It is the year 1960. I suppose that is the year I can definitely say I recall with perfection and no delusions.
I was nine years old. I was prone to coughs and cold and asthmatic wheezing. My mom was a great
believer in the miraculous properties of Vicks Vaporub. She use it for all ailments. Headaches, chest
congestions; coughs and skin allergies.
Doing nothing
Right now, it is obvious, we have to shut down all heat generating ventures. It may not be economically viable but if we do not do it we will soon be forced by nature into oblivion.
Slowing down the pace, consuming less, travelling less, using minimum electricity. Shutting down huge power guzzling ventures. Yes, that is the answer. Ok, it will lead to financial ruin but not the Apocalypse.
Ask all the experts. I don't need to repeat myself. This is SOS TIME. SAVE OUR SKINS!
WE HATE THE UNKNOWN; GET TO KNOW YOUR WORLD
Sometimes we hate without reason. I remember I had a neighbour with a massive beard. Very black and shiny. I instantly took a dislike for him. I would avoid him. Cross the street if I saw him coming.
Fate had Blackbeard waiting for me in the bank I had my account in. He said Good Morning Mr. Chandleur. I was surprised he knew my name. He smiled and said, “we are neighbours. I have seen you so many times.”
It was a bad financial time for me. This man for whom I took an instant dislike helped me get my papers together and managed to get me a loan for my failing business. I owe my present financial well being to this man. I have never met a more gentle and kindly man in my life. The beard was just a disguise. It hid his goodness from the world. Maybe if he chopped off his beard he would have looked even worse.
Moral of the story, don’t go by looks! Do say a Hello and see where that leads to. The pandemic has locked us in our minds and made us unsocial. We are afraid of new people. It is time to make new friends.
The Idiotic Seventy Percent
If you look at elections all over the world; you will see that the idiotic, uninformed, religiously bigoted, ethnic racist fascist jingoist will cast the winning vote in any election. No one is going to vote for a pacifist. Come to think of it, I can’t think of one that has fought an election except perhaps Nelson Mandela. I know I overwork this phrase but, ‘fools do rush in where angels fear to tread!” We fools rush in to vote for Fascists. Look at the world. Look at world leaders right now. If you follow the news you know who I am talking about. I don’t want to stick out my neck in a noose and get a Pegasus fix.
It is such a classic boxing one two. First you put the fear of some unknown enemy into the guts of the populace and then number two suddenly you became the savior of the human race from that threat.
Then the people wake up after voting day and find a Dracula on the throne. All smiles in the daytime and all blood sucking conspiracies in the guise of new laws. When the new El Presidento shouts who wants to become a Judge! There are screams of Ka wanna; I wanna; Ka wanna! “Will you do my bidding?” Are you a registered misogynist? Yes, sir, I am, just check my record!
In some countries you get an election ticket only if you have at least twenty law cases filed against you by the police! Extortion, rape, corruption, murder, to name a few.
Come on, this time use your brains! Listen to some normal people. Listen to the pacifists. Listen to the people who consider all religions alike. Do not vote for a religion. Vote for the future. Vote for jobs! Vote for responsible public spending! Ignore propaganda! Avoid jingoists! Go for a believer in the constitution. And most of all vote for someone who keeps his promises! Keep in contact with your local representative, get him to do your bidding, if he fails jettison him! Vote for the educated and not the implicated in millions of scams!
EARTH, WIND, FIRE, WATER AND STRESS
It has finally happened. People are breaking apart because of stress at big events. At the work place. In the sports arena. On live television. We need to investigate our society. Isn’t there something wrong with that pedantic FASTER, HIGHER, STRONGER! Go to hell Mr. Caesar or Alexander the Great or Philip of Macedonia-You do your own thing man; leave us be.
I remember once watching a movie shoot near our club gate. A fight scene. Bales of straw, barrels and a fast car rams into them and then a mock fight between the fight double and the villain and then the heroine runs in to intervene!
I said, “remarkable shot!” The director was standing near me and he smirked, “ they are monkeys; they will do anything for money!” He destroyed the reputation of that heroine with that one line.
That’s what’s wrong with us. We will do anything for money/fame. Look at Instagram. Common people have gone nuts trying to jump on to the fame wagon.
What I want is a reset button. Let us go back to the sixties and begin afresh. Let us not land on the moon and fuck it all up!
Let us stay home. I promise there would not have been a Covid-19 if there had not been a Korean/Vietnam/Afghanistan/Cold war. Let us bring back the carpenters and the bottle makers and throw away plastic plates and acrylic stuff. Let us manage with what we have. Let us not envy our neighbour and go into a tizzy watching his new car! Let us stay US!
