HOW TO RESURRECT A DEMOCRACY ON LIFE SUPPORT (PART 2)

Why do we always get politicians who say : "Vote for me and I will do this, this and that"
Why do we never get politicians who will say : "Vote for me and I will do what YOU want"
Then get elected by a landslide, organize a referendum with all the major issues (in a multiple
question format) and go by his day to implement the results...

And my senses newly opened
I awakened to cry-
That the people have the power to redeem the work of fools


("People Have The Power"    PATTI SMITH)





So Aristotle living in an Apollonian environment with utter disregard for the Dionysian
thought he created the perfect system. Which wasn't, as it could be manipulated by the
flawed nature of humans. Manipulated to such a degree that today, it even legitimizes
the crookedness of politicians.
See, if someone stabs me I'd prefer to see the white of his eyes not the smirk on his face.

The living that is owed to me I'm never going to get
They've buggered this old world up, up to their necks in debt
They'd give you a lobotomy for something you ain't done
They'll make you an epitomy of everything that's wrong

Do they owe us a living?
Of course they do, of course they do

("Do They Owe Us A Living?"  CRASS)




I want Crippled Black Phoenix instead of 70's soft porn flick soundtrack
I want Schrodinger's Cat instead of TV reality
I want tit(s) instead of tat
I want fresh fruit instead of rotting vegetables
I want revolution inste....er, sorry, I thought I was young again....

I read somewhere recently and i don't remember who said it (goes to prove I ain't young anymore)
that "Democracy has nothing to do with percentages. It's not a matter 30%, 60% or 80%. Not even
a matter of the (in)famous 50+1%. Democracy is all for one and one for all. Because if it's not all
for one and one for all then, it's all for nothing..."
Wish I could remember who said it to him credit because he deserves it. He's a hero in my book
of sharp minds.

If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care
For You
We would zig-zag our way through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain
Wondering which of the buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing

("Pigs On The Wing"   PINK FLOYD)
(Wrong cover but looks great with signatures)

I don't mean to sound biter, cold or cruel, but I am
So that's how it comes out.

BILL HICKS

POKER AND ALZHEIMER'S

Picture this. 3 old ladies with alzheimer's playing poker.

Old Lady #1: What was the bid?
Old Lady #2: .............
Old Lady #3: What bid?
Old Lady #2: Did you order the pizza?
Old Lady #1: I'm hungry. I don't remenber...
Old Lady #3: Don't remember if you're hungry or if you ordered for pizza?
Old Lady #2: How many cards?
Old Lady #1: Two.
Old Lady #2: But you hold just one in your hands...
Old Lady #1: Oh, my goodness. Four...I wish Marlen was here to complete the quartet,,,
Old Lady #3: Didn't you know? She went out for a walk Tuesday morning last week and
                      has probably been walking ever since.
Old Lady #2: The pizza?
Old Lady #3: Poor girl you must be starving. Did you see my bid?
Old Lady #2: It's not the pizza. It's the delivery boy...
Old Lady #3: Get a load of the creaky boned old hag. You wouldn't remember what
                      to do with the pizzaboy...hehehe
Old Lady #1: Remind me, are we playing poker or bridge...
Old Lady #3: Bingo! That's the last number for me! I win!
Old Lady #2: Who the hell are you?

Literally and metaphorically,

The world never ends
When your whole world depends
On the turn of a friendly card


The Turn Of A Friendly Card (THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT)








So, in this piece of land, where every third step you take you come across an illegal gambling
establishment, the police deemed proper to haul some old ladies to court for passing the time
of their twilight years playing cards. Of course they dare not match their wits with the real
criminals or they're on the take. The notion that everybody knows illegal gambling is taking
place BUT the police does not exist. Which means, the (not so) strong arm of the law is either
scared to bother the criminals or, they are sleeping with the enemy. But, folks, you lie down
with dogs, you get up with fleas...

Love junkies wanna change the world
It quickly stays the same
Money junkies hire all the smart ones
Power junkies run the game

One step at a time,
Polarity Hill
If the bad guys don't get you, baby
then the good guys will
 With angels on the take
                                                      and gangsters in the yard
                                                      Hey don't the wars come easy
                                                      hey don't the peace come hard

                                                      Now if I had a way to reach the sky
                                                      I'd grab that crescent moon
                                                      Wield it like a knife
                                                      Save you from the lies
                                                      From the lies that bind you
                                                      And the role you play
                                                      And the game that hooks you
                                                      While the big ones get away


                                                      The Big Ones Get Away (BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE)
                                                    

A History For The Have Nots

Do you think this guy will do his subject justice?
Who knows...I guess we'll have to listen in and see...

History's not written by the vanquished or the damned...


                           Leaving Beirut (ROGER WATERS)

BEST MUSIC OF 2011

KNIFE MAN by The Andrew Jackson Jihad

Punk folk band with phenomenally original, clever and funny lyrics.

ALL RIGHTS REMOVED by Airbag

Second album by swedes heavily influenced by Pink Floyd. Glorious
guitar based prog.

REPETITIONS by Blueneck

Embracing a more analogue and organic approach, the emotional drama
values propel this post rock/prog recordings to masterpiece status.

THE CRIPPLED DOG BAND by Bobb Trimble

This is the unreleased lost 3rd album. The criminally neglected Trimble met
up the teenagers of the Crippled Dog Band and made these exuberant DIY
recordings (1983). This is real rock n' roll brimming with ideas and energy.

OUTBREEDING by David Thomas Broughton

A true contender in the weird folk/nu folk arena, armed with a loop pedal
and an achingly heartbreaking and melancholic voice that sits somewhere
between Anthony Johnson and John Martyn. This is music that begs to be
discovered.

THE BRIGHT LIGHTS EP by Gary Clark Jr

Texas based blues guitarist probably the best thing since SRV. Skips
the influence of the Claptons and the Pages of electric blues and goes
straight to the roots. This half electric/half acoustic EP showcases an
immense talent.

THE HARROW & THE HARVEST by Gillian Welch

A consistent force. Has never made a bad album and don't think she
ever will.

HISINGEN BLUES by Graveyard

I really don't like the term retro-rockers. This is a page straight out of
the seventies with excitement, swagger and soul. You should hear
it on vinyl.

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON (Immersion Box) by Pink Floyd

At last, the Floyd remasters! And I couldn't think of any other than James
Guthrie overseeing this huge project. Guthrie has performed wonderfully
with updating the sound and without compromising the dynamics of
Floyd's timeless classics.

WISH YOU WERE HERE (Immersion Box) by Pink Floyd

Excellent music extras and paraphernalia. The blue ray audio is a
tantalizing experience. Now let's have THE WALL Immersion Box.

FEET FALL HEAVY by Kill It Kid

Hard to believe this band hails from the British Isles. Harrowing contemporary
blues.

SON OF BLACK PEACE by Dean McPhee

Amazing tones and resonance from his guitar technique. One to look
out for.

REVERIE by Joe Henry

The ultimate artist of the last 15 years. Has made consistently brilliant
records with subtle dynamics and superior songwriting. Nominated for 10
Grammies (won a couple) for his production work for other artists. He is
up there, artistically, with Tom Waits and Nick Cave.

IMMORTAL SON by Riot

Mark Reale has decided to reassemble the Thundersteel lineup and the
results are stunning. Tony Moore shines, Jarzombek propels, Reale is class.
I can't imagine how it would have turned out for Riot had they not received
the short end of the stick from the record labels. Down to earth lyrics, strong
melodies, a gem of a power/speed metal album.

IN A SPECIAL PLACE by The Waterboys

The demos of This Is The Sea with Mike Scott on piano at the peak of
his creative powers. Others would have killed just to have the bits
and pieces that didn't make the final cut.

AN APPOINTMENT WITH Mr YEATES by The Waterboys

Many years in the making, finally completed, an album to treasure. Very
tricky not to go overboard with this subject matter. But this is Mike Scott
and this is an elegant, mesmerizing and eloquently well balanced album.

50 WORDS FOR SNOW by Kate Bush

This was a quick one for Kate and probably the attention NOT paid to
production values coupled with the songwriting has made this her warmest
album ever. More of this please, Ms Bush.

SHIVER by Too Slim and the Taildraggers

Too Slim has been around for a while and constant touring is finally
paying off. This is great blues...

INCOMPETENCE BLUES

"I woke up this mornin' and none of the news was good..." sang Steve Earle. Well, usually news is not good in general. Especially when you live on a turd in the Mediterranean (please indulge my poetic incompetence).

I will tell you, if Betfair did Cypriot criminal trials I'd be a rich man by now. No convictions on the Helios case? How come I'm not surprised?
It has nothing to do with justice. It has to do with the incompetence of lawyer civil servants. 'Cause when
was the last time a General Attorney in Cyprus won a big case? You can't remember? Nothing wrong with your memory there. Of course, this degree of incompetence should have repercussions in one's career. In other places they step down or are fired. But in this pinnacle of Democracy that is this country, they hold office for life! Covered by the safety of an asylum veil. Why not prosecute this degree of incompetence that further compromises an already crippled Democracy?

"Let's  talk about a criminal procedure
Throw out the idea of illegal seizure
Put a rope around somebody's neck
Let's hold some bastard up for example
Take his blood and urine sample
Feed him garbage and make him pick up the check"

"HERE IT COMES AGAIN" (Graham Parker)





They should all be accountable. Not untouchable. Instead of covering their ass by manipulating Democracy so that the (short arm of the) law does not reach them. Each and every one of them.
And the high Priests, too. Oh, especially the priests...

"They tell you the preacher was hypocritical
What they don't tell you is that he is typical
What he stands for is totally mythical
And as they lead him away he'll pray for you brother
With a bible in one hand and playboy in the other
Imagine what he does to his mother"

"HERE IT COMES AGAIN" (Graham Parker)





Why not evolve Democracy a bit and invent a new term for civil servants who mess up big time?
Don't get upset. It's just a thought which by all means could be wrong. But think about it. We could
name it Criminal Incompetence. Really, chew some mushrooms and look at the bigger picture.
But I guess, Criminal Incompetence suspects will hire big time lawyers and beat the rap...

"You might be the wrong colour
  You might be too poor
  Justice isn't something just anyone can afford"


"CRIME FOR CRIME" (Ani di Franco)



...and incompetence compromises Democracy and, ultimately, Freedom...

"If you think this country's free you must be
  long on cash and short on scrutiny"



"LONG NIGHT #3652" (Casey Scott)



Sadly, their Criminal Incompetence is indirectly proportionate to our Criminal Apathy...

What we do...

"I remember when we was both out on the boulevard
Talkin' revolution and singin' the blues
Nowadays it's letters to the editor and cheating on our taxes
Is the best that we can do"

"AMERIKA V. 6.0" (Steve Earle)



What they do...

"But hey we can just build a great wall around the country club
To keep the riff raff out until the slump is through
Yeah, I realize that ain't exactly democratic but it's either them or us
And it's the best we can do"

"AMERIKA V. 6.0" (Steve Earle)



We live in a country where the president of the House of Representative is called Yannakis (Little John-
not by any means to be confused with the Robin Hood character).
Is it any wonder we are f****d up as a nation?

"Folks, it's time to evolve. That's why we are troubled.
You know why our institutions are failing us, the church,
the state, everything's failing us?
It's because, ummm-they're no longer relevant...

BILL HICKS



"SO LET'S HOLD SOME BASTARD UP FOR EXAMPLE
TAKE HIS BLOOD AND URINE SAMPLE
REMIND HIM A MAN BELONGS DOWN A MANHOLE"
                                                                        (Graham Parker)

It's Just a Ship of Fools

The recent ChristEars inquiry produced a gem that, sadly, our dimwit paperboys failed to latch on to.
The plea was along the lines of "Indirectly I was responsible, directly(personally) not responsible"
So let me get this right...
A person appears before a judge and is convicted of manslaughter. Gets to do a lot of time.
A person appears before a judge and is convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Gets to do time too, only less.

Still guilty by mine or anyones book.
Case closed.
The "Indignants" are waiting for something of dramatic proportions to happen, but it ain't gonna...
And how could they not see that coming is beyond the grasp of the history of this boat.
-It ain't happening!
-No, it WILL happen!

-Boy, is my thumb NOT really on the pulse of Cyprus...

We're setting sail to the place on the map
From which no one has ever returned
Drawn by the promise of the JOKER and the FOOL
And by the light of the CROSSES that BURN
Drawn by the promise of the women and the lace
And the GOLD and the cotton and pearls
It's a place where they keep all the darkness you need
You sail away from the light of the world on this trip

                                    You will pay tomorrow
                                    You're gonna pay tomorrow

                                    Save me
                                    Save me from tomorrow
                                    I don't want to sail with this ship of fools
                                    ("Ship Of Fools" - WORLD PARTY[Karl Wallinger])


And the "Indignants" are still in the streets from time to time. Of course, not all is well in Los Indignados
front and don't tell me you did not see that coming either! Yes, yes there is a split. A breakaway sect that
is being paraded through shows on TV and radio. The soon-to-appear-on-your-TV-screen-again-or-the Supermarket-near-you "Awoken/Decisive".Yes, there is a difference in opinion. There always is
if you wake up and smell the coffee in these Facebook days.
And as my friend Mike may cynically say : "Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one", I beg to
differ.
Nostradamus ain't got s**t on Warhol.
I rest my case...

AVARICE and GREED are gonna drive you over the endless sea
They will leave drifting in the shallows or drowning in the oceans of history
Traveling the world you're in search of no good
But I'M SURE YOU'LL BUILD YOUR SODOM like you knew you would
Using all the GOOD PEOPLE for your GALLEY SLAVES
as your little boat struggles through the warning waves

But you don't pay
                                   You will pay tomorrow

                                   Save me
                                   Save me from tomorrow
                                   I don't want to sail in this ship of fools...
                                  ("Ship Of Fools" - WORLD PARTY[Karl Wallinger])

Meanwhile, the dumbfounded, clueless, powerless serfs are still  awaiting for the Surreal Postman to deliver on the promise of a flawed and compromised Democracy and dream of an ideal consciousness

of Utopian proportions.

Which is unreachable...untouchable...ungraspable...

A place to stay

Enough to eat

Somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street

Where you can speak out loud about your doubts and fears

And what's more

No one ever disappears, you never hear their standard issue kicking in your door

You can relax on both sides of the tracks

And maniacs don't blow holes in bandsmen by remote control

And EVERYONE HAS RECOURSE TO THE LAW

                           And no one kills the children anymore

                           ("The Gunner's Dream" - ROGER WATERS)

                           ... with thanks to "Pan" for dusting my memory...

PRACTICAL WAYS TO RESURRECT A DEMOCRACY ON LIFE SUPPORT(Part 1)

I don't vote. See, I live around the periphery and none of the incompetents can represent my views. A change of leadership does not interest me. From one incompetent to another. But I salivate at the thought
of the system changing...

We're on our way to find our freedom
And I'm on my way to find you my friend
Where we can stand in the light of the people
And breathe life into the land again
Siyathemba, siyathemba kuwena nkosi
Sizo fika ema khaya
(We are hoping and we still believe
  we will reach our destination)

"When The System Has Fallen" (JOHNNY CLEGG & SAVUKA)



So....how do we go about changing the system. We gotta start someplace and elections is a good place
to start. To be able to run for the Presidency, one incompetent must lay down some money (!!!) plus
produce a paper with signatures that support said incompetent. If you ain't rich or you don't plan to do
favours (rousfeti) you don't have the right to apply for the job (it's a job, that's all), that is how my humble mind translates this.
So...out with these rules and bring in the new ones.
1. All candidates should refrain from accepting cash contributions/grants of any form to boost their  
    campaign. And they should be investigated. And if found out they should be handed a bar of soap
    and sent straight to prison, preferably where the lifers are.
2. Each candidate should be checked to see whether he has grown hairs on his balls. Just pull down his
    pants for everyone to see. Should he have a small dick and is too embarrassed he could go to a photo
    booth and take a close up of his balls (If he submits a photo from the photo booth we'll know that
    there is a possibility he has a small dick too-hey, not all systems are perfect, OK?)
    (Special note to our dimwit lawmakers that this rule DOES NOT apply to women candidates.
     Unless...)
3. Give us the chance to vote the most able. Don't restrict our choice to one single Party. Political
    parties claim to be the cradle of Democracy. That is one reality. Another reality claims that Political
    parties are the asshole of Democracy. (Oh, wouldn't you like to know which books I'm reading...)
4. Most important rule. Have these vain candidates take an IQ test. Make that mandatory. I want to know
    whether my leader is smart or not. And if he cheats me blind, chances are I won't be able to tell and,
    thus, I won't be angry so often...

I would really like to know the IQ test results of our current crop of incompetents cause...

...Then you really might know what it's like
   To sing the blues

"What It's Like" (EVERLAST)





IQ tests, then, for everyone. From the president, to members of parliament, to civil servants.

I've noticed a certain anti-intellectualism going around in this country...I was in Nashville, Tennessee,
and after the show I went to a Waffle House. I'm not proud of it, but I was hungry. And I'm sitting there eating and reading a book. I don't know anybody, I'm alone, so I'm reading a book.
The waitress comes over to me
"What'chu readin' for?"
I had never been asked that. Not "What I'm reading", but "What I'm reading for?"
Goddangit, you stumped me. Hmm, why do I read?
I suppose I read for a lot of reasons, one of the main ones being so I don't end up being a f*****g
waffle waitress .  (BILL HICKS)