Dagens Namn -- 29 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Viola.

Dagens Namn -- 28 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is: Simon or Simone.

Sex offender

With Halloween coming up, there has been a lot of talk about knowing who the registered sex offenders are in your neighborhood. Since I'm procrastinating writing my bioethics paper, I though I would do a little web searching. Kind of creepy the whole thing. Didn't come across any faces I recognized, but I did find one picture that struck me. Most of the pictures showed sullen, menacing men (plus one woman!). One guy, however, decided to smile in his picture. What is the world is going on in his head? Does he think just because he smiles people will disregard the fact that he was convicted of child molestation? Is he happy about or does he think it is funny that it is public knowledge that he is a convicted sex offender? Maybe he is happy to be a convicted sex offender. Who knows. I sure don't.

Rain Amsterdam

So, as you may or may not know, I lived in the Netherlands for 3 years during high school. We were living there because my dad had a one time foreign service type assignment. While living in the Hague I attended the American School of the Hague (ASH). I was checking out their alumni message board today and found a link to this restaurant/bar/club which is run by a former ASHer. The guy, Robin Chadha, was two years ahead of me and I didn't really know him, other than knowing who he was. All the same, kind of cool. Anyway, the place is called Rain. It looks like a place where the very cool and very hip would go. Don't think I would fit in so well. If you are cool and hip, however, and are ever in Amsterdam, check it out and let me know what it is like!

Fake flu shots

I was supposed to get my flu shot this past week, but didn't because the hospital hasn't received sufficient supply yet or something like that. They said maybe next week or the week after that. I was a little pissed, but not as pissed as some Exxon Mobil employees in Baytown, Texas. Apparently at a recent health fair they all were lead to believe they were getting flu shots. Turns out the injections didn't actually contain any flu vaccine. The article I read didn't say what they actually received, probably because they don't know either. The whole matter is under investigation by the FBI naturally.

Chapstick

In my humble opinion, Blistex Silk and Shine is the best damn chapstick around. It gives such a smooth finish and even tastes good too. Give it a try!

Dagens Namn -- 27 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Sabina.

Dagens Namn -- 26 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Amanda or Rasmus.

One of my good friends from childhood is named Amanda. Below are two pictures of her. The first is of the both of us. I would guess we are about 4 years old. The second picture is one that I took of her in 8th grade for photography class.

Chinese BSB

Ok, I found this through waiterrant.net and it is hilarious!! Two Chinese guys lip syncing to the Backstreet Boys song "I Want It That Way." On the same bent as the Numa Numa video. And as Waiter apty point out, what in the world is the guy in the background doing?

Rome bans goldfish bowls seen as cruel

According to a report I just read on Yahoo News, "The city of Rome has banned goldfish bowls, which animal rights activists say are cruel..." The new law also bans fish or other animals being given away as fairground prizes. I will admit that I once got a goldfish at a local fair. My uncle Sven actually won a goldfish each for me, my friend Susie and my neighbor Molly. Yes, I have an uncle named Sven, I mean I am Swedish after all. My fish was of course aptly also named Sven and lived for a good long time in his fishbowl in the kitchen. I was five when all this happened, however, so "a good long time" in five year old time could have been a month or two. If you look very hard at the picture below, you can see Sven in the fishbowl in the background. My friend Susie's fish was eaten by her cat KK as I recall. My neighbor Molly's fish promptly died when she decided it would be more fun for it to swim in apple juice than water. A friend of mine works at a place called Wally's Aquarium, where they know pretty much everything there is to know about keeping fish as pets. Had Molly consulted him I'm sure they could have worked out a much better setup.

Monira Silk

So, I'm all about the photographers today. I randomly came across a blog featuring pictures from the Athens Banner Herald by a photographer named Monira Silk. That led me to her official website where you can see wedding photos, portraits, and more photojournalism work. Check it out!!

Carl de Keyzer

Photograph by Carl de Keyzer

Through Matt Shifley's blog, Confessions of a dumb white guy, I came upon Dorna's blog, The Guabancex Blog. Dorna had a post about Belgian photographer Carl de Keyzer. The picture she posted as a link to his website (see above) really caught my eye and I checked the site out. Amazing photographs! Check it out for yourself! And don't forget to check out Matt and Dorna's blogs while you are at it.

Dagens Namn -- 25 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Inga or Ingalill.

Dagens Namn -- 24 Oktober 2005

Yesterday was your name day if your name is: Eilert or Evert.

Dagens Namn -- 23 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is Severin or Sören.

Operation Eden

Came across a very cool website today. Operation Eden is the blog of photographer Clayton James Cubitt. He grew up in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. According to Cubitt, the blog "a personal chronicle of what hurricane Katrina has done to my poor proud people." His photographs are amazing. Check it out!

Dagens Namn -- 22 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Marika or Marita.

Dagens Namn -- 21 Oktober 2005

Today is your name day if your name is: Yrsa or Ursula.

Farfar

I found these pictures of me and my farfar this week when I was looking for pictures from the Haugen Family Blog. Farfar is Swedish for father's father (aka grandfather). My farfar died when I was only 6, so I don't remember him all that well, but the way he is in these pictures is how I do remember him.

Family History

As you may have noticed in my blogger profile, one of my interests is genealogy. My cousin Megan has started a blog with this interest in mind. The blog is dedicated to my farmor's (dad's mom's) family, the Haugens. On the Haugen Family blog we will be able to share stories, photos, and any new information we find out. A few old pictures are already posted there. Check it out! Maybe you can start a blog about your own family.