My foster brother married his love Christina last friday. The wedding reception was in a greenhouse in the botanical garden in Kassel. The Chinese lampions during the night were wonderful. 

Alle Fotos bei FLICKR

Übrigens wurde es Herbst (und keiner hat es gemerkt?). Es regnet, ist kalt und ich kann nicht mehr ohne Jacke aus dem Haus gehen. Und in 24 Tagen fliege ich endlich wieder in meine Traumstadt!

Btw it's autumn (nobody realized it...). It's raining, cold and to leave the house without a jacket is impossible :-( Buuuuuut 24 days to go! I'll be back in my city of dreams. Jag tror att det ska kännas som komma hem! 

I've always liked your music and your voice. But I have to say, your tawdry publicity antics & post-breakup etiquette leave something to be desired.

Now, when I think of your "voice", all I can think of is all the chest-beating and kissing & telling you like to do, especially when it comes to the fairer sex. It completely overshadows your musical talent for me.
How did you go from a deep sensitive guy to a macho blabbermouth...?

Since I'm not a mega-fan, friend or follower of yours, I have little idea what you're really like as a person. But there's got to be better ways to express yourself.

A friend (and one of your mega-fans) just sent me a link to the video of your little rant on the street about one Jennifer Aniston. Yikes. Clueless much...?! Though it's looking more & more like this was not all that innocent or well-intentioned. Was this another publicity stunt to gain the upper hand after a break-up? If so, shame on you. But let's give you the benefit of a doubt, if only for a moment...

Now, let it be said that while I like Jennifer Aniston, I'm by no means a die-hard fan of hers any more than I am of yours. Though I do think she's often funny, classy (and yes..."lovely".) So I'm on nobody's "team" here, but you didn't exactly cover yourself with glory in that tirade.

So take this not as a fan (or foe) letter, but maybe as a "How to" Guide you can tuck into your pocket (or your little green Borat thong thingy) and pull it out the next time you decide to give someone the heave-hoe---celebrity or not.

===============================================
How to Behave Post-Breakup: A Guide for Hapless Celebrities
===============================================

1) Delay Gratification

Yes, you feel free... Free-eeeee as a bird now. We get it. But maybe wait a month or something before you go off & mess around with someone else. Especially when you know those pesky paps are right there at nose level somewhere. What's the rush? Those girls will still be there a month later. And so will your libido.

Here's why: It's the classy thing to do.

Who do you want to be, John? The cliché of a rock star who jumps from one woman to any random woman who happens to be around, and does so without skipping a beat? Not attractive, John. And not respectable. I don't care how deep your lyrics (or blog posts) get, your actions say v-a-p-i-d.

You know you can, but it'll do your reputation a world of good when you can but you don't. Just a little publicity lesson to help you shed the bimbo rap. You're welcome.

2) Don't give the media an impromptu speech. (No matter how tempting it might feel at the time.)

Now let me preface this by saying that I actually liked the tone of your spontaneous outburst. And let's pretend for a moment that you were sincere. If so, then I was touched by the realness of your delivery and even agree with some of what you said (about "sometimes you just can't have it all".) In fact, I wished we could see more "celebs" be this candid sometimes (but with better grammar), instead of just throwing tantrums or hiding. So I do applaud your effort to take things to a higher level (again, unless this was a planned face-saving spewing after she kicked you to the curb.)

BUT, you of all people should know that paparazzi are rats (no offense, paps, i know it's just your job, but let's face it, you behave like rabid animals.) They will take your heartfelt words and feed them to the mags. Then those mags publish them, except without ANY of the original pathos or good intentions. They will mock & ridicule you, because they can. Because it sells. And because, let's face it, you put your foot in it.

Here's how you can deliver your message in a MUCH better way: A "statement" or a scheduled press conference. What a concept, huh.

This way you can write a strong statement, have someone proof it for proper grammar and other seemingly-minor-but-important things, rehearse it a few times, then post/deliver it to whomever you want, press, publicist, blog, whatever (but don't overact; you saw what that did to Tom Cruise.)

I know, it sounds so contrived. But at least that way, the words that get printed will be more thoughtful, reflect your good intentions, have less of a chance to be taken out of context (i.e.: "I don't CARE!") and might even inspire people (i.e.: your fans.)

3) If you're going to say good things about the girl, please don't use words that make her sound like your 80 year-old aunt.

Really. You're better off saying nothing than to use words that make her sound even more dumped.

Confused? Let me explain. Here are some examples of words that are perfectly fine in general, except that:

1) They are often used as euphemisms
2) They should not be used for someone you just had a passionate romance with

• Nice
• Great
• Lovely
• Intelligent (this one always sounds like it came as a complete surprise.)

There are many many words in the dictionary. Learn them.
Here are a few:

• Brilliant
• Enchanting
  
• Beautiful
• Magnificent (except Tom Cruise's overuse of it totally killed it for me. Ugh.)
• Extraordinary
• Fantastic
• Amazing Another overused word, but still a good one.
• Exceptional
• Powerhouse
• Gorgeous
• Goddess
• Hot
  Etc., etc.... There's a lot more. Just look them up: www.thesaurus.com

4) Don't go around telling people YOU ended things.

Though I have a strong inkling that you wanted to make sure everyone knew who dumped who. Doth the gentleman protest too much... But I hope I'm wrong.

Okay, this one's a biggie. But I'm going to have to post the details later.

PS: My husband thinks your little rant was completely pre-meditated and even staged with your pap friends. And I have to admit, I think I agree with him. In which case...all the above tips would be moot, wouldn't they?

Whatever happened to class?

Alle Fotos/All pictures

Dennoch gibt es viele Dinge, an die ich mich nicht so recht gewöhnen mag: die Schickeria, die feinen Läden, den bayerischen Dialekt und die Unfreundlichkeit in den Restaurants. Mit meinen Freunden aus dem Stockholmer Wohnheim klapperte ich am Wochenende die "Touristen-Highlights" ab, also "Donisl" am Marienplatz, Augustiner Bräu usw. Dort erlebten wir unverschämten Service, schlechtes Essen und am Ende wollte der Kellner uns noch mehr zahlen lassen, als wir gegessen hatten... Anscheinend kann man es sich dort leisten, seine Gäste zu vergraulen.

Gegenbeispiel: Positiv überrascht war ich hingegen von "Pasta e basta". Freundliche italienische Kellner versorgten uns mit leckerer Pizza und Nudelgerichten von 3,25 bis 6,75 Euro. Und das in dieser teuren Stadt!

Nevertheless there are some things I won't get used to it: the swells, exclusive stores, the Bavarian dialect and the unkindliness in the restaurants. With my friends from Björnkulla I went to the touristic highlights, so the restaurant "Donisl" at the Marienplatz and the brewery "Augustiner Bräu". We experienced an insolent service, bad food and at the end we had to pay more than we actually ate :-( Apparently they don't care to scare their guests off. 

Counter-example: I was very happy with the service at the restaurant "Pasta e basta". Friendly Italian waiters served us delicious pizza and pasta. And the prices were amazing: 3,25 to 6,75 Euro - in the expensive city Munich! 

Andere verrückte Dinge, die ich in dieser Stadt beobachtet habe:
Other strange things I saw in the city:

Eine Leine für Kinder? Dieses Kind warf das Handy einen Meter. Der Vater folgte ihm. Das Kind hob das Handy wieder auf (klar, mit Hilfe der Leine, anders hätte dieses Kind gar nicht wieder alleine aufstehen können). Es warf das Handy... Pädagogisch sehr wertvoll!!!

A lead for kids?! This child was slinging the cell phone a metre. The dad was following. The child was picking it uo (with the help of the lead, of course). The child was slinging... Pedagogigally very useful!!!  

Ganz wichtig, damit Fiffi nicht abspringt: Der Hundekorb mit "Dach"!
Very important for the doggy: the dog basket with a "roof"!

Ist man schon mal in Bayern unterwegs, muss der Hund auch ein weiß-blaues Halstuch tragen...
Of course, you're in Bavaria, so your dog should wear a white-blue scarf...

Teague's birthday is in February but this year she held out for a summer fete.  So we rented a big van and I personally hauled her posse down to North Avenue Beach in the big city so they could do what they do every other day of the week, only with sand between their toes.  What occupies their every waking minute is taking pictures of themselves, preferably with their lips puckered all sultry and a fierce "don't tell me I'm only 13" look on their face.   I swear the other beach goers thought Hanna Montana had arrived, given the preponderance of flashes and poses.  After awhile, Teague and company got tired of all the picture taking so we daisy chained up to the restaurant on the beach and ordered virgin pina coladas.  While I counted nail pops on the restaurant wall, they clustered in a circle near the bar, their huge black sunglasses on top of their heads, their almost-woman bikini clad bodies in all varieties of shapes and sizes looking anything but self conscious when LO AND BEHOLD out come the cameras ready for another round of from-the-restaurant-rooftop photo taking!  The photos you see below were taken by me.  I was commissioned to follow them around to various locales and snap snap.  More pictures were taken at Gino's East where we went for pizza afterward.  More were taken during the car ride home.  Still more during the gift opening and candle blowing and throughout the night until they passed out, cameras and cell phones at their sides.   There's also a photographic record of what they had for breakfast the next morning.  Oh snap!  

Oh poop, y'all! It's about to get ugly.

The New York Post said here that MARY KATE OLSEN (the pretty one) is refusing to speak to Federal Investigators about the overdose death of HEATH LEDGER (the pretty one from Brokeback Mountain) earlier this year.

It appears that when the masseuse that found his body called her, she sent her bodyguards over to the apartment (???). They claim it was so that they could "help", but some are wondering if perhaps they went to "clean up" what could be a dirty little secret for MKO.

I didn't say it then, but I thought that was fishier than Lohan-Ronson when it happened. Looks like I wasn't the only one.

This could get juicy, y'all.

UPDATE: Apparently her lawyer issued a press release.

why do i know that kate hudson and lance armstrong were known as hudstrong when they were a couple?

why do i know that many celebrities have homes bigger than the town i grew up in?

why do i know that a priest in brazil, to raise money for spiritual rest stops for truckers, died trying to cross the ocean attached to hundreds of multi-colored party balloons?

why do i know what nicole ritchie and other celebs look like without make-up. i don't even want to know what i look like without make-up.

why do i know that the british batchelor and his fiance broke up after two months and she's keeping the jinormous ring in a glass box so her ex can visit it?

why do i know that oprah has finally settled on a hair style? i know because i looked at all 12 pictures of past 'weaves and bobs'.

what the hell do i do all day long? why do i surf and peek and raise my eyebrows as celebrities play on the beach, try to go out to dinner or walk their kids down a street like they were a normal person? i'm fascinated by the fact that we're fascinated with what other people are doing. we want them to be like us. flabby or unhappy or trying to make our house payment. how dare they try to be normal with all that money they make! the nerve! so, maybe we'll see them at their worst and that will make us feel better about ourselves. "So, there, you wealthy, pretty person with the wealthy pretty person on your arm living in the big McMansion on the ocean. you deserve to have a camera in your face everyday catching all your oh-so-normal things. especially on your ugly days."

yeah. don't you feel good about that when you see it? pimples on the stars? cellulite revealing bathing suits? panty lines?

who should care? 

i've been sucked in and will now consider myself a recovering peeker.

feel free to roam the streets, beaches and roadways celebs. i won't be watching you any more.

oh, and thanks for the blogging opportunity.

over and out.

Finally.

While I know that there are those that will argue the evil of RADOVAN KARADZIC, I can assure you that members of my extended family and at least two girls I cheek-kissed in primary school are sleeping happily tonight, glutted on surplus kipper rations.

For those of you American readers, this is (ironically) tantamount to the capture of Bin Laden to the war-torn people of this bullet-riddled land. For those of you that read us in IRELAND - yes he does bear an uncanny resemblance to Father Ted Crilly.

While I respect the Bosnian government for their quick action, THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL, will be ultimate decider in the fate of this despicable crumb of a human. Expect GREECE to have an anti-TURKISH field day on this one. However, I fear it won't be public.

Regardless, we in the civilized world, can ALL sleep well tonight.

-JH

It’s all about style. How many catalogues, boutiques and websites did you browse before finding the primo pin-tucked, ivory A-line frock to grace your figure? Exactly! You wouldn’t have picked me if I wasn’t the perfect style for your taste, so when you’re interviewing Sam Snapshot, make sure he/she meshes with your style as well as my mesh bustle frames your silhouette.

Find someone who is willing to create a “pose list” prior to your day. Make sure they craft the list with you of ALL the people and poses you want in this important rendezvous’ repertoire. This way you can ensure my bustle (or uncle Harold) won’t be cut out!

Safety pins aren’t the backup you should have on hand for the big day! Just in case your number one paparrazi-pick falls short or disappoints, have a back-up on hand to make sure none of my twirls, dips or smiles are lost.

Carlyn is going to hate me for this post, but this bitch has got to vent!

So they're letting the gays get married now... and IT'S ALL FALLING APART?

Gossip maven CINDY ADAMS (I'm not worthy!) with the New York Post has dropped that ROSIE and KELLIE may be done for!!! Good God, they were on the steps of the San Francisco courthouse with GAVIN NEWSOM (drool...soooo hot!!... okay, maybe one small photo)!

On top of that, CHRISTINE MARINONI and the red-head from SEX & THE CITY have decided NOT TO GET MARRIED until it gets legalized in New York! What a tease! If I was all lesbian and stuff I would go CHRIS CROCKER on a bitch!

At least... all is well with MADGE.

Now I can sleep well. 

courtesy of etonline.com

Britney Spears is back in Los Angeles, after the birth of her sister’s baby, and back on the paparazzi role.

Within moments of landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday evening, Spears' staff was caught up in a fight with a paparazzo.

Between 30 and 35 photographers horded her motor vehicle outside the terminal before a bodyguard pressed a camera into a photographer's face, airport police Sgt. Jim Holcomb said.

Holcomb said the paparazzo protested that the shove left a small scratch on his cheek, however, the photographer became forgiving and no charges have been filed.

The 26-year-old pop star was unharmed, and Holcomb says officers made sure she

left the airport safely.

Oh damn, bitches. The claws are out and it's not even July!

Those people at THE HUFFINGTON POST have stumbled on a doozy. While CINDY McCAIN and MICHELLE OBAMA are going back and forth like two drag queens who show up wearing the same dress, it turns out Ms. Cindy was telling some whoppers of her own.

In the latest issue of FAMILY CIRCLE magazine, McCain submitted a recipe for oatmeal-butterscotch cookies that SHE DIDN'T MAKE UP!!

Unbelievable.  Apparently her "family recipe" is nearly identical to a recipe readily available on the  website for HERSHEY'S.

Oh, ginger snap! It's on, bitches. Expect Michelle Obama  to appear on Martha Stewart to actually prepare her recipe. I'll bet my Kathy Griffin tickets on that one!

A word of advice, one bitch to another, Cindy McCain. I wouldn't start to do much chicken-necking around Michelle Obama. I'm sure she's snatched more than one weave in her life!

Tootle-ta!

TUCKER CARLSON, you glib little fashion flip-flopping fop! I have just stumbled across this on-line (as I am now actively working to vet Arizona Senator, JOHN McCAIN, to defend against message-board trolls).

How dare you take this personal attack! On a man who spent time in a tiger cage in 'Nam? He even had a friend who knitted little American flags out of prison garb, hero blood, and angel hair!!

This type of attack is what will tear the Republican party apart, comrade. We must unite this party.

I must agree with Sen. McCain's staff. Please pull this video from all outlets post haste.

-JH

Here is ANNE HATHAWAY in Manhattan to shoot BRIDE WARS.

If Katie fails in her Broadway show, maybe Annie could jump in? FFS, her name is Anne and Katie's character in the play is also called "Anne".

I wish I had money to bet on this one!  I can almost GUARANTEE that some scandal will find its way into the TOMKAT BROADWAY story. Hopefully, PATRICK WILSON will make it through.

That bitch is HAWT as MEGAN FOX tits!

This is rare for someone with her level of covert training. Here AMY WINEHOUSE is captured on film enacting PLAN:ZERO - by herself!

Expect news to come shortly that she is no longer a member of THE LULLABY 4. Condoleeza is taking on a huge liability by keeping her in their ranks.

...and as anyone who has followed global espionage and Black Ops will testify, when you leave an organization such as this it is not with a box of your belongings, it is in a body-bag... if you are ever found, that is.

It is only a matter of time, I fear.

-JH

Jugendherbergsschiff "Af Chapman"

Und dann genieße ich die schönste Stadt der Welt, um mal eine Pause vom Lernen zu bekommen:

Schwimmendes Restaurant zwischen Gamla Stan und Södermalm

Slussen

Oder aber ich verbringe die freie Zeit mit Mike, der seit einer Woche wieder zum Arbeiten in Stockholm ist.

Und sonst: Swedish Model and Welfare State in Transition (Advanced Political Science Course)! Das ist alles. Und habe ich eigentlich schon mal den Titel meines Weblogs erklärt? Letzte Woche habe ich zwei Nächte bis 4 Uhr morgens gelernt.

I artikeln kommenterar en okänd källa från tv-kanalen som förväntas köpa upp intervjun om intervjun, i papperstidningen, fritt citerat ur minnet; "Det kanske inte är så bra för läkeprocessen, men hon är fylld av hat" - därför skall det tydligen vara heeelt okej att intervjua någon som spenderat 24 år av sitt liv instängd i en fucking källarjävel. Och det är inte ämnet om Skräckens hus i sig jag kommer beröra här, jag tycker mest det är kapitalism definierat till tusen.

I den här världen vi sliter i och som vi byggt upp så är det helt okej att göra något mot andra människor, så länge det ger cash och berömmelse. Pengar är allt, det är ett faktum. Människan är inget, det är också ett faktum. Jag vet inte hur det är med dig, själv är jag trött på ensam-samhället där Vi räknas som skit fast hela skitsamhället bygger på vår konsumtion och produktion.

The home of the thiefs, the home of the slaves - welcome to capitalism!

So I guess it's an old story.

Here's a song:

[audio http://version30.wordpress.com/files/2008/05/neil-young-on-the-beach-05-vampire-blues.mp3]

Vampire Blues - Neil Young (from On The Beach)

Well done, Perez Hilton! 3 months and a day late to the game reporting on ANGELINA JOLIE having twins.

You may recall we discussed this in mid-February when ANGIE was suspected of assassinating IMAD MUGNIYEH of Hezbollah fame.

For shame.

This is not the first time this has happened to poor "Mario Lavanderia" sadly. Have all of the trappings of Internet fame boggled your since of journalistic integrity?

-JH

Ew. Ew. Ew. EW!!!

What is up with these Hollywood Ho's? Is having your nipples removed some sort of new craze? Is this the tramp-stamp of '08?

I'm sure the good professor is going to give me a good scolding on how I shouldn't be messing with a covert mercenary assassin, but dayum... I just had to post this!!

Ew.

Let me equally state here that I am really tired of hearing how young successful performers like Britney or Miley are so easly dismissed as musical and social atrocities.  So they are atrocities….of what?  Are they attrocities of the fact that they are younger, richer and more famous than most of us?  I think not.  Whenever I hear that type of statement it just screams – how come I can’t be just as great?!   Really now, Miley Cirus is earning multi-millions.  Congratulations Miley!  Why would anyone of us trash a young person for earning their way in the world?  And, if her musical talent is being criticized, let me just say here that maybe that criticism is coming from someone who has buried their own talents and are simply embarrassed that someone younger and brighter than they are didn’t do that.  Let’s judge her talent and success on the basis of her age shall we?   She is a child.  Who is anyone to call a child an atrocity?  

Stay with me here as I get to the true purpose of this entire article – how we have created another inquisition through misguided treatment of our famed youth.

Then, there’s Britney.  I can remember back when Britney was about 19 years old, I was sitting in a beauty salon and the hot gossip in the shop was all about how Britney shouldn’t be as provocative as she was.  Truth?  Britney was a sexually maturing young woman (and I am referring here to those years of young adult hood and am by no means condoning sexual exploitation of our youth) emitting enough sexual confidence to over throw a small masculine government.  Common ladies…..who wouldn’t want that?  How many of us have suppressed that within ourselves?  Why are so many women uncomfortable with that?  Is this an incredibly repressive effort to make our world respect us more as we lose respect for our own sexuality. 

Now, we all know that Britney has made some mistakes and is mentally ill.  Let’s all pray for her, I know that I have.  Again, thank you Brit for shedding some light on another socially repressed issue.  Regardless, this young woman has made every adolescent mistake, mishap and blunder in the public eye.  Maybe the reason that bothers so many of us is that it sparks our own embarrassment.  After all, we have all made mistakes and for most of us more than ever during our adolescence and young adult hood.  Maybe Britney’s only real mistake is forcing us all to look at those mistakes publicly.  Maybe the reason it both intrigues us and bothers us so much at the same time is that we all have been there before.  We feel for her and at the same time hate her for making our own reflections of ourselves so public.    Oh Britney, how dare you divulge the secrets of the sisterhood to the press?! 

Britney, if you are out there reading this I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you.  I have a young daughter who recently made a mistake.  And, in honor of your candid life Britney I am going to go ahead and tell it like it is.  She started a new school this year and in her zealous effort to fit in she got a little to bold and brazen for her own good.  She stole a Jolly Rancher from the teachers desk, she dared a fellow student to drink toilet water and then she … are you ready …was brave enough to tell her fellow class mates that she absolutely refused to participate in gossip.   Yeah, she made a lot of new friends this year as you can imagine.  Anyway, at the highlight of her misery and pleading to change schools at this point I found refuge in you Britney.  And, as I was able to explain to her you have showed us that mistakes can be made and you can still go on.  At the level of your famousness there is no school for you to change, there is no way for you to hide from your errors and still you go on.  And, as I instructed my precious 10 year old to look to you for the way to forgive oneself, for the way to not give in to what others think of you, I applaud you and urge her to continue on.  To try again and make the best of what she has to offer.  To give herself to others as an example of self forgiveness, self correction and adjustment as she continues to become the incredible woman that I know will eventually emerge from her in the years to come.     

So Britney…I send you all the best universal joy there is to offer.  Thank you for what you have done that possibly no other woman has done on this scale before you.    

To that truth I have to wonder how much of this was Britney’s (or now Miley's) choice and how much of this has the world done to her?   We make her famous, and then place our own uninvited expectations of role modeling upon her.  Then we ridicule her for making mistakes – like we are insulted that she isn’t the perfect idol we wanted her to be.  Are we collectively seeking a public crucifixion of ourselves through her?  Maybe we have inadvertently made the paparazzi and our own voyeuristic selves leaders of a new inquisition.