The Second Amendment

This will probably be the downfall of The United States of America

The United States of America is caught in a deadly grip of violence through gun use, and it is completely unable to help itself. In response to gun atrocities, and in opposition to those who advocate getting rid of guns altogether, the other point of view is that America should have more guns, as the answer, they say, to a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun. They reason that if a bad man walks into a crowded place where he knows that every adult is armed, he will not start shooting because he will know that he will be shot and killed in seconds.

Those people have never heard of a suicide terrorist.

Consider this scenario: a terrorist organisation wish to cause the worst tragedy in American history. They have several volunteers who are ready to die to make this happen. On the day of Super Bowl, say, several of them go the the game carrying their guns, as does every adult in the stadium. On a signal these men and women start shooting in a crowd of ninety thousand. Just like the wave, the action goes round and round and round the stadium.

Could that happen?  Why not?

The other thought concerning shootings in school is that each school should hire armed guards to stop students from killing their fellow students. Many school boards agree, but are unable to fund such a program. They have asked the teachers, who are in harm's way, whether they would be interested, and have been amazed how many have come forward to say yes.

As we speak, many schools have armed teachers who are ready to respond to shoot and kill a threat against their students. However, is this a good idea?

I suspect that ever since the first teacher came face-to-face with the first nasty, belligerent, offensive student. teachers have always wanted to be able to come to school with a gun on plain display. But, when the teacher has their nervous breakdown, as so many do, the last thing we want them to be in possesion of is a loaded gun.

There is the other side of the story: if your teacher is carrying a loaded gun, perhaps you will hand in your homework in perfect condition, and on time, and perhaps you will learn how to say sir, and ma'am, so that the teacher will have no need to have that nervous episode.

Only time will tell!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael  

Some Post Valencia Porno Exhibition Thoughts!

My most enduring image


It has been a week since I visited the Porno Fair in Valencia, and during the week I have been having lingering thoughts. I suspect that everybody who attended has been having the same experience. So many people took pictures on their smart phones and cameras that I can only imagine that those have been shown near and far, prompting much discussion.

The event was shocking, which is why I attended. It was a once-in-my-lifetime exposure as a live presentation, so it is no wonder I am still reeling from the sights and sounds. There is a popular image of men going into theatres showing triple-X rated films wearing raincoats, but no-one wore a raincoat that day, even though it was threatening to rain. In my opinion there was absolutely no need. What I found there was not at all a sexy, arousing show,  but rather a cold, clinical, soulless, passion-less demonstration of naked female bodies, gyrating, and thrusting, and inserting rubber things in full view, that frankly, it was just too much for my sensual nature to process.

I am only speaking for myself, of course, because these are my  own observations that are driven by the type of person I am. Who am I? I am a seventy-four year old man who was born at a time when women were respected, appreciated as our mothers, sisters, daughters, wives and lovers. Always I thought of the female as a very special and mysterious person. I never intruded on the privacy of a female who I felt, always needed her space.

Women thought differently than I did and went through a much different process in growing up. There were aspects to a female that were private to her, and even as my lover I gave her space. Mystery was the secret factor that drove my fascination, and my attitude towards a woman was that I should behave much differently than otherwise in her presence.

Then came Playboy and Penthouse and suddenly a glaring light was turned on, and I found myself blinking and staggering by some of the pictures. It was a bad thing but I didn't have the power to turn away. With each new issue I felt that something was dying, and that the Magic was slipping away. The female was being revealed in a manner that should never have been, and worst of all, I was a victim, not a winner.

It seems that society holds that a woman is fully equal with a man, and that we can work in the same workplace, and that we can use the same foul language if we choose, and enjoy the same types of entertainment, and be equal in every way. How can I take issue with this philosophy?  It certainly sounds reasonable, But...........

I didn't enjoy the Porn Fair. When I left it was because I was bored, and that is the worst reason of all. There was only one thing that I did enjoy. That was a pole dance done by a girl who was extremely acrobatic and accomplished. The thing that was most noteworthy was that she was wearing a bikini.

Less is more! 


Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

Valencia Erotica Exposition (Feria de Porno)

Imagine! A Festival of Pornography.


A few blogs ago I wrote: "Pornography! What social redeeming value, if any."  On Thursday evening, June 6th, I was watching news from Valencia when they featured a story, complete with news from the event, of an exposition of porn that was being held in the major exhibition centre over four nights, June 6th to 9th, That means that as I write this the show is now taking place.

I might celebrate my 74th birthday this year, but I can tell you that I have never before been in the presence of such a live presentation. I felt self-concious in stepping up to the ticket booth, but as I am well over 65 I was granted a discount on the price. However, the young man required proof because he said I didn't look over 65. That made my day!

Stepping inside I was reminded that the last time I was in that particular venue it was for a furniture show, or perhaps it was for the car show.  Curiousity was the reason I was there. I admit to having watched the occasional porn tape, so I had an idea of what these folk get up to, but what would they do in a live situation?

Doors opened at 4pm and I got there around about five o'clock. There were quite a number of people there, mainly men, of course. I was relieved to note that several men were with their wives and girlfriends. The lighting was subdued, the volume of sound was unduly loud and as a consequence completely jumbled up. There were several booths selling sex toys and lotions and creams. There were also six stages with the obligatory dancer's pole, so there would be stage shows of some sort. However, at that moment nothing was taking place. People were simply walking round and round just checking the layout of the zone.

Then one of the presentors introduced to the stage their actors and actresses. There were sixteen girls and four guys. The girls were all perfectly ordinary looking people who I might encounter on the bus and not even blink, other than they were perfectly beautiful individuals. After the introductions were made and promotions given for their  pay-per-view websites we all drifted off to see the other presentors introducing their line-up.

I stepped into the men's room for a nature break and when I re-entered the space after just that few minutes, everything had changed. The actresses of porn had gone to work, and everywhere I looked there was so much going on it was a bit overwhelming. There was one stand where BDSM (Bondage, Discipline, Sadism & Masochisim) was underway that so sickened me, and apparently most other people as there were very few watching, that I walked away in digust.

I will leave it to your imagination as to what else was taking place, but I did wonder whether the girls were full crazy or just plain stupid. I concluded that the hint is in the description of their profession: they are actresses. They play a role, probably without emotion, and without leaving anything to the imagination.  Judging by the the fact that there were at least four male visitors to every one woman, they seem to have appreciated the opportunity to not only see the girls in their birthday suits, but to also film them up close. I have never seen so many cameras and smartphones.

I came to Spain to live because I was interested to know how different an experience it would be. In Bermuda it is unlawful to produce pornography, or to be in possesion of pornographic material. As if to underscore the difference, on Saturday men and women were riding their bicycles around Valencia in the sunshine without any clothes whatsoever celebrating "NAKED BICYCLING DAY."  I have decided that the difference is night and day; chalk and cheese; Summer and Winter.

I am from the old school. I always needed to know the woman I was making love with, and even when the act was senseless, at least I knew her and enjoyed her. It always did mean something to me, and that I think makes me a person more fulfilled and content. There was also the matter of privacy that was important. Taking the act so public destroyed its value in my estimation. I left the forum for the absolute worst of reasons: I was bored! Sex is not a very good spectator sport.

I think of the people who work as actors and actresses, who probably do their thing several times a day. Normal people engage in love making when the mood moves them, but as a treat. Something special to enjoy. For these show people when work is done, what else is there to genuinely enjoy?

How sad!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

I can't say that I enjoyed my time at the

Curiousity

The Sandy Hook School Shooting

Partial exterior of Sandy Hook School with police just arriving.


Time has stood still since 26 people, very young students and teachers lost their lives at the hands of a fellow student who shot them in cold blood. I don' t think that anybody knows why it happened. The why is important because the answer might possibly stop it happening again.

I have a theory as to why this might have happened, as well as all those other school shootings that occur by students. It is only a theory, but I think it is both plausible and dangerous. Because the children at Sandy Hook were so young I don't think that they, as victims contributed in any way to the tragedy, but the actions of others may have.

I'm talking about the all too common practice of bullying among students. It occurs in every school all over the world and seems to be a part of our human nature. It is a fault in the make up of human nature to find someone to pick on so that we feel more superior.

I was a sutdent who was the target of bullying, and I can tell you that had I access to guns I would have shot and killed every one of my tormentors. My story is a long one, but here I give a  summary to show how someone who is bullied can be driven to such an incredible breaking point:

I first joined with a great group of guys who were not interested in gaining an education, but later when I realised I was wasting my life I tried to buckle down to school studies. My "friends" decided that was not going to happen and they turned on me with a deadly frenzy of bullying that culminated with them doing unspeakable things to me in the boys toilet. A teacher came to my rescue, but in the class following the lunch break, which was gardening, the teacher stepped away to report the incident to the school principal. The head bully came over to me to continue the harrassment, taking no notice of the fact that I had a pitchfok, and for his efforts I drove the pitchfok throungh his foot, as far down as it would go, pinning him firmly to the ground. His blood came spurting up through his shoe, and because he was a fat person, I remember his flesh  jerking up and down. I ran around and around, crying and screaming, like a banshee, with no apparent reasoning. However, I was looking for the hoe, and had I found it I would have chopped his head off.

I later taught the second in command a firm lesson, and I scared the leader of the girl's gang so badly she stayed away from school for a week. There was police intervention in the meantime and of course, intervention of my parents and the school administrators. About two weeks later a delegation of the boys who had been my tormentors asked to speak with me. They said that as I had scared the leader and his deputy so badly that meant that I had automatically become the leader, and that they would do whatever I wanted.

I remember excatly what I said and can quote verbatim: "In case you knuckleheads don't realise it, this is a school, a place of learning. We come here to get an education, so what I want you to do is get an education for yourselves, and to leave all of the other students alone who are trying to get the best education they can.  And one more thing, if you don't leave me alone, I will kill you!"

They left me well alone!

I am a very tranquil, non-violent person. My mood and attitude is the same every day. I learnt from that episode to control my anger. When someone provokes me my reaction is generally to go stone cold. If they go on to hurt me, rather than getting angry, I get even. I recognize that my temper is a dangerous thing and I have learned over the sixty-six years since then to control it.

Unfortunately, children are unaware of the danger of their actions when picking on others. They can have no idea of the powerful seeds that they sow, and when the worm turns they will be the first to be surprised.  Schools need to conduct regular reminders of the harmful effects of bullying and to encourage the reporting of such actions when they take place.

As a parent, I cannot imagine how those affected are able to face each new day without their child, struck down in such a heartless manner, especially as at Sandy Hook. Time is frozen for them and there is absolutely nothing that anyone can say to soften the blow. As someone who was driven beyond all reasoning when I was only eight years old, I'm relieved that my reaction did not result in any loss of life. To that I credit the fact that I lived in a society that outlawed guns.

Something to think about!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

What just happened to the World?

One of the two murder suspects, with hands bloodied, and holding a knife and meat cleaver in Woolwich.

The world has been shocked by the events that unfolded at 2.20pm on a street in Woolwich, South London on an ordinary afternoon in May, 2013.

A soldier, now known as Lee Rigby, aged 25, left his barracks dressed in civilian clothes. He was immediately stalked by two men in a car, who, at the earliest opportunity ran him over on the sidewalk, then pounced upon him with a gun, and knives and a meat cleaver and had at him in a frenzied attack, apparently trying to cut his head off. Lee Rigby died in the attack. His self-confessed killers then dragged his body into the road, and then stood around talking to people while awaiting the police.

One woman, who was riding the bus, got off to give help at what she thought was a car accident. Upon realising what had actually happened, instead of running to safety she engaged one of the culprits, asking what he wanted or intended to achieve. His answer: to start a war in London tonight. Instead he has moved people to the peaceful degree that is beginning to look like the outpouring of emotion that the world saw for the late Princess Diana.

When the police arrived the men attacked the first car in an attempt to do the driver harm. They were shot and disabled. 

One man gave a statement to camera in which he apologised that women and children had to witness their attack, but said that the only reason they killed the soldier was as an act of an eye for an eye because Muslims are dying daily as they are killed by British soldiers.

The British war machine was called into theatres of operation in Iraq and Afghanistan, and indeed they will have killed Muslims that they deemed to be the enemy. However, the soldiers react to the orders that they are given, just as the two men seemed to be obeying orders given to them by some shadow command. That will make them no better than the man they killed. Should we now expect foreign wars to be acted out on the streets of towns and cities around the world?

Almost as an answer, a demonstration in London against violence by Islam brought out around 2000 people that resulted in a fierce clash against police. Meanwhile, over in Paris a uniformed soldier was attacked and stabbed in the neck by a man who fled. These are dangerous times when less than cool heads could set the bonfire that gets completely out of control.

America has always thought that it acted in good faith in its foreign adventures, but as time has proven it has often been mistaken. The Vietnam War was about keeping the Communist North from invading the South. America lost, and the South is now in Communist hands, and America is doing limited business with them.

On a day in September, 2001, America was attacked on its own shores, and it pushed back when it discovered that Afghanistan served as the base for the Taliban and Al Queada that authored the attack. It was seen as only normal that America would go after those who had done it harm, but the problem arose when America decided to attack Iraq on a contrived story that Iraq was planning to attack America by using a stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

They brought down Saddam and his family, and good riddance to them, but so many Muslims have lost their lives, and continue to do so that it is not difficult to see from where the passion of the two assailaints comes from. However, that has to be traced back to one single man and his misguided decision that has caused so many people unnecessary loss of life and suffering. That was wrong, and what the two men did against Lee Rigby and the British Army was wrong. The London demostration and the attack on the soldier in Paris are all wrongs, as will be anything along those lines to come. We need actions that are right, actions like those of the two women who tried to help, but although in spite of their apparent good intentions, I think they placed their own lives at great risk.

Lastly, I have to question what was in the mind of the woman, who was pulling a personal shopping bag on wheels, who left a small pocket of people and walked toward a lone killer with a knife and a meat cleaver still in his hand. I presume she walked right past him, when she should have gone the other way.

Sometimes, at moments like these people will do the strangest things. 

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

When your woman wants more than you can give.

Life is so much better when a couple are facing in the same direction and living in Sync.

I have encountered two articles on this subject lately, but I seem to remember writing on this same subject many years ago. The title could refer to almost anything, but we are talking bedroom talk. For such a long time the public conception was that sex was something that men did to women. If you were a woman you were supposed to cooperate with your man to keep him home and happy. Whether that was ever the truth, only history can say, but the modern reality is that women want sex, and they want to enjoy it every bit as much as their lover.

Women want orgasms! When do they want them? They want them now!

You only have to get a glimpse of lesbians playing together and that will put the lie to bed forever that women don't really like doing it. I suppose that as long as there have been lesbians their delicious pleasure has been a best kept secret. I'm not thrilled that women can have such a good time without me, but the fact is that they can, and regularly do.

Normally the man is the villian of the piece. His woman is constantly pestered by his demands for sex, and more sex. For some men his one woman is not enough. He has to go out chasing and cheating as though every woman needs him to satisfy them. However, we are now hearing about the shoe being on the other foot. How does this problem arise?

The most obvious way to avoid it happening is for a man not to marry a much younger trophy woman. You will age quicker than she will, so that when she is in her prime you will be over the bloody hill. When she is longing for a hard one three or four times in the night, you will be content with a good night's sleep. That's trouble, mister, with a capital T. I suppose if Viagra works for you that may be your life saver, but although that will give you a stiff one, will you have the will to use, and enjoy it?

Another way that the problem might arise is where there is a major difference in personalities. We hear that opposites attract, but the real question is whether that's a good basis to grow a solid relationship. After all, a man has to be aroused to be able to want a sexual relationship, but if you have an abusive woman that is unlikely to make you hard; but she, on the other hand may get her jollies by being abusive, to be followed by a good romp in bed. I'm afraid, that wouldn't do anything for me.

The main thing to emerge from a focus on this topic is the public realisation that women are equal. They are equal in so many ways, in fact in any way that they want to be, and in bed is so fundamental we have to ask ourselves why did we ever think anything different.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

Pornography! What Redeeming Qualities, if any?

Girl sitting without panties, and other depictions.

Pornographic?

There are no wrong answers.

What is pornography?

According to The Oxford Dictionary, it is described as follows:

"The explicit description or exhibition of sexual activity in literature, films, etc,  intended to stimulate erotic, rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings."

I have no argument with this description, which also says to me that it is an entirely subjective matter. For instance, I look at the above picture and I am unmoved. What is clear to me is that because it is subjective, I have no authority to judge your tastes, and I will not accept your views regarding my own. However, there is an exception:

Pornographic material that features children or interaction with animals is unlawful and prohibited in decent society, and is therefore within the norms of public decency, unacceptable. Those who use and direct children in such activity are committing grave illegal acts and should be made to pay severe penalties.

Otherwise, where activities involve consenting adults we can choose to accept the material or to turn our backs. Here in Spain, normal family viewing television channels change their program content at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays to bring us as much porn as we might like. However, they use male/female couples and female same-sex couplings.

I do believe that the sex lives of same-sex couples mirror that of hetro-sexual couples in every way. Consequently, I imagine that two men can be tender and romantic and deeply loving in the expression of their love for one another, or simply for the fun of fucking, but I have no desire to witness it. I have never seen any such depictions and I have never seen anything involving children, and I hope never to come face to face with such material. However, if I did I don't think I would faint.

At this point, from time to time the news reports show police officers scrolling through this material. I cannot think of anything worse than being that officer having to troll through such pictures.

In my opinion, there should be a law against capturing on film  females on females having sex. This even sounds stupid to me, but the sight of those women having so much fun without any need for a man is horrifying to me. It makes me feel so completely useless and redundant that it is scary. I think that perhaps when we hear men speak so vehemently against lesbians, they are expressing their own horror at being deemed excess to requirements.

That leads me to consenting couples: it just may be my imagination but it seems that a man could walk up to a very beautiful woman and ask her to have sex with him on film, and she will likely enthusiastically agree. Of course, they are showing off their bodies while in the prime of life, and some are so incredibly perfect, they should only pose as eye candy. They are too beautiful to be put through such  paces. But, I think those who play on film have to really like mindless sex. (I have been there.)  I don't think it is a place for thinking and feeling, because you are in the glare of lights and crew, and I don't see any place for real genuine feeling. They are supposed to be actors simply playing a part. However, I wish they would pay more attention to lubrication.

I saw a clip of a man who was preparing to have sex with two women and he was self-stimulating to get  hard. What the hell is wrong with this picture? Having succeeded, that had nothing to do with the women, that was him achieving an erection all on his own. He might as well have gone on to climax on his own.

The bottom line is that sex, as spectator sport is really quite boring. If you are a man who is not getting sex, and you choose to watch others in action, that's kind of like not having anything to eat, and choosing instead to stand at a restaurant window to watch while a person inside devours a steak. That is a very unsatisfactory thing to do. Also, watching a lot of people having sex does not lead to a desire for more sex, it leads the other way.

So, what redeeming quality does pornography have for me?  Television offers me, apart from porn, the news, which is all about the effects of the economic crisis, small wars that result in more people being blown up, shot, stabbed, mugged, raped, abducted, trafficking of people, buildings falling and killing innocents, people losing limbs and lives while supporting wholesome activities, families having something to eat at fast food restaurants being shot to death, natural disasters, theft by bankers, corruption within governments, children who walk into school and shoot their classmates, fires, flooding, wives being killed by husbands, and the latest thing I heard was that in India several men have been arrested for actually sexually penetrating baby girls aged between four and six months.

Given that partial list of things, I could do worse than watch porn.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

A Dream! A Fantasy!

Grandpa's Home!

In an earlier post I described how I had bought a pre-paid funeral plan from Golden Leaves Ltd, last August, and I had chosen cremation for my body. No sooner had I done that a September raging fire that covered six communities rolled over our house at 3.30 in the morning and we had to run for our lives, staying ahead of the fire by no more than one minute.

Let me make this abundantly clear: I choose cremation, but only AFTER I have well and truly finished with my body. Perhaps this was a case of being really careful about what you wish for.

A few nights ago I had one of those very long dreams that seem to take up the entire night. It was a really sweet dream in spite of the fact that it began with my death and cremation. My family were given my ashes to take with them, and as I am originally from the beautiful islands of Bermuda, they decided to make sure that my urn was unsinkable and indestructible so that they could float me in the Atlantic in the hope that I would find my way back to Bermuda.

They fit the urn with a tracking device and painted the destination on it, and together with family from Bermuda they travelled from Valencia, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal, and there, they caught an offshore breeze and gave me a gentle push. The monitor was given to my grandson, Ramon, who lives in the house that I purchased that is located along the Western shore in Bermuda.

Ramon tracked my movements every day. He could see that I had floated from Lisbon across to, and through the Azores. This is significant because Bermuda has many immigrants from the Azores who are a hard working, law abiding group of people who have given Bermuda much to be thankful for.

After the Azores I turned left and drifted Southeast down along the African coast until I washed ashore on the beach at Kribi, Cameroon. This was an important stop, because I have come to believe that my original ancestor was taken from Cameroon. For the past fourteen years, myself, together with a small group of people have adopted a village in the far north of Cameroon named Gouria. We have worked with the villagers to bring them forward into the 21st century, and in doing so I have come to be very close to my brothers and sisters in Cameroon. It was appropriate that I should make a stop at my spiritual home to bid Cameroon goodbye.

Some boys had found the urn and were about to take it home, but a tourist who knew what it was and who was literate in English convinced them to place me back in the water in a small ceremony. So, once again I was on my way. As luck would have it, one of the many storms to begin as tropical depressions off Africa took my urn across the Atlantic in a Northwesterly track and I ended up on the beach in Barbados.

My island of Bermuda is breathtakingly beautiful, but Barbados is indescribable. That country is also the host nation from which the original of the Carmichael family in Bermuda came.  My original ancestor was shipped to America as a slave on the estate of a Scotsman by the name of Robert Carmichael, from Glasgow. Hence our family name was taken from his as as brand. After emancipation, the freed Carmichaels left America and went to Barbados, and from there our Great, many times over grandfather, Nathaniel Daniel Carmichael made the very wise decision to emigrate to newly found Bermuda. I have one son, whose name is Nathaniel Daniel Edward Carmichael, which is a really big name to live up to, but he is more than capable.

Having touched shore in Barbados the urn was caught by the northerly current flows of the Sargasso Sea that brought the urn closer to Bermuda. Ramon could see that on the monitor, and in spite of the fact that he was himself getting on in years, he put everybody on notice that Grandpa was almost home. On one perfect Bermudaful day, early in the morning, my urn was just offshore from "MySugarAppleSunSet", the name of the house.

All the family and friends, including the media gathered on the lawn overlooking the ocean to watch as I gently drifted straight in on the waves to make a perfect docking in the lagoon below. They were all waving and my urn, moved by the sea waved back. And then, I woke up.

I would have added a part where they fit a giant sky rocket to the ashes, then sent it up into the air so that it could go off with a giant bang, scattering my ashes gently in the wind, with the ashes just reaching the shoreline and the cliff upon which the house sits. 

It's a fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed in my dream. Perhaps it might not be too much of a fantasy to be made into a reality. Hint! Hint!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

Decisions of a Woman

Decision Time!

Decision-making is as integral a part of life as is breathing, but it occurred to me, a man, that to be a woman carries with it the burden of extra heavy responsibility for many decisions that she will make throughout her lifetime. In common with a man, she will make decisions that are a shared responsibility, such as political, business, health related issues, and what country she would prefer to live in as wife.

Other decisions that are supposedly shared, but usually go her way are what and where to buy a house, where to school the children, and other important choices involving the family lifestyle.

There are decisions that only a woman can make. A man has some similar choices but the list is much longer for a woman. In my own opinion that list is partially as follows:

From the time of personal responsibility, one of the first things she will have to learn is how to dress and to present herself to the public. If she does not take responsibility for these things, then who will? In our society I wonder what some young women could be thinking as they dress to attract stalkers.

She has to decide on what direction her future is to take. That will encompass her educational and career path. She might choose to consult with others but the final decision must be hers.

What will be her personal lifestyle? This is one of the Big questions that will set the pace for her whole adult life, but only she can make this choice. The range from which she can select is very broad and covers Nun to prostitute, and everything in between.

It is her right and privilege to select the type of car to buy. This is a small matter, but in common with a man the car she chooses most likely will reflect her personality and must be a free choice without interference.

In Western societies, who a woman chooses as her life partner is her exclusive right and privilege, as is anyone else whom she wishes to invite into her bed. Although we men grow up with the belief that we persue women and conquer them in our bedrooms, the fact is that we chase them until they catch us. Imagine my astonishment upon learning that little factoid!

In our society, anything less is called rape or sexual harrassment. Therefore, it is the decision of the woman that must be weighed very carefully when considering what to do in matters of a personal sexual nature. In the lighest of circumstances, when she is a single and unattached female, she will have men in her face showing interest in spending the night together. For a man this is not really a decision. He just wants to get his end in with any warm and wiling woman. For her there is so much more to consider, although through the fog of lust most of those things get overlooked.

When thinking more long term, if she is to encourage a man to come around on a regular basis she has to be aware that the relationship could lead him to ask her to marry him, so she would be wise to use the time to get to know him really well. Making this decision could lead to how many children she brings into the world, where they will live, and the other "shared" decisions she will make in the future. It will also determine whether she will experience true happiness, or a married life of misery leading to divorce.

She, and she alone must be free to have control over her body. There will be men who will assume the arrogance to arbitrarily make decisions concerning abortion, but there are no circumstances where a woman might be called upon to make such a decision for a man, with the exception whether to circumcise her baby or not.

One of the most vexing decisions she will make is should she have that extra-marital affair. The problems that can flow from this activity potentially are without limit. Where a woman chooses to enter into a personal relationship where she works, when it becomes evident to management she is usually the one to lose her job, (although they should both have to leave if they have broken the company's rule of non-fraternisation) because it was her final decision that allowed it to happen.

This places the decision that one woman made, to encourage a relationship with a married colleague when his wife also worked with them, into an awful perspective. The wife eventually killed herself and the rest of the staff were deeply affected.

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

What a week that Was!

The fertilizer plant explosion near Waco, Texas and The Boston Marathon Bombings

What a hellava week its been for the world around us. The week started normally enough with a Marathon. It was Patriot's Day in Boston, the center piece of that holiday was The Great Boston Marathon, but as the world now knows a couple of very young guys decided to blow things up, with all the attendent horror that brought. Three people died in that event; two young women and an eight year old boy who had previously asked that there be "no more hurting people!" How ironic!

Then, as we all know, Wednesday brought an explosion at a fertilizer plant near Waco, Texas. two people are dead from that, and dozens have been injured and many homes flattened. That scene is being treated as a crime scene.

Wednesday was also the day that the funeral was held in London, England for ex prime minister Margaret Thatcher. That event got half the country all stirred up because she was a person who was either hated or adored, and both sides were all too keen to make their feelings known. Tensions were riding high, but in the event those who hated her showed their scorn in a very British, understated, and civilized manner. They simply turned their backs on the procession.

Wednesday was the day that Boston held a wonderful "Day of remembering the victims and their familes," service at the catherdal, in which President Obama and his First Lady were in attendance. The president gave one of the best speeches I have ever heard, which was exactly what the people wanted to hear. He promised the perpetrators of the bombing that they would be hunted down and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, someone had sent a letter containing ricin to him. It was intercepted well before it could have reached his office. Who the hell thinks that the president opens his own mail?

No sooner did the president promise whoever was responsible would be brought to justice for the bombing, than the message went out that the FBI were looking for two young guys. That night these two numbskulls robbed a store, shot and killed an officer on the grounds of MIT, and got themselves in a firefight with officers, ending with the one, who I predict was the mastermind, being shot to death. These guys were brothers, and the younger one went on the run, but not before running over his brother with the car, whereupon a couple of small bombs that the brother, that was down, was wearing went off but the impact was limited because he was on top of them. How about the beauty of that as a statement: blown up by his own bombs! Nice one!

We were then subjected to non-stop coverage of the manhunt for a 19 year-old, very misguided boy. Never before in my lifetime have I heard of a situation where an entire major city and its suburbs had been locked down for a whole business day while a manhunt took place. Almost 10,000 men and women were employed in the hunt for this one man who was Public Enemy Number One.  Incidentally, at one point in a live feed, the announcers were saying that the only traffic was that of law enforcement people, when a guy rides across the camera on his bicycle, just as relaxed as could be. I had to laugh out loud.

Sure enough the fugutive was finally surrounded   as he took shelter in a man's sailboat that was ashore in his backyard.

I nust comment on this aspect, because it was reported that the owner noticed that there were bloodstains leading into the boat. Then he is supposed to have gone to the boat and pulled back the covers and noticed the wanted man inside. At that stage he risked having his head shot off. Had that happened he would have died as a result of stupidity. Having noticed something was awry he should have made the call and cleared the area. I suspect that by now even he is kicking himself. Lucky bastard! Perhaps he should check his boat very carefully before putting it back overboard as it most probably won't float.

So, another shootout resulted in the boy's capture alive, which is really good news because I suspect that there are those in the background who influenced the older brother while he was on a six month visit to Russia to make a strike against America. The younger brother, I believe was drawn into the situation by his older sibling. The country needs answers. So far, nothing suggests that North Korea had anything to do with it. Thank God!

The week ended as it began, with another Marathon, this time with 30,000 runners over in London on Sunday, April 21st. As I write this there have not been any incidents, but a 30-second period of silence was held at the beginning to remember the Boston Marathon.

President Obama has promised that there will be a Boston Marathon next year. I predict that the number of runners will be the most ever for such an event, as well the number of spectators will overwhelm the route. That's how terrorists are defeated, even though these two guys left more than 175people injured, and Krystle Campbell, aged 29, Lu Lingzu, aged 23 of China, Police officer Sean Collier, and especially young Martin Richard, all lost their lives.

In his own words, young Martin Richard wrote:"No more hurting people. Peace!" So Young! So Wise

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

The Boston Bombings

A scene that was supposed to be only one of joy turned into the worst nightmare.

The Boston Bombing of 15/4

UH! OH!

Here we go again!

Monday, 15th April, 2013 saw the Boston Marathon interrupted by at least two bombings at the finish line and around about the time that the run was supposed to reach its conclusion. It was similar with 9/11 in that the location was one that was classicly important to America, and there were two blasts that were evidently intended to cause a lot of injuries. As of this writing 176 people are injured, at least 17 of whom are seriously so, and three people have died.

The big question is, of course who is responsible, and why was it done?

To cut straight to a worst case situation the people who have most recently been threatening all-out war with America are the North Koreans.

Let us all hope and pray that this is not the case because the follow-up could well lead to nuclear war, and that would have a result with no winners at all.

Meanwhile, over in London, Wednesday the 17th of April will be the funeral of Margaret Thatcher that will have its own built-in disruptions, and shortly after that will take place the London Marathon.

Suddenly we have a great deal to worry about!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael
 

Expedición Imposible

Raquel Sanchez Silva, Presenter of Expedición Imposible

The Best television viewing experience that I can recall in a very long time!

I have just concluded twelve weeks of addictive television viewing with the final of the Spanish version of Expedition Impossible, an American adventure reality show. Both versions were staged in Morocco, but the major difference between the participants was that the Americans had to have certain basic survival skills, whereas the Spanish were a group of twenty people with fairly ordinary lives. I say ordinary, but they ranged from dancers and actresses and singers and models, to people who worked with bulls. One was even the former Miss Spain, 2006.

I have never followed reality shows, or even series, except "Boss" in part. I became interested in this one because of Maria Abradelo, the TV presenter and actress. We became aware of her when we first arrived here in Valencia as a personalty who dominated Channel 9, the Valencian principal television company. Since then there has been a drawing closer between herself and our family, to the extent that we were considering English lessons taught by myself to her. She was entered in the contest, together with her sister and was featured as the principal contestants in the publicity.

For the sake of jogging your memory, if you did watch the program, there were ten groups of two-person teams at the beginning. There were four teams of two women in each: Noelia and Elizabeth, both models; Maria and her sister Rommy; Raquel and Leticia; and Marbelys and Lola. There were two all-male teams: David, the super strong man, and Dani who kept finding courage and strength he never knew he had; and Ismael and Ivan, the oldest participant, for whom I was solidly in his corner as he represented us senior citizens. The remaining four teams consisted of one man and one woman.  They were: Cristina and Alejandro; Rafael and Yolanda; Alex and Roció, the person I most admired for maintaining an upbeat and positive spirit throughout. She is also a very beautiful and charming person as well. And finally, there was Felipe and his girlfriend Mirela.

Canal Cuatro aired the show, and it was presented by Raquel Sanchez Silva, a presenter of reality shows, but even she was over-awed by the complexities and challenges of this particular show. They started off with an 8.0% share which had dropped to 5.9% for the final show. That means a lot of people missed one of the most fabulous shows on televisions. I urge them to watch the re-runs.

Shortly after the contest began, which involved extremely taxing challenges throughout, both Mirela and Elizabeth, the former Miss Spain, found that they could go no further. Normally that would have meant that their partner would also drop out, but an exception was made that allowed Noelia, Elizabeth's partner to team up with Felipe. No one expected much from this change because Noelia is also a slender model, and so evidently way out of her league in the unforgiving great outdoors of Morocco.

As the episodes concluded and new ones began, teams were eliminated due to their arrival at the checkpoint in last place. Maria and Rommy were eliminated/dropped out due to illness in the fifth episode. I was so disappointed for them, yet I found it extremely difficult to understand why they were putting themselves through such agony. Yes, there was prize money to be won, but some of the things they did were dangerous in a controlled sort of way, I suppose, but always a real challenge. There must be easier ways of winning money than that!

By the tenth episode, David and courageous Dani had been eliminated, and in the eleventh episode Ismael and Ivan, the senior citizen were eliminated. Ivan said that he was competing because he wanted his grad-daughter to be proud on him. No worries Ivan, we all are! That left two teams of one man, one woman each. The woman who no one expected to stay the course, including herself, was still in the running. That was Noelia, the model, who was really struggling. She had hurt her leg and was in pain and hobbling. Meanwhile, Cristina, of Cristina and Alejandro was staying strong and cool. This couple had arrived in first place most often, which gave them the privilege of being driven straight to the end of the next episode, as well as winning a 3,000 euro prize several times.

We had come to the final in Marrakesh. The two teams didn't seem to be evenly matched, and every effort was made to break at least one of them because there could only be one winner. However, both teams stayed consistent with one another, with Noelia doing her part and simply powering through the pain. Neither team could be broken, so it came down to a matter of who would be luckier. That part of the contest was inspired, and when it turned out that Noelia and Felipe were declared the winners my eyes misted over, a massive lump appeared in my throat and I jumped out of my seat with joy. Noelia had survived and triumphed over all the massive odds placed in her path.

This is the story of all mankind, of course. In order to achieve something outstanding it is necessary that we choose to do the thing that is difficult, because it is difficult. Once we begin our journey we have to stay focused with our eyes on the prize and simply power through adversity. Everyone loves the underdog. This is not something that can be scripted but it all came together in the end.

Congratulations to Felipe and Alejandro, both very strong competitors, and to Cristina who kept her head throughout. Noelia is an enduring champion and now she is a role model. I certainly hope that all of the contestants have something lasting to remember their extreme efforts because they all contributed to a standard of television entertainment that was a cut above the normal. Congratulations also to Raquel, la Presentadora and the producers and crew.

When I say, "Well Done!" everyone, I really do mean it!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene  Carmichael 



In Celebration of a Life and a Legacy!

In Celebration of a deserving human being!

Melanie Kiener

Former Area Governor

Toastmasters International
District 59, Spain

When I first met Melanie Kiener she was Area Governor for District 59 that covered at least four Toastmasters clubs along the Mediterranean coast, including Valencia, Alicante, Las Palmeras, and her home club of Marbella. It is natural to form an impression from when meeting for the first time. Looking back, I think I felt her charm and warmth, and I know that I thought she was someone I could work with. What I didn't think about was the fact that Melanie was a person with an infectious energy and attitude that radiated the message, " Be the best that you can be; do the best that you can!"

As I reflect on her personality I see her as a person who went through life like a fine cava sprinkling her bubbles upon all with whom she came into contact, gently, and in a very lady-like way moving us forward, always urging us to do the best that we could.

Toastmasters clubs worldwide are self help groups of individuals who are intent upon growing and refining our inter-communications skills. The Mission Statement of Toastmasters International reads, "We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth."

In my short experience with Toastmasters I have seen people grow from being shy and introverted into confident outgoing individuals. Part of the role of Area Governor is to shepherd all the members in your collective care towards attaining the goal of personal growth. The first requisite must be the desire and the ability to care for each person. In this regard Melanie excelled and set the bar for her successors. She lived a life that was full and she has left a legacy that is wonderful and worthy of emulation.

At too early an age she was given a cross to bear that she bore with strength and dignity, and with a smile on her face. All too soon (March 27, 2013) she passed on to that great Toastmasters Club, District Number One, Club 001 in the sky, where we will all join her, in the fullness of time.

Meanwhile we celebrate her life and her legacy. It was our privilege to have known her and to have worked together towards our common goal. Melanie's life was indeed a life well lived, and that leaves only one thing left to say:

Thank You, Melanie!   

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

Life Eternal? On earth? Starting Now!

The God Switch?

Last week I teased this topic while I took a bit more time to do some research and to get over my disbelief.

Stem cell research has always been controversial and very uncertain ethical ground. It starts with the placenta and takes many avenues. Many people hold that the very entry into an area that they see is reserved solely for God is sacrilegious for man to interfere into, so we should all shut down any findings so far and behave ourselves.

Too late!

It seems that scientists have found an indestructible gene, SP100, which I think is not an embryonic stem cell, but rather is a Pluripotent stem cell, a kind of magic cell that is currently being used to screen patients for cancer before they even develop it, and is also being used as part of a cure for cancer.

It also seems to have other uses, such as the ability to grow new cells to replace dying cells, so the logic of that is to farm such cells into something that is called IPS cells, or Induced Pluripotent StemCells to repair and to rejuvenate human cells indefinitely. In other words, a patient who signs up for this type of treatment could be buying life eternal.

This they call The God Switch!

I admit I am out of my depth and in the deep end over this topic. I first heard about this from a man called Patrick Cox who could hardly believe this giant step had been taken. Patrick is always looking for companies with potential as an investment. The company that holds the patent for this breakthrough he feels also holds the potential for massive growth as an investment, but I wonder.

I believe the average person would not wish to change the way things are,or if at all they might want to elect when to check out. They might want to stay around to finish important work, such as seeing their children grow up and start their own families. The fact is that people even now choose when to die through suicide. When a person has lost their partner, and is depressed, and is old themselves the timing might be perfect. But if you are not financially prepared it's not likely that you would make the choice to live forever.

However, Patrick Cox could be right as enough of the very rich never want to die. I was aware of a rich man who said on his death bed that death should take a poor man instead. He was rich and would help the poor if he was allowed to live.

It raises the question of  how many people would actually take up the offer if it ever gets past the regulatory bodies for life eternal here on earth. In christian religious faith believers opt for life eternal in heaven with Jesus. However, this type of meddling is a step too far. I think we haven't even begun to hear from these folks yet. There is also the possibility of adding genetic engineering to the mix that would all for us to construct the type of baby that we want by design. That is so off the chart that I feel I should be trembling as I type.

Where is all this going? The possibilities are startling when we absent the ethical considerations. However, I choose not to dwell in this zone because it frightens me much too much!

For more information try visiting "Stockgumshoe.com " and typing in The God Switch.

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

Life Eternal! On Earth!

I am currently researching the following question: If you could realistically choose to live forever, free from major debilitating disease and in a young-ish state, what would be your choice, and why?

I will return next week to enlarge on this subject, but in the meantime I suggest that you take the matter seriously and think about it, and perhaps to even discuss it because the ramifications are enormous.

Be prepared for the most tremendous choice of your life.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

Being Responsibility Prepared!

When it's time to go!

I have purchased a Golden Leaves Pre-Paid Funeral Plan for myself, and I have the most wonderful sense of peace of mind. Why, you may ask, would I do that?

I have taken this step to save my Next-of-Kin the trouble of having to find the funds to dispose of my body when I no longer have use for it. I believe that most people would agree that to do something like this for your family is a loving and responsible action to take. If you are living in your home country and you have a life insurance policy that will mature on your death with sufficient benefit to cover your last expenses, and, together with a Will, this should adequately cover the position.

The possible problems begin the moment you step out of your country, whether as a tourist or to live and work. When you do that you leave behind the society in which you and your family are possibly known, and have a credit rating and the support of other family members. Overseas, you are among a world of strangers and different rules apply when something as extreme as death occurs.

You would be a rarity if you thought beforehand about complications, such as I am enumerating.

Here in Spain every foreigner faces the same set of basic problems, and these can become hideously complicated due to religious or personal wishes. To begin with, it is the tradition to dispose of the deceased's body within twenty-four hours, or a maximum of 48 hours. When a man dies, his wife will have to call in a funeral director to remove the body, and she will have to follow the body to the Tanatorio, (the name given to a funeral home). There she will have to make known her wishes and the method of payment for services. Ideally, she should be able to debit her account for a cash payment, and the rest will go smoothly.

That rarely happens, in fact because most people don't have four thousand euros just sitting in a current account. The other problem will be Spanish/English languages. This is normally a time of great difficulty with emotions running very high. This is not the time to be scrambling over how to pay or even communicate effectively.

My Golden Leaves Pre-Paid Funeral plan works as follows: I have chosen a plan from among three options. I am in the process of completing payment for it. I am registered with a tanatorio at 25, Alfafar, 46910, Valencia. They have the details of my plan on record, and one day they expect to receive a call from my wife that they need to come and get me. They will ask her only one question: Do you wish for us to proceed strictly in accordance with the terms of the plan? I imagine she will answer yes, in which case they will then say tomorrow at 4pm. And that will be that. She can then make her calls and the first part of the transition will be complete, placing in her hands my death certificate. With that she will be able to proceed with the rest of the red tape.

This plan was devised by the internationally renowned firm of Funeral Directors, Rowland Brothers International, of the U.K. The firm was established in 1873, so they devised a plan to assist those who live, and die outside their native countries because out of their experience they have seen all too often the devastation caused when a member of the family dies unexpectedly and without preparations in place.

The other thing that I especially like is that the cost of the plan that I pay today is fixed for all time. I have said that it is my intention, and hope that I live to be 100 years of age. The company have said that will be fine, they will be there when I need them, and I am all paid up.

As a point of interest, statistically, men pre-decease their wives, and mothers their children

I will shortly visit the Tanatorio in Alfafar to meet the professionals who will care for me, and hopefully get a look at the process. This is a rare thing to do, and I'm fairly sure nobody else will have done that. I expect them to look at me curiously, and perhaps to say that they usually have to go and get me. I will reply that on this occasion I drove myself in, and I have every intention of driving myself home. Thank you!

A Golden Leaves Pre-Paid Funeral Plan, I think, is one of the best things I have done. Because of my status as a foreigner I have discovered that my life insurance policy and my Will are not sufficient to cover the situation here in Spain, so I have taken the necessary step to redress matters.

It makes sense!  Now, I can get on with the best years of my life that are yet to come.

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

Spanish Fiestas

A massive Monument as part of Valencia Fallas.

It has to be seen, and heard to be believed! 

At the moment here in Valencia there are at least two major fiestas on-going. One is Las Fallas in Valencia City and suburbs, and the other is La Magdalena that is taking place in Castellón. These are both lavish and very loud because the logic goes that the noise scares away the old man of Winter. In Valencia City it usually scares away the city inhabitants too who probably thought at one time, long ago, it was charming, but by now the non-stop noise is driving them crazy and out into the quiet of the country.

I got to thinking about Spanish festivals in general, and as an exercise I turned back time before any of these rituals got started, and I made the assumption that it was my idea in the first place and that I had to go out and sell the ideas to various town halls. However, instead of approaching mayors in Spain, let's see what would have happened had I gone in to see Mr. Johnson, mayor of London.

Me: Mr. Johnson! Mr. Johnson!  Have I got an idea for you that will make London one of the most exciting and visited places in the world.

Boris: Oh yes, and what would that be?

Me: You could encourage people to bring out all of their old furniture and pile it at crossroads, and then at a certain pre-arranged time they could set them on fire. From the air it would make London appear to be on fire.

Boris: Bloody H......Well, you may have something there!

Me: In the fullness of time things would progress from simple old furinutre to amazing monuments depicting events in a satirical manner, and you Sir, would feature prominently.

Boris: But wouldn't that present a grave health and safety issue?

Me: Ealf 'n safety be damned man, live a little.

Boris: Just give me a second while I enter this in my smartphone. (Boris types and speaks out loud his understanding of what I had just said, but in reality he types, "Help! There's a madman in my office. Send a dozen big guys and a very strong straightjacket.)

Me: You could also consider closing off a small street and encouraging as many people as you can to go inside the street, then you could have about ten raging bulls at one end, then you could sic 'em on the people.

Boris: Good God man, wouldn't people get hurt?

Me: Not only that some will get killed, but that's how people will know how dangerous it is.

Boris: O.K. Just go along with these twelve men and explain your ideas to them, they are a committee. The jacket they want you to wear is to keep you warm.

Me: Oh! O.K.  Another thing you could do fellas is a rather novel way to use up 200,000 kilos of tomatoes.

There is no place like Spain. I love it!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael  

Oscar Pistorius Jokes

A great athlete, But!

I do respect his ability on the track. 

Firstly, I have to tell you that from the very first time I ever heard of this man I was awed by his sense of determination and his ability to overcome his staggering disability. Like most people I was captivated, and I gave him my total respect.

However, a very beautiful young woman lies dead in her native South Africa, admittedly at his hand, although he insists that it was an accident. Well, he is strictly innocent until proved guilty, but his explanation has been met by ridicule in the court of public opinion and the Internet is alive with Oscar jokes, some of which are absolutely tasteless. So, I thought I would add my own which I hope you will find a bit more conservative.

Oscar says that although he knew his girlfriend was in the house he thought that the person in the bathroom was an intruder, so apparently without calling out to her or finding out whether the "intruder" was armed or simply taking a shit, he fired four bullets through the door. (Well, that's all right then, innit?)

As a result people around the world who are in the bathroom answer when their partner asks, are you in there, "Yes, its me. Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

Why didn't it occur to Oscar to simply call out, Honey, are you in the bathroom? That's what I would do!

All men get frustrated by the amount of time our women spend in the bathroom, but Oscar, Bru, we don't shoot 'em.

Hi girls, Oscar's here and he's looking for a new girlfriend. Run!

Man, when Oscar wants in the bathroom, Move it!

Most people simply knock on the door before entering the bathroom.

How difficult will it be for Oscar to find a new girlfriend? He's a good looking guy, rich, successful and a very famous athlete. There is a long line of women, but they are running the other way.

In Oscar's next relationship he will probably be the girlfriend, and his boyfriend will be a big, sweaty cellmate.

Oscar will not have to take a course in how to properly treat his next girlfriend. There will not be a next girlfriend, unless she's a sadist with a whip and a gun.

Oscar, there are 50 ways to leave your lover.
Oscar: Make that 51.

The judge won't let Oscar go back to his house because there is only one bathroom. Somebody else might  get hurt.

 So, there you have them, my one dozen original Oscar jokes that I'm sure are going to turn up under other people's names. I hope you get a smile and I just have to remember to keep my sense of humour.

Copyright (c) 2013   Eugene Carmichael

A Magnificent view of great Talent!

The Cambridge House Community College / Forest School of London Concert
"One Sun, One World"
February 21st, 2013
Held at La Palau de la Música, Valencia, Spain 

WoW! What a Concert!

This past week, February 21, 2013 provided my wife and myself with a very special experience. We attended the annual school concert as presented by Cambridge House Community College, Rocafort Valencia, Spain.

Usually school concerts are held in the auditorium and they reach up to a certain crescendo showcasing new young talent. They are normally enjoyable events attended by proud and delighted parents and grandparents. This was all in evidence at the Cambridge House concert, but it didn't stop there. It was held in the top venue for concerts in Valencia, The Palau de la Música, The Palace of Music, where la créme de la créme perform. The school took its approximately 300 person choir, together with a 41 piece classical orchestra from the Forest School that had travelled from London with their director, Alex Redpath, and under the overall direction of the school's Master of Music, Tim Davis they presented the concert entitled, "One Sun, One World."

It is not my intention to do a critique of the concert per se, but rather I wanted to comment on how wonderful an experience it is to be entertained by los jovenes, the young people, some very young indeed. The children were drawn from the youngest in year 3 to the oldest in year 13, with a sprinkling of adults. Had I wanted to present a critique I could sum up in any number of one word choices, such as Wonderful, Fantastic, Extraordinary, Amazing, Brilliant, Enjoyable, etc, etc, etc.

The theme was our world and our responsibility to take care of our environment. We have been given just One World and as human beings it is up to us to be responsible. That is a powerful and commonsense message that so many adults completely ignore. Sometimes it is done out of greed, other times it is done because of laziness or apathy and ignorance, but whatever the motivation it is tantamount to committing suicide unintentionally.

The choir wore bright yellow tee-shirts and when they stood and were flooded by lights I felt I should have averted my eyes as it was like looking directly into the sun. A wonderful effect!

There were six soloists from whom I expect we shall be hearing much more in the future. They are possessed of beautiful voices that they have already learned to control artfully. I imagine a bright future if they continue their training and keep their heads tightly screwed on.

A Profile in Courage:
I must not leave this piece without turning my spotlight on a unique person. She is a little girl, about seven years of age who is battling with a complex of issues that confine her to a wheelchair and that sap her strength. She attends school and tries to participate where she can. She may not have the energy to even hold her own head upright, but she can sing. She was brought to the stage in the arms of Ana and sat in her wheelchair, with her head held upright, and she sang most heartily. I think that no one can understand that type of courage and determination, we can only just admire her and applaud her. Well done, little one!

On a less positive note some people sitting in our area were behaving very badly. They were busy having a running conservation among themselves, or using their smart phones to send texts, or reading e-mails. I am from a different time when such behaviour was considered rude,obnoxious and extremely disrecptful to those on stage and in the immediate vicinity. I know the world is changing and things change but it seems to me that if you have such a tiny brain and concentration it may be better for you to simply stay away from situations that require good manners and focus.

This was the second time that such a concert has been presented at the same venue and in collaboration with Forest School of London. When these two mighty entities come together, in the words of Alex Repath, they achieve so much more than they could do alone.

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael

A St. Valentine's Weekend

Make everyday St. Valentine's Day!

Whatever else is said about St. Valentine's Day, the fact is that it serves as a day to pause and quite literally smell the roses. The world is so full of stress producing daily worries that we need a whole day, and preferably a whole weekend to consider when was the last time we looked our better half in the eye and reassured him/her of the fact that they are valued and loved. We sometimes let the passage of time slip away without actually saying the words, "I love you!"

We so often tell ourselves that our partner knows that we love her/him, so we don't have to keep going on about it. Anyway, you show it in many ways, which, of course is good, but I am reliably advised that there is really no substitute for actually saying so, and doing so from the bottom of your heart.

There is something else that I have discovered after all these years: that is the value of the "cuddle." To hold your woman in your arms at Valentine's Day, or at any time of year, just to cuddle her, and to listen to the beats of both your heats. Let the sound lock out the whole world and confirm that you are together, one unit, against the world.

I freely acknowledge that "the cuddle" is not a man thing. Since time began men have seen the cuddle as foreplay, but in the eyes of women it is simply a moment of warmth and the sharing of space unlike no other without the complications of that sex thing. We never need an excuse to go there, sometimes just for fun, but best of all to express your genuine love and need for your lover. Its taken me about sixty years to learn that lesson and I finally "get it!"

What our world needs much more of is love. It is the one ingredient that we can never have too much of. So, bring it on, in very large measure. The fact that I can write a column like this must mean I have pursued happiness, and found it. So, come on everybody,

Make love, not war!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael 

Who let loose the Feral Dogs of Rape?

Fortunately, most men in the world are good and peaceful people!

I have written much about rape in the past but I find I must return to the topic because of the following high profile cases: "Indian girl raped by gang on bus while she was with a male companion." "South African girl raped and killed by gang." "Six Spanish women raped by armed gang in Acapulco." Incidentally, those women were in the company of their six male companions who were tied up. Apparently, to the shame of humanity, a rape occurs every four minutes somewhere in the world.

If we asked 100 people the question, "Why do people rape one another?," we will likely receive 100 different replies. However, there may be one central thread throughout, and that is the exercise of power over another person to achieve what the rapist wants.

I turned to Wikipedia which I found to be an excellent source of information. I googled "Gang Rape" but what I got was the following list of types of rape: Anger rape, Power rape, Sadistic rape, followed by rapes by your date, gangs, spousal, statutory, rape of a child, prison, war, rape by deception, and so-called corrective rape. (The rape of a lesbian by a man to teach her what is normal.)

I strongly suggest that you visit this site as it will open one's eyes and help you to understand better the types of things that drive this very dark side of human nature.

I am curious as to what is driving men to prowl around and to attack a woman, or women with the aim of raping them. Where is this anger and hatred coming from? Were these men not born of a woman? Should the woman have aborted their birth and saved society the distress and pain that is inflicted upon it? There are societies that value boys but who drown their baby girls. Perhaps they should reverse that?

From the above list of incidents we see that one took place in India, another in South Africa, and the last one in Acapulco. Three different societies with vastly differing views about the role in their societies of women, but common decency and right and wrong equally applies, so there can be no excuse.

In the case of rape through anger, I can only imagine that a man finds out that his woman has been having an affair and he goes berserk on her, and defiles her, and does his best to humiliate and to hurt her as she has hurt him. I suppose he tries to drag her down into the dirt and make her feel unclean. He presumably tries to do whatever he feels is necessary to assuage his own ego. I see this as a very dangerous situation, and some might even say that the woman is the author of her own misfortune.

However, rape by a sadist is the most dangerous of all because he will want to reduce his victim to the lowest point possible, and he will want to do it slowly, inflicting as much pain, terror and humiliation as he can, and as a last resort he most likely will kill his victim as the ultimate act of power, whereas Power Rape may involve only sufficient pressure to make the point that the aggressor is the Lord and Master.

Of all the various types and motivations to commit rape, I still think that Rape by a Gang is the most shameless act a man can participate in. It is the act of a coward, because he needs other men to help him accomplish it, and it is something that is akin to feral dogs acting on instinct. It is a very dirty thing to do to mingle sperm from different men in one receptor. The thought of following another man by inserting my penis into a used vagina revolts me. We are men with the power to reason. We cannot blame our actions on instinct. We know the difference between right and wrong of this magnitude. Life is difficult enough with situations that arise  in which the line can be so fine we can cross over it and become guilty of unintended rape.

What can women do to lessen the likelihood of becoming a victim? Firstly I agree completely that it is a woman's prerogative to dress herself in any way she sees fit. Were it not so then someone else would have to dress her. However, here is where common sense is needed. Everyday I pass street girls who dress themselves to expose to me what they hope I might want to buy. These are prostitutes and they look like such working women. If you are not a prostitute then perhaps you shouldn't dress like one.

You may wish to take care to present yourself to the world to impress, but I think it might be a bad idea to attract the attention of a stalker by being overly obvious. I hardly think you would be happy to do that. In the Muslim world some women dress themselves so that they are just one blob of clothing. There is nothing in that to excite the average male, but even she must be careful of her movements. To be alone after dark in in remote places does get you noticed.

In our Western society young women walk around showing the cheeks of their bums and sometimes even the nipples of their breasts. Every man will notice, but it is to our credit that we carry on about our business without molesting her. Frankly, I look forward to the end of winter when girls throw off winter's clothing and expose their legs and chests. There is no more pleasing sight to men then the sight of a beautiful women who we hold in very high esteem. However, we appreciate it even more when it is not overdone. 

A beautiful woman is sometimes handed an impossible situation when she is born into a society in which she feels that her destiny lies elsewhere. By holding herself apart from the locals she may bring rape down upon her because of the jealousy of the local men who feel she is insulting them as she is too good for them.

I don't have the answers that would protect all women from all men. Women have to consider their location and circumstances and then to use their common sense. Were I king of the world I would remove the sense of violence from men, and from women who also rape, so that this scourge was not the shame upon society that it is.

Meanwhile ladies, proceed with caution!

Copyright (c) 2013  Eugene Carmichael