News from Across the Pond

Watching BBC and Sky News at the apartment as I can't stomach CNN International and Fox News is a pay channel. The news today is that the UK has instituted a sugar tax to discourage drinking high fructose soft drinks.The nanny state is using regulation to fight obesity. In other news, there were six more stabbings today in London. There have now been more murders in London than in NYC. But at least they weren't shot.

Locally, we chatted with our driver on the ride in from CDG and the topic fell to the topic of immigration and taxes. our driver, who is self employed said he pays 67% in taxes and hates to see his money go towards supporting illegal immigrants. His father immigrated from Portugal but unlike the new generation, they have always worked hard and assimilated into France.

Old Habits

The video below explains an experiment taking place in London. It's a long established tradition that when on an escalator if you want to stand still, you stay to the right but it you want to walk up, you go on the left. The people who walk are usually in a hurry and resent it if there is someone standing their way. But they are finding that the escalator can carry more people if people stand next to each other and ride instead of walking. The video explains it.




I wish them luck in changing the habits of millions of Tube riders.