Recommended reading

The Council on Foreign Relations on Revitalizing the Transatlantic Partnership George W. Bush points out that there's No Neutral Ground in the war on terror Dick Cheney on A Clear Choice Donald Rumsfeld on The Price of Freedom in Iraq Paul Wolfowitz says Terror is Losing Charles Krauthammer on Spaniards Capitulating Tom Friedman on the Axis of Appeasement

Link | March 20, 06:13

Returning to a Different Europe

Tomorrow, I return back from Japan to a Europe which has changed rather dramatically. In only about a week's time, Spain has been attacked by terrorists and surrendered to the same, allowing a small band of terrorists to dictate the outcome of their national elections and weaken the transatlantic alliance even further. This is an embarrasment and a damaging one at that. Now a muslim group is threatening France... To quote an excellent editorial in the Washington Post: "The danger is that Europe's reaction to a war that has now reached its soil will be retreat and appeasement rather than strengthened resolve. (...) Should such sentiments prevail, the next U.S. administration -- whether led by President Bush or Sen. John F. Kerry -- may have no alternative to unilateralism." Yesterday, at CSIS, analysts assessed the Madrid bombing fallout (requires Real Video). Later today, at AEI, Spanish Ambassador Javier Ruperez will speak on recent events. Read also this eye-opening editorial in the Jerusalem Post: It's a world war.

Link | March 17, 06:16

Off We Go to Tokyo

On Friday, I leave for Tokyo, Japan (flight route), where -- together with 10 friends from school -- I'll be visiting the Tokyo Stock Exchange, stock brokerages, banks, import/export firms, traditional Japanese companies, the Royal Norwegian Embassy and more. I've never been to Asia before, so I really don't know what to expect. For that and many other reasons, I'm looking forward to this trip very much. We'll be back on the 18th, so I will talk to you all then. So long! PS: Blogger Justin Hall recently released his guide book Just In Tokyo for free online. (Via Joi Ito)

Link | March 03, 14:01

Misc

When investing, Value Hunting Still Pays Wharton profs and BCG consultants weigh in on outsourcing TIME Europe on a strong, determined and self-confident Spain President Bush speech on Homeland Security (video) At AEI, Niall Ferguson spoke on The End of Europe (video) Also at AEI, a panel on The Implications of Homeland Security on Transatlantic Relations Bob Kagan on pursuing legitimacy by promoting the principles of liberal democracy Mark Steyn: It’s the war, stupid

Link | March 03, 13:00

Misc

The Economist on transatlantic relations (related) AEI's Donnelly and Serchuk say Beware the "Libyan Model" Surprise, surprise: France and Germany head for new breach of euro rules BusinessWeek catches up with Jack Welch (video) TIME has 10 Questions For Bill Gates Forbes is out with the annual report on The World's Richest People In Inc. Magazine, Howard Rubenstein tells us How He Did It PS: I'll be in Tokyo from the 5th-18th of this month on a school trip. Although we do have a packed program, I'd love to receive further suggestions via email!

Link | March 01, 23:31

Skiing

Sorry about the lack of posts the last few days, but there you go. This weekend, I'll be going to Geilo, a wonderful Norwegian ski resort, to find out whether or not I can still ski downhill. I fear I may be rather rusty, but at least I will provide comic relief to my friends! We're almost 20 people from school going together, so I'm looking forward to this a lot, afterski and all.

Link | February 27, 00:59

All Smiles

What a concert! Considering his life story, Brian Wilson was upbeat and energetic, Van Dyke Parks was there, and the crowd in the Royal Festival Hall was -- nedless to say -- extatic from the first note. I tried taking a couple of photos with my cellphone (1, 2), but obviously they don't really communicate much of the experience. I'd rather recommend this article by Stephen Dalton for that. (More: MSNBC, BBC, more BBC, Telegraph)

Link | February 23, 23:45

Email hiccup

I've been getting an inordinate amount of email lately, and I just noticed that last night my mailbox filled up, possibly rebounding incoming messages. If you've tried unsuccessfully to contact me, please re-send your email now. I've archived old messages and cleared up space. Thanks!

Link | February 22, 14:43

Update

Just arrived in Bayswater, London, for the weekend. I turn 22 years old on Sunday, and will be celebrating here together with some friends. I'm really looking forward to Sunday night when we'll be going to a concert with Mr. Beach Boy himself, Brian Wilson. He's a living legend, of course, and one of my favorite artists. Yesterday, in Oslo, I attended a meeting with the director of Civita, the new Norwegian think-tank for free markets, entrepreneurship, economic growth, freedom, individual- and human rights and democracy. Exciting to see things happening in Norway as well -- finally! -- and hopefully it will turn out well.

Link | February 20, 15:38

What We Learned In The New Economy

Important new piece out in Fast Company by Jennifer Reingold. It wasn't the shiny world we envisioned. But it wasn't a train wreck, either. As the economy turns up again, we wonder: What was real?

Link | February 19, 09:05

The Right War for the Right Reasons

Bob Kagan and Bill Kristol argue that the liberation of Iraq was abundantly justified, and that the battle of Iraq was an important victory in the broader war against terror, against weapons proliferation, and for a new Middle East. (video)

Link | February 15, 21:54

Friend of America on Norwegian Television

Last night, as president of the Norwegian Friends of America, I took part in a TV debate on Norway's role in the war in Iraq and our relationship with the United States. The debate was live with a studio audience, and other participants were Inge Lønning, Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament and a representative of the Conservative Party, and Åslaug Haga, prominent MP and leader of the center-left Center Party. The host was Knut (pronounced Canute) Olsen, a well-known Norwegian talkshow host and present were also troops and officers from the Norwegian military contingent in Iraq along with UN peace-keeping veterans. Here is a quick transcript (meaning roughly translated and somewhat cleaned up) and some photos.

Link | February 15, 17:52

Democratic Realism

Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to DC and the AEI Annual Dinner a few days ago to see Charles Krauthammer present his lecture on An American Foreign Policy for a Unipolar World, but at least I can read it online, and I recommend it to everyone to do so. Brilliant stuff as always. Be sure to read through the introduction by Vice President Dick Cheney as well, if you are unfamiliar with Dr. Krauthammer's work. In other news, I'm flying to Trondheim tomorrow to participate in a TV debate on Norway's role in Iraq. The motion before the house is "the Norwegian military - Cleaning boys for the USA" and as usual, I'm a lone voice in the pro-America camp, against a cadre of members of parliament, officers and troops in the military etc. Wish me luck! I'll try to post a summary of it all when I get back to Oslo on Sunday...

Link | February 13, 16:16

Recommended Reading

The Wall Street Journal on WMD and Iraq weapons inspector David Kay Forbes' Paul Johnson says to the UN: Get Out of New York! The Weekly Standard's Irwin M. Stelzer on Europe's Wishful Thinking Wired Magazine's Daniel Pink on outsourcing to India

Link | January 28, 20:23

Cheney Speaks in Davos

Click here for video clips of the Special Address by the Vice-President of the United States of America to the World Economic Forum.

Link | January 25, 11:08

The Trans-Atlantic Quarrel

The International Herald Tribune with two very interesting pieces on the current state of trans-atlantic relations: An indifferent Washington shrugs Growing disunity on Continent

Link | January 24, 14:52

Two Texts and a Three Videos

In the WSJ, Jack Welch asks: Do the Democratic presidential candidates have what it takes to lead? At AEI, messrs. Frum and Perle say the UN Should Change--or the U.S. Should Quit! Also at AEI, Ahmad Chalabi on the move Toward Democracy (video) in Iraq From Davos, the World Economic Forum offers a number of interesting webcasts Finally, a "top ten" treat from Letterman: Dean on his scream (Real Video) (more clips)

Link | January 23, 17:56

Recommended reading

MIT Tech Review on 10 Emerging Technologies That Will Change Your World Harvard Business School on advertising agency JWT’s Contribution to Globalization Check out the new Business 2.0 blog The Dow Nears a New Two-Year High (chart) Brussels to find out Why the EU is trailing the US (taxes and red tape, anyone?) Spain's Aznar on Breaking The Franco-German Grip In The National Interest, A European Realist on The Future of the Transatlantic Alliance In the UK, Conservatives seek return to Thatcherite principles At AEI, Norway's Janne Haaland-Matlary says Europe's Militant Secularism Is a Threat (video) Also from AEI, David Frum and Richard Perle on The Big Test for the Contenders

Link | January 21, 21:10

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