Sunday, October 29, 2006

Be a star on the bus



All buses in Stockholm will get camera surveillance. At New Year 2006 the project will start and by the end of 2007 all buses will be equipped with the new system.

Bus drivers are happy and commuters will probably also benefit from less problems since all travelers will be identified if troubles arise on the bus. So far buses in Stockholm are very safe; it's mostly during nighttime that there can be serious problems in Stockholm.

Another step to make the situation even safer for the drivers is the complete ban of cash handling on the buses. You will not be able to buy a ticket from the driver next year; you must buy the prepaid tickets available at various locations close to the subway and kiosk around town.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Hectic first weeks!

First weeks for new right wing government have been hectic to say the least!

Several new ministers have been exposed as cheaters. Everything from black market wages to maids, not paying fee's for public service TV and tax fraud with pensions and properties.

It would seem that the new government of Sweden does not really lead the way for the country in a good way. But maybe this is the right wing way, to be egoistic and try to evade and cheat to maximize personal gain and not to care about the welfare, elderly and poor.

At least the journalists have an early Christmas this year. They just need to open the sack and out pops one juicy story after another.

Question is: can Swedish people now trust the new government with their record of cheating, lying and evading... or is this the new way of the kingdom Sweden; the more we cheat the smarter we are?

One minister is now on sick leave and can't be interviewed, a typical Swedish way; ministers on sick leave after a few problems arise, would this be possible in the U.S or Japan?

Probably not. The typical way of Sweden is the kind, soft way. These poor ministers now need a rest after these naughty journalists exposed them this way. Can't they understand it would be better if people didn't know about all this? Then these right wing politicians could keep minding their own business... which they seem to do very well...

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Sweden now has a new government!

A not so typical government. The right wing parties have combined to form an alliance to rule Sweden for the next 4 years.

It is not often during modern times that Sweden has had anything else than the old well known socialistic government.

Now the right wing parties have promised a lot of changes, here are the basic structure and most important areas for focus:


More freedom of choice - People in Sweden shall be able to choose whether they want private or government services. All parts of society shall be more commercialized so that it is possible to make money and thereby stimulate a higher variety of services to the people.

More people must work - Sweden has a high unemployment both because unemployed people have good benefits and can live a good life as unemployed and because companies do not want to hire more workers.

More students shall leave school with an education - as it is now a lot of unmotivated students do not learn anything in school and some can't even read when compulsory school is over.

Older and long-term sick people in Sweden need more attention - the way to do this is to privatize more parts of the healthcare. Then people who have a lot of money can buy better services and the others also get a better service in the public hospitals because of less pressure on the remaining staff.


The rest of the declaration is basically describing these major changes in more detail.

Sweden might become the wonderful place it once was again with all these valuable promises.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Today is Kanelbullens dag! (cinnamon roll day!)




Fourth of October is the day of the kanelbulle. Today resturants, bakerys are fully loaded with kanelbullar and everybody want's one. Some resturants even give away a free coffee and kanelbulle after lunch.


Repaeted from previous post:

Kanelbullar (cinnamon rolls) is something very typical Swedish. As soon as a Swedish person hears the word or sees one of these their mouths begin to water, they start checking the whereabouts of the nearest coffee place.

A kanelbulle and coffee is like a hand in a glove, they go toghether like they were made for each other (which they probably were). The smell of a freshly baked kanelbulle and a cup of steaming coffee (or tea) is a dream come true.

Have a go at it in your nearest coffe house that serve freshly baked kanelbullar. I would actually recommend Nybergs cafe in Stockholm, a great bakery and nice 50's atmosphere.