So another savage terrorist attack in Reading. Can I ask where are the white blocks without text randomly posted on social media, where is the outpouring of outrage from the left, where are all the activists and public getting down on one knee and demonstrating looking for statues to pull down? Another question I’d like to ask is this: from the facts currently available can we tell if this individual went to university, did he follow football or cricket, what sort of music did he listen to, was he gay or trans, what were his long term career aspirations? There is a suggestion mental illness was a factor however that seems to be a knee jerk reaction by certain agenda driven media groups in every attack of this nature. We can’t answer those questions with any certainty at present. However if I was to ask what is this guy’s religion then the answer is unequivocal, unavoidable and immediately answerable by anyone up to date on modern events. Clearly his religious views motivated his behaviour. Why then is the topic of his religion simply and blatantly ignored by the media as a whole as if it had no bearing on his behaviour? In the nine reports I have looked at so far there is no mention of his religion and yet, isn’t it inevitable? I am certain over the next few days we’ll be presented with evidence of Isis videos, inflammatory literature and exposure and support for radical jihadi doctrine. Moderate Muslims will tell us of course no, his behaviour is not in accord with the teaching of the prophet. But moderate Muslims are moderate because of advances in secular society, not because of deeper truths they have discovered in their holy book. They are moderate because of the advances in history and philosophy, women’s rights, science, archaeology and biology, advances made in secular society. If that is the case then their adherence to the same religious doctrine that ignited and drove this atrocity makes moderates culpable and equally complicit. Calling themselves moderate is like labelling a getaway driver a moderate bank robber (not my remark but from Sam Harris).  In fact what is clear is this attacker has found all the impetus he requires from his holy book and his god to feel utterly justified and vindicated in the savage level of violence he has unleashed on innocent people. I’m not just picking on Islam here, I abhor all the Abrahamic religions for the same reasons but with radical Islam we are seeing a particularly twisted and violent movement to destroy western civilisation and all it holds dear and to question this is to run the risk of immediately being labelled a racist and having all dialogue on the matter stifled. I also believe that we need to understand why Islam as a whole seems to have such hatred for western values and how our long history of foreign policy has created this hate? I was vocally opposed to the war in Iraq and our subsequent involvement in this criminally misguided ‘War on Terror,’ but we need to start having difficult dialogue and not be bullied by Antifa brick throwing, Marxist aggression and PC politics.
                But let’s not worry about that eh? Let’s give air time to a millionaire rapper with a criminal record demanding black people are paid repatriations for an industry his African ancestors were complicit in. I don’t hear him demanding spending money from Africa? Is he aware the first nation peoples owned slaves? I don’t hear BLM making demands to them? No, it’s only a certain section of society, that is white society that is being targeted. Isn’t that racist? I’m pretty sure it is. Does this mean that I can demand money from the French because the Normans invaded and enslaved my ancestors and we are still seeing the results of this tyranny in the fact that the ruling classes and landowners of England are almost all of Norman ancestry whereas the bulk of the genetic makeup of grass roots ethnic Britain’s is from the very first ice age hunters who moved to this island after the last glacial maxim? Why not? Ok what about the roman invasion and enslavement of Britain? Can I ask Italy for some free pizza at least?
 

First draft finished. 13 Chapters, 237 pages and 136,440 words.

A birthday present to myself. Discovering AOS is like finding buried treasure.

In production and just passed the 100 page mark.

Bush breakfast and a terrific read-an autobiography of a 19th century Norfolk poacher.

Bush breakfast with pals at Burnhope Pond Wood and road testing another Hobo Stove.

A brilliant and inspiring first session of the introductory BJJ course at Itaipava in Newcastle. I'm in there somewhere in a borrowed black Gi and a shiny heed. At age 55 I still get a huge thrill from Martial Arts.