The Confusion between Scandinavia and Nordic

It’s long been a mystery for me and most of the world the difference between the Nordic and Scandinavian. As I learned, Scandinavian is an anglophone term that includes Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Occasionally, in loose English definitions, it includes Finland and Iceland.

The Nordic countries is composed of an official group called the Nordic Council. The Nordic Council includes the three Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Denmark), Iceland, Finland, and three autonomous regions (Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland Islands.

Below is a table of the Nordic region nations:

Flag
Country
Governance
Capital
Population

Official Scandinavian countries

Denmark
Kingdom
Copenhagen
5,519,287

Norway
Independence 1905
Oslo
4,836,183

Sweden
Kingdom
Stockholm
9,336,487

The additional Nordic nations

Finland
Independence 1917
Helsinki
5,349,829

Iceland
Independence 1944*
Reykjavík
319,756

Nordic autonomous [...] Continue Reading…

March 9, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Swedish Olympics Withdrawal

I have an addiction. During the Winter Olympics I am addicted to the television. The Summer Olympics just are not the same. There are no crashes. Nothing crazy happens. What, a runner ran and tripped? Not exciting. A skiier flew off the track and into the tree? Crazy. A luge flies off the track? Okay, crazy and yet sad after this year’s death of the Georgian luge athlete. The world’s most dangerous Olympic Sport? Snowboard and his sister, Ski Cross.

And hey, nothing beats curling.

Or men’s hockey.

Or giant slalom.

Or the Super-G.

Now I [...] Continue Reading…

March 3, 2010 | 7 Comments »

Sweden at the USA-Canada Olympics Gold Hockey Match

Couldn’t help but laugh at the Swede who’s routing for… Sweden … at the USA – Canada game? Whoops!

UPDATE: Canada scores first and “the place goes bananas.” USA ties the game with 24 seconds left in regulation. Canada wins the Gold medal in an overtime match against the US. Very awesome. Crosby puts it in. People are going crazy in Vancouver!

What about our Swedo? Evidently he wore this outfit so that his wife could find him on tv. Smart little Swede.

Medal Ceremony at the Hockey game. You can still spot the Swede.

Some [...] Continue Reading…

February 28, 2010 | 5 Comments »

Ryanair & Snow Adventures at Skavsta Airport

This week in Stockholm, traveling anywhere is a bad idea. The weather has been so bad that it’s better to stay at home than go to work, a so called, snödag. Schools were closed, and those who braved the weather took an adventure through the city to get home. Cuz of course SL, the local rail and bus transit system of Stockholm was broken most of the day.

I had a better adventure than trying to get to work on Monday. I was going to Skavsta airport on Sunday evening to catch a flight to London. [...] Continue Reading…

February 24, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Mjölk, Mjölk, Mjölk – The World of Swedish Milk

Honestly, I should have learned something about Sweden.

That is, I should now be master of the dairy section of a grocery store. Because I failed that, I am crawling back to become the master of the milk section of the Swedish grocery store. Folks, take heed, learning the different types of milk (mjölk på svenska) takes a highly skilled, milk loving ninja to figure it out. And so, I tried.

Just at the Coop (one of the local grocery stores), I counted 20 different milk-esque items (including different fat levels of the same type). Yes, madness. [...] Continue Reading…

February 22, 2010 | 8 Comments »

Yes, Swedish Girls are Beautiful

The rumors are true. Swedish girls are pretty. They’re gorgeous. Swedish girls can really be hot; and I’m a girl saying this. In the US, you’re lucky to find girls that are 7 or above, the average is a 2 or 3. In Sweden, the average girl is at least 4 and it is easy to find 7s or 8s. Pretty amazing from coming from the polar land way north on Earth.

I collected some photos of the hot swedish women and posted them up. It’s summertime in these photos; surely it would be [...] Continue Reading…

February 13, 2010 | 19 Comments »

10 Commandments of being a Pick Up Artist

After taking the blue pill and heading down the rabbit hole of the pick up artist industry, I learned a lot of the industry teachings is about instilling common sense and confidence in men.

This is third part to my series about the Stockholm Sweden Day Game Workshop I attended under the dating coach Jeremy Soul and under the Love Systems Corporation.
Part I: Umm, you wanna be a Pick Up Artist?
Part II: Playing THE Game by Challenging Darwin’s Game

On a side note, Love Systems is the company that evolved from Mystery Method, as made famous by [...] Continue Reading…

February 11, 2010 | 8 Comments »

World Nutella Day in Sweden … Mumms!

I stumbled across the best food holiday ever: World Nutella day. And with the terrible things that happened this week, i really needed something happy.

The founders of Bleeding Espresso, Ms. Adventures in Italy, and At Home in Rome have set up feb 5th to be international nutella day. What does mean for those in Sweden? Skip the sugary Swedish Nötcreme, it has nothing on our delicious goodness from Italy.

Why is Nutella better than Nötcreme?

Nutella is made from hazelnuts and chocolate, nötcrème is made from hazelnuts and vegetable fat and sugar.
Nutella comes in a delicious jar, nötcreme [...] Continue Reading…

February 4, 2010 | 6 Comments »

Annoying Poker ads on Swedish TV

I just can’t take it anymore. Swedish television ads tend to repeat themselves 4-5 times over the course of a tv show. Then you add gambling ads into the mix and it becomes really annoying. Like so fucking annoying I want to through a shoe at the television (though I won’t since the TV does not belong to me).

In a country where the government controls how you drink because of a dictatorial alcohol monopoly system, it’s fun to see that all bets are off when it comes to advertising online poker, bingo, lotto, and other [...] Continue Reading…

February 3, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Violence in Sweden

Whenever people think of Sweden, they think of Switzerland, the land of the Alps, chocolate, and serenity.  Sweden fulfills the serenity and peace; and for most people, a safe country.  Considered a boring country to many because nothing happens except an occasional mob of girls beating each other silly at the H&M stores.

This week I was reminded that just because the world perceives Sweden as a safe country, crazy people still exist.  Bat shit violent crazy.

A week ago, I was planning a business trip abroad and so the night before was working late, putting my papers together, cleaning the [...] Continue Reading…

January 30, 2010 | 21 Comments »
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