hakkarainen

Mr. Hakkarainen goes to Helsinki

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In Massachusetts, we’ve just completed a special election, characterized by tepid candidates and low voter turnout. Politics used to be something special around here, but we’ve become as dull as Wonder Bread.
Meanwhile, across the pond and to the north, Tuevo Hakkarainen has released a karaoke recording that will be featured at the Gold Cucumber competition in October. (You have to slog through a few translation services to figure out what’s going on. Even then, if the resulting phrases are Gold Cucumber, karaoke, and evil foreboding name, you know that you’re onto something.
In the case that you have doubts, here’s the man himself, singing at an outdoor festival.

And if that wasn’t enough, Hakkarainen missed the opening session of Parliament because of gastroenteritis. News reports referred to him as ” the Lost Teuvo Hakkarainen.”

This post is one of a series about Teuvo Hakkarainen, the True Finns Party MP from Viitasaari. For the record, my grandfather was born in Viitasaari.

Mr. Hakkarainen goes to Helsinki

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If you refer to blacks as niggers but don’t call yourself a racist, then you’re not a racist. So said Timo Soini, leader of the True Finns party in a BBC Hard Talk interview. (The video clip does not play on mobile devices. When I find an audio link, I will update this post.)
Soini was defending his party leadership when the interviewer asked about Tuevo Hakkarainen, who had used neekeri-sanan in a speech in Parliament. “Don’t use that kind of language,” said Soini.
He went on to say that it isn’t OK to use that kind of language, even if you’re not a racist. “You should be improving in your behavior.”

This post is one of a series about Teuvo Hakkarainen, the True Finns Party MP from Viitasaari. For the record, my grandfather was born in Viitasaari.

The first of December …

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20121201-071607.jpgWe are well on our way to a repaired home.

You may remember that the hurricane knocked down a tree that knocked down our chimney that broke the ceiling where Sandra sat. The chimney is fixed. A new roof is on. The ceiling will be replaced early next week.

We are, for the time being, nomads in our own home. The living room furniture is scattered to other rooms. We’re quite ok, though.

A thin layer of fresh snow may delay some additional repairs on another part of the roof that are planned for today. More snow and ice is in the forecast for the overnight and then a warm-up.

Happy 99th Birthday, Huck.

And, for people of a certain age, here’s that song that’s in your head today.