in english

Tabasco relief in Finland

The Mexican Embassy in Finland has published the following data of a bank account to which people living in Finland can donate funds earmarked for helping our brothers and sisters suffering the aftermath of the horrible floods in Tabasco.

Bank:                           Nordea

Account Holder:         Embassy of Mexico

Name of account:      Aid Tabasco/Ayuda Tabasco 2007

Account number:       182030-17582

I will publish the SWIFT & IBAN codes of the account as soon as I get them.  Many thanks to the embassy personnel that set this up in coordination with Tlatelolco over the weekend (the funds will be sent directly to Mexico City.

Update: The Mexican Embassy in Belgium also has an account, and in that case they have the information needed for overseas deposits.  All deposits to the accounts provided by Mexican embassies will be consolidated in Mexico, so it doesn't really matter where you donate, but that you do if so you wish.  Your contribution is really appreciated.


Bank: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya BBVA

Account number:  642-0021207-62

Account name:  AYUDA TABASCO 2007

Address: Franklin Roosevelt 94. 1050 Brussels.

Branch: Main branch, Brussels, Belgium.

IBAN:  BE51 6420 0212 0762

BIC: BBVABEBB

in english

Verosirkus

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02112007662

One of the few things I really don't agree with regarding the way things work in Finland is the whole tax circus every year. Not only do I find it extremely sad that a whole country can be built at the same time on the principles of equality and jealousy of your neighbour, but I find it appalling that this information is public without my permission.

Furthermore, since this info is available in the net, it's an enormous security risk, it's a disaster waiting to happen.
How long before we see a Finn (or a Finnish resident) being held for ransom or worse on a trip abroad with his captors perfectly aware of his/her total ability to pay?

It is a breach of my privacy, my rights and it is reckless. When will they understand?

in english

Pink sky

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31102007653

Every time I see a sunset like this, I remember the first time I saw this colour. It was on the flight that took me here seven years ago. I had seen before many colours in a sunset, including reds, yellows, oranges and once or twice even greenish hues, but never these tones of pink, which I had only encountered on photographs of the Martian landscape taken by the Viking probes in the seventies (which, of course, made me feel as if I had moved to Mars instead of Finland).

It brings so many memories…

in english

World Cup & Olympics in Brazil

The organisation of the World Cup has been awarded to Brazil for the event in 2014.  Furthermore, they have submitted a bid to organise the Olympics in Rio in 2016.

With this, Brazil would become the second Latin American country that organises the Olympics (after Mexico 68), and the second that organises the World Cup for the second time (after Mexico as well, who did so in 1970 & 1984, while the World Cup was in Brazil in 1950).

I definitely think the Brazilians will put a great show, but the country has to be sure that they will be able to cover the expenses involved.  These events become bigger and more expensive every time, and as such they are a drain on public resources.