Secret of Mana

Today is a good day, almost. Woke up with a headache for some reason. I would like to say that it was due to a long night out yesterday to celebrate the fact that I'm finally, after 6 months, are finished with the statistics. But no, I took one of the many nights at home. I guess it could be due to the new cold that has struck again. No fun going out under a ton of clothes just to be able to just feel my legs. I will probably wait till the snow at least is gone, or the party at Thursday which I have a free ticket for. Maybe in an all black outfit. Black shirt, black tie, black vest, black jeans and black shoes. Back in black indeed.

First week at the new semester has been alright. Still have to think about what subject my essay should be about. Thinking about using my theories from the C-essay, a social contract theory describing (in my view from older contract theories) the perfect state, and compare it with the ideas from IMF and WTO how to handle ones country and economy to create economical growth. In other words, pointing out what they do wrong and it is unsustainable with the criteria they have now. What do you mean Swedish practical pig mentality? Of course it will never be a huge hit among the economic community or get me the Nobel prize in Economy. Specially since I'm not an economist and my facts is more or less based on philosophical ideas and not studies in reality. But it would be fun. On the other hand it doesn't feel like it would be much work. I got my theory and all I have to do is find the plans from WTO and IMF, compare, analyze and voila. Problem would be that I only got 8 criteria for the perfect state and that it has very little to do with economy. But a challenge is always fun, right?

Also, with this cold going around I started playing Secret of Mana on the Wii. Games was so much better back in the days. Almost cartoony stile and not too confusing. Get from point A to point B, speak to this person, get this weapon and so on. Music was superb in its simplicity. If you don't know it's an RPG from Square (Square Enix today), the masters of RPG with the Final Fantasy series as its most known series. Of course I'm still waiting for the Golden Sun game to be released some time this year. Ha, it was a long time since I brought it up, but here it is again.

That Ain't Politics

Started political science IV today, and it feels so good. 13 out of 15 turned up, which 9 old friends to me, one I recognized and two others. So all in all only 3-5 people were missed from the older political science classes I've taken. So it's almost a status quo on that one. Yes, I'm feeling a bit conservative lately. Must be something that goes around lately. You know, despise against humans that don't have the same understanding for things like me or something like that. Probably need to leave the academic fortress and be thrown into the world of reality.

I could guess that it has something to do with the latest "political scandal" in Sweden. What you said? The political intrigue I wrote about here? Forget it, the scandal of today is...a pink bag from Louise Vuitton on a photo-session with the parliament leaders! That's the most interesting thing to write about? So what is the problem some might ask? The problem is that it belongs to the Social Democratic leader Mona Sahlin, cost around 6000 SEK ($828) and is around half a salary for nurses. It represents a Hippocratic way of living from the Social democrats that are supposed to support those with low-income and tax those with high, but they themselves can show of such luxury products. Then the spin is on. The left (her supporters, believe it or not) started it, the feminist runs to her defense in claiming that it's just because she's a woman while no one comments on Reinfeldts costumes or watches while the right both amuses and try to distance themselves from this (at least the newspapers).

So where am I in this political wasteland of modern Sweden? I actually agree with the left in the thought that she can't show those attires as they symbolize something her party doesn't stand for in ideas, but that many disillusioned old party members see them stand for in private. I can see what the feminist point out, but in this case it's ridicules. Mostly as Reinfeldt stands for another view on money and what it's supposed to be used for. He stand for consumption and therefore does his attires don't aggravate your eyes as much as a socialistic leaders. It doesn't help that what she said yesterday on the debate didn't make sense.

As I told you way back in the mists of time, I once voted for the Social democratic party as I believed their ideas. Some would say I was brainwashed by my family. Today I can't even consider that as he has taken the party further away from my stand without saying what good it does or how this will help Sweden. And she still seem to win at the moment. The election in September will be very tight even though the poles show a 10 % lead today. As long as they don't have a clear path what they want to do no one can win an election. Except Barack Obama, but he was good with speeches and actually have a very middle point of view (from a Swedish standard of course). Sahlin has neither.

Animated Evil

I just got this urge to watch the Lord Of The Rings movies. Problem is I at the moment don't possess any of them so I went online checking out the prices to get all three (seriously, you must have all three and preferably in the extended version, otherwise what's the point?). So after a 5-minute search on the Swedish sites I realized that I would have to sell my organs to afford them. The movies cost over 300 SEK per movie. For the rest of the worlds that something like above $ 33 per movie. Despair struck me, but I didn't lose hope as I'm citizen of the marvelous European Union (you can guess my political alignment when it comes to the EU by now so this wording shouldn't be so surprising for you) which means that I have the possibility to gain access to in theory 27 different markets all regulated from Brussels. So I went over to the British Amazon and what do you get? All 3 movies + 2 extra movies for just around £ 30, which in SEK is just around 300. A real bargain. The 2 other movies was Kelly's Heroes and the Animated Lord of the Rings.

So, now I have to wait a couple of days and that won't do. So it's out on Youtube to see the animated movies The Hobbit and The Return of the King. And my god, it's laughable. Great understand for why it didn't get a wider audience. It's horrible. And worst thing is that I try to defend them as it is inspired by Tolkien. The animation is OK for The Hobbit, but when they use the same for The Return of the King which follows the other animated Lord of the Ring it's just wrong. Overall I'm giving The Hobbit a lot more slack as it covers most thing and the stile is lighter which follows the mood of the book. But still the whole thing feels rushed and many things doesn't add up. And the songs, my god, are music wise horrible to the mood they tried to set. Lyrics is taken from the book so nothing there, but when the goblins/orcs begin singing nicely how they gonna burn the dwarfs, Bilbo and Gandalf in a tree it's wrong. They also cut out Beorn from it even though he is a central character in the way that he alone turned the tide of the battle in the end and send the enemies fleeing. And then we have the elven king of Mirkwood, a freaking ugly elf of some kind who looks like this:

And who is the father of this:Notice the resemblance? I was thinking of getting a picture of Orlando Bloom, but that would have been unjust to the king (lets see if something will happen now). Also he speak with some kind of German accent and due to his behavior he feels like a Nazi. At least it's watchable to some degree. Compared to the other one at least.

The Return of the King was a disaster. Voice acting horrible, song numbers giving this movie the feel of a constant LSD trip to hell. The story goes forward, back ,stops and forward again without a coherent time line. If you haven't read the book you don't know who is who, where they are or what they are doing. Of course they have some redeeming factors, ONE. But it's a good one. For your modern fans, when Samwise Gamgee runs up stairs to the tower to save Frodo at Cirith Ungol and are faced with three orcs he begins making sounds and using his 2 daggers and create this huge shadow that intimidates the orcs until he show up. A good comedic scene in Peter Jacksons movie. In this movie Sam stumbles upon a orc guard that prepares to attack. Sam grabs the ring and somehow it projects a vision of this elven warrior that brings doom to them. I love that thought. The ring doesn't only makes you invisible, it also gives you the power of domination. That's what they desired all of those who failed. I never thought about that before but it is so obvious now. Really, how practical is an invisibility ring against the dark forces which people like Boromir talked about? Bad thing is that I had to sit thru that movie to understand it even though I have read all Tolkien Middle-Earth books to realize the true power of the ring. Late shall the sinner awaken.

Devastation

I gotta have the strongest routine ever, even though I'm technically free from all schoolwork until Monday when Political Science IV begins, I still sit in the library between 8 and 3. And reading a recommended book for this course NOT mandatory. So I must be insane right? At least my friends believes that, or at least they look at me that way. It's even worse then that. Yesterday I got the urge to take a walk outside for half an hour. When I got back I've haven't felt that good for a long time. The exhaustive feeling and then sitting down releasing a sigh. Need to do that more often as the cold is leaving.

Yes, I know. I should probably head for a hospital to get my brain checked, I must really be sick. Doesn't help that it is in Norwegian. Not hard to read, although it needs a bit thinking around certain words and to stop giggling at some words that just funny. Of course they probably think the same about Swedish.

And then We have Haiti that's been in the news for 1 week. Today it mostly revolves around the true mob rules, which in my way is at the far end of the anarchic and liberal sate (neoliberalism and such). No state, no law. And what is the solution for this? Money? No, what they need is (and I know this will sound undemocratic) stability, and how do you get stability? You have one set rules backed up by police and military force. Thereby creating a zone of stability where the aid relief can enter and distribute food and money for rebuilding the island. Of course, that will probably not happen if you look at its more or less kleptomaniac governments. And no, god did not punish them.

And for everyone else that ask why bad things always happens to those already lying down? Maybe for that reason. Why haven't they fixed themselves? Bad government that means the trust in government doesn't exist. No trust gives no stability and there you have it. Had they had a strong trustworthy government it would probably had the means to organize the survivors and all. And why a quake there? Check a tectonic map, the answers there. Economy blown away? Land based which take a hard hit. Compare to Japan which lives between to plates, but their economy is not based on land. It still cost them if somethings happens, but they wont be on the mercy of other countries in the same way.

Facing Hell

So it's finally over? Who knows, I can't be certain yet, but I've spent so much time and effort into this statistic test that I will officially snap if I have to redo it. I'm so tired of it. I'm not to overjoyed by my efforts today either. The first question is a complete guess from my side. I have no idea what it's supposed to be. At that moment my aspiring to get a VG fell like a brick. Now I'm glad if I gets past this. Although it's not entirely true, as it would be nice with a higher grade after all these months. And to be fair, the rest of the test went on pretty well even though I used up most of the time which is very unlikely me, I usually finish after 2 hours tops and then on my way.

So if everything goes well, what's coming up next? A week of nothing to do. And that means...a week in the library reading the next course literature. Being home would just degenerate me more than anything else. Video gaming, news reading, constant chocolate intake, you get the idea. Also, the cold is releasing its grip on us so I actually have thought on taking a walk. I know, I must be really sick, but I told you that that would happen after I finished the test. I still got the Spanish test somewhere in the future, hopefully it doesn't collide with the political science test and essay. Of course, if the statistic course is over I don't have to worry. If that failed, then it's gonna be like hell here.

Political Disease

I'm emotionally and physically drained after spending all this time studying for the Statistic test on Saturday. I even don't seem to do much as I just sit on my place doing one old test at the most these last days. Good thing is that many people are returning back from there semester away. Gets a lot more lively now. Also, after the test I will be free for a week, but I have a feeling I will get sick at Sunday. And then bedridden for that week, and then back in school for another semester with political science.

Of course I have to write a d-essay and I haven't a clue what to write at the moment. So thinking a bit I stumbled upon all the political ideologies and then some tests for that. Fun to see where you get all though some of the questions feel a bit hard to answer due to very complicated phrasings. Anyway, this was the result:

Of course, it probably don't reflect a Swedish view very well, we tend to be a little more shifted to the left compared to the rest of the world so I guess for Sweden I would probably be more in the middle. Standing on both sides going back and forth, never able to decide were to stand. Why am I writing about this? I'm so incredible bored by these statistical numbers. I want my political scientist books. I want the debates. And thanks heavens that next week the Swedish political debates for the 2010 election begins. What do you mean I'm insane? It's not my fault I'm damaged from 4 year of overexposure to theories and philosophies on politics. If someone wants to do the test themselves, it's right here.

Political Mazes

Why am I interested in politics some of you might ask (actually I don't believe anyone wonders that, it's just a rhetorical question)? I wonder that myself sometimes, it is not the interesting way how a municipality decide what to do in the "democratic process". And today I know way. It's because things like these that make it so interesting. In short, someone made a poll if Margot Wallström would have a better shoot at the prime minister post then the cureent social democratic leader Mona Sahlin. The reason for this is that even if the opposition seems to have an advantage in the opinion at the moment, people still prefer the current Prime Minister over hos opponent. She don't even stand as the second option but the third after Maria Wetterstrand of the Green Party. And now some of her own party in southern Sweden as said that thy could think to oust Sahlin and replace her with Wallström.

It's a struggle for power, a Coup d'etat and it is MAGNIFICENT. It even gets grander with the fact that when Sahlin was elected in 2007 (third/fourth/fifth choice or something like that) she had the whole congress behind her and the public opinion said that S would end up above 40%, even 45%. As the savior for her party that had suffered the worst loss since the 1930's (36-37% or something like that) she would have delivered the first female prime minister of Sweden...and now she can't even control her own party, the achievement of 40% of the voters seems impossible as they seems to struggle just to reach the last election results. This is what I'm talking about, drama, suspense and intrigues. Better than any movie ever.

And then it's the sitting government consisting of 4 parties. The leading party seeming to do it's best election ever and appear to be above 30% with a leader 60% of the Swedish people seeing to be the best choice for prime minister. And they might still lose the position. This because their 3 supporting parties and 2 in particular. The Christ democrats no-one should be surprised as they mostly always walks on the edge of a seat in the parliament or not. More problematic is it for the Centre Party as they once was the leading party for a center-right coalition in government way back in the 70's. They even where the third biggest party in the last election (of course only with 7-8%). The liberal people party seems to stand their ground around the 6-8 %. The political scientist just waits to see if the alliance will stand this test of opinions or lash at each others to survive or even jump above the 10 % level.

And then it's the jokers, the Pirate party and Sd. Sd going up and down around 3-5 % where 4 % is the groundbreaking percentage point. Just out of spite and fun it would be interesting if they got just 3.99 % and therefore couldn't qualify. The Pirate party? They don't seem to exist on the radar at the moment. Not much seems to apper to happen on their front. But if Sd goes in nothing happens, everyone has pretty much agreed on that, but if the pirates entrer the parliament who will they side with? They sided with the greens in the EU election, but the greens are supporting the Social democrates who more or less started the process they figh against with the FRA-law and all that. But they wouldn't probably follow the allaiance either as they continued it. So, where will they stand?

Lost in Numbers

The statistic teachers at Karlstad University must be sadist. There is no other explanation to this amount of illogical mathematical equations they have in their tests. Mathemathic is supposed to be the most logical subject of them all, 1+1=2 whatever you think. Eqations have one purpose and they can't be shanged and so on. These statistical teachers seems to recreate the mathematical laws right in front of me. The book gives us this special formula for one purpose and it's alright you think, but no. They use another one, same purpose apparently and almost the same numbers, almost. Or it can be the same formula, if you remeber all the special conditions to use it that is. And then there is another condition that are fullfilled and you need a correction factor and then a third rule of some kind.

All this you must keep in your head and without warning they throw in the answer and say "yes, you had the right idea, unfortunately for you we decided to take this correction factor and change it a bit which will screw your numbers up and the whole answer, but good thinking". And they never explain this in their answers. Numbers fly out of nowhere and are put in tese calculations. And the most annoying is to determine whether it is a z-score or a t-distribution. They just ad [table] and give you some number without logic. And when you think you have it they decide to round it up and completely destroy your theory. How in gods name am I supposed to understand this when they change the rule all the time? Thank god it is just 1 week left. I can't handle much more.

Stone Cold

It's horribly cold here in Sweden. I can't feel my legs just before I enter the Library. And that is just 10 minutes exposure. And I thought I should begin the year by taking a walk in the lovely snow landscape for 45 minutes and get some small exercise. But no. It's to fricking cold. I should probably get two pairs of trosures when going out. At least it's getting brighter with the whole light thing. Could also be that I'm up 1 hour later and therefore the sun is up and then the library closes at 3 before the sun comes down. You feel a bit better. Of course it's back to normal on Thursday and maybe some more people will show up. Not that it hasn't been people around theses days. Fun to see that they seemed to have a good holiday.

So why do I venture out from my relatively warmer apartment out on these treacherous roads? I still have to study for the damn statistic test and I can't do it from home, too many good video games for that. The statistic test doesn't feel awful, it feels like I got a hang of it. Of course it's 2 weeks left and I could be in for a nasty surprise. They can be very devious I noticed, especially when they formulate the question so you have to think both twice and thrice before you get the complete question. And after that I only have the Spanish lagging behind, and god knows when that is coming up due to the re-test being the same day as the Statistic test. I guess my chances for getting a good grade in Statistic is higher then the Spanish one so that's my priority. At least the verbs sat where they should but I definitely need to get better at direct translations.

And I checked the literature for the next course and it only gets me confused. Lots of interesting books, but the problem is that it appears to be different parts of the course, some we are not supposed to read and we don't get to know which one until the course starts so there is no idea pre-order the books. And I still haven't thought out a good subject to research for my d-essay. Anyone in the empty ether having any suggestions? Probably not as I think I might have pissed of some people. If anyone is actually reading this beyond me.

A New Beginning 2

Another year and a new post. Hope it has been a good time since the last post. 2010's here and a lot is in store for you all. Swedish parliament election, the new Golden Sun game is coming out, I more or less finish my studies and who knows what, everything lies before us. After I fix the statistics test in 2 weeks and the Spanish one sometimes in the future. Sins of the past you know. So it's back in the library tomorrow at 9 (yeah, I know it's kinda late for being me but they don't open until then).

As a side note I can tell you that the New Years Eve celebration was as usually. Except we didn't find the Trivial Pursuit game we use to play every year, so we had to go with a game called Genius. Didn't work out well. Game in last. Although I probably showcased the best all-around knowledge when it came to the other players questions. You never get the right questions. Also, some of the Answers should probably be updated. For example I get this question if Napoleon really is short. Instantly I would say he is as that what everyone depicts him like, but I had read somewhere that it was not the truth, rather he was kinda average. At lest this Wikipedia link says so and then it has to be true right? I probably shouldn't have thought to much about it as I actually knew that it was old. Probably wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Also the Wolf hunt has been all the rave in Sweden at the moment as 27 wolfs out of 210 are being hunted by 12 000 hunters or something like that. The hunt has been called of as it is a high risk that the numbers will be more then the proposed. And in its wake follow the "city vs countryside" debate. I probably don't have anything to ad, but I like the wolf. This magnificent creature howling to the moon in the winter landscape and so on. Pure beauty, why should I care about farmers that can't set up good walls against nature around their cattle? I know it's harsh thing to say and I'm sorry for being so cold and cynical but I will stand by the wolfs side only based on my fairy tale image of the wolf. Have a great year onward everybody as we start a new journey into the unknown.