Meteorite Crashes Through Cottage In Oslo

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Meteorite Crashes Through Cottage In Oslo

Posted by samzenpus on Monday March 12, 2012 @02:20AM from the knock-knock dept.

First time submitter Mastiff in Norway writes "Famous (in Norway) Norwegian astrophycisist Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard is ecstatic after a meteorite was found in an urban cottage in Oslo this weekend. This is the 14th meteorite that's been found in Norway, and only the second that crashed through a roof. It is not certain when the crash happened, since the cottage hasn't been used all winter, but on the 1st of March a big ball of fire was observed over the southern parts of Norway, and it is thought that this may be one of the pieces from that entry into the atmosphere. Maybe it's time to replace those tin foil hats with helmets?"

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He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · 2012-03-12 02:22 · Score: 5, Funny

if it was his cottage that the meteorite had crashed through.
Also, names in l33t sp34k are sooo 90s...

--
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
1. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by dinfinity · 2012-03-12 02:24 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Well, the damage wasn't too bad actually. Pics: http://www.vg.no/bildespesial/spesial.php?id=8728
2. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Fishead · 2012-03-12 02:27 · Score: 1
  
  I'm jealous. That'd be so much easier and cooler than finishing my renovations and selling my house. My insurance policy says I'm covered for "acts of God". As long as nobody's hurt of course.
3. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Tukz · 2012-03-12 02:31 · Score: 1
  
  Wooooosh
  
  --
  - Don't do what I do, it's probably not healthy nor safe. -
4. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:33 · Score: 1
  
  It's not bad at all.
  I was expecting the smoldering remains of a once beautiful cottage. I didn't think a roof from what appears to be a mostly wooden house would stop a piece of rock hurled at it at enormous speeds.
5. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:33 · Score: 0
  
  Nothing about this here:
  http://astronomi.no/
  Which is the Norwegian site for astronomy news. I guess they move at the same pace as the rest of the universe.
  captcha: enemas
6. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by vlm · 2012-03-12 02:34 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  My insurance policy says I'm covered for "acts of God".
  Not to completely hijack the thread, but I've always wondered how that kind of clause works out with atheists or more generally speaking people of non-evangelical christian religions.
  
  --
  "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
7. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by mbone · 2012-03-12 02:36 · Score: 1
  
  if it was his cottage that the meteorite had crashed through.
  Given what some falls sell for, he might be anyway, as he might make a tidy profit.
8. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by trongey · 2012-03-12 02:40 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  ... I didn't think a roof from what appears to be a mostly wooden house would stop a piece of rock hurled at it at enormous speeds.
  It's good Norwegian wood. I think some guy made a few dollars singing about it.
  
  --
  You never really know how close to the edge you can go until you fall off.
9. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by jones_supa · 2012-03-12 02:41 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Also, names in l33t sp34k are sooo 90s...
  In this case there is a reason for it. You see, if your profession is astronomy in Norway, it is customary to replace all the O's in your name with Ø so they look like planets with orbits.
10. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by mbone · 2012-03-12 02:43 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  The same. In law, at least, it's not a religious concept; in some jurisdictions it is called "force majeure."
  IANAL, but these terms basically all seem to mean the same thing, events beyond your control. A war or even a strike can also qualify.
11. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:45 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  That's awesomely bizarre. Maybe they'll just repair the damage themselves, but I'd love to hear the call to the insurance company for that one. "You're asking about your coverage for WHAT?"
  The broken surface of the meteorite nicely shows the fusion crust and what looks like an interesting brecciated interior.
12. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by mcgrew · 2012-03-12 02:49 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Not to completely hijack the thread, but I've always wondered how that kind of clause works out with atheists or more generally speaking people of non-evangelical christian religions.
  Athiest: "My house got blown away by a tornado, but I'm not collecting the insurance money because there are no gods!" Um, I doubt that will happen.
  My question is, what of people who worship money? Would being swindled be an act of god?
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
13. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by niftydude · 2012-03-12 02:49 · Score: 1
  
  Also, names in l33t sp34k are sooo 90s...
  Knut time-travelled here from the 90s you insensitive clod!
  
  --
  You can never know everything, and part of what you do know will always be wrong. Perhaps even the most important part.
14. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:51 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  He's a real fun guy. He is very enthisiastic about astronomy, and do a lot of public happenings when there are major astronomical events. Also ver supportive about anything that promotes astronomy and science.
  Trust me, my name also contains Ø. It's pronounced uh like in duh.
15. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Tr3vin · 2012-03-12 02:53 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Wøøøøøsh
  FTFY
16. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Dan+East · 2012-03-12 02:53 · Score: 2
  
  In this case there is a reason for it. You see, if your profession is astronomy in Norway, it is customary to replace all the O's in your name with Ø so they look like planets with orbits.
  Norwegian Nuclear Physicists do the same thing, although the astronomers claim they came up with the idea first. Considering that astronomy is the older profession of the two, they may indeed have prior art.
  
  --
  Better known as 318230.
17. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by dotancohen · 2012-03-12 02:58 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  In this case there is a reason for it. You see, if your profession is astronomy in Norway, it is customary to replace all the O's in your name with Ø so they look like planets with orbits.
  I think that this guy bit my sister once.
  
  --
  It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
18. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:07 · Score: 0
  
  It's good Norwegian wood. I think some guy made a few dollars singing about it.
  The book was better.
19. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Pope · 2012-03-12 03:11 · Score: 1
  
  It does tend to burn rather well.
  
  --
  It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
20. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Quiet_Desperation · 2012-03-12 03:18 · Score: 2
  
  Are we sure it didn't?
  
  Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard
  *Something* cracked all the o letters in his name!
21. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:26 · Score: 1
  
  My housing insurance did not cover war-like acts. It also said that, "A nuclear detonation of any kind will be considered a war-like act, even if conducted during peace time."
  Very nice.
  Although it doesn't really matter -- I would have bigger things to worry about than housing insurance in that case.
22. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by delt0r · 2012-03-12 03:33 · Score: 1
  
  I does happen and can be not so serious. I know these people however and they where a little freaked out about it.
  
  --
  If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
23. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by rgbatduke · 2012-03-12 03:34 · Score: 1
  
  Actually, meteorites are worth a rather lot of money. Meteorites with "provenance" -- ones that did things like crash through the roof of a cottage at a known place and time -- are often the most valuable. Insurance will likely fix the cottage, and the owner might make anywhere from $1 to $1000 per gram from the meteorite itself, sold at auction -- the higher end if it is an attractive or rare type. A rare/beautiful meteorite with unusual provenance and no weathering is more valuable than gold. Even an ugly, common meteorite with provenance like "hitting a house" is probably $50-100/gram -- or more. Who knows what a collector will pay at auction?
  
  rgb
  
  --
  Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken. --- Bertrand Russell.
24. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by FranktehReaver · 2012-03-12 03:35 · Score: 1
  
  I do like how it only went through the overhang on the house and not into the house. But in customary fashion I shall ignore that I read the article and make outlandish comments based on nothing.
  ....I heard it took out the entire kitchen and after it made its impact a new life form emerged and burrowed into their mattresses.
25. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by ackthpt · 2012-03-12 03:40 · Score: 1
  
  if it was his cottage that the meteorite had crashed through.
  Also, names in l33t sp34k are sooo 90s...
  His thrill factor would be off the charts if it had. I'd welcome one to crash through my roof! What's with you? Afraid of a little meteor shower now and then?
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
26. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by tnk1 · 2012-03-12 03:41 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Well at least your refrigerator would survive, so there is that.
27. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Goaway · 2012-03-12 03:44 · Score: 1
  
  Once a fragment that small reaches the ground, it's no longer travelling at enormous speeds. The fireball is caused when the meteorite sheds most of its velocity and the energy is turned into heat. Any surviving parts will be falling at terminal velocity, which is uncomfortably high for a piece of rock, but not enormous.
28. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:48 · Score: 0
  
  An acquaintance once removed of mine is a biologist. A few years ago he got bitten by a snake and almost died, but still he was fucking extatic afterwards, because it apparently was some rare species and they still managed to catch and keep it.
  I think it's safe to extrapolate to other scientists, so if the meteorite crashed through that astronomer's roof he might still balance out on happy in Dwarf Fortress fashion, because on one hand his wife's head was smashed in, but on the other hand he now owns a meteorite.
29. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:51 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Farmers' insurance company in the US has an ad campaign running currently where they specifically brag that they cover damage due to random objects falling from space. Probably more common that you'd think, due to the rarity of these events ever actually occurring.
30. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by ColdWetDog · 2012-03-12 03:54 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  African or European rock?
  
  --
  Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
31. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:55 · Score: 0
  
  i would imagine a real piece of meteorite would sell well on ebay.
  Norwegian meteorite 100,000,000 years old. No returns, please read full listing for actual meteor composite. Serious about keeping good seller satus. Starting bid - 100,000.00
  Off subject...
  Not sure why, but thinking of that scene in Joe Dirt with the missile.
32. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by FatdogHaiku · 2012-03-12 03:57 · Score: 2
  
  It's good Norwegian wood. I think some guy made a few dollars singing about it.
  Jeez, all these years I thought that guy was singing about an encounter with a Norwegian transvestite...
  
  I once had a girl
  Or should I say she once had me
  She showed me her room
  Isn't it good Norwegian wood?
  She asked me to stay
  And she told me to sit anywhere
  So I looked around
  And I noticed there wasn't a chair
  
  --
  You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
33. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by vlm · 2012-03-12 04:03 · Score: 2
  
  Although it doesn't really matter -- I would have bigger things to worry about than housing insurance in that case.
  Strong disagree... I live 1000s of miles downwind of LA. No direct biological effect on me or mine if "they" pop the port of LA with something inside a shipping container, but its basically a dirty bomb attack on me for resale value, or maybe govt certified verified licensed decon, etc.
  There's a uniquely American fixation that any nuclear attack means the fireball must be directly over their head because the world revolves around them. More likely it'll happen 2000 miles away.
  
  --
  "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
34. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 04:04 · Score: 1
  
  Would they require to destroy it (probably by dissolving in some acid) and send them photographic proof of destruction if you claim it's fake?
35. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by mbone · 2012-03-12 04:04 · Score: 2
  
  My housing insurance ... said that, "A nuclear detonation of any kind will be considered a war-like act, even if conducted during peace time."
  Oddly, the US Government has pretty much the same opinion, at least if it is on US territory.
36. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by heypete · 2012-03-12 04:15 · Score: 2
  
  My renters insurance from when I lived in the US (provided by USAA) coverd damage to insured property due to falling aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and/or objects falling from space on the condition that the object pass through the ceiling, wall, or window prior to it striking and damaging the insured property (i.e. I can't file a claim for a meteor damaging my computer if there's not a hole in the ceiling from the meteor passing through it.).
  Fortunately, I never had to use it. /it always seemed odd that anything involving radiation (e.g. ranging from radioactive contamination all the way up to a full-out nuclear explosion) was completely exempted from the policy. I presume that a nuclear explosion would be catastrophic to insurers (not to mention residents) covering that region which is why the exclude it (same thing with floods), but still...
37. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 04:43 · Score: 0
  
  He's a real fun guy. He is very enthisiastic about astronomy, and do a lot of public happenings when there are major astronomical events.
  He is also very enthusiastic about minor astronomical events.
38. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by fifedrum · 2012-03-12 04:55 · Score: 1
  
  thank you. I came to this thread expecting a moose bit my sister joke and it wasn't until your post, almost 1/2 way down the page, until it struck.
  good jorb.
39. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by cyberchondriac · 2012-03-12 05:04 · Score: 2
  
  You forgot "unladen" .. or maybe that meteorite was carrying a coconut..
  
  --
  
  Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
40. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 05:11 · Score: 0
  
  He's a real fun guy. He is very enthisiastic about astronomy, and do a lot of public happenings when there are major astronomical events. Also ver supportive about anything that promotes astronomy and science.
  Trust me, my name also contains Ø. It's pronounced uh like in duh.
  So your real name is AnØnymØus CØward?
41. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by retroworks · 2012-03-12 05:13 · Score: 1
  
  I would have thought it terribly uncommon. But if Insurance companies have ad campaigns about it, I'm positive it's even less common than I thought. Isn't the whole point of insurance to sell you flood damage in the desert, fire damage in the swamp?
  
  --
  Gently reply
42. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Namlak · 2012-03-12 05:24 · Score: 2
  
  The same. In law, at least, it's not a religious concept; in some jurisdictions it is called "force majeure."
  IANAL, but these terms basically all seem to mean the same thing, events beyond your control.
  So this "act of God" concept actually works to the benefit of the atheists. The religious can have their claim denied because they failed to pray that they would be spared the incident or failed to achieve a sufficient degree of piety to influence their deity. The atheists would have no such control, and thus, liability.
  Tricky, those insurance lawyers!
43. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Deus.1.01 · 2012-03-12 05:56 · Score: 1
  
  Meteor insurance?
  This...insurance company...its not based in Bayonne by any chance is it?
  http://www.piranhaclub.it/img/sid_enos.gif
  
  --
  My -1 Troll is actually a +1 funny. And my -1 flame is actually a +1 insightfull.
44. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 07:28 · Score: 0
  
  If you left everything in those photos the same--the cottage, the damage to the roof, the people, sitting around staring and not talking--and just made one small change--replacing that rock with a vodka bottle--you'd have yourself a nice norwegian family reunion.
45. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 09:56 · Score: 0
  
  if it was his cottage that the meteorite had crashed through.
  You clearly don't know the guy! :-)
46. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by mbone · 2012-03-12 12:39 · Score: 2
  
  Fortunately, I never had to use it. /it always seemed odd that anything involving radiation (e.g. ranging from radioactive contamination all the way up to a full-out nuclear explosion) was completely exempted from the policy. I presume that a nuclear explosion would be catastrophic to insurers (not to mention residents) covering that region which is why the exclude it (same thing with floods), but still...
  They don't have to - you are covered by the 1957 Price-Anderson Act :
  Claims resulting from nuclear accidents are covered under Price-Anderson; for that reason, all property and liability insurance policies issued in the U.S. exclude nuclear accidents.”
47. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Ol+Biscuitbarrel · 2012-03-12 13:37 · Score: 2
  
  Yes, we all know what meteors sound like as they pass through the air.
48. Re:He wouldn't be so ecstatic by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-13 12:08 · Score: 0
  
  An act of blaspheme. Someone stole their god from them!!!!
I saw TFA by eternaldoctorwho · 2012-03-12 02:29 · Score: 1, Funny

Pics or it didn't happen.
1. Re:I saw TFA by robthebloke · 2012-03-12 02:40 · Score: 1
  
  Reposting pics dinfinity posted above.... http://www.vg.no/bildespesial/spesial.php?id=8728
2. Re:I saw TFA by Spodi · 2012-03-12 02:40 · Score: 1
  
  Guess you didn't look very hard. Gallery from TFA: http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utrolige-historier/artikkel.php?artid=10078768
3. Re:I saw TFA by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:42 · Score: 0
  
  Here you go.
4. Re:I saw TFA by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:48 · Score: 0
  
  whoosh ... it was clearly a joke. ... or retarded, this is slashdot.
5. Re:I saw TFA by crunchygranola · 2012-03-12 04:33 · Score: 1
  
  Conversely anything that appears in a picture is real?
  I've got some amazing things to show you! (Any photoshopping done was just to enhance clarity, honest.)
  
  --
  Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
It has started by gmuslera · 2012-03-12 02:30 · Score: 1

at last something 2012ish more serious than continents suddently moving thousand of kilometers because earth core getting microwaved
1. Re:It has started by mcgrew · 2012-03-12 03:53 · Score: 1
  
  I'm pretty sure he was going for "funny" and probably has enough karma to not worry about downmods or need an upmod.
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
2. Re:It has started by Nidi62 · 2012-03-12 05:10 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, actually I was tired and thought he was trying to make a bunch of 2012 mayan conspiracy end of the world crap that we've been seeing a lot here. Im using the DST card on this one.
  
  --
  The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
Norwegians, look to your yards ! by mbone · 2012-03-12 02:34 · Score: 1

Seriously, anyone here who lives in Norway (especially Oslo) should look for meteorites in their yards, on their roofs, etc. It is very common for meteors to break up as they reenter, and so it is very common, having found one large meteorite in an area, to find others nearby.
1. Re:Norwegians, look to your yards ! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:49 · Score: 0
  
  How would you be able to tell the meteorite from other rocks? Assuming they didnt leave an impact crater.
2. Re:Norwegians, look to your yards ! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:15 · Score: 1
  
  they're magnetic
3. Re:Norwegians, look to your yards ! by NatasRevol · 2012-03-12 03:30 · Score: 2
  
  And have cracks in them.
  See?
  Ø
  
  --
  There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
4. Re:Norwegians, look to your yards ! by mbone · 2012-03-12 04:01 · Score: 2
  
  How would you be able to tell the meteorite from other rocks? Assuming they didnt leave an impact crater.
  Look for something that seems out of place.
  If you see a rock on your lawn or in your flower bed, hopefully you would know if it was there last week, or not. Likewise, rocks don't tend to get on roofs by other means.
  Also, this fall did have a nice fusion crust and most (but not all) meteorites are magnetic.
  Looking in your yard for a meteorite would normally be a waste of time, except that it is a good assumption that there are other pieces of this out there that no one has recognized.
5. Re:Norwegians, look to your yards ! by crunchygranola · 2012-03-12 04:34 · Score: 1
  
  How would you be able to tell the meteorite from other rocks? Assuming they didnt leave an impact crater.
  ...
  If you see a rock on your lawn or in your flower bed, hopefully you would know if it was there last week, or not. Likewise, rocks don't tend to get on roofs by other means.
  ...
  Your neighborhood must have much better behaved kids than mine.
  
  --
  Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
I'm a heathen vik by Grindalf · 2012-03-12 02:37 · Score: 0

I'm a heathen vik, have they been breaking the Rune Law? Maybe the gods are angry, but like astrophysicists! :0)

--
The purpose of existence is to make money.
God Hates Norwegian Cottages by rossjudson · 2012-03-12 02:40 · Score: 4, Funny

It's the only rational explanation.
1. Re:God Hates Norwegian Cottages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:59 · Score: 1
  
  Oh I don't know, Norway now has a little piece of heaven on earth. 14 pieces apparently.
2. Re:God Hates Norwegian Cottages by Rakshasa-sensei · 2012-03-12 03:01 · Score: 1
  
  Norwegians hate God back.
  
  (Highest number of atheist and non-religious in Europe, plus we burn churches for sport)
3. Re:God Hates Norwegian Cottages by rossjudson · 2012-03-12 03:12 · Score: 2
  
  It gets even funnier if you misread "It is not certain why the crash happened, since the cottage hasn't been used all winter".
4. Re:God Hates Norwegian Cottages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 04:18 · Score: 1
  
  Internet atheists would do well to remember that we also have a STATE CHURCH and not only is there no separation of religion and government, offices in the STATE CHURCH are (in theory) appointed by the king.
  We just don't go ape over religious issues like some other countries I know.
5. Re:God Hates Norwegian Cottages by drainbramage · 2012-03-12 07:29 · Score: 1
  
  Albert said God doesn't roll dice, but apparently he does throw stones.
  
  --
  No brain, no pain.
Uptick in meteorites? by Prosthetic_Lips · 2012-03-12 02:42 · Score: 1

Maybe we are seeing more meteorites due to the thinning of the ozone layer, or thinning of the whole atmosphere! Forget the tinfoil hats and helmets, get your space suits on!
1. Re:Uptick in meteorites? by canajin56 · 2012-03-12 03:24 · Score: 1
  
  Since the "thinning" of the ozone layer is caused by ozone being reacted away, not by the stratosphere being annihilated, it would have 0 effect on the actual thickness of the actual atmosphere. Probably the uptick isn't in meteorite impacts, but meteorite impacts that get reported in the international news.
  
  --
  ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI
2. Re:Uptick in meteorites? by GameboyRMH · 2012-03-12 04:05 · Score: 1
  
  Who says you need to choose between them anyways? Covey your helmet with aluminum HVAC tape, have the best of both worlds.
  
  --
  "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
3. Re:Uptick in meteorites? by Prosthetic_Lips · 2012-03-12 05:38 · Score: 1
  
  ... hey, where's the "Like" button? Someone stole my Like button!
4. Re:Uptick in meteorites? by GameboyRMH · 2012-03-12 06:48 · Score: 1
  
  Actually you can click Share and then the little "f".
  
  --
  "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
Cottages by fwarren · 2012-03-12 02:42 · Score: 1

"Look, good against cottages is one thing. Good against the living with a tin foil hat? That's something else."

--
vi + /etc over regedit any day of the week.
Force majeure by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 02:47 · Score: 1

Force majeure is a term not often heard, but it is present in many contracts. Basically if something gets to big and unforeseen, most insurance companies does not give coverage. This instance in the article would be too small. But, if a larger thing were to happen, then this clause would come into effect. You should re-read your contract and look for this phrase. I strongly suspect you'll find it in most insurance-contracts. Of course the salesmen will say otherwise in oral terms, but that is only because they lack proper legal education.
Also, when thinking that this term is redundant, please keep in mind that the year is now 2012.
fascinating by k6mfw · 2012-03-12 02:52 · Score: 1

That is so cool, I glanced at the pics, wondering did the rock bury itself deep in the cottage? Or maybe its speed reduced to a rate equivalent as if tossed from a high rise?
OK, so when will someone post a Bruce Willis reference or a car analogy?

--
mfwright@batnet.com
1. Re:fascinating by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:14 · Score: 0
  
  Ok, car anology:
  It's like the semi that lost braking going down a mountain, spins through the sand and gravel in the emergency ramp, and has just enough momentum left to bump into a sapling. The tree will be fine, the sand got thrown around a little, but the only participant with a real problem is the semi that needs some repairs before it's road-capable again. The analogy fails that there are no 'meteorite repair shops' around, unles you want to find some potter and have a big layer of ceramics put around the thing and then 'free' it back into space with a very expensive rocket launch.
2. Re:fascinating by BattleApple · 2012-03-12 03:56 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The average velocity of meteoroids entering our atmosphere is 10-70 km/second. The smaller ones that survive the trip to the Earth's surface are quickly slowed by atmospheric friction to speeds of a few hundred kilometers per hour, and so hit the Earth with no more speed than if they had been dropped from a tall building. For meteorites larger than a few hundred tons (which fortunately are quite rare), atmospheric friction has little effect on the velocity and they hit the Earth with the enormous speeds characteristic of their entry into our atmosphere.
  
  source: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/meteors/impacts.html
Get With The Times by NicknameAvailable · 2012-03-12 02:53 · Score: 0

It's all about MuMetal hats these days.
1. Re:Get With The Times by tibit · 2012-03-12 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  MuMetal is quite fragile -- it loses its magnetic shielding properties if you as much as bend it. It might be somewhat impractical to wear it -- it'd need to be bonded to a stiff substrate to protect it from being deformed too much.
  
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2. Re:Get With The Times by crunchygranola · 2012-03-12 04:36 · Score: 1
  
  MuMetal is quite fragile -- it loses its magnetic shielding properties if you as much as bend it. It might be somewhat impractical to wear it -- it'd need to be bonded to a stiff substrate to protect it from being deformed too much.
  Well, duh! If it is to protect you from mind control AND meteorites of course it will be bonded to a nice sturdy Kevlar helmet!
  
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  Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
3. Re:Get With The Times by tibit · 2012-03-12 07:34 · Score: 1
  
  Duh, I should have thought of that ;) Thanks.
  
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  A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.
Hodges Meteorite by Jonathunder · 2012-03-12 02:56 · Score: 4, Informative

The 1954 Hodges Meteorite, which crashed into a house in Alabama, is the only one in recorded history to have actually hit a person. She survived, suffering only a bad bruising.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylacauga_(meteorite)
1. Re:Hodges Meteorite by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:28 · Score: 0
  
  The wikipedia article you cited refers to a _SECOND_ incident of a meteorite hitting someone in Uganda in 1992, adding to the urgency of englishknnigits plea to his congresswoman!
Meteorite? by Mike · 2012-03-12 02:57 · Score: 1

So it landed, bounced, and then crashed through the cottage?
Or was it just a meteor like most? :-P :-P :-P :-P
1. Re:Meteorite? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 03:22 · Score: 1
  
  It became a meteorite the instant it touched the cottage roof.
  Then it crashed through.
2. Re:Meteorite? by canajin56 · 2012-03-12 03:49 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  It is a meteorite now, and anything it did in the past is something it did, regardless of its technical state at the time. It's allowable to use something's/someone's current state/title/etc when referring to it's past. So when talking about a serving Senator's past actions in the private sector, it's not inaccurate to say "Ten years ago, the Senator blah blah blah" even though you are describing something that happened when they were NOT a Senator yet. And, a police officer giving testimony in court can say "Witnesses report that the deceased was seen driving away from his home at 7:35PM" without implying that a corpse was driving!
  
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3. Re:Meteorite? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 07:32 · Score: 0
  
  Oh, I thought you were going to educate us on the current/former Senator/Senatorite distinction.
So, what you're saying is... by englishknnigits · 2012-03-12 03:19 · Score: 2

we need a government agency to protect us from these dangerous meteorites! I'll write my congresswoman right away!
Value? by Overzeetop · 2012-03-12 03:20 · Score: 1

So, do they now own the meteorite (how cool!), and how much is something like that worth?

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Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
1. Re:Value? by mbone · 2012-03-12 13:53 · Score: 1
  
  Depends a lot on the type. If it is shown this one is from Mars, for example, it's worth a lot.
Free association result: by jtownatpunk.net · 2012-03-12 04:00 · Score: 2

I guess Thor caught his flight to Oslo.
A meteørite ønce bit my sister... by theoriginalturtle · 2012-03-12 04:07 · Score: 2

Nø, really!

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Rotate the pod, please, HAL....
1. Re:A meteørite ønce bit my sister... by ajlitt · 2012-03-12 04:14 · Score: 1
  
  Meteørite bites kan be pretty nasti.
2. Re:A meteørite ønce bit my sister... by snowgirl · 2012-03-12 06:35 · Score: 1
  
  Meteørite bites kan be pretty nasti.
  Doncha no...
  
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  WARNING! This girl exceeds the MAXIMUM SAFE standards established by the FDA for BRATTINESS
Maybe its time to leave Norway? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 04:17 · Score: 0

This message sponsored by the makers of Foil Hats. They know what you're thinking and they know where you live.
ONLY the second? by beh · 2012-03-12 04:23 · Score: 3, Informative

"This is the 14th meteorite that's been found in Norway, and only the second that crashed through a roof. "
Who wrote this?
Have you got any idea how "densely" populated Norway is?
Sure, people won't be monitoring all of the countryside for meteorite impacts; but even then, I'm sure they get to see easily more than 7* the roof space area in non-roofed area during their day-to-day activities.
So, among 14 meteorites, 1/7th has hit a house...?
How many meteorites does the country get???
1. Re:ONLY the second? by dryeo · 2012-03-12 05:08 · Score: 1
  
  I think they mean the second meteorite that has been known to hit a roof worldwide. The other one hit a woman after going through the roof and bouncing off a radio causing a nasty bruise.
  http://www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com/SylacaugaHulittHodgesW.jpg
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodges_meteorite
  
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2. Re:ONLY the second? by ErikZ · 2012-03-12 05:09 · Score: 1
  
  14
  
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  Democrats or Republicans. They are both taking us to the same place and they are not afraid of us anymore.
3. Re:ONLY the second? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 09:40 · Score: 0
  
  "This is the 14th meteorite *that's been found* in Norway, and only the second that crashed through a roof."
4. Re:ONLY the second? by rHBa · 2012-03-12 09:48 · Score: 1
  
  I think they mean "This is the 14th meteorite that's been found in Norway".
  
  Norway could be hit by 1,000 meteorites/day, doesn't mean you'll find any of them.
How does one know? by kbg · 2012-03-12 04:30 · Score: 1

I have always wondered how you can know if a certain rock is from outer space? I mean how can you be certain that this specific rock was a meteorite. I understand that meteorites are composed of different material from the rocks in the area, but how do you know it is from outer space and not from a volcano on earth for example?
1. Re:How does one know? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 08:15 · Score: 0
  
  Well, the complete lack of volcano's in the region would be one big hint after finding a freshly burned, dense rock.
2. Re:How does one know? by mbone · 2012-03-13 02:45 · Score: 1
  
  This rock has a fusion crust - i.e., it went through re-entry. That is a dead give-away that it is real. It doesn't happen otherwise in nature, and it would not be easy to hoax.
  The way to be even more sure is through isotope analysis - meteorites have different isotope ratios than do any terrestrial material. That never happens in nature, and would be damn near impossible to hoax.
Dodge the Meteorites by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 04:31 · Score: 0

That's why I sleep in a tent in the garden. No chance of being hit when those darn meteorites are aiming for houses.
At least that's what news stories tell me ...
Owning a summer place is a hassle by Latent+Heat · 2012-03-12 04:37 · Score: 3, Funny

I always thought that owning a second place that you kept closed up for winter was a pain -- squatters, nosy neighbors, raccoon and squirrel damage, local meth addicts looking to take your stuff, trees falling down, water pipes freezing and bursting. And now this, meteorites! There is no end to the trouble!
1. Re:Owning a summer place is a hassle by RockDoctor · 2012-03-13 12:16 · Score: 1
  You obviously don't live in Norway.
  
  Due to being a communist totalitarian state (or slightly socialist to non-Americans), squatters aren't a problem ;
  
  due to not being massively overpopulated, nosy neighbours aren't a problem (for your summer house) ; raccoons are SEPs (Someone Else's Problem) ;
  
  squirrels are too busy nut-hunting ;
  
  math addicts get their longitude right ;
  
  trees ... well, if you're silly enough to build your house too close to trees, what do you expect? ;
  
  water pipes don't freeze if you do your shut-down procedures correctly (corollary : you need to do your start-up procedures too, but that's why you wrote them down as a couple of checklists).
  Meteorites are not much of a concern to most Noggins I drink with.
  --
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piece of the bifrost... by bmc13 · 2012-03-12 04:46 · Score: 1

did thor or odin come to visit?
1. Re:piece of the bifrost... by cyberchondriac · 2012-03-12 05:15 · Score: 1
  
  Neither, Heimdall just had to do a # 2 over the edge of the bridge
  
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You Know Your Planet Is Overpopulated When ... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 05:03 · Score: 0

it has become a not uncommon occurence to have meteorites crashing through roofs on their way to the planet's surface.
1. Re:You Know Your Planet Is Overpopulated When ... by JohnPerkins · 2012-03-12 06:10 · Score: 1
  
  it has become a not uncommon occurence to have meteorites crashing through roofs on their way to the planet's surface.
  No, you don't. It's not a meteorite unless it hits the ground, so unless the object hit the ground and bounced back up, it's not a meteorite when it hits someone.
  Semantics aside, this says nothing about the over- or under- population of your planet. You could be living on (pre-crash) Trantor and have nearly all of the very few meteors hit a residence (leaving the out open-air palace garden area) or you could be living in the lone shack on a planet hit by very many meteors. Or you could have an abandoned planet with lots of residences and no residents. The number of meteors impacting residences, by itself, tells you nothing about the population density of the planet.
  There's a good question...If the planet is (nearly-) covered by a single building like Trantor, does the roof become the planetary surface (if not dirt/bedrock), with the people underneath then hit by meteorites instead of meteors?
  What if I live in a cave? A meteor strikes the ground (becoming a metorite), then enters the roof of my cave, then hits me? Have I been struck by a meteorite, where I would have been if I lived in an above-ground house?
2. Re:You Know Your Planet Is Overpopulated When ... by JohnPerkins · 2012-03-12 06:12 · Score: 1
  
  (apologies for self-commenting faux pas...)
  The above should have read "...where I would have been struck by a *meteor* of I lived in an above-ground house?"
3. Re:You Know Your Planet Is Overpopulated When ... by JohnPerkins · 2012-03-12 06:13 · Score: 1
  
  (just mod me into oblivion, why not)
  The above should read:
  The above should have read "...where I would have been struck by a *meteor* if I lived in an above-ground house?"
4. Re:You Know Your Planet Is Overpopulated When ... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 09:05 · Score: 0
  
  It's not a meteorite unless it hits the ground
  What's a baseball before it hits the ground?
  If I jump up in the air, do I have to change my name and then change it back when I land? OMG, I must have a different name when I'm on a plane. The DHS paperwork is going to get really complicated. Who is flying? Joe. That's not the name on your license. Yeah, I'm only Joe when I'm flying. Sheesh!
_World famous_ (in Norway) by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-12 08:58 · Score: 1

That should read "_World famous_ (in Norway)..."
Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaards _default_ state is ecstatic so this isn't really news.