Lots of unexpected things in my daily life and in the world. Starting with the small stuff, while giving two lovely ladies a tour of the Pijp, we ran into a open garden day where you could visit people’s gardens and they give explanations. The house we visited belonged to a British gentleman and he had great stories of how bad that neighborhood was in the 70’s. Prior to that garden visit, we had amused while running into this man and his wacky bike. 
I fought the urge to ask if I could try. I did manage to understand how you get on, first one foot on the back peg.. then you climb higher.
Speaking of climbing higher. I really didn’t think it would happen, but Portuguese Prime Minister Dur?o Barroso is the next president of the European Commission. Very odd. I dislike the man and his right-of-center privatization policies in Portugal. Now he’ll take his act to Brussels. This could be considered a liberation day in Portugal, ding dong the dork is gone. (what.. it’s catchy!)They had better have elections now! First off an elected official should never leave his post to take another job, that’s an insult to his electorate.. didn’t he take some vow to fulfill his duties? And if you do leave your post for another job, there shouldn’t be some “appointing” of another Prime Minister.. that sound more like a monarchy to me.
Big woop.. today was the so called “handover”… foreign troops still run the place. American firms still control most of the jobs. Violence is still plentiful. And the new government was appointed, not elected. But what really gets me is not the handover so much as the hypocracy that Iraq deserved to be liberated, yet Sudan’s genocide and years of carnage don’t warrant the same action.
Today’s Music: Alkaline Trio – Good Mourning