No news is no news
Jan. 9th, 2005 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcAnd nothing continued to happen. Regarding, you know, that thing that thing that thi-i-i-ing.
Today something happened, or rather I happened it. I went for a rollerblade for the first time in months. Just the 2 of us, me and my new iPod. Sydney’s got a great climate for ‘blading, but surprisingly few decent places to do it. I stuck to the localsidewalks footpaths near Moore Park. It was fun, I got all sweaty an’ shit, I’m probably still quite salty.
Mmmmm . . . salty.
Been doing some research on Eire (for no particular reason), and today was checking out the political scene. I feel very disconnected here in Oz, not merely because I can’t vote--I feel like a welcomed guest. Which is what I am really. But with the horrors of the 26/12/04 tsunami (I refuse to call it the Boxing Day tsunami, that’s too judeo-xtio-hegemonic), I donated to the Canadian Red Cross, and that was surprisingly important to me. Just another wee example of how Australia hasn’t truly become a part of me. Though it’s indoubitably impacted on the person I am. For better and worse.
But back to Eire. Churchill said something once to the effect that any young man who isn’t a socialist hasn’t got a heart and any older man who isn’t a conservative hasn’t got a brain. I’m inclined to totally reject that: as I get older I see an even greater need for a solidly left voice in the politics of the world. In political terms that’d be a social democrat; in political theory a Marxian. In other words, Marx’s critique of capitalism: bang on. Marx’s posited alternative: equally fooked. In Canada that makes me NDP (yeah you know me); but what would that make me in Ireland?
The two main parties are Fine Gael (rightish) and Fianna Fail (centreish). There’s a Green Party, but their Canadian counterparts are so clueless (while here in Oz they’re excellent) so I need to investigate more. Progressive Democrats might be a fit, or even Labour--though while I’m a supporter of trade unions, I’ve found the stoopid white men who too often ascend their leaderships to be as problematics as some right wing arsewhipes. Anyone got any insights? Really I want to vote for Mary Robinson for everything, all the time.
Otherwise, not much to report. Saw A Very Long Engagement last night and was disappointed. 20 minutes less of it might’ve worked better. And really do folks genuinely think Audrey Tautou is a great actress? I thought Jodie Foster nearly stole the movie:mais ce femme-là, quelle actrice-là!
Today something happened, or rather I happened it. I went for a rollerblade for the first time in months. Just the 2 of us, me and my new iPod. Sydney’s got a great climate for ‘blading, but surprisingly few decent places to do it. I stuck to the local
Mmmmm . . . salty.
Been doing some research on Eire (for no particular reason), and today was checking out the political scene. I feel very disconnected here in Oz, not merely because I can’t vote--I feel like a welcomed guest. Which is what I am really. But with the horrors of the 26/12/04 tsunami (I refuse to call it the Boxing Day tsunami, that’s too judeo-xtio-hegemonic), I donated to the Canadian Red Cross, and that was surprisingly important to me. Just another wee example of how Australia hasn’t truly become a part of me. Though it’s indoubitably impacted on the person I am. For better and worse.
But back to Eire. Churchill said something once to the effect that any young man who isn’t a socialist hasn’t got a heart and any older man who isn’t a conservative hasn’t got a brain. I’m inclined to totally reject that: as I get older I see an even greater need for a solidly left voice in the politics of the world. In political terms that’d be a social democrat; in political theory a Marxian. In other words, Marx’s critique of capitalism: bang on. Marx’s posited alternative: equally fooked. In Canada that makes me NDP (yeah you know me); but what would that make me in Ireland?
The two main parties are Fine Gael (rightish) and Fianna Fail (centreish). There’s a Green Party, but their Canadian counterparts are so clueless (while here in Oz they’re excellent) so I need to investigate more. Progressive Democrats might be a fit, or even Labour--though while I’m a supporter of trade unions, I’ve found the stoopid white men who too often ascend their leaderships to be as problematics as some right wing arsewhipes. Anyone got any insights? Really I want to vote for Mary Robinson for everything, all the time.
Otherwise, not much to report. Saw A Very Long Engagement last night and was disappointed. 20 minutes less of it might’ve worked better. And really do folks genuinely think Audrey Tautou is a great actress? I thought Jodie Foster nearly stole the movie:mais ce femme-là, quelle actrice-là!
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Basic Political Primer
Date: 2005-01-10 04:40 am (UTC)Fine Gael: Rightish/gutless/major leadership problems/hopeless opposition. (Personal feeling: would drive you up the wall)
PDs: a breakaway branch of Fianna Fail, based on personality, not politicy. They usually end up back in power with FF. They're rediculous--no real alternatives ideas.
Sinn Fein: if you want to get involved in (Irish) republican/socialist politics...
Greens: don't know much about them
Labour: not in the tradition of the Labour parties of the European industrialized nations; progressive, pro-gay, but since Ireland is a Hong-Kong-style capitalist economy, it differs in many respects from one's socialist expectations. (Personal feeling: probably the best fit for you--Mary RObinson's party).
Re: Basic Political Primer
Date: 2005-01-10 05:04 am (UTC)Un long dimanche d'ennui?
Date: 2005-01-10 06:45 am (UTC)As to AVLE, I thought the plot had too many superfluous excursions and dead ends.
Re: Basic Political Primer
Date: 2005-01-10 02:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-11 11:35 am (UTC)