++

^^

suggestivism...

Fuck, no matter how much I try I can't get that to look quite right!

HAHA

One of the most genuinely entertaining msn conversations I've ever had (especially because I had a headache). Now, for the sake of keeping it kinda special or whatever, I'm not going o give you all of it, just the absolute number one higlight.

- S+eph - We live in an age obssessed with success says:

so why do you hate french so much?

- S+eph - We live in an age obssessed with success says:

don't you, um... live in france?

@£€% // St. Jimmy says:

yes

@£€% // St. Jimmy says:

"absence makes the heart grow fonder" ... therefore by inverse extension, spending too much time with someone makes you sick of them. i've spent my entire life around french people, so i hate them. but don't ell them i said that

- S+eph - We live in an age obssessed with success says:

awww. what a shame.

- S+eph - We live in an age obssessed with success says:

...

- S+eph - We live in an age obssessed with success says:

i see what you mean though.

Some things I think (Nothing Else Matters)

Right, serious post now.

Not just random anything, but still most things that just go through my mind while I listen to rock music, so be warned. Free typing or something. I had some ideas for something to say, which I can still remember so here goes....

I realised posts were getting a little spaced out in time, so here's one to read in the meantime, a sort of update on generally what's been happening to me, while I think of somehting I really want to say. I could have mentioned what happened during the holidays, like going GeoCaching with Alain and my dad in the Doubs, getting 20 in three days (Excellent, we beat our total for one day in France (it's now 8, 2 better than before)) and seeing loads of snow and generally having a great weekend. Then the following weekend was my uncle's wedding, so I had to go out and get a suit, which made me look very classy indeed. That whole weekend over in London was really good, because I got to see my Grandparents again (they're at that age where every time you see them might be the last), and lots of new extended family who are all really nice, although we're having a hard time working out exactly what they are in relation to me. My mum's brother's wife's brother = ??? And I met up with Nat for a chat, which was great despite the stupid rhyme. And dad broke his record for most caches in one day anywhere, now it's 12 (!), including the travel bug hotel near Stansted. Then after a week of vaguely homeworking (teachers seem to have forgotten about that *again*) and missing Tamara, there was the Artefacts festival, where I saw Kagerou, who were awesome. Now I know how french-speakers feel when they listen to most music (ijn english) - I couldn't understand a word, and had it not being obviously Japanese it would have sounded like Greek to me. After them was Less Than Jake, who are definitely worth it live (never been terribly impressed by the records, but these guys know how to party). Finally it was the Dropkick Murphys, on the last date of their Warrior's Code European Tour. What can I say? They really went for it. I bought a T-shirt. Drinks were pretty cheap too. It's surprising how many big-name bands actually bother to come to Strasbourg. All in all a pretty nifty 18 days' holiday. And then was the school party (finally) on Thursday. This was extra cool because I got to pay nothing and bluff a free drink! Oh and the bands were all really good, even though we screwed up our best song for no obvious reason and I was too loud (the typical problem). And this weekend I saw some really good movies, like Donnie Darko and American Beauty (must get round to finding out about American Brains - related? got to be really) and the new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was better than I had expected. Plus cricket on Sunday, which was good (perfect weather), first game of the season. I still haven't got round to playing properly, but I had a good catch-up chat with friends, and played mini-cricket with Alfie, who's now the 3 years old and phenomenally cute and well-behaved. And bloody strong. Today was my Mock French (written) Bac. 4 hours of insincere bluffing about some very good texts that we are forced to butcher horribly (<~~ "redondance, soit une acculmuation révelatrice d'une émotion forte"- see what I mean?). BUt otherwise, things are running pretty smoothly.

Et voilà, not quite what i had intended (that's what you get with improv though), leave lots of comments people!

Muslims in Orbit

From JREF's Swift, because I just had to, this is so great:

Next year, we’re told, Malaysia will be sending a Muslim astronaut into space via the Russian space program. This poses several tricky problems for the Malaysian government's efforts to promote what it calls “Islam Hadhari,” or civilized Islam. This variation encourages Muslims to embrace education, science and technology. About equality for women and such other basics, we’re not told…

Consider the busy day of an astronaut, and know that a Muslim on board the space station will be confounded by the fact that he experiences more than a dozen sunrises and sunsets within each 24 hours, each event requiring that an appropriate prayer be offered. He’ll be very busy. And, since Muslims always wash before they pray, and water is a precious substance in space, attempting to wash up is also expensive and impractical, especially in weightlessness, where the water will be distributed all over the place.

Even before facing those difficulties, facing Mecca – essential for prayer – will be pretty tough in zero-gravity, and may lead to catastrophic spinning of the devotee as he tries to keep pointing toward a rapidly-moving target below.

As reader Andrew Williams comments, “It appears that Muslims might have to evolve in their views regarding life in space. Unfortunately, evolution runs against the grain in most religions.”

Progress has its penalties…

I'm not entirely sure Mohammed would approve, although I have a bit of an idea what he might look like...