Burning Bridges

Today is such a day you can say everything is just perfect. Even though we had a whole day class, 8:15 - 17:00. I have not had so much fun for a long time. The task of today was to build a bridge. So that was what we did. We got assigned to different groups the teachers had constructed before the class and we were at it. We came up with the most interesting design for the project, we researched a lot, we were at the top of inventing a new sort of architectural design for bridges. The result was as follows:

It's a traffic accident. Suddenly it just looked like this. It just appeared out of nowhere and we didn't reflect on it until it was 5 minutes left and we had to quickly finish it. Never have I laught so hard when we were done. See the conceptual design of the pillars representing the Freemasons and the colors of the red and green representing the fire and earth that is interpreted as metalworking. We didn't make it justice. At least we had fun in our group. And I still think we should have won the design part. People are just not ready for our new way of thinking.

The good thing about it is that ever since I came home Ive been in a good mood, smiling at what happened and have high spirits. I'm gonna live on this for a long time. Had we been able to push this true and perfect it for another hour we would have had the best bridge there is. Stable, trustworthy and a design marvel...if we only had changed the colors.

Silence, Storm and Sunrise

A new week, a new beginning. Still the same spot in the library. At least for half the day, afterwards it was work with the project management group. Until 15:00 that is when it was time for the program evalouation for the 4th year students, meaning only me as the others are either in Stockholm studying for a master and therefore left the program or at an internship here and there. in Sweden and Europe So for the 1 hour planned for this event it only took 15 minutes. And then back to the project. Actually it was interesting to talk about the program as it actually made me reflect on the 4 years at the university and what Ive actually learnt from it.

First thing to say is that I really liked the program as I found very interesting and stimulating. I have now experienced who I really am and have a small clue on where to go with my life. The only problem as I see it was the fact that it doesn't have much connection toward the professions that a political scientist could have. Of course they changed it now and brought in some visits to the local municipalities. A bit too late for me, but I will probably manage. I have a very optimistic view on the future, but the question is what I'm supposed to do after the spring. Shall I find a job when the unemployment is supposed to reach 10-11 % or shall I continue and study 2 more years for a master? Being as young as me I will probably have no problem with either alternative. Let see, 22 next year and with 2 more I would be 24, not bad. High educated and hopefully some other things around me to support my academic credentials, you know, real working experience. Then something like 40 years work and then pension. Sounds like a plan, unfortunately I would have to change University as they don't (at the moment) support master courses in political science. I grown accustomed to Karlstad, even though it rains every day in the summer or some other weather phenomena that is not sunny. It even hails at the moment together with thunderstorms (or something that sounds like it).

Days of Future Passed

Talk about lazy day. Nothing has been done. After the releasing feeling after having made the statistic test it feels good to let the mind rest. And now it's a maximum of 3 weeks thrilling wait to see if I (god forbid) have to redo it one more time. We don't want that I tell you. Unfortunately I can't take any free times from the library this week...or the next and onward if you get the drift. 3 weeks with just statistic has let me slip the other courses a bit so I have to take some measures to get in line. Good thing I have tomorrow morning, whole Tuesday, Thursday morning and the whole Friday to dig into the pile of literatures that has stacked themselves on top of each other during these weeks. So Fun!

The Germans have gone to election and listen to this, this election was talked about for a week in the Swedish media. It was actually talked about, my god it even got more news than the Swedish church election. Not the coverage like the American election thank god, but something more could have been made. More analyzes over what the outcomes could have for consequences for Sweden. Germany is the largest and richest country in the EU and our neighbor. It must mean something for us who sits in Berlin (of course everyone knew it was gonna be Angela Merkel, but who would be with her?).

I'm a little curious about the 4 last years in German politics as the biggest parties that usual opposing each other joined together. I haven't hide my preferences for a Fp and S coalition (with Mp and C if it's absolutely necessary). And they used to be the big opposing parties (until Fp somehow became second fiddler first to C and then to M). Well we have to wait till next year and we see where we stand our selves with a new Riksdag with maybe 1 or 2 new parties and maybe even some old ones failing to reach the 4 % voter line. By looking at the countries around us we can't make anything out anyway. Norway is a green-red coalition, Germany seems to be a an liberal-conservative coalition, Finland is going to election in 2011 and Denmark seems to not have a set next election date (they had their election 1 year after us and keept their right-wing party). Last election the political scientist said that during the good times when the economy is strong you don't cange government and then both Norway and Sweden changed government, they to the red-green coalition and we to our center-blue government. That alone would have been a sign that the recession would come, we only have blue governments when theire is problems in the economy. 76-82 (the first real crisis in Sweden since the 2:nd world war with the oilmonopoly), 91-94 during the largest crisis in Swedish history since the 30's and now again since 2006. The question is, will they sit 4 more years making themselves historical? We shall see.

Seven Days Without You Makes One Weak

It's over once more, the statistic test has been calculated and returned in. And how do I feel about? Could go anyhow really. In my most optimistic view (and that's really optimistic) I would get around 67-72 points (that's a VG) and in my more pessimistic view (not that pessimistic actually) I would land somewhere between 37-42 (that's either U or G). All depends on what they are giving points at and if I understood the question correct. The first question felt very simple and I suspect that I misinterpreted it and the same goes for the last question since I got a number out of it that doesn't feel that out of place but I have no clue if that was how I was supposed to get the number in the first place. So those are like either max point 10 or utter failure 0. If I get X>40 then I'm happy, but it would feel nice with 60. Then it only proves that to fix a mathematic test our either need to be a number genius or you just have to be lucky enough to get the right questions.

Anyway, to let all my anguish just leave my body I'm at the moment stuffing myself with dark chocolate ice-cream and Marabou chocolate and coke. Yeah, one week without anything and now I'm partaking in something that can only be described as a chocolate orgy. I'm weak.

Nothing else happens. Oh, and if any one wonders, yes, I still have to be in the library 8-16 every day to speed up the other courses I've taken but neglected studying to the statistic test. At least I won't have time to have this lazy after test week and degrade myself even more. One last thing about the statistic test. This morning I woke up at 7 to get ready and really wake up before the test at 9. What's on the TV? A show portraying someone that has a mental breakdown while studying...you guessed it:

Statistics

Isn't life fun. It ended with that the character threw down all the books in a trashcan and lit it on fire. Like what I'm feeling at the moment as well. Unfortunately it seemed like the whole house was going to burn down and the "to be continued" turned up. I'm not gonna stay tuned in for that but the irony in it is kinda astonishing. Karma I tell you, just plain karma. If I fail this test that will probably be my reaction as well.

Karma

The day after the biggest event of the year. This bloggs 100th post. Of course how much I wanted to spend the might partying away and rid myself of all worries I still have my test on Saturday. It feels like it can go anyway. I have no confidence what so ever that I will shine like a statistical know-it-all, which was the impression when I started the course. It seemed easy and if I had stuck to my original plan I might have. BUT NO, I had to spend my summer with playing video-games, escaping into fantasy worlds beyond my imagination and then watch gruesome murder shows at the TV. Karma is a bitch.

If the TV-shows wasn't enough, now the news seems more like an American action-movie. Helicopters and bombs? Maybe the next Beck-movie will be inspired by this. Still it doesn't feel like it happened. To unlikely to be true is the first comment that enters my mind. Maybe this is an effect of to much American series and movies. The real world seems to unlikely to happen. The interesting thing is that it is easier to distinct fiction from reality, but not the other way around. A paradox when the moralist claims that the fictional mediums are damaging and sucking in our youth in fantasy world. It's the opposite, the real world is to imaginative to be real.

So, is there anything else then spewing my disdain for the statistic test or do I actually have anything interesting to say? No. Probably not.

100 Miles

We have reached number 100! An applaud to myself for...actually just give me applaud for keeping this up. The small pieces of myself and thoughts I plant in all these post are just a big puzzle for the readers to understand me. Of course some pieces are probably dated as we all develop and I might as well have changed opinions and then again some are just ironic comments on society so have fun to figure that out. And now for something completly different:

I miss my old coursemates. It's not as fun anymore sitting in the library without their spot-on observations on the world around us. The discussions that followed could be anything between heaven and hell but they were interesting. The problem could also be that the statistic test on Saturday makes my life miserable at the moment and therefore not acknowledge the brilliance of the younger generation of political scientists. I guess that's the biggest problem. At least it's over on Saturday and my god I don't want to do that again. Why in god's name did I take this course, or even better, why didn't I study during the summer with ample oppurtunities. Lazyness just don't pay of and put you in debt instead.

I didn't cover the results from the church election. Frankly I don't actually care as seen by earler posts. I had more important stuff to do, like spending most of my time at the library reading and calculating. 8-16 ever day with occasional 17 or 18 as well. Except on Tuesday when I go home at a whopping 20:40. Of course that's because the spanish course but still. I could practicaly move in there with the amount of time I spend there. When I get some money I surely will donate some to the library so they can put up a sign that reads:

"Here studied Niklas Andersson, a political scientist that for some reason deceided to study statistics. He regretted that decision EVERY day!

Yeah, I really don't like this test. It should also be placed at my seat. Yeah, "my seat". When you spend most of your time there it should be classified as my seat. Some bastard actually took my seat the day before yesterday so I had to relocate my studie place. I can't have been in the library often as I have been on that same place for 2-3 weeks now. You think people learn after a while. It feels kinda pathetic when I think about it now.

Disturbing The Priest

Voted for the the church election today. And I still question what I voted for. I don't know. First of there was four instances to vote for. FOUR. The national elections usually have three instances, local, regional and national. Here there was four and I only voted on three on them. When they pointed it out I just said "I don't care". Which is actually true, I don't care one bit about this election, but I had to vote anyway as I justify their existence as I believe they do a good job with preserving the churches. And with that I accept there existence and can't use my loophole for other things I don't care for. The most interesting thing is that the only ones that propose a very good solution for the problem with the church overall is the Humanist movement that is secular in an debate article at Newsmill. Isn't that like going to Satan for salvation or something like that?

I don't support all seven points they propose, especially point 5 and 6. Nr 5 is that you constantly need to approve that you are a member of the Swedish church. I understand the purpose but the proposed idea that the church should send out letters that you have to answer to confirm it would be just a waist of natural resources and use the money the church get to wrong cause. Also to let children stand outside religious communities and wait until 16-18 when they are old enough to make their own decision is good, but it would probably not work that very well with peoples beliefs. This ritual comes from the old belief that if you weren't baptised and member of the community and died you would go to hell. So denying some the right to baptise their children and bring them into the community in order to protect them from hell would be against the religious freedom we have. Therefore it's more important to have a school free from religion and give the children the necessary tools to judge everything by themselves.

As this post more or less is about the church I can really recommend the song Disturbing The Priest by Black Sabbath. It's one of there better songs with Ian Gillan from Deep Purple. It's even better if you listen with the intro song Stonehenge. The build up is fantastic, it feels like you are floating on an ocean and then the heartbeats began to sound, both calming and at the same time alert you that something is wrong, and then out of nowhere the mad laughter of Ian Gillan kick starts the song and you wonder what the hell happened. Maybe that's one of the reason to stay in the church, without it a lot of good music would not have been made.

I almost forgot, nr 6 of the humanist movements proposal is that the monarch should be allowed to chose there own religion. I don't have any problem with that per se as I don't care about religion, but the reason they give is because if the head of state has his religious belief written into the constitution of the country, then it is a theocracy? Even the wikipedia page state that there is a line between monarchies of grace of god and theocracy and I hardly think our king believe in the grace of god. A theocracy is a country when a deity has direct control or an appointed person instead of said deity, such as the Vatican, Iran and the Ethiopian Empire under Haile Selassie. The King is not even in control of any power and has to bow down to the parliment and are therefore not the highest authory in the land. How can it then be a theocracy?

Inglourious Bastards

Inglourious Bastards, what a movie! So as you might have guessed I've been to the cinema again, the last time being for Valkyrie (no, I don't only watch movies about the second world war, it just happens to be those that are always running in the cinema). The reason is like last time. I get some tickets by my parents to get myself an "experience". So that's what I do, by going to a movie that glourifies violence and double-crossing. I loved it. Wonderful, all the acters were fantastic especially the antagonist, you both love and hate him, there is no escaping that. The tributes that had been smuggled in immensly fun, espeically the one toward Kelly's Heroes, maybe because that's the one I got 100% o. Apperently it was a lot more when I checked the wikipidia page afterwards. As I don't wanna spoil anything I will not discuss any points in the movie. Let's talk about the commercials instead.

I don't have anything to say other then to point to the last time I mentioned it. Nothing blowing my mind away that was memorable, I can't even remeber any of the commercials for future films. And of course there is this usual bickering but it has to be said:
STAY IN YOUR F***ING CHAIRS DURING THE MOVIE!
When the movie starts you don't move. What sort of manner does people have? They can't sitt still for 2 h 32 min? I could sitt thru The Return Of The King that was over 3 h long, and that doesn't take into account 15-30 min to get to the cinema and then back with another 15-30 min. To top it of my dad had to be there 30 min BEFORE the movie starts as well. That's over 4 h and these people can't handle 2 h 32!

And don't get me started on children who are just pestering their surroundings. I'm to tired to discuss that. Yes, I'm going for the role as an antagonist. We all feel that sometimes and don't you deny it!

Christians

Another day in the library, how fun, sitting their almost alone at the same place as always studying for the statistic test next week. And when I'm sitting there calculating with my calculator what happens. I suddenly realize that most formulas and whatnot exist within the damn calculator. It's evil that this is allowed to happen. Binomial probability distribution, Poisson probability distribution, e-constant and whatnot. Everything exist in the damn calculator. It's not fair. Of course it would probably not have helped me with the last 6 points anyway, but I could probably have checked if the numbers were correct or find out if it was possible to go that way.

It will be so nice when the statistics are over. No more math, no more calculations. One more week now. And things are finally beginning to move around the Church elections, but it still feels like it's a rehearsal toward next years election. And that is what most "experts" are commenting on, how this will effect the small parties that aspire toward the Riksdag next year. Of course the leader for the biggest party has decided to be in Majorca during this weekend. I don't know if this is good or bad. I don't want the politicians to be involved in the church affairs for the sake of it so that's good, but when her party is campaigning shouldn't she support them? She apparently think that it's an important election, but I don't see her showing it. At least it's not as bad as their posters for the election I've been seeing in the papers. I can't find it anywhere so I might save you from the view. It's not a very religious poster I can say.

Actually, with the whole thing why just not leave the church after the election? I still despise the organization, I don't participate in any of the church beliefs and I haven't visited a church since third year in high-school (which was mandatory for religion class). And if I leave I would lower my tax-rate *cough* I'm not greedy *cough*. On the other hand the tax is (hopefully) used to uphold the standard of the churches around the country and ... no, that's mostly it. Of course, I haven't paid that much taxes in my life (2 year or something like that and very little at that). So why haven't I left it before? I'm just lazy. The simplest explanation in the world, just lazy.

Justice For The Peace

Today is the day that Sweden, 200 years ago, lost one-third of its area to the deceitful Russians. We lost the eastern half of our kingdom, Finland, exiled the old royal family and gained a new one and finally got the worlds second oldest constitution (until it was redone in 1976). A lot of things to remember. Also it was the last time a war has been fought on Swedish soil and was the second-last war we participated in a war at all (some people claims that our troops in Afghanistan would indicate that we ain't "neutral" anymore, but since when have we been "really neutral"?).

Of course we can always speculate how history would have appeared if we had kept Finland within our border. Would there even be a Finland our would it have been assimilated in to Sweden?How would the res of history played out? Would we have been neutral in the Crimean War our would we have taken the opportunity to attack St. Petersburg when they were preoccupied with the Ottoman Empire, England and France? Would we have taken Norway from Denmark as we did to compensate for the loss of Finland? Maybe even Denmark-Norway would have lasted until today. If that so, how would World War II play out?

Of course we can't get any answer because we don't know how each result would effect the other. But as the power-hungry grand-imperialist I can't do anything else then drool on the thought of a Swedish Empire spanning the Baltic sea and have it's own access to oil. Think about the power of a country of 3 479 586 km2 (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and some islands belonging to Norway and Denmark) being the Worlds 7th largest state, with a population of 25 428 507 people placing us as 47th in the world. The GDP per capita would be somewhere around $ 62 000 and would place us as 2nd, 3rd or 4th richest people in the world. Talk about opportunities. Of course this would mean that we avoided the world wars, otherwise who knows would happened. With our luck we would probably have entered the war on the wrong side and facing the dissolving of the empire just like the Ottoman empire after World War I.

At least the Church election is beginning to get some coverage in the media. It's a bit odd. 75 % has the right to vote in this election, but the news coverage begins 3-4 days before the election day. The EU parliament had almost 1-2 month, next year election already started, but the American presidential election where most of us don't have a say began 1 and 1/2 year before the election. Don't you see something odd about this picture? I know we have a love/hate relationship with the US but this is ridicules. Of course I was actually there so...maybe I shouldn't stay to long around this subject.

Woke Up This Morning

That's what I did today. Woke up this morning and felt very strange. It was a lot more light than usual and I didn't feel as tired I usually felt when waking up. Open my eyes and took a glance on the alarm clock: 09:10.

Damn, I overslept. I probably had forgot to start the alarm. Of course it was nice to sleep a little longer, especially since I blew my 8 hour sleep by watching a documentary about US foreign policy in the middle-east connected to their need of oil. Of course it ended around midnight. Get some breakfast and then walk of to class. 1 hour late, but still 2 hours to go so better make the most out of it. I apparently didn't miss anything important so just flow with the tide.

Afterwards it was back to the library and sit with this infernal statistic course. I now have spent most of the last weeks in the library from 8 to 16. It has gone so far as the freshman for this year exclaiming when they see me in the morning that I'm living there. Somehow I find it kinda funny. I must be sick or something.

Also, with my graduation running closer every day I need to build up my CV. So I'm trying to land a part in the job fair at Karlstad University next year in April. Time to be at the forefront and have fingers crossed. In the news not much happens. Swedish terrorists, the financial crisis that seems to be at an end 1 year after it began. And this is supposed to be the worst financial crisis since the 1930's? Even the Swedish crisis of 1990-94 (the article says '91-'92, but the Swedish one has the other years) lasted longer and had a much bigger impact (at least for us). Funny enough it's even on this day 17 years since the Swedish Central Bank (the oldest Central Bank in the world non the less) raised the interest rate to 500% to protect "Kronan". Of course it failed miserable and cost us a lot for nothing.

On another note, after the shock-waves from the health-care reform in the US, Sweden has been painted as a Socialist state to be warned of. Completely ludicrous of course, but now someone has written a report describing us as "a bastion of market capitalism". I have no idea how that person ever came to that conclusion. Especially since we have the second highest tax rate in Europe (and the world if you take away to small islands with almost 100% tax) and a lot of monopolies or very limited selection of companies (especially in the energy market) but hey, I'm not complaining. We are the nation/country "Lagom" so why can't we be both? It would probably fit us like a glove.

Remember The Good Times

It's election time in Norway. And not a word until this weekend about it. Once again, we had almost a year coverage of the US election but only one weekend of Norway. Even worse is that we even have an election to the Swedish Church and not a single word ONE WEEK before it happens. Of course I don't like the church in general, but when I'm still a member I should probably vote in the election. At least to keep the politicians away from a religious institution. As I've said before religion and politics should not pair up, so I have to take my responsibility to secure that. Otherwise we will have some really questionable parties governing these bodies. Come on, what in god's name are the left doing there as they don't even believe that religion should have a place in society? It's screwed up I tell you.

Oh, fun thing. In most news sites in Sweden you can comment on articles and on one special site where almost anyone can write an article about any subject, Newsmill. Of course the comments usually evolve to hate/love discussion. The most infected discussion is the so-called "immigration problem". With this I mean anything that remotely can be blamed on immigrants. An unknown kid throws a stone at someone? "Out with the immigrants". Israel vs Palestinians, "Out with the immigrants". The tax is to high? "Out with the immigrants". You get the picture. Often these remarks talk about mass-immigration and we can't handle it. Fair, immigration was 100 000 last year of a population on 9 million (Red=Immigration, Blue=Emigration). But I believe our society can handle it, if the process of immigration is shaped up and of course, not taking in immigrants will just postpone the problem and slow the economic. The Swedes can't even reproduce them self with just 1,91% in fertility rate (close to the desired 2,1%, but close don't shoot the hare). At the moment the Swedish growth rate is 0,82% so we are not that bad of, but that's due to immigration. And our economy is based on a constant growth of the population to keep working and keep the older population sustained with welfare services.

So now to the fun part (took me long enough). Of course I couldn't resist to put that fact up at one place one evening, slept thru the night and voila, next day a comment to my comment had appeared. The commentator declared me a tomfoolery liberal with standard phrases who don't understand the real world or something like that (can't say I do, but who is he to judge anyway?). I more or less expected such such an answer, but then he writes that we had it much better when we were 7 million compared to 9 millions today. So I checked it out just for fun. We reached 7 million 1950. Let's see now, 1950, Cold war, Life expectancy laid around 70 years compared to around 80 years today, Inflation was above 15% compared to just above zero today, the GDP per capita has skyrocketed since the 1950's, no TV's and many other modern commodities that we have today, so according to me, we have it much better today, but some just don't want to see it. Although it is a huge stretch from what he said, but he said that we had it better then so I couldn't resist to check out how "good" we had it back then. Of course, being born in 1987 I can't possible remember that, so if I'm analyzing this right, this person must at least be over 60 years old, born earliest 1946 to have some memory of those time and that wouldn't surprise me, but my guess is that this person was born much later and have this idolized version of the 50's in his head that his parents fed him (my stereotype of old people is that they believe "that everything was better in the old days") that he himself never experienced. I could of course be wrong, but another stereotype I have is that seniors probably don't spend to much time on the internet (some probably do, but hey, I have my stereotypes and other people have others) debating politics like that. Just my opinion.

Of course I never answered the question, mostly because I was amused by the tomfoolery liberal comment and his huge misunderstanding of economic theory. And of course like this I can be an arrogant idiot sitting on my high horses looking down on the uneducated masses I more or less despise as the social liberal I am without being questioned. Anonymous on the web is fun.

Barn Av Vår Tid

It has been nice to relax a bit during the weekend. The cold has gone away and I feel up for another week in the library studying for the statistic test. Of course I should probably take care of the other courses I have as well, but you need to relax sometimes. In my case a lot of Final Fantasy VII. The message in the story is still very updated even though its been 12 years since it came out. Then again, when will the protection of the environment on our planet ever become outdated?

The title of this post is Swedish for "child of our time" and refers to a song by leftist theater/music group called Nationalteatern (or in English "The National Theater"). I might not support the political message in their songs, but even though they wrote these in the late 60's and 70's their view on socciety still exists. For example this song describes how the youth is being misunderstood by their parents that abandons them at societys mercy while the parents is hypnothised by the TV and the children escapes into other worlds (in the song it's mostly drugs). And when the parents fail to raise their children the police is on them which culminates in violent destruction as answer from the youth. To update this song it doesn't take much. Instead of the police just make it the corporate industry or the secret service otherwise it's just as modern today as in the 70's. Especially when we appears to have a lot of needless destruction and violence in some Swedish cities.

I actually don't see the use of that sort of behavior. What the purpose? How does that improve my life? The sad thing about this sort of behavior is that most times this is done by kids from rich families that are "bored" or at least when there is some big events that occurs. That must be the most worthless sign that you have a good life in a stable country. When you demonstrate against society with needless destruction. Examples is the reclaim the streets movement and the riots in Gothemburg 2001. I don't see the purpose as I said before. Maybe that's because I'm so blinded by my (in my eyes) decent upbringing and subconsciously ignore the problems in society because "I have it good enough". Maybe I'm just cold-hearted.

Time Is The Healer

Good news everyone! The cold is loosening its grip over me and will probably be banished from my body tomorrow or something like that. The Exorcism of these ills is finally over. After a week of drowning my body and soul in chocolate and coca-cola I can stop this franticly eating. Should probably stop consuming these products for a while to restore myself to prior strength. And start training again perhaps...when I get in the mode that is (like that would ever happen).

On the school front I'm trying to force the knowledge of statistics into my brain. It's not easy. The formulas we have say one thing, but the answers to earlier exams use a completely other formula TOGETHER with other formulas that we have learnt. So this unfortunately makes me kinda pessimistic about m chances and this view I express outwards. As a result, the younger members of SVIK that haven't seen my overly optimistic attitude toward everything, now believes that I'm always this pessimistic. Compare this to other people who says that they can't work with me cause "it will be solved somehow". And then I freak out anyway some days before a test or whatever.

So when the statistic course is over it will nice. Then I can put all my efforts into the project management and Spanish courses I'm taking this semester. Until the end of October when the project management course is over and I got 2 months left on the Spanish course. With that much free time I should be kinda fluent in Spanish afterwards (if I don't slack of that is, but we hope that doesn't happen).

Strong Arm Of The Law

So we once again turn into the depths of Swedish politics as next year is election year. Lines are being drawn in the sand between the parties and the only thing that actually differs the two sides is that the red-green want to heighten the taxes while the blue ons want to lower them. *Enter Sarcasm mode* This means there will be a really inspiring debate *exit sarcasm mode*. Seriously, that's what next year big issue gonna be? The problem is that I have a hard time buying the Social democrats idea that we need to heighten taxes to secure our welfare and not become a "low-tax country" like everyone else (it's unfortunately in Swedish, I might update it if I get my hands on an English version). We still pays the 2nd highest taxes in the world just after Denmark (excluding the two countries I've never heard of and seems to have taxes between 90% and above 100% however that's possible in the long run). I wonder where all the money goes to. Frankly I believe much goes to feed a bureaucratic tower of Babel and we could possible save in some money before increasing taxes. On the other hand there's a big chance that somewhere in that tower my workplace will be so I wouldn't like to shoot myself in the foot on this one. And just to remind everyone, I still believe that we shall heighten taxes if it's necessary and try to keep a budget stable, but this crisis changes the rule.

On the other hand the Alliance is not the perfect ruling platform that I would wholeheartedly support. Mostly because I have some issues with some of the parties in it. Especially the Christ Democrats, religion has nothing to do in politics and shall not be used to shove morals down your throat. So the Swedish Minister of Justice Beatrice Ask and a Kd member have today announced a new law where the citizens have to act if someone is in need (Swedish again). Now this probably make me sound cold-hearted but the consequences of this law could be really dire. It states that after everyones possibilities we must act if we seen someone in need. Many questions pop up like how do you judge if someone did to little for another person? What is the consequences if you break the law and how can a court judge if someone did to little? Also, is a civilian with limited understanding of the dangers associetad with intercepting some mischief really right person to risk his/her own life/health and others around them? Picture this scenario: Two people suddenly attack one lonely person. What should you do?Which side should you take? With this law you are obligated to help that one person as that's the one in need. But what happens if those two others were polices incognito? What happens then? And don't say it's highly unlikely, it actually happened to Ozzy Osbourne in his early career. He spent one night in jail for that, but with conflicting laws, which is more important? Some comments said that it should be better to foster us to believe in those values which I believe is wrong in another way as the state shouldn't force it's morals upon the people *cough* like the church *cough*.

Also, if the state can't protect us, do we get lower taxes? See, one of the states prime obligation is to protect it's citizens and therefore we pay taxes to uphold the law, but if it gets the citiziens responsibilities, then we should not pay so high taxes. We only pay for what we get. Of course, the good thing is that is should spring a very timid nation to action, but I don't think that the law will become reality if they make a thoroughly check upon the consequences. It smells just like a law to make Kd happy before the election so it seems like they actually have anything to say in the government. Where can I get a button "Vote Kd out of the Riksdag 2010"?

Healer

Feeling the cold spreading through my body. After finally have vanquished the pains after the weekend my health dwindle again and yesterday my throat began to hurt. No reason, it just happened. And then I woke up and the nose is clogged, the head hurts and I feel just miserable. A good day indeed. Nothing else to do then go to school and sit at the library the whole day and study the damb statistic course (even my writing is effected by this cold...I know it's kinda pathetic with that attempt of a joke, but still). God I hate to redo the statistic course, everything I learnt back then is gone after just 3 weeks. This probably says a lot about my study efficiency during the summer. Even worse is that yesterday I found a function on my computer that made it easier to calculate some of the things in the test...3 f***ing weeks to late. That could have been the difference of the 6 points I missed. This feels like it's gonna be 3 long weeks.

So, as usual when I feel a cold or a bit sick I stick to my usual medication. No physical exercises, a lot of chocolate and coca-cola. The best things in the world and with my new PS3 I can watch some movies on the TV...if I had any interesting to see. At the moment there is only Alien, Aliens, Terminator 1-2, Predator 1-2, Die Another Day, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, For A Few Dollars more, Young Frankenstein and The History Of The Worlds. Also some TV-series like Faulty Towers, Black Adder and The Mysterious Cities of Gold. Somehow none of these thrills my interest to watch at the moment. Pity this could not have happened a few weeks from now, when I expect an old TV-series from the late 70's. I have only seen the first pilot movie so it shall be interesting to see the whole series. The series is Thundersub if anyone wondered.

Every Breath You Take

Not being a technical god I actually fond out how many that has been on my blog (I think that's what the numbers mean, but I could be wrong) and it points at 98 visits. Of course that could be since August 2008, but still, around 100 people reading it. Thanks for that you read my sometimes misspelled inputs and my constant ramblings of my points of view.

More rambling then. My body still hurts after the Saturday freshman day. So the idea to wake up at 7 and be at the library between 8-10 and then have class till 15 and then continue study was out of the question. Instead I decided to heal my body with some chocolate and coca-cola. I am so weak. But every muscle screams in anguish when I move, every breath I take sends pains thru the body and don't tell me about the sneezes. Although I should probably start getting a routine over my studies as the redo test for the statistic course is in 3 weeks and I shall probably start reading my project management books and learn some Spanish.

Also the Swedish politicians start to put up the positions for next years election. Of course I support the Alliance this time as the red-green parties needs to take some time up and really think thru what they want and how they are supposed to get there. They need a vision (I know there ideological utopias, but how are they gonna get there and don't pull the raise tax and everything gets better). Yes, Swedish people will probably let the politicians raise taxes if it's necessary but then we want transparency so we see where it goes. How large does the Swedish budget need to be to support our welfare system's and a couple of side things that need to financed? I don't support the Alliance view that lowering taxes just for the sake of lowering taxes is a good thing, but I don't see the fears the opposition states that we are turning into a low-tax society like any other. We are still the second highest taxpaying country in the world with Denmark above us. That would need a lot of tax cuts and no party would survive that as that would cripple our welfare system. The only possible reason for that to happened would be if we found some large oil well that could pay for the tax cuts and the possibility for that is really slim, even with these green parties on both sides (Mp and C).

The Final Sacrifaice

The Freshman weeks are over for SVIK and it's time to begin studying for real now. Friday didn't have the best of news as the result for my statistic course came out and I failed by 6 points. Of course I did not have high hopes, but 6 points feels like a slap in the face. At least I got the chance to get a VG on the test in 3 weeks. Really, if I got 34 points with just 3 days of study, then 3 weeks shouldn't be a problem. Also all the books to my current courses arrived. So it just to take the bull by its horn and establish my presence as the sole '06 beginner on plan 4.

Saturday as the final day of the freshman activities for SVIK and it was really fun. New faces (a lot of new faces) and a couple of old ones that it was fun to see again (after 3 weeks, but still fun to see). Lots of fun games, but for some reason I had to be the one showing everyone how they done. The explanation they gave me is that the freshman that joined SVIK in '07 wanted revenge what we did put them up with. And they take it out on me! The nicest one of faddrarna. At least it was soon over although I had to crawl in the mud more then once (this organization lies on self sacrifice) and then it was dinner time, then party till after midnight. And of course when I woke up my body was stiff and ached like hell. So the day was spent playing thru Final Fantasy VII to the Playstation. Now I finally might clear the game, but it will probably have to wait till after the Statistic course is over. It was 6 points for god's sake!

Also, our efforts in the raft race last wednesday was mentioned in the local newspaper in the second pharagraph. The same happened 2007, but of course it never happens because we won the race, no, we stand out in some completly different way, and we didn't lose either.

The Last In Line

The cocktail party was a success I think. I came in more or less last of everyone that was there. I was so late they actually called for me wondering where I was. That's kinda funny. Never happened before. They expected me to be their first of all, but as I ended my lessons at 17:00 I needed some time to get ready. And then we have the always problematic collective traffic never going when you want them to. Except on my way home when it pulls up right beside me when I left the party. That's service.

Tuesday some Swedish Ghostball tournament (very similar to dodgeball but not entirely) and then Wednesday and the big raft race across the "mighty" Klarälven. SVIK:s raft was the best one I seen in many years. Two barrels tied together with rope and sticks. It looked really good, until it hit the water and the two raftsmen jumped on and it rolled over. Yeah, it rolled over another time before they decided to leave it that way, but then they had lost one of the oars. With one oar one had to jump of the raft and act as an outboard motor. We ended 3-4, but where probably disqualified as the rules states that you have to be on the raft. Unlike in my days when I jumped of and walked on the bottom pushing it till 2nd place until the depth became to deep and we lost.

Of course the only reasonable action to take was to party. Drain our sorrows and move on. A fun day all and all. Except that it was cut short when class stared 8:15 the day after. Need my 8 hour sleep. As a side note I got one of the new Playstation 3 slim. So finally I can see movies on my TV I bought 2 years ago. And play my Final Fantasy Collection 1,2,4-9. Unfortunatly I have to replay all games as it doesn't take old memory cards. And what the hell am I supposed to do with all PS2 games that don't work on the PS3? I knew they didn't work, but why? PS1 works, why doesn't PS2 work?