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Shrovetide in olden times

Published 1 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Semlor, or Shrovetide buns, a tradition that is still alive in Sweden.

Tomorrow, Sunday, marks the beginning of Shrovetide (Fastlagen) followed in the week by Fat Tuesday (Fettisdagen).

In the old days, there were stories about Shrovetide and the celebrations on those days. “In olden times, Lent was celebrated for several days in a row” and people “drank day and night” before Lent. The festivities, unlike Lent itself, were not a church celebration but a “tolerated collection of antics”.

Today, Shrovetide buns, or semlor in Swedish, remain a strong tradition in Swedish society.

On the eve of the first day of Lent, it is traditional to practice the old Shrovetide customs, which hardly exist today. Fat Tuesday, or White Tuesday, is the last of the three days of Lent and traditionally falls on the Tuesday 47 days before Easter. This means it can occur between February 3 and March 9. It is preceded by “Pork Saturday” and “Pork Sunday”, followed by “Blue Monday”.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. In Catholic churches, the priest traditionally draws a cross on the forehead of the faithful – a way of reminding them of their own mortality, but also of the resurrection.

Churchgoers in Strasbourg receive “ash crosses” on their foreheads. Photo: Claude Truong-Ngoc/CC BY-SA 3.0

Festivities

The Swedish word for Lent, fasta, comes from the German “fastelabend” or “fastelanen. Although Lent is a Christian doctrine, Lent as a celebration does not have an exclusively “ecclesiastical core”. In the past, the celebration around it was a kind of “tolerated collection of antics to compensate for all the merriment that was not allowed to be breathed during Lent”.

“In olden times, Shrovetide was celebrated several days in a row” and could last a week. People would play “Tuesday games”, and Lenten reeds, which was common in the past, refers to “whipping” each other with reeds, which is why we have Easter reeds today. It is supposed to be a symbolic reminder of Jesus’ suffering and to provide penance, which is said to trace “back to pagan Roman times”.

But it was the “fasting races” that gave it its character, it is said. People dressed up in masks, men in women’s costumes and women in men’s costumes, would run through the streets and engage in “all sorts of antics and madness”. There were also races between men and women, with the women running only in ‘bare linen’, which is said to have been common at least in Skåne in the mid-18th century. However, this was considered somewhat indecent and laws were later introduced to restrict the practice.

Predicting the weather

In the pre-industrial farming society, the three days of Shrovetide were considered by many to be good days for predicting the weather. For example, long icicles on the night of Shrove Tuesday were a good sign that straw and flax would grow long. If the day of Lent was clear and sunny, there would be a good grain harvest. If, on the other hand, it thawed with a drops of water falling off the roofs’ edges on Fat Tuesday, the cows would milk well during the summer and the grain would be as big as the water droplets.

Fastlagsbullarna still lives on

Today, the Shrovetide buns, fastlagsbullar or semlor in Swedish, is a tradition that remains strong in Swedish society. In 2022, for example, around six million buns were sold on Fat Tuesday, and it is said that over 50% of Swedes eat a bun on that day.

They are also known as “fettisdagsbullar” (Fat Tuesday buns) and have their ancestors in “hetvägg”, which refers to hot, cooked wheat buns. The word “hetvägg” comes from the German “heisse wecke” meaning hot rolls. Later, semla was served in hot milk.

It was not only eaten as a fasting bread, but also after a large and fatty meal. In Dalarna, for example, “root vegetables and potatoes and meat and pork were eaten”, according to the records of the Nordic Museum. On Öland, Gotland and in Småland, ‘kroppkakor’ with meat and pork inside were eaten instead. In Uppland, Södermanland and Värmland, people ate fettisdagskött, which was boiled pig’s feet.

The word semla comes from the German “semel” and the Latin “simila”, which means fine wheat flour. The semla we eat today, with almond paste, cream and icing sugar, has been around since the 20th century. Variations of semla are also eaten in Finland, Norway, Denmark and Germany.

Rules about semlor

When King Adolf Fredrik died on Shrove Tuesday, February 12, 1771, it was believed that he died from eating too many “hetvägg”. The poet Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna suggested that Fat Tuesday should be banned and “hetvägg should be banished from Sweden for having committed regicide”, according to the Nordic Museum.

However, other accounts claim that hetvägg was only one of many dishes the king consumed that day, and that he also ate turnips, sauerkraut, lobster, caviar, meat, and drank a lot of champagne before suffering stomach cramps and dizziness.

It is said that Adolf Fredrik ate himself to death on semlor. Painting: Antoine Pesne

Until the early 1960s, semlor could only be served on Tuesdays in cafes and pastry shops. It is believed that these laws were introduced in the 20th century because of the shortage of cream and sugar in the post-war period.

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Israel’s Eurovision public vote record sparks suspicion of coordinated campaign

Published 20 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Israeli representative Yuval Raphael performing at this year's Eurovision.

Israel’s contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has become a hot topic – not only for its performance, but also for the record-high number of votes from the audience. Now, suspicions are growing that organized campaigns may have influenced the result.

According to the Schibsted newspaper SvD, both experts and Eurovision fans have reacted to Israel receiving so many votes from TV viewers. Israel’s representative Yuval Raphael won the public vote by a large margin, but Austria took home the final victory thanks to higher scores from the jury groups.

As in Malmö last year, Israel’s entry was controversial even before the final, mainly because of the ongoing war in Gaza.

It is worth noting that Yuval Raphael survived the Hamas attack at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, and she says that the experience has shaped her and her entry, “New Day Will Rise”, which she believes carries a strong message of hope and reconstruction.

EBU will investigate

According to SvD, there are suspicions of coordinated efforts on platforms such as Telegram, Facebook, and X, where users have shared instructions on how to vote from different countries and use VPN services to circumvent geographical restrictions.

Similar patterns have been seen in previous years, but this year’s mobilization is described as unusually extensive. There have also been reports of automated bots and paid advertisements targeting the Eurovision audience.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the contest, has confirmed that it is following up on the information and analyzing voting patterns. In a statement, the EBU says it has advanced systems to detect and stop cheating, but that it always reviews its procedures after the contest.

Journalist asked critical questions about Israel – banned from Eurovision

The situation in Gaza

Published 15 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Journalist Szymon Stellmaszyk, banned from Eurovision 2025.

Polish journalist Szymon Stellmaszyk has been denied accreditation for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Basel. He believes this is due to a critical question he asked Israeli artist Eden Golan last year – something the EBU denies.

Szymon Stellmaszyk has covered the Eurovision Song Contest for 20 years and runs both the Facebook page “Let’s talk about ESC” and the industry website “Radio Newsletter”. This year, for the first time, he has been denied accreditation to cover the contest in Basel.

The background, according to Stellmaszyk himself, is a critical question he asked Israel’s contestant, Eden Golan, during Eurovision in Malmö last year. He asked whether Golan, given the political situation and the war in Gaza, thought her presence could pose a security risk to other participants and the audience.

The question attracted attention and was criticized by some, but Stellmaszyk emphasizes that it was not intended to be offensive or “anti-Semitic”. In an email to Stellmaszyk, which the Swedish state broadcaster SVT has seen, the EBU justifies its decision by saying that the platforms Stellmaszyk uses do not have sufficient reach.

“Restriction”

Szymon Stellmaszyk himself is convinced that the EBU is making excuses and that it is in fact about the question he asked last year.

– This is some kind of revenge and, in practice, a restriction of freedom of expression, he says.

It should also be noted that this year’s EBU media handbook contains a new rule stating that published content must be “respectful” towards Eurovision and the EBU. Eurovision boss Martin Green says the wording is unfortunate and promises that it will be reworded for next year.

At the same time, he does not want to comment on individual cases, but points out that there are a limited number of places for journalists.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will be held in Basel, Switzerland.

Bizarre children’s series described as “digital drug”

Cultural revolution in the West

Published 10 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The characters of the children's series Cocomelon with its abnormal proportions.

The children’s series Cocomelon attracts young children around the world with its colorful animations and catchy songs. Despite its enormous popularity, criticism of the series is growing, with some warnings that its extreme editing could have a very negative effect on children’s brains.

More and more parents and experts are questioning the extremely fast pace of Cocomelon and whether the mass-produced style is really good for young minds, or whether it risks overstimulating children and making them restless.

One of the major objections to Cocomelon is its rapid editing technique, where camera angles change every two to three seconds. This is a hectic and exaggerated pace that is unfortunately all too common in modern children’s entertainment, but here it is taken to a new level.

According to a study by PubMed Central (PMC), the executive functions of 4-year-olds, such as self-control and working memory, are at risk of being severely impaired after being exposed to fast-paced clips for too long.

Many parents also report that their children become agitated after watching children’s series such as Cocomelon, and there is plenty of criticism on social media platforms such as X.

Mass-produced aesthetics

Other research also indicates that rapid camera and clip changes can negatively affect young children’s concentration. The fast pace is no accident either. Cocomelon is designed to capture children’s attention, but some argue that it now goes too far.

According to Findmykids.org, the constant impressions can trigger dopamine release, causing children to seek the same quick rewards even outside the screen – something that can make it harder for them to focus on calmer activities such as reading or playing.

In addition to the pace, the series’ aesthetics have also been criticized. Like most animated productions today, the characters have disproportionately large heads and overly cheerful expressions, which some find unpleasant.

For many parents and viewers, it feels like the series is made on an assembly line where quantity takes precedence over quality, resulting in an aesthetic that is more frightening than charming.

Opinions are divided

Unlike traditional cartoons such as Scooby-Doo, Cocomelon is animated in a way that prioritizes quantity over quality, which is evident in the disproportionate characters and the assembly line feel.

Opinions about Cocomelon are divided. Some experts, such as Rebecca Cowan at Walden University, argue that there is insufficient evidence to single out Cocomelon as the problem – instead, it is total screen time that may be harmful.

– Without empirical research on the show Cocomelon, there is no data to substantiate claims that this show is overstimulating due to the pace of the scenes, she says.

But others warn that the series’ pace and overstimulating elements can have a very negative impact on children’s development, especially in terms of concentration and calmness.

Cocomelon may seem like an easy solution for entertaining young children, but it is worth considering what the fast pace and mass-produced style do to young viewers.

Trump wants 100% tariff on foreign films

Donald Trump's USA

Published 9 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff

Donald Trump has announced that he has initiated a process to impose a 100% tariff on all films produced outside the US that are then imported into the country. Critics warn of the consequences and argue that tariffs will worsen the situation for the American film industry.

The decision, which was announced on May 4, is intended, according to Trump, to protect the American film industry, which he believes is on the verge of “a very fast death”, reports industry publication Variety.

– This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a national security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda, Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Trump said he has instructed the Department of Commerce and the US Trade Representative to quickly begin the process of imposing the tariffs.

Exact details on how the tariffs will be implemented, such as whether they will also cover streaming services or how the size of the tariffs will be calculated, have not yet been announced.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has confirmed that the authorities are working on the issue.

“Incredibly stupid”

Many American productions are currently filmed in several countries that offer financial incentives for film production, including Canada, the UK, and Australia, and industry representatives are now concerned about how the tariffs would affect ongoing projects and collaborations.

The chair of the Swedish Film and TV Producers Association, Eva Hamilton, called the proposal “incredibly stupid” and warned that it could isolate the US culturally and economically.

It just sounds incredibly stupid, and I find it hard to see how it could be implemented. He’s right that Hollywood hasn’t kept up, but stopping all foreign expertise sounds like shooting yourself in the foot, Eva Hamilton said in an interview with Schibsted owned TV4.

Trump has previously singled out Hollywood as a “very problematic place” and, in early 2025, appointed actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as ambassadors to promote American film production.

The American film industry has already been affected by Trump’s trade war, and China, among others, has reduced its quota for American films allowed to be shown in response to the new American tariffs on the country.

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