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[Helgoland]

I actually made a bet a while back that within two weeks I could learn the language well enough to read a book about baking gingerbread - it's very close to German, so I think I'll manage.

[LeoLeonardoIII]

OK but if it's a recipe and you know how to make gingerbread it would be pretty easy to figure it out. They should choose a book for children and tell you which it is only on the day you agree you're ready.

[Helgoland]

Originally the issue was "we need to read that book" and not "Helgoland needs to learn Norwegian" though. There's a group of students in Bonn that bake stuff fairly frequently - next project: The Reichstag. In gingerbread. Which we'll be flambéing.

[Sheb]

I love that.

[10ebbor10]

In somewhat related news: Snowden was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by some Norwegian... God dammit Norway you are amazing. I just want to affectionately nudge you with my forehead.

I don't intend to invoke Godwin's law, but Hitler was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as well. Nominations aren't worth much.

Well I was joking but I'm sorry if I caused offense... I'm having a hard time figuring out if everybody here really dislikes or loves Norway right now.

They are pretty awesome, but far from perfect. They have some terrible fishery management policies (mind you, most of the fight over that is with the EU who want them to use the EU's terrible policies instead, rather than switch to something not terrible, at great expense to Norway and little benefit to the fish) and they have the same "being held captive and actively being corrupted by their recording industry" that most Western nations seem to be dealing with right now, and a pile of other issues...

But comparatively, the place seems like a dream.

Also, Helgoland, I thought Norway didn't WANT to be part of the EU?

Yeah, because of the EU fishery policies - which are starting to work, btw. Otherwise there's little reason for them not to join...

The government has made multiple attempts to join the EU. Popular opinion seems to be against it.

Which results in the fact that Norway complies with most EU regulations, pays for much of EU's institutions, but has no representation.

Edit: What's so problematic about the EU's and Norway's fishing policies.

[Sheb]

They allow very damaging techniques like dragnets and the quotas are too high.

How does Norway pay for the EU's institutions?

[10ebbor10]

It's opts in to various projects, gaining participation but not voting rights.

So less institutions, more projects.

[Loud Whispers]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oh the world of yesterday, you were full of so many bright ideas...

[SealyStar]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Oh the world of yesterday, you were full of so many bright ideas...

What decade is this from?

[Mech#4]

Looks like 50's/60's. Those computer banks have switches and levers, no tape reels though. Ah, I love pictures like that. That police/Obama man has a domed helmet!

[SealyStar]

Looks like 50's/60's. Those computer banks have switches and levers, no tape reels though. Ah, I love pictures like that. That police/Obama man has a domed helmet!

The way it describes computers suggests 60s/70s to me. It'd have to be when computers were well on their way up, because it's not terribly inaccurate, but pre-80s, because by then they would know better.

EDIT: Reverse image searched it. "Computer Criminals of the Future". 1981. Didn't see that coming.

EDIT EDIT: It's from a book called "School, Work, and Play" which appears to be part of a series called "World of Tomorrow".

[alway]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/02/david-miranda-detention-chilling-attack-journalism

So apparently journalists are terrorists now.

Edit: An interesting piece about the incompetence of the UK's spy networks. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/posts/BUGGER

[Evil Knievel]

German government sued by human rights group and hackers

"We accuse US, British and German secret agents, their supervisors, the German Minister of the Interior as well as the German Chancellor of illegal and prohibited covert intelligence activities, of aiding and abetting of those activities, of violation of the right to privacy and obstruction of justice in office by bearing and cooperating with the electronic surveillance of German citizens by NSA and GCHQ"

[alway]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/war-anonymous-british-spies-attacked-hackers-snowden-docs-show-n21361

[AlleeCat]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/02/david-miranda-detention-chilling-attack-journalism

This is straight up spy movie shit. This stuff really happens?