Kevin

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne , Tyne and Wear , England of Irish parents (from County Roscommon ). Coming from a farming background, my father had his roots in the County Roscommon countryside while my mother's folks (the McGees) came from further north. As a boy, I was taught piano by my mother to Grade 3 (‘With Merit’) – but was prevented from continuing… so, a decade later, reluctantly, I went to art school instead of music college. Bad move! In Leeds!! Worse move!!! I have been various species of civil servant, trained as a secondary school teacher, and worked for over 10 years in the animation industry. Now I aid and abet my wife Jan in her work as a driving instructor ( Motion School of Motoring ) whilst striving to pursue my true vocation in the arts (see my blogs <[i>above] for more detail). Happily married, I am, however, unhappily stuck in north Manchester. Even so, I am blessed with great relatives, an excellent sister Shelagh (my other sister Eileen, who had Downs Syndrome, has just died), a wonderful wife Janis , and some superb friends.
Birthday: November 5th . All funny cards and thoughtful presents gratefully received and appreciated!
Hometown: the abovementioned Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, UK (check out the above links!). Fine city, excellent people, the Seattle of the UK, the Axis Mundi, the Galactic Omphalos ! the Bright Centre of the Universe!! and a really nice place. Why not visit? Lots to see, do and enjoy; the coast to the east; gorgeous rolling countryside inland; historic sites dating back to the ancient Romans to explore; all that, and stotty cakes and ' Newkie Broon ', and the famously pretty Geordie lasses, too! Believe me, you will not want to leave! I never wanted to...
Views on politics: Never trust a politician; never follow leaders; live and let live - and remember GB Shaw 's 'Golden Rule': "Do not do unto others as you would have them do unto you, their tastes may not be the same...".
• Given that, traditionally, it is a tool of politics (indeed, this has always been its raison d'être) - for it is and has always been, in all cultures and at all times, merely the protective colouring of politics, its source of all justificatory rhetoric, its heraldic coat of arms, flag of convenience and gilded ‘fig-leaf’ - my views on religion can almost be imagined...
Views on religion: Well, at the risk of seeming pompous or preachy (!):
• Lurking behind religion's supernatural elements and rhetorically-expressed fantasy literary inventions (in which even a creation myth of an all-powerful deity creating the Universe [unwitnessed, of course] are used to bolster the power base of the ruling elite) is essentially elegantly despotic politics devised and practised by hierarchical power structures to keep the credulous masses in ignorance and under control. Behind the politics, in turn, operate the fundamental economics of domination: of status, power, territoriality and material wealth - and the ruthless acquisition, maintenance and protection of those things, usually through force (or at least its threat). These have been the certain naked priorities of a certain naked ape throughout the past two million years - and no doubt will remain so until such time his own innate simian stupidity renders him extinct!
• I am a 'Bright' , a Naturalistic pantheist in the broadest sense , and what I call a 'Radical Infidel'. More particularly, a Freethinking Secular Humanist , with Neoplatonist overtones. I also have some fondness for both the old Gnostics and many modern Pagans. (I know, I know! - quite a mouthful! Typical of me! It doesn't mean I'm not a nice person!)
• YES! Hah! I am one of those devilish people, Satan's minions, about which the would-be world-dominating, hierocratic Religious Right-wing of (insert your religion here [doesn't matter which one]) warned you! Har-har-harrr!! [evil cackle, gleeful rubbing of hands, etc.]