The Finnish Gambit

Swedish in the Nordic region

2009-01-26T07:01:00.004-05:00

Swedish was chosen over English ages ago to be the language of Nordic cooperation. The status of Swedish in Finland has always been a shakey one, however, and the most recent poll released shows just how extreme this may be. (Article reprinted in full because I've not yet been able to find the articles from Norden i veckan online, only in the email digest.)

Wednesday 21/01/2009

Finns: Yes to Nordic Region – No to Swedish

The majority of the Finnish-speaking population considers it important to belong to the Nordic Region but contacts with other Nordic citizens should be in English, not Swedish, the newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet reveals.

A recent Taloustutkimus poll commissioned by the Finland-Swedish think-tank Magma quizzed Finns about their views of Nordic identity. No fewer than 93% consider belonging to the Nordic Region and having a Nordic identity to be important.

On the other hand only 9% agreed with the statement that Finns should speak Swedish and not English with their Nordic neighbours. Some 70% disagreed or disagreed strongly.

The position of Swedish as an official language in Finland is a controversial issue, and many of the respondents stressed the importance of English instead. Opposition is strong, for example, to all pupils in Finnish-speaking schools having to study Swedish. The regulations have been loosened up somewhat – since 2005 Swedish has no longer been a compulsory subject for Finnish-speakers taking high school exams.

The official Nordic co-operation, both in Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, remains to promote the use of Scandinavian languages between Nordic citizens. The Nordic Youth Council would however prefer a bigger role for English.

Article in Hufvudstadsbladet: http://www.hbl.fi/text/inrikes/2009/1/21/w22446.php

Nordic language co-operation: http://www.norden.org/sprak/sk/index.asp?lang=1

Some shots from my new life

2007-12-09T11:28:00.000-05:00

On top of work becoming increasingly involved, there have been a lot of changes in my personal life as well. I finally purchased a car. Below are some photos of my new ride. I'm thinking it needs a name- suggestions are welcome.

I also moved to a new town. I'm now living in Narragansett, Rhode Island. This is the view from my kitchen table. It's a little dreary today, but you get the idea.

Portland, Oregon

2007-12-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

Over the next couple posts I'm going to update everyone on what's been going on since I dropped off the face of the Earth. They'll cover since July (extremely cliff-noted). Starting things off, I took a trip to Portland a few months ago. It's truly an amazing city.

The city

Fountain

Tram- public transport in this city is unbelievable
The World's smallest park...
...and an explanation.

Enola Gay Pilot dies

2007-11-02T10:02:00.000-05:00

The only reason I decided to post this little tidbit is because I had no idea this guy was living in Columbus. The guy who piloted the plane [the Enola Gay] that dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan died the other day. I wonder what kind of funeral he'll have, and if he'll be buried in Columbus...

Asematunneli

2007-10-30T15:34:00.001-05:00

Asematunneli
Originally uploaded by Jasper Kaarna.

Every now and then I remember this blog exists...

Viking ship found under pub parking lot

2007-09-12T19:33:00.001-05:00

Seriously, it happened in England. I love how one can stumble on a 1,000+ year old boat in the most unexpected places.

Suomi

2007-08-19T12:23:00.001-05:00

Suomi
Originally uploaded by Miguel Frutos.

Revisiting the Security and Defence Policy

2007-08-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

A working group has been assembled to research and report on Finland's stance militarily in an international system that "has entered a new development phase." At issue will be NATO, the UN and EU security guarantees, the defensive policy of non-alignment, and an eye towards an increasingly unknown player directly to the east, i.e. Russia. The group's report will be presented sometime in 2008, though I'm already a bit nervous about revisiting the NATO question. I guess we'll just have to wait a few months.

Tampere to the Champions League?

2007-08-15T12:01:00.000-05:00

While not quite as improbable as Finland winning Eurovision was, landing a Finnish team in the Champions League would be quite an accomplishment. Tampere will attempt to continue their march to do just that tonight.

Nokia Battery Recall

2007-08-14T10:49:00.000-05:00

A la Dell battery recall a year or so ago, due to batteries overheating while charging. 46 Million Matsushita-maufactured units to be replaced. See if you are affected. Poor Nokia=/

Helsinki by night

2007-08-10T10:47:00.001-05:00

Helsinki by night
Originally uploaded by Sameli.

Cloudberry

2007-08-07T10:22:00.001-05:00

cloudberry
Originally uploaded by mwri.

Finnish summer gold. The best berry in the world- eaten alone or with ice cream or pancakes (lettuja or pannukakku) or as a jam or wine or one of the countless other options. Cloudberries are one of the things I miss most when not in Finland.

Left Alliance and Greens speak in favor of sending troops to Darfur

2007-08-07T09:45:00.000-05:00

While Finnish PM Matti Vanhanen has voiced his political support for the African Union-UN joint venture in sending troops to Darfur, there are those in Parliament and in his government who believe he has once again come up short. As if being the man who made the text message breakup famous wasn't enough...

Sirpa Puhakka (Left Alliance) and Labour Minister Tarja Cronberg both made calls for Vanhanen to put his money where is mouth is and add Finnish troops to the ranks. Finland (and much of Scandinavia) has long harvested the image of the Jiminy Cricket of the world- the ideal security community where fighting is unthinkable among it's members but willing to go elsewhere to help maintain the peace and bring a little piece of their culture to the world. I'd have to agree with these two- even only a few symbolic troops to demonstrate commitment would be better than what Vanhanen is currently doing.

And speaking of text message breakups...

(don't ask)

Hiking in Finland

2007-08-05T18:37:00.000-05:00

Those of you who enjoy getting close with nature will appreciate this link. The Finnish Ministry of the Environment maintains a page in English with information and trail maps for the country's national parks, protected areas, etc. The views from many of these locations are astounding, sometimes even more so in the winter.

I took this picture in Lapland in April. There are tons of views like this in the Pallas area.

Helsinki skyline, summer night sky

2007-08-05T16:04:00.001-05:00

Helsinki skyline, summer night sky
Originally uploaded by delayed gratification.

Amazing capture of the contrast between the light sky and the artificially lit city below. Another amazing summer view from Helsinki, as summer slowly starts to wind down

Helsinki

2007-07-29T19:53:00.001-05:00

Helsinki
Originally uploaded by phototouring.

Silja Line was bought out last year by an Estonian company, but continues sailing the Baltic Sea. A fun trip, even if you never get off the boat.

Rebirth?

2007-07-08T16:14:00.000-05:00

I am considering starting back to blogging, since I've got a bit more time for the summer and because there's still a ton going on in Finland and in the world to be brought to notice. Jury's still out, but for now, here's are the results from the Wife Carrying World Championships that happen annually in Sonkajärvi, near where I attended high school.

For the 5th time in a row and the 7th time total, Madis Uusorg from Estonia has won. Though his "wife" changes every now and then, one wonders how he can keep in shape and still enjoy his prize of his wife's weight in beer each time he wins. For the BBC video see [here], for history of the contest look [here], and to see what the town has to say about its tradition go [here]. In 2005 Dennis Rodman, who was doing a stint in the Finnish National Basketball league, made an appearance at the contest, though it was half hearted and he probably couldn't have finished even if he had tried.

Quick and dirty election results

2007-03-18T19:50:00.000-05:00

Briefly-

Centre Party and SDP the losers, losing 4 and 8 seats, respectively. National coalition party big winner, picking up 10 seats. Greens also gain a seat. True Finns gain 2?!?! A few other shift happened, nothing to major. Vanhanen will stay in power more likely than not, even after his sex scandal. the SDP losing so much isn't a huge surprise, as it follows the trend started in the last Swedish elections.

Kuopio Ski jumping

2007-03-16T14:45:00.001-05:00

Kuopio Ski jumping
Originally uploaded by Ant G.

I was once interviewed just under that ski jump next to the tower by Savon sanomat. I never understood what would make someone invent a sport, especially like this one. --"Hey Pekka, let's ski really fast down this hill and when we get to the bottom flatten ourselves out and see who can make it furthest down the flatter continuation of the hill" --"OK Juha, that sounds like an amazing idea."

And of course you've all heard of the famous Finnish ski jumper, Mr. Matti Nykänen? Worth googling for a good laugh if you are bored.

Quote of the day

2007-03-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

"It was unlawful because there was no lawful reason for it and in that respect it was criminal."
-Oxford assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker

As quoted on the BBC. The story really is a tragedy, but honestly, the redundancy in the above statement is nauseating.

Finland 2nd to Ireland - How'd this happen?

2007-03-15T15:25:00.000-05:00

It appears as though Finland is slipping! In the latest Eurobarometer survey to come out (not sure why I've been so hung up on these reports lately), Ireland has been proven the country with the largest binge drinking problem. Finland and England were relegated to 2nd and 3rd, respectively. With the leading cause of death in Finns of working age being alcohol related, one would expect more from these statistics. What's going on Finland? Did the state's recent legislation moving the start time for selling booze to 9am really cause that much of a change? I somehow doubt it.

Binge drinking is defined by the poll as having 5 or more drinks in one sitting. While (among others) the Nordic council has taken up the issue, especially among the youth, things don't change all that much. Ultimately the choice must be personal. The state can do little to coerce people in this arena. It's a cultural mixed with personal choice, in the end. And perhaps some are starting to chose to drink less. Or they're just lying on these surveys- also a distinct possibility. There is, after all, a stigma associated with drinking til one hits the floor. I still need to do that research I talked about in the earlier post, as well as a holistic survey of the Eurobarometer's methods. I'll add that to the to do list.

And now I'm late for class...

More Eurovision Entries

2007-03-11T16:00:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoon when I should be working I instead began reading my news feeds and came across [this] story about Swedish homeowners saving 5 bil kronor by not trading in for the Euro immediately followed by news of the selection of Sweden's Eurovision 2007 entry. I popped over to youtube for a look, and let's just say I don't have any fear that next May if I'm in Europe and want to watch the competition I'll have to go to Stockholm. Check it here

Also, thanks to Topi, I got a look at the Finnish entry a couple weeks back. For those of you that haven't seen it, it's here.

And while I'm at it, figured I might as well put a few others up.

Israel - I think this one is really funny, should be interesting to see how it fares, but I could see it being top 10 easy

Denmark - A pretty crappy song, gonna rely heavily on the performance as the singer is a drag queen, though it's also already been done before apparently

Belarus - sounds a lot like Russia from last year, nothing particularly special, but dramatic beats anyway

Spain - not so much

Malta - Cute and fun, but likely will not do as well because it's not in English, sadly

Bulgaria - I think I like this, but I'm not sure if I should...?

Andorra - Punk rock? Haha, this is good.

Turkey - Jury's still out, the beats are used and kinda dull

I can't believe I've just wasted so much time on that. Back to DeGaulle. I'll likely post more when I need a break later.

Edessä Auroran sairaala ja takana Länsi-Pasila

2007-03-11T14:41:00.001-05:00

Edessä Auroran sairaala ja takana Länsi-Pasila
Originally uploaded by pieni punainen.

My Helsinki home - it's amazing how you can live in a city and still have so much nature around. I miss Pasila.

Alternative Energy?!

2007-03-10T13:34:00.000-05:00

OK, this is just strange. The town of Umeå in Sweden is going to begin burning chicken carcasses- about 9,000 annually- in order to help heat the town. The relationship is eerily symbiotic: the power plant will take dead chickens from egg producers and burn them, aiding the farmers in getting rid of bodies in a healthy way and helping people stay warm through the Nordic winter. It works, but somehow still unsettling on some level.

Passion in heaven

2007-03-07T11:12:00.001-05:00

Passion in heaven.
Originally uploaded by MuseBellamy.

Iisalmi, my first home away from home, always has had the best sunsets.

Parliamentary Elections- Advancedvoting begins today

2007-03-07T10:35:00.000-05:00

I know all my friends back in Finland were already standing in line waiting on the doors to open in order to cast their ballots in the 2007 Parliamentary elections, but for everyone else, here's a little quick info from Helsingin Sanomat International Ed.

Advance voting in Finland’s Parliamentary elections began today - Wednesday - and continues until Tuesday next week.
The actual election day is Sunday March 18th, while advance voting is arranged in Finland on March 7 to 13 and abroad on March 7 to 10.

With so many days to vote, everyone can find time. For a recap of how the elections played out last year, and for a look into how things are shaping up this year, check wikipedia.

If I were a Finn, I think it's pretty clear who I'd vote for. But since I'm not I have to count on my Finnish friends in Helsinki to do it for me. Still, everyone can have a look at Anni Sinnemäki's official page [here] (for my non Finnish speaking friends I would even be willing to translate the important parts of the page in order to enlighten) and the Helsinki Green's [here].

Salibandy Season

2007-03-06T15:22:00.001-05:00

Suomi Januar 2007 --22
Originally uploaded by TorLau.

I took a class in Salibandy (floorball) in high school. It's basically hockey without the skates and pads. Boy was I terrible...

Finland, Helsinki 2006

2007-03-01T18:19:00.001-05:00

Finland, Helsinki 2006
Originally uploaded by Chomiq.

Behind lasipalatsi

2007-03-01T08:18:00.001-05:00

from Helsinki - photo by keltanen

Charles Luckman on the US

2007-03-01T08:14:00.000-05:00

"The trouble with America is that there are far too many wide-open spaces surrounded by teeth."
[via]

Are Europeans really all that happy?

2007-02-27T20:27:00.000-05:00

I have no time to write this up now, but eurobarometer released yesterday the latest poll measuring social reality for Europeans. The data assert that and average of 87% of the EU 25 describe themselves as "happy." In Denmark, the #1 ranking country, 97% claim happiness.

What I'd like to see, however, is someone rank these eurobarometer numbers [here- go to page 5] against suicide rates in Europe [here], especially in northern europe, and try to figure out what relation might exist between the two and what that might mean for the accuracy of the eurobarometer system of polling. maybe i'll try to figure this out for next week, right now i'm swamped though.

hope all is well with everyone=)

Eurovision....It's coming

2007-02-13T12:11:00.000-05:00

Countries are starting to chose the act to represent them at the contest in Hki in a few months. The selection process can be followed on wikipedia. So far Im again in the Romania camp, not because of any depth to the lyrics (cause there isnt any), but the idea is nice, and the music, while simple, is pleasant to listen to. We'll see what happens with this one as more are chosen. I can't say I particularly care for any of the Finnish nominees...

Eurovision MCs chosen

2007-02-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

The Eurovision committee in Finland is getting closer every day to being prepared for their moment in the spotlight hosting the competition in May.

The latest:

Finland has chosen the presenters for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest: Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi.

Finland the new winter retreat?

2007-02-05T19:30:00.000-05:00

I keep up on the conditions in my 3 homes every time i go over to the google site. They keep everything nice and neat in one place for me. How nice of them, right? Right. Well, imagine my surprise when today I look at the weather only to find that Columbus is the coldest of the 3, Providence at a comfortable middle and Helsinki by far the warmest. How does this happen?!? I promptly proceeded to freeze as I walked to work. And back.

Buzz Cut

2007-02-04T21:55:00.000-05:00

What do you guys think? Ive been debating shaving my hair to a buzz cut since it's winter and whenever i take off my hat my hair is a mess. Can I pull it off?

FINLAND-AURORA BOREALIS

2007-02-04T21:50:00.001-05:00

Beginning a new series on the blog cause posting pictures is a lot easier than text oftentimes. And with pictures like this amazing shot of the aurora... Todella kaunis.
Photo by Ocosmonauta.

Nokia profits strong this quarter

2007-01-25T08:21:00.000-05:00

Spurred by my need for a new Nokia after my previous one didn't make it through the wash, Nokia reported a 19% increase in profits over the same quarter in 2005. If progressively more people wash their phones each year, Finland will see a multi-billion Euro increase in the size of their economy. Bulgaria is also already helping out Finnish elevator giant Kone by using the devices in hit killings of mob bosses. The Finnish economy is quite strong indeed!

The death penalty, the EU, and the World

2007-01-25T07:52:00.000-05:00

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - On his first overseas visit as the new UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon indirectly welcomed an initiative within the bloc to push for a global moratorium on the death penalty - in line with Europe's ban.

Italy has been pushing with its temporary seat on the UN security council to start the discussion on an international ban on the use of execution as a criminal punishment. I don't imagine this will go anywhere, but it's a nice thought. The state where I was born, Ohio, executed the 2nd most inmates of all the US states. This EU initiative would be a nice reality, but it's unlikely to get anywhere

Work

2007-01-23T07:59:00.000-05:00

I started back at my job yesterday, made especially fun by the new government regulations concerning passports and travel in the western hemisphere. From the NYT:

Particularly hard-hit by the new rule, effective today, they say, are business travelers trying to obtain a passport on an expedited, last-minute basis.

The last-minute passports are available through regional offices and passport service companies. But industry officials and the passport service companies say the government has greatly reduced the number of applications these companies can submit. In addition, they say the State Department’s appointment system for expedited passports has been so overwhelmed by demand that it is often difficult, if not impossible, to get an appointment in a timely fashion.

Full article: Here

Some photos

2007-01-21T14:15:00.000-05:00

A couple photos from the trip. More will come after I get them from the other guys, and there are others that I didn't put here on my Flickr.

Istanbul

The trenches

Hot dog!

Turkish "coffee"

Sofia synagogue

Nokias don't survive the spin cycle

2007-01-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

Apparently Nokia cell phones aren't as reliable as I need them to be. After running over my old phone with the SUV just over 4 years ago I guess I thought it was time to test another phone and see how it would survive. So, I left my phone in my pocket and put the pants in the washing machine. About 10 minutes into the "experiment" I realized what I had done and went and stopped the wash and spun out the water to find the phone. I am rather confident that had I not activated the spin cycle the phone would have survived, but having not known this beforehand I did indeed begin the spin.

Anyway, because of this I lost all of the recent numbers I have gotten that weren't copied to my SIM card (basically, anything post July), so if you think this means you please send along your digits. I'm looking into getting a new phone that's quad band so I won't have to buy a new one when I go to Europe, but I may just get a tri band temporarily and wait for a deal for getting the quad.

Malev

2007-01-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

While preparing the other pics and write up, I'd just like to say how impressed I was with Malev Hungarian Airlines (both the trans-Atlantic and within Europe). The prices were amazingly cheap compared to most all other airlines. The food was heaps better than any other airline food I have ever had and (in my opinion, even better) they were extremely generous with the alcohol. The crew was great, the seats more spacious than on any other plane I've ever been on. If it hadn't been for the fog that surrounded Budapest and kept me from making it in town to meet up with Mis the flight experience would've been perfect.

Crosswalk

2007-01-21T12:29:00.000-05:00

Moonwalking crosswalk sign in Turkey (there's one in Bulgaria too)

Prayer time in Turkey

2007-01-21T12:25:00.000-05:00

2007-01-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

THE BLUE MOSQUE

More photos and a few stories once I get my computer back up and running and figure out the switched version of this website...

Hallo

2007-01-07T13:17:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Bulgaria!

Jag känner en bot

2006-12-15T09:33:00.000-05:00

And I thought number 3 was bad. Now, topping the list at number one on the nyt.hs.fi purchased tracks chart, Boten Anna by Basshunter. What is the world coming to? I readily will admit that my past prediction came true and I listen to it way too much, but that doesn't mean anyone else should fall victim, nor that it deserves to be topping ANY list, save for perhaps catchy/kampy europop... jeah.

Finnish cooking isn't THAT bad

2006-12-15T09:21:00.000-05:00

With the Finnish (EU) presidency coming to an end, it's time for the government to host their summit in Brussels. Following comments by Chirac of France and Berlusconi of Italy, the Finns have sent their top chef to cater the event and show that Finnish food it not something one simply endures, but something that can be enjoyed too. The menu? Blinis with Finnish fish roe, followed by seasonal deer and for desert a cloudberry mousse from Lapland. While I would agree that Finnish cuisine isn't always necessarily that exciting, I disagree that it is not tasteful. Some of my favorite food dishes are Finnish. More [here].

As an aside, I'm heading over now to turn in my final (35 page) assignment for this semester. After catching up on things I've been neglecting, I'll start catching up on other things that I've been neglecting, then hopefully I'll catch up on this blog.

Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää, Suomi!

2006-12-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

Happy independence day to Finland, 89 years old today.

(and happy birthday to my grandma, much younger than Finland)

The Litvinko killing

2006-12-02T10:05:00.000-05:00

This story gets stranger and larger by the day. Latest news from the BBC indicates that Finnish airline Finnair is now involved:

On Saturday the Russian transport ministry's press service said traces of radiation have been found on a Finnish plane in Moscow that had flown from Berlin via Helsinki.

I've no idea how a plane not even in England and in fact flying the opposite direction could've come into contact with the substance, but that's what it looks like happened. Sad, since last I new airports had screening machines that picked up on radioactive material people were trying to smuggle onto planes. Obviously not a sound investment.

Please tell me you aren't serious

2006-11-29T16:51:00.000-05:00

I seriously hope this isn't something widely known and the site I found it on is a misrepresentative part of the population. According to nyt.hs.fi, #3 on the "Most purchased tracks" at the moment is Bass Hunter with the track "Boten Ana," or "Anna the Bot." This Swedish masterpiece does indeed talk about a bot (or is she?) who boots all the annoying people from the chatroom the singer himself frequents. So he sings about it. He sings about it while sitting at his computer, while riding a boat in the canal (it's almost a play on words), while driving through the country side, and of course on stage in front of a rabid audience. For those who want a quick listen, the youtube link is below. I recommend going to the main site however. They've translated this little gem into languages from English to Afrikaans. The English link is below. If you'd prefer it in Hebrew, Finnish, Icelandic, etc., chose the appropriate language from the left. I know I'm adding this to my play list right now!! (the sad thing is, if it doesn't go out of my head soon, I probably will have no choice! CURSES!)

[Click Me for subtitled and karaoke versions]

This and that

2006-11-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

Amazing Race (one reality show at the top of my "Reality TV shows I can't stand" list) in Helsinki in the latest episode. Is it like the president of Khazakstan said and any publicity is good publicity, or should they not have been allowed repel down the Olympic Stadium? Anyone know which coffee shop they went to when they received their first instructions in Helsinki? I miss Java... EDIT: Turns out they were at Kappeli
Finland NOT preparing to join NATO, contrary to speculation. Too bad I still have to write this killer paper on that very issue.
Phil over at Finlandforthought pulled up some interesting data from the 1990 US census concerning stats for Finnish and Swedish decendants in the states.

Helsingin valituskuoro

2006-11-17T22:41:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the most amazing thing ever.

Crystal meth killing Euros

2006-11-13T08:36:00.000-05:00

From the BBC:

Sulphates used in the production of the drug could form sulphuric acid when mixed with human sweat, they say, causing banknotes to corrode....About 1,500 banknotes have crumbled after being withdrawn from cash machines, German banking officials say.

US Midterm Elections

2006-11-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

No big surprises here, except this: my absentee vote will actually count in Ohio! From Mary Jo Kilroy's website (Kilroy is running for the House 15th district):

Kilroy: Count Every Vote!

Up To 30,000 Absentee and Provisional Ballots
Remain To Be Counted
Deborah Pryce currently has a narrow lead, but the winner of the the race will be determined by the estimated 30,000-plus provisional and uncounted absentee ballots cast in Franklin County.
"We’re not conceding anything," Scott Kozar, Kilroy’s campaign manager, said. "We’re going to make sure every vote is counted."

Will be interesting to see how quickly the results come in and who the other absentee voters were in favor of.

Yeah, KJ, I blogged about it. And just to show there are no hard feelings, I thought I'd give you an opportunity for immediate satisfaction. Yeah, that's right, those are holy sheep. And remember when I made THIS POST? I didn't want to tell you, but I didn't get the same glee out of blogging about this as I do blogging about the fact that Finland rotated into the EU presidency in July. Sorry kiddo.

MTV Europe Awards

2006-11-05T16:42:00.000-05:00

Poets of the Fall took the best Finnish artist award at the MTV Europe awards ceremony beating out Lordi, the Von Hertzen Brothers, Olavi Uusivirta and PMMP. I'd say they won fairly out of the group. For those not familiar with their music, see the video for Lift below.

Me and the roomates...

2006-11-05T15:41:00.000-05:00

ready for the prepared to pass out pyjama party.

The other side

2006-11-05T14:39:00.000-05:00

I just stumbled across this blog post by a girl named Kristiina in Helsinki. As I read over it I couldn't resist the knowing smile that crept across my face as she remarked about each of the "little things" that when taken together can have a crushing impact on the globe-trotting individual's mental state. Graph paper, decimal points, commas... they're not a big deal, but when one is having a bad day seeing a decimal point where a comma should be can bring one to tears.

As also mentioned, the date thing gets me every time. I never know what 4.5.2006 was referring to- april or may- so i've adapted a new strategy in my own writing to take all the ambiguity out. When writing dates I give Day in numbers, month in 3 or 4 letters, year in numbers. I still cross my 7's, and I'm ok with that.

I can't say I've ever really gotten used to writing on graph paper, though I accepted it and moved on. When I was at Helsingin yliopisto last semester I eventually broke down and asked my parents to send me some college ruled lined paper. They did like I asked, but in the end I never opened that paper and threw it out in July. I just find it harder to read my notes on the graph paper since i write small as is, so the additional lines interfering just made it worse.

Anyway, the rest of Kristiina's blog also reflects a thoughtful, empathetic and mature individual and is well worth the time to read over. I highly suggest you do.

Finland this week

2006-11-05T14:10:00.000-05:00

Finished up a presentation, a paper and an exam this week, so yesterday I was able to sleep from 7am until 8pm to catch up on all that I'd been missing. The upcoming week looks refreshingly lighter in some areas, so let's hope I'm not as frantic and I get to sleep. In the meantime, here's some of what's been going on up north.

New Swedish foreign minister Bildt pushing for better EU-US ties in answering the challenge of globalization. Didn't take him long to start making demands, seeing as how he's barely been in office a month.
Children's book to publish 6000+ kids' letters received by Halonen over the course of her presidency.
Finnish presidency projects EU solidarity in saying that Sadam should not hang.

Finnish Airforce (the non-mosquito ones)

2006-11-05T12:44:00.000-05:00

Finns bombing the Soviets in 1942. (pretty random stuff)

Borat

2006-11-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

Borat being interviewed on Finnish TV. Went and saw the movie last night. It has it's funny moments, but it's a bit drawn out. Hard to sit for an hour and a half of it. Still worth seeing.

Dedication

2006-10-30T16:02:00.000-05:00

I am making an appointment to get mine next week.

Now one can understand how the Finns were able to wait in the 44km line for semis at the Russian border. And I thought the lines at the polls of the last US presidential election were bad...

Calvin and Hobbes, 28 Oct 1995

2006-10-30T15:54:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, life has been a little less than optimal (some might even say crazy) for me as of late. This made me smile though.

Spats

2006-10-29T17:46:00.000-05:00

An evening out with my home girls.

Google Adsense-less?

2006-10-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

Ok so one more post today then I seriously need to study for this exam and do some research. Google AdSense ads are popping up everywhere. They are kinda annoying, but for the most part pretty harmless. Their simplicity, at least, can be appreciated. When checking my email the other day, however, the ads google chose to show to me based upon key words that appeared on the email I was reading (in Finnish) were too ridiculous not to share. Normally it does pretty good about picking up on language and giving ads in the language of the page or at least suggesting products that will help you "Learn a foreign language." But come on! I don't think they're gonna find a person who wear's the stylish(?) Moi shoes and stays at Moi cottages who also is ordering Chinese car parts from Hei ignition distributor. Geeze... And there was a lot more to the message conversations than a simple "hi." Err... yeah!

More Finnish GQ

2006-10-28T14:41:00.000-05:00

After researching for that last post I got sucked into the GQ website. Yeah, I know I have so much work to do and yada yada yada. Anyway, I found another Finnish focus tucked away in their pages.

In an article entitled "Strong Finnish" GQ highlights architectural genius Eero Saarinen and the new traveling museum that is finally opening to display the depth of his skill. Right now the exhibit is in Helsinki, but it will travel to Oslo, DC and NYC. Those not familiar with his work should take a look here or here. It's very possible you've stood in one of his creations without realizing it.

Helsinki in GQ!!!!

2006-10-28T14:25:00.000-05:00

I'm addicted to GQ. I'll admit it. I love the magazine and archive my copies meticulously (for those of you who don't know GQ, short for Gentleman's Quarterly, though it is actually a monthly, is a magazine for men that talks about just about everything a gender-specific magazine would- fitness, style, food, booze, music, books, etc.).You can imagine my surprise then, when I was flipping through my most recent issue and in the travel section highlighting the best winter escapes, tucked between two tropical islands and coming in at number 2, I found none other than my beloved Helsinki.

Why Helsinki? The article says Helsinki has "transformed itself into a design capital and has some of Europe's best shopping, hotels, and restaurants." Among the places reccomended are Klaus K and Ilmatar, of course Chez Dominique, the Finnish design staples Iittala and Marimekko, and (surprsingly) the Old Student House Vanha.

As part of this list, each location's best attraction is hailed under the heading "If you only do one thing...." So what do you think they picked for Helsinki? Or better yet, what would you do if you could only do one thing?

Finns study the Midwest

2006-10-28T14:08:00.000-05:00

Perhaps now somebody can better understand some of the things I was talking about when discussing my hometown and life in the midwest prior to Brown and my times in Finland. Päivi Järvinen was featured in [this] article as a member of a group of Finnish teachers who are taking part in a 2 week exchange program with peers in Illinois.

The article is rather disappointing when one looks at it. It completely leaves out the cultural exchange that is to be the product instead exotifing the Finn and Finnish life to an absurd extent. The Finnish place names are sometimes misspelt and the information exaggerated or blatantly wrong. Nonetheless, the fact that such exchanges are taking place is good to hear, and I would be interested in reading the reports that the participants make.

More from the B-day

2006-10-28T13:54:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are a few more birthday pics.

More on Finnish drinking

2006-10-26T14:29:00.000-05:00

Analys Norden has recently published a piece from Finnish correspondent Markku Heikkilä concerning drinking in Finland, present and future. The article is [here] in Swedish, but I'll post the english text below as I have only been able to find this through subscribing to the daily newsletter. Basically, the article points out that the leading cause of death among Finns 45+ is brain damage as a result of heavy drinking. It also highlights aspets of teen drinking culture few are surprised by. Estonia's cheap booze is cited as the cause for the recent lowering of alcohol taxes, but the nowstable import from Finns traveling to and from Estonia means that the next Parliament will look into significantly raising those taxes.

What does all this mean? It's hard to say. Even raising the alcohol tax won't stop Finns from getting intentionally drunk the average 32 times a year that they already do. It's likely that they will either go for even cheaper booze, like koskenkorva (much stronger than beer) and drink in their homes instead of in the bars and clubs, or else alcohol will become more precious a commodity and it will be reserved for times when one can really get plastered instead of grabbing a pint after work (yes I know, the finns can't count to one, nonetheless). Even if people drink less frequently it doesn't fix the problem of abuse. Of course this is all just my guessing, but I'd say it's legit and tax isn't the answer.

Gonna try to catch up on posting finally this weekend. Here's the article text in English:

Finnish alarm over alcohol deaths
"I only drank 12 bottles of beer on Friday night."
It is not unusual for young Finnish girls of 15 to make comments like that. The most common cause of death for Finns aged 45+ is brain damage as a result of heavy drinking.
On average, Finns get drunk – deliberately – 32 times a year!
Alarm bells have started to ring among politicians involved in welfare issues.

Markku Heikkilä is a journalist and editorial writer for the popular Finnish newspaper Kalevaas well as a regular contributor to AnalysNorden, the Nordic Council of Ministers' monthly web magazine featuring political analyses from all of the Nordic countries. In the most recent edition of AnalysNorden, which is published today, Heikkilä paints a shocking picture of what a major cut in the price of alcohol can lead to, especially for social groups already marginalised in Finland.

"In the grand scheme of things, the Finns are doing altogether fine," Heikkilä says. But, he continues, averages never reveal the whole truth. Last autumn it emerged that 20-30% of kids in Greater Helsinki grow up in families with abuse problems, violence, crime and other forms of neglect. This number has increased rapidly in an extremely short period of time, much to the shock of the general public in Finland.

Even though the causes are not solely linked to extreme alcohol consumption, Heikkilä points out that a mere two years ago Finland was propelled into a huge socio-political experiment: what happens if duty on alcohol is suddenly cut by a third, and duty on spirits by 40%? The answer is literally to be found, according to Heikkilä, on the streets, with increasing numbers of drunks staggering about towns at the weekend.

So why this the experiment? Well, the main reason for the drastic price cuts was that Estonia was about to join the EU and, as a result, import restrictions had to be abolished. In Finland, it was feared that this would lead to huge amounts of cheap spirits from Estonia flooding the country. Import levels are now under control. So now the Finns are drinking alcohol bought in Finland and abroad, Heikkilä notes ironically.

It now looks as if there is a majority in the population and in parliament in favour of increasing duties, and possibly of cutting opening hours in off-licenses. The next general election is in 2007 and any new government is expected to discuss raising the price of alcohol quite considerably.

Alcohol policies in the Nordic Region will be debated during the Nordic Council Session in Copenhagen 30 October – 2 November. Welfare policies in the Nordic countries will also be an important theme during the general debate this year.

Thank you!

2006-10-22T13:51:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who sent along birthday wishes last Thursday. It really was a magnificent day due to all of those who were thinking of me. Thank you! More pics from the day will come soon.

Silvia Night = Whale Killer

2006-10-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's true. The infamous Icelandic star now represents something more than insanity. Iceland, a member of the International Whaling Commission that has banned hunting of whales renigged on its membership promises by killing a fin whale today, sunday. (That's fin, not Finn). The Icelandic people now join Norway as the only countries to hunt whale commecially.

Hahaha- she said swedish.

2006-10-20T19:12:00.000-05:00

Porn-mongers?

2006-10-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

The Nordic council news this month highlighted pornography in the Nordic countries. In [this] article a study claims that no fewer than 99% of Nordic males and 86% of Nordic females (92% of the total Young (adult?) population have been exposed to porn. No fewer than 99%? While I realize the attitude is much more relaxed, many already believe there to be fewer taboos than there actually are. My mind goes immediately to the experience where some German tourists, believing liberal Scandinavia meant you could frolic anywhere clotheless and take pictures of each other making out in ankle-deep water did just that. This article's summation will seemingly only further this misperception. I say this because I believe that the definition of pornogaphy used must have been VERY loose (no pun intended). I can't back this up with facts, but if someone could translate part of the actual report [here], I would greatly appreciate it. Even in a liberal population there are segments who, due to religious values, moral beliefs, or a slew of other factors (fear of getting caught by mom and dad?) would abstain from looking at pornographic material.

Jeps

2006-10-01T14:57:00.000-05:00

Sorry nothing has appeared here the last few days. I finally got a new job, have been busy with school, and was having too much fun riding the purple dinosaur.Anyway, some of this is obviously dated but here it is.

Espoo city council approved extension of the Helsinki Metro beyond Ruohalahti. Costs are expected to be about a half billion euros.
Death is apparently a field of research at the University of Kuopio. Oh those Savolaiset.
Progress in the Tikka murder? Even Finnish court proceedings seem more to the point.
(unrelated, except that I get to take a stab at Swedes) One-third of Swedish doctors unhappy and burnt out. They do live in Sweden after all, so it's not entirely unexpected. (good natured kidding, of course) In all seriousness though, when 1/3 of your doctors have suicidal thoughts, something is obviously up.
Irish people are twice as trashy as the Finns.

Court says 25,000 euros is too much to pay to fondle bossom

2006-09-24T23:17:00.000-05:00

I always thought Kokkola was a "unique" town. Now there's proof. [via Andrea]

Finnish Beer Commercials

2006-09-22T16:16:00.000-05:00

For fun, I've compiled a collection of commercials for random finnish beer adverts I was able to find on youtube. when possible i got ones with either subtitles or english so they can be more appreciated. (NOTE: A couple of the clips have some breif nudity (only R-rated), esp when the sauna is involved.)

Not a commercial, but from a Finnish sketch comedy show:

20 Sept 2006

2006-09-20T14:48:00.000-05:00

Trump asking investors for funds to open a holiday resort in Lapland.
Finnish Muslim arrested in Georgia
YTV travelcard system for the Helsinki region to get an overhaul

Twice bitten drunkard bites back

2006-09-20T09:51:00.000-05:00

And now for something that has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with anything generally discussed here:

It sounds like a joke too removed from reality to warrant a laugh. So this guy gets on a train, right, and travels 7 hours cause he wants to see the panda's in beiging. He gets on the train and realizes that he's not so comfortable (maybe a bit of motion sickness), so he starts knocking back the beers. Four bottles later he decides it's nap time cause he's pretty toasted. He wakes up as the train arrives and rushes over to see the pandas. After such a trip he naturally decides a look isn't enough so he scales the enclosure gate and scurries over to give the panda a hug. As soon as he touches it the panda it becomes startled and turns and bites him on both legs. The man, angry at his teddy bear attacker, bites it on the back. The man is now in the hospital. The panda is continuing to eat bamboo and take long naps. Doh.

Newsies

2006-09-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

Swedish royal family come and visit
Police at Brown not the only ones under fire these days
Elections in Sweden tomorrow to test the strength of the welfare state model
Today's featured article on Wikipedia: caffine. Just as I'm questioning my addiction to it. A sign? Perhaps.

Kuudos to self

2006-09-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

It's not really my style to brag, but in this case I think I'll give credit where it's due. Columbus, Ohio was named last month as the 3rd drunkest city in the US. Is it any coincidence that Teija and I spent the month of August in Columbus? I think not. Finnish drinking brought to Ohio=Columbus 3rd drunkest city.

Finns support tougher alcohol policy

2006-09-13T11:45:00.000-05:00

Newsroom Finland is reporting that Finns are in favor of tougher alcohol policy and slightly in favor of a slight increase in the already high alcohol tax (only recently cut 33% on average). Also supported was the use of alcolocks, a product already on trial in Sweden that prevents drivers from starting a car if they fail a breathalyzer test connected to their ignition system. The alcolock system still seems to be too expensive to justify, and there are a number of ways one could circumvent the control and still drive drunk, but if costs come down it could serve as a deterrent in coordination with other technologies and techniques.

A few more pics

2006-09-12T20:52:00.000-05:00

Bush neglect of Helsinki not a signal of problems

2006-09-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

Though George Bush will be making a trip to Tallinn, Estonia in October, Finnish Prez. Tarja Halonen has said that not taking the 17 minute helicopter trip to visit Helsinki on the same trip (or inviting her to the White House for that matter) does not suggest that there is a break down in relations between Finland and the United States. Said Halonen:

"I am quite happy that nobody has to come here to celebrate that we have been freed from the yoke of communism."

Is a vodka just a vodka?

2006-09-11T09:37:00.000-05:00

The latest qualm that threatens to shake the EU down to its very foundations: answer the age old question, what can truly be considered and sold as a vodka?

EU member states are currently quarrelling over what raw materials should be allowed, with some countries saying any agricultural produce is acceptable and others arguing that real vodka is made only from grain or potato.

Luckily for all EU nationals, a Finn partook in the tasting as well, making the world a safer place for all those who binge in it:

Reijo Kemppinen, a Finn who is the European Commission's top man in the UK. He enjoys ice cold vodka while singing traditional songs as a warm-up for the Finnish May Day feast.

So, what do you say? Me, I'd get rid of the pulp vodka but allow any of the others. It saves creating a new category of alcohol over slight deviations and diversifies the vodka category more than along price lines.

The other tragedy of the 11th

2006-09-10T15:06:00.000-05:00

Two years after the World Trade Center another tragedy befell the world and sent shockwaves throughout northern Europe. After being stabbed on the 10th (3 years ago today), Anna Lindh, the Swedish foreign monister, died of her wounds. This made her the second Swedish politician to be assasinated since 1986. In the safety of Scandinavia, events such as this question whether or not humanity can actually support such societies. Lindh's bio, from wikipedia:

Anna Lindh
Photo: Pawel Flato

Political career

Lindh was born in Enskede, a southeastern suburb of Stockholm, but grew up outside Enköping, where she became involved in politics at the age of twelve. As she joined the local branch of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League, protesting against the Vietnam war was one of her top priorities.

Anna Lindh studied at Uppsala University and graduated as a Candidate of Law (jur. kand.) in 1982. The same year she was elected a Member of Parliament, the Riksdag. In 1984 she became the first woman president of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League. Her six years as president were marked by a strong commitment to international affairs, for Nicaragua, Vietnam, South Africa and the Palestinians, and against the arms race.

She served as a Member of Parliament until 1985, and again from 1998. From 1991 to 1994 she was Commissioner of Culture and Environment and Deputy Mayor of Stockholm. In 1994, following a Social Democratic election victory, the new Prime Minister of Sweden Ingvar Carlsson made her Minister for the Environment. One of her legacies is her pioneering work towards a European Union legislation on hazardous chemical substances. She also urged for the establishment of a common EU strategy against acidification.

Following the general election in 1998, Göran Persson appointed Lindh to succeed Lena Hjelm-Wallén as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the new Government. Having made influential friends across the world during her time at the helm of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League, Anna Lindh was an ardent supporter of international cooperation, both through the United Nations and in the European Union.

A high point in her career came during the Swedish Presidency of the European Union during the first half of 2001, when she was Chairman of the Council of the European Union, carrying the responsibilities of representing the official foreign policy position for the European Union as a whole. Travelling with the EU foreign and security policy spokesman Javier Solana in Macedonia during the Kosovo/Macedonian crisis, she negotiated an agreement that averted a civil war in the country.

Lindh criticised the 2003 invasion of Iraq, commenting that "a war being fought without support in the statutes of the United Nations is a major failure". She also advocated greater respect for international law and human rights in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, criticising Ariel Sharon's government in Israel, but also condemning Palestinian suicide bombings as "atrocities". In a January 30, 2003 speech, she called on Israel to "end the occupation, give up settlements, and agree on a pragmatic solution to Jerusalem" and on the Palestinians to "do everything in their power to stop the terrorist acts, and take legal measures against those responsible" and to "produce reform, for security, but also for democracy and human rights".

Anna Lindh was generally seen as one of the prime candidates to succeed Göran Persson as President of the Social Democrats and Prime Minister of Sweden. In the final weeks of her life, she was intensely involved in the pro-Euro campaign preceding the Swedish referendum on the Euro, held on September 14, 2003, only three days after her death. As one of the most popular pro-Euro politicians, she was used as a front person by the campaign, and so her face was on billboards all over Sweden the day she was murdered.

In April 2004, Anna Lindh was posthumously awarded the 'Statesman of the Year Award' by the EastWest Institute [1], a transatlantic think tank that organizes an annual Security Conference in Brussels [2].

Assassination

Anna Lindh died on the early morning of September 11, 2003, following a knife attack in Stockholm on the afternoon of September 10. Just after 4 p.m. she was attacked while shopping in the ladies' department at the Nordiska Kompaniet department store. She was stabbed in the chest, stomach and arms. Following the assault she was rushed to the Karolinska Hospital where she underwent surgery for over nine hours, receiving blood transfusions continually during the operation. Reportedly she suffered copious internal bleeding, her liver was seriously damaged, and her medical situation remained grave, even though at first she appeared to have improved after the surgery. One hour after concluding the initial nine-hour surgery, complications forced resumption of surgery. At 5:29 am local time all attempts to save her life had been exhausted and Anna Lindh was pronounced dead.

Surveillance photo of Lindh's confessed assassin, Mijailo Mijailović.

The assassin was able to escape after the crime. According to eyewitness accounts, his actions appeared deliberate and systematic. A phone number was set up for anyone who might know anything about the crime, and a massive manhunt was launched in Sweden, centering on Stockholm. After two days an image of a man, believed to be the assassin, was released by the police. This image was taken by a camera on a floor above the scene of the murder.

A few items, pieces of clothing and a knife, believed to be connected with the murder were found outside the department store, in the vicinity of a Stockholm Metro station. At the scene of the crime the police were able to secure a handprint, also believed to be connected to the killer. Images from the department store's surveillance system, showing the suspect, were published on September 13 and September 14.

A man, Per-Olof Svensson, was apprehended on September 16 and detained as suspect to the murder on justifiable grounds, the lowest degree of suspicion. On September 24, the police announced that a new suspect, Mijailo Mijailović, had been apprehended and arrested, at the higher level of suspicion, probable cause. This was likely because evidence suggested a stronger case against the new suspect. Following the arrest it was announced that the previous suspect had been released. On September 25 it was announced that the DNA-profile of Mijailovic matches that of hairs found on the baseball cap, left at or near the scene of the crime. He also resembles the man filmed in the store where Lindh was attacked.

After previously having denied all involvement, on January 6, 2004, Mijailović admitted to the crime and gave a full account of the events on September 10, in an extra session of police questioning requested by Peter Althin, Mijailović's counsel. He was found guilty in the trial from January 14 to January 17, and following the psychiatric evaluation he was sentenced to life imprisonment on March 23. However, on July 8, an appeals court overturned Mijailović's sentence after tests had concluded that he was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the killing. He was then transferred from prison to a closed psychiatric ward. Prosecutors re-appealed into Supreme Court of Sweden which eventually on December 2 re-instated the life imprisonment. Mijailovic has then expressed his willingness to be transferred to Serbia, but it is very unlikely that his wish will be granted to him because of safety issues concerning Serbian prisons.

Anna Lindh was the second prominent Swedish politician to be assassinated in recent decades. Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot and killed in 1986 by a still unidentified assailant.

[edit]

Reaction

Anna Lindh memorial in Stockholm, marking the spot where Lindh's last speech was held

Anna Lindh was an outspoken campaigner for Sweden to join the euro in the referendum held on Sunday, September 14. Following the attack, all euro-campaign events, for both the yes and no camps, were immediately cancelled. Television campaign commercials were withdrawn from broadcasting, all campaign advertising on billboards was to be removed, advertising in printed media cancelled, etc. The assassination was widely interpreted as an attack on the free and open society that is a hallmark for Sweden and that this was a time for unity rather than political campaigning.

Following a meeting, held at midday September 11, with Prime Minister Göran Persson and the leaders of the other political parties in the Riksdag, the decision was taken not to let the assassination affect the schedule of the referendum. Information and resources on the issues of the referendum were to be fully available but no political campaigning or debate was to take place. The party leaders unanimously pledged support for holding the ballot as planned and to respect and abide by the outcome. Despite speculations that the sympathy for Lindh could influence the voting behavior, the euro was rejected in the referendum.

Following the death of Mrs. Lindh, the junior minister in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Jan O. Karlsson, was made acting Minister for Foreign Affairs. In October Laila Freivalds was appointed as the successor to Anna Lindh's Cabinet post.

Anna Lindh's gravestone at Katarina kyrka in Stockholm.

A number of commemorative gatherings were held for Anna Lindh throughout Sweden, on September 12–September 13. A more formal commemorative gathering was held at Stockholm City Hall on September 19. Speakers at this gathering were, notably, Göran Persson, Prime Minister, Chris Patten, Margot Wallström, European Commissioners, and the Swedish-speaking George Papandreou, Foreign Minister of Greece. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell could not participate because storms prevented his plane from taking off, but he sent his condolences. The burial ceremony was held privately on September 20, at the Church of Ersta in Stockholm. Anna Lindh's grave is in the cemetery of the nearby Katarina kyrka.

5 Finnish Universities ranked in the top 500 in the world

2006-09-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

http://www.finland.org/article.asp?intNWSAID=54695%26LAN=EN%26

The universities of Helsinki, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä and the Helsinki University of Technology made it on the list of the 500 best universities in the world.

Once again, the best universities in the world have been listed, and five Finnish universities achieved ranking. Helsinki University is the highest ranked Finnish entry at 74. In addition, the Universities of Turku, Oulu and Jyväskylä and the Helsinki University of Technology also made the list.

Harvard University in the United States is first on the list, with the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom second and Stanford University in the U.S. third. The highest Nordic entry is the Swedish Karolinska Institutet at 48.

Flattery getting Chirac somewhere?

2006-09-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

After causing offense over a comment about cuisine, Chirac is now trying to smooth things over with the Finns by commenting on their striking physical beauty, it seems. Either that or he's secretly leading a Brokeback Mountain-style secret life with Finnish PM Matti Vanhanen. Now there's a thought... He does kinda look like Harry Potter.

Jacques Chirac, the French president, said at the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Helsinki on Sunday that Matti Vanhanen (centre), the host country's prime minister, was the "sexiest man in Finland"

Recap/Teija Visit/Beginning of Senior Year

2006-09-10T13:04:00.000-05:00

A few photos from the end of my stay in Finland, from Teija's US adventure, and from the beginning of this year at Uni.

Liter of beer anyone?

Wine in the park, a farewell

The cute couple (or so everyone seems to think)

Beirut

Cliffwalk

Supercool

Cookout @ Tracie's- Grandma, Tiff, Grandpa, Jessica

For the next year

2006-09-03T01:19:00.000-05:00

As my time in Finland at the University of Helsinki has ended and I will be in the states for one year before making my move to Finland permanent, many are probably wondering what to expect from this blog now that I am temporarily disconnected from my Finnish life. The plan is this- I'll still be following all my finnish sources and i'll put what i come up with here. This will be mixed with tidbits from my life here. Eventually as preparations are made I also hope to be able to use this space to trace my progress in getting work and relocating back to Helsinki. Many gracious thanks to all those readers who have stuck with me through this two month hiatus.

Gotta catch 'em all

2006-07-22T06:08:00.000-05:00

On the very same day that I posted about my joy in seeing Anni Sinnemäki I was walking down the street with Teija and who should come walking in our direction than no other than Terhi Kokkonen, former singer of Ultra Bra and currently of Scandinavian Music Group along with a few other former Ultra Bra members. She was absolutely beautiful in person, the quintessential example of class. Im starting to think that perhaps i need to try to catch a glimpse of them all in the next week before i leave, if its so easy ;)

Seeing an Idol

2006-07-19T09:21:00.000-05:00

Posts have been scarce lately, I know. Sadly my time in Finland is coming to an end, so I have been busy out getting the most of the end of my stay (this time). Of course its not fatal, because I will be coming back for a much longer time after graduating in May.

I couldn't let this topic go by without mentioning, though. The other day when I was on the tram a few seats away was sitting this lady you see on the left, Anni Sinnemäki. I suppose for many people reading this the name doesnt have much meaning, but the life this woman has led and continues to lead is one I can help but idolize. Ultra Bra was a very popular band in Finland in the 90s and even into theearly part of the new millenium, during the time i was here in high school. I became familiar with their music then, and was immediately a fan. The sound of the music is so unique, and the lyrics very full bodied. I get tired of so much mainstream music containing empty and tired lyrics, so whenever i find music that can have some deeper meaning I am of course very pleased. Anni Sinnemäki wrote the lyrics to a large part of Ultra Bra's music. She was the author of the lyrics to all of my favorite of their songs.

Towards the end of the groups existence (disbanded in 2001, so sadly i was never able to nor will i ever be able to see a live performace) Anni ran for and was elected to the Finnish Parliament as a representative of the Green Party. From rock star to parliamentarian- who wouldve thunk... She fights hard with her party to protect the rights of all citizens and improve conditions for all. I feel very lucky to have been able to cross paths with such a great person.

Finland to the head

2006-07-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

Finland today steps up to the presidency of the EU. Should be an exciting month for me to see how the EU presidency functions from an internal p.o.v. Visit the website of the presidency [here]

Moved!

2006-07-01T03:57:00.000-05:00

The last fewdays have been extremely busy with organizing a move, so the posts havent been coming, as you have probably noticed. The move is now, for most intents and purposes, complete. Once I set myself up at the new place I will upload the pics from midsummers and whatever else is on the camera in the hundreds of pics stored on the card and post the better ones. Finally I can breath again, for a few days. Then more moving, then leaving, then more moving when I return to university in the end of august. What a scary thought.

Off to Midsummer

2006-06-21T02:18:00.000-05:00

Leaving in less than 2 hours to go and celebrate midsummer (Juhannus) with my friends Topi and Hanski. We are headed to Seinäjoki via Tampere. Not quite sure what will happen or what we will do, but expecting quite a good time. There will certainly be a post after. Enjoy your midsummer!

Another week in the life... minus spam

2006-06-20T06:54:00.001-05:00

This weekend in Helsinki there was a huge Samba festival that was capped by a parade down Esplanadi around Stockmans onto Mannerheimintie. It was quite a sight. Ive never seen such scantily clad women in public (save the German tourists who thought that just because they were in Scandinavia they could take all their clothes off and make out on the beach...) shaking it to the whistling men on the parade route. As long as they enjoyed it...

After this I spent a day at Seurasaari with Hanski and Topi. The island is full of old buildings that have been transported from all over Finland to show what life was like at various times in history in Finland. It is truely worth a visit, as was evident by the massive number of tourists present.

Topis elf hut

My elf hut

Our kitchen. Watch that first step

Nice to know I am not the only black sheep... heh.

Who can ID this bird?

Juhannuskukia

King of my own island!

Tempting fate

Maggots or worms or something. The attack a tree, eat all its leaves. They serioulsy cover the entire tree.

No trip to Seurasaari is complete without a picture of a squirrel

Shake and bake

2006-06-18T04:13:00.000-05:00

I haven't tanned well (in terms of sun tan) since I was about 12. So you can imagine my surprise when after 2 hours on the beach I removed my shirt to find a farmer's tan like no other. I started thinking that there must be something fundamentally different about the sun in the northern climbs to cause this (other than the fact it shines 24 hours a day). After being out for a couple more hours yesterday and getting burnt (!) I decided it was worth looking into. Turns out that it's unsurprisingly an effect of a new (post-1980) thinning of the ozone layer in the north pole region. This may be the first time that I can legitimately say that I've experienced the effects of (human) damage to the planet. I found this article on the situation. Here is a picture (shown above) of the cloud doing the damage. A more technical scholarly article comparing and predicting. Finally the Finnish meterological institute and their joint research project with Argentina.

Full of hot air?

2006-06-18T03:00:00.000-05:00

Finnish researcher Hannu Rintamäki from the University of Oulu has recently presented findings that show the extroverted individuals are able to faster adapt to cold temperatures, and more resiliant to succumbing to early hypothermia.

"The extrovert type of people do react more quickly and correctly to environment," Rintamaki told this week's International Congress on Circumpolar Health in Novosibirsk, Russia. "They increase heat production quickly, and response by heart rate quickly. But also they have higher level of stress."

If this is indeed the case, coupling this information with the fact that Finns are some of the most extroverted people in the world would lead one to believe that for the first few weeks of winter all Finns are walking around in a delirious state of hypothermia. Maybe that's where the reputation of the "crazy Finn" comes from...

Kekkonen's grave

2006-06-17T02:39:00.000-05:00

On a walk through the graveyard we stumbled across the grave of former president Urho Kekkonen. Bio [here].

Columbus to be sold!

2006-06-17T02:29:00.000-05:00

Some of you may remember my dismay when I found Columbus had followed me to Finland. Well, now it seems that Columbus has been sold. The former owner, Paulig (the one and same Presidentti coffee manufacturer) has closed a sale with Citycon for a hefty 80.1 million euros. Paulig will use the funds from the sale to build a new roastery. Let's hope Citycon does something to make the place less ugly.