Tanja @tanjaostman@dingdash.com

Gas prices at our nearest gas station, in euros per liter. Never ever been this high in Finland befire, and they predict it will rise to 3 euros/liter. Diesel use to be the cheapest, but now it's the most expensive fuel. But I suppose we have the same problem all over the world.

I'm having my first outdoor job lunch this year. It's +5°C and the sun is shining, so why not. You see snow piles if you open the picture. (I love food and would gain weight, if I wouldn't restrict my carbs intake. This is a green salad with beef).

My husband took these pictures of polar lights (aurora borealis) in our garden tonight.

The brutal art of early Soviet antireligious propaganda posters, 1920-1940
"The magazine actively denounced all religions, hence, rabbis and priests were a basic target for attacking. Often accusing them of collaborating with the rich, as well as the counter-revolutionaries, they were blamed for corruption, laziness, and as a tool used by the rich to control the masses."
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/soviet-antireligious-propaganda-posters/?fbclid=IwAR0pdNlgQRQbxdmB-b8XzxBbYJTn6AcMLhK9m-IqmMF2OG-aMi_s_lyDM7o

"In 1898 this is how they predicted police work in year 2000."
(Source: Historic Photographs, FB)

I'm participating in a course this weekend about boating and navigating, together with other scout leaders and scouts. We have been given an old motorboat, so we need to get certificates to use it. The sea is still frozen, so we can't practice yet, but there is much theory to learn anyway.

Good morning!

I walked to the city center from my job for my lunch today, and saw some soldiers in full combat gear and armored cars and tanks. The air force is also flying over the city. Finnish military are conducting urban warfare training drills in several cities in Finland this week. They do it regularly, and this exercise was planned a couple of years ago. Some might think the timing is perfect, or a little scary.

Nicky Gumbel - Holy Trinity Brompton

I'm not American, but this was a good one! 😀

With more than 70 percent of its surface covered by forests, Finland is – by far – the most densely forested country in Europe.

My friend said the other day: "Why would Putin want Finland, there is nothing here other than forest. We don't have the same natural riches, as Ukraine". It was comforting. The only reason he would want Finland back, is if he is a megalomaniac and wants back the old, great Russian/Soviet empire. We don't know what's going on in his head - there are so many speculations. So far Finnish leaders have managed to please the Russian Bear after our independence, but now we have trampled on its paws by sending weapons to Ukraine, and by our presidential visit to the White House. But all of West is backing up Ukraine, so we are not unique in that sense. (Picture from FB: "FInland in my heart")

😉

This Russian troup (VDV) decided to take the elevator, heading for the rooftop of a building in Charkiv, from where they could open fire. This was not smart, as the caretaker of the building stopped the elevator between two floors, and then they were handed over to the Ukrainians.
Source: Erik van der Heeg on FB.

Learn your geography lessons, guys! 😂

Part 2 Thomas Gür on FB (about what Russians google): "Queries for “flights” increased nine-fold from the week ending February 20th to the week ending February 27th. More Russians are asking Google “how to leave Russia” than have done so in 18 years since such data became public. Searches in the final two weeks of February were 16 times higher than the average weekly search volume from the past five years. Finnish trains from St Petersburg to Helsinki—which typically accommodate far fewer passengers than they have capacity for—have been packed with Russian travellers since February 27th. VR Group, a Finnish train company, told The Economist they plan to double the number of daily trains in order to address the growing demand from Russian passengers."

Thomas Gür on FB: "What Russians are googling: "A survey conducted between February 17th and 21st—that is, in the week before Mr Putin’s invasion—by the Levada Centre, an independent Russian pollster, found that 43% of Russians between the ages of 18 and 24 wanted to leave the country for good. And 44% of those who hoped to emigrate cited the “economic situation” as their motivation.

That situation is likely to get a lot worse. Western sanctions have created an economic storm: rising inflation, a crashing currency, and imports that are expected to dwindle. Many Russians will soon struggle to afford what they need to survive.

Eagerness to leave seems to be mounting. Data from Google Trends, which tracks how often particular words are entered into its search engine, show that Russian-language searches for “political asylum”, “emigration”, “flights” and “visa” all leapt in Russia in the days leading up to the invasion on February 24th..."

😀