NTSMS - Non Therion Society Members Society
Main Forum => Enter the voids of the OT-forum => Topic started by: Loke on March 12, 2007, 06:16:54 am
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Well, as we come from the most diverse corners of the globe, it good be nice to know a little bit what is happenning out there (i think hehe) so, let's keep us inform with the newest news in our cities of residence shall we...
well in mexico city this the thingy right now...
Mexican President Felipe Calderon's government wants to decriminalize first-time possession of small amounts of drugs in a move likely to draw criticism from U.S. anti-narcotics officials. ADVERTISEMENT
Under the proposed legislation, users found for the first time with 2 grams (0.07 ounces) or less of marijuana and small amounts of other drugs ranging from cocaine to methamphetamine would not be prosecuted.
The bill passing through Mexico's Senate on its way to Congress is a toned down version of legislation Calderon's predecessor,
Vicente Fox, pushed through last year but later vetoed after angry objections from Washington.
While the legally punishable amounts of drugs found on a first-time user are smaller than under last year's bill, the legislation appears to contrast with the tough stance Calderon has taken against drug-trafficking.
Since taking office on December 1, he has sent thousands of troops to smuggling and production areas wracked by violence that killed 2,000 people last year and has extradited top drug lords to the United States for trial.
Ruling National Action Party Sen. Alejandro Gonzalez, who heads the Senate's justice commission and supports the bill, said on Monday that decriminalizing possession of small quantities of drugs and taking some pressure off addicts would free up resources needed to pursue dealers.
"This isn't legalization," he said. "We're going to go much harder against drug dealers.
yo yo yo
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Hi there,
an excellent idea, Loke! Regarding your drug discussion: In Germany it has been practiced for years now that owners of small amounts of Marijuana or Hashish do not have to be prosecuted.
Besides the climate protection, the biggest topic in Germany these days is family politics. Our family minister has suggested to increase the number of places in nursery schools dramatically. This ignited a big discussion... some say that children will get psychic damages when they grow up in nursery schools. Others refer to the GDR where nursery schools were very common since 90% of all women worked. Some of these say "Do we want to raise our children like the communists did?" while others say "Calm down. Think of communism what you may, but nursery schools will help us solve some of our problems." There's a very heated discussion going on about whether nusery schools are acceptable in general and if so, how to pay the additional places.
Cheers!
Markus
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My turn now... and it's going to be a douple turn :ninja:
George W. was visiting my homecountry yesterday. This visit (his third in five years :blink:) has monopolized the Colombian media for almost a week. At the end of the day, either him or the Colombian president (Alvaro Uribe) said anything new: more money for the war, no dialogue with the guerrillas, etc, etc. On the sad side, I'd like to recall the passing of Octavio Mesa, one of the bigest folkloric artists of my homecountry. He was the inspiration source of the infamous "Camisa Negra" sang by Juanes. However, do not be fooled by that, his music was really cool and perfect for drinking and saying obsenities with your friends :drunk:. He died early this morning of heart failure at the age of 77. On the happy side: My team is on top of the Colombian football championship :biggrin:
Here in the mapleleaf country, the headlines are mostly related to the Québec's provincial elections. They are going to take place in two weeks, and tomorrow, we will have a debate on t.v.. And well, it's all about the same old discussion of independence from Canada and all that stuff. I have to say, that this is the third time I witness a provincial election here in Québec, and this is by far the most intelectually poor and devoid of clear ideas I've ever seen :sleep: . The worst past of it, is that these elections are probably going to be followed by federal elections during the summer :yawns:.
Oh! one side comment on loke's post: We had the "courage" to decriminalize the possesion of small amount of drugs in Colombia, and it basically changed.... nothing :ninja: . Our main problem is with traffic ("exportation") not with consumption. So probably, the results are going to be the same in Mexico. Well, obviously, the cops are going to have more time to pursue the big fish, and that could be good.
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Seriously, Aluqak: What is good about pursuing big fish? :lol3:
Our news today were dominated by the recent terror threats against Germany. :(
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Oh! one side comment on loke's post: We had the "courage" to decriminalize the possesion of small amount of drugs in Colombia, and it basically changed.... nothing :ninja: . Our main problem is with traffic ("exportation") not with consumption. So probably, the results are going to be the same in Mexico. Well, obviously, the cops are going to have more time to pursue the big fish, and that could be good.
Well, it's about cultural aspects aswell, left wing mexicans will take this as an oportunity to say, "we told you , now he wants to legalize drugs our candidate was the good one" and such, but i think that decriminalization is also a good path to beging our way into the first world, or atleast into the second...hehe
yo yo yo
efrem
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Hi,
All this is very interesting... :)
Well I'll tell you what is happening in my very little country....
First the media are focusing on this mother who killed her 5 children without any reasons some weeks ago after, she tryed to commit suicide :afaid: ( that's frightening and it touch me even more since I know that they were all from the school I used to go...even if I didn't know them) The story looks quite complex and we still don't know why she did that...
And Elections will be held soon too. So We will hear a lot about the racist party "Vlaams Belang" or "le Front National" ....because the Vlaams Belang will probably win again a lot of votes. This will rise questions like "Should we give more power to the regions etc" and general questions about federalism. and then after that I can predict that the french speaking politicians and the flemish ones will fight for stupid uninteresting things. ¬¬
Except that , periodically they talk about all the illegal things the socialist party (french speaking party) has done for some years...
Or maybe about the funny drunk socialist Michel Daerden...There are funny videos about him on youtube, here are my favourites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dguKikz7Ec on this one, he comments his victory after the communal elections.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaWNLqRpOms here again at a local TV with his son (also drunk)
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Hi,
All this is very interesting... :)
Well I'll tell you what is happening in my very little country....
First the media are focusing on this mother who killed her 5 children without any reasons some weeks ago after, she tryed to commit suicide :afaid: ( that's frightening and it touch me even more since I know that they were all from the school I used to go...even if I didn't know them) The story looks quite complex and we still don't know why she did that...
And Elections will be held soon too. So We will hear a lot about the racist party "Vlaams Belang" or "le Front National" ....because the Vlaams Belang will probably win again a lot of votes. This will rise questions like "Should we give more power to the regions etc" and general questions about federalism. and then after that I can predict that the french speaking politicians and the flemish ones will fight for stupid uninteresting things. ¬¬
Except that , periodically they talk about all the illegal things the socialist party (french speaking party) has done for some years...
Or maybe about the funny drunk socialist Michel Daerden...There are funny videos about him on youtube, here are my favourites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dguKikz7Ec on this one, he comments his victory after the communal elections.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaWNLqRpOms here again at a local TV with his son (also drunk)
And his little country his... *drums*
yo yo yo :P
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And his little country his... *drums*
=> profile :tongue:
but if you're too lazy...I'm from Belgium :wink2:
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Well, G W Bush is here in mexico so i think it would be interesting to post something about it ...
President Bush sought to soothe strained ties with Mexico on Tuesday by promising to prod Congress to overhaul tough U.S. immigration policies. But Mexican President Felipe Calderon criticized U.S. plans for a 700-mile border fence and said Bush must do more to curb American drug appetites.
'We need the collaboration and the active participation of our neighbor,' Calderon said.
Bush and Calderon _ both pro-business conservatives _ acknowledged their differences and vowed to work together.
Calderon said it was time for a fresh start to 'direct our relationship toward a path of mutual prosperity.'
'Geography has made our countries neighbors, but the choice we've made for each other is a choice for freedom,' said Bush. 'And that choice has made us friends.'
'In the debate on migration, I remind my fellow citizens that family values do not stop at the Rio Grande River, that there are decent, hardworking honorable citizens of Mexico who want to make a living for their families,' Bush said as he stood beside Calderon. 'And so, Mr. President, my pledge to you and your government _ but, more importantly, the people of Mexico _ is I will work as hard as I possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform.'
There... bolloks if you ask me hehe.
yo yo yo
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Hi there,
the main topic in Germany today is the electricity market. The four biggest companies have been accused of manipulating the prices.
Cheers!
Markus
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Hi there,
Well, the debate of the three principal candidates to be next Québec's PM was yesterday. It was mostly low profile and the media (and the people) here cannot agree in a clear winner. Minority goverment ahead? :unsure:
In Colombia, there has been some misleading informations about the preliminary peace talks that the government is trying to start with one of the guerrillas (ELN). Today the vice-president said that the guerrilla wanted to quit the talks, and a few hours latter the offical speaker of the ELN said that the vice-president was misinformed... longlife to the "dialogues" :disgust:
Oh! and about this:
Seriously, Aluqak: What is good about pursuing big fish? :lol3:
Well, my dear Markus, big fish always have more flesh :biggrin:
... Man, now I'm hungry (again!)
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Hi there,
one of the main topics in Germany today is the climate change again. An institute for economy research published a study on how much the consequences of the climate change will cost - protection for buildings, damages due to floods and storms, misharvests, additional health costs due to heat waves and the like... Does anyone have 800 billion Euro at hand? That's how much we'll need until 2050 alone...
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Hard day of today. Read it here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6453183.stm), I don't want to talk about it. ???
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one of the main topics in Germany today is the climate change again. An institute for economy research published a study on how much the consequences of the climate change will cost - protection for buildings, damages due to floods and storms, misharvests, additional health costs due to heat waves and the like... Does anyone have 800 billion Euro at hand? That's how much we'll need until 2050 alone...
Somehow, Roland of Gilead comes to mind. The world has moved on. The world seems to be moving on, ignoring us in the process. Rightly so, might I add.
Some of these say "Do we want to raise our children like the communists did?" while others say "Calm down. Think of communism what you may, but nursery schools will help us solve some of our problems."
Do we want to raise our children so they grow up to be humane or human? Pick one. I'm not sure you can have both.
Communism isn't bad nor is it evil. Bolshevism, human interpretation of basically good ideas... now that's what we need to fear. I feel communism is, in essence, being seen as the opposite of the American Dream - while the latter is idealized as the epitome of freedom, the former is seen as the product of Satan's crotch. Both have destroyed lives, countries and small-scale grocery shops.
Here, where communism had an awkward relationship with capitalism from the 50es to the 80es and where the neighboring, erm, fractions took advantage of everyone they could on a daily basis, everyone shuns all things lefty. Even Serbs, who were dominant in Yugoslavia, are mostly right-winged. (Won't even start with Croats...)
Sad, really.
Personally, I'm politically naive and, as a result, am a liberal.
I'm a lefty. Marx has some shiny ideas, but collectivism isn't really my cup of tea - I'm pro-individualism. Eh, and pro-creation.
...
Oooh, these subtle puns of mine really make me shiver :biggrin:
What was my point? Oh, yeah. Thinking about something in terms of historical human interpretation is, in my opinion, extremely pointless. If someone else didn't get it right, who's to say we won't?
That being said, when thinking about your children's future, I'd suggest you go with the best available option, not the most politically acceptable.
This is probably offtopic. If it is, I apologize. Felt the urge to comment and then got carried away.
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Thank you for the comments, Nighthawk!
In fact I think that getting an outside view is one of the goals of this thread, so no comment will be off-topic (even thouig hlonger discussions should get their own thread).
I consider that argument "Nah, that's communism!" extremely stupid. Even if the GDR was wrong in many, many points, the backward conclusion ("Everything they did was crap") is illogical.
Cheers!
Markus
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Un-bloody-believable...
MEXICO CITY — Authorities confiscated more than $200 million in U.S. currency from methamphetamine producers in one of this city's ritziest neighborhoods, they said Friday, calling it the largest drug cash seizure in history.
The seizure reflected the vast scope of an illegal drug trade linking Asia, Mexico and the United States, officials said. Two of the seven people arrested Thursday at a faux Mediterranean villa in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood were Chinese nationals.
Cash man, damn the 200 million were cash :O
yo yo yo :P
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I consider that argument "Nah, that's communism!" extremely stupid. Even if the GDR was wrong in many, many points, the backward conclusion ("Everything they did was crap") is illogical.
Agreed. Whole-heartedly.
MEXICO CITY — Authorities confiscated more than $200 million in U.S. currency from methamphetamine producers in one of this city's ritziest neighborhoods, they said Friday, calling it the largest drug cash seizure in history.
The seizure reflected the vast scope of an illegal drug trade linking Asia, Mexico and the United States, officials said. Two of the seven people arrested Thursday at a faux Mediterranean villa in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood were Chinese nationals.
Y'know, this sounds like a freaky trip. Drugs, drug raids, Mediterranean villas, Chinese nationals... and ninjas.
I'm sure there were ninjas. There just had to be. Hunting the Chinese nationals, perhaps.
...
The ninjas did the drug raid, didn't they?
*bright eyes*
I knew it!
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Please dont come to mexico is unsafe! Bolloks!
Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez has said a US state department warning to Americans travelling along the Mexican border is "exaggerated".
His comments came after US ambassador Tony Garza said he was concerned that drug-related violence in the border area could affect trade and tourism.
The state department said US citizens should be aware of the risks involved.
But Mr Derbez said Mexico had proved it was successfully fighting violence and drug-trafficking in the region.
He said the US had made an "erroneous" assessment that was "outside the scope of reality".
The state department alert, issued on Wednesday, said there had been an escalation of fighting among drug cartels along Mexico's border with the US.
Mr Garza, the US ambassador in Mexico City, also raised the issue in a letter to Mr Derbez and the country's attorney-general.
"Although Americans do not appear to be the specific targets of the crimes, the elevated level of violence generally has resulted in greater risks to the thousands of American citizens visiting and passing through the border region every day," he wrote.
"Increased numbers of murdered and kidnapped Americans in recent months bear this out."
Armed Mexican police have been patrolling the border cities of Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa, in an effort to crack down on the drug gangs.
The authorities' escalating battle with the drug traffickers has spread to some of the country's biggest prisons, where convicted traffickers have allegedly continued to run their illegal businesses from their cells with the help of corrupt warders.
Last week, Mexico's three top-security jails were placed on maximum alert after the murder of six prison officers at the Matamoros penitentiary.
yo yo yo :O
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Hey there,
the biggest topic in Germany today were trhe celebrations of 50 years of the Treaties of Rome, and the discussion about how to proceed with the European Union.
Cheers!
Markus
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Same thing should be here but we have strange governement. Try to imagine combination of Chavez and Putin and duplicate it into twins - you will have Poland :lol:
If they will read it I'm lost ;)
Damn I'm lost now cause I'm nature protection specialist - they don't like us very much - thanks to industrialisation lobbies....
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MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico City is preparing to legalize abortion -- the first region to do so in heavily Roman Catholic Mexico -- a move the influential church has vowed to challenge. ADVERTISEMENT
A bill that would allow abortions in the first three months of pregnancy is making its way through the capital city's assembly and supporters say they have well over the majority needed to pass it despite threats of protests by the Catholic Church. The measure is expected to pass within months and the first legal abortions could happen later this year.
"No church, no religion can impose its vision of the world in this city," said assembly leader Victor Hugo Cirigo, whose leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution runs City Hall and holds 34 of 66 city legislative seats.
The assembly battled with the Catholic Church in December, allowing gay civil unions to begin in Mexico City on Friday. The northern state of Coahuila followed suit and has already begun allowing such ceremonies, holding its first in January.
yo yo yo :)
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All the public functionaries in mexico city are obliged, forced, well, they must arrive to work on their bikes every day, hahaha this was a good one, in moments like this i thank God mexican government is full of morons hahaha, i had a good laugh. I meab it's a good idea to opromote the use of bikes and all but it requires planning, not just an ass that one day wakes up and says "today i ll demand all ride a bike, yes that's it , ill be loved" hahahaha
yo yo yo
:D
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Hey,
Here they talked a lot about some stupid things that the bishop of Namur ( a town in the south part of Belgium) said.
The guy stated that :
-Gay people are abnormal
-He is against abortion and euthanasia
-condoms are porous :blink:
Who's the most normal between a guy that loves another guy and a guy who loves another guy called Jesus (a mysterious guy that is dead 2000 years ago and, a guy that it is not sure that he ever existed)?
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Hey there,
a big topic in Germany these days is whether there should be a law that demands minimum wages or not. The pros say that it's immoral when a company or an enterpriser pays so little that a full-time-worker needs additional help from the government. The cons bubble some incoherent nonsense. :biggrin:
Cheers!
Markus
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MEXICO CITY -- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6 rocked Mexico early Friday, striking 60 miles north of Acapulco on the country's Pacific coast, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake -- which hit about 1 a.m. local time -- was strongly felt by residents in Acapulco, where tourists in hotels rushed out of their rooms and huddled together, fearing aftershocks.
The quake was also felt in parts of Mexico City, where power was knocked out.
There has been no word on injuries or damage.
In Mexico City, the quake sent people out into the streets. It lasted less than a minute but was strongly felt by residents.
Police patrolled streets while families waited out on the streets in their pajamas, fearing aftershocks.
yo yo yo :O
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Hey,
Here they talked a lot about some stupid things that the bishop of Namur ( a town in the south part of Belgium) said.
The guy stated that :
-Gay people are abnormal
-He is against abortion and euthanasia
-condoms are porous :blink:
Who's the most normal between a guy that loves another guy and a guy who loves another guy called Jesus (a mysterious guy that is dead 2000 years ago and, a guy that it is not sure that he ever existed)?
I don't want to hurt anybody so I say only this: :blink:
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Hey,
Here they talked a lot about some stupid things that the bishop of Namur ( a town in the south part of Belgium) said.
The guy stated that :
-Gay people are abnormal
-He is against abortion and euthanasia
-condoms are porous :blink:
Who's the most normal between a guy that loves another guy and a guy who loves another guy called Jesus (a mysterious guy that is dead 2000 years ago and, a guy that it is not sure that he ever existed)?
I don't want to hurt anybody so I say only this: :blink:
:unsure: Have I been unclear ? or did I say smothing bad ?
If it was for my last sentence I just wanted to show it is stupid to think that someone is abnormal.
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I correct myself:
Hey,
Here they talked a lot about some stupid things that the bishop of Namur ( a town in the south part of Belgium) said.
The guy stated that :
-Gay people are abnormal
-He is against abortion and euthanasia
-condoms are porous :blink:
:blink:
P. S.: Don't worry Tzar. ;)
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Here they talked a lot about some stupid things that the bishop of Namur ( a town in the south part of Belgium) said.
The guy stated that :
-Gay people are abnormal
-He is against abortion and euthanasia
-condoms are porous :blink:
Scratch one for the Conservative Party.
Hey there,
a big topic in Germany these days is whether there should be a law that demands minimum wages or not. The pros say that it's immoral when a company or an enterpriser pays so little that a full-time-worker needs additional help from the government. The cons bubble some incoherent nonsense.
Minimum wages can be a great tool in protecting the workers - on the other hand, I can't help but think of Chris Rock, who in one of his stand-up acts said something in the lines of this: 'When somebody pays me minimum wage, it's as if he's saying: 'Hey! If I could pay you less, I would.''
But yeah, I'm all for mw :)
...
Now only to move to Germany, learn the language and infiltrate myself into your political biosphere... and all shall be well.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0262250020070502 (http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0262250020070502)
:blink:
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http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0262250020070502 (http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0262250020070502)
:disgust: Give those remains back, Lucy.
PS :blink:
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:disgust: Give those remains back, Lucy.
:roll: No! Those are MINE!
P. S.: Maybe I'll sell them on e-bay... :whistle:
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The Vatican was facing one of its greatest challenges yesterday to its stance on abortion after the act was legalised in Mexico City
Sources at the Holy See, which campaigned against the law change, said there was a mood of disappointment and a deep fear that the rest of Mexico and other Latin American countries might follow suit.
Riot police sperate Anti-abortion from pro-choice activists
The legislative assembly in Mexico City voted 46 to 19 on Tuesday to remove the one-to-three year prison term for those who abort within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Those who abort after 12 weeks will still face prosecution.
The National Action Party, which supports the Roman Catholic Church, pledged to appeal at the Supreme Court.
One source at the Vatican, who declined to be named, said: "There is still time to change the situation, we can hope for a court ruling."
Although the Church is forbidden in Mexico to engage in politics, it has made no secret of its position in the debate. Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, the Archbishop of Mexico, has already lodged a complaint that the change violates the constitution.
advertisement
The Catholic Church has collected more than 70,000 signatures to petition for a referendum on the issue.
The Vatican has so far declined to comment publicly. It said yesterday that it would wait for a statement from the Mexican Episcopal Conference, which will shortly meet to "examine the new law in the light of the Gospel".
Under a 1988 Vatican ruling, anyone submitting to or practising abortion is automatically excommunicated.
Earlier this week, Archbishop Angelo Amato, the second most important authority on doctrine in the Roman Curia, said that abortion was as "repugnant" as "terrorism".
Rome had worked hard behind the scenes to try to swing the vote in Mexico, and Pope Benedict himself had intervened, sending a letter to encourage Mexican bishops to stand firm.
"In this Easter period, we are celebrating the triumph of life," said the Pope. "I exhort you to protect this great gift firmly, the right to life of everyone from the first instant of conception, in the face of whatever opponents from the culture of death." Last weekend, the Vatican sent Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, the head of the Pontifical Council for the Family and its top anti-abortion campaigner, in a last-dash bid to change the minds of Mexican politicians.
More than 500,000 Mexican women seek illegal abortions every year, and more than 2,000 die as a result of botched procedures. The figures are equally grim across South America, with four million women undergoing underground terminations annually, according to the United Nations.
yo yo yo :)
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More than 500,000 Mexican women seek illegal abortions every year, and more than 2,000 die as a result of botched procedures. The figures are equally grim across South America, with four million women undergoing underground terminations annually, according to the United Nations.
I think this says it all.
What I find repugnant is the Church's view that it's better to have women *and* children dying because of malpractice, than to try to save as many lives as possible.
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True.... minimal wage is some kind of weapon again paying less.... but during my probation I got half of MW only.... now I got 1,3 of it... and some kind of "bonuses" but I don't believe in them - they are probably myth - especially when I got the "dirty job" to do which is none way extra payed. But this is working for NGOs... you work for your ideals or for the money. I should probably start my own company but I cant cause in order to study I've taken "student credit" which I will be paying till my 40s ;) But life goes on. Maybe I will move to Germany or Ireland or Canada or New Zaeland and will live long and prosper ;)
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Hi folks,
in the German press there are two big topics these days:
- The G8 summit talks which are about to happen soon and the security measures to be taken. There is a heated discussion about preventive police measures and about a ban on demonstrations near the summit area.
- Doping. There have been doping confessions by famous and successful cyclists, so now it seems that what everybody suspected, anyway, becomes clearly visible now: "Spitzensport ist Spritzensport." (Top sports are injection sports.)
Cheers!
Markus
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national news..local news...about 30 *C outside in the shadow :)
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- Doping. There have been doping confessions by famous and successful cyclists, so now it seems that what everybody suspected, anyway, becomes clearly visible now: "Spitzensport ist Spritzensport." (Top sports are injection sports.)
He-he-he... we were talking about this with some friends of mine the other day, and we decided that we should inscribe ourselves in the Tour de France. Even if we finish last, we are gonna win it because all the other cyclists would be banned for doping :nosweat:
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Hi,
here they talked about the doping as well...
The french speaking belgian media are talking a lot about France their new president and the next elections for them...
they talk more about France than the federal election that will take place 10 june in belgium....there is no debate no explaination of what they will do...I still don't know for who I will vote.
Ho and they talk again about some illegal things that the socialist party have done during the last years ( at least I know for who I won't vote)
:drunk:
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Hey there,
the biggest topic in Germany these days is the G8-summit: Its topics (mainly climate protection and the US-American plans for missile defense) and the protests - the violent outbreaks, but luckily the media also observe the peaceful protests.
Besides that there were some news quite big in the local newspaper yesterday, saying that a recent study had shown that many allegedly unemployed citizens in my federal country are moonlighting besides the governmental support they get; in some lines of business almost half the registered unemployeds.
Cheers!
Markus
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Hey thee,
Here in Canada, the G-8 summit is also in the news. Especially the "green" plan made by the conservative gouvernment that is supposed to be the perfect balance between the European and American ways... I still don't understand why they insist in calling that thing "green", while under some "particular" circumstances it will allow the industries to pollute even more than they do now :disgust:
Ayway, the other big topic on the news is the Stanley Cup final.... which is the big cup in North American ice hockey. Well, for the first time, Ottawa's team has made to the final... but they are playing bad and are loosing the series (to the best of 7 games). If they loose tonight Anaheim will be the champions.... :unsure:
Anaheim?...
...
Goes and check in the US map ... Man, that's in California!... they don't even have natural ice on there!
.... whatever :disgust:
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Believe it or not this is still news , look that amount of cash DAMN!!!
yo yo yo :)
http://www.pgr.gob.mx/cmsocial/bol07/mar/F110-2.jpg
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Today we have a national holiday. The Day of Czech Statehood.
Name Václav fall on this day - it's name of Czech patron st. Wencelsas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenceslaus_I,_Duke_of_Bohemia)
It reminds me of old English Christmas carol. We had to sing it in English lessons. I tried to find somethim more about the carol on wiki and this captured my imagination:
'"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on St. Stephen's Day (December 26), the day after Christmas. In the journey, his page gives up the struggle against the cold weather and is aided by the king who provides the miracle of the warmth that’s needed in his footprints in the snow. The subject of the carol is the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907-935).
The tune is to "Tempus Adest Floridum" ("It is time for flowering"), a 13th-century spring carol, first published in the Swedish/Finnish Piae Cantiones, 1582. The carol is also found in Carmina Burana as CB 142. "Tempus Adest Floridum" was translated into English as "The Flower Carol", and was recorded by Jean Ritchie on the album "Carols For all Seasons" (1959), with the "Good King Wenceslas" tune.
In 1853, G. J. R. Gordon, Her Majesty's Envoy and Minister at Stockholm, gave a rare copy of the 1582 edition of Piae Cantiones to The Reverend John Mason Neale (Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex) and to The Reverend Thomas Helmore (Vice-Principal of St. Mark's College, Chelsea). The book was entirely unknown in England at that time.
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Today we have a national holiday. The Day of Czech Statehood.
Name Václav fall on this day - it's name of Czech patron st. Wencelsas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenceslaus_I,_Duke_of_Bohemia)
Is the Wenceslas Square named after him?
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Yes, it is (: And the big statue in the top part of square - it's him.
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In Croatia there aren't good news...
The court in Haag sentenced 1 man 20 year in prison, 1 man 5 years in prison and 1 was liberated of charges.
They are guilty of war crimes and massacre of at least 264 people taken from hospital.
There is whole stand up of people here... they can't believe such small sentenced wore decided.
The Croatian government has put official protest note to UN and court in Haag.
Some people and political parties are even requesting that we brake all connections to court in Haag. (Witch would be bad in my opinion because there are few Croatian people accused of war crimes as well).
Anyway... I think this will be one BIG step back between relationships of Croatia and Serbia.
And I'm just waiting to hear all the hate-speeches all over again :sick:
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I've heard about that, Deathy... :(
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In Croatia there aren't good news...
The court in Haag sentenced 1 man 20 year in prison, 1 man 5 years in prison and 1 was liberated of charges.
They are guilty of war crimes and massacre of at least 264 people taken from hospital.
There is whole stand up of people here... they can't believe such small sentenced wore decided.
The Croatian government has put official protest note to UN and court in Haag.
Some people and political parties are even requesting that we brake all connections to court in Haag. (Witch would be bad in my opinion because there are few Croatian people accused of war crimes as well).
Anyway... I think this will be one BIG step back between relationships of Croatia and Serbia.
And I'm just waiting to hear all the hate-speeches all over again :sick:
:mad: :wacko:
In Belgium....we don't have a government since the 21 of june (the federal elections)...and now finally it seems possible to form a goverment but we don't know how or when :nosweat:
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I wondered where to put this but finally (because of nationality of band) I will insert it here...
Vitek - Decapitated drummer died after car accident...
On October 29th 2007, whilst travelling to a show in Gomel, Belarus, the band were involved in an automobile accident. Their tour bus collided with a truck carrying wood, injuring Vitek and Covan seriously. They were put in intensive care at a local hospital in Novozybkov, Russia. The bus was said to be 'beyond repair' following the crash, an indication of the seriousness of the collision. On November 1, 2007, the family of Covan released a statement that said that Covan's condition was improving, but Vitek's condition was not. The following day, the Polish Internet Portal website Onet.pl released a statement that said Vitek underwent trepanation to try and relieve some of the pressure exerted on his brain. On November 2, 2007, Witold ``Vitek`` Kieltyka was declared dead due to injuries sustained from the bus accident.
Rest in Peace
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Darn, that's really bad news. That guy was a heck of a good drummer ... and I was very happy 'cause I was going to see them play in December with Amon Amarth. :-[
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Mexico (Tabasco) is under water
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/466239.stm
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Some 'good' news from France that I thought was worth sharing:
Four members of an underground "cultural guerrilla" movement known as the Untergunther, whose purpose is to restore France's cultural heritage, were cleared on Friday of breaking into the 18th-century monument in a plot worthy of Dan Brown or Umberto Eco.
For a year from September 2005, under the nose of the Panthéon's unsuspecting security officials, a group of intrepid "illegal restorers" set up a secret workshop and lounge in a cavity under the building's famous dome. Under the supervision of group member Jean-Baptiste Viot, a professional clockmaker, they pieced apart and repaired the antique clock that had been left to rust in the building since the 1960s. Only when their clandestine revamp of the elaborate timepiece had been completed did they reveal themselves.
"When we had finished the repairs, we had a big debate on whether we should let the Panthéon's officials know or not," said Lazar Klausmann, a spokesperson for the Untergunther. "We decided to tell them in the end so that they would know to wind the clock up so it would still work.
"The Panthéon's administrator thought it was a hoax at first, but when we showed him the clock, and then took him up to our workshop, he had to take a deep breath and sit down."
The group managed to connect the hideaway to the electricity grid and install a computer connected to the net.
Klausmann and his crew are connaisseurs of the Parisian underworld. Since the 1990s they have restored crypts, staged readings and plays in monuments at night, and organised rock concerts in quarries. The network was unknown to the authorities until 2004, when the police discovered an underground cinema, complete with bar and restaurant, under the Seine. They have tried to track them down ever since.
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/heritage/story/0,,2217212,00.html (http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/heritage/story/0,,2217212,00.html) :biggrin:
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So um... News here.
Elections coming up tomorrow... The president wishes to change the constitution and there have been student riots in Caracas... The voting will be held nation-wide in schools. (Therefore, all of them have been closed since Thursday!)
Riots expected on Monday, no matter what the result is. :afaid:
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So um... News here.
Elections coming up tomorrow... The president wishes to change the constitution and there have been student riots in Caracas... The voting will be held nation-wide in schools. (Therefore, all of them have been closed since Thursday!)
Riots expected on Monday, no matter what the result is. :afaid:
Be careful yourself my friend, and stay away from that Chavez guy , he doesnt look like a nice person
yo yo yo
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Well, voting's been done.
Since I'm not living in the capital, I doubt that any MAJOR pandemonium will happen here. Yet, I still expect to see a lot of unhappy people.
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Ok people, I have some really funny news regarding the election here.
Chavez' party actually lost this election and the constitution will not be reformed. :ninja: The results were given today at 1:30am (local time) and a hell lot of people I know were like " :wOOt: We Won!!!!"
Anyway, no riots have happened, so I'm going back to school tomorrow. :biggrin:
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Hahaha...today big bank (or bang?) robbery of 500 000 000 CZK cca = 19 054 878,05 EUR.
UPDATE:
I am going to check meine Matratze, maybe I will find there some little amount of money... :whistle:
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The cutest news ever, that keep the whole country smiling today:
Yesterday a woman travelled in a taxi to go the hospital, to give birth to her child, but the little girl was in a great hurry and she came to the light in the taxi, next to the auto highway, right before the ambulace arrived. The taxi driver helped her in everything, and he is very cutely enthusiastic, he's giving interviews everywhere, and keep telling how emotional was it, and how deeply is he touched. The taxi company registered the voice of the taxi driver and even the newborn baby, I was crying when I've been listening to that in the tv. Soooooo heartwarming! :wub:
P. S.: Guess how's the little girl called! ^_^
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Ummm... perhaps Lucy? :unsure:
She does have a physical father, doesn't she? I mean Christmas time, a highly pregnant woman not getting to a warm and safe place in time... that does ring a bell.
Nah, seriously - that is really very cute, and it's good to know that the mother found help out on the streets. :)
Cheers!
Markus
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Oh, don't worry about them, the doctors thought that the little one would be born in the middle of January, so it was really very unexpected. The father went to bring their firstborn son to the kindergarten, and called a taxi for the mother, to go to the hospital where he would join her later. But the baby was too fast. :)
Of course Luca :biggrin:
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Let's hope she lives up to that name! :)
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Really nice news!!!! :wub: :wub: :wub:
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This is a very nice story! :)
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But Markus... :blush:
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http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BF5N420091217
Let's hope they keep falling .
yo yo yo
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You absolutely have to see him. He's become in no time Hungary's fave priest: he's teaching the children how to skateboard! :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1WACuPmOro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1WACuPmOro)
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Wonderful, Lucy! :roll:
Well, still no really good news from the wildfires in Russia. :(
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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:roll:
He's awesome! :) And the children like him a lot!
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http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/05/hungary.toxic.mud/index.html?hpt=T2 (http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/05/hungary.toxic.mud/index.html?hpt=T2)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11475361 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11475361)
I hate humanity's environment management sooo much. :(
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Ey Lucy!
I thought of you when I read that in our newspaper. Are you any near of the disaster? :-(
Humankind is killing our poor planet, that's for sure :unsure:
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This is bad news, Lucy. I wasn't aware of that up to now, so thank you. I'll keep my eyes open for German news on that.
Best regards
Markus
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No, it's very far from here. This disaster could have been prevented. So many dead or injured people, ruined homes without a reason.
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Ey Lucy!
I thought of you when I read that in our newspaper. Are you any near of the disaster? :-(
Humankind is killing our poor planet, that's for sure :unsure:
Yep, I also thought of you, Lucy, when I heard the news, but well, it's "good" to know that you or your family are not directly affected. ... But, man, it's terrible anyway! :disgust:
Now, the thing is that we are not killing our planet, the planet has and will survive things far worst than human "progress" and stupidity. The only thing we are gonna kill is ourselves (and sadly some thousands of species will follow), but the planet will remain there, turning around the Sun. Then, evolution will start from scratch once again and probably will give rise to something smarter than us :med2: ... hopefully :ninja:
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Now it's all over our news, too. Really terrible.
As I understand it the first damage has been done by the actual flood due to the dam breaking. But the toxic substances will keep the injured busy for weeks at least, and the region will suffer for months or even years to come. :( Let's hope that they manage to cut the losses.
Best regards
Markus
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I haven't watch TV for a long time, nor read anything. It's awful!
Once we'll kill the planet >:( >:( >:(
Glad to hear that you're OK, Lucy!!
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Thank you all, guys. :)
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I just saw it in our news Lucy :( I am so sorry to hear about it. This is really terrible. It was a mistake that could been prevented so easily... :( I hate big corporations and their greed for money money money... If they spared a bit of their money... it would not happen. Just saw it on the google Earth :( Poor people from Kolontár and Ajka - and of course, many other towns around :( So much dead animals and people...
Sounds maybe strange but - I am glad that that Budapest is "higher" placed than this - so the Dunaj is being contaminated "under it" still "near" the Kolontár and Ajka is Balaton :(
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Thank you, Kris! Actually, Rába, another river is carrying the toxic stuff into the Danube far before Bp... but the concentration is very low.
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oh :(
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So many world wide tragedies happend last time... We'll soon kill the Earth.
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Lucy, what's the situation now?
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The whole country helps with money and things they need, I think mostly the toxic ground is cleaned but most of the people don't want to go back to live there. The company owner is sued, and the prime minister is doing a great PR job for himself. I still can't believe it... anyway, now it's their task to hold on and step over, and it won't be easy, especially for the old people.
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The whole country helps with money and things they need, I think mostly the toxic ground is cleaned but most of the people don't want to go back to live there. The company owner is sued, and the prime minister is doing a great PR job for himself. I still can't believe it... anyway, now it's their task to hold on and step over, and it won't be easy, especially for the old people.
That sounds so disgusting to me ¬¬
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Disgusting, yeah, but so natural that I'm not even angry for that. :lol:
Thank you very much for asking. :)
P. S.: Note that I tend to leave the verb "to be" out of the sentences in third person. ;)
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Ok, it's NOT national news, but I didn't know where to post it here, and it belongs more to politics than to music...
Orphaned Land in the cover in an Iranian magazine. (http://www.orphaned-disciples.org/site/lang/en/2010/11/29/orphaned-land-on-the-cover-of-iranian-magazine/)
In Blabbermouth. (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=150094)
I am not able to read the magazine (and I fear what Google Translator can do, after reading some English Killings because of that), but the only fact that an Israeli band appears in the cover of a magazine of such a country like Iran, it makes me happy.
In an act of incredible bravery, Iranian rock & metal magazine Divan has put Orphaned Land on the cover of their 4th issue. Soon after, this is making headlines in the news in Israel. Indeed, Orphaned Land succeeds where politicians fail!
Divan magazine features an 8 page spread on the band, including an interview with singer Kobi Farhi.
(http://www.orphaned-disciples.org/site/wp-content/uploads/IRAN.Divan_.s.jpg)
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Oh yeah, rock the Casbah :thumbup:
If nothing else, great publicity for "Divan".
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Well, it's just a matter of time until they start publishing stuff about them in Saudi Arabia... :cht:
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I knew it - metal is from the satans!
Nah, seriously, that's a good thing! It won't change much, but in the end it will be many pinpricks like this that bring the change.
Cheers!
Markus
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Hell upon us!
Nazis and Caucasians strike and fight. We don't study, many don't work. These guys replenish the crowd in the centre of the city and several metro stations, a lot of them have been arrested.
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That sounds pretty bad. :unsure: Luckily these things don't really happen anymore here (well, okay, except for the gay pride, but that's almost like traditional, meh).
Take care and don't get hurt!
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Thanks!
Oh---ho-ho! This notorious gay pride is everywhere nowadays. But they're usually pretty peace-loving.
As for I, I heard today the situation was better and now they've left the streets. I hope they won't strive anymore or, at least, will soon calm down.
And more bad news: The Mufti who denied extremism was killed.
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I wish for peace for your land, Siren. :hug2:
Lasse: we'll see the gay pride of this year with the beloved new mayor. :lol:
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Ooo, you're right, I remember 2001 when they made the Sziget organisers sign a contract that they won't "promote" (whatever that might mean) anything related to it, so the singer of Placebo called him a homophobic twat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_oPdQC3z3Q) during their show (which he actually is, but this is really seriously hillarious). :lol3:
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Where's the heterosexual pride? :pop:
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They've actually had one this year. :nosweat:
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:roll:
Reminds me of a joke they made on German television several years ago: They asked the average uneducated mere housewife on the street about her opinion on the many people living in heterosexual, monogamous relationships. The average uneducated mere housewife emphasised her tolerance and said: "Well, as long as they don't harm anybody, let them do what they want!"
:roll: :roll:
Cheers!
Markus
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:roll:
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That's funny :roll:
And it shows me that Spanish tv is not the only one to make fun of uneducated people in the street (a thing I don't like, but sometimes makes me laugh...). We're all bad the same :pop: :whistle: :bawl: :ninja:
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Well, Luth,
I don't like it when they make fun of old people, trapping them with some recent youthful subculture stuff. That would be ok if they laid traps for kiddies as well, by asking them adult stuff (Like: "How much is 20% of 100?" :roll-eyes:) But when they're not aiming for age but for stupidity then I can laugh.
Cheers!
Markus
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Not "national" in the wide sense, but in the smaller one: Catalonia. For once, I really feel proud of being Catalan. Every year the Catalan TV (TV3) makes a long programme to get money for investigation. Each year the money is collected to investigate some kind of disease, and almost every year they get more money than the previous one. I't's a money really well invested, and the themes had been several: psychic disease, cancer, AIDS, rare diseases... This year, the subject has been acquired mental and medulary injuries. The programme lasts 15 hours more or less, talking about the particular disease, bringing there people who suffers from it, musical performances, etc.
Ok, this year they made an absolute record about money collection. In this crisis year, very hard for so many people, they got (for now, as they can get more yet) more than 7.000.000 euros. All through particular people calling to the programme, preparing musical shows or performances or games or whatever to collect the money... I think it's incredible... We are, more or less, 7 million Catalans, and we can collect several more times than some similar experiences tried in the national TV. And Catalan people have the fame to be avaricious :blink:
I think that's a really good point of my little community, and I wanted to share it with you. For me, I didn't give money through the telephones, but I bought the CD made for it, I was given the book made for it, and we payed for a local lottery made for it. Very small contribution, but what is this without thousand of small contributions? :wOOt:
Think about 9 million euros (it may reach this quantity at the end of the year) dedicated to investigate an important disease... I don't know how much the Government invest to that, but I'm sure it's (at least morally) more important contribution than anything. :pop:
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Now, that's indeed something to be proud of! :thumbup:
That's like everybody giving one buck or a little more - something almost everybody can afford, and yet so much good can be done with this contribution!
You really did well, Luthy! That reminds that I haven't donated yet this year, but I promise to follow your example and to give some money to a good cause, too.
Cheers!
Markus
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Wow - that's really big counting. :blink:
Congratulations! And may the research will be successful in any way! :pop:
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Hey folks,
for many weeks our national news were only about the weather. First along the lines of "Emergency! It's winter and there's snow outside - what are we gonna do now?!" ( :roll-eyes: :fish:), then it was about the floodwater many rivers were bringing. The latter was somewhat more serious, but still made me wonder what they're actually hiding from us... :ninja:
Right now the big topics are the amount of welfare aids the government should pay (the discussion has been running for ages and the deciders are ridiculously incapable of finding an agreement) and - new since yesterday - an accusation of plagiarism against our minister of defense. Mr. von Guttenberg was celebrated like a messiah but now it turns out that parts of his doctor thesis are copied from other authors but not marked so. :disgust:
But what I'm really wondering about is the international news, the situation in North Africa. This might be a really historic change that is going to alter the political maps for decades to come. I'm especially curious what our agent in Kuwait has found out. Jorge, what is the situation there? How is the development reflected in the local media?
Cheers!
Markus
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I'd also wish to know what's happening in Kuwait...
Something must change! More than in North Africa, I think, in the whole world...
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Well, with Mubarak's current resignation, all the Egyptians are extremely happy. They have yet another reason to be proud of their country (some actually acquired a newfound faith in it). As for Kuwait, it's congratulating the Egyptian people, celebrating 50 years of independence from the Brits, 20 years since the liberation from Iraqi occupation and 5 years of rule under the current Emir. Every Kuwaiti citizen (not the expatriates like myself or my family) is getting 1000 KD (the equivalent of 3500 USD) as part of the celebrations.
I don't think there'll be any revolutions here any time soon. When the oil runs out, that'll be another question. :ninja:
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I'm dissapointed at Egiptians.. and I don't support their cause anymore.. because not all of them are happy.. for example more 80% of the women who have been sexualy molested, raped, etc... where's the happines for them??? And most of these terrible things happend right in the middle of the protest and they want democracy.. They don't deserve one! :bawl:
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Hey folks,
Saphi, still this may be a move towards the better. We can't expect them to remove all injustice at once. If we did so, neither your country nor mine would deserve democracy, but we do - everybody does. Democracy doesn't doesn't mean that everything is alright but that all wrongs things may be tackled and changed, don't you think?
From the little I've heard the situation of Egyptian women has improved over the past few years already (much less genital mutilation on women, for instance), and they put a lot of hope in the revolution.
Jorge, thank you for the insight! Well, free money dramatically reduces revolution probability, of course. :lol3: Unless comrade :cht: would... but that's another story. :ninja:
Cheers!
Markus
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I'm dissapointed at Egiptians.. and I don't support their cause anymore.. because not all of them are happy.. for example more 80% of the women who have been sexualy molested, raped, etc... where's the happines for them??? And most of these terrible things happend right in the middle of the protest and they want democracy.. They don't deserve one! :bawl:
Any kind of revolution, unfortunately, brings unjustified violence, rape and so on :-[. People are people. :wacko:
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There's hope for the Egyptians.
The only byproduct of this uprising that's pissing me off are the looters, who everybody claims were supported by the Mubarak government. They broke into the Egyptian Museum and stole/damaged some of the world's most unique artifacts! That's a huge shame for anyone who has not seen them!
In other news, in Jahra, Kuwait, nation-less Bedouins demand Kuwaiti citizenship... While everyone else is off partying.
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Any kind of revolution, unfortunately, brings unjustified violence, rape and so on :-[. People are people. :wacko:
That's not neccesarily true, we had 3 revolutions in the past century (together with many other Central-European countries), and such incidents were completely unheard of (at least from our side). I don't want to draw any conclusions, just to state it as a fact.
However romantic and uplifing it might be to hear about people rising against dictators, I am pretty worried by this "we weren't always friends with Israel" attitude. Honestly, I've never seen anything good come out of any governmental system that was based on Islam religious leaders and the military.
Okay, let's just forget the politically correct bulshitting, I can't imagine anything sensible happening in these Middle-Eastern Islam countries anytime soon with their societies stuck in about hundreds of years ago regarding women, civil rights, secularism, freedom of speech, and democracy. Call me intolerant. :nana:
Though I wish I wasn't right on this one, I hope they'll prove me wrong.
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Egypt is aiming for a real Western-style democracy. Or that's what they say at least.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest organization in Egypt that practices political Islamic fundamentalism (an offshoot of them assassinated Anwar Sadat, the previous president), has explicitly stated that it will not participate in the elections and will not attempt to take power. Egypt will not be a second Iran. Besides, there's no Ayatollah Khomeini figure anywhere to be seen anyway - so there's no risk for another Islamic "Republic".
And I know what you mean when we're talking politically correct bullshit Lasse, by Western standards, many Middle-Eastern countries are somewhat backwards in comparison to Europe; however, these standards that they have are standards they implemented themselves. There are riots all over the place now because they are apparently wanting rights closer to those of citizens in Western countries - because Western hegemony makes it seem as if democratic rule is the best thing that was ever made since sliced bread. Democracy really is a horrible thing, but it's the best that we've come up with. Egypt, although corrupt as hell, impoverishing and just plain nasty (politically speaking) was stable throughout the thirty years Mubarak reigned. And as crazily conservative as it may be, Saudi has also been pretty stable over the 80 or so many years it's existed. Sure, Saudi suffers from actually having fanatic scholars in the government, and it's an absolute monarchy with laws that border those of the Middle Ages, but it's still somewhat politically stable.
There's a lot of factors leading up to these things, and it's way too complex for me to put it in one post.
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Hey folks,
I would always go for a benevolent dictatorship (i.e. by me). But people tend to disagree with my plans and ideas - perfect as they may be - so they fail to see the benefits of my absolute rule. As long as this is, we'll have to go for the second best form of government, which, alas! is Western style democracy.
This democracy cannot be brought by bombs and guns but it can be brought through the lure of freedom and prosperity. This might be happening once more, right now in the North of Africa. I certainly hope so.
Jorge, thank you again for the insight. If you feel like, do tell us more!
Cheers!
Markus
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And as crazily conservative as it may be, Saudi has also been pretty stable over the 80 or so many years it's existed. Sure, Saudi suffers from actually having fanatic scholars in the government, and it's an absolute monarchy with laws that border those of the Middle Ages, but it's still somewhat politically stable.
Well, in that case political stability is something that was bought for money - IMHO it's really not that difficult to make citizens content when money just flies in the window and you don't really have to do anything for it. I wonder what would happen without the oil, the only thing that's making this crazy insane richness possible over there.
I just wish all the best for the Egyptians. :)
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And as crazily conservative as it may be, Saudi has also been pretty stable over the 80 or so many years it's existed. Sure, Saudi suffers from actually having fanatic scholars in the government, and it's an absolute monarchy with laws that border those of the Middle Ages, but it's still somewhat politically stable.
Well, in that case political stability is something that was bought for money - IMHO it's really not that difficult to make citizens content when money just flies in the window and you don't really have to do anything for it. I wonder what would happen without the oil, the only thing that's making this crazy insane richness possible over there.
I just wish all the best for the Egyptians. :)
Well, the question is pretty much the same here in Kuwait.
....Although recently there have been more demonstrations by Bedouins demanding the Kuwaiti nationality; it means there is some discontent.
As for the Egyptians, all the ones I know are pretty damn happy right now about their country.
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Ok, fine.. I believe that things that happened during their protest were just a side affect... but this does not excuse them for what they did. And it is not a step forward because the culture they live in is violent just like ours.. and in the key moment when they should prove they deserve support from other countries they didn't do so with breaking basic human rights.. and this protest is not a step forward because no one will punish them at all, not even one of them, for what they did to those poor woman... so no, I see no progress.. men will think that in democracy they can treat women like they did before.. because not one of them will pay and no one is gonna talk about it.. here at least every now and than we manage to get them in prison or whatever..
I expect progress on other areas..
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Does anyone have friends/relatives in Japan?
Monade, what are you told? You're not far away from Japan.
We are told there's a little radiation poisoning in the air but it doesn't harm a lot yet. But the eastern part of our country is under radiation control.
We are also told that these earthquakes are going to endure.
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Hey Siren,
yeah, it's just plain awful what's going on over there. Our news are full of it, and people here are seriously shocked.
You're not directly affected, are you? Except for the Easternmost part of Russia, radioactivity can hardly reach you, at least not in dangerous levels. And you don't feel anything of the earthquakes, do you? Terrible as this triple desaster is, we're pretty safe over here.
Let's hope all the best for the Japanese.
Best regards
Markus
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Yes, it doesn't reach us.
And, yeah, our news are also full of it, but I think what they say differs from what happens in reality.
In the news there was a picture of a little Japanese girl. She was sitting under a desk. I think I'll never forget her eyes! They were full of fear and despair. This girl is always on my mind.
--
I hope so much it won't be one more Chernobyl!!!
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Hey Siren,
I hope so much it won't be one more Chernobyl!!!
probably it won't, from what the (independent) experts are saying. Still it's bad enough, even as it is. As if this country had not enough to suffer from the quake itself and the following tsunami.
Oh, and just like you I don't trust the information from the Japanese government. I can well imagine that they're trying to hide facts in order not to lose their face.
I don't know what it's like in Russia, but the nuclear disaster in Japan has once more fueled the discussion about the future of nuclear power in Germany. You have to know that a previous federal government has started a plan to abandon nuclear power but that the recent federal government has greatly increased the remaining run time of the nuclear power plants. But looking at the recent catastrophe we have to recognise once more that there is always a case you haven't thought of, so there always remains a certain risk, small as it may be. Considering the terrible consequences of a severe nuclear accident - should we be taking any risk at all?
Seems our federal government starts to react. Could that be because there are going to be elections in three of our federal states soon? :tongue: :chair:
Best regards
Markus
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Could that be because there are going to be elections in three of our federal states soon? :tongue: :chair:
If you lived in Croatia that and only that would be the reason.
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I´m terrified by the news from Japan too - all day long they speak about in in radio news. As far as I understand it already is a bad as Chernobyl (or worse) - but I don´t remember that accident wel (- I may be old but not THAT old)l.
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Our government and people in general seem not to think about any possible risks. As we say:'A man won't make sign of the cross until it thunders'.
I heard the news several hours ago, and they said there had been 2 new incidents in their reactors and the radiation had reached the point of the 6th degree and in Chernobyl it was 7.
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I´m terrified by the news from Japan too - all day long they speak about in in radio news. As far as I understand it already is a bad as Chernobyl (or worse) - but I don´t remember that accident wel (- I may be old but not THAT old)l.
Same here .All day they talk about that accident, but it's normal.You don't see this every day happening!
As far as i know they did talk about the Cernobyl incident but they can't compare that to this.
From a scale to 1-7 the Japan accident had a 4 and the Cernobyl had a 7. Also they are doin good so far. They did managed to control the generators and also fixed the cooling sistem.
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Oh my, it's getting worse and worse... French authorities now rate the incidents a 6/7. How do you evacuate a megacity? How do you evacuate any city when much of the infrastructure is destroyed?
Here in Germany they are going to switch off some of the oldest nuclear power plants, at least for the time being.
Even now, Fukushima is one of the biggest nuclear disasters of history so far. I just hope that people are going to learn from it, that it will mark the beginning of the end of nuclear power and that the governments will start to invest in clean and safe forms of energy seriously.
Best regards
Markus
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Let's hope for that, Markus, something really has to happen finally. :(
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In Russia, about 20% of egergy is got from nuclear stations.
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The number is similar in Germany, Siren.
Still it's well possible for us to go without nuclear energy pretty soon because we have enough reserves. Germany is still exporting electricity, so experts are saying this would not be too difficult or too expensive.
The smaller one of the two parties in our government is bribable if you ask me. They reduced the VAT for hotel stays at a time when the government was extra-short of money, and they received large donations from from the hotel industry. Go figure... I wish they would sell themselves to a good cause - like green energy - just once, just for a change. :roll-eyes: :fish:
Cheers!
Markus
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Well, I remember doing a study on this in physics this year. Right before the catastrophe hit Japan.
It would cost an approximate 5 billion dollars to install enough photovoltaic cells, wind turbines and solar heat panels to produce green energy to power all of Kuwait's electrical needs. That's less than 5% of the country's GDP! So, any country developed enough can theoretically afford to install and maintain devices for the production of green energy.
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I have to disagree, Kuwait has a desert climate, it's windy, the sun shines almost all the time, so basically you can just put out as many solar cells, wind turbines (etc.) in the otherwise uninhabited desert as you want, they're going to work with their best possible efficiency.
Japan (and most other developed countries) on the other hand is incredibly densely populated, and doesn't have the ideal geography for these alternative energies. It's rainy, not particularly hot, and doesn't have any big, long rivers.
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Right you are, Lasse, it's not easy to go for regenerative energy unless you're a sunny spot in the desert.
But then again Japan is so innovative and skillful society, so deeply in love with technology. How else could their cities withstand earthquakes so well that it takes a 9.0 to harm them seriously? So why not go for offshore-windparks? For tidal power plants? For some new kind of hyper-inventive efficient solar cells to cover the facades of the skyscrapers? For good old gas from waste water? And I'm not even talking about energy awareness and efficient use...
Even in good old Germany we've been gaining about 1/6 of our electricity from regenerative sources in 2010. I don't understand why a real high-tech-country as Japan should not be able to produce a considerable amount of its energy in similar ways. Every nuclear power plant replaced is one that can't blow up any more...
Cheers!
Markus
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Actually from what I've heard it wasn't the earthquake itself that made the mess, but the tsunami. If the water didn't wash away the diesel generators that pumped the cooling water after the shortcut caused by the earthquake (leaving the cores uncooled for hours), there wouldn't have been any problems, just like in the other plants that got damaged. Japan's been very cautious about building erthquake-resistant power plants, and it actually works for them. They just need to stop putting these next to the shores, lol.
But you're right Markus, they need to look for options to nuclear energy, especially because they're such an energy consuming society anyways! It's pretty likely that the developement for alternative energy sources will get a boost. I hope for a breakthrough soon! :)
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I just hope that people are going to learn from it, that it will mark the beginning of the end of nuclear power and that the governments will start to invest in clean and safe forms of energy seriously.
Chernobyl happened and they haven't learned so how many more disasters need to happen before they learn?
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This is no Chernobyl, and let's not compare the wonderful Soviet engineers to the Japanese ones. :P It's a completely different technology, and the damage is not nearly as bad.
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Hey folks,
last night I heard that someone set fire to the Sagrada Familia. What an idiot! I hope the damage is not too big. This is especially sad to me because I've been there last autumn with Lucy and found it so wonderful...
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Indeed, an insane man set fire to the sacristy of la Sagrada Familia. Luckily the fire didn't affect the Gaudi work, only the newest part. More information later or tomorrow (I'm at work). But do not worry, it could be worse :ninja:
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I've heard about it too, and I read that it didn't make any serious damage. Please, Queen Luth, if you get to know something else about it, do share with us. :unsure:
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Seems Easter time is really hot topic:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143651 (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143651)
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This is terrible, upsetting and sad!
I hope they'll find the arsonists and make them pay, make them make up for their deed as much as possible.
Best regards
Markus
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I am really sorry for this, cause the Corfu praying ritus is special, really special. Now the worth historical books and scrolls are lost :(
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Those are bad news, really :-(
I've looked a little the news about the Sagrada Familia, and that's what I can tell you: an insane man, with pockets full of lighters, went to the sacristy of the temple, a place with a lot of imflammable material (the wardrobes with the clothes of the priestess, for instance), and set fire. Some tourists that were visiting the building caught him.
The damage was important, but it could be worse. It seems that the sacrist is all burnt, but no original Gaudí work has been affected. The firemen had to enter somewhere, and they were almost forced to enter through the stained glass windows, but VERY LUCKILY they finally were able to enter through the door. The crypt suffered minor damaged because of smoke.
The temple re-opened to visitors the same day later, except, of course, the sacrist.
It was bad, but it could be much worse :ninja:
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I am glad it wasn't worse :(
It's great that the stained glass was not affected :)
I hope they will be able to reconstruct the rest :) :pop:
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Hey folks,
so there's no damage that couldn't be repaired in the Sagrada Familia. Still it's a bad thing and I hope that the guy will have to pay to make up for his deed.
The other arson is worse, apparently, because the goods destroyed there cannot be replaced so easily. :( Oh, I hate it when people cause unnecessary destruction!
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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I'm so sorry for the scrolls. :(
Thank you, Luthy, for the updating, it seems like we have to return to Barcelona with the Notessomes' Revenge Project n.1! :ninja:
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Thank you, Luthy, for the updating, it seems like we have to return to Barcelona with the Notessomes' Revenge Project n.1! :ninja:
Yeah :ninja:
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:starwars:
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I don't know if any of you know about this, but here there's a new movement that fill us with hope. It's called "Los indignados" (more or less "The outraged"). Thousands of people of all ages are meeting in big squares in several cities to ask for a new and real democracy. They are not violent, a lot of them are unemployed people, but not only. Some hundreds are sleeping in the square. In the "Plaça Catalunya" (Markus and Lucy will remember) there's that movement, and you can see several signs asking for changes or stating some facts... One of them says "Plaza Tahrir".
You can read that here (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/us-spain-election-protests-idUSTRE74J1UN20110520), for instance.
It seems that it's spreading all over the world, mainly joined by Spanish people living in foreign countries, but somtimes the local people joins. What do you think of it? To us, it's a kind of a hope, although I'm not sure it will really turn into real changes. I wish it will, really. Btw... today are city elections... All an interesting mix! :ninja:
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Yes, Luth,
I've heard of that. :thumbup: I wasn't even aware that civil rights were still a topic in Spain... :unsure: What do you think Spain has to change in order to become a genuine democracy? What good do you expect from that?
This is gonna be interesting! In any case I wish you and your country all the best.
Cheers!
Markus
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Well... we have a democracy, of course, it's not that we need to ban a dictator like in other countries. But there are several things that weaken that democracy... Corruption in the political parties without any effect in the soul of that party (there are a lot of people called by justice for corruption and today will be elected, instead of being forced to resign as it would be normal in a good democracy), politicians unable to lower the unemployement rate... I know it's not easy, and this is a global crisis, but Spain have an unemployement rate of 24% more or less... and it rises to almost the 50% among young people!! :blink:
I have no time to write about all (or several) facts that must change, as I'm going to vote right now :spock: but the fact is: people must know that a lot of things must change, and politicians must be the first! :evil2:
Goes to vote!
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I have to say that I also didn't know that civil rights were still a topic in Spain :unsure:
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but the fact is: people must know that a lot of things must change, and politicians must be the first! :evil2:
I couldn't have said better, Luth! :wOOt:
I keep my fingers crossed for your people, Luth, and for everyone who wants to change to better.
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I see, oh most evil voting queen. :)
So in fact this is democracy at work - things not going the way they should and people standing up saying their opinion. The best of luck to you!
Voting is so important, too - even when there's no choice that you can agree with completely. I always say when you didn't vote you have no right to nag later on, and I want to keep that right. :lol3:
Oh yeah, the unemployment... that's a horrible thing. Not easy to overcome because economy is such a damn complex thing, but it's very important to try seriously and to have some success. You're a good worker, I think, so your chances to remain employed are somewhat higher, but I know that in a real crisis even the good ones may be struck.
You know my fingers are crossed and I'm eager for updates. :)
Cheers!
Markus
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Is that (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ0Ud_toBO4&feature=player_embedded) normal in a fully democratic country?
Today the police tried to make people in the Plaza Catalunya to leave, according to them, to clean the place and then they would let them come again. People refused and peacefully resisted. The video shows the police answer.
Now the answer is that there are about 3000 people in there and that at 19h there'll be a demonstration against the politics and policial action. In the meanwhile, police "cleaned" the square of all but the sleeping bags (computers, tents, gas little kitchens...).
Is that normal? :blink:
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I am afraid that this is normal still in all countries :( Democratic or not :/
Political force looks like this :( I'm very sorry that in Spain it is the same like here...
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It's not normal what the police did, but these guys really need to start thinking on being useful rather than just demanding "change". I know that they're upset with the whole system (it is unfair), but what Spain needs is hard work, some fresh, young (green) parties stirring up the shallow waters in the parliament, and not random wishes of utopias and system changes. I'm afraid that the times of big, new ideas about entirely new societies are over (thankfully)...
Luth, can you give us a hint on what specific things are needed to be done? Do people study things that the economy needs or just party around for 6-7 years (with at least one semester of Erasmus scholarship included which they spend stoned and drunk) to earn a bullshit degree? Because or youth is like this. :lol3:
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It's not normal what the police did, but these guys really need to start thinking on being useful rather than just demanding "change". I know that they're upset with the whole system (it is unfair), but what Spain needs is hard work, some fresh, young (green) parties stirring up the shallow waters in the parliament, and not random wishes of utopias and system changes. I'm afraid that the times of big, new ideas about entirely new societies are over (thankfully)...
I agree that with the fact that it will hardly lead the politicians to make any change... that it's almost an untopia. But they are not all young, lazy, naïve people: they are mainly (not all!) unemployed people who really tried to get some work and didn't get any (unemployement rate in youth people is dramatic), students who see how their studies will be su much expensive with so less quality next year (a lot of careers disappear, a lot of options have been deleted, teachers will have to do more hours getting less money...) and people who do have a job and a good one (lawyers, doctors...) and are there to help if needed. In my English class there are some young people who explained how they don't know if they will be able to study in the University next year, as they wanted. Because of the extra money they'll have to pay, or because their option disappears or it's included in another one they don't want to study.
The "indigned ones" have not a visible head, and that's a fault that can weaken them, as a lot of wise people says. But they give ideas, not only wishes! They wrote a large list of real changes that government could do to improve (changes for banks, for politics, for economics). I suppose some are impossible to apply, but the majority are well-thought, and should be heard.
Luth, can you give us a hint on what specific things are needed to be done? Do people study things that the economy needs or just party around for 6-7 years (with at least one semester of Erasmus scholarship included which they spend stoned and drunk) to earn a bullshit degree? Because or youth is like this. :lol3:
Our studies system has a lot of faults, but there are good students really involved in what they are studing. I suppose the "wooow, 4-5 years of partying around without having to work" kind exists everywhere, here too, but it's not the majority. I know a lot of people who studied hard all the years of their student times, and worked at the same time, in a partial-time job or even a full-time one! Now, with the Bolognia thingy only those whose parents can pay for the studies will be able to study. No student will be able to have any job as they must go to class at the morning and at the afternoon, and work (on their own or in group) the "free time" of weekends or holidays. and they have to make a signature every day they attend class, with very few misses, in order to be able to do the exam. It's not fair: now only young people with wealthy parents, or at least with money enough to pay them the studies, will be able to go University :mad:
And... believe me, no one Erasmus scholarship compulsory here. At the contrary... a lot of students want a grant for an Erasmus or getting paid some of their studies and they are not given anything. It depends a lot in what part of Spain you live, as there are other parts of the country (not Catalunya, not Barcelona) where it's easier... and one of the reasons is that Catalans contribute with a lot of money to the central administration but are given back a lot less... but this is really another subject, really.
Sorry, I am usually not a politics person, I always try to see both parts involved, I don't like to randomly complain... but that crisis have increased problems in a way that even a blind would be able to see them :bawl:
PS. The studies problem (of course, the job problem too) really concerns a lot to me: I was able to study almost with no working of my own, until the last times, but it was cheaper by then. If I had to study now, I suppose my parents could not pay me, and I would not be able to work (both for the impossibility to get any job and for the Bolognia rules). So, I suppose that, if I had been born 10 years later, my future would have been a lot worse. And that future is the one that awaits for our young people. And that's bad :-(
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Hey folks,
Luth, that's definitely not normal or alright. We've all seen worse scenes, but what's going on there is definitely wrong. Ummm.... how come they don't treat the infamous pickpockets that way? Where were those cops when they were needed?
The way I see it these people want to be useful but find no employment. Very nasty situation!
I just hope very strongly that this will become a positive movement, strengthening young and fresh ideas and parties as Lasse suggested - instead of picking out scapegoats and turning against them.
The situation in Spain, especially the incident in Barcelona, is on our news, too. But our biggest topic right now is a wave of unusually aggressive bacterial intestinal infections that is even killing people.
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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How is the situation now, Luthy?
And do German scientists know more now, Markus? I can hear about it in our news every day, mostly looking for imported vegetables. It's so sad to hear that there is no medicine. :(
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I've read in newspapers that some imported cucumbers are found in CZ too :-\ I mean, the infected ones.
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Hey Kris,
well, it's been cucumbers imported from Spain. AFAIK it's not clear yet whether they were contaminated before the harvest or later, during the transport. People are scared of cucumbers now and also of tomatoes and green salad... I keep eating the latter two but I'm keeping away from cucumbers for the time being.
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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I just ate one cucumber. And tomatoes. And radish. And carrot. :ninja:
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shares Spanish celery
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:cht2: beware of Mighty Queen :unsure: :afaid:
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:cht2: beware of Mighty Queen :unsure: :afaid:
Why? She's Catalan. :nana:
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Oh, sorry, I forgot :roll:
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You already know me, I see :innocent:
About the cucumber (and more vegetables involved, now) thing, it's a hot topic here too. German government said the infected vegetables come from the south of Spain, and now the Spanish government criticize that it's not sure the infection appeared in that stage (it could be in the transport, in the manipulation...), but harm has been already done: as if Spanish economy needs more harm to be done :wacko:
I don't know how it all will end, but I understand that all means are used to stop that bacteria infecting more people, and I understand the economy won't be happy with those means... I only wish the reason will be found soon and all fixed :disgust:
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Yes, they say it comes from Spain... anyway they say it's "BIO" - organic way planted and grown cucumbers.... the company who brought them here is Country Life and they are pretty sad about it I guess. Now that's another hit to the organic food shops :(
Do they say the same? That's organic vegetable - in BDR and Spain too?
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I heard something about the organic vegetables, specially at the beginning, but now I don't hear too much about that subject. Last news are that it's likely it comes not from Spain but you know... it's hard to trust on the media of one's country when there are so many intersts :spock:
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I am asking because I think they lie about it being organic... :ninja: Seems like supermarket conspiration to me. :ninja:
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Hey folks,
they found EHEC on Spanish organic cucumbers and the recent EHEC patients have eaten lots of raw vegetables. But now they found out that the Spanish organic cucumber EHEC bears a different strain of EHEC than the patients are suffering from - so they are dangerous but not the source of the recent outbreak. Well, the search is starting anew...
Nasty situation, but we'll see... What I'd like to know, Luth, is how the situation in Spain is developing. What about Barcelona? What about the Place of Catalonia?
Cheers!
Markus
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They say in the newspapers here today that in Spain is revolution :unsure:
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What does it mean? Well, the government is very angry because of the harm done, and people I suppose... But I've seen no revolution at all :unsure:
The disease was supposed to have been happened in the South of Spain, not Catalonia, but I think all spain has suffered for the alarm. Exportations have lowered or stopped, and even internal confidence has decreased. Now perhaps it will change, but as everyone says, the harm is already done, the loss have been huge and will still be if no miracle happens.
For me, I changed no habit... I eat few cucumbers, and when I do I ever remove the peel. The only two Spanish people infected had recently travelled to Germany :disgust:
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Right.
Here in San Sebastian is an infected man who has been in Hamburg two weeks ago.
About the "indignados" movement...when I saw the initiative, I thought "finally". It was not normal that in a country where 20% of the active population is officially unemployed and the political class is more than tarnished nothing was happening. In that way seemed perfect.
However, in my opinion the movement is highly centralized, I mean that initiatives and part of the claims of these people do not take into account the specificities and the struggles of the various parts of the country over the years.
And about the cops in Barcelona...what do you want me to say...when the first Gulf war began in 1991, the autonomic police did exactly the same with us (students armed with very dangerous books and pencils) in a pacific demostration against war...and in 1994 in the university...and...
Unfortunately, there´s nothing new under the sun.
Cheese!!!
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Today they write that the cucumbers were not from Spain...
But yes, about the revolution I meant the politics. But today there are no more news about it so maybe it was just some... "BOOOM" article yesterday.
Yes, they were writing about the the unemployment...
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Hi, I wanted to share this video :)
Nigel Farage speaking in the Parliament about the fact where is EU heading to. I know You might not be interested in politics in this way but I find this really important and it is not boring actually :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4qUrmgZ5N8&feature=player_embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4qUrmgZ5N8&feature=player_embedded)
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Hey folks,
the biggest topic in the German news is rightwing-terrorism. The media and the authorities are scared and startled because nobody had been aware of neonazi terrorism. But then they discovered that a group of three people had been responsible for several bombings and almost a dozen unresolved murders over the past 13 years. Related to this is a scandal about secret service spies who had been supporting nazi organisations with the salary they received from the government.
Really nasty stuff.
Markus
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Very unfortunate :( We have similar problems here for several years too. Guess what... they don't really do anything.
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Oh Regina Mea Mala,
I've heard about the wildfires in your country. I hope you aren't affected?
And I do cross my fingers for the firefighters to be successful soon!
Best regards
Markus
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Hi Markus!!
Curiously, I wanted to talk about those news, but I still had no time... No, not directly affected, but more affected that I could think. The fire is in the zone of Figueres (do you remember it, O Highest Priest among the Higest? There, where we almost got throwed away from Dalí Museum?) It's quite far from my city, more or less 140 Km... but today I've woken up and left my home at 6.30 am, as usual, and the city was covered in some kind of fog... ashy smelly fog. It was, of course, the smoke brought there by wind. Later, already in Barcelona (200 Km from the fire) the smoke arrived there too... and it reached even farther: even to Mallorca, I've read! Winds have been terrible... and winds flare the fire up frightfully!
Stupid people... it's said the fire started because of, at least, two cigarettes thrown from the window on the road. Why people keep smoking and throwing the cigarette when there is so much vegetation on the sides?? When yesterday there was a terrible wind (80-90 Km/h) and all vegetation is so thick and dry because of the lack of rain? Which stupid person (o people, as there were two of them!) could do it without thinking in the consequences??!
There have been four dead people right now, and I really wish it will stop there. A lot of people got caught on the road, unable to continue or go back, and so did a lot of tourists. At work, one of my colleages was near there and today have not been able to come, as he has no mean to travel here (no road, no train, people said to get locked at home or special places like gyms prepared for that...) Fortunately he's all right, only unable to travel back. And I know a lot of people who was there or nearby, as it's a very nice and touristic place.
Thank you for your concern, Markus. I realize how bad the fire is when I see that the news reached the international news... I cross my fingers for the wind changing, as it's expected, and firemen be able to work on it and extinguish as soon as possible. I'll keep you updated.
Btw... I share with you a photo from the newspaper of Barcelona in thw worst moment of the smoke (remember, 200 km from the fire). It has lasted few time, as wind pushed it to the south, but two or three hours previously THAT smoke was on my town, saying me "hello"...
(http://estaticos.elperiodico.com/resources/jpg/0/7/1343037219870.jpg)
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Ouch - that photo really says a lot! But of course the deaths are the worst, followed by the destruction of so much forest. Really, really terrible - and as you say it's utterly outrageous that the fires were caused by carelessness. I don't really know what to say.
Take care, all of you down there, and may the catastrophe end soon!
Markus
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I'll keep you informed, I promise.
In fact, during all day my eyes have been crying more than usual (normally they do because of allergy). I'd say it's the few smoke remaing yet. But, of course, it's much worse for people who are next to the fires... not to tell the casualties, and the homes burned to ashes... :bawl:
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Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear that! :( I did not know, I do not watch news... Usually they get me even more depressed...
We had a very severe forest fire 2 months ago... they still watch over that place. :(
The picture really seems horrible! I wish there were fewer careless people.
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Oh Luthy, I'm sorry to hear this. :( Take good care please!
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I'm sorry to hear that, Luth. I cannot imagine what you could feel.. Please, be careful :*
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Thanks to all for your concern... No need to worry for me, really! It has been (still is) terrible for people living near where the wildfire spreads, but that's not me.
I've just read that today it has "entered the phase of control", meaning it still burns badly, but the perimeter is set and it's supposed not to grow too much until it can be extinguished. Last night humidity grow from 30% the previous days to 70%, temperatures decreased and wind stopped.... so only a huge rain would made the conditions better to kill that fire :ninja:
Today the colleague of mine who was not able to leave this weekend arrived and told us about it. He was in one of the towns where people had to lock themselves at home during part of the time. They had no electricity neither phone... and with smartphones batteries which lasts so few without plugging them on, they were almost with no communication at all. He said sometimes he or other people would go to the plaza where the police was, to know for the news of the fire. He saw the fire spreading from what seemeed a safetely distance to the courtyards of the houses on the edge of the forest. He even told us that even birds spread fire; you could see them on the branch until the last moment, not flying until the fire really caught on them, so they tried to flee, falling further on the ground and thus spreading the fire on them :blink:
Everybody of his family is ok, it was only the anguish of those hours (or days)...
Unluckily, we're a country of fires: very dry sometimes, but plenty of woods (not taken care woods, but a lot of "savage" ones, more with the crisis and lack of resources). Woods and wild vegetation + drought = more wildfires than we can afford. If you add stupid people who don't care if they throw the cigarette to the road, or make a BBQ or whatever... :bawl:
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Thank you for the update, Luth! I've heard on our news today that things are starting to get better for you down there.
Must be strange to be cut off like that, having to walk for news just like the old times... but the worry and anxiety would be worst, I guess.
Best regards
Markus
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Well, it seems that yesterday the fire was officially and totally extinguished. But we didn't hear a lot about it at the weekend... I suppose it was already put out but until yesterday it was not officially so. :ninja:
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That would be good news, at last!
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Great! :)
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How is it now? What do they do with the burnt areas etc?
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Well, as far as I know those fires are really extinguished now. I think they are watering the area the following hours/days to avoid the fire to grow again, and right now there's no more danger for it to happen. Problem is that all country is quite dry and real heat starts now, so it's very likely to burn something one place or another... In fact, now there are other fires, but none so huge as this one, at least that I know... :ninja:
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Hm, so I hear... it's all the same with these southern countries, I am afraid... Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia or Portugal... all of them have the same problem with the fires.
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Hey there, Luth,
you pointed out [/url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/11/catalan-independence-rally-barcelona]this article[/url] to us in the shoutbox. So you were to that demonstration? What was it like?
So far I haven't heard or read even the slightest bit of this demonstration on German news, even though it was such a big event. We'll see if anything pops up...
Cheers!
Markus
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Here also nothing on the media :blink:
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Hiya!!
Yes, I was there!! I can share some links with you...
The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/world/europe/12iht-barcelona12.html?_r=2)
The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/catalonia-rallies-for-independence-on-catalan-national-day/2012/09/11/ac729d80-fc24-11e1-a31e-804fccb658f9_blog.html)
The Frankfurter Allgemeine (http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/katalonien-in-der-not-fuer-die-unabhaengigkeit-11886374.html)
Der Spiegel (http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/katalanen-demonstrieren-in-barcelona-fuer-unabhaengigkeit-a-855280.html)
I'm pretty aware that the news, although in a lot of international press, might not be on the top-ten news of the day. But if you look for it (or if you have a catalan newspaper who made the search for you), you can find it :nana:
I suppose you'll be able to see the panoramic three photos displayed HERE (http://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20120911/54348928191/una-foto-panoramica-diada-manifestacion-independentista.html#.UFBzvIXnJdk.twitter).
The reasons of the demonstration are not easy to explain, but let's say that people here is more and more for independence from Spain. I didn't thought independence was the option some time ago, but things have changed, and I, as a lot of people who were more "in the middle" now think that we must ask for more than before... even if that means saying good bye to Spain :disgust:
Please, note that the demonstration, although massive (1.500.000 people according to the majority of the non-commited media), was absolutely peaceful. Not a single incident happened. Only a huge mass of people from every corner of Catalonia at the same time in the same city, Barcelona, and with a single lema: CATALONIA, NEW STATE OF UE!
:cht:
EDIT:
Two videos made by me:
Something is boiling. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynjh0yIRVvM)
More! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRthr8epROw)
And... some pictures. Sorry for the banners... with some exception, almost all are in Catalan :innocent:
My album in FLICKR. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/luthien32/sets/72157631519981772/)
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Hey,
also some news here.
Today our country stated a prohibtion on alcohol with higher than 20 % of alcohol. The reason is (maybe You could hear in news?) that someone deliberately started to place a dangerous kind of "alcohol" into stores and such - it is not based on ethanol but on methanol. Methanol is very dangerous - if you are happy, you only get blind if you are not happy you die from intoxication.
We've got already 19 dead people and some others are in a serious condition still in hospitals - some will be blind, some might not survive. Who knows :(
So the government decided that best solution will be to establish a prohibtion for now.
You know the thing which scares me is the fact that with first deaths they thought it might be just some accident (by not doing the alcohol the right way You can get some bottles with methanol by an error) but now it's visibly clear this was made on purpose. :(
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Hi Kris,
no, I have not heard about it... but I've seen no news yet today, so it may have been on the TV and I didn't notized.
Those are really bad news. It must be some insane person who performed that... Is there any clue about the reasons? I suppose nothing is known right now, but tell us if anything is discovered.
:-[
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I have no idea... I mean if it was about the money for selling the alcohol (it is far much cheaper to make "alcohol" from methanol then from ethanol - but then alcohol from methanol is not drinkable right) the person would surely have to be aware of the fact that this is one-shot investment (your clients die) so I also believe they must be kind of insane.
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For what you say, it seems as if that kind of bottles might be from some local, unsafe seller. I mean... no real trademark would place methanol instead of ethanol, right? I don't see the reason to forbid ANY alcoholic drink over 20º: If I buy the bottle from a known trade, it might be safe for sure, won't it? :afaid:
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That's the problem - it's whole country problem :( Firstly it seemed to be just one part of Moravia, a local thing as You say, but then other people in different parts of the whole country came to hospital with the intoxication too :( So they established a prohibion. I think it is stupid and premature but I guess they have no other way.
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It's really bad :blink:
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I've read that in Warsaw's news. I'm sorry to read that, Kris :hug2:
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I've just watched the news on the Catalan TV, but only the second half of it. I'll try to watch it full later :unsure:
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I do not think it is that important to be broadcasted elsewhere then in neighbouring countries - and I guess Spain has a load of its own problem now - I guess :-)
And thank You for the links Esther, I will try to read them... asap. I am interested in the stuff - why and how and such is it with Catalunya.
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Kris, I think I missed an "it" in my previous post. I meant that I watched the alcohol thingy in the news, but only the second part of the news... So I'll try to watch it on Internet later, as it is usually uploaded there.
About the Catalan demonstration and wish for independence... it's not an easy subject, and it has deep roots (although some international press tends to say it has been mainly triggered by the crisis). The Financial Times dedicated their editorial to that question two days ago, and I've read the news in The Guardian in extense... I see it's quite widespread, although, of course, not in the top news of the day (execept here).
:ninja:
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I see. Anyway thank You for any insights into the Catalunya thing :-)
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That image, found on FB, can be very lightening about the reason of so much independence desire in Catalonia... Later I'll try to explain better the roots (only a light summary), but it's said that an image can be more powerfull a thousand words... so here I go!! (below the image, the explanation!!)
(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/314154_10151110023136859_2052365670_n.jpg)
First frame: a guy with the normal Catalan flag. "Oigan" = "hello", "hear to me"...
Second frame: all things usually said to Catalan by certain Spanish media (and people who hear that media), like "unsupportive", "cretin", "buffon", "blackmailer", "Polish"*...
Third frame: more insults: "nazis", "separatists", "selfish", "pest", "parasites"... The guy leaves the Catalan flag and...
Last frame: the same guy, who didn't feel independentist, with the "Estelada" (the independentist Catalan flag)
That's one of the reasons I was at that demonstration :ninja:
*Polish: yes, it's said like an insult. Don't ask why, Catalan people are called "Polacos" (Polish) in a pejorative way. A theory is that, as we speak another language, and they don't understand this language (even when Spanish and Catalan are very similar!), it's like if we were talking Polish. We're sometimes said "talk (to me) in Christian!" (as if we were talking some barbarian language non understanable for Christians???).
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I think I can understand the guy on the picture very well :)
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So today we will find out who we chose as our president for next 5 years. I want this time to be already over... even though I am sure that the candidate I prefer is not the one who will win :(
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So who made the race, Kris?
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A former socialist called Miloš Zeman. With too many corruption affairs connected to him already :( Besides, he's really not made for such post - he's a redneck. I mean, seriously, he behaves like one and that is not appropriate for such position.
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Hey folks,
a monstrous theft (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9839777/German-police-hunt-Cookie-Monster-over-theft-of-gold-biscuit.html) is troubling Germany... :afaid:
Cheers!
Markus
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Hey folks,
a monstrous theft (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9839777/German-police-hunt-Cookie-Monster-over-theft-of-gold-biscuit.html) is troubling Germany... :afaid:
Cheers!
Markus
Hides :sofa:
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:sofa:
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Come to the dark side. We have cookies. :ninja:
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It's a really weird story. For many days, no one has noticed the Golden cookie missing (not massive gold but of high sentimental value to the company). Oh, and for some reason the articles keep emphasising that this is not, I repeat: not a marketing campaign by Bahlsen. :lol3:
Cheers!
Markus
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Hey folks,
I come here with a bit of international news... I believe you all have got a chance to register what happened in Vatican! It's quite a big "halo" around this. Here's a short article on BBC...
I find myself quite interesting that Ratzinger decided to resign. He did seem to be quite a different person 8 years ago. Also it is about six hundred years since the last time a pope decided to resign.
What do you think (if you do have anything to add...). I am curious. Cause it also means a new election. Our newspapers are quite fascinated by the possibility that the next pope might be "black".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21421615 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21421615)
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He decided to resign on Varg Vikernes' birthday. Coincidence?
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(http://data.whicdn.com/images/38600179/5fd68d2c8b25d7126df6f94833d893d5.600x400_large.nopad)
And btw, there's a video on BBC portal Lightning strikes St. Peter's Basilica as Pope resigns (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21421810) :roll: That's what I call a sign! :nana:
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"Ex-Pope Benedict XVI starts his own Black Metal band, promises to top Gorgoroth's antics."
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Even popes deserve the pension, aren't they? :)
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Indeed, that's a topic in Germany, too. This is not as Catholic a country as Poland or Italy, but Papa Ratzi comes from Germany, after all. And yeah, the lightning on St. Peter's was noticed here, too.
What do I think about this step? I have high respect for a decision like this, especially since it's so rare and unusual. But I also had high respect for his predecessor, John Paul II. I never quite understood the people who complained about him: "Such an old, feeble man, he should resign, no one needs him suffering in public like that". Firstly, the folks I heard that from aren't Catholic and should keep out of that business. And secondly it does have a spiritual dimension to show one's weakness like that, to bear one's cross like that.
That much about the Pope. But you'll also be relieved to hear that the stolen cookie is back! :wOOt: :yeha:
Cheers!
Markus
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OMG is it? :wOOt:
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Yes, indeed! The cookie monster was compassionate with the boss of Bahlesen. He returned the cookie because Werni (the boss) was so very fond of it.
So the cookie was found hanging around the throat of a horse statues in front of a university building.
All's well that ends well! :nosweat:
Cheers!
Markus
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That's a hilarious story anyway :lol3:
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Seems the whole world is staring at a Roman chimney. :wacko: On the German news-station n-tv they have an inset with said chimney in the upper right corner almost all the time...
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It's gonna get crazy now. :) Luckily I do not watch TV and do not read the news much anymore. I would go mad if doing so.
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Dear neighbourhood countries,
I am sorry to announce our farewell to you. As the forecast seems to be "rain for the whole June", I believe CZ is gonna get torn from it's roots and "flood away" to the open ocean.
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Dear floating neighbour,
we shall leave together, floating out onto the ocean on the same flood wave.
walking the dog today I saw a whooshing brook falling into one of the gravel pits we walk by. That brook isn't there usually.
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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I hope you are safe :)
We already have 1 dead and 3 missing. The situation starts to be severe... 7 regions have 3rd grade of flood alarm - Prague counts in. They are considering closing few underground stations. Few bridges are already closed. Lots of buses and trams are diverted.
The place where I used to live with my ex-bf is hit severely - not exactly the place but a square about half kilometer from it.
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I hope that both of you are safe! No news about flood in Poland/Warsaw/Puławy. Lucky me, my home (the one I live in, the one I will live in and the one in Puławy are far away from Vistula river..
Ps. The main company which builds our estate - Bau und Technik (the general contactor) has been kicked out - (I've heard they haven't been paying on time to their subcontractors - we will see, I'm pretty sure that the flat will be delayed (more time to get some money?)
More news to come, we need to see the developer..
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Oh, I am sorry to hear about the building problems :(
But I heard Poland was hit by floods too? I am glad that you are safe, Agnes.
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Maybe was hit by floods, but no any special news about it in Warsaw (yet?). Usually the floods are the problem in the south Poland..
I'm more than safe (no chance to reach me! :D)
UPDATE: Yup, I was right - the problem with floods is in the southern regions of Poland..
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I'm safe, too. Not directly affected; it would take an extreme level of high water to affect my house. I'm glad that you're safe, too, but I'm sorry to hear about the problems regarding Agnes' new home.
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Markus, Kris, I'm sorry to hear about the floods! In fact, I've known about them first because of you and later by the newspaper online (I've been off-line all the weekend). I've seen a photo of Prague with a statue with water from the waist! I wish rains stop and the flood doesn't become more serious!
:hug2:
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I'm sorry to hear that, Kris. I keep my fingers crossed for your beautiful city! We are safe here, but Budapest is alarmed.
Agnes, your flat news make me sad. I do hope that they find some solution, and they don't be late for long!
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Hey folks,
I found this current view of the planetarium (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx3EwETgN38) on the web.
But I've seen images from other cities which are much worse affected.
Our news said that in the Czech republic the maximum level should pass today, and then it should get better. Let's hope for the best!
Best regards
Markus
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I've seen the developer - the lady has said that there will be no delay. The developer has now their own subcontractors (there won't be any general contractor). I've seen some people working on the building, told the lady to move on, our floor isn't ready yet (and no progress for a month), she will pass it to the subcontractors :)
No need to worry about the *no progress* - they work on the other floors/building C (mine is D), and that's why, but I told them to hurry up! :)
I've read that the situation in Prague is reaaaaaaaaally bad :/ I'm so sorry to hear that Kris!
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Dear Agnes,
I think the most important point is that your money isn't lost. And as far as I understand, there is no serious risk of that now?
I'm crossing my fingers for everything to work out well!
Cheers!
Markus
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Hi Agnes, it is good you go and talk to the people. I will keep my fingers crossed that there will be no delays in the construction. You know, if they really want, the construction can grow pretty fast ;)
Yes, and not only Prague, Southern Bohemia is possibly even worse, but it is truth that in Prague the floods influence most people. 2700 people had to be evacuated because their homes are flooded, few of them had to be evacuated on boats and few of them by helicopter.
We already have 5 dead :(
What disturbs me is that they talk about it like if it was just some short time disruption and in few hours the tons of water are going to disappear and the situation will be over. And well - it won't this will last at least few more days. Besides the forecast is that it is to rain the whole June (which is longtermed forecast I know but this time it is quite to be trusted) - which means this situation might appear in its worst again in 3 weeks.
Also there are risks of the wide spread of diseases (spreaded by rats, vants and other stuff, bad food, infection into an injury, hepatitis, etc.).
I heard that Bavaria is not well either, same for some other parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland and southern Poland :(
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About the risk, there isn't - lucky us - we haven't sent them all the money for a the flat yet. And we have a promised agreement (in notarial act) for a flat.
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Hey folks,
now I am affected. Not in the sense that there's water in my home but the river Saale has reached a level we've never seen before as far as I know. Trams don't go anymore, both the planetarium and my boxing hall are flooded, and worst of all: A dam within walking distance from here was about to break yesterday. My parents live closer to it than I do.
The officials had appealed to the citizens to come to a certain place to fill sandbags. That spot was too distant for me but I wanted to try and help after my late shift, so I went near the dam to see if they need me there. They did, so I was filling sand-bags and passing them on in large human chains for almost five hours.
Count it as disaster-event-tourism! You don't see that every day... Usually, that dam is perceived as a mere walking way that happens to be called a dam. You don't even see the river from there on a normal day. Yesterday, however, I saw the river right beneath the top of the dam. The waning moon rose and was reflected in the water while I was passing on sandbags with dozens or even hundreds of volunteers.
Or count it as a weird workout. I think what I did is sold as "cross-fit" for lots of money in some gyms. :lol3: Nah, seriously, I'm a bit proud that I managed to work like that for hours and I don't think I would have done so well without all the training I had.
But what annoys is me a little is that the media don't appreciate those many volunteers. They report that the dam is safe for the time being (whew!) thanks to fire-brigades, the THW (a civilian disaster control organisation) and the German army. Sorry, but they would have never achieved that without those numbers of volunteers! Many young men, but also a few women or older men. Saw a guy with a broken foot who helped anyway and a brave middle-aged lady. :bow: Doesn't hurt the officials to mention that effort, does it?
That's it from Halle. How are you doing in Praha, Kris?
Cheers!
Markus
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Hello Markus,
I am glad to read that you are, yourself safe.
I was considering myself going to be a volunteer in the Prague Zoo, they asked for help but considering my health status (voiceless etc.) I think it would be unwise cause in case something happens to me I cannot call for help.
Instead I am spending two days of home office and studying.
It's really great you could help them - you live in the city and it is your environment and I bet it feels great :)
Yes, I think we have a bit of a problem with leaders and the media. They do thank to the firemen, army and police but not to the volunteers. And honestly - even the gratitude towards the organized forces (firemen, police and army) is definitely not expressed on the proper scale as it should... :(
I did not watch much the news yet today. But the public transportation is not in very good situation. The underground was not hit by the floods - I mean - no damage caused. But the whole center (and also load of "edge-part stations") are shut down so the whole city now stays on the bus and tram transportation and great thanks belong to Czech Railways who made very important new connections. Also some private railway companies are doing great job borrowing their locomotives and vagons for the new routes etc.
Lot of people around the Bohemia had to be evacuated. 8 dead :(
There are some villages who are almost completely under water. A lot of dams broke.
The Moldau has now in Prague 3150 Q [m3.s-1] - which is already 150 m3 lesser than at night (it got higher cause they needed to drop down level on Moldau Cascade). If it does not rain anymore that much it should not get worse.
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I wish the best for you both! :( May your people and beloved ones be safe!
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Hey folks,
no good news from my place. The level of the river is falling but still extreme. Last night it was the highest we've had in 400 years. The two dams protecting my part of the city are soaked; water is leaking out of them and they still might break. The city officials are recommending to leave the Eastern and Southern parts of this part of the city - where both my parents and I live.
My mom is beside herself with fear. She's packing her medical drugs now and then they'll leave for our cottage which is far from the danger.
For the sake of correction: It was just a flaw that the civilian helpers didn't appear in those reports - meanwhile there have been a lot of other reports who really appreciated the help. And people are still helping a lot! Last night, after work I meant to go, too. However, I called a special hot-line to ask if and where they need help and the lady said there is nowhere they could use me.
And by the way, the Handel Festival was cancelled. This is a pity, especially since I had a ticket for the famous final concert. But this decision is reasonable. The festival would have started tomorrow and lasted for a week - you can't really do this in such a situation.
Kris, I'm crossing my fingers for you but I'm asking you to follow the news. They might have something important...
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Update: My parents have left, as the city officially urgently recommended for their area. My area is next on the list and I can already hear the loudspeaker cars, even though they're not in my street yet.
I'll be leaving for the office soon (which is very safe) but I'm curious where I'll be sleeping tonight...
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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It's great that you have the cottage! :) I wish we were a bit closer, so you all could sleep in our place. :)
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Thank you very much, Lucy! :)
I'm relieved that my parents are out of this. I'm not worried about myself, really. All I expect is some inconvenience that I'll be able to cope with. So even if I should get offline for a longer while, there's no need worry.
In the afternoon I'll call a friend who lives further from the river to ask her if I could stay at her place as a plan B.
Cheers!
Markus
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You should send the forum members an sms, saying "I'm fine", every offline evening. ::)
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Hello folks!
I am fine and the country is partially getting back on its feet. The other part is just falling on its knees.
I am glad you are OK Markus, at least for now. Please keep us updated on the status of yours and your family's.
I am sorry that Czech rivers cause problems in Germany :(
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I see the situation is still pretty tough... but I'm glad your parents are safe, Markus. Please, let us know where you have to sleep tonight... :unsure:
Kris, keep safe too!! AND... who says it's a Czech river causing problems to Germany, and not a German river causing problems to Czech Republic? :ninja:
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Just a short note while leaving the office: I'm going home regularly. No evacuation for my immediate vicinity so far, and no scary news from the local dams.
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Thank you for your concern, folks!
I'm at home now and the dams are still standing, even though water is leaking through and being pumped back. They don't need any helpers now, so I'll ask again in the morning - even though it's easier for me to go after work as I could on Monday. Or do they have enough helpers now and I should invest some time and strength to help in the aftermath of the actual flood? Anyway, if things get worse I can easily take a day or two off. A colleague can fill in for me, my boss understands and I have no tasks so urgent that they couldn't wait for a few days.
Kris, I'm glad to hear that things are starting to get better at your place. Still I'm so sorry about the fatalities. And really, there's no need to be sorry about Czech rivers! Once they immigrate, their Germans. And apart from that: No one is to blame for the rain falling on them.
Tonight I was very, very proud of my team, by the way: The talk turned towards supporting flood victims, and rather spontaneously we gathered some money within the team. One of us will buy some urgently needed goods and take them to a flood shelter tomorrow. We gathered over 100 bucks all spontaneously and now I'm damn proud of my folks. :bow: (Of course I told them so. :))
That much for the time being. Cheers!
Markus
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Hey folks,
the level is sinking. Slowly, but it's going in the right direction. Many flooded areas are falling dry and there the cleaning and tidying is beginning. However, the dams around my place and the place of my parents are still in peril. But the lower the water, the less pressure is on the dams; that makes a break less likely and the possible damage smaller.
My parents are still at the cottage and tomorrow I'll join them. I hope we can all return safely on Sunday evening.
Good news so far. The bad news is that both the planetarium and the boxing hall were flooded. No one knows yet how bad the damage is. No one knows yet whether and when they can re-open. For the boxing we have evacuation quarters, but only from July on and more remote from my place, which makes attending more difficult for me. For the planetarium, everything's still unsure.
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Relief. Disaster alarm is over and the evacuation ends. I'll join my parents at the cottage for the weekend, then we'll all return. Seems the worst is through now.
I couldn't help much but I'll invest time and cash in helping the planetarium and the boxing club in the aftermath.
Cheers!
Markus
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*Pheeeeeew* I'm so glad!! Now it's time to evaluate the damage... I wish it's as few as possible! Please keep us updated!
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I second to Luthy and please take a good care! :) I hope the damage will be with your and others' help fixed soon.
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It's great to hear this, High Priest! :) Now it's my country's turn: let's hope that the less damage possible happens. :unsure:
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I'll keep my fingers crossed for Hungary as well :(
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I keep my fingers crossed for all of you (and for me as well.. just in case..)
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I've heard of that, Lucy. :( I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't become too bad!
A big hug!
Markus
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we had a huuuuuge rain in Warsaw..
Check the photos out there:
http://tvnwarszawa.tvn24.pl/informacje,news,trasa-ak-pod-woda-korek-w-obie-strony,90016.html
+ 4 stations of metro are under flooded..
http://tvnwarszawa.tvn24.pl/informacje,news,gwaltowna-ulewa-zalane-ulice-stanelo-metro-i-tramwaje,90011.html
http://tvnwarszawa.tvn24.pl/informacje,news,otworzyli-zalane-stacje-metra,90012.html
yeeez.. that was really huge rain. Also, there is a biiiig pool in front of our house..
Lucky me, I was at home when I started to rain..
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Hey Agnes, I am sorry to hear about the underground! I hope they will fix it soon.
Our underground is to be opened to full traffic tomorrow.
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Sorry to hear about that, Agnes! So I'll include you in my fingercrossing. Chiefly I hope that nobody got seriously injured.
What the hell is wrong with the water this year?
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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No news about injured. Underground is already fixed.
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That's good news! :)
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it's raining that hard... again :/ damn it..
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I am sorry, Agnes :( I hope the front will leave Poland soon. We've got severe storms yesterday over Bohemia... of course, the internet is broken at my home cause of it. Really great when you need to study and use the internet for it :(
I also worry about the level of the rivers when today is raining again :(
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I'm crossing my fingers that the bad weather stops and that it doesn't raise the levels of water again!
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Thank you! It seems going fine so far. :)
What a rain, Agnes! :blink:
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It stopped to rain.. Finally.. I hope that the situation from yesterday won't happen again.
About rivers.. Me, my mum and sister planned a trip on Vistula river by the water tram on Saturday, the trip was cancelled because of the high level of water.. :/
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I'm sure you'll have some more chances during the summer! :)
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Lucy is right, Agnes. :) Keep your head up - you'll find another chance and have a great day then.
Cheers!
Markus
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:)
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Here we go, folks,
tomorrow I get the chance to deliver on my promise: My boxing club will start tidying and cleaning the hall tomorrow, and I have the time to help. :) I'll skip a regular gym session but that's surely worth it.
Cheers!
Markus
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But that's great :-) You are really a good guy, you know.
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Awww, thank you! :wub:
I wouldn't like to benefit from the new or restored hall without having helped. I prefer to take and give.
Actually, an astounding number of people turned out to be good guys in this catastrophe. The volunteer help was quite overwhelming.
Good night and cheers!
Markus
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I think it is a good sign of a good collective :)
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Oh Luth,
I'm very sorry to hear about the train accident! When I heard of it in the news, my first thought was "That's not so far from Barcelona"...
Best regards
Markus
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Hi Markus,
yes, those are terrible news. I'm trying to be informed, and I still can't understand how the train run at 190 km/h in a zone of max. 80. I suppose everything failed (security systems, driver...), but even so... So terrible and sad!
It's pretty far from Barcelona, more than 1.000 km. I know because we're going just there at summer vacations, to Santiago de Compostela (by car). But near of far, the news are bad the same :bawl:
Thanks for thinking in me :)
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I'm glad that you are ok, Luth! I've seen the video of the accident.. Terrible news, horrible view :sofa:
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Indeed, Luth,
it's unbelievable how they could exceed the maximum allowed speed by more than 100%. How horrible when all these people were maimed and killed not due to an unforeseeable accident but by plain stupid carelessness.
So sorry about these news!
Markus
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I'm following the Czech websites specialized in the systems securing the railway traffic, etc. So far it seems that it's system failure together with insufficient securing of the particular railway sector :(
What are the current news?
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I'm following the news too (of course), and the data are confusing. Tomorrow I'll try to summarize what I've read... At the moment, it seems it's partially fault of the driver and insufficient security in that part of the railway.
Tomorrow I'll try to explain what I've gathered... :unsure:
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So what are the news, Luth? I heard that the train driver had at first admitted being much too fast but now refuses to say anything...
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Yes, the driver doesn't want to make any statement if not to the judge. It seems he has been advised to act that way, as what he says can be used against it. Right now almost everything points him as the one who has the fault... and I suppose it's true, but I prefer to wait. Some years ago it was a terrible accident in the metro in Valencia. A lot of people died, and all the fault was said to be from the driver (who died in the accident). Now we know it's not the truth! The politicians and "great bosses" were interested in the investigation went not further, as there were more responsabilities there, political ones. Thas has been a hot subject just before the train accident, because it has been asked the investigation to be reopened, but there are too many interests not to... So, although I suppose it's mainly the driver's fault, I don't want to judge him, yet.
About the security system, it was supposed to be two: long before the rail bending, if a too fast train is detected, a warning appears to the driver, and he must aknowledge it and reduce speed. It seems the warning worked, but for some reason, the driver didn't reduce. Apart from that, there was a mechanism to force the train to brake, but I've read somewhere it only worked if the train was at more than 200 km/h (and this one "only" was at 190!). I've also read that this rail has several zones, some of high speed, and some old ones. At the moment of constructing the line, there were zones very populated, so they didn't expropiate those zones to avoid any problemes, and made a "high speed... now low speed... now high speed again" track. The tracks were very old there, from Fraco's time! Of course, the zone of the accident is an old and close bending track after a long new straight-for-a-lot-of-kilometers zone. The train could go to 200 or more and break 4 km before the curve, to 80-90 km/h. For some reason, it didn't.
It's also said that the train was arriving 5 minutes late... what could have compelled the driver to go faster. Faster... but 190 instead of 90???? And there's a second driver: how's that the second one didn't pulled the brakes if the first one didn't? There are too many questions, and, sadly, I'm not sure they'll be answered. I know too much what happens in that kind of accident. I don't know if they are, but if any politician has any responsability (lack of money, interests in avoiding problems when the line was made, a dangerous bending because of saving money...), nothing will really happen to them. No one will have to resign, no one will go to court (and if they do, they will be declared innocent).
I'm sorry for my pessimism... but lately I can't see anything good in great politicians... :-(
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Whoa! That´'s some wild stuff, especially about the second driver. I do understand that this is upsetting you badly.
Let's hope that some courageous attorney or journalist will bring the true reasons to light and that those in charge learn something from this catastrophe. Meanwhile it's still utterly sad to think about the victims.
Best regards
Markus
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Yes, it is :ninja:
Even in those terrible accidents, there's always some happy history: today, I've read of a family travelling in the vagon which "jumped" and was all burned. There were the couple, a young boy and a baby of 40 days. Miraculously, all of them survived, even though they were in the vagon which suffered the worse.
Of course, there are a lot of sad stories too... but let's stick to the "happy" ones...
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Thank you for sharing, Luthy! I'm sorry for the victims and involved people. :( Let's hope the responsibles do something to avoid such sad events!
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Hey folks,
just a minor sidenote, but worth mentioning in my opinion: In Germany there have been protests against the show "The Wall" with which Roger Waters is touring. The protests were because Waters uses fascist-looking outfits and an inflatable pig with a Magen David. Umm... hello? Have you ever taken a look at the story of this work? In the light of this story, these protests are ridiculous, don't you think?
Cheers!
Markus
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By "The Wall" do you mean the movie about Pink Floyd?? If so... I'm sorry, but have the protesters watched the movie?? I've done (only recently... only half a year ago!), and it's all a very long video clip which is making a criticism to a lot of things... fascism among them! :blink:
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Not the movie, Luth, but a live-show - based on the same story, the same concept album. So yes, we're talking about the same thing. How can one accuse this of promoting fascist ideas?
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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Well... let's me see... Certain visual aesthetic toguether with ignorance and denial to watch the thing you're criticising? :ninja:
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I'd say Germany is very much sensitive to this theme. It does not want to be accused of being fasci and nazi anymore... but this is ridiculous.
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And about two weeks ago, the Russian government wanted to deny Sabaton (everybody's favorite war-themed power metal group that opened for Therion in 2007) entry into Russia for being a "Nazi band".
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Hi!!
Tomorrow it's the Catalonia National Day ("La Diada"), and a long human chain is planned. At 17.14h (because we "commemorate" the Catalan defeat at the Borbonic troops at 1714) a human chain made by anyone who wish to join will cross all Catalonia. 400 Km from North to South. It's the case that the chain covers one of our national roads, and this one crosses my city. Of course, I'll be there!
I usually don't talk too much about the wish for Catalan independence, but I do from time to time. Some time ago, not far away, I didn't think this was the solution, but circumstances change, and I now think and feel differently. I know there'll be a gigaphoto and I suppose I'll be able to download the part of it where I'll be standing. Of course, I'll share here! :ninja:
Btw... I've known of a website that can be useful for you!!
The web "Help Catalonia" (http://www.helpcatalonia.cat/).
It's made in different languages (English and German among them), and it's made to help foreigners to know and understand a little better who we are and why. :ninja: :ninja: :ninja:
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So, Luth,
did you join the human chain? What was it like for you? It made it to the German news, by the way.
Cheers!
Markus
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Yes, of course I was!! I'll show you soon the picture... When I have the official one!
I know the chain was present in a lot of news from all over the world... the question is, how important were they? I mean, I suppose in the greater part of countries, it must have been a tiny news in the international section, I imagine... How about Germany?
I must confess that I went to some international newspapers (on-line), and sometimes the readers comments are in the way of "what the f*** want those Catalans? Are they crazy? They must assume they are a part of Spain and stop trying to split up!". In "Die Welt", I think it was, I used Google translator, and the comments are mainly from this perpective, and from Spanish (not Catalan) people talking bad about the chain and about our wish of independence. I got rather depressed after reading the comments :bawl: :ninja: :ninja: :ninja:
Ok, I could write a lot about it, about the day and about why I was not an independentist some time ago, and now I am... and I'll explain you if you wish to know further. But for now, I leave the topic, as I'm hungry and I must feed myself! :evil2: :evil2: :evil2:
PS. If you have any particular question, about me or about all the affair, you can ask. I'll answer as truthfully as I can... :spock:
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Yesterday I posted in the shoutbox about something it had just happened... and I promised to explain today. Ok, perhaps this link (http://www.thelocal.es/20140224/fake-coup-film) will help me to explain it...
I didn't know the documentary was on air, until I saw in Facebook everybody commenting about it and its content. I had to change the channel, so I watched the "documentary" quite from the middle... even so, I believed it until the end, when the explanation was written.
How I felt? Well... there's some people who think this is a stupid thing to do, and other that Évole is a genius. I think that his "experiment" is important, although I suppose he mainly wanted to get more people watching his programme...
First of all: how did almost everybody believed such an unbelievable tale? Because people thinks very poorly of our politicians (yes, me too), and we suppose similar things would have happened and we never realize.
Secondly... It shows how easy is to lie and be believed. We must doubt of everything before taking it for granted. But we usually don't.
Third... Ok, yes, I felt a little like that people long time ago, when they believed what Orson Wells was telling them: that the aliens were attacking us. Only that, for a moment, I thought (I hoped) that this documentary was going to be the end of the monarchy, as it was stated that the King was fully aware of the fake coup, and used it. Unluckily, he's still in his golden throne...
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Ahhh, now I understand your comments, Luth!
Well, indeed, this is funny. Especially in times of zapping, where people only watch pieces of a show... :lol3:
But of course I also see the serious points you mentioned. Yeah, it says something when people are easily ready to assume that their politicians have cheated them this badly! And yeah, it raises interesting and important questions about media and truth.
Thank you for sharing this! It hasn't made it to the German news yet...
Cheers!
Markus
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We had Parlament elections yesterday. Well, there was no real choice. :( But I find really funny that my vote has been cast to one party, that managed to get a total of 13 votes in my village. :lol3:
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That doesn't sound like an overwhelming majority, unless your village has only 17 inhabitants who are entitled to vote...
I daresay you're not truly happy about the overall outcome of the elections?
Cheers, anyway!
Markus
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No. But many are so, it seems. :D Never mind - all politicians are the same, anyway....
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Here is a resurrection!
Hey Luthy, can you please tell me what the heck is going on in Spain? I read news lately and it seems there is some huge humbug about a referendum in Catalonia.
I am not really sure if the articles in our news (website news) are true... but from what I read, it would almost appear to me that Mr. Mariano Rajoy overslept the end of dictatorship a bit?
I don't like what I read in the news :(
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And the resurrection continues!! Here I am!! :biggrin:
What's going on? Well... I'll try to summarize, but it's pretty hard to do so in a few lines! I could have informed you all more, but I didn't want to be "too boring" with the subject... :pop:
Yes, there's a big mess right now, and a great celebration too! Today Catalans can "vote" for our future, although the vote is not really useful or legal, according to the Spanish government. Let me explain a little:
Catalan people always felt not fully as a Spanish one: not everyone, for sure, and it usually meant no real need to "separate". For instance, five years ago, if you asked me, I felt a lot more Catalan than Spanish, but I didn't want to go apart. The thing is, a part of the Spanish people (not all, again, but an important part) like to criticise Catalans and, what's worse, the current Popular Party government knows that criticising Catalans makes them win a great deal of votes (in Catalonia, the Popular partly has already few voters, so no danger of losing too much). With the current government, it went from bad to worse. The Education ministry wants to change our education system (where Catalan is the main language), changing our law, our believes, our tradition... etc, etc.
Catalonia gives a lot of money to the central government, but receives every year less. We understand that, if we are a rich part in Spain, we can share it with other poorer parts. Problem is: we receive so few that a lot of important infrastructures are every year worse (like the train I use every day to go to work!). They promise something by law, and then they change the law without problem. These are only little examples...
A few years ago, with the previous government, it was approved a new "Estatut" (some laws for Catalonia in which there was stated the money we would give and received, our education system, etc.). The governement said they would approve what Catalonia will approve. We all vote in a legal consultation, and it was for the new Estatut. Then, Spanish governement started cutting one thing here, another there. With the Popular Party in the power, the Estatut was simply reduced to nothing.
From this point on, a lot of Catalan people who had no problem with being Spanish changed its mind, and started asking for a consultation about becoming independent or continuing in Spain. Three years ago like 2 milion people (according to some media... it might be less, but more than 1 milion, for sure!!) made a huge demonstration in Barcelona. One year ago, again, a lot more than one milion Catalans made a human chain from south to north of Catalonia, asking for the consultation. This year, again and again, even more people made a giant "senyera" (our flag) in the center of Barcelona. The greatest part of these people wants independence, but not everybody!! I know a lot of people who feels good in Spain but wishes to be able to vote for that.
The Catalan governement finally said yes to the consultation, set for today, 9-november. Spanish government hurried as ever before to report that to the Constitucional Tribunal and declare this illegal. Then, Catalan government changed the type of vote: it would be not a consultation with legal validity, so nothing illegal would be done. It would be no official... it's not what we wanted but at least, it was something... Even that non-official-consultation has been reported to the Constitutional Tribunal and banned. But people here all wanted to vote, to say what we want, to know how many people wants to remain like we are or to change our status, and the "consultation" is being done.
Today I've voted. My parents-in-law (my mother-in-law is not born in Catalonia, like thousands or milions of people here, and voted the same), Xiquet and I voted. At midday, more than one milion people had voted... and a lot of ours yet to vote! Almost everyone I know wants to be able to say our opinion, whatever this is. Is that not democracy?
The great problem is that the Spanish government is afraid. Every time they say something against Catalans, or cut some money, or want to change our education system, or... a new pro-independence is born. And they fear that a legal votation, like the one made in The Wales, would say we want the independence. Believe me, five years ago, it was impossible: it has been they who made a lot of us change our minds! If anything changes, people here will be every day more against Spain.
Today we've been able to vote. Let's see what happens tomorrow. Only thing sure: our wish of independence is fully peaceful. If any violence had happened (very few), it has been started for pro-Spain and extreme-right-wing people. We made several demonstrations with one or two milion people (from a 7 milion people "region") and no violence had happened. But, again, from some Spanish media, they want people to believe we can be dangerous. No war will become from that, we are not that way.
We only want to be treated with fairness, and be able to express ourself in a democratic way. It seems Spanish government fears democracy...
Sorry, I almost never speak about this subject so... the day I do, I can't summirize it short! :lol3:
PS. I'm curious... what your media says? :innocent:
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This website can help you a lot! (http://interactius.ara.cat/9n/en)
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Thank you very much for the explanation and the link :)
From what I read in our newspaper, there was basically written some things you mentioned. Mainly that Catalonia gives a lot of money to the budget - ie feeds the poor parts of Spain, but that it receives less and less money which means the economics etc. start to fall.
They also wrote that some politicians think that it's only a question of the Catalonian pride and has nothing to do with the life standard.
The last one I read was mentioning some crap what the prime minister Rajoy said: "We will not let people from Catalonia to destroy Spanish unity". That one sentence gave a pretty good laugh. And some other of his jibber jabber about how bad Catalonia is. Then there was the opposition - opinions of people who are related to the referendum etc. Where they mentioned the problems with money et cetera. This one felt more like they are accusing the Spanish government of oppressive behaviour towards Catalonia.
This whole article in the end seemed more like
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Gosh. God knows I am not much of fan of France.... but this? I am so sorry for all the folks. :( (And yes, I am also sorry for other people dying like Syria etc. but this is so close that it scares me a bit, right.)
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Last Saturday I was with Xiquet in the opera to watch "Sigfried", a fantastic opera (the best of the three we've seen so far by the Nibelungen Cycle). Today, now, I've just known that two singers from there were at the plane that had crashed today, one of them with her little baby child. I don't know yet if they were the singers we saw, as there are two singers for each character, and they sing only half the days. But even so, it made me feel even worse about the accident :(
PS. They were. They played Alberich and Erda. Sad :(
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I'm so sorry to hear that, Luth..
Terrible accident..
:bawl:
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:hug2:
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This is sad :( I'm sorry Luth.
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A Hungarian film got the Oscar for best foreign film! :yeha:
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Congratulations!!!! :biggrin:
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Which movie was that, Lucy? :)
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It's called "Son of Saul".
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Thank you :)