I'm in the process of preparing for the first Policy Foresight Programme for 2007, a seminar on perverse subsidies and institutional roadblocks to reform.  A main topic of the seminar will be how to change a system of governance that is based on concepts from the industrial revolution (greater efficency and accounting for only those things that can be measured) to a system that incorporates things that are valued, but not quantifably so (like protecting the environment).  As ever, Calvin & Hobbes have something to say on the matter:

While it’s standard English weather outside (i.e. raining), in this little kitchen today, it’s becoming very American. Each year I put on a Thanksgiving meal for my housemates and friends in Oxford, and this year proves to be quite the event, with 18 people coming. As you can see on the right, I have set up a webcam for the kitchen so that you can enjoy the preparations, and I’ll be posting pictures to to my 2D-Manifestations area all day (and commenting on this post), so stay tuned!

A larger version of the webcam is available here. The pictures for the day can be found in my Thanksgiving album.

[13.30] the turkey is finally in the oven(!)

I have to say, though that the mince pies seem to have turned out well, if a little puffy

Here’s a movie from the day:

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I read the comics everyday, thanks to some handy coding by Tom.  It's my chance to take a break from the day for 5 minutes and go to another, sometimes funnier world.  I say 'sometimes' because often there's not much that can beat the humour in my life

Here's a sample from today.  What do you do for a break in the day, every day.  It's important, you know… 

It was a rusty morning on Castle Street
as I sat at a table to appease my feet.
The air was soft as clouds the morning stilled
the shops and streets sat patient, unfilled.

In this place of beauty past
I reconvene the months of last.
Thoughts so many, I dare not say
I'll note them all here, lest they walk away.

These castle walls see those days are lost
Once lively tales turned to mental moss.
Memories once so rich, but now can't tell
captive in my mind like a prisoner in a cell.

But the door is unlocked, feel free to come in
ask what you like, I'll give you the spin.

Sam Evans
Oxford Castle
18 Oct 2006

Originally written to start a Journal entry, I never got around to finishing the entry. I thought I'd post it, though, because it's still true.

A few of you have complained that your comments weren't showing up on my blogs.  Good News: I have found them!  Apparently I had a spam filter that was running in the background.  I just installed an updated version of it, and to my surprise, it already had hundreds of comments in its bin.  Weeding through them, I found some insightful thoughts from you, which I'm sorry took so long to get on the blog!  

The most recent on was from Mel on how many eggs she's keeping in the air at the moment.  There are also some from Sha on cul-de-sacs, some very good stuff on my first impressions in America from Sarah and Pam, and an amusing one on eating Swedes from Ebba.  

Sorry about that everyone.  Things should work better now! 

Ever since I came to Oxford, I have wanted to take some time to capture the Autumn in this city.  The colours were vivid this morning, though not quite as bright as yesterday.  It's amazing the difference a day makes in Autumn! I have put up all the ones I took this morning on my digital.  I'll get the SLR pictures scanned in and post the best of those soon too.

I also put up some pictures I took since the beginning of term.  Not very many, but at least it gives you a taste.  Head on over to 2D-Manifestations and have a look.