Little Brazil in London

Have you noticed the World Cup started yesterday?

If you didn’t, then wow!

The magic of the World Cup has been lost for me. I haven’t been excited about it since when that crazy Cameroon goalie would run up the pitch and score a goaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!!!

Try this: my friends and I went to Guanabara last night for the opening night. It’s a Brazilian bar off Holborn/Covent Garden. Usually a bit studenty, we usually avoid it as it doesn’t stock one’s champagne, what what! But occasionally it is rather fun to hang out with 20-somethings during happy hour.

Happy Navratri

For those celebrating this wonderful Hindu festival, Happy Navratri.

Simply translated as “nine nights”, the festival is dedicated to female goddesses. It is celebrated twice a year; at the beginning of Summer and Winter as Hindus consider these times as important junctures in climate change and solar influence.

Saville: Brushed Under The Carpet

The outbreak of Jimmy Saville allegedly molesting several young girls and rape has caused great concern amongst the British public. The issue raised for me in this whole tragedy is why, when people such as the former colleagues and staff including the former BBC chief Lord Michael Grade had heard rumours, they did not take it any further.

His family are outraged at the allegations and ask for his reputation not to be tarnished as he is not alive to defend himself. However, the number of women are growing on a daily basis and if he did do this then his victims need to be heard and full inquiry needs to take place at the BBC who housed Mr Saville for his career.

Pleb-Gate

Here is an embarrassing incident that just won’t go away.

 

Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell has been officially logged calling serving officers of the Metropolitan police “plebs”. It was leaked to the press on Monday and today and following two apologies from Mr Mitchell, you would think that would be the end of it.

Not in this case. Is there more to this than meets the eye? Could it be because Mr Mitchell refuses to tell what he exactly did say? Could it be that the use of the word “pleb” demonstrates just how out of touch with the British public the government are or are we all just so insulted that the people who meant to serve us, who were voted in by us think of us as lower than them. Will this story only end in the resignation of Andrew Mitchell?

Crooked Cops

Is the police force a joke in Britain and we, the public, are only just realising this?  In England as many as nine police chiefs are under investigation for misconduct, some for gross misconduct such as withholding material evidence in a murder trial.

In London the Met Police are being sued

Cheers for Champions

Are you a glory supporter?  We cheer for our favourite teams and athletes representing our country when winning but what about when they lose?

An interesting survey commissioned by Vicks (Vaporub, cold relief products etc) found that sportspersons believe Australia is the most vocal in its support for their team when it wins

Gallant Loser

What a Wimbledon final!!! Britain hasn’t seen a finalist in Wimbledon in 74 years and despite Andy Murray’s bad PR a few years ago, it really felt like the nation was behind him and what a worthy finalist he was. The last British champion was Fred Perry in 1936 and in the first set, it looked like he it could be Andy Murray’s day.

His post match summary was extremely British. Dignified in defeat heralding the champion and ready to move on.

Times Of Oliver

A really sad story in the news today was research indicating that UK has a child hunger crisis. According to Net Mums and Kids Company, 1 million children live in homes without enough to eat. The forthcoming summer holidays is real problem for these families as children rely on free school dinners as their only meal of the day.

Hungry children is not an epidemic as it is in some developing countries but a 223% increase in the last 12 months due to the economic climate in the UK is frightening. I just cannot believe it.

Kinder Than London

Having just spent a weekend in Brussels, I was overwhelmed by the numerous genuine acts of kindness in the city. I rarely experience kindness in London from strangers and in the few times that I have, it has been from those visiting the city. However, in Brussels, people were really helpful.

Is the world really a kinder place across the Channel?

The British Dream

I don’t usually follow football news at all but the shocking story of Fabrice Muamba caught my attention.  During a Saturday quarter final match the 23 year old Bolton player collapsed on the field.  He was given life saving treatment by both a cardiologist who was in the crown and the London Chest Hospital.  What does this have to do with The British Dream?

Well, Fabrice Muamba’s story is incredibly inspiring: he arrived in Britain as a little 11 year old asylum seeker

Young, Unpaid and Angry

No, I am not talking about the riots, but unpaid internships.

Once the culture of the arts, unpaid internships are now quite common in many industries but these companies could face legal action as they are breaking employment laws.

Debt Crisis

Deal with your debt and help Britain economy in its road to recovery is the message from Prime Minister David Cameron today at the Tory party conference in Manchester. His speech has baffled me today. Speaking to the conference as if the nation are 5 year olds, he makes assumptions that those in debt can somehow rustle up the money to pay them off. Surely, if they could do that, then they wouldn’t be in debt?

Cheap Heart

I was a student in the days where we all enjoyed a free university education and graduated without the debt woes of the current geeks.  I am Scottish and I have to say I am pretty ashamed of Scotland’s poor camaraderie with the rest of the UK when it comes to tuition fees. 

Cup Of Delight

I’ve had an unhealthy interest in china tea cups since I was a tot and was pleased to read the latest Wedgewood news in The Independent’s business section.  That, however, is not so interesting but this is: it is hardly known that the original founder of the pottery company, Josiah Wedgewood, was one of the first active supporters in favour of abolishing slavery in Britain.

Strike It Lucky

Is it true that the older you become, the more right-wing you become?  I fancy myself as quite the socialist but as I sit here in Delhi reading about the teachers’ strike in England I find my sympathy somewhat waning.