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• I really don’t need this advice
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Bringing out merchandise, in this case in the form of a book, provides the answer to your own question.

Background here. I took this photo in a bookshop a while ago.

But the person who took my suitcase does!

On my return from my trip the local shop that I mentioned in my last post looked as if it had been attacked.

I hope it reopens soon.

As I reluctantly travelled last week to a different continent for a business meeting, I considered the small ways that I have been making positive ecological choices.

The Good Food Shop, in Oxted, sells local honey (5 food miles) and local chutney (1 food mile). Apparently in the current economic climate local retailers are benefiting against out-of-town centres and malls.

One of the easiest ways to ruin a perfectly good draft Belgian beer would be to serve it with a wedge of orange on top. Why would anyone want to do that?

Somehow I don’t think I’m in Kansas anymore. Despite Chicago being Obama’s home town, the political souvenirs were to be found in Washington not here.

I took this photo coming into the greater Washington City area by plane.

A strange thing happened to me before catching this plane. The front wheel on the plane I was due to catch had to be replaced after it landed at the airport where I was waiting, {and this delayed me, although I ended up taking a different plane). The same thing happened last week. Perhaps it is more common than I had assumed.

There’s a certain face in America that’s being used to sell a lot of merchandise: magazines, books, t-shirts, badges, stickers,... The McCainiacs and Palinists can get their stuff at 50% off though, and they have a greater diversity/more sizes to choose from.

I’ve had my fill of planes and airports the past two weeks. As I’m in an airport now I can’t say I’m suprised there’s a plane hanging down from the ceiling. My meeting with th client went well today. I’m meeting up with a colleague from New York then heading on to Chicago. I deliberately avoided travelling via New York so I can’t really complain that about the cities I’m passing through.

I knew I was back home when I found myself in the “World Bread” section of a local supermarket and it contained only Hovis, Warburton, Alison and the (British) supermarket’s own house brand.

Airlines that serve meals allow one to pick food from a list of “meal options”. As a vegetarian, who is also dairy and wheat intolerant, I have found that none of the choices cater for my precise need. (Airlines don’t seem to think that wheat and dairy intolerance go together).

One option is to request a vegan (dairy-free) meal and throw away the bread roll. Something else I would consider is asking for a “Hindu” meal option. But last week I discovered that BA serves chicken and SAS serves beef as a Hindu meal. Strange that.

I’ve spent last week travelling in Denmark and Sweden visiting a client. The photo above was my ride home, a flight that was delayed because the nose tyre had to be replaced after it landed in Copenhagen. This was good news because my inbound flight was delayed and I would have missed it if it had departed on time.  Also lightening striking twice and all that.

At villages around the country this morning traffic stopped, wreath-laying ceremonies and minutes of silence were held, the last post was played. We are reminded that this country is currently involved in two wars that have lasted longer than World War I.

What worries me is the creeping militarisation of our society, the army presence at sports events, at schools, fairs and bonfire nights. The talk of heroic youth and glorious dead. It seem that collectively we have chosen to forgot about the reality of war. See also what JimJay wrote and a debate provoked.

I’m impressed by the ecological credentials of the hotel where I stayed last week in Vasteras, Sweden. They have significant energy saving measures and have been pushing these since 1994 (at least that’s what they claim).

As you can see from the photo above, guests are encouraged to sort their waste in their rooms. They also do the whole “please reuse your towels” thing, and have a central bin for batteries near the lift on each floor of the hotel.

In addition there are posters around the hotel encouraging women to have their breasts examined for cancer. At least, as I don’t understand Swedish, that’s what I think they are doing.

Stationers sold newspapers, books and er stationery supplies.

Walking back to the hotel on my last visit to Prague I found these graffiti tags on the side of a beautiful historic building.

There is nothing strikng about them, and most of the graffiti I have seen out and about in Prague is of similar “quality”.  See for example Kolo kolo mlynsky :::: Red Door, Graffiti.

Quite a shame really.