Sorry about the silence

Sorry about the silence, but as I'd mentioned I'm doing a musical - Ragtime this week. After it's over I should be back to posting as usual.

In the meantime I've been a bit out of things but I have noticed the news about the murder of the Pakistan manager in JA. It has been on the news a lot here in the UK with a lot of live feeds from Jamaica - usually talking to Mark Shields. The Brits like to feel comfortable and talking to one of their own does that I guess. Some people have been saying that the World Cup should have been canceled after the death but that seems rather silly doesn't it? If the rumours are true then carrying on would be the best thing to do eh?

Anyway I'm no authority on matters cricket - I'll leave these things to the likes of His Royal Highness.

So far the show is going OK but I miss the camaraderie you get from a bunch of Caribbean folk in a musical/theatrical situation. I was with the University Singers for six seasons and we used to have a lot of fun on and off the stage. It's not the same in the UK sadly.

Anyway - later.

SUVs and Mugabe

Went with His Royal Highness today to look at SUVs - we'll be changing our car in August as by then it will be three years old and in anticipation of little feet hopefully in 2008 - and to help transport family members now - we've decided to go for an SUV. Not very environmentally friendly I know . . .

Now HRH just loves the Audi Q7 but at 40 thousand pounds plus - I don't think so! So we went to look at a Hyundai Santa Fe - a 'steal' at 22 thousand for an 07 model. It was really nice!!. If you get a chance, go look at one. The three years is up in August - I'll tell you what it's like then if we still go for it.

On a completely different plane - things in Zimbabwe are going to hell in a hand basket eeeh? Something seems to be changing though and maybe there's a chance that Mugabe will be overthrown. It's a crying shame what he has become. He's never been a saint, but from my reading, and talking to Zimbabweans - he used to have the country's best interests at heart and was serious about keeping the wealth of the land for the black people and not the white folk to owned nearly everything. There's a lot of history behind some aspects of his attitude and actions - if you can, read the summary of the Lancaster House agreement which pertains to Zimbabwe's independence in the early 80s. It's very revealing. But he's lost his natural mind if he thinks that taking the farms from the white people in the way he did has helped his land. He needed a much better game plan and there is no excuse for causing the suffering of his own people and living in luxury for himself.

A former friend who is Zimbabwean posits that his second wife who is a lot younger than him and has a distinct taste for the high life - has contributed greatly to his terrible behaviour. Fair point to an extent- but that can't explain everything. Bottom line is he has lost the plot and needs to go. It will take generations to repair the financial chaos but I hope that the recent rumblings of discontent in areas you wouldn't expect (Southern African politicians) signal he beginning of the end of the misery.

Cricket!

Boy from where I sit in cold h'englan the cricket looks very exciting. Now I am not a cricket person - my Dad used to play and won trophies and my husband (His Royal Highness, for it is he) watches but for the life of me I still can't understand the game and HRH won't explain - so I can't really enjoy it. Anyway, I really wish I had taken holiday now.

I am under pressure right now which is why I am posting less. I am a member of the Leeds Amateur Operatic Society and we are doing a production of Ragtime at the Grand Theatre starting March 27. So I am at rehearsal most evenings. For anyone who is in the environs, check out the show - it is great, even if I say so myself. Here's the link to the website http://www.thelaos.com

Later

Black Cowboys and DB9s

Check out this photo story on some ‘urban cowboys’in the States. http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=4&subID=1237 A bunch of black guys in Philadelphia have taken over some disused buildings and are using them for stable sot house their ponies which they ride. Quite interesting really. By the way, I recommend this online paper, The First Post. It was established and run by journalists I believe.

In other news Ford is letting go of Aston Martin. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article1494980.ece Hope the DB range stays as wicked looking as it is.

Racism in the Army and Other Matters

Plenty of debate back on the Rock about whether or not the government should have spent billions on new stadia for the World Cup instead of spending it on the needy. Some commentators have said that the money was loaned to Jamaica only for the World Cup so it couldn’t have helped the poor anyway. Some say it is bad mindedness to complain about the expenditure and that having the competition in the region is a boon for all. Personally, I don’t think the poor will be any better off as a result of the World Cup. Opportunities to benefit from many things, including the knock on economic effects from such an event as the World Cup is sadly still in the purview of the wealthy.
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http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=1211
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1488774.ece

Check out these stories above about the Tory frontbencher who made comments about black people in the army. (Sigh) So many issues here that I am too weary to elaborate. As Linda Richman said on SNL, talk amongst yourselves. I’ll give you a topic. Most white people are too dumb to treat people who don’t look like themselves, like human beings. Discuss.
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And in other news, Mr. Humphries from Are You Being Served (Aym Free!) has died. http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,2029031,00.html . Hard to believe that show was on 30 years ago.

Punishing Families

There's a story in today's Guardian about how Britain is seemingly penalising working mothers. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2026203,00.html

It is an interesting point. Apparently many women lose their jobs once they become pregnant. I've noticed that the British are the masters at squeezing people out of things by using roundabout yer legal ways and this is how pregnant women are squeezed out of their jobs even though on the face of it, you cannot fire a woman for being pregnant.

Like the article mentions, the birth rate in the UK is low. In order to maintain certain services there will have to be a certain number of people working over the next generation and as it stands there won't be unless they vastly increase immigration (another story) and get the birth rate up.

And in order to increase the birth rate they will have to make it easier both economically and time wise, for couples to have children. There is a terrible stigma attached to having kids if you are a professional woman. You can do it but to succeed at work you will have to be a lousy mother and neglect your kids. The other alternative is to not have kids, and more and more women are deciding to do that.

Some cultural changes need to happen fast if this situation is to be remedied. For a start, society has to be intelligent and begin to respect the job of raising kids properly and this job will have to be supported. Honestly, isn't the outcome obvious if we don't? More and more unruly, uneducated young people with no social skills.

Roosting Chickens

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6409435.stm
The chickens have come home to roost. Remember a while back I spoke of the outrageous sums that British GPs make? Well now, the NHS is losing money like crazy and the Chancellor has announced new civil service wage ‘increases’. They are getting between 2 and 3% when inflation is about 4%. At least the GPs are getting 0%. Poor things will now be suffering at a minimum of £70k er year! I feel it the most for the nurses though. This is slackness of the highest degree – they should at least get a raise in keeping with inflation! In short they are getting a pay cut! At least the government had the sense to raise the military salaries by about 9%. What they get paid to put their lives on the line is a sick joke. His Royal Highness says often and I agree, the UK is a third world country with a strong currency boy!

Big up to mi sistren Nicole who I knew from UWI. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/AllWoman/html/20070225T190000-0500_119646_OBS_NICOLE_SAMUELS_.asp
A genuinely nice girl. Glad to hear she’s found some new happiness. All the best!

Children Should Have A Healthy Curiosity About Sex but . . .

Read this really interesting article in The First Post today. Take a look. http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=1170.

Makes the very good case that sex, which is something that should be beautiful and a part of life and not the main purpose of it is being degraded in front of our kids. The writer is right - there needs to be a line drawn. The over sexualisation of all things is no good for anyone.

Spencers Taylor no longer with us

Earl Spencer, the gentleman who ran Spencer's tailor in Half Way Tree has died. I remember following my Dad to his store when he got his suits made.

Here's the link to the story. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20070218T200000-0500_119350_OBS_WELL_KNOWN_TAILOR_EARL_SPENCER_IS_DEAD.asp

Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of Jamaican legends have died recently? Charles Hyatt, Neville Willoughby, Basil Buck . . .

Later.

Gun Crime in the UK

Gun crime is becoming an increasingly serious problem here - and unfortunately it often seems to be perpetrated by young black men. Just watched a story on Channel Four news where they interviewed three black people - a community leader, the Vice Chair (?) of Trident, Claudia Webbe and the musician father, Blacker Dread, of a murdered boy.

On another note, an Estonian gang robbed a jewellery store in town Tuesday - when I went to lunch I passed the police tape and a whole lot of cops. Apparently this is the third time the store had been robbed - at gunpoint - in a year. No one was killed.

Thee is a stark difference here. The Estonian gang had held up this store 3 times and killed no one. A lot of black gangs have sought people out or in the commission of a robbery have killed people. Something is wrong.

I'm sure there are many layers of meaning and many reasons for this, but it isn't pretty and I don't like it at all. Some of the reasons for young black men using guns on the news report were, the usual suspects, TV and videos and absent fathers. But plenty of young people watch TV, videos and have absent fathers and they don't resort to shooting people in cold blood. I mean one young black guy walked into a christening and shot a woman while she was holding a baby! Something is seriously wrong man.

Check these links out for related stories
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article1388791.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6363713.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/gun/Story/0,,2013805,00.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=436274&in_page_id=1770&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=NEWS&ct=5

Come on, Give Workers a Break!

There's been more talk locally about extending flexible working for all workers (instead of just those with kids). I saw a news report on BBC's breakfast show before I left for work (got a new job peeps! a permanent good paying one!). A guy from the small business association was complaining about the plans saying that flexible work hours will not be beneficial to small business owners. There was also a lady who was for it and she also owned a small business. Her view was that (a) the work force was changing, either businesses adapted or they lose and (b) flexible hours can benefit businesses, even small businesses.

I know the difficulties of running a small business. I've worked in many and my Dad has owned many. But it's time for even small business owners to start thinking differently. As was emphasised on the news report this morning, flexible hours can be requested, they don't have to be given if they don't fit into the business. But too often (as far as I have seen) bosses don't want to give employees the opportunity to work flexibly because it seems as though they are giving the employee some level of control of how they come and go - and for many old fashioned business people, this is not to be.

Many sorry business owners have a distinctly feudal attitude to their work force. And they are irrational - not bothering to even think how flexible hours will affect the business.

For most of my working life, my job has consisted of sitting in an office in front of a computer screen - rarely talking on the phone to others. Just dealing with my computer and shuffling papers around - doing non-essential (i.e. I'm not a policeman or doctor) jobs. Most of my friends have similar jobs. There is no reason why if it suits me to come in at 10 and leave at 6 why I or many of my friends cannot do so. It certainly won't hurt the businesses we work for. I have requested this work pattern and been granted it by one of my employers. But most won't entertain it at all.

One job I had I didn't deal with anyone from outside of the business, I was a technical writer and just wrote documents all day. This place had hours from 8:30 until 5:30 and they frowned on you even leaving the building for lunch. Given the nature of my job (they even gave me a laptop and a mobile, why I don't know) I requested to be able to work from home (quite a few others did). I was just turned down out of hand. Ridiculous.

The workplace has changed. And if you think about it you aren't productive in a predictable fashion for many jobs - there are times when things are busy and times when they aren't. Within reason I don't see why people cannot be allowed to work from home, even sometimes, and have flexible hours as long as they are in for core hours if they need to be.

People increasingly want to have a much better work life balance and if employers won't accede to this, then there'll just be more and more people doing their own thing. Hopefully when they then hire people they will be more flexible!

Bring Back True Sexiness

Being 35 and His Royal Highness being 41, we are hardly up to speed with the latest in music videos so we make it a point to try and keep up by watching MTV etc for a little while each week.

It is painful.

Now I am by no means a prude but when I watch videos I am angered, disgusted and very turned off by what passes for sexiness.

The basic plot for a male artiste is said male dressed in various levels of bling, expensive cars, money being thrown about, expensive drinks and some scantily clad girls being shown from all kinds of nasty angles. Female artistes usually just restrict themselves to being the scantily clad young girl being filmed from terrible angles. And don’t even talk about lyrics. I particularly hate that Nelly Feurtado song ‘Promiscuous.’ It’s a crying shame, the tune and beat are fantastic but the lyric is terrible. I mean at one point she ask the guy if he’d still respect her the next day if he hit it (or words to that effect). It makes you wonder – do they know what promiscuous means? Couldn’t they have come up with another adjective?

I know young people watch this stuff ad nauseum and it seems that given a lack of attention from many parents nowadays ( particularly here in the ‘developed’ world, this is where they get their ideas of sexiness and interaction between men and women.

What about arousal? What about piquing your interest and holding you spellbound and drawing someone in and drawing out that orgasmic moment for a seemingly endless moment? When I watch modern videos and listen to a lot of modern songs they reduce that beautiful and erotic encounter between man and woman to a mechanical operation of plug slotting into hole. Come on man, this is crap – sexiness is a much more sophisticated thing than that. A lot of the shots used in these videos make me think of gynaecological examinations – usually we get an extended view of some woman’s front. Maybe this works for the guys but couldn’t something more sophisticated work too?

Madness in Many forms

The madness in JA continues. Apparently some gunmen shot the watchman at the NCB nursery – while the kids were there. Dem a get heartless beyond belief. Check out the story here http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20070202T230000-0500_118691_OBS_KIDS_TRAUMATISED.asp

Meanwhile here in the UK the bird flu has arrived on a farm in Suffolk. They say there’s nothing to worry about, that it has been contained. We’ll see.

And on a lighter note, take a look at this story I read in USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-02-02-ladies-choice_x.htm The lady’s are in charge on this island off the coast of Africa and they do the proposing – by giving the man of their choice a bowl of fish they have prepared. Apparently the man cannot say no! What a eh!

Too expensive to Have Kids and Work

I don’t have any kids yet but when I do, living in the UK it seems I’ll have to choose between paying to have a job and staying home. There’s no such thing as a helper here and if you work you have to either send your kids to a day care centre or a child minder. According to today’s Guardian http://education.guardian.co.uk/earlyyears/story/0,,2001745,00.html , this can cost up to £152 per week for a child under two.

That’s £608 per month. Unless you earn a very decent salary this can make quite a dent in your earnings and remember that’s for one child. If you have two you’re most definitely screwed and will have to stay home. The modern world does not make it easy to have kids. More and more women are choosing not to have any because it is so incompatible with having a career. And we’re not talking rabid career women here, we’re talking about being able to do something stimulating apart from parenting – for some women this is necessary as is earning a salary. The funny thing is the papers here often talk about the difficulties having so few children will cause in the long term – not enough young people to contribute to the public purse over the next generation so that when we are all pensioners – there won’t be any money. Yet they don’t make it easier for people to have kids and earn a living? Doesn’t’ make any sense.

Porn, Blu-ray and HD DVD
Who do you think will win the Blu-ray vs HD DVD fight? My money is on the cheaper version – HD DVD myself. Apparently though, according to the online paper The First Post http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=2&subID=1383 who will win will be decided by the porn industry! This article claims that the porn industry decided the fight between VHS and Betamax in the 80s. Take a look at the story – quite interesting.

Polar Opposites Not Helpful

There was an interesting article on the BBC website today about class issues in the UK. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6303181.stm

I think I’ve mentioned earlier that there is a lot of backlash against people who speak correct English have aspirations and have money – they are taunted for being posh. It’s as if to have any credibility in the UK you have to aspire to little and be a member of the underclass. This all seems to be a backlash from a time years ago when there was a palpable discrimination against the working class.

When will mankind learn that jumping from one extreme to the polar opposite does nothing but maintain the status quo?

Proposals for Positive Change in the UK

The government has decreed that all areas of the curriculum include diversity issues in order to combat myopia and racism and promote ‘Britishness.’ The proposals are a knee jerk reaction to recent times where various British people have announced their racism to the world. In short the government is embarrassed and seem to think measures like this will solve the problem. It won’t.

The curriculum is already crowded. And kids have enough tests, so much so that the emphasis is on meeting targets and not educating kids. Therein lays the great problem. Kids and by extension adults in the UK are no longer educated very well. This in conjunction with what has morphed into a ‘lowest common denominator’ culture over the years contributes to ignorance which leads to racism. Education and culture needs to be tackled and in a particular way.

Also the foolishness that there is a positive common British culture or Britishness must be dispensed with. The papers always say that the hallmarks of ‘Britishness’ are tolerance and fair play etc. This is laughable and recent events on those two channel 4 programmes have shown that to the world.

I have searched myself and I find it hard to come up with positive attributes that sum up Britishness today. I’m not being anti-British but being honest. I may be wrong and if anyone can tell me some true positive British attributes please do. One thing is that yes, it is true that many British people are ‘tolerant’ but this just means they aren’t racist and accept people for who they are. Sorry but you are supposed to be this way, it’s not an attribute for which a group of people should be given special marks for is it? The negatives are really bad though and more importantly, harmful to the British people. They are things such as:

1) An unhealthy attitude towards alcohol
2) Unwillingness to discipline young people
3) Disrespect for older and elderly people
4) ‘Worship’ of sameness and distrust of individuality – everyone must be the same, anyone different is inferior and to be taunted. Unwillingness to stick out. (In order to win you have to by definition stick out.)
5) Lack of interest in current affairs and an unhealthy obsession with ‘celebrities’ i.e. 10th rate individuals who have become notorious, usually for doing nothing relating to talent.
6) Inability to make well thought out decisions and stick with them even if unpopular.
7) Xenophobia
8) General ignorance and un-inquiring minds.

Here’s my suggestions for positive change.

1) Cut out the whole heap of testing and let schools educate kids. Give educators and parents the authority to educate and discipline kids without fear of prosecution. Grow some damn common sense – anyone with a brain can tell the difference between discipline and abuse. Stop the foolishness!

2) Engender a culture whereby being smart is not looked down upon. His Royal Highness used to teach and was telling me one of his students encouraged a classmate to ‘just fail something and then they’ll leave you alone.’ This pretty much sums it up. In many cases here, being smart is seen as a negative. It’s time we British understood that many of our cultural attitudes and practices are counter productive to a progressive society. This attitude is one of them.

3) Amongst the adults, the idiotic attitude that speaking well, doing well and demanding the best of others is somehow anti-British must stop. Stop embracing losing at every thing, stop putting down the wealthy (unless the wealth is ill gotten) and stop accepting the grossly ignorant and debasing behaviour of many others – especially young people.

4) Drink responsibly. Eat before drinking, know your limits, drink chasers, stop thinking of getting drunk as the aim and start thinking of it as a signal you have over indulged.

5) Once the laws are sorted, discipline your kids. Be firm, make smart decisions and then stick to them like glue. Be immovable in a good way. Don’t let the blighters wear you down! With my parents (as with most Caribbean parents) ‘no’ meant ‘no!’ and you knew there was no hope of changing their minds on certain things. In other areas we were allowed to debate and reason out our case. A friend of mine was encouraged to debate with her father about whether or not she could do certain things. So if she wanted to go to a party for instance she would make sure her report card was good, do her chores etc. ask in good time, make sure her Dad knew where she was going and when she would come back etc. and she would often ‘win’ her case. This all helped encourage rational thought too. Also, enrol your kids in some sort of extra-curricular activity that will expand their minds and help improve social skills. Many Caribbean kids are sent to some music lessons or some sports activity outside of school. This is very beneficial. Many of my friends who were sent to piano lessons were able to parlay this skill into an income earner in later years too.

6) Respect your elders – they have often sacrificed and prepared the way for us. Plus they often have some really interesting stories to tell. And hopefully, you too will live long enough to be old. (This is a good thing).

7) Understand that each one of us are individuals. We are not all the same and this is a good thing. Quit ostracising people just because they are different. It is uncivilised and plain stupid. Ostracise people (if you must) for worthwhile reasons (like being a child molester or something bad) not for being themselves.

8) Take an interest in current affairs – they affect you and your loved ones. What Victoria Beckham wore to a movie premier will not take any cash off your council tax bill, so give it the attention it deserves in relation to rulings on council tax bills i.e. less attention. I’m not saying eschew all frivolous pursuits, but put things in perspective.

9) When a decision needs to be made, gather all relevant information, make an informed decision and make it decisively. Even miscalculating is better than inactivity. Stop waffling over things. If you waffle and don’t make decisions, life will make them for you and you may not like what life decides!

10) Let’s crawl out from our own arses - We are not better than people who come from other countries just because we are British. The world is full of people, most of whom by the way are Asian. I believe the UK is about 0.9% of the world population. Get some perspective and enjoy and learn from other cultures.

11) Enquire about things you encounter. If you know nothing about a particular subject or a particular set of people then shut up about them and stop spreading lies. Instead ‘google’ that subject and learn something. Then next time you open your mouth you will sound intelligent and be able to add something progressive to the discourse. Try omitting the following subjects from your conversations over the next month: drunkenness and alcohol; holidays; pets; DIY; celebrities. Acquire a thirst for knowing more and then go and find out more. If you have a question about the habits of someone of another culture or colour – ask them and don’t impose your own fiction on them and then repeat it to others.

There needs to be a common understanding of what the country wants and where it wants to go. And there needs to be a conscious decision to create the best possible future. With the existing culture and behaviour the country will slip further and further into disgraceful cultural squalor. In order for this to not happen there has to be a conscious decision to change.


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Big up to mi sistren Dr. Cathy Brown who wowed them at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival at Half Moon Shopping Village this week. She’s a really nice girl and very talented – met her when I was in University Singers. From the pic in the Gleaner she’s looking good too – the mixture of medicine and music seems to agree with her!

Looting in 'Foreign!'

You know how in Jamaica you have this kind of idealised idea of 'foreign' especially England? Like how people are really cultured and well educated and very decorous? Also you get the impression that certain things don't happen in 'foreign' like, potholes in the road, power cuts, evangelists on the bus and looting after a natural disaster or tragedy?

Well mi dears, a boat ran aground off the Devon coast the other day spilling out it's cargo - BMW parts, motor bikes, nappies and a whole heap of other goodies. And people went down there to loot! I was watching it on the news and I couldn't believe it. And they were really brazen with it. You remember Gilbert and how people looted by running into a store, grabbing what they want and then running away? Well these folks were quite calm about it and even consented to being interviewed on TV!

I guess it's OK here? Or these people aren't too smart - I mean they are making it really easy for the cops to get them. Now for those of you who don't know, Devon is on the south coast of the UK. I heard on our local radio station Galaxy that some guys from Yorkshire rented a van and drove down to Devon (about a 6 hour drive) just to get stuff. They managed to get a gear box and a lot of other stuff.

So don't believe everything you hear about foreign parts. They're not as alien as you'd think!

Later.

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Sorry to hear that Basil Buck has died. I guess he makes three what with Neville Willoughby and Charles Hyatt going. The old guard is dying out. I used to work with his daughter-in-law. My condolences to her and the rest of the family.

Dreamgirls - who is the REAL star?

There’s been a lot of’Dreamgirls’ in the news lately. For those of you who don’t know, this is the film version of the Broadway hit that ran in the 1980s starring Loretta Devine (the fat one on Waiting to Exhale), our own Sheryl Lee Ralph and Jennifer Holliday – the one who sang ‘And I Am Telling You.’

The film stars a young actress I am afraid I don’t know but I do know she is Tony winner – Beyonce Knowles in the Sheryl Lee Ralph role and Jennifer Hudson in the Jennifer Holliday role. This role (her name is Effie) is as far as I can gather the star of the film and Hudson’s performance has been lauded by all and sundry backed up by her winning a Golden Globe for it and being nominated for an Oscar. Yet everywhere I turn all I can hear is Beyonce this and Beyonce that! How ridiculous! You have a film with an Oscar winner in it (Jamie Foxx) and a Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee (Hudson) and all you can talk about is Beyonce? Also, poor Eddie Murphy )also Oscar nominated) who is also a huge star and he barely gets a mention, not to mention the girl whose name I can’t even remember. (You know this is slackness, I’m going to google it, back in a bit).

Yes, I’m back. And her name is Anika Noni Rose. (Beg pardon Ms. Rose!) Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, why the fascination with Ms. Knowles? I know she’s a big pop star but come on man, it’s a big diss to Jennifer who has obviously done so well according to the public and the critics. The only thing I have read a critic say about Ms. Knowles’ performance was that in comparison to the others it was vapid. Anyway, I’ll reserve judgement until I see it. It won’t be out here in the UK until Feb 2. So until then . . .

(By the way, it has the crappiest website ever. It says to click here and there for further information and all you get is a big arse black page with three girls in silhouette in the centre)

Serious Gales

The weather here has been terrible over the past week. Torrential downpours and winds up to 70 miles per hour. At the last count over 40 people have died. It's been awful and quite scary.

The other day a manager came into our office (at about 2pm) and said we could all go home if we anticipated difficulties - a lot of trains were cancelled due to flooding. On the news I saw a plane taking off and it was being blown from one side to another. The Managing Director of Birmingham Airport was on the way to work when a tree branch fell through his windscreen - killed him instantly.

We were looking out of the window at work the other day and the light posts and traffic lights were shaking. I tell you I didn't think it could get that bad here.

We've had a pretty mild winter so far - temperatures like 13 degrees but it looks like we free paper bun - forecast says there'll be snow tonight. Joy - NOT. Snow looks lovely on Christmas cards but when you have to go to work in it it's no fun.

Later.

Racist Attitudes Have Changed for some

I hate Big brother and wouldn’t be caught dead watching it. Even worse ‘Celebrity’ Big Brother where people who think they are celebrities go onto the show to desperately revive their career. However, I am commenting on it because it is in the news here big time.
Among the people in there this time is an Indian Bollywood actress by the name of Shilpa Shetty. Over the past few days she has been abused by some of the housemates and there has been a record number of complaints – 7,600 - from the public as the taunts have been racist in nature. Channel 4 where the programme is aired, has received a further 2,000 e-mails and calls.
According to today’s Times Ms. Shetty has been called a “dog” and contestants have complained about her touching their food. Another contestant declared that Indians were thin because they were always ill as a result of undercooking food. Ms. Shetty’s accent has been mocked and she was asked if she lived in a shack.

These were the same type of stupid things I had to deal with in the late 70s. White people in general did not want to touch any food black people touched – indeed they didn’t want to touch anything we touched for fear of getting fleas they often said. This goes to show that over the years many white people – mostly the painfully ignorant – have maintained the same attitudes of yore.

What is heartening about all this (and yes, there is something heartening about it) is that so many people have complained. Let us assume that not all of them are non-white – this shows a massive change in how people think. Calling to complain is an anonymous activity which one assumes is borne of outrage. I mean it would take something pretty bad to make me bothered enough to call the media watchdog. That so many people have seems to indicate that white British people have progressed leaps and bounds in their journey to civilised behaviour over the past thirty years. I mean when I was a girl, the sentiments expressed by these racists were commonly expressed in everyday life in public – without anyone being bothered by it. That people are now outraged, and seemingly genuinely so, is great news for the humanity of white people. Progress is slow but seems to be sure.

Crazy Advice From a Judge
In similar news in the Times a man who called a police surgeon a “f***ing Paki” was advised yesterday by a judge: “Next time call him a fat bastard and don’t say anything about his colour.”

The judge gave this gem after describing the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute the man for a racially aggravated offence as “a nonsense”.
The man in question had been taken into custody by police officers who mistook him for a suspect in another case. He’d been in a cell for two hours after which he demanded to see a doctor about his back. Dr Imraan Jhetam was sent but the suspect refused to be seen by him, yelling “I want an English doctor, not a f***ing Paki.”

The judge complained about the case coming to him and said that the doctor should have let the insults “roll off his back”. He also said that his comments were “not intended to make light of racist remarks”. Huh! Is he an idiot? I’ll bet if the doctor had been white and had been abused he wouldn’t have told him to just let it slide. My feeling is that if you are a decent and civilised human being, racial abuse is a no-no all the time. The fact that so often white people say we black and brown folk should just ignore it instead of them taking their fellow white person to task for racially abusing people tells volumes about their own racial attitudes.

If I am in a mixed group of people and a white person racially abuses me, why the hell can’t the other white people cuss off their white brethren and condemn their actions? Why is it that their reaction is to either say nothing, or chastise us for being ‘touchy’ if we take the abuser to task? Racists need to be made to understand their behaviour is not OK. If we just ignore their behaviour and bizarrely leave the onus on the racially abused to ignore the abuse, it will continue from generation to generation. White people need to rise up en masse like they have in the piece above and register that it is not OK. Only then will it begin to be eradicated.