Anul ăsta am hotărât să fac tradiţionala mea felicitare de sărbătorile de iarnă pentru Crăciun. Şi pentru că oficial sărbătorim şi noi deja Crăciunul pe 25 decembrie – Crăciun fericit la toată lumea!
Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas! Nadolig Llawen! 圣诞快乐! メリー クリスマス! Wesołych Świąt! Noeliniz Kutlu Olsun! Счастливого Рождества! 즐거운 크리쓰마쓰!
Se împlinesc 60 de ani chiar de la Declaraţia Universală a Drepturilor Omului, adoptată şi proclamată de Adunarea Generală ONU la 10 decembrie 1948. Declaraţie recunoscută de toate ţările lumii, şi de ţara noastră evident, de facto însă nu şi de conducerea comunistă de odinioară. Sigur că nu suntem unica ţară în care aceste drepturi de bază se încalcă, dar ar fi bine să le ştim cel puţin: aici găsiţi textul integral al acestei declaraţii în română – Declaraţia Universală a Drepturilor Omului (DUDO) de pe WikiSource. Apropo, ştiaţi că conform Cărţii Recordurilor Guiness, DUDO este documentul tradus în cele mai multe limbi!
I have nothing to do with you death,
I don’t even hate you at all,
The others will curse you I know
Same way they will slander the light.
But what would you do and how would you live,
If you’d have a mother, and she’d die?
What would you do and how would it be,
If you’d had children and they’d die?!
I have nothing to do with you death,
I don’t even hate you at all,
You are mighty and I’m feeble,
But my life is mine alone.
I am not afraid of you death,
I can only feel pity for you,
You never had mother yourself,
You never had children of yours.
Grigore Vieru
(1935-2009)
more about Grigore Vieru
P.S.: e o incercare de-a mea de a traduce in engleza fragmentul “Nu am moarte cu tine nimic” pe care l-a scris Grigore Vieru la moartea mamei sale.
First of all, let’s think for a second why people actually say they hate Bill Gates? Hmm? I’ll tell you why – because he’s a rich bastard! People hate rich people because of their wealth, they just envy them, simple as that. And unless you’re some Royal highness that shares his wealth with his people and does something for the people, like the Sultan of Brunei (who used to be the richest man on earth once) or like Sheikh Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai – people will most probably hate your guts. But people will usually say they hate Gates because of the crappy Microsoft products and every time something doesn’t work they will just express their feelings for the man behind it all, sort of speaking.
I didn’t hate Gates, I just imagined him as a selfish person (from the stories I’ve heard) and adding the fact that I really dislike most of the Microsoft products (the MSN/Windows messenger is the first thing to be deleted from any Microsoft OS, pity you cannot do the same with Internet Explorer, but you sometimes need it, I haven’t used Microsoft Office for years already and advise all my friends to close their accounts with Hotmail), Bill Gates is really not the person you would enjoy a cup of tea with. (more…)
I have to confess, I’m a big fan of mooncakes! For those of you who don’t know what’s a mooncake – Mooncake (濿饼; pinyin: yuè bĭng) is a traditional Chinese pastry eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival and it comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and fillings. It’s nothing like the traditional pastry we are used to, although you will not notice the difference by just looking at it you’ll feel how heavy it is when you take it in your hand. Under the thin pastry crust is a dense and usually sweet filling (the common filling is lotus seed paste) and eating just one of these mooncakes is typically enough for an average person, but you can force some more if consuming them with tea. Oh, and don’t be surprised to find a salty egg yolk inside the cake! It is meant to symbolize the full moon, although I’m not sure why does it have to be salty? Well, if you live in China for some time and you get used to things like pineapple toppings for every type of pizza and sweet and sour sauces, then a salty egg yolk inside a sweet cake should be completely normal.
Mooncakes are probably the main thing during the Mid-Autumn day festival (中秿篿), or at least it is so in my understanding. The Mid-Autumn Festival occurs on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar (which is mid or late September), and this year it falls on this Sunday, September 14th. (more…)
Never underestimate the power of people in large groups they say, and I cannot agree more. Large groups can make a difference, and the masses be they right or wrong can be a winning force if pointed into the right direction. You can decide if you want to be part of one of these large groups united for a good cause.
Bloggers are trying to make a difference and bloggers in today’s world mean a lot, maybe not as much as TV or written media yet, but their voice is getting heard more and more. So, the BlogCatalog community of bloggers created a project called Bloggers Unite with the intention to show the whole world how powerful the mankind can be when united in the name of a good cause. Unleash the power of blogging! This time the blogosphere’s task is to help the refugees.
The question is what can you do? How can you contribute and how can you help the refugees?
You’ll have to use your most powerful weapon – information! (more…)
Best wishes to 2008 Beijing Olympic Games! Beijing welcomes you (北京欢迎你) – is the welcoming song for the Olympics that begin today and is sang by various stars from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea.
Composed by Xiao Ke (小柯) & Lyrics by Albert Leung (林夕)
Here is the song’s lyrics in original and the translated version as well as names and lines for every singer:
1. 陈天佳 Chen Tianjia (that’s the girl who sang at the closing ceremony in Athens, remember?)
迎接另一个晨曦 带来全新空气
Greet the first sun rays in the morning and the fresh air that comes with it.
2. 刘欢 Liu Huan (he will perform later today the Olympics theme song at the opening ceremony together with Sarah Brightman)
气息改变情味不变 茶香飘满情谊
The air changes, but the taste of friendship never changes, just like the fragrance of the tea.
3. 那英 Na Ying (is considered as one of the best female singers in Mainland China)
我家大门常打开 开放怀抱等你
The door to our home is always open, we wait for you with open arms
4. 孙燕姿Stephanie Sun (famous Singaporean female singer)
拥抱过就有了默契 你会爱上这里
Embracing one another is to know each other. You will fall in love with this place.
5. 孙悦 Sun Yue
不管远近都是客人 请不用客气
No matter how far you have come, everyone is a guest, please make yourself at home
6. 王力宏 Wang Lee-hom (American-born Chinese singer-songwriter known throughout all Asia)
相约好了再一起 我们欢迎你
We promised to be together again, we welcome you
7. 韩红 Han Hong (she’s a Chinese singer of ethnic Tibetan origin, the one that at 100-day countdown ceremony appeared dressed in an ugly adidas top)
我家种着万年青 开放每段传奇
In our home we plant evergreens, every blossom tells a Chinese story
8. 忨卿健 Emil Chau (Wakin) (one of the best known Chinese singers originated from Hong Kong)
为传统的土壤播种 为你留下回忆
Scatter seeds in our ancient land and take away with you unforgettable memories
9. 梁咏琪 Gigi Leung (Gigi is one of my favorite Chinese singers, she’s also from Hong Kong and is an actress too)
陌生熟悉都是客人 请不用拘礼
Friends and strangers are all welcome guests, please enjoy your stay here
10. 羽泉 Yu Quan (the most successful pop duo on the Chinese mainland)
第几次来没关系 有太多话题
It makes no difference how many times you have visited, we have much to share
11. 成龙 Jackie Chan (there’s no need to introduce Jackie)
北京欢迎你 为你开天辟地
Beijing welcomes you, a brand new world has been created for you
12. 任贤齐 Richie Ren (a popular Taiwanese singer and actor)
流动中的魅力充满着朝气
The intoxicating spirit of sportsmanship fills the air
13.蔡依林 Jolin (Jolin Tsai is one of the most successful and popular singers in the Mandarin music market)
北京欢迎你 在太阳下分享呼吸
Beijing welcomes you, let us breathe the same air under the sun
14. 孙楠 Sun Nan
在黄土地刷新成绩
Break new records across our land
15. 周笔畅 Zhou Bichang (also known as Bibi Chow, a young Chinese star)
我家大门常打开 开怀容纳天地
The door to our home is always open, we open our hearts to heaven and earth
16. 韦唯 Wei Wei (another popular Chinese female singer)
岁月绽放青春笑容 迎接这个日期
The years reflect the joys of youth as we welcome this day
17. 黄晓明 Huang Xiao Ming (Chinese actor)
天大地大都是朋友 请不用客气
We are all friends in this giant world, please make yourself at home
18. 韩庚 Hankyung (known in Korea as 한경, the first foreign artist to break into the Korean music industry)
画意诗情带笑意 只为等待你
Everything is prepared, just waiting for you.
19. 汪峰 Wang Feng
北京欢迎你 像音乐感动你
Beijing welcomes you, we hope the melody touches your heart
20. 莫文蔚 Karen Mok (popular female singer from Hong Kong)
让我们都加油去超越自己
Come on! Let’s exceed our limits.
21. 谭晶 Tan Jing
北京欢迎你 有梦想谁都了不起
Beijing welcomes you, if you dream you can achieve greatness.
22. 陈奕迅 Eason Chan (another popular Hong Kong artist)
有勇气就会有奇迹
Where there is courage there can be miracles.
23. 阎维文 Yan Weiwen
北京欢迎你 为你开天辟地
Beijing welcomes you, a brand new world has been created for you
24. 戴玉强 Dai Yuqiang (tenor and one of the leading actors of the Opera House)
流动中的魅力充满着朝气
The intoxicating spirit of sportsmanship fills the air
25. 王霞 李双松 Wang Xia & Li Shuangsong (the band)
北京欢迎你 在太阳下分享呼吸
Beijing welcomes you, let us breathe the same air under the sun
26. 廖昌永 Liao Chan Yong (is one of the best Chinese Singers on the world opera stage today)
在黄土地刷新成绩
Break new records across our land
27. 林依轮 Allen Lin
北京欢迎你 像音乐感动你
Beijing welcomes you, we hope the melody touches your heart
28. 张娜拉 Jang Nara (Popular Korean singer & actress)
让我们都加油去超越自己
Come on! Let’s exceed our limits.
29. 林俊杰 JJ Lam (Singaporean singer)
北京欢迎你 有梦想谁都了不起
Beijing welcomes you, if you dream you can achieve greatness.
30. 阿杜 A-Do (also known as Do Cheng Yi friend with the previous guy, also from Singapore)
有勇气就会有奇迹
Where there is courage there can be miracles.
31. 京剧 Beijing Opera Singers
北京欢迎你呀…
Beijing welcomes you…
32. 容祖儿 Joey (Joey Yung is a popular singer and actress from Hong Kong)
我家大门常打开 开放怀抱等你
The door to our home is always open, we open our hearts to heaven and earth
33. 李宇春 Li Yuchun / Chris Lee (another fresh Chinese star)
拥抱过就有了默契 你会爱上这里
Embracing one another is to know each other. You will fall in love with this place.
34. 黄大炜 David Huang
不管远近都是客人 请不用客气
No matter how far you have come, everyone is a guest, please make yourself at home
35. 陈坤 Chen Kun
相约好了再一起 我们欢迎你
We promised to be together again, we welcome you
36. 谢霆锋 Nicholas Tse (well-known Hong Kong based singer and actor)
北京欢迎你 为你开天辟地
Beijing welcomes you, a brand new world has been created for you
37. 韩磊 Han Lei (just her voice, she’s not shown)
流动中的魅力充满着朝气
The intoxicating spirit of sportsmanship fills the air
38. 徐若瑄 Vivian (Vivian Hsu is Taiwanese renowned singer, actress, and model)
北京欢迎你 在太阳下分享呼吸
Beijing welcomes you, let us breathe the same air under the sun
39. 费翔 Kris Phillips (just voice, he is a Taiwanese-American pop idol and musical singer)
在黄土地刷新成绩
Break new records across our land
40. 汤灿 Tangchan
我家大门常打开 开怀容纳天地
The door to our home is always open, we open our hearts to heaven and earth
41. 林志玲 张梓琳 Eileen Chiling (Chiling is the Miss World 2007 title holder)
岁月绽放青春笑容 迎接这个日期
The years reflect the joys of youth as we welcome this day
42. 张靓颖 Jane Zhang (the woman with the dolphin voice)
天大地大都是朋友 请不用客气
We are all friends in this giant world, please make yourself at home
43. 许茹芸 伍思凯 Valen Hsu & Sky (Taiwanese)
画意诗情带笑意 只为等待你
Everything is prepared, just waiting for you.
44. 杨坤 范玮琪 Yang Kun & Fan Fan
北京欢迎你 像音乐感动你
Beijing welcomes you, we hope the melody touches your heart
45. 游鸿明 周晓欧 Chris Yu & Zhou Xiao Ou
让我们都加油去超越自己
Come on! Let’s exceed our limits.
46. 沙宝亮 满文军 Sha Baoliang & Man Wen Jun
北京欢迎你 有梦想谁都了不起
Beijing welcomes you, if you dream you can achieve greatness.
47. 金海心 何润东 Hannah & Peter Ho (but Hannah is not shown, Peter is American-born Chinese actor)
有勇气就会有奇迹
Where there is courage there can be miracles.
48. 飞儿 庞龙 Pang Long from F.I.R. (popular Taiwanese trio band)
北京欢迎你 为你开天辟地
Beijing welcomes you, a brand new world has been created for you
49. 吴克群 齐峰 Wu Kequn & Qi Feng
流动中的魅力充满着朝气
The intoxicating spirit of sportsmanship fills the air
50. 5566 胡彦斌 Anson Hu (5566 is a famous Taiwanese boy band)
北京欢迎你 在太阳下分享呼吸
Beijing welcomes you, let us breathe the same air under the sun
51. 郑希怡 刀郎 Yumiko Cheng, Dao Lang (chinese voice with a Japanese name)
在黄土地刷新成绩
Break new records across our land
52. 纪敏佳 屠洪刚 吴彤 Ji Minjia, Tu Honggang & Wu Tong
北京欢迎你 像音乐感动你
Beijing welcomes you, we hope the melody touches your heart
53. 郭容 刘耕宏 腾格尔 Guo Rong, Liu Geng Hong & Teng Ge Er
让我们都加油去超越自己
Come on! Let’s exceed our limits.
54. 金莎 苏醒 韦嘉 Kitty Land Kym, Allen Su & Wei Jia
北京欢迎你 有梦想谁都了不起
Beijing welcomes you, if you dream you can achieve greatness.
55. 付丽珊 黄征 房祖名 Fu Lishan, Shawn, Jaycee Chan (Jaycee is Jackie Chan’s son)
有勇气就会有奇迹
Where there is courage there can be miracles.
56. Various artists singing together
北京欢迎你 有梦想谁都了不起
Beijing welcomes you, if you dream you can achieve greatness.
有勇气就会有奇迹
Where there is courage there can be miracles.
北京欢迎你 有梦想谁都了不起
Beijing welcomes you, if you dream you can achieve greatness.
有勇气就会有奇迹
Where there is courage there can be miracles.
The news of Lukas Podolski scoring against the country of his birth in the Euro 2008 championship spread like hot fire: a Pole scores against Poland! Not only that he scored once, he did it twice securing the victory for Germany in that match. Minutes later after the match the Youtube (and probably elsewhere) was filled with comments ending up with kurwa from angry Poles, accusing him of beating up his own country. On the other side Germans were affirming he’s German now and although born in Poland was raised in Germany, others saying he was born in the part of Poland that used to be Germany’s or that his parents immigrated to Germany as ethnic Germans. Anyway, he must of have some weird feelings himself about that.
But Lukas Podolski is not the only one scoring against his own nation at the Euro 2008 cahampionship! Hakan Yakin, an ethnic turk born in Switzerland scored against Turkey too. Hakan was even offered a Turkish citizenship before being called to join Switzerland’s national team but turned it down for personal reasons. Unlike Podolski vs Poland (2:0) the Yakin vs Turkey (1:2) ended up with Turks victory, and one may say Turks were the only ones scoring at that match.
Apart from Podolski and Yakin there is another candidate to join the list – Zlatan Ibrahimovic who plays for Sweden but is of Bosnian and Croatian parentage. Although he’s got really few chances to play against Croatia at this championship: Sweden will have to make it out of the group first and both Croatia and Sweden should get to the final. And then there is Ivica Vastic, a Croatian-born playing for Austria, but when Austria played against Croatia he didn’t score.
So, far these are the ones I spotted, have I missed anyone?
Beijing and the whole China celebrates the 100-Day countdown to the Summer Olympic Games just before the May holidays. Some big manifestations were held around China with the main venue being Forbidden City and the Tian An Men square where for years already the main digital countdown display is located. I just happened to be passing by when the countdown display was showing exactly 100-Day left and I must say that the atmosphere in Tian An Men was so great and inspiring. Hundreds of locals with small Chinese and Olympic flags gathered to cheer and countdown. Youths with faces painted in Chinese flag were probably the most excited, but I wonder how many of them will actually be allowed to stay in Beijing during the Olympics, since the plan is to get them all out of the city during summer unless they are working or volunteering for Olympics.
And how ready is actually Beijing for the Olympics? Well, if you watch CCTV9 – it all looks bright and awesome. But frankly I was expecting too see more things done already. Yes, you no longer see people spitting in the subway, but it still looks like some places haven’t been cleaned for months. Even the new subway lines look dirty, that is probably why they haven’t changed all the trains to new ones and haven’t opened the tourniquets yet, keeping them wrapped in plastic instead. Air pollution and congested road traffic still remains one of the biggest concerns, although most of the taxi drivers will understand English now. The city of course has changed tremendously during the past years to the better and there are still 100 days left, which seems like enough time to get done all these final touches that counts.
And here is the countdown display as I seen it during the years, 1044 days left, 399 days left and 99 days left (well, almost a hundred):
I used this quote of an unknown author in the title, but if you never heard of procrastination you might discover what it is in this article and I must tell you that is an art!
I found out myself about the meaning of this word just recently and was quite amazed and amused by the fact that this is what I’ve been doing lately – indulging myself into the art of procrastination. And I am quite sure many of you also felt victims of this vice.
(more…)According to wikipedia:
Procrastination is a type of avoidance behavior which is characterized by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. It is often cited by psychologists as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision.