tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782Sun, 11 May 2008 18:04:08 +0000http://www.antyx.net/noreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)Blogger349125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-219432439591991438Sun, 11 May 2008 15:43:00 +00002008-05-11T19:46:43.771+03:00EstoniaawesomeI expect I'm the last Estonian blogger to mention something about the Laulev Revolutsioon film. I kept putting off seeing it, despite all the publicity and good reviews; I finally got the DVD when it came on sale in the supermarkets. Yes, I actually paid my 12 Euro for it. The story told by the film is one that needs to be told, and I think I'd say that even if I had nothing to do with Estonia. http://www.antyx.net/2008/05/two-revolutions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-8389080360295227287Sat, 10 May 2008 14:12:00 +00002008-05-10T18:03:32.014+03:00EstoniaselfawesomesolutionI've written before about Estonian healthcare - how it's considered crap, though probably undeservedly. Of course, it is difficult to pass judgement on a system that you've only ever used for trivial matters. I've had major surgery when I was very young, but that was still in the Soviet times and I remember nothing of it. Otherwise I never had cause to avail myself of Estonia's hospitals for http://www.antyx.net/2008/05/estonian-healthcare-redux-personal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-6707926579422723929Wed, 07 May 2008 09:26:00 +00002008-05-07T12:28:14.083+03:00TartuselfHappy Birthday to me. :) I'll be at the Maailm pub on Friday night if any Tartu readers want to come along and say hi.http://www.antyx.net/2008/05/24.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-8998749414098655178Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:26:00 +00002008-04-29T09:56:34.313+03:00EstoniaTallinnThe game was epic. Not without a few glitches here and there, but considering that this was the team's first experience actually organizing it - with very light input from the regular game master, adjusting a few bits here and there - it was a roaring success. There were some unusual and well-received tasks, and the scenario I wrote for it even made the news. The rest of the fun planned for http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/bang-and-whimper.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-1424558465036268290Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:08:00 +00002008-04-24T13:09:26.073+03:00BaltlantisHere. Photos are a bit odd, there should be a gallery of excellent shots by the improbably-named Roar later today.http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/tallinn-motorshow.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-2237831478833981556Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:40:00 +00002008-04-23T23:44:04.404+03:00selfstuffExactly one year ago today I moved into my new apartment. :) Long day. Productive. Most of the results imminent on Baltlantis. Best swag at Tallinn Motorshow: Nissan's USB memory keychains; Citroen's press pack CDs in cool ejector jewel cases that I'll be using for my own disks. Most impressive part about Tallinn Motorshow: an Icelandic bloke from the support team that got Jeremy Clarkson to http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/one-year-anniversary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-2793064211231307203Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:49:00 +00002008-04-20T21:43:46.367+03:00TallinnawesomeJust outside the official border of Tallinn, there is a sideroad leading up to a handful of old, wrecked houses. They look vaguely military, one-floor brick jobs, long - like troop quarters. There isn't anything inside now, just the shell; except for the one that has a low stone border in the middle of the floor. Look inside this border, and you will see steps, leading down to a hatch. Go inside,http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/night-game.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-1962126245657793926Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:37:00 +00002008-04-18T12:45:11.290+03:00Estoniapolitics-miscquoteTalking to Justin the other day, we got onto the topic of Andrus Ansip as the longest-serving (continuously) PM in the history of postsoviet Estonia. In fact, only one Estonian leader has ever served longer than him. The Päts syndrome is a constant issue in Estonian internal politics. Personally I find it reassuring that since '91, Estonia has never had a government make it from one election to http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/oh-snap.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-5365179038442042831Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:11:00 +00002008-04-15T22:15:55.361+03:00stupidThere's an old joke, which may have originated in the Soviet Union but is applicable far more widely. A young black man is praying to God: 'Tell me, Lord, why was I born with this dark skin?' And God answers: 'Because, child, the harsh sun of Africa would burn weak fair skin.' The man asks again: 'Tell me, Lord, why was I born with this rough, wiry hair?' 'Because, child, the harsh sun of http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/finnish-muslims-ultimate-wigga.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-8792871923099217867Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:30:00 +00002008-04-09T21:53:49.128+03:00awesomestuffSo the HP 2133 has more or less launched, and the reviews have been trickling in. I'm fairly certain now that it's the one I want. It falls down on two things only: the CPU is a bit shit, and the bigger battery makes it bulky and irregular-shaped. To be honest, I can live with it; and the early reviews as well as the announcement of UK availability has answered a very important question. Yes, http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/do-want-vol-3.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-5714814257164500354Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:54:00 +00002008-04-07T12:16:27.085+03:00TallinnSo I went to Stockholm, right? I've been there a lot, I really like the city, and am starting to feel like I can navigate it - the center, at least, without a map. One of those little places I've recommended to people with great success is the Science Fiction Bookshop on Västerlanggatan (the main shopping street going through the Old Town). Stopped by it on this trip to check out their http://www.antyx.net/2008/04/comparative-cityscape.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-891924695501125032Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:02:00 +00002008-03-31T14:14:36.925+03:00stupidPeople don't call customer support if they're happy with a service. Right? If everything is going as planned, they're getting what they need done, they're not gonna call someone up. Especially not in Estonia, a country infamous for its dearth of social interaction. So it takes a very special person to put a recording at the start of every support call to Estonian Air, saying "We're having a http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/geniuses-in-aviation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-8848615109144556476Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:45:00 +00002008-03-27T16:01:59.892+02:00Estoniapolitics-miscstupidFeel like Estonian politics has gotten boring again? That's about to change. We're almost a year away from the Europarliament elections and a year and a half away from local ones, but it's starting up already. I said last year that Savisaar was probably damaged beyond repair by his actions in the wake of the April riots; Reform and Isamaa would never let him live it down. It's a bit too earlyhttp://www.antyx.net/2008/03/land-tax-considered-hilarious.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-5761659225953934095Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:50:00 +00002008-03-27T12:01:56.389+02:00Asus eee PC 9-inch: $600-ish, 1gb RAM, 12gb SSD, Intel CPU, multi-finger touchpad, Bluetooth. Likely touchscreen, possibly GPS. Linux or XP. HP 2133: also $600-ish for 1gb RAM, 120gb HDD (what did I say, Asus?), VIA CPU. Presumably Bluetooth. Far prettier, probably a better screen. What I'm not convinced by is the HP's ability to run Vista, even the Basic model, to any satisfaction. There http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/still-do-want-but-which.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-4682287629905447569Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:09:00 +00002008-03-25T10:03:41.239+02:00selfstuffChiquita. Not the bananas themselves - the stickers. You couldn't really get bananas in the Soviet Union (a fact made all the more ironic by their cheap ubiquity today), so when you got a hold of one, you treasured it. Eat it slowly, and completely, chewing the tasteless flesh off the inside of the skin, and then peel off the Chiquita sticker and put it on your desk or some other prominent piece http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/memories-of-postsoviet-childhood.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-332519131885726620Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:32:00 +00002008-03-20T09:33:18.362+02:00stuffWill be in Tallinn this weekend. Any capital bloggers fancy a pint?http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/easter-weekend.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-2560190558350106476Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:30:00 +00002008-03-19T16:57:05.835+02:00EstoniaawesomestupidPostimees gloats that Doudou Diène, the UN's racism envoy, has presented his long-awaited report on Estonia today, at a UN session in Geneva. In his report, mr. Diene, remembered for coming to Estonia last year, accusing us of racial discrimination and telling us to make Russian a state language, recognizes the great work of Estonia's political leadership and government institutions in http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/some-ketchup-with-your-prior-statements.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-591819427838502065Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:09:00 +00002008-03-17T18:11:32.909+02:00awesomeAd for a free WiFi network - "available here!" - on the back of the toilet cubicle door in the hotel Olümpia's conference center. Got a minute all to yourself? Why not surf the Net!http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/awesome.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-2663628913597594384Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:51:00 +00002008-03-11T17:57:03.912+02:00politics-mischumanityThere's an old and not particularly funny joke, about a wealthy man that comes to a high-end travel agency and asks for something special. The salesmen show him all their prospectuses, but he's already done everything they can offer. So the salesmen get on the Internet, call all their colleagues and people they met at trade shows, call in all sorts of favours to find the most exotic, http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/rules-opportunities.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-4271053451592985535Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:01:00 +00002008-03-10T11:03:10.535+02:00EstoniaRussiaBaltlantisIt is unlikely that Medvedev is entirely Putin’s creature, or will remain so for long. Yes, Putin is not quite letting go, and there is a legal loophole that would allow him to run for President again in 2008, but even in a situation as unprecedented as the one we have now, it would be disingenuous to suppose that a leader of Russia will give up the power willingly. The top job is not one fit forhttp://www.antyx.net/2008/03/debriefing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-5625819752784358006Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:55:00 +00002008-03-07T22:03:00.433+02:00awesometrippingAround this time last year I blogged about summer vacations, and how I bought tickets to London and from Berlin, two weeks apart. Here's what came of it. Today, I was browsing the Postimees website and clicked on a banner for Estonian Air. Long story short - got tickets to Rome and back, for a week in July. Suggestions for sightseeing and cheap accomodation? I'm tempted to take the train out to http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/victim-of-advertising.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-4066029656138636065Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:47:00 +00002008-03-06T15:56:09.378+02:00EstoniaFancy a bit of light KERA-bashing this afternoon? Postimees reports that Centrist big wig Lauri Laasi has gotten his way with some property in the posh Nõmme suburb. It's an area of private houses, and has a statute whereby new buildings cannot be built on plots of less than 1200 m2 (13 000 sq ft for the metrically impaired). Laasi wanted a plot of his split into two, and zoned for a new house http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/theyre-at-it-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-7632091859323362353Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:35:00 +00002008-03-04T22:58:52.201+02:00EstoniaJust as the first spring month begins, Estonia has finally gotten to the point of winter. It's a few degrees below zero, with a nice coating of powder to cover up most of the sludge - at least here in continental Tartu; I understand it's less pleasant on the coasts. We've managed to go through the entire winter of 2007/2008 without a single proper frost, with the exception of an odd cold snap in http://www.antyx.net/2008/03/local-warming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-9100400620084679049Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:37:00 +00002008-02-28T17:44:11.371+02:00EstoniavisualawesomeA campaign by a local weekly, to find the ugliest machine in IT wonderland Estonia. Winners get a couple of posh new HP laptops. This one for example was put on a hot stove, out of the reach of little kids, who nevertheless managed to turn the hotplate on. :) Melted (and exploded) battery, half the RAM gone, but it still runs!http://www.antyx.net/2008/02/estonias-ugliest-computer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16421782.post-2723886547757215479Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:56:00 +00002008-02-24T17:56:39.335+02:00 Lions Originally uploaded by Flasher T Took some pictures around Tartu today. This one was the best, I think.The rest, including old ones, are here.http://www.antyx.net/2008/02/lions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Flasher T)