Swedish News

Swedes – most beautiful in Scandinavia. David Fincher to direct “Girl with Dragon Tattoo”? Royal Princess Barbie. S.O.S.! - Save Our Sauna! ABBA in Hall of Fame. Kitten onboard.  

  • Swedes – most beautiful in Scandinavia.
    “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of all?” Turns out the American is, at least according to an international study conducted by OnePoll, the online market research company. Sweden grabbed sixth place and are, thus, the most beautiful people in Scandinavia. The order is restored, in other words. Swedes left Danes, as well as Finns and Norwegians far behind by sheer beauty, our neighbors aren’t even on the top 20 list. We have actress/model Victoria Silvstedt to thank for that. “Sexy Swedish women like Victoria helped Sweden get the 6th place,” according to OnePoll. Other Swedes who have helped Sweden reclaim its position as an international beacon of beauty are super models like Elsa Hosk and Caroline Winberg, as well as princess Madeleine, and movie stars like Izabella Scorupco (who is actually Polish, but who cares?), and Malin Åkerman. Only two European countries can boast with being prettier than the Swedes: Spain and Italy. But hey, don’t they have eternal sunshine to help them? And how about America – how did they claim first place? Well, think George Clooney, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba and Brad Pitt and there you have the answer. The top ten list looks like this: USA, Brazil, Spain, Australia, Italy, Sweden, England, India, France, and Canada.
    You'll find more data at www.onepoll.com

  • David Fincher to direct “Girl with Dragon Tattoo”?
    The director of “Fight Club”, David Fincher, is one of the hottest candidates for the post to direct the American version of the Swedish film adaptation of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. And if indeed Fincher gets the job, chances are Brad Pitt will star as the lead Mikael Blomkvist. Fincher and Pitt have worked together in several films (“Fight Club”, “Seven”, and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”). Sony has bought the rights from the still-in-flux estate of the late author Stieg Larsson, and Scott Rudin, a heavy weight in Hollywood, will produce along with Sören Stärmose, Yellow Bird, and Ole Söndberg. Stärmose says that so far it is too early to predict Fincher will direct: “But he is very interesting. Absolutely. He’s done a lot of great, high-class films.” And for the part as Lisbeth Salander, played in the Swedish version by Noomi Rapace? Carey Mulligan (from “An Education”) as well as the “Twilight” star Kristen Stewart have been mentioned as likely candidates.

  • Royal Princess Barbie.
    One of the rarest collector's items that any Barbie Doll fan could imagine, a single one of a kind Barbie in the image of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was revealed last month at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany. According to a report in RoyaltyInTheNews.com, the toy was modeled after her appearance at the 2006 Nobel Prize ceremony. “Crown Princess Victoria is a modern princess and an inspiring global citizens. Crown Princess is committed to charitable causes and helps to highlight those who are less fortunate. She is simply a role model for girls worldwide,” said Rosa Zeegers, the Senior Vice President of Barbie International. Other unique Barbie Dolls have made and presented to celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and "Harry Potter" author J. K. Rowling. None, including the "Victoria" Barbie edition, are planned for retail sales.

  • S.O.S.! - Save Our Sauna!
    (Sinking sauna saved in Skåne!) Woods and small lakes are abundant throughout Tjörnarp, a small community in the Höör area of northern Skåne. Appearing like little cabins, red wooden saunas that float on these lakes are popular year around attractions, but this winter, with the long sub-freezing temperatures and frozen lakes, one nearly sank! In late February, the ice caused a list of the raft upon which it sailed, and it was taking on so much water that it nearly capsized. As reported by the local newspaper, , two local club members realized the dilemma and called local assistance personnel who worked for four arduous hours to saw drainage canals around the floating sauna. Anxious local sauna club members in the town of around 700 persons were reported relieved as they resumed their steamy and sweaty activities.

  • ABBA in Hall of Fame.
    ABBA has – finally – walked into the Hall of Fame to cement their place in pop music’s history. During a recent ceremony, Sweden’s most famous and successful music group became part of the absolute aristocracy of rock n’ roll, alongside British Hollies and Genesis. It all took place at Waldorf Astoria in New York, even though Hall of Fame in reality is in Cleveland, Ohio. Some 500 rock n’ roll experts (among them Stooges and Jimmy Cliff) had cast their votes. The director of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Joel Peresman, said that ABBA “represent an important artistic cross-section”. Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson were present at the ceremony. Andersson quickly took place at the piano, while Grammy winner Faith Hill sang the ABBA hit “The Winner Takes It All”. Congratulations to ABBA.

  • Kitten onboard.
    The mechanics at Nybergs Bil in Jönköping got the surprise of their lives when they opened the hood of a car the other day. Staring into their eyes was a little kitten. “It was terrified,” says Milad Mohammadian, one of the mechanics. Milad and two of his co-workers had just begun working on the car when they made the discovery. “As soon as we opened the hood we saw something that jumped out almost immediately. It ran towards the corner where we keep oils and stuff, so we had to look around before we could find him. We finally caught him.” The little black-and-white kitten was probably in shock - he bit the mechanics and was “wild”. Kitty was moved into a little cardboard box in the office, and quickly got his own litter box. The mechanics believe him to be around 13 weeks old. “He has calmed down,” Milad says. “We’re allowed to pet him now.” The kitten is the talk of the office, although nobody can figure out exactly how he got under the hood.