Uklar markering av 9. april

Solheimsviken, Bergen (TV2): Kaos og forundring preget makeringen av krigsutbruddet i Bergen, derfor er det først nå den seriøse media har kunnet rapportert fra situasjonen. Det ble rot med flagg, taler og opptil flere veteraner brøt ut og dannet sin egen minnestund på Bergenhus festning.

"Det var våre venner fra over havet som atter ga oss friheten. Venner og allierte gjennom historien, gjennom handel og kultur, som tok til våpen og befridde oss fra okkupasjonstyraniet våren for 65 år siden" var åpningen til ministerpresident Hvitland i sin første offentlige opptreden etter at selvstyremyndighetene konstituerte seg i mars. Aprilmorgenen var solfylt og et hundretalls tilhørere, etterkommere, overlevende og Skansen battaljon hadde møtt opp på minnesmerke på Solheim kirkegård. I talen vekta Hvitland foruten de historiske båndene mellom Bergen og kontinentet også de nye vennskapsbåndene mellom lokalbefolkningen og frigjørerne.

Her begynte fraksjoner av de oppmøtte og murre, og stille spørsmålstegn ved Hvitlands lojalitet. Dog, det var først da Hvitland med tårer i øynene og euforiske takter lovpriste den vekst verftnæringene i Bergen hadde opplevd, og hvordan Oslo aldri hadde kunnet viet Bergen så mye oppmerksomhet til byutviklingen og områdefornying som det det frigjørerne hadde kommet med "fra oven". Ikke bare var dette nasjonal frigjøring generelt, men samling spesielt. Her forlot Skansen battaljon og Tysklandsbrigaden åsedet og, etter lengre venting på 24-linjen ved Fjøsangerveien, tok seg inn til Bergenhus festning. Noe satt ut av motviljen fra tilskuerne oppdager nå Hvitland at hans 9. april-tale var forvekslet med 7. mai-talen, dette hindrert han derimot ikke å fullføre talen. De gjenværende tilskuere så heller ikke ut til å ta seg nevneverdig nær av forvekslingen, men troverdige kilder sier at det oppstod flere pinlige situasjoner under kransenedleggelsen da flere av kransene endte på steien til ridderkorsbærer major Klein.

Da BT tok kontakt med ministerpresidentens kontor rettet Hvitland seg selv og understreket at det var Marshall-hjelpen han siktet til, og ikke Royal Air Force, når det kom til byutviklingen i Bergen. Resten ønsket han ikke å ta stilling til.

Sjøslag i Bergen

Over: en illustrasjon av situasjonen kl 02:30. Røde innslag markerer Leeds' fulltreffere, blå Dublins fulltreffere. Grå områder under katigorisering.

BERGEN (NTB/NRK): Myndighetene i Bergen fikk ved midnattstider torsdag inn opplysninger om et eskalerende sjøslag. Det nystartede Royal Norwegian Scientific Socialization Company, en tenketank underlagt Royal Norwegian Correspondence Association, er observert i området på det aktuelle tidspunkt.

De forhenværende Leeds- og Dublinkorrespondentene la ut fra Hordaheimen i lovart, men til tross for liten tonnasje og forseilte luker inntok begge opptil flere bredsider utover kvelden. Selv om hverken Leeds eller Dublin fikk påbevist skader på skrogene var det klar slagside at de ankom en frihavn i C. Sundts gate og gikk i tørrdokk kl 04, fredag morgen. Havarikommisjonen var rask ute morgentimene 9. april for å få oversikt over sentrum, og kunne rask konstatere høy sjø og vrakrester i Strandgaten. Irlands ambassadør til Norge tar ikke ansvar for at Dublin nært forliste og påberopte seg Irland som flaggstat, og vil ikke en gang ha vrakpanten.

VALG VALG VALG VALG VALG VALG

Gorden Brown har nå sakt i fra; 6. mai i år er det åpnet for valg, to år etter at han tiltrådde og i all stilhet innsatte en belgisk bankmann over Elizabeth som overhode. Og vi gleder oss. Ikke fordi Labour kommer til å gjøre det bra, ikke fordi David Cameron med litt flaks er ny statsminister og langt mindre fordi BNP kanskje får sin første representant i Westminster, men fordi alt dette kan skje samtidig. Og med øyne utstudert hos institutt for sammenliknende politikk er dette det nærmeste en kommer ren ekstase på egenhånd. Det er jo tross ulidelig spennende å se grafer gå opp og ned, kakediagrammer som får større og mindre stykker, eller, min absolutte favoritt: kart over valgkretsene, her representert ved oversikta etter 2005 valget.

Spesielt i år er den store sjansen for et hung parliament, det vil si at det ikke finnes et klart flertallsalternativ. Sånn som det er nå trenger Cameron og Conservatives en fremgang på nærmere 7,5 % fra 2005 for å få en majoritet. Ikke praktisk, langt fra vanlig, direkte uvanlig faktisk. På motsatt side, Labour skal ikke gå mer enn drøykt 1,5 % før deres flertall ryker. Med andre ord: mye gøy i vente i starten av mai!

Frokosten dagen der på

Nesten ei uke etter den store dagen har nå bildene fra St. Patrickfestlighetene kommet meg i hende. Dessuten, som en person med respekt for de nasjonalesymboler, og med en utprega nasjonsbevist holdning til hva en uttrykker, markerer og framhever, var det nærmest en plikt til at en gjorde frokosten 18. mars til den mest nasjonsbeviste frokosten en har iløpet av et år. (Tross alt, langt flere "husker" dagen etter St Patrick betraktelig bedre enn St. Patrick-morgen. Kvelden derimot husker de færreste)

NO means: NO

55,6 %. Despite continuous demands for a renewed EU debate (read: a 3^rd referendum) from the pro-unionists and an enlarged Union: the people of Norway reject the so called European project with an even larger margin. A no means mostly, unless you are a part of the electorate of a member state within the union, NO. And, in the Norwegian case, this has been the opinion of a majority of the people since 2005. Why can’t this fact sink in within the ranks of the Labour Party and the Conservatives, bury this decade long feud and work with the parliamentary Union-sceptic minority within the framework of EFTA? This situation, where a majority of the party elites continues neglecting our legal veto right; continues the pressure to amend the constitution on the majority needed to cede sovereignty and the use of the party whip to implement any new EU directive is bloody useless. It’s just another reason to have contempt for Labour, Conservatives, Liberals (partly) and (just another reason) the Progressives. This is a serious democratic problem, and if the government don’t trust its own people when we voted against this in ’72 and ‘94, why should we trust them, if (may God forbid) we enter the Union, and they are the people to represent us? Why should Conservatives or Labour do a better job in Brussels facing the Union leadership on the other side of the table, if they are so damn afraid of disappointing them outside the Union? This is probably not the Zero Hour of the EU debate in Norway, but, and I hope, even though we during the next months risks to tarnish our postal system and put all our citizens under surveillance because some middle aged, suite dressed men in Brussels demanded it: this struggle should prove that it is people might make right, not the might of the resources held by 30,6 % on the top of the social hierarchy.

Happy Birthday, Sophia!

March 17th, is undoubted the Irish’s day, the 18th, however, is truly belonging to Sophia. And today, the person that gave life to Erika the Vamp, Lady Penelope, Kate, *blush* Islode...and Freya, of course, turns 30. 2009 has been a rather disappointing year for my favourite Brit, in terms of film appearances, but Sophia is still only 30, and potential like no other actresses I could name, so, Sophia; 2010 shall indeed become your year. In here address to the fans at sophiamyles.org she tells that’s she’s back in front of the camera (which I waited for since I bought Outlander in September), and what ells could I do than cross my fingers white and bite nails to my elbow? At least I hope to see her back on screen in something Hallam Foe-ish/Victorian-ish setting during the summer or autumn. Perhaps not too grown up, but, I kind of miss her. (It’s her birthday, I should be allowed to say such then) I’ll probably never meet her, never speak to her, or hug her, but I still adore her. And that will not change. It is some persons you really can’t explain the reason or depth in the way you look at a stranger, and Miss Myles is, I guess I could say, my own little (distance) crush. But, she makes me smile, that’s enough for me.

Happy birthday, and keep on shining.

XXX

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!

My friends; congratulations. Today, it's truely Ireland first, Ireland last, and Ireland above all. Let's dress up in an authentic Irish spirit, join the Diaspora, and bring the Guinness out! Everybody is a bit Irish today. And even though the time has past since I had my days at the Isle, I bring those days still with me. Escpecially today.

Go raibh maith agath,

Eirinn go Braugh

Btw: it's totaly (socialy) accepted to wear huge, green, unpractical lepperchauns hats today. But, not tomorrow!

Nytt fra Den (relativt) Demokratiske Folkerepublikken Korea

I en bulletin i dag rapporterer nordkoreanske Rodong Sinmun at "Folkerepublikkens Songunhær vil vise hverken nåde eller godvilje ovenfor angriperne". Dette i forbindelse med en amerikansk-sørkoreansk militærøvelse i området. Det heter seg videre at "Folkerepublikkens folk og forsvarspersonell, som setter sin nasjons verdighet og suverenitet over sine egne liv, virkelig skal lære de agressive amerikanske og sørkoreanske styrkene hvilken miserabel slutt de vil gå imøte dersom de våger å framprovosere en 2. Koreakrig".

Noen er litt mer direkte enn Jonas Gahr Støre i sine omtaler av omverdenen, og gjelder vel å sette ord på følelsene sine.

What the Hell did just happen?

OK, guys, normally I give a damn in football. However, as soon as anything concerning University College Dublin’s Blue Shirt Students (sic!), it’s something complete different. I know, it’s only the first matchday we have been through, however, how many times before have UCD been at the top of Eircom Leage, or made 3 goals in a single matc? Have no idea, probably never, but that’s history, now it is Airtricity Leage who’s the big Thing, and UCD is in the lead! Go Students!

OSCE TO COVER FRIDALEN POST-ELECTION

Bergen/Vienna (AP): A twelve men strong REACT squad surprised the former Dublin Correspondent at 4AM Thursday last. Due to his electoral ward, Fridalen 22 in the southern parts of Bergen, recently held its general election, and the Correspondent himself had up to several choices and determinations at his personal level, the Organization for Safety and Co-operation in Europe saw it necessary to certify the election’s free and fairness after accusations of election fraud and unusual high T-values. An encouraged Sinn Féin left Finnegan’s soon after.

The REACT (Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams) questioned the Correspondent about several serious deviations, mainly on making up his personal choices. Following the OSCE election principles his choices where made during crowding, several rejections of opportunities and invalidation of ideas. The Correspondent unable to answer the team because of the NRK’s coverage of the Olympic Games was then left at his office as he refused to budge on any of the points made by the OSCE, stating that both the former Midland Correspondent, the Institute of Celto-Irish Affairs and “the guy at 326” were informed of the situation following the routines as expressed, described and illustrated in the Constitution. He then retreated to his tea.

The opposition, rather the potential opposition because of the flux in the parliamentary process, had addressed the OSCE in a paper with what they saw as serious fraud. The newly founded Vampyrrøsla, formerly known as the Vampire’s National Party led the meeting to address their concerns. The party leadership told the OSCE at their Party Office in a underworld-styled environment that they felt “slightly upset, and the decision of leaving us out a bit harsh and most unfortunate. We are against this intimidation”. On the question of their policies if the voters turned their way the General Secretary explained in a brief monologue “that’s not of your bloody concern, Daywalker. You see these fangs of mine? Huh, do you? We are going to turn those voters, bring order to the natural hierarchy, and reclaim both night and day, you, minion who dare to enter my Domain of Shaddows, will fear us! (A political advisor whispers to him) But we are fancying Vampire Rights though... reach a hand across community bounderies. And…vampire culture...stuff. We have made large contributions to the benefits of the Correspondent’s cultural life”. The Correspondent himself does not reject this fact.

Vampyrrøsla, was forced to change their name to New Norwegian following a ruling from the Election Commission, however, neither Sinn Féin (Irish) nor Vlaamse Liberalen (Belgian) or Parti bourgeois démocratique (Swiss) have been forced to do anything similar. The change of name did hence force a reprint of the ballot papers; however, the new papers did not reach the ballot booth in time for the Election Day, and effectively ended their participation. However, Vampyrrøsla’s main critique of the Election Day is the fact it was a DAY. No one from their underworld community, neither any of their candidates was able to reach the polling stations as the sun blocked the way. The Correspondent’s Office accepted, even endorsed, the roaring night life, but stated that such things as politics and elections had nothing past midnight to do. “The only election I accept whatsoever after midnight is those referendums who may be formed into a “yes” or a “no”, and following the EU principles a no is a delayed yes”, a emotional Correspondent addressed a by passer at Wesselstuen at 11PM Saturday last. This obstacle is looked at as one of the major oppressive tools used against the local vampire community, as the last years have given a rising identity for this gothic inspired minority, which could lead to a future representation. By now, however, the OSCE acknowledge, legitimating of this awaking tide and their incorporation in the social and political sphere is of utter importance. Any form of undead participation is highly unlikly.

The Election Committee have rejected the international efforts to push a re-election forward, as reports has shown possibilities for votes to the Vampyrrøsla (V) may become significant to push the majority in parliament, put two minor parties without representation and make 23PM to 4AM the best time of the day. Nobody have ever seen the vampires political platform, non of the governing parties nor opposition have any bonds to the party, and nobody have so far seen any reason for the party to exist. In a short comment a V candidate says “we have all the time in the world, we can wait, we are suckers! Uhm, wait…oh, well, you know what I’m trying to tell you”. So far the OSCE have placed a Mission to Fridalen with a 2 year mandate and free coffee/tea.