Far East Cynic

Back to basics………

Well after that post yesterday, I had a really dirty dream last night. So much so that when I woke up this morning I almost felt like having a cigarette.

And I don’t smoke.

Golden Week is over and now its back to the grind for much of Japan:

Tony Blair is gone…..sort of……well maybe in another month or so. Which of course will be be filled with plenty of words trying to answer this question:

The queen also came and paid a visit, giving the President a chance to host a state dinner, the first of his Presidency. That alone speaks volumes about what is wrong with the White House. Lexington over at the Economist thinks that Bush may be too much in love with British royalty:

The dynastification of American political life is weakening America’s claim to be a democratic beacon. These days political dynasties are usually associated with the young democracies of South Asia rather than mature republics. The dynastification of its political life also points to a deeper problem: the fact that America is producing a quasi-hereditary political elite, cocooned in a world of wealth and privilege and utterly divorced from most people’s lives. The rest of the world is gradually moving beyond “idolatry to monarchs” and “servility to aristocratic pride”. Even Britain has expelled most of its aristocrats from the House of Lords. Does America, which led the world in ditching monarchs, hereditary titles and forelock-tugging, really want to be the first country to start going backwards?

The argument about the war funding bill is dragging on almost as long as the war is:

And bloggers on both sides of the aisle seem to have no sense of humor about it.

There is an art exhibition I need to see.

Madame Chiang has restricted access to her blog.

And U-Tube is now blocked in Thailand.

Leaving E @ L with nothing to do but to contemplate one of the great mysteries of the world:

Angie: Have you heard the word of God? It’s the greatest gift of all time. You have to trust completely in God. He’ll forgive you of all your sins.
Sharon: Who forgives God?

No answer. The answer cannot be given, because the question the movie poses – if you believe in an omnipotent, omniscient, all-loving God – the problem of suffering, is completely unanswerable.

In other words, its just another week! On with the show.