Dancing with the Devil by Carl Douglass

Author:Carl Douglass
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Publication Consultants

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Interactive Sweden-America Festival, Austin, Texas, March 9, 2006

The weather was gorgeous—bright sun in a lapis lazuli sky, spring grasses, not a hint of wind. It was 82° and balmy, a perfect day for the SXSW-Texas Bicycle Racing Association annual race. The venue was perfect; Liberty Hill Ranch had plenty of room and acres of parking. There was an easygoing Texas atmosphere, perfect for the race. The agenda of the day before in the festival featured presentations, seminars, and events related to the emerging technology field, as well as showcases of new digital works, video games and innovative ideas. It was one of the most important opportunities of the year to showcase everything that was good about Sweden and how closely entwined the Swedes were with their American cousins.

The governor of Texas, Darryl Junior Strait, gave a speech; and the mayor of Austin, Hank Lovell—in his iconic ten-gallon straw cowboy hat—introduced the dignitaries. The senator, congressman, and the attorney general of the United States—who was a native born son of the city—were all there along with the Swedish ambassador, Jonas Zillacus, Ivor Swensen, the honorary consul general of Sweden in New York, Ali Nylander, the consular agent in charge of trade and economic affairs, Dr. Arvid Bergström, counselor for Swedish defense, Counselor Ms. Sanna Kullberg, special advisor, Homeland Security Affairs, Magnus Bielvenstram, minister-counselor, Trade and Economic Affairs, Gabriella Andraesson, Public Diplomacy, Press and Communication counselor at Embassy of Sweden, and Johannes Hjerdstadt, the undersecretary for embassy affairs. Also present on the platform were representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the British Embassy, and the Consul General of Switzerland in New York

Mayor Sanderson was very complimentary about Ms. Andraesson’s speech the previous evening that dealt with digital diplomacy among Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S. She had deftly described the interwoven work by all of the countries to leverage social media to represent each of their countries to the world and for their welcoming spirit of friendship and cooperation in the digital age. It did not hurt that she was a statuesque true blond with a robust and athletic Nordic physique. Not mentioned was the presence of Adm. Neal Daastrup, the DDDIA, who made himself a shade of obscurity under a small copse of live oaks.

The excitement of the day—and, if truth be known, for whole festival—was the fourth annual bicycle race from Austin 75 miles ENE to San Antonio through the beautiful rolling hills and straightaways of the Texas Hill Country. A casual straw vote would have determined that Ms. Andraesson was the odds-on favorite. Some of the men who would make that vote might also have thought she could even win the race, but not many of them cared.

After the starting gun signaled the beginning of the race, and the cyclists sped away at a feverish pace, 3D made his way through the crowd of spectators and sidled up to Ali.

“Hello, Ali,” he said quietly without looking directly at the Swedish diplomat.

Ali started slightly, although he had been expecting Neal’s approach.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.