Company's US sales off 28% in '08; Swedish government in talks
Wall Street Journal Dec 1, 08 10:29 AM CST
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Ford is looking to cut costs wherever it can, and that might mean selling off its Volvo unit, the Wall Street Journal reports today. US sales for Volvo dropped off 28% in the first 10 months of 2008, and Ford, bleeding cash, plans to trim down and focus on its namesake brand; it’s already sold off other luxury brands like Jaguar.
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Germany's bailout plan imposes broader curbs than US version
Wall Street Journal Oct 21, 08 12:30 PM CDT
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As governments worldwide implement bailouts for ailing financial institutions, the movement to curb executive compensation at those firms, and others, is gathering steam. Golden parachutes and pay practices that encourage excessive risk-taking are extremely unpopular in the public eye, the Wall Street Journal reports, and governments are finding restrictions necessary, one scholar says, “to get popular buy-in for these bailouts.”
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Kids with dads over 30 have greater chance of developing disorder
Reuters Sep 2, 08 3:26 PM CDT
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Children born to fathers older than 30 have an 11% higher chance of developing bipolar disorder than kids with younger dads, and the risk increases with the father’s age, new research reveals. The rate climbs to 37% of offspring of fathers aged 55, Reuters reports, compared to the overall incidence of the disorder of 1% to 3% in all adults.
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OLYMPICS
Sweden's Abrahamian only out for the gold
Daily Telegraph (UK) Aug 14, 08 1:38 PM CDT
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Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian threw his bronze medal to the floor during the ceremony, stormed off, and vowed to quit the sport, the Telegraph reports. "I don't care about this medal. I wanted gold," Abrahamian said. The wrestler had earlier confronted the judges’ over their decision that eventually gave the gold to Andrea Minguzzi, before being restrained by team officials.
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The Local (Sweden) Aug 12, 08 3:02 PM CDT
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A beautiful apartment for sale in Stockholm comes complete with a balcony that overlooks one of the city's trendiest districts—and the current owner's ornery stepfather. The man is defying a court order by refusing to move out, but that's not stopping his stepdaughter from selling the residence, reports The Local .
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Opinion
New surveillance law has country partying like it's 1984
Spiked Jul 13, 08 1:01 PM CDT
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Don’t believe the hype: “Sweden is no cuddly liberal democracy,” writes Nathalie Rothschild for Spiked, berating her home country for “introducing the most Draconian surveillance law in Europe.” Known as the FRA law but nicknamed "Lex Orwell " by opponents, the legislation gives intelligence agencies the right to intercept all incoming foreign communication. “Emulate Sweden? No thanks.”
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In Scandanavia, everyone's pay is made public
USA Today Jun 19, 08 7:15 PM CDT
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In America, tax information is kept private by law. In Sweden, "you can see what your brother-in-law made, your neighbor made," says one Justice Ministry official. Like its Scandinavian counterparts Norway and Finland, Sweden makes all tax returns public every year—and no one seems to care, reports USA Today .
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No warrant needed for cross-border phone, e-traffic; foes outraged
BBC Jun 19, 08 3:52 PM CDT
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Sweden's intelligence service will have broad new powers to intercept cross-border calls and emails, without a warrant, under a law passed yesterday, the BBC reports. Critics, meanwhile, say it is impossible to fully distinguish domestic from international traffic without compromising the transmissions. Protesters handed out copies of George Orwell's 1984 outside parliament, the AP notes.
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Secretary of state crossed paths with the band in Sweden
Associated Press May 30, 08 11:34 AM CDT
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In a crossing of paths fit for Madame Tussauds, ‘70s icons Kiss were staying at the same Stockholm hotel as Condoleezza Rice yesterday. Not content to be strangers passing in the Swedish night, the rockers asked if the secretary of state could stop by after dining with the country’s foreign minister, the AP reports. A photo op ensued, and Rice—a classically trained pianist—revealed that she’s a fan.
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French company pays $8.3B for premium vodka brand
Wall Street Journal Mar 31, 08 9:14 AM CDT
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French liquor giant Pernod Ricard's spirits were soaring after its $8.34 billion bid won it ownership of Sweden's state-owned Vin & Spirit, the parent company of Absolut vodka. Pernod topped US-based Fortune Brands in an auction for the purchase, the Wall Street Journal reports, and is now the wine and spirit industry's co-leader.
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Danish monikers on Swedish outfit's doormats, floor runners wound pride
Der Spiegel Mar 6, 08 4:34 PM CST
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Danes are hopping mad about a discovery that Swedish furniture giant Ikea uses Danish place names for its doormats and floor coverings, while reserving Swedish and Norwegian monikers for higher-end items, Der Spiegel reports. Some Danish academics argue that this reinforces Sweden’s perception of Denmark as a “doormat” for its larger, wealthier neighbor, and have accused Ikea of “Swedish imperialism,” however metaphorical.
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Elusive negative charge stars in Swedish researchers' breakthrough video
LiveScience Feb 26, 08 12:40 PM CST
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Electrons are tiny, fast, and, until recently, impossible to capture on film. But a short, super-slow-mo video offers the first direct look at the wily subatomic particle. Coaxing the reclusive electron into the limelight took major maneuvering by Swedish scientists, LiveScience reports. The paparazzi of physicists caught the negative particle by using extremely short pulses of laser light.
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Swedish school bans stripes, polka dots
to ease migraines
The Local (Sweden) Feb 15, 08 12:55 PM CST
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Bad news for Pippi Longstocking wannabes—a Swedish preschool has banned striped and polka-dotted children's clothing because the patterns trigger one teacher's migraine headaches. The ban is driving some fashion-conscious parents dotty, but the school's principal defends the teacher's right to "an appropriate work environment," reports the Local of Sweden.
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But defiant Pirate Bay owners vow that
nothing will change
DailyTech Feb 3, 08 5:00 AM CST
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Swedish authorities have taken action to sink Pirate Bay, one of the world's most popular file-sharing site, by leveling charges of copyright infringement against four of its administrators, DailyTech reports. Prosecutors allege the site, which boasts almost 15 million users, exploits copyrighted material like music and movies by collecting some $3 million in annual ad revenues for access to the media without paying any fees. Despite the charges, Pirate Bay remains defiant and is continuing to offer access to the material.
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Report's recommendations cut on US, Swedish objections
Der Spiegel Jan 23, 08 2:18 PM CST
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A top researcher for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was poised this week to deliver a stern warning against the oil drilling operations sweeping the Arctic—until politicians pulled the teeth from his report, Der Spiegel reports. The report needed approval from the Arctic council that commissioned it—but the US and Sweden insisted on watering down the document.
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