Laskar Pelangi

Just saw Laskar Pelangi (a movie about a school in Sumatra).

Unimpressed all in all. I still haven't seen a really good Indonesian movie.

Data

Peas in a Pod

Here's a story.

Imagine one of those Bird's Eye frozen pea adverts and how they only pick the ripest peas and freeze 'em straight after.

But instead of pea pickers think of those 72 poor old souls found in a mass grave in Mexico. Then instead of a happy family salivating over their dinner, think of Paris Hilton being arrested by the police for possessing coke.

You can play the same little game in your head when it comes to marijuana , any mexican border town and anywhere around the East Village in New York - chock full of those well meaning kids smoking pot.

Makes me sick!

This is why...

...I call myself a feminist.

Maybe another term would fit better, at the moment 'feminist' will do.

Booked!

Just booked my flights to Indonesia this year for Nov 21 - Dec 6.

As I was booking 'em Seurieus came on my iTunes. Haven't listened to 'em too much. A bit Aerosmithy.

Man, it's a good feeling having my flights booked. I feel all warm inside : ) or is that just my stomach gurgling at the prospect of some dodgy street food : )

Physics Envy

An article about how financiers look up to physicists.

Ignorance

Religious persecution in Indonesia and the US makes me mad. I love both countries, but there's an awful lot of racists in both also!

The minorities must be gutsy people.

VJ Day

On Friday I mentioned to my pal that my granddad fought in Burma during the war. We were arguing about the necessity of war at about 2AM Friday night.

My point was that although he lived in London he probably didn't have to join the British army (he was Irish). On a personal level he must have felt it was necessary (he wasn't a gung-ho type - one of his ongoing themes was how crazy career soldiers were).

Coincidentally it's VJ day today.

I grew up on stories about his time in Burma and India. It's a pity that I can't remember any of them now. My dad once had an idea that he would record them, but I suppose that never went anywhere.

It's hard to say, but maybe those stories had some effect on me in my formative years that still live on with me today.

Far Right Nationalist Parties...

... attending an international symposium of far right political parties.

Something feels incongruous about this.

California

I got back from California last Sunday. Have just posted up some pictures on my Flickr account - if anyone's interested!