Which one should be excluded from the Olympics?

In the Olympic football match between France and Mali, the tension between Palestinians and Israelis emerged. According to a report by The Finnish Broadcasting company Yle, it was mainly about pro-Palestinian demonstrations and the reactions of Israelis to them. However, direct violence was avoided.

The report mentioned - once again - that "due to the Gaza war, some countries participating in the games have demanded the exclusion of Israel from the Olympic movement. This has not happened, which has raised the security threat towards the games."

This demand is peculiar because the current events in Gaza were triggered by an exceptionally brutal terrorist attack carried out by Palestinians, during which a large number of hostages were taken. And Israel's actions are specifically a response to this.

Thus, the first step towards calming the situation in Gaza should come from the Palestinians, more specifically their terrorist organization Hamas. In practice, this would mean the release of all hostages and the return of the bodies of any individuals who may have died in their hands.

From this perspective, everyone can of course draw their own conclusions about which party should be excluded from the games if such action were to be taken. Israel, which has gone to war as a result of terrorism, or - likewise participating in the games - Palestine, which has not clearly distanced itself from Hamas, but whose administration has even sought reconciliation with it?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
According to the Israeli army, Hamas cannot be defeated
Two out of three Palestinians support October 7 attack
University of Helsinki gained an anti-Semitic reputation

Rediscovered Relics: The Story Behind Finland's WWII Weapon Caches

Yesterday, approximately 200 old military rifles were found buried in Finland. They had already decayed beyond use, but they served as a reminder of the post-World War II situation.

In 1944, Finland had succeeded in halting the large-scale Russian offensive and subsequently signed an armistice, after which German soldiers were driven out of the country during the Lapland War, which destroyed the entire northernmost Finnish settlement. Although the peace thus achieved was welcome to the ordinary people, there was a fear that the Russians would continue their military actions and ultimately subjugate the Finns under their own control.

In preparation for this situation, caches were established across the country, where weapons were stored for guerrilla operations. The project was, of course, eventually revealed, and its scale is evidenced by the fact that a total of 1,488 people were convicted in court in connection with it.

However, many officers who led the arms caches fled to the West, including Alpo Marttinen, who had distinguished himself as the right hand man of Hjalmar Siilasvuo in the Battle of Raate Road by destroying a Soviet division, and Lauri Törni, who ultimately died in Vietnam under the name Larry A. Thorne. Both of whom embarked on new military careers in the United States.

The recently discovered military rifles are one of these caches, whose existence sent a strong message to the Russians that the Finns were still ready to defend their homeland. This perhaps influenced the fact that Finland was not annexed by the Soviet Union or subjected to its vassal state, as happened to other Eastern European countries.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finns Feel Sympathy for Ukrainians Because They Share a Similar Experience
Finnish weapons are being tested against the Russians in Ukraine
History of Finland XIV: The end of the first Finnish Republic

Meretricious Democracy

Yesterday's news revealed the world's most popular president by far. He is Paul Kagame, who rose to power after the Rwandan genocide and received 99.18 percent of the votes in the recent elections. In other words, his two competitors together received just under a percent of the votes.

The achieved election result was also Kagame's personal record, as the same news report indicated that he previously only reached a 98.8 percent performance. Or were the competing candidates more popular in the past elections than in the recent ones?

It was also interesting to note that a few days ago, when the US President Joe Biden stepped aside, Vice President Kamala Harris raised $230 million for her campaign in two days. This means nearly $115 million per day.

With this money, she will certainly get a good start, especially as Biden's already collected $96 million will likely end up at her disposal. And perhaps those who have already offered Biden a $700 million support package will transfer their promises to the Vice President.

From all this, we can see that democracy in the great West is not cheap, as the other candidate - Donald Trump - will undoubtedly raise a substantial amount for his use as well. For comparison, it should be remembered that presidential candidate Alexander Stubb collected a modest €2.7 million for his use in the last elections.

Unfortunately, the media has not reported the size of Kagame's campaign fund. But if I may guess, it probably does not contain a very large stack of bills, as he likely had more effective means at his disposal. So much so that Rwandan democracy could be considered meretricious.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The British human rights decision led to unwarranted calls
Biden's Withdrawal Opens a New Possibility for Democrats!
Finland Will Thrive with Any US President, Trump Survived the Assassination Attempt

Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges

Sweden has long been the leading destination for immigrants in northern Europe. Consequently, its population diversity has changed rapidly.

As a result of all this, Sweden experiences an exceptionally high number of rapes relative to its population by European standards. Additionally, the country has several violent criminal gangs that practically control the drug trade and even entire neighborhoods.

Due to immigration, about 8.1 percent of Sweden's population was Muslim in 2017. And today, there are significantly more of them.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the largest mosque in northern Europe is being built in Stockholm. It is backed by the Turkish-origin Milli Görüş movement, which is known for its negative attitude towards Jews, women, and sexual minorities. These are values important to Sweden's "people's home."

Hence, a societal debate is emerging in Sweden about the status of Muslims in the country. The government has been reminded, for example, that "the authorities task is to integrate Muslims into society, not to create even wider rifts between the Muslim population and other residents of Sweden."

It remains to be seen how the Swedish society will withstand the rapid change in population diversity. Will it still be able to maintain some characteristics of the safe "people's home" for everyone, or will the country increasingly exhibit characteristics typical of developing countries in the future?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Immigration issue
An immigrant who stands out from the average has been taken into custody
Even a brutal murder didn't stir the Swedes

Biden's Withdrawal Opens a New Possibility for Democrats!

Yesterday brought the long-awaited news of Joe Biden's announcement to not pursue a second presidential term. This immediately reshaped the course of the U.S. presidential election.

At this point, many are likely certain that Biden’s withdrawal has secured Donald Trump’s re-election for a second term as the president of the world's leading superpower. However, I am not so sure about this.

Of course, I admit that Trump’s challenger is in a hurry to justify to the nation why he or she should be elected. The situation is not made any easier by the fact that the competitor has gained sympathy from an assassination attempt against him.

In reality, however, the new candidate—whoever he or she may be—holds a trump card, at least if he or she is relatively unknown to most of the electorate. This way, his or her first national appearance will create an unusually significant impression on the voters.

If this impression pleases the majority of voters, Donald Trump will be in trouble, because despite his great popularity, he also evokes a lot of negative feelings among people. Therefore, in a country with low voter turnout like the United States, an appealing candidate might motivate even those voters who could not imagine placing their trust in either Biden or Trump.

Therefore, the Democrats should look for a candidate who has the potential to successfully launch their campaign in the manner I described above. But if they fail to do so, another four years of Trumpism lies ahead.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Joe Biden Must Step Aside, But Can a Suitable Candidate Be Found?
Biden's dementia and Trump's speeches may improve European security
Risk of dementia in the U.S. presidential elections

The Game is Getting Tougher

Mass immigration to the European Union has taken on a new dimension at the border between Greece and Turkey. The Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle reported that a Greek border guard was hit by a bullet fired from the Turkish side. The shooter is suspected to be a smuggler profiting from people from developing countries.

It is absolutely clear that shooting at border guards cannot be tolerated at any level, whether done by a smuggler or those being smuggled. Nor is it in line with any human rights agreements.

It remains to be seen how the EU will react to this incident. Will it be ignored, as are other crimes (example) committed by immigrants in Union territories, or will the mass migration from developing countries finally be treated as a serious threat to the whole of European culture?

Russians, on the other hand, have realized that fighting in Ukraine is not without risks to the home front. According to a Meduza news story, those returning from the war have committed various crimes. This is especially true for those who have previously engaged in criminal activity and joined the army as volunteers to escape prison.

According to the report, the Kremlin even believes that returning soldiers from Ukraine pose the greatest political and social risk factor during Vladimir Putin's reign. Of course, it would be great if this ultimately led to the fall of the aforementioned dictator and Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine.

However, I doubt that the Russians are capable of rising against Putin's regime. After all, they have become accustomed over hundreds of years to their leaders not caring about the well-being of the people, but only about enhancing their own reputation and wealth.

Despite everything, the news mentioned above indicates that the situation is intensifying regarding both immigration from developing countries to Europe and Russia's so-called special operation. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the future of our continent.

This issue is also of great significance for Finland, as it is, like Ukraine, a neighbor of Russia, and Vladimir Putin has conducted hybrid operations against it using people from developing countries as weapons. In the best-case scenario, Russians will be frightened by the consequences of their war on the home front and will end all hybrid operations on Finland's borders.

On the other hand, it is also possible that instead of using reason, Russians might apply the criminal activities seen at the Greek-Turkish border, endangering the safety of Finnish border guards. This too must be anticipated in the training of border guards.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Defending National Security: Finland's Response to Hybrid Warfare
Russian Tax Overhaul: Citizens to Bear the Burden of War Losses
Mass immigration is the greatest concern for EU youth

Finnish MEPs Saramo and Tynkkynen Engage in Social Media Clash Over Ukraine Support

Fresh Finnish Members of the European Parliament Jussi Saramo (GUE/NGL) and Sebastian Tynkkynen (ECR) have found themselves in a war of words on social media. It began when Tynkkynen stated that "yesterday, we voted in the European Parliament on a resolution regarding the need to continue EU support for Ukraine. The purpose was to renew the promise right at the start of the new term that the support will continue this term as well... The Left Group in the European Parliament had a different opinion. The majority of the group's MEPs did not vote in favor of the resolution."

Saramo responded to this with whataboutism, publishing a picture of Tynkkynen in Russia and a text saying, "Many have seen the attached picture of Sebastian Tynkkynen at a Putin propaganda camp in Russia. The picture was taken at a time when only the Finns Party in Finland admired Putin's authoritarian far-right regime."

Then came the surprise, as Tynkkynen admitted that he had indeed attended the camp, but he did so in cooperation with the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) to update its information on a Russian individual who also attended the camp. According to him, "It was an honor to serve my country in this way. Therefore, it is shameful that the left twists the matter the other way around - as if I had been working for Russia. Russia did not benefit from me in any way. The situation originally went quite the opposite."

It remains to be seen how the sparring between the two Finnish MEPs will continue. And whether the Finnish Security Intelligence Service will comment on Tynkkynen's claim - after all, it is generally known for not shedding much light on its operations to outsiders.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
Henna Virkkunen: Opportunist or Unsuitable Commissioner Candidate?
Marxist far-right and bullies
Challenges of democracy: Reflections on political violence and rhetoric in Finnish politics
 

Impact of Diversity in Films

In recent years, the use of individuals with distinctly different appearances in various movies, television entertainment shows, and advertisements has become more common. Therefore, it was interesting to find an American study that examined viewers' reactions when minority actors were added to leading roles in movie sequels.

The study analyzed movie series released from 1998 to 2021, and researchers found that movies with added minority actors received lower ratings and more toxic reviews than those without such additions. However, this effect weakened after the advent of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, especially when the movement's activity was at its peak.

According to the researchers, this demonstrated that social movements are significant factors in promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion. However, I couldn't help but wonder about the current situation, now that the BLM movement has lost some of its significance, and at least a significant portion of people—at least in Finland—are annoyed by the use of black individuals in movies and advertisements at a frequency much higher than their proportion of the population would suggest.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration
Attitudes towards immigrants are not becoming more positive in Western countries
A white family does not represent real Londoners

Finns Feel Sympathy for Ukrainians Because They Share a Similar Experience

Most Finns feel compassion towards Ukrainians who have been forced into war against Russia. This is largely because Finland found itself in a similar situation in 1939 when Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union agreed on a sphere of influence division in Eastern Europe with Hitler's Germany. The Winter War broke out, which united the entire Finnish nation just 21 years after the end of the civil war.

Therefore, it was interesting that according to a recent opinion poll, as many as one in four Finns would like Finland and other Western countries to send armed troops to Ukraine. This is a surprisingly high figure even though the number of opponents is higher, about 40 percent.

One in three men supported sending troops, but only one in six women. In addition to women, people over sixty also viewed the idea unfavorably.

When viewed from a political perspective, the supporters of the political right, that is, the National Coalition Party and the Finns Party, were the most in favor of sending troops. The greatest number of opponents were among the supporters of the Social Democrats and the Centre Party.

However, the fact is that official Finland will not send even a single soldier to fight in Ukraine, even though it has provided fairly generous material aid. Instead, voluntary Finnish soldiers are already fighting in Zelenskyy's army against the "old enemy."

In practice, Ukraine's future will largely be determined by who wins the U.S. presidential election and what the winner thinks about the matter.

If the winner wants to withdraw American support from Zelenskyy's army, the Ukrainians will find themselves in a difficult situation. European arms aid is unlikely to be enough to win the war, and the country will be forced to make an unpleasant peace with Russia.

Such a situation would also unite Finns and Ukrainians, as this happened after the Winter War. A large part of Finland was cut off and made part of Russia, largely because the Western powers—mainly Britain and France—did not come to help despite their promises. 

This decision by the Western powers had unfortunate consequences, as Finland, disappointed by the Western countries, joined Hitler´s Germany when it attacked the Soviet Union in 1941. Finland only disengaged after stopping Stalin's army's major offensive in Southeastern Finland in the summer of 1944.

It is to be hoped that history does not repeat itself in this matter, and that Ukraine can rely on Western aid long enough for the aggressor to be subdued. Then, the Ukrainians can peacefully build their own future as they wish and are able to do.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Stalemate in Ukraine
Ukraine can and will stop Putin
A woman's logic, Putin's test, and the Netherlands' change

Henna Virkkunen: Opportunist or Unsuitable Commissioner Candidate?

The so-called political far-right achieved a major electoral victory in the EU elections. At the same time, significant changes occurred in its organization, resulting in the formation of two fairly equally sized groups.

The parties belonging to the ECR share a common critical stance against Russian imperialism, a stance also found in other parliamentary groups. In contrast, the parties aligned with the PIE are either uncritical or outright supporters of Russian imperialism, aligning themselves with part of the far-left The Left group in this regard.

Among Finnish parties, the Finns Party is a member of the ECR and unequivocally supports Western values. This stance has been evident in both Finnish politics and a national public broadcaster's survey, which asked MEPs whether Hungary's presidency should be suspended due to Viktor Orbán's solo actions favoring Russia.

Among Finnish MEPs, an overwhelming majority - including the representative of the Finns Party - supported the suspension, but Elsi Katainen (Renew) and Henna Virkkunen (EPP) would allow Orbán to continue, and Katri Kulmuni (Renew) did not know how to respond. In this context, it is interesting that Henna Virkkunen is Finland's commissioner candidate.

The question, therefore, is whether Virkkunen's view diverged from that of other Finnish EPP members because she did not want to irritate the presiding country, or if she genuinely supported Orbán. If it was the former, her stance does not demonstrate even basic political integrity, but rather sole opportunism. If it was the latter, it raises the question of whether she is at all suitable as Finland's commissioner candidate.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A National Rally election victory does not mean that France will become like Finland under the Finns Party
Former President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, suggested that Ukraine should cede part of its territory
Daniel Freund demanded a ban to Viktor Orbán

 

The Historical Merging of Human Groups

Understanding human evolution has progressed step by step during my lifetime. One of the most sensational discoveries was the evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthals, who lived in Europe before modern humans, and our ancestors.

Significant new information has once again been obtained on this matter. It was based on an excellent idea: previously, the focus had been on determining how much Neanderthal DNA is present in our genes, but now researchers decided to investigate how much so-called modern human DNA is present in Neanderthal genes.

This was possible using two criteria. The first was based on the fact that Neanderthals were already known to be much fewer in number than modern humans, so their genomes likely contained less variation. Thus, the more variable regions of the Neanderthal genome would be possible gene regions originating from modern humans.

When such gene regions were then found, the corresponding segments of heritage could be searched for in modern Africans, who have never interbred with Neanderthals. If they had similar genome segments to the now-found more variable regions, they must have developed in modern humans and not in Neanderthals. And indeed, this confirmed that as much as about ten percent of Neanderthal genes ultimately came from modern humans.

Based on this new information, it can also be concluded that Neanderthals may not have disappeared from the world after all but simply merged into the much more numerous populations of modern humans. And they left their genetic mark on them— a set of genes that developed in Neanderthals and have since been passed down to me and to all of you, dear readers, unless you are entirely of African descent.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The amazing adventures of the German cockroach
Violent demographic changes in Denmark
American black population more vulnerable to the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2

Stalemate in Ukraine

Russia's major offensive against Ukraine in 2022 turned into a war of attrition after the initial phases, with heavy losses on both sides without significant shifts in the front lines as a result of the fighting. There are various estimates of these losses, and according to the latest information, Russia has lost about 1,200 men per day over the past six weeks.

According to the article, the battle situation is primarily regulated by the Ukrainians' ammunition situation. This, in turn, depends on the continuity of aid from Western countries: every pause in deliveries weakens the defenders' position and thus works to the advantage of the Russians.

The fact, however, is that neither side has the strength to break through the front lines over a wider area and thus advance a military solution. On the other hand, a political solution is also not easy, because Russia still occupies parts of Ukraine and has no desire to concede them. And Ukraine – or even the international community – certainly cannot accept rewarding Russia's illegal operation with favorable border changes.

Thus, it is a difficult stalemate to resolve, where the keys lie with the Western countries. Their economic performance is something entirely different than Russia's, and therefore, they theoretically have the possibility to increase the support given to Ukraine.

However, we are unlikely to see such a development, as increased investments by Western countries would affect their residents' standard of living, and significant increases would be even more noticeable. For this reason, it currently appears that ending the war would require a significant change in the Russian leadership – in other words, the replacement of Putin's administration with more reasonable people.

It remains to be seen, however, whether the current Russian regime will fall only after its leader's health fails, or whether some kind of coalition will eventually emerge in Russia to remove this greatest obstacle to peace in Ukraine. And if this happens, whether the new administration will be any more reasonable remains to be seen.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Russian Tax Overhaul: Citizens to Bear the Burden of War Losses
Ukraine can and will stop Putin
Finnish military intelligence: the Russian army is at the limits of its operational capability

Finland Will Thrive with Any US President, Trump Survived the Assassination Attempt

The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, was interviewed on the Fox channel, which aligns with the US Republicans. However, he did not comment on the relative merits of the presidential candidates but stated that regardless of who leads the United States, Finland will get along with him.

Stubb also noted with satisfaction that an increasing number of NATO member countries have invested the agreed two percent of their GDP in defense. He gave credit for this to the former US president who brought up the issue at the time.

Instead of addressing specific issues, he mentioned that the political discourse in the US has become toxic, and he does not want the free world to emulate it. This can also be interpreted as a comment on Finland's domestic political debate, which also has become unnecessarily polarized in recent years.

He also suggested that the US and Finland could deepen their defense cooperation, for example, in the field of icebreakers, as 80 percent of the world's icebreakers are designed and 60 percent are manufactured in Finland. However, it remains to be seen whether the Pentagon will take up this offer.

Overall, I was quite skeptical of Alexander Stubb's ability to serve as president after he was elected. Therefore, I am very pleased to see that, in my view, he has performed his duties very well thus far, as also evidenced by the interview seen on Fox.

One can only hope that this continues in the future. And that the US also gets a political leader in the upcoming elections who exceeds the expectations of the voters.

* * *

At the same time, the presidential race in the United States is intensifying. The latest development was an assassination attempt on a candidate, resulting in the death of one likely Donald Trump voter, as well as the shooter. Additionally, at least two people were seriously injured.

However, it is likely that Trump's support among voters has rather increased than decreased as a result of the assassination attempt, given that Trump himself sustained a minor injury. This is partly because, during the heated campaign, some Democrats have carelessly expressed wishes for violence against Trump - a fact his supporters are not shy to highlight.

The incident is also serious in terms of freedom of speech. The central question is whether last night's shooting would have occurred without the Democrats' violent rhetoric. Or were those statements ultimately irrelevant, with the shooter's motive emerging from "ordinary" political discourse, which is, in any case, extremely polarized in the United States.

We will never get a definitive answer to these questions, as the shooter is not here to tell. And this will not change, no matter how much the background of the incident is analyzed by any group of political commentators.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Ukraine can and will stop Putin
Finns want a border law
Biden's dementia and Trump's speeches may improve European security

Defending National Security: Finland's Response to Hybrid Warfare

Yesterday was an important day for Finland and all of Europe, as the parliament approved the so-called return law with a vote of 167-31. In this way, our country has shown our hybrid war-fighting neighbor that Finland will not submit to its victimization.

With the new return law, asylum seekers attempting to enter Finland can be prevented from entering the country, submitting asylum applications, or removed from outside the borders when they are being used as tools of hybrid warfare. Thus, the law is not about violating human rights but about a means to prevent the misuse of the asylum system when its purpose is to destabilize or blackmail the security of Finland and/or Europe.

Unfortunately, 31 members of parliament decided to express with their voting behavior that promoting the hybrid activities of our eastern neighbor is more important to them than the safety of their own people. Therefore, I considered it appropriate to make a list of them so that the irresponsible actions of these politicians would remain in the memory of social media for a long time to come.

The members of parliament who voted against the return law are Li Andersson (Left Alliance), Eva Biaudet (Swedish People's Party), Fatim Diarra (Greens), Tuuna Elo (Greens), Bella Forsgrén (Greens), Timo Furuholm (Left Alliance), Elisa Gebhard (Social Democrats), Pekka Haavisto (Greens), Timo Harakka (Social Democrats), Atte Harjanne (Greens), Hanna Holopainen (Greens), Veronica Honkasalo (Left Alliance), Inka Hopsu (Greens), Saara Hyrkkö (Greens), Krista Kiuru (Social Democrats), Mai Kivelä (Left Alliance), Anna Kontula (Left Alliance), Minja Koskela (Left Alliance), Johan Kvarnström (Social Democrats), Merja Kyllönen (Left Alliance), Laura Meriluoto (Left Alliance), Krista Mikkonen (Greens), Matias Mäkynen (Social Democrats), Maria Ohisalo (Greens), Aino-Kaisa Pekonen (Left Alliance), Jenni Pitko (Greens), Nasima Razmyar (Social Democrats), Jussi Saramo (Left Alliance), Hanna Sarkkinen (Left Alliance), Oras Tynkkynen (Greens), and Sofia Virta (Greens).

Of the people on the list, 23 or 74 percent are women, and the remaining 26 percent are men. In other words, female members of parliament are significantly more inclined than their male colleagues to act as Vladimir Putin's helpers or at least his useful idiots.

Among them, Eva Biaudet belongs to a government party, so there will likely be consequences for her voting behavior. Otherwise, those who have chosen to act as Russia's stooges represented the extreme or slightly more moderate left.

It was also significant that all three members of parliament with a developing country background - Diarra, Forsgrén, and Razmyar - supported Putin. This suggests that Finland's security is not important to them, or they are unable to understand the threat posed by Russia. This is, of course, unfortunate, because one would especially expect them to appreciate the security of their current home country.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland and Western Europe: Effectively at War
Putin's useful idiots in Finland
Change of immigration policy and development cooperation

Finland to Tighten Asylum Legislation and Reduce Undocumented Residents

Finland is modifying its asylum legislation. One of the new changes will be the restriction of the right to appeal a negative decision.

This change is necessary because, until now, it has been possible in Finland to remain without asylum rights by making new asylum applications. Thus, people from safe conditions who have come to the country for social security reasons have been able to stay in the country for years.

The new legislative amendment will take into account the means provided by the new European Reception Directive, thereby reducing the number of undocumented residents. At the same time, the amount of reception money offered to them will be reduced to a minimum, so Finland's attractiveness is expected to decrease significantly among people from developing countries seeking to enter Western countries on false grounds.

This way, dishonest asylum applications can be reduced, thereby speeding up the processing times of applications from those genuinely in need of personal protection. It will also reduce the costs of asylum seeking for Finnish taxpayers.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Getting asylum in Finland becomes significantly more difficult
The Finnish forest is life-threatening to asylum-seekers
A new wave of asylum seekers

Russian Tax Overhaul: Citizens to Bear the Burden of War Losses

A recent news report indicated that Russia's war in Ukraine will increasingly impact the wallets of its citizens. This is because President Vladimir Putin has been forced to overhaul taxes to finance his country's army, which has suffered significant material losses.

In total, Russian citizens will have to pay an additional 27 million euros in new taxes. This burden will be distributed according to people's wealth, with the wealthiest bearing a greater relative share. In other words, the previous flat tax system will change to a progressive one.

It remains to be seen how Russians will react to the reform. It would, of course, be desirable for them to reject it and launch widespread rebellion against the pointless war in Ukraine and the man who started it, Vladimir Putin.

This possibility is supported by the fact that tax increases have often sparked popular uprisings. For example, this was the case in Finland at the end of the 16th century and this year in Kenya, where the government has been increasingly pressured.

On the other hand, Putin's administration has taken a page from Stalin's book and keeps the country's citizens in fear and strict obedience. Therefore, any possible dissatisfaction among the people might remain at the level of grumbling—just as the lamentation of the families of the over half a million Russian casualties in Ukraine has.

Nevertheless, Ukrainians should not lose hope. There is always a limit to what people will endure from their leaders. Thus, it is possible that the newly decided tax increases are the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Ukraine can and will stop Putin
Finnish weapons are being tested against the Russians in Ukraine
History of Finland III: The legal and economic weakening of the position of the people

Ukraine can and will stop Putin

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said yesterday, during the NATO summit, that Ukraine will leave the meeting satisfied. One reason for this is that the United States, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands confirmed in a statement released at the NATO summit that they are providing Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems.

This comes at a more than opportune time, as Russia has shown that it aims to destroy the entire Ukrainian society instead of just the Ukrainian army by launching missile attacks on a children's hospital. This is, of course, such a war crime that overlooking it with a shrug would be almost a crime against humanity in itself.

This was also noted by US President Joe Biden, who stated that "Putin wants nothing more than the complete defeat and erasure of Ukraine from the map." Additionally, he was pleased to note that NATO countries have invested more in their defense forces in recent years.

However, the most important outcome of the meeting was the agreement to grant a 40 billion aid package to Ukraine for next year. It is hoped that this will help Ukrainians protect themselves from Russia's war of destruction against civilians and, at the same time, turn the tide of the war permanently against Putin's army.

Biden also believed this, stating that "Ukraine can and will stop Putin."

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
Finnish military intelligence: the Russian army is at the limits of its operational capability
Finnish weapons are being tested against the Russians in Ukraine
Technically backward, miscellaneous group of gunmen

A thousand years of unintegrated immigration

After the pro-immigration political left succeeded in elections in both the United Kingdom and France – and also in the European elections in Finland – I recalled an entry I wrote in 2019 on my Finnish-language blog. I have therefore decided to translate it into English. So here it is, dear readers!

* * *

One of the critical issues for Europe in the 21st century is immigration from developing countries. Particularly important is the question of how large the new population, which has a negative impact on its environment, will become. In other words, how many of the newcomers will fail to integrate into European societies and contribute to maintaining its welfare.

In relation to this question, I read an interesting research report that studied the DNA of people buried in the area of ancient Rome over thousands of years. This gave insight into how the population of the area had developed.

Before the development of agriculture, the Romans belonged to the group of Western European hunter-gatherers, but with the advent of agriculture, people of Anatolian and Iranian origin arrived in the area. During the Copper and Bronze Ages, the proportion of the hunter-gatherer population or their descendants increased again in the area, but the Anatolian-Iranian genetic makeup remained dominant.

By 900 BCE, the population had received a significant influx of people from the steppe regions of Eastern Europe and from Iran. Additionally, some people arrived from Western North Africa. This population genetically closely resembled modern-day Romans.

However, Rome grew and its population became more diverse. People came particularly from the east, from the areas of present-day Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Jordan, and Syria, as well as from Anatolia and Iran, to the extent that these population groups made up a significantly larger proportion of the city's inhabitants than the descendants of Iron Age Romans.

The situation changed in the Middle Ages when the genetic makeup of Rome's population reverted to being largely similar to that of Central and Northern Europe. At the same time, the metropolis of a million people from antiquity collapsed into a city of about 100,000 inhabitants. In other words, as Rome fell, its multicultural society from ancient times disintegrated, leaving behind only the original Iron Age-like population, while other population groups moved elsewhere.

* * *

According to the study, a multicultural society is nothing new in Europe, as even in antiquity, large cities attracted people from great distances. Part of that population certainly consisted of slaves, who are estimated to have made up as much as a third of Rome's population, but there must have also been a large number of free professionals among them.

The biggest difference compared to modern times was probably that newcomers to Rome were not known to be pampered with welfare services – unless slavery is counted as such – but had to earn their living themselves. Thus, the disappearance of the population with the collapse of the great empire is understandable as the basis for their livelihood vanished.

Reflecting on modern times, I was nonetheless surprised by the associated population genetic change, as the Roman Empire, and thus also the multicultural city of Rome, lasted for about a thousand years. One might have thought that there would have been a lot of intermarriage between the city's population groups and/or that families from elsewhere would have at least established themselves as respected inhabitants of the city.

If that had been the case, the genetic composition of the city's population should have remained roughly the same when it collapsed. Since this did not happen, it can be concluded that even a thousand years was not enough for the multicultural population of Rome to integrate.

This should be remembered when discussing Finnish - as well as European - immigration policy. If and when we accept large numbers of people from cultural backgrounds different from our own, they will remain a separate segment from the majority population for up to a thousand years, even if they are integrated into the workforce.

As such, they will also leave our northern country immediately if living conditions here deteriorate. Right now, this would particularly mean the deterioration of welfare state services for some of our immigrant groups.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
French Election Results: A Deep Dive into Tactical Voting and Its Implications
Elections in the UK: A Shift Toward Hand-Waving Politics?
The European Parliament elections were a celebration for the far-left in Finland

French Election Results: A Deep Dive into Tactical Voting and Its Implications

The second round of the French elections held yesterday has been followed worldwide with great interest because, based on the first round, it was speculated that the immigration-critical National Rally might rise to become the country's largest party and possibly even take on government responsibility.

However, when the results came out, it was clear that this did not happen. Instead, the largest party in parliament became the red-green New Popular Front with 182 seats. The center-right Ensemble pour la République, supported by President Macron, came second, and the National Rally ended up with only 143 seats. Other parties received 68 seats.

What makes the result interesting is something that, at least on their election coverage websites, the national broadcaster Yleisradio as well as private newspapers Ilta-Sanomat and Iltalehti failed to mention.

Namely, in Finnish elections, the percentage distribution of votes usually plays a major role. According to this, the clear winner of the elections was the National Rally with 37.1 percent. The New Popular Front, which grabbed the most seats, received "only" 25.8 percent, and the Ensemble coalition got 24.5 percent of the votes.

In other words, the elections saw a huge discrepancy between the parties' support and the number of parliamentary seats they received. The explanation for this was so-called tactical voting, an unholy alliance where the political center-right and left-green encouraged voters in each constituency to support each other's candidate if the National Rally candidate had a chance of winning.

One can – of course – ask whether true democracy was realized in the Gallic elections.

In this writing, however, I do not aim to answer the question I posed, but I note that it will be extremely difficult for Macron's supporters and the left-green to find common ground on the direction in which France will be governed in the future. And the situation is not helped by the fact that the left-green New Popular Front is very likely to break up during the current parliamentary term.

This might not matter much otherwise, but France's public finances are even more indebted than Finland's. And the country's economy has not grown in a long time. Meanwhile, the number of immigrants is steadily increasing, and as a result, the number of Muslims now stands at about 10 percent of the population.

Therefore, it remains to be seen what will happen in one of the EU's major powers in the upcoming parliamentary term. My guess is that we will see a lot of action and dangerous situations, so to speak, but France's problems will remain unresolved despite this. And this is not good for the EU, the French, or Finland.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Elections in the UK: A Shift Toward Hand-Waving Politics?
A National Rally election victory does not mean that France will become like Finland under the Finns Party
The future of all Europe is at stake

The Relationship Between the Professor and Teemu Selänne

On the discussion forum of a Finnish newspaper Uusi Suomi, a Green municipal councilor referred to me by writing that "'Professor' is indeed a Selänne". The perspective was interesting in that I have not been very interested in the life of the former Finnish hockey star.

Then I noticed a small article about Teemu Selänne in Ilta-Sanomat. According to it, he has received US citizenship and has been active on social media. Through the newspaper's reporter, he conveyed a few interesting comments to us Finns.

In the first, he explained his view on Extinction Rebellion: "It's not about not accepting demonstrations. That's not true. The criticism was about how they are organized... In my opinion, demonstrations are a great thing, but breaking the law and making people's lives difficult is not acceptable."

In the second, he commented on the intellectual dishonesty of the green-left: "The whining is quite loud sometimes. It's funny that those who whine demand freedom of opinion and speech, but suddenly differing opinions are not okay."

In the third, he reminded us of the rules of societal debate: "If you have something to say about a matter, it needs to be said. But there's no point in coming to explain that I am an asshole or something about our children. That's not okay."

In the fourth, he addressed the presidential elections in his new home country, USA: "It's vague that in a country of 330 million people, there are no other candidates than two old men... It might be appropriate to head towards younger candidates and a bit of a new style."

In the fifth, he shared his view on society: "I still believe that the state should interfere in people's lives as minimally as possible. Individual power and personal decisions are the most important."

In the sixth, he commented on how the media chooses sides: "It's a bit like listening only to the prosecutor in court. You don't get the right picture. When I started following politics, I was told to watch both channels, CNN and Fox, equally. Those who only watch one side do not have a true picture of what is happening."

All in all, the article in Ilta-Sanomat conveyed Teemu Selänne's societal views in such a healthy way that any reasonably sensible person would easily agree with the thoughts he expressed. Therefore, I do not mind the characterization of myself recorded in the comments section of Uusi Suomi. Not even because that particular Green municipal politician later claimed in his comment that "the professor's thoughts" are not worth reading.

Instead, I suspect that this is precisely why an exceptionally large number of people reading the discussion clicked on the link to my writing - which in turn led me to find out why there had been an unusually high number of readers for that particular writing on Uusi Suomi.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Joe Biden Must Step Aside, But Can a Suitable Candidate Be Found?
Competence of the political left
Correct minister, ridiculous facts

Why Can't Finland Find Workforce?

In Finland, there is a battery factory where people from over 60 different countries work. This is not due to a labor shortage or low wages.

Instead, the reason lies in the Finnish unemployment and social security systems, whose high level provides the unemployed with a relatively comfortable life, so they do not need to leave their hometown even when they become unemployed. As a result, Finnish companies have to seek staff from around the world.

This is a problem whose root cause is the oversized socialist thinking that has entrenched itself in Finnish society, where the society aims to absorb all setbacks related to individuals' lives. The result is simultaneous unemployment and labor shortages.

Indirectly, this also means that Finns are not very eager to start businesses. It would require taking risks, and in addition, the unemployment compensation following a potential failure would be almost nonexistent compared to a salaried worker. Therefore, only a few are willing to start new companies.

The current right-wing government led by Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party) has promised in its program to "implement a wide range of reforms to improve incentives to work, simplify the social security system, facilitate employment and provision of work, develop international recruitment, increase local bargaining in the labour market, improve wellbeing at work and the integration of work and family, and continue the reform of employment services."

It remains to be seen whether they will succeed in their goal. However, it is already clear at this stage that the reforms are opposed by both the left-wing opposition and the trade union movement. This was already seen in the winter when unions tried to prevent the government from taking the first measures aimed at improving the efficiency of Finnish working life with a wide wave of strikes.

It is to be hoped, therefore, that the government will succeed in implementing the rest of its plans, and that Finnish companies will be able to get domestic labor if they wish. This does not mean that employees cannot be hired from abroad, but rather that society would not have to simultaneously support able-bodied but unwilling people elsewhere.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The change in the demographic structure of Helsinki
History of Finland VIII: Joining of Finland to Russia led to an increase in crime
A nurse´s question: who deserves health care, and who does not

Elections in the UK: A Shift Toward Hand-Waving Politics?

In Finland, people are accustomed to a proportional electoral system where the number of representatives a party receives corresponds reasonably well to the proportion of votes it gets. Therefore, in Finland's 200-seat parliament, there are as many as nine parties, the largest of which has 48 representatives. This forces parties to form multi-party coalitions, resulting in relatively stable politics over time.

It's different in Britain, where the single-member district system has practically led to a two-party system. Other parties have little chance of getting their candidates elected, but they significantly influence the support of the two major parties.

Thus, the 14 percent support received by Nigel Farage's Reform UK party in the recent parliamentary elections resulted in the Labour Party gaining almost fifty percent more representatives than in the previous term with only about a two percent increase in support. Meanwhile, Reform UK itself received only a few seats.

At the same time, the previously ruling Conservative Party practically collapsed, and Britain is facing a radical change in political direction. According to the Labour party's election program, this will have unpredictable consequences especially for the country's domestic politics.

This is because, at least from here in Finland, the party's program seems more like hand-waving, that is, irresponsible redistribution politics rather than a serious political plan. This is because Britain's public finances are heavily indebted: the national debt is over 100 percent of the gross domestic product.

Of course, time will tell whether my impression is accurate or if it's just a Nordic prejudice. However, I wouldn't bet that the Labour Party's term in office will bring long-term success to the island nation.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A National Rally election victory does not mean that France will become like Finland under the Finns Party
The future of all Europe is at stake
The most effective Russian agent in the UK

Joe Biden Must Step Aside, But Can a Suitable Candidate Be Found?

The fragile president of the USA, Joe Biden, failed completely in his recent debate but is still aiming for a second term. This would very likely mean that Donald Trump will return to lead the USA.

This is bad news for the entire world. However, it would also be bad if Biden continues in power, especially if he is as senile as he appeared during the debate.

This is because the world needs a competent leader for the flagship of democratic nations. One who can find ways to defeat Russia in Ukraine, ensure that China doesn't even consider attempting to conquer Taiwan, and keep Islamist extremists in check.

For this reason, I really hope that Biden will withdraw his candidacy. But that is not enough; a replacement candidate must also be found for the Democrats, someone who can guide the Western superpower’s economy to continue growing, take an interest in global politics, and ensure internal security in the USA.

It is unfortunately clear that the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, is not such a person, but could a competent replacement for Biden be found? Someone intelligent, competent, and capable.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Biden's dementia and Trump's speeches may improve European security
Risk of dementia in the U.S. presidential elections

Climate Model Predictions and the Reality of Arctic Sea Ice

Climate change caused by humans is expected to be particularly rapid in the Arctic region. As a result, the northern sea ice is expected to melt, perhaps as early as the next decade.

These predictions are based on such complex climate models that even researchers cannot fully understand them, let alone ordinary tax-paying citizens. Therefore, it is extremely interesting to follow the statistics on ice area development published by the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

NSIDC publishes ice area statistics monthly. And now the statistics for June are available, from which I drew the picture below.

As seen in the figure, the ice area in June has varied over the years, but it is not possible to say that it has decreased any further since 2007. It remains to be seen when its development will return to the downward trajectory predicted by climate models—or if it will at all.

In addition to the Arctic ice area, the NSIDC publishes daily statistics on ice extent, which differs from area in a similar way that the surface area of a slice of Swiss cheese including the holes differs from its area without the holes. According to this statistic, the ice extent yesterday was the fourteenth largest for that date in its measurement history.

I have been following these statistics for a long time and have been puzzled by the fact that they are rarely reported in the media aimed at the general public. However, I am sure that many readers would find following the melting of the northern sea ice quite interesting.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
Can climate models predict the distribution of warming?
The area of Arctic sea ice was exceptionally large in January
Does Arctic sea ice melt as atmospheric greenhouse gases increase?

 

Finland and Western Europe: Effectively at War

In Finland, an interesting discussion has emerged about our current relationship with Russia. MEP and General Pekka Toveri (National Coalition Party) claimed that Finland and other Western European countries are already effectively at war with Vladimir Putin's dictatorship.

He did not, of course, mean a war fought with firearms, but rather that Russia is directing all kinds of aggressive actions against Finland and other Western countries. According to Toveri, "Russia is extensively planning, preparing, and executing sabotage across Europe. For example, weapons depots have been blown up, assassinations carried out, cables cut, and there is ongoing information warfare and cyberattacks. Additionally, the West is threatened with nuclear weapons, the refugee weapon is used, GPS interference is conducted, and so on."

This was picked up by MP Pinja Perholehto (Social Democratic Party), who either pretended not to understand—or worse yet—genuinely did not grasp the matter. She therefore asked on social media, "If we are indeed at war, why don't the President and the Council of State declare a state of emergency under the Emergency Powers Act and enable authorities to act accordingly?"

In the ensuing discussion, Toveri stated that "Russia specifically aims to operate below the threshold of the Emergency Powers Act, making it as difficult as possible to counter their actions," and thus advised, "do not think of war in the old-fashioned way as only kinetic troop warfare. The Russians do not think so either."

Perholehto's comment demonstrated that Putin's Russia has achieved some level of success in its actions. Despite the fact that most of the public understands his actions and intentions, there is complete incomprehension—or at least a desire to score political points from the threat to our country—on the left side of the political spectrum.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The most effective Russian agent in the UK

Putin's useful idiots in Finland
Finnish general praised the Ukrainian air strike

A National Rally election victory does not mean that France will become like Finland under the Finns Party

The result of the first round of the French elections met expectations. This indicates that the residents' frustration with the current immigration policy and its consequences is now becoming a reality.

An example of these consequences was seen when an attack occurred at a wedding of Turkish background individuals in Thionville, France, where a group armed with assault rifles killed one and injured several people. The incident is reportedly linked to gang conflicts involved in drug trafficking.

If and when such events – and similar ones – occur repeatedly, it is understandable that people accustomed to European order are dissatisfied and thus desire the change offered by the National Rally.

* * *

A Finnish journalist outlined four consequences of the election results. The first, according to her, is the reduction of France's support for Ukraine. This would mean a small victory for Vladimir Putin's Russia and is starkly opposed to the strongly pro-Ukraine stance of Finland's immigration-critical Finns Party.

The second issue the journalist mentioned that can be expected to change in France is the populist economic policy of the National Rally, which threatens to drive the country into an even deeper debt crisis. This is also a significant difference from the Finns Party, which has pushed for strict economic policies in government, causing the political left in opposition to resort to populist outcries.

The third potential change highlighted by the Finnish journalist was France's refusal to pay its membership fee to the EU. This would obviously have a massive impact on the entire Union, potentially pushing it back towards being a pure trade alliance. This would fit well with Finns Party's immigration-critical and EU-critical stance.

Finally, the journalist mentioned that the EU would become more value-conservative. This would mean not only stricter immigration policies but also a more conservative approach to sexual deviations and abortions.

In this respect, the relationship between the immigration-critical parties in France and Finland is not straightforward. In Finland, practically everyone supports the right to abortion, but many immigration-critical individuals view the hype around sexual deviations negatively.

* * *

As my esteemed reader noticed, the message of this blog post is that although the immigration policies practiced across Europe have led to the emergence of large immigration-critical parties in both Finland and France – and many other countries – this does not mean that European politics is changing in all other respects.

This is particularly evident in these parties' relations with Russia and economic thinking, but also in many other aspects. Therefore, no hasty conclusions should be drawn from the first round of the French elections.

Additionally, it must be remembered that an unholy alliance is forming in France between Macron supporters and the left, which, if successful, could prevent the rise of the National Rally to power and thereby block the rise of the immigration-critical Gauls for another term.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The future of all Europe is at stake
Swedish-Somali Offspring, Penalties, and Our Country's Attractiveness Factors
Mass immigration is the greatest concern for EU youth

The future of all Europe is at stake

Europe has long been undergoing significant change. Amid their prosperity, the continent's original inhabitants have had fewer children, while at the same time, a diverse array of people have been flooding in from developing countries.

As a result, numerous political parties have emerged in European democracies that are critical of the ongoing changes. These include parties like Finland's Finns Party, Sweden's Sweden Democrats, Germany's Alternative for Germany, and Italy's Brothers of Italy.

Many of these parties performed exceptionally well in the recent EU parliamentary elections. This was also the case in France, where the success of the National Rally prompted President Emmanuel Macron to call for new elections.

The first round of those elections takes place today and could have a significant impact on Europe's future. The latest opinion polls predict that the National Rally could garner as much as 35-37% of the vote, while Macron's forces could come in third with about 20-21%. The united left is positioned in between.

If the election results follow the polls, it would mean significant polarization in French society, where these forces, unwilling to cooperate with each other, would try to find a solution on how to move the country forward.

Thus, it remains to be seen – if the election results match the predictions – how French politics will shape up in the coming years. Will they take examples from countries like Finland, where immigration criticism has been included in the government program by building effective cooperation among the right-wing parties in parliament, especially the National Coalition Party and the Finns Party?

However, France's situation differs from Finland in two ways. Firstly, its Muslim population is significantly larger – around ten percent – and secondly, it has not been customary to seek pragmatic consensus between different political forces.

It is already clear at this stage that the immigration policies practiced in Europe have led to a new political situation in France – and the entire continent – which will ultimately define the kind of world the descendants of the cradle of Western culture will live in the future. Therefore, it can be rightly said that the stakes of the French elections are the future of all of Europe.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Marxist far-right and bullies
Mass immigration is the greatest concern for EU youth
Prediction: Sharia law in force in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France by the year 2044

Swedish-Somali Offspring, Penalties, and Our Country's Attractiveness Factors

In Finland yesterday, severe sentences were handed down to a large group of individuals guilty of organized crime. According to a report by the National Broadcasting Company Yle, Nassar Abdouraman Moussa received 10 years in prison, Zakaria Said Mohamed 10 years in prison, Hassan Abdulkadir Mohammed 10 years in prison, Mohamed Abdulkadir Okashe 10 years in prison, Farhaan Mohamed Omar 10 years in prison, Mazen Omer 10 years in prison, Abdiwahab Abdirahman Shekul 9 years in prison, Arlind Sokoli 9 years in prison, and Subeir Abdi Qalib 6 years and 6 months in prison. Additionally, the court sentenced a total of 13 individuals to less than six years. One person received a fine, and charges against three individuals were dismissed.

As my esteemed reader might have already noticed from the list of names I copied above, the convicted organized drug dealer group is a result of Nordic immigration policy and its Somali offspring. And that the individuals now convicted have ended up committing crimes in our country as a consequence of the deliberate decisions made by previous governments in Finland - and also in Sweden.

* * *

Another current consequence of the immigration policy practiced is the crime committed by street gangs, which could be described as the terrorizing of others—most often young people. Its occurrence in Finland is also due to the deliberate decisions made by politicians who previously led our country.

Fortunately, the current government, led by Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party), has prepared a proposal under the leadership of Minister of the Interior Leena Meri (Finns Party), which includes harsher penalties for street gang activities, humiliating victims, and using individuals under the age of 15 in committing crimes. The proposal has been completed and is now going for expert review.

It is to be hoped that the expert reviews will identify all such factors that could weaken the effectiveness of the proposed law change on street gang activities. And that these will be corrected, and the new legislation will come into force as quickly as possible.

* * *

The third current issue relates to reducing the reception allowance paid to immigrants and changing international protection to be temporary. These reforms are also well advanced and are only awaiting approval in Parliament.

Although the amount of the reception allowance or changing protection to be temporary is not directly related to criminals or crime, once implemented, they can be expected to reduce Finland's attractiveness to immigrants seeking better living standards or social security. Thus, over time, it will significantly reduce the number of potential immigrant criminals in the country.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Immigration issue
The stabbing of the 12-year-old led to political revelry among the left in Finland
Getting asylum in Finland becomes significantly more difficult