# What's in the 100 year old Norwegian mystery package? It's being opened tomorrow 8/24. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441 "2012-08-24T01:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/141 "2012-08-24T18:33:23Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > 100 years doesn’t seem like that long for a time capsule. That’s the time period I usually hear about. How long do you expect one to go? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/142 "2012-08-24T18:40:30Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Why do you think he would need to hide letters from his mistress? 😕 I figured he didn’t want his wife to know about her. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/143 "2012-08-24T18:40:31Z")
It’s a note that says, “Look around you. What you see is the biggest collection of dumb asses in Norway since the Kaiser visited.” ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/144 "2012-08-24T18:46:23Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That’s the time period I usually hear about. How long do you expect one to go? Longer than that if you expect it to be a big deal globally. One hundred years just doesn’t seem like very long ago to me. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/145 "2012-08-24T18:49:01Z")
Damn Swedes. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/146 "2012-08-24T18:49:50Z")
A man after my own heart. He saved every piece of paper that might be useful to someone else, and he saved them _meticulously_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/147 "2012-08-24T18:54:43Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It’s a note that says, “Look around you. What you see is the biggest collection of dumb asses in Norway since the Kaiser visited.” Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/148 "2012-08-24T18:58:23Z")
I, for one, welcome our coming Norwegian masters and mistresses. … What? Too early? Danggit… my timing is always off with these things. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/149 "2012-08-24T19:29:25Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Why do you think he would need to hide letters from his mistress? 😕 I suspect it was meant to be read as "Hide letters that came from his mistress " and not ‘Hide letters away from his mistress’. Ok maybe I’m tired, lol. It made sense when I typed it! ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/150 "2012-08-24T19:40:20Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > I suspect it was meant to be read as "Hide letters that came from his mistress " and not ‘Hide letters away from his mistress’. > > Ok maybe I’m tired, lol. It made sense when I typed it! Yea, I know 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/151 "2012-08-24T19:48:52Z")
:smack::smack: Boy, I sure wish I could take naps, 'cause I apparantly need one! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/152 "2012-08-24T22:57:42Z")
Pshhh… the Norwegian authorities obviously handed down the controversial Breivik ruling when they knew the nation would be distracted by old box opening fever! ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/153 "2012-08-25T00:27:12Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Damn Swedes. They’re Norwegian, MacCready… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/154 "2012-08-25T01:11:26Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Anyone else see the trailer for a movie called “Kon Tiki” that looks amazing? I have _Kon-Tiki_ on DVD. I love it. I’ll have to watch the dramatisation when it comes out here. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/155 "2012-08-25T02:05:03Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Pshhh… the Norwegian authorities obviously handed down the controversial Breivik ruling when they knew the nation would be distracted by old box opening fever! I don’t know if this is breaking any rules, but it is a little insensitive. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/156 "2012-08-25T02:08:10Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I don’t know if this is breaking any rules, but it is a little insensitive. Not any more than making us watch interpretative dance before opening the package. I was about to jump off the nearest fjord myself during that horror show. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/157 "2012-08-25T07:12:11Z")
“Inside the package? Surprise! Another package! Inside that, much to my dismay, was not an increasingly small series of packages leading to a pea. Instead, the interior package contained a number of fabrics in the color of Norway’s flag – “from the King,” said one of the package openers. Under the fabric the curators found notebooks, newspapers, a letter, a small drawing, some community council papers and other bits of paper.” [Here](http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisbarth/2012/08/24/norways-100-year-old-mystery-package-opened-guess-what-was-inside/) ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/158 "2012-08-25T09:46:49Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Anyone else see the trailer for a movie called “Kon Tiki” that looks amazing? I saw that as well. I was a little confused by the autobot symbol on the mast. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/159 "2012-08-25T11:27:37Z")
> **[Norway's 100-Year-Old Mystery Package Opened: Guess What Was Inside](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisbarth/2012/08/24/norways-100-year-old-mystery-package-opened-guess-what-was-inside/)** > > Amidst fanfare and in front of Princess Astrid, the mayor of Sel cut the strings today on a package that has been shrouded in mystery for a century. > [@](#): > > The curators returned to the stage without the secret for time travel. Instead, the package contents seem to be primarily concerned with the construction of a monument to celebrate the victory in 1612. The notebooks and newspapers contain ledgers and accounts of donations given to fund the memorial. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441/160 "2012-08-25T13:30:11Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Brilliant. Thank you. 🙂 It’s nice to find an appreciative audience, even if it’s an audience of 1. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-in-the-100-year-old-norwegian-mystery-package-its-being-opened-tomorrow-8-24/632441.md?page=7)