OT: I hear that Norway celebrates its 100th birthday today as an independant nation. Canada arrived at that point in 1967 and somehow still survives.

CNN had a story on the occasion. I pulled this from the site...

"Each country pokes fun at the other. One Norwegian magazine this week published 333 Swedish jokes in an anniversary edition, like: "The city of Malmo no longer has an ice hockey team. They drowned during summer training."

I'd love to hear the other 332 jokes. I'm sure they go both ways.

Congrats to a beautiful country.

Heavy celebration yesterday! Big concert in downtown Oslo (100.000 people).

Yes. Yesterday June 7 was our 100th anniversary as an independant country. I think there are plans for party all summer. They opened a 2nd brand new Svinesund bridge to Sweden as well yesterday, so that we can get faster to the Stones show at Ullevi stadium Gothenburg early June next summer, exactly one year from now. Even if they will play in Norway as well next summer, Gothenburg is a real pilgrim place for Norwegian Stones fans, just four hours driving from Oslo, a lot closer than Stockholm.

[www.svinesund.no]

By the way we have plenty of Swedish jokes, some are really good, but I think our friends from Finland have a lot more. We are great neighbours with Sweden, so that is probably why we just party now, don't really celebrate the independance day itself. The real independance we got 17th of May 1814, when the Norwegian constitution was declared. After that we were in complete control, and that is why 17th of May every year is a public holiday and one of the most famous and unique liberation days. Nothing like it.

[www.visitnorway.com]

Bjornulf

Thank you Richard.

Per-Arne

Hi Richard from Canada!
Are you the Richard I met in Munich and Hong Kong? Richard who used to live and work in Hong Kong??? I think we'we met. anyway, thanks a lot for the congratulations on our 100th aniversary. Actually it was a very peacefull coup d'etat that took place in Norway 100 years ago. It was indeed a velvet revolution, with lots of people waiting in the wings, willing to become "Streetfighting man" if the Swedish king had not given us our freedom... In a way it reminds me of the revolution in Ukraina, lots og fuzz, not much violence, and the people got it's will. A bit like Prague, too! When Havel came to power, carried upon the broad shoulders of a proud people...
Bjørnulf: Wouldn't it have been a great idea if The Stones played Bislett in Oslo's town centre next summer...Or Ullevaal Stadium, and the intimate Spektrum? And Rockefeller... All the best! Have a nice day, everyone!

[www.oslospektrum.no]

I've never been in Munich or Hong Kong. Unfortunately I haven't even been to any of your Nordic countries. Know lots of people from there though...

Just remembered something. We had friends years ago who moved from Norway to here years ago. They were looking for a place to live and chose a small village close by. They said ther area reminded them of home. I have seen lots of photos from Norway, Sweden, and Finland that could easily have been taken in Canada. Very similar in so many ways. I think you have more blonde girls though...

Thank you for the kind words Richard! I know a guy from Vancouver, and he tells the nature is about the same there and in the western and northern parts of Norway. I'd love to visit Canada one day.

Pamela Andersson is of Finnish origin. Her grandfather was a Mr. Kivimäki or something close. They changed it to Andersson, the next door neighbor was Swedish. And she's from Canada.

Yeah bimbos do exist in all nations & with various hair-colours.
Otherwise our Swedish "East half" Finland or Suomi was well
represented yesterday in Sw. TV with Kaurismäki´s La Vie de la
Bohèmes (or original title slt.); cool movie with cool dudes,
esp. late Matti Pellonpää (1951-1995), King of Cool, in Keith´s class.
[www.novision.fi] Pellonpää short bio in English
[www.leningradcowboys.fi] as Leningrad Cowboy´s
Manager Vladimir etc.
...Would also like to propose a toast to me brothernation Norway
and I wish You good luck outside the European Community and I long for a
permant - equal new union (or Sweden as little brother this time?!).
I drink to my own 25% Norweigan genes & blood & I´m happy that both my
Norweigan Rolling Stones-uncles will visit us within a couple of weeks.
"Ja, vi elsker dette landet!"