Spying geeks

Hallå, hallååååå!?

In the Geeks are sexy website (thanks, TN!) there is a headline saying World’s oldest blogger dies at 108 years old.

EDIT: This article is hilarious! The writer does not respect much the skills of senior citizens: "It’s amazing to me that someone that old was persuaded to start a blog in the first place or that she even understands how the internet works. My grandmother who is 82 doesn’t understand computers or the internet at all."

Well, if you say you understand how the internet works, I suspect you are a liar. Knowing how it works does not lead to understanding. And, you don't really have to understand the net to become a blogger, like you don't have to know how to build a computer to become a writer. (Not anymore you don't, when the civilisation has Apple computers to enjoy with. Do you remember the time when Word Perfect was used, with PC's? Oh those horrendous memories.)

But was she the oldest? Perhaps I am 109 and a little offended for being left out. You would not know, really.

So far there is no law obliging bloggers to reveal one's real indentity. Yet. Seen what's going on in Sweden? In Sweden there is now a law that instructs all telephone and Internet operators to deliver a copy of all phone and Internet communication crossing Swedish borders to the Swedish intelligence service FRA.

Please read the article titled "Sweden is listening to all internet and phone conversations" in iNorden site.

Soon I'll create fake fingerprints for myself, just for fun.

* * * * *

See The Life Of Riley to expand you understanding of the internet, oh no, sorry, of life.

Oslo Report. Part II

Rosie Whitehouse (left) had a successful career at the BBC World Service until she became a mum. She then spent five years as a housewife in the war-torn Balkans married to the correspondent of The Economist. Back in London she continued developing her ironing skills as she built a new career as a freelance journalist. Rosie has written on parenting and family issues for a wide range of newspapers and magazines and is the author of Are We There Yet? Travels With My Frontline Family. Rosie lives in England with her husband the frontline reporter Tim Judah and their five children.


Firstly, I'm sorry my friends, for the delay, as I have not been able to update my blog. Secondly, I'm even more sorry for the fact that I have not been able to include the photo report II, since I have been too busy to replace my broken memory card reader. So I do not have new photos here.

The meeting I participated in Oslo was all in all the best happening in the field of non-fiction literature I have ever experienced. I came home full of ideas, thanks to both the excellent program with many encouraging speakers, and the wonderful international team of guests.

Dear Oslo guys, I will send you lots of photos! And let's have those reunions we discussed, the first one taking place in Frankfurt, and the second in Calcutta, India. And to New York, right after that.

Iris from Munich, Germany, with the brochure of the Nobel museum.

Oslo Report. Part I

Approaching. The Turku Archipelago and the most polluted sea in the World, the Baltic.


A Must-See. Not because you must, meaning should, but because all (my) routes seem to circulate this: The Royal Castle. (Don't ask me who live in this. I always fail to remember names of the Royals – except Diana.)


One of the main streets and blooming trees.


That's the guy we can thank for annual excitement (and the surprise of giving the main prize for Al Gore!): Alfred Nobel.


Aschehoug Villa. Nice. If I will have a second life after this one, I would very much like to become a Norwegian publisher.


...and part of the Villa from the inside.


Interesting crossroads. There is a fountain in the middle of tram tracks! (Thanks, Iris, for pointing that out.)


Look, It's Winston! Norwegians wanted to build a statue of Churchill after the war. Interesting.


Tram and part of the harbour. Right outside the Nobel Peace Center. I will go there soon.


Travel book store Nomaden. Very impressive. They do not sell only travel guides and books, but also various kinds of gear: clothes, backbags, ooth bris covers, disposable urinals for men, women and kids...


...and sleeping bags, made of silk. Ever seen these, anyone?

Tack så mycket. Thank you so much for your works, Ingmar.

The Silence (Tystnaden) fell over the little island of Fårö.




"I don't watch my own films very often. I become so jittery and ready to cry ... and miserable. I think it's awful."

-- Ingmar Bergman 14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007

Don't you worry, dear Ingmar. We will watch them, over and over again.

With admiration, respect and longing, and have a good trip to the Wild Strawberries (Smultronstället)

och med Den goda viljan,

Istori



*****

Man säger så lätt att man älskar. Jag älskar dig lilla pappa. Jag älskar dig lillebror. Men egentligen använder man ett ord man inte vet vad det betyder. Därför vågar jag ej skriva att jag älskar dig, Henrik. Men om du vill ta min hand och hjälpa mig ut min stora sorg, så kanske vi kan lära varandra vad det där ordet betyder.

– Den goda viljan. Ingmar Bergman 1991

*****
EDIT: Please read the obituary at the site of The Independent. It is written by director and screenwriter (Taxi Driver, among others) Paul Schrader.

[--] he probably did more than anyone to make cinema a medium of personal and introspective value. Movies by nature are, of course, very commercially driven and very accessible. No one really used cinema as private personal expression in that way. Bergman showed that you could actually do movies that were personal introspections and have them seen by general audiences.

Iceland: Blue Lagoon and Thingvellir

Quick remarks on Iceland, now that I'm back home.

* At least half of the Icelandic words end with "-ur". Why? (It's not plural, is it?) I have to dig deeply Nordic linguistics.

* Blue Lagoon was wonderful! We should have something of a kind in Finland, too. We do not have volcanic activity (not so close to the surface anyway), but geothermal energy could be used everywhere. (And we have clean water, lots of it.) I have never swam in such a beautiful pond, and in so HOT water. If I lived in Reykjavik I would go there all the time, every week at least.

* The place that advertises "the best fish and chips in the world" is lying. They were NOT the best, not even good.

* One should rent a car and drive to Thingvellir, as we did, where there is the border of the Americal and European continental shelves. And you notice that! The walls are huge. On the way there from Reykjavik there lots of horses and sheep everywhere and the home of Haldor Laxnes. Also the landscape is differnt from Reykjavik, much greener and the volcanoes are quite dramatic. It takes only one hour and a half to Thingvellir from Reykjavik. The roads are in good condition but you are not allowed to drive faster than 90 km/h. These roads must be very slippery in winter.

* Other most interesting animals we saw: dolphins, whales and puffins (suomeksi: lunni). (We went to the open sea by a whale watching ship.)

* More about Iceland here: www.visiticeland.com/

* The best bar in Reykjavik is Belly's, near the port and Kolaportid fleemarket (the most expensive flee market in the world.) It is not too expensive, quite crowded later at night, but the atmosphere and the owner were nice. They don't serve food but allow you to bring your own pizza from the takeaway next door.

Best wishes to our gang, and to my new friends:
Hannu, Aino, Pasi, Leena, Ossi, Sjon, Ian and Roberta!

Ps. Mennään pian uudestaan ja otetaan vauvelikin sitten mukaan!

Rankin revealing the origins of Rebus and Oxford Bar

Ian Rankin met his fans at an Icelandic bookstore. He was an impressive, clever and very friendly speaker when he addressed the large and enthusiastic audience, and he told about how he got started with Rebus novels - and at the end he was telling about the next one he is currently working on. He will finish it "next week". (Perhaps his publisher was around.) I can hardly wait untill October when that one is out!!!!!

I have to go now. And a bit later, perhaps we´ll get to see some whales.

I.S.

Reykjavik, Iceland and Ian Rankin

Around Reykjavik there are spectacular landscapes. But it is a bit cold... Coming from Finland I have always thought we Finns know how to dress when being in small northern town by the sea. But what I tought should be enough is not.

I am very curious about the history and culture behind these views. How did the Vikings get started in here, from where did they bring food and all the equipment needed when it comes to building infrastructure? How come is it possible that the Icelanders read so much, and so good literature? Because they have nothing else to do?

Today the one detective story author I find absolutely the best, Number One, the King, will be here: IAN RANKIN! (But I love Scottish crime novels, and the best new wirtes of the genre are from Edinburgh and Glasgow.) Rankin will do signing in a book store "Mal og Menning", in "down town" (well, it is down the hill, actually). What a lycky coincidence!

Best wishes,
Iida and the gang