Warning

...to those of you who blog at work or about work. I have neither blogged about work nor posted at work (except for once or twice at the end of the day) but I occasionally comment on other weblogs while at work... Bad me.

Oh no

...I've been spammed, here on my poor, innocent blog! I have deleted the comments so you don't need to be tempted by offers on how to increase your credit or buying a new home insurance.

This calls for drastic measures. No, don't worry, not shutting down, just adding a word verification step in the comments. It will just take you an extra second to comment, that's it!

Real Action Movie

Stockholm experienced a spectacular security transport coup yesterday, described by witnesses "as something out of a Hollywood action blockbuster".

DN writes: "Warlike scenes played out in [the Stockholm suburb of] Hallunda at lunchtime when four people geared with automatic weapons robbed a security transport van belonging to the security firm Securitas. Moments before blowing their way into the van at Eriksbergåsen in Hallunda, the robbers put three cars on the fire on the motorway and placed nails on the road to prevent coming traffic. More cars were set ablaze on roads in the vicinity."

I actually lived 5 mins from the scene for a few months two summers ago. Go figure.

It seems like a very planned robbery. This incident is just one in a long row of attacks involving security vans (one group actually broke into Securitas' own facilities using a tractor). Who will want to take on these type of jobs if this continues? Do the police have to start protecting the security vans? Luckily some of the people involved in yesterday's incident have been arrested.

Royal Encounter

Today the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf was involved in a accident in a round-about, albeit a minor incident. He apparently ran into the car in front of him.

It doesn't look like the other driver will press charges though. He said:
- Nah, it was just a small traffic incident. Of course it was a bit surprising when I saw that it was the King. We talked a little bit and asked each other how it was and stuff.

Probably the guy is just happy to have a story to tell his family, grandchildren, friends, etc. However, in a poll in Aftonbladet, over 77 % thinks the police should have questioned the King and tested whether he was under the influence, as is customary at any accident scene.

Team Aniston

I've been a lazy blogger lately...though frequent visitor on other people's blogs. Found a hilarious site through Defamer: Automaddox.

Unique spam

I recently received a version of Nigerian spam that I have not encountered before. The swindler incorporated my family into the story. Little did he know that my surname is one of a kind. My grandfather made up and registered the name (Komheden) with the Swedish authorities back in the 1950s. As a result my family (four people) are the only ones with this name in Sweden and the rest of the world. So the following text did not fool me:

ATTN: ASSISTANCE OF A RESOURCE PERSON REQUIRED TOREALIZE THIS FORTUNE.

I am Barr. Patrick Diallo, an attorney at law and anotary public. On the 25th of April 2002, my client Mr. Mark Komheden, his wife and their only son were involved in a plane crash (Egypt air boeing 747 which crashed out side Tunis). Unfortunately they all lost their lives in the event of the accident, since then i have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts to locate any member of his family, hence I contacted you. Icontacted you to assist in repatriating the money andproperty left behind before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where my client lodge these huge deposits. Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an account valued at about U.S $28.5million U.S dollars. Consequently, the bank issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within a short time.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over some years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you share the same surname so that the proceeds of the account valued at U.S$28.5 million can be paid to you for both of us to share the funds; 50% to me and 45% to you, while 5% should be for expenses or tax as your government may require. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to backup the claim. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me through this my e-mail to enable us discuss further. Thanks for your kind co-operation

Barr. Patrick Diallo.

(Un)employment

Just spent a week in England where I was asked: "It's really amazing that Sweden has this well-developed welfare state and still can maintain excellent economic growth and such low unemployment." Low unemployment? It's approaching 6 % and if you believe the debate in Sweden you'd think Sweden was going under. (My friend thought 6 % was low.) Interesting addition to the debate...

Nostalgia in England

I'm spending a week in England, mostly in Oxford, maybe London, so I won't be blogging again until I'm back. But do please continue the discussion!

Guest blogging by Anoushka Marashlian

Anoushka is a friend of mine from Oxford, and a Middle East expert. She wants to share her thoughts on the London bombings. I also invite you to follow and participate in the on-going discussion about the attacks in a previous posting of mine.

Thursday the 7th of July started off as a pretty uneventful morning. The only difference was that I was running a little late. I should have left home by 7.15 latest but it was 7.30 and I was still waiting for a train. For some reason I was pretty knackered that morning and dozed off on the train en route to King’s Cross. I get the Piccadilly Line every morning to King’s Cross where I change and get the Circle Line to Farringdon. It was about 8am that someone on the train gently tapped me on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see an old friend of mine with whom I had lost touch with. It was great to catch up and the journey seemed more pleasant than the usual grind. I think it was about 8.10 that we got to Gloucester Road and we were told that there was a defective train or something and we were advised to get off. We were told that we could stay on the train if we wanted to but it was likely there would be delays down the line. It was a split second decision and my friend and I just got on the Circle Line at Gloucester Road. With hindsight it is now surreal to think that we went past Edgware Road and Kings Cross literally minutes before the bomb blasts. About 2 minutes after we passed Kings Cross out train was stopped in the track between Kings Cross and Farringdon. People had absolutely no idea what the problem was and I remember some where cracking jokes about the deficiencies of the London Transport system and how ill equipped it will be to meet the demands of the Olympics. Only a day before London had won the bid to stage the Olympics in 2012. I was sat on the train thinking damn I should call work and tell them that I am stuck in the train and will be running late for working. The time recorded on my mobile phone was 8.54.

I got into work at 9.10 and it was very slowly that things started to fall into place. It is strange that when you are in the middle of an event it takes much longer to make sense what is going on around. People watching the drama of the day unfold on their TV screens probably had a much better idea of what was going on than people working in the city that day. Increasingly, news started to come in via news wires and it became clear that this was no power surge but a major terrorist incident. The site of the No 30 bus with its roof blown off was the image that brought London to a standstill. Suicide bombers had transported their agenda to the streets of London and a sense of fear and uncertainty prevailed. Businesses came to a halt and it was clear that with the transport system totally suspended city workers would have to find alternative means of transport. I was very lucky that my boyfriend also works in the city since I certainly didn’t want to be alone in London that day. We walked about an hour and a half from the city, reflecting on the events of the day and trying to make sense of the senseless loss of life. It very easily could have been either of us or one of our friends who make that daily underground journey.

The question raised by the London bombings is why would five seemingly ‘normal’ British Muslims resort to taking their lives and the lives of innocent bystanders on the underground? The answer in part lies in the autocratic systems of the Middle East, in the madrasas of Pakistan and in the halls of the American Congress and the British parliament. Although Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestinian are a major part of the problem I think it would be unhelpful to view the radicalisation of Muslim youth simply through this lens. If we are to tackle and defeat the threat in our midst, then I believe it is necessary to incorporate the Muslim community who will be instrumental in preventing such outrages from occurring in the future.

The attacks have it seems strengthened rather than diminished support for Blair's Middle East policy which in turn is likely to reinforce the Prime Minister's resolve to stay on course in Iraq.

When Nature Calls

Do you need one of these? Click on Indipod, the movie...

Male friendship

Heard on SVT Gomorrow Sverige this week on the topic of male friendship: (translated freely)

Reporter: "So what is male friendship? Is it different from female friendship?"
Male 1: "We don't talk that much. We can just sit quietely."
Male 2: "Yeah, for example: 'This is a good song.' 'Yeah.' 'This [food] was tasty.' 'Yeah.'

Death among us

Today it was confirmed that it was indeed suicide bombers that committed the atrocities in London. It's a very scary thought that there are people walking among us who are willing to die for their cause. A cause which most of us wouldn't even call a cause but just an expression of madness. However, even if it is madness the sad truth is that these events have been instigated by a number of reasons and situations, causes that will never justify what happened but which can give a partial explanation as well as point to solutions.

With the confirmation that the responsible for the attacks were born and raised in Britain (and British citizens) comes the realisation that solutions must also be found at home, not just in the Middle East or further away. It's an internal and a societal problem. It's not enough to chase terrorists who are plotting terrible deeds but also to stop terrorists in the making.

In an op-ed in the New York Times a few days ago, Peter Bergen attempts to explain why British society creates terrorists. He points mainly to the young age profile of British Muslims (a third are under 16), unemployment (22 % in the 16-24 age group), and poor integration into society. This makes them prone to extremism. Bergen also points to polls that have shown that British Muslims are angry. 80 % equate the war of terror with war on islam, and 13 % said last year that a terrorist attack on the USA would be justified (however, it did not ask about terror on British soil).

In his article Bergen goes on saying that many British potential terrorists could easily come to the States as they are British citzens and don't need any special visas. He finishes with, but doesn't stress this point enough, that hardening visa regulations or introducing stricter rules and checks on other aspects of life, is one way to deal with it, but one which does not solve the deeper problem of certain groups' structural segregation, not just in Britain but globally.

In a way, even though these tragic events overshadowed a very important summit, G8 on Africa and climate change, it was perhaps "good" that it happened at this particular time (if it had to happen), since the reasons for such atrocities are intrinsically linked to the equalities of the world. We cannot address terrorism without looking at our societies and the injustices that exist, be they social, economic, religious, etc. And we need to do it together. Britain (or any other state subject to terror) cannot turn inwards, and especially not in this case since the responsible didn't come from the outside.

Thomas Friedman, in another NYTimes op-ed, writes that it takes a village to get to the root of the problem: "the greatest restraint on human behavior is never a policeman or a border guard. The greatest restraint on human behavior is what a culture and a religion deem shameful. It is what the village and its religious and political elders say is wrong or not allowed." He also says "if it's a Muslim problem, it needs a Muslim solution". That is true but I'd like to think that the rest of the global village has a part in it too.

Turkey here I come

I'm off on vacation in Marmaris, Turkey, and will be back on July 9th. Won't be doing any blogging from the playa!!

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!