QUESTIONS

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Microfiction: As she looks to the future,
the path of life seems so daunting. Yet
though the world stays the same, the
child grows to meet it.

QUESTIONS

Our knowledge is based upon the answers we get from our enquiries. At
least, this is what we think. Of course, what we class as knowledge is
dictated by those in charge of our knowledge structure, for who ever
controls our knowledge defines our society and the way we think. And
the best way to retain such control is to make sure they only ask the
questions they want – for it is the question itself which defines the
answer.

I’m now on Facebook

BRIT NEWS: According to a study
the internet now makes up 7% of the UK’s
income. The financial sector is 9%. When we think
of the fortune given to the banks, and the Recession that
followed, maybe we should realise they are not quite as important
as we’re made to believe.

HEALTH NEWS: Expert says alcohol is as dangerous as heroin. No. We
have more of a choice with alcohol, so abuse is more down to
the person than the substance. But this idea is following
a trend of the new bad. Alcohol use is tied to male
bonding, which expresses the local. This is
counter to globalisation, so has
to be bad.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55 – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

PAUSE

Darkest night, shadows rule,
No time, now, to act the fool,
See him coming, keep very still,
Silent pause before the kill,
Loot in hand, quite a pest,
Now you pounce! Another arrest

FLASH 55 – THE PC PC

Fiction: The politically correct police constable made great inroads into
fighting crime in town. It began with murder. Arresting the perpetrator,
he realized what a deep psychological effect it had had on him. So
disturbed, how could he be prosecuted? And what of other ‘crimes’?
Soon the town prison was empty, the town renamed an asylum.

ADVENTURE

This is the ballad of Gayle and Fred,
Everyone remembers them with dread,
A great adventure they went on one day,
Three shops robbed, two people to slay,
They really thought they could not fail,
But Fred’s now dead and Gayle’s in jail

© Anthony North, 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

MIND MODELS

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Microfiction: She’d scared all the
passengers away. After all, trains
crash don’t they? She knew this
from the first time she’d died.

MIND MODELS

I play with mind models. I construct ideas in my head and see how the
world would operate if they were true. It is not belief, for at heart I
accept that the only truth is there isn’t one. Rather I use reason. It is
a discipline that is dying in the modern world. Things either have to be
due to belief or science provable by data. It leaves a conflicting gulf
where mind models should be.

I’m now on Facebook

SCIENCE NEWS: Google has launched
a prize for lunar exploration. Great idea. Get
private enterprise involved as much as possible.
But I like companies like Google for another reason.
They’re big, certainly, but they are not so much producers
as facilitators. This is what Big Biz should do – provide a blank
canvas and support for small biz to thrive.

BRIT NEWS: Child Benefit for high earners to be scrapped. The idea
of universal benefits for all is gone. I hope this isn’t the beginning of
getting rid of all such entitlements. As long as it is only high earners
who lose it, fair enough, but a word of warning: keep off the State
pension! There’s a pact between governed & leaders in the UK.
Don’t break it.

RELIGION NEWS: The Druid Network in England & Wales has
been given charitable status by the charity Commission.
This does, in effect, give Druids official status as a
faith. Could we finally see other minority faiths
accepted? This is a very good move, if a
couple of thousand years too late.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55 – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

LONELY

No one wants him, I suppose it’s fair,
Always shunned by those aware,
His life is misery and nothing more,
No one to love or adore,
Got plenty of money but he’ll end up beneath,
That’s the price of being a thief

FLASH 55 – THE PLAN

Fiction: There are no super crooks – just lots of petty villains who get
together for a big job; hence the incompetence. But Bellamy had to
get this one right. That’s why he kept suggesting changes to the point
that they’d missed the window for the job – which was why he was
such a good undercover cop.

ENVISION

He sees a life beyond these bars,
But might as well go to Mars,
Entrapped behind their sturdy form,
In a nightmare room that is his norm,
Trapped through the years, tingling nerves,
No matter how much booze they serve

© Anthony North, October 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

INNOCENCE

Microfiction Monday, ABC Wednesday, more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Microfiction: Sisters should never have
children, they thought. No matter how
fashionable aunties are, nephews
always think of them as retro.

INNOCENCE

Don’t we hate what the west is doing to the planet. We’d all be green
if we could. The reality is WE could never be green enough. It is the
system that must be green – in other words, commerce and industry.
Big Biz will play at green, but is not committed to it. Does this make us
innocent? Sadly, no. Big Biz only succeeds because we buy into it. If
we really said ‘no,’ things would change very quickly.

I’m now on Facebook

BRIT NEWS: Some 6 million Brits
have been hit by tax errors. They used
to say that computerisation would make things
easier. It seems to me there are more errors nowadays
than ever before. Is total computerisation in admin a good idea?

SCI NEWS: Stephen Hawking has finally discounted God. Big Bang was
inevitable due to the law of gravity through spontaneous creation. But
is this theory replacing God, or becoming God?

MEDIA NEWS: So an insignificant Pastor has placed his Koran
burning on hold. I should think so. I’m all for free speech,
which includes telling him what a vile idiot he is. But
a question: why do we know about it?

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Friday Flash 55 – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

PASSING BY

A woman’s scream in the night,
Two drunks shout and have a fight,
Another purse snatched by the lout,
Painted girls – sex they tout,
It goes on no matter how we try,
All because we just pass by

FLASH 55 – THE ROAD

Fiction: My partner and I had decided upon a couple of days of
freedom. Maybe we’d watched too many road movies, but off we went.
We drove; partied; did things we shouldn’t; vandalism; burglary. Then
back to work, hoping we’d get away with it. It was a stroke of luck we
were put on the case.

REDWOOD

Wolves and thieves made you enter with dread,
So much violence turned the green wood red,
They’d had enough by the time they advanced,
Time, it was, for society to be enhanced,
So they looked on the past with a terrible frown,
And they went and chopped all the red woods down

© Anthony North, September 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

ERRORS

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. Here’s hoping you enjoy your visit. Plenty
for everyone here so do call again next week.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

Fiction: His armour no longer shone. The
Knight had creaked to a halt long ago.
He blamed the Greens. Banning oil had
sure stopped war.

ERRORS

What kind of world would it be if no one ever made a mistake? Well, it
would certainly be boring as no one would do anything. Errors are a
fact of life, and a good thing, too. Of course, once an error is made, it
is how we react to it that counts. The secret is to learn from it, and
make sure it is never repeated again. Don’t worry, we won’t run out of
things we can do wrong – there is an infinite variety. But it is a fact of
life that wise people usually begin as idiots.

BRUSH

Handy word, brush. Sweeps away the
rubbish; makes you look smart. Yet it
can also add to the rubbish and make
you a mess as you brush with life.

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

WORLD NEWS: US Iraq withdrawal
on schedule but 50,000 troops staying
for stability. Iraq is a fake country made by
Britain mixing Kurd, Sunni & Shi’ite areas. It’s only
ever been held together by tyranny. Those troops will
have to stay for ever.

GREEN NEWS: A 100 sq mile ice sheet has broken off a glacier
in Greenland. Just thought I’d mention it. The main media seems to
have forgotten about global warming. Does anyone in authority
remember it?

BRIT NEWS: House prices falling again. Researchers warn
jobs market will stall later in year as public sector
sheds workers. We’re far from out of it yet.
People forget the Depression lasted
10 yrs, and only ended with
world war.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

PENSIVE

It happened! I know it shouldn’t have done,
Future police stamp it out with a gun,
Latest tech sniffs it out,
Always knows what you’re about,
So they raided me and I was caught,
All I did was have a thought

FLASH 55 – COPYCAT

Fiction: Finch complained bitterly. It wasn’t right for Jackson to murder
in the same way as him. Sarah and Jenn sympathised – after all, they
had both perfected their own form of murder, and successfully too.
They’d feel cheated by a copycat. After much deliberation Davies
made a decision and kicked Jackson out of the writing group.

INCEPTION

Beginning to learn how to case the joint,
Beginning my talents and getting the point,
Beginning to sense how to work people out,
Beginning not to get caught, no doubt,
Beginning to suss how to talk the talk,
Beginning to not hold Mom’s hand when I walk

VIEW

He always had the wrong view on life,
Had to be involved in so much strife,
I’m told his view has completely changed,
Bleak landscape and brickwork was arranged,
Hangs around now all the while,
Review in 10 years, don’t send a file

NATURAL LAW

He had to kill – he shouldn’t have been there,
But the victim was, and now he stared,
Deathly grimace seemed to watch his work,
Opened safe – guilt lurked;
Final phase, time to get out,
He was just a thief, not a murderous lout!
Raving mind, filled with dread,
Stumble on victim – crash!!! – he’s dead

BIZ NEWS: Our economic woes
seem to be good for some. As UK banks
begin to make profits again, mergers are creating
new super companies. If you think Big Biz was bad before,
just wait for the new empires to arise. Do you feel like a serf yet?

HEALTH NEWS: New antibiotic resistant superbug has now entered UK
hospitals. Will these new strains ever end? I doubt it – not until we
slow down on antibiotic use for general illness and in food. I often think
we’re pushing the evolution of these bugs ourselves.

SCI NEWS: Archaeologists find scrapped bones suggesting our
ancestors used sharp stone blades to butcher 3.4 million
years ago. Scientists are shocked, but maybe the
real shock is how science becomes too
absolute in their ideas without
enough evidence to
back them up.

© Anthony North, August 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

ATHEISM

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. Here’s hoping you enjoy your visit. Plenty
for everyone here so do call again next week.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

Edible wild flowers in cups and lobster
monster cream cakes were painted into
Picasso’s tea party. But who ate who?

ATHEISM

Atheism traditionally means a non-belief in gods, yet its growth in line
with science suggests another primary meaning. Science says we are
alone in a chaotic world, an individual against cold chaos. This is very
similar to the ideal of atheism, an individual with no concept higher.
Yet doesn’t the simple fact that the two concepts grew in unison
suggest this may not be the case? Maybe we are as one with culture,
a concept most definitely above the individual.

PARK

Park is such a crisp, abrupt word. Unusual
for the English language, it doesn’t fit. Think
of what it stands for – being still and inactive;
a place of tranquility. Quite krap really.

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

HEALTH NEWS: Local doctors
could be given responsibility for much
of Brit National Health Service. Good idea.
It will tailor service to where it’s needed.

BRIT NEWS: Deputy PM says coalition govt marks end
of tribal politics. I hope not. It would mean consensus politics.
This would be bad for debate and bad for laws.

BRIT NEWS: Lord Mandelson’s memoirs admit Labour feared defeat 6
months before it happened. So, they weren’t totally stupid. Wonder
how the Prince of Darkness will force himself on us now.

WORLD NEWS: BP ‘successfully installs’ new cap on leaking well. No
congratulations here. The whole oil industry is to be condemned for
never realising such a thing could happen.

BRIT NEWS: After fragile truce Church of England prepares for women
bishops. Will cause anger among world Anglicanism. Leadership of
national & world church needs to split.

WORLD NEWS: After 3rd attack on Brit troops by an Afghan soldier
they were training, people asking when will Afghan army be
ready for task. Easy. Never. When we leave there’ll be
another war.

BRIT NEWS: Following huge manhunt & stand-off in
which killer kills himself, Prime Minister criticises
Facebook for allowing ‘legend’ page to Like
him. It’s vile, but we have free speech
or we don’t.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Writer’s Island
One Shot Wednesday

ANGEL

Gabriel and Co, they fought crime,
First law and order from the Divine,
Always ready to zap the bad,
God fearing people were so glad,
Then the ultimate fiend did drop,
Lucifer – the very first bent cop

FLASH 55 – KIDNAP

Fiction: He soon realized his mistake in kidnapping her. The police were
soon on his trail – surrounded the building. It was then that all hell
broke loose. Surprised, he was soon blooded – handcuffed – in pain.
The police were tense, unsure what to do. ‘Let him go,’ they
demanded. ‘Not until I’ve made him suffer,’ she said.

REUNION

They all reacted to the reunion call,
LBDs, DJs – they had a ball,
Organisers happy; they did well,
Visiting all, feeling swell;
Partygoers left, happy, glad,
Reunited with homes, empty, sad

THE BAIT

Fiction: The Predator peered out of the shadows and saw Billy Goat.
Had no idea about baits – only saw victims. Hunter watched, every
nerve tingling; and as Predator was about to strike, he jumped. Later,
another mugger behind bars, DI Hunter said: ‘Nice one Bill.’ ‘Thanks,
guv,’ Said Detective Goat.

SOURCE

Crime had erupted on the housing estate,
Police were baffled, questioning with haste,
Usual suspects put on the spot,
Clear up rates were certainly shot,
The source had made the policeman a fool,
They should have looked in the infant school

BRIT NEWS: Researchers predict
ethnic minorities will make up 20%
of population by 2050. This is fine as
long as we dump political correctness and
accept minorities thrive best in an over-culture.

BRIT NEWS: Recession was officially the worst since the
Depression with 6 quarters of negative growth. And with the
cuts now ongoing, a double-dip is highly likely. Fasten the seat
belts, folks.

WORLD NEWS: Russian spy Anna Chapman had been thought to want to
settle in UK where she has citizenship. Not no more. Her Brit nationality
has been revoked. Well, she’ll have to become a ‘star’ elsewhere.

BRIT NEWS: Pro-market reforms in health service by giving power to
local doctors to buy services will open it up to privatisation.
There are good and bad points in this.

WORLD NEWS: Vatican decrees ordination of women priest
an ecclesiastical crime. This will be seen as clear snub
towards Church of England. Oh ladies! It’s Henry’s
wives all over again.

CRIME NEWS: British Crime Survey say police
records show 43% fall in crime since 1997.
Two reasons. Affluence causes a fall;
and many people too sceptical of
police to bother reporting it.

© Anthony North, July 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

WEAPON

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. Here’s hoping you enjoy your visit. Plenty
for everyone here so do call again next week.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

Fiction: Old Sea Dog jammed his neck as he
pulled the line & big fish flew off. He just couldn’t
look up, so never saw the fish bar roof.

THE WEAPON

We think of modern capitalism as benign, but is this the case? Based on
free market economics and the open society, it was actually born of
the Mont Pelerin Society in 1947. Founder members included F A
Hayek, Karl Popper and Milton Friedman, who went on to write and
create thinktanks that inspired governments of the 1980s. But what
was uppermost in its founders’ minds? It was a philosophy aimed
directly at beating the collectivism of communism. In other words, it
was a specific ideological weapon. Well, it won. But as with many
weapons, when their use is redundant, they can turn on the good
guys – namely us.

BERMUDA TRIANGLE

I’m a great believer in coincidence. Small
coincidences can build up to big events.
Big events can build up to places where
coincidences happen often, such as
disasters. Coincidence could answer the
Bermuda Triangle – if only coincidence
wasn’t such a mystery.

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

BRIT NEWS: Labour ex-Chancellor
says Tories exagerating economic woes.
Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he?

BRIT NEWS: Alleged fraudulent claims MPs lose their
bid to not be tried in court. If it had been any different,
then we are not free.

BRIT NEWS: Defence Sec says all forces up for review except Trident.
This is worrying. There are cheaper nukes & forces already starved.

HEALTH NEWS: Guardian says patients less likely to die in big hospitals.
Yes, ‘cos small ones ideologically starved of cash.

BRIT NEWS: Bloody Sunday inquiry vindicates 14 victims as
innocent. No conspiracy but some soldiers to blame.
Cameron rightly apologises.

CRIME NEWS: Doctors agree to break confidentiality
if gun owner appears unstable. A good idea?
I always worry about slippery slopes.

BRIT NEWS: Cameron vows to tear up health
& safety regs crippling Brit way of life.
Great, but little dictators in
jackslippers will fight.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Writer’s Island

OCHRE

Ochre pigment on the skin,
Tribal culture – hear them sing,
A different world from the west,
Had to change at our behest,
Wipe them out or sell them coke,
Such crimes we do invoke

FLASH 55 – DEADLY COUPLE

Fiction: The police thought it must have been a suicide pact at first. He
had been poisoned, but managed to butcher her before he died. Yet
the investigation unearthed another reason. It must have been a shock
for the serial killer to realize he’d fallen for a Black Widow. But they do
say like attracts like.

CHANGE

I’m such a fool – do too much time,
Always being caught in some kind of crime,
Then there’s the effort to carry it out,
Constant worry on every shout,
Burglary, kidnap – time for a change,
My whole life needs to be rearranged,
So I’ve got the credentials – a guy called Tim
I like his details – I’m gonna be him

JUST ANOTHER DAY

Fiction: The blade went in easily and soon the man was dead. He laid
him on the floor and looked along the dark corridor. No alarm had been
raised so he proceeded. Suddenly he heard a noise, implying he had
been discovered. Quickly he backtracked to the man he had killed – lay
beside him; feigned death. Two guards appeared, and as they looked
over him, he jumped up and used the blade again, to merciless effect.
Now he knew he could go on unimpeded. He raced down the corridor,
forced open the door and opened the container within. The gold was
beautiful – encrusted with diamonds. Quickly, he placed it in his bag
and exited the building as quickly as possible. Then the virtuous knight
jumped on his horse and rode for Camelot, another quest complete.

BIRTH

Heartbeat thumping, feel confined,
Grown so much, lose my binds,
On the way out, the tunnel so dark,
Racing, racing, new life a lark,
Bursting out into glorious light,
Release from prison, I’m doing right

WORLD NEWS: I’d never defend
BP but remember, it’s 40% US owned
& was US tech that failed. I’m getting fed
up of Obama’s anti-Brit rhetoric.

HEALTH NEWS: 20% of cases of Legionnaires’ Disease
put down to water from windscreen wipers. So benign but it
makes total sense.

BRIT NEWS: £2 billion of future projects ranging from Stonehenge
visitors’ centre to new hospital cancelled by govt. A statement of
intent.

HEALTH NEWS: Survey of surgeons says budgets & targets damaging
safety in operating theatres. Any idiot could have told them that.

BRIT NEWS: Vetting system for working with youth would
have registered nine million adults. This nonsense put
on hold by govt. Good.

BRIT NEWS: Govt going to bring Brit soldiers
home as soon as Afghanistan safe. What
a totally meaningless statement
that is.

© Anthony North, June 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

Follow me on Twitter

SIMPLICITY

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. You’ll also see a linked essay and story from
my archives. Why not call back later to read them?
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

I’m now on Facebook

MICROFICTION

Fiction: Three chairs. Two monks sat,
reading. One dead on the floor. They
warned him not to read the Apocrypha.

SIMPLICITY

A hard fast rule of science used to be that the simplest answer is likely
to be correct. When we think of the complication going on nowadays,
we have to ask if science remembers this. But why has it all gone so
wrong? I think it is to do with specialization. Answers have to be found
within a narrow area of knowledge. But what if they can’t be found
there? Well, they’ll theorise themselves into a complicated maze. We
need a more holistic approach, NOT to banish specialization, but to
work alongside it, seeing if wider knowledge can provide less
complicated answers. It’s quite simple.

WRINKLE

Fiction: She didn’t get it when she
looked in the mirror. Wrinkles are badges
of experience gained; whereas the cream
she slapped on was evidence of
lessons not learnt.

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

BRIT NEWS: Top Lib Dems
don’t like coalition with Tories.
This was inevitable, and why it won’t
work. Minority govt was best option.

GREEN NEWS: Oil from Gulf rig coagulating deep below
surface. They don’t know how to shut off leak & I doubt they’ll
clean this up.

BRIT NEWS: Ah, that volcanic ash cloud strikes again, closing airports.
Or is it overcautious health & safety? Argument will rage for ages.

BRIT NEWS: Study finds war veterans 22% more likely to abuse alcohol.
This seems obvious. Pity not enough done for them before too late.

HEALTH NEWS: Study says mother’s voice on phone soothes
child as much as a hug. Most likely memory of muffled
voice heard in womb.

BRIT NEWS: Pakistani terror suspect can’t be deported
‘cos of risk of torture. I’m against torture but this
is surely madness.

BRIT NEWS: Inflation rising well above targets.
And as debt is taken back with rising
prices, has a long way to go. Not
out of woods yet.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally
Writer’s Island

LOVE CONFINED

Blue eyes, staring, caught in time,
Perfect complexion, porcelain fine,
Not a hair out of place,
Body beautiful – so much grace;
I loved you from the moment we met,
But ten years for stealing a statuette?

FLASH 55 – VIGILANCE

Fiction: I write this letter as a confession and realization that there’s
no hope for me now. I turned vigilante. My reasoning was simple. Crime
happens ‘cos of victims – natural ones exist, you know. Remove them
and crime disappears. But there were so many. And when I realized I
was one … I write my suicide note …

DRAGON

A crime against the evolutionary strain,
Even in Creation you’ll look in vain;
It’s not the fire straight from Hell,
Nor the myths upon which we’ll dwell;
Four legs, two wings – six limbs make it void,
‘Cos it should have been an insectoid

PREDESTINED ABANDON

Fiction: There was a band on stage when we broke into the office.
Maybe we should have forgotten about it there and then – Jimmy was
a suspicious kind of fellow – but the safe beckoned. His hands began
to shake, but with gradual professionalism he laid the charge precisely
where it should be. A shame about the timer though. Was it fate that
it went off too early, killing him; or his own psyche causing him to
make mistakes? There was a band on stage – playing ‘The Final
Countdown’.

Call back Sat for Writers’ Island

BRIT NEWS: Deputy PM Nick
Clegg pledges huge shake-up of
our democracy in 178 yrs. Very nice,
Nick. And then did you wake up?

HEALTH NEWS: So, just a sausage a day can
increase heart disease. Processed meat bad. But not
as bad for you as worrying about it, I think.

BRIT NEWS: Cameron says no to more EU powers. Good to hear.
Now let’s hope he keeps to his word. Cooperate, don’t assimilate.

SCI NEWS: So a totally new lifeform has been created, built from
scratch. Great benefits are hoped for. I hope they know
what they’re doing.

TECH NEWS: Brits spend 65% more time on the net than
3 yrs ago. But how much of that time is waiting
due to slow broadband speeds?

BRIT NEWS: Govt will ‘responsibility test’
everything it does, says Osborne. Oh
dear, that’s funny. Stop PR words
and get on with it!

© Anthony North, May 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

Follow me on Twitter
Good place to see what I’m discussing
from my Archives

OLD

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read the essay,
current affairs, themed mini mag with fiction & poetry, or just
read the lot. You’ll also see a linked essay and story from
my archives. Why not call back later to read them?
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

MICROFICTION

Fiction: The goat didn’t like crates –
especially this one – so it escaped.
Googling the address he’d been
directed to a Satanist website.

OLD

According to Plato everything is old. All exists for all time as ‘form’, and
what we think of as invention is really rediscovery. Such ideas are not
in vogue today, but there’s a reality to the idea. For instance, as a
storyteller I’m aware that there are no new themes. Every story is
simply a readaptation of the old. Indeed, it is said there are only really
seven stories. History seems to reflect the same idea, with change
being nothing more than cultural variation, and the same mistakes
being made over and over again. I think we need to revisit Plato and
realize the wisdom of his words. So why don’t we? I guess if nothing is
truly new, we’d feel our efforts are so pointless. But then again,
variation and adaptation CAN be so fulfilling.

BI-CYCLE

Fiction: There are two cycles to existence,
I decided – one of life and one of death.
I always tried to look forward to the former
– to peddle hard. I’m determined the other
cycle won’t catch me up.

UFOLOGY

Here are my thoughts on UFOs and aliens. They are written here to
form a thesis for discussion. My views on the subject are influenced
by an experience many years ago. I narrate it here to give you some
idea where I’m going …
… read more …

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

BRIT NEWS: Lib Dem leader
Nick Clegg has raised his party
to equal the main ones following TV
debate. This election is proving interesting.

TECH NEWS: US defence computers under increased
cyber attack. Has the promise of e-security proved a failure?
Is it time for the truth?

WORLD NEWS: UN says security provided to Benazir Bhutto was
insufficient. It doesn’t take a genius to work that out. Trouble isn’t
guarded.

BRIT NEWS: Election time. Political waffle rising. MPs bend truth to fit
party line. That’s confidence trickery. We need Independents!!!

GREEN NEWS: Report says amount of water used in imports to UK
is worsening global shortages. Not long before there are wars
over water.

WORLD NEWS: IMF proposes bank tax to form a bail-out
fund? Not a chance. Do people really believe the
bankers are NOT in charge of politics?

BRIT NEWS: Grim news for UK. Forecaster
warns economy stuck in doldrums ’til
exports pick up. Why does it need
experts to state the obvious?

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
Sunday Scribblings – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally
Writer’s Island

ENIGMA

He couldn’t work out why it all went bad,
Greed led to crime – so very sad,
It wasn’t as if they hadn’t enough things,
Plenty to eat and time to sing,
But it all went wrong; and because he could,
He wiped them out in a great big Flood

A MINISTERIAL AFFAIR

Detective Sergeant Jordan entered the room with an air of expectancy.
It seemed as if he’d been a copper all his life, but although he enjoyed
it, he knew that, at thirty five, he should be an Inspector by now. He
knew, of course, what the problem was – he just couldn’t keep his
mouth shut or tow the line. And with a new user-friendly police service
– NOT force – he knew he was seen as a dinosaur …
… read more …

DINNER

Sit down; please – drink your wine,
Not poisoned; infact, it’s quite divine,
No one will die at my dinner tonight,
Honestly, murderous thoughts are not in sight,
Though admitted, every tale needs its twist,
Of salt – on Peter!
Tender meat …
You simply cannot resist

FLASH 55 – PUBLISHED

Fiction: He was a frustrated crime writer. He just could NOT get
published, even though he wrote such realistic crime stories. Indeed,
as his frustration increased, they became more realistic than even he
could imagine. He had been so imaginative. And the ploy worked. After
his arrest the papers published all his reports of his exploits.

DEPARTURE

She had to depart, leave me alone,
After igniting love – she had to atone!
People don’t do such things to me,
I get even – don’t you see?
Rotten to the core, they say I am,
I got my mother – left me in the pram

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

I’m a good cop, I follow my nose,
Leads me to where the villains repose,
Straight from the murder scene I get a clue,
Then I home in, straight and true,
Got her in no time – I guess it was meant,
The message in a bottle was definitely scent

WORLD NEWS: Goldman Sachs
accused of fraud? Let’s be honest.
Operating like this 100 years ago every
bank boss would have been locked up.

HEALTH NEWS: Cash and funeral costs are in ideas
to encourage people to donate organs. Let’s not let grief
get in the way.

BRIT NEWS: Unemployment not been so high since 1994. Sorry,
it’s much higher. Millions have been diverted from jobs, or taken
off register.

EDUC NEWS: UK students want a debate among political parties
about university funding. Don’t be silly. Money will be slashed
after election.

SPORT NEWS: Forbes Mag show Manchester United still
most valuable football club in world. Did I say this
was sport news? Sorry, Big Biz.

BRIT NEWS: With 1000s stranded, arguments
raging over cost of airspace closure. This
should keep us entertained for months.

© Anthony North, April 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

Follow me on Twitter
Good place to see what I’m discussing
from my Archives

KNOWLEDGE

Theme Thursday, Microfiction Monday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

PROF ISAAC GALISTEIN

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read
the essay, current affairs, themed mini mag
with fiction & poetry, or just read the lot.
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

MICROFICTION

Fiction: He leaned over the bridge, looking down. He was sad. If he
hadn’t jumped all those years ago, he wouldn’t be a ghost yet.

YELLOW

A mellow yellow fellow, he was. Frightened
every time you bellow. Ego chased him away,
leaving a hole in my mind where caution
should be.

KNOWLEDGE

We like to think of knowledge as truth, but if this is so why does it
keep changing? Looking at the various knowledge systems throughout
history it becomes clear that knowledge is really an intellectual
reflection of how we see the universe. And from that knowledge
comes control – hence, society also becomes a reflection of the
universe. This is why a Godly society had a particular order, meaning
and direction. The universe was ordered by God. Today it is very
different. The universe is chaotic and the result of chance. Hence,
order, meaning and direction seem to be disappearing. But there’s
another element to knowledge. It decides how we think. A religious
society is more holistic, looking at things as a whole. In our
fragmented universe, this overview has gone, leaving us with a
specialized form of knowledge. This is why the Renaissance Man has
disappeared. And whilst this may provide great benefits, I’m sure a
holistic view alongside the specialized could help us towards a much
more balanced view of knowledge. I wonder if the universe will change
any time soon to allow this?

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

BRIT NEWS: Whitehall mandarins
preparing for a coaltion govt, it seems.
Good to see the civil service on the ball – even
if politicians aren’t.

BRIT NEWS: Ex-Labour ministers caught in cash-for-access
newspaper sting. Why are we shocked? It will happen with some
in power.

GREEN NEWS: Air pollution could be causing up to 50,000 early deaths
in UK per year. We know how to sort it out but refuse. Pure madness.

WORLD NEWS: Google redirects Chinese users to uncensored Hong
Kong version. At least some people are trying to spearhead
freedom.

BRIT NEWS: UK kicks out Israeli diplomat in reprisal for Israel
cloning Brit passports used by killers of a Hamas leader.
We have security?

HEALTH NEWS: 65% of doctors say treatment for
depression can take up to 2 months to come.
‘Tis always the case with ‘unfashionable’
illness.

BRIT NEWS: Well, we’ve had our non-Budget,
with a little giveaway ‘cos deficit wasn’t
quite as bad. Does the Chancellor
really believe that?

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
ReadWritePoem – Friday Flash 55
Three Word Wednesday – Thursday Poets’ Rally

COGNIZANT BLUES

Awareness going, stolen prime,
Knowledge lessening of my crime,
I really don’t feel here at all,
Released from my chain and ball,
Only to suffer more abuse,
Dangling from the Hangman’s noose

SOME CASES

Fiction: Sally knew some cases affected you more than others. As a
detective she was used to shocks but being called to THAT body
stretched her. After all, they looked so similar. Maybe she went on to
identify with her after that – it became a mission to get the killer. She
delved deep into the case and it was soon obvious there had been
witnesses – and equally obvious that the guy they’d seen was a local
gangster called Brad Jones. As her boss I tried to hold her back a bit,
then – call it intuition – but she was determined to bring him in. I
pulled his file as she went off. That’s when I discovered they’d had
history a long time ago – and that Sally knew a great deal about him
– maybe too much. And as I realized it could be a case of mistaken
identity, I raced after her, just breaking into his flat in time to see the
body drop to the floor. Later, as I debriefed Sally, I couldn’t help but
think it had been an assassination.

RUSHED YOUTH

Youth – that crazy, hectic time,
Growing up, young man, life divine,
World at my feet, so much to do,
Got so many memories – ain’t that true?
But also a sadness, you must concur,
Rushed so much, it’s just a blur

FLASH 55 – MUMMY DID IT

Fiction: I didn’t know which to investigate first – the site of the gang
fight with the pools of blood, or the sighting of the Mummy. Curiosity
guided me to the latter – after all, it couldn’t be for crime fighting.
Until I followed the trail of witnesses and the delirious, bandaged thug
led me to the gang.

WHAT SACRIFICE

I had a hunch I could get it done,
Feel the buzz, have so much fun,
Breaking in was a a piece of cake,
Caustic comments they all did make,
Taking their money was so very nice,
But cops were waiting – what sacrifice;
I guess it’s the cost of what I do,
But I’ll be out soon – see you

TV WATCH: 20 Mar was a night
BBC 1 went mad. All normal progs
off – 13 hrs of rugby. Not much sense
left in the corporation is there?

BRIT NEWS: After spate of deaths, moves are
afoot to criminalise use of Methodrone. Good move,
but they’ll always find another legal high.

GREEN NEWS: Gender-bender chemicals in the news again. They
should be kept there. Sometimes global warming takes attention
off other risks.

BRIT NEWS: Chancellor: We will cut deeper & tougher than Thatcher.
Not that he’ll be in power, but let’s make those cuts in right places.

MEDIA NEWS: The Times is to charge £2/week for visiting
their website, ‘cos ‘quality journalism isn’t cheap’. So
why is The Times charging?

WORLD NEWS: America and Russia agree to cut
Nukes by 30%. They’d need replacing
anyway, & both economies are
cash-strapped.

© Anthony North, March 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel

GRADUATES

Theme Thursday, Booking Through Thursday & ABC Wednesday
With Thursday Thirteen news & more prompts below
Try my Paranormal Flash now!

POLLY TICKS

Welcome to my weekly magazine post. Watch
it grow thru the week. You can opt to read
the essay, current affairs, themed mini mag
with fiction & poetry, or just read the lot.
Plenty for everyone here. Do call again.

GREEN IS GO

Green light is on. Go! Time to BE. But don’t be green, meaning naïve –
but DO be green, meaning environmental. Green can have so many
meanings it can make you dizzy – turn you green – sickly green. Or
maybe green with envy. In the UK green is also the colour of the
pagan (not literally, you understand); and it is maybe good that a
spirituality based on nature is getting the green light nowadays. But
getting everyone to follow the green nature agenda seems to be as
illusive as meeting little green men.

THE GRAMMAR THING

Is grammar important? Only to a point. It’s
communication that counts – is the work
readable? Of course, I would say this. I’m
virtually self taught, having left school at 15
as soon as I learnt 2+2=3. But as far as I’m
concerned it’s the style wot’s important
– innit!!? … 😦

GRADUATES

Take a handful of young, impressionable people who are searching for
knowledge, add a charismatic kind of guy who’s on a mission to
convert you, and you’ve got yourself a cult. Slowly the mission-guy
places his thoughts in their minds and, for want of a better word,
they’re brainwashed. However, the thing about cult mentality is that
it extends to normal life; and in a way, this same process occurs in
university education. An under-graduate could well be part of a
watered-down cult, so his independence of thought could well be
degraded. This is particularly so with ‘top’ professors. Sure of
themselves, they tend to be single minded, and there’s a real
possibility that the students don’t even get a rounded education in
the subject, but simply HIS ideals. But in general I think education is
suffering today by the requirement to teach for work rather than
teach for education’s sake. This, combined with increasing numbers
going to university, leads to a degrading of initiative and other values
that used to be important. It is producing a bland mediocracy, led by
a new generation of dumbed down graduates. Of course, many in
universities argue we’re not dumbed down, but maybe it is unnoticed
by passing generations. By this, I mean that a professor from the
1980s would disagree that dumbing down has occurred by the 2000s
because he relates it to his intellect, which he could not possibly
admit has dumbed down since the 1960s.

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

BRIT NEWS: Stories are
circulating again about Gordon
Brown’s legendary bullying. If true,
another reason why he’s unsuitable to lead?

BRIT NEWS: Tories accuse Labour of purposely driving
up debt to make it difficult for their successors to run the
country. I can believe that.

WORLD NEWS: Afghan President hints he can appoint entire election
watchdog. Not surprising. Democracy will not come to Afghanistan.

BRIT NEWS: As poll says 75% Brits want banks regulated Tories want
to offer state-owned discount shares to public. What? More
fund bosses?

WORLD NEWS: Toyota grew too quick and got priorities confused.
And are we to suppose they are alone, or was it simply so
obvious? Big is Bad.

GREEN NEWS: A 30% drop in Brits who think climate
change a definite. It never was, but how probable
is it? We take insurance on probability.

BRIT NEWS: Poll suggests Hung Parliament
coming. So nothing will get done. Yet,
getting things done got us into
this mess. We need a break.

THE CRIME POST

It would be criminal not to read it

One Single Impression
ReadWritePoem – Friday Flash 55
Heads or Tails – Three Word Wednesday
Sunday Scribblings – Thursday Poets’ Rally

HESITATION

Should I take it? It’s just lying there,
I’m an honest guy – people stare;
‘Will he take it?’ I hear them say,
Should my morals go away?
It’s only money lying on the ground;
Who’s that? What cheek! Says …
‘Look what I’ve found?’

IT’S ENTERTAINMENT

Fiction: It was a constant battle for ratings. Two channels, two true
crime shows. They argued long which was the best. One had the
more grisly reconstructions while the other pumped up the victim’s
emotion. Tears were great for ratings – but so was blood. Of course,
the ratings war came to an end when one of the Producers was
arrested. Hiring your own killer was a ratings ploy too far.

TIMETHINK

Plenty of time to think it out,
Sometimes certain, at others doubt,
The body is there inside my mind,
Why is peace so hard to find?
If only these bars didn’t keep me in,
I’d be able to atone for my murderous sin

FLASH 55 – THE FULL KILL

Fiction: I hated him and I wanted him dead – totally dead. That’s why
I shot him in the head. Which was a mistake. It seems he was an
organ donor, and the medics managed to get him to hospital before
his organs degraded. I want him totally dead – which means I’ve four
more people to kill.

THE CUP

Go on, drink it – nice cup of tea;
Poisoned? What – me?
Steamy, tasty – such a vice;
Go on, drink it – ever so nice;
But before you do, can you sign this, please,
Then I’ll have your money when you’re deceased

A MAZE

Walking these passages does amaze,
I feel so frail in this sacred place,
The mighty bronzed Bull stands as guard,
Getting past it was so very hard;
Myths of Heroes fill me with dread,
But robbing this museum will up my cred

FLUWENT

They spoke correctly, always had,
No infection, no words bad,
Until the day litocalypse came,
Words were mangled, such a shame,
Language murdered, ignorance next,
As soon as we all began to text

FILM WATCH: The BAFTAs were
a bit weak this year. Hardly any Brits
nominated. Not much made. Result of the
Recession, no doubt.

BRIT NEWS: Govt ‘forces of hell’ to smear Chancellor
in 2008 for speaking truth about the economy used, he
claims. Smears are what they do.

HEALTH NEWS: Needless deaths at Stafford Hospital. When an
organisation becomes infatuated with targets & cost cuts this will
happen.

BRIT NEWS: Fears of private pensions fall aired again. Such pensions
are always gamble on economy. We were mad to degrade State
pension.

CELEB VIEW: I’ve noticed a big increase in celebrity marital
problems in UK. Just one big profile row and they all
want to do it.

BRIT NEWS: BBC report possible cuts to website
& radio causing union strike threats. Don’t
they realise massive cuts everywhere
must be?

© Anthony North, March 2010

Try my Pictures of Life, a novel