Scary debts in Europe - Pelottavia velkoja Euroopassa

"Complete madness!"

(quote from José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain)

I will give you some questions below, but not answers. You gotta think about them yourselves. If I could answer all of them, I would not be writing a blog but giving 10.000 Euro lectures...

The picture below was published in yesterday's printed Iltalehti. It shows the cross-debts between some countries in Europe.  Click the picture to expand it.

Alla olevassa kuvassa on eilisen Iltalehdestä mielenkiintoisia - joskin pelottavia - ristiinvelkaantumisia Euroopassa. Alla paljon kysymyksiä mutta vastaukset saa kukin miettiä itse!

How does this impact Euro currency vs US Dollar, UK Pound or other main currencies?
Should there be a Mediterranean Euro as a separate currency?
What about this do with the intrest rates for companies or private consumers?
How much does money cost in a bank now and tomorrow?
And do you get it in first place from a bank?

How does this impact the housing markets?
In some countries the boosted price levels for housing have come down during the past year or so, but will this flatten or start to go even deeper?

How is this connected to generic economic situation?
Will countries keep pouring money into other countries like the trend has now started with Greece?

What is the responsibility of the country itself, should Greeks first strip down some obscure benefits and structures that cost a fortune?
Can European Union make anything?
Should countries first take care of (=put the money into) their own problems and only then start helping others?

How much are countries and companies in them financially linked to e.g. Greece and what would be the direct negative impact if the Greece would "collaps"?
Are the foreseen risks a lot bigger then the support given or planned for now (e.g. 1.5 Billion Euros from Finland)?

Will any of this help or make more damage to the situation if unions support their people to go on strikes like the trend in Finland has been this year?
Will average people even care about what happens outside their own little world or shall they push since they think they can get a bit more?

How is this connected in Finland to the expanded shop opening hours that in practice enable 24/7 opening?
Will people continue resisting heavily against more flexible working week?
How will it impact other service industries like day care (or night care in the future like in hospitals), public transportation etc.?

I wish I would know the answers...

It is Vappu - or I guess my Swedish friends call it Walborg

Normally most of Finns are wasted at this point of the Vappu evening. Not all of us take the smoother option for the Vappu night and after the office day go to the market place with the kids, buy some carneval junk and only then head home.

We had plenty of time to enjoy BBQ evening with a good friend stopping by. This also enables me to feel a lot better tomorrow morning compared to most of Finns who have been boozing either in the city or parties at home.

Last year I wrote about Vappu - Walpurgis Night - Valborg - and posted some pics so I will only post the link here.

If you wanna read more about Vappu, here is a link.

Unfortunately I have not myself taken any Vappu pics for not for now but let's see if I get into it tomo. Well, here is one of fantastic home made donuts - the ones without the hole...

Veeeeery tasty!

I also have some pics about how far the spring (yes, spring - not winter as some of you might say) has progressed.

The taller trees at the back are birches. Gives you a perspective of how far in the spring we are... Yesterday I was driving to the office with +3.5 C on the meter, no wonder I miss subtropical Brussels at this time of the year.

Last weekend the sports fields had some snow to "cover" them...

I remember once sitting at one of the terraces at Grand Place (the one at the lower end with the horse inside, I think it is called Le Roy) 30 May 2005 or 2006 and it was +30C. I had just returned from the fantastic pre-Queen's Day -party in Amsterdam... If any of you guys from that trip are listening: it was a great eve!!!

Tomorrow we either will go to the city carneval or not - this is what it can look like...

 In the afternoon we shall anyway go to friends of ours for a fun afternoon...

Have fun you all, where ever you are!

PS D, Happy B-Day - wish we would be on a same continent to celebrate it!!!

PSS F****ng h***, we have been in BRU sunbathing at the beach in mid-April so I guess you can understand the frustration as I have no chance to travel up North to Lapland for skiing (yes, the slopes are still running smoothly until about mid May) and can't enjoy the summer as I have used to in the past years. Ying-Yang. Perkele...!

I do not love musicals

Regards from Mary Poppins!

She is in person as cute as she is in the pictures or in the movie. But why does she need to sing so much?

I was not fully informed about the theathe piece we went to watch, but I am still happy I went. I thought it was a "normal" theatre, but it was a musical and so far I have not been that big fan of them. Even the movie version of Mamma Mia annoyed me with the musical approach - and I do love Abba. Strange...

Anyways, like I said the company was good. The most annoying thing in the theatre was not on stage but a girl 4 seats away from me. She was about 5 years old, sitting on her mother's lap and her nose was running all the time - and she was sneezing it in every 3-5 seconds.

When this was going on at the first half, I assumed her mother had no tissues but the half time would be a chance to get them. Dead wrong: The same sneezing continued thourgh out the whole show.

Dear mothers and fathers, KEEP TISSUES IN YOUR POCKETS AND USE THEM!!! Or stay away from public ;o)

PS On our way back home it started to snow again. This time the snow flakes were about 1cm size - giant ones. Still too warm for the snow to stay, only +1C but as said the winter is coming soon.

Told you - The winter is coming!

It is snowing!

I said the summer is over. We have had all week the mornings around 0 C and tops +3. Up north was yesterday -8 C and this morning the ground is white.

The car windows have been on ice many mornings - except yesterday when it was raining. Luckily I have in this car the heater that warms up the car for the moment I choose. It will be ready in 15 minutes so I better hurry...

Perfect morning to wear some Calvin Klein's "Summer" EDT ;o)

Tonight it is theatre time with Mary Poppins. Thrilled about it? No.
Do I wanna go? Of course! The company is good and I am always ready for new experiences :o)


Have a fantastic weekend, where ever you are!

PS One year in BRU we were on a beach sunbathing in mid April, let's see if I have any good photos as comparison...

So many thoughts, so little time...

During the past weeks I have had so many ideas to write about but at the same time so little time to put the thoughts on the keyboard.

The Finnish politicians have been on the local news; one member of the parliament about mixing the business and private traveling, prime minister about his ridiculous "I do not recall it... I can't remember that..." explanations about the party election fundings.

The Finnish hockey league is in the semifinal phase but there are no teams left that I would be interested in. Still, I follow a bit and I can't understand why.

Formula1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen changed his F1 Ferrari into Citroen Ralley car and has had some ups and downs during the first 4 or so World Championship ralleys. Today he finished 5th in Turkey and that can be considered a great achievement with his very limited experience! It is a bit like Michael Schumacher would have jumped to the MotoGP series and finished 5th in a race...

Yesterday I was watching my son's football (soccer) game and he played midfield instead of the regular defense. They won 4-0, he scored 2 goals and had a good chance for a hat trick - and I was enjoying myself!!! As I have said I love to watch sports but seeing your own kids play is just something else.

And then there is the dust cloud;

Around the world are people who had to change their traveling plans. Every one of us know someone who was impacted.

Now some airlines have made test flights and critic against the flight ban is increasing. Let's see how bad the situation will be but now it seems the central Europe will be heavily impacted. At the moment ~4.000 flights were operated instead of the normal ~24.000 flights. Some lucky ones are stuck in 5* hotels with company expenses but that is only few.

I would not dream about bus ride through Europe from Barcelona to Helsinki, Finland. Some holiday tour operators have started to bring groups back to Finland by flying from Canary Islands to Barcelona and continue with a bus from there. Just imagine the 2-3 day trip with small children...

Today I met a colleague who was planned to be in Hania, Greece, enjoying the beaches and heat but instead he is in Espoo, Finland enjoying the +2C we have at the moment.
OK, we had today about +10C and I enjoyed a moment at the backyard patio. Or let's say I tried to make an unpleasant working moment as enjoyable as possible: I opened the sliding doors and was inside, covered from the worst wind, sat on a lamb skin (which is from my wife's childhood) and opened a laptop.

Not as nice and warm as here but still...

Gotta say the sun was enjoyable and I was longing to Brussels where I know the spring is far far ahead. I guess you guys have the certain trees whatevertheyarecalled already blooming pink. The summer is 2 months longer then up here so the past and next few weeks is the time when one should change Finland into Brussels.

However, then we would have missed all the ugliness of the melting snow. Luckily I have not been around the sidewalks to see the exposure of the dog poo... Thank you for everyone who uses the plastic bags to collect the poo!!!

Last but not least, for everyone working with a laptop in the sun check out this.

Who's the mother...?

I've started to question who is the mother of my children. I must be the father - and I have some evidence to claim it;

One has got a running style as heavy as mine. She also has got the strong perfectionist mindset. The other has got the strange sense of humour, loves the situational comedy and is almost as fit as me.

But the mother then... Yes there are just as many similar things alike, but there must be a reason for both of them having musical skills. The young lady is playing clarinet for the 3rd year now and the young man started with saxophone last fall, having his first stage performance last Sunday.

IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!

The Pink Panther theme got a new status in my musical life but I can tell you the musical skills of the kids are definetely not from me - I am as bad playing music as my wife, the assumed mother of the children says.

Yes, yes, yes, I know I was present when the kids were born but still - there must be a trick somewhere. It can't be that both kids have been switched in the hospital by accident.

How to be sure...? Should I try to play an instrument myself?

Actually in today's world my musical skills are quite advanced since I still have my LP record player from the mid 80's. Still works! Hmmm, I've also played the simple rhime of Ukko Nooa in several island churches with harmonium, the piano type of instrument, but that requires only less then 10 keys so it doesn't count.

Or does this mean the the musical skills are from me and my wife is at the end the mother?

1000 - You made it!

Ladies and Playboys - Hyvät Naiset ja Herrat,

1000 pageviews since 8 January 2010 from people in 41 countries. Thank you for the confidence - I will continue with the same crap ;o) 

...eli 1000 sivulatausta tammikuun 8 päivän jälkeen 41 maasta. Kiitos luottamuksesta - soopan suoltaminen jatkuu ;o)

Tuhannet kiitokset - Grazie 1000(!!!) - Tack - Dank u wel - Thank you - Merci - Danke schön - Gracias etc...!!!

Back to the winter

I know the summer is short up here but was that it?

Last Monday afternoon in the sun the temperature was above +10C. On Tue we were down to +3C and raining like hell so I guess the summer is over. Well, at least the iglu - or better say the snow cave - made by the young member of the family had collapsed. There is still 20-30 cm of snow at our backyard. And of course more in the place where  the snow montain was.

All mornings this week have been between +1C and +3C. The rain has been here often but as well as the sun for a few hours. That makes the snow is melting slooowly. Up north we still have ~1 meter of snow and ski resorts are busy.

The good thing with this cold summer that has now ended is that we should expect a warm rest of the year since the average annual temperature and amount of rain/snow will not change that much from one year to another...

Pro shaving

For some years I have tried to find a barber shop that would do the traditional shaving. I have asked around in Finland, Spain and Belgium but have not been successful. Until now.

Downstairs from the place we were staying in Brussels is a men´s barber shop and as I saw shaving brushes and other material, I went in and tried my luck – and was successful!

Just like in American movies, you sit down and enjoy. You get a warm towel on your face, thorough brushing, shaving with a knife, facial massage, again warm towel, cooling with another towel, and a nice after shave treatment. It was an enjoyable experience, but if you have a sensitive skin, they are likely to use a traditional shaver instead of the knife, but it will be done thoroughly all over. Result is as smooth as one can get form this face.

Not all the people speak English but the state-of-art bald man does and he did my treatment. Price was 19 Euros and I can truly recommend it!

Rudolphe, the men´s hairstylist
Avenue Louise 135, 1050 Brussels
Tel. +32 (0)2 534 00 14

With or without appointment

Spring feelings

As said, the spring is slowly approaching. One firm sign of it is BBQ - even if we Finns are fine to do it all year long the spring time increases the smell of burning charcoal - or better the lighter fluid...

As you can see, I don't mind if there is still snow. However, I didn't go for the bigger grill yet.

The melting snow brings also some unpleasant sights with it, or what do you think about these?

Well, I gotta say I was polight as I have no pics of the yellow snow or the dog poo markers that are part of spring - due to the dog owners who don't bother to carry a plastic bag to pick up the poo ;o)

Happy easter, it is chocolate time...

The spring love is coming out from the snow - yes, this heart that is on a stick about 50 cm from the ground so we are on the winning side...!

 

PS Pahoittelut erityisesti  Kaakonkulmaan etten ole kirjoittanut suomeksi - mutta kuvat ovat monikielisiä ;o)