I'm going to talk about my job for a minute, just because, but we'll also talk about landlords, moving, the Mars rover, rejuvenating a 13 year old website, repetition and tedium, baby seals, crafting a lovely box, Cinderella, feeling ridiculous, magical thinking, talking goats, unicorns, the NATIONAL ENQUIRER, TMZ, rat kings, big-gulps, incubators, Paisley Park, dignity, paparazzi, Howard Stern and Stuttering John, being thrown out of a club for being too drunk, Entertainment Tonight, hyperbaric chambers, podiatrists, poison toads, the de-elevator, cockfighting, synapses and Japanese fish. Among other things.
Here we go with the three day weekend, vacation, the near-impossibility of relaxation, Richard Nixon, gadgets, machines and thing-a-ma-bobs, fainting couches, VARIDESK, regular desks, making things disappear, harboring a grudge, robots, brain surgeons and grocery baggers, lanyards, key cards, backstage passes, Royal Crown Cola, spaghetti, the Clash, broom closets, elaborate props, the Rolling Stones, Donald Trump, George Orwell, El Nino, body oil, incense and environmental records. Check.
I liked,"Is anybody still with me?", and I realized that I was :D,
"thank you for being so listeny", room temperature meat tray was funny,
the George Orwell's quote was appropriate. Good one, mjp!
You have to wonder about things like guns, and June Gloom, the LGBLT community, preaching love, calling things "the worst in U.S. history," Wounded Knee, your high school history book, wars, genocide, subjugation, cupcakes, immigrants and queers, throwing rocks at politicians, gun control, unemployment checks, Kickstarter, the emperor's new clothes, swimming upstream, fluffing up your eggs, the NRA, Jesus Christ himself, your fellow citizens, Mexican hats, rumpus rooms, 7-11, Wyatt Earp, Vivienne Westwood boots, cops, taking care of each other and Phil Hendrie.
It's hot outside - here in the northern hemisphere, anyway - so let's talk about the San Gabriel mountains, the Sahara desert, soldering, female foxes, marketing things to women, painting guitars pink, Elektra Records, Jac Holzman, accidental business, jug bands, the Stooges, odd pieces of art, West Hollywood, isolation and a short story called, "Good evening St. Louis!"
I know it's not time for the monthly episode yet, but I just wanted to pop in, say hi, and talk about white people and black people in America. Just a little light hearted chit chat about race. Don't be scared. We're all friends here.
"Look at the people who voted for Great Britain to leave the European union. A big part of that argument was “immigration,” which is nothing more than a code word for racism."
Yeah, that seems to be the pervading narrative, but this fella isn't having any of that bullshit.
The main reason that people in Britain wanted out of the EU is because they might not have wanted political decisions and policy being dictated by faceless unelected bureaucrats from outside the country.
As for immigration, Britain is a tiny island with finite space, cities that are already hugely populated, and high unemployment. But no, what am I talking about, Brits left the EU because they don't like brown people.
The whole "white privilege" narrative is really odious shit pushed by political/corporate shit stirrers/manipulators, and seems for the fools that subscribe to it to be a bizarre manifestation of some kind of self racism which could perhaps also be argued comes from thoughts of racial superiority. I've never been privileged, my family have never been privileged, the people of my city have never been privileged.
The powers that be, the bankers, corporations, and their facilitators the politicians are the privileged ones, every other fucker, black, white, and every shade in between are being played against each other as per usual. The real privileged ones have made it a black and a white thing, divide and conquer, that shit is age old. The last thing "they" want is for everyone to come together and start singing from the same hymn sheet "fuck you I won't do what you tell me" or something along those lines.
I don't feel guilty because some white people a few centuries ago slaughtered the Indians and stole their land, I feel bad on a human level, but I didn't do it, and wouldn't do it. I saw a video once of South African police setting German Shepherds onto young black men, the dogs were having a good old taste of their flesh. I felt like shit, not because of white privilege or some kind of guilt, but because I don't like to see human suffering, I couldn't give two shits what colour a person is if they are being hurt deliberately I feel bad, I think most people would.
"White privilege" is bullshit. And the idea that only white people can be racist or prejudiced is bullshit and dishonest and dangerous thinking.
Here's a Muhammad Ali vid, if a white man said what he said, it'd be all over the media for weeks.
Is Ali being racist? Or is he just proud of his culture and heritage?
There are white ghettos too. Most people in the world have fuck all. All races and cultures have got to stop playing the game, be proud of our cultures and appreciate each other for our differences, we should be able to do that without wanting to kill each other. In my opinion most people would get on with each other just fine but maybe they might start co-operating with each other in ways that rich psychopaths don't like, they might stop being good consumers, they might stop slaving for pennies while some prick lounges on a yacht with a bowl of cocaine and some whores for company.
We're living in some very fucking strange times, and it could get much worse before it gets better.
"White privilege" isn't about what you feel or what advantages you think you have or haven't had. It's about how the world at large sees color in people. And whether you see it or not, the world at large does see color in people and differentiates and discriminates based on that color. All I said is recognizing that fact is helpful in making yourself understand other people's worlds a little more.
It's about how the world at large sees color in people. And whether you see it or not, the world at large does see color in people and differentiates and discriminates based on that color.
I have no problem understanding other people's worlds, I hope those "other people" can understand the "white people's" worlds don't come from a place of privilege just because of their skin colour. People going around thinking white people are privileged would be inaccurate, and racist.
Guess what, when you eliminate the problems that cause black ghettos, the white ghettos will disappear too.
Ghettos are ghettos, let's just eliminate the problems that cause ghettos.
White people live next door to black people in Britain, especially in working class neighbourhoods. There are also mostly black communities, and mostly white communities too, indians, jews, middle easterns, chinese. In my street there are whites, blacks, middle easterns and chinese, it's a majority white street though and it's peaceful. I've stayed in an upper middle class area and it was mostly white people, in Britain it's less of a black and a white thing than a rich and poor thing, more of a class war than a race war. For the black family down the street to say "I'm sick of that privileged bastard down the road, with his white privilege!" would be utterly absurd. "his house is exactly the same as ours dear"
"no, he's clearly privileged!"
I have a white dude on my street. He's an asshole.
It's a matter of macro and micro; people that live in diverse neighbourhoods may get along with their neighbors on an individual basis, but can still be racist.
"That Muhammed next door is a pretty nice guy and picks up after his dog when he shits on my lawn, but he's the exception. I sure hate them Muslims!"
I see it everyday, especially from people of my Dad's generation. They don't hate the individual ("That guy's a credit to his race"), they hate the accumulated individuals that don't have a face, that are just an idea that they don't agree with. Shortsighted and wrong, but it happens.
The roles could easily be reversed, and "Muhammed" could be saying the same thing about "that English guy next door". There are no go areas in Britain where a white English person wouldn't dare to tread. Everyone can be racist, but "white racism" seems to be the only racism that counts. It's odd and ultimately unhelpful, racism is racism. The narrative that racist white privileged are the aggressors and everyone else are peaceful victims is absolute bullshit. All lives matter.
I don't think many in my neck of the woods would even think that, never mind say it. Britain, in my opinion is a truly multicultural country, but it seems the arseholes who run the show are doing their best to fuck that up "Hold on these prole fucks are starting to get on, we can't be having that!"
If you really believe that all lives matter, why you so mad when someone has the nerve to suggest that black people got a raw fucking deal?
I don't care what your experience in Great Britain is. I was talking about America, that's where I live and that's where the problem I was talking about exists.
I'm kind of over you using what I said as a springboard to promote ignorance. So maybe you should stop now. If you want to go on a white power rant, or death to Monsanto, or whatever you're chanting this week, do it somewhere else that isn't attached to something I said. Thanks.
Bunny Wailer: Blackheart man, soul rebel, ruler of dancehall, legend. Plus Garbage - the band, not the stuff out behind your house - pink hair, people looking old before their time, Madonna, orthopedic shoes and K-Mart t-shirts, The Wailers, avoiding night flights, Madison Square Garden, electronic reggae, that rapper that Prince used, the Electric Slide, obscure Japanese dub stores, David Bowie, Prince, Jehovah, leaves turning brown, trillions of photographs, tidal waves, Instagram, Bob Dylan and King Crimson, the Hollywood Bowl, cheese, listening to music outdoors, velodromes, Hillary Clinton's nomination acceptance speech and the Great Wall of Trump.
THIS IS NOT A TEST is now on iHeartRADIO, if you swing that way.
I don't know who listens to all of these different outlets, but when they make themselves available to podcasts I generally jump on to see what might happen. Which is usually not much. Everyone thought getting into Google Play would be great, but so far I don't think it's made a difference for me.
I've also taken the title of The world's most beloved podcast. No one gave it to me, I just bestowed it upon the show unilaterally. Like Michael Jackson did with "The King of Pop." Worked for him.
I had a hard time titling this one because I'm more all-over-the-map than usual. I blame this brutal non-stop heat wave of a summer. But if you take a chance you will hear about soaking electronics in beer, the last VCR, digital cameras, the future, Ludwig von Köchel, (not) paying $150 for a CD, charming quirks vs. psychotic behavior, developing photographic film, trigger warnings, Vietnam, knolling and the end of the Internet.
Bright ideas, Amazon reviews, everyday miracles, McMansions, Mark Lewisohn, anything for a quid, reading on a Kindle, how many books are too many, bar bands, Mozart, Ron Howard, take me out to the ball game, comparing politicians to pop groups, our magnificent political system, the fog of nostalgia, Chairman Mao, back hair, outsiders, your savior, cars and shuffling off to Buffalo.
On Thursday night Cat Stevens played a 50th anniversary show at the Pantages theater in Hollywood. If you couldn't be there I have the rundown for you.
