Las Vegas in Idol

Tove is a charm. Everone must love her.
Reza is a pro! Her interpretation of "New York" was cool and truly professional.
I think Eddie was slightly off tune, but sometimes it seems the jury doesn't mention such things, or is it something wrong with my ears maybe?
Erika is slightly better than what the jury tells her. Every time.
Mariette is making a very good performance every time. Don't know why the guys in the jury don't like her. Don't they think they would make money on records made by her?
Calle, well they say he can sing. He is doing his best, but it's a bit boring to me.
Erik gives me the shiver every time. Feeling is all that matters, and he's got that.
Rabih was singing something he probably has sung before. No challenge and no success.

I like the Las Vegas theme. It makes me think back when I was a child and there was that kind of music on the radio, typically on the weekends. Long time ago.

Found a brilliant Swedish book.. see you later...

There is nothing like reading a Swedish book written by a knowledgeable writer in an area which interests you. It is not a thick brick like American books tend to be. It's facts, condensed, not using more words than necessary. Just explaining enough to make it clear. Expecting intelligent readers.
I'm sure more people in the world would read books if some writers weren't payed per word ..

Sweden is a lawless country since we consider ourselves more Christian than others

In Sweden a young man can deliberately kill a young woman and get away with it. He will only have to spend less than two years in some special custody. He was only a childish child so we look upon it with forgiveness. We forgive everyone in this country, whatever the person has done. Isn't that very human?

The short sad story: A boy is in love with a girl. He kisses another girl and the first girl get furious (my guess). She tells him he must kill the girl he kissed. She tells him how and when he should do it. He goes ahead and kills her. They are both convicted to one year and eight months. They are 16 years old and the girl was 15 when she was killed. Yes, they are kids, but if you are grown up you get maximum ten years and are probably released after five (I believe). Five years is not a lifetime.

There was another case where a young man was kicked to death. The ones who did it are out on the streets after one year. If you kill a wolf you get longer punishment.

What is the message to the young criminals? They they don't need to be afraid to kill someone?

A human life is worth nothing here if you are a victim. (Should I mention that the parents of the killed girl get 60000 SEK, and not 6 millions). Your life is only very valuable if you are the commiter of the crime. That is how we interpret the Christian forgiveness in this country.

What will the consequences be when criminals will gather here since the country is perceived as lawless?

What is the freak bimbo doing in Tinas show?

What are these freak-blondes doing all over the TV these days? It seems not even the chef Tina, can have a show without hosting an operated bimbo in the kitchen, who is waving the knife like a kid who may hold it for the first time.

Why isn't there a single TV-show without a blond with operated lips, nose, breast and you don't want to know what... Any little girl who watch TV will surely notice that a lot of women have strangely operated lips, and arms slim as noodles.

What kind of message is that to our daughters? If you want to go anywhere in the world and come from Sweden, you should do all sorts of operations and behave like an idiot and go for beauty contests!? I'm sure Victoria Silvstedt is a very talented and hardworking model/actress/singer or whatever she is. Fine. Give her TV time when men are watching, late at night.. not in shows where young girls and young women are in the audience!

Tina is a good chef, a very natural person and good looking too. She serves as a good example for any young girl. Why destroy her show by inviting a 35-year old freak bimbo?

A special picture

Almost a week ago, someone asked me "How about YOU?", "How are you doing?"
I quickly answered "I'm fine. No problem."

Then I suddenly saw this picture in front on me, where I'm standing on a running track, holding a baton in my hand. I felt like someone was pointing out to me that it was no way I could stay there. I was fortunate enough to have a baton, and the opportunity to run. Go on and run girl.
Life is waiting ahead..

Some more thoughts on the Swedish bad boy

Maybe I should explain for those who has never heard about this journalist and writer (Jan Guillou), that he is known to be quite mean in all public discussions. He is smart, with a rich vocabulary and a rhetoric experience that probably scares the shit out of people since he can easily make them look very bad.

He was recently mocking another writer who was positive to the idea of having books on internet, by pointing out that his colleague didn't sell as many books (as he does himself). He has also said about one of his old intelligent friends, that he only could socialize with new-rich people, since he didn't have good enough manners (as he has himself, with his upper-class background). Please note that this what he is saying about a friend...

Since he comes across as mean (I don't know him in person and can only refer to what is written about him and what he has written himself) I find it amusing to hear him explain his agent experience with a foreign state as childish, naif and simpleminded. Why should we believe that he didn't know what he was doing?

But honestly, hasn't he proven to be quite childish, naif and simpleminded also regarding other topics during the years?

A bad boy on today's headline

All countries have their bad boys. Controversial individuals that some people hate but others look up to, because they know what the public opinion likes to hear, and use that in order to be very arrogant and rude in a way others never dare to be. They also tend to believe that they are smarter than everyone else. One example is the Swedish journalist and writer Jan Guillou and another example is Berlusconi in Italy.

Guillou was involved in revealing some secret organization in the 70-ties. A big scandal. Since then he has been all over the place, as a provocateur and the one who always wants to get the last word in any public discussion.

Very funny is that he seems to hate the fact that he is now old and part of the establishment and he doesn't provoke people that much any longer. Therefor he is very rude especially to young provocative women. Another funny thing is that he seems to hate feminists, but we all know that if he would have been a woman he would have been the worst feminist of all.

He is one of the most read Swedish writers. That fact surprises me because I've got a lot of books, but not a single one written by him. He has been very much into writing about secret agents and such things. He has also written a very violent book about his childhood (it has been filmed too, as many of his books). I believe his book could inspire bullying in schools, just as his spy novels could inspire macho types to become criminals or violent cops. I'm not much into reading violent books where guns play an important role and where there are no interesting female portraits. I rather read international bestsellers or classics, where there isn't only exciting stories but also some credible human beings.

Now it seems this guy was a Russian spy for many years before he became known! (today's headline in Expressen) Is anyone really surprised?

This will give him more publicity, he will sell more books and become even richer. What does he do with all his money, after he has been spending a lot on expensive wines and other luxuries? Does he keep them? I hardly believe he would give them away to starving children, rather to... well, who knows....??

Encouraging songs

I'm quite fond of this text, but it only works as sing-along, otherwise it feels like "ok, good for you". My only objection is "living my life for me". I'm not sure that's the right receipt.





An old classic I always liked is this one. I like the idea of not giving up on dreams.
But there is quite of lot of climbing to do and streams to forge. Since she uses "you" it feels like she is giving some advice to keep on moving and not give up!
"Last all you life" is also a bit optimistic isn't it? Especially is the life is devoted to climbing and forging...

I like it with the old nun singing as in the original from Sound of Music, but this one is quite emotional too.. (my advice is to stop when they start talking...)

I remember when my mother brought us to the movies to see Sound of Music..

Idol feedback

Can't help myself from writing some more on the Idol subject. I didn't understand why the jury had some fireworks this time, that took away the interest from the music. Since the audience hate when any of their favorites have to leave the show, a lack of firework will result in a lot of extra votes for that person. Isn't that what you call contra-productive?

It is also annoying how the sport commentator is favoring some of the artists, especially some of the guys. Try to like the young girls too, will you?

I believe we will soon see Nicklas, who had to leave the show, in some boy band soon. He looked like every mother-in-laws dream and seemed well behaved and nice. Those guys are normally quite successful (since both mothers and daughters like them) especially if they can sing too, and this guy could sing.

The advice for the artist who has to sing again is not to give up. One of them is usually singing with a "this is the last time I perform in Idol" look on the face, while the other one is singing with "it's good for my career to get even more minutes on the TV screen" look on his face. Who looks like a winner in such a duel??

Idol and the Swedish music phenomenon

Some people are born into the music industry, with the right genes, the right contacts and the right education. But most people aren't.

I believe one of the reasons Sweden has such a lot of good musicians, and such a successful music industry, is that there has been a great music education for kids since many many years in this country. I'm talking about the communal music school, where you take lessons after school. The communal musical school and all the courses that were subsidized made it possible for most kids to such training.

Many of those teachers have now lost their jobs. That happened before the financial crisis, it's all political. So I guess in the future, we won't have the same musical industry. If there is no diversification, you don't get all the talents.

Talking about talents, I think the Idol competitors this year keep an high standard. Tonight Mariette, Tove and also Nichlas gave me a bit of shivering when listening. Erik is also a favorite.

I'm no paparazzi!

This is a small town, Stockholm. I was just buying some vanilla custard, and tried to hear what a friend of mine was saying on my i-phone, when there was this man who talked really loud on his mobile. I couldn't hear what my friend was talking about, and not only due to the i-phone, but rather this loud speaking person!

The shop was more or less empty apart from a sudden crowd of well dressed gentlemen just in front of the dairies, where I was trying to find my custard.

Suddenly I realized that the guy who destroyed my phone conversation was Sweden's coming prince, the one who is going to marry the crown princess! The well dressed gentlemen that looked suspiciously at me and my phone were his body-guards!

For a second I was thinking why not turn around and take a photo or video of him. But no, that's for paparazzi's, not for me. If he wants to buy some cream next to me, he is welcome. He's just an ordinary guy.

But I don't agree with my friend who told me I should have made my vanilla custard myself. Then I wouldn't have mingled with the almost Royal people in front of the dairies, would I?

To miss opportunities

The worst thing is to be frightened, isn't it?

When starting a relation one can not be too afraid to be hurt.

When arranging a party one can not expect it to be too boring.

When giving birth one can not be too afraid of the pain.

When living one can not be too afraid of death.

When applying for a job, one can not fear not being able to manage it.

When making a jump one can not hesitate at all.

To be afraid is to miss opportunities in life.

To miss opportunities is a shame, isn't it?

Does a man only need an expensive watch?

I'm amazed. What different things we need. I happened to get a magazine for women but also a magazine for men. I wasn't so surprised by the female magazine. I already know that we need different sorts of makeup and lots of expensive clothes, and sexy underwear, and perfume, and cool boots and exclusive bags and fancy party outfit and causal weekend clothes and not to mention lots of treatment for our hair.

I had no idea that men only need an expensive watch and new underwear to be happy, and maybe a suit. According to the advertisers.

Are you crazy about some team? Why?

Sport fans seem to forget that sport is all about playing and having fun. It seems they think "I've grown up loving this football team, so the label is part of my personality".

Sometimes I believe some people care more about sport results, than they care about their relatives.

Maybe it's in our genes, to love the place where we come from (like the Salmon does). Since there aren't much small places and villages any longer, maybe people stick all their lives to some football or hockey team instead.

How to get slim, rich and happy without breaking even

There is a wild sales pyramid ongoing in houses close to you. Again. I feel that either I'm no business woman or everyone else come from another planet. Let me explain.

First you buy a pretty large amount of something that happens to be twice as expensive as in the shop. You do that because of two reasons, the first is that you will get slim and healthy and the second is that you will get rich. Isn't that marvelous?

How do you know that you will get slim and healthy? Because some people say so. Do they have any proofs?

Yes, first there is someone who has experienced it, himself. But we are not allowed to check the proofs, we are supposed to believe his word for it. But he or she looks nice, why should anyone lie to us?

Then there are also scientific proofs made by some University somewhere, or some famous doctors or some health guru. Of course you believe in authorities, don't you? Nobody seems to question if the scientific result was especially relevant for this product, or if it is as relevant for any similar product you can buy in the store. But why should they omit such information?

Of course there is also some new ingredient that we've never heard about before that is very very healthy. They show a table with figures and compare to some other healthy things we know. The figures convinces you that it is really true. Antioxidants is the magic word. The unit for measuring this healthiness is some unknown unit per weight. We don't know the assumptions for the comparison, like if the ingredients were all dry, or if they were at all similar or comparable. (This is really the most important proof for the healthiness of the ingredients and the product as such). But why shouldn't they be honest about that?

Sometimes the proof can be demonstrated. Or there is someone bringing some witness from using a machine that shows that the antioxidants increase in your body when you eat this healthy thing. I have seen that machine. It measures how orange your skin is, which seems to be considered a good measurement on how much healthy antioxidants you have eaten. I don't believe that the level of carotene (orange) you have in your skin is a trustworthy measurement unless you only want to measure how much carrots you have eaten. Besides, we didn't see the machine, we only heard someone talking about it, without any proofs. But, why should he lie about it?

The product they are selling is twice as expensive as in any normal shop. I have to pay a fortune for a large box, if I want to "join". Then I have the chance of becoming rich. There are always some very rich, healthy and successful people that live abroad and don't have to work any more to show up as witnesses. You want to become one of them, don't you? You can also become rich! Don't you want to become rich?

In all of these pyramid programs it seems you have to move quickly. There is always something new that has happened. Or the idea is new. Or the pyramid has just started. You are almost on the top! The pyramid seems to be brand new during half a year, at least. When you have joined you have to get new people into the game. Quickly. Many people. Otherwise you will not get rich. That is the whole idea. AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP BUYING YOURSELF

My problem is that I don't want to pay a lot of money for something I can buy in the store. I don't want to try to make my friends buy things from me, that is twice as expensive as in the shop. I don't believe in what any of these people are saying. Because they are good marketeers. Because they make people believe they heard something they didn't hear. Because people trust what people tell them. Why should they lie or not be 100% honest?
There is a very simple answer to that. Because they want me to join, so they can become rich.

Either I'm no business woman, or everyone else are stupid. I think people should ask themselves, what will this cost me? When will I reach break-even? Bu they don't.
Isn't that something we should learn at school, before getting rich, you have to break even?!

(If those people find me and give me problems, you know I was telling the truth; they do anything to get rich..)

I love this toy, and the telecom industry should be happy

First I couldn't resist an i-phone when my old phone lost its buttons. I need the GPS, the maps, the compass and to check mails constantly. I have got a subscription with free surfing, and since I've not yet filled my i-phone with all the music I've already got, I watch YouTube on the subway instead. To fit whatever mood I'm in for the moment.



People like me are boosting the telecom industry.

The old teacher's comment

Some days ago I ran into a teacher from school who used to know my family. She said "Of course you can have your company if you want, you are a "(my last name)".
That made me completely stunned. We don't run companies in my family! And I'm not from some fancy rich family. Her comment didn't make sense to me. Yet, it felt like it was more of a reflection, than she just wanted to say something nice.

Since then I've been trying to see things from her point of view. We kids were extremely ambitious at school, that's true. Maybe she had noted that we didn't have a tradition to study, but yet we all went to University or High School and got good jobs. Or maybe she was thinking of my mother who is a strong woman, and tend to realize whatever ideas she has got.

So now I'm thinking, I was bright at school and people tell me I'm like my strong mother. Old teachers aren't stupid.

Overflow of facts

I really understand why young people are stressed and depressed. Not only do they have to watch their bodies transform from something familiar to something else, and they have to wait many years to see whether their bodies will end up looking like a movie star or a some ugly member of the family.

They also have to watch their middle aged parents, who can't be funny to watch too closely. Annoyed over their aging bodies and how they run out of time, they frenetically try to sport like idiots, work like idiots or change family or something else completely immature.

They also have to be aware of all the facts. I'm not talking about YouTube and Wikipedia. I'm talking about homework. Who are the most knowledgeable when it comes to facts and details about climate crises, political experiments and not to mention our completely insane history.

Or maybe it is just me. I've just studied humanities or social studies of whatever it's call together with my son. It's kind of depressing to read about all the slum, poverty and unemployment in the world, and how the industry has moved from Europe and US to Asia and Latin America. And the pollution. I'm not sure I like to be reminded about all the global facts.

One can always watch TV or get drunk or become some sort of sports fan.

Cool Kyle meets garden Santa Claus

Sissela Kyle is one of my favorites. She is cool. She is an actress and comedienne. That was all I knew about her before tonight.

Ingvar Oldsberg is a TV reporter that I never look at. If he is on, I switch channel immediately. He used to be in those sports shows where they talk forever about nothing. I never watch those unless I've fallen asleep, and in that case he would give me nightmares. Imagine a person with a head that looks like a football, who is bold, laud and with a smile and the sensitivity of one of those garden Santa Claus. I think old people like him, because he speaks out clear and laud and laughs at his own jokes. I am not deaf yet, and he has never been funny.

Sissela was a guest at his talkshow "here is your life" tonight. She saved the show for him, even though he behaved like an elephant in a glass shop. She talked to him nice and slowly, putting a hand on his arm and joking with him in a warm way. Isn't that super professional?

One strange thing was that he implied that she was gay through the whole show, until her husband (called partner) turned up in the very end. Isn't that rude? She even had to explain why she had participated in some pride show. "I'm not afraid of them" was her answer.

I would be afraid if I met Ingvar Oldsberg in my garden.

Squareheaded people everywhere

Yesterday I joined the own company fair. There were lots of people encouraging others to start their own companies. They offered professional coaching. I found a person who was a recommended coach, and I told her I had a particular idea I wanted to discuss and get some feedback on. I found her when she had nobody else to talk to but me. "You can't just have an idea" she told me. You go home and make a business plan and a budget, then you come on a information meeting and after that you might get coaching, maybe next year".
I wanted advice on an idea yesterday, not next year. Wrong timing and the wrong person.

I love when people do as I tell them

After one hour on the phone to the Big Hospital I reached a nurse. Isn't it amazing that in 2009 we still have to wait on the phone! For hours! I had almost forgotten why I called when it was my turn.

Nothing urgent. I just wanted a cure of some old medicine that I usually get a couple of times a year and the doctor to write me such a prescription. The nurse asked what phone-number the doctor could use to contact me. I told her that he didn't need to speak to me in person, since I've seen him already plenty of times and even quite recently. I proposed that he could just send me an e-mail when the prescription was ready, so I would know when to fetch the medicine at my local drug store. I also told her what doses I wanted and gave her my e-mail address.

After an hour the nurse called me up. I could hear the smile in her voice when she told me that the (old fashioned white haired) doctor had done exactly as I told her. Except writing the mail...
I guess she must have been as amazed as I was.

Curious about the man behind the prize

This peace prize made me curious. Who is deciding on who should get the prize?
A group of five Norwegian politicians, headed by some guy. I quickly read all the articles I could find about him.

He is known to have done the most stupid thing in recent Norwegian political history. Gro Harlem Bruntland who is a cool lady called him stupid. Maybe he wants to change what will be written about him in the history books?

He is known to be a networking guy. He has been networking with all the social leaders in the world for many years. And he has been writing a book about a famous German politician, that's even better than networking isn't it?

He seems to do certain things for one year only, but the titles look good in his CV. He has an economical degree which is one year (?) (according to Wikipedia, didn't know Norway had one year degrees). He was prime-minister for one year. He was minister of foreign affairs for one year.

He likes to get those roles that have a nice title, but no power. He has been President of the Norwegian parliament. In Sweden that role is called "speechman" (talman), since he is the one who keeps track of who is the next to give a speech.

Recently he has advanced to do more advanced things as secretary-general in the European council, as far as I understand. European council, you may ask, is that part of the European Union? No, it's a completely different organization with other members. How he got the job? Well, some people say that some large country helped him. Maybe they just didn't want to have his Polish competitor as a chairman.

He has also written books. That's really good marketing! His name is Jagland, by the way, the political networking and personal marketing specialist who gave away a price that might not help the peace in the world.

Let's hope I'm wrong. Let's hope it was a brilliant choice. I like Obama so far, I'm just reading his book about his dads dream. Of course I would like all wars to stop immediately! I'm just not sure this Norwegian guy really knows how to make that happen. Or maybe he does...?

Designers showing off in Idol

I was watching Idol when I suddenly remembered something. I can usually tell who sings well (sometime even who will be the winner) by checking when my hair stands on its ends. It happened to me when Erik was singing and then also during the Mariette, Tove and the Asian girl's performances. Today it was strongest when Erik sang.

The jury has a tricky job, because if they criticize anyone too much, people feel sorry for him (or her) which results in a lot of extra votes. I think it's good that they tell when the singers have been out of tune. It sounds terrible but it seems most people don't hear the difference since they vote for them anyway. I usually don't vote until the real final. By the way, my kids who are teenagers, don't even watch the show. Yet they are much more likely to buy music than I am.

I imagine that different singers attract different groups of audience. Many people out there especially middle age men and people in small cities love anything rocky which some singers always benefit from. Winners have to be popular across different groups of audience.

My advice to the participants would be to behave as natural as possible. The girl who had to leave the show tonight, had some image problems. Image problems seems to be more common among the girls than the guys. They are being dressed up in all kinds of strange outfits that makes them feel uncomfortable. I've seen a lot of overdone hair-do and too sexy clothes during the years. If the girls don't like the style, people can feel it. The girl who had to leave the show tonight almost looked a bit like Madonna when she sang, and she was a good singer too, but she made some terrible moves with her long legs spread wide apart that didn't look good together with the strange skirt she was wearing. I think the designers showed off on the poor girls expense. By the way, it is not clear to me if there is any dance instructor involved..

Unknown to me

Sounds good to me that it was a women who got the Nobel price in literature, but I must admit I have not read anything written by her. As a matter of fact I've never heard of Herta Müller before.

How to get away from the homogenous crowd?

From one thing to another. Today I was reminded about the competition again.
There are lots and lots of guys with the same experience as I have, applying for the same jobs as I do.
First when I see them I think, "what a boring crowd, I'm different compared to them". But then I talk to a few of them, and I realize that we have the same background, and our applications probably look the same. They are pretty intelligent and ambitious guys. They can do similar things as I can do. They have similar ideas.

It's clear that I need to differentiate. I need to find my own way. The question is which way is mine and how should I find it?

Looking back at times in my life where I had to take a decision, I was pretty much a coward. Sometimes I took a risk, but most of the times I didn't, and that's something I do regret today.

So the only thing I'm quite sure about is that this time I need to be prepared to take a risk. If I don't risk anything I won't win anything. I just want to take the right risk. Maybe that's nothing but a contradiction isn't...? That's because I'm tired.

Should Idol be called Model?

It seems they should have renamed Idol to Model instead.

What's his name, the bear-like guy with too much self-confidence and small eyes...
he seems to think he should select a boy band who can do playback and not sing

He told several women that he didn't like their style
but it turned out they were great singers and beautiful too

He gives some old private favorite the chance to be handpicked although she can't sing, while some other cool girl with a voice is neglected.

He told one guy that if he would have had the other sex he would liked to drawn in his eyes (what rubbish!)

And how did he dare to look as if he was jealous of this wonderful guy with glasses and also mention the glasses in his feedback?

I think he should be ashamed of himself. Good television isn't everything.

We also don't want to hear him put his exwife on some sort of test. She and the third guy in the jury are all professional, and trying their best to do a good job.

Personality is a good thing on TV, but you need to shape up!

Who grieves the most?

I learned something recently.

If someone is going to die
you grieve because you will loose that person

If you are that someone
you grieve because you will loose everybody at once

My lavatory rhyme

If you care
and want to protect

If you look up to
and do respect

If you wish to give
without getting back

If you may believe
a better self is revealed

Is it only me
who call these

small pieces of love?

Staying alive

When I hear this song, I remember a summer language course in Western Germany, where I made friends with a girl from Dalarna. We two were dancing like crazy at the local discotheques, to this music.
How innocent I was, and how innocent my parents must have been. The German girl in the family I was visiting was on drugs, but I was just dancing disco and walking home alone in the night through the empty streets...

The very old man

The subheading used to be "instead of mails, so nobody needs to answer" to this blog... Here I am again, blogging.

I'd like to tell you about the old man I sometimes see in the grocer's shop. He must be around 90 years old, but he stares at me in a quizzically way as if he was much younger or a bit mad. He must have been a charm in his days. I think I've seen him with a very old lady.
The other evening he said "Are you allowed to be out this late?" which made me laugh out laud. The only laugh that day. Thanks old man!

Idol

Don't know why I find Idol so fascinating. Maybe because I've been participating in contests myself. But then I had taken lessons and practiced for many years.

There are lots of very talented young people out there who wants to become a star in Idol. But some of them seemed to have walked directly from singing in the shower on to the stage. Hey, the other ones are almost professional... you'd better start by performing at school or at local events in front of friends, before making a fool of yourself in the TV show, that's my advice.

However, the ones the jury has selected now are all very good. I'll follow the show...