I
am a collossal hypochondriac and a germophobe. For this reason, the
universe always sits the coughing wheezing snifflers in front of or next
to me on trains and buses (and airplanes). Today I found myself in
front of a violent throat clearer. Everytime he did it, I shook in my
seat. But that wasn't it. As he read his free paper, he picked his nose.
Not just lightly or fleetingly. He was digging deep. He was fracking
for shale gas deep. Having satisfied himself, he rolled his quarry
between thumb and index and wiped it on the seat. Now I don't want to
sit in a train or read a free paper or even leave the house ever again.
Bloody Terrorists
So now the German Christmas markets are being targeted. The loveliest and most heart-warming tradition I've ever experienced has been tarnished in a deliberate bid to incite outrage, in a country already ill at ease. There may not be a war on Islam, but a certain faction of Islam is pulling all the stops to bring it about. An unreformed doctrine from the dark ages, intolerant of the slightest concession to modernity is baiting a (reasonably) resentful population. If a secular European is thick headed and easy to manipulate, he will vote for UKIP, Front Nationale or AFD. If a Muslim is thick headed and easy to manipulate, he will be talked into ramming vehicles into innocent crowds to please a vindictive and insane deity. Ecce homo. I suppose that from now, a common feature of the Christmas Market will be the sight of fully armed patrols at every turn and concrete barriers around the perimeters. A night out with the kids in the local square will be shadowed with suspense. Th...
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