Miss Kolka

Lets hope they can work out their differences and that Obama will choose Senator Clinton for State Secretary. That would certainly appease Clinton supporters and Im sure she would do a great job. Funny how the media say it could be a big baggage for Obama to have the two Clintons always there in the background. Why? Its not because she is his wife that Bill Clinton has to oversee everything she does. Hasn't she done a good job BY HERSELF as New York Senator?  Have to say it sounds a little sexist - like women can not handle high power position on their own. She brings a good knowledge, toughness and experience to the job - and these should be the criterias considered, not who she is married to.

And Obama would, according to the New York Times "further unite and energize his party, make clear to the world that he is serious about diplomacy, and send a substantive political signal to women.".

What is there to think about?  

What has been going on these last few days is just incredible  - Its like Iceland is the little weird kid in the playground all the other kids like Britain, Holland, the EU and even the scandinavian cousins have decided to pick on, just to be mean.

As was all over the news a couple of months ago - Iceland ended up nationalizing its 3 major banks by force.Two of them got into financial troubles linked to the international economic crisis and the third one lost all its influence and trust in the financial world when the British government accused it of being in the same situation as the 2 others and created a local panic in the UK when they annonced that Iceland would not pay up to account owners (which turned out to be uncertain at that time). The chain of event is unclear - who knew what when and how it all started -  but it seems pretty clear that a few Icelanders were on top of the world for a few years, invested abroad and got their companies and banks into debts that far exceeded the country's GDP. What I dont understand is how Iceland's government and therefore its people would become responsible for all this debt if the banks ran into trouble, as they did.

SO what is now known as the "Icesave" matter is not helping the situation. Britain and Holland have demanded that if Iceland is to have a loan - any loan from the IMF, the EU or its scandinavian partners - it should primarly go into paying what they owe deposit savers in these local branches of the former Icelandic "private" bank (its good to have a little reminder). In clear this means that Iceland should borrow money - not to save the dire economic situation that is bankrupting 60-80% of the countrie's private sector - but to pay to people owning money in the branches in Britain or  in Holland. That means putting the whole country in debt for years, not even to create jobs or help with currency problems there (people can not change the almost worthless Icelandic krona that keeps devaluating, they get maximum 180 euros if they have a plane ticket to travel abroad and can not use their cards) but only to pay off a debt that was created by private businesses that had alot when all was good and now that things are bad have run away from their responsabilities.

Those who owned these banks and companies have not had to answer for any of this. One of the families still owns their pet football club West Ham and another family is looking to buy all of Iceland's media for peanuts. Why can't they sell their assets to pay off some of this debt? At the same time its of course the average joe that is loosing his job (unemployment could rise above 10% after christmas - always been under 1%), people see their savings disappear and many of those keeping their jobs will notice the payment of their loans increase at the same time as the value of their houses will decrease, everything else will double in price (since Iceland is very dependent on imports and since there is NO foreign currency available there is a question how many products will STILL be available in shops in a few weeks time).  So its all a very gloomy picture. People are predicting that due to unemployment many people will seek to further educate themselves while a third of the population has said it is considering moving away. Very sad indeed for my little country. At least I can be happy that mother Kolka works for the University - there is bound to be enough work there.. whether the salary will amount to anything is perhaps another matter.

Keep strong.

As time goes by and we get closer to D-day (which is more of a do-day than the traditional decision-day and Im setting it 10 days after my cerclage will be taken out- so 3rd of January 2009) there are plenty of things to think about - like getting the right furniture ...

and the bag that goes with it - *Thank you Birgitte and Per *
as well as the first babyclothes - Check!

There are some things that you do have to think more carefully about though like bottles. Apperantly new studies have shown that plastic baby bottles made out of a certain substance called Bisphenol-A  (BPA) can be harmful to babies. There seems to be a link between the product and risk of cancer, diabetes, early puberty in girls and even autism. Even more so when the milk is heated in the bottles, which I hear is necessary to get your baby to drink it. So you should either opt for bottles in glass or those who are especially without BPA (a clue: if the plastic is hard and transparent, or it says 7 and a recycleable signe on the bottom it's not safe). What I find scariest is that the most common label here in France AVENT- found in EVERY baby store contains this substance in all its bottles... but apparently not every one agrees on how dangerous PBA is... only Canada and 3 states in the US have banned the substance in baby bottles but if the link has been proved in several studies, and some published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, well that's enough for me. I will definately not buy Avent.    

Then there are the diapers. Who knew that diapers were so expensive and how do you know which ones to choose since you don't see what products are used for drying and take away the bad smells on their covers? There is a reason why children have more excema these days than 50 years ago if chlorin is on their arses all the time. Also, you better have your budget ready for that one, thats all I can say.. I don't know how people manage with under a 1000 euros per month with children for example. Well they probably wash recycleable diapers.. emmmm no thank you.  

Yes, there are many things to worry about in this consumerism we live in. But for now, instead of worrying about which cartoons my child will be allowed to watch and at what age, I better get back on thinking about myself. I was perhaps a little bit too cocky after my last check at the doctor's a month ago, remember where I was so proud of my little weight gain? Well, since then 4 brand new kilos have joined the party , something Mr Cohen is not happy about. And when you see that video, I think you'll know why. Its all little miss Kolka thinks about...

Watch the video on flickr 

He sure looks cool... If all goes according to plan I sure hope he'll call upon her to help.

Only four days to go...

and by the way.. How annoying is Larry King on CNN?? Very. I dont even understand how people can watch anything on TV in America, with commercial breaks every 3-4 minutes. And I am not exagerating - I've timed it on the show - I clearly have too much time on my hands or else I wouldn't watch that show. But you keep watching, because somehow you think there is something coming up you wouldn't want to miss,  and then, suddenly, the show is over... And you are just left there feeling disappointed and betrayed. This cannot be good television. No wonder people download their own shows now... anything to escape from this advertising overflow. 

The future is not only Obama.. its  also Tv on demand, downloaded on the Internet. Television as we know it, is dead, killed by greed and money.  

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