Whoops. Nevermind.
Posted on 02/12/2005 2:13:59 PM PST by franksolich
Queen Sonja visits the Antarctic Queen Sonja landed on the new Norwegian airfield in the Antarctic just after midnight, following a nine-hour flight from South Africa, Aftenposten reports.
Later Saturday the Queen opened the new permanent Norwegian research station in Queen Maud's Land.
Norwegian authorities have decided to show a stronger presence on the Antarctic continent, by establishing a permanent polar research station in Norway's Queen Maud's Land. A new, large airfield has been built on the glacier, and an extensive research programme has also been established.
This is the first Norwegian royal visit to the Antarctic, and Queen Sonja will spend two days on the continent.
Her busy schedule includes a visit to a South African research station and a large bird mountain, as well as a long hike in the spectacular mountains near the base.
I wonder what is in Antarctica, which compels Norway (or, for that matter, any other country) to show a "stronger presence" down there.
This might be outdated by now, but when I was a child, atlases showed Antarctica divided up like a pie, with just about every country having a slice, excepting the United States, which apparently has never had any territorial claims there.
Whoops. Nevermind.
"Ping" for the Norway ping list.
You know, looking at the numbers--it is still too early to see a "trend," though--I am confused about what it takes, to "sell" Norway.
It is very peculiar; stories about sex, stories about alcohol, emanating from our brothers in the north provoke very little readership interest and few responses, while some of the most-mundane topics excite hundreds of "views" and scores of "comments."
This is very peculiar, but please stick with it, until I can get this thing fine-tuned, chugging through Free Republic like a well-oiled steam locomotive, spreading illumination and enlightenment about Norway to all.
Well, sir, other than penguins and "location" (i.e., strategic location for military or political purposes), I am mystified as to why Norway (or any other country) feels an urgency to solidify its presence there.
As far as I know--and I do not know everything--there is no petroleum, gold, silver, iron ore, or somesuch down there, and quite obviously it is unfit for human habitation other than in very small numbers.
Right, the wrong Sonja, sir.
The real Sonja happens to be, uh, much less warlike in appearance; a picture of calm beauty and gracious serenity.
You are, of course, correct.
I am but a silly person.
Articles about sex and alcohol don't provoke interest? That is odd.
We all get that way, especially on weekends during February, when the world is grey and drear, and the promise of spring has not yet sprung.
Yeah, sir, I am surprised; for whatever reasons, stories about "sex" or "drinking" in Norway do not "sell" on Free Republic, provoking very little readership interest.
And then on the other hand, a rather ordinary news-story about a Norwegian beating up a Swede, causes convulsions in Free Republic.
As mentioned earlier, I am still trying to "fine-tune" this thing, and perhaps it has to do with "timing" as well as "content" (fewer Free Republicans at the computer on weekends, fewer Free Republicans reading between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the weekdays, and so on).
Re:Antartica,"I am mystified as to why Norway feels an urgency to solidify it's presence there."They study the ice.As i recall it was a team of scientists from Norway that discovered the saucer in "The Thing".
Automatic woody.
We claim Dronning Mauds Land in Antartica because Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole. He survived and became a hero while Scott died in 1912 after reaching he South Pole.
Well, yes, sir, we know about Amundsen reaching the South Pole (Scott died in his attempt to get there) before anyone else, and one supposes whoever first gets to, and claims, a territory has a right to it.
If Norway wants the whole continent, I have no problem with that.
But my question is, since there is nothing, really, of value down there (petroleum, gold, silver, iron ore, codfish, whatnot), and since Antarctica is unfit for human habitation in any large numbers, why this urgency about "solidifying" Norway's presence down there?
Sure, having scientists down there is a good thing, but I doubt the presence of scientists studying penquins and icebergs creates any sort of problem for anyone.
Is there a "strategic reason"--a reason for politics or military?
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