Tuesday, 8 December 2009

Glenn's Gripes 2 An Occasional Series

Absolute madness.


I recently read an article in the Daily Mail about the English Copper being given a 93-page book about riding a bike – pushbike that is; not a motorbike. This two volume, step-by-step guide, offers instructions as how to turn, stop and dismount safely; tips such as ‘avoid kerbs’ and also instructs Britain’s finest to eat and drink to avoid hunger – certainly comprehensive if nothing else. There followed a few days later, another article from the Warwickshire constabulary instructing its officers on communicating with people of different ethnic backgrounds. Amongst other amusing highlights are:


  • Don’t assume that words for the time of day such as Afternoon and Evening have the same meaning.
  • The word Homosexual is best avoided as it relates to sexual practice and not sexual orientation
  • Do not address anyone as ‘Boy’ or ‘Girl’ as it may cause offence – use Young Person instead.

Sadly, as humorous and pathetic as these things are it’s a reflection on the way Britain has gone and how we have lost our identity and individuality. We have a right to speak our own language in Britain and it’s down to other nations to accept it if they want to be there. I live in Japan and I would be laughed at to demand that people speak English here. The authorities would still be laughing as they carried me on the plane to send me home actually. Other countries don’t put up with this – why do we? The French – love them or loathe them – at least take to the streets to protest against something they don’t like. It may be over something trivial, but they do it. Us? We sit and take all this stuff up the arse and whinge down the pub or at work the next day.


Common sense around the world is dead and it officially died in the USA when some idiot didn’t realise that a hot coffee meant that it was ‘hot’, spilt it in their lap while driving, sued the proprietor and won. After that, it was fair game for all to make dumb claims. The law suits came flying in and no one stood up to it. Why? Because the dollar and power rule and that’s the reason that George W. Bush, despite starting a false war that has claimed thousands of lives, will never be tried for war crimes.


Thinking back, Mankind has achieved some amazing things in such a short period of time. It’s incredible to think that it was less than sixty-seven years between Wilbur and Orville’s first man powered flight in December 1903 and Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon in July 1969. Sixty-seven years is less than many human beings live on the earth. It’s less than the time between when you are reading this and the declaration of the end of the Second World War. For many of you reading this, it is less than the age of your parents.


Tempus Fugit: There is a whole generation of people out there that cannot comprehend the impact that the Beatles had on the world. Music, fashion, recording techniques, media coverage, privacy and almost everything else were forever changed innocently by Liverpool’s lovable Fab Four and that was only forty years ago. Those too young to remember the Beatles in their heyday, may, if they are lucky, recall where they were when John Lennon was assassinated in 1980. That was twenty-eight years ago and those who cannot remember it have probably never switched on a TV without a remote control much less recall black and white TV. Blimey, they are probably so naïve as to think that Michael Jackson is white (Oh oh! Call the racist police!).


I often hear people say that the years pass quicker the older you become but that’s not true. The years pass at the same speed, our own lives seem to pass quicker because advances in all aspects of life move at a faster rate and that rate is something we can’t keep up with. We now live in an accelerated world of technological advanced gizmos and gadgets. We eat processed foods that have more preservatives, pesticides and chemicals than our bodies can tolerate. Everything must be recyclable or disposable, it must be user friendly, ergonomically packaged and beneficial to our health. Those of us who don’t adhere to this are considered outcasts. We are considered non-conformist, slackers, losers, renegades and eco-unfriendly. We are not even given the honourable status of ‘Rebel’ any more.


The truth is, I love this planet and it is beautiful and the problem as I see it, is that the people with power and financial control don’t. They take, rape, steal, pillage and loot the one wonderful thing we all share for all it’s worth. They don’t give a damn. Multi-national corporations say they do, but they don’t. If they did and had a conscious, they would shut up shop. Easy for me to say they will reply, you don’t have fifty thousand employees dependent on your business decisions. I must admit the corporate executive in his New York office with expense account, company car and second home in Mantauk are correct on that point but here’s the other side: those people putting in ten hours a day earn a fraction of what you earn every year and really, Mr Corporate Man, are you more afraid of what they will lose or what you will lose? Be honest, do you even know one of their names of the nine-thousand+ in the canning factory? Be honest again, if it all folded tomorrow, would you worry where your next meal is coming from or how you will upgrade your yacht next year?


I don’t care how people’s perceptions of other people have changed over the years. Women want to be guys and guys want to be women. So what? Start reading your history books people – it’s been around a long time. What concerns me is common sense and the ability to think for ourselves.


We are force fed lies by the world’s media run by multi-billionaires who don’t care for Mother Earth unless there is a dollar in it for them. Those same billionaires are prepared to start or support wars for their own personal growth, ego and stature and if that’s all you have in life you sad sod, well I’m glad I’m not in your circle of hoity-toity knob-end friends who consider wealth, power and greed to be above friendship and honesty.


Money: They say you can’t take it with you and that’s true so to all you dear rich corporate God-loving people out there (Hey! - there's a thought... Didn't God despise money in the bible?) – read this last line and remember it as you slip off this earth into hell…


Every penny you have in the bank now, is going to be spent by someone else and it’s probably someone you don’t like.


Diddums.


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