No, this is not a sign gone awry...It's in Welsh (Cardiff Rail Station)

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Once again Keith Olbermann speaks Truth to Power

Here he comments of the passage of Prop 8 in California. This part really got to me:

You are asked now, by your country, and perhaps by your creator, to stand on one side or another. You are asked now to stand, not on a question of politics, not on a question of religion, not on a question of gay or straight. You are asked now to stand, on a question of love. All you need do is stand, and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate.

The fact that Olbermann says in the beginning that he has no real personal investment in this issue makes it all the more powerful.

Thanks, Keith! 

Comment on the Prop 8 Result in California

A picture is worth a thousand words:

Communications back on...

Seems the interwebs must have been crowded last night. I slept rather uneasily last night, still afraid of what might happen. When I was here 4 years ago, I stayed up to the wee hours watching the results, getting more and more depressed as state by state turned red.

I woke up about 7:15 am here and turned on Radio 4. The first sentence I heard contained the phrase, 'President-elect Obama'. I have to admit, I got quite teary eyed.

He has a lot of work ahead of him, but I think, for the first time in a long time, there is truly hope for my country of birth!

On a sour note, Prop 8 in California (to ban same-sex marriage) is at the moment looking like it might pass (52.5% in favour vs. 47.5% against). However, there are only 49% of precincts reporting, so there is HOPE!!

Blackout from outside the US??

So this is odd. I can not access a whole bunch of sites from my computer (I can get them on my iPhone though...)

I can not go to:

boston.com

nytimes.com

cnn.com

sfgate.com

latimes.com

facebook.com (intermittently)

My 'Net diagnostics say everything is OK. I also checked my broadband speed...very fast. But getting 'unknown' host (or 'can't find server') when trying cnn.com, et al, is rather disconcerting.

BTW Google is fine.

Curious....

Busy Busy Busy

The last few weeks have flown by. I have been down to the Midlands, also to Manchester and Liverpool as well as my usual day-to-day business at the University.  Last night was the end of British Summer Time (= American Daylight Savings Time) so the clocks got set back. Even with the extra hour, taking Thursday off, and working from home on Friday, I am still utterly knackered.  OK, I have been out late the last two nights, but still!

This coming week is a catch-up week in many ways. I have a lot of paperwork to deal with as well as some programmatic issues to sort out. I also have a freelance interpreting assignment this week so will be running around a lot. Seeing as November looks busy as well (another trip to the Midlands as well as one to Wales are booked as of yet), I feel the need to regroup in many ways...

Also, I have yet to figure out what I am doing for Christmas. I have some friends who are going to Prague over Christmas for a few days; it is very tempting to go there. I love Prague and it would be nice to be in a place that feels properly wintry and have a nice get away. Might do it as it is fairly inexpensive and would be an adventure.

Recently, my personal life has also been rather, interesting, to say the least.  In the midst of trying to come into my own in my job (which has taken a lot of energy in a variety of ways I did not anticipate),  I am also trying to have a personal life and know what that, specifically, feels like to be me here. I have passed 7 months being here, and to be honest it feels like only a month. I have done so much in this short time. Now that I feel really am here for the duration, it makes me think even more about the future. How long will I live here? What does my life look like here going forward? Oh my god I am 43!! (Ok the last one I always knew, but still...) 

Sorry for the rambling, I feel a little scattered at the moment. However, I am an incredibly lucky man. 

Any advice on dealing with any and all of the above is very welcome!

I am a klutz...

Walking down the street, minding mine own business, my right ankle gives out and twists under me. OUCH! (I know what you're thinking, but no, I was sober; on my way to the pub, yes, but sober at the time).

Just call me gimpy for the next few days...