Finland Military vs The Net
p2pnet.net News:- "In every garrison area in Finland there is a peaceful place known to every conscript: the soldier’s home," says scotilaskoti.com here.
"In soldier’s homes conscripts can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, have a snack, read newspapers and magazines, play pinball and video games, read books, watch television, surf in the internet etc."
"Surf in the internet etc," eh?
Seems harmless enough on first blush, but it’s apparently becoming a bit of a problem because some Finnish websters-cum-soldiers are being excused from doing their full compulsory military service because they’re, well, just a bit too fond of logging on.
"For people who play (Internet) games all night and don’t have any friends, don’t have any hobbies, to come into the army is a very big shock," the military conscription unit’s Commander-Captain Jyrki Kivela is quoted as saying in a Reuters story here.
"Some of (the conscripts) go to the doctor and say they can’t stay. Sometimes, the doctors have said they have an Internet addiction. They get sent home for three years and after that they have to come back and we ask if they are OK. … They will have had time to grow up."



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August 5th, 2004 at 7:24 am
I wonder if any US reservists have tried out that excuse to avoid an Iraq assignment?
August 11th, 2004 at 11:19 am
why is it that all news from Finnland (that make the international media) makes us look borderline mad?