Kenya

Yet again the religious maniacs have been responsible for chaos and bloodshed. I refer to the Al-shabab attack on the shopping mall in Kenya where so many innocents were gunned down or wounded, not jut Kenyans but citizens from various countries. What is it with these primitives that jihad seems to be the only answer to their grievances and ambitions, and what are their grievances and ambitions? The establishment or spread of Islam and sharia law, that barbaric set of rules and punishments; beheading, flogging, amputation, stoning, that has no place in the twenty-first century and yet, and yet, and yet, regretfully, they want it. Maybe now when moderate Muslims accept their religion has been hijacked by fanatics they will do something to help in the fight ageist terrorism because that is what it is. But just how do you counter millions of brainwashed primitive uneducated men some of whom are willing to sacrifice themselves in suicide bomb attacks in order to gain a supposed paradise and those mythical 72 virgins.  And then there is the problem that, like Christianity with it’s literarily thousands of sects; it is not a cohesive whole but rent by factions, tribal animosities, and traditions. It’s one helluva mess is it not? A Gordian knot and nothing in the near future at least is going to untie it.

So tomorrow evening comes the big moment. After weeks of rehearsals, planning, organising, scoring and fraught nerves Champagne Charlie has a one-night stand at Wilton’s Music Hall.

Wilton’s has teamed up with live streaming experts so we will be able to watch it here in Crete – that is if my nerves can stand it – after all it’s going out to a bigger audience than it has ever done and it’s going out live! If you’re interested, details can be found on the website of Arts Streaming TVs and it’s free. Boy, I am such a Luddite I simply can’t keep pace with all this new technology. I don’t even know how to use my mobile phone and it is the simplest phone you can get. It doesn’t connect to the internet, keep a diary, take photographs or cook breakfast but it still leaves me all at sea. Mind you this bloody machine is inclined to give me the megrims. I think Douglas was pleased to get away I called on him so often to get me out of trouble and he was beginning to show distinct signs of impatience. I swear this computer, like Hal in the movie 2001, sometimes goes its own sweet way behind my back. Why I would like to know, if I type out a word accurately, and I am absolutely certain it is accurate, does it sometimes come up with a similar sounding alternative. Spite, that’s all it boils down to, sheer spite.