The Copenhagen Post, January 27 - February 23

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DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH CPHPOST.DK VOL 20 ISSUE 02 27 January - 23 February 2017

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NEWS Architect wants to fill in ‘The Hole’ in capital’s image

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NEWS

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Driven to the limit War on motorists: injustices piling up on the roads

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4-5 Permanent residence rules to be tightened again

WORK Denmark can challenge Silicon Valley, says IT guru

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Governments wants regularly employed, law-abiding applicants who have been here at least eight years

COMMUNITY

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

Goodbye Mr Gifford!

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Popular US ambassador leaves ahead of Trump inauguration

14 PRINT VERSION ISSN: ONLINE VERSION ISSN:

2446-0184 2446-0192

9 771398 100009

ESS THAN a year after Parliament passed more stringent rules regarding permanent residence, the government has proposed applying even tougher legislation to the area.

It wants to increase the number of years that applicants must have spent in Denmark from six to eight.

And it wants applicants to have worked full-time for 3.5 of the last four years – up from 2.5 of the last three.

Barring more ex-prisoners THE NEW law would also mean applicants would not be permitted to have received social assistance for the past four years (instead of the current three).

And those with prison convictions of six months or more would not be eligible, instead of the current one year or more.

Furthermore, there would be a six-year waiting period for applicants who have received a suspended prison sentence.

Unintended impact AAGE KRAMP, the head of law firm ImLaw (imlaw.dk), said that many underserving people would be affected, such as au-pairs who did not inform the authorities they had a child in their home nation, or anyone

who has remarried before divorcing properly.

According to Kramp, the new law proposal will not be approved completely retroactively – most probably due to the intense protest from the over 1,300 applicants who were impacted.

“This time the law stipulates that you can still apply from today, and until the law is presented for debate in the Danish Parliament. This date is unknown and will probably not be published beforehand,” Kramp told CPH POST. “So apply immediately if you are close to fulfilling the present rules, and seek professional advice (usually 2,000 kroner for a consultation) or application support (usually 10,000 kroner in total) if you are in doubt.”

Two/three Oscar noms DENMARK has received two Oscar nominations – or three if you include Danish-American movie star Viggo Mortensen, who has a second career leading actor nom for ‘Captain Fantastic’. He joins ‘Under sandet’ – Denmark’s fifth for Best Foreign Language Film in seven years – and ‘Silent Nights’ for Best Live Action Short Film. The Oscars are on February 26.

Airbnb 60-day limit?

POLITICIANS in Copenhagen want to limit the amount of time that homeowners can rent out their property via Airbnb to 60 days. City Hall is seeking a deal similar to the one struck by Airbnb with Amsterdam in which listings would simply be removed once they have reached the limit.

SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN OUR NEXT ISSUE - OUT 23 FEBRUARY!

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ABOUT THE LIFE OF DIPLOMATS IN DENMARK The supplement will cover interviews with ambassadors, trade and investment, business and political interest pieces, and so much more. Pick up your copy at libraries, international schools, universities and corporate offices

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ONLINE THIS WEEK Marching together

Nyhavn on cloud nine ALSO AHEAD of Donald Trump’s inauguration, in conjunction with Blue Monday on January 16, CNN decided to cheer up its readers with a list of the 15 happiest places in the world. Given that Denmark is often named the world’s happiest country, it felt obliged to include a Danish spot, settling on Nyhavn because it’s full of restaurants.

Autistic boy assaulted

Armed citizenry corps A MUNICIPAL citizenry corps should be established to assist the police with keeping order on the streets of Copenhagen, propose local Venstre politicians.

The uniformed officers would be able to hand out fines and be armed with pepper sprays and batons. Other parties and police have dismissed the proposal as unworkable.

The front of Central Station gives visitors a bad first impression of the capital, argues architecture firm CHRISTIAN WENANDE

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OCALS know it as ‘The Hole’. Situated in between Central Station and Vesterbrogade, the gaping expanse looking down onto the railway tracks doesn’t exactly enhance the capital’s image as a pinnacle of urban development.

The architecture firm NOBEL Arkitekter has proposed giving the area a facelift that would better utilise the space, fill it with trees and provide more space for activities and cyclists.

But the plans need municipal support.

So like the NY County Courthouse, but without the building

Wide descending steps “IT ANNOYS me having to look down into that pit and see all that mess.,” Erik Nobel, the head of NOBEL Arkitekter, told Metroxpress.

“It’s a waste of space and it’s hardly the nicest thing to set

your eyes on as the first thing you see when you arrive in the city.”

The proposal includes replacing the hole with a square, wide steps descending down to Vesterbrogade, and 2,000 underground bicycle parking spaces.

Obelix under siege HACHETTE Livre, the owner of the worldwide rights to the Asterix comic books, has confirmed to Ekstra Bladet that it intends to take legal action against Café Obelix in Vesterbro for its widespread use of the books’ character names, likenesses and fonts in its menus, facade and branding.

Priciest Nordic city to relocate to Copenhagen ranked 15th most expensive in the world CHRISTIAN WENANDE

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OPENHAGEN is one of the most expensive cities in the world to relocate to, according to the Relocation Price Index published by the online moving platform Movinga.

It costs 9,175 kroner to move here, ranking the Danish capital 15th out of 75 cities and number one in the Nordics. However, it fell well short of Hong Kong’s 27,000 kroner costs.

Costly first month COPENHAGEN also ranked 13th in the ‘first month cost’ category, which comprised four subcategories: average cost of rent of a 35sqm flat, phone

Police catch masturbator A WOMAN at Farum Station on Sunday morning alerted police to a man who had just masturbated in front of her on the train. Officers pulled him off at Hareskov Station and arrested him. It is believed the 28-year-old is responsible for 20 similar cases.

Dispute could delay Metro

You’ll like it here, but it will cost you to find out

set-up, food and drink, and transport.

However, Copenhagen only

ranked in the top 20 in one of the subcategories: average rent, for which it placed 10th.

A 7 BILLION kroner dispute between the Metro Company and lead contractor Copenhagen Metro Team (CMT) has halted the construction of the City Ring at several locations.

It is believed that CMT was originally due 22.2 billion kroner, but now wants a further 7 billion kroner.

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NORTH Zealand Police has released a photo of a suspect it believes may have assaulted a 14-year-old autistic boy late last year. The assault occurred on December 29 on a train heading north on the Kystbane coastal line. Police believe the perpetrator may have vandalised the train beforehand.

Closing the hole in the city’s image

NOBEL ARKITEKTER

SOME 5,000 men and women attended Women’s March Copenhagen on Saturday to show their unity and solidarity with 615 similar events taking place worldwide in support of minorities and other marginalised groups. The marches were timed to take place a day after the inauguration of the new US president, Donald Trump.

27 January - 23 February 2017

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Government makes pledge in bid to defeat Islamic State

Middle East peace bid

Arrests in Iceland

Twin closes restaurant

THE FOREIGN minister, Anders Samuelsen, was among those in Paris at an international conference in mid-January concerning peace in the Middle East. One of the key items on the agenda was finding a way to thaw the frigid peace process that exists between Israel and Palestine – including the possibility of a two-state solution. Israel and Palestine did not participate.

TWO GREENLANDIC fishermen have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 20-year-old Icelandic woman.

Her body was discovered on Sunday by a police helicopter on a beach near Reykjavík after an eight-day search involving 725 volunteers. Police are confident they can prove the victim was in the same car rented by the two men.

JEPPE Jarnit-Bjergsø, the twin brother of Mikkeller founder Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, is closing his New York-based restaurant Luksus to focus on making his Evil Twin brewery a genuine NY brand. Since opening behind the Torst pub in Brooklyn in 2013, Luksus earned many plaudits, becoming the only Michelinstarred eatery in the world to only offer a beer menu.

Still opening doors

Vigilant in the Med

Aligned with UN goals

DANES in 2016 lost the right to visit two countries without a visa, but overall their ranking on Global Passport Power Rank 2017 climbed from ninth equal to fourth equal. The Danish passport enables its holders to visit 156 countries without a visa, just two short of Germany, the index leader. Singapore andSweden shared second place, and Afghanistan finished last with 23.

DENMARK has deployed a Challenger aircraft – initially for 31 days – to help keep an eye on shipping traffic and support rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea. The deployment is part of Operation Triton, which is run by the EU’s border security agency Frontex in the med, consisting of voluntary contributions from 26 other European nations.

A VAST majority in Parliament has agreed to a new development and humanitarian strategy that aligns Denmark’s aid policy with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The development minister, Ulla Tørnes, is pleased with the majority support and contends that the agreement, ‘Strategy: World 2030’, will strengthen Denmark’s global voice.

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Denmark confirms troops on ground CHRISTIAN WENANDE

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HE FOREIGN Policy Committee has approved the government’s plans to insert special forces at the border between Iraq and Syria as part of the ongoing struggle against Islamic State.

The Danes have been training Iraqi forces for the last year, and in December its deployed troops were given the mandate to return fire if fired upon as a measure of defence.

Assad untouchable THE DECISION to send troops on the ground is in line with the government’s priority to defeat IS. The defence minister, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, confirmed as much to DR this week, revealing that deposing Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, is no longer a viable option.

Poised for action

“The aid that Russia provides Assad means he has attained a completely different level of strength,” he said.

Threat from Russia MEANWHILE, Frederiksen has warned that Denmark faces “a serious threat” from both Russian hackers and missiles.

While hackers are targeting hospitals and power grids in Denmark, missiles have now been positioned in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad within range of striking Copenhagen, he told Berlingske.

BJØRN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL The English department of BIS is looking for a highly motivated experienced Secondary School Teacher to work with our enthusiastic students and dedicated staff in our friendly, respectful, learning environment.

BIS is a long established international school with 165 students aged 6-16 from 50 different countries. The school has an English and a Danish Department which work closely together.

To thrive in this engaging environment applicants should: #1 Be creative, innovative and collaborative #2 Have experience of IGCSE/CIE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education/Cambridge International Education)

#3 Be English first language speaker #4 Have experience of teaching English as a first and second language, History and Religious Studies for IGCSE – more subjects are very welcome #5 Have a passion to develop the potential in each child #6 Have proficiency in Danish The teaching position is full-time and starts soon after the interviews are completed. A written application with C.V. and references should be sent electronically before January 25th to: Principal Pia Drabowicz: principal@b-i-s.dk Employment is according to the agreement between the Finance Ministry and LC.

FULL STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DENMARK

BRITAIN AND THE WORLD TODAY WITH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO DENMARK This is our first Lunch of 2017 and is one of our Business Events, which are usually held on Fridays and feature a networking lunch, as well as Danish and British guest speakers on a wide range of topics. Our guest speaker at this lunch will be H.E Dominic Schroeder, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark, on the topic “Britain and the World Today”.

H.E Mr Schroeder was appointed as the British Ambassador to Denmark in August 2016. Previously, he was Ambassador and Head of the United Kingdom’s Delegation to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna.

We start proceedings with a welcome drink before a seated buffet lunch, allowing ample opportunity to network. Our guest speaker will follow after lunch, with time allocated after the presentation for questions.

Programme: 11:45: 12:00: 12:10: 13:15:

Registration and welcome drinks Welcome and introduction by BCCD Buffet lunch and networking Guest speaker, H.E Dominic Schroeder, the British Ambassador to Denmark 13:45: Q & A 14:15: End

Date & Time: Friday, 27 January 2017, 11:45 onwards Venue: Copenhagen Marriott Hotel, Kalvebod Brygge 5, 1560 Copenhagen V Attendance is an integral part of the membership subscription for Corporate and Small Business Members, who have an opportunity to bring guests along.

Non-member businesses are welcome to participate on request to the secretariat.

The cost of one ticket is DKK 500 incl. moms.

Registration: No later than Tuesday 24 January at www.bccd.dk

See further details on www.bccd.dk or e-mail event@bccd.dk Non-members are welcome to learn more about us!

Bjørn´s International School • Gartnerivej 5 • 2100 Copenhagen • www.b-i-s.dk

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27 January - 23 February 2017

Take a SAD diagnosis and make it better Simple lifestyle choices can help us to overcome the winter blues, contend experts

Summer

ANNA ZASKE

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Rarely-seen visitor NEXT MONDAY, the sun will rise at 08:07 and set at 16:40, giving us just eight hours and 33 minutes of daylight – barely a third of a solar day.

Many of us will arrive at work in the dark and travel home in it.

The only sunlight we’ll see will be through our office windows.

This means that the only sunshine we’ll be exposed to will be at the weekend – if we’re extremely lucky as the average amount of sunshine in January in Denmark is one hour and nine minutes a day (December and November are even worse, although in February it will climb to nearly two hours).

Optimum SAD conditions ACCORDING to a recent report published by the British Journal of Psychology, the weather plays a role in our happiness, with warm temperatures and sunshine having “the greatest positive effect on our mood”.

In winter, with the predominance of melatonin, we are therefore vulnerable to all the tiredness and lethargy it brings with it.

“The more sunlight that en-

Spring

4,8% 8,5%

Autumn Winter

28%

58,7%

120

Number of people

HE PRINCIPLE of Yin and Yang dictates that all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites: man and woman, the moon and the sun, Holmes and Moriarty, and Batman and the Joker.

And you can add the hormones melatonin and serotonin to that list. While the former makes us drowsy, the latter controls our mood and energy levels.

Without sunlight we’re unable to produce serotonin and our melatonin levels go into overdrive.

This explains why people living in countries with reduced sunlight during their winters, like Denmark, are significantly more susceptible to feeling tired, lethargic and even depressed.

But don’t worry if you’ve recently moved here and been affected by any of these, as there’s plenty you can do to equalise the lack of sunlight during your winter in Denmark.

Warm

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Snow

80

Rain

60

Cloudy

40 20 0 Weather

For the purpose of this article, we asked 190 people aged 12-70 in Denmark which season made them the saddest, and which weather condition made them feel the most tired

ters the eye through the retina, the less melatonin is developed,” explained psychologist Peter MacFarlane, who likes to describe melatonin as the “drowsy drug” and serotonin as a “neurotransmitter that gives you more energy”.

“There’s an abundance of evidence from around the world that social support, whether from family or friends or church or work, decreases the likelihood of depression and psychological distress” “In contrast, when the sunlight disappears, more melatonin is produced, which makes you feel sluggish throughout the day.

This can have a huge impact on developing depression.”

It is generally believed that a deficit of serotonin is the main cause of Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD), a more severe form of what is commonly referred to as the winter blues.

However, SAD can also occur due to stress and genetic predisposition – particularly if any of your relatives have suffered from depression – and it tends to be two to four times more common among women than men.

In Denmark, 75 percent of those with a diagnosis are female.

In Denmark, a diagnosis tends to be based on the Major Depression Inventory Test, and the severity is determined by the Hamilton 17 Depression scale.

According to official figures, 5 percent of the adult population have a SAD diagnosis.

The key symptoms DR NORMAN E Rosenthal, a world-renowned psychiatrist who has conducted extensive studies into the cause and occurrence of SAD, tells the National Institute of Mental Health in the US that there are a number of symptoms to watch out for.

Sufferers tend to be more prone to excessive eating and a lack of motivation and socialisation. They also sleep an average 150 minutes more in winter than in summer – compared to 102 minutes more among people with the winter blues and 42 minutes among the general population.

Numerous studies suggest the prevalence of SAD increases according to the distance that somebody lives from the equator.

The general rule of thumb in the medical profession is that “a change in latitude brings a

change in attitude”.

Rosenthal and his colleagues found that SAD only affected 1.5 percent of the population in Florida, compared to 10 percent in New Hampshire, some 15.5 degrees latitude further north.

Overall, 6 percent of the US adult population suffer from SAD (14 percent suffer from seasonal mood changes), which is higher than in Denmark, but a long way behind Norway, where 14 percent of the population are affected.

Are expats more vulnerable?

IT WOULD appear, therefore, that Danes might be less prone to seeking help for SAD than Americans. Or maybe they’ve simply been better at adapting to their dark, cold winters – and particularly more so than expats who moved to Denmark from a warmer country.

MacFarlane, who lived abroad for 25 years in the US and today owns a practice in Copenhagen, thinks so.

“I think it’s true that people who come from sunnier places have more difficulty surviving a Danish winter,” he said.

“This could be because their bodies are biologically more adjusted to sunlight, or because of the psychological effect of the lack of sunlight and the stress of having to adjust to new traditions and a new language.”

MacFarlane cautions that not everybody who feels a little tired and sad is depressed, and he advises that there are many scientifically-proven ways to combat the winter blues.

“It is really important to think about what type of treatment is best for the individual,” he said.

“The biggest things you can do right here, right now, is to get up, move around and socialise.

Get out and get some fresh air – go for a walk in the sun when you have the opportunity.”

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27 January - 23 February 2017

Five ways to fight SAD Use light therapy ACCORDING to the National Institute of Mental Health, “the idea behind light therapy is to replace the diminished sunshine of the autumn and winter months using daily exposure to bright, artificial light”. Light therapy is said to be a palliative treatment and needs to be repeated to be effective. Although there is currently not much research to suggest that light therapy is more effective than other treatments, many users of light therapy report it being beneficial to their well-being.

Get active GO OUTSIDE and do sports: research has shown that the natural daylight you get whilst outside can calm your nerves, relieve stress, and give your body the sunlight it needs.

A Harvard University study conducted in 2005 showed that a fast 35-minute walk five times a week or a 60-minute walk three times a week can reduce the symptoms of “mild or moderate depression”.

When psychologist Peter MacFarlane diagnoses a patient with winter depression, he strongly suggests exercise and going outside during daylight hours.

Get psychotherapy IN RECENT studies, psychotherapy – or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – has been

proven to significantly reduce the symptoms of SAD. A recent study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and conducted by psychologists at the University of Vermont, compared the efficiency of light therapy and CBT to see which one reduced the symptoms of SAD more. The study found that in the long-term, CBT was more efficient as it is a preventative treatment. “Once SAD sufferers learn the basic skills, it has an enduring impact, giving the person a sense of control over their symptoms,” said Kelly Rohan, a professor of psychology at the University of Vermont.

CBT will prevent future depression, as the sufferers will know how to control their symptoms from the therapy lessons.

Change your diet A CHANGE in diet can also be helpful for decreasing SAD symptoms, according to MacFarlane. “A winter depression can also be due to a vitamin D or vitamin C deficiency, as well as an iron deficiency,” he said.

Therefore, if one is experiencing symptoms it is important to contact your doctor and to take a blood test.

By changing your diet to have more proteins, fatty acids and important vitamins and min-

erals, you can decrease symptoms.

Salmon, flax seeds, walnuts and also foods with high amounts of vitamin D, or vitamin D tablets from your local pharmacist, could be beneficial.

Be social MANY EXPERTS agree that being socially active can be beneficial to your health, whether it is meeting up with friends or family, going to the gym or winter bathing. “There’s an abundance of evidence from around the world that social support, whether from family or friends, church or work, decreases the likelihood of depression and psychological distress,” Prakash Masad, the CEO of Global Medical Education in New York City, told the Everyday Health blog.

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK DANISH wives who cheat on their husbands wait an average 5.8 years after their nuptials to do so, a long way behind the Irish (3.6) and Swedish (4.1), the Nordic leaders in a Victoria Milan survey. According to the adultery website, Pisceans are the most likely to be unfaithful, while Sagittarius, Scorpio and Capricorn are the most faithful star signs.

Healthy eating concerns SOME 11 percent of kids of well-educated parents in Denmark are unhealthy eaters according to the latest National Food Institute report – an improvement of three percentage points on last year. However, the number of poorly-educated parents is increasing – from 12 to 25 percent in recent years – which is a worrying trend, claims the report.

Names-a-changing FOR THE second year running, Sophia is the most popular name for newborn girls, according to Danmarks Statistic. And Noah has dethroned William, the number one for the past six years, as the most popular boys’ name. Women are more likely to change their first name than men. And some 40,000 Danes changed their last names in 2016.

Candy cheat guilty MOUHAMED Aboutaka, the owner of the Slagelse confectionery store Slikparadiset, has been found guilty of fraud and tax evasion amounting to 37 million kroner. It was proved in court that goods were delivered to Aboutaka’s address so he could avoid paying VAT and other taxes, and that he used five companies to conceal the fraud.

IS asked to pay up THE EMPLOYMENT minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, has demanded that 34 Islamic State fighters repay the state 672,000 kroner, according to Ekstra Bladet. Just before Christmas, it was revealed they were being erroneously given the funds in benefits, even though they were in Syria and Iraq.

Motorists taken to the limit An ongoing court case with the police could overturn 2,551 speeding fines, while a whole generation wonders what more they can do

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27 January - 23 February 2017

M

ANY WILL tell you that the expense of driving in Denmark is an injustice, and January gave motorists plenty more to complain about – particularly foreigners, young adults and speed merchants.

Costs a citizenship JUST THIS week, it emerged that 809 foreigners who passed the citizenship test in Denmark have been refused a Danish passport over the last five years because of traffic violations.

Speeding tickets in excess of 3,000 kroner result in applicants being unable to receive Danish citizenship and having to wait 4.5 years in quarantine before they can apply again. In total, 1,264 applicants were affected.

Several parties want to increase the speeding fine limit to 10,000 kroner, but Dansk Folkeparti refuses to discuss the matter.

45 years and counting QUEEN Margrethe II celebrated 45 years on the Danish throne on January 14, but there was no fanfare like the celebrations five years earlier on the occasion of her ruby anniversary, which included a big ball, exhibitions and a carriage ride through Copenhagen. Margrethe’s father King Frederik IX died after becoming ill at New Year in 1972.

As the Romans do How much more can Denmark’s drivers take?

kroner annually, a 30-year-old only pays 5,145 kroner for the same car model.

Taking on the police SOME 2,551 Danish drivers are taking North Zealand Police to court to try to overturn speeding fines that the police handed out in 2015 at checks near roadworks on Lyngby Omfartsvej and Helsingørmotorvejen, where the limit was 50 km/h.

Their lawyers intend to argue that the speed limit signage was unclear, thus endangering the lives of the highway workers. A ruling is expected on February 3.

The police contend that 2,551 is a small proportion of the 17,185 who obeyed the signs. In total, 8,000 motorists were fined.

Næstved and Holbæk to Copenhagen, for instance, are paying 400 kroner a month less, while commuters from Gilleleje, Tureby and St Heddinge are paying 480 kroner more.

Transport company Movia contends that it will be an improvement in the long run.

Young hung out to dry YOUNG people can’t win it seems. Despite being in fewer serious accidents than before, according to the Council for Safe Traffic, they still pay more on insurance than any other age group.

The report found that the number of 18 and 19-year-olds killed or seriously injured in car accidents has fallen by 6062 percent compared to 2001.

Meanwhile, Danmarks Statistik figures confirm that drivers in their 20s are breaking fewer traffic laws.

However, insurance company Tryg argues that they still cause twice as many accidents and damage twice as expensive, on average, as those aged 30-39. While a 20-year-old pay almost 13,000

Hit hard by hike MEANWHILE on the railways, commuters are fuming and threatening to use their cars following price hikes that have seen some journeys more than double in price, and others of similar length see savings.

The hikes are a result of the merger of four different ticket pricing systems in Zealand and Lolland-Falster into one system for buses, trains and the Metro in a bid to streamline the pricing system.

Commuters travelling from

On your bike, cheats!

IN RELATED news, Copenhagen looks set to capitalise on the increase in the popularity of the GoBike city bike – a 550 percent increase in overall trips in 2016 – by changing the pricing structure.

The hourly rate for using the bikes has been increased from 25 to 30 kroner, while those with a monthly subscription only get the first 140 minutes as part of their 70-kroner subscription, after which it costs 35 øre per minute.

Previously, monthly subscribers got the first 30 minutes free on every trip, with the subsequent hours costing six kroner, but customers learned to optimise their cycling to avoid paying more by not cycling for more than 30 minutes at a time.

In December 2015, the average trip duration was 43 minutes, but in December 2016 the average had dropped to 31 minutes.

Additionally, customers were also sharing subscriptions to cut costs as well. (CPH POST)

Migrant route to UK

Powers to fight gangs

Driverless car future

SOUTHERN Jutland Police arrested a 39-year-old Egyptian man in mid-January in connection with a case of human smuggling that has helped “several” migrants to enter the UK hidden in trucks on ferries leaving the port of Esbjerg. The UK authorities and Europol assisted in his arrest, and he will be held and tried in Denmark.

UNDER the terms of a new law proposal due in Parliament later this year, municipalities will be able to ban gangs from using housing as a meet-up place or headquarters. Should the ban be ignored, the owner or leaser of the housing could be punished, while the police will be able to use force to remove occupants if required.

THE GOVERNMENT on Wednesday proposed a law that will open up the possibility of driverless car trials in the future. The transport minister, Ole Birk Olesen, said it would also enable testing of new technology such as the ABS brake, intelligent headlights, pedestrian protection and automated parking.

A NEW PHD project has found that Danish learners of Italian have no trouble learning the hand gesticulation that is integral to conveying the language.

It is a myth that Danes are unable to get pass the restrictions of “their mother’s milk”, contended the author Bjørn Wessel-Tolvig, a linguistics researcher at the University of Copenhagen.

Least corrupt nation DENMARK remains the world’s least corrupt nation – tied with New Zealand and ahead of its fellow Nordic states Finland (3), Sweden (4) and Norway (6) – according to Transparency International. However, its rating slipped this year due to 20 MPs failing to properly declare their outside activities or financial interests in their asset declarations.

Overweight the norm SOME 56 percent of all Nordic men are overweight or obese, according to a DTU study, compared to 37 percent of women.

The proportion of obese people stands at 13 percent. Three out of ten adults spend more than four hours of their leisure time looking at a screen, while 15 percent of kids do the same. A seventh of children aged 7-12 are overweight.

Top honour for Mary CROWN Princess Mary has been awarded the Berlingske Foundation Award of Honour for her work helping society’s most vulnerable. Foundation chairman Mads Bryde Andersen called her “a model not only for other role models, but for anyone with a commitment to society”. Mary donated the 100,000 kroner prize to an antibullying group.

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27 January - 23 February 2017

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Stanley odyssey 2017

Japanese fanboys rejoice

Surprise handball exit

JFK is Toast

Frans makes all-stars

THANKS in part to a 3.7 million kroner donation from the Nordea Foundation, art gallery GL STRAND and art association artFREQ are co-organising a year-long festival dedicated to US film director Stanley Kubrick, which will climax with an exhibition opening in September. Kubrick is expected to feature heavily in the programs of Cinemateket and CPH: PIX.

DENMARK and Japan are celebrating 150 years of diplomatic relations in 2017, and ‘Japanomania in the Nordics 1875-1918’, a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Denmark, will be the first of many that underline the huge influence of Japanese tradition on Danish culture. 20th century Danish design, for example, was mostly derived from Japanese art.

DENMARK lost 25-27 to Hungary in the last 16 of the Men’s Handball World Championship on Sunday – an unexpected loss after the Olympic champs had sailed unbeaten through the preliminary games, beating Sweden along the way. Hungary had meanwhile finished fourth in their group. Mikkel Hansen finished top scorer for the Danes with 26 goals.

A COURT has ordered the actor Caspar Phillipson to pay 116,000 kroner to London Toast Theatre for calling in sick during its 2015-16 Crazy Christmas Cabaret run. He instead went to an audition in Paris where he won the breakout role of JFK in the film ‘Jackie’ starring alongside Natalie Portman. It is believed that the court’s decision could set a precedent.

FRANS Nielsen has become the first ever Dane to be selected to play in the the Pro Bowl, the National Hockey League annual all-star game. Nielsen, who as plays for the Detroit Red Wings, will join the league’s biggest stars during the All-Star weekend on January 28 and 29. Since becoming the first Dane ever to debut in the NHL in 2007, Nielsen has played in over 600 matches.

Treat for the senses

They keep on comin’

Woz not too shabby

DBU unimpressed

Medal bonus now tax-free

TIVOLI has confirmed that Orangeriet, a new 20 million kroner concert venue filled with rare flowers and exotic trees, will open in April. Several years in the making, its architect Jesper Andersen calls it “treat for all the senses”. It will stand in the space previously inhabited by the Harmony Pavilion between the Chinese Tower and the Nimb Terrace.

MEGADETH, Herbie Hancock, Jamie Cullen and Aqua have all confirmed concerts in Copenhagen in 2017. Megadeth will light up Store Vega on August 2, Hancock and Cullen are playing at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival (July 13 & 16), and ‘Barbie Girl’ will be rocking Tivoli at ‘We Love the 90s’ on August 19, where Hardaway will also be performing.

CAROLINE Wozniacki won’t be too disheartened by her failure to advance past the third round of the Australian Open. Her opponent, Britain’s Johanna Konta, was simply too good on the day.

Meanwhile, Julia Boserup, whose parents are both Danish, beat Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion, in the first round before bowing out to a seed.

DBU CHAIRMAN Jesper Møller and head coach Åge Hareide have both criticised FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams from 2026, with 32 qualifying from 16 groups for the knockout stage.

Møller questioned how many more potential host nations would not bid, while Hareide worried about a probable increase in inconsequential games.

OLYMPIC and Paralympic medal winners will no longer have to pay tax on the bonuses they receive from Team Denmark. The 2016 Olympic medallists, to whom it applies retroactively, got 100,000 kroner for a gold, 70,000 for a silver and 50,000 for a bronze, while the Paralympic stars got half that – a shortfall that was made up by Elsass Fonden.

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8 Nature still the biggest threat NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

F

ORGET the Russians, Donald Trump and Chris McDonald. The real threats to Denmark are volatile weather, virulent disease and disasters.

The emergency response authority Beredskabsstyrelsen has revealed the 13 biggest threats to Denmark it its first ever 'Nationalt Risikobillede' ('National Risk Overview') report.

The report listed hurricanes and strong storms as being the biggest threat to Denmark, followed by flooding from the sea, extreme rain, highly-virulent diseases and farm animal diseases.

ONLINE THIS WEEK

A 17-YEAR-OLD student at Birkerød Gymnasium north of Copenhagen died of meningococcal disease around the start of the year. Since then the entire school has been vaccinated. The rare disease, which attacks the lining around the brain, is not particularly contagious. There were just 40 reported cases in Denmark in 2015.

Inuit site seeks honour A regular in the 1940s, falling icicles didn’t make the list this time

of Beredskabsstyrelsen.

“The 'National Risk Overview' contributes with a common reference framework for acute risks with broad societal relevancy and can be implemented as part of the foundation for emergency planning in the national crisis handling system and in other connections.”

Unlucky 13 selected “THE PUBLICATION puts a focus on 13 types of incidents that would require an extraordinarily considerable and transverse effort in order for society to handle the situation,” said Henning Thiesen, the head

Was this Wolfie’s tomb?

Space oddity?

WATER and food-borne diseases, nuclear accidents, chemical accidents, maritime accidents,

transport accidents, cyber incidents, terror incidents and space weather completed the list.

Space weather may sound like a bit of an oddity, but Beredskabsstyrelsen points to a strong solar storm shutting down air traffic in Sweden for a day in 2015.

Beredskabsstyrelsen contends that a series of warning systems and emergency capacities should be developed to tackle the threats as Danish society has become more vulnerable as its dependency on technology has increased.

Worthy role in birth

World’s largest, again

FULL STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

Serious mammogram error Rare disease strikes boy SOME 138 women have been diagnosed with breast cancer after an error by the Region Syddanmark health authorities resulted in over 800 being called in too late for a clinical mammogram. When cancer is suspected, a woman should not be made to wait any longer than 14 days.

PIXABAY

Forget about IS and Russia – the weather is still the biggest peril facing Denmark

27 January - 23 February 2017

DENMARK has submitted the Inuit hunting grounds of ‘Aasivissuit - Nipisat’ in Greenland to become a UNESCO World Heritage site. If approved, it would become the Danish Commonwealth’s ninth addition. Greenland’s Ilulissat Ice Fjord is also on the list.

Dolphin visitor dead A RARE bottlenose dolphin seen splashing around in Skagen Harbour in northern Denmark at the end of December has been found dead in shallow water off a beach just north of Strandby.

Greenland heating up

Diesel car ban proposed INSPIRED by a similar ban proposed in Paris, Copenhagen’s deputy mayor for technical and environmental issues, Morten Kabell, is keen on prohibiting the use of diesel cars in the capital to further curb emissions.

LAST YEAR brought recordhigh temperatures to most of the east coast of Greenland. In November, they were a full 7.9 degrees above normal, which meant that ice in some places appeared a full month later than normal.

Wondrous eelgrass

Wildlife healthy on Fanø CHRISTOPH KUMMER

MIKE D JONES

MINKS

PIXABAY

VESTHIMMERLANDS MUSEUM

Wolf ’s teeth innit

Sweet (frozen) pea

Added bonus: chess on the roof

Monet should draw this one

Fanø fab for flora and fauna

VESTHIMMERLANDS Museum curator Bjarne Henning Nielsen, an archaeologist based in northern Jutland, believes he may have found the tomb of the famous Viking chief Ulv Galiciefarer, the great-grandfather of Valdemar the Great, who was king of Denmark from 11571182. “It’s just a theory, an idea, but somebody has to say it first,” Nielsen told Videnskab.

It is believed that Galiciefarer – who became famous raiding, looting and pillaging in Galicia in northern Spain in the early 11th century – was an earl.

(RW)

DANISH doctors at a private hospital in Denmark have been credited with playing a major role in one of the most sensational births in recent history: the delivery of a child in the UK by a woman who had her own ovaries transplanted. Moaza Al Matrooshi, 24, from Dubai, had her ovaries frozen (in liquid nitrogen at minus 200 degrees) at the age of nine, as she suffered from the bone cancer condition Ewing sarcoma – the treatment of which often leaves woman infertile – before having them transplanted again about a year ago. (CW)

THE MID-JUTLAND town of Silkeborg is now home to the world’s largest solar plant. The area includes 12,000 solar panels covering 22 football fields. The new 250 million kroner facility has taken first place from another location in Jutland near Vojens. The plant, which took less than a year to build, is a major step towards Silkeborg Municipality's stated climate targets to be independent of coal and oil by the year 2030.

On an annual basis, it is expected that the solar plant could supply about 20 percent of the heat needed by its residents. (RW)

THE EELGRASS growing in Thurøbund Bay near Funen can trap and hold massive amounts of CO2 – an ability that is becoming increasingly important in an era when many are looking for a solution to climate change.

“The CO2 remains bound to the seabed rather than coming into the atmosphere,” Professor Marianne Holmer from the University of Southern Denmark told DR. “It’s three times better than anywhere else.” Scientists want to plant the eelgrass in other places, such as Odense Fjord, which has lost all its eelgrass over the last 40 years. (RW)

A NEW OVERVIEW of Danish wildlife, which accounts for 24 percent of the country's land mass, rates the island of Fanø as having the best nature out of Denmark's 98 municipalities. According to Aarhus University and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation’s rankings, the municipalities of Læsø, Tårnby, Lyngby-Taarbæk, Furesø, Rudersdal, Hillerød, Helsingør, Halsnæs and Gribskov completed the top 10, with Copenhagen in 14th place and Struer in last place. Agricultural use accounts for 60 percent of Denmark's land mass. (CW)

READ THE REST OF THESE STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

BUSINESS

27 January - 23 February 2017

ONLINE THIS WEEK

9

FULL STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

End of the world?

Thanks to female PM

Bang on!

Facebook confirms centre

SAS sells subsidiary

DANSKE Bank Markets (DBM) has warned that Brexit and Donald Trump becoming president of the United States may mark the end of a world order that has existed since the end of World War II. DBM believes the events will bring Russia to the forefront, diminish the power of the EU and “pose considerable risks to the global economic recovery”.

EXPERTS have credited a recent rise in female board members to Helle Thorning-Schmidt’s government for not setting quotas in 2013. Instead, the prioritisation of their recruitment and development has seen numbers soar to 26 percent at major PLCs and 20.1 percent at other PLCs. Female CEO numbers, meanwhile, have almost doubled to 12 percent in the last decade.

DANISH electronics firm Bang & Olufsen has posted a pre-tax profit of 31 million kroner for the second quarter of its 201617 financial year – rebounding from a loss of 23 million kroner the year before. The Struer-based company credited growth in its high-end and lower-priced ‘Play’ divisions. Turnover rose 19 percent from 729 to 867 million kroner.

US SOCIAL media giant Facebook has approved a 55,000 sqm data centre in Odense. Following confidential preparations that lasted over three years, Facebook has paid 68 million kroner for a 508,000 sqm site in the Tietgenbyen business area. It is strongly believed the project will boost Denmark’s position as an attractive nation for global data centres.

SAS IS selling its subsidiary Cimber to CityJet as part of a deal that will involve the Irish airline operating 22 regional Bombardier CRJ900 flights on behalf of SAS in a wet-lease arrangement that has been extended by three years to six years.

SAS, which purchased Cimber back in February 2015, had previously offloaded Blue1to CityJet.

Forbes names three Danes

Top at nurturing talent

SAS among safest

Research tower opens

DI laments decision

THREE young Danes have been included on Forbes magazine’s prestigious ‘30 Under 30’ list this year – out of a total of 600 business and industry talents recognised. Andreas Hougaard Laustsen, a bioengineering postdoc from the DTU whose company has become a world leader in developing snakebite anti-venom, was selected in the science and health category.

THE INAUGURAL 2017 Global Cities Talent Competitiveness Index ranks Copenhagen number one in the world, ahead of Zurich, Helsinki, San Francisco and Gothenburg. However, on the more-established GTCI list for countries, Denmark slipped three spots from fifth to eighth. The rankings recognise the attraction, development and retention of business talent.

AIRLINE Ratings has ranked the Scandinavian airline SAS as being among the safest airlines in the skies. The report, which ranked 425 airlines from around the world, had SAS among the top 20. The list was led by Australian airline Qantas, which remarkably still has a fatalityfree record in the jet era. The last time SAS was involved in a fatal crash was in 2001.

THE UNIVERSITY of Copenhagen increased in size by 42,700 sqm last week with the opening of the 75 metre-high Maersk Tower. The energy-efficient building, which has been six years in the making, was one of the largest construction projects in the university’s history.

Designed by CF Møller, its labs and lecture areas will mainly be used by medical researchers.

THE DECISION of the tax authority SKAT to cut VAT exemption from January 1 on packages delivered by Danish online retailers is pushing ecommerce out of the country.

Dansk Industri laments the change, which it says will lead to even more online purchases from abroad. Some 33 billion kroner of a 110 billion kroner total heads overseas.

COMING SOON:

THE CPHPOST CAST

A podcast covering serious, lighthearted and sometimes irreverent news about Denmark and its people • Exactly why are Danes so damn happy?

• Are their hotdogs really all that great?

• And what’s really going on in Christiania anyway?

Hosts Ray Weaver and Tia Hoka bring unique insight topped with a sense of fun to the news, drawing on their years of experience as journalists, broadcasters and expats

The debut edition of the CPHPOST Cast will be available for streaming in February on iTunes and CPHPOST.DK

10

BUSINESS OPINION THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

27 January - 23 February 2017

STEEN VIVE UNION VIEWS Steen is senior advisor at Djøf, the Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists. He is a blogger and manager of various projects aimed at generating jobs in the private sector. In this column he writes about trends and tendencies in the labour market. Follow him on Twitter @SteenVive

Who does it hit?

BOREOUT often hits white-collar workers facing neverending to-do lists, meaningless assignments, needless meetings or a lack of recognition of their talent.

It consists of three elements: boredom, a lack of challenge and a lack of interest. It’s about having too few challenges in relation to your abilities, and/or having such uninteresting tasks that your job seems pointless.

Your job’s in the red ONCE YOU were excited to get up in the morning and you talked about work all the time. Now you are tired and sluggish when you go to work and totally drained of any energy when you return home.

If you had a personal account for commitment, energy and job satisfaction, the balance would be negative.

You feel stuck in a rut. But before you summon the motivation to get out, it’s worth trying to reignite the spark that was once there.

What can you do?

IT’S IMPORTANT to remember when you still had the spark: why you applied for your current position in the first place? And then you must assess what has happened since.

Remember that it’s okay to say no. Don’t be a pushover and take the assignment nobody else wants.

ISTOCK

I

KNOW IT’S taboo, but did you know that one in six is bored with his or her work?

The phenomenon has become so widespread it even has a name: boreout. Not only is it harmful to the individual, but also ineffective and expensive for companies.

What does boreout mean to you and your career, and what can you do about it? Here is my take.

Boreout: as tedium bores its way in, the only way is out

And take responsibility. Make your job more challenging. Look to take on a new role, so you have to make an effort to succeed.

Keeping your skills current

will energise you, stave off boredom and show your employer that you are thinking ahead.

Most importantly, it keeps you prepared for opportunities that may arise.

T

GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE Carlos (cm@biassa.com), a Brazilian resident of Odense, started his business from a blog known as denmarkbrazil.com.

It later became Biassa, a business development company, which under the motto ‘Bringing forth results, not reports’ is focused on supporting Nordic businesses that want to tap into and thrive in the Brazilian market

Too much time TIME WASN’T a problem three and a half years ago when I first arrived in Denmark with my wife Catherine and Ines – at the time our only child.

At that time, we were living at my in-laws and time was passing at a tortoise’s pace – like we like to say in Brazil – and my primary concern was how was I going to

ISTOCK

CARLOS MONTEIRO

IME IS finite but, unlike money, time is also replenished every second,” the entrepreneur and writer Seth Godin once said.

So as I wish you ‘Happy New Year’, dear readers, here’s hoping you can reach all the goals you’ve set this coming year.

Also I’d like to wish you all a year full of good vibes, positive attitude and, yes, opportunities!

Being an admirer of Godin adds value to my life in a profound manner. I try to keep up to date with his writing, but it’s not always possible.

Looking at it won’t make it go any slower

find a job.

The only email in my inbox was either some sort of spam or a ‘thank you’ for subscribing to a new cloud-based service from the likes of Google Drive.

Yes, not only did we have plenty of time, but those were desperate times!

Too little time BUT THINGS started looking up in 2014, firstly due to the arrival of Cecilia, our two-year-old ‘rocket-fire’ daughter.

By then a lot was happening with me professionally. Time by then as a resource had started to become less available.

And now here I am in 2017

looking back at was has probably been one of my busiest years and the best year I’ve ever had professionally.

Making better use of my time has now accordingly become my new year resolution.

So how do you perceive your time today and what are your new year resolutions for 2017?

NEXT ISSUE

IN 2 ISSUES

IN 3 ISSUES

IN 4 ISSUES

Startup Community

Mind over Managing

Danish Capital in 2016

Living in an Expat World

All of your Business

The Valley of Life

CPH Career

WORK

27 January - 23 February 2017

ISTOCK

Denmark has the potential, but does it have the drive, asks IT guru David Helgason

Top brass needs a polish

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

N

A

CCORDING to David Helgason, the Icelandic IT guru and developer of Unity – one of the most popular licensed game engines – Denmark has the potential to usurp Silicon Valley as the world's leading tech mecca.

Helgason contends that a weakening of Silicon Valley's dominance, combined with the quick development of the Danish tech and startup arena, could see Denmark ascend to the zenith of tech development in the future.

Talent’s here “IT'S GOING better than ever before in Denmark. I meet with startups every day and there are really solid companies and a good growth layer of small startups,” said Helgason.

“They are technically sound, visionaries, think globally from the off and sell their products across the world.”

Plenty of promise HELGASON pointed to the new grassroots network #CPH-

Sights aimed on Silicon Valley – like Max Zorin in ‘A view o a Kill’

FTW (Copenhagen, For The Win), which now consists of over 80 Danish startups, and a number of startup clusters like Founders House and Startup Village CPH. Startup Village CPH is made up of over 500 people in almost 35 companies, including Vivino and Labster, and is supported

by a number of capital funds, including Creandum, Northcap and Sunstone.

Europe gaining ground EUROPE in general is becoming a hotspot for startups. Just last year there were 11 European startups that were sold or estimated to be worth over 1 billion

US dollars – and two of them, Trustpilot and Tradeshift, were Danish.

However, Denmark still needs to be more proactive and aggressive, contends Helgason, to catch Silicon Valley, London and Berlin, and that effort will require “something big on a national stage”.

Cracking the unemployment code Researchers identify 11 indicators of a candidate’s suitability for a job

R

ESEARCHERS from Aarhus University and the research centre Væksthusets Forskningscenter have developed a system that helps to get more long-term recipients of the ‘kontanthjælp’ unemployment benefit into jobs.

Based on a study of over 4,000 ‘active-ready’ kontanthjælp recipients over a four-year period, the researchers have identified eleven indicators that suggest whether a recipient is suitable for employment.

Job centres designate kontanthjælp recipients as ‘active-ready’ if they are evaluated to not be able to have a job.

Army officer shortage

ISTOCK

Catching up Silicon Valley

11

Know what to focus on “WE’VE FOUND some indicators that are clearly linked to jobs, and now we know what is important for the job centres to focus on,” explained one of the researchers.

“There are lots of people in the Danish job market who, for instance, suffer from a chronic illness. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that one can’t work. But it does matter that they can define their needs.”

Overall, it is believed the use of the indicators could help reduce the number of kontanthjælp recipients by 10 percent.

EW FIGURES reveal that more and more military officers are leaving Danish Defence while fewer are taking the officer education. This year, it will fall short of a third of its required young officers.

The situation is a concern to the financial and security arena at Danish Defence, according to the officers association, HOD, particularly given the growing threat to the country (see page 3).

A report in 2014 showed that 50 percent more officers than expected had left Danish Defence.

And the unexpected departure has continued from 2014-2016.

The head of the Army's Officer School, Colonel Nicolas T Veicherts, contends the lack of officers will mean that Danish Defence won't be able to handle its duties in the future. (CW)

Poor refugee record

Not enough are employed

W

(CW)

INDICATORS THEY ARE READY • Knowledge of job market • Concentration ability • Belief in getting a job • Case worker's belief • Purposefulness • Ability to make contact • Co-operation ability • Network support • Everyday coping • Health coping • Job search behaviour

HEN IT comes to integrating non-Danes into the national workforce, Denmark fares poorly compared to both Sweden and Norway, according to figures from Danmarks Statistik.

Of all the refugees who arrived in Denmark from Bosnia in the 1990s, just 51 percent have a job now, which is considerably lower than in Sweden (73 percent) and Norway (71).

And it's a trend that has continued with refugees from Iran – Norway (63), Sweden (60) and Denmark (47) – and Syria.

“They take fewer refugees in Denmark than we do, and they can invest more time and money into integrating them,” Pieter Bevelander, a migration researcher and professor at Malmö University, told Sydsvenskan. (CW)

12

OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

27 January - 23 February 2017

Trump: a blessing in disguise?

T

Bypassing the media PRESIDENT Trump is not liked by the press and he does not like the press. The news is that he does not need them because he is able to bypass them via social media, shooting tweets from the hip – now the fastest gunslinger in the West Wing.

Through Twitter, he can argue with the whole world conducting an unprecedented multi-dialogue involving attacks and counterattacks, with facts twisted or fabricated to serve their purpose.

There are no limits to what he might argue. Any subject can get personal, depending on the adversary’s looks, character and motivations. Traditional political discourse has disappeared, leaving the press screaming … in surprise more than anything.

And they are in their own fight – over trust. Politicians and the press have long been characterised as our most untrustworthy entities, so public opinion does not seem to mind.

‘America First’ is emerging as Trump’s favourite slogan, closely followed by ‘Make America Great Again’, but it has always been first and great, as it remains the only true superpower and the biggest economy in the modern global world. And as such, the

Fashion Jam

White House will need to pay more attention to its relationship with the press.

Uncertainty in Europe IN DENMARK, meanwhile, a dramatic change has taken place concerning the country’s defence policy. NATO’s mutual obligation of a defence budget of 2 percent of GDP has for many years not been met. On the contrary we have seen multiple budget cuts over the years.

Now we hear the former minister of finance, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, a budget hardliner and now the minister of defence, arguing for higher spending on defence and security. Could this be related to Trump’s accession and overall uncertainty in Europe?

‘America First’ is certainly making many reconsider their EU solidarity – a cohesiveness that politicians have been taking for granted.

The Danes have upcoming negotiations regarding Europol.

A settlement seems possible, but it has started to dawn on the EU-sceptics that it is not a self-evident thing. It has to be earned.

Trump’s Captain America attitude could have a positive impact on Europeans politicians who want to become serious in their own right in the face of challenges such as migration and climate change. World trade is of less concern. It has long since become global and integrated.

President Trump has certainly won the floor somewhat peculiarly, but maybe we should be considering him as a wakeup call – a time to wake up and take responsibility. That way ‘America First’ could be a blessing, not a peculiarity. (ES)

Join the chat WWW.CPHPOST.DK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/COPENHAGENPOST WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CPHPOST WWW.TWITTER.COM/CPHPOST

As a Swede who spent eleven years in London and New York, coming to Denmark four years ago had its ups and downs. Having worked in fashion most of her professional life, Jenny (@jennyfashjam) will be giving her opinion on our dress sense: the right choices and the bad ones.

TOGLENN

HE RESULT of the US Presidential Election was a surprise to many Danes.

Go to sleep early without any worries, the experts recommended on election night – the next president would surely be Mrs Clinton.

But surprise, surprise, Donald Trump won the day, and he has since eased himself into the chairman’s seat at the head of the boardroom table, where he looks very comfortable.

JENNY EGSTEN-ERICSON

Michelle and Melania: the White House’s most glamorous first ladies since Jackie O?

2

016 WAS ONE of the most politically and culturally bumpy and unstable years of recent times. The turbulent US election, Brexit and Black Lives Matter still continue to make daily headlines.

As we know, difficult times inspire some of our most interesting and fascinating art. I believe that if we’ve learned one thing from the past 12 months, it’s that clothes are so much more than something we simply wear.

Michelle then Melania MICHELLE Obama always paid very close attention to what she was wearing throughout her time in the White House – after all, the world was watching her choices closely. The past year was certainly no exception, and her outfits were often analysed by experts who applauded her support for new designers and staying true to her signature style.

In 2016 fashion and politics collided more than once, and not only when Michelle was in the room. Melania Trump, who will now hang her dresses in Michelle’s wardrobe, has already (of course) sparked controversy and made statements through her clothing during the campaign.

She chose many vibrant ensembles throughout the course of the election in my opinion – which were all very appropriate and classy, but without being boring.

But her Gucci pussy-bow blouse caused a bit of a stir. Social media went crazy over her shirt style and perhaps overanalysed its meaning. Some thought she was subtly commenting on one of her dear husband’s blunt comments to a reporter when he famously said: “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy.”

Labels are now taking a firm stand against dressing her, although not all designers. Tommy Hilfiger told WWD that anyone should be proud to dress her, while Tom Ford said: “She’s not necessarily my image.”

Pantsuit presidency bid HILLARY Clinton, on the other hand, has become the face of the pantsuit. Women all over America headed to the polls on Election Day wearing pantsuits – Clinton’s most iconic look.

Even Beyonce showed her support for Clinton by wearing a polka-dot pantsuit to show her allegiance at a ‘get out your vote’

performance in November.

‘Pantsuit nation’, fashion and politics personified, has joined a complex history of other collectives such as the Black Panthers, Hells Angels and even the KKK who’ve used clothing as a force.

Slogans said it all MORE CELEBRITIES than ever showed their support for candidates through fashion in the form of t-shirts with slogans and pictures or hats. Designers also took a stand with slogans on their work.

Dior’s new creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, revealed a “F*ck Trump dress” at New York Fashion Week, and Alice and Olivia designer Stacey Bendet wore an “I’m with her” skirt to her own presentation.

Finally at London Fashion Week, designer Ashish Gupta presented his line in a t-shirt that read “Immigrant”. Initially a response to Brexit, the piece became a big hit and during the US election one was made with Donald Trump’s order to “Build a wall”.

The consensus following 2016 is that fashion and politics go hand in hand.

OPINION

27 January - 23 February 2017

13

NEXT ISSUE

IAN BURNS

An Actor’s Life A resident here since 1990, Ian Burns is the artistic director at That Theatre Company and very possibly Copenhagen’s best known English language actor thanks to roles as diverse as Casanova, Shakespeare and Tony Hancock.

The Road Less Taken JESSICA ALEXANDER

Mishra’s Mishmash MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA

JEHOCHMAN

‘Mere te’ Vicar?

IN 2 ISSUES

DARREN MCCALLIG

Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE Ian would have loved to be our man in Washington

U

NSURE if the morning brings hope or hopelessness. I will not focus on the fool-on- the-hill. Instead I’d like to think about what could be achieved if we could stop worrying about divisions, stand together and live and let live.

Naïve to imagine?

SOUNDS naïve? Imagine a post-Brexit Britain where the NHS was no longer a pawn in the political arena? Imagine if politicians could unite across the political divide and move it away from the stench of Westminster and its plans to privatise it.

It’s a far cry from Denmark where the health service is the domain of the regions. If there’s been one story recently that highlights the huge difference between Denmark and Britain, and Denmark and the USA for that matter, it’s how Vordingborg Municipality has agreed to spend 1 million kroner on dental care for ex-drug addicts to improve their job prospects.

There’s something to smile about eh? This is not fake news or an ‘alternative fact’.

Echoes of 1945 I THINK that here in Denmark the majority of people still want to remain a part of Europe – the same continent that 72 years ago

emerged from the horror and carnage of two World Wars, which had challenged and questioned the relationship the working classes had with their so-called ‘masters’.

The aristocracy and its hold on power was challenged and threatened. People were hungry for more control over their own destinies. There was energy in the air that would not be stopped, perhaps a little bit like today, as people are once again angry with the elite for ignoring their voices.

Cohesion dissolving IN BRITAIN in 1945, the people stood together and demanded change. They wanted and would get a national health service, free education, control over the railways, roads, mining and steel. Great times lay in store.

As a result my generation was lucky. I was born in 1957. I was able to study for free. I went to a drama school for three years.

Unthinkable now. Perhaps some things – like the NHS, schools, libraries, swimming pools or transport systems – should be prohibited from making a profit?

But in 1945 we didn’t put drawbridges up and say ‘Britain First’. We realised we couldn’t

be that selfish and couldn’t survive without the rest of Europe.

Now we see nationalistic tentacles spreading across Europe and the USA. The ultra-right are enjoying this. They have a collective ‘patriotic spring’ in their goose-step.

Remembered on stage THIS YEAR marks the 20th anniversary of That Theatre Company. As the artistic director I’m smiling and am very proud of that.

Our next production, ‘After Miss Julie’ by Patrick Marber (more details on page G3 in INOUT), takes place in July 1945 on the eve of the general election during a period of collective hope. It’s an intelligent reworking of August Strindberg’s classic and once banned masterpiece ‘Miss Julie’. It was universally labelled dangerous and indecent because the main female character wants to have sex for pleasure and control over her own destiny.

The day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president, millions of women all over the world demonstrated against a 70-year-old teenager who wants to turn the clock back. I’m with the ladies who are fighting for their rights and for the rights of us all. What about you?

IN 3 ISSUES

Straight Up ZACH KHADUDU

A Dane Abroad KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN

Brick by Brick

IN 4 ISSUES

STEPHANIE BRICKMAN

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD

MARKETPLACE & SCHOOLS

27 January - 23 February 2017

15

St Alban’s Church The Anglican (Episcopal) Church in Denmark

Join the American Club in Copenhagen, and take part in our exciting and interesting events and excellent networking opportunities!

A lively, diverse and inclusive Christian community of adults and children from every corner of the world

Sunday Service at 10.30

This is a great way to meet others from the international community in Copenhagen!

For further information: www.americanclub.dk or contact Vibeke Henrichsen at 3961 7375

Sung Eucharist with Sunday School Followed by refreshments

Mid-Week Service of Holy Communion on Wednesdays at 10.30 We are on Churchillparken, half way between the Little Mermaid and Amalienborg. www.st-albans.dk

We look forward to welcoming you!

SALES INTERN

www.of ag.dk

THE POST IS LOOKING FOR A SALES INTERN TO SUPPORT THE SALES TEAM

ANIMATION FASHION DESIGN ART WRITING INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Responsiblities include the following: ■

You will be assisting the team with various tasks including face to face selling, administration, ad sales, home page, events, etc.

■

We are looking for a candidate who has completed or is currently pursuing a degree or has experience in sales.

■

You must have excellent verbal and written communication skills

10TH. GRADE DESIGN-HF ART & CULTURE

in English. A knowledge of Danish is an advantage.

■

You should be able to work approximately 20 - 30 hours per week.

■

You should be an enthusiastic team-player with the ability to work independently at times.

Please send your application and CV to hans@cphpost.dk noting Sales Intern in the subject line.

THE PLACE FOR

The Copenhagen Post is Denmark’s leading source for news in English. In addition to publishing the only regularly printed English-language newspaper in Denmark, we also provide a special supplement division of our newspaper and online news.

C RE ATIVE PEOPLE

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT US AT: WWW.CPHPOST.DK

Odense Fagskole - Ørstedsgade 28 - 5000 Odense - Tlf: (+45) 66 12 21 45

18

FILM

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

27 January - 23 February 2017

Come on Hollywood! Leave LA shivering in Moonlight’s shadow!

BEN HAMILTON

O

NE SOUNDS like something a stuttering crow’s nest man would say, and the other the last words of an American tourist drowned in the Mersey after asking locals if this is ...

But on February 26, the musical La La Land (Metacritic: 93; release date: Feb 23) and grievous drama Manchester by the Sea (96; already at cinemas) will be facing off for the ultimate prize in the movie world: MTV Best Kiss.

Tragically, La La will probably win that as well as the Best Film Oscar, such is his accessibility to all demographics. LA: it’s got the ‘we love our city’ vote; musical: it’s got the gay vote; 32-year-old director Damien Chazelle: it’s got the youth vote; Ryan Gosling: did we mention it’s got the gay vote?

Moonstruck by Miami tale WELL, not necessarily, as we’re confident Moonlight (99; Feb 9) – no, nothing to do with black labour – can wrestle it back and head to the ol’ Kodak on the back of the blacklash of the last two years.

Barry Jenkins is the director Lee Daniels has been looking at every day in the mirror for a decade. And unlike Mr ‘I’m going to make me a black Citizen Kane’, he has assembled an unshowy cast to make a black Boyhood, a coming-of-age tale about growing up gay in a tough Miami neighbourhood.

If its Metacritic score is anything to go by, who knows, it might get some help from Uncle Oscar’s sleight of hand. Despite 11 of its 48 scores falling below 90, it has still managed to score 99. Although we agree they were

right to discount the votes from Den Ku Klux Korte Avis and the Sunday Aryan People.

With 36 maximums (we should ask Eric Bristow for a quote), 100 is its mean and meridian average, and it’s clearly the most recommended film of the year (we kid you not, second on the Metacritic list is another erroneously scored film, the documentary I Am Not Your Negro).

Mindful of Mini-me ALSO VYING for the Academy’s and your attention this month are a quartet that will gamely put on their best smile whilst missing out on the minor gongs. Nevertheless, they’re all worthy of your attention.

While Silence (79; Jan 26) was reviewed last issue but had its Danish release date pushed back by a week – in the same way it’s been shoved out of the way in the awards season – Hidden Figures (74; Jan 26) is putting its best foot forward in its stride towards the red carpet. The tale of three black women who played an integral back-office role in the early days of NASA is looking increasingly likely to score a Best Film nomination.

Less likely to earn one is 20th Century Woman (82; Feb 16), which like so many good films these days, is a nostalgic

coming-of-age drama. A neverbetter Annette Benning enlists two unlikely helpers to aid her in bringing up her son in 1979.

Talking of kids, when’s Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) going to learn that it’s hazardous playing the adult version of a child actor who really nails his performance?

He spent eight months preparing for his performance in Lion (70; Feb 9) as an Australian man returning to India to trace his family after being adopted as a five-yearold. Trouble is that Mini-me spent his whole life getting ready. He really is brilliant.

Meanwhile, the woman who played his adoptee mother suggested Nicole Kidman when asked who should play her. Of course she did, and that’s another basic error. You’re supposed to say Rosie O’Donnell so the audience can say over the closing credits: “She’s much better looking in real-life.”

Jan 26), yet another coming-ofage drama starring champion comer Shia LaBeouf.

Barely taking a breath in case his ‘moment’ ends, Michael Keaton is back as The Founder (67; Feb 2), the genesis story of the world’s most famous fast food restaurant chain.

Another of cinema’s workaholics, M Night Shyamalan has finally turned a corner with Split (74; Jan 26) starring James McAvoy as a killer with more than just a few personalities. No joke, following The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan’s next six films steadily got ever worsening Metacritic scores, but since The Last Airbender he’s been on a three-film upward trajectory. He’s worse than Alan Pardew.

Completing the quartet is Operation Avalanche (69; Feb 22), a conspiracy thriller that questions whether man has ever really walked on the moon.

Moderate but mainstream AWARDS aren’t everything as long as the audiences are happy, or at least that’s what this wellreviewed quartet can tell each other.

After something of a break from cinema, promising English director Andrea Arnold (Red Road and Fish Tank) has gone stateside to helm American Honey (79;

Mediocre to monstrous TALKING of conspiracies, here’s a rhetorical question: how come most of the really bad films come out in every country at the same time? Of the five films in this category this coming month, three of them, all of them sequels – 50 Shades Darker (Not Released Yet; Feb 9), John Wick 2 (NRY; Feb 9) and Rings (NRY; Feb 2)

– look like dead men walking.

Fist Fight (NRY; Feb 22) might have a pulse though. Ice Cube playing a high school teacher is a riot waiting to happen. But every single entry in the filmography of the director suggests he only makes movies for zombies.

Which leaves A Cure for Wellness (NRY; Feb 16), the latest

by Gore Verbinski, a director who’s fond of starting franchises (Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean), but knows when to turn off the life support machine. With Jason Isaacs and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle and The Trees Beyond the Pines) onboard, he’s assembled quite a cast.

Elsewhere, the kids have Moana (81; Feb 2) and The Lego Batman Movie (NRY; Feb 9) to look forward to at half-term; Matthew McConaughey and Matt Damon enjoy unlikely escapades in Indonesia and China in Gold (51; Feb 22) and The Great Wall (48; Feb 16) respectively; and Weiner (82; Jan 26) and Zero Days (NRY; Feb 22) wave the flag for documentaries in a month that quite rightly belongs to movies.

Even if you don’t like the Oscars, you can’t deny February’s fondness for films. A warm cinema sure beats shivering in the moonlight or visiting cold towns by the sea.

HITCHCOCK-NIGHT SUNDAY FEB 5th

This night experience a comparative talk on Hitchcocks two versions of ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ followed by a screening of the 1956-version and a menu aligned with the film.

We present some 50 films with English dialogue or subtitles every month.

See what’s on at cinemateket.dk or visit us in Gothersgade 55

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