That looked like phun..! – Thanks, Phil..!

Hank is right: you looked and sounded very distinguished and reasonable. Appearances can be so deceptive!

My pleasure. Yeah great segment all in all, was very interesting for anyone I think.

The “smaller” version is encoded in windows media btw, forgot to mention that

Phantastic!Phil…really enjoyed your segment…Superb xvid video file….great historical record!!….KIITOS and KIPPIS!

Good stuff

A good one. I tried to watch this on telly but because of technical problems only saw the last three minutes when it aired.
Learned a few new things too — btw, was that the Library of Iso Omena?

That was very well produced by FST I thought and surely a great advertisement for the blog and radio programme too (a good thing to show potential radio guests too!). You came across very well.

Phil (at he end): “If I said cazy things people would stop reading…”

On the contrary, in fact you do say often crazy things. That’s why your blog is so popular. Well, at least that’s one of the main reasons. It’s interesting, how ones background affects what one thinks is a valid argument or even a fact. I’m pretty sure that that’s what you, on the other hand, think about many “Finnish” opinions – “that’s crazy, why don’t they see how crazy it is to think like that?”

Claiming that Finns are easy to manipulate (“Finns believe what they read in newspapers…”) isn’t crazy. But claiming that Americans are a lot better in this respect is (“…much more than Americans”). I mean, didn’t you just believe what the papers wrote about the Kajaani incident? I guess it’s okey to believe something when that something supports your view. That’s pretty common among Finns, too, of course.

It would be interesting to know how much less Americans read newspapers and the like than Finns (and when you constatnly read them, you’re bound to find out sooner or later that conflicting opinions, even facts, are rather a norm than an exception). Or how much less they are taught media criticsm in schools. Anyway, a nation whose majority still believes that Saddam Hussein was somehow behind the 9/11, can not have been taught much

btw, was that the Library of Iso Omena?

Yup!

. I’m pretty sure that that’s what you, on the other hand, think about many “Finnish” opinions – “that’s crazy, why don’t they see how crazy it is to think like that?”

Nah, it’s not about “Finnish” opinions, it’s about left-wing, nanny state opinions. Liberals think the left are crazy, the left thinks the liberals are crazy. But when I said “crazy”, maybe I should have said “lies” or something. Like if I kept stating lies, people wouldn’t read the blog anymore.

Claiming that Finns are easy to manipulate (”Finns believe what they read in newspapers…”) isn’t crazy. But claiming that Americans are a lot better in this respect is (”…much more than Americans”).

I think Americans are definitely more skeptical than Finns, which has its pro’s and con’s.

I mean, didn’t you just believe what the papers wrote about the Kajaani incident? I guess it’s okey to believe something when that something supports your view. That’s pretty common among Finns, too, of course.

Yeah and I still am skeptical about it all, that’s the American me I guess

heh… but Americans surely “trust” the printed word on their money..?

Yeah and I still am skeptical about it all, that’s the American me I guess

It means that you believe the local newspaper and Iltasanomat rather than a court of law. Why not, but that’s not a particularly good argument in this particular context, when you’re claiming to be skeptical of the newspapers and the like.

I think Americans are definitely more skeptical than Finns

I didn’t actually claim otherwise. I just said it’s crazy to claim they are much more sceptical – or, in fact, critical; that’s a bit differnet issue. I provided evidence, too, something you didn’t.

First CNN then FST? THIS IS HUGH!!!! 1111 (hehe)

Next stop al Jazeera… Arto Nyberg maybe?

“It would be interesting to know how much less Americans read newspapers and the like than Finns (and when you constatnly read them, you’re bound to find out sooner or later that conflicting opinions, even facts, are rather a norm than an exception). Or how much less they are taught media criticsm in schools. Anyway, a nation whose majority still believes that Saddam Hussein was somehow behind the 9/11, can not have been taught much”

The US is way ahead of us. In the states blogs have long ago killed the printed word. The american media may be a complete joke I know, BUT it just means that their comedians always have unlimited ammo for some kick ass media criticism. So it’s all good.

For excample here’s what Stephen Colbert said in his speech at last years white house correspondent’s dinner:

“But, listen, let’s review the rules. Here’s how it works: the president makes decisions. He’s the Decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put ‘em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know – fiction!”

It means that you believe the local newspaper and Iltasanomat rather than a court of law.

It means that I believe those foreign shop owners over a bunch of young punks.

It means that I believe those foreign shop owners over a bunch of young punks.

Nope. You don’t believe a court of law – which among other things heard two independent eyewitnesses. Instead you believe a story cooked up by a local newspaper and Iltasanomat (and apparently a few other papers). Not that you would care about such minor details as what really happened. Perhaps _that’s_ American

Not bad at all, you sounded like you could be the next CEO of any big media company.
After 4 years you have your first 9 minutes on Finnish TV, what’s your next stop?

Oggie in “Koirat” magazine. A family deep interview in “Gloria”. The house in “Espoo’s poshest houses” feature in “Avotakka” and a papparazzi from “Seiska” behind Phil doing his grocery shopping…

Did I hear you say “journalists have standards”?!

This is slightly OT, but has to do with the debate about skepticism:

Yesterday I watched Fox News first time in my life, and couldn’t believe my eyes (and ears either). The story was about this Litvinenko poisoning, and the commentator speculated what that particular incident means in context of international politics. Somehow, she spun it so that the poisoning tells us (the Americans), that no one is safe anymore and terrorists can poison even you in your homeland. I was like WTF!? The Fox News is even more ridiculous than I had thought.

Nice one 19. How much fucking more stoked can you get ? It’s always about fear fear fear. Make everyone scared, you rule the fucking world and use that shit as an excuse to bomb a country. God that shit pisses me off. Why the hell would someone poison an average joe, like hell they’d be important enough for that.

Nice one Phil, thanks.
and nice marketing for yourself

I meant to totally agree with 20. So don’t get me wrong being a bit aggressive Sometimes I just keep wondering from where these commentators/experts/reporters – whatever, get their conclusions out of. Airheads who say stuff like that shouldn’t be allowed on any broadcast since the information they spew out is rarely informative/adds value/perspective. People who say stuff like that has to be either very simple or just plain stupid. Just as absurd a claim as any kid who plays a video game that involves killing other people, means that the next day they’re gonna go outside and kill people.

Well, thats what the Germans believe, according to the latest news. How about banning crazy homicidal maniacs?

I swear, Phil, you are developing a slight Finnish accent in the way you speak English! One can hear it in the way you pronounce some consonants. Also, you pronounce blog as a Finn, – bloog – instead of an American: a blaag.

I recommend the BBC documentary “Power of Nightmares” for everyone inteterested in politics of fear. It’s available free online: http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares

Yeah I noticed that blog pronunciation too.

You don’t believe a court of law

You believe that OJ is innocent?

Did I hear you say “journalists have standards”?!

That whole segment was bits and pieces in random order from the interview. And I went on to explain more about what I meant when I said that. I was more referring to rules and regulations while I, an independent, has no boss to answer to except my readers.

After 4 years you have your first 9 minutes on Finnish TV, what’s your next stop?

My ultimate goal is to appear on Itse Valtiaat.

I swear, Phil, you are developing a slight Finnish accent in the way you speak English! One can hear it in the way you pronounce some consonants. Also, you pronounce blog as a Finn, – bloog – instead of an American: a blaag.

You think? Maybe it’s my Baltimore accent. Or maybe my accent is changing since I rarely talk to native English speakers, especially Americans. I arrived in Finland before I ever heard the word “blog”, maybe that has something to do with it.

Good stuff. Nice to see the face behind the words, escpecially as it doen’t have those godawful sideburns I see in the blog picture.

-BM

25. The first two part’s of “Power of Nightmares” are gold, but the third one was a dissapointment. It was about modern neoconservatism but it didn’t even mention PNAC (Project for a New American Century). This made the whole documentary a bit watered down.

You think? Maybe it’s my Baltimore accent. Or maybe my accent is changing since I rarely talk to native English speakers, especially Americans. I arrived in Finland before I ever heard the word “blog”, maybe that has something to do with it.

I was thinking if it was a Baltimore accent, since I’m not really sure how that would sound. I do know, however, how Finns have a distinctive way of pronouncing English that is instantly recognizable.

How does a Baltimorean accent sound? Hopefully nothing like Bostonian, which is probably the ugliest accent in all of the Anglophone countries, while Cuban-American English, IMHO, is probably the most beautiful.

I didn’t even know you were on TV. That’s pretty awesome. Congratulations! I’ll be looking forward to that guest-starring on Itse Valtiaat.

There should be a petition of getting Phil on Itse Valtiaat!

He needs to join Keskustapuolue….

How does a Baltimorean accent sound?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimorese

…but that’s referring to how white, blue-collar locals speak, and while I use alot of that Baltimorese terminology, I don’t have the thick Baltimorese accent. But we all speak very nasally and when we raise our voices it gets even worse, as if we’re kinda talking through our noses.

Baltimorese is alot like Philadelphia accent, like when I say “ball” it’s like how I say “blog”. It’s more like “booll” kinda.

I lived in the inner-city for quite a while and I think I picked up alot on the Baltimore African American accent while there. Lots of double negatives and not-pronouncing-the-words English.

If you don’t like the Boston accent you’re not gonna like Baltimorese

Oh, and we Baltimorons say “water” like “wooder”. You always know a Baltimoron when they say “water” because it’s like nowhere else in the states.

Phil:

“I think Americans are definitely more skeptical than Finns, which has its pro’s and con’s.”

How many americans believe that Iraq (Saddam Hussein) has/had nuclear weapons. Given that rather large proportions of the “sceptical americans” believe this, I’m rather sceptical about their scepticism.

If you are truly sceptical, then you are able to withstand government propaganda. Americans don’t seem to be able to this.

“Sceptisism”, in the american – un-intelligent – way is usually counter-productive. And murderous, for non-americans.