August 15, 2017
PerOla Hammar

An interesting chronicle

Today I read a chronicle in the Swedish newspaper SVD with the title “I am so tired of the naive Swedes”.

The author write that after spending the summer in Sweden she learned about the new focus in Sweden on membership groups. Everywhere she got the question if she is a member or not. From the candy store to the book store, everybody has a membership to offer.

To become a member you usually have to give the store your e-mail address and your social security number. This is the scary part in Sweden, how often you need to provide your so personal and private social security number.

The author of the chronicle is reluctant to give her number as she has experience regarding how similar information is handled in other countries. Most other countries handle such information with more care and usually does not require the person to provide it for such a simple thing as getting 20% discount on a book.

This is where the Swedes are naive. If you tell someone you don’t feel comfortable about providing your social security number they usually will reply something like; “So strange, for me it is no big deal to do it since I have nothing to hide.”

It is not about having something to hide, it is about having the right to keep certain things private. Imagine having a government who is not so interested in the personal integrity. Or just imagine a similiar crisis to the one that actually occured at The Swedish Transport Administration where lots of personal information was handled incorrectly.

As someone who has had his social security number stolen and misused by others I am very reluctant to give out my information, not because I have something to hide but more because I know what hell will break lose if something as important as your social security number gets in the hands of bad people.

All categories,Miscellaneous

August 15, 2017
PerOla Hammar

Anthony Scaramucci on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Trump administration has featured some colorful characters, none as colorful as the former White House communication director Anthony Scaramucci.

People have a lot of opinions about colorful people like Anthony Scaramucci. My feelings about him as a public person is that obviously his language in that phone call with Ryan Lizza is not suitable for anyone, public or private person. But one thing Scaramucci have that most politicians and public people are missing is passion, when he speak you can, between the foul language, hear that he is in it 100% and is doing his job wholehearted.

Scaramucci’s second interview after getting dissmissed from the White House was with Stephen Colbert on the Late Show.

Perfect timing after President Trump’s not so successful response following the violence in Charlottesville, Virgina.

Colbert’s first question: Nazis, good or bad?

Scaramucci’s reply: Super bad.

Colbert followed up this question wondering how the president could fail so hard with his response on the Charlottesville events when it is such an obvious thing to condemn “the people who were there to start violence.”

Scaramucci quoted the words he used on “This Week” telling that the president should be way harsher and should have condemned white supremacis, and the Neo-Nazis.

Colbert asked if the president ordered his spine on Amazon Prime since it took him two days to stand up against the violence.

Scaramucci then admitted the president was late with his statement but added that the President is a “compassionate person”. This led to boos from the audience.

Scaramucci came prepared for the interview and it was both informative and entertaining as Colbert and him continued discussing his short stay in the White House.

All categories,Miscellaneous
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August 12, 2017
PerOla Hammar

A small traffic accident in Shanghai and the big pain after

A few days ago I was in a seemingly small traffic accident here in Shanghai. In previous posts I have written about the craziness of driving a scooter in this city, the fact that you as a driver really have to be awake and prepared for anything to happen, literally anything. I am grateful that this time I was not on the scooter but instead in the back of a car.

The car I was sitting in was driving a long peacefully when suddenly we were overtaken by a taxi. The back of the taxi touched the front of our car as the taxi was moving back into the lane. The taxi spun around and crashed into an iron cast fence. We ended up stopping abruptly against a big tree in the middle of the road after first crashing into the 30 cm high concrete base of the median strip.

I was sitting in the back with the seat belt on but still three days after the accident I can feel in my back, neck and head that something is not right. The impact on the body is much bigger than one can imagine.

I have been to the hospital and did a wide range of examinations and know that there are some damage to the vertebrae of the back and neck. I got some anti-inflammation tablets as well as some strong painkillers. Now it is a waiting game, 3-6 months and hopefully the pain will be gone.

All categories,Miscellaneous
accident,after,shanghai,small,traffic