r/Nordiccountries

Hi,
we’re four guys, and we’ve put together Westminster’s restaurant scene in an app called Vota. The concept is simple: you see two places side by side (for example Famille vs. Kachina Southwestern Grill), you choose the place you’d rather go to, and the ranking updates instantly. The more people vote, the more accurate the list gets over time. There are still a few duplicates here and there, but I’m continuously cleaning up the data.

Here’s the iPhone version, with categories that actually fit Westminster’s food scene:
https://apps.apple.com/app/vota-restaurant-ratings/id6744969212

And here’s the Android version (finally live):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.vota.app

P.S. I’m not from Westminster (I live in Gothenburg). I’m not collecting data, not selling anything, and the app does not use AI-generated content. I’m posting in a few different subreddits because we now support more regions, and I genuinely want honest feedback from people who actually know the area.

Right now, my social media seems to be flooded with posts romanticizing the Copenhagen lifestyle. Most of these are by tourists or local influencers, who make it seem like it's common to go to the sauna, wear good quality clothes, get coffee out, etc. I calculated the cost of what it would be like to live like this for a month, and it isn't affordable given annual salaries. I broke down the costs here on just how expensive and unattainable this lifestyle is but would love to hear other people's thoughts: https://open.substack.com/pub/wildethought/p/the-cost-of-a-scandinavian-summer?r=73n5kl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I used to think Norway was a very modern, fair, and forward-looking country. But after seeing some of the coverage and cartoons about India and Narendra Modi in Norwegian media, I honestly feel disappointed.

At international summits, Modi was one of the most discussed leaders. Many world leaders openly spoke positively about India’s growing role, economy, diplomacy, and influence. Whether people personally like Modi or not, India’s global position today is stronger than before.

That’s why it feels strange to see some Norwegian journalists constantly portray him in such a negative and almost mocking way, often using stereotypes about India that would probably not be accepted if directed at other cultures.

It makes me wonder: does Norwegian society present itself as tolerant and progressive on the surface, while still holding very different attitudes toward non-Western countries underneath?

I’m genuinely asking because this coverage changed my perception of Norway. Curious what Norwegians think about this.

I am very sure the moderator here will surely remove this post but definitely keep post which is anti india

Ness 448 – Russland kan bruke taktiske atomvåpen

Norwegian Oberstløytnant and teacher on the war school Amund Osflaten believes it goes a little better for Ukraine right now, that they have taken back some territory. He says there is a stalemate on the frontline.

He explains the main events which he thinks shaped the security perception of the Russian elite, which lead to their reaction in 2014 onward.

He begins with 1941, when the Germans launched a surprise extermination attempt, through Ukraine, which caused enormous amounts of deaths. Alexander the Great had modernized the Russian army earlier on, and it had adopted a scientific method of theorizing war. Osflaten believes that preventing another 1941 became a primary goal of the Soviet doctrine since.

Putin and his cohort grew up in the Soviet Union, powerful enough to defend itself. Osflaten suggests that the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 caused them to feel less secure, since Russia was not a global power as the USSR had been.

In 1999 Nato bombed Yugoslavia without UN mandate, under the pretext of preventing an ethnic cleansing.

Around 2010 came the Arab Spring, a series of colour revolutions to Western-friendly governments. The protests and regime changes were made possible with the help of social media, which were all in the hands of Western corps.

Then came a regime change in Ukraine, overthrowing a more Russian-friendly, into a western-friendly government, abrogating the Minsk 2 agreement, and Nato presence with medium range missiles and excercises. In sum, he thinks the Russian leaders thought all this would lead to an existential threat for Russia.

Ole Asbjørn Ness asks whether or not Russia sees itself as an empire. If by that, we mean a global power, then yes, but if we see imperialism as the desire to expand and subjugate new territories, then that was not the consideration in this case, Osflaten says.

Then he goes on to talk about atom bombs. He says Russia views them more as a tool, whereas we in the West "would feel that we lost if we had to use them". At least until now, among the nuclear powers who admit they are, I thought only USA had a first strike doctrine, whereas Russia and China would only respond with atomic wepons if attacked by atomic weapons. Alexander Mercouris says there is no evidence that anyone in the Russian leadership are talking about atom bombs. USA is the only country that used them.

Osflaten goes on to say there is a theory that the drone threat on the Victory Day parade, and the attack on refinery capacity, may force Putin to accept a peace deal where he got less than what he wanted. If his motives are expansionist, imperialist, then this might work, in the same way as any imperialist would not risk the core, the economy, the army, the popularity of the regime, in order to get more territory.

But if the war is viewed as existential, that the goals are set because they are considered essential to reach, then this type of attack on ie the oil and gas industry, will have an effect on the ability to fight, but probably not the will. Perhaps even the opposite. The losses which Russia has absorbed supports this view.

There are only 20-25 million people left in Ukraine, from well over 30 before the war, he says. Some of these were in the territories now occupied by Russia, some fled, hundreds of thousands or more may be dead. In the long term, he believes Ukraine will lose. As of now, he can unfortunately not see any turning in the war, he says.

The West has a lot of bad strategic options to choose from. He believes that if supporting Ukraine so that it can fight longer, leads to weakening Ukraine, then the peace terms that they can achieve will unfortunately be worse. He still believes we should support Ukraine's war efforts, so that its army does not collapse, but at the same time, find a diplomatic solution to end the war. If it does collapse, there is higher chance for uncontrollable escalations.

The problem, he says, is that it will be difficult for many people to accept an arrangement that also Russia would accept. He thinks the Minsk treaty was unfair to Ukraine, at least from Ukraine's point of view, and forced by use of Russian military, and that the terms that Ukraine can get now is even more unfair. Sometimes there are no good strategic solutions. Westerners, who have been used to get what we want, need to get used to this, he says.

He does not think that Russia necessarily is worried by the rearmament project in Europe. Whether or not they view it as a threat, depends on how it's deployed etc. He is more worried about uncontrollable escalation scenarios.

As far as Norway is concerned, we did manage ok during the Cold War. Osflaten thinks we need to find back some of the realizations we made then. "The most important task for strategy is not to win wars, but to avoid them. Not because war is bad in itself, but because of nuclear escalation. Among other things."

Ness had looked at Russia as perhaps an empire, and therefore thought it was like a bicycle, that it had to keep going in order to not fall over. "In this case it does not have much explanatary power, one has to dive into the close details."

Window light, close crop, café table, edited for warmth and shine, f/1.78, 24mm focal length

With the Games of Norway event on steam happening this week with our 17th of May national holiday, i figured i'd look through every Norwegian videogame i could find, these are the standouts in my personal opinion!

Please if you have any other recommendations leave a comment!

>Following genres not included (exept for the "Popular, but not for me" sections below) because i don't play them, roguelikes, soulslikes, metroidvanias, open world survival crafting, card games, mmos and a few more

>There are a lot more than what i'm showing here, click the event if you want to see everything!

I am not affiliated with any of this, but the main event organizer seems to be /u/Jo-remi

My picks, currently on sale!

SNØ: Ultimate Freeriding

Embracelet

Pode

Milkmaid of the Milky Way

Moons of Madness

Draugen

Among the Sleep

Morkredd

Degrees of Separation

The Complete Tuesday Trilogy! > Manual Samuel

> Helheim Hassle

> The Holy Gosh Darn

The Longest Journey Bundle > The Longest Journey

> Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

> Dreamfall Chapters

Conan Unconquered

NORSE: Oath of Blood

Viking Chess: Hnefatafl

Owl Watch (very short)

Sunlight (very short)

My picks, but not currently on sale

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley (great for kids reading)

Megabonk

Northern Journey

Through the Woods

C.A.R.S. - Creating A Ridiculous Shitshow

My picks of upcoming Games!

Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth

Northgale

Hello Sunshine

The Fold: Ingression

FYR: The Lost Island

Ismene

Arc of Icarus (Ringworld city builder)

Lemonade Apocalypse 2: The Great Filter - (Original is a free)

Love in Space (Karaoke-musical visual novel?)

GUN AND BUCKLER

Vikings On Trampolines

Jiggle Ball

Lavalads

Wee Boats

Upcoming, not for me

Life Below

Crop

WORM GAME

Iron Bramble

Lost Lands

Cliff Kingdom

Rushaug: Feline Warfare

Knuckle Jet

Lysward

My Child New Beginnings

Roguecraft DX

OrbGuard

Kioku: Last Summer

Ignore the Blackbird

Legends of Rock

Dig Dig Boom

Dude, Where Is My Beer? A New Hop

Talystro

Evolized

Skate Style

Pegfinity

GUN SOLVER

Payback Protocol

TEKNOKRAT

Hyper Sphere

Block Sprawl

The Devil's Due

Mechjestic

Capture The Flag

Popular on sale, not for me

Owlboy

Savant - Ascent

Dustborn

Conan Exiles

Dune: Awakening

Metal: Hellsinger (also vr version)

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden

Teslagrad

The Park

Love Begins With Goodbye

Somber Echoes

Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure

Pinchcliffe Grand Prix

Popular, but not currently on sale

Aloft

SKALD: Against the Black Priory

My Child Lebensborn Remastered

Teslagrad 2

Secret World Legends (f2p)

Hide and Shriek (f2p)

Fishing: North Atlantic

Fishing: Barents Sea

Ships At Sea

On sale, not for me, but deserves more views

Fruitbus

Dagdrøm

Tails of Glimmervale

Dude, Where Is My Beer?

Prime Mover

Glonk

Brew

Fugl

World to the West

Not on sale or for me, but deserves more views

Rhythm Sprout: Sick Beats & Bad Sweets

JETRUNNER

Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss

Mosaic

Skogdal

Overvåkerne

Classics (no longer for sale)

Big Abandonware archive! by /u/StankyBusiness

Flåklypa (2000) >Seriously why do they refuse to update the original for modern systems, instead giving us a much worse remake? If they ask GoG for help they'll 100% get them in touch with someone, or just ask publicly i'm sure lots of norwegian devs would love to be involved, yes i'm very annoyed about this!

Anarchy Online (2001+)

Again please if you have any other recommendations leave a comment!

> /r/norge mods refused to let me or /u/Jo-remi post anything about this, trying here in english instead!

>> His original post there got a comment saying "advertising and sales" caused it to be removed, after i asked the mods to change their minds, the response was "his post was removed for self-promotion"

>> My post was removed for "reposting deleted posts" even though i just asked for large cultural events like gaming events to be allowed, using this event as an example!

>>> It should be treated the same as any other cultural event or festival!

> Will try posting this in other subreddits after some more edits and homefully more recommendations! >> Which subreddits would allow this? >>> Needs a much better title to get any views, I'm terrible at that >>>>Maybe "Games of Norway event, my recommendations!"?

EDIT: I had been editing this and looking for games for a few hours, saw just after publishing that there's now an official post by /u/Jo-remi