they who serve…

In the latest recognition of human rights, Sweden has finally agreed to end the 'enslavement of conscription' to the armed services and it officially finished yesterday. You know, that system where young people are drafted to 'serve their country' and in return are paid a pittance per day – was it really only Sek 50 or Sek 100 ?

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Of course there will be those who will try and claim that 'discipline was taught' during conscription to which I would respond that during the whole of my life I could always identify a 'workmate' who had been on 'National Service'. They were expert at appearing busy…but not doing much!

A professional, properly paid armed service attracts the people who really care about serving and to whom the nation gives proper respect by providing proper conditions and pay.

I don't think that the 'professional armed services' in the UK have sacrificed any admiration in the world…rather they have enhanced the reputation of the armed services in both wartime and peacekeeping roles…as well as rescue services. The UK formerly abolished conscription on 31 st December 1960… that's 50 years ago almost.

Garlic smuggling…???

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rain, beautiful rain..

You could hear the trees and the grass and the flowers sighing with relief at 3-00 am this morning….when along came some refreshing rain…..

very Dalsland

We live within the boundaries of  Bengtsfors Kommune – an area of 890 sq. kilometres containing just 10,000 people (that's 11 per square km)…. and 300 lakes. Here is one of them I pass on my way to Bengtsfors, it is called  STORETJARNET :

 

and this morning's hazy sunshine view of part of the garden

Blogger Labels: Dalsland,Bengtsfors,STORETJARNET,Storetjärnet

exciting weekend?!?

 

OK. OK. I admit it….. I am a fan of Lewis Hamilton. I suppose that really comes as a surprise to anyone who does not read this blog very often….heheheh I've read his book (I got into it on a flight back from UK and couldn't put it down) about 18 months ago. I have to confess that it is rather nice to se him leading the F1 championship again this year. I sincerely hope he wins it again.

Phew. Thank goodness Mark Webber was able to actually WALK AWAY from this horrendous crash with just minor scratches and bruises. Totally incredible how these flimsy looking cars can really take some punishment and still appear to protect the driver. Webber’s crash, on lap ten of the European Grand Prix, prompted David Coulthard — a BBC pundit and former team-mate — to say that Formula One had “just had one of its luckiest days”.

Blogger Labels: Lewis,Hamilton,championship,Mark,Webber,European,Grand,Prix,David,Coulthard

artist's secrets???

I guess the Midsommar festivities continue, though out here in the forest there is not that much sign of it…just the echoes of raucous celebrations across the lakes and hillsides or the distant screeching of tyres on some road.

It would appear, however, that there  actually is something astoundingly beautiful about alcohol, or at least the crystal photographed on glass slides. Here's some examples via

Some of the examples offer an explanation for some artist's expressions.

Vodka = Kandinsky?  Margarita = Van Gogh? Tequila = Picasso? Rose = a happier Munch? Chablis = Matisse?

I just  can't decide who is best represented by Champagne……

 

Blogger Labels: Van Gogh,Kandinsky,Picasso,Munch,Matisse

Windows Live Tags: Van Gogh,Vodka,Kandinsky,Margarita,Tequila,Picasso,Munch,Chablis,Matisse

a beautiful Midsummer's day…

LG KU990i – cat picture

So my Samsung J200 started to malfunction – after all the times it's been dropped it's amazing it lasted this long (3.5 years?).

So here's my 20 year old cat, who is lasting quite well,

and this is a picture taken with my new mobile phone.

At least it says it's a mobile phone! It's also a 5 Mp camera with 120 fps video, touchscreen functions and I can even handwrite in it, or use a qwerty . I find it amazing that all this technology is available for just SeK 999 – well that's the price at Netonnet which is very considerably cheaper than anywhere else I have checked in Sweden. I don't usually use any of my blogs for 'advertising purposes' but just now and then a stunning deal comes around and I think it's worth mentioning to others. The 'normal' price for this seems to be between 1.500,- and 2,000- so netonnet is a good deal and this is the 3rd item I have bought from them, postorder, and I get it the following day usually!

I am trying to find the menu item where I can instruct it to make 'english chips'…..!!!!

disorientated……

just occasionally I get the feeling that my cats are taking over my life…..

 

or is it just because it's midsommar?

useful link for non-swedes

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magic morning

Fewer Swedes favour euro over krona

A clear majority of Swedes would vote against switching from the krona to the euro if a referendum on whether Sweden should adopt the common European currency were held today, a new poll shows.

According to a poll from Statistics Sweden (SCB), 60 percent of Swedes would vote against switching to the euro, while 28 percent indicated they would vote in favour, with 12.2 percent undecided.

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the rain has some benefits

what every Swede should read……. :)

"Three years ago, the Tällberg Foundation set out to find the answer to a question: which countries and which social models have created the best societies? Which can work as tried and tested visions in the development of the evermore integrated globalized civilization?
To find an answer we collated the results of the most frequently quoted of the many indexes and ranking lists that compare how countries have succeeded in various important ways.

 

The analysis shows that Sweden is not a typical country, if there is such a thing. It shows that we have developed a societal model that combines self-interest and solidarity, and a solidarity that includes living in balance and harmony with nature and the eco-system".

more here

 

picture from HERE

Wot! No potatmos???

Although inedible, Amflora is a kind of miracle potato on two counts: for one, there is its starch content, which makes it precious to the starch industry, a major employer in Sweden; and then there is its feisty resilience in surviving some 25 years of tests, regulations, rules, ordinances and applications for approval by both Sweden and the European Union, of which Sweden is a member.

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we owe them so much…

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
~Kahlil Gibran

 

The felled tree was the inspiration for the tapestry "Statement" by Ragnhild Monsen

Bubblare bash-up

So since Sweden has it's own 'youtube' alternative, bubblare.se, I put some videos of my wife's art on there – including clips from her tv program…this is one… (what you are watching is all done with textile, lighting and camera effects – done in the days before cgi)

a beautiful day

 

Good Luck…Robin

 

 

Ehem….Today would be a great day to win it, Robin….so best of luck…we know you'll do your best whatever

something to celebrate

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