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With the eyes of the Overlord

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The notorious dangerous terrorist called Viggen

Long weekend getaway + 3 Airports + eleven times controlled/checked as if i am on some sort of watch list or member of an terrorist organisation = considering buying my own plane and screw that whole crappy procedure   To give you an example; on my way home from Airport C to Airport B, i get controlled first at arrival (which means belt off, shoes off, all pockets emptying) in a queue of like 2 billion people (or at least it feels that way), finally its my turn and stop, somewhere it is still beeping on my body, so the thorough examination starts, back and forth about 4 times, it`s still beeping somehwere on my body but they couldnt find anything and finally give up. I move about 3 steps further to my hand luggage and i was told that i have some sort of weapon in side the bag and i must open it in front of them, so i open my hand luggage and we are searching for about 20 minutes through my bag to no avail, needless to say the queue behind me was getting reeeeaaaally long, and my patience was no longer existing.   Eventually after putting that hand luggage 5!!!! times through that xray, they gave up (i would like to add that the whole time i was standing there without belt and shoes) I really feel that terrorist accomplished everything the wanted, they screwed up the lifes of millions of ordinary people....   p.s. i rather not mention any of those involved airports, because by now i start to believe they are out there to get me....

Viggen

Viggen

 

White Men Can Jump

I just watched today europe`s biggest TV Show Wetten, dass..? (which would translate into something like Wanna Bet..?). This show is one of the few i really like to watch on a regular base (its usually about 6 times a year), it has the , and some really funny moments on german TV.   Todays venue for the show was the Coliseum in Mallorca, which is a wonderful setting to begin with, the next great thing was swiss Michelle Hunziker, a beautiful women that seems to be not only pretty but also has this feel good laugh and fun person to be around. (italians should know her well she hosts there a show). Finally, eventually it has been proven, white men can jump!

Viggen

Viggen

 

European Union Elections

Why i got up this morning and went to the voting poll...   Living at the border to two other EU countries (Italy and Slovenia) makes you appreciate the EU a bit more then the average european. I mean i remember the times going on holiday to Italy very well, you already lost money by exchanging currencies and you had no real clue what things would really cost (Italians had the lira back then and the smallest denomination was the 1.000 Lira note).   For Example; if you want to work for another EU country, well you know, just move there, no applications, no forms, no questions, you are citizen of the EU, just go there and start to work...   For Example; Europe must be the bloodiest battle field in the History of mankind, so to all youngsters out there, it wasn`t always the way it is today, you know, chances are my grandfather was shooting at your forefathers and vice versa...   There are a million reasons why the EU sucks, but believe me there are even more reasons if we didnt have one...

Viggen

Viggen

 

The Awful German Language

I recently stumbled over Mark Twains Appendix D from Twain's 1880 book A Tramp Abroad called The Awful German Language   ...being a native german speaker, i found it fascinating how Mark Twain "manages" to learn the german language and how he wrote with his usual wit about it...   Now observe the Adjective. Here was a case where simplicity would have been an advantage; therefore, for no other reason, the inventor of this language complicated it all he could. When we wish to speak of our "good friend or friends," in our enlightened tongue, we stick to the one form and have no trouble or hard feeling about it; but with the German tongue it is different. When a German gets his hands on an adjective, he declines it, and keeps on declining it until the common sense is all declined out of it. It is as bad as Latin. He says, for instance:   SINGULAR Nominative -- Mein guter Freund, my good friend.
Genitives -- Meines guten Freundes, of my good friend.
Dative -- Meinem guten Freund, to my good friend.
Accusative -- Meinen guten Freund, my good friend.
[*]PLURAL N. -- Meine guten Freunde, my good friends.
G. -- Meiner guten Freunde, of my good friends.
D. -- Meinen guten Freunden, to my good friends.
A. -- Meine guten Freunde, my good friends.
Now let the candidate for the asylum try to memorize those variations, and see how soon he will be elected. One might better go without friends in Germany than take all this trouble about them...   My philological studies have satisfied me that a gifted person ought to learn English (barring spelling and pronouncing) in thirty hours, French in thirty days, and German in thirty years. It seems manifest, then, that the latter tongue ought to be trimmed down and repaired. If it is to remain as it is, it ought to be gently and reverently set aside among the dead languages, for only the dead have time to learn it.

Viggen

Viggen

 

The Empire is growing

In 2008 (1st of January till 21st of May) we had 649,837 Absolute Unique Visitors In 2009 (1st of January till 21st of May) we had 746,778 Absolute Unique Visitors   ...up by 14.91%!!!   p.s. while the USA makes up the majority of our visitors, i would like to share with you exotic places we had exactly 1 visitor 202. Samoa 1 203. Gabon 1 204. East Timor 1 205. Cook Islands 1 206. Montserrat 1 207. Niue 1 208. Greenland 1 209. French Guiana 1 210. Anguilla 1 211. Aland Islands 1 212. Tajikistan 1 213. British Indian Ocean Territory 1 214. Norfolk Island 1 215. Sierra Leone 1

Viggen

Viggen

 

Speed Reading

The average reader manages about 160 to 250 words per minute (wpm). I was a till a week ago at around 260 wpm which is already a bit above the average but nevertheless not really satisfied. I bought a speed reading book and practising now for one week, having managed to finish about a third of the exercises i am currently at a reading speed of 620 wpm. Reading fast without understanding is of course not really useful, so i am glad my speed reading book has its focus on not only reading faster but also understanding what you reading. I would estimate that i will eventually get to 800 wpm without compromising comprehension.   How fast are you reading?

Viggen

Viggen

 

Meaning of Life

...is there one? ...has anyone figured it already out?   In the meantime i go with Peter Ustinov, who once said... The point of living and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come.

Viggen

Viggen

 

Chick Flicks

I was recently told i am one of the few male that actually enjoys watching chick flicks, now what does that say about me?   Chick flick (also "chick's flick") is slang for a film designed to appeal to a female target audience.... Although many types of films may be directed toward the female gender, "chick flick" is typically used only in reference to films that are heavy with emotion or contain themes that are relationship-based (though not necessarily romantic)...   ...to put it even more drastic, i would like to quote Jude Law`s Character Graham Simpkins in The Holiday, as he referred to himself as a weeper when it comes to romantic movies...   ...to my testosterone`s defence, i have to say though, that i do not have problems to go, after watching (and weeping) The English Patient, out on the hockey field and body-check the hell out of the opposition... now what does that really say about me? LOL   ...whats your ultimate chick flick?

Viggen

Viggen

 

UNRV Anual Digital Classics Conference

...last night i had a really strange dream,we were hosting a conference for publisher and authors, but who knows maybe i just glimpsed into the future...     UNRV Anual Digital Classics Conference London   UNRV ADCC Agenda Overview   09:00am-9:15am Conference Welcome by Chris Heaton   09:15am-10:00am Opening Keynote by Elinor Hirschhorn (Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Officer Simon & Schuster) Classics in the Digital Age - Challenge and Opportunity   10:00am-11:15am Adrian Goldsworthy - How to write for the mainstream without compromising quality   11:15am-11:45am Coffee and Tea   11:45am-12:30pm Caroline Lawrence - Children and the Classics - Why you shouldnt write for little adults but for Kids   12:30pm-13:15pm Andrew Brown, (Managing Director, Cambridge University Press) - Meeting the needs of authors, readers and publishers   13:15pm-14:45pm Lunch   14:45pm-15:30pm Professor Mary Beard, (Classics editor of the TLS) - Engaging the Reader/How to make your writing come alive   15:30pm-16:15pm Olivia Hetreed, (screenwriter) - From the Book to the Screen - Insights from a screenwriter   16:15am-16:45am Coffee and Tea   16:45pm-17:30pm Steven Kessel, (Senior Vice President Amazon) - Kindle/How to profit from electronic books   17:30pm-18:30pm Live Panel - Discussion with all participating speakers who will answer questions from the audience   ...i dream of weird things, right?

Viggen

Viggen

 

Call me Director

...so, i am now proud director of a UK Private Limited, the company is situated in Stockport near Manchester, although i have no idea what i am going to do with that, i feel important for now ...i convinced a friend of mine that it would be a good idea to have in his CV a UK Limited company hehe, and it is a rather nice Tax Shelter when it comes to personal income that you do on the side...   so here it goes.... The Registrar of Companies for England and Wales hereby certifies that   XXXXX   is this day incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 as a private company and that the company is limited.   ...but wait, uh, what about Scotland and Northern Ireland?  

Viggen

Viggen

 

Marcus Aurelius - a Guru?

During my current adventure to become filthy rich, i read lots of books on how to become just that. Those are financial books, self help books, books to get things done, books on making your life filled with purpose, and almost in all of them is at least one quote of Marcus Aurelius...   ...for example;   Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.   Begin - to begin is half the work, let half still remain; again begin this, and thou wilt have finished.   Do every act of your life as if it were your last.   Each day provides its own gifts.   Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.   He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.   It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.   Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature's delight.   The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.   Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.   You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.   ...and i could go on for a long time...   For me, the most important piece of wisdom from Marcus Aurelius is however; Our life is what our thoughts make it.

Viggen

Viggen

 

Getting Wealthy - Share your Riches

I am doing great, much better then expected and at a much faster rate. (Just got an 20% increase)!!!   I decided that I need some extra Karma , and joined the World Vision Sponsorship, thats 30 Euro a month to support a child in need! This is such a wonderful organization and if you read up on how much my (your) 30 Euro per month can change a whole families life, it makes one really humble. I could choose the gender (I have choosen a girl) the age (below 7 years) and the country (mozambique). Soon i will get per post a folder with all the infos of the little girl i am going to support now. I keep you guys up to date!

Viggen

Viggen

 

Getting Wealthy - Debt

I managed to move all my current debt into a single low interest loan at my local bank. Which means Credit Card, consumer credit and overdraft (both with high interest) are on zero (and will stay that way). This move which took me less then 60 minutes reduced my monthly payment to service all my debt by 12% and shed a good year of paying back too...   I am really cruising nicely along right now, i am ahead of plan!   The interesting thing is that the more i think of getting rich, the more i think of money, the more i think of how to reduce costs, the more i think of increasing income, the more of all those things are happening --> a classic case of self-fulfilling prophecy?

Viggen

Viggen

 

Wedding, Russian, Monk, Unrv

Yesterday was my cousins wedding, i was invited there and although i thought it was going to be a complete disaster, it was bloody cool!   The bride was from Russia and couldn`t speak a single word of german! He met her while he was studying technical physics in ST. Petersburg. Luckily she speaks fluent english, so at least 90% of the guests could have a conversation with her, plus a good friend of the family knew a russian girl that lives now for more then five years here, so we had a translator and a new friend for the bride. It was at times really funny, having this russian-german-english mix of conversations.   ...in any case, one of my cousins classmates who will became a monk was sitting next to me, so I pretty soon got him engaged in a roman history discussion, as he is very knowledgeable in the early church history, can read and write, old greek, latin and hebrew and was pretty relaxed about christianity, we had some pretty interesting hours. I invited him to join our forum, let`s see if he does, once he sobers up! ;-)   btw. I learned three things about Russia; ...the russian language in action is much more pleasing to the ear then i thought ...being a professor in Russia means you are bloody smart, but you wont make a living and ...russian girls can drink more then you, don`t try!

Viggen

Viggen

 

Getting Wealthy - side effect

...after two months into my adventure becoming really wealthy, i experience side effects i did not expect...   While the focus of this two months were to slash costs on not necessary stuff, something else happend, as i think, breath and act as if i already have those millions on my bank account, the following is happening...   I seem to attract rich people In the last two months i had an unbelievable amount of interesting encounters with wealthy people, at the weiredest places, i think the smell of money attracts each other (even if i only have them only in my vision yet)   If it wasn`t for the Euro Soccer Championships i wouldnt have turned the TV on, i don`t know if that is true, but it seems when you think of wealth, TV seems to become less attractive, i estimate i watched less then 5 hours the last two months   I stopped reading my local newspaper, it wasn`t even a planned move, the subscription cancelled (fault on their site), so i had spare cash i have now the Financial Times Germany instead and read even more about wealth...   Classical Music is all of a sudden really nice to listen to   I get money i did not count on. unexpected tax refund, i find money on the street, a guy that owed me for years, all of a sudden paid back in full,   ...so there you have it, more to come   cheers viggen

Viggen

Viggen

 

Getting Wealthy - The Start!

Now that i got my message out that i will no longer accept the mediocre financial state of mine, i would like to share the how i will do it!   First things first!   One needs a goal, without a goal nothing will work, let a couple of people run in a circle without a goal or purpose, they will eventually loose interest and stop - draw a line (finish) and everything changes! The moment there is a goal, one can plan! So that was my first piece of work, having a goal. At first i was thinking of 1.000.000 million euro, but soon realized that this was not really something my little mind could grasp. I needed something more visual. So i redefined my goal. I would start treating myself as a company, Viggen Inc. if you like, and my goal is to make it a successfull company. So in order to run a company one needs a budget, so i started one, for the first time, and it was not a pretty picture. I spend way too much money on stuff that is not making Viggen Inc. productive or successful. I could locate several areas were i was spending money without thought.   Crap; Basically every evening when i got home late from work, i past by the petrol station that is just a few meters away from my home, and bought sandwiches, snacks, cool drinks, etc... EVERY DAY! I cut those expenses completely, i havent been to the petrol station in over a month!   Car; I go to work now with my bicycle, with the bike i only need 5 minutes to work, so please dont ask me why i havent done it before, i dont know...   at work; evey day i went to a restaurant in our mall, and every day i was drinking a cool drink with it, most of the time a coffee afterwards, i cut this completely, drive with the bike home and eat at home   other stuff; I do the washing, the ironing, the cleaning, myself, i bought a hair clipper to do my hairs myself (guess thats an advantage for men), no more hairdressers, i buy food once a week with a list, i visit my mother every sunday now (she really cookes good, and she is very happy to see me, she always complained i visit her not enough, low and behold the 5 miles she lives away i go by bike and not with the car, even more saving, so the sunday gets me a free meal, good karma with mum and some exercise)...   ...as you can see i am not a cheap talker on this issue, i mean it! I do not accept money that could work for me wasted on stuff that gives me short time pleasures at best!   ...more to follow   your "soon to be" very wealthy viggen

Viggen

Viggen

 

I will change (finally)

I am tired of not beeing filthy rich, honestly i am...   I finally realized that if i continuing doing what i do, i will end up with what i already had when i was in my late teens, just enough to make ends meet...   I will put an end to this, I wont take no for an answer, i repeat I wont take this szenario of my life as a given fact, because it is not, I will change, Today!   You may ask why i want to be filthy rich, and if that is actually a desirable thing to stride for, (apart from the question, what i understand under filthy rich)   My reasons why i am going to be filthy rich! (in no particular order)   . because i want to read and write on Unrv.com any time of the day . because i want my money to work; while i sleep, while i am cruising the caribbean, while i fly to the moon, where ever i am, whatever i do, i don`t want to work, my money should do that... . because i want one day, pick up the phone, fly first class to London, watching whatever sensational band is playing in the Royal Albert Hall, just because i have the time and the means to do it... . because when i am filthy rich, i can support people in need, which i can`t right now . because it feels right!   I changed over night, completely, at work people stare at me, i became over night a freak - and it feels great, because every day is one step closer to my filthy richness... I figured it out, only a few things were missing in my current life, just the small tiny things that is common sense, it is actually so stupidly easy that i wonder what i was thinking the last 30something years...   The things i have discovered, that are common sense, but i never did!   .make myself to the center of the universe .think big .have a plan .earn more, spend less .give before you receive .surround myself with successfull people .invest any penny wisely .have disziplin   sincerely your "soon to be filthy rich" Viggen

Viggen

Viggen

 

How one guy saved a breed from extinction

The carinthian sheep is a fairly recent breed, it was around the beginning of the 19th century that local farmers were looking for a sheep with a better wool then what was available. This was rather difficult because the two best breeds were from spain and england and both did not allow to export rams at the time, so they looked south to Italy and crossed their local the old Landschaf breed with the Bergamasca and Paduaner Sheep. The hardy, frugal Brillenschaf can cope with high precipitation and is expert in climbing, therefore it is used for grazing high alpine areas which are inaccessible to cows. By the end of the 19th century this breed was very popular and yearly about 30.000 sheep were exported to France at the time.   During WWI the Brillenschaf was very popular, due to its big size, (lots of meat), fine wool and being frugal. In the 1930

Viggen

Viggen

 

My (fishing) home via Google Maps

Here you can see the lake i am regulary fishing.   The watery-area left ot the little river is artificially made a few years ago. It was built to give the fishes and birds a save spot to breed. It is relatively small but neverthelless just after 10 years you no longer would guess it was man-made. On the northern end you can see they are currently extending it by a bit. the whole field in the west might get be done the same way too. The city council is still negotiating with the owners...   Old castle. It looks more impressive here. The castle dates from the 14th century....   Middle of Town, here i catch my trouts. (isn`t it great that one can actually catch trouts in the middle of town? I know i am blessed...   Lake Faak. The water is so blue, you want to jump in the moment you see the lake... [pretty warm too in summer around 26 degrees celsius (79 fahrenheit)]   More lakes i can fish. All not more then 5 miles away from home...   Here i can fish the largest Salmonidae that you get in Europe, The huchen or Danube salmon gets pretty big, the official world record is 35 kg (77 pounds)   Thats it for now, i go out and get some fish now!

Viggen

Viggen

 

Dual Monitors

I got myself a 22" Monitor and what a pleasure it is to have that big display in front of you. I did not get rid of my old 19" Monitor though, but instead set up a Dual Monitor display. My GeForce 7950 has two DVI connections and so it is a simple plug and play procedure. Within the Nvidia Graphic Settings it is a breeze to set up the two monitors the way you like. You can have both monitors display only one area (an extension so to speak) or you can have two seperate individual Desktops, which i have choosen. So right now i have in front of me the 22" monitor were i type this blog entry and on the right i have my 19" monitor watching a youtube movie. It is just wonderful. This will also help me allot when coding too, as i can code on the one monitor and browse, chat, watch on the second.   I can only recommend to anyone to go Dual Monitor, it is such a time saver!

Viggen

Viggen

 

Life Ball in Vienna

The Vienna Life Ball, Europe's most colourful charity event will take place again tomorrow. This is the craziest, sexiest, strangest ball you will ever see. It started as an AIDS Charity Event, and exploded into a fashion extravaganza that you dont see on the catwalks of Paris, Milan or New York. Unlike the Vienna Opera Ball who is the most glamarous event in Europe, the Life ball is the most colorful one. There is a huge catwalk for the first part of the event, were outside of the Vienna city hall a massive show with free entrance for anyone takes place, and behold, no unknown little designer present their glitzy stuff, no the big ones, from Thierry Mugler to Jean-Paul Gaultier, from Vivienne Westwood to Versace, each year one can present their craziest outfits. This year its the lingerie gods of AGENT PROVOCATEUR`s turn.   This ball is not only the biggest charity event in Europe but also a gathering of stars and starlets of the crazy sort. If you like outrageous fancy dress costumes, this is the place to be!

Viggen

Viggen

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