Beware of media ‘hype’…Sweden is not as some of the international press reports

Read full articles………………………..HERE……………………………………………………and HERE

sure looks like snow again…

-19 C last night…hardly a breath of wind and now a very heavy overcast sky…but it’s still amazingly beautiful

 

lacework trees

5 from the top….on balance

more info HERE - according to rankings released by US News & World Report

Bengtsfors winter overview

This is the nearby small town of Bengtsfors, a beautiful and friendly little town set in the magnificent nature of Dalsland.

This is an overview taken from the nearby Straw weaving industry museum, Halmens Hus. The picture is taken in the Spring.

Click on the picture to go to some pictures taken today….in the winter…. if you want to go to a gallery.

Dalsland,Sweden–snow scenes-001

click on the picture to go to the gallery

15 Jan 2016 typical January day

click the pic to go to a small gallery (where you can also download if you wish)

Volvo beats all records

 

and to think there were those who thought is was a disaster when Volvo was taken over by the Chinese Geely Group

more info here

Sweden winter….how to act like a Swede

via

2016-001

Perspective–refugess

I am proud to live in Sweden, even though I am English. I have seen first hand for over 20 years the way in which Sweden has offered refuge to refugees from war torn and/or devastated areas of the world.Some of my best friends are from Kosovo and have the highest respect and regard – not to mention deep gratitude – for Sweden. In my local small town (population about 4,000.The area population of the community covering over 1,000 sq.kms is less than 10,000) there are…40+ non-swedish languages.

Now,Sweden has been forced to instigate ID checks at it’s borders, especially at the bridge that links Sweden with Denmark. Note,this is ID checks – it is not a refusal to accept persons from genuine distressed areas.

The statements by HH Ferries group seem to ignore that other operators, Swedish ones, also have to bear the cost of ID checks. Swedish railways, Swebus express, etc.

The Danish government,however, has taken a very harsh line on the issue of immigrants/refugees. It is a line which all of my Danish friends find abhorrent.

You will see from the article above, via thelocal.se , that persons passing over the bridge link between the 2 countries will be checked for the first time when they reach Sweden.

It appears that the Danish authorities make no checks, probably because they do not intend that refugess shall stay in Denmark. Indeed, they are proposing/instituting measures to ensure that is the case - measures which include taking the possessions (few that they are) of refugees - see here.

So that is what this is actually all about. Sweden has been magnificent in accepting refugees, especially in this last critical year. It is not refusing to accept refugess (unlike some countries like Denmark who are actively discouraging refugess) it is simply trying to ensure that,for the future, other EU countries accept some obligation to help in the face of this huge humanitarian crisis and that persons claiming refugee status are genuine cases.

We owe this to the genuine refugees and to the indigenous population.

I am proud to live in Sweden - even if I am not Swedish but English

Socialism - a system that works for all

Economic boom - 2016

PS. Why has Sweden more billionaires per capita if socialism is so bad? check it out here

University in Sweden - it's easy!

here's some links with more info:

http://www.thelocal.se/20151214/9-easy-steps-for-applying-to-stockholm-university-tlccu

http://www.thelocal.se/20150323/why-stockholm-is-the-boston-of-europe-stockholm-academic-forum-tlccu

Heavy frost last night

special guest for lunch today

be still and move with the wind

 

via

now you see it, now you don't

Monday: walking in the nearby woods (of which there are many). The following day,Tuesday, all the snow was gone!

misted monday morning

"…. as though the spirits of all that has lived in this area would speak to us, welcoming us to a new day, challenging us to breath in the subtle beauty that surrounds us, becoming absorbed by it…becoming one with it. In so becoming we find ourselves united with all that has been here….and an integral part of all that shall come." gg

 

First winter tour–around Gustavsfors in Dalsland

Click on the picture to go to the gallery