Holy Crow - it's June 1st!

We are very near half way through 2013. What happened?  It is very hard to gauge what day it is here - there are no seasons, so with it only being hot and hotter, or wet and wetter, one tends to not see the 'seasons' go by.

As for the protests in the country; they continue. Wednesday saw a crowd gather in numbers of 60,000 protesters. In spite of protesters being arrested, detained, and charged, the peaceful protest rallies continue.  There is very little news to read regarding these events, but interestingly, the two sides take two views of one story. On the incumbent side, they view US support for them because the president sent a congratulatory message. However, in support of  the opposition side; the congratulatory message came with a suggestion to clear fraud charges as soon as possible. I guess it all depends on which side of the fence one sits in order to determine the message. As a foreigner, I am not even close to the fence. It is not my decision. It is not my election. Interestingly, long after the big day, one can still see news coverage in newspapers worldwide. I am not sure that could be said about an election in my homeland. In fact, there was a provincial election there recently, and I had to contact friends to find out the outcome. You have to understand, I come from a country that always apologies and uses the good manners our mothers taught us. It is one of those descriptions of a Canuck that everyone understands. I'm sorry, eh......  immediately allows the outsider to know I am Canadian. As the rallies continue, coverage indicates that the people attending are asking for an outside eye in scrutinizing the election process of the recent election.  With arrests made and charges of sedition, these people continue on their protest, fearless of what can become their fate.  One has to applaud them for taking this stance, and one has to be appreciative of how these rallies remain peaceful. In a country with the population that exceeds my own country by staggering amounts per square kilometre, one has to look at those statistics and realize that peaceful rallies are a good indication of the well thought and well planned rallies to keep the participants under control. They are protesting what they believe is an injustice. Emotions can easily get out of control.  Imagine the numbers of people they gather and then imagine them keeping them constrained.  A population density here is 76.6 per square kilometre.  Back home it is 3.3 for the same area.  There we could need cell phones or carrier pigeons to keep in touch with each other at a rally; here just a nudge to the person jammed in beside you. Back home we actually get exercise going to visit a neighbour. Here, you just whisper over a wall.  Congratulations to everyone. For those who demonstrate their democratic right to protest, and to the country that allows this action.