'God Fortsättning'
Gott Nytt 2014
The holidays are over as I write this in early January—except for Twelfth Night or Tjugondag Knut, celebrated on top of Epihany, still a national holiday in Sweden, which makes even more of the festive Christmas season.
Regardless of how you celebrate, this is a time to look both forward and backward as did the god Janus for which January was named. Janus, the Roman god of doorways, beginnings and transitions, is usually depicted as a two-faced god who looks both to the future and the past. As such he presided over journeys, traveling, trading and exchanging, and also the beginning and end of conflict, war and peace. Let us hope Janus looks favorably at the transition to peace this January as we’re bombarded with news of atrocities in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and other parts of the world.
Inspired by another quote elsewhere in this issue by Kierkegaard I’d like to limit my comments about the past year a bit. The Danish philosopher wrote, “Life must be understood backward. But then one forgets the other principle, that it must be lived forward.”
Looking backward for Nordstjernan, we understand we must be doing something right; with a substantial increase in print circulation (of over 10 percent) and now over 50,000 regular online “friends” as well, the need—or use—for a vital, living legacy of Sweden in America is getting stronger. It is as it should be. To appreciate America, we need to also understand and appreciate where we came from and be equally respectful of both cultures. Thank you all for the signs of appreciation and trust—a true inspiration, an honor and an obligation we all take seriously. Expect even more from your Swedish newspaper in the future.
Rewarding allegiance and loyalty
For the first time in 19 years our subscription prices will go up this year. Substantially. As of February 1, our annual subscription price for new subscribers will be $55, up from $41, a two-year subscription will be $99, up from $75. Postal fees have more than doubled since 1995, as have costs for printing and paper. The new price is a better reflection of the cost structure in the industry although the effect on YOU current subscribers reading this will be minimal. The increase allows us to reward loyal readers better—as a current subscriber, you can renew for just $3 more than you currently pay for a year, $44. That’s a 20 percent discount off the new higher subscription rate. However, if you have planned to buy a gift subscription for someone near or dear, this would be a good time.
Hope and expectation
One of the many human wonders is our ability to hope. As we look forward to a new year, most of us are hoping for things to be getting better. In every growing thing, the tender buds of early spring or a growing child, we see a promise of renewal and of better things to come. Whatever surprises, good or bad, 2014 may bring, we should always keep looking for better times ahead. Rest assured when it comes to Nordstjernan, this is what you can and should expect.
Gott Nytt År | Happy New Year - God Fortsättning!
Ulf Barslund Martensson
Editor & Publisher
Plundering the Christmas Tree, "Julgransplundring" at Nordiska Museet in Stockholm.
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The Editor & Publisher
Inte som andra bloggar.... this entry will be sometimes in Swedish, sometimes 'på svenska' - Just så händelsrikt är livet som utgivare av Amerikas äldsta och numera enda Svenska tidskrift.
Här ovan poserar jag “on location” kl 6 på morgonen i Minneapolis St. Paul för två år sedan. Henrik Olund tog bilden som förberedelse för en porträttbild av Vice President Walter Mondale. (Det var en bra intervju med en bra person) Jag skriver sällan med byline i Nordstjernan men jag är alltid ansvarig för innehållet, även om jag inte alltid håller med om allt.
(PS. Intervjun med Mondale hittar ni på nordicreach.com DS.) |