Between a Saturday and Sunday

It is difficult to predict what might happen on a Saturday and Sunday outside of boring household routines such as washing schedules and house cleaning. After an often stressful five-day work where you stretch the limits of your brains to cope with your deadlines, you do look forward to a relaxing weekend. What is a perfect weekend?

Last weekend was First Advent. It should have been work- free Saturday except that a colleague begged me to replace her. So I worked and when I got home after three in the afternoon, I saw that most houses in my neighborhood already had advent lights on the windows. I had problem digging through my storage to find my advent lights, but I found three among several I bought the past Christmases. Then I went into a cleaning frenzy, hoping that my Sunday would be pleasurable. I was going to hang out with my granddaughter Ariana while her parents got a special Sunday health treat at Hasselludden.

But this weekend, like most recent weekends felt more burdensome. I read both Swedish dailies, including the past issues I missed and the contents are heavier on the environmental problems. With the world conference on climactic changes opening this week in Bali, Jakarta, there has been a heavy dosage of articles on the subject since about a month now. The world is getting warmer, the glaciers are melting, the days are thirstier for water. Is this good news for countries in Northern Europe that have winter for six months? Many think it is an act of benevolence as living in fierce winter can be bone-breaking. But what about in developing countries in Asia and Africa? It will mean food scarcity due to long draught and lack of rain. More hunger. More sickness. And poverty continues.

Ariana and I had a nice lunch of grilled salmon in Vällinghus centrum. She was very eager to tell me about her latest school project at Kungsholmen gymnasium. She did a comparative study of Portugal and Mozambique and thought she did a good work. Yes, it was a study of the colonizer and the colonized. I said that Portugal was a bad colonizer in comparison to Great Britain because it did nothing for its colonies such as Mozambique ( where I lived for almost five years) Angola and Guinea Bissau. They were just Portuguese overseas provinces. I told Ariana that Spain did exactly the same in the Philippines. It was the Catholic church and its missionaries that introduced the administrative system - population census incl. births, marriages and deaths. It was more for taxation than anything else.

We went thought her school album, there she showed me her classmates, best friends, favorite teachers with explanations why "she loved her Swedish teacher" and thought weired of her young Math teacher. Then we went through the different school clubs, and I was very impressed that she had chosen several worthy cause-oriented clubs such as environment and Amnesty. Looking at those faces on her school book made me think that in some ten years, these young people will be running the country. Ariana said that she was going to do a social science study about the growing violence among young people. An excellent choice of a current social problem eating away at the moral fabric of society.

When I drove Ariana home to Bagarmossen we passed by Skogskyrkogården to light candles in Bo's grave. The forest cemetery was beautiful in its stillness and many graves were lighted. This will be the first Christmas without Bo, who loved everything about Christmas like a child lost in fairyland. It will also be different for Ariana not seeing her grandfather in his Santa Claus attire, long after she discovered Santa's true identity after seeing and concluding that both Grandpa and Santa wore the same wristwatch.#

Escape to Riga

Swedish weather is sadistic. It always rains on special days such as the midsummer in June, the green Christmas for the Swedes. Everyone, especially children, go out wearing crowns of flowers on their heads and dance around a decorated letter T-shaped pole. But it rains and the sky never smiles. The same thing happens on All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day on November 1 and 2. In Sweden, they celebrate only All Saints' Day, a day when the living visits their departed loved ones, wherever they are laid to rest.

I did not go to Skogkyrkogården to visit my beloved husband. Snow came on that day and it was blowing cold from North pole. Bo would have wanted me to do something more fun to remember him. So I escaped to Riga, Latvia's vibrant capital. I made a last minute booking with Tallink-Silja and luckily discovered its crazy week discounted cruises.

Riga is known as the "Paris of the Baltic" and I must admit that this is not far from reality. In fact, it is a truly beautiful city of astounding architectural achievement. The old city is a landscape of gentle hills and slopes, a rivulet passing through and trees studded along the lanes. Castles and cathedrals at various locations and buildings with art noveau designs give the city a unique ambiance of old and new, ancient and modern. The Baltic sea lies beside like a protecting mother.

I have been to Tallin, the capital of Estonia many times. It was there I went when it rained so much in Sweden last midsummer. It is also a beautiful city but in a different way. It does not have the softness of Riga's city landscape. Tallin's old city is nestled above a high ground that overlooks the town center and the sea. Old Riga lies beside the sea and its sprawling commercial center.

It was interesting to watch the people walking in the park, shopping in the modern gallerias and I was very impressed at how fashionable they were dressed. Street-smart, as they say, and what one would expect to see in Paris or Milan or any of the fashion-conscious cities of the world. Most of the people I saw were young and good-looking. It was like watching a fashion show in a huge park. Even in the boat "Vanna Tallin", my co-passengers were smartly-dressed young people speaking what I presumed to be Russian.

I've always been curious to learn more about the Baltic states and its people because they are exotic and their histories are rich. Just now they have exciting economies that defy stereotype prognosis. The Nordic countries, especially Sweden, seized the opportunity to extend investments in the Baltic region. It is paying off handsomely.

My escape to Riga was an eye-opener. It was too short. I merely saw the surface of things. I did not experience or see Riga's throbbing nightlife which judging by the number of advertisements one reads in all the Baltic newsletters, are many and strongly competitive. There are gourmet restaurants for the food afficionados, health and beauty centers, theaters and museums. That's for the next escapades. And Vilnius, Lithuania also awaits.

Remembering you with love today, Oct. 30th

Today would have been the 25th year we would be celebrating your birthday and it is special because you would be turning 75 years. A great age of wisdom gathered from social and historical interactions with different peoples in different places and at different times. Times of peace and times of war, where you had been as Swedish diplomatic representative.

You were in Africa on two diplomatic assignments. The first was in Botswana and the second was in Maputo, Mozambique. You sowed seeds of solidarity and goodwill with the Frelimo government in Maputo, with leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), and with other African leaders in Southern Africa. It was not an easy assignment being a diplomat in a newly-liberated Marxist-led country that was not yet healed from the ravages of colonialism. You came home every end of the day carrying a heavy burden from not being able to do enough amidst so much poverty. When we left Mozambique in early 1987, the Swedish development assistance was significantly raised to new levels.

Besides the countries you helped to gain a foothold in Swedish aid and trade, you were even bigger in your personal relations to the small people, like your embassy and household staff. You had a big heart for anyone needing help, your gardener in Manila whose son needed money for school tuition fee; your housekeeper who short-changed you with food money was not fired; Your driver in Maputo who was engaged in same shady deals kept his job; the two wives for your gardener in Maputo were both invited to the employees party; a childless Swedish couple in Manila adopted two Filipino children with your help; an Afghan friend working at the Development Bank of the Philippines finally got his Swedish citizenship because you vouched for him. Your Bosnian assistant-secretary in Mostar moved to the Swedish Embassy in Sarajevo after the end of EU's Administration of Mostar because of your good words. Just a few I remember, but in reality there were many more stories of friendship about people who sought your help.

There's no one in all the places you have been, that was not touched by your friendship, generosity, honesty and sincerity. No one believed you were a Swede because you had great social magnetism. You outshone everyone without being pretentious. You had a great laughter and many stories to tell. You loved best the tale of how you tricked everyone at a ministerial party in Manila by giving Prince Bertil vodka instead of coconut water in a shell. And that in one of Imelda Marcos' famous disco evenings in Malacanang Palace, she did not release you and Hollywood actor George Hamilton until 4 o'clock in the morning. Nor will I ever forget how the Brazilian ambassador complained to you about bruises he got on his chest from dancing with Imelda Marcos' diamond-studded Blue ladies.

Bo Kälfors, today is your 75th birthday. I miss you so much it aches to remember all the things we did in 25 years of travelling together. I remember when you turned 50 in Manila in 1982, when we flew to Palawan Island. You had a helicopter at your service to take us to different islands. So you walked through a row of honour guards with your rolled-up pants and returned the salute. Once inside the plane you burst into a big laughter at how ludicrous you thought you looked.

I will never forget the last words you said when I left you at the hospital in the fateful evening of May 16th, just a few hours before you left so quietly. I told you I was going home and would call you by telephone. I stood by the door and saw you wave at me. You have a smile on your face like always and you said: " I love you!" Your very last words. I knew you did for 25 years, and beyond. I know that even now, in the silence of the forest grave where you lie, the passing wind whispers your last words like a song. Rest in peace, my beloved. You are loved and remembered by many.

Losing a child to senseless violence

Stockholm is in grief. Stockholm is in protest. A growing number of its young people have been killed by peers and same generation bystander in the open streets, at parties, in commercial centers. More than 10,000 people demonstrated against youth violence last Friday, Oct. 12 at Kungsträgården (Kings Garden), in the middle of Stockholm city. The recent brutal killing of a 16-year old boy during a party at nearby Kungsholmen triggered a massive emotional outburst against violence, among the young and old.

It is hard to believe that in Sweden -where life is safeguarded with every possible measure the state could extend, not just because of the egalitarianism of the welfare state but because the value of the child has been raised to higher levels with the UN Rights of the Child interpretation at all levels of community life. The UN convention has enshrined the rights of the child to a happy home, to an education and safe community living, but somewhere, these safety measures are forgotten. Is it not ironic that violence takes place during a social or leisure activity. Who is to blame? The schools have no extended role to intervene in the students' social life after school hours. Most parents today are modern enough to allow their children's choice of friends and social activities. The use of strict disciplinary rules to curtail children's freedom belong to the past.

Losing a child has no words to describe grief. A parent's love begins with the first pulse of life inside the womb, the first breath at birth, the first cry for mother's milk. And that love grows each day of caring and loving. There is no feeling of tiredness when it comes to loving one's child. In times of sickness, there is only one prayer that pervades in the night, "Please. God, let it be me getting sick. Spare my child!" A parent's love for their children is the purest feeling there is. So what happens when one day, when someone's 16-year old son does not come home after a party and instead some policemen knocks on your door and delivers the message of death. It is a shattering experience, a devastation that explodes one's being and leaves a permanent void. Losing a child because of an accident or illness has some mitigating factors, but there is no room for any self-appeasement when a son or daughter is brutally murdered by young offenders.

(Photo has no relation to the story.)

Gloating and glowing over low unemployment

Fredrik Reinfeldt can gloat over the "glowing" low unemployment figure released to Swedish media Oct. 10th, a record-low 3.3 percent by the end of September this year, as compared to 4.2 percent last year. The non-socialist Alliance government won last year's election on its campaign for more jobs, and it appears that structural reforms in the labour market is paying off.

But the price for getting people back to work has been a bitter pill for those happily content with drawing out monthly unemployment benefits. The financial difference between working and cashing in on unemployment is insignificant, so that many choose not to work. Many find loopholes like prolonged sickness, to enjoy a blessed status quo. But this complacency has been rudely interrupted by tough measures such as cutting down on benefit levels and payment periods. Through tax inducements, employers have been seduced to hire.

The Socialist opposition is playing coy with the achievement, saying that there are those who stand farthest from the labour market. Opposition party leader Mona Sahlin promised in her alternative budget to restore, even raise the daily unemployment payment. One wonders what's in the head of this old-fashioned Socialist. Surely, compassion through prolonged welfare dependence will not sustain a national economy that lacks productivity. Was it somewhere in the Bible that says, don't give the fish, but the hook and line to fish with?

Although the one-year achievement of the non-Socialist Alliance, particularly in job creation and job tax reduction are indeed impressive, there are some nagging questions left unanswered. Are job openings mainly in the service sector like households? Are academics who borrowed money from the state agency CSN getting jobs in their chosen fields? Or are they being re-routed to sectors that have nothing to do with their training and competence. Many times, competence has the least role to play in recruitment policies because there are employers prejudiced against higher education. In fact, there are prejudices based on racial superiority that still lurks in many recruiters' corridor.

Instead of making distinctions such as newcomer immigrants and refugees vs long-timers who cannot find work, how about differentiating between the educational levels of job applicants- vocational training, college (gymnasium), university degree, post-university degree, or university of hard knocks. It would appear that Sweden ranks pretty low when it comes to a competent manpower base, so that foreign companies are not that attracted to relocate here. What was the rank? According to a Swedish media report, 22nd place out of 33. Now, this is sad!

(Sources: Dagens Nyheter, Svenska Dagbladet, 10 Oct. 2007

Photo source: DN )

Equitable budget for whom?

The Swedish opposition led by party leader Mona Sahlin and finance expert Pär Nudar announced this week an alternative budget cutting down wealth and property tax benefits introduced by the conservative Alliance government, and restoring low union fees and longer unemployment payment period. In addition, the retirees are promised a pension raise. The Socialists claim that the conservative Alliance' budget has made the rich, richer and the poor, poorer. That it has created a more inequitable distribution of wealth.

Let us dissect both budgets and see where inequities lie. Tax reduction under the conservative Alliance became visible within its first year in power and many wage earners - from high income to low income, saw the difference in their pay checks. That was swift fulfillment of an election promise. The downside was, union fees rose dramatically , in particular membership fees to the unemployment insurance. Those two alone ate up most of the 1000 Swedish crown tax relief. For those in the service sectors, the increased union and unemployment insurance membership fees became a heavy burden for already tight household budgets.

Then the Alliance - seeking to reform an over-exploited welfare state system- forced unemployed and long-term sick leave beneficiaries to go back to work, by cutting down on unemployment insurance benefits. Tax reduction incentives (jobbavdrag) means tax reduction applies only to those with jobs. That's about 30 out of 38 billion crowns for the first step tax reduction, according to an SvD report.(SvD, 6 Oct. 2007)

The Socialist opposition criticised the work tax incentive as "creating inequities in the society and affects those who stand outside the labour market". And now, the opposition parties are saying no more to a next-step 11 billion crown job tax reduction benefit. Where is the injustice here? It creates a strong motivation to work. There is always work to be found for those who will not live forever as social welfare parasites, nibbling at the taxes paid by the hard-working productive members of society. Look at the Vietnamese refugees who came to Sweden in early 1980s- who simply started their small businesses and sent their children to higher education. The same goes for other Asians like the Thais who set up restaurants and specialty shops. They did not get any government subsidies to get started.

We have to admit in all honesty that the thieves and parasites of the welfare state system have increased their tribes, in proportion to the generosity of the Socialists distribution of taxpayers' money. Although the sudden fee increases introduced by the conservative Alliance made instance chock, in the longer run, curing the Swedish society of a malignant welfare dependency sickness is more acceptable and just. The only thing that they have truly missed out, and for which the Socialist opposition has seized upon, was the proposal to raise pension. Here lies true injustice, when the larger population of retirees in Sweden - who have already paid taxes while actively working, should be taxed as high as 30 percent. But the Socialists' proposed 2000 crowns raise over a one-year period is pittance and pure cosmetic.

The other items in the Socialists' alternative budget are just refrains from an old song grown weary from repetition. If Sahlin and company want to spread egalitarianism, by all means do so via increased productivity and not through dole-outs. And definitely not at the cost of other people's sweat.#

Selling Sweden

In the Sept. 26 issue of Dagens Nyheter came an article about a film on how best to promote the Swedish trademark abroad. A film entitled "Sweden - open skies, open minds" will be premiered on Tuesday, Oct. 2. It will be a 4 minute, 33 second fast-moving documentary showing a visual and emotional experience of Sweden, the news release said. The promotional film under the sponsorship of the Swedish Institute and the Authority for the Promotion of Sweden Abroad, intends to use it in various official occasions "to strengthen Sweden as a trademark internationally".

First of all, I find the title "Sweden - open skies, open minds" very misleading. Open skies for what. Seriously, this sounds like an invitation for terrorist attack from above. For unfriendly countries with hidden agenda to wage or plot terroristic attacks by air because Swedes have an "open mind"? What happens to national soverignty that includes prohibition to fly over other national territories without prior agreement. And what has "open minds" got to do with promoting the unique nature beauty of Sweden, its archipelagic waters, frontier forests, multi-ethnic society and well-landscaped, well-maintained cities like Stockholm. Such a waste of taxpayers'money ( I would assume so, as the Swedish Institute falls under the jurisdiction of the foreign ministry.) for a project that mismatches words and visuals.

The organisers also explained that during the premier showing of the film - which basically " will show Sweden with its sunshine (?) dazzling nature (?) and beautiful people(?), wondered if other images of Sweden should also be included, such as disharmony(?). What in heavens name do they mean by "disharmony". Are they referring to the "ugly" as well? Things like hidden poverty? racial segregation in housing? immigrant ghettos in Rinkeby and Tensta? segregated labour market where immigrants are the underclass? Excuse me, but if they cannot specify what "disharmony" represents, the whole thing sounds like music with discordant notes.

Show the Royal family castles by all means, Swedish music (ABBA is forever!) and fashion ( It is Hennes&Mauritz country, for God's sake!) and museums, why not! But please don't label it "Open skies, open minds". It is dangerous and I would say, rather embarassing for people who know what "open skies, open minds" imply.