July 21st, 2009
I came across this story via ”Finland Live.” This new trail winds for 35 km through the boreal forests of northern Finland and Norway. A complete description of this trail and others can be found in English at ”Outdoors.fi” www.luontoon.fi/news.asp?Section=5715&Item=17766 One fascinating aspect of hiking in Finland is ”everyman’s right,” which allows passage through all property and forests providing that one avoids the immediate property surrounding a private residence.
”The Piilola Trail, which connects the Vätsäri Wilderness Area in Finland and the Øvre Pasvik National Park in Norway, was inaugurated on 16 June 2009 at its northern starting point of Sortbrysttjern in Norway. An opening hike began at the same time, ending on 18 June at the end of Kessintie Road and the village of Nellim, where the closing ceremony of the hike was held. Some two dozen hiking and nature lovers from Norway and Finland took part in the opening hike. The Piilola Trail is the result of cooperation between the parties to the Pasvik-Inari Trilateral Park: Finland, Norway and Russia.”
Posted in Finland | No Comments »
July 11th, 2009
Here is a piece by Finnish Poet Risto Rasa
For more of his work visit his Finnish Poets page
You may also find contemporary Finnish poetry with translations into multiple languages at Electric Verses
Koira tulee illalla
kotiin.
Kun se kiertyy paikalleen
ja nukahtaa,
alkaa sen sydänlämpö levitä
huoneisiin
- Risto Rasa - |
 |
In the evening, the dog comes
Home.
When he curls up in his spot
And falls asleep,
His heart’s-warmth starts spreading
Into the rooms.
- Risto Rasa - |
Tags: Finnish Poets, Literature, Poetry
Posted in Culture, Finland, Poetry | No Comments »
July 6th, 2009
Demonstrating an amazing facility for doublespeak, Sarah Palin resigned as Governor of Alaska late Friday afternoon. Citing the mounting expenses and divided focus that has come from constantly defending her honor and family, she did not want to finish her term as a lame duck, she said. Her rambling speech offered little more in the way of explanation but since that announcement several speculative articles have been published in small time blogs and in establishment media alleging that an investigation may soon be under way concerning diversion of building materials and labor in the construction of the Palins’s 3500 square foot home that was constructed at the same time and of the same materials as the Wasilla arena. On the 4th of July Palin struck back with threats of legal action and since then the FBI has announced that Palin is not under investigation.
Margaret Carlson at Bloomberg.com commented, ”There comes a point when not practicing politics as usual becomes so unusual it borders on the bizarre.”
Still, political notoriety has its perks. It seems that in leaving office she will be walking into both a book contract with Harper Collins, and possibly a hosting deal for a television program.
Tags: Neocon, Palin, Politics, Republican, Sarah Palin, WTF
Posted in Politics | 1 Comment »
May 16th, 2009
I’ve been working part time on an MBA through Colorado State University and finally graduated yesterday. The program is a part time program that integrates evening students in Fort Collins with distance students via a web interface. Distance students receive lectures via DVD within a week after the onsite lecture. Lectures are also available the next day online. The program is AACSB accredited.I feel very pleased and relieved to be done. Keep at it those of you are working on this.
If you are looking for a program, check out Colorado State:
www.biz.colostate.edu/distanceMBA/Pages/default.aspx/distance.htm
www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=1476
Tags: Colorado State University, Distance Studies, MBA
Posted in MBA | No Comments »
May 11th, 2009
A poster named drummerac may be on to something.
On the Finland-Live site he posted evidence of a possible conspiracy for world domination. Be forewarned!
www.finlandlive.info/finns-finnish-culture/1076-finns-bent-world-domination.html
The Finns have:
attacked Russia twice,
Germany once,
themselves once,Are the Finns bent on world domination?
They export, ships, elevators, mobile phone technology, and networking solutions, and once every year their top agent dressed in a red outfit and disguised by a white beard creeps into our homes leaving ”gifts”.
Is this a ploy to infiltrate our homes and businesses with Finnish technology in preparation for the ”New Finnish World Order”?
So next time you get stuck in an elevator, your mobile phone crashes, or your signal drops and internet access disappears…..
remember to be prepared, The days of eating salmiakki and pea soup are drawing near. 
Tags: Finland, Humor, pea soup, salmiakki
Posted in Finland, Humor | No Comments »
February 12th, 2009
Today marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin. There is even a website devoted to the 200th anniversary marking the birth of this distinguished naturalist: Darwin Day.org
Fox News mentions Gallup and Pew polls which show that fewer than 4 in 10 Americans believe that evolution is factual (Fox News article). The Gallup poll found a significant link between understanding of evolution and education, ”Just 21 percent of respondents who had up to a high school level of education believe in evolution, compared with 74 percent of those with postgraduate degrees.” It is a little surprisingly that only 74% of those holding post grad degrees accept evolution as fact. ”Among weekly churchgoers, only 24 percent said they believe in evolution, while 41 percent do not and 35 percent have no opinion.” Fox News also offers several links to evolutionary articles and hosts it’s own online center.
Missing Links
Fox News Evolutionary and Paleontology Center
Celebrations today in Britain include exhibitions of artifacts, tours, and, at the Bristol Zoo if you visit wearing a real or fake beard (certainly non sexist), you get in for free (Bristol Zoo). Quoted from an article on the Bristol Zoo site, ”Simon Garrett, Head of Learning at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “Darwin is now a household name and, over the last 150 years, his ideas have revolutionised our understanding of nature and our place within it. Bristol Zoo’s ‘beard day’ is a fun way of commemorating Darwin’s life and work while allowing visitors to find out more about his theories.” ” ”Among the biggest celebrations is at the Natural History Museum in London which is putting on films, talks and pea soup, cooked to the recipe of Darwin’s wife, Emma.” And, at 5:45 pm today there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at Darwin’s grave in Westminster Abbey.
Tags: Biology, Charles Darwin, Darwin Day, Evolution, Science, speciation, survival of the fittest
Posted in Culture, Science | 1 Comment »
February 12th, 2009
I came across this enews snippet announcing a new medieval manuscripts network.
”Researchers create vast virtual library of medieval manuscripts”
”Somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 rare and precious medieval manuscripts have been scanned over the past decade into formats that could be studied over the Internet.”
Definitely interesting for even casual readers. Perusing the English manuscripts for example I came across 15th century recipes for wild game as well as cures and treatments for the plague. In times like these one can never be sure when she might need both!
The network is the creation of researchers at UCLA!
Tags: database, Literature, manuscripts, medieval studies, writing
Posted in All Those Years Ago ..., Culture | No Comments »
January 12th, 2009
YLE reports that despite the economic downturn in Finland, those who retain their jobs can expect to see an increase in real income of 4.6% this year. By contrast, last year’s increase was 1.5%.
Quoting the Taxpayer’ Association, YLE notes that ”The group attributes the improvement to slowing inflation and tax cuts. This year earned-income taxes are to be lowered overall to the tune of 870 million euros. The government — under the lead of conservative Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen — has also removed some tax penalties for raising one’s earned income”
Tags: Economics, Economy, Europe, Finland, Finnish, Nordic
Posted in Economics, Finland | No Comments »
October 13th, 2008
Former Finnish president (1994) Martti Ahtisaari was recognized by the Nobel Committee for his success in brokering deals as a United Nations envoy. He was cited for his work in helping Namibia achieve independence from South Africa, for ending the 3 decade long conflict between the Aceh movement and Indonesia, and for negotiating the end of the 1999 Nato air campaign in Kosovo. His work in Kosovo became the blueprint for the new Kosovo constitution. He has also been involved in mediation in Iraq, Northern Ireland, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa.
Tags: Diplomacy, Finland, Finnish, Noble Prize
Posted in Finland, Politics | No Comments »
