Umm. Ummm. This is a bit strange as I didn't come online intending to make my own blog, but I just have, or so it appears. Anyway, I've been meaning to for quite a while, so here it is. Umm. Ummm. No, I'm not a Buddhist, and that would be ommm (or do I mix up my religions?), just not sure what to do next. Actually I'm lucky enough to have been the recipient of a very direct religious experience that's been given the theological nickname of being 'Born Again'- but I don't know how I'd describe it except to say you'd rather be alive with it than without it, even if life is more demanding as a result. That's the kind of fundamental fact people want to hear at the beginning of a blog- why one's here and what one's about (I have a retro thing about this 'one' business which ebbs and flows a bit). Well, this site might contain some of my poetry (definitely others' poems), will definitely contain thoughts about political events- especially the WoT and related issues (just about anything from colonial ills to cultural decline and whatnot.). It will involve some anti-BBC rhetoric, and maybe even some argument. It will take in places I'm involved in or like- for instance the Czech Republic, Spain or Kenya, for reasons that will become clear if you stick around at all. It will no doubt get more organised as I go, and have a lot of interesting links, because variety is a spice I'm more or less addicted to. This Blog doesn't matter, until it does, but then is always free not to matter again. I think that it will be updated daily(ish), because there's always something to say and well, it doesn't matter if it's said well because it doesn't matter, until it does. The name 'Talking Hoarsely' is gimmicky because my name is Ed, and many will have some inkling about a TV programme that starred Ed, the Talking Horse. Since Ed is a name that often seems to amuse people- Edd the duck, Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards and Ed the Horse- I thought I might as well take advantage of one of these irritating things. I've never watched the show or liked it particularly, but I do know that once I start communicating it can be difficult to pull out, rather like this paragraph in fact- hence the 'hoarsely' bit. Oh, I'm British BTW, in case you needed that clearing up for you and you've got this far. Look, I don't know if this is a wise thing to be doing, but here I am doing it...