• About
  • Career
  • College
  • Economics
  • Environment
  • Family & Friends
  • Giving Back
  • Miscellaneous
  • Music
  • Petty Politics
  • Planning & Transportation
  • Post-Grad
  • Thoughts
    • Soul
  • Transportation Central
  • Travel
    • Denmark

There Is No End In Sight

~ when thoughts live forever.

There Is No End In Sight

Category Archives: Travel

I love to travel!

China: High-Speed Rail Network To Be Doubled | Sky News

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Kevin L in Planning & Transportation, Public Policy, Transportation Central, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

China, commute, High Speed Rail, HSR, rail, trains, travel, UK, USA

China: High-Speed Rail Network To Be Doubled.

China is winning this war of innovative development. At least the UK is designing the trains…

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Gallery

View from around the Emerald City

01 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Seattle & Washington, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Emerald City, Seattle

This gallery contains 10 photos.

I have been here for about two and a half months now and I am still discovering new things everyday! …

Continue reading →

Denmark, the Happiest Place on Earth.

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Denmark, Did You Know?, Thoughts

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

culture, Danes, Denmark, Happiness, UN

You may have heard about the United Nations World Happiness Report. It may also be of little surprise that the United States does not rank among the top countries. In fact, the 2013 report ranks the United States 17th behind a variety of countries, including its northern (Canada, 6th) and southern (Mexico, 16th) neighbors. Leading the pack is Scandinavia, with Denmark and Norway taking the top two positions, Sweden fifth, and Finland 7th.

While the list has seen a lot of shuffling since its initial release in 2012, little has changed at the top. Denmark led in 2012, followed by Finland and Norway. Clearly Scandinavia, especially Denmark, is doing something well. So what is it that sets these countries apart? Rather than re-summarize the entire report, I will refer you to Tuesday’s Huffington Post blog on the topic. In summary, Denmark is the happiest country due to several key aspects of the Danish life:

    • Denmark Supports Parents
    • Healthcare is a civil right
    • Gender Equality is prioritized
    • Biking is the norm
    • Danish culture puts a positive spin on its harsh environment
    • Danes feel a responsibility to one another

I am no expert on Denmark but I take great pride in the country and some of its unique characteristics  Having spent 5 months in the country – studying in Copenhagen, living with a host family in the town of Køge, commuting by train/bike, meeting students through club volleyball, traveling the country, and generally just learning the Danish way – I experience a lot of what was highlighted in the report. And, despite many American political and ideological beliefs that might downplay or disregard these pieces of Danish life, it works.

My host family was a family of 4, two working parents and two elementary-aged children. They worked full-time and were able to work their schedule around the needs of their children’s education and extra-curricular activities, both of which were very high quality. Students in Denmark are literally paid to pursue advanced degrees. Talk of going to the doctor is never followed by “but I just cannot afford it right now” and people are pretty healthy already since they exercise frequently through their normal commute. And don’t get me started on biking – I could go on forever!

What may be the oddest cultural trait listed here is the responsibility Danes feel for each other. Honestly, my explanations could never do it justice. You have to be there. It is not universal and it is not all-encompassing, but Danes really do show compassion and responsibility for achieving larger social goals. Many will tell you they don’t mind paying high taxes and elaborate on exactly why they feel it is their duty to support the country’s strong social safety net.

The Huffington Post made one point I really appreciate:

But why Denmark over any of the other wealthy, democratic countries with small, educated populations? And can the qualities that make this Nordic country the happiest around apply to other cultures across the globe? Here are a few things Danes do well that any of us can lobby for…

“Any of us can lobby for.”  That is exactly right – Denmark clearly benefits from its small size and its small and homogeneous culture, but even more importantly Danes demand more from their government and from each other. So, what’s stopping us? What is stopping you?

We feel safe – Anna-Katarina Graavgaard, Dane

0.000000 0.000000

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Image

Shutdown Squeezes Washingtonians | Budget and Policy Center

18 Friday Oct 2013

Tags

congress, government, shutdown, Washington

The shutdown really does affect everyone, everywhere in some way.

2013.10.20 Shutdown's Effects on Washington

Shutdown Squeezes Washingtonians — Budget and Policy Center.

0.000000 0.000000

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Posted by Kevin L | Filed under Economics, Petty Politics, Public Policy, Seattle & Washington

≈ Leave a comment

Gallery

Canada Take 2: Visiting Vancouver

07 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Abroad, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Canada, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Stanley Park, Sunshine Diner, travel, Vancouver

This gallery contains 7 photos.

Until August I had never been to Canada, but now I have been twice in a little over a month. …

Continue reading →

Gallery

OH, Canada!

01 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Abroad, Seattle & Washington, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

British Columbia, Butchart Gardens, Canada, Irish Times Pub, Victoria

This gallery contains 11 photos.

Finally made it to Canada for the first time ever! It was a short visit, just a day trip to …

Continue reading →

Thursday Concerts at City Hall – Brother From Another

26 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Music, Seattle & Washington

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Brother From Another, concert, Seattle

So Thursday appears to be Seattle’s favorite day – all across the city free events attract crowds and show off the exciting culture of the city. From free museum entry every first Thursday to weekly outdoor movies, Seattle really puts on a show. This Thursday I traveled down to City Hall to watch the weekly concert at noon. This week’s show was a hip-hop/rap performance by Brother from Another, a group of three Seattleites whose passion for their hometown fills their every lyric.

These three guys were brimming with energy and were a blast to watch. You can tell they’re not doing it for anything more than a love of music and performing. Just look at their smiles! Check out Brother from Another on iTunes.

IMG_6067
IMG_6076
IMG_6089

 

47.606210 -122.332070

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Gallery

Just Another Transplant in the Emerald City (Seattle, WA)

25 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Seattle & Washington

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Emerald City, Seattle, West Coast

This gallery contains 13 photos.

The Emerald City. Sounds like I should be in Oz, right? But I might as well be for all the …

Continue reading →

Gallery

Train, The Script, & Gavin Degraw in Concert! (Auburn, WA)

25 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by Kevin L in Music, Seattle & Washington

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

concert, Gavin Degraw, live music, Mermaids of Alcatraz, The Script, Train, White River Amphitheater

This gallery contains 6 photos.

August 14, 2013.  7:00PM.  White River Amphitheater, Auburn, WA. What a way to finish 4K – I have been listening …

Continue reading →

Gallery

Skyrush

17 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by Kevin L in Family & Friends, Miscellaneous, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alpha Phi Omega, Hershey Park, Roller Coaster, Skyrush

This gallery contains 11 photos.

Skyrush is by far my new favorite roller-coaster.

← Older posts

Like my blog but not a Wordpress user? No problem. Enter your email address below to receive email notifications of new posts.

Join 821 other followers

  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Check out what I am following:

Biking

  • 4K For Cancer: Profile Page
  • Bike Works
  • Copenhagenize Blog
  • Cycle Chic
  • Ride the City Blog
  • Seattle Bike Blog
  • The Bikery
  • Velocity: The Seattle Area Cycling Blog

Economics

  • Creative Destruction

Friend's Stuff

  • Lydia Joy Ness
  • Nicole's 4K Blog

Random

  • Budget Bytes
  • M Atif Saeed's Photostream
  • WTF, Evolution?

Social Justice

  • InvisiblePeople.tv
  • SURGE – Social Justice @ GBC

Bucket List

-Backpack Europe
-Become a Big Brother
-Build a Bike
-Build/fix a Car
-Climb a glacier
-Climb a mountain (a big one)
-Commute to work/school by bike (in USA)
-Design a cycling system/infrastructure
-Design my own house (or at least help)
-Do all the Fatherly things I never experienced
-Drive a Lambo/Ferrari/Porsche/ Pagani...something
-Get a Master's in Planning, Public Policy, etc.
-Hang glide
-Hike the entire Appalachian Trail
-Learn the Drums, Guitar, Piano, or Sax
-Live in at least 10 states (1 of 10)
-Live on all 7 continents (2 of 7)
-Pet a shark
-Play with a tiger cub
-Receive a "World's Best Dad" Mug
-Run a Marathon
-Run the Boston Marathon
-Sail
-Ski; Ski in the Alps
-Skydive
-Start a family
-Tough Mudder
-Travel to a Mangrove Forest
-Travel to a Volcano.
-Travel to Methuselah, the oldest non-cloning organism in the world (CA).
-Travel to the North Pole
-Travel to the Sequoia forests in NW USA
-Visit all 50 States (21 of 50)
-Visit at least as many countries as states (9 of 50)
-Write a Book
-Zipline
X Bike across America
x Drive an electric car
x Graduate high school
x Graduate college
x Live in another country
X Skinny dipping
x Win a game of "Settlers" against Andreas and Trine
x X-Games

Tags:

4k For Cancer Activism America Bike Biking Bus campaign Cancer charity College Community commute congress Copenhagen court Crime Cycling Danes Death Democrat Denmark DIS donation Economics Education Environment false accusation Family Food Freakonomics Friends Fundly fundraise fundraising Future gay Gender Gettysburg College Graduation Green Health Host Family justice law lawsuit lawyer legal LGBTQ Life lifestyle Love Mom mother Music Obama Pedestrian Politics poor Poverty president Relationships Renewable Energy Republican Running Seattle September 11 sexuality Strava Sustainability Training Transportation Ulman Cancer Fund Volunteering Wealth West Wing

What I’m Currently Reading:

What I’m Reading Next

What I’ve Read

Blog Archive

  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011

Blog at WordPress.com.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
%d bloggers like this: