ETD - 10 minutes

[pyoor_excuse]

So, in ten minutes time I'm going to get changed into my rapidly-slightly-waterproofed bike gear; I'm going to get on my little motorcycle, and I'm going to head into my first ever shift at A&E.

I'm scared!

Not only because it's A&E, but also because they seem really together about students. Everywhere else has kinda let me learn my own way and in a kinda relaxed, chilled out, doing it all but it not always bein visible 'til the end, kinda way.

This time I've got to get my act together. That combined with the Regolith disaster area and needing to get my car ready for pride... well. Lets just say there's lots to do. I've still not sorted out the folder from my last placement and the house is chaos. There's engine bits, piles of paper, unhoovered carpet, dirt, junk, everywhere.

On the other hand I've done the letter to my Doctor saying "this is what should be on my repeat prescription" and I've voted (by post, for the Lib Dems), oh and I've read the placement manual. See I am getting my act together, ever so slowly. So, uh, go me. I think :-)

Comments

[inspector-81.livejournal.com]

I don't anything about British politics, except Brian Eno says vote Lib-Dem, and Blair is a tool for signing off on Iraq. Celebrity endorsements are a joke, but this is different, because, see, I am a Brian Eno fan. Music for Airports, Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, producing Bowie's Berlin trilogy and U2's Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, I mean, COME ON, that is all the qualification one needs to tell people who to vote for.

[pyoor_excuse]

Well it used to be...

Very left of centre: Labour
Middle: Lib Dems
Right of centre: Conservative

but at the moment it's kind of

Slightly leftish of centre: Lib Dems
Middle:
Right of centre:
More right of centre: 'New' Labour
Very very Right of centre (anti-immigration, etc, etc): Conservative

Me, being a evil red commie, I like ideas like nationalised railways and so on, so I used to be quite Labour, but now I'm more moderate, and so I've been Lib-Dem for the last n years.

What scares me is that no-one is tackling the issues that are making dissatisfied voters vote for strongly nationalistic parties (i.e. the British National Party (think Nazi*)).

There's a bunch of other parties too, but Lab, Lib-Dem and Cons are the main 3, although Lib-Dems have never been in power, I don't think. Certainly not within my lifetime!

So, uh, there's an instant overview of the political situation.

* and no, I'm not exagerating. They want repatriation for all those of non-english descent...

[inspector-81.livejournal.com]

Wow, repatriation of all non-english. That is really fucking scary.

I remember when David Duke ran for President. He didn't have a serious chance, and I was young (10 years old?), but it got enough attention that even I was aware of it. He was the "Grand Wizard" (the head) of the KKK, who did shit like holding parties for Hitler's Birthday. In the last election there was some wacko in Ohio campaigning for Bush, who felt that homosexuality should be criminalized. He suggested that maybe it could even be a capital crime. Not that he endorsed that position, oh no, just that he felt the option should be on the table. You know, because he felt the idea might be valid, and was certainly worth debating. There are too many crazy people. I want a nation mental health care system.

I read a comic named Scary-Go-Round by a nice English boy named John Allison. In an email yesterday he described his process for choosing a party to vote for:

Given the paucity of policy variation between the main parties, I have
decided to vote in the upcoming election based on typographical skill
of the candidate leaflets that come through my door. So here we go:

British National Party: torn to shreds in seconds by enraged hands,
therefore disqualified.

UK Independence Party: magenta and yellow. Candidate photo: mug shot.
Looks like a leaflet for an unsecured loan at a competitive rate (29.9%
APR!) Indicates making promises they can't keep.

Labour (incumbent candidate, Michael Meacher): bright red and yellow.
Slogan "Britain forward not back" suspiciously reminiscent of "moving
forward". Suspicious use of capitalisation. Michael Meacher's head
badly cut out. Earnest but trying too hard - not the natural party of
government.

Liberal Democrats: large, folding orange item. Picture of George Bush
and Tony Blair possibly about to kiss. Text boxes placed haphazardly,
lack of guttering. Slapdash approach may be reflected in government.
Strongly reminded of student "rag week" publication.

Conservative: slick advertising man touch of Lord Saatchi immediately
apparent. Candidate's hair almost "American anchorman" in its
perfection. Tempting!

"Lost Cat": "missing since monday", "call 627 0477". We have a winner.
Lost Cat's flyer is inexpertly cut out with scissors. There is real
emotion here. A candidate we can trust. Hand printing indicates
attention to detail.

THINK BRITAIN
THINK JOBS
THINK IMMIGRATION
THINK LOST CAT

Anyway, I hope you folk do better than we did over here.

[chrisy-m-uk.livejournal.com]

Not only have you started to do all that but you've taken time out to talk cars and junk with me. I'd say your doing pretty well :)