Jezebel: finland

Orange You Glad?

Anna — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:10:00 EDT

[Tampere, Finland; September 3. Image via Getty]

Netherlands' Anouk Hoogendijk celebrates her penalty kick goal during the UEFA women's Euro 2009 quarter-final football match between Netherlands and France in Tampere, Finland, on September 3, 2009. AFP PHOTO LEHTIKUVA / Antti Aimo-Koivisto *** FINLAND OUT *** (Photo credit should read ANTTI AIMO-KOIVISTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Great Danes

Anna — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:10:00 EDT

[Helsinki, August 26. Image via Getty]

HELSINKI, FINLAND - AUGUST 26: A Danish fan looks on during the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 group A preliminary match between Ukraine and Denmark at the Helsinki football stadium on August 26, 2009 in Helsinki, Finland. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

Original Finn

Anna — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:10:00 EDT

[Helsinki, August 6. Image via Getty]

Pop singer Madonna fans sporting tshirts of the US singer dance during her Sticky and Sweet Tour concert in Jatkasaari, Helsinki on August 6, 2009 2009. AFP PHOTO / LEHTIKUVA / Roni Rekomaa *** FINLAND OUT *** (Photo credit should read Roni Rekomaa/AFP/Getty Images)

Hops To It

Maria — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:45:00 EDT

Last week, Julia Galvin travelled from Ireland to Finland to find a "husband" to carry her over a 253-meter track to win her weight (120 kg or 264 pounds) in beer. The contest Galvin competed in was an international affair held on July 4 said to stem from a 19th century legend in which a notorious thief, Ronkainen the Robber, made wannabe members of his posse carry grain or swine along a course. (So women are the natural replacement for pigs and grain?) Others claim that the contest stems from the "tribal practice of wife-stealing" (hence the need for fake husband and wife teams). Of course "wife stealing" was actually a tactic of war practiced all over Europe, but making it sound like an exotic "tribal practice" certainly does put a quaint spin on things! [Reuters]

The Town Bicycle

Maria — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:45:00 EDT

A Finnish artist named Mimosa Pale has created a giant vulva-shaped (and incredibly detailed) pedicab in protest of a world she thinks is too 'man-parts-centric.' Pale invites others to ride within the satiny folds of the vagina-cocoon and we imagine it probably makes for some great photo-ops from gawking tourists (click the pic to see the sorta NSFW pics). Emerging from the faux-vaginal cavity probably makes for quite the entrance outside your favorite bar or pulling up to a concert or event. (OMG—we really hope she brings this over to New York for Fashion Week!!!) But: Is it actually making people reconsider the phallocentrism in their daily lives? Or is it just meant to shock? Either way, least you'll have a fun story if you ever go to Finland. [Jalopnik & Salon]

[Images via Flickr.]

Foreign Affairs

Jennifer — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:45:00 EDT

That's it: We're moving to Finland. A bill is being proposed in their parliament to add an extra week to the already government-guaranteed 25 days of vacation a year plus 10 days of government holidays. The extra week is to be used for "love vacations" to reduce the divorce rate and to get the Finns to bond with their mates "on an erotic as well as an emotional level." One question: Can a person take him or herself only on a "love vacation"? Also an idea: Breakup vacations. [NYT]