So now I am back to the northwest United States after being in Finland for a couple weeks, and it feels like spring here. After being in the cold and snow, coming back to 50 degrees feels very nice. It has even been a little sunny. The worst part about traveling is readjusting. A 10-hr time change can have a dramatic impact on a persons physiological responses. I am now very tired early in the evening and fully awake at 6 am. Is that what it's like to be a morning person? I am not quite sure what to do with myself so wide awake at that time in the morning. The other part of readjusting is catching up with things at work. So much to do...I even tried to keep up a little while I was away.
Such is life--full of adjustments. We like to be in a routine and tend to be creatures of habit. It is really amazing how God created us to have bodies that are programmed according to the sunrise and sunset. Physiologically we adjust to the world around us. At the same time, we have been created to be able to adjust to changes as well. There are always changes (seasons, weather, etc.) around us, which provide interesting variety. However, it nice to know that we have a God who is constant.
"for 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was preached to you." (1Pe 1:24-25 ESV)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Some Finnish Observations
I have been enjoying my trip to Finland. It has been interesting to see it now with new perspective. The last time I was here was in 1996. Below is a brief list of some of my current observations (although my window of observation has been only one week).
1. Finnish people are very punctual--much more so than Americans. We attended a conference this past weekend, and I couldn't believe how every session started and ended on time (to the minute). It seems that every conference or retreat I have attended in the US starts a little late and the sessions and breaks go overtime.
2. Finns are direct and to the point. They say what they mean without beating around the bush. They don't waste a lot of time with flowery speeches. This probably helps them to be punctual.
3. Finns take hospitality very seriously. People go out of their way to make their food look beautiful and taste wonderful. Coffee is served with home baked goods and served in a creative way. Last night I got to eat smoked reindeer baked with cheese and onions on a rye crust--it was excellent. Tea and coffee is always accompanied with nice breads, cheese, meat, and some vegetables (usually cucumbers, tomatoes, and red peppers). Coffee also usually includes multiple dessert options with perhaps some sort of tort, cake, ice cream, chocolates, fruit, etc. Of course they are served with the proper silverware and dishes. A guest feels quite special here.
4. Traffic seems to be remarkably light here. I have a hard time believing how such large cities could have such little traffic. Cars, parking fees, and gasoline are not cheap. In addition, public transportation is readily available. When I think about it, much of American life is spent in an automobile. I think about all of the time per week that I spend in my vehicle going from place to place and sitting in traffic. It seems that the radius of daily activity is much smaller here than in America.
5. Design is sleek, simple, efficient, of high quality, and practical. This makes me feel quite at home. I like the sensibility of being efficient, practical, with a streamlined pleasent appearance in households and clothing. Wood, glass, and brushed metal are common materials.
6. Finns appear to be as informed and maybe more informed about American politics than the majority of Americans. In nearly every conversation I have had, one of the first questions that comes up is related to the Presidential candidates. They all want to know what we think about Hillary and Obama. The general thought here is that Obama will win (probably because of the media hype in the US about him). I of course let them know that I support Mike Huckabee. Many say they like him, but have not heard much about him (that seems to be a consensus in the US as well). One man told me that he heard that Huckabee has some ancestors who were from Finland. I have not been able to confirm this, but that would be pretty cool. I had one man ask me to help him understand a caucus, a primary, and super delegates. Most Americans would probably have the same question. Finland currently has a female president, so they are of course interested to know if the US will vote one in as well.
Below are a few pictures from my trip thus far.
Above is a pen pal from when I was about 8 years old who I was able to visit. She is a 3rd cousin once removed who found me a few months ago on Facebook after over 20 years. It was a lot of fun to meet her husband and to stay at her home (the conversation and hospitality were delightful).
Above are photos of a newly installed sauna that uses fiber optic lights in the ceiling. The design was very nice.
Above is a photo of the coffee table at one home. This woman does some catering, so her spread was a bit more extravagant than at other homes, but here you can get the idea as to some ideas here regarding evening coffee.
1. Finnish people are very punctual--much more so than Americans. We attended a conference this past weekend, and I couldn't believe how every session started and ended on time (to the minute). It seems that every conference or retreat I have attended in the US starts a little late and the sessions and breaks go overtime.
2. Finns are direct and to the point. They say what they mean without beating around the bush. They don't waste a lot of time with flowery speeches. This probably helps them to be punctual.
3. Finns take hospitality very seriously. People go out of their way to make their food look beautiful and taste wonderful. Coffee is served with home baked goods and served in a creative way. Last night I got to eat smoked reindeer baked with cheese and onions on a rye crust--it was excellent. Tea and coffee is always accompanied with nice breads, cheese, meat, and some vegetables (usually cucumbers, tomatoes, and red peppers). Coffee also usually includes multiple dessert options with perhaps some sort of tort, cake, ice cream, chocolates, fruit, etc. Of course they are served with the proper silverware and dishes. A guest feels quite special here.
4. Traffic seems to be remarkably light here. I have a hard time believing how such large cities could have such little traffic. Cars, parking fees, and gasoline are not cheap. In addition, public transportation is readily available. When I think about it, much of American life is spent in an automobile. I think about all of the time per week that I spend in my vehicle going from place to place and sitting in traffic. It seems that the radius of daily activity is much smaller here than in America.
5. Design is sleek, simple, efficient, of high quality, and practical. This makes me feel quite at home. I like the sensibility of being efficient, practical, with a streamlined pleasent appearance in households and clothing. Wood, glass, and brushed metal are common materials.
6. Finns appear to be as informed and maybe more informed about American politics than the majority of Americans. In nearly every conversation I have had, one of the first questions that comes up is related to the Presidential candidates. They all want to know what we think about Hillary and Obama. The general thought here is that Obama will win (probably because of the media hype in the US about him). I of course let them know that I support Mike Huckabee. Many say they like him, but have not heard much about him (that seems to be a consensus in the US as well). One man told me that he heard that Huckabee has some ancestors who were from Finland. I have not been able to confirm this, but that would be pretty cool. I had one man ask me to help him understand a caucus, a primary, and super delegates. Most Americans would probably have the same question. Finland currently has a female president, so they are of course interested to know if the US will vote one in as well.
Below are a few pictures from my trip thus far.
Above is a pen pal from when I was about 8 years old who I was able to visit. She is a 3rd cousin once removed who found me a few months ago on Facebook after over 20 years. It was a lot of fun to meet her husband and to stay at her home (the conversation and hospitality were delightful).
Above are photos of a newly installed sauna that uses fiber optic lights in the ceiling. The design was very nice.
Above is a photo of the coffee table at one home. This woman does some catering, so her spread was a bit more extravagant than at other homes, but here you can get the idea as to some ideas here regarding evening coffee.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A little family history
Today I had a chance to see the hotel that my great grandfather helped to construct in the late 1880s. I understand he was some type of foreman or construction manager for the Hotel Kämp in Helsinki. Now this is considered as one of the top hotels in Helsinki. They have restored it, and it is quite impressive. It was a lot of fun for me to see how he left his mark in this part of the world. As I looked at the columns, stairways, and exterior, I thought about how much effort he put into getting it all looking so beautiful. Above is a photo from inside the lobby.
Above is a view of the stairways upward from the lobby.
My parents sitting in the lobby. Below is a view of the exterior of the building.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Washington Republican Caucus Results
Again, people are projecting winners prematurely. The Washington State Republican party has declared McCain the winner with 87% of precincts reporting and only a 242 delegate difference between McCain and Huckabee. I sent the following email to Luke Esser (luke@wsrp.org) of the Washington State Republican party. See reported results.
See what Mike Huckabee's website says about this.
Mr Esser,
I am very disappointed that a winner of the Republican caucuses was projected to the press prematurely. According to the numbers reported, if 13% of the precincts have not reported, approximately 1750 delegates have not been counted. It is hardly possible to accurately predict the winner when the spread between McCain and Huckabee is only 242 delegates (less than 14% of the outstanding delegates), and the difference between McCain and Ron Paul is only 669 delegates.
The state of Washington does not have a good record for counting ballots, and we as the Republican party do not want to be accused of pulling similar tricks as what happened in the last governor's race. Please rescind your projected winner statement, and at least wait until all precincts have reported.
In addition there are a large number (1729) of "uncommitted" delegates who will be free to vote as they wish in the next round. As I understand it, we do not know a "winner" in Washington until the convention process has been completed.
See what Mike Huckabee's website says about this.
Mr Esser,
I am very disappointed that a winner of the Republican caucuses was projected to the press prematurely. According to the numbers reported, if 13% of the precincts have not reported, approximately 1750 delegates have not been counted. It is hardly possible to accurately predict the winner when the spread between McCain and Huckabee is only 242 delegates (less than 14% of the outstanding delegates), and the difference between McCain and Ron Paul is only 669 delegates.
The state of Washington does not have a good record for counting ballots, and we as the Republican party do not want to be accused of pulling similar tricks as what happened in the last governor's race. Please rescind your projected winner statement, and at least wait until all precincts have reported.
In addition there are a large number (1729) of "uncommitted" delegates who will be free to vote as they wish in the next round. As I understand it, we do not know a "winner" in Washington until the convention process has been completed.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Just in...Romney leaving race
The latest headline is that Romney is leaving the race.
Now some of his delegates will be free to vote for Huckabee! This is really getting exciting.
Now some of his delegates will be free to vote for Huckabee! This is really getting exciting.
The most efficient candidate
Check out this article in the NY Times today. It begins like this, "If political victory was measured in the wise use of scant financial resources, Mike Huckabee would be the front-runner in the presidential race." Then goes on to compare how Huckabee has spent $45,000 per delegate in comparison to Mitt Romney's $654,000. Ouch, that hurts for businessman Romeny.
I want someone running this country who is fiscally responsible--don't you too? I can't understand why radio talk show hosts keep saying that Romney is more fiscally conservative--that is not evidenced by his campaign management. Actions speak louder than words.
By the way, money does actually help the campaigns, so consider chipping in to Mike Huckabee's campaign (use donor code: R6111). He will effectively use your donation.
I want someone running this country who is fiscally responsible--don't you too? I can't understand why radio talk show hosts keep saying that Romney is more fiscally conservative--that is not evidenced by his campaign management. Actions speak louder than words.
By the way, money does actually help the campaigns, so consider chipping in to Mike Huckabee's campaign (use donor code: R6111). He will effectively use your donation.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
A little surprise for the pundits
I am guessing that the political pundits were a bit surprised by the results of Super Tuesday because it didn't go exactly they way they were predicting. In fact, Huckabee did much better than they expected. This proves that this is not a 2-man race. I am tired of the media calling Huckabee a spoiler. He is a real candidate. Now its on to my state of Washington (Feb 9) where I am hoping we can surprise some more people.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
It's not over
The primary race is not over yet. Political pundits are claiming that the race in the Replican party is between McCain and Romney, but I beg to differ. Only a small percentage of the overall delegates have been determined. Some people say they like Huckabee, but aren't going to vote for him because they don't think he will win. That is crazy. Vote for who you believe will be the best candidate! Below is another reason why I am supporting Mike--once again he demonstrates forward-thinking ideas.
Most people are aware of the recently announced economic stimulus package that our government is planning to implement. I am a bit skeptical of how effective such a package actually will be. From what I have read, the average American will get about $600 with the idea that we will spend it. But the larger question is "how will each American spending a quick $600 help us in the long term?" I think there are other methods for strengthening the economy rather than trying a quick-fix solution. Unfortunately, America is known for its "I want it now" attitude. A little patience would do us a lot of good. Rather than sending checks to each individual, what if the government was to offer funding for developing alternative energy technology. It could be like the space program twenty some years ago (the entire country benefited in numerous ways because of the development for NASA). Not only would it provide jobs to those developing the new technology, but it would be a huge benefit to our country in the long run to not be so dependent on foreign oil. We could save a tremendous amount of money by moving to more renewable energy sources--the problem is that the initial costs for converting technology is high. The US as a whole would benefit from such a program in many ways.
The idea that Huckabee has suggested is also intriguing--to improve our national infrastructure (such as roads and bridges). Many American jobs would be created by requiring the use of US materials and labor. People would benefit from these improved systems for years to come.
It seems to make much more sense to look further ahead than just a couple months. We will soon forget what we bought with our rebate check, but just think of what could be done with a little more patience and careful thought.
Most people are aware of the recently announced economic stimulus package that our government is planning to implement. I am a bit skeptical of how effective such a package actually will be. From what I have read, the average American will get about $600 with the idea that we will spend it. But the larger question is "how will each American spending a quick $600 help us in the long term?" I think there are other methods for strengthening the economy rather than trying a quick-fix solution. Unfortunately, America is known for its "I want it now" attitude. A little patience would do us a lot of good. Rather than sending checks to each individual, what if the government was to offer funding for developing alternative energy technology. It could be like the space program twenty some years ago (the entire country benefited in numerous ways because of the development for NASA). Not only would it provide jobs to those developing the new technology, but it would be a huge benefit to our country in the long run to not be so dependent on foreign oil. We could save a tremendous amount of money by moving to more renewable energy sources--the problem is that the initial costs for converting technology is high. The US as a whole would benefit from such a program in many ways.
The idea that Huckabee has suggested is also intriguing--to improve our national infrastructure (such as roads and bridges). Many American jobs would be created by requiring the use of US materials and labor. People would benefit from these improved systems for years to come.
It seems to make much more sense to look further ahead than just a couple months. We will soon forget what we bought with our rebate check, but just think of what could be done with a little more patience and careful thought.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Who won the debate?
This is a very interesting video of a focus group who watched the debate the other night.
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