BLOGGER BARD

Have I ever lied about the books I’ve read? Well, apparently two thirds
of Brits have. Is that all? I doubt if there are many who haven’t –
occasionally. It seems oneupmanship still reigns – even in the literary
pursuit where wisdom is supposed to reside. Minds’t you, I think there
is a bigger problem of untruth in this subject. Namely lying to yourself
about what you’re going to read. Have you got that pile called ‘one
day’? And I will – I promise you ‘War and Peace’ – I will …

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science to
religion, politics to crime

GREEN NEWS: UN tries to bully
big nations into further commitments.
Airline industry promise big emissions cuts by
– 2050. China pledges to cut emissions. US govt more
in tune with rest of world on green issues. Well, they all sound
good. So, is everything set for a real deal in Copenhagan in Dec? Well
you can guarantee they’ll agree to another meeting.

BRIT NEWS: Millions are seeing their retirement dreams in tatters,
expecting to have to work for up to 9 years after retirement
age. They believed the private pensions dream and
forgot dreams can become nightmares. In the
UK we have a State pension to which we
all pay. It was a contract between
governed and government.
Stop toadying to Big
Biz and honour it.

GREEN SCENE

Save the Planet – or you’ll be sorry!!

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – 3 Word Thursday
Friday Flash 55

DESCENT

Living in caves, technology low,
So much we want to know;
Living in cities, technology high,
So much we want to deny;
Living in heat, technology melts,
So much we could have felt;
Living in caves, technology gone,
So much we love Earth’s song

FLASH 55 – GREEN SOLUTIONS

Fiction: There was quite a fracas as they arrested Mr Bigbiz. His
ambition had gone too far – it was a specious plan anyway. Suspicion
began as the number of Greens began to decline. ‘Where have they
gone?’ people asked. Well, now we know. Mr Bigbiz was behind it –
and the new biofuels plant has been shut.

FIRST KISS
(Updated 2 Oct 09)

First kiss, feeling shy,
Tentative approach, almost sly,
They can do it, they will prevail,
Oh dear; disaster! Saliva trail,
Try again, eyes tight shut,
Ouch!! … headbutt,
But if you can survive this early strife,
Chances are you’re in love for life

© Anthony North, October 2009

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

GURU TONY

What’s the saddest book I’ve read recently? Well, it won’t be a
personal disclosure book. I don’t read them. You see, very few people
go through life unscathed, and when so many write about the bad
things, we can all relate. The result is a victim culture, and this is
socially unhealthy for us all. No, the saddest book I’ve read recently
would undoubtedly be any one of the general world histories I have.
They are full of good intentioned ideas being turned into disastrous
movements. Rather like those disclosure books.

Eye On the World
Essays on everything from science to
religion, politics to crime

BRIT NEWS: So the rumours and
leaks gather pace. Massive hikes in taxes
and up to 30% cut in services. A national postal
strike looms with many others brewing. Are we about
to face another Winter of Discontent? Meanwhile, industry
mouthpiece the CBI say we’ll return to growth by end of year. So
it’ll all be over by Christmas. I remember that was said in 1914.

SOCIAL NEWS: A psychologist has blamed lack of parental
authority for the growing spoilt generation of today’s
youth. I agree – to a point. But alongside this
must come State intrusion into family life,
leaving young parents confused as to
just what there role is. Families
seem to be stuck in a
vicious circle here.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – 3 Word Thursday
Friday Flash 55

FLASH 55 – THE FILMING

Fiction: He was in search of the perfect scene. The camera was
soon set up and rolling. The story progressed quickly, and as the
denouement approached he put his hands to her throat and
strangled her. Later, watching the film, he was dissatisfied –
again. The bodies were mounting up as he went talent
scouting once more.

COLOUR CRIME

Seeing red – violent crime,
Life to him ain’t worth a dime;
Seeing blue – vice is the thing,
Sex, debauchery, in a ring;
Seeing yellow – cowardly thief,
Show contempt; he’s way beneath;
Seeing black – cell door slammed,
Where they belong, we demand

RELUCTANT GROOM

Fiction: She was mariturient; he not so much. There were, of course,
reasons. He had tried to obstrigillate his fate, but once her father had
found out about the depth of their relationship he knew refusal would
result in an ossifragant outcome. So he married her. But he could not
help worrying about his other wife.

obstrigillate – oppose or resist
ossifragant – bone-breaking
mariturient – eager to marry

CHEESE
(Updated 25 Sep 09)

What a cheek, you’re a thief,
It’s no good smiling, showing your teeth,
You’re a disgrace to what you are,
Behave like this, you won’t go far,
Now listen, I’m a mouse, if you please,
You’re a cat, you eat me, not the cheese

© Anthony North, September 2009

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

BLOGGER BARD

I knew it would happen – it always does. In the last couple of days
I’ve got so much into my Paranormal Flash series that I’ve finished it.
Representing the latest statement of where I’m at in my research, I
read it and thought: here comes another book.

And that’s what I have
to do right now.

I’m devoting a lot more time to further research, in-depth writing and
chasing publishers. That means I’m going to have to cut some of the
time I spend blogging. Don’t panic! I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be
visiting all my friends and doing most of the prompts, but I’ll be
cutting back on essays and current affairs, and, from next week
doing just two bumper posts on Monday and Thursday. I could never
stop blogging, and this should leave me the time I want for my new
project. As for Paranormal Flash, I’m going to give it a page of its
own, complete with links to deeper essays on each aspect of the
narrative. I hope to complete this, and link to it in my posts, from
next week also. I repeat, I’m not giving up blogging – no way! I could
never do that. Hope to see you Monday.

Eye On the World
The ‘Y’ Files

FAITH NEWS: More evidence
that we’re hard-wired to believe in
God. Researchers from Bristol University
say it offers a better chance of survival through
making us work in groups. I’ve often said prevalent non-
belief in a society can fragment that society, so this makes total
sense to me.

BRIT NEWS: A survey of teachers shows they’d rather teach
‘universal brotherhood’ than patriotism. There’s a new
age adage that to love others you must love
yourself. I think it works with a nation. If
you don’t find meaning in what you
are, you become nothing and
eventually treat all with
disdain. Those
teachers are
wrong.

READ WITH MUMMY

The Magazine Post with a gentle hint of horror

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – 3 Word Thursday

THE FOG

It descends, restricting view,
Swirling outside and inside you,
People disjointed, partially there,
Shocks come so easily – beware!
How do you grasp reality from this putrid mess?
Start with your failings – admit it! Confess;
When the fog descends confusion reigns,
Your mind so easily wrapped in chains

WHO AM I?
(Quilly’s word meanings below)

Fiction: The nature spirit was acting destructively. There was no
quibbleism – he literally beat the bush to pulp. Why? Well, people had
ignored him too long and he was attention seeking – overflowing with
an obrumpent personality. Indeed, they couldn’t even get his name
right. Over the eons they had referred to him as a god, a demon, a
fairy, a vampire, a werewolf, ghost, discarnate entity and now they’d
even given him bug eyes and called him an alien! Such temeration!!
And he was not having it!!! It was as if HE didn’t know who he was
any more. And are they afraid of him nowadays? No. But as he
continued beating the bush, swirling around the air, deforesting the
forests and generally having a climactic time, he knew they’d soon
need him once more. THEN he’d teach them for ignoring his ways.

quibbleism – beating around the bush
obrumpent – breaking
temeration – temerity

FLASH 55 – POISON

Fiction: He was convinced his wife was
poisoning him. She didn’t even seem to
hide the fact. Why, he didn’t know. Maybe
an affair. But he decided not to eat at
home. Rather, he frequented the café up
the road. In the kitchen, chef prepared his
special meals. He was better at it than
his lover.

HANKY

I’m a hanky; I’m feeling sad,
Too many tissues can be bad,
To a throw away society we drift a lot,
Is it funny? It snot!
Don’t be thick – think of my woes,
Don’t reject me ‘cos I get up your nose

HUNGRY
(Updated 18 Sep)

Hungry for people all the time,
Chop them up, make them slime,
Crawling in an insipid pit,
Watching, always – scored a hit,
Doesn’t matter whether man or dame,
It can get you – fame

© Anthony North, September 2009

PAPPA RAZZI

I love reading ‘lighter’ novels. A book should not always be an
intellectual process. They are also wonderful for just unwinding
and escaping. And my usual choice here is a good old adventure
thriller – romance for men.

Or is that boys?

The adventure thriller satisfies many a man’s urge to be the hero and
can return him to a more childlike state where the world is simply a
matter of good and evil and the good guy always gets the girl. My
favourite in the genre is Jack Higgins but I’ll read anything in this line.
So, my pistol is under my arm, the plane is over the target
(Parachute? Phah!!!) so goodbye – I’m off to save the woooorld …..

Eye On the World
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: Retired top civil
servants criticise Cabinet govt record
of New Labour. They shouldn’t have to. If it
was wrong – Cabinet responsibility was certainly
replaced by a Presidential style – they should have fought
to retain the Brit way. That’s what they were there for.

BRIT NEWS: A top cop warns Police must address public
concerns of mass CCTV coverage. This comes as
we find out they solve only 1 in a thousand
crimes. Just as I thought. It always was
about control. Get rid of them!!!

GREEN SCENE

Save the Planet – or you’ll be sorry!!

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings

BLUE

Feeling blue, can’t break the mood,
Blues in the background, sounds intrude,
Scream blue murder, no difference at all,
Even blue movies don’t enthrall;
Need a blueprint for my life,
I’m not a Bluebeard with many a wife,
Why do I beat myself black and blue?
Lay under blue skies – they’ll imbue

CODE BLUE

Fiction: The alert went off when the Angel of Death fluttered across a
Blue Moon. Its vapid presence terrified us. No! It would not happen
again! Visors fastened, assault rifles ready, we sprinted to the solar
battlecars, knowing what had to be done. As soon as we entered the
Zone we saw the effects of the Black Death. It almost choked the air.
Of course the Corporates tried their usual skirmishing tactics but we
penetrated deep, and there, before us, we found it – and a full
defensive system to stop us. The battle raged for hours, the
Corporates rushing us in their fanatical need to pollute. Some said we
had been caught in an unconscious hatred of ourselves. It seemed
the only way to explain it – why we lived with the Black Death all
those decades. But we turned back from the brink – began to fight,
driving them to their own little corner of the globe. But now they’ve
started again – this has got to be the end … Well, the battle was
won, the white foam covered the power station and I held a lump of
Black Death in my hand, sickened by how it so nearly destroyed us in
its liquid, solid and gaseous forms. But now we’d learnt and we left
it in the ground – and the haze left the moon to shine.

POET TREE

Rising up from the ground,
Branching out, nature’s sound,
Life thrives wherever they stand,
Vibrancy – oh, so grand,
Diversity’s mainstay is the tree,
Nature’s eternal poetry

© Anthony North, August 2009

BLOGGER BARD

The beauty of buying books en masse in bargain offers is that you
build up a library so big you don’t really know what’s there. So when
you have a search for what you’ve got, you can pull out some gems.

One such recent gem was a
novel by Robert Bloch.

I don’t know how many know who he is in America, but in the UK,
not many have heard of him. Yet that novel was Psycho, perhaps
the most famous horror thriller ever; from, of course, the best
director. But sadly, the original writers are lost behind his fame.
So here’s three cheers for a few more Hitchcock victims: Cornell
Woolrich (Rear Window), Winston Graham (Marnie) and Daphne Du
Maurier (The Birds).

Eye On the World
The ‘Y’ Files

HEALTH NEWS: It seems healthy
eating can be an illness. Thirty-something
middle class infatuation is leading to health problems.
Come on, they’re intelligent. Why is it so difficult? The only way to
eat healthily is a BALANCED diet!

BRIT NEWS: Students starting university this year can expect
a £23,000 debt when they leave. This is the result of
turning education into a business, taking too many
students they can’t afford, and redesignating
a degree as a personal need rather than a
societal necessity.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings

TO ALLOW

Maybe we allowed you to get away with too much,
A kid too sallow, fallowed as such,
Hallowed, you were, and you wallowed in all,
Growing up callow – you were bound for a fall,
Lit the wick in the tallow – as you burned them you sang,
And now from the gallows, we watch you hang

THE ALLOWANCE

Fiction: I always knew he’d amount to nothing – which did, of course,
mean the amount would rise for me. I tried to bring him up right, but
with his mother gone, and me busy all the time … well, it’s a typical
story. Falling in with that gang didn’t help – taught him how to get
what he wanted the easy way. Maybe when he first went to prison I
should have left him there – teach him a lesson. But money talks and
I got him out. And that’s when the future pattern settled in – what
he’d learnt in there – from the gangsters. So I pay him the allowance
– and he allows me to live.

ADULTHOOD

Being adult can be such a boring affair,
Always having to be aware,
Of manners and standards and what’s right and wrong,
No catapults or pea shooters or stink bombs that pong,
But I’ve got a theory about adulthood true,
At times you’ve got to remember the child in you

© Anthony North, August 2009

BLOGGER BARD

It’s hard to say which is the worst book I’ve read recently. I’d have
to choose a category – modern literary novels. Most of them aren’t
novels at all, but angst ridden explorations of the ‘self’. Devoid of real
story, the problem is the absolute rise of the individual above
community, and decline of moral conflict. It was these factors that
kept the 19th century novel great. Today, to find similar, you have to
go to modern Indian literature, where these conflicts are still
represented in story form. I keep giving the western literary novel a
chance, meaning they are constantly on my worst book list.

Eye On the World
The ‘Y’ Files

BRIT NEWS: Survey of 10,000
Brit troops shows only 3 in 10 feel valued.
This is a disgraceful condemnation of how govt, and many
in society, treat them.

BRIT NEWS: As many as 120 Labour MPs could be standing down
at the next election. This is good – I think they realise
that the New Labour world is a disaster. Hopefully
ther electorate realises too.

YORKSHIREMAN SPEAKS

I’s nowt but a Yorkshireman, Eee, I am,
Try speakin’ wi’out t’vowel – Eee, damn!
Nu lissen, thee, it isn’t true,
That we say ‘Eee’ all’t time ‘n’ ne’re nowt new,
Wi’can spake if wi’yant jist like thee,
So’s the’re – Eeeee

KNOCK AT THE DOOR
(Quilly’s word meanings below)

Fiction: There was a knock at the door. She answered it. ‘I need to
know whether I can rely on your future support,’ said the man. He
looked like a montivagant and she offered a vultuous. He continued
his tortiloquy: ‘I know you’ve been let down before, but new policies
guarantee things will be different.’ She doubted this – money was
tight; and his kind had made it so. Conflict had risen and she saw
little room for diplomacy, but as his spin continued, she weakened.
Eventually she said yes. ‘Thank you,’ said the man. ‘Now can I
come home, dear?’

tortiloquy – crooked speech
vultuous – sad expression
montivagant – vagabond

YOU’LL PAY

You’ll pay, when he gets up near,
Grab a taxi! Flee! Be full of fear!
So taxing as he tracks you down,
Leaving you with such a frown,
The taxidermist is who you should call,
Stuff the taxman,
Let’s have a ball

© Anthony North, August 2009

BLOGGER BARD

What serious books have I read recently? Well, due to blogging I
haven’t managed any serious novels for a while – mainly modern
adventure – just something light to clear the mind. But I read serious
reference books and essays all the time. At least, I consider them
serious – works on philosophy, psychology and also lost civilizations,
the paranormal, etc. Now, these last ones are considered NOT serious
by many. I guess the word ‘serious’ is subjective – and quite often an
indication of our biases. And I mean this seriously, folks.

Eye On the World
The ‘Y’ Files

HEALTH NEWS: Study show average
50 yr old has healthier lifestyle than 25 yr old.
And they say modern lifestyle will make the kids live longer.

GREEN NEWS: Copper mining for our small change causes
massive eco problems. Big Biz will like this. They
want e-money so we’re enslaved by banks.

Totally Optional Prompts
Three Word Thursday

COLOUR ME

Sometimes I am very red,
Embarrassment, anger, emotion fed,
Then you must see me when I’m green,
Something new, a road unseen,
Better not say about when I’m blue,
More intimate moments – not for you,
Colours change as they can,
I guess I must be a Rainbow Man

THE SOLIPSISTIC SOPHISIST

Fiction: He would rogitate: why am I always ignored? Of course
, he was solipsistic – always had been; totally nequient regarding
social interaction. People were – well – lesser. He could take no
more. That’s such a false argument, he’d say to their criticisms,
if he said anything. Then – why am I always ignored? They
never found his body.

rogitate – ask frequently
solipsistic – self-obsessed
nequient – socially inept

© Anthony North, August 2009

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BLOGGER BARD

If you’ve come for the next instalment of Why Are We Here I’ve
decided not to post it. This is for several reasons. First of all, I don’t
think it works except in its entirety. Second, its original posting has a
great comment thread that supplements it perfectly. Hence, if you
click here, you can read it in its original form. I hope this is okay.

Another reason is the longer pieces don’t fit
with where I’m going with this blog.

I think a future strand of literature will be Flash, and this is where I
am at the moment. I guess this answers the question: why am I here?
Also, I provide links to many of my longer pieces in the archives.
I’m also of two minds at the moment. I’ve developed the magazine
post, but am aware that I should be posting daily with shorter posts.
When I decide to do so, I end up over-working by trying to do a
magazine post every day. Hence, this blog is going through a
mini-crisis. So, bear with me. Today I’m thinking of posting every
day. In a couple of days time I may change my mind. I guess I’m
at a point of transition. One thing I can guarantee, though – Beyond
the Blog will be here for a long time. I’m totally addicted.

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

BRIT NEWS: 1 in 4 kids not doing
any organised sport. Govt blames the
weather. Nothing to do with past wholesale
closure of facilities, then.

HEALTH NEWS: EU cuts doctors’ hours to 48 per week. Well,
who needs on the job training anyway? And they’ll need many
more to fix all the errors.

BRIT NEWS: Taxpayers to pay students who
take a gap year? Well, that will increase
student population – for a year.

CELEBRITY SHUFFLE

Fiction: PR smiled as his latest celebrity creation did her stuff. She
accentuated the good parts of her body, and she was word perfect,
making her latest pitch. Indeed, PR had done much to reinvent
glamour. He made them, developed the story, the controversy, and
then left the media to do their job. And the latest models were so
perfect … Afterwards he placed her back in the cupboard. Celebrity,
he knew, had been perfected – malfunctions ironed out and no one
knew the difference. Ira Levin would be so proud.

© Anthony North, August 2009

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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?

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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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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