A reminder that racism is learned...

We've been away from here for a week. On our walk around the village this morning, we came across a group of gipsies trailers pulled on the village green.

There were 8 of them pulled in a circle, and I have to say, there's not a scrap of rubbish to be seen.

But here's why I'm writing this. On our walk, we go past our village Primary School, and it coincided with playtime.

As we walked on the path alongside the playground, a bunch of young kids were looking at the trailers and one of them said, "One of these days, we'll get these gipsies off our land."

I almost turned around and said to him, "How long has this been your land?" but decided not to.

That little boy has only heard that from his parents. He wasn't born racist, that's taught.

As a showman who's had that crap for the majority of my life, it reminds me that this country does still have plenty of racist people.

But unlike all those who grizzle every five minutes when they feel put upon, we, like the gipsies have just got on with life.

I still take exception when we're called gipsies. We're not, we're a culture of people who, whilst transient for most of the year, are people who conduct their businesses on the move in a legal and ethical way.

We developed a backbone early on. We needed to. We've never had the 'woke' community behind us. And most likely, we never will.

We need to face facts, this isn't a particularly racist country. We have them, just like every other country, but nowhere close to the amount that the media will have you believe. - and what's more, you'll never get rid of those that are.

But let's get it straight, there's more to racism than colour. The trouble is, too many don't care about those that don't fit their agendas.

Come to think of it, perhaps one way of avoiding the ongoing colour talk is to stop talking about colour.

And many of us need to stop throwing stones because our glasshouses aren't so bloody sparkling!

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Music of my life 38

 If you think music can't move you, think again.

I just played a record that I've not played for years and within 10 seconds of it starting, it took me back to a journey to Pevensey Bay on the day my Uncle Henry Turner died.

It's the only song I remember from that drive.

The song was 'Wouldn't Change A Thing' by Kylie Minogue. Why does it stay in my memory? Because I remember thinking when I heard it that day, if there was ever a man that you wouldn't change a thing about, that was

him.

As a child, he was always there, smiling away, full of fun.

He was someone you couldn't help but like. He was also someone who could stick up for himself and if he saw someone in trouble, he'd be the first to offer his help.

He was someone upon whom you could always depend.

My son Henry was named after him and I couldn't have named him better as he has so many of my Uncle Henry's ways.

And yes, as I did that day, I just got choked and teary again.

If the video doesn't play, click here

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All our yesterdays 27th June - 3rd July

 This time, we're looking back to the week of 27th June - 3rd July

On 27th June 2007,  After having served as chancellor of the Exchequer (1997–2007), British Labour Party politician Gordon Brown became prime minister of the United Kingdom.

On 28th June 1997, In a boxing match for the heavyweight title, Mike Tyson was disqualified after he twice bit Evander Holyfield's ears; as a result of the infraction, he temporarily lost his boxing license.

On 29th June 1974, While on tour with the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Ballet in Toronto, Mikhail Baryshnikov defected from the Soviet Union, citing artistic reasons, and he later settled in the United States.

On 30th June 1936, American author Margaret Mitchell published Gone with the Wind, a sweeping romance set during the Civil War; the novel later won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a hugely successful film.

On 1st July 1997, The crown colony of Hong Kong officially reverted to Chinese sovereignty, ending 156 years of British rule.

On 2nd July 1937, The aeroplane piloted by American aviator Amelia Earhart disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean during her attempt to fly around the world.

On 3rd July 1969, just weeks after being fired from the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones was found dead in his swimming pool.

And finally, this week in 1969, The Beatles were having their third and final week at Number One in the UK with 'The Ballad Of John & Yoko."

If you can't see the video, click here

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A rant against cancel culture

 

I’d like to think of myself as a caring man, someone who doesn’t go out of his way to upset others, who for the most part is happy to keep himself to himself.

I’m not one who craves to be the centre of attention, who wants to be the big ‘I am,’ or needs everyone to think the same way I do.

And I don’t tell everyone what they should do – after all, it's not as though I'm perfect is it?

I judge people only by a couple of criteria – whether they’re an arsehole or not! That’s it.

I watch – and people’s actions tell me all I need to know. I’ve been around long enough to know that I can spot a ‘wrong ‘un’ by their actions. I don’t need to have other’s opinions shoved down my throat.

And taking that a stage further, I’ve realised that we’re all different people to different people.

I have friends who can’t stand the sight of each other. That’s their problem. I can be friends with both (as long as I’m not involved in their situation). I’ll still be friends with both until one of them does something that I personally don’t agree with (but that will be my decision, not anyone else’s).

However, I’m getting sick to the back teeth of being told what to do by a pious bunch of people who have the temerity to think that they know what’s good for the world. And God help you if you don’t agree.

My Dad used to tell me to "be careful what you wish for" and it seems to be apt right now. PC-ness has gone beserk.

Mention that you’re proud of your country and you’re looked down on. Put a British flag up (which I’ve not really felt the need to) and you’re a racist. How daft is that?

I don’t think I’ve ever read an Enid Blyton book. But because people think they know better, I’m now being told not to. Oh, grow up! I can distinguish between what was allowed in days gone by and what is not 'de rigeur' today. And what's more, I'm grown up enough to read it and take it as being from a time left behind, without being affected by it.

I’m an adult – I have my own mind. I don’t need a pompous bunch of do-gooders to tell me what not to do.

Remember when our parents told us not to do something and it made us want to do it more? Well, that’s exactly how I feel now.

I’ve not watched GB news. I’ve not watched any of the other news stations either.

My opinion is that they all push their own agenda. But this uproar over a news channel that’s not even a week old makes me want to see what all the fuss is about.

That people are attacking the advertisers makes me worry for the future.

If cancel culture takes over, we’re all in for a rough ride. This group of people believe they know what’s best for you. They plan to make sure that nothing bad is going to be in front of your eyes. They’re going to protect you from yourself.

Succumb to it and you’re no more than a grown-up child needing new ‘parents’ to protect you.

Twitter is a cesspit inhabited by spiteful people, some masquerading as the enlightened. I’m not sure Facebook is far behind. Week by week we’re being told what to like, what not to like. And I’m sick of it.

As far as I’m concerned, these people, if they get their way will become a new dictatorship – you’ll be told what you can like and what you can’t. Who you can shop with and who you can’t. Who is to be ostracised and who’s not. Oops, they're already doing that! God help you if you disagree.

I hate this. When was it decided that we all needed to be protected from ourselves by these self-appointed judges of good and evil?

I’m lucky, I was brought up by decent parents and surrounded by a level-headed independent family and friends. They raised me to be able to make decisions that fit my morals and ethics. they helped me to learn to think for myself.

I don’t need to be told what’s good for me by a bunch of agitating strangers. If I need advice, there are plenty of people I respect much more. I’ll go to them thanks.

But... in these times we’re living in, I’ve thought of a wonderful business opportunity. Does anybody want to be partners in a human-size cotton wool production company.

We should be able to make a fortune selling to everyone who needs to be wrapped and protected from the nasties!

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Remember the 'Top Of The Pops' LPs - I re-created them, but with the original artists.

During the lockdown, whilst trying to think of something to do, I came across one of the old 'Top Of The Pops' albums that seemed so prevalent years ago. And it gave me an idea.

I went on the Discogs web site, and found that all of the albums and their tracklistings were available to buy or just check out on the site.

I didn't want to buy the albums, but I did wonder how the albums would sound if you heard them in the running order, but by the original artists.

I've got a pretty decent sized music collection and felt that I probably already had 80% or the original versions of the songs and that given the time, I could re-do the albums using mp3 versions of the songs.

So I started with Volume 1. Of the 12 songs featured on the album, I had 9. What I decided to do was replace the songs I didn't have with songs in my collection that would keep the same spirit to the album.

Having put together the first album in the same running order as the LP was released but with the replacements, on playback, it sounded really good, so I did volume 2.

I ended up redoing all 92 albums in the collection in the same way. It gave me a pretty good representation of the music we were listening to over the years.

It took a lot of time to complete them, but as we had the lockdown in place, I had plenty of time to spare.

And I have to say, I'm really happy with the results.

Admittedly there are songs missing across the complete collection, but the songs I've replaced them with do not harm the integrity. How could they? I now had the albums with original versions by the original artists.

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Music of my Life 37

 I just heard The Tymes' 'Ms Grace' and had another musical flashback.

I was boarding at Prior Park College in Bath and each week my Mum would send me the pop charts in the UK, which she used to cut out of the 'Coin Slot' part of the 'World's Fair' newspaper.

On this particular day, I was in a science lesson, and I have to say, I really hated all of the sciences, so wasn't really paying much attention. We were supposed to be reading some text, but I had the piece of paper with the UK charts inside the book and I was reading down the list to see what was in that particular week's chart.

I obviously wasn't paying attention because my teacher walked behind me, saw the chart, took it off me and proceeded to say something along the lines of..."Mr Murphy, would you like to share with us the scientific properties of Ms Grace?"

Silence.

"No? In that case, this evening you can do detention and write an essay on the subject you are supposed to be learning about!"

It seems to me, music has always been more important to me than pretty much everything. It may account for why as I'm pushing 61, it's still at the forefront of my life and still playing such an important role in my thoughts.

It's also the major thing that brings me back these long lost memories. Without it, I'd probably not remember 98% of the things I do!

If the video doesn't play, click here

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A rant about banks!

I went to the bank this morning. I needed to change some money up into greater denominations.

I went to St. Ives as it's a smaller town than Cambridge and I figured that I'd get in and out quicker.

I went to Barclays, but they no longer have counter staff, so it's not possible to change money. In fact, if you don't want to use cards, there's not much they can do for you.

I then went to the Lloyds bank. They had two counter staff but didn't want to change the money up. Their option is to pay the money into your account and then use your card to pay with.

The other choice was to pay money into your account and then draw cash out.

How bleeding pathetic is it. The lady on the counter told me that really, the Banks want us to be a cashless society.

What right do they have to force it on us? The fact is, they want us to use credit cards and debit cards because we spend more that way.

I've noticed how people, particularly youngsters are paying for things using their phones so much now. The banks realise that they spend more that way.

I'm a dinosaur. I like money in my pocket. I know how much I have, and when it's gone, it's gone. But with a card, you can raid your account without realising how much your spending.

And that's why they want you to use them. That's why they want to get rid of money. They won't need so many counter staff either if you take cash out of the equation.

And all the time, the banks get richer.

It's getting to the stage where if a shop no longer accepts cash, I'm no longer willing to be a customer. 

I dread the thought of no longer having cash. We'll go to work and all we'll get is a piece of paper telling us how much we got. And there won't be any cash machines to draw money out from because there's no cash, so basically, we'll all be working for the banks!

They'll be in total control. Everything in the country will have to go through them and then they can do what they like.

After all, they're a waste of time to try and save with, they don't even want to give you 1% for savings, but they don't mind 30% or 40% interest to them when you have a credit card.

They're no more than legalised thieves!

Rant over.

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