The Ramblings of a Mad Man - Part Three of 3.33333333(recurring)

To tell you the honest truth; I haven't got the guts to Google "What happened between series two & three of Red Dwarf?". Why did Kryten reappear so casually, why was Holly replaced by Hilly & where did those Starbug things come from? That's not to mention the vast interior decoration job that took place between the two episodes.

As an adult, having grown up alongside the commercial internet, I'm finding it to be making me more dubious by the day. Do you remember a time when comment sections & forums weren't full of nit pickers & trolls? No, me either... I used to enjoy it to be fair. As an adult I crave for real grit, content, information, maybe even something interesting to tell the kids one day. Instead, most of the "fun" places online are crammed full of crap, crud & quite frankly bullshit. From the simple "10 eggs with funny faces" to "Paul McCartney died in the 60's", it's stopped being funny now. Too many people have caught me being gullible...

As a busker who became a songwriter who became an entertainer, I cringe at the notion that a good proportion of my career is net-bound. I'd prefer to have the phone ringing off the wall, be in the presence of people, play where the party's at. Call me a cynic but any time spent on a device during that experience is a ball ache. Then again, here I am on a big one instead of out there making friends...

Do you ever feel like there's a force in your life that's entirely diverting away from what you want to do with yourself? Do you ever feel like what you think you want to do isn't actually what you want to do? Do you worry that you might miss out either way? 

Google it.

The Ramblings of a Mad Man - Part One of Four Million, Six Hundred Thousand & Twenty Nine

Most recently (recently, meaning within the last six months), my friend Lauren - an avid writer herself - urged me to write a blog in autonomous fashion (writing without thinking too much, y'know?). Well Lauren, get your filthy claws out of my best friend you petulant wench!! Oh, & I wrote you a blog...

I sit here amongst a third of a lifespan's junk & sentiment, imagining how it got so messy. Here I was minding my own business, only to find some amorphous figure known as "25 years", drinking my tea & commenting on my dress-sense. Me, me, me... I think the problem lies somewhere there, doesn't it? It's become apparent to ME that the old ways of compassion, cooperation & empathy have adapted as much as I have; much in the same respect. Narcissism reigns supreme over a generation plagued by technology. In yesteryear, if something had spread as quickly as the internet, people would have burnt it & buried it... preferably side by side to create countryside boobies. The trick seems to be; only empty the ashtrays if it comes to it & only tidy up if injury occurs. I'd like to say "I used to be so clean & tidy, I've fallen so far from grace. Woe is me!". Unfortunately, maintenance has never been my strong suit. Neither has grace.

My Dad says to me; "Your problem is, you've figured it out. You know every inch of every step you have to take & yet you always try to find a way around." Damn right Dad, my legs hurt from lack of exercise! Seriously though, I'm my own worst enemy... Someone else recently proposed "You're self-absorbed & full of shit". They weren't wrong & indeed I've noticed it in myself. Similar statements have reared their heads more so these last few years. For a while there I assumed I was a good person with only the best as heart, making an ass of you AND me. Turns out narcissism is contagious & good will is relative.

Don't you hate it when you're starting a new job, or school or making your way through the pearly gates & someone gives you THAT look!? You know the look... To you it's; "YOU'RE A MUG & I'LL TURN THE WHOLE WORLD AGAINST YOU!!". To them it's probably something more like; "Who is this guy? Is he going to disgrace me!? I'll tell my mum...". Something like that anyway. The point is, without an inherent sense of empathy & understanding, we're all a bit screwed.

Positivity is one of the most important things for us to attempt, even if we're not wired for it. True say, yeah; We're all organic manifestations or energy, cascading in universal power. You dig? What I'm trying to say is; when it boils down to it, you're not working in admin & doing the washing up. You're expressing the unending flow of the universe. Even if that sounds nuts, it might do you to know that particle physicists would agree. There's a huge gap in understanding that tells us science & spiritualism (or Church & Skate for any noFX fans out there) are completely different things. Even in my addled state I can see two professions following a different methodology. Then again, if we can't get Christians & Muslims to quietly eat dinner together & biologists from throwing wine in everyone's faces (trying to get a reaction), how are we supposed to unite mankind? Plus, Einstein & Buddha have both sprung this mortal coil - meaning any ideas of an amicable tea party are long gone.

In my madness I started following a webinar (seminar for agoraphobics) on "How to be Successful in the New Music Industry!!1!". Never the sceptic, I throw myself straight in for an hour & fourty-five minutes of lecturing & note-taking. Bear in mind that through my studies elsewhere, I've grown to know just about everything there is to know about what these people were calling "the OLD music industry". Fifty minutes in I'm nodding my head like an idiot - lapping it up like the soppy flannel I am. In any case, she finally gets to the point... "My secret ingredient to my special sauce is.... *drum roll*... FACEBOOK ADS!!!!!". I sigh & get ready to give up on the whole thing, thinking "No shit Sherlock - what's your actual point!?" See, for anyone in the know, it's no secret that if you have a basic understanding of who you're selling to & enough of a budget to throw at your Facebook page, you will start to see a return. It works, yay skippy... can I have a budget now please? Long story long; she was selling courses on how to improve your Facebook ads. What's the point you say? There was none... Maybe that I'm gullible & have too much time on my hands?

In conclusion - between you, me & the gatepost - I'm a little bit worried about the EU thing. I don't understand a lot about it other than the universe must be bored shitless to come up with all that hassle. Tomorrow at work, or school or hanging ten in Shangri La - turn to the person next to you & tell them they're just a figment of something special. I'm not sure what will happen but that's the beauty of life. Turns out there is a literal calculation for human action & reaction within the known universe (abiding by common science). Who knew that all them lab coats could figure out such a thing as fate, or dare I say it, destiny! Which, by the way, was an awful example of a well-coded MMORPG. Nuff said.

I'm Billy Nomad & welcome to my head...

Goodnight.

DISCLAIMER: I am as mad as I appear to be in writing, I've simply chosen a style of writing that accentuates that madness to provide entertainment for my fellows. I am not in any way dangerous but at no point should you attempt to feed me, stroke me or send me to "live on a farm". I will not have it.

P.S. Lauren tends to make a bit more sense than me. Check her out at https://lozzmagozz.wordpress.com/

Absence Makes The Heart Something Something...

Long time no see...

I suppose you'll be wondering "Just where have you been!?", "What have you been doing!?" & "Why do people keep on comparing you to *insert fascist dictator here*!?".

The answers are simple, yet the destination isn't important (or so I've been told). The adventure itself is too long and tenuously set to supply you with the desired finished product. But, I will try my hardest to deliver. Having spent the weekend camping in the rain with four other negatively charged writers, I'm feeling somewhat inspired.

Here goes.

Last year, along with a small group of friends & associates, I set about planning the final stages of a project that had taken me nearly a decade to realise. The basic idea was to create a fair & independent career step for musical artists, away from the cabaret & function band markets. Truth be told, not a thing exists nor is likely to exist in my lifetime. As I see it, you can be a poor workless artist, full of integrity & passion. Or, you can be a tired-out pop-star with a long line of credit & a lot of sins to answer for.

I can hear the argument now; "But what about the underground music scene?". Well, unfortunately, having worked there a while I can tell you straight, it's called the underground for a reason. It's cramped and it's noisy. Unless you get on a mad hype with a strong network to boot, you're pissing in the wind.

Which brings me neatly back.

The one thing I have always lacked is the network. The impenetrable web of contacts & correspondents to link me up to the what's & when's. The final stages of planning were to create a network of contacts within our local area as well as creating a public face for promotion & profiteering. Simple, right?

Wrong.

Long story short, in true historical fashion, a separatist group emerged within the network. After only six months of meetings, I found myself being lined-up for exile or worse. So, some time around May, I sacked off the traitors & switched up the plan. Snatching the company branding as I dived onto my dozing steed. Or something like that...

My reputation is still very much in recovery.

Lesson learned.

In June I joined forces with the Poet Tree Alliance, helping them plan their own projects, all the while keeping an eye out for rebel forces. They invited me to help them with a festival in Runnymede which seemed like a great idea at the time. Little did I know I'd be spending three days guarding speakers from hippies while surrounded by armed police.

During the three days I met some incredible people who had been living entirely independently from society for almost five years. Minus a bit of skip diving of course. They had free, clean running water, electricity & even toilets (the compost kind). Most of all, they were extremely positive about the whole thing. You'd expect seeing four winters with nothing but a few bits of re-purposed wood to keep you warm would wind you up a bit. Apparently it didn't.

On the Saturday night, I took over the running of the main stage along with the PTA, seeing as the organisers had scampered away at the first sign of ravers. The timings were all over the place and the sound was atrocious but a good time was had by all. Especially the acts themselves who all appeared to have taken one thing or another. One such highlight was a comedy threesome, two of which were on LSD & the other on shrooms. How's that for dynamics?

On the Sunday, without a wink, we tore it all down. We packed it all up. We negotiated our release with the police and we were off. There was a weird feeling amongst the group when we said our goodbyes. Almost defeated. Almost.

When I first arrived in Runnymede I declared it "Heaven on Earth". At first its humanity is overwhelming & awesome. Its ability to exist & thrive in the way it does seems nothing short of a miracle. After a couple days of starting again I got the point and I saw the cracks. When the glaze wore off I realised that what I saw wasn't a miracle, it was an opportunity. The people of Runnymede have a long way to go and a hell of a challenge. To start the world again in the image of community & sharing is not a popular thought in the eyes of politicians but on the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the law decreed Runnymede free to try. I'll be back again to visit soon. I'm hoping for a Waitrose BLT when I get there.

Even if it is only one day out-of-date.

Later in the month I headed out to Budapest, fleeting slightly to Bratislava somewhere in the middle. Taking in the sights & doing the done things was mostly on the agenda, aside from getting away from the nanny-state for a stint. We saw many things including one of the only Catholic churches to not have Jesus Christ at the alter (they'd opted for Saint Steven instead. Apparently they really like him there. Not that they don't like Jesus, he's all over the place. Its just that Steven is a really cool guy, you know?).

On top of the usual, we took a free walking tour of both towns, escaping our tour of Budapest because of rain & too many silly questions unanswered. We followed through with our tour of Bratislava and were treated to the location of a bar crawl later in the evening. After a quick bite to eat with a few other likely sorts we'd picked up a long the way, we argued bitterly about which direction the bar was in. I was so sure I was right. We drank, we danced & we somehow got back to our apartment in one piece.

By the time we got back to Budapest, I was adamant that I would play a gig while on the continent, having turned down a 2am slot at the local Irish pub a few nights before. Unfortunately, unless you're a huge La Roux fan, it's pretty hard to find the local music scene in Budapest. A bit like Milton Keynes. So, we opted for karaoke at a Janis Joplin themed pub instead, where I was coaxed into singing a song from The Little Mermaid OST.

On our last night we toyed with the idea of making our way out of town to an enormous cruise ship, converted into a plethora of nightclubs. After six hours of procrastinating and a quick visit to the famous baths, we made ourselves content that we wouldn't go. Instead, we headed deep into town to a place that people had been nagging us to see since we arrived. Not literally nagging but it helps with the story. So, after giving up on the cruise ship, we made our way to Szimpla.

In Hungary there's no pesky health & safety surrounding the laws on what you can do with a building. After World War Two, many of the constructs in Budapest were left to rot, only to be taken on by hostels & bars. If Szimpla was anything to go on, repairs & maintenance were low on the agenda. Unlike having a good time.

After a few drinks I happened upon a space in the vast cavernous venue with a stage. More than that, on the stage was a band. So, in I popped to have a listen. The band played out and everyone clapped and I found myself having a word with the singer. "Oh, no." he said. "It's not our gig. It's an open stage. Anyone can play!". "Right!" I said. "I'll do that."

Through some course of logistical drunkenness I stumbled onto the stage at Szimpla & did my best to entertain the crowd for a whole hour. We sang, we talked, we danced & fell over (a couple of times); the stage manager blocking my exit every time I made for the finale. He even threw me up for another one after I came back to collect my capo a couple of hours later, even more drunk. The band didn't seemed to mind or struggle too much to keep up with my astounding sense of rhythm. It was hilarious.

Other than that, I've been planning, painting & procrastinating as usual. Although I did differ from the norm & threw a Donald Trump(esque) beauty pageant at Properflop last week.

I think I might be losing my mind.

Have you seen it?

That "War" Thing Over There...

"Until the colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes; Me say war."

Today, more than ever, we are aware of war. It comes in many shapes and sizes. From the petty disputes of overbearing policy & polite anarchy to the wars of religion, equality & money; we're all well and truly used to it. But, what is war? How do we as individuals better understand it and how can we better serve against it? First (as usual) we have to go back to the beginning!

Sorry...

As has always been the case, at it's core, war is seen as the ultimate disagreement. War occurs when two people cannot simply agree on a happy medium and conflict emerges. Originally this was an extremely brutal affair with much bludgeoning but has since developed into a highly orchestrated psychological attack. It is true to say that death and disarray still play a vital role in the success of war but only so far as to create a stressful working environment for one's opponent.

When the first kingdoms & empires sprung to fruition, land was freely available with little to no bloodshed. The tribes were a hassle to pillage, plunder and bribe but eventually the world was divvied up into his, hers & theirs. The rulers of these early nations saw profit in capturing their colleagues land and would arrange soldiers to occupy as much as possible, as soon as possible. Often, the opposing leader would retaliate by sending in their own soldiers and more often than not death on both sides would ensue. After a few hundred years, the more "in-tune" leaders formed alliances to make up numbers and protect themselves from the weaker, lesser nations. These organisations still exist and grow, although recent events have shown them for the fallacy they present. 

The excuses for war are endless and somewhat tedious but the reality of what war represents has never changed. Until now.

Over time, common sense and rational thinking have led to the discovery of the meaning of life. There is no meaning, do what you want. People have been aware of this fact for some time but with the distractions of divinity and personal ascension, it has remained widely ignored. Human beings are incredible at making excuses and have done so for generations. At the turn of the 21st century, ignorance became uncool and we started speaking out. I was 11 when I was sent home from school because a group of men, thousands of miles away, had decided to fly passenger planes into heavily populated buildings. The whole world shut down in those few hours while we were introduced to our first mainstream gang of terrorists and taught the basics of the new world order. Not many questions were asked at first, people were afraid, the gang was to be dealt with. The allied forces were dispatched in vast numbers to all manner of places to do their work and 12 years later, we're no closer to achieving a sensible agreement. 

There is one major difference between this latest bout of conflicts and it's predecessors; support. Propaganda plays a vital part along the way and can often lead to victory all on its own. Sending a positive message to one's populace not only rallies support in terms of fire-power but also in terms of financial backing. If the average number believes that they are contributing to a noble cause they will contribute in almost any way they can, even in the face of death. The trouble being that these days, the numbers aren't rolling in quite as fast as before. Negative press from independent sources has all but stripped this war of any reason or rhyme and any informed individual is as likely to subscribe to the war effort as they are to sign up for the other side. Several more conflicts have come to the public eye as part of the latest wave of propaganda overspill and British nationals have been migrating in droves to support rebel forces & so-called "terrorist" groups, rather than serve the organisations that house them. In a few short months, the allied forces are set to evacuate the war-zone they have exacerbated, yet it seems unlikely the dispute will resolve itself at any point in my lifetime. After-all, it's only been going on since the beginning of civilisation in the middle-east. 

Understanding war is like attempting to remove a brick wall with a wooden spoon; You're more than likely to wear yourself out before you've even begun to break the surface. In fact, war itself is inherently human, entirely illogical and (I believe) highly unnatural. In nature, an animal does not kill unless it feels it must. It will hunt the living for food but never for fun or fortune. It could be that one day, Farmer Bill had a disagreement with Farmer Phil about where the boundary fence should be between their two farms. Farmer Bill wanted it there but Farmer Phil wanted it there. Bill threatened to send over his oversized sons (Will & Gill) to settle the matter by way of fatality and Phil defeatedly mumbled "Go on... Take it all!", having only his undersized daughter (Jill) to defend him. I could quite happily see the result developing from there. Land, resources & control are still the playing field but Bill & Phil are now big fat bankers with wallets as fat as your fist and little to no interest in who's sons and daughters are involved in the onslaught. It's a sad state of affairs but it is the reality we've created. On the upside, it happens to be a reality we have express powers to change.

Often I wonder how I, little old me, can impact on that "war" thing over there. How can I help the people just like me in their homes, scared for their lives and those of their family? How can I send a message to those that choose to set the target and those that choose to pull the trigger? How do I make it stop?

First, I have to remember that alone I can achieve nothing more than a ripple. However tempting it is to hide from the noise, I know that the less involvement I have, the less impact I will have. Just by talking about what is going on and creating a public attitude toward a global issue can create an immense change. From there the potential is endless. Confronting the people that orchestrate these terrible deeds is a necessity but not to slay them or torture them or enslave them. No. To relieve them of their powers and to educate them in humanity. 

Come on. Give peace a chance! If not for John; Do it for me...?  

Said-U-Cation

Once upon a time, not so long ago, in the heat of the moment, I made a statement. Some would choose to be greatly offended by the words that passed my lips, yet none so far have denied my truth;

"There are two things distinctly wrong with our entire society which have affected us to a great extent. Parenting & education." 

Bold as it is to state (being neither a parent or a teacher), I believe I may be able to save myself from the imminent death, which lurks in the mind of anyone serving either profession while reading those words. Please, refrain from doing so... I merely mean to opinionate and never to offend. 

Back when early humans were developing as monkeys, society was a natural & well-served affair. Participants were so unintelligent that they willingly partook in the habits of their brethren with little to no questions asked or answered. The "system", as it was in those days, depended on a few simple tasks being taken up by the entire collective in order to achieve contentment & safety amongst the body. Things such as hunting, foraging & childcare. There was never a need for much else and the people of that time both knew & respected the natural way of things. Instinctively, passing this knowledge to their children, the education & parenting systems were unknowingly formed. 

As our brains & bodies developed we became not only more intelligent but more considerate. We had achieved the ability to question openly and receive answers knowingly. The systems that we had put in place as our former selves had in turn become questionable & malleable. The first nurseries were formed as tribes grew in numbers while demands on parents became more time-consuming. With more mouths to feed; more meat must be hunted, more fruit must be foraged & more wood must be found for fire. Again, we respected these natural requirements. Revering the forces of nature as divine. Teaching our fledglings the same by way of practical learning when the time came. 

The late great Douglas Adams made an interesting case back in 1998 when he spoke of a similar assumption. He said; "Imagine early man. Early man is, like everything else, an evolved creature and he finds himself in a world that he's begun to take a little charge of; he's begun to be a tool-maker, a changer of his environment with the tools that he's made and he makes tools, when he does, in order to make changes in his environment. To give an example of the way man operates compared to other animals, consider speciation, which, as we know, tends to occur when a small group of animals gets separated from the rest of the herd by some geological upheaval, population pressure, food shortage or whatever and finds itself in a new environment with maybe something different going on. Take a very simple example; maybe a bunch of animals suddenly finds itself in a place where the weather is rather colder. We know that in a few generations those genes which favour a thicker coat will have come to the fore and we'll come and we'll find that the animals have now got thicker coats. Early man, who's a tool maker, doesn't have to do this: he can inhabit an extraordinarily wide range of habitats on earth, from tundra to the Gobi Desert - he even manages to live in New York for heaven's sake - and the reason is that when he arrives in a new environment he doesn't have to wait for several generations; if he arrives in a colder environment and sees an animal that has those genes which favour a thicker coat, he says “I'll have it off him”. Tools have enabled us to think intentionally, to make things and to do things to create a world that fits us better. Now imagine an early man surveying his surroundings at the end of a happy day's tool making. He looks around and he sees a world which pleases him mightily: behind him are mountains with caves in - mountains are great because you can go and hide in the caves and you are out of the rain and the bears can't get you; in front of him there's the forest - it's got nuts and berries and delicious food; there's a stream going by, which is full of water - water's delicious to drink, you can float your boats in it and do all sorts of stuff with it; here's cousin Ug and he's caught a mammoth - mammoth's are great, you can eat them, you can wear their coats, you can use their bones to create weapons to catch other mammoths. I mean this is a great world, it's fantastic. But our early man has a moment to reflect and he thinks to himself, 'well, this is an interesting world that I find myself in' and then he asks himself a very treacherous question, a question which is totally meaningless and fallacious, but only comes about because of the nature of the sort of person he is, the sort of person he has evolved into and the sort of person who has thrived because he thinks this particular way. Man the maker looks at his world and says 'So who made this then?' Who made this? - you can see why it's a treacherous question. Early man thinks, 'Well, because there's only one sort of being I know about who makes things, whoever made all this must therefore be a much bigger, much more powerful and necessarily invisible, one of me and because I tend to be the strong one who does all the stuff, he's probably male'. And so we have the idea of a god. Then, because when we make things we do it with the intention of doing something with them, early man asks himself , 'If he made it, what did he make it for?' Now the real trap springs, because early man is thinking, 'This world fits me very well. Here are all these things that support me and feed me and look after me; yes, this world fits me nicely' and he reaches the inescapable conclusion that whoever made it, made it for him."

When we as a species moved away from the idea of nature & into the realms of Gods and Goddesses, we adapted the way we taught our young significantly. The first churches and indeed schools were formed, taking education further from the control of experience. Over successive generations, wires crossed & necessary values were overlooked. More value was placed in the ever-growing sense of divinity that we ourselves had created than in our instinctive knowledge. By the time our modern, mainstream Gods had made centre stage we had established trade and with it an economy. Distracting us further from the most important of our few necessities; childcare. With the fall of the divine Goddess during the Pagan genocide, women were placed at a lower importance than man and seen as a subservient being. Religion, conquest & the economy replacing her as man's best friend. 

In the modern age, we have all but overcome such travesties. In the western world, religion is falling rapidly and the economy is steadily becoming something of an irritation to the average person. With the rise of the internet we are more aware than ever of the corruption which has stalked us from our very earliest developments as a species. Politicians, religious leaders & banking executives are often perceived as the bane of our existence. With it though we are awash with conflicting ideals and moral values, sprung from the very cause of our confusions. Lack of effective education. We are well and truly bombarded with the moral dilemmas of what we see happening elsewhere in the world and have little to no knowledge of what to do to help make things right. Children die on our TV & computer screens as we watch in deliberation and dismay. We have absolutely no idea of how to liberate our fellow man without the necessary sacrifice to our own relatively comfortable way of life. 

Today, the issues we face as a species haven't changed in the slightest since our humble beginnings. The three major components for our survival remain in tact, regardless of our distractions & conflicting ideals. Yet, with our early hobbies becoming modern habits we seem unable to break out of the cycle of curriculum & conformity. One's career is seen as a higher importance than another's happiness. Personal growth & development have taken the place of collectivism & mutual satisfaction. The trouble being the sheer amount of what I like to call "Said-U-Cation". 

I have always made the case that one cannot possibly know what has not been experienced or learned personally. The assumption was made some time ago that by simply unearthing a truth on an individual or group of people somehow makes them wiser and as such in a higher state of education. Consider for a moment a carpenter who has yet to craft wood. The individual may well have been preached the basics of woodwork but without undertaking the psychical process involved, they can be no more assured that what they have learned is based in fact or rumour. By interacting with said wood and forging the intended article, the participant is no longer educated but experienced. This brings about an absolute truth that can no more be denied than avoided. However, our society wrongly relies on so many things that cannot be physically experienced nor enjoyed. We are taught that relieving ourselves of any and all physical hardship is the highest priority and will lead to our much sought after enlightenment. Our basic desires are placed in the background of conciousness and more often than not entirely taken for granted. 

I believe that the easiest way to escape this apparent trap is remembering to teach our children the reason and rhyme behind our existence. Remembering to teach them what is necessary and what is accessory. Remembering to teach them to teach the same. Although in the great scheme of things our time here is minute and fleeting, the significance & impact we have while here is both incredible & awe-inspiring. Yes, we have a responsibility to develop and grow, but as a species and not as a rabble of individuals. Parents, teachers & in turn all of us alike hold an equal responsibility to share the truth that we all know by pure instinct alone. We all deserve to know the reasoning behind our existence and we are all accountable in delivering it. First & foremost we are here to survive. Everything else is a bonus...



P.S. I highly recommend reading the entire speech made by Douglas at Biota 2 in '98. He makes an extremely inspiring case. Check it out @ http://www.biota.org/people/douglasadams/ 

Anti-Social Media

How fitting that my first venture into "Blogging" should be in order to complain about the state of the world as I see it. More precisely, the digital world. The internet.

I often jokingly blame my day to day indiscretions on my Irish heritage, but there is no doubt being born and raised in Britain has had a significant effect on my behaviour. Most importantly my ability to queue & complain, as well as drinking gallons of tea and finding even the darkest of situations funny. Here in Britain and in particular England, we are fantastic at complaining until we're blue in the face while doing precisely fuck all constructive about any bad situation. I've honed that skill to a tee...

Take for instance the riots not so long ago in London and beyond (even here in Milton Keynes). Through the haze of national media crossfire and social media hype my grasp of the story is thus; A particularly nasty police officer shot and killed a man in cold blood & was subsequently unsuitably punished. This turn of events caused one or more areas to fall into anarchy and begin to riot, inspiring much of the country to do the same. Understandable, to a degree...

I for one have seen many sides to the British police force. On occasion in the past they have been a much welcomed help, as well as an unbearable nuisance. I find it best to consider them as a gang, much like you would find in a ghetto or estate. They sit in the pocket of the organisations in charge of our everyday administration & survival with an aim to keep the peace. All in the name of the greater good. It was no great shock to me when they amended their mission statement to read "To reduce the fear of crime" instead of our well kept and much loved "To Protect & Serve". Granted, I have noticed a decrease in the fear of crime, or rather, an acceptance of crime. However, I've also noted a massive increase in fear of the police and said organisations that administrate their actions, as well as our own.

It pays to remember that these people are put into power by us and that that privilege may not be around forever. As we've seen over the past century in particular, party politics does not work and will not work in the future, regardless of how it's tweaked and prodded about. I've been saying for a while that the true leader of our country will be the man or woman who is nominated by us the people and takes the initiative to approach our queen and ask permission to abolish party politics forever and form a fairer form of government, to set the way for global politics and into a new age of human evolution.

Bold as that statement sounds, I speak some semblance of truth. Due to the insatiable fashion of our bureaucratic baby-sitters, our very development as a species has been compromised through conventionalism and conformity. Today more than ever it is nearby impossible to be genuinely different and to have our inspirations see the light of day. Since the age of Thatcher, there have been so many rules & prohibitions put in place that the entire nation juggles between walking on eggshells and being scolded like children. Respect is a misnomer in this day and age, with importance and success at the forefront of social standing. Soul & culture have become a hobbyists dream. We are no longer developing into a species that we're happy to be a part of. In many ways, we're getting further from it.

Little surprise is it that our entire race has instead chosen to confine themselves inside, away from the madness, hypnotised by a false reality. The world-wide-web. First commercialised during my childhood, the internet promised fun and frivolity until it eventually became it's own sub-society around my teenage years with sites like Bebo, MySpace & more recently FaceBook. At first, such things were harmless and still being used to achieve positive things such as laughter and other such arousal. Nowadays the same playgrounds are occupied by children who wish to inflict their negativity, depression & loneliness on each other. All of which are caused by a lack of mental productivity (A.K.A leaving the house and doing something proactive).

Never take for granted the world you're presented with. Regardless of how badly the management are chuntering along, this planet is yours & mine as much as it is theirs. Hiding away and complaining about these issues on a social media site may well help to scratch the surface but the real potential you have before you to inflict actual change is incredible. If as many people on FaceBook cared as passionately about things as they appeared and were willing to go out into the world to physically effect the change they desired, all the worlds problems would be solved by next week. That's not to say that these people don't care. They just don't care enough.

The internet & indeed social media are valuable inventions to a degree but for now they are not the reality we live within. There is only so much impact man-made data can have on the physical world and unless we heed that revelation promptly we may well drive ourselves stupid and eventually, useless...

The funny thing about a home is; it's bigger on the outside. Go have a look!