Arise Sir Niles of Penguin.

Chat about stuff other than Transformers.
User avatar
inflatable dalek
Posts: 24000
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:15 pm
Location: Kidderminster UK

Arise Sir Niles of Penguin.

Post by inflatable dalek »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edi ... 562773.stm
A penguin who was previously made a Colonel-in-Chief of the Norwegian Army has been knighted at Edinburgh Zoo.

Penguin Nils Olav has been an honorary member and mascot of the Norwegian King's Guard since 1972.

Over the years, he has been promoted through the ranks after being adopted by Royal Guard who visited the zoo.

During the ceremony, Nils had a sword dubbed on each side of his head, where his shoulders should be, to confirm his regimental knighthood.

A crowd of several hundred people joined the 130 guardsmen at the zoo. A citation from King Harald the Fifth of Norway was read out, which described Nils as a penguin "in every way qualified to receive the honour and dignity of knighthood".

The guardsmen come to see Nils every few years while they are in Edinburgh performing at the city's Military Tattoo.

The proud penguin was on his best behaviour throughout most of the ceremony, but shortly before the ritual was concluded and possibly suffering a bout of nerves he was seen to deposit a discreet white puddle on the ground.

'Extremely proud'

Drawing a polite veil over that, Darren McGarry, animal collection manager at the zoo, said afterwards: "It went extremely well and we are delighted that the Norwegian Guard honoured Nils Olav with a knighthood.

"We all enjoyed the occasion and Nils was a perfect penguin throughout."

British Major General Euan Loudon officiated at the ceremony.

Mr McGarry, added: "Nils always recognises the Norwegian guardsmen when they come to visit him.

"He loves the attention he receives at the ceremony and takes his time inspecting the troops."

Nils has also received medals for long service and had a 4ft bronze statue built in his honour.

Guardsman Captain Rune Wiik said: "We are extremely proud of Nils Olav and pleased that an enduring part of the Royal Guard is resident in Scotland helping to further strengthen ties between our two countries."

However, the penguin honoured on Friday is unfortunately not the original Nils Olav.

He died in the 1980s and was replaced by a two-year-old penguin at the Zoo.

Norway presented the zoo with its first king penguin in 1913, the year of its opening.

David Windmill, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the charity that owns Edinburgh Zoo, said: "We have a long-standing history with the Norwegian King's Guard and it is something we are extremely proud of."
That kind of rocks doesn't it? Niles is certainly far more deserving of the honour than half the people who get British Knighthoods (though it never occurred to me monarchs other than ours do it as well). He's probably a more competent military commander as well come to that. If I ever get knighted I'm going to have a discreet crap on the floor as well.
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Nils, not Niles you fool.

Somewhat disappointed to learn that Colonel-in-Chief of the Norwegian Army is a hereditary title, though.
User avatar
secretcode
Posts: 3717
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:50 pm
Contact:

Post by secretcode »

****ing Awesome. Although in war, I do believe that Penguins will prove ineffective.
Image
Latest Hauls: Supertrain Megazord, RID Galvatron, Nightwatch Prime
TF Total: 173 ---- Non-TF: 32
User avatar
Hawkeye
Protoform
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 4:06 am
Location: Newfoundland, Canada.

Post by Hawkeye »

dawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww:)
Image . "Hawkeye's the best! Hawkeye's got the cutest eyes! Hawkeye's got some kinda butt! I swear, Ralph, ever since that blowhard joined up, all I hear is Hawkeye, Hawkeye, Hawk...."- Green Arrow, JLA/Avengers #3.
*sig (once again) generously made by Denyer*
User avatar
inflatable dalek
Posts: 24000
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:15 pm
Location: Kidderminster UK

Post by inflatable dalek »

secretcode wrote:****ing Awesome. Although in war, I do believe that Penguins will prove ineffective.
But who do the Norwegians have to fight anyway? I want a Bronze statue in my honour now. :(
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
User avatar
electro girl
Posts: 1719
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:38 pm
Location: Robot Republic of Yorkshire.
Contact:

Post by electro girl »

inflatable dalek wrote:But who do the Norwegians have to fight anyway? I want a Bronze statue in my honour now. :(
Bronze is difficult for me, will Lego do?
-------------------------
A Chinese cartoon where the robots turn into blingwads!
User avatar
Springer007
Posts: 1162
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:28 pm
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Contact:

Post by Springer007 »

Reminds me of the Dilbert comic where the Boss wanted to relocate the company to Antarctica because he believes Eskimos lived there, and they would be easily trainable and require little to no pay. But got a good chuckle out of this article because penguins are "cute" and make the "best" soldiers. They would kill the other army with their cuteness. Anyway - aside from the hillarious nature of this article - I agree, who would Norway be fighting? Electro, could you also make a statue out of lego for me? I feel I deserve a title too :lol:
"Fear denies faith. And for the Immortal Emperor!"

-Space Marines
User avatar
Blaster
Posts: 2507
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2001 4:32 am
Location: Vancouver.

Post by Blaster »

Image
Image
"You’re still a slave, Angron. Enslaved by your past, blind to the future. Too hateful to learn. Too spiteful to prosper."
User avatar
electro girl
Posts: 1719
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:38 pm
Location: Robot Republic of Yorkshire.
Contact:

Post by electro girl »

Image

Here you go springer007.
-------------------------
A Chinese cartoon where the robots turn into blingwads!
User avatar
Springer007
Posts: 1162
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:28 pm
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Contact:

Post by Springer007 »

stunning :d thankies :D
"Fear denies faith. And for the Immortal Emperor!"

-Space Marines
User avatar
DrSpengler
Protoform
Posts: 4891
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:04 pm

Post by DrSpengler »

And here I thought Knighthood was reserved only for actors and musicians that made it big in America.
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

DrSpengler wrote:And here I thought Knighthood was reserved only for actors and musicians that made it big in America.
Are there any Norwegians that fall into that category?
User avatar
secretcode
Posts: 3717
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:50 pm
Contact:

Post by secretcode »

Halfshell wrote:Are there any Norwegians that fall into that category?
The penguin is the only famous "Norwegian" I can think of. Suiting.
Image
Latest Hauls: Supertrain Megazord, RID Galvatron, Nightwatch Prime
TF Total: 173 ---- Non-TF: 32
User avatar
electro girl
Posts: 1719
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:38 pm
Location: Robot Republic of Yorkshire.
Contact:

Post by electro girl »

secretcode wrote:The penguin is the only famous "Norwegian" I can think of. Suiting.
What about Thor? I'd knight him.
-------------------------
A Chinese cartoon where the robots turn into blingwads!
User avatar
secretcode
Posts: 3717
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:50 pm
Contact:

Post by secretcode »

electro girl wrote:What about Thor? I'd knight him.
Or better yet, who was the guy who founded IKEA?
Image
Latest Hauls: Supertrain Megazord, RID Galvatron, Nightwatch Prime
TF Total: 173 ---- Non-TF: 32
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

secretcode wrote:Or better yet, who was the guy who founded IKEA?
Ingvar Kamprad.

Though what that's got to do with Norway is anybody's guess.
User avatar
electro girl
Posts: 1719
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:38 pm
Location: Robot Republic of Yorkshire.
Contact:

Post by electro girl »

He is Swedish.
-------------------------
A Chinese cartoon where the robots turn into blingwads!
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. Or, more nostalgically, Erik Thorsvedt.
User avatar
Halfshell
Posts: 19167
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 4:00 am
Location: Don't complain to me. I don't care.
Contact:

Post by Halfshell »

Cliffjumper wrote:Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. Or, more nostalgically, Erik Thorsvedt.
... are actors or musicians who made it big in America?
Cliffjumper
Posts: 32206
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2001 5:00 am

Post by Cliffjumper »

Hells yah. Have you not got Thorsvedt's latest?
Post Reply