One Government Shutdown, Another Government switch-up

So.  The US Government is shut down.

This seems like a good time to explain how the Norwegian system is different (note: I didn't say better... but I, also, didn't say worse).

Norway is a democratic representative constitutional monarchy.  But that's a lot to say.  I just like to refer to it as a Social Democracy.  No.  Not in the way that North Korea or Congo are social democracies, but in the way that produces low unemployment, equal opportunity, and causes people to write articles like this. 

There's more, but they're not going to factor in much...

Norway, also, has the same three, branches of government:  Judicial, Executive, and Legislative (In the interest of being, well, interesting... I'm going to skip over the Judicial branch as it doesn't differ enough to warrant covering, save for the King, not the President/Prime Minister, having the ultimate "Get out of Jail Free" card)

Here's where things get a little word-y.  Stay with me.

That's what a King is supposed to look like

The Executive branch consists of a (mostly... remember his criminal absolution powers) King and his council of state.  Since I keep talking about him, I should probably mention him by name.  King Harald V is the Norwegian telling you to watch the throne.  He's cool, but his father, Olav V, was a straight G.

Anyway, King Harald V has his council of state (or referred to as King's Council) which consists of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister's Council (really, the King is just co-opting the Prime Minister's council).  The Prime Minister is appointed by King Harald V (or whoever is the reigning monarch) is like the electoral college in the United States.  He awards the post to whomever is the leader of the party that wins the elections, holds the largest majority in the legislative branch (congress). 

To determine the largest majority, Norwegians go to the polls.  Just like in America, there are national elections every four years here.  In fact, it happened this past month.  Changes were made.

Can I just say how silly I think it is that Norwegians still use paper ballots... They're not voting for Homecoming King and Queen

For the previous eight years, the leading party had been the Arbeiderpartiet (Labor Party).  However, in an effort to dethrone their socially and fiscally-liberal opponents, the Høyre (Conservative) and Fremskrittspartiet (Progressive) parties joined forces.  In Norwegian politics, two parties can form a "coalition" and, in essence, they join forces (like a Portuguese Man-of-War) to gain more power in the political spectrum.

That's exactly what happened.

While the Labor Party maintained an overall advantage in the congress with 55 seats (garnered by gaining 30.8% of the vote), they lost nine seats (as they had 35.4% of the vote last election).  Those seats went to the Conservative party, who saw a gain of almost 10% (17.2 to 26.8%).  The Conservatives didn't bring much help as they lost twelve seats and six percentage points (22.9 to 16.3%).

Why the change?  It has little to do with the economy as Norway is humming along.  It was a variety of issues but, from my outsider viewpoint, it seemed to be a sense of fatigue.  The Labor Party had been running the show for eight years and people were ready for a change.  However, a change for changes' sake can be dangerous, especially when the party is talking about a "restoration of public trust" and "maximizing wealth for all it's citizens".  I know from personal experience.

Now.  I know what you're thinking.  Would this be like the Republicans and Tea Party beating the Democrats in America?  Not exactly.  While most Norwegians will be quick to note that all of their political parties would be "Democrats" in America, I think that isn't entirely the case as some parties have radically different views from one another (most notably Progressive and Conservative with regards to oil exploration, both are "drill, baby, drill!" and immigration, best not to bring this up, would definitely raise some eyebrows in the donkey party).

Regardless, there will be a change (I'm not just talking about the appointing of the second, female Prime Minister in the Conservative Party's Erna Solberg).

Ariel/immigrants are in trouble!

I guess I should probably run down the other parties...

The Conservative/Progressive coalition can't do it all on their own.  While they'll be the ones running the various ministries, they will be joined by two, non-socialist parties, Kristelig Folkeparti (Christian Democratic Party... Norway has a State Church who the King is upheld with protecting) and Venstre (Central Liberalism) in order to get majority votes on various bills/issues in the congress.

Opposing them, in addition to the Labor Party, is Socialistisk Venstreparti (Socialist Left), the EU-hating SenterParty (Center Liberalism), and Grønne (Green Party).

Additionally, there's a lot of other parties that have little to no parliament representation that, again, I'll skip over.  

Will much change?

Hard to say.  While the Conservative/Progressive have a lot of big ideas, the losses suffered by the Progressives in the elections will ensure that they'll need to compromise in order to get things accomplished.  Before the handover of power, outgoing Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, in addition to driving a taxi, issued one of Norway's many debt-cancellations (Norway loves to forgive debt).  The sovereign wealth fund is a good problem to have, yet still a problem.

Though, despite how things go, it will not end in a government shutdown.  Norwegians, while passionate, determined, and, at times, stubborn, have a general sense of community and the common good over one's own self.  Regardless of your ideas of how to best help your countrymen, its understood here that you have to actually listen and compromise to help anyone. 

It is one of the ways where American individualism is detrimental (and one of the ways where Jante Law is beneficial).

Oh well.  Sorry for the billion hyperlinks.

ALT FOR NORGE

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It's Not Summer WIthout You

1 degree (Celsius... 34 Fahrenheit)

That was the temperature when I woke up this morning.

Almost in disbelief, I went outside in jeans and my summer coat (that's a funny thing, before I came to Norway.  I had three coats.  One I wore in fall, one I wore when it was winter, and another I wore in both months when I was wearing something sorta fancy... Now, I have eight coats) and was quickly re-buffed.

It was, indeed, cold outside.

(I realize "cold" is relative, but, when you're anticipating low-teens Celsius/mid-50s Fahrenheit, getting smacked in the mouth with something quite lower than that registers as cold)

Autumn is leaving its mellowness behind for its spiky, rotted stage.  Don't remember summer even saying goodbye.

Fortunately for me, I had (at the behest of the lady) swapped out my summer clothes.

The week prior, I had carried up the winter clothes, in their dormant boxes tucked away in the back of the unit in the basement, to the apartment.  Then, solemnly, I folded and sorted which summery things I still dreamed of wearing between now and when the sun's warmth returned from those which I could go without (this seasonal change is the saddest I feel for inanimate objects... Sorry, threadless.com t-shirt. I just don't have space for you.  I don't like you any less... It just won't be that warm and... you'll understand when you're older?).  The unchosen were placed in the spot formerly reserved for the winter clothes, which, in turn, replaced the summery clothes spots in my drawers and closet, and then, I returned the boxes to their sub-terrain storage.

So, I'm not cold today.  Bring it on fall/winter.

ALT FOR NORGE

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tilbakken

So yeah... you're probably like "wait... didn't there use to be awesome blog entries on this page like twice a month?" (well, a boy can dream...).  You're right.  I took a break.  Like from Norway.  I was in exile in America (details aren't really all that interesting or uncommon), but now I'm back.

Were they happy to see me?

You could say so...

In any case, I thought I'd shape my first return entry with what I did in America.  However, I figured that would be antithetical of what this blog should be about (really, it wasn't that much fun), I started writing this to detail about how I found the moods of Norway.  So, I returned earlier this week and, like the two times before, I immediately became sick.

Not like, sick sick, but sick enough that my stomach felt like Prince Harry was throwing a party inside it.  Before, I had chalked it up to excitement (my first time!!) or stopping over in Iceland, but this time there was no direct cause (of course I was excited, stay with me here).  I decided to start looking in to a red thread... a similarity between each of the trips.  Finally, after ruling out the insane (global conspiracy to force me to stay in America where I will become a manchurian candidate and bring about world war 3) and the plausible (air pollution withdrawal), I figured it either came down to my girlfriend making me sick (I'm allergic to adorableness!) or the one thing I'd had each time. Water.  That's right, in an ironic twist, the most essential thing I needed was making me sick.

A short search confirmed my fears.  Over 22 percent of the water pipes were made between 1941 and 1970s?!?  Imagine how far technology has come sense then!  Would you trust your life to a car made between 1941 and 1970s everyday on your commute to and from work?  This is awful!!  I'm going to need a Brita and to boil the water I bathe myself in.  Or maybe a britta filter to tape to the shower head.

What's this?  A detailed study and it says that the "22% water pipe" thing refers to an estimate done in 2010, and, of those pipes, the majority are secondary piping in rural regions and, subsequently, there have been over 10,000 projects a year to fix the problem.

Oh.

Maybe I am allergic to adorableness after all.

Alt for Norge

Seriously, Where are you Spring?

Thank you, bushes for ignoring the "spring is cancelled this year" memo

As I haven't seen the sun in about a week (give or take, its hard to keep track of the days here as the sky is like a perpetual gray and its cold.  So, yes, Oslo does resemble "The Road" slightly), OSLOst in space may seem a little gloomy this week.

I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up with the 20+ degree weather of March, but, seriously, its almost May (On a side note:  Labor Day here (May Day) is supposed to be cray... we shall see), stop playin', Oslo.  Make with the Spring.

As always, it could be worse.

Last year, it snowed the first week of May.

While that isn't likely (though, This is Norway!, anything poor weather related is possible), the situation isn't completely ruined.  First, there are a serious of pretty, yellow bushes that are springing up virtually all over the city.  Which, is awesome... It at least looks spring-like.  Additionally, there are these funky, little birds that keep popping up everywhere.  They seem like they're ready to get down with the chirping and looking all tough.  While they're no Blue Jay or Oriole, they're definitely way better looking than crows (we don't need a picture of a crow... just think of an ugly bird).  Yes, I just wasted 80 minutes of my life trying to figure out the bird's name.  It's a European Magpie.  Not necessarily the most glamorous of names (but, it does explain why Newcastle is called the magpies... I thought that was just British slang for cake eater.  Yes, I spent another 20 minutes looking up "Mighty Ducks" related stories.  Don't judge).

I don't eat cake!  The Knucklepuck was overrated and the most improbable thing outside of Kennan Thompson passing as an athlete... jus' sayin'

Anyway, the European Magpie, in addition to being a rather common bird, is one of the most intelligent animals.  It's intellect rivals chimpanzees and Boston sports team fans... So, it's reappearance here totally suggests that Spring must be coming soon.  This fowl ain't no fool... it wouldn't stray this far north unless it had figured out that Spring was coming and it was time to pick out the best nesting/pimp pad spots.

Our little hope seizes upon little things...

Another positive is that the sun is staying up later... Well, I assume its staying up later.  The sky is staying light gray longer in the day (8:30!) than it had previous to daylight savings (oh, did you know that Europe and North America have different daylight savings dates?  Me neither!  It seems that there was a fortnight in March where five hours separated the East Coast and Oslo.  It is one of the most inexplicable, odd things that I've come across... which is really saying something.)

Though, the uplifting seems to keep coming.  Over forty thousand people gathered in the Youngstorget Square to sing the Norwegian version of "We are the World" (The song is called "Children of the Rainbow", click on the title for the lyrics.  Then copy and paste in translate.google.com!) as an offering that the nation is more than just the hateful acts and ideas of July 22, 2011.

Despite all of my jokes and irreverence and sheep videos, this truly encapsulates the identity of Norway.  So, I will leave that as my last note for this post.

Alt for Norge

Birkelunden Bemusing

The searing, blue sky in the middle of the afternoon is one of the simplest pleasures one can get out of life.  Especially after an endless parade of overcast mornings drifting into disheartening, starless nights.  The first clear day, in some time, can catch you off guard, as it explodes from the dawn.  Nothing is quite as beautiful as the warmth of the first sunrays, as they lick your face.  Those drops of cancer-causing agents invoke an effervescent buzz in our souls that resonates regardless of how tight the crotchety, dry grip of old man winter. 

I am happy today.

Much as the reminder from the sun can remind you that three other seasons can exist, so, too, can a letter from an old friend. 

He seemed well.

The children are getting out of school now.  I can hear their delirious screams echoing down the narrow streets and corridors.  It’s as if they want to see if their voices can reach over the entrapping buildings that line the streets.  Their day is now and, by letting all of creation know, it can be shared and maintained.  The tram rattles along its metallic path; creaking and screeching at each turn and stop.  I can feel it nearing the station without seeing it from my window here; its heavy pressing crushes everything that can feel.  As if on cue, I can hear the trees shaking and swaying in the oncoming rush.  

I close my eyes and lean into the sun’s dalliance into the room, courtesy the parted blinds. 

I feel light on my face, but not warmth, the window sees to it that what is outside is kept out.  Yet, I hear the ratcheting of the tram doors and then the clanging crash of their closing. 

There are still many hours before my love will return home.  I don’t know if I should count their fickle, wanton minutes or lay my mind to other tasks to drown out the late afternoon.  Though, the sun is so bright today, I have to squint to even look toward the window.  Some days cannot be ignored or attended with mindless duty.  They must be lived and filled with purpose and balance.

I am outside now.

The wind still has a touch of winter and I need to pull my jacket tightly around me.  The stealthy, ever-present ice has begun to relinquish its domain upon the sidewalks; its crackling retreat feels my ears as I make way toward the bridge.  Beneath the cement expanse, the river has not yet heeded the call of the walkways above as it lays frozen and unmoving.  The ducks clatter upon its stately cold surface, bumping into each other, stamping their webbed feet in futile protest.  The buildings, nestled along its width, splinter, ever so slightly, from the relentless pressure.  No matter the season, the river exerts its’ force upon the edifices foolishly constructed upon nature’s runway in garish and avarice want. 

I head back inside.

The lush, brilliant blue chosen for this day for this world that hangs above our world is slowly being put away.  The fiery, cataclysm of dusk has commenced as if the world were awaiting it.  We were all caught off-guard and not quite ready to be without.  Though, time and fate have plans we know not of.  Birds flew overhead, a great distance away, their calls lost to the heavens.  Cars, buses, trains, and trams all began their sojourn from the city to the great many suburbs that surrounded this town so that its numbers almost out counted the town from which it derived.  They pulsed and pushed away, far beyond that which I could see from my window.  For I could only sense their treks from known routine, the sounds and sights were already being swallowed by the approaching night.