Clear link between child benefit and higher fertility rates - pro-natalist population policies

This is a very good article (unfortunately for IB-students in Swedish) from SCB: http://www.scb.se/statistik/_publikationer/BE0801_2007K03_TI_03_A05ST0703.pdf
The writer concludes that countries with higher levels of emancipation of women in the workforce have higher birth rates, which at first glance doesn't make sense. But she continues to argue that these countries also have extensive child-benefit programmes in place (especially for children under 3 y's), which allow for women to both contribute to higher birth rates and have a career.
She summarizes her findings with these words "Att bedriva en aktiv familjepolitik och ta hänsyn till jämställdhetsfrågor tycks alltså vara ett användbart vägledande koncept i utformningen av framtidens välfärds- och familjepolitik."

"Lärare borde använda sociala medier"

I listen and obey: http://playrapport.se/#/video/2169400 What do you think? Should teachers use social medias more often? How?

North Korea is dark - Haiti is poor!

As you might know, the Communist Paradise of North Korea (I hope you got the irony) has held a congress for the first time in 30 years. There is much to say about this country, but there is probably not another image that highlights their problem as this satellite image. (see link) http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/dprk-dark.htm

Also, consider the differences in economic development displayed in this image of the border between Haiti and the Dominic Republic, sharing and island but unfortunately not governance. http://therogersinhaiti.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/haiti-and-the-environment/

Video tutorials

This is a great website from The Economist, using short video clips explaining all sorts of different issues, everything from explaining the geographical distribution of the World Cup to Climate Change and food.
http://audiovideo.economist.com/?fr_chl=37b523f6e1fab620d03697edb18b1216db2961ca&rf=bm

Globalization

Greetings! When floating through the cyberspace I quite often end up reading the BBC, and their excellent summarizing articles/themes and whatever issue you might consider. Here's one really good article on the (economic) globalization. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/guides/457000/457022/html/default.stm

China in Africa

I read a piece by Richard Dowden who was in Sweden last week on "Bokmässan". I have good insights on the situation in Africa and during the book fair he expressed the idea that journalists and NGO's (Red Cross, Oxfam) have a mutual agreement/conspiracy where they portrait the situation in Africa as worse than it is (see Hans Rosling), NGO's wants money - journalists wants to sell newspapers. China is in a race to get their hands on the resources in Africa while EU and US have virtually abandoned the continent. The article below concludes that is not only China that are benefiting from these deals, but the Africans as well. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6908835.ece

Hilarious map site

I found a link to a web site that is truly hilarious - European maps based on misconceptions and people's prejudice. This must be a TOK moment! http://alphadesigner.com/project-mapping-stereotypes.html