Once again The Sun have dragged Princess Diana into the news, with the "revelation" that she slept with JFK Junior.
Once again most people will probably say "WHO CARES??" She has been dead for umpteen years now and we're all sick of hearing about her chequered love life. She was certainly no saint and yes, she bedded several men - but wouldn't you if you were married to a handsome hunk like Prince Charles, whose jug-ears and obsession for being Camilla's tampon drove her round the twist??
Even more odiously is the endless trek of Diana's "confidantes" who jump on the bandwagon and sell their souls and their stories for money about how THEY were her "biggest friend" and confidant and how "she told me EVERYTHING", then they divulge more gory details about her sex life.
NOBODY IS THINKING ABOUT HER TWO SONS. I wish they could sue everyone who tells a story about their mother, to finally stem this flow of boring lascivious morbid crap. The more revelations about Diana's "men" there are, the more the boys must hurt, but they cannot step forward and say anything publicly, so it will continue. Enough is enough!
Monday, June 27, 2005
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Is There A Cheating Gene?
Saw this article by Todd Katz on the internet, I think it's just an excuse for men to shag around....
========================
We've all known someone who just can't commit. Now, research suggests that staying faithful is a matter of genetics.
We all know there seem to be some folks out there who "can't help but" stray...or so they say. Now, scientific research reveals that there may be some truth to that-that some living creatures are genetically programmed to seek out many partners.
The saga begins with the prairie vole, one of the world's only monogamous mammals. When the male of the species is smitten by that special somebody, the pair bonds for life. Avoiding all other females, he'll spend hours grooming his lover's fur, and when necessary lay down his life in defence of her or their pups. But the prairie vole's player of a cousin, the meadow vole, jumps from partner to partner, with no loyalty to any one female…that is, until a group of scientists started tinkering with his noggin.
"We had two closely related species exhibiting startlingly different behaviour, and we believed there might be a biological or physiological component," explains Miranda Lim, Ph.D., of Emory University's Yerkes National Primate Research Center. What she and her fellow researchers discovered is that the monogamous prairie voles, unlike the promiscuous meadow voles, have high levels of vasopressin receptors—a chemical released after sex in both rodents and humans—in the reward centre of their brain. These receptors help the prairie vole make a link between the smell of a particular mate and sexual pleasure, leading to instant monogamy.
The researchers isolated the vasopressin-receptor gene, and introduced it into some meadow voles. The result: The lecherous little rodents became hopelessly monogamous romantics.
So what does this indicate about the human male? "People in love seem to activate this same reward region of the brain," Lim says. "Obviously rodents are far simpler than humans. But vasopressin does appear necessary to establishing long-term bonding relationships."
While Lim says it's worth further investigating the role of vasopressin in humans, she says it's unlikely to lead to an actual cure for infidelity anytime soon. Rats…
New Yorker Todd Katz writes for Maxim and Stuff. While he has never cheated on a girlfriend, more than once has compared his behaviour to that of a rodent.
========================
We've all known someone who just can't commit. Now, research suggests that staying faithful is a matter of genetics.
We all know there seem to be some folks out there who "can't help but" stray...or so they say. Now, scientific research reveals that there may be some truth to that-that some living creatures are genetically programmed to seek out many partners.
The saga begins with the prairie vole, one of the world's only monogamous mammals. When the male of the species is smitten by that special somebody, the pair bonds for life. Avoiding all other females, he'll spend hours grooming his lover's fur, and when necessary lay down his life in defence of her or their pups. But the prairie vole's player of a cousin, the meadow vole, jumps from partner to partner, with no loyalty to any one female…that is, until a group of scientists started tinkering with his noggin.
"We had two closely related species exhibiting startlingly different behaviour, and we believed there might be a biological or physiological component," explains Miranda Lim, Ph.D., of Emory University's Yerkes National Primate Research Center. What she and her fellow researchers discovered is that the monogamous prairie voles, unlike the promiscuous meadow voles, have high levels of vasopressin receptors—a chemical released after sex in both rodents and humans—in the reward centre of their brain. These receptors help the prairie vole make a link between the smell of a particular mate and sexual pleasure, leading to instant monogamy.
The researchers isolated the vasopressin-receptor gene, and introduced it into some meadow voles. The result: The lecherous little rodents became hopelessly monogamous romantics.
So what does this indicate about the human male? "People in love seem to activate this same reward region of the brain," Lim says. "Obviously rodents are far simpler than humans. But vasopressin does appear necessary to establishing long-term bonding relationships."
While Lim says it's worth further investigating the role of vasopressin in humans, she says it's unlikely to lead to an actual cure for infidelity anytime soon. Rats…
New Yorker Todd Katz writes for Maxim and Stuff. While he has never cheated on a girlfriend, more than once has compared his behaviour to that of a rodent.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
"Come On Tim"
Wimbledon is upon us again and SW19 is steadily filling up with those tireless "Henmaniacs", who this year are bleating and pouting because they can't wear their silly huge floppy Union Jack hats when they cheer on their hero, Tim Henman ("You Can Do It Tim") because security say that they could hide "concealed weapons".
I read a great column in the paper that described "Henmaniacs" as "Football hooligans for the upper class". With their tennis ball earrings, their matching Tim T-shirts and their painted faces, these fans (mostly women) irritate the shit out of me. Sitting there with their strawberries, their constant cries of "Come on Tim, come ON Tim, COME ON HENMAN" after each volley must drive the poor lad crackers. I think security have just invented the "weapons" excuse to dry to deter Henmaniacs from turning up at all. Unfortunately they've not been successful. Or maybe they're preventing people like me sneaking a water cannon in under my floppy felt hat and drenching the lot of them with rancid cranberry juice.....
Tim ("You Can Do It Tim") must dread Wimbledon every year, and is probably praying for another British Wunderkid to turn up and take the heat off his butt. People don't seem to realise that Tim is a GOOD player, but not an OUTSTANDING player - he's pretty average really. But the media pump up the pressure every year and the Henmaniacs appear with their screeching, and poor old Timmy tries his best but never quite makes it. Then he has to face a deflated media who once again bemoan the fact that Tim "Didn't quite do it", and snicker at the fact that all he seems to be able to do is get his wife pregnant.
A Brit hasn't won Wimbledon since the late seventies. Give Timmy a break, stop screeching at every chance, take the pressure off and maybe one year he will get lucky and "do it".
Meanwhile, get your fat kid off the couch, away from the Playstation and into a tennis club and maybe he will inherit this blessed following of "Maniacs" one day.
I read a great column in the paper that described "Henmaniacs" as "Football hooligans for the upper class". With their tennis ball earrings, their matching Tim T-shirts and their painted faces, these fans (mostly women) irritate the shit out of me. Sitting there with their strawberries, their constant cries of "Come on Tim, come ON Tim, COME ON HENMAN" after each volley must drive the poor lad crackers. I think security have just invented the "weapons" excuse to dry to deter Henmaniacs from turning up at all. Unfortunately they've not been successful. Or maybe they're preventing people like me sneaking a water cannon in under my floppy felt hat and drenching the lot of them with rancid cranberry juice.....
Tim ("You Can Do It Tim") must dread Wimbledon every year, and is probably praying for another British Wunderkid to turn up and take the heat off his butt. People don't seem to realise that Tim is a GOOD player, but not an OUTSTANDING player - he's pretty average really. But the media pump up the pressure every year and the Henmaniacs appear with their screeching, and poor old Timmy tries his best but never quite makes it. Then he has to face a deflated media who once again bemoan the fact that Tim "Didn't quite do it", and snicker at the fact that all he seems to be able to do is get his wife pregnant.
A Brit hasn't won Wimbledon since the late seventies. Give Timmy a break, stop screeching at every chance, take the pressure off and maybe one year he will get lucky and "do it".
Meanwhile, get your fat kid off the couch, away from the Playstation and into a tennis club and maybe he will inherit this blessed following of "Maniacs" one day.
Monday, June 20, 2005
BRAIN SHUT DOWN BY SEX
This from the Sky news website - I couldn't believe what I was reading:
================
An orgasm is literally a mind-blowing experience for a woman, scientists have revealed. Much of her brain shuts down when she reaches a sexual climax.
The discovery was made during experiments in the Netherlands when couples' brains were scanned during lovemaking.
Neuroscientist Dr Gert Holstege, from the University of Groningen said it appeared that shutting down the brain during orgasm ensured that obstacles such as fear and stress did not get in the way.
"When you are fearful or have a very high level of anxiety, then it's hard to have sex because during sex you really have to give yourself and let go."
Men were studied in the same way but because the male orgasm typically takes such a short time it was difficult to obtain meaningful brain scan data. - [HAHAHAH cos there isn't any]
A total of 13 women and 11 men, ranging in age from 19 to 49, took part in the experiments at Dr Holstege's laboratory. Since it was vital to remain completely still in the scanner, volunteers had to have their heads restrained while being stimulated. The rest of the body was free to move.
Participants lay naked on a table with their head inside the scanner - but had to wear socks to avoid cold feet. [WTF!!!]
And there could be a connection with the aphrodisiac effect of alcohol. "Alcohol brings down the fear level," said Dr Holstege. "Everyone knows if you give alcohol to a woman it makes things easier." [FUCK OFF, and men aren't an easy lay when they are drunk????? Actually, probably not if Mr Floppy comes into play due to the booze ...]
What a patronising crock of shit article, is this mainstream news nowadays????
================
An orgasm is literally a mind-blowing experience for a woman, scientists have revealed. Much of her brain shuts down when she reaches a sexual climax.
The discovery was made during experiments in the Netherlands when couples' brains were scanned during lovemaking.
Neuroscientist Dr Gert Holstege, from the University of Groningen said it appeared that shutting down the brain during orgasm ensured that obstacles such as fear and stress did not get in the way.
"When you are fearful or have a very high level of anxiety, then it's hard to have sex because during sex you really have to give yourself and let go."
Men were studied in the same way but because the male orgasm typically takes such a short time it was difficult to obtain meaningful brain scan data. - [HAHAHAH cos there isn't any]
A total of 13 women and 11 men, ranging in age from 19 to 49, took part in the experiments at Dr Holstege's laboratory. Since it was vital to remain completely still in the scanner, volunteers had to have their heads restrained while being stimulated. The rest of the body was free to move.
Participants lay naked on a table with their head inside the scanner - but had to wear socks to avoid cold feet. [WTF!!!]
And there could be a connection with the aphrodisiac effect of alcohol. "Alcohol brings down the fear level," said Dr Holstege. "Everyone knows if you give alcohol to a woman it makes things easier." [FUCK OFF, and men aren't an easy lay when they are drunk????? Actually, probably not if Mr Floppy comes into play due to the booze ...]
What a patronising crock of shit article, is this mainstream news nowadays????
Friday, June 17, 2005
Kill them all ....
17 June 05
I can't bear to watch more than 30 seconds of this year's Big Brother - I've put the telly on a couple of times but it's so bad that after 30 seconds I can't stand it. What a bunch of media-conscious fake pratts.
I watched the very first BB all those years ago, when the Housemates didn't know what to expect, and the producers and the audience didn't know either. Everyone was innocent, and everyone acted naturally, and it was gread fun to watch. Then the tabloids and the media started to make "celebs" out of the evictees and the winners, and a whole new culture of Housemate entered the scene. People that wanted the z-list fame and knew how to act to get it. Now it's unbearable to watch because every move, every eyelid twitch, every sexy smile and every kiss, every argument, is carefully thought out by either the Housemate or the producers to create controversy, attract attention, and boost ratings or that person's future z-list status.
They know that if they give their housemate a BJ under the covers that The Sun will pay them £150k for their story, they know that if they get their tits out they will command frontpage headlines over such trivial news items like world poverty and the farcical Iraq war, they know that if they hook up with another housemate after BB, that OK and HELLO will pay them £££ for sugary stories about "Our perfect Love", then ultimately they will end up on a another trash reality TV show where they will humiliate themselves accordingly, just to stay in the spotlight a little longer.
Should we praise them for being media savvy and earning as much as they can while their star glitters temporarily? Or should we roll our eyes and brace ourselves for another crop of Jade Goodys who refuse to f*ck off, and constantly haunt us with their presence at so much as the opening of an envelope?
Watching them now isn't entertaining because they aren't behaving naturally, the fakeness is nauseating. The stunts will get even more daring to the point where Endemol will be encouraging them to have a full-on orgy, then they will pull up their prim starched collars, and say "ooh we can't show that cos it's a family programme". FFS!!!!
I can't bear to watch more than 30 seconds of this year's Big Brother - I've put the telly on a couple of times but it's so bad that after 30 seconds I can't stand it. What a bunch of media-conscious fake pratts.
I watched the very first BB all those years ago, when the Housemates didn't know what to expect, and the producers and the audience didn't know either. Everyone was innocent, and everyone acted naturally, and it was gread fun to watch. Then the tabloids and the media started to make "celebs" out of the evictees and the winners, and a whole new culture of Housemate entered the scene. People that wanted the z-list fame and knew how to act to get it. Now it's unbearable to watch because every move, every eyelid twitch, every sexy smile and every kiss, every argument, is carefully thought out by either the Housemate or the producers to create controversy, attract attention, and boost ratings or that person's future z-list status.
They know that if they give their housemate a BJ under the covers that The Sun will pay them £150k for their story, they know that if they get their tits out they will command frontpage headlines over such trivial news items like world poverty and the farcical Iraq war, they know that if they hook up with another housemate after BB, that OK and HELLO will pay them £££ for sugary stories about "Our perfect Love", then ultimately they will end up on a another trash reality TV show where they will humiliate themselves accordingly, just to stay in the spotlight a little longer.
Should we praise them for being media savvy and earning as much as they can while their star glitters temporarily? Or should we roll our eyes and brace ourselves for another crop of Jade Goodys who refuse to f*ck off, and constantly haunt us with their presence at so much as the opening of an envelope?
Watching them now isn't entertaining because they aren't behaving naturally, the fakeness is nauseating. The stunts will get even more daring to the point where Endemol will be encouraging them to have a full-on orgy, then they will pull up their prim starched collars, and say "ooh we can't show that cos it's a family programme". FFS!!!!
Thursday, June 16, 2005
FFS ...
Motorists in Norwich are whingeing because the time they have to wait at traffic light crossings is "too long". Some say that the time has been lengthened to allow elderly people to cross safely - but they still whinge.
FFS!!! I was at a crossing today and I was sad enough to time it - about 15 seconds. 15 SECONDS. IS THAT A BIT TOO MUCH TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY DAY???? Can't you just chill and sit there and wait?? Look around you, notice the tree at the side of the road, the blackbird hopping along the path, the clouds in the sky, the flowers in the garden to your left, the Chav kicking an empty bottle along the pavement to your right ... Notice what is around you and that 15 seconds will pass quickly enough.
Or if you're a total impatient tw*t, put your foot down and run over old Mabel who is shuffling across the road in front of you. I'm sure sitting in a jail cell you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your surroundings ...
FFS!!! I was at a crossing today and I was sad enough to time it - about 15 seconds. 15 SECONDS. IS THAT A BIT TOO MUCH TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY DAY???? Can't you just chill and sit there and wait?? Look around you, notice the tree at the side of the road, the blackbird hopping along the path, the clouds in the sky, the flowers in the garden to your left, the Chav kicking an empty bottle along the pavement to your right ... Notice what is around you and that 15 seconds will pass quickly enough.
Or if you're a total impatient tw*t, put your foot down and run over old Mabel who is shuffling across the road in front of you. I'm sure sitting in a jail cell you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your surroundings ...
Monday, June 13, 2005
Let the parents pay!
£700m is to be "made available" so that working mothers can drop little Timmy off earlier at school, and keep him there AFTER school until as late as 6pm, so she can stay at work. School normaly kicks out at just gone 3, so what's little Timmy meant to do for another 3 hours? All his mates will be going home and he has to stay there - how pissed off will he be? Not to mention being dropped off about an hour earlier in the mornings!
Teachers or child carers will have to hang around too, and think of things to do to amuse the little darlings. I suggest extra phonics and anti-text spelling lessons for the little buggers, nip those bad habits in the bud.
I'm curious as to where the Govt is "making available" £700m from though, with all the other urgent things in the country that need funding, they are throwing money at after-school care cos bloody working mums/dads can't knock off early?? It's like the £250m "made available" for better school dinners for kids - which I think is brilliant but has the money come forward? Is it in a lump sum or bit by bit over a few years? And how do we know ultimately that the full amount WILL be delivered to the school dinners cause?
Personally I think why should the Government and our taxes fund after-school clubs - each parent who wants their kid to go early or stay behind should pay seperately for his care in those hours - if the kid was left with a private nanny early and late in the day, the parent would pay, so why should the Govt pay just cos they are left at a school? If you have a kid and go back to work, it should be up to you to sort out the proper work hours so you are available to drop off/pick up little Timmy at the RIGHT hours. After all, 3 hours extra stuck in a school room is valuable TV-hypnotism or X-Boxing time wasted, how shocking!!!!!!!!!!
Teachers or child carers will have to hang around too, and think of things to do to amuse the little darlings. I suggest extra phonics and anti-text spelling lessons for the little buggers, nip those bad habits in the bud.
I'm curious as to where the Govt is "making available" £700m from though, with all the other urgent things in the country that need funding, they are throwing money at after-school care cos bloody working mums/dads can't knock off early?? It's like the £250m "made available" for better school dinners for kids - which I think is brilliant but has the money come forward? Is it in a lump sum or bit by bit over a few years? And how do we know ultimately that the full amount WILL be delivered to the school dinners cause?
Personally I think why should the Government and our taxes fund after-school clubs - each parent who wants their kid to go early or stay behind should pay seperately for his care in those hours - if the kid was left with a private nanny early and late in the day, the parent would pay, so why should the Govt pay just cos they are left at a school? If you have a kid and go back to work, it should be up to you to sort out the proper work hours so you are available to drop off/pick up little Timmy at the RIGHT hours. After all, 3 hours extra stuck in a school room is valuable TV-hypnotism or X-Boxing time wasted, how shocking!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Is Jacko innocent - discuss!
Let's have your opinions then cos I honestly don't know whether the Pop Paedo will get off the hook or be put away for good ... how can the jury be impartial after all the media revelations over the years? How do we know it's not just evil mothers using their sons to get millions out of him by forcing them to lie? How do we know if he's a really dangerous paedo who hides behind his fame and fortune to abuse young boys?
from what I've heard the evidence points to the latter - he says he "loves children" but you never see him with young girls, it's always been young boys. When they grow up and their voices crack and they are no longer tiny and cute, he drops them like a stone ... he openly admits to sharing a bed with a child and thinks nothing of sharing a bed with children he is not related to - fair enough if your son is feeling ill and you snuggle up in bed with him, but if your neighbour's son was feeling ill would you crawl into bed with him too?!?!
There was a British lad on GMTV this morning who had been outside the trial with his placards and protests, and who thought Jacko was innocent. When asked "is it normal for a grown man to want to share his bed with dozens of non-related young boys?" his pathetic answer was "well it's not normal for a 5-year old to be performing on worldwide TV but that's what Michael did" - er great argument!!!!
If he is convicted what then - you can hardly throw him in a normal US jail - he will be isolated and mollycoddled and have a special team to look after him at a cost of millions to the taxpayer. I say throw him in a cell with a fat guy called Bubba who REALLY likes little boys, then give him a taste of his own medicine.
If he's not convicted what then - will his circle of little boy friends continue, and will we sit back and watch and allow it to continue? Will more boys start coming forward with "he touched me here" stories, wanting $$$$ payouts? can you arrest a man AGAIN for a crime that he was aquitted of?
Jacko's recent "back trouble" stories just as the jury start to deliberate are pathetic. Is a little back problem or illness going to sway the jury??? It sure wouldn't if he were Ted Bundy ... "oh he's got a bad back let's let him go, poor lamb!" And no medical problems in the world should not sway their decisionmaking when it comes to Jacko either.
from what I've heard the evidence points to the latter - he says he "loves children" but you never see him with young girls, it's always been young boys. When they grow up and their voices crack and they are no longer tiny and cute, he drops them like a stone ... he openly admits to sharing a bed with a child and thinks nothing of sharing a bed with children he is not related to - fair enough if your son is feeling ill and you snuggle up in bed with him, but if your neighbour's son was feeling ill would you crawl into bed with him too?!?!
There was a British lad on GMTV this morning who had been outside the trial with his placards and protests, and who thought Jacko was innocent. When asked "is it normal for a grown man to want to share his bed with dozens of non-related young boys?" his pathetic answer was "well it's not normal for a 5-year old to be performing on worldwide TV but that's what Michael did" - er great argument!!!!
If he is convicted what then - you can hardly throw him in a normal US jail - he will be isolated and mollycoddled and have a special team to look after him at a cost of millions to the taxpayer. I say throw him in a cell with a fat guy called Bubba who REALLY likes little boys, then give him a taste of his own medicine.
If he's not convicted what then - will his circle of little boy friends continue, and will we sit back and watch and allow it to continue? Will more boys start coming forward with "he touched me here" stories, wanting $$$$ payouts? can you arrest a man AGAIN for a crime that he was aquitted of?
Jacko's recent "back trouble" stories just as the jury start to deliberate are pathetic. Is a little back problem or illness going to sway the jury??? It sure wouldn't if he were Ted Bundy ... "oh he's got a bad back let's let him go, poor lamb!" And no medical problems in the world should not sway their decisionmaking when it comes to Jacko either.
Monday, June 06, 2005
6th JUNE
Today is 6th June - 61 years since D-Day. The news and world media seem to have forgotten. Have you?
After last year's pomp and ceremony of the 60 year anniversary and George Bush's sickening speech about "freedom and democracy", nobody is bothering to remind us that this year is just as important for remembering ... so is every year. As i type this, veterans will be returning to the beaches of Normandy and standing on the vast plains, looking out to sea and remembering their fallen comrades. The beaches are silent and beautiful now, but in their ears they will still hear the noise of the machine guns and the screams of agony, see the tide turn red with blood, hear the deafening explosions of the bombs. Some of them have moved on and prefer not to remember, some are trapped back on that day in 1944, unable to move on because of injuries or constant nightmares.
The Veterans are getting less and less, and soon there will be none left to look us in the eye and say "remember". The war was 60 years ago and today's generation may never fully understand just what was sacrificed, therefore they may not care as much, may not buy their poppy, may laugh and take the piss about the "old farts who always talk about The War".
I am of that new generation but I have spoken to many veterans and have read many books of what they went through. I've been to Normandy and walked among the rows and rows of white crosses at Omaha Beach American Cemetary, I've stood on the stunning golden flat sands of Gold and Sword beaches, and I've walked on Omaha beach and looked up a the soaring cliffs with their gun emplacements still there, staring coldly down at me - to imagine them spitting machine gun fire at terrified young men as they were told to run TOWARDS them and take the beach - still makes me shiver when I remember it.
It was very sad to walk amongst all the immaculate white headstones. The only sound was the padding of my feet on the dewy grass as I walked along row after row of young lads, a whole generation of men lost, and some family lines discontinued for good. I rarely saw any that were over 35. They were all so young, and many shared the same day of death – 6th June 1944 age 20, 6th June 1944 age 23, 6th June 1944 age 19, 6th June 1944 age 25...and so it went on.
Throughout the visit, four words were shouting loudly in my head “Why hasn’t anyone learned?”. Why haven’t our “leaders” learned from this stupid waste of lives? Why do our politicians still put profit and big business before human lives? How can they sleep at night? How can all the Presidents and Prime Ministers and world leaders come here every year on 6th June and stand and make speeches about the “heroes” and the “glory” and the “sacrifice”, then go back home in their bulletproof limos to their daily grind of sending more young boys off to fight their oil wars? I think if I were one of those politicians I would find it very hard to look into the eyes of any D-Day Veteran and then go home and sleep at night.
So many lives lost, for the greedy power-hungry whims of so few men ...
We should never forget because remembering each year should drive home to us how fucking pointless and what a waste these wars were and still are, and how the men who start and continue them should be removed from the reins of power.
Every person on this earth should walk amongst the graves any War Cemetary in Normandy, or elsewhere in the world. School trips should take today's selfish and self-centred teens there, to slap some humility and respect into them, and teach them how NOT to run the world in the future.
Next time you see a Veteran out on the streets rattling a can to raise money for a Veterans Association, take time to speak to him, stick a quid in his can, look at his medals or his regiment badge and ask him what he did - you will find he may have some great stories to tell and you'll walk away feeling very humbled. Most of all, say thank you to him for what he did.
And so the killing continues and will doubtless continue until we've successfully managed to wipe ourselves out. Maybe that would be the better thing to do???
After last year's pomp and ceremony of the 60 year anniversary and George Bush's sickening speech about "freedom and democracy", nobody is bothering to remind us that this year is just as important for remembering ... so is every year. As i type this, veterans will be returning to the beaches of Normandy and standing on the vast plains, looking out to sea and remembering their fallen comrades. The beaches are silent and beautiful now, but in their ears they will still hear the noise of the machine guns and the screams of agony, see the tide turn red with blood, hear the deafening explosions of the bombs. Some of them have moved on and prefer not to remember, some are trapped back on that day in 1944, unable to move on because of injuries or constant nightmares.
The Veterans are getting less and less, and soon there will be none left to look us in the eye and say "remember". The war was 60 years ago and today's generation may never fully understand just what was sacrificed, therefore they may not care as much, may not buy their poppy, may laugh and take the piss about the "old farts who always talk about The War".
I am of that new generation but I have spoken to many veterans and have read many books of what they went through. I've been to Normandy and walked among the rows and rows of white crosses at Omaha Beach American Cemetary, I've stood on the stunning golden flat sands of Gold and Sword beaches, and I've walked on Omaha beach and looked up a the soaring cliffs with their gun emplacements still there, staring coldly down at me - to imagine them spitting machine gun fire at terrified young men as they were told to run TOWARDS them and take the beach - still makes me shiver when I remember it.
It was very sad to walk amongst all the immaculate white headstones. The only sound was the padding of my feet on the dewy grass as I walked along row after row of young lads, a whole generation of men lost, and some family lines discontinued for good. I rarely saw any that were over 35. They were all so young, and many shared the same day of death – 6th June 1944 age 20, 6th June 1944 age 23, 6th June 1944 age 19, 6th June 1944 age 25...and so it went on.
Throughout the visit, four words were shouting loudly in my head “Why hasn’t anyone learned?”. Why haven’t our “leaders” learned from this stupid waste of lives? Why do our politicians still put profit and big business before human lives? How can they sleep at night? How can all the Presidents and Prime Ministers and world leaders come here every year on 6th June and stand and make speeches about the “heroes” and the “glory” and the “sacrifice”, then go back home in their bulletproof limos to their daily grind of sending more young boys off to fight their oil wars? I think if I were one of those politicians I would find it very hard to look into the eyes of any D-Day Veteran and then go home and sleep at night.
So many lives lost, for the greedy power-hungry whims of so few men ...
We should never forget because remembering each year should drive home to us how fucking pointless and what a waste these wars were and still are, and how the men who start and continue them should be removed from the reins of power.
Every person on this earth should walk amongst the graves any War Cemetary in Normandy, or elsewhere in the world. School trips should take today's selfish and self-centred teens there, to slap some humility and respect into them, and teach them how NOT to run the world in the future.
Next time you see a Veteran out on the streets rattling a can to raise money for a Veterans Association, take time to speak to him, stick a quid in his can, look at his medals or his regiment badge and ask him what he did - you will find he may have some great stories to tell and you'll walk away feeling very humbled. Most of all, say thank you to him for what he did.
And so the killing continues and will doubtless continue until we've successfully managed to wipe ourselves out. Maybe that would be the better thing to do???
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Queue here please
Half-term again and once more I marvel at the stupidity of the average Human Being. Why do people get up late, drive into town at lunchtime, on a HALF TERM day, and expect to get a parking place in the city centre mall car park???? HELLO??
Norwich centre has been jammed up by queues of Chelsea-tractor driving twats, waiting for hours, queueing, blocking junctions and getting all pissed off because they can't get into the Castle Mall to satisfy their bored whingeing teen's appetite for half-term shopping.
FFS Get up early and get in there for 9am shops opening time, then you will get parked, have crowd-free shopping, and get out again all before the other idiots have got out of bed! Or get a Park & Ride into town or just a plain old bus ....
Norwich centre has been jammed up by queues of Chelsea-tractor driving twats, waiting for hours, queueing, blocking junctions and getting all pissed off because they can't get into the Castle Mall to satisfy their bored whingeing teen's appetite for half-term shopping.
FFS Get up early and get in there for 9am shops opening time, then you will get parked, have crowd-free shopping, and get out again all before the other idiots have got out of bed! Or get a Park & Ride into town or just a plain old bus ....
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