Vapaa Sana

Pääkirjoitus

7.2.2012

Tällä viikolla lehdessämme on erityinen Valentinen päivän numero. Vaikka rakkaus, välittäminen ja toisista huolehtiminen kuuluvatkin jokaiseen päivään, on hyvä, että sitä vielä erityisesti korostetaan.

Nykymaailmamme on liian kiireistä ja tuntuu, että moni käy vanhempiaan katsomassa vain jouluna, kiitospäivänä ja näiden syntymäpäivinä. Valentinen eli suomeksi Ystävänpäivän tarkoituksena on pysähdyttää muistamaan lähimmäistään keskellä…

Vapaa Sana

Editorial

31.1.2012

When reading this, January has already turned into February and the traditionally coldest month is behind us.

Toronto weather has altered like a roller coaster all the through the beginning of this year. Minus fifteen temperatures have soon turned to high single digits on the plus side.

The winters, or actually any seasons in the northern latitudes are never alike. Average temperatures can fluctuate widely.

Sometimes the feel of…

On a sunny day the snow village is full of people on the contrary to a day before, when the village was almost as if a ghost town. It was raining, the streets of the village were covered in water and there was no sight of tourists.

Now the bad weather is only a memory, although one of the igloos is closed because of water on the floor.

The world's first snow…

18-vuotias karjalaispoika Ben Järvenpää juoksee Kannaksen kaduilla kotia kohti varmistamaan, että perhe on kunnossa. Ympärillä talot palavat ja pommit räjähtelevät.

Kun Järvenpää lopulta pääsee perille, äiti ja sisar on onneksi ehditty evakuoida kiireellä, mutta huonekalut ja verhot ovat paikoillaan vielä 20.6.1944.

Järvenpää näkee kotinsa viimeisen…

Vapaa Sana

Editorial

24.2.2012

The attendance in Finland’s presidential elections advance voting was surprisingly high both in Toronto and Canada. This indicates that the politics of our homeland still mean a lot to the immigrant Finns and they want to participate in things over the pond.

An interest in Finnish affairs has been on the rise during the recent elections. There are plenty of reasons for this. First, the internet has made our world smaller and it’s easier to…

The full moon shining in the sky in one of those wonders that goes unnoticed by nobody. It's staring us like an eye of Cyclop. It causes a tide phenomenon, but does it also induce lunacy as they claim?

When the full moon is on the sun and moon are on the opposite sides of the earth and the illuminated side of the moon faces us.

During the new moon the moon…

Vapaa Sana

Editorial

17.1.2012

Even though this year there won’t be a big economic shift, it’s only a matter of years before China will rise to be the biggest economic power in the world.

The United States has been an undeniable economic leader during the past hundred years. For instance Wall Street has been the most important trendsetter in the world economy and the global trade has been measured in the name of omnipotent US-dollars.

China, however, has a huge…

Finland's presidential elections' first round attracted 582 Finnish citizens who polled their votes all over Canada. This is a new record for Finnish Canadian voters.

During the first round of the last presidential elections in 2006 only 336 voted so this year there were 246 more voters.

Toronto was the most popular amongst voters since 201 votes were…

Vapaa Sana

Editorial

10.1.2012

Finland has always had a little troubled stand on Sweden. In Scandinavian co-operation we are officially friends, but otherwise rather sulking neighbours. It's a little alike between Canada and the United States.

At least the Canadians know where the Yankeeland is found, while not all the Americans know where Canada is.

We are the biggest trading partners to each other and thus the economic fluctuations affect a lot to which…

Andrea Hansen joined local filmmaker Pirkko Karvonen for a performance at Athabasca University in Northern Alberta on November 7, 2011; part of an ongoing series put on by Science Outreach. Hansen performed for the crowd, and Karvonen showed a documentary about the violinist.

The film documents the life of Andrea Hansen whose mother was from Myllykoski, Finland…

All the Christmas shoppers have seen Santa Clauses in the Malls and big warehouses. They yell their ho-ho-hoes, deliver candies and invite children to sit on their laps. In America, that is.

But the kids never see live Santa Clauses on Christmas nights, because they sneak in the wee hours clandestinely down the chimneys to fill their socks. By morning Santa has…

Nearly 20 year old folk metal band Korpiklaani started their third North American tour from Montreal. Vapaa Sana met them in Toronto.

Base player Jarkko Aaltonen and singer Jonne Järvelä are sitting in the tour bus, drinking beer and getting ready for the gig that is about to begin in a couple of hours. Alcohol and beer especially are a crucial part of the imago…

Classical music specialist Rick Phillips presented a seminar on Sibelius focusing on his Violin concerto and the Tempest. Seminar was a third one Phillips has done for CFF.

Music writer, musical tour guide, concert host and former CBC classical radio host is accustomed lecturer on several composers. He tells that he has a specific interest and love for Sibelius…

“A three inch stack of photographs, think I should put ´em back, but I feel the old life creeping fast...”

Laura Repo´s new album is made of old photographs and ambient memories.

According to well known torontonian bluegrass and country singer Laura Repo that music genre is doing well in Toronto. She is thankful for the support for the scene and also for the…

Rough looking Osmo “Osku” Kanerva is one of the icons of the Finnish community in Florida. Despite not necessarily famous for the public, Kanerva is one of the biggest names in Finnish boxing. Olympic bronze from Tokio and a long international career without knock-out defeats tell their own story of the success.

Kanerva´s career as an athlete, after a brief…

Canadians Michael Child and André Noël Chaker have both recently published a book where they present Finland as they see it. The first through the eyes of a teacher and a family man, the other as a business man looking for success.



Michael Child is a Canadian who has lived in Finland since 1998 with his wife who has Finnish roots. They came to the…

A young woman is full of excitement and enthusiasm. Last weeks have been busy with meetings and organizing. Still she is full of positive energy. The hard work that started in the beginning of the year will culminate in the coming weekend at the launch party of a new comedy series named Millie&Midge.



– I´m very excited that we have come as far as this and…