The end of a new Berlin Wall?

I confess that I don't know a whole lot about the North Africa/ Middle East protests. I'm going to buy some kind of articulate magazine that might fill me in later. But (since when has lack of knowledge stopped me speaking).. this reminds me of those months in 1989-91 where every time we turned on the news the map and the countries had changed. Contagious protest, old leadership threatened, a new day.

When it happened at the end of the Cold War we rightly celebrated an end to oppression, even if we replaced it with another tyranny of greed. I think I am a bit worried that this time we will have half an eye on the economic ramifications if poor people all over the Middle East rise up. The spectre of oil raises its head again.

I don't know how it will shape up but I'm praying for justice and peace. I'm praying as people prayed thirty years ago for bloodless change..

(and if anyone knows about it more do keep me posted).

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A Week Today

A week today, when all the furore has ebbed and the markets have bottomed out, our nation will awake to the sounds of bugles and church bells as we commemorate 100 years from the start of the Battle of The Somme. I am an historian by background, and the Somme for me is emblematic of a human tragedy that need never have happened. My reading of it is this: we began a war from a variety of odd alliances and murky motivations, capped off finally by a sense that no-one had the will to stop it. In order to give the war effort impetus, posters, propaganda began to be bandied around about the enemy, about what they would do to children and how they needed to be stopped. It worked as a recruiting effort- young men, boys, and women all joined the war effort. They joined as an act of patriotism, tinged yes with fear, but also a sense that it might be the right thing to do. They joined from across the country- but at the heart of the front line forces were thousands and ten of thousands...

Remembering What I Enjoy..

Occasionally I forget things. Some stuff like birthdays, names and stuff is a normal human thing, and I don't sweat it so much. But I also forget some other stuff which is not so good. I forget what I enjoy. I don't know how it happens but it does from time to time. And its at these moments that I need a bit of help remembering. So- this is a request for help. What do I enjoy doing? What gives me joy? Leave me a comment.

Who will rid me of this meddlesome...

... piano? It occurred to me yesterday as i nursed ANOTHER bruise on my arm.. that I have had a piano sat in my hallway for 2 months! It seemed like such a good idea at the time but apparently is not... its stuck there and everytime I walk down my hall I have to squeeze past the darn thing- often not successfully! A number of options lie before me: -chop the thing into several hundred pieces -find lots of people who want to move it.. to where I'm not sure -sell it -give it away -pray it away It goes next weekend.. even if it kills me... which it might.. hummm

Jude Smith

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