Windows 8 Consumer Preview

The Consumer Preview of Windows 8 is released and can be downloaded from MSDN. If you don't have MSDN go to this link.

Consumer Preview FAQ.

--snip--
Note before you download: Windows 8 Consumer Preview is prerelease software that may be substantially modified before it�s commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here. Some product features and functionality may require additional hardware or software. If you decide to go back to your previous operating system, you'll need to reinstall it from the recovery or installation media that came with your PC
--snip--

New Group Policy Settings in Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Alex Verboon have created a list of all the new settings for Win8 Consumer Preview. You can find them here.

Swedish sourdough bread � the ultimate sign of luxury

For many an American, the word socialism conjures up pictures of the old-school communist bread lines, people waiting hours to cash in their bread coupons for a loaf.

In Sweden these days, you might see such a bread line, but it�s not what you think.

Swedish sourdough bread is the ultimate in trendy food goodness in Sweden at the moment. It�s bigger than ever.  Although, as I am often late to the game, I think that some foodies might declare sourdough bread sooooo 2010, whatever.

Mostly I am very enthusiastic about the new found popularity of sourdough bread in Sweden. It means I can finally admit that if I really have to choose between fluffy yummy thick crusted white bread and that P�gan brand �lingon� loaf which tastes like cardboard when toasted (though I admit, for some reason I was totally in love with it circa 2006) I would choose the white bread every single time, yes even if it is white bread and completely lacking any nutrition whatsoever.

I love bread. If I have to choose between candy and bread, I would choose bread. If I have to choose between chocolate and bread, I would choose bread. You get the picture.

That said, Swedish sourdough bread is getting silly, to say the least. At one local bakery they charge 12 dollars per loaf. Yes, per loaf. OK, so the loaf is like the length of my arm and as thick as my thigh, but still, it�s just flour, some bacteria and water.

Also, currently, there are three local TOP SECRET sourdough bakeries. To get their breads, you have to be in the know and on �the list.� You then get an SMS telling you when there is bread available and it is first come first serve chaos. Who cares that the bakers are actually two nursing assistants who have adopted a new hobby? Apparently they are good and better than that, they are obscure.

So while I am incredibly grateful for the new trend in bread baking in Sweden, because it means a little more to choose from at the grocery store, I think things are getting a little crazy with the sourdough trend.

And, yes, I have many times thought �Oh, I�m totally going to do that sourdough starter thing this week,� but it hasn�t happened, yet. 

A princess is born - and Pappa Prince's feelings are 'All over the place'

Father of the newly born Swedish Prince, the people's prince, Daniel Westerling announced the birth of his daughter in a press conference yesterday and it was adorable and sweet. Daniel Westerling won the hearts of many a Swede during the royal wedding and the love affair is alive and well.

But the part I liked best was when Daniel described his feelings as 'All over the place' in English. 

Yes, Daniel, I totally agree with you. Swedish is a damn hard language to express your feelings in - English is so much more feeling friendly.

Nah, I don't know if this is really true, I am a firm believer that it is usually easier to express your emotions in your own language - because otherwise the words just don't feel good enough. And maybe, this time around, Daniel really just didn't have the words in any language.

Emotions and language - it is a struggle

Little Swede, the other night, when he crashed into the dog for the third time with his Brio walking cart and had it promptly taken away by his own Pappa, had a small breakdown. Halfway through he whimpered out 'Little Swede Ledsen' or roughly translated 'Little Swede sad'

Ok, truth be told, The Swede and I both went a little heart-broken at this announcement. And although we were already hugging him, we hugged a little tighter.

And then I thought, wow, he is already talking about his feelings in Swedish. I hope having two languages from the beginning will help him to be able to feel comfortable in expressing his emotions in both languages. 

A princess is born � Swedes declare themselves Republican

If you bring up the topic of American politics with a Swede, chances are they will bristle at the mention of the word Republican. They think George W. Bush, death penalty and Christian right. Fair enough, so do I.

But today the Princess of Sweden gave birth to a Princess. Yay! This means for the first time a Swedish queen will be followed by a Swedish queen, if everybody lives happily ever after.

The birth was uneventful, at least according to the newspapers. Princess Victoria went in around midnight last night and she is already home with her daughter. Congrats to the new Royal family.

But this morning led to a ton of man on the street interviews of people declaring themselves �Republicans.� By that they don�t mean right wing political leaning, no, they mean they don�t want a Queen at all.

I�ve never seen so many Swedes call themselves Republicans in one go. It did make me laugh, but I have to say that I often agree with them. Considering all of the time people spend complaining immigrants are draining the system, the royal family certainly lives a lot better than most of us immigrants combined, and they do it all on the state dime.

That said, I hope the royals are enjoying their new edition and making the best out of all of my tax money.

Policy vs Preferences

I read an interesting post from Darren Mar-Elia about this. I've been thinking about it but I can't articulate it as well as he. So if you ever thought about the question, please look at his blog here.

Dear Hemmakv�ll - a note on mocking Americans in Swedish advertisements

I know we Americans can sometimes sound very silly when speaking Swedish. I get it. One guy in my beginner Swedish class pronounced Sverige like Svarage - as in rhymes with Faberge - and he would not change it.

Fine.

Mock us. I am totally OK with that. I could live with the bl� kl�der commercial with the guy saying 'blah klahder' haha.

It doesn't always make me think of the time I was 10 years old and was visiting a friend in a Swedish school and the teacher (yes you, Ingemar) made me read out loud from a Swedish textbook in front of the class while everyone laughed. Most of the time it reminds me of that, but not always.

And I do LOVE the Tele2 commercials which make fun of the sheep/cheap issue many Swedes have, so I can totally take that some people take digs at Americans pronunciation of Swedish. Really I do.

But Hemmakv�ll - you have it wrong. All wrong. And it makes me yell at the radio every time your stupid commercial comes on the air.

See, the American pronouncing the Swedish calls Hemmakv�ll -Hemmakwell.

Let's be serious here. No self respecting American who doesn't know Swedish would pronounce Hemmakv�ll - Hemmakwell. They would probably say something like Hemmakvall. That's it. As in Hemmakvaahhhlll. Because we don't understand the �, but we totally understand how the V works.

 It is the W that we sometimes mispronounce because in English W always says wah and never vah.

Seriously Hemmakv�ll it isn't funny it is just annoying.

You can listen to it here, but be warned, the stupid hemmakwell moment comes at the end, after a long string of bad acting and unnecessary profanity.

I used to feel bad for Hemmakv�ll because I am pretty sure movie rental will be obsolete in about 5 years, and it's been about 3 since I have last rented a film. But now I don't feel so bad.