Charles Spencer King

  Mr. Brett died in 1995 working on Sherlock Holmes until close to
the bitter end. He was admired and befriended by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle's daughter Dame Jean Conan Doyle. The forty one episodes are all
delightful. All are available on DVD or online at Netflix. I saw the
series first on PBS and later on A & E. I was thrilled to see them all
again on Netflix and mind you, it did not bother me in the least. It
did remind me of just how wonderful Mr. Brett was as an actor. It
reminded me of that period of time in British Television when series
like Upstairs Downstairs, All Creatures Great and Small, Poirot (to
name a few) were not only highbrow, but actually taught us something
positive. These were family shows, there was never an abundance of
violence, they were elegant and taught us manners. One of my favorite
line's of Holmes is at the end of the video I'm sharing: when he SIC tells
 an adversary that " He should take off the cigar band from his cigar or 
people will assume he is a bounder". It is nuances like these that not 
only school us, but we remember.

  Some may want to challenge my "Colonial" views on this Blog
because I am in THIS instance, saluting The Raj, yet those would be
the lowbrows. Fortunately the highbrows have absorbed what they
choose to of Colonialism and spit the rest out. Perhaps it is because
my Dad was an architect that I enjoyed the Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes so much. When we look at all the manufactured crap that we are
producing in today's world and the decline and fall of artistic
masters of tradesmen be they working in iron, stone, fabric or woodwork
its little wonder I liked the sets. There are a few giants of film
that painstakingly reproduce a set the way it should be like David
Mamet, Robert Altman or Ashutosh Gowariker, but not many who don't cut
corners these days.

 I miss the lack of these type of family shows and to be honest I
miss Mr. Brett and his cerebral charm or maybe it was more of his
aloofness or dismissive nature. You can find Mr. Brett in a few other
notable films, but not many. He was in War and Peace with Audrey
Hepburn and again with her in My Fair Lady. I always thought he'd make
a great Jeeves as I have always found those who tried to be PG
Wodehouse's unique character Jeeves to be somewhat lacking.
 Unfortunately, we'll never know. It is ELEMENTARY that If any actor
deserves an award (of any kind) posthumously, it is Mr. Brett. Do hunt
for the series and you'll not be disappointed nor do you require to see
 the episodes in any particular order.








Here is a very worthwhile petition you can sign

www.bafta4jb.com/the-petition/petition-letter/

327 pages 
Ana Maria was a was what I call a floater she was baptized Catholic and born in Lucumi, and eventually crowned. Being a Santera just did not seem enough for her and she began to  learn IFA. She was relentless in her studies, but had no interest in marrying a Babalawo because she was a lesbian. During her studies she cast aside Catholicism and took it out of her personal practices and worship. This was an improvement, but she still felt she was destined for higher service. Next she became a Palera, but never felt that IFA (her passion) and Palo walked hand in hand, as they seemed to in Orisha worship.  She tried Voodoo, Hoodoo, and other traditions, always coming back to IFA, despite what she felt was a suppression of equality for women and gays. 




After a time, she began reading how women were treated as equals in Yoruband, so she joined an ile in the state of Ogun and learned that in Yorubaland there were still things a man could do, that a woman could not in IFA. She asked many elders about this, who usually answered evasively, or asked her to consider why Olodumare made male and female. The wise Awo would entreaty that women have an equally important role in the religion as in day to day life, but there is a difference, just as a male can not birth a child, neither can a woman initiate the process without a man. She understood, but still she was unhappy and felt women were slighted from, not just IFA, but counsels, and the hierarchy. Ana Maria began to see that it was not just Lucumi where women were not equal, the more times she heard "equal, but different" the angrier and more frustrated she became.  She visited Brazil where woman have a rich history because the Portuguese had murdered all the male Babalawos centuries ago. The problem in Brazil was that she found Portuguese to be difficult to learn. She saw that while Orisha worship was perhaps even skewed to women in Brazil, IFA seemed to be newer there and more murky. 



327 paginas 

 

 

            Ana Maria met Jim in a forum on Facebook, Jim was gay and like Ana was a floater, they had traveled the same road for different reasons. He was well spoken, knowledgeable and an independent student of IFA. Jim like Ana was frustrated and unwilling to accept the tenants of IFA that preclude gay men from the priesthood. For my part, I met both Ana Maria on a Facebook, but separately, both had written me a nice note congratulating me on my book, Nature's Ancient Religion. Ana Maria had read my book in Spanish (IFA y los Orishas: La Religion Antigua de la Naturaleza), and Jim had read my book in English. Over time I began to see both Ana and Jim pop up on many groups on Facebook and forums elsewhere. In the course of things we three became Internet friends. Not being gay or a woman caused me to reflect on their plight, their gripes, and their feelings. You see it was not just Ana and Jim, it was a large group of women and gay men who were equally frustrated. 

             Like many Awo, I understood their frustration, yet I was and am in no position to change the way things are, and in fact I am not sure I would , if I could. In fact this irked and irks me to see the same exact discussions over and over, and in every single group I belong to. You see, while I am sympathetic to their plight, I am happy with my beloved Lucumi, there is no chance of changing the tradition as I see it.  However, I put on my thinking cap, because like a baby that is crying, crying and crying, the baby will not stop unless he or she is attended to. The baby may need changing, food, or simply attention. 

              We all learn from history, be it oral, written or experienced. It we look at our religion(s), we find they are fragmented with traditions, some of these fragmentation's in diaspora came about because of necessity rather than choice, yet other purely came from choice. Even in noble Yorubaland there are fragmentation's, Oyo does not do some things as Osogbo, just as Osogbo does not do all things as in Ife. These differences can be either in mechanics or philosophy (or both), the same is true when comparing other West African traditions to Yorubaland, There is often a misconception that all of Yorubaland does things the same, when the reality is quite different. There is a beauty to our structure, that not enough followers appreciate. Some of those seek misguidedly to combine all the traditions and make one super religion. This of course will never happen, as centuries of tradition and culture are not given up, ever. Many of these ONE Super religion types also tend to insinuate and in some cases outright claim that their tradition is superior in power, history, or culture to others. There are other motives like money, but let's avoid looking at these and focus just on those who seek to consolidate. We'll often find the consolidators the worst culprits in disrespecting other branches or traditions of our religion, why? Because they have a motive or motives. The enlightened, see the futility of promoting consolidation, and tend to be more receptive in respecting those traditions that are not their own, but related. If we look at my beloved Lucumi, we find that like in Yorubaland (or anywhere else) mechanics and philosophy vary somewhat ile to ile, and more so from rama to rama. Therefore, the reality is anywhere on the planet we look, we see differences. 

          These differences are to be respected, just as our many similarities are to be celebrated. Disrespecting another tradition, or ile is much like a divorced spouse ranting and raving about their former mate. It is unsightly, and we ask, " Humm, I wonder why she or he married them in the first place". It also can and often does damage the children born from this union.The wise former spouse, sings the praises of their former mate, and learns the lesson to not drink the same dirty water. If we look at other religion, (ANY other religion), we see differences that through history have cause fragmentation. Look at the Jews who spawned, both Christianity and Islam. Islam has Sunni and Shi'a, and other branches that fall from that tree. Christianity we can start with East vs Roman Catholic, continue to Martin Luther branching off, and all the branches of Protestantism. We can do this exercise in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc, etc. Now coming full circle, we notice that while there are many branches, the trees they belong to are clearly defined, and not in dispute. The same is true with all the diaspora based traditions, they came from West Africa and are part of those various trees in that grove, 

            In conclusion, I must ask when will Ana and Jim and all the other gay and women who want to have a larger role in IFA begin to learn from history? Why have they not started their own tradition(s)? My ogbe sa brain tells me that at some point they will stop exhausting themselves swimming up stream in Oshun's river and just create their own tradition. When this happens, history will tell us there is much resistance and perhaps centuries before the rest of the groves accept them as family, yet like all religions this is the price of being a separatist.

About the author: 
www.amazon.com/Charles-Spencer-King/e/B002ELIWKI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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Sharia, 

It is again for the umpteenth time I raise my trumpet to play a variation of the same old tune. When you're a religious author like me who has the rank of Baba Awo on par with a Catholic Arch Bishop, you're supposed to walk softly and criticize with velvet gloves,  rather than a sledgehammer. But my patience grows thinner and thinner each day. I am not a big fan of Israel, but their hardened red line stance is the wisest course of action. What the democracies of the West don't talk about openly is that Islam does not want to coexist in peace with any other religion. Some moderates of Islam continue to sell the tired overplayed song that Islam is a peaceful religion, but it is not. 



       Some Muslims see Islam as peaceful, while fundamentalists and radicals peach intolerance toward any other religion. We can view these radicals and fundamentalists as bullies as the governments of non Islamic countries often do, including the USA, but this is wishful thinking. The fact is that many of the moderate Muslims condone and support privately the Islamic policy of non tolerance for any religion other than Islam. Still other Muslims, may privately believe in tolerance, but prefer to sit on their hands, rather than stand up, speak out and be counted. The real minority is those who do speak up. 


       Freedom of speech and intolerance are never going to be able to coexist. The children of democracy are born and breed with the song " sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me". Yet look at Islam today attacking the embassies and consulates throughout the Islamic world, people dead because of a film. People died a few years ago because of a few cartoons by a danish author. Islam has no tolerance, it never has. The holy book of Islam, The Qu'ran has scores of passages that confirm this. Any objective scholar will tell you that Islam speaks of converting non Islam's or purging them from the holy lands. Purging means any means possible, including killing them. Sharia law is the fundamentalist Islamic law that tramples women and children's rights and educations. Some can say this is an extreme, but it is what the Qu'ran preaches. Often moderate Muslims do not see, that they too are in danger, because the Qu'ran preaches Muslims who are not devout enough, are targeted for expunging, right after the non Muslims !



        I've been watching the Western "free" press, tiptoe this tightrope of tolerance. I've been watching the democratic governments embrace the fallacy that Islam is not their enemy, and is a religion of peace. Hogwash !  Islam is the biggest threat to the world, just as Israel says. We've made excuses for Islam, long enough, the time to awake to the facts, is rapidly approaching. In today's world over ninety percent of terrorism is preformed in the name of Islam, that is fact, not fiction. The tens of thousands protesting around the Islamic world today wish to suppress freedom of speech, this is a fact, not fiction. The Qu'ran seeks to impose Sharia law and this too is fact, not fiction. It is a fact not fiction that Islam continues to enslave and expunge indigenous peoples from all over the world including Africa.  



        We know that Muslim terrorists, fundamentalists, radicals and some part of passive moderate Muslims are enemies of democracy and freedom of speech. Yet still, I am not anti Muslim, but I am anti Islam. There are peaceful, Muslims, however they are becoming the minority. Islam is a serious threat to democracies and free speech. It is high time democratic governments stop their feeble attempts at sugar coating Islam, Israel has long been the lone voice speaking the truth. We just can't wish Islam to be tolerant, or ignore it because it is not going away, it is being more and more intrusive, and more and more are being killed in its name. Calling a spade, a spade, should not be evil, look at how Islam is trying to bully  democratic  governments !  Cartoons and film? Is Mohammad or Allah that weak that sticks and stones and names hurt them? Why should Islam be given a free pass from criticism and humor? 

How did we get to this point? Well simply look at who is throwing rocks at the protests, it is the youth, and their education. Yep, it is those nasty madrassas with the rocking back and forth chanting students, and the fundamentalist teachers. If Islam is to be saved it needs to start at these madrassas. Until it does change there, we have fifteen plus years of violence and intolerance to deal with. To be fair, we also got to this point by our democratic governments tolerating the cancer that is Islam, and not seeing it for the evil it really is. I'm truly sorry that people are getting killed, yet that is hardly a filmmakers guilt, it is the democratic governments who continue to be in denial about the objectives of Islam.  

1960 article touting Mr. Romney having golf as a sport he enjoys. 

     You might consider this an odd reason not to vote for Mitt, but just bear with me for a bit. Now Mr, Romney grew up in the privileged country clubs of Michigan, and we know that we are all products of our environments. " You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy". Why did he quit? Certainly all of his rich friends played golf and according the displayed article he once did too. To me a golfer, it is more than odd he quit. Golf is linked to business, and business to golf, especially at the board level that Mr, Romney frequented later in life. Of course I have other reasons why Mr. Romney does not get my vote, but this one has been molesting me. 


President Obama signaling the crowd to observe etiquette
while his opponent is putting.

      Golf is a unique game on a number of fronts, it is game where the player has a responsibility to keep their own score, and sign for that score at the end of each round. The golfer has a responsibility to record their score so that their handicap is correct and current. It is major sport's only game (I know of) where the player is charged with the responsibility of calling a penalty on themselves, It is almost always an individual sport, rather than a team sport. It is called The Gentleman's game, it is one of the few (if not the only game) based on the honor system. It is a celebration with Nature, a walk in a garden, golfer's are expected to leave the course in an improved condition of how they found it (make improvements during their round). It is a family game, not just for the sport, but for the values it teaches and the character it builds. 

       
Presidents HW Bush, Ford, and Clinton on the tee.

      There are many ways to cheat in golf, yet the cheat is only cheating himself and his reputation, because eventually even the greatest cheat gets caught in golf. It is a game where the rules are clear, not ambiguous, and the same for all. There are many examples of the cheater getting caught throughout the game's long and storied history. There are also many examples of honor, integrity, and the rewards for such correct deportment. Many a potential executive has lost a promotion on the golf course due to arrogance or stupidity. Many a business and personal relationship, has soured on the links. The wise know golf is about character, respect and honesty and they use the game as a testing ground to study the character of a man or woman. 


JFK on the course

      I am not making an accusation of Mr. Romney here, I am simply making an educated observation.I can honestly say that I don't know anyone who plays golf, who quit without a very definite reason or circumstance. The fact that Mr. Romney keeps picking on President Obama's enjoying the game leads me to assume there is more to this contradiction than meets the eye. If I were the DNC, I'd be interviewing those who witnessed Mr. Romney play golf, and dig for the reason he quit. Quitting is not an admirable trait for a President, particularly when it is a noble game like golf. 


IKE has a tree named for him at Augusta, where The Masters is played.

Recent US Presidents who played golf as president: Dwight D Eisenhower (1953-1961), John F Kennedy (1961-1963), Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969), Richard M Nixon (1969-1974), Gerald Ford (1974-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977-1981),Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), George H.W.Bush (1989-1993), Bill Clinton (1993-2001), George W Bush (2001-2009), Barack Obama (2009-     ). Yep, every single President. Therefore as a student of politics, with a father who ran for President, is is not more than a little odd, that Mr. Romney would ignore history while taking digs at THE President, for playing golf ? I smell a story. 


Ronald Reagan's high finish.