Sam PF's Journal - Busyness
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12:54 am
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Busyness
Long time no post - trying to keep up at least once a week, but somehow let two weeks and a bit zip past. Ah well. Been a fairly busy time at work, though now eased off, having got a number of projects completed more or less at the same time.
Spent the last few days in Britain for a short but action- (and alcohol-) packed multi-tasking visit. Flew over Wednesday evening, arriving with some trepidation at T5, though they seem to have got it sorted now and I got my baggage very quickly. Then off to Bristol, staying at Pauls, to give a seminar at my old Uni, UWE, on Thursday, on the research we've been doing on the military services industry (which should lead to a SIPRI publication fairly soon, so watch this space.)
But also got to a talk by a couple of Palestinian academics earlier in the day, who are doing a tour of Britain. They were promoting academic links between western and Palestinian academia, and also an academic boycott of Israel. I've always tended to support this on the grounds that any way of driving home to Israeli society just how unacceptable Israel's actions are - breaking the illusion of normalcy - is to the good. But Paul had some fairly cogent arguments afterwards that this particular tactic isn't likely to be all that effective, and that economic boycotts are the way to go. Not sure now. Perhaps targetted boycotts of institutions with specific involvement in the occupation.
Anyway, my seminar went down well, with a reasonable audience having been advertised a bit beyond the department, and it was good to catch up with all the Economics folks.
Friday I had free, stopped off in Oxford for lunch with ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) shreena, then on to Hayes to meet Iain WINOLJ who I was staying with for the weekend. More beer ensued, as well as curry, which is one of the things Stockholm doesn't do so well.
Saturday was the original purpose of the trip, a meeting of Economists for Peace and Security (UK) (publishers of the online Economics of Peace and Security Journal I'm involved with). Then a quick visit to the Forbidden Planet megastore and on to a demo opposite Downing Street calling for an end to the seige of Gaza that happened to be on that day. Not a fantastic turnout, but not too bad and made a reasonable amount of noise. On which, the stoppage of fuel supplies by Israel has now led to the UN having to stop food distribution. Which is apparently still not bad enough for anyone to care. My prediction? There will be Gazans dying of malnutrition before very long. Israel is just pushing that envelope out little by little, and every time they get no serious response from the rest of the world, they push it just a little further.
So, back to Iain & Rachel's after that and well now it seems kinda out of place to squee about Doctor Who, but there we are. Anyway, good to catch up with them too. Iain is now brewing actually decidedly drinkable lemon beer. Then Sunday met up with Laura WINOLJ who I knew from Bristol and Bil'in. Then Heathrow and home.
Got home rather horribly late last night. I have realised that 5 and a half hours sleep just doesn't seem to work for me any more.
Spring has very definitely sprung here in Stockholm. Thoroughly gorgeous weather, and will hopefully start using my bike rather more. Last Sunday I cycled along the main road across my island, and carried on until I ran out of island, then turned back. About 55km in all.
But, on the getting a sensible night's sleep note, I'd better call it a night for now.
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