Finland's Ovi

(HS) The condition of lorries arriving in Finland across the country’s eastern has improved significantly. According to Finnish police, the quality of vehicles used by foreign haulage companies is getting to be close to that of Finnish trucks.

Finland’s Traffic Police have been closely scrutinising the condition of heavy goods vehicles in the southeast of Finland this week. According to police superintendent Jouni Ryhänen, the director of the campaign, the foreign vehicles are no longer in any worse shape than those owned and driven by Finns.

“Competition works. In some cases, the vehicles are even better than what the Finns have”, Ryhänen says.

Most of the foreign trucks are Russian.
During the crackdown, the police plan to inspect thoroughly more than 100 domestic and foreign lorry-trailer combinations. On the first day, 64 vehicles were inspected, and 36 drivers were given fines or warnings.

Jari Strengell of the traffic police in the Kymeenlaakso region says that in spite of the high proportion of vehicles with shortcomings, there is no reason for other motorists to worry too much. He said that a great many of the problems involved minor issues such as faulty lights, which do not necessarily have immediate serious implications for traffic safety.

During the week only one vehicle was not allowed to continue on its way: the brakes of the trailer on a Finnish lorry did not work at all, and the vehicle was left on the side of the road.
On Thursday, inspections focused on the Port of Hamina, where the violations that were found were mostly minor.

There were exceptions, however: One Russian driver en route from the harbour to the Russian border had failed to secure his load of 900 kg. paper rolls in the trailer. If the lorry had been stopped on the road, the police would have confiscated the driver’s licence without further ado.

“If something like that were on the road, it would be considered serious negligence”, Jouni Ryhänen says.

There have been news reports recently of drink driving by Russian drivers. Six drivers have been stopped for driving under the influence within a few weeks.

Strengell says that Russian traffic discipline is not particularly lax: considering the vast growth in truck of traffic, these kinds of cases are quite rare.

“Most of them are all right - no different from the Finns. But there are always these bad apples that cause everyone problems”, he says.

The U.S. Military Sealift Command has issued the following news release concerning the Seafarers-crewed USNS Henson. Here the news:

U.S. Navy oceanographic survey ship arrives in Finland
Military Sealift Command’s oceanographic survey ship USNS Henson pulled into Turku, Finland, yesterday, May 28. Henson’s port call in Finland, the first for a U.S. Navy ship in nearly two years, gives the United States an opportunity to enhance its partnership with Finland and to build cooperation between U.S. and Finnish naval forces.

While in Turku, Henson will host tours for high school science students and conduct an underway survey demonstration with Finnish sailors and scientists.

Oceanographic survey ships like Henson examine the world’s oceans using a variety of sonar systems and other oceanographic equipment to collect environmental data in either coastal or deep sea waters. The information gathered is used to develop accurate maritime charts and models of the ocean. Survey ships are also used in special situations to locate downed aircraft or chart wrecks that pose hazards to safe ship navigation.

“Henson’s visit to Turku is a wonderful opportunity for our navies to collaborate and to build on the already strong friendship between our two countries,” said Capt. Nick Holman, Commander, Task Force 63/Sealift Logistics Command Europe. Capt. Holman oversees of all of the U.S. Navy noncombatant and logistics ships and aircraft operating in Europe and Africa.

“Henson is a truly unique ship with a big mission – to help us learn more about the world’s vast oceans,” continued Holman. “It is a privilege to be here sharing that mission with our neighbors in Finland.”

Henson is also unique because as a noncombatant ship, it is operated by the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, or MSC, for the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography command. The ship is crewed by 24 U.S. civil service mariners and up to 27 civilian surveyors from the Naval Oceanographic Office that carry out ship’s survey mission.

MSC operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces.

VTT evaluates impact of climate change on Finnish capital  

In the heaviest of storms, the sea water in the Gulf of Finland might rise as high as three metres from the present level. This means that placing sandbags at Helsinki’s Market Square might not be enough of a measure to protect the valuable old buildings in the centre of Helsinki.

In January 2005 many of those buildings were threatened by rising water, even though it had risen no more than a metre and a half above normal. At the end of the century, the rise could be twice as great.

This is one of the worst-case scenarios set forth in a study by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), which examined the implications of climate change for Helsinki in 2070-2100.

“These are extreme situations, but preparations have to be made for them”, says researcher Irmeli Wahlgren.

The prospect of elevated sea levels has already been taken into account for some time in the planning of new areas in Helsinki.
The city’s old drainage system would be challenged if the amount of rain increases significantly from now. Annual rainfall is expected to increase by about one sixth from the present level.

In addition, heavier storms are also expected.

Reijo Hyvönen of the Finish Meteorological Institute says that maximum wind speeds at the Harmaja Lighthouse in a 50-year cycle have been just under 26 metres a second. VTT is predicting that in extreme cases, maximum wind speeds could reach 30 metres a second, more than 100 km/hour.
However, there will be less shivering during the winter, with temperatures dropping to about -17° Celsius, while the overall minimum temperature is currently about -31°C.

Once in 50 years the temperature is considered likely to drop to a minimum of -27°C. Currently the minimum in a 50-year cycle is set at -43°C.

Winter activities will have to revolve around pastimes that do not require ice and snow. The period of snow cover could decrease by as much as 70 days. The period of ice cover on the sea is likely to be reduced by 120 days, lasting as little as perhaps three weeks.
“The fauna might take a turn toward the more unpleasant”, says Hannu Airola of the Uusimaa Environment Centre.

He warns that so far the cold winters have kept the number of insects that feed on agricultural plants under control. For instance, Colorado potato beetles could find it easier to wreak havoc on the potato harvest.
The average annual temperature is set to rise by an estimated four degrees Celsius in Helsinki. Year-round average temperatures in Kaisaniemi have varied between 3.3 and 7.1°C.

Hot and dry phases are expected to focus on the May-August growing season, which means that even the little rain that does come would be likely to evaporate quickly.

This means that fir trees, with their root systems near the surface, will lose ground to pine and birch, with their deeper roots.

Finnish restaurant life changed once and for all at midnight, when the last cigarettes had to be stubbed out in most bars and restaurants, as the amendment to the law on smoking in public areas came into effect. Moreover, part of the restaurants voluntarily embarked on their smoke-free era already on Thursday afternoon.
However, not every establishment gave up smoking as willingly. Around 90 restaurants in Helsinki have applied for a two-year transition period from the City of Helsinki Environment Centre.

Eight restaurants filed their applications at the last moment on Thursday. Part of the permits cannot be granted until next week, while around 20 restaurants were granted their permits already on Thursday, reports Antti Pönkä, the Chief of the Environmental Health Unit of the City of Helsinki Environment Centre.

Those restaurants whose permit applications had not been handled yet had to forbid smoking as well. However, no officials turned up to inspect whether or not the cigarettes were extinguished at 00:00 sharp as the law requires.
A precondition for permission for a grace period is that the bar or restaurant concerned is able to guarantee that no smoke will spread from its smoking area to other parts of the establishment.

According to the Environment Centre, on Thursday a transition period was granted to a number of restaurants, including Grand Casino, Suomalainen Klubi, Sir Eino, Michelle, and König.
Restaurant Toveri was one of those who did not want to give up smoking that easily. On Thursday, they distributed leaflets headed “The fight goes on”, saying that the restaurant will turn smoke-free only temporarily.

The officials had not made any decision on the restaurant’s potential grace period as yet.

At five minutes to midnight, the personnel distributed cigarettes to all those who were willing to enjoy their last gasper, while non-smokers were advised to leave for a while and come back at midnight into a new and cleaner era.

By Jenny Mayo

The air guitar — however ridiculous it may seem — is a mighty miraculous tool. Stop laughing for a second and consider this: It’s not only free, weightless and perpetually available, but capable of transforming its user from music fan to rock god with just one mimicked chord.

This amazing, invisible instrument is experiencing a major renaissance right now as people are beginning to discover its payoffs: fun, increased physical fitness, and — thanks to the hard-working organization U.S. Air Guitar — maybe even some good, old-fashioned rock-star-esque fame and fortune.

The current revival of air guitar in America dates back to 2001. That’s when a Wall Street Journal article about the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, Finland, and its 2,500 spectators caught the eye of a New Yorker named Kriston Rucker.

Startled to learn that no American had ever taken the title since its inception in 1996, Mr. Rucker decided he had but one choice: to embark on a reconnaissance mission to Scandinavia with a partner, Cedric Devitt.

When the duo returned to the states (Mr. Devitt freshly recognized as the world’s fourth best pseudo-strummer), they vowed to find and support the next great American air guitarist in a quest to restore glory to this great nation: the land of “Cherry Pie” and home of “Paradise City.”

Thus was U.S. Air Guitar born.

Its first national contest in 2003 yielded a flurry of press coverage (from CNN to Howard Stern) and a new world champion in “C-Diddy” (David Jung). He was a bold actor from Brooklyn who wore a red satin robe and a Hello Kitty breastplate all the way to Finland — where he maxed out in all the judging categories: technique (essentially tempo), charisma, stage presence, and the elusive “airness” (how much you “get” air guitar).

News of his American victory sent ripples of pride and hope out into the burgeoning U.S. air guitar scene, which has quietly thrived since then.

Last year, the movement got a massive boost courtesy of Alexandra Lipsitz’s “Air Guitar Nation” (out on DVD Aug. 28), a small but snappy documentary about U.S. Air Guitar’s history that began winning over critics and audiences on the festival circuit.

The laugh-out-loud flick has served as a publicity machine since then, turning its stars into semi-celebrities — particularly the literal poster child and runner-up “Bjorn Turoque” (Dan Crane) — and their cause into a significant cultural event.

This year’s championship, slated for New York in August, will be the biggest yet, culling its elite contenders from semifinal contests in clubs in 14 cities — including Washington’s 9:30 Club on Wednesday — before crowning 2007’s “Air-ic” Clapton.

Washingtonians may be particularly intrigued to know that one of their own is not only a veteran competitor, but is proving to be an early favorite. That man is Severna Park, Md.’s own Lance “the Shred” Kasten, who appears briefly in “Air Guitar Nation.”

He’s a 45-year-old father of three who runs a contracting business out of his well-tended suburban home — which doesn’t sound all that intimidating until you hear his history and watch him practice.

Be afraid, fellow contestants; be very afraid.

In the 1980s, the Shred swept Ocean City-area contests, winning loot like a Gibson Les Paul (that’s a real fancy guitar, folks) and enough cash to furnish his beach apartment. Over the years, he’s maintained a steady training regimen, which typically involves 30 minutes a day of thrashing around to Rush or Metallica in what he calls his “Dude Room.” There, he has ample space to perform “windmills” with his “pick-holding” hand, leap across the carpet and jump nimbly off his pool table.

“It gets the adrenaline going; it’s like having a pot of coffee a day,” he says.

Through his “caffeinated” daily routine, he’s developed the endurance to bring his talents to all but one of the U.S. Air Guitar Championship semifinals, and has often ranked.

“I don’t want to be cocky,” he says, “but there’s a pretty good chance that I could take it [this year].”

Bjorn, who’ll be emceeing this year’s rock-off tour, believes that the Shred may indeed steal the D.C. title, at the very least. “He’s one of my favorites,” he says of our hometown hopeful. “He’s in great shape.”

Air guitar “sounds like a joke,” Mr. Rucker explains in the film. “But when you start to tell it 10,000 times, you start to forget that it’s a joke.”

Bjorn is hesitant to use the word “joke” with regard to his art, as it’s truly changed his life; this seemingly silly activity helped him find the strength to leave his desk job and embrace creative pursuits like writing and playing in a real-life band.

He agrees that invisible instrumentation is “fun and really funny,” but says he’s found a much more profound side to the whole ordeal.

“I get massive e-mails from people saying that I inspired them or that they loved the movie and it made them laugh,” he says, “and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking that seriously. Air guitar is a way to take yourself not-seriously for a matter of minutes or hours. And in a way, there’s something about taking yourself not-seriously that’s really serious.”