30 September, 2000:

Posted at 21h48. Permalink.

Interconnected email down again. Apologies if you've tried to reach me; matt@historicalfact.com is my beta alias.

29 September:

Posted at 13h00. Permalink.

Stewart has a great rant anti rose tinted specs.

It's an evolutionary thing (that's my answer for everything) that we baseline against the first thing we see. If we didn't we wouldn't be able to cope. It'd be "Television! Wow!" and "Fuck me, aren't lorries brilliant?" but actually I take for granted what amazes my mother. So: I'm upset because a bunch of whales got killed; people were just as upset that a third of Europe died in the plague (more or less). And we look back and see that yeah people were unhappy about something but that something was so much worse than what's going on today so actually our ancestors must have a lot happier to begin with.

It's false of course. Context is everything. (But isn't sliced bread simply the best thing ever?)

28 September:

Posted at 22h58. Permalink.

I love the word phildickian.

Posted at 0h37. Permalink.

I've been waiting for this day for a while: This Thursday is my Upsideclown.

I can't hear the cultural phenomenon as it happens but I see it while I'm watching the two girls on the bridge over the motorway, and just as a gust of wind unfortunately does not lift their skirts they wave at the drivers of the cars passing below them -- or the cars themselves, it's difficult to be sure.

It's a good one; I'm really pleased with what I've written. To me, this is what Upsideclown is all about. Mind the gap, the doors are closing, this train will soon depart: There's Heavy traffic on the road to Utopia, but don't let that stop you. Enjoy.

27 September:

Posted at 9h31. Permalink.

It would be so cruel if it weren't true. I hope so much that Tony believes what Tony says [and part 2 of the full speech text].

And in every constituency, in every part of this country, we will force every Tory candidate to say where the cuts will fall.

Yes! If this is true -- local emphasis, promoting the MP rather than the central government. This is new, innovative.

I want to be the first prime minister in 40 years to stand up and say; Britain is back at full employment.

Can you imagine? Can you imagine? And it feels possible, it really does. But don't say this thing unless you mean it, unless it comes from the core. Does it? And that's what scares me.

Realism and idealism at last in harmony.

And fighting! Taking the agenda! And it's true. Isn't it? Isn't it?

Our journey's end: a Britain where any child born in this millennium, whatever their background, race or creed, wherever they live, whoever their parents, is able to make the most of the God-given ability they bring into this world.

And that's what it's all about, really, isn't it? We aren't all born equal, not even slightly, and for that reason you can't let people sink or swim. To win on the flip of a coin, and then to not share with the loser. How can that make sense? But that's what 20th century politics was about. We can see further now. And that's what Tony means.

I hope.

Incidentally, there were last minute changes to the speech which don't show up in any online texts I can find. I'd like to read them though.

26 September:

Posted at 9h55. Permalink.

This is a good vision. ukcouncil.net want to live broadcast (local) council meetings on the www. They expect 90% take up by 2004. I approve.

25 September:

Posted at 10h33. Permalink.

All the major players are covering the Labour Party Conference. It should be a good one -- they're behind in the polls for the first time in 8 years and all the problems they're facing are media-contrived rather than throw-money-at-it ones. And Blair's speeches can be absolutely inspired, when he tries.

The Guardian's Special Report is likely to have the best analysis, but it's always good to see the other side of the coin: The Times' conference coverage will do just that. The Times has been up for a bit of Blair + New Labour + Europe bashing recently. BBC Conference News tends to have things you can't find elsewhere - they've got the tele interviews to draw on - and the articles are short.

Oh, and of course there's the official Labour Annual Conference site, complete with webcast. We'll see how well that works on Wednesday [or Tuesday, even. As it actually is.], when Our Lord Tone addresses to the nation.

Posted at 0h24. Permalink.

New Upsideclown! Yeah, so there's a new article every Monday (and every Thursday too, let's not forget) but I still can't help getting excited.

Today, for your reading pleasure, we present George getting into a little property speculation: Built on an Indian burial ground.