May Day Reflections from a President—and a Student

The former President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, was both a lawyer and a politician during his career. That combination is not particularly rare, but what is unusual is a former head of state openly sharing memories from his student days.

Niinistö was likely inspired by the upcoming May Day Eve, which in Finland is a celebration not only for workers but also for students. That was already the case during his own time as a law student, when the festivities would begin well in advance.

One year, however, the student celebrations in Turku took a turn when a law students’ organization was caught selling alcohol illegally. Niinistö didn’t elaborate on the consequences but did offer a cryptic comment: the festivities didn’t end there—“lawyers always find a loophole.”

As a student, Niinistö lived mostly on study loans but worked whenever he could. He was willing to take on any job, so the future MP, minister, and president gained some early experience in the political trenches—by, for example, repairing sewers.

Looking back, he described the most valuable lesson of those years as learning, little by little, to recognize different kinds of people—and to understand that “in the end, we’re all carved from roughly the same wood.”

One of the president’s most poignant international memories was connected to the Prague Spring—the Czechoslovak uprising of 1968. Niinistö had a couple of Czech friends who, inspired by the movement, returned to their homeland that spring and disappeared. As he put it: “the guys went to Prague in the spring, and nothing was ever heard from them again, even though they were passionate fellows.”

That story reminds us of the cruelty inflicted by the Soviet-led socialist dictatorship within its sphere of influence. And it strengthens our resolve to ensure that Europe is never again divided into spheres of influence between the West and Russia.

With these presidential memories, I wish all readers of this blog a joyful May Day! Enjoy the spirit of spring—whether you are a worker, a student, or simply a fellow human being. And always stay on the right side!

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Finnish horror gallery and reality
What seemed to be impossible just two years ago is going to happen in very near future

An African and an Iranian Immigrant Educated a Woke-Blinded Deputy Mayor

Yesterday, I wrote about how an ethnically Finnish female deputy mayor Piia Elo (Social Democrats) wanted to take an old board game - Star of Africa - away from children in daycare. It didn’t take long before Somali-born school assistant Jama Jama weighed in on the matter.

He stated, “Good people, leave the board games alone. This makes no sense… Leave the board games for children and youth to play. The ‘Star of Africa’ is part of Finnish culture… I play it (‘Star of Africa’) every day with the kids. There is no racism in that game.”

And he’s not the only one. An Iranian living in Finland, Bijan Rezah Jahromi, also commented on social media, writing, “I personally remember when I moved to Finland at the age of 6, we played the ‘Star of Africa’ and other board games as well as ice hockey. That’s how I quickly learned the Finnish language. Let children be children.”

So, it took an African and an Iranian immigrant to tell an ethnically Finnish, woke-blinded deputy mayor that she is utterly lacking in understanding. Unfortunately, I suspect that this particular Social Democrat and self-appointed advocate doesn’t have the insight to recognize even the disregard—if not outright racism—toward Africans and their culture inherent in her own behavior.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Finnish Deputy Mayor Wanted to Ban an Old Board Game from Children
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration
Finnish journalist called for British Prime Minister´s head to be placed on London bridge to dry

A Fair Game or Unfair Judgment?

In a primary school located in a medium-sized coastal town in western Finland, seven-year-old girls and boys were tasked with competing to see which group behaved better in class and kept their surroundings tidier. In other words, they were judged on adherence to behavioral norms that were taken for granted in the schools of my childhood.

The girls won the competition and were rewarded with a toy day. This, however, upset the boys’ mothers, whose little darlings couldn’t manage to be tidy or behave properly.

As a result, one mother contacted a national broadcasting company Yle, claiming that “the competitive setup and the criteria seemed unfair, and the group division went against the National Agency for Education's policies on segregation.” She also lamented, “Nobody does things like this anymore these days. Are boys wild and disobedient just because they’re energetic?”

Instead of having boys and girls compete in behavior and tidiness, she suggested rewarding the boys for, say, running a certain distance in the schoolyard as defined by a teacher. This, she argued, would allow them to please the teacher in a different way. Personally, I couldn’t see how this would promote children’s education or learning — unlike the competition at hand.

According to the principal of the criticized school, “The teachers certainly did not intend to act against the curriculum. This was a human error from which we will learn. We are all human and make mistakes.”

Undoubtedly, this was an effort to save face — and perhaps it succeeded. Time will tell.

* * *

To me, however, there was nothing odd or unfair about the competition. Calm and orderly behavior is something that promotes learning in schools. As such, it is an excellent — and learning-relevant — basis for competition, regardless of gender. Moreover, it is an event that especially helps wild boys improve their self-control.

Admittedly, the groups could have been divided without regard to gender, which would have prevented the boys’ mothers from blaming their children’s loss on their gender. But I believe that a competition between genders is the most motivating setup for seven-year-olds — especially for boys.

For this reason, I suspect that the mother who took her complaint to the national media should take a good look in the mirror. After all, the school competition reflected the general perception that mothers have long demanded better behavior and tidiness from their daughters than from their sons. The girls’ victory, therefore, was no great surprise — but hopefully, it offered a valuable lesson not only to the boys in the class but also to their mothers.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Safe Spaces or Freedom of Knowledge?
How to Increase Fertility Rates: A Finnish Solution
The Difference Between Left-Wing and Right-Wing Envy

Estonia is Arming its Military, but Does the Nation Have the Will to Defend Itself?

The Estonian Defense Forces have begun to significantly develop their naval combat capabilities. One example of this is that the northernmost Baltic country has acquired Blue Spear anti-ship missiles this year, which can also be used against land-based targets. The range of these missiles extends from Estonian territory to areas off the coast of St. Petersburg and as far as the northern parts of Kaliningrad. Additionally, the missile's guidance system cannot be electronically disrupted.

Estonia is also accelerating its weapons, ammunition, and drone production. To facilitate this, it plans to build a defense industry park, which is expected to attract €150 million in investments within just a couple of years.

Estonia already has Korean K9 Thunder howitzers, and more are on the way. Furthermore, it has ordered Caesar howitzers from France and HIMARS rocket systems, which have proven extremely effective in Ukraine.

However, Estonia's navy is very small, and the country also lacks a proper air force. For this reason, the effectiveness of its defense forces depends heavily on the support of other NATO countries in the event of a crisis. In this regard, Finland is likely to play a key role.

Nevertheless, Finnish military historian Martti Turtola has expressed doubts about the Estonians' willingness to defend their country. This was also lacking in 1939 when the country, under pressure from the Soviet Union, signed an agreement that gave the Red Army free access to Estonia.

As a result of this decision, the Soviet Union occupied all of Estonia without resistance in 1940, and after World War II, it remained a part of the "workers' paradise" ruled by Stalin and his successors for five decades. In this sense, one can only hope that Turtola is wrong and that Estonians have learned something from their history. One would hope they would defend their country as resolutely as the Finns did in the Winter War of 1939–1940, thereby preserving their independence and Western way of life.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
NATO's Northern Europe Headquarters to be Established in Mikkeli, Finland's Former Military Command City
Will Russia Test NATO's Article Five?
Estonias voted for economic liberalism

Society, Genetics, and the Impact of Consanguineous Marriages: At the Intersection of Education and Heredity

Many immigrant groups in Europe are known for having a high occurrence of consanguineous marriages, or incestuous unions. The issue with this can be summarized as follows: children born to closely related parents have a lower degree of heterozygosity because a significant portion of their genes comes from the same individual—for example, from a grandparent in the case of cousins. In other words, these individuals inherit identical gene variants more frequently than others.

As a result, genes that usually appear in humans as a single copy without affecting their outward characteristics, or phenotype, become visible. Among these genes, there are often many defective variants in one way or another.

The rarity of these recessive genetic defects is due to natural selection, which works against them. It operates in such a way that individuals with an observable genetic defect tend to have fewer offspring than others. Consequently, their genes do not pass on to future generations as effectively as those of other individuals.

It’s important to note that recessive genetic defects are not always clearly visible diseases. Often, they are only mildly harmful and thus primarily affect an individual’s vitality—for example, by impairing physical or mental performance—and are not considered outright diseases.

Since recessive gene variants only affect people when inherited from both parents, children born from consanguineous marriages are more likely to have disabilities. Even the seemingly healthy offspring of such unions tend to have, on average, fewer abilities than other people.

This is likely one of the most significant reasons why certain immigrant groups have struggled to succeed in Western societies, and it strongly influences the poor learning abilities observed in their children.

For this reason, consanguineous marriages should not be a taboo or off-limits topic in an increasingly diverse society but, rather, the opposite. And because this is a growing issue, the public—especially those from cultures that favor consanguinity—must be educated on the negative consequences of this tradition.

In other words, incestuous unions and their harmful societal effects must be openly discussed!

This should also be addressed—especially in schools—even if some students are themselves the offspring of cousin marriages. It is essential for them to understand this issue, break the harmful tradition of their culture, and choose spouses from outside their family.

It’s worth emphasizing that the hereditary harms caused by consanguineous marriage disappear entirely within a single generation. Therefore, even the descendants of the most inbred members of the most incestuous cultures are not doomed to the bottom of society—provided they understand the importance of not procreating with a relative.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish Society Adopts Medieval Characteristics
Freudian slip, 9-year-old girl and cultural appropriation
Cousin is not just a delicacy, but also a hindrance to social success

Games and Midsummer games

Young mammals are often playful, as anyone who has interacted with a kitten or puppy knows. This is no coincidence, as play teaches them skills needed later in life, such as hunting or intra-species confrontations for defending territories or during mating season.

A recent study analyzed the behavior of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Western Australia. Observations were available from as early as 1982, making it possible to compare the events of their adult lives with their childhood.

Researchers found that young male dolphins engaged in play resembling adult reproductive behavior, such as forming alliances with other males to herd females and producing specific vocalizations in the presence of the opposite sex.

Paternity data from eleven male dolphins, on the other hand, showed that their later reproductive success was quite well predicted by the time they spent as young dolphins participating in social play that resembled adult male sexual behavior. In other words, they demonstrated the benefits of play in the development of sexual behavior in wild animal populations.

I decided to publish this text on the morning of Midsummer Day, as I assumed some of my esteemed readers might have participated in Midsummer's traditional rituals, which are believed to have magical effects on one's romantic life. Not because I think they somehow correspond to the adult-mimicking play of young dolphins, but because both are related to the most important task in an individual's life for the survival of the species: reproduction.

And perhaps something has happened on this Midsummer night that will be reflected in national statistics nine months from now?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The amazing adventures of the German cockroach
World oceans are filled with previously unknown viruses
Seeing sex developed novel cultures

Incapable of learning but capable of genocide

Russian troops are suffering from huge losses in Ukraine. One of the battles, where Ukraine has made great success is that of Vuhledar, where up to 130 tanks or other vehicles has been destroyed. That should not be possible, if the Russian army was at highly professional level in its skills.

A Finnish lieutenant colonel stated that the Russians have not learned anything since the early days of the war. And during those days another Finnish colonel already noted that Russian tactic in Ukraine was so poor, that if someone in a Finnish officer education would have suggested something similar in an exam, he would have been discarded. 

The observation does not promise much for the future of Vladimir Putin´s army in Ukraine. If they are not able to learn from their mistakes, the only standing result of the war "beneficial" to his regime will be reduction of the number of minority people in the Russia. 

That is because Putin has preferentially forced them to join his troops. And therefore he should be tried in the future court-martial, in addition to everything else, for ethnic cleansing. Assuming, of course, that he doesn't lose his life before that.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is the moral of Russians collapsing
Alexander Dugin calls for Putin´s murder
Military specialist: Russian plan in Ukraine was incredibly poor

Sweden already in trouble - Finland following

Sweden has become famous of its street gangs composed largely of immigrants from developing countries. The problem was during the last few days demonstrated by two explosions (in Solna and Södermalm) in Stockholm, the capitol of the country.

That reality affected strongly results of recent elections of Parliament, which resulted in a huge increase of votes to Swedish Democrats supporting stringent immigration - and immigrant - policy, despite attempts to add a Nazi label on this party. 

It remains to be seen, if political change in Sweden lead to a factual change. It is, however, notable that immigration-driven gangs have also appeared to Finland. 

According to an older police officer, the number of Swedish-type Finnish gangs is currently eleven and include at least 200 people - most of them are adults and have roots outside the country (typically in the Islamic world). They are associated with many different crime types. 

According to the police officer, it is difficult to say how far Finns are from the situation in Sweden. In a long run it is, however, clear that similar problems will land also in the Eastern side of the Baltic Sea. And it is possible that - in addition to local immigrant-associated gangs - also their Swedish counterparts will appear.

The police officer points out that the current legislation in Finland hampers attempts to prevent - and even solve - crime. And therefore criminal career stands up to a young immigrant as a quick route to richness and fame. The attractiveness of this option is enhanced by the poor learning performance of many children with ethnic-cultural background in developing countries. 

Taken together: while Sweden is already in a big trouble, Finland seems to be following its footsteps with very little concern about its future. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A notable difference between Social Democrats in Sweden and Finland
Increase of violence by youngsters in Finnish towns
Did police have the right to strip women

Military service to overthrow Mr. Putin

The Finnish Ministry of Defense has decided to send soldiers to UK to educate Ukrainian troops. The purpose is to provide similar military training as is given in Finnish military service. 

This action is part of a British attempt to educate a total of 10 000 Ukrainian soldiers. Other countries participating are at least Sweden, Canada and Netherlands. 

This is kind of action where Finnish military can be useful for Ukrainians. That is because all Finns are reaching during their obligatory military service a level that was described after a common military exercise by a US Colonel with words "in my opinion, they are professionals as soldiers". He even mentioned that professional US soldiers had learned a lot from Finns during the training - although learning happened naturally also the other way around. 

My hope is that whatever Ukrainian soldiers learn in their training, that would help them pushing Russian troops over the border between the two Slavonic countries. And ultimately cause in Russia a revolution that would end the era of the current criminal regime led by Mr. Putin.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Finnish army is respected by Russians
Russian army not comparable to western military services
Military specialist: Russian plan in Ukraine was incredibly poor