Thanks For The Reminder.

 

Sometimes almost unnoticeable things and undistinguishable details remind us of what really matters.

First things first.

Idź własną drogą
Bo w tym cały sens istnienia
Żeby umieć żyć
Bez znieczulenia
Bez niepotrzebnych niespełnienia
Myśli złych

 

Those words are from a song. A song almost like any other. But this one is in Polish. Listening to it reminded me of how much I love Slavic languages and how much I enjoy learning them.

General confusion. New place. New job. Long days. Crazy hormones. Starting everything anew. Deadline after deadline. Crappy time management skills. The constant feeling of being an alien when the only form of communication with the locals is in a language foreign to all. That’s pretty much what my life looks like at the moment.

So that song also reminded about the things I really enjoy doing. And why I’m doing them. We can’t always avoid doing things we dislike, but it would be stupid to do more of them than necessary, right?

The conclusion? Well. It’d be about time to start learning time management, because the things I do are the things I like doing and they are the activities I need in order to be happy. And there is even more I’d like to do

One thing I really want to do is learn Slovak. There are three reasons. Yes, it’s easier to live in a country if you can communicate with people. And the second reason? Well, Slovak is a beautiful language. Difficult? Too early to tell, but it shouldn’t be difficult.* Thirdly, well. It’d be nice to be able to follow local politics etc. What way better to do it than in Slovak? We can unofficially call this “Project: Za tri mesiace budem hovoriť po slovensky.”

 

*Random side note: I find spoken Slovak easier to understand than spoken Czech, but written Czech is a lot easier than written Slovak.

Just One Quote (And I’ll Be Off To Bed–Promise)

 

As MacCormick points out, the real significance of the EU is the fact that it suggests that sovereignty is being reconstituted in a way which challenges the conventional models that underpin our understanding of the domestic legal and political order.

Kanishka Jayasuriya, p. 428

12/10/2012 ... unfortunately the sun was shining in my eyes...

The European Union is going to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year. This has been noticed by many a commentator - some argue it's a great, others consider it an error. In a sense this prize shows that the project of guaranteeing peace in Europe has succeeded. But the EU of today looks very different from the EEC that was created through the Treaty of Rome in 1957 - the challenges Europe is currently facing are not related to the maintenance of peace among European countries. I'd rather argue that the democratic deficit and lack of transparency are some of the key issues that must be solved if the EU is going to be successful in the future. The relation between EU institutions, national governments (the nation-state) and people is diffuse at best. As one Finnish writer noted, the European Union has achieved much, but in one essential aspect the EU has failed: to create a common voice and a shared identity. Without a shared identity there is a risk that the Union will lose whatever legitimacy it is enjoying among its citizens.

At a personal level I was once again reminded of how wonderful the Hungarian language is. One would think that in a country where almost 10% of the population consist of ethnic Hungarians, there would be a chance to learn the language.

Things We Laughed About This Week

Whenever probability theory hits you, it’s time to start thinking about things more interesting than this one:

 
It doesn’t matter how much sense it makes, or how useful it is for human survival (or whatever), it’s not FUN. Not as fun as the following remarks or events:

• The leader of the Left Alliance, Paavo Arhinmäki, publically wished to give Carl Haglund, the chairman of the Swedish People’s Party, a train ticket to Siberia. It’s not politically correct, someone might even find this statement quite disturbing. Personally, I did giggle a little bit when I read the story and the reactions it caused. If Mr. Haglund doesn’t want the ticket, I wouldn’t mind using it. No problem - дайте мне! 
• Russians trying to order vodka in Russian in the middle of the (non-Russian) forest. The poor bartender was very confused. 
• Ski-jumper Harri Olli wants Finland to join Russia because Finland is such a “s**t state”. There’s nothing wrong with Russia, so no offence – but, this is a statement that will confuse and anger, rather than .make people bounce with happiness. I wonder how all this is related to ski-jumping?

NB: the purpose of this post is not to shed negative light on Russia. Rather, yours truly finds it quite interesting how Russia is used in political discourse (and apparently also in ski-jumping circles) to make fun of opponents or for social commentary.

Six-pack

Yesterday it was decided what the new Finnish government would look like. 6 political parties will form the government: the National Coalition Party, the Social Democrats (6 ministers each), the Left Alliance (two ministers), the Swedish People’s Party of Finland (two ministers), the Green Party (two ministers), the Christian Democrats (1 minister).

Basically, a big majority of the elected parties are also in government – two of the big ones, the True Finns and the Centre Party were left out.
 
The big question is whether six parties with such different ideological standpoints and backgrounds will be able to govern for the next four years without falling apart.

Hasta la victoria siempre

A couple of days ago I was asked to write about the currents events in Spain. Here’s that post, a couple of days late because that’s how long it took me to figure out how to put my thoughts on paper.

In the past week or so, there have been several demonstrations all over Spain. People, being fed up with the current situation and corrupted politicians, are demanding “real democracy”. Among other things, the demonstrators ask for a fairer electoral system, something that the two main parties seem to be opposed to. Regional elections are held on Sunday, and apparently any demonstration planned for Saturday has been banned by the state’s Central Electoral Board.

The main Spanish newspaper, El Pais, has  interesting articles on the subject, they can be found here.

This post was going to be about my impressions regarding these events, described by some as a “revolution”, so here we go:

• A friend once told me: “ it’s difficult to think that Spanish people might be going through a tough time right now. Spain is palm trees and beaches, good food and party. It’s got nothing to do with economic disasters, mass unemployment and low wages”. Spain is often viewed as some kind of huge hotel resort, but the truth is that, right now, life is very difficult for a lot of people in Spain.  
• It is impressive to see so many people gathering together for a common cause. It must be emphasized that the protestors have been acting intelligently: instead of just “fighting the system” and focusing solely on the problem, they have been able to provide plausible solutions as well.
• I have personally not noticed any political polarization among people. That is very good, because when that polarization starts taking place, society will start going downhill.
• As so often happens, there are people who have been quick to judge the protestors as anti-system communists. However, to me it seems that the ones protesting represent various ideologies (if any) and that the main point is to improve the system, not abolish it.
• Unfortunately there seems to be  a great divide between those who actively seek change and the ones who don’t even know what’s going on. Social media have proven to be a great tool for this movement, but it might benefit from other ways of reaching out to more people.

 

Tomorrow and Sunday will be interesting days in Spain, so if you’re into politics or a  fan of Spain, stay tuned!

Interesting!

After a hectic (and sangria-fuelled) weekend, I am now relaxing in the sofa and trying to make some sense, and forming an opinion, of the following:

Finland elected a new parliament and government today – one of the interesting factors this year was the rise of the True Finns, a populist party that probably has made more sense to the average person than all those fancy academics who speak incomprehensive gibberish. Sad, but true. These are not the final results, but the list shows the dynamics of Finnish politics quite well: 4 big parties (three traditional ones and one newcomer), plus a few smaller parties who will make it into government. Once again we’ll see a coalition government – the question is: who will be in it? I know what I’d prefer, but with these stats, it doesn’t seem to be very likely. 

Veil, Or No Veil?

As you probably know by now, France has banned the wearing of the veil in public places. This, in my opinion is wrong. There are loud voices arguing that this is a move to protect the women. But – protect them from what? From religion? Who’s to say that our religion is better than their religion for those who believe. From old traditions that subject the women to whatever crazy ideas men might have? But is it really so – will the removal of one piece of clothing really change anything for those women? Maybe they will end up locked inside their homes because not wearing a veil is against their culture, not dancing on the French streets in miniskirts.

Has anyone asked these women what they want? And what right does a government have to regulate what people are wearing.  Does this mean that a government has the right to start introducing different measures to protect their citizens? The state has a duty to protect its citizens from certain things, but when it starts interefering in the private sphere, that's when it starts getting tricky. And, let’s face it, there is a lot we need to be protected from: bullying, sugar, fat, violence on tv, porn, the media, demanding bosses that will cause a burn out, dangerous books and ideas, depressions… anything that hurts society: ill people (cost too much), clever people (protest too much), different people (are not like us), lazy people (everyone has to contribute), crazy people (who knows what they are up to?.

And where does this lead us? Actually, I don't even want to think about it because it scares me. A lot.

The Efficient Rebellion

The Spanish air traffic controllers managed to do something unheard of: for the first time in over thirty years, the government declared a "state of alarm" after a walk-out which led to cancelled flights and chaos at airports. 

Apparently this is the culmination of a long struggle between the government and the workers. Without the inside information, it’s impossible to take a stand on who is right and who is wrong in this case, but in the aftermath of a rather odd general strike on September 29, it’s good to see someone is taking an initiative. 

The economic situation in Spain bad and the general feeling I get is that people are rather fed up with the government. However, not much action is seen. There are the usual complaints, maybe some protests and demonstrations, but that’s it.

Action is the key to change, but a lot of people seem to have forgotten about it. Not only in Spain, but in all of Europe people are just waiting for someone to make the right decisions for them, to save them. This is not going to happen. We need more action and more unity. And plenty of solidarity. So maybe this will serve as evidence of the fact that action leads to change. The air traffic controllers might not get everything they asked for in the first place, but at least they have proven that they are willing to fight for change. Just imagine what it would be like if every person would do this in order to show their dissatisfaction instead of just complaining?

Why so negative?

According to Newsweek, Finland is the best country in the world to live in. And the truth is that it’s a very good place to be. Trust me, I’ve lived there so I should know. However, being the best doesn’t mean that the country is perfect, in fact there are lots of things that could be improved (the health care is just one example), and since Parliament Elections will be held in April next year, the politicians are now trying to do everything in their power to convince the voters.
In the aftermath of the global crisis (who is going to save the economically unstable states in southern Europe?), and the challenges of globalisation and increased immigration, it seems that the role of the populist right wing is increasing, something that really scares me. Almost 10% of the Finnish population is supporting the True Finns-party, which is known for its negative opinions about immigration and the European Union. Yes, immigration is not easy: it challenges the whole structure of society, but: isn’t it worth it? If things are so good in our country, shouldn’t we let other enjoy the benefits as well? (and before you decide to chop my head off: I’m not talking about free-riders, I am talking about people who have adapted to the Finnish society, people who work there, pay their taxes and contribute to the general welfare). I believe that immigration can be a positive experience, if it’s dealt with properly.
And as far as the EU is concerned: well, I’m sorry, but it seems that we need the European Union and the rest of the world to survive, since we cannot count on "endless" oil supplies to keep us alive (like Norway). Of course, the European Union, being far from a perfect institution, could also be developed in such a way that a few states, that are economically stable, don’t end up saving poorer or more corrupt EU members in times of crisis. 

Not Like This.

Discussing Israel and Palestine is extremely complicated - anyone criticizing the actions of the Israeli government suddenly finds him/herself labeled an anti-Semitist or terrorist or godknowswhat.  

I am truly sorry for what happened to the Jews before and during WWII. That is something that no human being, no matter of religion or ethnicity, should ever have to go through. Ever. But let’s realise two things: firstly, the Jews were not the only people who were treated badly for centuries and then put in the gas chambers (another post is to follow about that). Secondly, what happened is in the past. Yes. We should learn from our mistakes and not forget the past: but we cannot accept that a country is allowed to justify its aggressive foreign (and in some cases domestic, as is the case with Gaza) policy by referring to past wrongs. Because that’s why we are all mumbling and nodding and smiling, isn’t it? Because we feel guilty.

However, maybe there is hope. Maybe world leaders and international organisations will finally be ready to discuss the role of Israel and the future of the Middle East where all the involved parts will be regarded as equals.

P.S.

If you’re interested in strange expressions, you could always check up on goulash communism and salami tactics. Who knew that politics could be that hilarious.
Needless to say what country we are talking about here.
Oh, I’ll give you the original expressions, too... in case you feel like discussing politics with some old little lady on the streets of Budapest.
Salami tactics –> szalámitaktika
Goulash communism –> gulyáskommunizmus

Swedish Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Yesterday two Swedish soldiers + a local interpreter were killed in Afghanistan. It's horrible, yes, but when a country sends any type of soldiers (including peacekeepers) to a war zone, everyone involved must be aware of the consequences. The big question, however, is what the soldiers (not only the Swedes but the Finns as well) are doing there in the first place?
Aren't peacekeepers supposed to maintain peace? How can peace be maintained in an area suffering from war? Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't peace achieved after the war has finished?
And why Afghanistan? How do the Nordic countries justify sending soldiers to a country (in war) that far away? Fighting for NATO? Well, in that case it might be a good idea to join the alliance first (something that, at least in Finland, the majority of the population opposes). Promoting human rights? Somehow it feels that combining human rights and war is a somewhat tricky entreprise. Does anyone remember Iraq? They should not be imposed on unwilling subjects. Democracy cannot be forced upon anyone, it's something that must come from within the population itself. Instead the enlightened western countries could consider supporting local grassroot movements and supporters of democracy. They could also try something called diplomacy.

Stand Up, Remember

Russia is a country most people have an opinion about, and in many cases these opinions tend to be negative. No country or culture can be classified good or bad (the world is not black and white, it is shades of grey), and the same applies to Russia. I could write a long list with the good things this country has to offer, for the negative things you only need to switch on the news.

But one thing that never has been a strong in Russia is something that people in the West take for granted: freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech, no active debate can be formed among people in order to improve and develop the society they live in*. This issue, its causes and consequences, deserves a deeper analysis that I am going to give in this blog. I just want you, the readers, to be aware of the fact that a demonstration will be organised in Moscow tomorrow. The purpose of this demonstration is to commemorate the human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov and the journalist Anastasia Barbulova, as well as protest against political murder. These individuals were killed for their opinions, and their courage deserves any ounce of respect. More importantly, their work should not be forgotten. Not by Russians and not by foreigners, who should take a moment to be think about their own political systems.

* or so we like to believe.

Teoriaa

Jos nimet Moravcsik ja Majone eivät sano sinulle yhtään mitään- ole onnellinen. Ilta on mennyt ihan rattoisasti heidän ideoitaan lukien. Onko EU demokraattinen? Pitäisikö sen edes olla? Kenellä on loppupelissä se suurin valta? Kenen etuja tässä pyritään parantamaan- kaikkien vai yksittäisten jäsenvaltioiden? Miksi EU:lla on ollut vaikeuksia kehittää yhtenäinen ulkopolitiikka? Tuliko Bosniassa ja Kosovossa täysi epäonnistuminen? Entä Makedoniassa? Minkälaiset välit EU:lla on Yhdysvaltoihin? Mitä eroa on kymmenessä eri EU-teoriassa? Kuka päättää? Koska? Mitä? Kuinka? Kuinka kaikille EU:n kansalaisille voitaisiin luoda yhteenkuluvuuden tunne? Onko se edes suotavaa? Etcetcetc.
You tell me.
Nyt on aika parantaa espanjankielentaitoja (ihan vain minimaalisesti) katsomalla Serranon perhettä. Aivan hullu sarja, hauskalla tavalla.

Venäjällä äänestetään

Tuloksen voivat jo kaikki varmaan arvata. Putinhan on niin suosittu, ja ottaen huomioon lahjonnat ja uhkaukset ei kukaan varmaan edes uskalla äänestää toisin. Kaiken lisäksi suurin osa puolueista kannustavat Putinia, vaikka tämä onkin Yhteisen Venäjän listoilla. Mielenkiintoisinta lieneekin seurata mitä tapahtuu vaalien jälkeen, siitähän tässä onkin periaatteessa kysymys: millä tavalla Putin pysyy vallassa olematta maan presidentti.

"päivän" kuva

Itse asiassa tämä on viime viikon lopulta.Kysymys kuuluu silti: montako tietää mitä Georgiassa tapahtuu? Montako tietää missä Georgia on?

kuva kidnapattu

Putin, mitäs menit tekemään?

Eli naapurimaamme herra Putin on nimittänyt jonkun ihme hepun Pietrain vuosiltaan pääministeriksi... ja kaikkihan muistamme miten Volodja itse pääsi presidentiksi, ole itsekin entinen KGB-agentti joka oli jopa viettänyt muutaman vuoden työttömänä Neuvostoliiton hajoamisen jälkeen. Tarkoittaako tämä sitten sitä että Venäjän seuraava presidentti on mies nimeltä Viktor Zubkov?

Hollannin ulkoministeri hyväksyisi Kosovon jaon

...otsikko löytyy tuolta alhaalta. Mutta eikös ongelma olekin se, mitä ne kosovolaiset ja serbit haluavat? Ei millään pahalla, mutta Hollannin ulkoministerin elämää ei taida koko kysymys niin paljon liikuttaa että hänen mielipiteellänsä olisi mitään sen kummempaa merkitystä...