Vice Rice

This week Thomas L. Friedman argues in an op-ed in the New York Times that George Bush doesn't have an heir apparent and that this is a problem for him. Bush's Dick Cheney problem is caused by the fact that VP Cheney has declared that he's not running from President in 2008, which weakens the purpose of Bush's second term.

"If President Bush had a vice president, or someone who was clearly designated as heir apparent to his administration, [the president] would have a more immediate incentive to widen his political base, to offer policies that would appeal more to the center." Instead, Bush runs an agenda that doesn't worry too much about how his successor will fare.

Since I wouldn't mind if Bush went into a wall and completely committed political suicide, I should be very happy to hear this as it would pave the wave for a democratic election victory in 2008. However, I think that there is indeed an heir apparent, and that person is Condoleezza Rice, even if she's waiting behind the scenes at the moment, something that Friedman fails to address in his op-ed. She's not the VP yet but if Cheney steps down, for health reasons or because he's asked to in order to pave the way for Rice, she'll be the No 1 threat to the Democrats.

Another meme

I came across another meme. Topic: clothes and attire

1. How many bags and pairs of shoes do you own?

I think I have four purses, two backpacks, and three or four dressy bags, to go with my three (yes, you read me right) ball dresses. I also have at least five suitcases if those are included in "bags". My four purses/bags are far from enough, and at least one is a bit worn and torn, so I definitely need to go shopping!

I probably have about 30 pairs of shoes (including sandals and flip flops) but I probably wear just 10 of them on a regular basis. Probably less even, but that was before I was able to buy four shoes for less than the price of one through work (a client who is a shoe manufacturer). I do care about animal rights in general (try to buy organic and ethical food stuffs) but as far as shoes are concerned I prefer buying leather than sweating in synthetiv materials!

2. What was the last thing you bought?
If I remember correctly it was the aforementioned shoes.

3. What was the best thing you've ever bought?
It has to be my olive green ball dress - I love it and it's always a hit with people commenting on it, etc. I wonder when I will have an opportunity to wear it again though..? Since I left Oxford I haven't been invited to that many balls..

4. The worst?
Lots of things. Stuff I have bought and worn only once, or never. But I can't think of anything that I have absolutely detested.

5. Name three people you will pass this on to?
Anyone with a blog is welcome to take it. But I also want to especially invite Johanna (work colleague who's very into clothes), Elisavet (who does risky shopping on eBay), and Åsa (who has had the experience of meeting a personal shopper at Debenhams). Use Comments for your lists!

Book chain

Apparently "chain letters" are getting popular within the blogging community. I stumbled upon one which really suites my tastes, a book chain.

1. Number of books I own: Well, counting the ones at my parents and in my basement in addition to the ones in my bookshelves, I'd say 300.

2. The last book I bought: I'm a book-a-holic so I buy tons of books both online, from book clubs and in shops, but I think the latest one was The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I didn't read it yet though because they need to sit on the shelf and mature a bit before I dig into them..

3. Last book I read: Uppdrag mamma, a Swedish book about motherhood, and currently The Meaning of Everything by Simon Winchester.

4. Five books that mean a lot to me:

There are few books I re-read so I'd have to list a few I've read recently:

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Quite a recent book but it really should be a textbook; it gets you so interested in science, history, linguistics, everything! Most of his other books are excellent too, e.g. about the English language.

I'd also have to say "The Meaning of Everything", mentioned above. Since it's about my alma mater by extension and written in such a funny way, I'm really enjoying it.

Another great book is "The Curious Incident with the Dog at Nighttime by Mark Haddon. Since I have a brother who's handicapped/disabled/mentally challenged or whatever the term one prefers, a book about an autistic boy really appeals to me.

Not recently, but Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I read it back in high school when most of my classmates were reading these 1-200 page works..

A children's book I can't remember the title of but which is about a boy whose dog gets run over by a car and dies. I'd make my dad read it to me when I was little just because he always cried and I liked to see that sensitive side of him.. I know, I'm cruel.. I should mention that the little boy gets a new dog from a shelter so the story has a happy ending.

Lastly I'd have to add all of Astrid Lindgren's books; about Pippi Longtocking, Ronja the Robber's Daughter, and all the rest of them.

So now, your turn, keep the chain going!

MJ

I Never Copped a Feel

Quoted in the blogosphere

A bit of self-promotion. It doesn't happen that often - I really have to increase my readership - but it proves that someone is reading my blog. NEI Nuclear Notes notes the reaction to the shutdown of the Barsebäck nuclear reactor by providing links to both those condemning it versus applauding it, and those who are a bit more hesitated towards taking a stand, i.e. me.

Swedish milestones

Today was quite a big day in Sweden. The nuclear plant Barsebäck was shut down at midnight, after almost 30 years in service. While other countries are doing the opposite and building new plants (e.g. Finland), Sweden is implementing the results of a 1980 referendum. One reactor at Barsebäck was shut down in 1999 and now in 2005, the second and last one is on its last legs (it will actually take years to properly close operations).

I haven't really made up my mind yet what I think of it.. In a way, it is a decision that has been taken through a democratic process.. but shouldn't such decisions be amendable, as circumstances and scientific "truth" change? Because it isn't clear whether nuclear is that bad compared to if the shutting down of Barsebäck means that Sweden has to import more coal-produced energy from abroad. Maybe it's a necessary evil. On the other hand, environmentalists and one group of politicians (usually the centre left and the left) argue that we need to step away from a debate centered on the choice between two evils. By reducing Swedish reliance on nuclear energy we can push the development of alternative energy such as biofuels and solar power (wind and water power is just a small part). As long as we keep all reactors (Barsebäck is not the only plant in Sweden), that development will never gain momentum. I'm kind of attracted to this sentiment, while at the same time thinking that I would prefer shutting down dangerous nuclear plants in other countries, e.g. the former USSR, before closing the relatively safe Swedish ones. Though "safe" is not a term I really want to use in this context. The Barsebäck director mentioned on TV this morning that it will take 8 years before the work with the decontamination of the plant can even begin, before they can even enter the place.. And the issue of where to store it is far from resolved. But by 2013 a Right-wing government might have re-started the reactor, which they plan to do should they come to power in September 2006...

The other milestone which was crossed at midnight was that Sweden imposed a smoking ban at all restaurants and bars, following in the footsteps of Ireland, Italy and some American states. This is a decision that I have no problem with whatsoever!

Bloggressive...

...is apparently the new word for when you get angry while you're blogging. I'm angry, well, I was already before I started on this post. I'm not angry with the French result as such; they are allowed to vote in any way they want, though I had hoped people would have voted on the issue at stake instead of expressing disatisfaction with the people in power due to high unemployment levels or what have you. But that's always going to happen to some extent.

No, I'm angry with the Swedish Left Party (aka the former communists). This is a party that's usually against the EU and the supranationality and transnationalism it entails. They want Sweden to remain sovereign and don't want to secede power to the EU and its member states. However, today the Left Party is saying that the French result means that Sweden can and should abandon its ratification process. To me, that, if anything, is saying that Sweden doesn't have its own say and to let France decide instead for us. Granted, the constitutional treaty may fall in the end but we're not there yet. Until that day we should let each member state have its say, irrespective of whether it's ratification (or rejection) through a parliamentary vote or a referendum. So the Left is contradicting itself by saying that today we accept supranationality (at least as a means, if not an end). "Listen to France when it suits us."

To make matters worse, the Left had threatened to leave the Government as a results of the French vote. The Left party is not actually a coalition partner and accordingly doesn't hold any ministerial posts, but in effect, together with the Greens, it functions as a partner to the minority Social Democratic government. They threaten not to agree to the budget which is scheduled for September unless Sweden opts out of ratification. Not sure whether they are serious or whether they are in the position to demand such actions, but the whole thing just pisses me off! It's perfectly understandable that France is in a crisis but Sweden??

The French didn't even reject the constitution for the reasons the Swedish Left Party would. Not even the French Left has the same opinions. Many voted no because they don't think the EU does enough on social issues (the European social model) and think they can amend the Treaty (in effect add) and have a new vote. I.e. they want Europe to do more (even common taxation in the future). The Swedish Left would cringe if they really understood this (which they don't seem to do) because they want to move power back to the nation state, not add to the European level. Oh well.

At least these nay-sayers voted on the basis of a conviction and had actually read the constitutional treaty. I heard one guy on the news who said "I haven't read it so I'm going to vote no." Sigh.

I will end with a thought that was voiced at the seminar I attended this morning on the topic: perhaps the positive thing that will come out of today's results is that the UK will vote yes to spite the French!

Non Constitution

The first results are in and it looks like France has voted non to the EU constitution. Sadly so, in my opinion. However, this does not need to be 'the end of the EU', as some people seem to think.

A few weeks back I attended a seminar on the EU organised by the Swedish government, where Magnus Rohback from the (Swedish) Prime Minister's Office presented his thoughts on the future of the EU in the light of the French referendum.

He identified the following points as the main issues right now:
1) The ratification of the Constitution
2) The 2007-13 budget negotiations
3) Further development and realisation of the internal market (the Services Directive, common rules for financial markets, state aid, consumer protection, etc.)
4) Common actions for sustainable growth, employment, environment, etc.
5) Enlargement
6) The implementation of the Hague Programme, i.e. asylum, migration, judicial cooperation, mainly combatting organised cross-border crime and terrorism)
7) The EU's international role (cooperation with Russia, Iraq, the Middle East, the WTO Doha round, the UN Millenium conference, etc.)

Mr Rohback mentioned that one of the reasons for the Constitution was that it was seen as a way to manage and make functionable, an enlarged Union (remember that behind the Constitution Treaty is three years of work). However, enlargement (+10) has taken place and so far it has not affected the EU negatively. On the contrary, it has made procedures more austere, disciplined and effective.

Even so, the political significance of a French rejection is huge:
- the legislative process will lose pace or even stop;
- it will become increasingly difficult to reach hard compromises;
- the process of further enlargement will be increasingly complicated (enlargement being one of the reasons for French refusal);
- there is risk that the Union become introverted, affecting its international role.

But even with a French no, the process will go on (and should go on, I believe). The EU has gone through periods of sclerosis before, which doesn't necessarily need to be a bad thing. It is a time of consolidation, of catching up. The work (see points 2-7 above) will continue even if the bigger visions have been momentarily lost. Throughout the history of the EU there has been a constant pull between visions and the every-day work of implementing EU policy. In the 1970s and early 1980s there was a period of stagnation, which originated in a questioning of the identity and purpose of the EU, partly due to the accession of the UK to the Union. Today we may be in a similar downturn; however, it is NOT the end.

Oxford Wants My Money

The University of Oxford is trying to deal with the hot issue of its future at the moment, boiling down to whether it should stick to the present system or go independent (i.e. free itself from the government's reigns).

However, what caught my attention in the Economist article was that they are expecting me to pay for it!

"If Oxford declared independence, it would lose the £52m undergraduate subsidy at least. Could it fill the hole? Certainly. America's top universities charge around £20,000 per student per year. The difficult issue would not be money alone: it would be balancing numbers of not-so-brilliant rich people paying top whack with the cleverer poorer ones they were cross-subsidising. America's top universities manage it: high fees mean better teaching, which keeps competition hot and academic standards high, while luring enough donations to provide bursaries for the poor. It should be easier to extract money from alumni if Oxford were no longer state-funded."

Well, one day I might make enough money to be able to share it... So far I've chosen to hold onto it tight. When I was reimbursed for water problems while staying in college accommodation I was asked to donate the grand total sum of £250. I greedily rejected the "offer".

Swedish Lesson

I want to introduce you to How to learn Swedish in 1000 difficult lessons. Thought it would be a good way for you, my international friends (and other foreign visitors to my blog), to learn Swedish. Here's the author's intro:

"Francis Strand is a 44-year-old American magazine editor living in Stockholm. He is married to a Swedish man, which is legal in Sweden, more or less. The two met in Barcelona in July 1998 and were married in June 2000. Strand has 'a high opinion of Swedes'. Although he loves the country and people, his attempts to become fluent in Swedish have been less than successful."

I especially find the "more or less" comment intriguing...

Sick Time TV

I was down with flu-like symptoms this week and only managed to go to work today. Since watching telly is almost the only thing one can do to pass the time, I'm now fully up-to-date with the latest developments on everything from McLeod's Daughters to According to Jim, and the theme song from 7th Heaven is stuck in my head. Luckily I was able to avoid the likes of "The Bold and the Beautiful" (don't even deserve a direct link!).

And tonight I installed digital TV... but I promise just to watch high quality evening series!

Gossip

Nah, I don't have any juicy stories to tell you myself but I can point you to a good site that does. A little introduction:

"In so far as a city ever needed a gossip rag, Los Angeles is crying out for a Defamer. For a city that’s in many ways the cultural capital of the world, it’s woefully under-gossiped. Sure, the celebrity weeklies give the latest tittle-tattle on the reality TV romance of the week. But the real stars of Hollywood are the producers, the agents, the PR flacks, the studio execs, and the screenwriters. They’re usually behind the scenes. No longer—since May 2004, there’s Defamer, putting them front and center. "

Not necessarily agreeing with L.A. being the cultural capital of the world...but I sure enjoy all the inside info and especially the humour! Defamer won the 2005 bloggie award for best entertainment weblog!

Ikea Saves the Day...

...or marriage rather. At least according to the new book "Great Ikea! A Brand for all the People". Apparently Ikea is the place to go if you want to find romance or harmony.

The author, Elen Lewis, claims that Ikea lets the men be men and confirms their manhood. Likewise the already married man's "hunting instincts" are satisfied when he "hunts" furniture for his home and gets to spend money in front of wife and kids, which in turn arouses the woman. According to Lewis, Ikea is one of the few brands that can actually change your life.

The book doesn't enlighten us as to which instincts, except the "natural" housewife ones, women satisfy by going to Ikea.

7 reasons why Ikea saves married bliss:
1. Non-assembled furniture. When the man succeeds at assembling shelves and tables, his manhood is confirmed.
2. The hunting instinct. Treat your marriage to a trip to Ikea so the husband can "hunt and gather" for the home. Will bring happiness.
3. The feeling of creating a home together creates harmony in the marriage.
4. Sex. Women are turned on when the assembling goes smoothly. What happens when there are screws missing (which is often) is not clear. Nor how men react to handy woman.
5. The beds. It is estimated that at least every ten babies in Europe were made in a bed from Ikea.
6. The food. Many couples allegedly choose Ikea's meatballs as their first choice for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner. What??!!
7. Wedding. A Canadian couple chose to get married at Ikea.

Elephant On the Loose in Stockholm

The newspaper Dagens Nyheter tells the story (translated):

"An elephant is on the loose in Stockholm. The news came from our tippers, who had heard on the police radio that two patrolling cars were on their way to Enskedefältet to attend to an elephant that had escaped from a circus.

There is no time to lose. We have to get a picture of the escaped elephant before it is caught.

Quickly heading to the photographer's car. On our way towards Årsta we hear the news on the radio. 'We're breaking for traffic information. We have an elephant warning, yes, you heard it correctly, elephant warning by Huddinge Road.'

We start looking into the bushes and on the golf course, but no elephant.

The informer said that it could be in a residential area. The photographer curses the fact that the camera is in the trunk of the car and wonder if it's okay to stop on the highway.

I wonder if we dare leave the car if we see the elephant. And we discuss whether it is an African or an Indian elephant. The African is bigger, but what about agressiveness? Even a small Indian one can probably be as terrifying if it's stressed. It was safari mood in the Spring sun in Enskede.

But it was a story which was too good to be true. A simple check with the circus shows it is false alarm.

Later the police tells us that somebody called in about the escaped elephant after having seen an elephant when it was being exercised. According to the circus the elephant Lubli is so good that she is allowed to walk around freely.

Always check a good story, that is the conclusion. But some adrenalinfilled elephant hunt on a regular, boring no news Thursday was still not wrong."

For pictures, click here.

Oxford No 1

Ha! We might not beat them in the Boat Race every year or very often at all in fact(though we did this year) but we're now No 1 in the Guardian's annual education guide! The newspaper's university league table, which assesses teaching quality, staff-student ratios and graduate job prospects, has placed Oxford at the top, ahead of Cambridge, Imperial College, SOAS and LSE (full list).

More good news for me, having read European studies, is that Oxford ranked No 1 also in politics!

So maybe that dream job is just around the corner?! Employers should be flocking to hire me!

New Feature

I've added a new permanent section in the right column - where I try to enlighten my readers by suggesting reading materials, both fact and fiction! I welcome comments, reviews, reading tips, etc.!

A Voice from Victorian Past

The latest edition of Oxford Today, the University of Oxford tri-annual alumni magazine had a little notice about a time capsule that was found while doing renovation work on the Sheldonian Theatre. For those of you who don't know the University, or the city of Oxford for that matter, the Sheldonian is the venue for matriculation (Oxford lingo for being officially and ceremonially registered as a student) and graduation as well as various concerts and lectures. The article tells us:

Builders "discovered a metal time capsule left by a worker in 1901 when the [painted] ceiling was last dismantled for repairs. Inside the capsule was a hand-written note from builder Frank Morrill, together with a pair of Victorian workman's trousers and some tools, including a bradawl. Mr Morrill gives instructions to whoever finds the 'valuable treasure' to hand them over to a museum, before signing off, 'Yours in ashes?'. Mr Jeffrey Hackney, Chairman of the Curators of the Sheldonian, said the trousers will be offered to a local museum in line with Mr Morrill's wishes."

I wonder what the 21st century builder would leave behind?

Vote Oui

"If we say no to the Constitution to say no to the Europe we don't like, then we end up with the Europe we don't like."

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, MEP (and leader for the 1968 revolt in Paris)

What Has Europe Ever Done for Us?

"It's not an uncommon question and one that is not unreasonable. Europe's contribution to your daily life is not always obvious, but decisions taken on a European level have fundamentally improved thousands of small and big things ranging from cheaper phone calls to European wide health coverage."

Tell a friend!

The EU Welcomes Bulgaria and Romania

Well, not yet, but the European Parliament gives green light to these two remaining candidates from the Central and Eastern European (original) batch. The Parliament doesn't have the formal right to grant membership but is able to push for postponement by a year if a country fails to implement all measures deemed necessary to allow accession, through the so-called safeguard clause. Both countries still have a few outstanding reforms to take care of but seem to be on schedule to join the EU in 2007 as planned.

Meanwhile, several other countries may become EU members in the future...