I'm usually just your average nerd. I'm not really used to posting serious stuff, not really the kind of guy who'll stray out of his way for real life concerns (I mean, isn't bad enough already?), and even less your apocalyptic message carrier. Still, when shit's bad, shit's bad.
So here. I know few people will read this, but if even one person acts or reacts after this, I'll be more than happy.
First things first. I recently - and finally - bought UnReal World. I'm a bad guy, I had played around a bit with a pirated Windows version in days of yore when I had no credit card, no paypal, in other words no sane way to buy it (oh heck, now sue me), and recently went back to the site for kicks. There's no telling my joy when I saw a GNU/Linux port was in the works. So I finally got that cheap "current version" license. That's 2€ well spent, and it'll be renewed on a regular basis with "major version" licenses once the port is finalized (the lifetime one is still a bit too expensive to cough up in one shot. Oh well.)
So anyway, I'm happy as can be, the port seems to be stable enough to play and enjoy, and I'll probably get to bore the dev to death with insane bug reports. Joy all round.
Now to the more serious part ('cause frankly, if I had to post everytime I buy something, this would look like a shopper's guide to Linux games). Promptly received my license and a bonus that almost killed my keyboard with the coffee I instantly spit out.
Sami Maaranen looks like a cool enough guy from what I see on his forums, so hear his plea and, if you would feel so inclined, please spread the word about this. This is what he sent me as a "bonus":
Talvivaara mining company -- Finnish-based "environmental crime company" determined to turn Finland into uranium paradise to the detriment of the local people, their livelihoods and age-old of usage of clean water and nature.
This is a short text to englight worldwide audience what's happening in Finland - a nordic country that is said to have one of the world's most advanced democracies, lowest official corruption rate and lots of clean nature and lakes. Well, since Talvivaara mining company was founded (by Pekka Perä) this hasn't been completely true anymore.Officially Talvivaara is Finnish-based nickel mining business, but in reality it appears to be just a moneymaking environmental crime company leading a plot of full-blown uranium scam. Talvivaara, all through its operation, has ignored and overlooked the local people, their natural resources and finnish environmental legislation. The Talvivaara mining company was established in 2004 when it acquired the rights to mine sites at Sotkamo in Eastern Finland. The appropriate permits to commence mining were obtained in 2007 and metals production started late in 2008. In 2010 the company announced the commencement of uranium production as a "by-product" from its normal mining operations in Sotkamo. Talvivaara neglected to mention uranium in its EIA (Environmental impact assesment) statements even though mining company knew in advance that the process used in the mine separates uranium from ore. No one told about uranium to local municipalities and residents before the mine was already there. Uranium reserves at the area have been well-known ever since 80's. Talvivaara gained access to uranium production through the back-door; their environmental permit was granted for europe’s biggest nickel mine, while later it "turned out" that the area is also a potential uranium production site with huge reserves. Now Talvivaara has signed uranium deal with Cameco, and is carrying on the plans to create europe's biggest uranium mine.During only the first couple of year of its operation Talvivaara mine has systematically failed to follow its environmental permits having consistently exceeded its permitted effluent levels, officially polluted four lakes beyond regular usage and now spreads its pollutants to important water courses within 80 kilometre radius from the mining area. This all has happened despite the fact that Talvivaara's environmental permit was granted on the basis that pollutants would not spread beyond the mine. There have been numerous pollutant leaks throughout Talvivaara's history and one major leak in 2010 from the gypsum precipitate pool (containing also uranium). About this major leak Talvivaara announced publicly two days after the incident. Talvivaara company systematically overlooks the faults, harm and pollution it is causing and dismisses health and environmental claims. Environmental impact caused from Talvivaara's operation is already probably irreversible - and if uranium production is started that will be the start of large-scale uranium production in Northern Finland. This would destroy both the image and reality of pristine Finnish nature, and kill the chances for sustainable livelihoods in the region.Talvivaara company's ignorant approach towards nature, finnish environmental legislation and local people have become widely known and publicly noted. This has already proven highly disastrous, damaging the local environment, the people and sets an unacceptable precedent for the future. Environmental effects resulting from Talvivaara's activity are strongly and unacceptably contravene both Finnish environmental protection legislation and Talvivaara's environmental permit. All of this has been overlooked for years by Talvivaara mining company itself, the local environmental agency and sadly also by Finland's ministry of the Environment.In February 2011 Cameco, the worlds largest uranium producer, signed a contract with Talvivaara to build the uranium extraction plant on site. It is expected that 350 tU a year will be produced. Their 45 million euro (US$60million) investment will be repaid by uranium deliveries should approval be granted. Euratom and the European Commission have already granted their approval for the uranium processing facility. Finnish government has also granted permission to Talvivaara to start producing uranium. Uranium plans have been already approved despite the fact that there is number lawsuits raised and police investigations started concerning Talvivaara's operation. For example, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL) has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the uranium decision as it violates Finland's law on nuclear energy and there's also police investigation going on concerning Talvivaara's environmental impact report.In making the whole world aware of Talvivaara's mining and uranium maddness Finland truly needs support and help from abroad. Disastrous plans for europe's biggest uranium mine aren't widely known - but the results will be. Spread the word, take action and help the local finnish people in their fight to keep the country as beautiful and clean as it is!Talvivaara's environmental permit simply needs to be revoked until their operation is proven completely safe and already undergoing preparations for uranium production need to be cancelled. This is especially important as Talvivaara mining company has proven to be incapable and clearly unwilling to follow its environmental permit. Wherever uranium has been mined, the surrounding communities and nature have suffered. That is why uranium mining has been stopped nearly everywhere in Europe. I also bring to your attention that Talvivaara’s new partner in uranium processing, Cameco, is infamous for leaking radioactive waste into the Ontario lake and has been involved in US uranium weapons used in the Gulf War.Here are few links in english about this little known but huge disaster, which has been allowed to continue in Finland for too many years.-----------------Blog with few selected finnish to english translated articles:http://nofortalvivaara.blogspot.com/Few english websites:http://www.greenkids.de/europas-atomerbe/index.php/Talvivaarahttp://www.greenkids.de/europas-atomerbe/index.php/Talvivaara:_Uranium_Extraction_Permission_for_Europe%27s_Largest_Nickel_Mine%3Fhttp://arcticanthropology.org/2012/03/16/controversies-in-northern-mining-mika-flojts-book-just-nickel-or-uranium/Website of local resident with bits of english information:http://talvivaaraymparisto.nettisivu.org/miksi-nama-sivut-tehtiin/in-english-why-these-pages-were-created/Chronological set of news in english from HS (Helsingin Sanomat - finnish newspaper) and YLE (finnish national broadcast network):2007HS: 11-May-2007* Talvivaara nickel mine looks to listing on main market of London Stock Exchangehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Talvivaara+nickel+mine+looks+to+listing+on+main+market+of+London+Stock+Exchange+/1135227182320YLE: 07-Jul-2007* Mining Sector Set for Record-Breaking Yearhttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2007/07/mining_sector_set_for_record-breaking_year_243823.html2010YLE: 22-Sep-2010Environment Minister Discloses Links to Government-Sponsored Mining Projecthttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2010/09/environment_minister_discloses_links_to_government-sponsored_mining_project_2001053.htmlYLE: 26-Sep-2010Minister Denies Knowledge of Insider Tradinghttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2010/09/minister_denies_knowledge_of_insider_trading_2010286.htmlYLE: 27-Sep-2010Lehtomäki Explains Mine Share Purchaseshttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2010/09/lehtomaki_explains_mine_share_purchases_2013660.htmlHS: 28-Sep-2010Value of Talvivaara shares linked with world price of nickelhttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Value+of+Talvivaara+shares+linked+with+world+price+of+nickel/1135260471192HS: 28-Oct-2010Talvivaara’s estimate on mineral resources rises by more than 50 per centhttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Talvivaara%E2%80%99s+estimate+on+mineral+resources+rises+by+more+than+50+per+cent/1135261239062YLE: 12-Nov-2010Environment Minister Cleared of Insider Trading Suspicionhttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2010/11/environment_minister_cleared_of_insider_trading_suspicion_2137950.html2011YLE: 08-Feb-2011Talvivaara Signs Uranium Deal With Camecohttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/02/talvivaara_signs_uranium_deal_with_cameco_2347886.htmlHS: 18-Aug-2011Decline in nickel prices depresses Talvivaara mine outlookhttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Decline+in+nickel+prices+depresses+Talvivaara+mine+outlook/1135268639664YLE: 26-Sep-2011Talvivaara mine dismisses health and environmental claimshttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/09/talvivaara_mine_dismisses_health_and_environmental_claims_2902005.htmlYLE: 13-Nov-2011State has ownership interest in Talvivaara emissions investigationhttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/11/state_has_ownership_interest_in_talvivaara_emissions_investigation_3024542.htmlYLE: 14-Nov-2011Hacker group "Anonymous" threatens Finnish mining companyhttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/11/hacker_group_quotanonymousquot_threatens_finnish_mining_company_3026334.htmlHS: 25-Nov-2011Environment Minister faults lax supervision over Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Environment+Minister+faults+lax+supervision+over+Talvivaara+mine/1135269925774HS: 22-Nov-2011Officials admit failures in oversight of Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Officials+admit+failures+in+oversight+of+Talvivaara+mine/1135269904698HS: 8-Nov-2011Chemicals from mine contaminate lake - “Sea conditions” in inland lakehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Chemicals+from+mine+contaminate+lake/1135269828385HS: 9-Nov-2011Neighbours complain about dust and odours from Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Neighbours+complain+about+dust+and+odours+from+Talvivaara+mine/1135269833662HS: 10-Nov-2011Police investigation into emissions from Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Police+investigation+into+emissions+from+Talvivaara+mine/1135269839445HS: 14-Dec-2011Environment minister sees no wrongdoing in supervision of Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Environment+minister+sees+no+wrongdoing+in+supervision+of+Talvivaara+mine/11352700370702012HS: 19-Jan-2012Talvivaara mine to stop waste water emissions into environmenthttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Talvivaara+mine+to+stop+waste+water+emissions+into+environment/1135270223467YLE: 1-Mar-2012http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/03/government_green_lights_talvivaara_uranium_extraction_3298674.htmlGovernment green lights Talvivaara uranium extractionHS: 2-Mar-2012Government votes to grant Talvivaara Mining Company permit for extraction of uraniumhttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Government+votes+to+grant+Talvivaara+Mining+Company+permit+for+extraction+of+uranium/1329103545820HS: 13-Mar-2012http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Protesters+picket+Talvivaara+Mining+Company+general+meeting/1329103607901Protesters picket Talvivaara Mining Company general meetingHS: 15-Mar-2012Salty water not to be removed from lakes near Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Salty+water+not+to+be+removed+from+lakes+near+Talvivaara+mine/1329103621936HS: 16-Mar-2012Sample collector dies at troubled Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Sample+collector+dies+at+troubled+Talvivaara+mine+/1329103628644HS: 19-Mar-2012Hydrogen sulphide frequent problem near Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Hydrogen+sulphide+frequent+problem+near+Talvivaara+mine/1329103642682HS: 27-Mar-2012Nelonen: Police investigate Talvivaara environmental impact reporthttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Nelonen+Police+investigate+Talvivaara+environmental+impact+report/1329103695228HS: 28-Mar-2012Sulphate emissions vastly understated in environmental impact study for Talvivaara minehttp://www.hs.fi/english/article/Sulphate+emissions+vastly+understated+in+environmental+impact+study+for+Talvivaara+mine/1329103702807YLE: 28-Mar-2012Activists take Talvivaara uranium decision to Supreme Courthttp://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/03/activists_take_talvivaara_uranium_decision_to_supreme_court_3367404.htmlYLE: 2-Apr-2012Talvivaara plant closed until further noticehttp://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/04/talvivaara_plant_closed_until_further_notice_3379949.htmlYLE: 3-Apr-2012Authorities delay Talvivaara uranium permithttp://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/04/authorities_delay_talvivaara_uranium_permit_3382544.html
So yeah, it's one hell of a long text. Just... Just read it, please. And if you would feel inclined to help, just contact me. You probably have my twitter account, my Desura account, my Live account, my mail address, something that allows you to contact me. I don't want Sami's mailbox to get spammed, so I'll play the man in the middle. And if perchance you arrived here through exotic means (e.g. Google Search, implausible as it seems), here's my twitter account, which should be more than enough to get in contact : @MrHyeron.
Want some more? Here's some more details from Sami:
Talvivaara case in Finland is really alarming. My nearby lake, located 80 kilometers from the mine, is already suffering from their pollutants. Environment permit granted for the mine clearly states that there should be no pollution outside mine, not even few kilometers away.
And there you have it. As I said, I'm not usually dabbling into ecological stuff or even real-life stuff. But this kind of thing kind of gets on my nerves. So please. Spread the word (that's what those tiny buttons under each post are for). Get back to me in the comments, on Twitter or whatever you see fit with a way I can contact you, or contact Sami right away yourself. Friendly reminder to that purpose: he's the guy behind UnReal World. It shouldn't be too hard for you to find him. He (or I) will provide you with the details of what you can do to help. Let's do what individuals can do best: send shit the fan's way.
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