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  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    Not the kind of thing we usually post here, but this is the arms/crest of my municipality. I have no idea why, but it has been called most erotic municipal symbol in the country. 😁



  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent

    And there was me just seeing a fountain pen nib. It's all in the eye of the beholder though... 😉

    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    I forgot the arms has been updated. Here's the new one:




    It's really about pen splits, ploughs and two scythe's blades. It boggles the mind why people started calling the arms "Samatha" when it was introduced in the 1980's....

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    You're probably unfamiliar with the aged BBC Radio 4 comedy series "I'm sorry I haven't a clue". Their scorekeeper Samantha is the subject of some of the filthiest jokes ever to pass a censor (I believe some even filthier ones didn't) despite what would appear to be the fatal handicap of not existing. Occasionally her male counterpart Sven takes her place.

  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    I'm more familiar with "Just A Minute" (though I haven't listened to it in ages due to my car radio packing in). On the subject of Radio 4 comedy panel shows more generally, this Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle clip comes to mind:

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QVUhSLl1DAQ

    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    Tonight an author was visiting the local libray. I'm helping out at the library and got to listen to his lecture. He has written a book on the roads in Vestlandet, the south-west coast of the country. His book is really about the old, spectacular and dangerous roads. There were a lot of them and some of them are still in use. In the second edition that's getting released this autumn has a whole chapter on the road from here to the nearest town/large village. The road was pretty "interesting" before we for a modern road a few years back. Several of the people interviewed in the book were present. It was also funny when the author told about when an old small barn had to be moved on a lorry because it was in the way of a slight widing of the road. Since the road the lorry with the small barn on it was 2.5-3 meters wide and often had a cliff on one side and a very steep and long drop into the fjord on the other, any widening of the road was very much needed. The old barn was moved to a local museum. Suddenly an old man raised his hand and said: "That's my old barn". The author had no idea. After the lecture we gathered around the author and told old "war stories" about driving on that and other roads. I suggested the former driver on the local bus as a source, but the author had already contacted him. The former bus driver hadn't't say much, the people who've seen the most are usually the most quiet when it comes to driving too.

    The author also told a tragic story about a young woman who drove on another dramatic road about thirty years ago who's car was swept into the sea by an avalance and she was killed. A man in the audience said after the lecture that he drove past her car and was about 15 seconds in front of her car when the avalanche hit and he narrowly escaped. All in all it was a very popular and interesting visit by the author. Here are some photos I took of the lecture and from his book.



    This particular piece of road was called "the Devil's veranda" by the people who had to use it. It hasn't been used or maintained for decades, but I think you understand why it got the name.

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    Just to make it clear: I post things like the one above because I hope it's interesting to others and in the hope other members will post random stuff from their countries and lives, not because I think what happens here is necesserily more interesting than what happens elsewhere.

    I'd love to see more members post random stuff from whereever they're from. 😀

  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    I think you're selling your post short a little. You certainly have more interesting roads than where I live! 🙂

    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    You just keep on doing what you're doing, N24.

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    Thank you.

    I would also like to see more random posts from others on a range of topics, not just roads. 😃

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    Well, since you asked:


    In the 1960s and 1970s, much of the British cinema industry was kept propped up by four ongoing series. Various cast and crew started on one of these before moving up to the more highly regarded others.

    Bottom of the tree was the much beloved but never critically admired “Carry On” series. Higher up were the Hammer horror movies, and higher again was the Pink Panther series. Top of the tree, of course, were the James Bond movies.


    Shirley Eaton, for example, was in a few Carry On movies

    before her appearance in Goldfinger.


    An actress such as the beautiful Valerie Leon started in Carry On films

    then could get a lead in a Hammer movie

    but only small parts in a Pink Panther

    or a James Bond movie- two, in fact.


    Joanna Lumley went the opposite way- a small part in a James Bond film

    followed by leads for Hammer

    and the Pink Panther.


    Cinematographer Alan Hume started on the Carry On movies

    before moving to Bond

    and then other films you may just have heard of.

    I’m deliberately leaving Christopher Lee out of this- while definitely a Hammer star, he was a star in many other films before and after playing Scaramanga.

    This is by no means an exhaustive list and meant purely for entertainment.

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    Is it fair to say those franchise hjelped finance some Oscar-level high status movies like the David Lean movies?

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    Oh, totally. The money the studios made from these went to finance more critically respected films.

    Not directly related, but apparently Elvis was enraged when he heard (or was told) that the profits from his films had subsidised producer Hal Wallis going on to make the 1964 "Becket" (Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole) which wouldn't have been made otherwise. A critically respected film and not a flop, it didn't make anything like what Elvis movies were making at the time.

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    The quote from Wallis which enraged Elvis-

    "To do the artistic pictures, it is necessary to do the commercially successful Presley pictures"

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    Of course everyone in Norway knows the Bond movies and the Pink Panther movies are somewhat known, I'd say the "Carry on" and Hammer movies are pretty much unknown outside of cult movie fans. I wonder what the situation in other countries is/was?

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    This sounds interesting; I'll certainly be taking a look if awake.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61423765

  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,467MI6 Agent

    Super Blood Moon - sounds like the name of a movie or a band!

    Liverpool win the FA Cup, UK comes second at Eurovision, Ukraine first - not a bad day yesterday.

    Mind you, if Putin hadn't invaded Ukraine we'd actually have won - I have to say, the more I learn about that guy... It puts things into perspective.

    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • caractacus pottscaractacus potts Orbital communicator, level 10Posts: 4,109MI6 Agent

    TwoFour said:

    Of course everyone in Norway knows the Bond movies and the Pink Panther movies are somewhat known, I'd say the "Carry on" and Hammer movies are pretty much unknown outside of cult movie fans. I wonder what the situation in other countries is/was?

    I've never seen a Carry On film. I've only seen a couple of Hammer films, but the dvd's sometimes show up used, so I think they do circulate amongst horror/cult film fans over here. Most of what I know about either series I've learned from discussions here.

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent
    edited October 2022

    Since there was some interest for my post about roads that are/were high on scenery and low on safety I'm posting more on that subject. The most famous and touristy fjord in Norway is the Geiranger fjord. Here is an old post card from the area:



    Most get to the fjord by sea, but for many years the only way to get there was Ørnesvingen ("the Eage Bend") or Ørnevegen ("The Eagle Road"), a narrow and very bendy road. It was of course narrower and less safe back in the day. It also included something called the Knot, an unsual arangement to gain elevation.





    1950s



    But the road is still scenic and bendy:



    Tourists often arrive by cruise ship and get on a bus up the Eagle road. The buses usually stop after a while and have "the talk". If anyone has heart problems or a fear of heights they are encouraged to get off the bus there and get picked up again on the way down. Some leave, others should have. A few tourists faint, soil themselves or throw up. I'm not saying this is common, but it happens. One guide noticed a lady sitting by herself in the bus, absolutely quiet and crying a little. He asked her if she was all right and she nodded. He talked to her again when they stopped at the top and she told him she had lived all her life the Ruhr region in Germany, flat and industrialized area. She had saved for years for this trip and on the bus ride up the Eagle Road she realized how much she had missed.

    There is also the danger of a tsunami. Further out the fjord there is mountain that has a big crack in it and the crack is expanding slowly. One day a big part of the mountain will fall into the fjord and create a gigant wave. The crack is under constant surveilance and of it happens a siren will start and everyone in the area will get a text messege. From that moment everyone has ten minutes to get at least 70-80 m meters (230 feet +) above sea level and the Eagle Road is the only road going that high quickly enough. In the summer there are usually at least one cruise ship there plus the local population. a very good disaster movie has been made about this titled "The wave" from 2015. Here's the trailer: THE WAVE International Trailer (2015) - Roar Uthaug Movie [HD] - Bing video

    Just to be clear: Geiranger is probably safer than where you live and it looks like this:


  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    Today I took my 7 year old granddaughter for a horse riding lesson-

    She had a great time, and we'll be doing that again. I just hope she doesn't ask for a pony for Christmas....

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    Very nice, Barbel. 😊


    Apparently (and completely unrelated to Barbel's phot, I swear) it turns out using phots to make you look more successful than you really are isn't new. 😁


    Poland, 1946.


  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent

    And they say that the camera never lies... 🙄

    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    "A pony for Christmas " you'll need a bigger oven Barbel.

    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,865Chief of Staff

    😁 Nah, she's a vegan!

    (And glad to see you)

  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,845MI6 Agent

    Welcome back, @Thunderpussy. It's good to see you again. You've been missed! 🙂

    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    Nice to see you back, TP.

  • The Red KindThe Red Kind EnglandPosts: 3,336MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    A pony? Not too difficult and fits nicely in a card.


    "Any of the opposition around..?"
  • The Red KindThe Red Kind EnglandPosts: 3,336MI6 Agent

    Great to see you @Thunderpussy !!🤗


    "Any of the opposition around..?"
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent
    edited May 2022

    I'm posting these computer-colourized photos from the past simply because they're great!


    Testing of bulletproof west - 1923.



    Samurai -1881


    Native American - 1908


    A soldier returns home after WWII


    Members of Easy Company (of "Band of Brothers" fame) resting at Hitler's Eagle's Nest - 1945.


    An Hawaiian man using a torch to fish at night - unknown year.


    WWI trench raiders


    Civil war veteran telling stories to kids. It's not impossible for one or more of the boys to be still alive today - 1935


    Samurai - 1863


  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,334MI6 Agent

    Harry Houdini praparing for stunt - 1912


    Joseph Goebbels looks back at the Jewish photographer - 1933


    Red Hawk of the Oglala Sioux tribe - 1905


    Samurai training - 1860


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