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14 Nov 2011 10:49

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World: Judge: Norway mass-shooting suspect not insane, fit for trial

  • Anders Behring Breivik wasn’t allowed to speak at a hearing Monday, the first public hearing since the July bombing and mass shooting that killed 77 people. The hearing drew more than 500 people. The judge, Torkjel Nesheim, was quick to decide on his sanity (and also noted that he most assuredly acted alone), but would not let him recite a prepared statement for the hearing. “This was not the main trial where he gets to explain himself,” the judge said. “I did not want to give him the opportunity to use this hearing as a platform for him to express his views.” (Check our Tumbl-Zine for more background on this story.) source

28 Jul 2011 14:13

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World: if you think Breivik was alone in his thinking, you’re wrong

  • Mr. Breivik managed to commit two terrorist attacks in a single afternoon. But the hatred and contempt from which he drew his deranged determination were shared with many others throughout the international right-wing blogosphere.
  • Joshua Gaarder, author of “Sophie’s World,” and Thomas Hyland Erickson, professor of social anthropology at the University of Oslo • In a New York Times opinion piece emphasizing the right-wing blogosphere’s influential nature — especially in terms of the Norway terror attacks, perpetrated by a man with ties to the right-wing in Norway. Plenty of people on the Internet are bigots in an extreme sense, extreme enough to encourage behavior like Breivik’s. It’s a sad and scary truth, but it’s one that needs to be taken seriously — no man works alone. He may have been a lone wolf in his actions, but he certainly wasn’t alone in his thinking. source

25 Jul 2011 09:50

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World: Why the judge in the Norway shooting should keep the hearing closed

  • It is clear that there is concrete information that a public hearing with the suspect present could quickly lead to an extraordinary and very difficult situation in terms of the investigation and security.
  • Judge Kim Heer • Explaining why he chose not to allow the hearing for Norway suspect Anders Behring Breivik to be publicized. To put it simply, we’re 100% behind this idea. Breivik basically did what he did to promote his controversial views, and by closing off the hearing, you prevent those views from getting a voice that carries further. That’s why he wanted to speak in public. He wanted the world to hear what he had to say. A good move on the Norwegian judge’s part all around. source

08 Jul 2010 09:00

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World: Al-Qaeda reportedly had its sights on bombing Norwegian targets

  • 3 dudes were arrested in Norway,
    that hotbed of terrorism source

18 Apr 2010 21:36

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Tech, World: Norway’s Prime Minister currently running country with an iPad

  • We want a leader this awesome. While some countries like Israel act like the iPad is the next coming of the black plague, Norway Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (who’s been stuck in New York City because of the volcano and the airline kerfluffle it’s created) has been using one to RUN A FREAKING COUNTRY. We’d like to see Obama do this. source

29 Mar 2010 22:30

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Music: Cool bands like The Knife, brought to you by socialism

  • From the outside, there seem to be some people in America afraid of the state. But we’re not. Because Norway is divided: There’s the state, and there’s private ownership of stuff. I think there’s a perfect mix. It’s not communism, but it’s not the U.S. We’re somewhere in between.
  • Smalltown Supersound label runner Joakim Haugland • Regarding his native country, Norway’s, generous financial setup for the arts. In the U.S., rock bands don’t even get health insurance unless they pay for it themselves, while Scandinavian countries (along with Canada and the U.K.) can give their artists money to tour. Some fairly popular indie acts, including Sweden’s The Knife, Norway’s Annie and Canada’s Wolf Parade , have been able to record and tour thanks to the extra help. In the U.S., it’s a different story. Punk rocker Ted Leo nearly had to give up full-time music-making after a loved one got sick. Which is really depressing, especially considering he’s fairly famous. source

26 Nov 2009 22:29

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World: We’re not thankful for Iran swiping a Nobel Peace Prize from its winner

Shirin Ebadi won the award in 2003. The Norwegian foreign ministry says it’s “the first time a Nobel Peace Prize has been confiscated by national authorities.” Lame. source
 

27 Oct 2009 10:34

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Offbeat: Call this idiot at the Norwegian customs office “snakeskin”

Fourteen pythons. Ten lizards. Fourteen stockings for the creatures. One stupid human being who looks like he’s wearing a halter top. source

04 Oct 2009 22:40

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Tech: This is what happens when you put Digg’s Kevin Rose on the spot

  • Let’s say you’re a couple of Norwegian video podcasters looking for a big get. You know, the kind of get that might get people to watch a Norwegian video podcast. How’s about this? Kevin Rose, the mastermind of Digg, nursing a beer, confirming that he has an iPhone version of his killer app coming. Sounds like you’re set for life, Norwegian video podcasters.source

18 May 2009 10:30

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Culture, World: We don’t get Eurovision. We hope maybe you guys do.

  • Alexander Rybak of Norway won it all – and then some – with this song called “Fairytale.” It’s good to know that there’s a violin-playing European equivalent to Ricky Martin. It helps us sleep better at night.source