Interesting News and My Holiday

Before I begin this entry, I would like it to be known that whoever decided to use all the washing machines on a tuesday afternoon and not collect their clothes when they were done is the reason why I can't have any sleep tomorrow morning (have to wash all my clothes that I need to take with me).

Interesting News

There was I, thinking that there couldn't be any news more interesting than that of yesterday, when what did I find? Some serious, some unusual, and some just plain stupid.
Read and enjoy:
Firstly, if you thought America with the help of the CIA, FBI, NSI, NATO and any other 'international' body you care to mention, hadn't thought of enough offences for Saddam Hussein to have committed, up comes one for copyright infringement !

The book cover can be seen on the website of the artist. Whilst you are checking out his site, I recommend the 'Waiting for Parsival', and the 'Cascade'.
I was going to leave it at that, but got intrigued into his realm of "Mythic Naturalism" and ended up viewing all of his paintings, and even ended on his wedding photos ! There is no doubt about it, I am enchanted by his work, and so will have to have his website as a permanent link under my Cool Links page. So go visit it now !!

Getting back to the news, the US fails to avoid being headlined again when they are about to offer to buy Russian missiles and give medical aid in exchange for scrapping the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty. This would then allow them to continue with the "Son of Star Wars" defence system unhindered by the russian treaty. Obviously, the rest of the world is on the edge of their seats to see what happens.
Now a bit of revenge on the chinese side, they banned the use of the Hong Kong port for a US warship. Let's see if a missile is now 'accidently' deployed in the direction of china by the said warship.
Even NATO is having a go at the americans, snubbing their plans for the aforementioned defence system. Are we seeing the demise of the american world power ?

Now for something a bit closer to home, UK police dogs are to be fitted up with bullet-proof vests. Apparently, the World Organisation Of Furry Friends complained that there was a strong bias towards non-furry police officers getting better protection in the event of firearms incidents.

Thought that your pornographic SPAM email sent to your boss last weekend could not be traced. Well, known about for ages, and only now taken seriously, a European Commission has found that the UK and the US have been working together on a secret email/telephone eavesdropping system using satellites and secret ground bases around europe. Encryption is now being reccommended for all companies and individuals who fear american intrusion.

OK, now that you've had your dose of news let's get on to:

My Holiday

As those of you studying in Mainz will know we have five days off uni next week. Add on to this the weekend before and after and you've already got nine. Now take a couple of days off at the end of the week before, because you've done the work for the lectures and there you have it - eleven days holiday.

Now if you think I was going to spend them here in Mainz doing (fill in space), then you obviously don't know me and my happy-go-lucky spirit !
Yep, I searched for the cheapest flights available back to England so that I could visit all my friends who are finishing their degrees now at Birmingham University. But that's not all, oh no. After various emails to and from Giulia, an italian girl that was here last semester (see photos), I was kindly offered her hospitality and knowledge of Rome to show me around this magnificent city. So again I go to the Ryanair website and buy myself some cheap tickets (30 Pounds/90 DM return).

So, if this diary becomes sparse over the next week, don't despair. I will return with a refreshened spirit, and hopefully some really good photos.

Ariverderci