less a jumble tonight

I’ve been thinking a lot about the discussion Pete and Gabe and I had leading up to and briefly after BarCampMilwaukee4.  I told them I was done talking and on to doing and this was in relation to making libre software better, but I actually think that’s not the case. I have evangelical fatigue.  The problem is I don’t seem to be getting anywhere.  MadLUG is probably going to be having a State of the Union round-table (we don’t have addresses in the libre world, of course, that’s much too hierarchical) in November.  The date is still TBD, but I will be sure to post when the details are decided.

Some reasons for my fatigue:

• My Linux cohort at work uses Windows at home.
• Another guy who tries Linux at work occasionally has had trouble with ALSA because of Pulse Audio (see rant below).
• Plenty of Linux users have iPhones.
• Other than my brother, who uses Windows and Ubuntu, I haven’t convinced anyone in my family to give Linux a shot (not that I’ve tried that hard, because I don’t really want to support them…I’ve nudged, by getting my dad to post to the Ubuntu forums and such in their old Other OS section).  The problems with my aunt and my dad were probably the OEM situation where they were going to be tied to specific models and prices with Linux.

The list goes on, but you get the picture.

The promised rant: I’m convinced Pulse is the worst thing to happen to desktop Linux in a long time.  I really don’t understand why the major distros are hell bent on including it.  If you want it to work, make it work.  I understand that Fedora is a developer playground. Fine. Use what you want.  Ubuntu, on the other hand, is supposed to be Linux for Human beings.  Human beings don’t like brown and orange (seriously, look at Tennessee fans, are any of those people human? ROLL TIDE!) and more importantly, human beings just want their stuff to work.  It’s odd that Windows gives the impression of just working since a blank XP disk as so few drivers, but for people getting enterprise builds and OEM builds, it does just work…except we all know Windows doesn’t really work.  The devil you know, I suppose.  I hate Apple and their Steve knows best attitude, but they just work.  Jobs’ “benevolent dictatorship” has worked well for them.  If we learned anything from the Bush administration, it’s that Americans don’t actually give a sh*t about freedom. Give me convenience or give me death! Apple is the American way…not that there’s something wrong with a little convenience and not that the TSA guidelines are exactly convenient, but the point is, freedom is not high on a lot of priority lists.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’ve had some successes.  I think before I left Chapel Hill, COSI was really getting somewhere.  I’m sad to say that doesn’t seem to be the case once I left.  I was able to convince my ex-girlfriend to use Firefox and Thunderbird and another ex-girlfriend whose brother worked at Microsoft to start using Firefox (you can see why that relationship didn’t last!).  I’m pretty sure on the home computer my parents (or at least my dad) use Firefox.  I haven’t seen my mom’s new laptop.  I hope my dad had the sense to put Firefox on it.  Maybe I was just living in a fantasy land in Chapel Hill, with Red Hat down the road.  I’m beginning to think that more every day, but I’d still like to do good 1000 miles away from the promised land.  With my current connections, I don’t see how I can really make any headway with the Wisconsin state government or the University of Wisconsin, the two organizations I think could really have an impact on the libre world.  With one of the largest employers in Madison being a proprietary software vendor and Microsoft putting their dirty paws on events like BarCampMilwaukee4 (I should just stop there at 666 words. METAL!), it’s not David vs. Goliath, it’s Doug vs. an phalanx of Goliaths.  In that statement, I think I see the biggest problem of all. In Chapel Hill, it was Red Hat, ibiblio, Doug and at least two battalions of fierce libre warriors.  In Madison, it’s just Doug, trying desperately to amass an army to storm the gates of software’s Mordor.

There are a lot of people sitting on the fence. I see them. I talk to them. They are staying on the fence, and here’s the upshot, talking isn’t going to get them off the fence. The grass may be greener but from their angle, it’s only slightly greener and the cows are all still on the other side.  We need to water the grass.

My First Novel, Upcoming Events and Procrastination

It’s easy to be motivated with a deadline looming.  I was able to finish up my Chapter 6 hw because it is due tomorrow, however, Chapter 7 and the take home test being due a week from tomorrow…well, it’s slow going.  It is going though.  In one of my many breaks, I figured I would tell you (I’m not sure who “you” is these days) about National Novel Writing Month and how I’m going to participate.  Actually, there’s not a lot to say other than that I’m doing it.  I have thought about the plot a bit, but I can’t tell you that!  I do know that I’ll be dedicating the book to The Linux Outlaws and the title will be The Linux Outlaw (though the singularity/plurality of this is subject to change).  I have not decided if I will release the Chapters on the blog, but I’m guessing not in case I want to go back and change things as the idea forms in my mind from start to finish.  As usual, if there is outcry, I will do it…but there’s never been an outcry about anything on the blog.

The ever present Upcoming Events section!

Tuesday, October 20th, 7pm: MadLUG presentation on Nagios and SNMP.  The one is probably not one you need to be a desktop Linux user to gain from.  Nagios and SNMP are networking/sysadmin tools.  If you’ve been to meetings in the past, please note that this event will be in Van Vleck, not Chamberlain.  Details are on the link.

Saturday, November 7th, 7pm: MilwaukeeDevHouse4. DevHouses are essentially parties where people hack.  I’m planning on writing a substantial portion of the aforementioned novel that night.  If you’d like to carpool from Madison, please see this thread on the Web608 Google Group.

Halloween is coming up and I’ve been invited to three different parties.  None of them are super-public, but if you’re looking for something to do, definitely hit me up.

I don’t talk about sports here too much.  It’s supposed to be a technology blog (though the novel thing doesn’t really count either…).  I do want to mention that “It was Kentucky’s first win over Auburn since 1966.” At Auburn.  As a dual UK-Bama fan, it doesn’t get any better than this.  UK really needs to exorcise the demons against UT too though.  I couldn’t find the streak length of the Volunteers of the Wildcats but I wouldn’t be surprised if The Bear wasn’t the last UK coach to beat UT.

Ok, I’m done procrastinating.

a jumble of thoughts and feelings about practicality and libre software

As I’ve written this, the thing I’ve struggled with is that everybody thinks they are being practical.  I’m sure the FSF thinks absolute freedom is the practical thing to do.  Sometimes I think the drawing a line in the sand is the practical thing and the Democrats could certainly take some queues from the FSF.  I wish I got paid by the words typed and not by the words submitted! (oh wait, I wish I got paid!)

Now, let’s talk about ethics. Let’s get one thing clear, aside from the fact that libre OSes (Linux, BSD, OpenSolaris, etc), I don’t care what you do.  The FSF is hung up on ethics; that proprietary software is somehow unethical.  Bollucks.  What is unethical is Apple locking people out of iTunes (Re: Palm) and tax payer money going to Microsoft or Apple.

It’s not just about ethics. I’m not super concerned about privacy, but mostly that’s because I don’t think people should be concerned about what they do…but clearly they have to be with the current legal climate in our country.  However, knowing that hackers would change grades or siphon funds, it’s pretty important that the IRS and any government agency handling large amounts of money have a secure system and libre does not guarantee security, but at least there are cases where you can guarantee security.  You can *never* *guarantee* security on a proprietary system.  Sure you *can* trust them. Diebold, Microsoft and Apple have given me no reason to trust them.

I’m happy to discuss the public money thing or the ethics thing, but what I want to talk about is practicality.  The main thing is Hulu. I was very intrigued by Boycott Novell on FLOSS Weekly, but the analogies between me and either Jono or Roy go back and forth.  I think it would be too difficult to follow for anyone that hasn’t listened to the interview.  If you want me to make a post about it, please let it be known.  Back to Hulu.  Recently there was a stir on identi.ca and the various omb offshoots about the Hulu desktop client coming to Linux.  The FSF crowd decries the proprietary software is bad; that it pollutes libre software.  Photoshop not being on Linux is one of the things Pete (and others) decry about Linux.  Others say the same thing about Final Cut Pro.  Perhaps if some of those people came to Linux they’d start helping the GIMP team, or maybe they’d start using OOo instead of Word.  The ecosystem is everything and the Linux ecosystem is one of libre software.  Yes, there is Flash and Opera and potentially Photoshop or Final Cut, but 95% of the software people use on Linux (or BSD or OpenSolaris) is libre.  How can this possibly be a bad thing?  Now, some smart people have argued that’s it’s a bad thing because people depend on it and then people won’t develop a libre alternative. I respect some of those people, but it’s simply ridiculous.  Linus did not start Linux because of some whack-off obsession with freedom.  My using a proprietary wireless driver does not make me want a libre one any less.

As I said at the beginning, this post was supposed to be about practicality and the upshot is I think having proprietary software available for Linux is simply practical.  The agnostics are never going to be sold on the religion of freedom. Stop trying to convert them.  Fighting the war of freedom is not a practical war. There are winnable wars.  We should fight the war against marginalization.  We should fight the war against unnecessary government spending. We should fight the war against monopoly power.  We should fight the war of availability.  We should fight the war of access.  If we fight the appropriate war, we will win.  Freedom is simply destiny.

Update on me helping you.

My entire last post was on BarCampMilwaukee4, so I might as well plug it again. It’s next weekend!
October 20th is the next MadLUG meeting.  We now have a topic. Nagios and SNMP.  The venue may change, but it will be on University Ave regardless of venue.  Also, after going to today’s Python meet-up, I’m leaning toward moving the November meeting to a Saturday.

November 1st (possibly Oct 31) is the next Open Everything event.  We do not have very many people signed up.  The Pewaukee location fell through.  We are looking to focus the event on open access and will be modeling it after last year’s Open Access Day.  EDIT: I just found out they are doing http://www.openaccessweek.org/ instead this year.  I will have to discuss with Alnisa and get back to you on our plans, if any.

November 13th-ish we are going to have Open Music Madison.  No updates on this.  If you want updates, ping Tom Ray.

If you have ever been to an OE Madison or to a MadLUG meeting, please leave your thoughts or e-mail me directly at douglasawhREMOVEFORREALZ@gmail.com

1008 words as to why I should be the BCMKE4 Openness Czar.

Let’s start off with two things.

1) duh

2) Aren’t you from Madison?

Define “from” and define “Madison”.  I live in Dane County, not Madison (and none of that weird city vs. town of Madison stuff…I don’t live in Madison).  I’ve lived here for over a year.  Is that “from”?  Well, if it is, I’m “from” four different states.

2.1) Ok smart-ass, you’re still not from Milwaukee.

Which is why I’m a perfect figurehead for openness.  If I can do part of my job simply by existing, I think I’m the right man for the job.

Now, let’s get down to business.

I’m the president of the Madison Linux User Group, a lead on Open Everything Madison and previously president of the Carolina Open Source Initiative.  I’m also already the czar of Linux laptops where I work.  Before the FSF trolls start talking about how Linux isn’t libre, there certainly is a version of Linux that is libre and BSD folks, well, I’m well aware there are versions of freedom. I’m going into the lions den of Mac users here. Let’s not let our differences get in the way of the big picture.

Now I’ll pause for a few simple points.

identi.ca (and specifically statusnet) > twitter

android > iPhone

OOo (or NeoOffice, if you like) > MS Office

GIMP > Photoshop

Firefox (I’m not going to bother linking, you know what this is) > IE

Python > .NET (seriously, .NET?…get off my site)

R > SPSS

Ok, I’ll stop, but I could go on.

Scandinavia is close to Russia and while I’m part Swedish and not part Finnish, Finland was once under Russian rule.  Actually, since Finland was once under Swedish rule, it’s possible my ancestors lived where Finland is now, but were Swedish.  Russia and Sweden have both also controlled parts of Poland in the past.  Going further back, before the Brett Favre controversy, the Vikings definitely went into Russia, at least as far as Holmgard (Veliky Novgorod for my Russian readers).  We’ll go with that.  I’m part Russian, sorta.  If you’re Serbian or Bulgarian, I don’t want to here it.  We all know *real* czars are Russian.  Plus I was in Malmö when the former lost in the UEFA U21 championships to the home team. That has to count for something, right? (yes, extra words)  Now, in Wisconsin it’s not that uncommon for people to have Scandinavian heritage, but how many of them have been there?  And of those with Scandinavian heritage (or Russian, because we’re talking czars) that have also been there, how many of those will be at BarCampMKE4? I’m guessing not many.  And look people, don’t question my Swedish heritage.  I have a freakin’ Swedish tattoo.  I was born and breed for this job.

Let’s go back to this “you’re from Madison” thing.  I was at last year’s BCMKE4, have been to a Web414 meeting and a MLUG (Milwaukee Linux User Group) as well as PhotoCampMKE and a DevHouse at Bucketworks.  I’ve also been to a Bucks game.

I’ve owned a Mac and run Windows at work, making me able to speak to FOSS apps on both platforms.  While Fink is a good package manager for Mac from what I’ve heard, I’ve yet to find a package manager I like for Windows.  I’ve dabbled in video both production and editing (and some film too) so I can speak to that side of things a bit.  I’ve also worked in science and my parents and an aunt are professional musicians, so I know a bit about that as well.  I am a jack of all trades.  I am, however, a master of ruthlessness, a needed mastery for a czarship.  I also have a sweet beard, like this guy (never mind that he was a crap tsar, I took his beard, not his strategies).

Since I posted about Creative Commons music, I’ve actually listened to more.  Severed Fifth is now 295 and all the others have gone up; Holy Pain and Predator (430), NIN (57), Gråsuggorna (248) and No Se (269).  As a new addition, Lorenzo’s Music is now 479.  Let’s not forget the local flavor either; Lorenzo’s Music and Misery Signals (415).  Remember, I’ve only been here a year, so that number is certain to go up.  And, just in case you are too lazy to check out my blog post, you can connect to me on Last.fm.

AHA!

Shut your trap.  Did you honestly think I wasn’t going to mention Libre.fm?  Libre.fm has only been around a few months and since it doesn’t have historical data (chill, I know there is a merge, but I have over 191k listens. That’s going to take a while to import and it’s just not important to me) so discussing my open music there doesn’t really give a full picture.  But, since you brought it up, NIN is #2 and Lorenzo’s Music is #12.  After that Libre.fm doesn’t number them, just gives the amount of listens.  If you really want to know more about Libre.fm, put it on the BarCamp session board or comment here.

So, you just do open source?

Well, I like as much open source as possible (I prefer the term FOSS [Free and Open Source Software] to include the free software people…libre is a much better word enough though it’s not technically English…yet), but I already mentioned that in addition to experience with OpenSolaris, BSD and Linux I’ve used Macs and Windows.  Open standards are great.  In fact, I’d love to see Web414 or Web608 get behind One Web Day.

Not everything at BCMKE4 will be digital.

O RLLY?  While most things certainly will be, I see your point.  I know a bit about open hardware, though I’m no expert.  As a powerful czar however, I certainly have connections and Open Everything can deal with a lot of things that are not digital.

I just need to put out a few more words and I will be done.

I’M HAPPY FOR YOU. AND I’M GONNA LET U FINISH, BUT RASTER HAS ONE OF THE BEST WEBSITES OF ALL TIME. BEST WEBSITE EVER!

</1008>

http://www.lastfm.se/user/DouglasAWh/charts?rangetype=overall&subtype=artists

Help me help you.

Several things are coming up and I need to know how best to help you and the Madison community.
October 20th is the next MadLUG meeting.  We don’t yet have a topic.  We could do something on Python or have a bit of a state of the union and really figure out what we want to do with the LUG.  LUG attendance has really been pathetic.  Should we move to Saturday meetings like they have in Milwaukee?

November 1st is the next Open Everything event.  We do not have very many people signed up.  We want to have this event in Pewaukee at a fabulous location, but if people don’t sign up, it’s not going to happen.

November 13th-ish we are going to have Open Music Madison.  We don’t have a firm date, because our 1st choice of venues fell through.  It looks like we may have to charge $5 a head.  I don’t like it, but doing something is better than waiting to have the perfect event I say.

If you have ever been to an OE Madison or to a MadLUG meeting, please leave your thoughts or e-mail me directly at douglasawhREMOVEFORREALZ@gmail.com

Linux-Live.org

Trying to get Linux Live from Linux-Live.org work

#!/bin/bash
#
# run this script to create a LiveCD in /tmp/live_data_1234
#
# Author: Tomas M. <http://www.linux-live.org>

export PATH=.:./tools:../tools:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/

CHANGEDIR=$(dirname $(readlink -f $0))
echo “Changing current directory to $CHANGEDIR”
cd $CHANGEDIR

. liblinuxlive || exit 1
. ./.config || exit 1

# only root can continue, because only root can read all files from your system
allow_only_root

# live CD name
echo -ne “Name of your live distro [hit enter for $LIVECDNAME]: “
read NEWLIVECDNAME
if [ "$NEWLIVECDNAME" != "" ]; then LIVECDNAME=$NEWLIVECDNAME; fi
LIVECDNAME=$(echo $LIVECDNAME | tr -d ‘ ‘)

. ./install
if [ "$ROOT" -a "$ROOT" != "/" ]; then
. ./install $ROOT
fi

# search for kernel
VMLINUZ=$ROOT/boot/vmlinuz
if [ -L "$VMLINUZ" ]; then VMLINUZ=$(readlink -f $VMLINUZ); fi
echo -ne “Enter path for the kernel you’d like to use [hit enter for $VMLINUZ]: “
read NEWKERNEL
if [ "$NEWKERNEL" != "" ]; then VMLINUZ=”$NEWKERNEL”; fi
if [ "$(ls $VMLINUZ 2>>$DEBUG)" = "" ]; then echo “cannot find $VMLINUZ”; exit 1; fi

header “Creating LiveCD from your Linux”
echo “some debug information can be found in $DEBUG”

mkdir -p $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME/{base,modules,optional,rootcopy,tools}

echo “copying cd-root to $CDDATA, using kernel from $VMLINUZ”
cp -R cd-root/boot $CDDATA
for i in isolinux syslinux; do
cat cd-root/boot/$i/$i.cfg | sed -r “s/LABEL linux/LABEL $LIVECDNAME/” | sed -r “s/Run linux/Run $LIVECDNAME/” > $CDDATA/boot/$i/$i.cfg
done
mv $CDDATA/boot/dos/linux.bat $CDDATA/boot/dos/${LIVECDNAME:0:8}.bat
cat cd-root/boot/dos/readme.txt | sed -r “s/LINUX.BAT/”${LIVECDNAME:0:8}.bat”/” > $CDDATA/boot/dos/readme.txt

mkdir -p $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME
cp -R cd-root/linux/* $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME
cp tools/* $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME/tools
cp -R DOC/LICENSE $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME
cp $VMLINUZ $CDDATA/boot/vmlinuz

echo “creating initrd image…”
echo “Using kernel modules from $ROOT/$LMK”
cd initrd
./initrd_create $LIVECDNAME
if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then exit; fi
cd ..

cp initrd/initrd.gz $CDDATA/boot/initrd.gz
rm initrd/initrd.gz

echo “creating compressed images…”

for dir in $MKMOD; do
if [ -d $ROOT/$dir ]; then
echo “base/$dir.lzm …”
echo -ne > exclude.txt
for i in $EXCLUDE; do
part=$(echo “x/$i” | tr -s / | sed -r “s:x/[^/]+/::”)
if [ -e "$ROOT/$dir/$part" ]; then echo “$ROOT/$dir/$part” >> exclude.txt; fi
done
cat exclude.txt
create_module $ROOT/$dir $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME/base/$dir.lzm -keep-as-directory -ef exclude.txt
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then exit; fi
rm exclude.txt
echo
fi
done

cd $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME
echo “——–done———-”
echo
echo “* run $CDDATA/$LIVECDNAME/make_iso.bat to create ISO image”
echo “* or copy content of $CDDATA to your USB device”
echo “and run ./boot/bootinst.sh (from the device!) to setup boot sector”
echo
echo “Now press Enter…”
read junk

I’m confused from the very beginning.  Why do we need to

CHANGEDIR=$(dirname $(readlink -f $0))
echo “Changing current directory to $CHANGEDIR”
cd $CHANGEDIR

The script ends up erroring at

echo “Using kernel modules from $ROOT/$LMK”

I’ll have to look for a good wordpress module for code where there are line numbers…

bash script for getting user profiles ready to go

This script is to be run as root…but the 2nd line (1st functional line) doesn’t work because root has nothing in .gconf

#!/bin/bash

cp -R ~/.gconf /etc/skel/

echo “<?xml version=\”1.0\”?>
<gconf>
<entry name=\”frequency_get_upgrades\” mtime=\”1251122031\” type=\”int\” value=\”0\”/>
<entry name=\”auto_update\” mtime=\”1251122029\” type=\”string\”>
<stringvalue>security</stringvalue>
</entry>
<entry name=\”frequency_get_updates\” mtime=\”1251222859\” type=\”int\” value=\”86400\”/>
</gconf>” >> /etc/skel/.gconf/apps/gnome-packagekit/update-icon/%gconf.xml

echo “Enter Username (person getting computer)”
read userftw

useradd $userftw
echo password | passwd –stdin $userftw

useradd douglasawh

echo “$userftw ALL=(ALL) ALL” >> /etc/sudoers
echo ‘douglasawh ALL=(ALL) ALL’ >> /etc/sudoers

yum -y remove evolution transmission gnome-disk-utility

yum -y install tsclient gconf-editor

sh vpnsetup.sh

echo “\nIf you have the time, run yum -y upgrade. kthxbai”

This is slightly different than the one I’m using just because it’s probably not the safest thing in the world to have all the usernames out of there.

We may add more to the script later, but right now we don’t have a lot we want to do. All these users need to be able to do is remote desktop, but we also want to make sure they are getting security updates and some other minor things that should be apparent in the script.

All of this would be easier if we were still using UCK or reconstructor in ubuntu, but due to Spacewalk, we are moving to Fedora.

Top 10 places I’d like to live (because people love top 10 lists)

One of many blog posts I’ve started and then not finished until much later.

1. Chapel Hill (or, the Triangle)

Ok, this isn’t really a fair fight.  If Chapel Hill is the Southern Part of Heaven, I haven’t found the Northern Part yet…or maybe I did (keep reading).

2. Chicago

Great memories here.  US National Team plays here. Chicago Fire. Potential 2016 Olympics. NHL. They love Jordan (Tar Heel pride!) Public transit.  Sure, the airports suck, but it’d be better driving distance to my family in Kentucky and at least airline prices would be cheaper than out of Madison.

3. Boston

I hate Boston sports.  I mean, I know people love to hate The Yankees and I’m not a Yankees fan per se, but I do love seeing them beat the Red Sox.  I think it’s because somehow Boston sports mean more than in Chicago, LA or NYC.  I hate the Celtics.  I hate The Patriots.  I hate the Bruins.  I don’t really hate the Revolution, but hating a MLS team is like hating a teddy bear (look, I love the MLS, I can say that).  What’s funny though is I loved the time I was in Boston, I love that the FSF is there.  I’d love being on the East Coast again.  I love Boston’s history.  I love that it’s the Athens of America. Great punk/hardcore scene. Public transit.

4. Charlotte

This one probably doesn’t need a lot said. It’s all about the family for this one.  Plus, there’s a new train system and trains from Durham now. I hate NASCAR but whatever, that’s going to be on ESPN anywhere.  At least in Charlotte I can love NASCAR just a little for supporting the local economy.

5. DC

DC was our Chicago in Chapel Hill, though it was a little further.  If big bands came through, you might head up to DC if you were passionate.  Close enough to drive to NYC or Chapel Hill.  I flew out of DC to Copenhagen. I could get used to that.

6. Milwaukee

a year ago, there’s no way this would have been on the list. With Bucketworks, proximity to my new friends, Brewers and Bucks and the train to Chicago it’s definitely on the list.

7. NYC

NYC might be too big.  Might.  At least there’s a good punk scene.  US National Team plays games here.  Plemty of hockey. I thought hard about this one before moving to Wisconsin. Can’t say I didn’t make the best decision coming here but I can’t say it was the right move either.  Only way I’ll ever find out is to give it a shot.

8. Lexington, KY

While Louisville would be closer to family and I’ve spent more time there, I love college towns.  Sure, Louisville has a college…maybe more than one.  It’s not a college town. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that I’m a Wildcat fan.  Sure Chapel Hill is at the top of this list but my blood still runs a darker shade of blue. GO BIG BLUE!

9. London, UK

Ok, it’s true, I’ve never been to London.  However, I do know you can take the train from London to Paris and from Paris to the rest of Europe.  I absolutely loved my time in Europe.  Sure, it was great company and no work and maybe I could have gotten that in the US or somewhere else, but I really think I’m a developed-nation kind of guy and I’d really like to be where I speak the language.  Plus, it’s one of the furtherest west points in Europe such that I could get on planes back to the US.  They love football there too.  I’m talking Wayne Rooney not Michael Vick.  I’m not a big baseball fan, but I’ll certainly take that over cricket.  Don’t think I’d miss it though.  Might have to hope over to Sweden for my hockey fix in the winter.  And, actually, since I starting writing this article 3 weeks ago London might be further up the list.  I don’t feel like re-arranging though.  It’s publish or perish time for this entry!

10. Malmö, Sweden

Maybe Malmö is the Northern Part of Heaven.  Why not Stockholm you might ask?  Stockholm is huge.  Yes, I know Chicago is way up on the list and NYC makes an appearance, but I really think I’d like some place smaller.  You heard my arguments for those two cities, so I’m not going to rehash that here.  Malmö had a fun, beach atmosphere without being trashy like Myrtle Beach.  Malmö is where you get on the train to go to continental Europe, whereas with Stockholm I’d either need to fly or go through Malmö.  Plus, maybe I’d get to hang out with Ibrahimović and I’d certainly get to cheer for Malmö FF in their brand new stadium.  Another plus to living in Sweden? You get the ö key for free so it’s not a pain in the arse writing blog posts! (hey, look at that, I’m already practicing for London!)

Release early, release often…Ef it, just release

Many people don’t know that I was (am?) an aspiring poet/lyricist.  In my search out of the post-modern decay that is my life (emo much?) I’ve tried to pick things up again after some time off.  The trip to Sweden was my catalyst with the land of my ancestors, the true beauty of the country and Brenda’s energy and excitement all equal players.  Most everything I’ve written since then has been rubbish with the exception of a pseudo-sonnet that only one person other than me has seen (if there is demand I’ll release it).

As any of you that pay any attention to my identi.ca or *private* twitter stream you know I’ve been reading a book titled DiY Culture: Party and Protest in Nineties Britain.  I got it from the Madison InfoShop (site appears to be down as of writing…hopefully back up soon).  While I thought it was going to be about punk (the only thing with which I’ve ever heard DiY associated) it’s mostly about anti-road campaigns and dance culture.  It should be pretty obvious the books influence on my thoughts in the following “poem”.  It sounds more like a stream of microblog posts, but the content was so important to me I decided to type it up (yep, I still use paper for my writing…well, not blog posts)

For centuries man communed with nature

My nature now consists of hockey moms in SUVs at 70mph

the howling wind is a reminder of a paradise destroyed by greed and incompetence…mostly greed.

Apathy and cowardise are the orders of the day.

Do you see no utility in tranquility?

What is out there? Where are people going?

The sounds of the crickets, the chirps of the birds

<this line was going to be eliminated> Why must we spend so much time and energy to commune?</this line was going to be eliminated>

We recognize the need for nature or we would not enjoy luscious beaches.

Are the waves of prairie grass less natural than the waves of Crete?

What does my writing do? Am I solving anything.

Most of the stuff I’ve written has been something like this…stream of consciousness I’ve never gone back to make rhyme or flow.  Between work, the gym, running the LUG and various other things, I simply don’t have time.  I hope not only to write more here on the blog, I also hope to put pen to paper more often.  With a statistics class coming up at the end of the month, this doesn’t look likely, but I’m still holding out hope.