The other day I was tidying up a (paper, that is) folder containing song lyrics and notes. I stumbled over some lyrics I wrote back in '87 at the age of 14 or earlier. Paul McCartney also wrote his first song 'I Lost My Little Girl' at that age by the way.
The lyrics were written for the melody of the song 'Varsovie' (that means 'Warsaw' and is a song about Lech Wałęsa and Solidarność — I guess the title 'Gdańsk' did not fit the rhythm...), which was the B side of French singer Didier Barbelivien's single 'Elsa'.
I even sent a letter to Mr Barbelivien through the record company in order to ask some kind of permission for these new lyrics, and I included a direct translation of the lyrics into French. Never got any answer.
But anyway, here it is, first in Danish, then in my more or less direct translation into English. Who said teenage idealism? Still, it remains an issue...
Hjælp Vor Jord
Hvorfor ska' vi altid hør' så meg't om krig og vold?
Og hva' mon der sker, når atomuret, det slår tolv?
Er vi nærmer' end vi tror på staternes skudhold?
De' på vej' at gøre Jorden kedelig og kold!
Der må gøres noget for at redde vor planet!
Hvis vi bare vil, så ka' vi redde vores æt!
Lad os alle hjælpes ad mod al rivalitet!
Så begynd nu, mens tid er, før værre ting er sket!
Hjælp vor Jord,
Hjælp dig selv,
Bar' et ord
Hen mod kvæld.
Kæmp for fred,
Mens tid er,
Og bli' ved,
Til fred bli'r!
Og bli' ved,
Til fred bli'r!
Help Our Earth
Why do we always have to hear so much about war and violence?
And [I wonder] what will happen when the nuclear clock strikes twelve?
Are we closer than we think to the shooting range of the states?
They're on their way to make Earth boring and cold!
Something has to be done to save our planet!
If just we want to, we can save our race!
Let us all help each other against all rivalry!
So [let us] begin now, before it is too late, before worse things happen!
Help our Earth,
Help yourself,
Just one word
Before nightfall.
Fight for peace,
While you can,
And keep on,
Till peace comes!
And keep on,
Till peace stays!
Thursday, 31 March 2005
Monday, 14 March 2005
Sloganistisk selvtillidsboost
Nævn et karakteristisk og positivt træk ved personen, der sendte dig dette.
Bjørn - menneske frem for alt
Dét var sgu sødt!! Dèn tillader jeg mig i al beskedenhed at lægge ud på min weblog! Tak!!! [til Jette Blok]
Bjørn - menneske frem for alt
Dét var sgu sødt!! Dèn tillader jeg mig i al beskedenhed at lægge ud på min weblog! Tak!!! [til Jette Blok]
Friday, 4 March 2005
Hvad er der oppe, Doktor?
Hvor bor du?
I Rollengergronn, Luxembourg.
Hvilken bog læser du for tiden?
Ingen. Har travlt med at læse rejsebrochurer for at finde ud af, om vi skal til Kamtjatka, Costa Rica, Botswana eller noget helt nittende til efteråret. Men tager den bog, Caspar forærede mig i fødselsdagsgave ('Thomas Ripenseren' af Anne Marie Ejrnæs — godt for en gangs skyld at læse dansk litteratur), med, når vi daffer til Slovenien i morgen. Derefter står der tre og venter på hylden, og endnu to, som jeg snart bestiller på Nettet. Det skulle række året ud...
Hvilken cd ligger i dit anlæg?
'Just Enough Education To Perform' med Stereophonics (Hurra! De udgiver et nyt album 14/3!)... men den er netop færdig, så nu lægger jeg 'Mislyde' med Miss B. Haven i.
Hvilke interessante nyheder har du læst, hørt eller set i dag?
Jeg er som sædvanlig begyndt dagen på politiken.dk, og det mest interessante var vel historien om de kroatiske sømænd, der har påsejlet Storebæltsbroen på vej fra Svendborg til Finland (!).
Yndlingsblad(e)?
Hm... får sjældent læst blade. I stedet surfer jeg indimellem på Blogger ved at klikke på henvisningen 'Next blog' fra http://clasen.blogspot.com.
Yndlingsduft(e)?
Grundet tidens vejr vil jeg faktisk svare noget nyt denne gang: Den kolde vinterluft.
Hvad skal du lave i aften?
Det ved jeg ikke. Foreløbig skal jeg igennem de mest hastende af hastesagerne, inden jeg er væk i en uge. Men måske tager vi i biffen, hvis der går noget, vi begge gider at se. I øvrigt synes jeg, at der er for få film med Christina Ricci.
Yndlingslyd?
Jeg har ikke tænkt over det før — men det er nok en kats spinden. Selvom jeg mest er til hunde.
Yndlingsfarve?
Grøn. Men det kommer an på til hvad — fx er jeg ikke glad for grønne bananer.
Hvor mange gange når telefonen at ringe, inden du tager den?
Jeg har display på min arbejdstelefon og kan finde på slet ikke at tage den. Men da telefonlyde, klassiske som polyfoniske, let irriterer mig, tager jeg den ellers så hurtigt som muligt.
Hvad skal dit barn hedde/hedder dit barn?
Den tid, den glæde. Man ved vel først, hvad der passer til et barn, når man ser barnet!
De(n) vigtigste 'ting' i verden?
Frihed.
Yndlingsmad for tiden?
De gulerødder, der ligger på mit bord, ser da lækre ud...
Elsker du at køre stærkt?
Hvis forholdene er til det, ja. Og med høj musik.
Hvad stemmer du den 27. september?
Jeg ender nok med at stemme ja. Ikke pga. indholdet af den såkaldte forfatning, men pga. den grundlæggende europæiske ide.
Skriv et citat, du godt kan lide.
There is no path. We make the path by walking.
(Antonio Machado)
Hvilket mærke var din første bil?
En Ford Escort, lortelilla og med automatgear, fra 1978. Faktisk var kun halvdelen af den min — den anden halvdel var min svigerindes.
Drømmebil?
Smart Forfour eller en fra BMW's Z-serie.
Hvis du kunne møde en kendt person (død eller levende), hvem skulle det så være?
Det er en hemmelighed.
Yndlingsdrik?
Hahaha... vand, gerne fra vandhanen.
Hvilken film (ja, dvd og vhs gælder også) har du senest set?
En finsk film, som jeg har glemt titlen på. Men den handler om en kvinde, der finder kærligheden der, hvor hun ikke regnede med at finde den. Velkendt historie, men sjovt at se en finsk film med dialog.
Hvad lavede du, lige inden du modtog dette e-brev?
Komponerede et e-kort til en, der har fødselsdag i dag. Spørg mig nu ikke, hvad jeg BURDE have været i gang med.
Hvis du kunne vælge hvilken som helst profession, hvad skulle det så være?
Et eller andet kreativt, fx leve af at rejse og måske skrive om det, eller blot åbne en ikkerygercafe.
Hvilken enkeltting har du senest brugt mindst 500 kroner på?
Det må jeg indrømme, at jeg ikke kan huske. Muligvis en årlig forsikringspræmie blandt alle decemberregningerne.
Har du nogensinde været forelsket?
You bet.
I biffen eller lejer du en video/dvd?
Mest biffen — men vi låner den del dvd'er i videoklubben på det seneste. Og for nylg fik jeg for første gang i umindelige tider genset et afnsit af Fawlty Towers (Halløj På Badehotellet).
Hvilken fjernsynsudsendelse så du mest som barn?
Sesamstrasse. Og fredagskrimi med resten af familien.
Hvad er der under din seng?
En slags skuffe. Tom. Skal på genbrugspladsen.
Yndlingstal?
88. Men det er ikke noget, jeg går vildt op i.
Hvilken sport ser du helst på tv?
Jeg ser faktisk kun fjernsyn, når der er en stor fodboldturnering, og Danmark er med.
Nævn et karakteristisk og positivt træk ved personen, der sendte dig
dette.
Karen er underholdende på sin egen diskrete måde.
Hvem/hvad kan gøre dig lykkelig?
Det kan man vist dybest set kun selv.
Hvem svarer mindst sandsynligt på denne mail?
Christina Ricci.
I Rollengergronn, Luxembourg.
Hvilken bog læser du for tiden?
Ingen. Har travlt med at læse rejsebrochurer for at finde ud af, om vi skal til Kamtjatka, Costa Rica, Botswana eller noget helt nittende til efteråret. Men tager den bog, Caspar forærede mig i fødselsdagsgave ('Thomas Ripenseren' af Anne Marie Ejrnæs — godt for en gangs skyld at læse dansk litteratur), med, når vi daffer til Slovenien i morgen. Derefter står der tre og venter på hylden, og endnu to, som jeg snart bestiller på Nettet. Det skulle række året ud...
Hvilken cd ligger i dit anlæg?
'Just Enough Education To Perform' med Stereophonics (Hurra! De udgiver et nyt album 14/3!)... men den er netop færdig, så nu lægger jeg 'Mislyde' med Miss B. Haven i.
Hvilke interessante nyheder har du læst, hørt eller set i dag?
Jeg er som sædvanlig begyndt dagen på politiken.dk, og det mest interessante var vel historien om de kroatiske sømænd, der har påsejlet Storebæltsbroen på vej fra Svendborg til Finland (!).
Yndlingsblad(e)?
Hm... får sjældent læst blade. I stedet surfer jeg indimellem på Blogger ved at klikke på henvisningen 'Next blog' fra http://clasen.blogspot.com.
Yndlingsduft(e)?
Grundet tidens vejr vil jeg faktisk svare noget nyt denne gang: Den kolde vinterluft.
Hvad skal du lave i aften?
Det ved jeg ikke. Foreløbig skal jeg igennem de mest hastende af hastesagerne, inden jeg er væk i en uge. Men måske tager vi i biffen, hvis der går noget, vi begge gider at se. I øvrigt synes jeg, at der er for få film med Christina Ricci.
Yndlingslyd?
Jeg har ikke tænkt over det før — men det er nok en kats spinden. Selvom jeg mest er til hunde.
Yndlingsfarve?
Grøn. Men det kommer an på til hvad — fx er jeg ikke glad for grønne bananer.
Hvor mange gange når telefonen at ringe, inden du tager den?
Jeg har display på min arbejdstelefon og kan finde på slet ikke at tage den. Men da telefonlyde, klassiske som polyfoniske, let irriterer mig, tager jeg den ellers så hurtigt som muligt.
Hvad skal dit barn hedde/hedder dit barn?
Den tid, den glæde. Man ved vel først, hvad der passer til et barn, når man ser barnet!
De(n) vigtigste 'ting' i verden?
Frihed.
Yndlingsmad for tiden?
De gulerødder, der ligger på mit bord, ser da lækre ud...
Elsker du at køre stærkt?
Hvis forholdene er til det, ja. Og med høj musik.
Hvad stemmer du den 27. september?
Jeg ender nok med at stemme ja. Ikke pga. indholdet af den såkaldte forfatning, men pga. den grundlæggende europæiske ide.
Skriv et citat, du godt kan lide.
There is no path. We make the path by walking.
(Antonio Machado)
Hvilket mærke var din første bil?
En Ford Escort, lortelilla og med automatgear, fra 1978. Faktisk var kun halvdelen af den min — den anden halvdel var min svigerindes.
Drømmebil?
Smart Forfour eller en fra BMW's Z-serie.
Hvis du kunne møde en kendt person (død eller levende), hvem skulle det så være?
Det er en hemmelighed.
Yndlingsdrik?
Hahaha... vand, gerne fra vandhanen.
Hvilken film (ja, dvd og vhs gælder også) har du senest set?
En finsk film, som jeg har glemt titlen på. Men den handler om en kvinde, der finder kærligheden der, hvor hun ikke regnede med at finde den. Velkendt historie, men sjovt at se en finsk film med dialog.
Hvad lavede du, lige inden du modtog dette e-brev?
Komponerede et e-kort til en, der har fødselsdag i dag. Spørg mig nu ikke, hvad jeg BURDE have været i gang med.
Hvis du kunne vælge hvilken som helst profession, hvad skulle det så være?
Et eller andet kreativt, fx leve af at rejse og måske skrive om det, eller blot åbne en ikkerygercafe.
Hvilken enkeltting har du senest brugt mindst 500 kroner på?
Det må jeg indrømme, at jeg ikke kan huske. Muligvis en årlig forsikringspræmie blandt alle decemberregningerne.
Har du nogensinde været forelsket?
You bet.
I biffen eller lejer du en video/dvd?
Mest biffen — men vi låner den del dvd'er i videoklubben på det seneste. Og for nylg fik jeg for første gang i umindelige tider genset et afnsit af Fawlty Towers (Halløj På Badehotellet).
Hvilken fjernsynsudsendelse så du mest som barn?
Sesamstrasse. Og fredagskrimi med resten af familien.
Hvad er der under din seng?
En slags skuffe. Tom. Skal på genbrugspladsen.
Yndlingstal?
88. Men det er ikke noget, jeg går vildt op i.
Hvilken sport ser du helst på tv?
Jeg ser faktisk kun fjernsyn, når der er en stor fodboldturnering, og Danmark er med.
Nævn et karakteristisk og positivt træk ved personen, der sendte dig
dette.
Karen er underholdende på sin egen diskrete måde.
Hvem/hvad kan gøre dig lykkelig?
Det kan man vist dybest set kun selv.
Hvem svarer mindst sandsynligt på denne mail?
Christina Ricci.
Wednesday, 2 March 2005
The new certification procedure
(certified as stark, raving mad…)
[The European Commission seems to do everything wrong in its attempts to motivate its employees, or even acknowledge their work. And this at the tax-payers' expense.
In this article, I have added a few explanations in square brackets, as I think it is important also for people who are not familiar with the EU institutions to know what is going on.]
If you can remember that far back, one of the main promises of the [Staff] Reform was to have one linear career system for all staff. Another broken promise (let’s face it, what’s one more…) as we find that there are in reality two career systems – there is still "them" (A grades or [managers, or so-called 'administrators']) and "us" (B, C, D grades or ['assistants']). It followed that it would be much easier to access higher grades and this is what we expected from the new procedures. However, the certification procedure is an example of how the twisted minds of the D[irectorate-]G[eneral for Personnel and] Admin[istration] work. Whereas before, with a certain number of years experience in a certain category, we were all free to try our luck in an internal competition, the new certification procedure will effectively block 90% of all B officials from ever even being considered.
So what are the conditions and how does the procedure work? Well, first of all, if you have a university diploma, you must have at least 3 years seniority in the B*5 [salary category] or above, and otherwise 5 years seniority. You then have to indicate in your C[areer]D[evelopment]R[eview] that you wish to be considered for certification and your head of unit must support your request, state that you have the potential to take on the functions of an administrator and indicate any tasks you already do that could be considered those of a grade A official.
All applications go to DG Admin who then selects the most "worthy" candidates. These lucky few (120 candidates at most per year, i.e. +/- 3 per DG) will then follow 400 hours of training (and this although DG Admin has not yet fixed the syllabus), at the end of which they then have to sit an exam. From these 120 candidates, only 80 can pass and they then have to apply (and be accepted) for an "AD[ministrator]" post.
So what advantages does this new certification procedure offer in comparison with the old internal competition procedure? As far as we can see, none whatsoever!
First of all, you need to have the support of your head of unit. If s/he doesn’t want to lose one or several members of his staff for 400 hours a year, or simply doesn’t like you, there is very little likelihood that he/she will support your request. This condition of admission is completely subjective and goes against every democratic principle! This clearly is not an improvement on the old system of internal competitions which were open to all staff if they had the necessary grade and seniority.
As to the selection criteria of DG Admin, it would seem that officially professional experience acquired in the institutions, level of professional training and merit marks for the last three CDR are the most important. However, unofficially it would seem that level of education previous to entry in the Institutions would also be taken into account, i.e. don’t even bother to apply if you haven’t the minimum of a university degree (doctorate would of course be appreciated!).
Following 400 hours of training in a year is not an option for most women with children. Also, 400 hours of training implies twice or three times that much study at home. For most women with children, this is not an option! The old system of internal competition implied a certain amount of preparation a month or two before the exam, but not a whole year of stress! There is no advantage for staff and even a serious disadvantage for working mothers! This new certification procedure clearly proves that the "4th Action Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men at the European Commission 2004-2008" is just a lot of hot air and that the Commission has every intention to continue as a male-dominated bastion.
As for transparency, you can forget it! The new certification procedure is the ideal opportunity for each head of unit, director or director general to promote his or her particular favourite – "long live nepotism at the Commission" is the message that DG Admin is signalling with this new procedure!
One can only wonder how much this certified madness will cost. The cost for the number of person-days lost if 120 officials follow 400 hours of training amounts to +/- 1.320.000 €. Then dreaming up the content of the course (a lot of imagination is necessary here!), giving the courses and preparing course material for 400 hours (in which languages?), if provided by an external firm, amounts to a conservative estimate of 500.000 €. After this, of course, the tests (written and oral) still have to be developed and the competition for the 120 candidates has to be organised, marked etc. All in all, for 2005 this certification procedure could cost a total of almost 2.000.000 €. As if this wasn’t expensive enough, the Institutions in all their wisdom have seen fit to invent a European Administration School (EAS) to manage this programme. It is amazing (if not scandalous) that in a year when most officials have been financially hit by the Reform, DG Admin does not seem to be suffering from a lack of budget (perhaps they are paying this from the funds originally foreseen for the European School, financing school trips, education allowance…).
However, there is still time to react. This procedure will now be discussed with unions and with your support there is, hopefully, still time to change this certified discriminatory procedure. So let us know your thoughts….
Last minute: It gets better and better! We have just heard from one of our colleagues that during his CDR, his head of unit informed him that in order to be considered for the certification procedure, he will have to assume new and complex tasks which will be added to his objectives. If he carries out these new tasks successfully, he MAY then be CONSIDERED for the certification procedure – however he then still has no guarantee of participating in the training!!! Is this new procedure just a ploy on the part of the Commission in order to increase our productivity with no corresponding increase in pay???
P.S. Did you know that whilst the Reform cut the salaries of most staff, the hierarchy was laughing all the way to the bank? Indeed, see Annexe XIII, Article 7 of the new Staff Regulations below:
"4. An official in grades A*10 to A*16 and AD 10 to 16 respectively who is on 30 April 2004 head of unit, director or director-general, or is subsequently appointed head of unit, director or director general and has performed his new duties satisfactorily during the first nine months, shall be entitled to an increase in the basic monthly salary corresponding to the percentage between the first and the second step in each grade as set out in the tables in Article 2(1) and Article 8(1) of this Annex."
Source: Note distributed to staff on 25 February 2005
by Action & Défense - Luxembourg
[The European Commission seems to do everything wrong in its attempts to motivate its employees, or even acknowledge their work. And this at the tax-payers' expense.
In this article, I have added a few explanations in square brackets, as I think it is important also for people who are not familiar with the EU institutions to know what is going on.]
If you can remember that far back, one of the main promises of the [Staff] Reform was to have one linear career system for all staff. Another broken promise (let’s face it, what’s one more…) as we find that there are in reality two career systems – there is still "them" (A grades or [managers, or so-called 'administrators']) and "us" (B, C, D grades or ['assistants']). It followed that it would be much easier to access higher grades and this is what we expected from the new procedures. However, the certification procedure is an example of how the twisted minds of the D[irectorate-]G[eneral for Personnel and] Admin[istration] work. Whereas before, with a certain number of years experience in a certain category, we were all free to try our luck in an internal competition, the new certification procedure will effectively block 90% of all B officials from ever even being considered.
So what are the conditions and how does the procedure work? Well, first of all, if you have a university diploma, you must have at least 3 years seniority in the B*5 [salary category] or above, and otherwise 5 years seniority. You then have to indicate in your C[areer]D[evelopment]R[eview] that you wish to be considered for certification and your head of unit must support your request, state that you have the potential to take on the functions of an administrator and indicate any tasks you already do that could be considered those of a grade A official.
All applications go to DG Admin who then selects the most "worthy" candidates. These lucky few (120 candidates at most per year, i.e. +/- 3 per DG) will then follow 400 hours of training (and this although DG Admin has not yet fixed the syllabus), at the end of which they then have to sit an exam. From these 120 candidates, only 80 can pass and they then have to apply (and be accepted) for an "AD[ministrator]" post.
So what advantages does this new certification procedure offer in comparison with the old internal competition procedure? As far as we can see, none whatsoever!
First of all, you need to have the support of your head of unit. If s/he doesn’t want to lose one or several members of his staff for 400 hours a year, or simply doesn’t like you, there is very little likelihood that he/she will support your request. This condition of admission is completely subjective and goes against every democratic principle! This clearly is not an improvement on the old system of internal competitions which were open to all staff if they had the necessary grade and seniority.
As to the selection criteria of DG Admin, it would seem that officially professional experience acquired in the institutions, level of professional training and merit marks for the last three CDR are the most important. However, unofficially it would seem that level of education previous to entry in the Institutions would also be taken into account, i.e. don’t even bother to apply if you haven’t the minimum of a university degree (doctorate would of course be appreciated!).
Following 400 hours of training in a year is not an option for most women with children. Also, 400 hours of training implies twice or three times that much study at home. For most women with children, this is not an option! The old system of internal competition implied a certain amount of preparation a month or two before the exam, but not a whole year of stress! There is no advantage for staff and even a serious disadvantage for working mothers! This new certification procedure clearly proves that the "4th Action Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men at the European Commission 2004-2008" is just a lot of hot air and that the Commission has every intention to continue as a male-dominated bastion.
As for transparency, you can forget it! The new certification procedure is the ideal opportunity for each head of unit, director or director general to promote his or her particular favourite – "long live nepotism at the Commission" is the message that DG Admin is signalling with this new procedure!
One can only wonder how much this certified madness will cost. The cost for the number of person-days lost if 120 officials follow 400 hours of training amounts to +/- 1.320.000 €. Then dreaming up the content of the course (a lot of imagination is necessary here!), giving the courses and preparing course material for 400 hours (in which languages?), if provided by an external firm, amounts to a conservative estimate of 500.000 €. After this, of course, the tests (written and oral) still have to be developed and the competition for the 120 candidates has to be organised, marked etc. All in all, for 2005 this certification procedure could cost a total of almost 2.000.000 €. As if this wasn’t expensive enough, the Institutions in all their wisdom have seen fit to invent a European Administration School (EAS) to manage this programme. It is amazing (if not scandalous) that in a year when most officials have been financially hit by the Reform, DG Admin does not seem to be suffering from a lack of budget (perhaps they are paying this from the funds originally foreseen for the European School, financing school trips, education allowance…).
However, there is still time to react. This procedure will now be discussed with unions and with your support there is, hopefully, still time to change this certified discriminatory procedure. So let us know your thoughts….
Last minute: It gets better and better! We have just heard from one of our colleagues that during his CDR, his head of unit informed him that in order to be considered for the certification procedure, he will have to assume new and complex tasks which will be added to his objectives. If he carries out these new tasks successfully, he MAY then be CONSIDERED for the certification procedure – however he then still has no guarantee of participating in the training!!! Is this new procedure just a ploy on the part of the Commission in order to increase our productivity with no corresponding increase in pay???
P.S. Did you know that whilst the Reform cut the salaries of most staff, the hierarchy was laughing all the way to the bank? Indeed, see Annexe XIII, Article 7 of the new Staff Regulations below:
"4. An official in grades A*10 to A*16 and AD 10 to 16 respectively who is on 30 April 2004 head of unit, director or director-general, or is subsequently appointed head of unit, director or director general and has performed his new duties satisfactorily during the first nine months, shall be entitled to an increase in the basic monthly salary corresponding to the percentage between the first and the second step in each grade as set out in the tables in Article 2(1) and Article 8(1) of this Annex."
Source: Note distributed to staff on 25 February 2005
by Action & Défense - Luxembourg
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