Oslo's News Cycle: Fashion Fantasies, Electric Bus Nightmares, and...Child Gangs?
Okay, Oslo. Let's talk. What the hell is going on over there?
High Fashion & Harsh Realities
So, this International Library of Fashion Research (ILFR) is throwing film screenings? Fine. Whatever. “Fabricated Frames"...give me a break. As if fashion isn't already fabricated enough. But hey, at least someone is using that old Station Master’s Building.
Elise By Olsen, the director, says the library is about “mediating and making the objects come to life.” Translation: dusting off old Vogue magazines and pretending it's saving the world. Look, I get it, fashion is "a great tool for societal criticism." Sure, Jan. But let's be real, it's mostly about selling overpriced crap to insecure people.
And they found a photo of Margiela's face? Groundbreaking.
The real kicker? Olsen admits they're running on fumes, working pro bono, and need more space. "I'm often overwhelmed and pessimistic..." she says. Well, welcome to the club, sister. Maybe instead of screening old movies, they should be screening "How to Run a Non-Profit 101." Just a thought.
But hey, at least people are showing up. That's more than I can say for my last family gathering.
When "Smart" Turns Stupid
Then there’s the electric bus fiasco. Oslo, the shining beacon of green energy, buys 300 Chinese e-buses to meet its emission-free goal. Sounds great, right? Until they discover the buses have a backdoor straight to Beijing. As one report details, Norwegian city buys 300 Chinese electric buses before making startling discovery while testing them.
Seriously?
"The Chinese bus can be stopped, turned off, or receive updates that can destroy the technology it needs to operate,” says some cybersecurity advisor. You don't say!
I mean, did nobody think to, oh I don't know, check for potential security risks before buying hundreds of buses from a country not exactly known for its… transparency? Offcourse not.
Norway's transport minister calls it a “wake-up call.” A wake-up call? It's a freakin' klaxon alarm blaring at deafening volume! How many times do we have to learn this lesson? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
And now they're pulling SIM cards and scrambling to regain control. Good luck with that. Once the genie's out of the bottle... you know how it goes.
But wait, are we really supposed to believe the patent office is staffed with superheroes who know everything?
Tiny Thugs Take Over
Oh, and did I mention the child gangs? Apparently, Oslo's streets are being terrorized by kids too young to prosecute. I'm not even going to touch that one. It's too depressing. What's next, are the toddlers going to start demanding better nap schedules through armed protests?
I need a drink.
