🔊 Why the IRS Just ❇️ Got Even SCARIER... ❇️

Is the IRS About to Come After Americans? [LOGO OST]( At times, our affiliate partners reach out to the Editors at Open Source Trades with special opportunities for our readers. The message below is one we think you should take a close, serious look at.   Connecting Norway's stylish capital with its most picturesque city, the 496km, 39-station Oslo-Bergen railway is one of the world's most beautiful train journeys. O On a chilly November morning in Oslo, I boarded a train bound for Bergen. I've been exploring Norway for more than a decade, returning at least a dozen times since my wide-eyed first trip. I have been to the northernmost point on the Norwegian mainland (Knivskjelodden) and to its southernmost tip (Lindesnes Fyr, where my sunglasses blew clean off my head and out to sea in a gale). I have seen whales and walrus. I have hiked across glaciers in Svalbard and stood beneath the country's only palm tree in Kristiansand. And I have watched the northern lights in winter and partied beneath the midnight sun in summer. But for reasons passing all understanding, I had never before travelled the Oslo-Bergen railway. The more I thought about it, the stranger this seemed. This is, after all, ranked regularly among the world's most beautiful train journeys. It was time – even long overdue. I had done my research. I knew, for example, that on a short November day, only one of the five daily departure times, 08:25, would ensure that I made the entire six-and-a-half-hour, 496km journey during daylight hours. I knew enough also to book a window seat on the left side of the train (on the right if travelling from Bergen) to get the best views. And when the train pulled away from the platform, I felt suddenly that, without realising it until now, I had been waiting for this moment for a very long time. The Oslo-Bergen line passes through some of Norway's most captivating landscapes (Credit: M.Omair/Getty Images) The Oslo-Bergen line passes through some of Norway's most captivating landscapes (Credit: M.Omair/Getty Images) At first, there was nothing to suggest the drama that lay up ahead. As the train sped away from the city centre, there were fleeting glimpses: of the pleasure craft of Oslofjord; of elegant wooden homes climbing hillsides; of signs to Bygdøy where museums told epic stories of exploration and the Viking past. Gathering speed out past Asker and Sandvika, the train then crossed the fjord and hurried past the burgeoning commuter city of Drammen, its hills colonised by urban sprawl of the prettiest kind. Not far west of Drammen, the track turned for the north. So expertly has this track been engineered that the change in direction barely registered. One minute we were travelling west, the next we were bound for the north and it was left to the landscape itself to announce the change: all of a sudden, the hills were higher, and pristine alpine meadows and pine-clad foothills scaled deep valleys studded with small villages and lone farmhouses clinging to precipices. Change came gradually. The slowing train hinted at subtle gains in altitude. We entered a valley down by the shore of a pretty fjord. When we left, it was across a pass high above the valley floor; looking back to where we began, it all looked so terribly far down below. The route crosses the inhospitable Hardangervidda plateau, which soars more than 1km above sea level (Credit: Stockstudiox/Getty Images) The route crosses the inhospitable Hardangervidda plateau, which soars more than 1km above sea level (Credit: Stockstudiox/Getty Images) And then, without clear warning, we emerged from a tunnel and into the high snows of Hardangervidda, a vast mountain plateau. I love watching people's faces when they travel this route for the first time "I love watching people's faces when they travel this route for the first time," Jørgen Johansen told me. Johansen has worked the line for Norway's rail authorities for more than three decades. "I never get tired of the view, but it's the look of wonder on people's faces that I enjoy the most." With the train now atop Europe's largest high plateau – Hardangervidda covers nearly 6,500 sq km, with an average elevation of more than 1km above sea level – the journey became something different altogether. For the first time, it rang true that this was both northern Europe's highest mainline railway and a marvel of engineering. One of the oldest geological formations on the continent's north, Hardangervidda and its valleys and contours were shaped over millennia by glaciers gouging down off the icy wastes towards the sea. And yet, what took thousands of years under the weight of ice and the inexorable march of time, Norway's rail and road builders accomplished in decades. The 6.5-hour, 496km journey is renowned as a marvel of engineering (Credit: MariusLtu/Getty Images) The 6.5-hour, 496km journey is renowned as a marvel of engineering (Credit: MariusLtu/Getty Images) When the Bergensbanen (the Bergen Line), as it's now sometimes called, was first surveyed in 1872, Norway was an impoverished outpost of a more prosperous Europe; the discovery of oil that would transform the country was still nearly a century away. At the time, there was much debate about where the money would come from, and there were many false starts; at the time, the export of sardines and herrings kept Norway's national budget afloat, with not a lot left over for infrastructure projects on this scale. Work nonetheless began on the line in 1875. By 1909, it was finished, its 39 stations (some of which are for local trains only – the inter-city service stops at 21) connected by a serpentine path across some of the most challenging landscapes you can imagine. Hardangervidda is notoriously inhospitable, its capricious changes in weather just one challenge among many that faced the builders of the line. To make the railway work, to find the most direct route possible, they built 180 tunnels – one tunnel for every 2.75km of track. "The Oslo-Bergen Railways tells a very Norwegian story," Lisbeth Nielsen, a Norwegian transport historian told me later in Bergen. "There's always something in the way when it comes to getting around Norway. If we let mountains or fjords stop us, we'd never go anywhere. So, they built tunnels and roads and railway lines that seem impossible to everyone else. It's part of what makes us Norwegian." Finse is the highest station along the line, at 1,222m above sea level (Credit: Issaurinko/Getty Images) Finse is the highest station along the line, at 1,222m above sea level (Credit: Issaurinko/Getty Images) By the time we got to the ski town of Geilo, altitude 794m and the journey's midpoint, the world through which we travelled bore no resemblance to what went before it. Deep snow drowned the landscape and cross-country skiers left the train and skied out off the platform and over the hills. High above Ustaoset (990m) and its ice-bound lake fringed with country cabins, a reindeer's antlers stood silhouetted against the piercing blue sky; Norway's biggest herd of wild reindeer, 10,000-strong, still roams free across Hardangervidda. At Finse – the highest station along the line, at 1,222m above sea level – a group of hikers in heavy winter gear boarded the train, ice still clinging to beards and boots. This is my favourite part of the journey. Everything is drama, and up here on Hardangervidda is where the carriages always fall silent "This is my favourite part of the journey," said Johansen. "Everything is drama, and up here on Hardangervidda is where the carriages always fall silent." He was right: no one spoke, and when the announcer broke the silence to announce our imminent arrival in Myrdal, I was not the only one who flinched at the sudden sound of a human voice. Coming into Bergen is "a fitting end to a remarkable journey" (Credit: Ryhor Bruyeu/Getty Images) Coming into Bergen is "a fitting end to a remarkable journey" (Credit: Ryhor Bruyeu/Getty Images) At Myrdal Station (867m), a train waited on a branch line that is one of the steepest railway lines on Earth. From Myrdal to FlÃ¥m, down by the banks of Aurlandsfjord, an inner arm of Sognefjord, the track twists and dives down through 20 tunnels, losing 866m in altitude in just 20km, falling at a gradient of 1:18. There was, it seemed, nowhere that a Norwegian train couldn't travel. If the climb to Hardangervidda had seemed gradual, the descent to the town of Voss happened far too quickly. The snow thinned. The earth became green. And rivers, lakes and then fjords were clear and blue. Here was yet another Norway, one where the track hugged one fjord after another. As it had since we had left Oslo hours earlier, the track both conquered the challenging topography and surrendered to it. There was no more pleasurable hour to be had in the entire journey than this final fjord-side meander. And then, Bergen. The train wove between the seven hills and seven fjords of this graceful city. Whitewashed wooden buildings climbed the hillsides above the city centre and autumn leaves gave the city a golden cast all the way into the stately, muralled train station. It was a fitting end to a remarkable journey, and, in the excitement of arrival, I felt as if I had just seen Norway for the very first time. Are the Dems using the IRS as a weapon? Biden and his team just gave the IRS a whopping $80 billion more in funding... So they can squeeze every last dollar out of taxpayers like you and me. They also gave them the green light to hire 87,000 more agents... Which will DOUBLE the number of agents they have on the street. Why are they doing this to America? The Ocean line is often seen as a budget-conscious way to travel between Nova Scotia and Quebec. But for those in the know, it offers a nod to the luxurious train travel of yesteryear. T Travelling while lying comfortably in bed isn't easily achievable in concept, but it's one of my favourite ways to traverse the globe. Who doesn't love being able to put their feet up and enjoy a glass of wine all while making headway towards their next destination? The moment I realised I could experience everything I love about business-class flights for a fraction of the price – and travel more sustainably in the process – I was converted to train travel for life. The VIA Rail Montreal to Halifax train (the Ocean line) is the oldest continuously operating passenger train in North America, having transported people between Halifax and Montreal for more than 100 years. While the Ocean isn't the opulent Orient Express or Rocky Mountaineer, it's almost a metaphor for Nova Scotia – scrappy but comfortable. Compared to flying, the overnight route is often considered a budget-conscious way to travel the 1,300km between Nova Scotia and Quebec; but for those in the know, booking one of the relatively affordable luxury sleeper cabins (a sleeper cabin is only about C$700) offers a nod to the luxurious train travel of yesteryear. The onboard chefs create dishes that pay homage to the local Acadian culture, while attendants scurry from cabin to cabin, ensuring everyone is comfortable and has enough refreshments to last the 24-hour journey. The lack of reliable WiFi or cellular service for most of the trip allows you to focus on the endless Canadian landscape. And there is even a full-sized shower on board for sleeper-cabin passengers: something usually only offered on multi-thousand-dollar business-class flights. The train passes through the New Brunswick countryside on its route between Halifax and Montreal (Credit: Joshua Davenport/Alamy) The train passes through the New Brunswick countryside on its route between Halifax and Montreal (Credit: Joshua Davenport/Alamy) Checking into my cabin on a recent trip across Atlantic Canada, I was struck by the cosiness of it all. Private cabin passengers board the train first, so I had the chance to settle into the roomy sleeper before the train chugged into motion. I climbed the two steps into my room and felt a smile spread across my face: my solo traveller suite was only about twice the size of a standard airplane business-class pod, but the massive window spanning the length of the cabin, combined with a sliding, lockable door, made me feel like I was traversing Canada from the comfort and security of a hotel room. Sleeper cabins The spacious Sleeper Plus accommodations are available in single occupancy rooms or slightly more roomy double rooms; each cabin features a private bathroom area and comfortable cloth-backed seating that converts into comfortable twin beds. The Ocean, which was opened on 3 July 1904 by the Intercolonial Railway of Canada (IRC) was originally intended to serve as a supplemental line to the now-defunct Maritime Express railway service as a summer-only limited-stop service. Still, it quickly became obvious, as immigration from Britain and Northern Europe increased, that the route between Atlantic Canada and Quebec would turn out to be vital for passengers looking for a quick and modern way to connect to the Canadian Pacific Railway and Grand Trunk Railway lines further into the west. Soon, the Ocean was running into the winter (and throughout the rest of the year), providing the easiest form of transportation for eastern Canadians embarking on winter-time activities in Alberta and British Columbia. Incredibly, the passenger line has continued running regular service since its inception, seeing the country through the 1918 influenza pandemic and serving as a key transport during World War One and Two, moving vital services and gear from central Canada to the Port of Halifax. Today, the train still follows the original IRC route, chugging through two time zones and three provinces. In fact, not much has changed since its inception a century ago, with the contemporary journey retaining much of the original comfort and charm – from the cabin attendant service to the local-focused dining car menu. The Ocean line's dining car is reserved for sleeper cabin passengers (Credit: VIA Rail) The Ocean line's dining car is reserved for sleeper cabin passengers (Credit: VIA Rail) After boarding the train in Halifax, I spent the first few hours of the journey mesmerised by the constantly shifting landscape outside my window. I was born and raised in Nova Scotia, but I never tire of the sights and sounds of the Halifax waterfront and Atlantic Ocean coastline: the subtle taste of sea salt in the air; the way the sun cuts through the permanent overcast; and the slow-bobbing ferries and tugboats. The oceanfront landscape eventually transformed into rows upon rows of Balsam fir, yellow birch and red maple trees as we made our way out of central Nova Scotia and crossed the provincial line into New Brunswick. Eventually, I found myself anxious to explore beyond my cabin, so I made my way to the Ocean line's dining car, which is reserved for sleeper cabin passengers with four different services scheduled for the journey – two at lunchtime and two for dinner. The semi-private dining car made it easy to imagine the history of this 100-year-old train route. With white-linen tablecloths and deep-red, cloth-backed dining chairs juxtaposed against the oversized windows and built-in table lamps, old-world luxury still shone through. It came as a massive upgrade to the pre-packaged takeout window I had experienced as an economy passenger on previous trips. The multi-course dinner menu was inspired by the Acadian connection to the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, with each dish rooted in traditional Maritime fare and designed to look like something you'd find on an average Nova Scotian supper table. I chose from rotating locally focused menu items such as pan-fried haddock with boiled potatoes, minted peas and sweet pepper cream sauce, and clam chowder with crusty bread – all paired with Canadian red and white wine by the glass or bottle. The 24-hour route allows passengers to immerse themselves in the coastal Canadian landscape (Credit: VIA Rail) The 24-hour route allows passengers to immerse themselves in the coastal Canadian landscape (Credit: VIA Rail) The sun set as we travelled through the thick New Brunswick forest during dinner – which made it easier to wind down and get ready for bed since I no longer had access to the oil painting-worthy Canadian landscape out of the window. The sleeper cabin attendants used the dinner service time to turn down each cabin, and when I returned to my room after the meal, I was delighted to see the couch I had left behind transformed into a twin-sized bed complete with fresh sheets, two pillows and a plush hotel-quality blanket. Each sleeper has access to a full-sized shower at the end of the hall and includes an amenity bag equipped with soap, shampoo and a standard hotel-style towel. I was pleasantly surprised by the water pressure and shower temperature; the hot and steamy stream of water was exactly what I needed before changing into my pyjamas and allowing myself to be lulled to sleep by the steady chugging of the train. I woke early to experience the joy of catching the Southern Quebec sunrise from the comfort of bed. I stretched out and savoured my surprisingly tasty drip coffee while marvelling at the way the morning light flicked its way through the thick fir trees alongside the train tracks. The morning segment of the trek took me through the forests and farmland dotted throughout the Quebec countryside and into the suburbs of Quebec City before rolling to a stop at Montreal's Gare Centrale by noon local time. Although the slow burn of a 24-hour train might seem redundant or expendable today, the slower pace of the Ocean line – combined with the unmatched convenience of travelling from downtown Halifax to downtown Montreal without worrying about banalities like airport security or highway traffic – gifted me the chance to fully immerse myself in the coastal Canadian landscape. As I got off the train, I felt grateful for the opportunity to experience the vastness of the region and get a glimpse of the in-between spaces and places that travellers often miss. Because the political hacks that run Washington have racked up a staggering $30 trillion debt... And they want US to pay for it. But that’s just the beginning of this CRAZY tale... 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