February 2007 Archives

The likelihood that Airport Guy and I will go off into the sunset is now highly unlikely. In a way, I think it was all a bit too much too fast. Plus living in two different countries did not really help matters. Not when one person in the relationship is a student of limited means. It put a lot of pressure on our new relationship that really only the strongest would want to survive.

So here I am, in a reflective mood and trying desperately not to feel too sad about the whole situation. I mean, I'd only known him since last December so I technically should be over it by now. Of course, this is easier said than done. Perhaps because I seriously thought we had the potential to be good together. Plus he knew my family and they liked him. But, I was wrong about him and our potential of having a future together.

So after getting all the tears out, I just need to internalize what happened this past week because failure to do so will mean that I'll continue to make the same mistake over and over again. I mean if I listened to my inner voice I would have admitted that he didn't meet a few of the attributes I seek in a potential boyfriend/husband.

Further evidence that the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan have not served the American public well.

London Times
February 21, 2007
Anti-American feelings soar among Muslims, study finds

The War on Terror has radicalised Muslims around the world to unprecedented levels of anti-American feeling, according to the largest survey of Muslims ever to be conducted.

Seven per cent believe that the events of 9/11 were “completely justified”. In Saudi Arabia, 79 per cent had an “unfavourable view” of the US.

Gallup’s Centre for Muslim Studies in New York carried out surveys of 10,000 Muslims in ten predominantly Muslim countries. One finding was that the wealthier and better-educated the Muslim was, the more likely he was to be radicalised.

The surveys were carried out in 2005 and 2006. Along with an earlier Gallup survey in nine other countries in 2001, they represent the views of more than 90 per cent of the world’s Muslims. A further 1,500 Muslims in London, Paris and Berlin are involved in a separate poll to be published in April.

Sometimes I feel like I am the only blogger without a book deal. Of course, I know that's ridiculous since there are millions of bloggers out there but still after 4 plus years of pouring my heart out, I am somewhat disappointed that no publisher deems me worthy. Oh wait, maybe not! The reality of the situation is that I am finding it more difficult these days to blog in obscurity so I know I wouldn’t want to deal with the pressure that comes with being a published blogger. Well that's what I'm telling myself anyway.

From The Sunday Times
February 18, 2007

I blog, therefore I am £70,000 richer

Blog off

Judith O’Reilly began a web log to let off steam after reluctantly following her husband north – and was swooped on by a publisher. Here’s whyMoving to Northumberland from London was not my idea. My husband was the only one terribly keen. After a decade-long campaign he finally succeeded, and we moved in the late summer of 2005 when I was seven months pregnant with our daughter. Our two sons were two and four. When I asked my younger son what he thought he confided: “Bears might eat me.”

“There are no bears,” I told him as I looked into the darkness and the growling started.

Late last year I raised my head long enough to start a blog, wifeinthenorth.com. This is the adventure of the wife in the north as she tries to create a new life for herself and her family while her husband — irony of ironies — spends long stretches away working in London. At the end of this year we will decide whether we stay or return to the capital.

Airport Guy is in town. He arrived yesterday and based on how things have gone so far, I can already tell its going to be difficult to once again say goodbye at the end of the week. But for now, I'm going to make the most of the situation. It feels good to have a man around the place.

Why can't politicians just accept responsibility for their actions without trying to blame it on drugs or alcohol? As if the drugs or alcohol is going to make them less culpable. Goodness!!

S.F. mayor seeks alcohol counseling By LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer
Tue Feb 6, 5:31 AM ET
SAN FRANCISCO - Mayor Gavin Newsom said Monday that he plans to seek counseling for alcohol use, following the disclosure that he had an affair with the wife of a veteran aide.

Newsom, 39, said that although "my problems with alcohol are not an excuse for my personal lapses in judgment," he had stopped drinking and wanted professional help staying sober.

"Upon reflection with friends and family this weekend, I have come to the conclusion that I will be a better person without alcohol in my life," Newsom said in a statement.

The revelation came less than a week after Newsom publicly apologized for his affair with Ruby Rippey-Tourk, 34, his former appointments secretary and the wife of his campaign manager.

Alex Tourk, 39, also the mayor's former deputy chief of staff, resigned Wednesday after confronting the mayor about the relationship. Newsom is running for a second term in November.

If services like zubka catch on, this would be a good way to supplement ones income.

Zubka is a UK company founded in 2006 by two individuals - David Shieldhouse and Armando Ruffini.

Unlike online job boards, Zubka is the first recruitment site aimed at the Referrer. Zubka is a platform where financially motivated referrers introduce their friends and colleagues to great jobs in return for a fee.

Zubka charges significantly less than traditional recruitment firms and gives 80 per cent of all recruitment fees it earns to the Referrer.

Of course, this has the potential to be quite disruptive so one would have to tread carefully.