All my blogging will now happen at Old World Wandering, a blog I promise to maintain.

http://www.robinsloan.com/epic/

really feeling the pressure now. question remains whether i have this right or not. ironic how so often when things seem unattainable it is remarkably easier to be eager. as soon as these things become a reality the easiest option is to heed the call and bail. anyways, few of you may recall a great politician greatly publicised recently due to his 'sudden' death. holding the special place in my heart that he did, yasser arafat - thks e, will be dearly missed:) did i spell that correctly?it seems that life is intent on fading even the greatest icons into nothingness. given enough time...

gALmail has been suspended, due to non-payment. This sucks. I've lost numerous contacts, including possible responses to recent job applications, and the brand (a large part of any professional reputation I might have) is now vomit. It is all a consequence of the founder's mother hanging onto the money that might even have been used to pay me, ages back. Hating her! Use my new address (I luckily transferred all important addresses to it not more than a week ago). iainm@iafrica.com 
Going, as Chris just informed me, to see Rammstein.      

At Schafter House (words immortalised by Lorna, bless her) with Jonathan. He will return to this site, in lieu of actual visits to Schafer. Just went out, bought beer and JD to send the man off, leaves
for Geneva tomorrow. I'll hopefully visit him, either there, or in Corsica. Realising that Schafer was idyllic (a favourite word), had very little work to do, and more parties, with the strangest of people, than I could handle. Now in the land of crumby bar jobs and bills, barely covering rent (thank some divinity for Mastercard). Haven't used it yet, but rent has to be paid.

Giles sent me an email about Bush, Michael Moore, 9/11, and Fahrenheit 9/11. I planned on a thought out, intellectual, contextual response, but it is yet to happen. I'll write a few lines now, after a few after work pints and the handy beers forgotten in my bag.

Bush is a symbol of international hate. Fahrenheit 9/11 reduces him to selfish political scum, aided by Moore's folksy charm. Moore is Dubya's foil, a nemesis. Leftover drunkards at my bar were discussing him a few nights ago, and, after comparing him to Noem Chomsky (Manufacturing Consent, you're online, look it up) decided he was a second rate intellectual, which he might be. Either that, or, realising how Bush appeals to the masses, he chose a similar route. Without Bush, we wouldn't have Michael Moore.
 
Since Moore's success, politically critical documentaries have become cool. Supersize Me would never have been released onto international circuits, and Corporation (looks like a must see) follows in its ilk. I went to see Hero a while back, an interesting film, especially from the growing Chinese / Nationalistic Communist power (previous incarnations have been devoutly international) perspective. But the previews were the most interesting, Moore style doccies, a film starring Depp and Winslet (the least commercialised famous people out there), Alexander (dir. Oliver Stone, part of a return to the classics) and no standard Hollywood bullshit. I loved the moments in Hero when I had no idea what would happen next.   

Claire got the same vibe from Fahrenheit 9/11 as Giles: that September 11 was a setup, designed by Bush and cronies (or Cronies and bush) to muster support for his illegitimate government, as Moore points out in Stupid White Men and Fahrenheit 9/11, and allow the American (and British, no stink there yet) oil companies into Afghanistan, and, the ultimate target, Iraq. The only seriously oil rich nation left is Saudi Arabia, the Bush family's sugar-daddy. I don't think Moore intended to create an explicit connection, but he did leave it simmering in the margins. Osama was, after all, on dialysis in a cave somewhere.   

I watched two (the first and last) Presidential debates at Schafer House, the UCL Hall of Residence I used to work at. A few Americans were present, from NY, but beyond them it was English with scattered internationals. Everybody cares about this election. The Guardian recently ran a feature describing how their readers could influence the election, by writing to undecided voters in so-called battleground states (where it could go either way). Hearing Kerry talk about hunting and killing terrorists wherever they may lurk is frightening, but I think this is an appeal to right wing American bloodlust and Kerry will define terrorism in a way more enlightened than the "them thar folks" approach of Bush.  

 

Go to http://www.michaelmoore.com: the man works hard for what he believes in. And he's created a commercially viable space for others to follow him into. All apologies (Giles, had to reference another song) if my thoughts are a bit scattered.

Chris, the infamous pic has been removed. And your banner is up, very "a wicked." I only have 1mb of storage unless I pay up, the banner made it, but barely. If this takes off I'll pay. I've even changed the them, to suit the banner. Think it may be a little to peachy (gay).

I sent a posting invitation to you a while back, did you get it? You have to sign up, go through a few forms, and viola! Scan the business card, so all will know who KJ Yoo is (at this rate everybody will "know who I am." Not sure if you have html edit rights, but they can definitely be organised. Got some online storage? Can you link to it, 'cos I can't host the image. Joining us on Wednesday, after business has been dealt with, is the one, the only, Frenchman. Could get ugly.   

Receiving panicked responses. The blog (stands for weblog) is really simple, you can either enter a message into the dialogue box on the left (better for hellos, one liners, etc.) or comment on an existing entry in the main page (just click on comment). I'll give author rights to anyone who asks, so you can post topics for comment. Easy!  

Mom, Dad, Megs, the part-time 109 Starke Road tenants, and the uncles/aunts (some by extention).

I miss being told what to do (and what not do do). Lies. I do miss the people who surrounded me in Cape Town, and the people I got to know by extension. I even miss the sad and destitute homeless types (you know who you are) my mom was kind enough to take in. A lot of these people aren't on my mailing list. Mom: could you forward this to Lindsay, Stue and Kirst. Dad: Charmaine, Shadow, Chris, Shaun (?), Vic (?). Megs: Amber knows, but Marion would probably enjoy it, as might Candice, Kate (and, god forbid, Ryan). Caroleene: Eugenia (never had to spell that before). Whoever you can think of. 

A kind of Sunday Lunch, benefitial to those starving and cold in London (account details available on request). I don't want to be the author of something static. Ideally, everybody will have authorship (just ask) and while I'm 'outside' having a cigarette with Giles (I know you quit, but these are not "real" cigarettes), Megs is talking to Marion in her room, and Mom is having a drink with Caroleene. You get the idea.

I decided all the scattered randoms, particularly the recently dubbed Cape Town Massiv', need a little online space. Unlike Tom' s place (sad when little people dissapear amongst the tall buildings of London) it cannot be wrecked, and no Simon, you cannot sleep on the couch... or the floor. Chris, you cannot shred my banner, photoshop takes time. Do something better and I'll use it. Giles, you now have somewhere to go on Friday night (sorry, couldn't help it). The space could be used to educate the ignorant on Phi and the uncertainty principle.  

If I am a hippy, at least I'm not the veg selling variety.