Thursday, October 29, 2009
SHANNANIGUMS WAVE. BOOKS ARRIVED TODAY.
I snapped a few pics of em' - luverly cover artwork taken from CHU's great wall of walsall titled "Hole In the Wall".
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tesco BANK
http://www.myspace.com/flyagaric24
How will Tesco Bank shape up?
Alan O'Sullivan, This is Money
6 October 2009
Chat
The newly renamed Tesco Bank has a long way to go before it replaces some of the nation's biggest banks, but it has the potential to become one of the most successful banking brands in the country.
Skip additional links
Tesco Store
Every little helps: like being able to do your banking and shoppiing at the same time.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
* Free banking with your supermarket shop
* Video: The supermarket banking grab
* Tesco expands for assault on banks
OTHER STORIES
* Easy steps to getting the best Isa
* The bank complaint X-Files investigated
* Nationwide's poor Guaranteed Bond offer
* Islamic bonds offer table-topping 4.5%
* Best buy savings that drop to 0.08%
SAVINGS TABLES
Credit cards, cash and calculator Find the best savings account to suit you from our entirely independent comparison tables:
>> Top savings rates
SAVINGS SAFETY
Bank vault We explain how to make sure all your savings are covered by compensation.
>> Safer savings
In a symbolic move that outlines its ambition, the supermarket announced today that it was renaming Tesco Personal Finance as Tesco Bank.
It revealed that it has attracted 300,000 customers to its banking arm over the past year, giving a total of 6m.
But as the banking industry may have to start charging for current accounts in the near future due to the current legal battle over bank charges, it may be able to grow this customer base much faster than its rivals by offering free accounts if customers spend a certain amount in its stores.
So how does Tesco Bank shape up and will it become a major force?
Savings rates
The bank has a good reputation for customer service and its savings products regularly appear at the best top of the best-buy tables. These accounts are often not as consistent as those offered by building societies, but are on par with those offered by the big banks.
For example, Tesco Bank's internet account is one of the highest paying on the market at present at 3%, although this includes a 1.75% bonus, meaning the rate will fall to 1.25% after 12 months.
The account saw a rush of customers at the start of the year, although This is Money readers complained about an overly complex and convoluted internet banking process.
Customer base
In terms of customers, Tesco still has a long way to go before it begins to rival the big High Street banking names: Lloyds Banking Group has a monumental number of customers at 30m, followed by RBS's 28m, Santander's 25m, Barclays 22m and HSBC's 16.1m.
As stated previously Tesco Bank attracted 300,000 new customers this year to reach a total of 6m. That means Tesco Bank grew its customer base by just over 5% in the last year, which means it is keeping up with some of its rivals, but not vastly out-performing them yet.
In comparison, Lloyds Banking Group recently announced it opened 1m new current accounts and 2.3m savings accounts in the first six months of this year, out of a total of 22m current accounts and 21m savings accounts, growth rates of 4.5% and 11% respectively.
Brand presence
Tesco Bank's brand is its strong point. It is as big a presence across the country as any of the major High Street banking names. It has a 2,300 strong supermarket network to fall back on with 3,000 cash machines, which rivals Barclay's 1,720 branches and 3,414 cash machines.
If Tesco was to buy up the branch network and business of Northern Rock, as has been rumoured in the media, this would considerably add to its presence. In terms of credit cards, it is already a major brand as the seventh largest credit card issuer in the country.
Despite its critics when it comes to its supermarkets and the state of the High Street, Tesco has an ace up its sleeve when it comes to banking. The supermarket has a reputation for reliability untainted by the financial crisis, which has hammered banks' respectability in the eyes of the public.
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/savings-and-banking/article.html?in_article_id=491541&in_page_id=7&position=moretopstories
How will Tesco Bank shape up?
Alan O'Sullivan, This is Money
6 October 2009
Chat
The newly renamed Tesco Bank has a long way to go before it replaces some of the nation's biggest banks, but it has the potential to become one of the most successful banking brands in the country.
Skip additional links
Tesco Store
Every little helps: like being able to do your banking and shoppiing at the same time.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
* Free banking with your supermarket shop
* Video: The supermarket banking grab
* Tesco expands for assault on banks
OTHER STORIES
* Easy steps to getting the best Isa
* The bank complaint X-Files investigated
* Nationwide's poor Guaranteed Bond offer
* Islamic bonds offer table-topping 4.5%
* Best buy savings that drop to 0.08%
SAVINGS TABLES
Credit cards, cash and calculator Find the best savings account to suit you from our entirely independent comparison tables:
>> Top savings rates
SAVINGS SAFETY
Bank vault We explain how to make sure all your savings are covered by compensation.
>> Safer savings
In a symbolic move that outlines its ambition, the supermarket announced today that it was renaming Tesco Personal Finance as Tesco Bank.
It revealed that it has attracted 300,000 customers to its banking arm over the past year, giving a total of 6m.
But as the banking industry may have to start charging for current accounts in the near future due to the current legal battle over bank charges, it may be able to grow this customer base much faster than its rivals by offering free accounts if customers spend a certain amount in its stores.
So how does Tesco Bank shape up and will it become a major force?
Savings rates
The bank has a good reputation for customer service and its savings products regularly appear at the best top of the best-buy tables. These accounts are often not as consistent as those offered by building societies, but are on par with those offered by the big banks.
For example, Tesco Bank's internet account is one of the highest paying on the market at present at 3%, although this includes a 1.75% bonus, meaning the rate will fall to 1.25% after 12 months.
The account saw a rush of customers at the start of the year, although This is Money readers complained about an overly complex and convoluted internet banking process.
Customer base
In terms of customers, Tesco still has a long way to go before it begins to rival the big High Street banking names: Lloyds Banking Group has a monumental number of customers at 30m, followed by RBS's 28m, Santander's 25m, Barclays 22m and HSBC's 16.1m.
As stated previously Tesco Bank attracted 300,000 new customers this year to reach a total of 6m. That means Tesco Bank grew its customer base by just over 5% in the last year, which means it is keeping up with some of its rivals, but not vastly out-performing them yet.
In comparison, Lloyds Banking Group recently announced it opened 1m new current accounts and 2.3m savings accounts in the first six months of this year, out of a total of 22m current accounts and 21m savings accounts, growth rates of 4.5% and 11% respectively.
Brand presence
Tesco Bank's brand is its strong point. It is as big a presence across the country as any of the major High Street banking names. It has a 2,300 strong supermarket network to fall back on with 3,000 cash machines, which rivals Barclay's 1,720 branches and 3,414 cash machines.
If Tesco was to buy up the branch network and business of Northern Rock, as has been rumoured in the media, this would considerably add to its presence. In terms of credit cards, it is already a major brand as the seventh largest credit card issuer in the country.
Despite its critics when it comes to its supermarkets and the state of the High Street, Tesco has an ace up its sleeve when it comes to banking. The supermarket has a reputation for reliability untainted by the financial crisis, which has hammered banks' respectability in the eyes of the public.
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/savings-and-banking/article.html?in_article_id=491541&in_page_id=7&position=moretopstories
EQUAL DAY EQUAL NIGHT 2009
Fly Agaric Studio > Bohemian National Home –
Friday, September 18, 2009 @ 1:00-2:00 am [20-0982]
Amsterdam, NL. > Detroit, US.
This episode is a birthday salute to John Coltrane and a bow to the Vernal Equinox with music by John Coltrane selected by Steve “Fly” Agaric 23 at his Oosterpark studio in Amsterdam and programmed by John Sinclair at the Bohemian National Home in Detroit. As Fly says, “Happy Vernal Equinox, or around about, please enjoy this good energy mix in celebration of the music and birth of John Coltrane. Thanks, John!”
Playlist #282
[01] John Sinclair & His Blues Scholars: Welcome
[02] John Coltrane: Equinox
[03]. John Coltrane: Blues Minor
[04] John Coltrane: Crescent
[05] John Coltrane: All or Nothing at All
[06] Miles Davis: ‘Round About Midnight
[07] John Coltrane: The Drum Thing
[08] John Coltrane: Spiritual
A JOINT PRODUCTION
Hosted by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam
Music selected in Amsterdam by Steve “Fly” Agaric 23
Produced, recorded, edited & assembled by John Sinclair in Detroit
Posted by Larry Hayden
Executive Producer: Larry Hayden
© 2009 John Sinclair. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.radiofreeamsterdam.com/john-sinclair-radio-show-282/
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
DUDLEY ROTTEN BOROUGH COUNCIL
The bourough seems to be healthy, the people awake and thinking, it's the council and the business enterprise that are rotten, making deals with huge corporations, selling off land and property to the highest bidder, without the slightest idea of what culture, community and health mean, in 2009. Dudley is a beautiful bourough, the people from Dudley are down to earth folk, mostly working class folk governed and bullied by a conservative, old World War II government, still today, we are governed by dinosaurs. Out of touch with the revolution, connectivity, change and scientific research opposed to faith-based thinking and faith-based policy.
"Dudley is slammed as a 'rotten borough'
12:00pm Wednesday 9th September 2009
comment Comments (8) Have your say »
A FURIOUS baths campaigner slammed Dudley as a ‘rotten borough’ with a Scrooge council - fast on its way to becoming the most unpopular in history at meeting this week.
Angry Brian Guest, who has campaigned passionately to try and save Coseley Baths from the axe, unleashed a no holds-barred attack on Dudley Council when he got his chance to speak at Monday’s meeting of the select commitee on regeneration, culture and adult education.
Referring to a letter about the Conservative controlled council’s handling of the baths saga which features in the current edition of Private Eye magazine - he said: “Dudley is now classed nationally as a ‘rotten borough’.
“It shows this council is the most unpopular in Dudley’s history.”
He also hit out at the council for having the “audacity” to approve a 25 per cent pay rise for councillors shortly after offering “Dickensian” late night and early morning swimming times to young members of Brierley Hill Swimming Club - which has since been forced to close; and for hiking the prices of meals on wheels for the elderly by more than 50 per cent last year.
He continued: “I think everyone in Dudley would be ashamed if this is the best this administration can do.
“Everybody in Dudley is angry with this council, which is now known nationally as a council with no heart.
“This is a Scrooge council - but when the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future appeared to Scrooge he did put things right - proving he had a heart. But we know this council does not have a heart.”
Leader of Dudley Council - Councillor Anne Millward - said afterwards: “If we’re so rotten - why are we a four star authority?
“We have got to do things we don’t really want to do because the of recession and financial situation we find ourselves in.”
What do you think? Is Dudley a rotten borough? - http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4588476.Dudley_is_slammed_as_a__rotten_borough_/
"£300,000 losses at baths says leader
A Black Country baths was losing more than £300,000 a year before closing last month, it was revealed today.
Dudley Council leader Councillor Anne Millward said it was costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds to keep the pool open.
She said the council was snubbed by private leisure centre owners who said the Pear Tree Lane pool was “unviable”. The baths closed at the end of August. The council says the baths need £1 million of urgent repairs to make the roof safe and a further £1m of works to bring the building up to scratch.
Councillor Millward today said the council did not have the resources to keep the baths open – but reiterated that bids from any interested parties would be considered.
“If there is someone who has got the millions to bring it up to scratch and can then take a hit of more than £300,000 a year running the baths, I have said it before – we will speak to them,” she said. “But Coseley was making losses of a third of a million each year.
“We have spoken to private providers, we did that before the decision was taken to close the pool. They just did not see Coseley as a viable enterprise.”
Save Coseley Baths campaign spokesman Brian Guest said that it came as “no surprise” the baths were making a loss because the council had not shown the necessary commitment to the pool.
“I’m not surprised it was making that sort of loss because they reduced the staff and reduced the hours to such an extent it was not going to make money,” he said.
“Everyone knows swimming pools don’t make a profit and have to be subsidised but it is a service which should be kept for the community.”
Campaign leaders are taking legal advice about the possibility of mounting a courtroom bid to prevent demolition. Mr Guest is due to hear from barristers in London early next week. - http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/09/12/300000-losses-at-baths-says-leader/
--------
"Dudley is slammed as a 'rotten borough'
12:00pm Wednesday 9th September 2009
comment Comments (8) Have your say »
A FURIOUS baths campaigner slammed Dudley as a ‘rotten borough’ with a Scrooge council - fast on its way to becoming the most unpopular in history at meeting this week.
Angry Brian Guest, who has campaigned passionately to try and save Coseley Baths from the axe, unleashed a no holds-barred attack on Dudley Council when he got his chance to speak at Monday’s meeting of the select commitee on regeneration, culture and adult education.
Referring to a letter about the Conservative controlled council’s handling of the baths saga which features in the current edition of Private Eye magazine - he said: “Dudley is now classed nationally as a ‘rotten borough’.
“It shows this council is the most unpopular in Dudley’s history.”
He also hit out at the council for having the “audacity” to approve a 25 per cent pay rise for councillors shortly after offering “Dickensian” late night and early morning swimming times to young members of Brierley Hill Swimming Club - which has since been forced to close; and for hiking the prices of meals on wheels for the elderly by more than 50 per cent last year.
He continued: “I think everyone in Dudley would be ashamed if this is the best this administration can do.
“Everybody in Dudley is angry with this council, which is now known nationally as a council with no heart.
“This is a Scrooge council - but when the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future appeared to Scrooge he did put things right - proving he had a heart. But we know this council does not have a heart.”
Leader of Dudley Council - Councillor Anne Millward - said afterwards: “If we’re so rotten - why are we a four star authority?
“We have got to do things we don’t really want to do because the of recession and financial situation we find ourselves in.”
What do you think? Is Dudley a rotten borough? - http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4588476.Dudley_is_slammed_as_a__rotten_borough_/
"£300,000 losses at baths says leader
A Black Country baths was losing more than £300,000 a year before closing last month, it was revealed today.
Dudley Council leader Councillor Anne Millward said it was costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds to keep the pool open.
She said the council was snubbed by private leisure centre owners who said the Pear Tree Lane pool was “unviable”. The baths closed at the end of August. The council says the baths need £1 million of urgent repairs to make the roof safe and a further £1m of works to bring the building up to scratch.
Councillor Millward today said the council did not have the resources to keep the baths open – but reiterated that bids from any interested parties would be considered.
“If there is someone who has got the millions to bring it up to scratch and can then take a hit of more than £300,000 a year running the baths, I have said it before – we will speak to them,” she said. “But Coseley was making losses of a third of a million each year.
“We have spoken to private providers, we did that before the decision was taken to close the pool. They just did not see Coseley as a viable enterprise.”
Save Coseley Baths campaign spokesman Brian Guest said that it came as “no surprise” the baths were making a loss because the council had not shown the necessary commitment to the pool.
“I’m not surprised it was making that sort of loss because they reduced the staff and reduced the hours to such an extent it was not going to make money,” he said.
“Everyone knows swimming pools don’t make a profit and have to be subsidised but it is a service which should be kept for the community.”
Campaign leaders are taking legal advice about the possibility of mounting a courtroom bid to prevent demolition. Mr Guest is due to hear from barristers in London early next week. - http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/09/12/300000-losses-at-baths-says-leader/
--------
RAW PATATOES
RAW PATATOES: FOSTER STRONGER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THROUGH PERSONAL TRANSACTIONS AND LOCAL TRADE.
RAW POTATOES ARE A TOOL FOR STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY PRIORITIZING THE LOCAL EXCAHNGE OF GOODS AND SERVICES.
ECOLOGY: BY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO SHOP IN TOWN, INSTEAD OF ON THE INTERNET, RAW POTATOES DECRESE THE DISTANCE THAT GOODS NEED TO TRAVEL.
BY PROMOTING THE LOCAL PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF FOOD AND OTHER GOODS, RAW PATATOES ARE HELPFUL TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR A PATATOE COMMUNITY.
http://maybelogic.blogspot.com/2009/07/osiris-jones-gets-ice-cream.html
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Swimming baths shut for last time. BBC finally shows up to tell us the BAD news!
Notice the typically sick and tasteless choice of ADVERTS for this BBC news article, one advertising "Swimming Camps in Malta, Great offers for swimming camps In 50mtr outdoor heated pool" yeah, no shit, if you want to swim go abroad!
Swimming baths shut for last time
Protestors outside Coseley Swimming Pool
The protesters vowed to keep lobbying the council until the pool was reopened
Protesters gathered outside one of the Black Country's last public swimming baths as it shut for the last time.
Dudley Council said essential repairs to Coseley Swimming Pool would be too costly and it could not afford for them to go ahead.
Recent safety checks showed repairs to the building, which first opened in 1963, would cost in excess of £2m.
In April, more than 30 people, including children, had to be taken to hospital after a chlorine leak there.
Across the rest of the Black Country, pools still remain in Dudley, Stourbridge and Halesowen.
However, protestors said many of those were too far away for older swimmers to get to.
Parents, children and swimming clubs vowed to keep petitioning the council to get the pool reopened.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/8230207.stm
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----
“Dudley Council is not doing what it is supposed to which is looking after the health and well-being of children and adults in the borough.”
http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/08/29/its-not-over-yet-say-baths-campaigners/
Swimming baths shut for last time
Protestors outside Coseley Swimming Pool
The protesters vowed to keep lobbying the council until the pool was reopened
Protesters gathered outside one of the Black Country's last public swimming baths as it shut for the last time.
Dudley Council said essential repairs to Coseley Swimming Pool would be too costly and it could not afford for them to go ahead.
Recent safety checks showed repairs to the building, which first opened in 1963, would cost in excess of £2m.
In April, more than 30 people, including children, had to be taken to hospital after a chlorine leak there.
Across the rest of the Black Country, pools still remain in Dudley, Stourbridge and Halesowen.
However, protestors said many of those were too far away for older swimmers to get to.
Parents, children and swimming clubs vowed to keep petitioning the council to get the pool reopened.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/8230207.stm
Print Sponsor
Advertisement
Ads by Google
Attention All Expatriates
Free Savings, Pension & Investment Guide Compiled By Industry Experts!
OffshoreInvestmentDesigner.com
Swimming Camps in Malta
Great offers for swimming camps In 50mtr outdoor heated pool
www.sundreamstravel.com
Ultrasonic Cleaners
Precision ultrasonic equipment for all cleaning requirements
www.ultrawave.co.uk
----
It’s not over yet say baths campaigners
Defiant campaigners desperate to save condemned Coseley Baths from the bulldozer have declared: “It’s not over yet.” More than 200 people attended a public meeting last night.
They discussed their next step in their battle against Dudley Council’s decision to close the leisure centre on Monday. It was standing room only as supporters of all ages, some wearing Save Coseley Baths T-shirts, vowed to continue their fight. Spokesman for the Save Coseley Baths group Brian Guest said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support tonight.
“It just shows the strength of feeling, not just in Coseley, but elsewhere in the borough.
“It is not over yet. We are going to fight for as long as it takes.
“We do not want to lose these baths.
“Dudley Council is not doing what it is supposed to which is looking after the health and well-being of children and adults in the borough.”Dudley North MP Ian Austin, who is backing the campaign to save the baths, said: “The support for this campaign shows the determination and desire to keep these baths open.
“I have swum in these baths myself and I know how important it is to teach young people how to swim.
“During the recession it is clear to me that if they demolish the baths and sell the site, they not going to get the money for the site that they would get in the future,” he added.
“It wouldn’t cost much to keep the baths open.
“There is funding available from the Government for the management and maintenance of public swimming pools.”
Dudley Council says that the baths need £1 million of urgent repairs to make the roof safe, as well as a further £1 million spent to bring the building up to scratch.
Decommissioning works will run from September 1 to 11, when the building will be handed over to Dudley Council’s corporate property department.
Electricity and water will then be cut off ahead of demolition, with leisure chief Councillor David Stanley keen for bulldozers to reduce the building to rubble as soon as possible after closure.
The authority has yet to secure funds for the six-figure demolition bill, and the money may have to come from the public purse, chiefs have admitted.http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/08/29/its-not-over-yet-say-baths-campaigners/
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Pool, Church, Bank and Brains
"AS Dudley Council shuts schools, libraries, museums and swimming pools around the borough, councillors agreed to give themselves a 25 per cent pay rise during a heated meeting of the full council on Monday.
As angry protesters from Unison and residents demonstrating against the proposed closure of Pensnett High School and Coseley Baths gathered on the council house steps, councillors voted to increase their allowances by nearly £2,000.-- http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/4493348.Council_chiefs_vote_themselves_25__rise/
How does Dudley Council and the human beings that influence social political policy in the area of Dudley get away with their actions as Dudley MBC. Why have the POLICE not been called to protect the PEOPLE of Dudley from mismanagement and outright criminal activities as they were called to protect Dudley MBC from the PEOPLE at the recent Dudley Council meeting of late July 2009? Well, in my opinion anybody who grew up in and around the Dudley area will know that the Police are not really protecting the people, or any rights of the people, they are their to preserve the order set by the Government, the councils and the private corporate sponsors of the urban programing. Don't get me wrong, they may just be doing their job, but i think in the case of the recent Dudley Council meeting incident where the police were called in because of - protesters - who were bringing the WORD from the people on the street to the council - highlights how the council and governments in general function: the abuse of power and the blatant un-democratic actions they take.
I feel like widening my criticism of what started with a swimming pool. The decision to pull the pool down in Brierley Hill, and now the same disaster all over again with Coseley Baths under the same circumstances brings me to conclude that no matter which way you look at it the local council and by default the national government act in a crooked way, for private interest and against the will of the people. In my opinion and from my experiences with Dudley Council and the political figures in the area, after attending more than 10 local Dudley political - council - meetings; that the People might consider organizing for themselves based upon there own resources and vision of a better way to do community, and encourage more efficient and fair methods to co-organize large groups of people, societies, health, wealth and wellness centers of human activity.
No doubt that this organizing can be a difficult activity, democracy is difficult and it is hard to get the whole thing moving in the right directions for everybody, and to pay attention to all-humanity while designing their own habitat. Co-operative and co-operation between individuals and the means to gain agency to change in their community. A two way street. I'll scractch your back if you'll scratch mine, a waltz, a co-creation etc. We have to work together and with all the good metaphors for open source, clear communication between groups of people and a decentralized government, made up of internetworked groups and individuals - connected - and equally holding a piece of the pie (the community, humanitas). How much longer can we sit and watch baffoons running around in packs, like Wolves - and soaking up our cultural inheritance and our natural resources? When we could do a better job ourselves, to mean 20 Million minds and hearts working together will be far more efficient than roughly 500, who are all of a generation out of touch with the open source networking revolution and dinosaurs that feed on young and old peoples blood like master Bob Dylan say.
Nothing new here really, people have been saying this for hundreds of years, power to the people - you know - but this swimming pool closure highlights how the council in Dudley operates. How many CHURCH roofs have been saved in the last 10 years? how much money spent on RELIGIOUS facilities for a few BELIEVERS? How many skate parks were built, how many authorized GRAFFITI areas, how many speak easy cafe's and POETRY centers? How many ROAD's were built? How much was spent on CCTV cameras? Security? How much did the council make by selling off LAND to private interests? Like Tesco, ASDA, Automobile manufacturers, Petrol, Oil and Gas firms? How much? And the list goes on, i don't wish to begin ranting and raving, i have more than enough at this blog already.
Please, if your reading this do a little research and do some math, and ask yourself how Dudley can behave in this way, against the will of the people. My message to them is to go and dunk yourself in swimming pool, get out the church for a day, and bank on your brain!
--Steven Pratt
Dudley campaigns protest at council
by Paul Bolton
Campaigns to prevent the closure of Coseley Swimming Baths and Pensnett High School, and sort out the single status pay agreement for council workers, protested outside Dudley council’s meeting on Monday of last week.
The Unison, Unite and NUT unions, with parents, school students and local campaigners, supported the demonstration.
Protesters stormed into the public gallery after the demonstration. They heckled the Tory mayor and leader of the council when they tried to justify their attacks upon our services.
The meeting was suspended by the mayor, the police were called and protesters were forced to leave. All three campaigns are determined to continue their fight. - http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=18520
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
DEADLEY COUNCIL STRIKE AND SINK BRIERLEY HILL SWIMMING CLUB.
I want to swim man, thats all
Without no water how do you fully front crawl?
all i got left is my freestyle, first off the blocks...
i don't care, i dive into rocks, mud ponds and sewers for sure.
I takes a dive into jive turkey rap land and build boats on jazz notes.
Coming back from a foreign land to an empty pool, Brierley Hill Baths demolished
i was planning swimmajik 33/3 yards.
Now its all gone bulldozed and its tragic, comic?
Coseley next? Can it be saved?
Without no water how do you fully front crawl?
all i got left is my freestyle, first off the blocks...
i don't care, i dive into rocks, mud ponds and sewers for sure.
I takes a dive into jive turkey rap land and build boats on jazz notes.
Coming back from a foreign land to an empty pool, Brierley Hill Baths demolished
i was planning swimmajik 33/3 yards.
Now its all gone bulldozed and its tragic, comic?
Coseley next? Can it be saved?
Swim club to shut as pool fight lost
Heartbroken swimmers were in tears when the move was announced by devastated volunteers who run the group at an emergency general meeting of Brierley Hill Swimming Club.
Volunteers say they had no alternative because of lost sessions at the pool in Pear Tree Lane, Coseley.
The club has been offered alternative pool times at Dudley Leisure Centre but treasurer Phil Steven said today it would be “unfair” to ask members, most of whom are children aged under 10, to swim at 7am in the morning or 9pm at night.
Father-of-two Mr Steven, a 56-year-old accountant, said: “We just could not accept the pool time offered on a Monday and Tuesday. We were offered 9pm to 10.45pm on Mondays and 7am to 8am on Tuesdays.
“The members wouldn’t swim those hours, it’s unfair on the children. It’s almost child cruelty, asking them to swim those times. Some of the children are that enthusiastic they would do it, but we just couldn’t justify asking them to.”
The club, established in 1963 and a registered charity providing free swimming for children from deprived areas, survived the closure of Brierley Hill baths in 2005 but the loss of swimming at Coseley is the final straw. It will officially close on July 24. Coseley baths will close next month, with council chiefs refusing to buckle to demands of campaigners to stump up the cash to repair the building. -- 15 th JULY - Expresso and Stir, http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/07/15/swim-club-to-shut-as-pool-fight-lost/
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
WATER HUMANITY SWIMMING LIFE SPORT FAIRNESS?
Simple swimming, but where can you swim these days?
forget about indoor pools for a moment
what of swimming free in the rivers, lakes,
oceans from which we came?
I am all for saving swimming baths and facilities
In the urban environment
From the deadudley hidden hands of urban redevelopment
And private sector movements,
But, and, we swimmers should not loose
sight of a future world environment
that is glaciated with access to clean Water,
Water to drink, Water to wash and Water to
Swim in.
Water full of nutrients and life,
a biological swimming facilitiy –
a reproductive and REAL lagoon with real fish and corals?
Plants and a living ecosystem.
In varying scales of magnitude,
humanity can realise this paradise using
the ancient models of Chinese, Indian, Greek
and Roman use of waterways for social functions.
I compose verse and prose about swimming
in the canal, or the cut (as we call it)
in and around the Black Country,
the river Stour, in jest at first.
Years pass and i realize that our water ways
are our life lines, both biological and man-made
water ways, water works and water
bathing facilities seem critical for social activity
in the community.
the list of benefits from swimming are endless
and the competition is good for excellence
Oh, but what of that so contorted and abused term:
sport?
The fair and sporting activity of sport,
The sportsmanship of playing a fair game,
A good game, a sporting game
in which you dedicated
everything you have
gave it your all...the sacrifice
of time and energy.
Opposed to SPORT the name tag
of some minister
or a section of the most unsporting of entities:
the tabloid NEWSPAPER
or a sports magazine, a T.V station
help.
Yes, we like good competition and a good game,
the spirit of play lies at the heart of
healthy economic strategy,
philosophy and some poetry,
and all music, sing a song with activities
widely known as popular sports.
I feel the immersive environment
of the given activity drying up,
no lagoon, no wetness,
not even a foot bath
just a slightly soggy idea about how to distribute
the survival tickets
that will buy the means to
make and break
the rules for a few of the elite authorities
in whatever water-world we’re floating in.
So maybe forget about saving
the old swimming baths of England,
start planning your own swimming bath
and swimming facility.
imagine them, a fresh natural water-world paradise,
imagengine them
Draw, sculpt and sew them, present the
model environment,
animate big and large and share your work
in the streets.
Paint our new utopias and write
our dreams and footnotes to the image
the Art game can capture sport
in a way the news game cannot, i rekon.
The music game captures hearts
in a way writing dreams of
together we stir the components up
show HOW TO.
cast your visions
for a new past present future
--Steve Fly 7/14/09 (edited 01/08/12)
forget about indoor pools for a moment
what of swimming free in the rivers, lakes,
oceans from which we came?
I am all for saving swimming baths and facilities
In the urban environment
From the deadudley hidden hands of urban redevelopment
And private sector movements,
But, and, we swimmers should not loose
sight of a future world environment
that is glaciated with access to clean Water,
Water to drink, Water to wash and Water to
Swim in.
Water full of nutrients and life,
a biological swimming facilitiy –
a reproductive and REAL lagoon with real fish and corals?
Plants and a living ecosystem.
In varying scales of magnitude,
humanity can realise this paradise using
the ancient models of Chinese, Indian, Greek
and Roman use of waterways for social functions.
I compose verse and prose about swimming
in the canal, or the cut (as we call it)
in and around the Black Country,
the river Stour, in jest at first.
Years pass and i realize that our water ways
are our life lines, both biological and man-made
water ways, water works and water
bathing facilities seem critical for social activity
in the community.
the list of benefits from swimming are endless
and the competition is good for excellence
Oh, but what of that so contorted and abused term:
sport?
The fair and sporting activity of sport,
The sportsmanship of playing a fair game,
A good game, a sporting game
in which you dedicated
everything you have
gave it your all...the sacrifice
of time and energy.
Opposed to SPORT the name tag
of some minister
or a section of the most unsporting of entities:
the tabloid NEWSPAPER
or a sports magazine, a T.V station
help.
Yes, we like good competition and a good game,
the spirit of play lies at the heart of
healthy economic strategy,
philosophy and some poetry,
and all music, sing a song with activities
widely known as popular sports.
I feel the immersive environment
of the given activity drying up,
no lagoon, no wetness,
not even a foot bath
just a slightly soggy idea about how to distribute
the survival tickets
that will buy the means to
make and break
the rules for a few of the elite authorities
in whatever water-world we’re floating in.
So maybe forget about saving
the old swimming baths of England,
start planning your own swimming bath
and swimming facility.
imagine them, a fresh natural water-world paradise,
imagengine them
Draw, sculpt and sew them, present the
model environment,
animate big and large and share your work
in the streets.
Paint our new utopias and write
our dreams and footnotes to the image
the Art game can capture sport
in a way the news game cannot, i rekon.
The music game captures hearts
in a way writing dreams of
together we stir the components up
show HOW TO.
cast your visions
for a new past present future
--Steve Fly 7/14/09 (edited 01/08/12)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
LEGALIZE SPORTS DOPING.
http://hplusmagazine.com/digitaledition/2009-summer/
ANDY MIAH: SPORTS, DOPING AND THE ENHANCEMENT ENLIGHENMENT!
ANDY MIAH: SPORTS, DOPING AND THE ENHANCEMENT ENLIGHENMENT!
Monday, June 15, 2009
History of swimactivism - in progress v.2.0
History of swimmactivism
Category: News and Politics English ar wydely con.sidered fust modan
Society to develoop swimmin’ aza spirt
And, Poiklitics, i might add
As a tea tile bag of English tail
2008 – Coseley Baths Earmarked for closure by Dudley MBC
Can you tell that i bin trested in swimmin’ i ave’
April 1, 1974: The con. Mosh up a' former cownty borough of
Dude-ley, wiv the Burroughs of Alesowing
And flouridge. 2009: 2000 people join facebook group to saiv Coseley Baths
1837: Fust paddlin comps held in London's spashing pools.
July of 1967: Doodley con. ban folks from swimming in Lodge Farm Rezza
Because swimmers were becoming obstructions to boats on the water
Councillor Les Jones said protestors needed to be realistic. June 2009: Councillor Les Jones:“We have made a clear commitment
To closing the baths on safety grounds,”
“We believe our structural engineer’s report stands up
– we don’t use ‘fly by nights’.
1987: Teaurbridge Swimmin’ Club wuss demolishevelled by Mudley Clownsil
Cuz it was riffy, structurally unsafe, and beyonda fixin’ up. and them went an’ replaced it wida leisure pond fur the fancy pant 1990's Leisure con. and disinvestment industry
Very noyse, but unsuitable fur competitive swimumin’ me thinks.
7th January, 1869: furst meating of Amateur Slimming
Association.
4th June, 1901: Sturbridge Swimming Club founded as
31st 2005: Untied kingdome gives o'er
Her presidency of the Con. Of the Europeeing Youngyin.
2nd August, 1900: Foundry stone of Stourbridge Public Baths wuss laid by Isaac Nash.
Bath water come from a well cut in local sandstown.
Annual subscription fix'd at fiyv shillyns
Juss 25 pence, a bargain for a 12 yerolt kid
Werkin 60 hours a week for 2.d down a death mine.
1939-1945: Stourbridge baths closed fur public due to word war II.
17th May 1923: Open air swimming bath built at Stourbridge
June 2009: Victoria Baths – Portsmouth is closed, against local wishes.
3:30, 31st December 2005, Brierley ill Leisure Centre
Closed. By DudMetBo Council (Dudley MBC)
72 con.cillors, representing 24 wards
Both an election boundary and
A division...
1894: Brierley Hill comes an urb.an di.strict
Under the yocal yobernment Akt ov 1894.
2006: There are 23 olympic sized cuts in the YUK. England 15,
Scotland 4, Ireland 2 and Wales 1.
1 iz under con.struction in Dudley?
Poiklitics seems lyk a pools lottery in 2006x
An Oilympic Pool is 25m wyd
Depth ov 2.0m minymum
50m in length, while the 25m width
Allows for 8 laynes, each 2.5m whyd
With an extra 2 spaces of 2.5m wyd outside oss rowds 1 and 8.
2.5 x 8 tracks = 20m + (2.5m x 2) = 25m in total as
1896 and 1906, women could'nt participate in
Oilympic games due to Baron Pierre de Coubertin holding firm to the conservative
Dogma of the Victoryian eara, that women wuz too Frail to engage in competitive sports. June 2009: Sherwood Baths in Mansfield Woodhouse undergoes a £5m refit
And is renamed the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre, Becky meets
The Queen for her OBE for services to swimming.
Conlablibortive Burroughs talktics:
Slaving urban language Sub-contracts with precise
Gaffers waffle. June 2009: Campaign to save the historic Tyneside pool, NEWCASTLE
Kicks into action.
1960: British boyernment's Beeching Axe hijacks
The costs ov running the British tram system by pullin'
The plug, on what them considered to be unprofitable riffy’ trams.
Ow ya transfurring propertea
From public ownership to private merchant ownerships?
And/or, both/and... transfiguring the monagemint
Of a service or activitea from an arf soaked gaffernment...
To the private pocket secta
Who issues it, ow?
Rekkids are set crooked
With some Doodley Burroughs accense
1917: S.F.C Motto crafted upon the S. Coat of donnies.
Bridge and 2 gold'n froots,
Gold Fleace suspunded by black Chains of Skin
And Leather Dressing LTD.
Chayn Cable Industries, and them hanging sheeple.
'1 heart, 1 why', singleness of mind and
Purpoise. To steer, shepard, pilot, escort, swimmer.
1 pool, 3 million folks. No wey serviam.
Are yow billdin pools in Iraq for babee lovers that yow liberated?
March 1990: After many swummers protest throughout Thatchers layt 1980's
With signs and LOUD chanting
The grystal Leisure Centre wuz born, twice
Pun historic baths jed corpse
It re:open.ed con.plete wid gravy machine,
Ellefonts, Bond.i beach beats and
A Non-competitive swimming pund.
Will a swimmer be free'd from yampy chains ov capitalist slaverewind
When they docked away our baths for them's private
Pools, private betting and private gaming crackers
Save ALL the baths you have
Britomartis Triton Leucothoea Posedawone
[WORLD CLASS START QUALIFIER]
A SWIMMING COMMUNITY STUDY
I have witnessed many swimming facilities - from my home, near where i was born - torn down - and redeveloped, in a way i find unsound and which leaves the community - and the SWIMMING COMMUNITY - with a paddling pool and/or sophisticated private/council run - leisure complex. Complex being the operative word here.
I hope to bring some clarity and add footnotes to the subject of swimming community that i have been writing about fanatically - since the closure of Brierley Hill Leisure Centre - that used to stand by the mighty Merry Hill Center, an event i watched closely, documented and tried to communicate further by writing poetry and writing some letters, i even jumped in the local river and pulled out a shopping trolley - expressing my wishes to the baboon reporter that he mention the closure of Brierley Hill Baths - which they carefully left out from the final article (The Top Image of this Blog.) smile!
One raving letter i sent regarding swimming community was reproduced, with some pictures, in an on-line magazine - you can read it here if you like? (I have since called down and no longer wish to race anybody, although it was tongue in cheek) Still, the council and the private enterprise business enterprise business complex seem to be slowly removing most of the original swimming baths left dotted around the U.K. But who are they, the staff are not responsible, the M.P's hands are tied, the Newsmedia seems to be the only force moving the MESSAGES around. And so a kind of deadlock ensues between a complex of forces, political, economic - mediated by the news, which for the most part is under the management of their corporate owners, and so the cycle of deciet continues and we loose our swimming pools. This is just one model, maybe i am getting old at 33 and not up with the new schemes regarding leisure center's and swimming facilities?
Still, right now, in Coseley - a very similar scenario is taking place, where a swimming baths has been EARMARKED for closure by the Council, against the wishes of many within the local community, and all within the swimming community (with a 2000 + strong facebook group to boot!) I figure that some writing and questioning are a good idea and a contribution to the others, the others who wonder what the hell is going on in Councils across the U.K shutting down swimming baths. (not to mention the other facilities and public spaces being sold off and out by some gambling M.P's and some council members.
Save Coseley Baths? From what or whom? Are people the problem here or is this a matter of circumstances connected with the economic machine? Is everyone just throwing their hands in the air and saying “The pool must close, sorry, we are so sorry but the pool is not safe, and we (who precisely?) do not have enough money to keep the swimming pool open. For what reason do you not have enough money? Have the voting public any say whatsoever in the way non-local government spends their money? Just what are their values? What comes above a swimming baths in their value-system of public related leisure facilities? Does the author or editor (who exactly) really have the authority to say what will or will not happen? Based on whose sources? And written in whose newspeak lingo? Are the authorities really going to make a final decision before ALL THE DATA HAS ARRIVED, like very bad scientists? Is Coseley swimming baths a PUBLIC baths or a PRIVATE baths?
Who defines these things? How many M.P’s or council members do you know? Do you know if they swim? Do you think that it is important for politicians and councillors to swim? Study philosophy and/or Neuro Linguistic Programming? How much more complicated does it seem to say that COSELEY BATHS IS TO STAY OPEN, and to give the scenarios and reasons WHY the baths must STAY open, opposed to repeating the baited headline COSELEY BATHS WILL CLOSE? Can we expect the newsmedia and the news journalists to be of any help when they are owned by huge private corporations? Why can’t the people of Coseley who want the baths to stay open start a private corporation to privately repair and run the pool? Who brokers the deals between leisure services, councils and wrecking crewes? Enough questions? After all, i do not propose to know any of the answers, unlike the Express and Star and the Council and many others, i mean, to be Frank how many of you are really thinking that the swimming baths will close and be reduced to a pile of rubble?
How many of you readers can build - in your imagination - A vision, yes, a vision of a thriving Coseley swimming baths in 2010 and on into the future, a baths with a new or repaired roof and happy familiar staff and a baths with reduced rates. Surely we must keep optimistic thoughts? Optimistic Thoughts are the key to keeping the swimming pool open in Coseley. Don’t let the newspress and the stinking cheats and liars they panda too influence your reading, your own research and intelligent use of the internet? Don’t let me dictate any more questions to you, write some of your own, just do it, Michael Phelps would want you to. Micheal Phelps will help us. He wants the pool to stay open. Jesus would have wanted Coseley baths to stay open, maybe for anointments and walking practice? Mohammed would want the baths to stay open, maybe to enable cleanliness and clarity of mind? The Rabbi’s would want the swimming baths to remain open, maybe because they have some sense of social justice and fairness? Buddhist Monks and the Dali Lama might like to see the baths stay standing? Shakespeare would want the baths to stay open? Mark My Spits.
Coseley Baths is available for community ASSET transfer? (see Worrel Swiiming Baths). Coseley Baths is not the only baths under threat – find the others? What did other swimming clubs do? Do swimming clubs keep in touch about plots and schemes to close down swimming facilities? Maybe a swimming clubs guide to council attack: a case study, or something like that is in order? “Council bosses say their hands are tied by a structural report.” The noose that ties these hands maybe loosened by an independent structural report. IF THEY CAN WAIT FOR ALL THE DATA TO COME IN. And not make a pre-emptive strike on the baths in haste? The community of Coseley and the greater area of Dudley shall not fight to keep the baths open, or protest that the baths (is) closing, no, we shall celebrate the vision of a healthy swimming baths, throw a party, any party - under the moniker of Save The Swimming Baths.
It’s not just Coseley Baths under threat but many around the country, similar forces pushing and pulling down swimming baths for re-development, often not suitable for club swimming, and for private interest. My advice must be to find the others and gather your data. Internet can be your friend.
I am doing an event in aid of Coseley Baths this Thursday - all proceeds going to (a box with “Coseley Baths” written on it) - i await further instructions of what to do with that money, who and what to send it too.
-- Steve Fly.
--The following was written just hours after Brierley Hill Baths was closed and demolished.
I hope to bring some clarity and add footnotes to the subject of swimming community that i have been writing about fanatically - since the closure of Brierley Hill Leisure Centre - that used to stand by the mighty Merry Hill Center, an event i watched closely, documented and tried to communicate further by writing poetry and writing some letters, i even jumped in the local river and pulled out a shopping trolley - expressing my wishes to the baboon reporter that he mention the closure of Brierley Hill Baths - which they carefully left out from the final article (The Top Image of this Blog.) smile!
One raving letter i sent regarding swimming community was reproduced, with some pictures, in an on-line magazine - you can read it here if you like? (I have since called down and no longer wish to race anybody, although it was tongue in cheek) Still, the council and the private enterprise business enterprise business complex seem to be slowly removing most of the original swimming baths left dotted around the U.K. But who are they, the staff are not responsible, the M.P's hands are tied, the Newsmedia seems to be the only force moving the MESSAGES around. And so a kind of deadlock ensues between a complex of forces, political, economic - mediated by the news, which for the most part is under the management of their corporate owners, and so the cycle of deciet continues and we loose our swimming pools. This is just one model, maybe i am getting old at 33 and not up with the new schemes regarding leisure center's and swimming facilities?
Still, right now, in Coseley - a very similar scenario is taking place, where a swimming baths has been EARMARKED for closure by the Council, against the wishes of many within the local community, and all within the swimming community (with a 2000 + strong facebook group to boot!) I figure that some writing and questioning are a good idea and a contribution to the others, the others who wonder what the hell is going on in Councils across the U.K shutting down swimming baths. (not to mention the other facilities and public spaces being sold off and out by some gambling M.P's and some council members.
Save Coseley Baths? From what or whom? Are people the problem here or is this a matter of circumstances connected with the economic machine? Is everyone just throwing their hands in the air and saying “The pool must close, sorry, we are so sorry but the pool is not safe, and we (who precisely?) do not have enough money to keep the swimming pool open. For what reason do you not have enough money? Have the voting public any say whatsoever in the way non-local government spends their money? Just what are their values? What comes above a swimming baths in their value-system of public related leisure facilities? Does the author or editor (who exactly) really have the authority to say what will or will not happen? Based on whose sources? And written in whose newspeak lingo? Are the authorities really going to make a final decision before ALL THE DATA HAS ARRIVED, like very bad scientists? Is Coseley swimming baths a PUBLIC baths or a PRIVATE baths?
Who defines these things? How many M.P’s or council members do you know? Do you know if they swim? Do you think that it is important for politicians and councillors to swim? Study philosophy and/or Neuro Linguistic Programming? How much more complicated does it seem to say that COSELEY BATHS IS TO STAY OPEN, and to give the scenarios and reasons WHY the baths must STAY open, opposed to repeating the baited headline COSELEY BATHS WILL CLOSE? Can we expect the newsmedia and the news journalists to be of any help when they are owned by huge private corporations? Why can’t the people of Coseley who want the baths to stay open start a private corporation to privately repair and run the pool? Who brokers the deals between leisure services, councils and wrecking crewes? Enough questions? After all, i do not propose to know any of the answers, unlike the Express and Star and the Council and many others, i mean, to be Frank how many of you are really thinking that the swimming baths will close and be reduced to a pile of rubble?
How many of you readers can build - in your imagination - A vision, yes, a vision of a thriving Coseley swimming baths in 2010 and on into the future, a baths with a new or repaired roof and happy familiar staff and a baths with reduced rates. Surely we must keep optimistic thoughts? Optimistic Thoughts are the key to keeping the swimming pool open in Coseley. Don’t let the newspress and the stinking cheats and liars they panda too influence your reading, your own research and intelligent use of the internet? Don’t let me dictate any more questions to you, write some of your own, just do it, Michael Phelps would want you to. Micheal Phelps will help us. He wants the pool to stay open. Jesus would have wanted Coseley baths to stay open, maybe for anointments and walking practice? Mohammed would want the baths to stay open, maybe to enable cleanliness and clarity of mind? The Rabbi’s would want the swimming baths to remain open, maybe because they have some sense of social justice and fairness? Buddhist Monks and the Dali Lama might like to see the baths stay standing? Shakespeare would want the baths to stay open? Mark My Spits.
Coseley Baths is available for community ASSET transfer? (see Worrel Swiiming Baths). Coseley Baths is not the only baths under threat – find the others? What did other swimming clubs do? Do swimming clubs keep in touch about plots and schemes to close down swimming facilities? Maybe a swimming clubs guide to council attack: a case study, or something like that is in order? “Council bosses say their hands are tied by a structural report.” The noose that ties these hands maybe loosened by an independent structural report. IF THEY CAN WAIT FOR ALL THE DATA TO COME IN. And not make a pre-emptive strike on the baths in haste? The community of Coseley and the greater area of Dudley shall not fight to keep the baths open, or protest that the baths (is) closing, no, we shall celebrate the vision of a healthy swimming baths, throw a party, any party - under the moniker of Save The Swimming Baths.
It’s not just Coseley Baths under threat but many around the country, similar forces pushing and pulling down swimming baths for re-development, often not suitable for club swimming, and for private interest. My advice must be to find the others and gather your data. Internet can be your friend.
I am doing an event in aid of Coseley Baths this Thursday - all proceeds going to (a box with “Coseley Baths” written on it) - i await further instructions of what to do with that money, who and what to send it too.
-- Steve Fly.
--The following was written just hours after Brierley Hill Baths was closed and demolished.
31st December 2005
Brierley Hill, Black Country, West Midlands, England, Europe, Earth. 4.57 PM
I just now literally had the plug pulled on me at my local swimming baths in Brierley Hill. I was also literally "caged in" like a dangerous shark by very large steel barricades while they emptyed the pool. The water drained from the pool either was or was not drained into the local beautiful Brierley Hill cannal.
My thoughts today are with those who will not get to experience the pleasure of swimming at the baths, its a great refreshing feeling. People having good clean fun and also learning an important skill, which someday may even save their life if they fell into the canal, or got into deep water while on holiday in the ocean.
As i was a past fully qualiflyed lifeguard at Stourbridge Crystal leisure center nearby, i fully understand and beg for forgiveness from the Dudley Metropolitan Borough staff slaving away at Brierley Hill swimming baths, and i swear on my Midland district title that this will not happen again. Ever again. Unless they refill and reopen the pool. Sorry for questioning your authority and not following your orders to leave the pool, i also would like to apologize for diving in the shallow end and petting once or twice in the pool some years back. I also apologise for squeezing and massaging some female breasts at Brierley Hill baths, forgive me farther for my sins.
I am a big supporter and interested participant in health and fitness around the black Country, West Midlands and In Great Britain generally. In fact i would like to see the whole world become more able to experience the pleasures and envigerating qualities of such sports as swimming, football, cricket, basketball, track and field etc. I hope in the future that our so called representatives from all nations around the world will factor in the need for investment and facilities for sport and leisure activities.
Today happens to be the last day that Great Britain holds the presidency of the council of the Knu-European Union. To commemorate this historic event in passing i would once again like to draw attention to the closure of our local leisure centre and swimming pool and contrast it, if you will, with the ever expanding economic growth and retail industry that has been born from the corporate capitalist venture called Merry Hill shopping and business center.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Phelps is yet another great role model for cannabis
To cont...(snipped from the west Oakland Leaf)
Phelps is yet another great role model for cannabis
By Paul Armentano* NORML
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps joins a growing list of successful Americans who enjoy marijuana during their down time. This tabloid news story made international headlines. Phelps is hardly alone in his herbal inclinations. According to national and federal surveys, nearly one out of two Americans have tried weed.
Consumers include people from all walks of life. America’s current President said he smoked cannabis regularly as a young man. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former Vice President Al Gore, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and astronomer Carl Sagan all admitted cannabis use.
According to the US government, 70 percent of current cannabis users are gainfully employed. Statistically, most cannabis users are successful academically and financially. A National Bureau of Economic Research study even reported that cannabis use is associated with earning higher wages.
Some former and current users — like Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson, Progressive Auto Insurance founder Peter Lewis, and New York State Mayor Michael Bloomberg — are even multi-millionaires.
Perhaps our fascination with this story is because Phelps is recognized as one of the most talented and successful athletes today. He holds the record for the most gold medals won by any athlete in history. Phelps isn’t an anomaly in this regard either. Many top athletes use cannabis off the field — noting that it helps them to relax after the excitement of sports competition and alleviate the pain from nagging injuries. It won’t leave them with a hangover or adversely impact their performance the next day.
A 2007 New York Times investigation estimated that up to 70 percent of pro-basketball players occasionally indulge in the use of pot. Many high profile football players — most notably Miami Dolphins star running-back Ricky Williams, former Dallas Cowboys all-star Mark Stepnoski, and even Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes have spoken candidly about their off-field cannabis use. Canadian snowboarder and 1998 Winter Olympics gold medal winner Ross Rebagliati tested positive for cannabis use in the days prior to his history-making performance.
There will always be some who will criticize Phelps because they believe the 14-time gold medalist is sending a poor message to young children—that you can smoke cannabis and still be successful in life. Well, sorry that the truth hurts.
According to a recent University of Alberta study, the majority of adults who use cannabis do so as a pastime to “enhance relaxation.” Researchers concluded that their use is intended to enhance leisure activities and manage the challenges and demands of living in contemporary modern society. Participants reported using cannabis because it enhanced relaxation and concentration, making a broad range of leisure activities more enjoyable and pleasurable.
No doubt Michael Phelps indulged in the use of cannabis for these very same reasons. He ought not to be condemned for it nor branded a criminal for his actions. For that matter, neither should anyone else.
* Armentano is Policy Analyst for NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
Phelps, hypocrisy ... and the Kellogg’s boycott
By Bruce Mirken* Marijuana Policy Project
Cereal giant Kellogg’s announced in early February that it won’t renew Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps’ endorsement contract because he’s been photographed apparently smoking marijuana. While hypocrisy is hardly rare in American life, this struck many as a particularly egregious example.
It’s causing thousands of Americans to swear off Rice Krispies and other Kellogg’s products. A boycott endorsed by the Marijuana Policy Project, Drug Policy Alliance, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and others was launched in February.
“Michael’s most recent behavior is not consistent with the image of Kellogg,” a company spokesperson told Ad Age.
Bear in mind that in 2004, Phelps pleaded guilty to drunk driving. But apparently that offense — also illegal, and it actually might have resulted in someone being hurt or killed — was not an issue for Kellogg’s.
As of this writing, baseball star Alex Rodriguez had not lost any of his endorsement deals even after admitting use of banned steroids -- an overt attempt to cheat at his chosen sport.
That athletes drink is hardly news. If Phelps had been photographed hoisting a beer, no one would have said a word. Yet, there is simply no question that if one wants to relax with a mood-altering substance, cannabis is far safer than alcohol.
Alcohol is more addictive. According to the Institute of Medicine, 15 percent of those who ever drink become dependent on alcohol; for cannabis, it’s said to be nine percent (and for tobacco, 32 percent).
Alcohol is massively more toxic. Every year, people die from alcohol overdoses, too often in college drinking parties and the like. And the chronic effects of heavy alcohol use, like liver damage, kill thousands upon thousands more. There has never been a medically documented cannabis overdose fatality, and the chronic effects of even heavy cannabis use are relatively mild and decidedly non-lethal.
Unlike cannabis, alcohol tends to make users reckless, aggressive and violent. As a review in the journal Addictive Behaviors explained, “Alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication-violence relationship. ... Cannabis reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxication...”
So a boycott is on. The reaction to MPP’s initial email alert about it was huge.
Realistically, boycotts are hard to pull off, and many more fizzle out than succeed. But cannabis consumers are a huge market: According to federal surveys, 100 million Americans acknowledge having used it, and nearly 15 million admit using it in the past month. And millions more who don’t use cannabis agree that prohibition is irrational and far more dangerous than cannabis itself.
If that sleeping giant has been awakened, it could get interesting; and Phelps could find new products to endorse.
* Mirken is director of communications for MPP , mpp.org
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
SWIMMING ALL OVER AGAIN: THE CON.
To keep my stroke and composure, to keep my head, while the swimming pool is drained. To stay calm when all the water has gone and i am left flapping around on the tiles like a shark out of water.
To keep breathing in rhythm, no matter what is happening outside the pool, out of the waterworld where i live. Keep breathing, don't loose your nerve. Keep breathing. Think of happy flowing thoughts.
To continue counting in my head while i swim, counting the amount of pools in the local area, and calculating the provision for swimming based upon statistical data concerning population, provision and church/state boundaries.
Lets follow the nature of swimming, the peaceful and relatively silent meandering through the thicker atmosphere of water, pushing and pulling, working the cardiovascular regions, and joints and muscles together.
Let swimmers weigh their words against the experience of swimming itself, and then let non-swimmers weigh their words about swimming, the importance of swimming, the finance, health, business and provision of facilities to swim in.
"maybe GOD didn't wear any trunks?" Billy said laughing a belly laugh.
"But he sure plays dice". Jan replied.
COMPREHENSIVE SWIMMING EDUCATION.
Swimming is an activity that is defined by each and every individual swimmer, and the incorporation of swimming, as a practical model - for advancing other activities and academic areas of research is limited only by access to WATER itself. But, human access to water, and water deep enough to swim in is not simply for everyone and anyone. You need a license to swim (in most lakes or out in the Channel) and some money and often transport to get to that rare pool of WATER. Still, human beings and water mix well and human beings will only find helpful and healthy information when they look at swimming - the activity itself, in the future, but splitting the activity of swimming from the practical requirement of having a swimming pool of water to swim in, becomes more difficult when confronted with a tidal-wave of old swimming pools closing, in favour of smaller paddling pools and pools with rounded edges and hot water, too hot for any serious swimmer who likes to propel themselves through the water using their hands, legs and body i.e to swim.
Maybe the paddling pool type water holes could be incorporated into the shopping malls and trendy night club spots, due to the ease with which people can just hop in and paddle about, wading in the water, maybe drinking a cocktail drink?
Lack of information: Everything and everybody benefits from a better flow of information. Swimming has some structural similarities with the flow of information and brings up, to my mind, the fields in which the future of the field lies. Movement through any given medium.
1. Dudley Council is not a human being, it is the name of a group of people and their ideas about government. So i ask why the majority of the news press quote Dudley Council as saying? They mean a spokesperson, for D.C. said... And they might name that person, or at least name the people who most strongly reflected the opinion contained within the quote.
2. Swimming is recognized as a universal individual human right, most governments, or those with sufficient resources - in the mostly white richer nations - advise that swimming be available to every man, women and child. Something about the richer nations around the world that seems commendable, a truly shared public facility that brings an equal pleasure and healthy option to 2009 electronic culture, coercive education and whatever else lies out there awaiting us in civilization. Swimming remains a form of sensory deprivation and isolation too, along with being a perfect environment for group activities, games, even sport (if that word can be equated with good spirited, fair play, in 2009?) WATER provides a unique environment for human exploration of both inner and outer worlds. More specifically clean and temperate water deeper that 8 feet, and pools longer than 20 meters. To mix measurments - another trick employed by those obssive compulsive people who also define geographical boundaries, activity design parameters and finance for so called - sporting - provisions.
3. Knowledge, education, good speech and right mind are ingrediants not usually associated with swimming, a physical activity that has not spawned many philosophers and/or artists. After all, look how well a fish can swim, how fast and efficient, compared with a human being. If the activity does not involves some kind of languaging facility, or human feedback through language - then what is the difference between man and fish, or man and dolphin, to use a better analogy? An Olympian then, in some sense should be one who combines disciplines, using one's atheletic ability to then share the fruits of spending so much time involved within a sporting activity. What wisdom and knowledge they must have to share with the world, wisdom and knowledge concerning discipline, sacrifice, mental agility and meta-programming of the human bio-computer.
4. Dr. John C. Lilly - whom i met and have studied as a layman for over 10 years has provided a huge body of work defining the importance of WATER for human beings, other species and the planet itself. Way beyond the scope of what i have said so far, Dr. John Lilly does however bring the field of swimming and water activity to another plane all together. And as a world recognized scientists his results and findings can be used as more evidence and support for the more basic principles of human access to bodies of water, and the provision for swimming and/or floating: a unique innovation of Mr. Lilly that brings many of the benefits of a reduced gravitational field or suspension in a body of water - into the home and private space of the individual. Something that individuals and governments should consider as a means of providing some, but not all, of the benfits of a body of WATER for a human beings to relax in. Yes, like a bath, but larger, filled with epsom salts and in combination with a learning and creative program, or not.
5. High level competition and sporting meets between different teams, nations and atheletes can also lead to policy revision and the involvement of the best people in any given activity - getting involved, having a say, and being recognized for their achievemt - not with a flag - but with some words, the ability and with encouragement the wisdom to share their knowledge and well deserved place as an authority, spending most of their life engaged in the activity they excel in. The arena of interactive competitions and meets of sportspeople - the sports grounds - might one day compare statistics and data about swimming within their local area, data about the amount of swimming provisions made available compared with the population and usage data. Why not? Surely those most deeply involved with the activity - swimming in this case - would be looking to turn on others to their art and craft, by way of helping to provide provisions for such an activity? Maybe highly trained sports people often loose a grasp on reality, the communal reality and remain submerged in a world dominated by training the body and stilling the mind - which is a very helpful program - but, seem to be very self-contained as both teams, and competitive individuals. Swimming does not see the kind of media attenstion football does, yet swimming is a more popular activity and is aeons older. This imbalance between different sports poses problums for those arguing for rather unique, specific and very expensive provisions for the activity.
6. Natural resources. I feel that humanity should at least make a picture and model of urban environments that make the maximum use of WATER ways, both natural and artificial and consider the possibility that one day, in the future, cities and towns may open up the water ways for swimmers and water revelers. Visualize a sprawling aqua park, where humans, nature and human-nature industry thrive together. Adequate activity provisions, clean water and access to good and frequently updated information. Visualize a utopian kind of Atlantis across the planet where intelligent WATER builds everything, molds, erodes and reduces gravitational forces. Intelligent WATER itself, may build these new cities, after the humans fail to read the signs about the importance of swimming, aquatic survival, water flow and rhythm, fluid-hydrodynamics, Ceteacean physiology, oceanography, swimming provisions for humans living in crowded areas.
7. The OLYMPICS? and the question of sports, for the individual and the nation and the relationship between the two, represneting one's nation in a sporting activity brings up many semantical and ideological paradoxes. Not least the poverty and closure of hundreds of sporting facilites, as a result of making provisions for the elite - Olympic one-off games and events - due to take place in Great Britain Summer 2012. More than this though, is the deeper Olympic ideal, to try to put a positive sporting gloss on this world famous Greek-American influenced meeting of developing nations in a sporting environment, where the best can compete tohgether on an international stage. But what do we the peole get from this? a sense of patriotism, wonder and media titilation? Inspiration to go and DO a healthy activity? soft entertainment and something better than the usual electronic and newspaper programing? A window for big business and international finance corporations to shop their customers products and ideas to the gigantic AUDIENCE, connected to the games via telecommunications technology, monopolized out of existence and out of the hands of any good natured sports fan, who might want to record their greatest sporting hero - to watch and learn agin, just how they DO it! Nike, Addidas and other sport pimps might consider a sponsor versus sponsorer - intercamp - competition, where they can switch roles and compete, communicate and work out. The executives and board members can run the marathon while some ethiopian and African runners dictate the next three years of sponsorship policy, money allocation, brand and A&R issues.
8. Music and sport. A structural affinity? Rhythm, anticipation, improvisation, dexterity, staminar, breathing, balance, practice, competitive spirit? yet, other than some boozed up football songs, what has popular entertainment done to promote sports and music? Celebrity come dancing with a Rugby player or tripple jumping showbuisness rooky? And yet all the above similarities mentioned above remain. Maybe this lack of cross-over is due to the rigid governing bodies of most sporting institutions compared with the flexible nature of music - which has that extra degree of communication of self expression through ART, that sports lack for the most part. Music also plays with the human emotions by using a more detailed language of vibration, rhythm, melody and often counterpoint. Sports, concentrate on the activity at hand and how to win the game or race. Music, is not really a race, whereas sports are often forced into racing for the title of the best. In music the question of the best is more of a utalitarian issue of subjective taste and accomplishment over a long period of time, but both sharing an equal commitment, dedication and discipline required to excel and master a particular activity. So, what might be the musical equivalent of such a master sportsman as Micheal Phelps - the 8 gold winning, bong smoking swimmer? John Coltrane? Elton John? Jimi Hendrix, Bach? Johnny Cash? Beethoven? how do you estimate musical ability and mastery? by the use of the vibrational physics that rule the musical environment? Public acceptence? Press reviews and popular opinion? innovation and starting of new trends like Duke Ellington and Theolonious Monk
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Conspiracy?
The great swimming Conspiracy SCRIPT goes something like this:
Swimming facilities are being torn down and demolished to make way for leisure centers and for private health clubs. Although technically - once Public swimming facilities, they now are quasi private-public entities due to the wrestling of public owned property, services and facilities in Great Britain over the last 25 years. In 2009 the multi-billion pound sport and leisure industry has turned into a shambles of mixed signals and hypocritical actions, with every government controlled sport and leisure group failing to acknowledge the growing trend, and frankly suspicious repetative cycles of mis management, low maintanence and rapid demolishion of our old traditional British swimming pools, in a favour of the providing a more Hawiian aqua experience in a fun paddling pool, with water slides and wave-machine. Not only energy wastful and impractical fad's, but the un-rectangular and un-square shaped swimming baths, so common these days up and down the UK are next to useless for anybody wishing to improve upon their swimming technique, cardio-vascular fitness, or play water-polo. The idea's and thinking from the British Government and its regional outposts seems much like the swimming pools which they encourage to be built around Britain: Shallow!
By proposing a conspiracy, i am raising the game on the authorities and Government agencies, they have continued upon a certain trajectory and have made a familiar pattern with their wrecking balls and bullshit in their wake, where once stood swimming baths of significant beauty and containing much Great British heritage.
The Conspiritors:
1. The Government Agencies responsible for swimming provision:
2. The Private business partners who rent out the swimming facility, at profit.
3. The ASA Swimming Association and their association with some of Britains greatest polluters, usurers and energy pirates.
4. The Olympic Committee and the elite few who dictate Billions of Pounds of sports finance and management, again, in partnership with the worlds greatest crooks, fraudsters and cheats. McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Addidas. Maybe AIG will become an Olympic sponsor?
5. Most Sports Governing Bodies, who keep silent about the dirty tricks and cheats being played upon the unsuspecting players themselves.
6. The Newspress partners and media marketing army, for not giving the public the data, or anything resembling the facts and forces involved in these sly political games played out in front of us. Shame on them.
I hope to use this model for a short TV series, or comedy set inside a swimming baths. But not the Brittas empire.
Swimming the Merciless A.K.A Mark My Spits.
To keep breathing in rhythm, no matter what is happening outside the pool, out of the waterworld where i live. Keep breathing, don't loose your nerve. Keep breathing. Think of happy flowing thoughts.
To continue counting in my head while i swim, counting the amount of pools in the local area, and calculating the provision for swimming based upon statistical data concerning population, provision and church/state boundaries.
Lets follow the nature of swimming, the peaceful and relatively silent meandering through the thicker atmosphere of water, pushing and pulling, working the cardiovascular regions, and joints and muscles together.
Let swimmers weigh their words against the experience of swimming itself, and then let non-swimmers weigh their words about swimming, the importance of swimming, the finance, health, business and provision of facilities to swim in.
"maybe GOD didn't wear any trunks?" Billy said laughing a belly laugh.
"But he sure plays dice". Jan replied.
COMPREHENSIVE SWIMMING EDUCATION.
Swimming is an activity that is defined by each and every individual swimmer, and the incorporation of swimming, as a practical model - for advancing other activities and academic areas of research is limited only by access to WATER itself. But, human access to water, and water deep enough to swim in is not simply for everyone and anyone. You need a license to swim (in most lakes or out in the Channel) and some money and often transport to get to that rare pool of WATER. Still, human beings and water mix well and human beings will only find helpful and healthy information when they look at swimming - the activity itself, in the future, but splitting the activity of swimming from the practical requirement of having a swimming pool of water to swim in, becomes more difficult when confronted with a tidal-wave of old swimming pools closing, in favour of smaller paddling pools and pools with rounded edges and hot water, too hot for any serious swimmer who likes to propel themselves through the water using their hands, legs and body i.e to swim.
Maybe the paddling pool type water holes could be incorporated into the shopping malls and trendy night club spots, due to the ease with which people can just hop in and paddle about, wading in the water, maybe drinking a cocktail drink?
Lack of information: Everything and everybody benefits from a better flow of information. Swimming has some structural similarities with the flow of information and brings up, to my mind, the fields in which the future of the field lies. Movement through any given medium.
1. Dudley Council is not a human being, it is the name of a group of people and their ideas about government. So i ask why the majority of the news press quote Dudley Council as saying? They mean a spokesperson, for D.C. said... And they might name that person, or at least name the people who most strongly reflected the opinion contained within the quote.
2. Swimming is recognized as a universal individual human right, most governments, or those with sufficient resources - in the mostly white richer nations - advise that swimming be available to every man, women and child. Something about the richer nations around the world that seems commendable, a truly shared public facility that brings an equal pleasure and healthy option to 2009 electronic culture, coercive education and whatever else lies out there awaiting us in civilization. Swimming remains a form of sensory deprivation and isolation too, along with being a perfect environment for group activities, games, even sport (if that word can be equated with good spirited, fair play, in 2009?) WATER provides a unique environment for human exploration of both inner and outer worlds. More specifically clean and temperate water deeper that 8 feet, and pools longer than 20 meters. To mix measurments - another trick employed by those obssive compulsive people who also define geographical boundaries, activity design parameters and finance for so called - sporting - provisions.
3. Knowledge, education, good speech and right mind are ingrediants not usually associated with swimming, a physical activity that has not spawned many philosophers and/or artists. After all, look how well a fish can swim, how fast and efficient, compared with a human being. If the activity does not involves some kind of languaging facility, or human feedback through language - then what is the difference between man and fish, or man and dolphin, to use a better analogy? An Olympian then, in some sense should be one who combines disciplines, using one's atheletic ability to then share the fruits of spending so much time involved within a sporting activity. What wisdom and knowledge they must have to share with the world, wisdom and knowledge concerning discipline, sacrifice, mental agility and meta-programming of the human bio-computer.
4. Dr. John C. Lilly - whom i met and have studied as a layman for over 10 years has provided a huge body of work defining the importance of WATER for human beings, other species and the planet itself. Way beyond the scope of what i have said so far, Dr. John Lilly does however bring the field of swimming and water activity to another plane all together. And as a world recognized scientists his results and findings can be used as more evidence and support for the more basic principles of human access to bodies of water, and the provision for swimming and/or floating: a unique innovation of Mr. Lilly that brings many of the benefits of a reduced gravitational field or suspension in a body of water - into the home and private space of the individual. Something that individuals and governments should consider as a means of providing some, but not all, of the benfits of a body of WATER for a human beings to relax in. Yes, like a bath, but larger, filled with epsom salts and in combination with a learning and creative program, or not.
5. High level competition and sporting meets between different teams, nations and atheletes can also lead to policy revision and the involvement of the best people in any given activity - getting involved, having a say, and being recognized for their achievemt - not with a flag - but with some words, the ability and with encouragement the wisdom to share their knowledge and well deserved place as an authority, spending most of their life engaged in the activity they excel in. The arena of interactive competitions and meets of sportspeople - the sports grounds - might one day compare statistics and data about swimming within their local area, data about the amount of swimming provisions made available compared with the population and usage data. Why not? Surely those most deeply involved with the activity - swimming in this case - would be looking to turn on others to their art and craft, by way of helping to provide provisions for such an activity? Maybe highly trained sports people often loose a grasp on reality, the communal reality and remain submerged in a world dominated by training the body and stilling the mind - which is a very helpful program - but, seem to be very self-contained as both teams, and competitive individuals. Swimming does not see the kind of media attenstion football does, yet swimming is a more popular activity and is aeons older. This imbalance between different sports poses problums for those arguing for rather unique, specific and very expensive provisions for the activity.
6. Natural resources. I feel that humanity should at least make a picture and model of urban environments that make the maximum use of WATER ways, both natural and artificial and consider the possibility that one day, in the future, cities and towns may open up the water ways for swimmers and water revelers. Visualize a sprawling aqua park, where humans, nature and human-nature industry thrive together. Adequate activity provisions, clean water and access to good and frequently updated information. Visualize a utopian kind of Atlantis across the planet where intelligent WATER builds everything, molds, erodes and reduces gravitational forces. Intelligent WATER itself, may build these new cities, after the humans fail to read the signs about the importance of swimming, aquatic survival, water flow and rhythm, fluid-hydrodynamics, Ceteacean physiology, oceanography, swimming provisions for humans living in crowded areas.
7. The OLYMPICS? and the question of sports, for the individual and the nation and the relationship between the two, represneting one's nation in a sporting activity brings up many semantical and ideological paradoxes. Not least the poverty and closure of hundreds of sporting facilites, as a result of making provisions for the elite - Olympic one-off games and events - due to take place in Great Britain Summer 2012. More than this though, is the deeper Olympic ideal, to try to put a positive sporting gloss on this world famous Greek-American influenced meeting of developing nations in a sporting environment, where the best can compete tohgether on an international stage. But what do we the peole get from this? a sense of patriotism, wonder and media titilation? Inspiration to go and DO a healthy activity? soft entertainment and something better than the usual electronic and newspaper programing? A window for big business and international finance corporations to shop their customers products and ideas to the gigantic AUDIENCE, connected to the games via telecommunications technology, monopolized out of existence and out of the hands of any good natured sports fan, who might want to record their greatest sporting hero - to watch and learn agin, just how they DO it! Nike, Addidas and other sport pimps might consider a sponsor versus sponsorer - intercamp - competition, where they can switch roles and compete, communicate and work out. The executives and board members can run the marathon while some ethiopian and African runners dictate the next three years of sponsorship policy, money allocation, brand and A&R issues.
8. Music and sport. A structural affinity? Rhythm, anticipation, improvisation, dexterity, staminar, breathing, balance, practice, competitive spirit? yet, other than some boozed up football songs, what has popular entertainment done to promote sports and music? Celebrity come dancing with a Rugby player or tripple jumping showbuisness rooky? And yet all the above similarities mentioned above remain. Maybe this lack of cross-over is due to the rigid governing bodies of most sporting institutions compared with the flexible nature of music - which has that extra degree of communication of self expression through ART, that sports lack for the most part. Music also plays with the human emotions by using a more detailed language of vibration, rhythm, melody and often counterpoint. Sports, concentrate on the activity at hand and how to win the game or race. Music, is not really a race, whereas sports are often forced into racing for the title of the best. In music the question of the best is more of a utalitarian issue of subjective taste and accomplishment over a long period of time, but both sharing an equal commitment, dedication and discipline required to excel and master a particular activity. So, what might be the musical equivalent of such a master sportsman as Micheal Phelps - the 8 gold winning, bong smoking swimmer? John Coltrane? Elton John? Jimi Hendrix, Bach? Johnny Cash? Beethoven? how do you estimate musical ability and mastery? by the use of the vibrational physics that rule the musical environment? Public acceptence? Press reviews and popular opinion? innovation and starting of new trends like Duke Ellington and Theolonious Monk
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Conspiracy?
The great swimming Conspiracy SCRIPT goes something like this:
Swimming facilities are being torn down and demolished to make way for leisure centers and for private health clubs. Although technically - once Public swimming facilities, they now are quasi private-public entities due to the wrestling of public owned property, services and facilities in Great Britain over the last 25 years. In 2009 the multi-billion pound sport and leisure industry has turned into a shambles of mixed signals and hypocritical actions, with every government controlled sport and leisure group failing to acknowledge the growing trend, and frankly suspicious repetative cycles of mis management, low maintanence and rapid demolishion of our old traditional British swimming pools, in a favour of the providing a more Hawiian aqua experience in a fun paddling pool, with water slides and wave-machine. Not only energy wastful and impractical fad's, but the un-rectangular and un-square shaped swimming baths, so common these days up and down the UK are next to useless for anybody wishing to improve upon their swimming technique, cardio-vascular fitness, or play water-polo. The idea's and thinking from the British Government and its regional outposts seems much like the swimming pools which they encourage to be built around Britain: Shallow!
By proposing a conspiracy, i am raising the game on the authorities and Government agencies, they have continued upon a certain trajectory and have made a familiar pattern with their wrecking balls and bullshit in their wake, where once stood swimming baths of significant beauty and containing much Great British heritage.
The Conspiritors:
1. The Government Agencies responsible for swimming provision:
2. The Private business partners who rent out the swimming facility, at profit.
3. The ASA Swimming Association and their association with some of Britains greatest polluters, usurers and energy pirates.
4. The Olympic Committee and the elite few who dictate Billions of Pounds of sports finance and management, again, in partnership with the worlds greatest crooks, fraudsters and cheats. McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Addidas. Maybe AIG will become an Olympic sponsor?
5. Most Sports Governing Bodies, who keep silent about the dirty tricks and cheats being played upon the unsuspecting players themselves.
6. The Newspress partners and media marketing army, for not giving the public the data, or anything resembling the facts and forces involved in these sly political games played out in front of us. Shame on them.
I hope to use this model for a short TV series, or comedy set inside a swimming baths. But not the Brittas empire.
Swimming the Merciless A.K.A Mark My Spits.
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