Ukraine Situation

You'd have to have your head burried in sand, and the sand put inside a sack and dumped in a river, and the river to be a river of lava flowing from a volcanic erruption on another planet to not know that things are a bit wobbly in Ukraine, following reports of fraud, vote rigging, voter intimation and general no-good. The American government has waded in now. Quoth Colin Powell:

The Central Election Commission has just announced official results and declared the current prime minister the winner.

We cannot accept this result as legitimate because it does not meet international standards and because there has not been an investigation of the numerous and credible reports of fraud and abuse.

We have been following developments very closely and are deeply disturbed by the extensive and credible reports of fraud in the election.

We call for a full review of the conduct of the election and the tallying of election results.

Who said Americans have no sense of irony? When people worldwide, including many of their own citizens, were vocal about the numerous and credible reports of fraud that got the shaven chimp into office four years ago - and a month ago, for that matter - there was silence. Now... let's vocally condemn undemocratic activities! I imagine the Republican Party will remember the reported use of acid in ballot boxes to destroy votes, and wheel it out in four years time... you lissnin', Jeb Bush?

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Text: Colin Powell statement

Piney Gir

In case you haven't already, why not check out my Piney Gir website? It's the first and only fan site for London's best Kansas-born electro-pop princess, and because it's the first and only it's obviously the best. It's true! It has exclusive MP3s (erm, ripped from Real Audio streams from the BBC - thanks Auntie Beeb) and more of the entertaining writing that has previously made TwinDX.com the Number 1 place to read some of it. Hurrah! Best of all, it has acres of bright pinkness, like an embarressed white kitten stood next to a strong red lightbulb. Super ace.

Me, thirty years ago

Surprise 50th birthday party for my dad on Saturday, masterminded by Sandra, my stepmum. A good evening was had by all, once we managed to get there (the journey there was perilous and fraught with danger, thanks to the snow, fog, drizzle and Forest of Dean ideas of A-Roads), and it was especially nice to see my aunt for the first time in Christ-knows-how-long. Headed back on proper roads that I know and recognise, and the journey took about half as long.

Anyway, one of the embaressing photos of the old chap that graced the walls was the one above, which by my reckoning was my first visit to Gloucester, shortly after I was born. I recognised the surroundings as my grandparents' house immediately by the wall lamp, which was a fixture I remember as a child. The panicked look on my face is one that I got very good at and used for the next few years in photographs... but the way I'm clinging on for dear life to the man with bad hair in mid blink suggested to Jayne that I'm thinking "Bloody hell! Teenage parents!" =)

I should point out here that, as a child, much was made of the dimple on my cheek when I smiled. This is probably the main reason for the lack of smiling for years - I was made aware that I was a freak! No wonder I was so highly strung. Skinny freak boy!