Sunday, February 12, 2006

The Surrealist Dalek

I swear this is one of the funniest things I saw online tonight.

Course I may be hyper from too much coffee.

The Surrealist Dalek: "
The Surrealist Dalek
Click on the Dalek for another A lazy flashback addition to the empire of The Surrealist.
"

Video Shows Iraqi's being beaten by British Soldiers

Go to the NOTW website for the horrible video and see what your taxes pay for yourself.

News Of the World - Online Edition: "SHAMED BY 42 BRAINLESS BLOWS

By Robert Kellaway

TODAY we expose a rogue squad of British soldiers who savagely attacked a defenceless bunch of Iraqi teenagers —and with 42 brutal blows brought shame on our nation and its proud army."

Saturday, February 11, 2006

2nd Part of Flicker and Two Photographs

Wandering around Cumbernauld with my camera occasionally turns out to be a fortuitous experience. I assume these were either added for Cumbernauld Park, or are a harking back to the long lost Cumbernauld Castle. Answers on a postards... (hell, even just tell me what the crest is).



From the Cumbernauld News: "...the Dovecote which took pride of place in the grounds of the long-disappeared Cumbernauld Castle. When the ancestral seat of the Flemings, Cumbernauld House was created, there it remained. It was in its own way a symbol of power as only landowners were allowed to keep and kill birds."


I'll insert merely a section continued from the last part of a short story I had on here called "Flicker". Anyway, you can see for yourself:


The Diary of Jacob Strachan - Day 2 - Voice Recording (vocals slightly garbled, but still audible above a track behind it - Coriolan by Beethoven)

The monster at the centre of the Milky Way is a serene, apocalyptic novelty from the beginnings of the universe.

First, let me take you past Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, through the Ice Giants and past that shard of frozen methane, Pluto and on, into the darkness, through that void until we pass the vast spears of Alpha and Proxima Centauri…

Continue, further, until we reach the chaos and wonderment of our Galaxy as we spin into the gravity well of the supermassive Sagittarius A Black Hole. The beast, unkempt and isolated and the centre of the dance ring, twirls like a performer and waits until straying asteroids, comets and stars find themselves slipping and fall, descend, plummet into the archaic void and breathe the stale, crushed air and dark light of the centre, the beginning, of the antipodes of our home.

All of this, crushed beyond the repair of even the most advanced civilisation.

All of this, a Ballet to your worthless heritage.

One day a brother, a remnant of long dead heavens having bred a civilisation of its own, too immense to survive for any sustained era went Supernova, collapsed, and drew the rest of the universe into itself. There were no seasons, no winds, no snow, no icy Armageddon here, but death and fear. However, it will stray into our Solar System, and on day one, swallow Pluto with little more than a smile. Day Two, it will draw Neptune and Uranus out to it with more violence, but still, no apparent regret. Inexorably drawn to the leviathans of our Solar System, Jupiter and Saturn, they will swirl and disintegrate away before your telescopic eyes, and it will be the end of time and hope. By then, we will have nothing, no hope, no fear, no four-minute warning because everything is doomed. If we are lucky, we will merely disintegrate on our own, instead of surviving the melancholy firestorm of Solar Flares previously unimagined.

The thing is, though, your civilisation will not be remembered when the Sun is pulled apart and the atmosphere ripped from the Earth in little more than an hour. Everything you have fought for, campaigned for, worked for, is now nothing but the swirling dust clouds disappearing beyond time, beyond the event horizon of the last Black Hole your civilisation will ever witness, and you will disappear into that un-calculating Id void. It’s laughable, but you are now little more than an atom, where once you were Gods.

It is cold, it is terrifying, but it is the basic building block of the universe. An example of Gravity at it’s most malingering and violent. There is no sentience; it is merely a universal law ripping a hole in space-time. It merely exists: thoughtless, cold, persistent and inevitable.

Rape the sweetheart you’ve been too shy to talk to; masturbate over the cold, dead eyes of your employer. Quickly… try to find the meaning in the novel you never read. Beat the worthless souls of your enemies to a pulp.

In the aimless brutality the universe concocted at its conception, all peace is pointless. Every second is the Revelation of Saint John. You should climb onto the stage and stand, be a preacher slamming his fist on the pulpit. Taunt the crowd with your unsatisfactory truth. Everything is disappearing into the void, and you, clearly, are nothing within this bright, beautiful, brutal cosmos.

It is your last chance to avoid being the worm swallowing earth for meaningless microscopic tunnels, your last chance to evolve, to be something more. The pretty ones want the pretty ones, so you may as well have what you want since the universe did not create morals or vague, delightful rules for a better ascension into a greater, more energetic realm. Your pretty friends created that when they lied to you. The universe wants to slam giant slabs of ice the size of your town into gas giants and water worlds. This is the meaningless heritage of your nation; it is your heirloom, your reward for sitting through your lawyers numb words when he reads you the destination alpha of the Will to the Hyenas you call your Brothers and Sisters.

I speak, humbly, as a witness.


Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Deus Ex Machina

"Your carnation will rot in a vase" - Derek W Dick.

Some of my Scottish readers may be perplexed by my insistant interest in Neurocam, the Austalian (initially) internet offering and even more perplexed my self-indulgent references to assignments I can't mention, and news that is of little relevance to you.

Neurocam is about perception and creativity, with tantalising echoes of 60s Spy movies and becomes a genre in of itself. Robin Hely, the alleged creator, is a genius. Those that seem to have spoke to him seem to hate the guy. I haven't and don't. I guess that's the price of genius.

I joined because I felt I had a lesson to learn in those two qualities I mentioned in paragraph two (the quote doesn't count).

And now, tragically, while I was still eager enough, it seems to have collapsed in on itself. The website is closed, there were two blogs blowing the roof off the whole theatre. A Blog by "Another Operative" and another by "Teigan" were masterpieces of anger and regret. Teigan's Blog is now free of the rage, but AO's isn't. AO's is Watergate for the Neurobabies.

On the right hand side of this page you'll notice a link that's been up there for a few months to Chris Titan in reciprocation for a link he gave me. I called him an internet prophet, and in Neurocam terms I was right. Small comfort since I fucking liked the experience thus far... He predicted everything. He might've have written the script for all I know.

I joined because it was art that seemed to connect with the disaffected. How can anyone disagree with that? Whether it was pointless or playacting it was still relevant. As Hely and at one point Teigan said: Tarnishing it is like throwing shit in an art gallery.

If it's done, then Hely has his conclusion to his artwork. As an artist myself I envy him that.

So, what can Scots learn from this? I think we tend to rant at the apathetic, rather than trying to seduce them. Neurocam seduced the apathetic of the world with an irreverence and a charm that you don't often witness. At times dodgy, at other's mysterious, and eventually it burned out like Jim Morrison and Sid Vicious. It was Jim Morrison at New Haven; Johnny Rotten spitting that: "Don't you feel like you've been cheated?" And we, as a culture, don't have that. What Scots have is tragic and porcelain and that saddens me.

So why do I want something for Scotland: perceptive, corny, mysterious and dramatic? Because we need to expand our own perceptions by delving into the surreal and confronting our own subconscious.

An Australian Artist touched the sky with something that only about perception and creativity. Tell me you don't want that for Alba... Caledonia... Scotland... Jock Tamson's Bairns...

"So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.

It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life." Time of your Life - Green Day

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

DotSCO Letters 3

Comrades,

We have three more “DotSCO” letters. Two via Red Larry in Dundee, and one to myself.

First, to Red Larry’s Letters:


Dear Mr xxxxx
 
Thank you for your letter of 2nd February regarding the campaign for a Scottish Domain Name on the Internet.
 
I am happy to state my support for the campaign. Please do let me know if there is anything practicle that you would wish me to do from my end.
 
With best wishes
 
Yours sincerely
 
Stewart Srevenson MSP


Also reply from:  Kate MacLean MSP acknowledges with thanks the receipt of your communication of 2/2/06, the contents of which have been noted.
 
(She sent this in a postcard)


Dear Mr Sheerin,

Thank you for your letter regarding a DotSCO domain name.

My colleague Rob Gibson, MSP, Convener of the Scots Cross Party Group for the Scots Language, has been actively involved in widening the dotSCO campaign, which I have enclosed a copy of two articles that were written about this last November that I hope you will find of interest.

The campaigners hope to communicate with as many users as possible, ranging from the producers of Scottish Traditional Music CDs to individuals like the current Mairi Mhor fellowship holder, Fiona MacKenzie of Dingwall. It is hoped the possibility of raising their public awareness, and association with all things Scottish, will provide the spur necessary for them to become involved and grow the campaign.
I will keep your details on file and will be in touch once I have further information on the campaign.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes,


Yours Sincerely,

Michael Matheson MSP
SNP-Central Scotland

Articles enclosed available on web via the main dotSCO website.



Six down out of thirteen. All positive, which is a good thing. NO LABOUR REPLIES! Can you say: “Hiding in cupboards?” Why is it so difficult to get a reply out of Labour? They can’t say it was lost. All five of my envelopes were in the same post bag, in the same sorting office in Cumbernauld.

I liked Michael Matheson’s reply. It expanded the point onto other relevant issues.

Like it.  

We’ll see where this Shinto goes.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Sheriffmuir Anti Pylons Demo and today's news

From the photos underneath this post, you can see I went along to the most recent demonstration against putting Electricity Pylons over the Battlefield Site of Sheriffmuir.

Most of the people I spoke to there seemed concerned about the numbers. Being a bit of a veteran of various protests here and there I think that it simply is a matter of momentum. You can't build anything without preparation and, more importantly, time. The fact that it's only the second demo against (specifically) the Sheriffmuir section of the Pylons and they had an increased turnout is remarkable in of itself.

In his speech, Michael of Albany said that he wanted another Demo in Stirling to try and pick up support in one of the areas affected by the Super-Pylons. Your narrator is struggling to find anything "super" about nearby kids getting Lukemia or about the inherently Labour Party ideals regarding the Bastardisation, disrespect and rampant humiliation of Scottish History.

I initially was troubled when the Chief of the Clan Fraser went up to speak. I wondered what he could possibly have to add that the actual campaigners couldn't. And, inevitably, I was proved wrong. His ancestors fought there. His ancestors repelled ten Hanoverian charges before succuming to fate and writing themselves into history. Who else better to speak for them than their own descendant?

Ken Shirra, the Knight's Templar guy, I got to admit to struggling with that one. Not the whole concept of Templarism (that's for another time) but more what relevance the bible passages he read out had? Didn't get it, but I'm an atheist, so I'm not likely to.

Carol Paterson, of Stirling Before Pylons, made a reasonably good speech outlining WHY it's a bad idea in scientific terms for the communities exposed to this Corporate violence.

So, that was all generally a good follow up, in my opinion, but clearly the ball needs to be kept rolling. Hopefully I'll have something to report on it in due course.

Next up, is news on the Nine of Diamonds Project I mentioned earlier. Someone, apparently, went around Glasgow Bookstores today with printed Nine of Diamonds with "John Maclean - RIP - 1923" and placed them in a series of books in Waterstones, Borders and Ottokars.


Michael of Albany made two appearance at the rally. Once to make his own appeal against putting pylons over the battlefield and the second to read a letter which would be submitted to George Reid, the Speaker of the Vichy Parliament.  Posted by Picasa


Introducing and managing the proceeding is Mr. Luath (I can't remember if I asked him his real name... erm... sorry).  Posted by Picasa


The two main banners.  Posted by Picasa


Carol Paterson, from a Stirling Group against Pylons like these, outlines some of the scientific evidence about the health damage the Pylons cause.  Posted by Picasa


The Chief of the Clan Macrae tells the assembly of what the Sheriffmuir means to his Clan,and ends with the Battle Cry of the Clan Macrae.  Posted by Picasa


The assembly poses for a picture for a couple of journos who were there.  Posted by Picasa


Carol Roscoe reads a letter from the Battlefields Trust supporting the Demonstration.  Posted by Picasa


A Jacobite waving a standard Posted by Picasa


Ken Shirra, Knichtie, makes his own comments on the Pylons and then prays.  Posted by Picasa


Barbra-ann from the group "Scotia" sings a couple of songs relating to Sheriffmuir Posted by Picasa

Friday, February 03, 2006

Bases and Instincts

A comrade of mine, Red Larry (http://spaces.msn.com/celticphoenix/) has contacted me about the dotSCO campaign and told me he has sent letters to:

Shona Robinson, Dundee East (SNP)
John Swinney, North Tayside (SNP)
Mr Andrew Welsh, Angus (SNP)
Kate MacLean, Dundee West (Labour)
Roseanna Cunningham, Perth (SNP)
Shiona Baird, Party List MSP (Greens)
Richard Lochhead, Party List MSP (SNP)
Stewart Stevenson Banff & Buchan (SNP)

He is sticking to MSPs in North East and Mid Scotland & Fife. Go here for more info about dotSCO and the campaign to get Scotland it’s own Top Level Domain.

Larry told me he’s putting the letter template I sent him on his Blog (URL above and immediate left).

Your narrator, the morra, is off to the Scottish Parliament to attend a Rally against placing Electricity Pylons on Sheriffmuir. A Siol member called Black Devon had been sending the e-mail round, and so briefly I’ll insert the comments of what’s happening tomorrow:

Guest Speakers:
Prince Michael of Albany
Fraser Macrae of Clan Macrae Ken Shirra, Grand Prior Scottish Knights Templar
Carol Paterson, Stirling Before Pylons
Songs o' Sherramuir sung by Barbrahann (of the Folk group Scotia)

When? 1pm on 4th February 2006
Where? Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Why?

Now, this rant is mine not theirs. (because when I go off on one, I tend to be in Mr. Kenny’s own little world…)

In 1715, in one of the more inconclusive battles of the First Jacobite War, why should a Republican care about the Pylons being on that particular Battlefield? Firstly, before Thomas Muir of Huntershill there wasn’t a Republican movement in Scotland to speak of. People have argued about proto-Republicans and etcetera, but for a definite lineage to the present, I, as a Republican have to look to Thomas Muir. To me that means that all Scottish History prior to that date has a relevance to the present, because it shaped the Scotland I live in. Thomas Muir and his political descendants contribute to the Scotland that I want to shape. It’s an ongoing process whereas the Jacobites of 1715 where one of the forces who made Scotland the culture and nation it is today. Nothing can change the sacrifice those men made on that field, on that day. No one, inevitably, must take that away.

Brenda Windsor, the uppity and last Elizabeth on the throne of Scotland would undoubtedly not let me piss on Edward the First’s grave in Westminster Abbey. Why should I let her piss on the grave of MY ancestors?

Culture and History makes us as we are today. The Muslims raging about misunderstanding pathetic European Taunts about cartoons about the Prophet Mohammad are clear examples of this.

Since the Crusades, our misunderstanding of Arabic and Muslim Culture has created a military decadence that has enslaved everyone in Europe afflicted by former Norman Culture. And their understanding blames everyone who is white. Fuck.

So we don’t commemorate ALL our dead and ALL our history, we are supposed to pick and choose and make ourselves slaves to a Norman Dynasty who think us Slaves to their wretched empire-guilt and supposed “War on Terror”. The dead of Sheriffmuir ARE our history and should be left untouched by the Capitalist Cultural Oppression of some power company that wants to build over it.

Fuck them. Fuck the Executive for doing nothing despite Jack “Toom Tabard” McConnell’s current Chameleon Nationalism. Fuck Westminster.

Why? Because with history we aren’t just commemorating the dead, but commemorating the living.


Revelations