ISI99 Daily Bulletin 8

Monday 16 August, 1999

Contents Fortress tour

• ISI in the media 2 • Call for registration to Heidelberg ISCB - GMDS - 99 2 • El Khowarizim Committee on Statistics for the Arab Countries 2 • Disasters and emergencies, risk 2 • Changes in the programme 3 • Corrections 3 • Open meeting of statistical societies 3 • Jean-Louis Bodin: Re-enforcing the unity of statistics 4 • Jean-Louis Bodin: Renforcement de l’unité de la statistique 5 • Literacy in use 6 • Milestones of the History of Statistics in 7 • ISI Marco Polo Committee On STATISTICS OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM COSTT 7 • International Association for Official Statistics, IAOS 7

• IASE General Assembly 7 A sunny ferry-ride to Suomenlinna • Inventive Finns 8 • A technology-crazy nation 9 • My cottage is my castle 10 • Nyt on elokuu 10 • Our daily 11 • Time-travelling in the Finnish Science Center 11 • Discussion meeting on environmental statistics 12 • Open Meeting on Professional Ethics 12 • Guided nature tours 12 • Some Coming IASE Activities 12

Letkajenkka is a 1960’s version of a Finnish folk dance.

ISI99 / Daily Bulletin / Monday, August 16 / 8 1 ISI in the media

Good coverage for the Call for registration to Session Heidelberg ISCB - GMDS - 99 “The probability of running across a Monday 13 - Friday 17 September 1999 statistician on the streets of is considerably increased during this week” 20th Annual Conference of the International Society for Clinical was the opening sentence of an article in Biostatistics, 14 - 17 Sept. 99 the leading Swedish-speaking newspaper 44. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie 13 - 16 Sept. 99 Hufvudstadsbladet. Medical informatics, clinical biostatistics and epidemiology for efficient health care and medicinal research

Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg Dept. of Medical Biometry • The article was based on an scientific programme. The press Dept. of Medical Informatics extensive interview of the releases have born fruit in the Swedish-born, Canadian form of articles in the press, German Cancer Research national, professor Carl-Erik particularly in Finland’s leading Dept. of Epidemiology Särndal, and dealt with daily newspaper Helsingin Biostatistics Unit improving the quality of Sanomat. statistics, the subject professor In Helsingin Sanomat, the Please use the Internet for registration via http://www.dkfz- Särndal is working on as a Session has not only been heidelberg.de/biostatistics/iscb-gmds-99. Send further requests and consultant of Statistics Finland. visible on the pages of home questions to [email protected] The 52nd ISI Session has news and economy, but also in inspired reporters more than the tourism department, in the expected. The opening form of a short note on the ceremony was covered widely excursion to the Suomenlinna in the papers, and it was also fortress on Saturday. mentioned in the news on On the Sunday issue, almost El Khowarizim various radio channels. On a whole page was dedicated to Friday night, a popular current the Session. The feature affairs programme of the included interviews of Denise Committee on Statistics Finnish Broadcasting Lievesley of Unesco, Andrew Corporation, A-studio, Flatt of the UN, Oladejo Ajayi of for the Arab Countries interviewed professor Leslie the Nigerian Federal Statistical Kish, a legendary statistician. Office and Carolyn Carlson of The interview made a great the IMF. There will be an open meeting for all interested in this subject on impression on the viewers. In general, statistical news Monday 16 August 17.45 - 19.00 in room 1F/1. The executive secretariat has are well received in the media served as an active link in Finland, and Statistics Finland between journalists and has a fairly good reputation as statisticians and prepared press a reliable source of information. releases for every day of the Disasters and emergencies, risk

Today’s weather The 4th International Conference of LACDE - Local Authorities Confronting Disasters & Emergencies - will be in Reykjavik (Iceland), August 28-31, 2000: includes a Workshop on Risk Management Mostly fair weather in southern Finland. and Insurance aspects, see http://www.samband.is.

Mostly clear skies. Temperature in the afternoon almost 20 degrees Contact: [email protected] or Raymond Bar-On (Israel) Celsius. Wind is from north, speed 2-5 m/s. [email protected].

2 8 / Monday, 16 August / Daily Bulletin / ISI99 Changes in the programme

Please check the full A new presentation for Some names of the speakers of An addition to CPM130, programme of meetings where CPM104.1 at 11.00: IPM 42 “Statistical training of starting at 15.30: Operational changes have been made. The ”Demographic situation in people working in and with estimation of the Russian GDP new programme will be Russia and problems of official statistics” have been dynamics, by Andrey Kosarev. displayed at the door of the information on population” by omitted by mistake in the The presentation is scheduled meeting room in question. Andrei G. Volkov (RUSSIA). Information Bulletin No 3. The at 17.15. meeting is to be held at 13.00 - Monday, 16 August New item for CPM81: at 17.00, 15.15. These should be added: Wednesday, 18 August In IPM18, “Multiway data in “Intervalle de confiance de In IPM62, at 9.00, Joan Garfield psychometrics and l’indice de végétation, de As organisers: has cancelled her appearance. chemonetrics”, to be held at l’indice de brillance et de la Blumberg, Carol Joyce, UNITED The chairperson and 9.00, the talks of Pieter matière séche totalle” by STATES introductory speaker will be Kroonenberg and Claus Abdellani, F. and Chamayou, J. Heli Jeskanen-Sundström, Andersson will be given in the F. (FRANCE). Smulders, René H. M., THE FINLAND. reverse order. Mr Andersson NETHERLANDS A new meeting, IPM84, will speak at 9.04, and Mr In CPM70, the presentation President’s Invited Paper Kroonenberg at 9.39. scheduled 13.45 ”Availability of As chairpersons: Meeting on “Recent advances repairable systems governed by Blumberg, Carol Joyce, UNITED in probability and statistics”, In IPM36, Nick Fisher semi-Markov processes” by STATES will be held at 13.00 - 15.15 in (AUSTRALIA) will be chair and Rafael Pérez-Ocón (SPAIN) and meeting room EL/136. The presenter of the introduction. Inmaculada Torres-Castro has Smulders, René H. M., THE organiser is Willem van Zwet, The presentation of Corinna been cancelled. NETHERLANDS the speakers will be Cortes (UNITED STATES), scheduled at 16.30, has been In CPM137, a new paper has Papers: 13.25 Impact of Jef Teugels Wind and cancelled. been added, to be presented at Internet on official statistics: Stochastics 14.45: “The set-up and User opportunities Elja Arjas Latent structures In CPM28, Doo-Sub Kim has development of the register * Bregar, Lea; Ograjensek, Irena supported by point cancelled. The new programme “Bulstat” by G. Stanev (SLOVENIA) measurements of the meeting below: (BULGARIA). David Siegmund Mapping In CPM3, a new paper has quantitative trait loci Stijn Vansteelandt, BELGIUM, Tuesday, 17 August been added and scheduled at Richard Tweedie Publication will act as chairperson. In IPM32 at 9.00, the 14.45: “On the noncausal analysis in meta-analysis chairperson is W. K. Li. problems in stochastic analysis” 9.00 The cube of the by *Shigeyoshi Ogawa. In IPM20, at 13.00 - 15.15, the correlation coefficient In CPM134, the paper discussant Bertrand S. Clarke *Yadolah Dodge “Generalised kernel density A new presentation for CPM58, from UK, has cancelled his (SWITZERLAND); estimator” by Novak, Serguei starting at 15.30, will be heard presentation. Valentin Rousson (NETHERLANDS), scheduled at at 17.15: Comparison of 9.15 Predicting multivariate 9.30, has been cancelled. Predictive Accuracy of Neural In CPM132, at 13.00 - 15.15, responses in non linear Network Methods and Cox the paper “Reseaux de regression The following presentation has Regression for Censored neurones et regression L. D’Ambra; *R. Lombardo been moved from CPM5.1 to Survival Data, by Stanley Azen logistique en finances” by Ana (ITALY) CPM7.1, scheduled at 10.45: (UNITED STATES); Annie Xiang; Silvia Haedo (ARGENTINA) and 9.30 A small sample ”Some remarks and Pablo Lapuerta; Alex Ryutov Leonardo Focsaner has been modification of an estimator of misunderstandings in multiple and Jonathan Buckley. cancelled. a polynomial regression with comparisons methods” by In CPM86, scheduled at 15.30, measurement errors Cheslaw Domanski (POLAND), The following presentation has the chairperson will be Paul Chi-Lun Cheng, *Hans Dariusz Parys and Lechoslaw been moved from CPM49.2 to Sommerville. Schneeweis (GERMANY) Stepien. CPM46.2: “Linear regression 9.45 Sensitivity of generalized for survey data using regression In CPM38, scheduled at 15.30, linear modelling to incomplete IPM12 on “Whither statistical weights” by * Pedro Luis do the presentation of Filzmoser, outcomes publishing?”, scheduled on Silva Nascimento (BRAZIL), Peter (AUSTRIA) has been *Stijn Vansteelandt (BELGIUM), Tuesday 17 August at 13.00, Duarte Nogueira and Pacheco cancelled. Els Goetghebeur has been cancelled. Renata. The presentation is scheduled at 17.00. In CPM30, the presentation of Y Wu (CANADA), scheduled at 15.30, has been cancelled. Corrections Open meeting of

In “Participant statistics” on Saturday’s issue there were a few statistical societies misprints. Argentina was mentioned twice, and the Philippines and Portugal had been omitted altogether. From Argentina, there are An open meeting of representatives of national statistical societies 15 participants and two accompanying persons, from Portugal 13 will take place today at 17.30 in room 1F/3, to be chaired by Luigi participants and four accompanying persons, and from the Biggeri. All statistical society representatives are welcome to attend. Philippines five participants and one accompanying person.

ISI99 / Daily Bulletin / Monday, August 16 / 8 3 Jean-Louis Bodin : Re-enforcing the unity of statistics

The new President of the ISI, Jean-Louis Bodin, 58, hopes that the unity of statistics could be re-enforced by increasing the interaction between the different constituencies of the ISI family and between the ISI and its sister organisations. In this respect, special attention should be paid to statistical domains not well covered by the ISI family, such as statistical work in private firms.

• “For me, the ISI is the pole that time (I was 28) and very of excellence in the statistical impressed by having been world. The source of this selected by Prof. Leslie KISH as excellence is the unique one of the invited authors in professional and geographical the meeting he organised”, he diversity in its membership and recalls. He has also been one of in the membership of its five the collaborators of Gérard sections. Thanks to its scientific THEODORE, one of the activities using the best founding fathers of the IASS, methods and the best practices, and therefore accompanied the ISI will play a fundamental IASS during its first steps role at the dawn of the 21st forward. Since the 40th session century to develop the role of in Warsaw in 1975, he has statisticians in the society and attended all the ISI sessions. to make the society more Since then, he has been aware of the role of statistics”, active in many functions within says Mr Bodin. the ISI. He was, among other Jean-Louis Bodin has things, secretary general of the substantial experience in National Organising Committee international relations and co- of the 47th session held in operation in official statistics in 1989. Mr Bodin is a founding and in various statistical areas member of the IAOS, and from such as data banks and data 1989 to 1991 he was the dissemination, statistics of President of the section. He building and public works, also chaired the ISI Programme organisation of data collection Co-ordinating Committee of and data capture and the 50th session held in Beijing demographic statistics. At the in 1995. moment, he is seconded to the European Commission and is A mobile family responsible for the liaisons between Eurostat and the Mr Bodin says his family has European Parliament. His been infected by ”the educational background international virus”. ”My son, includes a diploma from the who is 29, is working in New my friends or my colleagues, Because there is not enough “Ecole Polytechnique”, and York and my daughter, who is who have accompanied me on time to discover people and further studies in statistics and 26, is working in London. At professional missions, say that culture while on professional economics at the “Ecole present, I’m working in I’m very quickly able to find the missions, he likes to go back for Nationale de la Statistique et de Brussels, but, thanks to the best restaurants in a city I’ve holidays with his wife in some l’Administration Economique French technology for fast never visited before without countries he has previously (ENSAE)”. trains, the distance between any external help!” he proudly visited for professional reasons, Paris and Brussels is 350 km, declares. e.g. China, Vietnam or Mexico. Attended all sessions but only takes 1 hour and 25 since Warsaw minutes and I’m therefore very often in Paris”, he describes. Mr Bodin’s contact with the ISI During his spare time, Mr started in 1969, when he Bodin likes to go to the cinema participated in the Conference and to listen to operas. As a of the IUSSP (International Frenchman, he appreciates Union for Scientific Study of good restaurants, good food Population), jointly with the and good wines. ”I was born in 37th ISI Session in London. Bordeaux, the world capital of ”I was a young statistician at good wine. My wife as well as

4 8 / Monday, 16 August / Daily Bulletin / ISI99 Jean-Louis Bodin: Renforcement de l’unité de la statistique

Le nouveau président de l’IIS, Jean-Louis Bodin, 58 ans, espère que l’unité de la statistique pourra être renforcée en augmentant les interactions entre les différentes composantes de la famille IIS et les organisations qui lui sont apparentées. A cet égard, une attention particulière doit être portée aux domaines de la statistique qui ne sont pas bien couverts par la famille IIS, par exemple l’activité statistique dans les sociétés privés.

• “J’estime que l’IIS est le pôle lorsqu’il a participé à la explique-t-il. d’excellence dans le monde Conférence de l’UIESP (Union Pendant ses moments de statistique. La source de cette Internationale pour l’Etude loisirs, M. Bodin aime aller au excellence réside dans la Scientifique de la Population), cinéma et écouter des opéras. diversité tout à fait unique de qui se tenait à Londres en En tant que français, il apprécie ses membres et des membres parallèle avec la 37ème Session les bons restaurants, la bonne de ses sections, aussi bien sur le de l’IIS. chère et les bons vins. ”Mon plan professionnel que sur le “J’étais à l’époque un jeune épouse, aussi bien que mes plan géographique. A travers statisticien (j’avais 28 ans) et amis ou mes collègues qui ses activités scientifiques, j’étais très impressionné d’avoir m’accompagnent dans mes fondées sur les meilleures été choisi par le Prof. Leslie voyages professionnels disent méthodes et les meilleures KISH comme l’un des auteurs que je suis capable de trouver pratiques, l’IIS jouera un rôle invités dans la réunion qu’il très rapidement les meilleurs fondamental à l’aube du avait organisée”, rappelle-t-il. Il restaurants dans une ville que 21ème siècle pour développer a également été l’un des je n’ai jamais visitée le rôle des statisticiens dans la collaborateurs de Gérard auparavant, et ce sans aucune société et pour améliorer la THEODORE, l’un des “pères aide extérieure!” dit-il avec connaissance par la société du fondateurs “ de l’AISE, et il a fierté. rôle de la statistique”, dit M. donc accompagné l’AISE dans Comme il n’y a pas assez de Bodin. les premiers pas de son temps pour découvrir les Jean-Louis Bodin a une existence. Depuis la 40ème peuples et leur culture au cours expérience substantielle dans session tenue à Varsovie en des missions professionnelles, il les relations internationales et la 1975, il a participé à toutes les aime revenir pour les vacances coopération dans la statistique sessions de l’IIS. avec son épouse dans quelques publique et dans divers Depuis lors, il s’est occupé pays qu’il a auparavant visités domaines de la statistique tels de beaucoup de tâches au sein pour des raisons que les banques de données et de l’IIS. Il a été, entre autres, professionnelles, par exemple la diffusion de l’information, les secrétaire général du Comité la Chine, le Vietnam ou le statistiques de la construction et National d’Organisation de la Mexique. des travaux publics, 47ème session tenue à Paris en l’organisation de la collecte des 1989. M. Bodin est membre données et de la saisie des fondateur de l’AISO et il a été données et les statistiques de 1989 à 1991 Président de démographiques. En ce cette section. Il a également moment, il est détaché auprès présidé le Comité de de la Commission européenne Coordination des Programmes où il est responsable des de la 50ème session tenue à relations entre Eurostat et le Beijing en 1995. Parlement européen. Son bagage intellectuel comprend Une famille mobile un diplôme de l’Ecole Polytechnique et des études M. Bodin dit que sa famille est plus spécialisées en statistique atteinte par le “virus et en économie à l’Ecole international”. “Mon fils (29 Nationale de la Statistique et de ans) travaille à New York et ma l’Administration Economique fille (26 ans) à Londres. En ce (ENSAE). moment, je travaille à Bruxelles, mais, grâce à la technologie A toutes les sessions française dans le domaine des depuis Varsovie trains à très grande vitesse, la distance entre Paris et Bruxelles M.Bodin a eu son premier est 350 km, mais n’est en contact avec l’IIS en 1969 temps que de 1 h. 25”,

ISI99 / Daily Bulletin / Monday, August 16 / 8 5 Literacy in use

Finns are great readers. The circulation of newspapers and the number of loans in public libraries in proportion to the population are among the highest in the world. The Finnish writers best known to the international readers are Frans Emil Sillanpää and Mika Waltari.

Finland is undoubtedly Eino Leino, who was a journalist, critic and translator. He has been described as a genuine innovator and a breaker of taboos. In spite of this, he was officially acknowledged even during his own time. He received the national literature prize eight times, was granted a state writer’s pension in 1918- the first one ever granted - and, finally, was buried at public expense in 1926. The Nobel Prize winner

National Board of Antiquities/Pietinen National Board Mika Waltari was an In 1939, the Nobel Prize was enormously productive writer. awarded Frans Emil Sillanpää, Finland’s most respected • The national awakening in prosaist in the inter-war period. the second half of the 19th He became a writer of national century prepared the ground importance in 1919 with his for . Kalevala, novel Hurskas kurjuus, “Meek the national epic, a collection of Heritage”, a story of a tenant folk poetry and songs was farmer in the Civil War of 1918. compiled by Elias Lönnrot and He achieved international published in 1849. renown with Nuorena Johan Ludvig Runeberg nukkunut, “Silja the Maid” of wrote heroic romances in verse, 1931, depicting the life, first Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat, ”Tales love and death of a young of Ensign Ståhl” in 1848 and servant-girl. of Antiquities National Board 1860 in Swedish. The tales Mika Waltari debuted as a Oddly enough, there are no photographs of Aleksis Kivi. This describe the war between writer only ten years later than drawing is by E. A. Forssell. Sweden and Russia in 1808- Sillanpää. He was enormously 1809. This collection includes productive and incredibly The post-war novel often an everyman who the poem that was to become versatile. He wrote novels, encounters rules and tyranny the Finnish national anthem, plays, detective stories, film The most important author to and cheerfully liberates himself Maamme, “Our land”. manuscripts, cartoons, describe the incidents of the from the guardianship of travelogues and even wartime in 1941-44 society, a theme highly Kivi first in Finnish . was Väinö Linna, whose appealing to the independent Mika Waltari’s international Tuntematon sotilas, “The and stubborn Finn. Swedish was still the dominant fame is largely based on a Unknown Soldier” came out in Arto Paasilinna’s novels have language in Finnish literature in single novel, Sinuhe 1954. It described the soldiers been bestsellers in Finland and the 19th century. Aleksis Kivi egyptiläinen, “Sinuhe, the as not always heroic, but often abroad, and he has been was the first author bold Egyptian” which he wrote in insubordinate, fatigued and awarded literature prizes in enough to write in Finnish. He 1945. The main character is a dissatisfied. In spite of severe France and Italy. He has most was severely criticised for this, physician living in Egypt around criticism for bringing discredit fans in France. His greatest as well as for depicting ordinary 1400 BC The book made it on veterans, it became one of international success is Jäniksen people in a realistic and onto the bestseller charts in the favourite books of the vuosi, “The year of the hare”, humorous way. His main work, France and in the U.S.A. and Finns. the story of a man who escapes the novel Seitsemän veljestä, was even filmed in Hollywood. The most popular Finnish mortgage payments, work “The seven brothers” came out Experts in Egyptology were writer internationally today is stress, a nagging wife and the in 1870. He also wrote the first amazed at the accuracy of Arto Paasilinna, the author of whole organised society to live Finnish plays. detail, because Waltari had 25 picaresque novels since in the wilderness on his own. The most cited poet of never visited Egypt. 1972. The main character is

6 8 / Monday, 16 August / Daily Bulletin / ISI99 Milestones of the ISI Marco Polo history of statistics in Committee On Finland STATISTICS OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM COSTT Sweden - of which Finland was a part - was the first country in the world to found a statistical office to produce official nd Members: statistics. This happened in 1748, and the office was named • The 2 Administrative Susan Starkins (South Bank Tabellverket, Tabulation Office. Before that, households were Meeting was held on August University, London *), with already enumerated for taxation purposes. 13, 1999. A Plan of Activities was approved, including special attention to establishing an International education and IASE; Joesep T. O’Leary (Purdue 1648 the first population registers, kept by the parish Public Data-exchange Network University, USA), with special priests and Data Laboratory; attention to data-base 1748 the Tabulation Office was founded encouraging membership, networking and web-site; 1749 the first vital statistics in the world were compiled by especially of Central and other Sophia Erickson (EUROSTAT, the Tabulation Office Banks: no membership fee Luxembourg), with special 1865 the provisional Statistical Office of Finland, Statistiska is levied, sponsoring attention to national and Byrån, was founded organisations and voluntary international statistical offices); 1879 the first Statistical Yearbook of Finland was published assistance are welcomed; Trude Evanson (Norwegian 1886 the first course of statistics was held at the University encouraging university teaching Statistical Office, Norway), with of Helsinki of tourism statistics; requesting special attention to national 1917 Finland became independent an Invited Paper Session at both accounts); 1920 the Finnish Statistical Society was founded SCORUS (with IAOS) Antonio Massieu (WTO – 1920-22 J. W. Lindeberg published the Central Limit Theorem Conference, November 7-10, OMT World Tourism 1945 the first chair of statistics was created at the 2000, Shenzhen, China, and at Organization, Spain), with ISI’s 53nd Session, Seoul, special attention to 1948 national accounts were calculated for the first time August 22 - 29, 2001: international organisations. 1955 Finland joined the UN proposed main Topic – Border The Officers were empowered 1961 Finland became an associate member of the EFTA and Household Surveys on to co-opt others. (full member in 1986) Travel and Tourism 1969 the Population Register was founded (International and Domestic), rd A newsletter, registration forms 1969 Finland joined the OECD also the 3 Administrative and further details are available 1975 the interview organisation of Statistics Finland was Meeting. at this meeting or from Scott founded Meis (Director, Research: 1990 a completely register-based population census was Election of Officers - Canadian Tourism carried out Chair - Scott M. Meis (CTC Commission), Chairperson 1995 Finland joined the European Union Canadian Tourism Commission) Vice-Chair - Stephen L. J. Smith E-mail : [email protected] , (University of Waterloo, Raphael Raymond Bar-On Canada) (Consultant, Israel), Editor Editor - Raphael Raymond Bar- E-mail : International On (Israel) [email protected] Secretary - Mara Manente Association for Official (CISET, University of Venice, * subject to her agreement Statistics, IAOS Italy)

• The International countries. There are 35 Association for Official institutional members, mainly Statistics, IAOS, was founded in national statistical offices. The IASE General Assembly 1985. It is thus the second society is run by an Executive youngest of the ISI Sections. It Committee of eight persons, brings together producers and elected for a period of two The General Assembly of the International Association for users of official statistics. years. Statistical Education, IASE, will be held today, Monday August 16, The objectives of the IAOS The Standing Committee on at 11.30 - 12.30 in 1F/HH are to promote the Regional and Urban Statistics, understanding and SCORUS is a specialised This is an opportunity for all interested in statistical education to advancement of official subsection of the IAOS. It meet the IASE executive and hear reports about the activities of the statistics and to foster the provides a participation forum Association. development of effective and for statisticians and researchers efficient official statistical who are interested in regional Agenda services. It aims at advancing and urban issues. It organises 1. President’s report; introduction of executive committee members international contacts among biennial conferences, and 2. Membership, finances and the cafeteria system individuals and organisations, meets also in connection with 3. Publications users of official statistics and the ISI Sessions. 4. Future Meetings: Round Table, 2000, ICME 9, 2000, ISI 53, research institutions by The IAOS meetings are held Seoul 2001, COTS 6, 2002 organising seminars and in connection with the ISI 5. Proposal of IASE Statutes modification conferences. Sessions and separately. The 6. Reports on SRTL and PME 23 The IAOS has over 500 general assembly is convening 7. Future Challenges members in more than 70 at 17.45. 8. Other business

ISI99 / Daily Bulletin / Monday, August 16 / 8 7 Inventive Finns

Living in Finland, in often extreme conditions, has required more than an average amount of inventiveness. The Foundation for Finnish Inventions has drawn up a list of the most important Finnish inventions. The list ranges from submachine guns to Internet cryptosystems.

Functional food Rain or shine manage to gain commercial success, such as the heart-rate Cultor, a large firm producing The Vaisala radio sonde, monitor. This light-weight sugar and other sweeteners, devised by Academician Vilho equipment consists of a belt introduced the “birch sugar” Väisälä and used to measure round the chest and the xylitol (can be found in other the atmospheric conditions, has monitor part round the wrist plants as well) in the 1970’s. been the most widely sold of its like a watch. A few years ago it Since then, extensive research kind for over 60 years. The was a real hit and a must for has managed to convince company was established in every serious fitness fan. Finnish dentists, among with 1936, and it produces The heart-rate monitor was the rest of the population, of electronic measurement invented in 1975 by Seppo the ability of xylitol to reduce systems and equipment for Säynäjäkangas, professor in caries. More recently, it meteorology, the environmental electrical engineering at the appeared to also decrease sciences, traffic safety and University of Oulu. He also children’s ear infections. industry. founded a firm, Polar Electro, to Finns have a hereditary During the last few decades, produce the monitors. predisposition to cardiovascular many remarkable Finnish Professor Säynäjäkangas has diseases, and the food industry inventions have been made in been awarded a prize for has been working hard to the field of medicine or health enhancing the export of Finnish develop products less harmful care. Some of them even products. to the heart. One of the

Museum of Art and Design greatest successes in this field is Benecol, the margarine that lowers blood cholesterol. Nokia introduces Artturi Ilmari Virtanen, a couple of new models biochemist and the first leader of mobile phones each year. of the Academy of Finland, also worked on nutrition, human as well as that of the cattle. In 1945, he was awarded the Nobel prize in chemistry largely due to the method of preserving butter and silage, based on the regulation of acidity. The invention had direct practical consequences: the use of the AIV (from the initials of • An obvious item on the list is the inventor) salt increased the Nokia research department, Finnish butter exports, and the who have helped to make AIV silage improved milk Nokia the world’s leading production. mobile phone supplier. Other inventions are not as high-tech Shipping throughout as theirs, but they have still the year made everyday life a trifle easier. An invention born out of The dish-drying cabinet was necessity are ice-breakers. invented in 1943 by Maiju Without them export would Gebhardt, a teacher in home not have been possible during economics and a keen wintertime, because all developer of household harbours are ice-bound during functions. The cabinet, placed normal winters - some of them over the sink, consists of racks, for as long as for six months. on which the dishes are put to The first ice-breakers were built dry after washing and rinsing. around the turn of the century. Even though 40 per cent of Today, the Finnish Maritime Finnish households have a Administration operates a fleet dishwasher, the drying cabinet of eight ice-breakers manned is installed in every new by a crew of 500 during Mikko Nurmi kitchen. wintertime. Winter seafare would be impossible without ice-breakers.

8 8 / Monday, 16 August / Daily Bulletin / ISI99 A technology-crazy nation

In Finland, the use of the Internet has expanded at breakneck speed during the last couple of years. According to the Network Wizard’s Internet Domain Survey, Finland has more domains (107) per 1,000 inhabitants than any other country in the world.

bank crisis and recession of the skills are not entered into early 1990s, the banks have normal school reports, the been cutting down the number Information Technology of their branch offices by more Development Center, TIEKE, than half. They have also developed a Computer Driver’s reduced their staff from about Licence test to measure and 50,000 in 1990 to 27,000 in prove computer skills for the 1997 and encouraged people needs of the working life. to use cash dispensers for cash The first Computer Driver’s withdrawals, electronic tellers Licence tests were passed in for bank transfers and cash 1994, and by the end of last cards to pay their shopping. year, a total of 50,000 Finns They succeeded beyond had acquired this certificate. expectations: the number of The test consists of seven cash and payment cards in modules, each of them Finland is 5.6 million. measuring one aspect of using the computer. Two thirds of the Computer literacy people who have passed the test are women, and the Largely thanks to the school average age is 38. The oldest reform in the early 1970s, passer of the test was 78 years young people in Finland are in old. general better educated than their parents. Young people are Read more at www.tieke.fi/ also more skilled with tieke/ajokortti/index.htm computers. Because computer

Antero Aaltonen Antero Home computers are common in families with children.

• About 40 per cent of Finnish them compared to other households have a computer at Europeans. Cheques are so rare home. According to a survey by these days that most of us Taloustutkimus, a private hardly remember what they market research firm, some look like. According to the 750,000 persons of the statistics of the Finnish Bankers’ working age used the Internet Association, 82 per cent of all at home weekly in spring 1999. bank payments last year were Altogether, the number of made electronically, and 1.3 people who had used the million Finns had a payment “net” sometimes at work, transfer agreement with their home, school or university, was bank. The agreement enables estimated at 1.8 million in this the customers to pay their bills survey. on their home or work computer without having to go Electronic payments to a branch of the bank for

service. Mikko Nurmi Another survey reveals that the This development was not The number of branch offices has decreased, and so has the number Finns carry very little cash with entirely voluntary. Since the of cash dispensers.

ISI99 / Daily Bulletin / Monday, August 16 / 8 9 Teach yourself Finnish Part 6

My cottage is my castle Nyt on elokuu

“It takes three generations to turn an • The Finnish names of the days of the week bear some resemblance to the same words in many Indo-European languages. Englishman into a gentleman but The word for Wednesday, keskiviikko, for instance, is a literal translation from the German “Mittwoch”. The months, on the considerably longer for the Finns to shake other hand, have indigenous names that often describe the typical features of the season or the topical tasks of the agriculture. the pine needles off their shoulders.” This Kesäkuu, for instance, is literally “the summer month”, heinäkuu is how Juha Tanttu, a prominent Finnish “the hay month” (because of the haymaking) and elokuu means journalist and writer, parallels two “the month of the harvesting”. Nyt on… It is now…. nationalities. With this he refers to the tammikuu January fact that the roots of most Finns are rural. helmikuu February maaliskuu March huhtikuu April toukokuu May syyskuu September lokakuu October marraskuu November joulukuu December

maanantai Monday tiistai Tuesday keskiviikko Wednesday torstai Thursday perjantai Friday lauantai Saturday sunnuntai Sunday

There are four very distinct seasons in Finland, and they can even be divided into smaller parts, such as kevättalvi, which means late winter, in southern Finland roughly February-March. The area of Finland is so wide that it is possible to experience two-three seasons at the same time: in May, people still ski in Lapland, while in Helsinki the grass is green and there are leaves on the trees. The Antero Aaltonen Antero present season is syyskesä, literally “autumn summer”. Holiday cottages are usually built of wood. talvi winter kevät spring kesä summer • The return to the rural roots round use, with most or all syksy (syys) autumn, fall can be seen on the motorways modern conveniences. Some on summer Friday evenings, people even work at the when families escape the cottage occasionally with the towns to spend the weekend help of a laptop computer and crammed in a space of little a mobile phone. more than half of their urban Far more popular pastime Suomenlinna... homes. There are almost half a than tapping the keyboard at million holiday homes in the cottage is doing something Finland, and the average size is quite different from the only 45 square metres. everyday work. Because of the The archipelago and the lake general primitiveness of living, areas in Southern Finland are water has to be carried in and the most popular places for out, firewood chopped and the cottages. In some municipalities sauna heated. Something the population is doubled, always needs to be built or tripled or even quadrupled repaired in the cottage or the during the summer season yard. because of the cottagers. Most cottages are built by a lake or a river or on the Return to nature seashore, which gives plenty of opportunities for fishing, Most cottages have no modern swimming, rowing or boating. conveniences, not even Walking in the forest observing electricity. During the 90’s, the nature or picking berries however, holiday homes have and mushrooms is among The brass band played music from the Middle Ages. been built mainly for year- many Finns’ favourite hobbies.

10 8 / Monday, 16 August / Daily Bulletin / ISI99 Introduction to Part 6 Where to go and what to do

Our daily bread Time-travelling in the Finnish Science Center Black, sour bread, ruisleipä or hapanleipä is the first thing many Finns • In the Finnish Science Center If you prefer modern miss when abroad. Recent nutritional Heureka you can take a look at technology, Heureka is a place the everyday living in ancient for you, too! In the Technology research has revealed more than a grain Egypt, watch a survival story of exhibition you can test the Alaska in the Verne theatre reliability of a computer-based of truth in the old Finnish belief “Bread hemispheric cinema or try a lie detector apparatus or keeps a man going”. computerized lie detector. conduct a virtual orchestra. The The exhibition of ancient Multimedia Laboratory of the cultures will take you to Egypt, Helsinki University of Assyria, the Indus and the Technology has developed a • Rye, and other Middle East. You can visit an virtual orchestra which can be wholemeal grain has proved to ancient Egyptian home, study controlled by the data received be beneficial in fighting against Mesopotamian mathematics or through the acceleration cancer and heart diseases. consult an ancient doctor at his censors in the baton. Heureka Another saying goes that surgery. A mummy from the has also produced a computer the army marches with its collections of the Estonian Tarto program visualising the stomach. There was a near riot University is at display, and you possibilities of scientific in the press a couple of years will also have a chance to enter computations. ago, when a Swedish firm won a crypt. the round of tenders on supplying crisp bread to the Heureka is situated in Tikkurila, a few hundred metres off the Defence Forces. The army crisp Tikkurila railway station. The local trains I, R, K, P and H will take bread is legendary, and it you there in about 20 minutes from the Helsinki central railway seemed unthinkable that station. There are several departures per hour. foreigners should invade this critical area. A year later, a Opening hours: daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays to 8 p.m. Finnish supplier was chosen Entrance fees. exhibitions + Verne theatre FIM 85 for and peace was restored on Mikko Nurmi adults, FIM 50 for children 6 to 15 years, earth. Crisp bread is often seasoned under 6 years free with cumin. exhibitions only FIM 65 for adults. FIM 40 Endless variety for children 6 to 15 years, under 6 years free According to nutritionists, Finns loaves were hung on poles by do not eat nearly as much the ceiling. In the western parts bread as they should, in spite of of the country, bread was the fact that the baked only a couple of times a assortment is the richest in the year. The loaves hardened and world. Bread is prepared with dried as they hung in the poles, rye, , or oats and but because of the dryness and with hard or soft crust. The the sourness they preserved shapes vary from oblong or well edible for months. round loaves, flat or plump, In the eastern parts of the into rolls, crescents and pasties. country, the oven was used for Oats and barley have been cooking casseroles every week. ...on Saturday traditionally used in baking very It was then natural to bake flat bread called rieska, the bread at the same heating. A Finnish equivalent to Mexican delicious eastern speciality is tortilla or Mediterranean - karjalanpiirakka, the Karelian bread. This kind of bread can pasty, baked quickly in a very be prepared very quickly and hot oven. These little “pies” are needs no fermentation. The made of a thin rye and wheat baking of the sour , dough filled with rice pudding on the other hand, is a very or mashed potatoes. slow process and the dough is hard to handle, so very few people take the trouble of doing it themselves nowadays. Fresh in east, dry in west

Many forms of rye bread still Aaltonen Antero have a hole in the centre, just The making of Karelian pastries The final musical performance, “Piae cantiones” at Bastion von Fersen. as they did long ago when the requires some skill.

ISI99 / Daily Bulletin / Monday, August 16 / 8 11 Discussion meeting on Open Meeting on environmental statistics Professional Ethics Tuesday, August 17 - • At Tuesday 17 August, the Athens, Greece. At this ISI special interest committee moment the special interest 17:30 - Room 1F/3 on environmental statistics committee is heading towards organizes a discussion meeting a section. Flyers with additional on the challenges and information have been opportunities for environmental distributed at various places in The ISI Council has recently decided to create a new committee, statistics. The environment is the conference center. the “ISI Committee on Professional Ethics”. Two main reasons taken in a broad context, Environmental statistics is have prompted this initiative: dealing on the one hand with largely problem driven, and it natural resources and ecology, requires a broad range of - the ISI’s strong commitment to examine ethical issues in the and on the other hand with statistical methodology. A past (as evidenced by the ISI Declaration on Professional Ethics central issues like pollution and typical spatial and temporal adopted in Amsterdam in 1985) risk. Interest focuses on the context serves as a suitable three major compartments framework for progress now - the rapid evolution of concerns about this topic, due ‘land, soil and water’. Also and in the future. Modern particularly to the globalisation of the economy and, in the wake statistics on the environment, information systems are of the collapse of the Former Soviet Union, the transition to as collected by national indispensable to obtain reliable market based economies in an increasing number of countries statistical institutes will be information. (including developing ones). addressed. We encourage everyone Environmental statistics is an who is concerned about the An Open Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 17, at 17:30, important issue within the ISI state and the future of the in the room 1F/3 to discuss the functions of this new committee, context. During the conference, enviroment to attend this its programme of work, and its modes of operation. The two invited paper sessions and meeting. In particular as well meeting will be chaired by the incoming ISI President, Jean-Louis one contributed paper session we invite participants from BODIN. All participants in the ISI Session who are interested in was organized. Also, a satellite developing countries to attend. ethical issues are invited to participate in this important meeting. conference is organized just following the ISI meetings in Time: 11.15, Place: room 1F/3 Some Coming IASE Guided nature tours Activities Harakka island World’s shortest nature walk at Töölö bay area Confercia Internacional: IASE Sessions in the ISI’s 53rd Starting from M4 door Experiencias y Perpectivas de la biennial Meeting, Seoul, Korea, (Finlandia hall) on Tuesday Aug. Starting from M4 door Ensenanza de August 17th at 15.30 (lasts for 3 (Finlandia hall) on Monday Aug. la Estadistica, 20 - 22 2001: hours). 16th at 15.30 (lasts about an September 1999, Florianopolis, Contact Lionel Pereira- Welcome to join us with hour). Brazil: Contact Mendoza, expert guidance to Harakka Welcome to join us with Gabriella Ottaviani, [email protected] Island Nature reserve, where expert guidance to the world’s [email protected] birds are preparing for shortest nature walk near ICOTS-6: Developing a migration. Well known and rich Finlandia hall at Töölö bay area. Education Sessions at ICME-9 Statistically Literate Society flora includes some rare species There is plenty of nature even Statistical July 31 - August 6, Durban, South too. Magnificient views and this close to the city centre. 2000, Africa, July 2002: peaceful atmosphere! Come to see the bird broods Tokyo, Japan: Contact Gabriella Ottaviani, We shall also visit the island’s and luxuriant reeds. You may Contact Susan Starkings [email protected] Nature center and its little even see some muskrats. [email protected] exhibition. See how Helsinki is Cost: free To become a member of the raising environmental Please register in the IASE Round Table Conference IASE either contact the ISI office awareness in practise. exhibition area at the stand of on Training Researchers in the or use the Cost: Boat trip costs FIM 20. City of Helsinki Urban Facts. Use of form on the IASE website http:/ Take your public transportation More information: Senior Statistics /www.stat.ncsu.edu/info/iase/ ticket with you. environmental advisor Mr. Matti 7-11 August, 2000, Tokyo, Recommended: proper Nieminen, tel. 7312 2237. Japan: Contact Carmen walking shoes, wind-stopping Batanero, clothing (depending on [email protected] weather).

12 8 / Monday, 16 August / Daily Bulletin / ISI99