MetaFilter posts tagged with Finland

They shoot bunnies, don't they?

filthy light thief — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:26:18 -0800

There is contention in Sweden over the use of rabbit cadavers as bioenergy to provide heat in Värmland. The rabbits are invasive species, initially pets that were released into the parks in the city of Stockholm. Lacking any natural predators, the rabbits thrive on vegetation, eating their way through the city's central parks. The culling last year set a local record with nearly 6,000 rabbits removed from Stockholm's parks, mostly from Kungsholmen. Some concerned citizens have formed a group, Vilda kaniners värn (Society for the Protection of Wild Rabbits, Google translation). They speak out against the culling and provide alternatives to killing the rabbits, citing methods used in Helsinki (including plant protection) as more humane alternatives. (Biofuel details and more after the break.) Helsinki has had invasive rabbits since 1995, where the first appeared in Arabianranta and Kyläsaari, according to a 2005 article. The rabbits largely die out over winter, only to flourish in the spring. In 2005, they weren't reported as a nuisance, but the population increased in 2006 and 2007, to the point of costing hundreds of thousands of euros for the replacement of thousands of individual plants suffering from damage caused by rabbits, even eating holes in Olympic Stadium football nets. In 2008, the tactic was to catch rabbits in nets and humanely put down after being anaesthetised using carbon dioxide, and they were then given to researchers for further studies. The stable rise of the rabbit population introduced predators into Helsinki, such as lynxes and foxes, though there is not enough suitable habitat for these larger predators to keep the rabbits in check. Last winter, 500 rabbits were culled by the city's rabbit control program, and more recently captured rabbits have become food for large birds, big cats, wolverines, and bears at the Helsinki Zoo. (Helsinki's rabbits are the source of many more stories at Helsingin Sanomat.) As noted in the BBC article on the topic, Kovex (Google translation), a subsidiary of Danish group Daka Biodiesel, has worked on making animal waste into biofuels through the Biomal program, which followed from the mass disposals BSE-related animal waste.

Sami reports about golden eagles hunting reindeer calves confirmed by BBC

Kattullus — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:50:14 -0800

The BBC has captured footage of golden eagles hunting reindeer calves in northern Finland, confirming Sami reports. For more about the Sami, you can watch this series of videos, which cover a wide range of subjects, among them the language, arts and crafts, religion and music. And here is more about Sami reindeer folklore.

Somethin' New From Chemistry

mattdidthat — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:59:59 -0800

Graphic Concrete is a process with which textures, patterns, typography, images, or works of art can be "printed" on concrete surfaces, with subtle and dramatic results. Invented by Finnish designer and architect Samuli Naamanka, Graphic Concrete is being used in projects all over the globe.

The Little Mac Classic That Could

ignignokt — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:46:28 -0800

A Mac Classic shows bullies what's for in "3½ inches is enough" by Unreal Voodoo. This demo (actually written to run on a Mac Classic) was presented at ASSEMBLY, Finland's largest computer festival. More highlights from ASSEMBLY are available at GameSetWatch. The demos are mostly trippy and impressive hand-coded animations as one might expect, but there's also a live action short featuring a Rube Goldberg machine.

I'm doing fine with my shoes right now...

Potomac Avenue — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:34:20 -0800

Sneakers: A Short Film Meditation on International Shoe Culture Topi Tateishi is a half finnish, half japanese urban dancer and owner of a small sneaker store in Helsinki. He got into sneaker culture through urban dance as he started as a young b-boy 18 years ago and he has been dancing ever since. Sneakers mean the world to him and sometimes they can even replace the significant other. By the end of the movie a whole world of sneaker and urban dance culture has been revealed through a pair of Topi's shoes.

Paavo Haavikko (1931-2008)

misteraitch — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:28:14 -0800

Paavo Haavikko, one of Finland's (and Europe's) foremost poets, died earlier this week. As well as poetry, his seventy or so published works included essays, novels, plays for the stage, radio & TV, and opera libretti. (via) Unfortunately there is not a whole lot of Haavikko's poetry in English on-line. Besides the page of translations by Richard Sieburth linked above, there are a few snippets here and a few more translations here [.doc]. Haavikko's was a memorably aphoristic style, informed by a sceptical, pessimistic outlook: 'Every house has many builders, and is never finished.' 'Real delicacies are raw: oysters, salmon, and power.' 'When the tyrant is young. Everyone waits / for him to come to his senses. / Old. For him to die.' 'Don’t reminisce, / the dead / reminisce about the dead: / the flowers of Autumn, / snow-chilled, / about the flowers of Spring.' 'This is a world that will, in any case, be destroyed at some time. / Working for its destruction seems pointless. / It is impossible to save. Between these two facts, life must be lived...' 'In this cruel world it’s useless even to beg / not to be born again.' .

They don't make them like they used to.

Lord_Pall — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:48:19 -0800

March 3rd, 1976 - June 19th, 2008. RIP GTS FinnJet. More Info. Some videos. Travel Agency film from 1987

Vappu - The more you know.

Lord_Pall — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:04:05 -0800

If you find yourself in Finland on the evening of April 30th or on May 1st, you must be aware of the following information. Today is Vappu. Also known as Walpurgis Night, Vappu is a traditional holiday in Finland, and there are a number of unique social customs and dress you must be aware of in order to avoid embarrassment and ridicule. At it's core, Vappu is about drinking. This is not normal drinking. This is Finnish Drinking.. But this is not about the common aspects of the celebration. This is about the unique and sometimes confusing traditions of this national holiday. First and foremost, there is the traditional student cap. This hat is worn by graduates, both young and old. Not just for cranial warmth or academic reward, this hat is used in a wide variety of social displays. The most famuous takes place in Helsinki, where he statue of Havis Amanda is capped by a team of local students. This tradition spreads to many other statues. In addition to traditional hats, students also wear a traditional drinking uniform. These overalls are a relatively recent adoption by Finnish students. Before 1970, the traditional drinking outfit for university students was the Spyfrack, or "Vomit Frock". This was typically a decorative coat purchased from a local thrift shop. In the Early 70's, students from the Royal University of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden began to wear their labwear and overalls in social situations. It turns out that in their mad rush to begin drinking, they simply neglected to change into normal clothing. However, more than just convenient, they discovered that these overalls were resistent to drinking related wear and tear. This trend rapidly caught on and replaced the less robust Spyfrack. In 1979, The University of Technology in Espoo hosted a student from the Royal University. Finnish students were so intrigued by his choice of drinking-wear that they began to borrow overalls from the local power company for their school trips to Germany in 1980 and 1982. This rapidly caught on, and in 1982 and 1983 schools began to formally adopt colored overalls as the official drinking uniform. It is important to note that these are not simply protective outfits. Each color corresponds to an individual professionor major. While there seems to be a commonly accepted set of color definitions, there are a wide variety of subtle variants. More importantly, these coveralls are customized with a variety of patches, and other markings. But Vappu is more than just an excuse to drink until you cannot drink anymore. There is a traditional drink, Sima. It is basically a homemade mead, naturally carbonated with yeast. You can also eat Tippaleivät. These are similiar to the German Schneeballen or for those more familiar, like a crunchy Funnel Cake. But it isn't just drinking, overalls, hats, mead and fried desserts. You have your choice of Humorous Magazines, published on Vappu and sold on any city street in Helsinki. Each magazine is published by the students of the Helsinki University of Technology. Julkku is published for even years, and Äpy is published during the odd ones. For additional reading, I would suggest - Coverall Analysis More Coverall Analysis Jolly Dragon Vappu Thread Caveat - I am an American in Finland and a lot of this information is non-obvious. I think I have pieced together a proper portrayal of the holiday with this information, but it is possible I have crosslinked something in swedish or misunderstood a translation. If you come to harm because of any of these mistakes, I apologize profusely.

Helsinki Zoo violence finally comes to an end

Lord_Pall — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:44:05 -0800

Helsinki is home to a new baby camel, Snufkin. He is the son of 13 year old Voodoo and his partner, Selma. His birth brings a sense of closure to a city in strife, torn apart by a senseless Ruminant/Ungulant feud over the past 15 months. In other news, Turre the Octopus can open a jar with his tentacles.

28 hours in 16 minutes

gomichild — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:12:44 -0800

28 Hours in Jyväskylä Filmed at locations in and around Jyväskylä, a city in Central Finland. The idea was to show city life in a way that no-one normally experiences it - in time-lapse, often shot from roofs and masts. [Shorter version on youtube]

Cleanup in aisle... ummm... oh, pretty much all of them.

miss lynnster — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:58:11 -0800

Finnish supermarket dominoes. (6 1/2 minute SLYT post)

Woe is me, my life hard-fated!

klangklangston — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:03:54 -0800

Anglo-Finnish artist Sanna Annukka's vibrant, flat design work (especially her Icons series) got me curious about her, well, iconography.

She mentioned The Kalevala previously, the Finnish national epic poem (in Finnish here), a tale of creation and heroism that arguably spurred the Finns to independence from the Russians.

Like so much else epic and awesome, it spawned a '70s prog band, with three albums.

The end of the bus timetable

MrMerlot — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:23:43 -0800

Is this the end of the bus timetable? It can be bloody cold in Helsinki in January. The last thing you want to do is hang around too long for a bus or tram. Soon you won't have to because Helsinki City Transport is currently fitting *its entire fleet* with Linux servers. Not only will each bus or tram become a travelling wireless hotspot, but you will be able to see exactly where in the city your new bus actually is. Meaning that you only step into the bitter cold the minute before it arrives. (its in beta but you can see the effects of the live trial) Moreover, using Near Field Communication embedded in the bus and tram stops that allow you to boot the whole caboodle on your Nokia, without going online or having to imput lots of fiddly Finnish names (try inputting Kalasatama at minus 15). You can then track the upcoming stops on your mobile and see where exactly are your connecting buses are in the city as well. Its almost as if you can route your way around a city using packet switching I think i've seen the future of mass transit. And it doesn't involve a timetable.

Somebody get me a 15-year old to explain these.

Free word order! — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:39:50 -0800

PISA results are in. Finland and Canada high five and make awkward polite bows and gestures towards The Far East. For education policy Programme for International Student Assessment is the research about how 15-year old students are being educated. Briefings for UK and US. Results escape easy answers, but you might test your theory against interactive data tool. (Site might be slow today and I'm having difficulties reading the full pdf:s with Apple Preview. Has some strange disclaimers covering that won't react to clicks. Probably needs Adobe stuff. Data tool is (smug) fun.)

The Dark Edge of the North

tellurian — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:48:27 -0800

Carta Marina - From 1518 to 1519, Olaus Magnus made a journey across Sweden. On his journey, he encountered fish the size of elephants, sea serpents, demons and a tribe of pygmies.

From the land of the original Father Christmas

homunculus — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:45:30 -0800

Rare Exports, Inc. They deliver the impeccable, well-mannered, and extremely rare original Finnish Father Christmases to nearly 150 countries every Christmas. Exclusively. [YouTube, NSFW.] Technically this is a double post, and it's old, so I'd certainly understand it being deleted. But the old link doesn't work anymore, it still makes me laugh, and I'm guessing some people haven't seen it, so that's why I posted it.

Romani portraits

madamjujujive — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:26:07 -0800

The Roma Journeys - contemporary photographs of Roma life in Hungary, India, Greece, Romania, France, Russia, and Finland by Joakim Eskildsen. For more photo essays and info on the Roma, see two superb prior posts by plep and taz.

There's no need to be unhappy in Finland!

miss lynnster — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:04:47 -0800

I'ts fun to stay at the... N-M-K-Y!

Bilderbook

hama7 — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:14:35 -0800

Bilderbook.

creative fun

nickyskye — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 17:38:00 -0800

Toy art: tribal scooters, spider car, little animal robots out of broken electrical parts, a color changing house designed by a 14 year old boy, of wood, wind-up, MunkyKing, Ugly Dolls, out of beer cans, with balloons, Cute Things, artoyz, toys from trash, tiny knitted dolls clothes and accessories, vintage and retro at Tick Tock Toys.

Today Is a Good Day To Vote

fandango_matt — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 15:35:00 -0800

Jyrki Kasvi is a member of the Finnish parliament from the Uusimaa constituency. He represents the Green League and his campaign website can be viewed in English, Swedish, or Klingon.

Moomins Galore

mygothlaundry — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 07:58:09 -0800

Moomins! The Moomins, created in 1945 by artist and writer Tove Jansson in this story, went on to become a series of books beloved by children in the 60s and 70s and then a British TV show in the early 80s. The Moomins’ fame is so all pervading in Finland that they have their own amusement park and museum but they somehow have never gained as much of a foothold in the US. Why are the Moomins so popular? Some of the books are surprisingly philosophical and even dark and some of the characters are downright seditious; the Moomins, for all their humor and love, are often a little bleak. Tove Jansson, who modeled many of her characters on people in her life, was as talented an artist as she was a writer; here, for your delectation, are her illustrations for The Hobbit. Previously on Metafilter.

Keyboard Hero

euphorb — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:57:47 -0800

Frets on Fire is a Guitar Hero clone that is so good that you will turn your keyboard upside down. It's one of many games you can download that were made for the Finnish computer festival, Assembly.

"The joy of eternal bards/ the sound of the kantele"

a louis wain cat — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 18:42:31 -0800

The kantele is the national instrument of Finland, strongly associated with traditional Finnish folk music. A psaltery-like string instrument of somewhat obscure origin, it prominently figures in the Kalevala. Despite this association with the past, the kantele is very much a living instrument- it was used in the soundtrack to "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" for its "pure, chilly sound", and electric kanteles have been made. [more inside, with sound samples]

Hell freezes over?

taursir — Sat, 20 May 2006 15:38:47 -0800

Eurovision winner declared: Finland's Lordi, (previously mentioned here, wins with the highest Eurovision score of all time, 292 points, breaking Finland's 40 year long bewitchment of the Eurovision Curse. [Euro♥isionFilter]