The USA is sadly behind most major allied powers in relation to economic viability in the 21st Century.

October 10, 2018

Oslo - U.S. oil firm Chevron (CVX.N) (click here) will become the first oil major to formally exit the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) as it transfers its last stake in an exploration license, according to a government letter.

Oil majors, including Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), BP (BP.L) and Shell (RDSa.AS), have scaled down their presence in Norway by selling or merging their assets in the mature region to focus on new growth opportunities elsewhere....

All these changes would seem radical to Americans, but, they are not to allies. This has been a shift in their society and economies over time and they are very successful. Then there is this mess in the USA.

October 10, 2018

By Darrell Proctor

Colorado-based Westmoreland Co, with the company reporting more than $1.4 billion in debt. The company in its annual financial report in April of this year said it was considering bankruptcy in an effort to protect it from creditors.

Westmoreland, which has operated for 164 years, is the oldest independent U.S. coal company. It is the fourth major U.S. coal producer to file for bankruptcy protection in the past three years. Alpha Natural Resources went into bankruptcy in 2015, and Arch Coal and Peabody Energy filed bankruptcy petitions the following year....

The reason the USA is so very far behind in eliminating carbon based fuels from it's economy is that of political corruption. The USA taxpayer is chronically taken advantage of in spending that is primarily unknown to most consumers.

This is government corruption. There is no other name for it. Consumers WANT alternative energies and want to eliminate carbon emissions, HOWEVER, political cronies that pour millions if not billions into Republican pockets get their way and violate the trust of the American people. In this case it is Murray, but, Koch is still yet another Republican crony seeking special treatment.

It has to stop and the only way it is going to stop is to put Republicans out of office. Just that simple. I am sorry it is always politics that is the answer to such MORAL issues, but, Americans didn't make energy political, the industries and right wing media did. End the carbon pollution by the USA and get rid of Republicans.

September 6, 2018

By Benjamin Storrow

Coal plant closures (click here) have become routine in 2018. American utilities plan to close roughly 13.5 gigawatts of coal capacity this year, the second-highest annual total on record.

But even by that standard, the announcement by FirstEnergy Solutions that it intends to disconnect its last two coal plants was particularly notable (Greenwire, Aug. 30).

Few power companies have had a greater impact on the national debate around coal.

FirstEnergy Solutions, the power plant division of FirstEnergy Corp., filed for bankruptcy protection in April. The company has aggressively lobbied Washington for a federal lifeline for its ailing coal and nuclear facilities, which have been weighed down by low wholesale power prices and stiff competition from natural gas.

The proposed plant retirements of Bruce Mansfield in Pennsylvania and W.H. Sammis in Ohio add fuel to the debate surrounding coal plant closures. The massive facilities are in politically important states, and they buy coal from Murray Energy Corp., an Ohio mining company led by a Trump confidant. The political backdrop prompted some analysts to wonder if last week's announcement was designed to prompt a response from the Department of Energy, which is considering a plan to head off premature closures by subsidizing the use of coal.

"One way to read the announcement is that it's designed to force the hands of policymakers and regulators to think about a more concrete timeline for action to support baseload generation," said Joseph Aldina, who tracks the industry at S&P Global. "It may be a signal to policymakers and regulators."...

My suggestion is that with Trump apathetic about Russia and even giving preferential treatment to Putin, Russia feels safe and is practicing encroachment.

Russia is pushing it's luck. It has always practiced brinkmanship, but, this latest insult to NATO is directly related to Trump's friendship with Putin. So, the idea there is no real effects to the USA and NATO's national security because of Trump's coziness with Russia is nothing more than putting blinders on when one should be matching aggression with aggression.

There is probably a need for some kind of talks between NATO and Russia to limit Putin's brinkmanship. The USA military should be an active partner with NATO in such talks to emphasize that a wayward Plutocratic president does not equate to the compromised national defense of any country the USA has as allies. Easily pointed to is the FBI Mueller investigation that continues to line up charges and prisoners from Trump's 2016 campaign. The USA is not changing it's stance in regard to NATO or any other ally.

October 15, 2018
By Nicholas Frakes

The Netherlands Marine Corps (click here) director of operations Gen Jeff Mac Mootry accused Russia of using its military to try to provide NATO troops in the Arctic Circle.

The general said: “What we see is there is an increasing interest of Russian naval vessels when we exercise.

“For example, when we do launching exercises as part of our ballistic missile defence program, we see more Russian ships than normally and they come closer to us than in past decades. They clearly want to make their presence visible.”

Mr Mac Mootry added that Russian fighter planes were flying “closer over our warships just to make their presence known, you could almost call it, in a provocative way”.

While the traditional description of the constantly strained Russia-West relations is ‘Cold War 2.0’, Mr Mac Mootry said that these recent encounters with Russia near Norway were part of “Cold War 3.0”.

Currently, around 400 British soldiers have been training in Norway as part of a joint deployment with the Dutch marines.

The UK is planning to set up a permanent presence in the area as well as to send roughly 800 commandos and marines in 2019 to Norway for their cold weather training.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson called this move a response to Cold War era Russian submarine activity....

The USA was supposed to send troops from Camp LeJeune (click here) for NATO. They were to deploy as Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina. At some point the troops need to join their counterparts in Europe.

As Russia continues to play brinkmanship, China seems more interested in trade.

October 14, 2018
Beijing

Kezzler AS, (click here) a leader in serialization, today announced they are representing the Norwegian innovative technology and software industry in conjunction with the State visit to China by their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja. Norwegian businesses are being showcased in Chinathis week as part of the Royal visit supported by Innovation Norway.

Kezzler has a long history of deploying solutions in Asia for major global brands ranging from consumer goods to pharmaceutical products, helping companies overcome unauthorized distribution and the challenges posed by counterfeit goods.        

"With our proven technology to fight counterfeit products in Asian markets, we are honoured to be part of this delegation. The Chinese market is the second largest consumer market in the world. There are regulations initiated in China to fight counterfeiting and ensure food safety addressing the concerns of consumers. In this space, Kezzler offers solutions to companies, protecting their brands and building trust with consumers. Our technology platform can save companies large amounts in lost revenue, while keeping consumers safe," said Christine C. Akselsen, CEO of Kezzler....

The USA is sadly out of step with allies and just generally markets.

October 14, 2018
By Zachary Shahan

Exponential electric vehicle adoption (click here) has been at play in Norway for several years. I remember attending AVERE’s EVS27 in Barcelona back in late 2013 and the hottest news of previous months had been Norway achieving stunning EV market share milestones. That September and October, plug-in vehicles had risen to 7% and 8% market share! (As you’ll see in a few minutes, 7% and 8% market share were figures no other country would touch for years.) Electric cars had been the top selling cars in the country two months in a row — the Tesla Model S in September and the Nissan LEAF in October....

...In November, plug-in vehicle (PEV) market share rose to a stunning 12%.

In subsequent months, the Model S and LEAF continued to find themselves at the top of the sales chart, and the Tesla Model S even outsold all Ford vehicles in the country. In March 2014, Model S registrations were more than double the #2 Golf’s registrations.

In August and September 2014, PEV market share rose to 14.5% and 14.3%. In 2015, more electric cars started competing for the top selling car title, with the VW e-Golf climbing up the ranks, for example. By July and August 2015, PEV sales were so high that they took a stunning 23% and then 26% of car sales in the country. The available models kept broadening.

Sales kept climbing, and by April 2016, plug-ins + hybrids had risen to 60% of the country’s car sales. A month later, despite its small population, Norway became the 4th country to achieve 100,000 total electric car sales. I met a couple of Norwegians in California right before the Model 3 unveiling as we and hundreds of others waited in line in Santa Monica to reserve Model 3s. In the first half of the year, 24% of new cars had plugs, 13% pure electric cars and 11% plug-in hybrids....

He never regretted publishing the book, but, evidently regrets not finding the murderer.

October 10, 2018

By Henrick Pryser Libell and Richard Martyn-Hemphill

Asked if he regretted publishing Salman Rushdie’s novel, William Nygaard said “absolutely not.”

Oslo — William Nygaard, (click here) publisher of the Norwegian edition of Salman Rushdie’s novel “The Satanic Verses,” was shot three times and left for dead outside his home in a quiet suburb of Oslo on the morning of Oct. 11, 1993.

Twenty-five years later, just two days before a deadline that would have foreclosed prosecution, the Norwegian police have at last filed charges in the shooting of Mr. Nygaard, who recovered from his wounds. And the authorities stated what many people had always taken for granted: that the attack had to do with Mr. Rushdie’s book, which infuriated Muslims around the world — a theory that the police played down a generation ago.

“We have no reason to believe there is any other motive for the attempted killing than the publication of ‘The Satanic Verses,’ ” said Ida Dahl Nilssen, a spokeswoman for Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service. The shooting was about more than an attack on one man, she said, it was a violent attempt to shut down free speech....

Why is everyone ignoring the Nobel Prize in Economics? Paul Romer and William Nordhaus won.

They are both Americans. What is the issue? They are experts in growth. They believe economic growth can become unsustainable. Interesting.

New York University (click here) professor Paul Romer (second from left) attends a news conference after being named a winner of the 2018 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics with professor William D. Nordhaus of Yale University on October 8, 2018 in New York City.

October 12, 2018

By David Bookbinder and Joseph Majkut

The awarding of a Nobel prize in economics this week (click here) to William Nordhaus — the first economist to develop a model of how the climate and the global economy are linked — highlights a tremendous lost opportunity to fight climate change.

Decades ago, Nordhaus’s work provided a set of tools that should have appealed to market-minded politicians as a way to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Yet American conservatives chose denial instead. And because the right ignored Nordhaus (and those who picked up on his work), it seems unlikely that this country will take the “unprecedented” actions that the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said this week are necessary to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Yale University Professor William Nordhaus, one of the 2018 winners of the Nobel Prize in economics, speaks about the honor Monday, Oct. 8, 2018, in New Haven, Conn. 
Beginning in the 1970s, Nordhaus demonstrated how a growing economy increases greenhouse gas emissions, which warm the planet, and in turn cause economic damages in sectors as far flung as agricultural production and coastal property. Yet, he observed, the producers of those gases do not pay for the damages they cause....
By the way, Yale is not a bad word, just Kavanaugh.

When I think of Norway, I think of glaciers.

 

Jostedal Glacier (Norwegian Jostedalsbreen) is the largest glacier in continental Europe at an elevation of 2083 meters (more than 6800 feet).

The picture is from Jostedalbreen National Park. (click here) Some of the glaciers are shaded by mountains, but, still, recede.

To understand the glacier retreat in this region of Norway, the Norwegian Glacier Museum and Ulltveit-Moe (click here) climate center has a display of its evidence.

Also, "Glacier Change in a world of Climate Change" (click here), it is a slightly more casual website that features more specifics that laymen may understand.

"A new glacier inventory for the Jostedalsbreen region, Norway, from Lanstat TM scenes from 2006 and changes since 1966"
by Frank Paul, Liss M. Andreassen and Solveig H. Winsvold 
Annals of Glaciology, Volume 52, Issue 59, 2011, pp. 153-162, 14 September 2017

Pronounced changes (click here) in glacier mass and length were observed for the monitored glaciers in the Jostedalsbreen region, Norway, since the last glacier inventories were compiled in the 1960s and 1980s. However, the current overall extent of the glaciers in the region is not well known. To obtain this information, we have compiled a new inventory from two mosaicked Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes acquired in 2006 that have excellent snow conditions for glacier mapping, the first suitable scenes for this purpose after 22 years of imaging with TM. Drainage divides and topographic inventory parameters were derived from a 25 m national digital elevation model for 1450 glaciers. By digitizing glacier outlines from 1: 50 000 scale topographic maps of 1966, we calculated changes in glacier area for ~300 glaciers. Cumulative length changes for the 1997–2006 period were derived from an additional TM scene and compared with field measurements for nine glaciers. Overall, we find a 9% area loss since 1966, with a clear dependence on glacier size; however, seasonal snow in 1966 in some regions made area determination challenging. The satellite-derived length changes confirmed the observed high spatial variability and were in good agreement with field data (±1 pixel), apart from glacier tongues in cast shadow. The new inventory will be freely available from the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) glacier database.

The devastation to the Florida panhandle may be found to be that of a higher category storm after all the facts are in.

October 13, 2018
By Pam Wright

Hurricane Michael (click here) carved swaths of devastation as it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle

At least 17 deaths have been blamed on the hurricane.

Water rescues were needed in Virginia as Michael's deluge prompted flash flood emergencies.

The search continued Saturday for victims of Hurricane Michael, a day after a body was discovered on Mexico City Beach, the Florida town nearly obliterated by the storm that brought destruction and death across large swaths of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.

At least 17 deaths have been blamed on the powerful storm – eight in Florida, three in North Carolina, one in Georgia and five in Virginia.

That number is almost certain to rise in the coming days, Miami Fire Chief Joseph Zahralban, leader of a search-and-rescue unit, told the Associated Press.

"We have one confirmed deceased and are working to determine if there are others," said Zahralban, who added that searchers were trying to determine if that person had been alone or was part of a family.

Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long says he expects to see the death toll rise. Says Long: "We still haven't gotten into the hardest-hit area."...

.

Norway is ranked fourth in the world in "GDP per capita" at $58,834 US.

Norway rededicated itself to it's children in the early 1990s. (click here) It increased spending in education from 13.54 percent of the national budget to 16.58 percent. That is not that much of an increase in considering the expenditure, the children and it's brain trust. The return on investment has been incredible for the country. Norway has remained at that level of spending on educating their young people and today spends about 17.4 percent on education.

Norway finished 2016 ranked number 16 but has moved up 10 spots in the first quarter rankings for 2017. Norway’s teacher to student ratio for Primary age students is second in the world (one teacher for every student), and ranks fifth in the world for Secondary students (one teacher for every ten students). Like most countries, their international test score results will determine how high they finish in the final poll in December. Power Ranking Score of 82.

GDP per capita (click here)

Norway's climate targets are ambitious, but, it has experienced a success rate of reductions consistently since 2011. It is a matter of investment. When a country protects forests, builds alternative energy sources, it builds on itself exponentially. The culture changes with each generation and the entire idea of being carbon emission free then is an expectation and not a goal. 

In 2016, (click here) co2 emissions per capita for Norway was 8.28 metric tons. Though Norway CO2 emissions per capita fluctuated substantially in recent years, it tended to decrease through 1997 - 2016 period ending at 8.28 metric tons in 2016.

In 2012 it was a pretty big deal (click here), at least in the country, when Norway broke the 5 million mark on inhabitants.

The numbers have continued to grow and in the 2016 census, the population was counted at about 5.25 million....

With Trump's hideous commitment to ignore the Climate Crisis; they will find the street view is very different.

This is a letter from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

October 14, 2018

Climate change, (click here) scientists say, is responsible for the recent extreme weather in Pennsylvania — heat waves, torrential rain and flooding. These weather changes are not merely inconvenient, as demonstrated by a natural gas pipeline rupture that caused a terrifying explosion and fire, destroying a house, several garages and vehicles. The cause: a landslide brought about by heavy rain the previous four days.

In my neighborhood, the South Side Slopes, we’ve lost several streets to landslides, streets we’re told there is no money to repair. As hillsides continue to slide, several of my neighbors worry about losing their houses, consulting engineers and building expensive retaining walls. If action isn’t taken, we will surely see more weather-related calamities in the future.

We can’t count on politicians in Washington, D.C., to combat climate change as the Trump administration’s announced rollbacks of carbon and methane gas emission limits make clear. And so far, state policymakers in both parties have shown little inclination to enact policies that would make a difference in this fight.

The problem of climate change and the underlying causes can no longer be ignored. Fortunately, a statewide coalition has developed the PA Common Conservation Agenda. Among its recommendations: increasing investment in clean energy sources; restoring funding to the state agencies responsible for permitting and monitoring pipeline construction; and encouraging more energy-efficient green construction practices.

With a pivotal election on Nov. 6, it is time take our demands for action on climate change directly to the candidates running for governor and the general assembly.

Jessica Benham
South Side

Norway is dedicating more national assets toward the goals of 2030.

...First off (click here) we see that emissions have basically been flat since the mid-1990s. A few ups and downs, but basically flat at around 50-55 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2-equivalent (CO2e) emissions per year. (CO2e is a measure used to combine different gases together as to the equivalent amount of CO2.)...

Norway has also had an incredible response from it's industries that have risen to become one of the main drivers of GHG reductions.

The Storting (Norwegian Parliament) (click here) passed a Climate Law on 16 June 2017 that establishes legally binding emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2050. The law came into effect on 1 January 2018 and aims for Norway to achieve “carbon neutrality” by 2050, in quantitative terms - defined as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 80–95% below 1990 emission levels (UNFCCC, 2018). This law has been complemented by an increased budget allocation to the Ministry of Climate and Environment of NOK 10.5 billion, an increase from 2017 of NOK 0.7 billion. Currently implemented policies are projected to decrease emissions by 6% in 2030 below 1990 levels – a far cry from Norway’s 2030 target of “at least 40%” and “Highly insufficient” , meaning currently implemented policies are not consistent with the Paris Agreement, and are instead consistent with warming between 3°C and 4°C:

Norway signed and ratified the Paris Agreement on 20 June 2016. Norway’s NDC includes a target of reducing GHG emissions by “at least 40%” below 1990 levels in 2030, thus aligning itself with the European Union’s target. The inclusion of emissions and removals from the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector was made dependent on the EU’s approach to this issue....

From the government of Norway:

...Norway will exceed its Kyoto commitment by 10 percentage points in the first commitment period. (click here)

Until 2020, Norway will make a commitment to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by an amount corresponding to 30 per cent of Norway's emissions in 1990.

Norway will be carbon neutral in 2050.

As part of a global and ambitious climate agreement where other industrialised countries also make major commitments, Norway will have a binding target of carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest. It means that Norway will ensure for reductions in emissions that are equivalent to Norwegian emissions in 2030....

The commitment by the Norwegian government reflects longevity in it's identification of goals.

2015-02-04

The Norwegian government (click here) suggests that Norway by 2030 reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent compared to the 1990 level. The EU is leading the way in the efforts to combat anthropogenic climate change. The Norwegian government aims for Norway to join the EU 2030 framework for climate policies in order for Norway and the EU to jointly fulfil their climate targets.

There is a need to transform the Norwegian society. An important reason is the need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid dangerous, anthropogenic climate change. At the climate change negotiations in Paris in December, Norway and the world needs to take brave new steps towards a low-carbon economy, says Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

Under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, Norway is committed to reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases equivalent to 30 per cent of Norwegian emissions by 2020 compared to 1990. Norway will now submit to the UN its 2030 climate targets. In the White Paper about a New Norwegian Commitment for the Period After 2020, the Government will suggest a commitment that will increase the level of ambition in Norwegian climate policies....

It is unfortunate as US Senator Jeff Flake turns to mainstream issues with mainstream ideas, he is rejected by voters in Arizona as unpopular.

October 14, 2018
By Tim Marcan

Arizona's current and worsening drought (click here) Abnormal dryness or drought are currently affecting approximately 6,393,000 people in Arizona, which is about 100% of the state's population.

Population in drought numbers are as of 10-09-2018. These numbers update Thursdays at approximately 9am EDT.

Senator Jeff Flake (Republican - Arizona) (click here) urged his GOP colleagues to work to combat climate change. He made his remarks appearing on ABC's This Week on Sunday.

ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos asked Flake if Republicans were heading in the wrong direction regarding climate change amid recent comments from White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow downplaying the United Nations report that warned of catastrophic consequences.

"I think so," Flake answered. "I think that we've got to—there's been more recognition among Republicans, the administration hasn't taken the view of some of us that this is something we really need to deal with. I hope that we can move along with the rest of the world and address this. It's going to be challenging, obviously. That report that came out is pretty dire. But there are things that we can do and should do. And I think Republicans need to be at the forefront if we want to keep our place and keep our seats."...

9 May 2018

A flood predicted by weather experts in Norway (click here) is now increasingly likely to affect eastern areas of the country.

Potential flooding has been compared to famous July 1995 floods in Eastern Norway, which itself was the worst flood in the region since the 18th century.

Sudden melting of snow during warmer weather caused the 1995 flood, which is estimated to have cost Norway two billion kroner.

Similar conditions in 2018 were predicted by meteorologists as early as March this year, NRK reports.

“There is every reason to be wary of the situation, which is like that of 1995 with a lot of snow in the mountains and a long cold spell. If it suddenly gets warm with a lot of rain, conditions are optimal for a similar spring flood,” climate researcher Øyvind Paasche of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research told the broadcaster.

Water levels in several rivers in Eastern Norway are now reported to be on the rise as a result of warm spring weather.

Professor Atle Nesje of the University of Bergen’s Department of Earth Science told NRK that water levels were likely to rise in coming days...

Golf isn't the first thing one thinks of in Norway.

It's Sunday Night

Suzanne Pettersen was born in Oslo, Norway. Both her parents, Axel and Mona, participated in sports. She has two brothers, Stefan and Gunerius. Suzann Pettersen is a distant relative of merchant Gunerius Pettersen (1826–1892).

Ladies European Tour (click here)

Still Europe's pre-eminent female golfer, thirteen years after she turned pro, with a powerful 250-yeard drive, the 32-year-old Suzann Pettersen last year showed she led the field in other ways, when she posed naked in a tasteful beachside setting for ESPN Magazine's Body issue.

10 August 2018
By Jennifer Meyer

Suzann Pettersen (click here) and her husband Christian welcomed the newest member of the family on August 8th.

In early March the golfing world learned that Petttersen was expecting her first child.  The 15-time LPGA Tour winner made her last start at the 2017 CME Group Tour Championship.

Congratulations to Suzann and Christian on the birth of your son.

The National Anthem of Norway - A Capella (click here for the people's website - thank you)

Norway's National Anthem

Ja, vi elsker dette landet

Yes, we love this country

Ja, vi elsker dette landet,
som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,
med de tusen hjem, —
elsker, elsker det og tenker
på vår far og mor
og den saganatt som senker
drømmer på vår jord.

Og den saganatt som senker,
senker drømmer på vår jord.

Yes, we love this country
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, over the water,
with the thousands of homes, —
love, love it and think
of our father and mother
and the saga-night that lays
dreams upon our earth.
And the saga-night that lays,
lays dreams upon our earth.

Dette landet Harald berget
med sin kjemperad,
dette landet Håkon verget,
medens Øyvind kvad;
Olav på det landet malet
korset med sitt blod,
fra dets høye Sverre talet
Roma midt imot.

This country Harald united
with his army of heroes,
this country Håkon protected
whilst Øyvind sung;
upon the country Olav painted
with his blood the cross,
from its heights Sverre spoke
up against Rome.

Bønder sine økser brynte
hvor en hær dro frem;
Tordenskjold langs kysten lynte,
så den lystes hjem.
Kvinner selv stod opp og strede
som de vare menn;
andre kunne bare grede,
men det kom igjen!

Farmers their axes sharpened
wherever an army advanced,
Tordenskjold along the coastline thundered
so that we could see it back home.
Even women stood up and fought
as if they were men;
others could only cry
but that soon would end!

Visstnok var vi ikke mange,
men vi strakk dog til,
da vi prøvdes noen gange,
og det stod på spill;
ti vi heller landet brente
enn det kom til fall;
husker bare hva som hendte
ned på Fredrikshald!

Sure, we were not many
but we were enough,
when we were tested sometimes,
and it was at stake;
we would rather burn our land
than to declare defeat;
just remember what happened
down at Fredrikshald!

Hårde tider har vi døyet,
ble til sist forstøtt;
men i verste nød blåøyet
frihet ble oss født.
Det gav faderkraft å bære
hungersnød og krig,
det gav døden selv sin ære —
og det gav forlik.

Hard times we have coped with,
were at last disowned;
but in the worst distress, blue-eyed
freedom was to us born.
It gave (us) father's strength to carry
famine and war,
it gave death itself its honour -
and it gave reconciliation.

Fienden sitt våpen kastet,
opp visiret fór,
vi med undren mot ham hastet,
ti han var vår bror.
Drevne frem på stand av skammen,
gikk vi søderpå;
nå står vi tre brødre sammen,
og skal sådan stå!

The enemy threw away his weapon,
up the visor went,
we, in wonder, to him hastened,
because he was our brother.
Driven forth to a stand by shame
we went to the south;
now we three brothers stand united,
and shall stand like that!

Norske mann i hus og hytte,
takk din store Gud!
Landet ville han beskytte,
skjønt det mørkt så ut.
Alt, hva fedrene har kjempet,
mødrene har grett,
har den Herre stille lempet,
så vi vant vår rett.

Norwegian man in house and cabin,
thank your great God!
The country he wanted to protect,
although things looked dark.
All the fights fathers have fought,
and the mothers have wept,
the Lord has quietly moved
so we won our rights.

Ja, vi elsker dette landet,
som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,
med de tusen hjem.
Og som fedres kamp har hevet
det av nød til seir,
også vi, når det blir krevet,
for dets fred slår leir.

Yes, we love this country
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, above the sea,
with those thousand homes.
And as the fathers' struggle has raised
it from need to victory,
even we, when it is demanded,
for its peace will encamp (for defence).

The rule of law vs. the rule of men.

Jamal Khashoggi is dead because he was perceived as a threat and not because of his actions or words. While his journalism brought him attention by the authorities of Saudi Arabia, the urgency for his death increased because the engagement built on the idea of Jamal being a threat. The engagement increased the interest in ending his life before he could be married and have a family, especially the birth of a son.

Within the orthodox practice of the Muslim faith, sons can seek justice, albeit acts of murder, for the death of a father. If a man is perceived as a threat that threat increases with the birth of children, especially boys. I sometimes wonder if the son of Anwar al-Awlaki (click here) was conducted for that reason or was it because the cell phone number had many repeated connections with Awlaki?

At any rate, the children or in this case anticipated children of a person, mostly men, are almost more of a worry than the man himself. Jamal Khashoggi is not the only man to be targeted because of an engagement. However, in at least one other case I read in the foreign press, the man relinquished his engagement and was spared his life. It was reported in the media within the past month. I feel certain about this as a factor to Jamal Khashoggi's attack and possible death.

It is noteworthy as to the fall in value to Saudi Arabian stocks and the confrontation of Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance. Investors get nervous when uncertainty enters a market. The deaths that have occurred in Saudi Arabia are a concern to investors because they have reassurances about the stability of their investments. Investors also don't like to think of themselves as targets to whims of authoritarians.

The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi must be solved and the US Congress acts to resolve such violence against journalists. It may be indecision by US authorities/Congress may limit the investment into Saudi Arabia regardless of signed documents between Trump and the Crowned Prince. All those companies that Trump values over human life are run and invested in by people that make decisions outside the influence of Trump's authoritarian regime.

Any type of misogyny goes in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Mr. Barber on Facebook on October 8th stated, “Can’t believe Joe is getting on the right track,” Barber wrote, “Better get you’re (sic) coathangers ready liberals.” In case LADIES don't recognize the barbaric reference, it is about self-inducing abortion. Barber is a disgusting man that obviously hates women.  I take it he is a Trump supporter. Facebook should remove his page and prohibit him from developing another.

Anti-abortion is not necessarily Pro-life, it is anti-woman. Anti-abortion agendas are misogyny.


October 10, 2018

A Parkersburg city councilman (click here) now faces a lawsuit, over yet another comment made on social media.

A Parkersburg man has filed suit against Eric Barber, claiming the district #4 councilman made defamatory statements against him.

Douglas Evans claims Barber posted a comment in response to a Evans' comment on a Facebook video.

Evans believes Barber implied he was a pedophile.

Barber has come under fire this week after a Facebook post aimed at opponents of the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court Saturday.

The incident has led some to call for Barber's resignation or removal from city council, something council leadership and the city's attorney say can be done only by petition.

City council Tuesday night issued a statement announcing its disagreement with Barber's comments.

Barber was present at the meeting, but did not comment on council's statement or on the controversy.