Nothing in Particular.

July has seen quite a lot of entries. Even though the month is usually quite slow when it comes to visitors - after all, it’s summer - I’m trying to keep up the pace. Today I’ve got nothing in particular to write about, so here’s a collection of random gibberish.

This week Circus Formula 1 is visiting Germany and racing on Nürburgring. The race in UK two weeks ago was sort of boring, and I’m hoping for more action this time. Nürburgring is a very special track, many different races are held there, for instance the 24 Hours Nürnbergring, which is a fascinating event. Parts of the track, Nordschleife, can be used by the public on Sundays during summer, so if you have a fast car - or even a slow one - that you want to test, Nürburgring might be the place for you.

In other news, Dick Cheney is filling in for George as President of the US of A on Saturday. If you’re an American citizen, don’t be too surprised if you’re at war with Iran on Sunday.

Here’s a video of of 1,500 inmates in a Philippine prison performing “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. You see something new every day.

Tødden Will Prevail!

I grew up in Notodden, a small town almost in the middle of nowhere. The population has been stuck at around twelve thousand people for as long as I can remember. Whenever I tell people I’m from Notodden, they usually associate the place with one of two things: Either the annual Notodden Blues Festival, the event with the highest density of drunk 40 and 50 year olds in Northern Europe or “rånere” (sing. “råner”). I was unable to find a good English translation of the word, “lowbrow joyriders” comes close, but the best thing is to describe what they do and why they are one of the things people think about when they hear the word “Notodden”. Then you can make up your own English word.

I honestly have to say that I have never been a part of this particular subculture, so the description is solely based on my impression of them and what they do. Still, since I lived in Notodden for 18 years, I would boldly argue that my description is more or less spot not. There are, of course anomalies, people who do not accurately fit the description, but who is still a “råner”. Also, you should note that this description probably best fits Notodden’s “rånere” because I’m not familiar with how the same stereotype residing in another city is best described. I do, however, imagine that the description would be pretty much the same. Continue reading "Tødden Will Prevail!"

Day of Silence.

Some of you probably hope that Monday the 25th of June, the Day of Silence, is the day that I will eventually shut the hell up. I’ve got to disappoint you. The Day of Silence is the day when all the US internet radio stations replace their ordinary programming with public service announcements to wake up their listeners.

In case you’re listening to internet radio and missed it, the RIAA is at it again and has requested that the Copyright Royalty Board increase the royalties paid by internet radio. From SaveInternetRadio.org:

At the request of the Recording Industry Association of America, the CRB ignored the fact that Internet radio royalties were already double what satellite radio pays, and multiplied the royalties even further. The 2005 royalty rate was 7/100 of a penny per song streamed; the 2010 rate will be 19/100 of a penny per song streamed. And for small webcasters that were able to calculate royalties as a percentage of revenue in 2005 – that option was quashed by the CRB, so small webcasters’ royalties will grow exponentially!

19/100 of a penny per song streamed might not sound like much money, but many internet radio station are non-profit and are, to put it bluntly, fucked. This goes for all my favorite stations; Soma FM, Digitally Imported and Radio Wazee. Since I’m not a US citizen, it’s not much I can do except join a mailing list. But if you’re a US citizen, you can make sure that I get my daily fix of excellent music even after July 15.

Act now. Thank you.

Trailer Trash

Director Mike Figgis spent longer at LAX airport than intended. He’d arrived in Los Angeles, along with half the acting and directing world, for what is known as ‘pilot season’, when the big studios try out new scripts, directors and actors in a two-week frenzy of auditions and career make-or-breaks. When Figgis was being grilled by airport immigration, he was asked the purpose of his visit. Unthinking and tired after a long flight, Mike replied: ‘I’m here to shoot a pilot.’ After five hours in an interrogation cell (yes, really), he finally made it into town.

From The Observer. There is really no need to read the rest of the article, because that was the interesting part. I just feel I should point you to the source.

Riots.

This week I’ve be battling s slight cold and yesterday night it developed into a fever. So no going to the office for me. In the pre-internet days being ill on a Friday probably wasn’t that bad because it meant that you could enjoy a three day weekend. But not these days, no, no. Thanks to the internet you can work at home even if you’re ill. Thank god, or some other higher power I really don’t believe in.

If you live outside of Scandinavia you probably have not heard about the Copenhagen riots that started yesterday. The authorities closed down Ungdomshuset, a “house of political and cultural gathering” as the users of the house describe it themselves on their website. The police did not agree and evicted everyone from the premises yesterday morning. A lot of people didn’t like that, and some of them - probably the guys who made the alleged bombs the cops found in the house - started throwing rocks, setting cars on fire and whatnot to show how angry there were.

Of course, everything was on live TV and watching it was an interesting study in crowd control. To gain control of the masses, the police had to remove the most violent elements from the group. After having blocked off the mob in one of the main streets, the main police force pretended to slowly fall back. This spread the crowd out on a larger area because the people throwing the most rocks followed the police, while the main part of the crowd didn’t. Suddenly, six or so large police vehicles emerge from a side street, efficiently separating the main trouble makers from the rest of the group. Quickly the main police force move forward again and apprehend 10-20 people.

Very impressive stuff.

I tried to find a video showing what happened, but the closest I came was this photograph of a video.

Tonight I was supposed to meet Klas before he leaves for Australia, but because of the fever, I guess I’m not.