Passport Renewal Misery at High Commission of India, London

...existence. However it seems being born in India we are cursed to live in misery no matter how far we run away.

It has been a ling time since I’ve hadto face the most dreaded people in India who are none other than incompetent Indian bureaucrats and clerks.

Since coming to London I never looked into the Passport Renewal issue and I was under impression (what a fool I was) that passport renewal would be a simple task, as simple as visiting Indian High commission at Aldwych and submitting application.

My passport is due to expire soon and I decided to renew it... (more)

Tags: corruption, london, indian passport, indian passport renewal, high commission of india

New London Bus

London Mayor, Boris Johnson, today unveiled the design of the new London bus, based on the old Routemaster model.

The new bus will be powered by eco-friendly hybrid technology. According to Transport for London (TFL), it will be 15 percent more fuel efficient than current hybrid buses and 40 percent more efficient than diesel double deckers.

Lightweight materials help to keep emissions and fuel consumption down. TFL also reckons that the new model will be much quieter than any existing bus.

An open platform, reminiscent of the previous Routemaster, features on the new design... (more)

Tags: london, bus, boris johnson, mayor

Behaving Badly On The London Underground

I have always been down with a cool temperament, even before an outburst I like to analyse the repercussions of my possible unnecessary outburst and chant to myself ‘Be cool,’ eventually succumbing into a passive state. So it is with great disturbance while travelling on the London underground last evening that I was increasingly perturbed by a couple behaving badly.

Now evenings on the London underground are always featuring gloomy office types returning home from work, talkative office types quite evidently heading to the pub, the all drowned in the evening freebie and sometimes... (more)

Tags: music

Series - We The People - London News Blasts Bush #20

During these years of darkness it's such a joyous feeling to hear the simple truths, like in the Editorial below from London's Financial Times that exposes to the world the simple truths of the Bush Admin, and dares to challenge the United States to act like a democracy. Intellectually I tell myself that We The People will survive, but like millions of others I know We don't control the media or the vote machines. So I remind myself there are International Laws and Standards for democracies. I remind myself of the whistleblowers, the massive evidence to impeach, and the Congressmembers who know... (more)

Tags: terrorism

Flight London - DC diverted to Boston

A flight from London to Washington DC has been diverted to Boston due to a confrontation between three passengers, including a woman, and the crew members. One of the suspicious passengers was said to have pulled out a screw driver, another one matches and a note referencing Al Quaida. An airport spokesman later said the disturbance was caused by a woman who became claustrophobic and couldn't control herself. The pilot decided to proceed with an emergency landing at Boston's Logan airport. Figher jets escorted the plane to its destination. The flight landed safely and the state police and... (more)

Tags: police

Oil: Looking a Little Peaked

...years, and responsible analysts -- i.e., those who do not work for Exxon -- see no chance that such a demand can be fully met.

The International Energy Agency has been warning recently about peak oil, but according to an agency official turned whistle blower (quoted in The Guardian of London), the IEA's official projections of oil production have sugar-coated the situation: "Many inside the organization believe that maintaining oil supplies at even 90 million to 95 million barrels a day would be impossible but there are fears that panic could spread on the financial markets if the... (more)

Tags: peak oil, energy conservation

Willie's Wisdom 7

...the greatest player he ever saw was M.K. Gandhi and he did, in fact, play alongside him with our local amateur side, the Loch Ness Monsters. Sceptics may argue that it is unlikely the Indian spiritual leader ever played in a small Scottish team, but the facts are that while studying law in London, Gandhi came to Scotland on a touring holiday and was invited to play with the Monsters. My father said he was a naturally talented winger with great ball control. However rumours that he based his theories of passive resistance on Scottish football are probably untrue.WillieLIARDear Willie,I ... (more)

Tags: comedy, humour, spoof, advice column

Catherine from Oregon -- An Observation on Curriculum

...girl parents, Fer’nan and Izbel from Spain, fix Catherine up to get marry when she be three years old. And her husband – he be two. And his name Arthur. But they don’t get marry ‘til she be sixteen and he be fifteen on November, 14, 1501 at Old St. Paul’s cathedral, that’s in London.

“Pretty soon Arthur, he die from sweating too much.

“So now what happen is Catherine she marry Arthur’s baby brother. Not right then, cause the baby brother too young. But one day. And his name Henry -- Henry Vee-eye-eye-eye.

“So now Catherine be the Queen of... (more)

Tags: education, politics, memoir, american schools, curriculum

UK Councils: Enforcing the Law or Stealing Money?

...Tax (or Poll Tax as we used to call it).

The point in this article is to describe how Councils make up money from certain areas and act for themselves rather than the people they are supposed to support and represent. So to cut to the quick, I'll use Westminster City Council in central London, the richest borough in the UK.

Westminster City Council (WCC) is home to the mother of all parliaments (perhaps a mother that's been on the gin a bit too much and forgotten where she's left the kids), Buckingham Palace and is the most tenacious council for bringing in cash for parking... (more)

Tags: cars, driving, uk, westminster, westminster council, camden, camden council, parking fines, parking restrictions, cash cow, fleecing, council, motorbikes, motorcycles

The Tower of London

The beauty of the blood-soaked jewelleryCannot distract the young couple on the travelatorFrom gazing into each other’s eyesLongingly.

Not even the screams of the ghostsWhose organs are burntIn front of their not-yet-dying eyesCan stop their passionate kissing.

It was a flicker of a dressA glimpseAnd an argumentThat sent them to never see each other again.

While the ravens, feasting on their ancestors storiesAre still waitingFor the return of the daysWhen warm flesh is servedWith every meal.

Tags: london