EU Carbon Sink Policy Lacks Cost-Effectiveness

Norwegian researchers Maarit Kallio and Elias Garvik published a study on the carbon sink policy of the EU and Norway (hereafter Europe), in which achieving forest sink targets would require an immediate and steep reduction in roundwood harvesting in Europe. This reduction could amount to 113–117 million cubic meters in the years 2030–2035 compared to a market-driven scenario, meaning that the costs of emission reductions would rise to more than €700 per tonne of carbon dioxide.

According to the researchers, this would simultaneously result in roughly two-thirds of Europe’s reduction in harvesting being offset by increased tree felling elsewhere in the world, particularly in North America, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia and Chile. In other words, restricting forest harvesting would ultimately lead to a massive transfer of income from Europe to the rest of the world without delivering significant climate benefits.

In addition, the researchers found that although harvesting restrictions would increase forest carbon sinks, their overall impact on the climate would remain limited because the climate benefits of wood products would simultaneously be lost. At the same time, economic activity in our continent would decline and significant income transfers to outside Europe would occur.

Thus, the cost per tonne of emissions saved—due to the economic burden placed on Europeans—would be many times higher than the prices used in the European Emissions Trading System.

This simply means that, in its current form, Europe’s carbon sink policy is not a cost-effective mitigation measure compared to other available options. Europe should therefore promptly abandon its current—naïve and ineffective—carbon sink policy, as it is simply irrational.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The EU Needs Innovations That Drive Climate Neutrality
Misleading Claims About European Forests
History of Finland VI: Age of freedom and utility

The original blogpost in Finnish:
Tuoreen tutkimuksen mukaan EU:n hiilinielupolitiikka on järjetöntä

Explosion in Oslo, Norway

It is well known that Swedish society has changed as a result of immigration—from an idyllic "people’s home" into a battlefield of criminal gangs. According to recent news, the same development now appears to be taking place in Norway.

Last night in the capital, Oslo, an explosion occurred. Afterwards, police detonated a hand grenade found at the scene and arrested three underage youths. The incident was linked to a conflict between criminal gangs.

According to Wikipedia, as of 1 January 2024, Norway had 931,081 residents who were immigrants, representing 16.8% of the country’s total population of approximately 5.54 million. In addition, 221,459 people (4.0%) were born in Norway to two foreign-born parents, bringing the total population with an immigrant background to 1,152,540, or 20.8% of the population. The largest immigrant groups by country of birth were Poland (109,654), Ukraine (65,566), Lithuania (42,733), Syria (38,708), Sweden (36,612), Somalia (27,665), Germany (26,860), Eritrea (25,137), the Philippines (24,718) and Iraq (23,603).

It remains to be seen which of these groups, if any, are connected to the Oslo explosions. My own suspicion, however, is that it is not among the three largest immigrant-background groups, but rather involves criminals originating from the Middle East or Africa. That, however, remains to be seen—provided that the media chooses to publish the information.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is Immigration Driving the Nordic Countries Apart?
Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped
Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime

Finland’s Response to Unauthorized Aircraft Entering Its Airspace

On Monday evening, the airports of the capitals of Norway and Denmark – Oslo and Kopenhagen, respectively – were temporarily closed due to drones being flown nearby. It is clear that the drones were not flown by accident, but deliberately. Therefore, it was not hobbyists, but some actor or actors who wanted to cause disturbances.

Personally, I suspect it was the same party that shortly before had flown its fighter jets into Estonian airspace and its drones into Polish airspace. That is why this incident must be taken very seriously.

* * *

Norway also announced today that Russia has violated its airspace three times during the spring and summer. Two of the aircraft that entered the airspace without authorization were fighter jets, while the third was a small transport or passenger plane, mainly operated by Aeroflot.

According to Norway’s foreign minister, “if Russia deliberately challenges the airspace of multiple countries, this is extremely serious.” This is a view worth sharing, but at the same time it should be noted that even the most temperate cat may scratch if provoked enough – and it would be highly irresponsible if the aforementioned party were to cross NATO countries’ threshold of irritation.  

* * *

Today, information was published in Finland about how the country has prepared for the appearance of unauthorized aircraft crossing the border. Such an event cannot go unnoticed, as Finnish airspace is monitored by radar around the clock, and practically all incoming flying objects near Finland’s borders are detected well in advance.

If there is a risk that a device approaching the border might enter Finnish airspace without permission, Finnish fighter jets are dispatched. As the violations of Estonian airspace have shown, this does not take long. For example, Finnish jets arrived faster than the Italian ones, which took off from Estonia itself.

If Finnish airspace is actually violated, radio contact is first attempted with the intruding aircraft, if possible. If that fails, a fighter jet flies alongside the foreign aircraft to get the pilot’s attention, for example by rocking its wings. In addition, the intruder can be warned by firing flares, which demonstrates readiness to use weapons and makes clear that the fighter is armed.

In peacetime, a manned aircraft is only fired upon if authorization is given by the national leadership. However, this does not need to be awaited if a Finnish fighter itself comes under fire, or if the intruding aircraft uses its weapons against another Finnish target. In such cases, the pilot has the right to destroy the aircraft that has crossed the border at their own discretion.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, however, are always shot down immediately if they cross into Finnish airspace. Therefore, long drone flights from across the border, such as those seen in Poland, are not possible in Finland.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Russia’s Aging MiG Fleet vs. Finland’s Modern Air Power
Responding to Russia’s Challenges Is Essential
Did a Finnish Fighter Jet Rush to Intercept a Russian Sukhoi Yesterday?

Is Immigration Driving the Nordic Countries Apart?

The bigger Nordic countries – Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland – are generally seen as a highly unified group of states, where democratic decision-making works exceptionally well. At the same time, however, they have undergone major demographic changes as a result of humanitarian immigration, which will likely have a significant impact on their future.

Sweden, as a former great power, is the largest Nordic country, governed by the local EPP together with a smaller EPP party and a liberal RE party. The government is also supported in parliament by an ECR party outside the coalition, whose immigration policy goals have been included in the government program.

This unusual arrangement stems from the fact that Sweden’s immigration policy has been extremely liberal, which has made the country’s population more multicultural than in the other Nordic countries. At the same time, the related challenges have also been greater.

This is reflected in the support for Swedish parties. The largest party in the country is still the Social Democrats (S&D group in the European Parliament), with around 34% support, but a party belonging to the ECR group that is critical of multiculturalism has risen to compete with the EPP for second place, with about 20% support. The country’s other parties are small.

Denmark is currently governed by a three-party coalition consisting of the Social Democrats (S&D) and two RE parties.

Unlike in the other Nordic countries, Denmark’s S&D has long pursued a strict immigration policy, which has reduced immigration-related problems. This helped their support rise a few years ago to very high levels – even around 35% – but in recent years it has dropped to about 20%. Despite this, the party remains clearly the most popular in the country.

Denmark’s second most popular party has been the Greens (G/EFA), with support around 15%. They are followed slightly behind by the RE-affiliated Venstre party, and behind them an ECR party at about 10%, which is slightly higher than the Danish PfE group, whose support has risen significantly this year. In addition, a large number of smaller parties influence Danish politics, including the smallest RE party in government.

In Norway, the country is currently governed by a minority government of the local S&D party, but parliamentary elections are being held today and tomorrow, after which a new government will likely be formed.

Humanitarian immigration in Norway has been more limited, and thus the related problems have been smaller than in Sweden. Nevertheless, the local ECR group has in recent years competed for the position of the country’s largest party alongside the S&D and the EPP. Meanwhile, the far left (SV) has lost support.

In my home country of Finland, the government is formed by two EPP parties, an ECR party, and an RE party representing the interests of the Swedish-speaking population. The government has pursued a strict economic policy driven by the larger EPP party, while also following the relatively strict immigration policy demanded by the ECR party in its government program.

During the current parliamentary term, the support for Finland’s EPP parties and the language-based party has remained relatively stable (around 20%, 3%, and 4%, respectively). By contrast, the Finns Party’s support collapsed under government responsibility, falling from around 20% in the 2023 elections to about half of that, though in recent months it has started to rise again.

Among the opposition parties, support has grown for the S&D party, which has risen to 26%, making it clearly Finland’s most popular party at the moment. Another recent gainer has been the former agrarian party (around 15%), which for some reason belongs to the RE group in the European Parliament. Meanwhile, the Greens’ support has long been in decline (8%), while the far-left party belonging to the LEFT group has remained fairly stable in 10%.

As this brief overview of Nordic politics shows, there are significant political differences among these countries regarding immigration. It remains to be seen how these differences develop in the future – and especially whether Sweden’s long-standing open immigration policy will lead it to diverge from the other Nordic countries.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
No Low-Hanging Fruits Among Russian Neighbors
Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped
Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime

Preview of the Trondheim World Ski Championships

The Finnish Ski Association has named its team for the World Championships in Trondheim. It is now time to speculate on how the Finnish skiers will perform on the demanding courses of the land of fjords. I will do so in the order in which the competitions take place.

I will start with the women's sprint, which will be contested in the freestyle technique. Among the Finnish skiers, the highest expectations rest on Jasmi Joensuu, who has improved her performances for several years in a row and has climbed into the world's top ten in her discipline, most likely finishing between 4th and 6th place.

Other Finnish participants in the sprint are Jasmin Kähärä, Katri Lylynperä, and Amanda Saari. Finishing in the top twelve, meaning reaching the semifinals, would be a good achievement for them, but this group does not have realistic medal hopes.

In the men's sprint, Lauri Vuorinen has been the most successful Finnish skier this season, and thus, it is realistic to expect him to reach the final. However, like Joensuu, a medal for him would be a surprise.

Other Finnish sprinters, Niilo Moilanen and Joni Mäki, are question marks, but if they perform well, they have chances to reach the semifinals. Mäki, in particular, might even make it to the final if his improving form continues.

A medal for Mäki, however, would be a major surprise, which, if it happened, would push Vuorinen one place lower. For Emil Liekari, finishing in the top twelve would be an excellent result.

* * *

The next event is the men's skiathlon, where Finland's leading skier is Iivo Niskanen. He is the best in the world in the classic technique and would be the second-biggest favorite after Johannes Klæbo if the competition started with freestyle.

Unfortunately, that is not the case, so a realistic expectation for Niskanen is "only" a top ten finish. However, even the lowest step of the podium would not be a huge surprise.

None of the other Finns are expected to succeed in this race. Alongside Niskanen, the Finnish team includes Perttu Hyvärinen, Niko Anttola, and Arsi Ruuskanen.

Of them, Hyvärinen, who has previously performed well in major competitions, is the biggest uncertainty, but due to various issues this season, he is not expected to achieve notable success. Even with a very good race, his finish, like that of his two younger teammates, will likely be outside the top ten.

In the women's skiathlon, Finland is fielding two experienced athletes, Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski. They are expected to deliver their best performances of the season, and at least one of them could make it onto the podium.

Additionally, Vilma Ryytty and Jasmin Kähärä will participate in the women's skiathlon. Ryytty’s chances of a good result depend on the classic section. If it is skied at a moderate pace, she could place in the top 20 thanks to her strong freestyle skiing.

Kähärä, however, is not expected to achieve such a result, even though the World Championships have fewer elite skiers than the World Cup. The same applies to Ryytty if the classic section is raced at full intensity.

* * *

The third event, the 10 km classic race, is the most anticipated of the championships for Finnish fans. In the men's race, Iivo Niskanen is the top favorite, and failing to win a medal would be a major shock. His toughest competitor for gold is likely to be Johannes Klæbo, who has improved his endurance each year.

Among the other Finnish skiers, Ristomatti Hakola has the potential to finish in the top ten. The remaining spots will likely be filled based on the skiathlon results from the trio of Hyvärinen, Ruuskanen, and Anttola. Any of them, on a good day, could place in the top 20 or even the top 10, as the field is not as deep as in the World Cup. However, they are not medal contenders.

On the women's side, Finland’s top contender is again Kerttu Niskanen. Like her brother, she is capable of winning gold, but the competition is fierce (Johaug, Slind, Diggins, Andersson, Sundling, Weng, Hennig, Carl, etc.), making even a finish outside the medals possible.

The biggest Finnish surprise could be Krista Pärmäkoski, who has been improving in recent weeks. If her progress continues, she could also claim a medal.

Jasmi Joensuu might enter this race if she wishes, but she may choose to conserve energy for the team sprint the next day, where she has better medal prospects. Additionally, Johanna Matintalo will compete—her season has been difficult, so high expectations are not realistic. If Joensuu skips the race, her spot will likely go to Vilma Nissinen, Amanda Saari, or Vilma Ryytty, without significant pressure for success.

* * *

Following the interval-start races, the championships continue with the classic team sprint. A rule change has made it harder for Finland to win a medal in this event.

The change means the qualification round now consists of just one lap instead of the previous three-lap race. This favors sprinters over distance skiers.

In the women’s race, this strengthens Sweden’s favorite status even more. Thus, Finland and other teams will realistically be competing for silver at best.

The Finnish team will feature Jasmi Joensuu and one of either Kerttu Niskanen or Krista Pärmäkoski, with the faster-finishing Joensuu anchoring. This team is expected to place second or third, but the same applies to Norway and Germany, meaning one of the three will miss out on a medal. Hopefully, that won’t be Finland.

In the men’s race, this is likely Niskanen’s second main event. He will be paired with Ristomatti Hakola, whose strengths are well-suited for this format.

Gold is the expectation, but Norway will be a formidable opponent, and there is no doubt that if Klæbo reaches the final stretch alongside his rivals, he will secure victory. Still, a medal for Finland is highly probable.

* * *

Summing up the Finnish prospects, I predict four likely and six possible medals. This indicates great optimism, so a correction factor must be applied.

If half of the likely medals materialize and around one-fifth of the possible ones come true, Finland will end up with three medals. This would still be a good result, as Finland won only one medal in the 2023 World Championships: silver in the men's relay.

Before that, in 2021, Finland claimed two medals: silver in the men’s team sprint and bronze in the women's relay. In 2019, the tally was just one bronze, won by Iivo Niskanen in the 15 km classic.

Let’s hope my correction factor is not too optimistic and that Finnish cross-country skiing fans can enjoy more medals than in the past three World Championships. And maybe even celebrate a gold medal! 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Eco-Fascist Blackmail: Threats of Sabotage Loom Over the World Ski Championships
A young woman skiing in a swimsuit caused a controversy among women
Is the world´s best skier in classical technique, Iivo Niskanen, going to recover from COVID-19

Eco-Fascist Blackmail: Threats of Sabotage Loom Over the World Ski Championships

Norwegian eco-fascists are planning to disrupt the so-called "king’s race" of the Trondheim World Championships, the 50-kilometer ski race. The threat is serious, as these so-called activists have previously attempted to sabotage ski competitions.

The group behind the threat, Folk mot fossilmakta, has stated that they will cause disturbances unless their two conditions are met. These conditions are as follows:

1. All visible logos and advertisements from fossil fuel companies must be removed.
2. A short informational video about the treaty to stop the spread of fossil fuels must be played on large screens throughout the entire World Championships.

In other words, this is not just a demand—Folk mot fossilmakta has made a "Godfather-style offer you can’t refuse." They are blackmailing the organizers of the World Championships, threatening to destroy them—or in this case, the competition that both the organizers and the world’s best skiers have painstakingly and expensively prepared for.

It remains to be seen how the organizers of the World Championships will respond to this extortion. The easiest option for them would, of course, be to comply with the demands and fulfill the wishes of the eco-fascists. However, the problem with such an approach is that giving in to this kind of mafia-like behavior would grant it significant visibility—leading to even more similar threats in various events for increasingly bizarre reasons in the future.

* * *

The organizers’ headaches are further compounded by the fact that the "king’s race" in cross-country skiing is set to take place on a long 8.3-kilometer course, making it nearly impossible to guard completely. This remains true even though the eco-fascists will most likely try to maximize their visibility by staging their attack near TV cameras.

This is because, in mass start races, cameras are positioned to capture the entire course, meaning that sabotage can be carried out virtually anywhere. And the situation is further complicated by the fact that the 50-kilometer races are held twice in Trondheim—once for men and once for women.

It remains to be seen how the International Ski Federation and the Norwegian organizers will respond to the eco-fascist mafia’s threat. Will they give in to the blackmail to ensure that the competition doesn’t turn into a disaster? Or will they trust that law enforcement—ultimately responsible for maintaining order in the kingdom—will prevent Folk mot fossilmakta from disrupting the event?

* * *

In the long run, if the eco-fascists succeed in their sabotage or if their demands are met, it would encourage similar demands and disruptions in the future. And not just in sports competitions, but in all kinds of events where visibility can be gained by disturbing large crowds or causing other forms of damage.

That’s why it would be ideal if Norwegian society ensured that the blackmailers had no opportunity to interpret the events during the World Championships to their advantage. In other words: 1. Prevent sabotage, 2. Ensure that any attempted disruption receives no more media coverage than a brief mention. 3. Above all, make sure that such actions are not portrayed in a positive light.

In short, it should be made clear that a so-called "offer you can’t refuse" has no place in modern times—and that resorting to such tactics will not advance any cause.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Relationship Between the Professor and Teemu Selänne
The activists sought excitement and a boost to their self-esteem in the Stockholm Diamond League
A young woman skiing in a swimsuit caused a controversy among women

Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped

The Nordic countries—Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland—have traditionally been seen as civilized, peaceful, and safe places to live. That’s why it was surprising to read that Nordic police organizations are struggling to keep up with the gang violence that started in Sweden.

According to a statement from these organizations, police forces are no longer able to respond to or prevent the spread of gang violence, which is becoming a problem across the entire Nordic region. This statement has been signed by police organizations from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland.

It’s worth asking, then, who is responsible for letting the situation reach this point. This particularly concerns Sweden’s immigration policy, which has resulted in the formation of gangs and even dozens of areas where fire trucks and ambulances will not go without police protection.

In addition to identifying who is to blame, it’s essential to determine how these gangs can be brought under control despite police concerns. After all, it’s clear that criminals cannot be allowed to gain the upper hand in this matter, as this would mean that the Nordic countries, known for their equality, would become a mere memory of how politicians, who once aimed to improve the world, ended up destroying societies that provided the best quality of life in the world.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Managing Societal Change with a Growing Muslim Population
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges

Nordic Nations Unite Against the Growing Threat of Cross-Border Organized Crime

Organized crime, which primarily seeks financial gain through drug trafficking, has become an increasing problem in the Nordic countries. It no longer respects national borders but instead spreads from one country to another. For these reasons, during the Nordic Council meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland announced that they would strengthen their cooperation to combat organized crime.

According to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, "In Norway, we can see parts of these networks coming from Sweden in all of our police districts. We must fight them together. When crime begins to cross borders, the police, government, and judicial systems must also engage in cross-border cooperation."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also highlighted the organized crime coming across the border from Sweden, stating, "We cannot accept this. We are working closely with Sweden to address this issue."

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo likewise described gang crime and cross-border crime as a serious problem. He cited the cooperation between Finnish and Swedish police in the northern Baltic region as a good example of cross-border collaboration.

The roots of Nordic gang crime are in Sweden—likely because Sweden has practiced an even more generous immigration policy than the other Nordic countries. Only time will tell, however, whether the Nordic countries will succeed in reversing this trend or whether they will gradually transform into more closed societies in which people's basic security is slowly eroded.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland’s Minister of Finance Believes Not All Cultures Are Equally Good
Immigration-Specific Violent Crime Increases as Humanitarian Immigration Continues
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?

Norway and Ireland are awarding the terrorists a prize

Norway, Spain and Ireland are going to announce their recognition of the State of Palestine, which in reality does not even exist. There is only the West Bank, dependent on Israel, and the Gaza Strip, controlled by terrorists before the ongoing war.

The timing chosen by Norway and Ireland to recognize this non-existent state is, to say the least, peculiar. The part of it governed by Hamas has started a war with one of the cruelest terrorist acts in history and taken numerous hostages. During the offensive operation launched to rescue these hostages, Palestinian fighters have used hospitals as bases and shielded themselves behind civilians, leading to unnecessary loss of life.

From all this, Norway and Ireland have now concluded that it is time to reward Hamas by recognizing the State of Palestine. How should I put it: this is simply sick.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
United Nations, corruption and terrorism
Palestinian responsibility
Palestinians: acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom!

Discrimination against women?

As my esteemed reader is aware, gender-related issues are currently a prominent subject of discussion. In light of this, it was delightful to come across a recent study that provided fresh and surprising insights on the matter.

Traditionally, gender discrimination has been widely regarded as a significant contributor to women's disadvantages in the labor market. However, previous studies have produced mixed results due to variations in research designs, making it challenging to compare discrimination estimates across countries.

To address this challenge, the researchers conducted a comparative field experiment on gender discrimination in hiring across six countries. By directly comparing employers' responses to fictional male and female applicants, they were able to draw intriguing conclusions.

Despite variations in crucial institutional, economic, and cultural aspects among the participating countries, the researchers found no evidence of discrimination against women. However, they did observe discrimination against men in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK, while no discrimination against men was found in Norway and the United States.

Even within diverse institutional contexts, employers tended to perceive female applicants as more suitable for roles in female-dominated occupations, all other factors being equal. However, the researchers found no evidence to support the claim that employers prefer male applicants in any location.

Hence, the researchers concluded that the well-known differences in salary between genders likely stem from women and men choosing different types of jobs rather than employers discriminating against women, as sometimes alleged.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The change in the demographic structure of Helsinki
Afghanistan now and in the future
Sexual harassment and bullying in working life

Is the moral of Russians collapsing

A former leading member of the Wagner group - a Russian mercenary army forming one of the stronges units of the attacker in Ukraine - has asked asylum in Norway. The decision on his request has not been made yet. 

It remains to be seen, what happens next, but one possible interpretation on this case could be loss of morale among the fighters of Wagner. That would not be a miracle taken the huge losses of the Russian army during the last eleven months. 

There are naturally also other possibilities, but it is good to make the optimistic interpretation, but be prepared for the worst. And therefore countries of Europe need to continue their support to Ukraine. That is, anti-aircraft missiles and battle tanks - or whatever the heroes of this war need to beat the enemy. 

That is because it should be understood that the loss of Russians in this war is not only a big win to Ukrainians, but its importance will be even bigger to the whole world by showing that a violent attack against innocent people cannot any more be counted as a way to change the world.  

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Military advice: Ukraine needs modern tanks
Good news from Ukraine
Independence day of Finland now and 83 years ago

Is the world´s best skier in classical technique, Iivo Niskanen, going to recover from COVID-19

Cross-Country skiing is nationally the most important winter sports of Finland, and has been responsible of the lions share of all Olympic medals in the sports history of my home country. However, during the last two decades the success has not been much worth mentioning except for one skier. 

That one is Iivo Niskanen, who - during the last decade - has been the clearly the world´s best long distance skier in classical technique. He won the World Youth Championship (under 23 years) in 2014 and at the same year earned a gold medal in the team spring (with classical technique) in Olympics. Thereafter he has been the best in the classical competitions of the World Championships of 2017 (15 km) and Olympics of 2018 (15 km) and 2022 (50 km). Only in World Championships of 2019 he was the second (15 km) in the classical race. 

As my reader understands, such a dominant sports figures are rare in countries with only 5,5 million people. And therefore Finns are extremely interested in their hero, who - however - had a COVID-19 infection several weeks ago. And has thereafter not competed on skiing tracks, not in national or international competitions.

In this winter the main competitions in cross country skiing are Tour de Ski starting in a week and World Championships in Slovenia (Planica) in late February. Tour in this year is exceptional, because four out of its seven competitions are going to be raced with classical technique. And therefore Niskanen would have excellent chances to win the whole tour. 

Therefore the most important sports  question right now in Finland is whether Niskanen has recovered from his COVID-19 well enough to compete in Tour. He has been selected into the Finnish Team by the head coach of the Cross Country Team, who, however, said that Niskanen decides himself whether he competes or not. 

Knowing Niskanen´s mind, he will not be racing unless he considers he has true chance for success. But as we know, recovering from COVID-19 may take weeks or even months.

So, if Niskanen will not participate Tour, it is not possible to avoid speculations about his recovery towards the World Championships, where 50 km with classical technique would be waiting to be dominated by the Finnish star. And all sports fans in Finland expect him - if in his best shape - to win the competition by a clear difference to other competitors. 

And even worse. Niskanen is the only - or at least the best - hope of Finland to have a winner in the World Championships, where Norwegians are expected to dominate all other male competitions. That was demonstrated e.g. last weekend in Davos, when they had a total of six best skiers followed by a German. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Kalle Rovanperä - a rally driver
A stupid thief and vandalizing celebrators

Does China prove the superiority of market economy?

The economy and standard of living in China was ruined by the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution ordered by the Chairman Mao in 1960´s. After the death of the Chairman, the economic direction was changed in China towards the current system, where communistic dictatorship is combined with a market economy. 

That has led to great progress in the most populous country of the world. And now the statistics tell the Gross National Income of China is soon going to reach a level of $12 000 per capita. 

That means Chinese people are reaching the level of citizens of Costa Rica or Venezuela and has already passed over e.g. Russians, Malaysians, Bulgarians or Turkish. And even the standard of living in countries like Chile, Uruguay or Hungary will be reached in the next ten years - provided that the growth rate of China corresponds to the development of the last twenty years.

At the same time, China has become the second biggest economy in the world - and the difference to USA is narrowing quickly. The difference in GDI per capita between the two is, however, about sixfold - and therefore it very clear that the difference in the welfare of the two biggest economies of the world will be huge for decades. 

Taken the facts above, it is very clear that even a communistic rule may produce economic welfare despite the horrific examples provided by the Soviet Union or - more recently - Venezuela. The key to that is, however, to give up on the economic principles of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels - and definitely avoiding Leninism as a means to apply their ideas. 

Instead it might be worth noting that the example provided by Xi Jinpin´s China seems to prove the superiority of market economy over socialism. And it drives me to consider, if more strict market economy should be preferred over the milder versions of socialism - such as Nordic social democracy? 

After all, considering other aspects usually thought to advance economy are excellent in the Nordic countries. The freedom of speech is among the best in the world, democracy is challenged in no ways and people are highly educated. Despite those facts, their economies have become more or less stagnated (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway) during the last decade or so, according to GNI.

For me, these notions will be of extreme interest in the becoming years. And therefore I intend to follow future developments in the Chinese economy - and make conclusions about the contributions of market economy and social democracy by comparing future developments in China and the Nordic countries. 

Previous thought on the same topic:
The main consequence of Putin´s attack to Ukraine
Once upon a time in China and Taiwan
Could China take advantage on the weakness of Putin´s Russia?