Friday, May 9, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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The viking who discovered America

Published 9 June 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Leif Eriksson lands in America.

According to sources, Leif Eriksson was born in Iceland around the year 970, the son of Erik the Red, a Norwegian explorer who founded the first Norse settlement in Greenland. During Leif’s childhood and youth, large parts of the world were still mysterious and unexplored, but according to the Greenlandic saga, the Icelander Bjarni Herjolfsson had already encountered fog in 986 and drifted off course while sailing from Iceland to his father in Greenland. According to legend, he sighted three unknown lands, which he named Helluland, Markland, and Vinland – which were later identified as parts of eastern Canada. He never landed, however, but continued his journey to Greenland, where he is said to have spoken of his discoveries.

According to the saga, 15 years later Bjarni sold his ship to Leif Eriksson, who set out with 35 men to find the land described by the Icelander. Eriksson followed the route described and eventually reached North America – probably first the island now known as Baffin Island or the northern parts of Labrador.

Eriksson continued to explore the new continent and set up a winter camp in a milder climate while sending his men to explore the surrounding area. According to legend, they discovered that vines and grapes grew there – hence the name Vinland. Eriksson and his crew built a small settlement there, Leifsbudir, which was later used by other vikings who followed in his footsteps.

Eriksson himself returned to Greenland after the winter, according to the sources with a cargo of timber and grapes. On his way home he also rescued a shipwrecked Icelandic crew – which may have been the reason for his nickname “Leif the Lucky”.

Statue of Leif Eriksson in Minnesota. Photo: Mulad

Eriksson never returned to the newly discovered continent, but died as a chieftain in Greenland sometime between 1018 and 1025. His discoveries, however, became very significant, and other Norsemen soon decided to seek out the lands he and his crew had described. For example, Leif Eriksson’s brother Thorvald is said to have later sailed to the newly discovered land, but soon came into conflict and was killed by what were then called “skraelings” – meaning Native Americans or Inuit. According to the saga of Erik the Red, Thorfinn Karlsefni also sailed with 160 men and women, livestock and supplies, and set up camp at Leifsbudir and tried to build a community there. However, after accidents and conflicts (both internal and with the natives), plans for a permanent Norse settlement in North America were eventually abandoned.

How much truth there is in the sagas is difficult to say for sure today. What is certain, however, is that the Norse settled in North America sometime between 990 and 1050. At L’Anse aux Meadows, in the northern parts of Canadian Newfoundland, the remains of a viking settlement were discovered in the 1960s, including at least eight house foundations, tools, metal remains, sewing needles, and the remains of a forge. It was also estimated that the settlement was only used for a few years before it was abandoned – which fits well with Norse sagas.

Reconstruction of the viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows. Photo: Dylan Kereluk/CC BY 2.0

When the French colonized North America in the 17th century, they also heard of an Indian legend that told of a kingdom far to the north, where blond men sat on vast riches of gold and furs – but that it was almost certainly doomed to be reached. It has at least been hypothesized that the stories originated from real encounters with Norsemen hundreds of years earlier.

While Leif Eriksson and the Norse explorers may not have made any major long-term changes to the North American continent, they certainly contributed to our understanding of world exploration. The adventurous spirit and nautical skills of the vikings were extraordinary, and their voyages expanded the world view in Europe long before the explorations of the Renaissance.

Leif Eriksson’s discovery of America. Painting by Christian Krohg (1893)

The date of Leif Eriksson’s landing in the New World, October 9th, is now celebrated in parts of the USA as Leif Eriksson Day, as a tribute to the achievements of the vikings and the Nordic contributions to world history. The celebration is not only a recognition of Eriksson’s achievements, but also of the exchange and meeting of two worlds.

Although there are still many unanswered questions about Eriksson’s time in Vinland, his legacy has lived on in many ways. Interest in viking voyages and culture has become an area of academic research, as well as popular fascination with Leif Eriksson’s adventurous spirit, which drove him and his crew across the world.

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Trump wants 100% tariff on foreign films

Donald Trump's USA

Published today 7:02
– 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.

Record number of Swedes read books last year

Published yesterday 7:21
– By Editorial Staff
Two thirds of Swedes read or listened to a book at least once a week last year.

In 2024, a record number of Swedes read or listened to books, a new survey shows. This is the highest level measured so far in the 21st century.

More than half, 51 percent, of Swedes between the ages of nine and 87 read or listened to a book on a typical day, according to the 2024 Media Barometer from Nordicom at the University of Gothenburg. A full 66 percent read weekly.

– This is the highest figure we have seen in the Media Barometer since the measurements started in the late 1970s, says Jonas Ohlsson, media researcher and director at Nordicom in a press release.

The printed book is still the most common format, with 38% using it daily. In comparison, audiobooks reach 15 percent and e-books only seven percent.

In terms of books sold last year, print books also remained at the top of the list, although sales declined. Audio books are also becoming more common to buy and listen to.

Older, highly educated women read the most

The Swedes who read the most, especially printed books, are highly educated women over 65. At the same time, reading is weakest among men without a university education. As a rule, women read more than men, but the gaps are not as great when it comes to listening to audio books.

– These patterns are not the same for audiobooks, however. The possibility to listen to books seems to lower the threshold to literature, which means that the audiobook reduces the socio-economic gaps that we see in traditional book reading, says Ohlsson.

The survey was conducted on 6000 randomly selected people aged nine to 85.

Swedish criminologist fired after linking genetics and ethnicity to crime on state TV

organized crime

Published 2 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Leif GW Persson in a discussion with the Liberals' Johan Pehrson.

Recently, Swedish criminologist Leif GW Persson stated that there is a very clear link between genetics, ethnic factors, and crime – a link that researchers and authorities have deliberately silenced.

Now he is suddenly being forced to leave the state television program Veckan – which is also being shut down completely without further explanation.

In an episode of SVT’s Veckan med Camilla och Leif GW (The Week with Camilla and Leif GW) just over a month ago, Persson caused quite a stir when he presented a not entirely politically correct explanation for the spiraling crime rate in Sweden – factors that the authorities choose to ignore completely.

– There is one factor that has been studiously avoided, or rather two. One is the genetic link, which is actually stronger than the social links. So what about genetics if you trace this young criminal back through his family?

– That’s one thing. The other is the ethnic factor. They have avoided that, he continued, describing the link between ethnicity and crime as “very strong when it comes to serious organized crime in marginalized suburbs”.

According to Persson, these explanatory models are something “people don’t like to talk about” – and he argued that researchers are well aware of the importance of genetics and ethnicity, but that they have avoided focusing on these factors for purely political reasons.

– Criminological research can, with some justification, be accused of not really aiming at the target. The reason for this is not because people have been unaware, but because they want to avoid anything that could cause problems for them.

“At any cost, I had to be here”

The criminologist also expressed harsh criticism of politicians and other people in power, saying that they have failed completely in building a functioning police organization, among other things.

The TV personality’s comments caused an uproar among left-wing activists and liberals on social media, and he has now been fired from the tax-funded channel.

– It came as a surprise when SVT called and said they were cancelling the program. I have a clear idea of why that is, he told Bonnier-owned Amelia.

– I was actually a bit surprised because they were very eager to get me here. And that was just about a year ago. At any cost, I had to be here. Then it turned out that it was basically just to do 20 programs, Persson continues.

He does not want to confirm at this time that it was his comments about ethnicity, genetics, and crime that led to his dismissal, but he promises to comment further on the matter at a later date.

“That’s for SVT’s managers to answer”

Persson also points out that the program had good ratings, was inexpensive to produce, and received positive feedback, but that SVT’s managers nevertheless chose to cancel it. Program host Camilla Kvartoft also declined to comment on why the program was suddenly canceled.

– That’s for SVT’s managers to answer, but we’ve had two really great seasons with very high viewership, and I’m proud of our programs, she says.

Sofia Dahlström, who is the “acting commissioner for society, documentaries, and minorities” at SVT, states that it was decided from the beginning that there would only be two seasons – something Leif GW Persson does not recognize.

Sweden’s Bohus Fortress gets digital twin for preservation

Published 13 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff

Using drones and laser scanning, a detailed digital replica of Bohus Fortress has been created. The aim is to facilitate maintenance, increase accessibility – and preserve an exact replica for future generations.

Founded in 1308 on the Göta River, Bohus Fortress has been besieged by Norwegians, Danes and Swedes throughout history – but never conquered in battle. Today it is a ruin and designated one of the seven wonders of Västra Götaland and a state building monument, which means that the state is responsible for its preservation.

To improve maintenance and accessibility, the castle architect Allan Ahlman was hired. However, the task proved challenging, with over 26,000 square meters of stone surfaces and walls stretching 22 meters into the air.

– The work was quite cumbersome and time-inefficient, while at the same time it was difficult to get an idea of the longer-term maintenance needs. To some extent, we were forced to react to things rather than prevent them. If something fell down or broke, I had to go through my albums and look for pictures to restore it, he says in a press release.

The solution was to work with Swescan to create a digital twin of the fortress. In 2022, an extensive laser scan was carried out using drones and wearable technology. The result was an interactive model in a digital portal, where users can explore the fortress in detail – from overview maps to high-resolution images, elevation data and measurements.

Digital replica to facilitate inspection

The portal not only provides an accurate picture of the current situation, but also makes it possible to plan maintenance, produce drawings and inspect hard-to-reach areas, such as the old dungeon.

– The fortress becomes very accessible in this way. Anyone with user credentials can use the portal to walk around the area and study the environment, even in hard-to-reach places like the old dungeon. In the future, it could become part of the tourist experience. There are many benefits, and we have discovered more uses than we first expected.

The digital copy is also kept as a souvenir for posterity in case the fortress suffers major damage. For example, when Notre-Dame burned down, the French cathedral was restored with the help of laser scanning in 2010.

– This is a reassurance and a reason to scan more cultural monuments. One day it may be the greatest value of the digital copy, but until then we can use it for many other things, says Ahlman.

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