Daily Musings — 15th February 2017
In a new feature, I collect my thoughts on the day’s news and events.
You’ve probably already seen that Kim Jong-nam, half-brother to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been assassinated in Malaysia.
I first knew of the older Kim when I learned about his attempt to visit Disneyland Tokyo. From what I’ve read about him — he was very different to his family members. He had no interest in political power and was a critic of the regime.
Thus, his death comes as a real shock. It raises more questions about the North Korean regime and its’ stability, or lack thereof. The current narrative is that the murder was carried out by North Korean operatives. If so, why does the regime feel the need to assassinate someone who poses little actual threat?
It will be very interesting to see the full story when it comes out.
On a more lighthearted note, last night, Barcelona were absolutely thumped (my preferred adjective is far more aggressive and less appropriate) by Paris Saint Germain.
The PSG performance shows just what can be achieved if the entire team plays well and every player does their job. It was a surprise as well owing to the Parisians being unlikely to lift a fifth consecutive Ligue One title, with Nice and Monaco leading the charge. Angel Di Maria, meanwhile, has spent time this year on the bench due to poor form, but gave arguably his best individual performance since he left Real Madrid in August 2014.
Barcelona’s problems are clear. Xavi and Dani Alves are at Al Sadd and Juventus, now. Iniesta is 33. Mascherano is on the decline and the younger players are still very raw. The backbone of the all conquering Barcelona team of recent years is gone.
Lastly, if you hadn’t noticed, yesterday was Valentines’ Day. Now, I spent most of the day wondering around Brick Lane like a headless chicken. And I actually enjoyed it. Doing nothing at home can be quite boring, doing nothing somewhere you’ve never been and are exploring for the first time, is actually quite fun and you never know what you might find. So, next time you find yourself alone, why not just go out on a walk?