A Merry Christmas to Everyone and so on

... sentence and that would just be ridiculous. Hey, look at the time, it's the day before christmas. And what couldn't be better that get the result from the latest exams and finally finish them of. Nice presents indeed. Now I can at least focus on the next exams and essays... it feels like a never-ending circle does it not? Should probably make my New Year vow to get a job before the end of 2011. If I ever get home that is, the winter has struck Sweden once again and the communications has been caught in the heaps of snow... like every year. Think we should be used to it by now. With some luck it should be no problem, but with my exams passed I might have used up all my luck. *knock on wood*

There is nothing left for me than to wish everyone a Happy Christmas (or whatever people celebrate) and a Happy New Year. Actually it's kinda interesting to think about why Christmas is located where it is. Just a couple of days after the winter solstice it's pretty easy to see the return of the light as a metaphor for Jesus by the Christians, then in extension the summer solstice which the the Christians tried to associate with John the Baptist. Therefore the celebrations (at least the Nordic Midsummer) would be a metaphor for the dark days to come as well as that after the darkness salvation shall appear in the shape of Jesus (or more correctly the winter solstice and the sun). Kinda fun when you think about it (and maybe to clarify, no, I'm not religious, but it's always fun to philosophizing).

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (3)

 

So I'm back again after... 2 weeks, huh. Well, I've been busy finishing of my exams before Christmas as well start on a small "essay" before the next rounds of exams. I hate this, getting a job seems so much more tempting these days around. While I'm not doing that I'm playing Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. And it's AWESOME.

Well worth waiting 7 years for, although it feels a bit short landing around 40 hours, but that doesn't include finding every secret so I can at least milk it for some more hours... after I play it over again since you can't back-track to certain places like in the old game. Pity. Also there is no problem keeping a high enough level since one of the new elements is that of weapon mastery. Each weapon has a meter that you fill the more you use it to gain new unleashes. If you get every weapon and pass them around between everyone and get everyone accustomed to them, you will end up at around 5 levels over what the game requires at different checkpoints.

Maybe tedious if you gonna do it every time so I had hoped for a new game plus sort of arrangement, but no. You have to redo it all over again, but I probably got loads of time for doing that. Especially since it took them 2 years to get the first sequel running and this one 7 years. And yes, they will most likely make another sequel since this one also ends on a freaking cliffhanger. It's like ending in the middle of a...

Fire And Ice

Right, finished yet another exam and taking the week of to charge the batteries before doing it all over again... on monday... with two weeks until the next one. This is really purgatory, but instead of brimstone and fire it's ice and snow. The legs feel like icicles when walking back and forth to the library. Feels like they gonna crack when I sit down. At least i don't need to leave the apartment until monday so I gonna stay inside and watch movies, eating some snacks and just enjoy myself. I think I deserve it after forcing Lagrange, Cobb-Douglas and other people who should be burnt at the stake for creating these horrible theories down my throat. Maybe I should burn the book to keep the warmth up.

Soul Sucker

I'm not very active recently with this blogging, but I must ask you to understand the situation I'm in... I really suck at Economics. Yeah, I'm recently stuck in a vicious circle of exams. Trapped in a purgatory of doing it over, and over, and over again with no end in sight. Well, until they don't let me do them until next year of course, but thats besides the point. Or if I found a job first but how big chance for that is there? And there is not much else to write about anyway... except maybe the Korean crisis, but frankly, if they don't bomb North Korea soon there will still be this spiral of threats and demands so it's kinda boring. It's just the same thing over and over again.

In Swedish politics things don't look that interesting either, if you ignore the total collapse of the Social Democrats with no party leader and the cannibalistic tendencies when it comes to ensure that either the left or the right wing of the party takes power. There is also some sort of friction in the Christ Democratic party with there imminent threat of being thrown out of the parliament. But it's still kinda boring compared to the election month. What is this? I don't enjoy it as much as I should do.

And there is no idea writing about Golden Sun: Dark Dawn since, well, it soon hits the store and I want to experience it myself without being spoiled. And I don't have any films to watch either and there is no party going on. Damn, this really sucks. 

Elected

Oh yeah, another exam has been handed in, but now I was stopped by the exam-guard who recognized me from TV yesterday. Yes, the whole election fraud was up in the public channels local news. Here, have a look if you are interested, but it's in Swedish for you who don't understand the languish:

There is also a written page so you can google translate if you want to know what's the deal. Unfortunately they didn't offer me a job at SVT as a political commentator... sad really.

You might wonder what the story is about since I haven´t mention it before. It was during the election we had one person urging people to vote for a certain candidate inside the polling station which is against the law indicating that the polling station is a neutral area from politics. So we took it to those handling the election and they contacted the party for the man who was the one that should get the votes. And that was that we thought. No more of that kind during the pre-election, but then came election day and the candidate shows up. Saying hello and then leaving. Apparently this happened according to him, we commit election fraud. The thing is that he appeared while I was opening the outer envelope containing the the envelops with the ballot paper to check if it was in order, no more ballots than elections the voter had the right to vote in and only one ballot for each election, otherwise we have to send it to those handling the election to valuate if it counts or not. This is supposed to be done before 20:00 when the election is over (also to make sure that if people regret their preliminary votes, that can do it over). All according to protocol.

Of course, it could have been just a misunderstanding. Mostly since, frankly, he doesn't seem to know about routines of our work. Especially since he wish to revise the law to make it possible for people who voted at the election day to vote again later on the day (as he put it for the reason that many immigrants have a hard time distinguish the Social Democrats from the Sweden Democrats). There is one huge flaw with that... how are we gonna separate every ballot from each other when we put them in the urn? It's impossible, in that case we need to mark every single ballot with whom you are. That is a crime against the voting freedom in the Swedish constitutional laws and a danger for the whole democratic society. Other than these technicalities there is a flaw in his logic. If we assume that we committed election fraud, why didn't he tell us, ask us or even notified us that day? Why did it take 24 hours? Why didn't he stay to observe if we did anything else? We were completely alone when we counted the votes, but apparently we were trusted enough with that. Too many questions left unanswered.

It didn't help that he was elected in to the local and regional level on personal votes. It shall be interesting to follow this, especially since the decision if we gonna have a re-election in Värmland or not is supposed to be announced today. At least it's nice with some political scientist things amid all the economic stuff. 

Smooth Dancer

The return of the Pol Mags and another ride in the nightlife of Karlstad. The night couldn't begin better with my iPod thumping out songs like Down in the Dark, Wild Side and Alexander the Great on the way over. Great fun to meet old friends I haven't seen for a while as well a chance to forget the stressful surroundings at the moment. 8 people gathered, 7 of them Pol Mags and one Economist and who didn't go out with us. So 7 people we were, the lucky number. Riders of high intellectual skills and promises of a new elite taking shape so we end up in the nightclub with 23 as the lowest age (except the usual "exceptions")... and we somehow end up at a stag and hen party... I think at least, no one of us know. We end up at a table and watches the decay around us. WTF?

There is a bride running around the place, some guy without pants, another with the sleeves of his shirt gone and one of our neighbors getting a lap-dance by a fully dressed..."girl" while another "girl" walked around a group of suited men. And this is around 11 P.M., thank god that a lot of other people showed up and took the dance floor so that this disappeared in the crowed or all together disappeared away from the site. This was just a big WTF moment.

At least we all came to the realization that... we are old. Nightclubs doesn't feel that interesting anymore or it at least sounded like that on the others, I never really appreciated them. Still don't, it's just obnoxious loud music which 95 % of the time I never heard before and scuffling around with sweaty pushing people. Really, what is the point? The closest answer I have would be that it's the hunting ground for a casual relationship that then could evolve into a serious one... it's just that I suck at it and actually believe that there is no way I would find the right person at the dance floor. Mostly due to me being a very bad dancer when it comes to these kind of dance floor.

At least it was fun to see the old gang and be out with them again. Wonder when next time will be?

When The War Comes

It's war baby in what formerly was the garden of Eden. Heads will roll and a new dawn will rise on the Swedish political landscape. Or at least we can hope that it will, a good government need a good opposition so that politics strive for the best for the people. And the Social Democrats really need to fix themselves up, the other parties in opposition are not credible in any way and if S doesn't work properly, than the Moderates will take to many liberties without any threat against them, not even from the Alliance itself. Yeah, politics is about to turn ugly.

So what has kept me from my usual updating? Well, two exams, one "essay" writing and a presentation is the first part of the answer, and then the fact I had to study for the other shot at the first exam next week, while waiting for the result for the last one. I'm a bit more confident in that one since I actually could answer some of the questions. If I somehow fix this, it must be the first time one person does it without knowing a single one of the formulas for the course. At least the new courses are more interesting (since I actually understand some of the things they talk about) but GOD, must they write so much on the whiteboard? At least it's soon weekend and a reunion of the class of '10, the last of the Pol Mags.

Born To Lose

Finally, I'm finished with both exams and the other papers that needed to be handed in... for now at least. I need to redo the first exam in about 2 weeks, and the one I did today is a very close call if I will need to redo that one as well. With my most optimistic view I get 11,5 points out of 25 possible, and 12,5 is pass. It doesn't look good, but since I actually sat down and handed in those damn extra homework I have some points to push me above the line. I of course don't know how many points I have to spare so it will be a very tense wait.

At least I can take the week of listening to the wonderful music of Black Sabbath in their 2 most underrated albums, Eternal Idol and Seventh Star Deluxe edition, featuring the vocal talents of Ray Gillen. On an actual mastered quality version. The Seventh Star album contains some live-tracks from a show at the Hammersmith Odeon which I actually got the full concert (almost) on CD, although the quality of it is arguable not that good. For some reason the voice in particular are much darker. At least that was fixed, but I'm a bit saddened they didn't fix the whole concert. The Eternal Idol on the other hand contains the demo tracks with Ray on vocals instead of the regular with Tony Martin. Awesome songs in the original release, godlike with the original singer. 

Down In The Dark

Back once more... still stressed. At least one of the exams is done... at the moment. Frankly, I must probably with a very high certainty redo it.  I sat down and just looked at the questions and my mind just shutdown itself. I didn't get any of the questions. Blank, nothing. I can with a 90 % certainty guess that my maximum score will be 0,5 points, and if they are really nice 1 point. Out of 20 where 10 is the passable score. Not very high odds indeed. It doesn't feel good for the next exam... I really need a job now!

Out of Control

It's been a while... again. I have to excuse me, but it is kinda stressful at the moment. I have an exam on Monday... which I haven't studied enough to, mostly because I also had 3 excel assignments to do, together with a 15-20 page report to hand in the monday after this exam. Then Tuesday is a presentation on that subject. It doesn't end there as on the Thursday that week I have another exam. How fun! Doesn't help that I promised away this day to a BBQ... which I can't miss since I was supposed to take the people from this to a party thursday next week, but that one was cancelled due to the hostess had to work the following day. Damn it! It's all her fault... nah, now I was just mean.

At least I have bunkered up with horror and monster games for Halloween, like Resident Evil 0 and 1 as well as the new Castlevania game... question is when the hell I'm supposed to be able to play them, since I'm forced to study for the exams until the 4th of November, then my parents are visiting me and they leave on Saturday, which is when I'm going for a masquerade party and then the next courses begins. And the week after that it's a reunion of "the last of the Political Magisters" and you know that's not a calm weekend. We might like boring stuff and dress up in suits, but we can party.

Into The Fire

What ever you do, don't study economics, it's HELL. At least the B/II- level of it. It might have started out nicely with a low tempo and it was just to keep up in the books (which I didn't since I worked with the election and... slept away since I was very tired most of the time). But now all hell breaks lose. It's excel assignments here, a 15-page group-essay in english there, over there we have 2, yes 2 exams and in between them a presentation about the essay in english. Yeah, and some "homework" as the teacher call it. You know, simple stuff... that takes forever to do, but you know it's just "too simple".

Yeah, I might have some trouble with that due to skipping to many classes in the beginning, hopefully it will not happen again. Also it's time to think about the future again, yes, it is that time of year when all Swedish students choose what they are gonna study next year. I have it down to 3 possible courses, either sociology, psychology or the second level of law. Probably in that order as well. I actually prefer beginners courses so that I actually can focus on getting a job without getting swamped in educational work... or I might screw it up somehow as with the summer courses I've been taking for 2 years and always has to redo, although I actually the European studies a couple of days ago and are cleared with that... even though it could probably have been a better grade if I just have put some effort into it. But I'm to lazy for that.

Siren Song

Instead of the movie cravings I had a month ago it was time for some music. Suddenly I'm sitting with 7 "new" albums to listen too. Most interesting being the new Phenomena album Blind Faith, or is it really a new album by them? It just say From Tom Galley - The creator of PHENOMENA. None of the singers from the 3 first albums are there (which is a shame) and Mel Galley the guitarist on all other albums ain't there either (well, he's dead which make it kinda unavoidable). It has some qualities, I actually want to listen to it again compared to Ozzy Osbournes latest album. Also, a funny thing when I watch the inside of the CD with a picture of the singers and Tom Galley, he look very much like John Lithgow for some reason.

The other albums was the first albums by Dokken and The Keeper of the Seven Keys part I and part II by Helloween. Haven't had time to listen into them that much yet, but I don't feel disappointed with them... maybe I should study instead of buying music which just drown in my ears.

It's About Time

It's that time again and I know you all have waited dearly for it. It's time for yet another... Golden Sun monologue! *tomatoes thrown at the screen* What, what have I done wrong? It will not be that long. Anyway, the Europe release date has been announced and it's December 10. Cue the song:

(let it play for a minute, no more is needed). At last, the wait is soon over and I can once more delve into the amazing world of Weyard. And what do we know of this adventure so far?

Well, we do know the new Mercury Adept is Crown and that we will meet an old face from The Lost Age, Eoleo. The bad guys we know about at the moment is called Spade and Heart. This obviously means that there are two more with the name Cub and Diamond. This probably leads us to the final boss being the Dragon of Cards (with four heads most likely)... and that's pretty much it. It's just a few months away and I hardly dare go into any sites with information so that it spoils my experience with the game and therefore I don't have that much to theorize around. *cheers from the readers that they don't have to read more of this*. Yeah, yeah. Just wait till I played it through and you'll see *screams and curses thrown at the screen in disgust*

RoboCop 3

No, it didn't help. Music was great, but it didn't help. You understand its gonna suck 5 minutes in when we see this kid. You know from that moment, that kid will have more screen time than RoboCop (or the person who appears to be RoboCop) and she is the reason this movie was lowered to 15 instead for 18. She's only there to relate to a kid audience and therefore all the extra gadgets is just merchandize for kids (who still couldn't see it). There are good part in there though, the first scene with RoboCop is good if you look past the exchangeable gadgets and it would have been very interesting to delve into the mind when he disobeys a direct order (hinting that the human side is taking over). There are also some funny parts that work, mostly involving the breakdown of the OCP corporation. Also, most action scenes work, but they can't save the movie.

It's sad it didn't work. The second movie actually hinted for this one in the end when the CEO of OPC escaped his sentence at the end. But there is so much wrong with this movie even excluding that the old CEO isn't even around anymore. First, as mentioned the kid, no one care about the kid, we want RoboCop. I could stand the kid in the second movie as I actually can believe kids are evil, but here it is just some computer wiz-kid that even hijacks an ED-209. It's ridicules. Secondly, why all these gadgets? It just look ridicules as well. Thirdly, they killed of officer Lewis. Why? She wanted out or what? And also they missed to use this emotional problem with the psychology of RoboCop. The first thing we see him do in the movie is disobeying a direct order and instead save her, but when she dies we get almost nothing except a very short revenge scene that more or less fails. His only friend and never do we see him grieve except when she is placed upon an alter in a church (not symbolic at all, no). Fourthly, the jetpack. Oh my God, it's here we see it's an old movie as the special effects have aged. The other movies kept it simple and therefore don't seem to have aged that much, but here we have RoboCop flying through a battle. Good Grief.

Lastly, what the hell happened to his family? They are mentioned, but never show any impact other than that. It was a missed opportunity, both in this movie and the second one. They should have explored it more or let it be their neighborhood being destroyed. What better way to show the scars he have instead of a faceless group of people (even though he's portrayed like a messiah in all three films). Instead he gets a "new family" in the end. So much wasted potential. 

Mr. Roboto

Stayed at home... again. Reason for this was due to a birthday celebration of a freshman yesterday. A very good celebration I have to say. It included tales of laxative tea  (fortunately from an earlier gathering I was not part of), someone with a Brian Johnson hat, Clark Kent glasses and a sinister mustache passing out 3 times (not me), alcohol, a chocolate cake, chocolate, mutated/genetically modified cheese doodles (they were enormous), facebook hijackings and breaking up people, more alcohol and me sitting as a DJ at the afterparty. Yeah, me as DJ, incredible is it not? They hardly complained at my choices, the only time was when the hostess wanted certain songs or that incident when I put on Kate Perry's Hot n Cold and highly misjudge my audience (for those not knowing why I have a soft spot for that song it has to do with this road trip when the song was played all the time on every radio station until you had to love it). At least I was able to the end the whole night with Jon & Vangelis's I'll Find My Way Home. A very fitting end... 3 AM in the morning. Class started 10 AM. No way  I would make that.

Instead I stayed at home and got the good news that the municipality is paying me 200 SEK (€ 20 or $ 25) extra for using my phone during the early voting. Also a nice package of the RoboCop Trilogy. Only seen the first movie before and revisiting it was a nice experience. It has aged very well, both with its futuristic look and story as well the special effects it used. Yes, you can see the stop-motion, but it doesn't hurt the movie in any way. And the actors are really funny to watch, especially one of the bad guys, Clarence Boddicker who many will recognize as Red Foreman from That 70's Show. More or less blew my mind when I realized that. Also the music is fantastic, especially the RoboCop theme. It's damn epic.

The sequel then? Well... not as good as the first one. At least all recurring characters were played by the same actors and the first part of the movie is kinda good and very deep-layered, up to the point when they dismantle RoboCop (looking to much like the scene in the first movie). And the music is not that bad either, although it's a pity they didn't use the main theme from the original movie, but the Leonard Rosenman works well. Although, it sounds awfully similar to other works of Rosenman (like the soundtrack to the animated Lord of the Rings). After the "resurrection" and reprograming of RoboCop it went out the drain more or less. The story more or less lost it grip on me. Maybe because it didn't center around the psychology of RoboCop anymore and more or less dumped his family that could have been an interesting angle to explore as he might have searched for his humanity. Instead we almost completely focused on the evil corporation and the game behind "the scenes". But then again, the action saves it from crashing down so it is a decent movie.

Still got the third one left, although I have really bad feeling about that. No Peter Weller and many other actors are gone, the age limit is 15 instead of 18 like the first movies, but on the other hand the original score is back. But will it be enough to save this movie? 

Soon Forgotten

Played a bit of Brütal Legend this weekend (even though I probably should have done some maths instead). Awesome game! Mostly due to the music, absolutely love most of it. Sadly enough, the experience are hampered a bit with my TV still not working properly. When it's darker on the screen it's really hard to see some times. Really something I should fix... when I take time for it... when I don't have everything else to worry about. It's never gonna happen ain't it? Probably have to settle with cruising this heavy metal landscape blasting out music over the vicinity for a long time... at least the insurance works 2 years more... if I don't forget it.

Talking about forgetting things, it seems that I missed the ceremony for the students taking out their exams... yeah! Different reasons for that, first... I actually thought it was in October, lots of time for that. Secondly, I haven't even taken the graduation certificate as I been busy with different things. Mostly due to me missing when the administrator took vacation and therefor couldn't register my grades, then I've been busy with the European Studies, Economics and the election. Very decent excuses I must say. Well, as I'm still studying there is no hurry, especially since I'm taking courses that strengthens my abilities to get job. Better wait till I got a job so it doesn't look too awful with someone who has studied all his life and never had a full-time job (excluding the summer jobs which hardly has anything to do with my education).

Oh, also, the bloody headphones died on me this weekend. Not both, but just the left one for some reason. So I ordered a new one... if they don't arrive until Tuesday I probably go to town and buy them directly and keep the others as a back-up. They really need to enhance the lifespan of these.

I'll Wait

This election is kinda weird. No one is sure what really happened and the last votes that was counted didn't change anything dramatic. Except that one municipality in Värmland screwed up so that we might have to redo the parliament election here. Which means I have to spend 2 1/2 weeks more in the polling stations. Hey, I'm glad for the cash, but I'm already falling behind in the economics and probably would fall even more behind with this on my mind. Although it would be really interesting to see the campaign going on. Värmland has 9-10 parliamentary seats which can't give the red-greens a majority, but might give the Alliance the needed 2-3 seats till their own majority. My guess is (as far is I see it) that the Social Democrats (S) and the Green Party (Mp) would lose most of their votes to ensure the majority and the neutralization of the Sweden Democrats (Sd). Why not the Left Party (V) you might ask? Well for good and bad that's the most ideological party at the moment and they would never make this faustian bargain as they would see it.

Also it's talk about a full re-election we haven't had since the early 20th century. The question is if Sd would muster the support once again. Those who don't agree with them more than that the immigration question have given the old parties a real scare and might as well support the older parties again. Of course a full re-election is very slim and would probably not happen. Interesting enough it's mostly the red-greens that voices that sentiment with the prospect of a minority government in place. Especially since S has ruled in minority government most of modern Sweden. Another funny thing (for me at least) is that it's the Liberals (Fp) that would have needed more votes to ensure a majority. Tactical voting being in our favor it seems. Go for it. FOUR MORE YEARS (In majority please)!

Land of Confussion

Well, the election is over now, but no one seems to know how the political landscape looks like. At least we had fun counting the votes during Sunday night. No problems what so ever with those I worked with. A really good group (even if I was the only one voting for the Alliance). A very low average age and completely unexperienced when it come to counting the votes, but no problems occurred. Still pretty beat after working from 6 am Sunday morning till 2 am Monday morning. Never again shall I complain that the voting process goes so slow.

Who won then? The Alliance become the biggest block to win with 49,3 %, but didn't achieve a majority of the seats. But they got a higher percentage of votes together with a higher voter turnout than last election. All this attributed to Moderaterna (M)as they were the only one that went forward when the others to different degrees fell back (Folkpartiet (Fp)managed best with only a loss of 0,4 % so they will at the moment gain the vice-prime minister post). The biggest loser is the Social Democrats (S) that dangles at 30,9 % and with just 0,9 % above the second biggest party (M). This could change with the re-counting of all votes that are supposed to finish tomorrow. In my own opinion (and others that feel the current parliament with the Swedish Democrats (SD) are unworthy a democracy even though the prefer the left) hopes that the Alliance will gain a majority and with it securing a stable government (a bonus would be if M overtake S as the biggest party, although they haven't had this low support since 1911 meaning this would just be adding insult to injury).

The result, as you probably guessed could have been much better (come on, at least 10 % for the liberals would have been nice or that they could have been 3d largest party instead of 4th... again). SD was also not such a nice surprise although it may not have been so unexpected when they were on everyones lips at the end. The only light I can see is that they actually have to argue against them and all their politics. Sad thing is I think they are here to stay, but there is one way to get rid of them. If the ruling government are able to keep the economic revival that are predicted until next election without touching them, they can pretty much argue that everything they said was a lie and argue that the system we have now is working. This pretty much means that they need to lower unemployment, stop the riots around the larger cities and diminish crime (you know, what everyone says). Hope to God the recount gives them a majority so that they don't have to trust the damned Green party.

Another One Bites The Dust

No, nothing interesting happening. The election is slowly killing me with almost 200 voters every day and when I'm not taking in votes, I'm sitting at a economic lesson or at home trying to figure out the damn excel and the exercises we have been given. If that's not enough I must finish the European Studies until monday... and I have almost no time to do it. I really need a job since my love for studies apparently kills me at the moment. Hopefully everything will turn out for the best.

How's it going in the election then? We are going for a re-election of the current government, the Red-Greens have lost all hope of winning and the only thing in the way for this glorious victory is the dark clouds of the far-right party the Swedish Democrats. All political scientist are in a frenzy. Christmas is early this time baby! Interesting for me is that the Liberals have a chance on regaining the post as the 3d largest party as well as a vice-minister post in the government as the Centre Party drops. And who knows what happens afterwards. The Social Democrats will lose power for the longest time in their history since they got the Prime Minister post in the 30's, they might fall below 30% when what's normal for them lies around 40-50%. The Red-Green coalition will dissolve and all of their current leaders will have to go (willingly or not). It's so f***ing interesting I can't believe it's happening. The worlds most victorious democratic political party is losing its grip over the government. Who knows when they might return (or if they do). FOUR MORE YEAR! FOUR MORE YEARS!

Phoenix Rising

Blog post Nr 301... maybe I should have waited with Nr 300 as I now actually have interesting things to talk about. And what may this be? PARTY TIME! After missing most of the freshman weeks I decided to make the last one the best. And boy, it was AWESOME. Donning the 4 year old white (it was at least white when I got it) overall I haven't used for maybe a year with the red t-shirt. The armor of the political scientist. Rising from the grey ashes of boredom I awakened as a burning phoenix riding forward on my... orange steed (a bus). Like a saviour I appeared before the freshmen with the knowledge of 4 years of studies and experiences of former days with SVIK. Giving my services of more manpower to the third group I was back where I belonged when I was a freshman. Just the aura that emitted from me pushed us forward so that our group one the first competition and I stepped aside, but the victories continued (or that's how I will look at it).

Onward into the town core like a raging river hunting points to push the third group up to the top. After the time has run out it was time to recuperate before the dinner. The old guard, we who have been members of SVIk more than a year, joined forces to make sure that we all had the same level. We started to transform into the four riders of the apocalypse bringing the message that this will be the hour our final ride starts. Then we start the ride... and one of the others just disappears. He runs in and say it times to move. I and another jumps at the call to arms while the last take some time before leaving. We get to the door... and he's gone. Disappeared into thin air. What the Hell? Ever heard of the Bro Code dude? Well, we found him at least at the place we're going with the lame excuse that we weren't fast enough. I call bulls**t. Anyway, this would probably be just a parentheses in the quest toward the dinner if for not the fact that I actually stood for the music. A shame that I haven't updated it since 2007 or something.

Ahh, the Dinner. A pleasant evening with food and some drinks. Sitting besides some old friends and a lot of unknown woman. Too summarize the rest of the evening it was a lot of lip gloss, winning some chocolate, giving a girl a piggyback ride (the result for those who don't know was face to the asphalt, I never was that strong), muddy freshman wine, a trip into town and back, a cigaret and walking in the rain. And then we have today. Yeah, bed ridden till ca 16:00, exceptions when I hugged the toilet turning the stomach inside out. If it was the cigaret, the freshman wine or the other alcohol I leave unsaid. Well worth it!

300

Yeah, this will probably not be a special 300 post, mostly since I have very little time at the moment. Too much work at my hands. First it was the ones I knew about, the pre-election voting and the election day. Every other day I have something. Then when that's not happening, there is the economics lessons which I'm falling behind. Not by a huge amount and I can probably sync up when everything else fades away. It doesn't help that I miss a lot of classes when I'm sitting and taking votes. And then we have the unexpected work that falls into my laps. Or unexpected... it's a question of definitions. The European studies came back to bite me. Yeah, I probably could have gone deeper into that. Good thing is, I don't have to redo all of it, just 3 out of 6 questions. Not that hard if I could write them all over the course of two days in total. The bad news is that they are supposed (I believe, it doesn't says so straight out) to be done September 20, the day after the election and the same day as an economic assignment hand in... which we haven't got yet. Sounds like a fun time is ahead... Can someone write it for me?

Beat It

So what have I been up to since the last update? Working with the election and collecting early votes and studying Economics B. Not even a whole week and I'm pretty beat. At the end of the day I'm walking like a zombie back home while my eyelids constantly tries to fall to the ground. Two more weeks than it's over. I still hope the current government continues (and most polls predict that thats the case), especially since it appears that the Social Democrats (the largest opposing party and formerly the only ruling party of Sweden) have resorted to vote for people instead for arguing why they shall vote for them (sorry for the swedish news, but no english speaking news site seems to be talking about this for the moment). All in all you begin to wonder if the danes are correct that we need observers during the election.

What else? Oh yeah, I think I'm getting sick. My throat hurts and I start to feel the early signs of a cold. The seniors who voted must be contaminating me. Nah, more likely that I've isolated me for such a long time that when I meet a lot of people every day I'm very weak towards all the viruses and bacteria's floating around. Maybe should have trained out more to boost the natural defenses. Oh well, bring on the chocolate so we can treat this disease.

Back Where I Belong

Back in school again. With economics... and they only talk about statistics at the moment... WHAT HAVE I DONE? What nightmarish delusion has brought me to this? Once again I find myself thrown into the bastardly equations of probabilities and graphs. SMITE ME DOWN GREAT GODS OF NATURE! I don't deserve to be among the living... *ahem* Maybe I'm overreacting. It probably will not be that bad, I actually feel very comfortable with it at the moment as I recognize most things. Hopefully it will go as planed.

What have I else done before this? Maybe I should have gone to bed earlier than 2 am. but when you are busy playing Civilization 4: Beyond the Sword. Especially the mod Rhye's and Fall of Civilzation. It basically follow parts of the world history, of course not all of them, how fun would that be? New civilizations pop up time after time during certain checkpoints or when large empires collapse and so. I prefer Japan as it is by far the easiest to win with and play with. You sit on your island, need few soldiers and can, with a bit "cheating" (you're allowed to change civilization once so you can begin as the chinese, establish a colony in Japan and build it up and give it up as well as technology to Japan, and then change civilization and crush the chinese as they are so badly handled). The goal is to win, but you got some historical criteria to fulfill which for Japan is to be the highest ranking civilization in 1500 A.D., no foreign influence on the japanese mainland until 1700 A.D. and not lose a city until 1850. First one is the most problematic if you don't expand, but if you do, you heightened the risk to lose a city as you must grow on the mainland (especially around the mongols who always attacks you at some point).

A actually won on the normal settings so that's nice. Although I was attacked by the damned british, so I think I shall continue playing, build some nukes and nuke the country and afterwards swarm them with marines and tanks. BURN BABY BURN HAHAHA *ahem*. Never mess with a superpower.

The End is Drawing Near

Been some time, but I'm back again. If you're interested to know I have been fully occupied with finishing the European studies course I have been taking this summer. Instead of the plan that I concocted in the early stage to just do it in one or two weeks and then just slap, I spent less than a week skimming through the books for the answers and then... did nothing until the day before it was supposed to be handed in. Maybe not such a smart strategy. This whole Tuesday I spent writing on those five questions and finished 1 AM in the morning. That left me a 6 hours sleep before I had to give it in. But I made it, and it feels I made a pretty good thing with it (glad four years of political science studies became useful). Unfortunately I still had another assignment which was shorter,but didn't feel that good. But it is done and I can enjoy the last days of the summer.

And today I had to be at a information meeting for the Swedish election, where I met some recognizable faces. Some social company. Fear that both this job and the Economic class together will be to much for me. Now I just shall enjoy these last days and then earn a bit of cash. Still, it feels like I forgot something I was supposed to do this summer... must have ben something that would take a lot of time, but have been a great pay off with both an ID as well as possibility to take me long distances. Nope, can't think of anything. Enjoy the vacation, now I'm waiting for the election debate with some chips, cola and chocolate... DAMN, I forgot to work out.

Babylon

I was supposed to stop writing political comments about Swedish politics at the moment as, well, it's just a lot of numbers and stupid propositions from the opposition (I know I'm biased, but common, a butler? It even goes against how they bash the current government). Really, when you have understanding for the whole spectrum of politics (economy, law, statistics and political philosophy, history and procedures) you understand how f***ed up the Swedish election is. That's not the worst. The worst is the loathsome Swedish Trade Union Confederation (shortened LO in Swedish). My personal belief is that this organization corrupted the Swedish politics in 1969 when Tage Erlander and Olof Palme couldn't (or didn't want to) control them. It is at this point the economy began to stagnate after the record years and made a halt during the 70's oil crisis.

How so you might ask? Because LO were able to get laws created which gave them an unfavorable advantage over the employers and broke the Saltsjöbaden Agreement that told the politicians to keep the hands of the disputes between these two. Not to talk about the rampant inflation that we just in the early 90's got a hold of (thanks to a right-wing government I might add to all the Swedish leftists out there). You know where to blame the low value of your money. And that's not all, they wanted to socialize all the earnings of the companies into fonds owned by LO., the so called Employee funds. Now, it might sound like I don't appreciate unions, but I do. It's just that the Swedish one has lost their true cause and see more to benefit the Swedish Social democratic party (or those at the top of the organization) instead for their members. All the time you here how bad the non-socialist government is, but do they ever criticizes the socialistic-bloc when they, let say, speak against nuclear plants although the richest of the unions members are working in industries needing a lot of cheap electricity to be competitive in the global market? No, we don't, it doesn't matter that some social democrats even prefer nuclear power, the whole damn party is like a hive-mind when it comes to be in opposition. They are never wrong and always right is their logo.

So why am I venomously attacking them today? Well, one of the Swedish singers (Linda Bengtzing) was invited to a "family picnic", but when they found out that she was voting for the government parties and campaigning with one of them, she was put of the show. Music wise I should probably congratulate them to a decent choice, the problem, except the blatant politicizing and streamline of taste and thoughts in their organization, is the commentators. And I'm talking about those on the public entertainment news panel on SVT. These people... these people are undemocratic as hell. Who do they side with? LO. Why? Because you should be aware that your political choice has consequences. Those that sound democratic? They actually say that if you don't vote or agree with some people or organizations (in this case LO which should work for the workers not a political party and has of their paying members 25 % that votes for the main antagonist party for the Social democrats) they have the right to take you away AFTER they signed you up. That's... ridicules. But you know where they stand when they pull quotas as the best political mean to get more women in Swedish films (7 out of 20 apparently) and that it should be 50 % instead of the more commonly used 40 % ratio. No one even asked what movies they made or if they had the prospects to be good. If I know Swedish cinema, they will SUCK. We only produce 3 kinds of movies, comedies, cop movies or really depressing dramas. Which movies do I prefer? Occasionally a swedish comedy, but I have never seen any on Cinema... or bought them for that matter. So, to be blunt that's a part of the big waste of Swedish ~55 % taxes goes to. And we argue that we need more female producers into movies instead of making good ones. Sometime I really hate know-it-all's. Well, nice to get that out of my systems.

Bad Luck

So I'm back online again and shall not leave Karlstad until christmas if nothing special happens, which is highly unlikely. Got 1 1/2 week to finish the European studies which shouldn't be any trouble (except that i have to miss the second day to work with the election). Had a somewhat nice week at home. Nothing actually happens as usual. Mostly because there is not much that can happen when you are stuck at the same place with nothing to do and no means of transportation. Luckily it was only a week since my family gets on my nerve in such a cramped area (which is ironic since I spend most of the days in my apartment that only measures 19 km^2).

The only things worth mentioning is the trip across the country. It really didn't start out well as I managed to wipe my iPod clean just before I had to leave. Not a good start. Screaming children, loud people and so on, horrible. At the train station I bump in to another political scientist I studied with... which indicated another bed turn. This person usually has a very bad record with trains. So you could see that we were doomed from the start. At least I had someone to talk to waiting for the train. Train arrives 15 minutes late, but leave at the time set for travel. But after that two other stops for something like 10 minutes each and the whole trip was 15 minutes late I believe. And who do I see when climbing out of the train in Gnesta? The Left Party leader Lars Ohly. After spending four years with more right-leaning people together with my own education I have very little faith in there politics to get to their utopia of society. Mostly because there beliefs are very illogical to me.

That was that trip and it's nice to be back in Karlstad with all choices I have (which I don't use). Anyway, the most important things I picked up during my visit home is the first two Gabriel Knight games which I also finished for the first time, the second one even on a complete score. Also the first King's Quest games were acquired. I will probably not complete those games anytime soon since they are very time consuming since I don't have any idea what to do on any of them. And also due to them having a very cheap way of punishing even the slightest mistake, which most likely ends up in the infamous Sierra Death-moment. But still, maybe I have time for some occult mysterious and fairy tales.

The Price You Pay

You know, not much happens around here (might have to do that I actually don't do anything). Well, except that I'm going home yet again tomorrow for a week with the family. The most incredible thing is that I actually arrives one day before my sister which means I got to choose room and bed first. HA, take that. Actually, this is the first time that ever happens since she usually are home most of the time. So that will be some half boredom thing the coming week, but I will at least get some good food the coming week and... what, dad is working and mom stands for the food? That was that week then with leftovers and the most simplistic of cooking. Why women should be in the kitchen I don't know.

Other things that has happened? Apparently I got some money from somewhere, I don't know where, but money you didn't know you had are the best of money. At least it feels a lot better with all the games and films I bought. Yeah more films on the way, unfortunately it will take a bit time for them to arrive, strangely enough as the other shipment went rather quick (might be vacation time, what do I know, I don't have a job). And it still cheaper to buy them from the UK than Sweden. Really, a movie for 100 SEK in Sweden (~€10 $12,5 £8,3) cost around 40 SEK in the UK (~€4 $5 £3,3). How can the swedish prices be so... overpriced?

Finally, the last thing that has happened this week is yet another damaged water pipe in need of repair. And I found out just before I was going to boil my pasta and no water from the tap. And when it got back it's white and bubbles a lot. Is that safe? Well, it's drinkable and I'm feeling fine after a couple of days of use. I really should stack up some bottles of water, but unfortunately I don't have room for it. I need to get a larger apartment... and a job.

Nightmare Avenue

People reading this blog (= me) knows that I like politics, I'm a political scientist. At least it says so in the profile up on the right. I haven't mentioned it very much lately as nothings happened or haven't been worth mentioning... well, maybe the allegations that one of the minister's bought some sexual services, but we don't know if that is true or not. So I didn't bring that up, or that some crazy left-feminist burnt 100 000 SEK (~€10 000 or $12 500 or £8 300). What's even more interesting is that they had a man lit the fire. You can just guess how that was received. Worse is that some newspapers try to compare this to KLF burning 1 million pound. I don't know about you, but that is just ridicules. We must be extremely poor compared to everyone else if we try to compare to that.

Not mentioning that it created rumors that some brats participated in the art of conspicuous consumption that has created mass hysteria for the moralistic left. The rumor is that some people order in two bottles of sparkling wine and then ask the waiter to empty the content in one of them or someone bought 50 burgers, ate one and then throw away the rest. Not only should these people be served higher taxes so that they can't do this again, but these people don't deserve to live. They are bloodsuckers on society without morals and should have given all the money to the people in need. Or that is at least what the mob suggest in the left-leaning newspaper. Even more interesting is that no one has ever seen this. It is all rumors. I even checked youtube and all I got on it was one person dumping one cheap beer in a lake. But apparently that's enough to give the left a reason for more tax-raises.

I tell you, the left gets more nuts for every day we get closer to the election. It must be the power abstinence and the worries of not being the biggest party anymore. Not only do they have very few original ideas but everything is that they need to raise taxes and changes the laws the alliance put in place. On the other hand, when they do have original ideas it just feels... awkward. Recently it's the social democratic youth league that have the answer for youth unemployment. Apparently the answer all along was to make 25 % of the public workforce people under 35. What happens with the already employed? No one knows. Also, some wise-head defend the idea that it's supposed to make the transition from the old generation to the younger smoother. Let me ask myself then, why do we need it then or why don't we help the private sector decide who to employ since a normal organization can't handle it? Less grabby fingers in the organization the better (unless it's about clear violations against environment and security).

Money for Nothing

Sometimes you really got confused when looking thru the bank account and realizes there is a bit more money than you thought. And usually you don't know where it came from. Me especially since I bought a lot of games and movies. How does it came to that? First, I didn't buy the things in Sweden, but from the UK. There I can get around 6 items (movies and games) for the cost of two of those things in Swedish sites. I don't know why, but somehow the british keeps the prices low on everything, and that they actually have a lot more to sell. Even games from around the millennium. Good luck finding it in Swedish stores. Secondly, the current summer course I'm taking has me experience the first time I haven't bought any books at all. I borrow it from the library when there is no one there. In conclusion, I bought cheaper things and didn't buy the books for my course... Maybe I should have thought on that from the beginning.

Anyway, I watched Fire and Ice. Good looking movie. I liked the animation, the music did it's job, but it really felt so cliched somehow. Also the main theme sounded like the Jaws theme for some reason (or maybe like it had some inspirations from it). The story on the other hand is a really cliched mismatch. There's no magic behind the character or the land. Take just the names Ice keep and Fire keep, the two opposing forces in this movie. I don't know, but it doesn't seem to have the tune like Gondor vs Mordor or it might just be me. Unfortunately (in my own opinion) it has some interesting hooks in the story. There's some kind of ruined place in a jungle with a statue of one of the most awesome characters in the film, Darkwolf. Then the question is, why? Do we get an answer to that? No. That is a bit annoying as it takes away my concentration on the movie and kinda spoils what could have been a very living fantasy world. Also, who is Darkwolf, that is also nothing talked about, he just is. Why is that important you ask? Because he is the one slaying the antagonist who he has a grudge against... for some reason. What did the antagonist do to deserve a whack to the head with an axe?

One Foot in the Grave

Fire and Ice didn't show up today, but I did see the three other Indiana Jones-movies. Temple of Doom first out. I like the premise of the whole Indian death cult spreading terror in their hunt for five stones of power. Nice effects of taking peoples heart out and burn them. The flaw of the whole movie is actually the female lead character, Kate Capshaw.Whenever she opens her mouth it just screeches in my ears going up in that high-pitched voice. But their is some good scenes she's in like the dinning scene at the palace. With this I actually understand why some people feel that this is the weakest movie of the original three. Is it worse then the latest movie? According to me, no.

Then it was time for, in my opinion, the best of them all: The Last Crusade. It had nazis, knights, the Holy Grail and a very melancholic music that was really emotional gripping. How can't you not like it? Actors like Sean Connery and John Rhys-Davies besides Harrison Ford. This goes up on the top of my Indiana Jones list followed by Raiders of the Lost Ark, followed by The Temple of Doom and then...

... Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I actually saw this on its opening in 2008. It's a good movie, I give it that, but it's not what I expected from a Indiana Jones-movie. Okay that they changed nazis to communist and that we're in the 50's instead of 30's,what can you do, Harrison Ford isn't that young. My biggest problem then, and still, is the aliens. I get it is a hint to the 50's UFO hysteria in the US, and therefore shoots over the head of people like me in Europe that isn't in to the Men in Black. I preferred the religious tones of the earlier films even though I'm an agnostic and have a hard time believing it so why shouldn't I like this one? Also, Cate Blanchett is just terrible. Something bugs me and the only point I can make is the hair. It just stupid so let us stop there cause I can't put my finger on what it is. All in all they should just have made an interpretation of The Flight of the Amazon Queen. It has mayan temples and crystal skulls like the movie, but throws in evil german scientists, amazons, a valley of dinosaurs and just hint that aliens are involved. Unfortunatly they have what appears to be Kate Capshaw so you might not know how it would end.

Harvester of Eyes

Was at the optician today to get a paper that my sight was good for the driver license. I usually brag about my excellent eyesight as I can make out small object far into the distance and has done pretty good on these test earlier... not so much this time. My genetic heritage is beginning to make itself apparent (both mom and dad need glasses and the same goes for my half-sister and 2 of my regular sisters). Apparently I have a weak leaning toward nearsighted, nothing obvious but still, it shatters my view on myself as this near hawk-like eyesight despite having genes that went against it. Oh well, what am I gonna do about that? I might even look good in glasses, but then I probably skip the long-hair savings.

Even met a friend on the bus down, which I didn't see (makes a lot more sense now does it not?) until I sat down. Nice to have someone to talk with for a couple of minutes. Anyway, got most of my movies today and I'm currently watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. Awesome movie, but unfortunately I couldn't help but have a bad feeling down my spine as I put it in the PS3. The first thing I see is this montage of the trilogy films and then the fourth movie preview. Do I have to see this starting up everyone of these movies? Well, okay if I bought them one and one that they advertise their movies, but I bought a box-set including all four movies! What's the point? It just delay me viewing the movies for nothing.

What about the other movies? Well, Wizards is okay. Good points made about war, nice intro and some good musical scores, but the voice-acting is not that good for some character and frankly, the storytelling is kinda boring. Of course you're still watching the movie due to the very... transparent clothing... on one of the main-characters... yeah... fan-service. And don't get me started on Heavy Metal. Of the seven different anthology stories (counting the intro and the ending as one as it is the framework of the narrative) half of them contain at least one more or less fan-service moment... shown very... detailed... yeah... what were they on? (*two aliens start spreading some white stuff on the floor and they quickly inhale it thru there noses*)... okay... I got it. Otherwise the movie is very peculiar. Some segments are better then others, the music is awesome and a very special experience altogether.

The final one I saw was Willow. Not as good as I remembered it. Of course the first time I saw it I ended up seeing the end while the witch turned the protagonists to pigs. How awesome wasn't that for a kid. Oh well. Tomorrow is three more Indiana Jones movies and hopefully the Fire and Ice movie will appear.

Give Me More Time

Finished Super Mario Galaxy today... not completely with getting the 120 stars, but I beat Bowser. So the question is if I shall make a complete game, as I do with other games, or if I shall continue onward with Super Mario Galaxy 2... or even play some other games. I got Resident Evil 0, 1 and 5 and I haven't finished Metroid Prime 3: Corruption or Battalion Wars and its sequel. Or Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World... or I could just play those games instead of writing about that I shall play them... and I haven't even mentioned my portable games. There is not enough time for everything. Maybe when I retire, but that's more than 40 years into the future with at least 1-2 games per year (or more) and my fingers is probably stiff at that point which means I can't finish them all. Damn it. Can't I just get 1 Billion and I'm set for the rest of my life.

Yet Another Movie

Maybe should write something again while I got the time between watching the news and playing some video games... or watched some movies. I just this week got a huge craving for some movies to watch. And I don't think a rerun of the Mysterious Cities of Gold would stop it. Not because its bad, but I can only take a few couple of hours when people are shouting ZIA!!! or ESTEBAN!!! with an occasional TAO!!! thrown in there per year. So suddenly I've ordered up a lot of movies I remember or have heard good of. The nostalgic one would be Krull, Willow, The Phantom, The Secret of N.I.M.H. and the Indiana Jones-series (especially after playing games like the Flight of the Amazon Queen). The other category being Ralph Bakshi's Fire and Ice and Wizards and another film Heavy Metal.

A lot of fantasy movies that is. I got Krull, The Secret of N.I.M.H. and The Phantom today at 10... which woke me up. One of the better wake ups I have had. N.I.M.H and The Phantom we actually have on VHS at my parents house so that's not a problem and I watched them a couple of times, but Krull is a different story. I remember watching it on TV once around the millennium. Being a fantasy geek (which I still somewhat is) I liked the movie. You had seers, huge spiders, magic, sword fights and cyclops. Today I would probably call it a hybrid between science fiction and fantasy with the space traveling aliens and blaster technology. Most awesome thing about the movie was a glaive, and actors like Liam Neeson (The Phantom Menace, Batman Begins and the voice of Aslan in the movies among others) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid among others).

Secret of N.I.M.H a Don Bluth movie that, when I was younger, scared me for its darker colors and settings. Today I appreciate it more. And then we have The Phantom. Got it as a VHS tape back in 1997 and also began a subscription on the comics that lasted until some of the early years after the millennium. The only problem is that he is supposed to be blue (at least in all the swedish version), not this purple. I ended the subscription when I had to diminish my spending and for some reason chose Donald Duck-comics instead (I had both up until that moment). Guess it was my childish mind, the stories that I wanted to follow and (sadly) the toys you got (which ironically was the reason I finally gave it up as I didn't wanted to pay for plastic junk and there was no alternative to just get the stories for a cheaper sum, yeah, I'm a cheapskate).

On the video game front I switched from the Monkey Island-series to Super Mario Galaxy. And I must say that it's a pretty easy game. Of course you might have opinion that the game is 3 years old and I still haven't finished it. To my defense I bought it in the summer 2008 and played it for a while before leaving for the United States. Maybe a week playing before giving it up. And then it was on the shelf until yesterday. And I really run thru the game. Maybe because I played a lot more since Super Mario 64 that took forever to finish. Why did I start playing again? I bought the sequel so I wanted to see the end.

Hard Work

Wow, times go fast. Yeah, haven't updated for a while, mostly since I been busy with this important stuff you know... no, not studying (although I probably should start so I don't end up like last years statistic course). No, I began last week with a trip to the Caribbean to fight this evil ghost/zombie/pirate once again when I finally made it run on the computer thanks to the awesome ScummVM. Afterwards it was a trip to Australia venturing in Union City to get out of there. After that vacation it was onward to South America to wander the Amazon visiting temples and hidden valleys (as a side note I would say this is what Indiana Jones 4 should have been). Then back to the Caribbean to fight the ghost/zombie/pirate again... and again... and again. Seriously, he's a tough pirate, even though he's dead over and over again. After sailing the Caribbean it was time to leave Earth and travel into space... and then back again... some time later. Had I played this series at an earlier age maybe biology had been more fun. You have a plant/animal cross you command around attacking the wild life of the planet in search for the remnants of (most likely) our own civilization. Reading research notes on the evolutionary paths of the animals and so on.

So I've been busy as you can see. Unfortunately I have now turned my day rhythm around. I don't get to bed until after midnight (usually around 2 or 3 in the morning) and don't wakes until 12 or 1 around noon. So this week is a realignment with midnight and 8 o'clock so that next week is study time... for real now as I have said it for the last 2 weeks. And I probably should heat up the job hunt.

Labyrinths (2)

I forgot one player last time. It was Aelfric Brownhood (or whatever his english name is). I actually found out that he was a monk... carrying a staff and a mace... ouch. Didn't go well, even though he had well-balanced attributes. A bit weak strength, but high luck (must be some religious thing). What killed me was a magic amulet that strangled me due to... *sigh* low strength. Yeah, after that I decided for Mrishnahk just to get rid of the magic items. They killed Thargrim the first day of playing as well and damaged him another session. Bad thing is I can't play it until I get home again in August. Damn.

I also forgot to mention that the expansion was released in 1987 (a very good ear according to me). And you really get that it's very inspired by Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. If Sir Rohan and Durim Daggerbuckle give it away, then the setting feels like a mix between Moria and Kingdom Under the Mountan with Smaug guarding his treasures. Similar monsters as in the books (giant spiders, orcs, cave trolls/ mountain trolls), a dangerous fire breathing monster lair sitting on treasures from older kingdoms with large diamonds. And you carry around a magic ring with a certain ability that you can choose to help you in your travel.

Unfortunately it seems the new releases don't seem to be as fun to me, with the most significant change being a rework on the whole battle system. In the original you had 3 cards with pictures of your character with the letters A, B and C. One of them has an extra damage note on the bottom if you hit the monster. Then similar cards for the monsters (skeletons, svartálfar, mountain trolls and orcs) but without the extra damage note. Battle simple, A beats B, B beats C and C beats A. If you draw the same letter both gets a hit. The monsters hit points are determined by drawing a monster card, and you choose to attack it, bide your time or try to flee. Now it seems to be some turn-table. No strategy just pure luck. Well, if you are Mrishnahk you just burn them to ashes.

Looking back at this game, it's really fun to play, but on little detail has bugged me. The game board is like 13 squares wide and 10 squares high, but the treasure chamber is just 2 squares. There is no middle were you place it. You also begins every session at one of the four corners and must exit from one of them. So depending on where it is, you have a bit closer to get in and out. If it was 4 squares it wouldn't be a problem or if it was just 1 square wider and higher you would get a perfect middle. Bit of an oversight I think, or it was just not possible to package the board otherwise.

Labyrinths

I'm back in Karlstad again after a short visit back home to meet my old high school friends and playing some board games with my sisters. And I entered some time traveling event in Nyköping, telling the story of the city. Left Karlstad this Friday, went to Nyköping at Saturday and later the evening went to Oxelösund to meet my friends. Today was more board gaming and later sitting on a train (hate train travels in the summer without an air condition) back to Karlstad. Really nice gathering of familiar faces, but some people I expected to be there weren't. Sadly, but fun to see some I haven't seen for a while.

What board games did we play? We went for one round of the Finance world, which I failed at. The only fun part is that during the game it progressed into a long period of good times when the economy of all players went thru the roof, then suddenly a housing boom with heighten rents. And of course this is followed by a huge crash in the economy with a bad time. Just like in real life, it's so amazingly funny, hahaha... what do you mean I'm to much a political scientist?

The other board game was the Swedish produced Dungeonquest (Drakborgen). A great fantasy game set in a castle/keep after an evil wizard with a huge treasure chamber in the middle guarded by a ferocious dragon that sleeps on the treasures. If that wasn't enough you have giant spiders, mountain trolls, orcs, svartálfar, undead, traps and dead ends. The castle/keep changes interior as you build it for every playthrough and apparently the success rate for the game (to get to the treasure and get out) is 15 %. Awesome. It was released for the first time in 1985 and only had four playable characters, the knight Sir Rohan, the viking Sieger Sharpaxe, Bardhor the Bowman and Aelfric Brownhood whatever he was (maybe a warrior monk) (excuse the bad translations and names, have a hard time remember the characters).

If the original wasn't hard enough they released an expansion Drakborgen II (divided in two sets in the english version). More cards, new heroes, an underground level and new monsters and treasures. You have the ninja Yubara Tori-Jima, the berserk Charak Hai the wolf-killer, Mrishnahk the magician, the knight lord Thargrim the Dark, the assassin Durim Daggerbuckle, the princess warrior Iril Fëaneline, the seer Dzála Náryn and her reptile protector, an oracaz and the samurai-ish Yushugom Bogd-Uul.

Really fun game. First day I played as Thargrim the Dark and was really badass. Surviving a collapsing room and fights with some monsters and almost getting stuck I make it to the treasure chamber, get some gold, leaves and gets trapped in a room one room away from the exit with a shadow demon following my footsteps as the sundown came closer. Right before the dragon awakened, the demon leaps forward and kills me. At least I was the last surviving hero. Next day I took the shoes of Yushgom Bog-Uul with his three sword (why he has that many I don't know as he only wields one anyway) the most well-balanced character and highest hit-points, but without the ability to use magic items (and they actually ends up killing you more instead of helping you). I actually won one of the rounds, brining out the sun- and moonstone earning 10 000 gold coins for that, plus some extra treasures. Last day was the day of Mrishnakh, awesome magic spells that could fry any monster (except the dragon) with the only downfall that you had to rest one turn to regain your strength. All other spells more or less drain your life. And his stats suck with 1 Strength, 4 agility and 3 in armor. Only luck is a bit better with 6 or 8 out of the normal 5. Also quite good hit-point with 15, even the ninja and assassin and some other has lower (but these two only has 10 hit-points). Fighting, he's the best if you got the time, but the first round I get bitten by a creature that poisoned me (due to low armor or agility) and I lose one hp per turn, then I get stuck at the wall which was my plan as I had a spell to pass thru walls, IF I have over 6 hp, which I hadn't. then the night came and I died. Next session I fell thru a bottomless well (how that is possible) at the beginning of the game, not able to roll lower than the agility of 4. He really should have a levitation spell otherwise it's just cruel.

Exiled... again

Finding myself going home... again. This time to actually spend time with some of my old friends from high school. Yeah, it was more then a year ago so it shall be fun. Other things to do is beating my sisters... in board games. Need to rise from the grave I ended up in last time and take back the throne of board gaming in the house. How should I do that? I suck in monopoly, if I'm lucky I can win New Finans or I might find some other board game to win over them. Best thing is that I get back on Sunday already. Need to save the stay-away-points.

Dreams

There must be to many murder mysterious on TV at the moment as my dream last night was nothing but wandering in old British landscapes, castles, manors or forests. Of course all places was filled with dead bodies. Really, it felt as I was sucked in a story that I had nothing to do with originally. The things I remember is that people have died, and suddenly all hell breaks lose with murder threats hanging in the air preparing for the next kill. For some reason I run away, get a notebook and start writing down them all. Asking for trouble is it not? I'm actually asking to be killed according to the murder mysteries logic. Somehow it gets worse. I enter a pub of some kind and proclaims in a happy tone "it's gonna be murder tonight" and sit down next to some prisoners on parole (I think, at least one since he was threatening me for some reason). Then it gets weird. I'm walking between the house/manor/castle and a forest or whatever. Statues everywhere and then I'm being confronted by the murderer, Björn (I think his name was). Now the memory get a bit hazy as I pended between dream and waking up. I think there's a chase scene, he gets caught and then we get a flashback of one of the first murders... in cartoon style. The first victim, a woman runs on the fields in a blue dress when the murder shows up in an helicopter, shooting with a rifle from the side (= not piloting it). and then jets of like Airwolf. I think she was turned to stone or something like that. Yeah, I didn't mention the magical things that also appeared. The dream was crazy as it was.

At the same time the Almedalen Week is on in Sweden, a week full of political campaigning and showcasing of the visions for the future in the city of Visby. Not that I care, I know which party I'm gonna vote for and at the moment and nothing can sway me from my way. If you wanna know, read the blog, it's been mentioned many times. For the Swedish public I just say "MORE NUCLEAR POWER" and they (hopefully) get the meaning, but you never know with todays level of education. It that wasn't enough the politics contaminates Allsång på Skansen with an imitator of the opposition leader Mona Sahlin. Why I'm looking at this show... um... you see... eh... I... needed material for more strange dream... yeah, that's it. Weird dreams... hehe... Oh you know there is nothing good to see at the TV at the moment anyway.

Back For The Attack

I'm back to once again illuminate you with politics, games and other nonsense you don't care about. That's right, more details from my life you don't have any interest in. First we will have a look at the past week beginning with Thursday when I got home to my family.

First, before I boarded the train I went to Burger King, getting some food paying... and got 20 SEK more in change. Now, I couldn't accept it cause I knew I would be having an internal dilemma on my hand so I gave it back, hopping for a boost in good karma instead. It didn't work actually, since when I got home I went for a walk with my sister and afterwards my feet was pretty beat up, almost bleeding. So I have been limping all week. It didn't stop me for playing an excellent game of kubb at midsummer. At least after the first big loss one. The other one I was the king on the plane hitting most targets as well as giving the finishing blow toward the king. Of course it ended in a tie, but I don't see it as a loss and it was still upholding my rank of supreme master of this game. And I can also blame my sister for being the head of our team.

Otherwise it has just been a lot of board gaming and sun bathing (for one day which gave me sun burns, no luck there from the karma). In board gaming it wasn't even better. I won the first day, but after that it went down the hill. Games were New Finance (a newer version then the one I'm linking to), Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit. I one the first play through of New Finance, but none of the others. Of course I made a good run on TP and could probably have one, if we had played to the end instead of stop when Miss Marple went on the TV. Mostly since I began very badly and was the last to get my first piece, but then I got three in a row. I could have done it again and finished the game in no time.

That's pretty much it, now I need to polish the essay, fix the TV and do some European studies and that's it... oh, and get a job of course.

Exiled

Soon I'm exiling myself from the civilized world to go back home for a week to celebrate the high-point of summer with the midsummer celebration, that is celebrating that it actually gets darker from now on. Probably no updates during the time. I will try to spend it on finishing the essay correction, apply for a job (that's unfortunately is in Nyköping which is close to home, but I would prefer to stay in Karlstad) and play some Spirit Tracks and Golden Sun. Hmm? Spirit Tracks sounds familiar, when did I play it last? Yeah, I didn't finished it for some reason. It's about time now don't you think?