Paranoid place

Forgive my absence, but I simply could not bring myself to write light-hearted blog posts with everything thats going on in the world.

Not much has happened. While Ive been gone the world has shown living proof of being a paranoid place: While salt has sold out in China, iodine tablets have sold out in Sweden. Yeah, you heard me right. On the other side of the world. Far from Japan. People. Buy. Iodine tablets. To protect themselves from the radiation.

I dont know if I should laugh or cry about it all.

The sold-out-salt in China is another story. There are mixed views on WHY Chinese people all of a sudden are stocking up on this must have, taste enhancing and iodine containing mineral:

* Some say its because people are scared that food supplies are going to run out, and then the most important thing to have in the kitchen (as a Chinese family) is apparently salt (funny, I always thought it would be oil!).

* Some say its because salt contains iodine (iodine tablets have, just like in Sweden, sold out in China) and people believe it will protect them from radiation. Just the other day I read that one would have to eat three kilos of salt before the iodine would have any kind of effect. Three kilos?! Now, if that wont kill you I dont know what will.

* Some say its because people are scared that the sea surrounding Japan will soon be filled with radiation, and therefore, newly produced salt will also contain radiation. So better stock up on the radiation free stuff before its all gone.

I find it kind of ironic that people are so scared of radiation, both here and back home. Swedes are some of the worlds biggest sun bakers. No one thinks about radiation then?

And then there are Chinese people, being so scared of radiation meanwhile the general concern towards health issues like pollution, is kind of mixed. I recently read an article about young Chinese girls in Beiji! ng buyin g their dream cars (cute little things in the colours of pink or red) and being asked by a reporter if they ever think its a problem that so many people drive cars in Beijing when the air is already so polluted:

-Naah well I need my car. So I dont really care. Others can stop if they like.

When asked if they could ever buy a second hand car:

-Never. It has to be the newest, latest thing.

But of course. Radiation is scary. Im scared too. Unfortunately I didnt react quick enough to get my hands on any iodine tablets. As for salt, I have a habit of not adding it to my food and ironically, the salt that we have at home is iodine free anyway, so no luck there. I suppose, that when radiation hits us, I will just have to lock myself up inside and tremble of fear. At least all the Swedes on the other side of the world, eating iodine tablets, are safe.

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