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).

Comments

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

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.

A Broadside: plot spoiler for Tory sympathisers

Today some alarming social equality data was released. It said what we all know: if you are poor, you have less opportunities in life. For every £100 a month less income than the median you start school one month behind developmentally. Your vocabulary aged 5 is half what it is for a rich kid if you are in the bottom ten percent of income. Housing tenure stats are even worse. "Only 4 per cent of those of working age living in social housing have degrees, and nearly half have no or only low qualifications. Only half of men and 42 per cent of women of working age living in social housing are in paid work, compared with 89 per cent of men and 81 per cent of women in households with a mortgage." Social housing: by its nature, is grouped (london people ignore this, you are the freaks not the norm). That means that we have allowed ghettoes of poverty and low attainment (not just in a SATS way either). Now it would be easy, and some daft Tory has already done it, to pin this on

Jude Smith

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