Chokladbollar

The secret with these candy balls is to get the right ingredients. the Oatmeal must be quick cooking type, the coconut should be the dried dessicated coconut, and use a firm decent quality baking margarine.
Mix together
1/2 cup(minus a teaspoon) margarine
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 1/2 cups of oatmeal
2 tbl cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbl cold strong coffee
(Optional dash of arrak flavor)
Mix these ingredients and roll them into small balls in your palms then garnish with coconut. You could also roll them in pearl sugar, or more cocoa.
These are fun to make with kids!

What can We Learn from Argentina?

Just this fall, the government of Argentina has seized the pensions of citizens, 'The failed experiment' of private pensions is finished, ANSES Director Amado Boudou said at the ceremony with Fernandez, before hundreds of political supporters.Why should we care? What can we learn from the crisis in Argentina?http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2128838220081021 Argentina's capitalist economy was liberalized during the 1990s, along lines drawn by the IMF and applauded by the pro-capitalist (Hoover Institute/Chicago School) theorists. These theorists and policy wonks are neoclassical theory fundamentalists, arguing for absolute faith in the ability of unbridled markets to solve all problems (in the long run?). In other words, Argentina's leadership did just about everything the pro-capitalist theorists said they should do to be prosperous and were rewarded with 40 billion US dollars in support. But what was the result? Argentina is three years into a deep recession, now has almost 20% unemployment, homelessness has doubled in the last four years, and more than 50% of the population is now below the poverty line. And this in a country that was once one of the richest in the Western Hemisphere and that is still one of the richest countries in natural resources on the planet. Why did capitalism fail in Argentina? http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/sgabriel/argentina.htm Currently, Argentina is experiencing what the government describes as a 'great depression.' Using the'Great Depressions' methodology developed by Cole and Ohanian (1999) and Kehoe and Prescott(2002), we find that the primary determinants of both the boom in Argentina in the 1990s and the subsequentdepression were changes in productivity, rather than changes in factor inputs. The timing of eventslinks the boom to the currency-board-like Convertibility Plan and the crisis to its collapse. To gain credibility,the Argentine government took measures to make abandoning the plan more costly. Because thegovernment was unable to enforce fiscal discipline, however, these increased costs failed to make the planmore credible and instead made the crisis far worse when it failed.http://www.econ.umn.edu/~tkehoe/papers/argentina.pdf (2002)In other words, Argentina became caught in a vicious cycle of weak activity, overvaluation, and mounting debt.http://internationalmonetaryfund.com/external/np/speeches/2002/071702.htm There are in this last article some suggestions for the prevention of the crisis, and lessons learned.What i have learned from this is that the crisis in the US will be felt for years to come, the debt will be hard to maintain and it cannot be ignored and running up indefinately,a dollar may not be worth what you thought so don't assume it will retain its value, credit should be hard to get, listen to policy advice (from who, getting to that one) and change policies when needed, and lastly when things are good is the time to show restraint and discipline even if private money is pouring in.

And here is an interesting thing...'Hence our proposal for a sovereign debt restructuring mechanism that would empower the debtor and a super-majority of creditors to take the key decisions in a restructuring in a timely and efficient way. Perhaps if such a mechanism had been in place, Argentina's debt time-bomb could have been defused a few months before it finally blew up? Anne Krueger of the International Monetary Fund.

I had also been thinking of this type of thing, a sort of *Consumer Credit Counselor for people in the US who cannot afford their mortgages because of rising interest rates. But such an office for whole nations.....hmm. It sounds like the prevention or the cure, no matter, it is perhaps the goal?

The Perils of Obedience

For a couple days now i am wondering how this sort of thing comes about, how is it that parliments of nations can vote to lock the EU into these neoliberal economic policies. How can they willingly turn over their self determintation to a less democratic agency. How can they look at Argentina the last 15 years, or where the US is now and see the fruits of those policies and willingly vote for them here. Then i read this interesting article, The Perils of Obedience, http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

This has gotten me thinking perhaps that our elected officials really believe they are serving a higher good, fulfilling some duty that we cannot possibly understand yet. Our cries of discomfort and shouts of 'NOT FAIR' will quiet in the future.... how will they quiet us. Will our food get cheaper, will jobs become numerable and pay less, so we will work more and be too busy to notice what is happening. The ladies at the Dagis, i did not meet one who knew what the Lisbon Treaty was. Of course since i have come from the US i am frightened these people here do not know how good they have it. Nationalized childcare is a dream come true for me. Canadians are pushing for it now, but i don't see it happpening under Harper Regime.
Still reading about the Lisbon Treaty here are some links,
http://www.robert-schuman.eu/doc/divers/lisbonne/en/10fiches.pdf
http://www.independent.ie/special-features/your-eu/the-lisbon-treaty-for-dummies-1376340.html
http://guengl.org/upload/10_lisbon_treaty.pdf

What is the Lisbon Treaty?

Ok so what is this Lisbon Treaty of which Magnus speaks?
It is a 'new improved' EU constitution which gives the EU legal personage and the ability to amend itself without democratic measures. Legal personage means workers lose the right to strike because they would be harming the 'person' that is the EU. A foreign company can come to Sweden, and pay only the fair wage for their home country, not a fair wage for Sweden. Sweden and Denmark have no minimum wage, the people here would be forced to take less pay for their work. I feel this is wrong and i hope parliment remembers their brothers, sisters, and family who work to provide a safe environment for their children which Sweden has been known for. I will update more as i learn it. Only two countries, Ireland and Belgium, voted it down in nation wide referendums. The only arguments i can find for the ratification involve fear. Here is one
http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/irish-eu-treaty-referendum/article-172508
The Paradox of the No Vote' Ireland has gained a lot from its EU membership. When Ireland joined the EU in 1973, it was the poorest country in the Community of Nine, as it was then. But the country soon became a model of success.' So why is it a paradox that changes to the Irish Constitution would be questioned? Why would Ireland want to become a province again? Is this insinuating that Ireland would suffer economically for not forfeiting its sovreignty? How about this claim;
'If the EU fails to find a quick way out of the crisis, it is likely to be weakened internationally, notably in its dealings with powers such as Russia and Iran.' First of all there is no crisis. Secondly a less militarized EU is exactly more able to relate to Russia and Iran. Thats why we have had a positive relationship since the cold war. You know... less guns more trade. Respect is an underutilized diplomatic device and it could work here if the EU wants to streamline processes and make decisions more quickly and efficiently, instead of a move towarsds totalitarianism.

My Orwellian Nightmare

So this month, with little notice we have this ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/world/europe/07georgia.html?_r=2&ref=europe&oref=slogin

So we forgive the newspapers of that time, 'Thousands Flee in the face of the Red Scare'?

After the sorrow that i felt in August of this year, and wrote to my friends then...

Guys i have been so depressed, i have spent this month fretting with and such because i... here in Europe, on August 7 my husband i could read on the news that hostilities had broken out between Ossetians and the Georgian government. Russia came in afterwards to stop it, but three days later all the news in the west was saying the opposite. This aggression, started by the Russians, it said....talk about an Orwellian feeling. Around the world young people and old have shouted out, here is two old guys who are trying to speak out but i don't know if people are hearing them Pat Buchanen (if this video is deleted just search intermittently til someone posts it again) http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=UBRl-BvKJII and Gorbachev in the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/opinion/20gorbachev.html?_r=1&oref=slogin When this is behind us someday, the powers that be can simply claim they did what they could with the information that they had. An excuse that wears thin in the information age. But let this be a huge wake up call to us all, don't let it be as painful for you as it was for me to accept. How much have we criticized the governments of Bellusconi or Putin for being false democracies by controlling the mass media? There is no need to make a mockery of the intelligence of a literate public. The huge gaps and leaks come from the media itself, who feel cheated. A retiree said, 'The Philadelphia Inquirer, which was a very respectable paper, having won a number of Pulitzers was bought by an ad agency executive and the local Chamber of Commerce. Foreign Bureaus were closed, the paper is now dumbed down and just shell of itself. It isn't the only one to go that route. I'd use the Internet to monitor media coverage in the US just for fun. ' What should we do. I think most people submit to the euphism, 'all media lies anyway', and block it out, don't question the discrepencies, and are only swayed to make a decision based on how much they hate the alternative. Trust me this phenomenon is nothing new at all. Our music, poetry, and film for decades has articulated these issues. Personally my advice to everyone is to keep alert, read, research, don't be swayed by extreemist views. Interesting that anarchists, revolutionary Marxist Communists and libertarian neo-conservatives have so much in common. In their most extreemist form,they strive to throw off the confines of government, have an every-man-for-himself atttitude, and agree that if anyone has too much we should steal it from him. The fruit of the last few years mindset has allowed the acceptance of such things as this, http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1538661720080815 See how much information and opportunity you can find lately on the types of government (or other outlets) who promote moderation, provide for the health and self confidence of its citizens, look for cross debates on economics.... For myself, i have decided, if religion, media and politics are all in agreement, its probably not a democracy. This is a concern for ALL people, whatever your poltical views are, unless democracy is not what you want. So our enemy is not some world totalitarian government that horifies you into inaction. It's our ignorance and apathy. Learn how to scrutinize your input. Its not a party issue to ask who sponsers your programming, who is that 'expert employed by, etc. That guy retired from the navy when? what does he know about Iran this week? That expert is from 'Coalition for the what? I don't see any reference on them anywhere, did that webpage pop up this week? The headline was so alarmist, but the actual article does little or nothing to back it up. Does this information assume my memory is less than three days old? Do they insult my intelligence by ignoring history? So check your sources, learn a bit about the PR industry, lobby groups,(the richest counties in America are funded how?) what a media mogul is, read and consider other countries news,(yeah radical) etc. XOXO Teresa

The War Prayer, Twain

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle – be Thou near them! With them – in spirit – we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with hurricanes of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."
[After a pause.] "Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits."
It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

Stompa

Here is the recipe in Swedish for a Scandinavian fried Bread, Stompa
http://recept.nu/1.149475/leila_lindholm/smaratter_tillbehor/agg_mejeri/stompa_stekpannebrod
In a bowl,mix these five things;
1. 6 and a half cups of flour
2. 2 teaspoons of baking soda
3. 2 teaspoons ground anise seed, pulverized
4. 2 teaspoons ground fennel seed, pulverized
5. 2 teaspoons of salt
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add these two things
1. 2 and a half cups of plain yogurt (maybe buttermilk could be used)*
2. 3/4 cup of light baking syrup

* the original recipe calls for filmjölk instead of yogurt, in english you might call it sour milk,it is very much like yogurt, a bit thinner. To get the moisture content right in the dough, it might need some adjustment.
Mix this stuff up and seperate it into 20 pieces, roll them out with a rolling pin to 7 inch circles, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
Now fry them in a dry pan, just until brown on each side, it does not take long at all. I have two pans going, and Magnus does the frying He says stompa is an ancient scandinavian recipe, they may have used different ingredients in the past, but frying the dough on hot stones! Its that old.

Lussekattor

Traditional food eaten during the holiday season in Sweden, beginning on Lucia, December 13, and all the way through January 12. The shape of the buns represents a sleeping cat curled up, but there are alot of traditional shapes for the buns, the cat is just most popular. Simply make a sweet dough with 1/2 gram saffron dissolved in the milk.

Klimpsoppa

Klimpsoppa, klimp means 'dumpling.' Simmer minced steak for about 1 1/2 hours with a scant handful of allspice, a bayleaf, white pepper, and salt. Add parsnips, carrots, turnip, cubed. To make the climp stir together 2 cups of wheat flour, white pepper and salt to taste with 1/2 cup of water, it should be the consistancy of drop buscuit dough. Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering soup, cook until firm about twenty minutes is plenty. (don't eat the allspice or bayleaf of course)

Pytti Panna

Pytti Panna, another classic Swedish 'soul food' that can be found in roadside diners in Sweden for hungry truckers. It is basically potato and onion diced with other sausages and meats added. Serve with chili sauce and red beets. Excellant! Great way to use leftover grilled meat for a lunch.

Kroppkakor

Klassiska kroppkakor med lingon och smör. Means classic potato dumplings with lingon jam and butter. Good Swedish food! You take the dough that is used for Gnocchi and leave out the parsley and fill each with a mixture of fried sausage and onions. Great on a snowy day.

Here is a project we have been thinking about, it is a work in progress, trying to get a map of political ideas.

*Democracy works everyplace on this circle except the outside borders. Extremity in any disallows citizen participation, as does the centre, when the right to vote is restricted.

*On Civil Liberties- ‘All men are created equal.’ is an accepted premise among all on this circle except the centre and pure conservatives, where some people are more deserving than others.

*On Economy- Capitalism flourishes everyplace on the circle except the center and pure socialists, the centre choosing to subsidize agriculture and industry over individuals

*On Strong Government- Strong government influence is accepted in all areas of the circle except the centre and pure Liberalism, people who proclaim to be anti-government but organize into political parties and effect government making policies are exception, a common occurrence in the middle

Radical Center politics has no clear agenda or direction and thrives over one party issues and black-white division. It is very hard to see because it borrows from all political ideals. Imagine this diagram as a race track, and the goals and ideals of the people should be pursued, meaning confrontations should happen. Solutions should be taken in a direction that meets the needs of the people. Extremism in any one direction is unstable, resulting in revolution, and sinking in the middle means nothing gets done.

From Wikipedia, 'Various groups have adopted 'radial center' as a term to describe a third way philosophy which includes their belief that, in affirming the core principles involved on both sides of a dilemma, the dilemma or disagreement can be rendered moot.'

Popularism is another word for the radical middle because they find it easy to get votes, everyone can see some element of their beliefs in the party. Lets take an infamous example, national socialists (Nazis) They pushed for workers rights which no conservative would touch, then espoused a survival of the fittest ideal that scared off socialists. They supported for a strong government that horrified liberals. Simultaneously, National Socialists appealed to conservatives’ appreciation of heritage and history, with strong religious or moral values, Government ownership of industry appealed to socialists and appeal to liberals’ desire to influence government policies, seeming to apply more government control to industry (corporatism) than individuals.

Despite the claim to these values by National Socialists, all of it is rendered moot. Only the value that is needed at the time to stay in power gets enforced. They orally promoted workers rights, but the shot workers who striked, claimed devout religious values while promoting hate and fear, and claimed less government while increasing spending and monitoring of citizens.