by too often when these terrorist dogs go out on a killing spree. These were not the only 2 jihadists who have been corrupted by the lies perpetrated by the likes of Abu Qatada, as well as fighting a war on terror in the Middle East, I say we take it to the cowardly dogs at home as well. Arm our soldiers at home and give them the authority needed to react with deadly force to any perceived threat. Arm our police, as those in other countries are armed and allow them to use deadly force against anyone, regardless of colour, creed or indoctrination, who is threatening the lives of innocent civilians.

We no longer have the death penalty in this once Great country of ours, that’s why those dogs killed on the streets of London a HERO, 20 years old without giving him a chance to defend himself.

We, the decent people of this country, not only despise these terrorists but, if no-one else will take them on and will be prepared to use deadly force to stop them WE WILL TAKE MATTERS, AND THIS FUCKING WAR OF THEIRS, RIGHT BACK AT THEM WHEREVER THEY MAY BE FOUND!