Finland's ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE
SixDegreeS
IMMIGRANT MEDIA
Foreign language options page 14
CIRKO
Bending over backwards for circus fans page 21
ON YOUR BIKE
Springtime for bicycle thieves page 12
Issue 4/2012 www.6d.fi 27.4. - 24.5.2012
Antti Salminen
Turkey
International
Living Room
Women's
Finland
Exhibitions
Meets
s C e n t r eH
f o r YO U T
Azerbaijan culture and women's lives. Mon 23.4 at 4 pm, free entrance So far away so close The influence of arts and design in shaping a person's identity. Mon 28.5 at 4 pm, free entrance Registrations: oge.eneh@hel.fi
Past to present - Turkish Arts and Culture. Table of Contents Contemporary Tableware design. Until 21.6, free entrance
Music Station
Club
Meissa Niang & The Djambaar Sat 12.5 at 8 pm, tickets 5
P
roviding a range of options for our young people, a variety of youth centres are in existence around the city. Catering to different age groups, these centres provide a place for youngsters to gather and enjoy activities of interest together
in their local areas. Furthermore, this is not restricted to location, with a number of centres located online also. One of the more popular youth centres in the real world is that of Happi, located in Sörnäinen. Catering for those 15-29 years old, Happi provides a comprehensive range of options for young people to spend their time and develop their creativity, with a focus on culture and media. Hosting a music recording studio as well as the renowned youth theatre Narri, young people can also enjoy facilities related to art, media and the gaming world. "It gives amazing opportunities to young people," explains Happi's communications officer Tuuli Kirjonen. "We have really professional facilities and you can do just about anything from graffiti to music videos in Happi. You can also organise events or activities yourself. It is a house of myriad possibilities." Open year-round and with minimal costs involved,
llywood Bo
Musical play
Beat of
A Bollywood show based on a true love story. Bollywood Disco with DJ Space Witch Pop after the show. Sat 5.5 at 7 pm, 10/7
terature Li
evenings
Australian literature and culture. Sat 28.4 at 5 pm, free entrance
Salla Ikonen
Happi continues to be instrumental in encouraging the talent of our youth.
Indian literature and culture. Sat 12.5 at 5 pm, free entrance Azerbaijan literature and culture Sat 2.6 at 5 pm, free entrance
Russian
poetry and music
Evening with Russian troubadours. Sat 21.4 at 6 pm, free entrance
hel.fi a In English a Departments a Youth Department nuoriso.hel.fi/happi (In Finnish)
International Cultural Centre Mikonkatu 17 C, www.caisa.fi facebook.com/caisa.kulttuurikeskus
HELSINKI TIMES
26 APRIL 2 MAY 2012
21
Consistent quality in public transportation
The level of customer satisfaction with Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) services remains at a steady high, year after year. The popularity of public transport can also be seen in rising passenger numbers.
According to a customer survey carried out in autumn 2011, HSL transport services scored an average of 4 out of 5. 84 per cent of respondents were either satisfied or highly satisfied with our services, and less than two per cent considered HSL services poor or very poor. Almost 90 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the Travel card system. The survey showed also that the proportion of HSL customers who are satisfied with metro, tram, and bus services has increased. The best result was with the metro, which received an average of 4.1 out of 5. The metro users covered by the survey were particularly pleased with the speed and reliability of the service. The growth in passenger numbers on public transport in the capital region continued throughout 2011. A total of around 336 million trips were made last year by metro, bus, tram, local train, and ferry to
Suomenlinna. This is an increase of 9 million, or 2.8 per cent, on the previous year.
Year-round research
HSL conducts customer satisfaction surveys on all its tram, local train and ferry routes, and on over 200 of its bus routes. During 2011, 51,655 HSL passengers responded to the surveys, the majority of whom around 44,660 were bus users. The surveys are done regularly from mid-January until the end of November. The only exception is the Suomenlinna ferry route, on which surveys are usually done only in the summertime. This year ferry passengers were surveyed in January and February as well, however. Interviewers do the rounds between 6 am and 6 pm Monday to Friday, but usually on the morning rush hour services towards Helsinki and the evening rush hour services out of the city. The questionnaires can be answered in Finnish, Swedish, or English.
May Day additional services and route changes
Monday 30 April is May Day Eve, or Vappuaatto, and HSL services will be running on the Friday schedule. Trams and buses will take different routes than usual in the city centre, on account of the central streets being closed to motor traffic on May Day Eve. There will be additional bus services in the evening and at night, and late-night services will also be in operation on the night between 30 April and 1 May. The metro will be running for 2 hours longer than usual into the night, and local trains will be running throughout the night. The metro, buses, and local trains will run on the Saturday schedule during the daytime on May Day. Trams and the Suomenlinna ferry will run on the Sunday schedule. There will be additional bus and tram services to and from the city centre. There will be various processions in Helsinki on May Day, which are likely to cause disruptions to public transport services. There will be no early morning routes on any public transport on the night between 1 and 2 May, and no nighttime services that night on the local trains. For more details, see www.hsl.fi/EN
HSL to revise route numbering
The numbering of bus routes will be revised so that each route number is used only on one route in the whole HSL area. At present, some buses running in different cities have the same route numbers. For example, there is a bus route 43 in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. The aim is that Helsinki internal route numbers will remain mainly the same as at present. This is reasonable as the passenger numbers on Helsinki internal bus routes are the highest and the current route numbers have been in use in Helsinki longer than in the other municipalities. On the other hand, the introduction of the West Metro and Ring Rail Line will cause major route network changes in Espoo and Vantaa in any case.
Art by children and youth on HSL's buses
In April and May the HSL buses operated by Veolia Transport will showcase art created by the students of the Espoo School of Art. Passengers can enjoy the artwork from the young artists until 26 May on Espoo internal bus routes 11 and 13 as well as regional bus routes 132, 143, 145, 147, 150, 154 and 156. The idea is to mark the World Design Capital year by presenting art produced by children in a new kind of mobile gallery and to cheer up bus passengers. "A cheerful piece of art on a bus can be refreshing amidst the hassles of everyday life," says HSL's Director of Communications Mari Flink.
USA/YEM) Blues (ISR/ Yemen
Sunday 27 May 4.30 pm
World Village Festival 26-27 May 2012
Kaisaniemi Park and Railway Square, Helsinki
Over 100 Performances, Free Entrance!
Saturday 26 May | 11 am to 8 pm
KUVA | PHOTO: ZOHAR RON
Funky Village Club
Saturday 26 May
Virgin Oil Co. 2104 | Tickets 12/14
KUVA | PHOTO: MARC DRIESSEN
Natacha Atlas (BEL/EGY/GBR) | Paula Koivuniemi Perrozompopo (CRC/NCA) | Blick Bassy (CMR/FRA) Gracias feat. Noah Kin (FIN/COD/NGA) | Krar Collective (ETH/GBR) Kabbalah (GER/FRA/RUS) | The Irrationals | Ville Leinonen Sabreena Da Witch (PLE/USA) | Atlético Kumpula Danny's Bollywood Dance Crew (FIN/IND/RUS) | Ismo Leikola Aarne Alligaattori & Viidakkorumpu
Sunday 27 May | 11 am to 6pm
Lefties Soul Connection (NED) with Michelle David (USA) Puppa J Rime & Sara Sayed feat. Hossni (FIN/EGY/ESH) Tes La Rok feat. RauhaMama Dj Tytti
Club Balkan Fever!!!
Sunday 27 May
Virgin Oil Co. 21-03 | Tickets 8/10
Yemen Blues (ISR/USA/YEM) | Jukka Poika & Sound Explosion Band | Mariem Hassan (ALG/ESH/ESP/MEX/MTN) Kel Assouf (ALG/BEL/FRA/GHA/MLI/MTN/NIG/TGO) | El Gafla feat. Asa (ALG/FRA/FIN) | The Northern Governors | Liljan Loisto Kari Peitsamo & Risto Ylihärsilä | Ethnopolis (AUS/ALG/ESP/IRN/TAN) Me laulamme Henriikka Tavia! 4/12 | Ella & Aleksi Live
PARTNERS:
Dj Click Live (FRA/IND/ITA/ROU) Afrocola (FIN/SEN/SRB) Balkan Fever Djs
Presale: Tiketti, www.tiketti.fi, 0600-11616 (1,69/min + LNC) (+booking fee) Virgin Oil Co. Mannerheimintie 5, Helsinki. K18
SUPPORTER: CITY OF HELSINKI CULTURAL OFFICE
MAIN ORGANISER:
FOR A J UST WOR LD W W W. K E PA . F I
The Complete
Festival Progr amme: www.w orldvillage.fi
6
Issue 4 2012
Starters
Tom Hakala
Top 5
things on our mind this month...
Finns Party MP kicked out of parliamentary group
After his assistant gave the world a taste of her delightful sense of humour, the Perussuomalaiset MP James Hirvisaari refused to sack her, despite this lovely human being (i.e. the assistant, not Hirvisaari, although he's a real charmer, too) having suggested that immigrants, homosexuals and Finland Swedes be issued armbands with which the police could identify them. The party ejected him from its parliamentary group for five months. Just another day at the office for this scandal-prone bunch.
Ilkka Kanerva sentenced
National Coalition MP, former minister and erotic dancing enthusiast Ilkka Kanerva was recently given a 15-month suspended sentence. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy...because a nicer guy wouldn't have been so willing to accept shady campaign contributions!
Finnish researcher gets on Russia's wrong side
Seppo Knuuttila, a researcher at the Finnish Environment Institute, was detained and questioned by Russia's Federal Security Service while taking water samples there. The outcry in Finland over this Russian "affront" isn't ridiculous for once, but let's not linger on the negatives the more FSB agents wasting their time on trespassing Finnish researchers means fewer agents engaged in a very dirty war on terrorism.
Finland's Eurovision hope for 2012
How do Swedes feel about Pernilla Karlsson singing in Swedish?
Kaisa Herd
Family killings
Yet another family slain in Finland by one of the family's members.
Kimi Räikkönen gets on the podium
Never mind the fact that, like other sacred cows such as Nokia and most of the Finnish men's national ice hockey team, Räikkönen loves his home country so much that he doesn't actually want to live (i.e. pay taxes) here, his secondplace finish in the decidedly iffy 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix was predictably fawned over by his adorning Finnish fans. Compiled by Allan Bain.
FINLAND enters this year's Eurovision Song Contest with a ballad "När jag blundar" (When I Close My Eyes) sung by Pernilla Karlsson. It is the second time ever that a song in Swedish will represent the country, with the most recent occasion being back in 1990. The use of Swedish is also unusual even for Sweden, who last sent an entry in its native tongue 14 years ago. SixDegrees asked some Swedes for their opinion on the song. Elin from Delsbo For me this is a classic `schlager ballad', I can almost see the stage, soft lights and flowing dresses. I don't know if it appeals to Swedes in general, but I for one love it! Henrik from Malmö It seems odd that Finland sends a song in Swedish, but it's flattering too. Unfortunately it is boring; it has no wow-factor. I think it is going to end up at the bottom. Niclas from Kalmar: The song feels a bit too melancholic, but the melody is lovely and her voice suits this song well. Occasionally it's a bit too repetitive but the cute accent makes up for that. It isn't a stereotypical Eurovision song, but maybe this can be a positive point for Finland. Martha from Malmö I like it. It's beautiful, such a nice song. I hope that it will get good points. And the Finnish version of Swedish sounds so lovely! Charlotte from Lund I like this song very much! I'm surprised since I generally don't like ballads. I think it sounds better in Finnish-Swedish than it would in Swedish-Swedish. I've listened to it four times and getting hooked! Sofia from Gävle: It's simple but pretty. Maybe you can get tired of it fast, but it is really nice that she sings in `finlandssvenska'! It sounds like a `schlager' from the old days, maybe the `60s. She is a good singer and that is a plus!
to... How
How to best celebrate
vappu?
If you are under the age of 30, vappu is best celebrated downtown amongst the drunken horde. If you are over the age of 30, it is best celebrated out in the countryside away from the drunken horde. David J. Cord, writer
Semi-Finals for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 commence on 22 May
FINNISH AFTER DARK
Learning the Finnish they don't teach in school
David Brown and Mimmu Takalo
Kaivopuisto during the day. Later, I'll be on my balcony in Punavuori, watching the sobriety of the people streaming by decay as the day unfolds. Tom Beidler, frozen yoghurt proprietor
Suomeksi: homma hanskassa (hanskat hukassa) English equivalent: to have things under control or not.
Hanskat are gloves, and though to have things in gloves might not sound great to you, it probably does to your boss, because it means you are dealing with it. Beware having lost your gloves, though, because hanskat hukassa means exactly the opposite you have screwed things up totally. Again. · · · · Muista sit. Mulle yks kolmonen ja GT, Maijulle siideri ja Ninnille tuplaviski. Joo joo! Homma hanskassa. Eiku, mitä te halusittekaan? Now, remember. Mine's a beer and a GT, Maija gets the cider, and Ninni is having a double whisky. Yeah, yeah, it's all under control. Um...what did you want again?
Take Monday off and escape the crowd to the countryside for a long weekend spent with friends and sparkling wine. Tiiamari Pennanen, journalist
Starters
7
SixDegrees
DOWN UNDER
James O'Sullivan
arrives to Turku
Tell me about your city...
<
IHANA
SixDegrees
urne! Melbo
Donaldytong
Helsinki!
YOU'VE probably heard about surveys ranking Helsinki as the best place to live. Now the city will bring the fight for that title to the streets in the form of a festival called Ihana Helsinki (Wonderful Helsinki). Commencing this year, the festival is planned to become an annual explosion of flowers and events returning to the city every spring. Ihana Helsinki will take place in the downtown Helsinki area for five days commencing on 9 May and ending on the 12th, which is Mother's Day in Finland. The symbol of the festival is flowers, and these will be seen in the streets and squares of the city in abundance. During the Night of the Shops (the consumer equivalent of the Night of the Arts), shopping malls, department stores and boutiques are allowed to stay open late. On Friday the 10th, a parade to celebrate Helsinki's 200th anniversary as Finland's capital city leaves the Senate Square at 16:30 and will curve back to the same place through Aleksanterinkatu, Mannerheimintie and Pohjois Esplanadi. Saturday will be a family day with lots of programmes for children. The festival is arranged by Forum, Kämp and Kluvi, along with other property owners in association with the Helsinki 200 Years foundation.
Ihana Helsinki 9-12 May
Enjoy the night before
calamar
AURA River is one of Turku's focal points in the summer time. With a series of boats lining its winding length, it's here that revelers gather during the long, warm days to enjoy a beverage or two in the sun. "Turku is a small town with a beautiful canal and a good vibe," explains manager Isaac Visser, taking a break from renovating the site of the next Aussie Bar, which is set to open in Isaac Visser, manager of Turku's Aussie Bar. a boat located on Aura River on 1 May. their activities on the water all After the success of the origi- year round will bring with it nal Australian-themed bar in certain challenges. Helsinki's Kamppi, it was only "The summers will always be a matter of time before the busy," Visser continues. "My concept would spread to other challenge is to be open in the parts of the country. One of the winter." new things on offer in Turku is However, Turku doesn't the addition of a menu to the represent the final stage of Aussie Bar concept some- Aussie Bar's growth, with an thing that the small confines of Aussie Bar nightclub opening the Kamppi location have not on 1 June next to the Helsinki been able to offer. Casino. Furthermore, Visser "We have a different menu and his brother Bejay, the man that what Finns have been used originally behind the Aussie Bar to," Visser explains. "We hope concept, are eyeing off Tampere, to offer new things such as kan- with Bejay also seeking to make garoo burgers, kangaroo pizzas Aussie Bar an international and a farmer's breakfast." chain in the near future. Aside from such unorthodox culinary delights, Visser Aussie Bar Turku has more space to work with Opens 1 May at the Turku location, with a Ravintolalaiva Lulu nightclub downstairs, a lounge Itäinen Rantakatu bar, sports terrace and a beach Turku terrace. However, conducting www.aussiebar.net
Katy Suutari
THE bubbly Jenny Zukerman, English and communication skills teacher at Lingua Tailor, opened my eyes to her hometown's best parts. Being practical, she pointed out that public transportation is a good option in Melbourne. "In the city centre it's pretty good and you might even enjoy meeting a colourful mix of people on the night buses." But if you're planning on wandering around consider renting a car, that way you could drive to the beautiful Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens and discover how the Australian nature looks like, for instance. About national specialities, the native food is worth a try. Tasting a kangaroo or crocodile dish there is like eating reindeer in Finland it should be on your list of things to do! But since Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city you can also enjoy great Greek, Italian or Vietnamese food amongst many options. Apparently, "Australians like to sit down for coffee and demand good coffee". Jenny suggested some areas to sip some and do a spot of shopping as well: Brunswick, Chapel Street, Lygon Street, Fitzroy (similar atmosphere to Kallio) and St Kilda (Melbourne's Punavuori). If you're in a mood for a walk, a bike ride or a picnic, you'll find a nice track along the Yarra River, getting you from the centre to the suburbs. The weather's at it's best from March to May, and keep in mind that the hot Australian summer takes place between December and February. Also, as most Australians like to have fun and think that everyone's equal, they are great host material. Consider that before booking a hotel!
PARTY
Charting our penchant for music
Streaming music and the charts.
Aleksi Teivainen
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW 1 MAY CELEBRATIONS IN FINLAND?
What's up with celebrating on aatto?
James O'Sullivan
FINNS love to celebrate. Whether the reasons are religious, cultural, sporting or otherwise, the flag is generally raised around the country at least once a month to honour various traditions. And so, as we round the corner to vappu celebrations once again, it can't be overlooked that not only do Finns love each particular annual day of celebration, it is also the night before that gets a major if not more significant mention on occasion. Thus vappuaatto each year traditionally sees the placing of the student cap on the statue of Havis Amanda, with thousands of cap-clad citizens revelling in excessive amounts of social lubricant and good cheer. Aside from this, juhannusaatto (night before Midsummer) and jouluaatto (Christmas Eve) have a greater focus than the holiday themselves. Though whether this means that the following day can then be spent sleeping off the night before, one can only guess!
Vappuaatto is celebrated on 30 April.
CDS and records all over the world are collecting dust as streaming is establishing itself as the new, convenient standard for casual listeners. While the effects on our listening habits and the entire music industry are profound, a seemingly insignificant, yet somehow touching and endearing concern arises: what will become of the music charts the ones that tell some of us what to like and others what to dislike? Is their reliability compromised by music subscription services? Or do they perhaps reflect our affinity for music more accurately, particularly after a decade of statistics distorted by piracy? "Of course, that is something we hope", admits Tommi Kyyrä, the deputy director of the Finnish National Group of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
While, the singles charts in Finland now incorporates also stream statistics, the proportioning of streams to the sales of physical formats continues to pose a cumbersome challenge for the IFPI due to the projected increase in both the popularity of streaming and the number of service providers. While the IFPI remain taciturn on the specifics, Kyyrä reveals that a maximum of ten streams per song by a single consumer is allowed to influence the charts. Overall, IFPI are confident that charts can maintain their relevance, signals Legal Advisor Lauri Rechardt. "The charts, after all, carry significance as records of the history of popular music, and obviously also reflect the trends in Finnish popular music. I'm sure they are treasure chests for researchers."
More information on IFPI Finland can be found at: www.ifpi.fi
1.
Picnic
6. Frankfurter 7. Graduation cap
2. Party 3. Doughnut 4. Mask 5. May Day
8. Funnel cake 9. Student Solutions on page 26
Test your knowledge of Finnish vocabulary by using the local equivalent.
Puzzle by Ona Siurua
8
Issue 4 2012
We Met
WRITING
Text James O'Sullivan, photo Tomas Whitehouse.
A PATH TO MOHAMED
ORIGINALLY from Indianapolis, USA, it has been in Finland where David J. Cord's life has taken some unexpected turns, as he slowly moved away from his initial career in finance to try his hand at journalism. A regular contributor to Helsinki Times since its inception, with his opinionated and popular column appearing in all but one issue, it was this change of direction that eventually led him to Mohamed El-Fatatry, the driving force behind Muxlim, the world's first online social network site specifically for Muslims. Documenting the remarkable story of this charismatic figure, one of the most high profile immigrants here in Finland, Cord's Mohamed 2.0: Disruption Manifesto has recently landed on shelves. Embellished by vivid imagery and the perspectives of the various actors at play, the book follows El-Fatatry as he rubs shoulders with notable figures both here and abroad during his quest to make Muxlim a viable business. In contrast to the larger than life personality of El-Fatary, Cord cuts a calm figure, softly spoken and clad in a chequered shirt. Politely refusing the offer of refreshment he takes a seat, awaiting the arrival of his first question. I've been wondering this for some time, what does the `J' stand for? Joseph. Have you ever been just David Cord or used the name Joseph? Normally when I was growing up I was just David Cord. When I got my American Social Security card well, I guess I had it from birth but when I paid attention to it I saw that I officially didn't have a middle name. My middle name was `J'. So when I would sign official documents I would just use the `J'. Tell about why you came to Finland in the first place. Married a Finn, that same old story. It was 2005 that I came. And why have you stayed here? I like Finland. I don't like the winters, but I like everything else. I like to complain about the politics and the taxes, but in all honesty I like it here. Lifestyle-wise how different is it here compared with Indianapolis? It's a little bit different. When I was in Indianapolis, I guess it was not normal to use public transport. I always had a car. I had a car from when I was about 16 years old, up to until the day I left. Socialism is really frowned upon. I was very hard right. When I moved to Finland I realised well, this kind of works. So it really opened my eyes. What is it about finance that interests you? I went to school for finance. I started out in America, working in the investment field, basically as a salesman. I would sell products to clients. I really enjoyed it. When I moved to Finland, I got into the same thing. I went into management, and since I had all of the licenses from America, the NASDAQ, the New York Stock Exchange, you could transfer it all to Europe. At the time Finland did not have any licensing for that, so it was very useful for the company that I had those licenses, so we could set up shop in Malta and the Baltics. It's called passporting. I enjoyed it but it wasn't very fulfilling. I didn't like selling, but I liked investing. It was right before the financial crisis hit, around 2007-8, I had gotten tired administering at the company I was at and wanted to just do pure investing, kind of running a mutual fund. So I opened up my limited partnership. It's officially a hedge fund, but we just do investing in Nordic equities. So I started doing that, just before the market crashed. It was perfect timing on my part, as the previous company went bankrupt. I've been doing that more or less ever since. That's when I got started writing for Helsinki Times and SixDegrees also. I didn't like their business articles. I sent an email to them one day, and said I can write their business articles. So they asked me to send them one and it grew from there. This was the first professional writing I had done. I liked it. You get to meet a lot of people. Sometimes I don't like to write about what I am asked to, but sometimes I do and it's really interesting to me. But I wanted something bigger; I wanted to write a book. When [publishing house] Söderströms had this idea for a book about Mohamed El-Fatatry and Muxlim, at first they wanted him to write it. But he didn't want to do it so they thought they would find a professional. He had met me somewhere writing an article for Helsinki Times and remembered me. So, during the process of thinking about how I could get into writing a book, that's when Mohamed contacted me and said, `We want a book, are you interested?' What was the idea behind the book's creation in the first place? From the publisher's point of view, it's just a great story. You have this young kid who comes to Finland to study and ends up creating this social network for Muslims that ends up becoming popular all over the world. Finns like the story. It's got technology, it's got immigration; it was a really compelling story.
David J. Cord's enthusiasm for the written word has seen him recently document the rise and fall of Muxlim.
Mohammed is such a good speaker. When he talks he has an innate ability for it. He's a great communicator and has great charisma. Why was it chosen to write the book in English? You know, I'm not really sure. It might just be that Mohamed doesn't speak Finnish, so English was easier. I know the publisher was experimenting with English. They are Swedish -language primarily, and that market is very small in Finland. They do export some to Sweden. But one way for them to grow is to publish in English. The English language version of the book is coming first, followed by Swedish, then hopefully Finnish by the end of the year or so. As an English speaker here in a country whose mother tongue is another language, do you feel that this has opened up opportunities that you wouldn't have necessarily had in the States? I think so, yeah. In Finland, English has a strange kind of international flavour to it. It's compelling in some sense. Even if you are just talking about purely Finnish things but you are using English, it kind of opens up the communication differently. Maybe that was why they were interested in the English language, as it felt different. What was the writing process like? It was really interesting. We started in June last year. At the time, Muxlim was going down, so Mohamed wasn't very busy. So I had him whenever I wanted him. I would interview him 2-3 hours at a time, twice a week. I would interview him for a couple of weeks and then write and we'd go over it. And I also interviewed other people involved with the company, employees and investors. For a long time, about four months, the investors refused to talk to me. That was a big hole in the book. I wanted to know what they had to say. Eventually I spoke with one investor and he picked up the phone and called the other ones and said, `You've got to talk with this guy'. I'm really glad that he did as I got all of their points of view as well. What was it like dealing with Mohamed? He's got a very strong personality. Sometimes we got along great, and sometimes we didn't. I guess we had two different goals, more or less. I wanted to tell the true story of what happened at Muxlim, including the views of the people involved. Some of those investors lost millions of dollars and they weren't exactly happy with Mohamed. He didn't like to read what they had to say at times; didn't agree with it, or didn't think it was true. So we often fought about what other people had to say about him. Did he have some kind of final say about how he was presented in the text? When he could make a good case about why something wasn't true, then I had to listen to him. But if it was an opinion, then of course there is no way to say whether the opinion is true or false it's an opinion. If it is portrayed as such then it is okay for the book. Was there anything that Mohamed wouldn't discuss? There were some things. He didn't want to talk about his [failed] marriage. That's a real hole in the book. Because of that the feel of the book moved more towards business than to his personal life. It's more about Muxlim instead of a straight biography. It's billed as a biography, but it is not. It's a hybrid I suppose. He didn't like to talk about her. I think it was a bit too painful.
We Met
Date of birth and place: Batesville, Indiana, USA, 1972. Education: Bachelors in Economics, Hanover College. Family: Wife, Niina. Entrepreneurship in Finland is...underdeveloped. Immigrants in Finland are...too passive. Mohamed is a good example of an active entrepreneur and so many of us are too passive. Writing a column on business each week makes me...glad I have the opportunity to give my thoughts. I know I have discovered a good book when...it really changes your perception and you start to see something differently.
9
SixDegrees
"I
n Finland, English has a strange kind of international flavour to it."
In fact he wanted to stop the book's story at the end of last year and didn't want it to continue. But there were a lot of things happening this year basically the company was collapsing for the first couple of months this year. That was tough for him as he had to worry about the book and the company falling apart at the same time. That put a lot of pressure on him. Did you have a desired outcome when writing the book? I wanted to tell it truthfully and to have all of the different voices involved. Hundreds of articles have been written about Muxlim and it has always been from Mohamed's point of view. You never hear from these companies that invested millions of euros, or the employees, or how the public looked at Mohamed like how the Homma group looked at it. It was interesting to me, not just Mohamed's voice. I wanted to put all of those into the book. Does the book have a message? Well, I guess that's up to the reader. That's their job to interpret it. Something then, perhaps, for budding entrepreneurs to take away? They can pick up a lot of things from the story. It has been talked about a bit in the start up community. When the book comes out and they read it I'm sure they will be able to pick up lots of things about it. Not just on Mohamed, but his views on entrepreneurship. Basically I have an entire chapter on his views of entrepreneurship. It's very interesting. A lot of people would like to hear what he has to say about this. How do you feel Mohamed and Muxlim have altered perceptions of Muslims here in Finland? I don't know if they have. Immigration sceptics, I don't think they've changed their opinions. Those in favour of immigration, like [the Finnish Ombudsman for Minorities] Eva Biaudet, I'm not sure her views changed because of Mohamed, but I guess it opened up their perceptions and gave them more things to think about. The immigration sceptics say that here's an example of someone who came to Finland for the free education and got tax money and it didn't work. So that's the example they can use. The people who are in favour of immigration feel he has talked about Finland all over the world. He is a great ambassador for Finland; a positive example that we can use. People can take out of it what they want to take out of it.
Mohamed 2.0: Disruption Manifesto is available now and is reviewed on page 21.
Then again in the book's charming epilogue, where you are both on a train and happen to pass by some of the places of note for Mohamed when he first arrived to Finland, it really felt like he had opened the gate and was just being himself. That's really funny because I wrote that after we had a huge fight. I really didn't plan on it being in the book, but I sent it to him as a bit of a calm down little note. Most writers are this way that they express themselves better with the written word than with talking. I wrote that to say that we are still okay. He loved it and said to please put it in the book. The editors liked it as well, so I put it in. This is not the first time that you appear during the text at one stage you refer explicitly to the process of creating Mohamed 2.0 Disruption Manifesto. Why would you mention your own role during the writing of this book? It was kind of an experiment in meta-nonfiction, putting the writing and the author into the story. It's a bit of a jolt. It changes perceptions there, when you realise that the writer is a part of the story. It interested me, as I was sort of part of it. I saw all of this happening. I talked to him as these events were taking place. At some times it bothered Mohamed, he wanted two different things: his business is one thing and his book is another. I don't think he was upset about the book, but he was afraid it would take his focus away from the business.
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Issue 4 2012
Lifestyle
One MAN'S TRASH is another MAN'S TREASURE
Marjo Koivumäki
The current economic situation seems to have had an unexpected positive effect in promoting the sales of second-hand goods. Be it established charities or regular flea markets, the trade of second-hand items has many positives that come with every transaction.
Jenni Toriseva
Jenni Toriseva
WHILE the economic downturn is damping the trade of clothing retailers, with the sales of businesses such as the iconic "fashion for all" company H&M going steadily downhill, charity shops selling second-hand items are enjoying steady, or in some cases even rocketing, growth. In Finland there are several non-profit charities that not only work to improve societal and environmental aspects in Finland and around the world, but also perform as the important middlemen in taking up donations and preparing them for their new buyers. Finland itself does not have the best possible standards when it comes to recycling, faring worse than average in an EU-wide study published in 2011 (Eurostat 8.3.2011). While over 45 per cent of our domestic waste ended up as landfill and under 20 per cent was incinerated in 2009, only 21 percent was recycled, and 13 per cent composted. As a point of reference, the country most similar to Finnish waste disposal practises, Italy, fared better. Even while struggling with Mafia-related waste-disposal problems, Italy composted over 30 per cent of its waste, and had smaller figures of both landfill and incinerated waste. It is also worth noting that around 50 per cent of the total amount of methane (a harmful greenhouse gas and a significant contributor to global warming) released in Finland comes from landfill areas.
Marjo Koivumäki
"A
n average Finn throws away about 16.8 kilos of fabric during one single year."
Be it a dress, chair, lamp or a pair of earrings, Kierrätyskeskus offers a service that tailor-makes items from recycled materials according to your preferences.
Drowning in fabric Among the many materials that feed into what is called "domestic waste", the share of textiles, especially in the form of clothes, has steadily been increasing. In 2007 around 120 million kilos of virgin textile fibre arrived to Finland, while over 90 million kilos of used textile was also discarded. This means that an average Finn throws away about 16.8 kilos of fabric during one single year. These figures are undeniably linked to the fact that the textile industry is currently producing nine times more fabric than gets purchased. This has a subsequent effect on the pricing of clothes, giving into increasing price competition, only to ultimately feed a vicious cycle. Apart from the need to reduce consumption, there is also the need to deal with these masses of textile that will otherwise become labelled as "waste", which is an enormous energy drain, and an environmental problem. While it is difficult to calculate the long-term environmental costs of textile decomposing in landfill areas, we know what the harmful effects can be in the short term. In addition to releasing methane, decomposing clothing and shoes contain dyes and chemicals that can leach into the soil, contaminating both surface and groundwater. There are several charity and non-profit entities that collect used/recycled textiles in Finland, the biggest of which are the Finnish Red Cross (SPR), UFF, the Salvation Army and Fida. It has been estimated that they collect around 25 million kilos of
Marjo Koivumäki
Lifestyle
11
SixDegrees
Jenni Toriseva
Jenni Toriseva
Shops for charity in Finland
Emmaus
All Kierrätyskeskus shops house a handicraftsection with materials that you will surely not encounter in other hobby-shops.
Kierrätyskeskus has devised its own brand, `Plan-B', which includes clothing, furniture, accessories, jewellery, and items for decoration, all of which are one-of-a-kind and made out of recycled materials.
Emmaus is a politically and religiously uncommitted international establishment that works to promote justice and peace. The organisation aims to influence the decision makers to improve the conditions of the underprivileged. At the moment their profits go to support the activities of development partners in Peru, Indonesia, Burkina Faso and other countries. Emmaus has several shops around the country.
www.emmaus.fi
Fida Lähetystori
textiles a year, which is around 21 per cent of the yearly discarded textile. The rest ends up in landfill or incineration. In fact, in most charity shops, clothes often are the single type of produce that exceeds all other items in terms of volume. One of the charities has taken a habit of centring their sales to this single type of product. With 1,432 textile collection boxes scattered around the country, UFF, a non-profit organisation, unofficially specialises in clothes, other textiles and accessories. "Most of the items donated are regular female clothing," says Johanna Kotonen, the press officer of the organisation. "In 2011 we received around 8.5 million kilos of clothes and textiles." According to UFF's estimates, the amount of people making clothing or textile donations reached a whopping 650,000 people in 2010. These donations helped to raise over 1.3 million euros that were used to support development partners in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and India in providing food security and basic education in the countryside. Also a portion of the donated clothing, 442,528 kilos to be exact, was transported to Africa. Cradle to cradle A combination of creative ingenuity and a dash of economic crisis gave one non-profit secondhand seller a particularly strong boost in 2011. The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Reuse Centre, or Kierrätyskeskus, as it is known in Finnish, was one of the most successful non-profit organisations of 2011, with a whopping 25 per cent growth in sales compared to the previous year. Kierrätyskeskus is a non-governmental establishment that works to improve our living environment by reducing the amount of waste and by increasing awareness about environmental issues. According to Aatos Weckman, the sales manager of the organisation, the turnover of 3.9 million euros of 2011 can be attributed to the lengthening of opening times, and to the new extension of their Espoo outlet. Apart from the sale of recycled goods, the income comes also from the provision of consultation and education services for businesses, communities, schools and teachers on matters relating to the environment and sustainability. Last year they founded a new handicraft concept called Näprä, that promotes the use of recycled materials in handicrafts in their workshops. When items are deemed to be discarded, the different materials are separated, so that all viable items could be redirected for new use. "Especially electronic equipment holds considerable amounts of natural resources," Weckman emphasises. "Returning them back to use is especially sensible in environmental terms." Pop into the Kierrätyskeskus shop in Hietalahti, and you will find a funky room titled "Plan B" decorated with items in ways you might never have thought of doing yourself. The room also displays the many items and pieces of clothing made in the renewal workshops, still with very affordable prices. The adjacent room is filled with handicraft materials to cater for craft ideas you never knew existed. Different groups may ask for workshops where they are taught how to make use of materials in building new products. "Our product and material renewal workshops also aim to encourage people to use their imagination, to see all the great things one can still make out of recycled materials," Weckman says. The financial success of Kierrätyskeskus undoubtedly follows the multilayered nature of the organisation. "Our business differs from regular business activity in that our goal is not to increase profits, but rather to develop services that ease people's practical eco-deeds," Weckman says, adding that the real meter of success is the amount of items that find a new home. "Last year we redirected almost two million items, which is a growth of 20 per cent from the previous year." Around 38.5 per cent of these were given out for free. "If all of these items had been bought anew, the amount of virgin resources to make them would amount to about 22,000 tonnes. This is equivalent in weight to an 80 km queue of cars!" Weckman exclaims. In the beginning of this year, Kierrätyskeskus was awarded with the social enterprise label, which is given to entities that develop solutions to societal and environmental problems. Apart from working to improve environmental awareness, the organisation also aims to provide community service placements and paid work for people in difficult labour situations. While it is commonly recognised that charities and non-profit organisations provide an invaluable link between consumers and important causes, the added benefit of recycling materials may echo most deeply in our minds. After all, recycling has been a common practice for most of human history, with recorded advocates as far back as Plato in 400 BC. Today, some new products often cost little more than recycled ones, confusing our ingrained senses of caring for and repairing our material possessions. Perhaps it is time to start questioning our craving for the new.
www.fida.fi
Founded in 1927, Fida is the missions and development co-operation organisation of the Pentecostal Churches of Finland. Profits go to support child and humanitarian aid programmes, and the running of development co-operations. The organisation has 28 shops around the country.
HESY
The Itä-Pakila-based Helsinki Animal protection Agency (HESY) aims to protect all animals in accordance with their resources. Their main focus is in the provision of homes to abandoned animals and to raise the amount of value given to animals. The organisation also gives advice on matters concerning animal protection and care. The agency has two shops in Helsinki.
www.hesy.fi
Kierrätyskeskus
The Helsinki-based company, Kierrätyskeskus, was founded in 1989 to serve as a recycling entity and to provide training, education and consultation services on environmental responsibility. Kierrätyskeskus also aims to provide employment opportunities to people in difficult working situations. Kierrätyskeskus has shops in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa.
www.kierratyskeskus.fi
Samaria
www.samaria.fi
A Christian organisation, Samaria, works to prevent drug abuse by supporting youth activities; along with providing a support net and housing to substance abusers and other socially excluded people. Samaria has shops in Helsinki, Vihti, Loviisa, Porvoo, Sipoo and Vaasa.
Salvation Army
With its doctrinal roots in the Methodist Church, the Salvation Army has several ongoing social support activities. The funds are used to maintain the organisation's own orphanage, kindergartens, senior homes, support housing, service centres, children's summer camps, and to provide spiritual help for people in prisons, and assistance to people experiencing physical or mental violence at home. The Salvation Army has shops in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, Kotka, and Kouvola.
www.pelastusarmeija.fi
UFF
UFF (U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland) is an independent, non-profit, nongovernmental humanitarian organisation founded in 1987. Profits go to support development partners in Angola, Malawi, Mosambique, Zambia, and India to provide food security and basic education in the countryside. UFF has shops in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku and Lahti.
www.uff.fi
RECYCLING EVENTS COMING UP SOON:
Kierrätystehdas 5-6 May Sat - Sun 10:00-17:00 Cable Factory Doors M1-M4 Tallberginkatu 1, Helsinki Free entrance www.kierratystehdas.fi Cleaning Day 12 May Sat from 12:00 onwards Makeshift flea markets will spring up all around Helsinki, Hyvinkää, Joensuu, Järvenpää, Rovaniemi, Tampere and Vantaa www.siivouspaiva.com
Flea markets in Helsinki:
"Hietsu" flea market
Hietalahdentori Bulevardi 42/Lönnrothinkatu 34, Helsinki Open from early April Mon-Fri 919:00 Sat 816:00 Sun 1016:00
Valtteri
Vallilan Makasiinit Aleksis Kiven katu 17 Open all year-round Wed 9-15:00 Sat-Sun 9-15:00
Kallio Flea market
Pengerpuisto and vicinities of Torkkelimäki A monthly event during the summer https://www.facebook.com/kallioliike
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Issue 4 2012
Society
Column
David Brown is a language consultant and journalist, regularly covering stories in Africa, Asia & the Middle East. He has lived in Finland for 10 years.
The US agrees to slash military spending, invest in clean energy
War is just not a good investment, Obama admits.
David Brown
WILD, cheering crowds gathered today in Helsinki's Senatentori to hear visiting US president Barack Obama announce a surprise immediate 25 per cent (US$170 billion) cut in military spending. His speech, culminating in the words, "War is just not a good investment," is expected to send shock waves around the world. THE cuts will see all US military personnel currently based outside the US returned home, with military bases closing in Japan, Korea and Germany, amongst others. APPEARING before Congress in Washington, Republican Party candidate Mitt Romney applauded Obama's announcement, and reiterated the President's point that military aid was a contradiction in terms. He vowed to go further, and link all aid to countries' willingness to commit to peaceful development. WHILE fully half of the money saved is expected to be used to slash the US foreign debt burden, Obama also announced significant funding to new projects. ONE billion dollars will be invested in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, funding a buy-back of privately-held arms, building schools and medical clinics damaged by Israeli military action. In return, Hamas has agreed to recognise the state of Israel, and to hand over weapons to a neutral UN peacekeeping force. FURTHER investment in the US energy sector will see all coal-fired plants closed within two years, to be replaced by one of the world's largest tidal energy projects. Along with tax cuts for households and business installing solar panels and better insulation, the measures seek to reduce US energy needs by 10 per cent whilst boosting the share of renewable energy sources by close to half within 10 years. FURTHER savings are expected elsewhere in the US budget after Congress recently passed a bill ending all farming subsidies to US farmers. The new law opens the way for farmers across the developing world to export cotton and sugar into the US without import tariffs, a move expected to lift more than 10 million people out of poverty. The law mirrors measures passed by the European Union earlier this year. A MORE controversial move has been the amendment to the constitutional right to bear arms. New laws backed by both major US parties limit private ownership of arms to small calibre weapons and those used for hunting. All military-style semi-automatic and large calibre weapons are now banned, with a federally funded buy-back scheme expected to see one million weapons destroyed this year alone. Speaking on the campaign trail, Romney admitted the scheme had been difficult for some Americans to accept, "But ultimately we must consider the civil rights of the victims of gun violence as well as the rights of those who wish to own guns." Some 30,000 people are killed by guns every year in the US, with that number expected to drop steadily as guns are handed in. ECHOING Obama's stand, Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen stressed the need for peaceful regional co-operation, and chided MPs who acted otherwise. This included the True Finns and Centre parties, who recently voted against signing the Ottawa Treaty outlawing the use of land mines. AND yes, the last sentence really did happen.
BIKES & THIEVES A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
It's springtime get your bikes out! But remember that bicycle thieves are also on the move.
Teemu Henriksson
BIKE THEFTS have a special place among the other ordinary crimes that complicate our lives. To start with, any cineaste recognises stealing bikes as part of classic cinema imagery, thanks to the Italian neorealist film classic The Bicycle Thieves. The film depicts the events after an unlucky fellow, whose employment depends on his bike, has that very bicycle stolen. Although a bike is these days essential to the livelihoods of few of us, losing your bicycle
is still a particularly jarring experience. For many, the bike is not just an object it's an essential part of our everyday life, something we rely on. It's easy to become attached to it, and particularly so as you learn to know the idiosyncrasies of your particular bike. There's something intimate about recognising the unique squeaking and crackling sounds that are part of your bicycle, or knowing how to use its gears to avoid the gear system becoming a tangled mess and the whole thing grinding to a halt.
So a stolen bike is often a loss of something more than just a mode of transport, or something of monetary value. Which is why it baffles the mind why people don't do a better job at looking after their bikes. The paradox of bicycle theft is that despite it being common, it is also one of the most easily avoidable crimes when appropriate precautions have been taken. According to the Helsinki Police Department, 4,000 bikes were reported stolen last year in Helsinki. By comparison, the corresponding number for cars is a little over 1,000. This year, about 100 bicycle thefts have been reported to the police so far. But that number may shoot up soon. As the weather becomes day-by-day more cycling-friendly, more and more cyclists will be on the move and so will be bike thieves, praying for an easy target. The most common hunting grounds are areas surrounding shopping centres,
supermarkets and train, bus and metro stations, along with courtyards and bike storages. Black market online Bicycle thieves can be roughly put into three categories, says Juha Laaksonen, Detective Chief Inspector from the Helsinki Police Department: there are those who, on a whim, grab a bike to get from one place to the other think of a late-night or early-morning trip home from the pub. These bikes are typically abandoned afterwards. Then there are the thieves who steal bikes to plunder them for spare parts. The third group robs bikes for their monetary value, to sell them or to exchange them for drugs. One of the easiest ways of getting rid of stolen bikes is on the internet. For example Huuto.net, an auction website, is contacted a few times a month by former bike owners or officials who suspect that a stolen bike has been posted on
SixDegrees
How to make sure your bike stays yours
1. Note down your bike's description: its make, model, colour, and identification number of its frame, together withpossiblespecialcharacteristics.Aphotographofthe bikeishelpfultoo. 2. Getatleastonegoodlockforyourbike. 3. Lockthebicycleevenifyouleaveitoutofsightonlyfora moment. If possible, use two locks: a U-lock to lock the frameandbackwheeltoabikestandorstreetpole,anda cablelocktoattachthefrontwheeltotheframe.Lockthe bikebothinandoutdoors. 4. Consider where and when you leave your bike. Prefer public places with streetlights and traffic to side alleys. Overnight, leave the bike in a locked room or shed if possible. 5. Ifyourbikeisstolen,alwaysreportthecrimetothepolice regardless of whether your bike is insured. Include a full descriptionofthebikeinyourreport.Ifthebikeendsup withthepolice,itcanbethusconnectedwiththeowner. 6. Be vigilant: inform the police about suspicious activities. If you witness a theft, call the emergency number 112 immediatelyforapolicepatrol. Source: Finnish Police
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the site. In practice, such sites are extremely difficult to moderate: "There are 100,000 items posted on Huuto.net every day, bicycles being a seasonal item among others," says Tapio Luoto, Editor-in-Chief of Sanoma Digital, which owns Huuto.net. In the end, the seller is always responsible for the legality of the auctioned item. Luoto also stresses that Huuto.net has created functionalities in order to improve the safety and reliability of the auctions it hosts. For example, if you are considering buying a bike through the site, you can ask the seller to present receipts
the make of the bike," he says. Markku Liitiä, Managing Editor of Fillari, a cyclingenthusiasts' magazine, says that on the magazine's online forums the topic of bike thefts is well represented. "One of the sections of our forum is `stolen bikes', where readers can post information about the bikes they have lost." Sometimes it does happen that as a result, people get their bikes back. Once an observant reader recognised two bikes from the forum at the Helsinki Central Railway station and called the police who arrived on time to seize the bikes before they were transported forward.
"A
ccordingtotheHelsinki PoliceDepartment, 4,000bikeswere reportedstolenlast yearinHelsinki."
To have and to keep having Understandably, the police cannot deploy its full force to investigate each individual case of a stolen bike. But the likelihood of getting the bike back depends a lot on the circumstances. Sometimes the perpetrator has already been caught by the time the victim contacts the police, and the bike can be returned to its rightful owner straightaway. But when the crime is reported months after the theft, the police cannot be expected to perform miracles. "It sometimes happens that a bike is left in the bike storage for
and other documents that verify the bike's history. You can also choose to buy items only from sellers with positive evaluations by their previous contacts. According to Laaksonen, the police occasionally receive tips about stolen property being sold online and acts on them the best it can. There are so many sites for selling property, however, that monitoring them actively would be very difficult. "But people are generally conscious of this possibility and know what to suspect when, for example, the price doesn't correspond with
the winter, and in the spring, when the owners go to look for it, they find that it's gone. In this situation there is only so much we can do," Laaksonen notes. It is good to note that shared bicycle storages are anything but safe places, at least for bikes that stand out from the average two-wheeler. According to Liitiä, the readership of his magazine is generally aware of this and careful about where they leave their bikes, usually keeping them in their apartments or balconies. "I don't think bicycles are safe in common bike storage rooms. Former residents may still have access to them, and even if people living in the building wouldn't steal bikes, one of them could always give a tip to a friend about an expensive bike. In addition, storage rooms can usually be accessed directly from the outside, so if the door is left open, it's like an invitation for a thief to sneak in." Laaksonen and Liitiä seem to know how to look after their own bicycles as only the latter has personal experience with bike thieves and that was in the `70s. "I keep my bike at the office, and at home I take it in with me. Even when I lived on the third floor in Kallio, I used to carry it up to the flat," says Laaksonen. But he notes that the right way to store your bike depends on the options available. For example, if keeping it in a bike storage room is the only possibility, you can always attach the bike to a radiator or some other immovable object. "I would say that most thefts are easily prevented with appropriate precaution."
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Issue 4 2012
Feature
Finland
TV, radio and more tailored to immigrants.
media in
are a number of both print and online magazines and newsletters available in different languages from associations, universities and non-profit organisations. So, get exploring to find your favourite source of information, current events analysis, entertainment or music! Here are some picks to get you started.
- an international perspective
C
Tiiamari Pennanen
AN'T find news in your own language? Missing an international perspective on local current affairs on radio, TV and print? We at SixDegrees wanted to discover what else is out there in the foreign language media field besides us and were positively surprised by the breadth of options. In addition to what is presented here, there
Delivering Helsinki's printed news in English
PRINTED for the first time in May 2007, Helsinki Times is an English-language newspaper that covers current domestic and international news, business, sport and culture, and is the major foreignlanguage news medium in Finland. Published weekly, and available from retail outlets, hotels and by subscription, the paper has an average print run of 15,000 copies and can also be found on all Finnair flights and at foreign embassies. "In most non-English-speaking countries there has been an English-speaking paper," explains editor-in-chief Alexis Kouros, when asked of Helsinki Times' origins. "Kuwait Times was established in the `20s, for example, and Korea Times in the `50s but Finland didn't have one back then." After observing feedback from readers of their other publication SixDegrees, Finland's first English-language magazine, Kouros and managing editor Laura Seppälä acted on requests for current news to be made available on a more regular basis. The aim of Helsinki Times is to provide news and current affairs in English here, and act as a means of also bridging the divide between foreigners and locals. "During over 20 years of my living in Finland as an immigrant a so-called `new Finn' I have seen this country change a lot," Kouros observes. "The number of immigrants has been increasing almost exponentially, although is still at the lowest proportional rate in Western Europe. Our hope and aim has been to bring them together and help them integrate into Finnish society through information and participation." And so, utilising an international team to produce Helsinki Times, the paper continues to provide content keeping in mind their readers' perspectives here in Finland. "We are independent," Kouros states. "We don't follow the mainstream minds and prejudices, so readers may really find information in Helsinki Times that they cannot find elsewhere."
www.helsinkitimes.fi
Good news in Russian
RADIO SPUTNIK, a 24-hour Russian language FM radio station, broadcasts from Helsinki and is the only one of its kind in the EU. Alexei Pankov, Program Director and Radio Presenter, has been one of the developers of the station from the very beginning. "Sputnik is a commercial radio station and the basic rule is to have positive content not boring or negative," Pankov explains. "Of course, people are interested in serious topics as well and we do broadcast, for instance, political issues. We don't take our own view on them and present them in a neutral way." Radio professional Pankov was invited to Finland to help launch Sputnik. He now presents his own daily show called Razum Show between 14:00-16:00 every working day. Russian Radiomania rewarded him as best DJ of Russian language radio stations in 2002 and he is also one of the presenters on Kotomedia's TV programme Panorama. The Russian language unites Sputnik's listeners. "Sputnik was created for tourists. We still serve them with special programmes on, for instance, cultural happenings and night life in Helsinki, but we have broadened our selection also to Russians living in Finland." For instance, Pankov's show last week dealt with growing up in two language families and the issues that might bring. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 13:30 Sputnik broadcasts a programme called Women in Finland about successful famous Finnish women. "The situation for women is different in Russia," Pankov observes. "It's hard for them to become successful." So far the show has had six episodes with guests such as Maria Kiviniemi, Anu Sinisalo and Aira Samulin. Pankov feels the attitude of Finnish media towards Radio Sputnik has changed positively over the past twelve years. "It takes time to become established as a radio station and get noticed. That's why it meant a lot to us to win the `Radio of the Year' award in 2006 from RAB Finland. It means they at least know who we are." Radio Sputnik has around 4 million listeners a year from Finland, Russia and Estonia. It commenced broadcasting in 1999. Helsinki 106.9 MHz, Porvoo 88.4 MHz, Kotka 107.2 MHz, Imatra 102.1 MHz, Lappeenranta 102.1 MHz. Sputnik's coverage is from Viipuri to Helsinki.
http://radiosputnik.fi
Radio Sputnik
SixDegrees
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SixDegrees
What else is on offer on radio?
Lähiradio
Helsinki Area 100.3 MHz
· AuerhahnoffersnewsandmusicinGerman.Broadcast on Tuesdays between 13:00-14:00.Domingo Brasil is a liveshowinPortuguesepresentedbyWenndell Coelho andoffersmusic,informationandinterviewsandnews. BroadcastonSundaysfrom16:00-17:00. DongXiNanPeiisamandarinChineseradioprogramme withinterviewsandAsianmusic.Broadcasteverythird Thursdayofthemonthfrom20:00-21:00. CaféTallinnhostedbyJari Luukkonenoffersthelatest musicfromEstonia.BrodcastonThursdaysbetween14:0014:30andagainonSundaysfrom10:00-10:30.Youcanalso listentoitinTamperefromRadioMoreen101.5MHzon Saturdaysat15:30andagainonSundayat13:30oronline: http://moreeni.uta.fi/Internetlahetys. ContactisaweeklyEnglishlanguageradioprogramme hostedbyRaymond Izehi "Ehi" Enakimiodealingwith intercultural issues in Finland. It aims to build bridges between people and talks about everyday challenges and serious topics in a light-hearted way. Broadcast on Wednesdaysat21:00. S ilakkaRadioShowinEnglishisanopenlearningradio programme and a forum for experimental musicians, composers,soundartistsanddevotedlistenershostedby DJShinji Kanki.BroadcastonSundaysfrom17:00-18:00. Kurdiradio offers Kurdish music and current topics. BroadcastonWednesdaysat15:00. Codka dhalinyarada is a current events programme in SomalialsoofferingSomalimusic.BroadcastonSundays from12:00-12:45. Sedaje Iranon is a music programme in the Persian language,Farsi.BroadcastonSundaysfrom11:00-12:00. Russian Hour offers current topics in Russian from both Finland and Russia. Broadcast on Sundays from 18:00-19:00. VentanaSuroffersmusicandcurrenttopicsinSpanish. BroadcastonSaturdaysfrom11:00-12:00. WarsanSomaliradiobroadcastsnewsfromSomaliaand aroundtheworldinSomalionWednesdaysandSundays between13:00-14:00.
SPIN FM
Helsinki Area 105.8 MHz Tampere Area 100.5 MHz
· Spicharts is a weekly show that highlights the top twentyplaylistsongsaswellasfeaturesspecialinterviews with local and visiting cultural figures in English. The show is hosted by Chryssa Skodra and is broadcast on Wednesdaysbetween18:30-20:30. The breakfast show Coffee Corner, aka Finnglish Morning Show, presently hosted by Joelle Reefer and Mark Stockhill, is an English programme that blends pleasantwake-upmusicwithnews.Broadcastonweekdaysfrom07:00-10:00. R&RisaHoward Stern-meets-NewMusicshowhosted byRory WinstonandRenaz Ebrahimi.Itfusesshockjock elements, humour and newly leaked music with humorous social commentary and occasional celebrity guests. Broadcast on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridaysbetween16:00-18:00. Soul Sugar is an "easy as Sunday morning" show that brings the sultry sounds of classic R&B into your bedroomhostedbyMr. SolidandBea Banafa.Broadcaston Sundaysbetween14:00-16:00. HallofFameisa"revisitthepast"showwithemphasis on the classics that shaped contemporary music. It is hostedbyBeaandaspecialguest.BroadcastonTuesdays between21:00-22:00andSundaysfrom12:00-13:00. BBC Nukes is a show with a floating schedule it has both pre-recorded and live elements with a signature "parodyofthenews"insert.ItishostedbyRoryWinston andalteringco-hosts. TheWeeklyRapWrapisa45minutecompilationofthe bestfromallshowsthatareeditedintoasingleshowwith intended broadcast on both UK and US partner urban radio stations who will be bartering programmes over theupcomingyear.
One TV show, six languages
MONTHLY television programme Panorama dishes out domestic current topics with insights. The government funded project kicked off in 2010 and fully commenced last year. So far Panorama has aired 60 episodes with around2,000viewersforeachepisode.* "PanoramaisbasedonashowUniNewsinTamperethat presented news in different languages," explains Carlos Marroquin, producer and director of Panorama. "We tooktheideaanddevelopeditsothattheanchorsplayan activepart."Panoramahastenanchorsandsixlanguages: Russian,French,Spanish,Arabic,SomaliandThai. Marroquin tells that the force behind Panorama, Kotomedia,wascreatedin2010togetherwithM-cultafter receivingagrantfromtheMinistryofInternalAffairsfor Finland. M-cult is a non-profit organisation working to developandpromotenewformsofmediaartanddigital culture. "Anchors choose their topics from Finnish news and bringtheirowninsightandanalysisintothediscussion," Marroquintells.Anchorsinclude,forinstance,Jad Lian, who used to work as a war correspondent in Lebanon, andYousif Abu Al Fawz,journalistandpublishedauthor from Iraq. Not all are media professionals but have been learningonthejob. "Our aim is to create discussion, give advice and make peoplenotbornherefeellikeapartofwhatishappeningin Finlandrightnow,"Marroquinexplains."Toseesomeone wholookslikeyoutalkingtoyoucloseup,isverypowerful. Thatjustcannotbedonewithradio."Sometimes,however, itisdifficulttofindgoodnews."Lastyear'sspringduring the parliament elections was a dark time and racism was blooming. Luckily the situation has improved sincethen." Panorama is meant for everyone and episodes are accompanied by Finnish subtitles.Regulartopicsare educational,familyrelated, politicalandreligious.
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http://www.spinfm.fi/ Source: Rory Winston/Spin FM
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Radio Helsinki
Helsinki Area 88.6 MHz
8½radioshowoffersalternativeorindependentmusic,covering anything from indie guitar rock, to singer songwriters with edge, to electronic and beyond. The show is hosted by Nick Triani.BroadcastonThursdays18:00-20:00.
www.radiohelsinki.fi/ohjelmat-tekijat/tekijat/nick-triani/ Source: Radio Helsinki website
(left) Raymond Izehi "Ehi" Enakimio hosts Contact on Lähiradio. (below) The SPIN FM crew.
Panorama can be viewed at Stadi.TV (http://stadi. tv/) or M2HZ (http://m2hz.net/). Stadi.TV is also available on digibox channel 71. Showing times vary. *Viewer numbers are from 2011 only.
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What else is on offer on TV?
Kotomedia
· · Baabel is a discussion show about current topics in Finland.ItisinFinnishandhostedbyimmigrants.It hasbeenonthebackburnersincelastOctober. Kaaos(English:Chaos)isafictionshowwithamulticulturalnatureforteenagers,writtenandcreatedby youngpeoplethemselves.
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www.kansanradioliitto.fi/. Most shows are available from the online archive at http://arkisto.kslmedia.fi/. Sources: Dicky Elovaara/Lähiradio and KSL website.
YLE Mondo
Helsinki Area 97.5 MHz (cable 107.3)
YLE Mondo is a 24-hour world radio channel available throughoutFinlandaspartofYLEDigitalTVservices. Most of the programming comes from select international radioservices.YLEproducesaserviceinRussianandnewsin EnglishaswellasnewsinplainFinnish,asimplifiedformof Finnishforeasierunderstanding.
http://yle.fi/mondo/index.php?1344 Source: yle.fi/mondo
Programmes can be viewed at Stadi.TV (http://stadi. tv/) or M2HZ (http://m2hz.net/). Stadi.TV is also available on digibox channel 71. Showing times vary. www.kotomedia.fi.
Source: Carlos Marroquin/Kotomedia
YLE News
YLE News has been Finland's source of comprehensive English-language news for over a decade. Today the YLE NewstelevisionbulletinreachesaudiencesinFinlandand beyondthroughYLEAreenaandthesatellitechannelTV Finland. YLE News broadcasts in English at 11:05am on TV1 (weekdays except national holidays). The service is also available via FM, cable and webradio, Facebook, Twitter, teletextandpodcast.
http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/.
Source: YLE News website
16
Issue 4 2012
SixDegrees
A long history in the magazine field
RUSSIAN language monthly magazine, Spektr, has been offering analysis of current Finnish topics, culture events and news since 1998. Similarly to Radio Sputnik, Spektr was at first aimed at tourists. According to Executive Director Vladimir Gusatinsky, there was no information about current events available in Finland back then. The country was known stereotypically as the land of lakes and saunas and already after two issues it was apparent that there was demand for the magazine among Russians living in Finland. Now they share practical information on current topics and cultural events as well as people's experiences of being a Russian in Finland. "Today's Spektr is a bit like social media," Gusatinsky states. "We have used it as a channel for Finns to find lost Russian-speaking relatives. Spektr is not a newspaper or an advertising leaflet. We dig into the practical and current information of Finland." Gusatinsky has lived in Finland for over 20 years and experienced a change in attitudes towards foreigners. "The society is not as critical anymore. When we were starting out with Spektr I was calling companies to make business proposals. Sometimes the answer was very rude about not wanting to have any Russians involved." Economic factors such as the growth in Russian tourism could be one reason for the change. "Also now there are a lot cultural events in Finland including Russian artists, such as the Savonlinna Opera Fest and Helsinki Moscow Week," Gusatinsky offers. Spektr has a circulation of 20-25,000 copies in Southern Finland, St Petersburg and Tallinn. Copies are also sent to different regions of Finland through Russian organisations and associations and are used as learning material in Universities. Editor-in-Chief Eilina Gusatinsky has been with the magazine from the beginning.
Coming up... multilingual online magazine Baabeli
ANNE HYVÖNEN, who was a journalist for twenty years at Finland's leading news and image agency STT-Lehtikuva, is the driving force behind a non-profit, government-funded project called Baabeli. The first version was launched in April 2011 and the already impressive language selection includes English, Somali, Dari, Albanian, Spanish, Estonian, Turkish and Arabic. The language palette and magazine concept will be finalised during summer. For the time being content is made by volunteers. "Baabeli is made by young people, 20-25 years, coming from immigrant background wishing to enter the media field," Hyvönen, educator and the Editor-in-Chief of Baabeli tells. We offer them a way to get work experience and show what they can do." "Baabli shares stories of immigrants' thoughts on every day things such as working and studying in Finland. We want to make the invisible visible and give people not born in Finland a voice". Topics include local news, culture events and also current affairs from the contributors' home countries. Hyvönen hopes Baabeli can in the future also have an announcements billboard and become a platform for co-operation for different non-Finnish language media produced in Finland. "There is a need for more systematic co-operation in the field."
www.baabeli.fi/ystavat/
What other online options are on offer?
Ovi magazine
Ovi is a daily online English language magazine that contains strong opinions about contemporary, political, social and cultural topics from over fifty voluntary contributors from around the world. A variety of different sections are published each week: Politics, Environment, Culture, Reviews, Sport and Cartoons.
www.ovimagazine.com Source: Ovi Facebook profile
Helsingin Sanomat international edition
Helsingin Sanomat is the biggest daily subscription-based newspaper in Scandinavia. It is also Finland's leading national paper. The International Edition offers abstracts in English of a number of daily stories, and also a weekly digest of edited articles from the newspaper. The daily material appears Monday through Friday and the weekly items are posted online on Tuesday afternoons.
www.hs.fi/english/ Source: HS website
Tastebuds
17
SixDegrees
Helsinki
Pacifico
Violetta Teetor Kaisa Verho
Breakfast & dessert in
mends Recom
ader Re
Escape to the heart of Kallio
KALLIO pulsates with life and excitement and is full of undiscovered jewels of cheap places to eat and drink. Pacifico is such a place. It doesn't have neon signs flashing outside and if you don't know the address, you might just walk straight past it. Climbing the stairs, it strikes you that this might not be the most hygienic place on earth to eat. In fact, it looks downright dodgy, to say the least. Trashy chic You're greeted by candles in drip-wax wine bottles even thought it's only 11 in the morning. The large arched windows look as if they could do with a good scrubbing, as can the walls. The furniture has seen better days, obviously been bought from a flea market, and not a finger has been lifted to rejuvenate the tired look. Not even the graffiti on the wood paneling holding up the bar has been wiped off. On closer inspection, however, you realise that actually all of this has been done on purpose. The windows and walls only look dirty but it's intentional and has been smeared with an interesting technique to give it a slightly messy, jaded look. You don't really know where you are. Definitely not in Finland with its obsession with hygiene and minimalism. Is it Mexico? Brazil? A dance hall? A saloon? One thing's for sure, you've been transported and you're no longer in Helsinki. Brunch on weekends So, what's happening there at 11 am? They serve brunch and it's brunch with a capital B! There's a long queue at the counter waiting to pay their 11.95 for a plate. All these people can't be wrong. And when your eyes pop out of your head for choice, you notice that there's another room where coffee, tea, juice, bread, ham, cheese and veg are served. There's plenty of fresh fruit and berries, heaps of various cereals to choose from, hot food that includes scrambled eggs, sausages, meatballs and grilled tomatoes. The mini croissants are a treat and fill the room with their freshly baked aroma. There are bowls of chocolate, jam and real butter. To give it that South-
Golden Dragon
Ganna Kotova
American stamp, there are lots of salads, tortilla chips, salsa with a kick and chipotle sauce with a bite. This has to be the best value for money in town. To complete your breakfast, a glass of sparkling only costs 4. There are two sittings, at 11:00 and at 13:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, and they also serve dinner in the evenings. The prices are highly affordable, with the most expensive item on the menu being 12.90 for 4 tacos filled with hot and spicy tiger prawns. Nightclubbing And the rest of the time? Even during brunch, the music is operated by a real-live DJ who knows her stuff. At the first light of sunshine through those grimy windows, you immediately hear "Here Comes the Sun" followed by, "Bright, bright briiiight sunshining day".
Serious clubbing starts at around 20:00 when the volume is cranked up and the beat starts booming. Every day has its own theme and is presided over by various DJs. Drinks are cheap, well by Helsinki's standards anyway. You can either buy a cocktail by the glass or then order a jug. They have an impressive selection of beer, cider and gin long drink on tap which stays under the 5 mark. Also offering accommodation and a sauna to rent, it seems as if the possibilities are endless and that the throbbing heart of Kallio is alive and well and living in Hotel Pacifico.
Pacifico Wed-Fri 20:00-02:00 Sat 11:00-02:00 Sun 11:00-16:00 Helsinginkatu 15, Helsinki www.pacifico.fi
Best noodles with chicken at adorable prices! This place reminds me of my favourite restaurant in my hometown, Odessa, Ukraine. This nostalgia led me to this place it was not by chance. Comfort, price and my favourite noodles with chicken have never left me indifferent. And sizeable portions can feed you and the rest of your 1.3 billion friends. Golden Dragon Eerinkinkatu 5 Turku
In this series, 6D readers tell about their local favourite place to grab a coffee, sip on a beer or enjoy a bite to eat. Send a brief email to james@6d.fi, and let us know what you recommend!
What Finns a re ea t ing
Yobot
Yobot
THIS MONTH
Self-serve frojo arrives in style.
a huge cartoon red robot painted on one wall, with the bright space further punctuated by splashes of colour across its various surfaces. The concept is remarkably simple: select one of the different sizes of container you wish to fill, dispense yoghurt from the machine yourself (flavours change regularly) and choose from the plethora of toppings to sprinkle on top. Fancy something sweet that is ubiquitous Stateside? Mini M&Ms, Oreo cookies and Mini Reese's Pieces are on offer. What about for those on a healthy kick? Well, almond slivers, muesli, apple pieces or coconut could probably suffice. Then there's mochi, the Japanese rice cake, for those seeking a taste of the Far East. In short: there's pretty much something for everyone, with around 20 different options. Customers are invited to mix and match to create the exact cocktail of flavours that they are looking for, with all options offered as self-service and carrying the same price tag: 3 per 100 grams. While the age of Yobot's customers varies greatly, the overwhelming majority here on a Thursday afternoon are school kids, with the day's classes having just finished up in nearby schools. As I enjoy my delicious mango yoghurt and Turkish pippuri, kids come and go, happily speaking in English to Beidler. "It was really good," exclaims one, as she gathers her things to leave. Having decided it's now time to try a healthier option, soon I am tucking in to a serving of vanilla yoghurt with muesli light and tasty, with the muesli's sweetness and crunch offsetting the slightly sour taste of the yoghurt. With summer just around the corner, and plans that include mobile vendors hitting the local parks to sell his frozen yoghurt, judging by its popularity already in early spring, it's going to be a busy time ahead as things start to warm up at Yobot.
Yobot Tues-Sun 12:00-19:00 Runeberginkatu 54 A, Helsinki Tel. +358 44 352 8021 www.yobot.fi
James O'Sullivan
Tippaleipä
(funnel cake)
What could be better than seeing in the unofficial start of spring than with some of these curly, crunchy pastries as you join friends in celebrating vappu on 1 May! Served with a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top, they make perfect company for a glass of skumppa (sparkling wine), and offer distraction from the potentially chilly weather.
SITUATED in Töölö's Runeberginkatu, Yobot offers its customers three different types of frozen yoghurt, with a variety of toppings to suit every palate. Owned and operated by American Tom Beidler, the comings and goings of his customers are overseen by
18
Issue 4 2012
Cultitude
Henri Juvonen
The Second Spring
Lilly Korpiola and Hanna Nikkanen offer their perspective on the Arab Spring in a new book detailing the complexities of the issue.
"T
generation that has not had a role before has begun moving. HN: The election results show us that it has also been a revolution of Islamic movements. People who have been in a poor societal state have lost all trust in the elite. These people have now put their trust in religious organisations. What does the Arab Spring tell us about people's possibilities to make an influence in the Arab world? LK: It tells us that the people do not have much influence. In states that have been built on a patriarchal authority, revolting has been a crime and offence towards the social order maintained by the rulers. HN: I believe that the increase of transparency in closed nations has had a big influence. Before, the ruthless rule of the leaders has been a generally accepted public secret, but when, for example, Wikileaks published documents proving their actions, normal people who already knew about them felt a validation to begin speaking their thoughts out loud. The Arab Spring has been called a revolution of social media. What is its impact on the future of citizen journalism? LK: During the past year, the concept of citizen journalism has widened incredibly and has a great impact on the way newsrooms collect their information and how a media narrative is produced. It witnesses and conveys something that is actually true. HN: Citizen journalism has played an exceptionally big role especially this winter in Syria, whose borders have been mostly closed to reporters. The fact that everyone has a camera in their pocket makes it very difficult for governments to cut off the information stream, but it also puts the citizen journalists in great danger. The Arab Spring, Occupy-movement and demonstrations in Russia all began in the same year. Can they be seen as parts of the same global movement? LK: I see them as part of a greater whole in the sense that
Sakari Nuuttila
THE Arab Spring, which turned into summer, autumn and winter, draws on. As the revolution unfolds into its second spring, countless questions are still demanding answers. Media strategist Lilly Korpiola traveled to the Middle East for the first time when she was 19 years old, and has lived and worked there for several years since. She is deeply interested in the language, culture and geopolitics of the region, and saw the Arab Spring as an opportunity to shed more light on these themes in Finland. Hanna Nikkanen is a journalist who has worked in various newsrooms and as the editorin-chief of the online magazine Fifi. She has done investigative coverage all around the world, but was captivated by the Arab world through the turmoil of last year. Together, they have published the book Arabikevät, an eyewitness, in-depth and accessible analysis on the several causes and consequences, as well as possible futures, of the Arab Spring.
It has been over a year since the Arab Spring began have we seen the end of it? Lilly Korpiola: Definitely not. Now we have arrived at the Second Arab Spring, and the real political process is just beginning. We are living in an incredibly interesting turning point where we will see whether the Arab Spring has amounted to the victory of civil society, or will there be a return to the old system. Hanna Nikkanen: The time of mass movements, uprising and revolution has passed, and now the question is: What next? The fact that such great changes happened in a region where none were expected was the opening of Pandora's Box; now we're dealing with all the built-up tension and questions that came out into the light. Whose revolution is the Arab Spring? LK: The majority of the Middle East's population belongs to the youth bulge, and it's the revolution of precisely that generation. In a region where experience and wisdom is valued above all else, the new
he time of mass movements, uprising and revolution has passed, and now the question is: What next?"
impossible now to go back to how things were before. What are the greatest challenges faced by the newly founded governments of the Arab Spring? LK: Economy, economy and economy. People's biggest worry is how to get their daily bread, especially when unemployment is such a great problem for the educated and uneducated alike. HN: The bad economy is due to instability and has a grave impact on industry. There won't be any essential tourism before the region is stable, but stability won't be reached before the economy is fixed. It's a real catch-22 situation.
the new generation who lives in a network society has begun to connect across national borders. The elite and rulers have always been challenged, but now solidarity and condemnation is global. Before we needed physical demonstrations; now we need big virtual media campaigns. What is your answer to allegations that the whole Arab Spring phenomenon never happened? LK: Progress depends on how you measure it. There has definitely been an increase in freedom of speech and small changes in the status of women in some countries. However, economical inequality hasn't gone anywhere. The biggest change so far is that now there is room to speak out loud. HN: It's unreasonable to expect concrete changes so soon, things rarely happen that quickly. After 20 years the Arab Spring will surely be seen as a turning point; it's
Arabikevät is available now, with negotiations for an English translation currently underway.
Taking it to the street
Who are the buskers on our streets and what kind of music do they perform?
Ona Siurua
ON my way from Kamppi to Forum I run into 16-year-old Finnish high school students Daniel and Johannes performing at one end of Lasipalatsi. Daniel is playing guitar while Johannes has a tambourine. "Most of the time we play mainstream music; pop, rock and folk depending on the mood we're in," Daniel explains, and points to his guitar. "Mainly acoustic music for obvious reasons."
Even though today they were playing at Lasipalatsi, having found a sunny spot, they can usually be found on or near Narikkatori right next to Kamppi shopping centre. Johannes hasn't been playing much before, but Daniel is an old dog having played the previous summer too. Today they just wanted to have some fun; Daniel called Johannes up and they decided to go and perform. Next summer the boys are going to go InterRailing across Europe and are planning to collect some money during their journey by performing while on the move.
Cultitude
Tiia Tuominen
19
SixDegrees
Anonymous performance
James O'Sullivan
ONCE again offering audiences a dose of Englishlanguage performance, local theatre group Thespians Anonymous will be staging Lauren Wilson's Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play at Stella Polaris, Cable Factory from 15-18 May.
"You may know the story of Jekyll and Hyde relatively well but we doubt you've ever seen it like this!" exclaims director Jonathan O'Brien. "The play revolves around several themes, including relationships, love triangles, jealousy, pure downright evil and, well, good old-fashioned slapstick humour."
Founded over 10 years ago by students at the University of Helsinki, Thespians Anonymous continue the growing tradition of Englishlanguage theatre being performed in Finland, with what promises to be highly amusing take on Robert Louis Stevenson's renowned work on the dual nature of man.
Kati Hurme
l nature of man.
Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play 15-18 May, 19:00 Tickets 7-12 (available via piletti.fi, or at the door) Stella Polaris, Cable Factory Tallberginkatu 1, Helsinki
Is the new
D.I.W.O. D.I.Y!
"DO It With Others" (D.I.W.O.) is the main theme of Camp Pixelache event, held on the second weekend of May in Helsinki. Plenary speaker Marc Garret, an activist, artist and founder of Furtherfield Art & Social Centre in London will outline how artists, makers, cultural producers, researchers and activists can work collaboratively with each other and different audiences, to create new co-production models for artefacts and events with sustainability as the core goal. Camp Pixelache on Saturday 12 May is a laid-back "unconference" event based on the BarCamp model. This means that the audience is not only allowed, but is in fact encouraged to take part in planning the programme and taking the floor by offering a short presentation or hosting a discussion. Besides the D.I.W.O. the themes explore, for example, creative neighbourhood from here to Japan, the duo have recently expanded their sound to embrace influences from UK bass music, indie pop and house with the free release of EP What They Say late last year. Recent single Religion dropped in March, in anticipation of their forthcoming full length release The Writing On The Wall that is scheduled to
skills and citizen/participatory science. Plenary speakers include Jennifer Gabrys from Goldsmiths University, London and artist-organiser Pedro Soler from Barcelona. The event takes place at Arbis, the Swedish adult education centre in Helsinki. In the spirit of D.I.W.O. the event is quite literally warmed up with a Hexayurt talkoot (construction work party) on Friday 11 May, when Vinay Gupta, the developer of the open source emergency shelter Hexayurt opens the event with a keynote speech on the topic, "Why government can't manage the 21st century but we can". The aim is to learn together the practical skills of how to build Hexayurts and construct one for a temporary sauna structure!
Camp Pixelache 11-12 May Arbis Dagmarinkatu 3, Helsinki www.pixelache.ac/ helsinki/camp12
INTERNATIONAL
STAGE
James O'Sullivan
Switching the TV on
James O'Sullivan
SEEKING a dose of indie pop to raise your spirits? Then local outfit TV OFF might just be the thing for you, with the duo of Sara and Markku performing at Korjaamo on Thursday 10 May. After releasing their debut album in 2010 to much acclaim and hitting stages
arrive later this year. Support at Korjaamo comes from the heavily `80s influenced Beverly Girls, along with DJs Upi, Schmitt and Sammy.
TV OFF, Beverly Girls, DJs Upi, Schmitt & Sammy 10 May, 19:00 Tickets 9/11 Korjaamo Töölönkatu A-B, Helsinki
HAVING been performed in 64 counties around the world, and seen by over 22 million people in the last 46 years, Up with People soon will be arriving to Seinäjoki. Seeking to highlight the bonds that unite people from many nations, the performance offers a diverse range of music on 4 and 5 May. "We have a combination of songs from different parts of the world, both original songs and covers," explains Terho Valkonen, Sponsors Representative in Seinäjoki. "There will also be a Scandinavian medley included in the performance, as there are always songs from each region that the show is being performed." Having travelled with the show himself in the U.S.A, Philippines and Mexico two years ago, playing to crowds of up to 5,000 people, Valkonen is excited to bring the vibrant show to Finland. "It is something for the whole family," Valkonen enthuses. "I have seen 5-year-old kids in the audience, as well as 70-year-old men." Host families are still needed to accommodate members of the production. Contact karlijn.upwithpeople@gmail.com for further information.
Up with People 4-5 May, 19:00 Tickets 10/20. Family 50 Seinäjoen Uimahalli-Urheilutalo Kirkkokatu 15, Seinäjoki www.upwithpeople.org/seinajoki
Africa up-close
Ona Siurua
ORGANISED for the third time, the Helsinki African Film Festival once again brings a range of contemporary African films to Finnish silver screens from 2-6 May. This year's theme is bridge builders, and is reflected in the choice of films on offer, which promote diversity and co-operation on all levels. "Building a bridge can mean challenging prejudices, creating a new culture or aiding peace," says Wanjiku wa Ngugi, the festival's founder and director. "It can also connect people, generations, country and city people, traditions and the world today."
This year's programme consists of various acknowledged directors' works, such as Beyond the Ocean, From Namibia with Love and Sleepwalking Land. HAFF's visiting director, French- Tunisian Nadia El-Fani's newest film Neither Allah Nor Master will also be screened. As a part of the festival there will be an African bazaar at the Bio Rex film theatre on Saturday 5 May. More information and the full programme can be found from the HAFF website.
Helsinki African Film Festival 2-6 May www.haff.fi
Study in English while learning Finnish
The Matriculation Examination (ylioppilastutkinto) is taken in Finnish whereas the University of Cambridge AICE Diploma is taken in English. This upper secondary program is for people with English skills who also need to develop their Finnish. The AICE Diploma is recognized by most Universities in Finland, Universities of Applied Science and Universities around the world. Information session on High School studies on Thursday 3 May at 17:00 on school premises. Next entrance test on Monday 4 June.
Further information and entrace test registration: high.school@eira.fi.
Eiran aikuislukio · Eira High School for Adults · Tel: 09 4542 270 · Laivurinkatu 3, Helsinki
www.eira.fi
h ead and h eart
200
years
as c apital
Helsinki
jubilee exhibition
4.4.17.6.2012
virka gallery, sofiankatu 1 monfri 919, satsun 1016
www.virka.fi
Cultitude
21
SixDegrees
Movie premieres
CIRKO Centre
Placing circus firmly on the map of performing arts
Mikael Halmeenmäki Beth Morton
Theatre Helsinki's
Stepping out of the shadows. The ensemble cast of Time Burton's Dark Shadows awaits you.
The Avengers
Subscribing to the rule "bigger is better" here audiences are privy to not one, but four superheroes, along with a handful of supporting players. With the world's fate once again hanging in the balance, prepare for a smorgasbord of explosions and one-liners that'll no doubt leave producers laughing all the way to the bank.
Premiere 27 April
The Raid: Redemption
It's been some time since an Indonesian film has received a cinematic release here in Finland and worldwide for that matter. Here we have an action/thriller following a SWAT team that becomes trapped in an apartment block by a mobster and his army of thugs. Advance word is spectacular.
Premiere 4 May
Dark Shadows
Bringing the combined efforts of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton together once again, after the $1bn haul of their last collaborative effort Alice in Wonderland, here they team up with a stellar cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter in an update of the off-beat televisions series from the late `60s.
Premiere 11 May
The Deep Blue Sea
Unfortunately not a remake of Renny Harlin's classic sharks-on-the-loose cheesefest, but rather a more subdued depiction of an affair between the wife of a British judge and a Royal Air Force pilot in the 1950s. With Rachel Weiz taking the lead role, her lover is portrayed by Tom Hiddleston, changing tact after his performance as bad guy Loki in The Avengers.
Premiere 18 May
WHEN we think of the concept of "performing arts" we tend to jump straight to the conclusion of dance, drama, music and theatre, and seldom ever will our mind slot circus into this genre. But it is, in fact, one of the most colourful and exciting pieces of the performing arts jigsaw, for both children and adults alike. Statistics show that during the years 2006 to 2010 the number of circus performances and audience attendance in Finland has nearly doubled, with figures constantly rising. Since the opening of the CIRKO centre in Helsinki one year ago, it has been striving to contribute to this rising popularity of circus arts in Finland, and according to CIRKO's director, Tomi Purovaara, "We are on the right path towards [achieving] this." The centre has a huge driving force of creative input and, marking its invaluable rehearsal space and training for professional circus performers, has inspired interest and funding from authorities. "The positive development has been very fast in recent years and state funding has increased," Purovaara adds. "In 2004 it was only 40,000 euros for circus art but this year it's 550,000, with 210,000 euros of this for CIRKO alone." Tailored mostly for professionals, but with some activities occasionally open for public participation, CIRKO offers workshops led by both Finnish and international circus artists
in a variety of areas, from juggling and tumbling, to dance and fire art. CIRKO facilitates projects for school children and caters for the research needs of all circus enthusiasts with its vast reference library of Finnish and foreign circus literature. Most precious about the centre is its free rehearsal space for industry professionals and, as Purovaara boasts, the provision of "rehearsal residencies for professional companies because this is the best rehearsal place in Finland." It's no wonder then that the plans of Purovaara and CIRKO to embed a BA course for circus artists into the new Theatre Academy, when the four art universities merge into one next year, has been recognised and approved. What better way to get acquainted with CIRKO than get involved with the upcoming CIRKO Festival! Kicking off on the culture tram and then showcasing Belgium clown duo Okidok, Circus Uusi Maailma's Globally Wanted, Circo Aereo, Circus Helsinki, as well as a magic and stand-up act, a special Mother's Day treat and awe inspiring aerialist Ilona Jäntti, CIRKO Festival 2012 will prove that circus is a worthy member of the performing arts.
CIRKO Festival 9-13 May www.cirko.net
DVDWITH THE GIRL
THE DRAGON TATTOO
Amongst the Michael Bays of this world, it's fair enough to say that David Fincher stands tall as one of the most innovative and interesting cinema auteurs working in cinema today. Thus while it was a surprise to see his adaptation of Steig Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo arriving hot on the heels of its Swedish counterpart, his interpreta-
tion is not entirely unwelcome, with the film resisting a predictable Hollywoodisation of events, and remaining oftengripping viewing. What's up with English being spoken in Sweden, though? JO'S
Games THE WITCHER 2:
ASSASSIN OF KINGS (XBOX 360)
I'm glad Witcher 2 ar r i v e d a f e w days before my de adline as eve n af te r 2 0
hour s of playing through i t I ' v e b ar e l y s c r a t c h e d the sur face. This is b et ter than Sk yrim. The graphic s are sp e ct acular, if o cc asionally glitchy. The music is gre at and plot intrigu in g b u t i t 's t h e r e ali sm inherent in the title that r e al l y a s t o u n d s . S k y r i m w a s p l a g u e d w i t h d o dg y dialo gue, weird character mo dels and do dg y g ame play. W itcher 2 has none of tho s e problems. If you're l o o k in g f o r an RP G t o immer s e your s elf in for the nex t 5 0 + hour s of g aming, this is it. 9 . 5 / 10 N B
RIDGE RACER: UNBOUNDED (XBOX 360, PS3, PC)
Finnish developers are on a roll, and this title is a great example of how to make a kickass driving game. It's different from previous titles in the series so those expecting more of the same might be disappointed, but anyone looking to fill a Burnout gap could do worse. Graphics and sound are OK but the gameplay is where it shines with a novel "drift" button
replacing the handbrake it's awesome fun. 8.5 /10 NB For more games reviews and views check out the blog Player One at: w w w.helsinkitimes.fi / news / index.php/blogs/player-one
Book
MOHAMED 2.0: DISRUPTION MANIFESTO
Charting the rise and fall of online Muslim social network Muxlim, here we have the story of
Mohamed El-Fatatry's dream to connect Muslims around the world. Extremely readable, author David J. Cord's prose is punctuated with vivid imagery as he draws on many of the major players involved to hear their perspectives. El-Fatatry, however, remains a difficult character to fully get to know. With his failed marriage being one of the topics that were off limits to the author, what the reader is left with is an ofteninspiring tale of entrepreneurship ambition by a foreigner in Finland, without delving too deeply into exactly what it is that makes El-Fatatry tick. JO'S
Out&See Greater Helsinki
Out&See Tampere
By Jutta Vetter
23
SixDegrees
10/20. www.thecircus.fi 19 May. The Skys (LTU) // Rock. Semifinal, Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6. Tickets 6/7. www.semifinal.fi 20 May. Dionne Warwick (USA) // Queen of soul. Helsinki Music Centre, Mannerheimintie 13. Tickets 44-89. www.musiikkitalo.fi 20 May. Ozric Tentacles (UK) // Multidimensional sounds, from psychedelic rock to ambient. Tavastia, Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6. Tickets 28/31. www.tavastiaklubi.fi 21 May. Cloud Nothings (USA) // Praised modern indie rock. Tavastia, Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6. Tickets 16/18. www.tavastiaklubi.fi 22 May. Gabbagabbahey! - The Helsinki Ramones Tribute // Charity concert with top shelf Finnish punk rock musicians. Tavastia, Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6. Tickets 12/14. www.tavastiaklubi.fi 22 May. Mumiy Troll (RUS) // Interesting Russian rock group. The Circus, Salomonkatu 1-3. Tickets 44-79. www.thecircus.fi 23 May. Every Time I Die // Metal core. Nosturi, Telakkakatu 8. Tickets 15. www.elmu.fi 23 May. Liljan Loisto // Unique Finnish folk-influenced reggae. Kuudes Linja, Hämeentie 13. Tickets 8/10. www.kuudeslinja.com 24 May. Koop Arponen & Flute of Shame // Folk rock. Vuotalo, Mosaiikkitori 2. Tickets 20/25. www.vuotalo.fi 24 May. Victims Family (USA) // Tight fusion of punk, metal and jazz. Bar Loose, Annankatu 21. Tickets 12/14. www.barloose.com
Theatre _ Dance
27 Apr. La Bayadére //One of the masterpieces of 19th-century Russian ballet. Finnish National Opera, Helsinginkatu 58. Tickets 14-77. www.opera.fi 27 Apr. Finland's Official Dancehall Queen & Scandinavian Dancehall King 2012 Contest // Caribbean breezes. Venue, Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu 21. Tickets 13/14. www.clubvenue.fi 27 Apr. 6 May. ISISteatteri: Yli tuonen tumman virran // Dance performance depicting the thin line between life and death. Galleria Augusta, Suomenlinna. Tickets 12/18. www.isisteatteri.fi 2, 4 & 5 May. Wannabe Ballerinas: Random Kingdom (vol. 1) // Spectacular new performance by enchanting contemporary ballet group consisting of both old dancing veterans and newbies. Teatteri Universum, Perämiehenkatu 13. Tickets 10-17. www.wannabeballerinas.com 3-13 May. Eeva Muilu: Kvintetto (Quintet) // Mini-choreographies with minimalism and playful physicality. Zodiak, Cable Factory. Tallberginkatu 1 B. Tickets 12/20. www.zodiak.fi 3-25 May. Purge // Opera based on a novel by Sofi Oksanen. Finnish National Opera, Helsinginkatu 58. Tickets 22-99. www.opera.fi 4-7 May. Dance Match // Boundarybreaking dance performance choreographed by Minna Tervamäki. Finnish National Opera, Helsinginkatu 58. Tickets 8/10/15. www.opera.fi
9-11 May. Cadavre Exquis (NLD/ USA/UK) // Unique and surprising collaborative theatre performance by international theatre artists. Espoo City Theatre, Revontulentie 8. Tickets 15/25/29. www.espoonteatteri.fi 9-13 May. Cirko Festival // Brilliant contemporary circus performances and international guests. Various venues. Tickets 8-25. www.cirko.fi 11-26 May. Rankanen-Elo-Saarinen // The premiere talents of Finnish contemporary dance, Mammu Rankanen, Tero Saarinen and Jorma Elo, join forces in a triple bill. Finnish National Opera, Helsinginkatu 58. Tickets 15-71. www.opera.fi 14 & 15 May. While Waiting // Theatre visit by The Freedom Theatre, a theatre and cultural centre at the Jenin refugee camp in the north of the West Bank in Occupied Palestine. Finnish National Theatre, Läntinen Teatterikuja 1. Tickets 17/30. www.kansallisteatteri.fi 19 May. The Show Of The Year 2012 + Salsa Finnish Championships 2012 // Massive dance event. Korjaamo Culture Factory, Töölönkatu 51 B. Tickets 11-25. www.korjaamo.fi From 22 May. Thomas Freundlich: Human Interface // Piece for two dancers and two industrial robots. Zodiak, Cable Factory. Tallberginkatu 1 B. Tickets 12/20. www.zodiak.fi 22-25 May. Circo Aereo & Cirk La Putyka: Slapstick Sonata // Amazing contemporary sonata with aerial acrobatics, clownery, dance, live music and silent comedy. Finnish National Theatre, Läntinen Teatterikuja 1. Tickets 16/26/29. www.kansallisteatteri.fi 22-26 May. FNO Ballet School Performance // Aurora's Wedding from Sleeping Beauty, Scream of Silence and the 1st part of Black Water. Finnish National Opera, Helsinginkatu 58. Tickets 8/15. www.opera.fi
acclaimed artist's photographs and writings underscore the invisible space between language and the visual world. Art Museum Meilahti, Tamminiementie 6. Tickets 0/8/10 From 16 May. Hans von Schantz: Enter Helsinki // In the works of Schantz, Helsinki becomes a mythical non-place. The Finnish Museum of Photography, The Cable Factory,Tallberginkatu 1. Tickets 0/4/6. www.valokuvataiteenmuseo.fi Until 20 May. Of Toys and Men // Exhibition presents the history, design and aesthetics of toys from several centuries. Helsinki Art Museum Tennis Palace. Tickets 0/8/10 Until 10 Jun. Sophie Calle: Take Care of Yourself // Video films and photographs inspired by the last words of an e-mail sent by Calle's ex-boyfriend ending their relationship. EMMA Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Ahertajantie 5. Tickets 0/8/10. www.emma.museum Until 17 Jun. Thank You for the Music How Music Moves Us // Exhibition on how the experiences of listening to music, watching music videos or going to a concert can appear in the life and work of an artist, a music lover, a fan. Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2. Tickets 0/8/10. www.kiasma.fi Until Aug. Outi Heiskanen: Primordial Sea // Outi Heiskanen is best known for the sensitive line work of her graphics, but the artist's 75th anniversary exhibition also presents works lesser known to the public; paintings, sculptures and installations. Didrichsen Museum, Kuusilahdenkuja 1. Tickets 3/7/9. www.didrichsenmuseum.fi
Music _ Clubs
29 Apr. Piano Entertainment // Jazzy Sunday music in the heart of the city centre. Paapan kapakka, Koskikatu 9. Free entry. www.paapankapakka.fi 2 May. Stay Up Late // Live on stage: Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät, Rockwalli, Väinölä and Eila & Armottomat. Klubi, Tullikamarin aukio 2. Tickets 7. www.klubi.net 2 May. The Jaap van der Meere / Heikki Heinonen Jazz Quartet // Music by Jaap van der Meere (alto sax), Heikki Heinonen (piano), Kyösti Aalto (bass) and Zouhair (drums). Telakka, Tullikamarin aukio 3. Tickets 5. www.telakka.eu 4 May. Vappu Friday // Live music: Juju, Kalle Kinos, StroPhe, Waisted Flanders, Headcrab Infestation, Macdethix DJs and Blazing Sound DJs. Yo-talo, Kauppakatu 10. Tickets 5. www.yotalo.com 5 May. Hardcore MC Anniversary // Live on stage: Rebel Head and Vulture Club. Klubi, Tullikamarin aukio 2. Tickets 10. www.klubi.net 7 May. Valoklubi presents // Live music from the US: The Lemonheads & Meredith Sheldon. Klubi, Tullikamarin aukio 2. Tickets starting from 20. www.klubi.net 7 May. Jamming at Huurupiilo // Musical jamming, starts at 19:30. Huurupiilo, Nyyrikintie 4. Free entry. www.huurupiilo.fi/jamit.html 9 May. Jex Toth (USA) // And Fleshpress. Yo-talo, Kauppakatu 10. Tickets 18/22. www.yotalo.com 13 May. Pevefest 2012! // Hosted by Karri "Paleface" Miettinen, Jam session hosted by Dino Kullberg. Music programme includes: Risto, Pincer, Flegmaatikot, Creamcrackers, Roctum, The Ghost of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Doobie Twisters, Samae Koskinen, Janne Laurila and Matthau Mikojan. Klubi, Tullikamarin aukio 2. Tickets 10. www.klubi.net 17 May. Rock against racism // Live music by Anal Thunder, Laineen Kasperi & Palava Kaupunki, Rad Natas and Ratface. Klubi, Tullikamarin aukio 2. Tickets starting from 10. www.klubi.net 18 May. Scandinavian Music Group // Finnish vocal rock music. Yo-talo, Kauppakatu 10. Tickets 15/17. www.yotalo.com 19 May. Black Motor Club // Special guest: Jone Takamäki. Telakka, Tullikamarin aukio 3. Tickets 7. www.telakka.eu 21 May. Jamming at Huurupiilo // Musical jamming, starts at 19:30. Huurupiilo, Nyyrikintie 4. Free entry. www.huurupiilo.fi/jamit.html 23 May. Hanna Ruuskanen record release gig // Also on stage: Lassi Valtonen duo. Telakka, Tullikamarin aukio 3. Tickets 6. www.telakka.eu
David Vance
19 May at 19:00. Tampere Hall (Main Auditorium), Yliopistonkatu 55. Tickets starting from 53/63/73. www.tampere-talo.fi, www.dionnewarwick.info
Dionne Warwick 50th Anniversary Tour
With a career consisting of five Grammys, more than 100 million albums sold and more than 60 chart busters, Dionne Warwick is now celebrating her 50th anniversary tour. Over the years she has teamed up with many big stars such as Smokey Robinson, Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder. Warwick's newest album "Only Trust Your Heart" was released last year and is based on melodies by Sammy Cahn. Warwick's hits are known worldwide and include evergreens such as "Walk On By", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Say A Little Prayer", "Heartbreaker" and "Alfie". She has also published two children's books and an autobiography titled "My Life As I See It".
fun dance spectacle. Tampere Hall (Main Auditorium), Yliopistonkatu 55. Tickets starting from 32. www.tampere-talo.fi 19 May. Dance performance 2012 // Dance school Pirkanmaan tanssiopisto Elina Berg's spring recital. Ballet, children's performances, jazz dance, contemporary, hip-hop and break dance performances. Shows at 13:00 and 16:30. Tampere Hall (Small Auditorium), Yliopistonkatu 55. Tickets starting from 12. www.tampere-talo.fi O'Connell's, Rautatienkatu 24. Free entry. www.oconnells.fi Every Friday Crocheting workshop // Crocheting together in any language - so far people aged 4-70 have attended, both male and female. At 15:00-17:00. Media Museum Rupriikki, Väinö Linnan aukio 13. Free entry. http://rupriikki.tampere. fi/in-english/ 28-29 Apr. International Hot Rod & Rock Show // Cool cars, rock music and lots of fun! Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre, Ilmailunkatu 20. Tickets 8 (children 7-15 yrs)/25 (adults)/50 (family). www.hotrodrockshow.com 1 May. Vappu lunch // Celebrate vappu, the Finnish first of May with a festive lunch at Tampere-talo. Tampere Hall (Park Hall), Yliopistonkatu 55. Tickets 19(children 4-12 yrs)/39 (adults). Children under 4 yrs free. www.tampere-talo.fi 3 May. Jada Jada // Improv comedy night on the Guinness Stage. Irish Bar O'Connell's, Rautatienkatu 24. Free entry. www.oconnells.fi The event listings in the Out&See sections are based on the available information at the time of printing the issue. SixDegrees is not responsible for possible changes, mistakes, cancellations or lack of information concerning the events mentioned.
Others
2-6 May. HAFF Helsinki African Film Festival // Entertaining and thoughtprovoking selection of contemporary African cinema. Andorra/Bio Rex, Eerikinkatu 11/Mannerheimintie 22-24. Single tickets 7.50. www.haff.fi 5 & 6 May. Recycling Factory // Design products made of recycled materials, Do-it-yourself workshops, fashion shows, work demonstrations, and a "Free of Charge Market" (Ilmaistori) that operates on the principle of "bring & take". The Cable Factory, Tallberginkatu 1. Free entry. www.kierratystehdas.fi 11 & 12 May. Helsinki Underground Art Weekend // Interesting new urban art from graffiti to video art and live music. The Cable Factory, Tallberginkatu 1. Tickets 16.
Exhibitions
From 28 Apr. Pirjetta Brander: Les Fleurs du mal // Watercolours and animations, an entire village, a greenhouse and other installations. Kunsthalle Helsinki, Nervanderinkatu 3. Tickets 0/5.50/8. www.taidehalli.fi Until 29 Apr. Carl Larsson - In Search of the Good Life // Exhibition featuring the works by the beloved Swedish artist. Ateneum Art Museum, Kaivokatu 2. Tickets 0/10/12. www.ateneum.fi Until 29 Apr. Timo Kelaranta: Strange love // As a photographer Kelaranta is a poet, a master of the abstract image and of minimalism, for whom the most important thing in a picture is its form. The Finnish Museum of Photography, The Cable Factory, Tallberginkatu 1. Tickets 0/4/6. www.valokuvataiteenmuseo.fi Until 6 May. Designworld // Exhibition looks at international contemporary design with broad strokes, giving an overall picture of today's design. Design Museum, Korkeavuorenkatu 23. Tickets 0/3/8. www.designmuseum.fi Until 13 May. Taryn Simon Photographs and Texts // Internationally
Exhibitions
Until 22 May. Art by Students from the Tampere University of Applied Sciences // Diploma work art exhibition. Mältinranta Artcenter (gallery & studio), Kuninkaankatu 2. Free entry. http://tampereentaiteilijaseura.fi/en/
Sports
Every Tuesday Trotting races // Horse trotting at the Teivo track at 18:00, for driving instructions see website. Free entry. www.teivonravit.fi
The event listings in the Out&See sections are based on the available information at the time of printing the issue. SixDegrees is not responsible for possible changes, mistakes, cancellations or lack of information concerning the events mentioned.
Theatre _ Dance
29 Apr. Dancing stars a la carte // Dance entertainment and comedy show: top entertainers and internationally renowned Finnish dancers guarantee a
Others
Every Wednesday Bilingual Pub Quiz // Questions in Finnish and English. Starting at 19:00. Irish Bar
City of Tampere
ImmIgrant advIce centre
Multilingual information and guidance services
Check the schedules at www.tampere.fi/maahanmuuttajaneuvonta or find us on Facebook with updated information. At the information desk you can use your own language to ask about any issues of your daily life or about unclear documents.
Address: Tuomiokirkonkatu 12. Telephone: Desk 1: 040 806 2526 / Desk2: 040 806 2527 E-mail: maahanmuuttajaneuvonta@ tampere.fi www.tampere.fi/maahanmuuttajaneuvonta
Guidance services in the following languages on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
Mondays: Desk 1 Desk 2 Desk 1 Desk 2 10:30-12:30 9:30-11:30 13:00-16:00 12:00-16:00 Russian Arabic, Kurdish Persian, Kurdish Bulgarian, French, Spanish Guidance on Finnish language courses Russian Arabic, Kurdish Estonian Chinese Thai English Dari, Pashto, Urdu, Hindi Somali Russian
Meet the Mayors of Tampere!
The mayor Timo P. Nieminen, deputy mayors Leena Kostiainen, Olli-Poika Parviainen, Timo Hanhilahti ja Irja Tulonen, and the City council chairman Irene Roivainen will be answering any questions immigrant residents of Tampere may have about living in Tampere.
When: Tuesday 29 May at 18:00 (coffee starting 17:30) Where: At the Tampere City council meeting room, Aleksis Kivenkatu 14 C. Please send questions before 21 May to kehittamispalvelut@tampere.fi or facebook site www.facebook.com /tampereenmaahanmuuttajaneuvonta
Tuesdays: Desk 1 10:00-12:00 Desk 1 Desk 2 Desk 1 Thursdays: Desk 1 Desk 2 Desk 1 Desk 2 Desk 1 Desk 2 12:00-14:00 14:00-16:00 14:30-16:30 9:00-12:00 9:00-11:00 12:30-14:30 11:30-14:30 15:00-17:00 15:00-17:00
Life in Finland Nonstop Information Course for new immigrants and for all who are interested, continues until 30 May! Join us! More information from the Immigrant Advice Centre's website.
Euroopan unioni Euroopan sosiaalirahasto
SixDegrees Out&See Jyväskylä
By Marko Kainulainen
25
SixDegrees
Music _ Clubs
14 Apr. Räjäyttäjät // Punk rock band Räjäyttäjät playing live at the Air Guitar World Championships qualification event. Musta Kynnys, Hannikaisenkatu 16. Free entry. www.mustakynnys.com 27 Apr. Apulanta, Rockama // Finnish rock music. Lutakko, Schaumaninkatu 3. Tickets 14/15. www.jelmu.net 27 Apr. Paha Kaksonen // Live punk rock. Red Neck, Asemakatu 7. Tickets TBA www.punaniska.com 27 Apr. In Flames (SWE), Ghoul Patrol // Big Swedish metal name In Flames coming to town. Lutakko, Schaumaninkatu 3. Tickets 32/35. www.jelmu.net 30 Apr. JKL D.I.Y. Presents : Diskelmä, Punk Lurex, Total Recall, Ydinperhe,Hävit ys / / Hardcore & punk downstairs at Ilokivi. Student Union Building Ilokivi, Keskussairaalantie 2. Tickets 5. www.ilokivi-onstage.com/ 30 Apr. Club Kaappi // "Club Closet" organised by SETA the main LGBT rights organisation in Finland has their party on the second floor of Ilokivi. Student Union Building Ilokivi, Keskussairaalantie 2. Tickets 3-6. www.ilokivi-onstage.com/ 30 Apr. NS.KLUBI // It's always a great party with a full dance floor when NS's DJs are on the loose playing a wide range of rock, pop and dance music. Musta Kynnys, Hannikaisenkatu 16. Tickets 4. www.mustakynnys.com 1 May. Olavi Uusivirta // Outdoor concert at the May Day party. Lounaispuisto park, kauppakatu 1. Free of charce. 4 May. Notkea Rotta // Finnish rap music. Musta Kynnys,
Hannikaisenkatu 16. Tickets 8. www.mustakynnys.com 5 May. Jätkäjätkät // Rap, reggae, folk and balkan tunes combined with a crazy live band! Lutakko, Schaumaninkatu 3. Tickets 12/13. www.jelmu.net 5 May. Neifvoin, Nancy // Rising Finnish rock bands performing in English! Musta Kynnys, Hannikaisenkatu 16. Tickets 5. www.mustakynnys.com 12 May. Impaled Nazarene, Lost Society // Black metal. Lutakko, Schaumaninkatu 3. Tickets 9/10. www.jelmu.net 14 May. Jex Toth (USA), Death Hawks // Indie Rock from US and Finland. Musta Kynnys, Hannikaisenkatu 16. Tickets 5. www.mustakynnys.com 12 May. Invasionen (SWE), No Heroes, The Escapist, Slack Bird // Musta Kynnys, Hannikaisenkatu 16. Tickets 7. www.mustakynnys.com 18 May. Kemmuru, Soul Valpio Band // Legendary Finnish rap trio Kemmuru with local band Soul Valpio celebrating their record release. Lutakko, Schaumaninkatu 3. Tickets 8/10. www.jelmu.net 18 May. Future Roots, CC33 // Good and local live music! Musta Kynnys, Hannikaisenkatu 16. Tickets 4. www.mustakynnys.com
and triennials in its efforts to find particular themes or perspectives in current printmaking. This time, Graphica Creativa 2012 presents current prints from Finland and its four neighbouring countries; Sweden, Norway, Russia and Estonia. Jyväskylä Art Museum Holvi, Kauppatu 23. Tickets 4-6. Free entry on Fridays. www.jyvaskyla.fi/taidemuseo
Katja Tähjä
Sports
19 Apr. JJK HAKA // Finnish National League football. Harjun stadion, Ihantolantie 1. Tickets 5-20. www. fcjjk.com 30 Apr. JJK VPS // Finnish National League football. Harjun stadion, Ihantolantie 1. Tickets 5-20. www. fcjjk.com 5 May. JJK FC Lahti // Finnish National League football. Harjun stadion, Ihantolantie 1. Tickets 5-20. www.fcjjk.com 16 May. JJK IFK Mariehamn // Finnish National League football. Harjun stadion, Ihantolantie 1. Tickets 5-20. www.fcjjk.com 24 May. JJK FF Jaro // Finnish National League football. Harjun stadion, Ihantolantie 1. Tickets 5-20. www.fcjjk.com
19 May. Festival info, Seminaarinkatu 15. Free of charge. www.ylakaupunginyo.fi
Yläkaupungin Yö 20th anniversary
The annual urban festival brings the arts to the streets and to the people in Jyväskylä for the 20th time. There are happenings all around the city but the heart of the festival is at the University campus area and its surroundings in the upper town region. The festival programme offers plenty of cultural events over one day and evening: live music, dance, theatre, movies, performances, lectures, recitals, visual arts and physical exercise to be found at over 40 different venues. The festival starts on Saturday afternoon and continues with the help of hundreds of different performers till dawn. By far the best feature of the entire festival is that practically all of the events on offer are free of charge. Check the detailed programme at the website and see what you can find!
Exhibitions
Opening 5 May The 13th International Printmaking Triennial / / Organised since 1975, Graphica Creativa is the oldest recurring international printmaking exhibition of the Nordic countries. Graphica Creativa differentiates itself from other traditional printmaking bi The event listings in the Out&See sections are based on the available information at the time of printing the issue. SixDegrees is not responsible for possible changes, mistakes, cancellations or lack of information concerning the events mentioned.
A city for active people
PHOTO BY JOUNI KALLIO
The wide range of walking and cycling paths in Jyväskylä attracts active people all year round. The network comprises paths connecting outlying areas to the city centre and to one another. The beautiful promenade that circles Lake Jyväsjärvi is highly popular with rollerbladers, cyclists, walkers and those keen on Nordic walking, i.e. brisk walking with ski poles. Jyväskylä is also home to Finland's first-ever parkour area, which can be used freely by all those interested in the sport. Check out the range of outdoor recreation areas at jyvaskyla.fi/international/living/leisuretime_culture
jyvaskyla.fi
26
Issue 4 2012
SixDegrees
Column
Where to find SixDegrees
Helsinki: Aalto Univeristy, Aasialainen ruokakauppa/Kolmas linja, Amarillo, Amiedu/Valimotie, Arabianrannan kirjasto, Arbis Hfors Kansalaisopisto, Arcada, Aussie Bar, Bar 9, Bar Loop, Belge bar&bistro, Berlitz-kielikeskus, Brooklyn Café, Bruuveri Panimoravintola/Kampin keskus, Cafe Antell, Café Bulevardin Kahvisalonki, Café Ekberg/Bulevardi, Café Esplanade, Café Java/Hakaniemi, Café Jugend, Café Talo, Café Johto/Kamppi, Café Mascot, Café Tin Tin Tango, Café Ursula, CAISA Kulttuurikeskus, Cantina West, Chico`s/Sibeliuksenkatu, Corona Bar, Diakonissalaitoksen Opiskelijakirjasto, Cuba!, Dream Catcher Oy, ECHA Kemikaalivirasto, Espoon työvoiman palvelukeskus, Espresso Edge, Etelä-Haagan kirjasto, Eurohostel, Filmtown/Hämeentie, Finn Britt Society, Flada 13, Forum, Stockmann/parkkihalli, Grande Grill, Haaga Helia Haagan yksikkö, Haaga Helia Pasilan yksikkö, Halal-liha, Hanken, Heinon Pikatukku, Helsingin Aikuisopisto, Helsingin luonnontiedelukio, Helsingin tekniikanalan oppilaitos, Helsingin yliopisto/Kielikeskus, Helsingin yliopisto/Opiskelijakirjasto, Helsinki Business College, Henry's Pub, Herttoniemen kirjasto, HKL/Kauppatori, Holiday Inn/Pasila, Hotelli Artturi, Hotelli Finnapartments Fenno, Hotelli GLO, Hotelli Helka, Hotelli Rivoli Jardin, Hotelli Scandic Simonkenttä, Indian Market/ Hakaniemen torikatu, Itäkeskuksen kirjasto, Jakomäen Kirjasto, Juttutupa, Kaapelitehdas, Kaisla ravintola, Kallion kirjasto, P-Kamppi, Kannelmäen kirjasto, Kanneltalo, Kauppakeskus Malmin Nova, Kauppakeskus Ruoholahti, KEPA, Kiasma, Kieliavain, Kirjasto 10, Kluuvi, Kokomo, Kontulan Kirjasto, Kulosaaren Kirjasto, Kulttuuritehdas Korjaamo, Kuvataideakatemia, Kämp Galleria, Käpylän Kirjasto, Laajasalon Kirjasto, Lauttasaaren Kirjasto, Luckan/Simonkatu, Lucky Nine Bar, Maahanmuuttoyksikkö, Makuuni/Kamppi, Makuuni/Kruununhaka, Masabi/Froum, Malmin Kirjasto, Malminkartanon Kirjasto, Malmitalo, Mandarin Court, Maunulan Kirjasto, Marian Leipomo/Sörnäinen, M-Bar, Metropolia/Hämeentie, Metsälän vastaanottokeskus, Molly Malone's, Motellet, Munkkiniemen Kirjasto, Musta Pörssi/Itäkeskus, Namaskaar/Bulevardi, Namaskaar Express/Aleksanterinkatu, Namaskaar/Railwaystation, Bar Nolla, Noodle Bar/Kaisaniemi, Norisushi Bar, Nosturi, Oulunkylän Kirjasto, Paloheinän Kirjasto, Pitäjänmäen Kirjasto, Pohjois-Haagan Kirjasto, Pub O'Malleys, Public Corner/Mikonkatu, Puistolan Kirjasto, Pukinmäen Kirjasto, Pääkirjasto/Pasila, Radisson SAS Seaside Hotel, Raffaello, Ravintola Grecia, Ravintola Lappi, Ravintola Lasipalatsi, Ravintola Singapore, Ravintola Sävel, Rikhardinkadun kirjasto, Robert´s Coffee/Citykäytävä, Robert's Coffee/Kamppi, Robert's Coffee/Itäkeskus Piazza, Roihuvuoren Kirjasto, Rotterdam Kamppi, Southern Fried Chicken, Sport Pub Chelsea, Stadia, Stadion Hostel, Stoa Itä-Helsingin Kulttuurikeskus, Suomalainen Kirjakauppa/Aleksanterinkatu, Suutarilan Kirjasto, Tapanilan kirjasto, Tapulikaupungin kirjasto, Teatterikorkeakoulu, Tennispalatsi/Steam Coffee, Työvoimatoimisto/Haapaniemenkatu, Työvoimatoimisto/Kluuvi, Töölön Kirjasto, Töölön tornit, Ulkomaalaispoliisi, Vallilan Kirjasto, Vastaanottokeskus/Kyläsaarenkatu, Verohallinto/Salmonkatu, Viikin Kirjasto, Virgin Oil Co., WTC Plaza, Vespa, Yobot, Vuosaaren Kirjasto, Zetor Espoo: Bar Fennia/Sellokeskus, Espoon Kulttuurikeskus, Kauppakeskus Iso Omena Kirjasto, Mattildens Gymnasium, Maahanmuuttajatyön Palveluyksikkö, Teknillinen korkeakoulu/Maarintalo, Teknillinen Korkeakoulu/Kansainvälinen kilta huone Vantaa: Hakunilan kirjasto, Hakunilan YPP, Hakunilan Kansainvälinen Yhdistys, Havukosken nuorisotalo, Heinon Pikatukku, Helsinki-Vantaa airport tourist info, Hiekkaharjun kirjasto, Hämeenkylän kirjasto, Järjestörinki, Koivukylän kirjasto KIRNU, Länsi-Vantaan monikulttuurinen kohtauspaikka, Länsimäen kirjasto, Maahanmuuttajien Yhteispalvelutoimisto, Martinlaakson kirjasto, Mikkolan kirjasto, Monikulttuurisuusasiain yksikkö, Myyrmäen kirjasto, Pointti kirjasto, Ramada Airport Hotel, Rosso Jumbo, Silkin Portti (Vantaan kansainvälinen keskus), Tapiola/Sampokuja, Tikkurilan kirjasto, Tikkurilan YPP, Vantaan seurakuntayhtymä, Verotoimisto. Tampere: Ammattikorkeakoulu, Antikvariaatti Lukulaari, Anttila, Asematunneli/Rautatieasema, Elokuvakeskus Niagara, Galaxie Center, Galleria Rajatila, Hervannan ammattioppilaitos/Kirjasto, Hervannan kirjasto, Hotelli Ramada, Kahvila Valo, Klubi, Lenin-museo, Maailmankauppa Tasajako, Makuuni/Asematunneli, Messukylän kirjasto, Punnitse ja Säästä/Tullintori, Pyynikin Näkötornin Kahvila, Pääkirjasto Metso, Ravintola Artturi, Ravintola El Toro, Ravintola Katupoika, Sara Hildénin Taidemuseo, Taidekeskus Mältinranta, TAMK Taide ja Viestintä, Tampereen Ammattioppilaitos, Tampereen Kansainvälinen Naisten Tapaamispaikka, Tampereen Teknillinen Yliopisto, Tampereen Ulkomaalaistoimisto, Tampereen vastaanottokeskus, Tampere-Pirkkalan lentokenttä, Tampere-talo, Tamy/Kv-toimisto, Telakka, Toimintakeskus Vuoltsu/Nuorten palvelu- ja tiedotuspiste, Työväen Keskusmuseo, Työväenopisto Sampola, Unipoint, Vanha Vanilja, Vapriikki, Wayne's Coffee/Siperia, Pinni B aula, Yliopisto Pääaula, Yo-talo. Turku: Akateeminen Kirjakauppa, Assarin Ullakko, Aurinkotehdas, Bar Bristol, Blue Cow, Cantina Azteca, Galleria Titanic, Hotelli Holiday Inn Turku, Ilpoisten kirjasto, Itäkeskus, Juhana Herttuan lukio, Kahvila Fontana, Kauppakeskus Forum, Kirjakahvila, Konservatorio kirjasto, Konservatorio Sigynsali, Maailmankauppa Aamutähti, Macciavelli, Makuuni/ Kaskenkatu, Makuuni/Kristiinankatu, Myssy ja Silinteri, Nummen kirjasto, Panini ravintola, Proffan Kellari, Ravintola Bar Cafe Erik-29, Ravintola Laituri, Ravintola Uusi Apteekki, SPR, Taideakatemia, Tehdas Teatteri, Turku Daisy Ladies ry, Turku Labour Force Service Center, TUAS/Arts Academy, TUAS/Sepänkatu, TUAS/ Lemminkäisenkatu, Turun Kansainvälinen Kohtauspaikka, Turun kauppahalli, Turun kaupungin matkailutoimisto, Turun kaupungin musiikkikirjasto, Turun kaupungin pääkirjasto, Turun lentoasema, Turun Taidemuseo, Turun ulkomaalaistoimisto, Valokuvakeskus PERI, Wäino Aaltosen Museo, Yliopiston päärakennus. Oulu: 1st Bar, Amarillo, Bar&Cafe Milou, Coffee House, Cumulus Hotel Oulu, Galleria Harmaja, Hemingways/Kirkkokatu, Hesburger/Isokatu 32, Hesburger/Citytalo, Holiday Club Oulun Eden, Holiday Inn Hotelli, Kahvila Humus, Maailmankauppa Juuttipukki, Makuuni/Hallituskatu, Makuuni/Torikatu, Neliö-Galleria, Nuoriso- ja kulttuurikeskus Valve, Nuorten tieto- ja neuvontakeskus Nappi, Nuortenkeskus Bysis, Oulun ammattikorkeakoulun osakunta/OSAKO, Oulun elokuvakeskus, Oulun kaupungin matkailupalvelut, Oulun kaupunginkirjasto, Oulun lyseon lukio, Oulun vastaanottokeskus, Oulun yliopiston keskusaula Linnanmaa, Oulu-opisto, PohjoisPohjanmaa-museo, Radisson SAS Oulu, Ravintola Amica, Ravintola Torero, Robert's coffee, Tiedekeskus Tietomaa, Subway, Uusi seurahuone/Petrellin Saluuna. Jyväskylä: Agora, Anttila/Forum, Anttila/Sammontie, Bar 68, Cafe Libri, Coffee House/Kauppakatu, Elosen Konditoria, Hemingways, Hennes & Mauritz, Ilokivi-baari, Intersport Megastore/Tourula, Jyväskylän AMK/Mankolan kampus, Jyväskylän taidemuseo, Kahvila Eeden/Viherlandia, Kasvisravintola Katriina, Kaupungin kirjasto, Kulttuuriravintola Ylä-Ruth, Kumppanuustalo, Kuntokeskus Elixia, Kuokkalan Messi, Lozzi, Luontaiskeskus Torikeskus, Matkailuneuvonta, McDonald's/Jyväkeskus, McDonald's/Keljon keskus, Memphis, Monikulttuurisuuskeskus Gloria, Nuorisoasiainkeskus, Old Corner, Parnell`s/Gummeruksenkatu, Parnell`s/Väinönkatu, Piato, Pizza best/Lutakko, Ravintola Idea, Ravintola Memphis/Kauppakatu, Ravintola Rentukka, Sohwi, Tanssisali Lutakko, The Old Brick's Inn, Vakiopaine, Wilhelmiina, Yliopiston pääkirjasto, Yliopiston päärakennus, Ylistö, YTHS. Muu Suomi: Diakonia AMK:n kirjasto/Järvenpää, Etelä-Karjalan ammattikorkeakoulu, Etelä-Savon Ammattiopiston aikuiskoulutuskeskus/Mikkeli, HaagaHelia Porvoon yksikkö, HAMK Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu/Riihimäki, Hanken/Vaasa, Helsingin Business School/Mikkeli Business Campus, Hyvinkään Kirjasto, Joensuun Carelicum Kainuun monikuttuurinen toimintakeskus/Kajaani, Kokkolan koulutuskirjasto, Kotkan vastaanottokeskus/ Karhula, Kuopion kirjasto, Lahden Multi-Culti, Lappeenrannan kaupunki Maahanmuuttajat, Mikkelin Monikulttuurikeskus Mimosa, Mikkelin AMK/ Kasarmin kampus, Seinäjoen AMK/Kampustalo, Työväen akatemian kirjasto/Kauniainen, Vaasan yliopisto/Kansainväliset Asiat.
The trouble with the police
Alexis Kouros
I AM a law-abiding citizen and a good driver. I have been living in Finland for more than 20 years now and if we don't count the regular ID renewals and paperwork, I have encountered the police only a few times. Often during those encounters, however, I have asked myself: Do they know what they are doing? UNDOUBTEDLY, the Finnish Police is one of the most disciplined and most trustworthy police forces in the world. There are few signs, or news, of police corruption, violence or abuse of power here. Yet the Police are in trouble they are not doing their jobs right. HERE is one story: I am driving calmly in Helsinki city centre when I notice a flashing blue light in my rear vision mirror. "They can't possibly be after me," I think to myself. I stop, and the police car parks behind me. A young policeman walks to my window and asks for driving license and registration. No greeting and no explanation of the reason for stopping me. "WHAT have I done?" I ask while handing over my documents. "Don't you know?" the policeman asks back. Well, if I knew, I obviously wouldn't ask! It turns out that I have driven past a car in the lane next to me heading in the same direction that had stopped at a pedestrian crossing. Apparently I had not acknowledged the pedestrian crossing and stopped myself, even though there was no sign of any pedestrians in the vicinity when I passed through the crossing at 30 km/hr while the other car had in fact been queuing in rush hour traffic. Nonetheless, apparently I have endangered the traffic. Punishment: 450 euros! ANOTHER story: A friend of mine is driving along the highway where a thick fog has made visibility difficult. Naturally he has his fog lights on. The fog, however, is not evenly spread and is missing in some parts of the road as he drives. In a fogless spot, a police car that has been driving behind him for the last half hour stops him. Reason: having the fog lights on! At the end of a lengthy interrogation during which the number of spikes on his car's winter tires are also counted, the policeman writes a heavy ticket. BACK to my story. Sitting in the police car and looking at the young and unfriendly policeman writing the ticket, I thought of
the recent news about Finnish Police lacking money and resources to the extent that they cannot respond to all emergency calls and are planning to "outsource" shopliftings and minor crimes to private guards. The two policeman and their car full of expensive equipment spent around 45 minutes with me that day. At the same time, an emergency caller is probably being told to wait or to forget about it. LET'S say that if from the around 40 million euros that the Finnish Police earns from traffic fines each year, 10 million of it is from automated traffic control. If the average fine would be 250 euros, and for each case the police would spend one hour (including waiting around the corner to catch the drivers), and there were two policeman involved as usual, 240,000 man-hours of police work are being used for fining drivers. AT the same time, according to a recent survey by Helsingin Sanomat, three out of four violent crimes in Helsinki remain unsolved by police. The same goes for robberies; only a shocking 8 per cent of cases are solved in Helsinki, which means hardly anyone is arrested, unless the offender is caught red handed. When a few years ago our house was burglarized, the police told us forthrightly not to expect an arrest or return of the stolen property. MIKKO Paatero, the head of Finnish Police has frequently claimed that savings are threatening the fundamental police work and may endanger the security of the people. "The number of police and their resources is decreasing, while crime rates are going up," he has said. However, Mikko Niskasaari, in an article published in Voima Magazine* proved all these claims wrong. In fact the Police budget and number of policemen has been increasing and crimes have been decreasing! SO could it be that the main problem with Finnish Police is management and understanding priorities? WHY does Finnish Police prioritize stalking law-abiding citizens instead of catching criminals? Well, the answer may be that the income from fines is budgeted in the Police funds; i.e. they have to earn their salaries by fining everyday citizens! * Source: http://fifi.voima.fi/voima-artikkeli/2012/numero-1/poliisi-puhuu-rahaa
RAISING THE FLAG
What is being celebrated this month with a
lippupäivä?
27 April National Veteran's Day 1 May Vappu, Labour Day
Honouring those Finnish war veterans who are still among us. This year's main festival is being held in Espoo.
Combining both "The Day of Finnish Work" and students celebrating their graduation, this is one of the more popular events on the year's calendar.
12 May J.V. Snellman's Day, Day of Finnishness
to travel too Do you have your copy of far to pick up each month? SixDegrees
Let us know where we can expand our distribution: james@6d.fi
In the 1800s Johan Vilhelm Snellman was responsible for advancing the popularity of using Finnish-language in everyday life.
13 May Mother's Day
The international day for mothers became an official flag-raising day in Finland back in 1947.
20 May Remembrance Day
Remembering those Finnish soldiers that were lost in World War I & II.
Solutions for crossword on page 7
1. 2. 3. piknik juhla munkki 4. 5. 6. naamari vappu nakki 7. 8. 9. ylioppilaslakki tippuleipä oppilas
Start your weekend with news in English
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Amateur Theatre Group "Helsinki Attic Theatre" presents
IMPORTANCE OF BEING E A R NE S T
Oscar Wilde ´s
o you hat d W to read want bout in a rees? ixDeg S
· · · · Learning Finnish language? Employment success stories? Holiday tips for the summer? Or...?
Kultuurikeskus Caisa, Mikonkatu 17
T
Mon 14.5 18.00 Wed 23.5 18.00
John Worthing Ville-Matti Kataja Algernon Moncrieff Alireza Hasanpour Rev. Canon Chasuble Nicolau Goncalves Merriman, Butler & Lane, manservant Alberto Mardegan Lady Bracknell Fatma Marei Gwendolen Fairfax Elzbieta Skretkowicz Cecily Cardew Anna Tienhaara Miss Prism, governess Irina Tregub Director: Heta Ihatsu
he Importance of Being Ernest is a Victorian play in which the serious characters become effectually funny through ingenuous misconceptions. The story centers on Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff who pretend to have secular identity of Earnest. Under of this alias, they attempt to conquer the hearts of Miss Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax. The drama becomes thicker when Moncrieff's aunt Lady Bracknell ensues to keep the standards of decency alive thus causing more headache for Mr.Worthing. After this, nothing can be taken slightly anymore?
Let us know what interests you!
Send your topic suggestions to james@6d.fi
European Commission Representation and the European Parliament Information Office present:
EUROPEAN FILM WEEKS 26.4.-8.5.
28.4. - 7:15 p.m. Love Likes Coincidences (Ak Tesadüfleri Sever, Turkey, 2011) Director: Ömer Faruk Sorak. Romantic drama. Language: Turkish; subtitles: English. 118 min. Pre26.4. - 6:30 p.m. The Pipe (Ireland, 2010) Director: Risteard Ó Domhnaill. Document. Lang- sented by the Turkish Embassy Information Counsellor's Office uage: English; no subtitles. 84 min. Presented by the Embassy of Ireland 2.5. - 5:30 p.m. Dear Dom (Malta, 2012) Director: Pierre Ellul. Document. Language: 26.4. - 8:15 p.m. Attenberg (Greece, 2010) English, Maltese; subtitles: English. 64 min. Director: Athina Rachel Tsangaris. Drama. Presented by the Embassy of Malta Language: Greek; English subtitles. 95 min. Presented by the European Parliament Infor2.5. - 7 p.m. Rooster's Breakfast (Petelinji mation Office Zajtrk, Slovenia, 2007) Director: Marko Naber27.4. - 3:30 p.m. House of Boys (Luxembourg, snik. Drama. Language: Slovenian; subtitles: English. 125min. Presented by the Embassy of 2009) Director: Jean-Claude Schlim. Drama. the Republic of Slovenia Language: English; no subtitles. 121 min. Presented by the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of 3.5. - 5 p.m. In a Better World (Hævnen, Luxembourg Denmark, 2010) Director: Susanna Bier. Drama. Language: Danish; subtitles: English. 113 min. 27.4. - 6 p.m. The Strange Case of Angelica (O Estranho Caso de Angélica, Portugal, 2010) Presented by the Embassy of Denmark Director: Manoel de Oliveira. Drama. Language: Portuguese; subtitles: English. 97 min. Pre- 3.5. - 7:30 p.m. Bullhead (Rundskop, Belgium, 2011) Director: Michael R. Roskam. Drama. sented by the Embassy of Portugal Languages: Dutch, French; subtitles: English. 27.4. - 8 p.m. The Dark House (Terug Naar de 124 min. Presented by the Embassy of Belgium Kust, Netherlands, 2009) Director: Will Coopman. Thriller. Language: Dutch; subtitles: Eng- 4.5. - 3:30 p.m. Play (Sweden, 2011) Director: lish. 110 min. Presented by the Kingdom of the Ruben Östlund. Drama. Language: Swedish; subtitles: English. 118min. Presented by the Embassy of the Netherlands European Parliament Information Office 28.4. - 1 p.m. Little Robbers (Mazie Laupitaji, Latvia/Austria 2009) Director: Armands Zvirbu- 4.5. - 5:45 p.m. Journey to Eden (Finland, 2011) Director: Rax Rinnekangas. Drama. Langlisin. Family Adventure. Language: Latvian; uage: Spanish; subtitles: Finnish, Swedish. 100 subtitles: English. 80 min. Presented by the min. Presented by Bad Taste Ltd. Embassy of the Republic of Latvia 26.4. - 5:30 p.m. Opening event Director Risteard Ó Domhnaill on stage. 28.4. - 3 p.m. The Witness (A Tanú, Hungary, 1969) Director: Péter Bacsó. Drama-comedy. Language: Hungarian, subtitles: English. 104 min. Presented by the Hungarian Cultural and Scientific Centre and the Embassy of Hungary. 4.5. - 8 p.m. The Island (Bulgaria, 2011) Director: Kamel Kalev. Romantic drama. Languages: Bulgarian, English, French; subtitles: English. 96 min. Presented by the Embassy of Bulgaria.
EUROOPPASALI (MALMINKATU 16, HELSINKI)
5.5. - 1:30 p.m. Dwarf (Skritek, Czech Republic, 2005). Director: Tomas Vorel. Slapstic comedy. Language: Czech; subtitles: English. 90 min. Presented by the Embassy of the Czech Republic 5.5. - 15:15 p.m. Koko and the Ghosts (Koko i Duhovi, Croatia, 2011) Director: Daniel Kusan. Adventure, children/youth. Language: Croatian, subtitles: English. 64 min. Presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia 5.5. - 4:45 p.m. Back to your Arms (Kai Apkabinsiu Tave, Lithuania, 2010) Director: Kristijonas Vildzinas. Drama. Languages: Lithuanian, Russian, German; subtitles: English. 90 min. Presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania 5.5. - 6:30 p.m. Chico & Rita (El Chico y Rita, Spain, 2010) Director: Fernando Trueba/Javier Mariscal. Animation/romance/music. Languages: Spanish, English; subtitles: English. 94 min. Presented by the Embassy of Spain 7.5. - 5 p.m. Pure (Till det som är Vackert, Sweden, 2011) Director: Lisa Langseth. Drama. Language: Swedish; subtitles: Finnish. 101 min. Presented by the Embassy of Sweden 7.5. - 7:00 p.m. The New World (Uus Maailm, Estonia, 2011) Director: Jaan Tootsen. Document. Language: Estonian; subtitles: English. 88min. Presented by the Embassy of Estonia 8.5. - 4:45 p.m. In the Footsteps of Marie Curie (Poland, 2011) Director: Krzystof Rogulski. Document. Language: Polish; subtitles: English. 80 min. Presented by the Embassy of Poland 8.5. - 6:10 p.m. Osadné (Slovakia, 2009) Director: Marko Skop. Document. Language: Slovak; subtitles: English. 65 min. Presented by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic 8.5. - 7:30 p.m. Weddings and Other Disasters (Matrimoni e Atri Disastri, Italia, 2010) Director: Nina Di Majo. Comedy. Language: Italian; subtitles: English. 105 min. Presented by the Italian Cultural Institute and the Embassy of Italy
5.5. - 12 p.m. The Great Bear (Den Kæmpe28.4. - 5:15 p.m. One Day in Europe (Germa- store Bjørn, Denmark, 2011) Director: Esben Toft Jakobsen. Children animation, adventure. ny, 2010) Director: Hannes Stöhr. Comedy. 73 min. Language: Danish; subtitles: English. Several languages; English subtitles. 95min. Presented by Goethe Institute and the Embassy Presented by the Embassy of Denmark of Germany
FREE ENTRY! Seats for 100 persons. Address: Eurooppasali, Malminkatu 16, Helsinki
Film information: http://ec.europa.eu/finland/service/tapahtumat_en.htm tel. 09 6226 5421