C. Raymond Martin
Bio
Aspiring script/book/graphic novel writer and avid NFL fan.
Stories (12/0)
The Obelisk
As far back as memory will afford me, I know only two things; the Obelisk and that I am compelled to climb it. A tower of cold black obsidian-like night bereft of pale moonlight. Spanning acres, puncturing the grey rain clouds above and emerging from dark, vast waters below. Waters that ebbed and crashed and roared with shocks of white sea spray defining each wave and ever-rising with incessant downpour. The Obelisk is both my port in the storm and a prison.
By C. Raymond Martin2 years ago in Futurism
Statues and the Distillation of History
So, the past week has been a real eye-opener for the current discourse of history in Britain. From protests and counter-protests to the statue of slave trader Edward Colston going for a swim, it has provided an extraordinary opportunity for a nation to search its soul and to accept its past. That is if only more people were willing to.
By C. Raymond Martin4 years ago in The Swamp
Misery Business
Just over a week ago, they announced the death of TV presenter Caroline Flack. Those close to her spoke of how she was struggling with the pressure of her upcoming court case for domestic abuse and how that pressure had been exacerbated because of coverage in tabloid newspapers and magazines. The tabloids soon found themselves on the receiving end of such scrutiny when people turned on them, blaming them for causing undue stress on what was evidently a very vulnerable person. The newspapers poured their hearts out for Ms. Flack while they hastily purged every article that had contributed to her despair.
By C. Raymond Martin4 years ago in Psyche
Scorsese Vs. Marvel
Just recently, acclaimed and legendary director Martin Scorsese came out against the money-making juggernaut that is comic book movies, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe bearing most of the brunt, going so far as to compare them to theme parks and say that they're not, "real cinema." Francis Ford Coppola joined him in calling the genre "despicable" and ever since folks on both sides of the aisle have been deriding each other on the annals of the internet over which side is right.
By C. Raymond Martin4 years ago in Geeks
The Ballad of Mad Jack Churchill
In December of last year, I began work on what is now my second screenplay, and the first draft was finished just four months later by the second week of April. I was dead pleased with myself, as this was less than half the time it took me to write my first, and it would then take just a few more weeks of rewrites to get it to where I really wanted it to be. Now comes the hard part; getting it noticed.
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in Geeks
Universal Credit
Recently, the contract for my temporary employment at a certain call centre came to an end. I can't say that I miss it. There's something about being routinely told that I'm a worthless idiot by faceless strangers that just doesn't appeal to me, and besides, the voices in my head pretty much have that base covered. So, with nothing else lined up, I had to schedule an appointment go to the Job Centre, but this was only the beginning of the nightmare.
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in The Swamp
The Beautiful Mess That Is 'The Room'
It was recently suggested to me that I start my own YouTube channel reviewing movies. A) My voice isn't that annoying* and B) I would sooner gush over movies I love and elaborate on what makes them work rather than tear down the passion projects of people at the other end of the spectrum. I would like to treat other movies the same way I would like anything that I've written, or will write, to be treated.
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in Geeks
All Your Heroes Are Dead
"Man, in his arrogance, thinks himself a great work. Worthy of the interposition of a deity..." Darwin wrote in his notebook in the decades prior before he would publish The Origin of Species, this simple observation would have profound ramifications on how we view ourselves and our place in the world. Its contribution to a much larger body of work would not only influence science, but also challenge strongly held religious beliefs.
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in The Swamp
The Price of Toxic Masculinity
So recently, Gillette released an ad criticising negative behaviour exhibited by men and most of the internet proceeded to lose its collective shit. I'm sure a lot of people saw straight through it for what it was; a business making a corny attempt at pandering to social issues of the time whilst hawking their product (Hello? Pepsi?) but its underlying message is simply too hard to ignore. Essentially, the ad calls on men to be better, to call out toxic behaviour like bullying and sexism, and that's something I can get on board with. However, there are those who see this as a weakness. Reflection and self-improvement are profound transitional periods and are traits of strong, intelligent people. Having empathy for others is not a weakness. Excising bitterness and resentment is not a weakness but the removal of weakness.
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in Viva
There Is No Great Replacement
Alright. So, this will be my third piece (second concerning a conspiracy theory) and honestly, this one feels like I'm putting my own head in a noose, like I'm about to catch all kinds of shit for this one—and yet I'm compelled to continue. So, let's do this. Let's nip this in the bud. Let's talk about "white genocide."
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in The Swamp
- Top Story - November 2018
Them Furious DaysTop Story - November 2018
At 3:39 AM of November 28, 2018, Harry Leslie Smith died. He was 95.He spent his twilight years in turning to writing and championing public services such as the NHS to see that the generations of his children and his grandchildren wouldn't live in the same squalid conditions that he had. Harry was born in 1923, so coming of age into the Great Depression, he has spoken at length of the horrors of pauper's pits and workhouses, horrors that would befall his own family. He started his first job at the age of 10, delivering coal. Harry referred to British life at this point a "barbarous time."
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in The Swamp
Bill Hicks Is Not Alex Jones
I'm a big fan of Bill Hicks. I have read two of his biographies, sat through three documentaries, and watched his specials so many times to the point that I can recite chunks of his material—usually in unwelcome social situations. His message of challenging mediocrity wherever it lies is something that resonates with me, even now. So I know Hicks had something of a penchant for conspiracy theories, particularly regarding the assassination of JFK and the Waco siege, though there's another theory that hits close to home and this one involves the man himself.Now, I don't buy into a lot of conspiracy theories, this one included. I've given some theories a chance and found most don't stand up to scrutiny. I've dismissed most as being absurd and left its believers to their own devices in the darkest corners of the internet. Believe what you want to believe, I say. But this theory pisses me off a little bit and it's a theory that believes that Hicks faked his cancer diagnosis, "died," and reinvented himself as Alex Jones. Chew on that for a second.
By C. Raymond Martin5 years ago in The Swamp