Norwegian witch

[Blondin]

Oh, dear. More fuel for the woo-woo fire:
Witch Gets State Grant (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=583&ncid=583&e=3&u=/nm/20031021/od_nm/life_norway_witch_dc)

Words that should make whoever is responsible for granting the subsidy cringe:
"But Harry Potter is a fairy tale and I'm not," she told Reuters Tuesday. "I'm the real thing. And now I'm Norway's only state-backed witch."

[GreyWanderer]

And what about this part?

Skarning said Harry Potter was unrealistic. "He rides his broom backwards. Real witches ride with the brush part in front," she said.

Strange that google found no matches for her name...

[Goshawk]

No, this is the scariest part:She said the government subsidy would help her...develop products like magical bath oil, water potions or face creams meant to help users have clearer dreams at night.
Government-underwritten snake oil. The mind boggles.

Here in the U.S. we have something called the FDA that tries to stop that sort of thing. But YMMV, I guess. :D

[Aoidoi]

Well, you have to admit that the potential return on investment for the government money is probably pretty high. Except, of course, since it's a grant they don't actually get the money back.

But hey, why should the diet/herbal remedy/homeopathic industry be dominated by the big companies that can hide millions in offshore accounts? Let the little guy have his chance at defrauding the public!

:D

[CFLarsen]

Originally posted by Goshawk
Here in the U.S. we have something called the FDA that tries to stop that sort of thing. But YMMV, I guess. :D

Don't make me make a list of the woowoo stuff you can buy in the US. Stupidity knows no boundaries, you know. And, although I have lived both in Scandinavia and the US, I would still say that I found more woowoos in the US...

Don't get coy, boy... ;)

[Aoidoi]

Oh, and by the way... if she weighs as much as a duck, that means... she's a witch...

BURN HER!!!!

:D

edit: ways =/= weighs. Sheesh. I must be under a hex! ;)

[Ed]

Gentlemen,

It all depends on what she looks like. Sorry, but them's the facts. Now, if she looks a bit like Stevie Nicks in her younger days doing the Rhiannion thing, I believe that we should not rush to judgement. If, on the other hand, we have one of these aged crone types, she is clearly a fake and should be burned.

This is simply my non-knee jerk, non-close minded sceptic view of the matter.

Also, Norwegians are loons:D

[arcticpenguin]

Skarning, who owns a white cat and says...

A white cat? FAKE!

[Zep]

I would go the opposite way. I would promote the hell out of her (if that's possible :)). Put her on talk-shows, daily newsrags, that sort of thing.

Then make a public request for her to prove her product(s) or face returning her grant because she deceived the Norwegian government about what she was going to do with the money. Chances are she (and the government by proxy) can be made to look pretty stupid in public.

Which would all lead to greater public awareness of this sort of ripoff, plus the government won't try that again in a long time,

Then BURN HER!!!

[CFLarsen]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
A white cat? FAKE!

What are you talking about? White cats exist.

[Ed]

Originally posted by Zep
Then BURN HER!!!

Unless she looks like Stevie Nicks in which case I will personally question her very closely.

[Nyarlathotep]

Originally posted by Ed


Unless she looks like Stevie Nicks in which case I will personally question her very closely.

In which case it might be a good time to find out exactly how cold is 'Colder than a witches t!t'

Since she is in Norway, hers ought to be as cold as they get.

[Aoidoi]

Originally posted by CFLarsen
What are you talking about? White cats exist. I suspect this is a cultural thing, so I'll risk overexplaining. The stereotypical witch in the US is a crone who wears a black conical hat, rides a broomstick, and has a black cat as a familiar. Black cats are considered bad luck, evil, etc. So for the witch to have a white cat goes against the stereotype.

The stereotypical way to kill witches is to burn them, Nyar is just looking to cop a feel, I'm a bit confused by the Stevie Nicks references as I think she's now in her 50s or 60s but they may mean a young Stevie Nicks. Then again, it is Ed... :D

(This excessive verbiage brought to you by the "Wondering how witches are portrayed in Denmark fund")

[UnrepentantSinner]

No, of course white Witches have white cats.

Atheists have black cats...

[Abdul Alhazred]

Does Norway have an "established" church like the Church of England?

[Nyarlathotep]

Originally posted by Aoidoi

The stereotypical way to kill witches is to burn them, Nyar is just looking to cop a feel, I'm a bit confused by the Stevie Nicks references as I think she's now in her 50s or 60s but they may mean a young Stevie Nicks. Then again, it is Ed... :D


Nope, it is genuine scientific research. I am applying for a grant and everything.

Oh and I don't know about Ed but I do mean young Stevie Nicks.

[Blondin]

Originally posted by Aoidoi
Oh, and by the way... if she weighs as much as a duck, that means... she's a witch...


Would that make her Norwegian wood?

[john_v_h]

Originally posted by Abdul Alhazred
Does Norway have an "established" church like the Church of England?

Yup, the Church of Norway (http://www.kirken.no/english/index.cfm). They claim membership of 86 percent of the population, or nearly four million people. But the only times the average Norwegian is likely to see the inside of a church is at baptism, confirmation and marriage. Only 3 percent of the population attends regular church services.

[Blondin]

Originally posted by Zep
... make a public request for her to prove her product(s) or face returning her grant because she deceived the Norwegian government about what she was going to do with the money. Chances are she (and the government by proxy) can be made to look pretty stupid in public.

Which would all lead to greater public awareness of this sort of ripoff, plus the government won't try that again in a long time,


I suspect that she would find enough sympathetic fools to rush to her defense with testimonials, etc. As I'm sure Randi can attest, debunkers are not popular and politicians are all about being popular.

Who would challenge her?

[WildCat]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner
No, of course white Witches have white cats.

Atheists have black cats...
Or gray striped cats w/ evil red eyes and saber teeth. So evil, so bloodthirsty...mmmmm, brains....

[Nyarlathotep]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner
No, of course white Witches have white cats.

Atheists have black cats...

Actually I do have a black cat. And when she arches her back to hiss at the dog, she looks just like the black cats in halloween decorations.

Sorry, no pic though.

[Ceinwyn]

Originally posted by Aoidoi
Oh, and by the way... if she weighs as much as a duck, that means... she's a witch...

BURN HER!!!!

:D

edit: ways =/= weighs. Sheesh. I must be under a hex! ;) "Why do you think she's a witch?"

"She turned me into a frog!"

"You don't look like a frog..."

"I got better!"

:p

[CFLarsen]

Aoidoi,

Ah, I get it. It's just that two of my cats are white... ;)

UnrepentantSinner,

Wrong. I also have a black cat. ;)

buki,

"Newt". Not "frog". Don't treat the Holy Python Scriptures so carelessly...or you will bring me a large shrubbery!! ;)

[UnrepentantSinner]

Originally posted by CFLarsen
Aoidoi,

Ah, I get it. It's just that two of my cats are white... ;)

UnrepentantSinner,

Wrong. I also have a black cat. ;)

:confused: So, are you saying you're a witch or that you're not an atheist? :p

And make with the pics!!!

[GreyWanderer]

Originally posted by john_v_h


Yup, the Church of Norway (http://www.kirken.no/english/index.cfm). They claim membership of 86 percent of the population, or nearly four million people. But the only times the average Norwegian is likely to see the inside of a church is at baptism, confirmation and marriage. Only 3 percent of the population attends regular church services.

The only reason there are so many members is because people are too lazy to cancel their membership.

[Hexxenhammer]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner
No, of course white Witches have white cats.

Atheists have black cats...
Dude, clean up your kitchen.

[Blondin]

Originally posted by buki
"Why do you think she's a witch?"

"She turned me into a frog!"

"You don't look like a frog..."

"I got better!"

:p

It was a newt not a frog. :)

Edit: Okay that was redundant. I'll leave now...

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by Goshawk
No, this is the scariest part:
Government-underwritten snake oil. The mind boggles.

Here in the U.S. we have something called the FDA that tries to stop that sort of thing. But YMMV, I guess. :D Actually, I can't see an obvious reason why, in the United States, this woman would not have been eligible for similar government subsidies (a Section 7(a) loan from the Small Business Administration).

[UnrepentantSinner]

Originally posted by Hexxenhammer
Dude, clean up your kitchen.

My cat is sitting with her a** in my sink. You think I'm that worried about some vitamin bottles and dish soap?

[Leif Roar]

Originally posted by Blondin
Oh, dear. More fuel for the woo-woo fire:
Witch Gets State Grant (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=583&ncid=583&e=3&u=/nm/20031021/od_nm/life_norway_witch_dc)

Words that should make whoever is responsible for granting the subsidy cringe:


I don't know the details of the story - I've only seen it on BBC news, and not in any Norwegian news source - but I would assume that the grant she has been given is from "Distriktenes utbyggingsfond" - "The regional development fund." This is a fund which is meant to nurture and assist starting buisnesses outside of the major cities, and support (either in the form of grants or loans) from this fund doesn't mean much more than that the bureocrats in the fund believe you have a good buisness case. There's no "offical acceptance" or "state backing" involved in this grant.

[Hexxenhammer]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner


My cat is sitting with her a** in my sink. You think I'm that worried about some vitamin bottles and dish soap?
Ha! I think about my cat's @$$ on the counter every time I make a sandwich. Does it make me wipe the counter? Nope.

[Blondin]

Originally posted by Hexxenhammer

Ha! I think about my cat's @$$ on the counter every time I make a sandwich. Does it make me wipe the counter? Nope.

Hmmm, that reminds me of an expression that members of my family have been know to use: "I'd rather lick the cat's arse!"

I'm sure you can imagine suitable situations to use it yourself.

Edit: Okay, just in case you can't...

Bad time to use it: Your hot date ask if you'd like to come up for coffee.

Good time to use it: Your wife asks if you'd like to come and help pick out some new wallpaper for the bathroom.

[GreyWanderer]

Originally posted by Leif Roar


I don't know the details of the story - I've only seen it on BBC news, and not in any Norwegian news source - but I would assume that the grant she has been given is from "Distriktenes utbyggingsfond" - "The regional development fund." This is a fund which is meant to nurture and assist starting buisnesses outside of the major cities, and support (either in the form of grants or loans) from this fund doesn't mean much more than that the bureocrats in the fund believe you have a good buisness case. There's no "offical acceptance" or "state backing" involved in this grant.

http://www.glomdalen.no/nyheter/article777955.ece