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Sunday, December 31, 2017

2017 What a Wacky Year that was!



2017 has been the wackiest year that any of us have ever seen.  In The United States they started the year by trying a new style of politics; in England the risky choice of Brexit moved a few steps forward, and in Spain certain citizens thought they had the right to break up the country into which they were born. The entire year appeared to be one extended version of April’s Fool’s Day.
Among the many things that happened, the top two for scope and outrageousness were the plight of the Rohingya people of Myanmar, previously known as Burma, and the other was the Grenfell Tower obscenity.
The Rohingya are a minority Muslim group who have lived for a very long time in the Rakine State of Myanmar.   They have endured persecution from the Myanmar/Burmese and the Buddhists monks apparently simply because they are who they are. I assumed that they must have done something pretty horrible to draw down upon them such hatred. They seem to be innocent of anything in particular to make people hate them so.
However, after suffering unwarranted abuse a core group of young Rohingya men formed together to push back. Evidently that was all the government was waiting for as they have launched into this group of people with such ferocity and intensity as to be determined to cleanse the country of them altogether.
They say they are fighting against terrorists. What terrorists? Are they speaking about the babies, young children and women whose deaths they are responsible for through the assaults by the military?
So far it has been reported that more than 650,000 Rohingya have been forced to run for their lives into Bangladesh, and in the process more than 6.500 have perished, including about 1,200 babies and young children.   They are the modern Jews in Hitler’s Germany, persecuted simply for being who they are.
Meanwhile Myanmar assures me that if I choose to come and visit their country I will have a wonderful time. I don’t think so! In fact I do not want anything at all to do with this miserable country.
The Grenfell Tower terror is currently sub-judice as there will likely be charges flowing from that awful disaster. As a human tragedy it is in a class of its own. The manner in which those who were killed died was about as bad as it gets, especially as it has been reported that residents warned against just such a probability.  When I first saw the blaze I had to turn away, it was more than I could process.
In third place is the currently unfolding drama of the Hashtag MeToo campaign against rich, famous and powerful men who are accused of sexually touching, harassing and even raping women as though it were their right.
The first big shock of this type was Bill Cosby, a man who I practically worshipped as a comedian who conducted himself in public with great dignity, and in the process raised the bar of what the general public; (read white America) should think of his people. His was a cataclysmic fall but I bet he is much relieved now having been joined by such a long list of luminaries.
Incidentally, the world used to presume your innocence until you were found guilty in a court of law. Not anymore! No sooner is the accusation made than action is taken against the accused. This is how everybody who was anybody is being treated. I feel I should pay some really hard to believe women to accuse me so that I can be somebody. Not!
As usual I shall not celebrate the coming of the New Year because I cannot know what it will bring. The year now closing very nearly killed me: I wouldn’t say that was something worth celebrating; however the fact that I have survived is definitely worth making a fuss over.
So, to each and everyone I extend my very best wishes to you for 2018. My hope is that the year will treat you and your families well, bringing first and foremost the very best of health, and prosperity!
A cautious Happy New Year!
Copyright © 2017-
Eugene Carmichael           

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Racist Christmas traditions in Europe



It's Christmas again? Where did the twelve months in between go? I need somebody to slow the clock down. As a very young child the time between Christmas took forever to pass. Now that I can be the Santa it seems that if I blink a year will pass.

This Christmas I made history in Spain by dressing as Santa, or Papa Noel as he is called here to attend at a Christmas Fair. Spanish adults told me beforehand that I couldn't do that as I did not fit the image of Santa as I am a black man. I agued that around the world can be found Santa's of every ethnic group that celebrates this tradition and Spain could do with a little opening of the mind on this subject. Anyway, I was prepared to try it on to get a reaction.

I made my Grand Arrival by walking down the stairs which I had to feel because I was wearing my reading glasses. I had to be very careful not to trip and fall and kill myself at that moment. The tiny ones who are the true believers saw nothing out of the ordinary and came and sat wiht Papa Noel to have a chat. All went tremendously well at the Fair, but after that I went into the town still in character because I had an errand, and I ran into families on the street,

Parents and children alike were delighted. I could hardly get from one end of the street to the other for my popularity. This is the same Spain which accepts a very racist practise of engaging Black Pages to deliver the presents in place of Santa. In one particular town of Alcoy white men cover themselves from head to toe in black with painted excessively large red lips. I presume they are depicting themselves as black men, although I have never met a black man who looks like that.

In Holland they have a tradition which is similar in that Black Pete acts as Santa's helpers. Again, they are white men who dress themselves in the manner of Spain's Black Pages and these traditions have carried on for over a hundred years.

Such traditions are defended and justified by many people as being harmless and great fun. They satisfy themselves that they mean no harm, nor are they mean spirited, and that they are tradition.

That's the problem with racism and bigotry. The practioneers cannot see anything wrong in what they are doing.  However, whenever we trod on another race or gender to big up ourselves we do not succeed in achieving that. The opposite is attained as what a reasonable world sees is a group of imbeciles trying to make themselves believe that they are something special when they are consigning themselves to what I believe is called a circle of Bigots.

This is a problem in all ethnic groups, and when it happens within the group it is particularly irritating. Within the group of people of colour it happens that those of lighter skins might look down on their darker skinned cousins. That is taking things too far!

A couple of strange Christmas traditions in other European countries:

In Sweden a giant reindeer is built out of straw  to be burnt on New Year's eve. It so often becomes the target of pranksters or pyromaniacs and is damaged or destroyed before the scheduled event. One time thieves with an helicopter tried to steal it.

In Germany there is Knecht Ruprecht who is a hellish looking character that would frighten me, much less a child who had been bad. This awful image is intended to castigate the child in the hope that he will be good in the future.

In Romania there is the slaughter of pigs around Christmas, which is done to provide food. However, the idea seems to be to get as drunk as you can, catch a pig and stab it to death, then using a flame thrower/blow torch the pig is burnt while its guts remain in place. Good luck to that!

The origins of Christmas are controversial and only apply to the Christian world. However short a period a child can be convinced to believe that if they do their best to behave themselves Santa will reward  them will be worth it. As a true believer I remember one  Christmas Eve Santa could be heard on our rooftop, Ho-Ho-Hoeing while yelling at Rudolph to stand still. My father had told us children that if this happened while we were awake we were not to open our eyes as Santa would know and he wouldn't leave us anything. we kept our eyes firmly shut.

Our son was a skeptic from the very beginning. As young as he was he decided to be a real rebel in spite of our warnings he would not get anything. On Christmas morning he came down holding his teddy and sucking his thumb. He looked at the Christmas tree and it was bare. The look of disappointment and amazement was so strong on his face, but he did not cry; although we did.

We said if he would be good during breakfast perhaps Santa would stop in while he had a nap. That worked. Whew!

So, to all, from my family to you and yours, Happy Holidays and may 2018 bring you the things you hope for. I wish the very best of Health for you, as when you have that everything else falls into place.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Something Big and Bad always happens.....




At this time of the year in the run up to Christmas usually something takes place that impacts a great number of people in a major way. Something to do with fire, water, snow, ice, or explosion. I'm writing about this now in the hope that 2017 will get a pass from such a tragedy. We have suffered more than enough throughout this year.

The utterly disgraceful treatment by the country of Myanmar of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya Muslim  population can not be justified. The military of Myanmar have chased approximately 600,000 Rohingyas from their homes and set fire to the homes so that they have nothing to come back to, and they have been chased out of the country into Bangladesh. In the process it has been reported that 6,700 have died, including 1,200 children.

What had those people done to deserve that kind of treatment? Several years ago it came to my attention that the military filled a boat with these persecuted people, gave them food and water and set them adrift, forbidding them to touch any part of Myanmar's shores ever again. I imagine it was hoped that the boat would sink with all aboard lost forever.

When we Google Myanmar this is the lead story, of course, followed by advertisements that encourage tourism to the country. Any tourists that visits that country are aiding and abetting the government, and any country that trades with Myanmar supports and gives encouragement to such evil behaviour.

In my opinion this is the worst case of inhuman behaviour of the year in the entire world . Congratulations Myanmar, you're the winners. For that your country deserves to be completely boycotted and shunned. May you all starve to death as you are imposing on the Rohingya.

With that great evil added to all of the other evil actions of man that are on-going we have more than enough to saturate our collective conscience, we really don't need anything else. So while it has become part of tradition to expect the worst, at least for this year let's hope for the best.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael  

Saturday, December 9, 2017

The new face of divorce

For couples living on small islands or in small towns divorce is a real pain. The problem is that from the day the two people part they go on still unavoidably seeing one another because of the geography. You can't get away from one another and this causes all sorts of problems.

You follow what happens to each other whether you want to or not. Ex-husband sees ex-wife is spending time with a friend of his, who is now an ex-friend and all hell breaks out. Ex-wife sees ex-hubby with the woman they broke up over and that's a fight in the street.

Worst of all is you are both aware of how each one is doing after the end of the relationship. If she seems to be happy with her new man and they are having a good life, one that was better than she had with you; "How dare she?"  If his financial situation takes a significant turn for the better his ex wants to go back to court to claim a greater award for maintenance.

Normally divorce is bad news for everybody. It's certainly more tolerable for the couple who live in large countries or even cities. Usually the man suffers the worst effects because he is expected to leave the family home and to continue his support for the family. Over the past years another factor has not so quietly crept on the scene:, and that is where some women divorce and through the mystery of how Cupid works, their second chance puts great wind in their sails and that takes them straight to the top.

As she was then, Camilla Parker-Bowles divorced her military husband and married the successor to the Throne of England, whom she would have married in the first place had others not intervened.

J:K: Rowling divorced her husband and went on to become one of the world's most successful writers with her Harry Potter series of books that actually got young children away from their smartphones.

A certain Queen, now married to the King was formerly married but that was annulled so we don't talk about that.

The latest transition is that of Meghan Markle who was previously married but has found herself the sparkle in the eyes of Prince Harry. This is a wonderful thing to be happening because Harry is evidently much in love with her and she comes well equipped to cope with the stress of the role she is undertaking. Adding to the excitement is the fact that she is the daughter of a white father and a black American mother.

In reality this should not be any big deal in these modern times but she is adding a new element to the rich history of The Royal Family. The Queen is not bothered so nor should anybody else.

In all the above examples I try to imagine what the former husbands are thinking and how they feel. They may indeed be jealous of their ex-wives good fortune but they also have a right to be proud of them.

So the question to future divorced husbands should be: Who would you like to see your ex link up with? It could reflect well upon you.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael

Sunday, December 3, 2017

President Donald Trump



Like most reasonably intelligent people I have found myself bewildered by the fact that The Electoral College gave their winning votes to Mr Trump when, on the face of things they are in place as a check against the people who might have been determined to elect someone entirely unsuitable for the office of Chief Executive Officer of the United States of America.

The people gave three million more votes to Hillary Clinton, so they didn't want Mr Trump but the Electoral College did. Why? Thanks to the broadcaster Fareed Zakaria who hosts The Fareed Zakaria Show on CNN, I now have a much better idea of why this all came to be.

For those who don't know it really isn't the collective votes of all those Americans who voted that determines the eventual outcome, but rather it is the five hundred and thirty-eight super delegates that are spread across the country that have the final say. These are people who are drawn from the professions and are considered to be highly intelligent. They do cast their votes, and the first of the two candidates for the office to receive 270 of the Electoral College votes is declared the winner.

I suppose each of these persons is subject to lobbying as it appears is everything else in America but I am not suggesting there is corruption in the process. However, one thing was fairly evident from the start was that Donald Trump would be good for the stock market. If you were an investor and a super delegate you might have been influenced by the fact that the market would probably soar on a Trump win. Maybe not, but what's the chance of that. The fact is that the stock market did soar, and it continues to do so.

The second possibility of why Mr Trump got their vote was that much of  his diehard support comes from people who are poor and unemployed, or under-employed. This is where it gets very serious because the people who are relying on him so desperately are the ones who respond to his message that he will bring back jobs.

As one woman said, I don't care what Mr Trump does to women in his own time as long as he makes good on bringing back jobs to America. The extraordinary thing is that American manufacturing has closed down their plants in America to make goods that Americans buy, only to manufacture these items overseas where labour is cheaper and therefore, profits are greater. I have always been amazed by this strange fact, even to the extent that Americans chose to buy foreign made cars by foreign companies, such as The Japanese who were not so open to American made cars in Japan.

So, these two factors could mean that Mr Trump will win again, if he lasts that long. I remember the hope that was invested in Mr Obama who was everything a president should be, but when he lost his political capital and was left high and dry people didn't understand why he did not do the things he wanted to do. In many ways he was a sitting duck.

Mr Trump has said that he will put people in the coal business back down the mines and he will bring manufacturing back to the U.S. so now he has to do those things to the satisfaction of sufficient of his supporters to make the difference. No excuses will suffice as he will have their support if he wants to carry on in his outrageous manner, they are with him. Just put them back to work, and do it soon. Otherwise he will become abandoned.

The situation across the country is so dire that I am withholding my disgust and holding my nose for his style  of management and I will cheer for every little genuine success he is able to achieve. He is The President and the whole country, and the outside world need to hope that he doesn't make a real mess because we all have to live with it. Hopefully he will bring back more than just hope.

One thing would help. Stop with the Twitter already. Enough!

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael