The newest and hottest this spring in the terrorist gadget line, all the way from Pakistan: Bicycle Bombs! What next, terrorist teenagers with skateboard bombs?!
Biking militants die when bomb explodes prematurely - CNN.com ( http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/02/24/pakistan.bomb.ap/index.html )
The same day that British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the 'withdrawal' of 1,600 British troops from the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the deployment of Prince Harry's regiment, the Blues and Royals (apt name...) is said to be 'almost certain'.
If deployed, Prince Harry, or Troop Commander Wales as he is known to his colleagues, will be in charge of an 11 man reconnaissance team equipped with 4 light armoured Scimitar tanks. So not exactly a desk job to keep him out of harms way, but rather to throw him right in the middle of it...
The last time that a senior Royal Family member has seen military action was in 1982, when Prince Andrew, Harry's uncle, was a helicopter pilot in the Falklands conflict. When's the last time any member of congress or the White House administration picked up a gun and headed of to war, and not speaking figuratively? We are talking about the grandson of the Queen of England here... When's the last time a child or grandchild of a US President head off to war?
The United Kingdom has some 7,100 troops in the southern part of Iraq, and is hoping to cut that number down to 5,500 'within the next few months', with an additional 500 hopefully called home by the end of the summer. The UK military presence in Iraq will contin
ue into 2008, 'for as long as [they're] wanted and have a job to do.'
Although the number of British forces to be withdrawn seems small, one must remember that initially the UK sent in some 45,000 soldiers in April 2003, and has gradually lowered the number of UK forces in Iraq.
So, on one had you have the UK, who, to some extent, is succeeding in its mission in securing Basra (again, to a degree), withdrawing troops and relinquishing control of the area to the Iraqis. On the other hand you have the US, who still maintain a force of some 132,000 soldiers in Iraq, and are now sending in an additional 21,500 troops, all the while (atleast seemingly) failing in their mission. It seems that the methods of operating in Iraq between the US and the UK are complete opposites. Lessons to be learned here, perhaps?
I'm not implying that the American troops are not pulling their weight in Iraq or are otherwise doing a lousy job. Those 132,000 US troops are doing the best they can under the circumstances, and probably could do a better job, if their job wasn't hampered by political mishandlings and other such burdens, both from the American generals and politicians in Iraq and Washington, and the Iraqi powers in charge over there. Someone in charge needs to get a clue, and fast. Sure, Baghdad is a whole different ballgame compared to Basra, but apparently things aren't working out too well in the capital...
On a final note, let's theorize about the deployment of Prince Harry to Iraq, and let's try to look at the pessimistic aspects of what could happen to him over there. Let's say he dies or is wounded in the line of duty by a) the insurgents, b) an accident c) friendly-fire:
a) an IED blows up his Scimitar tank and him with it. What would the British reaction in relation to the war in Iraq be? I could see it three ways. One, the remaining troops are withdrawn hastily, due to immense uproar back in the UK over
the war. Two, the British parliament sends in hundreds, if not thousands, of extra troops to finally eradicate all insurgency in the south. Three, the nation mourns but the soldiers in Iraq stay the course and finish the job.
b) same as part three of the above
c) US war planes shot up a regiment of British soldiers travelling in Scimitar tanks in 2003, killing one soldier. What if it happened again? How would the cooperation between the UK and the US change if it happened to Prince Harry's regiment? Would the UK immediately pull all its troops from Iraq? Politically, it's hard to say, but you know how the British public would react to it...
In any case, worst-case scenario for southern Iraq is that the presence of a very valuable target in Basra could bring more insurgent attacks on the city, undermining the efforts and results the British have undergone in recent months in trying to bring peace to the area. Let's hope for the best. Not just for England and Prince Harry, but also for the peaceful civilians of Basra...
Sources:
BBC NEWS UK Prince Harry 'to be sent to Iraq'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6383747.stm
BBC NEWS Politics Blair announces Iraq troops cut
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6380933.stm
A Bartow County, Georgia, couple had installed $1,200 worth of video cameras and a radar gun outside their home to catch speeders in their neighborhood and convince people to slow down for safety. It's good to see people take a genuine interest in the safety of their neighborhood, and things were rolling on smoothly until their surveillance system tagged a cop driving part at 17 mph over the posted speed limit.
The officer was able to come up with an excuse to dodge the penalty for speeding, and is now planning on pressing charges against the couple for stalking. Yes, stalking.
The couple were "allegedly stalking a Kennesaw police officer by installing cameras to track neighborhood speeders." I'm sorry, but if the cameras were installed to track neighbourhood speeders, how exactly are they stalking someone who happens to speed by?
Source:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/19/citizens-catch-cop-speeding-with-cameras-radars-face-arrest/
As of this April, first-time adult passport applicants will be called to face-to-face, 10-20 minute interviews, which "will be "vital" in helping crack identity fraud." (Identity fraud costs the UK an estimated £1.7bn a year.)
The interviews will affect some 600,000 people each year, and from 2009, interviews will also be compulsory for the millions more people who apply to renew lost, stolen or expired passports each year.
Now for the math portion: there'll be 610,000 first-time applicants each year, some 10% of the total applicants. There were 1,700 confirmed frauds detected last year.
74% of fraudulent cases were first-time adult applications. And here's the final math:
Approx. 6 million applicants each year.
Out of all 1700 confirmed cases, 1258 were new applicants, 442 renewals etc.
One confirmed fraud for every 3530 applicants.
Out of first-time applicants, who the new system targets, one confirmed fraud in 477 cases.
Out of other applicants, one confirmed fraud in 12217 cases.
So we're talking about inconveniencing a lot of people, some who'll have travel up to two hours for a short interview. Sure, its obvious that this new system is targeting the right demographic, but in doing so is adding unnecessary bureaucracy to the system, and added burden on the people.
The new system is being compared to the added airport security which people face each time they travel by air, an inconvenience which the people are expected to endure (and we do, because there's no alternative), just to get to travel. And we do so to feel safer. It's a good comparison, since the new system will really just be another hindrance to smooth travelling. The new system will cut down on 'chancers', but won't deter professional fraudsters.
So how's about these (theoretical) solutions?
Pretty soon all the fun has been sucked out of air travel... Adding more inconvenience to cover up outdated methods and equipment and goverment agency mishandlings is getting out of hand. The people can't be made to live in fear and submission forever...
It wasn't really the article which interested me, but the picture that came with it. That has to be one of the ugliest creatures I've seen in a while. The story was entitled "Science finds new ways to regrow fingers", which in itself is a pretty interesting read, but the more and more I look at that picture, I feel slightly sickened, yet oddly captivated by it. It's always interesting to think what these scientists think in the morning when they wake up. "Today, I'm going to grow feathers on a salamander." Atleast they didn't have a picture of a salamander with five fingers growing out of its back... Click on the image to see it larger.
Sources:
The article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_sc/regrowing_fingers
The photo: http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070215/480/ny49202151651;_ylt=AsYale7IWZ5Efrzn.n36nrVxieAA
By now everyone's probably heard that a bomb went off in a McDonald's in St. Petersburg, Russia yesterday. Sure, this happens every now and then, what with McDonald's being a symbol of American capitalism and all. There was one thing in the news reports which I've read online that caught my attention. In today's world, the word "Bomb" is always coupled with the word "Terrorism" or "Terrorist", unless used in the sense of military bombs. For example, "the bomb that killed x number of people in the market square was believed to be the work of so and so terrorists", or "the bombing of the train is being investigated as an act of terrorism". In this bit of news, the Russian Police are investigating the bombing of the St. Petersburg McDonald's as "an act of hooliganism" and have opened a criminal case "under the article of the Criminal Code of attempted murder of two and more persons" and the police doubt that this was an act of terrorism. They're not looking for terrorists, but young vandals and hooligans, in other words, criminals. Had this bomb gone off in a McDonald's in let's say France or the UK, the police would most likely be treating it as an act of terrorism. What if it had happened in America?
The only reason I can think of in this difference of thinking and labelling is that maybe the Russians can differentiate between a strong criminal act and an act of terrorism, something that the western world is having problems with. One has to take into consideration that Russia is better aware of terrorism than the western world, especially America, and has dealt with it in the past on numerous occasions. Maybe America and it's allies don't yet know what the true definition of terrorism is...
Sources:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/02/19/russia.blast/
http://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/artikkeli/1135225215438
Some time ago I heard of a documentary that someone was making, demonstrating evidence that 9/11 was an inside job, among others discrepancies within the events, undermining their validity. I finally found the video on YouTube and DailyMotion. (not that I've really been looking that hard.) The documentary makes a lot of good, solid, and absolutely valid points, provoking one to actually think "what if?" There are plenty of these videos, short clips and full feature documentaries. "Loose Change" is the one I've heard most about, but there are several other really interesting ones. "9-11 Mysteries-Demolitions" and "Improbable Collapse : The Demolition of our Republic" both focus on the collapse of the World Trade Centers. The reason I preferred "Loose Change" is because of it's entertainment factor. I will not state whether or not I believe in the 9/11 conspiracy theories, or if I believe that the US Governement was behind the acts of terrorism. The reason I'm posting these videos is to provide another side of the news. Which one is the correct interpretation of the events of September 11th, 2001, that's for you decide on your own. You know the official story, here's another version or two.
I've embedded the three parts of the documentary "Loose Change, 2nd Edition" in this post. Alternately, you can watch them on YouTube, (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), or watch the entire video on Google Video or on DivX Stage 6 (download available).
Loose Change, Second Edition, Part 1
Loose Change, Second Edition, Part 2
Loose Change, Second Edition, Part 3
There are MANY MANY websites devoted to September 11, 2001, hundreds of which are devoted to trying to uncover the truth behind 9-11. I'm only listing the ones which I browsed through whilst looking at these few videos.
Videos:
Loose Change, Part 1 (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGEb40o17yE
Loose Change, Part 2 (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOVWBQKUpsU
Loose Change, Part 3 (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtV1uxYnu0w
Loose Change, Full (Google Video)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7866929448192753501&q=loose+change+recut
Loose Change, Full, High Quality (DivX Stage 6)
http://stage6.divx.com/Louder_Than_Words/show_video/1005782
9/11 Mysteries - Demolitions (Google Video)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6708190071483512003
Improbable Collapse : The Demolition of our Republic (Google Video)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4026073566596731782
Websites:
http://www.truth911.net/
http://www.improbablecollapse.com/
http://www.loosechange911.com/
http://www.physics911.net/
Several days ago it was reported that the FBI had lost 160 laptops in the last four years, some 51 of them containing sensitive information. Before that, the FBI had misplaced over 300 laptops in a space of just over a few years. Every newspaper article in print and online that I've come across this story in (and that's not too many), not a single one mentions any kind of punishments for those responsible for the losses or thefts. Better yet, the situations where the agents have lost these laptops as well as weapons are in a few cases ridiculous; unlocked cars, leaving them behind at restaurants, grocery stores, restrooms, etc... With reports of identity thefts in the news frequently due to mishandling of laptops, data, or just plain human stupidity, I haven't heard of any punishments for those responsible. It's always either an announcement of the fact that they've been lost, with little or no information or apology, or in some cases just a simple "oops, we were stupid. Sorry, we'll try not to do it again" statement. 
0 (€1,464,000/$1,922,000) for the theft of ONE laptop from an employee's house, a laptop which contained banking information from some 11 million of the corporation's clients. Now how many people have the FBI and other institutions, universities and corporations compromised due to their "mishaps"? The BBC article mentions that it is not known whether Nationwide fined, fired or disciplined the employee in question or not, but one would think the company might wanna do that, considering the cost of the ordeal to the company, in terms of money and image. Guess the FBI didn't feel the need to, seeing as people's view of the bureau is already tarnished, and it's just another instance of a big OOPS! [Note: The BBC website has some pretty good information to turn to in case of Identity Theft. CNN, not so much...]
Sources:
FBI loses laptops with classified information - CNN.com ( http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/12/fbi.laptops/index.html )
FBI still losing laptops, weapons - Homeland Stupidity ( http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/02/13/fbi-still-losing-laptops-weapons/ )
BBC NEWS Business Nationwide fined for stolen laptop ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6360715.stm )
Hello Minority Report! Welcome 1984! With all the possibilities of science, why exactly are scientists focusing on building scanners that can read your intentions? Anyhow, the story here is that a team of world-leading scientists have developed a powerful technique which enables the user to read another person's intentions before they commit an act. Sure, this will become handy when paroling inmates, or checking suspects and other possible evil-doers. In theory.
What about the implications to the rest of us? The new technique can read your intentions. But what about the difference between passing thoughts and real intentions? That's deeper than just reading what's on your mind right now. And, moving on deeper, secrets, fantasies, passwords, etc... If this technique is ever completed and perfected, what's to stop it from becoming mandatory in everyday life? Sure, the scientists working on this are equally concerned of the possible implications of the mind-reading technique, but say that they are minimizing the risks. Um, sure, in the right hands there are little or no risks. What about in the hands of someone with the desire to rule and control? Show me one future leader portrayed in futuristic movies in a controlled, minimal privacy society who actually cared for his or her people and made life enjoyable for them...
Thankfully, this is all still a long long way from actually becoming a useful, everyday practise, but it's on it's way. Slowly but surely...
Sources:
Neuroscientists read people's intentions with brain scan - Engadget
Slashdot | Brain Scanner Can Read People's Intentions
The brain scan that can read people's intentions | Science | Guardian Unlimited
Here's a lovely example of idiotic budgeting, decision making, and bureaucracy. With billions
going into Homeland Security spending each year in America, why exactly can't the money be put to good use throughout the system, instead of throwing it to communities in ridiculous quantaties, whilst stipulating what they can and cannot use the moeny for? Here's a perfect example of money thrown into the wrong jar:
The fire departmentof Cheshire, Massachusetts, needed a new fire truck, and turned to the government to lend a hand, and ended up getting a lot more than what they expected: a $665,962 homeland security grant. That amount is 26 times the annual budget of the volunteer fire department in the town of 3,500. And here's the best part: Under the terms of the grant, the department is not allowed to spend it on a fire truck.
So, instead of getting a bit of money to buy a new firetruck or refurbish an old one, the town of Cheshire won a grant to fortify the ranks of its volunteer brigade. I guess one can see this from the bureacraut's point of view: more men equals more carriers of water. No need for a truck, especially as it's a small town and all...
But wait a minute, how does a small town in Massachusetts receive such a sizable amount of money out of the budget of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)? Their website, (www.dhs.gov) gives little answer to the question.
Maybe the Department of Homeland Security can better explain why. A spokeswoman for the DHS said that the money comes from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants, a program that was absorbed into the DHS after the agency was established follow Sept. 11th. The spokeswoman said that the town "presented a multifaceted project proposal", and that the grant could be spent over four years. How it will be spent, there was no elaboration. Except, that they can't buy the truck firetruck.
The Cheshire Fire Department wrote tw
o grant requests, one for the $175,000 fire truck and the other for upping the ranks of its 29-member volunteer force. Still, $665,962 sounds a little too much. And, wasn't this supposed to be about National Security? The town does have the Cheshire Cheese Monument, a sizable concrete sculpture of a cheese press commemorating a 1,450-pound cheese hunk given by town elders to Thomas Jefferson in 1801. But I doubt anyone has yet studied its value as a terrorist target yet, or is there something we don't know?
And why exactly is more and more money going into the mainland and small towns, whilst the towns which might need it, such as Boston, New York, and Washington. These cities complained last year that their homeland security grants were lowered, whilst the small town got more than they bargained for. Cheshire, the smallest town in Massachusetts to get a grant (it also ranks 266th in the state in terms of population), but received the largest grant in Massachusetts. And the story continues all around the country...
The money will now be put to use to hire more volunteer fire fighters, especially from amongst high schoolers, and to reimburse the volunteers lost wages whilst on duty. The town council is to meet to decide just where the money will end up. Still, even with all that excess money and possibilities, there are still pressing matters in Cheshire, according to the firechief;
"We really needed the truck."
BBC News reported that scientists have created topographical maps of the Red Planet, using data from a European space probe that's been orbiting Mars since December 2003. These maps are very similar to those which planning authorities and hikers use back here on Earth. In addition, they've also turned the data into a 3D models of Mars.
I was going to poke fun at this by saying that next Google is going to release a Google Earth-type program called Google Mars, but in typing that keyword into the Google search engine, I found out that I really wasn't the first to think of this, as Google already has a site called Google Mars...
I was also thinking that next travel agencies are going to start offering commercial hiking trips on the Red Planet for millionaires, seeing as Earth's orbit is no longer a stranger to them. Then again, they've still gotta get through the Moon first, and seeing as the next race for the Moon is getting underway, that'll probably happen within a decade or so...
The European Space Agency (ESA), which comiled the maps, said it hoped the maps would become a standard reference for future research on Mars, so the maps weren't just produced to provide hours of entertainment for geeks searching for signs of life (and so on) on the Red Planet... (I was kinda looking forward to that...)
Anyhow, check out ESA's website for more topographical maps of Mars, if you're interested... (link)
Sources:
BBC News Article
The European Space Agency - Mars Express website
The Finnish Government tightened the Alcohol Laws in Finland on Wednesday (Feb 02, 2007). The focus of the new bill is on demanding visible warning labels on all alcoholic bottles and cans, much like the inefficient warning labels which decorate our cigarette packs. But that's not all. The new alcohol bill, which passed 104-71 in the Parliament, calls for the following:
-Warning labels on all containers of alcohol (bottles and cans, every alcoholic drink over 2.8% ABV), stating the imminent health risks and the possibility of damage to the embryo resulting from consumption of alcohol.
-Limiting of advertisement of alcohol on television and in movies.
-Banning all advertisement of alcohol on television between the hours of 7am and 9pm.
-Banning advertisement of alcohol during all movies suitable for under 18yr olds on television at all times of the day.
-Banning advertisement of discount prices of alcohol outside supermarkets.
-Banning advertisement of Happy Hour sales outside bars, restaurants and clubs.
-Banning of sales of alcohol at supermarkets between 9pm and 9am.
-Regulating the pricing of alcohol when bought in bulk.
The MPs aren't really convinced that the warning labels will have much effect, which kinda makes that part of the law somewhat redundant. The labels will be pretty much the exact same as are on packs of cigarettes in Finland right now, which has hap little or no effect on the numbers of smokers in Finland since they first arrived on the cigarette packs. A member of the Green Party noted that the only meaningful way the labels could reduce the consumption of alcohol would be if they read "Did you notice that the tax on this bottle has increased by 50 per cent? Watch your wallet!" Compared to the chilly response to the warning labels, the Government's plan on banning all bulk discounts on alcohol purchases received fairly unanimous approval. (Unanimous in 
parliament, but did anyone ask the populace?)
The banning of alcohol advertisement is really a continuation of what's already in effect, as advertisement of strong alcohol (above 22% ABV) has been completely banned in Finland for a while now. What this new addition means is that mild alcoholic drinks can only be advertised during late evenings and at night on television, in order to protect youths from exposure to alcohol. (Youths, who frequently stay up in front of the television way past 9pm...) Shame really, because Finnish TV commercials suck, as a rule, with beer and cider commercials usually being an exception to the rule. (Note: The Christian Democratic Party wanted to ban ALL advertisement of alcohol)
The banning of sales of alcohol at supermarkets between 9pm and 9am is not really anything new. They've just pushed the starting time ahead by a few hours, as it used to be that one could buy morning beer at 7am, as soon as most stores opened their doors.
The last part of the new law is the most important one, and the one which 
most people will complain about. Regulating the pricing of alcohol when bought in bulk. Bulk refers to the sale of 6-packs and 12-packs of bottled beer at stores, as well as similar bulk items of canned beer and cider. A couple of years ago the 6-pack and the 12-pack took over the position of the packet of coffee as the product of choice to lure in customers. (Finns still drink more coffee than any other nation in the world, some 11.2kgs per person annually. For comparison, Italians drink 5.4kgs, and the Japanese drink some 3.3kgs of coffee per person annually.) Due to this, the price of beer (in bulk) in supermarkets has declined rapidly in recent years, hitting as low as 6.40euros f
or the 12-pack. (For comparison, one bottle of beer bought separately costs some 1.25euros right now, equaling 15euros for 12 of them.) Breweries have stated that in order to make a profit off the sale of 12-packs, they should be priced at no less than 10euros. Breweries foresee an imminent price increase in the prices of 12-packs due to this new law, which is quite a redundant statement. One worry (and a good one at that too, especially in this country) is that the 12-packs end up in the possession of young drinkers (underage kids) who are likely to consume the entire contents of the 12-pack (typically outdoors, even when the thermometer hits -25 degrees Celsius) because there's no going home with alcohol.
The banning of bulk sales also applies to the sale of bottles of wine in restaurants, bars and clubs. Typically, a bottle of wine can be purchased cheaper than the same amount of wine when bought in glasses of 12cl or 24cl. No more, as now the bottle must cost the exact same as the corresponding amount of wine would in glasses.
According to several studies (which a lot of Finns are peculiarly proud of), the Finns drink to get intoxicated more than any other nation in the world. Whereas most countries have a drinking culture which involves use of alcohol in moderation in many parts of the daily schedule and social events, the Finns, who drink on less occasions, when they do, it's with a clear goal in mid; getting really wasted. Finnish youths start drinking at a very early age, typically between 12 and 15 as I've witnessed myself, with generally girls starting slightly earlier than boys. 
Consider it a rule. Finns love to drink. many of the secular and traditional holiday celebrations in Finland are very fluid in nature. The two holidays on which Finns LOVE to drink are Vappu (last day of April, regardless of the day of the week, because the next day is a public holiday (read: national hangover day), and Juhannus (midsummer's eve, Friday 20something in June, always a Friday). These are the two worst days for tourists to come to Finland on vacation. On Vappu, EVERYBODY looses their mind and gets completely wasted, acting as stupid as they really can. On Juhannus, Helsinki and all other metropolitan areas are practically deserted of people, as everyone has retreated to the countryside to, well, drink insane amounts of alcohol, going as far in some cases as to take the boat out on the lake or the sea and drown, or manage to burn your cottage down to the ground. The student culture in universities and polytechnics consists of many, many alcohol-related extracurricular activities. Think American universities and their alcohol-related parties. Finnish higher education parties are school wide, an actual part of the schedule. (Of course, the schools don't endorse these parties, but they allow them to take place, and allow for gaps in the school schedule for them to take place.)
A part of the Finnish drinking culture is getting somewhat wasted 
before one heads out the the bars and clubs and a weekend night. This usually takes place at someone's house, or at a bar that has Happy Hour and cheap drinks. (A lot of bars have Happy hour from 6pm to 9pm, and a lot of clubs have Happy Hour from 9pm to 11pm). Club and bar owners and staff have noted that since the Finnish Government lowered the tax on alcohol in early 2004 (which only really affected the prices of alcohol in stores, not in bars and clubs), the amount of people getting some drink in the their system before heading out has increased. And not just the amount of people who do this, but also the amount of drink they consume prior to heading out on the town.
Finland is a traditional beer nation. The Finnish folklore, Kalevala, contains instructions of making beer within it's prose and poetry. During the Swedish Occupation of Finland, the Finnish Government paid the nations taxes in beer, and soldiers at the time received a salary of beer. Unfortunately, this practice has fallen out of use. Finnish beer was considered the best in the Kingdom of Sweden during the occupation, and ask any Finn, it's still better than anything the Swedes have attempted to brew.
Although Finland, per capita, consumed the least alcohol in Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century, a prohibition was imposed upon the populace from 1919 to 1932. The end of the prohibition came with the regulation of all alcohol under a single State institution, Alko. The end of prohibition came, not because of changes in tolerance to alcohol culture, but to bring an end to the smuggling if alcohol, which was thriving from day one of the prohibition. 
Since 1932, mild alcoholic drinks, such as beer, cider, and long drinks, have also moved to the supermarket shelves and kiosks. All wine and spirits are still to this day only available in Alko, as well as restaurants, bars and clubs (but only for consumption within the premises, naturally). it's worth noting that this didn't occur until 1969. There's been talk of allowing for the sale of wines in supermarkets, but with the passing of this new law, that seems very unlikely to take place in the coming years.
Alcohol is now the leading killer of Finnish adults, with consumption reaching an all-time high last year, when Finns drank the equivalent of 55.2 million liters (14.5 million gallons) of pure grain alcohol — a 14 percent increase from 2003. Talking percentages, since 2003, the cost of treating alcohol-related illnesses has grown by 14 percent, peaking at $1.1 billion last year. See a pattern evolving? Here's a bit of statistical data to support the last few sentences.
In 2003, the top two leading causes of death for men in Finland between the ages of 15 and 64 were 1.) Coronary Heart Disease (1356 deaths, 18,5% of the total) 2.) Alcohol-Related (1016 deaths, 13,8% of the total). For women between the ages of 15 and 64, the two leading causes of death were 1.) Breast Cancer (325 deaths, 10,6% of the total) 2.) Alcohol-Related (267 deaths, 8,7% of the total).
In 2005, the top two leading causes of death for men were 1.) Alcohol-Related (1309 deaths, 17,1 of the total) 2.) Coronary Heart Disease (1268 deaths, 16,6% of the total), and for women 1.) Breast Cancer (355 deaths, 10,7% of the total) 2.) Alcohol-Related (354 deaths, 10,6% of the total). Out of a population of some 5.3 million people, 12% of Finns are absolutists, and 5-10% are heavy users of alcohol. In addition, a third of all suicides in Finland are committed whilst drunk.
Beer has never really been considered strictly alcohol in Finland, but rather a grocery item. Us Finns have a special love for the 12-pack, which we invented, and now cherish. The mäyräkoira (dachshund), as 
we generally call it, is a pillar of the drinking culture nowadays. Although all it is is 12 0.33litre bottles of beer, wrapped in cardboard, with a carrying handle. It's one of the top items which people steal/attempt to steal from grocery stores (something I've witnessed several times at work), and is also one of the, if not the, top selling item in grocery stores in Finland. It's the number one product with which stores try to lure in customers. Long story cut short, it's a special thing to us. 12 beers in a handy carry case for half the price. Well, that'll be no more, one this new law eventually goes into effect. The warning labels on the containers of alcoholic beverages will be coming within a year, but the other parts of the new law will come into effect as soon as this April. So, a month and a half to enjoy cheaper by the dozen. The labels won't have any effect; the advertisement ban will just make alcohol more of a "banned, so I must have" item for youths; the ban on Happy Hour advertisement outside licensed premises will annoy the consumer who'll now have to start barhopping or peeking into places to see where the cheap beer is; and the ban on bulk sales will annoy the living shit out of the consumer, atleast in the first months until we get used to it; and it'll change the way supermarkets battle between each other for the customers. Price of beer when sold individually at supermarkets might fall to an all time low to make up for the loss of the 12-pack.
I can't really decide if all this is a good thing or not. Sure, it's being done to control youth drinking and unhealthy binge drinking/alcoholism and cut the growing trend of alcohol-related deaths, as well as protect the young from the dangers of alcohol. But seriously, not much is likely to change. This is what I foresee happening:
The youths will still drink, they'll just drink less beer and cider and more hard liquor. As the drinking age in Finland is 18 for all alcohol under 22% ABV and 20 for anything above that (Everything else besides alcoholic beverages under 5% ABV can only be purchased at Alko), kids get their older brothers/sisters/parents friends etc to buy the alcohol for them, as is typically the case pretty much everywhere else in the world where the minimum drinking age is enforced. (In Finland, if a clerk at a supermarket or such sells an underage kid alcohol or cigarette without IDing them and is caught, they face a fine and possibly even lose their job. Same applies to selling to already grossly intoxicated individuals.)
Alcohol will become more and more the Forbidden Fruit. Youths, preteens, and so on will still be equally fascinated by alcohol, and will continue to start drinking at an early age.
Supermarkets, restaurants, bars and clubs might eventually see a slight drop in sales, but it'll be very short lived. Breweries, on the other hand, will be making more money.
Your average Joe, who drinks one to two 12-packs on Friday and Saturday evenings, will at first bitch and whine about the price increase (mostly likely to the person sitting at the cash register, who already gets enough of that shit everyday), and then will accept the fact that this is the way it'll be from now on.
Oh, and alcohol will remain the leading cause of death in Finland for years.
On paper, this new law might be a really good idea, with good intentions. In theory, um, not so. People will bitch and whine about it for a while and then calmly accept the fact. They're also talking of hiking up the tax on alcohol again, seeing as the tax deduction in 2004 was quite literally a miserable failure (it was done to control the flow of cheap alcohol from the former Soviet states, especially Estonia where Finns love to go on booze cruises. That and taking the cruise boat to Sweden to get absolutely wasted for two days in a row and purchasing cheap alcohol, namely beer). That'll be the next thing to whine about and then swallow the reality quietly and get on with life with a bottle in your hand. Hell, what can you say, us Finns love to drink...
UPDATED 5 MARCH 2007
The price of wine bottles will rise due to the new alcohol warning labels. The price of imported wine could rise by as much as 1 euro (a good, cheap wine goes for 6-8ish euros here), whilst local wines would see a mere 10 cent increase in price. Worst case scenario, the variety and availability of foreign wines (and beer) could diminish as expenses grow...
Sources:
Eduskunta hyväksyi varoitustarrat viina- ja olutpulloihin - HS.fi - Kotimaa (In Finnish)
FINLEX ® - Alkoholilainsäädäntö (In Finnish)
STTV Alkoholi (In Finnish)
Tiede.fi: Keskustelu - Alkoholilaki tiukentuu (In Finnish)
Tilastokeskus - Alkoholikuolemat lisääntyivät edelleen vuonna 2005 (In Finnish)
Tilastokeskus - Tilastouutisia (In Finnish)
Alkoholivero - Wikipedia (In Finnish)
Suomalainen alkoholikulttuuri - Wikipedia (In Finnish)
Booze Taking A Heavy Toll On Finland, Alcohol Now Leading Killer Of Finnish Adults; Consumption At All-Time High - CBS News (In English)
Helsingin Sanomat International Edition - No Plans To Regulate Price Of Beer In Licenced Premises (In English)
Alcohol becomes leading killer of Finns - Europe - International Herald Tribune (In English)
Helsingin Sanomat International Edition - Warning Labels Coming On Containers Of Alcoholic Beverages (In English)
Kansanterveyslaitos Alkoholi, huumeet ja muut päihteet (In Finnish)
This is the first instance I've ever heard of when a State has called for the arrest of an entire company. The news here is that after Verizon double billed one of their customers, the person in question sued them for ruining his credit and won. When Verizon still wouldn't pay up, the court ordered a bench warrant for Verizon's arrest. The whole company. Unfortunately, Verizon finally sent a check to the customer they screwed over, before the warrant could be put into effect. Now that would have been a bit of news I would have loved to see in the news. Police Officers arresting an entire company, confiscating all their possession... Anyhow, score one for the little guy!
Sources: State of MA to Verizon: You're Under Arrest - Gizmodo
Warrant Issued For Verizon's Arrest - Consumerist
Fred Everts, a convicted child molester was sentenced to 800 years in prison in San Jose, California yesterday for sexually abusing three boys, aged 3, 9 and 11. Steve Fein, who prosecuted Everts, asked for the maximum sentence of 1,175 years to life. Due to California's three-strikes law, Everts is going away for a LONG time, having already been convicted in 1993 for a similar offense, twice.
Now, why can't other law systems around the world adopt the same kind of thinking? Ok, truth be told, the three-strikes rule is ridiculous when it comes to lesser crimes such as burglary, theft, and vandalism. Well, lesser when you compare it to say rape, murder, etc. So here's my suggestion: for serious crimes, put these people away after their second conviction. Why would you wait for someone to murder another person, serve a few years in prison, get out on "good behavior", then kill another person within a short period of time, and then send him back to jail, only to be released so he'll do it again. After the second time, one would notice that the perp hasn't learned he's lesson, and should be put away for good. Or does it really take three times before those in charge realize that maybe this person shouldn't be out walking the streets, free to do anything he wishes?
Then again, 800 years is slight overkill, but the guy molested his 3-month old biological son! Now you'd think that would be enough on the first time... Now, let's all sit down and think about this. Why is it that someone who smokes a joint at a party and gets caught can go to jail for decades, whilst a man who rapes a young girl gets off with a few years on a first offense? How's about a murderer who slaughters a family of four gets off with like 10 years, whilst a middle school teacher gets 40 years in jail for having porn on her work computer, which her students happened to see? Do I make my point clear? Who would you rather have walking amongst us? The guy who smokes a joint every now and then, the teacher who likes lesbian porn, the child rapist, or the maniac murderer? Think about. (If you study or practice law, or happen to have connections higher places, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!)
Source: Yahoo! News
This one's gonna be a quickie, because you'll just have to read the article yourselves. USA Today had an article a few days ago about the harmful effects of marijuana. It just seems so biased, using examples of only one side of the argument. Just read the damn thing. I might add something later, once my sense of logic returns from the coffee break it went on after reading the article... Be sure to check out the Reason Magazine Hit & Run piece in response to the USA Today article, as well as the comments with it.
USA Today: Caution: Marijuana may not be lesser evil
Reason Magazine: USA Today's Self-Refuting Anti-Pot Propaganda
And just for kicks, here's a page called "2005 National Survey on Drug Use & Health: National Results", which will make your eyes go around in circles, but as soon as your brain unfreezes, the statistics do seem to make more sense and give you a more realistic viewpoint on the matter, as opposed to the USA Today article's point of view.
This is an essay I wrote several years ago as a high school assignment. I kinda like it.
Peace
With the enormous diversity of the world, is peaceful co-existence achievable? This world is not built on one idea, on one belief, or on one view on anything. There are over six billion individuals on this planet, following many different beliefs and ideals, everyone with their own idea of the world. With this in mind, how can two people, let alone six billion live together in peace, be able to co-exist without quarrel, to the end of time? As humans, can we achieve world peace?
Peace is a concept that everyone has an image of in his or her head, shaped as everyone themselves sees it. Is peace a world of butterflies and green pastures that some people may see it as? Or is it to be able to wake up in the morning with a smile on your face and at night go to sleep with the very same smile, undeterred? Or is it something more political, such as the elimination of border disputes, armed conflicts, and going to war over menial issues such as religion, race, or personal grudges of political leaders?
As humans and as nations, we’re never completely satisfied. Humans always want more, want the best, want everything better and more expensive that our neighbors. Countries always want more land, more money, more resources, more markets, more of everything good. The world is greedy. Human and national differences will always get in the way of achieving peace. As humans we bicker and quarrel over menial things such as money, jobs, fame, looks, even the fact that our neighbor’s apple tree is dropping it’s leaves on our yard. And those are the smallest of things we fight about. Caucasians, consciously or unconsciously, see themselves as the main race, the main skin color. It’s the White Man’s World. Everyone else is lower on the list. Doesn’t fit everyone’s view of a peaceful world, does it?
Earth is a melting pot of a great number of religions and beliefs, one major reason for the fact that people still quarrel and wage war on each other. Take the world today. Islamic fundamentalists are waging war on the West, on America in what they call Jihad, the holy war. For those participating in Jihad, their cause is to hate and destroy something they do not believe in, something that goes against their beliefs. For them, peace cannot be achieved before the “infidels” are destroyed or converted, before everyone believes in Allah and adheres to His rules. That’s not most of the world’s view on peace. Western thinking is more liberal in defining peace so it involves all religions. Freedom. Freedom to do, say and believe in whatever one says. Looks good on paper. In reality, someone or something must always be at the top. One or a few religions or beliefs are above most. To say that one may believe and live without being prejudiced doesn’t ring true in reality.
“Nothing is impossible, just improbable,” someone once said. The quest for peace, for peaceful co-existence fits this quote quite well. We don’t all think alike, believe alike, nor do we all dream alike. There is no one definition of peace on this planet. We all want something different. Sure, it’s easy to say that we should all stop fighting and arguing, but we’re humans. There’s always something nagging us. Even as nations we can’t just drop everything and begin to live happily with everyone else. It’s a good idea, but all nations are run by individuals or groups of individuals. There’s always something in the way. Such as religion and beliefs. We don’t agree with everything in this world, especially with everyone else’s opinions, beliefs nor looks. One quote we have all heard at one point in our lives is ”Can’t we all just get along?” When is this day coming? When we stop being humans.
Jani Helle
08.09.02
English Lang. 1
I'm actually surprised this case came from an inmate within prison walls, rather than from a 13-year old kid in Suburbia.
The story here is that a 49-year old inmate in Maryland was submitted to the hospital in a drunken and delirious state. Seeing as the prison bars don't serve alcohol (I appologise for the ridiculous play on words...), this inmate had assumed that drinking alcohol-based hand sanitizer would do the trick. Well, it is 70% alcohol (some sources say it's "only" 62% alcohol, can't confirm, mainly cuz I don't have a bottle of Purell in my possession...), and alcohol gets you drunk. Really drunk, in this case, as the typically calm inmate was described as "loony", "red-eyed", and "combative", like your average "garden-variety drunk". His blood alcohol level was 0.33, so I guess we're not talking about just a slight buzz... By the way, this is not an isolated incidence. There are more medically documented instances of this happening. And who hasn't as a joke suggested drinking, say, cologne, cuz it contains alcohol. Here in Finland, there are many instances of people drinking something with an alcohol content that isn't meant for drinking. 
I guess the number one source of a "cheap buzz" in Finland amongst the common sense-deprived alcoholics is Lasol, a window washing liquid for cars. I hope this is a joke, or then just a horribly ironic case, but Lasol has just come out with a Lasol Six-Pack, a great gift!!! See the picture for yourselves... Can't wait to come across a hobo in Finland carrying one of these babies around!!!
Oh, and going back to the original story, Meghan Marschall, a spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson, the maker of Purell, said: "When used as directed, Purell is safe and effective." (source) I guess there's a reason no bartender has created a cocktail with Purell as an ingredient...
I've added the picture to give you visual aid in avoiding a repeat of this stupidity. It works well as it is intended, as a Hand Sanitizer, just don't try to sanitize your innards...
Read the Washington Post and BodyHack articles on the matter for further information.
Sources:
Washington Post Article
Wired.Com Bodyhack Article
I guess the headline is funnier than the actual story, but it the headline covers the story pretty well. The reason for the call for designating parts of the Upper Peninsula disaster areas is to save small local business from going under, as they rely on snow to bring in the customers... For further information, read the articles from the sources below...
Sources:
Texas State Legislature has introduced a bill that will fine parents $500 if they miss of choose not to attend a meeting with their child's teacher. I could leave it at that, but it's just so ridiculous that it needs clarification...
The bill was introduced by Republican Wayne Smith, stating that the law would help in creating better bonds between teachers and parents, which in turn would be beneficial for the kids. But threatening parents with a 500 dollar fine AND a criminal record? First California introduces a bill to ban the spanking of kids, now Texas wants to continue the Goverment trend of telling parents how to bring up their kids... I'd love to see what's next in line... A bill making parents accountable for their children's bad grades? Or forcing parents to attend their child's Little League game and cheer with genuine enthusiasm, or face time in jail?
Naturally, there are people contesting this bill, including teachers who see it as telling parents that the schools are out to get them, putting extra, unnecessary pressure on the parents. The law would also be difficult to enforce, suggesting that the bill would not pass. But, you never know anymore. We'll see what happens...
Source: http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/02/03/skip-a-parent-teacher-meeting-get-a-fine/
Two 21 year old Florida residents, Jason and Sara took themselves out of the gene pool this summer with the aid of helium. Who of us hasn't inhaled helium from a balloon for a few kicks...? Breathing helium can be lethal as it depraves the bloodstream of oxygen, leading rapidly to a loss of consciousness. These two brainiacs pulled down an 8 foot advertisement balloon and climbed inside, ending their existence on this earth with presumed hilarity and giggles... See the Darwin Awards website for more information, along with the 2006 Darwin Award Runner-ups.
Source: http://darwinawards.com/
And here we are, Blog number 5... This new one is themed around news, with extra attention paid to stupid and ridiculous news. I follow current events every day, from newspapers, online feeds, and tv, regularly coming across articles which are filled with human stupidity, which I shall share my views on right here.
Being news-related, this blog will mainly, but not exclusively, be centered around articles which spark a reaction from me. Such genres include National Security and Terrorism, Politics, National Crises, and of course, Human Stupidity. In an effort to be unbiased, I must note that although it might seem that many of the articles to come will be based on American people, events and institutions, the only reason for the lobsided coverage is the amount of attention such issues receive from the mass media. I do not consider Americans to be at all dumber than the rest of the world, as stupidity is not a characteristic which can only be attached to one race or culture. There are stupid people everywhere, in even quantities. It's just that the Americans are the ones we keep hearing about the most.
That been said, here you will find opinions on current events, humorous or not, opinions which are my personal feeling on the matter at hand, and not designed to injure anyone nor to instigate hate or retribution towards any one person or institution.
Don't forget about my other blogs:
HellEnvisioned: The Full Story (http://janihelle.blogspot.com)(RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/janihelle)
-My main blog, composed of pretty much everything I write online, be it my writings, essays, opinions, events, etc...
HellEnvisioned: The Lighter Side of Life (http://www.bloglines.com/blog/janihelle)(RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/bloglines/janihelle)
-A summary of the most interesting things I publish, mainly a tool to publish on Facebook with.
HellEnvisioned: The World Around Us (http://my.opera.com/janihelle/blog)(RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/opera/janihelle)
-Random photos of things that pop up around me, as well as links to great sites which I come across online
HellEnvisioned: The MySpace Generation (http://blog.myspace.com/janihelle)(RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/myspace/janihelle)
-We belong to the generation that has their life online, so a MySpace page has become sort of a must have thing. Rarely use it though, but it's still there.
By the way, the RSS/Atom feed for this blog is http://feeds.feedburner.com/HellBroadcast.
Human Stupidity is limitless, so let's get started! Stay tuned!
