Nordic thread 2: Nordic politics

[Tero]

No, it is a 6 hour drive to Chocago. I think we have no mail in ballots. My son has to vote absentee ballot for Obama as he will be in Tampere 4 months.

[Tero]

Nokia doing poorly. Can Microsoft afford for Nokia to fail?

5th in top row is president Niinistö.

[Tero]

Denmark to ban mutilation of boys. As well as girls, I presume
http://cphpost.dk/news/circumcision-div ... .8440.html

[Svartalf]

Law against mutilation of girls is likely much older

[Tero]

Yes, it is probably part of the European documents implied to.

Somali girls take Finnish state sponsored "vacation" trips to Africa with a relative to be mutilated. Finnish doctors have to undo some closures quite often, for medical reasons.

[MiM]

A father that ordered mutilation of his son in secret from the boy's mother got completely freed by secondary court (hovioikeus) here in Finland a few weeks ago, so did the "doctor" who made the cutting in the home of the family. I really hope that will get changed by the supreme court (if it even gets all the way there).

One really odd thing about that case is that the father is a Catholic, and the court had no problems with accepting that circumcision would be a catholic tradition.

[Tero]

[JimC]

Nordic politics is to ordinary politics is like Nordic skiing is to downhill skiing.

Boring but healthy...

[Tero]

Fake happiness:
Whether it is Denmark's happiness, its restaurants, or TV dramas; Sweden's gender equality, crime novels and retail giants; Finland's schools; Norway's oil wealth and weird songs about foxes; or Iceland's bounce-back from the financial abyss, we have an insatiable appetite for positive Nordic news stories. After decades dreaming of life among olive trees and vineyards, these days for some reason, we Brits are now projecting our need for the existence of an earthly paradise northwards.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/ ... ZU3mrExm78

[L'Emmerdeur]

While attention is on the Mideast, an intriguing caper in the Gulf of Finland.

'NATO to respond if Baltic Sea pipeline damage deliberate - alliance chief'

NATO will discuss damage to a gas pipeline and data cable running between member states Finland and Estonia, and will mount a "determined" response if a deliberate attack is proven, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

Damage to the Balticconnector pipeline and telecommunications cable was confirmed on Tuesday after one of the two pipeline operators, Finland's Gasgrid, noted a drop in pressure and possible leak on Sunday night during a storm.

Helsinki, which is investigating, has said the damage was probably caused by "outside activity". That has stoked concern over regional energy security and pushed gas prices higher.

"The important thing now is to establish what happened and how this could happen," Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels ahead of a meeting of the military alliance.

"If it is proven to be a deliberate attack on NATO-critical infrastructure, then this will be, of course, serious, but it will also be met by a united and determined response from NATO."

Finland's National Bureau of Investigation said "external marks" had been found on the seabed beside the damaged pipeline and that it was reviewing the movements of vessels in the area at the time of the rupture.

[Brian Peacock]

Scandiland seems like a great place to live - if you ignore the alcoholism and suicide rate - but it's no Netherlands is it?

[pErvinalia]

And the long cold dark winters. Probably linked to the suicide rate.