Vibes And Pressure

So once again it’s freezing in London, yes, absolutely fucking freezing. One of the things that I love to hate about London is when Arsenal are playing at Emirates stadium and I’m trying to get home. I’m not a football fanatic but I grew up nearer the better team in North London so I prefer when Tottenham fans obstruct my journey home. (I swear I’m not a fan)

It was Wednesday the 19 February 2011, approximately 23:30 at Seven Sisters station. There on the platform, I watched as a couple stood waving their Arsenal flags. You could feel the effervescent energy that they were emitting. They were both happy that Arsenal had won. Arsenal had beaten Barcelona at home. I didn’t watch the game, I couldn’t care less what happens to Arsenal, but, as usual, Arsenal fans have to throw everything in your face, so there they were, right in the middle of Tottenham, in the middle of the night waving their Flags, just because Arsenal had won.

She was stunning. Tall slim with almond shaped eyes; eyes so deep and dark that you could quickly and easily get lost in them, very lost. She was the truth, at least she seemed like she was. Her only deception was the waist length hair that she owned. It was her property I’m sure but it somehow seemed out of place. So much so that I thought she was European from behind, it was that long.
Her companion was equally matched. He was tall, deep brown and well built with a heavy baritone voice.

The chemistry between them was apparent. It made them brazen enough to keep waving those flags. I looked at them and heard parts of their conversation. I remember thinking that she must be faking her enjoyment just like she’d fake an orgasm if she ever got bored. I was secretly cynical, my chauvinism was alive and well and I couldn’t believe that she enjoyed watching Arsenal as much as her present demeanour suggested. She was happy and it was real happiness but I couldn’t work out if it really was because of the football or because she was so beautiful and was in the company of someone she cared for deeply.

The train arrived and we boarded. As the doors closed, and the train moved the flags continued to wave (yes the song was in my mind too) past Bruce Grove then up to White Heart Lane. Like I said before I’m not a fan so I wasn’t offended but you can’t be waving an Arsenal Flag going through White Heart Lane. It’s not the done thing. Yes, I said it, “You can’t wave Arsenal Flags in Tottenham Just because you look good.”

They continued, sitting there looking good like a black Barbie and Ken. Their conversation revolved around Arsenal. By the way, I had been totally wrong. She wasn’t confused by the offside rule. This chick knew her shit. She was no shrinking violet, she could hold her own with the big boys and from the confidence in her tone and the intelligence in her eyes she would’ve given any male fan a run for his money.

Misconception number one…busted.

Ken had started a conversation on his mobile, while Barbie sat next to him in all her radiant glory, contented, and without a care in the world. Opposite them about two seats away sat an older man, greying and bald but huge in stature and powerful. He had just come from a night out because he was hopelessly drunk, leering over a pretty blond girl that sat directly opposite him. His charm was sufficient it seemed, because even his drunken stupor was not enough to chase her away, she didn’t move seats…until she had to get off.

When she left, his drunken mind looked for more attention. I find that’s what happens to me when I get drunk, I chat rubbish to anyone who’ll listen. He began his slurring onslaught at Barbie and Ken. It turned out that Mr Grey was a Manchester United fan. He reluctantly congratulated Barbie and Ken on their win. They were a trio, knee deep in footballing conversation, and I was lost.

“I‘m not being funny,” he slurred as he looked at Barbie in bemusement, “ I can understand why a man would be interested in football but a woman? Isn’t there better things that you’d be interested in?”

“Like what?” She had answered this question before.

“Knitting” Ken’s retort was accompanied with a cheeky grin that materialised on his face as he spoke.

I found the answer funny. Barbie just looked at him and rolled her eyes.

Mr Grey went on with his shameless drunken interview.

“So do you two argue when you get home” He had obviously picked up on the chemistry that everyone else could feel.

“Yes we argue sometimes”

“Not about football I bet, so what do you argue about”

“Normal stuff I guess” she paused “er………..he’s my brother”

Misconception number two, busted.

“I knew it was too good to be true!” said Mr Grey

Too good to be true? That was a was strange thing to say. At least I thought so. As if the notion of a couple both enjoying something like football together was unusual. The mind-set we are all sometimes guilty of, that assumes being in a relationship needs to be based on conflict and argument. Who wants that? There are better things to fight against than the man or woman that you’re supposed to be trying to love.


Ken burst out laughing, “Don’t we look alike?” They squared their faces together. They did look alike in a subtle kind of way; actually it really was quite obvious.
It’s so easy to stick to tried and tested thought patterns, stereotypes and foregone conclusions; we live by them every day. Often without thinking twice………..

As I got near my stop another Arsenal fan had crawled out of the woodworks and joined in the foray. It was all too much to bear and I was glad that I was getting off.

So the morals of the story are:
1.Never judge a Barbie by her hair.
2.Never judge a Ken by his Barbie.
3.Never think that love is supposed to be unhappy.
4. Never ever wave an Arsenal flag as you ride on a train through White Heart Lane. (The cheek of it! I swear I’m NOT a fan!)

Vibes and Pressure is the philosophy and theory on which I, Natty live my life. Another way to see it would be creation and application.

Vibration is the source of creation on every level, from atoms to art. Sound is vibration, hence my tool is music. Pressure is the right amount of force needed carry the creation through. For me one can't exist without the other, otherwise there would be sparks of creativity flying everywhere but no creations.

I believe that in any situation, personal or professional, a little vibes and pressure will see you through it, righteoussly. From this theory comes a movement. A collective conscious that recognises the need to be in tune with positive vibrations, and the need to apply a positive pressure.

Through the arts is where we find our voice, tapping into the right vibes and with the right amount of pressure, we really believe we can make a difference. So as a group not only do we create using the arts, but we try and provide a platform for positive people to get their voice heard. We put on gigs, community events and programmes, put up blog pages etc etc. Our Goal is to create a better present and future. Through our collective voice -that we express through our creativity- we can spread a vibration of truth, and through the right amount of pressure we can break down the neccessary doors to get our voice heard.

Corrd the Seeker**

“It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you/Without a strong rhyme to step to/Think of how many weak shows you slept through/Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you” Rakim

Hmm… so I came across 2 articles ova the past 2 days, which essentially informed I that scientists r at a loss 2 explain why 500 red-winged blackbirds dropped dead on a stretch of road in Louisiana. 3 days b4 that 3 000 blackbirds died in Arkansas. At the same time in Kentucky, a woman reported dozens of dead birds in her garden. 100 000 fish were found dead along a river 125 miles from the Arkansas bird deaths.

Days l8r, 2 000 000 fish died in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. 50 jackdaws dropped dead on a street in Sweden. Other occurrences have been cited around the world, including Brazil and N. Zealand…

Wha’ gwaan Daadi? Is this a sign? And if so, of what? On the real, such things r significant, startling, and even disturbing. Around the world, from ancient times till now, scrolls, glyphs, and scriptures speak on revolution in the direction of human existence, from the Age of Aquarius 2 the End of Days, and that the only way I an’ I can pree wha’ gwaan is 2 observe the signs.

But then again, this could all b the results of experiments, not such a stretch if the conspiracy theorists r 2 b believed (not bcos a 1 might b crazy, that don’t mean that they’re wrong). But really? Well, there were the Tuskegee experiments. Cld b some sci fi bullshit, or, cld b weapons testing.. or some bird shit on a scientists car, and my man wants revenge.

Mayb its chaos theory in action. Now even a decade or so back, Chaos theory was a joke at best, but with the growing but reluctant (I’ll explain in a bit) acceptance of the overwhelming importance of what quantum theory means, chaos may well change….everything. Cld well b that from a scientific perspective, these events were supposed 2 happen.

Peep this.. Y’all kno the Schrödinger’s cat experiment, put the cat in a sealed container with poison that may or may not get released, so kitty cld live or die. The cat then supposedly exists in both states til the experiment is ended, probability waves collapse and the cat only exists in 1 state. The measurement of the outcome affects the experiment so the state comes 2 b at this time. Big tings. Now the reason 4 the reluctance 2ward quantum theory is this; on a subatomic level, things exist in many states simultaneously, and its just dawning on some heads the despite earlier denials, observances on our level may just b the same. Which makes all scientific experiments suspect. Which makes science as we kno it suspect. Schrödinger l8r on said he wished he never met that cat.

Now chaos was recognised by the ancients (look it up) as part of the fabric of existence. It’s only now that so called great minds in the west recognise. Random (seemingly 2 us) events must occur to preserve the balance of existence. Humbleness b4 nature, natural diversity, the complex from the simple, understanding the whole 2 overstand the part; many non western minds perceived and penetrated this. From agriculture, 2 the pursuit of enlightenment, educational models, and even creation itself, chaos has been utilised. Fractals, used since the 70’s in chaos theory, have been used in Indian art 4 centuries, and Islamic art in mosques since medieval days, the patterns used to focus contemplation of the Infinite. Lao Tzu imparted overstandings of the meaning of chaos 2 existence b4 leaving the city, never 2 return.

Even scientists concede that all existence follows the 2nd law of thermodynamics (energy must disperse from higher 2 lower forms), except life, which contravenes this and thus demonstrates the existence of a Higher Power, or unknown natural processes (or both).

But mayb what’s most significant, startling, and disturbing abt these occurrences is not the origins, but our reactions. 2 million members of any species' synchronized dying is a significant thing.. this just one of many events over a few days. From any point of view, collectively these are the most important occurrences of this kind, maybe for millennia. Yet acknowledgement of this in the collective consciousness is almost nonexistent.

Mayb its a sign that environmental and ecological events no longer important, or a sign of the arrogance of our self importance and dominance on the planet... or apathy...or that natures’ importance shd b consigned 2 labs and obscure journals... mayb a select few already kno what the deal is, what this really means, and even tho rest of us may never kno, we may still feel the effects... ain’t that a bitch!!

Mayb we shd fix up and look sharp 4 what is 2 come. Or not…

**Big shout 2 Abi 4 bringing focus

The world we are living in is changing. Yes change is the only constant but these times we are living in right now is different. I believe there is a type of spritual and conscious change which is unique to are times. Is this cos of 2012??? I'd say partly. It is no coincidence that people are talking about time speeding up, the earths magnetic fields in disarray, the mayan calendar etc at the same time when everyone is asking questions about the powers that be. More than ever now people are starting to believe in what they used to call "conspiracy theories" or fighting the system with publications or youtube broadcasts. what was once secret knowledge or unspoken truths are now in every ones mind. Nobody I know now belives the twin towers were actually bought down by a group of "islamic radicals." Whereas even a few years ago those same people may have been anti-war but they still understood why the english and americans started invading these countries. The truth is out there and it is now so easily accessible. And people are learning about this stuff more rapidly by the day. Also in science the level of progression is so much more than even a couple of years ago. The technical knowledge is accelerating so fast that sooner or later we will start asking real questions. And capitalism wont be able keep a lid on these technological advances to serve their greedy pockets, like they have been doing. The advances being made in technical fields such as maths and physics have led to the top guys in these fields talking in the language of quantum. Through theories such as entanglement even the scientists are now saying things like "we are all connected/we are all one." Also the religious institutions are crumbling, people are generally starting to accept a more spiritual angle. Don't get it twisted the church and mosque will continue to thrive for a while, and as long as the bombs are falling and injustice is served the youts in the middle east will continue to embrace the ways of the Jihad. But still there is a wave of consciousness creeping over this planet. Thats not to say people are rejecting the religion, but just looking at the institutions with a crooked eye.
Anyway, sooner or later all the hidden lies we are fed aren't gonna be hidden no more, which means the methods they use to control us ain't really gonna mean shit to us no more.
I've heard it said that every living thing has a kundalini, and so do planets, and around 2012 is when the earths kundalini will shift (if it hasn't already). This, along wit the shift in the stars that we face mean many things apparently. Me I dunno wats goin on or even wats gonna happen but I feel myself having my own spiritual awakening, and I know quite a few people that are too. Is this something to do with the times that we are living... yeah, maybe.
All I know is that shit is changing and I'm glad I'm alive now.

I had to write this. I had a vision which was the impossibility of the first African team to get to the final four in the World cup. The first World cup in Africa. And then it dawned on me. That horrifying feeling that my vision really was too good to be true. The shattering of a dream. It did, for a moment feel like Africa had become one huge unified continent. In London, the Black star flags flowing proudly from cars and not one, unlike the England flags, broken off by the force of the wind, strewn at the side of the road.

In reality the glory of a continent in the arena of sports denied by the the new "hand of God" It was almost as if Suarez wrenched the title from Maradona and took away the power that created his legend as the mystic manager that was destined to lead Argentina to further World cup glory. Suarez takes the title, Argentina crashes out and Maradona resigns. Very fitting. Somehow I think "hand of the Devil" is more apt.

It is Ironic that even though we all serve the same God, the winners always sight God's power for their win and the losers are left to find a romantic justification for the loss, or just blame the Devil. The Roman Catholic Church has spread its tentacles all over Africa, and all over South America, but is now losing its right to legal immunity. Losing the self appointed right to harm people and get away with it. It will be very hard for the Church, but as John Blood states in his piece, times are indeed changing, and I think its about time those walls came tumbling down. Now, back to football.

As a bearer of the Black Stars flag, I noticed that there was a gathering of Africans in all shapes and sizes behind Ghana. Many people had become honorary Africans. The team always stressed that this was being done for Africa, their continued progress was for the whole of Africa, and it seemed that the people started to believe that. Victory against Uruguay and progressing to the final four on African soil was not about Ghana, it was win for Africa.

To lose in such a dramatic fashion was, however, all about Ghana. I noticed the commentators were surprised that so many other African nations were supporting Ghana, so the bitter sweet pill of hearing the words "its the end of the Africa dream" were especially resonant to me. They are still ringing in my ears now. Was it really all a dream? Did the African really have a chance? All the other promise of Africa had gone out in the early stages of the competition, surely Ghana couldn't do much better? Surely they couldn't make footballing history in Africa.

See, when you play with fire, you get burnt, this is logical. As Africans we are always playing with fire. Everything that is unique about Africa we tend to take for granted or we use a tool to generate revenue or we allow others to use as a tool to generate revenue. This is the game we play and it really is so much bigger than football.

I watched the game when Ghana beat the USA. It was wonderful for African football, not only because Ghana beat a much better USA team than they did in 2006, but also because the Americans, in true Hollywood blockbuster style had several million supporters across the Atlantic in the old US of A, (apparently their games had the highest viewing figures) and a star studded line up in the stadium including Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger (who quickly switched to his England Shirt after the USA lost) The profile of African teams and Ghana a footballing nation was raised.

Anyway I'll let you into a secret, due to my affliction with the deadly dis-ease Procrastinitis, I wrote this article in two sections. The latter section is written with the hindsight of being aware that Uruguay's volleyball team are now out of the running to win World cup, after a spirited battle with the Dutch and a goal awarded against them that should have been offside, I almost found myself rooting for the volleyball team and prayed for them to call on the "hand of the devil" but they changed tact and decided to play football instead (I am starting to sound bitter aren't I)

It would have been nice to see a little variety in the World cup final and that was why it was such a shame that Ghana went out when they did. After seeing the result of Uruguay and Holland, I had a crazy feeling (without trying to sound like a disillusioned England commentator ) that due to sheer ram hearted determination Ghana could have beaten Holland on the day, had it not been the for the antics the Uruguayans and/or Asamoah Gyan's penalty miss. The anti-penalty, I haven't mentioned that have I, I put that miss down to pressure, although I do have the weak hearted tendency to be a little too forgiving.

Asamoah Gyan had now transferred the dreams of the entire African continent into his foot. In seconds before he took that penalty we had all planned our celebratory dances and which party we were going to and how long that party would go on for. All the owners of the Ghanaian bars and clubs in London rubbed their grubby mits together thinking of the all the money that they would be making though the reckless abandon of the crazed legions of fans. Hell, even the Turkish shops in London that were near to Ghanaian outlets would make a killing, as we all know how randomly supportive the Black pound is!

We were all on the edge of our seats literally waiting for that inevitable goal, from Algeria in the North through to Nigeria in the West and Angola in Central. Once the ball hit the cross bar all our dreams began to swiftly unravel, and no doubt there was utter maniacal but short lived jubilation on the streets of Montevideo (yes I have been on wikipedia, but I bet none of you could state the capital city of Uruguay until now and it is such an interesting word, no?)

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 230 people were torched to death in a village called Sange after a petrol tanker crashed and caused a huge fireball. Many of the victims were in a cinema watching the game. So many variables. I wonder what stage of the the game the accident occurred at? First half? Extra time? if Ghana had won without going into extra time would all those people have left the cinema at a different time?

So now we have reached the finals and the end of the world cup, Africa's almost crowning moment. My prediction was that an African team should, would and could be in the final, the first on (pseudo) African soil, but I was wrong. So much for my clairvoyance, I need more training.

I read a story about a "psychic" Octopus called Paul, who is incarcerated in a Zoo in Oberhausen, Germany. He has, by predicting Spain's win against Germany maintained an 100% accurate prediction rate in all Germany's games during the this world cup.

They put a container with octopus food, (whatever that is) in the tank with a flag of each nation on each container, and which ever he goes to to denotes his prediction. Apparently he had an 80% prediction rate in the last European cup, his only error was picking Germany as the winners against Spain in the final when Spain actually won. By picking Spain again I bet the the Germans were hoping that he was wrong again, but he wasn't. Maybe he's taking the piss with his a jailers. He predicted correctly all Germany's wins against Australia, Ghana and England, the loss against Serbia and the final loss against Spain. I wonder how he would predict a draw?

Greetings everyone. Well here on the Vibes and Pressure blog we are seeing many changes in and around our world, which will affect our personal, political and economical lives. In the UK, a new coalition government is the order, with some saying it’s a match made in heaven, others saying it’s a match made in Thatcherism…. Hell in other words. It says a lot about the Labour party that a union between their sworn enemies (the Tories) and their sometimes allies (LibDems) is a better alternative than the party whose mandate has always been about the people. No one I’ve spoken to seems very enamoured by this union, but most seemed sure they wanted a change. I’m not too sure if the right choice has been made. Personally, I felt more bickering and uncertainty with government, would’ve been better for the country. That way, a new election would have to be called and people would have to make a more definite choice. Maybe we should all vote Green next time, and give a real shock to the system, because it’s the same usual suspects, preaching the same usual nonsense, and doing the same usual crap!

Then there’s the trouble in Greece. Civil unrest due to a feeble economy that is being propped up by other European nations, themselves in great debt. Constant demonstrations on the streets of Athens, with people’s anger being violently directed toward the government and the financial institutions. Europe itself doesn’t look too healthy on the whole. The Germans are in debt, the French aren’t great financially, and the Spanish could be even worse. The UK has a bigger deficit than Greece but apparently the UK is in a better position to manage its debt. Nonetheless the new government will be making some ‘generous’ cuts, mainly from schemes and projects intended for society. It feels like there could be civil unrest in quite a few places across Europe over the next few years, with mounting debts and society having to pay the price for inadequate, inept or nepotistic leadrship.

Coalition government seems to be the order of the day. My home country, Trinidad & Tobago, has just elected a coalition government and in the process it’s first female Prime Minister. Whether there will be real change is another matter. What is certain is that the level of cronyism and schism within the former ruling party was getting out of hand. Add to that an upward trend in poverty and crime in a country that is by far the richest in the Caribbean with regard to GDP, and you have to ask ‘What de hell was really going on?’. Hopefully a woman’s touch might get some of these things right.
Speaking of a woman’s touch, what about Mother Nature, eh? She’s been in the headlines these last few months, firstly inflicting a lot of damage and pain upon Haiti, and recently her erupting volcano in Iceland, spraying ash through international airspace that left many people stranded and also left many airlines upset at having to cut their losses. Mother is trying to tell us something. Are we listening?

Been listening to Erykah Badu’s new album, New Amerykah: The Return of the Ankh. Brilliant! I haven’t stopped listening to it since I bought it last month. For me she is the female artist of her generation, the embodiment of soul. Look out for tracks ‘Get Munny’ and ‘Window Seat’, whose controversial video, filmed close to the site where JFK was shot, has given the album the best publicity it could’ve ever had!! Other than Erykah, I’ve rekindled a liking for Brazilian reggae band Natiruts, formerly known as Nativus. Check out songs ‘Beija Flor’ and ‘Deixa O Menino Jogar’. Brilliant music, and some serious lyrics too! You can find the lyrics and translations online, if you feel like singing along or just to know what they’re saying.
So that’s it from me for now. I’ll leave you with a quote from the Honourable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr – "I submit to you that if a man hasn't found something he would die for, he isn't fit to live…"

Love, Light & Peace

John Blood

So I’m sitting here thinking what I shd write 4 this blog abt Vibes and Pressure. My overstanding brings me 2 a place of turmoil. What do the masses wanna hear?

Do they wanna drink and smoke their pressures away, whist vibing on the irony of their discontent? Shd I tell them that it’s all good? Let the polytricksters and beaurocheats play their games whilst we tune in 2 music, the true heartbeat of the people? Now I’m thinking abt something I an’ I heard yesterday, abt how the yout’ dem a gwaan like beast, how “daggering” is the norm in a bashment dance, how the young r so ready 2 stay that way that they kill each other rather than move up and take their place eventually as older heads. We used 2 worry abt babies having babies, now babies r killing babies.. just 2 get a rep.. (peace out 2 Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal)

Now, while my 1st urge is 2 tell them 2 fix the phuc up, my overstanding tells me that it’s mayb not so simple. The polytricksters use the opium of the nation 2 tell us that we r out of control, that more “punitive measures” must be enforced, that we need more skisms of control 2 protect them – and us – from us. Now I an’ I know some of u r reading this and saying “ Corrd, wtf? Why u saying “us”? Is the yout’ dem, we just vibes out, smoke a likkle sumpt’n, hit a likkle henny, an’ watch the madness.. is the yout dem u must talk 2!”

But c.. I disagree. Rastafari (not tryna preach, just showing u a vibes, no pressure) has a fundamental principle, I and I. Me and mine. And, if mine is in turmoil and war, how can that make me ok? Dietrich Bonhoeffer said "The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children", and we sit and watch the madness unfold, shaking heads and kissing our teeth. Not that the polytricksters r right. While they try 2 scare u into making the world a safer place, the truth is that, 4 the poor, 4 the disenfranchised, 4 the masses, this economic slavery in which we exist downpresses the expression of this plight with the post modern mores applied through the media. So we feel the angst, the fury, the hopelessness, yet everything around us tells us we have no business even thinking such thoughts. But even a negative vibe must exert pressure. So the yout’ dem rampage and older heads run to the embrace of southern comfort, all the while supporting the skism with consumption.

My general, the Hindu in the Cave, 1ce told me “bruv, sometimes just being smart ain’t enough”. As outer perception turns 2 inner penetration the question is this…… by being a good man, by exercising good citizenry, how have I an’ I helped me and mine? I haven’t. So by this logic, is being a good citizen the same as supporting this skism? That question in itself is conflict.
I look over at the opium box and the man I can c tells me 2 vote 4 him, while some other man’s voice is telling me (objectively, of course, no impropriety in Aunty’s House) that the 1st man probably won’t get my vote…. U muthaphuccing right!!

The truth ( check me back a next time so we can reason more abt “truth”) of the matter is that while our morality is tested by our childcare, our success, the true measure of our worth is reflected in what we do 4 the least of us, the most vunerable of us, the disempowered. When I an’ I stands and marvels at our accomplishments, where r the monuments 2 the disenfranchised? Scorn is the acceptable expression of belonging, and sarcasm is the benchmark of our humour. Who wld want 2 sit amongst the trash any way? Funny that, cos Bob did, yet now he’s used as an icon for cosmopolitanism. Phuccing hilarious…..

The conflict is this. The success of good citizenry is speaking 4 the voiceless, I an’ I included. Yet all this exists within the skizm, which must b maintained, and is not the good citizen the building block of society? I look back at the opium box, I hear a whole bag of blah. We need other voices, unheard voices, untold stories. Mayb, instead of telling the yout’ dem abt themselves, mayb we shd fix the phuc up and listen. What the polytricksters and beaurocheats will never tell I an’ I is that the truly good citizen will stand up and defend his brothers and sisters, will stand beside his troopers and troopettes, and won’t abide by any skism that downpresses the defenseless in order 2 maintain the veneer of civility.

"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed." Herman Melville

Mayb this isn’t what the masses wanna hear after all…..

p.l.h.o.

Corrd the Seeker