Weather: Sunny spells, just the odd shower. Think we got off lightly. 10.

Travel: Scheduled not to happen - a booked day off work.

Which gives me an excuse to go into town, and look for Christmas prezzies. Sadly, a fake fire alarm in the town centre (the fourth in three months) puts a total kybosh on that plan. I'm lucky to escape with blank videos and a box of Crimble cards.

Dunja:
Hey I dyed my hair in red and black all by myself and I kind of like it. Finally I got a guts to do somthing silly with my hair.
Something *silly*? There's *nothing* silly about red-and-black hair. Even if I thought there were, the threat of Dennis The Menace firing his catapult at my monitor, or Gnasher gnipping at my heels, would set me back onto the straight and narrow.

www.beano.co.uk

Weather: Showers. 10.

Travel: Almost good. Work drags on very late, and it's 5 before I board a bus. Then get caught in a massive snarl-up for the Queensway tunnel, tailing back past the Middleway. Bad. Jump out one stop late and hot-foot it to the station, where I get to jump on the (30 late) 1722. Not helped by that train running on yellows at every signal past Oldbury - even down the branch line.

Ant And Dec Quit!
Hosts Ant and Dec are to leave "Friends Like These", the second best new game show format of the year, after failing to agree terms with the BBC. The toothy twosome will spend more time dominating Saturday morning television and blowing their top at callers to Wonkey Donkey. There's now a gap for a smart, sassy host of a mild-mannered game show. Is shimelle's application in yet? And Mark could be the new Dec, it says here.

A New Survey Shows
Nearly nine out of 10 couples have slept together by their fifth date, according to a new survey on modern romance by a dotcon. "Relationships are dating faster than ever thanks to email and the internet," claims the site, desperately trying to get news editors around the planet to mention them. And failing, generally. A quick straw poll of couples round here shows some interesting results; being the perfect gentleman, Weaver declines to release them.

Let's Go Rob The Dome
In a sting straight out of a James Bond movie (copyright all papers 2000) some master criminals were arrested at the Millooneyum Doom on Tuesday. Planning to steal the Millooneyum Diamond, the group entered the plastic tent by using a large yellow bulldozer.
The team then went to the Monet zone, where the jewels are kept, only to be trapped by armed guards dressed as cleaners. (This is meant to be James Bond, not 'Allo 'Allo - Ed) They've all been nicked, thrown into the slammer, including the two crooks waiting on the Thames in a speed-boat.
The group made only two flaws: they had expected to have to bulldoze through large crowds. They also stuck out like a sore thumb, as all the staff know each other after ten months, and no-one else ever comes to visit.

The Election Looms
Seven years after coming to power, the Liberals aim to retain power in the Canadian Federal Election on November 27. Full coverage at cbc.ca; Weaver points out that every vote for a party called CRAP is just that, and the NDP is neither.

Hallowe'en Costumes
Now that the party season is over, Weaver can reveal what his costume was. A long black coat, some wire-rimmed glasses (just glass, no lenses.) Add a subtle hint of red hair colour, and a slightly more nasty attitude than usual. Et voila - something about a third as frightening as Anne Robinson off (The) Weakest Link. The best new game show format of the year. It may not be the most scary thing ever, but it's really up-to-date. You went as an X-Man? Fascinating. Charming. Could you not come up with something original? And you came as the Slayer. Let me remind you about the washing instructions: don't wash 40s at 60. No, put that pointy piece of wood down. Goodbye.

Weather: Cloudy, the odd shower. 10.

Travel: Similar to yesterday - the heavy traffic at the Queensway is the worst, causing another sharp exit and swift run. I would still beat the buses by walking on my hands, but that would delay my arrival at New Street. The 1722 is only about 12 late tonight, and goes ahead of the (on-time) 1804 to Wellington. Still running on yellows from Dudley Port, and a long stop at the Bilston Road.

The Quizzing Rev hits The Weakest Link
Rev David Mycroft is Britain's most seasoned television quiz show contestant. From Sale of the Century to Fifteen to One, Supermarket Sweep to Jeopardy!, there's nothing (OK, apart from Blockbusters) that the Rev hasn't been on.
Eventually, he had to take his turn on Britain's fastest-growing quiz show. Where he faced this question:
"In the New Testament, what was the name of the hill where Jesus was crucified."
The Rev thought. And thought. And, with panic setting in on his face, he said
"Calgary."
Salvation! He's right, and won a whole £50 for the team.
Though he survived that round, the experience shot his nerves to pieces. He somehow managed to survive to the final, thanks to an even weaker contestant. Though the pair got an utterly rubbish £20 in the final grab, David came through to win the £1780 prize pot.
It's the first time that Dudley's best known clergyman has won a top prize.

The US Presidential Election
For rather boring reasons related to work, I had to be up at 5:50 on Wednesday morning. Just in time to catch the closing summary from Vote 2000, I thought. Well, Hillary's in. As is The Late Senator Carnahan. But who fills the White House? Dunno. 7:22, I'm in the centre of Birmingham, my lift turns up, and VNS calls Florida for Shrub. Bore concedes within the hour. But by 9, when we arrive in Nottingham, Florida is into a recount, Bore has recalled his concession, and Peter Snow is on the verge of exploding.

By Wednesday evening, we *still* don't know who will be the next POTUS.

Margaret Atwood Wins the Booker Prize And about blinkin' time, too. For those who don't know, the Booker is the biggest literary prize in the English-speaking world, and is open to novelists from all Commonwealth countries. Atwood had been nominated and (somehow) beaten for "The Handmaid's Tale", "Cat's Eye", and "Alias Grace" (all fab books), so to hear she had won for "The Blind Assassin" was pleasing. Especially given that she's been kept in a used sock drawer in a flat in St John's for the past four years, and all the "public appearances" have been done with smoke, mirrors, and camera trickery.

Secret Garden
Remember Eurosong 95? That was the first year in four that Ireland failed to win, being out-Irished by a group representing Norway. Secret Garden was that group, and though a major commercial breakthrough eluded them, they've carved out a niche as classical artistes, melding the traditional fiddle and jig with European baroque themes. I got their latest album, "Dreamcatcher", through a friend of a friend, and it's really great listening. The sort of thing that would go down well as background music at a non-pretentious dinner party. If there's such a thing.

Also gaining repeated plays on the Weaver stereo now:
* "Incomplete" - Sisqo. The former US #1 finally gets promotion over here. Better late than never.
* "With Arms Wide Open" - Creed. The current US #1.
* "Number One" - Tweenies. It's not #1 - that's the Baja Men - but this is a shockingly fun tune. Even if it sounds rather too much like the Itchy & Scratchy theme at times.
* "Breathe" - Faith Hill. Like her previous work, this album has more depth than is apparent on a few listens.

Weather: Some showers, a little sun. 10.

Travel: Slowly getting better. The Tipton slow-down seems to be back to 40 mph, it's usually taken at 60. There's a new slow heading home at Soho depot, which doesn't help. Get the 1623 from London (at 1723) which is hotly pursued by the 1742 stopper to Shrewsbury. Result!

The Corrupt Presidency The scandal in the Philippines finally made Radio 4, with news that President Estrada (sp?) admitted having a huge bribe in his bank account, but he didn't touch the money. I'm reminded of part of the back story to the sitcom "Father Ted", in which the title character was exiled to a remote island because "some money was resting in his bank account." Is life going to imitate art, with Estrada going to a remote island near the Philippines? I wouldn't think that he could survive in office, but what do I know?

Lolly On the Floor
Anna Kumble, the 23 year old pop star who made out to be 14 or so, has been dropped. Her second album, "Pick 'n' Mix" failed to crack the UK top 75 on release in the summer. The tooth-rotting lass, best known for such sugary hits as "Viva La Radio," "Mickey," and "The Other One," will now have to find a real job. At a sweet counter, one hopes.

Angela Bigos:
1) Isn't it about damn time that we took the electoral college and had it pack it's antiquated bags and sent it far far away?
Actually, I don't agree. It may be a bizarre concept, but it does re-inforce the *States* part of the United States. It gives a more level playing field for the smaller states. Without it, Rhode Island would be cancelled out by every medium-sized city. By keeping the connection to the state, it encourages more local, as opposed to national, democracy.

That's not to say it's a perfect system. Abolition of the Electoral College would, I understand, require a constitutional amendment. That is not going to happen. But an obvious reform. Make two votes from each state "winner take all," representing the Senate component of the Electoral College vote. Then allocate the other votes by a proportional method (D'Hondt springs to mind), notionally representing the House.

It would almost certainly ensure that the winner of the Electoral College wins the popular vote. The states would still have representation, and we could keep those colourful Electoral College maps that keep Peter Snow so very happy.

More importantly, it would force the candidates to concentrate on all the voters, right across the country. Even if the Red party is going to take most of the votes in a state, the Blue party has an obvious encouragement to get the extra College vote. With a proportional system, the only wasted votes would be those that went to candidates who didn't get a College vote. Under pure D'Hondt, the original Florida results would split the state's 25 votes as follows:
Rep (2887K) 12 votes + 2 plurality
Dem (2886K) 11 votes
Gre (95K) 0 votes
The Greens would capture the 31st seat to be allocated, on the not unreasonable basis that they have about 1/30th the vote of the other two parties.

California would have split 28+2 Dem, 21 Rep, 2 Green, 1 Reform.

If I get time, I'll complete the exercise for the other states and see what turns up.

2) Is Ralph Nader *crazy*? He KNEW he couldn't possibly win the election. He had to further know that the candidate still running that best lined up with his views was Gore and to vote for himself (Nader) was to lose those critical votes for someone who would be better than Bush?
Let me add to the other contributions on the subject. Friday's Guardian suggested that Nader was attracting the Democrats who had squeezed out in that party's slow movement to the centre over the past decades. Similarly, Pat Buchanan tried to attract Republicans marginalised by *that* party's push to the centre. Many of Nader's voters might have stayed home and not voted at all. Many of them might have voted for other candidates who couldn't have won. If (say) 25% of Nader's support would otherwise have voted for the Democrats, the question is why didn't the Dems hold on to those votes? What did Ralph have that Al and Joe didn't?

There is the argument that if the Democrats had been able to take some other states, such as candidate Bore's home of Tennessee, we would know the next president right now. Deflecting blame onto a minority candidate strikes me as avoiding the main issue.

Something similar happened at the last UK election, where the ruling Conservative party lost a dozen or so seats thanks to the intervention of a strongly anti-Europe party. The immediate reaction was to blame that fringe party. It took ages for the Tories to look to their own house, wonder what caused the loss of votes to these no-hopers.

With regard to the situation in Florida. It's unfortunate that it's not turned out to be a clear cut majority, and everything depends on the postal ballots that won't be in for another week. Yet I only see a role for the courts if there have been criminal acts, or violations of the rules. A badly designed ballot paper is not a criminal act, even if a class of fourth-graders could all vote for their preferred candidate. Voters failing to cast their votes properly might reasonably ask for a replacement paper; that is their right. Refusal to give that replacement is, I understand, a violation of the rules. We shall see.

Let me also clear up a misunderstanding that might arise over the nature of Democracy. According to the original ancient Greek definition, the USA is not a Democracy. It is a Republic.

In a Democracy, the people directly express their will on all matters. Switzerland, where there are national or local referenda on a plethora of issues, is the closest example I can think of to a Democracy.
In a Republic, the people express their will through representatives. It's the representatives that make the policy, that provide governance.

While this might usually be a distinction that only matters to classically educated scholars, it does have resonance at a time such as this. In particular, it makes the Electoral College no more, and no less, "democratic" than the rest of the Legislature.

Weather: Sunny, rain later. 11.

Travel: One step up, one step down. The 1623 home again, but this time the Shrewsbury train is AWOL, and the Walsall fails to make the monitors. Bus.

The US Presidency is not *just* an issue of concern to US residents. The US has major overseas commitments, in NATO, the UN, NAFTA, and many other regional and global bodies. She has also taken upon herself a role as standard-bearer for a form of representative democracy and free trade through the rest of the world. We could argue the rights and wrongs of this all night; it's indisputable that this has happened, and I can reasonably express interest in the events.

The current election is damaging the way the US appears overseas. The press in France is comparing the situation to a football (...soccer...) penalty shoot-out. London's tabloids call it a "farce". Cuba is offering to send observers to any re-run of the election to make sure it's free and fair. It's going to get worse.

It starts with CNN accurately reporting the facts and claims, carefully differentiating the two. Then the facts get reported by the local television station, who are a little pressed for time and omit a salient fact or two. Then papers and radio stations pick up on the salacious bits, perhaps pandering to anti-US sentiment in their local markets. Finally, the village gossips start saying how utterly corrupt the whole system is. Within a few weeks, a large chunk of the world *is* going to believe that the entire US political system is bankrupt, and anyone who says anything else is covering something up.

I know it's not true. You, dear reader, know it's not true. Yet people round the world will believe in the utterly corrupt state of the US. They *want* to believe the US is corrupt. It's a thumbed nose at what is seen as the sanctimonious, preachy nature of the US. It's going to increase the division between the US and the rest of the world, the "we against them" mentality, which really can't be a good thing.

Jonathan Fischer:
I think it is that I'd really like to be able to respect our polititians again. Looking up to our leaders is something I think the US (and possibly the world) has been losing for a long time.
I'm only old enough to remember three former US presidents: Reagan (a lot sharper than he let us think); Bush (almost anodyne in comparison); and Clinton (colourful and charismatic, but too easily distracted.)

Similarly, I can only remember three UK prime ministers: Thatcher (steamrollered all opposition); Major (stronger than he ever looked); and Blair (totally squandered his mandate.)

I can't offer respect to Blair, because he doesn't seem to respect anyone who might disagree with him. I can't really respect Clinton, because of the way he's dragged down the office he's held. Clinton, especially, disappointed me - I can recall the invigorating feeling from his inauguration speech eight years ago, and hoping that he could usher in a different era. It's a let down that he got side-tracked by trivialities.

All six have done competent jobs. Many have been better than competent. I respect the difficulties of their jobs, and - in a way - drawing out one minor characteristic shows that they've made some impression on me. If I wanted to be destructively nasty, I could call leaders idiots, imbeciles, dunces, uneducated squits. Even though they may not give that impression, I know they're all highly educated individuals, who may see electoral advantage in pretending to be dim.

As a for instance, here are some jottings I made while watching GW Shrub's brief televised press statement on Friday afternoon (Eastern time):
Why was there a plaster on Shrub's right cheek? Did he cut himself shaving, or something? How come he refused to answer direct questions about the situation in Florida? "Go ask my man there" won't cut the mustard. It doesn't strike me as showing leadership. Any plans to challenge results in close Democrat states? (Nothing was in the conference that News 24 showed, though I understand this is now a possibility.)

Anyway, all of the above just makes me more sensitive to mockery of our political system.
It's not the *system* I'm mocking, it's the players in that act. They are, like the rest of us, only human. That, indeed, is the whole point - the President is *not* the King, the President is *not* ordained by anyone's god, the President is a regular human being. I don't think we should forget that.

Later in the thread, Jonathan asked
How do you feel about the leaders of your country? Do you respect them? Do you trust them to lead your country in a good direction?
Regular readers will know my answer off by heart. No, I don't respect Tony, for reasons outlined above. He's not had to face many difficulties in his three and a half years in office, and he has tended to bluster and blether when in difficulty. He hasn't provided the strong, firm leadership that his two immediate predecessors had. He prefers to exercise too much control from the centre and not devolve to government departments and the regions of the country. That he also comes across as holier-than-thou, St Tony, the man who could walk on water, doesn't help one iota.

And, no, I don't trust him to lead Britain down a dark alley without something nasty leaping out from the shadows. If it does, I have a suspicion he and his party will run away rather than fight it.

Weather: Heavy showers, 10.

Football: Arsenal is held to a 0-0 home tie by Derby, allowing Manchester United to take a two-point lead in the Premier League. MUN came from behind to beat Middlesbrough 2-1. Derby escaped last place as Bradford lost 1-0 to Everton.
West Ham came from behind to overpower Manchester City 4-1, Ipswich remained sixth after downing Charlton 2-0. Leicester remained in third after a 1-1 tie at home with Newcastle. Aston Villa jumped to fourth after downing Tottenham 2-0 on two goals by Ian Taylor; and Sunderland and Southampton tied 2-2. On Sunday, Liverpool go third after beating Coventry 4-1; Chelsea and Leeds draw 1-1.

Weather: Sunshine in the morning. 9.

The Charts:

#1 (2) Baja Men - Who Let the Dogs Out
 It's been climbing for the past five weeks, and spent the last three at #2.
#2 (4) Ricky Martin - She Bangs
#3 (1) Westlife - My Love
 Only one week for the Irish twerps.
#4 (38) Backstreet Boys - Shape Of My Heart
 Fastest climber. On its UK release
#5 (3) Spice Girls - Holler

Climbing...
#6 (16) Tweenies - Number One
#9 (17) Kandi - Don't Think I'm Not

New entries...
#7 A1 - Same Old Brand New You
15 Offspring - Original Prankster
26 Marylin Manson - Disposable Teens

Falling short...
46 Sade - By Your Side
55 Mansun - Electric Man
57 Tom Jones / Heather Small - You Don't Love Like I Do
58 Beatchuggers - Forever Man
61 Girl Thing - Girls On Top
89 York - Farewell To The Moon

Overseas...
13 (13) Madonna - Music
31 (48) Destiny's Child - Independent Woman
34 (31) Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me
37 (35) Samantha Mumba - Gotta Tell You
38 (40) Creed - With Arms Wide Open

Something I'll be running from time to time during the football season: the League Ladders. Last update. Points for a win, points deducted for a loss, and the bigger the upset, the bigger the points.

Last	This	Team	Points	Change
1=	1	Manchester United	1154	+79
1=	2	Arsenal	1126	+51
4	3	Aston Villa	1074	+34
7	4	Liverpool	1066	+46
6	5	Leeds	1061	+33
3	6	Leicester	1041	-28
11	7	Ipswich	1029	+29
5	8	Chelsea	1027	-02
8	9	Newcastle United	1014	-03
12	10	Sunderland	1008	+17
15	11	West Ham	1003	+26
14	12	Southampton	988	+10
9	13	Charlton	985	-22
13	14	Tottenham	975	-15
16	15	Everton	971	+09
10	16	Middlesborough	923	-81
18	17	Manchester City	919	-36
17	18	Coventry City	910	-50
20	19	Derby County	899	-35
19	20	Bradford	875	-62

Next update - mid December.