BlingYou

Today there was an article in the Norwegian newspaper VG on how many new police officers the various parties want to educate over the next few years. Since we have an upcoming election in September, the politicians is climbing over oneanother to promise more police, better care for the elderly, less taxes, better hospitals, cheap or free child care etc, all the things they think will win over more voters come elections.

When reading the article the Venstre politician Odd Einar Dørum stated that we need to educate more police to reach the goal of 2 police officers per 1000 capita in Norway. I wondered about his number for a moment, and decided to check its validity according to other statistical data.

According to Nationmaster.com and the criminal statistics there, we have already reached this goal. Norway resides as # 27 – indicating that we already have 2,42 police officers per 1000 persons.

The "best" regarding police vs. capita

When clicking on Norway in the stats you will find an overview of the police efficiency and how satisfied people are with the overall police service in Norway. Reading these numbers, the population seems to be very happy with the police, the way policing is done in Norway and how the politicians generally are running the police. See the image below for more info:

Good stats for the police, but are they true?

Anyone in Norway has noticed that the police in Norway has had a conflict with their employer over the last year, dramatically reducing efficiency, discovery and solving rates for crime and overall presence in society, and these stats (although old) seem odd. Was things really that different back then? If the goal of the number of police was reached in 2000, why make a big fuzz about educating more now?

A wise man one said: There are lies, damn lies and statistics. I have to agree, you can read these statistics any way you want. We rank very well on most, if not all of them, ban the Software piracy rate (29%) indicating that we are generally a safe and non criminal society. In many ways I think we are, but we are on a downward spiral in that respect, and I think its time to really do something about it. Educating more officers is fine, but the police need a huge increase in money and equipment to withstand the flood of crime coming to our shores shortly, especially from the eastern European states, now opening up through the EU cooperation and free travel within Europe.

Dear politicians, please think big when it comes to crime prevention!

In Norway, the department of Health have finally decided to put images and text on the packs of smokes that are available in our shops. In the past they only had text like “Smoking kills”, “Smoking is highly addictive” and “Smoking can cause cancer”. A survey performed among 1000 people of all ages, sexes and smoking habits assisted in the selection of the images. The survey showed that younger people respond better to images relating to things they care about, like potency and appearance – while older people were more fact driven. Below are the images chosen in Norway. You have to click them to see them in all their glory:

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I am a former smoker, and quit while there was still only text on the cigarettes. Is it really necessary to enhance the “Smoking kills” message by putting images on them? I don’t really know. After decades of being hammered with the unhealthiness of smoking, I think everybody knows that smoking does not improve you in any way, neither physically, mentally or coolness-wise. We all know they are coffin nails and half of those who smoke regularly will die from a smoke related disease. In Norway, even advertising cigarettes (and alcohol btw) is illegal and anything even resembling an ad for cigarettes is instantly banned. I am glad, however, that they chose somewhat less intrusive imagery than the ones I saw when in Thailand:

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Most smokers say that they are planning to quit or reduce their smoking, and recent studies have shown that less young people begin to smoke now. I think this is good news, and should reduce the number of deaths among smokers in the long run. Many young people replace smoking with “snusing”, using “Snus” – a smokeless tobacco. This does not, as far as we know now, have the same health issues as smoking, but is just as addictive – if not more addictive – than smoking. Below is some images for your enjoyment of snus and people using it

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The future for all of us?

That’s what we are all becoming, according to a recent study in the UK, paid for by Nuffield Health Fitness Report and presented by Sky News. Actually the report should have been named the Nuffield Health lack of Fitness Report, because the results are depressing.

I do not live in the UK, btw, I live in Norway. Norway is probably still somewhat healthier than the UK, but every bad trend tend to follow this path: USA ->UK->Europe in general->Rest of the world. If people are fat in the USA, we are going to be fat in Europe within a decade or two. If everybody gets diabetes type 2 in the USA, we are all getting it shortly. Its unfortunate and sad, but true – and we do not have the common sense to see it coming and avoid it.

Anyway, the study shows that:

- Around one in six people said if their remote control was busted, they would rather just continue to watch whatever channel was on rather than getting up to change channel.

- About 59% of the 2 000 adults questioned would rather use the elevator than walk two flights of stairs to get to work.

- 36%  said they would not run to catch a bus.

- 28%  said that they would exercise more if it would make them more attractive to their partner.

According to ABC Nyheter, a Norwegian online newspaper, the study also showed the following:

- 73% were too exhausted at the end of a long day to have sexual intercourse.

- 52% of dog owners did not have the energy to walk their dog.

- 64% of parents did not have the energy to play with their children.

So our future is basically this: We are going to become fat, lazy slobs that spend all our time in front of the TV, not bothering to try to stay attractive for our partner, probably talking to, but not playing with, our fat and lazy children while our obese dog walks itself in the living room. After a while humanity will die out by itself, since we do not have the energy to make any more children, as this includes some good old fashion love making, and given this outlook – its probably for the best.

A couple of days ago I wrote a post about the Norwegian Omer Bhatti who spent a lot of time with Michael Jackson from 1996 and onward, staying at the Neverland ranch, tagging along on tours etc. My main focus then was how focused the media in my country was on Mr Bhatti and tried to connect stories to Michael, the children and basically anything. Today I noticed that Jermaine Jackson had been inverviewed by Larry King Live on CNN, on the 7th of August, stating the following regarding Omer Bhatti: “I really don’t know if he is Michaels son or not” about 2:33 into the clip.

Well, what to make of this? I really don’t know, since a brother should know who his nephews are – and Jermanie obviously don’t.

Anyway, have a look at the below clip and make your own mind up – it seems that the Michael Jackson saga continues..

John Hughes dies at 59

John Hughes, the writer/director who brought us most of the classic movies in the 80′s died today in New York. Hughes was the mastermind director behind such youth defining moves as:

The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles.

In addition to writing the above movies, he also was a writer/producer for numerous other hit movies during the decade of stretch pants and fluffy hair, like Pretty in Pink and Home Alone – remember, before Macaulay Culkin became all annoying.

I have seen most of his movies, everyone growing up in the 80′s and 90′s have, knowingly or not. The characters he portrayed, the music he included and the sense of truth in the stories he told was, at that time, uncommon and easy to relate to for a young person.

Even though his latter work lacked, in my opinion, the freshness, unafraidness (I know its not a real word ) and groundbreaking qualities of his earlier movies – I still followed his career – albeit at a distance.

RIP Mr. Hughes.

Omer Bhatti at the Michael Jackson funeral

Norway does not have many internationally renowned celebrities, movie stars or artists, but we do have one and he is world famous in Norway Because of this fact, anything that makes Norwegians interesting is good stuff for our media.

In 1996 the then 12 year old Omer Bhatti from Oslo, Norway stood outside the hotel of Michael Jackson in Tunisia, dressed as his idol. After performing a few dance moves, Michael Jackson noticed him and invited the family to his room. As far as I know both mother, father and siblings were invited and it all resulted in the Bhatti family trailing the Jackson entourage all over the world for several years. The Bhattis also stayed at the Neveraland ranch with Jackson for long periods.

Still, unless Michael Jackson – in addition to being a shape shifter also can travel in time – he is not the father of Omer Bhatti, even though some UK tabloids has speculated about this “fact“.

Omer Bhatti travelled to Los Angeles immediately after the death of Michael Jackson, as he has a good relationship with Jacksons children. In the mayhem that ensued over there, I guess they needed a sane, calm and caring friend. Norwegian media has been climbing over one another to bring us information about the friendship between Bhatti and Jackson, and he has not made any statements to any media. He stated this on his ObeeGalaxy blog “Just because you read it in a magazine or see it on the TV screen Don’t make it factual”

The above message has later been replaced by this:

Omer Bhatti prefer to give no statements about his friend, their relationship and the connection he has with the Jackson children. I think this is a mature and correct decision, but that does not calm the press in any way.

Today one of our major newspapers, VG, stated the followning “news” over one full page in the paper issue – and I will translate the headline for you non norwegians out there: Went SHOPPING with the Jackson children.

Basically the story is this, and this is all it is: The Norwegian Omer Bhatti (25) has been shopping with the children of Michael Jackson – in identical shoes as the pop legends youngest son!” “Omer went shopping with Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Jr (12) and Prince Michael Jackson II (7) at the Barnes and Noble bookstore. Along with them was also the two children of Jermaine Jackson, Jaffar (13) and Jermajesty (9). Omer had the same shoes as Prince Michael Jackson II, aka “Blanket”.

Holy crap people, is this news or news worthy in any way, shape or form?? He had the same shoes! My God, stop the press! There is also a link to images on a blog somewhere, so we can all see the proof of this sensation. Liking the same shoes or clothes as an idols son is sufficient to fill a page in a national newspaper – at least in my country – but I suspect that its more or less the same all over.

It is now six weeks or so since Michael Jackson met his maker, and personally I am so utterly fed up with all the micro-news we have been presented with ever since. Michael Jackson had a pimple on his ass! Michael Jackson is gay and met his male lovers in sleazy hotels! Michael Jackson is not the father of his children! Michael Jackson was killed/took an overdose/had an accident/killed himself!

Its enough now, I am done – I think we all are. This latest “news” about the shoes was the drop for me. Its time to skip through anything bearing any resemblance to Michael Jackson news for a while. Its a shame, really, as the guy was gifted as an artist, although flawed as a person – and I fear that his legacy will be that of an eccentric, not an important recording and performance artist. I even experienced him live once, and there is no doubt that he was a fabulous entertainer.

Edit: In a recent interview with Larry King on CNN, Jermaine Jackson further the confusion by saying that he was unsure if Omer Bhatti was Michaels son or not.

Some poster on YouTube commented the Norwegian  audience at the Madonna concert in Oslo like this:

“It is amazing how people in Oslo are dead !!! hahahaha I bet the guy who picked up madonna’s sunglasses went to the security and said ” here are her sunglasses that she accidently threw at us !” hahaha

Metallica had concert the same evening and the band said that the Norwegian audience always are the best because they have the ability to listen. You can see the videos yourselves and compare.

Maybe the Norwegian people are different in the way that we can listen to the music and not always scream our heads off?

Regarding the lame comment from the youtube.com poster on the sunglasses topic: Norwegians are really honest people, and if the guy gave back the sunglasses – it should be commended, not ridiculed. Imho, anyway

The quality is not the greatest on the latest clip, but James Hatfield is very pleased with the guys who attended their concert. I was actually at the Madonna concert myself, and felt that things were energetic and enthusiastic and two guys I know, who went to see Metallica – was very happy with the concert. I think Norwegians are not easily thrown into screaming frenzies when faced with the artists, but when they really appreciate someone, they let them know it too

Matt was arriving at Los Angeles airport on Sunday ahead of Matt’s appearance this week at the Television Critics Association summer tour. Matt will be discussing The People Speak, which is scheduled to air in December on The History Channel.

“You don’t need help because you are poor, but because you are the future of Iraq,” said Angelina Jolie to the citizens when she visited the country.

The US Magazine wrote that the actor visited Iraq Thursday this week and that she stays one day in the country. She visits four families from the Abu Graib-district, located vest for the capitol of Baghdad.

Angelina Jolie is an FN-Ambassador and has visit conflict arias around the world before. In August 2007 the Hollywood actor visited a refugee camp whit 1200 refugees in Iraq and she has also visited Syria earlier.

Before she left Iraq this time she said to the people;” I want to come back and find you in a better place and in a different situation.  I hope that UNHCR and the government will support you in getting a piece of land. You people need help not because you are poor, but because you are the future of Iraq”.

For a long time Angelina Jolie has used her fame and position to make the world aware of the problems in various regions of the world. I think she does a very good job at this and that she really cares about the refugee she meets. She is not just an actor but warm and tender person who really cares and who understand that the interest she generates as an actor can be used to make the rest of us aware of problems in poor and conflict ridden areas of the world.  Keep up the good work Angelina!

I noticed on justjared.com that Megan Fox and I have invested in the same type of Monica Botkier handbag. This is the most expensive handbag I have ever had, and the original price was very steep. I was lucky to get it at half price on a sale this spring, and I am very happy with the quality. Have a look at the model on the botkier website. Below is a picture of Megan Fox with her handbag and mine too. No picture of me though, as its difficult to look good next to Megan Fox

In addition to Megan Fox, several other celebrities are also flashing their botkier bags, like here and here.