I submitted all but a few of the ones found here. I'm not sure how many entries they had, but out of the ones I turned in, the judging committee selected the following 4:
They're ok, but those aren't my favorites.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
photo contest
So, my employer had a recent photo contest for its employees. We can submit multiple pics, and the winning ones will get blown up, framed, and hung around the building.
I submitted all but a few of the ones found here. I'm not sure how many entries they had, but out of the ones I turned in, the judging committee selected the following 4:
They're ok, but those aren't my favorites.
I submitted all but a few of the ones found here. I'm not sure how many entries they had, but out of the ones I turned in, the judging committee selected the following 4:
They're ok, but those aren't my favorites.
Monday, April 28, 2008
trivia
My Norwegian teacher's gasping is starting to irritate me.
Norwegians have little conception of shared space, it seems. They don't move if you're trying to squeeze by them in a bar or walk past them in the street. As a result, you have to force your way through groups of them, and although it hasn't happened to me yet, I've heard several stories of Norwegians walking into people on an otherwise empty sidewalk.
The Norwegians apparently don't have (or use) a word for "love". Rather, they use a phrase that is the equivalent of "fond of". I believe they use it for food and inanimate objects as well as people.
Norwegians have little conception of shared space, it seems. They don't move if you're trying to squeeze by them in a bar or walk past them in the street. As a result, you have to force your way through groups of them, and although it hasn't happened to me yet, I've heard several stories of Norwegians walking into people on an otherwise empty sidewalk.
The Norwegians apparently don't have (or use) a word for "love". Rather, they use a phrase that is the equivalent of "fond of". I believe they use it for food and inanimate objects as well as people.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
scientologists
There are Scientologists in Oslo. It's disappointing. I walked by a group of them this weekend. They had set up a booth in one of the public squares and were offering free "stress tests" to passersby. They had exactly the same look and setup at the 'tologists who hassled passersby on 4th and Market in San Francisco -- same card table, same pile of "Dianetics" books, some sign proclaiming free stress tests.
In the stress tests, the hapless passerby is instructed to hold two metal cylinders in each hand, and then the Scientologist guides the person through some memory or other. From what I can piece together, the cylinder apparatus is a primitive measure of galvanic skin response, which is often used in psych experiments. The basic idea is to pass a small electric current through two electrodes attached to a person, and then present that person with something that will stress them out. Under even minor stress, the skin sweats a little bit, reducing the resistance between the two electrodes. As a result, you have a somewhat objective measure of how stressful some task or thought or other activity is to someone.
I think the cylinders try to do the same thing by passing a current between them, but I have no idea. Either way, while the Scientologist is guiding the passerby own Memory Lane, he or she notes points at which the device seems to register stress on the passerby's part. What happens next, I think, is that the 'tologist returns to whatever the passerby/victim as talking about whenever the machine indicated stress, and they talk more about it. The dialogue is probably peppered with the same kind of generic statements you might get from a psychic -- statements that could apply to anyone but sound like they're specific to you. The Scientologist will also likely play upon fears common to most people, providing some generic but useless platitudes to indicate that the passerby is not alone and that help and a better life is possible.
With that, the Scientologist will invite the suitably impressed passerby to the local Scientology "church", after which the passerby will turn over all of his or her money and will never be seen again.
For some reason, I hadn't expected Scandinavians to fall prey to the same kinds of insecurities that make Americans vulnerable to such cults.
In the stress tests, the hapless passerby is instructed to hold two metal cylinders in each hand, and then the Scientologist guides the person through some memory or other. From what I can piece together, the cylinder apparatus is a primitive measure of galvanic skin response, which is often used in psych experiments. The basic idea is to pass a small electric current through two electrodes attached to a person, and then present that person with something that will stress them out. Under even minor stress, the skin sweats a little bit, reducing the resistance between the two electrodes. As a result, you have a somewhat objective measure of how stressful some task or thought or other activity is to someone.
I think the cylinders try to do the same thing by passing a current between them, but I have no idea. Either way, while the Scientologist is guiding the passerby own Memory Lane, he or she notes points at which the device seems to register stress on the passerby's part. What happens next, I think, is that the 'tologist returns to whatever the passerby/victim as talking about whenever the machine indicated stress, and they talk more about it. The dialogue is probably peppered with the same kind of generic statements you might get from a psychic -- statements that could apply to anyone but sound like they're specific to you. The Scientologist will also likely play upon fears common to most people, providing some generic but useless platitudes to indicate that the passerby is not alone and that help and a better life is possible.
With that, the Scientologist will invite the suitably impressed passerby to the local Scientology "church", after which the passerby will turn over all of his or her money and will never be seen again.
For some reason, I hadn't expected Scandinavians to fall prey to the same kinds of insecurities that make Americans vulnerable to such cults.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
smoking
The Norwegians smoke like chimneys, and very unself-consciously. There's no smoking in the workplace, though, so there are often clusters of people standing outside building entrances doing it. That annoys some people, so some businesses have constructed smoking booths outside for these people, so that they don't have to stand out in the cold but they're also not cluttering the entrance.
My lab placed its booth out in a corner of the parking lot. The booth is about 4' x 5', smaller than a garden shed, and made of clear plastic. The only object inside it is an ashtray on a pedestal.
The booth is somewhat amusing because the one or two people standing inside it -- silently smoking, standing in place and looking out the clear plastic walls -- look as if they're an exhibit. Or like they've been given a time out.
My lab placed its booth out in a corner of the parking lot. The booth is about 4' x 5', smaller than a garden shed, and made of clear plastic. The only object inside it is an ashtray on a pedestal.
The booth is somewhat amusing because the one or two people standing inside it -- silently smoking, standing in place and looking out the clear plastic walls -- look as if they're an exhibit. Or like they've been given a time out.
odds and ends
I started a new Norwegian class yesterday. The teacher is a gasper. It's distracting.
On another note, I believe I have the Norwegian Death Virus (the malignant strain, not the benign). I don't have a doctor, so I just went to urgent care. I spent 2 hours there before giving up and heading home to write my will. Another guy had been there for 5 hours before giving up. The clinic had to handle emergencies first, of course, but it doesn't give me much confidence in this state-funded health care system...
On another note, I believe I have the Norwegian Death Virus (the malignant strain, not the benign). I don't have a doctor, so I just went to urgent care. I spent 2 hours there before giving up and heading home to write my will. Another guy had been there for 5 hours before giving up. The clinic had to handle emergencies first, of course, but it doesn't give me much confidence in this state-funded health care system...
Saturday, April 19, 2008
congenial
For some reason, the movie "Miss Congeniality" in Norwegian is called "Miss Undercover". I don't know why. Perhaps there's no word for "congeniality" in Norwegian.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
leftovers
I learned that the concept of the doggie bag is apparently an American invention, and on that hasn't really spread outside the country.
week numbers
I thought this was just something done in my lab, because of a weird payroll/timekeeping system. It's apparently a Norwegian thing, though. Possibly a European one.
I'm talking about the habit of referring to periods of time via the numbers of the given weeks in the year. For example, I received a note from my apartment complex saying that the entrance locks will be changed sometime in the next few weeks. Instead of saying "the next few weeks", though -- or even something like "the last half of April" or "4/22 - 5/10" -- the note said "weeks 17-19". What?
That's how they apparently do it, though. At least sometimes. And I'm not sure whether or not Norwegians actually have the numbers of the weeks of the year memorized, as with months. If I said "week 43", would a Norwegian immediately know that that's in October, or would he have to look it up on the Microsoft Outlook calendar, as I just did?
I'm talking about the habit of referring to periods of time via the numbers of the given weeks in the year. For example, I received a note from my apartment complex saying that the entrance locks will be changed sometime in the next few weeks. Instead of saying "the next few weeks", though -- or even something like "the last half of April" or "4/22 - 5/10" -- the note said "weeks 17-19". What?
That's how they apparently do it, though. At least sometimes. And I'm not sure whether or not Norwegians actually have the numbers of the weeks of the year memorized, as with months. If I said "week 43", would a Norwegian immediately know that that's in October, or would he have to look it up on the Microsoft Outlook calendar, as I just did?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
time
Norwegians have a bizarre method of informing others of the time of day. For one thing, when the big hand is on the 6, Norwegians say that the time is half of whatever time it will be in 30 minutes. So 9:30 would be "half 10", 10:30 would be "half 11", and so on.
That's minor, though. The stranger thing is that whenever the big hand is somewhere on the lower half of the clock, the reference point becomes the 6 rather than the 12. So, 9:30 would be "5 after half 10", 10:20 would be "10 to half 11", 5:33 would be "3 after half 6", and so on. I have no idea how Norwegian civilization advanced with such an unnecessarily complicated and long method of expressing time.
Moreover, they don't have an a.m./p.m. to express morning and night. Sure, they use the 24-hour clock sometimes, but that's a relatively recent adoption. Before that, I'm assuming they had to add "in the morning" or "in the evening" or some such to every expression of time.
That's minor, though. The stranger thing is that whenever the big hand is somewhere on the lower half of the clock, the reference point becomes the 6 rather than the 12. So, 9:30 would be "5 after half 10", 10:20 would be "10 to half 11", 5:33 would be "3 after half 6", and so on. I have no idea how Norwegian civilization advanced with such an unnecessarily complicated and long method of expressing time.
Moreover, they don't have an a.m./p.m. to express morning and night. Sure, they use the 24-hour clock sometimes, but that's a relatively recent adoption. Before that, I'm assuming they had to add "in the morning" or "in the evening" or some such to every expression of time.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
taxes
I heard from a couple of people very recently that foreigners working in Norway are eligible for a tax rate of only 10% for their first two years in the country. So, I called the Oslo tax office and asked about it. The tax person asked me for my Norwegian personal number (like an SSN), said that I'm indeed eligible for it, did some quick typing, and said that I'll be sent a new tax card in the mail. All I have to do then is give that card to my employer.
That's it. That's all it took. Less than 5 minutes. If I were a foreigner trying to do something like this in the States, the amount of red tape that I'd have to go through would be immense by comparison. I mean, even trying to prove that you're a state resident in order to get in-state tuition can be a nightmare. I'm still in shock.
So now, rather than having to give upwards of 40% of my check to the gov'ment each month, I have to give only 10%. It's tempting me to stay here for two whole years so that I can abuse the system.
That's it. That's all it took. Less than 5 minutes. If I were a foreigner trying to do something like this in the States, the amount of red tape that I'd have to go through would be immense by comparison. I mean, even trying to prove that you're a state resident in order to get in-state tuition can be a nightmare. I'm still in shock.
So now, rather than having to give upwards of 40% of my check to the gov'ment each month, I have to give only 10%. It's tempting me to stay here for two whole years so that I can abuse the system.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
language and food
Norwegians eat 4 meals a day, traditionally. Only one of them is a hot meal, and that's dinner. Lunch is generlly the simplest meal, with many Norwegians bringing from home a "matpakke", whose literal translation is "food pack".
A matpakke consists of maybe three slices of bread (cut fresh from the loaf that morning) layered on top of each other, with perhaps cheese or meat on each slice. The set of slices are wrapped in something that's a mix between butcher's paper and wax paper. To eat it, you unwrap the paper, peel off a slice, spread some substance on it from a tube (see my earlier post about tubed substances), and enjoy. At lunchtime, maybe half the people in the cafeteria have a matpakke bundle.
Interestingly, the matpakkes are generally made by the wives before the husband goes to work.
On another note, I mentioned in an earlier post something about a tubed substance that had a picture of a baby on it. It turns out that substance is pate'. I'm not sure what's up with the baby, but it might be a brand icon.
Finally, the Norwegian language has the most logical naming scheme for members of a family that I've encountered.
Anyway, it's a very efficient scheme for indicating both a family member's place in the hierarchy, and which side of the family that member comes from.
A matpakke consists of maybe three slices of bread (cut fresh from the loaf that morning) layered on top of each other, with perhaps cheese or meat on each slice. The set of slices are wrapped in something that's a mix between butcher's paper and wax paper. To eat it, you unwrap the paper, peel off a slice, spread some substance on it from a tube (see my earlier post about tubed substances), and enjoy. At lunchtime, maybe half the people in the cafeteria have a matpakke bundle.
Interestingly, the matpakkes are generally made by the wives before the husband goes to work.
On another note, I mentioned in an earlier post something about a tubed substance that had a picture of a baby on it. It turns out that substance is pate'. I'm not sure what's up with the baby, but it might be a brand icon.
Finally, the Norwegian language has the most logical naming scheme for members of a family that I've encountered.
father = "far"
mother = "mor"
father's father = "farfar"
father's mother = "farmor"
mother's father = "morfar"
mother's mother = "mormor"
brother = "bror"
sister = "sostre"
father's brother = "farebror"
father's sister = "forester"
mother's brother = "morebror"
mother's sister = "morster"
son = "sonn"
daughter = "datter"
son's son = "sonnesonn"
son's daughter / daughter's daughter / daughter's son = not sure, but it probably follows the same scheme...
Anyway, it's a very efficient scheme for indicating both a family member's place in the hierarchy, and which side of the family that member comes from.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
trivia
1) Out here, "Chicken Little" is called "Lille Kylling" (pronounced "lilla shilling"), which means "Little Chicken". It totally destroys the nuances of Chicken Little's name. I'm not sure why the Norwegians couldn't have put the noun before the adjective, because that makes just as much sense in Norwegian as it does in English.
2) I've seen a few Norwegians now put sliced hard-boiled eggs on a thick slice of bread for lunch. I haven't tried it yet, but it's not a bad idea.
3) What IS a bad idea is something I encountered in Trondheim. There, a giant Czech loaded up a piece of bread with a pile of tiny shrimp. I imagine that if you like shrimp, it probably tastes fine, but it looks unsightly. This same Czech put ketchup on his pasta.
2) I've seen a few Norwegians now put sliced hard-boiled eggs on a thick slice of bread for lunch. I haven't tried it yet, but it's not a bad idea.
3) What IS a bad idea is something I encountered in Trondheim. There, a giant Czech loaded up a piece of bread with a pile of tiny shrimp. I imagine that if you like shrimp, it probably tastes fine, but it looks unsightly. This same Czech put ketchup on his pasta.
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