Title and format courtesy Andrew Spicer.
It's a busy day as the in-laws are here, so I'm writing a few quick notes down with no coherant thought behind them. Last night I showed my father-in-law and his wife Castle in the Sky, which I think Judy quite liked. This afternoon, Erin and her father are spending some quality time with minor renovations to our home (moving light switches). As the temperature heats up, however, we may abandon our place for a movie. Shrek 2, perhaps?
Here are some random thoughts I still have on the recent Canadian election: Basically, nobody gets to hold their head up high except... Gilles Duceppe. As a reward for his remarkable performance, I think old Gilles gets to hunt down and destroy every single picture and every single negative of his hair-net appearance in the 1997 federal election.
And regarding the calls for proportional representation, my cautious support for the process took a bit of a hit during my time as a deputy returning officer on election day. Staffing a poll dedicated to a large number of elderly, I'd have to say that making the ballot any more complex will essentially disenfranchise a number of voters. At the very least, I'd have to receive a lot more training on how to train voters how to vote. Getting some of these people to understand that you had to put an 'X' beside the candidate of his or her choice was a surprisingly difficult task. Some refused to vote because they simply didn't understand the process.
That response might be responsible on the part of the voters, but is it really good for democracy? This is one thing proportional representation advocates should keep in mind when they attempt to change a system which, for all its faults, is still very simple and effective.
I am reading Belweather, by Connie Willis. Fantastic stuff, and something I should keep in mind if I decide to adapt Shepherd Moons for the professional market. A proper review will follow later. Right now I say: go read it.
Anyway, more thoughts if I have them later tonight...