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I want to live in Am-e-ri-ca... A trip to the US Embassy this morning we took, and lo! and be old, I am gonna be an official resident of the US of Eh! Judging by the events in New Orleans, that's not necessarily something to be proud of. The response of Bush's Federal Government has been pretty slow in my opinion - thousands of American citizens still stranded in a flooded city? They have the largest armed forces in the world, they should send all of them there to get people out. Oh, but they are in Iraq. Wrong Gulf State. But then , those that are there, the National Guard, are facing armed gangs. After a few days of chaos and the already-armed society is showing us why freedom to own guns (and have gun and ammo shops all over the place, ready for looters to come and load up) is a really bad thing. They shot at helicopters taking refugees out! They shot at a national guard! And as for the Superdome situation - people went there thinking they would be safe. Now it's full of 25,000 people who are hungry, thirsty, without power, and have started to fight each other. And kill each other. And rape each other. The sick stories coming out are not of a simply hungry and pissed off society waiting for its government to give a shit, but of a dangerously disenfranchised society waiting for a chance to explode. A powder-keg. You do not rape someone because you are hungry. In a disaster situation you need to rely on your fellow man or woman, not fear that you will become their victim. New Orleans has always been poor, and largely black. The images coming out are of a third world country after a disaster. But it's not a third world country. It's the richest country in the world; and one that has decided to accept foreign aid. From whom? The UK, of course, oh and Israel. And RUSSIA. If this can happen to patriotic America, can it happen to any one of us? |
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2.9.05 14:01 |
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have you got plans in your head? Oh, while on the Devant site, my attention was directed to a website devoted to beings such as I, and inspired by the DD&HSW song. It be called Ginger and Free. Allez les roux!
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2.9.05 14:14 |
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Moore Door On his website, Michael Moore has written an open letter to George Dubya concerning his 'efforts' to help in New Orleans. Worth a read. "Any idea where all our helicopters are? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag." |
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2.9.05 15:10 |
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gonna get medieval on your ass I'm sick of Anglo-French antagonism in the Middle Ages; why couldn't they just be friends? I've still a bit of a way to go on my dissertation, but slowly and surely it's becoming itself. Only a week to go. I'm surrounded by books as I write, many of which I plonked down next to me in the vain hope I might open them - most have thus far proved useless. Today, at least. Tomorrow, when I am working at home (because I'm awaiting delivery of my visa, my passport, and a brown paper bag which i must not open... all this US secrecy), I will need these books, and rue that I never got far enough today to peruse them. |
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5.9.05 17:46 |
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Meteorology is Murder Up late again, it's 9/11, or '9/11' as we call it in the UK, making us think it's actually November the 9th. Elsewhere in the US, thousands of bodies lie as yet unfound in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, while the 'war-president' rallies Americans into the 'spirit of 9/11' to deal with the Hurricane's effects. This is a much bigger problem than he can deal with, and he knows it. So, on Michael Moore's website, he has written an open letter to all those who voted for Dubya, detailing just how the Prez is handling Katrina. Well worth a read. Still, it's addressed to Republicans and Right Wingers and Neo-Con Christians, which is a bit wierd; why would they be reading his site in the first place? Nonetheless, if you are any of the above you must hear what he says, because you're being conned by the incompetent smirking one in the Oval Orifice. And what about Barbara Bush?! After I sent her a message, "don't mention the Poor! I mentioned them once, but I think I got away with it!" |
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11.9.05 23:53 |
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FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've finished my DISSERTATION!!!! Commonly called Disastertation, Disgustedation, Displeasingation, Distantstation, Disturbingation. I've done all the writing, I'm currently editing - a long and boring process in which I have to re-read the drivel I've churned out. All fifteen-thousand words of it. With just over 150 footnotes (one for every thousand words, eh?). So, Anglo-French antagonism was not the cause of the decline of French as a language in England. I'll post a link when it's done. I hand it in in the morning. And tomorrow (12th) is mine and Angela's first wedding anniversary!!!! We're staying at a hotel. Don't know where yet, it's a surprise... |
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11.9.05 23:58 |
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Only a Master of Medieval, Darth And now, the end is near, and so I face the... Two weeks left in the UK. MA is finished, now I am the Master (or I should be when I get my grades, which at the rate they mark will be in something like 2018). I have completely lost the ability to type recently, as I slaved over the boiling oil of my final paper. I'm a little hungover, ahving spent last night with my wife on our first anniversary at the very swanky, very posh Montague hotel in Bloomsbury - I had almost a whole bottle of champagne to myself (Angela only had one glass from it; shame to waste it!) We had Belgian chocs too, and a fancy dinner, and a massive breakfast today. Nice! So what now? I am making the most of my time at the two libraries (Senate House and the Maughan in Chancery Lane), boning up on all the stuff I never had time to read before. I'm reading the Finnish epic The Kalevala, and Tacitus' Germania. But I wanted to make a list of things I want to do, book and learning wise, in the near future. Some big, and will take a long time, some small, and will take an even longer time.
That is about it for now, I think. There are many more such things. I want to develop my drawing, my cartooning, and actually get a decent style together. I want to write more, not only continue the fantasy stuff (finish the Auska project, for one) but write some more children's literature. I do want to translate anew some old Germanic works, as well as keep up my language blog 'with tongues'. Lots to do. As well as sort my life out (literally; go through my mountain of 'stuff' and get rid of or redistribute it), before I move to California. And write some more songs? I feel like running into the woods and coming out with a masterpiece. But I'd probably just come out with tick-borne encephalitis. Right now, I need a rest! |
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13.9.05 15:02 |
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Burning Man A guy from the Blank Page creatives thing has been to an incredible festival of art in the middle of the Nevada Desert called Burning Man, and it looks absolutely awesome! I mean, you can't beat a blue sky and an endless flat desert landscape, really, so sprinkle it with some truly imaginative sculptures and hundreds of people spread so far over a vast sandpit that you would not realise it was busy at all and it is somethjing you dod not realise could exist in such a world. Mad Maxesque it could be, but I will check this shit out one day. His - Dr.Mo's - photos can be seen here. They'll blow ye away. |
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19.9.05 14:06 |
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Oof Widerson Pet, as Frenchie might say As for me, only a week to go now and then we fly away from this land. Started saying my 'aux revoirs' (note the important plural there), and getting hung over, and emotional about family issues, and worrying about getting people together for my 'auf wiedersehen pete' parting shots. Can't really believe I'm going. Watched Harry Potter last night (Chamber of Secrets) to cheer me up. I'm looking forward to Goblet of Fire. Now I'm at the library. I have a lot of books to say goodbye to. Now I have to email people to say 'let's meet in Camden on Friday, or come to mine in Burnt Oak on Saturday, or both'.
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19.9.05 14:12 |
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There's not much glamour about the English weather Sunshine on a rainy day makes me wanna move away Tonight I'm meeting up with friends so they can celebrate my departure to pastures new, the US of Eh. Camden Town, NW1 pub, from six. It's AU REVOIR. I bought a big suitcase today, got my hair cut, had a Pepsi Max, and now I'm heading out. And it's pissing down with rain. Burnt Oak is beneath drizzle. Nothing compared to Hurricane Rita, about to lash Texas. Bush is sitting up for this one. I'm not sending one letter, or even a postcard back. I'm drinking Hennessy with Morrissey, on a beach out of reach somewhere very far away.
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23.9.05 15:34 |
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