'Fortress Oslo' ready for Obama

Security fences and barricades are in place, foreign journalists are wandering around and thousands of police officers are in Oslo as Norway's capital prepares to welcome Nobel Peace Prize winner and US President Barack Obama on Thursday. The mood, despite all the uniforms and blocked streets, was surprisingly peaceful.

Curious Norwegians joined tourists and visiting press corps who were snapping photos outside the Grand Hotel, as security crews mounted bullet-proof glass around the balcony where Obama is expected to wave to the crowds Thursday evening.

Others wandered along the route he'll take, from the hotel to the Nobel Institute to the Royal Palace and City Hall, where the Peace Prize ceremony will begin at 1pm on Thursday.

The large plaza on the harbour side of City Hall has also been cordoned off, but the nearby Nobel Peace Center hopes it won't put off the public from coming to visit. Staff at the center had hoped Obama himself would drop by, but his stay in Oslo will be so brief that the visit along with many other hoped-for appearances have been dropped.

That led to political rumbling in Norway on Wednesday, with some members of Parliament criticizing the Norwegian Nobel Committee for awarding the Peace Prize to Obama and wondering whether it's worth all the expense and fuss that it's caused.
A agree with them.

Some questioned whether the committee has damaged the reputation of the prize or done Obama a disfavor by heaping even more expectations on him.

Demonstrators plan to gather in sight of Obama's hotel room balcony, where he is expected to wave to a torch-lit procession in his honor, and chant slogans playing on Obama's own campaign slogans, foremost among them: "Change: Stop the War in Afghanistan."

With all the attention Obama's visit has generated, about 2,500 police officers from all over the Nordic country have deployed to Oslo. The Norwegian military has also contributed support in the form of helicopters and sharpshooters.

Mr.Presidet, you can stay at home..You don't deserve the Nobel Peace Price....,.

Warmest decade ever in Norway

The reindeers don't like warm weather

The average temperature in Norway has never been higher than it has been over the last 9 years. Registrations have been made across the nation, both at the coast in and the highlands.

This is shown by registrations made at 10 points by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (NMI) since the year 2000.

While the average temperature on the mainland has increased by from 1.0 to 1.5 degrees above the normal, on the Svalbard archipelago the temperature has risen 3 degrees above the normal.

NMI believes the increase is no doubt related to human activity.

Awards from friends

Iv'e been recieving awards from two of my friends. It's from Insigth and T.T Morika 金玲 秘密崇拜者.

A Special Chtrstmas Tree

Norwegian salmon under threat

Local media has been full of coverage lately of trouble in Norway's important salmon industry. Conservationists fear wild salmon is threatened by parasites stemming from fish-farming facilities, while the fish-farmers now risk bad publicity not only at home but overseas. The government, meanwhile, wants to expand production at the fish farms despite warnings from a vast array of experts.

Now the head of one of Norway's major environmental organizations, (The Green Warriors of Norway), has all but declared war on the fish-farming industry and the government.

Wolf spotted in Norways Capitol Oslo

Passengers waiting at a railway station in Oslo's Grorud district got quite a surprise on Thursday when it looked like a wolf suddenly wandered up to the platform before heading north along the tracks. "There weren't many of us on the platform, and everyone was staring in amazement," said a passenger.
He managed to snap a photo of the animal, which was seemingly confirmed as "the real thing" by various experts. "The profile, the way it holds its head, everything is right," said a Professor from the College of Hedmark, where wolves are more common.
The Grorud station isn't far from the local forest known as Lillomarka, and that's where the wolf was believed to have come from.
Environmentalists were pleased, but didn't think the sighting signaled any large wolf population in the capital. Mayor Fabian Stang wasn't as pleased by the prospect of wolves in urban forests. "Grorud has many fine attractions, but wolves aren't supposed to be among them," he told .

Norwegian Royal had a Wild West Shootout with a Reporter.

Norway's royal bad boy Ari Behn, husband of Princess Martha Louise, played a villain in a western-themed music video for the Norwegian band the Penthouse Playboys. What's more, in the video, the royal has a shootout with a man credited as Jens Pikenes; however, Jens Pikenes is the alter-ego of a journalist named Kjetil Rolness, who, in 2001, wrote an article calling Ari Behn "the son in law from hell." The two men have since become friendly, but we have to imagine taking aim at (Kjetil Rolness)Jens Pikenes was pretty cathartic for sharpshooter Ari Behn.

Laptop battery likely cause of fatal house fire

An overheated laptop battery was the likely cause of a house fire which killed a mother and her four young children in southern Sweden in early September.

The investigation conducted by Sweden’s National Forensic Laboratory of Forensic Science indicates that the fire probably started in a laptop computer which in turn ignited a couch.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of September 2nd, claimed the lives of a 27-year-old woman and her four children. The oldest three children were nine, seven, and five years old, while the youngest victim was only ten months old.

The mother and three of the children were found dead at the scene, while the 5-year-old was taken to hospital, but later died from her injuries.

The most likely scenario behind the fire was an overheating of the laptop caused by a short circuit in the computer’s battery. The computer then set fire to the couch, with flames eventually spreading up the walls to the ceiling.

The moral of this sad story is that you should never leave your laptop plugged into the mains when you are not using it.

You not only risk a fire but you will also risk damaging the battery as a lot of laptops do not have a good overcharge protection.

President Obama arrives Norway December 9th

US President Barack Obama will arive in Norway already on December 9th, and will stay until December 11th.

President Obama will arrive in Oslo late in the evening of December 9th, flying in from the Danish capital Copenhagen, where he will attend the third day of the UN Climate Summit.

Obama will be welcomed at the airport by the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjørn Jagaland and Director of the Nobel Institute, Geir Lundestad, as well as representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Defence.

Other details of his visit have not been confirmed, but it is expected that Obama will visit the Norwegian Nobel Institute in the morning of the 10th and then hold a press conference at his hotel.

The President and the First Lady will then be recived in audience at the Royal Palace by King Harald and Queen Sonja, before Obama receives the Nobel Peace Price at a ceremony at the Oslo City Hall at 13:00 local time.

There will also be a banquet in honour of the Nobel Prize Laureate in the evening, and prior to that he is also expected to step out on the balcony of his hotel, the Grand, to receive the greetings from the traditional torch light parade passing the hotel.

Swedish 'milkman' loses breastfeeding battle

Ragnar Bengtsson, 26, has failed in his high profile bid to pump forth milk from his breasts. But there is some consolation for the self-styled "Milkman", who is winging his way to the United States this week for an appearance on The Tyra Banks Show.

Bengtsson's milk race began with a bang in early September as he set about pumping his breasts on a three-hourly basis. The unorthodox sight of a young dad with a machine pressed to his nipples became part of daily life at Stockholm University, as the economics student endeavoured to do his bit for gender equality.

If men could breastfeed their babies, the argument went, then women could rejoin the workplace more quickly, safe in the knowledge that their newborns were receiving the proper nourishment from their proud dads.

But ultimately, the experiment failed, with Bengtsson unable to live up to the name of his blog: 'The Milkman - One Drop at a Time'.

I knew there was more to this than was obvious.
He is getting a free flight to the USA to appear on the Tyra Banks show.
He is getting a free holiday.
Smart way to go about it. I have to admire his original method of getting a free USA holiday.

In Memory of Carlos(Charles)

"To Where You Are"

Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory, so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be (?)
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream
And isn't faith believing
All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
'Cause you are my
Forever love
Watching me from up above

And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up
To where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are

I know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are

Northern Ligths

In a time where
I was standing on the edge
on a hill that
could lead to eternity
Abandoned in a world in vain
where every movement
strengthened the exhausting pains

In a time where the days were like nights
And the night was like a storm filled day
Was empty of sacrifice all I own
But then I recognized
The existence
of your delicious light

A shiver in my chest
Energy in my wrists
I sought and found your warmth
After the river I cried when you left me that night
Your karma so colorful
So strong it embraces me
I just want to be where you are
And hold your flames so tight
Inside
Northern light

The resistance of your shield
keeps the negative sensations away
And only your affection
penetrates
my shell

A present sent from our mother earth
In a time where
only bleeding hearts exist
In a cloudless secret sky
you shiver out
magic green crystals
so bright
Northern light

Court bans sale of energy drink Cocaine

The planned launch of a new energy drink called Cocaine has been halted by a court ruling before the product had a chance to hit the shelves in Sweden.
The Environmental Court of Appeal decided on Friday that the drink, marketed by a company from nearby Helsingborg, cannot be sold in Sweden.

The court’s decision was based on a number of reasons including the absence of warning labels on the product indicating its high caffeine content.

The drink, which has its origins in Las Vegas, Nevada contains three times as much caffeine as competitor Red Bull.

In addition, the court ruled the name was misleading to consumers and, having failed to register its operations to the court, a 20,000 kronor fine was slapped on the company.

It was further revealed that the drink contains D-Ribose, a sugar supplement targeted towards bodybuilders to improve endurance, or patients with chronic fatigue.
A very good and sensible decision.
These drinks screw people up.
There is no need for such high levels of stimulants in a soft drink.

Breakfast - Pancakes

Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day - Don't Skip Breakfast...

Studies show that children who eat breakfast do better in school. It doesn't take much further thought to realize adults will feel better and perform better at work as well. Whether you work at home, on the farm, at the office, at school, or on the road, it is not a good idea to skip breakfast. Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day.

When you skip breakfast, you are likely to become tired when your brain and body run low on fuel. By mid-morning, you might grab a cup of coffee or wolf down a sugary candy bar to wake up again. This might work for a few minutes, but by lunch time you are hungry, crabby, and perhaps your mood might make you a little more prone to make unhealthy choices at lunch.

"Gingerbread City" vandalized

Bergen City's traditional "Gingerbread City", claimed to be the world's largest, was Saturday night completely destroyed by vandals. The city consisted of 1200-1300 "buildings", all smashed to pieces.

The city is an annual pre-Christmas project, with up to 10,000 people from the larger Bergen region participating. On Saturday, 2000 "builders" participated in setting up and decorating the more than 1000 buildings.

A few hours later the colourful display was nothing but sad ruins.

- For us this is completely unthinkable. Incomprehensible, says Gingerbread City Mayor Steinar Kristoffersen.

He is joined by Bergen Mayor: - I am profoundly saddened and disappointed.

- Here many have worked hard to make this a positive happening for the children and the citizens of Bergen. I am shocked that it is possible to do something like this, Bakke said.

The police are investigating the vandalism, and have asked the public for information to help in the search for the vandals. A reward has been posted by a private businessman.

Bergen Mayor went on to suggest that it may still be possible to rebuild the city, and already Sunday morning NRK Radio could report that many had already started making new gingerbread houses for a new city. Professional bakers have also joined in.

Source: The Norway Post

Old house

Oslo rated among the world’s 10 most expensive cities

Opera House

Business Week has rated Oslo the 7th most expensive city in the world, not bad if you consider the fact that they were ranked number 2 last year.

Here are the typcial costs of a few common things in Oslo:

Movie ticket: $12.84
Quick lunch: $32.65
Washing Machine: $808.01
Kilo of rice: $4.40
Can of soda: $2.07

Luanda, Angola was ranked number one this year (as well as in 2008), with the average quick lunch costing a whopping $57.92. Cities in Japan made up for 2-5, and Copenhagen, Denmark was number 6 (Quick lunch: $28.71). Stavanger ranked number 13, with the average quick lunch coming in at $29.83. Helsinki, Finland was number 14. Manhattan, N.Y. was the first U.S. city on the list, ranking number 17 (last year it ranked 84), with a typical quick lunch costing about $18.61.

Increasing activity by hackers

There has been a strong increase in attacks on Norwegian computers over the past year. The National Security Authority has never before received as many complaints about IT attacks.

Both companies and private users are attacked more often, and the Norwegian Business and Industry Security Council (NSR) has asked that IT security be taken more seriously by all.

NSR director is not particularly impressed by how most Norwegians protect themselves against IT security breaches.

No one would use the same key for the home, the cottage, the car and the bike. But we use the same password for a large number of systems, and if someone has gained access to one password, it provides entry to all your files...

Most Norwegians are still anti-EU

Even though Norway's popular incumbent prime minister is seen as favouring membership in the European Union (EU), a new public opinion poll shows that most of his countrymen have no desire to join. A majority would vote "no" if a referendum on the issue was held today.
The poll, indicated that 58 percent of Norwegians eligible to vote are opposed to EU membership, while 42 percent are in favour.
The "no" side seems to have slipped, though, from 62 percent opposed in a similar poll in May, while other recent public opinion polls also have showed fewer opposed to EU membership. The last time a vote was held on the issue was in 1994, when 52 percent voted "no."

Girl From The North Country

Well, if you're travelin' in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm,
When the rivers freeze and summer ends,
Please see if she's wearing a coat so warm,
To keep her from the howlin' winds.

Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
If it rolls and flows all down her breast.
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
That's the way I remember her best.

I'm a-wonderin' if she remembers me at all.
Many times I've often prayed
In the darkness of my night,
In the brightness of my day.

So if you're travelin' in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Lyric by Bob Dylan

Winter arrives and temperatures plunge below freezing

Photo from last winter

Winter will arrive this weekend as temperatures drop to below freezing today and over the weekend across the country with snow in some areas.
The Met Office warned that the recent mild weather would make the sudden drop in temperature from relatively mild conditions feel all the more dramatic.

Rain is expected to turn to snow in many areas, bringing a blanket of white for the first time this year, but from monday the rain will arrive again in my area..

Icy plant

Vikings

Napping cat may have killed sleeping infant

A sleeping cat is suspected of having inadvertently suffocated a three-month baby to death in northern Sweden.

The child had fallen asleep in a pram which had been left outside covered with a blanket.

When family members went to check on the baby a couple of hours later, they found a cat lying on the infant’s face.

The child, which was not breathing, was then brought to hospital, where it was pronounced dead.
Police investigating the matter do not believe any crime was committed in connection with the baby’s death.
Source: Dagbladet

Pot smoking can damage young brains

Smoking marijuana is more harmful for young people than previously believed, according to a Swedish study.
New research indicates that even very modest use can cause a lot of damage.
For a number of years, cannabis use among Scandinavian’s young people has been declining, but the downward trend in use may be coming to an end.
Unfortunately, there are signs in the most recent studies that this positive trend has been broken. An increased use of cannabis has been reported among both students in grade nine as well as by students in their second year of high school.
Cannabis can bring about the onset of latent psychiatric illnesses and the drug can cause serious psychiatric illnesses on its own.
Several new studies also show that teenagers who only occasionally use marijuana can run into problems.

Vikings were terrorists of their time

One of the world's leading experts on Scandinavian history now believes that the Vikings had motives similar to those of today's terrorists. Professor Robert Ferguson, who emigrated to Norway in 1984, is launching a new theory that Viking raids were a reaction to threats to their identity, culture and beliefs.

Ferguson, perhaps best known for his book The Vikings - A History, has now written a new book entitled The Hammer and the Cross: A New History of the Vikings.

In it, he suggests that people from the north (today's Norway, Denmark and Sweden) already had been living in areas of England (Northumbria), or at least had contact with monks and the local population, long before what's considered the first major Viking raid in 793AD -- the attack on the monastery at Lindisfarne.

What was new was the violence. The raid on Lindisfarne was followed by a wave of attacks on religious settlements throughout the British Isles and Ireland, the Shetlands and Orkney Islands.

One in five Swedish priests refuse to wed same-sex couples

A week has passed since homosexual couples were given the right to tie the knot in church. Yet, 18 percent of priests in the Gothenburg region say they refuse to preside over gay weddings.
Since November 1st, gay couples have been given the blessing to marry in church.
It following a decision by the Synod of the Church of Sweden in October, which also gave priests a right to refuse to partake in same-sex nuptials.

If priests refuse to marry anyone, it's their prerogative, and their loss of revenue. If refused, simply go down the street to the next priest, unless, that is, you are Catholic, then there is little hope for a church that has shunned and orchestrated against reform for centuries.

Bird Flocks Fly South

Our imagination soars as we watch flocks of hundreds of birds cloud the sky on their journey south. Where are they going? How do they know how to get there? How do those tiny animals go all that ways in such a short time? Why do some birds stay all winter while others leave?
I wish I could move like they does. .

Birds migrate south because they run out of food and a warm enough place to live. They fly as far south as they need to in order to find good food and shelter.

Will the New European Pop Icon Invade the United States?

Alexander Rybak (Norway), all time, record breaking First Place winner of “Eurovision -2009” song contest arrives to New York for his only US appearance.

Alexander Rybak (born 1986) will be performing in New York Millennium Theater (1029 Brighton Beach Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11235) on November 21, 2009. This will be his first trip to the United States since his triumphant victory in the most prominent and prestigious European song contest.The US tour is organized by NYC based Russian-American Consulting Corporation.

Alexander Rybak’s phenomenal journey began at the tender age of five. His modest family of three had moved from Belarus, USSR and settled near Norway’s capital Oslo. His parents were both professionally trained musicians, and gave their son violin and piano lessons. From the very beginning Alexander studied the great masters, but soon started composing music, playing jazz, popular standards as well as pop hits. His violin took him to places like Russia, Great Britain, United States and China as a member of different orchestras.

Why Leaves Change Colors

Although I'm a summer person there is something about the smell of the autumn air that even I enjoy. Walking outdoors in the fall, the splendidly colorful leaves adorning the trees are a delight to the eye.

The green color of a tree's leaves is mainly due to chlorophyll pigment. The change in color to red or yellow as autumn approaches is not the result of the leaves' dying, but is rather the result of a series of processes – which differ between the red and yellow autumn leaves. When the green chlorophyll in leaves diminishes, the yellow pigments that already exist become dominant and give their color to the leaves. Red autumn leaves result from a different process: As the chlorophyll diminishes, a red pigment, anthocyanin, which was not previously present, is produced in the leaf. These facts were only recently discovered and led to a surge of research studies attempting to explain why trees expend resources on creating red pigments just as they are about to shed their leaves.

Happy Halloween

Outrage over drunken Swedish pastor's funeral service

A family from Southern Sweden has demanded compensation from the Church of Sweden claiming that the pastor employed to conduct a funeral had consumed a glass too many in the vestry.

The family are demanding 300,000 kronor ($42,600) in compensation for the pastor's unruly behaviour.

A report sent by the family to the Church of Sweden states that the priest was noticeably drunk, wobbly on his feet and was forced to prop himself by clutching on to the altar.

He went on to read a poem that no one in the congregation could understand.

The sozzled pastor was also reported to have been behaving inappropriately with a younger woman in attendance, kissing her hand and hugging her in a manner unsuitable for a man of the cloth.

Look at the brigth side!!!! At least there is a pastor who won't condemn and judge you if you come to church with a hangover.

Winter is around the corner

For us in the northern hemisphere, the cooler mornings mean winter’s right around the corner and I hate winter.
Cold temperatures, snow, wind, and ice will soon return again to Norway.

Church of Sweden says yes to gay marriage

The Synod of the Lutheran Church of Sweden has come down in favour of church weddings for homosexuals.
The decision, which is based on a proposal from the church’s governing board, means that the Church of Sweden will conduct wedding ceremonies for both heterosexual and homosexual couples.
The decision comes just three days after the 30th anniversary of the date when homosexuality stopped being classified as a disease in Sweden.
“It is with great sorry that we receive news that the Church of Sweden’s Synod has today decided to wed same-sex couples that it will be referred to as marriage. This is a step backwards, not only from Christian tradition, but also from all of the major world’s religions views of what marriage is,” write Vicar Fredrik Emanuelson of the Catholic Church and Father Misha Jaksic, coordinator of the family of Orthodox Churches at the Christian Council of Sweden (CCS), in a joint statement.

Well, I think if Jesus was born in the 21st century and living our time, he would have approved Gay marriage as Jesus is a nice guy. Also if St. Peters and all of Jesus appostles were living in our time, they would have approved gay marriage. Jesus for example would have shaved his beard and had a clean hair cut. Jesus would have had a website for example www.jesus.com and he would have propably wore Suits for his presentations and probably own a laptop and use a wicked car for mobility. ...Just Kidding.....

Ready for Halloween?

Horror stories seem to escalate before Halloween. Maybe it’s the anticipation from childhood that the goblins and witches will get us. Maybe it’s from watching all the Friday the 13th gory movies. Maybe it’s the chill in the air as October takes us from autumn to the darkness of winter.

Pokemon cards taken in sandbox knife heist

A nine-year-old girl was robbed at knifepoint by a group of young boys in a sandbox in Partille outside of Gothenburg in western Sweden. The booty: the girl’s collection of Pokemon cards.

Two 10-year-old boys, and an as of yet unidentified playmate, threatened the girl with a knife in their bid to steal her assortment of the popular Japanese cartoon trading cards.

According to police, the boys also kicked the girl and hit her in the face.

A woman witnessed the sandbox attack from her balcony, believing at the time that the boys had simply thrown sand at the girl and pushed her to the ground.

But the actual course of events was much more violent, leading the girl’s mother to file a report with the police.

The knife-wielding 10-year-olds and their friend will now be a case for social services.

When they catch the boys, the little girl should be allowed to kick them in the nuts... as well as the boys parents.
Western civilisations lack of responsibility, political correctness for the sake of political correctness, and failed experiment in multiculturalism will destroy it.

King of Norway invites Obama to stay at Royal Palace

Norway’s King Harald V has invited US President Barack Obama to stay at the Royal Palace when he visits Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in December.

Prize winners usually stay at Oslo’s well-known landmark; the Grand Hotel, but due to security reasons Obama might stay in a more secure spot. The Grand Hotel is located in the center of Karl Johan’s gate across the street from the Parliament building.

If Obama accepts the the King’s invitation, he will be installed in the King Haakon VII suite, which have been used for guests since 1907, when Danish King Frederik VIII first used it. If Firts Lady Michelle Obama accompanies her husband, she is invited to use the Queen Maud suite, with views of the park.

So far, only one thing is certain: President Obama will be received in audience by King Harald V at the Royal Palace in the morning, prior to the Nobel ceremony at the City Hall. The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is traditionally held every year in Oslo on Dec. 10 (at 1 pm), the anniversary of benefactor Alfred Nobel’s death.

National Geographic ranks the Norwegian fjords #1

National Geographic ranks the Norwegian fjords #1 in the “Destinations Rated” scorecard compiled by the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations.

National Geographic writes:

First Place: The Fjord Region, Norway
Still waters in Norang Fjord, shown in an undated picture, reflect the “well-preserved Norwegian rural life” that helped the region take top honors in the sixth annual “Destinations Rated” scorecard compiled by the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations.

The center convened an independent panel of 437 experts in fields from historic preservation and sustainable tourism to travel writing and archaeology to assess 133 iconic places around the world.

The panel based its decisions on six criteria: environmental and ecological quality, social and cultural integrity, condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites, aesthetic appeal, quality of tourism management, and outlook for the future. (Read more about the survey method.) The results appear in the November/December 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

Norwegians 'most naive' in Europe

A new study suggests that Norwegians are the most trusting, or naive, in Europe. Only 10 percent are considered to be in general "skeptical" of other people, after four out of five questioned said they think most can be relied upon.

The latest results from the European Social Survey, funded by the European Commission, placed 77.2 percent of Norwegians in the "naive" category. Next came the Danes, at 77.1 percent, followed by the Finns at 72.6 percent.

The three Scandinavian countries ranked in the top five of those considered most trusting (Sweden placed fourth at 66.5 percent), while those who are the least trusting of others came from Bulgaria (19.1 percent), Poland and Russia.

The survey questioned residents of 30 countries to measure levels of trust and skepticism. While many Norwegians are often viewed by foreigners as being reserved and somewhat guarded, they don't see themselves as being such.

The levels of trust permeate everyday activities and traditions in Norway. The national trekking association DNT, for example, bases use of their mountain cabins and provisions on the honor system. If you spend the night in a cabin, or eat any of the food provided in the cupboards there, you write it down and leave money for it.

The same system applies to private toll roads. Motorists are expected to stop and voluntarily put money into a box to pay the toll. The chances of being caught and fined for not doing so are low, but most people pay their tolls.

Autumn

So the season of the fall begins
Down the crossroads in a sleepy little inn
By the fire when the sun goes down

But the night becomes you
And the secrets of the rain

Forever autumn

And the season of the fall begins
Out the nightlands when the thunderstorm sets in
The secrets clear in the cloudy night

But the night becomes you
And the secrets of the ra n they will stay the same
And the time will come soon
With the secrets of the rain and the storm again

Coming closer every day, forever autumn

And the season of the fall begins
Past the pass ngbell past willow s weeping
A ripple forms on the brinks of time

But the night becomes you
And the secrets of the rain, they will stay the same
And the time will come soon
With the secrets of the rain and the storm again

Coming closer every day forever autumn

Lyrics by Lake Of Tears, Sweden