http://icsn.co.uk/forums ICSN Forums en http://backend.userland.com/rss http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=163#163 163@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: S T O C K F I S H Message: * Wholesale deals direct to you :clapping:* Bulk orders welcomed* Discounted pricesCOD Bales 45 kgCOD bundles 5/10 kgTUSK Bales 45 kgTUSK bundles 5/10 kgStockfish Pieces ready to cookStockfish Shavings ready to useSNACKFISH fillets ready to eatCall us on07957 920 029 :PThank you Thu, 20 May 2010 16:49:55 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=151#151 151@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Good Morning - How Many Of You Will Respond To This.... Message: HiIt looks like this meeting is on a Sunday. I'll try to make it, although unfortunately I won't be able to bring my wife as we have a small boy of 5 months at home and no babysitter.RegardsEmeka Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:58:09 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=150#150 150@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Good Morning - How Many Of You Will Respond To This.... Message: I feel for you dear, try the ICSN meeting at laughing gravy bar & resturant, and try making some Igbo friends, who speak the language. I haven't been to the meeting, but  found out about it from the internet, hopefully i will join them soon. Chinyere Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:32:27 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=149#149 149@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Good Morning - How Many Of You Will Respond To This.... Message: Good morning to you and to all ndi igbo wherever they are in the worldAs someone who was born and bred in London but has grown up in the suburbs and thus away from London's Igbo communities, there doesn't appear to be much resources (particularly on the internet) for someone like me who would like to learn more about his cultural background and language. I can remember a site called 'Young Igbos' which no longer exists, no doubt due to lack of support. Regards Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:57:30 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=145#145 145@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Good Morning - How Many Of You Will Respond To This.... Message: Good morning Vinnie:Who's rattled your cage today?Uzoma. Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:55:03 +0100 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=144#144 144@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Good Morning - How Many Of You Will Respond To This.... Message: Our Igbo folk are such a dull, boring and unsupportive lot.:blink:I wonder how many of you will post a reply saying good morning or good-day back to me.If I say something rotten, that is when our folk will join hands and say that is wrong with direct phonecalls.I sound like a disgruntled individual don't I?I don't care.This is Vinnie.Open, direct and straight.Don't lose fact that I do like an occasional laugh also.:biggrin:Morning all.:ninja: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:38:08 +0100 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=134#134 134@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: To Batter or  Better Nigeria, Choose One? Message: To Batter or  Better Nigeria, Choose One?Every Nigerian whether living at home or in the Diaspora has got to worry a lot about home. The reasons are obvious. The ship of state is seriously drifting, and the destination is unknown. Matters are made worse by the fact that we don’t know how long our country will drift. I am writing this piece in respect to recent publications/interview about Nigeria by two prominent Nigerians, one being former ex vice president (Atiku Abubakar) and the present Edo state Governor (Adams Oshiomhole). I will start with Atiku, since I consider him a senior politician. According to Guardian newspapers of Sunday, November 23 2008, online version.  Atiku said that, “This government has failed; he described the Yar’Adua’s administration as a failure, since nothing positive is happening in the country”. He told the Guardian in the interview that, “I have no business with this government, the only thing  I know is that nothing works, no electricity, how many towns and cities in this country that have pipe borne water? There are no roads, nothing is going on”. He was kind enough to admit that the past administration which he served as the Vice president didn’t do much, alleging that the attention of their own administration was diverted. I think Atiku did a good job here to refresh the minds of Nigerians, and also to reinstate the obvious about the wastages and setbacks their administration caused us. Nigerians know that Obasanjo/Atiku administration was a total failure and a big misfortune for us. Over to the interview by Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. He said that the country is experiencing increasing social tension. Which is threatening socio economic activities? Oshiomhole said the tension is being expressed in crime wave in the country, noting that no number of police could quell the tension, until the youths are fully engaged. This interview was published by Vanguard newspapers of Sunday 23 November 2008, online version. Firstly let me thank the two men for speaking out the truth even though Atiku was part of the previous government that has caused Nigeria setbacks. Many more honest voices are needed. Truly Nigeria is in trouble, and our problem is leadership. We have not had a true leader. Our so called leaders have all been imposed on us. This makes the whole country to be sick. Instead of moving forward, we are speeding backwards. The futures of many Nigerians have been damaged as a result of this. All our dreams of a great country have been shattered. Imagine a country where nothing works. Even the government doesn’t work. Crime rate is too high, unemployment is every where, and road networks are simply not effective. The only thing working is corruption. May be Nigeria government should officially legalize corruption.We Nigerians know how we got to this point in our country. The question now is how do we change this ugly scenario? How do we bring changes to our political system? The situation now is critical. Every person should be worried about the future of Nigeria. This is the time for Nigerians to rise up and say enough is enough. Forward ever, backward never. The alternative is to watch Nigeria collapse or better still help in battering what is still remaining of her. But please let’s remember that we have no other country. If we sit idle and watch Nigeria destroyed by wrong people, then we all will have ourselves to blame. Time to act is now. Nigeria needs rebuilding and the way forward is thus; reforming the electoral process so that true leaders will emerge.Atiku Abubakar made a very useful statement in that same interview. “He urged that the nation’s politicians and everyone else should aim for a time when elections are so transparent that there would be no need for petitions”. The only electoral system we know that has guaranteed transparency is Option A4 electoral system. This system will be the best method for Nigeria, since it has been tasted and trusted. The June 12 1993 election was a good example for all. Above all, this system is violence free and cheapest in terms of funding.Therefore I ask every Nigerian to support my Option A4 Group. Our aim is to seek the reformation of our electoral system through campaigning for the re-introduction of the Option A4 electoral system. This is the best way out of our present situation. I ask every Nigerian to be involved with this campaign. This is the time to better Nigeria or batter her. I have chosen to build her, and as such I need the support of Nigerians in this campaign for change. Membership of this group is free and our campaign is self participatory.This is the most important reform that Nigeria needs. There are many ways people should participate in this campaign or any other change process. Not participating at all is not in the best interest of our country at this critical period. Your comments, compliments, contributions or criticism of this project will be highly appreciated .Apologies for any grammatical errorChinedu Vincent AkutaAn activist based in Leicester.http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/ Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:17:20 +0100 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=132#132 132@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Obama Presidential Victory on Vinnie's Website Message: Hard to believe but true. I have never found myself becoming so much more interested in American politics than now.It’s almost as if a switch has just been turned on.Right now there are so many things I want to say about it that I risk doubling my normal output. First question I have to ask without going into investigation is this:What made the Democrats think a black male stood a chance?Why did they put him up there in the first place? Can I have a connection between Lewis Hamilton world Formula 1 Champion 2008 and Barrack Obama?Both had black fathers and white mothers. Racially thinking, if both these guys had black fathers and black mothers would they have stood a chance? Okay both men come from opposite sides of the ocean but was it the warmth of the generally seen superior white people in the background that helped them to succeed here or was it the squabbling between the white races that made them eye up the talents of the black males just minding their own businesses that got them thinking, hey we have talent here.Let’s bear in mind this, when it comes to money bring it the white folk.Where there is potential (to make money) they are in. Never mind the racial elements which matter to a small degree. When F1 motor racing chiefs saw Lewis race, did they think much about it?Sure Hamilton’s father was probably a motor racing nut but like all caring parents, he saw potential and invested in his son’s interest. Well, so did Barracks clan.Barrack’s father left his son when he was a child so his mother raised him.As I understand it she was very strict with him.Like all children, Barrack wanted to go out and play, explore the world and occasionally say fuck this to study but no, somewhere within something must have been telling him the future was bright. Next question:Silly I know but I seem to be looking at the covers rather than to talent within.His wife, wow, anybody notice she is BLACK too?I am sure that was more luurvve than anything else.Hell, even Barracks children are black. Now I know there will be a lot of envy going on around the world because the Mexicans and Chinese would all have been clamouring for this same kind of recognition. Let’s get back to where I originally wanted to be at – the arguments going on within.When the political leaders decided a lady would be their ticket for president by way of Clinton’s wife, who were they kidding?A lady to run America?To the hardened racially motivated civvies that was worse than having a black man be their representative – bring on all the fashion flavoured shoes for each and every public occasion where traditionally the woman’s place has been to be in the home looking after the children, cooking the man’s meals and keeping the man happy in the home from stressful days at work bringing in the days pay that keeps the family together. Anybody can tell you that (Mr) George W. Bush was unpopular.His stumbling and blubbering attitude in front of the media and bringing America into war under the guise of anti-terrorism never helped him but he couldn’t have been that so much unpopular to be able to last eight years? Next question:What made the Republican’s think that a 72 year old would make a suitable president?Hell, 72 is well beyond retirement age by British terms where traditionally retirement starts at 65 for men and 60 for women.And we are bring on a man who is supposed to be in slippers and nightgowns for half his retiring days knowing he would be having health and mobility problems that would come at the tax payers expense?And why Sarah Palin as his running candidate?Okay she is much younger and got into the senate near enough the same time as Barrack did but like George Bush, the media were not slow to find flaws with her background – pregnant daughter, abuse of current powers and expensive clothing which she intended to give to charity after the elections. What flaws could the American media find with Mr Obama?The best the could get out of him was a picture of him in traditional Kenyan clothing.No histories of boozing.No histories of inter-racial relationships.No histories of silly behaviours at wild parties.No histories of being caught up in rallies.No histories of being caught up in a police jail cell – traditional territory for a young black Amerian brash male. The worst the American media could find out of Mr Obama was a link of his name to the muslim fanatic Al-Quaeda Osama Bin Ladin. Even I myself am still quietly surprised that a name with links to the muslim world – Barrack Hussein Obama – could be allowed to let slip past the eyes of the American people. Call me pig ignorant, I don’t care.This is Vinnie’s world and I am writing here. There are three words I will never forget and it was Mr Obama’s constant slogan – ‘YES WE CAN’.Whatever that was supposed to have meant but it made a lot of sense in it’s simplicity. I never followed to Ameriacan news in full but I always kept a lazy eye on the folding events. Barrack was young – yes.He spoke like a traditional American.He rarely faltered when he spoke.He always seemed to know how to get the shouting crowd to silence and pay attention to him. But the man is a fucking Kenyan.Need I not forget I smashed the face the face of a Kenyan who slapped my face three times in anger in front of his black mother? He was much stronger than me build wise.Now I have a reason to think twice about wanting to raise my hand (or fist) at another Kenyan male again (tongue sticking out).I hope the UK police don’t pull me over this admission. Barrack used every trick in the book as I hear.Never mind how he was able to raise the money to accomplish his political campaigns.He had strength and it showed.He came from the same backgrounds most Americans could relate to.He understood what was going on in the world around him.And more importantly he had white folk support with which I must add that his mother was a traditionally working class hard worker herself. AND NOW HE (Mr Obama) IS PRESIDENT ELECT!!! Those that work behind the desks of national security will not let this affect their duties of course as anything that gets in the way of national security mentally will affect operations overall. Not even the death of Mr Obama’s grandmother was able to slow Barrack down.Two days off, let his team do the talking in his absence.When you build up a team and the machine is rolling, the leader becomes the presence there to temporarily fill any voids in defections. I am missing something here – the link between Mr Obama and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair – the great big Cheshire cat type grin. Well, as they often say, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings.Barrack isn’t president yet but even I am looking at Mr Obama as the current president. Mr Obama will never rule America on his own.He can’t.Racially thinking, Barrack is now the black face of America.Behind the scenes, the money men will be back at work and I am not just talking white folk here. I include the Iraqi’s and spoilt Muslims who have made their names out of oil but who have not been able to make it into politics. Let’s not forget about them. From here on Friday 7th November 2008, Barrack will be heavily protected  as if he was the current president.He will probably be less exposed to the media.His family will be shown less.&When he does appear on national media will probably be shown as being less energetic than when he was during his campaigning days. A friend sent me this text message.It read:Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could walk …Martin walked so Obama could run …Obama is running so our children can fly!Keep this going. Apparently this message went all over the world said one interviewer whose name ended Lester. He himself received it five times in America. I think I have said all I intended to that I have been holding back since the news came back of the results from Polling Day of November 4th that key states were going to Mr Obama in Victory. No I haven’t he, hee.Britain.Margaret Thatcher was Britain’s first lady Prime Minister. The political face of Britain.Whilst America has not had a lady president (to the best of my knowledge), it does now have a black male in office. Whilst the UK’s police force is fighting off having a black head of staff, will we ever see a Black Prime minister here in the UK?America has done it.YES WE CAN. If I ever find that one statement that Mr Obama made about the American dream still being alive, I intend treasuring it for life.When he said it with a stern face and hinted he was proof a cold chill went down my spine. I was momentarily scared. Well, here’s to hoping we see Mr Barrack Hussein Obama see January 20th 2009.Cos that is the day he officially becomes America’s president and the black nation can officially put behind the days of slavery. !!! Long Live Barrack Obama !!!The world loves ya!-- Vinnie's Websitewww.ninefifty.co.ukJoin my mailing list for the latest in news, views, tips and reviews. Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:26:22 +0100 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=129#129 129@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Vinnie's Website - Vinnie's Holler Message: Be sure to be looking up my website.I am always adding new material to it.The latest include my newsletter section which lists much of the material I mail out to my members but is not available anywhere else on my website and my latest two write-ups - The fascination Behind Violent Stories and Why Should I Say Thank You?www.ninefifty.co.ukVinnie's Website.Check it out and join my mailing list!:argue::first: Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:34:28 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=128#128 128@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 @ Barbican as part of Groove Nations Message: Wed 28 May 7.30pmSeun Kuti& Egypt 80+Geraldo Pino & The HeartbeatsSeun Kuti, the youngest son of Nigeria's late great Fela Kuti comes to the Barbican for one night only with his father's band Egypt 80. Performing in Fela's charismatic style, Seun's saxophone melodies and explosive vocals are underpinned by high-energy, jazz-infused afro-beats.Plus a special one-off reunion of Afro Soul legend Sierra Leonian Geraldo Pino and The Heartbeats.Tickets: £12.50/15/20Book Now 0845 120 7533www.barbican.org.uk/groovenationsSat 14 Jun 8pm'Still Black, Still Proud' - An African Tribute to James BrownWith PeeWee Ellis, Fred Wesley, Cheikh Lô, Tony Allen, Simphiwe Dana, Vieux Farka Toure & Ty An African tribute to 'Soul Brother Number 1', led by saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and featuring trombonist Fred Wesley, Senegalese singer Cheikh Lô, Afro-beat legend Tony Allen, South African vocal sensation Simphiwe Dana, British/ Nigerian rapper Ty and Malian blues guitarist Viex Farka Toure.Tickets: £15/20/25Book Now 0845 120 7533www.barbican.org.uk/groovenations Fri, 16 May 2008 14:38:38 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=127#127 127@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Vinnie's Holler - You Are Not Mental Message: On my website - monthly holler shouts.You Are Not Mental It’s Spring season here in the UK and I hope my colours shown either side of here reflect that.I love my colour and I certainly love light. Anyway, I am writing again and the tune this month is another captivating topic of mine – the mentality of individuals. I am a man who has seen it all and definitely done a lot of things some of which even scare me when I come to reflect about them even suicide thoughts along the lines of you are not man for which I define that as being what truly is being a man but this is not what I have chosen this month’s topic for. Ever wonder whilst walking along the streets what another person is thinking about?I certainly do.I look at another black man’s face and think, I wonder what kind of a life he lives, is it better than mine, is he richer than me, is he smarter than me, what are his crowd like, if I was to come to his house one day would his kin accept me and be reluctant to let me go even if I innocently told them the story of my life that coincidentally breaks their hearts? No!Black people are not like that at all.Blacks are weary of one another and it don’t matter which part of the African continent your ancestors have come from the attitude is almost always the same or similar by nature. I am running off the rocks again. You are not mental……..I have matured but feel both mentally and physically no different a person I am than the man I was when I became an 18 year old teenager. Only thing I couldn’t understand was how I could convince others at such a young age compared to now. Ever wonder why it is that you go about daydreaming whilst walking along the streets or thinking up ideas whilst waiting for a bus or train to take you somewhere?Ever wonder why some words seem to slip out of your mouth before you have the chance to think about them?Ever wonder about those individuals who seem to have more energy than you?Ever wonder why you seem to have more energy than others do?Ever wonder why some people openly talk to nobody whilst walking along the streets?Ever wonder what the difference in people’s mental state is?Ever wonder why you keep repeating the same sentences over and over again in your head for no apparent reason?Ever wonder why some things happen to others and not to you? Ever wonder?Ever wonder?Ever wonder?Ever wonder? Wonder about what???Damn!!!What is it that makes some of us angry for no reason sometimes?I reflect on my life sometimes and think if only if….Then I look at other people’s lives and think thank goodness I am not like them.Sometimes I look at others and think they are mental. Uhhhh!!! Dan, dan daaaaa!!! Okay, lets look at this in another light. Someone being described as being mental can best be described as somebody not living an expectation of life typified by the majority or by locals in general typically greeting one another on sight. There are signs that somebody is mentally retarded.Their dress sense ain’t right.They always look down when walking.They walk differently to everyone else.They smell rotten. Typical things that make us not want to approach another person for a simple chat, or is it the person we are labelling as mental who doesn’t want anybody near him or her which is often the case.Personal problems and/ or experiences can lead to reclusiveness leading one to be labelled mental but generally speaking mental people are highly intelligent people. It’s just that these are the kind of people incapable of holding emotions or understanding other people’s emotions. Mental states of mind often clash with individuals personalities to give of that air of ‘I don’t care’ or ‘stay away from me, I don’t wanna know’. Ever wonder why some people are friendly and others are not?Ever wonder why some people are more generous than others?Ever wonder why some folks don’t sharing even where they have more than enough? There generally are nothing wrong with mental people so long as the things they get up to are not about destroying the general welfare of the way most of us lead our lives. How do you explain to somebody how to live an expected standard of living for the benefit of many and the air of peace and harmony when the individual concerned doesn’t wanna know? An unkempt place be the sign of mental retardness?Throwing litter onto a floor when a bin is just two steps away from you?Binge drinking?Taking substances you know would be harmful to you? You know, I honestly do not seriously believe I have explored this topic fully but deep inside there is this thing in me that says I know where you are coming from, just can’t express it openly into words is all thing that somebody who is not in the right frame of mind is able to relate to. Yeah we all have personal problems but it all boils down to expected ways of living.You messed up or got let down by the wrong crowd you mixed with that led you to depression. Schizophrenia?What’s that all about?With the right kind of attention, surely this is curable or are we just better off killing the poor bastard to save us the misery of seeing him get killed by somebody else simply because the schizoid was living a dream.If that be the case, I myself do not deserve to be alive today.I have not been diagnosed schizophrenic but do believe I have experienced symptoms that resemble it which I have self cured to be the understanding man I am today. If others can understand and you and relate to you and you can do the same to others then there is not a problem and nobody is mental.Not constantly forgetting helps.You don’t have to be friendly to everybody but acting what can be considered the norm and most importantly of all be seen as happy despite personal problems will always alleviate the problems of what can be considered as being mental. On reflection, it did take me a while to realise a neighbour of mine wasn’t mental until he slapped me and I retaliated. That’s history now but isn’t something I will forget. We were sharing a house. Here’s a piece of advice, if somebody greets you, do acknowledge them back. This ends this month’s rant. Next month I intend picking out a random newspaper article to talk about. In The News Last Month..............(More eye catching and some silly stories) White city trader Jerome Drean, 34, took tests for Azerbaijani student 23 for the thrill of it. He was a financial markets expert earning thousands per year. £1.2M lottery winner continues working 12 hour shifts starting 5.00am. Terror of four year old dumped at wrong stop by school bus driver – incorrect procedures. £46M divorce settlement from Sir Paul McCartney makes Heather Mills one of the UK’s richest women. Don’t allez past Calais! Pilgrim Mark Boyle, 28, is forced back in France from a mission reliant on the generosity of fellow human beings around the world. & Prince Harry, 23, in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban in secret. Planned mission cut short after US website exposes his story. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:51:40 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=126#126 126@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Vinnie's Holler - Getting Mistaken For Other People Message: In My website............Getting Mistaken For Other People A little late but better than never as I do this write up in mid-April I find myself having laid out my foundation for my last write up by way of being mistaken for somebody else where I had 3 items pre-laid out – pick out a topic at random and concentrate on it, talk about why evil people look so much like second world war German enemy Adolf Hitler (Zimbabwean Robert Mugabe sprang to mind) and you are not mental. Lead by example?Vinnie lead the way. How many times have you walked on the street and have somebody make a comment like I know who you are, or rabble in their own language like they know you or worse as I experienced in a supermarket being asked for where the teabags were clearly wearing white trainers.Come on man, that is one of this world’s finest moral injustices.Before you ask a person a question look the person up and down to see if they look right or not.I had a good chuckle about it and the man walked away going red in the face. He explained it was my shirt he was looking at and that it has happened to him to when he walked into a supermarket dressed with his bright orange coat on. Anyway, I have done it and I am sure loads of us have done it too but it is pretty embarrassing, don’t you think?Especially when you have done that more than a couple of times in week gets you thinking there must be something wrong with me, either that or my brain cells are starting to dry up. Look, I wear glasses.Most people wear small glasses including myself now but when I was wearing my bigger glasses I was still getting mistaken for somebody’s brother, cousin or old classmate even down to the way I dressed or walked (uniform or no uniform). Too many times I go about my business thinking that I am unique and easily identifiable – or no!! Vinnie is not infallible.Makes me think sometimes, I could become one of the world’s greatest spies and my next door neighbours would think of me as the nice gentleman. How about world’s greatest terrorist threat?That is possible but that is not me, I am not that intelligent and neither does such things interest me (which is a lie, my interest is minor). One thing constantly disturbs me about being mistaken for somebody else and that’s this – being in the wrong place at the wrong time.Many innocent people have been jailed, tortured or even killed for mistaken identity. I could go abroad tomorrow and get mistaken for somebody else.America easily. There everybody looks like somebody else. Being black may not help you. You could be mistaken for being the descendant of some famous black personality over there.Cosmetic surgery takes two months, with the right money and right people you could change your life (and maybe somebody else’s life) forever. I know wish to draw to a close about why I chose this interesting topic.Well, it is stupidly annoying to go about mistaking other people for somebody you know but it is understandable in many ways. I just thought I’d highlight it here on my website that was all, I mean being mistaken for somebody else or vice versa can have its benefits in terms of being a lookalike. I have walked about the streets and seen people that look both like my mother and my sister and just stare for just a little longer in the hope that they would recognise me and say hello so I can confirm by their voices that they are genuine.I have even commented on some being like so. Makes for a good conversation starter.Many old ladies have wanted to embrace me as their son.A few fathers have wanted to slap me for acting like their boys showing disrespect. I have had ladies (missed opportunities I know) who have come up to me and indirectly try chatting me up cos either I look so good or remind them of somebody they once knew. Either that or they were just being friendly none of which cut with me, not that I go about telling them to get lost but my body language and expression of confusion usually says so. I prefer honesty – get real!!! What is it about being mistaken for somebody else?We all try to act and look different surely?Many of us try to be ourselves.Surely there are ways we all act to make ourselves look different from others?Even down to our possessions.Our voices should be able to tell one apart from one another.Or do we all need to stay in one place in order to prevent being mistaken for somebody else and constantly hang around the same shops? What if an unknown stranger intrudes into your town and looks just like you for a day or two? Then what? Fascinating thing this topic about being mistaken about somebody else is.Certainly don’t discriminate between individuals regardless of one’s intelligence, I have seen people 10 times smarter than me make that mistake – fail to correctly identify individuals or remember names. When I say 10 times more intelligent, I mean academically gifted in that sense of the word. You know this identity crisis makes you think sometimes like it is me now. You go to your family’s hometown and suddenly everybody knows who you are simply because you look like the descendant of one of them (which is what you are in truth) but that can be a bad thing too if there is a hidden history unknown to you. Makes you wonder why sometimes close family members are so protective of you sometimes. Man, not even your car will have you protected. Think I outa learn to play the guitar, become a busker in London’s underground network services and hope I get a contract to play in some famous theatre one day – that is just a dream. Being mistaken for somebody else is not always a bad thing.I kinda like it actually.I am sure other people have been mistaken for me a few times in terms of wanton revenge or general praise. This ends this month’s rant. Next month, another randomly chosen topic shall be picked out. In The News Last Month..............(More eye catching and some silly stories) Identity thief killed writer for his money. Black cab taxi driver who attacks women after spiking their drinks. Scotland Yard investigates. Black judge who used his children to hush up his criminal harassment of ex-wife can finally be named – Lincoln Crawford. Electric grandmother – blowing fuses and shocking her friends, the amazing human generator, Mavis Price, aged 60. Solicitor Thomas McGoldrick stole £1.25M payout from (black) man paralysed in crash. Al Qaeda turns two Down’s Syndrome women to kill 70 in Bagdad. & Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan  Williams causes outrage for calling Britain to accept parts of Islamic Sharia law. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:03:30 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=125#125 125@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Advice For Ladies Message: (Copied & Pasted!)If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay. Stop making excuses for a man and his behaviour. Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not meantto be. Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends". A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend. Don't settle.If you feel like he is stringing you a long, then he probably is. Don't stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better. The only person you can control in a relationship is you.Avoid men who've got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently? Always have your own set of friends separate from his.Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.If something bothers you, speak up. Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.You cannot change a man's behaviour. Change comes from within.Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are...even if he has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.Never let a man define who you are.Never borrow someone else's man. If he cheated with her, he'll cheat on you. A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.All men are NOT dogs. You should not be the one doing all the ending...compromise is a two way street.You need time to heal between relationships...there is nothing cuteabout baggage... Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship.You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you... a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals... look for someone complimentary...not supplementary.Dating is fun...even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr. Right.Make him miss you sometimes... when a man always know where you are and you're always readily available to him - he takes it for granted.Never move into his mother's house. Never co-sign for a man. Don't fully commit to a man who doesn't give you everything that you need.If you think these were great words of wisdom, forward or print them for your daughters.Share this with other women and men (just so they know)...You' l l make someone smile, another rethink her choices, and another woman prepare. Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:18:23 +0200 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=122#122 122@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Relationship Mathematics Message: I think I can agree with the below in many ways but be it fact or fiction I do believe the below is hilarious.ROMANCE MATHEMATICSSmart man + smart woman = romanceSmart man + dumb woman = affairDumb man + smart woman = marriageDumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy______________________________OFFICE  ARITHMETICSmart boss +  smart employee = profitSmart boss + dumb employee = productionDumb  boss + smart employee = promotionDumb boss + dumb employee = overtime_____________________________SHOPPING  MATHSA man will pay $20  for a $10 item he needs.A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item that she  doesn'tneed._____________________________GENERAL  EQUATIONS & STATISTICSA woman worries  about the future until she gets ahusband.A man never worries about the  future until he gets awife.A successful man is one who makes more  money than hiswife can spend.A successful woman is one who can find  such a man._____________________________HAPPINESSTo be happy with  a man, you must understand him a lotand love him a little.To be happy  with a woman, you must love her a lot andnot try to understand her at all.______________________________LONGEVITYMarried men live  longer than single men do, but marriedmen are a lot more willing to die.______________________________PROPENSITY  TO CHANGEA woman marries a  man expecting he will change, but hedoesn't.A man marries a woman  expecting that she won't change,and she does._____________________________DISCUSSION  TECHNIQUEA woman has the  last word in any argument.Anything a man says after that is the  beginning of anew argument._____________________________ Mon, 31 Dec 2007 07:07:52 +0100 http://icsn.co.uk/forums/view_topic.php?pid=116#116 116@http://icsn.co.uk/forums Topic: Police Community Support Officers Message: Read a small commentary about Police Community Support Officers in my Readers Digest magazine and it tells me that Community Support Officers earn almost as much as regular police officers but do almost half as much training and have a lot less powers than regular police officers whereas volunteer police officers have the full powers of a regular police officer but I assume do not get paid for their role.My question to all is this, what is the point of having community officers at the same rate of regular officers?Surely community officers should be getting paid less to encourage them to become full blown officers?They are dressed in the same gear as regular officers after all except for the wording on their backs saying community support officers.Sometimes I wonder if we are not better off having some renegade group paid by our government dressed up in different coloured uniforms to regular police officers to act as deterrents in our towns and cities.This is a one off random rant folks.Feel free to respond.Vinnie. Sun, 02 Dec 2007 12:38:51 +0100