MaYa D on life

Where to continue

2012-01-05T03:30:00.000-08:00

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. What were they up to and why did they get away with it? I think we may never really know, but hey closing the right eye to look only to the left and at the new Islamism (which side is that on actually?) was probably the wrong thing. I doubt here in Germany anything like the horror of over 70 years ago will happen again, but best be awake, aware with all eyes open, and borrow some for the back of the head.

Having another small on in the family
She has now slept through two nights in a row, each over 10 hours. Hoping this will continue. Well done little one. Unbelievably over 7 months already.

Iran, Iran
Nuclear weapons or not, this regime must change. It is getting nowhere. What will come is of course debatable and perhaps not the ideal democracy. But, hope never dies or is the last to die. So, lets go!

NO more nuclear energy (well, new) in Germany
Mrs. Merkel may always be unsure, but this was right, even if it was really just turning back the clock on a previous decision. Still, it is the result in this case that counts.

PhD
Coming along SLOOOOWLY.

Expensive Gold
What a surprise! Not! This and all other significant things have their price ups and downs.

Financial crisis
Until the media report on it, it will continue. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If all media say that shares are tumbling then they will... AND these rating agencies, where were they when this all started? They think they are gods of capitalism, I think.

okay, all for now. getting worked up. will write sooner next time.

Revolutions everywhere

2011-02-22T06:32:00.000-08:00

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". And I of course did not mean any individual, but the systems that make the region a troublesome one. Even the democratic Israel has many internal problems, which make living there also far below the European standards.

So, these thoughts obviously did not affect only me. The people of so many countries are finally rising. It is the first time that they are standing up to their own countrymen and not colonialists for many of them. Well done to them first of all. It is tragic and high prices are being paid, but WELL DONE. I am so far removed that I can do almost nothing but to watch in awe.

I do not really know how best to even start on this subject and tackle my blog. I will just let my stream of consciousness take over. It usually knows best. I will first mention my first and foremost thought.

All the Arab lands that are revolting should hope the big father moves as it is behind many issues and problems. That is the big rich father, Saudi Arabia. Nothing is happening there yet, and why not? Not because life is great, but because the ruling family is rich and POWERFUL. It supports many radical groups (officially and not) and has paid for wars (Iraq v Iran) and would do so again. IT is the problem to tackle before anyone else like waanabe Iran. I have a list of countries to make it easier to handle writing the thoughts.

Egypt
This ancient land is seen as Arabic of course, but is where much of the world's civilisation comes from. It enjoyed some time of pro-Egyptian and national thinking until Hosni Mobarak came. HM was rather worried about the Islamic movement and made it his excuse to suppress the people and succeeded. He and his regime persecuted gays, but did not do much to increase education among the masses of their huge population. He had to go, let us hope the military will not simply keep people suppressed, but will allow them freedom. And I mean ALL of the people, although the name Muslim brotherhood sends shudders down my spine. But, if that is what the people want, not allowing them it will cause more long term problems. Just look at not far away Algeria!

Tunisia
They started the revolution - for all the right reasons. After the colonialists went, why should a fellow countrymen colonise them? The corrupt head of state has gone, but where to? Haha, Saudi. Yes, my theory warms up. Tunisia had some golden moments and can have them again. Democracy is what they want and should get. Without oil wealth to spoil things, they should do well.

Algeria
Oh, dear oh dear. What has Algeria not tried in the last 50 years? Monarchy. Otherwise, colonialism, revolution, nationalism, communism/socialism, semi-democracy, islamism, militarism, democracy, semi-democracy and now again semi-revolution. Sadly, lots of wealth (not for the individual people) corrupts all at the top. The winners stay the same, an elite connected to the army.

Libya
As I write the most tragic of the cases. Gaddafi the first and his son are quashing every protest extremely violently. Where will it end? Even the police in Algeria was a bit less brutal. Again the national income corrupts and disrupts. Is there hope? I think Gaddafi will go soon, but what will become of the country? Chaos I think.

Morocco
Still only minimal protests. The king is the head of everything and along with his father has managed to quash many voices, from islamic to democratic to ex-friends'. Nothing much will change here in the near future.

Bahrain
Uprisings are not new, just newly widely reported. The structure is in need of great upgrade if Bahrain wants to survive. The majority needs a voice. The king will have to give in.

Iran
Long and complex issues. But, the end of this regime is near. Democracy can be the replacement. The people are ready for that.

Yemen
The president has already said he is going, but the neighbour Saudi has far too much influence here.

The list I have not tackled includes Oman, UAE, Lebanon and Syria. They are themselves lots of other stories, with probably little change coming soon.

On the anniversary

2010-09-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

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. I hated every minute and can tell far too many negative experiences about it. (later later Bloggies)

I just want to commemorate or note this day somehow. 30 years ago!!!!!!!!!!! Iraq attacked Iran and a war was waged for EIGHT long long years. I can only wish for peace. I can only be a pacifist. That IS all.

-ism, a new one...

2010-09-22T00:17:00.000-07:00

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. I however am afraid that this particular -ism although disguised under a different name, is actually a better known and experienced one. Islamism is turning out to be nothing but fascism lurking under the robes of a mullah or an imam.

Fascism tends to march around in boots. In case of Islamism, the leaders march around in long robes, while the boots support them. The fascists in Italy may have looked for "superior racial qualities", the Islamist tend to look for "superior expressions of belief". One could be of any race, colour or even gender, as long as one dresses and behaves accordingly to belong to this club.

What is happening in Iran today, is a perfect example of what I allude to. Over 31 years ago, a bunch of lefties (communist, socialist, Islamic socialist) came together with a bunch of nationalists and some Islamists, supported by the naive liberals or democrats who missed the signs and turned a large, rich land to the new Fascism. My discussion is not about whether or not the monarchy worked or deserved to stay. It is water under the bridge. But, what is important is to look at today and what the future might bring.

What is true is that today, the Islamic-fascistic elements in Iran are simply filling up the prisons and filling up their pocket with the petrodollars. They find any excuse to do this. One second, the opposition is being arrested, one second a woman with a thin headscarf, another moment a journalist who may have take a photo that shows it is not all bliss. This extremism that is going on today, is about as bad as the second year after the revolution, and some ten years then after. It is being carried out somewhat systematically, with disastrous consequences.

It is causing the brains to drain faster where they can or rot in prison where they can't. Those outside who may have brought business with them do not dare enter. Foreigners are isolating the land and leaving it to itself. Natural resources are wasted, bogus industries are growing and the armoury ever more expanding. Friends of yesterday (read Russia) are turning into foes.

It sound like Germany and Italy towards the end of their fascistic eras. The organisation of the system is nothing like Germany, but perhaps the chaos a bit like Italy. Even at the top nobody holds a clear position.

This can all mean only one thing: The end is near. (what the replacement is - is a whole other question)

Immigration - point of view of one immigrant

2010-09-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

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. I moved back to the country I was born in, but I was an immigrant for sure. I had already by this age moved countries to live in some 3 times. However, this one move back, the immigration, was just as traumatic and exciting as immigration might be for a 30 year old person going somewhere they have no previous relationship with.

I call this move immigration, because I moved from my home, friends and family to a place where I didn't know anybody yet, even my family. I stopped living on the sunny shores of the Mediterranean, where I was able to walk to the beach any time, run around without much care and learn rude words that mum did not yet know!

Just like all immigrants, I left behind the food I knew, the baguettes, the croissants and the like to learn to eat a new type of bread - flat bread. I left behind a high consumption of fish in my food for where fish was eaten on average once a year. I left a socialist country for what was then a monarchy. The latter I did not understand exactly at the point of my move, but had a lot of meaning later on.

When we moved, there was expected first the shock, that of the change of language, although I understood and spoke this already. Actually, even for those who go from UK to USA this is an issue I believe. In my case, everybody was able to babble in mine and mum's language, but nobody understood the language of where I came from!!!! Heck, what was going on? Okay, this was strange, but there was more to come.

The next morning, the breakfast did not consist of MY breakfast, but of what the locals ate. Hmm, the bread was flat and there were these white big pieces of cheese! People drank their tea in little glasses with sugar cubes. And if you wanted to have fun, and your tea was really hot, you could pour it in the saucer and blow on it and drink it out of there. AND you drank LOTS of tea, from a samovar. Ok, so far actually so good, I could make a mess and the bread and cheese tasted good. I even took one called sangak (little stone) from the kitchen and put it in our still unpacked suitcase. I was not sure we were staying. The sugar cubes were a god sent. Even better than chocolate really...

I call this move an immigration, because I needed to adjust to be able to survive. I was not going back home, but making a new one. I was to belong to a new set of people with their cultures and rules. So, the best thing to do was to adapt. I did this very quickly, given my age, and some pre knowledge due to my mother. However, even some ten year later, when I left this home, I felt a little like an outsider.

I still did not understand some things. I did not get used to the way one could just say so much that they did not mean, in compliments, how it was at all important that a boy and girl might play together or talk to each other. I did not understand or accept how "foreigners" were seen to be cold and quite disliked by some. After all, I was also partly foreign... The war, the still revolutionary atmosphere and the closed borders did not make me feel any better. They made me wish I could leave actually.

Finally I did get the chance to move to a new home land. With the bravery and efforts of my mother, we left for a free land, where we could live without the fear of war, oppression, revolutions and so on. Despite its weather the new island home was what I had wished for. The first day we arrived back there (I had lived there before) was cloudy, humid and warm, but I still wondered whether I could ever have any new wishes. I was so satisfied and happy, that I felt the lack of NOTHING.

This particular euphoria lasted a long while, at least several months, until I learned what a Walkman was! I wondered at this new wish and did not know how I could possibly have a new wish. Of course that was normal, and not forbidden, I could have new "needs", but they were not comparable with the need to live free of fear and oppression, without the constant threats that war presents.

My new home was of course also not perfect and even I sometimes complained about it. But, I adapted and met the new cultural "challenges" head on. So much so that within a short time (and on time) I was able to study at one of its best universities, speak the language better than many natives with a good native accent. I did not perfect everything to match, and there was a lot that I had to learn, but it took a long time before the wonders of adjustment bothered me. Actually, it was the stress that got to me so I wished for a new horizon. I could no longer stand living in such a huge city.

In this home I was one of the untypical immigrants. I was/am highly educated, always worked and therefore paid a lot of taxes, did not have zillions of children and did not burden the social system. This for me is what immigration was about, choosing a better land to live in (for personal reasons, whatever they may be) and realistically trying to adapt to the host country to the degree where one is no longer an outsider, but part of the makeup of its society. After all, it was the least I could do, as I now had been given all the same opportunities everyone else enjoyed.

Very much aware of this and actually quite happy, it was time to do this immigration thing one more time. Perhaps actually for the last time. After lots of thought, consideration and reflection, making lists of pros and cons and drawing up a shortlist, it was time to choose the new land and move there. The continent was an obvious choice away from the island, and given the circumstances, the continent's (union's) biggest economy was the way and place to go.

Again, adaptation and acceptance of the fact that I as the newcomer have to do more to fit in was and is essential. Otherwise, it would be better to stay where I was or just go elsewhere. Learning the new language was essential, expecting some adjustments and new experiences, and willingness to learn how to do things their way was on my mind. I was there to build a new life and a new life needed effort from me.

And how is it going? So far so good, although my accent is not yet perfect and there are words that I still need to learn. (It is not even three years yet.) I will always look like I come from foreign lands here, and may not manage a perfect neutral accent, but I imagine I will be accepted as part of the fabric of society. (Actually, this is already the case, as I already work here.)

The essence and reason of my blog and telling this little story? In my view if one chooses (irrelevant what the reason is and how long one thinks one would stay away so to speak) to move to a new home land one must be prepared for adjustments, adaptation and maybe even some sacrifices. The hosts may also adapt in time if this is a mass immigration of some kind, but they are the ones at HOME. The new home of the immigrants will have good and bad points, these come in one big package. I guess what I am really also saying is that life is what you make it.

An after thought

I forgot to mention the bread after the first immigration. Sadly, bread on the island was nothing to write to any home about! But, for sure this latest move has brought with it a wonderful choice of bread!

Quick lunch time blog

2010-02-24T03:34:00.000-08:00

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.

(I couldn't copy the photos, copy right you know.)

The life giving ray

2009-11-06T05:39:00.000-08:00

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. To light the dumb earth." - with these words from "Germany - a winter fable" Heinrich Heiner gives our earth an overly enlarged significance, even though in his bitter verses he had little else left for her. The sun pours only one tenth of a milliard of its light towards us - and more than a half of that is swallowed up or reflected back to space by our atmosphere.

Every square meter of the earth's surface receives on average only around 1700 Kilo Calories of energy in the form of visible light per year. Most of this turns into heat and sooner or later leaves the earth again as Infrared rays.

Man cannot eat light

However, single-celled organisms managed already around four million years ago, to capture a small part of this light energy and live from it. Soon other beings learned to feed themselves on this organisms and therefore indirectly from the sun. The sun's energy would become a life-giving rays, whose countless ramifications feed the various of life on our planet. This ray is denied only the original single-celled organisms, who live deep under the surface of the earth or around volcanoes, and use geochemical processes as their energy source.

Energy is the ability to perform work. It cannot be created or destroyed, but only change from one form to another: from light to heat, from movement to electrical current - and from this to almost all other forms. the Kilo Calorie ist officially an outmoded unit for energy, but still usable in public. A Kilo Calorie can warm up one litre of water by one degree celcius - and support a walk of 13 metres or life for one minute. Under the false sign of "Calorie" countless people suffer to burn these off and strive for the bizarre slim ideal.

So much that we also enjoy the warming light of the sun - it cannot feed us directly. Every hungry tropics inhabitant is a modern Tantalus. Only plants and photosynthesising single-organisms with the magic wand of light are able to turn carbon dioxide and water into organic biomass. These deliver fuel for plant-eaters, for the fire of their cells' breathing and therefore energy for living. For the plant-eater this type of parasitism is expensive: they can use around a tenth of the light energy saved in plants for their own biomass. This is because they need energy to move and hold their temperature and chemical balance of their body constant. Therefore a kilogramme of plant nutrition often offers fewer calories than a hundred grammes of meat. The energy need of predators is even larger, because they use a lot of energy to travel long distances to hunt their prey.

The seepage of the sun's energy in this food chain is dramatic. In the free nature, plants save - in the normal fun of their lives - only a half percent of of the sun's energy they receive as biomass, while plant-eaters around one hundreth of a percent and predators another ten times less. Therefore we know such large herds of reindeer or antilopes, but not of tigers or leopards. It is even worse for animals that prey or feed on other predators. A predator who mostly eats leopards has to put itself so far back in the queue of sun's light that it could never increase its numbers. It is therefore no wonder that the leopard has no natural enemies. These remorseless rules of the food chain go also for us humans. Every one of us must take around 700 000 Kilo Calories of chemical energy in the form of food, in order to lead a normal and healthy life. As vegetarians the residents of Zurich could feed themselves with less than a hundred square kilometer agricultural land, while with a pure meat diet the neede land would be - and the price of the food - around five to ten times as much.

Cultures, genes

The strive for the sun's energy has also affected the development of man's culture. As hunter gatherers our nomadish ancestors had to cross long ways in order to ensure they got their share of the sun's energy. Agriculture and intensive domestication of animals allowed them to travel less, settle, establish cities and develope a higher culture. In order to produce evermore nutrition from smaller land masses, we use mighty amounts of water, artificial fertilizers, pesticides and crude oil. In order to gain one Kilo Calorie of nutrition, we often have to burn one Kilo Calorie of crude oil. Our industrial food production has become a grotesque machine that feeds on oil.

Our genes also aid us in our search for energy from the sun. An example are two closely related Ariaal-Sippen of Kenya. One group are nomadish stock breeders in the mountains and the other settled farmers living in low lands. A rare gene that brings out aggression, lack of concentrationm impluse and hyperactivity in humans is found mostly in the nomadish group in the well-fed and muscular, whereas in the settled farmers, mostly in the under-nourished and weaker-muscled men. This suggest that this gene variety is an advantage for nomads and the other way around a disadvantage for the settled farmers. Being implusive, ready to attack and the ability to react quickly can help nomads to defend their herds, find new grazing land or as children learn life's necessities in a life on the move - and ensure they get enough nutrition. In a village community these characteristics would be a hindrance.

Nuclear fusion?

We humans have come forward in our waiting list for the sun's energy: with the taming of fire we tapped into energy from the sun that light-using beings had saved over years or even millions of years. And with wind and water mills, solar cells and solar energy farms we jumped to the top of the queue. However, first spliting teh atom gave us access to energy that is not from our sun. Perhaps one day we will succeed in making an artificial sun from splitting atoms in fusion reactors. This would give us warmth and electricity on our dumb earth, but not enough light. The life-giving rays of the natural sun light can never be replaced.

2009-11-05T03:14:00.000-08:00

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.
Give me a razor to shave my hair off and air my head, and to think some without head cover.
Give me thread and needle, for my tongue. I want... to sew it to my mouth... this way are my cries quieter.
Don't forget the scissors, I want to censor my thoughts!
I also need washing powder to wash my brain!
When I've washed my brain to hang it on the line so the wind can take my marks to where the Arab threw his flute.
Do you know? One should be realistic! If you find a silencer, also take it!
I want to shut my sobs in my throat when they beat me as a prostitute for the crime of love and choice.
I want a copy of my identity, to, so when the religious brothers and sisters swear at me and humiliate me in the name of preaching, I can remember who I am.
Pray to god... if you see they sell rights somewhere, buy some for me, so I can mix it with my food and deny me them before others do.
Finally, if you get some money, buy me a sign to hang on my neck... and I'll write on it in large letters:

I AM HUMAN! I AM STILL HUMAN, I AM A HUMAN EVERYDAY.

Capital Punishment

2009-10-16T02:22:00.000-07:00

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.

How disgusting is this? What is wrong with this?

The man was a minor at the time of the act.
The mother of the murderer has now also killed.
Death does not fix the original death.
This does not deter anyone else from doing the same.

Why isn't the UN, the world, doing something to stop capital punishment. It should NOT be legal anywhere.

What's in a two letter word?

2009-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Es is the 19th letter of many languages.
Es means "are" in French and "is" in Spanish.
Es means "it" in German.
But, in French est also means "is".
So, writing my German essay in my exam today, I caught myself, my mistake. I had est where es belonged. Who know what else I've written, or for oder? Water for Wasser? I do hope not.

I may start a campaign for unifiying European languages... ;-)

Revolution.

2009-02-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

REVOLUTION

How revolting, revolving, what is this revolution thing about? Here's a definition. Now, the firstdefintion is probably good enough to get us going:

Possibly violent change/overthrow/rejection of a government/regime by its subjects. We've seen ithappen soooo many times in history and when did it ever work properly?

People of Britainviolently removed their king (including his head from his body), only to restore power to his sonsome years later, albeit he had to listen a little bit more to the parliament, who were still the nobelsand sons of nobels that served father king. Then there was the French revolution, hmm, let's say no more about Napoleon Bonaparte, except that he was a tyrant who made a world war, but is still remembered as the French Emperor of all times. Okay, the Russian revolution, hmm, where did it get to? Yes, the serfs overthrew the Tsar, but who killed millions of the serfs and their countrymen? The devoted communists Lenin & Stalin just to start with.

I'm running out of breath, so will just point at Cuba quickly before my main target. This beautiful island is a mess, isolated, has no economy, but is still proud of its revolution. Just as is Iran, the Islamic Republic is proud. 30 years today since the revolution that allowed it to germinate. Hmm, yes independence from the USA was brought on by Socio/Communist Islamist students, who then lost the power to the current rulers. Did they even think about what they were doing? The last bloke was not happily a puppet of the US, he chose sides for a reason, didn't want to be swallowed up by the big BAD Soviet Union, too right. And let us remember even the old dog UK has to suckle on mama USA. It's the way it is in today's world.

So, answer me this people of the previous generation in Iran. What was wrong with your lives, so drastically wrong, that you couldn't solve by dialogue and without revolution? Were you upset Iran had not been invaded for centuries, and hadn't lost its young men to stupid wars? Were you upset its economy was on the way up? Were you upset that its population was sustainble, and had better hopes for the future than most of its peers? Did you want your young to die or leave the country? Well, if you did, here you are, it's all there. WELL done.

Felipe Scolari sacked - Tony Adams sacked...

2009-02-09T11:38:00.001-08:00

FOOTBALL MANAGERS SACKED

What is this about changing managers every three minutes? My club (Spurs) does it, even Chelsea does it. The most successful club/manager in England are whom? OH, Man U, and how long have they held onto their manager? Yes, 20+ years. Hmm, put two and two together people!!!!

And while I'm here: three jobs to recommend to my child to seek: Football manager, politician or banker. No matter how crap they are or what mistake they make, sacking means nothing, they get a job within minutes or if not, then BIG bonuses they received while they were crap helps...

Sharon - seedless & sweet (Product of Israel)

2009-02-08T06:37:00.000-08:00

Sharon - seedless & sweet (Product of Israel)

No, no, not the fat old prime minister (is he still alive? I don't care to look it up.)

I was about to wash my Sharon fruit - Persimmon that I saw this on a sticker and giggled. Well, Ariel Sharon was certainly not sweet, and probably has kids. What this did make me do was look up what this fruit is about, and it's certainly no native of the disputed lands. Luckily this land is so furtile that it can grow ANYthing, including hatred, stupidity and wars.

What is my point? Only that I thought and rethought several times before I bought and then later ate this fruit. Would my boycotting products from Israel make a dent on their economy, make them think twice about wars and help anything? Hmm, I thought not. Just look at the sanctions against Iran, all they've brought about are poorer people and a more determined and stupid government.

So, what is the solution? I don't really know if anything but education helps. When everone is well-informed (educated) they can hopefully see other points of view and understand one another. Maybe. Well, I hope so. We should perhaps be looking to set up more schools, more educational charities, and free this wonderful medium of the internet for the world to use...

Rich men ruin world - again!!!

2008-12-02T03:21:00.000-08:00

Oh, how my fuse is about to blow about this "finance crisis".
First of all, I'd like to know if it's a crisis, a blip or a total melt down of the world as we've known it? I had always thought that money was meaningless, a man made concept, which didn't have any value of its own. However, if I am made to play by certain rules, i.e. have enough of the stuff to buy what I want or to pay for it later for sure, then why did other people get away with not living this way? Who thought it a good idea just lend out money randomly? And who thought it was good to take it and spend it without being able to pay it back? Money does NOT grow on trees.

So, now they've messed up, we're all paying for it having seen none of the benefits. Where did all that money go? In big bosses' pockets? Then make them lend money to the banks or give back their larger-than-life bonuses for goodness' sake. Why should I bail out AIG, RBS, Bayerische Landsbank et al. ?? Those guys were the experts after all.

I want my government(s) to spend my tax money on good things - education, health, environment, social services to name but a few NOT on banks. So, now that they have and I can't change it, I don't want them to brag about capitalism and democracy they way they run it.

The chap in Die Zeit was right. We're now expecting China (and Russia even) to save capitalism. Oh, George Orwell, you were so right. Four legs started to look like two legs, but now two legs are coming off the high and starting to walk on four again!!!

Okay, feel a bit a better now I've vented off.

Don't force me...

2008-09-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Strangely, babies do not sleep "like a baby". I.e. they do not sleep deeply and for long as long as they're tiny babies. They also do not just fall asleep randomly, they need help to sleep.

At least my baby does. So, I thought I'd try to get her to sleep earlier in the evenings, as her natural sleep time is 9.30 pm. Boy, was I wrong to do this? She can fall asleep earlier, but then wakes up only to cry for an hour or sulk, or wakes up in the middle of the night. At least I've learnt one thing these weeks: Dont' force people to do what you want, let them do what they want. Especially babies, as this is the only time they can have any random time to do anything...

Babybjoern - good or bad?

2008-08-25T08:44:00.001-07:00

So, there's attachment pareting to try. But my baby cries in carriers. We've waited around & now at 4 months she can sit a bit forward, hurrah. Happier baby? Well, yes if she could sleep. She's so excited and hungry these days that she sleeps little. Even in her pram she wakes up! She used to always sleep in there!

Today I felt helpless after hours of lying next to her on the bed to keep her calm (doesn't like being alone of course!) I put her face forward in the babybjoern so I could at least walk around at home. After a couple of minutes of moaning, which I realised was because I put her leg in the wrong slot in my panic, I sit at the PC to look up how to get her to sleep and guess what? She's deep asleep right now...

Learning German

2008-07-09T05:02:00.000-07:00

So, living in a new country is always very INTERESTING. Not only due to new culture, views, people, etc. The language is highly important in this integration. Now, I learn a few new words everyday and can communicate more comfortably as a result each day.
However, yesterday walking in the park, I realised how vocabulary is formed by my lifestyle/stage. I was walking with my baby's pram, and wanted to avoid the big slugs who had come out after the rain. Two words I hadn't yet really used, AVOID SLUG, would not come to mind.
This lead me to remember the sort of vocabulary I have learnt since I live here, much about pregnancy, medical questions/history, hospital, babies, baby things to buy, furniture, food everywhere (supermarket, market, restaurant, bakery, etc.), hairdresser, etc. That is indeed varied I'd say, topped up with serious stuff with the Neue Zuecher Zeitung.
Language is amazing.

Oil security - the worse enemy of it are politicians

2008-06-19T04:27:00.000-07:00

So, Bush wants to drill Alaskan wilderness to get oil out. But, hey at the same time, he psuedo-threatens Iran with attacks, so the price of oil goes up. What's he going to do with Nigeria where oil infrastructure is constantly under threat? For example read this.

Maybe he should stop waving his gun about and put a thinking cap on. It is so frustrating this one man (or his successors) will essentially fully rule our lives. The price of my petrol, food and living, also my home security are all under threat, because he's an idiot. I want to be able to vote for a US president, too. I could then NOT elect him...

All things baby

2008-06-18T04:41:00.000-07:00

So, life has been very hectic now for the past 7 weeks. My baby's just that old, and I am learning so much from her. I have already learnt much patience and spontaneity. I have also learned to be much less selfish, more organised and how to read someone else. With her honest behaviour, there are no games to play, and I play no games with her. It is just totally wonderful.

She is beautiful even when she cries. That's her only way of communicating, so I just try to help her through it. When she's happy, her smiles are so honest that make me very happy. She does bring out the best in me, but not really the worst. Even when I'm tired and she doesn't stop crying, it's not forever. I will miss these days of hers when she grows up. I'll always remember them though, how she adores being in my arms.

This brings me to think that I'm now responsible for someone else living on this planet, and boy there's so much that needs fixing on it. I should be more active on that front.

Energy and climate change series – v

2008-04-17T05:34:00.000-07:00

Tax them or let them fight it out amongst themselves

Environmental or Carbon taxes are never popular as people cannot see CO₂, nor the environment, a bit like the wood for the trees on this one, and no tax is ever popular anyhow. So, governments shy away from this type where they can. Britain in the rich world has been particularly shy, reducing its percentage of tax income from environmental taxes by 1.68% 1996-2007¹. This has been despite a labour (new) government who sings the environment song fairly often these days.

The best the new budget of the year could do was to talk about plastic/carrier bags and how they must be reduced, and the government might want to tax them. This is somewhat lame, but even if they did come down and put a proper tax on this, the government must ring fence such a tax for use in tackling climate change. It cannot simply add it to a pool of tax it collects, and then spend it on say a war or nuclear power stations (esp. when it ignored its own white paper on renewable energy).

Most people will not care about this when (if) they vote in the next election, as the downturn in the economy will be far hotter a topic then. But, climate change is not going to go away and is far more serious. People need to think about these matters and demand the right course of action from governments.

In fact, it is down to people to also request it from the private sector. If consumers exercise their choice and pay their hard-earned cash only for green products and think about their use of energy and contribution to climate change, we would be in a different world.

1The Economist - 8^th March 2008 – Hot air

Energy and climate change series – iv

2008-04-17T05:33:00.001-07:00

Good old water

Old ideas sometimes are very good: get your running water to turn the turbine you use to make electricity/flour, etc. Of course, not everywhere is this possible, but we can build up the water and then use its and gravity's force. Not bad, let us do more where we can and it does NOT ruin existing environment. Let us do this and not flood people's villages and farms or disturb local ecosystems.

Free standing turbines could then be the answer. There is at least one recently mentioned as built by OpenHydro, let us look at this more and more. Use the rivers, seas and oceans, why not, as long as they are not blocked up or the wildlife or ecosystem inhibited by the engineering.

The answer to climate change is of course not this alone, but it is convenient in helping on the way to tackling it properly.

(This topic will definitely be revisited.)

Energy and climate change series – iii

2008-04-17T05:28:00.000-07:00

Free energy anyone?

Whoever heard of anything for free? Well, let us see. As hunter gatherers, we had everything for free, it was all just there and we either hunted or gathered it. As for housing, well, there were caves or trees to provide shelter, in the worst case scenario, we could make tools to cut the wood from the trees to make things. Simple, was it not? When man invented the concept of money, then things changed. “Ah, yes, let me dig up this black liquid from the ground and sell it to you so you can burn it. No, don't worry, the free source of energy doesn't exist.”

We fell for this, and thought burning oil (gas, coal or of course wood before that) was the best thing man ever could do, we forgot all about the most obvious, the big yellow dot staring down at us, yes the sun's energy.

Yes, silicon's efficiency at turning the sun's rays into electricity is not so high, but the sun shines freely all day long! Perhaps, the key is to make politicians see this, just as once Winston Churchill saw the advantage of oil over coal and therefore his ships ran faster than the German ones, we should open the eyes of the next American president. Hey, Mr/Ms Mc ClinOba, did you know you could make a difference to the world, but in a good way this time? How is about you stop supporting your oil companies at any cost? There is plenty of energy for everyone, let us use that, and you can support other businesses in your country. Let us face it, your economy could hardly get worse than it is today.

In a more serious and calmer tone, one must insist on the sun's energy becoming a serious player. One knows of climate change, the damage digging up oil/gas/coal does to our landscapes, not to mention the problems this causes politically the world over. There are other resources we cannot replace, such as water, iron or aluminium, then why not try to make our own lives easier and use energy, which is there for everyone all the time? We have the technology to do this, be it using silicone or carbon panel, or simply by heating water or air directly by the sun.

Recently, an article in the Economist magazine (March 8^th 2008 – Technology quarterly) caught my eye: “A bag full of sunshine”. Attach solar cells to LED, and voila, you capture light in the day to release at night, and a couple of nifty companies have managed to incorporate these into all kinds of soft materials. Could it be easier? How does this not capture the imagination?

How can one make a difference? Simple, when opportunity arises, switch to solar – through choosing the right electricity company on the grid, adding panels to the roof of one's house/block of flats, and spreading the word.

Energy and climate change series – ii

2008-04-17T05:23:00.000-07:00

Carbon capture and storage (CCS), an answer?

So, the UK is running out of oil AND gas. It has seen decline in its production since 1999. A country that hugely benefited from this (but I must add did nothing like Norway to save its heritage for its future generations – at least something for the Scots whose seas were being dug up) in the way of coming out of its post-war depression and poverty is now facing choices about its energy future.

To make it a little more fun climate change has to be a focus when considering this topic, so here comes an idea to kill several trees with an axe! Capture your CO₂and store it in empty gas and oil holes. Wait, no, nobody said, let's reduce or totally stop our CO₂ production, no indeed that's the right impression, the suggestion is to sweep the dust under the carpet. Maybe the carpet will never move – or it will be somebody else's problem, and one earns merit and money for having cleaned it all up...

I will agree that yes, if there is a power station running on coal still today (many are still being built), then its pollution should be cleaned up. However, in no way is CCS an answer to stopping climate change's catastrophic effects. It goes back to the potato pan, putting an oven hood to take the chips fumes away does not yield more potatoes.

An article in The Economist (Filling all back up again) on 8^th March 2008 points out that the UK government could support this initiative better as a way of reducing climate change. The article points out that other countries such as Germany have already won the race to develop renewable energy technologies ahead of Britain. The author argues CCS could be worth green energy handouts.

I do wish to point out that while CCS could be part of a temporary solution (not an infallible one) to climate change, it is NOT a green energy source. Its fallibilities may yet come to surface. Who know how porous the rocks around the old gas fields are? Is there any guarantee that the CO₂ will not simply find its way into the sea water? Or will the author then propose fizzy water production in the British north sea. Perrier is far more expensive than oil after all.

Energy and climate change series – i

2008-04-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Indeed this is about the sort that we use to make our machines work, in all sorts of ways, to make our lives easier. This is a most fascinating topic and of dire and great consequence in human life. It encompasses so much and touches on so much else around it, that one could say it is as important as food or water (human energy indeed).

The world of money, power, politics and military might would actually be nothing without this source. Our civilisation would be back at its beginnings and we would be hunter gatherers. At the same time, somehow, the ordinary citizen (in developed countries) barely ever has a conscious thought about this topic, how she can best use it and save it – for it is NOT eternal, at least not in the forms that we are currently using it. Anyone can do the calculations – we have say 5 potatoes in the whole world, and decide to eat them all without saving any of the eyes, we will leave none for anyone else, even if we do really really enjoy the chips we just ate. What would we do with all the ketchup then?

Add to the above potato situation that every time we eat a chip, the pan they're fried in gets hotter, such that we risk it melting and pouring molten unforgiving metal onto our skin. But, hey, let's enjoy the chips. Maybe the chef will get burned first, and some clever person elsewhere will find a way of reproducing potatoes synthetically. Or wait, we can then eat our last 5 sweet potatoes in the world in the same way and leave the problem for after that. We may not be around then anyway and our children will not know what onions and potatoes tasted like, so can't possibly miss them.

Granted, I am drawing a silly picture of the entangled web of energy and climate change, but it is about as silly to me that citizens and their leaders are not actually taking any of it really seriously. It takes no genius to work out that if I walk the 3.6 kilometers to work, I save money on fuel and wear and tear to my vehicle, and do not get stuck in traffic and arrive at work fuming myself. At the same time, it again takes no genius to work out that the policy of turning soya beans or maize into fuels for cars is not long term sustainable, what will we and the animals we feed on then eat?

Many questions and topics touch on this, and I intend to not labour them all right here and now, but over a series on this blog site.

On Leipzig

2008-04-17T05:05:00.000-07:00

On Leipzig

So many questions... Penned 2.4.08

The city of Göthe's Faust, the book and trade fairs, not to mention where Napoleon, the emperor the French hold as the symbol of their power finally lost to the Russians and Prussians.

Her streets are wide, her old houses beautiful. The trams roll up and down the main roads, while the side ones sit conjoined looking on.

I wonder what I would hear if bricks and stones could talk. Although they don't all go back 200 years ago, the granite slabs in the pavements have seen so many feet step on them, while the houses have seen builders, occupants, defenders, destroyers, bombs, occupiers, neglect, renovation and new occupants. Of the last 70 years, only 20 have let Leipzig improve, while the others stifled and ruined her and her people.

So far, all I have done is to be an eyewitness of today's Leipzig for a short period of time. She is indeed “not finished”, as my sister-in-law put it to me. Yet, there is much to be discovered by this humble passerby in a city of much history. Whether I will live here 3 or 30 years, my impact will be a small part of the lives and times of the city.

I do wonder at how it might have been 200 years ago here, with its bustling fairs and university. The brain power that stormed through here then was amazing, even if it saw war then. What happened to the people of this city when the Nazis and the Communists clashed to take hold of Germany's reins? Did the Leipzigers also shiver in fear when ally bombs fell, whether from the west of east? Did they celebrate the end of the 2^nd world war, and then wake up to what I always think of a grey and dreary GDR? How did they cope with Stasi agents and lack of plentiful food? When did they decide to not repair their houses? How did they feel when their Monday protests finally bore fruit and took Soviet hold off GDR? How did they feel about their richer cousins in the west? How do they feel now when a whole multi-cultural society has sprouted and many westerners are investing in their town? Are they still leaving here in droves? Will the ones who left return?

Oh, so much I would like to know, but this is just the beginning of my life here, so bear with me.

Good things so far. Penned 7.4.08

Not pretending to know much about this city, but she is fine. Public transport aplenty, it runs 24 hours, and the trams are quick and frequent. Wow, what a relief this is. Although, we won't need it much as we can WALK to the centre in around 10 minutes.

To my relief, there are plenty of things to do other than shopping. When baby comes, she's too little for a zoo, but it's within walking distance, so she can enjoy seeing the animals a little later on. Although in principle I don't feel good about seeing giraffes outside of Africa, and have never willingly gone to zoos, I feel maybe I should give baby a chance to decide if she likes animals. I'm used them mostly on TV, and had a couple of pet cats...

Anyhow, the city has some museums, old churches and other heritage that I can get to know. This is good news. I already visited the two big central churches, Nikolai & Thomas. Their decors and so on are pretty good, and some rich history. Seeing Bach's grave in Thomas Kirche is something. However, I can't actually tell which division of Christianity these might belong to. I guess something else for my long Wikipedia list!

I now need to find a public library or two, so I can have my supply of reading material for the coming months, and make sure my German improves. So far, in a month that I've been in the country, it has improved, but starting on a low speaking basis. Understanding is always easier and comes first.

p.s. It awoke my senses and saddened me at the same time as I walked past Leipzig Tafel. Yes, we must help poor people, but heck I hadn't seen this sort of thing before. I shall have to reflect and respond to this later...

Dare I say it?

2008-01-23T03:31:00.000-08:00

So, this morning I heard on the radio that the people of Gaza made wholes in their western wall and poured out to Egypt - with the help of Hamas. As news reports go, it told most of the story, some bits are to be confirmed, but the essence of the matter, which is that Gazans poured out of their strip for basic necessities is true, and also found here for example.

These poor people - literally for they have no economy left - had to get out if they wanted to get food, fuel or any other supplies. 1.5 million people are surrounded by two walls, built to border Israel and Egypt to keep them in and stop them from doing things the Israelis don't like, e.g. launch rockets at them.

Hmm, somehow, imprisoning 1.5 million people with no provisions, reminds me of something to do with about how 6 million people were treated under a Fascist regime in Europe over 60 years ago. Did victim become aggressor, because it can? Is Gaza a big concentration camp? It chills me to the bone...

These borders walls do not work to stop the rocket attacks, but breed even more trouble and hatred. The little 7 year old who is suffering in Gaza today, can very well turn out to become a suicide bomber or launch numerous rockets at Israel before s/he is killed at a premature age by the same foe. AND it's not because s/he's born a hater of its neighbouring country or its people, NO, these things are bred, by society - both in close proximity and at large...

Energy Security for the future - for us all

2007-11-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

Last week, I went to a lecture at my old college, the famous Imperial College in London on the topic of Energy Security. It was being given by the esteemed Sir Roy Gardner, the current president of the Energy Institute. He was a good presenter, and knew what he wanted to say and how to say. So, thus far good.

But, my disappointment and somewhat outrage came at the content of what he had to say. Whilst this is some 6 days later, I still remember him saying "we are increasing relying on further and more unstable countries for our energy", "we must tackle France and Germany" and that nuclear was the main option!!!!

He barely mentioned any renewables, seemed to barely have thought about the future beyond the next two decades, and thought of nothing but UK energy security. I wonder how someone can be allowed to say these things.

Energy Security is not unique to the UK, especially given it is part of the EU, and a small island on the west of this very entity. Nuclear energy is not environmentally friendly, is expensive and Uranium will also run out one day. NO body thinks the Mid East is currently stable, but hey, who invaded Iraq!?

Why is he (and people like him), not thinking about step change and truly about the future. What is wrong with thinking outside the box and using the free and actually easy to use energies our planet and solar system have provided to us???

Sir Roy and colleagues, please let us younger people have a say. It IS important.

Overwhelmed in supermarkets

2007-11-20T07:21:00.000-08:00

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:

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.
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.
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...
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...
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.
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.
Meat - NOOO! I am going to my local butcher to get this whenever I need some. I can't cope with choosing this stuff.
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.

Now for something personal

2007-11-14T01:20:00.000-08:00

Is it a kick or just some gas? That is the BIG question. Rolling into week 17 of bearing my first one now. It's all exciting and weird. I feel exhausted, look bigger and am most curious about every detail.

Avidly I am reading each week's transformation for it and I. It's mad, it's already a fully formed being, just rather small, some 12 cm tall. Like all other babies, it looks something like this. I will get to see my own once again in 3 weeks' time, when it's half way through. Then it's all very very real, and ever more exciting.

All I can say now is welcome to my world my little one or as we call you کوچولو, pronounced Kouchoulou, little one in Persian!!!

Boots on in Iran!!

2007-10-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

64 years on, and although there is no Joseph Stalin, another strong man of Russia is in Tehran. Back in 1943, Stalin with Roosevelt and Churchill wanted to thwart the threats of Nazi Germany and its allies (متحدین). Back then Iran's oil was of huge importance, as was its strategic position next to Russia and the biggest part of the British empire in India. The thorn in the side was the then Shah, Reza Pahlavi, who resented the European influence in his country, and was rumoured to have sympathy for Aryan Germans. Iran means the land of the Aryans in Persian after all, and is the name that its natives have always used for it.

Anyhow, back then, the conference led to the Shah's displacement with his young son, the allies (متفقین) based themselves in Iran, the crossroad of victory, and there was no more direct Russian influence. With the threatening Soviets next door, US and Britain kept influence, and even military bases in the case of the US in Iran. After the Islamic disaster of a revolution and ousting of the Americans, the Brits remained, especially in the form of oil companies and industry!

Today, with the world order still struggling to shape itself, Iran's oil (and now gas) are hugely important, while the country itself doesn't really follow anyone's political line any more. With a new idealogy of Islamism, it's trying to establish itself as the leader of the world's Muslims. Its nuclear ambitions, peaceful or not, are a side show. Influence, power and military might are more important! So, to this end Vladimir Putin is in Tehran today.

His name (پوتین) in Persian means boots, and he is a strong boot wearing man, even if not physically speaking. It'll be with great interest that the world and I will watch what he'll do and say. Already he is asking the Caspian neighbours of Iran not to let anyone strike it from their bases. He does NOT want war there, no matter what. There's already enough going on in the region.

Will he be using Iran as a card in his cool war against the Americans? Are the Iranians using him as their defence shield in achieving something?

This humble observer thinks both of the above are right, and as Putin is stayin in power after his presidency, he's setting up the region and his world. The Iranians, at least one faction, are relying on Russian protection, as they can't afford sanctions, nor to go to a war.

Wow, it takes a prime minister to tell hospitals how to be bug-free!

2007-09-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, the new PM of Britain, the one not actually elected, just replacing his mate Tony B, must have come up with an amazing revelation. He thought if hospitals were to beat infection, they need to be... wait for it... CLEAN! Who would have thought that hygiene would be necessary anywhere near a hospital? He made big new, here's the BBC's version of it.

So, what I wonder about is why and how could this - a "first world", "developed" country could get to this point, where hospitals are so dirty that the PM has to tell them to clean up!? In my world, where ever I have lived and visited hygiene was important, and the lack of it often leads or led to disease. Surely, this was one of the basics of nursing that Florence Nightingale came up with, a very British lady herself.

Or is there something else at play here? Do the medics, nurses and other hospital staff have no pride in their work? Are they overworked and uderpaid so much that they can't wash their hands or the cleaner to clean the wards?

It scares me and I certainly resent this PM order if it's just to look good for a potentially soon to be held election. Although every election needs an issue, not every issue should be left for election time. Some need to be tackled and solved in between these times.

Perhaps it's all about outsourcing everything to make it cheaper, hence the issues. In which case, the next thing to outsource should be government then. We can get some cheaper MPs into parliament, surely they can't be worse?

I live in the United World of America - or so it seems. Can I vote for the US presidency?

2007-09-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

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:

Yes, I walked past a McDonald's, no surprise there.
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.
Some of the cars were Fords, but many were European.
I don't know much on botany, but wonder if the oaks are American.
American cockroaches, although not visible on my walk, do live here aplenty.
The Economist magazine waiting for me at home, focuses mostly on America, the world's only super power at this time.
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...
And they threaten more invasions and sanctions on those against them, especially if they have oil. Watch out Iran and Venezuela.
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.
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.