9/11 - The 20th Anniversary

"I had just been released from hospital the day before and was still on sick leave. My father called me on the phone and told me to turn on the TV at once because there was something going on in America. Swedish television was broadcasting live.

Just a few seconds after I had turned on the TV-set - and before I understood what was going on - the television screen showed a passenger airplane flying suspiciously low close to the tower that had been hit first. Then I saw the plane steering right into the second tower, flames erupting around the hole that had been caused in the structure halfway up on the building.

I was baffled, shocked, sad, angry, and frightened. After seeing that I remained in front of the television all that day and well into the night to follow the news. There were many speculations concerning the number of casualties, so once the true numbers were released, I was strangely relieved that they were much lower than the initial speculations. 

2,977 people died in the attacks (and 19 hijackers committed murder–suicide), and more than 6,000 others were wounded, it's a scary thought that I could feel relief at such a high toll.

In my mind's timeline there will always be a before or after 9/11, Everything changed, or at least my outlook on everything changed."

(The above has previously been posted in 9/11 - In Memoriam.)

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We must also always remember that the terrorists are an extremely small minority in any community, religious group, or society. In the words of the American president Barack Obama, "We don’t differentiate between them and us. It’s just us."

I Love Snaps!

I don't usualluý drink much, but this has been an awful day and it's the second time this week I am getting inebriated. On Thursday we had a planning conference at work with dinner and today we had a chairman resign, so I am allowed.

I identify mostly as a European and Scanian, but when it comes to my drinking habits I am all Swedish. I love and adore snaps. I've already finished an Örtagårds brännvin, a Skåne Akvavit, a Herrgårds Akvavit and a Läckö Slottsakvavit (50 ml each), but I am not done yet. There is at least a Bäska droppar and O.P. Andersson Aqvavit requiring my attention.

See you all tomorrow - late...  

And the Winner Is...

Yesterday I posted a picture puzzle and asked if you could guess the meaning of the pictures.

You were asked to post your guesses in the comments.

The pictures depicted were the following:

1. Three Swedish football fans (Their nationality is shown by them being painted in the blue and yellow colors of the Swedish flag and wearing the jersey of the Swedish National football team)
2. A blazing sun
3. Six varieties of pickled herring (It should have been at least seven, sorry for that...)
4. A bundle of freshly harvested chives
5. New potatoes, with skin still on, boiled with dill
6. A bottle of aquavit (an alcoholic spirit, made from potatoes, that gets it distinctive taste from spices or herbs)

Thank you Ricco Saenz and Kahvy Smith for taking part in my little game. The answer I was aiming for to this riddle was indeed "Happy Midsummer!"

Now without further ado, let me announce the following...

And the winners are...

*Bwow-Chcka-Bwow-Ba-Doom*

Mrrs. Ricco Saenz and Kahvy Smith!

Congratulations guys, you have both won a handmade Jester's Hat in Multicolored Rhinestone by BMcM™. 

Keep the object safe in your Inventories for a while and you will make a fortune some day, I am quite certain of that!

A Good Hair

How bloody difficult can it be, really?

I have been headhunting for a new hairdo in SecondLife forever now, at least the last two-three years, but there is nothing I really like as much as my present - six years OLD hair - from KMADD.

What I want is something messy but still tidy-ish, something short but not shaven. Something like Jamie Dornan's...

Preferably in a nice Swedish Medium blonde color that doesn't look like it came out of a bottle.

Some of the content creators who make hairs just don't seem to "get" blond, they give us a whole shitload of strange, sickening, shades of yellows instead.

I wonder why that is? Sure blonde hair is an aberration that arose from a genetic mutation, but it has been around long enough so that everyone should be familiar with it.

My Upgrade to Windows 10 (Updated)

Yesterday I upgraded to Windows 10. The upgrade itself was rather easy and took little over an hour.

All my personal files (pictures and documents) were left undisturbed, but most of my additional tools like Adobe Reader, AVG TuneUp, Chrome, Firestorm, GeForce Experience, Kaspersky Total Security, iTunes, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Skype and Quicktime were lost. This was possibly due to those apps being set to a different language (American English) than my computer is (Swedish), it could also be because they weren't - and still aren't (as I found out when I tried to reinstall some of them again (Kaspersky and GeForce Experience) - compatible with Windows 10.

My biggest concern initially was the loss of all my browser bookmarks, however they all miraculously returned to me today, once I had logged into my Google account. With the returning bookmarks I also got all my saved passwords in Chrome back.

I have reinstalled AVG TuneUp, Firestorm, iTunes and Skype, but - as I said above - Kaspersky (solved) and GeForce Experience (solved) don't seem to be compatible with the platform yet.

The only problem I have right now, is that my SLT time app on the blog isn't working in Chrome but is OK in Microsoft Edge... (solved)

Glory hallelujah!

A New Swedish Word

Now the Swedish language has its own word for female masturbation. The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) at its congress has decided on the new word "klittra".

"The Venus of Urbino" by Titian (1538)

"Putting words on women's masturbation gives us the opportunity to talk about sexuality in a simple and less clinical manner" writes Frida Zellinger on the organization's blog.

In November 2014 RFSU announced a competition to find the best word for female masturbation. After first choosing the 40 top favorite words or expressions, the Swedish people voted for their favorites and klittra got 30 percent of the votes.

I Don't Drink

I don't drink much alcohol and usually don't like the feeling of being drunk, but today I am making an exception.

As every decent Swede I do have a stash of Swedish snaps in my freezer and I am going through it all, not that it is helping me any - yet. I have already drunk 20 cl and a still not connecting to my feelings - but there is still more in my freezer...

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35 cl and counting and still I don't feel shit all...
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45 cl and I still don't feel anything. Why can't I feel it? The most important man in my life died and still I don't feel anything at all? He loved me no matter what, why can't  I feel anything?

Zlatan, Volvo & Wilderness

Music by: Zlatan Ibrahimović featuring Day - "Du gamla, Du fria" (The Swedish National Anthem)
Produced by Max Martin

Clip description:
"Sweden is our home. Mountains, vast forests, long distances, sun, rain, darkness, snow and ice. This inspires and challenges us when we develop our cars. The Swedish wilderness is our heritage and it is here we find our strength. Just like Zlatan Ibrahimović. This is our celebration of Sweden."

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Zlatan (the son of a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother who individually emigrated to Sweden, where they met each other, fell in love, married and built a family), is undoubtedly the most widely loved Swede living today, although his "Swedishness" is disputed by a small clique of xenophobic extreme nationalist. 

Zlatan is a professional footballer who at the moment plays for the French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Swedish national team. He has previously played for the Swedish club Malmö FF, the Dutch club Ajax, the Italian clubs Juventus, Inter Milan and A.C. Milan and the Spanish club Barcelona (briefly). Zlatan is regarded to be one of the best footballers of his generation in the world.

Volvo is a Swedish multinational manufacturing company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Its principal activity was the production, distribution and sale of cars, trucks, buses, and construction equipment. In 1999 the car division, Volvo Car Corporation, was sold to the American Ford Motor Company, who in turn sold it to the Chinese motor manufacturer Geely Automobile (owned by the Chinese Zhejiang Geely Holding Group) in 2010.

Notwithstanding these facts, Volvo Cars is still a Swedish company with its headquarter based in Sweden and its production in Sweden and Belgium. (Some cars are also produced in China, but exclusively for the Chinese market.)

So Zlatan, driving in a Volvo and cavorting about in the empty Swedish wilderness while rapping the Swedish national anthem, kissing and cuddling a blonde woman and blonde children after taking a sauna in a log cabin in the woods and jumping into an ice hole afterwards is about as Swedish as you can get - at least for 95% of the population in Sweden. We love it and ignore the clique who don't.

The only thing "un-Swedish" about this commercial is that Zlatan is actually wearing trunks when he jumps into the ice hole, no decent Swede would ever do that. It's pure blasphemy against everything that is sacred, nature should be met in the flesh as every Swede knows! 

Swedish Marines Rule

Swedish marines having fun during their spare time with John Travolta's "Greased Lightning".

See if you can spot the gay sex scenes strewn throughout the video! I found four after looking through it twenty times, but some say there are five...

Assistance for those of you who need it after the jump, click "Read more>>" below.

Cute & Cuddly Cats

Yesterday my friend Jasmine Cazalet cried her desperate need for a hug in IM to me. As there - to my complete amazement - were no straight men lined up outside her door to cater to her needs, I offered to come and give her one myself.

Jasmine sent me a teleport to her home and as soon as I arrived we had a good, long and cosy hug!

As most Swedes, both of us love to hug a lot and know that a good and strong embrace is sometimes a good cure for many problems and even if it doesn't cure you feel better after one anyway. This exotic habit of the Swedes always seems to surprise many foreigners, who are more reserved with these overt signs of affection.

After the hug, Jasmine showed me round her home and introduced me to her young cat Whiskers. The fat little bugger was sleeping contentedly on her bed and he didn't even notice my presence.

When I left Jasmine she seemed a bit happier and was doing handstands on her bed. Even this did not disturb Whiskers in the least, he just kept sleeping on.

Open Letter to A Well Meaning Woman

My son Guyke will undoubtedly tell me, that writing this post is creating drama, but as I have told him in my opinion people who say that others are taking part in drama are often not willing to take a position on an issue or unwilling to declare their opinion in public. They instead accuse those who are willing and dare to do so of creating drama.

After logging off from SecondLife tonight I was tired and going to bed but wanted to check the latest updates on my blog list.

I happened to notice the following title on one of the "recent posts" on a blogroll, it read (translated to English and to English/American customs): "Second Pride Festival. Isn't That Like Brussel Sprouts at the Christmas Dinner Table?"

The post was on a Swedish SecondLife blog that I haven't been reading for several years, due to the fact that the blog owner (on this blog unlovingly referred to as "the mudslinger" ) made a personal attack on me by challenging whether my late partner Ars Northmead has ever existed.

The writer of this post was however not the mudslinger herself, but one of her sisters, cousins, friends, whatever, a woman with a more reputable image.

As far as I am aware, neither the writer, nor the blog has any connection or affiliation whatsoever to or with any LGBTQ person, organisation or community, be it in first life or SecondLife. This fact however in no way daunts the writer of the blog post from expressing her opinions on when and where the LGBTQ  community as a whole and worldwide should celebrate Pride and how they should do it to appear less gimmicky. 

The writer utilises the interesting and insidious technique of phrasing all her statements as questions, which makes it completely impossible to hold them against her. I will however say this to her in an open letter:

My dear madam,

Your views on when, where and how we should celebrate our Pride, however well meaning they may be - and I must stress that I see them as well meaning - are from a purely heteronormative perspective and are, in my most humble opinion, lopsided, inaccurate, uniformed and/or false.

The fact of the matter is that every day, in every nation (yes, even in Sweden), in the virtual worlds and cyberspace and in every walk of life LGBTQ persons are verbally and emotionally harassed, underpaid compared to their straight (or closeted) equals, less likely to be promoted compared to their straight (or closeted) equals, emotionally, physically and mentally abused, violated, maimed and killed. 

We will continue to celebrate Pride as we ourselves see fit, even if you should happen to disagree and consider, it more of a stunt or gimmicky. We do this to come together to rejoice over our past victories, for mutual support and to support our brothers and sisters in less democratic countries where they are forbidden to express their homosexuality in private as well as in  public under the risk of fines, imprisonment or death penalty, where they are also forbidden to demonstrate their pride in any way, shape or form. And we will continue to do so as long as we see it as necessary and fitting.

If you should wish to see and experience what Second Pride is all about, please let me inform you that the festival has always been open for everyone to visit and take part in. Alas the festival for 2013 was concluded a week ago but I would be happy to accompany you and show you around the exhibitions and the parties at next years Second Pride Festival.

Yours kindly,

Bock McMillan

P.S. I have made the following list on the present status of samesex marriages worldwide to correct the false facts you give in your post. The information is readily available for everyone on Wikipedia. (I have updated the information on California according to recent developments)

As of May 2013 the following thirteen countries have legalized same-sex marriages

1. Argentina, 
2. Belgium, 
3. Brazil, 
4. Canada, 
5. Denmark,
6. France, 
7. Iceland, 
8. The Netherlands,
9. Norway,
10. Portugal, 
11. Spain, 
12. South Africa and 
13. Sweden

In August 2013 the following two countries will also legalize same-sex marriages (laws have already been enacted that that will come into force at that time)

1. Uruguay and 
2. New Zealand

As of May 2013 several sub-national jurisdictions in the following countries have legalized same-sex marriages

1. parts of Mexico and 
2. parts of the United States.

As of June 26, 2013, the following sub-national jurisdictions (states) of the United States have legalized same-sex marriages

1. California.
2. Colorado, 
3. Iowa
4. Maine
5. Maryland, 
6. Massachusetts, 
7. New Hampshire, 
8. New York, 
9. Vermont and 
10. Washington

In the following countries bills allowing legal recognition of same-sex marriage have been proposed, are pending, or have passed at least one legislative house in

1. Andorra, 
2. England and Wales, 
3. Finland, 
4. Germany, 
5. Ireland, 
6. Luxembourg, 
7. Nepal, 
8. Scotland and 
9. Taiwan 

In the following sub-national jurisdictions bills allowing legal recognition of same-sex marriage have been proposed, are pending, or have passed at least one legislative house

1. parts of Australia, 
2. parts of Mexico and 
3. parts of the United States.

The Other English Disease

Quite possibly meaningful
Chinese characters that I do
not know the meaning of

The Swedish language shares a peculiarity with Dutch, Finnish, Welsh, Thai, Maori and perhaps some other languages, it has a penchant for constructing compound words.

The effect of the English language's preference to split compound words and the introduction of word processing programs (mostly based on English originals) are creating havoc among Swedes, especially the ones who know written English.

All would be well if it weren't for the fact that when one splits Swedish compound words they often change meaning. The problem is called the second English disease, the first being rickets.

An example. Lets try this Swedish sentence
"En brunhårig sjuksköterska tvättar barnunderkläder" with split compound words we get
"En brun hårig sjuk sköterska tvättar barn under kläder"

The first sentence means, "A nurse, who is brown-haired, washes children's underwear", while the second sentence means "A nurse who is sick, brown and hairy washes children who are under clothes"

Another example is the word "rökfritt" and the split compound version "rök fritt" where the first version means that smoking is prohibited, while the latter version means the opposite and is an invitation to unlimited smoking.