the congestion charge
i wanted to write an essay on why i support the london congestion charge, but after having Googled myself around to read what other people have written, i found that all the points that i would have made have already been stated, several times in some cases, along with other additional good points that I hadn't thought of, by professional writers with a far superior handling of english than i ever will, probably. This particular topic moves me in particular, more, even, than the situation with Iraq. i didn't join the anti-war march on saturday (i don't support on it, by the way), but if the fate of the congestion charge was dependent on me turning up on the day to vote, i would do it, and probably try and talk my friends and family into it as well. i think it comes from all those dark wilderness years pre-driving licence, which were quite a few, as i didn't pass until i was 22, where i had no choice but to use public transport, and have wasted many bitter hours waiting for trains or buses. Try waiting in the rain for an hour for a bus in order to travel a 10 minute distance, i have done it, more than once. Once the bus didn't even turn up. Buses in particular, which for alot of journeys would be the most convenient method of transport, especially through central london, are always being held up by bloody traffic. i thus became quite a passionate believer in improving our transport system, more than i have believed in anything else (other than fate, destiny, god, and being good, that is), and for the first time ever someone is actually trying to address the problem. i had also become despairing of the sheer selfishness of people in general who simply don't give a damn about the future of the planet, the wanton, thoughtless generation of non-recycleable waste. just things like trying to reduce the amount of plastic bags and wrappings seems to be like shouting at brick walls. i have been shocked by the completely backwards way of thinking of such people, who seem to exist on an entirely seperate planet in terms of the way they think.
Ken Livingstone, you are a man of steel balls, which is more than I can ever say about any of these faceless, pompous politicians whose names i can't remember. I salute you, and wish you many good things, may good fortune always be with you.

happy chinese new year everyone
my new year's day was inauspicous, working in a little chemist in an estate in Hemel Hempstead. i could barely remember it was new year, i mean we only just had one a month ago, and i spent that new year in bed (by myself) watching some tragic channel 4 thing about the best moments or something of 2002. Hemel Hempstead isn't really known for its cultural diversity, but funnily enough whilst i was waiting outside the chemist at the end of the day, as i was meeting up with a friend, this typical council estate guy who looks just like a typical drug addict walks past me, and wishes me a happy new year. its strange, to get this greeting from a most unexpected person, when i haven't even said it, nor received it from my own friends. i just grunted back to him in response, as i wasn't sure if he was going to mug me or not, but thinking back maybe i should have said something, cos now he might think that chinese people are a bunch of unfriendly fuckers. then again if he's a drug addict, his brain'll probably be too fried to care anyway.

The Times are giving away tickets to see free previews of a bunch of movies. I bought The Times yesterday, but didn't really get around to perusing it until today, where i was instructed to phone this number to book my place at a participating cinema of my choice. to my genuine surprise, all tickets in all the cinemas in london had already gone. and i was actually looking forward to seeing The Hours as well. methinks there is a lesson to be learned here.