Below you will find my various ramblings from the 2006 semester pre-Spring Break.  So before I went mad from studying for finals.

I'm also working up quite a rage about this.  It is genuinely outrageous.  I cannot... I'm having great difficulty articulating just how angry I am with Luis Aragones.  There is no justification for keeping this man in gainful employment whatsoever.  He is scum, although I'm almost tempted to admire the chutzpah of blaming Eto'o not understanding the Spanish mindset and what exactly they mean by making monkey noises every time he gets the ball, and trying to redefine that as not being racism.  It'd be interesting to find out just exactly what Aragones defines as racism.  Maybe someone should ask him for clarification.

I attended a wonderful conference yesterday which affirmed just how important it is for me to work on reproductive rights.  The culture of shame in believing that women have the right to choose what they do with their body has to stop.  Abortions are complicated things to choose upon: but they are empowering, and more often than not the right thing to do for that woman, her family, her job, her life, her partner, at that time.  What shouldn't happen is that a woman is forced into making a choice that she truly doesn't want to make.  The security of knowing that if I became pregnant, and it was available, is not just wonderful, it's just, right and FAIR.  Women do not have to make themselves subservient to anyone - foetus or husbands, politicians, ANYONE - if they do not think it's the right thing for their body.  And that's all I'm saying before I combust with rage.

This week, Grace attended her first book group session to discuss Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins - an interesting read, the concept of it utterly believable but the personal narrative... smug and difficult to believe.  Sad to think this may be some people's first exposure to the concept of the corporate underbelly of policy decisions and relations.  She didn't see any new movies, but saw the Chris Rock special on HBO - the man's female politics not 100% where I'd like them to be, but very very very funny.  Very funny. 

This week, Grace read Mickey Spillane, not just because that's also her friend's name.  It was great.  She became convinced of the necessity of Marc Jacobs striped fingerless gloves.  She also saw Wedding Crashers, which wasn't quite as bad as she'd expected, but still... lame.  Still, liked all the actors in it, and was even impressed with Isla Fisher.  Bizarre.  It's been a long week, clearly.  Also saw Optimo at Don Hill's, which was not as mash-up as could be hoped for, but enjoyable - but next time, I won't take an injured, jetlagged, techno-negative KTB - poor girl.  Next time I'll find something a bit more popstarz...

Brief went in today - goodness only knows how much I bollocksed that one up, but hopefully not too much.  From my perspective, it was the best written argument I've made thus far, but that's not saying much, and I was fairly happy with the last one, which wasn't a good judgement, really.  But it means lychee martinis tonight and some nice lower east side drinking - rocking.  And last EVER legal writing stuff tomorrow and two weeks - huzzah.  Can now get down to serious application malarkey and reading of book group book.  Great.

I'm still beavering away on the brief, which is at least taking shape, even if the quality isn't all that.  And that's about it.  Just thought I'd mention the snow.  It's so so so beautiful.

A week where we finally have GPAs (better than expected, to be honest) and it turns out that hard work pays off - the subject I worked hardest in (Property) gave me my best grade.  I shall now work hard.  I'm a bit worried, though, as everyone will raise their game having had possibly nasty shocks (whereas I was pleasantly surprised), so I'm going to have to seriously work this semester.  Particularly as we're 8 credits down, with 22 more to come.  UGH.  Still, nice of our Prof (Ding Dong) to finally deign to mark our papers and give us our grades.  Good work by Mad to call him on it... proud of you, boyo.

I've sat bewildered by the reactions around the world to the cartoons.  If you don't know which ones, PLEASE watch something other than Fox News.  Some smug articles pointing out that Christians react like that, but to be fair, I think they're fricking eejits too - the fact that I couldn't buy The Life of Brian for the first twenty-odd years of my life was not one of the finer moments in freedom of expression for the good ol' UK.  Banning books is not good.  Banning freedom is not good - FULL STOP.  Pointing out that we do it too and it's hypocritical to get uptight about the reaction here is missing the point - it's no one's business to tell me what I can read or say.  That's just my opinion, anyway.  If you want to set fire to me, I live at HIGHBURY.  Cheers.

This week Grace saw The Matador: frivol, but very well done and elevated by the wonderful performances of Hope Davis, in particular, and Greg Kinnear.  Pierce Brosnan showed great capacity for self-mockery.  She also finally went to MOMA and although enjoyed bits of the Pixar exhibition, particularly enjoyed the glorious Picassos up in the main collections.  She also rather inarticulately tried to explain why she loves him to LT.  Didn't do that well - must read Ways of Seeing, and soon.

Major rage on a far more superficial level this morning - Knightley for an Oscar?  Are you joking, Committee? YOU SUCK ARSE.  Although it appears that the other nominations were so good, as was the idea of getting Jon Stewart in, that they had to remedy them by including one moronic idea.

I did a list with various contributors as to our favourite songs of last year - and promptly have failed to put them up.  Will do shortly, but here is my list of songs that filled me with joy last year... and check out the other top fives if you're interested...

15. Hard to Beat - Hard-Fi.  Now, I know they're a bit naff, but I utterly loved this - it made me feel optimistic as I was walking to work in the sunshine... when it was shining, that is.  Just reminds me of being happy in London, walking through Lewisham and being at the Wharf, which is never a bad thing.

14. Hounds of Love - The Futureheads.  How can you argue with a Geordie singing "I've always been a coward" with full on accent?  This was the year of the regionals, and it was a good thing indeed.

13. 1 Thing - Amerie.  Sexy, fab, so why did she have to wear NOTHING in the video to get this bloody song noticed?  Not good.  But she did go to Georgetown with a friend of mine, so that rocks.  This song is utterly fab... best song to dance to of the year, methinks.

12. Slow Hands - Interpol.  Why? Kick arse, that's why.  This song is fabulous and if it gets heads nodding in Mona's, it's good enough for me.

11. Push the Button - Sugababes.  Genius pop, dude.  Filthy video, too.

10. Munich - Editors.  Sound like Interpol, except better.  IMHO.  This is fabulous, and people are fragile.  Honest guv.

9. Disco Infiltrator - LCD Soundsystem.  This was one of the earliest things I got when I converted to the dark side and got an iPod - and it has been a very popular choice on my shuffle, particular to work to.  And I love it.  It's messy and quality.

8. Bigger Boys & Stolen Sweethearts - Arctic Monkeys.  Overexposed?   Never, they're still genius.  Cannot wait for 26th March, when we're off to the gig here.  Mardy Bum gets honourable mention simply for its name and the confusion caused by the language...

7. Go! - Common.  It's sassy, sweet, and dirty - without being misogynistic.  How did he manage that?

6. (C-C) You Set The Fire In Me - Tom Vek.  Sounded unlike anything else last year - in a good way, though...  Amazing.  And the album is fabulous.

5. Ooh La La - Goldfrapp.  Unbelievable, the electronic tune of the year for me.  Sultry, her voice is ridiculous, and it takes all the best bits of Strict Machine and gets even better.  It's fabulous.

4. A Little Bit More - Jamie Lidell.  "What, that bloke at warp who pissed everyone off by just screaming over feedback?"  Yes, Mr Eriera.  Precisely him.  He sounds like, well, Justin Timberlake if mo'wax or warp had got hold of him i.e. with a little bit less commercial nous but chowans galore.  This is so so so so good.

3. Chin High - Roots Manuva.  Because the man's a fricking genius, by far and away the most interesting man in hippety hop today, for me - because I have a vague idea of where he's coming from?  Dunno about that, but I love him, and this is brilliant.  And Witness is still one of my favourite videos of all-time.  If you've not seen it, you should trawl the tinternet for it.

2. Forget Myself - Elbow.  Not simply because it features the line "mercifully free of the pressures of grace", but that doesn't hurt (poor M, I think of you every time - I shall try to be less pressuresome!).  It's just utterly fabulous, as is the entire album.

1. My Doorbell - White Stripes.  I just love it.  The intro, the retro feel of it, the lyrics... it's just fantastic, strangely danceable, and by far the best thing on that album.  Rocking.

More importantly, two sets of congratulations to go out.  First, to dear K & P, who are now engaged, and I am very happy for you both.  Particularly if you move to Canada so that I can come and visit you... fabulous.  It's wonderful news and you couldn't be a more gorgeous couple.  The second is possibly even more impressive, if I may say so, because it's the culmination of four years of hard work and sacrifice.  Ms HJ is now a doctor - it's absolutely fantastic, if ageing somewhat, as that time has FLOWN by.  I'm proud of all my friends, who do amazing things, but this has taken guts and so much slog (as well as genius, of course), I'm chuffed for her. 

This week Grace has got far too involved in CBB, given that she's not in the country and can't even watch it.  She is very glad Galloway has been booted out.  Grace has also got very excited about the arrest of the Pinochet daughter - "couldn't happen to a nicer family." 

New Yorkie things this week: friend had dinner with Ben Stiller, randomly;  Went to see football coach's cd launch at Rothko last night; saw Fra Angelico at the Met, which was glorious, and a first peek of 2006 at my El Grecos and Don Juan de Pareja, which makes me feel incredibly peaceful, happy and calm - it's utterly beautiful and is up there with the El Greco of Cardinal Guevera as one of my favourite portraits; and, of course, I went to school.  BOOOOO!

I went to a talk about state responsibility in the era of personal liability, by Professor Frank (NYU, representing Bosnia at the International Court of Justice).  It was incredibly interesting, provocative and difficult.  Lots of qs raised as to whether we feel that the people should be held to account for what (semi-)dictatorial govts do, how much information citizens have, and whether they have to pay to the countries damaged by their governments' actions.  I agree that it's problematic, but I find... if not completely persuasive, coaxing, the argument, analogous to torts, that although the citizens are possibly innocent, the people who were hurt were even more innocent and hard done by, and that the citizens of Yugoslavia are in a position to be able to right some of those wrongs through their taxes.  It's difficult, certainly, though - what about Stalin?  Should Russian citizens be responsible for what he did to the Ukraine?  But what happens, do we simply allow one person to be the fall guy, when a situation and structure of a country allow and enable the rise of a dictator, as in Spain in the 1930s where the factions in the left and the Republic made Franco's rise that much easier, where the humiliation imparted by the Versailles Treaty, the disarray of Germany, and the need for a nationalist, strengthening and inspiring leader that allowed Hitler to come to power.  These people don't emerge in a vacuum - maybe, if not fault, we do have to take responsibility for what happens.

This week, Grace went to the Fra Angelico at the Met, which was "delicate, moving and beautiful."  She received a great deal of metal and punk for her ipod, too.  She watched a great deal of Homicide and Scrubs, too, but nothing particularly learned.

However, have been cheered by the peeps of NYC - or, at least, the readers of the NYTimes - for their prompt arse-kicking of one John Tierney, who tried to claim that Alito was right in his dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey which essentially states that husbands have the right to know before their spouses have an abortion.  Now let's just think about this for a bit - you get regularly beaten by your husband, and he doesn't limit his fists to you, but your first kid too.  Alito is seriously saying you're legally obliged to tell this man before you make the difficult decision that perhaps being more tied to this man and subjecting another being to this treatment is not what should happen right now?  Yes, it'd be great if she weren't in this position, but she is. 

If you have a healthy relationship, then surely, you'll discuss it with him first?  Most people do tell their parents/spouses if the relationship is healthy.  That's what people like that blasted woman (Sue Axon) trying to prevent the British Government from allowing underage girls to have abortions without their parents' consent fail to understand - if there is a healthy, open attitude there, then there's no need for secrecy.  If your daughter feels she can't tell you, there's something wrong with your relationship.  My parents would have quite possibly been disappointed with me if I'd got pregnant at 14, although nowhere near as disappointed as I'd have been with myself.  But they'd have been the first people I'd run to for help, advice, and pulling me together, as they should be in this situation.  How about less blaming schools/the government/the media/tom, dick & harry and more taking responsibility for your child not taking care of themselves sexually, not knowing how to, and not feeling they can tell you?

THE BARNES REVIEW.  This week, Katy watched Match Point.  TERRIBLE. Really really bad. It just didn't fit, acting = wooden, script = painful, meaningful observation = never meaningful when you've ditched your long term partner for your adopted daughter. Sigh.

The Colts are out and, from the sound of it, didn't really deserve to win.  Patriots too, so hopefully if Chicago can give the Panthers a kicking it'll be someone new and relatively exciting to win.  I really do want to host a Superbowl party, with chicken wings and mountains of beer, as it's the first time I'll have watched it in full, having never been able to stay up to watch it at home - more proof that I can't do without my sleep, as Mum would have let me, I just didn't want to.  Such a fuddy-duddy from such an early age.  The first snow of my year in NYC has arrived, and it's not been too bad, thus far.  It's going to heat up again towards the end of the week.  Someone clearly has some unpleasant weather in store for me. 

Tomorrow is MLK day, and a useful reminder of what people have suffered here, so recently, and continue to undergo.  A simple discussion of who the gents at school thought was hot threw up all the usual suspects - white skinny girls.  Yes, they're pretty, but there seemed to be the normal confined and constricted ideals of beauty, or rather assumptions as to who is attractive.  Disappointing, really, when you think about it.  Particularly as Tyra has just retired, and Alek Wek aside, there aren't really any black models who have risen to the ascendancy as she did.  And is that asking black women to align themselves with what the predominantly white men and women who run the fashion world find attractive?  More questions I am struggling with this week.

It looks as if Chile has voted for its first female president, a move I particularly like given the character of the woman - I imagine being a single mother is not necessarily the easiest thing for a politician anywhere, but in more conservative climes, even more difficult, so congratulations to Bachelet.  And she's centre-left - good indeed.  Her family suffered a great deal after the overthrow of Allende, so I wish her well with Chile.

This weekend, Grace has cooked with Madhur Jaffrey - the cauliflowers were "if not a revelation, pretty amazing" but the rice was "soggy, despite being cooked to her instructions, and not as good as Nigel's."  Mark rated the chicken "stunning".  She is also going to slob in front of Scrubs and My name is Earltonight, before heading to the Met tomorrow to enjoy her day off with Fra Angelico.