The First of May

May 1. is known as a day of International Labour Solidarity. Wikipedia says it like this:

Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. The majority of countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Workers' Day.

In Norway it has been a Public holiday since World War 2. The day itself is worthy of many posts, but that is not what I'm about to cover here.

For many people the day also hold a personal memory. My father was born on 01.05.1915. He was the second youngest of five children on a typical small, West-coast Norwegian farm. My grandfather was also the local teacher. Since my father could not inherit the farm, he became a carpenter and worked as such until the Nazi-invasion in April 1940. He took part in the fight against the invaders and survived. It was a harassing experience, but he seldom talked about it. Later on he had to go "underground" for a long period to avoid being drafted for work for the Nazi-authorities. During this period he survived thanks to his family and his fiancée, my future mother.

Shortly before the end of the war they married, and he later got a job with the Norwegian Railways (NSB) where he worked until he was pensioned off. It can truly be said of him that he belonged to the generation that built this country. In addition he also built with his own hands the cottage seen at the top of the post. It is close to the farm where he himself was born. After his retirement, he and my mother lived there every year from Easter until the end of September. It is also here where my own heart, such as it is, belongs.

He lost his dear wife and he also almost lost his only son. He sat beside my bed when I got a cerebral stroke. I would have spared him that at all cost, but I think he handled it better than I did. He died in 2003, less than a year before my own operation, but he knew there was this hope for me.

Today was his birthday - he would have been 94 years old. This post is made in memory of him.

I still miss him.

Bench of the week (6) on another blog

My post "Bench of the week (6)" is today posted on my blog Visual Norway Extended.

Sturnus Vulgaris in the Sky again

To build a nest is a demanding task for our little winged friends.

PS Please visit Sky Watch Friday's own site for more.

A POTD to Organ Donation!

This time I feel extra humble, but my post on Organ Donation have won another Post of The Day from the well-known Australian journalist and super-blogger David McMahon. Thank you very much indeed, David! I see it as a support for just that principle - Organ Donation

Graffiti en los periódicos 29-4-09

O is for Organ donation in ABC Wednesday

Regular visitors to my blog will know that I had a successful heart transplant five years ago. However that is not the issue of this post - the issue is what made this possible: A donation of an organ by an unknown donor who no longer needed it.

Wikipedia defines Organ donation like this:

Organ donation is the removal of the tissues of the human body from a person who has recently died, or from a living donor, for the purpose of transplanting. Organs and tissues are removed in procedures similar to surgery. People of all ages may be organ and tissue donors.

WHO has the following sentences as one of the major guidelines for organ transplantation:

Cells, tissues and organs may be removed from the bodies of deceased persons for the purpose of
transplantation if:

(a) any consent required by law is obtained, and
(b) there is no reason to believe that the deceased person objected to such removal.

The laws varies from country to country concerning how this is done and how the obvious ethical questions are handled. Concerning the last question, it is worthy of note that all the major religions in the world accept organ donation - it is the ultimate gift. Registers are often used, either with "yes" or "no". In Norway one can in principle use any organ that qualifies medically and ethically, but in practice a known acceptance by the donor or the relatives is required. That is why there are yearly campaigns where people are encouraged to fill out donor cards that they can carry on their person and to inform their relatives and friends about their decision. The second picture is from such a stand in Bergen in 2006. The text on the poster board says it all:

Organ donation - life as a gift.

I owe my life to a donor whose family gave a positive answer to the ultimate question when no hope of continued life was left: Do you wish that the organs of your relative shall save the life of somebody else? They did so, and I will be eternally grateful.


Today's post is an entry in the fourth round of ABC Wednesday, the meme initiated by Denise Nesbitt.

For more, you can log on via a Mr Linky enabled site

Scandinavia 2008-2009

Scandinavia.2008-2009.DVDRip.XviD-PryL

Scandinavian trains & bombing
2009 - DVDRip - XviD - 715 mb - PryL release
Download (Torrent)
(click on 1 Rar file to extract video - extraer solo un Rar y tendras el video)

An Odd Shot Lesson

Or how to ruin a perfectly good photographic subject.

Please visit Katney's Kaboodle for more about Odd Shots!

Daffodils in Today's Flowers

For once, the flowers are our own!

PS The Today's flowers meme was founded by LUIZ SANTILLI JR. . Please visit and enjoy.

Monochrome Maniacs in a tunnel

Fløibanen, a funicular cable car, is approaching...

This Monochrome concept came from Aileni at The Monochrome Maniacs

Bench(es) of the week (5)

This week's benches are not from out of doors. Rather, I stumbled over this trio in one of the shopping centres in Bergen Thursday. All the vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines, in combination with the hard sunlight through the window caught my attention. Together with the curves of and in the seats they brought me into "photographic mode" and I grabbed my trusty Panasonic that is always hanging in my belt. I hope I have managed to convey some of the futuristic feeling it gave me.

I have not made this into a meme, but if anyone else would like to join me in publishing benches on Fridays, they are of course welcome to do so. Give me a hint and I'll come visiting.

Flight watching in Sky Watch

Natural made flight at 11:14:54

Human made flight at 11:15:29

PS Please visit Sky Watch Friday's own site for more.

Weed or what?

They start out like this...

- and continue like this.

Many people consider them a pest and a weed. I look upon them as beautiful representatives of spring.

N is for Newgrange in ABC Wednesday

In September 2006 I found myself in Dublin; Ireland. I had two things on the agenda: Attend a conference and visit Newgrange. And if you don't know what Newgrange is; here is Wikipedia for you:

Newgrange (Irish: Dún Fhearghusa) is one of the passage tombs of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Meath, one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world and the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites. Newgrange was built in such a way that at dawn on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, a narrow beam of sunlight for a very short time illuminates the floor of the chamber at the end of the long passageway.

And if you want more, this is from Newgrange.com:

Newgrange was constructed over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.), making it older than Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Newgrange was built during the Neolithic or New Stone Age by a farming community that prospered on the rich lands of the Boyne Valley.

You cannot visit this landmark on your own, you'll have to attend small guided tours which starts at the visitor centre Brú na Bóinne .

After a short tour in a mini-bus, you'll see this dazzling, white, grey and green structure on top of a small hill as you enter by a side road - Newgrange.

Here it is seen from the front with the main entrance to the passage that leads to the centre of the mound, the roof box and the entrance stone.

A bit closer up and you'll see the special tri-spiral design on the entrance stone. This is also found inside the passage and may be the most famous Irish symbol of all. In addition you can better see the upper opening, the so-called roof-box where:

The passage and chamber of Newgrange are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn on the Winter Solstice and for a few mornings either side of the Winter Solstice (from http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm).

We were allowed to enter the chamber, but not to take photographs. Since it was not December we could not experience "the real thing", but we were treated to an electronic re-re-enactment. For the real thing, look here.

Another thing you'll notice is a number of large standing stones - 12 of them. They are the last of probably 35.

If I have ever felt the centuries looking down on me, I did so when I stood at the centre of that mound.

Go!


Today's post is an entry in the fourth round of ABC Wednesday, the meme initiated by Denise Nesbitt.

For more, you can log on via a Mr Linky enabled site

My slender friend won a POTD!

I must be careful not to take off, but helped by my slender friend in the post below, we have won another Post of the day from the well-known Australian journalist and super-blogger David McMahon. Thank you very much indeed, David!

Thank you once more David - I hope your autumn down under will be like our spring!

A slender Odd Shot

This slimming and exercising fad has gone too far, but at least she/he has kept the helmet on and the shoes are in order.

Please visit Katney's Kaboodle for more about Odd Shots!

Outlaws #1 (France 2005)

Outlaws.#1.France.Winter.2005.Graffiti.eBook-ToXiK

Bombing, trains and walls from France and all over.
Kles interview, C4 crew, Poch and more...
Color - 44 pages - 73 mb - PDF - ToXiK release
Download (RS)

More fog on Monochrome Maniacs

Go slow! ("Sakte fart")

This Monochrome concept came from Aileni at Monochrome Maniacs

Usual Suspect 2 - official trailer

New graffiti movie from Brno - Czech republic

Day in the Lyfe The Movie Trailer

Day in the Lyfe Magazine

Bench of the week (4)...

Some of you may wonder why I have named this Bench of the week (4) when last week was number 2. The answer is simple: I got such a compliment from Anna-Lys in the comments, which in addition led to her own Bench of the week (3) that I couldn't with any respect use that name! So No. 4 it is.

My own growing interest in benches stems from the site published by PERBS and Kerri and the site published by Malyss. Also, many others have shown an interest in the subject, so I have started to take photos of benches when I "stumble" across one.

The present bench is also from the Arboretum and Botanical Garden here in Bergen. In this case they have combined "ready-made" wooden seats with not-so ready-made stones in an area which is more paved and elaborately laid out.

I have not made this into a meme, but if anyone else would like to join me in publishing benches on Fridays, they are of course welcome to do so. Give me a hint and I'll come visiting.

Sturnus vulgaris Watches the Sky

"Nice weather today - I might find something for this new nest!"

"If that photographer could just leave!"

"Oh, drat him - here goes!!"

"Made it!"

PS Please visit Sky Watch Friday's own site for more.

70k (Australia 2006)

70k.2006.DVDRip.XviD-AEROHOLiCS
Melbourne trains and bombing featuring 70k crew.
DVDRip - XviD - 2006 - English - 350 mb - Aeroholics release
Torrent

The Best Of Graffiti TV Volumes 1, 2 & 3 [2005]

The.Best.of.Graffiti.TV.Volumes.1.2.3.2005.DVDRip.XviD-AEROHOLiCS

NYC & USA bombing, piecing, and breaking from the 90's.
DVD Rip - English - 696 mb - XviD - 2005 - Aeroholics release
Torrent - GTV Website

COMENDO TINTA - Trailer (Brazil 2009)

Video of the graf scene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Norway is at war...

And the aggressor is this little slug called the Spanish slug (or in Norwegian - brunsnegl). According to Wikipedia:

The Spanish slug, more commonly known in English-speaking countries under its Latin name, Arion lusitanicus, is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Arionidae, the roundback slugs.

This is a highly invasive slug species. It is often considered a pest, not only in areas where it has been accidentally introduced, but even in places where it is indigenous.

I found the specimen depicted here yesterday in a garden in the neighbourhood. During the later years it has been a popular pastime among the garden owners in Norway to chase these slugs, as they apparently eat many varieties of flowers and bushes. There also seem to be a contest among the gardeners about who can kill the most. "Today I took 345" you can hear from one. "That is nothing - I caught 467" says his neighbour satisfied. It reminds me of both P.G. Wodehouse and Monty Python; at the same time.

I am safe - they don't eat moss.