In Norway, TV Program on Firewood Elicits Passions - NYTimes.com - http://www.nytimes.com/2013...
Feb 21, 2013
from
Kol Tregaskes,
AJ Batac,
Steven Perez,
Stephen Mack,
Big Joe Silenced,
Brent Schaus,
Amir,
Eivind,
Jenny H.,
renzo,
Amit Patel,
Lorenzo R v rs,
Nispell,
Kirsten loves you,
Stephan Planken,
bentley,
Brian Johns,
Halil,
Andrew C (see frenf.it),
Todd Hoff,
Hookuh Tinypants,
imabonehead,
and
Jennifer Dittrich
liked this
"The TV program, on the topic of firewood, consisted mostly of people in parkas chatting and chopping in the woods and then eight hours of a fire burning in a fireplace. Yet no sooner had it begun, on prime time on Friday night, than the angry responses came pouring in. “We received about 60 text messages from people complaining about the stacking in the program,” said Lars Mytting, whose best-selling book “Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood — and the Soul of Wood-Burning” inspired the broadcast. “Fifty percent complained that the bark was facing up, and the rest complained that the bark was facing down.”
He explained, “One thing that really divides Norway is bark.”"
- John (bird whisperer)
"“National Firewood Night,” as Friday’s program was called, opened with the host, Rebecca Nedregotten Strand, promising to “try to get to the core of Norwegian firewood culture — because firewood is the foundation of our lives.” Various people discussed its historical and personal significance. “We’ll be sawing, we’ll be splitting, we’ll be stacking and we’ll be burning,” Ms. Nedregotten Strand said. "
- John (bird whisperer)
"But the real excitement came when the action moved, four hours later, to a fireplace in a Bergen farmhouse.
Perhaps you have seen a log fire burning on television before. But it would be very foolish to confuse Norway’s eight-hour fireplace extravaganza on Friday with the Yule log broadcast in the United States at Christmastime.
While the Yule log fire plays on a constant repeating loop, the fire on “National Firewood Night” burned all night long, in suspensefully unscripted configurations. Fresh wood was added through the hours by an NRK photographer named Ingrid Tangstad Hatlevoll, aided by viewers who sent advice via Facebook on where exactly to place it.
For most of the time, the only sound came from the fire. Ms. Hatlevoll’s face never appeared on screen, but occasionally her hands could be seen putting logs in the fireplace, or cooking sausages and marshmallows on sticks. "
- John (bird whisperer)
I love that people complained about the stacking of the firewood :)
- Jennifer Dittrich
I assume this guy was joking: "On Twitter, a viewer named Andre Ulveseter said: “Went to throw a log on the fire, got mixed up, and smashed it right into the TV.” "
- John (bird whisperer)
Or really, really drunk.
- Jennifer Dittrich
That is awesome
- Todd Hoff
I'm impressed that they were able to keep talking about firewood for four hours before the fire even started.
- John (bird whisperer)
I'm guessing if you're passionate enough about something, you find all sorts of bits and pieces to go on and on about. I've heard people obsessed with BBQ go on at length about wood chips, so I assume it is similar.
- Jennifer Dittrich
Yeah, that's true.
- John (bird whisperer)
This makes Norway more appealing to me at this very minute.
- Brian Johns
Sounds perfectly cromulent to me.
- CAJ was here
Real pros have a wood shack!
- Stephan Planken
Am I the only person who saw that first photo and thought, "Why is Eivind staring at me and holding that axe?"
- Steven Perez
Your method makes sense, Mark, but I'm not a firewood expert. Steven, I didn't think he looked like Eivind, though I did wonder if he tuned in.
- John (bird whisperer)
Isn't it good? (Norwegian wood.)
- Stephen Mack
I knew about the book, but I was unaware of there being a TV show. I haven't been in Norway this week :)
- Eivind
Oh, that's right.
- John (bird whisperer)
He does have a big stack.
- John (bird whisperer)
This made me laugh so hard.
- Jenny H.
It's highly amusing. :-D
- John (bird whisperer)
Why are you guys laughing? :-P
- Eivind
Bark up or bark down?
- Spidra Webster
^ right? Inquiring minds need to know!
- Jennifer Dittrich
You guys should buy the book :)
- Eivind
I just put this on http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlaye...
- Rodfather
*bump*
- John (bird whisperer)
Season 3 is awesome!
- Eivind