Ajasta (about time)

Wrote this at IRC-Galleria, short translation to follow this longish message (if you cant understand, trust me, you dont lose anything), also I might add some more material if I feel like it, to the english version;

Ja Doctor Who Christmas Invasion tuli katottua. Oli jännä. Tässä sitä kattelin 900 mhz:n koneella, ja nykitti niin että piti kattoa isot mustat palkit ympärillä. Tuli mieleen että hyvä että kotona on ainakin kunnon kone nyt, ei olisi vanha 600 mhz enää tätä pyörittäny, ei edes palkkien kanssa.

DW:tä katellessa tuli mieleen, kuinka aika muuttuu. Sarjahan on siis pyörinyt päälle neljäkymmentä vuotta telkkarissa, ja pyörii siis aikamatkustuksen ympärillä (mm.). Katellessa tuli mieleen että tulevaisuus on nyt. Enkä tarkoita edes sillä "vanhat scifisarjat sijoittu aina meidän aikaa" fiiliksellä, vaan yleisesti siten, että moni uneksittu ja villi asia on nyt arkipäivää tai jopa vanhanaikaista. Tai muuten vain kadonnutta. Menneinä vuosikymmeninä ihminen hallitsi säätä, pystyi lopettamaan sairauden kuin sairauden parilla ruiskeella ja kaikkeen oli olemassa ratkaisu. Ja nyt, vuosikymmeniä myöhemmin, sääkontrollista ei puhuta (luin jostain että hurrikaanin pyyhkiminen tai sateen luominen häiritsi pienemmässä mittakaavassa säätä suuremmalla alueella, josta naapurivaltiot eivät tykänneet), bakteerit ovat saaneet immuniteetin (ja aina on vielä HIV) ja DDT oli sitten huippumyrkyllinen jne.
Nyt on esim. bluetooth-kuulokkeita, näköpuhelimia (jota elisa taas vaihteeksi markkinoi, eikös tää ollu tulossa langallisena seiskytluvulla? Jetsonit..) ja mitä kaikkea.

Mutta toisaalta; emmekö me aina elä tulevaisuutta? Uudet high-tech (tai sellaisena myytävät) tuotteet muotoillaan ja markkinoidaan aina tulevaisuutena. Jos automuotoilua katsoo, niin ne ovat kaikki tulevaisuutta, 20-luvulta eteenpäin. Mennyttä tulevaisuutta. Aina teollisesta vallankumouksesta lähtien. Joskus tuntuu että kaikki hieno on jo takana. Kaikkein fantastisimmat rakennukset tehtiin 60-luvulla, ja silloin oli kaikki (ainakin hypen mukaan) hienoa.

Mutta ei kaupungeista koskaan tule sellaisia futuristisia ihannepaikkoja kuin scifissä. Onnistuin äsken jopa selittämään itselleni miksi. Scifissä kaikki on aina uutta, kaikki kiiltää ja on uutuuden karheaa. Todellisuudessa uusi muuttuu normaaliksi ja kuluneeksi hyvin nopeasti, ja jokaista "tulevaisuuden taloa" kohti kaupunki on täynnä vanhoja taloja menneiltä vuosikymmeniltä. Tarvittaisiin sota, joka tuhoaisi koko kaupungin, ennenkuin tulevaisuuden kaupunki voitaisiin rakentaa. Se on ainoa tapa rakentaa kaupunki joka on selkeästi yhdeltä vuosikymmeneltä (tai tietenkin perustaa uusi kaupunki; kuinka usein kaupunkeja vain perustetaan? Ainakin Suomessa ne vain tulevat jostain ja jossain vaiheessa valtuuston puheenjohtaja sitten sanoo että "täs ois sit kaupunki valmiina".) Joku Berliini toisen suuren jäljiltä voisi olla jotain joka näytti, ainakin hetken, yhden vuosikymmenen lapselta.. tai kenties Hong Kong, missä historiaa ei ole varaa säilyttää, ja hallinto pitää huolen että sentimentaalismi ei saa kamaa museorekisteriin, jos sellaista ylipäänsä on olemassa.

Ajattomuutta on paljon helpompi etsiä. Tiedäthän, sitä ajatonta kaupunkia? Menneiden aikojen Pariisia, jossa kaikki ei välttämättä ole uutta, mutta aina kaunista, ja ihmisillä on aina aikaa kävellä kaduilla, jotka kimaltelevat auringossa, viime öisen sateen jäljiltä... Joskus kun kävelen Keravalla, Tapiolassa tai Helsingin keskustassa, voin melkein nähdä sen. Ajattomuuden ja kauneuden. Kuinka kaupunki on täydellinen Juuri Niinkuin Se On. Ja sitte huomaa kuinka rakennus jos toinenkin on peruskorjauksen tarpeessa, eivätkä kadutkaan ole ihan sitä mitä ne voisi olla.

I watched Doctor Who Christmas Invasion. Was pretty nifty, and got me thinking. About future, and more specifictly, how we are living it, right now. And I dont mean like "all the old scifi was situationed to our time". No, I mean technology. Jetsons, apart of the flying car (they stopped developing that after it became imminent that state would want you to have licence for four-engine aeroplane to be allowed to fly, even thought computers make it only slighty more difficult than normal cardriving) are modern day. Sometimes, we are even forward in the curve. Video-conversations thru mobilephones are of this day (thought they probaply cost an arm and an leg, and only CEOs of big companies can afford them), as are handsfree bluetooth-gadgets (worth mentioning because every selfrespecting scifi has them, starting from Star Wars and Star Trek) and really powerful homecomputers, that double as television sets (also items of every science story worth its money). Robots arent there yet, but give it a few more years. I hear they have gotten the AI to the level of five year old.

But then, is not future always now? Sure, we have all the stuff mentioned above, but much has been lost. Weather Control is also something in every scifi, as is the fact that diseases are either all extinct or easy to take care of, no matter what. All mastery of nature. We lost that during the way. We could take care of huricanes, but the big-level, short-area distortion was changed into small-level, big-area distortion, and it usually went over countryborders; neighbors didnt like taking part of your problems... the dream of diseases vanished with developing resistance of bacteries, and with HIV. And mastery of nature vanished with DDT. And cars, they are always of the future, by their design. A cool, streamlined Ferrari looks futuristic now... but no less futuristic than the model of -61, or -34. It's just a different future. I tried to google something definite on the subject, and found this. Fascinating stuff, eh?

Sometimes, when I watch classic movies from the fifties, I actually feel that that time was more of the future than is today. Think of it; the future is over.. And one reason one gets this feeling, is that the movies concentrate around buildings that were then brand new. Still rough around the edges. The reason why no modern city cant reach that standard, is that the cities only renew themselves one building at a time. The time to update each and every building (worth changing) takes so much time that the style between the first building and the last building makes them of different style again. And even thought they would be of the same style, the first ones would be quite worn by the time the last ones would be finished; and where would people live if the change would be done all-at-once (and where to find the people to do the labour?). There should be a war, or a brand new town established, for the city to look about of the same time period. Also, future never arrives without bugs, of the technical kind. Modern solutions are often untried, and engineers and architechs and try to crasp the now. On the subject; I miss bathtub. I havent lived in an apartment with bathtub since I was six, and used an small movable one last when I was about ten. Bathtubs arent modern no more, bathrooms are build with showers instead, and even buildings WITH bathtubs are repaired, and the tubs removed (suddenly I ache for an b-tub).

Something to go to, and wait for, instead of city of the future, is, perhabs, an city without time. To be tied to certain time, is to be limited by the limitations and customs of that timeperiod; either there are no vaccines, or hot water, or no bathtubes... or perhaps its impossible to get clothes or shoes in certain size because you vary too much from the average? A timeless city, would have no such limitations. It is Paris of dreams, where everything is romantically, and curiously, at the same futuristic and old (but with vaccines, bathtubes and horsecarts (without shit on streets). And while that Paris dosen't exist, and truly, there exists no city like that, sometime, for a brief moment, sometimes even day or two, it might be your hometown. The consist rush hour might vanish, and the clouds of pollution might disapear; and sun might bring light down just SO, making everything look new and glorious (partly thanks to the rain during the night, that stopped just before you woke up). And birds sing, and you can actually hear it because there are no cars or other machinery going nearby. You feel like you could dance yourself... have you felt ever like that? Like everything is perfect? That must be, surely, what heaven is all about. Maybe its as close as we ever get.

OK, if you can read both finnish and english, you will find these texts to be quite different in nature. Lucky you. For those who cant; be content that it talks mostly about the same things, with some different variations and points.

BTW, Happy Christmas and Merry new year - or was it the other way around?

About dogs.

While I was coming back to home from my mother today, I saw a woman with very interesting hair-do, with very short hair expect just in top of her eyes, where she had big patch, greased to go upwards. It had also been dyed yellow (rest of her hair was brown). She was dressed in wierd jacket, pants and boots. She wasn't very slim, but not fat either; she looked like she had bought that chocolate bar few times too often, but not like she would have been swimming in it.
She also had a dog. I dont know much about dogs, so I cant well identify it; but it was about three fourths of meter high, it was very brown, very slim and very agile looking. In other words, it didnt look much like it's mistress.

From seeing this, I remember the old saying about dogs and their masters (or mistresses, as it is), and about how they end looking like each other. And I started thinking, if this was so, why was it? Was it because, after having had a similar lifestyle for years they started to look like each other? Or maybe it was only the company?

And from this, my train of thoughts jumped to the obvious conclusion; what if people actually bought dogs, to make themselves LOOK like dogs? "I would like to look little more masculine, I think Ill get a bulldog." "I wanna look little more official, I think I take the wolfhound." "I think I want to look cute, Ill take the pudel." And so on.

While writing this, it occured to me that people really do this. They take animals they want to highlight they lifestyle, or give certain image; dalmatians, for examble, are animals that can and should run 100 kilometres each day (read this from somewhere), so they are perfect animals at farms; but people who want to look avantgarde (and thus live in urban cities) get them. Not good for the pet, is it?

So, maybe I wasn't so genius as I thought, eh? But it's a nice thought. To get slim and younglooking by getting one of those dogs that chase bunnies at competitions..

Comicbook logic!

Comics are a great thing. There are several reasons, and one of the most coolest thing about particular brand of them is the continity. Yes, Im talking about superheros.

Continity - that is, things from past storylines affect the future ones - is a cool thing. Sometimes it also causes problems. Things are made for one particular storyline, that become obvious hinderstones in later ones. Or some machine (usually weapon) has some really obvious beneficial uses, but the heroes (even if they have resources, and even if they themselves are in need of the beneficial use) never get around doing it.

The most obvious examble, of course, is Professor Charles Xavier, the founder of X-Men. As you might remember from the movies (in case you dont read comics), the man is a cripple; he moves around while sitting in a wheelchair. This is quite strange, while we remember that the man teaches and houses people of great healing power under his roof. Several times, these healers have been shown to cure battlewounds that would cause death inside minutes; mending bones, removing holes thru the stomach and what have you. And still, Xavier has not asked, nor has of the healers suggested, that Xavier himself could be healed.

Or Cyclops. The man can shoot conclusive rays from his eyes (eg. he shoot beams that have the same effect as by being hit by cannonball). Thanks to brain damage as a kid, he can never turn his rays "off", and therefore he has to use visor that makes his rays harmless when not fighting people. He could be healed, as detailed above, but there are other solutions. X-Men have fought villains, and sometime they have lost. And the villain has chosen to imprison them by using "Inhibitor Collars". In short, it makes using superpowers impossible; shorts them out. They are well tested - in Marvel Universe, there were a whole islandnation full of mutants who were made to use them - so research in the technology is well betatested, and quite safe for users. So, why hasn't some company reverse-engineered the technology and built, for examble, bracelets with on/off switch? Cyclops wouldn't need those glasses, Rogue could touch people without taking their memories and so on. And thats just in the X-Men. Worldwide, there must be thousands, if not hundred of thousands, who look pretty normal and would like the comfort of knowing they dont accidentally, say, level a house. And people whose powers make normal life impossible. Naturally, it wouldnt help always, but it would help SOMETIMES. And even if the bracelet would cost tens of thousands of euros... goverment might help with the fees (it would limit damage to buildings), and even if it wouldnt - how much would you pay for item that would let you touch people without killing them? It should cost very much indeed that I wouldnt get one. There are loans, you know, and item like this would probaply have lifetime waranty.

Other things well known in Marvel U, but not used by anyone outside hero/villain community: time machine (with "ghost mode", where you can observe past but not affect it - ideal christmas present for any archeologist or historian!), alien civilisations with very advanced technolgoies and benevolent mindset (eg. ready to share, not trying to invade), Asimovian robots, force fields, 3D-technology, VERY advanced computers, flying cars, get-superpowers machines (several, most quite safe for the user) and so on. Seeing as some superheroes and villains are also involved in business, not seeing these things in the market is quite amazing (Fantastic four is financed by patents, Iron Man and Iron Fist own tech companies, Black Panther is the head of state, X-Men has several millionares and company owners and Batman is one of the richest people in the world).

Then there are those very absurd things, such as in DC's Flash. One of the villains is Dr. Alchemy. "Ha Ha Ha! After years and years of research, I have finally invented the Alchemist's Stone! With it I can change any material into another! Let's go rob some banks, instead of making copper, silver, iron, platinum, aluminium or some other very valuable and/or rare metal that is used in machines!" And of course, the men who just happen to discover how to make power armours, freeze guns, stilt legs (allowing you to rise to hundreds of meters, while keeping your legs on the ground), power sources and what have you. They could make millions if they started selling their inventions instead of trying to rob the bank down the street!

Oh, and it is shown that Batman's company, Wayne Enterprises, had in the middle eighties a machine that allowed people with broken backs to walk again. Problem was, back then the machine weighted 20 kilos or more, and must have been used all the time. It was 20 years ago, and surely the tech has evolved. And/or, Batman could have pushed more money in the technology, seeing as his friend, former Batgirl and current hacker and manager of Batman's information, happens to suffer from just this condition. Pretty indifrent, isin't he?

While, obviously, some of these things may have violent uses, and some heroes may want to keep their heads out of the workings of humankind - such as Superman - I cant really see why Iron Man, who owns a high tech company with army contracs, would hesitate to put into the market such things as 3D-projector (seeing as he wants to develope the company more to the high tech, consumer market). And time machines (which cant be used in Marvel U to change present) could and should be owned by at least several universities, however ridiculously expensive they were.

So many heroes could help so many more people than they do, if they just would think a moment more of the technology they smash and broke in every issue of their comic books. Sure, they are malevolent, but cant the underlining technology (and applications of physics) be used for GOOD? And why wont villains, that are are shown to be only concerned with money (and not say, world domination) sell or licence their patents instead of robbing banks?

But of course, these are comic books. But some technology could be incorporated into the the universe without making it look very foreign from our own; and that which cant could easily be explained away. But they dont do either, and this makes the heroes look very stupid indeed. Even if some of them are Nobel-winning scientists or supergeniuses.

Happiness!

This post is update in my life, which consists of report about my life during the past few days. About how Salo was at school and kept a presentation; about how he got his permanent driving licence and lastly some ponderings about internet relationships.

On Thursday I had presentation (ten pages plus powerpoint) at school about Japanese culture. It was group project, there was four of us.. and I admid, we took Japan mostly out of my suggestion (I had done several presentations of the subject already, and I knew stuff without having to look up, which is always a bonus). As it goes, one person of the group stopped school 20 hours before the presentation - something about how he had studied too long and he couldnt continue, law said so. He didn't give us his notes, tho I know he had them, so suddenly we were short several pages.
Somehow making the powerpoint and collecting and editing the papers from the group became my task... We made some last minute modifications, but things really didnt go as we had planned, because second group member decided to drink alcohol the day before presentation and had a hangover (and therefore didnt come to talk at his cue). The presentation went just fine with only two of us, I was amazed how much I actually knew of the subject. Teacher asked a curve-ball question about employment (I dont think she hoped for an answer), and I think she was quite suprised that I could, after little thinking,give essey answer on the subject!
And then I had, at the same day, that driving lesson stuff (more of that later), so I gave the nearly-complete paper to the fourth group member, who promised to see it thru (there were some incomplete sentences and stuff like that yet to be edited, thanks to small changes we had done earlier in the morning). Felt like I was escaping from a sinking boat - only one person left, after me! But yeah, I did do my part, I feel. Most in the whole group, but I wonder what the fourth member feels..

* * *
So, the driving stuff. The second stage (as its called) consisted of class in "How to drive during dark?" (read: nearly always on wintertime outside cities), of "grading drive" (where teacher put me driving around and wrote up my mistakes, what I should try to correct in the future), four hours of testdriving at arena, with road iced and water thrown over, hour or so watching two wrecked cars scraped from the road, also testing some Volvo-gadget which simulated (on low speed) how it feels like when car goes over three times before settling on its roof, and how hard its to get out thru window if this happens.
This morning had the last theory class, which was quite ridiculous, and I dont think I learned anything new; expect that getting driver's licence will be getting even harder at future; they are going to double the compulsory driving lessons! It isint like Finland wouldnt have one of the hardest driving schools in the world as it is! Well, that dosent really have anything to do with me, but my sister will be so pissed off when she has to go thru this "all new driving school" in seven or eight years.
So, got my studies for permanent driving licence finished and gave it to police. Said I can come to get it after seventh of January next year. After getting it to my hands, I can use it till Im 55 (my current one is ok only till next July). Also, I wont lose it after my first speeding ticket or bad parking.

* * *
Bordering on my personal life; talking with a great personality (belonging to a female) always make me feel incredible happy for days after. Even if we talked via computer.
This also borders on pathetic; I think of her way too much even if Im not on computer. Definetly not good. Hope this rubs off. Though I have to admid, usually Im very gloomy this time of a year. Now I feel like I could dance.

* * *
Should draw more, but somehow I dont seem to get anything orginal on paper. Just faces, and Im good enough with those already. Maybe should take some photos and practice drawing more from a model? To make art that is actually good enough to recongize the model from. Yes, that is definetly something I should practice more of.

* * *
On other news. Do you know how it feels to hear that someone actually reads my writings? Without prompting? [HINT: so very good].

K. J. Parker - Scavenger trilogy - Pattern and Memory

Continuing from the earlier post (see below). Probaply spoils stuff, but not too trastically, I hope. I might spoil pretty badly part of the man/god riddle, so beware. The books should be interesting even after reading this, though. Pattern is mostly an inbetween book. In Shadow, Poldarn gets the first clues of his identity, and in Pattern goes back to the house where he grew up; and finds out what kind of person he is. Because while memories are gone, the man under those memories is mostly intact. Pattern wasn't as good as Shadow; few times I actually had problems carrying on. My friend said he had tried to read this aswell, but couldnt keep on going.

Memory is better, and starts three years after Poldarn found himself at battlefield without clue to his identity. He has more or less found out what kind of person he is, and isint really that enthuastic in reclaiming his memory anymore. He works at a foundry, helping in casting bells for churches.
Then things start to roll. An old schoolmate finds Poldarn, wanting to - if not reclaim his memory, at least telling him the story of his life. But should he trust the man? He is not the first one who claims to know his past -- but previously, people have always lied. And then military seizes control of the foundry. They would be making something never seen in the world before - Poldarn's Flutes, huge metal tubes that shoot fire and rocks.

And while Poldarn is working in the project, he starts to remember the dreams that plague his night... and closing to Poldarn, is the man known as Monach. Like Poldarn, Monach dreams, and in his dreams, he sees the past, the present and - maybe - the future.

It is said that when the god known as Poldarn comes to earth, he dosen't know who he is, but travels from city to city in a cart, doom following. And there are things that Poldarn is said to do in his travels. And nothing can kill a god; only when Poldarn has driven thru the whole world in his cart, and sees himself coming back from the other direction, can he die. And then the world ends.
Story after story, the man Poldarn has filled. But it has all been accidents, mostly in the realms of possible. To the very end the reader has to guess is he man or god... and the solution dosen't hit like lighting bolt from the sky.

The most interesting part of the story is maybe when in the first book Monach comes to Cien investigating Poldarn, and finds an old man who claims he witnessed the god returning people back to life. He back his story very well, and even has something on the line of proof going for him, and so certain magic is backed to the character of Poldarn. In book two, Poldarn is killing ravens, and for a minute he meets, in the foggy fields, a young guy he teaches how to kill ravens. And in the book three; Poldarn remembers how as a young man, he met someone who clearly was not from this world... something divine. These few pages are the only ones that clearly go out of ordinary. Poldarn also gets few dreams about future, but they are easy enough to explain away.

I would recommend you at least browsing the books thru, if you find them in Library. They might be somewhat slow at times, but completly orginal. And books like that dont happen in Fantasy that often.

Presidential elections

Today Hyvinkää's magistrate sent me mail concerning Presidential elections. The post mostly said when it was ok to vote and where, and offered alternatives how to cast my vote should I be out of the country when the official casting day is, what to do if I can't leave my apartment (on behalf of being nintyfive and tied to my bed) or what to do if I have both of my hands tightly wrapped in casts, thanks to skiing accident (and cant therefore do the number of my candinate in the casting pallot).

So, the elections are sometime next month, and I still dont know who to vote. There are six or seven candinates, of which three have at least some change of getting in.

Tarja Halonen, the standing president is Social Democrat. She has repeatedly gone with her morals when guiding the ship of state; basically good thing, but I feel her decisissions in the whole arent that well defined or logical. She is the "feel good" candinate. At some point, she had better popularity than Saddam Hussein (somewhere around 95% would have voted for her, if the elections would have been then - around 2002 I suppose).

Matti Vanhanen is the candinate of the Centre-party. Standing Prime Minister (eg. the person who does most of the decissions), he has very good "nice guy" imago (if we ignore the rumours about adultery - the Minister of Culture said about month ago how she can rate Sauli Niinistö and Vanhanen in bed (Niinistö is her old boyfriend)). What makes this is interesting that MoC is also of Centre-party, so should think she would have some loyality to the party, by not making such remarks (presidency is, naturally, a big thing). Vanhanen shot into public knowledge basically from nowhere, tho he has sat in parlament for years (usually with minimum ammount of votes).
The main problem with him is that he would probaply be going for helping the rural areas, which the party has traditionally has special interest in; farmers being the mainvoters of the party (previously known as the "Rural Party" or somesuch, before changing the name).

Sauli Niinistö is the candinate of Kokoomus, the conservatist party. He used to be Finance Minister, and the guy who pulled Finland out of recression and to the boom-years that gave Finland the reputation of high tech country. Currently working in European Pank. He would know how to handle the budget, and he apparently has very good grasp of how to handle things and knows stuff about economy - the bad thing is that conservatists traditionally have wanted to take steps towards more capitalist system - cutting health care and social and public services. Also, they usually arent that big for environment, so good bye Kioto.

So, we either have a woman who goes for the "feel good" line, without actually doing anything (leaving most stuff to the cabinet), a guy who wants to push money from cities to farms, or guy who wants to make the public sector smaller.

Sure, there are other candinates. I might be voting on the first row for Heidi Hautala, the candinate of the Green Party who will probaply get under 15% of the votes, and then on the second round (if there is one; it's possible that Halonen gets over 50% of the votes on the first try). I'll vote one of the big three. Or two, because either Niinistö or Vanhanen has dropped off by then.

But we shall see. Im also pretty sure I have some impressions of the candinates wrong, but I dont have that much experience in voting for presidents before, this is my first time I can take part. The last time president was elected was year 2000; didn't know much then about the people, and the previous time before that (1994) only that it was man vs. woman. Choosing is so hard. Its pretty comforting in knowing that the president dosent have that much power, and that I wont be making this decission alone.

School Rumble

This was actually one of the two animes I have bothered to watch during - say, the last two years (not counting my eternal love, Rose of Versailles [should write about that too, someday]).

School Rumble is a school comedy, in the heart of which there is cute girl named Tenma, who acts and appears like she would be several years younger than her age would presume; she is pretty bad with school and not the sharpest pen in the box anyway.
The other main character is the school's toughest tough guy, Hajima. The series starts at the beginning of the school year; Hajima returns to school only to be near Tenma, who he loves from his heart. He, like Tenma, is not very bright; for a thought guy, he has a big heart, but people cant see it because he is also quite violent by nature, and fears for his imago (and enemies, who would surely attack him if they would see him going soft). Hajima is also exellent artist, and now and then during the series we see peeks to his manga, which revolves around him getting Tenma as his girlfriend (naturally, the manga has happy ending).
Tenma, too, is in love, but to a guy who can only see... food. Therefore, the two main plots is Hajima trying to propose to Tenma, and Tenma trying to propose to her heart's desire, Karasuma. Karasuma, too, is a character of suprising qualities. All in all, of all the characters, he seems to be most out of this world. Excelling in everything he bothers doing, he dosen't seem to have much social contacts - maybe he is simply unable to creating them.

Along with Hajima, Tenma and Karasuma, the casts consists of most of the class they are going to, 2C. Each of them seems to have qualities not really expected from normal people, or even of anime thats basicly a love story. Tenma's little sister can read minds; class president (in love with Tenma's sister) is also karateka, one of Tenma's classmates is (apparently) half-Swedish, and has problems with her family she seldom sees... and so on.

But the thing that really makes School Rumble orginal is how drastically the genre of the story changes; Dragonball, Initial D, sports, horror... all such and more the story sifts to, and often, only afterwards the viewer gets to know, was it all a dream, or did it really happen? The characters, particulary Hajima, go to the very extreme to get what they want or forget it -- such as becoming a holy man who talks to animals, channeling their wisdom to those who want to know the future. Other particular thing that suprised me was how jokes of the moment, that don't really have any part in the plot carry on and on, while other stories would simply disregard them. Like the holy man sketch; it only lasts five minutes, and the animals are only part of the background, making the joke to work. But few episodes later half the episode is used to tell what happens to the giraffe that Hajima had earlier.

The anime was very refreshing experience. Usually Im bothered by the ammount of cliches these series use, seemingly without noticing. School Rumble avoids most of them, and when it dosent, it gives such twist that you cant help but enjoy. This is, surely, one of the best series I have ever seen. It would, thought, be even better if the show would have definite ending. Now Hajima only finishes his manga, which gives him some small comfort before going after Tenma again; Tenma, though, dosent seem to understand its over now. After the texts, she starts telling about what happens in episode 27 - without realising this was the very last one.

We can only hope that someday there will be OVA or second season. One would really wish to know how the story finally ends. Apparently there is a manga too, but what hope do we have of ever reading it in english (or in any other language I understand?). Chances also are, that the manga hasnt found it conclusion yet either.

K.J.Parker -- Scavenger-trilogy -- Shadow

"Suppose there was a really bad man, a truly evil man who did terrible things; and one day he can't remember who he is or what he's done [...] suppose you can get rid of the past so it no longer exists. After all, the past is just memories. Suppose you can wipe them all out, wash them away like a stain in a shirt, so even you don't know any more. There's no past, just present and the future. And the bad man's not bad anymore, is he?"
-Pattern, page 353 (paperback, UK edition)

I found the first book in the library good week ago. It interested me mostly because of the red colour and the lone crow profile in the picture. The backside didn't really do it for me - the first part was good enough, which I quote now;
A man wakes in the wilderness, amid scattered corpses and inquisitive crows. He has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. The only clues to his former existence lie in his apparent skill with a sword and the fragmented dreams that permeate his sleep. The second half, though,is mostly about how to make the book seem cooler than it is (leading the reader to expect something other than the book really gives), but most books in the market do that, so you have to give some kudos for the first half being good enough. In this text, I will probaply spoil the first hundred pages of the first book (because reviews are about telling about the book, without telling the sollution; and I feel that hundred pages is the ammount of pages you have to read before you can say if book is good or bad; it is also the ammount of pages you feel can be spoiled and most people will forgive you).

You can't tell much about the books, because the first book (and the second (which I'm halfway thru now) seems to continue the trend) is about a mystery. Who the man is? He sees dreams, but he always forgets them when he wakes, leaving reader with a clue of the identity, while the man himself forgets again.
The first book takes place in an unnamed Empire, which dosent have a name because it's so big, and there's only one of them anyway. Long ago, the Empire was strong, but now its getting ever weaker. The provinces far from the center are rebelling, and the generals who are send to put it down declare themselves kings instead. But while the Empire is getting smaller, it is by no means small. While provinces far off are drifting, the center itself is under attack from the sea; the raiders come out of nowhere, destroying whole cities leaving no person alive. And on addition to the raiders and renegade generals (and those still loyal to the Emperor), there are mercenary armies, that change sides with the wind.

The reader is given several options who the man without memory, calling himself Poldarn (name found from an old tile), could be. Maybe he is just a soldier - he seems pretty good with the sword, and several people in that trade seem to know him - only to get killed before sharing that information. Maybe he is even a general, several great ones have been missing for a while... or even a prince, sent to stop a rebellion.

Poldarn tries to make himself a living by attaching himself to a con-artist, who goes from town to town pretending Poldarn is a god in a cart, and she her priestess, cheating farmers out of their food and valuables. Seems pretty good plan...

But Poldarn is a name belonging not only to a tile or to a man with no memory; there is also a god by that name, who is said to manifest in flesh before the end of the world. And it is said, that this god, he will be traveling from city to city, bringing death after him...

The book does not directly handle magic. I feel this is important to mention, because this is definetly a fantasy book, and fantasy books usually have magic in them.. sometimes, them having magic is one of the selling points of the whole story. Magic sword, spells, dragons...nothing like that in this book, no sir. There are things that can be atributed to it, but on the other hand, that magic can also be great skill or lucky accident. Nothing definetly out of possible happens or is seen; and so the reader is thrown from one theory to the next.

The books are not that action packed; true, the first book is pretty dramatic, and has fighting, but the second one is mostly about farming (at least till now). I cant say much about the third book, which is still a work for the future. You could probaply read the first book without reading the next two. The center mystery (who Poldarn is) is answered, and also pretty definite clues why everyone knew him. But much is left unsaid, hence the next two books. I will go into them later on.

The first book is definelty worth reading, it is quite unlike what you have previously read, I can quarantee it.

Some people....

At school, I have this course where we try to learn how to better express ourselves, so we are better prepared for keeping presentations etc.
Today we had to make short introduction on another person at the course. The idea was to make 2-5 minute positive presentation about the other person, highlighting their best traits and telling what the person was like... maybe touch little of their faults, but leaving an impression of person you want to work with.
As I didnt really know anyone, I got this girl who looked rather pretty from the other side of the classroom. So, I talk to her for a while, telling something about myself (so she could make her presentation about me). I was rather easygoing, tried to tell her in humourous tones what I am like. Then I start asking her... she gives three or four sentences (Im really enthuastic about subjects I like (but really lazy when I dont like it at all), I'm really critical on other peoples options, I try to tolerate other peoples options, hope to be in five years at personel managment). OK, good start! Lets expand this a little. I tried to ask her what things she didnt like (YOU CANT ASK THAT?!), could I say you were strong personality (THATS NEGATIVE).. you know, I tried to ask her stuff, but all I asked was met with utter contempt. She didnt like me asking questions. We had about twenty minutes to prepare, but that was not enough. Hell, not even half a year would be enough! I tried to be light, tried to explain what I wanted to do, and asked her to trust me, that I would write something that would give positive impression...Cant do.
In the end I wrote few sentences, asked her to proofread it (she changed nearly everything). This didnt really suprise me, by the time I was pretty sure she was disgusting fellow to know. I was even amazed I could write that many lines about her (enough for good half a minute, after editing.. not that much). Might sound like I need a backbone, but by that time I was sure I couldnt make anything that would make anyone want to work with her.

So, we did our piece last. All the rest had friends and people they knew, or at least people they got well together with. She did her piece first (had offered her piece for me to proofread, I had declined saying I trusted her). It was pretty good, I liked it.

Then I started talking. I usually do my talks by rememebering few keywords, and then start going from there. Wasn't good here, though, because everytime I didnt go by her script (and I couldnt read from the paper, I had to keep contact with the audience), she corrected me (thrice, in all). Apparently, so teacher said afterwards, she was also doing faces, which got some people laughing (and naturally, I thought they were laughing at me, as I was stumbling with my text). In the end, I got some critique that was really good. There were people in audience who had seen my previous presentations, and could really tell what my problems were (will be great help for the future!). Teacher also identified me and my partners bad chemistry (the whole class did, and everyone save few girls seemed to agree it was not my fault), so all good there too. "It's very hard if you dont trust the person you work with", teacher remarked to the girl at the end.

Thanks to the presentation, I had something to talk to with several people, and I think I got some friends. So all good.

But Im suprised that such people exist as her. She didnt even want to hear my ideas, when I explained that 30 seconds isint long enough for five minutes presentation, she only said that "no one is clocking us" (as people wouldnt notice the difference between 30 and 300 seconds). I didnt know her, so I had no right to write about her. I tried to explain that I did get impressions, and by talking with her, I got to know her, and could do the presentation. But we only fought about those three sentences... She thought I was insulting her always when I asked about some of her weak spots, or tried to expand the text.. you know, of those things that make us human. I had given her several of my own weak points, but she gave me only "I try to tolerate other people's opinions". When I said that in the presentation, everyone started laughing. Bet they heard our fights earlier on, so they knew how true that was!

She came off like some really snob person. Several people remarked how she wouldnt get far with that attitute, and how personel managment would be really bad place if she continued like that.

I have disliked several people, but usually, at least, they have been sane enough to try work with me - we both had our cows in the gutter (as we say here). Anyway, I could have asked her questions, wrote my piece and THEN started editing it to be more PC. Now she just shouted "stick with what I gave you!". Equal partnership, that was. Tho I doubt that anything I might have added would still have gotten the red pen.

Midnight Nation

This is not a review. Review is about telling you if something is worth reading. This is something else. But in case you havent read JMS' Midnight Nation - a story about a man who has lost his soul and has to walk from Los Angeles to New York in one year, before he turns into a monster - I definetly recommend it. It's probaply the best single story from the man who did Babylon 5, Rising Stars and a long run of Spider-Man, as well as punch of other stuff for telly, comics and printed books. Also, if you havent read Midnight Nation, and you are going to give it a try (and I assure you, it is worth the trouble to get it), I would urge you to stop reading here. Because Im going to spoil some twists in this now, and you are better off not knowing.

I want to talk to you about Laurel, you know, about the woman who walks with David Gray, the protagonist, from one shore to another. A friend of mine said that the books worst single problem was the plothole about Laurel, how she went for the "long walk", even thought she was at peace in the In-Between.

Few quotes:
[About to be called to help David, talk with God, perhaps?:]"I don't want to do this. I can't face the pain again." "PAIN IS INESCAPABLE" "Not if I stay here." "THEN YOU SUBSTITUTE ONE KIND OF PAIN FOR ANOTHER." "I dont want to die."
[Talking about her life between trips:]"I'm... at peace. But unfulfilled. Empty. Waiting. I don't want to wait, but I do. I dont't want to stay, but I do. I don't want to go, but I do. I'm In-Between. But it's better than the pain."

In a nutshell, Laurel could have stayed in the In-Between. And like my friend said, she was in peace. But it was not lasting peace, it was uneasy peace. Like when waiting for something in the receiving room. You have comfy chair, maybe some periodicals. But you know that it can't last. And while you are at peace, you know you will be called forth. It was, however, great improvement over going back into the world and having to receive the pain of the journey. The only reason why she would do this, would be, ofcourse, for the vain and nearly nonexistent hope that she might get lasting peace out of it. And as the story makes very clear, she had tried this so many times, and it was all for nothing. She didn't believe in the final peace no more.
She was doing it as a reflex, because she used to have hope in this, and while she didn't anymore, it was something she had done.. and was still doing, even thought she didnt necesarily believe in it no more.

UPDATE!

OK, first post in a while. This time, we have a moral dillema. This url was in topic of one irc-channel I frequent: Spamusement. The pic of interest is posted here:
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EDIT: Here was a picture of a form you have to fill in Hell; who would you want as your room mate; Hitler or Paris Hilton?

OK, so you are in hell, and you should select a roommate between these two. Obviously we disregard the question of gender, because we assume that no sex between roommates in hell could be expected (ms. Hilton is very goodlooking female individual, and in case the reader happens to be female... well.. I guess Eva Braun thought Hitler was cute).
So, whats the problem? I mean, sure, Hitler killed millions, but people who personally knew him said he was pretty nice and entertaining fellow. Artist by profession (and not a bad one either), he could decorate our flat to be nicer in style. Probaply pretty neat person (obsessed people usually are), he would be ideal roommate.
Paris Hilton.. dunno why she would be here, but shes spoiled rich kid. Probaply would expect me to do all the chores.

Plus, we have to remember that were in hell, so we probaply werent saints either, while alive. So, I'd personally choose Hitler, and it wouldnt even be difficult choice. What do you think?

On other things, somewhat bordering on my personal life; what's wrong with people? I just had the oportunity to meet a person who has been disliking, maybe even hating me for the past three years for something I had very little to do with (in a nutshell, he aproached a girl, who said she wasnt interested. Just a few days later I had better luck. Been hating me ever since). It wouldn't bother me otherwise, but we have several friends in common, and he seems to be trying to make sure they are HIS friends and not mine. From what I gather, this guy has a (very beatiful) girlfriend, is engaged to be married (at least he had golden ring in his finger), he has his own place in big town/city, he has studyplace, friends.. apparently everything he was lacking or dreaming of when I knew him better and called him a friend. So, life has been good to him. And hes holding a grudge?

Visit on my personal life; having a date today with a girl. Were going to movies. I also got part-time job; for now, its only for a month or so till the regular comes back. If she dosent, the place is mine for good! Anyway, it's easy money, and Im awfully happy.

Having problems with my Windows-installation. Mostly fixed now, but I need more permanent solution. Will not go into details here; just thought to inform you.

About changes..

I added word-verification in comments. As much as I like getting comments (hint hint), I would rather have them come from people who honestly [hated/loved/read], not from people who just want to plug their own AUTO INSURANCE QUOTE page. I have not bothered to erase these posts, but hopefully with this addition, I wont get them anymore.

I know I comment on other people's blogs, but I also try to make it so that I dont refer to my own writings at all; if people are interested, they can track my blog down with my username. And I think they apriciate it more when its clear that Im not writing to blug my own blog.

On other news: I also changed the comment-thingy to go in popup. Is this better or worse?

Alfred J. Kwak

Remember Alfred? I remember. When I was kid, roughly 7-10 years, this came out from telly. The story was strange; the first ten episodes were about his childhood, and the next episodes - I dont know how many, but there were many, maybe around 40? -about him as adult. I have faint impression that Alfred would have been journalist by trade. He lived in Waterland (Vesimaa, in finnish), which was fashioned to be like Netherlands. From there, he traveled to around world, and even got to visit space. Maybe he timetraveled as well? Or am I thinking the later Moomin episodes? Can't remember. Episodes that have permanently been burned on my mind, included one where he visits oil-trilling comblex in the middle of the sea, and finds that the ancient civilisation of dodos lives in the bottom, encased in glass-domes. Or the episode where he visits Egypt and is lost in a pyramid... I would have impression that there lived an ancient (goodlooking) honest-to-god female pharaoh there too.. but I may remember wrong.

Or how Alfred's old classmate ends up as dictator.. If I remember correctly, he is a crow, and damn proud of the fact. Sadly, he has a secret; he is only halfblooded, and his mouthpiece is infact not black, but dyes it to make it look so..
I also remember he would have visited in Africa, in country with apartheid going on, and would return from there with his new girlfriend (picture).

The mole in the picture is the man who raised Alfred, after he was orphaned (I think his parents got swept in the sea).

Great show. I wonder, would the animation still be as cool as I remember it, the storylines as daring? As I know remember some of the plots, there might be good change that the show had political agenda going on. It wasnt Disney-program; it was japanese production based on some storybooks made in Netherlands. Would be really interesting to see some episodes again.

Recomendatons on Blogsphere

Just Like That. Jokes and amusing pictures. If you are bored, this is a good way to spend your time. The jokes didnt even seem to be of the boring variety, these were inventive, and not so many times used you can see the light coming thru.


...


I actually browsed for two hours, and only found this one. Hope you enjoy it, though.

EDIT: Found the kippledrome too. Looks something like my own blog, I think, with interests that are not really mine, but cool nonetheless. I think he has some belief in aliens and finds pictures of yesterday fascinating (me too of course).

EDIT2: AMERICA the Blog. Has all those newspieces from America that are so much fun to rant to your friends. No "this happens everyweek" stuff here, but all that stuff that makes America-bashing so much fun.

Will probaply add these links to the right later on.

Found this...

Carl Barks made some really cool cartoonboxes. Check this and select something under the OBJECTS AND IDEAS. Some really funny stuff.

Still about Flags

I have been hitting that NEXT BLOG button again. Now most of the blogs that came out were actually people who put thought in what came out. No more printer-adds or whatever. Still, most of the blogs were pretty uninteresting, but that could be expected.

Vast improvement.

Flag?

Notice that "Flag?" button up there? You see it, next to "Next Blog"? It feels like its tailormade for my "Walking the Blogosphere" posts. Apparently I wasnt the only one with these thoughts.

Now, just hoping I dont get flagged..

Valerian and New Orleans

I remember, years ago, reading a french comic book (in finnish, of course), named Liikkuvien vetten kaupunki, if I remember correctly. Translation would be around the lines of "The City of Moving Waters". It was about two time travelers, who come back into past, into the year 1986, soon after catastrophe that makes the timelines nearly impossible to walk during the next few hundred years, a time which separates the modern world and the future, where time travel is possible and Galaxity is the peak of human civilization, culture that knows how to travel both in space and time, and have agents around both.

Anyway, in the beginning story Valerian is looking for his partner, who goes by the name of either Linda or Laura -- I forget. They are in New York City after the catastrophe, evacuated after the waters rose about ten meters over the street level.

Anyway, thats what Im thinking about now.

The parallels with today should not be too hard to see.

Was watching the news, and it occured to me how similar the footage was between NO and Baghdad. The reporters used nearly the same words. The story used nearly the same "plots". There was a person who hadn't eaten in a week, a man nearly mad because he had seen so many bodies float past him etc. The only difference that really hit me in the eye between NO and Bagdad was how welleaten these people looked. Sure, they were probaply really hungry, but its hard to stay serious when woman that appears to be around 100 kilos in weight goes about her dying because of lack of food.

Sure, these people are in need of help. But it wasnt like they didnt have oportunity to step into a bus and take vacation upstate or something, when the weathermen went - probaply in several channels, all at once - "FUCKING GET OUT OF THE CITY" to the viewers. These people thought they could do just fine back at their home sofa. Lousiana (thats where the city is located, if I remember correctly?) is pretty warm place, and you could probaply survive out in the wilds a week or so without depending on food store or anything. Plus the government offered their own staying places as well.

Oh well. Darwinism at work here.

That sounds so cruel. I hope the people will be ok - at least those alive - but of course its just one of the many tradegies in the world today. Concentrating on this one just dosent sound so... right. As it would be cheating. But of course, if you dont have friends or family there, its not really that real to you ,and you can go back to killing those people on computer, and hope you find the Final Bad Boss soon.

What Will You Drive When Petrol Costs One Mark Per Litre?

"Millä ajat kun bensa maksaa markan litra?"

The translation above. These words were in some old add, probaply in seventies. I remember seeing it scanned and in net, about year ago. I know I dont really have any readers, but in case I have one, and you know of this, and have the url, please paste it in the comments.

Anyway. Thanks to some world-market thingy that I fail to understand, Huricane Katrina, that leveled New Orleans the past week, causes the petrol price to up. This is pretty wierd, as America (USA/Mexico) dont import gasoline to Finland, and the problem is, anyway, in the fact that Katrina also leveled the docking bay of the oil tankers. So, Americans can't get all the petrol they need. Logically thinking, this should mean that one market for petrol is closed and there would be surplus of oil, that has to be sold somewhere else in the world, effectively pulling the price down.

But thanks to world economics, the price just climped to 1,5 euros per litre. That's nine old marks, fellows.

And the Americans dare to whine when they have to pay one dollar per gallon.

So, what will you drive when petrol costs ten old marks a litre? Thats what the question would be, if the add would be published today in the backcover of Tekniikan Maailma, or some other magazine of similar inclination. And the answer would be, of course, "bicycle".

EDIT: I remember there would have been one mark version, but this popped in net few hours ago:

About Walking the Blogosphere

I thought would be amusing to do some more "next blog" surfing. This time, instead of telling you of the blogs, I will LINK you to them, with description of what you can see behind the link. Hopefully exambles I give you will be amusing, useful or interesting. Alas, I think most will be in the category 'disgrace'. Maybe you thought I was joking last time, eh? HAHA! You wish!

Links will open on new page, so you can click freely. Comment if you would prefer, in future, to see them open in the same window. Anyway, I hope to get to ten, and report you every blog I click. If I go nuts, please tell my family I really loved them, and ask them to formate my hd's without going them thru. Very well. Lets start.

Blog 01. - Office. This blog is inane post after inane post about - apparently - office machines. The words seem to be random words that you can usually see in adds on papers. Each topic is infact a link to copy-central.com - and as far as I can see, the suburl they link to dosen't exist.

Blog 02. - Infinitely Curious: Musings & Ponderings. This blog belongs to webring of "WomenBloggers". Seems to work as diary, with now-and-then amusing tracks into other territory too. Found this picture on the page. Dunno where it is taken from, but it is most amusing, and easily worth your time.

Blog 03. - Awassa. This blog only has one post, written in english, broken by internet slang and bad sense of grammar. Dated in second day of March. The message ends "cheers till next time".

Blog 04. - WE ARE THE INCREDIBLES !!!. Apparently some sort of community blog, with users belonging to University of Signapore. In english, though you can hardly tell from the spelling in that page. And some - you know who you are - insist that MY writing is horrible.

Blog 05. - 5 sia chabohz. Apparently five teenager girls. Lets see if I can mimic their writing skills..............no commas or other stuff is uses..haha....particualyr ncie how they tlk of yaoi and manga and smut...lol.... actually respect fr them... my head hrts even this much writing......lol... and they cn do it page after pages..... and its actualy readable... LOL.....NEXT NEXT NEXT!!!!!!!!!!

Blog 06. - Auto Parts For All Makes And Models. Each post has the same link, and the same text; "Go Home Auto Parts Newsletter Archives Auto Parts Links Advertise on this site Add URL & A Auto PartsA & A Auto PartsA&a Auto PartsAbc Auto PartsAccord Auto PartsAce Auto PartsAcura Auto PartsAdvance Auto PartsAdvance Auto Parts ComAdvance Discount Auto PartsAdvanced Auto PartsAdvanced Discount Auto PartsAfter Market Auto PartsAftermarket Auto Body PartsAll Oem Auto PartsAltima Auto PartsAmerican Auto PartsAnd Auto PartsAntique Auto PartsAu..". Also Google-adds. Freaky.

Blog 07. - Gardening Info Source. Im actually pretty interested of this. Taking the blog name into account, its amusing that each of the posts this month - and there must be hundreds -have only url in them. Im not kidding. I also fastly scrolled the messages thru. They all have one of two url's in them. First "Hot-Gardening.info" and then - for most messages - "Laptop4U.info". Great.

Blog 08. - Some Thoughts About Corn. Honestly, I was starting to lose my hope to get to "Blog 10". This is just so depressing. But this one - if not a golden, is at least good. Not about anything, its still full of life. I would do blog like this, if I just could. But I cant. Cos I suck. OK, next blog. Maybe its good too (but I doubt it).

Blog 09. - Asset Managment Info. I knew it. I KNEW it. This sucks. Pretty much like Auto-Parts above. Oh well, one to go...

Blog 10. - merdümgirlz. This blog is actualy empty, with lacking even one message.



Oki, that was it, and Im still pretty sane. Conclusion: I did ten blogs. Wow im good...

About Robin Hobb and her new book

Robin Hobb has previously, on that name, published nine books, three trilogies (she wrote several books under her own name, Megan Lindholm, but they didnt sell that well). First one was The Assasin trilogy, or Farseer trilogy (Im not entirely sure) about FitzChivalry Farseer, a bastard prince, who gets trained to be the royal assasin, and how he gets tangled in the politics in time of crisis, and how small stone can change the direction of great stone, though it wont feel pleasant to the stone. Her second trilogy is the Live Ship trilogy. Far south of the Six Duchies where Farseers rule, there lies Bingtown, where Traders of old families rule. Their wealth is based on Live Ships, and their ability to navigate a river whose acid water destroy's normal ship hull. Up the river there is a village where you can get magical items not available anywhere else in the world...
The third trilogy is return to the life of Fitz, now hermit far from humanity and politics, and how he has to return to teach the new prince, while keeping his identity hidden - for his reputation is ruined, and everyone thinks he is dead..

In the new book, Hobb creates a new world, where a kingom is expanding it's territory to east. The protagonist is the second son of a "new noble" - a man who earned his title and lands trough exeptional courage and wisdom in army, and so destined to be a soldier (like all second sons - the first son is the heir). The first book tells his life from about eight years old to his early twenties, from his own personal point of view, as he would personally have written it down. The book is pretty serene, like other Hobb's books, it is about small things, that reflect the big changes in the kingdom and in the world. The protagonist is not a important man - just one of hundreds of nobility kid's in the same position. Most of the book is situated in the Academy, where he is learning to be an cavalry officer for the army. His life is made hard by the general view in the Academy of the new nobles being less worthy than the old blood - and therefore the life in the Academy is hard for him, and getting kickt out by the unsymphatic teaching body a very probaple change. But to be kickt out is to be doomed to the short and hard life of a foot soldier...

Another subplot comes from the dreams of the protagonist, Navaje, as he dreams of a fat woman who has control over him - and she is not a nice person. But all in all, the book is about the daily life of one normal man - who lives in times most particular. Maybe it would be easy to say the book is like diary of a countryman studying in New York, who dosent get along with the headmaster, nor with general attitute of the city. Changed to fantasy world, where culture is very victorian by nature.

Good, if somewhat slow book. I will definetly read the sequel, the second part of the trilogy.

Walking the Blogosphere

Today, I was bored. Really bored. I had just finished a book I bought (will talk about it later on - as you were really interested), and I was spending time by clicking that "Next Blog" you can probaply see even now hanging from the uppermost right corner of your webpage-window. I don't know how that button works - clearly it dosent throw me to the 'next' blog (as "each blog is numbered, and your's is 4 and the next is 5"). I could go back to the previous page and push "next blog", and go to page that wasnt the one from where I backed off. Also; by pushing the button, I sometimes got the same blog again. This happened so frequently, that it should not be probaple, with all the thousands (millions?) of blogs in the world, and in the blogger alone.
So, how does the "next blog" thing work? Anyone want to explain?

Also, when scrolling trough the blogs, I found several curious things. First, most of them were really inane. Several blogs had just "asfhagash" posts every few days. WTF? Im pretty sure that they dont mean anything, on any language. Then there were lots of blogs with really, REALLY narrow interest. Like "Blog about bolts", and then there really were posts after posts of bolts, where you can use them, where you can buy them and so on. OK; they were not bolts, but several as worthless objects, with no usage in everyday life.

Then, there were several "buy my stuff" blogs. And "this blog is just for google adds" pages. As someone would visit them without anything to read of, only the adds.. There were two blogs that only had quotes from the bible. Maybe that might have interest to someone... I guess.. new quote for new day, and all that. Might be popular in some circles.
There were blogs with so many pictures (there was even some young teacher in USA who had put several videos to his profile - the pages loaded for eternity). Some blogs just spoke of bad design, having been broken into several smaller windows that made you scroll everything..

Then there were several blogs with actually interesting text, on language I can read (there were several with neither). They were suprisingly few and far apart. I commented on few. In case youre one and traced me down, hello.

The one that really stuck to my mind was blog of some missionary with big link to "needgod.com". After some sort flash animation, there were eight questions, that by answering you would find if you would get to Heaven. "Great", I thought, "I so love quizes! And this might be amusing.". Well, proved that it wasnt. The eight questions were on the lines of "Have you ever lied? For any reason, however small?" "Have you stolen? Anything, however nonimportant?" Anyway, questions that made you give the "bad" answer. Who of us hasnt lied? Who of us, over twelve year old, has not watched 'lustfully' either man or woman (depending on your preferences)?

Anyway, of these eight questions, two brought some thoughts to my mind. "Have you cursed in God's name?" And then there was examble: "Oh G-d!" My question is, is that a curse? And I thought God's name was Jahve, or Jehova, or something along those lines, depending on your language. Or is that just one of his names? If God would be in phonebook, would there be something like this:

Gobard, Donald / Bird Street 12 A, Espoo / 853 3566
God, Jahve / Heaven / 124 7687
Gregory, Edward / Sea Lane 4 A 3, London / 114 689


Just a thought. I always though that 'God' was written on big letter same as President. Because, in each country, there's only one of them.. and there's only one God in Christianity. There are other gods, and the big letter dosent really go thru while cursing...

Doctor Who

I started watching this when the new season came out (was it last January?). I also watched the 2003 USA-movie, the intended pilot for new series (that didnt become anything). Because this series is so cool, Im gonna do fast summary about it:

The Doctor ("Who" is only in the title, the character itself is just "Doctor") is near-immortal alien, part of race that call themselves the timelords - thanks to their technology that allows them to travel in space and time, instantly. The series is old - the first episodes came out in the early 60s, and the show was on telly till late 80s, when it was shelved, waiting for better days. They tried to revive the show earlier, as I told, with USA-headed telly-series, but the revisions the americans did to the show, werent really that popular (they made Doctor half-human, for examble).

The idea of the series is pretty simple, there are companions, humans from different timeperiods, that the Doctor has taken fancy off, and invites to adventure on his ship, called the TARDIS (whose camo-shield has been permanently stuckt on "police box", as they looked on 60s at Britain). Trhu the eyes of the companions (which switch regulary), is the show seen, with Doctor explaining strange occurences.
Doctor has several "arch-enemies", like fellow timelord who calls himself "The Master", and has devoted his time to become Emperor. Other enemies include the near-invincible robots, the Daleks, that look really sinister with their "EXTERMINATE!" shouts with robotic voices and appearance that mostly brings to mind big pepper-springlers.

While Doctor is more or less immortal, with lifespan counted in thousands of years, he can die; but as timelord he has another trick up his sleeve; he can return from death, up to 11 times before 12th death is final. But there's a catch - while his body regenerates, his appearance and personality changes, sometimes even dramatically. The Doctor has now died nine times and his tenth life is starting up. At this time, he has been old and wise, aristocratic, somewhat sinister and calculating, and "few cards short of the whole deck". On producting point, this ability was developed to allow new actors take the role of Doctor without having to explain the change of appearance. At the same time, the very possible change of real death keeps the viewer on the edge of the seat. It is not unknown for both the Doctor and his human companions to die during some particulary wild adventure...

But about all else, "Doctor Who" is a show of exitement, jokes, sense of mystery and good time. Not that many months ago, "Doctor Who" was voted as the #1 cult-series of all time - over Star Trek, X-Files and many others.

Pulp Fiction

This was the first Tarantino movie I had seen. Sure, I had seen movies and telly-shows with Tarantino as guest-director, but this was his movie. He wrote it, he directed it, he even acted in it.

It was somehow wierd, for Hollywood flick. Sure, there were lots of graphic, heavy violence. But where you normally in Hollywood flicks got these action packed chapters that last for minutes, Tarantino makes the violence fast - lots of talking, anger builds, shot in the head (or in the gut, as you will), and its over. And then the camera scrolls over the wounds.

Somehow, the music was so well chosen. When Surf Rider (the last song) starts playing, and Travolta and Jackson walk to the diner door, put the guns inside their pants and walk out, and the text starts to scroll... its so cool. Even though both had ridiculous hairstyles. Were those guys SERIOUS with them?

Things I thought out...

There probaply arent two people, with whatever chemistry, that work better together than those who hate each other's personalities, both knows the other hates other, but they still try to hold the peace because - for now - they are stuck with each other. So both bite their anger and do their job as well as they can, as fast as they can, to get sooner away from each other.

They dont chat with each other, nor do they slack; they just want to get on with it.

About Terry Goodkind

The links in this article lead to Wikipedia (English).

Terry Goodkind is American fantasy author. His story's main character is Richard Cypher, who lives in continent divided to three parts; in the western part (his home) there is no magic; this part is also mostly forrest and smallest of the three; people hunt and have small villages and some sort of council, but thats it. The middle part is much bigger, with kingdoms, magic and magical creatures and such. And to the east there is one more area, which is one huge kingdom ruled by Lord Rahl.
The parts are divided by barriers, which now come crashing down. Lord Rahl attacks the Midlands, and the Spokesperson of the Council of Midlands (that has representative of the kingdoms), the Mother Confessor, goes to West to found the First Wizard, who left Midlands years ago. Only he would appoint a new Seeker of Truth. With Seeker and the First Wizard, maybe Midlands could fight back...

Richard Cypher gets to be the Seeker. With Mother Confessor and the First Wizard, he travels thru the continent. Lord Darkhen Rahl is trying to find the Boxes of Orken, which would, with proper rites, make him the ultimate ruler - indeed, the God - of the world. One of the boxes must be secured until one year has passed - thats the timelimit to Rahl to do the rites, if he fails he will die.

The first books are really interesting, and I kept my nose deep in the books till I had them read. While the writing wasnt exactly superb, they had this spirit of joy in them. You usually knew what happened next, but that didnt stop the books from being fun.

Each of the books is more or less stand-alone. Darkhen Rahl meets his fate in the first book, and the next book starts immediately after, by revealing the new threat to be solved. This works pretty well.

Then happens so that Mr. Goodkind finds Ayn Rand's books Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy of Objectivism*. He is so deeply taken by the idea that he has to corporate them into his own books. And so he has to start doing retcons, usually pretty bad ones. In the end this leads to the point where Richard, in the beginning of the series pretty blue-eyed "let's help people", "killing and slaving people is wrong" and "there is more than one truth", becomes very like how Lord Rahl is potrayed. [ Though the writer himself dosent apparently realize this ]

I stopped reading in the book eight, Naked Empire, where Richard finds a large valley where people live in undeveloped community. They have houses, they farm, have cattle, but they tactics are primitive, making, for examble, houses with two or more floors impossible. The people used to be really happy. While most people have their own house for privacy, they prefer to sleep together in big barracks, to streghten the community. Everything important is shared, owned by community. Everyone is happy, no one is violent. This changes as the "villain of the week" has found the valley and promptly went on to make the people there their subjects. The subjects dont rebel; they believe that if they do what they are asked to do, maybe the bad men go away. Even the deaths and rapes of their wives and children are not enough to make them forsake their peaceful philosophy.

Richard finds the valley, promptly agitates several people to rise arms. In one scene, he and his men attack the building where the enemy is hiding. However, the villain has sinister tactic; instead of attacking (he knew Richard was coming), he has alerted the locals of the coming attack. They promptly make signs and make human chain that circles the building. They shout stuff like "KILLING IS WRONG!" "DONT DO WAR!" and so on. The enemy soldiers keep their swords in their sheats, as Richard attacks. Seeing how the locals dont step aside, he orders his men (family and neighbors of the protestors) to kill the demonstrators, which they do (cos Richard has magnetic personality).

All in all, the last books are more and more manifests for the case of Objectivism; Richard might stop to make speeches that are nearly ten pages long; someone counted that nearly half of the book eight is such speeches.

However, the first books are really interesting reads, and while not that well written, they have energy that might make them worth your while. Book six is clearly affected by the philosophy, but Richard still goes and finds more or less peaceful way to solve the problems; later he just kills everyone who dosent see the the world like he does. Because only he is right; and if others dont see it, they are wrong and have done their choice and deserve death.

*In case you are not interested in the Wikipedia link, all that needs to be said is that the philosophy is "each for themselves, and screw the others". You cant depend on other people, and neither should you depend on others; that makes the dependant weak, and will never grow strong. While Rand has a point, her view is hard and offers no compromise. The philosophy dosent recongize "helping the other back on its feet".

Still About Eddings

Last time I was so deeply tied to explain what Belgariad, its sequels and other books of Eddings are, that I forgot why I actually wrote that message.

As I said, I had read Belgariad and Mallorean just before, to remind me of how good I had once taken them as (when 13 years old, now 21).

First: While the Light and Dark are said to be equal prophecies, both with as good chance in succeeding, this is never shown. [Mad god] Torak is killed in the end of the first series (no spoiler there, huh?), which is told in the prophecies of Light. BUT THIS IS ALSO EVIDENT IN THE PROPHECIES OF DARK. Seeing as how Belgarath claimed to have read the Dark Prophecies, he completly missed all the references to "after Torak's death..". Yeah, in the sequel the claim that the editions available were edited to claim that he would win, but still.. "edited" means that the prophecy "orginally" said that he would LOSE. So, why the confrontation between Light and Dark, when both parties knew which would lose? That fights against the whole point of the books.

Second, trough the books there are smaller confrontations, where either prophecy can get "points" (what these points are, are never told; apparently they didnt affect to the final confrontation, where third party get to choose the better prophecy). The prophecy of Light never loses; they always win. Also; Dark always loses, save the one time to find the location of Kell.

While Eddings claims that both parties are as powerful, in practice everytime they face each other, Light wins, usually even without any bigger problems.

Just wanted to point this out.

About David Eddings

In case someone didn't know (and are still interested), David Eddings is fantasy author, who got to the Golden list with his five-part story Belgariad. The book has been translated to several languages, and spawned the sequel (also five-parter) Mallorean. After Mallorean, he did two trilogies about spellcasting knight, and then some other books (I havent really kept track). Oh, also two (really lenghty) prequels to Belgariad, named Polgara and Belgarath, of two immortal spellcasters.

The idea of Belgariad is as follows. There are two prophecies, two destinies, which are both as probaple. They can exist side by side for some time, but the final result is different; the "good" one is called the Prophecy of Light, while the other one is of Dark. In Belgariad, the Dark Prophecy is embodied in Torak, mad and crippled god (one of the seven creators of the world), who thousands of years ago broke the world with the help of magical stone belonging his brother-god Aldur (hermit by nature). The Prophecy of Life is embodied in Garion, who lived his early life in farm, until his caretaker, Aunt Pol hears of massive tidings in the outside world.

The Stone of Aldur has been taken from the empty Throne Room of Riva. Garion is just 15 years old, and dosent really understand what is going on. Helped by friends and associates collected by his Aunt (really sorceress Polgara, age around 3000 years) and her dad, wizard Belgarath, age around 7000 years, they are going to track the stone and return it to where it was taken. If not reclaimed, the Stone can be used to wake Torak from his sleep, where he has laid over 500 years, after showdown with Guardian of Riva (the caretaker of Rivan throne until a king of the chosen line emerges).

The companions of Garion are, apart from his Aunt and Granpa, the Knight Mandorallen (who is totally without fear, but isin't that smart either), Prince Kheldar (who prefers to be called Silk, and is by profession spy, cheater and thief), Barak (huge viking-like warrior), Hettar (two schimitars wielding man with personal hate against the enemypeople, after seeing his parents being tortured by death and suffering great wounds himself as a child. Can also talk to horses), Ce'Nedra (half-human princess from Tolnedra (which is like Rome) and Durnik (smith from the farm where Garion was raised).

The books rise and fall with witty banter. The story goes forward with snapshots from their treks up-and-down the world, which consists of different nations, each with its own people (usually stereotype of some people in our world) and customs. These are not really important, however. They are just a way to give the characters something to interact with, and to talk of with each other, usually in humorous way. The backgrounds are paper-thin, and sometimes are broken to allow good dialogue go its course.
In the first five books Garion finds his destiny as wizard of great strenght and heir to Rivan Throne (empty for 1000 years), and gets to kill a mad god. The books are mainly situated in the western continent, and stay pretty simple. Not much explanation of the world or its workings are given.

In the sequel, good fifteen or twenty years have passed, and Belgarion (as our protagonist is now called), is secured king of small island, and the Overlord of the whole Western world. Then his kid is kidnapped, and he has to follow the kidnapper trough the whole world to final showdown in hidden place, where the face of the world is finally decided.
The books offer the same as did the first series, but this time the nature of the world is explained more trough-out. Several comments by the narrator are not one-to-one with each other, or with the background of the world. For examble, at one point it is referred to the monkey-like ancestors of Men, though in the setting humankind is created by gods as they are now. Also, the status of enemy-wizards (grolims) as either sub-race of Angaraks (the human race as Torak its god) or as priests from among the Angaraks is not made clear.
In the sequel, as well as in all Eddings "epic" stories I have read, the maincharacters are pretty much the same. One is the dull, but courageous one, one is master thief, the other is old spellcaster eg. They talk the same dialogues, and go the same conversations. It is easy to replace any character with character from other series.

You have to give Dave some credit though.

He's honest. He writes for money, and he dosen't lie about it. This is all well and good, but you should respect your audience.

I first read the books when I was 13 years old. Back then my experiences with fantasy were all either Burroughs or Tolkien, so Eddings was, with his witty and humorous voice welcome change to my reading habits. I read the books on one go, one at a day (400-700 pages each), which now sounds really amazing to me. I also bought the books featuring Garion to myself. Carried and delivered lots of commercials and add-paid newspapers to mailboxes to afford them, too!

Final say in the subject. Belgariad or Althalus (another book, only one part) should be good read from the author. With one story, you don't get too tied up with the mistakes or repeating storylines (in Mallorean, the characters themselves wonder, didn't we do this previously too? It's pretty bad when even the characters notice recurring scenes...). Eddings did bring something new to the genre, but he didnt bother to bring something new to his own writing afterwards. It stays more or less as simple as it did in his first published work, with new names and more powerful way of telling it.

Matti Vanhanen on Papers

If you live in Finland, you probaply have noticed the hurricane our prime minister is going thru. To go thru highlights:

• Vanhanen was normal representative of Centre-Party in the parlament, of which very few had heard of before he rose to the highest seat in the realm after the previous PM had to step down because of scandal, about memos of Finland's role with USA in War With Terror. There was some question, was the way she got them legal (she got them thru "backdoor", even though she apparently had the security clearance to ask and get them officially).
  
• After Vanhanen got the seat, the papers told how he was loving father who lived about 50 km's north of Helsinki in house he himself had build. Though the PM-status came with big house in the city, he refused it in favor of the smaller (but still rather big) house he himself had constructed. Absolutist, he invited Foreign Minister of Russia to his kitchen to drink orange juice.
  
• Then it comes up that he and his wife are getting a divorce. They do it calmly, refusing to tell media what is the reason behind it is. Some suspected that the long hours of the hard job is the cause. The ex-couple is still seen together, with and without children.
  
• Vanhanen announces he will be taking part in the presidential election next year. Though candinates are many, the three "important one's" are Halonen (Social Democrats, current president), Niinistö (Coalition Party, former finance minister who know holds some position in EU bank), and Vanhanen, who enjoys public trust and is in the polls near behind Halonen.
  
• Trash magazines start to throw up rumours that the reason behind divorce is another woman. First its hinted its Tanja Karpela, former Miss Finland, who also has place in the current administration as Minister of Culture. They are said to have slept together at least once in hotel room. Vanhanen admits he was in the room, but says they were talking about politics.
  
• Few weeks after that, the King of Trash Papers, Seitsemän Päivää (Seven Days), usually called 'Seiska' starts the first part of classic two-parter, where "Kaarina" (name altered and face blurred), tells of her sex-relationship to Vanhanen. Vanhanen refuses to answer, saying that the divorce is painful subject to him and he and his soon-to-be-ex-wife have deal of not spreading their lifes to papers. The papers got a fieldday with his "I dont admid, I dont deny" answer he gave to the papers. Suprisingly, yellow press makes big articles with the Seiska's stories, even though they are not grounded in any facts.
  

Most finns dont care one way or another about Vanhanen's sexual life, as long as he does his job well. Most serious papers are either refusing to comment on the whole subject, while others are ridiculing the whole mess ('why does "Kaarina's" name have quote-marks around it? Its typical for Seiska's "journalism"). The only place where I have seen paper encouraging Vanhanen to take stand in the subject, was Metro, where old, retired reporter wrote in her column that she wanted to know - that not knowing hurt Vanhanen's imago.

Seeing as there is no proof this story is true - other than the word of Seiska, that dosent have that much weight (in past it has been shown that they sometimes are themselves behind their own stories) - it's probaply just way to to throw dirt at Vanhanen, who was pretty spotless before hand.

I am mostly amazed that evening papers take such interest in the subject. At the same time, London reports of second bombing attempt, and it gets burried on behalf of alleged extra-marrial relationships of PM before he became PM. It should be easy to see which of the subjects is the more important. Let the man have his peace. Would think that the reporters of the papers in question would be ashamed of themselves. Is this why they went to the uni for four years in a row, just to make two page-articles about some scandal, developed by Seiska that isint probaply even true?

About Pirates of Old

When we were young, we all dreamed of lives as pirates (well, we lads did, anyway, girls played 'home', I suppose). Some of us (read: me) even had "pirate-kit". It came with eyepatch, hookhand and dagger.

Incidentally, why do pirates have - at least, when thinking stereotypes - hook instead of hand, only one leg and patch over eye? And then kids WANT to be like them. "Yeah, when I grow up, I'm going to have only one eye, hand and leg. And then I'm going to rob people."

Right.

If we think logically, those identitymarks are actually silent witnesses to made mistakes. You see, on ships of old, there were lots of changes to get rid of your appendixes if you weren't careful. You are tying a knot with some rope and then the sails get wind - and there you go, right hand! Was nice knowing you!

And after losing the hand, our examble subject goes with group-pressure and gets himself a hook. There's nothing wrong with hook-hands, per se, but apparently the men of old werent really that big on preparing to bed. So, once sleeping, a bed bug goes and bites the pirate next to eye. While sleeping, the body moves on its own and tries to slap the nasty bug. And there goes the eye... And while absent-mindedly scraching one's body, its easy to make impressive looking scars, that really make women go WILD.

With the eye goes 3D-vision, and the area of sight goes from 180 degrees to 100. Its now really easy to stumble and lose that leg too.

Now we also have to remember, that back then, people thought veggies tasted good, but werent really that important to health. This caused body to lack vitamins and - in the end - teeth to fall off.

And there he is, our pirate. With one eye, leg and hand, with impressive scars and nasty looking beard (no mirrors and its hard to shave with your weaker arm, while the floor goes up and down). And let us not forget the teeth. Or lack, thereof.

And really, thats all worth it, to be pirate and having parrot that can say "CRAACK! OFF THE BLANK! CRAAC!". And of course, robbing people. And looking cool, under that Skull-and-Bones flag. A Kodak moment.

Oh, Pirate I was meant to be...

Playlists on radio

I used to have office job. I wrote stuff from papers to computer - for easier data handling and storage. It was pretty easy, routine stuff, that after a while started to be boring. Was cool to put the radio on and listen to some music.

Im pretty sure that around Finland I was not the only bored employee to do so. This was the first time I truly realized what 'playlists' meant on radio. They are pretty ok, I guess, as long as you only listen to radio that 20 minutes on your way to shopping, or listen on background while waiting for something. But when you start to listen it more or less regulary eight hours a day, five days a week, you start to notice that there are three songs that are playing the whole time. Sometimes the songs are good, sometimes.. not. But even a song most awesome and exellent becomes annoying after listening 50 times in a week (thats ten times a day during workweek, if you suck in maths).

Now Im in outdoors work. I have MiniDisc, so not really listening to radio, expect while moving from one place to second. Thats about 1,5 hours each day. Listening to Radio City (Rock and Sport - I still dont understand why the "and sport" is part of the description, dosent go well with the imago, imho), mostly because it means no Britney Spears and friends. There are several good songs going on. Sometimes the playlist plays older music, sometimes even decades old. But mostly it plays three songs over and over again. I dont feel that 1,5 hours of radio a days is that much - not compared to the eight to ten hours many people do. If I get annoyed, what do other people feel?

Read somewhere that there are over 50 000 songs in the world. I think thats underestimated number, but even if its about right... why does radio only play about 50 songs a week? Surely they know that listeners dont care to hear everything all over again - and change channel. Maybe Britney Spears is smaller evil, sometimes, if it means you get to hear 200 songs a week (by swapping channels every few hours), instead of 50.

Considering how many people hate playlists, it would be natural to assume that there would be a channel without playlist or with playlist that has hundreds - thousands - songs playing and which circles those songs more or less evenly. It might suprise you to know that there isint one. Even Radio Helsinki, which was long against playlists, and trusted into the ear of the person in duty at the moment, recently went to playlists. Or so I have been told (I have not seen this on print).

I have been further told that creators rights with playlists are much smaller than with "independent" selection. That using playlists is many times cheaper. Maybe true. But who gains from this? Not the listeners. Not the advertisers - if you are going to swap channel anyway, you can as well do it at the beginning of commercial break. Not the channel - people are leaving the boat. Maybe artists - people will buy CD's instead of listening radio. But somehow I doubt this.

Please, enlighten me.

GLA Misassembled

Last week, Marvel finished GLA Misassembled miniseries (four issues), written by Dan Slott and drawn by Paul Pelletier.

The comic is about Great Lake Avengers - a "superteam", whose members powers are either useless or politically incorrect. The team consists of Flatman - who is as thin as paper, Mr. Immortal - who can die but not stay dead, Doorman - who can teleport stuff about two meters trough his "black hole" body, Dinah Soar, who looks like some flying dinosaur (and can fly, but not talk), and Big Bertha - really goodlooking anorectic woman, who has the ability to become superstrong (and superfat) superhero. She disposes her weight by thowing up. Works as supermodel in her civilian identity.

The story centers around quest for new members. You see, GLA members have this annoying habit of dying (Mr. Immortal dosent count). So they need to recry new members. But everyone knows GLA, and nobody wants to join. The second tread of the story is about Mr. Immortal, and why he cant die (they illustrate his suicide attempts really well).

The comic is all about humour. The first issue is about the history of Mr. Immortal and GLA, the second issue is for the quest for new members, third issue is about the villain attack, and in number four it all ties back together.

The comic is fun - nothing is funnier that squirrel named "Monkey Joe" giving good tips for life ("Friends dont let friends play the Magnolia soundtrack", "please dont do what you see Mr. Immortal doing in this issue.."). On the other hand, its also sad - the GLA members are really sympathic punch, and when the comic is about destroying the team... Good reading, though.

Its different from Giffen/DeMatteis JLA-stories, to whose fans this comic was obviously intented, considering the logo-design, and nearly equally good with the best of JLA-stories of the era. Expect, of course, this is more sad, and dosent potrait always the heroes in so positive light as JLA did (they were, after all, the premiere superteam of their world).

Recommended.

Happy Poopbags

I have summerjob as "green area worker", which means that, along other things, I also remove unwanted plants from ground. This means that I have to be on my knees, possibly even sitting on my butt while removing some plants with bigger roots. I also have to walk in bushes, making seeing where I put my feet somewhat hard.

Its not nice to sit or walk into dogshit.

Two weeks ago, a workmate of mine was cutting grass with one of those hand-held grasscutters. The grass was kneehigh, so he just waved the stick around, not seeing where he stuck it. It was safe enough; it was grassfield, there shouldnt be any rocks or anything like that you could stick the mover on.

Expect dog shit. My workmate got to know PERSONALLY what it means when "shit hits the fan". He was not nice view to see.

There is a law in Finland stating that you shouldnt keep dogs free on areas at towns not so specified. And if the dog needs to make his Big Business, the "mines" have to be gathered into bags. Actually, there is a company making bags just for this type of problem - plastic bags that you can safely dispose with the rest of bio-trash. They market them with the name "Hauska koirankakkapussi" - "happy dogpoopbag". The law is there for a reason.

If you are a dog owner. Please, think of the green area workers.

Welcome.

I got this blog purely out of whim. It will mostly be on english, but sometimes in Finnish as well, depending on the subject and what I am feeling at the moment.
I thought that it would be good to have a place where I can write about stuff I have seen and read, so I dont have to bother people on forums and irc about this. Those who are interested, are free to read and suffer, others not so inclined are free to walk (or surf) past.

Hope this is worth reading.