Book Review: "Northern Lights" by Andrew Scott

This compact book by academic Andrew Scott sets out how Australian policy makers could benefit from the examples of the Scandinavian countries. It is a marvellous read, and looks at a number of key areas including education and industrial relations. There is surely a lot that we could learn, and have had many opportunities to learn, but haven't. One can only hope that policy makers take the time and trouble to read Scott's small tome. If they do, Australia could become an even better place ...

Lilyhammer - What a cracker!

This is a new must-see TV series showing on SBS on Saturday nights. It is the improbable story of Frank "The Fixer" Tagliani, a New York gangster who turns Crown witness and goes into witness protection in Lillehammer, Norway after falling in love with the place during the 1994 Winter Olympics. As Giovanni "Johnny" Henriksen he lives in a humble abode next door to the Chief of Police and drives an electric car. He is often seen out and about wearing headphones in an effort to learn Norwegian.

Right from his arrival in Norway we start to see why he is called "The Fixer". He rights wrongs perpetrated by youths on the train and already makes some useful alliances. Proving himself to be a gangster with a heart of gold, he saves a wandering sheep, takes a posse out to kill a marauding wolf which later killed the aforesaid sheep (despite the group being warned off by the Chief of Police) and explores "cultural differences" with the local public servant in the employment agency, using some naughty photos found in a local cabin as persuasion to do a favour for the mother of the boy who lost his sheep and to help him get a bar licence (previously "too complicated").

He seems quite keen on Sigrid, the single mother, in a gentlemanly sort of way, so it will be interesting to see where this leads.

The language effortlessly shifts from English to Norwegian and back again (sub-titles are supplied) and this is really no impediment to understanding. For the most part, the Norwegian is clearly spoken and it is possible to pick up a reasonable amount of the meaning if you have an everyday knowledge of the language. There is a little bit of low-level swearing in both languages but not enough to be offensive.

Having lived in Norway and experienced the scenery, climate and culture it is just hilarious at times to see Johnny challenging the law-abiding status quo and appealing to the rebel within. He gets things done in a way that looks after "the little people" and protects the disenfranchised and vulnerable.

Steven Van Zandt is perfect as the gangster, reprising a similar role that he played in the Sopranos, and he is also a writer, producer and music consultant for the series (also being a long-time Bruce Springsteen band member). The Norwegian cast members are very believable as ordinary small-town citizens.

It has been a very promising start and well worth continued viewing. There were two very good reviews of the series in "The Age" recently, including a feature article in the "Green Guide". Both gave it a good rating.

Ave maris stella by Edvard Grieg

It is one of the joys of being on the music repertoire committee for St Francis' Choir that occasionally you are successful in one or more of your suggestions as to music which the Choir should perform. For the current six-month program I have been fortunate in having two suggestions of music by Norwegian composers accepted - "Cry Out and Shout" by Knut Nystedt and Edvard Grieg's glorious gem "Ave maris stella". This letter work has just been performed by the Choir for the first time and received ringing endorsement from both Choir members and members of the congregation.

The tranquil nature of the motet reminded me of the photographs that I had taken of the beautiful lake next to Grieg's home Troldhaugen during a visit to Bergen in June 2004.

After catching a bus to the suburbs of Bergen, it is only a short walk to the Troldhaugen precinct. I remember walking through the front gate and being serenaded by a beautiful young Norwegian girl dressed in a traditional bunad playing a violin (and presumably some of Greig's music). After a short walk down a path in dappled sunlight through a grove of stunningly green birch and beech trees, one first comes to the visitor centre (where the small Troldsalen concert hall is housed) and then it is only a little further to Grieg's house and composer's hut (both overlooking the water) and it is also possible to walk down to the edge of the lake and look up at the tomb which is the final resting place of both Edvard and his wife Nina. I enjoyed sitting in the garden for a time and just looking out over the lake (I seem to recall this may have been interrupted at one point by the predictable Bergen rain!).

It is a beautiful, calm and tranquil place and well worth a visit. Certain areas of the house are open to visitors and you can also look into the composer's hut.

Troldhaugen

The Composer's Hut

Lake Nordås 

The Tomb of Edvard and Nina Grieg

Disaster Evaluation - Terror strikes at the heart of Norway

As someone who has lived in Norway for a time and still feels close to this wonderful country (having returned twice since), my heart went out to the Norwegian people when the whole world was rocked by the July 2011 twin terrorist attacks which shattered so many lives in this peaceful land.

In December 2011 as the final assignment for the Disaster Evaluation subject which formed part of the Monash University Master of Emergency Health program, I applied a disaster evaluation framework to this tragedy. The topic and Introduction appear below by way of background, but if interested the entire paper can be downloaded from: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/30234302/Disaster_Evaluation_Norway_Dec11.pdf.

Topic: Select a ‘crisis event’ and prepare a framework for an evaluation proposal using a framework or frameworks drawn from the Unit resources. Discuss your choice of framework/s and evaluation method.

Introduction

The selected ‘crisis event’ is the terrorist attacks in and adjacent to Oslo, Norway on 22 July 2011. A précis of the event and its aftermath is presented and its characterisation in terms of disaster terminology is considered.

A variety of evaluation modalities and timings are presented in the literature, and the suitability of these for evaluating this event is discussed, as is the importance of understanding the context and, in these particular circumstances, undertaking longitudinal evaluation.

A framework for an evaluation proposal has been synthesised from a combination of the ANLAP Guide[i], the reporting frameworks developed by Kulling et al[ii] and Bradt[iii] and the 2003 EU Workshop Report on ‘Lessons Learned’[iv] (“the Stockholm Report”). The applicability of this proposed framework to the Norwegian event is examined, together with some key contextual evaluation issues, likely key stakeholders and sources of information.

The event and its consequences have wide-ranging implications for the Norwegian authorities, those affected and Norwegian society in general, including in the areas of security, health and multiculturalism, and will play an important role in shaping Norway’s future disaster management strategies.

[i] Cosgrave J, Ramalingam B, Beck T. Real-time evaluations of humanitarian action. An ANLAP Guide. Pilot Version. Overseas Development Institute; 2009. (Hard copy distributed to students in MEH5060.)
[ii] Kulling P, Birnbaum M, Murray V, Rockenschaub G. Guidelines for Reports on Health Crises and Critical Health Events. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 2010; 25(4): 377-383.
[iii] Bradt DA, Aitken P. Disaster medicine reporting: The need for new guidelines and the CONFIDE statement. Emergency Medicine Australasia 2010; 22: 483-487.
[iv] European Union. Report: Disaster Medicine Lessons Learned. EU Workshop Stockholm; 18-21 September, 2003. (Electronic copy distributed to students in MEH5060.) Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/civil_protection/civil/prote/pdfdocs/sv_report_en.pdf. Accessed 29 November 2011

2012-13 Calendar: Scenes from Arctic Norway Expedition Medicine Course

Polar Expedition Medicine Course, Alta, Norway (early 2010)

If you are interested in sharing the adventure of exploring Arctic Norway, I have created a multi-purpose Powerpoint calendar which can be viewed as a slide show, used as an easy-access ‘desktop’ computer calendar or printed out as a whole or a month at a time if you need an ‘instant diary’ for meetings, advance planning etc.

The Office 2003 version of the Powerpoint file is accessible from DropBox via this link:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/30234302/Alta_Calendar_2012_13nn.ppt

Slaughter of the innocents

Having lived in Oslo and regarding it as my second home and having been told “du er jo halv norsk” (a true half-Norwegian) I was desperately sad to hear of the recent tragic events in Oslo and Utøya and like many others find it hard to believe that these horrendous acts were committed by an ethnic Norwegian. I cried when I saw the TV news last Sunday morning and my heart goes out to the Norwegian people and their palpable pain. So many innocent lives lost and so many lives touched. I have friends who live near the site of the bomb blast and who minister at the Gamle Aker and Orthodox churches not far away. Fortunately they are all OK, but it serves to remind us of how fragile life is and how we should not take anything for granted. May all the lost souls rest in peace and their families and friends receive the love and support that the need in these dark hours. My experience of Norway is as a peaceful and safe country with a strong history of democracy, tolerance and respect, both for each other and for nature. I hope that these good things will endure and in time the scars will heal and a stronger and more united Norway will emerge.