It's my professional opinion that Norwegians are goofy.

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From: http://www.opera.com/pressreleases/en/2005/04/21/

The one million download challenge of Opera 8:
Opera's CEO will swim from Norway to the USA

Oslo, Norway - April 21, 2005

An overly excited Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software, today proclaimed at an internal company meeting that if the download numbers of the new Opera 8 Web browser reach 1 million within the first four days of the launch, he will swim from Norway to the USA with only one stop-over for a cup of hot chocolate at his mother's house in his home country, Iceland. Opera's communications department could obviously not resist to make such a bold and inarguably over-confident statement public.

. . .

"I am not sure he realizes how cold the Norwegian Sea is in April," says Anne Stavnes, Human Resource Manager, Opera Software. "However, having seen Jon in his red beach attire before, I am not sure if swimming to the USA is scarier than exposing people to this sight."

. . .
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UPDATE: 2005 Apr 26, 15:34:Though a gallant effort, Opera Software CEO, Jon S. von Tetzchner, didn't quite make it to the U.S. Just off the coast of Norway, the "chase raft" containing Opera PR Manager, Eskil Sivertsen, sprung a leak, requiring von Tetzchner to rescue Sivertsen from the icy waters. With the raft deflating, the attempt was aborted, and both men made it safely back to shore.

http://www.opera.com/swim/


¶ 10:12 AM