Different countries, different problems

heipauli · 01-17-09 8:52 am

I once mentioned that the person most popular to become our next president has no interest of getting that honor. An update: During a recent poll the speaker of Finnish parliament, Mr. Sauli Niinistö (most known as an ardent smoker and ardent roller skater) got a support of 46 percent. That is a big figure, as although his party (i.e. conservatives) is currently the biggest one, it is supported by only 24% of the voters. The next in poll was the foreign minister Alexander Stubb (13%). He belongs to the same party as Mr. Niinistö. The third was Matti Vanhanen (center party), support 15%. But, then like a bolt from Heaven Mr. Niinistö was secretly wedded with a woman, whose age was only about half of that of Mr. Niinistö (the male was a widower for a very long time; his wife died in a car accident). The media was furious, because they had had no idea of even the well-concealed fact that Mr. Niinistö had been dating for about two years. Even many women aged 30 - 60 years were furious, because Niinistö had overlooked them. So the poll was worthless, because no one could know for sure, what would happen to the popularity Mr. Niinistö enjoyed of. After another poll performed after the wedding the support numbers are as follows: - Niinistö 52% - Stubb 13% - Vanhanen 9% So it seems that Niinistö would be chosen by the first round of elections and no other round would be necessary. But there is another but. He has not cancelled his declaration of not being interested in becoming a president. That leads me to the question: How many times in history of any country has the best person living in the respective country been even a candidate in elections? In Finland there has been about three known cases. As I do not know U.S.A. - as some of you have so ably testified - I do not express any opinion as regards America. Your constitution is perfect, so I am given to understand. But if I were kidnapped by some American governmental agency and told that I could be released if I told some ideas for making the constitution even better, I might try. But not as long as I am at large... BTW, the bride has her origin here in Pori and the wedding took place here, too. The cleric had to tell lies in order to keep the secret. Even the festivities after the wedding ceremony took place in the center of the city. At the door of the restaurant was a sign telling that the place was closed because of plumbing problems.

heipauli · 01-17-09 9:42 am

Pictures of the pair wedded: <a href="http://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/200901050041057_vi.shtml" target=_top>http://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/200901050041057_vi. shtml</a> <a href="http://www.aamulehti.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/onko-niiniston-ja-haukion-ikaero-ongelma-lue-kommentit/122914" target=_top>http://www.aamulehti.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/onko-niini ston-ja-haukion-ikaero-ongelma-lue-kommentit/12291 4</a> Niinistö 60 y Haukio 31 y In another poll people were asked, whether the difference between ages could be a problem. 52% answered NO, 48% YES <a href="http://viihde.mtv3.fi/uutiset/muut.shtml/778194?niinisto_sauli" target=_top>http://viihde.mtv3.fi/uutiset/muut.shtml/778194?ni inisto_sauli</a> He has written two books based on his own experiences. She has written two published books filled with her poems. One of them got a national literature prize.

heipauli · 01-19-09 7:14 am

Climate change spreads butterflies north "Butterflies in Finland have been quickly spreading northwards. The northern distributional limit of butterflies has shifted northwards on average by 60 kilometres in ten years – a record speed even in a global perspective. Three species have spread northwards as much as by 300 km. These changes are reported in a paper written by researches at the Finnish Environment Institute and recently published in an international series, Global Change Biology. Between 1992-1996 and 2000-2004, the contour lines of annual thermal sums have moved northwards by 200-300 km. A few butterfly species have kept up with the change whereas most others have reacted more slowly." Source to read more at: <a href="http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4928:climate-change-drives-butterflies-north&catid=33:general&Itemid=201" target=_top>http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/index.php?optio n=com_content&view=article&id=4928:climate-change- drives-butterflies-north&catid=33:general&Itemid=2 01</a> BTW: A couple of days ago there were only four places for skiing in Helsinki, each having a one kilometer long track. I believe (i.e. I havent't checked the statistics) that it is an absolute minimum for January as long as there has been written history of Finland. Skiing in southern parts of Finland will become an indoors-only activity. Already now there are tunnels etc where one can ski around the year.

heipauli · 01-19-09 8:04 am

Thin Ice A Continuing Danger "Accidents involving thin ice on lakes and rivers kept rescue units busy over the weekend. In Helsinki alone, four people were rescued after falling through the ice. One skier was fished from the icy waters of the Vantaa River in Helsinki at the last minute on Sunday, but survived. At Savitaipale a passer-by rescued two skaters who had fallen through thin ice on a lake. At Tammisaari, one individual managed to swim to shore after sea ice gave way. On Saturday, at Taipalsaari, a fisherman checking his nets fell through the ice and drowned. Ice cover at sea is for the most part deceptively thin. Combined with sub-zero temperatures and winds, it is at present unwise to go out on the ice. The ice on lakes and rivers is also thinner than is normal for this time of winter, according to YLE meteorologist Matti Huutonen. " Source: <a href="http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/thin_ice_a_continuing_danger_487778.html" target=_top>http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/thin_ice_a_cont inuing_danger_487778.html</a> In 90's it was an annual amusement to skate on sea ice nearby south shores of Finland in January-February.

heipauli · 01-19-09 9:43 am

When you look at the faces in the picture, try to guess, how old those two men are <a href="http://www.mtv3.fi/uutiset/kotimaa.shtml/arkistot/kotimaa/2009/01/781957" target=_top>http://www.mtv3.fi/uutiset/kotimaa.shtml/arkistot/ kotimaa/2009/01/781957</a> Answers: Foreign minister Stubb: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Stubb" target=_top>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Stubb</a> Finance minister: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyrki_Katainen" target=_top>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyrki_Katainen</a> Both are conservatives. If I do not err, the support of the populace for their party is now highest ever. Generally it is believed, that the conservative party sails before the wind just for it's youthful ministers (there are more of them in addition to those two). What about you? What were it like to have a cabinet full of so young ministers in your country?

heipauli · 01-19-09 3:56 pm

Depression and Finnish (dis?)fortunes "The European commission said in an interim economic forecast on Monday it expected Finnish gross domestic product (GDP) to contract by about 1.2 per cent this year and to swing back to 1.2-per cent growth next year. The commission added it expected the 27-member-state bloc's economy taken as a whole to shrink to the tune of 1.8 per cent this year and to grow by half a per cent next year. "While the fundamentals of the Finnish economy and the domestic financial sector are sound, business surveys indicate a marked deterioration in the outlook for the export-oriented industries as well as for housing construction and equipment investment," the commission added." Source: <a href="http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4931:eu-sees-finland-weathering-tumult-better-than-average&catid=36:business&Itemid=202" target=_top>http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/index.php?optio n=com_content&view=article&id=4931:eu-sees-finland -weathering-tumult-better-than-average&catid=36:bu siness&Itemid=202</a> IMO the future will be much grimmer than the lines cited above predict, for Finland and for the whole EU. As I have sometimes cited, "the most important function of any civil servant is to prevent panic".

heipauli · 01-24-09 8:57 am

"Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen said at a press conference on Friday that the course of the ongoing economic crisis is very difficult to predict. He attributes the crisis largely to a lack of confidence. Katainen said that the situation is so uncertain that no precise forecasts can be given. Finland’s GDP is nevertheless expected to shrink this year by more than two percent. Katainen said that Finland will have to borrow EUR 5 billion this year, and in the coming years, possibly as much as over EUR 30 billion. He defended the extensive borrowing by saying that confidence in Finland’s public finances is high, so the interest on the loans will be moderate compared with what many other countries have to pay. " [BTW, the interest rate for Finland's borrowing this week was 1.5%] <a href="http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/katainen_finland_needs_to_borrow_eur_30_billion_501169.html" target=_top>http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/katainen_fi nland_needs_to_borrow_eur_30_billion_501169.html</a>

maggie · 01-25-09 1:05 am

...the course of the ongoing economic crisis is very difficult to predict. He attributes the crisis largely to a lack of confidence. Some crises are not that difficult to predict, and no amount of "confidence" will get you out of the jam. <img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/messages/87/258.jpg" alt="Wile E. Coyote">

heipauli · 01-25-09 3:24 pm

A new twist in the polls ".... The poll also asked voters who their favourites would be if the presidency were stripped of power and it were to become a merely ceremonial post. In such a scenario, Niinistö retained his place as first choice, but a number of new names popped up in the top-10 list, including industrialist Jorma Ollila and opera singer Karita Mattila. " Source: <a href="http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/niinisto_retains_lead_as_favourite_for_presidency_502741.html" target=_top>http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/niinisto_retain s_lead_as_favourite_for_presidency_502741.html</a>

heipauli · 01-27-09 5:33 am

"Finland's second school massacre left 11 dead. Image: Keskusrikospoliisi A police officer is to be charged with negligence for failing to confiscate a weapon one day before it was used in the Kauhajoki mass shooting. The officer, alerted by alarming internet videos, interviewed the 22-year-old man but determined that there was no reason to confiscate his gun. The next day the man opened fire at his vocational college, killing 10 people before turning the gun on himself. The massacre occurred on September 23, 2008. " <a href="http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/policeman_to_be_charged_over_school_shooting_506390.html" target=_top>http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/01/policeman_to_be _charged_over_school_shooting_506390.html</a> One Finnish author made one of his novel characters to state that "hindsight is the sweetest kind of wisdom there is"

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#1 01-17-09 8:52 am

Different countries, different problems

#2 01-17-09 9:42 am

Re: Different countries, different problems

#3 01-19-09 7:14 am

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#4 01-19-09 8:04 am

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#5 01-19-09 9:43 am

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#6 01-19-09 3:56 pm

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#7 01-24-09 8:57 am

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#8 01-25-09 1:05 am

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#9 01-25-09 3:24 pm

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#10 01-27-09 5:33 am

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