Posts filed under 'Life'
I recently travelled through Manchester airport, which apparently was awarded ‘UK airport of the year 2010′, as touted by numerous posters at said airport (see also their awards page). In the bag drop queue, I had to wait quite a while for the couple in front who had a number of issues getting the whole family, including kids and prams, checked in. While passengers were getting slightly annoyed – I will admit to being part of that group – such things happen, of course.
However, when I got to the security line, I started to get the feeling something was different here. Big posters sporting full-body scanners were put up, saying something to the effect that at this particular airport, enhanced security measures were in effect.
Being slightly concerned about the radiation effect of said full-body scanners, I thought to myself that I can always opt out, as is possible in the states, believing this to be an option in the UK too. Sure, an enhanced search is not altogether pleasant, but better than receiving an unnecessary dose of radiation.
However, while I was in the queue – a long queue – I looked up some info on my phone. It turns out that if you refuse a full-body scan in a UK airport, travel will be declined. And that, while the airport maintains that the scanners are completely safe (stating that the amount of radiation received is equivalent to that of 5 minutes of background radiation), highly competent researchers have posed serious questions with regards to the potentially cancer-inducing effects of these scans.
As I walked through the queue, I considered my options, should I be selected for a body-scan. Having some time to reflect, I came to the conclusion I had none. If I resisted the body-scan, I would not be allowed to travel. £100 out the window, and no way to get back to Denmark. If I went through the scanner, potential long-term health-effects. I looked with envy on the business-class travellers, and the aforementioned couple with the kids and the pram, who somehow got onto the fast-track security line, which, besides providing a vastly more expeditious security process, was completely devoid of these scanners.
I was not selected for the body-scan. Unlike many of my fellow travellers. The worst thing about the experience was that I did not have a choice. Had I been been selected, I would have been compelled to go through with the scan.
On reflection, this is probably the first time government agencies have resorted to imposing potentially health-damaging security checks on its population, let alone the vastly upgraded privacy intrusions. Sure, the liquid restrictions were annoying, but they did not impose any harm on me, other than having to throw out the occasional face-wash that I forgot to take out of the hand luggage 
Nor are the metal-detectors or the x-ray machines harmful to us in any way. Enter the body-scanners. Radiation-exposure is now mandatory in order to fly.
The reality is that there is some debate on the health effects of the scanners. In addition to the mentioned expert comments, there is a recent case of scanners in the US having emitted much higher radiation than they should, or at the very least being measured incorrectly. And there are the comments of scientists in this wired article, not exactly inspiring calm. As the icing on the cake, Bruce Schneier, a well-renowned security expert and cryptographer, makes some interesting comments on the effectiveness of these new security measures (though he admittedly elsewhere believes them to be safe health-wise).
Bottom-line, I am sceptical towards new technology that is being rushed in, proclaimed safe, and put to mass-use in the name of security. Mass x-ray scans of vast amounts of people is certainly not something to be undertaken lightly.
marts 17th, 2011
So I just moved to Aalborg. Might write something about that at a later time.
For now, I have noted the public services available, having been at the library tonight.
For one, I now no longer need any sort of DVD-rental stores, since the public libraries lets you check out loads of mainstream movies – for free. I even got a bag for carrying them in.
While I was there, I noted a poster saying something along the lines of ‘Divorce – something you’ll do 0,4 times’. I thought great, perhaps finally a campaign to bring down divorce stats, but alas, the punchline was that now you can do all the paperwork online through ‘NemID’. (the latter being a topic in itself)
I walked away noting I get all sorts of things from the government here that I really don’t feel every Danish taxpayer should be providing..
februar 9th, 2011
May 17 in Norway. It’s been ages since I’ve been in Oslo for that. Brings back a lot of memories and feelings. There’s just something about hearing the bands play ‘Norge i rødt hvidt og blÃ¥tt’ and seeing all the people waving the Norwegian flags, that is very familiar. Feelings and senses of honour, childhood, country, valor…
In any case, it was great being here again for the celebration. Happy May 17!
maj 17th, 2010
It’s funny how you just happen to run into people at certain times. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Hugh and his family from Ireland on the busride from Stansted to London. Very nice people. I was even invited to stay at their place for a night if I was ever in the area, and have an authentic Irish experience. I might just take them up on that offer
april 7th, 2010
The other day, as I was buying a bus-card from the Narvesen kiosk at Oslo S (the Central Station), I got a radically different view of ‘smÃ¥godt’ (candy you mix yourself in a bag). A couple of guys that looked like they could handle themselves quite well kind of lurked between the boxes, would randomly take up a piece, lick it, and then place it back in the box – ready for the next customer to eat. So much for smÃ¥godt!
oktober 21st, 2009
Recently ordered some books from an unnamed bookstore (which is generally awesome). At checkout, I was given an error page, so I tried 3-4 more times, and each time, I got the same error page. Eventually, I returned back, and it worked. I did not receive a confirmation mail for more than one order, but nevertheless wrote their support in a slightly annoyed tone. Today, I receive a reply to the effect that the order had been drawn 4 times from my account, but they had canceled all but one order, and the money would be refunded. Great. So I write a slightly annoyed reply back, and get a sincere apology. This is when suddenly I realise something.. The books I was ordering were very Christian books.
I’ll tend to run in the park. For some reason – and I was really happy about that – Café Church decided to give me a t-shirt a while back; I often wear it when I run. That is, when I don’t forget I’m wearing it. And suddenly remember after sending some too-smoking people a disapproved look, or looking too long where I probably would be better off taking Job’s advise and averting my eyes.
This is what’s been hitting me more and more recently: No matter if we want it or not, we are, as Christians, walking billboards for what we profess. In a very real flesh-and-blood kind of way. Which is really great – the message of Jesus incarnate; when we display Him.
I’m not advocating flawless Christianity, or that we should ‘get our act together’ (nor that there are not extremely kind, loving and good people out there who are not Christian). I just find it interesting, that in the middle of the hype of ‘transparency’ in so many Christian circles, transparency suddenly hits us right between the eyes where we expect it the least.
juli 27th, 2009
So a couple of weeks ago, I had a one-day visit from a couple of Newbold people, and in the honour of the 4th of July (and seeing as I got a can of pumpkin from one of them), I decided to make a pumpkin pie!
Results were apparently quite good
Basically used the recipe at joyofbaking.com, without the pecan and gingersnap layer and with some added vanilla suger. Nice!
juli 20th, 2009
So I was at the wedding of two good friends last week, which I wasn’t planning to blog much about, except: (this was really awesome) as the (excellent) dining was over, and we moved to more comfortable seating where the entertainment took place, somehow the newly wed couple in an unexpected move of surprise turned the whole thing into church, right then and there.
And so, right there, as we were sitting with our coffee, beer and whatnot around little tables, there was a flashback of something reminiscent of Aarhus Café Church old days style at their wedding reception, though with a decidedly new touch. Complete with thoughts from the bride and groom, worship songs and such. It really felt like the mode for a short while was changed and we were no longer at a wedding party, or rather, we were, but suddenly we were also in church! (which was nice, seeing as practical reasons made it hard to do earlier in the day)
I don’t know what you think when you hear this, but I thought it was really cool. To the wedded couple: Keep this up, and you’ll do amazing stuff!
juni 20th, 2009
So I just went to the ‘camp-meeting’ of the Adventist church in Norway (where, by the way, I’m staying for the summer). For those that don’t know what this is, it is where many members of the Adventist Church get together for sort of a day of fellowship.
First thought: It was nice. For various reasons, it’s been a couple of weeks since I last had the opportunity to worship with other believers, and that was really nice. Raafat Kamal – known better to some of us as Nat’s dad – gave a very forceful talk about the mission of the church, especially touching on the way we deal with people. Spot on.
Second thought (why am I putting this in bullet-point fashion?): It seems to me – it may not be so though, cf. a conversation I had in the car on the way back, but still, it seems to me – that often we can classify people in our church as belonging to two groups: Those that have their focus on the here and now and those that have their clear focus on his second coming. Within the Adventist Church, with our background and tradition, the latter translates to having a heavy focus on our being in the end time, the coming trials, the call to come out of her (interpretations of Rev 18.4), historical prophecies, and the signs of the times. The latter group seems to be more ‘mainstream’ in their Christian thinking, and generally (i) focus less on these things, while (ii) focusing more on the difference God can make in their lives here and now, the walk with God, the kingdom of God being at hand, and so on (if this group speak of the second coming, it is usually in quite general, more mainline, terms, and not as a focus-point; it’s just part of the bagage). Many times when people step up to the platform to sing a song, contribute with their thoughts, or take part in a debate, I get the feelings they are likely to belong to one of these groupings. I also get the feeling that the directions in which these groups are heading are not the same.
It would be nice to see a synthesis, or a direction that would maintain both, of these two foci – the here and now and the second coming / eternal life – if nothing else, because it seems that both Jesus and Paul managed to have them coexist in their thinking and doing and life. True, this picture is stylised, and I also see a more healthy middle ground in the church, but this seems a minority. I don’t have the answer on how to do it – my theology is probably flawed as well – but I recognise the need within our church for some sort of integration. Much of what has seemed integration up to this point to me does not seem so, since there is often still a lack of focus on the kingdom of God among us, as especially laid out by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark (forgive me if my labelings are not entirely consistent or my thinking not crystal-clear; I hope it still makes sense on some plane of thought). The music program did a good job of trying to integrate though. That was quite good.
Third thought: I have been able to be near – in different settings during the day – a small number of ‘core families’ that seemed to be working very well. It’s funny how you can usually tell when you come into the presence of such a family – the way they interact, the way they treat each other, the implicit respect the parents enjoy from, while not commanding of, the children. Simply a good solid family. Yes, solid is the word. Not coming from such a family myself, I may be more prone to picking up the difference. Whenever I meet people my age who has grown up in a solid family like this, our whole instinctive feeling about marriage seem to be completely opposite. For me, it has been interesting to note that for some people, it would be a strange and foreign thought to worry about the ‘what if”s and the potential problems (true, some of it may be personality-related, but still I see a pattern). They simply assume, by instinct or experience, that things will work out fine.
Fourth thought: Norway is a really beautiful country. Driving up to Tyrifjord is simply amazing.
juni 6th, 2009
Met a cute dog in the Metro yesterday. The owner wasn’t too bad either 
During Christmas, me and my sister walked past the saddest looking dog. The owners lurked behind it and had exactly the same sad expression on their faces.
Funny how dogs and owners often look equally dull or interesting.
P.S. Me and my sister also met some other people with a quite nice dog, so if they should be reading this, don’t be mistaken
januar 8th, 2009
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