Posts filed under 'Denmark'
So I just moved to Aalborg. Might write something about that at a later time.
For now, I have noted the public services available, having been at the library tonight.
For one, I now no longer need any sort of DVD-rental stores, since the public libraries lets you check out loads of mainstream movies – for free. I even got a bag for carrying them in.
While I was there, I noted a poster saying something along the lines of ‘Divorce – something you’ll do 0,4 times’. I thought great, perhaps finally a campaign to bring down divorce stats, but alas, the punchline was that now you can do all the paperwork online through ‘NemID’. (the latter being a topic in itself)
I walked away noting I get all sorts of things from the government here that I really don’t feel every Danish taxpayer should be providing..
februar 9th, 2011
Ingemann Olesen, administrative director of the commune of Kolding just got replaced. His apparent offence? To comment publicly that what is wrong with the public sector in Denmark are vast inefficiencies due to ineffective employees.
His statements caused quite a stir with reactions from Christiansborg (the Danish parliament) and local political authorities: Of course it isn’t so. Our employees are well motivated, doing a fine job, and by no means ineffective.
Unfortunately, pretty much everyone who has ever worked in the public sector knows for a fact that this sector – at least in Denmark, and I suspect other places as well – are filled with people just such as the ones he describes (though of course, there are those that do a very good job). I think this is most likely a function of the (generally low) attractiveness of working in that sector, which in turn expresses itself through the supply-and demand mechanics of the labour-market in terms of who finds a job where.
I believe this is a case of everybody knowing deep down that there is an issue, though no-one dares to touch it with a 10-feet pole.
For more info, see politiken.dk.
april 7th, 2010
Dansk Folkeparti has been in the media the past day for excluding one of their members who encouraged violent action in a Facebook-group (see politiken.dk).
The party secretary of DF notes: ‘we don’t want anyone who professes extreme viewpoints’.
Not going into the oxymoronic nature of this statement in itself (as many would probably feel that the essence of DF is just that), it is very interesting that DF does not recognize the obvious fact that extreme viewpoints such as these are exactly what is created and even encouraged by their very rhetorics and general way of communicating to the public.
As Cypher says in the Matrix: ‘Ignorance is bliss’…
februar 19th, 2010
Just wanted to point my Danish-speaking readers to a recent controversy involving a member of parliament for Dansk Folkeparti: politiken.dk and follow-up on information.dk.
It’s incredible how Dansk Folkeparti can keep maintaining they are a legitimate political party with no underlying prejudice agenda, when time after time their members seem to be showing a different attitude. Only to be corrected by the party leadership, most often Thulesen Dahl, whereafter they incredibly revert to having very politically correct opinions.
To me, it’s incredible that a somewhat large minority of the Danish population is still behind this party. This stuff seems to happen a lot, and it should say something about the underlying agenda. But then again, it is sometimes easier to line up behind fear-based propaganda than making more nuanced – and harder – choices.
januar 27th, 2010
In a yet unprecedented onslaught of sheer ignorance, Dansk Folkeparti (right-wing party in Denmark) has demanded that swine be on the menu for kindergartens and elderly people’s homes – at least in the amount of 20% of the meals. (Part of this story, for those not in the know, is that Dansk Folkeparti is against anything they do not consider ‘Danish’, this not the least includes foreign religions and cultures.)
Hans Kristian Skibby, running for city council in my home town, ‘admits that an arrangement around swine flesh could create problems for a lot of Muslims and Jews who don’t eat swine, but he does not think this is something that should be taken into account. “I know it can be a problem some places, since a lot of people do not feel like eating swine, but that should not stop us from meaning that this should be the case in Denmark”‘
He proceeds to stating ‘Especially healthy or unhealthy? I am no dietitian, but in Denmark, there is a tradition through many generations, that in this country we can eat pork roast and frikadeller [traditional Danish dish]‘.
Not that I am surprised. Dansk Folkeparti is just banging on their old drum: An underlying agenda of harassing anyone who is different, especially Muslims, until they get enough and leave the country.
But, Hans Kristian Skibby, just so you can take this into account: I am by any standard Danish. I come from several generations of Danish ancestors – not that this should matter, but I have a suspicion that to Dansk Folkeparti it would – and I do not eat swine. In fact, I do not believe it’s good for you, and I choose to not eat it. And no matter what you might think of the Danish’ness around this, I would hate to end up in an old people’s home at one point where I would have to eat swine just because someone like yourself do not think this is ‘Danish’ enough.
Denmark and being Danish should be about more than eating ‘flæskesteg’ and ‘frikadeller’ – good as it may be. It should be about respect for freedom of thought – ‘det danske frisind’ – also towards those that think differently than us. But then again, Dansk Folkeparti has never really wanted this. They want only to cling to a shallow, narrow definition of what is Danish, thereby hollowing out any essence of its true ideals.
Source: http://politiken.dk/politik/article833614.ece
november 12th, 2009
So I was at the wedding of two good friends last week, which I wasn’t planning to blog much about, except: (this was really awesome) as the (excellent) dining was over, and we moved to more comfortable seating where the entertainment took place, somehow the newly wed couple in an unexpected move of surprise turned the whole thing into church, right then and there.
And so, right there, as we were sitting with our coffee, beer and whatnot around little tables, there was a flashback of something reminiscent of Aarhus Café Church old days style at their wedding reception, though with a decidedly new touch. Complete with thoughts from the bride and groom, worship songs and such. It really felt like the mode for a short while was changed and we were no longer at a wedding party, or rather, we were, but suddenly we were also in church! (which was nice, seeing as practical reasons made it hard to do earlier in the day)
I don’t know what you think when you hear this, but I thought it was really cool. To the wedded couple: Keep this up, and you’ll do amazing stuff!
juni 20th, 2009
Just finished making a couple of Tiramisu’s. Haven’t had the finished product yet, but from the previews (of the biscuits dipped in coffee and dunked in the mascarpone mix) it promises to be very good indeed 
For the Danish-minded people, I found the recipe here: www.dk-kogebogen.dk.
januar 4th, 2009
So I just went to see Händel’s Messiah with the quite (at least in Denmark) renowned choir Camerata, in Holmens Kirke. Though we didn’t exactly get the best places due to late arrival, it still remains an excellent work and was performed quite well by the choir.
So many bits going through my mind:
‘Every valley, every valley shall be exalted’
‘For He’s like a refiner’s fire’
‘And He shall purify the son’s of levi – that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness, of righteousness’
‘He was despised, rejected, rejected of men’
‘He gave His back to the smiters. And His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, and his cheeks to them, that plucked off the hair’
‘And by his stripes we are healed’
‘I know that my redeemer liveth’
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. And hath redeemed us to God, to God, by His blood. To receive power and riches and wisdom and strenght and honour and glory and blessing’
Just to mention a few… Is there anything left to say but amen?
Savouring the impressions as I’m sitting in the silence of the kitchen at night enjoying peppermint tea and some very nice cheeses and biscuits… 
december 18th, 2008
So, Tuesday morning, I woke up at about 6.20 from the rumbling of my bed. Being quite tired, I only managed to think ‘this can’t be an earthquake’ and that someone must’ve slammed the door very hard (on reflection that wouldn’t have accounted for the continued rumbling though).
It turns out that Copenhagen was indeed hit by an earthquake that morning. Only a measly 4.7 on the Richter-scale, but for a country that hardly ever experiences such things, it’s quite big.
So there you go: Earthquakes now also in Copenhagen.
december 18th, 2008
Just stopped by the Royal Library in Copenhagen, in search for some resources, namely a Hebrew Bible and some lexica. I got more than I hoped for; they have the stuttgartensia, Koehler Baumgartner and a number of other reference works I recognize from Newbold – and also some pretty nice facilities 
However, I must say, the Newbold library actually quite well competes with the theology section in the diamond – which is no small feat.
Ok, sitting in the researcher’s study area now; need to get serious…
december 16th, 2008
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