I ENJOY BRIGHTON & HOVE BLOGS SO MUCH !

Since I've joined the B&H E-democracy Forum, I feel every day as if I were becoming a kind of Brighton and Hove citizen! A virtual citizen maybe, but a citizen yet ... Hence I can « sort of » improve my english, don't I ? (is'nt this « sort of » word a very « classical » standard 'bad-english' way of speaking, just tell me, please !)

I met there a number of kind and interesting folks to whom I would like to be introduced in real life too. Therefore, i'd just need to cross the Channel ! ( Dieppe/Newhaven: a five days return ticket for four people with a car, 99 euros only in June)

First, Elizabeth R. to whom I had « requested to make contact ». She replied to me soon, a private message I had required on my e-mail adress but... sorry I couldn't comment on her blogs - « they are on an institutional server with extra security ». I couldn't reply ...to her reply either : so, what is to be done ? (I'd really like to chat with Liz)A number of others then, all of them nice and gentle. I could read many new (for me!) and interesting things, about wireless cities for instance, informations on health, waves, bees...

I enjoy myself on this place. I am discovering that I can find a real pleasure in writing in english ... and, well, my shyness thereabout is vanishing too. But I remain conscious that I have still a long way to run before I become...an english writer, an acceptable one I mean.

The forum is a valuable place but I wonder why there are no pictures of other members, no e-mail adress either, no simple link between reality and virtuality. A strange flavour of secrecy. Tell me why please. Has Britain become such a police-state that you have to take the greatest care day after day to escape this orwelian nightmare ? Tony (agreing with Glenn) told us that « A view from 'without' can provide insights that are perhaps overlooked from 'within' ». In fact he was welcoming my joining the forum. Thanks! The « outsider » is trying to do his best : providing insights... I like that job ! I rather love it, to say true ! But frenchies are quite selfish and proud of themselves, aren't they ?

An now, last but not least, Kathy Mcmullen ! She gave a most intersting reply to my latest post on the forum : « Whose interests is a wireless city going to serve? Powerful commercial interests. Who gets left behind? » she wrote. I agree. Yes we need « a model of development where human wellness is at the centre ». I could have spelt the same idea exactly the same way. And Kathy was kind enough to translate her post into french for me : thanks a lot ! Kathy is a very open-minded person who has been living recently in such strange places as France, Botswana, Liverpool and even Birmingham. I happen to find myslef in agreement with her on a huge panel of subjects, including Irak-Iran for instance, or a class approach to environmental (and other) topics.

Looking forward to hear from you soon ! JV

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