Archive for the ‘National’ Category

Mutiny on the Baltic

Business, National: November 9th, 2006 by PR

Viking Line, which plies the ferry routes between Stockholm and Finland and Åland, has spent millions on amusing advertising persuading Swedes that it is the cruise line of choice for discerning party lovers.

But it was all in vain. It appears that Tallink is where the real action is.

The company has just bought Silja Line, and to celebrate the acquisition the board and financiers enjoyed an epic drinking binge onboard the Silja Symphony. Things got a little out of hand, reported Expressen:

A bartender was knocked down when a director forced his way behind the bar to serve himself booze, a fire broke out when someone put a fish in a toaster and female enmployees are said to have been exposed to sexual harassment.

According to union man Janne Rudén, the company’s managing director said that the staff were now “Tallink’s maids”. That’s about the most offensive thing you can say to a Swede. Rudén added that the staff of Silja Line are “shit-scared” of their new owners.

Mutiny?

Newspaper column for top Swedish blogger

Media, National: November 6th, 2006 by PO

One of Sweden’s foremost bloggers, Per Gudmundson, made his debut this morning as a columnist at Svenska Dagbladet.

The former SVT producer’s eminently readable blog was forced into a lengthy pause when the state broadcaster found out about its employee’s sideline. But now Gudmundson has left SVT, his blog is back up and running, and he has got the reward his fine writing deserves.

Best of luck to him!

“They’re crapping on the road”

National, Offbeat, Swedish Life: November 3rd, 2006 by JS

As a symbol of Stockholm’s complete inability to deal with the year’s first snowfall, this must take some beating: Aftonbladet reported that people stuck in traffic for up to five hours on the Essingeleden bypass road were reduced to crapping by the roadside.

They must be loving this in Norrland.