Saturday, June 30, 2007

The Simpson/Linder Family

Mummy Simpson/Linder

Biggest brother Simpson/Linder

Middle brother Simpson/Linder

Littlest brother Simpson/Linder

Bosco the Dog Simpson/Linder

Sunday, June 24, 2007

“An Educational Disgrace”

From Richard Dawkins Tour Journal:

“I was beautifully looked after in Montreal, and was sad that I had to leave so soon. After a night stop in Philadelphia I flew on to Lynchburg, Virginia, where I now am. The drive from Charlottesville airport to Lynchburg was beautiful, the autumn colours glowing against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The host institution here is the Randolph Macon Woman’s College -- a proper university, unlike the ill-named and ill-favoured “Liberty University”, founded by the infamous Jerry Falwell, which shares the same town. It seems that some official body, somewhere, has seen fit to grant accreditation to “Liberty University” -- a “University” which, in all seriousness, teaches its unfortunate students that the world is less than ten thousand years old. I briefly visited “Liberty University” this morning. Knowing how many tax-free dollars had been donated or tithed to this “University” I thought at least that it might have nice buildings. Remarkably, they are spectacularly ugly, an architectural disgrace on the outside to match the educational disgrace of what is taught inside.”

Liberty university is a Christian university situated in Lynchburg, Virginia, US. This university (!?) claims that dinosaur bones at their campus are 3000 years old. They also lay claims that the Universe is a mere 6000 years old. Dawkins: "They're off by a factor of a million. That's not a small error. It's equivalent to saying that the distance between New York and San Francisco is 28 feet”.

Although creationism deserves to be laughed at, it is not funny; at least not when it reaches the university world.

Richard Dawkins on Dinosaurs & Creationism:


And here's for an amazing/funny/scary read: Index to Creationist claims

Lewis Black on Neo Conservatives

"I know what a neocon is. Someone who watches 'The Matrix' and believes it's real."

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

I Made My Balcony Nice Today

I so wish I had taken some before photos. It was a dump! Now I will be able to actually entertain on there. I feel so grown up…





This will soon be a big bush with tiny blue flowers

Monday, June 18, 2007

The Art of Simplicity

Just read a very interesting article comparing the presentation visuals of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, further compared to the aesthetic concepts of Zen.

Aesthetic concepts which would be:
• Simplicity
• Subtlety
• Elegance
• Suggestive rather than the descriptive or obvious
• Naturalness (i.e., nothing artificial or forced),
• Empty space (or negative space)
• Stillness, Tranquility
• Eliminating the non-essential

How come I did I not think Zen when I choose my puter?







Sunday, June 17, 2007

Awesome Amnesty Ads

More non-profit and guerilla ads are to be found here

Caption reads: "This is not happening here, but this is happening now."







Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

I Don't Quite Get the Point

I was supposed to have celebrated the Swedish national day today. But, as it goes ... no ... I don't think so ...

Celebrating nationalism seems to me a somewhat suspect pass time, considering its dubious record. Surely we can agree on the fact that the phenomena of nationalism has had a tendency to create conflicts here and there during the last century; having on false pretence, started people of thinking in terms of us and them. That the Swedish government suddenly in this day and age, decides to make the national day into a public holiday; well what can I say other than: It sure puzzles me!

So, what am I expected to do on a day like this. Walk around feeling grate about our social welfare system? Or maybe think about how beautiful it is in the Stockholm archipelago. I do both things quite often as it goes. Should there be a special day for this, so that we can all do it at the same time …? I don’t see the point.

National days seem to me like something hopelessly obsolete. I even envisage something a bit nastily unpleasant about it; something reminiscent of past days, when values told people to worship the sovereignty, while looking with suspicious eyes at the rest of the world.

So, why this sudden need to wave the yellow and blue again? Is there for some reason once again a need for using abstract symbols in the identification process? Seems to me very reactionary indeed ...

(This was a rerun of last years national day blog)

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Awsum!!

Cutest ever Beatle parked outside my house!



Friday, June 01, 2007

Books, Books, Books...

Spending a week with the students at the library has been quite an eye opener. One thing that is apparent is that the library service is trying very hard to keep up with things changing, but not quite making it. It seems my students sort of shrug their shoulders at this, thinking: Well it is a nice quite place for reading and writing anyways...

Besides dealing with people that are paid to make the most of a public services is always nice. Service minded people apreciating you asking for things... What could be better...

I love the library and I always have. I have always utilised it's services and appreciated them. Libraries are special. They are like tranquil safe havens.