My mind is all on the election, sorry
This morning, I conveyed myself to two back-to-back lectures, before being kindly invited to a very tasty lunch at St. Cross with Claire. The St. Cross lunch is an institution that I recommend to anyone with the good fortune to be invited. There is a variety of food to be had, and interesting people like my New Year's Eve companions Claire, Bronwen, Jonathan, and Josiah with whom to converse.Tomorrow, I have a solid run of lectures and seminars running across the better part of the day. I am curious about just how haggard the other Canadians will be. That is to say, who will be unable to resist the urge to stay awake until the polls close in Ontario at what I think will be 3:00am GMT. For my part, and partially because I can't quite wrap my head around dealing with both different poll closing times and different time zones, I will aim to go to bed around 1:00am: hopefully having completed a good chunk of my essay for Dr. Hurrell (the one I was meant to have edited and in the envelope by now, I realize).
One thing I appreciated seeing today among my friends is a universal proclamation of the importance of voting. Even if we do end up getting a government that many of us do not want, at least it will not be from apathy. That, at least, is the expression I saw one friend make earlier today.
In the evening, Wadham College had its second research forum: this one focused on the Middle East. While it would definitely fit with my subject area, and I knew one of the presenters, I spent the time doing reading for tomorrow's seminar, in the full knowledge that as election results started trickling in, my thoughts would not be on Norman Angell.
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At minimum, voting buys one the right to complain about one's government.
Well, your guess was in much the same direction as the pollsters guesses and wrong in much the same ways, perhaps for the same reasons. After hearing much analysis from the UBC folks, and an exciting cliffhanger whereby Vancouver Central was the last riding to report by about half an hour, my summary analysis is that it could have been worse. Biggest winner: NDP (lots more seats, which is exciting given that FPTP usually hinders them). Biggest Loser: Bloc Quebecois (far less seats than they predicted or hoped). Biggest Challenge ahead: Conservatives (for having to hold together a party including 10 folks in Quebec and many others who don't like Quebec and probably never will). Consolation prize: Liberals (self evident really; they lose, but not too badly).
For what its worth, Ken Carty's guess is that the Conservatives will pass a few things with Bloc support and manage a Parliament at least as long as the previous one, his succinct reasoning being that "The other parties will give the Conservatives enough rope to hang themselves."
Now I guess the race begins for the next Liberal leader.
One note about this photo: when I first saw the scaffolding erected in the Social Sciences Building to try to fix the leaky roof (the building is only two years old), I was immediately reminded of the second death star. I was also taken with a desire to fly through this superstructure and destroy the main reactor.
My imagined conversation between a university proctor and the contractors:
Moff Jerjerrod: Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence -
Darth Vader: You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule.
Moff Jerjerrod: I assure you, Lord Vader. My men are working as fast as they can.
Darth Vader: Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them.
Moff Jerjerrod: I tell you, this station will be operational as planned.
Darth Vader: The emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
Moff Jerjerrod: But, he asks the impossible. I need more men!
Darth Vader: Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives.
Moff Jerjerrod: The Emperor's coming here?
Darth Vader: That is correct, Commander. And, he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
Moff Jerjerrod: We shall double our efforts!
Darth Vader: I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am.
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