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Norway also has normal work weeks and they are evaluted as being happier than people in the US. Most people in Europe (i.e. UK, Norway) have far more vacation weeks than us (and use them) and they live quite well on average.

... Norway exports 90 per cent of its entire oil production. Today Norway sits on approximately half of the remaining reserves of oil and gas in Europe. It covers 10 per cent of Europe's gas consumption and within a few years will increase gas exports dramatically and account for 30 per cent of European gas imports.

Interesting. I followed the links to the govt web site, with a large number of hearing documents. In the response from Microsoft, this caught my eye: Det bør derfor stilles krav til åpen og vederlagsfri dokumentasjon og lisensiering av leverandørenes formater for presentasjon av XML. "Therefore, open and unremunerated documentation and licensing of the vendors' formats for the presentation of XML should be mandated". Puzzling. Perhaps it boils down to what the meaning of "open" is, we already know that MA and MS disagree on this point. Oh well. I guess they were just in a hurry, After all, such a glaring typo as dating the document in 2001 slipped through.

"How about pointing to some proof of this?"

You are required to understand a gibberish language called Norwegian to understand these links. If you do, however, you will find absolute proof that it is in fact not legal to allow anyone to use a cell-phone network without having a record of their real name and address in Norway.

http://odin.dep.no/sd/norsk/dok/regpubl/stmeld/028 001-040008/hov005-bn.html
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/nett/article9078 03.ece
http://www.jus.no/?id=21324
http://amobil.no/art.php?artikkelid=17260

That is correct, however Norway is a member of EØS, think of it as a quasi-EU for those who didn't want to join EU but still wants a part of the fun. Basically most of what applies to EU countries applies to EØS countries as well. But not everything. For the interested norwegian, Odin provides a good read on this.

Absolute right to free speach? Jupp, got that, it's in the norwegian constitution (and has been there since it was written.. no need for an anmendment ;), ref 100). I'm not quite sure what you mean by the next, but if you mean you got the right to disagree... sure - as long as you don't attempt to take their right to speak free away. We do 'give more' to the state compared to the US in taxes and whatnot, but then we get much more back (free national healthcare, free pension for the retired, free schools and all that... stuff we think that the state should provide and a lot of americans I've talked to think the state should keep away from). It's hard to talk about "how federal" the goverment is, as well as "balance of controll" between national and local goverment, seeing as how we're not a federation in the way the US are.. we're a "free, independent, indivisible and inalienable Realm." (ref 1 in the 'wegian constitution, as found here).

Yes, we still have a state church, and it works for us. Thats not the same as to say membership is forced onto you thought... and if you decide to join another church or religion, that church / religious society gets the same part of your taxes as the statecurch would get if you been a member there. It's all audited y'know, which is why a handfull of muslim religious societyes found themself in big shit after 'massaging' the membershipnumbers... had to pay back a heap of ill gotten cash ;).

I'm not saying we're better than the US... there are a lot of things here I would like to change, but overall I feel I'm more free here. For instance, take the relativly uniqe consept of "allmannaretten" - "all mens right" - which allows me to travel whereever I would like, as long as I a) don't step on plowed land, b) closes gates and wickets, c)don't chop down living trees and d) camp at least 500' away from houses. If I want to pick berries, they are free for the taking. Collect dry wood of the ground to make a campfire? Go right ahead. Swim in the lake? Well, maybe not so smart if you're in the nude, but don a set of swimtrunks and go right ahead. Next, try the same in the US and see how long it takes before the landowner wants a word with you ;).

English-readers can find Wage Statistics on Norwegian government officials here, where you would find the Average Ministry Salary in 2002 was 30,200 Kroner, or about $4,260. There is a footnote, however, indicating that costs of health services are not included.

Interestingly enough, I ran across this through Google: "I do not think any job is worth 10 times a prime minister's salary," said Minister of Finance Gudmund Restad (Centre) when asked about Tormod Hermansen's NOK 7 million salary.", where one could infer that the prime minister's salary is ~700,000 NOK, or $102,734 on 5/20/2003, the day of this report. By comparison, Pres Bush's salary is $400,000 (raised from $200,000 by Pres Clinton in 1999, the first raise since 1969).

Personally, the salary levels in USA's government are outrageous, given the rate of increase (or lack thereof) of the common person's salary. My personal political beliefs align with the Republican party, who used to represent reduction of government... and recent budget bloat really concerns me... And you are correct, our cultures are vastly different. I for one, do not understand how you can have a political party called the "Christian People's Party" who can expect to remain neutral on affairs of church & state. It's also discouraging to me that the average Norwegian citizen cannot differetiate between the concepts of capitalism and greed; there is quite a difference between valuing and rewarding the risks and contributions of individuals, versus rewarding administrators at obscene rates for playing numbers games and bending rules for personal gain.

No, Switzerland is a member of EFTA, the European Free Trade Association. Switzerland is also the only member of EFTA that is not a party to the EEA (European Economic Area), which it is usually called, not EEC. EEC stands for European Economic Community, which is now EC, the European Community. (The name was altered by the Maastricht treaty establishing the European Union.)

The EFTA members which are parties to the EEA are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Sweden, Finland and Austria were previoulsy members of EFTA before joining the EU in 1995.

The Norwegian "green paper" on the implementation of the EUCD/Infosoc is available online, as a PDF file, but it is in Norwegian. This is just draft-draft legislation, asking for the opinion of various affected parties (a "hearing"). The final draft has yet to been issued. Norway has not yet implemeneted the EUCD in its copyright act.

The decision-making process leading up to the passing of the directive 2001/29/EC (EUCD) can be found at PreLex.

The status of the passing of the EUCD in various nations can be tracked.

An appeal to the Supreme Court is possible on legal grounds (i.e. wrongful interpretation of the penal code) and faulty legal proceedings, however, the acquital stands unless the case is remanded and a whole new trial takes place.

No, Switzerland is a member of EFTA, the European Free Trade Association. Switzerland is also the only member of EFTA that is not a party to the EEA (European Economic Area), which it is usually called, not EEC. EEC stands for European Economic Community, which is now EC, the European Community. (The name was altered by the Maastricht treaty establishing the European Union.)

The EFTA members which are parties to the EEA are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Sweden, Finland and Austria were previoulsy members of EFTA before joining the EU in 1995.

The Norwegian "green paper" on the implementation of the EUCD/Infosoc is available online, as a PDF file, but it is in Norwegian. This is just draft-draft legislation, asking for the opinion of various affected parties (a "hearing"). The final draft has yet to been issued. Norway has not yet implemeneted the EUCD in its copyright act.

The decision-making process leading up to the passing of the directive 2001/29/EC (EUCD) can be found at PreLex.

The status of the passing of the EUCD in various nations can be tracked.

An appeal to the Supreme Court is possible on legal grounds (i.e. wrongful interpretation of the penal code) and faulty legal proceedings, however, the acquital stands unless the case is remanded and a whole new trial takes place.

Norwegian courts and the administration of justice

The IWC has banned all whaling. But Norway uses its right to set national limits. These limits follow the rules set by IWC.

Propaganda from .no gov

[provoce]And, well, Norway has been an good guy in the class; eg we (!) and switzerland was responsible for putting Environmental Concerns above Free Trade concerns in the recent Johannesburg meetings. Guess what countries objected?[/provoce]

"How expensive was it to develop, and what costs were associated with the deployment and maintaintenance?"

Income tax in Norway ranges up to 55%

The Norwegian Constitution in Article 97 clearly states that no law can have retroactive effects.

Here is an english translation of the Constitution.

It may be worth noting that Norway recently set up a rather large fund for an international mathematics prize, in memory of mathematician Niels Henrik Abel. Information here.

The AMRAAM is a highly effective missile, and in its surface-to-air configuration it is known as "NASAMS". It will come as quite a shock to the Norwegian Air Force that their SAMs do not exist. References here, here, and here. Thank you, drive through.

Norwegian trade-law ("angrefristloven") grants you the right to return your bought product (does not apply to services), no questions asked, within 10 days of purchases outside the store (yes, Internet included). If you haven't got an obligatory return-form, the period may be extended to 3 months until you do get it. I can imagine this applies to AO as well, but people aren't aware of this fact. For some reason people have been scared away from asserting their legal rights when it comes down to software. As if you are some kind of pirate if you return software. Don't be a fool, you're only supporting crappy software by being apathetic with your money.

Here's a norwegian link on the law.

- Steeltoe

http://odin.dep.no/ud/nornytt/uda-121.ht ml - Norweigan Constitution.

Article 100 There shall be liberty of the Press. No person may be punished for any writing, whatever its contents, which he has caused to be printed or published, unless he wilfully and manifestly has either himself shown or incited others to disobedience to the laws, contempt of religion, morality or the constitutional powers, or resistance to their orders, or has made false and defamatory accusations against anyone. Everyone shall be free to speak his mind frankly on the administration of the State and on any other subject whatsoever. Article 101 New and permanent privileges implying restrictions on the freedom of trade and industry must not in future be granted to anyone. Article 102 Search of private homes shall not be made except in criminal cases.