As in many cases, the book is much better than the movie, as it also touches upon themes of body augmentation, technology as a symbol and the role of women in society while the film version only touches upon a modified basic plot with a heavier dose of Hollywood patriotic clichés. A must read for sci-fi aficionados.
Monthly Archives: December 2007
Super Mario Bros. Orchestra version
Finnish Independence Day
Yesterday we commemorated Finnish Independence Day with my wife’s family at our place, with a typical Finnish dinner.
As much as I like Finland and respect the people that gave their lives for it, I haven’t yet understood why is it such a sombre occasion. Or rather, I understand that it is like that since such events are rather recent and, well, Finns tend to be melancholic, but I don’t feel comfortable with it. I’d rather have a celebration of Finnishness, but of course I understand it’s not my holiday, it’s theirs. I don’t mean to offend anyone with these observations.
What I really don’t like is sitting down and watching the reception at the presidential palace. There are these kind of receptions in Mexico, the United States and other countries as well on their national day, but Finland is the only place I know where people feel compelled to sit in front of the TV to watch a line of guests arrive and greet the president, and where the newspapers will have all the pictures of the party with a special focus on what where the guests wearing. Is it that Finland would have liked to have these kind of “royal happenings” more often, given that it is the only republic amongst its Nordic sisters?
Regardless, hope you had a hyvää itsennäisyyspäivää whichever way you decided to commemorate it.
Now, what am I going to do with my blue/white candles…?
Parlamento de migrantes
Leí en las noticias que en México se organizó un Parlamento de Migrantes, en donde los líderes de los mexicanos que viven en Estados Unidos plantearon sus problemas. Me gustaría que se modelara sobre las líneas del Parlamento Finlandés de Expatriados, aunque es obvio que sus desafíos y los nuestros son muy diferentes.
¿Y el resto de nosotros, los que no vivimos en EU, qué?
Concurso de historias de migrantes
Recibí una invitación de la embajada mexicana para participar en el Segundo Concurso de Historias de Migrantes. El primero, como suele ser el problema de los mexicanos en general, se enfocaba únicamente a la manifestación del fenómeno en Estados Unidos, ignorando al resto del mundo.
He pensado en participar tomando algunos apuntes de este blog, pero no creo que les agraden demasiado mis posiciones críticas sobre muchas cosas que pasan en México.
Castañas
La cabañita a la derecha de la estatua de los Tres Herreros ha sido mi fuente de castañas en Navidad desde el año 2000 (exceptuando el año pasado que tuve que comprarlas en Bruselas).
Hay pocas cosas que me hagan sentir que ahí viene la Navidad que una bolsita llena de castañas calientes.
This is me
Quesadillas with Jaffa. The best of both worlds.
Finally at the local supermarket in Finland they have proper Mexican brands for their Mexican food like La Costeña and San Marcos, not only producers who are unknown and given the flavour of their offering would probably fail in Mexico. This means I can finally have quesadillas with a tortilla that tastes of wheat, not of cardboard.
Jaffa, well, that's just the best Finnish invention since rye bread.