196.
Well. The whole universe knows that the US goes to the polls today (hopefully) to elect a new president. All of my crossable parts are crossed that the US electorate (or the few million in Ohio who 'matter') make the least unwise choice, and elect someone who can at least speak the English language. Anyway, that is up to the Americans - we have our own worries here with Blair and his group of sycophants. Apparently we are being primed for a general election in February. While the British Prime Minister can call for a dissolution at any time within the five-year term, the date of our election matters not a jot because, barring some extra-ordinary miracle, there is simply no realistic alternative on offer (and the Tories, I believe, would be worse). Perhaps Scotland should declare independence from the UK - at least that way we would get our soldiers back home before any of them get killed (apparently the Black Watch have been attacked by rockets and mortars every day since they took up position in the American sector). Should Scotland declare independence, it will leave the British government in a tricky situation, what with Tony Blair and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, both being Scottish. The Chancellor represents a Scottish constituency, so he would have to resign from the remnants of the UK's government, and while Blair represents an English constituency, speaks with an English accent and supports the England football and rugby teams, would the English be so willing to accept a turncoat Scot (no matter how hard he tries to hide his nationality) as their prime minister? So, with the election happening over there, and one on the horizon over here, and with their being no real choice on offer in either, what is to be done? I have an idea... the Portuguese did it 30 years ago. We could do it here and now. Hey, we got rid of Bertie! We can do anything!