Once upon a time a man was left drifting flowing in fields of dolemite after dark shadows had called with cruel fists that left him beaten and broken.
He'd daily pay a visit to a bottle his new warm and beloved friend that left him confined to his cage where he would sleep through raging storms creating his own inner salvation.
Tremble under blazing suns
tossing and turning twisting and churning mulling things over through the days and nights, shivering in summer steaming in winter.
Following paths shaped with disorder where God never called, unhinged by confusion
and too much drink.
one day something changed he grasped for something fresh tingling with reparation he began to persist started again to smell freedoms taste.
With practice, he learnt to play again go once more outside into the world to follow again, the delicate steps of breathing to dance again with the wild glow of tomorrow to try and shake of the residues of sorrow.
inhaling now, the sweet blossoms of the morning, in trust again, with the whirling vastness of life
May the 25th is African Liberation Day. African Liberation Day was founded in 1958 when Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana convened the First Conference of Independent States held in Accra, Ghana and attended by 8 Independent African Sates. Kwame Nkrumah
April 15 was declared African Freedom Day. Between 1958 and 1963, 17 countries in Africa won their Independence. On May 25th 1963, thirty-one African Head of State convened a summit meeting to found the Organisation of African Unity (OAV). They remamed African Freedom Day to 'African Liberation Day' and changed its date to May 25th. To mark each year onward and the progress of the Liberation Movements and to symbolize, the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from 500 years of the most brutal suffering known to humanity, the rape of Africa and the subsequent slave trade, which cost Africa in excess of 100,000,000 of her children, the masses of African People singurlarly, seperately, individually, in small disconnected groupings had said, 'enough' to years of foreign domination, colonisation and exploitation. Not a day for merrymaking , but for one of sober reflection. It continues to contribute to the struggle to raise the level of political awareness and organisation in African communities worldwide.It hs also been a source of information about the struggles for liberation and development. Many organisations use an outline of the map of Africa, as a feature to symbolise the day. Pan-African colors , which are widely used for the day, come in different sets of three colors, the green, gold and red colors used in the red flag of Ghana, and the red, black and green colors adopted by the American based Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA), For more information on African Liberation Day visit the African Liberation Day website https://africanliberationday.net/
The Spanish Civil War, that dark passage of history remains a period that the Spanish people still show great reluctance to talk about, as memories still cling in the minds of survivors who lost loved ones due to fascist atrocities.
Today on the 25th May 1938, Italian fascist bombers with the full blessing of Fascist General Franco of Spain, launched an attack on Alicante which is remembered as one of the deadliest aerial missions of the Spanish Civil War.
After the Aragon Offensve, Franco wanted to eliminate the Republican maritime commerce and destroy th Republican morale and he authorized the Italian Aviazone and the German Legion Condo to undertake indiscriminate bombings of the cities, Valencia, Barcelona, Alicante, Granollers , other Spanish towns and cities were also bombed.
25 May 1938, was a busy day in Alicante, one of the last cities still loyal to the Republican Government, the busy market bristling with activity and life, when more than 90 high explosive bombs were dropped from the sky on the central market at 11.am in the morning. It emerged as one of the first deliberate ,cowardly, unprovoked attack against civilians during the Spanish Civil War. Te anti-aircraft artillery in the city were obsolete and the air-larm system of the city did not work,
In the aftermath of thee bombings there were between 275 and 393 civilian deaths, manly women and children, with a 1,000 left wounded. Which was as many as those killed in Geurnica. 6 days later the city of Granoller was bombed too , leading to a death toll estimated too betwee 100 and 224 as not all missing adfter the aaack were ever found. The bombings provoked protests in London.
For many millions of tourists who visit Spain every year, the war, and the injustices that sprung from it are still largely unknown. I for one will try to remember it's legacy and the evils of fascism.
For 75 years there was nothing to mark this terrible injustice, to remember what was done in the name of fascism .However in May 2013 anti-fascists were allowed to lay down a fitting tribute in the facade of the new market. This was subsequently vandalised, such is the extent that some still do not want the past to be remembered.
The message on the plaque reads " In homage to the citizens vilely murdered. For them , for the young people of yesterday, for those that did not make it, for the young people of today and tomorrow."
Huge congratulations to friends in Ireland, for winning equal LGBT marriage yesterday! Still a long way to go until we wipe out bigotry and prejudice based on gender and sexuality of this planet. But we won't stop fighting.**** the bigots, spread the love .
Food waste is morally unacceptable when their are people starving. In a year a supermarket like Tesco's admits that 28,000 tons of food to waste was generated in its stores and distribution centres in just 6 months. And this just the tip of the iceburg when added to what other supermarkets throw out. How many could this have fed? A great deal of this food is still perfectly edible, for ***** sake! If we did not live in a profit obsessed capitalist society this simply would not happen. "We make less money if people got some of our food for free " is the main argument why food is being wasted.But Capitalist companies that cannot make a profit on a commodity, would rather scrap it it than give it away, and allow the poor to eat, because there would be no profit in this. Then again if we did not live in a capitalist society, poverty would not be such a problem either. We must stop these scandulous levels of foodwaste, 50% of edible and healthy food is routinely wasted, and serves as a symbol of what is so wrong in our society. Rather than wasting millions of pounds worth of food that is still usable, why not make supermarkets donate their leftover produce that are still safe to eat to food banks. Encourage existing customers to donate towards a delivery service to needy people in their area on the delivery run. Is it not time to end this supermarket waste scandal So please consider signing the following petition or just simply take away for free what they do not want http://secure.38degrees.org.uk/food-banks
Right my posts are going to be getting rather quieter from this day on, as I'm going on a short break. I might post a few things while away, and on my return, not sure how often , I will post in the future, I will have a little think. All the best heddwch/peace.
A million years ago, perhaps more, another universe was possibly known, floating above the earths crust, deep, deep in space, stoned us, kept us in our place, with lightning strikes, instead of weapons, it hits the earth with empirical devotion, from the cosmos, arrived transcendental, in spirals of space time continuam, before the beginnings of blind faith, and the tears of evolution.
Not the first time either, this is meant to be a news organisation without an agenda. In a ruling the BBC''s editorial committe agreed with complainants that an online BBC article about Gazas tunnels http:///bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28430298 breached the organisations accuracy guidelines, but Eadot Hechts propaganda piece ( minus the word 'independent' in his biographical note ) remains on the BBC website..
Also this week, the World Service programme Business matters http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02r6sndis running a programme every day from Israel and the Occupied territories, which again contains much innacuracy. Israel did not pull out of Gaza in 2005, Israel remains the occupying power in Gaza and is recongnised as such by the UN and international governments. Hamas did not take over Gaza it was elected to govern. Israel did not close down its borders with Gaza because Hamas 'is committed to its destruction' but as part of its policy of occupation.etc etc
The Palestinian people are under occupation, or in exile, millions living as refugees. A programme like this does not make any sense unless these basic facts are explained. The BBC cannot keep making programmes about Gaza where Israel lies are presented as fact by a BBC presenters.
There are no comparable articles commissioned by the BBC from Palestinian or Pro Palestinian commentators, in which they are given carte blanche to set out their point of view. This a privilege afforded by the BBC only to Israels spokespeople and until now these spokespeople have taken full advantage of this freedom across the BBC output, whether broadcast or online.
Israels propaganda time and time again is given prominence on the BBC whose news programmes reach 81% of the UK audience
It is hoped that two ECU rulings will go some way to pushing back these privileges and introducing something that resembles professional journalism in the BBC's coverage of Israels ongoing occupation of the Palestinian people.
Please dont be silent. Make your voice heard. Please make an official complaint to the BBC everytime you see a whiff of bias. It's our service, they need to be challenged.
The remarkable inspirational Hetty Bower died on the 20th May 2013 at the age of 108. From the First World War to the day she died she was a tireless campaigner for peace and justice, who was still marching and joining demonstrations well into her second century.
For Hetty the myth of ‘our brave boys’ going off to fight the enemy
was quickly dispelled when she saw disabled and limbless servicemen
returning during World War I. She had met people who were committed to
not killing and seen how badly conscientious objectors were treated in
1918. She became and remained a pacifist.
Ina lifetime of campaigns she was
involved in the General Strike campaign in the 1920s, she could recall
the "battle of Cable Street" in 1936 when fascists were stopped from marching
through east London. During the Second World War, During the war, with two young daughters to care for, she volunteered to
help at the offices of the Czech Refugee Trust Fund and subsequently
ended up running a Czech Refugee Hostel in North London for Trade
Unionists, Socialists, Communists, Jews and anyone else they could get
out of Czechoslovakia during that period. She was also a founding member of the Campaign For Nuclear
Disarmament, and a veteran of many other progressive causes, joining the anti-war protests over Iraq. An activist to the very end.
She said: "I have
lived for a very long time and I have a very good memory. I've lived
through two world wars and I have spent most of my adult life working
for peace on our planet. I don't think human beings are civilised while
we still waste time and money killing each other, when we should be
sitting at a table discussing how to improve the lives of ordinary
people."
The new Conservative Government will apparently continue their cull of badgers, regardless of complaints from the public. One thing, the Conservatives have proved time and time and again is their arrogant indifference and callous disregard to our wildlife, let alone, people. The savage immorality of them, must be stopped. As they plan to waste an obscene amount of money on this senseless cull, whilst at the same time planning £12 billion of new welfare cuts. It is simply ridiculous logic.
The Defra Press office has confirmed that Lord Gardiner has been appointed as their Lords minister for DEFRA, former Deputy Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance,http://markavery.info/2015/05/18/really/ yes this says, clearly where their heart really lies. However hard you look, you will never find a trace of compassion under their skin.
I would urge you all, to send a little message, surely our countryside would be better served by lovely badgers, than, the roaming virus of Tory destruction.
I say save the badgers, cull all Tories
Today marks the tragic anniversary of the suicide of Ian Curtis, the mercurial, singer and lyricist of the band Joy Division.after struggling with depression and epilepsy throughout his life. A lot of my formative years were spent listening to his songs, and in a roundabout way, introduced me to the work of such fascinating literary writers like William Burroughs and J G Ballard. Words meant a lot to him as they do to me.
He left behind at the young age of 23, a wife and daughter and for many the whiff of sadness, but also left a musical legacy of much genius and musical depth.that continues to illiuminate.
I still dig out his records, and find them the opposite to the labels put on them, like depressing and bleak, I genuinely find them uplifting. His poetic magnificence and majesty of his lyrics matched by his compelling stage presence as front man of Joy Division reveasaled his one of talent.
Here are a few of my favourites songs of his. His absence still resonates with many, gone but not forgotten. Love, love does not need to tear us apart .
"Reality is only a term, based on values and well worn principles, whereas the dream goes on forever."
'Existence is.. well.. what does it matter? I exist on the best terms I can. The past is now part of my future. The present is well out of hand.” --Ian Curtis:
Joy Division - Transmission (1978)
Radio, live transmission.
Radio, live transmission.
Listen to the silence, let it ring on.
Eyes, dark grey lenses frightened of the sun.
We would have a fine time living in the night.
Left to blind destruction,
Waiting for our sight.
And we would go on as though nothing was wrong
And hide from these days we remained all alone.
Staying in the same place, just staying out the time.
Touching from a distance,
Further all the time.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance,dance. dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Well I could call out when the going gets tough.
The things that we've learnt are no longer enough.
No language that we've learnt are no longer enough.
No language, just sound, that's all we need know, to synchronise
love to the beat of the show.
And we could dance
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio.
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio.
New Dawn fades (1979)
A change of speed, a change of style.
A change of scene ,with no regrets,
A chance to watch, admire the distance,
Still occupied, though you forget.
Different colours, different shades,
Over each mistakes were made.
I took the blame.
Directionless so plain to see,
A loaded gun won't set you free.
So you say.
We'll share a drink and step outside,
An angry voice and one who cried,
Well give you everything and more,
The strains too much, can't take much more.
Oh, I've walked on water, run through fire,
Can't seem to feel it anymore.
It was me, waiting for me,
Hoping for something more.
Me, seeing me this time, hoping for something else.
Shadowplay (1979)
To the centre of the city, where all roads meet, waiting for you,
To the depths of the ocean when all hopes sank, searching for you,
I was moving through the silence without motion, waiting for you,
In a room with a window in the corner I found truth.
In the shadowplay, acting out your own death, knowing no more,
As the assassins all grouped in four lines, dancing on the floor,
And with the cold steel, odour on their bodies made a move to connect,
But I could only stare in disbelief as the crowds all left.
I did everything, everything I wanted to,
I bet them use you for their own ends,
To the centre of the city in the night, waiting for you,
To the centre of the city in the night, waiting for you.
Love will tear us apart (1980)
When routines bites hard,
and ambitions are low,
And resentments rides high,
But emotions won't grow
And were changing our ways, taking different roads.
Then love, love will tear us apart again,
Love, love will tear us apart again.
Why is the bedroom so cold?
You've turned away on your side.
Is my timing that flawed?
Our respect runs so dry.
Yet there's still this appeal that we've kept through our lives.
But love, love will tear us apart again,
Love, love will tear us apart again.
You cry out in your sleep,
All my feelings exposed.
And there's a taste in my mouth,
As desperation takes hold.
Just that something so good just can't function no more.
But love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love, will tear us apart again.
Love, love, will tear us apart again,.
Love, love , will tear us apart again.
