Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.

Hermann Goering, Nuremberg, Easter 1946.

I don't really have to explain this one, do I?

posted @ 6:12 AM -

Dealer, give me a new hand

Oh, and I forgot to mention: at 7 I went to the Chinese takeaway near the pub and ordered plain boiled rice. It took a while to convince the confused lady behind the counter that I really did want the blandest thing on the menu. I am reduced to this because my guts have been—to say the least—somewhat wobbly of late.

I'm seriously tired of this.

posted @ 8:36 PM -

Bastards

At 7pm I chained my bike to a lamp post. At 10pm I emerged from the pub, expecting to be home in about half an hour. The bike was no longer on the street. The fuckers had left my helmet behind but in the process of thiefing the bike they cracked the visor, making me think I probably shouldn't use it.

The police were very nice about it, but made it quite clear that it would be an unusual stroke of luck for the bike to be reclaimed, and that all I was really achieving by reporting the crime was giving myself a chance of making an insurance claim. Hopefully I can get the value back (after all this, unlike the two cameras I've lost in the past 12 months, was in no way my fault), but I get attached to machines I use as much as that bike. It had taken me around New Zealand, and it wasn't for nothing that I went to the trouble of bringing it back here, or that I was going to go to similar trouble to get it to Cleveland.

posted @ 8:21 PM -

The view from my grandmother's garden, Burgazada, Istanbul, Turkey



July 4^th 2003

This is where I've spent the past week, and where my grandma spends 4 months each summer.

posted @ 9:01 AM -

back in London

and tired. Turkey was good - will write more tomorrow.

posted @ 7:36 PM -