erase:rewind

the nation has spoken. It's both a mixed and clear sign.

A clear sign that our 'dear Leader' is highly unpopular based on the lies and shady half truths that took the country to War. He has a bloody nose, no quesion of that however the it was not a full on physical beating that some had predicted. He has acknowledged this but still he is convinced that he did the right thing. The 'maverick' MP George Galloway demanded that the Labour Party sack him whilst the father of a solider who was killed in Iraq and had stood against our 'dear Leader' attacked him with fervour. Furthermore, some have suggested that the 'first past the post' system which is currently favoured needs revised particularly given that the Tories received only 3% less of the popular vote than Labour yet where still 66 Seats short, also, this government has been elected with the lowest ever popular vote. Perhaps, it's time for Proportional Representation in much the same way us Scot's elect our own MP's as massive constitunency variations have led to such unusual results with Labour winning by a large majority in one seat yet failing to even come 2nd in the next seat. That's one for the experts.

However, things are not so clear cut given that the Labour majority has been slashed meaning that they will have probelms getting their own way at Westminster. And what of the oppostion. The Tories have recovered and the Liberals have recorded their best set of figures since Lloyd George in 1920's yet is this merely a consequence of votes protesting against Labour as opposed to actually voting for the other Parties and their respective manifestos.

So, 'dear Leader', what's the plan. Getting your mates back into the Cabinet? I suspect you can't be as bold as you want which is perhaps a good thing. No more dictatorial actions. No more spin. More in the way of consultation and a return to the 'art' of politics. No more pork pies. \Beware____big brother is watching.

Data

_more pictures___

All

The usual 4 class thursday marathon was called off today. Not by me but by the Korean Government. Usually, i'm not really in favour of governments getting onvolved in such things as teaching and ruling but I will make an execption this time because it was Children's Day. A day in which we should be thankful for all the children for 24 hours. Nice idea but as usual, it means that the shops and Department stores are jammed packed of gifts and other delights for the parents to be buying for their offsprings. For others, it's just another day off...

Clearly, I don't have any children but a know a man who does__congratulations to my man, Tuna aka 참치 aka Jacob and his lovely missus who just gave birth to a baby daughter. By all accounts, everything is o.k. Although, I still can't get my head around him having a baby given that he is still one himself!

Drop

__doyouever get those intense sensations indicating that you have seen 'this' before or have been to 'this' place before. It hasn't really happened to me all that often recently however the other saw a brief sense of it whilst sitting in a restaurant, having dinner. I suddenly had the overwhelming feeling that I had been here which is completely stupid since it was the 1st time in this particular restaurant and it was with someone that I only known for a couple of months, so there was no way of knowing the location or even knowing the person previously. But, there it was, this very familiar yet odd sensation of 'been here, done that before'.

Sometimes, it really startles me. It's a flashback but you can't actually place the when or how of the flashback, you just know that it has happened before, however irrational that flashback is. Certainly, it does happen to me. Not often but it does happen.

It does trouble me as to why it happens. I mean, if your life is an act of complete randomness in which you make all the choices, then surely the odd of x,y,z occurring are completely huge. You could decide not to cross the road, therefore altering the variables of what you do next. Or you could miss the bus, again altering the possibilities. That said, with an infinite amount of options to be made, not just by myself but others as well, then how can you have 'been here, done that before'. Unless, of course everything is actually pre-determined already. I'm not convinced that 'everything' is pre-determined. I will meet this person at this particular moment or I was meant catch this particular taxi to wherever. Pre-determination might go some way to offering an explanation to these moments of intense familiarity__i though, am not smart enough to offer up the answer.answersideas on a postcard,please.

Admitted

My security guard is officially weird. I think that it helps them to actually get the job in the 1st place...these days, the guard has his own little desk in the main foyer. He can watch everyone coming in both the front door and the side door which is closer to the elevators. However, he needs to walk across the foyer and up a small flight of stairs to get to the elevators, a task that is usually beyond most of the security gurds given they are a fairly inactive bunch.

This, though is a mere obstacle for this 1 particular security guard who seems to think that I'm his best mate or something. Admittly, I say 'hi' to him if I walk past him...i'm just being nice but clearly, this guard has taken that as an excuse to start coming onto me. Yesterday, I came in the side door and was waiting for the elevator. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him at his desk...and then start to stand up. I didn't pay attention again until I feel a hand of my arm. Hoping that it was a cute lady, i looked to see whose hand was touching my arm. I was horrified to see this gummy, toothless, mingin', dried rice encrusted mouth smiling at me. In my shock, I smiled back and said 'hi'. And then he just stood there whilst continuing to smile yet not saying anything. What could I do? Uncomfortable wasn't word. In my blind panic, I got into the wrong elevator /1 is for even numbers, one for odd numbers/ just to escape.

Maybe, he's just being friendly but do I really want an old security guard with shocking teeth and severe dandruffal issues befriending me. Have things got so bad, that I attract this type of person...What if he's on duty tomorrow. Probelmatic.

Balance

The continuing ill-feeling between my 'lovely' hosts - Korea and Japan seems very real at the moment. Previously, it had been just images on the T.V. or words in a newspaper. However, on the walk up the hill to University today, I noticed a big banner claiming that Dokto /that outcrop/ was indeed Korea's. O.K. we get the point. I was more concerned by the picture which accompanied the writing, namely a Japanese flag being burned.

__________________________________________________I guess in the 60's Universities were generally a hotbed of revolution with a notable mentioning going to my old place of work, the London School of Economics where protests about the Vietnam War were common. This University though? No way. There is no way that I work amongst revolutionaries. My guys have probelms with their hair, spots and their fashion. Perhaps, they have a minor probelm with Japan, however, they most certainly do not have the balls to make a stink about it.

But, having something so inflammatory on Campus is quite alarming. Would it be wrong to say that it is verging on racist? I wonder if we have any Japanese students. I'm sure they would be critical of it. If I put up a banner suggesting that we burn English flags, what would be the response. In the u.k. i'm sure the Police would be on site to rip it down. Furthermore, I wonder if the University actually even know it's there. Perhaps they even put it there.

I guess, though, that this little episode is actually a microcosm of Korea as a whole. Strong on headlines and sensationalising something but when it comes to it, lack the bite to actually do something. Quick to say 'that's wrong' but equally quick to move onto the next topic to complain about. Last month, it was English Teachers. This month Japan. Maybe next month it will be Holland, the reason being that their football team - who is managed by a Dutchman - fail to qualify for the World Cup.anyway, i just felt that it was inappropriate to have such propaganda staring at me on the way to University.

Transcript

Word of the week: 'Leaked'

It's a document frenzy. Memo's released here, published there. The claims and counter-claims regarding the run up to the Iraq War continue unabbated, the latest suggesting that our 'dear leader' had decided 8 months before the actual War, that we were going in. If ourt 'dear leader' can lie about this, what else can he lie about? Use that vote wisely.

Phrase of the week: 'Chick'

The 'respected' journalist, Chick Young wrote that Celtic would win the league given their win at Ibrox last week. I wanted to believe him. I really wanted. However, a defeat at home and a win for the Hun's sees the gap close to 2 points. It's the last time I listen to him.

Sight of the week: 'Opposites'

Human nature is, of course, a highly complex entity which perhaps never be completely explained or expressed as a mathematical formula. However, it's the simple things that stick in the mind. The student shrieking in delight as I tell him that he has scored 95%. Conversly, the feeling if shock and horror that was experienced when coming home as seeing a /potentially/ deceased figure on the road. Alone, on the tarmac with /almost/ everybody else in the vicinity merely continuing with their lives, me included.


Song of the week: 'I do not want this' by N.I.N.

A song of opposites. With simple piano and lonely vocals to cold, metallic sounding drums, rash and hateful screams coupled with swirling, electronically enhanced feedback. Strangely comforting.