Aspiration and wealth creators

Hola. Hope you are well.

Since the election I’ve heard a number of senior Labour figures past and present, saying the party needed/needs to talk more about ‘aspiration’ and appeal to the ‘wealth creators’.

Firstly, since when have we been using the term wealth creators, for business people?

Secondly, the party that won the election {SPOILER ALERT} the Conservatives, ended their campaign by saying wouldn’t it be scary if Ed Miliband was the Prime Minister, with Nicola Sturgeon pulling the strings. That is hardly aspirational.

Should you wish to know what is in store for us politically in the next 5yrs listen to this episode of my radio show (below)

It includes a mention of Dappy from NDubz and how to correctly pronounce Chuka Umunna.

Til next time, be nice to each other.

@anunknowncomic

Don’t blame the tactics

Hola. Hope you are well.

I was watching a news report about the riots in Ferguson and the riots in Baltimore. The reporter was explaining that the police got their tactics wrong in both places. In Ferguson, the police were too heavy handed, so much so it felt like a military invasion.

In Baltimore, reluctant to repeat the same mistake as in Ferguson, the reporter said the police went too far the other way, meaning there wasn’t enough of a police presence to deter would be rioters.

Call me old fashioned, but the problem in both these places, wasn’t the tactics; it was the deaths of American citizens at the hands of the American police.

Til next time, be nice to each other.

@anunknowncomic

If you have any spare time, have a listen to my comedy prongcast, cheers.

 

 

Less is Demure

me. pic by Jay McCorkle

Hola. Hope you are well.

Today’s blog is what could be described as a poetry special.

Firstly, I’d like to direct you to a poem of mine, that I read out on the radio show I do. The poem is about the radio show I do, with references only the handful of listeners we get will understand. Should this not put you off, the poem is about 5 mins into the prongcast.

Secondly, I found a poem a couple of weeks ago (in the vault) that I was commissioned to write, on the theme of fashion for Cartwheel Arts, back in 2008/09. (back when there was a little bit of money to pay artists and performers)

As it happened this poem wasn’t used, overlooked for another poem I wrote, despite the photo shoot being designed around this poem (see pic at top of the page). So after a few minor tweaks and a few years on, I thought I’d give it an airing.

All you need to know is, Middleton is a town in Greater Manchester, Hulme is a place in South Manchester and Milan is a place in… you probably know where Milan is.

Less is Demure.

Everyday we decide whether to conform,
Stay ahead of the norm
Or just to stay warm.
From the pristine white at Lords,
To the black worn by Goths,
Even Adam and Eve wore loincloths.

Everyday we decide to dress to impress
Or belie the true feelings we possess.
Yet our search for individuality has got lost,
down the aisles of high street stores.
Where brand whores, put price above child labour laws.

We have editors desperately seeking the next big trend,
But irony dictates, that as soon as anything becomes popular
it is the beginning of the end.

Catwalk models strut their stuff on the runways of Milan,
Wearing outfits only they can.
And I’m not one to assume,
but I don’t think you’ll see these clothes in Middleton or Hulme.

The kids I see, wear sagging jeans in good need of a belt.
Whilst shops sell ‘iccle’ baby grows designed to make the heart melt.
Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts seek warmer climes,
And even Paris Hilton wears knickers sometimes.

Fashion likes to look back on its lot.
From Marilyn Monroe in ‘Some like it Hot’,
To shoulder pads and leggings from a time style forgot.
Yet don’t ask me why,
But there’s nothing wacky about a wacky tie.
I said, there’s nothing wacky about a wacky tie.

Til next time, be nice to each other.

@anunknowncomic

Is politics for the likes of you and me?

Hola. Hope you are well.

Here’s what I wrote in this very blog in Nov 2013

then a few days ago this happened .

I’m obviously some kind of modern day Nostradamus figure.

There’s been a high level of snootiness from certain sections of the media (the sections you could probably predict) towards the Russell Brand/Ed Miliband interview.

It’s almost as if these people think that political discussion can only take place in their newspapers/tv programmes. Yet Russell Brand despite not being part of the mainstream media, housing The Trews (True News) on YouTube,  has over 1 million subscribers and more than 150 000 people regularly watch his videos.

I imagine (I haven’t done any research) that a good percentage of his viewers are dissatisfied with party politics and/or the reporting of it in mainstream media.

Instead of being critical of Ed Miliband speaking with Russell Brand, I think more MPs should try to reach those people who are disengaged by the status quo of politics. Unless of course the political elite don’t want a well informed, empowered electorate, challenging policy and seeking alternative solutions.

That’s why I don’t believe, putting an X in a box every 5 years is democracy. This should just be the start of our involvement with politics.

In Other Political News: my mate Prong2 (from my radio show) has written the unofficial song for the General Election, watch the video here.

Til next time, be nice to each other.

@anunknowncomic

Should you have time, listen to my comedy Prongcasts