Greendemon's blog

2009-12-13T16:25:00.004+01:00

Another winter in Sweden

For all the SAffas who are freezing this Festive Season... it made the rounds via email some years ago.

This is an excerpt from the diary of a South
African who moved to Canada to get away from
crime...

November  14th
It  started snowing. The first of the season
and the first real snow  we have ever seen.
The wife took out buttered buns and sat by
the  window watching  the soft flakes drift
down, clinging to the trees and covering the
ground.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!

November 15th
We woke to a lovely blanket of crystal
white snow covering the landscape. What a
FANTASTIC sight! Every tree and shrub was
covered with a  beautiful white mantle. I
shovelled snow for the first time and loved
it. I did both our driveway and sidewalk.
Later, the city snowplough came along and
accidentally covered up our driveway  with
compacted snow from the street. But the
driver smiled and waved and I waved back
and shovelled again.

November 16th
It snowed an additional twelve centimetres
last night and the temperature has dropped
to around four degrees. Several limbs on the
trees and shrubs have snapped due to the
weight of the snow. I  shovelled our driveway
again. Shortly afterwards the snowplough came
by  and did his trick again. Much of the
snow is now brownish grey.

November 17th
Warmed up enough during the day to create some
slush, which soon became ice again. Bought
snow tyres for both cars. Slipped on my arse
in the driveway, paid $130 for the chiropractor,
but fortunately nothing broken. More snow and
ice expected.

November 18th
Still cold. Sold my wife's car and bought
a 4x4 in order to get to work. Slid on the
guard-rail and did considerable damage to
the rightquarter panel. Had another 15
centimetres of white shit last night.
Both vehicles covered in salt and crud.
More shovelling in store for me today. That
damn snowplough came by twice yesterday.

November  19th
2 degrees outside! More f***ing snow. Not
a tree or shrub on our property that hasn't
been damaged. Power was off most of the
night. Tried to keep from freezing to death
with candles and a kerosene heater, which
tipped over and nearly burned the f***ing
house down. I managed to put the flames out
but suffered second degree burns on my hands
and lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes. Car
slid on the white shit on the way to the
hospital and was totally wrecked.

November 20th
Mother f***ing white kak keeps coming down!
I have to put on all the clothes I own just
to get to the mailbox. If I ever catch that
son of a bitch that drives that f***ing
snowplough, I'll chew open his chest and rip
his heart out. I think he hides around the
f***ing corner and waits for me to finish
shovelling, then comes down the street at
about 160km/hr and buries our driveway
again. f***ing power still off. The
shithouse froze and parts of the roof have
started to cave in.

November 21st
Twelve more centimetres of f***ing snow
and f***ing ice and f*** knows what other
kind of f***ing white shit fell last night.
I wounded the f***ing snowplough dude
with a pick, but the bastard got away. The
wife has f***ed off and left me. The
f***ing car won't start and I  think I'm
going f***ing snow-blind. I can't move my
f***ing toes, haven't seen the f***ing sun
in weeks and there's more f***ing snow
predicted. Wind chill is 30 f***ing degrees
below zero!!

November 22nd
F*** THIS! I am moving back to South Africa!

2008-08-12T12:27:00.005+02:00

Cui bono?

I find the world-wide bias con Russia interesting. Why do people automatically assume the clear black-and-white identities of "USA Brand" = Good Peace-spreading Capitalism, "Russia Brand" = Bad Imperialist Communism, "China Brand" = Crushing Surveillance State? And ask yourself, who benefits from the propagation of these obvious myths? Politics is a dirty game, no matter who is playing; the only place for the innocents is in death. No-one gets to the top with clean hands, and yet people are surprised when high-level scandals emerge.

As far as I'm concerned, the only measure for trustworthiness/political integrity is whether a politician is acting in a way which is consistent with the long term interests of their country. Incidentally, I think Putin has shown remarkable restraint, good judgement and rare skill in his political games, compared to Blair, Brown and Bush Jr, which causes me to have more respect for him. (No, I don't consider myself to be particularly pro-Russian imperialism - I'm just saying that a spade should be called a spade, no matter which countries are involved.)

From http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/600/42/369721.htm :
Putin, addressing a regular Monday government meeting, took a harsher stance, saying the West had supported the likes of Hussein just because they were U.S. allies.
"Of course, Saddam Hussein had to be hung for his destruction of several Shiite villages. But as for the current Georgian leadership -- who in one hour razed 10 Ossetian villages to the ground, who crushed children and the elderly with tanks, who burned alive peaceful citizens in barns -- these 'activists' should of course be protected," he said, reverting to an earthy sarcastic tone that was a trademark of his presidency.
"If my memory serves me right, it was Ronald Reagan who said in relation to one of Latin America dictators a while ago: 'Somoza, of course, is a son of a bitch. But he's our son of a bitch. And we will be helping him, we'll protect him,'" Putin said.
"A lot has changed since that time. The world has dramatically changed. The Cold War is no more. But this mentality of the Cold War is deeply ingrained in the heads of some of American diplomats," Putin said.

On a side note: the MSM has been largely silent on the Abkhazian conflict, yet South Ossetia is having its 15 minutes of fame. I can't think what the selling factor could be on S.O.; what makes it a better headline?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/10/georgia.russia3
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9790

Interesting reading: Wikipedia entries for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and gas pipeline and European-Caucausian pipeline network.

Perhaps independence of oppressed people is not at the top of the list of reasons for the USA's meddling in the region.

2008-08-08T17:20:00.007+02:00

Bon appetít

How stuff works: Brainwashing

This is exactly, step by step, what I was exposed to in Christian Sunday school until I was 18. I recognised it only years afterwards because the techniques are so refined and subtle, especially the guilt and forgiveness parts. Let's see what goes into this recipe:

As base, use the greater part of the inherent human desire for life, individual significance and to be part of something "bigger". Blend thoroughly, adding a handful of gratuitous self-delusion and rationalisation.

Soak the mixture in a primitive paternalistic desert society for approximately 3000 years.

Have a cunning madman exploit these attributes, and simmer the resulting doctrine for twenty centuries over the fire of the ever-present priesthood, all the while stirring gently with the Ladle of Opportunism.

To be sure that the stew doesn't burn up or dry out, add tolerance and appeasement extracted from the man in the street.

Enjoyment tips: it mellows with time, but the careful taster will note and should beware of strong undertones of hypocrisy. Serves infinitely many victims, for ever and ever, Amen.

In retrospect, I consider myself lucky because was in the "moderate" Dutch Reformed Church. I stopped attending at age 21. Still, I forgive the those noble spiritual leaders of the community for their little game *makes holy horns* because they had the best intentions.

Or no, wait. Fuck 'em. Organised religions are the cancers of our society, as Jack Vance so nicely put it.

2008-02-15T15:50:00.029+01:00

Turbulence

I'm back from the land of the living and installed under the frozen northern rock. Seeing SA again was great - thanks to everyone who helped make my stay unforgettable.

It's been a busy start to the new year, thanks to the job and new studies. The "ketchup effect" strikes again - shake that bottle, and for the longest time nothing happens, until all of a sudden you get a plate full of red crap. But I shouldn't complain, since I'm learning a hell of a lot and the small, daily successes are great for the motivation. Indeed, I have enough on my mind that I have little time to waste on pointless philosophizing about existence, but old habits die hard, and bad habits are tougher than Chuck Norris on Manenberg-grade tik*, so here you go.

Right now I'm watching the snowflakes dance their ballet outside my office window and pondering the random, macro-Brownian movement patterns. Humans aren't much different from snowflakes, I think. Each one of us is an absolutely unique and twisted creation by definition and unendingly complex close-up, but a rather boring, irritating and pretentious drop of water when seen from the bigger perspective. We do our dance with fate, bump into others and perhaps find one which complements us and who we can cleave to. And then ... the Windowsill of Doom, and an inglorious and mushy end.

The only problem with this analogy is the case when the snow lies overnight. OK, so my model is not perfect but we can safely disregard the conflicting example since "it is beyond the scope of this article". Or we can apply my other favourite quote: "Proof of this theorem is left as an exercise to the reader."

As you have perhaps noticed, dear Reader, the years of exposure to academic sodomy (fondly referred to as "higher education") have not left me unscarred. On the plus side, I have no illusions about the value or place of university education; my conclusion is that real life is much more challenging, albeit in a different way (more "oh shit I'm guna DIE" and less "oh crap, exam stress mind blank").

That's about it for now. I'm feeling strangely lagom** these days and have no new bees in my bonnet begging to be swatted with the hammer, so I'll close with a sketch of Stockholm. The Sisters of Mercy say it best.

Floorshow

The bodies on the naked on the low damp ground
In the violet hour to the violent sound
And the darkness the blinding the eyes that shine
And the voices and the singing and the line on line
This is the floorshow the clapping hands
Animal flow from the animal glands
In the violet hour to the violent sound
Going round and around and around and around and around
I feel the bite
I feel the beat
I see the dancing feet
I feel the light
I feel the heat
I see the new elite
I see the final floorshow
I see the western dream
I see the faces glow and I see the bodies steam
See them shimmy see them go
See their painted faces glow
Slow slow quick quick slow
See those pagans go go go go go
This is the floorshow the last ideal
It's populist got mass appeal
The old religion redefined
For the facile futile totally blind
Mundane by day inane at night
Pagan playing in the flashing light
In the violet hour to the violent sound
Going round and around and around and around and around
And the bodies naked on the low damp ground
In the violet hour to the violet sound
And the darkness the blinding the eyes that shine
And the voices singing line on line
See them shimmy see them go
See their painted faces glow
Slow slow quick quick slow
See those pagans go go go go go

* pride of the Cape, along with Abalone smuggling and "djou maaa".
** Swedish-English translator

2007-12-31T23:41:00.001+01:00

Closure

The master of ceremonies is tapping his watch and pointing to the sky, so I'll be brief or at least less expansive than usual. Stop cheering, I am not done yet.

"The truth shall set you free, but first it will make you miserable." -- James A. Garfield, 20th US President

It's been a good year and all. I've completed my formal studies (for now), entered the Working Life (TM Satan), and did a lot of self-exploration which led me to the epiphany of "People Are Strange". I've a mind to trademark that quote, but probably it's not as original as I like to imagine, so I'll bank on "This is Sweden; I am male; it should not be a surprise," becoming a money spinner.

"There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue." -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure (The Book Of The Samurai)

My list of resolutions for 2008 is nice and short: "Live each day of your life as if it were your last". What does that imply? That we should sit staring at oblivion as it approaches, or seek refuge in hedonism? Nah... I'd rather say it means that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making the most of what we have and by not being sad if we don't get what we want.

The person who will be my inspiration for 2008 is Randy Pausch. In his last speech, he shared some useful credos for life, for example: "Never lose the childlike wonder: it's just too important and what drives us."

I agree with that; it's not enough to be analytical and critical, we should appreciate the finer things and the small, good moments and things which would slip past unnoticed. But the flip side is also true: we can't just chase the illusions all the time, because then we become a slaves to a lie.

How much is enough? Apparently, a combination of the following:

MasterCard, a successful career, 2.4 kids and fluffy white lapdog.

A blinged-up Humvee to go with the smashed-up Ferrari.

Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo and Armani in the walk-in closet, and servants being payed a pittance - at least we make sure it's always more than they would get elsewhere, because we're the caring kind.

Self-justification, denial and self-deception are what will keep us mediocre and stagnating and crush mankind's dream of eventually being more than just surviving as flesh automata.

It's midnight now, and the fireworks are really crazy - the whole skyline around me is alive with colour as Stockholm suburbia celebrates existence. Beautiful, but I still can't shake the image of a bunch of ants waving their feelers going "yeeEE" and clinking glasses, not seeing or ignoring the asteroids which go whooshing past (or being aware of the pimply-faced kid with the magnifying glass approaching).

Ah, I know why. *corrects the machine state, alcoholically*

Cheers to the good people - I'll see some of you soon.

2007-09-24T15:15:00.001+02:00

Disillusion

Last night we went to see Bourne Ultimatum. Apart from the shaky camera work (probably done to make everything seem more authentic) it was what I had expected: an explosive, ruthless conclusion to the Bourne saga.

The blurb on the poster seemed a little cliched before, but now I'd say it fits. Without spoiling the movie for those that haven't seen it, I can say that it contains many tips useful in and around the home (just like the best of the Glomail product range). For example: a hard-cover book can be used to bludgeon an intruder or obscure their vision.

The movie's portrayal of deception and backstabbing even inside a "black" organisation serves to remind us that trust is best established over a long time, and should never be given by default. Also, it shows that it's a grave mistake to cling to your principles, ideals or illusions when playing a game with a person who considers such things to be mere impedimenta and useful weaknesses ripe for exploitation.

The end credits track left an indelible impression with me. I think I've found the theme song to my life... here are the lyrics for your enjoyment:

Moby - Extreme Ways

Extreme ways are back again
Extreme places I didn't know
I broke everything new again
Everything that I'd owned
I threw it out the windows, came along
Extreme ways I know move apart
The colors of my sea
Perfect color me

Extreme ways that that help me
Help me out at night
Extreme places I had gone
But never seen any light
Dirty basements, dirty noise
Dirty places coming through
Extreme worlds alone
Did you ever like it planned

I would stand in line for this
There's always room in life for this

Oh baby, oh baby
Then it fell apart, fell apart
Oh baby, oh baby
Then it fell apart, it fell apart
Oh baby, oh baby
Then it fell apart, it fell apart
Oh baby, oh baby
Like it always does, always does

Extreme songs that told me
They helped me down every night
I didn't have much to say
I didn't get above the light
I closed my eyes and closed myself
And closed my world and never opened
Up to anything
That could get me along

I had to close down everything
I had to close down my mind
Too many things to cover me
Too much can make me blind
I've seen so much in so many places
So many heartaches, so many faces
So many dirty things
You couldn't believe

I would stand in line for this
It's always good in life for this

Oh baby, oh baby
Then it fell apart, fell apart
Oh baby, oh baby
Then it fell apart, it fell apart
Oh baby, oh baby
Then it fell apart, it fell apart
Oh baby, oh baby
Like it always does, always does

2007-08-23T19:45:00.000+02:00

Anniversary

In my previous post I neglected to mention that today is the second anniversary of my arrival in Stockholm.

I've completed my studies here as planned, but I've also come to realise recently how I've been denying myself a certain dimension of existence. I could ascribe this behaviour to my history and circumstances, but it's not really true: you shouldn't wait for things to happen, but rather make them happen.

Still, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. Stockholm is beautiful and placid as ever, but has become slightly tarnished with familiarity. I've learned to read and understand Swedish, and have basic spoken and written skills in it, but I still feel like an invandrare (immigrant). Although I now understand the Swedish mentality enough not to offend the natives by default and not to take offense at their withdrawn manner, I am curiously unsatisfied with this society's way of life.

I enjoy the safety, style, basic politeness, infrastructure, diverse cultural heritage, and gender equality, but even the reality check of a visit to South Africa wasn't enough to obscure the downside: is this how people turn out when they lack for nothing? Nobody seems to need anyone else; each person is an island. Few people attempt to learn from others, since they are secure in their consumerist lifestyles. The "nanny state" laws (e.g. 0% alcohol tolerance when driving) also don't appeal to me: if you stop people from making small mistakes, they'll never mature. In fact, the people here seem to be out of touch with the realities of existence: perhaps the prosperity of recent decades has spoilt them.

I'm not yet sure I would be comfortable with my children absorbing the social values here; however, when I look at alternative destinations which offer similar lifestyles, I can't say I'm persuaded to leave.

So, although I've learned a lot about Sweden in the past two years, I still don't know enough to form a balanced opinion.

In closing I give you one of my favourite songs: Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". Its lyrics have never made more sense to me than now.

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk-on part in the war,
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

2007-06-04T12:40:00.000+02:00

Expression

To what extent does the act of artistic expression imply the need for an audience? Is it art if the creator constitutes the whole of the audience?

For example, if you were God, and you had the whole universe to play with, and you created something somewhere which conforms to aesthetically pleasing principles (i.e. "art" as far as its design is concerned, but not necessarily the design motive) but which no-one else would ever see, would that be "art" in every sense?

Conversely, if the design motive is to pander to an audience, can your creation be considered "art", even though it may be aesthetically fine?

Is it even possible to have art as a medium for expressing universal truths, for which no audience is necessary, and which can have only one correct meaning (e.g. mathematics) but possibly many interpretations or ways of being understood?

2007-05-29T17:56:00.001+02:00

Mendacity

<rant>
Once again, the MSM is going apeshit over Chavez' "attacks on freedom of speech in Venezuela" (my paraphrase). I can't help but get the impression this is simple adherence to the pattern of vilifying any country's leader who won't toe the corporate line (e.g. Chavez, Ahmadinejad,etc) while those who sell out to BigCorp are allowed to get away with murder, rape and pillage without a peep being uttered by the MSM.

Read and enjoy:
Economist
BBC

And then, (some) balanced reporting:
Al Jazeera
Axis Of Logic
Zmag

Notice the difference in tone and slant between the articles from the MSM and that of the indymedia. When did this crap start? Let's just say the invention of the printing press wasn't a complete blessing. However, I do consider it useful to "consume" MSM news simply to get an idea of what they think the plebs should believe and, consequently, buy. Ditto for women's (and men's, come to that) magazines, but that's a rant for another day.

Just for the record (and tip of the hat to TheKro for the link), here are the top stories of 2007 that went unreported by MSM.

Yours in hatred of all that is mediocre,
A
</rant>

2006-12-31T13:28:00.000+01:00

Denial

It's that time of year again: time to reflect on the past 365.25 days with a self-congratulatory and unforgivably optimistic article. Greendemon humbly presents said article as template and example which readers are free to use when writing their own articles. (Don't thank me; just mention my name in your prayers.)

[Cue wistful introduction]

Where have all those hours and days gone? It seems like only yesterday we celebrated NY2006. This year wrought changes in all our lives, unlike any of the previous years. Problems were encountered and solved, friends were made, and drink was drunk; in short, a great time was had by all. Of course, none of this was unexpected, since my horoscope did warn me that hard times and great rewards lay ahead (although I suspect "you will have a passionate encounter with a tall, dark man and become proficient in a wintersport" was an extensive typographical error).

[Cue no-brainer predictions]

Social and entertainment:
Michael Jackson will make the headlines in some way.

Bird Flu won't.

Sacha Baron-Cohen's latest movie ("Funkyzeit mit Brüno") will be greeted by the usual insightful laughter of cinema audiences everywhere.

The trend started by Brad&Angelina of adopting babies from 3d-world countries will dwindle and die even faster than said babies when returned to their native environs after the novelty wears off.

More actors will contribute to social discourse by delivering comment on and endorsing issues in their expert fields, for example politics, science, economy and fine art.

Science and technology:
Global climate change will make itself felt in its effects on the welfare of Western nations, where the situation will be lamented by the Left and stoically endured by the Right. A spate of new books and movies will appear ("Surf's Up","100 Ways To Pass The Time During The Blackout","Terraforming Earth: Invasion By Aliens") by authors anxious to contribute to the general well-being and informedness of their societies. The mainstream media will collaborate in this selfless effort to prepare the great unwashed masses for the hard times ahead.

In Third World countries crop failures and floods will be blamed by politicians on alternatively Colonialism, Neo-colonialism, angry ancestral spirits, neighbouring countries, or all of the aforementioned. The idea of forming of a federation of states along geographical lines and challenging the power of the First World corporations will be rightfully rejected as "selling out" and "unwise" by those in power.

HIV and super-TB will continue their rampage throughout the Third World, except in societies where people take daily doses of vitamins, fresh vegetables and the occasional post-coital shower (people who should know claim this works).

A cure for cancer will be discovered by a prominent pharmaceutical company. Since companies are people, and people are basically decent and loving deep down, the medicine will be supplied free of charge to anyone who asks nicely.

Politics and economy:
Putin will get more energy deals in the Caucasus and Balkans, providing impetus to the growing threat to the interests of the peace-loving peoples of the West by the emerging Neo-Soviet Empire. Neo-nazi groups will continue their activities throughout Russia, thus paying homage to the deeds of their ancestors at the Eastern Front in WWII.

Kim Jong Il will continue throwing zap signs at Japan and South Korea by way of further and more advanced ICBM tests. However, North Korea is unfavourably situated for policing actions, so nothing will happen.

China will continue its business of consolidating its interests in Africa, Latin America and the Far East in typical quiet and efficient fashion. I, for one, welcome our new Mandarin overlords.

GW Bush will continue his string of signing statements protecting his proud nation from the predations of freedom-hating camel-jockeys. He will even more amply demonstrate that people tend get the rulers they deserve, if not actually the ones they choose.

Saddam will return from death to haunt those who sold him the WMDs.

Microsoft will mess up with a patch release, causing significant compromise of security on the majority of systems running their latest product. The majority of MS product users won't wean themselves from the corporate teat, because MS is the Way and the Light (or at least sells itself like it is, which is all that really matters) .*

Linux will continue to be the domain of geeks and people who don't mind investing a bit more time and effort learning an OS to get much more functionality out of it, because its GUI and driver base still sucks compared to that of Windows XP. Ubuntu's market share will continue growing linearly, and Mark Shuttleworth will consider another trip on the vehicle of his namesake to boost investor confidence.

[Cue constructive resolutions]

This wouldn't be a real end-of-year article without some sensible and achievable personal resolutions:

I will cease coping with stress through pointless escape/feelgood activities (e.g. Lotto/TV/smoking/coffee).
I will pursue my career unceasingly while simultaneously keeping in mind how abstract our goals in life have become in the last century.
I will realize my self-worth and take pride in who I am; that is, "stop deluding myself about my relevance to anything at all, ever".
I will learn to better cope with death in all its appearances, and recognize it as part of the generational cycle.
I will admit to myself why I really need organized religion. One or more of the following would apply:
- my randomized guilt
- my inability to figure out and cope with life by myself
- my happyclappy feelgood mass-hypnosis addiction
- my Significant Other needs it
- sociopolitical games within the soapbubble for fun and profit.
I will stop relying on mainstream media for information just because I'm too fucking lazy to do my own research.
I will not take refuge in suicide after honouring the abovementioned resolutions.

[Cue joyful season's greetings]

As you can see, not everything has to be bad news! Life is all about ignoring the eternally bad, denying the inconvenient, and enjoying the momentarily pleasant. Or, "When life violates you with a lemon, make lemonade!"

Happy New Year to everyone everywhere.

* Justttt-ify.

2006-11-05T22:48:00.002+01:00

Guy Fawkes' Day ramblings

"Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot..."

This nursery rhyme has its origins in the early 17th century plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. It is also a theme in the recent movie "V for Vendetta" which describes a drama around a latter-day version of such a plot. The movie is based on the graphic novel of the same name, but is watered-down from the original story thus making the ideas in the central theme accessable to the majority of the public.

And how... The producer overemphasises the idea of revolution as a trendy pastime, rather than depicting it accurately as the natural response of freethinking citizens oppressed by a brutal dictatorship. Fortunately, the movie does bring into discussion how the sheeple have to be influenced by mass media and crude psychological devices before they will consider thinking and acting outside the boxes created for them. What is it about a crowd of humans that makes its members inhibit their intellectual processes and reduce their standards?

"Many people would die sooner than think. In fact, they do."
-- Bertrand Russell

When companies have legal personalities that are not subject to natural death, and are multi-national, their interests most naturally do not run parallel to those of any of the societies in which they are based. An example: the Murdoch media empire stifles all original thinking in reporting, and creates and maintains the social and cultural context of the daily lives of millions of people, to further its interests. In that sense it's an example of a malignant cancer, like any organised religious system: it arises from a natural function of the host society, something goes wrong, and eventually it takes over control of the resources of the host and influences the host's behaviour.

I have heard it said that "you can't trust the blogosphere or any of the alternative news sources, since they are not companies or subject to control to ensure that their reporting is accurate." However, this attitude presumes that companies function in a responsible and mature fashion within the rule of law, which is a complete fallacy: sociological and economical studies have shown that companies have the social personalities of psychopathic 13-year-olds. It also presumes that control is by definition (and in the balance) beneficial to the interests of the society, which is just as fallacious.

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."
-- Gil Scott-Heron

To those who would trust the official channels of communication, I say: look where the money trail leads. And most of this information you will not have access to via official channels, and if you do, it will be "sanitized" for public consumption. The mainstream media is an intellectual brothel; the MSM will tell you anything to further its interests (namely, to make money, and to continue doing so). News from the MSM is no more valid than information obtained under torture of a victim, and is similarly tailored to meet the expectations of the audience.

To those who approve of censorship so that "we reduce the chances of our being offended": who watches the watchmen? We overrate the importance of the serenity of our mental moral state; we think that happiness in itself is the desirable end state of all human endeavours and activities, while it is instead merely a way to provide feedback for our approach to life. We also refuse to take responsibility for our actions by being exposed to visual footage depicting the results of our way of living.

In contrast, alternative media sources publish news which will guarantee their growth and increase their reputation: pride and self-interest ("someone has to do it") are major motivators of those people who contribute their resources. (Some alternative or underground media sites do generate revenue from merchandising by branding their news and exploiting the "revolution is trendy" factor.) It is important to note that the majority of such projects or sites is accessable free of charge as long as the information is respected by the viewer as being subject to "fair use" legal provisions.

"Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract
our attention from serious things. They are improved means
to an unimproved end, an end which it was already but too
easy to arrive at."
-- H.D. Thoreau, Walden, ca. 1850

And this, I think, is what motivates the individual sheeperson to ignore the signs of the times. We worry about our immediate satisfaction, and the consumerist needs which have been carefully fed to us since birth, by our parents (who are trapped in the mainstream culture), the media, and school system. There used to be an aristocratic class which served as the conscience of the society. The so-called elite of today are the corporate owners; the rest are serfs.
The "educated classes" have no place in the corporate world vision, since they would cause original thinking to fester, inhibit rapacious economic growth, and interfere with the never-ending state of war. Example: one of the main players, the USA, has been involved in more than 130 military interventions from 1890 to 1999; it is also the largest exporter of weapons - more than the next top 14 countries combined.

"Tell them and they will forget.
Show them and they might remember.
Involve them and they will understand."
-- CONFUCIUS

As is shown in the movie "V", we have no-one to blame for the current state of affairs but ourselves. Every atrocity against others and themselves occurs with the silent consent of the majority of the disinterested and complacent population. We see the cluster bombs exploding, the white phosphorous burning, the depleted uranium munitions poisoning, and think "that's terrible...I hope someone is doing something about that." And then we forget about it, since it doesn't affect us immediately.

When people decide "enough is enough" and use violent means to achieve their goals, this leads to conflict with the government of the day. When is it considered treason to doubt your government? And why is treason considered to be inherently vile? Does it depend on your motives and convictions? Openly standing up for an idea has its merits at the appropriate times, but if you are going to do it, you must have a base on which you ground your decision to go over to action. Some people consider their patriotic emotions sufficient, while some trust the voices in their heads. I regard a diverse intake of information as the only way to ensure that you can make balanced decisions. In retrospect and with near 20-20 hindsight, blowing up the Houses of Parliament was most likely not the best way for Guy Fawkes to influence matters of the day in his favour.

"Your best? Losers always whine about their best.
Winners go home and f*ck the prom queen."
-- From "The Rock"

However, if he had succeeded, he would be a hero or a saint today. If George Washington had failed in his revolution, he would have been demonized. If Lenin and Stalin had not succeeded in exterminating as many of their countrymen as they did, they would have been dismissed as mere despots by their contemporaries. The winner writes history; Hitler knew this when he wrote in Mein Kampf, "Success is the sole earthly judge of right and wrong..."

The only way to cut through this Gordian Knot is to improve education systems, so that critical thinking is fostered in children from an early age. Similarly, the desire to continually improve oneself should be instilled in children, so that the current cesspool of intellectual laziness can be drained. The silliness of "My best is good enough" should be replaced by "I can do better than this."

This is not a goal of which the achievement can be measured easily, which makes it inconvenient and hence unfeasible from the bureaucratic perspective, which usually dominates thinking in organizations. If we cannot manage our societies when conditions are optimal, how will we cope when global climate change really gets into its stride? Humans perform extraordinary feats in difficult situations and are really good at surviving as a species. However, groups of humans tend to adopt bureaucratic ways, so I fully expect a cousin of the KT-extinction event meteorite to wipe out a species which simply couldn't get its act together.

In the meantime, we fight the good fight against willful stupidity, because the alternative is unacceptable.

2006-10-29T19:19:00.000+01:00

Cooldown daemon ... [ OK ]

"Hallo, coldness, my old friend."(with apologies to Simon&Garfunkel).

Another Scandinavian winter has arrived, to the dismay of its victims. It started two days ago, when gale force winds cleared the overcast from Sweden's skies, allowing us to see the stars for the first time in weeks. And what a spectacle sunset was, yesterday and today: a pastel peach at the horizon, shading to an ocean of the deepest king's blue at the zenith, where scattered diamonds shimmer. This was a fitting overture to last night, when everything was covered with a fine white frost, burning the few remaining leaves desperately clinging to their ruined boughs. Today's maximum temperature has been a chilly 0 C, and as I write this it has dropped to -5 C.

Compared to the last winter, this one has certainly come sooner and feels much sharper. I hope it lives up to its promise of heaping more snow on our heads than the last one did, since I'm aching to practice my snowboarding (a.k.a. "falling down repeatedly at high speed while strapped to an aerodynamic piece of plywood"). The nearest ski slope is called Hammarbybacken, and lies in the south of Stockholm city; it looks like a mine tip, but will suffice for the purpose of practicing my 1337 crash moves ("omgz0r he fell again n00b ban lol").
But seriously, folks... wear a helmet if you do this kind of thing. I've been damn glad I did - it saved my brain cells from inadvertent culling on several occasions (note: the ski lift is not your friend). More protection become essential only once you become experienced enough to do truly dangerous stuff, and is worth every kronur: goggles, which prevent wind burn and UV damage to the eyes; wrist and knee pads save your joints when you tumble; armadillo-type plastic back armour provides you with the opportunity of not being confined to weelchair after messing up (in AD&D terminology, this would be about "2d4 protection vs. rails and jumps") . I suspect it will be a while yet before I shop for this.

The next closest slope is somewhat upmarket and is called Kungsberget, and can be reached by bus in about 40 minutes. The mountains are about 5-7 hours' drive west from Stockholm, and host a plethora of resorts. Most notable, and host to the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2007, is Åre (pronounced "ohh-re"): with 40 slopes, a maximum descent of 800 m, a maximum slope length of 6.5 Km, 15 bars and nightclubs, and several hotels, this is the place to be. I plan on going there next winter, so I will have to make the most of this one.

2006-10-14T23:05:00.000+02:00

Deutschland

Sooo I finally got my thesis topic sorted out: 5 weeks ago I managed to convince a company that I would be able to do some research for them without screwing it up too much. This past week the powers that be ordained that I should attend a conference on my research topic in Frankfurt-am-Main, and I was more than happy to oblige.

I had a feeling of deja vu as I got into the aircraft at Stockholm Airport - was it really that long ago that I returned to Sweden? It's been 10 weeks, but feels like an eternity... there's definitely something changeless about life here, just like in the Stellenbosch Soapbubble. Anyway, I was happy to discover I had not unlearnt my familiarity (and the implied contempt) for heavier-than-air flight, although the pilots did try their damndest to take off vertically. Continental EU flights are like that - zip up to 10 Km at 60 degree angle, level flight for 1 hour, and steep drop to landing.

Following a bumpy landing in gale-force winds, we had a 1-hour stopover at Copenhagen. On departure we passed the remains of an aircraft half-hidden in the bushes next to the runway, which made me wonder about the motives and efficiency of the company running the airport. Surely, they must have realised this rotting hulk would freak out passengers. Perhaps they hoped that the passengers would be too busy praying before take-off to notice anything except the seat-rest in front of them. More likely, it's meant to psyche up the pilots taxi-ing by: "don't mess up your pre-flight checklist, boy, or you'll end up like me here..."

We were put up in a fancy hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, which was like a little brother to THE Marriott in the centre of Frankfurt where the conference was held. Courtyard was nice, with all the associated blandness of that adjective. However, the food was fantastic, and I'm sure I would have grown fat if I had stayed a little longer. Also, it's located next to a wood, in which I wandered like a shinyhappy little bunny (albeit one with a camera and caffeine high).

At the end of the 2-day conference my colleague and I did some shopping in Zeil, the main shopping district in Frankfurt. It's a promenade, with shops on both sides, and stretches about 1 km through the centre of town. All I can say is "damn": that place really has everything, usually at reasonable prices, and puts to shame any shopping centre I've ever seen. And the brands...consumer paradise (mental note to keep the future wife away from that place, or I'll be bankrupted). Oh, and the girls are just as appealing as, if not more than, in Sweden, so bang goes another myth.

Day 4 saw us heading back to Sweden, well-fed and loaded up (colleague with gifts for a girl, me with a precious cargo of spirits). In retrospect, I'd say the conference served its purpose in that it put us in touch with trends and thinking in the industry, and wasn't the waste of time I'd feared. I'm quite motivated to get some solid experience in the field I've chosen, and barring disasters, I can see this happening.

When I got back to my town I realised once again that Sweden is a little backwater of a country, where people tend to be self-important and self-centered in a way which would not be possible with the high population density and strong economy of Germany: 9 million vs. 80 million ... game, set and match to Deutschland. However, I wouldn't trade my being here for anything else in the world, since I've become accustomed to this standard of living and my plans seem to be coming together nicely. Another victim of the first-world comfort zone, I bask in the heat of the sauna coals, deliciously unrepentant.

2006-08-02T22:38:00.000+02:00

Ruminations

I've arrived safely and with no breakages to the precious cargo I was carrying ("it is all legal officer...all right, get me my lawyer") or to my person, despite the pilots' attempts to hit every bit of air turbulence they could find.

I had a window seat on the long haul flight, so I took some pics. Only a few turned out OK, like the one on the right (banking hard while doing a rapid descent over Heathrow just after breakfast, yummy).

Allow me to introduce my old friend, #1 Engine: this fellow gave me quite a bit of material for thought on the fragility of the human organism, especially when on the receiving end of brutal natural forces like gravity and pressure.

Just before I boarded at CT International, Titania was kind enough to share anecdotal evidence concerning engine failure as reported by a relative of hers... combined with my distressing knowledge of British Airways' service record (refer to my previous post) this did not help; in fact, I had a definite feeling of walking "towards the white light" as I entered the aircraft.

Furthermore, the pilot's statement "OK, folks, we have quite a short take-off, so be prepared" did absolutely nothing to inspire confidence in me, nor, I suspect, in the other passengers. A short take-off, in a jam-packed 747? "You must be joking," I thought. Images of crashing aircraft and, of course, 9-11 came to my mind. I smiled involuntarily, then returned to the less-amusing reality, where the aircraft was hurling itself into the sky (and not, apparently, into pieces). It succeeded in gaining a grip on the air, and we were rewarded with a night view over the Cape Flats: neighbourhoods making islands of light, pin-prick constellations formed by squatter camps (and they are big constellations), highways with the miniature cars careening back and forth making bright rivers, and the occasional blanket of cloud.

The rest of the flight was not eventful, and I managed to get some shut-eye.

After arriving at Heathrow, I hurried towards the nearest coffee-providing establishment. Heaven in a cup was served at a reasonable price, and I faced the 5-hour stopover with no trepidation. I spent my time wandering around the terminal, hooking up my laptop at a wi-fi hotspot (but no surfing... the charge is about £10 for 1 hour), checking the duty-free shops (and staggering back, aghast, at the prices), reading, and staring at the boarding schedule signs.

5 hours later, I was still waiting. The connecting flight was delayed. Did they tell us? Oh, no. I hurried to the boarding gate when it was announced (20 minutes before the flight was due to take off - to put this into perspective, boarding usually takes place in the period 45 minutes to 20 minutes before take-off), only to be faced with a crowd of pissed-off Swedes and tourists.

It seems BA thought it would be good idea not to apologize about the delay, but rather displace our frustration into guilt by reminding us gently (as with a claw hammer to the brain's pre-frontal cortex) about the new baggage dimension and weight restrictions. I knew about these: I had taken the pamphlet in South Africa, and I had listened to the repeated admonishments on board the long haul flight (the flight crew manager had reminded me of a particularly bloody-minded principal, with his "There are new regulations in place [blah blah, specifications] *pause for effect* and we are going to be quite strict about this; no exceptions will be made [blah blah]").

I resisted the impulse to bleat like a sheep. We waited, and eventually boarded. While boarding, a ground crew member confided in me that the catering logistics for the flight had gone awry. My chief sentiment was (and is) that BA's middle management should get their collective heads out of their collective asses and take courses in communication skills, industrial psychology, and basic logistics.

Out-of-body experiences and delays notwithstanding, the flights were not too bad. I have to commend the flight crews for their service - they are definitely under-appreciated.

So, I'm back in hyper-civilized Sweden, and specifically techno-paradise Kista. Great things are in the offing: it feels like I'm going somewhere again. 4 weeks of vacation, doing nothing constructive, no matter where and with whom, are too much for me ... I became jittery after the second week. Fortunately my friends treated me to some alcoholic abuse and wanton debauchery(can you say "red and fluffy"?). Thank you's to Just-ify, Titania, Your Eminence, The Woman, and Blood-Pixie. Next time we go beeg, very beeg.

And so, on with the thesis.

2006-07-30T22:28:00.000+02:00

Ex-patriate

I'd like to thank my friends for the mugging they gave me in memory lane. Tomorrow night I flee the Gateway to Africa for colder climes.

The past month with my nearest and dearest has been highly enjoyable, what with a road trip, bungee jumping, and serious partying (refer to J-man's blog for the gory details). More on this later, as soon as I have digested my experiences.

Oh, I just remembered: flight BA058 (last Monday, same one I'm taking) from Cape Town to Heathrow ran into some problems - an engine failed (some say "burst into flames") - on take-off, and the plane returned to the airport. Sign me up for the great flaming rollercoaster in the sky, Skipper.

(Just-ify is to inherit my laptop, and my furry handcuffs go to Titania...)

2006-06-19T17:29:00.001+02:00

Sommar (Summer)

I've completed my studies (both compulsory and optional) for this semester, including the Swedish level 2 language course. All that remains to be done before I graduate at the end of next semester is writing a thesis. Whilst doing that I plan on taking some additional courses like Advanced Internetworking and Swedish level 3.

Apart from studying I've been sightseeing - I went on two ferry trips to Finland (Helsinki) and moved to a new apartment (KTH has seen fit to grant housing contracts not exceeding 11 months to international masters' students, bless their hearts). The new room is much like the old one, except that it's located in a nicer part of town and is in better condition (building dates from 2003).

I'm looking forward to the upcoming visit to SA, since alcohol is affordable there. The hauling of booze from the ferry trips might be beneficial to the wallet but it's still too expensive for students (or most people here) to drink as much as they want. Of course, I'm also looking forward to meeting my family and friends again, most of whom I haven't seen since last August. Strangely enough, the longer I'm here the shorter it feels I've been away from SA.

My mother visited me recently, and we had a great time going to museums and moving all my belongings. Remarkable how fast stuff accumulate... it turned out that I have much more than I had anticipated. Fortunately my mother did the packing, so we got away with no more than four trolleyloads and my travelling bags.

2006-03-31T19:21:00.000+02:00

Vår (Spring)

Spring cleaning: The posts below was migrated here from my previous blog. All that remains to be done is to create a Flickr account, upload all my photos, and add links to it.

The weather is unpredictable at the moment: for the past 5 days it was mild with scattered showers (very similar Cape winter weather...ah, the nostalgia), and the snow on the ground had been almost completely washed away. Today I woke to a snowstorm which lasted all day - now we have a fresh ground cover of about 7 cm of snow. I'm beginning to think there might be something in this "global warming/cooling" thing one hears so much about...As it is, right now we are only technically in Spring. Hopefully summer will be warmer than this.

Studies: my last compulsory exam takes place in about 10 days, and after that things will be slightly more relaxed, with just some assignments and an additional course remaining to this semester. I'm really looking forward to the end of this semester, and seeing my family and friends again.

Also in the offing is a change of accomodation, as my contract ends in June. I have located and applied for a very pleasant room which is rather farther from campus (+10 min walk), but the neighbourhood seems nice.

2006-03-31T18:49:00.000+02:00

20060315

Hubris

I present the Greendemon Human Classification (GHC) scale.

a shining example of a human being, embodying humanity's finest attributes, and is an example to the rest. appreciates criticism.
above-average human being, showing potential for further development. includes religious people who are willing to endure criticism and participate in debate.
average human being, neither angelic, demonic, genius, or stupid. just average, with mediocre goals, ideals, values, sense of style. a card-carrying member of the sheeple. watches television.
misguided, petty, possibly vicious, definitely possessed of animal cunning and twisted ambition. includes cult members and other people willing to outsource their responsibilities and mental processes at the first available opportunity.
walking organic material, or human protoplasm. fit for consignment to the furnace, or the compost heap. politicians and religious leaders included by default.

Feel free to assign yourself to a category. And don't y'all choose level 1, y'hear? A bit of honest introspection is in order, for the good of the species.

By the way, I came across this gem of a comics site recently: Explosm.net
The archive is available here.

2006-03-31T18:48:00.002+02:00

20060121

New Year and start of semester

For New Year's Eve I met some people from International Friends Of Stockholm (IFOS), had a few drinks and then watched the fireworks over the harbour from the Slussen district in Södermalm, Stockholm.

This is traditionally a time for introspection and resolution; why, I don't know. Perhaps waking up with a terrible hangover on 2 January prompts one to start thinking things over in the interest of self-preservation. In any case, every year people around me take vows and swear terrific oaths not to do this or that ... and then fail miserably when the temptation becomes too much to bear, to the ghoulish amusement of their acquaintances who made similar resolutions. After all, it's not a real NY's resolution unless you tell everyone about it.

I decided a while ago that this is a silly and counterproductive tradition, and refuse to be bound by it. Why do something patently stupid just because everyone else is doing it? Sheeple! Granted, I'm denying my friends a certain amount of entertainment, but I have enough entertaining deficiencies to compensate for this several times over. The only thing to be said in favour of NY's resolutions is that it provides mental exercise for the great many people who would otherwise not make time for introspection.

My second semester at KTH started three days ago. The month-long winter recess was about one week too long, and the new stimulus is welcome. It seems most of my courses will be more implementation-based and less theoretical than those of the previous semester. Only 6 months remain before I start in earnest on my Master's thesis. I can hardly wait.

The weather continues as cold as ever. Apparently this winter is one of the colder ones: in Russia record minimum temperatures for this time of year are being recorded, with about -35 C in Moscow and -58 C in Siberia. As I type, the temperature is -12 C outside (mild to bracing), the skies are clear (I expect the temperature to drop to -18 C tonight) and the waterways in Stockholm are frozen over. I will try to take some pictures tomorrow, and see how thick the ice is ;)

I discovered a ski slope at Hammarbybacken (1 Km south-east of the city) which is accessible by public transport and a short walk. I went there three days ago with some friends, two of whom are Belgian and can snowboard well (I don't know if these are related attributes). I did not snowboard, as the shop had no boots in my size (47 SE, 12 UK), and traipsed up and down the ca. hundred-meter-high slope, observing my friends and freaking people out with my balaclava'd terrorist appearance. Fortunately, I remembered to remove it before entering a 7-11 on the way back to the Tvärbanan (tram system).

Things I haven't become used to:

The accent of the recorded announcement system voice on the Tunnelbanan (subway) train. It sounds vaguely ominous, although I'm sure it's not meant to be. It puts me in mind of a female AI attempting to hide a grudge.
Cold fingertips. Even though I wear gloves, after 40 minutes in -10 C my fingertips start freezing.
The social habits of some of the international students. There are definite and glaring cultural gaps, especially where the definition of politeness is concerned. Everyone seems to get along by keeping to their own cultural groups as far as possible, and these are as usual: European and North American, African, South American, Middle Eastern, and Far Eastern, with some minor subdivisions. As far as I can see, it's all about frame of reference: students from ex-European colonies usually relate to European values and habits, while students from other groups experience some difficulty trying to do this (on the occasions when they bother).
The excessive cost of alcoholic beverages.
People's impression that I'm Swedish (until I say something).

I have become used to the long nights and twilit days. Sunrise is at 08:30, and sunset at 15:30; the days are becoming longer and the sunlight stronger. My insomnia has been absent for the past three weeks, since I started taking vitamin B and D supplements (eating fish five times a week was not sufficient). According to internet sources, the three month period between my arrival and the onset of my insomnia symptoms is typical of vitamin D deficiency: the body does not store the resource longer than that. I spoke to several students and all said they experienced similar symptoms, occuring within 3 months +- 2 weeks from their arrival. I don't know how or if they managed to shake this syndrome off, but none of them looked particularly happy at the end of last semester.

2006-03-31T18:48:00.001+02:00

20051224

Vinter och Jul (Winter and Christmas)

I have been exceedingly lazy and avoided regularly updating this bloggish affair. Soon I will migrate it to a real blog, which will be more readable and make updates much easier.

The past two months have been eventful: I received a residence permit and obtained my personal number (there are some administrivia to be dealt with before I can apply for a bank account), winter arrived without much ado (in name but not really in spirit), and I completed the first semester of my Master's course (that is, if re-examinations aren't necessary).

I feel completely at home, four months to the day after arriving. The people are grim and the environment is hostile, but the discerning taste of the majority of the people and spectacular scenery easily balances this. I could live here, I think, as long as I have access to enough vodka.

This is the darkest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (Winter Solstice being on the 21st of December), and currently there are no more than 6 hours of daylight, of which 4 hours are twilight... my circadian rhythms are slightly confused due to this and exam stress, but I should be able to correct my wake-sleep pattern during this vacation (18 Dec.-18 Jan.).

Stockholm is experiencing a snowless Christmas for the first time in decades; intermittent snowfalls occurred but there were warm spells in between, which melted the snow and caused ice to form everywhere as the meltwater froze again. (Only yesterday my neighbour from Moscow asked me how many times I had fallen: "None," I replied smugly. Today I took a walk in the woods and had to modify that count by 2: uneven ground coated in ice is guaranteed to enliven one's day.) I hope the real cold will set in by January. Wind chill is not an acceptable substitute for the real thing, even though it can be a killer: -2 C combined with a 5 m/s breeze feels like -13 C ...

I had the opportunity to practice my driving for the first time here: I was designated driver on a shopping trip in a friend's car. Here, they drive on the "wrong" side of the road...the right side. This means that the driver sits on the left, and all observations and so on are mirrored. This did not present a problem and I became accustomed to this new experience without undue trouble. My friend, who navigated, claims I almost merged the right-hand side of the car with the pavement, and twice swerved wildly, but these are cruel lies. Except for my left arm which spastically seeks for a phantom gear lever, I could pass as a native driver. Important note to self: speed limits are 90, 70 and 50 Km/h respectively on highway, collection roads and urban roads.

People who are easily offended should skip the next paragraph.

I won't wish the reader a "Merry Christmas", as I think it's a bloody silly tradition. I refuse to condone the hypocritical and commercialist "Christmas Cheer" promulgated by a fat bastard in a red suit, or to believe some misguided* con-man was born to die for my "sins" about 2000 years ago.
* Misguided because he should have run like hell after preaching against the patriarchal order of the time, rather than gamble on immortality through folklore.

And on that cheerful note, I end this rant by wishing you a merry winter solstice and upcoming perihelion. Do visit this site again to partake of my opinion of "New Year".

2006-03-31T18:48:00.000+02:00

20051024

Höst (Autumn)

Ah, autumn! The trees are looking decidedly scruffy, with about half the leaves managing to hang on in the face of the wind. The rest of the leaves carpet the grass and gravel, lending a very organic if untidy look to the surroundings. The weather has become colder during the past three weeks, with the daily maximum temperature decreasing from 15 (+- 3) C to 8 (+- 3) C. My Swedish friend David assures me that this is only the beginning, which makes me a _happy_ bunny. The colder the better, I say...

I still have no residence permit, which means I can't register at the tax office for a personal number, which I need to apply for pretty much anything (Swedish classes, bank account, internet connection, etc.). This delay of more than three months is due to the inefficiency of the relevant Migrationsverket department. I suppose public service will always suffer from the infection of bureaucracy, and the bureaucracy is the same everywhere. The only distinction to be made between the Swedish civil service and any of those in Africa is that one can't bribe civil servants here, more's the pity. I suppose I'll get my permit when I have no need for it anymore. Until then, I can reside in Sweden, since I entered with my EU passport and my application is being processed.

2006-03-31T18:47:00.000+02:00

20050908

Initial impressions

It has now been about two weeks since I arrived in Kista (ca. 7 Km north-west of central Stockholm), and I have acclimatized and settled in. My impressions thus far:

Climate: mild sunshine, moderate humidity, moderate temperatures. This is the end of the Swedish summer, but it feels like end autumn in the Western Cape of South Africa. I really like it. Apparently it will get colder within the next month, and November is said to be really grey, unpleasant and depressing. I can hardly wait - bring on the cold weather.

Landscape: green. There is no water shortage here. Water sources are said to be clean enough to drink; one is supposed to be able to swim and fish in Stockholm's canals without fear of contracting disease. The tapwater contains very little chlorine, which is a good sign. There are many water features even far inland (the legacy of the ice ages) and a myriad of little islands in the archipelago that forms the Swedish coast in the Baltic. In short, the environment seems to come straight out of a fairy-tale.

Architecture: as European as can be. Especially in Gamlastan (the Old City) in Stockholm, one gets the feeling of being back in the Dark Ages. The history of Swedish trade underlines the continental European contribution to the building designs, yet there is something uniquely Swedish about them.

Infrastructure: The layout of the suburban areas are very different from those in South Africa: Sweden is a pedestrian's dream. The suburban sprawl consists of towns merging with one another, each one containing no more than about 30000 people, and they average about 6 Km in diameter. Transport is well-organised, clean, reliable, and punctual. There is no need to use an automobile, except when transporting goods, yet a large number of people use cars; the main highways near the city are jammed during rush hour as badly as in SA.

Culture: ancient, homogenous, resilient to foreign influences. 15% of the population are immigrants not obviously of North-European descent in the last 3 generations or so), yet all have integrated into and been assimilated by the native culture. It is quite strange to my mind to observe someone of obviously Far Eastern descent speak good Swedish, and conduct themselves no different than anyone else. Doubtlessly the number of immigrants to be found decreases sharply outside the metropolitan areas and especially towards the north of the country.
Religion is not considered very important here: I have seen only one or two churches and almost no religious advertisements since arriving.
The locals are not outgoing, but I find them to be quite helpful when approached with a sensible question, and plite even when the question is not that sensible. They do seem to warm up towards me when I use the few Swedish words I have learnt. I've noticed that parental discipline is not a priority: whining infants are a common sight. The Swedes are quite serious about everything else: the desire to make their own choices and think for themselves; rules; work ethic; organization; security. There is almost no crime here, apart from the occasional murder or armed robbery which makes headlines for two weeks.
The international students are much more social than the Swedes, and all my new acquaintances are from this group (1 Syrian, 2 French, 2 American, 2 Turkish, 2 Russian, 1 Ukrainian, 1 Uzbekistani, 2 Bangladeshi...I lose track). The only exceptions are the Far Eastern students, who keep to their own group and do not encourage strangers to approach them.

In all, things are quite enjoyable here, and I feel I am integrating well. Now, to find a free language course...

2006-03-31T18:46:00.000+02:00

20050905

Inner skärsgård (archipelago) tour #1

Most of the Master's course students at Campus Kista accepted the THS' invitation to a boattrip in the inner archipelago to the north-east of Stockholm. En-route to Vaxholm, we enjoyed dinner while watching the sunset.

2006-03-31T18:44:00.000+02:00

20050831

Student life

Went to FOO Bar (that dry Swedish humour strikes again), which is located in the main building - the Forum - on Campus Kista, and is organised by Stockholm University Studentkör for their students every Wednesday, although KTH students are also welcome. Activities start at 16:00 GMT+2, and end at 23:00. Personally, I prefer the nightlife in Stockholm, but this will have to do since there are no other places to obtain alcohol after 18:00. Incidentally, all sales of beverages containing more than 3.5% alcohol are done by Systembolaget, the government-run retailer. All alcoholic drink is heavily taxed; e.g. Absolut vodka here costs SEK220, vs. R100 in South Africa, which is ridiculous, even allowing for the exchange rate of SEK0.85 ~ R1.00, since the stuff is produced here.

2006-03-31T18:41:00.001+02:00

20050829

Classes start

Today the first module of my course - Introduction to Systems Theory, part 1 - started.
Cry from the outer darkness: "There are too few women here!" Apparently only 30% of students at KTH and SU are female, and since this is a technology campus, there are even fewer to be found here. It seems I will have to drown my sorrows in studies.

2006-03-31T18:41:00.000+02:00

20050827

Stockholm tour #1

I and a couple of my new acquaintances participated in a quick tour of Stockholm's most touristworthy and best-known features, following the directions provided by the THS (Tekniska Högskolan Studentkör).

2006-03-31T18:40:00.000+02:00

20050824-20050827

Arrival

The 12-hour flight on SAA from Cape Town to Frankfurt and the 2-hour connecting flight on Lufthansa to Stockholm (Arlanda airport) was uneventful. On arrival I met American students whom I thought were also at KTH, and after receiving a few blank looks when I mentioned my course I established that they were exchange students with a program from Stockholm University. I formed up with fellow KTH students, met the official welcoming comittee from ISS (International Student Society) when they eventually arrived and was directed to go to Kista on a chartered bus (the trip costing SEK 90). At Kista Central the ISS welcoming comittee (all 3 members) assisted us in arranging accomodation.

In the evening I and a new acquaintance went to Stockholm to sample the local night life and met up with a Swedish friend. We had drinks at a pleasant outdoor pub overlooking Stockholm, in Slussen.

In the two days after this I explored the Kista Galleria shopping mall, managed to become familiarized with the public transport system, and located at the Mecca of household goods, IKEA (Skarholmen), where I bought an inordinate yet vital amount of household goods.

The international Master's course students also received two informational talks which were well-meant but far too general in content.(I thought the one speaker's advice against cheating and focus on disciplinary processes and the subsequent implication that this was applicable to the larger part of the audience was particularly well-received.) These talks gave me the opportunity of gaining an impression of the composition of the student body: KTH has about 20000 students, of which 3400 are on Kista Technology Campus (which is a collaboration between KTH, Stockholm University, and about 50 large international companies), and of these 800 are internationals. I estimate that approximately 200 of this 800 are Chinese, 150 are from India and Bangladesh, and about 200 are from Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries. As far as I know, there are only 3 South Africans (including me) on this campus, and about 6 from other African countries (Ghana, Nigeria). The rest of the students are from all over the world.