world regions

[Cpt. Lundgren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Robbert Raets:
>Borg?? (Two question marks, she sounded REALLY surprised) Sounds Swedish.

But you could turn this into:
"Borg? You Trekkies are tennis fans?"

</font>

Did wrote that message quite late. And didn't have any good reference material close. But I can promise you that the joke about Björn Borg has been used often here. Quite a standing joke while the Voyager got through Borg space. Guess it is still useable outside Sweden.

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"We are the Swedes. The life, as you know it, is over. You will, from this day forward, be part of the Swedes. Resistance is futile."

[This message has been edited by Cpt. Lundgren (edited 04-20-2001).]

[JALU3]

wow! . . . so many caucasians here . . . let me guess . . . I'm that colored speck in the crowed? Oh well, I'm use to it.

Me ,myself, not like anyone is interested, I am 100% Filipino ethnicly. Citizen of the USA.


Now you see, there is an on going debate about this, or atleast a large one on the ethnic side.
We as a people are geneticly a mutt race, comprised of Chinese and Spanish heritage mostly. Furthermore, we have a little bit of everything else with us (the Muslims and the Africans (who where muslim) came to the Southern Philippines, we were a Spanish possession until 1898, we were a US Commonwealth until 1947 (we didn't accept our independence til 1948, hehe), and the Japanese held our territory from 1942-1945.
However, society wise, our language is a mix of polynesian tounge and spanish, and our culture can be best described as asiatic latin.

Therefore, some of us consider ourselves part of the Asian American bracket, and other consider ourselves part of the Pacific Islander bracket.
Due to all this bickering, during the US 2000 Census, we got our own box to mark between the Asian American box (followed by several sub boxes, and an other) and the Pacific Islander box (followed by sub boxes).


As far as my family coming to the US, it was the other way around, the US came to us. Therefore, my grandparents being born in the Philippines were US Citizens. After independence Filipinos lost that citzenship, and became citizens of this newly found State (nation being a large distinct group of people). However, there were some who kept their US citizenship. One of them being my Grandfather, who was in the Navy.

So there you go . . . my ethnic schpeal.
Actually, I have 1/16 chinese in me . . . but all filipinos do . . . so I just say I'm filipino.

Oh, something I heard on an HBO movie once:

"Why must we all fight over ethnicity? You know what, one day we'll all intermarry and have children, and they'll all look like filipinos."

I thought that was funny.
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"See Everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little." -Pope John XXIII

[This message has been edited by JALU3 (edited 04-20-2001).]

[qerlin]

"Why must we all fight over ethnicity? You know what, one day we'll all intermarry and have children, and they'll all look like filipinos."

You'd like my Jovian Chronicles campaign, Jalu...I've postulated much the same thing; the majority of humankind is some kind of Chinese-Indian-Latin mix. Caucasians are a REAL small minority. Spanish is the interplanetary language, with a Chinglish hybrid right behind.

[Cochrane]

So, what's the status of Star Trek in Sweden? What series/ seasons are being shown? And do the different Scandinavian countries have a friendly rivalry or what?

[Pirate of Penzance]

I live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

My father is from Italy, the Molise region.
My family name is Di Re. But even our Italian family has French roots from the middle ages. On my mother's side, my granpa was Irish and granny was French-Canadian. My mother's maiden name is Miller. But somehow there's some German ancestry involved on that side of the family. Well, in any case on my mom's side pretty much everyone is blond with clear eyes, often blue.

On my dad's side family members have pretty light features for Southern Italians. So its interesting because I have a mix of Northern European and Mediterranean features;

Im auburn, almost blond, bur my eyes are flashy brown; and I have huge lips and an "arab" nose. Yet my skin is pale white at a natural state (Iv got brown skin because I go to a tanning salon, hehe)

Anyways, I always thought Im made up of an interesting mix!

I don't have an Italian temper, except when Im real pissed off. But I never forgive or forget! Otherwise Im your average Canadian I guess.

[Cpt. Lundgren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cochrane:
So, what's the status of Star Trek in Sweden? What series/ seasons are being shown? And do the different Scandinavian countries have a friendly rivalry or what?</font>

At the moment, they are sending Voyager season 4. It was "Message in a Bottle" this sunday. But as usual, I have an habbit of missing them... but that is not a big problem. At least someone has bought the latest VHS from an import firm. Myself, I am still waiting for Paramount to start releasing TNG on DVD before I start buying the shows myself. Hey. Paramount... Wakie wakie... there is money to make.

And about any rivalry between the countries. Yes there are some... and on a friendly basis. And because Sweden is just in the middle, so we have it with all of the others. Particulary if your into sports, which I am not... at least not the common ones . But it is much more within different parts of Sweden. And that is not allways friendly... Not hostile... but not allways friendly.

[Cochrane]

Okay, Captain, time for 20 questions.

What are the peculiarities of the Kalmar region and Gotland Island?

Are you acquainted with very many Swedish Trekkies?

What are Swedish Trekkies like?

Do you feel much kinship towards Latvians, Lithuanians, and/or Estonians?

Are Iceland and Finland always, usually, sometimes or never considered part of Scandinavia?

Do you know any Swedes named Brent?

Do you know any Swedes named Reier?

Okay, so it wasn't 20. If any of these questions are controvercial, feel free to ignore.

[Robbert Raets]

>"Why must we all fight over ethnicity? You know what, one day we'll all intermarry and have children, and they'll all look like filipinos."

There's a comedian in Holland(John Jones) who said something like that: 'Together we will fuck racism out of this world. Make mocca-colored babies!'

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Your past does not excuse unethical or immoral behavior, sir.
- Data, to Kivas Fajo, the most toys

[Cpt. Lundgren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cochrane:
Okay, Captain, time for 20 questions.

What are the peculiarities of the Kalmar region and Gotland Island?</font>

I don't know that much about Kalmar. A City south of Stockholm. With the bridge to Öland (The island between Gotland and the mainland). Think it is an University or college there.

Gotland on the other hand... Speaks their own dialect, has strange games (for example varpa. They throw a discuss like object as if it was boule...) the rules in some of them could make an cricketplayer cry. Everyone not from Gotland claims that they change the rules all the time, even during a game. The city on the island still has its medevial citywall, and lot of things left from that period. There is also a 14th type of armour named after the city because it is one of the few places they found it in reasonable good condition (you could guess how the looked like), and they found them in masses. By the way, I am just in the middle of buying leather and steel to build an Wisby armour myself.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Are you acquainted with very many Swedish Trekkies?</font>

A few. But you always find out that someone you knew for years is a Trekkie.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">What are Swedish Trekkies like?</font>

Don't know about the hardcore Trekkies who spend all their free time in their Star Fleet uniform. But the rest is just 'normal'. Mostly high educated people though. But that is probably connected to that we doesn't have to pay any fees to go to the university. But I don't know if University/College people likes Star Trek, or if Star Trek inspires people to study. (Could also be that everybody else keep quiet about that they like Star Trek. )

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Do you feel much kinship towards Latvians, Lithuanians, and/or Estonians?</font>

They have been behind the Iron Curtain for to long. So I have no personal relation to them. But they are close to us geographicaly, and Estonia and Latvia was once a part of Sweden. That gives a lot of political and economical closeness.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Are Iceland and Finland always, usually, sometimes or never considered part of Scandinavia?</font>

With Scandinavia we usualy only count Norway and Sweden. But we have the expression "Norden" (something eqvivalent to "the north"), which includes Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Do you know any Swedes named Brent?

Do you know any Swedes named Reier?</font>

Nope. Sorry.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">If any of these questions are controvercial, feel free to ignore.</font>

I ignore any signs of controverce, and answer anyway.

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"We are the Swedes. You will be assimilated."

[Cochrane]

Thanks. The part of Kalmar Lan (Laan? Laen?) I was most interested in was the northern part, closer to Oskarshamn and Vastervik than to the city of Kalmar. A little town called Tuna, and one called Misterhult, to be specific. Actually as close to Linkoping as to Kalmar. (excuse the lack of Swedish characters on my keyboard) My part of Gotland is a town called Sundre at the southern tip.

About the names, I was only asking because my name is Brent Reiersen. So roughly what fraction of Swedes these days have patronymic surnames? Is the surname Reiersen used much in Sweden? I guess actually it would be Reierson, Reiersson, or something like that, of course. Are there any at all with Swedish nationality who use sen rather than son?

Since I have ancestors from Gotland Island, would that mean I probably have German ancestors somewhat farther back along the same lines? I only ask because it would be interesting. Some of my ancestors who lived in Norway apparantly came there from Denmark, and I found someone in Norway named Smith, too, so would that necessarily mean they came from England, or is there a similar name used in Scandinavia?

Hope I'm not annoying you too much with all these questions. Anyone else who lives in Sweden can answer too, and if there's anyone here who lives in any of my other countries who'd be willing to answer a few questions...

[pathstrider]

<shakes head>

No offence intended, but I really don't get this whole decent thing. I'd be tempted to say it was an American thing, but that's not entirely fair.

Speaking as an Englishman (and therefore a memeber of one of the most mongrel races in history) the subject never comes up over here, while you guys seem to talk about it all the time.

Is that true, or is it just my misconception?

anyway, if anyoen wants to know about England, and the North East in particular, feel free to ask.

[Cochrane]

I'm sorry, but I just skimmed the whole thread, and I don't know what you mean by "this whole decent thing". Anyway, I do have some British ancestry. The most recent British ancestors of mine to come to America were some time in the 1700s or earlier. The most recent ones, I'm guessing, were the Stewarts. I'm told they may have even been from the royal family. I've got some Quakers by the name of Ratcliff who came from Lancashire. From there it basically goes all over England and also into Scotland and Ireland, probably into Wales, and actually all over Europe eventually. If the information I have is true, I'm descended from the Plantagenets. When you do the math, just about everyone could be descended from them. The royalty branches out into France, Spain, Austria, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, just about the whole continent. I'm not boasting, because like I said, If everyone could find their ancestors that far back, I'm sure everyone could find some royalty. And royalty isn't neccessarily a good thing! Anyway, I'm somehow not as curious about England. Maybe it's because English is my native language and so there's more information easily available.

[Captain Blake]

Pathstrider,

Look at it this way, When was the last time there was a big influx of people into England, that has been homogenized into the "English"? Has there been anything since the Normans conquered the Saxons? That's what, 900 + years ago. If popular legend/history are to be believed, people were still angry about that a couple of hundred years later. After that though, everyone was Homogenized English, and there you go.

My family came over from England in the 1650s. It's only been 350 odd years for the oldest conquerors here in the USA. My German grandparents came over in the early 1900s. People in the USA care about it because it's still too recent to be forgotten.

Give us a couple of hundred more years, we won't care much either.

Alex

[Cochrane]

Yeah. My father was born in Norway, and I've got other immigrants who came only 100 to 150 years ago. I don't know what to say, except I enjoy learning about this stuff. Believe it or not, I don't believe I'm superior to anyone else, nor am I looking for reasons to. I just find it interesting. I enjoy learning about all sorts of peoples' ancestry. Noneuropean stuff is more interesting to me than European. I enjoyed Roots, and I'd love to get a peek at some of that extensively kept Asian geneology. Hey, I can understand why it's boring to some people. Just trying to explain...

[Michael Brinkhues]

Me, I am pure and certified 100 percent arian stock. ) Well, my grandparents all where so I am even better than that, I am 400 percent arian

Meaning that i have:

An italian mercenary (30 years war, mothers side)

A swedish female (30 years war, father side)

One or more Huns

Likely a few Goth or Vandals

Possibly a Frank (9th century, the Saxon wars where fought next door)

Possibly a Roman (Varus died here)

A tschechian or slowakian female (Miners here)

and who knows what else in my gene pool. Like quite a few germans. Not to mention my name which people often claim to be dutch(No! Not with an Umlaut! No! Not dutch!).

Michael

P.S.: I don't have anything against the dutch. Not as long as the loose the World cup finals to us.