Morning folks - this'll be quick and to the point.
When I was young, my Dad gave me a gift which has gone on giving.
He encouraged me to visit my local library, and even though these days I don't (preferring to get my own books for a fairly ott, house sprawling, interesting, useful when the bog roll runs out, sort of collection) that early delving into fiction has affected my life totally.
When I was young, my Dad gave me a gift which has gone on giving.
He encouraged me to visit my local library, and even though these days I don't (preferring to get my own books for a fairly ott, house sprawling, interesting, useful when the bog roll runs out, sort of collection) that early delving into fiction has affected my life totally.
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| Cats Wanted, Dead Or Alive |
After a not so brief dalliance with Janes' Book Of Anything Big That Kills, and Sax Rohmer's Dr.Fu Manchu, and Mr. Lovecraft's Miners In The Deeps, my wee brain settled on a form of fiction I no longer read.
Science Fiction.
Why don't I read it any more?
Because I don't think it particularly has anything to say and hasn't for a long time - it's become the domain of cliché and bad writing, lacking the naivity that made those novels of the 50's, 60's and 70's so wonderfully fresh.
But going back, way back to those formative books I read, goodness me - it's definitely a cliché to say it, but They Blew My Mind.
The sub-section of SF that intrigued me the most, wasn't the Space Operas, it wasn't Ursula's oh-so relevant Gender Benders, it wasn't even Future Wars.
There was certainly a love affair with Time Travel; but my absolute, tip-top favourite was:
DF - Disaster Fiction.
Y'know, Apocalypse stuff . . and even then, it wasn't the broad span that was out there, it was two very specific books that I read many times. John Wyndham's Day Of The Triffids, and Edmund Cooper's All Fools Day.
Allied to these two cornerstones, JG Ballard's High Rise and The Drowned World, completed my education.
It was pretty heavy stuff for a youngster.
Mix in any Michael Moorcock (apart from Jerry Cornelius)
Heavy re-reading of The Hobbit and LOTR (curse you Peter Jackson for taking my world away from me and spreading it out like an all you can eat buffet before the hungry eyes of the world!) and you've got a brain primed for one thing only . . . . DISASTER!
Mix in any Michael Moorcock (apart from Jerry Cornelius)
Heavy re-reading of The Hobbit and LOTR (curse you Peter Jackson for taking my world away from me and spreading it out like an all you can eat buffet before the hungry eyes of the world!) and you've got a brain primed for one thing only . . . . DISASTER!
Which I guess brings me succinctly up to date with what set this off.
Before we shut down last night and stumbled off to plug ourselves into the dream machine, I caught a really telling report on the CV EMERGENCY.
You know what I am talking about, and why nobody has abbreviated it to CV is beyond me, but anyway.
You know what I am talking about, and why nobody has abbreviated it to CV is beyond me, but anyway.
In the UK, concerned neighbours are printing out forms to put through old folks doors with phone numbers on if they need help or support.
That's positive.
That's positive.
In the States, and please excuse my generalisations if you are from there and reading this - I've always admired America's Let's Get It Done spirit; your roots are in people from this little land and its islands - you're not that different really.
But what is different, was the footage of queues at gunshops.
Whilst we mad Brits stock up and argue over Bog Roll (Toilet Paper for those uninitiated in Britspeak) from the footage we've seen on TV, Americans are stocking up on guns and ammo.
But what is different, was the footage of queues at gunshops.
Whilst we mad Brits stock up and argue over Bog Roll (Toilet Paper for those uninitiated in Britspeak) from the footage we've seen on TV, Americans are stocking up on guns and ammo.
Now it doesn't take a brainbox to realise, that a fuse has been lit.
Thinking (or rather reacting) like this - well, it's an easy step up to The Big One (though CV really isn't, but more of that in a minute).
It's more the thought process that has been rolled out by this current World 'Crisis', and that thought process was something I thought had gone away waaay back in the bad old days.
But no, there he is lurking at that street corner, smoking a ciggie, in a trench coat and Fedora . . it's our old friend:
Cold War Paranoia.
But no, there he is lurking at that street corner, smoking a ciggie, in a trench coat and Fedora . . it's our old friend:
Cold War Paranoia.
It was a hard learning process (for both East and West) when the Wall came down and (some!) people realised that on the whole, no matter race, colour, language, thought process, (bar the nutters) people are people.
We're all the basic same machine.
We're all the basic same machine.
We all want the same things.
I can't think of any more accepting city than Berlin which quickly found its bohemian roots again.
It's a city I feel totally at home in despite not understanding German particularly well.
They learned quickly.
Life is more than division and dissent.
It is also more than:
He's got that, I want it, and I don't like him either.
The world has to work together man or it is all for naught and the megalomaniacs can run the game; holding back (rather like the clichéd generals in films who let the grunts do the hard work and blood spilling) whilst the rest of us run around like headless chickens.
Use your noddle.
Not saying nuffink, just saying, that's all.
It can be pretty simplistic being a human being, but increasingly we've let technology overtake humanity.
Brains are outsourced to phones; news is trusted without weighing the facts; the ability to make decisions is increasingly a herd mentality, so whilst people are gathering themselves, sheep-like, into virtual flocks, the wolves are really in the pen with them.
There was an interesting headline in the FT this morning saying that there was a Russian campaign of misinformation going on with regard to CV - that people were being whipped up to a frenzy of panic by social media.
I came to the same conclusion in early February - things were rolling out like a bad SF novel!
Far be it for me to go against Government Advice, but what people seem to have lost all sight of, is that stuff like CV isn't new - it has been going on for millenia, and it will carry on going on.
Undoubtedly something is out there, but isolating yourself will not stop it, it just means your body has less chance to build an immunity - mark my words, when this one starts to adapt and mutate as a virus will always do, maybe not the next one, but somewhere down the line it'll get really bad (again!).
You have to take chances now and use a bit of common sense; be understanding and kind; help others, sure, but also use your Harn (old Scot's word for brain) - take all that is being thrust at you with a modicum of suspicion.
Weigh the facts yourself and look at your countries officially published figures for deaths from Winter Flu - they should be (so far) considerably greater.
Amendum added three days later: Certainly this is more contagious, and even though things are looking terrible around the world, it's going to be a long long haul before the full story is told. AND THE PUBS ARE SHUT!
Anyway, use your noddle.
Question it all, look at the facts (there's screeds of WHO reports).
Not saying nuffink, just saying, that's all.
Brains are outsourced to phones; news is trusted without weighing the facts; the ability to make decisions is increasingly a herd mentality, so whilst people are gathering themselves, sheep-like, into virtual flocks, the wolves are really in the pen with them.
There was an interesting headline in the FT this morning saying that there was a Russian campaign of misinformation going on with regard to CV - that people were being whipped up to a frenzy of panic by social media.
I came to the same conclusion in early February - things were rolling out like a bad SF novel!
Far be it for me to go against Government Advice, but what people seem to have lost all sight of, is that stuff like CV isn't new - it has been going on for millenia, and it will carry on going on.
Undoubtedly something is out there, but isolating yourself will not stop it, it just means your body has less chance to build an immunity - mark my words, when this one starts to adapt and mutate as a virus will always do, maybe not the next one, but somewhere down the line it'll get really bad (again!).
You have to take chances now and use a bit of common sense; be understanding and kind; help others, sure, but also use your Harn (old Scot's word for brain) - take all that is being thrust at you with a modicum of suspicion.
Weigh the facts yourself and look at your countries officially published figures for deaths from Winter Flu - they should be (so far) considerably greater.
Amendum added three days later: Certainly this is more contagious, and even though things are looking terrible around the world, it's going to be a long long haul before the full story is told. AND THE PUBS ARE SHUT!
Anyway, use your noddle.
Question it all, look at the facts (there's screeds of WHO reports).
Not saying nuffink, just saying, that's all.
Anyway, wot's this got to do with photography - oh nothing, it was a pre-tea melding of thoughts that came out on the computer.
The pic at the top was taken on a lovely sunny Sunday, with the M2 and the (now becoming hard to find at a sensible price) Canon 28mm f3.5 - think that pic was on f5.6, because despite the sun, it was still pushing it with regard to speed.
Film was Delta 400 developed in Pyrocat-HD.
In hindsight I should have adjusted my position for a better composition and picked out the 'Dead' of a fantastic statement:
Cats Wanted, Dead Or Alive
The window is an ex-Thai restaurant - that space has never had much luck - I think there's been a collection of Chinese/Thai restaurants there since time immemorial.
Wonder if they did my absolute favourite, Tempura Tiddles?
Anyway, here's another couple - same film, same lens:
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| Weird Light Sunday |
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| Mine's A Pint |
Anyway, enough said, I did say it would be brief.
Hope this has made you think, and how about, instead of staying at home, going out (with your mask on if you like!) and making the most of the light and the empty City streets.I'll leave some last words to someone else:
Help!
I need somebody
Help!
Not just anybody
Help!
You know I need someone
Help!
When I was younger
So much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone,
I'm not so self assured
And now I find I've changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
But every now and then I feel so insecure
I know that I just need you like I've never done before
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
And now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me,
Help me,
Help me,
Ooh
I need somebody
Help!
Not just anybody
Help!
You know I need someone
Help!
When I was younger
So much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone,
I'm not so self assured
And now I find I've changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me?
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
But every now and then I feel so insecure
I know that I just need you like I've never done before
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me
When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured
And now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being 'round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won't you please, please help me,
Help me,
Help me,
Ooh
TTFN, and if the bastard who stole all the long life milk in Tesco cares to owns up, I'll not get him into trouble.
I like my cats alive, even when they are driving me bonkers for that thirty minutes twice a day.
ReplyDeleteI re-read The Hobbit after watching the movies to flush out the experience and re-seed my brain with Tolkien's beautiful writing.
I like "Mine's a Pint". 'This is your brain on beer', as the public service announcements used to say. Though I think it was probably drugs they mentioned.
I like my cats alive too Marcus! We've got a new visitor to the garden - I think it's the model on which all internet grumpy cats were modelled, and he's a big fluffy lump too.
DeleteYou should rid yourself entirely and read LOTRings again - it is still an astonishing book. I am going to have to watch the films again just to remind myself, but I remember really disliking every single aspect, and Andy Serkis . . . sorry Andy, good job, but definitely not my Smeagol.
This is Britain - we've never had public service announcements on beer - it's a national insitution . . and now . . THEY'VE SHUT THE PUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's good to see some pictures taken outside the front door. Thank you. I suppose we'll be reduced to snapping the backs of our own heads soon.
ReplyDeleteOur cats are being very philosophical about the whole thing, but nobody knows what deep thoughts cats are having when they are quiet and awake.
You haven't mentioned the most pessimistic of all SF writers, Philip K Dick. It seems that he didn't believe he was writing fiction at all but simply transcribing events from parallel worlds. Rather like today, I suppose.
My pleasure squire - fearlessly treading where others fear to tread!
ReplyDeleteNobody knows what cats are thinking, that's the whole poiunt of cats . . .
And Philip K I am lukewarm about - yes it does seem like we are living through one of his books, but did this existence exist before he wrote about it??
My favourite (pretty much) SF novel of all time is Mockingbird by Walter Tevis and I only discovered it 3 or so years ago - highly recommended, it is an unsung gem.
Never 'eard of 'im. Until now. Something for Mr Google.
ReplyDeletePKD can be repetitive, but he was on a bit of a treadmill when SF writers were very badly paid.
Are you sure that that's the all of the whole point of cats, or are we still missing some other secret thing?
A bit of door-painting now.
Yep - highly reommend Mockingbird - it is superb to me. The other I'd recommend is Ridley Walker by Russel Hoban - like nothing else you've ever read!
ReplyDeleteNope that's it for cats.
Cats... we have two Siamese who rule the roost here.
ReplyDeleteAs for CV it's like 'MAD' in the 50's & 60's: keeping us all on the edge while some make lots of money.
As for bog rolls wtf is that all about, it's not just here in UK which makes it all the more strange.
I need an Enfield L39 and a few boxes of 7.62mm: do you still get transported for poaching? because I think I need to come up to your end of the country and live of the land for a few months.
LOTR & the Hobbit have given me years of enjoyment. The films, humm...
I like some of Iain M.Banks SF, but will look out for the ones you recommend.
We can't even have a pint in the local now.
If you please . . . never handled one, and don't have any pets . . maybe one day.
DeleteMAD indeed - these are people who have never read any SF. It's one small step to civil disorder, starting around about soon. I was never much of a Banks fan, it was Ray, Ursula, AE Van Vogt, Robert Silverberg, Moorcock, etc etc . . and heavy doses of Tolkein. And of course the ultimate guide to humanity - Searle and Willans Molesworth books - if you've never read them, do - every archetype of mankind is writ large in the students and teachers.
There's a bogroll sheet calculator in Germany ';0)
As for living off the land - you'll be last in the queue (large areas of wilderness and their VERY small shops are being over-run by escapee city folk), thing is it's people who have no idea of how the land and weather is up here - it's hard.
"Ne'eer cast a clout till May is oot" - basically, stay wrapped up till the end of May . . . wonder if we're going to get an heating allowance for everyone now working from home.
You know Herman, all those Americans buying up big on guns, they're the people who already bought all the bog rolls, and now they are worried that the people who have none are going to try and pinch theirs; hence, the guns.......
ReplyDeleteI know . . somewhere in the mid-West there's ex-nuclear bunkers stuffed to the gunnels with 20 trillion bog rolls and someone armed to the teeth ready to defend them to the death . . .
DeleteIt'll be happening in Blighty before too long too methinks . . . 'cept we'll be defending ours with billhooks . . .