Don’t blame it on the Spanish cucumbers

The EHEC-germ that causes the lethal intestinal disease is spreading throughout Europe. Grocers are facing massive revenue losses as Spanish cucumbers and other vegetables are identified as the source of the EHEC-seed. In Sweden over 40 persons have fell ill so far.

Are the cucumbers really the issue? The thruth is inconvenient, and this bacterial epidemic is only a small part of a greater global problem. Meat.

The pandemics of H5N1 and H1N1 strain from the spread of existing flu virus to humans from other mammals or birds. The EHEC-germ is most commonly spread from animals to humans. In Sweden an estimate of 5% of cattle carry the EHEC. The handling of cattle, birds and swine destinated for consumtion is extensive in all parts of the world. The populations of pigs and cows has grown at the same pace as the human population, and the deadly viruses have developed with them.

The increasing consumption of meat, the growing livestock, their reduced living space and the forced cohabitat with humans will lead to the developement of more mutated viruses. The spreading of the diseases is redered possible with animal transportation. Experts agree we are facing a future of more numerous and agressive pandemics due to this.

Yet we keep showing our faces with Big Mac’s. It’s our choice to barbecue all summer, to have our fillet mignon on sunday, feed our children chicken nuggets and swing by McDonalds on our way home from a stressful day at work. It’s our choice to ignore diet, climate and healts experts recommendations on daily intake of animal products. We don’t care what the WHO, the IPCC or the national institutes for health and comunicable disease control say or what boring prohibitions they try to impose upon us. That’s our choice, and so are the consequences. But we shouldn’t blame it on the Spanish cucumbers.

Sveriges mest medeltida lagar #2

Sveriges mest medeltida lagar #2: Fideikomiss

 

Då människan blev bofast blev äganderätten en viktig princip, och har förblivit det allt sedan dess. Utan sina ägodelar överlevde man inte. I medeltidens Europa då adeln slog sina sidenbeklädda handskar om makten och permanenterade sitt tillstånd som den härksande klassen blev jordegendomarna ovärderliga. Det var viktigt att inte stycka upp, och därigenom förminska dem. I Sverige, liksom andra länder, skapades lagen om fideikommiss genom upprättandet av ett fideikommissbrev i vilket man angav vilken arvsordning som skulle gälla för egendomen ifråga. Det vanligaste var primogenitur; den äldste sonen ärvde allt och flickorna stod lottlösa. Då ansågs det helt i sin ordning då kvinnorna var underställda männen enligt lag och Guds ord. Det var emellertid ett ringa problem då flickorna giftes bort till jämbördiga adelsmän som sörjde för deras liv och välstånd. Fideikommiss avskaffades i Frankrike under franska revolutionen och även så i andra europeiska länder som inspirerades av liberalismens idéer om att alla skulle vara lika inför arvslagen.

I kungadömet Sverige skulle det dröja 160 år innan frågan kom upp på den politiska dagordningen. Under rödhetens saliga år 1963 beslutade riksdagen att de resterande fideikommissen skulle avvecklas då den sittande fideikommissarien gick ur daga. Detta blev den så kallade avvecklingslagen.

Därvid hade man kunnat tro att denna medeltida lag gick i graven och att vår berättelse slutade, men icke! Vid avvecklingslagens i kraftträdande fanns det cirka 200 levande män i besittning av ett fideikomiss i riket. Idag finns det fortfarande 40 aktiva fideikomiss kvar i Sverige. Hur går ekvationen ihop? Lever fideikomissarier i hundra år likt Noah och hans bibliska bröder?

Ett medeltida mörker dröjde sig kvar i bland de lövtunna arken mellan lagbokens pärmar. Regeringen kan förordna att fideikommissurkundens bestämmelser ska fortsätta gälla om den finner att fideikommissegendomen är av kulturhistoriskt värde. Då de gamla stenhögarna sällan är nybyggda funkisvillor eller miljonprojekt torde lobbyingen te sig synnerligen lätt för adeln. Jordegendomarna under skyddande fideikomiss uppgår till 400.000 hektar; en yta lika stor som Gotlands. Sveriges största privata egendomar ägs av en handfull män som tillskansat sig dem genom att ha simmat fortast i mammas mage.

Adelns döttrar kan inte ärva sina fäder. Adelns fäder lyfter i Herrens år 2011 fortfarande inte sina handskbeklädda fingrar för att göra dem arvsberättigade. 

Läs Björn af Kleens blogg om sin bok “Jorden de ärvde”

Kahn’t stick with the present economic system

The Greek economy has shrunk 4 percent in a year and is on the verge of a renewed crisis, requesting more help from the European Union and the international fund. Ireland is still suffering from the banking crisis and remains fragile. Portugal will recieve international aid and neighbouring Spain’s large economy has stagnated and a collapse could mean the end of the European monetary project. IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn is charged with sexual assault and the resurrection of the entire European economy is now at stake. The IMF is probably at its peak in terms of global influence and at this moment its leader chooses to rape a young woman at a hotel in New York.

The exchange rate this morning indicates the effects Dominique Stauss-Kahn’s personal crisis will have on European economy. The Euro is dipping, and consensus amongst the world’s economists was reached before the first zip of morning coffee today; the IMF bargaining power has been considerably damaged. This will probably have a negative impact for the Greek side in the upcoming negotiations on a new bailout, since Strauss-Kahn has in the former discussions showed greater pity on Greece then the EU. The operational procedure outlined for saving Greece will very likely serve as the template in other negotiations. Portugal is next and Ireland and Spain are dangeroulsy close to failure.

Every system has bugs and can be allowed to get a number of blemishes over the years. When bugs and blemishes takes over is when the system has reached expiration date. In our liberal market economy which history has crowned the best system so far, the personal events of one individual can have a greater impact global economy then the GDP of a medium-size country. Not only has Strauss-Kahn possibly ruined a woman’s life and trust, he has also damaged the credibility of his organization.  Guilty or not guilty of rape, he is indeed guilty of shaking European economy at it’s core. I believe we must ask ourselves wheter or not this is reasonable.

Sveriges mest medeltida lagar #1

Sveriges mest medeltida lagar;

en bloggföljetong om lagar i Svea rike som borde bränts på bål för längesedan

1# Lagen om tidelag- en vederstyggelse utan motstycke i svensk lagsamling

På 1600-talet ansågs sexuellt umgänge med får som ett lika naturligt inslag i unga mäns sexualliv som internetpornografi gör idag. I 1800-talets puritanska anda skärptes strafflagen och denna vederstyggelse förbjöds med moraliska imperativ. I Sverige gjorde man dock misstaget att skriva in förbud mot homosexualitet i samma lagtext som tidelag. Då homosexualitet avkriminaliserades 1944 försvann också paragrafen som förbjöd sex med andra arter. Mellan åren 1880 till 1944 dömdes 751 personer (övervägande del unga män på landsbygden), för att ha begått sexuella brott mot djur. Nu ökar det sexuella utnyttjandet av djur igen.

Trots decennier av påtryckningar från Sveriges Veterinärförbund, en uppsjö djurrättsorganisationer och politiska talespersoner går processen långsamt. Som en träkärra på stenig landsväg mellan Torpa och Riddarholmen. Jordbruksminister Eskil Erlandsson (C) har länge mumlat bakom järnbrynjan och försvarat sina feodalherrars sexuella preferenser med lans och värja. Nu har han köpt sig ett avlatsbrev genom att lägga ett lagförlag om förbud. Det var i sanning inte en dag för tidigt. Snarare ett halvt sekel för sent.

The UN turning ugly, not the other cheek

Yesterday the U.N. Security Council issued a statement welcoming the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death. It is highly unusual for the UN to welcome killings of individuals. “This is a day to remember the victims and families of victims here in the United States and everywhere in the world,” said UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, indicating that the execution was just. Minister of Foreign Affairs for Sweden, Mr Carl Bildt, said the world is a better place without Bin Laden.

Although losing grasp of one of the most central moral principles of their religion, it is comprehensible that the American crowds with portraits of their lost ones in their hands are chanting and drinking beer at Ground Zero. A more moderate behaviour could be expected from governments and international organizations though. It is only human to thirst for revenge as a response to horrible crimes, but sentencing without trial is not proper action of democratic states or the U.N. 

Responding to violent actions with more violence, is an idea that sadly has become fixed in the US. The principle of revenge is the ideological base for death penalty and as a result 15000 people have been executed. The US has for decades conducted the world’s by far most aggressive foreign policy. The EU member states do not apply the death penalty and there is no European equivalent to the Bush doctrine because the principle of revenge is not (yet)at the basis of the European judicial system. It would be apropos of the EU to lift the discussion to a higher level.

We must ask ourselves; what effects will the international community’s descent to basic instincts in this situation have on international law and justice?

Not celebrating Bin Ladins death

The killing of Osama Bin Laden is a foreign policy triumph for the United States and is turning into a national celebration. “The death of Bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat Al Qaeda.” states U.S president Obama. “USA, USA, USA” chanted the crowds throughout the night in New York, Washington and Boston. People are laughing, shouting and crying out of joy over this man’s death. The star spangled banner could as well be dipped in his blood and waved over the extatic American carnivale, French Revolution style. The current celebrations are’nt far from it.

I am disgusted by the headlines. The chanting is repugnant, and the media’s lack of respect for the deceased is appalling. Bin Ladin was the face of islamist terrorism, but he was a person. The respect for human life is lost today. Everyone has the right to a fair trial, at least according to the Human Rights. And the American law. Had we killed all talibans, would it still be occasion to celebrate, or would we consider it a mass murder?

When I was younger, I played table tennis. In my team, we were tought to shake hands with the opponent after winning a match, and never to rejoice openly in his defeat. It is alright to wish ideas dead, but not people.  You don’t take joy in another person’s death. Even if they are internationally wanted terrorists.

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