Sweden

=KINGDOM OF SWEDEN= Captial: Stockholm Population: 9,000,000+

=__**Myths of Sweden**__= **The link also gives access to stories about the other woodland beings,poems, and songs.** An "exact" translation from the Swedish name "Lyktgubbe" is "Lamp-old-man", which means "old man with a lamp", (kind of).
 * There are several myths or Folklore about beings of the dark woods of Sweden.[[image:http://images.epilogue.net/users/doog/willothewisp.jpg width="136" height="200" align="right"]]**
 * **Will-o'-the wisp**
 * **Fairies**
 * **The Watersprite**
 * **The Woodnymph**
 * **The Tomte**
 * **Trolls**
 * **Giants**
 * **Trees (death trees, life tree, healing trees)**
 * The story of will-o-the wisp is as follows - copied from []**

**During** dark nights you can sometimes see Will-o'-the wisp at an old moss, the shores of rivers and lakes or where it used to be an old road or path. The light from his lamp can be wide or small, it can move very quickly then suddenly stop for a while before it starts to move again, very slowly. Usually you only see the light from his lamp, but maybe you happen to see the little "man" himself. He is a short little figure with gray or green clothing. If you see Will-o'-the wisp - keep away from him - if you get too close, you can become ill, or get lost. = =
 * Out** of sheer devilry Will-o'-the wisp can mislead people in the woods. But the little man can be nice as well. If you realize that you are lost in the forest in the middle of the night you can ask nicely for his help. Will-o'-the wisp can show you the way home. If he helps you, you must be very kind and polite - don't forget to say "Thank you". If you forget that, he'll give you a box on the ear. Or he can totally confuse you so you don't find the way to your own door, even if you are standing right in front of it!


 * In** old times one explanation was that the lights came from a dead surveyor who had measured wrongly when he was alive. Now, when he was dead, he wanted to correct his mistakes and draw new boundaries.


 * Today** we know that there are some natural explanations to the mysterious lights of Will-o'-the wisp. A swamp is full of fallen trees, old leaves and mushrooms. All these material rotten and when that happens metangas is created. If there is phosphor in the ground, the light phenomena can occur when the gas meets the oxygen in the air. The other reason is slow electrical discharges between the ground and strongly charged clouds, close to the ground.

=__NEWS__= News on the Americas [] October 22, 2009
 * The Lutheran church of Sweden, conducting same sex marriges starting November.**

Around 70% of the church's board voted to back same sex marriges, making it one of the few global churches to allow gay marriage. Sweden's government introduced a new law in May allowing gay couples the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. Threequarters of Swedes are members of the Lutheran church, though church attendance is low. The Lutheran Church says gay couples can now get married by any of its priests beginning in November. The church, which split from state control in 2000, backed the government's decision to legalise gay marriage in May. But some clergy had questioned whether church ceremonies should be saved for heterosexual unions. Others were against the decision based on the fact that they felt it went against the scriptures.

The Local [] November 2, 2009
 * Swine Flu Toddler dies in Swedish Hospital**

A 3-year-old boy suffering from the swine flu died during the weekend at the Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital in Stockholm. While test results showed the 3-year-old Simon Hamko was infected with the H1N1 virus, doctors are unsure what role the swine flu may have played in causing his death.Simons parents are very angry and believe that their child was not cared for properly. Simon’s parents, Rozin and Jack Hamko, tried to seek care for their son early last week when he started showing symptoms of the flu. However,the doctor at Astrid Lindgren’s who examined Simon said the boy was suffering from a virusthat his body could fight off without any treatment. Since toddler suffered from an undiagnosed muscular disorder, he belonged to one of the risk groups which is supposed to be given priority for the swine flu vaccine, but had not yet received the vaccine.Swine fluwas never mentioned during the Hamkos' initial visit to the hospital but they were told to keep giving Simon fluids and sent home.Simon’s conditioned worsened and his parents took him back to Astrid Lindgren’s emergency room where they were required to wait nearly 30 minutes before being seen.Finally after doctor noticed how sever his symptoms were doctors then took him to intensive care.Simon's heart stopped early Saturday morning and Doctors were unable to revive him.“Those who seek help have to be taken seriously. Doctors can’t react like soulless people who lack any feelings,” said Simon’s father, who remains convinced that his son would have lived if he’d been admitted to hospital upon his first visit.

=__**Sweden's Weather**__=
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 * Weather Forecast for Stockholm ||
 * //Issued at 03:00 (Local time) 02 Nov 2009// || Date |||| Temperature [|o__C__]

( Mon ) || ** 5 41 ** || ** 6 43 ** || ||   ||   || ( Tue ) || ** 4 39 ** || ** 6 43 ** || ||   ||   || ( Wed ) || ** 2 36 ** || ** 4 39 ** || ||   ||   || ( Thu ) || ** 3 37 ** || ** 5 41 ** || ||   ||   || ( Fri ) || ** 3 37 ** || ** 5 41 ** || ||   ||   ||   || =__Comic Relief__= media type="custom" key="4710733"
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=__Transnational Issues__= [] There are currently no transnational issues/disputes to report.