*I saw Stone Roses frontman/solo artist Ian Brown!
He was getting on the tube as I was getting off at Baker Street station.
*I'm reading a good book: "Cat Chaser" by Elmore Leonard.
The UK editions of Elmore Leonards'books feature cover illustrations by Tim Marrs. He's got a pretty cool style. Check it out.
*A lady sat opposite me wearing the ninja-like muslim robes. While I'm not down at all with the sexual opression of fundamental islam, it was enlightning to see the dress in real life instead of an image on tv. Also reminded me of the diverse multi-culturism in London.
THE BAD:
*The Man has forced P.T goers to sign up and use a credit card like system called The Oyster Card. I resisted for aslong as I could, but they stopped issueing normal paper tickets for weeklys.
Basically, The Man can track where you go and when. It also dosen't show you when you bought your ticket, so for a weekly pass, you will sometimes forget when you need to renew it. Like this morning.
I wasn't sure if it expired today or tomorrow so I scanned it in, and the gates opened.
Cool, I thought.
But when I went to go on the tube again, it wouldn't work.
Turns out my card expired yesterday, and it debited me for my ride this morning.
So not only did I have to renew my weekly (21.40 pounds), but I had to pay an extra quid for the ride this morning.
*Someone smelt like dog pooh on my tube from Baker St to Totnahm Court Road.
4 comments:
come to melbourne to see women in hijab. no, come to brunswick to see women in all manner of veil and hijab. there's a reason brunswick is the centre of the retail fabric universe.
it's worth noting, though, that there are also muslim women who regard the hijab as a symbol of women's oppression.
It's something that I don't know too much about. We're fed all sorts of things about Islam from the western media.
It's fine if they actually have a choice in wearing it.
Whatever floats yor boat, right. But if it's something that they are forced to wear, then it's oppression.
And it's alot more oppressive then having to hang a small cross around your neck.
i think the thing to remember is that there are as many 'types' of muslims as there are christians - different 'denominations' (look, i lack the official terminology, ok?) and living in different nations. So there are, equally, different reasons for wearing the hijab (or not wearing it). I was listening to an interesting discussion on ABC radio about training imans (i do not know how to spell that), and the guy mentioned that islam and muslim communities vary in different countries. so you need to think about cultural context and the nature of local muslim communities when you talk about religious practice.
so, that chick in the doco that dugbot mentioned lives in melbourne, she's in her early 20s, she's anglo-australian and chose to take up islam, her husband is a lawyer, and they're pretty safely middle class. i couldn't help but compare her to a lot of the ladies i see at the shops in brunswick. many of them are from places like afghanistan, south east asia, other places in africa or the middle east, etc etc etc. many don't speak english, were born in other countries and have been living in australia for a short or long time, etc etc etc.
there's a world of difference in choosing to take up islam and the hijab, and being born into islam. and then there are so many factors affecting whether or not you perceive the hijab as liberation, oppression, a symbol of faith or a part of ordinary life so familiar you don't even think about it too much.
so, just as a cross can mean something quite differen to a catholic or a mormon, the hijab has different meanings to different women.
they're both symbols, but their meanings are contextually dependent.
sort of like beards, i guess.
I think you are RAD, D.P!
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