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