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Mags Meanderings: From
Som Tam To Mushy Peas
cultural differences
Greetings from Beirut.
OK a bit of an exaggeration, but at the moment the city
centre of Hull seems on track to turn itself into a pretty
good impression of a war zone.
That’s the price we must pay for being chosen as City
of Culture 2017, together with its’ award of 18 million
pounds which is being used to improve our image in
readiness for the event.
So with unnatural zeal the City Council has set about
digging everything up. Needless to say there are some
mixed feelings amongst the locals. But although the city
centres paved areas are certainly ready for a makeover,
it is a recently revealed new logo which is dividing public
opinion and causing the usual kind of ‘how much?’ and
‘load of ****’ reactions.
Anyone wishing to risk going cross eyed can view the
logo by searching online for ‘Hull City of Culture 2017
logo’.
At least the logo diverted our attention a little from
the state of the UK steel industry, which you have
probably heard is not good. Like Thailand and rice,
China apparently doesn’t know what to do with all it’s
surplus cheap steel - while UK steel struggles, and fails
against the lower, often subsidised steel prices of other
countries.
The situation wasn’t helped by the coincidental timing
of a state visit to the UK by Chinas’ President. Aimed at
strengthening our ties with the super power, there were
strident calls for David Cameron to spoil the whole thing
by raising the thorny issue of cheap Chinese steel in the
midst of the state banquets and football matches.
We tend to forget that the Chinese - apart from having
provided the UK with some of our favourite takeaways
- also contributed a great deal to our survival during the
first World War, when hundreds of thousands of Chinese
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joined with Britain, France and other allies in 1916 to do
the digging, labouring and repairs essential to keep our
troops going.
But if new logos, the state of the steel industry, and
Britains relationship with China are too depressing to
contemplate, there is always Switzerland.
According to the 2015 World Happiness Report (who is
paid to come up with these things?) Switzerland is the
happiest place in the world. For a start it is rich. The
average life span is 82. Their banks won’t be prone to
cyber attacks, and if that isn’t enough the place is awash
with chocolate. So why aren’t we all living there instead
of Thailand or the UK?
Please don’t all rush at once to answer that.
November 30th 1965 wasn’t a very good day for America.
While in New York 25,000 people were marching in
support of Americas action in Vietnam, two US planes
were accidentally