Finland, Finland, Finland - come in y'all..! ;) [Archive] - Page 2

FinnFreak

02-13-2006, 5:37am

Yahoo! TV - Saturday February 11 8:37 PM ET

Conan O'Brien Seeks Reward for Finn's Win

http://www.iltalehti.fi/2006/02/13/conan1_vi.jpghttp://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/muut/minisaittien_sisalto/conan/363639.jpg
http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/muut/minisaittien_sisalto/conan/363636.jpghttp://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/ohjelmakortit/ohjelmakortitsyksy2005/348681_448x360.jpg
http://www.iltalehti.fi/2006/02/13/conan2_vi.jpghttp://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/muut/minisaittien_sisalto/conan/363638.jpg
Conan O'Brien has landed in Finland

Conan O'Brien, who endorsed the re-election of Finnish President Tarja Halonen with mock ad campaigns, said Saturday he expects to be rewarded with a Cabinet position as inspector of saunas.

Hundreds of fans welcomed the American talk show host on Saturday to a freezing Helsinki, the capital of the land of the saunas only two weeks after Halonen, 62, secured a second six-year term as Finland's first female presudent.

The quirky, self-deprecating O'Brien said he will ask "Tarja" for a Cabinet position when he meets her Feb. 14.

"I'd like to be the inspector of saunas, mostly women's saunas," he said.

Organizers said some 2,000 fans waited for hours in subzero temperatures to catch a glimpse of the TV host who has become unusually popular in this nation of 5 million on the northern fringes of Europe.

O'Brien has joked that his show is highly popular here because of his resemblance to the fair-skinned, red-haired Halonen. Last year, he caused a political stir for endorsing her during her campaign, broadcasting mock ads promoting her and attacking her opponents.

"Why do I support Tarja Halonen? Because she's got the total package: a dynamic personality, a quick mind, and most importantly my good looks," the comedian told The Associated Press.

A soldier in uniform said "the army loves him."

"He lightens our lives in the evenings quite a bit," said Corp. Mattias Ronnberg, an 18-year-old conscript.

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/ap/20060211/113971902000.html

http://laaja.org/conan/IMG_2807_800.JPG

http://laaja.org/conan/IMG_2903_800.JPG

http://laaja.org/conan/IMG_2826_800.JPG

http://laaja.org/conan/IMG_2835_800.JPG

http://homepage.mac.com/ippem/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2006-02-11%2008.56.59%20-0800/Image-029823E39B1F11DA.jpg

http://laaja.org/conan/IMG_2858_800.JPG

"What does your wife think about you spending Valentine's day with Tarja Halonen and not her..?"

Conan: My wife was bitter at first. She locked herself in the bathroom - and cried. I explained to her, that Tarja and I have something that my wife and I can never have. Which is: we look exactly like each other. So now she understands.

:biglaugh: - !!!

Videos:

Conan arriving (http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/conan_obrien_arrives_in_finland_2107b_www.finlandf orthought.net.avi)

Press conference I (http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/conan_obrien_arrives_in_finland_2116b_www.finlandf orthought.net.avi)

Press conference II (http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/conan_obrien_arrives_in_finland_2123b_www.finlandf orthought.net.avi)

Press conference III (http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/conan_obrien_arrives_in_finland_2124b_www.finlandf orthought.net.avi)

John - :p

Troll

02-13-2006, 9:09am

Thanks for the pics.

FinnFreak

02-13-2006, 9:31am

Helsingin Sanomat - Monday 13.2.2006

Chat-show host sends fans into near-hysteria at Helsinki Airport

Conan O'Brien seeks sauna inspector position for his Halonen endorsement

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135218726616.jpeg
The size of the crowd waiting to catch a glimpse of Conan O'Brien left the
organisers open-mouthed. Police estimated that around 2,000 people packed
in front of the VIP terminal at Helsinki-Vantaa International, but there were
no problems or injuries in the crush.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135218726618.jpeg
O'Brien's opening words to the press in Finnish
had been written out phonetically on a cue-card.
He completed the task manfully, and certainly
rather better than he has mangled the first name
of Tarja Halonen in his programmes. The Finnish
presidential elections - and Conan's support for
his "double" - have been a regular feature of the
Late Night shows since the autumn.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135218726620.jpeg
The TV-star briefly signed autographs for fans at the airport.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135218724647.jpeg
Conan O'Brien rewarded the throng of fans who had stood in the cold outside by
appearing for around ten minutes outside the VIP terminal at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.
He had to climb on a workman's stepladder to make himself seen.

American comic and talk-show host Conan O'Brien made landfall in Finland on Saturday, starting a five-day visit that has been trumpeted for days on end on his Late Night With Conan O'Brien. The show is aired on NBC and relayed - at a few days' delay - to Finnish audiences via the teens & young adults cable/digital entertainment channel, subTV.

The comedian's arrival at the VIP terminal at Helsinki-Vantaa International was witnessed by around a hundred journalists and an enthusiastic crowd of a couple of thousand outside, most of them teenagers.

O'Brien began his press briefing with a few words in passable Finnish, read off a phonetic cue-card, expressing his delight at being welcomed to our "beautiful country".

He quickly got into his stride, and announced he would be requesting a return favour from President Tarja Halonen, whom he claims he helped to win re-election by his endorsement and energetic campaigning on her behalf in his TV-show, where he used mock advertisements highlighting his supposed resemblance to the red-headed Finnish leader.

Following the U.S. pattern of cabinet and ministerial appointments for services rendered, O'Brien said he had his eyes on the position of sauna inspector, and that he would be taking this up with Halonen when the lookalikes meet in person on Tuesday.

"I'd like to be the inspector of saunas", he quipped. "Mostly women's saunas, but also men's, if they are under 30 and good-looking."

A few moments before, he had walked into the packed VIP terminal to face the journalists. The terminal had been temporarily re-named "Conan O'Brien International Airport" in his honour.

"Thank you, thank you", he said to the room, displaying all the gestures of a visiting statesman. However, behind the role-playing one could see that the star was nervous and clearly astonished at the reception he had encountered. Close up, he could be seen blushing.

The journalists included an NBC camera and sound crew. Material for O'Brien's show in the States is to be shot during his five-day visit, but no actual programmes will be taped here. The visit has been made possible as the Late Night slot is off-air for the duration of the Winter Olympics.

During the visit, apart from the 20-minute audience with Tarja Halonen slated for Tuesday, O'Brien has planned to tour some of Finland with his camera crew, including a possible visit to Lapland. Later on Tuesday the talk-show host will pick up a Telvis Award for being "The most surprising and entertaining TV personality in Finland" during 2005. He will also present the award for best female TV performer.

O'Brien again brought up the subject of his uncanny resemblance to Tarja Halonen, joking that one after another he would begin to resemble other prominent Finns, until he looked like anyone who was anyone in this neck of the woods.

The similarity gag was taken a step further with a young O'Brien lookalike in attendance. The comic's personal manager went and jotted down the details of 15-year-old Viktor Wikström for possible future engagements.

"Hey, you're better looking than me", said O'Brien.

"Absolutely", replied Wickström.

Outside the terminal, a crowd of around 2,000 fans, most of them teenagers, had turned out to welcome their hero. The advance warnings of the visit on the TV show and on websites had been heeded: the first arrivals had shown up at 11:00, four hours and more before the O'Brien entourage was scheduled to land.

They remained good-natured despite having to stand in the cold for several hours, until 16:30, when the star popped his head outside to wave to them. He had to climb on a rather rickety-looking stepladder to be seen above the heads, and this time he dropped the showbiz pretence and appeared genuinely touched by the warmth of the reception.

Girls screamed, boys shouted, and some of the hardier specimens even ripped off their shirts.

Another short appearance, and it was all over, and the crowd and their banners dispersed into the afternoon, probably to catch up on the Winter Olympics from Torino or watch themselves on the evening news.

There is no doubt the turnout surprised the organisers as much as it did Conan O'Brien. "There hasn't been anything like this seen at the airport since Paul Anka", said one police officer, referring to the teen idol's visit in the 1950s.

Then again, the policeman might have added the names of such luminaries as Ryan O'Neal (in the guise of "Rodney Harrington" from Peyton Place), William Conrad (the creator of the role of overweight detective "Frank Cannon" in the long-running TV series of that name), teen heart-throb David Hasselhoff of Knight Rider and Baywatch fame, practically the entire cast of the CBS daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful (believe it or not, eight girls were christened "Brooke" and six were christened "Taylor" in Finland between 1980 and 1999), Ken "Wiseguy" Wahl, whose visit in 1988 caused headlines in all the wrong ways, Monica Lewinsky, busty topless model Samantha Fox, and, most recently, ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman, who attended the 2005 Wife-Carrying World Championships and even turned out for a Finnish basketball team.

These and many others have often been ferried around Finland to be goggled at by the locals, particularly during the Midsummer weekend.

Finland is ultimately just another entry-stamp in Conan O'Brien's passport: he has filmed past segments for his show in Canada, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, and Australia. His 2004 Canadian road-trip - and the off-colour jokes it spawned about the hosts, particularly among the Québecois - led eventually to a tongue-in-cheek "grovelling apology" from the talk-show host.

It remains to be seen how Finland will fare at Conan's hands when he gets home. You can invite a comedian here, but it's a lot harder to tell him what's funny and what is not.

Still, we're used to it. The country has emerged more or less unscathed from the mosquito-swatting, wife-carrying, sauna-sitting, mobile phone-tossing, tango-dancing, air guitar-playing coverage it has routinely received in past years - and hey, let's face it, the news items could have been a lot worse.

Ultimately another Irish wit was probably right on the money 115 years ago, when he noted that: "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Chat-show+host+sends+fans+into+near-hysteria+at+Helsinki+airport/1135218742446

John - :biglaugh:

FinnFreak

02-14-2006, 8:18am

Iltasanomat & Iltalehti - 14.02.2006

Conan Met Santa Claus

http://www.iltalehti.fi/2006/02/14/4102210_vi.jpg
Conan O'Brien and Santa Claus at the Arctic Circle

Conan O'Brien flew in full speed yesterday with the 3 hour schedule drawn by the people in Lapland. He told he wanted to see the reindeer, taste the snow and meet people.

The man himself drove a snowmobile from the hotel to a reindeer farm.

There the star banged the Lapp drum to accompany the joiku song performance by the Samí artist Niiles-Jouni Aikio.

"He felt like a pro, who could pull off a show without a script. However, the joiku sounded more like a North American Indian song", Aikio analyzed the performance.

Conan was also taught the mating call of a male reindeer.

O'Brien wore a pair of antlers and ran back and forth, while the reindeer escaped in panic. He was also educated about the effects of reindeer antler powder to male virile power.

For dinner he had fried reindeer and unripened cheese cake with marmalade.

O'Brienin's gripes over the fact, that Santa Claus didn't visit New York last Christmas because of the dangerousness of the city was brought up at the Arctic Circle. Santa and Conan shook hands, and acknowledged, that the relationship between the nations were in order.

To make up for last Christmas, O'Brien received two presents for his two-year-old daughter Neve and four-month-old Becket.

...nothing in the news about his meeting with President Halonen yet..? :really:

...wait... yes there is:

http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/muut/minisaittien_sisalto/conan/363961.jpg

Today O'Brien was seen on 2 TV morning shows... seemed a bit tired, but was able to throw a few jokes about spending the Valentine's Day with President Halonen. - "My wife is very jealous."

After a 20 minute meeting with President Halonen, Conan and his crew assembled at the MTV3 studios in Helsinki, and after some equipment adjustments they have a live via satellite connection to the Tonight Show. Conan had to disappointedly report, that he didn't get a cabinet post, but otherwise the talks went on well.

"We talked about how amazingly much we looked alike... and I gave Tarja some tips on how to make her hair resemble mine a bit more."

Tonight Conan will attend the annual Telvis gala, a television award show, which will be shown live on TV tonight. Conan will give out the best female performer's award and he himself will receive a special award for "The Most Colorful Performance of the Year". Conan promised he will even handle the after-party... we'll see... he's beginning to sound like a Finn already...

John - :funny:

Big Swede

02-14-2006, 12:09pm

http://laaja.org/conan/IMG_2807_800.JPG
John - :p

And this picture have what to do with the topic? :huh: :uhh: :scowl:

:p

aFinn

02-14-2006, 5:37pm

And this picture have what to do with the topic? :huh: :uhh: :scowl:

:phttp://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/Finn55/misc/swedensucks.gif

:p

Big Swede

02-14-2006, 11:13pm

Mmmkaay! ok I admit that I doesn´t follow this issue that properly Gosh! how Conan sucking up to the Finns nowdays to get more wievers! :shocked: Even with cheap tricks like this
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/Finn55/misc/swedensucks.gif
That´s like giving candy to a child! ;) :funny:

FinnFreak

02-15-2006, 1:56am

...who doesn't like candy..? ;)

CNN - Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Madame President, it's that talk show host

Conan O'Brien finally meets Finnish president

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/14/people.conan.obrien.ap/story.conan.ap.jpg
Conan O'Brien has his long-awaited
meeting with Finnish president Tarja
Halonen.

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) -- Conan O'Brien finally met his match.

The "Late Night" jokester, who ran a mock ad campaign endorsing the re-election of Finnish President Tarja Halonen -- because of her strong resemblance to him, red hair and all -- had a face-to-similar-face meeting with her Tuesday at the presidential palace in downtown Helsinki.

O'Brien handed the Nordic country's first female president a box of chocolates in the shape of a red heart as they posed for photographers before their 15-minute meeting. Halonen gave him Finnish troll dolls to take home.

Last year, O'Brien caused a political stir when, based on their resemblance, he endorsed the 62-year-old Halonen for a second six-year term -- which she won last month. His mock ads not only backed Halonen but also attacked her opponents.

O'Brien, who had earlier jokingly demanded a six-hour audience, said he wasn't disappointed.

"Someone like me knows he's lucky to get 15 minutes," O'Brien said, adding that the meeting was "very, very nice."

"It's not every day I get to meet the president of a country," O'Brien said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

On his arrival Saturday, O'Brien quipped that he expected to be rewarded for endorsing Halonen with a Cabinet position as inspector of saunas, "mostly women's saunas," but the issue was not discussed in the meeting.

"I was hoping very much to get a Cabinet position because I very much need the money, but she has invited me to come and visit her with my family," O'Brien said.

On Saturday, some 2,000 fans waited hours in subfreezing temperatures to catch a glimpse of the quirky, self-deprecating TV host, whose show is unusually popular in this taciturn nation of 5 million on the northern fringe of Europe.

Finns are very aware of their image abroad, and when O'Brien poked fun at the small country, he was overwhelmed by cards and mail. Finns started appearing in the New York audience of his NBC show.

The program airs on a Finnish cable channel, with a few days delay, and every time he mentions Finland or Halonen, local media report it prominently.

The president's spokeswoman said Halonen had wanted to thank O'Brien for making Finland better known, and the two had agreed they "might, indeed, resemble each other."

"When O'Brien said he looked more like his mother than his father, the president sent her greetings," spokeswoman Maria Romantschuk said.

"I think she (Halonen) was pleased and quite relieved to hear that," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said his wife was not too happy about his Valentine's Day meeting with Tarja, calling her by her first name as many Finns do.

"She was so jealous, she said she would spend her Valentine's Day with President Bush," he quipped.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/14/people.conan.obrien.ap/index.html

John - :p

FinnFreak

02-15-2006, 6:21am

- Conan O'Brien's final day in Finland -

http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/muut/minisaittien_sisalto/conan/363964.jpg
Conan talking to MSNBC and Katie Couric via satellite on the Today show (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8004316/)

...on Tuesday evening, during the annual MTV3 Telvis Award Show, Conan received his award:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/FinnFreak/conan_mtv3_telvis_awards.jpg

“We’ve been here for three days. Never in my life have I experienced such kindness, such generosity, from anybody anywhere. You have a fantastic country, and it means so much to our people that work on our show. So I accept this award on the behalf of everyone on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart - from your President to the people in the street. You’re some of the nicest people that I’ve ever met and I thank you very much, we’re proud to be in this country. Thank you.”

...the pleasure was all ours... :]

...later on, Conan got to present the award for the best female performer: Krisse Salminen - and he got to witness some of her stand-up comedy...

http://www.manari.fi/kuvat/artistit/krisse.jpg

Krisse: "...You're from England, aren't you..?"

Conan: ...close enough...*laughing*

Krisse: "...Did you know, that I didn't even have a show last year at all, because I had a child..?"

Conan: Well, congratula...

Krisse: "...STILL I got this reward. Shows just how big a star I AM..!"

:p

...and Conan *was* at the after-party... as the guest of honour, again he thanked for the friendliness shown towards him, and stayed at the party quite late too... and headed back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep before the flight back to New York... he needs a vacation now..! :funny:

Thanks Conan, these last days have been great fun & we wait with terrified interest to see what jokes you're going to make about us on your show..! :D:up:

...and there's gonna be more...

LISÄÄ CONANIA SUBILTA JA MAIKKARILTA!

http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/subtv/ohjelmakortit/ohjelmakortitkevat2006/363531.jpg

Mika Tommolan tekemä 10-minuuttinen Conan-pätkä "Conanin kannoilla" nähdään heti tuoreeltaan subilla

pe 17.2. klo 19.20 - 19.30

la 18.2. klo 19.50 - 20.00

su 19.2. klo 20.50 - 21.00

Mika Tommola kiersi amerikkalaisen tv-tähden Conan O'Brienin perässä koko tämän Suomen vierailun ajan. Koosteessa nähdään reissun parhaat palat.

Lisäksi MTV3:n 45 minuuttia esittää koosteen Conanin Suomen vierailusta keskiviikkona 15.2. klo 20.05 alkaen.

...I'm gonna get sick from all this laughing...

...I'm already turning green...

John - :biglaugh:

aFinn

02-15-2006, 7:41am

Mmmkaay! ok I admit that I doesn´t follow this issue that properly Gosh! how Conan sucking up to the Finns nowdays to get more wievers! :shocked: Even with cheap tricks like this

That´s like giving candy to a child! ;) :funny::funny: :funny: Yep, us Finns are easy :p

Well, actually this whole thing probably started from that episode, it was from a long time ago, back when Conan was doing "Conan hates my homeland" -series. He got a considerable amount of cards from Finland, and then as a result did that "trick" :p

FinnFreak

02-15-2006, 7:47am

:funny: :funny: Yep, us Finns are easy :p

Well, actually this whole thing probably started from that episode, it was from a long time ago, back when Conan was doing "Conan hates my homeland" -series. He got a considerable amount of cards from Finland, and then as a result did that "trick" :p

...remember how that postcard was signed..? ;)

Perkele, from Finland

John - :p

FinnFreak

02-15-2006, 8:03am

The New York Times - February 13, 2006

A Trip to Conelandia, Also Known as Finland

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/02/13/arts/Conan583.jpg
Conan O'Brien and fans at the Helsinki-Vantaa, make that Conan O'Brien, International Airport in Finland

By JOHANNA LEMOLA

VANTAA, Finland, Feb. 12 — Conan O'Brien greeted Finland on Saturday by kissing the ground at the Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, renamed after him for the occasion, as Mr. O'Brien, the host of NBC's "Late Night" talk show, began a long-awaited visit here.

Prompted by a physical resemblance Mr. O'Brien supposedly has to President Tarja Halonen of Finland, "Late Night" had run a series of mock campaign ads about the recent presidential race in Finland. Ms. Halonen, the incumbent, narrowly defeated her challenger, Sauli Niinisto, on Jan. 29. On his show, Mr. O'Brien endorsed Ms. Halonen.

Mr. O'Brien's show, with Finnish subtitles, is seen here on Subtv, a cable and digital channel, three days after its initial broadcast in the United States. It is shown at 10:45 p.m. and repeated at 4:45 p.m. the next day. A spokeswoman for Subtv said that the audience for the late-night broadcast had increased significantly recently.

Signs saying "Welcome to Conelandia" awaited Mr. O'Brien at the airport's V.I.P. lounge. Outside, a tightly packed crowd of an estimated 2,000 people — many of them frenzied teenagers — chanted his name and waved banners, one of which declared, "Tarja is our president but Conan is our king."

"We are breaking into new territory of a late-night show, where we are exerting an influence in the politics of another country," Mr. O'Brien joked in an interview. He also said he was impressed by the very intense reception his show had received in Finland.

"Our joke is 'Gone mad with power,' " Mr. O'Brien said. He told some 80 reporters gathering at the airport that, "Power is sexy. It's an aphrodisiac." He said that he would be interested in a cabinet position in Finland as the inspector of saunas (mostly women's).

Mr. O'Brien said he had no ambitions to conquer other countries. "This whole thing grew organically, with one happy coincidence leading to another, first with the physical resemblance and then with the presidential election," he said.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/02/13/arts/Conan2184.jpg
President Tarja Halonen, whom
Mr. O'Brien is said to resemble.

Mr. O'Brien opened the news conference at the airport, renamed Conan O'Brien International Airport for the day, with a lengthy statement in Finnish, a language unfamiliar to him, in which he thanked the Finnish people for following his show. "I like moments like that." he said later. "It was an out-of-the-body experience."

Mr. O'Brien said that he was unsure exactly what he hoped to accomplish during his five days in Finland. But, he added, "I see this as an opportunity to create my own kind of travel show."

Mr. O'Brien said he planned to meet with fans and sample Finnish foods like reindeer steak. The trip may also include a visit to Lapland.

He is scheduled to meet with President Halonen on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Helsinki. In a ceremony to be broadcast live in Finland that evening, Mr. O'Brien is to be presented with the Finnish television award, Telvis, granted by Finland's oldest television magazine based on a public vote. Mr. O'Brien's award is "for the most surprising and entertaining TV personality."

Coverage of Mr. O'Brien's trip will be seen in the United States when "Late Night" resumes its regular schedule after NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics ends.

Mr. O'Brien warned the press that intense devotion to his show could be dangerous. Referring to the size of Finland, a nation of five million people, and the large crowd at the airport, he said, "With so many here, I am afraid the country will tip."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/13/arts/television/13cona.html?_r=1

John - :p

FinnFreak

02-15-2006, 8:11am

CNN - February 15, 2006

Around The World [TRANSCRIPT]

ID Me

- I'm a country located in Northern Europe.

- I border Sweden, Norway, Russia and the Baltic Sea.

- My capital city is Helsinki.

Finland is just a little smaller than the U.S. state of Montana!

Finland has a brand new president. And a certain American talk show host finds that very entertaining. Deanna Morawski explains why, and brings us some other international headlines in her "Around the World" report.

A special get-together in Finland has Finnish voters and late-night talk show fans seeing double - sort of. American talk show host Conan O'Brien finally met his match - Finnish President Tarja Halonen who bears a strong resemblance to him. Because of their physical similarities, the late-night comedian ran a mock ad campaign endorsing Halonen for a second term - which she won last month. After a brief meeting Tuesday, O'Brien didn't get that cabinet post he wanted - inspector of saunas - but Halonen did give him some Finnish troll dolls to take home. That's what's happening around the world. For CNN Student News, I'm Deanna Morawski.

heh, this same story has been published in over 100 newspapers in North America...

John - :p

Troll

02-15-2006, 9:11am

Keep these articles coming.

FinnFreak

02-15-2006, 9:17am

HELSINGIN SANOMAT - INTERNATIONAL EDITION - Wednesday 15.2.2006

President Halonen presents Moomin characters to talk-show host Conan O'Brien

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135218771775.jpeg
Conan O'Brien once against expressed his astonishment at the likeness between
himself and President Tarja Halonen. The talk-show host and comedian met Halonen
briefly on Tuesday during his five-day visit to Finland.

American talk-show host and comic Conan O'Brien left Helsinki's Presidential Palace on Tuesday enriched by an audience with the President of the Republic Tarja Halonen, a few Moomin character soft toys, and some delicious film material for his future TV shows.

Once again O'Brien's film crew shot footage of the comic being astonished at his supposed resemblance to the red-headed Finnish leader. Only this time, the leader was standing right next to him.

The President's press secretary Maria Romantschuk confirmed the resemblance theme was covered more widely during the 20-minute discussion between the two. Halonen asked O'Brien whether he bore more likeness to his father or his mother. She also inquired about O'Brien's two young children. The comic became a father for the second time last November.

As a souvenir from his visit, O'Brien received three Moomin character soft toys - Moominmamma, Moomintroll, and Snork Maiden - to take home with him.

Even for a showman such as O'Brien, coming face to face with a head of state was a trying experience. Press secretary Romantschuk confirmed the TV star was seemingly nervous before the audience. In the end everything went smoothly, and O'Brien told the President of his experiences in Finland.

Halonen, in turn, thanked him for the publicity that her country has received through O'Brien's TV programme. She also confirmed that she has seen some of the shows.

O'Brien returns today to the United States. His regular late-night show is currently off-air, as NBC have blanket coverage of the Olympics in Torino.

The programme returns at the end of the month, and it is very likely that some of the material filmed in the past few days will find its way onto the screen.

The star also received an audience with another internationally-known Finnish personality, but it is not known what he and Santa Claus had to say to each other in Lapland, or whether - under the beard - there is a resemblance between the two.

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/President+Halonen+presents+Moomin+characters+to+ta lk-show+host+Conan+OBrien/1135218775463

John - ;)

FinnFreak

02-16-2006, 6:46am

Conan O'Brien at the U.S. Embassy Helsinki

Photo Gallery

http://helsinki.usembassy.gov/images/conan1.jpg
Conan OBrien (left) with Chargé d'Affaires Amy Hyatt (center)

http://helsinki.usembassy.gov/images/conan2.jpg
Conan OBrien (left) with Chargé d'Affaires Amy Hyatt (center)

http://helsinki.usembassy.gov/images/conan3.jpg
Conan O'Brien wearing a Finnish-American flag pin

http://helsinki.usembassy.gov/images/conan4.jpg
Conan O'Brien with the U.S. Embassy Helsinki baseball cap and moose

http://helsinki.usembassy.gov/events/conan_photos.htm

John - :D

Troll

02-16-2006, 9:08am

Great pics of Conan.

FinnFreak

02-21-2006, 8:13am

STT - 20.2.2006 at 9:12

Martti Ahtisaari says not interested in top UN job

http://www.presidentti.fi/fin/henkilot/ent.ahf.gif

Martti Ahtisaari is not interested in the post of the UN secretary general, the former Finnish president was quoted as saying in the Sunday issue of Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's biggest daily.

Kofi Annan's tenure will end at the end of the year.

"I have said that good Lord, surely I have done quite enough for Finland already and even put in a decent effort for mankind as well," Mr Ahtisaari told the paper.

Mr Ahtisaari, credited with successfully mediating a peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement, is to start leading talks about the future of Kosovo in Vienna on Monday.

John - :)

FinnFreak

02-21-2006, 8:18am

STT - 21.2.2006 at 13:56

Finnish North Pole expedition flies to Canada

http://www.pohjoisnapa.fi/kuvat/gif/logo_vaalea.gif

The North Pole expedition of the Airborne Ranger Club of Finland is to fly to Canada on Wednesday. The seven-man expedition is unsupported, that is, nothing is delivered to the expedition during the two-month voyage.

Further, the expedition will cover the projected route of about 850 kilometres on skis, unassisted by engine power or draught animals.

The expedition will carry out preparations in Resolute Bay, an Inuit village, and will be flown to Ward Hunt island, a thousand kilometres north, in early March. They will set course for the geographical North Pole on 5 March.

An Airborne Ranger Club expedition skied to the magnetic North Pole in 2003 and another skied across Greenland in 1999.

http://www.pohjoisnapa.fi/Default.aspx

John - :)

FinnFreak

02-21-2006, 8:50am

Upcoming concerts this summer:

http://www.queensryche.com/right-top.jpg

Queensrÿche - Operation: mindcrime II (release date: 04-04-2006)

Queensrÿche (http://www.queensryche.com) 06-06-2006
Kulttuuritalo (http://www.kulttuuritalo.fi) Helsinki
Finland

Within Temptation (http://www.within-temptation.com) 16-06-2006
Provinssirock Festival (http://www.provinssirock.fi)
Seinäjoki
Finland

John - :D

Troll

02-21-2006, 9:04am

FinnFreak

02-24-2006, 6:36am

YLE-STT-DPA - 23.02.2006, klo 21.49

Media ryöpytti amerikkalaiskiekkoilijoita

Suomelle puolivälierissä hävinneet Yhdysvaltain jääkiekon olympiajoukkueen pelaajat saivat olla torstaina yhdestä asiasta kiitollisia. He eivät olleet ehtineet vielä kotimaahansa, jossa sanomalehtien urheilukolumnistit ja sähköisten viestimien jääkiekkokommentaattorit haukkuivat heidät lyttyyn.

- Tämä olympialaisten emämunaus on juuri sellainen kylmä isku, jota amerikkalainen jääkiekkoilu on kaivannut jo vuosikymmenen ajan, kommentoi sanomalehti San Francisco Chronicle, jonka mukaan tappio Suomelle osoitti lajin suurta kriisiä.

Yhdysvalloissa kiekkokiinnostus ehti hiipua jo NHL:n työsulkukauden aikana ja jääminen välieräpelien ulkopuolelle Torinon kisoissa alleviivasi mielenkiinnon hiipumista. Vielä neljä vuotta sitten amerikkalaiset taistelivat kotikisoissaan kultamitalista, mutta hävisivät loppuottelun Kanadalle.

- Kuinka kauan Yhdysvaltain kiekkoliitto uskoi selviytyvänsä sen sukupolven pelaajilla, jotka saivat innoituksensa vuoden 1980 olympiavoitosta ja mahtavan Neuvostoliiton kaatamisesta, San Francisco Chronicle kysyi.

New York Daily News -lehden mukaan Torinossa pelannut joukkue oli vanha, hidas ja pienikokoinen. Se oli kaikkea tuota jo ennen kuin se asteli jäälle Suomea vastaan. Pelin lopputulos vain korosti tosiasioita.

Olympiavoittoa puolustanut Kanada sai oman maansa tiedotusvälineissä enemmän sympatiaa kuin USA:n joukkue, vaikka sekin putosi jatkosta kärsittyään tappion Venäjälle.

- Ehkä unelma olympiavoitosta nousee taas Vancouverin 2010 kisoihin mennessä, Toronto Sun raportoi.

Joukkueen manageri Wayne Gretzky ei kuitenkaan välttynyt kritiikiltä. Hänen pelaajavalintojaan arvosteltiin jo ennen olympiaturnausta, ja sama linja jatkui.

- Gretzkyn olisi pitänyt kuunnella arvostelijoita, Vancouver Sun -lehti muistutti.

Pelaajavalinnat olivat pitkään julkisessa puntarissa, sillä toisin kuin Suomessa, kanadalaiset julkistivat jo olympiaehdokkaiden nimilistan ennen joulukuun valintoja.

http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/ImgLib/3/115/0224_halonen_m.jpg
Finland's president Tarja Halonen autograp-
hed a poster with other celebrities at a
Finnish reception at the Winter Olympics
in Turin, Italy, on February 23.

http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/ImgLib/3/115/0223_curling_m.jpg
Finland's Markku Uusipaavalniemi (middle)
with team mates during the men's curling
semifinal against Great Britain at the
Turin Winter Olympics on February 22.
Finland won the game 4-3 to secure a
place in the final against Canada.

John - :p

FinnFreak

02-24-2006, 6:45am

Finnish women vs. American women

By Phil Schwarzmann

Stereotyping an entire nation of women, then comparing them to the stereotypes of another nation is a pretty difficult and probably dangerous thing to do. But let's give it a shot…

Let's see, stereotypes of Finnish women… well, they're strong, both physically and mentally. They're quiet and generally reserved. They're not religious but have strong values and ethics (many Americans think you must be religious to have values and ethics). They're practical and thrifty. They may take a while to get to know well, they'll take things slow. They're humble, honest and sincere. They have a high self-esteem, independent and don't need to be told "I love you" ten times a day.

Stereotypes of American women - Hmmm… they too are strong. They're more loud and outgoing. They're more religious and the ones who aren't religious are still surrounded by religious people and that rubs off on them. The words "practical" and "thrifty" aren't often in an American girl's vocabulary. They play mind games and hard-to-get and rarely say what they really mean. They have high self-confidence but can be very depedent and needy, saying "I love you" ten times a day isn't enough.

What's great about American girls is that they'll let you know at dinner on the first date that they're completely whack (the ones that are). They like to get that right out in the open so they don't waste either of your time. …So they're considerate. If they've tried to kill themselves or they're take a lot of pills or they have a way-too-close relationship with their parents or they psycho or they list "taking naps" as one of their hobbies (always a warning signal for problems ahead) or they're skinny and think they're fat …they'll let you know about this stuff during the appetizer.

The stereotypical American woman is NOT the woman you see on those stupid "reality" TV shows. I think way too many outsiders watch American TV and gather all their stereotypes about Americans from these shows. Finns might get embarrassed when an outsider sees Matti Nykänen but I cringe everytime I hear something like, "Today's rose ceremony is probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life." …until next week's rose ceremony.

Finnish couples seem to get serious way too early though - I remember this is one of the first big surprises when I moved to Finland. Couples moving in with each other at such a young age, that can't be healthy overall for relationships. (Of course, I'm one to talk, my girlfriend and I moved in with each other after only being with each other for something like 28 days, but those 28 days were spread over a 10 month time frame)

It seems as if economic concerns were the biggest reasons why couples moved in together at such a young age and after knowing each other for such a short amount of time. It's honestly way too difficult for a young person to support themselves independently in Finland. Unemployment is high amongst young people in Finland and cost of living is sky high. Couples move in for economic reasons rather than love for one another.

Finnish women have a low self-confidence but a high self-esteem while American women have just the opposite, a high self-confidence but low self-esteem. Finnish women tend to be strong on the inside but appear weak and kind fragile on the outside. American women are good at putting on this mask that they're strong but on the inside it can be quite different.

But blah, these are all just stereotypes. Didn't your mother teach you not to stereotype people?

http://ovimagazine.com/archives/issue-10/illiterate/philschwarzmann/12/

John - ;)

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 9:34am

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/sport/story/0,2789,784762,00.html

John - :biglaugh:

canoilers

02-27-2006, 9:42am

Thats too funny. Thank you sir.

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 9:48am

What's the difference between Great Britain and Finland in the Winter Olympics..?

...just guess...

John - ;)

canoilers

02-27-2006, 10:00am

:dunno: One's British and the other Finnish. :p

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 10:05am

heh... the other team has once won gold in hockey... :p

...in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1936...

John - :funny:

canoilers

02-27-2006, 10:07am

:funny: Thats right too, I forgot all about that. Hey look at it this way, we've only won it once in the last 50 years.

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 11:10am

Finland for Thought - 27.2.2006

2006 Winter Olympics Population per Medals

This should make Finland feel a little better about their Winter Olympics results…

http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/02/2006_olympics_medals_per_ca2.gif

6 Comments »

- Wait, am I saying that wrong? Should it be like “capita per medals”?

- I think it should.

- Capita per medals

- Medals per capita

- Syökää hyvät ihmiset makkaraa

- Haha! In your face, Sweden!

:)

John - :p

canoilers

02-27-2006, 11:15am

Intresting thank you for sharing this. :D Woohoo we're the only country with more that 20 million in the top 10. :D

Big Swede

02-27-2006, 11:53am

- Haha! In your face, Sweden!

John - :p

You just had to keep searching until you found something that could make you superior. :funny: :funny:

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 11:58am

STT/Iltalehti - 27.2.2006

Finaali keräsi 2,4 miljoonaa tv-katsojaa

(The Olympic Hockey Finals between Finland and Sweden got 2.4 million Finnish TV viewers - over 100,000 viewers more than the 2005 Independance Day Gala, got last year - the most viewed program on Finnish TV)

Suomen jääkiekkomaajoukkueen loppuottelu Ruotsia vastaan Torinon talviolympialaisissa houkutteli valtavan tv-yleisön.

http://www.iltalehti.fi/osastot/kisaextra/vaantoSH_ki.jpg
Suomen ja Ruotsin välinen vääntö peittosi viime vuoden seuratuimman lähetyksen,
Linnan juhlat, yli sadalla tuhannella silmäparilla.

Alustavien tietojen mukaan Yleisradion lähetystä seurasi parhaimmillaan jopa noin 2,4 miljoonaa katsojaa.

Katsojamäärä on kotimaisessa vertailussa erittäin suuri, sillä viime vuoden katsotuinta televisiolähetystä, Linnan juhlia, seurasi keskimäärin 2,27 miljoonaa katsojaa.

- Ilman muuta voi sanoa, että loppuottelua katsoi yli kaksi miljoonaa ihmistä. Tosin tarkemmat tiedot saadaan käyttöön vasta myöhemmin, TV-toimialan tutkija Juha Kytömäki sanoi.

Viime vuoden katsotuin urheilulähetys mäkihypyn maailmancupin Itävallan Bischofshofenin osakilpailusta keräsi 1,39 miljoonaa katsojaa vastaanottimien äärelle.

- Seitsemän tunnin lähetystä seurasi keskimäärin 1,2 miljoonaa katsojaa, mutta se on laskettu koko lähetykselle. Loppuottelun päättyessä lähetystä seurasi arvion mukaan yli 2,4 miljoonaa katsojaa, Kytömäki sanoi.

John - :)

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 12:10pm

:)

...a few pictures from Helsinki, Finland:

http://www.iltalehti.fi/osastot/kuvagalleria/img/yleinen/3652.jpg
10,000 fans viewed the game at the Helsinki Market Square

http://kuvat2.iltasanomat.fi/iltasanomat/iGallup/23579-hopeaajuhlitaan.jpg
...and thousands waited for the team to return from Torino...

Click Here to see video (http://media.almamedia.fi/id/74434.wmv)

http://kuvat2.iltasanomat.fi/iltasanomat/iGallup/23585-galleria_leijonat.jpg
...and they did - at 3 AM...

http://kuvat2.iltasanomat.fi/iltasanomat/iGallup/23586-galleria_teemuselanne.jpg
...Teemu Selänne - a happy silver medal winner...

John - ;)

FinnFreak

02-27-2006, 12:16pm

You just had to keep searching until you found something that could make you superior. :funny: :funny:

No. Not superior - uplifting figures & moments...

John - ;)

Troll

02-27-2006, 12:57pm

Thanks for the pics.

Myyde

02-27-2006, 2:52pm

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/sport/story/0,2789,784762,00.html

John - :biglaugh:
:biglaugh: Well, atleast that tastes delicious, much better than those olympic gold medals. :p

heh... the other team has once won gold in hockey... :p

...in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1936...

John - :funny:
Suolaa haavoihin, Saat...!! :evil: :funny:

Finland for Thought - 27.2.2006

2006 Winter Olympics Population per Medals

This should make Finland feel a little better about their Winter Olympics results…

http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/02/2006_olympics_medals_per_ca2.gif

- Syökää hyvät ihmiset makkaraa

- Haha! In your face, Sweden!

:)

John - :p

:funny: Thanks for that... :bow:

canoilers

02-27-2006, 7:37pm

:biglaugh: Well, atleast that tastes delicious, much better than those olympic medals. :p
(CRUCH) Hey! Wheres the chocolate? Stupid things solid gold. :p

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 3:56am

STT - 28.2.2006 at 11:20

Dead birds found dead in Finland's Kotka test negative for H5N1

Birds found dead in Kotka in eastern Finland have tested negative for the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the National Veterinary and Food Research Institute of Finland (Eela) told the Finnish News Agency (STT) on Tuesday.

The birds were sent for testing on Monday. Of the total of 22 dead animals - 21 ducks and one crow - 13 were tested.

Christine Ek-Kommonen, a specialist veterinary surgeon at Eela, said the animals were being screened for other diseases, such as salmonellosis.

:funny:

"Kotkasta ei löytynyt lintuinfluenssaa" = "Avian influenza not found in Kotka"

...and what's so funny about the title..?

- The town name: Kotka. (it's Eagle in Finnish)

John - :p

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 4:03am

Finland for Thought - 28.2.2006

Last natural blond is likely to be born in Finland during 2202

http://www.aftonbladet.se/noje/9909/22/linda.jpg

Cavegirls were first blondes to have fun (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2058688,00.html)

According to the study, north European women evolved blonde hair and blue eyes at the end of the Ice Age to make them stand out from their rivals at a time of fierce competition for scarce males.

The study argues that blond hair originated in the region because of food shortages 10,000-11,000 years ago. Until then, humans had the dark brown hair and dark eyes that still dominate in the rest of the world.

[…]Lighter hair colours, which started as rare mutations, became popular for breeding and numbers increased dramatically, according to the research, published under the aegis of the University of St Andrews.

[…]A study by the World Health Organisation found that natural blonds are likely to be extinct within 200 years because there are too few people carrying the blond gene. According to the WHO study, the last natural blond is likely to be born in Finland during 2202.

John - ;)

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 4:09am

According to the study, north European women evolved blonde hair and blue eyes at the end of the Ice Age to make them stand out from their rivals at a time of fierce competition for scarce males.

...now who says the fight is over..?

John - :p

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 4:33am

;)

...yep: Tanja Karpela (Finland's Minister of Culture) in the headlines... again... getting some angry remarks from other female Parliament Members - for wearing too trendy pants... :funny:

Iltalehti - 28.2.2006 23:38

Voi Tanja, mitkä housut!

Ministeri Karpela esiintyi eduskunnassa teinihousuissa.

http://www.iltalehti.fi/2006/03/01/karpelanhousutHM_uu.jpg
Tanja Karpela käytti täysistunnossa nuorten suosimia reisitaskuhousuja.

Kulttuuriministeri Tanja Karpela (kesk) hätkähdytti eilen eduskunnan täysistunnossa rennolla pukeutumisellaan. Ministerillä oli jalassaan useimmiten vapaa-ajan vaatteena käytetyt reisitaskuhousut.

Kansanedustajakollegat pitävät asuvalintaa erikoisena.

- En havainnut itse asiaa istunnossa, mutta eihän se asialliselta pukeutumiselta tunnu. Varsinkin, kun on kyse ministeristä, taidokkaasta tyylistään tunnettu Leena Harkimo (kok) ihmettelee.

Samaa mieltä on Suvi Lindén (kok).

- Reisitaskuhousut eivät ole täysistuntoon sopivaa pukeutumista, muuten kyllä. Miehiltä edellytetään pukua, joten naistenkin on syytä pukeutua asiallisesti.

Asiallista ja arvokasta

Eduskunnan ohjesäännön mukaan edustajien pukeutumisen tulee olla asiallista ja arvokasta.

Ensimmäinen varapuhemies Sirkka-Liisa Anttila sanoo, että sopimatonta pukeutumista esiintyy istunnoissa silloin tällöin. Harkimo antaa esimerkin:

- Toisinaan näkee esimerkiksi farmarihousuja, jotka eivät mielestäni sovi saliin, vaikka ne olisivat kuinka juhlavia tai koristeltuja.

...go Tanja..! :D:up:

John - ;)

canoilers

03-01-2006, 5:34am

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 6:14am

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 6:20am

STT/Iltalehti - 28.02.2006

Finnish culture minister backs internet filters to protect children

http://www.iltalehti.fi/2006/03/01/tanjakarpelaTM_uu.jpg

The Finnish culture minister, Tanja Karpela (centre) said Tuesday that internet filters and blocks could help parents control what their children view in cyberspace.

"Society must protect itself from criminal material. Further, children and young people must be protected from harmful material," Ms Karpela said.

According to a report by the Ministry of Education, filters and blocks have been installed in the computers of about 100 municipalities. Such programs are also widely used by public libraries.

There are 431 municipalities in Finland.

John - ;)

canoilers

03-01-2006, 6:33am

:funny: - buahahaa... :p

yep - Tanja sure knows how to bring up socially significant topics... ;)

Today's Iltalehti online votes: Are those pants appropriate in the Finnish Parliament?

YES: 63 %

NO: 37 %

9837 votes

John - :pSee here we have real issue's, like the fact our P.M. only gave his kids a hand shake instead of a hug before sending them off to school. :p

canoilers

03-01-2006, 6:37am

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 6:45am

STT - 1.3.2006 at 13:05

In inauguration speech, Finnish president warns of widening inequality

http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/mtv3/uutiset/kotimaa/poliitikot/66671.jpg

Finnish President Tarja Halonen began her second six-year term on Wednesday by emphasising the importance of social fairness and shared responsibility.

She said in her inauguration speech in Parliament that thanks to the two core values, Finland of today was wealthier and more competitive than ever before.

"Yet we also have our problems. Income differentials are again growing, and new poverty has emerged in Finland. The pay for a full-time job is not enough to support a family," she said.

"Women still earn about 80 per cent of what men earn on average. There are problems with the system of welfare services, and employees have difficulty coping at work. Social inequality takes many forms."

President Halonen added that welfare society, while a generally accepted objective, was not being attained in the lives of all people.

"We have regional and social inequality, and this clashes with the Finns' sense of what is right. Things do not need to be like this. The welfare of citizens and the international competitiveness of our country are not mutually exclusive; they are mutually complementary and mutually supportive."

Paavo Lipponen (soc dem), the Speaker of Parliament, said as he welcomed President Halonen to the rostrum that she was only the fourth head of state to serve two successive terms.

The complete Inauguration speech: suomi (http://www.tpk.fi/netcomm/news/ShowArticle.asp?intNWSAID=48430&StrParent=Yes&intIGID=9&LAN=FI&contlan=&Thread=&intThreadPosition=0&intShowBack=1&strReturnURL2=) | svenska (http://www.tpk.fi/netcomm/news/ShowArticle.asp?intNWSAID=48430&intSubArtID=20195&intIGID=9&LAN=FI&contlan=&Thread=&intThreadPosition=0&intShowBack=1&strReturnURL2=) | English (http://www.tpk.fi/netcomm/news/ShowArticle.asp?intNWSAID=48430&intSubArtID=20196&intIGID=9&LAN=FI&contlan=&Thread=&intThreadPosition=0&intShowBack=1&strReturnURL2=)

John - :)

canoilers

03-01-2006, 7:55am

Thats pretty much how it is here too, thank you John. :D

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 8:01am

:funny: - buahahaa... :p

yep - Tanja sure knows how to bring up socially significant topics... ;)

Today's Iltalehti online votes: Are those pants appropriate in the Finnish Parliament?

YES: 63 %

NO: 37 %

9837 votes

John - :p

...right now it's 11752 votes & 408 comments..?

...man, do we have spare time on our hands...

John - :p

canoilers

03-01-2006, 8:13am

Me no I'm too busy here. :p

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 8:22am

I'm gonna have to get that paper today - just for the article about Tanja Karpela's pants... :p

...my future grandkids will be amazed about "the good old days"...

John - :p

canoilers

03-01-2006, 8:28am

You can tell them all about the pants that changed the world. :p

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 8:38am

Exactly.

...and to be able to do so, I need some printed evidence... otherwise by tomorrow I'd think this was all created by my feverish imagination...

John - :p

canoilers

03-01-2006, 8:48am

Now why would they think a fuss about pants was made up. :p

Troll

03-01-2006, 9:06am

Some interesting articles John.

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 9:08am

...you can bet your pants they are.

John - :p

FinnFreak

03-01-2006, 10:43am

Finland for Thought / STT - 1.3.2006

Bill Clinton to lecture in Finland

http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/bill_clinton_finland.jpg

Former American president Bill Clinton, 59, is the keynote speaker in a seminar on the future challenges of leadership to be held in the Finnish city of Tampere on 9 May, Finnish consultancy firm Trainer's House said in a statement Wednesday.

Trainer's House is one the organisers of the event.

A seminar ticket costs 790 euros, not including VAT.

3 Comments:

- My Butt Itches

- Scratch it

- Great! I was trying to think of something original to do for my friend’s stag night.

John - :p

canoilers

03-01-2006, 10:48am

He's coming here for a dinner too. That guys everywhere these days.

FinnFreak

03-02-2006, 4:27am

Iltalehti - 2.3.2006 10:07

Tre Kronor vaarassa menettää olympiakullan

Tre Kronor saattaa joutua luopumaan olympiakullastaan sponsoririkkomuksen vuoksi, kertoo Svenska Dagbladet (http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/sport/did_11981037.asp).

http://www.iltalehti.fi/2006/03/02/kansikatastrofiTM_410_et.gif
PILVIÄ TAIVAALLA. Tre Kronorin sponsorisotkusta noussut kohu himmentää
länsinaapurimme mitalijuhlia.

Ruotsin olympiajoukkueen Tre Kronorin kotiinpaluujuhlat saattavat johtaa olympiakullan menetykseen.

Ruotsin jääkiekkoliitto ei halunnut osallistua Ruotsin olympiakomitean järjestämiin juhliin Arlandassa, vaan halusi järjestää omat juhlat Tukholman Medborgarplatsenilla.

Tv-lähetysten aikana näytettiin jääkiekkoliiton sponsoreita. Tämä rikkoo Kansainvälisen olympiakomitean säännöksiä, joita urheilijoiden on KOK:n mukaan noudatettava 1. maaliskuuta saakka.

Ruotsin olympiakomitea harkitsee haastavansa Ruotsin jääkiekkoliiton sponsorisäännösten rikkomisesta.

"Kovin rangaistus joukkueen hylkääminen"

- Kovin rangaistus saattaa olla joukkueen hylkääminen, sanoo Ruotsin olympiakomitean juridinen asiamies Björn Rosengren.

Ruotsin jääkiekkoliitto tulkitsee sääntöjä eri tavalla kuin olympiakomitea. Liiton mukaan olympiakisoja koskevat säännöt eivät päde kisojen päättymisen jälkeen.

Kulta on uhattuna vain, jos asia joutuu Kansainvälisen olympiakomitean päätettäväksi.

Rosengren uskoo ja toivoo, että Ruotsin olympiakomitea ja jääkiekkoliitto pystyvät sopimaan asiasta keskenään, eikä se päädy Kansainvälisen olympiakomitean pöydälle.

http://kuvat2.iltasanomat.fi/iltasanomat/iDoc/1136184-trekulta.jpg

:uhh:

...oops..? :p

The Local - News from Sweden in English - 2nd March 2006 10:23 CET

Swedish hockey heroes "could lose Olympic gold"

Just four days after the Swedish ice hockey team's stunning achievement in the Winter Olympics, the sweet smell of success has been overshadowed by a bitter dispute which could result in the team's disqualification.

The Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC) is threatening to sue the Swedish Ice Hockey Association over the celebrations in Stockholm's Medborgarplatsen which, says the SOC, broke sponsorship regulations.

"This is a serious infringement," said the SOC's chairman Stefan Lindeberg to Svenska Dagbladet.

The SOC says that the triumphant hockey team was still under its Olympic obligations. But at the Medborgarplatsen party, where 25,000 fans turned up to cheer on the gold medal winners, the sponsors of the Swedish Olympic team were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, the logos of Svenska Spel and Norwegian bank DnB NOR, sponsors of the Swedish national hockey team, were shown.

"I was dismayed when I saw that the hockey association's own sponsors were on view there, despite the fact that that broke the rules," said Lindeberg.

According to the SOC, the Olympic sponsors were to have been on display in connection with team members until March 1st.

Now the SOC is threatening legal action against Swedish Ice Hockey Association - but the consequences could be more than financial, says the committee's lawyer, Björn Rosengren.

If the matter cannot be resolved internally, it will be dealt with by the International Olympic Committee. And according to their regulations, the team could have its gold medal taken away.

"The ultimate consequence of the Hockey Association's actions at the welcoming party is that the team is disqualified," Rosengren told SvD.

But the Swedish Ice Hockey Association says it has done nothing wrong.

"Since it was a tribute to the hockey team it was natural for us to show our partners," said the Hockey Association's chairman Christer Englund.

"Even if the International Olympic Committee has such rules we as an association haven't signed any agreement. We are only under the obligations of the IOC's rules during the Olympics themselves."

Englund said that the Hockey Association is not prepared to compensate the Swedish Olympic Committee for any lost sponsorship revenue.

He added that he doubted that the Olympic organisation would actually go so far as to sue one of its own sporting associations. But the hockey team's decision to breeze through the official Olympic homecoming at Arlanda airport in favour of the party at Medborgarplatsen has soured relations with the other athletes.

"The hockey association has shown no respect for the other associations," said Annette Norberg, gold medal winner in the curling, to Aftonbladet.

"I think their actions were small-minded," she said.

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3172&date=20060302&PHPSESSID=56e748ae6b9e22f9a44d594dd712916e

John - ;)

canoilers

03-02-2006, 5:27am

Wow the games not over yet, this is starting to remind me of an election someplace. :p

Troll

03-02-2006, 9:02am

That is interesting John.

FinnFreak

03-03-2006, 8:55am

Sattuiko kukaan muu näkemään 7 uutisissa eilen sen pommiuutisen Pakistanista..? ;)

"...räjähdyksessä menehtyi neljä ihmistä. Ja yksi amerikkalainen."

:shocked:

:biglaugh:

John - :p

Big Swede

03-03-2006, 11:41am

I heard something on radio today that the Swedish Ice Hockey Association should pay about 1,000,000 SEK (roughly 100,000 €) as a fee and then the problem should be solved...
I only listened with half an ear so I cant promise anything. :p

FinnFreak

03-06-2006, 1:35am

...that should settle the authority question then...

John - ;)

FinnFreak

03-06-2006, 6:31am

NBC Universal - March 2, 2006

CONAN O'BRIEN DEBUTS FINLAND FOOTAGE MARCH 10

Show Devotes Entire Hour To Air Footage of O'Brien's "State Visit" to Finland

http://www.sydes.net/jokes/pictures/s/sweden_sucks.jpg
It wasn't the striking resemblance with our president that won us over...

NEW YORK -- March 2, 2006 -- After making headlines worldwide for his February visit to Finland and his meeting with look-alike President Tarja Halonen, Conan O'Brien is devoting his entire March 10 episode to show his Finnish travelogue.

A studio audience will join O'Brien as he presents his coverage of his visit.

"Late Night," is wildly popular in the Nordic nation and became somewhat of a political player in the country's current presidential race, specifically due to O'Brien's striking resemblance to Finnish President Halonen. The show aired mock campaign ads endorsing her and has seen an increased number of Finns in the studio audience.

From landing at the Helsinki airport, O'Brien was greeted like a visiting head of state by hundreds of reporters and thousands of avid fans (some with banners reading "Tarja Is Our President But Conan Is Our King"). Over his four-day visit, O'Brien toured around Helsinki meeting fans, taking in the local custom (the sauna) and local culture - an underwear exhibit in the Helsinki's Tennis Palace Art Museum.

In addition, O'Brien and crew winged north to Lapland to take in the wintry splendor of Finland's Arctic Circle territory, visiting native Laplanders' reindeer farms (reindeer outnumber people in Lapland), dog sledding camps, and Santa Claus' reputed home.

In addition, O'Brien met with myriad Finnish media figures. From appearing with Arto Nyberg ("the Finnish Larry King"), to being followed by the Finnish tabloid press and sitting for an interview with two ten-year-old boys, every public appearance by Conan was covered in all its surreal detail by the "Late Night" crews. In addition, "Late Night" goes backstage at the Telvis Awards ("the Finnish Emmys") where O'Brien will receive a special award at the Telvis Awards in Helsinki - the Varipilkku Award - "for the most surprising and most entertaining TV personality in Finland."

Finally, the footage will showcase the main focus of the trip: O'Brien's private Valentine's Day meeting with at the Presidential Palace with his doppelganger, President Tarja Halonen. The "Late Night" crew captures a new "Helsinki Accord," of sorts.

"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" is from NBC Studios in association with Broadway Video. Lorne Michaels and Jeff Ross are the executive producers. Mike Sweeney is head writer.

http://www.nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/entertainment-20060302000000-conanobriendebuts.html

...go ahead Conan... do your worst..!

...in Finland: Wednesday 15th March 2006, on SubTV at 22.45

John - :D:up:

FinnFreak

03-07-2006, 7:36am

A sneak peek:

Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Conan Travels to Finland!

http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/conan_finland_0.jpg

on Finland Friday: Conan finds out all the Sauna secrets...

Click Here (http://www.nbc.com/Video/videos/conan_finland.shtml)

John - :biglaugh:

FinnFreak

03-07-2006, 8:08am

http://virtual.finland.fi/news/images/banners/kicksled.gif

http://www.multia.fi/potkut/ylakuva.gif

Kicksled World Championships
Multia 11.-12.3.2006.

Welcome to the 19 th Kicksled World Championships in
Multia 11.-12.3.2006

Look 2005 World Championships (http://www.multia.fi/potkut/Potkukelkka%20mm.mpg)

Diary of organizinig team (http://www.kicksled2006.peipporinne.fi/)

Whispers of the kicksledging history

In the year 1987 the entrepreneurs in Multia had an extreme idea dealing with a certain traditional way of moving: to create World Championships in Kicksledging. In the years of success the competition got thousands of people, participants from Finland and all over the world and a great audience. One of the top moments was certainly introducing the kicksledging for a Recognised sports in the Olympic Games of Lillehammer in 1994. Multia Team, the organizations in Multia and the all finnish actives in kicksledging have done remarkable work for developing this special kind of sports. The tradition continues. Every year the inhabitants of this small and persistent village build up their power to arrange the games all over again.

Todays acts and actions

The games have now returned ” back home”. The entrepreneurs in Multia have taken the main responsibility of organizing the event, after a few years break. The Championships take places on the ice of lake Sinervä and Sinervä school area in the middle of Multia municipality. We here in Multia want to offer a relaxed and speedy Kicksledging weekend – a weekend worth coming even from longer distances.

Easy – Multia is a naturally beautiful municipality with unique and original people in the heart of Finland on the crossing of good roads with no rush hours. It’s easy to get here and easy to be here!

Fun – Our job is to provide a full, all-rounded program.
The job of our quests is simply to enjoy and have fun!

Worthwhile – Experience the full speed of a professional KickSpark or kick with an original KickSledge. Choose your category to be a Worldchamp, alone or within a team. Try the limits of your durability on the Marathon. Have fun, fool around on the Challenge relay. Make a relaxing picnic out of the Kick Tour. Feel the gentle flames on the Torch Kick. Kicksledging is a splendidly sliding and freshly energetic way of moving, also in between the games!

Will you accept our sporty challenge? Shall we meet here in Multia in March 2006?
We all are waiting for you already!

Best regards

Susanna Lehmonen

Your Hostess

http://www.multia.fi/potkut/mm2003_06.jpg http://www.multia.fi/potkut/mm2003_12.jpg http://www.multia.fi/potkut/mm2003_20.jpg

http://www.multia.fi/potkut/eng/main_page.htm

John - :p

FinnFreak

03-08-2006, 8:30am

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/images/CONAN_MAIN_Finland_04.jpg

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_1.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_24.jpg
First, Conan checks out his crew's (the working class) hotel room... and a pose with the Helsinki Cathedral...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_3.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_4.jpg
The Helsinki University in the background & then Conan is off to Lapland...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_5.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_6.jpg
Snowmobiles are useful means of transportation to reach a reindeer farm...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_7.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_8.jpg
Yep, that's a reindeer alright..! - it's 12 o'clock & that's as high as the sun gets at this time of the year...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_9.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_10.jpg
Dog sleighing in Lapland is quite a different experience compared to an award show in Helsinki...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_11.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_12.jpg
...just a few thousand of fans greeting Conan at the airport... the Finns are shy people after all, you know...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_13.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_14.jpg
Looks like reindeer sausages and meatballs... and antler powder in a handy container... Conan, have you warned your wife..? ;)

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_15.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_16.jpg
The frozen Baltic sea & more fans getting some autographs...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_17.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_18.jpg
The Telvis award show and... hmm... looks like the lingerie show..?

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_19.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_20.jpg
What..?!? People walk right by without recognizing him..? Well, at least the Sauna Seura guys posed with him...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_21.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_22.jpg
...is Helsinki cool..? for sure it's COLD..! - But the people are warm & ready to share the precious body heat... :p

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_23.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_2.jpg
Arto Nyberg's TV show... I think I'm going to fall asleep... YIKES..! outside again - on a sightseeing boat...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_25.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_26.jpg
Hands up, who wants to be the first to ride the snowmobile...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_27.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_28.jpg
The Sámi people in Lapland are kinda short, but very musical by nature... Conan gets to bang a shaman drum & chant along...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_29.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_30.jpg
Conan acts stupidly towards the reindeer, who run away from him in horror & then gets told off by the tribe's eldest...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_31.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_33.jpg
Conan is genuinely sorry for what he did & to make him feel a bit better, he gets to make friends with a puppy...

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_32.jpg http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/photos/images/finland_34.jpg
Playing in the snow like this can freeze your butt - perhaps some nice new dry & warm underware would be nice..? ;)

John - :p

Troll

03-08-2006, 9:04am

Thanks for the pics John.

FinnFreak

03-09-2006, 4:52am

Helsingin Sanomat - Thursday 9.3.2006

Finnish Chief of Defence expresses concern about political development in Russia

Admiral Kaskeala less worried about reported military buildup

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219062318.jpeg

Finland's Chief of Defence, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, says that there is more reason to be concerned about political developments in Russia than over reports that Russia has been increasing its military presence near Finnish borders. Kaskeala made his comments during a visit to the United States, where he has been following an international crisis management exercise.

YLE Television News reported last week, Finland has been so concerned about Russia's greater military presence near Finland, that there are plans to send President Tarja Halonen on a hasty visit to Washington.

According to the report, the purpose of the visit would be to seek US help in striking a balance against stronger Russian military strength.

Kaskeala feels that there is a "powerful dose of exaggeration" involved. He recognises that Russia has started to invest more in the development of its military forces after a great collapse, and that even small changes seem big when the starting point is so low.

Reports that units of Russia's air force and other military units have been moved closer to the Finnish border are news to Kaskeala, even though the Finnish Defence Forces is capable of following and predicting these kinds of military changes

However, political will and how the armed forces are used can, in Kaskeala's view, change "overnight", and he feels political development in Russia really is a cause for concern.

"All strings are getting to be in the hands of President Vladimir Putin, and there does not seem to be any counterforce that would question this in the Duma or anywhere else. This is not the promising development toward democracy that we have also hoped for", Kaskeala said.

He adds that Russian air bases have been merged, because the number of military planes has decreased. Space rockets have been launched in Plesetski for a long time. More activities have been moved there, because the former main base of Baikonur is in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan.

Russia is testing submarines in the Baltic Sea, but they are not its own submarines, but rather vessels that have been sold to China and India. "Russia has only three operative submarines of its own in the Baltic sea", Kaskeala says.

He did not want to comment directly on a possible visit to the USA by President Halonen, or the reasons or goals of such a visit. However, he did note that the scenarios of threats facing Finland have not changed, and the most recent government defence report from 2004 has not become obsolete.

The report emphasises transatlantic cooperation and the importance of the USA in European security structures.

"Our reference group is the EU, but there is certainly nothing wrong for Finland to have friends behind the Atlantic as well", he said.

Such friends would seem to exist at the large US naval base in Norfolk, Virginia, where Kaskeala is observing the Multinational Experiment 4 crisis management exercise.

Taking part in the exercise are ten Finns and 35 Swedish soldiers. The purpose is to use the massive data processing capacity of the US military to simulate a crisis in Afghanistan - a country where there is currently a considerable crisis even without simulation.

A good example of this was the February riot in Mainama, where a Norwegian-Finnish military group stood up against a five-hour siege of local people without resorting to violence.

According to Kaskeala, the commander of the group, Lieutenant-Colonel Jari Vaara is seen as something of a hero among experts in the field. His actions were even praised at a NATO defence ministers' meeting.

The American hosts of the present exercise have conceded to Kaskeala that there are differences in approach between the Americans and the Finns. If there is a significant threat in a village in a crisis area, the American way of dealing with it is to send jet fighters to bomb the village.

The Finns took a coffee break, spoke to local people, and offered help in developing the village. The result was more lasting.

Defence Minister Seppo Kääriäinen (Centre) commented on reports of Admiral Kaskeala's statements on Russia, emphasising that relations between Russia and Finland are in good shape, and should be kept that way.

He also would not criticise Kaskeala for taking an unusually outspoken stand on politics.

"Everyone answers for his own words and takes his position into consideration. I am not flustered by this. Finland has freedom of speech", Kääriäinen said.

John - :smirk:

Troll

03-09-2006, 9:17am

aFinn

03-10-2006, 3:28pm

:shocked:

7.11.2005 15:36

Lordista Suomen euroviisuedustaja?

Suomen edustajaksi vuoden 2006 euroviisuihin Ateenaan hakee aiempaa värikkäämpi poppoo. Ehdokkaiden skaala ulottuu aina perinteisestä iskelmästä maskiheviin.

John - :pOMG, they chose Lordi to be our representative in the Eurovision song contest. Which hole can I crawl into? :uhh:

FinnFreak

03-12-2006, 9:18am

...GWAR fans will be happy... :p

http://www.finlandforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/lordi.jpg

heh... we're gonna get zero points... again... - but this time: with style..! :funny:

"Hard Rock Hallelujah"..?

John - :biglaugh:

Big Swede

03-12-2006, 11:55am

:funny: :funny: :funny:

And then maybe Poodles (http://www.poodles.nu/) will represent Sweden and we can be the runner-up.... from the bottom of the list. :rolleyes:

Troll

03-13-2006, 8:58am

http://www.dailysixer.com/conanfag.shtml

FinnFreak

03-13-2006, 9:24am

...poor Fors Fagerström will hear about this forever..! :biglaugh:

...this bit from Newsweek:

March 13, 2006 issue

This Friday, Conan O'Brien airs his fantastic Finnish jaunt, where he hobnobbed with his look-alike, Finnish President Tarja Halonen. He spoke with NEWSWEEK's Nicki Gostin.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/Newsweek/Components/Photos/Mag/060313_Issue/060304_ConanFinn_hsmall.widec.jpg
Sweet Victory: O'Brien hands a Valentine's Day present
to Finland's President Tarja Halonen in Helsinki

How did this all start?

It was completely organic—we couldn't have made it up. We started to notice a lot of Finns in the audience and I started making jokes—you know, "I'm a giant in Finland." Then an audience member said, "Are you aware that you look just like the Finnish president?" We decided to do a split screen and I've never gotten a laugh like that. Then it turned out she was in the middle of an election, so we started making ads for her. I had no idea what her politics were, but I like that she looks like me.

It's not a compliment for a woman to be told she looks like a man.

Maybe I look like a woman. That's the angle I was pulling to get in the Presidential Palace, that in my country I have long been considered a very attractive woman.

Do you think you helped her win?

She ended up winning by 3 percent. I either helped her to win or almost caused her to lose.

You actually got to meet her.

The whole thing was choreographed like a state visit. I felt like I had gone into a weird 1960s Peter Sellers movie. The strangest moment was walking out afterwards and the crowd erupted into cheers as if I was Chamberlain coming back with a peace pact.

Did you eat reindeer meat?

Yeah, I had reindeer tongue. Which basically means I got to second base with a reindeer.

Who's more Irish-looking, you or Teddy Kennedy?

Teddy. Right now he's got that Mardi Gras-float head that all Irishmen prize. Mine will puff out as the years go by.

:funny:

...and more about Lordi:

Lordi to represent Finland in Athens

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219105294.jpeg
Members of the monster-heavy group Lordi do not allow any pictures without their
masks on. The heavy make-up is part of the group's theatrical style. This is Lordi
himself, the band's vocalist and composer/lyricist.

The monster-heavy band Lordi with its 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' will represent Finland in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Athens on May 18th to 20th.

Lordi's song gathered over 67,000 phone and SMS votes, accounting for over 42 percent of all the votes in Friday night’s national final, which was held in Turku and televised by YLE.

Tomi Metsäketo’s Italian-language Eternamente Maria finished second, after receiving 29 percent of the votes, and Annika Eklund’s Shanghain valot ("Shanghai Lights”) was third with slightly over 12 percent of all votes.

The total number of votes cast in the final round, when six of the original twelve entries fought it out, was around 160,000.

A more extensive piece on Lordi will appear among our weekly articles on Tuesday.

John - :biglaugh:

Troll

03-13-2006, 9:56am

Thanks for that John.

FinnFreak

03-14-2006, 4:04am

Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 4.3.2006

Take a tour of Helsinki's funkiest and most glamorous toilets

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219012892.jpeg
The door of the toilet at the Kola
restaurant at Helsinginkatu 13 has
a doorbell that can be used by
those in the queue.

By Tuomo Väliaho

An outhouse is a favourite place for many city dwellers. Some of us are reminded of where grandmother lived in the countryside. For others, a visit to the privy at the summer cottage is a sure sign that summer is finally here.

It is also possible to get into the spirit of things in Helsinki - without leaving the centre of the city. In the yard of the Ruiskumestari building of the Helsinki City Museum there is a genuine Kruunuhaka outhouse.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219012894.jpeg
Urban outhouse atmosphere is available at Kristianinkatu 12 in Kruunuhaka.
Much water has been passed at this fixture, which is over a century old.

Not even the most die-hard Helsinki resident need suffer withdrawal symptoms while doing his business. The outhouse is built of brick, and covered in plaster. Surrounded by apartment buildings, the sound of traffic is all around.

Four outhouses stand next to each other.

"One of them is available for those visiting the building, when the museum is open. There is little use for it. The museum is small, and people do not spend hours on end there", says Marjukka Sihvola.

"The outhouse dates back to 1905. At that time there was still debate whether or not to build water closets or dry privies for Helsinki. At one time, water closets were banned, and those who built one faced a fine."

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219012888.jpeg
Bob's Bar, Ullanlinnankatu 5 has a toilet
with a rugged look. The ceiling has a
relief version of The Last Supper.

There are many strange toilets in Helsinki - one only need look around a bit to find them. These include historical curiosities, such as a restaurant set up inside a former public convenience, or the porno-themed wallpaper of the Koko Theatre.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219012896.jpeg
The toilets at the Koko Theatre on
Unioninkatu 45 might get a PG-17
rating in the USA. The premises
used to be a soft-porn cinema.

"This used to be the Alfa Romeo cinema, where porn films were shown. When we refurbished the building as a theatre, we found rolls of film, photographs, and posters underneath the stage. Most of them went to the Finnish Film Archives, but we kept some of them", says theatre director Anna Veijalainen.

The wallpaper of the men's toilet is simple antique pornography. On the women's side there are pictures from other films, as well as of performances in the theatre. There are even photos of the Bader-Meinhof terrorists.

There is no actual hard-core porn on the walls.

"There is some innocence in the pictures. Bottoms bounce in flowery meadows, and that is just pretty", Veijalainen smiles.

Toilets are places where the genders remain segregated.

It is not the done thing to barge in through the wrong door - although sometimes in restaurants, women might trespass on the men' side.

As a result, many toilet oddities will be unfamiliar to those of the other gender. Few men know that there is the sound of birdsong in the women's toilet of the restaurant Kosmos, or that the advertising agency that paid for the ladies' toilets of the Kom Theatre engraved the following sentence on the WC-seat: "What all kinds of s**t we end up sponsoring".

Correspondingly, few women have seen the luscious lips of the urinals of the men's room in the Stockholm Diskotek.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219012890.jpeg
The urinals at Stockholm Diskotek, Yrjönkatu 31, are either enticing, or
frightening. The idea was from Bangkok, and the fixtures themselves were
imported from The Netherlands.

Toilet wall graffiti has been seen as a part of urban culture, although owners of toilets do not necessarily like the idea. The restaurant Kuurna is an exception, however, offering customers chalk for the purpose.

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219012886.jpeg
Kilroy was here - and so were many others, in the men's room at the restaurant
Kuurna at Meritullinkatu 6. The chalk graffiti is part of the interior. "It is not as
boring to sit, when you have something to read. It also works as a feedback box",
says Antto Melasniemi, one of the owners.

"Everyone writes on the walls anyway, so we have made it a bit easier", says Antto Melasniemi, one of the owners.

"It is not as boring to sit, when you have something to read. It also works as a feedback box."

John - :p

canoilers

03-14-2006, 7:37am

I don't know if I could pee in the lips one, that seem a little weird for me.

Troll

03-14-2006, 8:54am

Some interesting toliets their John.

canoilers

03-14-2006, 7:47pm

John and his posting of Jon's, I think John's gone to the Jon. :p

FinnFreak

03-15-2006, 1:40am

...doesn't everyone..?

John - :p

FinnFreak

03-15-2006, 2:21am

Helsingin Sanomat - 12.3.2006

Lordi to carry Finnish Eurovision greetings to Athens

Rovaniemi's monster-heavy band took 42% of popular vote in Eurovision poll

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1135219109545.jpeg
Mr Lordi wielded his battle-axe and brought home the points in Turku, despite
having to perform while running a temperature.

By Pirkko Kotirinta

"There's never been an outfit like this at the Eurovision shindig, certainly not representing Finland. I reckon we've got a shot at placing at least higher up the table than the Finnish entry does on average", argues Mr Lordi, a.k.a. Tomi Putaansuu, frontman of Lordi, the band that won the Finnish Eurovision qualifiers in Turku on Friday night.

He was speaking of Lordi's prospects for the Eurovision finals in Athens while the band made their way from Turku to a gig in Helsinki.

"Hey, we've at least got fans in different parts of Europe. That can't be bad for our chances."

Lordi, who hail originally from Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle, parlayed their heavy number Hard Rock Hallelujah into a ticket to represent Finland in Athens on May 18th to 20th. The Finnish finals were held late on Friday night in Turku.

The excitement at the finals went right down to the wire: when the regional phone-in votes had been totted up, Lordi and Tomi Metsäketo's Eternamente Maria were running neck and neck - each had 35 percent of the votes given.

SMS votes were the clincher, and they dropped clearly more in favour of the heavy mob than Metsäketo's pretty ditty in Italian.

Lordi received a total of 67,369 of the roughly 160,000 votes in the second round or 42.2%, while Metsäketo had to be content with 45,431 votes (28.5%). Third place went to Annika Eklund and Shanghain valot (Shanghai Lights), with 19,565 votes and around 12.3%. Six entries made it through to the second round.

In this 40th year of Finnish participation in the annual song contest, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) decided to throw caution to the winds and to rely solely on audience voting in the final selection: no expert panel was used as was the case last year.

The choice of artists to take part in the invited semi-final competitions (in which each artist or band presented two numbers) that would determine the dozen finalist songs was in the hands of record companies.

Lordi was one of the strong ante-post favourites to win. The band was advertised on TV before the event, and on its website forum the board-members encouraged fellow-fans to take part in taking Eurovision by storm: "Change the world, be on the side of the good guys and vote Lordi into the Eurovision finals... and tell dozens of your friends to do the same The time for change is TODAY!!"

The other heavy outfit in the finals, Kilpi, also supported Lordi and vice versa. Kilpi eventually finished in 6th spot.

Lordi have been around the block a bit. They have turned out their visually-striking theatrical version of 1980s heavy since 1992, and have been gigging abroad on a regular basis since 2002.

The band has also opened for the popular Finnish "opera metal" outfit Nightwish in Germany and Sweden.

Last year Lordi toured their strongest fan-base of Germany, and also played gigs in Spain, Switzerland, and France.

Lordi's first album Get Heavy was released in 2002. It has since sold more than 42,000 copies hereabouts, and has gone platinum.

Their third CD release The Arockalypse went into stores on March 1st this year.

Tomi Putaansuu, 32, is Lordi's composer and lyricist, and also handles the band's vocals. He not only composed Hard Rock Hallelujah and supplied the lyrics, but also provided the current arrangement.

The other members of the five-piece are Amen (guitars), Ox (bass), Kita (drums), and Awa (keyboards).

They have not gone public with their real names, and Putaansuu had originally intended to follow their example. "But in the first big press interview four years back it was wheedled out of me and then the game was up in that respect", the front-man sighed on Saturday.

Mr. Lordi himself spent around a quarter of an hour on the decision of whether or not to go for the Eurovision gig, after the record company called up and asked the band to take part.

The other members took rather longer to be persuaded: "The opinions were pretty much 50/50 for and against the idea. Some felt that getting involved with Eurovision was absolutely the last thing we should do. For me, I don't figure we have anything to lose or anything to be ashamed of."

In Finland at least, Lordi have not given any interviews in their extravagant stage get-ups, and the band members do not appear in public without their monster masks.

How the hell are you going to do the necessary press conference routine in Athens?

"Ah, now there's been a bit of a misunderstanding here. The way it goes is that I don't give any TV-interviews in Finland, because basically it would sound so lame", says Putaansuu in his broad Rovaniemi dialect. "I mean, it would take all the credibility out of the monster routine."

But in English, things are bit different. Interviews are granted, but only in full make-up. "Without our masks, Lordi do not exist."

The business of "getting the facepaint on" takes around three hours for Mr. Lordi himself.

The most challenging thing is not so much heat as relative humidity. If the air is very damp and humid, the glues and resins tend not to stick too well.

Putaansuu, who was singing in Turku despite running a temperature, is hoping that when it comes to Athens he will at least be able to perform in good health. "And we are taking the line that we don't make any compromises for the show. We're serious about our music."

The YLE Eurovision message-boards rapidly gathered posters for and against the selection on Friday night and into Saturday.

"Finland's going to bag last place yet again", wrote one unbeliever, and "It's shocking how low the Eurovision people can sink", declared another. "Congratulations, Lordi. Could this be Finland's big chance at last?" hoped a third.

Kjell Ekholm, who represents YLE on the Eurovision international delegation, is naturally hopeful, yet again.

"We got a call from Sveriges Radio [the Swedish public broadcaster and YLE's opposite number across the water] first thing on Saturday morning, congratulating us. They said that this time Finland will make it into the final", enthused Ekholm.

The reference to "the final" is a reminder that Finland will have to compete in a semi-final round against 23 other countries on May 18th, and the top ten will go forward to the final on the 20th, along with 14 other pre-qualified song-entries, from countries that did well last year, or - like the UK, Germany, and France, who all finished at the very bottom of the pile in 2005 - from countries that are simply too big to be excluded without hurting the audience ratings.

Despite their rich Eurovision heritage, the Swedes, too, will be having to battle against the other mortals in the semi-final this time, having bombed in Ukraine last May.

"Now it is time for revenge. We may have lost the ice hockey gold medals to the Swedes, but we'll take them in Athens", blusters Ekholm.

Sweden is choosing its champion for the fight next Saturday.

* * *

COMMENT: No need to worry about getting noticed

http://www.hs.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1076152916693.jpeg
Look out Athens! Lordi take no prisoners...

By Pirkko Kotirinta

Many things have been tried in the course of Finland's pathetic Eurovision history, but monster-heavy is clearly a new departure.

There is every chance that Finland could - in the shape of a warty-faced dude in a full suit of armour and bat-wings, accompanied by his chums from the grim far north - emulate the media success of the Israeli transsexual who won in 1998. Eurovision has seen a lot in its 50-year history, but it ain't seen nothing like this yet.

"What we want to bring out from Finland at Eurovision is the winter darkness of kaamos, the cold, reindeer meat, and blood pancakes", say Lordi on their website.

The cold may be a bit of a stretch, as the band-members move around in their full-body gear in the warmth of mid-May in Athens.

One thing is a complete given, however: at the Athens Eurovision Song Contest, there is no way the carefully masked and made-up theatrical rockers are going to go unnoticed.

Whether getting noticed will launch them from the relative obscurity of the semi-final to the real deal on the Saturday night remains to be seen. This is the second time the annual contest has been held in two stages.

My own SMS message at the Finnish final was sent on behalf of Shanghai Lights.

Sorry, Lordi, but there it is.

Composed and arranged by Kerkko Koskinen, with words from Kyösti Salokorpi and presented by Annika Eklund, the song - with some Bond borrowings and an oriental flavour - was a decent enough piece, and it would have been very interesting to see how it might have made out in the finals.

If it had done alright, then it would have been on the strength of its musical credentials.

If Lordi do well in Athens, then it will be through being "something completely different".

* * *

...personally I think, that landslide of votes comes from the fact, that the younger generation has totally lost all interest in the Eurovision Song Contest... however, taking into account how Nightwish won the popular vote in 2000 in the Finnish finals, but were then replaced by the ruling of an unannounced expert panel - it's pretty obvious to say, that this time around: it was payback time for the rock fans...

...and instead of remaining apathetic, I find it at times promising, that many are willing to shake those foundations...

...and it's all good entertainment...

John - :cool::up:

FinnFreak

03-15-2006, 6:12am

:D

Suomi-show tänään klo 22.45

http://kuvat2.iltasanomat.fi/iltasanomat/iDoc/1141626-conanilta.jpg

Conan O'Brienin kauan odotettu Suomi-spesiaali nähdään vihdoin Suomessa tänään.

Ohjelman esittää Subtv alkaen kello 22.45.

Ohjelma uusitaan huomenna kello 16.45.

...and here's some comments from:

MAUREEN RYAN
The Watcher
http://www.chicagotribune.com/extras/blog_pics/mo_ryan_blog.jpg
A Chicago Tribune Web log

March 12, 2006

Comedy gold from a cold climate: Conan in Finland

No doubt many of you are still talking about the big TV event of the weekend.

I'm talking, of course, about Conan O'Brien's trip to Finland.

On Friday's edition of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," the talk-show host finally broadcast footage of his recent visit to the frosty Baltic nation, which he's been talking up ever since someone pointed out how much he resembles the country's female president, Tarja Halonen.

The one-hour broadcast showing the highlights of O'Brien's trip to Finland was nothing short of hilarious.

Personally, I've found it a little hard to warm to O'Brien: He always seemed like a guy doing a studied riff on classic talk shows, rather than just a guy trying to entertain with a talk show. Though undeniably funny at times, he's often been a little too supercilious for my taste. And let's face it, his celebrity interviews still can be really stilted and awkward.

But the Finland special reinforced the idea that O'Brien is at his best -- and comes across the true heir to David Letterman -- when he leaves the studied riffs and celebrity stuff behind and acts as a wandering, self-deprecating host and improv comedian. O'Brien's visit to a traditional sauna left me in stitches (he found much humor in the idea of naked Finnish men finishing their sauna sessions with a hearty helping of sausage), as did his interview by two Finnish boys who didn't speak a word of English.

"Do you have to be a funny-looking old man to get a talk show in America?" they asked through a translator.

After a relentless grilling from the two boys, O'Brien pretended to crack: "Your show has all the charm of the Nuremberg trials," O'Brien muttered in reply one of their questions.

His visit to a Finnish fan who'd written to him recalled the glorious, goofiest years of "Late Night with David Letterman." (Longtime Letterman fans might recall a similar stunt from long ago in which Letterman visited an unsuspecting fan who'd written to him.) O'Brien hung out in the girl's sloppy, student-y room, drank a soda and spent a while on the phone trying to smooth out a riff between the girl and one of her friends. He then staged a reconciliation between the girls -- a meeting that he revealed as fake within seconds of it happening.

The final few minutes of the show depicted O'Brien's visit with President Halonen; if it was a bit anti-climactic, it didn't matter. Everything that aired prior to that meeting was good, old-fashioned, late-night comedy gold.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in three years, when O'Brien is set to take over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno. O'Brien's really most comfortable in Letterman mode -- being a noodge, riffing off people's discomfort, mining awkward situations for comedy and viewing everything from a very dry, sarcastic point of view. <