h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now it's much more easy, do you like comfort? - I do!

Miriam you wanted to know what I study... *mechanical engineering* (nice words). There are many people who make jokes about engineering students: we are always wearing ugly shirts, white socks to short trousers etc, and, what hurts most, we don't know about anatomical differences between boys and girls. OK, the last one hits the point (only 2% women in the courses).

Stockholm I'm coming! The accomodation there, dear LIS, is no problem (the KTH is known to have a well organised exchange programme!), but I have to think what I should do with my appartment here... during the last few years I collected a lot of things I have to store somewhere...


so long jj

*LMAO* Okay, the site has totally gone haywire now. I've currently got a mile-wide "Preview message button" at the bottom.
Anyways, I see what you mean about the accomodation. I basically packed everything up in boxes and stuffed it in my parent's garage. That pretty much took care of that problem. Then we found a guy that sub-rented my apartment, in case I decided to go back home after a year (which I didn't) and I think that my folks are trying to find someone to buy it from me. Or maybe they're stalling to sell it because they still think I'll come home in a little while. Hmmm... Never thought of that.

So, you're going to go to KTH? Excellent school. Or so I heard, since I will never attend there. And that's basically because I don't have the knowledge to get accepted in the first place.
What can you actually learn in Sweden at KTH that you can't learn in Germany?

I *LOVE* comfort and easiness (?), you see I'm a 1983-er (see my dairy entry on homework...), and 1983-ers are cursed with laziness
So many thanks JJ for starting a new conversation
(When I had to go through that stack of old messages to get to the new ones I realized we 'conversated' quite a bit )

Oh that preview message button! I hate that one too! Why did they change it around with the post button?! Now I keep clicking preview and I don't want to preview... Does any of you ever preview your message?! I think it's rather pointless.... but then maybe it's just my laziness that won't preview

Only two more weeks before I'm getting off of this darn island for 7 weeks!! Yay!
Oh, I'm looking forward to Euro 2000, Dutch people turn so funny when it comes to football, I love that All the orange stuff *everywhere*, you must understand, this is the only time when there's actual solidarity and a bit of nationalism.. so quite special

I suppose I could call myself Lost In The Caribbean.. Not that I'm really lost, but I don't really feel at home here, so.... I guess I am lost after all... I hope I don't turn into Lost In Paris

From what I've seen of Stockholm I think it's really pretty (but then they probably purposely make it look attractive on tv ), but then I can see your point, *Christian*, I don't like big cities that much either, I'm a small town girl originally (here I'm a no-town girl, they just built houses all over the island, there's no towns or anything like that...), of course we didn't have German-tourist-traps called mooses
Sorry JJ...

I guess I better have a look at what you guys said in the other conversation (oh brother, now I have to go through all the clicking again!), because I'm just rambling here about topics at random
Well, I'm just hoping you guys think my rambling is entertaining... *pray*, on second thought, it doesn't really matter, it's not like you can kick me out or anything.... on third (?) thought it would be a pity if I got that annoying that you'd stop replying... on fourth.. well...nevermind...

It's your lucky day! I finally got to the old conversation!
Ah, right, football, I already rambled about that...
And the new h2g2 style..right.. : I think I'm going to suggest on the feedback page that they should either link to the newest conversation (directly that is!) or put the latest messages first and let people click their fingers off to see the old conversation...
As if anybody would ever want to see what we all talked about.... then again, when I become famous and win the Nobelprize it might be interesting in my biography or something (dream ooooon..), well, I promise to mention you guys in my acceptance speech (dream on a little mooore...), not sure what for yet... oh yes, of course, for being able to give my acceptance speech in Swedish (time to wake up now..).

Anyway, I'll give you guys a break now and I'll dive back into Bohr's Atomtheory, or I'll never get that Nobelprize..

Oh, JJ, you might want to try listening to Swedish music... tip: Don't use Kent, their lyrics are too weird to understand

Greetings,
Miriam
*aaaargh! that preview button again!!*

I have to say that I agree with you, Miriam. The '83 batch is just really lazy. Not just the '83ers, though. I have a couple of cousins that are '84ers, and they are just so bored with everything that they can't be bothered to do anything.

We did have a pretty good conversation going in the other forum, didn't we? It was something like 60+ entries, wasn't it? I think the preview button/Post button switch was something they didn't think about at all, it just happened to get that way. It is annoying, though. I never preview my messages either, I just read them through quickly before I hit any buttons at all. Try to smooth out any spelling errors that are really obvious and eliminate my incapability of letting go of the Shift-key when typing the first letters of a sentence with the result that I have an excess of capital letters in my messages. Anyways...

I don't think I really could be bothered about Euro2000. Okay, so it's pretty nice that Sweden's in the competition, but I still don't care very much. I'm not very much into football. At least not the European version. American, though, is a whole other matter.

I will gladly look forward to seeing you recieving your Nobel Prize, Miriam.

When it comes to Swedish music that could be good to listen to to learn a bit Swedish, I'd recommend Ewa Dahlgren, Marie Fredriksson (you know, from Roxette) and probably the Swedish albums by ABBA.

Think I'll go look like I'm actually working now.
Ciao.

Quite much to read...

So you finally found, the new forum entry? Great, I new you were clever! And now I have to reply on some points you mentioned:

- football? - I don't want to think about it! First match on Monday against Romania (fear!).
What about australian rules: they only play once a year, because after that, the players must be totally reconstructed bone by bone...(weirdoz!)

- KTH - they have a straight forward way of education, as far as I know:
One Year = four periods, examination after each one, 4 1/2 years of education and you can call yourself "civilingeniör".
Here, a the TUB everthing takes its time, you wouldn't need much longer than at the KTH if you really want to, but the avarage time of studies untill you are "Diplomingenieur" is about 7 1/2 years. Look at me: 8 Semesters now!
By the way, all big companies request that you have been a certain time abroad. Its like a proove that you can clean your bottom on your own.

- Nils Bohr - let's see: with his theory you can explain the spectral-patterns of hydrogen: the Lyman-series, Paschen-series, the Rydberg-constance... What a pitty his model doesn't work on helium... you'll the Orbital-model. And you'll love Schrödinger! Do you know the story about his cat? When you are in Stockholm on the 10th of December, to get the Nobel-price, I hope you invite me (please!).

- News from Brochures - interesting and usefull stuff: "Swedes use controlled Bodylanguage". Aha? When they say "two", the raise two fingers?

I think, I will be back in a week, when I finished my examination!

Hejda!

I'm just going to watch Sweden's first game against Belgium tomorrow, and after that I think I'll just watch if I don't have anything better to do, like the laundry.

I can't say that I'm really familiar with the way KTH organises their study year. Basically because I have never have been, and problably never will be, very likely to apply to go there. I think I'll just tread along my way and do what I feel like. I don't really feel like studying anymore. I think that once you've gotten out of school and started working, it's really hard to get back into the swing of things, to start getting back to a good rythm of studying and therefor it gets so much harder to learn. at least that's what I've experienced for myself.

I'm terribly sorry that I cannot contribute to the conversation about Bohr and the other guys you mentioned, cause basically, I don't have a clue to who they are.

I think the "controlled body language" means that we don't act like the Italians, waving their arms and speaking as much with their arms and body as with their mouth. Swedes are a bit more conservative in that sense. Most of the time, people in our surroundings don't have to be afraid to get accidentally hit by someone trying to explain something to a friend.

Have a good week doing the exams. NOt that there is such a thing as a good exam week, but try to get the best out of it.

Wiedersehen.

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, I know you were just waiting for one of my fabulous posts! (yeah, right..) But I've been busy watching football, babysitting, watching football, watching football and studying (in that order..)

Well, Sweden lost with 1-2 from Belgium... I'd really hoped Sweden would win since we Dutch people don't like Belgium (even though we have to pretend now for Euro 2000 )... You can just tell how stupid they are in Belgium by seeing how the goalie tripped over the ball... oh well, I'm not supposed to slag off other nationalities, so I'll shut up now
Holland - Czech Rep. wasn't such a pretty game, hopefully it will look better against Denmark.... Denmark lost big time from France!

Talking about bodylanguage, one of the guys in my class moves his hand like a rapper (you know with the weird finger positions ) even when doing an oral presentation in front of the class, it's *so* funny looking...
You do have to watch out for getting hit here!

40 minutes into Germany - Rumania and it's 1-1 (see, there's no need to watch, you'll get full report from me...)

Niels Bohr was a Danish physicist (erm..) who proved a new atomtheory and we're studying it at the moment... nothing too interesting Christian..

JJ, loads of goodluck with your exams, I'm stuck with them too this week, so I'm suffering with you (doesn't that feel much better? )..

Jag ska kollar fotboll nu
Hej då!
Miriam

Hmm..
Är det hej då eller hejdå?

*HALFTIME*

Hmmm... Haven't been around all weekend, since I don't have a computer at home, and I don't really feel like going to work during the weekend just to use the computer. Yesterday was a pubic holiday, which ment that I couldn't be here either, so I'm here today instead.

This weekend I've watched football (both American and 'Federation' versions), mvoed house, complained about how little money I have left of my salary, watched some more football, unpacked stuff at my new flat, got more stuff from the old house and then tried to ignore the Euro2000 as much as possible, when I realised how little I like 'Federation' football (soccer). That means I've had a very productive weekend, which I do try to avoid as much as possible.

Atom physicism isn't really my area of expertise, so I think I'll leave that in the capable hands of the two of you, Miriam and JJ. I think you're doing just fine with that subject without having me interrupt..

Hah, BTW. England lost to Portugal yesterday. They stopped playing good football when they had a 2-0 lead. Didn't really see the game, just saw the comments in the Daily Euro2000 summary on BBC late last night.

So, you've got a wannabe Ali G in your class, then, Miriam? I guess that would be good for a few laughs. Sounds like fun.

Cheerio for now. Lunch time.

Hej då. Auf wiedersehen. Au revoir.

Ps. Hej då is supposed to be two words, just as you typed it, Miriam.

Buhuhuhuhu! (cry!),

1. football: miriam you just said it, it's a shame...
2. Examn: crap! 3,0 (satisfactory), really bad!
3. I'm very tyred, to much to use body language.

sorry for this oh so short message, but this week was too much!

Trying to walk upright, yours

justus

Hey, JJ.

Good to have you back. This forum has been too quiet these last couple of days. Sorry to hear about the test result 'only' being satisfactory. We all hoped you'd get a better result, since you are the king.

After last night's game against the Turks, Sweden doesn't deserve to go through to the second round. And they won't, since they'll get their bums kicked around by the Italians. Oh well, we'll always have USA '94...

Have a great weekend, meing Freund.

Sorry Christian, I've been kinda busy with my exams and football of course..

Holland - Denmark 3-0!!!! Yahoo!
Time for the Danes to go home

Yes, Sweden will go home too.. I really wanted them to win from Turkey, oh well..

JJ, too bad What kind of grading system do you guys have? Out of 5? 'Cause if you get a 3 here it's *really* bad (we have out of 10).

*off to party *

Miriam

Miriam, there's no need to apologise. I knew that both of you were going into your exam seasons, so it's no biggie.
It's just good to have you back, nonetheless.

The Scandinavian teams are all going home. There is no chance in hell that Sweden is going to beat Italy tonight, unless Italy lets them win. They wouldn't deserve it, though.

From what I learned in school, German grading systems are from 1-5, where 1 is the best and 5 is the worst, so 3 would be satisfactory. *Is that correct, JJ?* We had a similar scoring system in Sweden, but it was reversed (5 being the best and 1 the worst) but they changed that about 5 years back. Now, they have a 4-graded scale of just letters instead of numbers. IG, G, VG and MVG, which is the equivalent of the US grading of F, B, A and A+. Or something similar to that.

I think I need to get back to do something useful here at work.

Tot ziens and Auf wiedersehen.

Why do they have such weird grading systems on this world?!
I lik from 1-10 you can actually calculate *precisely* how much you're supposed to get (yes, I don't trust my teachers ).
Or percentages, which is the same as 1-10 only you don't end up with decimals as with 1-10...
Oh well...
I think they should have a worldwide schoolsystem to make things less confusing....

Talking about school: ONLY 3 MORE DAYS TO GO!!!!
I'm going to Holland thursday, YAY!

Miriam\

World wide school system seems like a good plan. That way, one could apply for educations using the same grading as everyone else. Then again.... If noone's familiar with your type of grading system, you can use that to your advantage. Just tell someone that IG means "Intelligent Guy" or something similarly ridiculous.
I have to say that I kinda liked it better when they had the numeric grading of the grades. When you applied for something, all you had to do was to check the grades needed for last years qualifying entries, and then, if you thought you had good enough grades, you applied. Nowadays, the schools still use the "old" grading system to set the levels of entry, which means that students getting their grades in the new grading system has to recalculate their grades back into the old system to see if they've got a chance to get accepted into the education.
Really weird.

Buhuu!!!

Grading Systems: the german team failed on every scale you could imagine! Well, England is out too, hähä!

In deed they are. England is out, Germany is out, Sweden (no surprise there) is out, Belgium is out.
I can't believe that the English could let go of a lead to lose 3-2 again.
And the Swedes put up a really brave fight, according to me. They had a very slim chance to advance, and they did try their best, but it wasn't enough. They didn't have the final edge to put the ball away.

I wonder why I get so involved in this. I don't even like football. I just can't help it when there's a big tournament going on.

I want today to be friday, so I will get paid today.

Since 3 days Berlin is the hottest spot in Europe! 35 Celsius and there's no place to hide. I feel like a fried potatoe, no wait, I am one, no joke!
You can't resist such temperatures long time in the city, I really wish I was on an Carribian Island, doing siesta under the palms, having a fresh wind from the sea cooling my body, drying the sweat from face... and when future becomes present, you did it - the waiting (days spend on the beach, ah). Did I get it Miriam?

So: today is the longest day on the northern hemisfere, a big thing in sweden, do you wish you were back home today, Christian?

Amazingly, I caught an influenca, *sneez*

have a really nice day
yours justus

christian: you get involved in the football-thing, because you can't resist its magnetic attraction: it's a simple game with simple rules but you will never understand all of it, like real life.

1. the ball is spheric, the game takes 90 minutes (Sepp Herberger)
2. After the match is before the match (Sepp Herberger)
3. The spheric thing must be put in the rectangular thing (Sepp Herberger)
4. Mario Basler and me, we are a terrific trio (Bruno Labadia)
5. Football is a game when 22 people are on the feeld, and in the end, the Germans win (forgot who said it)
6. after the reunion, Germany cannot be defeated for years (Franz Beckenbauer in 1992)

No Comment:
jj

35 degrees, you say? Damn, that's hot. And I do know what it's like to be in a scorching hot sity. I spent a weekend in New Orelans a couple of years ago, and we had around 40 degrees C all weekend. Along with that, there was also the humidity, that made the whole city a giant sauna. Not very pleasant.

Midsummer's Eve is usually a big thing in Sweden, with dancing, singing and drinking plentiful of alcohol. In recent years, the government decided that Midsummer's Eve shouldn't be on the day before the longest day of the year, but rather the friday closest to the actual midsummer's eve. I think they decided on that just so they could declare it a public holiday and people would have a long holiday weekend instead of celebrating it mid-week and then have to go back to work with a bad hangover. I'm not really sure, though.

Even though it would be nice to be home for midsummer, I'm not really dying to go back home. I don't know why, but I've never been home sick when I've been away for a while. As long as I can get in touch with my family and get some updates, I'm happy.

I could also get involved in the football cause I don't have any money to do anything remotely interesting and therefor watch the footy in the lack of something better.

Some other football quotes:
"The whole ball has to lie still." Ralf Edström about the rules regarding a free kick.
"You three, head out to the center of the field and form a dquare!"
"It's never too late to give up"
And the best one is, as always, a quote that cannot be properly translated:
"Grabbar, ni ser alldeles för loja ut på planen. Om jag ser minsta lilla lojalitet i andra halvlek, så blir ni utbytta.
The difficult word to translate is "loj". It best translates to "to seem off, not doing ones best". The word "lojalitet" is almost the same in English: "Loyalty".
So, if I were to use the word "loy" to express "off", the quote would be something like this:
"Guys, you seem too "loy" (loja) out on the turf. If I can see any trace of loyalty (lojalitet) in the second half, I'll have you substituted."

I'm really late this time with replying, I'm sorry for that!

Well, your footy-phrases are quite nice, only the swedish one took me some time to get what it means. The Berlin-climat totally changed since last week, now it's really cold and wet and windy. It was a short summer, now I'm looking foreward the golden fall...
By the way, now I've got an Address at Stockholm. But I'm still not sure how to get there. Den helgen jag mas kanske talar med min far över finanzäringen för en bil. (Sorry, for that pidgin-Swedish)
Och snart, nästan exzaminor ma scrivers ocksa (sorry again).
You see, I definitly need an intensive course and practil training in swedish. But there also was an incident that made me a little bit proud: Last Saturday night, two young guys were studying the Subway timetable, and I herad how they spoke something lika med:" tjugofem... trettioatta...", so when they ask me when the next train would arrive, I ask: "Är ni fran Sverje?", after that, one of them started to talk a lot of things I didn't understand - because - he thought I would be norsk! *grin*

Have a really phantastic day, all of you