What's up with Sweden?

[Grey_Wolf]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
Wow - if I ever have a Swede come visit - I'll make sure I keep my dogs somewhere else and they never are allowed to be around them without me there.

Well, you worry needlessly. Those Swedes who do this are a very small, very sick minority of people. I think it is horrible that there are people who actually do this and there's nothing fun about it. It's just as horrible as rape, be it of children or women.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Jonathan
See what we can find on the Kiwis... Oh, according to nationmaster.com, the Kiwis have the highest number of rapes per capita. BoP's fault?

Hmmm, maybe I should stop nicking their pants.

[GrayMouser]

Maybe they were consenting adults?
(What's the age of consent in dog years?)

Hey, Ruinel, ever read "The Last Picture Show", by famous Texas author Larry McMurtry? I remember it saying that they couldn't get any of the country boys to stay after school for football practise- they had to get home and ...ahem ...service the cows.

And BoP, don't get started on New Zealand sheep farmers and why they wear Wellies

[Ruinel]

Originally posted by GrayMouser
Maybe they were consenting adults?
(What's the age of consent in dog years?)

It's 7 years to every human year. But dogs mature before humans. So, you've got me!

Hey, Ruinel, ever read "The Last Picture Show", by famous Texas author Larry McMurtry? I remember it saying that they couldn't get any of the country boys to stay after school for football practise- they had to get home and ...ahem ...service the cows.

eeeeewwww!!! I suppose that's why it's called 'fiction'.

And BoP, don't get started on New Zealand sheep farmers and why they wear Wellies

What's a 'Wellie'?

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Ruinel
It's 7 years to every human year. But dogs mature before humans. So, you've got me!

I've always heard that rule of thumb, but I also read that more accurately, the first two years of a dog's life are equivalent to about 12 years for a person - and each year thereafter is like 4 years.

Sadly, for us big dog fans, I think larger dogs generally have much shorter life spans (and those annoying little ones just hang around FOREVER! )

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Ruinel
What's a 'Wellie'?

There's a word I haven't heard for many long years....

Wellie = gumboot.

[Jonathan]

Oh, Wellington boots.

[Grey_Wolf]

Concerning unemployment in Sweden. There being a million of us (one ninth of the population) we should perhaps found a party. Union of Unemployed People's Party to put pressure on the politicians to do something about this lousy situation.

What do you think, Jonathan?

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Grey_Wolf
Concerning unemployment in Sweden. There being a million of us (one ninth of the population) we should perhaps found a party. Union of Unemployed People's Party to put pressure on the politicians to do something about this lousy situation.

What do you think, Jonathan?

You mean you have 10% unemployment? And people in the US are complaining that our unemployment is 5.6%.

Personally I think you should get politicians are are a little more friendly to companies in order to attract them and encourage them to hire.

[Falagar]

While we're at the subject, what do you Swedes think of your king's statement about Brunei?

[Ruinel]

Originally posted by Valandil
I've always heard that rule of thumb, but I also read that more accurately, the first two years of a dog's life are equivalent to about 12 years for a person - and each year thereafter is like 4 years.

Sadly, for us big dog fans, I think larger dogs generally have much shorter life spans (and those annoying little ones just hang around FOREVER! )

That's true. Larger dogs tend to live shorter lives.

[Ruinel]

Originally posted by Falagar
While we're at the subject, what do you Swedes think of your king's statement about Brunei?

What statement was that?

[Falagar]

He, if I remember correctly, claimed that he'd never seen such a free country as Brunei after having been on an official visit and shown around in the country by their "president" (whom I can't remember the name of).

For the record, Brunei is (according to most papers I've read lately) a dictatorship...

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Ruinel
What statement was that?

He said Brunei is a very open country, when they are actually a dictatorship and the royal family isn't supposed to open their mouth on political issues. So - there seems to be a big uproar in Sweden over the king's statements.

[Grey_Wolf]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
You mean you have 10% unemployment? And people in the US are complaining that our unemployment is 5.6%.

Personally I think you should get politicians are are a little more friendly to companies in order to attract them and encourage them to hire.

If the socialist-"democrats" could get into their heads that the small companies need to be nurtured, not punished, then perhaps the unemployed would get jobs instead of sitting at home or walking around leaving notes of interest at different places and just getting the same negative response everytime.

[Jonathan]

Originally posted by Grey_Wolf
Concerning unemployment in Sweden. There being a million of us (one ninth of the population) we should perhaps found a party. Union of Unemployed People's Party to put pressure on the politicians to do something about this lousy situation.

What do you think, Jonathan?

Actually about 5.5% of the people between 16 and 64 are unemployed (according to SCB). It was worse a few years ago but unemployment has gone up last year.
I don't think a new party against unemployment is necessary, just vote for the non-Socialists. There are too many parties already and personally I don't like parties with names that suggest they only deal with a single question (e.g. unemployment).

Originally posted by Grey_Wolf
If the socialist-"democrats" could get into their heads that the small companies need to be nurtured, not punished, then perhaps the unemployed would get jobs instead of sitting at home or walking around leaving notes of interest at different places and just getting the same negative response everytime.

Indeed. The policies of the Social Democrats (the ruling party of Sweden) are not that good for companies, especially not the smaller ones. There are so many regulations and laws for companies so that it's a nightmare to start up your own business. If it was simpler, we'd have more companies and a lower unemployment rate.

Originally posted by Falagar
He, if I remember correctly, claimed that he'd never seen such a free country as Brunei after having been on an official visit and shown around in the country by their "president" (whom I can't remember the name of).

For the record, Brunei is (according to most papers I've read lately) a dictatorship...

The king said that the sultan of Brunei was very close to the people, since he travels to every city in the country and shakes hands with the people.
Now people think a dictator can't be close to the people in any way and that the king shouldn't honour the ruler of an undemocratic country when the government is against unemocratic countries. The king in Sweden doesn't have any power and he's supposed to be politically neutral at all times. This statement, which to me seems rather harmless, wasn't neutral and there has been a lot of fuss about it in the media. A hurricane in a glass of water if you ask me.

[Grey_Wolf]

Sweden is the last Soviet State. In this country a lot of people thinks that communism is a viable option. They don't know or ignore the fact that it ALWAYS leads to tyranny. They also ignore all the atrocities commited by communist dictatorships while they scream on the top of their lungs against Hitler and Nazism in their demonstrations. So there is a plethora of idiots in this country.

[Jonathan]

I wouldn't compare Sweden to a Soviet state. It's important to separate the Social Democrats from socialists. The Social Democrats are still strong supporters of democracy and market economy, they just support large public sectors and government control/influence in some areas. Being a bit socialist, it's still far from real socialism Ã* la Soviet.
Not all people are ignorant of the cruelties of the socialistic dictatorships. But I agree people seem to raise their voices more against the right-winged extremists than the extremists on the left.

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Jonathan
But I agree people seem to raise their voices more against the right-winged extremists than the extremists on the left.

I think that's also a tendency in a lot of (western) European countries.

[GrayMouser]

Originally posted by Falagar
He, if I remember correctly, claimed that he'd never seen such a free country as Brunei after having been on an official visit and shown around in the country by their "president" (whom I can't remember the name of).

For the record, Brunei is (according to most papers I've read lately) a dictatorship...

The Sultan of Brunei...it's an absolute monarchy- the Swedish King was probably just jealous.