Quite so

This blog is hibernating

2011-04-03T21:08:00.003+02:00

It might be back, it might not.

COP15

2009-12-08T19:39:00.008+01:00

On Saturday, I will join tens of thousands of activists from Denmark, Europe and the world, who will mostly discuss, shout and march in the streets of Copenhagen. At the same time, our leaders might decide how seriously we should try to save the humans of the planet from unpleasant global climate change.

Carbon tax, cap-and-trade, carbon storage, green economy, windmills, bike subsidies or whatever other solution the world leaders, economists and scientists come up with: it seems likely that the Western world needs to get its act together and cut consumption big time.

If we look at a leaked climate change agreement draft cited by the UK's Guardian online newspaper, it seems like the key interpretation might be the one of the phrase "common but differentiated responsibility". In Copenhagen, I will mostly say and shout that the so-called developed countries should bear the main responsibility for a fair but most importantly effective climate deal. But history will most likely be rough on developing countries as well, should the world's presidents, kings, dictators, prime ministers and autocrats fail to reach a decent agreement.

Carnival, the Rhineland way

2009-02-21T15:53:00.005+01:00

After organising a five-day conference on student empowerment in Prague, going to a German carnival felt like the right thing to do. My visa card was eaten by a Prague airport cash machine, so I had to rely on good Samaritans in order to get via Cologne to Jens's apartment in Mainz. Thanks to Hanne in Prague, a Dutch-German couple at the baggage belt in Cologne and an Italian at the airport train station, I was able to raise enough money to get there.

The Mainz name of this tradition is Fastnacht. Since there is a rivalry between Mainz and Cologne about who are best at celebrating, it's probably best to check out the Carnival in Cologne also.

The Rhine-meandering train ride between Mainz and Cologne is also in itself an ok reason to go to the latter.

End of a meeting day

2008-12-18T00:05:00.006+01:00

At 11.30 PM the executive committee of the European Students' Union decided that the meeting was over. Alma (second from left) and Bruno went on to teach Anita (left) and Ligia how to make Danish Christmas decorations and gave a brief history lesson on Portuguese-language popular music respectively.

Not quite Verdun

2008-11-11T11:32:00.003+01:00

More or less exactly 90 years ago, the armistice that concluded World War I was agreed upon by the major powers. The total number of dead, around 20 million, was exceeded by the next big war, but WW I is still called "The Great War" by the British.

Some of us might want to use this anniversary to go and see the sites of the greatest battles, and to be visually reminded of this testament to human folly. Instead, we are sitting in offices, doing preparation for meetings, being at meetings, reading documents or writing emails about the big and small conflicts in European higher education. The big question of the day is not whether Germany should mobilise its war machine against France and vice versa.

We should not be satisfied with a Europe where families and individuals struggle for a roof over their heads and food for their kids, or where individuals are harassed for being different from the majority of people in their societies. But sometimes it is ok to feel lucky for not being at war.

Checkpoint conversation

2008-10-14T11:15:00.002+02:00

German guard: Do you live in Europe?
Georgian girl: Yes....
Guard: Do you live in Georgia?
Girl: Yes...
Guard: Is Georgia in Europe?
Girl: We want to be part of Europe.
Guard: Get out.

Heard at the Munich airport passport control point for EU citizens.

Under construction

2008-09-27T14:08:00.005+02:00

YEREVAN: Armenia doesn't only have a student movement that is figuring out how to organise itself. It has a biblical mountain which gives name to chicken dishes as well as local cognac; enough churches to satisfy the most devout Armenian Orthodox Christian; and, from a pedestrian's view, uncompromising drivers. “They are considering it a favour to you to if they stop to let you pass, even if you go across the zebra crossing while your light is green”, one of my hosts said.

Yerevan varies between charmingly Armenian (words are hard to find) and unsympathethically Soviet in its design. It is a certainly a good place to spend a long weekend, even if the plot doesn't go exactly as planned. But apart from trouble finding a hotel and entry and exit taxes of 40 and 30 Euro respectively, Armenia was easy to like.

On Thursday last week, Jens and I met Meline and Sven of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We talked a bit and prepared for the meeting with Armenian students. Jens is the European Students' Union expert on this country and was presenting a report on the Armenian student movement. I'd read the report and was hoping to contribute with something as well.

- Why are both of the ESU representatives male?

ESU has just commented (and implyingly critisised) that by far the most of the student council leaders are male, so this is obviously a fair question from one of the approximately 30 students that are present. Particularly when it is posed to an organisation that prides itself on progressive equality policies.

Jens explains that ESU has gender quotas and I add that the organisation's two top positions are inhabited by women. Then we move on to discuss Germany, Norway, Europe and a lot of other situations, and conclude that Armenian students are pretty cool, at least the ones Jens and I met.

Season 2008-09: Brussels

2008-09-07T20:10:00.007+02:00

Brussels is a city of bureaucrats, lobbyists, and it also has a bunch of normal human beings. As of Monday last week, I am one of these creatures who work on promoting some kind of European agenda in the political capital of this continent. In my case, it is the student agenda that is the reason for being here.

Right now I live in what some called the immigrant neighbourhood of the city. This means I'm two metro stops and fifteen minutes walk from, for example, the royal palace, which looked ok. Although they have internet in this city, it's not very likely that I'll update this blog more often than I have during the last year.

National day

2008-05-17T14:08:00.008+02:00

Novelist Edvard Hoem pays tribute to language pioneer Ivar Aasen and preaches a stricter language norm. Then we sang The Norwegian, Norway's real national anthem.

At Tina Marii's, champagne and omelette was served. There was also the occasional laugh.

Light rain, national costumes and a subtle advertisement.

Bloody tweets

2008-04-27T22:47:00.007+02:00

If you find the opinions and updates of present blog too superficial, I recommend you don't take a look at this.

The day the winter died

2008-03-08T16:00:00.002+01:00

Skiing in drizzling rain and on slippery ice the last kilometres of the washed-out tracks that wound up at Sognsvann tube station, I declared the winter of 2008 to be officially dead.

Good news for everyone

2008-02-19T21:28:00.005+01:00

The semicolon may be the most difficult punctuation mark in the Norwegian language. In English prose, it's "a pretentious anachronism", according to an opinion cited in the New York Times. But NY subway driver Neil Neches knows his ABC. The Times treats its grammar-conscious readers to a news gem under the utterly geeky headline "Celebrating the Semicolon in a Most Unlikely Location".

A proper click winner, as the journos in Norway would say.

Death of a penalty

2007-12-15T10:27:00.000+01:00

While listening to The United States' finest rocker and surfing the web aimlessly as modern humans often do, I stumbled across a news story saying New Jersey will abolish capital punishment.

For those who see the United States as a fascinating and often progressive country albeit with a significant amount of silly flaws, this is splendid news. In a country that has its share of murdering bastards, taking one step back and re-considering the consequences of the cruelty, barbary and blind vengefulness of the death penalty takes guts.

New Jersey is home to the TV mafia family Sopranos, but also to the aforementioned rocker Bruce Springsteen. The latter's lyrical fight for social justice may or may not be one of the causes of the state legislature's decision. At least to those of us who don't live in The US of A, Springsteen has given colourful insights and shown tragic fates of the American working class, including those wretched guys who, guilty or not, wound up on death row.

Time is on my side

2007-10-07T21:45:00.000+02:00

The sooner one gets out of the apartment on the lazy days of the weekend, the more meaning the day offers. Today I trudged out the door at 10:40 AM, which is pretty decent for a Sunday.

Achievements: some work done at the office; reading large parts of a quality weekly paper while sunbathing on a bench; listening to an occasionally interesting conversation between novelist Ragnar Hovland and cartoonist Steffen Kverneland at Oslo's new literature house; watching Michael Moore's wonderfully crafted "Sicko" at the movies; catching up with old flatmate Robin.

Not a Sunday to remember when I'm fifty, but well above average.

Gallupocracy

2007-09-09T19:39:00.000+02:00

The national media's portrayal of the Norwegian election campaign more resembles the singing contest Idol than a political content debate. Maybe it's because the local election struggles can only be fought in the local press. Or maybe it's because it's so much more convenient to roll a dice to characterise Lars's and Jens's performances, rather than ask them why they won't answer whether rush hour tax is a good way to save the environment.

While the government cuts funding for higher education, journalists are more concerned with analysing internal party consequences of a 2 per cent dive in the polls. Must the leader go? Has the party failed to grip its core voters? Who are the core voters, anyway? These are fair sociological questions, but far from important compared to the actual content and consequences of the parties' policies.

Neil Postman blamed television for the decline in the quality of the American public debate (Amusing Ourselves to Death, 1985). The party debates in this Kingdom's biggest TV channel are introduced to the chorus of "Let me entertain you". You don't need to be a grumpy old bastard to see that the system's seriously fucked up.

But don't forget to vote tomorrow! A worryingly high proportion of young people don't.

White knight

2007-07-14T18:01:00.000+02:00

- Can you help me move?
- Sure.
- Have you driven with a trailer before?
- No.

But logistics expert Thomas M. was up for the challenge, and safely transported present blogger's rubbish to his new dwelling at Grünerløkka.

In with the new

2007-07-01T17:47:00.000+02:00

The debut year in Oslo was under the patronage of the King's Army. During the second year I've spent almost as much time on the road as in the city. Today is the start of another year with Studentenes Landsforbund, and it looks at least as exciting as the previous one.

In the quest for better student grants, more funds for higher education and increased student involvement in research, here are four of my closest co-conspirators.

Tomorrow I'm moving from Erlend and Jakob's safe bachelor pad at Torshov (image) to an unknown future at Grünerløkka. Among the advantages of the new lodging : proximity to more cafés, walking distance to the city center and a fresh fish deli on the way home from work.

A real taste of Sweden

2007-06-16T10:08:00.000+02:00

STOCKHOLM: Novels become more alive when you read them in the environment they're describing. Reading Stieg Larssons posthumously published crime novels in the cafes of the Swedish capital beats most experiences I've had with this literary genre.

Men who hate women is a decent gysare, and not only because a journalist is the main character. The main plot is captivating, but the ending is so-so. The novel contains revenge, pointed characters, disturbing themes and tragic fates. It's definitely worth reading.

From what I have heard, Stieg Larsson was an old school journalist and died from a heart attack only 49 years old. A Swede I met had spoken to Larsson numerous times.
"During the day he worked as a journalist. During the night he wrote novels. His body just couldn't take it anymore."

A warning to some of us. Without comparison to the Swedish master, see also the Facebook group "Studentpolitikere som jobber seg ihjel".

That's entertainment

2007-06-07T22:02:00.001+02:00

We know that the two crime authors at the bottom of the heap are brilliant. But in general I'm no fan of crime novels, so I'm a bit sceptic towards Thomas M.'s latest literary recommendation, which is lying on top. Jo Nesbø's talents include football, singing/songwriting and societal analysis, so I'm giving his debut novel Flaggermusmannen (The bat man) a try. The setting is my former country of residence for one year, Australia, so it shouldn't be that bad.

But before that, I'm attending a seminar on the Quality Reform of higher education in Norway. It happens at Ås, which this weekend also hosts the national board meeting of my acquintances in the other national student union in Norway.

Next week I'll be in Stockholm, enjoying a one-week vacation. The plan is to do absolutely nothing.

Walk the talk

2007-05-22T00:16:00.000+02:00

The currently running Studio 60 (TV 3) is created by the producer of the West Wing, and the show is completely ok. But there's no walking and talking. It's the walking that made the West Wing the best TV drama in the last ten years. Endless and intriguing dialogues, scenes of 20 seconds and more with the interlocutors discussing, drinking coffee and walking down stairs, through doors, past offices, and it's all filmed in one take. The profession of political adviser has never seemed sexier.

Pickup lines

2007-05-14T21:46:00.000+02:00

...for European student meetings:

"What's a sweet little girl like you doing on a meeting like this?"

"So, how do you like my degree structure?"

"Would you like to put an amendment in my pigeon hole?"

"I'd suspend my standing orders for you any day."

I haven't tried them, use at your own risk.

European Students' Union

2007-05-12T11:50:00.000+02:00

This is the new name of StL's European umbrella organisation. Other highlights from its 52nd Board Meeting: so-called statements explaining everything thinkable and unthinkable about voting behaviour and opinions about non-satisfactory decisions; occasional emotional outbursts from board members; and the adoption of a universal student rights charter.

Norsk på Tallinn

2007-05-01T09:00:00.000+02:00

Vice ordförande Pelle of Sveriges förenade studentkårer overviews Tallinn's old town from a vantage point. StL's very own Mikael Strand in the back.

At the Occupation Museum, Mikael is pondering which evil is worst. The Estonian people didn't even get the chance to choose only one of them, and were occupied by both the Soviets and the Nazis.

At the trolley bus, Tina Marii and Mikael are controlled by the ticket man (right).

The world in his hands: President Lasse of the Uni student union of Finland invents political campaigns on the fly. Here, the theme is how to get students to vote. StL plans to steal his workshop group's ideas to use them in the Norwegian regional and local elections in September.

The theme of the Nordic and Baltic ordförande möte (NOMBOM for short) was students and democracy. Parnuna of Greenland (left) and Hrönn of Iceland elaborate on the former speaker's thoughts.

From the unpublished archive

2007-05-01T08:52:00.000+02:00

BERLIN, MARCH: Olav (left) and Kim debate the great matters of the day. University pioneer Humboldt (statue) ponders the arguments. Photo by Tore Vånge

After walking for an entire day looking for Berlin's finest second-hand store, Tore and Kim decide to use modern technology to locate the site. Sabina from Finland is waiting in excitement.

Judean People's Front

2007-04-09T12:35:00.000+02:00

Five days from now, Studentenes Landsforbund (StL) may or may not decide to merge with Norsk Studentunion (NSU) and form one national student organisation in Norway. StL's general assembly convenes at Hamar this weekend to debate this matter, discuss policy issues and solve student world problems.

NSU decided in favour of this two weeks ago. I and many more hope the StL assembly will go for the merger as well.

If you're wondering what the title means, watch Monty Python's Life of Brian.

Almost White Christmas

2007-02-07T18:59:00.000+01:00

SLAVSKO, UKRAINE: Our Orthodox mates celebrate Christmas and New Year a couple of weeks later than their Norwegian guests Elena (front), Jeanette and Ina. They timed the beginning of winter a bit better than we did in Norway.

LVIV: Architecture PhD student Artam explains to Elena and Sine why many Lviv buildings have no more than three windows on each floor: the fourth used to be taxed in the old days.

LVIV: There's always time for an interview. This one's with one of Lviv's radio stations, I think. Photo by Elena Shelygina

SLAVSKO: Studentenes Landsforbund (StL) and the Ukrainian Association of Student Self-governments are now partners. The agreement is ceremoniously signed by President Anatoliy Ihnatovych and the StL International Officer. Photo by Elena Shelygina

KYIV: Straight from the night train, Olexiy, Elena and Sine bathe in the morning sun at a decent diner. Departing from Ukraine was a bit sad.

On the barricades, for once

2007-01-23T21:24:00.000+01:00

If you're considering taking higher education, stay away from professions that give low-paid jobs. The government's proposal for reform of the pension system makes the aforementioned combination a certain loser.

This is why Studentenes Landsforbund, Norsk Studentunion, Akademikerne, Unio, several of the political youth parties and many others will protest outside the Storting on Monday. The cause isn't as sexy as Vietnam or Iraq. But be there at 1PM, or miss one of the most important protests in your time as student.

In short, the proposed system only allows you to gain pension points for paid work. All your income throughout your life counts. Those who take higher education have to take up large loans and enter professional life later than those who start working straight after high school. The latter can make money for a much longer time, and thus secure a more solid pension.

This is serious shit, but our campaign to change the proposal is gathering momentum. We want pension points for studying. Students are flying in from Narvik, Bergen, Ålesund, Trondheim and even Copenhagen to protest. Are you coming?

The illustration was made by Thomas M. during our good ol' Volda days of student representation.

To Ukraine with love

2007-01-23T20:43:00.000+01:00

Pardon the cheap title paraphrase, but I'm off to Kiev on Thursday. Studentenes Landsforbund is meeting with the Ukrainian Association of Student Self-Governments to discuss what we can learn from each other.

My last and week-long journey to Ukraine was packed with diverse meetings, noisy night trains and lots of interesting people. The upcoming trip only lasts until Sunday, but it also includes all the aforementioned pleasures.

The picture above is taken in October, on the way to Kiev's Borispol airport. It's not the photographer's fault if the motive looks a bit blurry and weary.

Photo by Anthony Camilleri

5 things you didn't know about me

2007-01-06T16:43:00.000+01:00

Okay, you might know a few of them. Since the different readers of this column have known me for various amounts of time, some of these facts will hardly be news to all of you.

The challenge to present these information nuggets came from the journalist, literato and aspiring author Thomas M. If you, dear reader, write a similar piece on your blog it would be nice. But I'm not challenging you.

1. I'm not really from the Trøndelag area, but from the neighbouring region of Nordmøre. Most Norwegians can't really tell the big difference between the two, but I suffered through a mild identity and dialect crisis when I moved from Surnadal to Orkdal at the age of 13.

2. When I play the guitar, the most-imitated artist is Neil Young. Among the people who already know this are various flatmates throughout the last three years, who've had to endure my oft-repeated chord sequences and occasional attempts at melodic play.

3. My favourite football team is Blackburn Rovers, but I stopped being a passionate fan several years ago. My all-time favourite player is Alan Shearer, the best English striker in the 1990s.

4. My flatmates right now are Erlend and Jakob. Since I mostly use the apartment for sleep and food, I don't know them really well. What I do know is that they're both occasionally eager chess players and that they discuss wildly absurd topics rather often.

5. I bought a pair of running trainers yesterday. This means a new life of jogging and healthy lifestyle, until I again succumb to the old misconception that I'll be young and invincible until I'm forty no matter what I do to my body.

Sunset of a holiday

2007-01-02T18:51:00.000+01:00

Hamar railway station, 3:37 PM. Fortunately, we'll gradually see more of the sun every day. Tomorrow it's back to the office. I'm quite honest when I say that I'm looking forward to it.

May the sun shine a bit extra upon the readers of this column in 2007.

Talkin' Global Warming Blues

2006-12-26T16:36:00.000+01:00

Photo by Father

Everybody talks about the missing snow at least four times a day, so I shall say this only once: this isn't what an Orkdal panorama is supposed to look like on December 26, damn it!

Not your average Santa Claus

2006-12-26T15:33:00.000+01:00

Father is still able to fool a friend's kids when playing Santa. But he senses that each year they're getting increasingly suspicious that he's an imposter. Judging by the fur hat and the Dynamo Kiev scarf undeneath the seal-skin vest, Santa's from a country further east than Finland, as is usually claimed.

Mother got new shoes/clogs/whatever for Christmas (see feet). Some say this brand is ugly, but many love them for their comfort. Being the tactful person I am, I refrained from commenting the design.

Stasi and Solstad

2006-12-18T20:41:00.000+01:00

I almost never go to the movies. Watching The Lives of Others reminded me how much I appreciate the few that are worth seeing.

It's not loud, the special effects aren't the point of the movie and it involves both a tragic death and a semi-happy ending. Das Leben der Anderen is obviously not a Hollywood movie. The setting is East Berlin, 1984, and the protagonists are a free-thinking playwright and an eventually conscience-torn officer in the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, or Stasi.

The movie looks not more than good until the last part, but the ending is brilliant. The sobre and straightforward storytelling contributes just as much to the viewer's experience as the plot itself. (Since I'm seduced by this, it probably also means I watch European movies too rarely.)

My personal highlight is when bad guy Anton Grubitz, an officer hunting proof that the protagonist playwright is an enemy of the state, explains how a specific personality type of artists is most easily neutralised: Put him in isolation for ten months without human contact, and he'll never perform paintings, novels or plays again. For humans, forced solitude is torture as good as anything.

Coincidentally, I started reading Dag Solstad's Shyness and Dignity just before watching Das Leben der Anderen. In Eastern Germany and the other Communist satellites, the governments were after the liberal intellectuals. In Norway, the Communists (intellectual or not) were under surveillance. Whether left-leaning Solstad was one of the surveillees, I don't know. At least he's not been scared of publishing, and we're pretty happy about that.

Borat: anything goes

2006-12-10T12:11:00.000+01:00

Sascha Baron Cohen makes fun of Kazakhstan, Jews, Americans, people with disabilities and a lot more. But as long as the Kazakhstani TV reporter Borat Sagdiyev is only mirroring our own prejudices and bigotry, it's ok.

The beauty of today's approach to humour is that you can defend anything by saying "I'm only making fun of those who are prejudiced". In this way, you can cater to both intolerants and those who dislike intolerants. If you like to laugh at stupid Americans or male chauvinist jokes, you laugh with Borat. If you dislike people who like chauvinist jokes, you laugh at Borat.

There's little need for ethics, since the mode and content of the performance (be it irony, satire or downright harassment) can be defended by a quick analysis of the motivation behind the humour. In Norway, this humour is occasionally performed by comedians Harald Eia and Otto Jespersen, to mention but a few.

I enjoyed the movie.

2006-12-06T19:59:00.000+01:00

The title function of my blog provider has decided to disappear, so you'll have to read the post to see what it's about.

The Paris Board Meeting was one of the more dubious events I've been to. Not very much went according to schedule, but during the 53-hour-long meeting we managed to discuss at least a few policy documents.

Kim is international officer (my position in Studentenes Landsforbund) of the other Norwegian student union. He's from Bergen and leans politically to the left. Otherwise he's a charming guy.

This is what the meeting room looked like at 10 AM on Saturday. We were supposed to start at 9.30, but quite a few people in ESIB (Studentenes Landsforbund's European umbrella organisation) feel that ESIB time isn't like any other time. Sebastian from Germany didn't know what to say.

The metro became one of our friends during the week in Paris. Helene (left) and Ingrid say goodbye and head for the Louvre museum (Mona Lisa etcetera) while myself and other culture ignorants opt for food instead.

The French food didn't always live up to its reputation, but some of the restaurants were decent. Here, Alma from Iceland looks quite ready for some Chinese cuisine.

The characters above are Jens (left), leader of one of the two national student unions in Norway, and Pelle, vice president of the Swedish union.

2006-11-25T23:04:00.000+01:00

Meetings can be fun. ESIB's board meetings are among the funniest. They're also more detrimental to health than a three-day binge in Trøndelag.

ESIB stands for The National Unions of Students in Europe. It started out as the Western European Student Information Bureau (WESIB), but as its members became more numerous (45 national unions today), agreeing on a new and more logical abbreviated name became impossible.

Until next Sunday, I'll be sitting in a meeting room or wandering around in the Parisian night, arguing a bit, listening a bit more and make a few humble contributions to the greater discussions. The debates tend to last long and are never finished on time, which in practice means that we are lucky to get out of the room before ten PM.

After the meeting closes for the day, a few members of the board get drunk. After all, this pan-European general assembly only takes place twice a year, so it's important to catch the debates as well as the parties.

And so the story goes for the week that the board meeting lasts. We meet interesting people, learn a lot about each other's countries and we also like to believe that we are one of the actors that are shaping Europe's future.

Star struck

2006-11-04T21:01:00.000+01:00

MOSCOW: Barred by closed doors, this the closest I got to the ultimate centre of power in Russia: the Kremlin. The shining Soviet red star on top of the citadel's spears leaves no doubt: Vladimir Vladimirovych Putin's Russia is not quite finished with the era initiated by Lenin in 1922 and brought to an end by Gorbachev in 1991. (Photo by Bernadette Farrell)

Most of the three days in Moscow was spent with Sjur Bergan (left) and other hotshots of European higher education at a conference at the People's Friendship University of Russia. The theme was the role of students in higher education. Most of the speakers seemed to agree that student involvement is a must. It will probably take a quite a few years before students are truly recognised as equal partners, though.

The Russian capital is cold in November. Katharina, Bernadette, Tamara and Rossella were happy to find plenty of knitwear vendors in the famous street of Stary Arbat.

We searched in vain for a cheap meal at what appeared to be one of the most expensive restaurants in the city...

But the entertainment was impeccable. This guy was singing his heart out.

Ukraine album

2006-10-29T19:39:00.000+01:00

Do you fancy girls and guys in uniforms? The National Aviation University in Kyiv has 10 000 of them. All students have to wear the school outfit during daytime.

Kyiv's hotel "Russia" was renamed "Ukraina" after the anti-Russian Orange Revolution in the winter of 2004-05. Most of the western journalists lived here during the Revolution, and had a prime view of...

...the Independence Sqare, which was the focal point of demonstrations in Kyiv. The man on the picture had nothing to do with the revolution, though. ( Photo by Valentina Lyashenka)

There was a lot of meetings in Ukraine. This one took place in one of Kyiv's back yards on a Thursday night. Anthony's smiling vaguely, but he's veeery tired at this moment. Tatsiana's looking at her phone, probably trying to set up another meeting.

Dima (left) took care of us from Kyiv to Rivne and Lviv and back to Kyiv again.

In Lviv, Tanya's standing between two of the most powerful in Ukrainian student politics: Olexiy Klaztorny (left) and current president of the Ukrainian Association of Student Self-governments, Anatoly Ignatovich.

The masqueraded parade at Lviv's 750 year anniversary was one of the highlights of the tour.

Love was in the air at Lviv's weekend of celebration. The concerts were good, too.

In Ukraine as well as in a lot of other countries, beer tastes better than in Norway. The anniversary brand "Legend" is sold only during 2006. For some strange reason, they had Tuborg as well.

Before Ukraine, there was a brief detour to Ljubljana, Slovenia. Nice city. This was the last half-hour of peace and quiet in one week. ( Photo by Elena Shelygina)

Bohemian intermission

2006-10-04T23:41:00.000+02:00

Sleep-deprived and exhausted after two weeks of meetings and travel, I had to change planes in Prague on my way from Kiev to Oslo. But there is much comfort in Czech beer.

Out of the red-green, into the orange

2006-09-22T09:18:00.000+02:00

Map by the Central Intelligence Agency

The following weeks include a landsstyremøte, a courtesy visit to Ljubljana, Slovenia and a young man's journey from Kiev to Lviv. Phone calls will be anwered until my cellular runs out of money.

Unquestionable truths

2006-09-16T20:37:00.000+02:00

The finest piece of pop ever made was released some 20 years ago. Counting rock records as well, these are the next nine on the list:

2. Blonde on Blonde - Dylan
3. The Wall - Pink Floyd
4. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
5. Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen
6. Aja - Steely Dan
7. Velvet Underground & Nico
8. Abbey Road - Beatles
9. Stand Up - Jethro Tull
10. After the Gold Rush - Neil Young

Ageing with grace

2006-09-11T21:59:00.000+02:00

Archive photo by some classmate from Volda

As of Friday morning, I’ve been around for 24 years. It happens to be my last work-free weekend in months, so I should take it easy. Which is what I was supposed to do last weekend, and wound up in good ol’ Volda instead.

The charming man on the picture above has just turned 22. When you think about it, getting older is no funny prospect. This is also why I won’t be celebrating this Friday any more than I would celebrate any other Friday. That wouldn't be good for my health anyway.

Coincidentally, the press club hosts a theme quiz about media language this Friday. That's the best gift I've received so far.

Back to school

2006-09-09T07:59:00.000+02:00

I may have acquired the silly habit of spontaneously booking plane tickets when under the influence.

Bu the destination could've been worse.

The office

2006-09-07T23:04:00.000+02:00

Photo by Mikael Strand

It involves arguments, sarcasm, bad humour and the occasional fancy dinner paid for by someone else. But most of my job consists of reading.

E-mails, letters, hearings, documents, articles, my organisation's policy documents, declarations, statements, post-its, other organisations' policy documents, communiqués, msn messages, the government's policy documents. The list goes on an on.

My main worry is that my news language will be wrecked by reading and writing documents that are usually unnecessarily complicated in both form and content. Try to explain the future of Education Europe without really knowing what's going to happen. In two pages. That's what I've been doing the last couple of weeks.

It's more rewarding than sports reporting in Volda, though.

Lost

2006-08-20T12:08:00.000+02:00

(Saturday night. Outside a a block of flats at Grünerløkka.)

- Hi, are you also going to Kamilla's?
- Yes.
- Okay, good, you can show me the way then.
- Sure. I'm Kristine, by the way.
- Olav.

Something was strange about the vorspiel. The hostess was Kamilla, but not the one I knew. Helene and Tor weren't anywhere to be seen either. I peeked into the living room, but there were still no familiar faces. I opened a beer, put the other bottles in the fridge and embarked on the greeting round. There were two Ingvilds, one Yngvild, one Nicolai, one Henning, and three others whose name I forget.

It started to dawn on me when the phone rang. It was Helene.
- Hi Olav. Where are you, really?
- I think I'm at the wrong vorspiel.

Hard news

2006-08-16T18:40:00.000+02:00

News wizard Lars Kristian tells the audience what a good story looks like. 70 student politicians were gathered at Jessheim this weekend to learn more about media and journalism.

Volda's glorious journalism class of 2006 was also represented by Jørgen and Marit. Young and promising Mr. Holen, misinformation guru and former roomie of Lars and present columnist, was also lurking in the crowd. He stressed that he was no journalist.

Unsurprisingly, Lars got many admiring looks from the females at the site.

Old ghosts die hard

2006-08-01T19:24:00.000+02:00

I've been to the Baltics once before. That was in 2002, and I was doing a story on the Lithuanian Air Force. They carefully monitor Russian MIG fighters who fly near the border of the Russians' not-so-mighty neighbour. Judging from Latvia's Occupation Museum in Riga, the Latvians aren't big fans of Ivan either.

The museum portrays more than 50 years of on-and-off torture and horrors from the Nazis and, primarily, from the Soviets. But Riga also offers delicious food, medieval moods and a local booze that tastes something like Jägermeister.

The tax free quota was filled with red wine, as usual.

Jumping to conclusions

2006-07-19T17:15:00.000+02:00

I've never been a fan of Oslo. The boys are cocky and the girls superficial, I used to believe. But after a while, it's become clear that Asker and Bærum are not part of Oslo.

The city is beautiful during summer, though. And Gressholmen, the best island in the Oslo Fjord, is only ten minutes from the city centre.

Culture is also a fair reason to like the city. Morgenbladet symbolises both ridiculous and sympathetic sides of snobbish Oslo's cultural coin: slightly over-academic in its prose and content, but amusingly enrichening to read.

Photos by Mikael Strand (top) and Helene Løvseth

No laughing matter

2006-07-12T20:41:00.000+02:00

Helene may look like any other blonde (not that there's anything wrong with that), but she's one of the five brilliant members of Studentenes Landsforbund's new executive board.

Here are three of the others. From right: Tore, Mikael and Katrine Elida. The woman to the far left just happened to be in the picture.

Flight of the bumblebee

2006-06-11T17:41:00.000+02:00

The sunny days are said to be over soon. The bumblebees of Orkdal probably haven't heard the weather forecast, but this little beauty is still pretty eager to fill her pockets with pollen. We hope she doesn't share the photographer's allergy.

Dad is a friend of the insects, but still wants to make sure the creature doesn't cause mischief in his garden.

Morons to mountains

2006-05-28T11:23:00.000+02:00

I have climbed Volda's tour mountain #1 for what is probably the last time. Rotsethornet was an easy conquest this charming day in May. Petter (above right), Håvard (below) and I were there and back again in three hours.

The successful trip was duly celebrated during our last Saturday night in Volda. But the grand finale materialises on Wednesday. Amund, Håvard and Kristian have invited journalism's Class of 2006 to a post-exam feast of drinking, crying and who knows what.

Tomorrow we enter our last week as journalism students. It might be my last week as a student altogether. I won't miss Volda's rain, but I'll miss her people.

Hail Norway

2006-05-17T14:34:00.000+02:00

Today we celebrate the Norwegian day of independence or something like that. The sun is shining, and people are looking forward to a solid party tonight.

The writer of this column is now struggling with an internship report that's one week overdue, and that has to be handed in tomorrow. Happy holiday.

Spices up your life

2006-04-29T14:17:00.000+02:00

Jon-Arne serves beer while Hanne Marie (left) flirts with the customers. More than one hundred volunteers contribute to creating Volda's highlight of the year. This is the fourth day of the tenth Norwegian Documentary Film Festival. Spring wouldn't be the same without it.

Below: Happy-Kris (left) and Howard

Orkdal cat tests balance of power

2006-04-14T20:10:00.000+02:00

"Hm. The new neighbour's rabbit doesn't seem to understand the importance of territory. What would Bismarck do?"

"Hey, two-teeth! Go dig holes in your own garden. This field isn't big enough for both of us."

"Okaaaay, you can stay. I was only joking. No need to resort to violence. Have you rodents no sense of humour?"

(Otto von Bismarck (1815-98): German chancellor, known for his brilliant handling of foreign policy and calculation of the power equilibrium in Europe.)

Smells like spring

2006-04-14T18:26:00.000+02:00

The dubious characters eating and smelling dandelions, respectively, are Jørgen and Tormod. They look forward to a season of laughter, sun and indecency in Trøndelag.

Trønder climbs mountain and gets caught by avalanche

2006-04-14T15:40:00.000+02:00

I have for once put my money where my mouth is and climbed western Trollheimen's highest peak, Snota (1669 m). The same goes for dad. As everyone knows, I'm a pretty shy guy, so I'm posting pictures of him instead of myself.

Highlights: meeting my old pal Lars Gudmund, to whom I haven't spoken in three years; and being caught in an avalanche. It wasn't more than 15x20 yards, but being caught and dragged by unruly masses of snow is nevertheless unnerving.

One would believe that the physical strain of a five-hour climb would be hard to top. But the hour I spent trying to ski down from the bloody mountain was worse. Steep hills, hard snow and skis that are ment for prepped cross-country tracks was the silliest combination in Trollheimen yesterday.

I haven't suffered such agony since I initially drunk and gradually hung over climbed the 1564 metres of Slogen, a devilishly steep mountain in Sunnmøre. Being young and immortal, I quit drinking at 7 AM, slept for two hours and then joined the local student nature fanatics for a nice lil' trip. I have seldom doubted more whether I was truly and intensely alive or nearly dead.

Tower of power

2006-04-09T20:41:00.000+02:00

I used to believe that NRK had their offices in the tower above. They actually craft their stories in a building nearby.

After recovering from the initial disappointment of not working in the Tyholt tower, I've come to like the little newsroom of NRK Trøndelag in Trondheim. It will feel good but slightly weird when I'm discharged.

I was supposed to quit Friday, but since I spent a few days too many recovering from a meeting, I have to work three days extra. Then awaits Easter, and after that, Volda and The Norwegian Documentary Film Festival.

King of the woods

2006-04-04T20:40:00.000+02:00

Sunday had no hangover, so I asked dad if we could go skiing. He's in vastly better shape than I, but I managed to follow for most of the six miles we put behind us. The main goal of the upcoming Easter: Snota (1669 m) in Trollheimen.

Ever taken photos while trying to keep up with a cross-country skier? About one in 15 frames comes out sharp.

In Lin we trust

2006-03-27T23:06:00.000+02:00

Lin Stokke is the new spiritual leader of Studentenes Landsforbund. She's one of the souls who try to make our student world a better place to be.

The previously announced four-day meeting at Hamar is through, and was rather amusing. The dilemma of finding out what to do after graduation is solved: I'm spending the next year in the executive board of Studentenes Landsforbund (StL). This is a full-time scheme, starting July 1. I'll be responsible for StL's handling of international matters in Norwegian education.

I thought Volda was going to be the time of my life.
This might top it.

Election day

2006-03-22T21:00:00.000+01:00

HAMAR TOMORROW: Four days of ten-hour meetings, irresponsible debates and no sleep. The tenth annual congress of Studentenes Landsforbund is less than 15 hours away.

I'm glad we're not in Belarus.

Words words words

2006-03-01T19:24:00.000+01:00

"Pride and Prejudice" isn't a new tv series, but I didn't see it the first time around on Norwegian telly. The novel is one of my top tean reads. I sat down in front of the tv filled with expectations. This post was supposed to be a comment on the series, but my writing felt more awkward than in months. Instead, I'll make a list. This column has too few lists.

1. Don Quixote (Cervantes)
2. The Magic Mountain (Mann)
3. Prost Gotvins Geometri (Nygårdshaug)
4. The Name of the Rose (Eco)
5. For Whom the Bell Tolls (Hemingway)
6. The Idiot (Dostoyevsky)
7. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Adams)
8. Fever Pitch (Hornby)
9. Pride and Prejudice (Austen)
10. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Wilde)

Hung over and delicate

2006-02-26T15:34:00.000+01:00

If you must put song references and quotes in the msn personal comment slot, please, PLEASE don't use annoying or tasteless choruses. It freaks me out.

The sirens of shopping

2006-02-19T18:03:00.000+01:00

- You want anything to go with that sweater? A pair of jeans?
- Er, I dunno...
- I have something I think is gonna look very good on you. Come here, I'll show you.

Clothing vendors are so service-minded. Jean-Paul was just looking for something long-sleeved, but he guessed he could always use some extra jeans. Or socks. Or teeshirts. The textile pusher fingered with her hair and pretended to scrutinise the unnecessarily baggy jeans he had just put on.

- They look goood. The low back pockets are very in right now.
- You think? I feel it's not quite me.
- We have more.
- No thanks.

Jean-Paul walked out of the store, satisfied that he had once again managed to resist the lure of foxy saleswomen.

Breaking the news

2006-02-12T19:11:00.000+01:00

Around 50 senior students from the best journalism school in Norway commence their two-month internships tomorrow. This humble protector of Truth, Liberty and Justice has wound up at Trøndelags local radio station, NRK. It's owned by the Norwegian government, but is more critical of its government than, say, Fox News.

Infidels must die

2006-02-04T16:13:00.000+01:00

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, and Mohammed is here to take out the trash.

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cancels financial contracts with countries whose press has published cartoons of the Holy Prophet. The Danish embassy in Syria is torched by protesters.

And I thought the flagburners were childish.

The deadline that wasn't dead

2006-01-29T15:26:00.000+01:00

I was sure I had a deadline tomorrow. I have around 3000 words to translate from Danish to Norwegian, which is hardly a daunting task. I nevertheless started working already yesterday, finishing about half.

Now it turns out the deadline isn't until Wednesday. The motivation for a decent day's work thus vanished faster than the wine I drank last Monday.

This is why I can never become a documentary film maker or, much less, a novelist. Give me rock-hard news and a deadline less than 12 hours away. It's the only way of getting the job done.

Start me up

2006-01-28T17:18:00.000+01:00

Photo lifted from unofficial site of "The West Wing"

I've always prided myself that I'm not addicted to particular television shows. I have little patience for "Desperate Housewives", "Lost" or "The King of Queens" as an excuse for not playing games or going out to have a beer.

While deriding mediocre shows, I'm more than willing to admit I have an unhealthy relationship with quality TV such as "Seinfeld" or "The West Wing". Alcoholic and White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (R.I.P. John Spencer) says "I can't have only one drink". Watching an episode of "The West Wing" usually fucks up my schedule, not matter what lies ahead.

Appetite for destruction

2006-01-20T19:09:00.000+01:00

Christmas doesn't last until Easter. At least the ginger bread house from mid-December didn't. Janne (left), Kaja and Camilla watch Geir unleash his fury upon the construction of sugar and wheat.

In a spirit of recycling, Janne and Kaja decided to eat the remains of the poor house. If the solidity of the walls didn't ruin their teeth, the sugar will.

Would you fly with these men?

2006-01-17T12:16:00.000+01:00

Photo by Kjell Wormdahl

Neither would most Norwegians, especially after having read Dagens Næringslivs story Trønders are the bullies of the sky. Investigative reporters have discovered that four out of five airplane-drunk Norwegians are from the Trøndelag region.

No matter that the statistics only include five cases, the source is newspapers and the period surveyed is only 18 months. The generalisation will appear valid to all Norwegians who've read the title "Full trønder amok på fly" in a tabloid newspaper.

I'm all for bias and prejudice, but only when credible statistics or common sense support it. DN's article is a mean attack on a charachter-rich ethnic group whose intentions and behaviour is misunderstood by most other Norwegians. As always, the pusher of prejudice and misrepresentation is the Oslo press.

I'm boycotting DN from now on, and encourage other honest Norwegians to do the same.

Out with the old

2006-01-01T18:32:00.001+01:00

Since I'm officially forbidden to enjoy a drink, the New Year's party was just almost as fun as usual. It had all the ingredients though: a rock solid meal (grouse), high school friends slightly more drunk than usual and the unsurprisingly boring but still expensive fireworks.

The first night of the new year was spent on a sofa bed, between an overtly drunk chap who claimed the entire blanket as his property and a bozo who had passed out around 1 AM but was now wide awake and had to call all his friends and sexually harrass them before falling asleep.

There's no worries about hangover for the time being, so the new year still started off fairly well. The only promise for the following 364 days is to write shorter sentences.

Death to Israel

2005-12-28T12:01:00.000+01:00

My regional government has decided to boycott Israel. I'm no fan of Sharon, but there ought to be limits to stupidity.

Considering the current (though partial) Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and the fact that Israel's barbarous neighbours are ten times worse, I count on the socialists in Trondheim to take measures to boycott Syria, Egypt, Iran and Turkey as well. And if we move beyond the Middle East, they'd better include North Korea, China and Indonesia. And why not Australia and the United States as well?

The pragmatists in Trondheim do of course know that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East; thus the boycott by Sør-Trøndelag fylkeskommune is going to be heard down there. Norway's role as Middle East negotiator in the future is ruined for at least 20 years. Not that it mattered that much anyway.

Happy holidays

2005-12-25T13:23:00.000+01:00

There's little snow in Orkdal, but you can tell it's Christmas anyway. Food is abundant and during the last three weeks we've probably spent more money on crap than in the last three months combined.

The family arguments in our house are improving each year. During dinner Christmas Eve, dad held his annual State of the Nation speech. It actually takes place more than once a year, but it's usually a bit more coherent at Christmas. It took him two minutes to offend both mom and my sister. That was even before his chauvinist routine.

I've just read a terrifying polemic about the state of the Norwegian school system, so I'm about to revise it. In addition, I'm working on my first album, the inspiration for which was found during an expedition to Copenhagen a few days ago. The updates on this blog will thus be even less frequent than usual.

Judgement day

2005-12-15T11:06:00.000+01:00

The final exam is overwith, and winter descends upon our quiet village. Some got more than they deserved today, a few got less.

Exams are usually fun. Oral exams can be intimidating when you don't know your books, but are a walk in Central Park as long as the examinators allow the examinee a certain amount of digressions and noncurricular reasoning. In media science, there are so many digressions available that the sky is the limit.

The study groups I've been attending the last few days paid off fairly well. Thanks to them I managed to perform a vague speech on film history and feminist media critique. I failed horribly at distinguishing history and discourse, however. It hardly matters now.

The next couple of days will be spent in Copenhagen, home of The Little Mermaid and the former ganja freistaat Kristiania. My doctor tells me to stay away from beer. It could still be fun.

The important thing is participating

2005-12-09T18:32:00.000+01:00

Håvard (far right) et al awaiting the anniversary John Lennon question that didn't come

Rokken was packed with anticipation as the two teams entered the floor. Arriving just in time, flatmates and bitter rivals Geir and Olav sat down at their respective tables.

Three months of intense quizzing had failed to give any one of the two rivalling sides a solid lead. The Defending Champions were half a point ahead of Geila Allstars. The latter weren't as cocky or confident as usual, with the possible exception of Håvard. Even he didn't venture further than "I think we'll win".

At half-time, the smug smile was back.

"You're not gonna beat this", the aforementioned allstar grinned on his way to the bar. As it turned out, he was right. The title defenders failed horribly at face identifying , which had been the side's weakest category since new quizmasters Johannes and Stig introduced it six weeks ago. Olav's satisfaction at knowing the original, Russian title of "Crime and Punishment" turned to defeatism and the free passes for the concerts at February's Student Week were slipping out of the Champions' hands.

The verdict is read

Most of the audience wondered how the Defending Champions could lose to this motley crew of semi-intellectuals. The explanations ranged from bribery, bad luck and substantial age differences to a momentary lapse of competence on part of the Champions. The losers' award was dinner and tickets to a show and a concert. The runners-up walked home hoping there would be only one decent concert during Veka.

On his way to receive the laurels, Amund congratulates runners-up Ola(v), Anders and supersub Martin

Good loser

2005-12-05T11:52:00.000+01:00

With one field to go before victory was ours, Kane and I were already gloating. We had been playing the game "Alias" for two hours. The point of the game is to explain and guess words, and despite getting all the difficults cards, our team had a solid lead. It was Heidi and Lene's turn, and to win they had to nail six words before the hourglass ran out. So far, no one had managed more than five in one take.

Yadayadayada, obviously they managed to score exactly the number of words needed, and Kane and I were left puzzled, bewildered and beaten.
"But you started the game. We still have one turn in hand, it's not fair that you win only because you get a head start", I ventured.
"It's like this with all games of this kind. Get over it. You're not bitter, are you?", Heidi countered.
"Er, no. Of course not. But you got all the easy cards. This is ridiculous."
It went on like this for a while. Not even my fifth or sixth piece of Lene's straight-from-the-oven chocolate cake could ease the pain of losing.

Men's instinct for competition and eagerness to win is our foremost advantage in the race for jobs, executive positions and leadership of the world. Equal rights and all that jazz is fair and square, but it's still not funny to be beaten by girls.

High noon at Rokken

2005-12-02T11:40:00.000+01:00

Next Thursday the quiz kings of Volda will be crowned. The aptly named Defending Champions have half a point in hand of Geila Allstars, and the nerve before the final round at the student shack "Rokken" can be touched and felt. The debate has been raging about whether Allstars have been handed musical questions too well suited for their interests, and the quizmasters answered by only playing blood-fresh popular music at yesterday's quiz. In a race this close, luck as well as ridiculous knowledge is needed.

Defending Champion Anders (left) discusses with quizmaster Stig.

Thumbs up for Geila lads Håvard, Amund, Kristian and Sturla.

It's...

2005-11-29T21:39:00.000+01:00

Two years ago my then-flatmate and I irresponsibly purchased Monty Python's Flying Circus on DVD. We received the box set one month before our exams. Needless to say, academic success was absent that semester.

Since that time, we've split up and been stranded on different continents. For practical reasons, my mate was left with the treasure. But now, the goods are on their way to Volda. As if this weren't enough, flatmate Geir just received the second season of The West Wing. We have a tight schedule ahead of us before the exam reading can start.

Revealed: leftist journo bias

2005-11-22T23:27:00.000+01:00

The voting pattern of the sleepy journalist above is unknown. What we know is he claims to be struggling with his term paper.

Almost all the aspiring journalists in our little paradise are left-wing radicals. This seems to be the only sensible conclusion emanating from my ground-breaking paper "Are YOU a neutral journalist? An inquiry into the political sympathies of journalism students in Volda".

Now, the only task remaining is to camouflage and explain away the most striking flaws in the paper, such as haphazard structure, dubious reasoning and an almost complete lack of theoretical foundation.

Can linguistic finesse and a mind-blowing introduction bring home a decent grade? My bet is it will.

White November rain

2005-11-15T17:36:00.000+01:00

Enter the snowy season. Being a modern Norwegian, I choose to enjoy most of it through the window.

Thomas's Volkswagen Derby spends a lot of time at its private parking lot in the middle of Myrane. It's also recently had its tires changed.

Wild is the wind

2005-11-13T21:17:00.000+01:00

My 20-page bachelor paper is due in ten days and I can't get started. So what could be better than at trip into the Sunnmørsalps to find inspiration?

As usual I had no idea what to wear and pack for the trip. Since I have no mountain gear to speak of, I settled for army boots and a lousy rain jacket. When my comrades and I were standing at the top of Sandhornet (909m), the wind was blowing a bit too fast and the snow was getting bothersome. Some would say it's silly to believe that the weather at 50 metres above sea level will be the same at 900m. The sad thing is that the frequency of my ventures to the peaks of Sunnmøre is so low that the hard-acquired wisdom of this trip will be forgotten by next time.

I didn't get any inspiration for my paper, which will be a mind-boggling investigation into the political bias among the aspiring journos in Volda. I'm still convinced that I would be worse off as a person if I'd sat in my room trying to write the bloody paper instead of visiting Mother Nature today.

The language with the torn in its side

2005-10-31T14:27:00.000+01:00

We should force readers of national newspapers to read nynorsk (one of the three official written languages in Norway). This is the preposterous suggestion from director Sylfest Lomheim of the Norwegian Language Council.

He wants to remove public financial benefits accorded to the printed press, unless it allows journalists to write nynorsk. The main targets are in effect the national tabloids VG, Dagbladet and Aftenposten, who don't let nynorsk-writing journalists submit articles in their own language.

If the goverment is serious about improving the conditions for linguistic diversity in our country, here's the chance to make a symbolic gesture. There's no extra public cost involved, and there's no need to fear that nynorsk will be more prolific. Considering the already existing narrow-mindedness of the papers, they'll just stop employing journalists who insist on writing nynorsk. Who would be stupid enough to hire such a troublemaker?

It's sad to realise that we'll probably never be able to read Britney and Brad Pitt news in nynorsk. But some of us might admit that Aftenposten in nynorsk wouldn't feel quite right.

Pure madness

2005-10-30T23:38:00.000+01:00

Photo by the BBC

TV comedy these days consists of punchline-based, crappy sitcoms. Fortunately, there's also The Office.

This series should be a revelation to all of us who watch the aforementioned sitcoms on weekday afternoons. It's clever, embarrassing to watch and hilariously funny. I didn't catch the show while it was running on public television some time ago, but fortunately my flatmate Geir has bought five hours of quality DVD-time with David, Gareth and Tim.

As David Brent might have said: If you don't appreciate this sort of humour, there's something wrong with you.

Hum hum hum

2005-10-20T10:34:00.000+02:00

Ane Brun plays at Rust next Saturday.
We'd be fools to miss it. (Press photo)

A season in the sun

2005-10-19T17:26:00.000+02:00

An indian summer turned into a cold but sunny autumn, and the most feared news journalist in Volda enjoys his paper on the balcony. Six intensive weeks of dirt-digging, ludicrous headlines and tabloid battles with the conservative segments of the newsroom is over. While he ponders the next breaking-news story, he refreshes his intellect by scanning the debate pages of the country's self-proclaimed cultural newspaper numero uno.

Writings on the wall

2005-09-25T21:09:00.000+02:00

A band, two sailors from the Faroe Islands, about twenty-five average students and fifteen litres of wine. This appears to be the recipe for a decent nachspiel.

The birthday wall of fame from Friday was improved upon, and the last human specimen left the scene around 7AM. Thanks for all vulgarities, compliments, aphorisms, German quotes and unsubstantiated allegations.

Growin' up

2005-09-23T08:42:00.000+02:00

Saying no to beer is not one of my virtues. Somehow I managed to do just that yesterday. So today I've had eight hours of sleep, the mind is clear, the sun is shining and there's literally not too many clouds on the horizon.

I'm celebrating one of my birthdays tonight, so the prospects for this Friday are better than in weeks. A quick board meeting, a small trip to town and a proper dinner for once seems like a doable schedule. Student life isn't so bad, after all.

The Times is a-changing

2005-09-19T13:33:00.000+02:00

I love the New York Times. Not because of its brilliant and professional news stories, but because the paper's op-ed section is among the finest in the world.

The disappointment was huge when I realised today that I now have to pay for the cold insights of Tom Friedman, the always enlightening analyses by right-winger David Brooks and the biting sarcasm of Maureen Dowd. The Times now charges online readers 50 annual dollars for its op-ed pieces and other services.

The sum seems small, but in the Internet jungle of opinions the NY Times's columns are not worth paying for. Since the US is the bellwether for the western world, we'll just have to hope that the trend doesn't spread too soon and too extensively to Norway.

Don't mention the war

2005-09-18T14:46:00.000+02:00

Being abroad clears up the mind and invigorates the spirit. And it was comforting to see that even the German trains don't run on time.

But the disappointment upon arriving in the former Western German capital of Bonn was still the most overwhelming impression from my latest journey: an anonymous train station, no shopping street and the sense that you were in a village more than a city.

A German soon explained the mystery for the unhistorical Norwegian: When Germany was forcibly split by the Allies and the Soviets into east and west after the Second World War, some (French?) voices in the former bloc thought that a sentralised and strong Germany had proved not to be a very good idea. At least not for its neighbours. So administration didn't end up in Berlin or Frankfurt, but in Bonn. When the capital was moved back to Berlin after reunification, government, embassies and commercial life also left the city in the Rhine valley.

When I got around to seeing the city a bit, Bonn wasn't actually that bad. Beer was cheap and tasty, the disco I visited didn't play too loud, and the the city isn't in Eastern Germany. The kebab I had on my way home from town to my youth hostel was also terrific. As for the elections, it could seem that the Christian Democrats'll win. We'll see tomorrow morning.

Investigative journalism

2005-08-30T00:51:00.000+02:00

Sharing an apartment with a journalist can be both rewarding and dangerous; you have to watch every step. My flatmate Lars Kristian was as usual keeping a vigilant eye on the dubious activities that take place at Myrane MC's first floor.

Information Revolution

2005-08-24T00:09:00.000+02:00

Another information student has wormed his way into our idyllic student village, and the counterrevolution is nowhere in sight.

Since the sly 2nd year information students now share lectures with the poor journalist rookies, someone has to take measures to insure the innocent minds of the young ones are not defiled by the propaganda ministers. This means planting veteran journos in these joint classes to ensure the spin doctors don't derail discussion of ethics and truth in journalism.

The malaise doesn't stop there. Fresh but still unconfirmed rumours say the information students are planning to coup the student newspaper "Peikestokken". It's time to bring out Sigurd Allern, Svein Brurås and the other heavy academic artillery. Also crucial is keeping a surveilling eye on the guerilla group of information blondes that frequently gather in one of the older Myrane houses. The information minister of the student parliament is rumoured to be the ringleader.

Journalists of Volda, unite! You have nothing to lose but your prejudice.

Shoot a spammer

2005-08-18T23:18:00.000+02:00

The last time the word "Spam" was amusing was in a Monty Python sketch from around 1970. If I had the money, I'd put more than a fair price on the heads of the rats who fill our mailboxes and even blogs with penis enlargement offers and get-thin advice.

I have no idea how many resources are devoted to finding the bastards behind this crap. My only prayer to prosecutors who nail one of these scum is that the latter be given the hardest punishment possible, and that lawmakers give judges and jurys the authority to throw the vermin behind bars for life.

The irony of it all is of course that the comments column will be filled with the topic of this rather predictable post.

The new wine

2005-08-14T21:02:00.000+02:00

Last semester, irresponsible amounts of money was spent on funnywater. So this school year, I'm making some of the brainkilling liquids myself.

The first 25 litres of wine are already bubbling in the corner of the living room, but the smell is suspiciously absent. Hopefully it'll turn out drinkable when drunk. Is the last sentence double-barreled or simply grammatically incorrect?

Anyway. In a society where consumption is vastly more emphasised than creation, making alcohol is a blissful process. Benjamin Franklin and quite a few others would say that beer is proof that God wants us be happy. The notion that any idiot can make wine herself is indeed a reason to be hopeful on behalf of Man.

Summer's almost gone

2005-08-09T17:39:00.000+02:00

Being the first person to enter the abandoned student ghetto Myrane this semester, I wondered how I had come to love this place so much. The answer arrives this weekend: it's the students, stupid.

During summer and Christmas, Volda is an awfully normal cluster of fairly modern houses and around 9000 human specimens. But each august, some 700 new faces enter this idyllic and uneccesarily rainy village. Add those to the 1800 other students returning from holiday, and you've got the most lively minority in the region.

The only sad thing is that the semester only lasts until december, so we'd better get started right away. Wig Wam is the first band to play at Rokken this school year. I can't see how we can go wrong.

Romeo and Juliet

2005-07-17T20:13:00.000+02:00

It's awfully predictable to rage against the assembly line-like pop music machine that spews out hits that are impossible to separate from each other. Fortunately, the golden oldies are even more available to us now than they were at their time of creation.

Dire Straits released the album "Making Movies" two years before I was born. I didn't discover this record until the year 2000, but fell in love with it immediately. Mostly because its second track is the best love song ever made.

"Romeo and Juliet" has everything an emotional song needs, and writer/guitar genius Mark Knopfler even managed to leave the cliches out. The phrase "I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be" is Knopfler at his songwriting best.

Das ewige Thema is so overused it's almost impossible to say something deep that hasn't already been said. So Knopfler's sober voice tells us a tale of lost love, with an open ending which leaves Romeo still searching. Whether men are more desperate than women is not scientifically proven. But the former do at least seem better at turning desperation into art.

Rarely happy when it rains

2005-07-16T19:08:00.000+02:00

My three-day holiday set off thursday evening, and after fourteen heatwavering days God chose to let the rain start to pour down while I was on my way home from work. Yesterday had the worst weather in two weeks, which was coincidentally the last time I had three consecutive days off. But a lot of quality time has been spent already. Most of the spending takes place at the pub.

The quiz at the sports pub "Bohemen" is radically tougher than the pub quiz in Volda. Counting six quizees my team managed less than half the questions in the first round. But at least now I know which primate has the longest penis relative to its height. It was sort of a trick question. The answer was Homo Sapiens.

As the daily cycle drew to a close, I spent the last hours at Savoy, a cozy lounge bar with no music (or low volume) and about 20 journos. It's strange how some people can talk about work for five hours straight without tiring. This profession's like a drug: incredibly fascinating and highly addictive.

Death of a taboo

2005-07-11T23:05:00.000+02:00

The businessman Ole Christian Bach seems to have shot himself in Stockholm. The press was lighteningly quick in establishing the death as fact, but the cause of death was not as eagerly cited.

The first Norwegian medium to release the news was TV2 Nettavisen. They quoted Bach's lawyer Arne Gunnar Aas, who went far in hinting that Bach had taken his own life. The other major online newspapers followed a few minutes after the first article was published, but without mentioning suicide.

Honourably enough, Dagbladet.no, VG Nett and Aftenposten.no waited before they published the cause of death as fact. Suicide is not a subject to be taken lightly. But the coverage of this tragic phenomenon is changing. The press is altering its self-regulatory statutes these days, with the intention of allowing a more open coverage of suicide.

Suppressing a problem is rarely, if ever, a solution. Instead of walking around suicide, we might now enter into the heart of the problem. That is, if such a thing exists. For the causes are as complex as there are individuals on the planet. Harassment, weight issues, drugs, alcohol, low self esteem - or stress. Ole Christian Bach had been running from the police for a long time, and seemed to have reached his limits. That he leaves four children was not enough to stop him.

The problem with this kind of speculation is that it's hard to do the victim 100 per cent justice. When former health minister Tore Tønne took his own life after intense media pressure, the press was heavily criticised for harassing Tønne. Investigation by the press itself (as usual) showed that the newspapers had done little do deserve criticism. Most of the questions against Tønne seemed to be legitimate.

Discussion isn't always the solution. But putting a lid on tragic issues is surely no constructive alternative, even if those left behind might find it hurtful at times. Death is too important a fate to be left unscrutinised.

Burn out or fade away?

2005-07-06T20:01:00.000+02:00

When the first move you make when coming home after 10 hours of work is turning on your computer, you ought to know something is seriously wrong.

Working 9-4 is increasingly turning into a privilege I cannot afford. But when you can't get started before noon, there's not too many others to blame than yourself. I need deadlines. Firm ones. Which is why I'll insist on only working afternoon-night shifts, where not finishing stories before your shift is over doesn't work.

Somehow, being tired also makes me write slightly longer sentences than usual.

A Saturday

2005-07-02T21:52:00.000+02:00

Today was my only day off this week, and I have spent it wisely. I forced myself out of bed between noon and two o'clock, whereupon I made attempts to figure out

a) whether there was non-alcoholic liquid within immediate reach (no)
b) why my breath was 90 per cent garlick (kebab, probably)
c) what happened to all the money that used to be in my wallet (I chose not to stop at the third beer)

After a half-hearted breakfast I ventured to the park with a novel mentioned in an earlier post, but ended up reading Dagbladet instead. Lying in the park for about an hour, I pondered possible consequences of unneccessary statements made the night before. I think I managed to stay fairly politically correct, as usual.

The sun has been shining all day, but now it's time to hit the street again. This means finding a bar where beer is less than seven euro.

Crime without punishment

2005-07-01T00:38:00.000+02:00

We’re not supposed to judge books by their cover, but my latest literary purchase craves an exception to the rule. In a Gothenburg bookstore, I found a paperback edition of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Feeling guilty for having abandoned my intellectual reading for the last year, I promptly bought the six-hundred-something pages novel. But not because of its cover.

A paperback edition of one of the world’s greatest novels can hardly give the same reading experience a hardback can. In addition, the background on this cover is PINK. The title is written in burgundy red, and the author’s name in white. The text of the novel itself fills the entire pages, so there’s no margin or room for comments and thoughts from the reader. A sadder typographical performance is hard to imagine. Also, there’s no preface, post-face or introduction by a literary scholar, so I have to figure out myself what the essence of the novel is.

This edition was from 1982, which explains a lot. Apart from myself being born this year, this was no annus memorabilis. Fortunately for this decade’s designers, esthetical incompetence is no crime. But if I’m on the right side when the revolution comes, I’ll have the Constitution revisited.

Eurovision Slum Contest

2005-05-22T19:51:00.000+02:00

Love it or hate it; you can't ignore it. But I'm awfully tempted.

The tabloids, bookmakers and my friends tricked me into believing Norway would win, but the European audience didn't seem to catch the humour of Wig Wam's lovable, so-called glam show. Or maybe they didn't like it at all. The Swiss guitar girls were my second favourite, and Moldova's performance was on par with Wig Wam's. That Malta and Romania managed top three is a testament to the laughably low taste of the voters, be they jury or mob. But Romania were admittedly amusing, and deserve credit for a truly ridiculous stage show.

The only thing appealing and fascinating about Eurovision is the regional competition. There aren't many stages on which all the nations of Europe can compete on the same terms. (Although the five commercially most important countries have a secure spot in the final, but that's necessary for the show to go on. The same logic applies to the United Nations Security Council.) Eurovision stirs up innocent patriotism, neighbourly love and the most vulgar artists of the continent. The concept is so base it appeals to everyone. Even those who despise Eurovision watch it, if for no other (stated) reason than to mock the plainness of the show.

Even though Romania, Moldova or Norway didn't go all the way this year, I hope for more freaks next year. Most of the artists are average, but it's the hopeless and outraging ones that make Eurovison a memorable experience.