Fri Jan 21,12:51 PM ET
OSLO, Norway - President Bush (news - web sites)'s "Hook 'em, 'horns"
salute got lost in translation in Norway, where shocked people interpreted
his hand gesture during his inauguration as a salute to Satan.
That's what it means in the Nordics when you throw up the right hand with
the index and pinky fingers raised, a gesture popular among heavy metal
groups and their fans in the region.
"Shock greeting from Bush daughter," a headline in the Norwegian Internet
newspaper Nettavisen said above a photograph of Bush's daughter Jenna,
smiling and showing the sign.
For Texans, the gesture is a sign of love for the University of Texas
Longhorns, whose fans are known to shout out "Hook 'em, 'horns!" at
sporting events.
Bush, a former Texas governor, and his family made the sign to greet the
Longhorn marching band as it passed during the inaugural parade through
Washington during Thursday's festivities, explained Verdens Gang, Norway's
largest newspaper.