Journal Entries
Where to next? 16th September 2003
Posted Sep 15, 2003
After victory was declared in the War on Iraq, May 1st, many of us asked ourselves - where would the eye of Sauron, oops, I mean the attention of the Pentagon turn next?
I heard a whisper 
that Pakistan might be considered to be 'of interest'. What's *that* about? Then, there's still the rest of the 'Axis of Evil'. The cases against them are just as shaky as that against Iraq, but that won't stop some people from po-facedly declaring the "necessity" of attacking oh, say, Norfolk Island? (It makes about as much sense 
)
The following are some thoughts written on a Sunday night, while watching (not really) the final Tom Hanks 'stirring'miniseries 'From the Earth to the Moon'
War Effort
14 September 2003
England expects every man to do his duty
All men everywhere, and women too.
Why do we expect love, truth and beauty?
We're only here to do what we must do.
Not just England mind, but everywhere men live.
(Women, too, and children.) All must prevail.
Our homes, our lives - little enough to give.
To make sure our land does never fail.
Empires rise and countries fall.
Cities live amd people die
Time, space, life and death appal
What would we be if we didn't try?
Oh, and by the way, (comnpletely unconnected) we watched the DVD of the Touchstone movie Mission to Mars last night.That's the one with Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle and Connie Nelson. It was better than expected, a pleasant surprise!
Also, we saw 'Excalibur' (1981) on Saturday, with Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson and a young Helen Mirren. Whether or not it was 'true to Malory' as my boyfriend at the time objected (he said it wasn't) it was 
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Latest reply: Sep 15, 2003
Huh? 9th September 2003
Posted Sep 8, 2003
There are two days to go, before my niece Nettie's 20th birthday - she sent me an email to remind me, as if I needed reminding! She's a nice woman
, happy birthday Nettie!
Then, there's what history has forever done to what was just her birthday, to us - September 11th.
Here it's still 
and I do not know why. On that pivotal day in 2001, it was oddly warm and sunny. Here, brass monkeys have to take blow torches to their round objects to even be sure that they still exist!
There has been a lot of shouting of spite on certain threads, and I am becoming a bit of a nervous Nellie. It seems to me that certain subjects are best left alone, but it's difficult for me to sit on my hands and 
when I see what to me, is misinformation being promulgated. What to do, what to do...To be silent and get an ulcer, to speak out and have people baying for my blood, calling me stupid, lazy, dishonest oh, and 'fundamentalist'!
It's not the topics I'd expect, either. I can say what I *like* (within defamation laws) about the Warmonger of Washington, but on the topic of ... (Vetoed)*, well!
*=From the 6 part series Dr Who and The Dalek Invasion of Earth. There were surreal signs everywhere saying Vetoed or It is Forbidden to Dump Bodies into the River.
This is a *brilliant* story, watch it!
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Latest reply: Sep 8, 2003
I must clean this keyboard - 080803
Posted Aug 8, 2003
This would not be my journal if I didn't whinge about the s*dding weather! (All temperatures are in degrees Celsius)
It is cold, and I don't care who says it's all relative. I would rather be in Europe, no really, when NZ was hot in the '80s, I used to think I didn't like that, but I was foolish! It never got really hot even then, never above 25 degrees at any time in the 1980s. That's true. NZ is not a 
y place...Jared Diamond, in the book 'Guns, Germs and Steel' remarked that parts of New land are only borderline habitable and colder than any other inhabited place on Earth.
The rest of the country is generally cold, 16 degrees is average, and South Islanders will call 7 degrees a 'somewhat brisk day'!!!!
That being said, I am listening to an item about Big Arnie and his running for Governor. What is *that* about?
Whoo-hoo! Ferrari Enzo in New Zealand, it costs over $2 million, 0-60 in 4.2 seconds (that's mph). It's not the fastest but it is very, very fast.
It has a 6 litre V12 and was originally going to be called the Ferrari F60.
Now, to the nub of the entry. I am reading a book (not right at the minute, but it's on the go) called 'Hitch-Hiker, a biography of Douglas Adams', by M J Simpson. Some great photos, and a lot of really good information, it's a great book! It makes me feel a bit nostalgic. (Soppy, moi? Of course not!)
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Latest reply: Aug 8, 2003
Quality reading. 29July 2003
Posted Jul 28, 2003
These are a few of my favourite things....(books.)
I will endeavour to list 10 of the best books I have read this millennium.
1. Lord of the Rings J R R Tolkien (one volume edition, read 2003)
2. Broken God David Zindel (part of the Neverness series, 2003)
3. War Plan Iraq Milan Rai, with Noam Chomsky
4. The Margrave Catherine Fisher (part of a series)
5. The Interrex Catherine Fisher (another part)
6. Flain's Coronet Catherine Fisher (the other part.)
7. Harry Potter and the
Prisoner of Azkaban J K Rowling (no, really, it's freaky and good.)
8. H P and the Goblet of
Fire J K Rowling (no, really, not just for kids at all)
9. Lucky Alice Sebold (as good as her fiction debut, brilliant!)
10. Awareness Anthony de Mello (superb)
It goes without saying that the LOTR soundtracks
and movies are also brilliant. Just cos they're popular doesn't make them bad!
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Latest reply: Jul 28, 2003
I feel vindicated
Posted Jul 18, 2003
Tony Blair is in the USA, and he is being feted there - which is quite sad. 
People *know* now that the 'reasons' for going to war on Iraq were as truthful as a ... well, a lie!
I am one of the millions and millions of people who protested, marched, fought and argued against the war in Iraq.
We now know that talk about Weapons of Mass Destruction was sheer compost, and that the real motives have to be looked for elsewhere. (Esso anyone?)
Yet, Dubya's poodle is so far along a river in Egypt that he can't find his way home.
If anyone needs to know, the next Grand Prix (tonight) is at Silverstone.
Yes, it is *still* freezing cold here, and so to add insult to injury, we watch the 'Crocodile Hunter Diaries' and see Steve Irwin and his horrible accents swanning around in the sun. But he's saving birds "that have been injured this bad, before", so that's all to the good.
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Latest reply: Jul 18, 2003
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DA ; Simply Vicky: Don't get pithy with me!
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