).JPG)
When I first heard the word 'chad' being used in the USA, it conjured up a long-ago vision from my UK childhood.
Graffiti (as shown left) used to pop up in all kinds of locations with little messages, always referring to shortages civilians faced during, and for a while after, World War 2.... "Wot no bananas?" "Wot no sugar?" The little graffiti character was called, for some reason not clear to me, "Chad".
Ahem....that memory dates me terribly.
In the USA I struggled to get to grips with how on earth "a hanging chad" could be a serious political problem. Recently, due to publicity about HBO's new film "Recount", I have been enlightened.
It's appropriate that "Recount" is first being shown just as Mercury is about to begin a period of retrograde motion. Astrologers tell us that during Mercury retrograde periods some of the safest pastimes, not prone to problems and hitches, are reviewing, re-visiting and reflecting on past endeavours and decisions. "Recount", the TV movie, will be doing all of those things.
I'm drafting this post before having seen the film, I'm looking forward to doing so. It will shine a light on American history of the recent past, of which I have only sketchy knowledge. I remember watching TV reports, in the UK, of the goings on in Florida in 2000. I had scarcely any knowledge of US politics then, I had difficulty remembering which party, Democrat or Republican, equated to British Conservatives and which to the British Labour Party. I'm a bit better informed these days, learning fast.
When the current Mercury retrograde phase ends, will the USA be any nearer to a clear decision on who is the Democratic nominee ? It's doubtful. Let's hope that by November, though, things will have clarified sufficiently that chad will not be a factor in the coming General Election. If this doesn't happen, I might feel tempted to go grafitti-writing with my own version of Chad, and the legend "Wot, no president yet?"
PS: We watched "Recount" yesterday evening. Wow! That was some confusion! In a country often called "Leader of the Free World", how come those who set rules and organise elections couldn't (as we say in England) "organise a piss-up in a brewery"? After watching "Recount" we didn't switch channels but watched the movie shown next - "Evan Almighty". You know, the plot of that movie was almost more believable than the true tale of "Recount".
Graffiti (as shown left) used to pop up in all kinds of locations with little messages, always referring to shortages civilians faced during, and for a while after, World War 2.... "Wot no bananas?" "Wot no sugar?" The little graffiti character was called, for some reason not clear to me, "Chad".
Ahem....that memory dates me terribly.
In the USA I struggled to get to grips with how on earth "a hanging chad" could be a serious political problem. Recently, due to publicity about HBO's new film "Recount", I have been enlightened.
It's appropriate that "Recount" is first being shown just as Mercury is about to begin a period of retrograde motion. Astrologers tell us that during Mercury retrograde periods some of the safest pastimes, not prone to problems and hitches, are reviewing, re-visiting and reflecting on past endeavours and decisions. "Recount", the TV movie, will be doing all of those things.
I'm drafting this post before having seen the film, I'm looking forward to doing so. It will shine a light on American history of the recent past, of which I have only sketchy knowledge. I remember watching TV reports, in the UK, of the goings on in Florida in 2000. I had scarcely any knowledge of US politics then, I had difficulty remembering which party, Democrat or Republican, equated to British Conservatives and which to the British Labour Party. I'm a bit better informed these days, learning fast.
When the current Mercury retrograde phase ends, will the USA be any nearer to a clear decision on who is the Democratic nominee ? It's doubtful. Let's hope that by November, though, things will have clarified sufficiently that chad will not be a factor in the coming General Election. If this doesn't happen, I might feel tempted to go grafitti-writing with my own version of Chad, and the legend "Wot, no president yet?"
PS: We watched "Recount" yesterday evening. Wow! That was some confusion! In a country often called "Leader of the Free World", how come those who set rules and organise elections couldn't (as we say in England) "organise a piss-up in a brewery"? After watching "Recount" we didn't switch channels but watched the movie shown next - "Evan Almighty". You know, the plot of that movie was almost more believable than the true tale of "Recount".
