A post which is really a procrastination tool

I have stuff to read and a moot to write, so this is the perfect time to post something. I haven't decided what yet, so bear with me.

While I'm thinking about it, everyone should head over to Dinosaurs and Dandelions and read it 'cause it's awesome (and also 'cause they very nicely linked to me the other day. Which may be why some of you are reading this. Hmmm. Chicken-and-egg problem. Aaaaaanyway) and includes better top ten lists than the Huff Post and Time put together. Also handy recipes for things like fancy grilled bread and wonderful asian fusion dishes.

Don't head over there now though, I haven't decided what to talk about yet.

Another thing that's been on my mind is France and the Burqa. It's a problem for me, because I'm torn. Half of me instinctively screams at the idea of women being forced to cover themselves up to suit some extremist nonsense. The other half of me thinks that it should be everyone's choice what they believe in and it definitely should be everyone's choice what they wear. What's next? A ban on wearing anything religious in public whatsoever? Is France going to take a leaf out of Saudi Arabia's book and have anti-religious police roaming the streets with tasers and semi-automatics? Will I get shot for wearing a 'Mary is my homegirl' t-shirt, even if it is only ironically?

It's a pickle. Of course there is the fact that probably no one should give a crap about what I think, 'cause I'm a middle class, white atheist who lives in a western country and studies politics. I don't have to or want to wear a burqa. I suppose the issue is, is the reason why we never hear from the women wearing the burqas because we're not looking hard enough or because the don't get a chance to have a say?

Hmm, what else to natter on about before I figure out what to write.

The UK. It's nuts, they still don't have a government. For laughs, head over to Malcolm Tucker's election briefing cause Malcolm is a funny guy and damn it, I want him running my country.

Okay I have no idea what to talk about. OH WAIT.

I just talked about stuff. What d'ya know.

Update

Conservatives: 290
Labour: 247
Lib Dems: 51

35 seats to go.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee have a hung parliament my friends.

UK election

UK election 2010=crazy. It's been a nuts day, started watching coverage when it started at 10pm BST (9am NZ) and it's now 9am BST. It's been 11 hours and we're still 43 seats away from knowing the final results. Even then, seats which had problems with ballot papers and queues will most likely be challenged by whoever loses and if no one manages to secure a coalition majority then  there'll be another election.

This is a political nerd's dream *shifty eyes*.

HIgh points: BNP has won nothing. NOTHING. Take that you neo-nazi fascist morons. Also Scotland is still a Labour stronghold and Wales hasn't let me down too much. Jack Straw's rosette was probably my highlight of the day. Unfortunately there aren't any pics yet :(


Lowlights: Jacqui Smith has been voted out, no doubt due to her embroilment in the recent expenses scandals (in which a claim was made for some porn her husband watched. Big no no really). Hundreds of people were turned away from polling places and loads of absentee ballots arrived in the UK too late to be counted, because of the ash cloud from the notoriously unpronounceable Icelandic volcano, which I'd spell here but I can't be assed.

As I sign out, the Conservatives are at 289, Labour's at 245 and the Lib Dems have 51. Other parties have 27 and there are 38 seats to go.

Christ.

What the Frak?

My new favourite phrase. It's like what the fuck, but more whacky and fun-filled. I've had a few what-the-frak moments in the last couple of days.  The first of which was a revelation that there is a terrorist  organisation which is a Buddhist offshoot.

WHAT THE FRAK?!?!?!

That is bizarre and oxymoronic. Buddhists are meant to be non-violent. To all forms of life. That's their selling point. Their raison d'être. They pretty much fail at Buddhism. If you would like more info here's this wikipedia page which I prepared earlier (yeah right): Aum Shinriko.

Weird.

Another one: Justin Bieber does not know what German is (here).

Again, WHAT THE FRAK?

Bieber's Canadian, they're meant to be smarter than Americans. How could anyone have got to age 8 (which I assume is Bieber's age) without knowing what German is?

Bieber, you bring the female population to shame.

Wait, Justin Bieber's a guy?

WHAT THE FRAK?

Is it just me or is The Pacific a bit shit?

It is isn't it? Based on how amazing Band of Brothers was, The Pacific isn't measuring up. It's quite good, but that's it. Granted TV One decided not to show the interviews with the actual soldiers, which is the whole point, but still.

Aaaaaaanyway.

Spent today not yelling at really stupid people. It's on days like today that I wish I lived in a Reginald Perrin sort of universe where I could lapse into a fantasy world in which wrecking balls smash into annoying mothers-in-law and things like that.

"How come you don't have any stampbooks?"

"BECAUSE WE'VE RUN OUT, THAT'S WHY!!"

My family is now having a long discussion about the various tenses of the verb 'to forget'

NERDS