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Juli 13, 2008
One in Four
Recently Aftenposten reported that new statistics show that one in four people living in Oslo is a foreign immigrant, i.e. non-Norwegian, i.e. like me. The breakdown goes like this:
Year: 1998. Population of Oslo: 499,693. No. of immigrants: 85,550. Percentage: 17.
Year: 2008. Population of Oslo: 560,484. No. of immigrants: 137,878. Percentage: 24.5.
So what does this mean for "us" and for "them" ?
Continue reading "One in Four"
Posted by barry at 2:35 FM
Juli 11, 2008
Recent Art
I've been looking through my uploaded photos of recent art exhibitions and music shows we've put on. There's a lot missing (sorry Jens Hamran, sorry Somadrone) but here's some pics that weren't lost. First off, the Hilmar Fredriksen exhibition. He projected a pretty cool film onto the bar, and you can see a frame from it, with our barman Martin underneath looking, er, arty. Click to enlarge.
Posted by barry at 11:32 EM
Juli 5, 2008
Closing Time for Spasibar (part 2)
A hilarious article has appeared in Dagbladet detailing the destruction that occurred on Spasibar's last night. Here's a photo from Dagbladet showing how they trashed the furniture - but even though the business is in a building owned by the art school, it was Spasibar's own furniture, so they were free to do so.
Whether they were free to light a bonfire on stage is another question...
Continue reading "Closing Time for Spasibar (part 2)"
Posted by barry at 3:21 EM
Juli 3, 2008
The Innocence of Sleeping Children
She's back in the news! The 'psychic' Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise (pictured above). The controversy this time is that her angel school has begun courses for children.
Continue reading "The Innocence of Sleeping Children"
Posted by barry at 5:29 EM
Juli 2, 2008
Closing Time for Spasibar
A large bar on the posh side of Oslo, in a building connected to the art academy. Toys, mannequins, porcelain dogs, photographs and junk are everywhere. The staff are wearing robes and wigs. Crazy music is playing. At the back of the stage hangs a mosaic of the eccentric owners, who for some reason are obsessed with Russia, and this is a "Russian themed" bar.
That was Spasibar, which closed down on 30 June.
Continue reading "Closing Time for Spasibar"
Posted by barry at 3:27 EM