Posted on 09/23/2007 5:58:50 AM PDT by WesternCulture
Yeah, it’s a big joke. I could just strangle the policy wonks in political debates who bring up Sweden, as if the US is remotely comparable in any reasonable sense.
“While Florence is fine(cept all the pickpockets), I think Santorini is more beautiful. Since I’ve never lived in Europe, but have been all over it, I really can’t say much about livability. On looks though, I think Rome in 2001 after they cleaned it up(first 6 months after 2000 new year) was stunning. It’s gone downhill since, but it was just amazing when I was there in June 2001.”
“- While Florence is fine(cept all the pickpockets)”
- Hannibal Lecter and I never experience any problem with them.
“I think Santorini is more beautiful.”
- Santorini is indeed beautiful too. I haven’t been there but it’s famous for its beauty and I don’t think the images I’ve seen lie.
What I like so much about Florence is the classical architecture. The dome, Santa Maria del Fiore, is one of the most magnificent this ever built by man
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_del_Fiore
It is also of historical importance out of many reasons.
When it stood clear that Brunelleschi’s cupola design was a success, people began to think that the ‘dark ages’ were over (the notion of ‘the dark ages’ stems from the Renaissance), they realized that even the ancient Romans could not have constructed something like this and more and more people started to talk of their own time as a “golden age”.
It is a human right to learn about the Renaissance. The Renaissance is an extremely important and very inspiring part of world history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Renaissance
By the way, Rome is very beautiful too.
- Some Koenigseggs are not especially appealing from an aesthetic point of view, but I’d say these images are.
http://www.x-t-c.com/wallpapers/koenigsegg_01.htm
Anyhow, the foremost reason to buy one is the performance.
But driving my 200 hp Volvo V70 on an empty German Autobahn is a rather nice driving experience too. Can’t wait to do it again.
“Perhaps, but could they beat the Ducks? 8^)”
- Of course not.
But at least Sweden has managed to become World champions AS WELL AS Olympic champions of Ice Hockey in the same year.
No other country has.
Maybe our environmentalist hero and junk science addict Al Gore would approve of this 1018 bhp ethanol fueled Koenigsegg?
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/02/koenigsegg-drops-a-duo-ccgt-and-1018-hp-biofuel-ccxr
Feel better. These ranking things are generally bogus. You can manipulate the results by throwing out variables that cause the rankings to come out contrary to your preconceived desires. Conversely you can also stack the deck by including variables that duplicate factors already in your formula. For ex, this survey included energy prices, waste production/disposal and available parkland. It also included environmenal legislation. The first three are not independent of the last one.
With Sweden on top, I doubt suicide rate was considered as an indicator of the quality of life.
Whatever! If your “summer house” needs a fireplace, you’re waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far north!
I’m not a car person (I love motorcycles) but that is one beautiful piece of machinery!
“As a part-Finn, I might point out that a major portion of the colony of New Sweeden were Finns, then a part of the Kingdom of Sweeden.”
- That’s kinda strange. Finns can defend themselves against the nation that defeated Hitler, namely Soviet, but not against a bunch of pot smoking Dutch???? :-)
Did the Dutch invade New Sweden on Midsummer’s Eve???? :-)
By the way, I have relatives in Finland. My father and I once visited them during the period of Midsummer. Their neighbors managed to burn their house down while drunk.
Johnny Rotten, legendary punk rock star and former singer of The Sex Pistols once visited Finland on a Midsummer’s Eve. Afterwards he said the drunkeness of the Finns was the worst thing he had experienced in his entire life. I mean, JOHNNY ROTTEN said this, not Barry Manilow.
I have to admit Swedes are pretty good at drinking too much too.
“With Sweden on top, I doubt suicide rate was considered as an indicator of the quality of life.”
- Swedish suicide rates are no longer high. Today, they’re average compared to other nations.
Do your homework.
I’ve always been fascinated with Scandinavian culture. It does appear that your type of government works well for you yet would not here in the US.
“Whatever! If your “summer house” needs a fireplace, you’re waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far north!”
- I get the point, but one great thing about Sweden is that seasons are really seasons.
For instance, compare a real Swedish winter with beautiful white landscapes to a winter in Italy, Spain or Florida. Not much of a winter.
Vivaldi probably composed his ‘Le quattro stagioni’ (The Four Seasons) in Sweden. By the way, the pizza version is very nice too :-) Especially the one they make at Trattoria da Paquale here in Gothenburg and yes, I’ve been to Naples (several times, the city has a special place in my heart - and stomach), but Swedish pizza is good too.
Regretfully, American cars (Chrysler seems to be the exception) traditionally were late to adopt new engine technology. GM had an engine used in many of their cars up through the '90s that still used an old-style "pushrod" engine when almost all import brands had long abandoned them in favor of OHC type engines. It worked by the way...and was a reliable engine, but it was "old."
I attended a midsummer's eve party once, in NY State, not a lot of drinking, it was a family affair. I don't think that Finns drink more than the Irish (I'm 1/4 Irish) and the Russians, but I have not lived in places with significant Finnish populations, so don't know Finnish stereotypes (past blind stubbornness [Sisu], of course). I get the impression that the Dutch/Swedish conflict over New Sweden was not a big deal, in terms of forces engaged.
Mercifully, we don’t get snow in winter. Unfortunately for us 30F @ 100% humidity is unbearably damned cold.
Je parle un peu français.
Never been to France, but I've spoken with many who have, and they say that the French (at least Parisians) are VERY unreceptive to those who speak French with an English accent.
I am aware of what Sweden's suicide rates are. The point here is that the introduction of a variable on which Sweden does not have a high rank (average being different from high) could have affected the rank order depending on how the variables are weighted. Which is another way to manipulate scores and why I pay little attention to these rankings.
- I agree. Being a true Conservative and a patriot is, to a large degree, about protecting the unique culture that is your own.
A country like Greece could never become like Sweden or like any other country.
I admire people who believe in who they are and take pride in their roots. There are a lot of such people here on Free Republic.
However, we can learn from studying each other.
One thing about Sweden people from all over the world should study is the Swedish region of SmÃ¥land. SmÃ¥land is one of the best examples found worldwide of what Capitalism should be. Few parts of the world boast such a high percentage of entrepreneurs and it is also home to the richest man on Earth, Ingvar Kamprad, founder and sole owner of IKEA (Forbes disagree with this claim, arguing that ‘technically’ Kamprad doesn’t control IKEA. - Yawn...)
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