Free Republic

This "tour of Norway" describes the city of Kristiansand, which with about 75,000 people, rates as one of the major--in the top ten--cities of Norway.The population- and land-density statistics say Norway is underpopulated, vast, and empty, but in my "U-2 flights" across the country, examining every square inch of our gallant allies in the war against terror, it seems to me (a Nebraskan) that Norway below Narvik, way up north, is crowded; too many people.If I were to go to Norway, I would immediately high-tail it up to Narvik, so as to get some breathing-room. Kristiansand is a relatively new...

Harstad, a town of circa 25,000 people--and hence a major city in underpopulated Norway--is located almost 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, or on the globe, about equivalent to the uppermost third of Alaska.Harstad is the first city in Norway that I have encountered, on the internet, that does not claim to be the "furniture-making capital of the world."In fact, there is no mention of furniture at all; it appears the principal occupations of Harstad are fishing and the Norwegian army.....and the hotel business. Harstad has a great many hotels. Approaching Harstad by sea: The harbor at Harstad: A...

A 37-year-old petty criminal has received a six-month sentence after pulling off the masterstroke of breaking into the city prison.The six-month sentence was handed down for a series of offenses, newspaper Romsdals Budstikke reports.The prison is 160 years old, and has seen several jailbreaks, but this is the first time anyone has broken in.The invasion took place on December 2 last year. The convicted man smashed a window and padlock to gain access to a cellar door. Inside the prison courtyard he smashed another window and caused damage costing NOK 18,000 (USD 2,850) to a car belonging to Criminal Care.The...

Gamvik is about the middle of the circle on the map below; several hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle, and on the globe, a couple of hundred miles north of the northernmost part of Alaska.Gamvik has circa 1,600 people, or a little less than 1 per square mile.Gamvik is not the northern-most town on continental Norway; there are a couple of villages a mile or two north, but I cannot find information on them. Gamvik from the ocean: Next to furniture-making, the main business in Gamvik is catering to tourists interested in military history; apparently the German "Atlantikwall" ended...

Erik Fallo, a central smuggler of illegal spirit, was sentenced on Wednesday to 12 years on charges of murder by poisoning after being behind shipments of moonshine lethally tainted with methanol.Fallo, 58, was charged with seven deaths by poisoning and two cases of two of grave personal injury. According to the charges Fallo sold 50,000 liters of smuggled spirit from January 2002 until the summer of 2003.Per Erik Fossum, 76, received a five-year sentence in the trial, charged with one count of murder by poisoning and one count of involuntary manslaughter under especially aggravated circumstances.Fallo had previously admitted guilt to...

You Know You're Norwegian When... You assume that a stranger on the street who smiles at or greets you is: a) drunk. b) insane. c) an American. d) All of the above. You vigorously defend whaling and enjoy consuming whale meat. You enjoy the taste of lutefisk (jelly-like, bad-smelling fish) and cod prepared in any way, including fried cod tongues. You can prepare fish in five different ways without cooking it. You don't question the habit of always preparing a "matpakke" (sandwich in paper). You have two cars, a cabin and a boat, if not more. You think there is...

Hemnes is a port city in the middle third of Norway, or about as high as the upper third of Alaska, on the globe; about 20 miles south of the Arctic Circle.I am not sure the population of Hemnes proper, but the commune, township, county, whatever, has circa 4,500 people, or a little less than 5 people per square mile. Some waterfall: Some lake: Some houses: Some more houses: Some church: Correct me if I am wrong, but the kid is fairly representational of the Suomi (Lapplanders), right?This looks like a perfect set-up for an electric train.

Twelve Norwegians from Bergen found themselves stuck on board a cruiseship this week. They'd only meant to have a quick weekend trip to Denmark, but are currently taking an involuntary tour around the North Atlantic.The Bergen residents, including one local family with children, had taken advantage of a special deal to take the vessel MS Norrøna back and forth to Hanstholm in Denmark. The vessel is owned by Smyril Line of the Færoe Islands.The vessel regularly plies the route between Bergen and Hanstholm, and then sets off from Bergen for week-long trips to the Shetland Islands, the Færoes and on...

Okay, so I am probably not doing the fine folks of Moraker, Norway, in revealing one of the best-kept secrets of Norway; a paradise, apparently, for hunters and fishermen and skiiers.Meraker is a "commune"--one assumes that is similar with our "township" or "county" here in the United States--of 2,500 people, or about 3 people per square mile. An ancient (circa 1905) photograph of Norwegian loggers near Meraker. Some mountain that dominates Meraker. If Norway joins the European Union, which forbides the Finns to defend themselves against wolves, probably these women will have to learn marksmanship somewhere else. Apparently even faraway...

It seems that Poland is doing very well in EU, much better than expected!This is a pleasant surprise since Poles were worried that the condition of Polish economy can deteriorate after joining the European Union.Even CNN reported that the Polish president, Kwasniewski praised the year in European Union as one of the best in Polish history.Poles changed their perception of EU the most positively from all the EU countries! So called Index of economical satisfaction shows that Poles are 41% more satisfied than the average Europeans.In general the members of new countries that joined the EU last year (2004) are...

Since nothing happens in Norway during the weekends, and because of popular demand--really popular demand; it boogles the mind--on weekends members of the Norway ping list have the opportunity, if they wish, to inspect some of the photographic glories of our gallant allies in the War against Terror--this week, featuring the delightful city of Alesund.All of these photographs are from the public domain, taken by amateurs, one assumes; if something is not from Alesund, anyone may please feel free to correct me.Also, some guy in Norway put together a wonderful collection of photographs of Alesund (none of which are featured...

Norway's mistrust of joining the European Union is again on the rise, and the 'no' side is again in the majority, though the undecideds could still change the result.If the issue came to another vote today, 44.5 percent would oppose membership, 42.5 would vote yes and 12.9 percent remain unsure, according to a new poll by Sentio for newspapers Klassekampen, Dagen and Nationen.Every region of the nation opposes the union with the exception of the capital district of Oslo and Akershus.In northern Norway the no side leads 46-38, with central Norway even more opposed at 54-38. The southern coast is...

Gunnulf Oterkiil tried to revive a young woman who fainted and lost consciousness after striking her head on the pavement. Later he received a NOK 6,000 (USD 955) fine.Oterkiil refuses to accept the fine that resulted from a chaotic Saturday night in Porsgrunn last September, newspaper Telemarksavisa reports."He is not fined for trying to help, but because he knocked down a man who was interfering," prosecutor and police lawyer Kjell Ove Ljosåk said in Skien and Porsgrunn municipal court on Wednesday, where the matter went after Oterkiil refused to pay."Together with a completely sober friend I was standing on the...

Norway's reveling high school graduates, the "russ", tend to concentrate on extreme partying but groups from rival schools in Romerike, a region just outside of Oslo, have loaded up with groceries and launched hostilities.According to newspaper Romerikes Blad, over 700 russ have pelted each other with eggs, yogurt, milk and flour, and gas stations and the homes of parents have become makeshift battlefields.Three 'russebil', buses and vans converted into blaring parties on wheels, from Lørenskog High School covered the russ vehicles from two rival schools with eggs, and the desire for revenge led to a frenzy of vandalism and paintball...

Woman convicted of rapeIn a landmark case a 23-year-old woman has been convicted by a Bergen court for the rape of a 31-year-old man.The woman was sentenced to nine months in prison and ordered to pay NOK 40,000 (USD 6,385) to the man.The incident occurred on Jan. 4 last year in a Bergen apartment. The man testified that he fell asleep on a sofa and woke up to find the woman performing oral sex on him.The woman eventually admitted sexual contact but claimed that it was voluntary and that the man was willing and smiled. The case has attracted attention...

PIKESVILLE, Md. - A herd of buffalo somehow got loose and wandered around an upscale neighborhood Tuesday, disrupting traffic and alarming homeowners before officers managed to corral them in a tennis court. More than a dozen police cars and a police helicopter were used to herd the roughly 10 beasts, authorities said. "Somehow they figured it out; I've got to give a lot of credit to the creativity of our officers," police spokesman Shawn Vinson said. Authorities have identified the owner of the buffalo but did not release the person's name immediately. Residents in the Baltimore suburb first reported that...

Fewer asylum seekers to NorwayThe number of asylum seekers arriving in Norway has so far this year been reduced by 50 per cent.The Immigration Directorate has therefore decided to close down 15-20 reception centers by the end of June.Further cuts will be considered. There are now 99 reception centers in Norway.Last year a little more than 7,900 persons applied for asylum in Norway. This was also a reduction by 50 per cent from the year before, and around 40 reception centers were closed down.

Politician shot in own restaurantA politician who represents the Conservatives on a district council in Oslo was shot in a restaurant he runs early Tuesday. He claims his family has been the victim of extortion."The motive was money," Ghazanfar Ali Khan told Aftenposten's web site. "They wanted me to pay."Khan is one of two representatives for the Conservative Party (Høyre) on the Stovner district council. He also runs a restaurant, To Kokker Mat og Vinhus, on Brugata in Oslo.He said he was closing up his restaurant about 3:40am when someone started shooting at the entrance. At least eight bullets hit...

New royal heir on the wayStaff at Norway's Royal Palace announced Monday that Crown Princess Mette-Marit is pregnant with a new royal heir. The child will be third in line to take over as reigning monarch.Crown Princess Mette-Marit has bowed out of several events during recent weeks, claiming illness, just as the royal program has been in one of its busiest phases ever.[Fred: because of the Norway centennial celebrations this year; Norway became independent of Sweden in 1905]That's left Crown Prince Haakon and his mother, Queen Sonja, handling the brunt of the royal duties as King Harald recovers from heart...

Dishonest employees aboundNorwegians are regularly fired for theft, embezzlement, harassing colleagues, getting high on the job, taking too much vacation time or just disappearing, newspaper Dagsavisen reports.The City of Oslo alone had about 100 dismissals of this type in a year according to city financial adviser André Støylen."The most common reason for dismissal is that people don't come to work or vanish for longer periods. We also see employees that come from abroad return home without giving any notification," Støylen told Dagsavisen. Støylen does not believe that the City of Oslo has an unusual situation with its employee problems."Many Norwegian...