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Norway's most important laws

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:19 pm

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No, it's not what you think. I'm not starting legal classes here. ;-)

There are two laws that Norwegians live by. Bet you've never heard of the Law of Jante. Well, it goes like this:

1.You shall not believe that you are somebody.
2.You shall not believe that you are as worthy as us.
3.You shall not believe that you are any wiser than us.
4.You shall not imagine that you are any better than us.
5.You shall not believe that you know anything more than us.
6.You shall not believe that you are more than us.
7.You shall not believe that you are good at anything.
8.You shall not laugh at us.
9.You shall not believe that anyone cares about you!
10.You shall not believe that you can teach us anything!

This Law first appeared in writing in a novel by the Danish writer Axel Sandemose. He made up a small community called Jante, but all small Scandinavian communities might be called that, because you'll mainly find the law applied by the sceptical people living in them. The law has made many a talented person into a mediochre one, and unfortunately it still prevails in some areas. Norwegians living by this law like things to be well done, but please don't brag about it. Then you'll summarily be cut down to size. We've been trying to kill the mentality for ages, but so far with little or no success.

The second Law comes from Norwegian writer Thorbjørn Egner, who made up a community called Cardamom Town, where nothing bad ever happens, even though they have three robbers living there. Here it is:

You shall not bother others,
you shall be both fair and kind,
and whatever else you do I do not mind.

Egner wrote many books for children, and his Cardamom Town is built in our largest zoo/pleasure park in Kristiansand, southern Norway. This book is also published in English.

Last edited: Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:20 pm

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The Norwegian way

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:21 pm

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Being a Norwegian is being different. We're 4,7 million people on 385,000 square km, which gives each Norwegian 12 square km to play on. In other words Norway is very full of absolutely nothing except Christmas trees and granite.

Norway is so long that if we flip it around, Finnmark will end up in southern Italy. And it's so narrow in places that one can easily walk from the fjord bottom to Sweden. The roads are indescribably bad and wind up and down mountains and in and out of fjords.

Norway's contribution to the World is Henrik Ibsen, Liv Ullmann, the word Quisling and the Nobel Peace Price. Oh, and Thor Heyerdahl of course, and Arne Næss, the late husband of Diana Ross.

Our closest neighbours the Swedes and Danes get severe cultural shock when they move here. The Dutch on the other hand, flock here to get away from the crowds in their flat, overpopulated country. The English find us so alien that every now and then they write a bestseller about us. I do believe most buyers are Norwegians, though, since we take so much pride in being different.

Despite the fact that we are so few, Norwegians are found all over the globe, also in very remote corners. In Seattle one can manage well without knowing any English I'm told. All Norwegians have a bit English, even though some deny it. Most also speak a bit German, Spanish or French. Some even Russian and Chinese. We have to, being so totally outnumbered.

We got rid of our nobility in the 17th and 18th century, but still elected a King in 1905. Our monarchy is still going strong, being very modern. Our Crown Prince married a single mother some years back.

We've got oil, furniture manufacturing, ship wharfs, fish, forest and a lot of high technology and visionary research. We've got very few snobs. We're allowed to tell our boss he's being an ass if that is a fact. We care nothing for titles. We don't care who you are, we judge you from what you do. If you do your stuff well, then we'll respect you. Norwegian women are so self-sufficient that Norwegian men are lucky if they catch one. Most Norwegians marry, but stand by their partner only as long as their partner stands by them. Divorce rates are sky high, since both men and women have career jobs. But the children always come first, so new parents get 12 months' leave with pay and share this time among themselves. Usually the parent with the best paid job takes the shortest leave.

Norwegians are very good at moving abroad, but also good at moving back home, because we firmly believe that despite weather conditions and government turmoil, this is the best place to be.

Last edited: Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:21 pm

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Primula

Category: Garden | Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:18 pm

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I had better start looking forward to spring. My Primula give me a much-needed colour boost. I like my double ones, a reminder of a 75-year-old garden enthusiast further north:









I don't know this one's name, but I like the dark leaves and red veins:





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Autumn is not my favorite season

Category: Garden | Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:01 pm

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As I walked in my garden today, I really felt wretched. My lovely hostas are yellow, slimy heaps of collapsed leaves. My colourful lilies are stalks. Brown stalks with brown leaves and the odd bright red lily beetle. I see the tips of my trilliums and know for a fact that I won't see their blooms until May.

Everywhere there are drifts of leaves to remove, but they are all soggy and heavy because of the wet weather, and I can't find my thick rubber gloves anywhere.

The apples that I lovingly thinned in early summer are small and scurvy and mostly birds' food. And the elderberries destined for my husband's wine cellar are gone too, along with the starlings.

Jeez, I do need to find something about autumn and winter that will cheer me up, or else I'll end up in the hospital's emergency room, raving and ranting and clutching my lily bulbs.

This blog entry has been viewed 584 times

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I start with philosophy

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:53 pm

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I found a new favorite philosopher last week. His name is Bertrand Russel, and he is Welsh. Or, rather, was. He died in 1970, 98 years old.

I first stumbled upon some quotes, which picqued my curiosity, so I started searching for more material. My, what a character this man must have been, and what noise he must have made in his time!

I almost feel sorry not to have noticed him before, when my brain was working better. Ah, well, no use crying etc.

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