Have Attenboroughs climate comments highlighted the problem with Humans as a species?.
Have Attenboroughs climate comments highlighted the problem with Humans as a species?
David Attenborough’s recent comments about climate change made me think. He suggests, probably quite rightly, that humanity is simply ignoring the damage being caused by global warming and climate change. Well said and correctly said in my opinion. While politicians give these issues lip service and make the right noises, what actually, on a global scale has been done? Have alternative methods of energy production been sufficiently explored? No!. Has the motorist been targeted in a barely disguised plot to squeeze the pocket of the population, under the guise of being green? Yes! Yet the main exponents of travel pollution Trains, Buses and Planes still belch out the black diesel fumes we all know and love. I could go on, however I digress.
I mention public transport because David Attenborough’s views bring to mind a view I hold, and it developed during my time as a bus driver. People are dumb panicky animals.
Don’t for a second think however that I’m calling everyone dumb, a person can be an incredibly bright, insightful, inventive, rational and intelligent person. Humanity en masse however is often dangerous, quick to anger and slow witted. During my time as a bus driver this became an obvious trend, and age wasn’t generally an issue. large groups of kids on a school bus could be equally as troublesome as football fans or masses of shoppers heading for the sales. This led me to believe it was a trait in humanity rather than simply the result of age or what they happened to be doing.
How many times have you seen groups of shoppers wander into the road? Too busy talking and focusing on the next task in hand to notice the car or bus that just had to brake. Dumb.
How many demonstrations around the world have descended into rioting or worse? Dumb.
Who saw the footage of Black Friday? People piled into shops running each other down in the pursuit of a bargain, half of whom didn’t even know what they wanted. Dumb.
How many times have we seen trouble at sporting events and organised demonstrations? Dumb.
Collectively the human race has done magnificent things, inventing medicine, harnessing the power of electricity (and the Atom), placing men in space and bringing toilets indoors! But the vast majority of these breakthroughs have been individual discoveries or as part of a small team. Never have we as a race, as a species, stood together to end a problem. because despite all our advances, Man is a dumb animal.
Blacker
Ice Hockey Arenasphere
Ok, first things first (has to be doesn’t it? too soon for philosophy?) I have to admit I had a motive for being in the Sheffield Arena during the steelers game against the Stingrays. I was actually there to help the sound guy and so didn’t see the entire nitty gritty of the game. What I can tell you though is that Ice Hockey kicks ass!!! Consider this more of an atmosphere review than a blow by blow account of the game. As an Ice Hockey virgin I didn’t really know what to expect, maybe a fight, maybe someone throwing beer, maybe an atomically charged puck driving someone’s teeth across the Arena floor!
During the set up, I encountered the Team G.B Women’s ice hockey team and I can tell you, they are fierce! It was their last training session before a tournament in Italy, and from what I saw, Rome will crumble!
As I took my seat and watched the crowd filter in, the party atmosphere began to build. What surprised me was the amount of family’s, all in full on party mood and when the Royal Marines abseiled down from the roof the place erupted. Cue the National Anthem accompanied by a pair of young local lasses skating about the place, one with a Steelers flag, the other bearing the Union Jack (take notice Scotland).
Lights. Smoke. Music. On came the teams. I learned along the way that Ice Hockey is played in three 20 minute…erm…thirds and as the first began it was heard not to start shouting, however being in the sound booth with the commentator it wouldn’t be a good idea for the whole place to pick up on my broad use of the English language! Twelve minutes gone…FIGHT!!! first of the night and everybody enjoyed it. If you intend to expose your kids to organised aggression, and why wouldn’t you, this is the place to go.
Getting the crowd involved is a non stop occupation at the Steelers, from Marines coming onto the ice between periods to fire T – shirts into the crowd, to having the team mascot Steeler Dan skanking in the aisles the crowd is the driving force behind the team and, unlike some sports I could mention, the Steelers seem to know and more importantly appreciate it. So, if you are an Ice Hockey virgin like I was, get yourself in there and prepare to enjoy yourself, you wont regret it. By the way, Steelers won 3 – 2. Get in!!!
Si thi in a bit.
Blacker.
Lets get things rollin’
Welcome!!!
Come on in, the waters fine. Well..a bit cold. With bits floating in it. And don’t look under the taps. But its all good Dear Reader.
This is the first post ever on blackartsdotcom, but definitely not the last. This is the start of something new, we can only grow and get bigger, steamrollering through the events to come with an eye on the future and our eardrums in the past. Spring is springing and that can only mean that festival season is around the corner, not to mention Harvest Festival! Hopefully this means plenty of events lined up ready to make an appearance on blackartsdotcom.
To get the ball rolling, tomorrow will be featuring Ice Hockey from Sheffield Motorpoint Arena!!! Grown men on ice kicking the snot out of each other. Bring it on.
See you on the other side.
Blacker.
blackartsdotcom 