Gee Twenty Wizzards

What can the Group of Twenty (G20) accomplish that the Group of Eight (G8) couldn't at this weekend's summit in Toronto? Well for one thing, they bring the money with them. Finance Ministers and central bank governers take part in G20 as opposed to G8 for state leaders.

The United States Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, (who served as an international affairs advisor for the Clinton administration, and later worked with The Federal Reserve Bank/FED in New York and later the International Monetary Fund/IMF) said that progress was being made on new capital standards, although disagreements remained.

'We’re narrowing those differences, but we’re still some ways apart,' he said according to The New York Times.

The US Financial Stability Board is also working on rules in order to tighten regulation of hedge funds and debt rating agencies; to set restrictions on executive pay to discourage excessive risk-taking; and to push trading of derivatives onto open markets. The Congressional legislation, which is expected to be handled by President Obama next week, includes similar provisions in those areas.

So major banks are to face tougher regulation in Washington, after the Obama administration's regulatory means, but will not have to face a new set of global rules on capital and liquidity anytime soon, following the agreements at the present G20 summit in Toronto. So the G20 members will reunite in Seoul, South Korea, in November to lay down the rules for the banking industry.

For further information, please see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/business/global/28bank.html?hp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Geithner

Play for Win-Win

Gamers like the thrill of a good game. Most often these games consist in a battle between the old opponents of Good and Evil. Simple. Relatable. Thrilling. During the FIFA World Cup games, it also appears to be very simple - 'either you're with us, or you're against us.'

Games are all good and fine. But are you an ultimate gamer and gambler? Do you gamble with other people's lives and health? There is only one way to stop yourself from doing that: yourself. If you turn the game around an put yourself in the place of the game figure, you're trying to destroy. In real life, would you still click the same button? Or would you want others to push it? The game looks an awful lot different when you are the game figure to be destroyed, doesn't it? Don't play the ultimate game, if you wouldn't want it played to yourself. Play for life. Play for win-win.

Pope In Action Against Child Abuse

The Pope has repetedly spoken up against child abuse within the Catholic Church. But during his Sunday Angulus prayer yesterday he deplored the methods of investigation carried out by the police raids during investigations in Belgium, which he finds invasive.

The sex abuse cases against the Catholic Church comprise at least half a dozen countries, including the pope's native Germany, as well as Belgium, Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands and the United States. And the Vatican issued a statement about their 'strong condemnation of any sinful and criminal abuse of minors by members of the Church.' However, the suggested procedure to deal with the sex abuse cases is to be held within the Church. As the Vatican maintains 'the need to repair and confront such acts in conformity with the law and teachings of the Gospel.'

For further information, please see:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/27/vatican.pope.belgium.raid/index.html?hpt=T2

Mexican Mourning

This morning is sad for Mexicans. Not only did Argentina beat Mexico 3-1 yesterday during the World Cup, but Mexico also just lost a singer. Mexican singer Sergio Vega, aka El Shaka, was killed by gunshots on his way in his red cadillac to a concert in Sinaloa state. The odd circumstances around his death is that at first he was reported dead. Then he issued a statement, saying that he wasn't.

'It's happened to me for years now, someone tells a radio station or a newspaper I've been killed, or suffered an accident,' Mr Vega said to Mexican internet media La Oreja, and according to BBC World. Just hours before he was actually killed by gunmen riding by him in a truck.

Sergio Vega first formed the band Los Hermanos Vega (The Vega Brothers), later to change name into Los Reyes del Norte (Kings from the North). As a singer he performed so-called narcocorridos, songs celebrating the lives of drug barons. He was born in Sonora in Mexico, but later emigrated to the United States. So Mexico has more than soccer to worry about this morning. This Mexican Mourning.

For further information, please see:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/latin_america/10429934.stm

US Supreme Justice Hearings

Hearings for the candidate as the next US Supreme Court Justice, Elana Kagan, will begin Monday. The hearings are expected to dig into Kagan's background of not being an experienced practicing lawyer, but having served as dean at Harvard Law School and as an advisor to the Clinton administration.

Other issues expected to be raised is her views on controversial areas like gun rights, same sex marriage, and abortion. Republicans hold up the Roberts standard as one Ms. Kagan must embrace to win their support, reffering to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Junior, nominated by the Bush administration in 2005. According to Ed Whelan, the president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative research organization, the Kagan hearings may come down to the standards for judging set forth by the president and the chief justice. It will be, Mr. Whelan said, 'the battle between the empathy standard and the umpire analogy,' according to The New York Times.

In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions.

For further information, please see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/us/politics/27kagan.html?hp

Brits Will Redraw from Afghanistan

According to the Danish daily Politiken, British PM David Cameron has stated that Britain will redraw troops from Afghanistan before 2015. Before the next election. Since they have already been there for nine years. He stresses the importance of the Afghans being able to take over the security in the country themselves. This requires stability in the country before the pull out can come into effect. This comes after the replacement of US Gen. Stanley McChrystal with Gen. David Petreaus - who has stated that he wants the mission in Afghanistan to be open-ended. Britain has 9.500 troops in Afghanistan - although being the second largest ally, it only amounts to one tenth of the US troops.

For further information, please see:
http://politiken.dk/udland/article1004514.ece
http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/23/obama-taps-petreaus-who-saved-bush-in-iraq-to-save-war-effort-in-afghanistan/

Meta-Comment No. 25

Which way is the right one to the goal? It takes an awfully talented navigator to bring home the success. World leaders meet in Canada this weekend to reach a goal. They fight for a solution at the top of their abilities. But they cannot accomplish it without a little help from countless invisible hands. From the people who rule the world. Advisors. Mothers. Teachers. Servants. Navigators.

The Magnificent Eight

The Magnificent Eight or Group of Eight (G8) which include USA, Canada, Russia, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan, are joined at the G8 summit in Toronto this weekend. Later to be joined by emerging economies like China, India, Australia, Argentine, etc. at the following G20 summit. Brazil's President Silva has announced default because of floods. The participating nations are there to set the ground rules for economic growth and stability accross the major economies, following the financial crisis.

'We are poised to create the toughest financial reform since the one we created in the aftermath of the Great Depression. Early this morning the House and Senate reached an agreement on a set of Wall Street reforms, that represent ninety percent of what I proposed, when I took up this fight. Let me be clear, our economic growth and prosperity depend on a strong and robust financial sector,' US President Obama stated about the US efforts, according to BBC World.

Although German Kansler Merkel is in favour of a more restrictive regulation based on cut backs, she found much common ground among the G8 nations.

'I have made it clear that we need sustainable growth and that growth and intelligent austerity measures don't have to be contradictions,' Mrs Merkel told journalists.

British PM David Cameron agreed that different measures could compliment each other.

'I want to get the right outcome for the world economy, and that means that those countries, like our own, with budget deficits have got to move faser. Other countries with surpluses can afford to do other things,' Cameron explained to the press at the G8 summit.

The original G7 included Russia in 1997 on invitation by US President Bill Clinton, changing its name into G8. G20 or The Group of Twenty, comprises Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

US Economist Paul Krugman writes about the topic for the New York Times. He calls for stimulus to the economy. On 14th June he writes:

'...But we can’t afford it, say the advocates of austerity. Why? Because we must impose pain to appease the markets.

There are three problems with this claim.

First, it assumes that markets are irrational – that they will be spooked by stimulus spending and/or encouraged by austerity even though the long-run budget implications of such spending and/or austerity are trivial.

Second, we’re talking about punishing the real economy to satisfy demands that markets are not, in fact, making. It’s truly amazing to see so many people urging immediate infliction of pain when the US government remains able to borrow at remarkably low interest rates, simply because Very Serious People believe, in their wisdom, that the markets might change their mind any day now.

Third, all this presumes that if the markets were to lose faith in the US government, they would be reassured by short-term fiscal austerity. The available facts suggest otherwise: markets continue to treat Ireland, which has accepted savage austerity with little resistance, as being somewhat riskier than Spain, which has accepted austerity slowly and reluctantly.'

It all depends - on the situation, the economic nation, and the eyes that see - seems to be the paradox here.

For further information, please see:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/10416895.stm

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/the-bad-logic-of-fiscal-austerity/?scp=2&sq=paul%20krugman&st=cse

Merchants of Doubt

The American science historian Naomi Oreskes visited Copenhagen University on Thursday to give a lecture on what she refers to as Merchants of Doubt (entitled after her book) or Doubt Mongers - scientists who are in the industry of creating doubt about scientific research. And who are responsible for turning away the attention from the focal point.

This, she claims, can be seen in areas like the doubt created by the tobacco industry and lobbyists regarding the health hazards to smoking, even though numerous scientific results for years had documented that there were hazards. Other areas of doubt-mongering include topics like acid rain, the ozon layer, global climate change, etc.

PN made an interview on camera, to be edited in another connection. Among the questions were, if her point didn't have the liking to and could be perceived as a conspiracy theory?

Naomi Oreskes' response was that it isn't - but that caution should be taken when a scientist in one area of expertise acts as a government advisor in an entirely different area of expertise. She mentions American scientist Frederick Seitz, who worked with the development of the nuclear bomb as a young physicist. Later a headmaster at the Rockefeller University, and chairman at the US National Academy of Sciences (NSA) in the 1960'ies. He was hired by the tobacco industry to stimulate scientific research that showed no health hazards to smoking. Later, scientific research has been worldwide accepted, that there is a connection between smoking and the development of various lung diseases, including cancer.

Another more recent example she gives, is Danish scientist Bjørn Lomborg, who advises the government on global climate change - even though his background is economic. PN tried in vain to get in touch with Bjørn Lomborg several times for a comment/response to this critique.

More Students at Large

Students are coming out in huge numbers - and yesterday Paradoxical News joined a group on their truck a bit of the way to the north of Copenhagen. Singing, shouting, drinking beer from their student caps, and roaring 'Skååålålål-skååålålål' - a slightly fuddled variation over the Danish drinking salutation of Skål/Cheers. The truck received showers of beer thrown from other bypassing trucks with students, only adding to the entertainment.

PN had the rare chance of sitting next to a couple of twin sisters, Charlotte and Camilla, who had just graduated - after drawing the exact same exam question, and finishing with the exact same grade! What are the odds? 'Skååålålål-skååålålål'!

Outdoor Entertainment

Yesterday Paradoxical News stumbled accross a small group of outdoor entertainers at the local amusement park of Bakken. The members of the troup were preparing acts of snake charming, joggling, acrobatics, sable swallowing, etc. for a big Bakken parade today Saturday at two o'oclock.

Clear As McChrystal

General Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander in Afghanistan, will probably ask to be resigned voluntarily after his meeting today with President Obama. Not because he wants to, but to relieve the President of this decision. This comes after his overtly critical remarks on President Obama and the Obama administration in the handling of the war in Afghanistan, according to CNN.

The big question is how Obama will handle the dilemma: a highly valued top professional strategist versus public display of discontent by a top ranking officer. McChrystal has harvested widespread critique for voicing his dissatisfaction publicly. He has made it crystal clear that he wants more support and resources for the effort in Afghanistan. And Obama wants to pull out from the summer of 2011.

Obama is intelligent and empathic. Therefore he is likely to weigh McChrystal's demand in relation to his own policy, but he cannot afford to lose some of the best people in his crew either. How long time will it take for Obama to build the same amount of knowledge of the local conditions in Afghanistan? McChrystal has been very demanding, and has been in luck to get practically everything he has asked for. Why change horses in midstream - just one year before the pull out is scheduled to begin? And why would Obama make enemies for his future? He will probably voice his support to the hard working troops. Then ask McChrystal to be clear about his support for the Obama administration, and to voice it as publicly as his dissatisfaction. And then ask for positive results and solutions. As tangible and solid as rock. Worded in a headline as clear as McChrystal.

For further information, please see:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/23/general.mcchrystal.obama.apology/index.html?hpt=T2

Liberal-Conservative EU Cat Fight

Danish member of the European Parliament for the Liberals (V), Jens Rohde, now criticises Foreign Secretary Lene Espersen for suggesting an abolishment of farm subsidies in the European Union. Always a hot and difficult topic to tackle, because the European Union was initiated and based on trading coal and steel, and later primarily farmed products and it has a large farming lobby.

In particular, he finds the statement and the signals it sends to the European countries troublesome up to the Danish chairmanship to begin in 2012. Now adding to the critique of Foreign Secretary Espersen for her cancellation of an important Arctic forum with US Foreign Secretary Clinton in Canada end of March. Lene Espersen has responded by stressing the importance of a more market oriented economy in this area and in general.

For further information, please see:

http://www.information.dk/237108

A Tax Loop Hole Fixed

A Danish Supreme Court ruling overrules prior rulings in the regional and revenue courts. According to the Supreme Court and the Inland Revenue Department, the company Jet Trade drives illegal business to avoid the Danish VAT.

Jet-Trade is not at liberty to sell jet boats, jet ski and boat trailers in the city of Aarhus - and then have the customers pick up the traded goods in Germany - for the sake of avoiding Danish VAT. Several companies speculate in this loop hole business tactic, profitting on the VAT differences between Germany and Denmark (19 and 25 percent, respectively). Jet-Trade lost their case in a principle ruling in the Danish Supreme court. All nine of nine Supreme Court justices backed the claim made by the Inland Revenue Department.

'Merchants are creative minds, but there are limits as to how creative you can be in the attempt at avoiding Danish VAT,' says Troels Lund Poulsen, Minister for the Inland Revenue Department. He now plans to look further into the rules and regulations of trade across boarders.

Jet-Trade's delivery, cf. the Danish revenue law article § 4. no. 1, 2. paragraph, originally happened to the customer and not to transporter Fleg­gaard. Since the boat was in Denmark at the time of delivery, when the transport to Germany started, the place of delivery is defined as Denmark, cf. the revenue law article § 14, no. 2, 1. paragraph, and for that reason the VAT was to be paid in Denmark.

For further information, please see:
http://www.domstol.dk/hojesteret/nyheder/Afgorelser/Pages/Momsoggraensehandel.aspx
http://www.skm.dk/presse/pressemeddelelser/ministeren/8201.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_added_tax

To Tax or Not to Tax

Latest: A political pursuit - and yes, it is trivial - of Social Democrat (A) opposition leader Helle Thorning-Scmidt's husband, Stephen Kinnock, CEO for World Economic Forum, is in motion in Denmark. Kinnock works and spends a major amount of his time in Switzerland - so he doesn't pay taxes in Denmark. Some tax experts and auditors will have him pay taxes in Denmark, others will have him taxed under a double tax regulation in Switzerland. So now the media are asking its readers. Paradoxically now the experts to top the experts.

For further information, please see:

http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/ministerium-reglerne-er-uklare

http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/kinnock-sagen-et-spoergsmaal-om-moral

Break Up Interpretations

Yesterday, Paradoxical News was invited to yet another press showing at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art to the north of Copenhagen. In connection with the opening of an exhibition with internationally acclaimed French photo artist Sophie Calle. Her works from the 70'ies on have sparked a lot of debate, because of her artistic methods. For instance in the 1979 Suite Venitienne, where she virtually stalked a man she had met at a party through Venice, photographing him in all sorts of situations without his knowing. Other works of art have focussed on the same theme of exposing privacy. Until a man, whose personal note and phone book she found, copied, and exposed artistically. His response was to demand a photo of her in the nude published a the newspaper.

This time around, she exposes herself and a personal relationship with a man who breaks up with her. In the artistic experiment Prenez Soin de Vous/Take Care of Yourself, the ending phrase of a break up letter from her partner, she invited a long range of people from all walks of life to interpret his e-mailed break up letter - from their point of view and profession. For instance a lawyer, a semantic, a physicologist, a proof reader, several artistic performers, etc. Very different direct interpretations, variations, and comments come out of this experiment.

She once inspired American author Paul Auster to base the character Maria in his novel Leviathan on her. But he added fictitious elements. Which she later took up - as an artistic passing of batons - and evolved into the character he described. As an artistic dialogue. A very interesting experiment would now be to see what the exposed break up man would get out of interpreting her and her latest artistic merit. For now, go see this paradoxical artist and her break up interpretations.

For further information, please see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Calle

http://www.louisiana.dk/dk/Service+Menu+Right/English

The Only Way Is Up

Danish politics has been very strange in the first half of 2010 - if not estranged. With de facto PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen striding through one political test and trial to the next. With impopular ministers. An not personally popular, with polls falling to a minimum for the government parties of Liberals (V) and Conservatives (C) in the recent three years. Pressured from the outside challenges or threats. If visiting the American or Afghan presidents, it hasn't helped much. And pressured from the inside trials and tribulations. When faced with internal politics and dissatisfied Danes, it has only added to his troubles.

Welcome to the world of politics, to the political game - and to your personal Hamiltonian, Wilsonian, Jeffersonian, and Jacksonian all at once! (see link below) The paradox of which is: Down is the best possible vantage point. From here it all looks a lot brighter, because there is only one way to go from here. The only ways is up.

For further information, please see:
http://jp.dk/indland/indland_politik/article1144387.ece
http://politiken.tv/nyheder/politik/politiskanalyse/article1001937.ece
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2009/07/walter-russell-mead-in-town.html

Students At Large

These days Copenhagen and all cities and small towns are swamped with students after their final exams. In Denmark, they celebrate it with considerable amounts of beer and funny looking caps with either red or blue rims, if not graduating as in international baccalaureate with flags from around the world along the rim. Driving around singing in buses or all sorts of odd transportation. And we celebrate them with cheers.

This morning I was up very early, and so were groups of students - not having been to bed, coming out to see the light of day in the local neighbourhood. Students at large, all smiling and partying. Very life affirming.

Sports in Short: 2-1

World Cup Challenge

Tonight is the match between Denmark and Cameroon. Major soccer teams have surprisingly been beaten or playing to a draw during the 2010 World Cup, Germany vs. Serbia (0-1), England vs. Algeria (0-0), Spain vs. Switzerland (0-1), France vs. Mexico (0-1), Denmark vs. Holland (0-2, was a sad event with one own goal on the Danish side). With USA playing to a draw with both England and Slovenia (1-1, and 2-2, respectively).

This major-minor paradox caught the attention of Paradoxical News. Obviously Denmark winning over a major soccer nation like Holland, would take a lot - and could therefore not be expected. But an own goal doesn't help the cheering crowds of supporters.

Denmark is fortunate to have some of the most peace loving, cheering, joyful supporters - the so-called Roligans (derived from the Danish word for peaceful, quiet, easy tempered). They even have 10 commandments of good conduct. And they do all they can to support the Danish soccer team around the world. They use singing in stead of horns. They ban fighting over games with competitor supporters and others. They show respect when competitor national songs are played. And one of their commandments is to give full support, even when things look the bleakest.

What is needed for the upcoming match of Denmark vs. Cameroon is a win. That win will not be ensured going black over the first loss. But to beat it up a notch and staying with the life affirming, joyful, loving spirit - on the bright side. And it will work out. Remember that Danish teams will gain support from many other countries against Cameroon.

Help is close at hand for the Danish soccer team. And its own supporters. There is an unwritten law that ensures Danish players automatic support from its Nordic neighbours - Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland - whenever and whereever they participate in international competion. As is the case of the World Cup, the European Cup, the European song contest, etc. Nordic neighbours will simply root for each other, when not in play themselves - against any international competitor. So that's one place the support will come from.

Another will be based on simple identification. This principle that is so important for the journalist in any kind of story - news, features, sports. Idenfication will save the day. Sports is as honours game. Friendships, alliances, tradition, and very importantly - the flag - will influence sympathies and support. So it will also come to Denmark from other European countries, and other overseas allies (like USA, Australia, New Zealand).

And due to identification, it will most likely come from other nations both participating in other games, and not participating, but watching. And rooting. Other nations that share the same colours of the flag - the Danish Dannebrog, with the colours of red and white - either one of them, or both. So chin up, the rooting and support will also come from an unseen place. The colours of the flag will cheer and root Danes to a win. If you stay on the bright and life affirming side.

For further information, please see:
http://www.fifa.com/
http://www.roliganklubben.dk/

Sorry, the Magic Word

'I want to speak directly to the people who live and work in the Gulf region: I know that this incident has had a profound impact on your lives and caused great turmoil, and I deeply regret that,' BP CEO Tony Hayward stated to the US House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Thursday.

Referring to the tons of oil that affected the livelihood of millions of Americans, devasted natural life, affected the ecology in the Mexican Gulf region. After President Obama on several occasions showed intent and responsibility over the natural disaster. The next step for Obama will be to ensure the clean-up, to call for renewed focus on renewable energy, and to create new jobs in the region.

The BP CEO didn't just take responsibility on behalf of his company – CSR style (Corporate Social Responsibility). In this way, he simultaneously soothed the people of the Mexican Gulf region. With one statement to let them know he was sorry. Sorry, the magic word. Followed by the magic action.

For further information, please see:
http://www.google.dk/url?q=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/17/tony.hayward.profile/index.html&sa=X&ei=z2scTLupIcqlOOTRtKAM&ved=0CA0QzgQoATAA&usg=AFQjCNFvarX-lL7bhZ1d8Q_2NPFMO2MbaA

Blockade - To Lift or Not to Lift

The Israeli blockade on the Palestians in the Gaza strip is going on its third year, but as of this week, the Israeli government decided to ease the blockade - allowing more goods into Gaza. A giant relief for everyone involved. But shouldn't the blockade be lifted by now? Following the massive international protests towards Israel after the Free Gaza ship was attacked by Israeli forces, killing civilians, in international waters. The demand was clear from international side (UN, USA, EU, Israel friendly Turkey, etc): There should be a thorough and impartial investigation, chaired by a non-partisan investigator.

So the paradoxical question is, why does it end up with Israel conducting its own investigation, merely overseen by international monitors - and not with an impartial international body of investigation? The paradox that PN would like to propose to Israel is this (admittedly the example is worn, but easily understandable): Following the war crimes after World War II - would Israel have allowed the German government to investigate itself? The example is horrible, because we all share the condemnation of the magnitude of the horrid events, but the German government and the German people didn't think they were doing anything wrong either. While a majority of countries in the international community condemned the actions. This is also the situation we have right here - a widespread international condemnation. PN is not talking magnitude, but principle alone.

The bold paradoxical question in general is this simple one: Can an internationally condemned action by one party - taking place in international waters or territory - be investigated by that very same party? It takes an awful lotta love. An unreasonable lotta love.

The next question is about the blockade itself. To lift or not to lift. It's all about security for Israel. But the blockade itself provides the tensions and the insecurity. So when in doubt, lift. The international community will stand further by Israel if the blockade is lifted. Ensuring its security.

For further information, please see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/world/middleeast/18mideast.html
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2010/06/ultimate-love-test.html

The Soothing Word of Sorry

'What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong,' PM David Cameron told the House of Commons on Tuesday. In Britain, the long awaited Saville report (12 years, the inquiry was initiated and chaired by lord Saville in 1998) with the findings after British paratroopers opened fire killing 13 civilians during a civil rights march - the event widely known as Bloody Sunday on 30th January 1972 in Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The event fueled the violent methods adopted by Northern Ireland and troubled the political debates with Sinn Fein. The public apology is historic, and must have been hard for a unionist Conservative to express. But necessary for the peace of mind of the relatives of the victims, and for easing relations between Northern Ireland and England. This is the paradox of the soothing word of 'Sorry'.

For further information, please see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/15/bloody-sunday-report-saville-inquiry
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/northern_ireland/10291990.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)

Whale Watching

In Denmark, a fin whale has stranded in Vejle fjord this week, after having swimmed around the Island of Funen for some weeks. It's the world's second largest living animal (seen upto 27 meters/88 feet) after the blue whale (upto 33 meters/108 feet). For days emergency rescuers have tried to push it back to sea, and last night a sudden overflow of water after flow shook it loose. Just one of those paradoxical news stories, that keeps everybody on their toes, whale watching, and holding their breaths to see what will happen next.

For further information, please see:

http://www.dr.dk/nettv/update/?video={55492515-d5a0-41b5-8cc0-8f407c8fe0f5}

Local Jubilee

The balloons came out. The colourful streamers came out. And about 2.000 children came out dressed in festive clothes and with self-produced colourful paper hats. The reason was the 875 year jubilee on Tuesday for the local Zealand town of Næstved. They all cheered, singing song for their local mascot, the dragon of Næssie (perhaps a relation to the Scottish fable monster of Nessie?) - so called because the town is shaped in the form of a dragon, seen from the sky.

They all marched through town to the main square, where several thousand citizens had come to see the internationally acclaimed Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard join the Minister of the Interior and the mayor of Næstved, Henning Jensen, at the revelation of a new sculpture and fountain portraying a local mythical figure who keeps away evil spirits and evil people - with life giving water flowing from her chest. The local citizens debated the sculpture, some had to get used to it - but most liked it after a walkabout around it. The paradox of most art.

Meta-Comment No. 24

'Money!' British band Pink Floyd yawn on their brilliant album The Dark Side of the Moon from the 70'ies. The Swedish pop group Abba shouts it out no less than three times in their hit song Money, Money, Money! All the things I could do, if I just had a little money...Even Julia Roberts raises her brows to Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, suggesting the most direct way to ease the tension between them: 'You know, you could pay me'.

Now, why would Paradoxical News make all these references? Could it be for the simple reason that everything - everything - in this world revolves around money? You cannot provide sufficient food and drink, you cannot ensure your livelihood and accommocation, and you simply cannot move an inch without it. PN has now survived for several years without money in own pocket to maneuvre. So a little credit in hand for the effort would solve it all.

The Magic of Magenta

Magenta. A pinkish colour between blue and red. Right in the middle. Magenta is to mark the new logo of The Danish Social-Liberal Party (B). The paradoxical party that calls itself and its members the 'Radicals' - but is anything but radical in views. The party in the middle where every other major Danish political party - i.e. the Social Democrats (A) and the Liberals (V) - wants to be for more votes, but is paradoxically one of the smallest parties in the Danish parliament. The party right between the blue block and the red block. As is the colour of magenta. This is the magic of magenta. And the paradox of the Social-Liberals.

For further information, please see:

http://www.radikale.dk/CMS/vis.aspx?aid=4522

Sports in Short: 1-1

Last night the soccer World Cup opened with a giant concert in South Africa with Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu giving a speech. And Columbian singer/ hip swinger Shakira to kick off the artistic programme. The announcement that Nelson Mandela is unable to participate in the openening is sad, but fully understandable under the circumstances, see below. Today marks the day of the sports kick-off. Opening with a match between host South Africa and Mexico played to a tie of 1-1.

Paradoxical News has received many complaints about not being present during the World Cup in South Africa (or during many other important national and international events). The editor-in-chief would like to apologize for the disappointment to its followers. But due to cash restraints at survival level this niche publication is completely unable to meet that demand. And will have to cover many events from afar. This can be coined the 'impossible paradox' - a bit like the one about the bumble bee. Paradoxically, it takes more than soccer to make the world spin. It takes more than competitiveness, initiative, and will. It takes money!

For further information, please see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8731389.stm
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/11/south.africa.mandela.grandchild/index.html

Happy Birthday, Henri!

Today is the 76th birthday of the Prince Consort Henrik. Or Henri Marie Jean André Count de Laborde de Monpezat. The Prince Consort was born on 11th June 1934 in Talence, France. Most Danes call him Prins Henrik, and make fun of his silly jokes (and trust me, they are). Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II always calls him Henri! Or addresses him directly - Oh, Henri! Anywhichway, happy birthday to your Royal Highness!

A Welfair Demonstration

'Is it welfair?' signs asked visitors at the demonstration on Tuesday against the government's plan to make cutbacks in public spending in the coming years. And apparently many people didn't find the plan fair from a welfare perspective.

The union arrangers of the demonstration estimated the number of demonstrators to be around 80.000, whereas the police estimated the crowd to be around 40.000. So somewhere in between is the likely figure.

'Stop the thief' is one of the union campaign slogans, with photos of representatives from the sitting governement support party. Among other areas to be hit, the very popular 'children's cheque' (benefits for families with children) are to be reduced, the time wages for students at the technical schools are to be cut in half, the maintenance allowance period is to be halved, hospital units are to be closed down, the annual development aid is to be frozen. And so on.

'This is about the welfare society in general,' chair person Grete Christensen from DSR (the nurses union) responded to the PN question if the nurses hadn't been satisfied during the various demonstration in the past decade, most recently during the 'more hands' campaign and demonstration in June two years ago. She was there to voice her support to all groups and the danes in general who would be hit by the cutbacks.

'In five years it will be a problem for the schools, in ten years it will cause problems for the social authorities, and in fifteen years it will be a problem for the police - if we don't act now,' a representative Mia Skou Jørgensen, vice-chair person from BUPL in the capital (the union for children and youth pedagogues) parrotted a campaign slogan.

Union leaders (LO, 3F, BUPL, DSR, FTF, etc), representatives from youth organisations, and NGO leaders gave speeches, among them MS Action Aid. Musicians gave suporting concerts, groups of people were singing, shouting, jumping for change. And protesters were there from all groups to put welfare back on the agenda.

Most versions of communist parties dissolved themselves and instead united in The Red-Green Alliance (Ø) from the beginning of the 90'ies. But there were also demonstrators from 'the remaining resistance' of the communist party. To the PN question whether the communist party wasn't an anachronism, the communist party leader Jørgen Petersen responded:

'I think that capitalism is an anachronism. It has shown that it is unable to ensure people the basic human rights and the right to work. Within the past decade, 110.000 industry workplaces have been laid down. And now we face new anti-social cutbacks. The communists are representatives for a future sustainable Denmark in solidarity. We plan to head for the next municipal elections,' the red chairman quickly rebuffed.

Even from the vantage point of equestrian statue of King Frederik VII - who signed the Constitution on 5th June 1849 - the demonstrators were heard. All in all a solidarity demonstration for better welfare and welfair for all. The demonstrations on Tuesday 8th June worked as a very fitting backdrop to the Constitution Day celebration, just days before.

Wiggle That Wallet

On Saturday, the CARE Denmark NGO gave an introduction to Zumba dancing at the gymnastic city of DGI in Copenhagen. The purpose of their event was to bring awareness to a new 'save and lend' campaign for women in developing countries.

And did they ever! Several hundred Danish women in all shapes and sizes from teenagers to pensioners were wiggling their booties and shaking their hips to Latin American rythms. Wiggling their wallets to chip in for the introduction of new kits of savings boxes and accounting booklets for their counterparts afar.

A 66-year-old Danish pensioner, let's call her Birgit, had left her green houses to the tennants and taken the trip from suburbian Sengeløse to wiggle her wallet as productively as she could. And did she ever!

For further information, please see:

http://www.care.dk/

http://www.care.dk/english

Constitution Day Celebration

5th June 1849 marked the introduction of the Danish Constitution. And each year we celebrate 5th June with speeches, singing, and other odes to democracy. This year was no different. With Danish politicians speaking in all corners of the country.

This year, PN chose a DEO (enlightenment about democracy in Europe)arrangement at Vartov, where Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872), in abbreviation N.F.S. Grundtvig - or simply Grundtvig to you and me - worked as a Danish Lutheran pastor, alongside with founding the Danish folk high schools. In order to enlighten and educate the Danish peasants. The folk high schools were seen as the very foundation for the spreading of democratic involvement and debate in Danish society.

The origins of the name of Vartov is debated. But is said to be derived from Plat-Deutsch Ware-To - meaning Beware! (a hunting call). So what are we to be aware of today? What are the threats to the Danish democracy?

According to speakers Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen and Hanne Dahl we are to look out for the protection of basic human rights and the direction of the Danish democracy, respectively. Bonnichsen is a former operative chief of PET/Danish Security and Intelligence Service, and paradoxically he gave a speech warning about the surveillance society taking over and interfering with basic human rights. And Dahl, a minister of religion and member of the European Parliament, warned about the harsher and harsher laws being introduced, where youngsters down to the age of 14 can be forced into so-called electronic chains to keep them out of criminal intent and circles.

The Danish Democracy Baton, initiated on the idea by Danish debator Ebbe Kløvedal Reich in 2005, was handed over from last year's recipient, Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen - to author Carsten Jensen, with several literary awards to his name, among them the prestigious Danish 'golden laurels', and this year, the Oluf Palme prize.

For further information, please see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaj_Frederik_Severin_Grundtvig

KOPY Cat

On Thursday Paradoxical News was invited to a press showing at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art north of Copenhagen. With an introduction to the Warhol after Munch exhibition by executive director of Louisiana, Poul Erik Tøjner.

The purpose was to show Warholesque versions of Munchish works of art. To show deep and existentialist Munch as more superficial than we normally perceive him. And reversely, to show Warhol as a much deeper artist than he is normally credited for.

The works of art - at this press showing - were displays of copy upon copy of iconic paintings and prints. And from the typical Warhol perspective asked questions of original versus copy. Deep versus shallow. Death versus life. And desperation versus exhilaration. Whatever your motivation: Go and have fun with this KOPY Cat exhibition.

For further information, please see:

http://www.louisiana.dk/dk/Service+Menu+Right/English

Happy Anniversary, Cable News!

Happy 30th anniversary to CNN! On June 1st 1980 Ted Turner started Cable News Network/ CNN - based on the worldwide network of 24 hour news. Today, CNN can be watched from practically all corners of the globe. And from Larry King (interviews) to Wolf Blitzer (The Situation Room, political news, anchor) to Christiane Amanpour (formerly Middle East/international news, now anchor) to Anderson Cooper (international correspondent) to Richard Quest (business) to Jonathan Mann (Political Mann, anchor) - its hosts are household names for anyone interested in world news.

Although ratings at CNN have gone down within the past year, with the very right wing - and highly opinionated - channel of Fox News gaining ratings in prime time in the USA, CNN is often the first news channel choice for world travellers. Sadly, the PN editor-in-chief is unable to receive CNN at the current HQ due to satellite connection problems - as from March 2010. But tries to catch the cable news when travelling abroad. Greetings for Ted Turner and everybody at CNN!

For further information, please see:

http://www.cnn.com/

http://tvtid.tv2.dk/nytomtv/article.php/id-30918203.html

The Ultimate Love Test

The convoy of six ships from Turkey under the Free Gaza movement bringing 10.000 tons of humanitarian aid into Gaza was raided by Israeli special force soldiers from Sunday to Monday. All of Monday the actions of Israel have been condemned by the international community, including the EU and the United Nations, and several demonstrations around the world in front of Israeli embassies. Because of the humanitarian aid, and because the ships were in international waters when the boarding of Israeli soldiers occurred. And generally calling for an end to the blockade of Gaza, that was put into effect from Hamas took control of the strip in June 2007.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a planned meeting with US President Obama in Washington to haste back to Israel. Obama has been relatively modest in his reaction, awaiting further information to clarify the incident. Netanyahu and Israel do not reject the humanitarian aid efforts. But defend the actions as an act of self-defence, claiming that weapons were aboard the humanitarian ship. And later releasing a video showing attacks by the Free Gaza members on the Israeli soldiers. Mind you, that was after boarding the ship in the first place.

According to The Guardian, Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, described the Israeli raid as 'an act of inhumane state terrorism'. An incident Turkish diplomatic sources regret, referring to the normally friendly ties between Israel and Turkey.

In Denmark, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lene Espersen (C) has been criticised for not participating in a diplomatic meeting with Israeli embassador Arthur Avnon. She called the meeting, probably for general exchange of information purposes, but did not participate herself. Probably wise to participate if Denmark were a direct party in the conflict (like in the case of the so-called Cartoon-crisis four years ago). Most of the participants of the Free Gaza movement aboard the ship come from a long range of countries, in Scandinavia most notably from Sweden. Not Denmark. So the meeting in Denmark was a bit over the top to begin with. Except for general diplomatic exchange reasons.

The convoy participants state that the ships were about 40 sea miles from land, and that Israel has no argument to the contrary. To be in Israeli waters the ship had to be within a 12 sea mile limit outside of the Gaza strip.

A Danish expert explains the ground rules of international law:

'The defining rule is whether it happened in international waters. Intervention against ships sailing under another country's flag is not allowed here. Here the jurisdiction of the flag state applies – the only exception to this rule is in case of piracy, slavery, and probably in the case of terrorism, like in the case of actions against pirats in the Gulf of Aden,' Karsten Buhl, navy commander and jurist at the Centre for Military Studies (CMS) explains.

The action by Israeli forces appears to have been over the top, but obviously further clarification and evidence is needed. Again it strains the friendly ties with close ally USA, just as proximity talks about the Middle East question were on the brink of being initiated. Like a very odd couple in a separation process wondering if there is still hope. But the real paradox doesn't seem to be the positions of Palestine vs. Israel. So much as: does Israel test Obama's position? Like an ultimate love test for couples? Israel probably already knows the answer.

For further information, please see:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/06/01/gaza.raid.resolution/index.html?hpt=T1

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/05/31/gaza.flotilla.aid/index.html?hpt=C1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10199862.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/gaza-flotilla-attack-condemnation-israel

http://www.dr.dk/nettv/update/?video={49061b03-68f5-4a94-ab3f-dd6577972441}

http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/lene-e.-afviser-kritik-af-gaza-moede

http://politiken.dk/udland/article984082.ece