RSS Feed for HelsinkiTimes
Note: Content for this RSS feed is provided as a text alternative to inline RSS feeds that may not display on all browsers.
- GPS lends a guiding hand
Satellite navigators are becoming increasingly common and more sophisticated, but drivers would do well to remember that they are no substitute for common sense. GPS-run satellite-navigation (sat-nav) systems for cars, once restricted to certain areas, is now becoming available to drivers globe over. One indication of this is that the NaviFeed service offered by Finnish company Foreca now provides weather updates, forecasts and animations for any part of the world. - Giving sustainably
The left has been criticised, quite justifiably, for the misguided positions of decades past. But almost all of those now hauled into the dock of history simply wanted to build a better world and were naive. It often strikes me as unreasonable and a little absurd when I am called to account for events in some other country that occurred before I was even born. At the same time as the chairman of the Left Alliance is asked for a confession regarding matters from decades ago, nobody calls to account those who only a couple of years ago blindly placed their faith in completely free markets. - Get to the point and relax
Acupressure mats have found their way to Finnish homes. Gone are the days when spike mats only brought to mind scenes of long-bearded fakirs lying on beds of nails. The household version of this ancient Indian remedy is becoming a common utility also for Nordics seeking ways to relieve their pains and stresses. The mat, consisting of no fewer than 6,510 plastic spikes placed in yantra-shaped discs, promises to release energy and hormones by stimulating the body?s acupressure points and as a result provide relaxation, ease muscle and joint pains and tensions, improve your circulation and help you fall asleep. Reportedly, it has even helped some people get rid of their back pains and injuries. - Pointing the way, Chinese style
Find an alternative route to good health with the help of Chinese medicine at the Xuefei Clinic in Helsinki. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere awaits at the Xuefei Acupuncture and Massage Clinic. Owned and run by Dr. Xuefei Wu, the clinic uses traditional Chinese medicines to treat patients suffering from a variety of health problems. Having spent ten years studying acupuncture and massage, Wu is a highly qualified practitioner of Chinese medicine, with a medical degree and PhD from the Shanghai University of traditional Chinese medicine. He spent four years as a postdoctoral research fellow at the neuroscience centre at the University of Helsinki before opening his Chinese acupuncture and massage clinic in Helsinki in 2009. - Greens propose an end to conscription?
ON 31 AUGUST, the Greens released its position on compulsory military service for public debate in the run-up to next year's election. A Green army would operate with far fewer reserves ? 75,000-150,000 ? than is currently the case. The reduction would result in savings in the form of fewer garrisons, for example.? The Greens' model would see the current system of compulsory military service gradually replaced with voluntary service. If too few volunteers came forward, the service could resort to the draft, as was used in the Grand Duchy of Finland in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. - Robbed when roaming!
Daylight Robbery! Sky high data roaming charges? There are few things that unite travellers from just about every country these days. I could go on but by now my editor is getting twitchy as I vent my spleen at the cost of using smartphone, dongles and blackberrys outside our home market. The explosion of devices offering mobile browsing has been nothing short of a phenomenon ? our very own information revolution. All these machines rely on the heavy use of data. This is all well and good when at home where calling plans usually have generous data allowances, but it suddenly becomes horrendously expensive when roaming and we start paying through the nose for every megabit transferred. - Designing the future of Finnish jewellery
Kaleva Koru and Lapponia?s CEO Laura Lares is at the helm of an organisation with an eye on the future as well as the past. AS THE CEO of both Kalevala Koru and Lapponia, Laura Lares has overseen the operations of two of the oldest and most respected Finnish brands for more than three-and-a-half years. In light of the recent global financial crisis, she spoke to Helsinki Times about the current challenges of running a respected company owned by a non-profit organisation, while maintaining an important link with the companies' rich histories. HT: Tell us about the history of both Kalevala and Lapponia Jewellery. How did they start and when did the two companies merge? - Raise the retirement age
LET'S be honest. Finland has to increase its retirement age. There are some other options, such as drastically increasing taxes or slashing benefits to pensioners, but these are neither politically nor economically viable. That leaves us with having people work longer. TO her credit, the head of the Social Democratic Party Jutta Urpilainen is talking honestly about the matter. She admitted last week that the SDP will not be part of a government that increases the retirement age. Polls suggest her party won't be in the next government, so it was refreshing to see a frank admission of the political reality her party faces. - Cars for the occasional motorist
Although a nightmare to keep in the city, a car is sometimes simply the most convenient way of getting around. Luckily there are alternatives available for infrequent drivers, from fixed-term leasing to pay-as-you-go car-sharing. PUBLIC transport in the Greater Helsinki region is relatively good, but outside the major cities the situation is very different. In the countryside a car is often a simple necessity, but even in more urban areas few people can get around with public transport alone. - Keep supplies local, and fair
Last month, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held a summit in Rome on food security. The meeting produced little result. The delegates decided that hunger should be eliminated and investment in agriculture stepped up, but they were unable to agree on specific targets. As they talked, the ranks of the hungry and starving kept growing, added to by recent steep rises in food prices. This year their numbers crossed the billion mark. It is shocking that as much as 80 per cent of the developing world?s hungry are farmers themselves. They cultivate their food for export, rather than for themselves and their families.