Free Republic

Scrapping looms for veteran linerTime seems to be running out for the venerable SS Norway. The former liner that helped launch Norwegian shipowners' venture into the cruise industry will reportedly be scrapped if no buyer steps forward by next week.The vessel continues to be owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), but hasn't sailed since an explosion in its boiler room in 2003. The explosion and fire killed several crew members.Vastly in need of expensive renovation, the vessel has since been berthed at Bremerhaven in Germany. NCL initially announced plans to repair the vessel, but the Associated Press reported Friday that...

When you marry a Norwegian, you gain more than just a bride or groom. When John Hinsch, a German, married Jan Hilan, who is both Norwegian and Swedish, he acquired a set of Christmas food traditions that encompasses what many consider the best and the worst of culinary options. The best: Who could turn down rosettes and krumkake, lefse, meatballs and rommegrøt? The worst: By reputation - lutefisk. Songs, jokes and entire humor books have been written poking fun at the shimmering white fish which is a staple in Scandinavian-American households at Christmastime. "I ate about a half-teaspoon of lutefisk...