I travel to Seinäjoki...

(Cross-posted on the Oulu Chaff Blog

Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sun shone right from 5 am and it was sweltering hot. And we are over a month and half before midsummer's day (21st June). Annikki decidd it was just right to put the goldfish back into the fish pomd. She put them a plastic bag and floated that in the main pond so that the water temeratures could equalise.

Goldfish ready to be let free in the fish pond


Goldfish swim freely in their pond

We had this week's Chaff meeting outdoors. Kannan, our Chaff visitor from Rauma, hosted the group.


Pentti with the CHAFF Host of the Week: Kannan Balaram

Kaija Valimaa brought a visitor from France, Vincent, the person who was the French mentor of our popular Chaff participant Anais.


Pailin, Kaija and Vincent

The Thai buffet was simply excellent as our Pailin hosts outshone themselves themselves.

As it is Pailin's birthday today, we all sang Happy Birthday for her. She produced a couple of cakes for us to celebrate her birthday. She truly is a wonderful person with so much love in her heart for all of our Chaff members.

Truly a great Chaff meeting.

But we had to call the meeting to a close rather early as Kannan had to get back to Rauma (555 km from Oulu). He was driving his new acquisition, the SAAB, there.

I agreed to drive with him till Seinäjoki, about 340 km from Oulu. From there he had only to drive a little less than 300 km, while I could take the train back to Oulu.

We took food for Annikki and Mika from Pailin, took Thai Sweet Chili Wrap for me and Kannan. As Ilari was on his way back from Helsinki by train, he and I agreed to meet on the Seinäjoki train. So we took a wrap for him. I loaded the car wih my usual drive boosters, some fizzy energy drink, lots of packets of crisps, some chocolates, some biscuts, some nuts and some bananas.

I drove up to Raahe (80 km from Oulu) to ensure we were ahead of the clock in case Kannan's driving was slower than expected. I handed him the wheel just after Raahe. After 15 minutes I was wondering why I had come as he handled his car superbly. He was pushing the limit as he drove the car at over 130 km per hour. But he was being careful, making sure that he was coming back down to the speed limit whenever he saw a speed checker, the video camera. Video cameras are liberally sprinkled all over Finland, but the law dictates that there must be a warning for drivers stating that a particular zone has been fitted with these devices.

Ilari sent me a text message saying that there was no water on the train and would I pick up some bottled water for him.

We reached Seinäjoki with more than an hour to spare. Just as I bought my ticket, there was a message from Ilari saying the train was running 50 minutes late. (It appears that the axle on one carriage was overheating so they replaced the carriage at Tampere, the major stop before Seinäjoki.)

After buying some Pepsi, I helped Kannan fill his petrol tank, found the way out of Seinäjoki and bid him on his way to Rauma. I sat and waited for the train, which arrived as 20:20 instead of 19:30.

As Ilari had given me his carrige and seat number, I had reserved my seat next to his.

Ilari was glad to get the water. We chatted all the way, pausing only to consume the delicious Thai Sweet Chili Wrap.

Ildi had said she was going to wait for Ilari, so he offered to give me a lift home. Unnop and Pailin had offered to pick me up and drop me home, but as the train was so late, I told them not to bother. But when we reached Oulu at a few minutes before midnight, we had a great reception committee, as if Ilari and I were returning from a trip from outer space. Besides Ildi, Pailin and Unnop were there to receive us!

The latter couple dropped me home. It was just after midnight, so I was able to correctly wish Pailin for her birthday.

I cleared my email and hit the sack falling asleep in just 2 minutes as usual. I just took time to share all the news with Annikki who was sitting with her mother. She was happy as the fish, all four of them had settled down properly in the outside pond.

Kannan visits Oulu

Yesterday morning I was happy to meet Kannan at the bus station. He has come down from Rauma in south-west Finland to collect his car, the SAAB.

Kannan's SAAB

He took the steering wheel and drove me and Unnop around town, very ably, considering this was the first time he was sitting and driving such a powerful monster.

He went to attend the local Adventist Church and shared in the lunch there.

While Kannan was at church I took the opportunity to go and see Soda play a football match.

With each match the Tervarit Musta team he plays for is getting stronger, even though their maturing players are being picked up by the next Tervarit side up the chain. Despite losing three of their best players, Soda's team cruised to a 3-0 victory against Kemppa, a side of players a year older than them.


Soda in action, May 2006

What was interesting about the Kemppa side was that it had two girls playing in the side!

Soda played in the second half. I must admit Soda played extra-ordinarily well and is getting more focused into active team play. His passing was immaculate as he put his team mates through more than a couple of times. Soda is a completely unselfish player, and that is what will make him a possible great.

Soda still has to improve on the way he tackles and defends, but that will come as he improves his physique, a programme he will start next week with the help of my former personal trainer, Päivi Hytinkoski.


Päivi represented Finland in the 1991 Miss International

Then I took Kannan shopping to Stockman - the Harrods of Oulu. He bought a few things for himself including HOT Mango Pickle, Lime Pickle and Madras Curry Powder.

Kannan was insisting that he buy Annikki and me dinner. As Annikki was stuck at home, we went to the Pailin Restaurant and ordered some good take-way.

Before the food was served up, Kannan went through a formality. As a way of saying thanks to his elders, he had brought us beautiful flowers and some exquisite gifts. For Annikki he brought an absolutely beautiful work of art, a silver lace jewelery piece. This was a cross on a beautiful silver lace chain. It is known as the "Face on the Cross". Rauma is very famous for this type of jewelery.


Exquisite gift from Kannan to Annikki

He brought me a Titan watch, a neat purse and a pen and letter opener, truly lovely set.

He asked for our blessings for his future. We are both so happy to share in his success, which is entirely of his own making, because he is such an honest personality. We are so happy to see all our wards, and we count Kannan as one of them, do well.

Kannan is such a lovely young man. He considers Annikki and me as his guardians in Finland. Here, far away from his family, we certainly consider him as one of our family and we are pleased that his work and studies are going so well.

Like Soda, Kannan's health and general being are of immediate interest for us. We hope that he will keep up the moral standards he has set for himself. That itself will ensure his good health.

Kannan is an exemplary person. In today's world it is difficult to find a person of such unique moral values. Whoever gets this young man as a husband will find him a person of great integrity and loyalty.

We enjoyed a great dinner and we chatted for a short while on matters of interest. He gave me a copy of his latest work in which he credits me for mentoring him.

Having hardly slept the previous night on the bus, he must have slept well last night.

We have a busy day ahead. After the CHAFF meeting which he is hosting, I will drive with him a little more than half way on his return to Rauma.

I will catch the train back from Seinäjoki later today and will probably meet up with Ilari who is returning from Helsinki on that train.

Annikki was supposed to put the fish in the pond yesterday, but she is so concerned about them, and as frost was forcast for the night, she did not put them out.

Today?

Or is she so attached to the goldfish she cannot bear to put them outside. Let us wait for the developments of today :-)!

Annikki, the creative gardner...

In the last couple of blog entries I have shown a few faces of Annikki - the humourist and the concerned fighter for freedom.

Many of you may not have read the book "...for the hour of his judgement is come:..." (The Holy Bible, Revelations, 14:7) by Annikki Matthan which was one of the very first books to be published in toto on the internet over 10 years ago!

Today, I present yet another face of her - the creative gardner.

She is working round the clock to get the Kampitie garden just right.

One of her first tasks has been to get the two ponds, the centrepiece bathtub and the Fish Pond just right.

Working long hours, she has yesterday completed her task.

The solar fountain which was sent to her by daughter, Susanna, is in the bathtub is working fine and the lotus plants she husbanded in the cellar all winter are now back as ting buds in this pond.

Lotus Pond


Solar Fountain in the Lotus Pond

The Fish Pond is nicely cleaned. Annikki will put the goldfish into it when the temperature is just right.


Kampitie Fish Pond

They are more than just goldfish to her as she talks to them every day when she feeds them!


Grandpa and Grandma

Today, however, is a depressing day for both Annikki and me as we are away from our grandchildren on what is Daniel’s 2nd birthday.

I am putting up pictures of us and the grandchildren as Daniel loves to look at this blog and remember his grandparents.





Happy birthday Daniel!

Yet another face of my woman...

(Cross-posted on the CHAFF Blog.)

Today would have been the 134th birthday of the late Mr. K. C. Mammen Mappillai (KCMM), the doyen of Kerala, my maternal grandfather.

Yesterday was "Freedom of Speech" day worldwide, a day which would have thrilled the heart of KCMM.

The leading local newspaper of Oulu, the Kaleva, had asked their readers to submit their opinions on this subject on this day.

Annikki is a powerful writer on issues she believes in.

She wrote a short and great piece, in Finnish, on the subject. I reproduce it here (in Finnish) for our Finnish audience, as I do not have a good English translation available at this moment.

Sananvapaus Suomessa Annikki Matthan KALEVA version / KALEVA Version Suomessa sananvapaus on vapaata. Se on rajattoman sallittua. Sananvapautta on monenlaista ja kaikilla. Joillakin on enemmän ja joillakin vähemmän. Keskiarvona laskettuna sitä on jokaiselle jakaa oma osansa. Se jaetaan tarkoin tasapuolisesti. Silloin sananvapaus on hiljaista. Se ei näy eikä kuulu vaan on näkymätöntä. Suursanatilallisilla on sanat hallussaan. Heillä on sananvapaus vallassaan. He kylvävät sanoja vapaasti sinne minne haluavat. Heidän palstoillaan ne kasvavat suuriksi. Ne peittävät maan ja taivaankin. He myyvät palstoja ja sanoja tiloillaan. He kasvattavat ja tuottavat sananvapautta hinnasta. Sanat ovat lukossa sanakirstuissa. Siellä ne ovat tallessa ja turvassa. Suursanatilojen rengeillä on niihin avaimet ja lupa avata kirstun kansi. Sanakirstun kanteen on kirjoitettu; salainen. Suomessa sananvapaus on salaista. Kun renki avaa kirstun kannen, sieltä tulee ulos sananvapaus metamorfoosa. Sen loistava säteily häikäisee ja sokaisee. Se näyttää hyvältä ja kauniilta katsella. Siinä on sateenkaaren kaikki värit. Se leijailee kohti korkeuksia vapaana. Sana on vapaa. Ihmiset tavoittelevat sitä haltuunsa. He ihailevat sen muotoa, värejä, keveyttä, ilmavuutta ja läpinäkyvyyttä. Kaikki, jotka näkevät sen, uskovat siihen. Se on kuitenkin hauras, eikä kestä kosketusta. Se on kosketusarka. Ne, jotka eivät sokaistu sen häikäisystä näkevät sen läpi, että se ei kestä käyttöä eikä kulutusta. Hämmästyneinä he tajuavat silloin. Mikä näyttää sananvapaudelta, onkin vain hajoava suuri imagokupla. Se särkyy käsiin tai hajoaa taivaan tuuliin. Yhä uudestaan se kuitenkin hämää ja ilmaantuu. Nyt he eivät enää vain usko siihen, vaan tietävät; sehän onkin täysin uskon asia. Suomessa sananvapaus on olemassa vain teoreettisena ajatusmallina uskon tasolla. Uskokoon ken tahtoo!

Sananvapaus Suomessa Annikki Matthan Jakobin Blogin Versio / Jacob's Blog's Version Suomessa sananvapaus on vapaata. Se on rajattoman sallittua. Sananvapautta on monenlaista ja kaikilla. Joillakin on enemmän ja joillakin vähemmän. Keskiarvona laskettuna sitä on jokaiselle jakaa oma osansa. Se jaetaan tarkoin tasapuolisesti. Silloin sananvapaus on hiljaista. Se ei näy eikä kuulu vaan on näkymätöntä. Suursanatilallisilla on sanat hallussaan. Heillä on sananvapaus vallassaan. He kylvävät sanoja vapaasti sinne minne haluavat. Heidän palstoillaan ne kasvavat suuriksi. Ne peittävät maan ja taivaankin. He myyvät palstoja ja sanoja tiloillaan. He kasvattavat ja tuottavat sananvapautta hinnasta. Sanat ovat lukossa sanakirstuissa. Siellä ne ovat tallessa ja turvassa. Suursanatilojen rengeillä on niihin avaimet ja lupa avata kirstun kansi. Sanakirstun kanteen on kirjoitettu; salainen. Suomessa sananvapaus on salaista. Kun renki avaa kirstun kannen, sieltä tulee ulos sananvapaus metamorfoosa. Sen loistava säteily häikäisee ja sokaisee. Se näyttää hyvältä ja kauniilta katsella. Siinä on sateenkaaren kaikki värit. Se leijailee kohti korkeuksia vapaana. Sana on vapaa. Ihmiset tavoittelevat sitä haltuunsa. He ihailevat sen muotoa, värejä, keveyttä, ilmavuutta ja läpinäkyvyyttä. Kaikki, jotka näkevät sen, uskovat siihen. Se on kuitenkin hauras, eikä kestä kosketusta. Se on kosketusarka. Ne, jotka eivät sokaistu sen häikäisystä näkevät sen läpi, että se ei kestä käyttöä eikä kulutusta. Hämmästyneinä he tajuavat silloin. Mikä näyttää sananvapaudelta, onkin vain hajoava suuri imagokupla. Se särkyy käsiin tai hajoaa taivaan tuuliin. Yhä uudestaan se kuitenkin hämää ja ilmaantuu. Nyt he eivät enää vain usko siihen, vaan tietävät; sehän onkin täysin uskon asia. Suomessa sananvapaus on olemassa vain teoreettisena ajatusmallina uskon tasolla. Uskokoon ken tahtoo!

What Annikki says here in a humourous and truly interesting fashion is that, rather than pointing the finger all over the world at where there is no freedom of speech, it is necessary to draw attention to the lack of freedom of speech for the common man and woman in Finland. (I will try to get her to do a translation when she has some time.)

The article was posted to the newspaper well before the due date and exactly complied to the norms specified by them.

Having read it, I assured Annikki that there was little hope of the newspaper even thinking about publishing it.

Like the recent hilarious sarcastic Stephen Colbert speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner (if anyone wants to see the video of this, please contact me), Annikki has drawn attention to the Oligarchic System that presently is in place in Finland!

Come yesterday, I got up at my usual time of 4 am and thumbed through the Kaleva newspaper. Although there was much about freedom of speech, there was no attention drawn to the lack of freedom of speech in Finland, and no article by Annikki in the columns. There was not a single reference to the lack of freedom of speech in Finland.

As soon as Annikki awoke, I drew her attention to the fact that her article had not been accepted. She thumbed through the paper, read all that was published, which was all about finger-pointing at everyone else in the world, with no mention to the lack of the freedom of speech in Finland itself.


Full page advertisement inserted by the Finnish Newspapers Union,
in all major newspapers in Finland, including the Helsingin Sanomat and Kaleva,
on Freedom of Speech Day

Then, she noted that on one full page, there was this huge advertisement put out by the Finnish Newspapers Union of a "typical page in a controlled newspaper", with all the words supposedly struck out in the sort of "barbed wire" fashion.

It implied how people around the world were caged in by the oppressive governments which denied them freedom of speech.

I explained my understanding of this advertisement to Annikki and said that this advertisement was being carried in almost every Finnish newspaper.

That really riled her.

She has produced this beautifully written piece (in English) in response to that full page advertisement, which represents HER understanding of that same page!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Freedom of Speech in Finland?

by

Annikki Matthan

An entire page of Kaleva, and almost every major newspaper in Finland, was devoted to a picture of the words in the columns of a newspaper blacked out by barbed wire. Even the darkened pictures were fashioned in a manner to depict how freedom of speech was being denied to masses around the world.

It was meant for the Finnish newspaper readers to understand what they had something which was not being enjoyed by millions of people around this planet.

This was the special contribution of the Newspaper Publishers Union on 3rd May 2006, Freedom of Speech Day.

The message was very clear.

The Members of the Finnish Newspapers Union control Freedom of Speech in Finland.

It must have cost the Union several millions of Euros to hammer this subliminal message across to all the Finns.

Whatever was meant to be the message for those who are behind the barbed wire fence was not clear. Obviously, it was meant that the Finns were those outside the borders of this fence, looking in on those behind it!

One thing the Union did not state was that the Finns could be added to the masses of people who are denied this freedom of speech.

Instead of allowing the people to have the extra space to express their opinions, the professional Union took the entire space for itself. Their message could be understood to be exactly what the official Finnsh line has always been:

"Look around everywhere else and consider yourselves especially fortunate, as you had better believe, understand and know what you have. You lack nothing. You are kept in a special protection zone of barbed wire which separates you from those oppressed rest"

It is worth remembering that a barbed wire fence looks the same from both inside and outside.

The power brokers are the watchdogs and the "professional guardians" of the freedom of speech in Finland.

They protect the Finnish establishment, the interests of the State, the Authorities, the Church, the Police and the entire Legal System structure, which are not free from outside controls.

I consider the projection and exhibition of the barbed wire lines to be a strong warning and a threat to the freedom of expression by individuals in Finland.

If I had the money and the power to decide to defend the freedom of the speech on the day of its commemoration, it would have been done in a different way. I would have bought that space to give the same space for the people to say something which was troubling their minds.

I would not have surrounded them with the barbed wire fence.

The full page advertisement seemed to be a dramatic attempt to say:

"Stop here and look. Go no further. This is a protected area!"

The page needs no words to explain the meaning. It was the signal and symbol of DANGER!

In an attempt to change the subject and focus, the message being conveyed was for Finns not to ask for more than what they have. They were already at the edge. What they had was enough for them - and they should not make any attempt to shake the POWER STRUCTURE.

It does not seem right to commemorate the Freedom of Speech Day by frightening the readers of all the major newspapers in Finland with symbols and pictures.

I hope you understand what I mean when I say that I am married to the most multi-talented and multi-faceted woman in this Universe!

Several faces of one woman

Most of you know Annikki as the creative designer that she is. Her cake calendar has circled the globe and drawn huge praise. Her recycled garden has been looked at in awe by Finns from all over the country as it was featured in the leading magazine in Finland.

But there are many other faces of this person that several of you do not know.
In this entry I show one of those faces.

Annikki is a person of great humour. Over the years I can recount many instances of her abounding humour. However, this one instance of just a couple of days ago shows how I can come to that conclusion.

Thee Lidl Department Store recently advertised some garden decorative items as a turtle, a rabbit and a frog. It was said that they had movement sensors, and if anyone passed by, they would make a sound.

Off I was sent on a mission to buy them for the Kampitie garden.

Lidl Oulu only had the turtle, which I faithfully brought home. I was expecting it to be in the garden the next day.

Wolf whistling turtle

I put the battery into the turtle and found that the noise it made was a wolf whistle, rather loud. So I shut off the sensor and left it for Annikki to set it up in the garden.

The next day, when I returned from my shopping trip, Annikki was in spliits of laughter, and her mother, Hilja, was equally in great spirits.

There it was, sitting on the kitchen table was the turtle, directly in front of Hilja. Every time Hilja moved, the turtle would let off a very loud wolf whistle.

What Hilja hears, we cannot tell, but it appeared to greatly amuse her as she talked to the turtle.

That, of course, had Annikki in splits of laughter to see her mother talking to the wolf whistling turtle. This, in turn, had an effect on her mother, who was greatly amused by seeing her daughter rolling all over the place laughing.

Every time Hilja was getting a little difficult with her food or health boosters, Annikki wouldswitch on the turtle and the wolf whistle would turn the whole antagonistic atmosphere to one of great mirth.

Laughter makes the world go round. Annikki is one who knows how to use this tool effectively.

No doubt, the turtle will be turning some heads in the garden before very long!

Hitting the sack....

(Cross-posted on the CHAFF Blog.)

I had a late night yesterday.

Annikki and I were invited by Ilari Sohlo's parents (Jorma & Heli) to attend the official engagement party of Ildikó to Ilari. Annikki could not come as someone had to stay at home to look after her mother.

I reached Prof. Sohlo's house at 17:00 hours. I was greeted by Ildi, and surprise, surprise, Ildi's mother (Juliska Hámos) who had come in from Hungary.

The bedroom door opened and out popped Ildi's dad (Árpád Hámos), who had flown in from Vienna, via Budapest.

Árpád greeted me as a long lost friend saying that my blog was extremely popular in his IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) circles in Vienna. I had never met either of Juliska and Árpád, but this blog had already sealed a relationship between us!

I guess I was surprised to see them there. The persons who were even more surprised and delighted were Ildi and Ilari. They had had no clue that Juliska and Árpád were coming for the party. The scheme had been plotted by Jorma & Heli.

They had arrived at 01:05 am that morning and had been whisked from the airport to Prof. Sohlo's home.

They had slept the night and got ready during the day. When Ildi walked in through the front door for the party, she received a phone call from Árpád who was apologising for not being there for the engagement, while calling from the closed bedroom.

But Ildi heard a familiar ring on the phone, which sounded surprisingly like the sound of her own mobile. She rushed into the closed bedroom to see Juliska and Árpád standing there.

Sorry, I do not have a photograph of that moment - I can only guess the explosive emotions that were there.

Clockwise starting at the top left: Árpád, Juliska, Heli, Ilari & Ildi, Jorma

Juliska is taller than Ildi and as graceful as her daughter. Árpád is an effervescent person, full of life and wanting to be a friend of everyone. Unfortunately, Ildi's brother could not be present.



The food was superb. There was all sort of Finnish delicacies, smoked salmon, smoked reindeer salad, and there was the Thai Pailin speciality - the Mini Flap (both vegetarian and noon-vegetarian).

There was loads of great coffee, beer, wine, Benedictine, etc.

I stuck to my water and tea.



It was a glorious evening. For a large part, till the sun went over the horion, we sat outside enjoying the company, the food, the drink and the spring sunshine warmth.



Juliska and Árpád had brought some great presents from Hungary including silver ear rings for Ildi and white metal cuff links and tie pin for Ilari. Also they gave them some unique ceramic from Hungary which is glazed with a superb metal finish.


Sketches of Jorma & Heli

The Ilari family home is one of the most unique that I have visited in recent times. Their love of art predominates and every wall is covered with paintings from well known, as well as not so well known artists.


Sohlo Siblings
Ilari is on the far right

When they stopped filling the walls with paintings, most unusually, you could see paintings affixed to the roof! :-)



The final touch was the Guest Book signing which was specially prepared and brought from Hungary.



There were three almost identical booklets, one for Jorma & Heli, one for Juliska and Árpád and one for Ilari & Ildi.



The last page of each featured a beautiful Transylvanian woodcut.



It was way past my bedtime when we left Jorma & Heli place.

I got home and briefed Annikki on the happenings and showed her the collection of photographs so she could feel as if she had been there. After checking and clearing my email, I took my computer headphones to listen to "Ring of Fire", a Talk Show hosted by Bobby Kennedy Jr. As I climbed into bed at 12:49 am, Bobby was just announcing that his next guest was going to be my good friend and best Talk Show Host in the world, Mike Malloy.

Great, I thought, what a surprise to get to hear Mike on a Saturday night.

My head hit the pillow at 12:50. I did not see 12:51 and missed Mike!

People say it is so difficult to get to sleep - not ME!

Two faces of Friday

As I drove back yesterday evening, I saw a group of Oulu University Students, dressed in their Student Union Overalls (each department and laboratory has its own distinctive colour with lots of ads from companies that sponsor them) and they were in the Central Park of Oulu, having fun, swigging their beer or whatever else they could drink, and preparing for a long weekend bingeing on the bottle.

Students on their run-up to May Day

Comforting sight of who and what is being educated in Finland, as this is a common scene up and down the country at this time of the year.

When I reached home, the mood was different. Annikki was dressed in her outside work clothes, and I knew that "we" were in for some heavy work.



We first shifted the old front steps from the front to the back of the garden - to a new resting place as planned by Annikki. I thought I would call my Mr. Atlas, Kamu, to help us. Annikki had other ideas. Using some small birch logs and a lot of imagination, she (and ME?) managed to get this whole heavy contraption to the exact spot she had planned for it, negotiating the narrow space between the building wall and the compound fence.


Kampitie steps in their new location

Annikki plans to do many things with this, as a flower display platform, as a play area for the grandkids, as a sitting place, etc., etc.

But there was more work.

With the heavy snowfall of this winter, the pergola which Annikki had designed from wooden logs had crumbled under the weight of the snow on the plastic roof - just like many architect designed roofs all over Finland this winter.


Pergola seen last summer

Annikki surveyed the ruins. Then she rolled up her sleeves and got to work to start work on getting her pergola back and up.


Annikki surveys Pergola collapse





There is a lot of work to get the garden back to exactly what Annikki wants. She is going to be working many long hours. She was already discussing some of her many ideas with me - and they literally flew over my head. I could not visualise what she clearly sees! I never can as I am a dumbo as far as art is concerned.

The neighbours, our new ones, a young couple, were also busy doing up their garden. It looks as if Annikki will have some good company to chat across the garden fence. They are surely going to motivate each other! Annikki has that effect on people as they see her toiling late into the summer nights.

Watch this space to see how all Annikki's new ideas develop over this summer. Here is a creative artist at work - and it is fun to (just) watch! :-)

Saturday Puzzle

Well, you asked for a DIFFICULT PUZZLE - so here it is.

YOU have to tell ME how I solve THIS.

Is it MAGIC?

Is it TELEPATHY?

AM I SITTING THERE BEHIND YOUR SHOULDER? (No, don't look around!)

Of course, you can CLAP and say that
Jacob (Sushil, Sushilchayan, Grandpa, Dead Chicken, Jake,...)
is the GREATEST! :-)

ARE YOU READY?

Mentally select ANY ONE of these six cards.

Click on the image if you cannot see the cards properly!

Have you SELECTED ONE?

Just ONE, please!

MEMORISE your selected card.

I want you to STARE at it.

Quietly tell yourself the card - but DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE HEAR IT!

Remember the name of your card. Don't forget it.

NOW IT IS TIME TO PROCEED TO THE NEXT PAGE. CLICK HERE --->CLICK HERE

Driving in Oulu

As each day goes on I get more and more agitated by the driving I encounter in Oulu. Either I am just getting older or the driving being taught by driving schools in Finland is getting more and more shoddy.

I think it is the latter as what I observe are the violation of basic principles of driving.

Car drivers must always be in a position that they do not impede the progress of cars that are either in front of or behind them. Today's drivers conveniently forget that there are cars behind them as they take their positions in lanes.

When one approaches a point in the road where one is turning left or right, the positioning of a car on the road, if possible, should be to try to leave sufficient room for cars to pass by, in case, the car turning is somehow delayed by on-coming traffic or pedestrians crossing the road who have right of way.



A typical cross-road is one in Oulu where one has to turn left in the face of on-coming traffic. Some drivers do not proceed to the centre of the crossing. If there are no on-coming cars driving straight on, they can turn left. Even if there are on-coming cars who are signalling that they are turning right, they can complete the trn to the left, especially as there is a double lane to allow each car to keep its correct lane when turning.

By not doing this, just one car may get through during a Green Light session. Whereas, by correct positioning and following what the on-coming traffic is doing, it is possible for about 8 to 9 cars to get through in the same time.

This bad driving results in a huge back-log of cars. It reflects bad driving training.

Turning right at a T-Junction

In another instance, where cars turning left do not position themselves to the extreme left of their lane, they block traffic behind them which wants to go straight on! This again causes a back-up of traffic which can block another side-road. This auses a road jam along the main road, right up to the traffic light.

Oulu is a small town, and most of us are not in a hurry. But we like to see that good behaviour is practised by all drivers.

On the other hand, maybe I am just getting OLD! :-)

Democracy is just an IMAGE in Oulu

(Cross-posted on the CHAFF Blog.)

I was busy all day today and did not have time to browse the Kaleva, our local nwewspaper, in much detail. When I returned from the physiotherapy session of our son, Mika, I settled down to watch one of the few TV programmes that I do watch, “Murder She Wrote”.

Annikki was busy attending to her mother. When she had given her mother her food, she joined me in the living room and asked whether I had seen a small news item in the newspaper about how the students in Oulu had been disallowed to carry out a public protest in Oulu or to set up a information tent or display banners as the Image of City of Oulu as an International City with the coming of summer would be “damaged”.

My blood boiled, just as much as Annikki’s, when I heard this.

I had just spoken to my good friend Ilari Sohlo who is in touch with the Student World, but he had not mentioned this protest. So I rang back, but he did not answer his mobile.

Then Ilari rang back. When I told him about this, he said he had missed this news item as he was busy with a seminar presentation. He immediately looked up the web and found the protest was to be between 12:00 noon and 16:15 in Rotuari, the central walking street of Oulu.

I looked at my watch, and it was just turning 16:05. I decided to make a dash to the city to see if I could catch up with some of the student leaders behind this protest.

On my way, Ilari sent me a text message giving me the name of the main Organiser, Milja Seppälä and her contact phone number.

When I reached the town centre, it was past 16:15. I noted that the protest was over and the students had packed up and gone home. So I rang Milja and had a word with her.

I asked her whether Oulu was becoming like the US where, if one needed to protest, then it had to be in “Free Speech Zones”.

Milja said she hoped that this was not so.

I then asked her for the rationale behind the City not giving the students the right to carry out a public protest. She told me that it was because it could damage the reputation of the City as an International City, especially with the onset of summer!

I was horrified.

I asked Milja whether she had any pictures of the protest for this blog entry. Sadly she did not have any and as she was just about to enter into a meeting, she had to end our interview.

I was really mad as I drove home. I told Annikki the outcome of the visit to the city and my conversation with Milja. She was just as mad as me and she immediately queried whether Democracy in Finland was going to be just an IMAGE?

I wonder whether this protest demonstration in London made that city less of an International City than Oulu?

Protest in London

Or did this protest in Paris make it less of an International City than Oulu?


Paris Student Protest

Is it not strange that we were allowed to carry out a protest in Oulu against the Iraq War but students could not carry out a protest about their student grants?


Iraq War Protest in front of
Oulu City Hall, Picture by Jacob Matthan

This is not the first time we have come across this issue of safegaurding and polishing the “Image of Oulu” by corrupt Oulu bureaucrats.

In the forerunner to this Blog, our popular internet fortnightly FINDIANS BRIEFINGS Volume No: 05 Issue No. 01 - - 28th January 1998 had this item Analysis - Journalist Pimps

When we exposed the strategy of Oulu City bureaucracy to get favourable stories in International newspapers and magazines published by Journalist Pimps, we were called to the office of the Oulu Economic Affairs Office to try to convince us that Oulu was really a great city as had been reported by these "bribed" journalist.

We concluded then:

“To cut a long story short, our meeting with Mr. Seppo Mäki ended when we asked him that if he wanted to tell the truth or just to promote a set of half-truths about our city. We compliemented him on the great job he is doing but sadly what is being done is just polishing the Finnish image in public, while underneath it stinks to the high heaven.

Sadly, Mr. Mäki is very efficient in his job. The Finnish newspapers then feed the gulible Finns with a dose of their own city handouts routed through the gulible international press as if they emanated from these great journalists. These are not journalists, but in our opinion, but glorified pimps.”

The situation between 1998 and 2006 has not changed one bit. The City of Oulu is still run by a set of CORRUPT OFFICIALS.

Students in Oulu - Are you going to stand by your principles or be brow-beaten and your natural rights trampled by your “political masters”. If the latter, forget that you live in a democracy! If these people are your "political servants" as they should be as they are in your pay - then tell them exactly what you think of their actions.

The answer lies in your hands - not theirs!

Cut short

Annikki and I were under the impression that Annikki's mother would only be back tomorrow from the Old People's Home. Annikki had her heart set on going to beach to look for some stones.

We had a busy afternoon. After her usual visit to two of her favourite Flea Markets, I parked the car in Stockman and while Annikki did her shopping I visited a couple of friends coffee shops and chit-chatted with them.

As I was walking down the Walking Street, I saw a foreigner giving out UNICEF literasture. I struck up a conversation with him. I had not met him before but I soon learnt that I had heard of his wife (Mervi Heikkinen) and he had heard of me. Brent Cassidy, an American of Irish Origin, has lived in Finland for 8 years, having come to Finland along with a group of North Carolina students. Go to his interesting web site.

Brent and friends have Live Traditional Irish Music sessions every other Sunday beginning at 17:00/ 5:00 p.m. in St. Michael's Irish Pub located on Hallituskatu 13-17 in Oulu City Center. Free Entry. The sessions are open for other musicians to join in and play with them.

Brent was greatly disappointed that he did not know of today's Best Buy at the Kaijonharju Shopping Centre as he had reached my Best Buy Blog page only after the event.

As we were chatting, along came Fumi, Ville Suomi's Japanese better half, on a shopping expedition. And as we were talking, along came a Nigerian student.

Soon we had a warm conversation till we all decided it was time to break it up and get on with our lives.

When I went into Stockman to wait for Annikki, there was an Indian couple with their young son, whom I know. He works for WIPRO. So again I was quickly in the midst of a conversation till Anniikki arrived.

Annikki decided she had a few more things to buy in Stockman. Just when she was on her way back to me, she bumped into another old friend, Leila Kerola, whose son, Antti, had studied with Mika. The whole Kerola family have become good close friends.

It appears that it is impossible to walk around Oulu without meeting many many people with whom we have much in common!

When we got home, Annikki decided that she would put her feet up for a few minutes before going to the beach - when the phone rang. It was the Old People's Home telling us that Hilja was ready to come home.

I had messed up my calendar.

So off we went to bring her home - and it is back to the tough routine for the next three weeks.

Every day gets more hectic

(Cross-posted on the Oulu CHAFF Blog.)

Sunday was no exception.

I was already out of the house early to see my car mechanic, Reijo, to pay him for my tyres.

(Hot news:
For Sale:
Opel Kadett - 1987 Euro 700, MOT'd till August;
Volkswagen Passat - 2002 Euro 22,000 (about 120000 km on the clock;
Wanted: A good diesel 5 seater car in the price range of Euro 1000 - 1500.
Contact me for details.)

I went to see the master Pizza "Taikina" Maker, Zambian Kamutaza Tembo, demonstrate his skills.

Kamu demonstrating making pizza "taikana" balls

Kamu can make 120 of these balls, from which the pizza base is rolled, in just 15 minutes!

Then I picked up some CHAFF participants. The CHAFF meeting was much larger this week than I had expected.

(It would be nice if you could call in to the Restaurant and tell them if you are coming so they can make the Thai / Chinese buffet suit your taste - especially if you are a vegetarian or have special dietary needs. The hosts know all present CHAFF participants who have taken part so far and know their tastes - spicy, mild, vegetarian, etc.!)

We had two newcomers brought by our regular Kenyan participant, David Okele. Business management students from Kenya, Cleo and Joel, are also sportsmen, one being a 5 km runner and the other a keen footballer.


New CHAFF participants from Kenya
Cleo and Joel with me

They showed us some superb Kenyan Bead Art in the form of bracelet.


Kenyan Bead Art

For someone who takes almost half-an-hour to thread a needle, this was simply superb.


German speaking CHAFF participants,
Ildikó (Hungary), Pailin (Thailand) and Kerstin (Germany)


Michela (Slovakia), Anais (France), Ilari (Finland) and Ildikó (Hungary)

I introduced (orally) some of the more athletically minded CHAFF participants, including Kerstin (Germany), to the super-action sport of Thai Sepak Takraw (Kick Volleyball), a fast paced game requiring agility. Top international football stars hone their ball contol skills using this sport.

The court and net are of the same height and dimensions as in badminton. A team (Regu) consists of 3 members. Two regus compete by spiking a ball into the opponent's court. Most of the same rules apply as for volley ball, with the following main exceptions:

- players are prohibited from using their hands & arms;
- a player can touch the ball up to 3 times consecutively;
- the players' positions on the court need not be rotated;
- net serves (falling within the boundary) are accepted.

A rattan ball is served from the corner.


Takraw rattan ball

The striker kicks the ball over the net. You can use any part of your body except your arms and hands. If you're not used to playing and you strike the ball with your head it will hurt! It really helps if you are flexible. The back kick is the most exciting move when the strike spikes the ball while doing a back flip!!

A match is composed of 3 sets. The first regu to score 21 points wins a set. The first regu winning two sets wins the match. In either set, if both regus are tied, 20 - 20, play continues until one regu wins by 2 points, up to a ceiling of 25 points. If each regu wins one set out of the first two, then the third set is played and is called the "Tiebreak". The Tiebreak only goes up to 15 points, but again a regu must win by 2 points, up to a ceiling of 17.

Pailin was trying to say that takraw was unladylike! This picture sequence shows a lady in the process of serving in a Ladies Takraw tournament. Women probably play the game faster and better than men!


Women's Takraw - Service

We have some very talented young Thai Takraw players here in Oulu. The Thai Pailin Restaurant is planning to launch a Takraw Club.


Women's Takraw game in progress

If you are interested contact the restaurant will organise for training sessions if sufficient number of people are interested.

Warning - Do not try this game unless you are intending to be really PHYSICALLY FIT.

As Pentti Paakki had to rush off for a GNLD Meeting, I dropped Matti Moisa home to Haukipudas. He stopped along the way to show me the oldest pine tree in Oulu - over 300 years old!


300 year old Salt Pine tree at Kaskila


Two antiques of Oulu!

I then went to see Soda play football. His side won 2 -0 but Soda did not see much of the ball!


Cold and windy evening football in Oulu

I returned to the Pailin Restaurant to pick up food for Annikki and Mika. I was pleasantly surprised to see an old friend from the University, Peruvian Manuel with his elder son, Daniel, having a pizza at the restaurant.


Peruvians in Oulu, Manuel and Daniel

Manuel has been in Oulu for 21 years (I have been here 22 years) and he was a student in Oulu University in the Electrical Engineering Department when I was working in the Microelectronics Laboratory. Today, Manuel works in Oulu for a large US Corporation and is married to a girl from Peru. Besides Daniel, they have another baby boy, Miguel.

As I was finally driving home after this busy day, I had a panic call from Annikki. She had not seen me all day. I reassured her that good hot and spicy Thai / Chinese food was on the way home!

All was forgiven! :-)

This time it is my Sunday Puzzle

What do you see in this picture - 3 zigzag lines?

Or what?



I wanted to put a more difficult one, but I am trying to work out how I can do it. So till next Saturday, stay well.

Sunday was even more hectic than Saturday - so stay tuned for an interesting entry tomorrow with lots of photographs including one of the oldest pine tree in Oulu!