I hate going to supermarkets anyway, they are dingy, with too much artificial cold light. They turn up their fridges many notches too high, so I have to wear a jacket to go there even in the summer. They are overcrowded, over-priced and over-packaged. However, I must at least at times go to one, as no local markets exist in London, and it's convenient to do one big shop every so often.

I persuade myself every time that it won't be all that bad, just make a list and get out quickly. Hmm, if only that were possible. I don't just mean due to the queues at check out, oh, no. It's the labels and thoughts that go with it. Here is an example of how this happens, I'll present you a simple shopping list of mine and the complexity that I face with it:
  1. Milk - First of all, which level of fat do I want? Whole fat is only 4%, which is the one I usually go for, but for the last few months, my pregnancy has meant I had to reduce that to skimmed or semi-skimmed. Now, look at the choices there, UHT or fresh, in a plastic bottle or Tetrapak. I prefer fresh. So far so good, but which pack? Plastic recycling is more accessible to me, maybe that's what I should get. BUT, BUT, what about storing some UHT boxes at home for emergency. Okay, okay, one of each. Getting there? Oh, no!!! What if the milk comes from somewhere far away and it has many carbon miles on it? Look at the label, and here it is, some are from farms in the same country, but the other side of it, some are from France. Oh, wait, there's one from the closes farms to this megapolis of London. Phew, I can buy some milk now. Go on, must get out of this place, must hurry up.
  2. Bread - Most of the bread is from while flour, not so good. Sliced toasting bread is fairly rank. I want continental nice bread. Yep, some of the baguettes and croissants look good. But, what's with the packaging? Four croissants are put on a tray, then wrapped in plastic, why? Were they promised comfort? Are they some poor animal who needs to protected? Okay, less moaning, choose the loose ones, yes that's better. But, wait, I don't want to come here for bread every day, must find some longer lasting bread for a couple of days' time. All white still... Look, look. Here's one with some brown/rye, but not as good as say German bread. After all, those have too much taste. I sigh and ignore the packaging, and where it comes from. Bread IS a necessity, "take it and move on" I think.
  3. Butter - Hmm, what a dilemma it was to come back to butter. Like milk, the full-fat version is not that fatty. I think it's better than manufactured margarine, but only if eaten in reasonable quantities. What's available? All in these funny packs that have no chance of being reused or recyled, so forget that as a choice. Price is roughly the same for them all, so forget that, too. Oh, SALT, why is most butter salted? I have enough in my daily diet. This reduces the choice to 2 or 3. BUT, wait, two of these come from Normandy, and I bet not by ship or train... I tell myself not to scream, but just pick one with as little salt as possible and get away from this isle, quick. I'm freezing almost. I wish they did have doors or covers for the fridges...
  4. Cheese - Oh, joy and fun. I love all cheeses, and know most nice ones come from France. They are all packed in plastic, and the good ones cost more. So, choices mostly already made in my head, and a conscious decision to go with perhaps more carbon miles for this one "luxury". Calories I can ignore, as the taste is otherwise compromised. Phew, I can just pick any. BUT, wait no. Pregnancy means I can't eat most of the nice ones, mould-ripened or blue are out of the question unless cooked, so no good normally. Of course many others are unpasteurised, so I don't have much hope here. I finally find a couple, but that was about 15 minutes wasted...
  5. Fruit - Oh, I'm tired now. I'll just pick some British apples, hopefully they're okay. Some bananas, miles are far too far, but at least fair trade is reasonable. Oranges? Oh, gosh not from Spain! They have desertified their country for this... I'm getting depressed, quick, don't look and pick. I'm losing the will to live. I compromise my soul and beliefs, choose some fruits and move on.
  6. Veg - Same story as above, but far more local-ish choice, hurrah. Except for tomatoes, from Holland!!! They never saw the sun poor things, but they're a good source of vitamins. Again, lose will to live, pick and move on. Don't waste too much time, it's too close to the fridges.
  7. Meat - NOOO! I am going to my local butcher to get this whenever I need some. I can't cope with choosing this stuff.
  8. Tinned beans - Yes, much easier to choose, no salt and no sugar. Probably from far away, but I really can't think any more.

I don't think I'm the only one feeling this rubbish about it all. Look at this article, apparently there are some concerns we customers want to be concerned. BUT, it does drive me up the wall.

Posted by Unknown
Labels: How many labels do I read????
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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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