Bloggingheads

Ever find yourself with too little to do, and an ISDN-connection? Want to hear two sharp-witted, deadpan and generally grumpy politicos argue about Borat, Pelosi, Iraq, evolutionary psychology, their own shortening lives, or see them award Newt Gingrich their Most Transparent Primate Award? I do.

I find this, and more, at bloggingheads.tv. The website is run by Mickey Kaus, one of the earliest political bloggers, and Robert Wright, the author of one popular book on evolutionary psychology, various well-regarded political articles, and a book to explain, to those of us who still haven't got it, the direction of human history. The website has been written up by the folks at the New York Times.

In Norway

OK -- Now I'm about here instead. (Soon: my plane leaves tomorrow.) Like Bimbo Boy, or the designer of this mug, I too am starting to like the place. Can't we all endure a sheep's head for dinner -- traditional Norwegian christmas dish -- for ... this?

In Oxford

In this place: Oxford, a bit to the left of this building, the Radcliffe Camera, part of the Bodleian. All Souls to the right, Oxford's only all-fellows college. My dear friend Alderik Blom, of Endlicher Glossary fame, also tells me that its fellows enjoy their own personal butlers, are far too self-satisfied (the butlers too!), and constitute a kind of ivory-tower-within-
an-ivory-tower. Other observations: Englishmen don't know whether to pass you on the right or the left, which means you tend to walk into them. On the positive side: There's a nightlife! Restaurants! Gorgeous streets which still don't feel like the aisle of a museum! Some cafes have free internet connection! In other words, it's Cambridge, but with amenities. Inspector Morse -- is there a free room in your house?

Cod Liver Oil -- Finally Exposed?

I just started taking cod liver oil again. This is the vilest substance known to man, and now British researchers claim Omega-3 has absolutely no health benefits. So no more cod liver oil. Hooray?

Veven & Veggen

Politikk handler om å prioritere mellom alternativer -- såpass har jeg fått med meg. Men politikere prioriterer mellom ti tusen alternativer. Skal gamlehjemmet på Røa få bevilgninger til neste år? Skal gamlehjemmet prioriteres foran nye pulter på skolen? Foran høyere lærerlønninger? Foran skatteinsentiver til det lokale næringslivet som kan forstørre kaka som politikerene deler ut? Dette er små, praktiske spørsmål, og folk definere seg politisk ut ifra de store, ideologiske tenkemåtene de bruker for å svare på alle disse spørsmålene.

Så hva er disse store, ideologiske alternativene? Det tradisjonelle svaret er venstre og høyre. Det ga meg alltid lyst til å definere meg på venstresida. I fjor kom Thomas Friedman med et annet svar: "web party" og "wall party". Veven og veggen. Litt flåsete: de som forsøker å få ting i gang og de som forsøker å stoppe de. De som forsøker å bringe folk sammen og de som forsøker å splitte de, gjennom å si Nei til EU, nei til globalisering, og gudene vet hva annet. Vel, den analysen gir meg iallfall mer smaken på det Klassekampen kaller "nyliberalisme" enn noe annet. Og stort sett bare gjennom en omformulering av alternativene, slik at frihet og solidaritet plutselig spiller på samme lag. Jeg mener, er du for frihet og solidaritet? Eller ikke?

Tip of the Day

Think I am a thrasonical bore with an inflated vocabulary & sense of myself? Want to tell me so in a word I'm guaranteed not to understand? Sign up for Mirriam-Webster's Word of the Day here.

Carl Joachim Hambro

Mannen til venstre er, meg bekjent, min eneste navnebror: Carl Joackim Hambro. Norges fremste parlamentariker, mest distingverte dobbelthake, og denne bloggens skytshelgen. Ave CJ.

Baluba!

Welcome to Baluba, a blog I've just set up. One day, I discovered I was never in the same city as any of my friends. So I've created Cyber-Carl, Internet-Joakim, with an address in the real city that never sleeps. Internet City.