I'm walking home, it's an average day, something draws my attention. A squirrel is running right in front me, crossing my path. It looks up at me, stops briefly, and carries on, not at all afraid of me!

The squirrel is of course not red, not like it should be, on this island that I live on. Oh, no it's a grey (American) squirrel. They are stronger and bigger than the reds, I remember, so have driven them aways from this land. I believe it's probably up in Yorkshire where the reds still live. Actually, it's not just their Americanism that's a problem, the Forestry Commission has a policy of containing them, here are some FAQs. And it seems that it's not the warmed up London - due to pollution - that causes their lack of their hibernation, it's just the way they are...

So, I wonder about what else is American about life here. My first thought is of the numbers games. I remember as a child, rich people had milliards, notbillions, there were no billionaires. Now, that really is due to Americans. Although they like and have biggers houses, cars and roads, not to mention food portions, their billion only has 9 zeros, not 12 like everyone else. Somehow, they've decided their wealth and measures can be smaller. So, in reality Bill Gates' money, does not have 12 zeros in front of it, that would be absurd. Wall Street likes to have billions quoted. Here's a site explaining the difference between British and US numbers, but the British numbers happen to be internationally used, except for in the USA.

Many other American things pop to mind:
  1. Yes, I walked past a McDonald's, no surprise there.
  2. I also walked past an HMV, full of Hollywood films, and American singers' CDs, then there was TK Maxx. Starbucks happens to be on the other side of the road, while I can smell Subway from 100 meters away. Oh, and there's the Burger King.
  3. Some of the cars were Fords, but many were European.
  4. I don't know much on botany, but wonder if the oaks are American.
  5. American cockroaches, although not visible on my walk, do live here aplenty.
  6. The Economist magazine waiting for me at home, focuses mostly on America, the world's only super power at this time.
  7. The news is dominated (still) by the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 - not that their attempt in Afghanistan two years earlier has been a success or finished...
  8. And they threaten more invasions and sanctions on those against them, especially if they have oil. Watch out Iran and Venezuela.
  9. Of course, highly relevant and annoyingly their sub-prime mortgage lendings are affectin my economy, my personal economy even. I saved and didn't borrow beyond my means, but that's just NOT enough. American banks taking risks have been taking it for me. THANKS FOR NOTHING.
  10. Must not forget this - American religious fundamentalism, be it Christian or Jewish has made my world dangerous again. Would almost have been better if the Soviet Union exited, at least then they didn't have to invent an invisible enemy in some bearded idiots. Nor were those bearded idiots worried about blowing anybody up, except for when the Israelis continued taking their land.
I do not by any means appreciate my life being ruled by the US of A, and given I have no choice (for even if I live in Iran, the US would be a big factor - mostly negative - in my life), I want to be allowed to vote for their president. She or he will and does rule the world in this generation, and certainly it's no democracy if we - her or his non-US citizen subjects - cannot at least vote for s/he.
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An idiot in France has killed a number of "his enemies", which include children as revenge for children in another part of the world that he probably knows NOTHING about. It is an absolute disgrace and VERY VERY sad.

He is of Algerian origin, influenced by Afghan-based, Saudi-financed idiots. He calls himself a muslim and wants to avenge muslim children who were "murdered" by jews in Israel. FOR GOODNESS SAKE - this is just a mad man. He could also have said he is from the dark-side and would kill all those who wear blue light-sabres. Or he could be a white man from Oslo who kills anyone socialist or brown or ... or....

BUT, we know what will happen now. Marie Le Pen has started it already.

11 months since I last wrote here. There has been and is so much that I want to say and that occupies my mind!

Where do I start, no continue? Okay, in stream of consciousness.

The Arabic spring

Actually I don't know what spring in Arabic is, will have to look it up. It has had some success, much uncertainty and a long way to go. BUT, well done people of these lands. You are making yourselves heard.

Neo-Nazi terror in Germany

This so-called cell of three.

It is a long time since I wrote. In this time I have been growing my second baby, and I guess that is the reason that I have not been busy with other things. There are still 3 months to go, but I cannot avoid what is going on in the area where I kind of originate from, i.e. Mid East/North Africa. This is especially true as I was in Israel for a visit just a month ago.

My first thoughts as I got on my Lufthansa flight back to Germany were "The people here are all mad".

30 years ago it started. 8 year it lasted. It effects will be felt, echoed for many decades still to come.

It put fear in the hearts of millions, cost millions of lives and unbelievable amounts of money of course.

I remember so much fear during the 8 years. It seemed never ending and was the worst thing that can happen to one. Although I saw direct effects far more rarely than those in the south and west, it did and would not stop. It went on and on. For no reason whatsoever.

What is an -ism?

It is a suffix that describes an ideology. Known examples are: Communism, Imperialism, Capitalism, Fascism, Feudalism, Federalism, Optimism, Sexism, Ageism, Judaism, etc. etc.

Another - new-ish -ism

A relatively new -ism is however the ideology that makes Islam (a religion) into a political movement. This is not necessarily a new idea, the caliphate of Islam already existed centuries ago, but the introduction of it to the wide world is new.

Once an immigrant, always an immigrant? Or does this not make any sense? In my case, however it is true. Here I want to put my point of view of immigration across. I am not going to address the whole issue of what a host country should do, how they should prepare for integration or ejection of the immigrants, etc. but how I have gone through it, my personal experience. This is obviously a short summary of the whole deal.

I became an immigrant for the first time at the age of 3.5.

Just eating my lunch, thought again of my theory... The last shah of Iran is not dead, look he is here. Don't believe me, here was the Shah. They are look-a-likes, one has to admit.

How living beings share the sun's light

The light that reaches the earth from the sun changes mostly into warmth and sooner or later leaves our globe. The sun's energy has become the life-giving current, which all take a part of. (Gottfried Schatz, Neue Zurcher Zeitung, 2.11.2009) Translation by Maryam Yahiaoui-Doktor

"The sun rose in Paderborn, with very peevish gesture. She had to indeed carry out an annoying deed.

A poem from Ghadeh Alsaman

An able poet from Syria

If you come to my home, bring me a pencil, a black pencil;

I want to draw a line on my face, so I won't be caged for the crime of beauty, also a cross on my heart so I won't be tempted!

Give me an eraser for erasing the lips, I don't want anyone to blacken me due to their redness.

A shovel, so I uproot my feminine virtues, sow my being... without these is heaven's way easier.

No, I don't mean capitalism gone out of control, but brutality. In Iran a 21 year old man was today killed, because at the age of 17 he had stabbed someone to death. The family of the original victim came to watch the murderer die, and were allowed to also stab him. The mother went along.
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