In Memoriam – Joakim Dungel

 

Working for the United Nations mission in Afghanistan, Swede  Joakim Dungel  died yesterday when the compound was attacked by a violent crowd.

A lawyer, Joakim Dungel was dedicated to the advancement of human rights and had worked, amongst other things, with the War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague in respect of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda.

A man who had clearly been dedicated to the assistance of humanity it is unclear how the Taleban, who claimed responsibility for the murder, could in any way enhance their political or religious attraction by such a brutal action.

For all you did – and all you tried to do – to enhance the lives of others, we sincerely thank you, Joakim Dungel.

RIP.

online Swedish/english news

So, ok, you have to remember that today is April 1st….which just might have something to do with this story

in my favourite online swe/eng newspaper:

via

Got it?  Well, the thing is that it's only a joke because the location has been changed from Malmo to Sarek National Park.

Freight problems

Hello there,

I am sorry to trouble you, especially since most of the time you do an absolutely incredible, fantastic job,

but…well…erhm… you see, it's now officially SPRING

which actually means that, well…erhm…….. THIS DELIVERY IS A LITTLE LATE!"!!!  (hint.hint.)

 

Yeah man, I gotta tell ya, it is kinda like snowin again!  Yep. It's quite definitely snowin again….

not that my li'l pal here cares a sh**. he's too busy eatin!  Does he really think he can eat as much as me…..?

hey! It's not April 1st yet…..!!!!!

eh? Did he say something?

Looks like spring is flying in

ehm….what?

woodpeckers-01

Swedish Radio is reporting a fall in the number of Woodpeckers.

I can only say that I have never seen so many Woodpeckers, coming after the food I put out, as I have this winter.

Maybe they have all heard that in Dalsland they get well fed, so they are deserting the other areas?????

Breakfast on a sunny spring morning

sunrise

Forecast says it's going to be a sunny day – temperature rising to a staggering…. + 6C

can u believe your eyes?

coffee break from my building works and I stumbled upon this whilst surfing

via

snowing again

This is the scene at around 11-20 am

Cold but sunny morning

Gallnas morning coffee

A grey, overcast morning needs something really, really special – jing,jing, – to get the day going. So this morning it was one from the astounding range of  special coffee blends I get from my fiends at Camerait  where they create a true coffee experience from some amazing blends of special coffees.

 

This is what I'm having this morning, but I cannot make it like Maria or Petri make it with their expertise and their special machine

typo:  typo:  typo:  the word 'fiends' in line 2 should, of course, read friends . I left it in to please all you who get such pleasure from complaining about others…..hehehehehe

when 'going green' can be dangerous

via

political electricball

via

Now this would seem quite reasonable, on the face of it. Tax the companies if they are making 'excessive' profits.

But as the information shows below on this blog, if the profits are good it is mainly because of efficiency compared with the rest of EU producers. So, extra tax on efficiency?

The real culprit for high energy costs in Sweden is NOT, NOT the producers! It's the taxes! Energy taxes were possibly a good idea to help encourage people to save energy – but the idea floundered 7 years ago when electric costs nearly doubled in a month and all because we were exporting so much to other, less efficient, EU countries who were not saving energy. In effect we were paying for the failings of other countries! In that environment, the raison d'etre for energy taxes was undermined in the public's perception.

So, dearest Minister, only blame the companies after the government has accepted it's share of the blame.

Reduce the taxes to consumers to match the EU average (or lower), increase the taxes on exports , then – and only then – would it be fair to look at 'excess profits' within the producers/suppliers.

Sweden is enjoying good growth in it's economy, now is a time to invest in that growth with cheaper energy WITHIN Sweden

Energy tax reduction?

image via

Now , before you go shooting off at the electric companies, read this entry I made in TheLocal on January 11th

" According to the E-control and VassaETT EU price index (including taxes) for Jan 2011 the average generation and distribution costs account for 75% of the bill. In Sweden, however, these "so-called greedy" power companies account for only 65% of the bill. This is remarkably efficient considering the geography and population size/distribution in Sweden".

So it costs less to generate and distribute in Sweden than in the neighbour Nordic countries.

The differences are in the taxes!!

"The high price has prompted enterprise and energy minister Maud Olofsson to float the possibility of reducing the energy tax". via

cute, huh?

Brilliant!

via

This is NOT good news for the 'misery-mongers' and pessimists.

re-birth…..?

 

appearing at the International Geneva Motor Show a Saab concept car which

illustrates some of the design/engineering platforms they intend to incorporate in

future (not too far off) models.

obs. it is electrically powered at the rear also

Hard winter

From it's overall condition it seems this woodpecker is having a hard winter