Desperate cry of Russians

The war between Russia and Ukraine is currently in an interesting phase. Russia has managed to advance on some fronts, but at the same time, it has suffered a significant loss of personnel.

According to a recent Finnish assessment, Russia has suffered tens of thousands of casualties, including both dead and wounded, on the Andrivka front, along with a substantial loss of military equipment. In addition to this, Ukrainians have successfully destroyed a large warship and five fighter jets.

At the same time, the Putin government is definitively losing credibility among Russian citizens, as only one in four Russians now believes in the news reported by media under its control. In contrast, Ukrainians' belief in the victory of their country remains high.

In this situation, Russia's large-scale missile attack on Ukrainian civilian targets is better understood as a sign of desperation rather than a show of strength. Therefore, it is even more crucial for Western countries to continue their military support to Ukraine so that the war achieves an inevitable outcome where Russia is forced to withdraw from Ukrainian soil, and its current administration is ousted through some form of coup.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish general praised the Ukrainian air strike
Is French military history repeating itself in Ukraine?
Victims of Russian leaders

Christmas gift to the Holy Land

In the Christian - and nowadays, even among more secular Western people - Christmas emphasizes events over 2,000 years ago in the current territory of Israel, as well as the giving of gifts in commemoration of those events. That's why this Christmas, I want to remember the residents of the so-called Holy Land with a proposal for achieving lasting peace between them.

A new solution is needed for two reasons. The first is the nature of Israel as a Jewish state, and the second is the terrorist violence carried out by the Palestinian population who made a colossal mistake in the events of 1948-49 by following the proposal by other Arabs to leave their homes. Both have hindered the establishment of peace between the inhabitants of the Holy Land.

Therefore, a solution must be sought based on maintaining the nature of Israel as a Jewish state while putting an end to the terrorist activities of the Palestinian population. These conditions are not met by the widely discussed two-state model, and particularly, Jews are not interested in a single-state model where Palestinians who engage in terrorism year after year would be granted Israeli citizenship.

In this situation, creative thinking is needed. However, first, we must wait for the end of the ongoing war so that the biggest obstacle to peace, the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, is removed from the stage.

Afterward, there should be a negotiation table with representation from Jews and Palestinians living in Israel, as well as Jordan, Egypt, and potentially other Arab countries, along with impartial mediators. The result must be an acceptable solution, offering Palestinians the freedom to either move away from Israel to Jordan, Egypt, or other Arab nations, or alternatively, to await Israeli citizenship.

Palestinians relocating to Arab countries should be granted citizenship, for example, five years after settling in the country, provided they meet the conditions and behave appropriately. Those choosing to live in Israel would initially remain without citizenship, but it would generally be granted to them after 30 years. 

That is primarily because renouncing Palestinian terrorism would be a precondition for citizenship. Since achieving this is unlikely to happen overnight, a framework encouraging the abandonment of violence must be established.

Therefore, it should be decided that for each act of Palestinian terrorism within the first year of the agreement, the granting of citizenship would be postponed by one week. Similarly, from the second to the tenth year of the agreement, each act of terrorism would delay citizenship by one month. After that, for the next ten years, each act of terrorism would postpone citizenship by one year, and from then on, by five years.

Such a system would provide Palestinians with a way out of the current deadlock and strong motivation to refrain from terrorist acts. As violence diminishes, trust between Israeli Jews and Palestinians would gradually grow, leading to increasing economic integration over the years, which would further strengthen the peaceful development.

* * *

In the proposal I outlined earlier, it is crucial that the timeframe is long, at least 30 years. Presumably, a considerable number of Palestinians would not choose to wait in Israel for such an extended period and would instead opt for relocation to an Arab country, where obtaining full citizenship rights could happen in a substantially shorter time. This way, the character of Israel as a Jewish state would not be compromised, even if the remaining Palestinians were granted citizenship.

The extended timeframe is also essential because over three decades, an entirely new generation of Palestinians and Jews would grow up, whose lives would not be overshadowed by continuous violence and oppression but rather characterized by peaceful coexistence. This would lead to a decrease in the significance of ethnic and religious boundaries, strengthening society and ultimately creating a situation where the granting of citizenship to Palestinians would not provoke insurmountable reactions among Jews.

And thus, peace would eventually arrive at the birthplace of Christian Christmas! For the people living there, peace and goodwill toward each other would prevail.

With this proposal, I wish all my readers a Merry Christmas! I also extend my wishes to the residents of the Holy Land, hoping that my gift brings them peace!

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Merry Christmas!
Nauttikaa joulusta! (in Finnish, but readable in English using e.g. Google translator)
Joulumuisto (in Finnish, but readablein English using e.g. Google translator)

The Finnish forest is life-threatening to asylum-seekers

Finland closed its eastern border a couple of weeks ago because Russia started directing asylum seekers from developing countries through it to the EU area. A few days ago, the border was reopened, but Russians continued to exploit asylum seekers by directing them to Finland.

As a result, Finland decided to close the border again, this time for a whole month. It remains to be seen whether Russia will continue its actions thereafter.

According to the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party), "Russia is trying to undermine the national and mutual unity of Finland and EU countries, as well as the rule-based national order. It is important for Finland that the European Council condemns all hybrid attacks and strongly supports Finland's actions."

Hopefully, the Prime Minister's wish will be followed despite having little impact on the increasingly detached dictator Vladimir Putin. However, condemning his actions would demonstrate that Western countries are unified in defending world peace and the right of nations to decide their own affairs.

The closure of the border between Finland and Russia has also been noticed in Arabic-language social media. One user questioned, "Didn't you say in another post that it's not worth coming near the border because you'll be arrested... That only Russians and Schengen visa holders are allowed?"

The answer, of course, is that one should not approach the border because neither asylum seekers nor Russians are allowed to cross. Perhaps that's why one participant suggested, "Finland's forests are open, no need for border crossings."

This person may not be aware that someone unfamiliar with snow and forests is in mortal danger in Finland's nature during winter when travel is slow, daylight hours are short, and distances to roads are long. Alternatively, the person suggesting forest travel may have a secret aim to endanger the lives of asylum seekers on the border between Finland and Russia.

Even if that's not the case, the risk of death is real and will be realized if the participants' advice is followed.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman violates the law on openness
In Germany, immigration policy changes are being planned
How naive can the world's most intelligent people be?

Correct minister, ridiculous facts

The Finnish parliamentary elections were held last summer. As a result, the country's government switched from a red-green coalition to a political right-wing one in the summer.

Among the politicians of the previous government, Maria Ohisalo of the Greens first served as the Minister of the Interior and later as the Minister of the Environment and Climate. Therefore, it was interesting to note her criticism of the current government on messaging service X, stating that Finland's ranking had dropped by a whopping 11 places according to the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) ranking.

The situation became amusing when it was revealed that the former minister had not noticed that CCPI used two-year-old data for statistics, precisely from Maria Ohisalo's ministerial term. In other words, she blamed the current government for her own achievements.

It is clear that Ohisalo made herself appear ridiculous. What is less clear, however, is why she rushed to politicize the new information before verifying its accuracy.

If this behavior was typical for Ohisalo and the previous female-led government, it is no wonder that the previous government term was, especially in terms of the economy, downright catastrophic for Finland. For example, during the four-year period (2019-2022), the state debt increased by a whopping 33 percent, leaving the budget permanently about seven percent in deficit.

Hopefully, the current government will familiarize itself better with the facts before decision-making and succeed in revitalizing Finland's economy to make it comparable again to other Nordic countries.

Previous thoughts on the same topic: Advice to participants of the COP27 climate implementation summit 175 happy winners Minister Maria Ohisalo panicked

The increase in carbon dioxide concentration warms more than anticipated

I have previously followed with great interest the progress of climate change. In doing so, I have personally observed how ground-level measurement data has been retrospectively altered in such a way that there may not be reality-based justifications, such as changes in the location of thermometer or adjustments for temperature changes due to urbanization.

Therefore, my interest has shifted mainly to monitoring the surface area of the Arctic sea ice because I find its distortion quite challenging or downright impossible. To my satisfaction, I have also noted that there have been no significant changes to these statistics.

Today I read a recent study that measured the impact of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration on the lower atmosphere's temperature. Increasing it (CO₂) has so far been thought to have a direct effect on the global average surface air temperature.

However, this is not the case, as Haozhe He et al. found that doubling the atmospheric CO₂ concentration increases the impact of CO₂-induced growth by about a quarter. In other words, the more anthropogenic CO₂ emissions accumulate in the atmosphere, the more serious the consequences.

In essence, He et al. presented a prediction - or hypothesis - that the lower atmosphere's temperature should rise more rapidly as the climate warms. Therefore, I plan to monitor how this is reflected in the fluctuations of the Arctic sea ice area - above all, whether it begins to melt again after statistically remaining the same size for over a decade despite the increase in CO₂ concentration.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The record-breaking warming of the oceans is not visible in the Arctic
Record low temperature in northern Finland
Arctic sea ice contradicts with the climatic model predictions, but is that changing now?

The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman violates the law on openness

In Finland, there is an authority named the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman, which operates to provide statements related to its field and also comments on matters through social media. In messaging service X, this authority has most recently conveyed information stating, "The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman assesses that the closure of almost all eastern border crossing points and the concentration of seeking international protection at the Raja-Jooseppi border crossing endangers the right to seek asylum."

If one attempts to respond to the message, it is not possible, and comments can only be given from accounts specifically mentioned by the ombudsman. I am not one of those account owners, and neither is Minister of Justice Leena Meri.

This is perplexing, as the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman is a publicly funded entity serving taxpayers and should cater to the entire population. However, as evident from the above, this is not the case, prompting the question of why.

The issue at hand is why this particular authority is not inherently open to public discourse—or even public dialogue with the government of the country—but instead predefines with whom it is willing to engage.

Therefore, it is pertinent to inquire how this operational model aligns with the purpose stated in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities, which, in clear Finnish language, articulates that "the purpose of the statutory right of access to information and the obligations of authorities is to implement openness in the activities of the authorities, provide individuals and communities the opportunity to monitor the use of public authority and public funds, freely form their opinions, influence the exercise of public authority, and monitor their rights and interests."

Finally, it is worth noting that the current Non-Discrimination Ombudsman is Kristina Stenman, who previously served in the Refugee Advice Centre, assisted far-left professor Martin Scheinin and worked as a city manager. She assumed office on August 1, 2020, having been appointed by the government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

The original thought in Finnish:
Yhdenvertaisuusvaltuutettu ja laki viranomaisen toiminnan julkisuudesta

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Freudian slip, 9-year-old girl and cultural appropriation
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections

Demonstrations cause trouble in Helsinki and Sweden

The University of Helsinki is by far the largest contributor to higher education and research in Finland, enjoying the trust of the entire nation and receiving financial support through tax revenues. In this role, it is institutionally politically neutral, and, for example, protests within its premises are prohibited.

However, this prohibition has recently been violated. A few months ago, a group of students protested against decisions made by the Finnish government, and just a few days ago, a demonstration against Israel was held at the university.

These predominantly politically left-wing orchestrated protests have not been strongly intervened against but have been allowed to take place. Thus, a kind of precedent has been established, which future protesters may also refer to.

It is possible that in the future, there may be different types of demonstrations on the university premises, including those that provoke reactions. In Finland, this practically means far-left counter-protests against socially conservative demonstrators, which often involve violent elements.

Therefore, it would be important for the University of Helsinki to decisively state that it will not allow any political demonstrations on its premises in the future. If such events occur, the university should demand that law enforcement immediately stop the gathering.

By saying this, I do not mean to undermine the importance of people's right to organize protests as a crucial aspect of a democratic society. On the contrary, when organizing such events, respect for the wishes of venue owners and property managers should be observed by ensuring that protests take place in open spaces.

Finally, it is worth noting that Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden initially announced a ban on political demonstrations in all its premises and campuses but later reversed its decision. The fears caused by protesters targeting Jewish individuals were behind the original decision, which the university should, of course, never condone.

It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold at Chalmers University. Will all segments of the population feel safe in the future, or will the situation become untenable again?

It is hoped that Finland and its universities will never find themselves in a situation similar to Sweden's, and that students and all people can live their lives without fear of danger due to their opinions or religious-ethnic backgrounds.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The activists sought excitement and a boost to their self-esteem in the Stockholm Diamond League
The change in the demographic structure of Helsinki
International Master´s degree is an opportunity to be used

In Germany, immigration policy changes are being planned

Angela Merkel's Germany acted as the driving force in 2015 in a process in which approximately 1.3 million people from developing countries were admitted to the EU's territory. As a result of this event, the internal security situation in Germany and many EU countries deteriorated significantly.

As a consequence of this, and with the resurgence of mass migration from developing countries, Germany has  measures to curb the ongoing wave of immigration. This involves various well-intentioned actions.

Among the proposed measures are the following: setting an upper limit for immigration, reducing Germany's attractiveness by replacing cash benefits for newcomers with payment cards, distributing asylum seekers evenly to all EU countries, reinstating border controls in Germany, strengthening the control of the EU's external borders, detaining asylum seekers during the processing of their applications, adding new states to the list of safe countries, negotiating return agreements with countries of origin, outsourcing asylum processing to third countries, and increasing the number of quota refugees instead of individual asylum applications.

It remains to be seen to what extent the above-mentioned list will be implemented in Germany. If it is implemented, it is uncertain whether it will have any impact on the desire of people from developing countries to enter the EU for the purpose of enjoying a safer society and higher living standards than in their home countries, or the impact it has on eroding these factors, as seen in Germany, France, and Finland, and particularly in the humanitarian migration powerhouse of Sweden.

The original thought in Finnish:
Saksassa suunnitellaan maahanmuuttopoliittisia muutoksia

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Freudian slip, 9-year-old girl and cultural appropriation
Attitudes towards immigrants are not becoming more positive in Western countries
History of Finland XIV: The end of the first Finnish Republic

Could Kenyans serve as a model for Somalis and Iraqis?

Finnish immigration policy is somewhat unsuccessful in the sense that people from major refugee-producing countries - excluding Ukrainians - have adapted poorly to the job market. Consequently, a significant portion of them relies on social welfare, and many also turn to criminal activities. These facts have led to a negative perception of immigration from elsewhere than Western or East Asian countries by a substantial portion of Finns.

Therefore, I read with great interest an article about a company operating in Kenya that acquires and trains healthcare personnel for Finland. In practice, these individuals have existing education in the healthcare field, and they also receive additional training, including independent study of the Finnish language. The latter is intended to gauge their motivation.

Foreign nurses are welcome in Finland because the country is facing a severe shortage of healthcare professionals. Kenyans have already proven to be good workers, with an employment rate even higher than that of EU citizens.

The facts I've presented above have left me thoughtful, as it seems strange that if Kenyans are thriving in Finland, why can't Somalis or Iraqis achieve the same and settle for living off society's support without making an effort for their own success? If we exclude politically incorrect factors such as genetics and culture when seeking an answer, what remains?

When searching for an answer, it's important not to overlook the possibility that Finns may be doing something fundamentally wrong when trying to ease the lives of people from major refugee-producing countries coming to Finland without expecting them to contribute. Could the solution lie in requiring them to take responsibility for their own lives in the same way Kenyans do when they come to Finland?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Why doesn't immigration cause protests in Japan?
100 percent of the violence is related to migration
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration

Why doesn't immigration cause protests in Japan?

Nathan Cofnas published a message on social media where he wondered why increased immigration in Japan does not cause similar resistance as in Western countries. His conclusion was that "ethnonationalism isn't very popular."

He had added a figure to the title of a story in Foreign Policy Magazine, saying that "Japan Radically Increased Immigration - and No One Protested." Half of the answer to Nathan's question is provided by the story, describing that immigrants in Japan have to work in the country and are not supported by the social welfare system - read "taxpayer's money" - as in Europe.

The other half of the explanation can be seen in the statistics shown on Wikipedia. At the end of June 2022, there were 2,760,635 foreigners residing in Japan. The most important ethnicities were Chinese, Vietnamese, South Koreans, Filipinos, Nepalese, Indonesians, Americans, Thais, and Taiwanese.

This list is completely different from the ethnicities of immigrants in Europe, especially those raising negative attitudes among ethnically Europeans by committing rapes, terrorism, and other illegal activities. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why immigration is considerably more popular among Japanese than Europeans. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
100 percent of the violence is related to migration
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration
Sweden already in trouble - Finland following

Palestinian responsibility

I believe that it is in the interest of both Israel and Palestine to establish lasting peace, a two-state solution, and cooperation between these historically mutually hostile nations. I also think that many, perhaps even the majority of people belonging to these nations, share my view.

So the question remains, why hasn't such an understanding been reached despite more than seven decades having passed? The answer consists of several parts. 

By far the most crucial aspect to understand is that while Palestinians may lose a hundred battles, Israel cannot suffer a single defeat. This is because Israel as a democratic state does not annihilate defeated Palestinians, whereas among the Palestinians, there are millions of people and even numerous organizations, with the most significant being the Hamas controlling the Gaza area, whose sole aim is to drown the Jews in the Mediterranean sea.

As an outcome of what I have written above, the citizens of Israel understandably do not dare to take any unnecessary risks. And since Palestinians occasionally launch minor or major attacks against them, they prefer to rely on their military power rather than peace-oriented agreements, even if backed by any superpower.

The significance of the latter has become even more essential after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014, despite the safeguarding of its independence by superpowers. An agreement was made when Ukraine obtained independence, where it agreed to hand over the Soviet nuclear weapons located on its territory to Russia. Without that agreement, Russia would not have dared to invade Ukraine in 2014 or again in 2022.

All of this means that it is specifically the responsibility of the Palestinians to promote peace between Israel and Palestine. It requires actions that inspire trust among the two nations so that even Israel finally dares to agree on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Palestinians: acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom!
A new Government for Israel, but why doesn´t it solve anything?
Explanation of Finnish attitudes towards Israeli and Palestinians

Palestinians: acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom!

The Palestinian extremist organization Hamas has carried out a massive terrorist attack in Israel today, resulting in the killing and assault of women and the shooting of anyone in their path (I won't provide a link, but supporting material for this viewpoint can be found, for example, on messaging service X). This is in no way acceptable, even considering Israel's establishment over 70 years ago in the Middle East despite the fact that it was difficult at the time.

Next, we can expect to see Israel striking Hamas's support areas in Gaza and causing significantly more damage to Palestinian property than Muslims could achieve even with a surprise attack. Palestinians can only blame their war-mongering leaders for all of this.

The fact is: Palestinians had an alternative. This was articulated by Finland's President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, who stated after World War II, "Acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom." By this, he meant that Finland had a large and dangerous neighbor to the east with whom it had to get along.

Based on this, Finland adopted a neutral stance towards the Soviet Union and established a close commercial partnership that benefited both parties. At the same time, Finland refrained from needlessly provoking its eastern neighbor but ensured the readiness of its own military forces.

This approach continued beyond the collapse of the Soviet Union until Putin's Russia's attack on Ukraine. At that point, Finland realized that the facts had changed as Russia had shown that it cannot be trusted. Therefore Finns sought NATO membership at a time when Russia's military forces were tied down in Ukraine. This way, Finland's security is still assured, but it remains open to cooperation with Russia if it returns to the community of civilized nations by recognizing Ukraine's 2013 borders and making peace.

For Palestinians, it would be wise to accept the existence of Israel, acknowledge its overwhelming military capability relative to their own, and work together with Israelis while abandoning the foolish dream of driving Jews into the Mediterranean. By doing so, time and economic prosperity would gradually improve the bitterness between Jews and Palestinians, ultimately providing Palestinians with the opportunity to live as part of Israel or even as an independent state, if both parties believe they can trust each other.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
History of Finland XV: Paasikivi-Kekkonen doctrine
A new Government for Israel, but why doesn´t it solve anything?
Explanation of Finnish attitudes towards Israeli and Palestinians

Finnish women have enjoyed a privileged position since medieval times

Finland was one of the first countries to grant women the right to vote and stand for election, so we have an exceptionally long and still ongoing tradition of political gender equality. And, of course, this is closely tied to the generally good societal position of women.

However, it is unclear how long gender attitudes persist in places undergoing significant societal changes. This question was studied by Swedish researchers Taylor Damann, Jeremy Siow, and Margit Tavits by analyzing the teeth of about ten thousand medieval individuals from 139 archaeological sites.

The researchers used differences in the dental health of women and men as a measure of disparities in nutrition and healthcare. Additionally, they compared these archaeological measurements to data on gender norms from surveys conducted in the same geographical areas.

The result was quite clear, as historical indicators of gendered health disparities were significantly linked to modern gender equality norms in the same locations. However, this connection weakened in places where significant population turnovers had occurred over history, meaning that new populations brought their own attitudes with them.

In other words, the gender attitudes of population groups can persist across generations, even for extended periods, spanning hundreds or thousands of years, despite major societal, economic, and political changes. This seems to be the case in Finland as well, as the study included one Finnish site, Luistari in Eura.

Based on the analysis of dental remains, women from Luistari's medieval population had even been "more equal" than men, meaning they received better nutrition and healthcare. Among all 139 sites, Luistari women ranked as the 16th best-treated.

Thus, Finnish women have enjoyed a privileged position since medieval times. This strongly equal position of women in society applies more or less to the entire Northern European population, including Scandinavians and Balts.

The original thought in Finnish:
Suomalaisnaiset olivat jo keskiajalla tasa-arvoisempia kuin miehet

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections
History of Finland XI: Finnish democracy and gender equality for women
Discrimination against women?

Preventing future fires in Hawaii is possible, but the question remains: Are animal activists and politicians prepared for the necessary measures?

Hawaiian researchers Daniel Rubinoff and Samuel M. ‘Ohukani‘ōhi‘a Gon III reported in the journal Science that the fire that devastated the city of Lahaina, Hawaii, has killed more people than any other U.S. wildfire in the past 100 years. According to them, the underlying causes of the wildfire were land-use mistakes that led to the proliferation of easily ignitable invasive species and a lack of control over feral goat grazing.

Therefore, the removal of invasive species, the restoration of native plants, and better management of feral goat populations are essential measures to prevent similar wildfires in the future. The latter is crucial because feral goats have played a significant role in the disappearance of Hawaii's native dry forest ecosystem.

Goats were originally introduced to Maui as a gift to King Kamehameha I in 1789. However, the problem arose when these goats escaped into the wild and became feral. As a result, they have consumed native plants and stripped the bark from native trees. This, coupled with previous fires and the decline of Maui's plantation industry, has created a cycle in which wildfires continue to increase, allowing invasive species to spread.

One potential solution to prevent wildfires, according to researchers, could be the intensive grazing of cattle, which would reduce the quantity of invasive species that serve as fuel. However, this solution would negatively impact reforestation efforts, carbon sequestration, and lead to erosion and increased flood risks during winter rains. It would also result in barren landscapes and fail to support Hawaii's native biota, which is a critical Hawaiian biocultural resource.

Instead, it would be better to restore native Hawaiian dry forests, which burn more slowly than invasive shrubby grasslands. This, in turn, would require the widespread eradication of goats.

It remains uncertain whether the wildfires witnessed this year will indeed prompt the envisioned changes in Hawaiian conservation practices. There could be resistance from animal rights activists opposing large-scale goat eradication operations, and politicians might be reluctant to allocate funding for these essential changes, considering the economic sacrifices involved.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Why are boreal forest fires on the rise everywhere but in Finland?
A new justification is needed for environmental activists
A popular hobby risks ecological balance, private property and human health in Finland

100 percent of the violence is related to migration

Sweden has a rich history of immigration from various parts of the world. In the 1950s and 1960s, this included young people from Finland who sought better living conditions due to challenges in their home country's rural areas. These individuals made significant contributions to Sweden's growing industries, and their descendants are now well-integrated into Swedish society. One notable example is the world-renowned discus thrower, Daniel Ståhl.

Subsequently, Sweden has welcomed people primarily from developing countries, but their integration into society has been less successful. This has led Jimmie Åkesson, the leader of the Swedish Democrats, to assert that migration is the primary factor behind the recent surge in violence in Sweden. 

Åkesson explicitly stated that "100 percent of the violence is related to migration." He continued by highlighting the consequences of Sweden's migration policy, suggesting that it has allowed certain groups to flourish and led to individuals who were born in Sweden but identify more with gangs or clans or even mentally in other parts of the world.

This kind of speech would face serious repercussions in contemporary Finland, where the speaker might be labeled as a "Nazi" or at the very least, a "racist." The key difference lies in the smaller number of individuals with roots in the developing world in Finland and the less severe problems associated with them compared to Sweden. However, it is becoming increasingly evident in Finland that immigrants from Islamic countries are also causing issues on this side of the Baltic Sea.

As a result, it will be intriguing to observe how long it takes for Finland to openly discuss issues related to specific immigrant groups without facing negative labels. Hopefully, this process will not be prolonged to the point where Finland encounters problems similar to those currently faced by Sweden.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
How naive can the world's most intelligent people be?
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration
Will an ongoing trial open the eyes of politicians?

Freudian slip, 9-year-old girl and cultural appropriation

A Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat published an article about the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In it, they interviewed special researcher Kimmo Elo, who mentioned that the party's popularity is due to the stumbling of the left-wing government in the country. 

While this may be the case, that's not why I wrote this article. Instead, I wrote it because I noticed the special researcher referring to AfD supporters as having created "an image that these refugees from Ukraine are only slightly better than the benefits exploiters who arrived in Germany in 2015."

I had to reread the entire sentence, and indeed, Elo referred to the migrants who arrived in Germany in 2015 as benefits exploiters. It's clearly a Freudian slip. In other words, the special researcher accidentally said what he truly thinks about the asylum seekers from eight years ago.

* * *

The consequences of that migration have been talked about quite a bit this year. For example, according to another article in the same Ilta-Sanomat, teenage boys driving a microcar had robbed a nine-year-old girl in Tuusula.

The article didn't provide descriptions of the boys, and it's possible that they are ethnically Finnish and not related to the events of 2015, yet they are part of the recent increase in youth violence, primarily driven by the population that arrived in Europe and also our country that year.

* * *

This matter was reported in a third article, where a representative of an organization called "Children of the Station" said, "It's pure idiocy. Previously, honor was associated with certain cultures. Nowadays, it doesn't matter. It's the same no matter what the ethnic background is. Honor has become a strange thing that you can't play with."

In other words, it seems that at least some Finnish youths have regressed to the level of the immigrants from developing countries who arrived here. This is an unfortunate fact that none of our country's political parties have anticipated, but both the government and the opposition should address it as quickly and effectively as possible, so that Finland does not become a similar asshole like the departure regions of the migrants from 2015.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Attitudes towards immigrants are not becoming more positive in Western countries
Will an ongoing trial open the eyes of politicians?
Increase of violence by youngsters in Finnish towns

Sanna Marin´s decision benefits both her and Finland

Former Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin (SDP), decided to leave the parliament because she got a well-paying job at an international company founded by the former left-wing Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom. The purpose of this company is to support politicians in combating the populism that has arisen as a result of the adverse effects of globalization.

Marin's decision immediately brought to mind the fact that this is a clear win-win situation. It's obvious that leaving the parliament for a high-paying position is beneficial for our former Prime Minister, but considering her track record as Finland's Prime Minister, it is also a great advantage for the entire Finnish nation.

On the other hand, it is also true that 35,628 people supported Marin in continuing to represent their interests as a Member of Parliament. The trust of these people has now been betrayed, even though a new female Social Democrat will take Marin's place in the parliament.

Johanna Vuorelma, a political researcher at the University of Helsinki, also noted that Marin's resignation request seems unpleasant, as it creates an image of a politician advancing their own career. This image is certainly accurate but not at all unusual.

It is quite natural that virtually every politician, like other people, seeks to advance their own career alongside their political goals and is willing to take on better opportunities if they arise.

In conclusion, I would like to point out, in Marin's own words, that she will continue to be a social democrat and will act based on the values she has worked with in the past. Apparently, this aligns well with her new employer, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which originates from the British political left.

The original thought in Finnish:
Marinin lähtö eduskunnasta on onneksi sekä Sannalle että suomalaisille

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The people long for strict economic policy
The Guardian misleads its readers
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin is quickly losing her national credibility

How naive can the world's most intelligent people be?

The most prestigious - and the only one known to the general public - recognition for scientific work in the world is the Nobel Prize. These prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, with the exception of the Peace Prize, which is awarded in Oslo, Norway.

The award ceremony in Stockholm is a solemn event attended by the cream of Sweden's society. This year, the Nobel Foundation, which organizes the award ceremony, announced a few days ago that it would invite all the ambassadors from every country to the event.

Even politically neutral King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his surprise at the invitation extended to the Russian ambassador. Consequently, the Nobel Foundation announced yesterday that it would not invite the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus, or Iran after all.

Of course, this incident is not inherently significant enough to warrant a blog post. However, I brought it up because it demonstrated how naive even the world's most intelligent people can be (assuming that the members of the Nobel Committee fall into that category).

The committee had justified inviting the Russian ambassador by stating that they wanted the values underlying the Nobel Prize to reach even those who do not share those values. As if Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, or Ali Khamenei were unaware of these Western values and ideas.

I can tell the esteemed Nobel Committee that they are indeed aware of them. Moreover, they deliberately disregard these values.

That's why I can only imagine how amusing it must have been in Moscow, Minsk, and Tehran as the aforementioned trio observed the incredible naivety and idealism of the Nobel Committee. In that sense, the farce we witnessed was not very surprising, given that it was the Swedes who, through equally naive and idealistic immigration policies, destroyed their own extremely prosperous and secure welfare state at the turn of the 21st century.

The original thought in Finnish:
Kuinka naiiveja voivat olla maailman älykkäimmät ihmiset?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Hussein Al-Taee, an Islamic militant and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Finland
Most useless organisations of our time
Pacifism - a respectable tool to support inhumane dictators and warlords

A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration

During this week Petteri Orpo's (National Coalition Party) government of Finland reached a consensus on what constitutes racism and what does not - and distanced itself from it. At the same time, youth violence has continued in our country, with an emphasis on individuals who are ethnically different from native Finns.

This is evident, as the number of crimes committed by young people in Finland has grown significantly compared to last year. The most notable increase has occurred in robberies committed by minors, the number of which has almost doubled. In the first half of last year, there were 484 robberies committed by those under 18, whereas this year, the number has already risen to 735.

According to Kirsi Pimiä from the for Ministry for Internal Security and Migration, "there is now a greater amount of videos being shared on social media, where young people have recorded others in humiliating videos. These videos have been widely circulated and include also content related to sexual crimes."

The same article states that - as also I have previously noted - there are eleven street gangs in Finland, with around three hundred young individuals involved in their activities in the Helsinki metropolitan area and Turku. Thus, organized crime is by no means only isolated incidents.

According to Tom Packalén - former politician and a Chief Inspector of the Helsinki police - who was interviewed by Vantaan Sanomat, a local newspaper, "foreigners' involvement in daily cases is now very significant. This includes those who have entered the country illegally. Strengthening the deportations of those who are in the country illegally will be an important matter. I believe that the new government will initiate deportations with full force."

This would naturally be desirable. However, it remains to be seen whether the government can fulfill Packalén's wish, or whether the concern for the safety of Finns will continue to be compromised due to what are perceived as superficial humanitarian justifications.

In this regard, it was particularly significant that the Chief Inspector's comment indicated, "crime related to immigration... I am a civil servant now. I have to say it correctly so that I won't be reprimanded." This is concerning because this comment starkly illustrates how the atmosphere in Finland has become so strange that even a police officer does not dare to speak about facts as they are.

Therefore, I offer advice to Petteri Orpo and his government, especially to Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson (Swedish People's Party): please ensure that people of Finland don´t have to fear presenting facts and that discussing real problems or seeking effective solutions to them is not only possible but encouraged.

In this light it was interesting to note this morning, that a popular presidential candidate Mika Aaltola - who comes from outside of the mainstream politics - stated in an interview with the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) that immigration should not be approached through identity politics or as a moral issue but rather as a practical matter. He also suggested that Finland should study the problems in Sweden and draw conclusions from them.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland offers a discount for serial criminals
Sweden already in trouble - Finland following
Did police have the right to strip women

Finnish general praised the Ukrainian air strike

The Ukrainians successfully struck the Russian airfield located near the Estonian border. As a result, several heavy Russian cargo planes were destroyed.

Russians have previously relocated a large number of their strategic bombers near the Finnish border. There they are situated much farther from Ukraine than the field targeted in this attack. Following the recent strike, it is apparent that Russia will be moving more of its air force equipment even farther from Ukraine.

Consequently, their use of air power in the ongoing war in Ukraine becomes increasingly challenging. This, in turn, improves the conditions for Ukrainian soldiers defending their homeland.

According to Finnish military expert, general Pekka Toveri, the attack will compel Russia to significantly enhance its resources for safeguarding targets such as airports, defense industries, and even Saint Petersburg. This, too, will ease Ukrainian warfare efforts in the future as the relocated troops are diminished from the Russian forces fighting against them.

From the perspective of President Vladimir Putin's army, the attack witnessed now is unfortunate in that its defense is faltering in the southern fronts, where Ukraine has made clear advances in recent days and seems to be on the verge of a breakthrough. Thus, what lies ahead is likely a shift from the almost stagnant trench warfare to a more mobile battle once again.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is French military history repeating itself in Ukraine?
Victims of Russian leaders
Russian standard of tanks

Is French military history repeating itself in Ukraine?

Based on yesterday's news, Ukraine has managed to break through Russia's strongest defensive line in the Zaporiizhia region. This news is likely to warm the hearts of most Western people, but at the same time, it raises concerns for many about whether the Russian defense line might still be too long and heavily fortified for the Ukrainians.

As an example of this, Emil Kastehelmi, known for his strategic maps, expressed his concern about the situation's development. According to him, "Ukraine might still be able to push forward with a village or two, but a too narrow attack corridor could expose their flanks to a difficult and threatening situation."

Naturally, I don't have more information about the war situation from my living room, nor do I possess a crystal ball that shows the future. However, I do know quite a bit about the past, and that's why I decided to share a piece of information with you, dear readers.

Let's go back to the year 1940 in France. It trusted its fortification chain known as the Maginot Line along the German border after World War I. To the Gauls' dismay, the Germans bypassed the line from the north and didn't stay to fight for control of it; instead, they advanced straight to Paris.

Thus, the heavily fortified Maginot Line proved to be rather useless. Or rather, it became detrimental by tying the French forces to its positions - effectively removing them from the decisive battles of the western front in 1940.

So, in this article, I ask: what prevents the Ukrainians from repeating the same maneuver the Germans did in 1940? In the current situation, they could pour their reserves into the emerging gap and bypass the Russian fortifications, advancing deep behind Russian lines and ultimately reaching the Black Sea coast, cutting off the northern supply route that runs along the coastline.

If, at the same time, the Ukrainians manage to keep the Kerch Strait bridge at least partially impassable with missiles and drone strikes, a massive cauldron would form in Southern Ukraine. Russian forces - or at least their motivation - would likely be insufficient to break this encirclement. On the contrary, with supply lines severed, surrender might become a thought for several Russian soldiers and units.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
History of Finland XIV: The end of the first Finnish Republic
Victims of Russian leaders
A Finnish military professor predicted the possibilities of Ukraine's counterattack

Attitudes towards immigrants are not becoming more positive in Western countries

If you follow the European media, one could imagine that racism in Europe - and thus also in Finland - would be terrible, yet gradually disappearing. Therefore, it was interesting to read a study that examined changes related to race and ethnic discrimination in hiring practices across six European and North American countries.

These countries were Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. The data included all available discrimination assessments from 90 recruitment experiments conducted in various fields, covering over 170,000 job applications.

However, the time periods covered in the study varied by country: for instance, experiments conducted in the United Kingdom spanned from 1969 to 2017, while in Germany, the study only included the years 1994 to 2017. Discrimination trends were analyzed in relation to four groups with different origins: Black, Asian, Latino, and individuals from the Middle East or North Africa.

The results obtained by the researchers indicated that observed discrimination during recruitment has either remained the same or slightly increased in most countries and origin groups. Three specific changes were particularly notable. The first change was an increase in recruitment discrimination against individuals from the Middle East and North Africa, from the 1990s to the 2000s. The second significant finding was a reduction in discrimination in France, but only from extremely high levels to "only" high levels. The third change was that discrimination had increased over time in the Netherlands.

All of this suggests that the often stated claim of decreasing discrimination due to increased interactions with immigrants is not true. On the contrary, discrimination had not decreased in the past decades in five out of the six Western countries examined in the study - and most likely not in Finland either.

This raises the question of why it often appears that attitudes towards immigrants in Finland are most positive in large immigrant-rich cities, according to surveys, and more negative in rural areas where immigrants are scarcely present. Is this a case of urban residents simply misleading surveyors, or perhaps their conformity, the tendency to adapt to others' opinions - or at least perceived opinions?

Such perception might be due, especially, to the way our press tends to report on anything related to immigration in an overly positive light and, on the other hand, remain silent about its negative aspects. Additionally, the rural population might be influenced by the fact that there are hardly any immigrants there, so there hasn't been much interest or need to pay attention to press propaganda. The pressure to conform - or to lie in survey studies - hasn't arisen nearly to the same extent as it has among city dwellers.

On the other hand, recruitment is an action that measures people's real attitudes, and there's no room for conformity, as the success of the company or hiring leadership directly depends on the hired individual. Therefore, it is a much more reliable gauge of people's attitudes towards immigrants compared to survey studies.

The original blog in Finnish:
Suhtautuminen maahanmuuttajiin ei ole muuttumassa positiivisemmaksi länsimaissa

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections
Racism or self-preservation instinct?
People with Middle Eastern and North African inheritance identify themselves as non-Whites

A white family does not represent real Londoners

The "woke" culture originating from the United States annoys many people. Nevertheless, its influence is immense, as anyone who follows yesterday's main news broadcast noticed when our taxpayer-funded media reported on a dance video being filmed in Helsinki, Finland.

The dance video was based on a Korean song, and almost all of the approximately one hundred young participants had skin tones that were either of Finnish or East Asian appearance. However, the reporter from Yle (Finnish Broadcasting Company) had chosen to interview a girl of evidently African origin (presumably biracial) as the first interviewee.

This could, of course, be mere coincidence, but the phenomenon is far too common in Finnish society (where more than 90 percent are white Europeans)  for it not to be deliberate – as everyone could deduce for themselves, such as from the skin tones of people appearing in clothing advertisements (example). Behind this likely lies the enormous pressure caused by the "woke" culture on people in Western societies.

One consequence of this pressure seems to be some sort of self-deprecation among European individuals. An astonishing example of this was reported by some of the smaller newspapers, which conveyed a claim written on the London Mayor's website stating that a white family "does not represent real Londoners." Therefore, it was deemed inappropriate for city branding.

The caption was allegedly posted on the website accidentally. This might be believed by all those who wish to, but in my view, such an explanation is not plausible. In my opinion, the text has undoubtedly been written deliberately and added to the website either with or without the mayor's permission.

In either case, the caption clearly displays content that belittles the European native population under the influence of woke culture—potentially even containing racist undertones towards us. Especially when the name of the London Mayor is Sadiq Khan and his roots trace back to Pakistan.

The power of woke culture is also indicated by the fact that neither Yle nor the biggest private newspaper - Helsingin Sanomat - has published any news concerning the London Mayor, despite the fact that it was already available for reading in Etelä-Suomen Sanomat two day ago.

The original blogpost in Finnish:
Valkoihoinen perhe ei edusta todellisia lontoolaisia

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections
Finnish journalist called for British Prime Minister´s head to be placed on London bridge to dry
China is betting on scientific excellence

History of Finland XVI: Through rise and fall to a new kind of future

This is the sixteenth - and last - part of a blog post series where I go through the most significant periods of Finnish history. In the fifteenth post, I described how Finland managed to navigate towards the Western world after World War II, under the shadow of the so-called Paasikivi-Kekkonen line of Finlandization policy. At the same time, the education level of the youth increased significantly, but it also gave rise to an extreme leftist student movement, which lost its momentum due to the rise in living standards and emigration.

In the next phase, 1980s Finland headed towards an unprecedented economic boom. The driving force behind it was the liberalization of monetary policy, which allowed banks to trade foreign currencies and grant foreign currency loans to companies that did not have income billed in foreign currencies. However, the Finnish mark was still politically regulated, meaning its value was not left to the market forces to decide.

This contradiction laid the groundwork for the exceptional depth of the 1990s recession in Finland. As a result of the liberalization of foreign currency loans, money flooded into the markets, mainly directed towards the domestic market. At the same time, the policy of strong mark choked export companies, and expectations of a politically-forbidden devaluation raised domestic interest rates.

Therefore, the Finnish mark was pegged to the euro's predecessor, the ECU, at an excessively high rate. Eventually, the entire structure collapsed, many banks went bankrupt, and particularly domestic market companies collapsed under their excessively expensive foreign currency loans after forced devaluation, the state debt exploded, the competitiveness of export companies decreased, unemployment rates skyrocketed, and indebted people lost their future by going bankrupt.

As a result of all this, the mark was eventually allowed to float, which led to a rapid improvement in the competitiveness of export companies. As a result, the Finnish economy became dominated by large companies and subcontractors of extremely successful Nokia. At the same time, Finnish large companies began to internationalize rapidly.

The depth of the recession was also influenced by the collapse of the Soviet Union at the same time, which led to the collapse of trade with the East. As a result, Finnish politicians missed the opportunity to join the Western military alliance, NATO, like the former members of the Warsaw Pact and the Baltic states that had broken away from the Soviet Union, because it would have confirmed the suspicions of Finland's decades-long Finlandization. However, Finland did join the European Union in 1995, even though it was considered a completely unrealistic goal in 1991.

After the Great Depression, the Finnish economy became more neoliberal, as evidenced by the blurring of the relationship between employers and employees through option arrangements linked to company profits. This weakened the relative position of wage earners, and high unemployment did not allow for active action by workers to eliminate it.

This concludes the series of articles based mostly on Professor Heikki Ylikangas's work, where the destruction of Nokia, Finland's defense policy orientation toward the West, and the events that followed were left unaddressed. However, I wish to make few comments related to them.

* * *

One of the most significant measures during the recession was investing in Finnish education. This led to unprecedented expertise in the country, which enabled Nokia mobile phones to rise to a unique position in Finnish economic history. At its best, it was the world's clear market leader in its field, with about 40 percent market share and an even greater share of the profits, but it made two disastrous mistakes.

Firstly, Nokia lost its innovativeness, probably as a result of flawed personnel policies. This was caused by the company's product development based on internal competition, which resulted in an unhealthy competition within the company that directed people's attention to thwarting the product development of competing groups.

Secondly, the company's almost dominant position in the market led to maximizing profits by minimizing costs. As a result, Nokia's products were manufactured in low-wage countries, from which they eventually recruited product development labor without realizing that the difference in living standards between developed and developing countries is also based on factual reasons.

With Nokia's downfall, the flagship of Finnish economy was lost, and large corporations based on "green gold" (i.e. forestry) returned to be the backbone of the economy. However, Nokia's skilled workforce did not disappear, but rather dispersed to benefit multiple Finnish companies.

At the same time, Finland has lost some of its independence to Brussels through the EU integration process, and has had to finance less productive countries in times of crisis. On the other hand, the development of information technology has led to a decline in paper consumption, which has revitalized the product development of the forest industry companies.

At this point, the harsh truth is that the Finnish economy has not yet regained the international position it had during Nokia's heyday. Moreover, the EU's restrictions on the use of forests for economic purposes may not be conducive to its future, if implemented.

In terms of foreign policy, Russia's attack on Ukraine exposed the hollowness of neutrality policy, and Finland quickly became part of the Western defense alliance NATO. This decision will ensure the country's military security well into the future, but may also lead to more frequent entanglements in international conflicts and damage relations with its large eastern neighbor.

Perhaps the biggest change in Finnish society, however, has occurred as a result of the international migration wave from developing countries to western countries. As a result of this and the declining birth rate of the native population, the quality of Finland's population base will change significantly from what it was before - and not all of the consequences of this fundamental change can be anticipated at this point. In any case, it is already clear that a poorly integratable population group has emerged in the country, which, growing faster than the native population, will change the basic structure of Finnish society as a whole.

Finally, in recent years, Finland has had a left-wing government, during which the state budget has been patched with debt to create permanent fixed expenses. As a result, Finland's public finances appear to be aligning with Southern European weak and indebted countries in the coming years, rather than the traditional Nordic benchmark. At the same time, the population has become increasingly divided between political right and left, so the near-future prospects for the country's economy seem quite challenging at this moment.

Throughout their history, however, Finns have demonstrated significant resilience in being able to set aside their internal disagreements and work together in a way that has allowed them to address and resolve issues that have arisen. For that reason, the future of Finland is likely brighter than one could deduce from the current situation.

The original blog post in Finnish:
Nousun ja tuhon kautta uudenlaiseen tulevaisuuteen

All the blog posts in this series:
History of Finland I: How did Finland become culturally part of the West?
History of Finland II: From a hinterland of the Union into a modern state
History of Finland III: The legal and economic weakening of the position of the people
History of Finland IV: The bleakest time in Finnish history
History of Finland V: The pursuit of economic profit saved the country
History of Finland VI: Age of freedom and utility
History of Finland VII: The dictator of the era of Enlightenment promoted capitalist economy
History of Finland VIII: Joining of Finland to Russia led to an increase in crime
History of Finland IX: Enlightended dictator initiated economic growth
History of Finland X: The birth of Finnish identity
History of Finland XI: Finnish democracy and gender equality for women
History of Finland XII: Bloody civil war
History of Finland XIII: The far-right's rebellion
History of Finland XIV: The end of the first Finnish Republic
History of Finland XV: Paasikivi-Kekkonen doctrine
History of Finland XVI: Through rise and fall to a new kind of future