#finnish national selection

[eurovision-revisited]

1992 Malmö - Number 18 - Kikka - "Parhaat puoleni"

"Parhaat puoleni" (My Best Features) got eliminated in the first round of the 1992 Finnish selection. I can't find the lyrics online, but given her reputation I would imagine they left little to the imagination as to what her best features may have been.

I was going to call her the Madonna of Finland, but apparently Kikka Sirén was marketed as the 'Samantha Fox of Finland', much to her disappointment. This appears to be her one and only attempt at getting into Eurovision and this after several years of success in the Finnish charts.

There's some weird early 'unsteadicam' shots by a cameraman with a camera on a stick allowing the production team to look at Kikka from a number of angles, something that doesn't seem to have been used for other acts in the same competition. Because of the darkness and transfer, I thought her two backing singers had forgotten their trousers, but they do appear to be wearing shorts on closer inspection.

The song rattles along from the outset while Kikka gives it all the attitude she can. I'm not sure I'd call this a schlager, more a pop statement by confident performer, even though she can't hit the final note. An early 'slay queen' having fun.

[because-its-eurovision]

UMK 2024 IS HERE!

WHAT: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (Contest for New Music) abbreviated UMK, Finland’s national Eurovision selection

WHEN: Saturday 10th of February at 21.00 Finnish time (20.00 CET)

WHERE: Live from Nokia Arena in Tampere, Yle TV1 & Yle Areena

Commentary available in Finnish, Swedish, English, Ukrainian, Russian, Northern Sami and Inari Sami, Finnish Sign Language and Finland-Swedish Sign Language

HOSTS: Pilvi Hämäläinen, Benjamin & Viivi Pumpanen

RUNNING ORDER:

1. Sini Sabotage - Kuori mua

2. Cyan Kicks - Dancing With Demons

3. Jesse Markin - Glow

4. Mikael Gabriel x nublu - Vox Populi

5. Sara Siipola - Paskana

6. Sexmane - MANIA

7. Windows95man - No Rules!

OPENING ACT: KUUMAA & Benjamin

GUEST ACT: Käärijä & Erika Vikman

VOTING: 75% public vote, 25% international jury

Voting via Yle App (one free vote), text message or calling (1 €/vote, unlimited)

PS. All performances, including the opening and interval acts, will be uploaded to UMK’s YouTube channel. Full show will also be available for re-watching at Yle Areena.

[zvaigzdelasas]

The IB affair (Swedish: IB-aff��ren) was the exposure of illegal surveillance operations by the IB secret Swedish intelligence agency within the Swedish Armed Forces. The two main purposes of the agency were to handle liaison with foreign intelligence agencies and to gather information about communists and other individuals who were perceived to be a threat to the nation.[...]

The story was immediately picked up by many leading Swedish dailies.[3] Their revelations were that: •There was a secret intelligence agency in Sweden called IB, without official status. Its director Birger Elmér was reporting directly to select key persons at cabinet level, most likely defence minister Sven Andersson and Prime Minister Olof Palme. •The Riksdag was unaware of its activities. People with far-left views had been monitored and registered. •IB agents had infiltrated Swedish left-wing organisations and sometimes tried to induce them into criminal acts. •There were Swedish spies operating abroad. IB spies had broken into the Egyptian and Algerian embassies in Stockholm. •The IB co-operated extensively with the Central Intelligence Agency and Shin Bet, in contrast to the official Swedish foreign policy of neutrality.[...]

In the following issues of Folket i Bild/Kulturfront the two uncovered further activities of IB and interviewed a man who had infiltrated the Swedish movement supporting the FNL, Vietnamese National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam - at this time the FNL support network was a backbone of the radical opinion - and among other things, visited Palestinian guerilla camps in Jordan. The man worked for IB and had composed reports that, it was surmised, IB later passed on to the Israeli security services which resulted in the camps being bombed. [...]Swedish authorities claimed they were unable to locate him to stand trial. In 2009, he released an autobiography of his years in IB[...] He also confirmed that he had been transferred from IB to the Mossad, an Israeli intelligence agency, immediately prior to his exposure.[...]

The magazine had information from a previous employee of IB, Håkan Isacson, who claimed that IB had broken into the offices of two political organizations: the FNL Groups, a pro-North Vietnamese organization, and the Communist Party of Sweden, a Maoist political party. This concerned a Jordanian citizen and a stateless citizen. A wiretap was installed in the latter case. After this uncovering, the defense minister did admit that IB engaged in espionage outside of Sweden and infiltrated organizations within Sweden, including wiretaps. Evidence was put forth in 1974 that IB had built up a large network of agents in Finland, which included the Finnish foreign minister Väinö Leskinen. This network's main mission was to gather information regarding the Soviet Union.[...]

In November 1973, Prime Minister Olof Palme denied any link between IB and the Social Democrats. However, according to the memoir of ex-security service chief P.G. Vinge, Birger Elmér had regular contact with Palme and made his reports regularly to the Social Democratic Party secretary, Sven Andersson.[...]

Jan Guillou, Peter Bratt, Håkan Isacson and the photographer Ove Holmqvist were arrested 22 October 1973[2] by the Swedish Security Service on suspicion of espionage. On 4 January 1974 each was sentenced to 1 year in prison. Bratt and Guillou were both convicted of espionage; Isacson was convicted of espionage and accessory to espionage. After an appeal, Guillou's sentence was commuted to 10 months. The Swedish Supreme Court would not consider the case.[4][...]

In 2002 an extensive public report, named Rikets säkerhet och den personliga integriteten (Security of the Realm and personal integrity), was published on the operations of IB. This report clarified the details of the case, but it did not have any legal impact. To date, no member of IB has ever been indicted, nor has any politician or government official, despite the revelation of widespread extra-constitutional and criminal activity.

[lageografiademicamino]

UMK 2024 Song Review - Sara Siipola

The hype is very real around Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the Finnish national selection for Eurovision and the race to Malmö continues with a ballad this time!

Sara Siippola - Paskana

Sara Siipola is fairly a new name in the sky of Finnish female artists. She kind of popped out of nowhere making a record deal with Sony Music in 2019 and releasing her first singles which were fairly successful. She also released her debut album "Kaunis Kun Itken" two years later and last year she was seen in popular music tv-show "Tähdet, Tähdet".

Still never heard of of her before and the artist announcement did nothing to me.

Paskana is power song that gives no hope. It's very raw lyrically and vocally.

It's a modern ballad with immediate hook. The song itself is not a traditional power ballad but does instrumentally push its boundaries. The electronic beat has 80's sound which also reminds many of the Russian girl duo t.A.T.u's sound. R'n'b beat separates it from an average ESC ballad and makes this super easy to listen.

Sara's voice can be compared to Amy Winehouse's being capable of interpreting the painful text brilliantly. The topic of being "paskana" which is translated as fucking wreck, is easily relatable. Social media quickly filled on Monday night with heartfelt comments from people around the world crying and feeling this song.

This is simply captivating - you can't pass this without stopping to listen to this and feeling what she sings. This will translate across language barriers.

ESC doesn't allow swearing so in case of winning UMK Sara would have to find another title for her song which might be a difficult task. There have been hopes of her translating this into English or pieces of it but I do hope this masterpiece remained in Finnish. Also this would differ quite a lot from our previous ESC entries. The last time we heard a female ballad from Finland was in 2017 with NormaJohn.

In a scenario where she didn't win UMK she might be the next Bess (Ram pam pam, 2022) or Kuumaa (Ylivoimainen, 2023) which either were the winning acts but made the biggest hits of their careers with the help of UMK. Reactions have been positive everywhere you go and her UMK videoclip has already been viewed over 240 000 (more than Sexmane) times. She's on her way to stardom!

What do you think of the third UMK24 track and would you vote for Sara Siipola to go all the way to Malmö? UMK final takes place on February 10th!

[travelladiesapp]

Safest Countries for Solo Female Travelers

In an ever-changing world, the perception of travel has evolved, brimming with powerful, courageous women who explore the globe solo. This leap into the unknown can be both exciting and intimidating, but with a careful selection of destinations, safety does not have to be forfeited for a memorable adventure. This article highlights the five safest countries that can promise solo female travelers an experience enriched with culture, stunning views, warm hospitality, and most importantly, safety

Japan

Known for its technological advancements juxtaposed against a backdrop of well-preserved, rich history, Japan tops our list. The country is renowned for its exceptional levels of safety, making it ideal for solo female travelers. Japanese people are gracious hosts and uphold values of respect and humility that define their culture. Public transport is reliable and operates accurately to the minute, and streets are generally illuminated and populated even at night. From the scenic beauty of cherry blossoms in Kyoto to the fascinating city life of Tokyo, your journey through Japan is expected to be unforgettable.

Iceland

Widely recognized as one of the most gender-equal countries globally, it comes as no surprise that Iceland is the second on our list. Boasting incredibly low crime rates, the Land of Fire and Ice provides not just safety but also the captivating beauty of its natural wonders. Whether it's the Northern Lights, the Blue Lagoon, or the majestic waterfalls and geysers, Iceland delivers a thrilling adventure for travelers, always within a safe environment.

Finland

Another Nordic country that ranks high in safety is Finland. Finnish people are generally quiet but very polite and respectful, and criminals are few and far between. The bustling city life of Helsinki, combined with the serene landscapes of Lapland, makes Finland a great destination with ample cultural immersion or relaxation, depending on your preference.

Canada

For solo female travelers seeking English-speaking destinations, Canada arrives as a safe haven. Canadians are renowned for their friendly disposition, and the nation flaunts an impressively low crime rate. Its cities, such as Vancouver and Toronto, are clean and safe, with efficient public transport systems. Moreover, the spell-bounding beauty of the Canadian Rockies, Niagara Falls, and the charm of Quebec add variety to the discovery journey.

Portugal

Often touted as one of the friendliest countries in Europe, Portugal is a hot spot for solo female travelers. With its safety record, gorgeous coastline, captivating history, delicious cuisine, and welcoming locals, Portugal has so much to offer. The Portuguese people uphold the values of hospitality and are always willing to extend a helping hand to tourists, ensuring your stay is safe and enjoyable.

[eurovision-del]

Finland have definitely become one to watch in recent years, so going into Eurovision season they were one of the countries I was most excited for! With UMK happening this weekend, here's my ranking of the competing songs:

Mikael Gabriel & Nublu – Vox populi

Sini Sabotage – Kuori mua

Jesse Markin – Glow

Cyan Kicks – Dancing With Demons

Sexmane – Mania

Sara Siipola – Paskana

Windows95man – No Rules!

Despite being just seven songs, this was a super hard selection to rank – honestly you could ask me tomorrow and I’d probably switch them around again. This is a very even competition in my eyes - every song is good in its own way and I enjoy them all, but there's no standout. I was in a weird position after my first listen through all these songs when they were released where I felt really positive about this selection, but then struggled to recall any individual song. A couple of weeks to get familiar with them all has definitely helped.

Right now, I think my favourite is Vox populi. It’s a super fun track, their style of Eurodance with the slightly rockier guitars and drums creates this fantastic energy – it’s great pump up music. It’s also pretty cool that it’s bilingual, with a rap verse each in Finnish and Estonian. In fact, we’ve got a fair amount of rap and hip-hop here which I love to see, since I feel they're genres that go underrepresented in Eurovision and national finals in general. Even better, they’re all very distinct from each other. Kuori mua is another rap track, but it couldn’t be any different, with the attitude it exudes and its super slick beat. I love the sharpness of it all, and how it mixes in the piano in the second half to create a more positive sound, lifting some of the tension but keeping all the energy.

The overall production level in all these songs is great – this whole selection is high quality and just sounds good to my ears. The one slight exception is No Rules, which I feel goes a bit too heavy on the fake eagle screeches, although it very much fits the overall tone of the song. This one slight annoyance, and the fact that I preferred Vox populi when it comes to Eurodance, was what made it end up at the bottom of my list, but I honestly feel bad about it – it’s still a very fun song and does what it’s doing  well. I didn’t want to rank any of these songs last!

Because the songs are so even, I couldn't even suggest what deserves to win this Saturday. It's going to all depend on performance for me. Finland are never going to do better than last year's Eurovision result, but UMK has honestly become one of the best national finals over the past few years, and I hope this is enough to keep up the qualification streak they're on.

[baublekute]

OC Interview Questions: Valerie Rose Barrère

Tagged by @ghostoffuturespast thank you! Love these little games and writing practices. Also needed to think how my V would actually answer these questions...

[Mama Welles' on a Saturday night.]

V (reading a book on the couch with her feet up): "What are you two giggling about over there? It's suspicious and I don't like it." Misty (cuddling with Jackie on the opposite end of the couch): "Oh, we decided to make you a dating profile." V (initial confusion followed by a bit of rage): "A dat… The fuck?" Jackie (with the laptop): "You need some action, hermana." V: "No. Absolutely not. Delete that shit right now." [Jackie gives V his best puppy dog eyes.] V (waiting a moment): "Uggh. Fine… I'm gonna regret this." Jackie: "Heh, wasn't actually sure that was gonna work." (straightening himself out to look more serious) "Nickname?" [V gives Jackie a bombastic side eye.] Jackie: "Oh right!" (Types the letter as he says it) "V." Misty: "Height?" V: "5ft 3in." Jackie: "Gender?" V: "Seriously, Jack?" Jackie: "What? I don't want to assume." V (sighing, realizing he has a valid point): "Sure. Female." Misty: "Orientation?" V: "Straight I guess?" Jackie: "Nationality and… or… ethnicity?" V: "Uhh, my mother was Scottish/French and I think she said something about my father being Finnish. Anyways, born and raised in Heywood." Jackie (speaking the words slowly as he typed his version): "White. Very white. Heywood born and bred." Misty: "Star sign? I know this one already. Sagittarius." [Updating to Libra - forgot it's actually been official, and I stick with a lot of canon] Jackie: "Favorite fruit?" V: "Honeydew melon." Misty: "Favorite season? Autumn, right?" V: "You got it." Jackie (using his most delicate voice): "Favorite flower?" V (sharply): "Snapdragons." Misty: "Your favorite scent?" V: "Oh man… I have so many… cedarwood, jasmine, sandalwood, bergamot, books…" [Misty nods in agreement, thinking of her favorite incense in the shop.] Jackie: "Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?" V: "Tea usually. I'm… selective when it comes to coffee." Jackie (types and mutters): "Psh. I'll say. Can never bring you coffee anymore." Misty: "Average hours of sleep?" V: "9 to 10. I get cranky with less." Jackie: "You sure do." V (annoyed, raised voice): "Do you want me to finish these questions or not Jackie?" Jackie (puts his hands up in surrender): "Alright alright… I take it you didn't get your beauty sleep… princess." [V punches Jackie pretty hard in the arm.] Jackie (rolling over holding his bruised arm, laughing): "Oww…ahah… oww. Heh." V: "Misty, if you'd please take the rest of the questions… unless you want to drag an oversized bodybag out the door." [Jackie flashes V a stupid grin.] Misty: "Dog or cat person?" V: "Hmm… It feels like cheating to say both. Maybe I lean towards dogs. It's been awhile since I've seen one though." Misty: "Dream trip?" V: "Europe maybe? I don't know if there's anything left of my parents over there but I guess I'm curious." Misty: "I'd love to go back to Poland one day. Favorite fictional character?" V: "Probably… Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo. It was one of my mom's favorites." Misty: "Number of blankets you sleep with?" V: "Zero or one… It's just too damn hot." Misty: "Aaand last one." V: "Oh thank god." Misty: "A fun fact?" V: "Uhhh. I guess… I enjoy retro video games?" Misty: "OK. Published." V: "Now will you two leave me be?" [bing.] Jackie (throwing himself at the computer): "Ooh! Look! Matches already, chica!" V (snatching the computer out of Jackie's hands): "Wait what? Lemme see." [V scrolls a bit, the reflection of the screen lighting up her face in the dark room.] V: "No. Noo. Definitely not. No." Jackie (takes the computer back): "Lemme take a look… I'll find you someone... Here! This guy looks promising, huh?" (excitedly turns the screen to face V.) V: "Oh. Damn. Lemme take a closer look… Nah. What a damn shame. He's NCPD."

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: For the first time, B-1 bombers join the largest Nordic air exercise

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 06/06/2023 - 12:00 in Military

A pair of B-1 bombers flew over the North Sea on June 5, participating in a broad air exercise in the Nordic region.

As part of the Arctic Challenge Exercise 2023, the B-1s of Dyess Air Base, Texas, flew over the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and integrated into the F-35 of the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Air Force, as well as United States Navy Aircraft.

“The U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy routinely conduct operations in the Far North alongside Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian air forces and naval, and the Arctic Challenge provided enhanced opportunities for NATO allies and partners to integrate with U.S. strategic bombers and Ford aircraft carrier class in a new environment,” said a U.S. Air Forces press release in Europe.

The B-1s are in Europe as part of a deployment of the Bomber Task Force at the RAF Base in Fairford, United Kingdom. Since they arrived two weeks ago, the aviators and the aircraft have been busy. On May 23, a B-1 was intercepted by a Russian fighter in the Baltic Sea region. On May 30, a bomber flew over Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a demonstration of support amid the ongoing unrest in the area. And on June 1º, a B-1 integrated into the allied forces during a small strength exercise in France and Belgium.

His participation in the Arctic Exercise Challenge, however, marks his greatest training opportunity so far - and the first time American bombers have flown in the biennial exercise since it began in 2013.

In addition to the B-1, the U.S. Air Force is flying F-35 and F-15 from the 48ª Fighter Wing of Lakenheath RAF Base, UK, in the exercise, as well as KC-135 from the 100ª Air Refueling Wing of the RAF Base of Mildenhall, UK, and the Maine National Air Guard.

Sweden is leading the exercise, with aircraft also stationed in Norway and Finland. The USA, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and the Czech Republic sent personnel and aircraft.

"By training and performing realistic exercises in the Far North, such as the Arctic Challenge Exercise 2023, U.S. forces and allied and partner nations improve skills, adjust interoperability, nurture important relationships and adapt to the inherent challenges posed by the struggle in the extreme conditions of the Arctic," said a USAFE press release.

Tags: Arctic Challenge ExerciseMilitary AviationB-1B LancerUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.

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[wanderlustinwonderland18]

Juulia Turkkila: “I could have been paralyzed”

In December 2007, a slender and curly-haired 13-year-old girl named Juulia Turkkila cautiously peeks into the stage. Tension rises in the pit of her stomach.

The main stage of the Finnish opera house looks huge. The sets are wonderful and magical. The stand can accommodate hundreds of people. It was time to put on a light dress and ballet slippers. Juulia's wishes will come true tonight, as she is selected to perform in The Nutcracker.

Everyone in her age group dances in the big salon scene, but Juulia has a special role that many aspire to have. She is little Klaara and appears in several scenes. She also has a solo and many outfit changes.

The hall doors are closed and the lights are dimmed. Tchaikovsky's familiar music begins to play. Juulia straightens her back and sweeps the blonde hair from her forehead. She always gives her all to the audience. She often shines a little brighter than others. She ends her ballet career with the role of her dreams.

Before Juulia put on skates, she had already worn numerous ballet slippers. She started ballet at the age of four and entered the Finnish National Opera at the age of eight.

Juulia loved moving to music and conveying emotions. Her elementary school cooperated with the Opera, thanks to which exercises were held in the mornings of school days.

Juulia danced at the Opera's ballet school until she was 13 years old. Riikka Nyman taught her for a few years and remembers the girl well for not only being naturally gifted, but also exceptionally hardworking.

“Juulia had really good concentration for her age. She was committed and determined. Her musicality was also superb. She had good control of her body, capable of very precise movements,” shares the teacher.

Nyman believes that Juulia could have had a long and successful career in ballet. However, the most important thing is passion and Juulia’s was on figure skating.

Juulia first heard about figure skating through her friends. Many of them hurried to the ice rink in the evenings, and she longingly looked from behind.

One spring night, Juulia went to watch her friends in a Peter Pan figure skating show. The fairy flew onto the ice and Juulia’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to be on the ice so she begged her parents. At first, the parents objected because ballet took time and money.

“In the beginning, there was no way I would have let Juulia into skating. I dreaded the thought of sewing rhinestones into dresses and early Sunday morning exercises. However, Juulia was so excited — there was no choice,” Juulia's mother Anne Turkkila laughs.

The parents' hearts melted because Juulia handled her affairs conscientiously. The busy and cheerful girl couldn't stay still, so she was very active in two hobbies. She also knew how to travel alone on the subway from one place to another.

“The days were already long when I was ten years old. After ballet, I rushed to the rink and put on skates. I didn't feel like there was too much to do. It was so much fun,” Juulia smiles.

Participating in two demanding sports was possible thanks to Juulia’s physical talent. However, when she moved to middle school, there were other changes in life. The Myllypuro Figure Skating Club banned solo skating so Juulia transferred to Helsinki Luistelijat under Tarja Sipilä.

In the new club, training times were different. At the same time, rehearsals and performances began to increase in the ballet. Sports require time, commitment, and investment. Juulia knew she had to make a big decision.

“I loved both but I didn't want to give up skating. I strongly felt that skating was something I wanted to do. I loved the glide and speed. The decisive thing was being able to compete.”

Juulia’s ballet career ended after the fall season of 2007. It was time to hang up the ballet slippers and tighten the skate laces.

Tarja Sipilä coached Juulia for ten years. According to her, Juulia was a great talent on the ice from the beginning.

“Juulia was a very good student. She was very attentive and also a good jumper. The ballet experience made her a very polished skater. Her musicality and expression only got stronger over the years. Juulia truly turned skating into art,” Sipilä says.

In the 2010-2011 season, Juulia won the Finnish Junior Championship and began to believe in her own abilities. She went on to represent Finland in numerous European and World Championships.

“Juulia always got fired up in competitive situations and wanted to learn the most difficult jumps, but the growing body could not withstand the strain,” Sipilä reflects.

Juulia dealt with injuries and received good support from physical therapy. Her motivation never stopped even though the sport was very tough.

“Yes, it sometimes ate Juulia. People can be mean but health is always the most important thing,” Juulia’s mother shares.

“I knew that there was still a lot of work to be done and I haven't shown my best yet. I knew what I was capable of and with that power, I motivated myself to persevere,” says Juulia.

Juulia didn't know that there were discussions behind her back about jumping into a new discipline of figure skating, ice dancing.

“I had spoken a lot with Maurizio Margaglio, who developed ice dancing in Finland. We didn't pressure Juulia, we just suggested it,” Sipilä shares.

Back stress fractures, knee sprains, ankle problems, hernia — the list of injuries started to burden Juulia, who no longer saw a future as a single skater.

The idea of ​​ice dancing did not seem impossible, although Juulia was afraid that she was too old to learn a new sport.

“In the first practices, Mauri (Maurizio Margaglio) made me skate straight, but my knees went in a different direction than my ankles,” Juulia laughs.

“The feeling was enthusiastic and wonderful. Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had started a dance career ten years earlier.”

The journey towards the top of ice dancing began in 2016. Everything went well until Autumn 2019. Juulia went through a new sky of pain as she suffered the most serious injury of her career. In a training session before Lombardia Trophy, the pair fell during a lift. Juulia suffered a vertebral fracture.

In October 2019, Juulia stepped into the stands of Espoo's ice rink with a sad expression. The Finlandia Trophy was underway, and they had hoped to present their new programs in front of the home audience. Unable to move her head, she was wearing a sturdy neck support.

“It could have been really bad. I could have been paralyzed,” Juulia says.

It is not in Juulia’s character to be knocked down by an injury. Instead of getting frustrated, she focused on being grateful and happy.

“It was very clear in my mind that I will get through this and rehabilitate just like before. I knew I could recover from the injury and that was my goal,” says Juulia.

Fast forward to Grand Prix Espoo 2022, the home audience bursts into applause after Juulia and Matthias’ touching free dance. Many are wiping tears.

Juulia went through many difficulties in life but it was all worth it. She is now doing what she enjoys most — in the swirls of music, moving beautifully with a partner, appreciated by the judges and admired by the audience.

The couple is aiming for a place at the top of Europe and the World. Everything learned over the years, in the dance floors of ballet halls, cold ice rinks, hours of physiotherapy, living a very disciplined daily life, comes together in moments like this.

[erdariel]

Hi! This is a bit random, but I’m always really interested by your Finnish posts, and was wondering if you have any recommendations for learning more about your country?

Any stories/bits of art or music that are particularly special?

No need to answer this if it’s intrusive or anything, of course!

Hello! Let me see... This post gets quite long, so I'll put my recommendations under a readmore! To be honest, most of them are just random Finnish stuff, not necessarily specifically oriented to teach anything about Finland, but it's something.

Any other Finns can reblog and add stuff if you've got better recommendations than I have, btw!

Music-wise I suppose it depends on what kind of music you like - if you're into metal music, there's a lot of Finnish metal bands and I think some of them even sing in Finnish, but it's not a genre I personally listen to a lot. What I myself listen to is frankly a mess that doesn't make any sense, but here's a couple relatively well-known Finnish songs that I personally occasionally listen to (the method of choosing was random "whatever comes to mind first"):

Autiotalo by Dingo

Rakkaus on lumivalkoinen by Yö

As for stories - I have to admit I read shamefully little Finnish literature. One thing that comes to mind, however, is Maria Turtschaninoff's Red Abbey Chronicles fantasy series! I heard of them from a friend and read them some years back, and personally I really liked them. I don't know that they'll tell you particularly much about Finland as a country, but I like them as books. And Moomins, of course - I haven't read the books since I was a child, and I've never seen the entirety of the 90s anime adaptation because we didn't have a tv when I was a kid, but they're lovely stories, and if they don't tell you about Finland as a country as such, they're still a big part of Finnish culture.

I suppose I could also point you towards some classics of Finnish literature (Seven Brothers by Aleksis Kivi, The Unknown Soldier by Väinö Linna, that sort of thing) but I also don't read a lot of classics, and I try to keep to a rule of never recommend books I haven't read and/or don't like personally, so I can't actually recommend them as such, all I can state is that they are classics of Finnish literature that exist and are set in Finland (of the two I mentioned, Seven Brothers is set in the 19th century in rural Finland, it's fairly comedic in tone, and generally held to be the first novel actually written in Finnish, while The Unknown Soldier follows a machine gun company throughout the Continuation War; so in terms of that, expect a number of violent deaths and all of that) and I'm relatively certain there are English translations of them (though whether those are easily available anywhere, that I cannot say)

Speaking of classics, there's Kalevala. You should be able to find one or two different English translations of it in Project Gutenberg. Now, with Kalevala there's a whole can of worms regarding cultural appropriation of Karelian culture and stories that I do not understand thoroughly enough to explain it properly, but I don't think there's any argument that it shaped the Finnish culture and national identity when that was still in the process of being created in the 19th century.

As for artwork, I don't have a lot of specific ones in mind, but you could take a look at the Finnish National Gallery's website and see what stuff there speaks to you!

You can also search for specific artist's works on the website, so here's for example pictures of the works of Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Hugo Simberg, Albert Edelfelt, and Eero Järnefelt, to name a few of our famous painters (note: i haven't refined those searches beyond selecting for a given artist, which means the search result includes a lot of sketches and stuff, but if you like, you can further refine the search to only show you paintings, for example).

Personally, I quite like the bunch of Hugo Simberg's paintings that portray Death (as in death as a character, pretty much the black-robed skeleton type). The most famous of those, I think, is this one, the Garden of Death:

[diamondnightingaleif]

Diamond Nightingale IF

Demo TBA

The Diamond Nightingale Song Contest is Europe's second-largest song competition and closely resembles Eurovision. You and your closest friend have just emerged as winners of the Glass Dolphin, Romania's national selection event. Romania boasts the most wins in the contest, claiming victory in 1999, 2005, 2009, and 2015. You and your friend also competed in the Diamond Chick, the junior version of the contest, in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

As you prepare for the Diamond Nightingale, you and your best friend are filled with excitement and nerves. This is your chance to show the world your talent. But the competition will be fierce, with singers from all across Europe competing for the title. You'll need to bring your A-game and stand out from the crowd with a good song, memorable performance, and stunning stage presence. With the pressure mounting and the stakes higher than ever, can you and your best friend rise to the occasion and become the next Diamond Nightingale winners? Or become Romania’s first Non-Qualifiers?

How will the two of you perform in the semi-final? Will you pass and reach the grand final? Will you be the 11th place, the fan-favorite that didn’t manage to qualify? Or will you crash and burn with the high expectations placed on the two of you?

Choose your MC’s gender, name, stage name, skills, aesthetic, performance, looks, and sexuality.

Choose your duo’s song, name, staging, and genre.

Choose your characters previous history in the music industry and contest.

Interact with fans, journalists and other contestants.

Participate in the pre-parties.

Work on your act for the semi-finals.                

Make different choices that can affect your chances of qualifying, public image, contestant’s opinion of you and many more.

Qualify or fail to qualify for the Grand Final.

Develop romances involving four different characters, including two previous contestants, your friend, and a journalist.

Deal with the aftermath of the contest.

The game offers four romantic options: the charming runner-up from the 2015 edition, the last-place finisher in 2019, your longtime friend, and a journalist covering the contest. Depending on the player's choice, the runner-up can be either João Silva or Joana, who represented Portugal at the young age of 17 and is known for being outgoing, charming, and a bit of a flirt. The last-place finisher in the 2019 Grand Final is Lodewijk De Vries, a former winner of the Diamond Chick in 2010 and a reserved but ambitious and honest person. Only a male MC can romance him. Your friend can be either Sabin Scarlat or Sabina Scarlat, and the two of you have been friends since you met in the 2010 national selection. They are shy, passionate, and critical of themselves, with a deep passion for art. Finally, the journalist is Ilona Mäkinen, a Finnish fan and reporter for the Egg Hunt, the biggest fan news site for the contest. She is known for her curiosity, intelligence, stubbornness, and dry sense of humor. Only female MCs can romance her.              

I've had this idea for a while, and I've been planning to make this game for a while. I'm excited to share this idea with you all, and I plan to start writing the demo shortly after the Eurovision Grand Final. During this period, I will be working on the outline for the game. I hope you all like the idea! I’ll answer any questions you guys have about the IF, Romance options and other things related to the game, like the history of the contest.

[eurovision-revisited]

1996 Oslo - Number 12 - Jasmine - "Niin Kaunis On Taivas"

Finland and YLE had missed 1995 due to relegation, and now wanted to try something a little different. They went to a live broadcast with live phone-voting and live music. Instead of a fully open competition to qualify, they got the music industry to select the songs leading to some better know names performing, but perhaps they weren't putting forward their better songs. There was also a catastrophe with the phone voting. The lines were opened after the first act leading to accusations of unfairness. They also got jammed, overwhelmed by the response. The problems were such that they had to delay announcing the winner until the Monday after the competition by which time the news of who had won had leaked to the press, and bizarrely, on teletext.

That winner was Jasmine. A Romani singer from Helsinki singing a song from a recently deceased songwriter (Timo Niemi) who had been a member of Rio - a band who were also competing in the same contest. Despite the controversy and the problems with the phone vote, the results was clear. Jasmine got roughly twice the number of votes as her nearest rival.

Niin kaunis on taivas (The Sky is So Beautiful) is a Western tinged ramble under the night sky, full of stars, with your loved one by your side, keeping you warm. It's gentle and warm, and is accompanied by one of NRKs many uses of TV effects in an attempt to enliven the verses, which only distract slightly in this case. Another weird thing is that Jasmine apparently disliked the make-up and hairstyling of the Norwegian production so much that just prior to going on-stage, she decided to remove them and perform with very little make-up and unstyled hair. She also had to perform straight after the eventual winner of the contest.

The result of all of this chaos both in selection and on the night was that Finland just scraped through the audio-selection final in 22nd place and then finished last on the night in Oslo, garnering nine points. It didn't deserve this fate. It's a beautiful if simple song of love that it would be wrong to forget.

Jasmine, perhaps unsurprisingly, didn't enter the Finnish selection again, but did tour all over Europe as well as releasing several singles and a couple of albums.

[because-its-eurovision]

so confused by YLE being like we'll pull out of ESC is the EBU don't ban Israel but also being like UMK will still go ahead. why still do UMK if the whole point of UMK is to pick an act for ESC.

UMK is no longer just a national selection of our Eurovision representative, it is the biggest music show of the year.

Ever since Cicciolina became a huge hit, UMK has become the show to take part in if artists want to remind the large audience of their existence or make the final breakthrough. For the last three years the most streamed Finnish songs on Spotify have been UMK entries. In 2022, more Finnish viewers watched UMK than Eurovision final. In 2023, UMK was the most viewed tv program of the month with more than two million people tuning in.

By now, the contestants have been chosen and will be released in three weeks time. The final versions of their entries have been recorded, they have been styled, the music videos are done, the performances are already being rehearsed, YLE has reserved the biggest arena in the country and sold it out twice. There is no reason why they wouldn't go forward with the show regardless if Finland ends up taking part in Eurovision this year or not.

[beardedmrbean]

The new government's programme includes the introduction of a citizenship test as part of its plans to tighten the requirements for obtaining Finnish citizenship or permanent residence in Finland.

In its programme for government published last month, Finland's right-wing ruling coalition said it plans to introduce a citizenship test as part of efforts to tighten rules around the granting of permanent residence and citizenship permits.

"Passing a citizenship test and a language test will be made a requirement for naturalisation," the programme states.

The Finnish citizenship test will be modelled on similar evaluations used in other European countries.

Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (Finns) told Yle that her ministry has started work on drafting the citizenship test, but the process will take time.

Examples from across Europe

Among the EU's 27 countries, nearly half — or 13 — currently have a citizenship test. They include the Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary and Estonia.

In addition, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein — which are not members of the EU but are part of the Schengen area — also have a citizenship test.

In general, the tests feature questions about the history, culture, society and population of the host country. The assessments may also ask about living in a democracy and other aspects of a particular country's politics, such as in Estonia and Greece, or about the country's national anthem, as in Latvia.

In each country, the test is organised by an official body.

Rantanen previously told tabloid Ilta-Sanomat that the exams could be organised by community colleges, for example.

From multiple choice quizzes to interviews

In an interview with Yle soon after taking office, Rantanen said that her ministry will perform a "u-turn" on immigration and refugee policies during her term, and she reiterated that position this week.

"I am glad that we are reaching the pan-Nordic level, and that we will not be the only country in the Nordic region with lax rules," she said.

Among the Nordic countries, the citizenship test is used in Denmark and Norway.

The Danish test has 45 multiple-choice questions about the country's society, culture and history — 35 of which are based on provided study material while 5 questions deal with topical issues taken from Danish media and politics. There are also five questions on Danish values.

At least 36 correct answers are needed in order to pass the Danish test. In addition, they must correctly answer at least four of the 10 questions that are not included in the study material.

The citizenship test in Norway has 36 questions, of which 24 must be correct. Norwegian authorities also offer the option of completing a social studies course (75 hours) with a final exam in Norwegian.

Luxembourg also provides the option of taking a social studies course instead of the citizenship test.

In Slovakia, there is no formal citizenship test but the required language test does ask basic information about the country.

Study material helps participants

In almost every European country where a citizenship test is mandatory, participants are provided with study material.

In Spain, the test consists of 25 multiple-choice questions selected from a list of 300, which can be practised in advance with an app.

The tests are also often multiple-choice, although one notable exception to this is France, where the 'test' is conducted as an interview.

In Europe, the citizenship test is often multiple-choice, but one exception is France, where the exam is conducted as an interview. Study material is also provided.

In addition to the citizenship test, each country has other conditions which must be met if the applicant is to receive citizenship or a permanent residence permit — such as a certain income threshold.

Although Austria has no citizenship exam, people applying for citizenship or permanent residence must have lived continuously in the country for at least 10 years and prove their intentions to stay.

Rantanen noted that the proposed citizenship test is also intended to help speed up integration into Finnish society.

"The idea is for people to integrate into Finland, to learn our language and our social system. With integration, the citizenship and language tests should not prove to be too difficult," Rantanen said.

Citizenship test previously proposed in 2019

The possibility of Finland introducing a citizenship test has been mooted before.

In 2019, then-Interior Minister Kai Mykkänen (NCP) presented a package of measures he said was aimed at preventing and combating crimes committed by foreign-background individuals, especially sexual offences.

The draft bill at the time stated that "the practices of other countries in the use of citizenship tests will be studied and a test suitable for Finland will be introduced".

However, the citizenship test was not advanced during the following government's term in office.

[lageografiademicamino]

UMK 2024 Song Review - Windows95man

The hype is very real around Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the Finnish national selection for Eurovision and the race to Malmö continues with another entry!

Windows95man - No Rules!

Windows95man is a shy family man from the Finnish capital area who's made a name for himself as multitalented entertainer. The man is a visual artist and a photographer plus owns his own gallery in Helsinki but is the best known aka Windows95man. It all started from Youtube but quickly grew to become famous as a DJ who wears cut off shorts (magic shorts according to him) and Windows95 t-shirt.

He represents the same liberated crazy spirit as Käärijä last year. He does a lot of things that are not seen suitable for a Finnish man of his age in style and in music and feels no shame of doing so! Good for him!

No Rules is his first song in which he collaborates with Henri Piispanen who delivers the vocals.

No rules is a throwback from the 90's which according to Windows95man influenced his musical style the most (as born in the mid 80's). Musically this is part of the eurodance genre and reminds many of E-Type.

Musically it holds all the necessary elements that a proper 90's banger needs and Piispanen impresses with his high notes (can he deliver live?). However, what is a strong point for No Rules can be also its death.

This is a nice, funny, catchy add to UMK24 selection but doesn't really meet the high quality of the previous songs, does it. This can be seen as a joke entry especially with the music video which reminds me a sketch on TV. Musically this can be quite irritating for many. It doesn't offer anything new and some listeners might tune off before the song has reached its 3-minute run.

Last year Portion Boys delivered a similar entry but still bringing their own musical value to the table. I just don't see No Rules doing the same despite of possibly becoming a guilty pleasure for some UMK fans. In Eurovision this is something what we could have sent a decade ago but now UMK as Eurovision has topped its game since. Wiwibloggs were on point with their a Nokia reference - it's nice to down a memory lane for a moment but would someone still buy one? No.

This is still a decent first single and I hope nothing but the best and love in the future!

What do you think of the fifth UMK24 track and would you vote for Windows95man to go all the way to Malmö? UMK final takes place on February 10th!

[magn-animously]

Look at who my country is sending to the Eurovision this year

Hello???