I took an SAS (Scandanavian Airlines) flight from London to Copenhagen last year. As the passengers were settling in and the cabin checks were underway, the steward came on the intercom and announced that because it was an international flight, service would be in both languages, English and Scandanavian. Further proof that Swedish and Danish are the same.

Many Swedes don't understand Danish, so the Danes usually have to speak English. Danes tend to understand Swedish though. So maybe that's what "Scandinavian" was referring to.

It is mandatory for Danish high schools to read some Swedish and Norwegian texts and talk about the difference between the Scandinavian languages. Also "not understand" does not mean not able to read as the writing is very similar with small difference here and there.

I mostly see people from Northern Sweden having issues with understanding Danish or Southern Swedish while people from Southern Sweden would have an easier time when speaking slowly. Also after an hour or so we have adopted some of each others differences and start speaking a hybrid of the "two languages". It helps drink a beer or two(folköl). Lol

Or another way of saying it, they only know how to tighten the laws until we all suffocate.. or at least it feels like this..

Well I sure ain't waiting for that to happen. EU is big and so is the world so to say :)

I can just say, get live with it. The bureaucracy is a hell, and believe me I live in one of the most bureaucratic countries in whole world. In reality, in my country you can't even build anything (not even car park) on your own land without giving bureaucrats information about what are you building. Hell you can't even buy any stuff for you company, without registering it in tax return and giving that to bureaucrats. And the funny thing in our country is, we got a law, then notice modifying the law and most probably also notice modifying the notice - although the bureaucrats doesn't even know laws and notices, a little example.

I moved in my country and wanted to change my "permanent residence" - so I had to get a new ID card. The problem is, I couldn't (according to girl at the bureaucracy building) ask for new ID card on the bureau in the town I live now (e.g. where I have the permanent residence), but I have to travel to my old permanent residence and ask for a new ID card there.

Fine, so I drove 200km just to get my new ID card, and guess what happened - according to notice modifying the law, they weren't allowed to give me new ID card, as I have to contact bureau at my new permanent residence place, they contact bureau at my old permanent residence place and ask them for new data. Then I have to wait 6 weeks for them to "create" my new ID card and then for no known reason I have to pick it up at my OLD permanent residence place. Wow Sherlock. (Yeah, half year later I even realized I don't have to pick it up and in next 4 weeks they will mail me new ID card)

But as time goes, I'm kinda used to this - and except for this, worthless politics and hot weather, I love living in my country - I still wouldn't change it (We're not a totalistic system or so, this level of bureaucracy is here since Maria Theresa. )

Although I'd like to notice, that bureaucracy like this isn't always really bad. You can get a lot of important information from the bureaus here (like flood maps, etc.) - which is considered advantage. Especially if you're planning to move. Although buying a car is really a bit of hell (getting car ID or such can take few weeks and hours in bureaus, good thing is, you can drive with temporary ID until you get permanent one).

tl;dr Just get used to this like mistakes, bureaucracy and generally government idiocy - it won't end. And more importantly, rather enjoy life and ignore the politics, bureaucrats, etc. - they're just true evil.

Just get used to this like mistakes, bureaucracy and generally government idiocy - it won't end. And more importantly, rather enjoy life and ignore the politics, bureaucrats, etc.

I guess you are right. I keep telling myself this. Still a letter like that can really spoil a good morning and make one explode in an inferno of particles with datablocks I guess...

200km you said? I would be rather pissed about that...

Yeah, I definitely agree that I wouldn't be calm either - I'd just complain about idiotic government and bureaucracy for a day at least. But after some time, it is just better to laugh at it (in a manner "what idiotic laws we (people) have created").

I was quite pissed off that I had to drive across half of my country two times (and when I realized I didn't have to drive at all ... rather no words) - but from today perspective I take it just as a funny joke, that some of our laws and notices are just way too dumb.

In my opinion it is better to take it from funny perspective, than stress about it.

Edit: To Dynamo_Maestro: When it comes to our politics, the fun begins. One of our parties once bought Casa planes for 182 967 127 USD, under very strange conditions and the planes were somehow "stealth" (there were actually no planes at all - well, maybe some politics bought new planes ). The same party also builds tunnel (1.4km, 550 meters mint), that actually wasn't ever half completed and work is stopped (they need *more* money), but it cost 1 841 436 000 USD (several times more expensive, than equivalent FINISHED tunnel). Etc. etc. - I bet you all have the same cases in your country. And surprise, you actually can't do anything about it (plus according to our law, the highest court decided that as long as it is discussed in parliament, it is *legal* (because of politics immunity) - I could just laugh after that).

All in all, I guess we should all start being politics in my country, what do you think?