Idioms Explained

In 1910 NorskeRail implements a revolutionary electric rail system throughout the country, and puts itself at the forefront of world railroad technologies.

In 1911 they implement a plan to use low-frequency soundwaves to break up snowbanks, so power is not wasted. A generation of young musically inclined men join up in the heroic struggle against the snow. The entire country is soon horrified by the physics of high-impact tuba-snow collisions on human flesh, but in typical Nordic fashion they respond with black humor, telling a series "flatter than a Norwegian tuba" jokes.

Alltop sings flatter than a Norwegian tuba. Photo via Buzzfeed.