There's been a lot of talk about cancelling participation of official country representatives at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, especially in Europe I suppose. What's that all about, suddenly closely connecting sports and politics? An aggressive campaign from Amnesty International, an organization that I otherwise respect and once was a member of , claims that China have promised to improve human rights in order to become this year's Olympic host. No documentation of such promises have been presented though, and the IOC spokesperson says that IOC is a non-political organization. The only promise made by China regards the freedom of foreign press to operate in China during the Olympics, and a decree to that effect has been made by the Chinese government. The effectiveness of the decree remains to be seen, of course, but I think we can rely on the 20,000 accredited press people to let us know if any unreasonable hindrances should be present.
While there are unarguably problems with human rights issues in China, there's no doubt China has seen immense improvements on many fronts since 2001 (where Beijing as 2008 Olympic city was announced), such as improvements for migrant workers, combating of corruption and improvements in the judiciary system. China is on the right track, and China is rightfully proud to host this year's Olympic games. The campaigning by AI to connect the issues of human rights and the Olympic games is completely untimely. There is absolutely no reason to induce neither athletes nor country officials with bad conscience about participating. Did AI try to boycott previous Olympic games in US cities because of US violations of human rights (executions is one of AI's main criticism of China)? Should 2016 candidate Madrid face questions about Basque independence?
The way to encourage further improvements of human rights in China is to support and to maintain a dialogue with the Chinese that work to improve the conditions within China as well as with the Chinese authorities. A boycott of the Olympic opening ceremony will only serve to further nationalism and xenophobic views, as can to some extent be seen after the very negative coverage in western media regarding human rights in Tibet. It would be tragic and counter-productive if the Western world in misunderstood or disinformed concern for human rights in China would nourish Chinese nationalism and isolationism by solely focussing on the negative stories about China.
The way that the Chinese authorities have handled the devastating Sichuan earthquake may have shifted sympathies in a more favourable direction for China. Hopefully the folly and shrill voices of a few months back of the likes of French president Sarkozy and the Danish Conservative People's Party will be unheeded. At least the Danish Parliament on May 22nd voted against a governmental boycot of the opening ceremony.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)
I acquired my second mahjong set in San Francisco's China Town for USD 20. It's a travel set with quite small plastic tiles, 17 x 23 x 13 mm. I believe I bought in December 2001, but it might have been the year before. (I was at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union for three years in a row, 1999-2001).
The set has served me faithfully while travelling to tournaments and has been inspected by various airport security staff. It's important, of course, to carry it in the hand luggage for when the plane gets delayed. The plastic case turned out to be not very durable for travelling, and has been repaired thoroughly with duct tape, and the trays I made myself with cardboard and a stapler.
Mostly the set has been used in trains, going to tournaments. Trains to Århus and trains to Germany. For trains, it is recommended to bring racks for the tiles (we don't usually use racks, but in trains they are convenient). The coming months has two long train rides coming: for the MCR tournament in Edewecht in May and the European Riichi Championship in Hannover in June, and my Chinatown travel set will surely come along.
The set has served me faithfully while travelling to tournaments and has been inspected by various airport security staff. It's important, of course, to carry it in the hand luggage for when the plane gets delayed. The plastic case turned out to be not very durable for travelling, and has been repaired thoroughly with duct tape, and the trays I made myself with cardboard and a stapler.
Mostly the set has been used in trains, going to tournaments. Trains to Århus and trains to Germany. For trains, it is recommended to bring racks for the tiles (we don't usually use racks, but in trains they are convenient). The coming months has two long train rides coming: for the MCR tournament in Edewecht in May and the European Riichi Championship in Hannover in June, and my Chinatown travel set will surely come along.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Wandering Star
Portishead er tilbage – med stil. Fantastisk koncert; eller i hvert fald så god som nu KB Hallen tillader det. Beth Gibbons er af en anden verden. Geoff Barrow er for cool. Han må have tilbragt store dele af pausen siden det seneste album med at spille japanske trommebaserede arkadespil.
Opvarmningsbandet Kling Klang spillede til gengæld den elendigste koncert jeg har overværet nogensinde. Jeg kan kun på det kraftigste advare mod deres blanding af wanna-be Jean Michel Jarre og firser-heavy.
Wandering stars, for whom it is reserved // The blackness of darkness forever
Wandering star, Dummy, Portishead, 1994
Opvarmningsbandet Kling Klang spillede til gengæld den elendigste koncert jeg har overværet nogensinde. Jeg kan kun på det kraftigste advare mod deres blanding af wanna-be Jean Michel Jarre og firser-heavy.Wandering stars, for whom it is reserved // The blackness of darkness forever
Wandering star, Dummy, Portishead, 1994
Thursday, January 31, 2008
And Justice For All
Don't kiss me or smile for me,
Don't tell me that you'll wait for me,
The CIA will never let me go.
Cause I'm leaving on a jetplane,
Don't think I'll ever be back again,
Oh babe, I hate to go.
Leaving On A Jetplane, alt. version by ATS // Politiken
Don't tell me that you'll wait for me,
The CIA will never let me go.
Cause I'm leaving on a jetplane,
Don't think I'll ever be back again,
Oh babe, I hate to go.
Leaving On A Jetplane, alt. version by ATS // Politiken
Friday, January 11, 2008
It should be so easy but music is a sensitive art
Hear this, I can't deny the truth
[...]
Tear this touchy town apart
Tear this posh party in parts
Wear this itchy shirt of limits
Hear this tiny voice of truth
Clear this for you
I will blast the truth
Tillykke, Dúné, årets band 2007, med P3-prisen. Velfortjent!
Der er award shows, og så er der P3 guld som i den grad forstår at hæve sig over niveauet med fem i den grad værdige vindere og et underholdende show der ikke er bange for at komme med aktuelle og politiske kommentarer. Jeres indslag med fan-taler til vinderen af lytterhittet er fantastisk. Og hyldesten til Natasja var smuk som nattens stjerner. Tak, DR, jeg håber I formår at opretholde niveauet fremover selv med bæltet spændt langt ind under det nederste ribben. Lige pt er jeg lidt bekymret for Radium Rock der ikke længere synes at være programsat. Forhåbentlig er det ikke et endeligt farvel til DR's stolte tradition for rock-magasinprogrammer. Jeg er naiv nok til at mit håb endnu lever, for det er da ikke til at holde ud hvis traditionen fra Rockaften på P3, Rockland og Beat skal dø helt. Men okay, Musikprogrammet på DR2 har de jo allerede skåret væk. Måske må jeg bare se sandheden i øjnene, men våde det er de.
Would you die // oh, would you die // oh, would you die in 80 years with me
Men de der Storm, de ku' da være i et glas vand, ku' de ikke?
Robot Beat , We are in there you are out here, Dúné, 2007
A Blast Beat, We are in there you are out here, Dúné, 2007
80 Years, We are in there you are out here, Dúné, 2007
[...]
Tear this touchy town apart
Tear this posh party in parts
Wear this itchy shirt of limits
Hear this tiny voice of truth
Clear this for you
I will blast the truth
Tillykke, Dúné, årets band 2007, med P3-prisen. Velfortjent!
Der er award shows, og så er der P3 guld som i den grad forstår at hæve sig over niveauet med fem i den grad værdige vindere og et underholdende show der ikke er bange for at komme med aktuelle og politiske kommentarer. Jeres indslag med fan-taler til vinderen af lytterhittet er fantastisk. Og hyldesten til Natasja var smuk som nattens stjerner. Tak, DR, jeg håber I formår at opretholde niveauet fremover selv med bæltet spændt langt ind under det nederste ribben. Lige pt er jeg lidt bekymret for Radium Rock der ikke længere synes at være programsat. Forhåbentlig er det ikke et endeligt farvel til DR's stolte tradition for rock-magasinprogrammer. Jeg er naiv nok til at mit håb endnu lever, for det er da ikke til at holde ud hvis traditionen fra Rockaften på P3, Rockland og Beat skal dø helt. Men okay, Musikprogrammet på DR2 har de jo allerede skåret væk. Måske må jeg bare se sandheden i øjnene, men våde det er de.
Would you die // oh, would you die // oh, would you die in 80 years with me
Men de der Storm, de ku' da være i et glas vand, ku' de ikke?
Robot Beat , We are in there you are out here, Dúné, 2007
A Blast Beat, We are in there you are out here, Dúné, 2007
80 Years, We are in there you are out here, Dúné, 2007
Another Brick in the Wall (part 1)
I bought my first mahjong set in May 1999 for DKK 698,- That's about € 94, a substantial price. Bone and bamboo sets tend to be a bit pricey. It wasn't easy to find a set without Arabic numerals, but I found one in my native town, Aarhus. (In the shop Byens Kurve in Ryesgade).
I moved from Aarhus to Copenhagen in June 1998, and some days/weeks/months (the details are a bit misty) later I got a visit from a couple of college mates from University of Aarhus and we had an evening of playing board games. Then, at about 3am after I dunno how much wine, but a substantial amount, I was introduced to the game of mahjong. And I was intrigued, but several months would pass until I got a second chance at playing. That second time was at Fastaval, a gaming con, Easter 1999. One of the first hands I got on that occasion was Thirteen Orphans, or as we called it then, Thirteen Degrees of Imperial Treasure, so for several years that hand was special to me, and I made it a couple of times. It's kind of worn off by now, though, and I haven't succeeded with that hand in recent years. I think that means I've improved as a player, actually.
Back then we played Western style rules, dubbed Vanilla Western. It's a rule set that focusses on special hands, and I must say that today I have little fascination for such Western rules. Once you've become an experienced player you'll find there are only very few hands worth your while if you want to go out. And because of the requirements for hands (one suit, max. one chow), there's not much flexibilty, not many choices to make, just a lot of pick-and-discard, waiting for the few tiles that'll advance the hand. I much prefer the Asian styles of mahjong which are much more skill-based.
The trouble with bone-and-bamboo sets is that the tiles are round-backed which means they don't stack well, and they are a bit on the light-weight side for playing, in my opinion. My first mahjong set was used a lot for many years, though. On the picture at the top you can also see that some fives are coloured red, because in October 2001 I learned to play riichi from the guys in Aarhus who had regular games going with a Japanese guy living there who had taught them how to really play mahjong. In November 2001 I organized a Mahjong Day in Copenhagen and invited all my friends and contacts and collegues that might be interested, and afterwards we agreed that regular games was an excellent idea. In the beginning we played Western style, but in the late spring of 2002 we started playing riichi in Copenhagen, and almost immediately decided to play riichi exclusively. Western style was out.
2002 was the year that I first heard of MCR (Mahjong Competition Rules) or as we called it then OIR (Official International Rules). Rule booklets were sent from Japan to a friend of mine who was active on rec.games.mahjong and who had introduced mahjong to others of my friends who got really addicted and persuaded me that this was a game way out of the ordinary. After the ground-breaking world-class mahjong tournament in Tokyo in 2002, European mahjong players were inspired to get together and organize tournaments and it was clear that MCR had the potential of being a unifying rule set. Netherlands and Denmark started talking about making a European Championship. In early 2004 we started practising MCR in Denmark, and in August 2004 we organized the first MCR Danish championship. In preparation of the Open European Mahjong Championship (which took place in Nijmegen in the Netherlands in 2005) contacts between Denmark and Netherlands was strengthened and on the occasion of that first Danish championship we had a visit from four of the Dutch organizers. And here you'll see my first mahjong set starring in Martin Rep's Seven Shifted Pairs. That's a limit hand in MCR.
I moved from Aarhus to Copenhagen in June 1998, and some days/weeks/months (the details are a bit misty) later I got a visit from a couple of college mates from University of Aarhus and we had an evening of playing board games. Then, at about 3am after I dunno how much wine, but a substantial amount, I was introduced to the game of mahjong. And I was intrigued, but several months would pass until I got a second chance at playing. That second time was at Fastaval, a gaming con, Easter 1999. One of the first hands I got on that occasion was Thirteen Orphans, or as we called it then, Thirteen Degrees of Imperial Treasure, so for several years that hand was special to me, and I made it a couple of times. It's kind of worn off by now, though, and I haven't succeeded with that hand in recent years. I think that means I've improved as a player, actually.
Back then we played Western style rules, dubbed Vanilla Western. It's a rule set that focusses on special hands, and I must say that today I have little fascination for such Western rules. Once you've become an experienced player you'll find there are only very few hands worth your while if you want to go out. And because of the requirements for hands (one suit, max. one chow), there's not much flexibilty, not many choices to make, just a lot of pick-and-discard, waiting for the few tiles that'll advance the hand. I much prefer the Asian styles of mahjong which are much more skill-based.
The trouble with bone-and-bamboo sets is that the tiles are round-backed which means they don't stack well, and they are a bit on the light-weight side for playing, in my opinion. My first mahjong set was used a lot for many years, though. On the picture at the top you can also see that some fives are coloured red, because in October 2001 I learned to play riichi from the guys in Aarhus who had regular games going with a Japanese guy living there who had taught them how to really play mahjong. In November 2001 I organized a Mahjong Day in Copenhagen and invited all my friends and contacts and collegues that might be interested, and afterwards we agreed that regular games was an excellent idea. In the beginning we played Western style, but in the late spring of 2002 we started playing riichi in Copenhagen, and almost immediately decided to play riichi exclusively. Western style was out.
2002 was the year that I first heard of MCR (Mahjong Competition Rules) or as we called it then OIR (Official International Rules). Rule booklets were sent from Japan to a friend of mine who was active on rec.games.mahjong and who had introduced mahjong to others of my friends who got really addicted and persuaded me that this was a game way out of the ordinary. After the ground-breaking world-class mahjong tournament in Tokyo in 2002, European mahjong players were inspired to get together and organize tournaments and it was clear that MCR had the potential of being a unifying rule set. Netherlands and Denmark started talking about making a European Championship. In early 2004 we started practising MCR in Denmark, and in August 2004 we organized the first MCR Danish championship. In preparation of the Open European Mahjong Championship (which took place in Nijmegen in the Netherlands in 2005) contacts between Denmark and Netherlands was strengthened and on the occasion of that first Danish championship we had a visit from four of the Dutch organizers. And here you'll see my first mahjong set starring in Martin Rep's Seven Shifted Pairs. That's a limit hand in MCR.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Rest My Chemistry
Come New Years Day I'll be resting my chemistry, and I won't be up to any postings. So here comes the top albums of the year.
2007 was a great year for an indie and shoegaze sucker like me, and I don't need to to compile both a Local and a Global list, since Danish and Scandinavian music in my opinion can fully compete internationally.
10. Death By Kite: Death By Kite
It's so indie and I love it. They played Roskilde Jr., but I didn't see them because I didn't have enough holidays to stay for the warm-up. I think they should have been in the main Roskilde Festival programme, but I've been making such points about promising and talented debut acts in the feedback forms to Roskilde every year since they invented the camping stage. I believe that was in 2000 when Nephew played a great gig under abysmally lousy conditions. I know I made a long point about that in that year's feedback form. I'm digressing. Back to Death By Kite. Okay so it's not like they're inventing sliced bread or anything, but I just love the sound, and I love to follow their future progress.
9. LCD Sound System: Sound of Silver
I love the beats. I love this new bold sound. I guess new rave is the term.
8. Brett Anderson: Brett Anderson
Yes, yes, I know, noone else will have this album on their best-of-2007-compilations. They'll think it too kliche, too unoriginal, but I don't agree and I'm not afraid of saying it. I've been hearing this on repeat at home as well as on the go on the ipod. It's great, it's beautiful, it's addictive, it's Brett back in shape.
7. Raveonettes: Lust, Lust, Lust
The sound and the noise guitars here are quite corporeal and dirty. Free of the big labels, the duo seems to dare more, to make more noise than on the last two of albums. The simplicity, the effect of the two intertwining vocals and the heavily distorted guitars makes a wonderful whole.
6. Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future
This year's British album. Anglofile as I am, it's amazing there are so few British acts making an impact on me this year. The best concert at the Roskilde Festival this year was Klaxons. It's audacious, it's catchy, it's makes you wanna dance in the same way Franz Ferdinand does.
5. Decorate. Decorate: Normandie
Dark, sombre and melodic. It's been on repeat on my ipod a lot this autumn and winter. The strength of this debut reminds of the impact that Mew's A Triumph for Man made on me back in 1997. Disconcerting and beautiful. I have yet to see this band live. These guys know how to make an atmosphere like Joy Division and Interpol. I expect a lot from this band!
4. Asobi Seksu: Citrus
When I went to the sold out gig with Editors at Lille Vega in June, I didn't know this band existed, but they made a huge impact on me. After the gig I bought both their albums, and especiallly the latest is great. This reminds me of the shoegaze hey day in the early nineties, and of Lush. Noise guitars, such a tender voice, heavenly melodies. It's the noise rock equivalent of Sigur Rós.
3. Kent: Tilbaka til samtiden
The lyrics of this band are always amazing and spellbinding. Never something you learn by heart when you first hear the songs, but rather level after level reveals itself as the play count in itunes and ipod grows and grows. I like the re-invention of the anglo-scandinavian indie sound with the bold new rave beats. Very cathy. Kent remains one of my absolute favourite bands.
2. Dúné: We Are In There, You Are Out Here
This is without comparison the best debut album for many, many years. I can't help comparing with the debuting of Superheroes because Mattias Kolstrup has a charisma and self belief that reminds me of Thomas Troelsen (whom I admire and respect greatly), but Dúné is a much better band. It's so intense, it's agressive and melancholic. There are also references to Veto.
1. Interpol: Our Love to Admire
So dark. So beautiful. 74 stars was awarded by Jens Unmack (jensunmack.dk) for the June gig at Vega, and I can't but agree. These melancholic sounds find a resonance in my heart.
Rest My Chemistry, Our Love to Admire, Interpol, 2007
2007 was a great year for an indie and shoegaze sucker like me, and I don't need to to compile both a Local and a Global list, since Danish and Scandinavian music in my opinion can fully compete internationally.
10. Death By Kite: Death By Kite
It's so indie and I love it. They played Roskilde Jr., but I didn't see them because I didn't have enough holidays to stay for the warm-up. I think they should have been in the main Roskilde Festival programme, but I've been making such points about promising and talented debut acts in the feedback forms to Roskilde every year since they invented the camping stage. I believe that was in 2000 when Nephew played a great gig under abysmally lousy conditions. I know I made a long point about that in that year's feedback form. I'm digressing. Back to Death By Kite. Okay so it's not like they're inventing sliced bread or anything, but I just love the sound, and I love to follow their future progress.
9. LCD Sound System: Sound of Silver
I love the beats. I love this new bold sound. I guess new rave is the term.
8. Brett Anderson: Brett Anderson
Yes, yes, I know, noone else will have this album on their best-of-2007-compilations. They'll think it too kliche, too unoriginal, but I don't agree and I'm not afraid of saying it. I've been hearing this on repeat at home as well as on the go on the ipod. It's great, it's beautiful, it's addictive, it's Brett back in shape.
7. Raveonettes: Lust, Lust, Lust
The sound and the noise guitars here are quite corporeal and dirty. Free of the big labels, the duo seems to dare more, to make more noise than on the last two of albums. The simplicity, the effect of the two intertwining vocals and the heavily distorted guitars makes a wonderful whole.
6. Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future
This year's British album. Anglofile as I am, it's amazing there are so few British acts making an impact on me this year. The best concert at the Roskilde Festival this year was Klaxons. It's audacious, it's catchy, it's makes you wanna dance in the same way Franz Ferdinand does.
5. Decorate. Decorate: Normandie
Dark, sombre and melodic. It's been on repeat on my ipod a lot this autumn and winter. The strength of this debut reminds of the impact that Mew's A Triumph for Man made on me back in 1997. Disconcerting and beautiful. I have yet to see this band live. These guys know how to make an atmosphere like Joy Division and Interpol. I expect a lot from this band!
4. Asobi Seksu: Citrus
When I went to the sold out gig with Editors at Lille Vega in June, I didn't know this band existed, but they made a huge impact on me. After the gig I bought both their albums, and especiallly the latest is great. This reminds me of the shoegaze hey day in the early nineties, and of Lush. Noise guitars, such a tender voice, heavenly melodies. It's the noise rock equivalent of Sigur Rós.
3. Kent: Tilbaka til samtiden
The lyrics of this band are always amazing and spellbinding. Never something you learn by heart when you first hear the songs, but rather level after level reveals itself as the play count in itunes and ipod grows and grows. I like the re-invention of the anglo-scandinavian indie sound with the bold new rave beats. Very cathy. Kent remains one of my absolute favourite bands.
2. Dúné: We Are In There, You Are Out Here
This is without comparison the best debut album for many, many years. I can't help comparing with the debuting of Superheroes because Mattias Kolstrup has a charisma and self belief that reminds me of Thomas Troelsen (whom I admire and respect greatly), but Dúné is a much better band. It's so intense, it's agressive and melancholic. There are also references to Veto.
1. Interpol: Our Love to Admire
So dark. So beautiful. 74 stars was awarded by Jens Unmack (jensunmack.dk) for the June gig at Vega, and I can't but agree. These melancholic sounds find a resonance in my heart.
Rest My Chemistry, Our Love to Admire, Interpol, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
