Walpurgis Night 2010

Awaiting the live debate between the candidates in the British election on the BBC. Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. Really, there is no wonder that I favor the Liberals. They are, well, liberals. Of course I didn't know about them until the European Parliament and I could check out other parties that were similar to my own view. No surprise, the Liberal Democrats. I guess it's because my very centric views on politics that responds in these liberal parties. Not that I mind, they have very good politics. Mostly Pro-EU and EMU, social liberal beliefs but not too keen on high taxes. Then it differs country to country. The reason I support the liberals in Sweden, besides those other political areas, is there belief that we need nuclear power to be able to maintain our welfare and keep the last industrial jobs we have. The british liberals don't approve of nuclear power. Why I don't know, it's their decision.

Anyway, tomorrow is Walpurgis Night. A traditional student and others party day with bonfires lighting up the dark night and scaring away all evils and celebrate the coming of Spring. Then the day after it's International Workers' Day. The day when the labour unions screams their cry for justice they have done for the last 100 years and had their political allies in government for 70 of those. You think they learned at this moment, but no, they still support the same party whatever they say and do. Well, at the moment at the least as the people at these demonstrations usually have a higher age then most people so lets see how they look in a 40 year time. Younger people tend to be home recovering from a self-imposed illness as it is a red day aka a holiday. The labour unions should have thought on that before placing there demonstrations on red days. I will probably not wright anything on these days, just a heads up. Celebrate modesty and avoid falling in the fires.

Chocolate Dreams

Todays topic is: CHOCOLATE, the most wonderful product that the spanish brought back from the Americas. A thing worth killing for. Mmmm, love it! It's even in the politics. A infamous scandal in 1995 with a credit card from the government buying things for around 56 000 SEK named The Toblerone Affair with the then vice-prime minister (now prime minister candidate) has resurfaced in these election times. The minister of financial markets, Mats Odell, made a comment about the red-greens proposal to give the municipalities 9 billion SEK together with the infrastructure proposal on 120 billion SEK and not finance it properly and just mentions tax raises and loans (ironically as the red-green complained that the tax cuts the current government made was financed with loans). The comment was that:

"It's pure Toblerone politics. You charge it on your credit card and then send the bill to the Swedish people"

The Red-Greens has exploded and start complaining that this is the lowest trick a politician can use (not mentioning their own attacks on the center-right parties as heartless and pushing people into the stocks). I love it! For being a christ democrat he has a very sharp tongue. May this push them up in the opinion. This will continue and I, and all my closer friends hope to god that the center-right wins (yes, they have probably brainwashed me, but I don't care).

But it was chocolate that was todays subject and the next story is really about chocolate. Apparently American scientist has confirmed that chocolate is used to get out of depressions. You who have followed this blog knows that my usual treatment when I'm sick, depressed or just have a craving for something sweet is chocolate. A universal medicine.

Leaving the chocolate behind, it's time for the pre-Eurovision Song Contest and boy, the music is not good. The few highlights is Bosnia-Herzegovina with a decent rock song, just building up until the damned end that didn't give anything (might be better in the long version) and Poland that has a strong build up as well, but it start out very bad. It gets better the more the instruments gets stronger and stronger, but it should be that the whole way thru. No, it will not be enjoyable to watch this if it continues like this. More reports next week.

PS. The picture at the top is parts of the Marabou chocolate brand, the BEST chocolate in the world. Take that Switzerland, France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Nuclear Vision

As you see by the image, todays subject is:

Nuclear Power

Yes, it is 24 year since the Chernobyl disaster spewing out its nuclear waste across Europe and poisoning our land and spread fear in the heart of the people. And idiocy. Specially since people somehow don't get what powers their computers. You see, 40 % of the Swedish electricity comes from our 10 reactors. Another 45 % comes from water and the rest is between solar, wind and biofuel, mostly biofuel. And now we have a party around 10 % of the voters that want to exchange the reactors with wind power. We saw how well that worked this winter when two reactors was being serviced and the cold got the wind turbines to stop working. The price sky rocketed and we had to import energy from Germany, Poland and Finland. Being from coal and more nuclear power. With the green party that would probably the usual way of getting energy. Yes, I don't like them. For any green party member reading that, its due to being brainwashed by my parents.

Away from politics, after the failure to not be able to see Fredrik Lindström I spent the weekend playing some more Final Fantasy XIII... and I am still at the same place, running up and down, up and down... you get the idea. I think I know why people don't like that game that much as the story is not that gripping. Damn, the only reason I play is due to the addictive level up system. Actually, I think I shall play some more at the moment... running up and down, up and down... Yeah, it's embarrassing. Also, tomorrow it's the pre-eurovision song contest show, and of course I will blog about that, even though I hate it (*cough* guilty pleasure *cough*).

Lady Luck

As I mentioned over the week, I seemed to have struck some good luck. Tuesday was VG on the final home exam and 70 SEK and a chocolate bar, Wednesday meant a job as an electorate worker and this morning I found another 70 SEK. I mean, that's pretty awesome. So, as I have a way to look on luck as a sort of scale between good and bad luck I know it couldn't last for long. And I think I payed for it today. Today one of the more famous Swedish celebrity was at the University, holding a talk about how we Swedes behave and so on. He's Fredrik Lindström, a writer, TV-personality, linguistic scholar and comedian. Looking forward to this we came around 10 minutes before the start and what do we see. An insanely long cue on all 3 doors into the auditorium. It's even so bad they close the doors some minutes before the start and people didn't get in. Damn!

So I didn't get in, I missed it. So basically that must have reset my luck scale... I hope. Because you never know if that's enough, it could go on for a long tie until it's time to reap the fruits of that pain. At least it seems that way, mostly this is an ad hoc philosophy that evolves with how the world and life seems to just me, so don't make me explain why some people have it a lot easier then others. If you want an explanation just say... hm... uh... let's blame it on karma and reincarnation, that would do.

Soul Stealer

The good fortune continues. So not enough with yesterdays good news, destiny smiles on me today as well, if you don't count the snow fall. God damn snow. Anyway, I got to work for the election this autumn both as a pre-vote collector as well as a "vice-head commissioner" of the election station at the election day. Yeah, climbing the social ladder. Still need a job though.

Other than that, nothing else happens. I know, kinda boring, but that's what you got when I'm stuck with a damn essay, sucking up all my spirit, slowly draining my life away. My hope and optimism fading away as quickly as the snowflakes melting in the sunlight. Despair eating away my soul... You get the idea.

Holy Smoke

Volcano ashes is spewing over the European continent stranding all air traffic, more or less a revenge from the icelandic nation due to Great Britain's decision to brand them as terrorists and freezing their offshore bank accounts. Thousands of people are stranded over the whole world and can't get home. At the same time the british are appearing to favor their third party, the Liberal Democrats, before the others. The whole world is turning upside down. Do I care? Hell no. I'm at the top of the world at the moment. Why? Let me tell you why:

I had the best day in a long time. First thing first, I was at some survey/experiment taking half an hour. I think they tried to find out by the choice of choosing between two brands of chocolate, one for 20 SEK and the other for a bit more depending on which scenario you read about. The extra money was then given to compensate the climate it take to get the chocolate. Five scenarios with different prices ranging from 10 - 50 extra. Then they chose one scenario (it was different for each participant) and you got the money that was over after paying either 20 SEK or the other price from 100 SEK. Being the green believer I am (actually no, but I ended up that road) I chose the more expensive choice on each. By coincidence I only compensated with 10 SEK and got to keep 70 SEK (ca € 7 or $ 8,75) and a chocolate bar all just by fate. And if that wasn't enough, I got a VG on the latest home exam and can qualify for a VG on the whole political science IV course. Yeah, I'm on a roll.

Other then that I'm continuing playing Final Fantasy XIII, but I'm a bit stuck in the same place. The Fifth Ark or whatever it's called. Before the Bahamut boss. Running up and down, up and down, up and down... you get the idea. Why? Because the leveling system is really addictive. You earn XP, spend them on different abilities and status boost like strength, HP and magic. Also, and this is probably the reason it is so addictive, there is a roof. You can only level up some levels at a time and after a certain point you can level up some levels more. So why not always be at the roof before going to the next point? At the moment I'm something like +40 h, and probably spend 10-20 hours more just leveling up. Yeah, I don't have a life.

Trolls In The Dak

It's that time of year again, the HORROR. They're back. Like vultures they circle around us, patiently waiting, watching every move until... we make a mistake. Then they STRIKE. Merciless and without pity. Cornering all the poor souls that ends up in their sight. Eyes filled with hunger and greed eying in on you. Screaming in squeaky, nasal voices. They attack in flocks, two or three at a time, sometimes some lonely alpha male/female proving its might over the other groups. All with the same dedication to the group:

"Do you want to buy a Majblomma?"

Oh the horrors, the horror!... What do you mean it's just children? They are animals taking a bite on your leg and don't let go until you fight it of, give up or it loose interest and believe me, they don't! For a god cause? Tell me about it! You pay 10 SEK (ca $1,4=€1) for a thing that cost 16 öre (ca 2 American cent = 1,6 European cent) to make, handmade by children in a Chinese factory were they earn 1000 SEK/MONTH (roughly $143=€100) and only meet their family ONCE a year. What do you mean I'm a hypocrite? I'm cheap? Yeah, probably and I would probably not bought one anyway.

Yes, I know, I'm a really big cynical bastard. And I don't have a reason for being that. Most things float on like normal, I haven't seen human evil up close or something horrible more then what I read, see on TV or experience in video games. Of course that's probably enough as it is, but I personally have never experienced it. It has never effected me and that probably makes me more lucky then most, don't you think?

Way Too Far

So this weekend was sort of a reunion of our class and friends from 2006. Two showed up, the rest that appeared never left. We're still stuck here. Altogether we were nine people at the peak. So in short summery, after leaving the pre-party it was waiting in line, showed around, trampled on, getting smoked on, standing all the time, waiting in line to get out, freezing outside, missing the bus, stand in line, pushed forward and then walk home for 10 minutes in the cold. And still the night will "mostly" be remembered as good. But still it feels like I'm to old for it... and the bad thing I always felt like that since 18. And I don't want to get older.

Anyway, need more politics at the moment. So if you followed this blog for some time you know I'm leaning to the liberals, standing more or less in the middle. So if we leave political issues by the side and ideologies, how should we decide which party to vote for? Well, by universal signs around you. I just look back in time to the election in 1998. Of course I couldn't vote as I was only 10 years old or something during that time, but the Swedish school usually have a school election mirroring the national election. So they divided our class in to different groups that should write a "poster" about the party they were given. What part did I get you might ask? Well, the liberals of course. Another funny "coincident" is the fact that my first pre-school was named the Cornflower, the symbol of the liberal party in Sweden. It has to mean something, does it not? What do you mean farfetched?

Monday Morning

Today politics is the thing we're gonna discuss. Why? Because people still surprise me with their stupidity... and I don't really want to study at the moment or start up any console. So where are we at the moment? 5 months until election day and it's getting tighter, but the opposition still leads with a very small margin. Yeah, I'm leaning to the right this time, mostly as their politics makes sense and are possible to do with my limited economic understanding. The opposition just don't make sense. Raise taxes at the end of an economic downturn when we at the moment have the highest tax in the western world. I don't see to it. Yes, we don't have the best services in the world, but then the problem lies in other problems than the economics. Slim the bureaucracy (after you get me a permanent well paid job that is) and the money can be used to other things.

But to make you understand I find the left to be kinda likable as well, at least the old left, say before '68 in interior and somewhat the foreign after '68 till '86. The interior things just collapsed after '68 and I would probably attribute it to the change in leadership from Tage Erlander to Olof Palme. Erlander was a strong leader and could keep the union in place for what was best for the country, Palme... not so much. Huge inflation's and long strikes damaging the industry which forced the politicians to devalue the krona instead of taking are of the structural problems. Which is probably why Palme was so outspoken on the foreign policy scene as he could rally support that way. The fun thing that people don't like to mention (if you lean to the left) is that the tax was way lower before '68 and we were near the top of riches country in the world. Then '73 and '79 came along, tax rising and we ain't even in the Top 20 of the GDP per capita. Kinda sad isn't?

By the way, I think I know why some of the characters in Final Fantasy XIII has an australian accent, they come from the place "down under". I'm not kidding, these characters appear to have come from the outside world were everything is "evil and dark", at least from the heroes world point of a view. I don't know what the localization team thought this would imply. Scary Australians or what. It doesn't help that one of them acts like Steve Irwin and spears a flying dragon in the air and then tame it. And she's named Fang, enough with the dangerous wildlife.

Child In Time

So I played the game a bit further and it's not that bad. Story wise it's interesting and compelling. You want to know what happens with those involved. That makes me curious why many people dislikes the game. The story is alright and should probably be the only marker on if it's good or bad. Of course that's like saying that the one thing important listening to music is the lyrics, and we all know that's not the case. The gameplay is mostly the weak link. It's to simple. All the paradigms, level-system and whatnot ´makes it to easy. At least 20 hours in. You have a maximum of levels and it get higher the further into the game you get. Being at the edge all time indicate you should not be able to lose. If you do, try changing tactic or level up your weapons instead. You only control one character and the others are on auto, changing pattern depending on which role you assign them. Simple.

I like it, maybe because I'm more interested in the story than the actual gameplay. Meaning gameplay gets in the way for the story. Probably one of the reasons why I can stand Metal Gear Solid with all its cutscenes. This does make me sound like a casual player does it not? As many pointed out Final Fantasy XIII is very linear, and I don't mind it. There is only one way to go, no secret passageway you can't find on the map containing the one item you need 25 hours later to give you a decent chance without leveling up to near demigod levels. I'm not finished yet so it might turn up later, I don't know. This is what bugged me with the earlier installments of the series. If we take Final Fantasy VI for example the first part is pretty linear until the cataclysm ensures. Then you are on your own trying to band everyone together and collect all items you might need against the final boss. I get bored. No coherent red line to lead me to the end. I loose interest and seldom finish the game without reading a FAQ to tell me where to go and to keep me at a decent level. Sad, I know, but time is limited and I don't have the 18 hours per day to spend on one game when I have an essay and four other games I want to play.

That's also a problem. I get to 3/4, quit the game to play something that floats on much better, go back maybe 1 month or more later and don't have the drive to play thru as the story is gone for my part. I restart and think the level-grinding is the worst part of it, but deem it necessary to beat the upcoming boss without a sweat. It's even worse to play the old Final Fantasy games again as I don't have a save on my PS3. That means maybe 40 hours play for Final Fantasy I-II, 60 hours for IV-VI and IX. VII and VIII I've never finished so those at least have the story to go with, but the others? I've finished them on the Game Boy Advance and DS. And when should I have time to play those games? This summer is spent drivers license, European studies and efforts to get a job. Is there a possibility to rewind my life, say, 10 years? Would be much appreciated!

Lastly about the story, and this just might be some work related damages due to my political science courses, but one of the aspects of the game is that the whole society is nourished by these spiritual beings that ensure electricity, food, light and protection to its 10 million citizens against the outside world. To be honest, it feels like they make a criticism against a somewhat socialistic society, and that's maybe why I find the story so interesting while many others don't feel the same (I've mostly heard Americans talking/writing about it). As a citizen of a social democratic society that has dangled on the edge of planned economy and market economy under may years I can understand how the society works (not as much as those living behind the Iron curtain and only as a historic outlook as it has gone more to the market economy since the early 90's). People getting everything provided by the state and you only have to obey. And I don't think Americans understand that and therefore can't relate to those issues and therefore the story don't get engaging... or that's just my thoughts on it.

No 13

It's easter and we shall all remember the suffering of Jesus Christ... that's why I told you my thoughts on christianity last year, so that you could feel the suffering. If we cut of the jokes now, most swedes don't care if this weekend is about Jesus. Most of us probably believe that is in homage to chocolate bringing hares, except those living in the swedish bible belt. Yeah, we are mentioned there as well. And there doesn't seems to be a Jesus Christ Superstar showing this year. It's really some decent music, catchy and likable. Of course, I would probably not have time to watch it.

Why's that you might wonder? Well, I didn't finish the PM so I have to do that until Wednesday next week. That's the boring part. The funny part is that I'm playing FFXIII and really good. The music is likable and as usual the graphics are outstanding. A great plus is that the voice-acting is decent, but there is somethings that annoys me. One of the main characters, Vanille (I'm not gonna link this as I don't want to spoil any secrets for myself this early in the game), seems to go between accents, sometimes it's like any normal english, then it shifts in to upper class british. Of course it could be part of her character, hiding she is some kind of aristocrat or whatever. Then there is someone with a really thick Australian accent, just makes me laugh for some reason.

Story also feels kinda OK at the moment, but they usually turn your head around at the end. Speculation this early would be that the guardians of the humans is really corrupted and those on the outside tries to save them from behind the walls they built around them. Like Soviet, you know, people believing their world is the best while they are living under a brutal dictatorship using them against the free world outside and so on. Question is if it can keep me interested for those 60 hours these games usually take. At the moment it's really addicting. You have this sad love story were one of the head characters love interest been turned into a crystal, one other is cooping with the loss of his mother during an attack by the government and she feel to her doom.

If we go back to the graphics, they are really good. Unfortunately I think some parts were unnecessary. That is, fan service. If we go back to Vanille, as far as I know, her reason for existance is fan service. Why you might ask? Lets see, here's a picture:

At least she's 19, in game she looks younger since she's as the 14 year old boy in the group. It could have been worse. I acknowledge, she looks good. It's hard to deny, with the red hair, ponytails, bikini and small skirt. I admit, she's a walking fetish. Being a video-game this is pretty much acceptable, but there is one instance there is nothing else but to showcase some digital skin. Alright, all main characters get some sort of tattoo, most of them got in on the arm or chest, but Vanille? She gets her on the ass. And she shows it, maybe not much but now I can't get it out of my head wondering what the whole tattoo looks like.