Helsinki Times 6 by Mahmoud Assiabi

ISSUE 6 (86) • 5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009 • €3 • WWW.HELSINKITIMES.FI DOMESTIC

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

BUSINESS

SPORT

TRAVEL

Global climate policies

Criticism aimed at WEF

Fake euro notes

Finnish rugby scene

Exotic travel destinations

page 4

page 7

page 10

page 13

pages 16-17 L E H T I K U VA / S A R I GU S TA F S S O N

Companies seek guarantees on imported feathers ST T M AT T H E W PA R R Y – H T

THE FINNISH department store Stockmann has declared that it is seeking conﬁrmation from its feather suppliers that their product is not plucked from live geese. According to Stockmann’s Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator Ulla Merikallio, the department store has received preliminary conﬁrmation that the geese which provide their feathers are not being grossly mistreated. Questions arose in Finland regarding the matter following the broadcast of a documentary on Swedish television channel TV4 which revealed that almost all of the world’s largest feather suppliers in Poland, Hungary and China feather their geese alive. The documentary included secretly shot footage of geese in manifest agony. The fallout resulting from revelations of the cruel practice has led many Swedish companies to suspend commercial relationships with feather suppliers or seek urgent clar-

iﬁcation of the origin of their product. The Swedish department store Åhléns immediately suspended sales of all products containing feathers, while the bed manufacturer Sova cancelled all orders for further feather supplies in the absence of an ironclad guarantee that they were not feathered from live hens. Ikea is also currently clarifying the origin of its feathers, while the sporting goods chain Stadium has declared that it has already received a credible guarantee regarding the feathers it uses. Merikallio stated that Stockmann did not consider it necessary to suspend sales of products containing feathers that are already on the shelves. Feathering of live geese is prohibited in all member countries of the Council of Europe, which includes Hungary and Poland. According to ﬁgures provided by animal welfare groups, however, as many as 50-80 per cent of the world’s farmed feathers are plucked from live birds.

According to recent estimates, around 6 percent of Finnish mothers-to-be drink heavily during pregnancy.

Pregnant alcoholics may face mandatory rehabilitation T O M I O R AVA I N E N – S T T M AT T H E W PA R R Y – H T

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AS THE NUMBER of Finnish children living in families with alcohol abuse issues has grown in recent years, so too has the number of pregnant Finnish women harming their unborn children through excessive use of alcohol. According to recent estimates, around six per cent of pregnant Finns drink heavily during pregnancy, meaning that over 3,000 foetuses are exposed to alcohol every year. In the same period, some 600 babies displaying symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are born in Finland. A Ministry of Social Affairs and Health working group has suggested that treatment of alcoholic mothers be improved by making post-natal care automatic and immediate, and by giving doctors the right to place such mothers under care for the entire duration of their pregnancy, whether they are willing or not. One problem the group grappled with was how to improve recognition of problem cases at an early

stage. Often, alcohol issues go unrecognised by both maternity clinics and mothers themselves. The group proposed that all pregnant women be asked as early as possible about their consumption of alcohol, and that the father also participate in these sessions. Research Director Tuovi Hakulinen-Viitanen from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reports that 75 per cent of mothers who visit maternity clinics are surveyed on their alcohol habits, while around half of those visiting child welfare clinics receive the survey. “We really ought to be discussing alcohol use with all mums and dads from the first time they visit the maternity clinic.” THL Planning Officer Elina Kotovirta feels that the absence of a systematic chain of care which would also cover the post-natal period is a major issue. “We have the resources and the expertise, but we’re just not targeting all those who need it, when they need it, as efficiently as we could be,” she argues.

This leaves many alcoholic mothers struggling to secure a place in care, and those who find one often face a further battle securing municipal funding for the service. The latter is something the working group suggests should be remedied. “The bureaucracy and struggle involved in getting municipalities to cover the bill for maternal care should be left to someone other than the mother. The last thing she needs is to have to run from one office to another filling out a series of forms,” says Kotovirta. The ministerial working group has also proposed that the most problematic cases be concentrated in one, specialised facility. Should these patients be unwilling, the group’s members argue, doctors should be given the right to direct mothers to care against their will. In some cases this is already what happens, but should these recommendations be acted on this option would be more readily available to doctors. The Minister of Health and Services, Paula Risikko (Coalition Party), was presented with the working group’s report on 2 February.

VIEWPOINT

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES tries or regions that people should deﬁne themselves in terms of them. To illustrate the strangeness of the whole idea, he asked: Surely no one would tell an inquirer where he came from by saying that he belongs to the corner of the room he happened to be born in? Saying one “belongs” to a speciﬁc state, country or culture makes no more sense than this, though it is commonly done. Epictetus was not alone among the ancient philosophers in his disdain for the tendency to identify oneself in terms of false distinctions and to place special value on these. This habit, so characteristic of identity politics in general, still harms human relations today.

James O’Connor The writer is a doctoral student in the Department of political science at the University of Helsinki. His PhD will be a study of various cosmopolitan conceptions of the idea of moral progress.

cosmopolitan principles are highly demanding, even their proponents often fail to follow them. Greek and Roman Stoics, for instance, seemed to find the ethic of world citizenship that they defended to be compatible with slavery, sexism and racism. Such serious inconsistencies are unjustifiable; but it should be kept in mind that moral principles do not depend for their validity and authority on the character or personal failings of those who argue for them. Though high moral standards will be hard to meet, that is their whole purpose: they exist as regulative ideals to inspire greater effort, not an easy opportunity for self-congratulation. Neither does the difficulty of living up to an idea make it “unnatural” – another objection that nationalists routinely make about ideals more far-reaching than their own.

SINCE

The triviality of identity politics poisons human relations Decisions based on the world citizenship ethic of cosmopolitanism are far better suited to a complex world than ones based on simplistic and reactionary mindsets like the form of nationalism that is now on the rise in Finland. THE SUCCESS of the most ridiculously named party in Finnish politics in last October’s local elections came at the expense of reasoned public debate about eth-

nic and cultural diversity in Finland. The generally poor standard of public discussion before the elections may explain partly why so many disaffected voters

opted for Perussuomalaiset candidates, some of whom campaigned on racially and culturally based fearmongering agendas. (Perus- means "basic", but they

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seem to prefer the translation “the True Finns”). such setbacks, settling differences through reasoning rather than upholding and exaggerating them through fear and distrust of the unfamiliar remains possible. With this in mind, it is useful to discuss a worldview that is vastly better suited to a complex world than the simplistic and reactionary form of nationalism now on the rise here.

DESPITE

ALTHOUGH nationalisms differ widely in nature and intensity, a key principle is that each person owes a special loyalty to his or her “own” people. Advocates of the moral and political ideal of cosmopolitanism reject nationalist and other exclusivist doctrines. For a cosmopolitan, these views are seriously mistaken in the way that they place value on arbitrary divisions between human societies. Cosmopolitanism is not new. Cosmopolitans began criticising exclusivist worldviews thousands of years before the modern phenomenon of nationalism emerged only a few centuries ago. Arguments in favour of global thinking thus existed a great many generations before globalisation became an everyday concept. A CASE in point is the follow-

ing advice, given around 2100 years ago by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. When asked where he comes from, a man (for sexism was the norm in those days, too) should not name his country of origin but instead respond that he is a citizen of the world. Epictetus rejected the standard assumption that there is something so special about distinctions between coun-

ANTI-COSMOPOLITANS are also fond of arguing that trying to remove the injustices and conflicts that have always existed between peoples is just foolish Utopianism. Against this, one need only consider that just because a problem has long existed does not prove that it must be endured forever. Many limitations on human abilities have been dramatically reduced through inventiveness. Thanks to the aeroplane, the computer and the internet respectively, humans can now fly, perform immensely complex calculations in a nanosecond and hold real-time conversations with people on the other side of the world. None of these nor countless others things come “naturally”, yet they have become second nature to millions of us. Since humans are capable of making profound scientific and technological advances that for most of history were thought impossible, why assume we could not also be capable of moral improvements on a similar scale? TO PUT IT differently, what logical reason is there for accepting the view that because improvements in human relations so far have been very limited when compared to advances in other areas, we can do no better than we currently do? If the pioneers of medicine and other scientists who struggled for better under-

standing of the natural world had settled for the same lack of ambition and complacency that nationalists pride themselves on in their attitudes to those outside their own group, illnesses would still be treated with leeches, bloodletting and amputation. If the dogma that human relations are workable only within homogenous groups remains the consensus view, the sort of bloodletting seen throughout the world in the form of civil wars, terrorism and so on looks set to continue. ANOTHER common objection

is that cosmopolitanism is a sentimental, lovey-dovey vision of the world as a paradise in which everyone loves their neighbour and all the nasty people have come to their senses, repented and now spend their days helping little old ladies across the road. Such daydreamers probably exist, but they have little to do with cosmopolitanism. The 18th-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant, indisputably the most influential of all modern theorists of cosmopolitanism, had a fairly pessimistic view of human nature. He argued that people must eventually learn to exercise concern towards each other on a global level, not out of love but out of simple necessity. No human social system could ever be perfect because as he famously summarised, “from the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made”. Selfish behaviour would however eventually prove self-defeating because of the natural limits of the world, and the destructive potential of the darker tendencies of human nature that in his view would have to be restrained by cosmopolitan laws. Kant was no hippy. IT IS NOT sentimentalism that motivates those who recognise that a world ordered by universal concern for all, rather than by the selfish insularity of nationalist thinking, is not just a nice idea but a real and urgent need. With a world population of almost 7 billion – estimated to reach 9 billion by around 2050, assuming nuclear war or something similar is avoided – rapidly dwindling natural resources, appalling environmental problems and massively inhumane social and political inequalities, the illusion of a world of sovereign nationstates in which the lucky and comfortable are securely insulated from the rest is an utterly futile and harmful ideal to maintain. Given the present state of the world, there can be no moral justification for holding on to doctrines like nationalism that promote such illusions. AS A SMALL correction to the parochial mentalities that have long crippled the collective imagination, it's worth pointing out in conclusion that there are no “true” Finns, nor can there logically be true representatives of any other arbitrary distinction either. There’s just us.

DOMESTIC NEWS

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

A quarter of Finns consider schools unsafe L E H T I K U VA / M I K KO S T I G

Despite concerns, proposals for security checks, guards and metal detectors in schools draw little favour. MARIA ANNAL A – S T T HEIDI LEHTONEN, M AT T H E W PA R R Y – H T

THERE is widespread consensus among teachers about the sort of measures required to make school safer places in which to teach and to learn. In response to a survey distributed by the educational sector fair Educa and the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ), more than 90 per cent of teachers believed that greater investment in youth work, more staff for school-based healthcare and safety training for teachers would all improve the situation. Smaller class sizes also found favour among teachers surveyed. Almost 90 per cent of teachers also called for more welfare ofﬁcers, school psychologists and guidance counsellors. In addition, it was hoped that more attention would be given to the value of teachers’ work. The most resounding message from teachers was directed not at government but at parents: an overwhelming 98 per cent of teachers were of the opinion that parents ought to take more responsibility for raising their children. Around 300 randomly chosen teachers and mem-

bers of OAJ were interviewed for the survey. In a parallel survey, general attitudes were measured by interviewing a representative sample of 607 Finns aged 15 to 74.

Harsher penalties Security checks, guards and metal detectors drew little support from teachers, however, with only ten per cent of those interviewed convinced that they should be used to improve school safety. This view was broadly matched by the population as a whole, with 17 per cent of Finns aged 15-74 calling for guards in schools. All other suggested measures drew greater national support. Both teachers and the population in general sought a hard line over the treatment of students who make threats in schools. Almost 80 per cent of the sample of teachers and over 60 per cent of the national sample felt that the punishment of threatening behaviour should be made more stringent. Students not always to blame Slightly more than a third of teachers reported incidents of violence – or the threat

of violence – in their own schools within the last year, while almost 60 per cent had experienced or heard of cases of offensive behaviour or verbal threats in their own schools in the same period. In interpreting these ﬁgures, however, it is important to note that the same incidents can be reported in numerous questions if there are many teachers from one particular institution taking part in the survey. Another noteworthy aspect of the study is that it is at least clear that offensive behaviour or violence is not a fact of life for all schools. Almost 40 per cent of teachers were unable identify any incidences of offensive behaviour or violence in their own schools in the last year. Students are the most likely to commit threatening or violent behaviour, according to the survey, but a few teachers also mentioned cases of such behaviour coming from a parent, or from a teacher. In terms of the direction of such behaviour, no group was especially victimised. Threats had been levelled against students, teachers and, to some extent, other school staff.

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Roughly nine teachers out of 10 are convinced that schools remain safe places for students, which is markedly more optimistic than the views of the nation as a whole. Only three quarters of Finns aged 15-74 feel that schools are safe.

One 32-year-old woman who had worked as a teacher in Helsinki during the period 2002-2004, and who wished to remain anonymous, reported that the general atmosphere was relatively peaceful during the period she spent in schools. “There was deﬁnitely a bit of restlessness among

students from time to time, but I never felt personally unsafe at work.” This was despite her reporting one unpleasant episode in which a student asked about the possible consequences of killing a teacher. “I didn’t view it as an indirect threat, but it did leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I

also made a point of taking it up with the principal.” A similar incident today would presumably receive a more serious response. “I was working as a teacher before the shootings in Jokela and Kauhajoki. I guess there is a much stronger fear for one’s personal safety these days,” she noted.

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DOMESTIC NEWS

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES JAKKE NIKK ARINEN/S T T

However, Minister Lehtomäki believes such campaigns represent an opportunity to promote more ecologically sustainable forms of consumption, such as the use of services from repair businesses to domestic cleaners. She also envisages selective taxation and subsidy policies that will favour fuel-efﬁcient cars and promote renovation work to improve the energy-efﬁciency of buildings.

Teams of environmentalists, students and politicians recently spotlighted the impacts of climate change by playing beach volleyball in Helsinki.

Climate policies risk being eclipsed by recession worries Even in the current financial crisis, politicians aim to keep a focus on the world’s environmental crisis and find ways to combat both of these urgent global problems at the same time. F R A N W E AV E R HEL SINKI TIMES

ACCORDING to Finland’s Environment Minister Paula Lehtomäki, the message from the recent UN climate meeting in Poznan, Poland, is that global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

must keep on track regardless of the ongoing economic crisis. “Working together to combat climate change doesn’t have to be seen as a burden – in fact these obligations can also create many opportunities for businesses around Finland,” she says. “Because

everyone is facing the same challenges globally, this can open up big markets for Finnish knowhow in ﬁelds like the development of renewable energy sources such as biofuels, where we have a lot of experience.” According to Lehtomäki, the government aims to in-

vest widely in the development and commercialisation of new technologies that will both combat climate change and create jobs. Later this year a major global climate summit will be held in Copenhagen, aiming to build agreement on new ways to combat climate

change after the current Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Lehtomäki welcomes the new positive climate in Obama’s America, and hopes that the new president will turn ﬁne words into actions and join the EU in leading the way on global emission reductions.

Keep consuming? Some of the policies devised to help combat the slump, such as the campaign Älä ruokii lamaa! (Don’t feed the recession!) could conceivably conﬂict with other measures designed to cut the consumption of raw materials and energy for the sake of the overheating global climate.

L E H T I K U VA / J U S S I N U K A R I

With balance and moderation, you can have it all A new study suggests working mothers and fathers can make great parents, if they have a moderate workload and a flexible schedule. H E L I N Ä H U U H TA N E N – S T T M AT T H E W PA R R Y – H T

According to a recent study, whether or not a child is at home or in daycare is not a decisive factor in his or her well-being.

PUBLIC discussion of the impact of daycare and working life on the well-being of young children has provoked numerous opinions, both for and against the arrangement. According to a new study carried out by the Academy of Finland, having both parents in employment is felt to be more beneﬁcial than harmful. Providing that working hours are moderate, and parents are able to schedule them in accordance with the time their children are in daycare, many parents feel that a working life adds to their overall ability to cope. “A parent who is satisﬁed in the workplace arrives home relaxed and cheerful, which means that he or she has more energy to take care of the kids,” explained the study’s leader, psychologist Anna Rönkä.

Rönkä adds that the most important factor is parents’ own perception of their ability to take care of their children when they get home from the ofﬁce: “Working parents are often blamed for putting their own interests ahead of their kids’, despite the fact that our research shows that highly educated parents tend to do the opposite.”

Parenting ambitions Based on interviews with over 200 families in central Finland, the study forms the basis of a recently released book entitled Perhe-elämän Paletti – vanhempana ja puolisona vaihtelevassa arjessa (The palette of family life: the ﬂuctuating everyday of a parent and partner). The families who took part in the study were slightly more highly educated than average, and generally ones in which both parents were employed.

Rönkä maintains that while some commentators have declared that parenthood is in serious decline, the results of her research suggest otherwise. Whereas in the past, parenting was a matter of establishing and enforcing, strict discipline, today there is more focus placed on discussion with children, explaining rules to them and a strong willingness to consider one’s own parenting technique. “Today’s parents are much more ambitious than their own were, but this includes an ambition to be great parents. They want to give their children the best possible start in life,” said Rönkä. She feels that public discussion of the matter should consider working schedules, daycare and the parent’s ability to cope, as a whole. As each of these has a bearing on the others and it does not make sense to study any of them in isolation.

Midwinter beach games At a winter beach volleyball event organised in Helsinki on January 28th by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation to draw attention to climate change, the association’s director Eero Yrjö-Koskinen likewise stressed that the current economic crisis could be an opportune time for society to reshape production and consumption patterns. “Efficient use of energy and materials, renewable energy and recycling are all areas with great potential for growth and employment,” said Yrjö-Koskinen. “But we can’t achieve a climate recovery without the right government investment, support, and economic measures to encourage everyone to adopt sustainable lifestyles.” Reduced emissions Meanwhile, figures released recently by the Finnish Energy Industries show that Finland’s electricity consumption fell by 3.8 per cent in 2008, largely due to reduced demand from the struggling pulp and paper industry. The consequent significant decrease in Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions could be seen by environmentalists as a green-tinged silver lining to the dark cloud of recession.

Professor calls for more informed debate on parenthood ST T

AN EXPERT in early childcare has called for better informed debate on the relationship between work, daycare and parenthood in place of a simplistic comparison between working and stayat-home mothers. According to Professor Marja-Leena Laakso, the fact that a mother chooses one or the other arrangement says nothing about the extent to which she loves her children, or what sort of a parent she is. Decisions about childcare choices should be made by both parents and there is nothing stopping fathers from suspending their careers to spend more time with their children if they wish.

DOMESTIC NEWS

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

Fair Trade goes mainstream

COLUMN

Sales of Fairtrade products hit an impressive 2.3 billion euros in 2007, with a notable 50 million euros of that from sales in Finland. With growth rates averaging between 40 and 50 per cent, the fair trade concepts seems assured of a bright future.

FAIRTRADE works by guaranteeing Third World producers in developing countries a minimum price for their goods. On top of that, Fairtrade pays each community a premium, which can be used for whatever the community chooses. Funds can, for example, be used to connect the village with electricity or to pay for school books or teachers. Fairtrade also guarantees small producers access to lucrative developed markets, and handles the marketing and logistics where the goods are sold. The Fairtrade organisation network is based in Bonn, which oversees projects in 58 countries, involving 1.5 million workers. Although there are 18 product categories ranging from footballs to wine, most of the products are agricultural. The products are sold in more than 60 countries. We met up with Fairtrade’s Janne Sivonen to talk about where Fair Trade can go from here.

Fairtrade products are generally a little more expensive that standard products – how much of that extra ends up with the farmer? Actually, Fairtrade bananas can actually often be cheaper than the other ones, because if you think of the extra money that goes to the producer, it’s impact on the final retail price is quite small. It’s very difficult to make price comparisons, because the products are never the exactly same. Sometimes retailers might not be making a profit on a product, but selling it at less than cost price to draw people into their store. Volume or quality has more of an impact than the fair trade element, because better things cost more, and if there is a product which is very small volume, then the logistics increase the cost. But if we take coffee as an example, the standard coffee farmer gets usually about 815 per cent of the retail price. In the case of Fairtrade coffee, the farmer usually gets about 20-35 per cent of the (Finnish) retail price. FT banana farmers in Ecuador can

receive triple the amount sometimes paid to other producers. We want to regulate the prices that are given to producers – after that it is just normal business. Our goal is not to transfer a tiny amount of conventional trade into aid, but rather to transform the entire business so that the entire business is ethical. The higher the volumes, the greater the beneﬁt for the producer, and the more money goes into developing countries. If we want to have high volumes, we have to become mainstream.

L E H T I K U VA / A N T T I A I M O - KO I V I S T O

DAV I D B RO W N HEL SINKI TIMES

Does the banking crisis have an impact? Sales are looking good. Many studies show ethical consumption does not fall even in tough times. When you have a recession the sense of solidarity between people gets stronger, and people start to think about things, think about what happens when they shop, and not just shopping for the sake of shopping! Our high-volume products are basic commodities like bananas and coffee, and you don’t stop buying bananas just because there is an economic downturn. The

PROPOSAL by Helsinki City Transport (HKL) and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV) to power all buses and rubbish trucks in the capital region by fuel made from palm oil has drawn criticism from en-

vironmental organisation Greenpeace. For several weeks trials have been carried out in Lahti with hybrid buses which use a mixture of electricity and diesel. HKL is planning to test the buses in Helsinki over the following months, with a view to putting them into service as early as the end of this year.

A right royal remark warning from President Halonen about violence in Finland, from the relative safety of the forests we can peer out into the wider world to witness the sheer stupidity in abundance there. In these dark, depressing days we need look no further than to the British Royal family for a little light relief. Yes, foot in mouth disease has returned to the palace.

DESPITE THE

throne but also his grandfather's lexicon of division. The Greek Duke of Edinburgh is infamous for his tactless remarks, such as “If you stay here much longer you’ll all be slitty-eyed”, which he came out with while talking to a Brit during a tour of China in 1986. The lineage continues with his grandson being ﬁlmed referring to an Asian army colleague as a “little Paki”, and another as a “rag head”. Like his grandfather, Prince Harry has learnt how to apologise for such behaviour, as he did after attending a fancy dress party wearing a Nazi uniform. THIS Eton-educated man, whose entire existence is paid for by the British taxpayer (many of them of Jewish, Pakistani, and Arab origin), thinks it’s a jolly jape to dress as a Nazi and use racist expressions on camera.

In 2007 Latin America benefited most from the sale of Fairtrade products in Finland.

price difference is very small, so we think the combination of an ethical product and an everyday luxury product, like FT chocolate, might be quite popular. I’ve heard some British chains such as like Marks & Spencer now only stock Fair Trade coffee – will we see any supermarkets here following suit? British chains are now competing on who has the biggest Fairtrade launch. Visibility is higher in the UK as it’s the biggest FT market in the world, followed by Switzerland, where they have up to 50 per cent market share in bananas. We’re not doing so badly, Siwa is now only selling Fairtrade oranges and bananas, the ﬁrst chain globally to do so, and product recognition has grown fast. The coffee-market share is only about 1–2 per cent, but then the Finnish coffee mar-

Greenpeace protests biofuel plans NICK BARLOW HEL SINKI TIMES

Stephen McKay is a Scottish teacher, engineer and writer living in an old remote house near Lempäälä with chickens, books, a motorcycle and an aged puuhella called Brenda

PRINCE HARRY has not only inherited a direct line to the

Some Fairtrade products aren’t easy to ﬁnd – where can we ﬁnd them? We have around 870 products at the moment, with more coming literally every day. Some of those are sold only in specialty shops, but the biggest volume is being sold in conventional supermarkets. We have three big chains here in Finland, and they have committed themselves totally to FT, and they are very aware of the ethical issues. How much have sales increased in the past few years, and what growth are you projecting? Growth in the product range will continue, especially in cotton. In 2007 the sales value was 35 million euros, last year about 50 million euros, so we’re talking about 30 per cent to 50 per cent growth. It gets harder to maintain that growth as the volume increases, but we’ll do our best.

The new fuel, called NExBTL, is being developed by Finnish fuel company Neste by reﬁning vegetable oils. The problem, says Greenpeace, is that up to 80 per cent of the oil used is palm oil. They point out that production of the oil is a major industry particularly in South East Asia, where the

ket is very mature. You have to know the market very well and develop the product for the Finnish market, as we have now done with ‘Meiran Reilu’. Fairtrade – and organic? Fairtrade is not the same as organic. As far as environmental criteria are concerned, we are quite strict. We have a list of about 100 restricted chemicals, and when chemicals are used they are highly regulated. Workers wear protective clothing, whereas conventional farmers often don’t. Groundwater is protected, as is waste management. Child labour is completely forbidden. Fairtrade products are available in most good supermarkets, but it’s well worth checking out the amazing range at Ruohonjuuri in Kamppi, or Reilun Kaupan Tähti in Hakaniemi. intensive farming required has led to an increased rate of deforestation, nullifying any beneﬁts that the fuel itself has in terms of lower carbon emissions. “We are particularly concerned about the effect of deforestation on the orangutan population in Indonesia and Malaysia,” says Greenpeace head of communication in Finland, Juha Aromaa. “The increasing demand for palm oil is contributing in a major way to a loss

ABUSIVE terms and stereotypical attributes are of course assigned to different nationalities as a matter of routine: useful words for the useful idiots in times of useless conﬂict. We are all well aware of the pseudo humorous terms we have for our neighbours. Such nationalistic echoes from our divisive and war-torn past are becoming passé and frowned upon. However, the targets for our current derogatory labelling tend to be those fellow humans who have the great misfortune to be in front of our guns. SURVEYS conducted by the US armed forces after the Sec-

ond World War found that only 20 per cent of their troops actually squeezed the trigger when confronted with the designated enemy. This research prompted a different training programme to be developed before Vietnam. The troops were encouraged to refer to the ‘enemy’ as ‘Gooks’. The willingness to shoot rose to over 75 per cent in that war. Such divisive terminology is deliberately created to maintain, at best a suspicion of foreigners, and at worst a hatred of those from a different zone of taxation and/or culture. Harry is a British army ofﬁcer and has been busy helping kill foreign ‘Rag Heads’ and ‘Pakis’ – in the name of peace and democracy, of course. WHEN we consider that Prince Harry’s mother dated surgeon Hasnak Khan, a “Paki”, and fell in love with a ‘Rag Head’, Dodi Fayed, we arrive at another divisive word. Respected British Royal Family historian, James Whitaker, recently referred to Prince Harry as being ‘Thick’, a word based upon this expert’s observation and not his hatred. LOOKING outside

of Finland we see not a clash of cultures but a clash of nation states that promotes a lexicon of division which, in turn oils the cogs of that most proﬁtable of machines: war.

“PEACE is a matter of will,” said Martti Ahtisaari, and so is division. of biodiversity and increase in pollution.” There are potential beneﬁts to using biofuel, however. Hybrid buses are said to use 30 per cent less fuel than normal diesel buses, and run more quietly. In addition, Neste has stated that carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 40-60 per cent. HKL Planning Director Ville Lehmuskoski was quoted in Helsingin Sanomat as saying, “Hybrid vehicles are well

suited for city trafﬁc. The use of hybrid buses provides an efﬁcient way to quickly reduce emissions and energy consumption.” However, this argument does not wash with Greenpeace, who point out that if the use of biofuels increases as planned, Neste will become the world’s largest palm oil user, greatly increasing CO2 emissions. Travelling by bus may then become a much less environmentally friendly option.

FROM THE FINNISH PRESS

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

TRANSLATIONS BY MICHAEL NAGLER L E H T I K U VA / R E U T E R S / D A R R E N S TA P L E S

SAVON SANOMAT 1 February. JOUKO JUUTILAINEN

Helsinki reliant on Pendolino commuters The Kuopio-based daily Savon Sanomat reports on the effects of decentralisation. “ THE JOBS of thousands of people have been decentralised from the provinces to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. However, moving south with your job is not the only option. Pendolino commuting and living out of a suitcase are options, too. Spending the weekdays in the city and weekends in their home region is a lifestyle to which 15,000 men and women of the provinces

have submitted, more or less out of necessity. There are few alternatives to sleeping near to where your work is if the daily commute to work increases to between 400 and 500 kilometres.” “Helsinki draws in about 47,000 people from outside the metropolitan area to work for the week. Most of these come from neighbouring provinces, but some from as far away as Lapland.”

LAPIN KANSA 1 February. OUTI KERÄNEN

Renovated two-roomed flat sells for 20,900 euros

TURUN SANOMAT 31 January. PEKKA HAKANEN

Sponsors drop the ball The severe economic crisis forces banks and automobile manufacturers to cut down on sponsorships of athletes and sports teams, reports the Turun Sanomat. “A YEAR AGO, only the biggest and most beautiful sports stars were good enough to lend some of their shine to the brands of the large ﬁnancial houses. Now the investment banks have been broken up, and politicians around the world are scrambling to assemble rescue packages in order to stave off economic collapse. Financial houses and the automobile industry have provided 42 per cent of the

combined world value of sponsorship deals. Many banks and car manufacturers face severe budget cuts, as in many countries they have recently found themselves the object of drastic state measures to protect them from bankruptcy. Consequently the ﬂow of money to sports will slow to a trickle. Formula One drivers, top footballers, round-the-world sailors and other sports heroes are threatened by pay

cuts as companies that have fallen on hard times can no longer continue their massive sponsorship deals. Not even the Asian and Middle-Eastern tycoons can help, for the collapse of the price of oil has caused deep economic problems for the emirate of Dubai, among others. The wallets of many Russian oligarchs have also quickly emptied. Some owners of professional sports teams have already

gone bankrupt, with plenty more fighting for financial survival. The shape of things to come is indicated by the decision of insurance giant AIG to stop sponsoring Manchester United since the company was forced to turn to the US Federal Reserve for assistance. AIG had paid 14 million pounds sterling a year for an advertisement spot on the players’ jerseys, in addition to five million pounds for other services from the football team.” “Another cost-cutting decision to emerge recently from the automobile industry is GM’s announcement that it will no longer sponsor golfer Tiger Woods. It is estimated that the sponsor contract cost GM over ten million dollars a year.”

ILTALEHTI 31 January

Pilots better earners than prime minister L E H T I K U VA / R O N I R E KO M A A

Although the prime minister is the country’s most powerful official he still earns less than airline pilots, reports the tabloid Iltalehti.

Senior captains can earn a staggering 20,000 euros per month.

“MANY pilots make substantially more money than Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre), according to Turun Sanomat. The average pay of Finnair pilots and co-pilots is 11,600 euros per month. After long experience, airline captains can earn 20,000 euros per month before tax, according to the employer’s calculations.

Vanhanen receives 14,950 euros per month as Prime Minister. 11,800 euros of this consists of his basic salary, and another 3,150 euros is half the salary he would receive as an MP. The remaining 658 euros per month is for expenses, tax-free. According to employers’ statistics, of the 100 highest paid employees in Finnair only three are not pilots.”

Good housing in Kemijärvi is now going cheap, reports Rovaniemi’s daily Lapin Kansa. “ THE CITY of Kemijärvi is selling off its empty apartments. There are hundreds of ﬂats to be sold, but business is booming. A renovated ﬂat is now available for about 400 euros per square metre. The properties have proved to be of particular to people living outside the province who are attracted to

the Lappish winters. Pekka Pesonen from Hämeenlinna purchased a semi-detached house in Luusua as his second home. Many of those who came to view the apartments expected to ﬁnd ramshackle hovels, but were amazed at the good condition in which the ﬂats had been kept”.

TALOUSSANOMAT 30 January

Economic package promises to rescue 17,000 jobs The online financial daily Taloussanomat reports that the recently unveiled economic stimulus package will not have a visible effect until later this year. “AS PART OF an overall effort to revive the economy that will cost two billion euros, the government has reached agreement on a 219 million euro stimulus package that is expected to save 17,000 jobs. However, its effects on employment rates will be become visible only at the end of this year and next year. At the press conference announcing the package, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen estimated that 17,00018,000 jobs would be rescued by the stimulus budget. If intermediate effects are taken into account, the full

L E H T I K U VA / V E S A M O I L A N E N

Insurance giant AIG will not renew its 56,5 million pound sponsorship of Machenster United after 2010.

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen.

effect on employment will be 25,000 jobs. Of the jobs being rescued 10,000 are in building construction and 8,000 in land and water construction.”

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

L E H T I K U VA / R U B E N S P R I C H

Davos under fire Non-governmental organisations criticise the World Economic Forum and companies with poor ethical and environmental standards.

DAVOS

GUS TAV O C A P D E V I L A IP S

ONE OF THE few indicators on the rise at this time of economic and ﬁnancial crisis is the level of repudiation expressed about those responsible for the disaster, and about the institutions sponsoring them. This became apparent at the venue for the annual sessions of the World Economic Forum (WEF), one of the arenas which has supported the deregulation policies blamed for causing the crisis. Socialist Swiss lawmaker Susanne Leutenegger was outspoken in linking the WEF with the crisis. The Davos Forum has been one of the ideological agencies behind these policies, as ﬁnance, industry and politics mingled at the Forum sessions, which started 39 years ago, she said. Leutenegger spoke at the awards ceremony of the Public Eye on Davos, organised by Swiss non-governmen-

tal organisations The Bern Declaration and Greenpeace Switzerland, where "dubious distinctions" are conferred on companies that have shamefully violated ethical and environmental principles. As a result of these awards and the political content of the prize-giving ceremonies, the Public Eye has been, since 2000, one of the most critical observers of the Davos Forum.

The award goes to… The global Public Eye award went to US mining company Newmont, the world's largest gold producer, for its "scandalous" practices in Ghana, where it has destroyed unique natural habitats, carried out forced resettlement of local people and polluted soil and rivers, according to the jury. The "prize" for Swiss companies was awarded to BKW FMB Energy, for building a coal-ﬁred thermoelectric plant in Germany. Coal is the most polluting of all fuels, the organisers said. In contrast, the Public Eye awarded a Positive Prize, in recognition of the efforts of Colombian trade union leaders Jairo Quiroz and Freddy Lozano and their union Sintracarbón to reverse the decision of a trans-national coal mining company that had displaced 800 Afro-descend-

Members of The Public Eye on Davos are gathered outside the Davos congress centre where the World Economic Forum took place. The Public Eye criticised the Forum and companies about the effects of their actions on the global economy.

ant families to expand their operations in El Cerrejón, in north-eastern Colombia. In fact, the negative awards target two companies that epitomise the social and environmental abuses committed by all the members of the WEF and by large corporations that are the true image of proﬁt motivated globalisation, the organisers of the Public Eye said.

Eye on the Forum The two organisations want the Public Eye to become a rallying point for all critics of the Davos Forum, said Oliver Classen of The Bern Declaration.

The Swiss authorities came in for criticism for their ﬁnancial support for the WEF. The Forum is a private meeting, but the Swiss government subsidises it to the tune of seven million dollars, mostly for security services, Leutenegger said. She estimated that total spending by the Swiss state on the Davos Forum amounted to some 17.6 million dollars. Police from several Swiss cantons and some 5000 army soldiers are deployed during the week of WEF sessions, while the national air force, in conjunction with that of Austria, secures the air space over Davos.

UN debates duty to halt war crimes Various organisations worldwide urge the United Nations to put the Responsibility to Protect doctrine into use to save populations from crimes against humanity.

GAZA

N E R GU I M A N A L S U R E N IP S

the recent turmoil in Gaza, ongoing mass killings in Darfur, and the failure to timely intervene to aid survivors of last year's Cyclone Nargis in Burma, civil society groups are calling on UN member states to fully commit to the so-called "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) concept. R2P was adopted at the UN World Summit in 2005 and gives the international community the authority - in principle - to take "collective action", including use of force, when national governments fail to protect the vulnerable from genocide, ethnic cleansing, war

AFTER

crimes, and crimes against humanity. The new International Coalition on the Responsibility to Protect was launched on 28 January at UN headquarters, and includes the East African Law Society (Tanzania), the West African Civil Society Institute (Ghana), the International Refugees Rights Initiative (Uganda), Initiatives for International Dialogue (Philippines), Coordinadora Regional de Investigaciones Economicas y Sociales (Argentina), and Human Rights Watch and Oxfam International. All share the belief that R2P has the potential to become a powerful new tool for averting humanitarian disasters, especially when there is a concerted effort between governments and civil society.

Controversial doctrine R2P has run into controversy in the past with some governments objecting that it could be used to violate national sovereignty or encourage aggression by stronger states.

"Even though the core of the Responsibility to Protect norm addresses the responsibility of sovereignty, states and the international community, R2P cannot succeed without the support of governments, civil society and international organisations working together to prevent and halt genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity," William Pace, executive director of the World Federalist Movement and a founder of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), told IPS. He noted that Edward Luck, a special advisor to UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon, is helping to prepare a detailed report on how R2P could actually work in practice, which will be released next month. Luck is currently working on a salary of a dollar a year, until his post is fully funded.

Action needed Augusto Miclat, executive director of Initiatives for International Dialogue in the Philippines, told IPS that, “it

is important for the Southern countries to take the lead in implementing, interpreting this norm from the perspective of victims of conﬂict. It is important that we are all on the same page regarding indicators about the threshold

Leutenegger said that street protests against the Davos Forum are for the most part prohibited. The rights to free speech and free association are practically suspended throughout the country during the WEF, she emphasised.

Money issues Leutenegger remarked that the neoliberal revolution appears to have failed dismally worldwide. However, the Davos Forum, a successful instigator of that economic model, is doing very well, the lawmaker said. According to her estimates, the world's top 1000 compa-

nies, members of the WEF, contribute over 35 million dollars annually to the Forum. The WEF, which operates in Switzerland as a charitable foundation, has an annual income of about 88 million dollars. This includes the fees paid by the Forum participants. Leutenegger rebuked the left and trade unions for failing to apply the necessary pressure to contain the forces that precipitated the crisis. Fundamental discussion is needed, especially among the left, trade unions and social movements, about building a post-capitalist system and putting it into practice, she concluded.

when a situation is identiﬁed as an R2P," he said. Asked whether the recent Israeli assault on civilians in Gaza was a situation that should have invoked UN intervention under the R2P concept, Miclat responded that it was. "The world saw the disproportionate use of killing machines targeting non-combatants, civilians, women and children. If this is not a war crime, what is?" On 26 December, Richard Falk, the UN Special Rappor-

teur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, also cited R2P after being denied entry by Israel into the West Bank and Gaza. "In the last several years, the UN Security Council has endorsed the idea of humanitarian intervention under the rubric of 'a responsibility to protect', and no world circumstance combines the misery and vulnerability of the people more urgently than does the situation of the people of Gaza living under occupation since 1967," Falk said.

L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / P O O L / PAT R I C K B A Z

Palestinians return to what’s left of their homes in Jabalia on the Gaza Strip. Civil society groups feel that the Gaza situation could have been prevented if the UN would commit to the “Responsibility to Protect” concept.

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

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FINLAND IN THE WORLD PRESS

HELSINKI TIMES

These poles were made for walking

WASHINGTON POST 27 January. Dianne Morrison

MP TALK

Nokia to launch luxury brand Vertu MVNO in Japan L E H T I K U VA / H E I K K I S A U K KO M A A

CANADA EAST 29 January. Hanne Armstrong

Nordic walking is spreading to Canada, writes the Canada East.

L E H T I K U VA / H E I K K I S A U K KO M A A

“IN EUROPE these days there are more Nordic walkers than hikers and joggers combined, according to the Canadian Nordic Walking Association website.” “‘Unlike many sports, where you need a lot of equipment, you only need a pair of poles for this,’ said enthusiast Sharon Wells. Poles for walking? It started in Finland more than 70 years ago as cross-country skiers used their poles to continue training in the summer months. Gradually, walking with poles became an activity for keeping in shape in and of itself. Why would you want to encumber a good walk with a pair of poles? Lots of reasons: Two to three hundred more muscles are used in Nordic walking than in running or regular walking, so you're getting a broader workout. Over 100 more calories per hour are burned in Nordic walking than regular walking, though running still leads in this department at around 600.” “‘Nordic walking is the perfect exercise to accompany a good nutrition plan,’ Hurley said.” “Not only does Nordic walking help your health and conditioning, if you try it you'll ﬁnd it's relaxing and exhilarating at the same time.”

Over one million Finns have discovered the benefits of Nordic walking.

BJARNE KALLIS is a Member of Parliament and the former chairman of the Christian Democrats. He has a Master’s Degree in social sciences.

Parliamentary voting practices need reform ON A RECENT trip to the United States I had the opportu-

nity to talk with friends there about some of the differences between the US and Finnish electoral systems.

Vertu is the luxury range of handmade phones made by Nokia.

Nokia’s luxury brand Vertu will be launched in Japan, writes the Washington Post. “JUST IN time for the recession, Nokia's hyper luxury brand Vertu is launching an MVNO in Japan, aimed at ‘discerning subscribers,’ marking the global handset maker's ﬁrst foray into carrier services. … Vertu is also opening up its ﬁrst store

in Japan, a ﬂagship branch in Tokyo's Ginza shopping area in mid February. Some of the phones that will run on the new MVNO include the Ascent Ti, the Ascent Ti Ferrari and its Signature models. Nokia Siemens Networks will host the operator service.”

“Foreign handset makers, including Samsung, LG and Motorola, have all struggled to crack the Japanese market, which is dominated by domestic makers creating phones with very sophisticated but very localized features. Still, Nokia seems convinced that its hand-made, bejewled phones that are priced as high as 100,000 euros have a place in the world's fourth largest market.

THE ECONOMIC TIMES 29 January

Nokia outsources its desktop maintenance and support to HCL HCL Technologies makes a multi-million dollar contract with Nokia, reports The Economic Times. “HANDSET maker Nokia has outsourced its desktop maintenance and support in 76 countries to IT services ﬁrm HCL Technologies in a multi-million dollar contract spread over ﬁve years, starting this April.” “The contract will be serviced from HCL's centres in India, China, Poland, Finland and US. It involves providing multi-lingual helpdesk services in 13 languages, creating

and maintaining new user accounts, and workstation management and security. The value of the contract and the number of employees being transferred to HCL Technologies was not disclosed.” “‘This is one of the largest IT infrastructure management deals in the global arena. We will be setting up a 100-person centre in Finland to service Nokia and our other customers in Nordic countries,’ HCL

THE GUARDIAN 30 January

Liikanen: European Central Bank Rates in need of adjustment Finnish ECB official has strong views on the EU economic situation, writes The Guardian. “THE EUROPEAN Central Bank should take into account that deﬂation is not such a great threat in Europe as it is in the United States when setting interest rates, Governing Council member Erkki Liikanen said. ‘The probability of deﬂation is smaller here (in the eu-

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

ro zone),’ he said in a speech posted on the Bank of Finland's Web site. ‘This is good to remember when discussing how low ECB rates can go.’ The ECB has cut its main rate by 225 basis points to two per cent in four moves since October.”

“Liikanen, who also heads the Bank of Finland, said that ECB's target of keeping inflation rates at below, but close to two per cent meant it did not aim for very low inflation. ‘Zero inflation is not within this goal, much less falling prices,’ he said in the text of the speech given to the Finnish Society for Economic Research on 29 January.” “Liikanen also said history shows that zero interest

Technologies Infrastructure Services Division (ISD) Europe senior VP Pradeep Bindal told ET from London.” “Bindal said HCL's contract with Nokia was a pure services deal and did not include any asset transfer. Billing will be based on the number of workstations and other devices that require to be supported as well as parameters such as number of helpdesk requests, he added.” rates would be no panacea in finding a way out of the financial crisis gripping the world economy. ‘Japanese experience from the 1990s and the US experience from the 1930s shows that lowering interest rates to zero is not necessarily by itself a solution to the credit crunch and deflation,’ Liikanen said. Liikanen said the current problems in the financial markets might be due to excessively low interest rates earlier this decade. ‘One cannot rule out the possibility that in the future current problems are shown to have originated from too lax monetary policy in the years prior to the crisis.’”

THE GENERAL perception in Finland is that running for ofﬁce in the US is a dirty business in which candidates compete very aggressively, often through personal attacks on their opponents. I did notice this myself when observing the 2004 US elections as a member of the Finnish parliamentary committee on foreign affairs. Every candidate’s campaign involved scrutinising their opponents’ voting history on a range of important issues during their time in ofﬁce, the general aim being to warn the public against re-electing people who could have made such stupid decisions in the past. THE then-leader of the foreign relations parliamentary

committee Liisa Jaakonsaari (Social Democrats) and I jokingly “threatened” our colleagues that we would take a leaf from the Americans’ book and attack their past voting records in more or less the same way in future Finnish elections. When I mentioned to American colleagues that we had no intention of carrying out the threat, they didn’t see why we shouldn’t go ahead with it. They actually thought it was wrong of candidates not to highlight how their opponents had voted. How could voters make informed decisions if they didn’t know how those representing them had decided on important issues in the past? IN FINLAND it’s extremely rare that a member of parliament from a party in government would vote against the government on a particular piece of legislation. If such a break with ranks happens in a vote on some major issue, then it would certainly make the news. Deviations from the government line can also bring disciplinary action against the offending MP. Such sanctions could even include him or her being excluded from the parliamentary faction for a certain period. The last time this most severe disciplinary method was imposed was during the 1995-99 governmental period, when three MPs from the Left Alliance were temporarily suspended. AT THE beginning of the current 2007-11 governmental period, a certain first-time MP revealed he or she had been told by one parliamentary group leader that there was no such thing as good or bad bills among those presented to Parliament. There were only bills that the MPs of the parties in government must either support or oppose. Such a practice has led to the current situation where the decisive decision-making power that the Finnish constitution expressly allocates to Parliament has in effect been transferred to government. Parliamentarianism by definition demands that the government must have the support of Parliament. The prevailing parliamentary voting practice in Finland seems to have turned this definition on its head: Parliament is now expected to do the will of the government rather than vice versa. I AM NOT advocating so-called wildcat voting, which could lead to very unpredictable decisions on parliamentary bills. But the present situation in which MPs can take one position on a given issue among the electorate and in the media and the completely opposite one when actually voting on a bill is at least as bad, if not worse. Allowing candidates voting record to be brought to public attention during electoral campaigning might lead to MPs taking a more critical approach to bills put before it by the government. That would be at least a small improvement on the current situation.

Translated by James O’Connor.

BUSINESS

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O D D P / C H R I S T I A N F I S C H E R

COLUMN

DAVID J. CORD is a private investor with over ten years of international experience.

Economics needs no statistics ECONOMISTS like statistics. They talk about percentages, standard deviations and historical averages. They point at charts, play with regression analysis and muse about causality. Perhaps the study of the economy is simply easier when using numbers. The problem that develops is that many people's eyes glaze over when they get yet another news story about how some impersonal statistic was up or down. Numbers don’t lie, but they can be misleading. Here we will try to give a roundup of the latest news about the economy without a single statistic. Wish us luck. FOR one, asset prices are falling. Simply put, the market price of a house or a company is less than it once was. Conventional wisdom says that this is a bad thing, but in actuality this means different things to different people. If you aren’t planning to buy or sell your house any time soon, it means nothing. If you are investing in the share market on a regular basis you are probably pretty happy with the situation: you are buying assets at a cheaper price. FOREIGNERS are less interested in Finnish assets. Nonresidents have been selling Finnish debt instruments for all of 2008. When it comes to shares, these investors have been selling Finnish-listed companies since about June. The ﬂight of foreign investors has no doubt helped contribute to the fall in asset pricHere we will try to es. To make the vigive a roundup on the cious circle complete, fall in asset priclatest news about the the es encouraged ineconomy without a vestors to pull their money out. This is single statistic. also hurting government borrowing. Finland now must pay much more to borrow money from abroad.

are buying less. Finnish consumers have slowed their purchasing, which has impacted our domestic economy. The larger problem is that foreign consumers in various markets have also greatly slowed their purchasing. Since Finland’s largest companies cater to the global market, this is hurting us here at home. Because people are buying less, this leads us to the next issue.

PEOPLE

COMPANIES are

producing less. Whether manufacturing mobile phones or chunks of steel, companies are, on average, producing fewer of their products. The reasons for this are simple, of course. If people are buying less, there is no need to keep producing at the same level. This isn’t good news. If a corporation is selling less of its product or service, they have less need of workers.

THERE is less work to do. If there is less work to do, people have had their hours cut or have been sent home because of temporary shutdowns. Those worst off have been told that they don’t have a job at all. There aren’t many of these yet, but there have been enough to catch everyone’s attention. BECAUSE people are working less and spending less, the

government is spending more. Last week the Finnish government passed a new stimulus package. The basic idea is a sound one: increased public spending makes up for decreased private spending. Now we just have to watch those statistics and see how well the plan is working.

david@davidcord.com

A government investigator compares a fake €100 note (top) with a real one. Counterfeiting of euro notes increased significantly last year.

2008 boom year for Euro forgeries The number of fake Euro banknotes in Finland rose sharply last year. DAV I D J . C O R D HEL SINKI TIMES

NUMBER of counterfeit banknotes seized in Finland increased in 2008 to 812 notes. Last year the nation had the ﬁrst increase in fake currency since 2004. The €200 note was clearly the most frequently forged note, followed by the €20 and €50. Counterfeiting appears to be on the increase throughout Europe. The European Central Bank announced that the number of seized notes jumped by more than 13 per cent in the second half of 2008. The face value of the fake currency represented 17.8 million euros.

THE

Organised crime While the number of counterfeit notes in Finland increased last year, the statistics were skewed by one large international incident. “We had one speciﬁc case in

June,” explained Detective Sergeant Panu Osanen of the National Bureau of Investigation. “It was a Lithuanian cell with about 250 pieces of good-quality €200 notes. This single case pushed the statistics up.” Osanen reports that the majority of counterfeit notes appear to come from countries other than Finland. “65 per cent of the total counterfeits originated from outside of Finland,” he said. “We believe that many came from southern Europe. Most of these are good quality, produced by offset industrial printers, and can be tied to organised crime.” Overall Finland fares well when it comes to counterfeiting. Worldwide, some 666,000 fake euro notes were withdrawn from circulation last year, so Finland makes up a tiny percentage of the whole. In continental Eu-

L E H T I K U VA / A R K I S T O / J U H A K Ä R K K Ä I N E N

rope it is common that thousands of notes may be seized in one case, while in Finland the crimes involve much smaller quantities. Osanen thinks that Finland’s relative isolation may play some part in the low number of counterfeit notes. All of Finland’s neighbours use a currency different from the euro, and members of organised crime would typically have to ﬂy to Finland in order to pass off fake notes.

Amateur operations Finland has its share of domestic counterfeiters too, but the majority of these cases are amateur operations. “Most local counterfeiters are home-based,” said Osanen. “They use their scanner and personal printer. It is nothing hi-tech and the notes are easily identified because they have no security features.” He gave an example of one episode from early last year. “At the Pori Jazz Festival we had a case involving three suspects with 29 pieces of poor-quality €50 notes. They were home-made and easily identifiable. In general, domestic counterfeiters are driven by a sudden need for money, such as going to a festival.” According to Osanen, about one-fifth of all seizures come through police activities, while the remainder of counterfeits are discovered in money-sorting centres or

banks. “In everyday life we handle many notes, but we don’t actually check each one,” the detective pointed out. So when the notes are actually deposited the fakes are found. Many retailers use machines to help spot counterfeit notes, but sometimes they can make mistakes. “If the note has been damaged, such as through washing, the machine may think it is not genuine,” he noted. Banknotes are not the only counterfeit currency discovered in Finland. Fake coins are also found each year. The most common false coin is the €2, followed by the €1 and 50 cent. “About 3000 coins are sent to the crime-lab analysis centre each year and about 1000 to 1500 turn out to be counterfeits,” said Osanen. Penalties can be high for someone caught trying to counterfeit money. A person convicted of aggravated forgery of currency in Finland could face up to a ten-year jail sentence. Even the intentional use of a fake note could lead to a ﬁne or a two year stint in prison. How to spot a counterfeit: – Feel the raised print. – Look at the note against the light to see the watermark, security thread and see-through number. – Tilt the note to see the shifting image on the hologram. – On the back you can see the glossy strip or colourchanging number.

BUSINESS

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / O L I V I E R M O R I N

An advertising campaign by Bob Helsinki urges Finns to keep spending and not to feed the recession. Advertising agencies will probably also suffer from the financial situation and will have to lay off staff.

In recession, advertising agencies get inventive Hasan & Partners has outsourced its digital services to India. J A A N A VA A H T I O – S T T M AT T H E W PA R R Y – H T

THE SHRINKING budgets of clients present advertising agencies in Finland with a challenge. With some ﬁrms having already having laid off staff last year, further redundancies are widely expected. Advertisers today are looking for cost-efﬁcient ways to market, Sek & Grey's managing director Marco Mäkinen says, with clients seeking to run the ruler over marketing costs. Firms are not yet prepared to go so far as wage a price war, however.

“The general experience has been that when GDP falls by a few percentage points, demand for advertising services can tumble by as much as 20-30 per cent. The important thing for us now is to be inventive and stay on our toes since there is still business to be done,” Mäkinen maintains. The agency Hasan & Partners has sought savings by outsourcing its production to India. A new unit, focusing on digital advertising, was set up at the beginning of this year. “Our Indian unit will allow us to offer clients a far

better deal,” says Hasan & Partners' managing director Timo Everi.

Spending to fall When the economy nosedives, the first area many firms cut back on is marketing and advertising. According to a poll published by the Association of Finnish Advertisers, fully half of its members are planning to scale back their advertising budgets. “The first part of the year will no doubt run as scheduled as far as marketing plans are concerned, but quite a few of our customers

have informed us that they'll be reviewing the situation later in the year,” reports Dynamo's managing director Johanna Piisi. Spending on advertising is predicted to fall in nearly all forms of media, with online and mobile advertising among the few areas expected to grow this year. According to Piisi, productions requiring major investment, such as television advertisements, are now being weighed up much more carefully. A survey published at the end of last year by MTL Finland, a trade industry body for advertising and communication agencies, revealed that over half of agencies expect their cyclical outlook to

weaken. MTL's CEO Markus Leikola is reluctant to appear unduly pessimistic, but the results reveal that growth expectations are also severely restrained. “Expectations are quite diverse, however. For example, agents whose clients are primarily export-oriented have really found themselves in trouble,” Leikola points out.

Redundancies likely Hasan & Partners' Timo Everi predicts that the year will remain an exceedingly difﬁcult one for advertisement and advertisers. “The advertising industry in Finland currently employs just over 5000 people. Unfortunately, it looks like a

significant number of those employees will have to be let go,” Everi says. Piisi also expects to see more redundancies in the industry. She remains confident about the prospects of Dynamo, however, reporting that the agency has taken on more workers during the last month. “There's no doubt an element of risk in recruitment in this sort of economic climate, but advertising requires expertise, and we want to remain competitive,” she argues. According to Marco Mäkinen, the largest and most well-known firms, in addition to the smaller offices who are flexible enough to scale back costs in response to falling profits, are most likely to survive the recession. “It's the middle-sized agencies who will suffer,” he concludes.

BUSINESS

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES L E H T I K U VA / R E U T E R S / A L E X A N D E R N AT R U S K I N

IN BRIEF COLUMN Finland’s ESS cuts nine jobs

Nelonen to lay off up to 35 staff

Finnish regional daily EteläSuomen Sanomat on 3 February made nine reporters redundant in order to adjust to falling ad revenues, triggering a walkout by the rest of the editorial staff. The number of jobs cuts is roughly double that estimated by the publisher when it launched a round of cooperation procedure talks. STT

Finnish media group Sanoma said in a statement on 3 February it would cut up to 35 jobs at television arm Nelonen, also known as Channel Four Finland. Sanoma added the objective of the cooperation procedure talks was to "compress" Nelonen's news gathering operations in order to respond to changes in viewer demand. Hans Edin, the head of Nelonen, said the length of Nelonen's main news bulletin would be halved to about 15 minutes. STT

PT sees Finnish GDP shrinking by 3.7% in 2009 The Labour Institute for Economic Research (PT) said in statement on 3 February it expected Finland's gross domestic product (GDP) to contract by 3.7% this year and by 0.7% in 2010. The think-tank had forecast in August last year that Finnish GDP would grow by 1.7% in 2009. PT added in the latest forecast it saw Finland's jobless rate rising to 7.4% this year and further to 8.8 % in 2010. PT's forecast is the grimmest to date, with the ﬁnance ministry expecting GDP to shrink by 2% this year. STT

Factory staff cuts at Metso Finnish engineering group Metso said on 2 February it would lay off about 190 car factory workers for ﬁve weeks beginning early March, adding further temporary layoff stints would follow later this year. Metso had launched a round of statutory cooperation procedure talks at its Uusikaupunki car factory in December. Metso's Valmet Automotive unit employs about 800 people. STT

Outokumpu posts grim Q4 figures

Cargotec pretax dives in Q4

Finnish steelmaker Outokumpu reported on 3 February a final-quarter 2008 pretax loss of about €298 million versus a year-ago profit of €7 million. October-to-December sales fell to about €966 million from some €1.47 billion in the year-ago period. "In late 2008 the global financial crisis hit the stainless steel markets with speed and power," said in a statement Juha Rantanen, the chief executive of Outokumpu. "As we did not reach our profitability target, we cannot be satisfied with our financial performance in 2008." STT

Finnish cargo handling equipment maker Cargotec on 2 February posted its final-quarter 2008 pretax profit falling to €3.4 million from about €40 million in the year-ago period. October-to-December sales fell to about €924 million from some €868 million in the year-ago period. Cargotec said in a statement it was difficult to estimate future demand given an uncertain economic situation. STT

Outokumpu to cut up to 250 jobs Finnish steelmaker Outokumpu said in a statement on 3 February it would launch another round of statutory cooperation procedure talks, adding the objective was to lay off temporarily more than 2000 people and cut about 250 jobs. Outokumpu employs about 8000 people. "The past weeks have shown that there is no marked improvement in stainless steel demand," said in the statement Juha Rantanen, the chief executive of Outokumpu. "Unfortunately it is now evident that the measures we announced in December are not sufﬁcient in this situation." STT

Finnish December manufacturing output dives by record 16% yr/yr Finnish manufacturing output, adjusted for the number of working days, fell by a record 15.6% yearon-year in December last year, Statistics Finland said in a statement on 30 January. “In late 2008 industrial output fell even faster and reached lower levels than during the 1991 recession,” the agency added. The capacity utilisation rate in manufacturing plunged by 13 points from the year-ago period to 67%, a 13-year low. STT

The rouble’s exchange rates have down spiralled and one Euro is now worth 44 roubles.

Russian rouble hits record low The fall in the value of the Russian rouble is troubling Finnish companies, but it also brings an opportunity for Finnish consumers. DAV I D J . C O R D HEL SINKI TIMES

THE RUSSIAN rouble has fallen to levels not seen since the 1998 ﬁnancial crisis. The Russian central bank has allowed the currency to drop in small increments over a number of days and market pressure continues to push the value down further. As recently as mid-November, one euro could buy about 35 roubles. By last week the exchange rate had dropped to around 44 roubles per euro. The rouble is now down around 25 per cent in the past several months, raising a number of questions for the Finnish economy. Russia is one of Finland’s largest and most important markets. In 2007 Finland imported about 8.4 billion euros of goods and services from its eastern neighbour and exported around 6.7 billion euros to it. Moreover, many of Finland’s companies have squarely placed Russia in the centre of their expansion strategies. With the rapid decline in the value of the rouble, the growth plans of many Finnish companies may be in jeopardy.

Cross-border shopping Russian consumers have become important to several

sectors of the Finnish economy. Their purchases of summer cabins in Finland have helped support the rural realestate market while Russian tourists have been spending a great deal of money in Finnish shops. But now with the fall of the rouble, shopping trips to Finland have become much more expensive. Businessman Gavin Cruickshank maintains houses in both Russia and Finland and does a great deal of cross-border business. He doesn’t think that Russian tourists will shun Finland any time soon. “I would say that in the short term Finland could see an increase in Russian tourist spending,” he said. “This is due to the fact that Russians generally want to convert their cash into products. It is better to have nice stuff than a wad of roubles.” Of the future, Cruickshank is more cautious. “In the medium term, I am certain that as Russians feel the effects of the ﬁnancial crisis ‘shopping tourism’ will drop off. Many ﬁrms in Russia are either cutting staff or cutting salaries dramatically so this has to have an effect on the middle-class disposable income that makes up the

mainstay of shopping tourism to Finland.” While the fall in the value of the rouble may hurt shopping tourism to Finland, it also opens up a new opportunity for Finland. Finns have built a huge industry out of shopping trips to Estonia, but now goods in Russia have become much cheaper. Could Russia become the new shopping destination for Finns? “I can’t say that I have seen more Finnish shoppers in Moscow, but perhaps in Vyborg or St Petersburg there is a change,” mused Cruickshank. “My instinct is that Finns are cautious with their ﬁnances. Perhaps a certain segment might make some ‘Alko runs’ to the Russian side, nipping across the border for beer and fuel.”

Economic forecasting = astrology The tourism and retail businesses are not the only industries to be affected by the fall of the rouble. Nokian Tyres is heavily reliant upon the Russian currency. Only about 35 per cent of its sales are denominated in the euro and it has expanded rapidly into the Russian market. Nokian Tyres says that a change of one per cent in the euro-rouble rate

would cause a change of approximately four million euros in reported sales. The tyre manufacturer does hedge its currency risks with foreigncurrency derivatives to protect against such moves. Stockmann is in a similar position. It has put Russia squarely in its growth strategy, but the fall in value of the Russian currency has caused a drop in reported sales. The retailer had a sales grow of almost nine per cent in most of its Moscow stores. After converting these figures into euros, the growth translates into only a two per cent gain. Cruickshank admits challenges for cross-border business, but believes business is doing relatively well. “The import tax is pretty tough and, although we sell a lot of products manufactured in Russia, the balance of imported goods makes it very difficult not to increase prices in line with inflation and the significant exchange-rate challenges. Other foreign companies have increased in line and are suffering from greatly reduced sales. Our sales are growing due to an expansion policy.” When it comes to predicting the future, Cruickshank takes on a more whimsical tone. “I like this quote from John Kenneth Galbraith: ‘The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable’.”

SPORT

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

L E H T I K U VA / M AT T I B J Ö R K M A N

Rugby scene growing in Finland Finland is struggling to make an impact in world rugby, so Helsinki Times looks into whether or not there is a future for the sport in this country. CR AIG HOUS TON HEL SINKI TIMES

RUGBY is an international sport played in all four corners of the globe. It has recently become the second most watched ball sport on the planet. However, while competitions such as the World Cup, Six Nations and Tri-Nations are continuing to flourish - thanks mainly to huge sponsorship contracts - the developing nations are finding themselves unable to keep up with the chasm between the professional countries and the rest, which are growing at an alarming rate. Indeed, only Italy and Argentina have been able to break into the upper echelons of international rugby since the game abandoned its amateur status in 1995. Finland boasts no rugby tradition of significance and a quick glance at the International Rugby Board (IRB) world rankings shows the country rooted to the bottom

of the table in 95th place, behind such international powerhouses as Luxembourg, Vanuatu and Monaco. However, there are a number of individuals who are trying to change that statistic and they are working hard to promote rugby within the country.

Finnish rugby revival As recently as 1998, there were no clubs to speak of in Helsinki. But, just eleven years later, there is now a National League incorporating teams from the capital, Tampere, Turku, Jyväskylä, Oulu and Vaasa. There are also permanent training facilities, as well as a women’s team and numerous youth initiatives. While the national team may occupy a lowly world standing, the club scene is continuing to expand. There are now over 450 active club members throughout the country, with Finns making up more than 50 per cent. F I N N I S H R U G B Y F E D E R AT I O N

The Finnish Women’s National Team has fared well in European Championships during the past few years, the 7s team winning the Championship in 2007 and coming in second place last year.

sudoku

SOLUTION ON PAGE 18

However, the game at all levels is suffering from a lack of funding. The international side receives grants from both the IRB and the government, but the inability to attract sponsorship means that the future of the game hangs precariously in the balance. The professional era has meant that while massive companies such as the Royal Bank of Scotland can pour money into the major tournaments, the lesser nations are being left behind.

Funding concerns This is of major concern to Helsinki Rugby Club chairman Steven Whittaker, who believes that without sponsorship the national team will struggle to compete on all fronts. “It’s your national team. Nobody would think not to sponsor the national ice hockey team if they had a bad run. It is still the national team and you should have pride in it. However, it [the funding issue] stems from the fact that it is a minority sport and nobody is sure what it will bring them. They can give us a wedge of cash, but they don’t get newspaper or TV coverage, so they don’t get any comeback on their money,” he said. The future So, what does the future hold for the game in this country? While it is encouraging to see youth initiatives set up in places like Helsinki and Tampere, the numbers involved are not yet large enough to create a league system. Huge efforts are being made to get younger players involved in game, with coaches now going into schools to provide lessons free of charge. Open days are also regularly organised, but drawing these kids away from established sports such as ice hockey and football is proving a challenge. However, Whittaker, capped seven times by Finland, talks with great passion about his game and encouraged people to give the sport a chance. “It’s a social sport that makes no discrimination between being big, small, strong or weak. It’s fun, you have a battle on the pitch and at the end of the game you shake everybody’s hand and you have a beer or two and a big party sometimes! Come along and you will know exactly what we mean.” Finland IRB world ranking: 95/95 Number of Club teams: 11 (7 men’s, 4 women’s) Next international fixture: 25 April 2009 v Bulgaria (Rugby World Cup qualifying) Official website: www.rugby.fi

Jarkko Kyllönen of ToPo tries to stop Chanan Colman of Honka in a game played on 2 February.

Koponen gives Honka Korisliiga lottery win Petteri Koponen's departure has put Honka Playboys on an even financial keel, but other Finnish basketball clubs are not quite so lucky.

NATIONAL team may have improved dramatically in the last couple of years under Head Coach Henrik Dettman, but Finland's basketball clubs are not having the best of times at the moment. Honka's MD Mika Sohlberg recently criticised levels of professionalism in the sport, giving an insight into the difficulties faced by Korisliiga clubs. “Administration has been amateurish,” Sohlberg told Helsingin Sanomat. “A lot of clubs pay their players and then buy lottery tickets every Saturday. But then a lot of sports are facing financial difficulties, not just basketball.” Honka's finances have been boosted by the sale of Petteri Koponen to Bologna this year, and Sohlberg's pride in Honka's former guard is evident as he talks of the implications for the club. “You can say that it's more than two hundred thousand euros. We're talking about the biggest transfer fee that a Finnish basketball club has ever received.”

their performance in European competition. The lack of high quality domestic players makes this more difficult, and Sohlberg believes that the league needs to reduce from 12 teams to 10 to allow Finnish players to take more responsibility at an earlier stage. Finnish clubs currently have three foreigners, and young Finns try to play abroad where the standard is higher and the money is better. Increasing the number of clubs in Korisliiga is definitely not the answer, according to Sohlberg. “There aren't enough good Finnish players to fill rosters at 14 clubs,” said Sohlberg. “A 10-team league could allow us to maybe drop the number of imports per team to one.” At the other end of the table, clubs are desperate to stay in korisliiga. Tampereen Pyrintö are engaged in a relegation battle with Forssa club FoKoPo and Componenta, from Lappeenranta. Their former coach J-P Nieminen is running Pyrintö's junior sections now, and is keenly aware of the potential impact relegation would have for the whole club.

Changes needed After consecutive championships in 2007 and 2008, Honka are looking to improve

Youth development “We cannot be relegated this year, that's vitally important,” Nieminen told Helsinki

EGAN RICHARDSON HEL SINKI TIMES

THE

Times. “Staying in Korisliiga means that our junior players have something to aspire to, whereas if we are in the second division the standard is not that good.” “It's much easier for clubs in smaller towns, where there is not so much competition for sponsors. We have two hockey clubs, football, volleyball and ﬂoorball in Tampere, so if we are in the second division we cannot demand so much money from sponsors.” “The most important thing is to do good work with junior players. If you bring through high quality players from the junior levels you can improve your team without expensive imports, and that makes a huge difference to clubs like ours”, said Nieminen. Pyrintö recently strengthened their side with the addition of American forward Kenneth Henderson, in an attempt to ward off the threat of relegation. While expensive, the import had the desired effect as Pyrintö won their ﬁrst match with him in the line-up, 97-65 against crisis club ToPo. The Helsinki club announced a range of cost-cutting measures this week, saving 40,000 euros in salary costs after asking players and management to take pay cuts.

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

Caspian Sea

Pe rs ia n G ul f Kish

Sea of Oman

Iran: one of the w

30 years of Iran’s Islamic revolution

Getting to know Iran Basic facts Iran, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran and also known internationally as Persia, is a country in Central Eurasia bounded by the Persian Gulf to the south and the Caspian Sea to its north. For millennia it has been a country of immense geostrategic significance due to its central location between three major continents. Persian is the official language. It has been a medium for literary and scientific contributions to both the Islamic and Western worlds. For centuries Persian has been used throughout south Asia and greatly influenced languages and cultures throughout the region. The oldest records in Old Persian date back to the 6th century B.C.E.. Iran is the eighteenth largest country in the world in terms of area, at 1,648,195 square kilometres, with a population of over seventy million. Geologically it consists of the Iranian Plateau and coastal areas to the north and south. The climate ranges from arid or semiarid to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests. The wildlife is fairly diverse, including bears, gazelles, wild pigs, wolves, jackals, panthers, Eurasian lynx and foxes.

Economy Iran’s economy is a mix of large enterprises, local village agriculture and small-scale companies. The service sector contributes the largest percentage of gross domestic product, followed by industry and agriculture. While the oil industry remains extremely important, mining and manufacturing also make up large slices of the economy. Iran ranks at least fifteenth in the world in reserves of thirteen different minerals, from bauxite to zinc. The services sector has seen the greatest long-term growth in terms of its share of gross domestic product. Export-oriented agriculture is also important. Dates, flowers and pistachios from Iran are widely sought after in the global market. Recent years have seen greater diversification of the economy. Biotechnology, nanotechnology and pharmaceuticals have received high levels of investment and are swiftly developing. Historically Iran was of major commercial importance due to its location on the Silk Road, an extensive and ancient network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean. Energy Iran occupies an important position in international energy security and world economy because of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. 10 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 15 per cent of its natural gas are in Iran. It is OPEC’s second largest exporter and the world’s fourth largest oil producer. Although Iran may be famous for its oil industries, renewable energy is not being neglected. Iran has extensive hydroelectric power plants much like those in Finland, and has invested heavily in geothermal and wind energy plants. The first commercial solar power facility should begin operation online this year. Of the world’s known gas reserves Iran has 15.7 percent, the second largest share of any country.

Demography Over twenty different ethnic groups make up the Iranian people. The largest ethnic group, the Persians, make up slightly more than half of the population. Other main groups include the Azeris, Kurds, Arabs and Persian Jews. While Twelve Imam, or Twelver Shi’a, Islam is the main religion, the ancient communities of Zorastrians, Jews and Christians continue to flourish. Tourism Iran is an ancient country where numerous cultures have come into being, and where different cultures and religions can be seen living alongside each other. Dozens of prehistoric sites across the Iranian plateau point to the existence of ancient cultures and urban settlements in the fourth millennium before the Christian era (B.C.E.). From fire temples to churches, to synagogues and mosques, from yesterday to today, Iran is a country where the East and the West meet. This diversity makes Iran an attractive and picturesque land in which every visitor can find his own subject of interest. Almost two per cent of the national workforce is in the tourism industry and about two million foreign tourists visit Iran each year. Iran is a picturesque country and a land of wonders one will never forget.

Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4000 B.C.E..

Prehistoric era (up to 3200 B.C.E.) In the eighth millennium B.C.E. agricultural communities began to form in western Iran. The south-western part of Iran was part of the Fertile Crescent where most of humanity’s ﬁrst crops were grown. In the fourth millennium B.C.E. urban communities began to form, making Iran the site of some of the world’s ﬁrst cities. Early history (3200 B.C.E.625 B.C.E.) The pace of urbanisation continued, city-states developed and a number of different civilisations existed on the Iranian plateau. The civilisation of Elam thrived in the

southwest while Jiroft was in the southeast of Iran. Recovered artefacts show that writing, architecture and sculpture ﬂourished.

Pre-Islamic Statehood (625 B.C.E-651 C.E.) The Medes are credited with the unification of Iran as a nation and empire (625559 B.C.E.), the largest of its day, until Cyrus the Great established a unified empire of the Medes and Persians leading to the Achaemenid Empire (559-330 B.C.E.). Cyrus was one of the most remarkable figures of history, leaving a lasting legacy on human rights, politics and military strategy. The borders of the Persian empire stretched

Did you know? – Iran is one of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations. – Iran has on average 300 sunny days a year. – Dizin ski resort, to the north of Tehran, Is the most important ski resort in The Middle East. Thousands of Finns visit it every year. – Iran has nine UNESCO World Heritage list, with 60 more on the applicant list. – Trade between Finland and Iran has almost quadrupled since 2002. – Iran ranks 4th in the world in diversity of agricultural products. – 233 engineering projects have been carried out, in 33 countries, by Iranian companies over the last 10 years. Finland’s top five imports from Iran: 1) Metal ores 2) Carpets 3) Caviar, Pistachio 3) Raw material 4) Fruit Finland’s top five exports to Iran: 1) Electrical equipment 2) Paper products 3) Heavy machinery 4) Iron and steel 5) Agricultural vehicles

This spread is provided by the Embassy of Iran

Dizin ski resort, to the north of Tehran, Is the most inportant ski resort in The Middle East. Thousands of Finns visit it every year.

Culture The culture of Iran is a mix of ancient pre-Islamic and Islamic cultures. Iranian culture has long been a predominant culture of the Middle East and Central Asia, with Persian considered the

language of intellectuals during much of the 2nd millennium, and the language of religion and the populace before that. Iranian culture has inﬂuenced civilisations as diverse as China, western Europe and ancient Rome. Over the centuries Iranian artists have become renowned in centers of learn-

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque (built in 1615) is one of the architectural masterpieces of Safavid Iranian architecture, standing on the eastern side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square in city of Esfahan.

world’s oldest civilisations from the Indus and Oxus Rivers in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

Post-Islamic era (652-1501) After the Islamic conquest the blossoming of Persian literature, philosophy, medicine and art became major elements of the newly forming Muslim civilization and the Islamic Golden Age. The Iranian contribution to the new Islamic Golden Age is incalculable. Artists, engineers, scholars, poets, philosophers, geographers and traders preserved and built upon earlier traditions as well as adding innovations and inventions of their own. Early Modern Era (1501-1921) Iran’s first encompassing Shi’a Islamic state was established under the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1722) which promoted Twelver Shi’a Islam as the official religion of the country. Trade expanded and ing across the planet. Persian literature, with such notable poets as Hafiz, Saadi, Rumi and Omar Khayyam, offers some of the finest world literature.

Dialogue among civilizations The oldest trade route known as the Silk Road, used by travelers, merchants, artists and warriors crossed through Iran, has distinguished the country as a land of interaction between civilizations since ancient times. Iran’s initiative to name 2001 as the year of “Dialogue among civilizations“ was warmly and unanimously accepted by the United Nations General Assembly. Visual arts Painting in Iran has a long history, with some of the earliest known examples dating back 5,000 years. The famous Persian miniatures are small paintings often used as book illustrations. Many of the themes are related to Persian

commercial links were established with both the English East India Company and the Dutch East India Company. Persian architecture once again ﬂourished and many new monuments and buildings were erected.

Recent history The Iranian Revolution began in January 1978 with the ﬁrst major demonstrations against the Shah. After strikes and demonstrations paralysed the country and its

economy, the Shah ﬂed the country in January 1979. Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile and became the supreme leader of Iran. Soon after the revolution the deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein decided to take advantage of what he perceived to be disorder in the wake of the Iranian Revolution, aunshing what proved to be an eight-year imposed war with Iran. Year 2009 is the 30th anniversary of Iran’s Islamic revolution.

Did you know ? Kish is a resort island in the Persian Gulf which due to its free trade zone status is a consumer’s paradise, with numerous malls, shopping centres, tourist attractions and resort hotels. About 5.5 million people visit Kish annually. The island, with an area of 91.5 km², is the third most visited Western-oriented citiy in the Middle East, after Sharm el-Sheikh and Dubai. Foreign nationals visiting Kish’s Free Zone from legal ports are not required to obtain visas prior to travel. Valid travel permits must be stamped for 14 days by airport and Kish port police officials. Bas Relief from ruins of ancient Persepolis – Iran (Persia). UNESCO World Heritage Site

mythology and poetry, and artists use a very wide range of colours. Although the miniatures date back to the Byzantine era and the age of illuminated manuscripts in Western Europe, they are also a contemporary art form. Mahmoud Farshchian is a world-renowned master of Persian painting whose miniatures are held in museums around the world.

Persian carpets The art of carpet weaving in Iran has its roots in the culture and customs of its people and their instinctive feelings. The colours are usually derived from wild ﬂowers and the fabrics are often washed in tea, giving the carpets a unique quality. Carpet weaving is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished manifestations of Iranian culture and the term ‘Persian carpet’ has become synonymous with the best carpets in the world. About two million people work in the carpet trade, and over half of these are weav-

ers. The weavers are highly skilled artisans and put up to 85 knots per each square centimetre. Classically, the major centres of production were in Tabriz, Kahsan, Herat and Kerman.

Literature Literature in Iran spans over two and a half thousand years. Poetry is an integral part of Persian culture, as demonstrated by the works of Rumi that have been translated into languages around the world. So strong is the Persian aptitude for verse that one can ﬁnd poetry in almost every classical work of literature, science or even metaphysics. One Thousand and One Nights, sometimes known as Arabian Nights, is one of the world’s most treasured collections of Persian folk tales. This collection has a wide variety of historical tales, love stories, tragedies, comedies and poems. Europeans have been translating this work into their native languag-

es since the 1700s. Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and the Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor are often included as tales within this collection.

Cuisine Iran has a rich culinary tradition, with each province having its distinctive dishes and styles. Herbs and fruits are typically used liberally in

meals. Characteristically Iranian ﬂavourings include saffron, dried limes, cinnamon and parsley while popular fruits include plums, pomegranates, prunes and apricots.

Did you know?

Education rate in Iran in 2008 marks as follows: – Registered invention and application: 14500 – Annual Science (Research) production: 9012 (33 percent) – Production of Science Articles: 7300 Articles, out of which 3300 Articles have been registered in I.S.I. – Regional first grade in nanotechnology and grade 15globally, with 125 Articles – 3rd in the Astronomy Olympiad – 5th in the Mathematics Olympiad – 5th of world, 2nd in Asia in World Scientific Olympiad – 6th in the Chemistry Olympiad – 7th in the Physics Olympiad

– Polo was first played in Persia in the 6th century B.C.E. – Ice creams are often flavoured with saffron, rosewater and chunks of heavy cream. – The Taj Mahal in India contains influences from Persian architecture. – The word ‘paradise’ in English originates in the Eastern Old Iranian language, which referred to the famous Persian-style garden. – Traditional dancing in Iran emphasises upper body movement and facial expressions.

Literacy rate: 92.7 percent Number of whole country students: more than 18 million Number of whole country institutes: 85,455 Number of universities and faculties students: 3.5 million Number of female students of universities: 1,850,662 Number of MA and MS students: 120,000 Number of Ph.D. students: 59,784

This spread is provided by the Embassy of Iran

TRAVEL

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES PHOTOS / ROBIN DE WAN

Enchanting Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, is considered a sacred place for many of the region’s inhabitants.

Travel Diary: South American excursion South America’s wonders run the gamut from exotic natural phenomena to the stunning ruins of ancient civilisations. Our adventure took us from the plains of Chile to the Andean splendours of Bolivia and Peru. RO B I N D E W A N HEL SINKI TIMES

CAPITAL Santiago was where we landed to begin our whirl-wind tour through this corner of the South American continent. There was not much time to recover from the 30-something hours spent in airports and aboard airplanes before we were whisked around town, taking in the famous sites and views of this snazzy European-like city. A good nights rest was in order before we set out for the seaport city of Valparaiso, including a stop at the funky four-story hilltop home (now a museum) of Chile’s most beloved poet, Pablo Neruda.

CHILE’S

On our way back to Santiago, we stopped for a tour of one of the many wineries that dot the Casablanca valley. The wine growing regions in Chile are some of the best in the world and no visit to the country is complete without sampling the fruits of over 400 years of viniculture.

Up, up and away! It is never fun to wake up at 03:00 to catch a ﬂight but such were the demands of our package itinerary and so it was that our group staggered out of the hotel early the next morning. We ﬂew to La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, ascending from sea-level to an elevation over 4,000 metres.

One of the New Seven Wonder’s of the World, otherworldly Machu Picchu lives up to its reputation.

In the afternoon we paid a visit to Tiwanaku, a Pre-Columbian archaeological site recognised by Andean scholars as one of the most important precursors to the Inca Empire. One way to beat altitude sickness is to “get down” and so it was that we decided to take an unscheduled break from the tour and descend into the valley of Coroico, dropping to a more tolerable altitude of 1,700 metres. The scenery around Coroico is beautiful with lots of waterfalls, brilliant ﬂowers and dramatic views of the surrounding mountain ranges. After a couple days of subtropical climate, it was back to La Paz to meet up with the

rest of the group and begin the next leg of the journey.

Islands of the sun and moon Copacabana was our next stop – not the one in Brazil but the original Copacabana, after which the famous beach was named. This Bolivian village is a holy pilgrimage site where people come from far and wide to worship, as well as receive blessings for their cars. The main square was lined with dozens of vehicles wrapped in ﬂower wreaths and colourful ribbons as the priest made the rounds and sprinkled holy water over the grateful automobiles. Later in the day we sailed out on the sparkling-blue

Man-made floating islands off the shore near Puno, Peru, have been home to the Uros people for centuries.

waters of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, stopping first at the Island of the Moon, and later settling down for the evening on the Island of the Sun. According to Inca mythology, the Island of the Sun was the birthplace of the first Inca. During the night we were treated to a spectacular thunderstorm followed by a serene and magnificent sunrise. Crossing the border into Peru we stayed a couple days in Puno where one of the most bizarre sights of the entire trip was encountered. Off the shore on Lake Titicaca are 41 floating islands built of aquatic plants, mud, and peat. For centuries, these man-made retreats have been the home of the Uros people who depend on the lake for survival. Nowadays, of course, tourism also provides a substantial portion of their livelihood and the islanders have such modern conveniences as solarpowered miniature TVs in their humble reed huts.

The heart of Inca civilization Travelling north, we arrived to the city of Cusco, which is the historic capital of the Inca Empire. An extremely popular tourist destina-

tion, Cusco has a charming, old-world Spanish ambiance. Within the city and surrounds are also some of the most signiﬁcant Inca archeological sights. Nothing from the reign of the Incas, however, compares in grandeur to nearby “wonder of the world,” Machu Picchu. Often referred to as “the lost city of the Incas,” Machu Picchu is really a place beyond description. The setting of the site alone is breathtaking. Having been “discovered” by the outside world only as late as 1911, the ruins are largely intact, creating a sense of an otherworldly domain amidst the towering cliffs and low-hanging clouds. Our day there exploring the area was clearly the highlight of the trip, as one would imagine.

Back to Earth The last day of our all-toobrief journey was spent in Lima, the capital of Peru, where we had the uncommon fortune to witness the first day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. World leaders had gathered for the weekend conference and the city was swarming with police and soldiers. Our sightseeing tour of colorful colonial architecture and stately palaces was somewhat overshadowed by the presence of SWAT teams and tanks. From the noise and stress of that environment, it felt good to board an airplane heading back to Europe, with plenty of time and peace to reflect on all the extremes of what we had experienced.

TRAVEL

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

P H O T O S / V E L I -J O R M A K U U S E L A

Smile, you're in Gambia Scorching sunshine, fabulous beaches, fascinating nature, charming people and safety are some of The Gambia’s more obvious attractions. V E L I -J O R M A K U U S E L A HEL SINKI TIMES

before Christmas I visited The Gambia and was blown away. For the firsttime visitor, arriving in this country is like a leap into the unknown. Quite a few African countries were already familiar to me, but The Gambia was a personal terra nova. My impression of the country was cobbled together from books and the internet, and naively, as I casually researched the country, I had no intention whatsoever of planning a trip. But then I found myself booking the flight. And I’m glad I did, since my time in Gambia was full of surprises and unexpected, delightful experiences. Gambians could not be more different from us Finns in terms of the nature of the people. Whether they are meeting their closest friends or complete strangers, Gambians are all smiles, with deep joy radiating from their faces. Warmth and friendliness appear to be a part of the national character. You’ll find that in the travel brochures, granted, but the thing is, it’s actually true.

SHORTLY

But there’s more to Gambians than a mere sunny disposition. A desire for relaxation and comfort is deeply rooted in Gambians. Turning up to a prearranged meeting somewhat later than arranged, a Gambian need only ﬂash a disarming smile and refer to the country’s semi-ofﬁcial time zone, GMT or Gambian Maybe Time, to win leniency from his waiting friend. You don’t need to spend much time in the country before you discover that this unique attitude towards time can be quite infectious. And gradually, the Finnish habit of racing from one point to another begins to fade from the mind.

Malaria no joke Gambia is a typically subtropical country. Dry seasons are followed by months of heavy rainfall. Trips from Finland are best made during the dry period, which usually runs from November through to April. This is fortunate because the wetter months are accompanied by an explosion in the number of insects, including the dreaded malaria-bearing mosquitos. Late last year, the rainfall continued a few weeks longer than usual, and as a re-

sult quite a few travellers who had tried their luck ended up getting infected. The wise tourist in Gambia recognises the potential risks and protects themselves. Preventative tablets are fairly convenient, but these should still be coupled with a good amount of insect repellent since even during the dry months, Gambia is not free from mosquitos.

A land of surprises Without doubt, Gambia was very different from anything I could have expected, and more so than what I found in my travel guide. One treasure was the huge white-ﬂowered silk-cotton tree, growing smack dab in the middle of a residential area, wedged tightly between houses. With a circumference of at least 25 metres and an age of 850 years, the silkcotton tree may not in itself warrant a special excursion, but should you be in the area the spectacle is striking. Another treat was the ancient, sacred Makasutu Cultural Forest, 100 hectares of lush, green wilderness populated mostly by baboons. And of course, there is always a visit to the old witch doctor on offer, whose forecast of the future is no doubt meant in earnest but no less fun for that. And the list goes on. Still, with only a week’s time, much of the country went unexplored and many plans went unrealised: The James Island and its unesco world-heritage fortress are a sombre yet poignant reminder of the slave trade, and it belongs on every gambian itinerary, as do the wassu stone circles, which unfortunately were so far away that we didn’t have time for them.

Nor did we manage to see a bout of the country’s national sport, a sort of freestyle wrestling. That will have to wait until next time, as will the natural wonders and deep-sea ﬁshing that we never managed to pack in. With so many interesting sights yet to see, this certainly won’t be the last time i visit the gambia. The best thing is, i know the next trip will be just as packed with surprises as the last one was. But anyway, I like surprises. Translated by Matthew Parry Population: 1.7 million Capital: Banjul. However, with 340,000 inhabitants nearby Serrekunda is significantly bigger. Area: 11,300 km2 Religion: 90 per cent Muslim, with a Christian minority. Principal language: English

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LIFESTYLE

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES E BOOKERS

COLUMN COLUMN

LESLIE HYDE / HEL SINK I T IME S

A rare moment “SPRING is on the way,” said a neighbour as we passed

each other, the cold air was nipping at our noses and my beard was icing up. I skidded to a halt on the icy path and pulled my woolly hat farther over my ears. My back was giving me grief and I was not in the most joyous mood. That this was spring was somewhat mystifying as we weren’t exactly tip-toeing through the tulips. “Why do you say it’s spring?” I asked. “Can’t you hear the birds,” she replied. I listened and, yes, the birds were beginning to sing their songs of love. CHEERED by this I started off with a frolic in my spring-

time step, but over did the frolic and went head over heels – not of the ‘in love’ kind but the ‘ﬂat on your back’ kind. The birds stopped singing, winter had returned. Very gingerly I got up. The pain was gone. I had hit the ground with a most therapeutic slam so I thanked my neighbour for her wise words. IT TAKES years

to detect some of these nuances of nature that Finnish people know in their bones. I was in Lapland last midsummer so there was less snow about. I was told that a rare bird was nesting in a lush area in some woodland running alongside Mount Saana. The woodland is full of low, crooked birch trees, so ﬁnding any luxuriant growth should have been easy. To and fro I went on my bike but I could not see any difference between one clump of trees from another. Should I just give up? When you’ve been in Finland a while, this is not an option because if you give up, you will feel as though you are on the wrong end of an assault with a deadly weapon; the weapon being a tonne of guilty conscience.

I APPLIED a little lateral thinking to my problem and asked myself, "What would a Finnish person do in this situation?" This is the land of education, so I decided to research the subject and hope to beneﬁt from proper study. I picked up a research booklet on the local birch trees from the Kilpisjärvi Biology station. I learnt that the birch trees up in the far north, sometimes called Fell Birch, are a subspecies formed at the end of the Ice Age and are crossbreeds of the hairy birch and the dwarf birch. With one hairy parent and then a dwarf parent, a regal offspring is unlikely to result. BUT I also learnt that the tree comes in two forms, sin-

gle and multiple trunk, and that single trunk grows on better soil. By simple deduction this means that singletrunk trees made up the lusher clumps. I hopped back on my bike and found the lush clump in all its verdant glory and too the small innocent bird persevering in its business. I left the bird in peace knowing that the both of us could spend one day in Finland feeling totally guilt-free. A rare moment to savour!

Break free from routines and enjoy a luxurious holiday at this Six Senses Hideaway resort on Yao Noi island in Thailand.

Escape the daily grind If the Finnish weather gets you down and you’re daydreaming of a special week away from home, then custom made luxury vacations are for you. MARI K AISL ANIEMI HEL SINKI TIMES

are all about relaxing and getting away from your everyday life. Many still take a standard trip to one of the Canary Islands or to Phuket, Thailand, but an increasing number of people want more from their yearly vacation. Travel agencies have started to recognise this need and now offer luxury tailored to your speciﬁc needs.

HOLIDAYS

Metal bash forges ahead The forces of evil gather in Helsinki to lift the spirits of their dedicated followers. J O H N PA G N I HEL SINKI TIMES

IF DOOM, goth, thrash and death mean anything to you musically, then you probably already have tickets for the Helsinki Metal Meeting. The festival, which used to be called the Finnish Metal Expo, takes place for the 12th to the 14th at three venues

in the city. The annual gathering of metalheads is taking place for the ﬁfth time with all the evil paraphernalia that goes with the genre. Jet black hair and apparel highlighted by powdered white faces are de riguer for true adherents, often trickling red blood or black teardrops. Based at Kaapelitehdas, the festival is all things manical-

ly metal: bands, exhibitors selling accoutrements (real fans seem to feel naked if they don’t have steel bits embedded in their oriﬁces and bodies), Finnish Metal Awards gala, instrument clinics and even a metal karaoke.

Appearances aren’t everything Promoter Jouni Markkanen

Ebookers have opened a special Luxury office to serve customers of their luxury holidays. Other Finnish travel agencies haven’t gone so far, but you can find separate luxury sections on the websites of Area, Kaleva and the Finland Travel Bureau. “Our Luxury office team’s motto is Passion for Travel. We take time to get to know each customer and what they want from their personal holiday. We take into account

all of their wishes and needs when tailoring their trip”, says Tarja Koivisto, Ebookers Luxury Sales Manager. Ebookers offers various types of holidays including honeymoons, train journeys, spa trips, diving experiences and trips around the world. “Currently the most popular holidays are beach vacations at hideaway spots”, Koivisto mentions. Thailand, Australia, South Africa and Jamaica are all

describes the audience as “much nicer than they look! Metalheads are actually very normal people with everyday jobs.” This seems hard to believe for an outsider watching a crowd punching the air in unison, their small and index ﬁngers (the devil’s horns, of course) pointing up, all topped off with frantic bouts of moshing (tossing long hair to and fro). The music may not appeal to many, or even seem musical at all. But that’s for the uninitiated, people who like pop songs, which for their part are considered an insult to people who love growling singers.

Serious business An industry get-together began three years ago: so HMM Industry Day is a B2B gathering of international and Finnish VIPs with over 100 participants from all over the metal globe. This year’s main theme is South America, better known for cute folk music, but especially Brazil has produced anti-gods of metal (deities sounds too nice) and one, Andre Matos, will perform. The more than 30 bands performing at Dante’s Highlight, Tavastia and Kaapelitehdas have talismanic names like Misery Index, Legion of the Damned, Profane Omen, Black Dahlia Murder, and

still frequently visited travel locations, but many people want something more exclusive, more different, and more special. Some of the locations that are gaining popularity at Ebookers Luxury holidays include Bali, Vietnam, Brazil and countries in eastern Africa. If your idea of a luxury holiday isn’t just spending time on the beach, there’s no need to worry. You can spend a week in a chateau in France or a castle in Ireland. There’s also the possibility of speeding through beautiful scenery in a luxurious train carriage. The possibilities are endless and after envisioning what your dream vacation would be, let the professionals take care of the rest. Then just sit back and enjoy a holiday made just for you. Deathstars. All venues will be full – just don’t forget the earplugs. Tickets: from €25-27 for 1 day, €45 for 2 days at Kaapelitehdas €6.50-17.50 at Tavastia & Dante’sHighlight Extra concert Sunday 15 Feb at Kaapelitehdas: Opeth & Entombed €35-38 Further information: www.fme.fi

CULTURE

HELSINKI TIMES

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

T HE FINNISH GL A SS MUSEUM

Spanish rhythms, Nordic dancers HEIDI LEHTONEN, M AT T H E W PA R R Y – H T

Flamenco de Helsinki, an annual fixture since 1997, will once again gather together flamenco artists from across Europe and demonstrate that the Iberian Peninsula is not the only place where this Spanish art is flourishing. In keeping with this year’s theme, the festival will open with the series Flamenco Pohjolasta (Nordic Flamenco), featuring performances from leading Finnish, Swedish and Danish flamenco artists. The first to perform will be Anu Silvennoinen and Tanja Tuurala with their piece, Soleá Online, in addition to the Swedish group Soniquete. The Festival’s leading Spanish performer, Pastora

Galvánia, is widely regarded as one of the most innovative young dancers of her generation, and the work La francesa (The Frenchwoman), her most ambitious yet. Pedro G Romero and Israel Galván are responsible for art direction and choreography respectively. Guitar virtuoso Vincente Amigo, born in Seville and beloved by many Finns, will conclude the festival. Amigo was a guest of the ﬁrst Festival Flamenco de Helsinki in 1997. He has visited and performed in Finland another two times since. On this visit he will be accompanied by a larger group of musicians and dancers. 10 Feb-2 March www.flamenco.fi/festivaalit

DANIEL MUÑOZ

THE FESTIVAL

A detail from Gulden Demir’s untitled piece.

Modern glass design from Turkey HEIDI LEHTONEN, M AT T H E W PA R R Y, H T

THE FINNISH Glass Museum will hold an extensive exhibition on historical and contemporary production from Turkey’s largest glass factory, Paşabahçe, whose recent output has included pieces by Finn-

ish glass designers. In addition, the exhibition will feature recent work by nine Turkish designers, a number of whom are internationally renowned. Paşabahçe began to produce its hand-made glassware in 1935, moving over to mechanised production in 1955. The latter year is con-

sidered the starting point of its current modern, automated production technique. Since its establishment, Paşabahçe has pursued a policy of focusing on development and investment, which has built it into the world’s third-largest – and Europe’s second-largest – manufac-

turer and marketer of glassware. Paşabahçe exports its products to 130 countries and is constantly anticipating new trends and modern requirements on the global market. 6 Feb-12 Apr at the Finnish Glass Museum

Celebrating Finland's national poet On 5 February flags are hoisted around Finland to commemorate the birth of national poet J.L. Runeberg.

Pastora Galvánia

Comedy Club Laugh Riot presents By arrangement with Bound & Gagged Comedy

talo rita tuuuri KKuultlttu SLaat 2288.2.2. . 30 1.0 2 1:23 aktlo 3399€€

ONE OF THE most celebrated writers in Finnish history, Johan Ludvig Runeberg (18041877) was a Finland-Swedish patriotic journalist, academic, novelist and poet. During the 19th century, when the country was a part of the

“Hilarious and painfully fu nny” – The Indep endent

Russian Empire, Runeberg was one of the key characters advocating and developing Finnish national culture. Among his friends and associates were such national icons as statesman and philosopher J.W. Snellman, beloved author Zacharias Topelius and Elias Lönnrot, who went on to compile the Kalevala. Runeberg’s magnum opus was two-part The Tales of Ensign Stål, an epic poem about the Finnish War of 180809, where the Russian Empire captured the territory of Finland from Sweden. The ﬁrst volume was originally published in 1848 and the second in 1860. Runeberg’s heroic ballads of war heroes (both real and imagined) defending their native land against a Russian onslaught were pivotal in shaping a Finnish nationalist identity. The opening verses of Ensign Stål later became the lyrics for the Finnish national anthem. Runeberg was a literary superstar of his time, so popular that book shops began to sell portraits of him. He was ﬁrst publicly cele-

brated on the occasion of his 50th birthday in Porvoo, where he taught at the local Gymnasium. After his death in 1877 his birthday was gradually made into a national holiday. Many of Runeberg’s works contain idyllic themes that have become essential elements of Finnish national icoL E H T I K U VA / M A R K K U U L A N D E R

M AT T I KO S K I N E N HEL SINKI TIMES

nography, such as rural life and natural imagery. However, despite his important role in the nationalist cultural movement, Runeberg was not part of the Fennoman movement that promoted the use of the Finnish language, unlike his friend Snellman. In fact, he wrote all of his works in Swedish. So while Runeberg is considered the national poet, some have suggested Eino Leino as a Finnish-language alternative.

Runeberg's statue in Esplanadi park. Runeberg tart Many Finns today link Runeberg’s Day to a particular sweet treat. In early January pastry shops start selling Runeberg tarts; small pastries flavoured with almonds and rum, usually with a topping of sugar and raspberry jam. According to legend, the man himself had one of these and a glass of punch for breakfast every morning.

EAT & DRINK

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES R AV I N T O L A KO L M I O

RESTAURANTS

FIRST ORIGINAL NEPALESE RESTAURANT Open: Mon-Fri 11-23, weekends 12-23, Lunch: Mon-Fri 11-15 Contact: Ratakatu 1 b, 00120 Helsinki. www.himalaya.fi Book your table: tel. (09) 647 551, fax. (09) 647 552

Time stands still at the Brezhnevian era’s last monument Kafe Moskova, situated in central Helsinki. Cold beer and freezing service. Open: Mon-Sat 6pm-2am. Sun closed. Contact information Eerikinkatu 11, 00100 Helsinki, Finland Tel. +358 9 751 75613 www.andorra.fi

Blini bonanza The once humble blini has become a high-class food. We visited one Helsinki restaurant’s annual blini extravaganza to find out more. NICK BARLOW HEL SINKI TIMES

ONCE A peasant food amongst ancient Slavic peoples, the blini has become something of a posh treat for the average diner. Similar to pancakes but thicker and made with yeast, blini are traditionally served with onion, caviar and smetana, a sort of sour cream. The caviar perhaps accounts for their upmarket image. In Helsinki, blinis can mostly be found in the Russian restau-

rants, although some Finnish establishments hold regular blini ‘weeks’ which may last several months. One such place is Ravintola Lasipalatsi, whose own blini promotion will continue until 14th May. Winner of the best blini in Helsinki award last year, Ravintola Lasipalatsi is now holding its seventh annual blini festival. Head chef Petri Simonen must be something of a blini expert by now. “Last year we sold 24,000 blini in two months,” says Simonen,

“along with 400 kilos of caviar, and eight kilos of butter a day.” There are several options on the menu at Lasipalatsi, but we take the ‘Eat as many blini as you want’ alternative, which for 27.50 euros gets you a fairly impressive selection of food.

Multiple combinations Along with a single blini to start with, you get vendace roe, red onion, smetana, salmon tartar, pickled her-

SATKAR Nepalese Restaurant The biggest Nepalese Restaurant in Helsinki • Suitable for group parties • Fully licensed • Delicious food with tandoor

Welcome to Satkar Fredrikinkatu 46 (Kamppi, Autotalo). 00100 Helsinki, Finland Tel. +358 9 611 077, +358 40 707 1140 www.satkar.fi

ring salad, cold smoked reindeer, wild mushroom salad, marinated onion, beetroot salad, gherkin and honey. The first difficulty when presented by such a spread is where to start. We dig in with the standard roe, onion and cream combination. One thing I noticed was how thick the blini itself was – a good two and a half centimetres, and delivered to the table still sizzling in the small skillet used for cooking. Apparently if it’s too thin it gets too crispy. We were unsure how many blini we’d actually be able to eat. According to Simonen, the most blini eaten by a customer last year was eight, and nine the previous year. To be honest, I find it hard to understand how anyone could do that, as we munched our way through two and were thoroughly stuffed. “At the beginning of our blini promotion I eat 20 to 30, not at all at once, but then I’ve had enough for a while,” says the chef himself. I don’t feel too bad only getting through a couple. One ‘secret’ ingredient the restaurant adds to their own blini mixture is beer. The dough is made two days ahead of use, and apparently the beer helps the blinis stay fluffy when cooked.

Made in Finland Everything except the salmon is sourced in Finland. “I try to visit all our suppliers personally,” says Simonen. “Getting good quality caviar is becoming harder, for example, so it’s important to have good relationships with producers.” Some of the items on the plate might not be essential to the blini experience. The smoked reindeer, for example, although good, had a rather strong taste whose smokiness

was at odds with the more subdued ﬁsh. The beetroot salad also didn’t add much to the ﬂavours. On the plus side, the herring salad had a lovely sweet taste, while as far as I’m concerned you can add pickled gherkins to almost anything and it will taste good. We tasted two good wines with the blini – a Riesling and a Merlot, both from the United States. The Merlot in particular was a pleasant surprise, although I’d always assumed beer or vodka would be more suited to the food. “In fact, I prefer beer with blini myself,” concurs Simonen, “but schnapps makes it easier to eat more!” We visited the restaurant on

a Monday, late in the afternoon, and it was not very full. But, that Monday may be the only day when you might be able to get a table without a reservation. Blini aren’t cheap, it’s true – the total cost of our meal, including drinks, would be over 100 euros, although I should also point out that the cheapest option on the menu is under ten euros, for blini with gherkin and smetana. On the other hand they are ﬁlling, and apparently a nightmare to make at home due to the large amounts of smoke created while frying them, so eating them in a restaurant might be your best option. R AV I N T O L A KO L M I O

EAT & DRINK

HELSINKI TIMES

5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11 FEBRUARY 2009

RESTAURANTS

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5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

M AT T I K U R K E L A

Lovers of Mankind At Musica Nova Helsinki Festival, a fine contemporary opera play Lovers of Mankind will be enacted as a thrilling result of Sibelius Academy’s and Helsinki University of Technology’s co-operation. Lovers of Mankind mixes jazz-seasoned sounds to classical opera and merges with ancient greek tragedy, sci-fi artificial intelligence and the absurd. Euripides’ The Bacchae is transported to the IT world of the near future, in a production of virtual sets and digital sound and image processing.

Until Sun 8 Feb Jenni Hiltunen: Make Your Own Paintings The exhibition by Jenni Hiltunen is an entity of paintings and video. Korjaamo Culture Factory Töölönkatu 51 Mon-Sun 11:00-17:00 Tickets €12 www.korjaamo.fi

Musica Nova Helsinki is Finland’s biggest contemporary music festival and this year it beats to the heart of a Manhattan theme. The audience will be guided to the theme of the Big Apple by various distinctive music performances, interesting artists and urban compositions. The festival and its vast musical programme will extend across Helsinki, even in art galleries, offering something for everyone.

8/9/11 Feb Stoa Cultural Centre of Eastern Helsinki, 17:00 Turunlinnantie 1 Tickets €14/10 www.musicanova.fi MUSIC Thu 5 Feb Middle of the Winter Music Chamber music group Via Regale and musicians from the Accademia dell´arco orchestra of the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. Stoa Cultural Centre, 18:00 Turunlinnantie 1 Tickets €15/10 www.stoa.fi Thu 5 Feb Sébastien Tellier (FRA) France’s former Eurovision representative charms with his electro pop music. Tavastia Club, 20:00 Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6 Tickets €14/12.50 www.tavastiaklubi.fi Fri 6 Feb Ourvision A singing contest for immigrants, people of immigrant origins, and foreigners living in Finland. International Cultural Centre Caisa, 19:00 & 22:00

The opera Lovers of Mankind is virtually staged.

Mikonkatu 17 C Tickets €5 www.ourvision.fi Fri 6 Feb Cinta Hermo This Spanish-born flamenco singer and songwriter is an expert on world music and improvisation. Korjaamo Culture Factory, 20:00 Töölönkatu 51 A Tickets €12 www.korjaamo.fi Sat 7 Feb Reggae Snowsplash Lots of reggae-oriented music performances at Tavastia and Semifinal. Tavastia Club & Semifinal, 21:00 Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6 Tickets €15 www.tavastiaklubi.fi Sun 8 Feb M. A. Numminen & Pedro Hietanen Children’s concert. Tavastia Club, 14:00 Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6

Until Sun 8 Feb Visiting – Young Croatian Art Scene The first presentation of Croatian contemporary art in Finland. Muu Gallery Lönnrotinkatu 33 Tue-Fri 12:00-17:00 Sat-Sun 12:00-16:00 Free entrance www.muu.fi

Tickets €10.50 www.tavastiaklubi.fi Mon 9 Feb Ladies First The concert is a tribute to female composers across times. Sibelius Academy’s Wegelius Hall, 19:00 Töölönkatu 28 Free entrance www.siba.fi Tue 10 Feb Jim Campilongo (USA) A guitarist from New York. Malmitalo, 19:00 Ala-Malmin tori 1 Tickets €12 www.malmitalo.fi Tue 10 Feb Pellekaija Pum Children’s concert where an exotic bird Pellekaija Pum performs songs off their new album. Vuosaari House, 9:30 Mosaiikkitori 2 Tickets €4 www.vuotalo.fi Wed 11 Feb The Great Helsinki Swing Big Band Swing Concert featuring vocalist Annimaria Rinne and trumpetist Mika Mylläri. Malmitalo, 19:00 Ala-Malmin tori 1 Tickets €12 www.malmitalo.fi THEATRE AND DANCE Thu 5 & Wed 11 Feb Anna Karenina The ballet version of Tolstoy’s classic novel. Finnish National Ballet Helsinginkatu 58 Tickets €14-56 www.operafin.fi Thu 5 & Fri 6 Feb Fragments World-famous cult director Peter

Brook's visionary interpretation of Samuel Beckett's plays. Espoo Cultural Centre, 19:00 Kaupinkalliontie 10 Tickets €28/25/15 www.espoonteatteri.fi Fri 6 & Sat 7 Feb Choreography for Blackboards A performance installation for five performers and six blackboards. Zodiak, 17:00 Tallberginkatu 1 Tickets €20/15 www.sivuaskel.fi Sat 7 & Sun 8 Feb Quintet Circle At the centre of the artistic creation of French choreographer Boris Charmatz is the analysis of conventions and preconditions of dance, music and live performance. Cable Factory, 15:00 Tallberginkatu 1 Tickets €20/15 www.sivuaskel.fi 7/10/11/12 Feb Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth: Circus Helium Circus Helium is a one man performance that is light as helium. Cable Factory Tallberginkatu 1 A/117 Tickets €10 www.hurjaruuth.fi EXHIBITIONS Until Sun 8 Feb Black and White – Classics of Japanese Photography Depictions of landscapes and urban scenes convey the traditional Japanese way of life, as well as changes in Japanese culture. Ateneum Art Museum Kaivokatu 2 Tue & Fri 09:00-18:00 Wed-Thu 09:00-20:00 Sat-Sun 11:00-17:00 Tickets €8/6.5 www.ateneum.fi

Until Sun 15 Feb Mari Keski-Korsu: Illusion of Safety The exhibition deals with feelings of safety through video works, photographs and installations. Lasipalatsi Exhibition Space Mannerheimintie 22-24 Tue-Sun 12:00-18:00 Free entrance www.lasipalatsi.fi Until Sun 15 Feb Maria Wolfram: Paintings The main theme in Wolfram’s paintings is female identity. tm•gallery Erottajankatu 9B Tue-Fri 11:00-17:00 Sat 11:00-16:00 Sun 12:00-16:00 Free entrance www.artists.fi/painters/tmgalleria Thu 5 to Fri 27 Feb James Iles Helsinki: New Views A Welsh artist’s paintings of Helsinki landscapes. International Cultural Centre Caisa Mikonkatu 17 C Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 Free entrance www.caisa.fi Until Sun 1 Mar Henna Aaltonen: My Life as a Tourist In her photographs, Aaltonen deals with the feelings of outsiderness when travelling. Napa Gallery Eerikinkatu 18 Thu-Fri 12:00-18:00 Sat-Sun 12:00-16:00 Free entrance www.napagalleria.com Until Sun 1 Mar The Archives of an Architect – Olli Kivinen Professor Olli Kivinen had a remarkable career as a teacher, researcher and land use planner. Museum of Finnish Architecture Kasarmikatu 24 Tue & Thu-Fri 10:00-16:00 Wed 10:00-20:00 Sat-Sun 11:00-16:00 Tickets €3.5/1.7 www.mfa.fi Until Mon 2 Mar Mikael Pohjola: Works The exhibition includes three large sculptures as well as paintings and

drawings. Amos Anderson Art Museum Yrjönkatu 27 Mon, Thu, Fri 10:00- 18:00 Wed 10:00-20:00 Sat-Sun 11:00-17:00 Tickets €8/6/4 www.amosanderson.fi Until Sun 19 Apr Marita Liulia: Choosing My Religion Marita Liulia’s most recent multimedia project views the major religions of the world from multiple perspectives. Kiasma Mannerheiminaukio 2 Tue 10:00–17:00 Wed-Fri 10:00-20:30 Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00 Tickets €7/5/0 www.kiasma.fi Until Sun 30 Aug Watch Out, Gypsies! The History of a Misunderstanding A guest exhibition about the history and culture of the European Roma. Hakasalmi Villa Mannerheimintie 13 D Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00 Thu 11:00-19:00 Free entrance www.helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi OTHERS Fri 6 to Sun 8 Feb Apassionata Horse Show The Grand Voyage show combines equestrian skills with traditional dances, costumes and music. Hartwall Arena Areenankuja 1 Fri 19:30 Sat 13:00 & 18:00 Sun 13:00 Tickets €24-54 www.hartwall-areena.com Sat 7 & Sun 8 Feb Art Meets Ice International Ice Sculpture competition. Korkeasaari Zoo Mustikkamaanpolku 12 Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00 Tickets €7-12 www.korkeasaari.fi/artmeetsice Sun 8 Feb Helsinki Vintage A jubilation of vintage culture. White Hall, 11:00-18:00 Aleksanterinkatu 16-18 Tickets €9 www.helsinkivintage.fi

Film premieres in Finland Friday 6 February

Milk (USA) Director: Gus Van Sant Starring: Sean Penn, James Franco Genre: Drama Bride Wars (USA) Director: Gary Winick Starring: Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson Genre: Comedy/Romance Seven Pounds (USA) Director: Gabriele Muccino Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson Genre: Drama

solution sudoku Helsinki Zoo International Ice Sculpting Competition 31.1.-1.2.2009 and 7.2.-8.2.2009 www.artmeetsice.fi MORE TIPS FROM

www.visithelsinki.fi

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

thursday TV1 09:30 Down to Earth 11:05 News in English 11:10 Peak Practice 14:30 Doctors 15:05 Coronation Street 17:08 Peak Practice Will Beth and Jack make it to the altar? 22:35 In Treatment Alex returns to therapy after visiting Iraq. 23:00 In Treatment 23:35 The Notebook FILM Story about an all-conquering love. Based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks. Directed by Nick Cassavetes. Starring: James Garner, Gena Rowlands. USA 2004.

TV2 06:50 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:35 Happy Days 11:05 Camilla Plum – Boller af Stål 11:35 Plus belle la vie 12:00 Junk Brothers 12:50 Derrick 16:10 Schwarzwaldklinik 17:00 The Secret World of Benjamin Bear 18:00 Cooking the World Fred Chesneau travels from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo. 19:20 World Café Asia Bobby Chin learns the art of preparing ghee. 20:10 Die Kommissarin 23:55 David Nolande Part 5/6. David is tormented by hallucinations.

YLE TEEMA 17:00 Around the World in 80 Treasures DOC Part 5/10. Taj Mahal makes an impression on Professor Cruickshank. 19:00 SOAP 19:30 Backroom Heroes DOC Part 4/6. England won the Falklands war largely thanks to the V TOL Harrier fighter. 20:30 Everest ER DOC 21:00 Absolute Zero DOC SERIES BEGINS. Part 1/2. Scientists tried to reach 273,15 °C for 400 years before they finally succeeded. In English or Finnish. 22:00 Sorstalanság (Fateless) FILM Powerful movie written by Imre Kertész based on his own experiences in a concentration camp. Music by Ennio Morricone. In Hungarian. Directed by Lajos Koltai. Starring: Marcell Nagy, Béla Dóra. Hungary 2005.

Programmes on Yle Teema may be viewed in the original language(s) by changing the digital receiver’s settings.

friday

5.2. MTV3

09:35 The Young and the Restless 10:20 Emmerdale 10:45 Emmerdale 12:15 Space for Living 12:40 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 13:05 Wa$ted 13:30 The Bold and the Beautiful 14:30 New Adventures of Old Christine 15:00 Men in Trees 17:00 The Bold and the Beautiful 17:30 Emmerdale 18:00 Emmerdale 21:00 ER 22:30 Closer Paparazzi is found dead outside a fine hotel. 23:30 Deathlands (CERT15) FILM 20 years go, Ryan’s father was murdered. It’s time for Ryan to set things straight. Sci-fi flick set in a land ravaged by nuclear war. Directed by Joshua Butler. Starring: Vincent Spano, Jenya Leno, Traci Lords, Alan C. Peterson. USA 2003. 01:10 Unit

SUB 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Tractor Tom, 07:10 George of the Jungle, 07:35 Animaniacs. 11:25 Sturm der Liebe 12:45 Holiday Showdown 16:00 How I Met Your Mother 16:30 E! Entertainment: Behind the Scenes 17:00 E! Entertainment: Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood 18:05 Sturm der Liebe 19:00 My Name is Earl Earl needs somebody to love. 19:30 Will & Grace 20:00 Friends 20:30 Simpsons 21:00 Top Chef 23:00 Supernatural Sam and Dean investigate a mysterious string of robberies. 00:00 Late Night with Conan O’Brien 00:55 Peep Show 01:25 Peep Show 01:55 Génesis

TV VIISI 18:00 Home and Away Zoe is sure, who stabbed her. 18:30 Fresh Prince of Bel Air 19:00 America’s Funniest Home Videos 19:30 America’s Funniest Home Videos 20:00 Rachel Allen: Bake! SERIES BEGINS. Rachel Allen makes a lemon pie. 20:30 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter 21:00 Flashpoint 22:00 Alias Sydney tries to get over the fact that her mother was a KGB agent.

NELONEN 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Digimon Tamers, 07:25 Lazy Town, 07:55 Walter. 08:05 The Game 08:30 Birth Stories 09:00 Come Dine with Me 09:30 Newlywed, Nearly Dead 10:00 10 Years Younger USA 10:30 Take This House and Sell It! 13:00 Birth Days 13:30 Diva on a Dime 14:00 Changing Rooms 14:30 Come Dine With Me 15:00 Dr. Phil 16:05 Days of Our Lives 17:00 Kyle XY Kyle gets accustomed to the Tragers again. 781228 is coping with the outside world. 18:00 Talent USA 20:00 Stylista SERIES ENDS. Interview with the editor will decide who goes home. 21:00 Criminal Minds Body of a young woman is found in Florida and the team find themselves hunting down a serial killer with a penchant for cannibalism. 22:00 Breaking Bad Walt has to renegotiate a deal with Jesse. 23:20 Frasier Frasier isn’t welcome at his cousin’s wedding because his aunt can’t stand him. 23:50 The Office Michael does his best to avoid work.

JIM 15:15 Stunt Junkies 15:45 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 16:15 Design Remix 16:45 Trigged Out 17:10 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 18:00 Banzuke 18:30 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 19:00 DIY Tools & Techniques 19:30 Save My Bath 20:00 Against All Odds SERIES BEGINS. Stories about people who have faced certain death and survived. 21:00 Digging for the Truth: Mummies of the Clouds DOC Before the Incas, the Chachapoyas were a force to be reckoned with in the Andies. 22:00 Contender 23:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 23:50 Inside: Super Carrier DOC 00:50 Extreme Evidence (CERT 15)

Deathlands. MT V3 at 23:30

SELECTION OF ENGLISH PROGRAMMES ON FINNISH TELEVISION 6.2.

TV1 09:30 Down to Earth 11:05 News in English 11:10 Peak Practice 14:30 Doctors 15:05 Coronation Street David lies to the principal. 17:08 Peak Practice 19:00 Heartbeat Rob has his eye on a pretty nurse. 22:00 The Street Part 5/18. Eddie’s helpfulness puts him in harm’s way. 23:50 William & Mary

TV2 06:50 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:35 Laurel & Hardy Laughtoons 10:55 World Café Asia 11:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Women’s downhill. Commentary in Finnish. 13:20 Derrick 14:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Women’s slalom. Commentary in Finnish. 16:35 Building the Ultimate Racing Car DOC 18:00 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Highlights. Commentary in Finnish. 22:05 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 22:50 Sopranos (CERT15) Tony tells Dr. Melfi he hates happy people. Meadow studies hard. 00:10 Sin City Law (CERT15)

YLE TEEMA 17:15 Forever Young DOC Aging Indian rock legend arranges a party in honor of Bob Dylan every year in the village of Shillong. In English and in Hindi. Directed by Ranjan Palit. India 2007. 18:15 Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture DOC Part 3/8. Dan Cruickshank visits a variety of paradises on earth. 20:00 Forsyte Saga Part 4/13. Soames and Bosinney square off. 21:00 Mystères d'archives: Marilyn Monroe en Corée (Mysteries of the Archives) Available in Finnish and French. 22:15 The Fearless Vampire Killers (CERT15) FILM Horror comedy about vampire hunting in wintery Transsilvania. Directed by Roman Polanski. Starring: Jack McGowran, Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate. USA 1966. 00:00 Master and Margaritha Bezdomnyi talks to Professor Stravinski about his strange experiences.

Absolute Zero

Deep Impact

Scientists and philosophers have been fascinated by the concept of extreme cold for nearly 400 years. –273.15°C became something of a Holy Grail for physicists, who wanted to know what would happen when temperatures dropped below levels that occur naturally. The search for absolute zero was conducted by some extraordinary characters – among them a 17th century magician thanks to whom Westminster Abbey has air-conditioning and a Captain named Birdseye, who can be held responsible for frozen food. The race to reach extremely low temperatures has yielded surprisingly many practical applications. Absolute Zero is based on the book Absolute Zero and the Conquest of Cold, by Tom Schachtman.

An 11-kilometer-wide comet, which will destroy all life on Earth on impact, approaches fast. Washington-based reporter Jenny Lerner, played by Téa Leoni, gets a whiff of this and the government is forced to make the knowledge public. Humanity, i.e. the Russians and the Americans, is brought together to destroy the hostile chunk of stone. Deep Impact was released at about the same time as Armageddon. Although the scientific community felt that the former was the more accurate description of impending doom on a global scale and the critics liked it more, at the box office Armageddon won hands down. Deep Impact’s cast lacks stars such as Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck, but of the two catastrophe flicks, this is the better one.

Yle Teema at 21:00 Thu

MTV3 at 22:35 Fri

MTV3 09:35 The Young and the Restless 10:20 Emmerdale 10:45 Emmerdale 12:15 Space for Living 12:40 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 13:05 Wa$ted 13:30 The Bold and the Beautiful 14:30 Suddenly Susan SERIES BEGINS. Susan escapes from her own wedding to start a new life. 17:00 The Bold and the Beautiful 17:30 Emmerdale 18:00 Emmerdale 21:00 Without a Trace Weatherman goes missing. 22:35 Deep Impact FILM Pandemonium ensues when people find out about a comet approaching earth. Directed by Mimi Leder. Starring: Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood, Vanessa Redgrave. USA 1998. 00:55 Smallville

SUB 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Tractor Tom, 07:10 George of the Jungle, 07:35 Animaniacs. 11:25 Sturm der Liebe 16:00 How I Met Your Mother 16:30 E! Entertainment: E! News Weekend 18:05 Sturm der Liebe 19:30 Will & Grace 20:00 Friends 20:30 Simpsons 22:00 Bones 23:00 C.S.I. Catherine, Nick and Sara are led into the strange world of television entertainment. 00:00 Late Night with Conan O’Brien 01:25 Skins 02:20 Katie & Peter – The Baby Diaries

NELONEN 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Digimon Tamers, 07:25 Lazy Town, 07:50 Walter. 08:05 The Game 08:30 Birth Stories 09:00 Come Dine with Me 09:30 Birth Days 10:00 Diva on a Dime 10:30 Changing Rooms 13:00 Birth Days 13:30 What Women Really Want 14:00 Selling Houses 14:30 Come Dine with Me 15:00 Dr. Phil 16:05 Days of Our Lives 17:00 Kyle XY Kyle works hard with Tom Foss. 18:00 Talent USA 21:00 Four Brothers (CERT15) FILM Four brothers take the law into their own hands as they search for a murderer. Directed by John Singleton. Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin. USA 2005. 23:35 Tudors Cardinal Wolsey travels to Paris, while Norfolk and Boleyn scheme in England. 00:45 Choses secretes (Secret Things) (CERT15) FILM Two friends use sex to get ahead in the world. In French. Directed by JeanClaude Brisseau. Starring: Coralie Revel, Sabrina Seyvecou. France 2002.

The Fearless Vampire Killers. YLE TEEMA at 22:15

TV VIISI 18:00 Home and Away 18:30 Fresh Prince of Bel Air 19:00 America’s Funniest Home Videos 19:30 America’s Funniest Home Videos 20:00 Heist FILM Group of criminals steal a shipment of gold. Directed by David Mamet. Starring: Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Ricki Jay. USA 2001. 23:00 Secret Lives of Women

Forever Young. YLE TEEMA at 17:15

JIM 15:15 Stunt Junkies 15:45 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 16:15 DIY Tools & Techniques 16:45 Save My Bath 17:10 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 18:00 Canadian Sportsfishing 18:30 Skier’s World 19:00 Wasted Spaces SERIES CONTINUES. Mwang family living room gets a make-over. 19:30 Carter Can 20:00 Police Interceptors Car thief keeps going – even with shredded tyres. 21:00 Parole Board (CERT 15) DOC Missouri parole board is faced with a man, who burned down a church. 22:00 Miami Ink 23:00 Banzuke 00:00 Most Daring Rescues 01:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

saturday TV1

HELSINKI TIMES

sunday

7.2. MTV3

08:05 Ferrets: Pursuit of Excellence DOC 14:10 Keeping Up Appearances 14:40 Los Serrano 16:00 Holby City 18:20 Mumbai Calling Part 6/7. Kenny thinks he’s going home. 19:45 Monk Monk befriends a man. 22:35 Lucky Louie (CERT15) 22:55 The Thick of It Part 4/6. The world of politics is brutal.

TV2 07:45 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:00 The Moomins. 11:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Men’s downhill. Commentary in Finnish. 15:20 Nordic combined World Cup SPORT Ski jumping and men’s 10 km. Commentary in Finnish. 18:00 Athletics SPORT Indoor games from Tampere. Commentary in Finnish. 20:50 Ein Fall für Zwei 22:05 Open Water (CERT15) FILM Sharks attack two divers left stranded out at sea. Based on a true story. Directed by Chris Kentis. Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis. USA 2003. 23:25 The Border 00:10 The Best of the Grammy Awards

YLE TEEMA 11:00 Cidade dos Homens 12:00 Elliot Carter – A Labyrinth of Time DOC Portrait of one of the most influential contemporary composers. 13:05 Lucerne Festival Orchestra with Brendel & Abbado 14:50 Forever Young DOC 15:50 Everest ER DOC 17:20 World in View: Fighting Cancer DOC War against cancer has been waged for decades. 19:10 Prestuplenie i nakazanie (Crime and Punishment) 20:05 Dan Cruickshank’s Adventures in Architecture DOC Part 4/8. Architectural masterpieces can be turned to rubble very quickly. Cruickshank visits Dresden.

Ocean’s Twelve. MT V3 at 22:25

NELONEN

07:55 Cartoons for Children 07:55 Dora The Explorer, 08:25 Viva Piñata, 08:40 Powerpuff Girls, 09:05 Pokémon, 09:30 Zorro, 09:55 Woody Woodpecker. In Finnish. 10:25 Hannah Montana 11:30 Freestyle SPORT Snowboarding. Commentary in Finnish. 14:05 Radiophobia DOC Chernobyl disaster turned Pripjat into a ghost town. Inhabitants return to see their old homes. 15:05 Babe FILM Comedy about a pig who thinks it’s a dog. Directed by Chris Noonan. Starring: James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski. Australia 1995. 16:55 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker sets off to save Padmé, who is being held on board the Malevolence. 17:55 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares 21:00 Survivor 22:25 Ocean’s Twelve FILM Daniel Ocean and his crew have to get their hands on $200 million. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Catherine ZetaJones. USA/Australia 2004. 00:50 Mystére

11:30 Volvo Ocean Race 13:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 16:40 Hope Springs FILM British artist is caught between two women. Comedy directed by Mark Herman. Starring: Colin Firth, Heather Graham. USA/UK 2003 18:30 America’s Next Top Model 20:00 American Gladiators 21:00 Dracula: Dead and Loving It FILM Count Dracula travels to England with a British businessman. Directed by Mel Brooks. Starring Leslie Nielsen, Peter MacNicol. USA 1995.

Dracula: Dead and Loving It. NELONEN at 21:00 23:15 Las Vegas 00:15 The Anniversary Party (CERT15) FILM Surprising present disrupts an anniversary party. Directed by Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh. Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Cumming. USA 2001.

SUB

JIM

13:00 Australian Princess SERIES BEGINS. Australian girls compete in a reality show. Who’ll make the best princess? 14:00 E! Entertainment: How Do I Look 14:55 E! Entertainment: The Big Party Plan-Off 16:00 World’s Greenest Homes 17:00 Instant Star 20:00 Real Housewives of New York City 21:00 C.S.I. Miami Petty criminal is murdered and the trail leads to the upper echelons of Miami’s underworld. 22:00 Most Haunted 00:30 Murder (CERT15) 01:25 Stargate SG1 02:15 X Files

10:20 Hooked on Fishing 10:50 House Hunters International 11:15 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 11:45 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 12:15 Good Eats 12:45 Stuntdawgs 13:15 Human Weapon – MMA DOC 14:05 Dangerous Encounters 15:05 America: The Wright Way 16:00 Canadian Sportfishing 16:30 Skier’s World 17:00 Wasted Spaces 17:30 Carter Can 18:00 Hidden Potential 18:30 Ace of Cakes 19:00 Rip + Renew 19:30 Dream Builders 20:00 Border Security 20:30 Crime Museum: Craig & Bentley Christopher Craig (16) shot a police officer after a botched robbery. His accomplice Derek Bentley (19) went to the gallows for it. 21:00 The Final Report: Exxon Valdez DOC 22:00 Crime Scene Academy (CERT15) 23:00 Banzuke 00:00 Most Shocking (CERT 15) 01:00 Speeders 01:30 Fifth Gear 02:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!

TV VIISI 18:00 Rachel Allen: Bake! 18:30 Fresh Prince of Bel Air 19:00 America’s Funniest Home Videos 19:30 America’s Funniest Home Videos 21:00 Exit Wounds (CERT15) FILM Cop stumbles onto police corruption. Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak. Starring: DMX, Steven Seagal. USA 2001. 23:00 Flashpoint

LIVE SPORT

L E H T I K U VA / R E U T E R S /J U M A N A H E L H E L O U E H

TV1

MTV3

12:30 Last of the Summer Wine 14:45 Los Serrano 17:08 Gilmore Girls Rory studies obsessively. 18:20 HairWorld: The Pursuit of Excellence DOC Fascinating look at hairstyling at the top level. 22:15 Nesser’s Van Veeteren (CERT 15) 23:05 Absolutely Fabulous

TV2 07:45 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:00 The Moomins. 11:10 Nordic combined World Cup SPORT Team competition. Commentary in Finnish. 12:52 Dancing SPORT Open competition from Tampere. Commentary in Finnish. 13:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Women’s downhill. Commentary in Finnish. 16:10 Wrestling SPORT Finnish championships. Commentary in Finnish. 19:10 The Colour of Magic FILM Humourous fantasy adventure based on Terry Pratchett’s books. Directed by Vadim Jean. Starring: David Jason, Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons. UK 2008. 20:55 Elisa di Rivombrosa 23:35 Skithouse 01:05 Sopranos (CERT15)

YLE TEEMA 09:50 Prestuplenie i nakazanie (Crime and Punishment) 10:45 Cuéntame cómo pasó 14:20 Mystères d’archives: Marilyn Monroe en Corée (Mysteries of the Archives) Available in French and Finnish. 14:45 Absolute Zero DOC SERIES BEGINS. Part 1/2. Documentary about the search for extremely low temperatures. 15:45 SOAP 16:10 Forsyte Saga Part 4/13. Soames and Bosinney square off. 18:00 Gone with the Wind FILM Tale of larger-than-life love in the old south. Directed by Victor Fleming. Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh. USA 1939.

Gone with the Wind. YLE Teema at 18:00

HairWorld: The Pursuit of Excellence

Wednesday 11.2. 22:45 Portugal-Finland, International Match (T V VIISI)

This documentary follows Team USA as it prepares for and participates in the 31st HairWorld Championships in Moscow, Russia, where 800 contestants from 50 countries fight for glory and prizes. Months and months of rigorous training with a dazzling variety of scissors, combs, hairsprays and other hairstyling paraphernalia are needed before the contestants are ready to face the toughest competition in the field of hairstyling. Directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Mark Lewis, HairWorld: The Pursuit of Excellence looks at hairstyling as a sport, and a team sport at that, which results in a very interesting and fun documentary.

C+S1/2/E = Canal+ Sport 1/2/Extra, U(+) = Urheilukanava(+)

TV1 at 18:20 Sun

Thursday 5.2. 18:55 Czech Republic-Finland, Euro Hockey Tour (MT V3 MAX) 20:25 Russia-Sweden, Euro Hockey Tour (MT V3 MAX) Saturday 7.2. 12:55 Finland-Russia, Euro Hockey Tour (MT V3 MAX) 16:25 Sweden-Czech Republic, Euro Hockey Tour (MT V3 MAX) 16:55 Chelsea-Hull, Premierleague (C+S1) 18:55 Lecce-Inter, Serie A (C+S2) 19:25 Portsmouth-Liverpool, Premierleague (C+S1) 19:55 Nantes-PSG, Ligue 1 (U+) 21:25 Milan-Reggina, Serie A (C+S1) Sunday 8.2. 12:55 Czech Republic-Russia, Euro Hockey Tour (MT V3 MAX) 15.25 Tottenham-Arsenal, Premierleague (C+S1) 15.55 Fiorentina-Lazio, Premierleague (C+S2) 16:25 Sweden-Finland, Euro Hockey Tour (MT V3 MAX) 17.55 West Ham-Manchester United, Premierleague (C+S1) 17.55 Nice-Lyon, Premierleague (U) 21.55 Osasuna-Valencia, Premierleague (U)

SELECTION OF ENGLISH PROGRAMMES ON FINNISH TELEVISION 8.2.

07:20 Cartoons for Children 07:20 Roofters, 07:35 Monster Allergy, 08:05 Bakugan, 08:55 Batman. In Finnish. 12:40 According to Jim 13:10 Nutty Professor II: The Klumps FILM Sherman Klump is getting married. What will his evil alter ego Buddy Love do? Directed by Peter Segal. Starring: Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller, John Ales. USA 2000. 15:15 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup SPORT Continued at 16:35. Commentary in Finnish. 17:25 Candid Camera 21:00 Amazing Race Nine remaining teams reach Hanoi, where they have to find a prison known as the Hanoi Hilton. 22:35 In Plain Sight 23:30 K-Ville SERIES ENDS. Martin Boulet and Trevor Cobb are ordered to babysit a professional football player.

SUB 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:00

Futurama Family Guy King of the Hill Dog the Bounty Hunter Instant Star Xena: Warrior Princess Pepper Dennis Holiday Showdown Hot Properties Katie & Peter – The Baby Diaries 18:00 American Idol 19:00 Make Me a Supermodel Lingerie shoot puts the models’ professionalism to the test. 20:00 Peep Show 20:35 That Mitchell and Webb Look 22:05 Entourage 22:40 The Mentalists DOC Brit Ben Pridmore participates in the memory world championships in Bahrain. 00:10 Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps 00:45 Supernatural

NELONEN 08:20 Jamie at Home 09:25 Colin & Justin’s Home Heist 10:25 Jeff Corwin Experience 12:30 Dr. Phil 13:30 Frasier Four episodes of Frasier. 15:30 Whistler 16:25 Wildfire Wild horses pay a visit to the Raintree farm. 17:20 Brainiac: Science Abuse What is the world’s strongest bat? 18:15 Greatest American Dog SERIES BEGINS. Twelve dogs and their owners battle it out to see, whose dog is the best. 23:25 Lost (CERT15)

JIM 09:55 24 Hour Design 10:50 Hooked on Fishing 11:20 House Hunters International 11:45 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 12:15 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 12:40 Corkscrewed 13:05 Mighty Movers 14:00 Flip This House 14:50 A Bikeography 15:15 American Hot Rod 16:10 Kings of Construction Jet Blue builds a new terminal capable of handling 20 million passengers annually. 17:00 Digging for the Truth: Mummies of the Clouds DOC 18:00 Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern 19:00 Cooked 19:30 My Country, My Kitchen It never rains in southern California and apparently the food is excellent as well. 20:00 Destination Truth Josh searches for the Burrunjor, a mythical reptile in Australia and hunts for ghosts in a cave in Java. 21:00 Biography: Hillary Clinton DOC Politically speaking, Hillary Clinton was the most active first lady in American history.

TV VIISI 18:00 Biography: Leonardo DiCaprio 19:00 The Mighty Ducks FILM Lawyer coaches a hockey team with amazing results. Directed by Stephen Herek. Starring: Joss Ackland, Emilio Estevez. USA 1992. 21:00 Outrageous Fortune Cheryl tries to turn the members of the West crime family into law abiding citizens. 22:00 Paranormal State Shannon and Jeff live in a haunted old school. 22:30 Farscape 23:30 The Friday Night Project

Biography: Hillary Clinton. JIM at 21:00 22:00 Crime Investigation Australia Heart surgeon is gunned down for no apparent reason. 23:30 Contender 00:30 Parole Board (CERT15)

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

HELSINKI TIMES

monday TV1

MTV3

09:30 Down to Earth 11:05 YLE News 11:10 Peak Practice 14:30 Doctors 15:05 Coronation Street Sean waits for his mother to return. Craig and David share their troubles. 17:08 Peak Practice Police come knocking on Alice’s door.

Lazy Town. Nelonen at 07:25

TV2 06:50 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Men’s downhill. Commentary in Finnish. 12:35 Elisa di Rivombrosa 14:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Men’s slalom. Commentary in Finnish. 16:10 McLeod’s Daughters Matt fears there’s killer after him. Jodi is devastated. 18:00 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Highlights. Commentary in Finnish. 19:20 Vroom Vroom Emma Parker Bowles goes rallying in a Mini. 22:05 The Border Heroin floods to Toronto from Africa. Unfortunately, some of it is lethal. 22:50 Third Watch Yokas has problems with her daughter and Ty gets a job offer.

YLE TEEMA 19:00 Cuéntame cómo pasó 22:05 Bom, yeoreum, gaeul, gyewool, geurigo bom (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring) FILM Philosophical movie about the life of a Buddhist monk. Directed by Ki-duk Kim. Starring: Oh Young-soo, Kim Jong-ho, Seo Jae-kyeong. Korea 2003. 23:45 Backroom Heroes DOC V TOL Harrier was a revolutionary jet fighter when it was introduced and is still widely used today.

tuesday

9.2. 09:35 The Young and the Restless 10:20 Emmerdale 10:45 Emmerdale 12:15 Space for Living 12:40 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 13:05 Wa$ted 13:30 The Bold and the Beautiful 14:30 Two and a Half Men 15:00 L.A. Law 17:00 The Bold and the Beautiful 17:30 Emmerdale 18:00 Emmerdale 21:00 Life Dani and Charlie hear about a violent crime, but face a moral dilemma. 22:30 Fringe Seriously ill woman goes missing and returns spreading deadly radiation everywhere she goes. 23:35 Psych Civil war re-enactments and live ammo don’t mix. 00:30 Survivor

SUB 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Tractor Tom, 07:10 George of the Jungle, 07:35 Animaniacs. 11:25 Sturm der Liebe 15:40 Project Runway SERIES BEGINS. Fashion designers compete against each other. 16:30 E! Entertainment: Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? 18:05 American Idol 19:00 Freddie SERIES BEGINS. Freddie, a young bachelor, finds himself in a predicament when his sister, niece and grandmother move in with him. 19:30 Will & Grace 20:00 My Name is Earl 20:30 Simpsons 21:00 Johnny English FILM Secret agent goes from blunder to blunder. Directed by Peter Howitt. Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Tasha de Vasconcelos, Ben Miller, Greg Wise. USA 2003. 23:00 E! Entertainment: Pam: Girl on the Loose 23:30 The Mentalists DOC 00:30 Late Night with Conan O’Brien 01:25 E-Ring

TV VIISI 18:00 Home and Away 18:30 Fresh Prince of Bel Air 19:00 America’s Funniest Home Videos 19:30 America’s Funniest Home Videos 20:00 Airline Easyjet staff get their fair share of difficult customers. 20:30 Big Spender Josh is a good father but can’t handle money to save his life. 21:00 Intervention 22:00 Secret Lives of Women 23:00 X-Weighted

NELONEN 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Digimon Tamers, 07:25 Lazy Town, 07:50 Walter. 08:05 The Game 08:30 Birth Stories 09:00 Come Dine With Me 09:30 Birth Days 10:00 What Women Really Want 10:30 Selling Houses 13:00 Baby Squad 13:30 10 Years Younger USA 14:00 Open House 14:30 Come Dine With Me 15:00 Dr. Phil 16:05 Days of Our Lives Only Billie believes Chelsea. 17:00 Kyle XY Kyle divides his time between his family and his new hobby. Josh really wants a new car. 18:00 Talent USA 20:00 Ugly Betty 21:00 Desperate Housewives 22:00 Californication (CERT15) 22:35 Weeds (CERT15) Andy returns to Agrestic. Nancy is involved in an incident with U-Turn. Silas turns out to be an excellent sales person. 23:30 Frasier Handsome new employee turns the radio station upside down. Frasier feels threatened. 00:00 Day Break Hopper finally sees day break.

JIM 14:50 Stunt Junkies 15:50 Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Andrew eats goat testes. 16:40 Ultimate Gambler 17:05 Cooked 17:35 My Country, My Kitchen It never rains in Southern California and apparently the food is good too. 18:00 Banzuke 18:30 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody Leon tries to get to Trinidad, Colorado. The journey is taking ages. 19:00 Cool Tools 19:30 Hidden Potential Keith and Michelle have had a baby and need a new apartment. 20:00 Most Daring Rescues 21:00 Suffolk Strangler (CERT15) DOC Five prostitutes were murdered in quick succession near Ipswich in 2006. How did the police catch the serial killer behind the murders? 22:30 Speeders 23:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 23:50 Biography: Hillary Clinton DOC 00:50 Extreme Evidence (CERT15) Close to a hundred vehicles were involved in a massive accident caused by thick fog.

TV1

10.2.

SELECTION OF ENGLISH PROGRAMMES ON FINNISH TELEVISION

MTV3

09:30 Down to Earth 11:05 YLE News 11:10 Peak Practice 14:30 Doctors Jude's patient wants plastic surgery. 15:05 Coronation Street Sean gets an answer, but it’s not the right one. Steve has big plans. 17:08 Peak Practice Jack takes part in a dangerous rescue operation. 19:00 Last of the Summer Wine It’s Marina’s birthday and Howard is having problems finding a nice present. 19:30 Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe DOC Part 4/13. Grizzly bears in Alaska. 21:00 Sense and Sensibility Part 3/3. Marianne’s heart is broken. Elinor fears for her sister. 21:55 In Treatment Jake and Amy are just about to reach an understanding, when something surprising happens. 22:20 In Treatment Paul returns to Gina. 22:55 The Street Part 5/18. Eddie is a cabbie, who takes unnecessary risks.

TV2 06:50 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:35 Happy Days 11:00 Kylie Kwong: My China 11:30 Animal Hospital 12:00 Vroom Vroom 16:10 McLeod’s Daughters Jodi and Matt are dead and Kate pulls out all the stops to find the guilty party. 22:05 Memphis Belle FILM American heavy bomber crew’s last mission before their tour of duty ends. Directed by Michael CatonJones. Starring: Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan, John Lithgow. USA 1990. 00:20 Skithouse

09:35 The Young and the Restless 10:20 Emmerdale 10:45 Emmerdale 12:15 Space for Living 12:40 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 13:05 Wa$ted 13:30 The Bold and the Beautiful 14:30 Alf 15:00 Windfall 17:00 The Bold and the Beautiful 17:30 Emmerdale 20:00 Private Practice 21:00 Lipstick Jungle Wendy tries to help Shane find work. 22:30 C.S.I. New York 23:30 C.S.I. New York Hawkes is accused of killing a barman. 00:30 Man Stroke Woman

Danny: My Secret Female Body. Nelonen at 22:00

SUB 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Tractor Tom, 07:10 George of the Jungle, 07:35 Animaniacs. 11:55 World’s Greenest Homes 15:40 Project Runway 16:30 E! Entertainment: Denise Richards 17:00 E! Entertainment: Battle of the Hollywood Hotties 18:05 Sturm der Liebe 19:00 Freddie 19:30 Will & Grace 20:00 Friends 20:30 Simpsons Homer and Marge go missing. 21:00 O.C. Ryan is expelled from school. Oliver’s true intentions are revealed to Marissa. 22:00 Pushing Daisies Ned, Chuck and Emerson find themselves chasing after an one-armed bandit. 23:00 Génesis 00:00 Late Night with Conan O’Brien

TV VIISI

Memphis Belle. T V2 at 22:05

YLE TEEMA 19:00 Cidade dos Homens 19:35 Little Mosque on the Prairie

18:00 Home and Away 18:30 Fresh Prince of Bel Air 19:00 America’s Funniest Home Videos 19:30 America’s Funniest Home Videos 20:00 X-Weighted 21:00 Packed to the Rafters 22:00 Minor accomplishments of Jackie Woodman Both Jackie and Tara find perfect men. 22:30 Friday Night Project 23:00 Moonlighting David and Maddie try to cheer up Agnes.

NELONEN 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Digimon Tamers, 07:25 Lazy Town, 07:55 Walter. 08:05 The Game 08:30 Birth Stories 09:00 Come Dine with Me 09:30 Baby Squad 10:00 10 Years Younger USA 10:30 Open House 13:00 Newlywed, Nearly Dead 13:30 10 Years Younger USA 14:00 Open House 14:30 Come Dine with Me 15:00 Dr. Phil 16:05 Days of Our Lives 17:00 Kyle XY New patient, Jess needs therapy. 18:00 Talent USA 20:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 21:00 Navy NCIS Two NCIS agents die in an explosion as terrorists attempt to disrupt a peace conference. 22:00 Danny: My Secret Female Body DOC Danny, a female-to-male transsexual, was born as Katie and has lived like a man for years. 23:30 Frasier Bulldog stops an armed robbery by accident. 00:30 South Park (CERT15) Scott Tenorman fools Cartman into buying his pubic hair. Eric is livid. 01:00 South Park (CERT15)

South Park. Nelonen at 00:30

JIM 15:15 Stunt Junkies 15:45 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 16:15 Cool Tools 16:40 Hidden Potential 17:10 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 18:00 Banzuke 18:30 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody Leon has to work for his food. 19:00 Over Your Head 19:30 Make a Move 20:00 Re-Inventors 20:30 How It’s Made 21:00 Porn Star: Legend of Ron Jeremy (CERT15) DOC The story of an unlikely porn star. 22:00 Build It Bigger 23:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 23:50 Suffolk Strangler (CERT15) DOC 00:50 Extreme Evidence (CERT15)

Johnny English The only thing standing between the English crown and a megalomaniac French tycoon is Johnny English, a secret agent whose utter incompetence in the field is matched only by his ability to make people laugh. English leaves a trail of destruction in his wake and his less colourful and more able partner is left to pick up the pieces. A Bond parody is never complete without the feminine element, which in this case is a beautiful spyess thrown into the mix to confuse English even further. Two people make this flick work: Rowan Atkinson as Johnny English is positively hilarious and makes you want to dig out your Black Adder DVD’s while John Malkovich is great as the evil French genius, whose accent is beyond words.

SUB at 21:00 Mon

runs a column series Expat views with rotating expat column writers and we are interested in your experiences. Share your funny, memorable, frustrating or great experiences of Finland with our readers. Please send us a brief email to heidi@helsinkitimes.fi with a piece of information about yourself and what kind of experiences you would like to write about and we will give you more information on how to proceed with your story.

Helsinki Times Oy Vilhonvuorenkatu 11 B 00500 Helsinki www.helsinkitimes.fi

TV GUIDE

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

wednesday TV1

Thu 2/5

11.2.

MTV3

HELSINKI TIMES

−20 −14

NELONEN

−16 09:30 Down to Earth 11:05 YLE News 11:10 Peak Practice 14:30 Doctors Kate visits Helen and the consequences are surprising. 15:05 Coronation Street Steve and Lloyd are nearly at each other’s throats. 17:08 Peak Practice Isabel tells Beth the shocking news. Alice ends up in the hospital. 19:00 Keeping Up Appearances Hyacinth sees a man at Liz’s door. What’s going on? 22:00 Stolen Babies, Stolen Lives DOC Hundreds of children were taken from their mothers during the civil war in Argentine. In French, English and Spanish.

TV2 06:50 Pikku Kakkonen Cartoons for children in Finnish. 10:35 Happy Days 11:00 Mat med Niklas 11:45 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Super-G. Live from Val d’Isere. Commentary in Finnish. 14:50 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Slalom. Live from Val d’Isere. Commentary in Finnish. 16:10 McLeod’s Daughters Regan meets her sister Grace and tries to make amends. Kate goes to work leaving Marcus baffled. 17:00 The Secret World of Benjamin Bear 18:00 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup SPORT Highlights from Val d’Isere. Commentary in Finnish. 20:00 Mr. Bean Mr. Bean nearly misses his dentist appointment.

YLE TEEMA 16:30 Sleep Clinic DOC 19:00 Peter the Great SERIES BEGINS. Part 1/4. Emmy Award-winning miniseries about the life of Peter the Great, who wanted to turn feudal Russia into a modern state. Starring: Maximillian Schell, Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif, Lawrence Olivier. 20:35 Jasper Morello Man tries to save his wife, who is dying of the plague. Directed by Anthony Lucas. 22:00 Little Mosque on the Prairie Sarah gets herself in trouble. 23:10 Yle Live: Pallas A performance by the Scottish neo-progressive rockband Pallas.

09:35 The Young and the Restless 10:20 Emmerdale 12:15 Space for Living 12:40 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 13:05 Wa$ted 13:30 The Bold and the Beautiful 14:30 How I Met Your Mother 15:00 Northern Exposure 17:00 The Bold and the Beautiful 17:30 Emmerdale The Dingles return home. 18:00 Emmerdale 21:00 C.S.I. Team runs into trouble as they investigate the death of a young girl. 22:30 Ice Road Truckers TJ crashes a brand new vehicle. 23:30 Mythbusters 00:35 3rd Rock From the Sun

SUB 07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Tractor Tom, 07:10 George of the Jungle, 07:35 Animaniacs. 11:25 Sturm der Liebe 15:40 Project Runway 16:30 E! Entertainment: Living Lohan SERIES BEGINS. Reality show about Lindsay Lohan's mother. 17:00 E! Entertainment: Keeping Up with the Kardashians 18:05 Sturm der Liebe 19:00 Freddie Sophia’s ex-boyfriend comes to the restaurant. 19:30 Will & Grace 20:00 Friends 20:30 Simpsons 21:00 Shi gan (Time) (CERT13) FILM Desperate woman undergoes plastic surgery to rejuvenate her relationship with her husband. In Korean. Directed by Kim Ki-Duk. Starring: Sung Hyun-Ah, Ha Jung-Woo, Park Ji-Yeon. South Korea/Japan 2006. 23:00 Heroes Matt’s client is being chased by an assassin. 00:00 Late Night with Conan O’Brien 00:55 Wire

TV VIISI 18:00 Home and Away Hayley decides to find out if Lisa has been keeping things from Scott. 18:30 Fresh Prince of Bel Air 19:00 America’s Funniest Home Videos 19:30 America’s Funniest Home Videos 21:00 Outback Jack Four down and eight to go. The girls learn how to catch fish with their bare hands. 22:00 Scrubs 22:45 Football SPORT Portugal-Finland. Commentary in Finnish.

07:00 Cartoons for Children In Finnish. 07:00 Digimon Tamers, 07:25 Lazy Town, 07:50 Walter. 08:05 The Game 08:30 Birth Stories 09:00 Come Dine with Me 09:30 Newlywed, Nearly Dead 10:00 10 Years Younger USA 10:30 Open House 13:00 Newlywed, Nearly Dead 13:30 10 Years Younger USA 14:00 Staying Put 14:30 Come Dine with Me 15:00 Dr. Phil 16:05 Days of Our Lives Steve and Billie find they have a lot in common. 17:00 Kyle XY Kyle tries to decipher a strange message. 18:00 Talent USA 20:00 The Bachelor Girls visit Brad’s family. The bachelor must decide between the two remaining women. 21:00 Grey’s Anatomy Webber’s announcement causes friction. 22:00 Mad Men Duck wants to hire new people. 23:20 Frasier Frasier is having an affair with a young artist. 23:55 Lincoln Heights Eddie shoots Donelle and is placed under investigation. 00:50 Dirt Murder of a teenage girl causes a stir in the paper.

Thu 2/5

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+1 +1

JIM

Mon 2/9

15:15 Stunt Junkies 15:45 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 16:15 Over Your Head 16:40 Dream Builders 17:10 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 18:00 Banzuke 18:30 Amazing Adventures of a Nobody 19:00 Design Remix 19:30 Trigged Out 20:30 Fifth Gear 21:00 Modern Marvels: Alaskan Fishing DOC Ultramodern trawler tries to find fish in treacherous waters. 22:00 American Hot Rod 23:05 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 23:50 Porn Star: Legend of Ron Jeremy (CERT15) DOC 00:55 Extreme Evidence (CERT15)

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+17

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+13

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+32

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+20

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+34

+31

+28

+25

+14

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+30

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+30

−2

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−1 Peter the Great. YLE Teema at 19:00

American Suicidal NICK BARLOW

If you’re not a fan of rants, read no further. Regular readers of this column might have noticed that there are few things on the box that irk me more than ‘reality’ shows. The latest American Idol is a perfect example of why such shows induce despair. Much like the previous seven seasons, the new series is a mixture of ritual humiliation, emotional freakshows, desperate celebrity wannabes and unconstrained smugitude. As you probably know, the show visits various cities, in each one of which they are met by hordes of screaming idiots, all convinced they have at least

−3

a chance of becoming rich and famous. Naturally, the vast majority are absolute no-hopers who would have more luck becoming the personal valet to Tarja Halonen than winning the contest. This is fantastic luck for the producers of the show, as it means they can pick and choose some really sad cases who if they had any friends would have been persuaded long ago not to go on telly and make fools of themselves in front of half the planet. Every now and again we get a ‘deserving case’, normally introduced as someone who has come back from the most debilitating set of circumstances known to man but has still achieved their dream of appearing on Idol. Last week there was a blind bloke who could sing really well and got a high sympathy rating from the judges,

Thursday 2/5 8:26 am 4:42 pm

8:53 am 4:11 pm

8:38 am 4:52 pm

9:05 am 3:59 pm

8:38 am 4:41 pm

9:34 am 3:20 pm

but you just know he’s not going to win in the end because, well, he’s blind, and looked a bit weird, and who wants some funny-looking fellow with a white stick on an album cover, anyway? Still, maybe the holiday to Hollywood will make up for the fact he lost his sight at the age of five. The judges themselves are the worst, in particular King of Self-Righteousness Simon Cowell - giving Brits a bad name since 2002. Many contestants say to his face that they are looking to impress him in particular, thus giving us the opportunity to watch his already fat head swelling even more. There’s probably a valve in the back they open up at the end of each show, just to let all the conceit out of his noggin. He spends all his time either smirking at rubbish performers

or watching dollar signs flash in front of his eyes. The new judge for this season is Kara DioGuardi, who I’d never heard of before this show and, God willing, never will again. Apparently she’s a songwriter but also has less personality than a peanut, and brings her own unique brand of vacuity to the party. The basic fact is that the presenters and producers couldn’t care less about the wannabes as individuals; they’re only interested in making money out of them, and do so by tapping into our acquired habit of laughing at people who are ‘different,’ and getting us to vote for those who fit the profile of what a celebrity should be. And to think we need to pay for a TV licence to watch this.

Sub at 18:00 Stat and Sun

CLASSIFIEDS & SERVICES

HELSINKI TIMES

DENTAL CARE

Dental care centre

tel. 726 2266 Emergency duty

24 h

Eurohammas Hämeentie 60

We offer you kind and professional service. Our dentist: Mikko Larjomaa.

OUR SPECIAL PRICES Tooth-coloured filling from.............................€52 Painless tooth removal from.........................€52 Removal of dental calculus and stains, fluoridation and cleaning from.......................€52 Dental whitening..........................................€150 Other services: Dental Implants Surgery Tooth Jewels Open: Mon – Fri 8 – 20. Right by the buses, trams and the metro. On the street level, easy access with the wheelchair.

Open Mon - Fri 8-20 Sat 9 -15

Uushammas tel. 146 1460

The prices of the special dental technician Prosthesis as if the teeth were your own (made with the best materials)

IN THIS MONTH: THE FULL PROSTHESIS OF UPPER OR LOWER JAW......€360 THE FULL PROSTHESIS OF UPPER AND LOWER JAW....€590 THE FULL PROSTHETIC LINING................................ ........€65 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY THE PROSTHESIS CAN BE MADE IN 12 HOURS.

24 h

Lining and fixing while waiting. No discount of the special prices

5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009

Finland info 5 – 11 February 2009 Thursday 5 February is J.L. Runeberg's Day. Friday 6 February is the National Day of the Sami people. Alko. Alko is the only store to sell any alcohol above the strength of beer. Alkos are open Mon-Fri 9-20, Sat 9-18 and closed on Sundays. More information is available at www.alko.fi. For store locations, please call: +358 20 711 712. Banks and Money Exchange. Banks are usually open Mon-Fri 10-16:30. The money exchange office, Forex, at the Helsinki Railway Station is open Mon-Sun 8-21. See www.forex.fi for more information. Department stores are open Mon-Fri 9-21, Sat 9-18 and are closed on Sundays. Emergency Number. Dial the number 112. Grocery stores. Most grocery stores are open Mon-Fri 7-21, Sat 7-18 and Sun 12-21. Health. Helsinki City medical centres are open Mon-Fri 8-16. In case of children in need of urgent medical treatment, contact tel. +358 9 10023 or Lastenklinikka’s emergency department, tel. +358 09 471 72783 or +358 09 471 72751. Emergency rooms at the Malmi and Maria Hospital offer treatment at night and during weekends. Malmi tel. 09 10023 or +358 9 3106611. Maria tel. 09 10023 or +358 9 471 63466. Libraries. Public libraries in Helsinki are usually open Mon-Thu 10-20 and Fri-Sat 10-16. Kirjasto 10 (Library 10) in the centre of Helsinki (in Postitalo, Elielinaukio 2 G) offers internet access and good information services in English. It’s open Mon-Thu 10-22, Fri 10-18 and Sat-Sun 12-18. Market halls. Fresh vegetables, fish, meat, bakery items and dairy products are sold at the traditional market halls. Wanha Kauppahalli (Old Market Hall) in Kauppatori (Market Square) and Hakaniemen Kauppahalli (Hakaniemi Market Place) are the most popular. Both are open Mon–Fri 8–18, Sat 8–16 and are closed on Sundays. Museums are closed on Mondays. The National Museum of Finland is located in Helsinki (Mannerheimintie 34, next to the Parliament building) and is open Tue-Wed 11-20, Thu-Sun 11-18. For more information, see www.nba.fi or tel. +358 9 40 50 95 44. Should you wish to book a guided tour, call +358 9 40 50 95 52 Tue-Fri 9-12. More information about museums is available at www.a5.fi/lehdet/museoesite. Post. Post offices are usually open Mon–Fri 10–18. See www.posti.fi. Public Transport operates in Helsinki and its surrounding regions from around 05:30, 06:30 on weekends, until midnight. Night buses operate extensively at weekends. For more information. see www.ytv.fi and www.hkl.fi.

EXPAT VIEW

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Inge Ansine Jensen is a Danish linguistics and literature student currently spending an exchange year in Helsinki.

Working in Finland?

Reaching Finnish culture the minority way THREE YEARS ago I studied and lived in Oulu for three fabulous winter months. I had an incredible amount of awesome moments and my love of Finland and everything Finnish developed then. In my ﬁrst Finnish language class we learnt to say hauska tutustua which actually from my point of view symbolises quite well my impression of the Finn. I have not yet been bothered by the silent Finn, whereas I have met a lot of the hauska tutustua kind of Finns. But the language barrier does present a problem for the wannabe Finn. This is not due to communication with people, though. With my little knowledge of Finnish in addition to most Finnish peoples’ great English skills I can de-

velop a conversation with anyone, especially considering also that I have two well-functioning hands to gesture with. But to get a real impression of the culture, one needs also to participate. I have been in the theatre watching a play on the Kalevala in Oulu City Theatre, but due to my poor language skills I was forced to adopt an observer’s role as someone from outside who had no idea what was verbally taking place onstage. During my second stay in Finland I’ve realised that there’s another, quite convenient, gateway to Finnish culture for a native speaker of Danish: the Swedishspeaking Finns. A year ago I didn’t yet consider them really Finnish. I insisted on call-

In this series expatriates tell about their lives in Finland.

ing Finnish cities by their Finnish names, and to my mind and a book in Swedish would never count as a Finnish book. Those were my considerations before facing the minority. Fortunately I soon found myself studying with them and I realised how Finnish they were! Even better, they are Finns I have no trouble in understanding, Finns whose language I could imitate faster than anyone could possibly in teaching me even the basic rules of Finnish grammar. With no need of language preparation I have got the possibility to be part of a Finnish culture. And I have been welcomed into it. I have during my studies read Finnish literature written in Swedish,

I have attended concerts and plays in Swedish and I spent almost all my time at book fairs in the Swedish-language sections. I’ve attended seminars arranged by the Swedish Literature Association and follow the news through the Swedish papers and YLE’s services in Swedish. In a nutshell, I now consider myself a real participant in Finnish culture! I love Finland and every everything Finnish and am still struggling intensively with the beautifully advanced language. I am at plural partitive level and there’s still a way to go before I’ll feel part of the Finnish-speaking culture as well. But among the Swedish Finns I already feel at home.

To get earnings-linked benefits in case of unemployment in Finland, you need to be a member of an unemployment fund. Get your independent unemployment security now for only 67 €/ year. Join us: www.ytk.fi

RELIGIOUS SERVICE

The Anglican Church in Finland Holds services in English every Sunday morning at 10:00 at Mikael Agricola church Tehtaankatu 23, 00140 Helsinki www.anglican.fi

All are Welcome! BARBER SHOP

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ISSUE 6 (86) 5 – 11 FEBRUARY 2009 • ISSN 1796-8321. Price €3 (sis ALV) Publisher Helsinki Times Oy Vilhonvuorenkatu 11 B 00500 Helsinki Finland

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the week in pictures L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / R O B E R T O S C H M I D T

W EDNE SDAY

Civilians help to hold a water hose as firefighters tried to control a raging fire at a local supermarket in downtown Nairobi on 28 January. Twelve bodies were recovered on 30 January from the supermarket which was completely destroyed by fire two days earlier. Investigators are trying to establish the cause of the fire but witnesses said the high number of casualties may have been caused by gas canister blasts and the fact that some exits were allegedly blocked to prevent looting.

T UE SDAY

MONDAY L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / F R A N C O I S GU I L L O T

A model presents a creation by British designer John Galliano for Christian Dior during a Spring/Summer 2009 Haute Couture collection show in Paris, on 26 January.

FRIDAY

T HUR SDAY L E H T I K U VA / R E U T E R S / D A R R E N W H I T E S I D E

Andy Roddick of the US keeps his eye on the ball during his singles quarter-final match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne 27 January 27.

S AT URDAY

L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / B E R T R A N D L A N G L O I S

A man kneels in front of police officers during clashes with demonstrators, on 29 January in Paris at the end of the France’s first major strike triggered by the global financial crisis. France is facing massive disruption to transport and public services on this “Black Thursday”, with all the country’s main trade unions having called for their members to take part in large-scale street protests against President Nicolas Sarkozy’s right-wing government.

SUNDAY

L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / N O A H S E E L A M

L E H T I K U VA / A F P P H O T O / H A Z E M B A D E R

L E H T I K U VA / J U L I A N U N G A N O

A painted stork (L) returns with a tree branch to make a nest on a tamarind tree at Mechirajupalli village in Warangal District, some 200 kilometers from Hyderabad, on 30 January. Painted storks (mycteria leucocephala) are migratory birds which nest in the area from January till June.

A Palestinian boy peers from behind camels and a goat riding in the trunk of a butcher’s car in the West Bank city of Hebron on 31 January.

People dance with traditional lion and dragon costumes at the 10th annual Chinese New Years celebration and parade in Manhattan’s Chinatown 1 February in New York City. 2009 marks the year of the ox in the Chinese Lunar calendar.