Britt Ekland joins Hollywood wives
Former Bond girl Britt Ekland is joining Swedish TV3’s reality TV show “Svenska Hollywoodfruar” (Swedish Hollywood wives). According to daily Expressen, the other participants were shocked when Ekland turned up at the shootings the other day. Ekland herself says she is “the original Hollywood wife”. “That’s me, I am the world’s oldest Swedish Hollywood wife, and I am a Bond girl – of course I have to continue to use that image,” Ekland tells Expressen. “My goodness, I was a Hollywood wife already in 1964, I am the original. It’s almost funny that they haven’t asked me before.” Other Hollywood wives set to appear in the next season of the show are Maria Montazami, Gunilla Persson and the other newcomer Siv Cotton.

Happy at work – sleep better
If the work place has a good psychosocial environment, the employees sleep better. This according to Statens beredning för medicinsk utvärdering (SBU or the Swedish Council of Health Technology Assessment). Commissioned by the Swedish government, SBU investigated collected international research about the importance of the work environment on sleep and sleep problems. They have sifted through close to 8000 summaries. Research shows that employees who feel they are treated fairly, have the possibility to influence and control their work and also feel they have support from others at work sleep better in general than those who with too high demands. People working in shifts suffer more from sleep disorders, but these problems usually disappear once they start working day hours again, daily Arbetet writes. SBU says that more research following the employees during a longer period of time, is needed.

Ambulance on bike
Ambulances on bikes? A new way to save lives. In Linkoping two health care professionals are out on the wheels to faster get to where help is needed. "The purpose is not to replace the regular ambulance, but the bikes are to be used when and where many people gather and it is difficult to cut through with emergency vehicles,” says Rickard Lundin, manager at Falck Ambulans in Östergötland. Two bicycles are included in the experiment now conducted in Linköping together with Östergötland’s county council, where the ambulance company is entrepreneurial. The bikes are marked “Ambulance” and are equipped to be able to help with initial medical care. The staff consists of an ambulatory nurse and a paramedic, each of whom is equipped with a backpack filled with defibrillators, oxygen and emergency medicines. According to Rickard Lundin, the bike ambulance has several advantages, but first and foremost it saves time where there are a lot of people around. This was shown already on the first trial evening, when the nurse and paramedic were out on their bikes among celebrating students. Answering an alarm, they arrived on their bicycles ten minutes before the regular ambulance. “When there are obstacles in the way, being able to cut through is important. It can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to cardiac arrest,” Lundin says. The idea with bicycle ambulances comes from Oslo, but several big cities around the world have medical care on bikes. And the phenomenon may become more common in Sweden as well. Several counties are investigating the issue, including Göteborg and Stockholm. “Our bikes can be used in all the cities where we operate,” says Lundin. Linköping will now evaluate the test with bike ambulances before the county council makes a decision to purchase the service. But Lundin sees more possibilities where the two-wheeler ambulance may be of use, and other external entrepreneurs like sport clubs, have already shown interest.

Karamelodikt award to Carl-Einar Häckner
This year's Karamelodikt award goes to illusionist, actor and comedian Carl-Einar Häckner. The “Karamelodiktstiendiet” is an annual scholarship awarded distinguished musicians or those who renew the Swedish language. The prize was founded by Povel Ramel in 1982, in conjunction with Ramel’s 60th birthday. The winner is selected by a jury. Carl-Einar Häckner received the prize at Skansen in Stockholm, with the motivation that he, “In a unique way and with a warm heart, animates a combination of vaudeville, circus and variety show. With his magic, his music, his poetry and his madness he has shaped a tradition and put it into spin.” Häckner was born in Angered, a suburb of Göteborg, in 1969. In 2009 and 2010 Häckner starred in La Clique at the Roundhouse in Camden, London, England. He was naturally happy to receive the prize: “I’m so very happy. In my genre this is one of the finest prizes, I think. I almost recognize myself in many of Povel’s lyrics. ‘De sista entusiasterna’ could be about me, about my work, and keeping the vaudeville tradition alive. I feel relieved. Now what I’m doing is somehow meaningful. Someone has seen it.” For more on Carl-Einar Häckner: www.carleinarhackner.com More on the Karamelodiktstipendium: www.pygme.se/karamellodikt/karamelodiktstipendiefonden.shtml

Gaultier for Stockholm Pride
Renowned fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier will design Stockholm’s Pride festival’s “dog tag,” an accessory that is included in the price for those who purchase a weekly pass to the festival. A new dog tag is designed for each Pride festival, though this year’s will be a bit extra exclusive. “Since Jean Paul Gaultier is on the minds of many Swedes with his exhibition (The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk) at the Arkitektur- och designcentrum (The Swedish Center for Architecture and Design), we found a strong collaboration that we are very happy about and proud of,” says Jörgen Eriksson, director of the festival at Stockholm Pride. Eriksson calls Gaultier the greatest name in the history of the festival. Stockholm Pride will take place between July 30 to August 3. For more information: www.stockholmpride.org For more on Gaultier’s ehibition at the Swedish Center for Architecture and Design: www.arkdes.se.