Heading to the polls in frigid weather!

Today is a flag day in Finland - Runeberg Day.  The flags are flying.  It is extremely cold.  And Finns are heading to the polls.  Today is the second round of voting for president in Finland and the international news is focused on the sexual orientation of the Green Party candidate, Pekka Haavisto.  You can read Haavisto's campaign web site to learn more about his life.

Because I am blogging 7 hours behind Finland, it looks as though Haavisto will not win this election.  News reports put Sauli Niinistö ahead in the results thus far.  Sauli Niinistö is a former finance minister and member of the National Coalition Party or Kokoomus.

Because the Huffington Post isn't reporting on Niinistö's sexuality, I guess we can surmise that it is less newsworthy and also that Haavisto's election would bring excite more international news than Niinistö's.

In New Hampshire, the republicans in the state legislature are trying to repeal the state's gay marriage law.  One legislator is sending out mail with the state seal to drum up support for the repeal.  It looks as though Ichabod Crane is waging the fight against gay marriage.

But rather than dwell on the sad events unfolding in New Hampshire, I leave you with this glorious flashmob video organized by supporters of Pekka Haavisto in the Helsinki train station:



And the Helsingin Sanomat is reporting that Niinistö is Finland's 12th President.