New Bag!

I bought a new bag today. Another impulse purchase. Or was it? I've been wanting a new one for a while as my old one is getting a little worn. It fits the bill perfectly. It has room for all my necessary items: camera, phone, umbrella, my iRiver and lots of pockets and zip-ups.

I carry my camera around all the time now but its rarely that I find something I need to take a picture of. I mean something interesting. And I'm sure my bag isn't that interesting to you. But you're not writing this blog. :)

I noticed a lot more police around London today. BBC News said that the British Transport Police had stationed more officers around London. Is it because its a week on from the last lot of bombings? And both times it happened was on a Thursday? I'm sure its just chance it worked out like that. Oh wait, isn't the Muslim holy day Friday? Am I jumping the gun here? (no pun intended) Did the bombers think they'd get to heaven in time for Friday? Surely not.

I heard a joke yesterday: (if you haven't got a sense of humour, or were at all involved in the bombings, please don't read it)

In light of the recent attacks, Transport for London is increasing tube and bus fares. Tube fares will go up by an arm and a leg and bus fares will go through the roof.

I thought it was sick, but funny. If you can't laugh in the face of tragedy then what else is there?

My friend, AW, sent me this photo which I also found funny but a little close to home after my recent experiences traveling around London. Apparently, this was what some idiot wrote at Notting Hill Station. If you can't read it, it says

"NOTICE TO ALL PASSENGERS. Please do not run on the platforms or concourses. Especially if you are carrying a rucksack, wearing a big coat or look a bit foreign. This notice is for your own safety. Thankyou."

I'll bear that in mind.

Minor Celebrity?

I posted to the BBC website today with reference to my experiences of traveling around London after the bombings (click here to read the article). I had actually forgotten I'd submitted the posting until this evening when I was contacted by some people who had seen it.

Its quite amazing how the people of London have changed in the weeks after the bombings. It seems as though we're all waiting for something to happen. Tony Blair was on the news tonight saying we won't give in to the terrorists. What options do we have, Tony? Lets see...they have no respect for any sort of life, don't care what religion you are or whether you are innocent or guilty. There is no path to reason with them. I don't have an answer. I wish I did.

I've been feeling low today. Nothing to do with the bombings really. Just work. Its getting to a point where I really need to take a break or I'm going to give myself a heart attack. I feel like I'm exaggerating here slightly but on the other hand I do work hard. I was last in the orifice again tonight. The end is in sight though.

I need to book a holiday somewhere but I'm having trouble on choosing where to go. Canada and Montreal/Toronto/Vancouver have always appealed but I'll need to brush up on my French - which is pretty rubbish at the best of times. I'll be traveling on my own I think. I need to go somewhere where I can do a bit of a road trip or just travel around, hobo-like. I love the idea of roughing it around South America with just a backpack and my walking boots. Machu Pichu, La Paz, Rio, the Amazon (before it disappears off the face of the earth) wow! I also love the idea of complete luxury i.e. a lovely hotel, pool, drinks on tap and gorgeous food. Well, I'm not going to think too much about it until next week.

Ranting

OK apologies about the directionless rant yesterday! Had to get it out of my system. I still need to mention the Brazilian guy that was shot 8 times in the head after the Metropolitan Police (dressed in plain clothes) ran after him onto the tube after following him from his home. What the fuck is that about? OK the guy that got shot, Jean Charles de Menezes, was on his way to work like millions of other Londoners. Why did he have to be shot? Why couldn't the Police have just stopped him before he got onto the tube? They followed him from his home, got onto a bus after him and only told him to stop when he got to Stockwell tube station. This means that everyone in London is a suspect and the police have the right to kill ANYONE they think is a suspected terrorist. And what are the repercussions if they get it wrong? Well, we'll see what happens about about Mr Menezes but they can't bring him back for his family. All they can do is apologise but its not enough.

Ever since the bombings, I have had looks in the street from passers by. Not just fleeting glances like you do on any normal day. These are prolonged looks into my eyes to see if they can accuse me of being one of them. Judging me because I have a beard and brown skin. My family have implored with me to shave off my beard but I have refused. I'm not Muslim. I'm not even religious. I'm as scared as they are to travel around London. London is my home. I love it here. I don't want these things to happen as much as any sane person. But false accusations and untrust are exactly what the terror makers want. London is the whole world in one city. Lets not do to London what those bastards are doing to the world. We mustn't stoop to their level.

On a lighter note (kinda), I went to Tate Modern today with my friend MW and saw the Frida Khalo exhibition. I didn't know much about the woman before the exhibtion but I have a great deal of respect for her now. She had a tough life. A huge accident at an early age that left her in a state of permanent pain and years of betrayal by the man she loved. That can lead to some serious creativity and I was amazed at her work. She wasn't formally trained but her art has so much emotion in it. I'm a fan.

Wedding Fever

Wow this is getting regular huh? Twice in one week!! :)

Well, whats to report? Plenty.

The London Bombings
The first bombs went off on 7th July 2005. 3 bombs all strategically placed to cause mayhem, chaos and loss of innocent life. The second attempt took place on 21st July 2005 - just two weeks later. This time it was 4 bombs and none of them successfully detonated. The bombers are still at large.

And what was the purpose of it? I really can't work it out. Someone said recently that London is the whole world in one city. I couldn't agree more. To carry out such an act in London (or anywhere for that matter) means the people who did this could not have been in a stable mental state. I realise that this may appear obvious to some readers but let me explain what I mean. The bombers were brainwashed into thinking that there is a 'holy war' against the West. This is as a result (but not exclusively) of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The bombers all visited Pakistani training camps to be taught about the Koran and the teachings of Islam. But Islam means Peace. Its amazing how the nutters that teach it can distort the facts so much that it means people will actually blow themselves up. I mean, the bomber would have to get on the carriage, look at the people around him and know he is going to kill them. What the fuck is going through his mind? That he's going to go to heaven? That the people he kills are going to go to hell? Its so fucked up. Yet they all fall for the same old shit.

Common non-religious sense tells me that there is no heaven. There is no hell. Humankind have made up these notions so that we can judge others. If you've been bad you'll go to hell. But be good and heaven awaits. THERE'S NO SUCH THING! Where's the proof? Is there a god? This is getting deep but I want to explore this further in the future. The fact that we have brainwashed ourselves into believing that these people - the bombers - are bad. I'm sure they think that they're doing Gods work and therefore it must be good. Can it just be down to a difference in perception of the notions of good and bad? These kids (and they were just kids) had normal lives. They played football. They had mates. They built a bomb and planned to kill people. What am I trying to say? Don't send your kids to Pakistani training camps!!!

Pakistan has a lot to answer to. They're harbouring Bin Laden. They've got training schools for suicide bombers that accept overseas students. They have nuclear capability. The US is chummy with them. OK wait a sec. The US and Pakistan are allies. I know that Pakistan is harbouring Bin Laden so the US must do too. How hard can it be to find him really? Its all bullshit. This whole thing has been engineered by the US. Keep 'em scared and keep 'em in check. And Pakistan's helping to do that. Just a theory! I have no proof. These are just my thoughts on the subject. Onto a lighter note...

Wedding Fever
I was at my cousins pre-wedding traditional 'meet the in-laws' thing today. It started off reasonably well with us (me, my mum, dad, sister, grandad and grandma) turning up at my uncles house in deepest Croydon and finding a whole load of people I didn't know. Now, this could have been a networking opportunity. Basically, I couldn't be bothered. I tried to chat and stuff to people but all I wanted to do was sit and read. So I did. Rude? I couldn't give a flying fuck. They were boring me to tears talking about cricket. I've never worked cricket out. That scoring doesn't make any sense. So anyway, after taking pictures of the interesting stuff I asked my mum if she'd drive me home. She kindly said yes. The wedding is next week. I hope its a bit more exciting than today.

Film Review: Madagascar
I went to see the animated film 'Madagascar' on Friday evening in the exceptionally good UGC West India Quay cinema. Its about 4 animal friends in New Yorks Central Park Zoo that get shipped out to 'the wild'. It shows the reaction to their new surroundings and how they cope with returning to their 'natural states' i.e. lion eats zebra instead of being friends with it. It was good fun but the story was a little lame. The best animals in the film were the lemurs and not the main characters (Lion, Zebra, Hippo and Giraffe). I'd give it 5/10.