Surströmming & Anders Breivik

What better subject to put with the horrible Norway terrorist than with rotten fish.


I shall start with the lesser of two evils.....  Surströmming :) 

I was talking to a Swedish friend yesterday about Swedish food.  I started by asking him why so many Swedes post pictures of food on their social media.  I think it is funny, because I am looking through photos.. and 75% of them are FOOD...  I told him that when I come over, I was willing to try all of the different dishes that the Swedes have..  and he informed me quickly that, that might not be the best idea...

After watching the video.  I must say, I agree.  I almost kräktes.  OH MY GODNESS, I was able to use "kräktes" and I never thought I would.  :)

Surströmming, is fish that has been fermented for a very long time; pretty much meaning it is ROTTEN!!!!  It has guts, and bones.  Eww.  For those in America, I bet they sell this stuff at Ollie's Bargain Outlet..  :)  Studies have actually shown that the smell of a newly opened can of surströmming is the most putrid smell of food in the world.  That is pretty damn impressive.  The thing about it that I find the most interesting is how it came about. 

Swedish sailors in the 16th century only had half the amount of salt needed to keep their fish fresh, so it began to rot. The sailors came across some Finnish islanders and decided to con them by selling the rotten fish to them. The Finns bought it and the sailors went away. A year later the Swedish sailors returned to the island and the locals asked if they had more rotten fish. The sailors decided to try it themselves, liked it and made more.  It is so awesome that something that started out as a con..  has lasted this long..  :)  I am impressed.  but then again..  I've been told i'm easily impressed :)

The Norway Terrorist...

Last year when I learned of Anders Breivik and his horrific terroristic day..  I was instantly drawn in.  You have to understand, of my many passions..  the human brain is in the top 2.  Psychology is just, amazing, why we do things, and what compels us to do them.  How do we convince ourselves that something is "right" in our own mind. 

Today, when I found out that Anders plead self defense....   I was... baffled to say the least??  I can not rationalize this at all.  Guilty by insanity..  ? sure..  not guilty by insanity... ok, i can make sense of that..

BUT SELF DEFENSE??

This guy posed as a police officer... went to an island, and claimed to be there to help these people.. and then killed 69 of them.  I can not wait to hear this one explained..  where was this imminent threat. 

I must say I am very dissappointed in the American media today, because I can not find any coverage on this trial.  Thank goodness for the internet, but seriously, America, let's get over ourselves.