Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Allegations Tarnish Sweden’s ‘Perfect Monarch’

Books, Design, Film, History, Marketing, Media, Miscellaneous, National, Offbeat, Politics, Society, Sweden abroad, Tourism: November 15th, 2010 by VT

Taiwan’s Next Media Animation, which shot to fame late last year for its animated news clip of Elin Nordegren’s alleged attack against then-husband Tiger Woods, has turned its focus again to Sweden.

This time, it has targeted Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf following the publication of controversial biography “Carl XVI Gustaf – the reluctant monarch,” which details rumours of the king’s affairs.Just in case you missed it the first time around, here’s the Tiger video.

CNN hits the Millennium trail in Stockholm

Architecture, Books, Business, Film, History, Marketing, Media, Miscellaneous, Offbeat, Society, Swedish Life, Tourism: September 9th, 2010 by VT

CNN follows the flocks on tourists on the Millennium tour of Stockholm on Wednesday.

‘Somebody better tell John McCain: We are all Swedes now’

Business, History, Sweden abroad: October 6th, 2008 by PO

Read Thomas L Friedman’s take in the New York Times on why it is in the best interest of Americans to embrace Swedes (along with a whole host of others):

Somebody better tell John McCain: We are all Swedes now. Forget about “Live Free or Die.” Until we get our financial act together, our motto is going to be: “Swedish spoken here – or Arabic or Chinese or German …”

‘Gandhi should have been awarded Nobel Peace Prize’

History, Society: October 3rd, 2007 by PO

India’s CNN-IBN elicits a confession from a Swedish Nobel Foundation spokesman.

Gandhi was nominated five times for the Nobel but the Norwegian Nobel committee believed that the champion of non-violence could not be awarded because he was “neither a real politician nor a humanitarian relief worker.”

But now, for the first time ever, the Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation in Sweden, Michael Sohlman, says that it was a mistake by the Norwegian Peace committee.

“We missed a great Laureate and that’s Gandhi. It’s a big regret,” he admits.

Swedes and the communal bowl

Design, History: August 20th, 2007 by PR

Swedish design is making an impact in Connecticut. But it’s not the cool, modernist style that appeals to Edie van Breems and Rhonda Eleish, who are trying to bring Gustavian style to the nutmeg state.

But the peasant look also appeals – and maybe there’s a hint of social yearning too:

“I love the folk furniture,” said Eleish, cradling a rustic, patched wood bowl dating from 1820 in her hands. “That’s the heart and soul of the country. You know that each bowl was used since wood was a valued commodity.”

In Sweden, a country known for its cold, bleak winters, “wood was considered life,” explained Eleish. “Families would have one bowl, one spoon and people ate from the communal bowl.”

“People ate from the communal bowl.” If ever a metaphor was crying out to be stretched, it’s that one.