Fractured History.

Having been to Salisbury, England of late, and sandwiching in some actual work in-between visiting Stonehenge, Woodhenge, Avebury, and looking over old cannon, newer cannon, and in-between cannon, as well as a few exhibits in the National Army Museum, Imperial War Museum, Picadilly Circus, the Tower of London, and seeing that odd Gherkin-shaped building, I also did a little reading at Salisbury Cathedral.

And came across (yet again) the phrase, "From the Fury of the Northmen, O Lord, Protect Us!"

Today, I was making my at least once daily visit to Ghost of a Flea, and I noticed that he had linked to Andrew Sullivan's link (which he got from Dave Barry) to a Swedish site with awful album covers. Now, I knew it wasn't going to be pics of the Swedish Bikini Beer Drinking Team, that not being Andrew's cup of tea. I wasn't prepared for what I found, however. If you've followed my link, you already know what I'm talking about. If you have been too lazy or too sucked in by my vivid, enthralling prose, here's a sample.

Run away! Run Away!

Now I have some fine Swedish artifacts. Like the nice warhammer sandwiched between the rifles, as well as some nicely made bangsticks. Frankly, when I think of Swedes, I think of these guys in some abstract way. Certainly these! Well, that's what I think of when I think of Swedes that I can put in this blog without having to add a XXX rating, anyway.

So, how to explain this?

Well, the Vikings went - y'know, Viking: Víkingur - Scandinavian word used to describe the seafaring raiders from Norway, Sweden and Denmark who ravaged the coasts of Europe after 800 AD. The etymology of the word is disputed; in use it signified "pirate." The noun víking means "pirate raid." The word is now used (incorrectly) to describe all the peoples of Scandinavia and their settlements.

Apparently, most of the fierce ones got killed, or stayed in the warmer places like England where their descendents carry on the Viking traditions of ravaging europe as soccer hooligans and rugby players. Some came back, to form the core of the Swedish military, but apparently the Sheep Herders and Twig Gatherers became dominant.

I did some further research and found out that these groups had tried to cash in on their Viking forbears:

It would seem that originally The Ivan Henrys were Ivan and the Vikings.

but when the Gert Jonnys released "Let's Go Viking"...

...shortly thereafter, they and their marketing people were met in a dark alley by these guys.

And the rest, as they say, is history!