Things posted in January, 2008

Avantouinti – Winter swimming

Headshot!

Today I tried the traditional Avantouinti or “winter swimming”. It consists in being in a sauna so hot that you skin hurts (100-110°C) and then swim in freezing water, often a hole in the ice has to be done. I did it five times in a row (sauna-water…) and I should say I liked it, maybe next Sunday I will repeat the experience. They say the benefits of Avantouinti are,

  • improves cold resistance;
  • lowers blood pressure;
  • reduces aches and pains;
  • relieves stress;
  • good for your skin;
  • releases dopamine, serotonin and endorphines;
  • very relaxing and helps you sleep better;

My skin is still crunchy from the extreme sauna and my balls are to be found somewhere near my lungs after the swimming!

Article: “Four Reasons To Avoid Using Dates In URLs”

Aaron Wall, the author of the SEOBook, explains us why we should not use dates in the URLs, one more change for this blog.

Everything you do has a chance to provide a clean or dirty signal of relevancy to search engines and searchers.

While a date in the URL may provide a signal of relevancy to some searchers looking for archived information, many people who are explicitly looking for old information will likely put a date in their search query, which will match page text even if the date is not in the URL. Other searchers have a good possibility of rediscovering the information they read in the past with the help of search personalization algorithms. But most queries are not for old stuff. And that makes me believe that using the date in the URL causes more harm than good.

“Four Reasons To Avoid Using Dates In URLs”

The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal

The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal

“The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal” is a documentary about the art that comes from the act of removal of a graffiti where the person is not aware of the art he is creating. The documentary also focus the different styles that result of the different removal methods, some description taken from the official page,

“Graffiti removal: the act of removing tags and graffiti by painting over them.

Subconscious art: a product of artistic merit that was created without conscious artistic intentions.

It is no coincidence that funding for “anti-graffiti” campaigns often outweighs funding for the arts. Graffiti removal has subverted the common obstacles blocking creative expression and become one of the more intriguing and important art movements of our time. Emerging from the human psyche and showing characteristics of abstract expressionism, minimalism and Russian constructivism, graffiti removal has secured its place in the history of modern art while being created by artists who are unconscious of their artistic achievements.”

First day of school

After five months living in Finland today I had my first finnish lesson! It’s a complete beginners course so it’s definitely the place for me.

I didn’t have any lessons since I graduated so it was nice, and as I didn’t know the place, the teacher, or any of the other students it felt like in the first day of school where everything is new and strange. However the teacher was always very cheerful and funny and the class was relaxed and informal so the strangeness so disappeared.