Old civil and social institutions are often full of traditions and ritual; old ideas. It's much easier for young people to look at them and just assume them to be irrelevant than bother to infiltrate them and influence positive change. Too often its only the vitality of youth and the will to change that's required to turn them into profoundly relevant bodies in our modern world.

The secret message communicated to most young people today by the society around them is that they are not needed, that the society will run itself quite nicely until they - at some distant point in the future - will take over the reigns. Yet the fact is that the society is not running itself nicely... because the rest of us need all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can bring to bear down on our difficulties. For society to attempt to solve its desperate problems without the full participation of even very young people is imbecile.

Elinor brings youth and vitality and fresh new ideas. She brings some experience from some large presenting organizations and professional training in arts administration, which I think is a wonderful, wonderful asset.

I was once in a debate about the merits of fighting for homeless people against the merits of fighting for the little creatures at risk in the UK (mice, worms moths et al). The nonsense is that ALL have their own merit and we know from the ludicrous money lost by bankers, there is enough wealth to solve all the needs. There is no argument.

You need to be quiet now and stop wasting our air.

The pragmatic solutions to almost any situation or problem is what endears me to the Thai people.