Now that the excitement of the American Presidential elections are over, the average man in the street can look forward to a few years of tedium and disinterest. Love him or loathe him, Bill Clinton is a colorful character who will be a tough act to follow from the sheer entertainment value. When Margaret Thatcher was ousted from her position of UK Prime Minister at he end of the 70's, she was replaced by a succession of dull, faceless, 'men-in-grey' who have all failed to capture the imagination of anyone.
So will be the case with George W. Bush. No matter what he actually achieves as a President, his personality is about as interesting as wet sawdust and the chances of him being involved in any sex, drugs or rock and roll is depressingly low. Once the hoopla of the inauguration passes, people will turn their attention back to more important matters, such as "Temptation Island" and how to pay their medical bills.
However, hope is at hand in Australia. For Duncan Griffin, a 22-year-old miner from Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, is running on a platform that includes sex, drugs and rock and roll. Griffin has registered as an independent candidate in local elections and his party, "Australians Against Wowsers" has some interesting agenda items. These include (a) tax-free beer, (b) topless barmaids and (c) the abolition of speed limits.
At this point, male residents of Texas, Arkansas and Alabama should be reminded that they can NOT vote for him as President of the US. Similarly, Floridians should also be informed that he won't even be on a ballot. Currently, new members are predominantly males from the area. Should he actually get elected, as an independent he could be an important player as other representatives lobby him for his support on their own party issues.
At least with Griffin, you know right up front what you are voting for.
In Lima, Peru, authorities have turned to Jesus and his mother to help keep the streets clean. No, the good Lord isn't going to be seen wandering the streets with a broom, nor is his mom going to be on hands and knees scrubbing the floor. Apparently, Peruvians are amongst he dirtiest people in the world when it comes to their towns and cities. Should a male citizen of Lima be taken with the urge to evacuate his bladder, he thinks nothing of simply whipping out the hose and spraying the nearest wall.
So the good burgers of the city have painted images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary on walls to dissuade folks from fouling the pavements. According to one spokesperson, "It's one thing to break municipal law. It's another to lack respect for God." The thinking is that the deeply-held religious convictions of the people in this Roman Catholic country will make them think twice about peeing on the Virgin's image.
Already there has been some success in parts of the city. One local officer, Maria Medina, said that "The saints have made a miracle." The aim is to clean up the city so as to increase tourism. But the likelihood is that the pissing Peruvians will simply be replaced by vomiting Visitors who spend all night partying in the bars and clubs, only to recycle everything on the streets. And maybe the miracle of the saints won't work with them.