Sad.

A boy holds up a blank sign on the stage. He holds it in front of him for a moment, then brings it aloft with determination.

He holds it there, his face stony and resolved.

And, it cracks. His face falls, bowing and looking straight at the floor. He drops the sign and walks off stage right.

Parked.

A BOY sits underneath a tree in St. James’s Park. The sun is shining, the deckchairs are filled; it’s a wonderful day in London.

The boy scribbles in a notebook, watching the passers-by.

A GIRL steps out from behind the tree. She's wearing a yellow halter-top, slim dark blue jeans, and three plastic red stars in her blonde hair.

We don't care what the boy looks like. Obviously.

GIRL: Can I sit here?

The boy looks up, nods, and returns to his scribbling. The girl rubs a few leaves away with her hand and sits down, cross-legged, next to him.

He scribbles.

She looks over his shoulder.

GIRL: That's a wonderful picture!

The boy shrugs and continues to draw, making broad strokes with his pencil. The girl ruffles her hair, stands up, and walks off towards the array of deckchairs.

He looks at the now-empty spot next to him and breaks the lead in his pencil on the page.

Day: 8473

I think the news that Obama won Guam by seven votes probably says it all. He and Clinton are utterly deadlocked, splitting the Democratic Party down the middle. Or, looking at it another way, Obama won at the end of March, but Hillary just won’t admit it. And will not even up to November. As I write this, Obama has taken NC (hurrah to all my friends to voted in a primary that mattered for once!), and will probably lose Indiana. Which will probably make the delegate wins for either side tonight about even, maybe a couple more for Obama depending on the size of the win in Carolina.

(As I write, Orange County results (includes Chapel Hill & Carrboro: 77% O, 22% C. Go Tar Heels!)

After tonight, Hillary cannot beat Obama in pledged delegates. From the dailykos headline (it's not permalinked, sadly, so I can only link to the main page), Obama needs 280 delegates to win a majority. Clinton needs 415.5 (don't ask about the .5. I think it's a Democrats Abroad super-delegate). There are 404 pledged delegates left. But 270 superdelegates are still undecided. Surely it must be time. Bring the nightmare to an end! Please!

UPDATE: Clinton is currently up around 10 points in Indiana, but a lot of the urban areas still haven't reported. This could end up being rather close.

UPDATE 2: For those of you in Durham County, you can be proud to, as it looks like you'll end up with a similar result to Orange County. Duke and UNC united at last!

Indiana has slipped to six points, Obama strongholds still remain unaccounted...

Update 3: Obama now down by 4...

UPDATE 4: Off to bed. Predicting a Clinton win of 2-3% in IN. 12-15% win in NC for Obama. It should now be over. laughs.

Maple.

A phone box rings on a street corner somewhere in Berlin. The ring continues as people walk by. JULIE, an American tourist with a Canadian flag patch affixed to her backpack, walks past the booth. She pauses, walks back, opens the door and picks up the phone.

JULIE: Hello?

A pause.

JULIE: Oh, it's just on the left. No, underneath the sink. Yes, that's it! Bye!

JULIE hangs up the phone and walks off the stage.

currently playing: The Indelicates – Better To Know

Back To The Newts

The final words, from who else but Saint Etienne.

Ken

Are We Gonna Be Alright?

While I Bristle Everytime BBC News Says "Mayor Johnson"...

Today it’s snopes.com day at Snappish Thoughts:

Over the past weeks there have been a number of rumours circulating via email regarding Holocaust education here in the UK. The emails suggest that the UK Government are removing Holocaust education from the National Curriculum and that in general British schools steer away from teaching what they might consider a ‘controversial’ subject.

We want to make it clear that our understanding is the Holocaust is and will continue to be on the National Curriculum and therefore continue to be taught in all UK schools.

London

I don’t want to hear anybody in this country complain about how America elected George W. Bush ever again…

glc.jpg

You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes...<em>And You Get What You Deserve</em>

thefuture.jpg

No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party.

Aneurin Bevan

Schr&ouml;dinger's Law

If no sexual offence is being committed it seems very odd indeed that there should be an offence for having an image of something which was not an offence

doubleplus good!

currently playing: Those Dancing Days – Hitten

Just a feeling

But this week is turning out bad politically on both sides of the Atlantic so far…

currently playing: Stars – Midnight Coward