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malaise

malaise's Journal
malaise's Journal
November 25, 2016

Read this from start to finish - it's that good

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/benjamin-zephaniah-brexit-donald-trump-racism-christmas-interview-a7437171.html
<snip>
Leonard Cohen’s recent death meant a lot to him. His first experience of Cohen’s music was someone giving him a copy of his track ‘Last Year’s Men’, at a time when Zephaniah rarely listened to music by white people.

"The same thing happened with Bob Dylan, with his song about a black boxer ['Hurricane']. And I thought ‘my gosh, this white Jewish guy is writing about a black guy who was wrongfully imprisoned'. And it might sound naive but at the time I was like, ‘white people care about us!'."

One of the most poignant things Zephaniah remembers about Cohen was an interview where he spoke about splitting rhymes, and noted that the people who were doing that best at the time were rappers and hip hop artists.

"And I thought that was very great of him just because he noticed… there’s a kind of intellectual type that complains and says people aren’t engaging in poetry like they used to.

Zephaniah has been put off mainstream politics of late - and what that political system delivers to the public - after recent events in Britain and in the US.

"You’ve got a lot of people who don’t understand politics themselves... so when someone similar comes along and starts blaming the blacks, the Mexicans, the lesbians… you’re gonna vote for them."

"I think the bottom line is… Trump does not know much about politics," he adds, becoming more specific. "He can shout slogans and have ideas like the man in the pub - someone who doesn't think about politics unless it’s over a pint at the weekend. But he doesn't really know what he’s doing.

"Sometimes people say to me, why don’t you get involved in politics properly? And I say absolutely not - I’m an artist, and when you go into political office, the reality is that you have staff and… it’s different from campaigning.

Since the EU referendum, Zephaniah says that he has experienced the kind of racism that he hadn’t since the 80s - an incident where, days after Britain voted to leave the EU, a man driving past shouted: "The Europeans are going and you’re next n****r."

And it’s troubling to watch the documentary that he made 11 months ago, where he speaks about Enoch Powell and the National Front. Because you realise that the rhetoric they used sounds awfully similar to certain politicians today.
November 24, 2016

Magnitude 7 earthquake strikes off El Salvador

http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/magnitude-7-earthquake-strikes-off-el-salvador/news-story/b7fe731307b4d560a66f877fd1844823
<snip>
A MASSIVE earthquake has hit off El Salvador and a tsunami alert covering 300km of Central American coastline has been issued.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake, which hit at 12.43pm local time (5.43am AEST) was centred 149km southwest of Puerto El Triunfo, at a depth of 33km.

Puerto El Triunfo is located about 80km southeast of the capital San Salvador.

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The tsunami threat has passed
November 24, 2016

Cat 2 Hurricane Otto - spare a thought for the folks in Costa Rica and Nicaragua





This latest in the season of all recorded hurricanes is moving very slowly so expect flooding and landslides
November 24, 2016

Do DUers understand the meaning of 2million more votes?

This has never happened in history - something serious went on here

November 24, 2016

Poor Nickki Haley is sooooooooooooo screwed

I almost feel sorry for her

November 23, 2016

Hey Groper Don the Con

GO Cheney yourself with that Thanksgiving message - it doesn't work that way.

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Member since: Fri Oct 29, 2004, 06:05 PM
Number of posts: 268,836
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