As an expat, there are times that you still want to know what's going on back home. So I have added a new feature. Starting today and every Monday, we'll bring up a weekly gathering of the biggest stories back in the States. Enjoy!
Northeast
Failed Car Bombing in Times Square via New York Times
No Evidence of Taliban Link via Huffington Post
Explosive Device Found on Pittsburgh Marathon Course via Huffington Post
Major Water Main Break in Boston via Fox News
South
Fishing Banned from Louisiana to Florida Due to Oil Spill via Huffington Post
Kentucky Derby: Super Saver Wins via Fox News
More Rain for Flooded Tennessee via CNN
Obama Travels to Louisiana to View Aftermath of Oil Spill via CNN
Midwest
Illinois Redistricting Scrapped via The Telegraph
United, Continental Airlines Closing in On Merger via Huffington Post
Largest Residential Transaction of 2010: $45.6 Million via Huffington Post
Private Marijuana Club Opens via Summit Daily News
West
Arizona Ethnic Studies Classes Banned via Fox News
Tens of Thousands Protests Arizona Immigration Law via Huffington Post
Los Angeles Among Top 10 Cities in Freefall via Forbes
Teachers with Heavy Accents Can No Longer Teach English via Wall Street Journal
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
This Week in London 3 May - 9 May
 |
- Elephant Parade @ various locations in London
- The Great London Garden Trail @ various locations in London
- Breakin' Convention @ Sadler's Wells
- Supermarket Shakespeare @ Sainsbury's New Cross
- Love for Sale @ Southbank Centre
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Best Buy Is Now in the UK!
Yes, that slice of Americana - big box department stores - has finally landed in the UK. Hate it or love it, Best Buy has huge plans to storm the UK market. Their first of 140 stores opened Friday in Essex. They plan to have their website www.bestbuy.co.uk fully operational by the Fall. Now word yet when/if there are plans to open a store in London. Hmm, does this mean that Tar-jay will follow in their footsteps?
Source: The Independent
Source: The Independent
Friday, April 30, 2010
Neighbourhood Spotlight - Shoreditch
And now for something completely different, we go to the East side of London, more specifically Shoreditch. Located minutes from the City of London and home to the hip and fashionable (or to wannabes and fashion victims if you're so inclined), Shoreditch is located in the borough of Hackney and covers the E1 and E2 postcodes. So what's it like to live amongst the cool kids? We spoke to Chris to find out.
Name: Chris
Age: 27
Shoreditch Resident for: 1 year
Last place you lived before moving to London? San Fransisco
Do you live in a flatshare or on your own?
Flatshare.
What’s your nearest Tube station?
Old Street
How would you describe your neighbourhood’s overall vibe?
Shoreditch pulls unique and impressive triple duty as London's capital for developing technology, cutting-edge agencies ... and hipsters. Those constituencies ensure that Shoreditch is busy nearly every hour of the day. When the sun goes down, the area is a magnet for young people looking for a good time. I'd compare it favourably to H Street NE in Washington, DC or the Valencia Corridor in San Francisco - scenesters, people out to have a good time, kind of gritty, etc.
How safe is your neighbourhood?
It's getting better! I won't lie to you and tell you that it's all roses and buttercups, but it's certainly safer than places I've lived in the United States (I'm looking at you 25th and Harrison, 94110). I've never had a problem and have never even felt unsafe in my neighborhood, but crime does happen in higher numbers than in West London. Part of it is the demographics (younger, poorer), but I would say that the reputation of Shoreditch and Hackney is overblown. I feel about 2930842390 times safer here than in parts of the three other US cities I've lived in.
What do you like most about where you live?
The ENERGY. There's something so incredibly motivating when you're surrounded by artists and techies and musicians who are all hustling. London is THE place in the UK for many artistic, technical and cultural people...and East London is THE place in London for that same crowd. Everyone you meet in Shoreditch is working on something.
What do you like least?
The Shoreditch twat (sorry mom, it's a technical term). Just like in any hipster crowd you get the entitled, annoying people who suck at life.
If you could live anywhere in London, where would you live?
Hmmm. Somewhere east or a bit north. There are other neighbourhoods that have Shoreditch's charms - like Camden (grittier) or Angel (more posh) - but I love it here and that's probably not going to change.
Name: Chris
Age: 27
Shoreditch Resident for: 1 year
Last place you lived before moving to London? San Fransisco
Do you live in a flatshare or on your own?
Flatshare.
What’s your nearest Tube station?
Old Street
How would you describe your neighbourhood’s overall vibe?
Shoreditch pulls unique and impressive triple duty as London's capital for developing technology, cutting-edge agencies ... and hipsters. Those constituencies ensure that Shoreditch is busy nearly every hour of the day. When the sun goes down, the area is a magnet for young people looking for a good time. I'd compare it favourably to H Street NE in Washington, DC or the Valencia Corridor in San Francisco - scenesters, people out to have a good time, kind of gritty, etc.
How safe is your neighbourhood?
It's getting better! I won't lie to you and tell you that it's all roses and buttercups, but it's certainly safer than places I've lived in the United States (I'm looking at you 25th and Harrison, 94110). I've never had a problem and have never even felt unsafe in my neighborhood, but crime does happen in higher numbers than in West London. Part of it is the demographics (younger, poorer), but I would say that the reputation of Shoreditch and Hackney is overblown. I feel about 2930842390 times safer here than in parts of the three other US cities I've lived in.
What do you like most about where you live?
The ENERGY. There's something so incredibly motivating when you're surrounded by artists and techies and musicians who are all hustling. London is THE place in the UK for many artistic, technical and cultural people...and East London is THE place in London for that same crowd. Everyone you meet in Shoreditch is working on something.
What do you like least?
The Shoreditch twat (sorry mom, it's a technical term). Just like in any hipster crowd you get the entitled, annoying people who suck at life.
If you could live anywhere in London, where would you live?
Hmmm. Somewhere east or a bit north. There are other neighbourhoods that have Shoreditch's charms - like Camden (grittier) or Angel (more posh) - but I love it here and that's probably not going to change.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Proud to be American?
A friend of mine posted a really interesting article on Facebook from the NY Times. Apparently there are a growing number of Americans expats who are renouncing their US citizenship. The most common reasons stated are double taxation and banking problems.
Now I find all of this very interesting. Firstly I thought that you couldn't renounce your US citizenship for tax reasons alone. I thought that you had to have a greater reason like a political or moral objection to something the US has done. Also I found it very interesting that someone would just give up their US citizenship because they have to pay double taxes. As someone making less than $91,000 a year, I can exclude my entire income and therefore don't feel the brunt of being taxed twice. But I wonder if I was in such a position, is that enough reason to give up one's citizenship?
Now I find all of this very interesting. Firstly I thought that you couldn't renounce your US citizenship for tax reasons alone. I thought that you had to have a greater reason like a political or moral objection to something the US has done. Also I found it very interesting that someone would just give up their US citizenship because they have to pay double taxes. As someone making less than $91,000 a year, I can exclude my entire income and therefore don't feel the brunt of being taxed twice. But I wonder if I was in such a position, is that enough reason to give up one's citizenship?
Sunday, April 25, 2010
This Week in London: 26 April - 2 May
26 April
27 April
28 April
29 April
30 April
1 May
2 May
- Cringe @ The George
- Ricky Gervais Live: Science @ Wembley Arena
27 April
- East End Film Festival @ various venues
28 April
- Science Museum Lates @ London Science Museum
29 April
- Orla Kiely Sample Sale @ Chelsea Old Town Hall
- Gorillaz @ Roundhouse
30 April
- Break & Bowl @ Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes
1 May
- Camden Crawl @ various venues in Camden
- Canalway Cavalcade @ Little Venice
2 May
- Camden Crawl @ various venues in Camden
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Cheap Ways to Call Home
As you can imagine, calling the States can be really expensive. Want to reduce your phone bills? Here are a few alternatives.
Phone cards
You can get there are pretty any off license in the city. They tend to be pretty inexpensive. A tenner can get you up to 500 minutes which isn't too bad. The downside is that the card may run out in the middle of a conversation and trust me, no one wants to have to walk down to the off license at 11pm to get another one!
Callback services
This is a method of making a cheap international calls via a third country. The way it works is that you'll be given a unique number to call that will trigger the return call. Once you get the call back, just dial the required number.
Phone cards
You can get there are pretty any off license in the city. They tend to be pretty inexpensive. A tenner can get you up to 500 minutes which isn't too bad. The downside is that the card may run out in the middle of a conversation and trust me, no one wants to have to walk down to the off license at 11pm to get another one!
Callback services
This is a method of making a cheap international calls via a third country. The way it works is that you'll be given a unique number to call that will trigger the return call. Once you get the call back, just dial the required number.
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