Languages

Languages is an amazing thing. Without it we are nothing, we are without culture, nor history. And without the ability to understand other languages we are not able to understand others either. So,when different languages are presented to us in t.ex. modern film, why doesn't we care more about the way it is presented to us?
As a non native English speaking inhabitant of the world, I'm always excited when my native language are presented on the big screen. Unfortunately, the Scandinavian languages aren't presented very well when they first make it to the big leagues.

Some one does take it serious though, like in True Blood, where they actually speak the actual language. But in other series, and films, like Captain America, they present Scandinavian, not in their true ways, but ONLY as something different, not something true.
It's quite sad really, because, even though we're not peoples of big importance, we are peoples. Vivid, living peoples, with culture and history, and strongly living languages, just like the anglo-saxon. We do deserve to be treated just the same, even in the movie business.

Losses

We have all lost something in these past hours. Some lost their lives, some lost loved ones, some lost friends and co-workers, some lost their offices. I lost my smile. Norway, she lost her innosence, her purity and in part, her beauty. Yet, Norway is as beautiful as ever before. All the kindness that is flowing freely, next to images of wrecked buildings and scared youth running, it's heartbreaking and comforting, all at once.

The world press might have been right, that Norway has been naiv and closed minded, thinking that catastrophic events like these doesn't hit us here, in our mountainess fortress up north. Yet I don't think we have completely shut dowm the idea of attavk, I mean, some of our own still remember how it is, beeing under attack. But this, I think this, is something no one could have imagined.
I know I sat in misbelief when I saw the images from Oslo, where the goverment headquarters were completely shattered, yet, that was an attack one could understand. But how does it gain your cause, our your purpose, to shoot, relatively randomly at young, happy people, gathered to learn more about democracy and freedom?

Now it's time to show that we can rise abow, and that what has happened, won't tear us apart. We are a small country, where tragedy in some way strikes us all. Let's rise and show that mountains can't be easily shaken, and that Norway is still strong and proud to be a land of hope, democracy and freedom.

I still won't smile for a while....

People, easy to understand?

So, I've been thinking of a lot of blog subjects for a long time, but haven't gotten the time to put any of them down. Suddenly I thought, NOW, I have to write again. So, here is my first weird thoughts for 2011.

For every person on this planet, there is a different composition of feelings, thoughts, meanings and genetics. This will in practice say that there are approximately 7 billion different compositions out there, breathing, living, BEING!
Every one of us have different purposes with our lives, most of us aren't going to make any significant difference to the rest of mankind. But some are going to make a big difference on its present, so I started wondering, what decides that some are going to make a mark on history, and the most of us aren't?

Is it the composition of us as human beings that makes the difference? Is it our education, our upbringing, the society we're brought into, our is it, more complex? I, unfortunately, think it is the latter. I say unfortunately, because how much easier wouldn't life be, if we could define at least one part of it? But life isn't easy, and life is complex, unorganized and difficult. That's why, I think, we can't fall into the illusion that we can make out every part of our lives. It's too easy, too childish, too STUPID! We are people, human beings, homo sapiens, we live in the 21st century, and we have the knowledge to know better. We have the knowledge that tell us that it isn't that easy. We have the knowledge, to try it ourselves, no matter our sex, no matter our origin, NO MATTER WHAT!

The winner takes it all - also the course of history

From time to time there is this question appearing in my head, why everybody refers to Napoleon Bonaparte as "short", compared to his contemporaries.
Newer research actually found that Napoleons 160 something cm were around average in late 18th early 19th century France. So why is he still referred to as "short"?
It's not a secret that the story of events are being written by the winners. So, when Napoleon were defeated by the European alliance in 1815, they were the ones able to tell the tale of Napoleon 1st of France.

So, the fact is not that important, as long as the myth suits your agenda.

So, this only makes it harder to interpret the courses of history, and to create an accurate picture of the events that created the society we live in today. So is it possible to create an accurate and unbiased picture of history, and thereby today's society?

Hopefully, but not necessary.

Zee ya!

What are you afraid of?

We all have fears, fear of spiders, heights, or water. Mine is birds, I'm afraid they're going to attack me, pick me to death. Is it real, is it a reasonable thing to fear? Probably not. I figure it is a manifestation of the only real fear I have, but that I rarely manage to confess, the fear of life. I think of life as a day on the beach, you're relaxing on the beach, doing absolutely nothing, and as you are walking towards the water, you are very ready to dive in, but as your toe touches the water, and you feel the chill creeping up your leg, you hesitate, and you're afraid to walk in. If you had just run into the water, nothing could've stopped you. So why can't I just dive into whatever life is about to had me? Why do I hesitate, postpone everything, even the smallest thing? I think it's fear of failure, no the fear is to be what I have made myself into, mediocre, average. How scary, it's boring, simply boring. Nobody wants to be average, simply the manifestation of the ordinary person. In between the extraordinary and the failure.

I guess it is easier to be afraid of spiders. Much easier to run away from. Life is kind of constant, wherever you go.
Scary right?

Zee ya!

School, and a little something else

More homework, in-class quiz' and almost monthly exams is some of the different tools of education that is used here in the US. Now, sitting sipping my coffee, I've just finished today's first test, a map quiz, before I am going to have two exams later today. Right now it feels like I'm back in high school, where the teachers would be able to track my progress in the different classes. Weird, considering I'm now used to being responsible for my own education and my own efforts in the subjects I'm studying. But maybe this is better.

So over to something different.
I've been in Fargo for over a month now, and this city and it's inhabitants should be used to this winter wonderland weather that is covering everything. But apparently not. People are complaining about the weather and the cold, when it's been snowing people seem to keep themselves locked inside their house, because they won't be able to move their care from the parking-lot. How can this be? I'm used to the winter and all of it's lovely companions, as snow, ice and degrees below 0 celsius. Back home it's usually not a big problem to get your car out of the parking lot, even though it's been snowing. So is it the snow clearing that isn't good enough here or maybe, as I suspect, is it the tires that isn't good enough for the heavy packed snow that tends to pack itself around the tires.

Zee ya!

School sports and school teams is a big deal around here. Well, around whole of america, and the school spirit is well established in most people at NDSU. School clothing and other accessories are one of the things we can buy plenty of in the school bookstore. The crowed at the basketball game was all wearing green and yellow and all were cheering GO BISON! GO GO BISON!!
March Bands wasn't marching, but playing and singing, with syncretized movements in beat with the crowed's cheering. Sure was fun=)
Zee Ya!!