2005-12-21

towards a brighter future

The sun cast long shadows in Ullånger at noon in December last year. Go see.

Tonight things take a turn for the better. Well, brighter at least.
I’m not sure why but the older I get the more difficult I find this dark season.

2005-12-20

popping up in Baghdad

Christopher Hitchens takes a look at a man with a strange career. Once US attorney general, Ramsey Clark is nowadays involved in defending some of the most prominent criminals the world has seen in recent years. Anything goes as long as there’s an opportunity to bash his own country.

From bullying prosecutor he mutated into vagrant and floating defense counsel, offering himself to the génocideurs of Rwanda and to Slobodan Milosevic, and using up the spare time in apologetics for North Korea. He acts as front-man for the Workers World Party, an especially venomous little Communist sect, which originated in a defense of the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956.

I was wondering when Clark would pop up in Baghdad, and there he was last Monday, presenting his credentials to the judge in the Saddam Hussein case and being accepted at his face value as a defense spokesman. He lost no time in showing what he is made of.

Hitchens’ column here.

2005-12-14

thank you for nothing, Mr. Pagrotsky

Today, finally some development on the DAB front.

Granted, I don’t expect a lot from this government. So I should have been warned. Still, having gotten rid of our previous minister for culture I was somehow expecting a bit of vision, some clout, I don’t know what. Leadership maybe? Yes, that’s it. Leadership. Silly me.

What we got was a non-decision:
  • no phase-out plan for FM radio
  • no green light for DAB
  • no conclusions after a decade of testing
  • no guidance for our public service SR
  • no vision whatsoever

What a bold move!

Such decisive leadership after 10+ years of testing!

Thank you for nothing, Mr. Pagrotsky.

2005-12-08

Bildt on "Tsunami over Rosenbad"

Former PM Carl Bildt has read the report from the independent commission on the performance of the Swedish government in the wake of the tsunami. Bildt is obviously not exactly an impartial observer in this matter and his verdict is clear. This is not primarily a case of the wrong party being in power (although we could certainly use a change) or the wrong people making up the government (which is an understatement). It’s really about PM Persson.

It's an indictment against the Persson system of government.

And the core conclusion to be drawn from the report is that this can't be allowed to go on. With the existing set-up of failed persons just sitting there, they are as likely to fail the nation tomorrow as they failed the nation yesterday.

Bildt’s analysis here.

a medium without a future?

Patiently awaiting some guidance from our beloved government regarding DAB...

Meanwhile, a media analyst warns that our public service Sveriges Radio might lose its dominant position unless they refocus their efforts onto newer distribution channels. Forget about FM, he says. And don’t bet it all on DAB. Radio has to be available where young people are finding music today. In cell phones. In mp3-players. In cable TV.

2005-12-01

December in Vålådalen


Noon in Vålådalen Posted by Picasa

The sun barely managed to rise above the treetops in Jämtland. It was just before New Year, I was on my 44th and final trip of the year and the radio was full with confusing news about a tsunami. Go see.
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