Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Astor Piazzolla, they do not play the same piece twice, they improvise, they adapt.
When on X-Factor or Britain (ain’t) Go Talent, and they say he-she-they has made the song their own, I think no, they have produced a pathetic copy of the original, added nothing to it, and so why bother.
I often attend musical performances in Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife. Some are great, they hold me spellbound, but too often I sit there bored stiff, wondering why I am there, as the musicians go through the motions, no enthusiasm. I wonder who is more bored, me or them. I feel like screaming at them, improvise.
We have all seen them, lunatics on the street, lost souls, raving to no one in particular and the world at large. That is the image I have of Tony Blair. Maybe it is a rehearsal for when he is finally and long overdue put on trial for war crimes, he lacks the mental capacity to plead.
Why oh why does the mainstream media keep giving this war criminal a soap box? The latest being The Observer.
This is the third time in as many weeks, the mainstream media has granted Tony Blair a platform from which to attack Jeremy Corbyn.
There is a new phenomenon in politics or perhaps the revival of an old one. But whatever it is, it is powerful. Someone said to me the other day re Corbyn mania: “You just don’t get it.” I confess they’re right. I don’t get it, but I’m trying hard, and I read with care Rosie Fletcher’s passionate piece in praise of Jeremy Corbyn in last week’s Observer.
The Corbyn thing is part of a trend. So Donald Trump leads the field of Republican candidates with thousands at his meetings, despite remarks about women and Mexicans that you might think would be a disqualification in a nation where half the voters are women and Latinos, the fastest growing group of voters.
Bernie Sanders is wowing the Democrats on a platform that wouldn’t carry more than a handful of states. The SNP win a landslide in Scotland after the collapse of the oil price means that the course they advised the Scottish people to take last year would have landed the country in the economic trauma unit.
The former Greek prime minister led in the polls on a bailout programme significantly harsher than that of the government he put out of office precisely on the issue of the bailout. Marine Le Pen rides high in France advocating an extreme nationalism combined with a quasi-socialist economic policy, with small business appeal, when, let us say, the historical precedents for such a combination aren’t exactly comforting.
Blair still does not get it why Labour was wiped out in Scotland. The Indy Ref politicised the population, and there is no putting that genie back in the bottle.
It is not SNP that has caused the world oil price to drop. It is various factors, economic slowdown, Saudi Arabia flooding the market with oil to force the price down and bankrupt Russia.
Blair lacks any understanding of the situation in Greece. Syriza was swept to power in Greece with a mandate to oppose austerity, oppose the neo-liberal agenda. The Greek people gave a massive NO in the referendum, their proposals were radical, forward thinking, on how to reform Greece, put the country back on its feet, write off the debt, but, they were crushed by the EU which could not tolerate dissent.
Tony Blair rants Jeremy Corbyn is taking us into Alice in Wonderland. I quite like Alice in Wonderland.
But who is lost to the fairies, who fabricated a pack of lies to attack Iraq, who had a dodgy dossier, who told us that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction that could be launched within forty-five minutes?
Tony Blair epitomises the venal politician, his hands are dripping with the blood of the dictators he associates with. His legacy is the Middle East set on fire, the rise of ISIS, immigrants flooding onto the EU.
Members of the Labour Establishment, now resigned to a Jeremy Corbyn win, are saying they will give him 18 months, that his leadership will be on their terms. One of Liz Kendall’s backers speaking on the awful Westminster Hour talked of loyalty.
Who do these people think they are? Jeremy Corbyn has massive backing from the British public who see a once in a lifetime opportunity to change the political establishment. If sections of the Labour Establishment do not like, it, especially Labour MPs, they have a simple choice, accept the will of the people, or face de-selection.
Labour still have not got their collective head around why they were wiped out in the General Election in May.
Tweedledee v Tweedledum. No one could tell the difference. Either find something better to do than visit the Polling Station and legitimise a corrupt system, or of you want Tory then vote Tory.
Four Labour leadership contenders, Jeremy Corbyn offering real choice, speaking to packed meetings across the country, three who represent the Establishment businesses as usual, no one can tell them apart, their policy, we do not like Jeremy Corbyn.
We keep being told Jeremy Corby is unelectable, even though all the evidence is to the contrary.
The latest self-selecting readers poll in the Mirror puts Labour with Jeremy Corbyn to win the Election in 2020 at 81% yes and 19% no.
Phenomenal live performance by Charlotte Church accompanied by string ensemble Ligeti Quartet of This bitter earth outside Shell HQ in London in protest at Shell drilling for oil in the Arctic.
I can’t see how anyone could see footage of the Arctic melting and not feel moved. It’s terrifying to think of what we’re doing to this planet. This song just felt so appropriate to why I came here today. I wanted to capture the sorrow and regret that feels tied up with the melting ice, and the bitter irony of Arctic oil drilling.
I can’t believe the risks that Shell is willing to take. The Arctic ecosystem is already weakened because the ice is melting, yet Shell is willing to risk an oil spill there that they wouldn’t be able to clean up. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Shame on Obama for granting Shell a licence to drill, and only serves to expose his hypocrisy when he says he wishes to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Just over a week ago Shell got the final permits it needs to start drilling for oil in the melting Arctic Ocean. It’s got a window of mere weeks to strike oil and billions of dollars on the line. But every second it drills it’s risking an oil spill in icy waters that would be impossible to clean up and disastrous for the people and unique wildlife that call the Arctic home.
If we are to keep global temperature rise below 2C, 80% of known deposits of oil and coal and gas have to be left in the ground, and yet Shell is exploring for more in one of the world’s most hazardous environments.
Sadly something of a washout. It rained all afternoon, at times heavy torrential rain.
On arrival, after a wander around the garden and grounds, delicious Indian food off Curries from Home. I had wanted chickpea, I got chicken, but I was ok with that.
Dogs running around like crazy.
Most of the time in one of the marques. One was lined with a long table for people to sit and eat and chat, the other straw bales to listen to the live music.
Varied live music, a guy on guitar and vocals when I arrived, then a duo a girl singing, a guy on acoustic guitar. Then a trio, a girl on vocals, guy on guitar and another on drums. They were very talented. I had a chat when they were leaving, and suggested if they recorded anything, for tracks or work in progress, use soundcloud, for albums, use bandcamp. I suggested they contact Godalming Town Council and express an interest in performing at Staycation Live next year, if not the bandstand, then certainly the cloisters, as they were better than most of the acts this year.
I suggested to Lou, Jewelia if available for next year.
One thing I find, and what I am finding everywhere, I found the same at Staycation Live in Godalming, the excitement and interest in Jeremy Corbyn and that people wish him well. It only shows how out of touch is the political establishment with the ordinary people.
Interesting conversation with the guy handling the drinks. Capitalism has ran its course, we must move to postcapitalism. Continued growth, is incompatible with a finite planet, it is ether capitalism or the planet. The market does not work, we saw that with the banking crisis of 2008, which trigged and economic crisis and now a social crisis. We bailed out the banks, no strings attached, obscene bonuses for bankers, and we now face the same again, only this time there will be no bail out. Austerity used as shock doctrine, slash and burn of public services. welfare cuts, library closures. If the marginal cost of things tends to zero, there are no price signals. Price is a signal to the future. The value of oil companies should be low because they cannot recover most of their oil reserves to keep global temperature rise below 2C. In essence they are overvalued. The share price does not reflect this.
I had seconds off Curries from Home, this time I did get chickpea curry, though they added some chicken and a vegetables. Last year they ran out of food, this year food left as not many people. I suggested for next year Godalming Food Festival and Staycation Live, contact Godalming Town Council.
The Old Vicarage is at the back of Farnham Parish Church. It borders onto Manor Field and Bishop’s Meadow. Information was on hand on Bishop’s Meadow Trust and members there to answer questions.
Sadly not many people. Not really a day for a garden party, but those who made the effort, rain or no rain, enjoyed themselves.
I stayed until night, then walked to Farnham Station and caught the train.
Many thanks to Lou for hosting in her lovely garden.
During my recent trip to NYC I was able to work once again with producer Johnny Nice at Spin Studios on an enigmatic song I wrote called IN MY SHADOW. A song made up of a simple three part movement that includes a cameo by the great thespian Charlie Chaplin, IN MY SHADOW is a reflection of oneself and/or an assessment of one’s personality disorder over the course of a lifetime, it all depends on who’s shadow you’re looking at.
In my shadow by K’noup.
In my shadow I’m a poltergeist.
In my shadow it’s just a way of life.
To always see yourself in vein.
In my shadow I’m accused of rain.
In my shadow I’m just statuesque.
In my shadow kissing a woman’s neck.
She’s always clinging onto me.
In my shadow I’m barely me.
I’m calling to you where it hurts, may your kindness go to bed.
I’m calling to you while it hurts, like a dying good ole friend.
I’m calling to you love.
I’m calling to you my dying good ole friend.
I popped in this Thai takeaway last week in Guildford and had Thai Green curry. It was excellent,and I decided to repeat the experience today.
I ordered Thai green curry. First in the pot rice, then the Thai green curry, then added a little broccoli and cauliflower, then a couple of spring rolls (though not in the pot).
I walked down to the Castle Grounds and enjoyed my meal.
The Thai green curry seeps down into the rice, adding extra flavour to the rice.
Whilst the weather is fine, this Thai takeaway will be where I will eat, or at least where I will order and take into the Castle Grounds.
Next time I will try one of the other dishes.
Located at the top of Guildford High Street, near Oxfam and Maplin.
My only criticism, plastic forks, brittle and liable to break and not good for the environment. Wooden forks would be better.
A chat with the helpful girl in Waterstone’s. The book I am after, or maybe after, Change Everything, not in stock. An intelligent algorithm would see what is being asked for, not in stock, and place at least one copy in stock. I could order, if do not like, they will place on the shelves.
Today, market first. Then have to carry around, on the other hand, I do not miss the market at the end of the day. Market was quote busy.
Food for Thought, coconut, shell hacked off, then shrink-wrapped in plastic. This is obscene, and means coconut is six times the price of a coconut.
Tourist information now have an app, or at least there is an app, download and install and provides a guide to Guildford. Surprisingly no one knows anything about it.
My idea would be to record on location, could be music, spoken word, then upload to bandcamp. Can then have free downloads (limited to 200 a month) or pay-what-you-like, which if people do pay, more free downloads per month.
With a dedicated apps, could have images, video, as well as sound.
Posters outside Holy Trinity, concert tonight, only when I look at the date, concert is Saturday. Something amiss.
Not many people realise, Mormon Sisters. Work for 18 months. I was surprised to find in Oxfam. Usually they are on the street. A very pleasant girl. Only one, they usually work in pairs, to ensure not led astray. The other one was in the back.
Last week, very enjoyable takeaway from the Thai takeaway S & M 2 Go at the top of the High Street (near Oxfam shop and Maplin). Excellent Thai green curry. I had the same today, which I took to the Castle Grounds to eat. Whilst the weather is pleasant, this is where I will eat, or at least pick up to take elsewhere to eat. I also picked up Revolution which I left last week.
M&S to finish my shopping before it closed. Too late to catch a train, back to Castle Grounds and catch later train. Catch later train with seconds to spare.
There is though a flaw in in his explanation of what could be called Classical Quantitative Easing, yes, the money did flow to the banks, yes, it did then flow into the stock market, into commodities like gold, but it did not trickle down into the real economy. The only beneficiaries were the rich who got richer and the bankers with bigger bonuses.
The problem is, the rich do not spend money, they hoard money.
Had the money been given to the poor, it would have been spent in the real economy because the poor are always living on the edge.
Quantitative Easing is simply a fancy phrase for creating money out of nothing. So far £375 billion.
Jeremy Corbyn is proposing a People’s Quantitative Easing, which would be spent on amongst other things much needed investment in railways (in public ownership).
So far so good. But there is an underlying problem, Quantitative Easing may not work a second time. I will not attempt to explain why here. Paul Mason explains why in PostCapitalism.
There is another problem. We have hit the limits to growth. A good explanation in Sacred Economics.
There is also a fundamental economic problem. Economic cycles of 50 year cycles, Kondratieff Wave, an up cycle of 25 years, a down cycle of 25 years. We are currently in the down cycle, which has lasted longer than expected.
Since 1973, debt as percentage of GDP has increased across all G20 countries.
I had not intended to eat at Diwali, I was actually on my way to the Coop to get something to eat, but as I passed by Diwali, I saw it was banquet night (also Sunday night) and decided to give it a try.
Nicely laid out, starched white table clothes, folded napkins on the tables.
I was shown to a table.
Then began a very long wait.
Eventually my order was taken, then another very long wait.
I was brought a starter, but no appetiser had preceded it. I let them know when they took away my cleaned plate.
It was probably around half past eight when I finally got my main course. I had walked in not long after seven o’clock.
During my long wait, I noticed wrong meals and drinks being delivered to the wrong tables.
Around the time I got my main course, the couple on the next table got their main course (I learnt later they had been there since seven o’clock). The lady had to repeatedly ask for items that were missing that she had ordered or had asked for.
The food was so so, nothing special. Better than the Indian food served at The Queen Hotel in Aldershot which looks disgusting and is disgusting, but not in the same league as Zaffron in Farnborough.
Presentation was fine.
Portion size was large.
When I got my bill, there was something wrong with it. It showed VAT at zero, which could not possibly be correct.
I paid, the bill and my money was taken away. No change was returned to my table. My drinks and the free chocolate that had been delivered with my bill, were also taken away.
Service was unbelievably bad. It was as though they had only opened that night, as the staff did not have a clue.
Not somewhere I would recommend.
Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor is becoming meaningless. Diwali has a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, which is not deserved.
Ranked No 5 on TripAdvisor. What does that say for the other restaurants in the locality?
It wasn’t meant to be like this, one member one vote. The system had been a third Labour Party, a third Labour MPs, a third Trade Unions, who would collectively decide the leader of the Labour Party, or in other words, a stitch up by vested interests.
Open it up to the members, one member one vote. The mainstream media could be relied upon to tell people how to vote, if not, Labour Party Establishment would step in and tell people how to vote.
Only it is not working. Mischief makers have joined, hundreds of thousands of mischief makers have joined, and they are determined to elect a mischief maker.
Hundreds of thousand have joined, because they see a once in a lifetime opportunity to break the stranglehold of the political establishment, to make politics work for ordinary people not for a corrupt elite.
The ordinary people were written off as apathetic, had no interest in politics.
Now there is a witch hunt taking place, mischief makers, those liking to vote the wrong way, must be weeded out. A McCarthy witch-hunt.
Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist party?
Labour Party witch hunt:
Have you ever had any association with any other party, criticised the Labour Party or been involved in any radical activity?
Are you likely to vote for Jeremy Corbyn?
Barred from the election include students, activists, film-maker Ken Loach, satirists Jeremy Hardy and Mark Steel.
Mark been prevented from voting in a Labour Movement election as an affiliated member. I'm very interested to hear the reasons. #LabourPurge
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