Reply to: Sweden aims for oil-free economy

[sasguru]

The Swedes should be beheaded. Dunno why, though.

[Mustang]

Sweden

Beautiful place, beautiful people - just a social system that would make Tony Blair proud!! I lived there in '89 (Linkoping) and '98 to '02 (Stockholm) and have some great Swedish friends and am godfather to a 4 year old. For me, it was hard to adjust to the system of high taxation, equality, minimal confrontation, and concensus.

The cold and dark winters were easy to adjust to - especially if you were with someone to take your mind off them - but they do have an impact. Conversely, the warm long summers are a plus too! Like all nationalities they have their quirks but nothing outrageous!! Nice to have all that eye candy too......!!

Btw, the windows in my apartments were triple glazed!

[holsson]

One of the ways that they achieve this is by building houses properly.

My week day residence is a constant 21 degrees when it's rarely been above zero each day, with almost no heating turned on.

My UK weekend retreat (!) is sometimes down to 18 degrees with the heating going full blast all the time (and leaking through the walls).

tim

Very true, one of the few things I miss from Sweden! Never been as cold indoors in Sweden as I have in the UK

Though, Sweden can manage it even easier than that, if they were willing to sacrifice some more rivers it could get enough energy from water power to power most of the country I believe.

[holsson]

If Sweden is such a great place why did only 3000 Eastern Europeans go there to work as opposed to 450,000 who came to the UK and Ireland?

I don't know how many go there to work, but I've heard that there used to be quite a few cases of Balts and Poles going to Sweden to get in to prison, apparently the prison wages were fairly good in Sweden and with free food and lodgings they could save up quite a bit of money to bring home when they were released.

[Churchill]

Hows the research into fusion power going ? anyone ?

We can make the reaction happen, it just occurs very quickly, makes a big mess and nobody in the immediate vicinity is left alive to tell the tale... In fact, it's going like a bomb.

[Fungus]

Hows the research into fusion power going ? anyone ?

It's still about 40 years off before we get a commercial reactor. The next generation thermunuclear research centre, which will act as a demonstrator of the technology, is to be built in Cadarache in France. It was to have been in Japan, but France went into a big sulky huff until everyone changed their minds. From what I've read, the scientists are rather optimistic. I don't understand why they don't put even more resources into the research. It's supposed to be much cleaner than fission reactors, and unlike wind power, does not spoil the view of rich people with Highland holiday homes.

[Joe Black]

If Sweden is such a great place why did only 3000 Eastern Europeans go there to work as opposed to 450,000 who came to the UK and Ireland?

Perhaps Swedish is not as much a second language to as many Europeans as ours...

As I said before, if they can do it then good luck to them. Can't see many other countries setting such a goal and perhaps having a chance of making it.

The question is...if most of the west undertook such an approach, where would that leave the middle east...getting by selling Persian carpets, or carpet bombing us?

[DodgyAgent]

Lookin at yours - I can see that George Cole has had better days.

Believe me he has

[bogeyman]

looking at your avatar I can see what you mean

Lookin at yours - I can see that George Cole has had better days.

[DodgyAgent]

Because they know the people wont accept them - they will make it very, very hard for them.

In the UK anyone can just walk in and piss all over the native population.

looking at your avatar I can see what you mean

[bogeyman]

If Sweden is such a great place why did only 3000 Eastern Europeans go there to work as opposed to 450,000 who came to the UK and Ireland?

Because they know the people wont accept them - they will make it very, very hard for them.

In the UK anyone can just walk in and piss all over the native population.

[bogeyman]

That's the suburb with all the soviet era apartment blocks. My commiserations.

Obviously you have never been there Threaded. It is not a 'suburb'.

[threaded]

Yes I have, in Vallentuna from 1985 to 1988.

That's the suburb with all the soviet era apartment blocks. My commiserations.

[DodgyAgent]

Yes I have, in Vallentuna from 1985 to 1988.

If Sweden is such a great place why did only 3000 Eastern Europeans go there to work as opposed to 450,000 who came to the UK and Ireland?

[bogeyman]

You've not tried living here have you?

Yes I have, in Vallentuna from 1985 to 1988.