Swedish News:

A Swedish 'bunny' in Örebro to love or hate. Homemade sunscreen. The Swedish King needs your tips. 

  • The bunny in Örebro - you either hate it or love it. It cost the city over $15,300 to get him where he is, and he was made by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman.

  • A Swedish 'bunny' to love or hate
    It is the biggest bunny in the world, and it is sitting (or lying, rather) at Stortorget in Örebro, both loved and hated by the citizens. The bunny, whose name is Big Yellow Rabbit, is an art installation in wood and part of the outdoor project Örebro Openart. It measures 16 meters (52 feet) tall, and 16 meters wide and has ears that are 9 meters (29 feet) long. Dutchman Florentijn Hofman, an artist who is known for his sensational works, made the bunny. Many people find it cute, however some don’t like it at all. “It rubs them the wrong way,” says Carina Fogblad, Director of Press at Örebro Konsthall. “What makes people angry is that they don’t think we should use taxpayer’s money for something that doesn’t make the city prettier.” The bunny is one of 1000 other temporary and international art works part of the exhibition. It took a lot of hard, technical work to get it where it is right now, and cost Örebro Municipality over 100 000 SEK ($15,300).

  • Zarah Östberg makes her own sunscreen based on, among other ingredients, carrot oil.

  • Homemade sunscreen
    Many of the most common sunscreens available on the market contain ingredients you cannot pronounce, some of which may be dangerous (like oxybenzone and methoxycinnamate, which may cause cancer). That’s why Zarah Öberg, who has studied environmental medicine at college and is a health pedagogue at ekologiskaval.se, makes her own sunscreen: “You increase the risks for inhaling small, poisonous particles when you use sunscreen in a spray bottle,” she says. “You have to be especially careful with little children.” Like everything ecological, you can’t keep if for too long as it has no preservatives. Make a smaller batch and store it in a dark, cool place and it will keep longer. Zarah also has a website with more healthful tips (also in English): www.zarahssida.se
    Homemade sunscreen, SPF 10
    8 ml tiosol
    20 ml jojoba oil
    56 ml sesame oil
    5 ml shea butter oil
    10 ml squalane oil
    1 ml vitamin E oil
    5 drops carrot oil
    If you want to, you can also add 5-10 drops of any essential oil. Put in a mixing bottle and shake vigorously. It’s ready to use.

  • What should the King of Sweden (and his family) do next year? This year, and part of the last, was filled to the brim with nasty allegations due to the book “Carl XVI Gustaf: den motvillige monarken”. Now the Royal Swedish Court wants suggestions on what the King and his family ought to do in 2012.

  • King needs your tips
    Does the year 2012 mean the end of the world? According to the Mayan calendar, yes, but not according to the Royal Swedish Court. County governors all over Sweden are now asked (by the court) to send in their tips and suggestions for what they think the royal family should be doing next year, in form of activities and travels. The King wants the suggestions sent in no later than September. Each County Governor is allowed three suggestions. Every each a multitude of invitations and inquiries are received by the court, so many in fact, that far from all will be answered. What do you think the King and his family should put on their calendars for 2012? How about help celebrating the 100th anniversary of playwright August Strindberg’s death? Or visiting Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost city, which will have its center moved in 2012 to avoid sinking as there are cracks in the foundation due to the iron ore mining. Should they spend more time on charity? On art? What do you think?