There is more than one of everything
May 14, 2012 8:44 AM Subscribe
Finland has always looked both west and east, notably the Loviisa nuclear power plant used Westinghouse instrumentation married to a Soviet design, earning the nickname 'Eastinghouse'.
They hedged their bets on rather less safety-critical issues as well. Having little success in the Eurovision Song Contest (until they changed tack relatively recently), they also entered (and won) its Soviet counterpart: Intervision.
Additional:
Interesting article on Eastinghouse: in German, Google translation into English.
This year's Eurovision Song Contest is taking place later this month, in Azerbaijan.
Additional:
Interesting article on Eastinghouse: in German, Google translation into English.
This year's Eurovision Song Contest is taking place later this month, in Azerbaijan.
It has been said that the unique misery of Finland is to be the only country in the West where people drive Soviet cars.
They exported Russian Ladas to Australia for a while, possibly even before the collapse of the USSR. From what I've heard, they didn't have a very good reputation.
posted by acb at 9:18 AM on May 14, 2012
They exported Russian Ladas to Australia for a while, possibly even before the collapse of the USSR. From what I've heard, they didn't have a very good reputation.
posted by acb at 9:18 AM on May 14, 2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada#Countries
They've sold them all over the place.
posted by onya at 9:28 AM on May 14, 2012
They've sold them all over the place.
posted by onya at 9:28 AM on May 14, 2012
They exported Russian Ladas to Australia for a while, possibly even before the collapse of the USSR. From what I've heard, they didn't have a very good reputation.
How bad is it I read this as 'Russian Ladies' and had several seconds of trying to parse that out in my head...
posted by pupdog at 9:36 AM on May 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
How bad is it I read this as 'Russian Ladies' and had several seconds of trying to parse that out in my head...
posted by pupdog at 9:36 AM on May 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
So I'm not the only one who listens to Broadcasting House then, as they just did a segment on Intervision, which that BBC article seems to be a transcript off.
posted by MartinWisse at 9:47 AM on May 14, 2012
posted by MartinWisse at 9:47 AM on May 14, 2012
It has been said that the unique misery of Finland is to be the only country in the West where people drive Soviet cars.
They drive very frugal and totalitarian-looking BMW, Volvo and Mercedes vehicles these days.
So I'm not the only one who listens to Broadcasting House then
I do occasionally listen to BH, but I stopped paying regular attention when Eddie Mair left to host PM (and I didn't listen to this weekend's version). But I shall now! Programme page; direct podcast link.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 9:58 AM on May 14, 2012
They drive very frugal and totalitarian-looking BMW, Volvo and Mercedes vehicles these days.
So I'm not the only one who listens to Broadcasting House then
I do occasionally listen to BH, but I stopped paying regular attention when Eddie Mair left to host PM (and I didn't listen to this weekend's version). But I shall now! Programme page; direct podcast link.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 9:58 AM on May 14, 2012
Finlandization.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 11:31 AM on May 14, 2012
posted by Slithy_Tove at 11:31 AM on May 14, 2012
They drive very frugal and totalitarian-looking BMW, Volvo and Mercedes vehicles these days.
Driving in the middle of a heavy Helsinki thunderstorm my taxi driver made a point of telling me how he would turn off his Mercedes' traction control - invented by Teutonic engineers with no proper feeling for snow- so that he could skid properly.
I would recommend the Torni hotel - former headquarters from which the Russians controlled the city - to today's Helsinki visitors.
posted by rongorongo at 2:25 PM on May 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
Driving in the middle of a heavy Helsinki thunderstorm my taxi driver made a point of telling me how he would turn off his Mercedes' traction control - invented by Teutonic engineers with no proper feeling for snow- so that he could skid properly.
I would recommend the Torni hotel - former headquarters from which the Russians controlled the city - to today's Helsinki visitors.
posted by rongorongo at 2:25 PM on May 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
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posted by ThatFuzzyBastard at 9:10 AM on May 14, 2012