Top 100 Corporate Criminals

Today I came across this and was instantly convinced that this list of rogues had to be placed on my list of necromancers. Funny, isn't it how ambivalent the world feels towards corporate criminals. Some almost revered for beating the system...says a lot about the system doesn't it...but these vagabonds, neatly compiled into a list of the Top 100 Corporate Criminals, are undoubtedly high on my list of necromancers.

North Americans and Perfection

"... The North American wants to use reality rather than know it. ... We get drunk in order to confess; they get drunk in order to forget. ... We are sorrowful and sarcastic and they are happy and full of jokes. North Americans want to understand and we want to contemplate. They are activists and we are quietists; we enjoy our wounds and they enjoy their inventions. They believe in hygiene, health, work and contentment, but perhaps they have never experienced true joy, which is an intoxication, a whirlwind. [It's not so much fun to be characterized from the other side, is it?] ... What is the origin of such contradictory attitudes? It seems to me that North Americans consider the world to be something that can be perfected, and that we consider it to be something that can be redeemed." (Mexican writer Octavio Paz in The Labyrinth of Solitude)

WMD

Still out in the desert...searching for those weapons. Anyway, try this....go to www.google.com, then type the words "weapons of mass destruction" and then hit the "i'm feeling lucky" button. Brings a smile to the face of a weather-beaten traveller.

England in Summer

Been away fighting dragons...back now...read this the other day, and thought...how true: "Even in summer, the English sky's the colour of a dead body left out in the cold", see Die Puny Humans for the rest of this treatise....what a happy fellow. Dunno why it appealed to me, maybe the evil in the world that confronts a Knight like me sometimes seems just to much...

Headless Harry Potter, Please....

Where is that irritating little wizard, Harry Potter? Was thinking of adding him to my list of necromancers, but he is too small and annoying. Instead, I think I should seek him out and lop off his nauseating little head....anyone seen him? Then Ifound this game tha provided some release, play Kill Harry Potter.

Suckers, Supply and Demand

It has been a while since I found the time, given my busy schedule being a knight-errant, to add to my online quest. But since then, something has been bothering me about my last entry. Basically, I forgot to mention the suckers who fall for the Nigerian Necromancer Scams. Why is this important? Because, as I quest to find the essence of truth out there, I am continually confronted by all the sad parts within us...in this case, greed. The flipside of the scams I mentioned in my previous post is that people fall for the scams...so who is the necromancer and who is the rather gullible Sancho Panza? The Internet Fraud Complaint Center believes that nearly 10,000 Americans in 2001 reported losing $17.8 million in online scams. Not all fraud is from Nigerian Scam letters, but a lot is. Supply and demand, supply and demand...the evil of humankind.

Nigerian Scammers and other Necromancers

Still wandering in search of truth...no progress yet....but today had a glimpse of its ugly cousin called lies and deceit. When I woke up this morning I was immediately confronted by a whole package of lies, albeit amusing lies in a perverse way. You know these lies well...the old Nigerian bank scam....something anyone who forages across the net, not to mention old experienced Knights like yourself, have had infinite experience of. Today, however, what was interesting was that I was informed in the email that my long lost relatives in Nigeria had been killed in a car accident and their lawyer (who miraculously tracked me down which is difficult given I am a wandering Knight) wanted to deposit the inheritance into my account. All I had to do was to give him my bank account details and I would be a very rich fellow. Now, firstly, being a wandering Knight, I don't have a bank account. I only work in gold pieces. Secondly, the lawyer wanted 40% for his assistance. I ask you? Such a large cut on top of the fact that I am currently grieving the loss of my long lost relatives who I only got to know today. Finally, money is of no worth to Knight, I seek my fortune in chivalry and acts of bravery. Anyway, I endeavoured, given the percentage of the deal, and the points I just made, to pass this tempting offer up. That said, I have a good mind to go and lop off the head of this so-called lawyerwith with my trusty sword called Leveller. Hence, Nigerian scammers have now made it onto my list of necromancers and I vow to seek them out and perform horrible medieval acts on them in revenge for their treachery. On the lighter side, I noticed this Knights approach to such scams and it lightened me up somewhat, see Conversations with Nigerian Scammers.

Why humans are like beasts

I realise I now have committed myself to being more philosophical. So best I get to it. I also have been trying to unravel my recent fascination with cats here in my diary. So where do these two meet? Today I think I realised the connection. Basically, I have been feeling, as my quest has been unravelling, that people seem to still operate on a very basic level of instinctual behaviour with the arrogance and instinctual prtection mechanisms often displayed by cats. Protect yourself above all else and damn the consequences. Take for example the current crisis the Anglos are dealing with and the unholy crusade (sic) in Iraq. Why do people keep buying their lies? The only response is that deep down we are like beasts...we rally behind the strongest in the pack, in this case the two necromancers Bush and Blair and try not to disturb the system too much. It is now completely apparent that necromancer Blair exaggerated evidence about the necromancer Hussein. But now, instead of speaking the truth, he is blaming his knights who work on so-called intelligence... and ... and ... and ... he gets away with it. Then, the government talking house, or Parliament to you, votes against an inquiry into the matter. And the masses largely do nothing about this. Why? Because, like instinctual beast the politicians want to protect themselves. They think it is better to protect the lies of necromancer Blair than start to demonstrate that the house in which they live, the government talking house, starts to take truth seriously, because then ... all their furry little hides may be in trouble. And why do the masses say nothing? Well, deep down we need a strong leader of the pack ... unconsciously we fear a leadership gap if necromancer Blair bit the dust. So, we live with the lies for the security of leadership. the politicians (sic) live with the lies for fear of the chickens coming home to roost. Hence I conclude: alas, we are not far from cats...or dogs...or other beasts. I despair and am left wondering ... where is the truth? Is it really out there?

Civet cats and disease...

Just as I was about to continue my journey for a while and leave my journal as I travel (as access is hard), I heard that the new plague sweeping this planet (well sort of if you are hysterical) could be caused by Civet cats. Surely not? Am I the only one out there who is delusional enough not to believe this illusion? Of course, if it turns out to be true it will have have to make it onto my list of "lurking dangers", and I will deny I ever said this....But I think it is safe for now.. Meeeaouw then.....and adieu for a few days. Yours with kindest regards....and as always with deluded but happy wishes....BQ.

Far away...

Ah, how strange to be in places far away. In my dreams and in reality...I am not too sure how much I will say over the next while. I travel through distant lands, the lands of my creation...more to follow once this adventure is over. Right now, I love the atmosphere, the slowness, the heat and the way everyone talks with their hands...more in a few days we hope...but try guess where I am.

God on the other side

No one ever goes into battle thinking God is on the other side (Terry Goodkind, Fantasy Author)...I think this is enough for today...speaks volumes...although, despite my travels I have never some across this author before.

Today is the Pope's birthday...he is getting on...but, it brings my memory back. Do you remember when, Mehmet Ali Agca shot Pope John Paul II at St. Peter's Square on May 13, 1981? The poor old Bull now has to ride around in a glass fishbowl on the back of a truck. Amazingly, the Pope forgave his attacker who hit him in the abdomen, left hand and right arm with bullets from point blank range. What was the reason for this? Now that I cannot remember, but it makes me think of all the conspiracy theories out there...of course, this is not the type of thing a pure Knight indulges himself in...but caste your eyes upon Conspiracy Archive, The Conspiracy Journal and Conspiracy Planet...at least I am not the the only one who lives in an alternative universe.

Liberty

It dawns on me: Are the stapler, rubber band and safety pin the weapons of a modern Knight? No. They are the weapons of a modern day serf. It is from this we must seek liberation. "Liberty, Sancho, my friend, is one of the most precious gifts that Heaven has bestowed on mankind" (Book 2, Part 14).

Invention of the Rubber Band

Like everyone else I do enjoy a pleasant distraction from time to time......and today discovered (as part of my quest, of course), that on March 17, 1845, the fist rubber band was patented by Stephen Perry of London. Perry owned the rubber manufacturing company Messers Perry and Co., of London, England. The first rubber bands were made from vulcanized rubber. Interesting. But let us put it in context, that is, a few years after Samuel Slocum patents the stapler (1841) and a few years before Walter Hunt invents the safety pin in 1849. Does this mean anything? I doth not know...but I do knowth that neither stapler, rubber band nor safety pin should make it onto my list of new discoveries...

The World Needs a Knight

This week has still not revealed any new truths...but I remain resolute on my quest. Tommy Chong, I think now after a few days, will not make it onto my list of Chivalrous Knights. He is just too 70s. His fate too silly. Bureaucracy is an evil, an iron cage says Max Weber, but I think it is still not a necromancer as such. Bureaucracy is not a person but a creation of people. So I leave it for now. So to the next week I ride...looking and still searching...comforted by the words: "He was spurred on by the conviction that the world needed his immediate presence..." (Book 1, Part 2, Don Quixote).

Tommy Chong

Back on the donkey. Still pondering those Anglos and Americanos...but stumbled upon this today...more proof of a world gone wrong...and Americanos infected with a security bug. Poor old Tommy Chong (remember him?) has been done for selling drug goodies. No not drugs, just goodies to use drugs! Chong pleaded guilty on behalf of his business, Nice Dreams Enterprises, which made a line of marijuana bongs and pipes. Doing business as Chong Glass, Nice Dreams Enterprises sold glass pipes and bongs that Chong acknowledged were used to smoke marijuana. By that logic we need to arrest those that peddle cig-paper, or phonebooks! For more see article. This leaves me with the words of our beloved Don Quixote, equally true for me: "As all the world knows, yesterday received the order of knighthood, and hath to-day righted the greatest wrong and grievance that ever injustice conceived and cruelty perpetrated: who hath to-day plucked the rod from the hand of yonder ruthless oppressor so wantonly lashing that tender child". Tommy Chong you tender child...I will seek you out and set this right. Oh, noble Knight of the 70s, I think I should consider you for the list of the chivalrous!

Making of Stars

Later tonight: so my questing was over for the day and I decided to sit down in front of the theatre box...and what did I find but a show on the Anglo Soap Theatre awards. Soap Stars galore. I did not know one of them, never heard of them, never mind. But then came an award for the most sexy Soap star on theatre box. Unbelievable, both the people (one female and one male of the species) that one were plain ordinary Anglos - bad accents, whining voices, drink too much ale, just your average person next door. It then dawns on me, the Anglos choose stars based on themselves...the Anglo dream is that every person IS famous (hence the success of reality theatre shows on the box) and is only waiting to be discovered. Across the great pond, the Americanos see it differently...fame makes you into something else, better and improved. So for the Anglos the implicit colonial dream is that you can remain the working class bloke with money (hence the success of Knight of the ball jousting pit, David Beckham). This helps perpetuate the myth that Anglo society is not class-based. Colonialism rides on. The Americano dream is that everything is possible...the class dimension is ever present and success is attainable (sic)...fame is money, money makes you different, even your face can be up for grabs....

Bazima

Still foraging about...came across this maiden called Bazima, she seems to also be on a quest. Relationships...love and all that are here poison. But ah...don't want to get into that just yet....still pondering the pros and cons of bureaucracy (believe it or not) and will leave love for another day. That said, as Don Quxiote notes, all great Knights need a maiden to defend...is that where the truth lies? Surely not.

Bad Cookie

I stumble from my loft out of the hay, and the first connection to the world I find is this, Bad Cookie leaping from my Inbox. I like to think of myself as a rational sane person...out there doing my best, saving people, on a quest, leading the misguided down the path of light and justice...but sometimes...only sometimes...I find myself swayed by the superstition. My cookie says, "Failure surely comes your way". I shiver.

Spokey Wheeler

"My in-tray is ridiculous," says Spokey Wheeler. "I could spend all my time on it. I feel as if I am being asked to stick my finger in a dyke and wiggle it in the most imaginative way possible. I love my job - but the deck feels stacked against me."

Bureaucracy Inflating

Giant sucking sound is bureaucracy inflating, by Zay Smith...methinks I just liked the headline really!

Iraq

Alas, time for me to sleep...perchance to dream. Today has drifted away, and I find myself still preoccupied with the unholy crusade taking place in ancient Iraq by that group of coalition necromancers...this seems to distract me from my quest. I hunt the truth, honour and chivalrous people...I find it easy to list necromancers (today, I was thinking about adding bureaucracy to the list, along with headline grabbing scribes as I mentioned)...but what I really want to add is something positive. Where are the good people? Where are the valiant knights?

Headline Seeking Scribes

Avoiding Armageddon....now there is a novel quest for me. PBS are to run what they call a timely series from Ted Turner Documentaries entitled Avoiding Armageddon, which will explore "the explosive intersection between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction". All I ask, in my most honourable and chivalrous voice, is what comes first the TV hype or the weapons? I think I may need to leave this issue for another day...although I think headline seeking scribes (that is journalists to most of you modern day folk) on the list of necromancers!

Cat Skinning

I was out foraging and look what I found...the BBC News has seen evidence which suggests that cats are being farmed for their skins in the European Union, see article. Interesting. Should this be my quest? Rid the world of cat-skinners?

Worst Britons

I think I am over it now...that is, looking for adventure with too much passion as I was doing last week...it needs to come to me. In the mean, my weekend has slipped by and all I have noticed that some interesting developments in no-so-Great Britain. The mad populous voted on their worst Britons the other night, the results were staggering I think, promoting an instant connection to the list of necromancers. The top ten worst Britons as voted on Channel 4 were:

1. Tony Blair
2. Jordan
3. Margaret Thatcher
4. Jade Goody
5. Martin Bashir
6. Gareth Gates
7. Alex Ferguson
8. 'H' from Steps
9. Gerri Halliwell
10.The Queen

...the rest of the list, top 100 Worst Britons!

I therefore, in the interests of democracy, add the list of 100 Britons to the list of necromancers, although some I think are sweet and harmless, there are others I have never even heard of in my travels...but then again there are some more nasty ones like Herr Blair and Herr (yes, Herr) Thatcher that fully deserve it...although must have come to a shock to Blair as he thinks he is North American if I am not mistaken!

Delay Brings Danger

Don Quixote says, "Delay always breeds danger; and to protract a great design is often to ruin it" (in Don Quixote, Part 1, Book 4, Chap 2). I am wondering if this is true. Been wondering around the big smoke all day now waiting for adventure, seeking it out, standing ready...but nothing...will this quest come to nought? Anyone out there? Anything out there, or are we sinking further into the belly of this beast called life, never to reappear?

Bored...

Ho-hum...another day. Pottering around my my castle....

Necromancer GW Bush

As I set off today on my trusty steed, Gallant (that's a Ford Galant 2.0l to most of you), across the wires I heard yet another broadcast of that necromancer GW Bush. However, this morning his delivery sounded all to familiar...then it dawned on me. I had indeed heard this rhetoric before, on Star Trek, that wonderful show that transports us to other fantastical worlds. GW discourses as if he is a captain of Star ship! When I arrived in the big smoke I did a quick forage and needless to say found I am not the only Knight who this this. There is a USS G.W. Bush Fantasy Star Trek Game, I found footage of the aforementioned GW Bush on Captaining the Enterprise, amd my person favourite I found evidence that recently discovered "Star Trek" scripts reveal Saddam-busting strategies. Is GW from another world, or just colonising all we know? I must seek this necromancer out...

Walter Sisulu

So soon and I have already decided to add a Fallen Knight to my list of chivalrous men. In short a great Knight passed today. Walter Sisulu, chivalrous soldier of the African National Congress in South Africa passed away at the age of 91. How noble the effort, see the ANC's profile of Sisulu.

Blog Quixote's Dream

Greetings all. I know you are all wondering why it I have begun this blog...especially a man of my esteem. In short, I thought it may be helpful, if I am to complete my search for new discoveries, other gallant knights and fundamental truths out there I may need your help. Let the quest begin. These are the ways of knight-errantry, nobility and honour. I beseech you to follow...saddle up and lets ride...

My Quest

The weblog of Blog Quixote, Knight of the Woeful Figure begins...