2011

2011 has been an interesting year. Here are a few of the highlights of my year in the form of seven items of interest:

1.     After many years of effort, 2011 was the year my book The Emergency Bouzouki player was published.  

2.     The Emergency Bouzouki player was edited by John Oakley-Smith, who I first met as a young musician growing up in South Africa. A tremendously influential intellect and musical artiste, working on the book has given me the opportunity to re-release one of his wonderful songs from his 70’s album ‘Matinees on Saturdays’ well known to everyone of my generation in South Africa. Here is  ‘The Lady from the Odeon’ written and performed by John Oakley-Smith as a digital download. 

3.     Cate Mackenzie is a Love coach and a fabulously vibrant personality who I had the pleasure of recording with this year, releasing her CD the ‘Open your heart’ meditation, which features my new age music.

4.     Jojo Alves and I used to do duo gigs in South Africa over 30 years ago. He was an amazing guitarist then and this year saw the release of a three year project, which I executive produced, of his new guitar style called ‘six on seven’. A two handed guitar style. Here is the introduction to the 2 neck guitar and here is the YouTube video of the 'Warrior Waltz' 

5.     My 2009 album of meditation music written with Hugh Burns Angels and Unicorns  has been my best selling album this year and is well worth a listen.

Wishing you all of the best for 2012.

Religion. Whats not to love about it.

As Mark Twain observed
"religion began when the first conman met the first fool."
All religious belief relies on the principle of blind faith to sustain dependence on that which any intelligently designed rationale knows as an entirely ridiculous proposition. Even attempting to debate this subject is ridiculous.

The Earth is 6,000 years old. Err?

Unfortunately, if statistics are to be believed some 50% of Americans really are that dumb. 

For those that know, no explanation is necessary and for those who don't, no explanation is possible.

Them that know, know that they know, them that don't know. They don't know they don't know.

An argument that can be used equally well from both sides of the fence. Those denying the theory of gravity could use this logic just as efficiently as those who believe that gravity exists.

Ultimately the most reliable truth of our age is that the truth is what you choose to believe. Anyone so lacking in rational thought as to believe the Earth is 6,000 years old (half of Americans) and that they are so self-important every moment of their lives has been carefully thought out to the most minute detail by an all seeing all powerful god who so loved his 7 day creation that he gave them Syphilis, malaria, cancer, genital mutilation, gigantism, obesity, dwarfism and a whole host of other demonstrations of his loving benevolence, deserves to discover life after death, however improbable this outcome may be.

Preaching to the converted is pretty much a waste of time beyond light relief, and that is the point of this page. Fun. Religion is the single most destructive of mans inventions and one day, hopefully soon, the overt practice and recruitment oriented advertisement of religious belief will become illegal.

Certainly the targeted abuse of children in the early capture of their vulnerable young minds is a heinous offense which should be stopped IMMEDIATELY, being no less than a cynical and malicious child-abuse hate crime. What is wrong with teaching children a compassionate kindness based regard for all other living creatures without the divisive corrosive malevolence which is the lifeblood of all religion.

Religion. Whats not to love about it.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Religion-Whats-not-to-love-about-it/   Fun fun fun.