CPH POST 15 August - 12 September 2019 by The Copenhagen Post

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CPHPOST.DK 16 Aug - 12 Sep 2019

Obama versus Trump!

HE DANES couldn’t have happier when US President Barack Obama visited Denmark in 2009. And again in 2009. And last year. Every time he comes, they roll out the red carpet. Current US President Donald Trump is a different proposition altogether. When he arrives in Denmark on September 2 for a two-day visit, he can expect a huge protest outside the US Embassy – and the reappearance of the six metre-high ‘Trump Baby’ balloon – that opposes his policies and perceived racism.

LOCAL Tivoli thriving in a nation of themepark thrill-seekers

FEATURE

Holding out for a hero How a property adviser is empowering expats to fight back

Two explosions rock capital

NATIONAL Mother Mette unveils new-look cabinet

6 TRANSPORT

The summer of scooter Has a second gone by without somebody complaining?

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OPENHAGEN was hit by two explosions detonated outside significant public buildings last week. On August 6, a bomb tore into the façade of the Skattestyrelsen tax authority’s headquarters on Østbanegade in Nordhavn, injuring a cleaner. And then on August 10, a similar explosion took place outside Nørrebro Police Station on Hermodsgade. A man dressed in black clothing and a mask was caught on camera outside the police station shortly before the 03:18 detonation, but it could be any man in the country. Both bombs were made from industrial-grade explosives, which are primarily used in the mining, quarrying and construction industries.

INSIDE

No strong leads AT PRESENT, Copenhagen Police have no strong leads, although there was an explosion in Landskrona, a town located between Malmö and Helsingsborg on August 7. The rumour mill has been in overdrive. Is this the work of criminals sending a warning to the authorities, or perhaps anarchists? According to Politiken, Saturday’s explosion was the ninth detonation of a bomb in Copenhagen since February. For example, there was an unexplained explosion outside a warehouse belonging to the T Hansen vehicle dealership in Valby on May 10 – a detonation the police will most likely reinvestigate following last week’s explosions.

INSIDE

Anything you can do BARELY days after Trump confirmed his visit, Obama announced one of his own – a coincidence? Obama is hosting an event at Aalborg’s Musikkens Hus on September 28 – exactly a year to the day after his appearance at the University of Southern Denmark. Good for business NEVERTHELESS, Donald Trump does have his fair share of fans in Denmark – in the business community. “The visit is outstanding news,” said former minister Brian Mikkelsen, the head of Dansk Erhverv.

Metro to open soon

Burka Ban: one year on

THE NEW Metro City Ring will open on September 29, it was confirmed in late June. The City Ring was due to open in December 2018, but that schedule was delayed until June 2019 five years ago. Once open it will enable 300,000 passengers a day to travel between the city centre and Østerbro, Nørrebro, Vesterbro and Frederiksberg via 17 stations.

SINCE the enactment of the so-called ‘Burka Ban’ came into force on 1 August 2018, 22 women have been fined for wearing a niqab or burka face veil. The law prohibits the wearing of garments that cover the face – so burkas and niqabs, and even ski masks and fake beards. In total, 39 fines have been issued. First-time offenders are fined 1,000 kroner.

Nation of volunteers

Attractive to live in

A THIRD of the population volunteers, according to Danmarks Statistik. Since 2017 new legislation has enabled more people to volunteer, such as unemployment and early retirement benefit recipients. While men and Jutlanders are the most likely to work in sports, women and Copenhageners are the most likely to favour social causes.

COPENHAGEN is the world’s second most attractive city to live in, according to Voreslejebolig.dk, even though some believe the city centre currently has too many tourists. Copenhagen scored well for salary, crime, health and unemployment, but badly for the cost of rent and groceries. Prague topped the list, and Tokyo, Warsaw and Bucharest completed the top five.

INSIDE OUR NEXT ISSUE, OUT 12 SEPTEMBER!

Diplomacy

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16 August - 12 September 2019

Tivoli and themeparks reign supreme

ONLINE THIS WEEK COPENHAGEN is the 14th best city for Brits escaping Brexit, according to Pack & Send UK. The index assessed four key parameters: Wellbeing, Social Life, Home Life and Integration. The top five were all in Oceania.

Reassuringly expensive COPENHAGEN is the 19th most expensive city in the world to move to, according to Movinga’s 2019 Moving Price Index. At least 7,413 euros is needed for a single person, and 13,503 euros for a family. The top five were: San Francisco, New York, Geneva, Hong Kong and Zurich.

Three Swedes detained THREE arrests have been made in Stockholm in connection with the shootings in Herlev on June 25 that left two young Swedish-Somali men dead. The police believe the shootings are connected to a Stockholm gang feud.

Murder trial

Second best in Europe following a summer that set new records

IVOLI is the second best themepark in Europe, according to TripAdvisor. It finished second behind Puy du Fou in France, with three other Danish parks in the top 20: Legoland (13), Faarup Sommerland (17) and, Djurs Sommerland (20). Tivoli was seventh best in the world, with Orlando in the US once again dominating with the top four amusement parks. Huge growth UNSURPRISINGLY Tivoli was the most popular attraction in Denmark in 2018 with 4,854,000 visitors – up 11 percent thanks to the amazing summer, according to VisitDenmark. Themeparks filled five of the places in the top ten, and the top

ten themeparks accounted for 75 percent of the growth of the top 50. Completing the top ten were Bakken, Legoland, CPH Zoo, CPH Botanical Gardens, Djurs Sommerland (near Randers), Louisiana, the Round Tower, Aquadome (Billund) and Tivoli Friheden (Aarhus). Getting hitched IN RELATED news, Tivoli is one

of nine landmark locations where it is possible to get married on August 17 and 31. The other locations are CopenHill, Odd Fellow Mansion, BLOX, Langelinie Park, the City Hall tower, the Theatre Museum in the Court Theatre, Ofelia Square and Amager Beach Park. The weddings need to take place between 10:00 and14:00 and cost 850 kroner. (CPH POST)

Pedalling over Langebro’s little brother

A 24-YEAR-OLD man died in the early hours of the morning of July 7 at Copenhagen Central Station after he fell from the roof through a glass pane overhanging a platform.

Editorial offices: International House, Gyldenløvesgade 11, 1600 Copenhagen Denmark

Tragedy at station

How many other capitals have a themepark in their centre?

New bridge a big hit with cyclists HE NEW cycling and pedestrian bridge Lille Langebro is proving to be a hit since its grand opening on July 1. Located in close proximity to the ‘old’ Langebro, it is part of the green Amager Route cycle highway and expected to serve some 10,500 cyclists and pedestrians on a daily basis. The bridge aims to generate more life along the wharf by the Royal Library, BLOX and Kalvebod Bølge, as well as diverting

A COPENHAGEN waste collection competition continuing until August 12 encourages the public to pick up waste in the capital, take a selfie and post it to Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #takforskrald. The winner gets a cargo bike.

Worst ever thief

KØBENHAVNS KOMMUNE

THE TRIAL of a man accused of murdering a fellow 19-year-old on Gothersgade on New Year’s Eve has begun at Copenhagen City Court. The man is alleged to have stabbed three others using two knives in what started as a quarrel between two groups. The dead man was from Farum.

TIVOLI

Exiting Brexit

Waste competition

COPENHAGEN Police have arrested one of its most incompetent ever thieves. Despite the capital’s limited CCTV capacity, the 27-year-old Michael Hutchence lookalike was caught on numerous cameras in the area around Østerport Station before realising – at which point he put on a pair of sunglasses. The police tracked him down and found most of his swag at his home.

Bizarre incentive HELSINGØR Municipality recently sent a bizarre email to all its caseworkers informing them if they would get an ice-cream as a reward, if they were able to reduce the number of their sickness benefit cases.

Building targeted? A LARGE fire broke out at a building in the suburb of Greve on July 7, which many eastern Europeans sleep rough in.

Meningitis at festival? The ‘detour’ has introduced cyclists to previously unknown streets

cyclists away from Langebro. Superhighway growth IT IS A further boost to cycling in the city following the news that the inclusion of Tårnby and Dragør in the 750 km, 46 route

superhighway network has taken the number of member municipalities to 26. In related news, a 35-year-old policeman was killed in a traffic accident near Langebro on July 22 that involved seven vehicles. (CW)

A 16-YEAR-OLD girl was hospitalised after coming down with a suspected case of meningitis at the Roskilde Festival.

Ski slope to finally open THE AMAGER Bakke incineration plant complete with a ski slope will officially open on October 4.

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16 August - 12 September 2019

Boost for Turks

INTERNATIONAL ONLINE THIS WEEK Europe needs a wall!

A LAWYER has told DR she will probably reopen “a large number” of cases following a landmark EU ruling that Denmark’s family reunification rules are too strict when applied to Turkish people. The European Court of Justice ruled in the case of a Turkish woman estranged from her husband and four children in Denmark.

Open to quota refugees FOLLOWING a couple of years of not accepting quota refugees, Denmark is reopening its doors, the new immigration minister, Mattias Tesfaye, has confirmed to the UNHCR. It is too early to say how many and when they will arrive. Before it stopped in 2015, Denmark used to take 500 a year.

Moroccans get ‘death’ THREE men have been sentenced to death in Morocco for killing Danish backpacker Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and her Norwegian co-traveller Maren Ueland in December 2018. However, it is not believed any of the defendants will be killed, as Morocco has not executed anyone since 1993. In total, 24 people were charged with involvement in the deaths.

UFFE ØSTERGAARD, an academic specialising in identity history, has suggested in a Politiken opinion piece that Europe should build a wall around its perimeter consisting of “wire fences in four lanes, floodlights and watchtowers” to control immigration. Integration, he argues, has been a failure, and it’s time the more prosperous western European nations stepped up to co-finance a wall.

Top job eludes Vestager MARGRETHE Vestager missed out on becoming the head of the EU Commission. Instead, the German defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen was chosen. Vestager looks set to be named one of her two deputies. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump claims she “hates the United States, perhaps more than any person I’ve ever met”.

Dane part of record QATAR Airways’ pilot Jacob Bech was among four pilots who broke the world polar circumnavigation speed record in July. The quartet clocked 46 hours and 40 minutes on the Qatar Executive Gulfstream G650ER. They departed from the Kennedy Space Center, 50 years to the minute, since Apollo 11 left for the Moon.

Syria returns to #1

Going for gold

SYRIA, after four straight years as the biggest generator of asylum-seekers in Denmark, lost its crown to Eritrea last year, but this year it is back on course to generate the highest number, according to refugees.dk. Behind Syria and Eritrea are Morocco, Georgia and Somalia. In 2018, the top five were Eritrea (656), Syria (598) Georgia (396), Iran (196) and Morocco (181).

THE NALUNAQ goldmine, which went bankrupt in 2013 is reopening. Danish growth fund Vækstfonden will team up with Greenland Venture to inject 15 million kroner into the mine, which was operational from 2004 but faltered in 2013 due to a decline in the price of gold.

Russians lose patience THE NORD Stream 2 pipeline that will transport natural gas from Russia to the EU will circumvent Danish waters, according to Energistyrelsen. Following months of stalling by the Danish government, Nord Stream 2 AG – a subsidiary of the state-controlled Russian gas giant Gazprom – withdrew its 2017 application to divert the pipeline through Danish waters.

Butterfly poachers TWO DANISH men were arrested in southern Norway on August 5 in possession of 35 to 40 rare butterflies with a potential value of 30,000 kroner. They have since been released, but the police are confident they will charge them for capturing endangered species.

www.cis.dk

Rights were violated THE HUMAN Rights Court in Strasbourg has ruled that Denmark violated a convicted man’s rights by refusing him a retrial. The man, who was found guilty of attempting to rape a 10-year-old, was denied an appeal on the grounds he was a danger to society.

Germans seek flag deal THE GERMAN minority in Denmark wants to be able to raise the German flag in Denmark on special occasions without having to seek permission to do so. But on the German side of the border, Danish minorities are allowed to raise the Dannebrog on special occasions.

Skatepark for Syrians FOLLOWING similar initiatives in Iraq and the West Bank, the Danish company Wonders Around The World has opened a skatepark in Syria.

Before long, you’ll belong Settling into a new country can be challenging – especially for the nonworking spouse. We know, from studies and from experience, that a successful posting depends on the happiness of the entire family – and our school is home to a very active, warm and welcoming community. Our PTA offers a wide range of opportunities: newcomers network, Spring Fair, Halloween, Yoga, Activities Fair, Wine and Cheese Evening, Dads’ Club and Ladies’ Night Out. Dedicated parents coach our sports teams, run our boy scouts and serve on the school Board. At CIS the whole family finds a place to grow roots and make friends. So to quote one of our parents: “I came for the job, but we stayed for the school.”

COVER

16 August - 12 September 2019

Addressing an imbalance in which expats pay 28 percent more rent than Danes

EMILE YOUNG

T’S NO SECRET that Copenhagen is getting more expensive to live in. But new data suggests there’s a staggering disparity between how much rent an expat pays compared to a Dane. According to the Lejernes Landsorganisation (LLO), there are specific regulations concerning the rental price and other aspects of owner-occupied apartments in properties built before 1992. However, these rules are rarely complied with, LLO finds. “In nine out of ten cases we look at, the rent is too high,” confirmed Claus Højte, the head of LLO Hovedstaden. New kid on the block AUGUST is an especially busy time for rental turnovers as foreign professionals and students move to Copenhagen, one startup is tackling the rental market inequality head-on. Rent Hero (renthero.dk), launched by co-founders Alex Dagil and Mads Holtug, educates renters about the legality of their contracts and seeks compensation for tenants when they’re overcharged. With their joint technical and legal expertise, Dagil (CEO) and Holtug (head of legal) want to help both Danes and expats alike. However, they admit that Rent Hero caters especially to expats because they’re the most common victims of overpriced rental schemes. “Often landlords exploit how you’ve moved to a new country and don’t know the housing laws yet,” Dagil explained. “Our goal is to get a fair deal for expats.” Overpaying rent DAGIL first stumbled upon this problem eight months ago while shopping for a new apart-

ment. He signed up for housing platforms – including Housing Denmark, Dansk Boligsormibiling and BoligPortal – but said several landlords stated they would only rent to an expat as they could charge higher prices. And in general, expats are willing to pay. In addition to the legal minefield surrounding Danish rental laws, expats face tight administrative deadlines to legally reside in Denmark. For instance, foreigners must obtain a residential address as soon as possible in order to obtain a CPR number and, in some cases, receive an identification card. Only then can they open bank accounts or get health insurance. According to Daniel Hershcovich, a recent arrival from Israel, the higher rental fees seemed justified if it meant a quick conclusion to the housing search. “I was staying at a hostel, and I just wanted to find an apartment really fast to get a CPR number and get a bank account. I already had a job, so I needed a bank account to get my salary. I didn’t have the luxury of house-shopping for a long time,” Hershcovich said. Hershcovich spent just over two weeks looking for an apartment and in the end he settled for a place a little out of his price range. He’s not alone in this. According to Dagil, expats pay 28 percent more in rent compared to Danes on average. Losing deposits THIS NEW data comes from Rent Hero’s built-in calculator, which is accessible both on its site and posted to various Facebook housing groups. Based on the apartment’s location, size, living conditions and monthly rent, along with the number of months lived at the apartment, the calculator performs a rough assessment of whether the tenant has been overpaying for rent. The 28 percent figure only takes into consideration rent-regulated rental units, Dagil revealed. Sometimes, expats are

paying up to 50 percent more for apartments without rent-control. According to Dagil, landlords overcharge tenants at two key points in the rental process: in monthly rent payments and in failing to return the deposit when tenants move out. “The only renovations you have to pay for are the ones that exceed normal wear and tear. And the landlord is almost never allowed to have the tenants pay for these renovations if they rent for under a year,” Dagil insisted. Left to their own devices INDEED, there aren’t a lot of resources to help expats – both professionals and students alike – to navigate the Danish rental market. One key resource, Lejeloven.dk, is available only in Danish, as is a student housing guide compiled by the University Post, a University of Copenhagen newspaper that is editorially independent from the university. The online guide provides no guidance on rental laws. Even still, the University Post’s housing guide admits there is a general shortage of student housing and that most students turn to private rooms. On this point, the University Post advises caution: “The private housing market is not regulated well, and many students experience conflicts or even fraud from their landlords.” Even reputable sites like BoligPortal may contain fake housing adverts, confirms Bolig Portal CEO Henrik Løvig. As such, foreign students and professionals alike are largely left to their own devices. No cure, no pay! RENT HERO responds to this grey area by offering advice and education via Facebook posts. While the startup cannot truly help tenants before they’ve moved in, the rent calculator can help tenants assess if their rental terms are fair. In addition, Rent Hero has a ‘No cure, no pay’ policy, which means it only gets paid if it se-

RENT HERO

Rent Hero, a new Copenhagen startup, is trying to flip the tables on landlords who scam internationals out of fair rent

Teething trickiness: Bank account, apartment, job and CPR number

cures a rent reduction or gets the tenant back-payment for the excess rent they’ve paid. As such, the startup is happy to field legal housing questions from potential clients – essentially for free unless there is basis for a case and the tenant wishes to pursue the case. “Our incentive is to help you get the biggest compensation possible,” contended Dagil. “So, it’s free to use our service unlike that of a housing lawyer. Their interest is to sell you hours, not to get the case finished as fast as possible with the highest compensation. Our philosophy is that we don’t get paid unless you get paid! Get fair rent 101 SO HOW does Rent Hero get expats the fair rent they promise? Easy. After assessing a client’s case, it puts together a legal basis and approaches the landlord to make a settlement. While a case can take 8-12 months for Copenhagen Municipality to process, according to Dagil most landlords tend to settle within a month in order to avoid having a public record of the case. This was the case for Hershkovich. Even though

he initially overpaid in rent, he said Rent Hero helped him reach a quick settlement with his landlady in June. “It was all very straightforward for me. I didn’t have to talk to my landlady at all. Rent Hero did everything for me. They sent me very clear documentation of what this was going to involve, so it’s the best process that I could imagine,” Hershkovich said. Keep Copenhagen great ULTIMATELY, Rent Hero’s goal is to help people get a fair deal and keep Copenhagen an attractive place to live. Unfair rental terms drive up overall prices and can ultimately make Copenhagen less popular with expats, contends Dagil. “As a country we need some of the expats who want to stay here and help. There are regrettable social implications from renting out real estate for an excessive amount and there’s a reason the market is regulated,” Dagil said. While housing prospects may seem bleak, perhaps Rent Hero is the hero Copenhagen expats need when tackling the rental market.

Alex Dagil (right) and co-founder Mads Holtug

16 August - 12 September 2019

ONLINE THIS WEEK

TWO RARE birds were seen in Denmark this summer. While the cirl bunting (emberiza cirlus) seen in Hirtshals in north Jutland in early July had not visited Denmark since 1995, the wild pelican observed in late June by Lake Filsø on the west coast of Denmark was very possibly the very first of its kind. It is believed it got lost on the way to Turkey. It was last seen heading to Thisted.

Holiday spending rising ALMOST a quarter of all online purchases in Denmark are spent on holidays, according to DIBS. In 2018, the nation accounted for 15.2 million purchases, spending 33.3 billion kroner – up 6 billion on 2017, accounting for 65 percent of all holiday purchases. Proportionately, however, Norway (29.2 billion) and Sweden (113 billion) spend way more.

Tree house hotel LØVTAG, a new 1.5 million kroner tree-top hotel, opened this summer near Als Odde in Jutland. Only one cabin has been completed, but 70 bookings have already been confirmed. The price of bed and breakfast for two is 2,750 kroner.

Fanø’s record tally POPULAR summer destination Fanø has never had as many residents as it has now. The little island off the coast of west Jutland now has 3,404 inhabitants thanks to a steady rise since 2015.

Public splashing out on pools Trend continues following record figures in 2018 RUCHI PUJARI

AST YEAR’S drought was a nightmare for Danish farmers, gardeners and agoraphobics. But not everyone was left cursing the hot weather. Swimming pool installation companies have never had such demand, with unprecedented numbers of Danes electing to have one placed in their garden. High demand SWIM & Fun, one of Scandinavia’s largest installers, had a record year in 2018, and 2019 is looking good too. “People have got more money in their hands and they want to spend it on a little luxury and wellness for themselves,” Anja Bjørnsen from pooloasen.dk told Ritzau. “In fact, many missed out last year because the market simply could not keep up with the demand.”

ONLINE THIS WEEK VITOLD MURATOV

Two rare visitors

SUMMER

More summerhouse sales A LAW FROM 1959 prohibits foreigners from buying summerhouses in Denmark without a special dispensation from the Justice Ministry, but more dispensations have been handed out in recent years – particularly to Germans and Norwegians. So it no surprise to learn that 450 more summerhouses were sold during the first six months of 2019 (nearly 5,000) compared to the same period last year.

Unknown by foreigners Open five days a year, it’s naturally filled by rainwater

No state support IN RELATED news, hundreds of Danish home owners have been informed there will be no state aid to compensate them for damages incurred by the drought last summer. The business minister, Simon Kollerup, insists it is a matter for the insurance companies, although the government does intend to be better prepared for future droughts.

Better fire-fighting FARMERS are also being encouraged to ready themselves against the threat of natural fires, of which there were 2,000 in July and August 2018. The Danske Beredskaber fire services association together with farmers’ interest group Landbrug & Fødevarer are collaborating to offer guidance that focuses on prevention and best response.

Outdoor where?

Popular down south

No holidays for kids

ONLY 2 percent of the population know that Silkeborg in mid-Jutland has been marketing itself as the Outdoor Capital of Denmark, according to a survey conducted by Epinion on behalf of the municipality. Silkeborg Municipality began its campaign in 2017.

DENMARK is benefiting from a trend among central Europeans to head north for their holidays instead of south, as the weather gets hotter. Since 2013 the number of visiting Belgian and Dutch tourists has risen by 58 percent compared to a general climb of 18 percent.

A DR SURVEY of 1,377 daycare institutions reveals that over a half of them have children who do not have a summer holiday. In 55 percent of the cases it is because the parents are fully employed, and in 36 percent of the cases it is because the parents have decided to go on holiday alone.

VARDE in southwestern Jutland, where Vadehavet is located, is Denmark’s second most popular destination – with both Danes and foreigners – behind only Copenhagen for overnight stays. Curiously, Bornholm and Aarhus are the third and fifth most popular with Danes according to Danmarks Statistik, but do not feature in the foreigner top ten.

On the Bucket List COPENHAGEN has been placed on the ‘Top 50 Bucket List Destinations 2019’ compiled by travel site Big 7 Travel. The list was topped by Bali followed by New Orleans and the Ring of Kerry.

There’s always one A CELEBRATING student jumped off a truck travelling at 50 km/hour to retrieve his graduation cap. The 20-year-old man from Tarm was on his way to Tistrup in southwestern Jutland, but he was instead taken to hospital.

NATIONAL

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK THE POLICE worked an alltime record 832,939 overtime hours in June – up significantly from the 537,000 hours worked in January. Copenhagen Police led the way with 204,703 extra hours – the general election in early June required a lot of extra manpower – followed by Rigspolitiet (76,817), which includes PET, and the local forces in north Zealand (73,031) and south Jutland (70,431).

P!nk flight crashes A SMALL privately-owned aircraft crashed upon landing on August 5 at Aarhus Airport in Tirstrup with ten people on board. Aboard the plane were part of the entourage of the US singer P!nk ahead of her performance in Horsens, including her Australian manager Roger Davies but not the singer herself. Nobody was injured despite the plane bursting into flames.

Long-lost sub found JUST OVER a century after vanishing in early 2018, the long lost British WWI submarine ‘HMS G8’ has been found in Skagerrak Strait at a depth of about 100 metres just north of Hirsthals. It seems to have sunk following an accident or technical problems, according to the head of Sea War Museum Jutland.

Fears over elderly THE PATIENTS’ safety association has expressed concern that many homecare workers cannot access the medical records of their clients. In related news, the average age for a woman going on pension is 64 years and 10 months, compared to 66 years for men – even though women tend to outlive men by three to four years.

Treacherous trampolines TRAMPOLINE injuries have increased by 10 percent compared to last summer, according to the insurer Gjensidige Forsikring. More Danes have trampolines at home, and every year they injure around 7,000 children.

New cabinet in position ahead of return Left-slanted law changes dominate media in build-up to reopening of Parliament

REGERINGEN.DK

Record overtime

16 August - 12 September 2019

CHRISTIAN WENANDE

RESH OFF sealing an agreement with Radikale, SF and Enhedslisten to form a new government, PM Mette Frederiksen revealed her new Socialdemokratiet cabinet (see factbox). Just seven of the 20 new ministers are women. Outgoing PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen resisted the temptation to criticise the gender imbalance, but laid into Frederiksen over her plans. “Didn’t they forget to reveal how the bill will be paid? Many visions, but unfortunately unfinanced and unspecific,” he wrote on Twitter. And already it would appear that Frederiksen is going to spend far more on spin-doctors. While Rasmussen only had one, she will have three. They will be headed by her longtime personal adviser Martin Rossen, who will take charge of the government’s two most powerful committees: koordinationsudvalget (co-ordination) and økonomiudvalget (finance). Proposed laws AHEAD of Parliament reopening on October 1, politicians have been busy publicising future bills. Among them is one to enable minors to legally change their gender. In Norway, children as young as six are permitted, and Marie Elisabet Lind-Thomsen, a spokesperson for Foreningen for Støtte til Transkønnede Børn, contends there should be no limit. The government wants to guarantee students housing in Copenhagen – as is currently the case in other cities like Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg. It wants to relax rules on temporary housing so they can live in tents if need be. MPs want to regulate the sale of laughing gas cylinders – via an age limit, price hike or to re-

Call me Mother Mette

strict who can purchase them. The cylinders are widely used in the baking industry so any regulation will have to come from the Business Ministry. The immigration and integration minister, Mattias Tesfaye, wants to provide all refugees with access to free higher education. Currently, one group gets free education as part of their permit, but another, of which 70 percent are women, do not. New laws A NUMBER of new laws passed by the Venstre-led government came into effect on July 1, with the most significant pertaining to the unemployed and refugees. Unemployed people aren’t required to log on to Jobnet once a week to look for jobs in order to receive their dagpenge benefits. And they no longer have to search for jobs after they have found employment, or go on parental leave or take early retirement. All residence permits given to refugees and their families will be temporary. Refugees will have to apply separately to get permanent residence. Among the other new laws, the refundable deposit system (pant) now includes juice bot-

tles; it is no longer possible to rent out your home via Airbnb without the tax authorities being aware of it; everyone has a right to state insurance in case of damages incurred through a terror attack; Danish Defence employees (for a year or more) are duty-bound to serve during a war or crisis situation for up to 36 months; and van drivers must have a permit to carry freight belonging to others. Finally, lawyers are no longer permitted to receive or hand out gifts, the justice minister will be able to ban inmates from wearing clothing and other items that promote legal services, and Advokatnævnet will be able to temporarily strip them of their ability to practise. Election fallout FINALLY, in news relating to the general election, it has been revealed that 4,474 of the EU and General Election posters erected in May and June were in violation of the rules, according to Copenhagen Municipality. Posters were in violation if they were put up prematurely, incorrectly, in prohibited locations, contravened the Danish Road Act or exceeded the timeframe of the election – and in

total 3,887 were removed, compared to just 1,378 in the 2017 municipal elections. And the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Interior has confirmed that prospective political parties hoping to contest the next general election will face stiffer penalties for cheating on voter endorsements.

NEW CABINET PM: Mette Frederiksen Finance: Nicolai Wammen Foreign: Jeppe Kofod Justice: Nick Hækkerup Social & Interior: Astrid Krag Tax: Morten Bødskov Climate & Energy: Dan Jørgensen Food, Fishing, Nordic & Equality: Mogens Jensen Health & Elderly: Magnus Heunicke Transport: Benny Engelbrecht Development: Rasmus Prehn Children & Education: Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil Defence: Trine Bramsen Education & Research: Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen Business: Simon Kollerup Immigration & Integration: Mattias Tesfaye Employment: Peter Hummelgaard Housing: Kaare Dybvad Environment: Lea Wermelin Culture & Church: Joy Mogensen

NATIONAL

16 August - 12 September 2019

ONLINE THIS WEEK Paludan cops pull out guns

Skagen’s tourism problem

Charged with arson

When suicide is cool

Court translation issues PIXABAY

PIXABAY

SCREENSHOT

Save the damsel of distress!

Is Skagen losing its charm?

A summer of arson

I like what I see

Who lost the Georgian book?

THREE officers pulled out their guns in the Copenhagen suburb of Tingbjerg where Stram Kurs leader Rasmus Paludan was making a video on July 18. In other news, Paludan was banned from attending Langelandsfestival and has seen a suspended sentence for racism upheld by the high court. Meanwhile, two men have been sent to prison for taking part in the riots that followed his demonstration in Nørrebro on April 14. Another 15 are awaiting their trials.

RESIDENTS in Skagen, the resort on the northernmost tip of Denmark where the country’s most distinguished artists, beach-lovers and revellers have been flocking for centuries, complain they are drowning in tourists. In related news, in mid-July a woman fought off a violent attack by four individuals who she described as Arabic-looking and mostly 16-18.

A 23-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with setting fire to the Aarhus apartment of Jens Stage, a former AGF player who recently joined FC Copenhagen, on July 14. In related news, police in Funen have charged a 51-year-old man with setting fire to at least nine ‘kolonihave’ allotment garden fires since March.

A SUICIDE note posted by reality TV star Fie Laursen on her Instagram account, which has 335,000 followers, grabbed the attention of the minister for children and education, Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, who wants stricter guidelines in line with the regulations that apply to the media. Laursen’s suicide note generated around 30,000 likes.

THE HIGH court recently turned down a bid to overturn the convictions of three Georgian burglars on the grounds their rights had been violated by poor translation services. Rigspolitiet has apologised for an erroneous translation for the benefit of the trio, who have now appealed the case to the Supreme Court.

Desirable Danes

Slimy toys withdrawn

THE DANES are the second sexiest nation in the world, according to Big 7 Travel. Only Ukranians are more alluring, with Filipinos, Brazilians and Australians completing the top five. The Norwegians (46), Swedes (39) and Finns (21) were a long way behind.

TWO YOUNG men have been charged with posing as police officers and duping an 80-yearold woman into giving them 532,000 kroner, according to Københavns Vestegns Politi. In total there were 256 such cases in the first quarter of 2019, according to Finans Danmark – for a total of 7.8 million kroner.

THE MILJØSTYRELSEN environment agency has demanded the withdrawal of five types of slime and putty toys from Danish stores, as they pose a serious health risk to children. They failed a test conducted on 54 products. Among other things, the slime can have an effect on the children’s future fertility.

People before property THE NUMBER of violent attacks and sexual assaults in Denmark has been steadily climbing over the last decade, but robbery, theft and burglary rates are falling, reports Danmarks Statistik. Sexual assault reports rose from 500 in the first quarter of 2010 to 1,389 this year, and rapes from 79 to 256. Burglary reports fell from 25,176 to 12,269 and overall theft reports from 46,586 to 24,947.

Shorts banned at work A SURVEY conducted by Fagbladet 3F reveals that 31 percent of the country’s workplaces don’t allow men to wear shorts. Among them is Jyllands-Posten, which took the decision last year during the heatwave that never ended.

Kids like flick-knives SYD AND Sønderjyllands Politi has appealed to parents to keep a close eye on their children’s online purchases, as increasing numbers – often as young as ten – are buying illegal weapons from abroad. The police registered 30 cases during the first half of 2019.

Special animal welfare units CRIMES committed against animals will now be investigated by three special units based in North Jutland, Southeast Jutland, and Central and Western Zealand. Previously cases were handled by local police departments.

Resistance fighter dies DANISH Resistance fighter Lis Mellemgaard, a member of the legendary Holger Danske group during the German Occupation, has died. She was 95.

Duping the elderly

William and Ida show WILLIAM and Ida were again the most popular boy and girl names for new babies in 2018 with respective strike rates of 19 and 15 out of every 1,000. William has been number one every year this decade bar 2016. However, Oscar, Noah and Malthe are not far behind. Ida meanwhile faces competition from Emma, Sofia, Ella and Freja.

Digitally dead LAST YEAR, a 70-year-old woman from Varde in southwestern Jutland was pronounced dead – at least digitally – after being admitted to the Southwestern Hospital in Esbjerg. She returned home to dozens of letters in her mailbox stating she was dead. She struggled to revive herself digitally and made a 70,000 kroner compensation claim. Region Syddanmark paid her just 445 kroner.

Officials in the dock A POLICE officer has been charged with negligent manslaughter following the death of his colleague in a 160 km/h accident while he was driving near Randers. In similar news, a politician has been handed a three-month suspended sentence by Roskilde Court for systematic violence towards two of his three kids. And a local politician in Svendborg has been handed 60 hours of community sentence for assaulting a man who he claimed propositioned his girlfriend.

Studies before jobs

Number of the vandal SOME 100 tombstones were spray-painted with ‘666’ at Hadsund Church in north Jutland. In other crime news, a 35-year-old man has been found guilty of raping a nine-year-old girl in Mors in northwestern Jutland; the number of people contacting Rigshospitalet to report having their drinks spiked rose from 59 to 81 last year; and two men of Somali heritage in Copenhagen have been given three years in prison for embezzling, even though none of the proceeds ended up in their own pockets.

Less time for neck gripper

STUDENTS are shunning part-time jobs to shine in their studies. The poorest 20 percent in their 20s are only making 6,026 kroner a month after tax – 1,061 kroner less than in 2018. In related news, many teens are allowing criminals to use their bank accounts to launder money, claims Copenhagen Police.

A GERMAN teacher guilty of violence to students no older than nine at Ludwig Andresen Schule in Tønder – he was prone to using neck grips – has seen his prison sentence reduced from one year to three months by the high court. In related news, female students at Læsø School claim that a 34-year-old teaching assistant inappropriately touched them.

Bomb threat hoax

Fewer uni applicants

A GROUP of boys aged 11-14 in the Greater Copenhagen suburb of Greve were detained in mid-July in connection with telephoned bomb threats against petrol stations and restaurants in north, central and western Zealand, reports Københavns Vestegns Politi.

A TOTAL of 88,574 higher education applications were made by July 5 – one percent down on last year. Humanities (down 14 percent) and nursing and education programs (down 7) saw the biggest falls, while computer science (4) was again among the winners.

SCIENCE

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK BY 2100, SEA levels will have risen faster in Esbjerg (up 63cm) compared to Copenhagen (51) and Skagen (39), according to the GEUS geological survey. In other water-related news, a new water drone in Aarhus has the capacity to collect 60 kilos of waste; while the Miljøstyrelsen environmental authority concedes it does not know how much untreated wastewater ends up in waterways during flooding.

Busy summer for nature NATURSTYRELSEN has reintroduced the natterjack toad to Copenhagen by releasing 800 in Amager. In other nature news, seal-gazers have been warned to not go too close during mating season or mothers will abandon their pups; a DNA analysis of a wolf shot in Ulfborg has confirmed it is indeed a wolf; and Judee from Øster Assels has been named the world’s most beautiful Charolais cow at a beauty contest in France.

Grim Reaper waiting around every corner If the toxic caterpillars or ticks don’t get you, a nasty infection or chronic illness will CPH POST

T’S A LONG crawl ahead, but the clock is ticking. But before you shuffle off this mortal coil and call it a night, don’t let the bedbugs bite! For a summer in which the wheat fields are plentiful again after the drought of 2018, it’s curious to note that Denmark has entrusted the harvest to the Grim Reaper. All manner of creepy-crawlies (toxic caterpillars and borrelia-carrying ticks), nasty infections (from salmonella to MRSA) and unwelcome guests (bedbugs and ringworm) are making themselves at home, while the number of chronic illnesses is on the rise. And they’re all so potentially life-threatening, if you listen to the worst-case scenarios presented by the media, it’s hard to know what to deal with first.

cocoon, which remains poisonous long after the moth emerges. Meanwhile, one-third of the nation’s ticks are carrying the borrelia bacterial infection, according to a Danish study published by ScienceDirect. Transported by migratory birds in the spring and autumn, humans come into contact with the ticks in gardens and forests. Every year thousands of Danes are infected, according to Rigshospitalet, and around 150 a year end up contracting Lyme’s Disease, which can potentially be fatal.

PIXABAY

Sea level disparity

16 August - 12 September 2019

On call at all times

shifts disrupts the hormone melatonin and increases the risk of cancer, according to an expert group working on behalf of the World Health Organisation that includes Johnni Hansen of the Danish Cancer Society.

DURING the first three months of 2019, some 1,765 prescriptions for medicinal cannabis were issued – an increase of more than 300 percent from the first quarter of 2018. However, some believe the price is too high. In related news, police suspect the painkiller Doltard, which is increasingly being used recreationally, caused the deaths of two young men in Silkeborg in mid-Jutland recently.

Creep-crawly alert THE DANISH authorities have been preparing for an invasion of the larva of the oak processionary moth, which carries poisonous hairs that can cause skin irritation and asthma among humans – and potentially death. The moth has been sighted on the south side of Lolland-Falster. An invasion of the caterpillar, which has been seen in many areas of Germany, is considered inevitable in the next decade, and plans are afoot to suction up the bugs and the discarded

Infection central IT’S BEEN a busy summer for Statens Serum Institut (SSI). In July it reported how 23 people – 13 women and 10 men – were struck down by Salmonella Coeln, a rare strain of the infection, in June and July. The source has not yet been detected. SSI also reported that 3,669 people were infected with the MRSA bacteria, which is still most commonly associated with pigs, last year – a slight rise on the 3,579 cases registered in 2017. And an SSI study of 32 guinea pigs in 17 pet stores revealed that 12 were carrying the fungal infection ringworm. Skin departments in Gentofte and Roskilde have reported more infections – mostly among children. More Danes are returning home from their holidays with bedbugs. One pest exterminator has seen 1,000 cases in 2019 alone, a 30 percent increase of cases over the past year. And finally, working night-

Highly toxic

Wet land dilemma

Long wait for organs

More patient claims

THE I/S Norfors waste incineration plant in Hørsholm, which handles the rubbish of five north Zealand municipalities, is accused of releasing highly-toxic dioxins into the sea, reports Ingeniøren. Meanwhile, an alleged discharge of Scavtreat (as much as 80,000 tonnes) from a Maersk Oil platform in 2017 will be formally investigated by the public prosecutor in Viborg.

FARMERS have reacted well to a plan from the state to purchase land that once stood as lakes or wetlands – some 3 percent of the country’s arable land. The land, which accounts for almost 10 percent of agriculture’s total emissions, is hard to farm. However, there are concerns some farmers might demand too much, with some onlookers calling upon the state to enforce the handover.

MORE DANES are dying while waiting for organ donations, according to the Centre for Organ Donations. Some 40 died last year, compared to 32 in 2017 – the highest figure since 2011. However, young people aged 15-17 are now permitted to register as organ donors with their parents’ permission. Some 477 patients were waiting for organs at the end of 2018.

PATIENTS are increasingly seeking compensation following erroneous healthcare, reports Berlingske. In the last six months, the number of claims has risen by 13 percent compared to the same period in 2018. Between 2014 and 2018 there were a total of 37,800 successful claims – 27 percent of the total submitted. A claim requires a fee of 7,625 kroner and takes six months to process.

Patient numbers higher

Chronic illness explosion AN AALBORG University study reveals that twice as many Danes have chronic illnesses as previously thought by the Sundhedsstyrelsen health authority – as many as two out of three over the age of 16. Men with chronic illnesses tend to have an average of 2.0 and women 2.4. Up until the age of 44 the average is 1.1, which then climbs to 5.3 for people over the age of 75. Copenhagen had the lowest share of chronic illnesses in the country, but the highest proportion of people with HIV, eating disorders and schizophrenia. The most common are high blood pressure (23.3 percent), high cholesterol (14.3), depression (10), bronchitis (9.2), asthma (7.9), Type-2 diabetes (5.3), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4.7), arthritis in the knee (3.9), and stomach ulcers and osteoporosis (both 3.5).

ONLINE THIS WEEK Dementia recognition PROFESSOR Henrik Hautop Lund has been named Most Outstanding Healthcare Innovator at the Global Over 50s Housing/ Healthcare Awards. It recognises his contribution to research that resulted in the development of Moto Tiles, an interactive floor mat that engages people with dementia in activity, at the Center for Playware at DTU.

Double beats triple DOUBLE-GLAZED windows are better for our health than triple-glazed solutions, according to research conducted by AAU and DTU that claims the additional layer blocks out UVB rays, thus depriving us of vitamin D. And besides, the triple-glazed windows do little to optimise energy consumption.

ADHD pesticides risk A DUAL university study suggests there is a greater risk of kids aged two to four developing ADHD if their mother is exposed to pesticides during pregnancy. In related news, since July 1 a kilo of salt must contain at least 20 micrograms of iodine – a measure mostly aimed at making sure pregnant women aren’t iodine-deficient.

No shortage of boffins ONLY 28 percent of Danes believe their employer is crying out for STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) jobs, according to the Randstad Workmonitor survey. The global average was 48 percent. However, 56 percent of Danes contend that students should focus on STEM subjects in their studies.

The cost of meds THE COUNTRY’S hospitals are reducing their budgets to compensate for the cost of medicine: 9.6 billion kroner (a ninth of their funding) last year compared to 3.6 billion (a 14th) in 2007. In related news, patients are reporting that pharmacies are increasingly unable to provide the drugs they have been prescribed.

TRANSPORT

16 August - 12 September 2019

ONLINE THIS WEEK BIG CARS are clearly in favour again as the Nissan Qashqai is the nation’s most popular car. Some 654 models were sold in July – 4 percent of the 17,000 new cars sold, just ahead of the Citroën C3 by three purchases. Sales of micro-cars are stalling, while electric car purchases halved after a good June in which 261 new vehicles were purchased.

Painting ‘The Bridge’ MUEHLHAN has won the contract to paint the Øresund Bridge. Starting in the autumn, it will take 13 years to spray-paint the 300,000 sqm surface of the 8 km bridge – the equivalent of 45 football pitches. Specially-adapted equipment, including a 30 x 14 metre platform, has been designed. Muehlhan expects to finish the south side in 2021.

Back on track TOGFONDEN is back on track after being sidelined by Dansk Folkeparti. The plan will ensure that passengers can travel between four of Denmark’s biggest cities – Copenhagen-Odense, Odense-Aarhus, Aarhus-Aalborg, and Odense-Esbjerg – in just one hour.

Impromptu train strike S-TRAIN drivers ‘downed tools’ without any warning on June 28 to attend a meeting at Copenhagen Central Station concerning their working conditions.

Births, carriages and deaths: the media had a lot to thank them for

TIM EVANSON/FLICKR

Danes like big cars

This was the summer of the scooter

Karina Vestergård Madsen, an Enhedslisten councillor at Copenhagen Municipality, has recommended a 6 km/h speed limit in built-up areas and for alco-locks – a device that users must blow into to activate the scooter – to be fitted.

100 injuries IN EARLY August a Capital Region release reported by Berlingske confirmed there have been 100 “scooter-related injuries” this year. Based on hospital visits, most of the injuries were suffered to the face and head and a third were alcohol-related. Only a few pedestrians were injured – mostly by tripping over them on the pavement.

Not like cycling SOME 53 riders were charged with driving whilst intoxicated over the three weekends from July 6-21 – landing themselves a 2,000 kroner fine. A third offence can earn you a spell in prison. The rules, however, are not the same for cyclists. Cyclists are stopped by the police if they are deemed to be drunk, but usually not punished.

Alco-locks? CONCERNS have been voiced that it is hard for scooter-riders to observe cycling rules, such as signalling to turn or stop because it is dangerous to drive with only one hand on the handle.

Bizarre death SOME 13 companies have been permitted to lease 3,200 electric scooters and 3,200 electric bicycles in Copenhagen over the remainder of the one-year trial period, reports minby.dk. In total, there

were applications to lease approximately 20,000 scooters and bikes. Copenhagen Municipality has indicated it will wait until the end of the trial period before deciding on their future. Heavy restrictions have been outlined in the city centre along with strict parking regulations. Finally, in what sounds like something out of a James Bond movie, a 70-year-old woman was killed by an electric scooter at Odense’s main railway station on June 28 when a man drove one down a metallic ramp dividing two escalators and hit her from behind. (BH)

Trains need a Momondo

Helmet usage soaring

Region’s new train hub

THE FORBRUGERRÅDET Tænk consumer watchdog has called for a Momondo for train travel amid reports that inter-railing is not as green as it could be. Inter-railing, which can all too often involve delays, even in flights, remains a popular option among Danes and, according to DSB, there have been 2,600 more ticket sales than this time last year.

THE NUMBER of cyclists who wear a helmet in Denmark has increased significantly over the last 14 years, reports Rådet for Sikker Trafik and TrygFonden. In 2005, just 6 percent wore one, but today 42 percent do. While 97 percent of the under-11s wear one, only 30 percent of those aged 16-25 don a helmet. Gender-wise, 44 percent of women wear a helmet compared to 39 percent of men.

COPENHAGEN has become a Scandinavian hub for air traffic, and Sweden’s two national rail companies predict the same thing will happen to train travel following the opening of the Fehmarn link between Denmark and Germany in a decade’s time. Nevertheless, they contend Denmark will need to open up its railway to competition from other contractors in the same way Sweden has.

T WAS THE story the media have been fighting for, jostling for pole position on the capital’s cycle lanes: electric scooters are dangerous.

Trip the light fantastic

ONLINE THIS WEEK Metro injury failings SOME 569 workers were injured constructing the Copenhagen Metro City Ring – 20.6 per million working hours, so well above the target of 16. In related news, the Adecco temp agency must pay just over 500,000 kroner in relation to three Poles working extensive hours without holidays – well short of the 1.7 million kroner 3F wanted. It could set a precedent for 1,500 other workers.

Norwegians killed TWO MEMBERS of a Norwegian family were killed in an accident at a barrier-free level crossing in Djursland in east Jutland on July 6 when their car collided with a light-rail train.

Crushed on ferry AN ADJUSTABLE deck used to remove cars from a ferry accidentally damaged seven cars on July 7 as the vessel docked in Samsø. The cars, which were either sent into a railing or pressed into the ceiling, were occupied, but nobody was injured. The accident was blamed on human error, and the ferry company’s insurance covered the costs of the damage.

Bridge breaks record THE RECORD 102,739 cars that crossed the Greater Belt Bridge linking Zealand to Funen on July 28 attributed to an Ed Sheeran concert in Odense and returning holiday-makers. The daily average is only 35,000 cars.

10 CULTURE

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK DANISH television series ‘Rita’, a dramedy about a teacher who does her best to break every rule in the book, is to be remade in the US with ‘Game of Thrones’ star Lena Headey in the main role. ‘Rita’, which has also been remade in French and as a 2013 US TV movie, has enjoyed four seasons since making its debut in 2012.

Henrik under hammer SOME 900 of Prince Henrik’s personal possessions, including many of his figurines and masks from Africa and Asia, will be auctioned by Bruun Rasmussen from August 27-29. The provisional prices start at 2,000 kroner. The Royal Family have already selected the items they wish to keep. Part of the proceeds will end up in funds for his grandchildren.

Denmark’s oldest porn?

Recalling how Led Zeppelin made their first ever performance in … Gladsaxe BEN HAMILTON

NEW DANISH-LANGUAGE book, ‘Led Zeppelin: Denmark 1968 – 1970’, recalls how the legendary rock band’s first ever concert wasn’t at the Hollywood Bowl or Madison Square Garden, or even at The Cavern Club. It was in Gladsaxe. Photographer Jørgen Angel documented the night on 7 September 1968 at a youth club located at Egegård School in the Copenhagen suburb where Led Zeppelin took to the stage as the New Yardbirds.

“And Moonie said their concert went down like a led zeppelin”

John Paul who? ANGEL, a teenager at the time, remembers being disappointed as he thought Eric Clapton and other members of the Yardbirds

would be playing. Instead, all he got from the Yardbirds line-up was Jimmy Page, accompanied by three musicians he had never heard of: Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham. But he quickly took to the energy and ended up using a roll and a half of film on them – which was “expensive for a schoolboy”, he told the BBC.

Bonham bonanza ANGEL went on to photograph Led Zeppelin on most of their visits to Denmark At KB Hallen on 3 May 1971 he heard the only ever live performance of their legendary track ‘Four Sticks’ in which Bonham held two drumsticks in each hand.

Richard III at Kronborg

Bob Dylan at Roskilde

Metallica at Parken

MUSIC

THOMAS PETRI

DRAMA

Watering hole to hole A LARGE percentage of the Roskilde Festival’s campsites will be excavated for gravel – the equivalent of 140 out of 240 football pitches. Once the work is completed by around 2035, the land will not be restored to its former glory, but instead be left as a hole for drunk revellers to fall into. Previously, the excavators were obliged to fill in the holes.

Its success isn’t periodic RESTAURANT Alchemist (2.0), one of the most hyped Danish restaurants in recent times, opened its doors on July 4 on Refshaleøen in Copenhagen. Head chef Rasmus Munk spent 18 months thinking up and creating a 50-course menu inspired by the periodic table.

THE INSTAGRAM account of Disney’s cable network Freeform has branded the race card following the uproar that greeted the casting of US black singer Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s forthcoming live-action version of ‘The Little Mermaid’. “Danish mermaids can be black because Danish *people* can be black,” its post reasoned.

Triumph for ‘Dark Noon’

LEFTFIELD

A CLOSE inspection of a porn film has led to the conclusion that it may well be Denmark’s oldest blue movie. Spotted during the three-minute silent film, ‘Trøst’ (comfort), was a copy of ‘Filmjournalen’ magazine published in late 1946. The previous record holder was an untitled film dated to 7 July 1947.

Recalling a new Page in history

Black mermaid uproar JØRGEN ANGEL FACEBOOK PAGE

Rita’s third remake

16 August - 12 September 2019

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RICHARD is straight out of the operatic version of ‘Scarface’, his prospective wife plucked from ‘Corpse Bride’, the set taken from ‘West Side Story’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ accents abound. The influences come fast and furious (fortunately not from that franchise) in Hamletscenen’s ‘Richard III’, which is playing until August 23 at Kronborg Castle. Casper Crump delivers the kind of masterclass in villainy that King Claudius, taking notes with baited breath from an overlooking window, can only conspire to in his wildest dreams (if only Laertes wasn’t such a crap fencer). (BH)

NOBODY can deny Dylan is good at his job, but the question at Roskilde was which side of his personality would show up. The answer was drawling nostalgia. Seated in front of a keyboard and a mounted harmonica, he delivered a syrupy projection of the Dylan brand: recognisable folk rhythms and less recognisable lyrics. His first few numbers failed to elicit any major reaction, and it was only after a disappointing, mid-2000s Wisconsin dive-bar version of ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ that the audience displayed acknowledgement that this was the Dylan their parents told them about. (Aaron Hathaway)

WHEN YOU can feel your vital organs rearranging themselves around your body, you know something heavy is going on, and at Parken on July 11 that something was Metallica. James Hetfield was in fine form, and when not growling down the mic he was full of irony and sarcasm – especially when Gentofte-born drummer Lars Ulrich was cajoling the crowd in their native tongue. Rob Trujillo and Kirk Hammett were also on the money – who doesn’t love a Hammett guitar solo or twelve? If there was something missing from the crowd, it was rowdiness. (Mat Twells)

READ THE REST OF THESE REVIEWS AT CPHPOST.DK

‘DARK NOON’, a Fix & Foxy production that played during Copenhagen Stage, is the only English-language production to this year win a CPH Culture award. It triumphed in the Special Prize category. Also among the nominees were Leftfield Theatre’s ‘Queers’, London Toast’s ‘Oh Baby: It’s Cole’, Why Not Theatre’s ‘Mairead’ and Hamletscenen.

Matador star dies MATADOR star Jesper Langberg has passed away following a short illness aged 78. He played the banker Kristen Andersen-Skjern, the brother of the main character. All three of his former wives were present at his bedside as he passed away.

Pubes equals views CZECH model Tereza Kacerová, the girlfriend of Danish DJ Morten Breum, has riled many Instagram users by posting a photo of herself in a bikini in which 1 cm of her pubic hair is clearly visible. One wisecracking commenter wrote: “Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow.”

Make George happy A PROPOSAL to make a 900-piece Lego set of the hit US sitcom ‘Seinfeld’ has nearly 8,000 supporters – just over 2,000 short of the 10,000 required by Lego Ideas to green-light production. The set was put forward in recognition of the comedy’s 30th birthday on July 5.

Rammstein to return GERMAN rock band Rammstein will play at Ceres Park in Aarhus on August 4 next year. The announcement followed a sold-out concert at Parken last month. Tickets cost 610 kroner.

SPORT

16 August - 12 September 2019

A career in deep rough

ONLINE THIS WEEK Fuglsang crashes out

Summer’s record spending FC COPENHAGEN have paid a Danish record 5 million euros for midfielder Pep Biel from Real Zaragoza. Other big summer moves have included Joachim Andersen (Sampdoria to Lyon, 225 million kroner), Phillip Billing (Huddersfield to Bournemouth, 120m), Robert Skov (FCK to Hoffenheim, 90m), Andreas Cornelius (Atalanta to Parma), Martin Braithwaite (Middlesbrough to Leganes) and Kenneth Zohore (Cardiff to West Brom).

Wimbledon woes CAROLINE Wozniacki bowed out of Wimbledon in the third round, losing to China’s Zhang Shuai. Meanwhile, doubles specialist Frederik Løchte Nielsen lost in the final 16 against the eventual finalists in the men’s doubles – the same stage youngster Holger Rune was knocked out in. Clara Tauson, meanwhile, chose to enter the Swedish Open instead.

Fremad in good hands IN KEEPING with the ambition of the international consortium that took over the Danish First Division club Fremad Amager in May 2018, Aston Villa legend Olof Mellberg has been appointed its new coach. The Swede previously guided Brommapojkarna through two successive promotions to return the club to the Swedish top flight.

Paid off quickly BRØNDBY Stadion’s new facial recognition technology caught a person banned from the stadium on the opening weekend of the Superliga season. His ban has been extended by six months. AGF is also interested in adopting the technology.

On course for Tokyo ANNE-MARIE Rindom, 28, recently won the Laser Radial Women’s World Championship in sailing in Japan – her second title following success in 2015. Rindom will hope it bodes well for the Olympics in Tokyo, which she has now qualified for.

JAKOB Fuglsang’s Tour de France – which he started as the fourth favourite – ended on the 16th stage after yet another crash. Fuglsang, who also had a nasty fall on the first stage, was upended by a rogue water bottle. At the time, he was in ninth place overall. In related news, Bjarne Riis’s women’s team Team Virtu is closing down at the end of the season.

Notts County saviours SIBLINGS Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz, the founders of betting statistics firm Football Radar, have completed their takeover of Notts County, rescuing it from the brink of bankruptcy. The club, which was relegated from the Football League for the first time in its history last season, has a tax debt of around 1.66 million kroner.

Tour claims farcical PROFESSOR Daam Van Reeth from the University of Belgium Leuven rejects the state’s findings that hosting the opening three stages of the 2021 Tour de France will boost the economy. Claims that several billion will be watching are false, he told Politiken as only 40-50 million unique viewers will tune in.

Behold the miracle workers!

DOINTSCH/BIF

THORBJØRN Olesen was arrested at Heathrow Airport on July 29 following an incident on a flight from the US. The 29-year-old has since been charged with sexually assaulting a female passenger, as well as common assault. It is reported that he urinated in the aisle near his first class seat. He was travelling with fellow golfer Ian Poulter, who was asleep at the time. He has been suspended from the European Tour.

FC Copenhagen and Brøndby youngsters step up to the mark with Panenka panache and Pele pizzazz CHRISTIAN WENANDE

EEN SUBSTITUTE Jesper Lindstrøm stole the show on August 1 as Brøndby bounced back from a 1-2 home defeat to Polish side Lechia Gdansk in the second round of qualifying of the Europa League. The 19-year-old scored twice in extra time to seal a 5-3 aggregate win. And then five days later, Jonas Wind, 20, coolly stood up to take a penalty against Red Star Belgrade in the third round of Champions League qualifying – in the very same stadium that the legendary Antonin Panenka gave his name to the spot kick dink 43 years ago. And he only went and emulated him! Watch out Braga! LINDSTRØM’S first was a sliding finish and then he cemented the win with a long run and cool finish in the dying seconds of the game.

Wind (left) and Lindstrøm on the rise

Brøndby’s reward was Portuguese side Braga, with the second leg scheduled for August 15 in Portugal after a pulsating 2-4 defeat last Thursday. Bragging rights forever MEANWHILE, over at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in the dying seconds, all eyes were on Wind. Would he blast it? Go for accuracy? Or sink into the turf? No! Instead he calmly jogged up to the ball and chipped it high into the net in best Panenka style as the hapless keeper watched in disbelief. Granted, the Czech’s goal won Euro 1976, but for a week Wind’s penalty elevated him to hero crisis. But that was forgotten on Tuesday when Wind missed the decisive penalty in a 22-spotkick shootout after the game again finished 1-1.

Fined for fireworks BRØNDBY and FCM were both fined (250,000 and 125,000 kroner) as a result of their fans using pyrotechnics at the Danish Cup Final in May. In related news, former Brøndby assistant Albert Capellas has been named the new under-21s boss. The 51-year-old Spaniard is the first foreigner to take charge of the side.

Valiant runner-up BADMINTON talent Ander Antonsen came close to winning his first Super 1000 title at the Indonesia Open, losing a dramatic final to Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan. In other news involving Danish talents, two metre-tall netminder Mads Søgaard was the 37th pick in the NHL Draft as he joined the Ottawa Senators.

A COMMUNITY OF REAL PEOPLE GROWING IN GOD SUNDAYS TOGETHER SUNDAYS 12:00

Astro cancer fears HUNDREDS of astro pitches won’t have to be relaid despite an EU proposal in July that seeks to tackle the issue of rubber pellets on pitches being carcinogenic. According to the Miljøstyrelsen environmental authority, a prospective EU ban would only affect future pitches.

LEVENDE KIRKE FEMAGERVEJ 39, HVIDOVRE www.facebook.com/levendekirke www.levendekirke.com

12 BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

Rise of the small banks

PostNord on thin ice

SMALL banks are gaining market share in Denmark in light of the scandals that have hit Nordea and Danske Bank, which was recently charged with cheating 87,000 customers with false investment advice. It has lost 13,600 private customers this year, while its interim profit fell from 9.2 to 7.0 billion kroner. At Nordea, whose chief executive Casper von Koskull is retiring next year, Q2 profits fell from 8.3 to 5.0 billion kroner. In related news, eight Amagerbanken board members have been ordered by the High Court to pay 225 million in compensation for their role in leading the bank to bankruptcy in 2011.

POSTNORD is under investigation for possibly receiving illegal state aid. Meanwhile, the Danish unit of the Scandinavian postal service has posted a loss of 64 million Swedish krona for the first half of 2019 – a vast improvement on 2018. In related news, Bang & Olufsen has posted a disappointing 2018-19 fiscal year result in which profits fell 77 percent to 19 million kroner, and Telia is happy with its interim figures despite losing 5,000 customers in Q2.

Worst jobs in Denmark JOB SATISFACTION levels are low among farmers, salespeople and public administration workers, who cite high pressure to reach targets and goals, according to a Ballisager survey. The highest job satisfaction levels were reported among teachers and health workers, who cited autonomy over one’s work, a passion for the job, good working conditions and incentives.

Big claim from Just Eat DENMARK has made a claim for over a billion kroner in unpaid taxes from the takeaway giant Just Eat, citing a plausible case of tax evasion. In related news, the consumer ombudsman has accused the deal website Sweetdeal of showcasing low prices and then raising them at the checkout page, while Falck has paid 152.5 million kroner to its Dutch rival Bios in relation to unfair practice in 2014.

Prison for illegal hiring A LITHUANIAN construction company CEO has been sentenced to 60 days in prison for hiring illegal workers. His company was fined 110,000 kroner. In related news, insurance company Vendsyssel has been fine 50,000 kroner for calling up seven people on the Robinsons List – a list that protects consumers from sales calls.

Danish Crown lay-offs DANISH Crown has laid off 175 employees at its Horsens slaughterhouse in June due to a decrease in its pig supply – from 100,000 to 85,000 per week.

Locally-financed stores LOCAL communities are setting up their own grocery stores with the help of Dagrofa. The chain has helped 80 citizen groups set up stores since 2016. A store in Nim, which recently opened after 2.7 million kroner was raised, is run by 25 volunteers. In related news, stores are no longer allowed to refuse payments in cash.

16 August - 12 September 2019

ONLINE THIS WEEK Record mortgage rates REALKREDIT Danmark, Totalkredit, Nordea Kredit and Jyske Bank are offering fixed-interest, 30-year mortgage loans at a rate of 0.5 percent – the lowest in Danish history. The situation has been blamed on the escalating US-China trade war and property prices have stopped rising for the first time in seven years.

Mastercard buys into Nets

Top for business culture

Volvo recalls cars

ACCORDING to the Business Culture Complexity Index published by Commisceo, Denmark is the easiest country in the world when it comes to business culture. It used an algorithm to assess 14 different parameters along with social, cultural and economic data from sources such as the UN and the World Bank. Norway came second, followed by Finland, the Netherlands and France.

VOLVO has recalled 6,500 cars in Denmark as a preventative measure over fears that a flaw could cause the engine compartment to catch fire. In total, 503,000 cars have been recalled worldwide. In related news, a DR analysis of second-hand car sales reveals that one in 15 has an altered mileage reading on its speedometer.

Sitting idle in accounts

ALMOST 5,000 Danish companies went bankrupt in the first seven months of 2019, figures from the research company Experian claim. More than half of them are based in the capital region. The situation has been blamed on a new law that has seen the Business Authority take nearly 7,500 unregistered companies to probate courts and force them into dissolution.

MASTERCARD has bought Nets’ account-to-account services in Denmark and Norway for a price believed to be 21.3 billion kroner. In other acquisition news, Kirbi, the money tank behind Lego, has partnered with Blackstone and CPPIB to take control of Merlin Entertainment Group, the owner of the Legoland theme parks and Madame Tussauds.

OVER HALF of the money sitting in Danes’ private bank accounts – 507 out of 921 billion kroner – yields no interest, according to Nationalbanken. In related news, an increasing number of Danish banks have decided it is no longer worth their time changing your unspent holiday money back into Danish kroner.

Dwindling global share

Mink industry in crisis

DENMARK’S purchasing power has more than halved since 1980, reports Dansk Industri. In the same time period, the EU’s share has fallen by just under a half, while the US has decreased by close to a third. China has multiplied eight-fold.

DANISH mink breeders are facing significant revenue losses as supply continues to exceed demand and pelts are sold at a loss. The gaming industry, meanwhile, is under a different kind of pressure as reports emerge of employees working crazy hours to fulfil a deadline. Some are known to work 100 hours a week on occasion.

Delegation to France THE CROWN Prince Couple will head a business delegation to Paris in October in a bid to strengthen sustainable co-operation with France. In related news, Denmark has signed a free trade agreement with Vietnam to help Danish companies solidify their presence in the Southeast Asian country.

Zero yields on bonds IN 2019, DENMARK has become the first developed country to face below zero yields for all of its government’s bonds. At an auction on July 3, it sold 10-year-old bonds worth 1.72 billion kroner at a -0.32 percent interest rate.

Bankruptcies soaring

Among most innovative DENMARK remains one of the world’s most innovative countries, according to the 2019 Global Innovation Index. Compiled by the World Intellectual Property Organization, the index ranked Denmark seventh – an increase of one spot compared to last year. The top five were Switzerland, Sweden, the US, the Netherlands and the UK.

Robot turns up trumps A DIGITAL robot used by the Skattestyrelsen tax agency identified 726 suspicious tax statements relating to the last tax year. In related news, the authorities recently seized three Ferraris from a company located on Copenhagen’s west coast, which is suspected of VAT evasion.

16 August - 12 September 2019

THOMAS N HORSTED STARTUP COMMUNITY Thomas (@thomas_hors) is the former co-founder of Startup Guide – The Entrepreneur’s Handbook and a former startup scout for IKEA Bootcamp. He is currently the COO for Tiimo, a Danish startup delivering an assistive app to kids with ADHD, autism and brain damage. He is also a limited partner and investor in The Nordic Web Ventures, which invests in early-stage Nordic startups.

BUSINESS OPINION

HE CURRENT technology and venture capital structure is broken!” This was the conclusion I was introduced to about a year ago, when I first heard the term ‘zebra’ in the startup world. The premise was that chasing ‘unicorn’ companies bent on quantity over quality, consumption over value creation and quick exits over sustainable growth was a game that could not be won. Only a lucky few profit, while society suffers. The gap between the world we need and the world that exists is growing. And we need founders and a startup community who organise around it! Profit and purpose ALTERNATIVE business models that challenge the status quo are more important than ever. Balancing profit and purpose, championing democracy and privacy, and sharing power and

ownership will become the new standard praxis in driving a more responsible society for customers and communities. Journalism, education, healthcare and government are just some of the sectors in which we need to build companies to nurture, not raze to the ground. Enter the zebra THIS NEW movement has a new symbol: the zebra. Unlike unicorns, zebras are real. While zebra companies are profitable, they are driven by a purpose to improve society. They live in groups where they protect and preserve one another. The collective, after all, is stronger than the individual. Zebra companies solve real, meaningful problems and repair existing social systems. But they struggle for survival because they lack an environment that sup-

ZEBRA CHALLENGES The problem isn’t product, it’s process. Building more won’t solve the biggest challenges. We need to invest more in the process and time it takes to help adopt, deploy and measure the success of innovation. Zebra companies are often started by under-represented founders. Although 30 percent of businesses are started by women, only 3 percent of venture funding goes to women, and 1 percent to people of colour. Zebras are stuck between non-profit and for-profit. Pursuing both profit and purpose can be expensive and time-consuming, as finding alignment with strategic partners and investors can be hard. Impact-investing is narrow and risk-averse. Most of it is restricted to verticals like clean technology, finance or global health. This limits innovation in other sectors that desperately need it. ports and nurtures them. But what if enlightened investment in enlightened companies led to stronger returns? What if companies that stood for

ELP YOURSELF, your boss and your colleagues. Know what kind of recognition motivates you the most.

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.

NEXT ISSUE

Fit For Business

Give Yourself a Chance

Recognition is key STUDIES show that the way we are recognised by managers and colleagues affects are potential to thrive in our job. If you feel invisible, you are likely to want to get away. For most of us, the feeling of not being seen or heard results in frustration and demotivation, whereas feeling recognised is a source of well-being, motivation and job satisfaction. Recognition is an essential management tool that tells you when you’ve done something well – or, at the very least, when it’s good enough. In other words, it is crucial that you help yourself, your boss and your

something were more profitable and more sustainable? Patagonia, Warby Parker and Etsy are just a few examples. The world needs more!

THERE IS NO ONE SIZE Recognition comes in various forms and shapes, the most common being:

Is a thumbs up all you need? You’re probably a dog

colleagues and ask for the kind of recognition that motivates you the most (see box).

Praise – when your boss, customer or colleague pats you on the shoulder after a job well done. Professional respect – when you are met with curiosity, openness and interest. It includes both criticism or feedback and when someone seeks your opinion or advice. Space and freedom – when you have room to spread your wings in the job and thereby are enabled to reach results faster and more effectively. Challenge – when you are asked to help with exciting, important or difficult tasks.

Know your fit IT IS WORTHWHILE considering what kind of recognition you prefer. Is it one in particular, a combination or something entirely different? Compile your ‘combo’ and compare it to a typical week at

the office. Is there a match? If not: don’t wait and expect that you’ll eventually receive valuable recognition. Remember that it can be a long-term affair. Instead, help your boss and colleagues and tell them how you are best recognised. PS: If you are a manager, please consider how you recognise your employees. As already mentioned, one size does not fit all.

IN 2 ISSUES

IN 3 ISSUES

IN 4 ISSUES

IN 5 ISSUES

Mind over Managing

The Valley of Life

We're Welcome – Honest!

Economics Explained

UK-DK Trade

Danish Capital in 2019

Global Denmark

14 OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

16 August - 12 September 2019

Jumpstart for Mette F

Faltering parties SINCE their success in the 2015 General Election, Dansk Folkeparti and Liberal Alliance have imploded, with the former hemorrhaging voters to Socialdemokratiet’s hardened immigration policy. Venstre, the party of former PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and its long-trusted ally Konservative had a good election but sorely missed a strong platform to rally their voters around. But Ramussen’s party is also being torn apart. Løkke marches on, but few believe he will be able to win the next election. His vice-chairman Kristian Jensen also finds himself in a rather awkward position, as he firmly stated there would be no chance he could work with Socialdemokratiet and Frederiksen. It looks like the political careers of both will come to an end by the time Venstre holds its annual rally in November. While they sit quietly by, waiting for this eventuality, Frederiksen has total freedom to carry out her own political agenda. Challenges ahead DESPITE all the advantages afforded to her, Frederiksen still has major challenges ahead – especially as she begins to test and implement her winning election

strategy. Her retirement reform, for example, will entitle selected citizens to retire early. However, she must structure this change without letting the greater part of the electorate down. She risks being vetoed by the minister of finance and possibly losing the support of Radikale. If she is not able to successfully implement this new policy, she risks facing the same fate as former PM Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, when he did away with the efterløn early retirement option and lost the next election. Key issues THE CHARGED and highly sensitive immigration and integration issue is another hurdle. The requirements thrown at foreigners seeking residence in Denmark are about to be revised and softened. Refugee quotas, as outlined by the UN, are likely to be reviewed as well. Meanwhile burka and handshake laws are enforced lightly, if at all. Climate is certainly another issue, but at present, there is more talk than concrete action. Another possible breaking point could be the budget law for 2020. This may require further restructuring, as well as a possible alliance with Venstre, which hopefully by that time will have resolved their leadership issues. But despite the daunting challenges facing Frederiksen’s administration, she seems to be sailing smoothly ahead – not so much because of her own competence, but due to the lack of strength, direction and confidence in the opposition. (ES)

Early Rejser Adam is a nanny, a multi-sports fanatic and a budding ultra runner. He was faster off the mark than his fellow Brits, quitting England for Denmark moments before they voted to stay out of Europe. When he isn’t caring for kids, screaming at a screen or tearing up his feet, he writes unsettling poetry and prose.

PIXABAY

UST SEVEN weeks on from the general election and another seven weeks ahead of Parliament opening on October 1, PM Mette Frederiksen is playing it safe with a soft start. Her team is in place and they have begun sending messages on small political issues.

ADAM WELLS

WAS RECENTLY asked whether the ‘White Nights’ had made it harder to get the kids to sleep this summer. The White Knight? ARMOURED men on noble steeds rode through my mind, carrying out chivalrous deeds in the name of courtly love. But blessed with a writer’s sense for context, I suspected these weren’t the ‘nights’ they meant. Only monsters, tyrants and inattentive husbands need lose sleep over them. Directed to a recent edition of CPH POST, I educated myself on the homophonous phenomenon in question. I learned that ‘White Nights’ are those long summer evenings, enjoyed here from May to August, when the sun never dips more than 18 degrees below the horizon and its light is always visible. The question, then, was whether this heavenly, ever-present sun was hell for a nanny trying to convince sceptical children that it’s bedtime. It’s natural to think this would be the case, but the stars aligned to make the night sky a thing of little concern to me this summer. Clocking off forever WHETHER it’s of great concern to anyone nowadays is unclear. Most cities are too lit up to see the stars from, aligned or not. The sooner sunlight fades, the sooner those lights go on. I would go so far as to suggest, like an inverted Copernicus, that our world doesn’t revolve around the sun at all. Consider the millions who work around the diurnal clock to conduct business and relationships with folks on the other side of the globe, or who party all night

The last ‘White Night’ shone down on Skagen last week

under flashes of artificial light. The miracle of electricity means we needn’t arrange our lives around the hours of local daylight. And the reality of our socially and commercially hyper-connected globe means many people don’t. Sons of Device THIS IS all obvious stuff. Less obvious perhaps is that children, with no business to conduct or parties to keep them up, seem to have lives more detached from the sun than anyone. The amount of visible light in the sky is so removed from the concerns of most kids today as to be almost irrelevant. Their world revolves around a different star: the brilliant, celestial ‘Device’. When its screen is shining brightly, however dark the sky, they have all they need to keep going all night. Once the screen goes dark, it doesn’t matter how light it is outside, they’ll head to bed, tuck themselves in and call it a day. It’s an unpopular truth that tablets, smartphones and consoles provide some of the most exciting, enjoyable (and dare I say, educational) parts of kids’ lives. Being an active chap and a

good millennial, I protest against this, berating them for their inferior lifestyle and lecturing them on the superiority of mine. Scourge-less Skagen BUT WHILE we would rather our young leaders of tomorrow got their kicks running through wheat fields, this relationship with technology has an upside that should be popular with parents everywhere: the Sun doesn’t have an off button; an iPad does. Personally, I have no time for devices, despite what ‘Screen Time’ on my iPhone claims. The children are the stars around which my world revolves – a world that somehow kept spinning this summer as they aligned themselves 10,000 km from me. While they went to Skagen, I went to Central America, rendering the White Nights in Denmark as unimportant to me as any efforts to get them to bed. Skagen, as it happens, is the part of Denmark where the nights get whiter first and darker last. But the real impact on their bedtime will have been the absence of my controlling hand on their devices. For all I know, they haven’t slept since I left them.

OPINION

16 August - 12 September 2019

ADRIAN MACKINDER

Mackindergarten British writer and performer Adrian Mackinder (adrianmackinder.co.uk) and his pregnant Danish wife moved from London to Copenhagen in September 2015. He now spends all his time wrestling with fatherhood, the unexpected culture clash and being an Englishman abroad.

An Actor’s Life

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IAN BURNS

Living Faith REVD SMITHA PRASADAM IN 2 ISSUES

PIXABAY

The Road Less Taken JESSICA ALEXANDER

Mishra’s Mishmash MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA IN 3 ISSUES

Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE “Having a younger sister is a real pain in the ass ... ass ... think of all those friends”

’M NOT USING a James Bond pun for this column. Oh no. For this one, I’m going literal. In the short story of the same name, 007 creator Ian Fleming defines the quantum of solace as the precise figure at which kindness, comfort, friendship and basic humanity is sufficient for a relationship between two people to survive. When the quantum of solace stands at zero, love is dead and you must flee to save yourself. So, with that in mind, read on … Diamonds are forever KID NUMBER two has arrived. She is here. There’s no going back. We can’t return her. Unlike the traumatising three-day marathon my wife endured first time around, she was subsequently blessed with a mercifully swift second birth. The incident took place at Hvidovre, which is, of course, pronounced ‘Villlllleruuuuuuhhhhhh’. Presumably this is an effort by the kommune to prevent over-admission and a strain on resources. Should anyone require immediate emergency assistance, in the time it takes to correctly pronounce the name of the hospital to a taxi or ambu-

lance driver, the patient would have long since expired. But we’re not talking about death here. We’re talking about life. Precious, miraculous, effervescent life! She’s an easy baby. She sleeps, she feeds, she’s healthy and bouncy, and she’s charming, alert, smiley and beautiful, which is all one could hope for really. She’s a keeper. We’re all very happy. Well. Almost all of us. The world is not enough WE ALWAYS feared our son would not respond well to the restructuring. We tried to prepare him with a few ‘serious’ conversations about what was on the horizon, but he was more interested in shoving bits of LEGO up his nose than taking notes. So wouldn’t you know it, having the position as Official Centre of the Universe ripped from under him has not gone down well. At all. Fortunately, he did not resort to physically attacking people with a spork or setting fire to puppies. He just, well, started ‘acting out’. We’ve done our best from the outset to involve him so he doesn’t feel sidelined

or replaced. We’ve done all we can, but he’s quite the handful. Mood swings, tantrums, sleeping less, eating less … it’s exhausting. Nevertheless we shall endure. We are confident that if we hold our nerve, he will realise that having a little sister is – whisper it – a good thing. All time high AS A BONDING exercise, we took our first holiday as a foursome. We spent a week in a charming, converted farm outside Aarhus. Despite being more dilapidated than the Airbnb photos would have us believe, and the multitude of flies, wasps and pterodactyls that plagued us day and night, we had a lovely time. It was invigorating to get out of the city when things hot up – I’m starting to get the appeal of the whole summerhouse thing – and surprisingly relaxing. We even saw a hill. And the best part? The Tiny Dictator now seems to be warming to his tiny new sibling, and that makes everything so much easier. Suffice to say, the kindness, comfort, friendship and basic humanity in our house is considerably more than zero.

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD IN 4 ISSUES

Straight Up ZACH KHADUDU

A Dane Abroad KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN

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16 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ABOUT TOWN

16 August - 12 September 2019

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

Icelandic ambassador Benedikt Jónsson is leaving Denmark. At a farewell reception at North Atlantic House on Strandgade in central Copenhagen on June 27 he was joined by many members of the diplomatic corps he has served as dean, including Chinese ambassador Feng Tie and Chilean ambassador Isauro Torres (right)

German ambassador Andreas Meitzner is also saying goodbye to these shores. At a farewell reception at his residence in Hellerup on July 4, he was honoured by Niger ambassador Amadou Tcheko, the deputy dean of the Diplomatic Corps who has since then replaced Icelandic ambassador Benedikt Jónsson as overall dean

Many ambassadors attended the Thai Festival at Havneparken in Islands Brygge on July 6 including (from second left: left-right) Philippines ambassador Leo M Herrera-Lim, Indonesian ambassador Muhammad Ibnu Said, Thai ambassador Vichit Chitvimarn and Vietnamese ambassador Pham Thanh Dung

Philippines ambassador Leo Herrera-Lim (black shirt) was the guest of honour at the Pista Sa Nayon festival on August 3, which like the Thai Festival was also held in Islands Brygge. It also marked the tenth anniversary of the Filipino Danish Center – pictured to the left of the ambassador is its president Tom Meyer

US ambassador Carla Sands (centre) was among the guests at the official welcome reception for the Chinese ambassador Feng Tie at his official residence on June 26

Among the guests of Egyptian ambassador Ayman Alkaffas at a reception to celebrate his country’s national day at his residence in Østerbro on July 5 were Italian ambassador Luigi Ferrari (right)

COMMUNITY

16 August - 12 September 2019

N INITIATIVE organised by Junior Williams (left: right; also pictured is service leader Graeme Lloyd-Roberts) at St Albans Church has raised nearly 5,000 kroner for the Children’s Redemption Orphanage Home

(CROH) in Sierra Leone. The July event, which included a service and a jumble sale, commemorated the fiveyear anniversary of the outbreak of ebola in the west African country.

The 2014-16 ebola outbreak may have eventually been contained, but overflowing orphanages like CROH pay testament of the devastating effect the disease had on Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.

ACT

IMPROV COMEDY CPH

COMING UP SOON

Despite the holiday season, a great many parishioners were in attendance at the service to offer their prayers, and then at the jumble sales afterwards to make some purchases.

ABSALON

BOOKS & COMPANY

CTC

This CTC play reading in the cosy library at The Globe is aimed at both literature lovers and actor wannabes. The July edition was attended by 20 people – an early Noel Coward play! Everyone gets the chance to read a part or two – don’t worry, you won’t get lumbered with the monosyllabic Butler all night (Aug 19, 18:3021:00; The Globe, Nørregade 45, Cph K; ctcircle.dk)

Among those in attendance were Ghanaian ambassador Amerley Awua-Asamoa and St Albans Church chaplain Smitha Prasadam (centre: black and white dress). DAVE SMITH

Have you always wanted to try stand-up comedy? With English Open Mic at Teater Play, here is your chance. It’s two for one on tickets so you can bring a buddy for free and have at least one person laughing. As part of the Zulu Comedy Festival the night will be hosted by Adrian Mackinder, featuring top headliners as well as up-and comers (Sep 1, 20:00; Teater Play, Strandlodsvej 7, Cph S; 50kr for 2 people; teaterplay.dk)

‘For Colored Girls’, a 1975 Tony Award nominee presented by Afro-Cosmopolite Thespians, is according to its playwright Ntozake Shange “for those who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf”. Catch it before it goes on a European tour. This moving play follows the struggles and lives of coloured women, combining poetry, drama, music and dance (Aug 29- Sep 1; Dirch Passers Alle 4, Frederiksberg; 165kr, teaterbilletter.dk )

Acclaimed as the Best Stage in town by aok.dk, this is a spot where companies, individuals – anyone really – can come and have a truly spontaneous experience. We can’t give too many details as the essence of improv is that it will be exactly what you make it – either by taking a class or enjoying a show, as it’s a team effort (shows Thu-Sat 20:00, Sun 18:00; Improv Comedy Copenhagen, Frederiksholms Kanal 2, Cph K; 150kr; improvcomedy.eu)

ALL PHOTOS: BEVERLY LLOYD-ROBERTS

OUT AND ABOUT

Books and Company is hosting the book launch of Cathrine Østerberg’s ‘Ice Cream’. After a short introduction, Catherine will explain some of the scientific basics behind creating smooth and creamy ice cream. And yes ... there will be samples to taste! (Sep 4, 19:00-21:00; Books & Company, 1 Sofievej, Hellerup, ; free adm – register via booksandcompany.dk)

If you haven’t done the ‘get naked in church’ thing yet, this croquis is the perfect opportunity. And you won’t be arrested for public nudity, we promise. Naked volunteers need to apply ahead of time though and be ready to be absolutely still for two hours (Aug 23, 20:00-22:00; Absalon Church, Sønder Boulevard 73, Cph V; 70kr, billetto.dk) ESTER ROSE

f r i d ay n i g h t f o o t b a l l American Football

Søllerød Gold Diggers @ Copenhagen Towers Friday August 23rd at 19:00 (7 pm) Gentofte Stadion Don’t miss the annual Friday Night Football clash between the top and second ranked teams in the country Food, drinks, merchandise, music, stadion speaker, tailgate Free practice

If you are between the ages of 8 and 18 then come out for a unique practice session with our pro players on our game field You will have free access to the game afterwards August 23rd 16:00 - 18:00 We will suit you up 15 minutes prior to the practice session

R 5 0ildreKn free

Scan the QR-code for more info (in Danish)

COPENHAGEN

TOWERS

ON SCREENS

16 August - 12 September 2019

From Tony Blair to Adolf Hitler, Charlie’s in good company BEN HAMILTON

ichael Sheene and Michael Sheard … one’s world famous, the other’s a curiosity, but they’re both mostly associated with one role. In Sheene’s case, it’s Tony Blair. After memorably portraying him in the 2003 TV movie The Deal, he popped up alongside Helen Mirren to play him with equal aplomb in The Queen three years later. By the time The Special Relationship came along in 2010, which portrayed Blair’s relationship with Bill Clinton, it was becoming old hat, even though it ended up earning the actor his only ever Emmy nomination (he also has a Golden Globe nom for Masters of Sex), pitiful stateside recognition that can only be blamed on that horrendous laugh of his in the Twilight saga (and the decision to appear in it). In Sheard’s case, it’s Mr Bronson in Grange Hill, the toupee-wearing stickler who … of course it’s not that, it’s Adolf Hitler! The Scottish actor played the nasty Nazi in five unrelated productions spanning three decades, starting in 1973. His most memorable turn was signing a certain professor of archaeology’s book in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Curiously, he also played Hermann Göring’s Double in an episode of ’Allo ’Allo in 1992 called ‘Hitler’s Last Heil’ in which another actor was

preferred as the double of the Führer. Safe now he’s dead THIS IS nothing new as actors have been reprising the same role in unrelated movies since the birth of celluloid, even though it’s normally an in-joke like Ralph Bellamy (who has played FDR in three different productions) and Don Ameche reprising their roles as the Duke brothers from Trading Places to appear in Coming to America. My favourite, though, has to be Ian Holm, who donned the bicorne hat to play the lead in the 1974 TV drama series Napoleon and Love only to lampoon his work in Time Bandits, a 1981 British fantasy that I rented 12 times from my local store during the summer of 1984 – back in the days when video cassettes cost a week’s wages. Australian actor Damon Herriman – whose star is rising thanks to roles in Quarry, Mr InBetween and Lambs of God – is following in Holm’s footsteps, as he recently landed the character role most of Hollywood was prepared to kill for (...), but not for one production, two! Herriman plays Charles Manson in both Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood (84 on Metacritic; at cinemas from Aug 15) and Mindhunter (S2; Netflix from Aug 16). Both can’t be recommended highly enough. While ‘Holly-

wood’ looks set to be Quentin Tarantino’s best film for 25 years, season two of Mindhunter promises to be explosive as the FBI agent Holden Ford (based on behavioural science pioneer John E Douglas, who also inspired the character of Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs) starts to switch his focus from interviewing locked-up serial killers to catching ones still at large. The raft of Manson’s depictions is no coincidence – Matt Smith portrayed him last year in Charlie Says – as numerous scripts have been gathering dust waiting for the murderer’s death, which eventually came in November 2017, in case of litigation. The problem wasn’t so much depicting him, it’s making the movie interesting enough through copious embellishment. The truth is that while Manson captured the public imagination in a way few murderers have, his story is conflicted and a little dull and he is much better worked as semi-fictional. Alligators aren’t friendly ALSO AT cinemas this August are Fisherman’s Friends (47; Aug 15), which casts Daniel Mays against type in the lead role of a British romcom about a London music executive trying to push a group of Cornish fishermen into making a record; Angel has Fallen (Not Released Worldwide; Aug 22), the third in the Gerard Butler action fran-

If you’re going to be type-cast, it might as well be as Hitler

chise; and Crawl (61; Aug 22), an above average thriller starring British actress Kaya Scodelario (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) in which a family in Florida are terrorised by alligators following a hurricane. On Netflix, the offerings look poor. Otherhood (37; Aug 2) sees three mothers (Angela Bassett, Felicity Huffman and Patricia Arquette) take a road trip to the big smoke to remind their sons they still exist. The release date was pushed back a few months to give the public time to forget that Huffman paid 15,000 dollars for her daughter’s SAT answers to be illegally corrected. But we’ll never forget! While Sextuplets (NRW; Aug 16) sees Damon Wayans take on six different roles in a film about a man who discovers he was born alongside five other siblings. Given that Wayans has something like 25 siblings who are all actors, it’s all a little bit

mystifying. Oh, and it looks like gross-out, infantile shite. Watch out for The Rider (92; Aug 1) which got a limited cinematic release because most Danish distributors have less taste than Wayans’ … actually that would be absolutely zero taste. Over on TV land we have a number of returning Netflix series – Derry Girls (S2; Aug 2), Dear White People (S3; Aug 2) and Workin’ Moms (S3; Aug 28) – and the keenly-anticipated final season of The Affair (S5; Aug 26) on HBO Nordic. Also returning on that platform are Power (S6; Aug 26) and Light as a Feather (S2A; Aug 20). Funnily enough, Morgan Freeman’s performance as the US president in Angel has Fallen is the second time he’s played POTUS, as he did so in Deep Impact in 1998 – a film that cynics were quick to point out was science fiction. How times have changed!

EDIBLE CINEMA

SEPTEMBER 10th – 12th What does a film taste like? Find out at this year’s Edible Cinema. Experience ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ while enjoying a canapé-sized menu and carefully selected mini cocktails that match certain scenes in 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

Danish is not a piece of cake

Language learning made yummy Learning a new language can be quite a mouthful. But don’t lose your appetite just yet. When it comes to language teaching, Studieskolen is the crème de la crème. We know how to serve it. Enjoy our full assortment of classes at studieskolen.dk Check out what’s cooking at Studieskolen