Visual brain teasers

There are occasions, with time on your hands, when just just fancy a few good brain teasers .....

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MISS AFFECTION

Miss affection where are you now?

Miss affection, I need your hand in mine.
I miss you miss affection.
Know the state I'm in
and realise I miss you

miss affection.

Personal comment - There was more to this.

Meaningful songs #23 - STAN RIDGEWAY

This  is the twenty-third in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Camouflage", released in 1986, is by a singer called STAN RIDGEWAY.

Stan Ridgeway

Hear the song here

Camouflage is certainly a story, albeit fanciful and sentimental; not for the Vietnam war itself, but for extraordinary feats of heroism and camaraderie between fellow combatants. I don't know why I like it but I do. The full story of Camouflage is told here.

CAMOUFLAGE

    

I was a PFC on a search patrol, hunting Charlie down

It was in the jungle wars of '65

My weapon jammed and I got stuck way out and all alone

And I could hear the enemy moving in close outside

Just then I heard a twig snap and I grabbed my empty gun

And I dug in scared while I counted down my fate

And the a big marine, a giant with a pair of friendly eyes

Appeared there at my shoulder and said "Wait"

When he came in close beside me, he said "Don't worry son, I'm here

If Charlie wants to tangle now, he'll have two to dodge"

I said "Well thanks a lot". I told him my name and asked him his

And he said "The boys just call me camouflage"

  

Woohoohoohoo Camouflage

Things are never quite the way they seem

Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
I was awfully glad to see this big marine

Well we fought all night, side by side, we took our battle stands
And I wondered how the bullets missed this man
Cus they seemed to go right through him, just as if he wasn't there
And in the morning we both took a chance and ran
And it was near the riverbank when the ambush came on top of us
And I thought it was the end, we were had
Then a bullet with my name on it came buzzing through a bush
And that big marine, he just swat it with his hand
Just like it was a fly

Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
Things are never quite the way they seem
Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
This was an awfully strange marine

And I knew there was something weird about him
Cus when I turned around he was pulling a big palm tree
Right up out of the ground and swatting those Charlies with it
From the here to Kingdom come
When he lead me out the danger, I saw my camp and waved goodbye
He just winked at me from the jungle and then was gone
And when I got back to my H.Q. I told them about my night
And the battle I'd spent with a big marine named Camouflage
When I said his name, a soldier gulped and a medic took my arm
And led me to a green tent on the right
He said, "You may be telling true boy, but this here is Camouflage
And he's been right here since he passed away last night
In fact he's been here all week long"
But before he went he said, "Semper Fi", and said his only wish
Was to save a young marine caught in a barrage
So here, take his dog tag son, I know he'd want you to have it now
And we both said a prayer for a big marine named Camouflage
  
Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
Things are never quite the way they seem
Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
This was an awfully big marine

Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
Things are never quite the way they seem
Woohoohoohoo Camouflage
This was an awfully big marine

Whoho Camouflage

Whoho Camouflage

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

YOUR LOVE

I read your letter,

became aware of your love,

its depth and purity,

forgiveness and loyalty,

a love untainted by conditionality

with joyous forgiving

and ever-present hope;

and I envy that love,

for I have no reply.

Personal comment - this poem was a  response to a letter after a choice.

Word of the day - CORUSCATE

The word today is Coruscate

Coruscate is a verb and means the following:

- To give forth flashes of light and sparkle and glitter

- To exhibit sparkling virtuosity or skills

- To be brilliant or showy in technique or style or performance

You're said to be coruscating if you exhibit brilliance of spirit

A coruscating performance leaves the audience coruscated

1. 
   

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.

Pamela Anderson - Bravo!

Pamela Anderson, the oft' maligned actress, model and latter-day campaigner, may have just become an inspirational influencer of women who may believe that more (lots more) make-up makes them more attractive (to who?). 

In Baywatch (aka body watch) she was beauty and glamour personified, but recently, at the 2023 British fashion awards, she once again succinctly proved that make-up may be something to hide oneself behind, but confidence without it reveals a much more truthful beauty.

Bravo Pamela Anderson.

Pamela Anderson (56!)

Old pictures of Pam.

What?

WHAT?

Case: A child (and friends) trespass on a building site surrounded by tall fencing, which they ignore to have their fun on the deserted site (no workmen there). He decides he would like to descend a manhole shaft, loses his footing in there and falls a further 20 feet to his death. Cause and effect right? Death by a misadventure that he freely undertook after ignoring much signage and obvious obstacles meaning stay out?

Conclusion: £860,000 fine for the building company, found in breach of some health and safety law(s) in place for the protection of it's authorised site workers, NOT some child (10) with nothing better to do,  who in law is the legal responsibility of  his parent(s).  I'm pretty sure that kid would have been in even if the perimeter had been mined, so why is a firm who had done what was required and keeping many in employment fined. This is clearly death by misadventure, self inflicted.

Question: Why is this company, who simply "facilitated" the death of a voluntary trespasser found guilty when others who made or installed faulty and dangerous building cladding, proven to have killed hundreds in building fires, not prosecuted commensurately under "health and safety" law? My belief is easy targets get duly processed by the law and slippery buggers get off. What say you?

Read about the case starting here.

Meaningful songs #21 - THE STRANGLERS

This  is the twenty-first in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Golden Brown", released in 1981, is by a group called THE STRANGLERS.

The stranglers - Punks for a while but so much more

Hear the song here

Golden Brown, credited to all band members, is a lyrically vague song having two accepted interpretations: Either s song about a woman with golden brown skin, or about heroin - a golden brown powdered opiate drug. It is musically complex and was expected by the band "to tank in the Christmas rush", but it took off and became a hit, such was the appreciation of its unique musicality at that time. The full story of Golden Brown is told here, though a lesser narrative accuses The Stranglers of plagiarising the US band Quicksilver Messenger Service and their instrumental piece Gold And Silver.

N.B. There is an exceptionally good spoof video of a 1950's-60's Jazz group called the Dave Brubeck Quartet "performing" Golden Brown; actually a real group who never did perform Golden Brown. The spoof was created by Englishman Laurence Mason. Also, following the demise of the band, Hugh Cornwell resurrected the song with a Mexican band, "The Mariachis".

GOLDEN BROWN
    

Golden brown, texture like sun

Lays me down, with my mind she runs

Throughout the night, no need to fight

Never a frown with golden brown

Every time, just like the last

On her ship, tied to the mast

To distant lands, takes both my hands

Never a frown with golden brown

Golden brown, finer temptress

Through the ages, she's heading West

From far away, stays for a day

Never a frown with golden brown

Instrumental break

Never a frown (Never a frown)

Never a frown with golden brown)

Never a frown .....

 

There is a musical link to Angie by The Rolling Stones, in that both songs appear to be love songs but relate to the use of Heroin.

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Word of the day - MALEFICENCE

The word today is Maleficence

Maleficence is a noun and means the following:

- An act of harm or malignant mischief

- Harmful or malicious intent or action(s)

- Doing or producing evil

Surely this should be non maleficent?
(do no act of maleficence)

You are said to be maleficent if you do an act of maleficence

If someone says you are maleficent they are calling you an evil bastard

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.