In north Africa families of two are the norm.

ECONOMIST: Africa��s population

This no-haggling norm serves two important functions.

FORBES: Haggling, Social Norms, and Economic Efficiency

Two income families are becoming the norm, and parental responsibilities are increasingly shuffled over to schools or day-care centres.

ECONOMIST: The 20th century

Hard to envision the Yankees going to five years as the norm is one or two years for 36-year old shortstops.

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Across the region average temperatures have been around two degrees higher than the seasonal norm, with temperatures in Austria reaching 18 degrees Celsius -- nearly 20 degrees higher than the monthly average.

CNN: Alpine resorts feel the heat

The biggest issue the industry faces is liquidity where a 10-year lockup with two 1-year extensions is the norm.

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The 56 lots took well over two hours to sell, more than twice the expected norm.

ECONOMIST: Damien Hirst

Foschi tested positive for steroids after a meet last year, but she avoided the two-year ban from competition that is the international norm.

CNN: Double Standard

These are two of the most extreme cases, but they are far from the norm.

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While 15-hour days in the kitchen are no longer the norm, Cheng still works a heavy schedule, dropping in on two of his restaurants every day to make sure things are going smoothly.

FORBES: Restaurant Mogul Tony Cheng's Hong Kong: Table By Table