I think the election of Hamas in Palestine poses many interesting questions for the West. The first of which is "Is a genuine election result enough to validate a government?" From Bush's comments on the issue, it would appear not. So much for democracy the great healer.
But I'm inclined to think that the election of Hamas indicates that the way the west has been listening to Palestinians has been missing something. While acknowledging that Hamas is a cause of unnecessary grief and destruction, I am interested in hearing what they have to say as duly elected representatives of the Palestinian people. And it looks like they will get more airplay now, partly because of the newsworthiness of being a terrorist government, and partly in their role as main spokepeople for Palestine. Perhaps the platform will make them think harder about what they are saying.
"I feel like a million bucks", makes less of an impact these days.
And I thought about the people who found themselves on battlefields, surrounded by ordinary people trying to kill or maim each other. And I thought about the people who made scones for them before they left and made them after they came back. And of the people who made scones while they were away or for the years after they didn't come back.
And I thought about people who were imprisoned for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong nationality or notions. And I thought about the people for whom wars brought glory or greatness or national pride. And I thought about the people for whom war was grinding, meaningless loss. And I thought about people who were shot, or gassed, or knifed, or who starved or froze to death. And I thought about how wonderful people can be to each other, and how awful.
And I made scones with cummin seed gouda in for my family because I can.
huzzah! good friends spend happy birthday in Valve gig! Bands are good. Especially Rosepetals and Confetti. The sound was excellent! Better, I have to say, than Room 101 in Bodega. The alley party was a nice variation on the traditional kitchen party.
The venerable RNZ is podcasting. I do not have a pod, so I am bereft of this experience, but I like the direction they are moving in. Probably because listening to Kim Hill on Saturday mornings was truely wonderful when I was working in Ipswich. I was particularly pleased that I could get it on a Saturday morning (ah, the joys of being GMT+12).
It would appear they are following the BBC in this one, which makes me feel they are looking in the right direction for inspiration and leadership in their tech approach. The beeb has the budget and the 'world leader' mindset to investigate a good range of technological approaches.
I wonder how long it will take until radio station starts to have a secondary meaning of 'an organised audio distribution website'.
I noticed when I was on the river, that there is a lot of space to be butch when you are out tramping, or canoeing down a river. I think that's one of the key reasons I've always liked it.
Nice for the rest of my life to have more space in it for butchness now though.
Apparently, I was actually off down the Whanganui in a 2 person canadian canoe. Which tends to involve less water and less back strain.
We were very lucky to have good weather and a decent amount of water in the river. My pick of the experience was staying in Ngaporo campsite (2 hours paddle away from Pipiriki). It's on the inside of a right hand turn on the river, and looks out at a beautiful sandstone cliff. It's a compact campsite, and almost all the tent spots can see the river. Well worth making the extra effort to get there for your last night. Also enables you to get to Pipiriki by 12 for pick-up without rushing in the morning. Staying there does mean missing staying at Teiki marae (2 hours up river), which looks like a fine experience. Nice to see a living marae, which is looking forward, and back at the same time.
wow. thanks everyone. :) the last comment was the 1000th on clockworkfish. That means there are plenty more on stonesoup in general. Yay!
I'm off down the Wanganui in a kayak. I last did this trip about 12 years ago with me steering and my mother in the front calling out warnings and providing grunt. It was memorable and our relationship survived admirably. I hope this trip is as much fun (and my shoulder/neck/pec system doesn't throw a complete wobbly).
Watching your beloved legal thing make friends with an extremely cute baby and its mother on the bus home from nice kai in the city.
I liked V for Vendetta very much. It was like nothing quite so much as a dark, whimsical special of Spooks. Clever, well put together and with nice subtleties. Mind you, the original material was good.
I couldn't quite fathom, however, Natialie Portman's makeup. She was relentlessly pretty and tanned the whole time. Even in Winter in London. I wouldn't mind so much if that reflected the story or the character in any meaningful way, but I don't think it did. I would rather they had had her colourful or over made up to hide herself to start with, made her grey in prison, and then clear skinned and her own colours and shapes toward the end as she finds her inner persona and strength.
no more easter for me! nope, can't stand all that fecundity and new life at this time of the year. This is the time for harvest and packing on the fat to survive the winter.
But, in it's finite wisdom, the Government gives me 2 public holidays a year in April (occasionaly March).
Well it seems to me than an Oktoberfest is the correct response. Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking of an Antipodean Tent type experience. Urgh. Nor lederhosen and sillly hats with things sticking out of them. I'm not necessarily thinking anything German at all. I'm thinking a harvest festival. A time of drinking the dark beer (cause it's finally got cold enough to find it pleasant again). A time of roasted chestnuts and spicy buns (ok, that gets the cross in there somewhere - my great aunt would be pleased). A time of gathering together and celebrating plenty.
Now if only I hadn't already agreed to go bush for the whole weekend!
p.s. The okoberfest naming is actually in recognition of a tiny, very local, villiage festival I had the priviledge of visiting briefly in Bavaria 18 months ago. There was a distinct air of quiet cheerful, positivity and community which I loved. Especially from a group of people who were about to face 8 months of snow. I also don't think they were confusing their heritage and its celebration with German nationalism. A conflation Germans continue to have real trouble with even 60 years after Hitler died. It reminded me of nothing quite so much as a Highland games.
I would seem the Americans are having trouble using their resources in Iraq to do any good. I was reading in a recent article (which I now can't get to because it is subscription only after a few days) that the Americans are trying to increase the number of good news stories written by Iraqi journalists by paying for positive articles.
Unfortunately, the journalists can't be seen to be taking money from the Americans. Consequently, the bribe is having a counter-effect. It seems obvious to me that the shock and awe approach leaves various other approaches properly broken, not only in Iraq, but all over the world where the USA might have made a difference.
Yup. I have a series of stripy shirts which fit me well aroung the neck and shoulders but suck around my middle. I've spent the last 4 months disparing of ever finding shirts which don't look awfull after the first time I sit down.
Now I have solved this problem by way of a knitted garment like a singlet but wider across the shoulders. Yes. A VEST. I put it on over the shirt to cover the awful unfittingness. Now I look neat and professional while keeping warm and unironed.
getting to know the late shift taxi driver on your trips home from work.