OK, I'm finally back online. I'm living with my friend Sarah near High Street Kensington and I just finished having a meal with her where I made the Italian-Japanese fusion suicine of Lax Pasta. Good stuff, good stuff. Happy to have remembered it from my days in the Japanese restaurant.
Well folks, I'm have actually physically moved to London. I'm not just here for a visit, I am here to stay!
In 2 weeks time, I will be moving into my Student Hall accomodations. I got accepted into Wells Hall which is like the super-sporty jocks and janes hall. I have never been a sportsman myself, but one of my resolutions on this new academic adventure is to actually be involved in sports for my school. I have decided to apply for the swim team and swim competitively. I believe I have what it takes.
It's a very weird feeling to actually be here in this country. It'll take me about a month I think to get into it. These first 2 weeks will still be more like going on a holiday to a friend's place, so I won't get grounded here in England. Once I get into the school schedule, then I'll feel like I'm finally here.
***
Most of you by now, must have at some point or another, heard of the stabbing and death of the Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. She was stabbed around 4pm in the afternoon in NK (Nordiska Kompagniet). NK has a very close analogue in the West Coast based US department store Nordstroms. Basically it's a very upper-class and luxury-class department store, therefore lots of security and cameras and they only managed to get one vague photo of the guy!
Personally I'm very confused. Anna Lindh was never connected to any major conspiracy or political goal. She was a nice person yes, but pretty unremarkable in her influence and power. She was pro-Euro but then, so were plenty of other politicians. She was slated to be the next Prime Minister of Sweden and therefore leader of the Social Democrats, ruling party in Sweden.
Here are some historical factoids. She was stabbed on the afternoon of the 10th of September, but died early in the morning of Spetember 11th, tying her name to the Twin Towers tragedy. This also ties her to the assassination of Alliende, democratically-elected marxist leader of Chile and replaced by the puppet Pinochet.
Her death comes 17 years after the last murder of a Swedish politician, Prime Minister Olof Palme, in 1986. Now Olof Palme had many reasons to be a thorn in someone's side. Not many people will know this, but early in his political career, Olof Palme personally protested against the Vietnam War, walking up and down in front of the US Embassy himself. He made enemies in Kurdistan and the Middle East for reasons I am not clear about.
Perhaps most interesting about Olof Palme was something I did not know until recently. Olof Palme was apparently slated to be the next Secretary-General of the UN. It was said that although the Western world in general was very subdued at his death, small villages in Asia and Africa reacted with a sorrowful vigour.
They have never fouund out why he was killed nor who killed him. It remains an unsolved case today.
I must say now that I am personally disgusted at CNN for immediately splashing the word 'ASSASSINATION' without any real proof.
I am personally disgusted at Swedes and some human beings in general for their reaction to Anna Lindh's murder. On television a woman was interviewed and asked about her decision on the Euro and Anna Lindh, here is the paraphrase: "I was going to vote no, but now I will vote yes so the bad guys won't win."
Bad guys? What fucking bad guys?
Fortunately, at last check, the question of the Euro was really very 50-50.
As for me, I voted no. Sweden is doing fine, there is no need to rush into monetary union.
***
How's this for a difference in culture. I've gone to school in Seattle, In a nation where it is illegal to possess or drink alcohol under 21 years of age. Now in the many student halls provided on the campuses of most Universities here in the UK, each Student Hall comes complete with it's own bar! I'll be staying at Wells Hall who's staffed private bar is called Tony's!
Now tell me how jealous you are!
***
Happy to be back. Hope you've all been good.
Well folks, I'm have actually physically moved to London. I'm not just here for a visit, I am here to stay!
In 2 weeks time, I will be moving into my Student Hall accomodations. I got accepted into Wells Hall which is like the super-sporty jocks and janes hall. I have never been a sportsman myself, but one of my resolutions on this new academic adventure is to actually be involved in sports for my school. I have decided to apply for the swim team and swim competitively. I believe I have what it takes.
It's a very weird feeling to actually be here in this country. It'll take me about a month I think to get into it. These first 2 weeks will still be more like going on a holiday to a friend's place, so I won't get grounded here in England. Once I get into the school schedule, then I'll feel like I'm finally here.
***
Most of you by now, must have at some point or another, heard of the stabbing and death of the Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. She was stabbed around 4pm in the afternoon in NK (Nordiska Kompagniet). NK has a very close analogue in the West Coast based US department store Nordstroms. Basically it's a very upper-class and luxury-class department store, therefore lots of security and cameras and they only managed to get one vague photo of the guy!
Personally I'm very confused. Anna Lindh was never connected to any major conspiracy or political goal. She was a nice person yes, but pretty unremarkable in her influence and power. She was pro-Euro but then, so were plenty of other politicians. She was slated to be the next Prime Minister of Sweden and therefore leader of the Social Democrats, ruling party in Sweden.
Here are some historical factoids. She was stabbed on the afternoon of the 10th of September, but died early in the morning of Spetember 11th, tying her name to the Twin Towers tragedy. This also ties her to the assassination of Alliende, democratically-elected marxist leader of Chile and replaced by the puppet Pinochet.
Her death comes 17 years after the last murder of a Swedish politician, Prime Minister Olof Palme, in 1986. Now Olof Palme had many reasons to be a thorn in someone's side. Not many people will know this, but early in his political career, Olof Palme personally protested against the Vietnam War, walking up and down in front of the US Embassy himself. He made enemies in Kurdistan and the Middle East for reasons I am not clear about.
Perhaps most interesting about Olof Palme was something I did not know until recently. Olof Palme was apparently slated to be the next Secretary-General of the UN. It was said that although the Western world in general was very subdued at his death, small villages in Asia and Africa reacted with a sorrowful vigour.
They have never fouund out why he was killed nor who killed him. It remains an unsolved case today.
I must say now that I am personally disgusted at CNN for immediately splashing the word 'ASSASSINATION' without any real proof.
I am personally disgusted at Swedes and some human beings in general for their reaction to Anna Lindh's murder. On television a woman was interviewed and asked about her decision on the Euro and Anna Lindh, here is the paraphrase: "I was going to vote no, but now I will vote yes so the bad guys won't win."
Bad guys? What fucking bad guys?
Fortunately, at last check, the question of the Euro was really very 50-50.
As for me, I voted no. Sweden is doing fine, there is no need to rush into monetary union.
***
How's this for a difference in culture. I've gone to school in Seattle, In a nation where it is illegal to possess or drink alcohol under 21 years of age. Now in the many student halls provided on the campuses of most Universities here in the UK, each Student Hall comes complete with it's own bar! I'll be staying at Wells Hall who's staffed private bar is called Tony's!
Now tell me how jealous you are!
***
Happy to be back. Hope you've all been good.
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
Uni bars are great, dirt cheap compared to a regular boozer, close to your digs and full of new people to meet. I rather liked the one at Brunel where my girlfriend goes. Pity I detest the surrounding area though.
Don't worry if you don't know your way around too much, I've lived here for over 20 years and only know the North, North West, West End and Old City really well. It's a pretty big place (un)fortunately. More meet ups are being planned so we'll meet soon hopefully, there's an all day gig in Camden soon as well. Lots of possibilities. Have fun