9th Aug 2011 London Calling

After the recent nights of disturbances in different districts of London, it's difficult to resist the temptation of remembering one of the maximum milestone of Rock of the 80's 'London Calling' of 'The Clash'. It's something almost inevitable I guess, for people who were born in the mid 60's. That song had already then 'talked' about, audacious and furious, through the voice of Joe Strummer, of street wars, violence, out-casting, and oppressive social systems that repelled and crushed the most underprivileged.

 

It's very dangerous to try theorizing on the origin of disturbance, and of violence in general, but within margin of musical archaeology, 'London Calling' had put many likely social factors and conflicts plainly on the table, sustaining numerous districts of the British capital.

 

Much time has passed and there are those who could think that in the United Kingdom dogmatically reined by Margaret thatcher, the Iron Lady, was not that different from the smoothly filed cut-backs of the present Prime Minister, David Cameron. Whereas in the past it's pure xenophobia, now it's the generally recognized failure of the mixture of all culture and ethnics, which the Londoners were so very proud of. Where before there were salvage strikes against industrial reforms of the Iron Lady, now students cry out against the educative system.

 

It almost makes no difference to know what has been the detonation of the explosions. What's really transcendent is recognizing the explosive situation which has been accumulating, like sediment of social politics and aggressive economics for the population. This sediment is not exclusive of the UK. The most similar was the social outburst that happened in the Banlieur, Paris. A racial incident ended being the catalytic acceleration of a social reaction in uncommon violence. Many other times, the discontent did not manifested in violence, but it would be very risky to ignore.

 

As sung by Strummer, 'London Calling, war is declared.

 

Tags: ironlady, londoncalling

Prev: 9th Aug 2011 Giggles - The Doggy Prayer

9th Aug 2011 Giggles - The Doggy Prayer

Dear God: It's me, the Dog.

Dear God: Is it on purpose that our Names are spelled the same, only in reverse?

Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another?

Dear God: When we get to Heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or will it be the same old story?

Dear God: Why are there cars named after the Jaguar, the Cougar, the Mustang, the Colt, the Stingray, and the Rabbit, but not ONE named for a Dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We love a nice car ride! Would it be so hard to rename the 'Chrysler Eagle' the 'Chrysler Beagle'?

Dear God: If a Dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad Dog?

Dear God: We Dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent IDs, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand?

Dear God: More meatballs, less spaghetti, please.

Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize?

Dear God: Here is a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good Dog:

1. I will not eat the cat's food before he eats it or after he throws it up.

2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.

3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.

4. The sofa is not a 'face towel'.

5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.

6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.

7. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is an unacceptable way of saying 'hello'.

8. I don't need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm under the coffee table.

9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house - not after.

10. I will not come in from outside, and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.

11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room, and lick my crotch.

12. The cat is not a 'squeaky toy', so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.

P.S. Dear God: When I get to Heaven, may I have my testicles back?

Tags: prayer, dog

Prev: 9th Aug 2011 My 'Office'

9th Aug 2011 Giggles - The Doggy Prayer

9th Aug 2011 My 'Office'

A friend I haven't seen for some time said he couldn't find me in my usual coffee joint where I had been almost part of the fixture for many years, for my daily 'fix' of black coffee, occasionally with a croissant. Before the 1st cup of coffee each morning I don't feel my day has begun. I told him I had changed to another coffee shop at the foot of a hill; it has always been either mountain or sea for me; preferably both.

We talked quite a while to make up for lost times, and he agreed with me that although in a tourist town like Roses, there are almost as many coffee bars as all the rest kind of shops put together, everyone, locals like ourselves, as well as some tourists, have their own favourite bar. Not necessarily the best, the cleanest, the most convenient to get to; not even necessarily one that serves the best coffee or with best service, not even if it's the cheapest; but for everyone' own peculiar reason, or no reason at all, they all have got their own place to consider 'home', the one they call 'My coffee shop', 'My bar' and I used to call mine, the one I fairly recently deserted, 'My office'. When I was first officially jobless years back; I thought it sounded better than telling everybody that I spent every morning in a bar!

 

I soon discovered that I was not the only one, and my 'office' had also been so many foreigners' 'office'. As it's a bar right in the very centre of Roses, by the beach front, where most people congregated, locals and specially tourists. I stopped being a tourist nearly immediately after I settled in this town, as I had bought my house before I came to stay. But somehow, I am amongst those who, for no particular reason, had got myself 'established' in that bar, nothing at all special, just the oldest ever bar in Roses.

I think I am a bit strange that way. My appearance, the way I dress, or talk, or whatever else I do, always seem to give others the impression that I am an ultra modern woman way up the front of all new trends, with tastes only for the newest and most up to date everything. NOT SO. Not that I consider myself old-fashioned, but I confess I do love a lot of old things, including customs, traditions, relics, old literature and general culture. And, old people. I respect them and have loads of patience with them, far more so than with people younger or of my same age, whereas normally I am not exactly a patient person, I seem to always want everything done and sealed yesterday.

 

Strange isn't it? My friend said 'YES!'

Tags: office, bar, modern, old

Prev: 8th Aug 2011 Giggles - The Priest, The Diet & Relative Values