A happy story in the news? Really? Really!

Anyone like otters?


Man's bond with orphaned otter becomes a movie hit

 

That's a lovely story @Tidemark, thank you for sharing it.

 

Derelict Sheffield greenhouses used to grow fresh produce

 

Terry Nutkins thought that and lost the end off a couple of fingers.

 

My wedding day was a bit of a mess but not as daft as this:

Barnsley bride's father accidentally forgets her for aisle walk

 

That made me laugh. I'm glad everyone at the wedding saw the funny side too.

 

Beautiful workmanship. (Only in Japan!)

What a carve up! Playful, intricate Japanese leaf art – in pictures

 

I can’t imagine myself giving birth at 74….

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/05/us/74-years-old-wisdom-albatross-laid-egg-intl-hnk/index.html

 

Today is Finnish Independence Day. In 1917 they said bye bye to Russia. @Selleri can maybe tell us about any special Finnish things to do. Like eating salmiakki. Salty liquorice.

 

Thank you @Tidemark for flying the flag!

Finland didn't "gain" independence as such, but rather got lucky in 1917 when the Powers ruling Russia were a tad occupied with revolutions and other quite pressing matters and just signed and stamped the letter probably without reading it. A glorious testament to Bureaucracy

Ever since, my proud nation has risen to its current glory of being the "happiest nation on the planet" and inventing hoards of life-improving things such as mobile phones, dish drying cabinet , text messages, Y-front drinking concept, Angry Birds and Social Distancing (which gained global popularity in 2020).


More seriously, nowadays the independence day is a celebration of surviving (and losing with limited damages) the two wars with Russia. The wars were horrible, and not noble at all (Finland for example sided with Nazi Germany hoping to get some gravitas against the Soviets... that didn't work out too well )

Anyways, we are still here. We still get most upset when anyone thinks Santa lives in the North Pole (honestly! Please visit Rovaniemi and leave your dollars there, at least we have buildings.) or pronounces Sauna "sooh-na", and get giddly happy when Finland is mentioned in any international context.

In our household tonight, we had the traditional watch of The Formal Independence Day Reception at the Presidential Palace, the only formal ball in Finland and the only occasion to wear a very formal dress.

It is the true feeling of unity when the whole nation gathers around the TV set or online equivalent and in unison gasp at the daring ones and comment on the drooping/ ageing/ suspicious lifting/ partnering etc of the invitees.

And on a more sombre note, if the independence hadn't happen and had not been defended in those horrendous and partly shameful wars, we could be Ukraine today. Thank you for my grandparents and my parents for giving me a country and for building it up for my generation to have all these privileges.

 

Monte Carlo eat your heart out…

Netflix Senna drama's Norfolk 'Alps' mocked on social media

 

I hope this CNN video plays. It’s the happiest and the most shocking thing I’ve seen in years.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/11/world/video/syrian-prisoner-freed-clarissa-ward-digvid

 

For all those who enjoyed the first season of Ludwig on BBC, the news is good - there is going to be a season two.

Ludwig season 2: Release date speculation, news and latest updates