Quickies

It emerged that the city of Copenhagen had requested Danish government assistance to deport up to 400 Roma, and that Swedish police had expelled Roma in breach of its own and EU laws. (From here)

Zero-Energy Housing Wedge in Denmark. Of course, danishes are masters at projects on computer designs about utopic zero energy environments, but from theory to practice is a long way.

Cradle-To-Grave System Gets Rocky in Denmark

In addition to free education and universal health care, the linchpins of the welfare state model, Denmark provides an extensive list of social benefits enjoyed during a lifetime regardless of income. These include government-sponsored child-care checks, student stipends, unemployment benefits, early retirement funds, elder care and a state-funded pension program.
But in recent weeks, in light of the credit crunch and a growing public debt problem, Denmark’s generous public spending has come under scrutiny. Specifically, the state-funded pension program — which costs 96 billion kroner, or $16 billion, annually, an estimated 5.5% of gross domestic product — has fueled a discussion about the paradox of Denmark’s high earners receiving many of the same social benefits as the very neediest citizens.
The comments come as Denmark, long heralded as a model for economic and social stability, scrambles to reduce a public expenditure that last year surpassed 59 percent of G.D.P., clocking in at over 1 trillion kroner, while working to decrease a public-sector debt equal to 42% of G.D.P.
Mr. Bendtsen has suggested that anyone receiving more than 500,000 kroner annually from a private pension should be excluded from the state-funded program. The Danish Insurance Association, an industry group, calculates that there are only 4,000 people who fall into this category, or 1 percent of the 400,000 Danes who have private pensions.
Mr. Bendtsen’s trial balloon has attracted responses from several quarters of Danish society, and the comments have a similar thrust: Something must be done, but not at the expense of the social model.
Denmark has the highest overall tax burden of all O.E.C.D. member countries, with taxes to G.D.P. reaching 48.2% in 2009. Furthermore, numbers from the O.E.C.D. show that Denmark has one of the highest marginal tax rates for high earners — 67% — when consumer taxes are included.

Read more at The New York Times

Quickies

Oh no, you can't name your baby THAT!

National racism report under fire

Hindus ask Denmark to stop Roma deportations

Homosexuality Caused by Environmental Factors

Income inequality, individual income, and mortality in Danish adults

Epidemiology of Asthma in Denmark (PDF)

Denmark wants to prevent Israel to be Fur free! Denmark involved in Israeli fur conflict

Lower Minimum Wage for Immigrants

The debate over integration is shrill in Denmark. The small country repeatedly makes international headlines on the issue. The current coalition government of conservatives and right-wing liberals has already introduced Europe's toughest immigration law. The far-right Danish People's Party constantly agitates against the nation's 450,000 immigrants.
Karsten Lauritzen, integration spokesman for the ruling right-liberal party Venstre, has proposed that immigrants be paid far less than Danes. His idea is that migrants should work for around 50 krone an hour (around €6.50 or $8.40) instead of the current minimum hourly wage of around 100 krone. There is no official legal minimum wage in Denmark, but pay is regulated by a series of wage agreements negotiated by labor unions.
Lauritzen is selling his idea as in the interests of the immigrants: he says that the high wages are preventing "immigrants and new Danes" from getting jobs. If you want to get migrants out of their ghettos and into the labor market then new ideas are required, Lauritzen argues. The politician told the Berlingske Tidende newspaper that he envisages a situation where an immigrant would get just half the minimum wage for the first six months. After all, he argued, some immigrants now take unpaid work to gain a foothold in the labor market. He assured the paper that he had his party's backing on the issue.
Migrants working for a pittance -- the suggestion may seem absurd, but it's shared by many in Danish politics, and it is not as easily dismissed as, say, a recent suggestion in Germany that immigrants be subjected to intelligence tests.

Complete at Der Spiegel

Quickies

A quick extract from Promoting Indonesia to the Danish (The Jakarta Post)

Like any country, he said there were some people in Denmark who he thought were silly. “They have a way of thinking that everything that’s not Danish is bad, or people of other cultures and ethnic background are there to steal our money, our jobs, our women,” he said with a laugh. “It’s childish and foolish,” he said

Foreigners paid to leave Denmark

Immigrants who can’t or won’t integrate into Danish society will get a bonus if they return home
The Danish People’s Party (DF) has strengthened its immigration stance by securing an agreement to pay ‘anti-social’ foreigners 100,000 kroner to leave Denmark.
As part of the on-going budget negotiations, the government’s traditional ally DF said it secured the agreement late last night.
Refugees and those who come to Denmark under family reunification schemes currently get 28,256 in repatriation support if they leave, of which 11,000 is a bonus. The bonus is usually paid out a year after the recipient returns home and their right to Danish residency expires.
The new deal would see 100,000 kroner given as a bonus if a foreigner returns home and gives up their residency rights in Denmark.
Neither the government nor DF has yet elaborated on what constitutes an ‘anti-social’ foreigner, but have said that it would be aimed at those who ‘can’t or won’t integrate’.
According to DF party leader Pia Kjærsgaard, the move will save the state a significant sum in local costs which are administered by local and regional councils.

But opposition parties are shocked by the news saying it sends a clear signal to foreigners that Denmark wants to see them leave the country.

Read the juicy comments at The Copenhagen Post

Human statues in Copenhagen

Quickies

Denmark's foldable self-locking bike

Nakked running at the Roskilde Festival 2010 (video1 and video2). This is an annual tradition and the winners (1 male and 1 female) get a free ticket for next years festival.