Anniversary: A Year of Blogging About Sweden

In January of 2008, I began this blog to explore and write about Swedish culture and over time it evolved into a blog that covers "all things Sweden." This journey has taught me and my non Swedish readers about Waffle Day, Valborg, Lucia, Timbuktu (the hip hop artist), classical composer Hugo Alfvén, the Donald Duck Christmas tradition in Sweden, Swedish name order, brännboll, the midnight sun, the Swedish expression "det är ingen ko på isen" (which translates to "no cow on the ice") and really means "there's no problem, don't worry, it will be fine," and the history of glögg, to name a few topics.

This blog also rekindled a political spark in me. I majored in political science in college and never enjoyed debating political issues, but the passage of an extensive wiretapping law in Swedish Parliament inspired me to become one of the few English language bloggers covering the events and protests surrounding the passage of the FRA law (FRA-lagen). The law went into effect last week. No official action on an amended version of the FRA law, which supporters say includes more checks and balances to protect civil liberties, will be taken until February 27th at the earliest.

Here you will find a short history of what's happened with the FRA law, which Google calls the "most far-reaching eavesdropping plan in Europe," since June of 2008:

http://sftostockholm.blogspot.com/search/label/Swedish-politics