Time to start saving for my pension perhaps?

I have turned into a 35-year old. I don't know how it happened or when, but last night I saw proof of it.

It all began with a phone call. 10 pm on a Wednesday night and it was fancy dress night down at the student pub. They asked me where I was and I repied something along the lines of "Well, it's late and I'm tired and Im already in bed, and I've got this movie and..."
- as if that was not enough:
The neighbours were having a house party, that was quite clear. And not only were they having a house party - they were playing bad loud music (think terrible 3rd class reggaeton) at 12 am! So I called security on them
- I have turned into a 35-year old.

There is a special place in hell...

My deep loathing for Daily Mail's columnists shall clearly never falter as they have given me another gem today in the form of Bel Mooney.
Ms Mooney claims that the 60's sexual revolution is to blame for, if not all, but most that is wrong with society today. It is "wrecking women's lives today". Here are some of the best of the best of her rantings:

"People have always had sex before marriage" Oh horrible thought...

"Ladette behaviour is a direct result of the freedom women fought for"
SAY WHAT?! Since when is there a connection between drunken women behaving badly (let's take that part of ladetteness for example) a result of feminism?

"The university Student Health Centre handed out the Pill like sweeties. So you wouldn't get pregnant - good. But at the same time you had no reason to be careful - bad."
I have said it before and I say it again - you live in a country where 13-year olds have babies! Why on earth would you preach against the Pill, this country needs more Pills not less!

“Sex, which in previous eras was private (even taboo), became public, with the result that women were expected - in their love lives - to demonstrate the expertise of prostitutes. Except these 'liberated' women gave it away for free. “
Who expects this Ms Mooney? Your partner? THEN LEAVE HIM. Mine sure doesn’t and I don’t know any man who does. And secondly, so talking about sex, making it no longer taboo, has turned us all into prossies in the eyes of men? So it was better when sex was something bad, hush hush and first and foremost no fun ? If you want to regard sex as private you might as well regard eating equally taboo - they are both part of human life and our needs.

“Is it any wonder that the phenomenon of young teenage boys expecting their girlfriends to provide sexual gratification at any time (on a school bus, for example, according to Susie Orbach) leaves girls feeling abused and full of hate for their bodies"
Now we’re really, really not on the same page anymore, so what you are saying, Ms Mooney is that young girls disliking their bodies is a modern day phenomenon unheard of before the 60’s? And that the female sexual revolution is to blame? She is getting lost in her own arguments blubbering things that has nothing to do with women freeing themselves in the 60’s.


Read this sad excuse for journalism here

You can call me Miss Puffy Face

Women with acute PMS should not watch Atonement, it's like giving a suicidal teenager a pair of razor blades/a fat kid the keys to the Cadbury factory/Lindsay Lohan cocaine

mwah >.<

So that's why I'm so smart...

... oh wait, they said moderate, right?

"[...] But contrary to popular belief moderate drinking can actually promote better thinking and reasoning skills according to recent scientific research."

I love The Independent

I don't sound like that!

THAT IS PREPOSTEROUS!
(i have no time for blogging. am very important and busy person. and a lazybum)

Come over to Townhouse and watch Mitchell and Malm rock it out!

Don't be shy, I know you want to.

There will be vanilla sugar! And passion fruit! and perhaps a little bit of Jaeger...

Sara Malm is a fan of

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Ego quotes and This is now a pregnancy blog

I must say I have my moments - at least last night I had a few. Enjoy...

My dearest Al, now managing B@1 Balham has walked past the lovely Lauren earlier and ignored her. My reaction to the situation:
"Its fine, don't take it personally, we all know Al doesnt function before his first Jaeger." (I actually got a high-five for that one)
Stomachpain and regretting the alcohol intake:
"When I die and they do the autopsy they are gonna take out my liver and go: hey, why is there a stag imprinted on this?"
And on those who work in bars:
"You know how you always blame the alcohol for doing stupid things when you are drunk - the problem with people in this industry is that we are always drunk so when people meet us sober - they think we're ill or something"

By the way...
Pregnancy blogs are in the rise AGAIN, especially teenage preggers blogs. Maybe it's time to turn this one in to a teenage pregnancy blog. I do believe I am pregnant. With steak, mash and bearnaise sauce...

You know what they say, The heart never lies

Consume more alcohol than what is considered healthy and reduce the risk of heart problems? Well, at least according to The Independent.

Bartenders all over the world; sing and rejoice
Chavvies; swing thy VKD
Students; raise thy snakebites
I will sip my TOZ Rum in peace

"The results showed that those who drank a little – a glass of wine or a bottle of beer every other day – had a 35 per cent lower risk of a heart attack than those who never drank. Moderate drinkers, consuming up to a couple of glasses of wine a day or a couple of pints of ordinary bitter, had a 54 per cent lower risk.
The surprise was that heavy drinkers consuming up to a bottle of wine or six pints of ordinary bitter had a similar 50 per cent reduction in risk of a heart attack to moderate drinkers. Those drinking at even higher levels were still half as likely to suffer a heart attack as the teetotallers." (The Independent)

A little bit of fever is probably worth it

Half of the people in the UK offered a swine flu jab is turning it down. They are afraid of the possible side-effects and it is a common belief that the virus is "mild" anyway - so no jab needed. (Press Association) I have a whole bunch of friends back home in the Motherland (where everyone gets a jab btw! Not just preggies, coffindodgers and little children.) who has or are planning to turn down the jab for the same reason, predominantly because they are a bit shaky about the side effects of the swine flu jab.
Due to many travels to countries far and wide I have taken more than a handful of jabs in my realtively short life and I can tell this much: there is nothing special about these alledged side effects. Pain in the arm and possible fever and illness for up to a week is nothing new, it comes with pretty much every major jab - so considering what you could go thorugh if you are hit with bad swine flu, a few days feeling rough is nothing.

Don't look at the needle and think something pretty: like butterflies or Danny Jones, and it will be over in seconds.

Far far away on the horison is a little bit nearer than yesterday

A little bit closer to the stars. If I perform, exceed and excel (particularly during April's work experience) I might get to go to the Independent for work experience after year 2. A tiny sliver of hope amidst all this darkness and a foot up my bum to get me to work harder. When I found out that there was this chance it was like childhood christmases, Bowmore 25 yr and front row at Mcfly concerts all over again at the same time. Let's effin do it.
Finally started sipping on my TOZ WhiteGold rum. Nice little nightcap.

Now: Jon Snow and Channel 4 news

Looking back on the weekend

A journalism student celebrates Friday. What do normal people do on the weekend?

Student journalism, live births and a woman deserving a slap

1. If you have the possibility - go and grab the new edition of UMMM.. magazine, Medway campus' student mag (and obviously read my article about international students).

2. Live streamed birth? No thank you! Keep your beef-bush to yourself young lady! If I want to induce nightmares by watching things being born in a monstrous way - I'll rent Alien. Read The Telegraph's Lucy Jones' exchellente columnon the matter here

3. Head of an All Girls School and president of the Girls' Schools Association (GSA) Jill Berry is speaking out in The Independent trying to calm all young women down stating that we shouldn't expect to "have-it-all" because it probably wont happen. Quoting the article "Mrs Berry said that girls should "stop beating themselves up" if they cannot juggle a career with being a wife and mother at the same time.". First of all: Sod off. You are a role model for young girls and you need to tell them that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to. "There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women" - Madeleine K. Albright (I have quoted her before and I will happily do it again).
And secondly: In that case, what is the defenition of "having it all"? Does having a career and working hard by default mean that you are doing it to get "a flash sports car with a baby seat in the back". It seems like people who are commenting on the "having-it-all"-syndrome think that career bitches also juggling motherhood does it all for the money.
I am going to be a journalist career bitch - what money?

Sorting out the facts

Thank you Channel 4,

now we can make this perfectly clear once and for all.

Just because you are against the ongoing war it does not mean that you are unwilling to support the troops nor anyone who has ever fought for Britain.

Brain does not compute. I am a diagnosed stressoholic.

It seems my brain has joined the rest of the world and hit recession. Perhaps last week topped off with the weekend made it hand in its resignation. Cannot read. Cannot write. Cannot understand. I can barely read about the Spanish Civil War in Swedish!

Most of this stress comes from my lecturers (whom I really really do admire most days, don't get me wrong here) who keeps telling us first years that we, pardon mon francais, suck.
We have not achieved this goal, we have not understood this theory, our work has major flaws (this most always at some point include how maaaaaarvellous the second years were last year compared to us).
What particularly stresses me to the point where I just want to get into foetal position and rock back and forth whilst mumbling "Medway has 55 councillors, Beaverbrooke, Northcliffe and Rothermere, newspaper circulation in 1939 10.6 million, don't forget the f-blends, don't forget the f-blends, Beaverbrooke, Northcliffe and Rothermere " is this: They are grumbling at all of us and I don't know whether I am included in the loser bunch or not.
Obviously (yes it is as clear as day to me) they can't speak to us individually and I do agree that we all need a kick in the butt from day to day to get some motivation but:

All I seem to hear is how bad I am.

How I am never up to scratch.

And whether I actually am or if it is just a minority of my class is not important.

I am still a target.

I can't say I made a million working as a cocktail waitress but at least my boss told me I had done a good job when I worked my ass off whether my tips was £60 or £6.

(my best friends are moving to South Africa tomorrow and I don't even have time to go and see them off at Heathrow. I am a bit fragile at the moment)

Post entitled This is not a joke or God I love my flatmates

Yes indeed this is what I wore tonight whilst writing a large part of my History of Journalism Essay because my flatmates were:

1. Having sexual intercourse of some sort

2. Listening to loud music

I took the devices out as I finished off the essay a mere 30 minutes ago and alas! Both the humping and the terrible excuse for Rn'B was gone. Who said pens were for writing only?

In other news...

Two of my best friends are leaving the country very soonish and the terrible state that I am in has not been helped by the horrendous amount of work I have been given. Had my first official breakdown today crying in the toilets adjecent to Centre for Journalism. Good day on the whole as I found the last of the presents for above mentioned friends. I am an excellent present finder...

BYE!

The blogowner (well technically Google owns my blog, but still) is going away.
A short stint in London to see my family and then Prague til Monday.

So unless I find a computer and have the time(and frankly can be arsed) there will be no blogging for a few days.

I'll be back on Tuesday.

Peace, Love and Jägermeister.

Al-Qaida planning to attack Denmark and Danish Newspaper

Two men from Chicago are accused of planning to attack Denmark on behalf of the Al-Qaida

The plan was called "Project Mickey Mouse" and their target was the newspaper The Jylland Post who famously posted a satirical cartoon of Muhammed in 2005. They were going to attack the newspaper with bombs and we're hoping to get to the editor who authorised the publication of the cartoon and multiple times publicly defended his decision.

What I am thinking is - If Al-Qaida are so eager to punish those whom they believe act against Islam, why don't they do us all a favour and start looking for a guy that actually hates the religion that they claim to be defending. Nick Griffin can't be that hard to find. Maybe they can call this plan "Quasimodo". They'll know exactly who they're looking for when they see him.

Very homesick

I used to be a little girl stuck in Sweden dreaming of the big world out there. One day I was going to get there. At eighteen I moved to London. Dream come true.
Now I am stuck in a broom cupboard in Gillingham, looking out my window at the faint lights of Pier Road, wishing exactly the same thing. One day, I am going to get out of here. Hopefully soon enough.
I am now paying 400 a month for my little nest with about 24 a week travelling to and fro London, A monthly travelcard to London is £284. If I find a room in London for £ 200 my life is sorted.
Any offers?

Buried six feet deep in excrements

I am so, so, so deep in the poo.
My parents are visiting from Sweden this week arriving on Wednesday. I usually finish by 12 and can run to the train station asap. On Wednesday the editor of the Independent is coming to speak to us.
Mummy, Daddy and Little Sis I love you so much, but there is no way in hell that I am giving that up. It's like an Essex girl meeting Katie Price.
That is Poo no 1. Poo no 2:
On Friday, when I also normally finish at 12, I have Radio News Day. My team of 8 people needs to produce a half hour news bulletin. Last year they were in the newsroom til six in the evening.

I kid you not - there is a tobacco pouch, a packet of Cadbury's KOKO and a bottle of Tequila with my name on them.

Aaaw, poor Nickyboy

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP for the uninformed, is going to file an official complaint to the BBC following his treatment at this Thursday's Question time. He feels he was a victim of a lynch mob. And the little boy went crying all the way home to Auntie Beeb. The fact that it might upset a large part of the population that he is an antisemitic homo- and islamophobic racist clearly came as a surprise for him...

This coming from a man who on his first date with his wife gave her a BNP audiotape with the title 'Islam: A threat to us all'.
He's such a charmer.

LIVE COMMENT ON NICK GRIFFIN ON QUESTION TIME:

"I do not believe in the teaching of homosexuality to primary school children "
I don't know what you call them over here but in Sweden we call them wankers.
He also does not believe in any form of sexual information to primary school children
Nick Griffin, you live in a country where 13-year olds have babies. Enough said.

To be honest, Nick Griffin, I don't believe in the teaching of you to primary school kids. I'd just show them your picture and tell them to run from the Boogeyman...

LibQ, darling - Im sorry, it's not me, it's you...

It had to come to this...
I want out.

Don't get me wrong. I love university and all that jazz but,

pardon my french,

LIBERTY QUAYS SUCKS MARSUPIAL TESTICLES

Let's set aside the fact that the internet isn't reliable, that we sometimes do not have hot water, that there is no connection with the outer world in the form of proper buses, AND that I pay 400 £ a month to live in a sodding broom cupboard -my biggest problem is as follows:

I have been living on my own for a year now. I am used to having a flat belongs to me and the others who live in it - under the conditions of renting of course. My room is my room and my kitchen is definitely my kitchen (I would add that my living room is my living room - but I don't have one!). Liberty Quays clearly has another view.

They do come in to check our kitchen - fine by me to be honest, because they have let us know beforehand.

No, that's not it.
What royally pisses me off is that they see it fit to simply walk through our door as often as they like. Yesterday afternoon I found two men in my corridor. They clearly heard me walk out from my room on my way to the kitchen but still they didn't even look up or recognise the fact that one of the tenants was there and that maybe they ought to say hi.
Not only have they entered my flat without warning - they do not even respect me enough to greet me or explain WHAT THE BLOODY HELL THEY'RE DOING IN MY FLAT!

I want out. Now.

If I have to stay here til the end of summer term, I might hang myself from one of the lamps without shades.

giggles and "tihi"s

Boys and girls who have not yet seen the light.

Let me introduce you...

Em Cartoons - there can be only one.

Previously seen in the londonpaper and now in The Sun

Scandilous is agony aunting

I am, by the way, so ill it's not even funny but there is no way I am staying home from school one more day. I missed one day and I felt totally handicapped today. Grumpy moan.
Everyone else is at the student pub guzzling snakebites(vile, vile invention) and I'm getting drunk from pouring Benylin down my throat. It's actually 6% so with my speed I shall be in a state of euphoria within thirty minutes.

I think I've actually cracked a rib from coughing.

Did you know...

... that swedish is the only language in the world that actually has a word for "not too little but not too much, just kind of like in the middle, lukewarmishly state, not too good - but not too bad"?
You know when someone is cutting cake and they ask you how much you want and you try to describe that you want it not too big, but not too small - just perfect for you right now.

Well, go to Sweden - we have a word for it.

And Sweden is truly the country of that word. The little country of "just a little bit but not too much, thank you my dear"

Don't fail, but Godforbid you succeed! Do you think you are better than the rest of us or something? Well I tell you my dear citizen you are not! I'm sorry, are you actually making money? AND YOU WANT TO KEEP IT?! I have never heard anything so outrageous! Why can't you be just like the rest of us: in a constant lukewarmishly state - not quite happy but not exactly sad. Not even half of your lifes goals achieved, but proud to have done at least one!

And people ask me why I moved to England...

Why Indy, WHY?!

I love the Independent. A true, beautiful and everlasting love that only exists between a complete geek and her favourite newspaper. But today I am disappointed.

Ten Best: Scotch Whisky's and Ardbeg is not on there.

Disappointment.

( And Talisker 10 on the top spot? They didn't even put a single Bowmore on there! They've clearly never had the 25 one...)

Is the Swedish church amazing? Does the pope wear a funny hat?

Finally something to be proud of! Good on ya Motherland!
This tuesday the politicians in the Swedish Church council will vote yes for same sex weddings.
I am not religious (like my facebook status says: I believe in London) but I do believe that whatever you want to call him/her: Allah, Jahve, God or JK Rowling he/she will tell you love is a blessing no matter its form.
I am just happy that a gay christian finally is moving towards being equal a straight one in the church's eyes. At least in Sweden.

Welcome to BNP - the party where everyone is - EXACTLY - welcome!

The news that the British National Party will change their membership rules after being threatened by a court order and a big fat lawsuit is hopefully the reason why people are smiling today. Party leader Nick Griffin believes that members of his party will vote for these new rules to apply (everybody is welcome!) because the BNP cannot afford to go to court and risk bankruptcy.
Stephen K Amos comments in todays Independent:
"I would love the opportunity to join the British National Party - and set up a new wing. [...] This removal of the BNP's "whites-only" policy from its constitution - the very backbone of the party - is going to have a devastating effect. "

I am with him. Blacks, asians, mixo's and anyone who is not white, male and lobotomised - lets join BNP and bring it down from the inside. Imagine having the BNP run by a rotund jamaican mama.

"We can't have her represent us - what a heifer!"

Say hi to Filippa Hamilton. She's 23 years old, 5ft7, works as a model and has a BMI of 17. The limit for underweight is 18-18.5 so she's got some work to do - according to any doctor caring for someone's health. However, according to Ralph Lauren whom she has been working for for years she is a chubster.

They recently published this picture:

It is very disturbing and has upset a whole world. It is heavily tampered with - Filippa's head is bigger than her waist.

This is what she normally looks like:

Still skinny, slim and slender, but within reason. But no, no, no not in Ralph Lauren's book. Last week this beautiful pride and joy of Sweden, who pulls a UK size 4, was fired for being too fat.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Or buy a rifle.

The quest for the best continues

The quest for the best continues.
Two articles on the way but thanks to ASDA, NatWest, National Rail and a lack of a good camera they are coming along quite slowly. Big sigh.

Being a vampire, like all writers, I could only observe a conversation earlier today. Two lovely ladies in their late teens accessorised with babies on their hips. One of them(dressed head to toe in pink velour Juicy Couture ripoff) was complaining that she is missing out in life because she has had a child. If we for a moment ignore the fact that 'Well darling, maybe you shouldn't have gotten pregnant at sixteen then' - isn't that always the case?
I was once told something along the lines of 'Kids are funny, they really are - but your life is never the same. You have to give up a lot of things.'
Of course you do, life isn't a win-win situation (yeah hear the wise teenager give lessons about life, pfff...). You always miss out because of your choices in life one way or the other.
Single girls want a boyfriend and whine about the neverending loneliness.
Taken girls whine about not going out as much with their girls anymore and "having fun" (i.e. getting pissed and trying to get laid by someone named Juan-Carlos).
Career women long for children, someone who will always unconditionally love you.
Mums complain about all the things they had to give up for their kids - starting with their bodies.

Gosh we women whine.
I don't know how you men
(and homesexual women, lets be politically correct here)
stand it.

Having said that:
When it comes down to my future self managing both a immensly successful career and three kids (two boys and a girl, I have too many boys' names to only have one of those) - I'm getting a househusband. No need for whinging and whining, just pure perfection.

How to get wet - women vs. men

It seems I need to embrace the woman in me during my morning rituals...

Leave Michael alone Paulie

Paul Anka wrote the new Michael Jackson song - at least that's what he says. Yes, they do sound very alike and I don't find it particularly unlikely that Paul Anka is telling a true story but is this really necessary? That man has enough money as it is. Leave the world of MJ fans to lament around the radios playing this tune and let his kids have the profits. Because this is just selfish.

- Paul Anka's lovely wife Anna has recently gained fame in my homecountry for her performance in the reality show Swedish Hollywoodwives where she has blurted out TV jewels like:

"If your husband wants you to suck him off every morning than you should do that. Otherwise it's your own fault if he looks elsewhere."

"Here [in the US] you don't get mums nagging their daughters to get educated and go to college but telling them to find a sports guy or a celebrity. Isn't it wonderful!?"

"Here [again in the US] it is the men who takes care of all the economics, anything else is an insult to both the man and the woman in a relationship."

Maybe he's doing this out of jealousy?

Reborn

Working on a new article plus commentary with the work name "Please don't be an international one" is like a constant brick in my head. Right now, I am down to zero inspiration. I even bought my fave choccie sea shells - and when they don't work, nothing works.


However! On to more positive news:


The lack of updating this weekend was all down to my three day stint in London. Back to work (walking out with three new job prospects bartending and waitressing - very exciting) running around in Soho sorting out my blood's Jäger levels. I came back a new person (dispite the slight nausea and a hint of a headache). I needed this.

Chinese media: The Swedish woods hides 25000 homosexual women!

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reports that Chinese media are running around in the north of Sweden combing through the woods. Why?

They are looking for Chako Paul City. The city of 25000 lesbians.

According to Chinese media there is a city hidden away in the Swedish woods way up north with a population of 25 000 gay women.
This origins from the story of Chinese student Niu Xiaoyu, studying in Sweden, who in september this year had a bit of domestic trouble and fled to this city of homosexual women. This was where her boyfriend eventually found her - and told the media.
This could certainly raise tourism up north in Santa's woods, however men looking forward to seeing women running around in underwear having pillowfights and making out (because oh yes, that's what we do when boys aren't around) shouldn't bother. Apparently the city is guarded by female police "beats any man who dares to enter half to death". (How did the boyfriend get to her? He dressed up as a woman!)
The most fascinating thing about this lovely but unlikely story is that Chinese media clearly have no idea how minute Sweden actually is and how few as chosen to live in the north. A city of 25 000 would be one of the biggest cities in the northern half of Sweden and clearly impossible to hide. No matter how deep in the woods you went...

WE HAVE THE LATEST ON TRANNY FIGHTS!

Are there idiots everywhere now?

Please do read and watch the wannabe gangstas attacking cross dressing men who turned out to be cage fighters in Swansea. It's hilarious.
Funny thing - same story happened in Soho yesterday.
Reliable sources have confirmed that the brawl in Soho was three guys who were, in the words of KidBritish, lost in London and coming across a six foot five tranny and his/her friend (at about 6 ft 4)on a Soho street. They started to shout abuse at the two transvestites and surprise - they turned around and started shouting back. Seeing this my friend out on a ciggiebreak started to film just as one of the guys gets a bit too close and transvestite number one headbutts him.
Whether the fighting ladyboys in Soho were cagefighters or not - I cannot say. But they do seem to be able to take care of themselves.
And when it comes to moronic prejudice idiots - are they multiplying?

Ditch the stemmed glass, Dave

Biggest worry of the day, says Daily Mirror: David Cameron having a glass of bubbly! (ongoing wars and children dying in the rubbles of their school in Pandang, Indonesia anyone?)

Why on earth can't the man have some champagne?

Is it because he doesn't drink it out of plastic cups like they do in Labour?

Dear Channel 4 News

What have I ever done to upset you?

I need my news! My eyes are hurting from staring at this screen and I would love some moving pictures and audio instead of text, text, text.

Why wont you give it to me?

Dearly beloved Channel 4 News Homepage - why won't you work?!

Welcome home almost naked men!

It is finally up where it belongs!
My student room is now complete.
However something tells me that my boyfriend won't appreciate this quite as much as I do...

Dear Mr Letterman.

My darling Dave, if you are dumb enough to dip your schlong in the company paddlingpool, daft enough to get caught, rather brilliant to admit it on TV do not go on to be so completely divorced from reality that you try to apologise to your wife ON YOUR SHOW. Chances that you will have the same relationship to her as you have with reality will increse, believe me.

Again surprised by the 50% of the population without tits

I love men. Men are special, wonderful creatures whom God created and then thought "Created in my image my ass! It doesn't look like me at all - it doesn't even have boobs! Ok, I'll have one more go." Men provides straight women and homosexual men with everything in life; happiness, adventure, sex, big grandpa-shirts, gossip, stressfrowns, tears, naked sundays(obviously including fry ups), Danny Jones and a reason to buy sexy lingerie.

But sometimes they simply amaze me...
Man/Boy: What are you eating?
Me: Dorritos. Im sad, fat and I have PMS.
Man/Boy: Well, if you wanna loose weight, Dorritos isn't exactly the best option, is it? Its really unhealthy, let me see how many calories *grabs bag* WOW, that's a lot! Thats like more than...
Me: *interrupting* You've never been around a girl with PMS before, have you?
Man/Boy: No.

If you are lucky you end up insanely madly in love, but honestly - you are more likely to end up with ugly stretchmarks and a mortgage for a house you no longer live in.

Oh yes, it is for real

Voxpops today in P&P. Minor sucess running around in the rain asking people which celebrity they would like to kill. Not very surprising results, over 50% said Katie Price/Jordan. Hilarousity came much later when I heard what happened when the lovely James Averill and Alex Dack asked around Medway Campus.
James: Who would you like to punch most in the world? *sticking recorder in Victim's face*
Victim: George Bush.
James: Which one, Junior or Senior?
Victim: The one that was President.

Intelligence lives and prospers at Medway Campus universities.

There is only one place to graduate

Scanning my computer for the picture in the last post made all the graduation memories come back. The swedish graduation parties are unbelievable - at least in Stockholm and at Rudbecks Gymnasium(yes, still funny). From the beginning of april all the way to graduation in june you party hard. There is at least three a week. I was underaged at that time so I didn't go to as many as I wanted to - but still. Nothing beats it.

From top left and downwards:
Sporty Spice at What did you want to be when you were a kid?, Black and White theme, An Oscars statuette at my own Hollywood themed grad party (which I was thrown out of for being underaged...) Cruella De Vil and toastmaster at Good vs. Bad, Masquerade theme and finally this years only grad party that I attended ROCK BASH.

I went to naked school

The word gymnasium derives from the Greek word gymnazein which means "to exercise naked."
Where did I go to school?

RUDBECKS GYMNASIUM!

btw, this is how we celebrate our graduation day in Sweden. 40 kids in the back of a truck, pumping music and beer, cider and cheap champagne flying everywhere.

Cheers lovely!

Big thanks to the guy who threw a bottle of sick in my face tonight.

You want to know how I definitely know it was sick?

I wiped the last of it off in the elevator mirror five minutes ago.

Gross?

Welcome to uni!

(apart from that the night was stellar)

Scandilous Life over and out.

Eminem is the worlds greatest WHAT now?

I was watching T4 this morning and was offered a whole hour of Peter Andre trying to convince me that Eminem is the greatest popstar in the world.
1. The worlds greatest popstar? Pop? Is that really how you would categorise what Eminem does?
2. Considering Peter Andre's recent success in the music business he is not exactly the guy I would listen to for music advise

3. Peter Andre: Seriously? You pick Eminem over the likes of Michael Jackson and Madonna? Did you go through the lobotomy before or after you divorced Katie Price?

Raising awareness of OCO or Why doesnt anyone see the sick chubbies? Part 2

It wasnt until after I had beaten it that I realised I had an eating disorder. I had never heard of "reversed anorexia" also known as OCO (obsessive compulsive overeating) and didn't know what it was.
I found a very good description on wikipedia ( wouldn't you know!) from a 2008 medical article:
"People that struggle with binge eating are likely to have alcohol problems and engage in impulsive behavior, such as not thinking before acting out. They do not feel that they can control themselves, are typically not close with their community, and have difficulty discussing their problems and feelings. They also have more health problems, a hard time sleeping at night, joint pain, muscle pains, menstrual problems, and headaches. Affected people often have suicidal thoughts, struggle digesting their food, and are stressed. People that have a binge eating disorder are usually ashamed and become very good at hiding the fact that they have it. They become so good at hiding that most people around them, including close friends and family members, do not even know about their disorder."
Once upon a time that was me.

It took years to finally beat the eating disorder and have a healthy relationship to food, which I still don't to one hundred percent and probably never will. I have gone from chub to skinny(my wake up call was when I refused milk because it was "too fat") to work out addict to skinny and to normal. Nowadays I am still quite soft around the edges and just like any average 19-yearold girl - if something goes tits up I reach for the Ben&Jerry's tub, but who doesn't?

I went home to Sweden just before I started university, just a few weeks ago. By order of my loving mother I started to go through my desk drawers which had not been touched for years and definitely not emptied. I started with the bottom drawer and there underneath an old Friends VHS I found a wrapper from an After Eight mint. A 13 year old girl had left me a message. This:
OCO is an eating disorder and yes, it does exist. It is one of the most common mental disorders in the world, fighting with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) for the top spot. During my years on school no one ever talked about it (I eventually I stumbled upon it myself) or knew what it was. I was taught how to see the signs of bulimia in a friend and what anorexia does to the body but no one ever talked about "that other kind". We were told to open our eyes and discover bulimia, see anorexia.
But tell me, who sees the sick chubbies?

No, not every fat kid is sick, just like not every really skinny one has anorexia. BUT...
Please keep tuned, this is not the end of the story.
Raise Awareness of OCO.

Obese? Blame the crossword page!

I love Daily Mail. I don't know how they find all these random researches that they publish like it's the cure for aids. The latest one?
Crosswords and sudoku makes you fat!
Appearently you exercise your brain so much that when you are finished your body is so tired that it cannot do any physical exercise.
Hil-Ar-I-Ous

Raising awareness of OCO or Why doesnt anyone see the sick chubbies? Part 1

I had a very long discussion with a friend about eating disorders. We are all familiar with anorexia, most people today know someone who has had it. At every school there is at least one girl or boy who sits in a corner hiding a skeletal body underneath layers of clothes. Sitting at the table with an empty plate watching others munch away, obsessed with food but never eating. There is no doubt that this person is sick. Then what about the one next to the skinny minnie? The slightly fat girl who has got her bag full of sweets and always, always has something sugar covered in her locker, would you call her sick?

I used to be that girl.
I have lived with an eating disorder.
The other kind.

Just like an anorexic I lied to my parents about what I ate. It was just the other way around. I bought armfuls of chocolate and bags of pick-and-mix and hid them in my room so that my parents wouldn't know. I had huge portions of noodles as an afternoon snack and I was a regular at the school cafeteria.
Sounds like the average sad tragic fat girl?
I couldn't stop. I cried and ate and ate and cried. I hated myself and my body and to make it all better I ate a bit more. I was spiralling down towards a depression wanting to punish myself even worse. A few guessed something wasn't completely right, but no one knew how to handle it. When my parents told me to stop eating I ate more and by the end of 2004 I started to show signs of what I realised later was bulimia. I was sick.

Photo: The Sun

Don't feed the children

More than one news-crew posted the discoveries of a Cardiff University study yesterday. The study showed that there is a link between youngsters habits of eating choccies and sweets and adult aggression. Kids who eat sugary things every day are more likely to become agressive as they grow up.
Chocolate = aggression.

Im sorry, but have they ever met a 14-yearold on PMS? It is either 'save yourselves one and all' or chocolate. Or was that just me?

A sad story of Holocaust treachery

This is little bit off from what normally goes on Scandilous, i know, but sometimes you just have to.
During some research about the torture and murders of journalists during the Holocaust (sadly purely for my own geeky benefit) I came across an article from the David S Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies.
In this it is revealed (sadly there is no publishing date so I do not know how recent this information is) that American journalism schools and newspapers refused to help Jewish journalists fleeing the terror of the Holocaust. A lot of other universities and university departments aided Jewish refugees but when it came to journalists there were arguments singing the same old Nazi song. 'The Jews will become a threat if we let them come here, they will take over all of our jobs bla, bla, blaha. '.
Not a single one of the circa 40 journalism schools and uni departments in the US took in a Jew. None of the major newspapers hired journalists on the run.

Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State, once said that "there's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women.". I think that goes for journalists as well.

Surprise! The White House under Bush was full of delusional orthodox christians!

Oh no he didn't!

A book by George W Bush's former speechwriter reveals that officials in the White House did not want J.K. Rowling to recieve the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Why?

The Harry Potter books "encouraged witchcraft".

Then what about the fact that she got almost an entire generation of kids to start reading books? That she has done something that no one has ever done before? Oh no, don't give me all that Mark Twain, Enid Blyton crapola - No one has ever before reached out to boys AND girls in such a wide age span. What about the fact that she has created a whole world that millions of kids (and adults) dream about every day?

Not important? Oh well, I can understand. Clearly all her fans run around brandishing twigs shouting "Accio!" Clearly.

My opinions about this matter obviously has nothing to to with the fact that I have a Harry P bedding set and am borderline fanatical. Nothing at all...

Yes, there is a reason...

... why I look like this. The news that with a NatWest Student Bank Account comes a free five year 16-25 railcard has spread like wildfire amongst students on Medway campus. Since I travel to London at least once a week, a free railcard would suit me perfectly.

Ergo:

After the last seminar of the day I travelled on the bumpy 101 towards the high-street and NatWest. Everything worked perfectly with the nice bank boy until my passport was dropped on the table.

No sorry, You must've been in the country for at least three years or it costs you 6.95 £ a month. It's the government's policy.

Are you frikkin kidding me?! I have paid tax in this country for about a year now (actually unlike a lot of first year students at my uni) paying for this country and your government to work - GORDON BROWN GIVE ME MY RAILCARD!

I can get away with it because I'm foreign...

... but national news? Hmmm...

- A 14 yearold has very tragically died from a cervical cancer jab. Daily Mail reports:
"Natalie's mother Elaine, who lives with the teenager's elder sister Abigail, 17, in Coventry was too distraught to comment. Natalie's father Joe has remarried [...]"
Is it just me, or does it sound like Natalies father, whilst her mother was at home devastated, decided to go out and get remarried after his daughter died? Ttt...

Now I can insult people and they won't understand me.

Shorthand is like a secret language for adults.

Above reads:

"Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce. "

- Karl Marx

Brilliant ideas regarding famous pervs

I just had an idea. Why don't we let Roman Polanski serve time in Poland? Snip, snip, and all the underaged models in the world would be safe forever...

Then I had another one. Why don't we fake a minor "sexual predator" charge against Silvio Berlusconi - in Poland? He would probably do a much better job if he stopped running in whatever direction his Little Silvio was pointing. No one could possibly disagree with that. At least not his ex wife.

Germans are the sexgods of the world! (er no, not really...)

Anyone who read the Femail part of the Daily Mail today cannot possibly have missed the Best vs. Worst Lovers In The World poll.

The men of Germany were crowned the worst, but who's surprised? Just imagine - "Jaaaa, Ich komme gern!" Any woman would loose her erection...
Just as I was giggling about this a bomb was dropped on my scandinavian heart. Swedish men are third worst sexbeasts in the world. According to the poll, my fellow countrymen are too quick. I hope that this will not affect how the world sees Swedish women because that would be devastating for Swedish tourism.
The funny upside?
English men are second worst...

And when it comes to the top ones: Spain? Brazil? ITALY? (does the image of Silvio Berlusconi pop in to anyone elses head? Just ewww...) The biggest laughing matter is France at number four. "Voulez-vous ma baguette?" - I don't think so. I'd rather stick with my english ones (preferably Danny Jones) if that's ok.

Congratulations though, to my dear friend Adam. South Africans are appearently the 6th best lovers in the world. Or more appropriately: congrats to my Josie, his girlfriend...

Scandilous here...

... your one and only source to the scandalous lives of Kent Uni's Elite.
(because a little bit of gossip never hurt no one. Except Kerry Katona)

One of my newfound friends is a young man we shall call B. Fortunately I was let in on one of B's adventures from last week and to portrait true freshers life at Liberty Quays his story is now going on Scandilous Life. It kind of fits...
B is out and about - Coopers(the student pub) style. B sees girl. Girl sees B. B and girl feel instant attraction probably intensed by the "2poundapint" service. Girl takes B home. She sits him down and drops the bomb. She's got a boyfriend and she's not a cheater. B is puzzled for a minute, damns his luck until she says something along the lines of 'Hold on, I am just going to make a phone call'. Girl breaks up with boyfriend over phone. Girl and B engage in sexual intercourse 'til early morning.
And the unofficial Liberty Quays stud-awards goes to...

Welcome to University life

You know you love me,
xoxo Scandilous

Know a peadophile? Send him to Poland!

The Polish House of Commons has passed a law that will be the downfall of anyone who is caught fiddling with themselves around kids. The law, that was passed with almost full majority - woho!, states that anyone who is convicted of peadophilia, apart from serving a sentence, has to be nutured. Personally I find it, pardon my french, fucking brilliant. Finally someone has got some sense. I heard someone comparing it to the death penalty for murder and that it therefore was wrong and inhumane (of course this was a man feeling the pain of someone else getting their bits chopped off). Im sorry, but NO. Living without sex and being murdered for commiting murder is not the same thing.


My view has always been that if you cant use it right you deserve to have it sawed off with a blunt ice skate. Same goes for rapists btw.

Peace out munchkins...

Sources: Polskie Radio, through Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet

Good morning little bunnies

You know when you wake up in the morning with your phone droolglued to your cheek, your underwear dangling off the deskchair, a half-empty plate of pasta and ketchup on your nightstand, mascara rubbed in your face, black feet from taking off your high heels on the way home and a growing sensation that you and your stomach wont agree today?

Really? No? Ok then...

England - the country where your teenage sister and grannie gives birth at the same time!

I had a very interesting conversation during our Freshers Dinner last night, one of many I have to say, with the wife of one of my lecturers. I believe it started with a comment from my part (there was free wine, details are obviously either a bit fuzzy around the edges or simply gone) about all these pregnant young girls in Britain. We might have been talking about Chatham which sounds rather believable to be fair. But anyway...

She told me that the average age in the UK to give birth to your first child is 29. I was a bit surprised. As an ignorant foreigner I have always seen England as the country where teen girls have babies and that is a very common understanding, at least in Sweden. What about all these 17 yearolds pushing baby buggies at the local ASDA? Are they just a figure of my imagination?
After a bit of research I discovered that women giving birth to their first child in the UK are the second oldest in the world, only triumphed by the Kiwi girls. Even the Swedes are behind barely at 28. The UK are 12th in the world in teenage births, however the only western countries beating them are the US and, very oddly, New Zealand.

This got me thinking. How is it possible to have pretty much both the oldest women and the youngest women giving birth to their first child in the western world? Does that mean that there are also grandmas all over England giving birth to their first child? Because I don't know how the maths would work out otherwise.

Stats taken from Nationmaster.com

Drink more Guinness, it might save your life

Good news for all the freshers at Kent Uni!

This Monday Cedars Sinai hospital (you know the one that Britney went to when she lost the plot and shaved her upstairs rather than her downstairs) published a study where they claim that a victims of dramatic accidents, for example a car crashes, who then suffers from traumatic brain injuries are more likely to survive if they have been drinking at the time when they got injured.

It's friday night people, Let's Party Ard.

LIBERTY QUAYS DOES NOT EXIST! At least not on the map...

Since trying to order books from amazon.co.uk and also trying to purchase my 16-25 railcard I have discovered that the postcode to Liberty Quays does not exist in their system. This means that when I, for example, try to get a railcard or get books for my coursework it will not come through as the system does not recognise ME7 1FL as a valid postcode. Indeed it works on googlemaps and from what I have heard people have been getting mail - BUT STILL.
Just to try to make our lives down at Liberty Q even more complicated (as I have already mentioned in previous posts the public transport connection is appalling!). Did it not spring to mind to anyone to perhaps sort this out before 600 students moved in? Is there a reason why the postcode is not getting recognised in these commercial systems?

The little journo inside me will not rest until I get to the bottom with this. I rarely do which is why they already know me by name down at reception...

Looks like I'm not the typical journo

During my research for my first essay, which I am proud to say I have just finished, I found a pretty little book on GoogleBooks called How to succeed in Newspaper Journalism by David Stevenson (GoogleBooks link). He points out, referring to a poll made by the London College of Communication (at that time The London College of Printing), that the typical journalist is a 38 year old white middle-class male who votes Labour. Well, at least I fit in to one of those - at the moment I am so pale that a painkiller on my thigh would look like a mole.
Half of us wants to get rid of the royals ( Why, why, WHY, when Harry is so pretty?!) and we don't really make a lot of money. No surprises there. We are also clearly a very sensible bunch as 96 % of us are in favour of condom vending machines.

The best part?
According to the poll, 75% of British journalists wants to legalize prostitution.

When it comes to Gaga more is more!

Whoever told Lady Gaga she needs to tone it down ought to have a fake hair bow shoved down their throat!

According to various news and gossip sources her management has told her to work on mainstreaming herself a bit since her latest single Paparazzi only reached number 18 on the US Billboard Chart (she has previously had two number ones and one fifth place).
Gaga, they don't have a clue and you know it. For once there is a female artist who does not give a flying about conventions and 'must not's and who actually makes it really big (on this side of the milennium I mean). She is and inspiration to all of the others out there who dares to be different or maybe wants to dare.

Quotes Lady Gaga:
"I'm inspired by fashion. I'm inspired by the moonlight. I'm inspired by sex and pornography and slasher films."

"Question : What do you look for in a man?

Gaga: A big dick."

and my personal favourite which I carry with me always:

"Writing a record is like dating a few men at once. You take them to the same restaurants to see if they measure up, and at some point you decide who you like best. When you make music or write or create, it’s really your job to have mind-blowing, irresponsible, condomless sex with whatever idea it is you’re writing about at the time."

Dear Home Secretary Alan Johnson...

... "delighted" would not be my choice of word to describe the clearing of the Calais refugee camp where 278 people, of which 132 were children, were driven out of their shacks and tents by 500-600 police officers.
Yes it has been creating problems, increasing numbers of war victims, both adults and children who needs medical care to name one, but when it comes to the treatment of these human beings, people whom have already been through enough terrible ordeals, to be "delighted" is simply wrong. Mr Johnson, you have clearly not seen the pictures from the scene.
And if I am not mistaken you guys started the war that got these people there in the first place...

Uni at last!

The lack of updates is all due to lack of internet. After a lot of hustling and bustling and frustrating phonecalls to the internet support where I have been treated like a complete imbecile it is finally installed and ready. My first official day at my new university went down pretty smoothly and I am finding my way around campus.

Question: Why on earth would anyone place blocks of student halls by a heavily trafficked road with only one bus towards the town centre which takes almost one hour because the route goes around half the county? I am paying 400 pounds a month and I am not even close to getting the benfits that I had in London (where I, by the way, was paying 100 pounds less). Sure I live above a Tesco Express, but it is tiny and insanely expensive, I have my own bathroom but the shower is minute and like stated before there is only one bus and to use the immortal words of comedian Magnus Betnér: it sucks! We will see. Considering how awesome my school seems to be it is probably worth it...

As pictured above, I am dressed in full school gear ready to go to the "School Disco".
Peace, Love and Jägermeister for all.
Sara Malm, (finally officially) Student

iPig!

My "moving out present" from the best flatmates in the world Adam and Josie. I am now the proud owner of a pink iPig.

I'm gonna be the coolest kid on campus.

New favourite Simpsons quote

Alberto: "First we make love, then we decide if it was a good idea or not. That's the European way."

Leaving

Last night's leaving do in Spitalfields B@1 seemed to have been highly successful for everyone involved. My team were the first to leave and I think we tumbled out of there around five in the morning. As we got on the bus back to Clapham J, people were going to work. Messy was just the forename.

After a few hours of not even attempting to get out of bed, a pizza breakfast/lunch/dinner, Harry Potter at the IMAX and a late night kebab I have now packed all my life together. A couple of IKEA bags, two suitcases and a guitar case. My room is a bit emptier and a little bit tidier than usual. Im gonna miss my room so today, apart from being a day of recovery, has a touch of sadness to it. Im probably gonna miss my room even more when I move in to the cupboard sized room down in Kent.

Do you want to date a bartender?

I used to be a bartender not too long ago. After that I worked as a cocktail waitress whilst training to be an even better bar girl. That however did not happen when university all of a sudden showed up at the horizon and I am still running around with trays full of cocktails five days a week witnessing what goes on behind and in front of the bar.

The bartending business is stressful, hard, and just as crazy as it seems. I have loved almost every minute of it and even the toughest moments have their very own charm. One of the benefits of working behind and around the stick is those nights when you’ve got your arms covered in phone numbers and your pockets contain napkins with questionable suggestions of after work activities.

I mean, just imagine: you are a guy sitting in a bar (50 percent of the worlds population does not have to imagine, but you know where I am getting at). You’ve got your beer goggles on and that girl behind the bar shaking whatever she is shaking is doing a pretty good job. She is getting more and more attractive by the drink and as the night is starting to come to an end you swagger over there, confident as I ever. You are taking her home tonight, I mean who would say no to you, right?

But I advice you to hold on for just a minute soldier - do you have even the slightest idea of what you’re getting yourself in to?

Wine us, dine us, now that’s all fine, but if you want to belong to a girl in the hospitality industry there are some things that you have to take into account.

The following points are, if not crucial, of highest importance if you ever wish to date a bartender (or even a cocktailmad waitress like me):

1. You have to enjoy being woken up at two o’clock in the morning by a sweaty creature in an adrenaline rush that wants to tell you absolutely everything that has happened at work for the past ten hours.

2. Find it charming that no matter where you take her out for a drink she will have something to say and/or find something to complain about when it comes to service/the menu/range of spirits on the back bar etc.

3. Like the fact that your entire week is going to be planned around her two days off per week. Most likely neither of these will be on the weekend. If you are lucky one of them is a Thursday.

4. Have no sense of smell alternatively have a weird foot fetish and like them smelly. Our feet are enclosed in the same boots all day and it usually takes less than ten minutes before they are soaking wet. My garbage room smells nicer than our feet after a long shift.

5. All of our colleagues plus almost our entire friendship circle will look at you like you are an imbecile if you don’t know the difference between blanco, reposado and anjeo tequila or what cachaca is distilled from.

Still want to take the girl with the shaker home? Didn’t think so.

VMA thoughts - Open letter to Kanye

Seriously Kanye? Really? I used to like you...
Why on earth would you use your power as a successful musician and producer to bully a 19-year old girl? Beyonce is a grown up who has had numerous prices and tons of praise throughout her long career. I don't think she was so desperate for that prize that you had to go up on stage and defend her missing out and I don't think you thought that either. You just had to make a statement.

Statements are important even when they don't lead anywhere, which you Kanye West have obviously already understood. The power of the action in itself and all that jazz. Like the feminists who ran up on stage during the 2001 Miss Sweden competition with a banner saying "GUBBSLEM", which roughly translated means slimy old male creeps, knew as well But see, there is a difference between you and them, K.
Of course nothing happened, Miss Sweden is still going strong, but it was still an important statement. Aint that what you were aiming for Mr West? Upset and distraught that such terrible wrongdoing could have taken place and you just had to do something.

Well you know what Kanye? If making that statement means hurting a kid, or anyone innocent for that matter, it is not important anymore. Therein lies the difference.
What did Taylor Swift ever do to you? What do you personally gain from taking the stage? Nothing, apart from a few extra seconds in the limelight which frankly, with your talent you don't need.

All it does is make you look pathetic, egocentric and honestly a little bit fat. The apology you issued earlier this morning is so fake it is laughing material and it could not be more clear that you are, like a king of the schoolyard, simply taking the piss.
I heard chubby, resentful and immature is the way forward and we all know how much you like to be a frontrunner. So maybe it suits you.

Taylor Swift - dry your eyes honey, because he is a sad BLTP (Ballsack longer than penis) and your tits are still fighting gravity.



Peace, Love and Jägermeister for all.
Sara

A very important message

Scandilous Life says:

Don't be a fool, wrap your tool.

H&M - Fashion against AIDS Collection

A delicious topic in the the middle of dinner

Tonight I learned about "musting". It all comes down to a pair of lips and a... well an arsehole. Put those two together and then suck. Suck until it gets "musty". Yes, it is just as disgusting as it sounds. However according to a college of my best friends': "It doesn't taste as much of ass as you would expect!"
Musting anyone?



It's been a long time since I laughed so much and we talked about everything and nothing until early morning.

Art of the State

I spent the day with my Mami in Stockholm yesterday. As we were walking through the Old Town, strolling from gallery to gallery, I found my new favourite artist. HGE or Hans-Göran Eriksson has his own gallery, Gallery HG in Old Town and his art is amazeballs. Even though Im not exactly an art geek, if I had 2200 £ I would buy this one:

Loved these two as well...


This is his homepage, btw

If you wanna get laid - don't shower.

According to The Independent (eternally my source of information) there is nothing more attractive to a woman than a sweaty man (read article here).

This derives from a substance created by TAMTARARAM - testosterone! Androstadienone, as it is called, hightens a mans attractiveness to a woman.

So now we know why sweaty bartenders are so sexy.

Mmmmm... Bartenders...

9/11 reflections

Today being the day that it is you cannot help but reflect upon what has happened since. I was only 11 in 2001. I turned on the TV when I came home and saw the unimaginable. I remember realising that nothing would ever be the same in the US. Quite maturely, to be honest.

Now I'm flat on my stomach reading the Independents article on young soldiers fighting in Afghanistan (read here).

They are sending out children to fight on the fields of Helmand. Age is nothing but a number and most eighteenyearolds I know aren't even fit to move out of their parents house yet. I was rather mature for 18 when I left home but for crying out loud, I moved to a country two hours away and my chances of getting blown to pieces or shot to death are a hell of a lot smaller than in a war zone.

I have grown up a lot over the past year and of course you grow up in the military too but isn't it better to do some growing up in a safer environment first before you get thrown into a war?

To me, before 21 you are still inbetween. Perhaps not a kid, but no adult. Im definitely not one and I could have been sent to battle over a year ago. Most people are not even an adult at 21 to be fair. So what is the rush?

And the US - seriously?

"You're not allowed to buy a beer but here's a loaded rifle son!"

Sigh. Full Stop.