Today: a one hundred year old package will be opened in Otta, Norway
August 24, 2012 3:30 AM   Subscribe

Today: a one hundred year old package will be opened in Otta, Norway. (Scroll down for video with English subtitles). With obligatory live stream!
posted by devnull (140 comments total) 14 users marked this as a favorite
 
Who is the Norwegian Geraldo Rivera?
posted by jim in austin at 4:11 AM on August 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


I figured with all the publicity it might just end up being a Segway, but I see it's only 3.1 kilos.
posted by crapmatic at 4:14 AM on August 24, 2012


It's just a coincidence that the package has not been lost. Several times it has actually been lost, but luckily it has always been found.

This is pretty much the story of everything in my apartment, and it's not a big apartment.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:15 AM on August 24, 2012 [11 favorites]


What time is that Eastern?
posted by cashman at 4:31 AM on August 24, 2012


No one tell Dan Brown.
posted by Fizz at 4:39 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Noon Eastern time.
posted by gubo at 4:45 AM on August 24, 2012


The package weighs 3.1 kilos, is 40 cm wide, 28 cm deep and 9 cm thick

That's about 7 pounds, 16x11x3.5 inches.

Pictures of your auntie in flagrante? We must wait and see.
posted by pracowity at 5:00 AM on August 24, 2012


Does Otta have a courthouse clock tower, and has it been struck by lightning recently?
posted by AD_ at 5:03 AM on August 24, 2012 [6 favorites]


Ovaltine coupons.
posted by I'm Doing the Dishes at 5:07 AM on August 24, 2012 [5 favorites]


Oh, geeze, it's the Cosmic Cube Tesseract, isn't it?
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:19 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


A whole shitload of primo dope.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 5:21 AM on August 24, 2012


Marcellus Wallace's briefcase.
posted by at the crossroads at 5:23 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


A stack of AOL discs.
posted by metaBugs at 5:28 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Well you have to take 100 years of inflation into account -- in today's shitlods that would have to be at least four hundred shitloads.
posted by ook at 5:28 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Maybe there's a smaller package inside.
posted by borkencode at 5:29 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Huh-huh, 100-year-old package.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:31 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


I'm with the cute kid in the video: "Imagine if it is a pea!"

Some people already know what's in it ("The municipality sneaks a peek two days early, in conjunction with the anniversary") and they are still promoting the great unveiling, so it must be something neat.
posted by Houstonian at 5:33 AM on August 24, 2012


Mit Romney's tax returns?
Oh, sorry. wrong thread.
posted by Goofyy at 5:36 AM on August 24, 2012 [5 favorites]


IT'S FINELY AGED CHEESE
posted by The Whelk at 5:38 AM on August 24, 2012


I can't think of anything stereotypically norweigan to make a joke about so I will just say MAYBE IT IS A CHZBRGR LOL.
posted by elizardbits at 5:42 AM on August 24, 2012


Gjetost!
posted by carter at 5:44 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's probably lutefisk. How do you know if a Norwegian is a terrorist? His bombs are packed neatly in boxes and he brings them to the shipping station one hour ahead of time.
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:47 AM on August 24, 2012


A Koran.
posted by swift at 5:48 AM on August 24, 2012


Parking tickets and a note saying "LOL!"
posted by carter at 5:50 AM on August 24, 2012


The definitive collection of Ole and Lena jokes.
posted by MikeMc at 6:02 AM on August 24, 2012 [3 favorites]



There was nothing in Al Capone's vault
But it wasn't Heraldo's fault

posted by deathpanels at 6:04 AM on August 24, 2012


Maybe there's a smaller package inside.

And that one's marked "Can be opened in 2112."
posted by audi alteram partem at 6:20 AM on August 24, 2012 [5 favorites]


BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE
posted by ShawnStruck at 6:22 AM on August 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


Maybe there's a smaller package inside.

And that one's marked "Can be opened in 2112."


And it will contain a remastered three disc ultimate collectors edition of this with a handwritten note from Neil Peart that simply says: "I told you so."
posted by MikeMc at 6:23 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


"By the time you read this, I'll be dead.
This is how I think it's going to happen..."
posted by ceribus peribus at 6:23 AM on August 24, 2012


It's that bottle of wine Hoagie gave to Thomas Jefferson for his time capsule.
posted by alex.dudley at 6:25 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


It's a letter from the Doc.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:48 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Huh-huh, 100-year-old package.

uncleozzy's been at the Professor Farnsworth slashfic again I see.
posted by hippybear at 6:49 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


I think it's a fruit cake.
posted by littlesq at 6:51 AM on August 24, 2012


Otta be exciting.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 6:55 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Apparently, by 1912, Edward Munch had cheered up a little. I'm thinking we'll see one of his New Paintings: a little Norski snow-covered cabin in the woods, by a stream, with smoke curling out of the chimney and buttery light emanating from the windows.
posted by kozad at 6:57 AM on August 24, 2012


It's a letter from the Doc.

A little something for the brethren with intellect, you truly understand it's...like a message from the one who's getting candid. Making a mark on the strength with rhyming like nothing when you're pumping something that's bumping. Did it, because it's like I had to make one - better than the last one, cause a mistake... none.
posted by cashman at 7:29 AM on August 24, 2012


Right before they open it some floppy haired git in a bowtie is going to run up and snatch it.
posted by The Whelk at 7:37 AM on August 24, 2012 [7 favorites]


Dear future Mayor: should you ever get into a jam you can't find your way out of, blame everything on me using the enclosed letter, in which I take full responsibility.

If you get into another jam that you can't get out of, make a package for your successor, with instructions not to open it for 100 years...
posted by ceribus peribus at 8:01 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Cordless screwdriver guy has a phenomenal mustache, if anyone's watching the live feed.
posted by sonascope at 8:10 AM on August 24, 2012


I think we are live? 1.5 hours to go, they said.
posted by carter at 8:10 AM on August 24, 2012


Socks. Always socks.
posted by clvrmnky at 8:10 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Right before they open it some floppy haired git in a bowtie is going to run up and snatch it.

Or it'll be a message reading something something something, sweetie.
posted by sonascope at 8:11 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's gripen TV, that's for sure.
posted by chavenet at 8:12 AM on August 24, 2012


What's in the box?
posted by cjorgensen at 8:14 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Come on, man, what's in the box?
posted by cjorgensen at 8:14 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


I like how they ceremoniously removed it from the case and placed it in a plastic box, on the floor. With some other stuff. To wait.
posted by chavenet at 8:15 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


If I just sort of half-listen, it sounds like they're swearing a lot....it's F'in this and F'in that.
posted by Mr.Me at 8:17 AM on August 24, 2012


Of course the livestream for me jammed right at the key moment. So I get to watch the KonTiki movie ad again.
posted by chavenet at 8:22 AM on August 24, 2012


That moustache
posted by obscurator at 8:25 AM on August 24, 2012


Pipes!

Otta, the eyes of the world are upon you.
posted by carter at 8:28 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


The Monty Python vibe is strong in this one.
posted by chavenet at 8:29 AM on August 24, 2012


Requesting that the person that relays the information into the comment stream flag it as real somehow'cuz I saw socks and fruit cake and was immediately disappointed. Don't play with my emotions like that!

And those of us at work unable to really stream thank you!

Now back to your revelry and pseudo-livestreaming...

posted by RolandOfEld at 8:29 AM on August 24, 2012


I say we give a free sockpuppet account to the person who guesses closest. The username will be askmeaboutmypackage.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:31 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Porn stash! (not real).
posted by chavenet at 8:33 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


A bronze sculpture of the original packagers making. His legacy isn't nearly as important as he thought it would be.
posted by jeffamaphone at 8:36 AM on August 24, 2012


Those years I spent studying Swedish in college are making the audio feed a very interesting experience for me—I hear it as hurda rolla schwenna AT rolla holla THE NEWSPAPER brooda holla froolla UNDERSTAND hurda vurda holla rolla QUITE AUSPICIOUS hurda YES burda brooda ONE HUNDRED vees schwurda blurda, which means I've at least retained a few shreds of a language I once sort of halfway learned.

My Swedish professor was wrong, though. Norwegian doesn't sound silly at all.

Not like that Danish.
posted by sonascope at 8:39 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


So looks like the package will actually be opened at 12:30pm (in about 50 minutes). The show opens in 20 minutes.
posted by cashman at 8:40 AM on August 24, 2012


I hope it is one of those peanut cans full of fake snakes.
posted by elizardbits at 8:42 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


Oh man now I need to update my will to include a time capsule of fake snakes to be opened by the designated heirs of my designated heirs in 100 years.

there will also be a card that says LOL

possibly LOL BUTTS
posted by elizardbits at 8:43 AM on August 24, 2012 [8 favorites]


I love that they keep leaving the plastboks containing the package on the floor, just sitting on a table, or otherwise in all these not-remotely-quite-auspicious places.
posted by sonascope at 8:43 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Hopefully expectations are managed as well as this event..
posted by obscurator at 8:43 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Like this elizardbits?
posted by The Whelk at 8:46 AM on August 24, 2012


Otta Evacuated As Suspicious White Powder Found in 100-Year-Old Package
posted by chavenet at 8:50 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


It has begun...
posted by schleppo at 8:58 AM on August 24, 2012


But first: bagpipes.
posted by egypturnash at 9:10 AM on August 24, 2012


milking it for all it's worth....
posted by marvin at 9:13 AM on August 24, 2012


Ooh, maybe there's a piano score in there!
posted by obscurator at 9:13 AM on August 24, 2012


I'm getting the impression that maybe the Opening Of The Old Package is not quite as much the centerpiece of this event as those of us watching on the Internet think it is...?
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:14 AM on August 24, 2012


An opportunity to promote local musicians.
posted by annsunny at 9:16 AM on August 24, 2012


Letter opening is usually relegated to the bottom half of the show.
posted by ceribus peribus at 9:17 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Can any Norwegian mefites comment on the fiddle music? - It sounds very Celtic to me, I was wondering if this is also traditional Norwegian folk music.
posted by carter at 9:20 AM on August 24, 2012


Fiddle musicians are from Scotland.
posted by evening at 9:21 AM on August 24, 2012


That explains it ...
posted by carter at 9:22 AM on August 24, 2012


The one English speaker I heard earlier mentioned something about the 400 years of somesuch and Scotland. So I'm assuming there is some historical event being commemorated other than opening this package.
posted by schleppo at 9:24 AM on August 24, 2012


My theory: a note with plans for an AWESOME FESTIVAL OF TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN CULTURE.

Interestingly enough I'm finding this is streaming a heck of a lot better on the iPad than on the laptop. Quicktime vs. Flash...
posted by egypturnash at 9:24 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


The event is apparently a Norwegian/Scottish friendship festival of sorts. (Interestingly, I Googled "Norwegian Scottish friendship" and there are lots of societies and organizations; this is A Thing.)

They need to get the hosts a teleprompter, though.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:27 AM on August 24, 2012


400 years ago, Sweden sent some Scottish mercenaries to a fight in Otta, but the Norwegians won the battle. They've commemorated the event every hundred years with a live web stream. Anyway, that's what I gathered by watching one of the English-language videos this morning!
posted by moonmilk at 9:27 AM on August 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


Time capsule, people. Let's stay focused!
posted by obscurator at 9:28 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm assuming there is some historical event being commemorated other than opening this package.

From this NBC Miami affiliate report:
Little is known about the package's provenance. The significance of its timing, though, could be linked to a 1912 town celebration of a 1612 battle that local Otta farmers won over Scottish mercenaries fighting for Sweden, according to Verdens Gang. Nygaard organized the 1912 celebration.
posted by ceribus peribus at 9:28 AM on August 24, 2012


They've commemorated the event every hundred years with a live web stream.

I see they are still using the Windows 1912 servers to run the video stream.
posted by chavenet at 9:29 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm pretty sure this whole thing will turn out to be a troll.

But, you know, being Norway--a REAL troll.
posted by yoink at 9:31 AM on August 24, 2012 [5 favorites]


Government IT is conservative. They only recently upgraded from DOS 1812.
posted by moonmilk at 9:32 AM on August 24, 2012


In the first video linked they mentioned that the opening of the package would coincide with the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Battle of Kringen, which I guess is something that is celebrated annually whether or not there are mysterious packages to be torn open.
posted by Alonzo T. Calm at 9:32 AM on August 24, 2012


Package about to be opened, according to the attractive hosts.
posted by chavenet at 9:33 AM on August 24, 2012


No I believe it is celebrated every 100 years
posted by evening at 9:33 AM on August 24, 2012


According the host, it's 9cm high. Most peculiar, most peculiar indeed.

(will they just open the damn box already?)
posted by sp160n at 9:34 AM on August 24, 2012


APPLAUD HER GREAT GRANDFATHER
posted by cashman at 9:34 AM on August 24, 2012


Wait, so the female host is the great-granddaughter of the guy who put the package together? Huh.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:34 AM on August 24, 2012


If this were Mongolia, it'd be a brick of (still edible) fermented yak cheese.
posted by obscurator at 9:35 AM on August 24, 2012


two tables up; this is getting serious.
posted by chavenet at 9:35 AM on August 24, 2012


Y'know this lady, I think was her name Pandora, had a box too.. Didn't go so well.
posted by pyrex at 9:35 AM on August 24, 2012


Some tables they found at a yard sale.
posted by cashman at 9:36 AM on August 24, 2012


I'm going to say a quilt, a picture and a letter.
posted by cashman at 9:36 AM on August 24, 2012


The gloves are on! lol
posted by annsunny at 9:36 AM on August 24, 2012


The man is saying something that sounds like what Bellocq says before he opens the Ark of the Covenant. remember to close your eyes!
posted by chavenet at 9:37 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


Ok, ok, you've persuaded me, I'm watching. (looks great in Chrome btw).

OH BOY MORE PAPER!
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:38 AM on August 24, 2012


More string!
posted by moonmilk at 9:38 AM on August 24, 2012


Inside is another package (really!)
posted by chavenet at 9:38 AM on August 24, 2012


Where's Carnac the Magnificent when you need him.
posted by ceribus peribus at 9:38 AM on August 24, 2012


Pageant sashes!
posted by theodolite at 9:39 AM on August 24, 2012


more bewilderment!
posted by marvin at 9:39 AM on August 24, 2012


*opens letter, sees wall of text, puts back in envelope*

That's what I'm talking about, an OG TL;DR.
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:40 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


I thought I heard them say earlier that royalty is in the audience. I wonder if the king wants his scarf back?
posted by moonmilk at 9:40 AM on August 24, 2012


"This is like gold for us museum people"
posted by chavenet at 9:40 AM on August 24, 2012


I'm so relieved to find out it wasn't just a sweater from the GAP.
posted by sp160n at 9:40 AM on August 24, 2012


I love how lighthearted they are about the whole thing. "LOL inside is another package.. With some text on it.. "Ha Ha" LOL"
posted by pyrex at 9:41 AM on August 24, 2012


Are we being trolled? Do they really make those composition notebooks exactly the same as they did 100+ years ago?

*flabbergasted*
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:41 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Waait, a 1914 newspaper?
posted by moonmilk at 9:42 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


I had the same thought about those speckled notebooks. Same design for 100 years!
posted by moonmilk at 9:43 AM on August 24, 2012


Sadly, they forgot to enclose the laserdiscs.
posted by obscurator at 9:43 AM on August 24, 2012


Hopefully a misinterpretation - Otherwise, they're early.
posted by carter at 9:43 AM on August 24, 2012


As a former handler of old, old documents, I'm annoyed by that guy's rough handling practices.
posted by sonascope at 9:43 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Time-capsules are cool.
posted by Mr.Me at 9:43 AM on August 24, 2012


Newspaper, 1919?
posted by carter at 9:43 AM on August 24, 2012


"Newspaper from 1919" - maybe these are faux papers designed to try to predict the future, like if we made up newspaper headlines for 2014.
posted by cashman at 9:44 AM on August 24, 2012


Protocol of 1909! Some committee work probably!

Er, bring back the dancing girl.
posted by chavenet at 9:44 AM on August 24, 2012


Final item: the new ipad
posted by pixie at 9:44 AM on August 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


I don't think the guy figured on people's attention spans being so much smaller in 100 years
posted by iotic at 9:44 AM on August 24, 2012


As a former handler of old, old documents, I'm annoyed by that guy's rough handling practices.

100 years isn't really much, though. We had books that old just sitting on the regular stacks in my college library.
posted by theodolite at 9:45 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


So, this was just an elaborate "Here hold my journals, timekeeping books, and letters for 100 years, k thx bai"?

Well done sir, well done. *closes window*
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:45 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Did 1919 come before 1912 in Scandinavia?
posted by Alonzo T. Calm at 9:45 AM on August 24, 2012


Aaand ... the giant hook from stage left just came out.

We're going to get a tl;dr summary later, apparently.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:45 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Now just stuffing the crap back into the plastic box (to huge applause)
posted by chavenet at 9:46 AM on August 24, 2012


I want the guy to lese jævla brev, already!
posted by sonascope at 9:46 AM on August 24, 2012


This reminds me of the landing of the rover on Mars. "OK, we're on Mars! ...we'll turn on the cameras tomorrow, and maybe move a little bit next week. Bye!"
posted by moonmilk at 9:47 AM on August 24, 2012


And then they just lumped it all together like they were cleaning up their study. Ha.
posted by cashman at 9:47 AM on August 24, 2012


This is a tragic case of "guess you had to be there" (not like, 100 years ago, but maybe yes).
posted by obscurator at 9:48 AM on August 24, 2012


And then they just lumped it all together like they were cleaning up their study. Ha.

Maybe there was some guy facing them at the front of the stage making rapid throat-slashing gestures.
posted by carter at 9:49 AM on August 24, 2012


I imagine the two museum directors rushing off stage, spreading the old documents & scarves all over the floor, and rutting like wild otters for the rest of the evening. But that's just me.

Carry on.
posted by chavenet at 9:51 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


Maybe they saw the Great Seal of the Illuminati and had to wrap it up in a hurry.
posted by moonmilk at 9:51 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


100 years isn't really much, though. We had books that old just sitting on the regular stacks in my college library.

I once checked out a book published in the 1770s from my college library, mostly to say that I'd checked out a book that was older than the Constitution.
posted by Copronymus at 10:13 AM on August 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


sonascope: "As a former handler of old, old documents, I'm annoyed by that guy's rough handling practices."

DON'T WATCH THIS!
posted by symbioid at 10:13 AM on August 24, 2012 [4 favorites]


Interesting in what this tells us about ourselves. Some guy shares what he thinks will delight us in 100 years: Telegrams, a newspaper, some letters, a scarf of some sort. What we were hoping for: Oil stocks, unknown information about a scandal involving a public figure, or a missing diamond.
posted by Houstonian at 10:25 AM on August 24, 2012


Nah, I guarantee you they were into wealth, gossip, and sparkly shit 100 years ago, too.
posted by superfluousm at 10:31 AM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Sparkly Shit Solves Puzzle of Missing Diamond.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:52 AM on August 24, 2012 [2 favorites]


I want to see the full list of contents when it comes out, as well as some kind of analysis of what the letters and documents were all about.
posted by yellowcandy at 12:32 PM on August 24, 2012


Those years I spent studying Swedish in college are making the audio feed a very interesting experience for me—I hear it as hurda rolla schwenna AT rolla holla THE NEWSPAPER brooda holla froolla UNDERSTAND hurda vurda holla rolla QUITE AUSPICIOUS hurda YES burda brooda ONE HUNDRED vees schwurda blurda, which means I've at least retained a few shreds of a language I once sort of halfway learned.


To be fair, this is how English still sounds to me.


To be fairer, English is my first language.
posted by samofidelis at 1:40 PM on August 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


The video has a bookmark for when the museum folks come out again. They only shared a little bit of the papers, including newspaper articles (about how the $ was spent) and details about who donated how much for the 1912 events (&/or monument - I didn't fully follow).
posted by evening at 2:07 PM on August 24, 2012


So not porn then?
posted by Fizz at 6:58 AM on August 25, 2012


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