Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Wednesday, not so manic as a Tuesday, not as fun...

... as a barrel of monkeys.

Och weel...

Okay, so... This whole Pat Robertson thing....

Now... I find it funny that the guy is actually STILL ON TV, and doing his 700 Club gig. I remember that show from the 70's when it was actually still on terrestrial telly. It was horrible. I mean... I know that it's been sent to "cable-hell" on the ABC Family Network, but still... I can't believe it's still on.

But... Anyhoo... Found a funny cartoon on-line commenting on this 'un.

FUNNY CARTOON

I think that really says it all. No more need to comment.

Unfortunately... I must be off... Not a lot of time today. But... Things are really starting to come together. The art will be up on the walls by tomorrow morning... My research is being assembled, but I still haven't had time to "make it pretty" but... I still have four whole days left!

Yay.

Wish me luck.

-- T

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Okay... Just a "little" bit of time...

So... Just before I go home, I think... Quick look at a blog I like to read by a guy that lives in St. Paul and speaks Welsh and that's not really important... What IS important was this link:

He had THIS STORY there...

Okay... I'm embarrassed to live so close to that monstrosity..

Gah.

-- T

Tuesday and I'm still alive

Greetings folks... Well, I wish I had a tonne of time to do a normal post, especially since I haven't been able to post for a while...

But I don't.

I'm just posting to say that I'm still around, and after a manic weekend of painting and sanding, and more painting, and some kvetching...

I'm still here.

Today, I'm preparing the work for going up on the walls, which is pretty much just a bunch of measuring and lots of Maths. (That's 'math' to the Yanks)

Gah.

But beyond that... I'm still kicking.

I hope that things will start to be a bit less manic soon, and I'll be able to post a proper message.

Love you all, gentle readers...

Smiles,
T

Friday, August 26, 2005

No time...

... Today or anytime this weekend...

So... I am not going to write much.

I'm fine... Preparing the exhibition space... Gah.

See everyone after the bank holiday Monday (meaning next post is on Tuesday.)

Smiles and Kittens...

T

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Thursday, ohhhhh what a feeling...

Greetings Folks...

Okay, so I refrained from bitching yesterday, as I was in a pretty good mood.

I don't want you to think that I'm "always" about bitching on my blog, as I do sometimes have happy stuff... Like this amazing little Flash-music-video:

My JCB

See... That was fun. Kinda cute too... Hopefully you Yank readers will understand what a JCB is now...

Yes, that's right.... I'm in a good mood. I had to wake up very early today in order to get a lift up to, and from Maidstone (42 miles round-trip from Canterbury) to pick up my nine... Count them, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9, NINE prints for my final degree show! yay me! They look AMAZING, and I'm really pleased with them, and all is happy and kittens.

Now... Although everything is happy and small furry baby-animals (with admittedly sharp claws, and evil intentions, bloody kittens!)

I do have to throw in my normal "tuckmac style rant" for posterity sake.

Using BugMeNot for the NY Times site:

Bolton Pushes U.N. on Change as U.S. Objects to Draft Plan

Okay... So here's the guy that even the Republican controlled SENATE wouldn't confirm... Who Bush pushed through while the Senate was on recess... And look what the fuck is doing! Bastardo!

But... Happier note... When Bush has fricked around with Carbon Dioxide emissions, and actually HURT the environment since he's taken over in the White House... The U.S. States themselves are finally starting to take control of the situation! I'm just embarrassed that my own state of Minnesota isn't getting into this deal... Hopefully soon!

9 States in Plan to Cut Emissions by Powerplants.

Well... That's it for the day... I'm off to start doing some poly-filler work (spackling, Yank friends) in the exhibition-space and I have to go buy some first... So... I'm off...

Smiles,
T

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Wednesday Doldrums take 2!

No, actually, it's been okay. But it's only about 50° F outside, and raining. Britain takes a bit to get used to. I've lived here for about two years, and I'm still not used to it. Och weel. The countdown to this blog becoming "The life and times of an ex-ex-pat Yank" has hit the eight-week mark. Hmm...

Anyhoo. The only "truly" exciting thing that happened today, is that I went to Neville at The Pagan's Echo on Wincheap in Canterbury. It's supposedly the best place for a tat in South-eastern England. So... Yeah. The date is set, I get my tattoo at 10:00am BST on September 12th, and a deposit is already paid... Can't pull out of it now! Here's the design that I made, thinking: "Hey, that's fucking cool." and bringing it down to Neville:



Anyhoo... That's all set up. Yay.

Other than that, I have been printing off all sorts of images to use as my "research" for my upcoming examination. Whoohoo.

Finally... There are very few times I come across writing that really grabs me, and shakes me by the scruff of the neck like I was a little puppy. Mick does it sometimes to me on his "Drifter" serial novel... But besides that, not very often.

Well... Jim Walsh from the City Pages did it again.
This Monkey's Gone To Heaven.

I hope you're able to enjoy this article as much as I did.

No bitching today... Amazing, huh?

Smiles, and stay dry, fellow residents of Britain. Gah.

-- T

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Finally Done with the Bloody Computer

Greetings Readers...

The title says it all today... I'm finally done burning CD's full of crud. Not all of it was crud, actually... But there was a lot of dross that I've been able to clear off my computer. I was down to 27MB left of hard-drive space once my project was finished! 27 MEGS! Now... I have 10.2 GB available on my hard-drive. This is allowing, of course, for all of my coursework to still be on the computer, as I need to use it for my research/folder thinggy for my course. But... It's looking better.

I'm planning on purchasing an external Firewire hard-drive once I've returned to Minnesota. (No offence, Brit friends, but technology just costs more over here! But... I have room now. I'm happy.

Oh... Listening to my iTunes, and Loudon Wainwright III's "Swimming Song" has just come on. Good tune.

Anyhoo... Sorry... Yeah, so...

Amusing story from the BBC: Student held over on-line mugging.

Okay... So, this student is being held for setting up a "bot" and going into on-line games, beating up other "virtual players" of said game, stealing "virtual stuff" and then selling it on-line.

Damn is he smart! I mean, okay, he's a larcenous bastard, but you have to give the kid props for imagination and ingenuity. Don't you? Well... Anyhoo...

Due to the conversation happening over a previous entry of my blog, I thought I'd throw this little article up here, again, from the BBC:
The struggle over science
A POINT OF VIEW
By Harold Evans
In his weekly opinion column, Harold Evans considers rising concern in the US over the Bush administration's hostility to science.


It really is freaking amazing that the U.S. is falling so far behind where we used to be in the science and engineering fields, with not so much as a whimper from our government. What the?

Och weel...

Oh, and just 'cause it's been a while since I gave a shout out for my friend Mick, and his Serial Novel happening on his web-site... I thought I'd throw a little GO HERE AND READ thing here. He tends to update whenever he actually doesn't have time to do so but he gets it there. You could read the current chapter of Drifter... But I'd suggest, if you haven't actually read it before, to just start at the beginning like it was a book. 'Cause, well... It is. I love this story, and I've been an avid fan since Mick put a "one off" up on his web-site as a short-story... And I've been enjoying the "monster" that I have a bit of hand in forcing him to create! Muahahahaha... No, but seriously, it's a good read.

Okay... I'm off... I'm going to start messing with MY website, hopefully able to have an update on Thursday or Friday.

Slànte - Tuckmac

Monday, August 22, 2005

After a long weekend.

Well... Not a traditional "Long Weekend" like a Bank Holiday Monday, or something... No, but a long weekend that seemed to drag on and on forever. It's probably because I was silly enough to take advantage of KIAD being open for the weekend, and thus came in on Saturday to do some puttering about the studio.

I don't have all my work done, regardless of the fact that my work is currently being mounted and laminated for the final exhibition... Oh, no... I have to assemble my research. Thanks to Fiona, and several other folks on the course for cutting out relevant articles for yours truly... And from other sources... I am actually not too worried about the whole thing. Nope... The folder that I have set aside for the research part of the course is almost half full already. And I've got quite a bit of stuff to put in it, so... all is well, actually.

Besides that... Um... Nothing much else to report. The wedding goes apace, and things are okay there. We have almost all of the R.S.V.P. cards back... And so we have a handle on guests, we think. A few more things to assemble, but... Fiona's handling most of them (as I did most of the work while she was finishing HER degree, it's only fair) and so we're on top of stuff.

Okay... Funny quiz thing that I got from my friend Rob, and just so you know... Fiona is an AVID Zombie-flick fan. And thus I've been exposed to a few too many Zombie Flicks for the past two years. Normal people MAY not score this high. Fiona, I'm sure, would score much higher than I. Anyhoo... My results:

Official Survivor
Congratulations! You scored 74%!
Whether through ferocity or quickness, you made it out. You made the right choice most of the time, but you probably screwed up somewhere. Nobody's perfect, at least you're alive.



My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:
free online datingfree online dating
You scored higher than 55%on survivalpoints
Link: The Zombie Scenario Survivor Test written by ci8db4uok on Ok Cupid


And a few articles, that I think you may be interested in (use BugMeNot.com:

First, In Explaining Life's Complexity... is the second article from the NY Times dealing with questions of "Intelligent Design" and "Darwin's Theory of Evolution." It is a "four" page article, but I think it does a good job of explaining both sides of the story. It's not too slanted towards science and intelligent people, as opposed to moronic Christian fuck heads (oops, did I lose my objectivity? Sorry.)

Okay, and finally a little wee editorial from Bob Herbert in the NY Times Op/Ed page:
Truth in Recruiting

I hope you are amused, and edified by today's offerings.

Wish me luck. I've been sitting in my studio all day today burning my "Photo Library" to disc, and it's taking for FUCKING ever.

Och weel.

Slànte and TA!

-- T

Friday, August 19, 2005

TGIF - Seriously...

Greetings readers.

My apologies for not making an entry yesterday, but something came up.

What WAS that something, you ask?

On Wednesday, flush with the feeling of accomplishment due to my course work being completed, I received an e-mail from an arts official back in Minnesota. It seems a person from my course here at KIAD had called into question several entries on my resume on the internet. This person charged me with not only over-stating my exhibitory experience, but also my teaching experience. He did it in the most, well... Shitty, way possible.

I had to spend most of the day yesterday dealing with the fallout of this experience. I have, I hope, redeemed myself by proving all of the entries on my resume, but it took some time to gather the e-mails and letters to do so.

There is nothing worse than a back-stabbing fuck! This shit-head fuck is a person that I spend every day with. We have worked together, been in exhibitions together and is someone that I know extremely well. This person was my friend.

He is no longer.

I have never been attacked like this in ANY way, shape, or form in all of my years... And to have the attack come from "within" my social circle has not only surprised and hurt me, but also has disgusted me.

Fuck off!

Okay...

On to happier things. Today (Friday) I have now finished my project statement, and have given it to my course-leader. I have two prints to go, out of nine, on the large-format ink-jet printer. Once these things are done, I will be heading to Maidstone (about 40 mins away from Canterbury) to get the prints to a professional mounter, who will mount the photographs and laminate them against "icky shit" and it will be finished, hopefully, next Thursday.

Yay!

As per normal, I'm going to throw up a few articles that I find interesting, and occasionally scary.

Using the BugMeNot link on the right-side column to deal with the NY Times and their silly sign-up shit:

The Paul Krugman editorial: What they did last Fall. Oh... Election tampering and scandal take 33 and a third! Not that I'm surprised...

Rocket Targets U.S. Ship. My comment on this? At least they're really shit at aiming. No, seriously... What the? Come on... Mortar attacks and rocket attacks towards the U.S. and Israel, while Israel is finally removing settlers from the Gaza Strip, and being good "world-citizens" is hardly helpful you morons! For crying out loud!

And sadly, news that a "good" politician has died. On the BBC site: Former minister Mo Mowlam dies. Mo Mowlam was the N. Ireland minister while I spent time in Ireland back in 1999, and was replaced while I was there by the moron Peter Mendelshon, current British rep to the EU. Mo Mowlam was an energetic force for peace in N. Ireland, and was replaced by a governmental crony of Blair's. It was a sad day for N. Ireland, and a sad day for all of Britain. Good luck on your journey, Mo... You were an amazing woman!

I'm off for the weekend... Take care, and smile!

-- Tucker

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

1:50 pm on Wednesday the 17th of August

And Tuckmac finishes two years of work in the MFA studios.

The 10th and final image is now complete.

Yay me.

-- T

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Tuesday and there's interesting...

...stuff happening everywhere.

Okay... The first two links are from the NY Times, so please feel free to use the "Bug Me Not" link on my right-hand column. To get us started... So, I have to put this up here, as it is something that just cheeses me off:

Fuel Economy Plan Seen Omitting Rule for Big S.U.V.'s

In other words... The auto-industry has proved it's money spent on the Bush campaign has come to fruition. Fuckers. No seriously... The basic facts are these: The rules towards fuel-efficiency have been in effect since the 1970's in America, and they haven't been updated since then. Huge trucks like the Hummer and others are NOT effected under these laws, and in fact, people sometimes get a tax-fucking-break to actually run one of these fuckers... And when we're suffering from oil prices being at a 30 year all time high, and issues with our dependence on foreign oil... Not to mention the environmental damage that these monster-trucks cause our planet... Bush STILL knows where HIS bread is buttered, and has not added these damn things to the law! AssHAT!

Okay... This was interesting. "The Underprivileged Press" written by our old favourite, Bob Dole.

Now the amusing thing... Is that what we don't hear from the article, is that the reporter in question that Mr. Dole is suddenly "protesting the innocence" of... Has been locked up for blocking the grand jury looking at our other old favourite, Karl Rove. Ms. Judith Miller is known in the journalistic circles as a "government monkey" that writes whatever the White House tells her to write. Now... That being said... Most of the rest of the article is actually something to consider. I wonder about two Republican's trying to pass a law protecting the press, only when there are so many issues revolving around the press right now, and Mr. Rove. I just always have a bit of a leery feeling whenever the Repubs do something... What ulterior motives do they have for this legislation. Is it actually to protect the press? Or is it to protect Karl Rove? Hmm... I will admit, however, that if the press doesn't have this sort of protection (they do in most STATE judiciaries) but at the Federal level... Then they also have the freedom to do their jobs without fear of governmental reprisals. Again... Just worried about the ulterior motives... Och weel...

Problems in the Gaza Strip? Really? Jeez... (BBC Article)

I mean, really... Are any of us surprised that the Israeli Settlers are clashing with the security forces attempting to drive them off of Palestinian soil? Come on????? Jeez.

Finally... Proof that although the United States may be fucked over when it comes to research using Stem-cells... At least in other more advanced countries (lacking a Christian Right movement in the government) research is carrying onward. Now... The article, "Scientists make nerve stem-cells" has deep resonance for me. My family is completely under the Alzheimer's yoke of fear. Both of my maternal grandparents have died from the disease, as have many of their siblings... This means, basically, that not only does my mother have something like a 115% chance of developing the disease, I have a 65% chance myself. I would really like these scientists to work quickly... Not just for me, but also so my "some-day in the future" children will actually be able to be held and cooed over by their grandmother. Silly sentiment, no?

Well... That's it for today. I'm on my LAST of the 10 print series, and I've found a great place to get them mounted... And I'm just about the best, most sexy artist on the course! Muahahahaha...

Smiles and Kittens!
-- Tuckmac

Monday, August 15, 2005

Busy, yet accomplished weekend.

Hello readers...

I've had a very nice weekend. I have somehow balanced a busy "art-work" sort of weekend working on my final show... And also had a nice "social" weekend with my friend Rob and of course Fi over the course of the weekend. It was nice.

Okay... I've finished photo #8 and I'm half-way finished with photo #9, hopefully will finish IT today, and that leaves both Tuesday and Wednesday to finish the final piece for the show! I'm good. I also found a place (thanks to my friend Lex) that will do the mounting for me, and thus... I'm almost there! Almost an MFA. Yay me!

On to fun or disturbing (depending on your outlook on life) here's a few links to get your brain spinning and leaping with neuron-firing excitement.

On the NY Times Opinion/Editorial page there was this entry, by Paul Krugman: "Social Security Lessons". It's about how the Bush administration will actually lie through their teeth in order to get the American people to follow along with their plans. My favourite quote from the article?

"In addition to misrepresenting his goals, Mr. Bush repeatedly lied about the current system. Oh, I'm sorry - was that a rude thing to say? Still, the fact is that Mr. Bush repeatedly said things that were demonstrably false and that his staff must have known were false.

Wow... Politician's lie? I had no idea! {snigger}.

I did a quick little bitch-session about this earlier, but here's a "British" take on the whole "Georgie Bushie and his love of all things Creationist."

"A question of creation"
A POINT OF VIEW - By Harold Evans

It's a very well balanced and slightly tongue-in-cheek look at American's and they're seeming LOVE of breaking their own 1st Amendment.

Finally, the big news for the weekend, of course, would be the "Historic Pull-out of the Gaza Strip by Israeli Settlers."

Like other's before, speaking of the IRA, and how they rather doubt things are going to turn out well... I feel that this "historic pull-out" is fraught with danger for the future, as well as a heck of a lot of hope. BBC Article from the front-page of the web-site.

Folks, American's are blamed by many in the world to be the biggest "Zionists" around... Always supporting the Israeli's over the Palestinians, and generally causing a heck of a lot of tension in the Arab world.

To let you all in into Tuckmac's brain.
1. I sympathise with the Jews in Israel, and I get why after WWII the "West" helped to give them a homeland.
2. Although I sympathise, I'm still not sure it was a good idea. Only because we DID actually take away someone else's homeland, specifically the Palestinians.
3. If Israel has to be there... Then they should NOT be taking any more bloody land from the land-poor Palestinians.
4. It's about fucking time, the Israeli's pulled out of the Illegal settlements in the Gaza Strip and I hope they pull their equally illegal and poorly thought out settlements in the West Bank!
5. I don't understand the Israeli Settlers, and their cause, and I think they're ignorant shits that should MOVE their asses!
6. No matter what... I do not agree with the Palestinian's own suicide bombers... Terrorism is SHIT, no matter what the circumstances.

Okay... That's if for today folks...

I have to go chew on some furniture to calm down, and then get back to work on my piece.

Slànte - T

Friday, August 12, 2005

Wow... Slow news day from HELL!

Greetings gentle readers...

Okay, as per my normal sort of day, I spent a while trolling around the internet looking for interesting stories with which to lead off my own blog. I do this almost every day, and I really like to "stay in touch" with the world, and with my far-away home in Minneapolis.

I've read the NY Times, BBC News, StarTriune, and the City Pages today. (all the links are available on the right-side column of this blog)

A strike at Heathrow airport made both the "front covers" of the BBC and NY Times.

Oh... An industrial action... How facsinating.

Gah.

Well... The only link I found that was even a "bit" interesting was in the City Pages, and here it is:
There goes the neigborhood" by Jim Walsh

Not that this is a terribly interesting story... However, I do think that it is a fairly descent illustration of "gentrification" and as an artist, I have a serious issue with the whole idea.

The fact that our marvellous cities ALL do this, whether it's in London or New York or Minneapolis! Have a fairly shitty little neighbourhood? No worries... Have some artists/musicians/bohemians move in, and fix up the place... Soon a coffee shop opens up to cater to the "artsy" crowd... Then, a gallery... Then a little corner shop selling really expensive vegan food... Then... Then...

It's too nice a place for an artist to live! Suddenly, the rents that used to be around $500.00 a month for a big huge loft-conversion... Are raised to $2000 a month, and the first yuppie fuck moves in... Followed by all the other yuppie fucks that the first fuck plays racquetball with (squash for the Brits) and voíla, it's a yuppie fuck neighbourhood that's too expensive for an artist to afford, and so... The artists move to a new SHIT neighbourhood, and the whole process starts all over again!

Bloody hell!

Ger.

Okay, sorry. Different topic entirely.

My lovely fiancée made me go to the doctor.

Why? You ask.

Well... 'Cause last week I was coughing and had a nose like a tap, and had a fever. Last week. LAST week. A whole stinking week ago. But... I had to see someone. I walked in for my 4:00pm appt. Waited till 5:15pm for the doctor to call me in (fricking NHS) and sat down. He said, "Well, what seems to be the problem?" I say, "Well, last week, blah... Blah... Blah..., but now I'm on the mend, I think." He says, "Let's see." And proceeds to pull out the stethoscope and gives my lungs a listen. He says, "You seem to be on the mend." I say, "Thank you." He says, "You're welcome." and, and... And...

That's it.

Thanks Doc.

Jeez.

Och weel... I'm on the mend. It's official.

I'm going to be working on my artwork all weekend, and that's what I'm going to get back to doing now (after a fag, of course).

I hope you all have a great weekend, and I'll see you here next week!

-- Slànte - Tuckmac

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Okay... A bit of levity today.

My friend Rob sent me two e-mails today... And I just HAVE to stick them up here. First is this picture:



Okay... The next little tidbit is this link to a great advert. But first, an explanation for my Yank-readers...

Channel 4 is a terrestrial channel over in the UK that runs a lot of U.S. T.V. programmes, as well as other stuff. My fiancée would complain that Channel 4 USED to be all about education, and was trying to find a good niche for itself in the British market that is pretty much controlled by the BBC. However, now it's the channel of "Big Brother" and "ER" and "The OC" etc.. etc... However...

Channel 4 has had this ad scheme that asks a whole lot of famous actors (both UK and US ones) questions, and the advert itself is "just the answer" not the question... So you have 20 people answering a question that WE the viewers don't actually know.

Now... That I've set THAT bit up... This linked clip is NOT for watching at work or in front of children... The language my upset some people, and if you don't want to hear famous people saying "f**k" or "c**t" or "s**t" then don't click this link.

I'm not that fussed, as I swear all the time, but I know some may be offended... Final warning...

Okay?

LINK

I hope you'll all forgive me. One final link: Tucker's Web Portfolio has new photos on it. Man that guy is good!

Smiles and kittens!
-T

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Do you ever...

Wonder about the world?

Well, I do. Looking up at the stars at night, comtemplating infinity...

Blah, blah...

No, I'm just kidding... I am SO not going there. Not when there's all sorts of really cool stuff that doesn't involve philosophy.

First, a really good Op/Ed from the NY Times, Maureen Dowd is a great writer who's sort of known for her razor-sharp wit, and how she tends to use it against Pres. Bush... Tee hee. Why No Tea and Sympathy? (obviously feel free to use the BugMeNot link from my right column)

A quick little portal to the BBC's current research and writing about the "New Digital Lifestyle." It's interesting to BE one of these people that the Beeb's trying to explain to other less technophile sorts of folk, but... Whatever. Citzens Do Media for Themselves.

Finally... A great advert that was brought to my attention from my friend Meshtey: A really big ad I honestly almost cried laughing so hard after seeing this advert. Why, WHY don't Yanks do commercials this well? Why? Gah... Brilliant.

I'm off... Smiles and cookies!
Tuckmac

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Sorry Short one.

As a friend wanted a "long letter" from me today, I'm just about out of time for my internet hour.

But... As I'm in a funny mood, I thought I'd throw THIS up here, as I got a good chuckle.

More tomorrow.

-- Tuckmac

Monday, August 08, 2005

After a calming weekend...

... Back to the pain and torment that is University.

Och weel... I have a really nice photo that I'm working on for the show, and I think it's going to be REALLY gripping. I like it, Fiona likes it, and heck... I'm just great.

Moving on, as this has to be a short one, due to my rather frightening deadlines:

Watched two films last night with Fiona... She got to pick one, and I got to pick the other.

(note to folks trying to make relationships work: If the two people in the relationship have completely different tastes in movies, just make a compromise of each picking something they want. Don't try to "agree on a film" 'cause you know what, it just doesn't work.)

Anyhoo... Fiancèe's Choice?

"Team America: World Police"

Tuckmac's choice?

"Closer"

Yes, there is a weird sexual orientation shift - thing, going on here.

They were both okay... Obviously I enjoyed my film more than she did, and she enjoyed her's more than mine. But that should be expected. We both had a nice time in.

I suggest "Closer" as a great film. Depressing. But great. "Team America" is a farcical sort of film by the makers of "South Park" and so... You should get an idea of what it's like. It's "acted" by marionette puppets (a la "Thunderbirds") and it's quite funny what they get the puppets to do. It's sick, at times, but funny.

Okay... On to Tuckmac's interesting news of the day (use BugMeNot link on my right column).

Sad day for American News, as Peter Jennings dies of cancer. I actually LIKED this guy, and it's too bad.

The "Male Condition" and Autism. Quick (well, two pages actually, and fairly scientific) editorial in the NY Times, and it was interesting.

Ta!

-- Tucker

Friday, August 05, 2005

I hate being ill. But I'm surviving.

Hi readers...

Sorry I wasn't about yesterday, but I was home sick with something and I'm not really all that well today. But... As my degree is getting rather close to the end, I could only allow myself the one day, instead of taking off today too. Och weel.

I'm fine, by the way... As Fiona would say, I'm being a bit silly, but I do look "Guy peely wally." So... I'm not faking it or something. (By the way, in English it would be "Very pale and interesting" which still doesn't make much sense, but hey, it's Scottish) I caught her bloody cold, and it's mutated into something else that involves muscle pain and a fever, with a grand headache that seems to float around in my skull causing intermittent pain in various and sundry parts of my head. It's been fun.

Okay... That being said.

A couple of links to get you "thinking" this weekend, whilst I'm away from the Internet (click HERE to avoid password stuff):

On Wednesday I had an entry with a link and the word "Argh" in it... Well... Here's a nice Editorial from the NY Times that does a better job of kvetching than I actually can, so I'll include it here: "Design for Confusion" I LOVE Krugman, he's one of my favourite editorial writers on EARTH, and I mean that.

Anyhoo... Because Mick wrote in a comment about my happiness with the announcement that the IRA has "given up it's armed struggle against Britian" that he wasn't too sure, and how they've made promises before, and not followed through. I thought I should throw THIS article here to show an anti-IRA sort of view. I need to say that I completely, and totally wish to disregard this asshat, but... I am trying to be balanced. I will however, say a couple of things.

The author, Mr. Malloney, speaks about all the horrible stuff the IRA has done, and is doing. He never talks about the paramilitary UNIONIST groups. He speaks about the criminality, and talks about how Northern Ireland had the MOST confiscated illegal goods in Britain (meaning England, Scotland and Wales combined) and through telling "part" of the truth, he's getting away with a bit of a misdirection. I'm sorry, but the IRA are not the only people involved in smuggling and drugs and money laundering. So... Yeah, just wanted to add that. Also... The author hints at a governmental collusion between Tony Blair (PM of Britain) and Bertie Ahern (PM of the Republic of Ireland) and the Sinn Fein party. Um... Yeah, so Tony and Bertie are in bed with the IRA? I don't think so, sir... I really don't.

I don't know, there's a lot of talk from the UUP and ULP and UDP and Dr. Ian Paisley about how horrible it is to take the army out of Northern Ireland, and how the IRA is horrible, yadda, yadda... But the fact of the matter, folks, is that if the IRA is ending it's paramilitary actions, then the British Army SHOULD leave... If the IRA continues with it's criminal activities, um... Frankly then the Northern Irish POLICE should be the ones dealing with it, not tanks and machine-guns.

Tell me what you think? Is there a discussion here?

Smiles,
Tuckmac

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Okay... Sorry but...

Argh!

(link)

-T

YAY ME!!!!!!!

I just finished "Print # 5" for my series of ten...

Five down, five to go.

I'm almost a MFA! Yay.

-- T

Wednesday and KIAD meetings.

Greetings folks. It's been an interesting day so far. We had our normal "Wednesday MA/MFA meeting" and boy was that exciting.

Not.

Anyhoo... I have a meeting today at 2:30pm to discuss my space requirements, and I'm just tickled pink about it.

Not.

Anyhoo... Quickly now.

There's been a pretty big backlash in Britain towards the Islamic religion lately. As I spoke about in a previous entry, Britain just doesn't seem to be able to do the whole "melting-pot" thing very well. Well... Here's a prime example of the "marvellous" Brit's "conservatives" trying to muck up the waters. "Davis attacks UK multiculturalism" Mr. Davis is the shadow Home Secretary for Britain. (shadow means that he's the conservative counterpart to the actual Home Secretary who is of the Labour party.) I think the guy's a dick. But moving onward...

It's also getting a bit messy in London in the wake of the terrorist bombings - "Hate crimes soar after bombings" Racial profiling is never a good idea. Some of the police force, however, say it's a bit silly to search a 70 year-old grandmother, whilst allowing an 18 year-old "Asian" male walk by with a huge black rucksack.

Hmm... A bit of a sticky wicket, no?

I don't really know what to say about stuff like that. In ONE way, I sort of agree with the police... But then, you also have to wonder about human-rights issues, and as an American I just think of the "Driving while Black" problem that we have in the States with the police pulling over Black men in nice cars for no reason at all. So... Hmm again.

I don't know what to say about any of this. It's a bit tense, but then you have to expect it to BE a bit tense. I'm personally really happy that I live in Canterbury, as opposed to London.

I'm off to actually WORK today, so... Slànte!
T

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Don't have time today

Sorry folks...

Don't have the time to do the normal trolling of the internet for amusing or annoying things... I'm just busy busy busy...

Say a prayer for me if you're religious...

Feel for me, if you're not.

Smiles,
Tuckmac

Monday, August 01, 2005

I'm back!

Greetings lovely readers, I Tuckmac have returned to tickle your brain with news and doings of the world and well... Me.

I was in Scotland last week with my fiancée doing "Wedding Stuff" and well, I'm bushed. It was a long trip up and back, and while we were there we basically were up at 7:30 in the morning, and weren't getting to sleep until 2:00 in the morning of the next day.

Gah.

But... That being said, all is good. We've nailed down just about every detail, and so now it's basically... Show up and do it.

Yay.

Met more of the family... Walked around Edinburgh which is both Fiona's and my favourite city on Earth... Spent some time catching up with old "high-school" and "foundation-year" friends for Fiona's... And did some dog-walking for the future in-laws.

Yeah. Fun.

Anyhoo... Quickly today, as I'm a bit stressed for time at the mo'...

The IRA is disarming. (article)

That's actually a funny word-play that I wasn't counting on... Anyhoo... Although it's been lost in the news over in Britain for a large part of the time, due to the terrorist bombings and attempted bombings in London... I think that it's a fairly amazing step for the IRA to order it's members to "dump their arms" and to pursue their agenda through political means, rather than terrorism.

I'm proud of the IRA for doing this. As an "Irish-American" and someone who's family was if not giving money to the IRA, was at least a "little" bit of a provo-supporting family... I have to say that I'm glad that the IRA is finally coming to it's senses, and is abandoning it's armed-conflict with Britain. Obviously there's a way to go.

There are questions of the criminality side of the IRA... If they're not going to be "fighting the Brits" anymore, does that also mean that they'll stop with the money-laundering and drug-running? What are the militant Royalist groups going to do now? Are they also going to give up their armed conflict with the IRA? What's up with it? Is the Northern Irish Government going to be "re-formed" with Sinn Fein allowed to be a part of the coalition government? Will Dr. Ian Paisley EVER give in, and allow the Catholic party to be a part of a shared government?

Many, many questions. But... Hope.

Slànte, and I mean it today!

-- Tuckmac