I write in margins

Don't expect anything fancy in London on a Christmas day. More or less everything is closed. Underground and bus lines are all cancelled. All underground lines and bus lines are closed. Also few taxis were driven. We didn't and therefore a larger apartment proved to be the best solution for holidays. Since only handful of the places are open and these are hard to find, you set price to the 1st class cooking facilities. After the lazy morning we headed to a walk around over the nearby Tower Bridge and back over the London Bridge. A decent walk and gorgeous site. Many people walking, mostly tourists. By the Queens Walk (south bank of Thames between the Tower Bridge and London Bridge) we found a waterhole which was open. Only couple pubs are open this day, so we went in. So, if you are a tourist in a Xmas day in London wanting decent food and drinks, head here. We noticed other spots open here as well. Hornimans at Hays is a big pub by the river. Two I.P.A.s and a cok...

How many of you have shoveled the snow from the public street in order to reveal some extra parking space under the snow for the neighbours? How many of you have done something which does not give personal benefit other than a thought that "I have helped another person who I do not even necessary know"? I shoveled today ca. 30 meters of parking space covered under loads of snow we have experienced here in Finland. That's the space for around I did not find anyone else doing that. Probably they were waiting that the city council will clean the space for them. Robert D. Putnam wrote in his modern classic "Bowling Alone" how the sense of the community and helping & being with others have reduced in modern times. The modern era was charactirized by people who went to the bowling alleys to bowl alone - and would miss the most important part of the sports. Being together, feeling community. I have seen the same phenomena in the pub quiz I love. Instead of fou...