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Admired Leader

Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, has championed many facets since her 2013 election, from sustainability to global solutions, all while leading the “land of the midnight sun.” Not only that, but as mentioned in the May issue of Viking...

By |May 1st, 2019|Categories: Blog|Comments Off on Admired Leader

The Anniversaries of a Lifetime

This year marks a very special year for the beloved churches of Årdal, Norway. It’s not only the 100th anniversary of the “new” church in Årdal, but also the incredible and historical 400th anniversary of the old church.

By |April 13th, 2019|Categories: Blog|Comments Off on The Anniversaries of a Lifetime

A Mysterious Fortress on the Oslo Fjord

A woman named Mantelgeisten appears out of the darkness in a long robe. Prison chains rattle. Screams of horror and torture linger from the dungeons. Known to be the most haunted castle in Norway, Akershus Fortress attracts more than three million visitors every year...

By |April 11th, 2019|Categories: Blog|Comments Off on A Mysterious Fortress on the Oslo Fjord

If You Turned 70 during 2018, You Should Read This

Happy belated birthday, and congratulations on now needing to understand required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your annuities! Annuities are a great way to supplement your social security or pension plans. Not only do they accumulate cash tax-deferred, but they also offer you guaranteed payments for life. When the markets are volatile, it is nice to know that your annuity is protecting [...]

By |April 10th, 2019|Categories: Blog|Tags: |Comments Off on If You Turned 70 during 2018, You Should Read This

Norway in International Politics

Over the past couple of years, I’ve published a blog on various topics pertaining to international diplomacy, first on HuffingtonPost.com and then on WashingtonDiplomat.com. While I enjoyed the opportunity to get my thoughts out there, I was never sure I was reaching quite the right audience.

By |April 7th, 2019|Categories: Blog|Tags: |Comments Off on Norway in International Politics

Out of this World: Solobservatoriet

Imagine wandering into a glowing planetary system nestled deep within a forest. No, your eyes are not tricking you. Celebrated architecture and design firm Snøhetta is designing a new planetarium and visitor center for Norway’s largest astronomical facility.

By |April 3rd, 2019|Categories: Blog|Comments Off on Out of this World: Solobservatoriet

Star Chef

In the March issue of Viking magazine, we catch up with Scandinavian celebrity chef Tina Nordström. From her cookbooks, television shows, kitchen items and wine, there are few areas of the food industry she has left untouched.

By |March 22nd, 2019|Categories: Blog|Comments Off on Star Chef

Discover Your Family Roots through DNA Testing

With today’s advances in DNA testing and the resulting ability to make connections with previously unknown relatives, it’s easy to see why more and more people are opting to test their DNA to get detailed results. Recently, three women connected through DNA testing and met up at a Sons of Norway lodge in Story City, IA. The women had learned about [...]

By |March 13th, 2019|Categories: Blog|1 Comment

Tame Your Tax Situation with a Fixed Annuity

Perhaps you are saving for retirement, or maybe you have already hit your goal for retirement savings. Either way, if you are a conservative investor who wants to build assets for the future and don’t sleep well when the markets look more like a roller coaster than a merry-go-round, a fixed annuity may be a good fit. There are not a [...]

By |March 12th, 2019|Categories: Blog|Tags: |Comments Off on Tame Your Tax Situation with a Fixed Annuity
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