Podcasts about viking

We may have a new name but it's still time for another BIG and BRILLIANT adventure into the world of science on this week’s Science Quest! In Science in the News, could a mound in North West England contain the remains of Ivar the Boneless, a lost Viking? We also discover why porpoises go quiet when boats pass by, and hear from Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk from UC Irvine about how Greenland sharks can live for hundreds of years. It’s time for your questions too. Lydia wants to know why ice cracks when you put it in water, and Joe Williams from Exeter University helps answer a huge question from Thomas: what caused the Big Bang? Dangerous Dan introduces us to the unusual Greeningi Frog, and in Battle of the Sciences, Sam Sedgeman explains the fascinating science behind solar eclipses and why they happen. Plus, join Marina Ventura on her first Ocean Adventure as she explores the exciting world of ocean research. From the birth of the Universe to mysterious Viking kings and shadowy solar events, this episode is packed with big questions and brilliant discoveries! What we learn about: How scientists think the Universe began What might have caused the Big Bang How solar eclipses happen Why porpoises change their behaviour around boats How Greenland sharks live for so long Why ice makes cracking sounds The mysterious greeningi frog How ocean research helps us explore the seas All that and more on this week’s Science Quest!Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:00 - Viking funeral day 5 15:12 - Hockey locker room smells 31:36 - Triston Casas will be a factor if he can stay healthy

Chuck McGee III is a breathwork instructor and ACT practitioner known for cutting through wellness noise with practical, no-nonsense nervous system tools. A Type 1 Diabetic and traumatic brain injury survivor, he combines lived experience, physiology, and breathwork to help people regain agency over stress, pain, and performance. SHOWNOTES:

Fluent Fiction - Swedish: Unearthed Secrets: A Viking Quest for the Heart Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sv/episode/2026-02-13-23-34-02-sv Story Transcript:Sv: Det var en kall vintermorgon när Elof, Signe och Gustav stod vid den svenska kusten.En: It was a cold winter morning when Elof, Signe, and Gustav stood by the Swedish coast.Sv: Det gamla vikingaskeppet reste sig från isen och snön som ett bortglömt monument.En: The old viking ship rose from the ice and snow like a forgotten monument.Sv: Trät var grått och mossigt, och skrovet var delvis begravt i en snödriva.En: The wood was gray and mossy, and the hull was partly buried in a snowdrift.Sv: Ryktena sa att det fanns en skatt ombord.En: Rumors said there was treasure on board.Sv: En skatt som skulle vara förbannad.En: A treasure that was said to be cursed.Sv: Elof hade alltid varit fascinerad av nordisk mytologi.En: Elof had always been fascinated by Norse mythology.Sv: Hans ögon lyste av äventyr när han såg skeppet.En: His eyes shone with adventure when he saw the ship.Sv: Han ville verkligen hitta skatten, kanske mest för att imponera på Signe.En: He really wanted to find the treasure, perhaps mostly to impress Signe.Sv: Signe stod bredvid honom, skeptisk, men med en hemlig värme i hjärtat för Elof.En: Signe stood beside him, skeptical, but with a secret warmth in her heart for Elof.Sv: Gustav, alltid den förnuftiga, skakade på huvudet.En: Gustav, always the sensible one, shook his head.Sv: "Vi borde vända tillbaka", sa han.En: "We should turn back," he said.Sv: "Vädret blir värre, och tidvattnet stiger snart."En: "The weather is getting worse, and the tide will rise soon."Sv: "Vi måste ge det ett försök", insisterade Elof.En: "We have to give it a try," insisted Elof.Sv: "Det kan vara vår enda chans att bevisa att skatten finns."En: "This may be our only chance to prove the treasure exists."Sv: Skeppet var gammalt och tyst, som om det vaktade gamla hemligheter.En: The ship was old and silent, as if it guarded ancient secrets.Sv: De vandrade försiktigt runt på däcket, försiktiga för att inte väcka någon slumrande förbannelse.En: They walked carefully around on the deck, careful not to awaken any slumbering curse.Sv: Plötsligt skrek Signe till.En: Suddenly, Signe shouted.Sv: "Titta på det här!En: "Look at this!"Sv: ", sa hon och pekade på något som glimmade under snön.En: she said, pointing at something gleaming under the snow.Sv: Det var en märklig artefakt, dekorerad med vikingasymboler.En: It was a strange artifact, decorated with Viking symbols.Sv: När de lyfte den, blev vinden starkare och himlen mörkare.En: As they lifted it, the wind grew stronger and the sky darker.Sv: Gustav tittade oroligt på stormmolnen.En: Gustav looked worriedly at the storm clouds.Sv: "Vi måste gå nu", sa han med en röst som inte tålde motsägelse.En: "We have to go now," he said with a voice that didn't tolerate disagreement.Sv: Elof stod där med artefakten i händerna.En: Elof stood there with the artifact in his hands.Sv: Hans dröm var inom räckhåll, men något inom honom sa att Gustav hade rätt.En: His dream was within reach, but something inside him told him that Gustav was right.Sv: "Okej", sa han motvilligt.En: "Okay," he said reluctantly.Sv: "Vi lämnar skeppet."En: "We're leaving the ship."Sv: De sprang tillbaka över det hala däcket, vinden kämpade mot dem som om skeppet inte ville släppa dem.En: They ran back across the slippery deck, the wind fighting against them as if the ship didn't want to release them.Sv: När de nådde stranden kände de hur tidvattnet börjat stiga.En: When they reached the shore, they felt the tide starting to rise.Sv: Trion tog sig till säkerhet, och när de såg tillbaka, var skeppet nästan helt omslutet av vattnet.En: The trio made it to safety, and when they looked back, the ship was almost entirely enveloped by the water.Sv: Elof höll fortfarande artefakten.En: Elof still held the artifact.Sv: Det hade varit nära, men de hade klarat sig.En: It had been close, but they had made it.Sv: Signe log mot Elof.En: Signe smiled at Elof.Sv: "Du riskerade mycket för detta", sa hon.En: "You risked a lot for this," she said.Sv: "Men vi är alla oskadda."En: "But we're all unharmed."Sv: "Jag förstår det nu", sa Elof med en nyvunnen respekt för sina vänner.En: "I understand that now," said Elof with a newfound respect for his friends.Sv: "Vissa skatter är inte värda risken."En: "Some treasures aren't worth the risk."Sv: Gustav nickade, och de började gå tillbaka genom snön, med en gemensam känsla av lättnad och något mer mellan Elof och Signe.En: Gustav nodded, and they started walking back through the snow, with a shared sense of relief and something more between Elof and Signe.Sv: När vinden slutligen mojnade tittade de på artefakten, osäkra på vad de verkligen hade hittat.En: When the wind finally died down, they looked at the artifact, unsure of what they had truly found.Sv: Men en sak var säker: vännernas säkerhet var skatten som inte kunde mätas med guld.En: But one thing was certain: the safety of friends was a treasure that couldn't be measured with gold.Sv: Och någonstans i stormens avtagande mäktade trion med fler känslor än ännu en episod av vinterkylan.En: And somewhere amid the waning storm, the trio managed more emotions than just another episode of winter's chill.Sv: De lämnade stranden, inte rika av guld, men rika av något mycket bättre.En: They left the beach, not rich with gold, but rich with something much better. Vocabulary Words:winter: vintercoast: kustviking: vikingavessel: skepphull: skrovrumors: ryktentreasure: skattcurse: förbannelsemythology: mytologiskeptical: skeptisksensible: förnuftigtide: tidvattenancient: gammalslumbering: slumrandeartifact: artefaktsymbols: symbolerstorm clouds: stormmolnreluctantly: motvilligtenveloped: omslutetrisked: riskeradeunharmed: oskaddnewfound: nyvunnenshared: gemensamrelief: lättnademotions: känslorepisode: episodwaning: avtagandesafety: säkerhetmeasured: mättbeach: strand

In this week's episode, Dan and Mags welcome Sværia to the podcast to talk about her creative journey from making designer clothes for rockstars to designing masterful costumes for TV.------------------------------------------------Follow Sværia on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/svaeriaFollow Margrethe on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/arkeomagsFollow the Podcast on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nordicmythologypodcastIf you like what we do, and would like to be in the audience for live streams of new episodes to ask questions, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NordicMythologypodcastCheck out Dan's company, Horns of Odin, and the wide range of handmade items inspired by Nordic Mythology and the Viking Age. Visit: https://www.hornsofodin.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode of Astronomy Daily, Anna and Avery unpack six major space stories. China has achieved a crucial milestone in its crewed lunar programme, successfully testing the Mengzhou capsule's abort system at maximum dynamic pressure while also demonstrating SpaceX-style rocket recovery with the Long March 10 first stage. ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket is set to launch its longest mission yet, delivering GSSAP space surveillance satellites directly to geosynchronous orbit for the US Space Force. We explain why NASA's Artemis 2 Moon mission has remarkably few launch opportunities — just 11 dates across March and April — and what orbital mechanics, solar power constraints, and hydrogen leaks have to do with it. In astronomy news, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has produced its clearest image yet of the Egg Nebula, a pre-planetary nebula offering a rare glimpse of a Sun-like star in its death throes. A provocative new study in the journal Astrobiology argues that the 1976 Viking missions may have detected signs of Martian life after all, with perchlorates masking the organic signatures. And finally, astronomers continue searching for remnants of Comet C/2019 Y4 ATLAS, which spectacularly disintegrated during the 2020 pandemic — but may not be entirely gone.   Timestamps [00:00] Introduction [01:30] China's Mengzhou capsule abort test & Long March 10 rocket recovery [05:30] ULA Vulcan USSF-87 launch — GSSAP satellites for Space Force [08:30] Artemis 2 launch windows — why only 11 chances in 2 months [11:30] Hubble's stunning Egg Nebula image — a dying star's final act [14:00] Did NASA's Viking missions find life on Mars? New evidence says maybe [16:30] The mystery of 'dead' Comet ATLAS — could fragments survive? [18:00] Sign-offBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

The crew goes live and immediately detours into DNA testing, secret siblings, and whether you should ever spit into a tube if you plan to commit crimes in the future. Jeff reveals that 23andMe connected him to a long-lost sister (which went exactly how you'd expect), Coral debates uncovering hidden Tennessee family lore, and suddenly everyone is reconsidering their genetic privacy.  This Week's Insanity:23andMe Chaos: Secret siblings, Viking corpses, Golden State Killer energy, and why maybe you shouldn't upload your DNA if you have future murder plans.Olympics Discourse: Are they gay? (Yes.) Do we know where they are? (Eventually.) Curling supremacy is declared.Galentine's Preview: Babs Tarr, Tini Howard, tattoos, chocolate bars, and Coral accidentally inviting everyone to a women's tournament.Rage Bait (New Segment Alert): The gang intentionally triggers the audience — K-Pop Demon Hunters gets dragged, Sinners gets re-dragged, La La Land gets obliterated, and Joe fires off a Heated Rivalry take that may require protective custody.Coral's Corner: Scotland planning begins, her sister requests “bacon, water, and bread” as groceries, and Santa Monica Pier may or may not be banned.Book Talk: Jeff speed-runs an advanced copy of Matt Dinniman's new novel, compares it to Dungeon Crawler Carl.Loose, chaotic, and occasionally educational, this episode proves that if you give three queers a live mic, they will absolutely misuse it.New episodes every week.Only at Revenge Of — where the rage bait is intentional, and the groceries are bacon.

The Viking funeral continues. Christian Arcand examines why it would be foolish to give up on Will Campbell.

In this episode, we explore the Angle Face, a sophisticated cocktail that showcases one of France's finest spirits. We trace the drink's origins and cultural significance before diving deep into Calvados, the apple brandy that defines this drink. We uncover how this legendary spirit developed over centuries. We'll also explore the fascinating etymology behind it's name and Normandy itself, connecting the region's Viking heritage to its world-renowned agricultural traditions and the creation of one of bartending's most underrated classics.    Angle Face  Glass: Coupe  Directions & Ingredients  In mixing glass add:  ¾ oz Calvados  ¾ oz Gin (London dry or whatever suits you)  ¾ oz Apricot liqueur (or brandy – NOT eau d vie)  Dash of water  Shake for 20 seconds  Double strain into chilled coupe     The Art of Drinking  IG: @theartofdrinkingpodcast   Website: www.theartofdrinkingpodcast.com     Join Jules  IG: @join_jules  TikTok: @join_jules   Website: joinjules.com    Uncle Brad   IG: @favorite_uncle_brad    This is a Redd Rock Music Podcast  IG: @reddrockmusic  www.reddrockmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host - Ray Loewe Co-host Mary Ann Steinhauer Guest - Don Helin Don didn't think his heritage was all that exciting until he started probing beyond the lives of some Minnesota farmers to a small town in Norway, the home of many of his family relatives. Then, a trip he and his wife took to the Northern Maritimes provinces, visiting a very old Viking settlement, and learning about the Viking sagas and the Viking volvas. All of these add up to his next novel, tentatively titled Viking Sagas.

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, singles across Ireland are turning to their phones in the search for love. To find out which counties are most actively looking for romance, Virgin Media Ireland, Ireland's leading telecommunications and entertainment provider, analysed Google search data from February 2023 to 2025 to reveal which counties are most actively on the lookout for love. Dublin leads the way as Ireland's online dating capital, recording over 16,000 dating-related searches during February across the past three years. This works out at 1,124 searches per 100,000 people, the highest in the country. With fast-paced lifestyles, busy work schedules, and plenty of social spots, many Dubliners are turning to online dating as an easy way to meet potential partners. Carlow ranks second, with 1,001 dating-related searches per 100,000 people across February over the past three years. Valentine's Day is a popular time for singles in the county to get back on dating apps, particularly as February consistently sees a spike in online dating related searches. With its busy nightlife and walkable town centre, Carlow makes it easy for online matches to move quickly from messages to real-life meet-ups. Waterford takes third place, recording 793 searches per 100,000 people. As Ireland's oldest city, Waterford has centuries of romantic history behind it, from Viking love stories to modern-day Valentine's dates along the coast. The mix of city buzz and seaside settings makes it a popular spot for those hoping their online match might turn into something more. Longford ranks fourth, with 770 per 100,000 people. In a county where everyone tends to know everyone, Valentine's season sees many singles widening the net through dating apps. Online matches offer a bit of mystery, making first dates feel that little bit more exciting in a place where familiar faces are the norm. Rounding out the top five is Leitrim, which logged 767 dating-related searches per 100,000 people. As Ireland's least populated county, Leitrim shows how online dating is changing Valentine's Day for rural singles. Apps allow people to meet beyond county lines, turning quiet February evenings into the start of long-distance love stories, weekend trips, or surprise Valentine's plans. For more information visit: https://www.virginmedia.ie/play/irelandsbiggestonlinedaters/ See more stories here.

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

Sledges, Corkscrews, and other fears.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Once at the starting point, we both sat down on our sledges. I was grateful only a few others were preparing to ride, but gasped again when I saw how youthful their faces were. I doubted anyone here was over thirty years old. I wondered whether Jorunn was punishing me, or perhaps was hoping I would voluntarily quit the tour.“I don’t know if I can do this, Jorunn. I’m afraid.”Jorunn looked me in the eye with a grim look on her face.“Afraid is coming home with my mother, and finding my father sleeping with another woman. Afraid is watching how he broke apart my family and wondering how my mom and I would go on. Afraid is me cutting off my father and not wanting to ever see him again.”“Afraid is quitting a dead-end job and trying to earn a living as a vlogger in one of the most expensive countries on earth. Afraid is checking every morning for clicks, likes, and followers, and finding out the numbers did not change.”“Afraid is starting a private small-group tour company, all by myself, and weaving my way through the many regulations, laws, and insurance requirements. Afraid is knowing I have to book at least one trip a month just to cover those costs.”“Afraid is taking a group of six to Svalbard for a glacier hike in early summer, and spotting a polar bear less than 200 meters away lumbering towards us. Afraid is watching our guide fire off the last of her flares, but seeing the bear still coming. Afraid is the look in our guide’s eyes as she reached for her rifle.”“You don’t need to be afraid of sledging, Gunnar. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try sledging. Meet me at the bottom of the hill. Either make the run or turn in your sledge and take the Metro down the hill.”I watched Jorunn push off and head down the run, then thought about her words. I lived a good life in Minnesota, meeting Solveig in college and then stepping right into a lifetime job with the 3M company. Adventure was going to our lake cabin where the only challenges were fighting off mosquitos, and figuring out how to remove burnt marshmallows off the end of a stick. After our first child, Solveig and I stopped doing anything like sledding, and instead sat and watched our kids having all the fun.What am I doing here in Norway? Why am I here? Jorunn answered that question for me. I pushed off and started my run.I fought my way down the mountain, and as I approached the end of the run, I was happy to see it level off. I saw Jorunn standing next to her sledge, her small camera pointed at me. I raised both hands over my head, waved, then yelled, “I did it!” I coasted to a stop three meters past her.Jorunn ran up to me, and as I stood, she hugged me. “I’m proud of you Gunnar.” As we hugged, under the clear blue skies and chilly temperatures, I closed my eyes and went back 35 years to a small hill in Minneapolis, where I hugged Solvieg after sledding. Jorunn released me and stepped back.I yelped, “It was wonderful! I kept to the side as other people whizzed past me. A few sections were bumpy, and my teeth rattled. The only time I was scared was when there was a steep drop-off on one side. Don’t you use guardrails in Norway?”“You may have seen a few small concrete walls, but we believe in personal responsibility here in Norway. If you cannot manage a sledge, you should not make the run. The authorities do monitor the conditions and sometimes close the run when it is too icy.”“Does that mean you believed in me? Believed I could make it down the hill?”“There is nothing wrong with you, Gunnar. While I was waiting here at the bottom of the hill, I read about your Iron Range in Minnesota. You are rusty. There is a Wizard of Oz Museum there. You are the Tin Man. This tour is the Oil Can. Figure it out. The Oil Can only works if you pick it up and use it. Stand tall and walk proudly for as long as you can. If you fall, get up and keep going.”It was an interesting way to look at life. I was only 56 years old, but for the last few years, I acted like I was 80. I still have many years to go sledging, if only I was not afraid to try.I turned to Jorunn. “Let’s go again!”Pea SoupDecember 16 - Mid-DayAfter three more runs, Jorunn and I turned in our sledges and ate lunch at the beautiful Frognersteren Restaurant on top of the hill. I followed her suggestion of a thick pea soup with meatballs and potatoes. It was delicious. As we sipped hot chocolate, it felt good to be alive again.“A week ago, I was in a nursing home in Minnesota. After my wife died, no one visited me, not even my adult children. I was alone. It was a terrible place, run by a terrible nurse. I had to get out. I made plans with my lawyer, then walked out the front door and got on a plane to come to Norway. What’s the worst place you have ever been?”“Dublin, Ireland. After the divorce, my mother and I were struggling financially. We had gone from living a comfortable life to living paycheck to paycheck. I saw a post on the Internet for a job as a body double for a Vikings television program. I wasn’t sure what a body double did, but it paid well for a short gig. I took all my clothes off while a dozen people stared at me and took photos and videos. I hadn’t been naked in front of any man in over a year, since before the divorce. They must have liked me because I got the part, and they flew me to Dublin. The next morning, I went to the studios. I sat there in a robe while they cut and styled my hair to match the actress I was portraying. Then off to the makeup department, where I removed my robe while they applied fake tattoos and full body makeup so I would look dirty in all the right places.”“After lunch in the studio, the costume department placed me in a white linen tunic. When it was time to film, they told me to stand in front of the lead actor while he lifted the tunic off me and tossed it aside. He was much older than me, and with his beard, he reminded me of my father. He exuded the same swagger as if the world revolved only around him. I would be fully exposed to him, and to the camera crew, who were filming me from behind. They told me to act submissive and let the lead actor hug me. It took several takes and a few tweaks before the director was happy.”“Next, I was ordered to lay down on a stylized Viking bed covered with furs. The sex scene was to be filmed twice. Once for television, then for an unrated video release. The make-up people gave me a once over, then thankfully positioned a flesh-covered patch over my vagina. In the first shot, I was naked, but the lead actor remained fully clothed. He stood and positioned himself between my legs, and they told me to keep my vagina pressed tight against his crotch as he bucked against me. We needed to make the audience believe we were having sex while showing them nothing. I remained in this position while they adjusted the lighting and camera angles, and beneath his trousers, I felt the lead actor’s erect cock pressed against me.”“The director yelled, ‘Action’. Once again, they told me to be submissive, and let the lead actor take charge. He started humping against me. Looking up at him, he was still a handsome man, and I wondered how many women around the world dreamed or fantasized about being in the same place I was. I wasn’t one of them, but I understood this was why they hired me, so I accepted it. Like earlier, it took several takes. The director would review the shot and make small adjustments each time. After the last take, I saw a large wet spot on the front of the lead actor’s trousers.”“Then it was time for the unrated scene. A host of costume and make-up people swarmed around the actor while I lay there naked. This time, he was to be naked as he approached the bed. The camera angle was off to the side to avoid full frontal and he used his left hand to shield his erection, thankfully contained in a flesh-covered sock. The scene began with the lead actor approaching me, and once in position, he began humping against me. His covered cock slid against the covering over my vagina, but the sensations passed right through. My nipples became erect, and I felt my wetness building.”“After several takes, the director was happy, and we moved on to the last scene for which I was needed. In this one, the lead actor would be laying on top of me, his arms extended and propping himself up with his hands placed on either side of my body. This scene was more challenging because it needed to be mixed with prior facial cuts shot separately with the lead male actor and lead female actress. The scene would be filmed from several angles including above and below. As the director reviewed the earlier footage, the makeup people worked on my face and hair.”“The next thing I felt was the lead actor lying on top of me, his body pressing his erect cock against the patch covering my vagina. I wanted to turn away, but he told me to look at him because it would help him release his creative juices. I feared the possible double entendre. Here I was, face-to-face with the avatar of the man I hated more than anyone, the man who destroyed our family. When the director was ready, he said to go at it and try to simulate real sex. He yelled 'Action’. I was sweating under the lights, and the patch covering my vagina began to slip, aided by the movement of the lead actor’s covered cock. As my pussy became more exposed, I was afraid his cock might slide into me, so I yelled 'Cut!’. Everything stopped, and I pushed him off.”“That was enough. I yelled I was through, gathered my things, and headed for the front door. I paid my own way back to Oslo, and thought about filing a protest, but later learned what they did was mostly proper. Most sex scenes are between two body doubles. It is rare, but sometimes a lead actor will film such scenes if they have it in their nudity clause. I had a new appreciation for body doubles, but my own acting career lasted one day, and looking at the final scenes after release, I was on screen for eight seconds, and no one knew it was me!”I said, “Wow. We have something in common. The nursing home did everything properly, but like you, I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I headed for the front door. I’m sorry for your terrible experience.”Jorunn shook her head, “Don’t be sorry. The experience ended up changing my life for the better. After I got back to Oslo, I swore to never work for anyone else again. I wanted to direct my own scenes, so I started doing vlogs. That led to the creation of my tour company. As things turned out, I walked out one door and right into something I loved. Plus, I walked out wearing this really cool, braided leather Viking headband I have on now. You are halfway there. You have walked out the front door. Now you must find something, or someone, to love.”A profound statement from someone so young.SpikersuppaDecember 16 - AfternoonI noticed the sun getting low on the horizon. Jorunn caught my glance and said, “The sun sets early here in Oslo, around 3:30 in the afternoon. In some of the northern cities, it set last month and will not rise again until spring.”I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day looking at museums, and flushed with my success on the hill, I took a chance. “Do you ice skate?”Jorunn replied, “I do, but not very well.”I said, “If you know of a skating rink with lights, maybe we can go there and skate.”“There is a nice lighted one in downtown Oslo called Spikersuppa,” said Jorunn. “When the sun goes down in Oslo, the twinkling lights are turned on, bringing with them their magic. The ice-skating rink is close to the Christmas market, which is our agenda for tonight.”“That sounds great to me,” I replied.We took the T-bane back to downtown Oslo and arrived as the sun was setting. There weren’t any clouds, but the multi-layered horizon was still beautiful. Orange along the bottom, and above it, increasingly darker hues of blue and purple, before turning to black in the night sky. After leaving the train station Jorunn and I walked along a pedestrian-only street named 'Karl Johns gate’ passing high-end stores and restaurants. Jorunn either pointed to, or mentioned, notable downtown buildings such as the Royal Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Grand Hotel, and the original University of Oslo buildings. We also passed the brilliantly lit Freia clock, associated with the long-time Norwegian chocolate maker, and the unofficial symbol of Oslo.We rented skates and then stepped tentatively onto the ice. It wasn’t a big rink, and fortunately, not crowded. In the middle was a frozen water fountain. Christmas music was playing and twinkling lights glowed all around us.“I played ice hockey in Minnesota when I was in high school, but haven’t skated since.”“My father used to take me to figure skating lessons when I was young, but I stopped. I kept falling when trying to do spins.”“Maybe we can help each other out. Have you ever tried ice dancing?”Jorunn laughed. “No! Never!”“Neither have I. But a wise woman once told me that I should not be afraid of ice dancing. What I should be afraid of is being too afraid to try ice dancing.”Jorunn smiled, “A very wise woman, indeed! Let’s try it and see what happens.”I remember watching the wonderful British duo of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice dancing in their last Olympics in 1994. The Olympics were here in Norway, in Lillehammer. I was not about to try any lifts or spins, but I reached my right arm behind Jorunn and placed my hand on her right hip. Taking her left hand in mine, I held her left arm across my body.“Ready?” I asked.Jorunn nodded, and together we pushed off. Right. Left. Right. Left. We moved slowly, side-by-side, in a steady rhythm, and made it around the rink making only a few wobbles. After three more passes, my ancient muscle memory awoke, and I wanted to do more. We separated and I joined my right hand to her left. “We can take longer strides and skate a little faster this way.”After another trip around the rink, we added a slow weaving pattern. Coming out of the last turn, I told Jorunn, “Here is your chance to be a figure skater. I’ll hold your hand. Try a spin.”I skated slightly just ahead of Jorunn, then pulled her forward so she would have enough speed. I raised her hand into the air as she went past, and she started spinning. She yelled, “I’m doing it.” And she was, at least until her speed slowed and she fell into me. “Dam toe pick!” she yelled. With her arms around me, our eyes met. Then she wrinkled her nose, her signature facial expression on the vlogs indicating she didn’t like something. Just as quickly, her face lit up and her big smile glowed. “I’m laughing too hard inside. That was such fun!” She burst out laughing and I joined her. We finally broke the ice, here on the ice.Jorunn separated from me and said, “It is time for Christmas Market.” I helped her up and we turned in our skates. The nearby lights and sounds beckoned.The Christmas MarketDecember 16 - EveningThe sun set long ago and was now just a memory. It was completely dark, but downtown Oslo turned into a Christmas wonderland. There were twinkling lights on almost every tree, with the large and stately buildings surrounding us outlined in white lights to accompany their dramatic uplighting. Oslo was so different than Minneapolis. In downtown Minneapolis, 30-year-old buildings were being torn down to build taller ones in the same location. Here, the buildings were massive, centuries-old, covering an entire block, and they were still in use, letting everyone appreciate the history and architecture. Jorunn and I saw glass-covered buildings in Oslo, with their clean modern architecture, but this was the heart of the city. The life, the pulse, and vitality of Oslo all sprang from here.Towering above everything at the Christmas Market was a brilliantly lit Ferris wheel, each spoke outlined in white lights. I looked at Jorunn and she nodded. She took my hand, and we ran for the Ferris wheel, artfully dodging between the growing number of people.When we boarded, we found each of the seats enclosed in a glass bubble, possibly as a safety measure, or just as likely, protection from the cold. One of the benefits of this was being able to move around a bit, which afforded us a 360-degree aerial view of downtown Oslo. We paused near the top, where Jorunn pulled out her camera.Jorunn said, “It’s rather romantic up here. We should do a selfie.” She sat down right me. “Kiss me. On the lips. Just a quick one. I have the timer set for three seconds. We’ll put our lips together and hold them for a few seconds until the flash goes off.”“Jorunn, I am much older than you. I don’t think it will look very romantic.”“Gunnar, you’re not too old to kiss someone. And if I need to, I can do a little digital touchup, or just flash a quick cut. It will be perfect.”“How do want me to kiss you? Do you want my eyes open or closed? Should I look at the camera or…”Jorunn quickly reached behind my head and pulled me to her. As our lips met, I closed my eyes, and my mouth responded. I felt her softness and a quick tease as Jorunn’s tongue glazed over my lips. A flash went off. But Jorunn did not separate, nor did I. I opened my eyes, and saw that Jorunn’s eyes closed. As our lips pressed together, it felt so warm and comfortable.We separated, and Jorunn said, “Perfect!” Then she looked at the photo just taken. I thought about the sequence of her words and her actions. Jorunn switched over to video and began doing her vlog. She was speaking in English. Immersed in Norwegian for three days, it almost sounded like a foreign language to me. When Jorunn finished, I asked her why she didn’t record her vlogs in Norwegian.She surprised me by continuing in English. “Norwegians already live here. Who would watch my videos if I recorded them in Norwegian? If someone in Norway wants to see the view from the top of this Ferris wheel, they will come here and ride it. People from every continent watch my videos and speak at least some English. It used to bother me when I would get comments on my videos complaining I spoke with a Norwegian accent. Now I just laugh.”I asked her, “Every continent? Including Antarctica?”“Yes. The Norwegian Polar Institute has a year-round research station in Antarctica named 'Troll’. Their mission is to study the polar regions and the effects of global warming and pollution. It’s not a tourist destination, but they have talked to me about possibly going there. They want to do more outreach, to spread the word to younger audiences on social media. I have followers there, but we haven’t been able to work out the permissions and details. The

Lily Meyer is the author of the novel The End of Romance, available from Viking. Meyer is a translator, a critic, and the author of the novel Short War. She is also a contributing writer at The Atlantic. Her stories and translations can be found in The Dial, The Drift, The Sewanee Review, The Southern Review, and many other journals, and her essays and criticism appear in outlets including Bookforum, The New Yorker, and The New York Times Book Review. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ⁠⁠⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠⁠⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code OTHERPPL at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Write a Novel,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad's email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Skellig Michael rises straight out of the Atlantic, jagged and dramatic, and according to archaeologist Neil Jackman, it's every bit as challenging as it looks. Visiting this remote Kerry island can be an extraordinary experience – but only if travelers understand what's involved before they try. Visiting Skellig Michael: What Travelers Need to Know Clochans on Skellig MichaelImage provided by Tuatha; used with permission This article is based on podcast episode 325 featuring archaeologist Neil Jackman, director of Abarta Heritage and Tuatha. Neil is a returning guest – listen to his episode about Ireland's Ancient East.Use the player below to listen or scroll to continue reading the article and get resource links. Where the Skellig Islands Are and Why They're So Unforgettable The Skellig Islands sit about 12 kilometers (8 miles) off the coast of County Kerry, beyond the Skellig Ring. Skellig Michael is the larger of the two, shaped like a steep stone pyramid rising from the ocean. From viewpoints along the Ring of Kerry, it's striking – but being out on the water brings its scale and isolation into sharp focus. Neil describes it as a place that doesn't quite belong to the modern world, and that sense of otherworldliness is part of what makes the islands so compelling. The Monastery at the Edge of the Atlantic Skellig Michael's fame isn't just about scenery. The island is home to an early medieval monastery, likely founded in the 7th century by monks seeking complete isolation for spiritual devotion. With no deserts in Ireland, remote Atlantic islands became places of withdrawal and focus. The monastery complex includes: Dry-stone beehive huts (clocháns) Oratories and outdoor altars A burial area and stone crosses Ingenious rainwater collection systems All of it was built without mortar, relying entirely on carefully balanced stone. The site later endured Viking raids, was rededicated to St. Michael the Archangel, and eventually abandoned as a permanent settlement—though it never lost its importance as a place of pilgrimage. Little Skellig: The Island You Can't Visit Beside Skellig Michael is Little Skellig, dramatically steeper and even more inhospitable. Today it's a protected bird sanctuary, home to tens of thousands of gannets, and landing is not permitted. While archaeologists believe it would be surprising if Little Skellig was completely unused in the past, modern visitors experience it only from the water – where its scale and wildlife are still jaw-dropping. When Skellig Michael Can Be Visited Access to Skellig Michael is extremely limited. The landing season generally runs from late April or early May through September, and even then, weather plays the deciding role. Roughly one-third of scheduled trips are canceled each year. Calm conditions on shore don't guarantee a landing; the swell at the island's pier must be minimal, and conditions can change quickly. Neil stresses that flexibility is essential. Neil Jackman at the monastery of Skellig Michaelimage provide by Neil; used with permission Booking Tips From Someone Who's Been There Demand for Skellig Michael has increased dramatically, and visitor numbers are tightly controlled for safety and preservation. What travelers should know: Landing permits sell out quickly Staying near Portmagee or Valentia Island improves your chances of last-minute openings Planning multiple days in the area gives you flexibility if weather cancels your trip There's no foolproof strategy – just patience, preparation, and backup plans. What a Landing Trip Is Really Like A landing trip typically includes a 45–55 minute boat ride each way, often rough even on decent days. Once ashore, visitors have several hours on the island – but the physical challenge comes fast. The climb to the monastery involves 618 steep stone steps, with no handrails and narrow sections where people pass in both directions. Neil's practical advice: Skip walking sticks; you need free hands for balance Anyone uncomfortable with heights should think carefully before starting the climb You don't need to be an athlete, but a reasonable level of fitness matters Take breaks – there are natural resting points along the way There is now a single toilet facility near the landing area, but queues form quickly. Puffins, Gannets, and Wildlife Encounters From April through early July, Skellig Michael is home to thousands of puffins, nesting right beside the steps. They're remarkably unfazed by visitors and are a highlight for many travelers. Gannets dominate the skies year-round, and crossings sometimes include sightings of dolphins or whales. Later in the season, the puffins are gone, but the atmosphere of the island remains just as powerful. Eco Tours: A Worthwhile Alternative For those who can't land – or choose not to – eco tours circle Skellig Michael and Little Skellig without docking. These trips focus on: Wildlife viewing Sea cliffs and island scale Close views of both Skelligs from the water Eco tours are a strong option for families with younger children or travelers uneasy with heights. Just remember that you remain on the boat for the entire trip, which can be challenging for anyone prone to seasickness. Archaeologist Neil Jackmanimage used with permission Neil Jackman of Abarta Heritage and Tuatha Neil Jackman is an archaeologist and the director of Abarta Heritage, a company focused on connecting people with Ireland's past through public archaeology projects, storytelling, and site interpretation. His work helps communities protect historic places while making them more meaningful and accessible to visitors. Neil is also behind Tuatha, a membership-based resource for travelers and Ireland enthusiasts. Tuatha offers heritage-focused itineraries, in-depth articles, expert-led online talks, and courses covering Irish archaeology, history, and genealogy. Many resources are designed to help travelers turn canceled plans – like a missed Skellig landing – into deeply rewarding days on the mainland. Tuatha on Facebook & Instagram Sign up for the free Monument Monday newsletter Three Places to Visit Along the Ring of Kerry (Beyond the Skelligs) When asked to narrow down must-see spots along the Ring of Kerry, Neil admits it's nearly impossible—but a few places consistently stand out. Valentia Island Tetrapod Trackway On Valentia Island, visitors can see 380-million-year-old fossilized footprints left by some of the earliest vertebrates to walk on land. There's no visitor center or flashy display – just a simple sign and one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world. Loher Stone Fort Loher is one of the best-preserved stone ring forts in Kerry. Massive stone walls, a dramatic setting, and a strong sense of place make it a standout stop for travelers interested in early settlement and defense. Ballinskelligs Priory and St. Michael's Holy Well Closely connected to Skellig Michael's story, Ballinskelligs Priory on the mainland was founded by monks who left the island. Nearby, St. Michael's Holy Well (Tobar Mhichíl) is a small, atmospheric site that ties the island monastery back into the surrounding landscape. Add in beaches, coastal walks, and a stop along the Skellig Ring, and it's easy to see why this part of Kerry rewards travelers who give it time. From Tuatha: a downloadable Skellig & South Kerry planning guide The post Skellig Michael: An Archaeologist Explains What It's Really Like to Visit Ireland's Most Extreme Island appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.

My guests are documentary filmmaker Robert Stone and NASA Scientist and Science Fiction author Gentry Lee. Lee is the central subject of Stone’s new documentary “Starman” which is in theaters as of Friday, February 6. In this intergalactic biopic, we follow Gentry Lee, Chief Engineer for Planetary Exploration at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and sci-fi writer, on his journey to space and on Earth. From the Viking and Voyager missions to co-authoring the actual future with Arthur C. Clarke, Lee's life has been spent with his head in the stars and his feet on the ground. In this visually stunning documentary, the octogenarian Starman reflects on decades of space exploration alongside friends like Carl Sagan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYjTbGLgyhk&t=5s

How can faith fuel art and vice versa? International motivational speaker, author, and filmmaker Desmond Denton provides a vivid exploration of how creativity and faith intertwine. He expands the boundaries of what art means, delving into how everything from Viking shipbuilding to animation can be an expression of creativity flowing from our spiritual connection. Desmond Denton shares insights from his global travels and personal journey, discussing how artists draw inspiration from brokenness and pain, and how faith can provide hope and healing through the creative process. The conversation reveals how art is woven into the fabric of community, church, and daily life, and considers its essential role in reflecting the image of our Creator. You'll be inspired to reconsider how art can connect us, transform communities, and become an authentic act of worship—ultimately discovering how embracing creativity leads us closer to who we are meant to be. Don't miss this episode packed with moving stories, practical advice, and encouragement to flourish through faith-fueled art! Here's what you'll discover in this inspiring episode:

The Lions are turning Brazilian once again!

Send a textNicha gets in the way of Wil choosing his next car. Satan offers the Werewolf a job.Please check out Odin Apparel for amazing Viking-themed kits and our T-shirts. Preorder it now at this link.https://odinapparel24.myshopify.com/collections/werewolf-a-serial-killer-podcastThe Old Man's Podcast:The writing duo speak to the Old Man himself. Go check us out on his award-winning Podcast.https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-old-mans-podcast/id1595940192?i=1000708626677Grendel Press, our horror genre partnerhttps://grendelpress.com/Grendel's very own cool Podcast.https://grendelpress.com/sinister-soup. Buy us a coffee at this link right here:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/WerewolfwilBuy a book about werewolves. Here it is, straight from a fang-filled mouth.Il LupoGreg's first Werewolf book. Brilliantly written characters in an incredible story. https://books2read.com/ILLUPOA Werewolf's Storyhttps://amzn.to/3BjXoZuWerewolf the Colouring Book.What should I do this evening? Why not sit and do some Wonderful Werewolf colouring?  Red may be a theme.https://amzn.to/40k93l6Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/werewolfthepodcast/Greg's X profile:@SempaiGregWerewolf the Podcast:@AWerewolfsStoryWilIntro partnership with Grendel Press.https://grendelpress.com/ Outro partnership with Grendel Press.https://grendelpress.com/Support the show

Host Eric Mills talks with retired Navy Captain Sam J. Tangredi about his article and research into the saga of King Sigurd I of Norway and his Viking armada's epic 12th-century voyage to fight in the Crusades.

In this special episode of Exploring Humanity Through Sci‑Fi, Tony sits down with one of the most influential — and often unsung — figures in modern space exploration: Gentry Lee, Chief Engineer for Planetary Exploration at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and longtime collaborator of Arthur C. Clarke. Lee's fingerprints are on some of humanity's most iconic voyages into the unknown: the Viking missions, which delivered the first close‑up look at Mars But Lee is more than an engineer. He's a storyteller. A philosopher. A bridge between the scientific frontier and the imaginative frontier. His collaborations with Arthur C. Clarke helped define the future before it arrived, and his friendships with figures like Carl Sagan shaped the way we dream about the cosmos. Save 17% On Plus Today

Since 2011, the at-home DNA testing company 23andMe has invited its users to “celebrate your ancient DNA” with its Neanderthal report, which tells users whether their prehistoric genes predispose them to certain behaviors, like hoarding or not getting hangry. In the 1880s, Neanderthals were not being celebrated at all—they were depicted as little more than troglodytes with tools—and the 1980s weren't much better: rough hair, swarthy skin, dull eyes, jutting foreheads … an evolutionary dead end. Today, armed with recently decoded Neanderthal DNA, researchers are reconstructing these archaic people as lighter-skinned, blue-eyed, and blond. For historian Stefanos Geroulanos, however, this new account raises difficult questions. “Are Neanderthals now smart because they are no longer depicted as dark-skinned? Or, conversely, have they become blond and white because they are now believed to have been smart, able, quintessentially human?” Questions like these form the heart of his book, The Invention of Prehistory: Empire, Violence, and Our Obsession with Human Origins, which has just won Phi Beta Kappa's Ralph Waldo Emerson Book Award. Geroulanos contends that our claims about the deep past—whether made in 1726 or 2026—tell us more about the moment we propose them than anything else.Go beyond the episode:Stefanous Geroulanos's The Invention of Prehistory: Empire, Violence, and Our Obsession with Human OriginsListen to Geroulanos in conversation at the Phi Beta Kappa 2025 Book AwardsReconstructed ancient languages like Proto-Indo-European have been similarly weaponized for political ends, as Laura Spinney describes on an earlier episodeAnd our understanding of the more recent past—like Viking history, similarly prone—has been challenged by recent archaeological discoveries too, as Eleanor Barraclough explains in Embers of the HandsTune in every (other) week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek and sponsored by the Phi Beta Kappa Society.Subscribe: iTunes/Apple • Amazon • Google • Acast • PandoraHave suggestions for projects you'd like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Unique Scotland, John Harbour explores the origins and evolution of the Scottish clan system, tracing its roots from the painted Picts and the Gaels of Dál Riata, through Viking invasions, to the formation of Alba (early Scotland). The clans emerged as tightly-knit communities bound by kinship, loyalty, and mutual protection, thriving in Scotland's rugged landscapes. Clans were not solely based on blood ties; many adopted the chief's surname for solidarity, and associated families, known as Septs, became integral parts of clan society. The episode recounts famous feuds, such as those between the MacLeods and MacDonalds, and highlights the significant influence of powerful clans like the MacDonalds, MacLeods, Campbells, and Mackays. The dissolution of the Lordship of the Isles in 1493 by James IV marked a seismic shift, as the Crown sought to centralise control over the Highlands, leading to tensions between traditional Gaelic communal landholding and feudal systems. Despite political, economic, and social upheaval, clans remained resilient, adapting to changing circumstances and maintaining their identity and traditions. The episode concludes with a reflection on the enduring spirit of the clans and a promise to explore their decline and modern resurgence in the next instalment.

Fighter Pilot Tanner is back with part 2, taking the Lockheed S-3 Viking, the War Hoover into battle and beyond! Leave comments! She loves comments! Connect with Tanner Via X patreon.com/WorldofWarbirds https://www.facebook.com/WorldofWB WOWB Twitter (X): @WorldofWarbird Threads: world_of_warbirds_podcast Insta: world_of_warbirds_podcast bpearce29@gmail.com

In the early years of the twentieth century, in what was then British India, culture thrived in the city of Allahabad. In this vibrant hub of musicians, poets, scholars and freedom fighters, Janki Bai Ilahabadi was a musical star, counting among her fans maharajas, poets, judges, nawabs, government officials and multitudes of ordinary people. Popularly known as Chhappan Chhuri, Janki Bai's career, originating in a nautch house and vexed by many trials and torments, soared to stellar heights lifting her from penury to palaces and even the Delhi Durbar of 1911.Based on the real-life story of Hindustani singer Janki Bai Ilahabadi (1880–1934), Requiem in Raga Janki (Penguin Viking, 2018) by Neelum Saran Gour is the beautifully rendered tale of one of India's unknown gems. Moving from Hindustani classical music's earliest times to the age of the gramophone, from Baiju's mysticism and Tansen's magic to Hassu Khan's stringent opposition to recordings, this is a novel that brings to life a tapestry of music lore through the eyes of a gifted performer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In the early years of the twentieth century, in what was then British India, culture thrived in the city of Allahabad. In this vibrant hub of musicians, poets, scholars and freedom fighters, Janki Bai Ilahabadi was a musical star, counting among her fans maharajas, poets, judges, nawabs, government officials and multitudes of ordinary people. Popularly known as Chhappan Chhuri, Janki Bai's career, originating in a nautch house and vexed by many trials and torments, soared to stellar heights lifting her from penury to palaces and even the Delhi Durbar of 1911.Based on the real-life story of Hindustani singer Janki Bai Ilahabadi (1880–1934), Requiem in Raga Janki (Penguin Viking, 2018) by Neelum Saran Gour is the beautifully rendered tale of one of India's unknown gems. Moving from Hindustani classical music's earliest times to the age of the gramophone, from Baiju's mysticism and Tansen's magic to Hassu Khan's stringent opposition to recordings, this is a novel that brings to life a tapestry of music lore through the eyes of a gifted performer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Doc and Angus board their Viking longship and return to the Orkney Islands, 980 A.D. in celebration of Vertigo Comics Month. They review Brian Wood's Northlanders Volume 1 Sven The Returned. Northlanders Vol. 1: Sven The Returned⁠https://www.amazon.com/Northlanders-Vol-1-Sven-Returned/dp/1401219187/"Out of the shadows of the first millennium come those who will define the next. Circa A.D. 980, an accomplished Viking named Sven returns to his family estates in Orkney. Used to lush Mediterranean palaces, exotic women and epic combat, Sven only intends to claim his inheritance before escaping this cold backwater forever. But his ruthless uncle Gorm has stolen Sven's birthright. Viewed as both an outsider and a traitor, Sven embarks on a one-man war against his uncle's organization, only to find himself drawn back into a past he'd tried so hard to leave behind"Northlanders (start here) A reintroduction by Brian Woodhttps://www.brianwood-theplatform.com/re-introducing-northlanders/Leave a message at kirbyskidspodcast@gmail.comJoin the Community Discussions ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mewe.com/join/kirbyskids  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Please join us for our 2026 Graphic Novel Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kirbyskids.com/2025/11/the-kids-talk-2026-kirbys-kids-graphic.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For detailed show notes and past episodes please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.kirbyskids.com

From a vengeful saint's ghost striking down a Viking conqueror to an occult-obsessed music producer who foresaw death at a séance and then walked straight into his own dark prophecy, February 3rd is one of history's most unsettling dates. | IT HAPPENED ON THIS DATE, FEBRUARY 03 | The Morning Weird Darkness #MWDWeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.NOTE: Some of this content may have been created with assistance from AI tools, but it has been reviewed, edited, narrated, produced, and approved by Darren Marlar, creator and host of Weird Darkness — who, despite popular conspiracy theories, is NOT an AI voice.EPISODE PAGE: https://WeirdDarkness.com/MWD20260203#WeirdDarkness, #MorningWD, #DarrenMarlar, #MarlarInTheMorning, #MWD, #ThisDayInHistory, #TrueCrime, #GhostStories, #Paranormal, #DarkHistory, #CreepyHistory, #BuddyHolly, #DayTheMusicDied, #HistoricalMysteries, #Occult, #Seance, #TrueCrimePodcast, #ParanormalPodcast, #HistoryPodcast, #CreepyPodcast

Alan Leers is on with your weekday tech-and-science fix from London. Today: a new Imperial-led study asks if Boots and Tesco loyalty card data — from consenting volunteers — could help spot early cancer warning signs sooner. Plus, why handwriting is making a comeback (yes, really), Valheim celebrates five years of Viking chaos, and Notepad++ issues a sobering reminder that software updates need proper security behind them. For more, hit standard.co.uk — and follow Tech and Science Daily so you're never the last to know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textNicha is interviewed by Detectives from the Supernatural Police Department. Not to find out if he is guilty. But to find out how much he knows. Sadly, if that is too much, then. Well. Let's find out?Please check out Odin Apparel for amazing Viking-themed kits and our T-shirts. Preorder it now at this link.https://odinapparel24.myshopify.com/collections/werewolf-a-serial-killer-podcastThe Old Man's Podcast:The writing duo speak to the Old Man himself. Go check us out on his award-winning Podcast.https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-old-mans-podcast/id1595940192?i=1000708626677Grendel Press, our horror genre partnerhttps://grendelpress.com/Grendel's very own cool Podcast.https://grendelpress.com/sinister-soup. Buy us a coffee at this link right here:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/WerewolfwilBuy a book about werewolves. Here it is, straight from a fang-filled mouth.Il LupoGreg's first Werewolf book. Brilliantly written characters in an incredible story. https://books2read.com/ILLUPOA Werewolf's Storyhttps://amzn.to/3BjXoZuWerewolf the Colouring Book.What should I do this evening? Why not sit and do some Wonderful Werewolf colouring?  Red may be a theme.https://amzn.to/40k93l6Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/werewolfthepodcast/Greg's X profile:@SempaiGregWerewolf the Podcast:@AWerewolfsStoryWilIntro partnership with Grendel Press.https://grendelpress.com/ Outro partnership with Grendel Press.https://grendelpress.com/Support the show

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic…today's episode is pure chaos.  If you've listened to any of our Hiking Viking episodes, you already know what I'm talking about. After four "Girl Stuff" episodes, Chaunce figured it was only fair to balance the scales with what we're officially calling the Guy Stuff episode, a panel-style conversation that goes off the rails almost immediately, featuring Jabba and Lt Cookoo Bird. We cover everything from trail grooming strategy (aka pube management), to whether you'd rather have boobs or a vagina for 24 hours, to making Backpacker Radio condoms as trail swag, Chaunce has a beard, and Jabba bites Chaunce's toes. If you're looking for polished thru-hiking advice… this ain't it. This is a circus. Enjoy the ride.  Topo Athletic: Use code "TREKWINTER15" at topoathletic.com. [divider] Interview with Jabba and Cookoo Jabba's Instagram Cookoo's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:08:15 - Reminders: Apply to vlog or blog for the Trek, apply to be a Trail Correspondent, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and subscribe to The Trek's Youtube! 00:12:20 - Introducing Jabba and Cookoo 00:16:35 - Cuckoo, what have you been up to since you were last on the podcast? 00:26:54 - Do you think your urge to hike quickly is a macho trait? 00:29:10 - Discussion about working out 00:32:40 - Chaunce's BPR condoms idea 00:39:10 - Jabba, what have you been up to since you were last on the podcast? 00:50:35 - Discussion about PCT Days 00:59:20 - You have 24 hours - do you want to have boobs or a vagina? 01:05:00 - Discussion about trail grooming strategy 01:16:50 - Jabba's Roku stick story 01:18:32 - Discussion about blue balls 01:24:25 - How could a woman mess with a group of men on trail? 01:30:45 - Have you Tinder-blazed? 01:35:55 - What's your most interesting trail hookup story? 01:53:45 - What do you do differently when you're interested in someone on trail? 01:56:50 - How do you deal with swamp sack? 02:01:30 - How do you maintain personal hygiene? 02:11:00 - What are some things you've learned as you've hiked? 02:14:00 - Is chafing inevitable? 02:18:30 - How do you maintain your upper body while hiking? 02:25:00 - Discussion about supplements on trail 02:28:35 - Is anyone taking testosterone on trail? 02:31:20 - What upcoming hiker fashion trends do you foresee? 02:35:05 - Would you rather encounter a man or bear in the woods? 02:47:25 - How long would you wait to tell someone you're completely lost? 02:50:57 - What's the most vulnerable moment you've had on trail? 02:59:15 - What's the best way to break the ice to a new date that you hike four months per year? 03:03:12 - Who has the better fantasy team? 03:05:30 - Peak Performance Question: What's your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack? 03:21:40 - When do you choose trail runners versus boots? Segments Trek Propaganda: 5 Thru-Hikers Who Turned Their Passion for Hiking Into a Small Business by Chickpea The 2025 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey: General Information (Part 2) by Katie Jackson QOTD: They're a 10 but they like to turn off the game in the 4th quarter - can you make the relationship work? Triple Crown of unsung technological advancements Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jason Kiser, Krystyn Bell, Luke Netjes, Matt from Gilbert, AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, SPAM, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.

Fluent Fiction - Swedish: Locked in Time: Night Adventure at the Viking Exhibit Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sv/episode/2026-02-01-23-34-02-sv Story Transcript:Sv: Erik gick långsamt genom Vasa Museet i Stockholm.En: Erik walked slowly through the Vasa Museet in Stockholm.Sv: Han hade väntat länge på att få se den nya vikingautställningen.En: He had waited a long time to see the new Viking exhibition.Sv: Det var vinter, och snön föll sakta utanför de stora fönstren i entrén.En: It was winter, and snow was slowly falling outside the large windows in the entrance.Sv: Museet var tyst denna sena eftermiddag, nästan öde, precis som Erik hade hoppats.En: The museum was quiet this late afternoon, almost deserted, just as Erik had hoped.Sv: Erik, en lite klumpig men alltid entusiastisk historieälskare, gick med snabba steg mot den nya utställningen.En: Erik, a bit clumsy but always an enthusiastic lover of history, walked briskly towards the new exhibition.Sv: Skeppet Vasa tronade mörkt i mitten av rummet, nästan levande i skuggorna och med ljud av svagt knarrande trä och avlägsna vågor som skapade en historisk stämning.En: The swept Vasa loomed darkly in the center of the room, almost alive in the shadows, with sounds of faintly creaking wood and distant waves creating a historical atmosphere.Sv: Erik stod där, fascinerad, hans blick fascinerad av detaljerna på de gamla plankorna och de rika konstruktionerna.En: Erik stood there, fascinated, his gaze captivated by the details on the old planks and the rich constructions.Sv: Timmen blev sen, men Erik märkte inte tiden.En: The hour grew late, but Erik did not notice the time.Sv: Han var helt absorberad av de gamla föremålen.En: He was completely absorbed by the ancient artifacts.Sv: Det var först när han hörde ett svagt klickande ljud följt av en lågt surrande ton, som han insåg att museet stängdes.En: It wasn't until he heard a faint clicking sound followed by a low humming tone that he realized the museum was closing.Sv: Paniken grep tag i honom.En: Panic gripped him.Sv: "Jag är inlåst!"En: "I'm locked in!"Sv: tänkte han förskräckt.En: he thought in horror.Sv: Han kunde inte tro att han hade tappat bort sig i tiden så fullständigt.En: He couldn't believe he had lost track of time so completely.Sv: Erik började leta frenetiskt efter en lösning.En: Erik began to search frantically for a solution.Sv: Hur skulle han kunna larma någon utan att sätta igång ett alarm?En: How could he alert someone without setting off an alarm?Sv: Han försökte skicka meddelanden från sin telefon, men det fanns ingen täckning i de tjocka betongväggarna.En: He tried sending messages from his phone, but there was no reception in the thick concrete walls.Sv: Han började gå omkring, försökte tänka klart.En: He started to walk around, trying to think clearly.Sv: Plötsligt snavade han mot en interaktiv utställning.En: Suddenly, he stumbled upon an interactive display.Sv: Han rörde vid en knapp av misstag, och en hög, dramatisk segerdån klingade genom museet.En: He accidentally touched a button, and a loud, dramatic victory sound echoed through the museum.Sv: Eriks hjärta hoppade till i hans bröst.En: Erik's heart jumped in his chest.Sv: I samma ögonblick hörde han steg närma sig.En: At the same moment, he heard footsteps approaching.Sv: En säkerhetsvakt, Sven, en äldre herre med ett vänligt leende kom in i rummet.En: A security guard, Sven, an older gentleman with a friendly smile, came into the room.Sv: "Så du ville ha en VIP-tur?"En: "So, you wanted a VIP tour?"Sv: skämtade Sven när han såg Eriks förlägna uttryck.En: joked Sven when he saw Erik's embarrassed expression.Sv: Den gamle vakten verkade mer rolig än arg.En: The old guard seemed more amused than angry.Sv: "Kom, låt mig visa dig vägen ut," tillade han och ledde Erik genom de mörka korridorerna.En: "Come, let me show you the way out," he added, and led Erik through the dark corridors.Sv: När Erik äntligen kom ut i den friska vinterluften, kände han sig lättad men också tacksam.En: When Erik finally came out into the fresh winter air, he felt relieved but also grateful.Sv: Trots kaoset hade han haft en unik upplevelse.En: Despite the chaos, he had had a unique experience.Sv: Och han hade lärt sig att alltid hålla koll på klockan!En: And he had learned always to keep an eye on the clock!Sv: Med ett vänligt farväl från Sven, lovade Erik sig själv att vara mer uppmärksam nästa gång.En: With a friendly farewell from Sven, Erik promised himself to be more attentive next time.Sv: Erik gick hem den kvällen med ett leende.En: Erik went home that evening with a smile.Sv: Han hade fått se utställningen i tysthet och ensamhet, och trots incidenten värderade han den upplevelsen högt.En: He had gotten to see the exhibition in silence and solitude, and despite the incident, he valued the experience highly.Sv: Kanske skulle han komma tillbaka snart, men med lite bättre tidshantering.En: Perhaps he would return soon, but with a little better time management. Vocabulary Words:slowly: långsamtexhibition: utställningdeserted: ödeclumsy: klumpigentusiastic: entusiastiskloomed: tronadefascinated: fascineradartifact: föremålcreaking: knarrandecaptivated: fängsladgripped: grep tag ipanic: panikfrantically: frenetisktreception: täckningstumbled: snavadeinteractive: interaktivdisplay: utställningvictory: segerfootsteps: stegguard: vaktembarrassed: förlägencorridors: korridorerrelieved: lättadunique: unikchaos: kaoslearned: lärtattentive: uppmärksamsolitude: ensamhetincident: incidentvalued: värderade

The Anglo Saxons lived beneath skies they did not trust. To them, the heavens were alive capable of movement, intention, and warning. Night skies were darker than anything we experience today, and people watched them closely, not for wonder alone, but for survival. What appeared above was believed to speak, and sometimes to threaten.Their records contain unsettling descriptions that resist easy explanation. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle speaks of “fiery dragons flying in the air,” of strange lights that moved across the sky, and of glowing shapes that appeared before moments of catastrophe. In 793, just before the Viking attack on Lindisfarne, witnesses reported terrifying aerial phenomena flames, lights, and shapes in the heavens events described not as symbols but as things seen. The timing disturbed them deeply. The sky, it seemed, was watching.Other accounts describe crosses of light hovering in the air, radiant shields appearing above battlefields, and luminous objects that drifted, burned, or vanished without sound. These were not stars. They moved. They lingered. They returned. Medieval writers struggled to name them, reaching for the closest language they had: dragons, angels, heavenly armies, signs from God. But the descriptions themselves feel observational like people trying to make sense of something genuinely unfamiliar.The Anglo Saxons did not separate the natural from the supernatural. A strange light was not merely a phenomenon; it was an intrusion. Something crossing from one realm into another. Their older Germanic beliefs had spoken of otherworldly beings moving between skies and earth, while Christian theology reframed these encounters as divine or demonic. Yet in both systems, the experience remained the same: something unknown appeared, moved with purpose, and then was gone.Modern readers sometimes wonder whether these accounts hint at misunderstood natural events meteors, auroras, rare electrical phenomena. But some details are awkward for those explanations: the repeated sightings, the apparent maneuvering, the sense of presence, the way observers reacted with fear rather than awe. The texts give the impression that these were not passive lights but active signs, watching rather than simply passing through.What is most unsettling is not what the Anglo Saxons believed these things were, but how calmly they recorded them. They did not ask if such things existed only what they meant. The sky was not empty, and it was not safe. Whatever these lights and shapes truly were, they left a deep impression on a people who believed they were living at the edge of unseen worlds.Seen through a modern lens, these accounts raise an uncomfortable possibility: that encounters with unexplained aerial phenomena did not begin in the twentieth century, but have followed humanity for centuries changing names, forms, and meanings as cultures changed, yet always appearing just beyond understanding.

Todays Afternoon Rush Hour: Don Lemon arrested while reporting: what actually happened, where journalists can legally be, and why multiple reporters are now being detained Is this about public safety or press intimidation? Breaking down the First Amendment implications What's the ultimate goal here — deterrence, control, or political messaging? Does the Department of Justice actually have a case, or are these arrests legally shaky Global tensions rising across multiple fronts as alliances strain and conflicts escalate Why critics argue Donald Trump poses the greatest risk to international peace — unpredictability, rhetoric, and foreign policy fallout How media crackdowns at home connect to instability abroad

In a coincidence a new list of the Top 13 New Bars in Vegas was released and at the top of the list was a bar that I just went to in Viking Mike's Alpine Yurt Bar. I react to some of the bars on the list and review Viking Mike's which is defiantly the one of the most exciting new bars to hit the city in a very long time.   https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2026/01/29/the-13-best-new-bars-around-las-vegas/   @conciergeconfidential_lv

Mike Webster and Ed Carson walk through Friday's market action and discuss key stocks to watch in Stock Market Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexis Garcia and Ed Carson walk through Thursday's market action and discuss key stocks to watch in Stock Market Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Space Show Presents Dr. Antonino Del Popolo, Friday, 1-23-25Quick summaryThe Space Show hosted Dr. Antonin o del Popolo, an Italian astrophysicist, to discuss his book “We Are Not Alone: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life.” Dr. del Popolo explained the various theories on the origin of life, including panspermia and abiogenesis, and discussed the challenges in detecting extraterrestrial life, such as the distance between stars and the lack of confirmed signals from other civilizations. He highlighted the potential for microbial life on exoplanets and the importance of future telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope in confirming its existence. The discussion also touched on the Fermi Paradox and the possibility of advanced civilizations, though Dr. del Popolo expressed skepticism about the likelihood of contact with such civilizations anytime soon.Detailed SummaryDavid and Antonino discussed the possibility of extraterrestrial life, with Antonio explaining that while there have been claims of life on other planets, such as the detection of dimethyl sulfide on an extrasolar planet, these claims have been discredited. He suggested that future telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope might provide clearer evidence of life in the next 10 years. David mentioned his listeners' interest in UAP phenomena and the possibility of alien visitation, but Antonino dismissed these ideas as not supported by the scientific community.We formally started with introductions and small talk about volcanoes, with participants discussing locations like Sicily, California, and Idaho. David introduced the main guest, Antonino del Popolo, a physicist from Sicily with a new book on extraterrestrial life. Antonio explained that he would summarize the book's contents rather than use slides to save time for discussion. The host announced upcoming guests and programs, including Dr. Kothari, Dr. Ethan Siegel, and Greg Autry. The conversation ended with David introducing Antonio to discuss his book, “We Are Not Alone.”Antonino discussed his book on the origins of life, exploring two main theories: panspermia, where life originated elsewhere in the universe and was brought to Earth by comets, and abiogenesis, which posits that life arose from non-living matter on Earth. He also covered the iron-sulfur world hypothesis and the lipids world theory, highlighting the challenges in replicating cellular life in laboratories. Antonio concluded by discussing the potential for life in our solar system, particularly on moons like Europa and Enceladus, as well as on exoplanets, noting the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1991 and the ongoing search for habitable conditions beyond Earth.Antonino discussed the potential for microbial life on exoplanets, noting that while many planets in the habitable zones of their stars might support liquid water, confirming the presence of life is challenging due to the distance and limitations of current technology. David inquired about the difficulty in detecting life, to which Antonino explained that while spectroscopy can identify biosignatures like water and oxygen, only one exoplanet, K218b, has shown such signs, and it will take time to confirm life on more planets. Antonino also highlighted the challenges in detecting advanced civilizations, citing the “Great Silence” and the Fermi Paradox, which suggest that either civilizations are extremely rare or there are significant barriers to communication across vast interstellar distances.Antonino discussed the possibility of extraterrestrial life and civilization, mentioning Fermi's paradox and various theories such as the Great Filter and Kardashev's scale. He explained that recent studies, including work by Frank and Sullivan in 2016, suggest that technological civilizations have likely existed in the universe, based on statistical calculations of astrophysical and biological factors in the Drake Equation. John Jossy asked about the certainty of these studies, and Antonino clarified that while the calculations are statistically sound, the unknowns in biology could potentially invalidate the results.Antonino discussed the probability of life evolving on planets similar to Earth, noting that calculations for our galaxy suggest a high likelihood of inhabited planets, especially those orbiting red dwarfs. He explained that while exact probabilities are difficult to determine, estimates indicate around 6 billion such planets in our galaxy and potentially 10^22 in the universe. Antonino also addressed the perspective of believers, suggesting that the existence of life beyond Earth aligns with religious beliefs, while non-believers might find it harder to accept.The Space Show Wisdom Team discussed the probability of life and civilizations in the universe, with Antonino presenting estimates of 6 billion Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars, though Joe noted that only super-Earths have been discovered so far. They explored the concept of biosignatures, including carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane, as indicators of life, with Antonino mentioning the discovery of dimethyl sulfur on the exoplanet K218b. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the possibility of past life on Mars, based on Viking lander experiments and recent findings of organic matter and water on the planet.Antonino talked about the presence of methane in the universe, explaining that while methane can be found on Jupiter and Saturn, its presence alone is not sufficient to prove the existence of life. He emphasized the need for precise biosignatures to confirm life and noted that microbial life could still exist despite the Fermi Paradox, which questions why we haven't detected any extraterrestrial civilizations. Dr. Ajay inquired about the historical context of the Fermi Paradox and the Drake Equation, and Antonino clarified that the paradox preceded the equation, though the exact timeline was not fully discussed.The team discussed the possibility of extraterrestrial civilizations and the Kardashev scale, which measures a civilization's ability to harness energy. Antonino explained that while the Fermi Paradox suggests no advanced civilizations in our galaxy, microbial life could still exist. Marshall proposed a theory about civilizations moving to galactic arms with more stars, and Antonino mentioned the concept of Dyson spheres as a way for advanced civilizations to harness energy from stars. Dr. Sherry Bell asked about the next steps if biosignatures were found, and Antonino explained that the James Webb Space Telescope would be used, with a more powerful telescope called Ariel planned for the future. He also noted that it would take a long time to confirm the existence of life on a distant planet, even with current technology.Antonino mentioned the time it takes to observe potential biosignatures with James Webb, explaining it could take several months to a year, and highlighted that the existence of life on K218b remains uncertain despite observations starting in 2023. He explored theoretical possibilities of faster-than-light travel using general relativity, though he considered such advancements unlikely within 50 years. The discussion also covered alternative chemistries for life, with Antonino noting that while silicon-based life is possible, carbon remains the most probable basis for life as it forms stable and complex structures. He concluded that microbial life likely exists in the universe, with intelligent life potentially following as evolution progresses, though he expressed skepticism about the likelihood of detecting extraterrestrial civilizations.Special thanks to our sponsors:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223 (Not in service at this time)For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.com for instructions and access.The Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Broadcast 4496 Zoom Sarah Scoles | Friday 30 Jan 2026 930AM PTGuests: Sarah ScolesZoom Sarah Scoles, top space journalist returns with lots of space new stories to discussBroadcast 4497 Zoom Mark Whittington | Sunday 01 Feb 2026 1200PM PTGuests: Mark WhittingtonZoom: Author, Journalist, Writer Mark Whittington returns a discussion about his latest O-Eds and space opinions. Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

Two friends unravel a Viking fantasy packed with prophecy, messy power, and a twist that flips hero and traitor. We argue about Freya's flaws, Bjorn's choices, and whether fate is faith or leverage, with plenty of heat, humor, and battle scars.• star ratings and first impressions• marriage politics, god-born privilege, village dynamics• duel reveal, shield maiden prophecy, forced ritual• raid strategy, ship burning, early chemistry cues• training, backstory, and anger versus agency• undead mountain trial and moral cost of winning• sacred summit, masks, storms, and spectacle• siege of Grindel, loss, rage, and restraint• family betrayals, public accusations, and control• the river leap, cave vows, and the allegiance twist• is Bjorn a traitor or a liberator• fate, free will, and who sets the rulesLike, share, subscribe, follow. Comment. Let us know. Come talk to us. We want to get to know you guys.Support the showEditing done by Connor Luther @clfilms.coMusic by @thundercatlouisMerch Here

On The Literary Life Podcast this week, Angelina and Thomas are pleased to have special guest Dr. Michael Drout joining them to discuss his book The Tower and the Ruin: J. R. R. Tolkien's Creation. Together they talk about the background for writing this book and who Drout intended his audience to be. They also share thoughts on the current academic trends and the state of the humanities and literary studies in higher education. Other topics they cover include high modernism, literary criticism, realism and fantasy, and critical reviews of Tolkien's work. Don't forget to share this episode with the hashtag #LitLifeTolkien on Facebook or Instagram to be entered to win a copy of The Tower and the Ruin! There is still time to join a few more live sessions of this year's Literary Life Online Conference, happening January 23-30, 2026, "The Letter Killeth, but the Spirit Quickeneth: Reading Like a Human". Our speakers will be Dr. Jason Baxter, Jenn Rogers, Dr. Anne Phillips, and, of course, Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks. As always, these sessions are also recorded, so you can purchase lifetime access and view the past videos anytime! Finally, you can also still sign up for Dr. Michael Drout's "Viking and Old Norse Culture" and get the recordings for the opening classes you may have missed. For the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/313. 

Kathleen Boland is the author of the debut novel Scavengers, now available from Viking. Boland's fiction has appeared in Tin House, Conjunctions, Gulf Coast, and elsewhere, and she has received support from the Tin House Summer Workshop, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and the Vermont Studio Center. The former event director for Catapult/Counterpoint Press/Soft Skull Press, she earned her MFA from Louisiana State University, where she received the Robert Penn Warren Thesis Award. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ⁠⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code OTHERPPL at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Write a Novel,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad's email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First Take resumes with a fluctuating narrative. Darnold saw ghosts, led a Viking brigade to the playoffs, got banished from his Minnesota but found refuge in Seattle, and now soars his 'Hawks into the Super Bowl. How should we view him? (0:00) Then, WWE superstar Seth Rollins talks Royal Rumble! (15:50) Next, we have to talk Stafford's legacy. He has all of the stats AND a Super Bowl, maybe even an MVP soon. What more can he do? (26:00) Trivia: which Seahawks WR made an acrobatic catch while lying on the ground to set up the Seahawks at the goal line before the famous Malcolm Butler INT? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I share the ancient story of skyr—an Icelandic cultured food that has nourished people for more than a thousand years. Skyr wasn't a trend or a treat. It was relied upon, day after day, to sustain families through long winters and hard work. I also share how a visit to a Danish village inspired me to create a Viking-style seed and nut bread enriched with skyr—one of the most satisfying gluten-free breads I've ever made. Episode link: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/podcast/episode-344-skyr-a-thousand-years-of-strength-from-spoon-to-bread/ Link(s) I talked about: Article: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/skyr-a-thousand-years-of-strengthfrom-spoon-to-bread/ Check out these other links: My Story Video: https://youtu.be/CbX9Nv9OtGM For health tips and recipes, subscribe to our weekly emails. We'll also send you our free Getting Started Guide: http://bit.ly/2BnHpay Listen to all my podcasts: http://bit.ly/cflpodcast Become a Biotic Pro Member: http://bit.ly/2kkhwS1 Cultured Food Recipes: http://bit.ly/2UIfY2x Health and Food Topics: http://bit.ly/2SdzIOS My Amazon Shop: https://bit.ly/3KdhEge MY STARTER CULTURES Milk Kefir Grains: http://bit.ly/2rQ99PE L. Reuteri Superfood: https://bit.ly/LReuteriSuperfoodStarter L. Gasseri Superfood: https://bit.ly/LGasseriSuperfoodStarter Easy Kefir: http://bit.ly/2MQ1nPV Kefir Soda Starter: http://bit.ly/3YVErTa Kombucha Starter: http://bit.ly/2g2R9hE Vegetable Starter: http://bit.ly/2SzzVem Water Kefir Crystals:  http://bit.ly/2irmImW Sourdough Starter: http://bit.ly/2IjaaXK Other items in my store: http://bit.ly/2HTKZ27 STAY CONNECTED Instagram: http://instagram.com/culturedfoodlife/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulturedFoodLife/ Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/donnaschwenk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/donnaschwenk

Bigfoot the Cow KIllerIn 2010, a man's family moved to Colorado, where they discovered a remote campsite on the border of the Rawah Wilderness in northern Colorado—an isolated, high-elevation spot accessible only by high-clearance vehicle. In spring 2019, he and his son scouted the site and spent four days there. They enjoyed the scenery and wildlife but found unexplained items: torn pajamas on the ground and a backpack wedged 50 feet up in a tree. In 2020, the full family returned. One night, dressed in Viking reenactment gear and celebrating late around the fire, they blew a war horn. Shortly after, a terrifying guttural scream echoed from the ridge behind camp, sounding like a woman being attacked. It repeated minutes later, followed by coyotes yipping and then abruptly yelping in pain before going silent, as if something attacked them. The next morning, they followed a foul odor and discovered a recently dead cow with no predator marks—except its entire lower jaw and tongue were missing. That evening they listened to Bigfoot-related podcasts and set up defensive perimeter traps and firearms (the narrator, a combat veteran, always camps heavily armed). The following morning, while checking the area, the narrator and his son witnessed a seven-foot-tall, dark-haired bipedal creature with a conical head, prominent brow, and human-like but larger hands dragging the decaying cow carcass into the woods. They soon had to evacuate due to the approaching Cameron Peak wildfire but later returned multiple times. They located the cow's scattered remains, recovered its ear tag as a keepsake, and began leaving small gifts (apples, candy, marbles, Bigfoot figurines) at the site, which consistently disappeared.The experience convinced the family that Bigfoot may be real. The narrator, who grew up hearing Sasquatch stories near Yosemite, remains cautious and armed on trips but now camps in hopes of another peaceful observation rather than confrontation.Join my Supporters Club for $4.99 per month for exclusive stories:https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-if-it-s-true-podcast--5445587/support

In this week's episode, Dan and Mags sit down with Clare Downham to dissect the descendants of Ivar the Boneless and the Viking kings of England and Ireland that followed in his lineage.------------------------------------------------Follow Clare on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/downham.bsky.socialCheck out her new book:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Ireland-Cambridge-Textbooks/dp/1107031311And her other publications:https://hcommons.org/members/claredownham/Follow Margrethe on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/arkeomagsFollow the Podcast on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nordicmythologypodcastIf you like what we do, and would like to be in the audience for live streams of new episodes to ask questions, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NordicMythologypodcastCheck out Dan's company, Horns of Odin, and the wide range of handmade items inspired by Nordic Mythology and the Viking Age. Visit: https://www.hornsofodin.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week Lucasfilm announced that Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from her role as studio president, a position she has held since Disney's 2012 acquisition. Succeeding her are George Lucas' protégé and Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni, who will oversee the franchise's creative direction as co-president alongside former Lucasfilm General Manager Lynwen Brennan handling the business side of things. Kennedy still has an active hand as an executive producer of both Star War's next theatrical offerings: May's The Mandalorian & Grogu as well as 2027's Starfighter and will continue to produce other projects independently. Kennedy's tenure saw its fair share of highs and lows, especially contending with an often fickle fandom, but with multibillion dollar films under her belt her exit marks the end of an era.It was a surprisingly noteworthy MLK weekend box office– outside of Avatar: Fire & Ash's continuing reign, Marty Supreme became A24's top-performing film of all time with 80 million dollars domestically, surpassing Everything Everywhere All at Once, while Zootopia 2 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time globally with over 1.7 billion dollars, passing Inside Out 2. Meanwhile, Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple opened below expectations with just 15 million dollars over the four-day weekend, falling well short of the 30-million-dollar debut of its predecessor and behind tracking projections of 20 million dollars. Despite the horror sequel's muted debut, it's been an unusually robust box office this January.Netflix has revised its $83 billion dollar deal for Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash transaction valued at $27.75 dollars per share, simplifying the structure to provide greater certainty of value for shareholders and accelerate the path to a shareholder vote by April. The amended deal, unanimously approved by both boards, maintains the same per-share valuation while WBD stockholders will still receive additional value from shares of Discovery Global following its spinoff, with Netflix financing the deal through cash on hand, credit facilities and committed financing. This update comes on the heels of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos' renewed promise to keep WB studio films in theaters for at least 45 days before hitting streaming.Prime Video has released a first look photo of Sophie Turner as Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider series, which has begun production.Hans Zimmer, who has scored more than 500 movies and TV projects, will officially score the upcoming Harry Potter series for HBO Max in partnership with Bleeding Fingers Music, a composer collective that he co-founded.Sons of Anarchy star Ryan Hurst has been cast as main character Kratos in Amazon's upcoming God of War series, which is currently confirmed for two seasons and has begun pre-production. Teresa Palmer was also cast last week and will play Sif, Thor's wife and the goddess of family.Cate Blanchett has signed a deal to reprise her role as Viking warrior Valka in Universal Pictures' live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2.Warner Bros. has set Jorge R. Gutiérrez to direct an animated feature centering on the classic Looney Tunes character Speedy Gonzales, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned.

Episode 2729 - Greenland in protest! Randolph speaks the truth.! How bad was Stalin? 12 health facts? Viking in a bathtub evades ICE? Feces on your water cooler ? Great show today!

With Greenland in the news, you may be wondering how and why Greenland became inhabited in the first place. Like all great stories, it is a medieval one! Matt Lewis retells the fascinating tale of Norse Greenland, from the arrival of Norse explorers over a thousand years ago to the mysterious disappearance of their settlements and the myths and legends surrounding the Viking presence in Greenland.MORENorse Mythology: Creation MythsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHow To Live Like A VikingListen on AppleListen on SpotifyGone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.