(no subject)

Well, here I am, back in the office again. Hooray. Still grumpy and trying to think of ways I could get a new 'puter now. Need net access from home - it's such a pain having to rely on work for stuff like that plus of course, I can't check ferret so I can't get the newsgroup or anything like that. Grrr. What I need is a web-based email I can check from here. Any ideas zoo_music_girl?

Went out for dinner with Alex last night. I love it when we go out just the two of us - we had a really nice rambling discussion (some of which is being worked up into a rant to post here/on my website about politics) and a few drinks. It's a shame Cocos was closed though - I really fancied a banoffie pie. I'm going to try to get him to take me to Lord of the Rings this weekend - speaking of which, check out the Secret Diaries - great fun. I feel like I haven't seen that much of him lately so I'm looking forward to doing a bit of hanging out this weekend.

Thoughts.

I have learned how to run a really hot bath in my house. This is a very good thing. It doesn't count as a proper bath unless it steams slightly in my book.

Also, thinks.

Does anyone know any good stuff on modes of government because I'm starting to become cynical about democracy as an idea - watching Blunkett fight with the judiciary and with the Lords over the Terrorism bill has definitely shaken my faith in the whole idea. This is not to say that I think that the House of Lords should remain hereditary - far from - but there must be some other way to choose people to govern than popularity contests and short termist mob rule. What we need are people who are experts in their fields (economists, philosophers, medical ethicists, diplomats, lawyers/judges) not people who want to go into politics - it does seem these days to be a bit of a case of those who can do and those who can't become politicians. I am also suspicious of the (particularly American) almost religious attitude that the West is taking to democracy - we WILL make all other countries democratic or know the reason why!

Basically I feel like democracy is running out of steam or possibly collapsing under it's own weight. The politicians have become so good at telling us what we want to hear that no-one believes what they say any more. Maybe there will have to be a new way of doing things soon - after all, what will they do when less than 50% of people vote?