Topicless thread

[NejinOniwa]

Mt. Washington: DON'T GET LOST ON THE WAY UP, KIDS.

Also I challenge you three to sing the swedish national anthem at the peak and record it for lulz. TRADITIONS ARE IMPORTANT.

[Nichi]

Nah; I'll reach the peak and shout "Row-Row Fight Da Powah!"
*swaps glasses for Kamina shades*

[NejinOniwa]

In ancient viking times, being the king did not equal being THE LAW. That duty was held by the Lagman (law-man), and if you screwed up your kingship, he would get on your ass, and badly.

"Snorri relates": ShowHide

    In Tiundaland there was a lagman [lawspeaker] who was called Thorgny, whose father was called Thorgny Thorgnyson. His forefathers had for a long course of years, and during many kings' times, been lagmen of Tiundaland. At this time Thorgny was old, and had a great court about him. He was considered one of the wisest men in Sweden, and was Earl Ragnvald's relation and foster-father.

The two kings were at war, and many wise men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In 1018, the earl Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Halte Skeggesson had arrived at the thing of Uppsala to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway.

The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Þorgnýr the Lawspeaker, who was the wisest and most respected man in Sweden.

    Then Thorgny stood up; and when he arose all the bondes [yeomen] stood up who had before been sitting, and rushed together from all parts to listen to what Lagman Thorgny would say. At first there was a great din of people and weapons; but when the noise was settled into silent listening, Thorgny made his speech.

        The disposition of Swedish kings is different now from what it has been formerly. My grandfather Thorgny could well remember the Upsala king Eirik Eymundson, and used to say of him that when he was in his best years he went out every summer on expeditions to different countries, and conquered for himself Finland, Kirjalaland, Courland, Esthonia, and the eastern countries all around; and at the present day the earth-bulwarks, ramparts, and other great works which he made are to be seen. And, more over, he was not so proud that he would not listen to people who had anything to say to him. My father, again, was a long time with King Bjorn, and was well acquainted with his ways and manners. In Bjorn's lifetime his kingdom stood in great power, and no kind of want was felt, and he was gay and sociable with his friends. I also remember King Eirik the Victorious, and was with him on many a war-expedition. He enlarged the Swedish dominion, and defended it manfully; and it was also easy and agreeable to communicate our opinions to him. But the king we have now got allows no man to presume to talk with him, unless it be what he desires to hear. On this alone he applies all his power, while he allows his scat-lands [territories paying protection money to the Swedes] in other countries to go from him through laziness and weakness. He wants to have the Norway kingdom laid under him, which no Swedish king before him ever desired, and therewith brings war and distress on many a man. Now it is our will, we bondes, that thou King Olaf make peace with the Norway king, Olaf the Thick, and marry thy daughter Ingegerd to him. Wilt thou, however, reconquer the kingdoms in the east countries which thy relations and forefathers had there, we will all for that purpose follow thee to the war. But if thou wilt not do as we desire, we will now attack thee, and put thee to death; for we will no longer suffer law and peace to be disturbed. So our forefathers went to work when they drowned five kings in a morass at the Mula-thing, and they were filled with the same insupportable pride thou hast shown towards us. Now tell us, in all haste, what resolution thou wilt take.

    Then the whole public approved, with clash of arms and shouts, the lagman's speech.

On the other hand, you needed certain talents to hold the office of THE LAW. Not just knowing THE LAW and being a wise man was enough - you had to be a real greybeard for the task.

"Being the Law and mastery of Thu'um: ShowHide

In Iceland, the office was introduced in 930, when the Alþing was established. He was elected for three years. Besides his function as the president of the thing, his duties were restricted to counselling and to reciting the law. It was the sole government office of the mediaeval Icelandic Commonwealth. The lawspeaker was elected for a term of three years and was supposed to declaim the law at Alþingi, a third of it each summer. In fact, Grímr Svertingsson's term was cut short, not because of incompetence or illness, but because his voice was too weak for the job.

Speaking of the Alþing, it's pretty badass to be a parliamentary institution that's OVER 1000 YEARS OLD (1082 to be exact) and still going strong. Hats off to you, Iceland. Well played.

[Chocofreak13]

TL. DR.


i'll put the swedish national anthem on my ipod before we go, and blare it at the top. how's that sound?

[NejinOniwa]

YOU MUST SING IT. NO EXCEPTIONS.

You may use the iPod for assistance with lyrics and whatnot, though. And instruments. BUT YOU MUST SING!

[Bella]

The only anthem I'll be singing is Michigan, My Michigan. ~w~

[Chocofreak13]

i'll sing AND IT'S SWEEEET, SWEEET, SWEET VICTORY, YEAH!!!

no, i'm serious, i was so surprised/happy/excited that i literally screamed. woke up my mum, the cat, and freaked out my sister. why you may ask?

SHE WOOOOOON!!!!!!! QUEEN SHARON NEEDLES WOOOOOON!!!!! SHE FUCKING WON!!!!!! ;v; ;v; ;v; *dies of happiness*

(warning: OS-tan Collections is not liable if its members explode due to jubliation. please stand 15 feet back from all rabid posters. any closer is your own risk. >>;; )

[Nichi]

*backs away* ^_^;;;

That's like me when I learned I passed the GED, but increased tenfold

[Chocofreak13]

i'm sorry. but it's just SO. FUCKING. EXCITING.

i feel like one of those dogs that gets so excited it looks like it's about to have a seizure. xDD

[Krizonar]

@kriz: it's too bad they can't work together. :\

hm... why not?

Just ordered a Sager with Ivy Bridge.

[stewartsage]

Getting ready for my speech on the need for commuter/transit rail expansion this evening, marking up my speech, preparing the slideshow, etc.

[Nichi]

So, I discovered I still have untapped money I didn't know I had; left in the retirement plan I had at the hospital. So, I'll definitely have money to play around with on my trip, even if I only use 1\3 of it and save the rest :3

EDIT: Daleks invade MIT *__*

[Chocofreak13]

nice, dude. -w- (i wish i could go to MIT, but there's the cost/lack of art majors/strict academics standing in my way. :\ )

btw guys, this is why some people shouldn't have kids. :\

[Nichi]

Wow *facepalm*

That lady looks like her face is covered in Nutella or something @_@

[Chocofreak13]

she looks diseased..... >>;