Will Europe Manage without Immigrants?

The World Economic Forum says that "Europeans must not see refugees and migrants purely as a threat to national politics or EU internal unity. It could be a great opportunity for an ageing continent. By 2030, the EU countries will have 16 million fewer people of working age (even with steady net migration)." However, to be successful countries need to integrate migrants quickly in order for them to get jobs and start paying taxes. On the mentioned web page there is a graph showing "Economic impact of refugees in Germany", and even the most pessimistic line shows a positive trend in a couple of years. Consequently, language training as a crucial part of integration will need a boost.

Promising Future for Students?

According to Google+ students who score high on these qualities will be the first to become employed in 2020. However, being Norwegian can be a drawback because according to BBC Norwegian students are number 22 on the OECD's ranking list in reading skills and number 30 in mathematics. Asian students score way higher, ranking as number 1-6 in both topics.

What to Do in 2016?

Joel Sartore/National Geographic's Photo Ark

Taking care of our environment will be crucial. Joel Sartore says that, " 'The Sixth Mass Extintion' is upon us." He also claims that it is our fault and tells us what to do to save as much of the planet as possible. How can we believe that extinguishing half of all species will not affect the human race? Sartore continues and says that "whether you're an individual or the leader of a global conglomerate" all the decisions you make concerning how to use your money will either affect the planet in a negative or a positive way. He also tries to make people think by showing studio portraits of threatened species around the globe. Read the whole article here!

Happy New Year?

We have turned 2016 with a freezing cold wind from Russia. However, looking at the situation in Syria where there is  snow and no food several places, and ordinary people look like those who were released from prison camps after WWII, we in Norway have nothing to complain about. Yes, we have more people out of work, and our government predict that 2016 will be a challenging year concerning our economy, but still, this is just peanuts compared to eg what people in Yemen have to endure. Humanitarian aid to Syrian towns is promised, but when is the question; today? tomorrow? For many people it is already too late, they have starved to death.

Many NGOs do an extremely important job and really make a difference for people in need. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is one of them. So why bomb them? For the second time in four months, hospitals run by MSF have been hit by bombs even though their coordinates are well know by governments. What a waste killing doctors saving lives.

So, is it really a happy new year? Well it all depends where you are and who you are. Try to make a difference if you can, it will definitely make you happier.

Source photo: https://media.msf.org/Docs/MSF/Media/CMS3/e/7/5/8/MSF157752.jpg

Christmas

With this video from Youtube, I just want to wish you all a merry holiday! Enjoy yourself, relax, or as Ordnett+ says it, "unwind, loosen up, ease up/off, let up, slow down, de-stress, unbend, rest, repose, put one's feet up, take it easy, take time off, take time out, slack off, be at leisure, take one's leisure, take one's ease, laze, luxuriate, do nothing, sit back, lounge, loll, slump, flop, idle, loaf, enjoy oneself, amuse oneself, play, entertain oneself; informal let it all hang out, let one's hair down, unbutton, veg out; N. Amer. informal hang loose, stay loose, chill out, kick back." See you all on Monday 4 January!

Shut Down of Brussels

In a news article in CNN 23 November, Juliette Kayyem (National Security Analyst), discusses whether it is a good idea to close down a city or not when expecting a terror attack. Brussels has now been shut down for three days. Economically of course it is a disaster, but psychologically it is even worse because the population in a whole city is affected. The question is whether it will be possible to live normal lives when the city is opened up again? Even more important, has not the IS achieved one of their main goals when they manage to close down a capital city? A city that is also the home of the headquarters of the European Uninon, and a major center of economic affairs in Europe? As Kayyem says in her article, "Thus, shutting down a city is a tactic that should only be used in the rarest of circumstances, based on criteria that are known to the public and that are understood by those who implement them."(http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/22/opinions/kayyem-belgium-lockdown/index.html?eref=rss_world)
Image retrieved from: http://images.scribblelive.com/2015/11/22/9f1e4653-9013-4c2e-a3a4-abcd09777e7b.jpg

Paris Shooting

So, it has happened again, some ignorant jihadists have killed an unknown amount of innocent people. And the murderers did the killings in the name of Allah. How can anyone believe that killing will be applauded by any God? Only the devil supports actions like that. You do not help your people by murdering innocent people who by coincidence were at the wrong place at the wrong time, you do the opposite! You make it a lot worse for Muslims to be accepted and trusted in our society. How can we live in peace and harmony the way we should when some people behave the way they have done tonight? It is a dark night in modern European history.