May 7th

Owning a car keeps one busy. Yesterday Ernest and I took it down the local autoclub to have it checked out and get some papers with which we can get some more papers to then get the papers. While waiting on the mechs to do their job we gone for a walk, after the playground we nipped into Szeged Plaza, by far the largest shopping mall in south-east hungary. around the size of Stockman downtown Oulu. We were thrown out of the sport shop, in fact not allowed in because I had a backpack and weren’t willing to give it up. Never mind that we were the only shoppers in the sportshop probably due to the early hour while there was a security guy and two other shop assistants on duty besides the cctv. regulations are regulations.

We spent the rest of the day with shopping. Ernest slept trough the market for which I was thankful, was not up for chasing him around there. We also spent the day in anticipation of the Scottish election results and following the news of the UK results somewhat, mostly the referendum.

We parked the car by the way, fairly early yesterday and haven’t bothered with it since so my opening statement isn’t so true for this last couple of days at least
Liliom has the habit of jumping of her bed far as she can onto a matrass and some giant inflatable coushin. Ernest copies her although he hasn’t gathered the courage to actually jump yet. Probably due to the relative weight of his head. He still gathers their duvets and pillows right next to the bed and after dutyfuly counting to three, as seen from Lili, he steps out of the bed onto the pile.

Last night we had some wine celebrating the Scottish election results. Although I am cautious to celebrate the SNP. The interesting development is there nevertheless. I believe if we cannot just yet do away with the state, at least government should be brought closer to people and the smaller a state is the easier this task can be. For me it’s about locus of control.

In the UK people generally voted down the idea of a more representative electoral system. The argument to support such decision that through a more proportional system (the current first pass the post is one of the least) there would be a greater chance for a ‘hung’ parliament and coalition governments that are unstable and yara yara.

The past four years the Scottish government was a minority government (which is an unimaginable notion in Westminster) yet this gov managed to now gain such an overwhelming swing of seats that the SNP controls more than half the seats in Hollyrood. This has happened in an electoral system which is practically designed to prevent it.

The arguments against changing the UK voting system are false as in Westminster there is an unstable coalition government contrary to the disproportionate electoral system and in Hollyrood there is a majority government contrary to a far more proportional system. Maybe voters voted the proposals down cause they annoyed with the Libdems, but surely; punish other, smaller parties?

Looking at the developing political culture in Scotland I came to realise that unlike most central europen countries Scotland will go on its separate way – prob in a couple more elections – once it’s ready, it has a tradition of a democratic process well developed. A culture of parliamentary politics.

I wonder if a political tradition is a reason for the no vote on the referendum now. A more proportionate representative system would get parties such as UKIP into Westminster in numbers. And look at Finland to see where does that get you. What if that seemingly idiotic no was a very well calculated no?

Naturally, I am critical of it nevertheless. Even bogyman nationalist must be confronted in a dialogue (ok, this is told by me who half the time runs away from such confrontations) but more importantly, here comes the Marxist, maintaining the status qou benefits the structure that is already in power; economic, or corporate fascist. They are only really a step away from hard liner nationalist and nationalist-fascist, besides, in the current system the electorate is also robed from choosing someone else. In such system many probably just opts to take the least worst, as the result of the referendum shows.

Tomorrow we should go to the zoo or something like that, take plenty pictures – if we find the camera – and have a photo blog entry. It takes a lot more composition to write photo on electoral systems

Ant the whole point mentioning the wine was that being drunk after the second glass I realised that I have dropped my thesis topic. Looking for a new one. Then Jen told me that she thinks I have dropped my topic quite some time ago and only my stubbornness kept me on it but she didn’t want to say, just in case now I don’t quite remember what.

January 15th

Our plan for lunch yesterday was using the leftover meat from dinner the night before, making some mayonnaise-mustard sandwiches. Already that night this plan was ruined.
Ernest is out of sync a bit with our regular meal times. we finished dinner, tidied away and all four of us were about to sit down on the sofa engaging in our now regular family spot watching an episode of river cottage.

While waiting on Lili, Ernest came in munching on a bit of meat. Jen wondered where it may came from and in response he gave a ‘follow me I show you’ look. I did follow and discovered the plastic tub on the edge of the table. Picked it up to find a lid and put it in the fridge but Ernest grabbed my trousers and gently led me back to the room. He finished the whole lunch plan.

Today with the kids I went down to the zoo. It was so much fun!!!! Well. The weather was colder than anticipated, Lili wanted to explore the European animals parts which was a bit boring. The snow has melted long ago and now everything is brown and gray. The exact shading of the animals looked at. Ernest was beside himself when he actually managed to notice one.

Some giant eagle was sitting in the corner showing his back while near to as just at the cage-wall there was some half a dozen dead chicks. Lili said they were cute letting us know with some unbelievably cheese tone. I must think she is well educated and not used to seeing dead chicks. As a female of her age she knows that anything soft and fluffy, especially baby animals like chicks supposed to melt her heart but obviously didn’t think that once they become dead lying on the ground with twisted legs and bits perhaps they shall awoke a different emotional reaction in us.

Later on we walked by again there when eagle was eating lunch. It was really cute!

We had ours at the wolves’ place. They were hungry so close as they could come they sat down and watched us having our sandwiches.

Yesterday I the whole lot us made it to the spa. After so many months here finally we realized that the spa water here doesn’t make my skin, and Ernest’s skin peal off. So we shall become a more less regular feature. And I am sure that the completely regular ones will really enjoy it too.

Jen has decided to abandon exam season and write her bachelor thesis instead. It turns out that for some of these exams she would have to pretty much memorise a couple of dozens of articles, write a page essay of each and every one of them before the exam, memorize those essays because on the exam she would have to recite 3 of them. She wouldn’t be expected to present an understandning of what is written in those articles, how she links it to her existing knowledge, other fields, exp, etc and what may be her own analytical thoughts and comments are. It’s rather better to do some meaningful work than in Oulu she can do some other meaningful work for credits. Unless by the time we go back the wonderful effects of uni reforms in finland has begun crafting a similar system!

As for myself… hm, academic procrastination on a new hight. I actually will do some academic work in order to avoid doing some academic work! I accidently applied then got invited to attend an online course organized by tampere uni., Smashing, Though the introduction speech was... be diplomatic... looking for the right word... hm, lacked motivating aspects.