Firstly this
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An overly excited Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software, today proclaimed at an internal company meeting that if the download numbers of the new Opera 8 Web browser reach 1 million within the first four days of the launch, he will swim from Norway to the USA with only one stop-over for a cup of hot chocolate at his mother's house in his home country, Iceland. Opera's communications department could obviously not resist to make such a bold and inarguably over-confident statement public.
Opera's new Web browser, Opera 8, was released Tuesday, and the massive response had Opera's download servers kneeling an hour after the launch. Still, the download numbers of Opera 8 reached 600 000 in the first 48 hours.
...
"I am not sure he realizes how cold the Norwegian Sea is in April," says Anne Stavnes, Human Resource Manager, Opera Software. "However, having seen Jon in his red beach attire before, I am not sure if swimming to the USA is scarier than exposing people to this sight."
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And now http://www.opera.com/swim/
The Story
Before the weekend, Opera's CEO, Jon S. von Tetzchner boldy proclaimed at a company meeting that if download numbers of Opera 8 reached 1 million within four days he would swim from Norway to the USA [press release]. Opera's communications department could not resist the temptation, and made his statement public. As any respectable CEO and gentlemen, Mr. Tetzchner stands by his word.
DOWNLOADS: 1,050,000: Target reached by April 23 0900 CET!
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Situation report #1
Oslo, Norway - April 25, 2005 – 0900 CET/03:00 am EST
After his bold statement went public on Thursday, Jon has spent several hours at Bislett Bad, the nearest public swimming pool, doing laps to prepare himself for the overwhelming task ahead. On Sunday, he also spent a good half hour submerged in the bathtub at home in relatively cool temperatures to reduce the shock of the icy Oslo fjord.
"I take this challenge very seriously, but after three laps at Bislett Bad on Saturday I realized, as I was heaving like a whale, that I should probably have started the training a little bit earlier," says a slightly nervous Jon S. von Tetzchner. "I am hoping that my extra pounds of excess body fat will create enough buoyancy to keep me afloat and insulation to keep me warm."
Jon is assisted by Opera's PR manager who will be rowing alongside the adventurous CEO in the company inflatable raft on the trip across the Atlantic as an act of guilt after making the CEO's statement public. The fearless crew is currently on its way to an undisclosed location in the Oslo fjord to begin the long journey toward America in the true spirit of the Vikings before them.
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"We are so proud of Jon for doing this," said Anne Stavnes, HR manager, Opera Software. "Considering that the closest thing Jon has ever come to swimming was in the hot springs in Iceland when he was a kid, and those aren't even 3 feet deep."
Sporting the Norwegian and the U.S. flag as an appropriate symbol of the journey ahead, the company inflatable raft, "Phantom", had been duly prepared for the long trip. Manned with a satellite phone, maps, food, water and a book with inspirational quotes from the Viking sagas, Opera's PR manager, Eskil Sivertsen, has taken it upon himself to row alongside Jon for the duration of the trip, partly out of guilt for having made his CEO's bold statement public.
"It's the least he can do, having put me in this situation in the first place," says Jon S. von Tetzchner with a wicked grin on his face. "Besides, I can't swim to the USA without maps, and this wet suit doesn't seem to have any pockets, so it's good to have him there – also as someone to talk to along the way."
Several members of their families and many representatives from Opera were present on the docks to see the two bold adventurers well off when they made their way, slowly but surely, toward the open sea – Jon swimming, Eskil rowing.
"Look at me! I'm floating! I'm floating!" was the last thing people heard from Jon as he kicked off into the distance.
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BRAVE CEO SAVES PR MANAGER IN DRAMATIC RESCUE AT SEA
Oslo, Norway - April 26, 2005 – 1000 CET/04:00 am EST
Opera's CEO, Jon S. von Tetzchner heroically saved the life of his PR Manager in a dramatic development this morning when “Phantom", the company inflatable raft, was punctured off the coast of southern Norway. Rumors circulate about possible sabotage, but it may just have been the raft's poor condition that resulted in its complete breakdown as Jon and his helper started on day 2 of their transatlantic swim.
"It was cold and wet and horrible and I was really, really scared," says Eskil Sivertsen, Opera's PR Manager who operated the raft. "The night had been crisp and starlit, and we had fallen asleep in the raft to the gentle movement of the waves. In the morning, I gave Jon two chocolate bars and some of those mini carrots he likes so much before he jumped back into the water. He had only been swimming for an hour or so when the raft suddenly punctured in open sea. I owe my life to Jon, and I can only hope that he doesn't fire me for ruining his dream of swimming to America."
"As much as I don't want to talk behind a colleague's back, there is no doubt that we would never have let Eskil assist Jon in the raft had we known he can neither swim nor read maps," says an embarrassed Tor Odland, Opera's Communications Director. "I feel partly responsible for letting Jon down, as he cannot possibly continue without the raft."
A local farmer spotted the drama from his kitchen window and took surprisingly sharp photos with a remarkably powerful telescopic lens. Word spread and a large group of people quickly gathered around the two castaways when they soon thereafter reached the shore – Jon pushing the deflated raft and the even more deflated PR manager in front of him. Opera's CEO was hailed a hero for his remarkable show of strength and stamina, and as he had grown increasingly comfortable in the role of transatlantic swimmer and adventurer, his disappointment was easy to see for the shocked bystanders.
"I have always dreamt of swimming to America, and I really thought this was my golden opportunity," says Mr. von Tetzchner. "Both the raft and the PR manager were accidents waiting to happen; it is just too bad they had to happen at the same time. He does a good job when he sticks to what he knows, though, so I don't see any reason to let him go. However, I hope people will remember me for the willingness to try rather than this embarrassing incident with the punctured raft. And my mother will be so disappointed when I call and tell her that I won't be stopping by for hot chocolate after all."
"I owe my life to Jon, and I can only hope that he doesn't fire me for ruining his dream of swimming to America," prays Eskil Sivertsen, Opera's PR manager.
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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
________________
An overly excited Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software, today proclaimed at an internal company meeting that if the download numbers of the new Opera 8 Web browser reach 1 million within the first four days of the launch, he will swim from Norway to the USA with only one stop-over for a cup of hot chocolate at his mother's house in his home country, Iceland. Opera's communications department could obviously not resist to make such a bold and inarguably over-confident statement public.
Opera's new Web browser, Opera 8, was released Tuesday, and the massive response had Opera's download servers kneeling an hour after the launch. Still, the download numbers of Opera 8 reached 600 000 in the first 48 hours.
...
"I am not sure he realizes how cold the Norwegian Sea is in April," says Anne Stavnes, Human Resource Manager, Opera Software. "However, having seen Jon in his red beach attire before, I am not sure if swimming to the USA is scarier than exposing people to this sight."
___________________________________-
And now http://www.opera.com/swim/
The Story
Before the weekend, Opera's CEO, Jon S. von Tetzchner boldy proclaimed at a company meeting that if download numbers of Opera 8 reached 1 million within four days he would swim from Norway to the USA [press release]. Opera's communications department could not resist the temptation, and made his statement public. As any respectable CEO and gentlemen, Mr. Tetzchner stands by his word.
DOWNLOADS: 1,050,000: Target reached by April 23 0900 CET!
_____________________________________
Situation report #1
Oslo, Norway - April 25, 2005 – 0900 CET/03:00 am EST
After his bold statement went public on Thursday, Jon has spent several hours at Bislett Bad, the nearest public swimming pool, doing laps to prepare himself for the overwhelming task ahead. On Sunday, he also spent a good half hour submerged in the bathtub at home in relatively cool temperatures to reduce the shock of the icy Oslo fjord.
"I take this challenge very seriously, but after three laps at Bislett Bad on Saturday I realized, as I was heaving like a whale, that I should probably have started the training a little bit earlier," says a slightly nervous Jon S. von Tetzchner. "I am hoping that my extra pounds of excess body fat will create enough buoyancy to keep me afloat and insulation to keep me warm."
Jon is assisted by Opera's PR manager who will be rowing alongside the adventurous CEO in the company inflatable raft on the trip across the Atlantic as an act of guilt after making the CEO's statement public. The fearless crew is currently on its way to an undisclosed location in the Oslo fjord to begin the long journey toward America in the true spirit of the Vikings before them.
_____________________________________
"We are so proud of Jon for doing this," said Anne Stavnes, HR manager, Opera Software. "Considering that the closest thing Jon has ever come to swimming was in the hot springs in Iceland when he was a kid, and those aren't even 3 feet deep."
Sporting the Norwegian and the U.S. flag as an appropriate symbol of the journey ahead, the company inflatable raft, "Phantom", had been duly prepared for the long trip. Manned with a satellite phone, maps, food, water and a book with inspirational quotes from the Viking sagas, Opera's PR manager, Eskil Sivertsen, has taken it upon himself to row alongside Jon for the duration of the trip, partly out of guilt for having made his CEO's bold statement public.
"It's the least he can do, having put me in this situation in the first place," says Jon S. von Tetzchner with a wicked grin on his face. "Besides, I can't swim to the USA without maps, and this wet suit doesn't seem to have any pockets, so it's good to have him there – also as someone to talk to along the way."
Several members of their families and many representatives from Opera were present on the docks to see the two bold adventurers well off when they made their way, slowly but surely, toward the open sea – Jon swimming, Eskil rowing.
"Look at me! I'm floating! I'm floating!" was the last thing people heard from Jon as he kicked off into the distance.
__________________________________________
____________________________________________
BRAVE CEO SAVES PR MANAGER IN DRAMATIC RESCUE AT SEA
Oslo, Norway - April 26, 2005 – 1000 CET/04:00 am EST
Opera's CEO, Jon S. von Tetzchner heroically saved the life of his PR Manager in a dramatic development this morning when “Phantom", the company inflatable raft, was punctured off the coast of southern Norway. Rumors circulate about possible sabotage, but it may just have been the raft's poor condition that resulted in its complete breakdown as Jon and his helper started on day 2 of their transatlantic swim.
"It was cold and wet and horrible and I was really, really scared," says Eskil Sivertsen, Opera's PR Manager who operated the raft. "The night had been crisp and starlit, and we had fallen asleep in the raft to the gentle movement of the waves. In the morning, I gave Jon two chocolate bars and some of those mini carrots he likes so much before he jumped back into the water. He had only been swimming for an hour or so when the raft suddenly punctured in open sea. I owe my life to Jon, and I can only hope that he doesn't fire me for ruining his dream of swimming to America."
"As much as I don't want to talk behind a colleague's back, there is no doubt that we would never have let Eskil assist Jon in the raft had we known he can neither swim nor read maps," says an embarrassed Tor Odland, Opera's Communications Director. "I feel partly responsible for letting Jon down, as he cannot possibly continue without the raft."
A local farmer spotted the drama from his kitchen window and took surprisingly sharp photos with a remarkably powerful telescopic lens. Word spread and a large group of people quickly gathered around the two castaways when they soon thereafter reached the shore – Jon pushing the deflated raft and the even more deflated PR manager in front of him. Opera's CEO was hailed a hero for his remarkable show of strength and stamina, and as he had grown increasingly comfortable in the role of transatlantic swimmer and adventurer, his disappointment was easy to see for the shocked bystanders.
"I have always dreamt of swimming to America, and I really thought this was my golden opportunity," says Mr. von Tetzchner. "Both the raft and the PR manager were accidents waiting to happen; it is just too bad they had to happen at the same time. He does a good job when he sticks to what he knows, though, so I don't see any reason to let him go. However, I hope people will remember me for the willingness to try rather than this embarrassing incident with the punctured raft. And my mother will be so disappointed when I call and tell her that I won't be stopping by for hot chocolate after all."
"I owe my life to Jon, and I can only hope that he doesn't fire me for ruining his dream of swimming to America," prays Eskil Sivertsen, Opera's PR manager.
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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
