Lars Karlsson: CapacityNow

This week I have spent a few days on Iceland. 

I had meetings with Iceland Customs that is lead by one of my oldest and best friends in the Customs world, Director General Snorri Olsen. 

(Yes, he did know about the “rabbit ears”)

Iceland Customs is a very effecient and developed administration that is performing very well. I have had the fortune to visit Iceland and the Customs administration many times over a long period of time. 

Iceland is a fantastic country. Amazing nature and wonderful people. If you haven’t been there I sincerely recommend it. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a one-year contract with an option for another one with Manchester United. It is not enough for United.

According to The Sun the club already wants to extend and sign a new two year contract with the Swedish striker. That would give Ibrahimovic a contract with Man U until the summer of 2019. 

In total Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 19 goals for Manchester United in 21 games, in line eith the best goal scorers of the club ever. 
And now United is trying to ensure that Zlatan stay as long as possoble in Manchester.

The Swede’s contract expires this summer, but there is an option of a further year if both parties so agree, which would make him 37 years old at the end of the contract. 

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently released its 2016 Better Life Index of countries with the best quality of life.

To do this, the OECD studied 34 countries across 11 parameters of well-being, including work-life balance, financial wealth, safety, education, and environmental quality. It uses data from the United Nations, National Statistics Offices, and the Gallup Organization.Check out the countries that scored the highest across every category.

11. Netherlands — This country boasts one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The OECD found that students in the Netherlands score above-average in math, science, and reading comprehension tests.

10. Iceland — The country fell eight spots from last year’s index. The percentage of Iceland’s labor force that has been unemployed for a year or longer is at nearly 0.7%, lower than the OECD average of 2.6%.

9. The United States — Though it fell four spots from last year’s Index, the US comes out on top in areas of housing, income, and wealth. The average household disposable income is $41,071 per year, the highest in OECD’s study.

8. Finland — In Finland, 4% of employees work long hours, which is much lower than the OECD average of 13%.

7. New Zealand — Rising two spots this year, New Zealand prioritizes the environment. Greenhouse emissions are relatively low in the country, mainly due to its low population.

6. Sweden — People in Sweden have a high level of civic engagement. In the most recent election, 83% of residents turned out to vote for its parliament.

5. Canada — This country ranks high in affordable housing. In the 2000s, Toronto and Vancouver’s government rezoned all single family neighborhoods, so that homeowners could rent out extra rooms (thus increasing the amount of affordable rent available).

4. Switzerland — The unemployment rate in Switzerland hovers around 3.1%, one of the lowest in the world.

3. Denmark — The country jumped 7 spots from last year’s index, and ranks high in paid vacation time, averaging 5 weeks off per year. On average, full-time workers report devoting 66% of their days to “personal care” (i.e. not working).

2. Australia — Although Australia ranked as number one for 2013 and 2014 (then fourth in 2015), it is second in this year’s index. The OECD found that people feel a strong sense of community in Australia: 95% of Australians believe they know someone they could rely on.

1. Norway — The country also scored highest last year. People are living their best lives in Norway, where a majority have paid jobs, a high level of education, and live an average of 82 years.