I've been lazy again...

Yeah, this blogging malarky is a lot harder to keep up than I thought! Kudos to those who manage frequent updates! Anyhow, here's a roundup (no particular order...just the bits I remember of the two weeks since the end of term and now...)

1. Survived two extra weeks in Oxford. It wasn't fun (in the library 9-7pm everyday!) and I'm definitely glad to be back in good ol' London!

2. I've managed to find a use for my flights which I had booked previously! Although my dissertation could not be saved, I could still save a trip abroad as I found a teaching post in Yunnan province! Unfortunately, still lost a bit (understatement) of money but at least I'll have accommodation now and still get to go abroad! YEAH!

3. Unfortunately, this teaching is with really young kids so no interviewing them = no going back to my pre-prepared dissertation on education + career aspirations! Hence I'm now just pursuing on my 'virtual geographies' topic...

4. Michael Jackson - was pretty shocked when I found out (late - a whole day after it happened?!); it's only in hindsight and with all the tribute videos that I realised how many great songs he made...

5. As I said before, really glad to be back in London; just got back yesterday for a family barbie, a tradition for my middle sister's birthday. It's just great to be home.

6. Sorting out my new travel plans/insurance etc for my now confirmed trip to Yunnan. *Really* excited!

7. Watched one of the few Wimbledon matches this tournament :( ....but seriously, of all the matches I could've watched, this men's final was EPIC. WOW. I was pleased Federer won due to the history of the moment but felt sorry for Roddick as he's only won the US open in 03...he could've achieved more but a person called Federer came along...I hope he wins Wimbledon SOME day but pleased for Feds today!

There and back again...

Normally I'd be whooping for joy at the end of a term at Oxford but alas, due to my stupid dissertation*, I could only go back for Father's Day and then a day of joyous vegetation in front of the TV (Wimbledon!) until I had to come back to Oxford to research my new dissertation. Due to constraints on time, space and money, my new dissertation will be on the Internet and virtual communities with specific questions asked about identities or empowerment of the young 'digital natives'....haven't done enough research yet to decide what to focus on!

Also, I need to find a supervisor - any clever folk want to be mine?



*luckily, I didn't post when I first found out that my Chinese school placement got closed due to swine flu (which resulted in me losing my dissertation location as well) as it'd have been a major rant and many expletives I'm sure.

Procrastination strikes again

ARGH! I was plodding along, reading some e-journals for my coming climate essay (inevitable all-nighter) when I came across a word I wasn't sure of. Now, you know how frustrating this is to me...I had to look it up but then somehow I ended up on the Guardian and BBC News as I always do and then onto youtube. Then on 'videos being watched now', I saw a BNP video...

Now, I usually avoid things like this like a rabid dog* as I don't like the thought of adding to their 'view count' but I thought, I should "know thy enemy' to counter such views but it turned out to be a video against the BNP. I couldn't have put it better myself; have a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpcKqU0hTBc


*I recently found out that I forgot to ask about rabies injections (among other vaccinations) and now believe I'm doomed in China...too late to stock up on my body's various antibodies :( oh well, got my hep A booster at least....

So Gordan Brown remains...

In what was billed as the 'make or break' parliamentary labour party, it seems as if the coup is over. The majority of MPs support Gordan Brown and some previous critics have been convinced...for now.

Gordan Brown simply *HAS* to follow through on his promises to listen more and change his style of leadership. Involve his colleagues and communicate more effectively to the electorate because I still believe that at the end of the day, the choice will be clear. If only the policies were communicated across more effectively to the electorate, I'm sure that there is still time to turn around Labour's fortunes.

Here's to hoping that a return to real politics is imminent. Back to tackling the economic crisis, clearing up MP expenses and pushing through reform concerning Parliament and its day-to-day governing. Furthermore, let's return and talk about housing, jobs, health care, pensions, international security, climate change and more. As politically charged these last few weeks have been, I hope the rebels, media and the public give Brown the benefit of the doubt (as will I) as right now, he is in a position of great opportunity. He's been internationally acclaimed now let's see what he can do on the national stage. I hope for everyone's sake that he can do an encore.

Sidenote: Ha ha, the Apprentice has obviously been sidelined (though good ol' Sugar's come in as an adviser) but was v. happy when Yasmina won! Kate was far too robotic...

A protest vote or a reality check?

There's no doubt about it, it's been a bad night for Labour. I've stayed up watching the results come in with things worse than predicted. Not winning Wales for the first time since 1918 and in the North West, losing 240,000 votes from the last European elections in 2004. This allowed the unspeakable to happen, the BNP got their leader in the European Parliament (one of two from the UK).

The scary thing about this is that I'm not sure whether it really is simply an anti-labour vote or indeed an anti-mainstream party vote; indeed this is what most of the media seem to purport. However, is this simply a denial of reality? The sad truth is, the vote for the BNP might well have been in the full knowledge of all they stand for. If it is the latter, the mainstream parties can no longer skirt around or ignore the BNP but tackle them head on. If they do not, I fear that worse is to come.

I guess the only solace to be gained is that their vote didn't actually increase but it was only through the failure of the other parties, particularly the precipitous fall of Labour, that allowed the BNP to have this foot in the door.

Now people say that you cannot translate directly the votes from European Elections to that of a general election. However, I would not underestimate the significance of these European results. Not only does this win give them more media coverage but also gives them the infrastructure and financial means (as MEPs can hire party members as secretaries etc) to spread propaganda and so forth.

It's certainly a worryingly symbolic turn and a sad day for British politics. I feel ashamed that we're sending such MEPs to the European Parliament but still live in hope that there can be some renewal to be had out of these disastrous results. I must admit, my previous belief that continuing under Gordan Brown has been shaken - I suppose the events that will unfold later on today and the next few days will answer such doubts...I shall have to wait.

A bad day for labour...

...but not unrecoverable.

In the broader political landscape, I guess the only good that's come out of all the recent scandals is that everyone's talking about politics again. Furthermore, à la Naomi Klein, crises allow reform to emerge from the ashes. I just hope that after these disastrous few weeks for the government, the actual business of *governing* the country can start.

Although I've lost faith in the government, MPs and politics in generally recently, I still went back to London to vote yesterday and very glad I did. Although I could've voted in Oxford, there's something about going to your local polling station that makes you realise just how precious our democracy is. That's why I believe that not voting as all is almost as bad as protest votes.

Speaking of which, I'm disappointed at the internal implosion of the Labour party. Granted, the rebels (both backbenchers and cabinet ministers) are entitled to their own opinions but if they truly had the party at heart, the rebels would not have chosen to do what they did when they did. Despite their belief that with Gordon Brown at the helm, electoral whitewashing will occur in May next year, a leadership contest now would most assuredly bring forward that general election and most assuredly result in greater losses than are predicted in a year's time.

The soothsayers of Labour's demise don't seem to realise that if Labour really is at the lowest point it can go, surely the only way is up from here? The alternative 'caretaker parliament' that the rebels propose would not last till May and would *not* get the 'breathing space' required to stabilise the government. The reason for this is because it will be seen by the media and the wider public as a repetition of Brown's fatal flaw; that is, of never having a direct mandate via a general election.

Thus with the local elections showing the worst results for Labour on record, the response should not be fragmentation but unity. With all the faults and flaws of the labour party, the Conservatives have not been duly critiqued by the media or the public. I do not believe that I am entrenched in my political views but I simply cannot see anyone else putting forward the progressive policies that Labour has done and is doing (albeit the message is getting lost nowadays). Indeed, if the opposition parties had better policies, people would find that I am certainly no die-hard supporter of the government. However, I sincerely believe that after the furore of recent scandals such as the MP expenses, the dust will settle and in the light of day, people will see clearly which party has the integrity, guts and progressive vision to take us all through this global recession whilst championing the values of that we, the British people, embody.

Edit (06/07/09): Oops, how presumptious of me. I don't actually claim to 'speak' for the British public...how idiotic of me. I think I was just particularly riled then!

GOLDEN SUN 3!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAHHHHHHH!
I CANNOT BELIIIIIIIIIIIEVE IT! I'm SOOOOOOOOOO ECSTATIC by this news! Regardless of what else was announced at E3 by Nintendo, Golden Sun 3 on the DS has MADE MY DAY! I simply cannot believe it! I'm already thinking about using this game as motivation for finals!!

Here's what Nintendo had to say:

“Golden Sun™ DS: After going dark six years ago, 2010 will see a new dawn. Golden Sun DS updates the popular portable Golden Sun role-playing series with an impressive graphical style. This installment follows the story of the previous heroes’ descendants and immerses players into the magic of its adventure by pushing the boundaries of intuitive touch-screen controls. Golden Sun DS is playable on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems.”

Check out the artwork and the trailer!



WAHHOOO!