Falling

by Staind



You
In your shell
Are you waiting for someone to rescue you
From yourself
Don't be disappointed when no one comes

Don't blame me you didn't get it

I already told you that falling is easy
It's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
If you don't believe you can find a way out
You've become the problem
Become the problem

You
All alone
Are you waiting for someone to make you whole?
Can't you see?
Aren't you tired of this dysfunctional routine?

Don't blame me you didn't get it

Falling is easy
It's getting back up that becomes the problem
Becomes the problem
And if you believe you can find a way out
Then you've solved the problem
You've solved your problem.

What whould you do if you turned into the opposite sex for a day?

What would you do if you turned in to the opposite sex for an entire day? I mean besides sexually related things.

I can only think of two, maybe three things:

* Negotiate for a larger salary

* Apply for a job/new job

* Change my name to "Anders" since it's a bigger chance of becoming a MD (VD) for a large company here in Sweden with that name

Pittiplatsch to Tobi

I just learned that this is a pittiplatsch and my German friend Tobi just got one in one of his TWELVE Kinder eggs that he got for Christmas. Yes, he's an adult :-) Very cute pittiplatsch I must say.

Magalenha

by Sergio Mendes.
Ohh... I just stumbled upon this song on Last.fm. I am not sure where I have heard it before but it might have been when I trained capoeira, it has such a good rythm. This is the second capoeira related stumbling today. Went to a mobil store to get some help and one of the guys there looked familiar and it turned to be someone who I trained capoeira with.

Amnesty DOES make a difference!

If you want to know what Amnesty achieved 2008, read below. The text is addressed to activists and written by Larry Cox // Director of AI-USA

1. 1.5 million letters: online and hand written letters delivered to governments worldwide and Congress here at home.
2. 116 people protected from persecution and danger: from China to Turkey to Myanmar (Burma) to the United States, your letters worked! And helped free innocent human rights activists and political prisoners.
3. Death penalty executions averted: 18 stays or commutations worldwide (8 in the U.S., 2 in Texas). And tens of thousands of letters and numerous vigils for Troy Davis mean he’s still alive today, fighting for justice in the state of Georgia.
4. 500+ groups or individuals met face to face with lawmakers: Amnesty International supporters met with their Members of Congress on Darfur, Guantánamo and violence against women.
5. Guantánamo Bay replica cell tours the U.S.: Amnesty brought a two-ton, bright orange replica of a Guantánamo Bay cell to 11 cities, including both national political conventions. More than 12,000 people toured the cell, and 10-15 million either read about it in their local or national
newspaper or saw the cell on TV.
6. President-elect promises to close Guantánamo: since it opened, Amnesty has been on the frontlines pushing for its closure. This past year’s heightened campaigning helped support President-elect Obama’s decision to close Guantánamo.
7. Local groups make a big impact: Group #133 mobilized its annual "Get on the Bus" event. More than 1,200 activists traveled to Manhattan for a day of demonstrations at the U.N. missions of Sudan, Sri Lanka, Libya, Myanmar and India.
8. Pretty Bird Woman House: secures a shelter house in March 2008. We wrote letters to the town of McLaughlin, SD urging their assistance in opening the shelter. This follows the original hard-hitting research Amnesty conducted last year on violence against Native American and Alaska Native women.
9. Universal Declaration of Human Rights: for its 60th anniversary, Amnesty releases several videos online, including an exclusive music video track available on iTunes. Total viewership worldwide reached over 500,000.
10. Progress made on legislation: your in-person visits, together with all your letters, petitions and online actions meant that our Government Relations team had the backup and grassroots support needed to secure some important legislative victories:

- Growing number of Republicans and Democrats co-sponsored the International Violence Against Women Act
- Millions of dollars set aside for peacekeeping and humanitarian aid in Darfur.
- Habeas corpus gains affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court survived proposed rollbacks in Congress.
- Senate passed a resolution calling on the United Nations to stop the flow of weapons into Darfur by expanding the current arms embargo to all of Sudan.
- Progress made to include funding to stop violence against Native American and Alaska Native women in the 2009 appropriations bill
- Funding package to Mexico included important human rights safeguards ...

Why do YOU care?

You know what strikes me every time it happens? All the people that doesn't seem to understand why I care for any others than myself or the people closest to me. As if it ever would be ok to talk shit about "them" just because they don't consider me to be "one of them", whoever that might be. Why do I have to be "one of them" to want and being able to care and ask the tough questions for?

A wish. A promise. A lesson.

If I only could make people understand how much I wish I did NOT care so much about certain things, how much easier life would be for me and those people who makes me feel so bad. Sometimes it almost feels like a curse to care because the more I care, the worse people can make me feel (especially if I have a very personal relationship to them). Some years ago I made a promise to myself that I have kept and intend to keep. It's awful be ashamed of myself and not being able to respect myself.

This evening I was in a situation where I had to take a stand and say that enough was enough. I got up from the dinner table and said that the other person had crossed the line and I had to go home and here I am. So now everyone who was there feels bad for different reasons, but at least I am don't feel ashamed for what I did, said or felt. It sucks.

A lesson is learned, the lesson about another side of a person I know. I wish I didn't know.

In bed with Natasja

Me and my mobile and a hint of boredom :-)

Something that someone said

...about this Natasha. I think it was her my friend was talking about. I remember that day.

Painted It Black

by The Rolling Stones. I really like this sound. The simplicity of the guitar. It also makes me think of Quentin Tarantino.

Red Dragon

Raised with scary movies (my mom and I spent long nights watching movies), Red Dragon (where Anthony Hopkins also acts as Dr Hannibal Lector) is a movie that suits me very well. It's well made, good actors and a good story. Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

I like tattoos even though one that covers half the body is too much for my taste, but, the one Ralph Fiennes has here looks really good (it goes all the way down onto his legs).

Carolina

Hehe...just an ego song, if there is such a thing. Too bad people don't express these kind of things, at least not in this country.

Light show

First I worked for Amnesty at this place, then I got to enjoy the music, the company and as you see, the light show!

Having fun?

There is a saying in Swedish, "slå klackarna i taket", "kicking the heels in the ceiling" which means that to party and have fun. I'm pretty sure that the owner of these shoes had a lot of fun :-)

Taking people for granted?

Is that the answer to why some people don't want or can't say nice things to others? I just don't get it. How hard can it be? Or is it that some simply don't have opinions about people who are close to them? This while others who have no "reason" of thinking and saying certain things obviously have no problem expressing nice things. Why do the "wrong" people always say the right things and vice versa? Well, thank you people who aren't that inhibited. I appreciate it.

Awful things in North Korea

From an Amnesty discussion. Awful information :-(

"Alla vet säkert att Nordkorea är ett tämligen förfärligt land men det finns inte särskilt mycket fakta om hur det egentligen är. Bland annat brukar det påstås att upp emot 1 miljon människor dog i hungersnöd 1995 - 98.

Senaste numret av The Economist redovisar dock en rapport Peterson Institute for International Economy där man intervjuat 1 300 nordkoreaner som flytt landet, i stort sett allihop till Kina. Den ger en extremt obehaglig bild. 23 % av männen och 37 % av kvinnorna säger att de förlorat minst en familjemedlem till svält. Mer än en fjärdedel säger att de blivit arresterad och av de som suttit i fångläger (ungefär en tiondel av de intervjuade) säger 90 % att de bevittnat hur mefångar svälts, 60 % säger att de sett medfångar misshandlas eller torteras till döds och 27 % att de bevittnat avrättningar.

Erik H"

Batteries can be ugly

This is what WILL happen with the batteries.... hihi

"Betyget blir fyra kalkoner med guldkant."
/Nils-Petter Sundgren

SMASH

by Offspring. An energy injection.



Head over heels I've fit in before,
now, I don't want to do it no more.
I've held it all in with blood on my face,
built it up man so bad you can taste.

I don't slag no one,
I don't even judge.
Don't give a shit cause I'm not gonna budge.
I just want to be who I want to be,
Guess that's hard for others to see.

I'm not a trendy asshole.
I do what I want,
I do what I feel like.
I'm not a trendy asshole.
I don't give a fuck if it's good enough for you.
Cause I'm alive.

Smash is the way you feel all alone,
like an outcast you're out on your own.
Smash is the way you deal with your life,
like an outcast you're smashing your strife.

Head over heels I've fit in before,
now, I don't want to do it no more.
I just want to be who I want to be,
guess that's hard for the others to see.

I am alive.

Mexico - from different sides of the "border"

Isn't great when two people who love each other finally can live together? Two good friends of mine in Mexico just decided to move and move in with each other and it just makes me happy for them. They deserve it and I hope the job issue will work out.

Isn't it a bit strange how different people can perceive others? The perseption of Mexico and Mexicans is different for me as a Swede than it is for the Mexico experienced me. For the latter one, Mexico is a country with real people, some having quite normal lives, dealing with every day life, fighting, loving etc. For the first one, it is a country from which so many flee from because they are poor and don't see a future in their own country. People who die trying crossing the border or people passing the border over and over before they get kicked out again. Or, Mexico is a place the bad guys flee to to escape getting caught.

This is because media doesn't give us anything else here.

Highlander

Highlander, I must admit it was one of my favorite movies when I was little. I still like the movie although the series aren't as good as it was when it came. BUT, the intro has a good song. What i like about Highlander is them striving for mortality, not immortality. More thoughts on the subject eternal life here.

There is not a single reason to do it

"Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, unconditionally. To end the death penalty is to abandon a destructive, diversionary and divisive public policy that is not consistent with widely held values. It not only runs the risk of irrevocable error, it is also costly, to the public purse as well as in social and psychological terms.

It has not been proved to have a special deterrent effect. It tends to be applied in a discriminatory way, on grounds of race and class. It denies the possibility of reconciliation and rehabilitation. It promotes simplistic responses to complex human problems, rather than pursuing explanations that could inform positive strategies.

It prolongs the suffering of the murder victim's family, and extends that suffering to the loved ones of the condemned prisoner. It diverts resources that could be better used to work against violent crime and assist those affected by it. It is a symptom of a culture of violence, not a solution to it. It is an affront to human dignity. It should be abolished."

White is the most colourful colour

INVANDRARNA

En kommer hit för att fly från nöden
En kommer hit för att undgå döden
En kommer hit av terror tvungen
En kommer hit för att gifta sig med kungen

Dom är tyskar, iranier, greker, och turkar
mest är dem snälla, andra är skurkar
en del är ärliga, andra skumma
en del genier, andra är dumma
Mest är dem fredliga, andra vill slåss
Med andra ord: Dem är som oss!
Med fel och brister, tuffa och mjuka
Fast inte lika avundsjuka...

Vissa är färgade, andra är arier
Som köper sin bruna färg i solarier
vissa är svarta, andra gula
vissa är vackra, andra fula.
Men fast dem ibland av annan färg é
Är dem precis som vi i Sverige

Och när dem vill jobba här är tacket
"ni får inte jobba än för facket"

En del är båtfolk från Vietnam
som inte kan sjunga " We Shall Overcome"
och inte kan "rulla di rulla " som vi
Och dom blir sällan fulla som vi
en del har andra gudar än vi.
En del söker lugnet i stället för bråket
det enda vi svenskar kan bättre är språket
det sägs att vi stammar från Adam & Eva
Som inte var svenskar - men ja må dem leva.

Bosse Parnevik

Single women are behind

Singelkvinnor halkar efter

FÖRLORARE. Enligt LO:s utredaren Dan Andersson håller Sverige på att bli ett fattigsamhälle där särskilt unga och kvinnor har det ekonomiskt svårt.

Ny studie: De har sämre ekonomi än män

Ensamstående män klarar sig betydligt bättre ekonomiskt än singelkvinnor.

De har haft dubbelt så hög standardutveckling under åren 1995–2006.

Det visar en ny studie från LO som presenteras på Dagens Nyheters debattsida av LO:s chef-ekonom Dan Andersson.

LO har på uppdrag av Mona Sahlin studerat utvecklingen av inkomstfördelningen i Sverige under perioden.

Enligt utredaren Dan Andersson håller Sverige på att bli ett fattigsamhälle där särskilt unga och kvinnor har det ekonomiskt svårt. Däremot är det en felaktig bild att det allmänt går sämre för ungdomar med rötter utomlands.(TT)

Språkets funktion

by Svenska akademien



Kommunikation! är min rekommendation,
om du verkligen vill veta om nån delar din vision.
Tron på att språket har en funktion,
är tron att man måste våga ta ton.
Om en situation ska kunna vända måste människan
få veta att hon inte är den enda som tycker så.
Tycker på nått annat. Etik och moral, inte samvetskval.
Vill man nå i mål får man välja kanal,
men har du hittat den när du röstar i val?
Dina ideal når fan inte fram igenom
förskrivna tal, klädande program.
Om vårt minne är kort, kan vår ångest gå bort.
Om vi blundar hårt kan vi hålla vårt fort.
Man kan helt stänga av om man är nitisk,
man kan må ganska bra om man vägrar va kritisk.
Svårt och blunda om man en gång har sett.
Svår att koppla bort om det en gång har skett.
En insikt om sakernas tillstånd kan inte tystas så lätt nej nej nej nej.

Språkets funktion kan ha bråkets funktion. Ja gnola på den som plågar.
Språkets funktion kan ha bråkets funktion. Ja gnola på den som vågar.

Hallå hallå, hon har nått viktigt att säga!
Hallå hallå så lyssna på Leia!
Kräv makt och få sagt va man vill,
samla ord samla mod och stå still, vänta in ögonblicket.
Visa dom tricket, med texten, med talet.
När allting är galet, du ska stå för det du gör, säga viktiga grejer.
Förstå vad du gör. Sitter hemma gnäller, skäller,
tystnar när det gäller, ställer krav,
du kan va den som skriker, stänger av.
När allting är fel, vi är en del i det som händer,
du kan va den som vänder.
Dumhet till insikt. skit till nått viktigt.
Fobi, antagoni, och apati.
Det kreativa kliv, du väjer hur ditt liv ska ta form.
Ordets makt är enorm så ta tag i din del.
Låt dig aldrig tystas, om de gör det har de fel.
Vinglande maktmän, vill fan inte vara deras polare.
Tala är guld, tiga är bull för en golare.
Men generellt, farlighet, byggt av dom som inte älskar oss.
Vår verklighet, i en värld skapad utav dom,
verkar deras makt logisk, så det är logiskt att du är frågvis.
Vi gör som dom vill, vi gör exakt som dom vill.
Och om du inte sagt till är deras makt i bild.
Ja de vill ha en akt till efter deras slaktidyll
och låt oss skillja på rätt och fel.

Avancerad teknik, för att kommunicera.
Få fram din kritik våga ravalisera, konkretisera.
Tänker precisera. om tanken är god kan den attrahera flera.
De har ett tungomål, ger dej lungor av stål.
Orden. Om vi kunde ta tillbaks.
De har ett tungomål, ger dej lungor av stål.
Så fatta, förstå, fatta, fatta, förstå.
Vi måste äga orden, måste väga orden,
måste vägra morden, säg orden.
På jorden är vi syster och broder.
Kärlek man, det rinner floder.
Våra ord är som frö i din jord. våra ord.

Vinglande maktmän, vill fan inte vara deras polare.

Funny Face

This is just wonderful. Can you guess why I like Red Hot Chili Peppers as much as I do apart from their music? If you don't, take a look att his. I love when people get silly just have fun with no thoughts of "how would this look?" or "I'm too old to...".

Prosit

I wikied "prosit", the Swedish word for "God Bless You" when you sneeze.

"Interjektion [redigera]

prosit

1. sägs till den som just har nyst.

Etymologi [redigera]

Från latin ”må det vara till gagn”, av pro ”för”, och esse ”vara”"

1 of 229

"Tyvärr är inte Du en av dem som vi valt ut till en första intervjuomgång. Du kan dock bli aktuell om vi väljer att kalla ytterligare personer. Antalet sökande till tjänsten är 229 stycken."

1 of 229 = 0,44 % chance to get the job. Jippi...

1 of 395

I just received another response to an job application. I didn't get it. I was 1 of 395 who applied for the single post. 1 of 395 = 0,25 % chance of getting the job. You can imagine how good that feels as a well educated and ambitious person who think the tasks for that job would suit me. As far as I know, there are 50-400 applicants for each job I apply for. I just wish someone would give me a chance, I wouldn't dissapoint them.

Then there are a lot of people who thinks that unemployed people "just have to work harder" and that tey are lazy and just like to receive benefits. Yes, I am one of these no-good-people in the lower socio economic class.... Yeah, right. It pisses me off that so many people are so narrow minded who are quick to judge people they don't know and don't WANT to know.

If it is this hard for me as a well adjusted, ambitious, primarily Swedish person from the middle class with 100 % supporting parents and who was brought up in a calm and good place to get a relevant job (or any job for that matter, cleaning firms don't want me even if I have plenty of experience)....why would a person without these privileged things do better? Then to blame them for being lazy and bad people...wow, that is *******.


"Nu har ansökningstiden för anställningarna som kvalificerade handläggare på avdelningen för bedömning av utländsk högre utbildning, reg. nr xxx, gått ut.

Vi har fått mycket positiv respons på annonsen. Vi har fått in 395 ansökningar av mycket hög kvalitet - något som gläder oss mycket. Vi har nu gjort ett första urval och kallat tio personer till intervju. Med många kvalificerade kandidater måste vi tyvärr meddela att vi denna gång inte har möjlighet att gå vidare med din ansökan. Vi vill ändå passa på att tacka dig för det intresse du visat för Högskoleverket genom din ansökan!"

Violence Fetish

by Disturbed.
Yes, violence is my fetish. Nää...just kidding. Hardly but I do like this song. There is a lot of energy and if I had been in a bad mood (I'm actually in a quite good mood right now) it had been even better.

Stand

by Candlebox
Read the text that is shown during the video. You might learn a thing or two and hopefully it gives a lot more thoughts. I've never head of this group until this weekend and the tip came from an unexpected source. As you can see in, I've labeled this post with politics, environment, music AND human rights. The reason for that is that problems in the environment is clear human rights problem.

25 December

1 year has passed. I remember this day one year ago much better than I wish I did.

This song has been my favorite song since 1998. There is one sentence in it that I try to learn from and try to keep in mind if/when I get into a situation that reminds me of a previous one. I haven't been in a situation like that that I was a year ago again but it is a day that I hope not have to relive.

I dont ever want to feel
Like I did that day

"Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Invisible Door

Dogs are known for their encredible sense of smell but you can not say the same thing about their eye sight :-D

Political compass - where are you?

Do you want to know where you stand on the political scale? Here is an interesting test you can do that doesn't require you to give away any personal info and is not stored, it just shows how far you stand up and down and from side to side.

Bomfalleralla

World of It's Own

by Tingsek. Oh, what a melody and voice... And, I did get inspired and I am glad, but it has had its price. One of my mothers sayings is that "there is nothing bad that doesn't bring anything positive". It brought me a sence of hope even though it is the very thing that I don't have much of right now.

Oh, how I love to be around this particular face I found
No stress at all would waste our time
Nobody's letting anybody down, it's a world of it's own in here
We get to do what we decide to

Oh, how I love to be around this particular face I found
So full of life and possibly the most positive fields of energy
It's a world of it's own in here, we get to love each other deeply

Just a couple of years ago, I hooked up with some people I just knew would know
How to live their lifes clearly based on themselves
I'm so lucky we get to inspire each other
I'm so glad we got together
My whole world was falling apart

Women & men in Sweden

These are the most common female and male names in Sweden and I trust in those who has compiled this list since they really are common names.

1. Maria ----------------1. Erik
2. Anna -----------------2. Lars
3. Margareta -----------3. Karl
4. Elisabeth -------------4. Anders
5. Eva ------------------5. Per
6. Birgitta --------------6. Johan
7. Kristina --------------7. Nils
8. Karin ----------------8. Lennart
9. Elisabet --------------9. Jan
10. Marie --------------10. Hans

...because, how many of you Swedes out there don't know at least one person with each name? They are nice names but I am more the "Leia type" of future parent... I like a bit more differnt kind of names. You see, I wasn't even called "Natasja" until about 9 years ago.

Kjell - the meaning

"Kjell är ett mansnamn med gammalt nordiskt ursprung. Det tog på 1600-talet överhanden över den äldre namnformen Kættil eller Kettil som förmodligen betyder hjälm. Det är i princip samma ord som dagens kittel (och engelska eng. kettle). Kjell var ett modenamn på 1940-talet 1940- och 1950-talet 1950-talen och är fortfarande totalt sett ett av de vanligare svenska mansnamnen. Det är dock idag mycket ovanligt som tilltalsnamn för nyfödda pojkar. Det inte bara män som heter Kjell i Norge. Våra rara grannar döper faktiskt även kvinnor till detta fabulösa namn! Kanske inte riktigt, men vad sägs om Kjellaug, Kjellbjørg, Kjellfrid och Kjellrun? Får ni en dotter så bör ni ha detta i åtanke. Andra lustiga norska mansvariationer är Askjell, Grimkjell, Kjellbjørn och Torkjell. Namnsdag: 8 juli (sedan 1901) Kjell är även ett efternamn i Sverige." Källa: Svenska Wikipedia

To search the meaning of Swedish names, you can use this site.

Left cheek

A hungry man is an angry man

A hungry man is an angry man - A person who does not get what he wants or needs is a frustrated person and will be easily provoked to rage.

I can vouch for this too. I've been in that situation too many times. I don't believe that it can go on for too long without any consequences. What can I say, some things are necessary for some even if not all feel the same. So, to deny a necessity also has to be followed by an understanding of what will happen as an effect. There is only so much a person can take.

You know that you're from Skåne when...

Du vet att du är från Skåne när..

du är bara svensk i ditt pass och under Hockey VM flaggan är gul och RÖD, inte blå.

du vet att ålarens och kålahue ska ses som förolämpning och inte alls handlar om mat!

en kraftigt berusad människa är 'dyng raug' och denna person tilltalar dig med orden 'Va fan glor'u påu, ska du hau po flabben'

du är bugasprängd och inte mätt.

du beställer en 'cocka' i stället för en 'cola'

allt norr om hallandsåsen e Norrland!

du kallar choklad drycken pucko för 08:a

du har inte en huskatt utan en bonnakatt

du vet att päror inte betyder päron.

du säger inte groggvirke, du säger blannevann.

du vet att lättmjölk är röd, mellanmjölk blå och standardmjölk brandgul.

du grinar när stockholmare vill gräva loss Skåne, de gräver ju bara bort Sverige.

du grinar = du flabbar.

grinar och flabbar = skrattar.

du äter rabbemos till din falukorv.

du vet att våren har kommit när rapsen blommar.

Zoegas (helst Skånerost) är det enda kaffe du dricker.

du fattar inte varför folk åker till fjällen, alperna ligger lika nära och backarna är dubbelt så långa.

Alcohol & lack of sleep

Denmark is not a foreign country, or?

The question is whether they have been abroad this year...

Anneli: -No, or I have been to Denmark and participated in a swimming competition in of it self.

Hehe...what she is saying is that Denmark doesn't feel like abroad since it is just across the sound :-) I agree.

A friend in need us a friend indeed

A friend in need's a friend indeed,
A friend with weed is better;
A friend with breasts and all the rest,
A friend who's dressed in leather.

A friend in need's a friend indeed,
A friend who'll tease is better;
Our thoughts compressed which makes us blessed,
And makes for stormy weather.

A friend in need's a friend indeed,
My Japanese is better;
And when she's pressed she will undress,
And then she's boxing clever.

A friend in need's a friend indeed,
A friend who bleeds is better;
My friend confessed she passed the test,
And we will never sever.

Days, dawn and...
Skin's, crawling.

Pure, morning...

"Ideals are bulletproof"

said V in "V for Vendetta". I think that my dad might like this movie...if he gives it a chance.

Cooks & broth

Too many cooks spoil the broth*

Too many people doing the same thing at the same time will not be successful

I can vouch for that. How much more simple and easy thing become when there are not too many people involved. I feel at ease even if a soup is kind of tasty.

* buljong

Mosebacke

During my second trip to Stockholm in October (Amnesty business), I went out with some newly found friends. We went to bars/discos but the was this final place, Mosebacke, that I really liked. The guy you see here was one of the DJs, shaking it to the music. Unfortunately we arrived just about an hour before it closed but I'd loved to have stayed longer. It wasn't only the good music and atmosphere that attracted me but also the people there, people from everywhere, or so it seemed. So unlike the places I usually go to here in the south, but on the other hand, I have probably never been in a more Swedish surroundings as at least the last years (I usually call myself my friends multicultural element, which says something about where they come from). I can ad that the people I was there with were originally from Sri Lanka and Iran.

Nat - the heavy metal informant?

For the first time today :-) A guy at work shares my special liking in melodic heavy metal and now he asked ME for tips about newer heavy metal bands. That never happens, I'm always the one seeking other people's advice for new music. It's mainly my brother, brother in law and Christian (who often also is my brother's informant) who gives me new input. I played this song, "Believe" by Disturbed for the guy at work and he liked it, just as I thought he would. I think that even people like my parents could listen to this without thinking it is too heavy. It it quite melodic, just like I like it. And...I looked up the lyrics and they are interesting, especially what I marked in another colour.

"Believe"

Believe, when you lie
You will never need to recognize yourself
To deceive
To remove all chance of doubt and be received
With your lie
The deception is complete when you concede
And decide
To reject your lives, sacrificed to me

Penance can't absolve your sin, into me
Penance can't absolve your sin
All your belief cannot absolve your sin

Believe, when you lie
You will never need to recognize the source
Of deceit
To renew your faith in God
You must believe, in your lie
The redemption is complete when you conceive
And decline
To release your lives
Sacrificed to me

Reap your life, like you want to recognize, all you've come to

Reap your life
Veiled in shadow
Recognize
Faces of the crucified
I can hear their screams tonight
Ever haunting me

Burn your lie into me

If you are interested in the discussion about the meaning of this song, I'd recommend you to read here. Who said that heavy metal is just mindless or even evil junk?

Intrinsic value of wanting to have eternal life?

There is a promise of eternal life if one believe in God etc. but I can't help wonder why eternal life for the soul is worth striving for*? Is there an intrinsic** value of having an eternal life, whatever that might include?

What would you say if I say that I would like to live forever here on earth? That I would do all the necessary things to be able to do that. That it has nothing to do with another person.

I can understand why people would like avoid going to hell (doesn't sound very pleasant) but I don't see why it would be innately*** GOOD to have an eternal life in heaven compared to be buried in the ground and be a part of the nature, part of new life...ashes to ashes, dust to dust, right?

To be really honest, the main sentiment I get when I think of people who strive to have eternal life is that they are quite egoistic! What happened to be good because it is good and spread the possibilities for fellow human beings to have a good life free from as much pain and suffering as possible? Is it all about me, me, me? Is that the reason to follow the (religious) rules and guidelines? If one try to do good deeds with any thoughts like "I do this because God likes it and it will give me eternal life", I can only be greatfull for the effect, not the intention and not the person him/herself.

I am well aware that doing unselfish things makes you feel good, but I don't believe that it is a lasting feeling (compared to get eternal life) and therefore not the goal of feeling good for one's own sake.

Is the striving for eternal life based on fear of dying, fear of the unknown?

* eftersträvansvärt
** inneboende
*** naturligt/medfött

Arms Trade Treaty

Background

"There are more than 600 million small arms and light weapons in the world today, and over eight million more are produced every year. Unless governments act to stop the spread of arms, more lives will be lost, more human rights violations will take place, and more people will be denied the chance to escape poverty." Oxfam

Now

"Today 147 states at the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to move forward with work on an Arms Trade Treaty. This is an increase on the 139 states who voted to start the UN process in October 2006, showing increasing global support for the treaty. The vote was particularly strong in Africa, South and Central America and Europe indicating strong demand for arms control both from countries severely affected by armed violence and from major exporters. Only the US and Zimbabwe voted against, ignoring increasing global consensus for an ATT.

Every day, over 1000 people are killed directly with firearms and many thousands more die indirectly as a consequence of armed violence or are driven from their homes, forced off their land, raped, tortured or maimed. Since the UN process started in December 2006, approximately 695,000 people have been killed directly with firearms, illustrating the urgent need for an Arms Trade Treaty. Any further delay means more lost lives."

Control Arms - from the latest article

Happy Halloween Mary

It is the weekend when unusual and unexpected things happen...or that is what happened to me.

Electric stimulus

Haha...what a thing to come up with :-) See the guys face live the life of the music with the help of electric impulses.

Press any key

Great news!

Sorry, but I can't tell you what it is, just that it has to do with a friend of mine. I am very happy for him, I hope it goes well!

Den obligatoriska slagdängan

by Svenska akademien



Ooooooh
i lilla larvi sär vi tångtångtång

Akademien, dom är tunga känn
Du måste gunga den
Melodin är så
Du måste sjunga den
Rytmen som tvingar dig till dans (till trans)
hettan som tar dig någon annanstans
Sydligt klimat tar dig från prydligt privat
Extas kommer snart, ja det är tydligt och klart
att du känner, det bränner
lusten pockar på
du vill ha (tångtångtitångtångtång)
Kan nån annan locka dom?
Kan några andra flockar få dig att koppla av helt? (Nej)
Rytm och rutin när dom andra kör för stelt
Taktfasthet, han som har lagt är vass
het lägger den tångt, när andra går bet
och du vet

Så, gunga den, kvinna, gunga den
Så, gunga den, kvinna, gunga den
Gunga den, kvinna, gunga den
Ja, gunga den, kvinna, gunga den

När man blir kär
är det en underbar sak
varje dag blir jag kär

Baken som skakar när hon går förbi
brösten som guppar, dom sätter mig fri
ja, låt det skölja över
inte hölja, dölja över
inte följa klöver
Söver brödrar, systrar lyssna
Vill ni ha en macho, en hård man nu?
Patetiskt, ja
Vad gööör vi
Du vill ha en man som kan

Varför stå där så
tunga, hänga
i klunga, blänga
Låt det gunga, svänga
Ge tristessen en känga
Låt nävarna svänga
Höfterna kränga
Ingen alls kan stänga för vår gängarslagdänga
Lustarna väcks
När huven gungar loss
Inga machokomplex, kom och gunga med oss
Befria dig själv
Släpp fram det som förtrycks
Unna ditt inre lite lyx

Emancipation
Revolution i rytm och ton
Du är allting annat än ett tjänstehjon
Varje rörelse del av din frigörelse
Akademien motverkar själslig förödelse
Och om en kamp svänger mer
kommer jag chansa på den
Allén har mer att ge
och du kan dansa så känn
Uppbrottets melodi, jag vill sjunga den
Och när jag sliter mig fri vill jag gunga den

Slunga den, David, Slunga den
Dom är tunga känn, Kvinna gunga dem
Slunga den, David,Slunga den
Dom är tunga känn. Mannen gunga dem

När man är kär
är det en underbar sak
varje dag blir jag kär

Capoeria as I know it

I never became good at it but I loved it, the movements, the people, the fun. This is what it could look like in a way, how the game is played, the music... It's funny, I met a guy this weekend in Stockholm who has studied the same as I at the same place, with a guy from the town I'm from who is the same age as I am...and practiced capoeira, in the same place as I did and had the same teacher. It seems as the biggest difference between us is that he is doing what I wished I did, working for the Swedish government in Brussels.

Life Will Kill You

by Clawfinger

You can't escape life just because you stopped living
But you're dead the same second you decide to just give in
And given the choice between your own life and death
I suggest that you cherish the time you have left
'Cause time waits for no one and we're all growing older
I've found myself looking more over my shoulder
I'd like to say fuck it I could be dead tomorrow
I'll deal with the pain and the stress the sorrow

Life will kill you, in the end we're all gonna die
Life will kill you, it doesn't matter how hard you try
Life will kill you, even if you don't give a damn
What part of your own death is that you don't understand

Death comes in all sizes all shapes and all colours
But we like to believe that it only happens to others
The closer we get we try to avoid it
We've tampered with nature so much we've destroyed it
It slips through our fingers the more we live
What the fuck are we thinking acting like we control it
It's a cold fact of life but we should try to be brave
How brave can you be with one foot in the grave

Life will kill you, in the end we're all gonna die
Life will kill you, it doesn't matter how hard you try
Life will kill you, even if you don't give a damn
What part of your own death is that you don't understand

Life will kill you, it's all a part of the great big plan
Life will kill you, even if you're in a rock and roll band
Life will kill you, so you might as well enjoy each breath
Life will kill you, and now you're three minutes closer to death

Scar(ed/y) Americans

Amnesty seminar in the woods

Busy days these days. I spent the weekend in Stockholm at a seminar in the woods, learning quite a few things about Amnesty (new campaign and changes within the organisation), the right to housing, proper care for pregnant women, being creative and many other things. There was also many and good conversations.

The mansion where the seminars were held and where we ate.

House for sleeping.

Outside the mansion...





...and the view from it during dinner.

Attentive listeners during one of the seminars.

My breakfast, very tasty.

Breakfast in the morning sun.

Other people's blogs

There are a few blogs that I read more or less regularly but pretty much only ones that belongs to people I know. It is a good way of leaning new things about these people, to know what's going on in their lives. Although every now and then I read things there that makes me sad and things that makes me remember... I don't always write comments on their blogs but I read them.

The Edge

Edge is working with Amnesty in November...


Keep an eye open for this all over Sweden and the world:

Mekhi

Watching the ER. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) is in Darfur and trying to help. Part from all the really awfull stuff, there is ONE more positive thing is this episode. Mekhi walking in a tank top under the sun, sweating. I only missed him smiling (which obviously not gonna happen today). Sorry for being so superficial but just wait until you've seen him smile on the TV :-P

Right & wrong

Why do the wrong people say the right things and the right people say the wrong things? It's frustrating even if it's nice to hear nice things, even if it's the wrong people saying them.

This is CISV

Mary asked me about the aim of this organization and here is the answer to it. I just want to add that I still have sporadic contact with some of the people who were involved in the exchange 1994 (Hamburg) and 1997 (São Paulo). Some years ago I even went with my family to Brazil and stayed in my Brazilian friend's house for five days and even if it had passed several years since we had met and really talked, we kind of just continued where we had left off and were still friends.

"CISV is a charitable, independent, non-political, volunteer organization promoting peace education and cross-cultural friendship.

Building Global Friendship

We are a global community of dedicated volunteers, creating opportunities for all ages to experience the excitement and enrichment of cultural diversity through our educational programmes. We are founded on our belief that peace is possible through friendship - and that the real difference can be made by starting with children.

CISV provides a range of unique, education group activities, which develop cross-cultural understanding in children, youth and adults from around the world. By encouraging respect for cultural difference and the development of self-awareness, CISV empowers each participant to incorporate these values into their lives as they become global citizens and strive for a more peaceful world."

To overestimate

I wonder which is worse, to underestimate people or to overestimate them? I think if anything I tend to overestimate some people. I think they understand more than they do (especially after I've explained to them) but the worst thing is when I feel that people try to make me believe that they don't understand just to make it easier on themselves. I really don't understand that. Maybe when I'm fifty.

Sunday Morning

by No Doubt. They have so much great energy, not the least Gwen and I like her voice and her style. She's sexy, cool and very different. The album this song is from is, Tragic Kingdom, is also kind of the soundtrack to very special period of my life, that is when I was in Brazil 1997.

Drinking tea & writing article

That is what I am doing at the moment. It's apple and cinnamon tea out of the very big mug my sister gave me for Christmas last year, I like it a lot. I feel that I need something tasty and good for my somewhat tired mind when I am trying to write a small article for a student magazine that I am not even involved with. A guy in my Amnesty group just asked me if I wanted to write something about the organization while he was going to write about the death penalty and I said yes. I am just thinking how rearrange the text so that it's most logical and interesting. I should get back to that and not spending my time writing this text which hasn't got a deadline attached to it. :-) And YES dad, I will read it through before turning it in ;-)

I think of...

...some people more than they know. Every day. Elephants rule!

I Wanna Be Somebody

I want, therefore it is?

»Människan föredrar att tro på det han helst håller för sant.»
Francis Bacon

Man prefers to believe what he prefers to think is true.

I strongly believe that is true.

Busy day

It started when I left home at 10.20 am and finished when I got home at about 10.40 pm. No, that's not right, that is only the time I was doing things outside my home. Since then I have had to send some emails and a job application and that's just the start. I have so many things to do and so many things I want to do. Like now I FEEL like doing something that doesn't even have a deadline. I should get back to my emailing now :-) So this is and will always be a quite boring post in the blogosphere, sorry about that. Over and out...Amnesty work, here I come! You first Taif.

Sky Is Over

by Serj Tankian (former lead singer System of a Down). Don't forget to listen to his unique voice and the piano.

"Sky Is Over"

Everybody knows,
Everybody knows,
That you cradle the sun, sun
Living in remorse,
Sky is over,

Dont you want to hold me baby,
Disappointed, going crazy,

Behind closes eyes lie
The minds ready to awaken you,
Are you at war with land
And all of its creatures,
Your not-so-gentle persuasion
Has been known to wreck economies
Of countries, of empires, the sky is over,

Not even from the sun,
Dont you want me to run,

Even though you cant afford
The sky is over
Even though we cant afford
The sky is over,
I dont want to see you go,
The sky is over

(the lyrics are shortened down to make it quicker for you, the reader, to read)