WHY ARE WE HERE – ONE

Find Unconscious Mutterings and
Booking Through Thursday below.

We are well aware of the idea that life constantly
evolves. But how far does this process of evolution
go? Does it stop at life, or could it be argued that
evolution is a property of the cosmos?

For instance, if the universe began from a Big Bang, and has constantly changed from this point, does this show the property of evolution? And could a similar argument be laid down for known, and constant, change upon planet Earth?
The fundamental problem with the idea that planet Earth evolves concerns the place of life within the evolutionary process. Does life evolve separate to the planet, or is life – including mankind – part of the process of Earth’s evolutionary mechanism?
To accept the latter holds severe problems for science. It not only removes us from the top of the evolutionary tree, but would suggest a form of co-ordinated intelligence invested in planet Earth which is guiding us along.
There are, infact, many indicators that this is, indeed, the case. One of the absolutes of evolution is the idea that evolution only evolves what is required for survival. There is no surplus.
However, the massive explosion in the size of the human brain goes way ahead of our ability to use it. Our brain capacity is far greater than is required by this evolutionary law. Yet if seen as part of an evolving requirement of planet Earth, our brain size could fall into the evolutionary pattern.
French philosopher Henri Bergson would have had no problem with this idea. He believed that nature had an urge to create – a principle he called the ‘elan vital’. Such an urge would be above an individual species, placing all of nature within an evolutionary concept which could easily be seen as part of the evolution of planet Earth.
British physicist Peter Russell could have placed our big brain within this format. He theorised upon a growing planetary level of consciousness called the ‘Gaiafield’ – a self-reflective consciousness of all minds, forming a social superorganism.
In a way this is similar to psychoanalyst Carl Jung’s idea of a collective unconscious lying under the personal mind. But instead of being a species supermind, Russell would invest the property on a planetary level.

First posted, Jan 08. Continued Tues.

BLOGGER BARD

Funny Book

I don’t read many funny books. I read plenty of twisty
tales, which can be funny, but not actual humour. Then
again, isn’t it all relative? For instance, I read many works
that would be classed as pseudoscholastic – on lost
civilizations, paranormal, etc. Many ‘experts’ class their
conclusions as very funny indeed. I suppose ‘humour’
depends on the reader. For instance, I would class many
politician’s biographies as hilarious. Humour seems to be
in the mind of the reader as well as the writer.

Call back Sunday for Unconscious Mutterings.

© Anthony North, July 2009

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HARRY PATCH

Including Friday Flash 55, Three Word Wednesday, Three Word Thursday and
Totally Optional Prompts. Have you had a go yet?

POLLY TICKS

Harry Patch died at the weekend. Many outside the UK will not know
him, and in many ways he had an unremarkable life as a plumber. But
he died at the weekend at the age of 111, just days after the death
of the world’s oldest man, Henry Allingham who died at 113. But their
deaths are a turning point in history, for these two heroes were the
last living Brits who fought in World War One. From last weekend
onwards, the experience has gone from living memory in the UK. So it
is now up to us to remember, and never go there again.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

WORLD NEWS: Should we
talk to Taliban for political solution
to Afghanistan? There is no solution. We’re
just keeping those camps shut. Admit it.

HEALTH NEWS: Health service being swamped by fear of swine
flu as worried well worry. There’s a fine line between information
& sensationalism.

BRIT NEWS: Hike in Council Tax expected to pay for local services.
No need. Just sack all the pointless extra management &
PC posts.

BRIT NEWS: Esther Rantzen to run as Independent
MP but one doesn’t make a revolution. Let’s
have some real MPs leave their parties
and be honest.

FLASH 55 – HE BITES

With Quilly’s Words

Fiction: He knew what to do. Some thought
his performance was sevidical, giving morsicant,
whilst the reality was more veteratorian. True,
those bites hit home in ways they could not
imagine. Chomp, chomp, chomp they went,
feeding on our psyche. And with each bite a
chunk of freedom went. Beware the allure of
the political soundbite.

Without

Fiction: He knew what to do. Some thought his
performance was cruel, giving the sensation of
repeated biting, whilst the reality was more subtle.
True, those bites hit home in ways they could not
imagine. Chomp, chomp, chomp they went, feeding
on our psyche. And with each bite a chunk of
freedom went. Beware the allure of the political
soundbite.

DON’T YOU REALISE?

Fiction: Thornhill didn’t mean to patronize him but he had little choice.
He was here in the darkness and the intruder had intruded once too
often. But now he had his attention. He’d said it over and over again:
‘You shouldn’t be here.’ But the intruder wouldn’t have it. He’d been
coming here for so long that it certainly felt right to him. But Thornhill
persevered and eventually he could sense the intruder weakening.
And when he finally got him to look down at the gaping hole in his
chest the realization was palpable. So that was it then. He WAS
dead. And Thornhill had carried out another successful exorcism.

MIDNIGHT

The hour strikes, the hands are both raised,
The clock is still, all else is crazed,
For this is midnight, of time and soul,
Goosebumps raised, the air is cold

Witches chant and bats fly above,
No time now for peace or a dove,
For spirits are out, walking the Earth,
A supernatural veil of sorrow and dearth

Into this brew your thoughts do stray,
Mixed in a cauldron for ghosties to waylay,
And haunt you with memories of what you’ve done,
Hope you did good, or now you’re so glum

As minutes tick by, light follows dark,
Goodness returning, angels hark,
As long as you’re not lost in those thoughts unpure
Carried away on death’s eternal tour

© Anthony North, July 2009

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B IS FOR BULLYING

Including ABC Wednesday, Carry On Tuesday and Heads or Tails.
Have you had a go yet?

PAPPA RAZZI

I hate bullying of any kind. Yes, I know the bully usually has ‘issues’ –
he has to express his self-esteem ‘cos he’s a wreck inside. But I just
wish he’d go and cause other wrecks elsewhere, where no one else
gets hurt. Yet, in a perverse way, the bully often fulfils a function.
Time after time I hear of people making it in the world ‘cos they had
to rise above the fears caused by being bullied. Adversity, it seems,
can bring out the best in the human. What a crazy, cruel world
we live in.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: Surveillance watchdog
attacks ministers for wanting more powers
to spy on us. Paranoid govt is dangerous, don’t
you know.

BRIT NEWS: Get married Church of England style, now, and get kids
baptised at same time. So the idea of no kids before marriage dumped.

BRIT NEWS: Thinktank predicts deep cuts in public
services. Isn’t this stating the obvious? We
could never afford such services
for long.

LOVE ROSE

Fiction: ‘Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.’ The John Lennon
quote had been apt to the life before us, good reader; even though
it can leave a bitter taste as our subject knelt here before the rose.
It had seemed a match made in heaven. Oh, the clichés! But it
turned out to be one long series of clichés – the whirlwind romance,
the marriage – but beneath it all, the knowing that he loved someone
else, allowing his love to spread like a virulent weed. She suspected
this early in their short time together. And the suspicion grew,
paranoia blossoming into a bouquet of deceit and lies. And then the
fear. Was she SAFE!? Well, it turned out she wasn’t. There were
too many flowers in his garden and weeding had become a necessity
… So our subject knelt here before the rose, the grave immaculate,
the memory of the bitter taste of poison she had delivered before
his weeding commenced. And as she pruned away with gusto, she
remembered his Rose.

IN FIVE YEARS TIME

Where will I be in five years time?
Writing poetry, feeling the rhyme;
No doubt still suffering from cfs,
Can’t seem to be rid of this little pest;
Building the years of my marriage long,
Happy to sing the same loving song;
But hopefully a publisher discovers me,
‘Cos writing seems my destiny

© Anthony North, July 2009

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LIFE CHANGE

Including One Single Impression and Sunday Scribblings.
Have you had a go yet?

GURU TONY

New Age gurus love to go on about life change. We have it in our
power to be someone else – more spiritual, more ecological, more …
well, nice. And predictably, those who are anti-New Age disagree.
Of course, the gurus do themselves no favours, speaking in
wishy-washy psychobabble. But I think the basic idea is not only
true, but essential. For instance, there are elements of my past to
which I am a stranger to now. This is because I have naturally
developed. Indeed, I suppose if we aren’t a stranger to who we
were before, we haven’t really advanced.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

CRIME NEWS: UK’s anti-knife
crime policy has seen a rise in knife
crime in many targeted areas. When will
this govt learn about its people?

BRIT NEWS: It’s looking like new laws to curb MP’s expenses
are to be watered down. After the furore, business as usual?

BRIT NEWS: 52 pubs are closing a week. The
death of a great part of Brit culture, killed
off by govt taxes and politicisms. Self
hate is ugly.

A FRAGRANT WILDERNESS

Senses alive in every way,
Into a wilderness I stray,
Fragrance relaxed in a summer haze,
Thoughts abound, beautiful daze,
As one, at peace, with nature’s delight,
Happy to stay a day and a night,
Then, refreshed, I remember the scene,
And long for the smell of a human being

WHERE IN THE WORLD

Fiction: Where in the world am I? We’ve all asked the question from
time to time, I’m sure. But whilst a moment ago I had a good idea, I
was no longer sure. I’d followed him. It was inevitable. After all, I was
a cop and he was a villain. That’s what I did in the world. But
catching up with him was a world changing event. What was I to be
now? I wondered – after what he’d done. Where in the world am I?
Am I even in the world? You see, bullets in the chest prompt such
questions.

PERFECT

All is perfect – world just fine,
All around me life’s divine,
All is perfect – no struggle at all,
Everyone is having a ball,
All is perfect – no discord,
So tell me:
Why am I so very bored?

© Anthony North, July 2009

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BOOKS I LIKE

Including Friday Flash 55, Booking Thru Thursday and 3 Word Thursday.
Have you had a go yet?

BLOGGER BARD

Booking Through Thursday has provided a list of questions regarding
what kind of books I like. Choices are many, and the simple fact is,
my reading tastes are so varied that my answer would be ‘yes’ to
nearly all of them – with two exceptions. I simply cannot read ‘stream
of consciousness’. To me a story must BE a story – a craft which is
declining in modern literary novels. And also, I rarely borrow books. I
like my own. I need them around me, offering aesthetic value. Or
maybe it is my only real in-road into materialism.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: Ministers reveal
£32billion tax black hole – just as
they scurry off on holiday. Reminds me
of naughty children.

HEALTH NEWS: Experts suggest keep schools closed after
holidays until swine flu vaccine ready. This sounds sensible,
so govt won’t do it.

BRIT NEWS: Top professions increasingly only for
the rich, despite social policy. Ideological
tampering always results in opposite
outcome.

THE TURNSTILE

Can’t get through, got no change,
No compulsion to rearrange,
Things so wrong about me, alas,
Stopping me – it won’t let me pass,
The turnstile seems the end for now,
‘Til new ideas rise, allow

FLASH 55 – KILL THE DONKEYS
(Quilly’s word meanings below)

Fiction: They blew up the donkeys. They were just there, in the field.
You could hear the oncethmus. Some said it went to acrasia, rigging
everything up murklins and then just BANG!! And the next morning,
they were just lying there, inactive, dead. But at least we could now
be green, with the oil pumps gone.

Acrasia – excess
Oncethmus – harsh cry of a donkey
Murklins – in the dark

ABSTRACT THOUGHT

Abstract thought is what we do,
What makes the animals different to you,
‘Cos man can reason, work things out,
Create art; sensibilities flout;
Abstract thought makes mankind glow,
But also creates all his woe

© Anthony North, July 2009

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MY MANIFESTO

Including Three Word Wednesday and Totally Optional Prompts.
Have you had a go yet?

POLLY TICKS

Two simple facts – we have always been ruled by political ideology,
and all political ideology is wrong. What we should be doing is what
works – in any given situation, for any type of people. Central to
what works is, of course, the use of moderation in all things. Of
course, such an apolitical philosophy means centrist government, and
this is already showing it takes away choice. But this is the fault of
party politics. So why not begin to degrade the parties by
encouraging Independents? Let us have choice in the representative,
not the party.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

HEALTH NEWS: Govt changes
swine flu advice for pregnant women.
Confusion – again! Can this govt organise
anything, I wonder?

BRIT NEWS: Report says university fees for students who stay at
home should be axed. A lot of parents would really appreciate that.

WORLD NEWS: Number of over 65s set to outnumber
under 5s globally. This is why affluent pension
plans won’t succeed. Not enough
money earned.

HOW I WRITE

Ideas come, they must get out,
Frenzied, they scream and shout,
Sending impulses to the hand,
Keyboard fizzes, fills broadband;
Then after, as I take a rest,
I realise I’ve passed the writing test,
But don’t ask me how it was done,
It just happened – what fun!

THE WRONG STORY

Fiction: I’d often asked if I could ever have control of my existence.
I know, I’m not supposed to ask – not even capable of asking. My
existence isn’t my own and my destiny is in another’s hand. In one
way this is perfect, but I rebelled – found myself elsewhere. My
existence, you see, had been snared up for too long. Well, ‘elsewhere’
was strange. I didn’t recognize any of it. Nothing worked like I was
used to – gee, there was even a baby in a cradle in this place, and I
don’t do babies. I’m a totally different kind of guy – not into this
social guff. Anyway, to cut a long story short, my rebellion soon
came to an end. I saw the shadow first, and then it came at me
from above – this huge missile-like thing. I should have guessed it
was a pen, and as it made contact it scrubbed me out totally. And
I soon found myself re-written into a story where I belonged.

ROUND THE CORNER

Round the corner, what awaits,
Will it be a trick of fate?
Will it be horrors that unfold,
Pain and torture; demons untold?
Coming close, nearly there,
Remember: Beware!

© Anthony North, July 2009

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A IS FOR ATMOSPHERE

Including ABC Wednesday, Carry On Tuesday and Heads or Tails.
Have you had a go yet?

PAPPA RAZZI

Atmosphere is important to media. We bounce all kinds of signals
through it nowadays. But we forget how fragile the atmosphere is. It
is a balance of forces in a thin veil wrapping Earth in life. But it is left
to the media to define whether the atmosphere is changing due to
man’s insanity. I think the probability that we are is enough to stop it.
But maybe the people aren’t angry enough yet. Anger creates quite a
stormy atmosphere – and it is better to have the storm in our opinion
than in the atmosphere above our heads.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: IMF rebukes Britain
for state of govt borrowing. Prudent
Brown was always a sham. He symbolises
spend, spend, spend culture.

BRIT NEWS: Business guru Digby Jones tells Mail On Sunday,
place top Cabinet jobs with businessmen. Do this and govt
for the people is over!

MEDIA NEWS: BBC exec calls older presenters
‘silverbacks’. Proof positive of ageism at
BBC – and indication of why it’s
losing commonsense.

WEAR WHERE?

Modern fashion I often dread,
It appears such a slender thread,
Where do they wear it? I haven’t a clue,
Maybe they really need two;
And even then you can go very pale,
Wondering if it fits on head or tail;
But it seems to me they really pay,
For items that let bits go astray

MY HERO, MY LIFE

Fiction: Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life …
Copperfield would like those words, he knew. He sat back, satisfied.
It was the great question – the question his life’s work eventually
asked of so many, from Pip to Nickleby – even Ebenezer. As to
whether he WAS the hero of his own life, he summised that writers
always did, and always would, ask it – and not be sure of the answer
– for them, at least. But he was satisfied that he belonged to a craft
that inspired others to be theirs.

THE MONSTER

He creeps upon you mysteriously,
Somewhere else you want to be,
He’s in the world, doing bad,
Always making you very sad;
When he’s gone the world is kind,
He’s back inside your inner mind

© Anthony North, July 2009

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After announcing my 1,000th post last week, fellow
blogger Dr John has sent me this symbol to celebrate
the fact. I accept this with many thanks.

INSPIRATION

Including One Single Impression and Sunday Scribblings.
Have you had a go yet?

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

From where does inspiration come? It is generally thought to come
from the inner mind. We have a problem to solve so we think about
it deeply. Nothing comes, so we try to forget it, and suddenly … the
answer comes! But I think it is more communal than this. Truly culture
changing inspiration is successful because the idea fits perfectly with
how people are thinking at the time. Hence, could the inspired person
be more like a conduit, the frustrations of the people finally finding
expression in his mind?

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

MEDIA NEWS: It’s revealed some
400 BBC bosses earn over £100,000 per
yr. Remember, this is a public funded broadcaster
paid for by compulsory fee.

BRIT NEWS: Jobless reach 2.4million, with biggest 3 month rise
since records began. Well, that’s shut them up regarding
approaching ‘recovery’.

GREEN NEWS: Labour to oversee green energy
revolution? Why do I think the timing is
more an election strategy than
a valid policy?

INNER VOICES

Who said that? Was it you?
Those inner voices form a stew,
Of thoughts whizzing in your head,
Resolving things – a common thread;
Some voices are kind, some are not,
A whole plethora, you have got,
But even though they can be disjointed,
In harmony they’re you, annointed

THE SETTLEMENT

Fiction: It was costing far too much. His third divorce was proving the
worst yet – how could he afford to go through that again? Of course,
the situation had been eased by the murder of his two ex-wives. A
serial killer, they said – after they had scrutinised every part of his life
to make sure it wasn’t him, of course. And not only was he proved
innocent, but the detectives felt quite sorry for him. His third may be
a beauty, but social climbing and intrigue came so easily. It was
during the divorce that the detectives returned – they’d found
evidence that his third got so jealous of the first and second that
she simply had to get rid of them. So that was it – the third divorce
proved quite cheap. Which just goes to show – planning a bit of
insurance before marriage can be better than a pre-nup.

THE PLAN

I have a plan – it’s really good,
Shall I tell you? Not sure I should;
Plans are simple, very clear,
But there’s a problem, I fear;
No matter how good your plan may be,
Life gets in the way, you see;
So plan away as you will,
You’ll end up swallowing a bitter pill

© Anthony North, July 2009

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SCATTER BOOKS

Including Friday Flash 55 and Booking Through Thursday.
Have you had a go yet?

TONY’S MUSE

What to do with unread books? Well I suppose you have to define
‘unread’. Apart from novels, etc, Him Outside has hundreds of
anthologies and reference books. Hence, most are partly read, or
partly unread, depending on your mentality. So his unread read books
are with the rest, surrounding him in rickety bookshelves, overflowing,
chaotic and about to fall upon him, sending him to readers’ heaven.
Now, some think you can tell a person’s mentality by his bookshelves
– untidy shelves, untidy mind, etc. Well, he cheats.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: Exam boss says continual
e-testing of pupils may replace written exams
in our schools. But as with all computer systems, will
it be too rigid?

HEALTH NEWS: As swine flu set to reach epidemic scale in UK,
media descends into contradiction. Is this info-crazy world
making things worse?

BRIT NEWS: A warning that housing market won’t
stabilise ’til 2020. Maybe it never should.
Houses are for living in, not
propping up Big Biz.

IT’S TRANSPARENT

Little ghostie, body clear,
See right through it, far and near,
Transparent in its spectral form,
Created from a psyche storm,
Ghosties racing through the mind,
‘Til the answer can be divined

FLASH 55 – THE NEWS

Fiction: He was new to journalism, and when he put down the phone
his heart raced. He scribbled erratically and then rushed into the
editor, excited by the news he’d just received. ‘A scoop!’ he said. The
editor put down the latest celebrity snaps and read the notes. Then,
looking up, he said: ‘News? How quaint.’

A YEARNING

I want it, I need it, must have it now,
To my desires I always bow,
Yearnings simply get out of control,
Willpower, commonsense, cannot console;
This is the story of so many of us,
Demands causing so much fuss,
Which is why the media is about satisfying desire;
They’ve got us hooked – our souls for hire

© Anthony North, July 2009

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THOUSANDTH POST

Including Three Word Wednesday and Totally Optional Prompts.
Have you had a go yet?

BLOGGER BARD

Well, another milestone reached. This is my thousandth post since
starting this blog in Jan 07, and while I may have occasionally run
out of energy, I’ve never run out of ideas. The blogosphere is an
inspirational thing – in more ways than one. I’ve said before that
blogging allows us to live in two communities. First is the local where
you physically live, which can so easily be insular. The second is the
virtual, which opens up a global world of ideas and understanding.
The world is better for it.

Eye On the World
Writers’ Tips
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: Govt wants to
stamp out discrimination against
‘northerners’. That’s right, keep those
sissy southerners in check.

BRIT NEWS: Britain has become ‘cold place’ for Christians
as equality laws are wiping out faith. A shame the govt doesn’t
class Brit culture as equal.

BRIT NEWS: You will no longer be forced by
the boss to retire at 65. Good, but such
voluntary ideas lead to the slippery
slope of raised retirement age.

WHERE WENT THE LIGHT?

Blinking light no longer there,
Black mice scurry, turn and stare,
Time is changing, going fast,
Rocks approaching, they are vast,
Waves pound, bringing strife,
To this shipwreck of a life

ERROR’S COST

Fiction: It didn’t always go right. Oh, he knew what he was doing. She
was sat by him, listening to him – adoring him. The drip, drip, drip of
insinuation came from his hypnotic voice, and when it seemed right,
he took her. Over the following days she re-lived it over and over
again and felt so good, so complete, so totally as one with him. But
when she saw him in bed with another, and another … Maybe the sulk
should have warned him, and the growing anger in her eyes, but as
the drip sent the juices through his body, it was doubtful he would
survive. Close by, the police put the commune on suicide watch.

GET THE RHYTHM

Get the rhythm, swing the hips,
In the mood to meet those lips,
Music thunders round your soul,
Electric, making you so bold;
Rhythm is such a spiritual thing,
Get hooked and your life will sing

© Anthony North, July 2009

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