Norwegian Rookie Viktor Hovland Takes Home Norway’s First PGA Win

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February 24, 2020

Norwegian 22-year old Viktor Hovland won the Puerto Rico Open this Sunday, becoming the first Norwegian winner in the history of the PGA tour.

Hovland said about being the first Norwegian champion: “The only or the first person to play out here was Henry Bjornstad. I grew up kind of watching him play or following the scores online. So to kind of follow his footsteps and be able to win kind of the first tournament for Norway is really special.”

Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State University alumn and former golf star managed to a triple bogey on the par-3 11th and finished with a 2-under 268, subsequently taking home the game by a close call with Jason Teater.

Teater scored a career-best second with a 69.

“Hats off to Viktor, that’s a great putt,” Teater said. “Actually, heard it on the radio that it went in before I saw it on TV. He’s a great player and we’re going to see it more often.”

Hovland’s rookie win breaks an 11-year streak, with 18 events to start without a rookie victory.

The prize Hovland will be receiving? $540,000, a tour exemption for the 2021-22 season and guaranteed spots in the PGA Championship and The Players Championship.

Hovland said: “I hadn’t really thought about the perks yet, but I’m sure it’s going to be nice to get into some of the events that I wasn’t already qualified for.”

Sweden And Denmark Halts Post To China

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 17, 2020

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PostNord announced last week that they will no longer be accepting deliveries to China. In statements posted on both its Danish and Swedish websites, the mail giant noted that “Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, many airlines have canceled their flights to China. Therefore, it is not possible at the current moment to send mail to China with PostNord.”

The problem is not the actual virus, but the lack of flights between China and other countries. The CDC states that there is a ‘very low risk’ of the new coronavirus spreading from packages shipped from China. That is due to the virus being able to remain active and contagious in the human body for weeks but only be able to stay alive for a couple of hours on surfaces.

PostNord notes that it is “currently not possible to say” when the situation will return to normal. The company’s Swedish website cites limited transport capacity as a reason for the stoppage on post to China. The website notes that “packages which have already been sent [to China] since the outbreak of the virus will be heavily delayed”. Due to quarantines currently in place, postal services in China are no longer taking items to address for delivery.

For updates on the situation, customers can visit PostNord’s website to find out more.

Lykke Li To Perform In Support of Bernie Sanders

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 17, 2020

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Fans of Lykke Li, if you’re in Las Vegas today, here’s your chance to see her live. The Swedish singer will perform alongside Swedish-American indie pop band Miike Snow at Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign meet-up in Las Vegas.

According to the press release from the University of Nevada, local politicians and activists will also be present. Bernie Sanders is one of the most popular candidates who is most likely slated to be the Democratic nomination in this fall’s presidential election. Mr. Sanders is currently campaigning across the country, and recently took home the victory in Tuesday’s primary in the state of New Hampshire.

“This victory here is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump,” Mr. Sanders told jubilant supporters in Manchester, N.H., claiming “a great victory” even before the final results were in. And looking toward Nevada and South Carolina, the next two states to vote, he vowed he would “win those states, as well.”

The rally and concert will be held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on February 18, and is free to the public.

Pippi Longstocking Turns 75 This Year: Set To Become A Musical

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 17, 2020

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Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter Långstrump —although this (very long) name might not sound familiar, we’re sure you’ve heard of her before. That’s because it’s Pippi Longstocking!

Pippi, who is one of Astrid Lindgren’s most famous creations, is celebrating her 75th anniversary this May. The character was originally created back in 1940 when Lindgren’s daughter was sick in bed with pneumonia and asked her mother to tell her a story. Lindgren continued telling her children stories of Pippi Longstocking before finally writing them down in a manuscript. In 1944, Lindgren sent the manuscript to Sweden’s then-biggest publisher, Bonnier Publishers, but was initially rejected because the character was “too controversial and might negatively influence children.” A year later, Lindgren’s first manuscript was accepted by Rabén & Sjögren, and subsequently, the first three Pippi chapter books were published from 1945 to 1948, along with a few short stories and a number of picture book adaptations.

Pippi Longstocking is a nine-year-old girl who lives in Villa Villekulla, where she lives free from social norms. One of her habits is to tell stories that are often exaggerated but nonetheless endearing.

Pippi Longstocking’s story is so well-known that it has been translated into more than 70 languages and made into several films and television series. In fact, ABBA singer Björn Ulvaeus is working on a “Pippi at Circus”, a musical to be held at the famed Cirkus theatre in Stockholm. He notes:

“I had the privilege of meeting Astrid several times and her calm, confident radiance with a bright glitter in her eyes always made a deep impression on me. Västervik, where I grew up, is only 55 kilometers from her Vimmerby, so we are both Smålanders. I especially remember how proud I was when she said that I was ‘a real Emil’. I have the deepest respect for her work and hope we can present something she would have been proud of.“

What’s your favorite Pippi story? Let us know in the comments below!

The Items You Need To Bring Some Scandinavian Hygge To Your Valentine’s Day

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Swedes in the States

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February 13, 2020

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One of the best gifts to give and receive must be a good book. Here are some novels that all follow the theme of love. This article contains ad links.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake

A luxurious candle will set the mood every time. The Swedish brand Byredo makes amazing candles in their signature scents. The cult-favorite scen t – Bibliothéque

Byredo Bibliothéque Candle

The Aladdin chocolate box is usually for Christmas, but honestly, we think it’s the most romantic chocolate on the market.

Marabou Aladdin Chocolate Box

This knitted blanket truly embodies hygge with its large yarn knitting.

Knitted blanket

Treating your feet to some cozy slippers this Valentine’s is a must.

Jessica Simpson Faux Fur Slippers

Minnetonka Sheepskin Slippers

Last but not least: Swedish streaming company, Spotify, has put together a playlist with legendary love songs for this very special day. You can find it here!

Greta Thunberg Once Again Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 11, 2020

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First, she became TIME’s Person Of The Year — now, she has her sights set on something bigger.

Greta Thunberg was officially nominated as a candidate for 2020’s Nobel Peace Prize.

The nomination comes from two Swedish lawmakers, Hakan Svenneling and Jens Holm, as they submitted the 17-year-old’s name to be considered for her work in encouraging others to work toward a more sustainable future.

They noted that Greta is a perfect example because she “has worked hard to make politicians open their eyes to the climate crisis” and that “action for reducing our emissions and complying with the Paris Agreement is therefore also an act of making peace.”

Surprisingly, this isn’t Greta’s first time being nominated. Her name came up as a possible Nobel Peace Prize candidate in 2019. However, the honor ultimately went to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his efforts to resolve a long-running conflict with neighboring Eritrea.

If Greta wins this time, she will become the second-youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. That honor belongs to Malala Yousafzai, who was 17 when she became a joint recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her work in fighting for the right for all children to have an education.

However, we’ll have to wait a bit to see if Greta won the prestigious prize. This October. The Nobel Laureates will be chosen through a majority vote. The names of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates are then announced and will receive their prize in an award ceremony in December.

Do you think Greta will win this year? Let us know in the comments!

Scandinavian Spaces Is Bringing Sexy Recycling Back

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Swedes in the States

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February 7, 2020

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We all know how seriously Scandi’s take their recycling. But how boring and non-motivational is it to divide up your trash between unmarked paper bags or metal cans?

Thanks to Scandinavian Spaces, you and your work space can take a big step into the future by not only forcing your colleagues to be sustainable but also doing it with style.

Scandinavian Spaces offers cutting edge furniture and interior solutions for the modern-day work environment. With a foundation rooted in Nordic design, the brand has stayed true to its core values – minimalism, ergonomics, and sustainability.

Their carefully curated line of authentic design is provided by a community of industry leaders in the likes of: Blå Station, Götessons, Karl Andersson & Söner, Materia, Minus Tio, Nordgröna, Skandiform, and TreCe. Who can forget Nordgröna’s beautiful moss walls?

Now it looks like Scandinavian Spaces has done it again. As always paying homage to their roots, they are now, together with partner brand TreCe, introducing a new line designed to make recycling look sleek.

Ridge, Kite, and Cloud truly prove that practical designs can be beautiful. The three, very different, recycling stations each provide unique characteristics, to accommodate a diverse range of work environments. For more information about the different stations, visit Scandinavian Spaces website.

The City of Copenhagen To Plant Trees For People To Pick Fruit For Free

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 6, 2020

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Copenhagen seems to be the place to be if you’re trying to stay healthy. Not only was the city recently crowned as the healthiest city in the world, but now the government has announced that they will be planting fruit trees across the capital.

Because of the new Copenhagen Municipality initiative, locals and tourists will have free fruit readily available for picking.

“Many Copenhageners don’t have their own gardens and therefore don’t have a chance to see the learning process, including for children, that nature is something you can use,” Astrid Aller, a city councilor with the Socialist People’s Party, told newspapers.

“It might seem like a small thing but it’s part of our aim for Copenhagen to be a place you want to be, not a place you drive around by car. We want a city where you’re not just at home, at work or at a park, but where the whole city is a space in which people want to be,” she continued.

Before the initiative, fruit trees and plants were only found in nature reserves such as Amager Nature Park. After being questioned whether the fruit-bearing trees in the city could be a target for misuse, Aller noted that taking fruit with the purpose of selling it would be “too inefficient”.

“I find it difficult to imagine anyone emptying the bushes in order to sell the fruit,” she said. “And if a family plucks two berry bushes to make jam, that’s hardly going to make me see red,” she added.

This initiative comes after the success of another Danish program which hands out free fruit in an effort to persuade kids to stay away from unhealthy snacks. In 2018, over 15 million apples, pears, and bananas were given out to Danish schools across the country in order to encourage healthier habits.

It is thanks to initiatives like these that Denmark is consistently ranked as one of the healthiest countries in Europe.

Finland’s Prime Minister Thinks The American Dream Is Better Achieved In Nordic Countries

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 6, 2020

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Sanna Marin, Finland’s Prime Minister, is a big believer in the American Dream. In fact, she thinks it’s a lot easier to achieve that dream in a Nordic country than in the United States.

“I feel that the American Dream can be achieved best in the Nordic countries, where every child, no matter their background or the background of their families, can become anything,” Marin stated in an interview with the Washington Post last month.

Marin, who became Finland’s prime minister last December at the age of 34, is one of the youngest leaders in the world.

“We feel that the Nordic model is a success story,” she said. However, Marin is hardly the first to think so. Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders has often said that the United States “should be more like Scandinavia.”

“Countries like Denmark and Sweden do very well,” Sanders said in Iowa. He specifically praised them for having an “economy in which you have wealth being created by the private sector, but you have a fair distribution of that wealth.”

It’s no surprise why: on world rankings of happiness, social mobility, health care, and child care, Finland comes out on top.

Marin agrees: “We have a very good education system. We have a good health-care and social welfare system that allows anybody to become anything. This is probably one of the reasons Finland gets ranked the happiest country in the world.”

“Of course, every country’s situation is different, every country’s political atmosphere is different,” Marin said. But she emphasized again, “The American Dream can be achieved in Finland for everyone.”

Photo: Laura Kotila/Finnish Government.

First Case of Coronavirus in Sweden Confirmed

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Luda Berdnyk

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February 1, 2020

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Folkhälsomyndigheten, the Swedish Health Authorities, have confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Sweden.

The patient, a woman in her 20s, came back to Sweden on January 24th after traveling to the Wuhan region in China, which is the epicenter of the outbreak. The woman did not have any symptoms when she arrived, but later started to cough excessively and feel ill. It was at that point in time when she contacted health services, who put her in isolation at the clinic.

“It is important to remember that individual cases are not the same thing as the infection spreading in Sweden. We currently consider this risk to be very low based on experiences from other countries,” stated Karin Tegmark Wisell, head of the Public Health Agency’s department for microbiology.

Health officials also praised the woman for her quick thinking and adherence to procedures in these types of situations. The woman had called the health services hotline to explain the situation, rather than showing up at the hospital in person. She also avoided contact with other people until she could be taken into a quarantine ward to be treated.

“She has acted in an exemplary way,” Wisell told reporters.

Around 20 people have so far been tested for the coronavirus in Sweden, but all tests apart from one in Jönköping have come back negative.

The coronavirus was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization as the death toll exceeded 200 and infected more than 9,600 people.