08:30 I opened my weary eyes, got out of bed and made tracks to the bathroom. Suitability cleansed I went back and reclined on the bed. As I lied on the bed (I am really a truthful person, honest. But lying on the bed was most appropriate at this time) I was thinking about our next session later on that evening, the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Aba Shanti-I and Falasha recordings at Dingwalls in London.
Friday the Scala. Saturday, Munich and now Sunday, Dingwalls. Serious sleep depravation.
I knew that Blood was worried about this going off all right.The fact that Aba and I were hundreds of miles away and returning by plane to Heathrow at 16:30 did nothing for his stress levels. The French air traffic control had started a number of walkouts during the previous week in protest at the measures being brought by the French government in response to the financial crisis. The Spanish and Belgium people were also staging protests in this regard. All this could have delayed us arriving or cause us not to arrive at all!

I have to make a point and it is a point that a number of people all over the western world have made or pondered on and it is this.
The financial meltdown as it has been termed, as been portrayed as an unforeseen crisis that just happened, and because of this, we the people must endure the hardships and miseries required to bring the financial crisis under control.
WHO THE F**K ARE THEY TRYING TO KID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please forgive my bad language.
The crisis was an enviable consequence of the wilful manipulation of the world economies and negligence by bankers, financial institutions and money speculators. Couple this with the lack of due diligence by those governments, specifically the US, under the leadership of that ex alcoholic, ex drug using (I used the term 'ex' advisedly), xenophobic, sh*t for brains, underhand snake oil salesman. By his deeds he shall be known, so I don't have to name him and no it isn't President Obama.
Don't believe me then check this.
Who originally started lending money to the unemployed or low income people to purchase houses and properties they could not under normal circumstances afford to buy?
The US banks and financial institutions.

Who, as in the case of the UK, lend 110% - 120% of the value of said properties? That is more money than the property is worth!
The banks and financial institutions.

Who when those debts could not be repaid by those very same unemployed and low paid people, repossessed their homes?
The banks and financial institutions.

Who then coupled a majority those bad debts with a few good ones into a new financial instrument (package) that was then traded between the banks and then sold on to pension portfolios as a good investment?
The banks and financial institutions.
Yes by the way, those pension portfolios are monies invested by the working person to provide for their retirement, as advocated by the government.

Who, when the 'Sub Prime Mortgages' and 'Toxic Loans' as they became known, started to hit the headlines, disavowed any knowledge of such dealings or passed them off as legitimate business practices?
The banks and financial institutions.
Let us just take a minute and analyse the term 'Sub Prime'. 'Prime' means best, as in prime steak. 'Sub' means below, as in submarine.
So by definition 'Sub Prime' means below best or as in this case way, way below best.

So who has been guilty of fraud and financial mismanagement?
The banks and financial institutions.

Anyone spot a pattern here?
Everyone cites the collapse of 'Lehman Brothers' in 2008/2009 as the watershed. But no, that is not correct. That is when it came to the notice of the general public. A full 3 years prior in 2006, America suffered the collapse of the 'Sub Prime' market and this should have acted as a warning sign to all governments. If banks and financial institutions lending money to people whom could not service those debts was not a sign in itself, and before that the collapse of those stalwarts of ethical financial dealings, 'Enron' and 'WorldCom'.

So the house built on sinking sand collapses, and how were these banks and financial institutions saved from going under?
Yes that right, with government money or to put it correctly the 'people's money'! The very same money those governments said they did not have available to build schools, hospitals, pay the government worker a decent wage…etc. They found trillions of Pounds, Dollars and Euro to bail out the banks. They must have had it tucked under the mattress because they didn't trust banks!
Or they borrowed it from the only economy that has tremendous amounts of liquid cash due to that country selling their manufactured goods to the rest of the world, China.

Who is now being made to pay for the failings of those governments to regulate the banks and financial institutions?
Right again, you and I. Governments are slashing wages, cutting services, putting up taxes and making people redundant!
Redundant! The only people I can see that are redundant are those that were supposed to look after our best interests and to stop the banks and financial institutions from ruining our economies and thus our lives, namely the government.
We collectively as the poor are being made to underwrite their catastrophic failures and to maintain these fools who caused the crisis in the first place, in their global financial positions and lets not forget, government.
The poor sustain the rich. This is financial slavery! Nothing changes.

In 2006 I had a heated discussion with a 'LOMBARD', no not a member of the banking family par say, but a financial or stock trader.
It is East End slang for: Loads Of Money But A Right Dickhead, but I can see how you could have gotten confused. He overheard me state to a friend of mine as we were queuing to pay for our sandwiches, that the banks were guilty of financial chicanery with their promotion of 'Sub Prime' to the poor and disadvantaged for the sake of a few shillings and all I could see was troubles ahead.
He rounded off on me that I didn't understand banking fiscal economics and if everyone owned their own homes then strikes would be eliminated. People would be too worried about securing their future by maintaining their positions and the payments on their homes. Withdrawing their labour through striking and thus not getting paid would not enter the equation.
Also it generated massive commissions due to the very high interest rates these people (these people!) were charged and therefore was very attractive to the financial markets. He laughed as he said to me
"And if these people ('these people'! Strange how those who have, refer to those who have not) are too stupid to see what
they are getting into, more fool them".

Jah knows, he made me so angry that I just wanted to acquaint him numerous times with my quite large, but delicate right hand and my even stronger left one, but I refrained. I smiled wryly and walked away, thinking to myself that Jah does not repay debts with money.
I have to admit I was working for a major international bank at that time, but as a systems/network analyst, not a trader.
I no longer work there having left a few weeks later. No I was not sacked! I left for a more ethical environment with another company.

But last week one of my old colleagues sent me a link and it seems that said 'Lombard' as put his house was up for sale, and due to the housing crash he is throwing his car in as a job lot to sweeten the deal. He has been made redundant! I know it is wrong to gain light relief from other people's misfortune, but who's laughing now!

I feel that Jah The Father has severely chastised one of his wayward children and restored a little balance into this unbalanced World.
You know as a child how you would laugh when someone else in your family was getting licks. You would stand outside the door as the belt, flex, switch or whatever implement came to the hand of the chastiser was metered out. And as the lashes were dispensed how you thanked the Lord it was them and not you on the receiving end.

Yes I know, parents cannot do that now due to 'Child Abuse'. I agree, abuse is wrong, but discipline is necessary. Just look at this generation and what they are carrying on with. They have 'No' respect for others, let alone themselves. Then tell me that the lack of parental discipline has not caused this situation.

The above may be seen by some as the outpouring of a political stance, this it is not! It is the bringing together of information, which I have presented in a simplified way so that you the reader can view my considered opinion.
You may have your own opinion. All opinions are valid.

Anyway rant over, back to the report.
11:20 Aba and I had breakfast with Sebastian and all those that had used his home for shelter. We chatted over the repast about the session the previous night and the forthcoming session that evening. It turns out that 'Dandelion Sound System' will celebrate their 10th year in existence in 2011. We discuss the path that music and faith as guided us along, and its affect on theirs and those around them livity. Sebastian told me that two of our albums 'Wrath of Jah' and 'Pure Spirit' have a great deal of meaning for him. I get Aba to sign the 'Wrath of Jah' for him and promise to send him some associated artwork.
12:40 We say our farewells and we are taken by Sebastian to the airport.
15:15 Plane take off.
16:30 Plane lands at Heathrow.

On turning our mobiles once off the plane, there are text messages and voicemails galore.
It seems that apart from nuff people wanting to be on the guest list, the schedule is running slightly slower than expected.

17:00 Aba and I are on the tube to central London. Phone conversations confirm that the sound has only just arrived at Dingwalls, when it was supposed to be there at 15:00. The band were also late in getting there, so sound check was going to have to be little more than a level and line check. We will have to iron any problems out when we get there. The best laid plans of mice and musicians..huh!

One Love
                The Humble Lion  

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