Its Saturday, so why not spoil the good mood ?

Observation yesterday:
watched the traffic in Aarhus (small town in Denmark) for like 5 minutes.
Almost all the cars had only one driver.
Conclusion: Everyone agrees Its a great idea to save the planet, but very
few individuals are willing to face degrowth in order to secure the future
for our children.

Okay.. how does that relate to Captain Machio, Auntie, A 6 million kroner
slogan and a Danish scientist gone mad ?
Here goes...

Now.. Captain Machio is talking... hmm.. crap! Very interesting If you are
young and read too many science fiction books. But truth is, the real
world pretty far away from being high tech in any way. Actually, there is
the possibility we will experience a stagnation, and see things go in the
stone age direction.
Where Machio is on to something, is when he mention the caveman thing.
yes.. absolutely true. And by saying that, he is proving himself wrong at
the same time.
So what is his point ? Is he grapping for straws there ? What ? In less
than 20 years we wont use the word computer ? ooh.. cmon. Get back to
planet earth please. Im in Denmark in Fucking Aarhus, and most people here
are struggling to move a wordfile from one computer to another, or to get
the printer to work. THIS is the real world. Monkeys trying to operate
futuristic flawed flicky machines. I guess that explains why Mac is such a
success. Because in order to operate a Mac you dont really need
independent thought, or any intelligence at all for that matter. ooh...
and to wrap that up: RAIIIINBOOOOOOOOOOOOW.
Mac is gay. there... I said It. Very mature and scientific ;)

Okay.. the mad scientist coming up next.

I used to know this brilliant guy from Uni in Odense (another toilet town
in Denmark trying to immitate a city). He was really on to something. And
they send him to the US many times. To conferences. To big meetings. yada
yada. Because he was on a roll. And they made sure his credit was okay.
well.. I knew this guy. And he was manic/depressive. hmm.. okay.. but
still brilliant. After 10 cups of coffee he could work on 10 different
subjects at once.
Uni in Odense just kept "recording". And when the guy burned out, he was
ruined. Broke. And the uni said "we cant deal with that".
Now he lives with his mother. If he was a dog, I would put him out of his
missery.

Okay... that was the mad scientist. And yes, in general that is how
brilliant people are being treated in a world of politicians and bankers.
No revelation in that I guess.

The slogan.

Small town Aarhus. They needed a facelift. So why not pay some foreign
agency to cook up a real cool slogan for the town. So... 6 million kroner
were spend, and this is what they came up with: Danish For Progress!
hmm.. right... only trouble is, "danish" is something you eat, unless you
are actually danish and therefore know that "danish" is realated to the
country Denmark.
But Its in English, so what is the point of It all ?
well... Aarhus wants to be a big city. But that will never happen. And
here is why.
It is old farm country here. And old mentality sticks. That means no
matter what you do, the money talks. Because Its a culture based on
exploiting people.
Plenty of proof why farmers shouldnt run a city:
Godsbanen: Prestige project. A place for artistic people. Former mayor
booted the project before he bailed out to get a better job in the EU.
So... the building is there, but no money to run It. But farmers are
clever. A place called "Huset" just got shut down, because they are
supposed to be the backbone of the new building. So the redneck
politicians now tell them they have 2 years to prove they can run
financially. well.. obviously they can NOT run on their on profit. But the
politicians cant find the money. So now they kill the only free creative
place left in the city. Ooh... and they also shut down a great project
next to the new building. Because the property is worth a lot of money.
Again.. A city can not be run by farmers. Because there is a limitation to
how many times you can cheat the creative/innovative people in order to
steal a chunk of the taxpayers money. But... the farmers dont care.
Because they THINK like farmers. Money saved, no matter the cost, is
considered a success. But prestige projects are important. Again... no
matter the cost. Because that is the mentality of the little man.
And soon there will be no one left able to play the trumpet or do a real
painting.
So.. Is Aarhus Danish for progess ? hmm... actually Its the opposite.
Narrow minded sons of pig farmers keeping an eye on their bank account
while they use words like "smart city" because It adds an extra zero to
their pension fund.... they are not what we need to build a better future.

Auntie up next.

Bartertown. The city of the future. Clean energy. Transparent politics.
Free trade. And Auntie... The founder of the town who sacrificed her life
for the citizens of Bartertown. Now.. thats the kind of politicians we
really need. Someone who actually cares. Someone who is able to feel
responsability. To look towards the future. And she knows the common
people are too stupid to run things themselves, but she loves them so
much, she is willing to carry the burden, and be their leader.
well.. sadly.. the politicians we have today are most egoistic
money-grabbing rednecks.

So... back to me watching the traffic and all the egoistic "civilized"
people burning fossil fuel like the party has just started.
Dreaming is nice. Dreaming is important. yes.. losing sight of the
future.. the dreams.. the hope.. is a bad thing. But maybe losing sight of
reality is even worse.
More technology is will NOT save us from our own stupidity. More
technology is meerly noise and more precious oil wasted.

I love the conversations I have with my future wife. She is a political
journalist in Ukraine where I used to live.
When we talk, I can not escape the feeling that the western culture is
depraved beyound saving.
WE are the real threat. Because most of our values are junk!
"Smart cities" is only treating the symptoms. The real cause of the
problems we face are US! Our culture. Our values.
And the dreamers must not get lost in the technocratic sea of madness.
Soon most of the world will be without food. So .. Land Warrior ? I
couldnt care less. It is of no importance.
I just spoke with a German friend who lives in a gypsy ghetto. The winter
killed a few, then there was a bit of shooting, a few kidnappings. well..
they made It through though.
So... It is a struggle for me to take things seriously when some little
people wearing ties are trying to position themselves, or are trying to
impress me because they know a few buzzwords.
Sorry... Im 39, I have seen bad shit. And I dont dont want to sit in your
stupid glass cages, unless you have something of REAL
VALUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lets see... A plan to save the world ? Great stuff :)

Go to the beach. Take of your shoes and feel the sand between your toes ;)

hmm. actually.. back to editing video. Thanks to Rob for linking to the
open source ecology project. It inspired me, and It 2 weeks from now I
will launch my first open source IT project.
hmm.. Giving away things for free is really the only way we can beat the
system, and change the world. No matter how much money and power the
rotten politicians have, they can not stop us from sharing and giving away
things.

To the Bricolabs folks. Have a nice weekend.