Tripe

My throat still hurts.

I see Time magazine has released a "top 100 films of all time". What tripe, why does this keep coming up? I mean seriously, no-one is ever going to praise them for it. It's such a personal thing. You'll just piss everybody off. Incidentally, how can you have a top 100 films without Alien, Towering inferno, and The Usual Suspects? And WTF is ET doing in there? And Schindler's list. Don't get me started on that piece of pretentious garbage.

I've just blown up my SIM card. I put it in a new phone that I am writing a manual for, and now it doesn't work. The worst thing is, I can't remember the Dragon's number to call her. I think I have most of the numbers written down somewhere. A trip to Chung Hwa telecom is required.

I need to mention the Europe debate. This weekend the French, traditionally fairly pro-Europe, will be voting on whether or not to accept the European constitution and it's looking very much like they are going to vote No. I hope they vote no beacuse I am anti Europe. The mainstream politicians are all pro-Europe for the same reason Mr Blair is, they think it's a path to a more powerful government and they all want to be part of it.

The thing that makes this particular referendum really interesting though is the fact that it could save Blair from a lot of embarrassment. Blair has promised that he will allow a referendum on Europe before taking the next step. It looks very much like he can't possibly win a Yes vote however. So, if the French vote No, and as a consequence the EU constitution fails anyway, he won't have to allow a referendum and he can avoid the embarrassment.

As someone who is anti Blair and anti Europe, this puts me in an odd position. I half want the French to vote Yes so that Blair has to have his referendum and the British can be responsible for the fall of the EU. But that's just greedy isn't it. Most of me wants the French to vote No. My Father predicted some time ago that Europe would drown in its own bureacracy and one really has to ask whether a No vote this weekend would actually be the start of that. Wise man my father.

Did I mention my sore throat?

I can't remember if I mentioned SPencer Tunick yesterday, I meant to. He's the New York artist that assembles thousands of naked people in public places and photographs them. I read that he is doing a work in North England and I thought it was next year, which meant I could go along and partake, but alas, it appears to be in July and I don't thikn I will be on the right continent. It's a shame, I really want to do it. I think I'll send him a few pictures of the Tai Chi thing at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall here in Taipeia and see it it doesn't nudge him into Asia.