Archive for August, 2004
Work hosted a kick-off event for us this week. We went boating on the Oslofjord (large yacht type boat), but before the wine and shrimp came out a dinghy showed up towing a boogie board and some skis. The boogie board was fun, but I wanted to try water-skiing again. It’s only been fifteen years since last time, and twenty years since I did this regularly.
Hubris made me try mono skiing first - probably a mistake. I ended up submarining a lot.
Apparently I am not as light and small as I was twenty years ago.
After three attempts I asked for the second ski and popped out of the water — no problem. Thanks to the weekly workouts I didn’t fall over immediately, but managed to carve the water for a couple of minutes before my arms and legs gave out amid some particularly choppy waves… Fun - and warm.
The Oslo summer has left the air, but the water was fine. The next day it rained and was cold and horrible, so we were unbelievably lucky with this kick-off.
August 27th, 2004
Bush claims to live in the future. Anti-Ballistic Missile defence (”Star Wars”) is designed for the previous threat. It would not have stopped the Oklahoma bombing. It would not have stopped the 9/11 disaster. It would not have helped the major loss of the first Gulf War (iraqi scud hit on the saudi barracks). ABM is a defence against a cold-war threat. It does nothing for the asymmetric threats of the future. This is election bullshit.
August 22nd, 2004
I’ve had my iPod for approx 12 hrs, and already I can’t bear to leave it. This thing is too sexy to leave alone for more than ten minutes. It’s tactile. It’s instant gratifaction. It’s crack with a soundtrack. There’s a cult, and I’m joining!
On a completely unrelated and bizarre note, my bank is merging with another bank (yay oligopolies! (that would be irony)) and a bunch of services I use are now going to cost me less/nothing. WTF??? Ok - a couple of things are going to cost more, but they’re services I never use (paper notices of overdrawn account, stuff like that) so all in all this looks like a huge win.
Now please excuse me, I have to go fondle my 20 gig iPod… It’s so sexy. But the silver backing only looks good as long as you don’t actually touch the object.
August 19th, 2004
Off to Denmark at o’fuck early in the morning to see Thomas and Dorthe get married. Those crazy kids…
A bunch of us norwegian youngsters are camping on the lawn of the estate where the wedding and reception are being held. Now I could have sworn my Burning Man tent was around here somewhere, but apparently it is not here, but around somewhere else. So I ended up buying a new, even smaller, even cheaper tent. Also picked up a new mattress, which cost 3 times what the tent cost, so I better sleep like a baby tomorrow…
August 13th, 2004
Bush seems to be playing on the American population’s terror fears. “Terrorists may strike soon”. “Alert level amber!”. Awooga awooga!
(brought to you buy the committee to re-elect the president)
Here in Norway we have elections coming up next year, and the positioning has already begun. The conservatives are warning of a dangers if a labour-socialist-left coalition were to win: chaos, wrack and ruin…
I’ve seen this movie before, back in Britain in 1996, and it didn’t work for the Consarvatives then either. Tony Blair won in spite of the label “New Labour New Danger”.
The conservatives counterparts in Norway, Høyre, are making the same mistake — going negative and disparaging their opponents rather than boasting of their achievements. If their achievements are nothing to boast about, well then they aren’t doing a very good job, are they?
Høyre are currently backing a free speech amendment which keeps the criminal code for blasphemy. What’s up with that?
They’ve done a good job cutting taxes, and moving public sector jobs out into the districts, but you know - I don’t really care. Doesn’t affect me in any noticeable way.
So what do they have to boast about?
August 4th, 2004
Words to live and think by: Paul Graham’s What You Can’t Say…
If you think the same as everyone around you, why are you here?
Thinking an impossible thing before breakfast does help keep the old nogging spry and flexible. How do you think an impossible thing? Well… Read the essay - it’s quite good. But basically the thoughts you shouldn’t have because “they” say so are usually a good starting point.
August 4th, 2004
The Electoral Vote Tracker is fantabulous, but this is particularly great: a graph tracking electoral votes over time. Remember that the US uses first-past-the-post electoral votes, so the winner in a state gets all the votes for that state. This graph boils down the myriad stats and who’s-leading-where into the final results. The fact that Bush is leading in New Mexico doesn’t mean much by itself, but when factored into electoral votes, it can flip the election…
August 4th, 2004
Three weeks of vacation are over, and typically I didn’t get all my nothing done this year either. The weather wasn’t always conducive to lazy days at the beach - but still - after a week of sunny days I thought I’d have more of a tan. The minty-green computer tan is hard to get rid of.
And I feel so good, having just done a double workout session at Elixia - spinning and an hour of weight training. I’m gonna feel this in the morning, that’s for sure. No pain, no gain.
August 2nd, 2004
John Perry Barlow has a very mischiveous idea: Flash Mobs Dancing At Random During the Republican Convention. A lovely blend of anarchy, rock’n'roll, and civil disobedience. The idea smacks of genius.
I’ve been thinking for some time that the problem with politics is that doesn’t know how to have a good time. And it certainly doesn’t dance enough. This is your chance to address both of these deficiencies.
And remember the great Emma Goldman who said, “If I can’t dance, I want no part of your revolution.” What she knew is that dancing is itself a revolutionary act. Come revolt with us. And bring your smile.
What are they gonna get done for if they get caught?
“Unlawful dancing”?
“Unlicensed booty shaking?”
August 1st, 2004
(via ongoing)
Reagan jr shreds the Bush presidency writing in Esquire. The Bush Presidency’s lies and deceptions in one handy place.
August 1st, 2004