I am taking the scenic route home at the moment. I know readers will think I am a wimp, but I still cannot quite summon up the courage to go down the Tube again – which is unpleasantly hot in the summer, anway – and have been getting plenty of exercise. My route takes me from Holborn, down Chancery Lane, down to the Embankment and then a long walk up to Parliament on the side of the River, then through Millbank, past the lovely Tate Gallery and then back to my home in Pimlico. (Brian of this parish also lives in the area).
The atmosphere is rather odd. There is the constant racket from helicopters hovering about, over Buckingham Palace much of the time. There are hundreds of police, some armed, outside prominent buildings including Parliament and the big Whitehall offices, of course. There are thousands of tourists, although quite a few appear unwilling to use their cameras for fears of appearing insensitive or possibly even suspicious. A lot of the tourists look even more dazed than is often the case. Most people seem pretty cheerful, though, which is good.
As I walked past Parliament Square opposite the rather scruffy anti-war posters, a young black guy in a posh shirt was shouting out loudly his evangelical Christian message. No offence to Christians but it struck a jarring note. I wish folk like this fellow, no doubt a decent person, could realise that hectoring religion is not quite what London, or anywhere else, needs right now.
A final thought for tonight: I cannot help notice how many stunning women there are walking about the moment. They may not realise it or care less, but in their ravishing way, these suntanned goddesses are sticking one in the eye to the women-hating jihadis.
Hot British crumpet – FUCK YEAH!
Jonathon
That’s perfectly understandable, but you’ll need to get back on the bike soon. I’ve heard all about Global Warming, but it’s gonna piss down any day now, and were sure to get a bad winter.
I’ve just been watching terror target London on good old Channel 5. 45 minutes on the training, recruitment, history and aims of Al Qaeda in the context of the London bombings, and in the whole program there was not one mention of Iraq.
The programme didn’t blame Bush’n’Blair and there were no Muslim spokespersons telling us that Islam is the religion of peace and it’s all our fault anyway. The only talking heads were terrorism experts and the programme was uncompromising in it’s use of the word terrorism.
It’s nice to know that some people in the media get it
Johnathan,
I don’t have the statistics, but it wouldn’t surprise me if walking to and from work places your life in greater danger (from road vehicles) than travelling by tube.
Looking on the bright side, when you eventually get taken out by a cab or a bus at least you will be fitter than you would otherwise have been.
The first few times I visited London, it took me a while to figure out that a lot of the journeys I was making by tube were actually pretty easily and quickly walkable. Living more out in the sticks as I did, two or three stops sounded like quite a long way
Rich
I cannot help notice how many stunning women there are walking about the moment.
Same here in Edinburgh. 30C today! Where are they in the winter?
“I cannot help notice how many stunning women there are walking about the moment.”
Where is your camera ? A picture is worth a thousand words.
Wise and considered words indeed, Sir.
But after a 30C weekend in Paris, with eyes still the size of saucers and newly toned neck muscles, I’d like to take this opportunity to praise the rather well presented French crumpet.
Worth a three hour train journey anytime.
Yes but British crumpet actually understand the concept of hygene which is most useful during the summer. London does not smell like urine in the summer either.
The treasury building has been evacuated 3 times for bomb scares since thursday, and Blair had to be moved away from a section of Whitehall today. Looks like there will be heightened security at all the major government buildings until the summer recess, joy of joys for anyone who already has to suffer the punishment of having to enter one of these places.
The treasury building has been evacuated 3 times for bomb scares since thursday, and Blair had to be moved away from a section of Whitehall today. Looks like there will be massively heightened security at all the major government buildings until the summer recess, joy of joys for anyone who already has to suffer the punishment of having to enter one of these places.
Where are the calls for the head of Karl Rove, the despicable traitor who revealed the identity of a NOC CIA operative?
Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?
Maybe if someone lied about him stuffing photocopies of documents down his trousers?
Anyone?
Plame was not a NOC. People in the press, like Andrea Mitchell, admit they knew that Plame worked for the CIA well before the Wilson wrote his little lying Op-Ed. People in the press don’t know who NOC agents are if they are really NOC. NOC agents do not work at Langley. Moreover, the CIA did not object to Novak mentioning Wilson’s wife when he asked them.
Looks like there will be heightened security at all the major government buildings until the summer recess[…]
Look on the bright side, maybe they’ll get less governing done.
It just doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as “America, #@*& yeah!”
Hot British crumpet – FUCK YEAH!
Amen brother, even true up here in usually grey birmingham.
something nice to look at in a city that is currently quieter than usual with a much more visable police force. Especially along my commuter route of B’Ham New St station and the airport.
As an employee of a US bank (which makes Ian Blair seem like Alf Garnett), i am shocked at the egregious sexism on this post.
What would Verity, Alisa et al make of it all?
good stuff. there.
This is great too:
Economist James Shikwati: “For God’s Sake, Please Stop the Aid!”
Read more here:
http://indcoup.blogspot.com/2005/07/time-to-rejoice.html
I am not surprised at all that Johnathan now walks to work , I had to take the Underground at rush hour this morning, for the first time in many years, and it is absolutely dreadful. Not so much the threat of bearded dress-wearing muslim fanatics throwing bombs (please note that in accordance with modern BBC [registration required] and NooLabour standards I do not use the word “terrorist”), but the very evident lack of basic personal hygiene of many London Undergound passengers first thing in the morning leaves one somewhat in discomfort during even the shortest journey.
—–
PS, Would some kind Samizdata sysadmin mind awfully removing the totally pointless self-publicising spam that is beginning to infest Samizdata, as demonstrated above.
Along with looking at the shirtless men building a new hospital nearby I’ve also noticed that I’ve seen only 1 burka wearer & that was today. In Manchester we’re usually tripping over them (or being run down by the wearers because they can’t see the road properly) so I wonder if this is just a regional trend or if others have noticed the same thing.
……They may not realise it or care less, but in their ravishing way, these suntanned goddesses are sticking one in the eye to the women-hating jihadis…..
Just because they hate woman, it doesn’t mean they are not as perverted (Probably a lot more so) than the rest of us.
What’s perverted about men enjoying the sight of beautiful women?…and why is the post egregiously sexist?
Load of PC rubbish. Along with the majority of men I enjoy seeing the ladies wandering around in their summer attire. Should I pretend that I don’t enjoy it? Is hypocrasy better?
What is this crumpet you speak of.Is this the Nortern Dish off which you delightfully lick butter that runs all over and is pleasant on the tongue?
This sounds very unseasonal when hot.
What is this crumpet you speak of.Is this the Northern Dish off which you delightfully lick butter that runs all over and is pleasant on the tongue?
This sounds very unseasonal when hot.
Pommygranate asks ‘what would Verity and alisa make of it?’ Obviously, Alisa is more than competent to speak for herself, but I suspect that, like me, she is profoundly grateful that men have such a keen interest in women.
You will have to excuse one who has been conditioned after 12 years of working at American banks not to even think about looking at attractive women let alone talking about it. how rebellious…
Oh dear, I have an awful vision that many overseas readers might construe that the English have a sexual thing going on for a traditional “small flat round of bread, baked on a griddle and usually served toasted”. When Mr Pearce and others mention ‘crumpet’ in that sense they are referring (I hope) to 1930’s English slang for “a woman regarded as an object of sexual desire”.
We that was certainly better that what was seen in certain parts of Leeds…ie various men with body armour and semi-automatic weapons knocking a few doors and blowing a few up.
Gosh, Andrew, what’s wrong with that? Were they bashing on doors of Norwegian surferboy immigrants? Italian librettists? Wait a minute – second home-buyers from down Wales?