It's an interesting exercise, this reduction from high tech to no tech.. One finds how very much one depended on a system when suddenly it's not readily available..
An exercise in patience..
Regardless.. what appears to be the talk of the day is the ubiquitious Euro.. when and if it will be put before the British public in the form of a referendum.. There's talk of a possible change in the Chancellorship of the Exchequer.. Gordon Brown having apparently been found wanting in his ability to sell the single currency to an increasingly sceptical British public.. It's the setting of the interest rates y'see.. the tying of the British economy, which appears to be doing reasonably well at the moment.. to that of the poorest country in the Union..
It's frankly an emotional issue for most of this Island.. for literally centuries British politicians and armed forces have fought to maintain the political and economic automony of the Union.. To many it seems Westminster is ready to willingly conceed far too much control to the Continent.. allowing as it were, what we've historically resisted with vigour..
What with domestic issues, internal backbench rebellions, an inconclusive and as yet unacceptable resolution to the Iraq situation, Tony has his next year or so cut out for him..
How to convince us all this is a silk purse..

Ahh and the dance continues..
One of the prices we as Westerners must be willing to pay for those 'freedoms' we enjoy, is having them swept away from us at the drop of a hat.. when the Law feels itself affronted..
It's a starteling experience, for those who have never considered themselves to be criminal, to have a team of police appear in the early hours of the morning, announce they are there to confiscate all computer materials, hard-drives, and recordable disks..
While if system is indeed in place to protect the innocent, it seems almost designed to allow authoritarial assumpton of guilt, with the onus now being placed on demonstration of innocence.
I mean really,, There appears to be almost a manaical gleam of glee in the eyes of those who have sworn to protect the public peace when it comes to causing maximum discomfiture for minimal reason..
Nevertheless.. the wheels do turn.. slow albeit..
and revenge is a dish best eaten cold..