Smart Car - For Four

They recently introduced the Smart Car to the US. I have been familiar with the car much longer than that, having run into one in Rome over New Years in the late 1990's. At the time they were not in Finland, the theory being that they were not suitable for the long snow and ice season. Well Smart is now in Finland and on the way 'home' on Sunday I ran across what I thought was a new Smart Car model, the Smart 'forfour':

According to Wikipedia, this model was a failed experiment as it is no longer for sale:

The Smart Forfour was a supermini produced by Smart from april 2004 through june 2006. Unlike the other models of the marque, the Forfour was a more conventional five-door hatchback with a relatively roomy interior, available as a four- / five-seater. - Wikipedia

Then again, there is probably the possibility of a return for sale in the US if Smart becomes a hit there.

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Urho Kekkonen Memorial - Helsinki, Finland

Here are a couple of pictures of the memorial to Finland's longest-serving President, Urho Kekkonen.

Urho Kaleva Kekkonen was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland (1950–1953, 1954–1956) and later as President of Finland (1956–1981). Kekkonen continued the "active neutrality" policy of President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, which came to be known as the Paasikivi-Kekkonen Line. This policy allowed Finland to retain independence and trade with both the nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw Pact. Kekkonen was the longest-serving President of Finland. - Wikipedia

There were steps aded after the memorial was installed as it was feared that the pool would prove too temping for drunks and might result in drowning if it was too difficult for them to get out of.

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Maritime Monday 114 Posted at gCaptain

This week's edition of Maritime Monday has been posted at gCaptain.

Maritime Monday 114

You can find last week’s edition here.

You can find Maritime Monday 64 here. (Published 18 June 2007). .

(Timber Cargo)

Previous Editions:

As linked below or click on the label ‘MaritimeMonday’:

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gCaptain editions: 99 - 100 - 101 - 102 - 103 - 104 - 105 - 106 - 107 - 108 - 109 - 110 - 111 - 112 - 113 - 114 - 115

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Helsinki Bike Paths

Any newcomer to Helsinki from the US quickly learns to watch out for the bikers. They are everywhere and they are quick. Although admittedly not as bad as in Amsterdam. The main trick is to stay out of the bike paths which are thankfully marked

As snow and ice cover the marks for most of the winter, all marks on the sidewalk, and street for cars, are also marked overhead.

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Feeding Seagulls in Senate Square, Helsinki, Finland

Here is a popular spot for sitting and relaxing, on the steps leading to the Lutheran Cathedral at Helsinki's Senate Square.

(Senate Square Seagulls - Click to Enlarge)

While there I managed to get this photo of a man feeding some seagulls for the amusement of his kid.

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Finnish Seafood Restaurant Meri Makasiini

For our sixth-wedding anniversary (today) I took the family to the Finnish Seafood Restaurant Meri Makasiini (Their website can be found here). As you can see from the photos, the restaurant is situated pier side right across from the shipyard.

Meri Makasiini on the far right

The staff initially encouraged us to sit inside as a strong wind was blowing. While I wanted to sit outside and fully enjoy the scenery, my wife overrode the decision. However, her decision was quickly overridden by my three-year old who also wanted to sit outside by the ship. Luckily the weather held out and a great meal was had by all.

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Main Train Station - Helsinki, Finland

Here are a couple of photos from the main train station in Helsinki, Finland. The facade includes these statutes that hold illuminated globes.

The station tracks have been covered since I moved back to the US. I would say that it was a good thing, but now the glass roof traps in the cigarette smoke. The place can use some more air circulation.

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Boat Taxi - Finland

Here is a photo of a boat taxi we saw while having dinner on the patio of Meri Makasiini which is right on the harbor, across from the shipyard in Helsinki, Finland.

The sign says 'From where ever - To where ever - You can ask!' It is marked that it is from the neighboring city of Vantaa, so he seems to have gotten a decent fare. I thought it was amusing that the boat has a taxi sign on top like regular taxis here have.

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Finnish is an Important Language

Finns are a little down on their language. They don't really see it as important, but at least as long as you are in Finland, it is a very important language. Hell, it can even save your life. Take this sign at the Helsinki Zoo:

It is in Finnish and Swedish. It is a warning that the lions are dangerous and to not stick your hand past the fence. The warning apparently is needed because the cats sit right at the front and do look very docile. Of course they look that way until they know that they can get you. I have no idea why this sign is not in English as many other less-important signs are.

So consider yourself warned not to try and pet the lions. Not like any of us need such a warning.

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The Second Fastest Seagull - A Lesson

With all the importance being placed on participation and not actual results, many of today's children are not being prepared for having to survive in the real world. My family is not a fan of this new-style of everything is OK and everyone wins despite the results. As it so happens our recent trip to the Helsinki Zoo provided a valuable lesson on how performance does matter.

We were sitting having a snack and my one-year-old dropped a cheerio. This was great news to the two seagulls who were circling around us, knowing that it was a safe bet that these two kids would at some point provide them with a snack. To that point they only gave up a cheerio and it was at my feet. So I picked it up and tossed it on the grass. They quickly raced for it.

The fastest one of course got the snack. The second fastest one got nothing.

It was obvious to my kids that performance does matter and that it pays to be a winner. As it is sometimes said, second place is also known as 'First Loser.'

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Helsinki City Apartment Bathroom

Here is a photo of the bathroom of our rental apartment in Helsinki, Finland.

As you can see the towel drying rack is on the left. This is also where the shower is. On the far left is the edge of the shower curtain that closes off that little alcove for when your taking a shower. That is all the space as I took the photo from the doorway. Many city apartments have small bathrooms but this is the smallest I have seen yet. Forget bathtubs. I have only seen one apartment that had one. Actually, I think I have only seen three bathtubs in all of Finland and one of them was in a hotel room. They are a very rare item. One friend told me that they were seen as dangerous, but I think that is B.S. (If your living in Finland, feel free to email a pic of your batroom if you want it posted here.)

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Very Finnish Dinner

Here is a photo of what I had for dinner Tuesday night.

We got some Finnish sausage 'makkara' (it was cut open and some cheese put inside to melt) with mustard, some Karjalanpiirakka, and some 'lonkero' gin long drink to wash it down. Lonkero was what I drank all the time when I was living here. Great stuff.

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McCain Beats Obama

So now we have narrowed the 2008 Presidential candidates to the final two. That's great as now it is clear that Clinton is out of the picture. Not because she is a woman, but because of her as a person. Now it is just a matter of getting to the election to elect McCain so that we don't have to suffer four years under a socialist-thinking Democrat.

For me it is easy to see that McCain will beat Obama. For starters McCain is much more popular than Bush. Sure Obama is very popular, but then again, so was John Kerry. But Kerry lost even though he was running against a 'globally-hated' George Bush. Obama is hardly likely to do much better than John Kerry. For starters, his is not likely to get much of any crossover voters sick of Bush, because try to paint McCain all they want, President Bush is not running for reelection.

Worse for Obama, His Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton, managed to carve out a good slice of support from her own party that has more in common with McCain than with Obama. So there is a god chance that a sizable number of her supporters, especially independents, will vote for McCain if they are not able to vote for her.

"They see and saw in Senator Clinton somebody they value experience in and, in many cases -- in terms of her personal characteristics -- her persistence and strength," the governor said of Clinton's backers. "Many of those same characteristics and more are in Senator McCain. So we think he's going to be able to compete for Senator Clinton's supporters to a significant degree when and if she terminates her campaign." - Politico

Then there is Iraq. As I said earlier:

...when people go to vote, they will be judging Iraq as is it is at the time that they vote, not at the time that the candidates have staked their position. - Link

Obama's Iraq problem is that he staked his position when Iraq appeared to be in chaos. That is no longer the case, but he has yet to adjust his position on Iraq. Now that he has won his party's nomination, it could be that his stance on Iraq might change, but that will cost him with some of his own supports, like Code Pink, since they are so hell-bent on getting the US out of Iraq, partly to ensure that the US does not win in Iraq. He needed their support before and now he needs to make sure they don't spike his campaign. But, not giving the Iraq mission the continued support it deserves will cost him in the upcoming debates as the current situation on the ground no longer supports the cut and run strategy of 18 months ago.

Given all the issues above, throw in possible problems due to race, possible inexperience, and other surprises such as a less-forgiving press, and it is hard to see Obama beating McCain, since McCain does not have to deal with the negatives that Bush had to overcome and Obama has some challenges that Kerry did not have to overcome.

Advantage McCain.

Finland's Playgrounds - Lawyer's Paradise

So we are here with the kids in Finland and of course we need to go to the local playgrounds here. There is one thing that strikes you immediately. This is what a playground would look like if the world had no lawyers.

Take for example the spinning-tilting, see-saw of death.

This thing goes up and down like a see-saw but also swings around 360 degrees. And while it is doing that, it will also swing sideways. This thing is lots of fun to play with and definitely dangerous if you happen to walk in it's path, or fall off and forget to duck as it comes around. A true concussion machine. A true playground toy. I want one.

Then there is the rope climb of death.

This is a good one to see children dropping from great heights as it is easy for them to climb much higher than their ability to do so safely. This one too is loads of fun even for adults, who also can become gravely injured while playing with their children. This would be another one to bring back to the playgrounds in the US. So if you are around with your kids, be sure to give these things a try, before the lawyers here ruin it all. Then again, they have national health care here, so perhaps it doesn't matter.

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The Koff Beer Tram

Here is a photo of Helsinki's bar tram.

I took a trip in the tram once when I was an MBA student here. I remember that the first beer was included in the ticket. I don't remember what it cost. Then again, if you are concerned about how much drinks cost in Finland, then you have no business drinking in Finland! (Unless of course, you are bringing your alcohol in by the carload from Germany or Estonia.)

Helsinki's "pub tram" celebrates 10 years - Helsingin Sanomat

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