Spring has sprung

The doom and gloom is definitely very doomy and gloomy. But there has been one small improvement for London - Spring has arrived.



This is at Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath in the evening of one of the first full sunny days since last summer.

But no doubt like most people, we've been spending a lot of time in front of the telly, watching in disbelief. Unbelievably, the BBC seems to be even more partisan than Uncle Rupert's Sky News. Unbelievable because in print, Rupert and all his editors seem very pro the US agenda, and of course The Sun in the UK is screaming its usual right wing propaganda.

Lucky that the web makes it easier to find some alternative voices like the fantastic disinfopedia.org, indymedia, and even Aljazeerah.

We went to another peace rally yesterday in Hyde Park.



There were 100,000 or more people protesting against England's involvement in an illegal, unjust, dishonest war. Strangely, it didn't get very much mainstream media attention. Since open hostilities began, it has become taboo in the UK to criticise the war effort. This is because we are all meant to be supporting the brave men and women risking their lives on the battlefields. One of the speakers made a very good point - she said she supports the British troops so much that she wants to see them removed from danger of being killed and danger of being convicted of war crimes by bringing them immediately back home.

English rallys always seem to finish with popstars making various ill informed and self aggrandising statements. Last time it was Miss Dynamite a London R&B diva singing her hit song whose chorus goes 'I'm Miss Dynamite-tee-ee' ... no shit Sherlock. This time it was some bloke from Travis singing some thin ballad about 'war being like really, umm, bad, and all that kind of stuff'. Very lame after hearing some powerful speakers on the stage. I think they do it deliberately just to get people to go home after these kinds of events.

Terror in London

The army is out in force at Heathrow. Today they evacuated terminal 2 after someone left their bag lying around. Gatwick was closed down when someone was caught with a grenade in their luggage - although they'd flown into England with it. The whole of London is crawling with police and the news is on hysterical high rotation with new info snippets on possible terror attacks.

But Londoners themselves are strangely calm. Maybe it's because they've gotten used to bombs going off around the place with the IRA stuff. Maybe it's because no-one wants to think of what might happen here. But there seems to be a tangible refusal to be phased about any of it.

The English psyche is a strange beast. they rant endlessly about late trains and bad traffic, but will not even countenance the prospect of the Tube being attacked. A survey today says that over 84% of people here will not modify their travel plans due to the current situation. And this on a day when the police are allegedly hunting for people armed with those shoulder launched missiles ready to shoot down passenger jets.

People at work are rolling on the floor laughing at the news reports from the US of people stockpiling their pathetic tins of baked beans and a few bottles of water and wrapping their houses in clingfilm to help survive biological attack.

I reckon its a massive PR stunt to get us more afraid and to help soften up public opinion to be more supportive of a war on Iraq.

There is a big anti-war rally planned in London for Saturday, with plenty of others all around the world. We'll be doing some stomping around. See you there.

The birthday girl

Philippa at the square near Victor Hugo's house.



Lovely innit?

Why Paris is better than London

We went to Paris for the weekend for Philippa's birthday. It was absolutely freezing cold with a top temp of 0 and lowest of -8, brrr, but it was gloriously sunny with the kind of huge clear blue sky you hardly ever get to see in London (umm except for today which did happen to be a beautiful blue sky in London -- but that's just the exception that proves the rule).



We just walked around the Marais area where we were staying and went to the Louvre which of course is bloody amazing.

It's funny that everyone in England complains that Parisians are very rude, but I can't see it. Everyone in Paris makes a point of greeting and thanking each other with every interaction no matter how trivial. Even buying a metro ticket involves good morning, thank you and goodbye. Compare that to London where you're lucky to even make eye contact with someone working in a shop, let alone exchange a pleasantry with them.

Tomorrow is Australia day. Don't forget to recite your Oath of Allegiance...

Has Australia gone completely insane?

First I hear that John Howard has offered to do a few pre-emptive strikes around the neighborhood to help nice Mr Bush to keep them dirty evil infidels on the hop. After all, they pushed him too far, and now its payback time. And this time its personal after they bombed our very own cute little cheap exotic holiday island. Oops I mean Indonesia's island.

Then I heard from Phil's rellos the other day that there are now government ads on Australian TV with warnings about suspect packages and that everyone should keep a close eye on their neighbors for any suspicious terrorist-type activities. Like speaking funny languages and eating weird food and wearing strange clothes and stuff.

And now I see this crap in The Age about the Oath of Allegiance. Puhleeeeze. Bloody hell guys. What is going on?

Anyone who recites this by the barbie should give John Howard and Les Murray a call immediately. Never know, you just might get that stupid bloody mateship preamble into the constitution after all.



Here's a better idea: just chuck the stupid card on the barbie and vote Howard out. Gawann. Do it for Orstraylia.

Merry Christmas Again

Yes we managed to survive the Christmas Day shenanigans, but we both had a little trouble with our hair and with our eyesight...

Seasons Greetings to all.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all and sundry. Here's a pic of Stephen and I wearing mum's fab Christmas lights on our heads because we are very fashionable.

This was at a pre-Christmas luncheon Stephen and Fran put on for a bunch of Aussies most of whom will be away travelling on Christmas day itself. We've got some photos of this magnificent event in the site.