Valery Kipelov
K.Pokrovsky
K.Pokrovsky
M.Seryshev
A.Granovsky and M.Seryshev
M.Seryshev
A.Bolshakov from the left.
Strike
Lex
6.10.09
Master XX years celebration.Rare footage from Moscow.
Valery KipelovK.PokrovskyK.Pokrovsky
M.Seryshev
A.Granovsky and M.Seryshev
M.Seryshev
A.Bolshakov from the left.
Strike
Lex
5.10.09
Russian cuisine "Borsch" (Борщ)
Russian cuisine
Borsch (Борщ)
Ingredients
- Some beef on the bone
- 1 mid-size beetroot
- 3 average-size potatoes
- Some fresh or pickled cabbage
- 1 carrot
- 2 average onion
- Tomato paste or fresh or pickled tomatoes
- Celery
- Dill, parsley, peppers, garlic, laurel leaf, patience
Cooking
Good borsch requires good, almost perfect broth. For that boil a medium-size pot of water, but don’t make it full – three quarters is enough. Add beef to the boiling water. Pork or chicken are options also, but beef is more traditional. Pork makes borsch heavier, chicken gives it an air of ‘foreigner-cooking’. It’s important to have a bone in the meat, as it gives the broth an amber colour and specific borschy taste. The broth is to boil slowly, and all the brownish foam on top of it needs to come off with a spoon. It’s edible, but doesn’t look like food at all! The broth MUST be clear – if a spoon doesn’t do the job, you’ll have to pour your broth through a cloth napkin.
Once the meat is almost done, take it out of the broth, cut it into small bits, put them back into the broth and add salt. Then chop the beetroot into small cubes (no bigger than half an inch on the side) and throw it into the broth. In 4-5 minutes add potatoes and a handful of celery root (if you find any) also cut in cubes, and straight after that add pre-cooked fried mix.
The fried mix is done this way: finely chop the onions, tomatoes and carrots, fry them on a slow fire in vegetable oil (a real Ukrainian would’ve used lard, though) until the onions are goldish-yellow and carrots are half-done. You can add pickled tomatoes or tomato paste. The kind of tomatoes you use affects the soup’s taste slightly, so you’ll have to experiment and find the ingredient you like most.
So… we’ve put in the fried mix, now – finely sliced cabbage. Russians usually slice it into hair-thin long stripes and add it only after the potatoes are half-done, so that the cabbage is fresh and crunchy.
Add herbs, finely chopped garlic (3-4 cloves), a laurel leaf and whole black peppers (8-12 balls). Cover with a lid and put into a hot oven for 10-15 min. The grand Borsch is ready.
It is served hot with a spoonful of sour cream.
TIP: Some people add lemon juice after they add beetroot, so that the soup keeps the colour of the beet.
4.10.09
3.10.09
Air of Freadom , my piano song from "Brugge".
Air of Freadom ,
my piano song from "Brugge".
This neo -classic composition
resently felt into attention of
Japanese film director
Tarō Araki (click here to know more) so I made a little
presentation for him.
Listen to my songs ,
while browsing , - this is all the meaning of multitasking , multimedia experience.
Please share your opinion on you tube "comment". double -click on the clip below, to get to you tube. start a new page in a new window.(right -click)
2.10.09
Some of my friends from Larian studios..
Some of my friends from Larian
studios look like
a rock - stars, some of them really are.
DAVID WALGRAVE - PRODUCER:
Cliff Laureys -the graphic artist:
My friend Nick gives the new body to elecrick piano.
My friend Nick gives the new body to electric piano.
Working on a project to give a solid body to my trusted FP8, Nick find a solution to fit the entire piano into body of acoustic grand. The Project is not finished yet, but most probably my next performance will be taking place on this piece of "intelligent design".
"Interbellum Project" and "Need for Speed -Shift"
"Interbellum Project" and "Need for Speed -Shift" If you into racing games (as I am lately, because I have no "real" car at the moment :)
Why, oh why the Russian driver license is not accepted in Belgium? (well all of us know the answer :). and there are some another concerns, of course. Public transportation and the bicycle , that is, what we are trying to promote.
EA Games Developer published" Slightly Mad Studios" marvel "Need for speed - Shift " -
Take a look .
What is especially interesting about this clip, that "soundtrack " for it is written by my young Russian friend Valera Potchekalov (Coloboque)
- Leader of the Ghent - based band "Interbellum" .You can find a complete song here - http://www.myspace.com/interbellum The song has a title - "E 19".
Bunny Project at Kalmar Konstmuseum, Sweden
Bunny Project at Kalmar Konstmuseum, Sweden
Performance commissioned by Kalmar Museum of Art, Sweden. During the inauguration of the new art museum in Kalmar a suspicious individual sneaked around the premises mounting sculptures made of carrots, alarm clocks, red and blue cables, metal wire and tape. On direct orders from the Swedish secret police the performance was stopped since the Culture Minister refused to give her inaugural speech if it were to continue. The speech , as it later turned out, was about how art must be allowed to be free and provocative.
Unesco news 3
The first woman being elected as top chairman Irina Bokova creates new division lines within UNESCO.
Irina Bokova
The war of nerves about the election for the new boss of UNESCO was won by the Bulgarian Irina Bokova. But whether or not after her surprising victory against the Egyptian Farouk Hosni, whose e race to the top of the World Cultural Organization was won, stabbing a number of conflicts on the head. Egypt claims "the United States, Europe and the Jewish lobby" responsible for the defeat of its candidate. Hosni himself denounced the "politicization" of the UN body.
400 meter high tower of GazpromMoscow reacts too violently and threatening the World Heritage City of St Petersburg by building theGazprom 400 meter-high tower . Tensions and conflicts threaten to create resistance against the lofty goal of Bulgaria to UNESCO reform. "For Bulgaria ,an election of it's candidate is an unquestionable success of a big proportion. We only hope that she will be doing a good job ', declared the Bulgarian media.
Initially outsider
Originally Bokovawas an outsider in the election.
Hosni was proposed by European rivals of the Austrian EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner , however her Bulgarian colleague came back with more votes and thus contributed to a united anti-Hosnifront of the Europeans.
If the Assembly ratifies the election on October 15 from the 58-member Executive Council, who needed five rounds of voting to agree on a candidate, Bokova is the first woman to head the UN organization for Education, Science , Culture and Communication. But before she can make founded in 1945 UN organization "more efficient and less bureaucratic" , as they had announced on the Bulgarian radio, she caused by her election a huge debates inside of the organization.
"Friend of the Arab world"
A first step in this direction has already been done. "I am a friend of the Arab world and other regions. UNESCO is a universal organization with universal goals, and I will do anything to my Arab friends to convince the rest," she said in the Bulgarian media.
Egyptian press sees her election a fundamental anti-Islam attitude of the West. Hosni was "heavily combated, including the continued publication of articles against him until the last minute".
Mockery of Islam?
The French intellectuals and artists in an article published in the press reminded that it Hosni in the Egyptian parliament in 2008 had proposed to burn Israeli books that were available in the Egyptian libraries -."If there are books that mock Islam, bring it to me, I will burn them" The story was pulled out of context, Hosni said in the French newspaper Le Figaro. . Following that controversy, which subtly referring to the book burnings in Nazi-Hosni was not eligible for many countries.
Originally there were nine candidates
Originally nine candidates stood for election, among them the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Jakovenko. In the first round he was the main competitor of Hosni. He had his candidacy at the contribution of Russia from eight to twenty million euros plus annually. According to media reports, in Moscow there was a lot of lobbying to pass the award of the Olympic Winter Games to Russian Black See resort - town of Sochi.
If the Assembly ratifies the election on October 15 from the 58-member Executive Council, who needed five rounds of voting to agree on a candidate, Bokova is the first woman to head the UN organization for Education, Science , Culture and Communication. But before she can make founded in 1945 UN organization "more efficient and less bureaucratic" , as they had announced on the Bulgarian radio, she caused by her election a huge debates inside of the organization.
"Friend of the Arab world"
A first step in this direction has already been done. "I am a friend of the Arab world and other regions. UNESCO is a universal organization with universal goals, and I will do anything to my Arab friends to convince the rest," she said in the Bulgarian media.
Egyptian press sees her election a fundamental anti-Islam attitude of the West. Hosni was "heavily combated, including the continued publication of articles against him until the last minute".
Mockery of Islam?
The French intellectuals and artists in an article published in the press reminded that it Hosni in the Egyptian parliament in 2008 had proposed to burn Israeli books that were available in the Egyptian libraries -."If there are books that mock Islam, bring it to me, I will burn them" The story was pulled out of context, Hosni said in the French newspaper Le Figaro. . Following that controversy, which subtly referring to the book burnings in Nazi-Hosni was not eligible for many countries.
Originally there were nine candidates
Originally nine candidates stood for election, among them the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Jakovenko. In the first round he was the main competitor of Hosni. He had his candidacy at the contribution of Russia from eight to twenty million euros plus annually. According to media reports, in Moscow there was a lot of lobbying to pass the award of the Olympic Winter Games to Russian Black See resort - town of Sochi.
Irina Bokova facing a grate tension inside UNESCO and has one year to prove if she can handle it
Fantasy with a Russian twist
Fantasy with a Russian twist
One of Russia’s top filmmakers working in Hollywood has switched from blockbusters to “anima-busters”. That’s what the director of “Wanted” calls the genre of the fantasy epic “9”, which he’s produced with Tim Burton.
“9” is the feature-length expansion of Shane Acker’s 2004 Oscar-contender short film of the same name.
A fusion of action and animation, it’s the first animated movie produced by the leading light of Russian cinema, Timur Bekmambetov, in Hollywood.
In an interview with RT, the Kazakhstan-born director explained he likes tackling genres he hasn’t done before. “I like surprises. That’s why this film appealed to me. It’s not animation per se, but a feature made in the animation genre – we’ve called it ‘anima-buster’.”
Bekmambetov’s already tried his hand at comedy, action, sci-fi and vampire films. Back in 2004 and 2006, he directed two of the highest-grossing movies in the history of Russian cinema, “Night Watch” and “Day Watch”.
His previous blockbuster, “Wanted”, starring Angelina Jolie, fetched almost $350 million worldwide.
But while Russian filmmakers are taking baby steps in the action adventure genre, Bekmambetov says 3-D animation still remains a gray area for most of them. “3-D animation in Russia is not developed yet. I hope ‘9’ will help boost the process. There are Russian animation artists, but they live in LA. They are very famous, but unfortunately they don’t work in Russia. Unfortunately we don’t have a single film made in 3-D. One of the main challenges for me in ‘9’ was to learn how to do it.”
Elton John tickles the ivories of his “Red Piano” in Moscow
Elton John tickles the ivories of his “Red Piano” in Moscow
Not only do you get a wild and full-of-energy Sir Elton John, but you get it all in a truly unique environment also. “The Red Piano”, the spectacular musician’s show, comes to Moscow straight out of Vegas.
“The Red Piano” was first staged in Las Vegas in 2004 and it immediately became a hit. Since its first performance the program was performed over 240 times in the city. And now, as Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports, Elton John has decided to use his show in Moscow as a farewell to the Red Piano.In recent years Elton John has visited Russia more often than any other country for concerts and private events. This time on October 7 he comes to Moscow with “The Red Piano” show – which will be more than just a run-of-the-mill gig.
In many respects it will remind people of what the musician was like on the top of the pop and rock music hill: one of the brightest, most talented and unpredictable musicians in unusual shades and very extravagant suits.
The concert, directed by Elton John’s close friend David LaChapelle, reflects the nature of the musician through art.
Sir Elton John will indeed play the keys of the titular piano on the stage of Olympiisky Arena as emotionally and eccentrically as he did back in the 1970s. The scenery will be turned into an original art installation made up of colorful neon sculptures, pop art, inflatable figures and spheres, projections of photographs and short films.
And for even more spiciness, famous burlesque artist Dita Von Tease and model Pamela Anderson are rumored to be taking part in some of the shows.
The concert will be held in Moscow’s Olympiisky Arena on October 7.
Old Testament to be put behind bars?
Old Testament to be put behind bars?
A scientist has sent a statement to the Prosecutor General’s office in Stavropol, Southern Russia, demanding the Old Testament be declared extremist literature.
Dolzhenko has also managed to gain the support of arbitrator and organized crime and corruption methodologist Evgeny Trufanov.As Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reports, Anatoly Dolzhenko presented an 11-page document to the prosecutor’s office on Friday, also demanding that those who distribute the book should be held criminally responsible.
“We want the Old Testament on the basis of the quotes described in the statement which call for violence, genocide and promote brutality to be officially declared literature of extremist content igniting ethnic discord,” said Trufanov.
If their request is refused, the appellants intend to go to the European Court of Human Rights.
In the declaration a few quotes have been listed that the appealing party has found to be particularly appalling. One in particular reads:
“Do not give away your daughters in marriage to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time.”
Dolzhenko said that he acted on call from an internet resource “Slavic Internet Portal Darislav” to appraise such Jewish books like the Bible all the way to the Prosecutor’s office.
Commenting on the initiative, the press-secretary of the local diocese Evgeny Bronsky said that the “Old Covenant world is a world where people have renounced god, renounced a sense of values, of sin, a world where paganism has sacrificed infants for soulless gods.”
“To stop this evil, to not allow humanity to die was only possible then by force. This was a treacherous path of the Lord in a world, penetrated by evil, in a world, devoid of God’s grace, a path connected with much suffering. But this path brought all of humanity to the good news of Christ, to the New Testament,” said Bronsky.
The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia called the matter “absurd”.
“It’s quite absurd, comical and stupid to take the Lord God to Court. This case is about 3000 year old events, when monotheism simply did not exist and if someone gets the idea, using these views, to teach the rules of modern warfare or modern behavior towards people of different faiths, then this person will be declared demented including by those from his own denomination,” said the head of public relations of the federation, Borukh Gorin.
Russia to enrich Iranian uranium
Russia to enrich Iranian uranium
Iran has agreed to allow UN nuclear watchdog inspectors to supervise its new enrichment plant. The talks in Geneva also led to an agreement in principle to enrich some Iranian uranium in Russia and France.
“The IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] proposal that was agreed to in principle today with regard to the Tehran research reactor is a confidence-building step that is consistent with that objective – provided that it transfers Iran's low enriched uranium to a third country for fuel fabrication,” he saidAfter Thursday’s talks in Geneva, Barack Obama, who described negotiations with Iran as “constructive”, hinted that the long-standing Iranian nuclear dispute could be resolved with the help of a third party.
Mexican flu claims 2nd life
Mexican flu claims 2nd life in Belgium
A 44 year old woman from the Walloon province of Hainaut has died as a consequence of infection with the H1N1 virus. According to the Influenza Commissioner this is the second death as a result of infection with the new H1N1 flu virus, known as the Mexican flu.
The woman felt the first flu symptoms on September 11. Because her condition got worse she was hospitalised a couple of days later.
The woman's condition continued to deteriorate and she had to be put on a respirator. She died on Thursday.
The first H1N1 flu death in Belgium was a case of a 34 year old woman in Antwerp. Since the beginning of the new flu pandemic some 8597 cases of infection have been reported in Belgium. World-wide over 4300 people have died as a consequence of infection with the H1N1 virus.
Europalia
It’s all Chinese to me
Europalia offers the chance to get to know every side of the world's most baffling country
Europalia China may be the biggest festival of events from China ever, standing on a par with the France China exhibition in 2007, and De Mulder has been responsible for pulling it all together. A mammoth task in anyone’s book.
The Chinese love nothing more than monstrous statistics, and Europalia does not disappoint: 1,500 artists, 450 events and 50 exhibitions, partnered with 58 Chinese museums and several Chinese provinces, in a programme spanning five countries.
“It only took three years”, says De Mulder, flipping through the massive catalogue. “Actually, given that the performance part could only be done after the Olympics were over, some of it was done in a year. What a team I have!”
A biennial event that brings the arts and culture of one country (and last year all of Europe) to Belgium, Europalia indeed has a history of teamwork. The list of international cultural events taking place across the country under their direction is more than just impressive, it gives a new meaning to the term “cultural diplomacy”.
“In the wake of the festival, there are of course economic opportunities and delegations,” says De Mulder, “but the real goal is to explain, to help people to understand, to create a sense of connection.” I’m not sure that Belgium (or indeed the international bodies based here) are really aware of what a treasure Europalia is; I cannot think of anything similar in its scope and intellectual ambition – Edinburgh plus exhibitions, perhaps, or Avignon plus all the French and European towns in a 500-kilometre radius?
This festival is a treasure house of learning, ideas and cross-cultural viewpoints, and without it the capital of Europe would be immeasurably impoverished. It is always a success, but China is going to be real high point in its history.
One almost hesitates to cite must see’s, so I let Kristine do it for me: “Oh, Lin Zhaohua’s Hamlet at the National Theatre, that’s unmissable … and Yan Jun, a lovely man, poet and musician and right at the edge of the electronic music scene in China… and the One Man Operas, they are simply sublime, with three artists interpreting their own stories through opera… and the Silk Road exhibition! That is one of our key events, a journey across Northern China.”
The festival is a clever mix of blockbuster events (such as the monumental Son of Heaven exhibition on the importance of the emperor in Chinese thinking) and the eccentrically appealing (like the Shanghai Modern exhibition of poster and iconography from the 1930s or the Lu Xun/Frans Masereel woodcut exhibition).
The music line up in particular is outstanding. Lang Lang, China’s first real international piano prodigy, plays Beethoven and Prokofiev, and the fabulous Qing Mei Wei Hu quartet of traditional instruments stages a performance.
But I also recommend the less obvious stuff; I’ll be getting tickets for Liu Sola, Chinese avant-guard artist and jazz musician. And I haven’t even mentioned contemporary dance or the acrobats!
The challenge, of course, is to find a guiding line through the richness. Frankly, some Chinese cultural expressions are tough for Westerners without an introduction. I’ve never managed to get friends to like Chinese opera, for example. Chinese contemporary dance, on the other hand, is in an international vocabulary with which everyone will be comfortable. Other Chinese offerings, such as their rich puppetry tradition, their formal design and their tea culture, are both odd and accessible simultaneously. Some events are as educational as entertaining. “We have an exhibition dedicated to calligraphy, with nearly 150 masterpieces,” says De Mulder. She admits that this is not an easy sell, but she also knows that it is an indispensable key to understanding Chinese culture, uniting its philosophy, learning, teaching and aesthetics.
The festival thus manages to finely tune the choices between the academic (contemporary Chinese poetry) and the animated (the famous National Acrobatic Troupe). Europalia has also increased its ambitions: The festival will not only play in Belgium but also France, Germany and the Netherlands. “We are bringing China to Europe,” explains De Mulder. “The aim is for as many people as possible to get a glimpse of this amazing culture.”
The festival this year seems to be as much a personal odyssey for De Mulder and her team as an institutional challenge. “I have never learned so much in the course of developing a festival,” she confirms. “Great moments of warmth and achievement, alongside moments of real misunderstanding! It has been a lesson in communicating and in how important it is for everyone to hold onto our core values. But the end result is testimony to the professionalism of both the Chinese and Belgian programmers.”
Europalia has had the best support possible, from Belgium’s former ambassador to China, Claire Kirschen, to Fan Di An, director of the National Art Museum of China, who ran the cultural side of the Olympics. In a sense, all Chinese cultural events now imitate the Olympics and their overwhelming success in putting a different side of China on the world stage. But a culture as old and contradictory as this one needs a lot of different approaches if audiences are to spot both the similarities and the differences.
There are currently two somewhat opposing philosophical trends about China. The first is represented by European thinkers such as Belgium’s Simon Leys or France’s François Julien and is all about “otherness” and “inaccessibility”, about profound psychological and philosophical differences.
The other, more in tune with the zeitgeist, is represented by Professor Jean-François Billeter of Switzerland, who prefers to demystify China by saying: “It’s all about the politics.”
Where we are different, is that Europe has had a longer tradition of individualism, translated into political organisations. Europalia China, all crammed into Belgium’s tiny borders, offers us a rare opportunity to make up our own minds. There is such a comprehensive range of options that anyone who takes the time will be sure to find some half-open doorway into China and its vast, rich, infuriating and energising culture.
Until 16 February, 2010
stranger than fiction
Baring more than soul
Truth is stranger than fiction in the new film De helaasheid der dingen
The new Flemish film by director Felix van Groeningen (called The Misfortunates in English) will open the 36th edition of the Flanders International Film Festival on 6 October, a splashy red carpet evening of movies, champagne and celeb spotting. Although the opening film is always chosen for its broad appeal to both a general audience and critics, this year the excitement is mounting a bit higher than usual. Helaasheid has everything: it’s a local production by a very exciting young director; it’s based on the uproariously popular 2006 novel by Flemish literature’s badboyDimitri Verhulst; it’s a mixture of humour, drama, tragedy and hope; it features an excellent cast of well-respected actors; and it is Flemish through and through. And there’s the bicycle race – a singular image that combines pure Flemish folk tale with the thrill of victory. Even we could not resist it.
Director Felix van Groeningen could also not resist the temptation to take what does not amount to more than a few lines in the novel and make it part of the story of four unemployed brothers who sleep all day, drink all night and, in between, half-heartedly raise a circumspect 13-year-old boy. Having read Flemish writer Dimitri Verhulst’s first few books, Van Groeningen knew he wanted to do something with De helaasheid der dingenbefore he even read it. “I bought it with the express purpose of making a film out of it,” he says. “And then half-way through I thought, no way, this is not possible.” Helaasheid is made up of anecdotal stories from Verhulst’s childhood with a drunken, violent father and three boorish uncles. With a very loose narrative structure, its power is in the language. Finally, Van Groeningen reached the page in the book where an adult Verhulst tells his senile grandmother, living in a nursing home, how much he appreciates how she took care of him. “I just started crying, and I thought, ok, I get it now,” says Van Groeningen. “This story is big enough to make a film.” Verhulst sold the director the rights to the story, “but it became a bit difficult, and I think he was sorry that he said ‘ok’ that fast,” admits Van Groeningen. With a difference in opinion about a key element of the film, Verhulst finally gave up and left the director to it. But Van Groeningen was a bit disappointed. “I wanted his approval, you know? But he just couldn’t do that.” However, Verhulst is happy with the final project, to everyone’s relief. Although the novelist sticks by his original opinion, he still “loves the movie and is proud of it,” says Van Groeningen. Helaasheid is a career-making movie, which is remarkable considering that the director is just 31 years old. It was obvious with his first film, 2004’s Steve + Sky, about a reforming thief who meets a young prostitute, that he was a talent to watch. Then two years ago, his Dagen zonder lief (With Friends Like These) charmed the critics again, with its story of youthful angst set in Sint-Niklaas. But it’sHelaasheid that was accepted at five international festivals, including Toronto and Cannes, where it screened as part of the Directors’ Fortnight and received a Special Mention in the Art Cinema Award category. It is the Belgian entry to be considered for an Academy Award nomination, and it is poised to be one of the most popular films in Flemish history. Although it would be optimistic to say that it will meet the million tickets sales of last year’s crime-thriller Loft, it certainly deserves to knock that film off its record-breaking pedestal. Van Groeningen is one of very few directors making first-rate films about young people in Flanders. “I’m interested in social environments and in the tone and style of films. That’s what drives me,” he says. In the meantime, he’s riding high in the weeks that lead up to his film’s release – and from the publicity stunt at Cannes earlier this year when he and the cast of Helaasheid rode naked on bicycles. Although he wasn’t really looking forward to it, “I loved it!” he enthuses. “I got such a kick out of it. It was really liberating.”
Review
It’s a typical grey afternoon in the fictional Reetverdegem, a tiny town outside of Aalst in East Flanders, when a man arrives to repossess the television. It seems that Uncle Breejen has amassed quite the gambling debt. The four unemployed brothers of the house beg the official to reconsider. Take something else, anything else! He looks around at the broken-down furniture, holes in the wall and hairy, unkempt men. He takes the TV. Meet the Strobbe brothers. Potrel gets into a lot of fights. Breejen drinks himself into a coma (in addition to the gambling). Koen crawls around under tables to look up women’s skirts (and he also drinks himself into a coma). Celle, well, Celle just drinks, period. But Celle has good reason to try to avoid getting into all this trouble: he has a 13-year-old son. And this is the tragic centre of De helaasheid der dingen, the new film by Flemish director Felix van Groeningen, based on the autobiographical novel by Dimitri Verhulst. Celle wants to be good. But he simply isn’t capable of it. Fortunately, the (surprisingly) sensitive boy, Gunther, has a grandmother (Gilda De Bal), who looks after his basic needs, as she does all four of her useless grown sons. She has, after all “a heart bigger than her pension.” Helaasheid is full of such wonderfully rich narration and dialogue, some of it taken directly from Verhulst’s book of the same name. Keeping the autobiographical nature of the book intact, the film goes back and forth between Gunther’s childhood and his adult self, struggling with the demons of his past. Van Groeningen superbly juggles it all, blending the comic elements of the novel with its stark reality, much like in his first two films, Steve + Sky and Dagen zonder lief (With Friends Like These). Wouter Hendrickx from the TV drama Witse is a stand-out as the youngest brother Potrel, who beds girls, shoots pigeons and picks on his family with unpredictable menace. Johan Heldenbergh, so excellent in Aanrijding in Moscou, is Breejen, sporting the giant handlebar moustache he grew for his current stage show The Broken Circle Breakdown. Though you wouldn’t necessarily want to find yourself in their company, the brothers do at one point prove that, when the chips are down, taking care of Gunther is a primal instinct. But it’s Koen De Graeve as Celle and Kenneth Vanbaaeden as Gunther who steal the show. De Graeve seems to have been working his way up to this part, drinking his way through moviesDagen zonder lief, Los and Loft. This is easily his best role: a good-old-boy drunk, occasionally swallowed alive by his own self-hating rage. Vanbaaeden makes Gunther thoughtful, while avoiding making him seem like a victim – useful when Gunther is eventually forced to face the decision of whether he will head down the same road as his family or an altogether different one. “Everything beautiful has to leave our town,” Gunther says silently to himself as a boy. Indeed.
Belgium may keep nuclear reactors open longer
Belgium may keep nuclear reactors open longer
Environment Minister Paul Magnette (Walloon socialist) has proposed extending the life of the oldest nuclear stations in Belgium by 10 years. At a meeting of the inner cabinet it was decided that if this would be the case the government would demand lower electricity prices.
The Belgian federal government is looking at extending the life of three of its seven nuclear reactors by a decade to 2025. The government is citing austerity and a lack of sufficient alternative energy supplies as the biggest arguments.
Under a plan put forward by Energy Minister Paul Magnette (photo), electricity producer Electrabel would pay the government up to €350 million a year in exchange for keeping the three aging reactors operational for another 10 years beyond 2015.
Belgium agreed six years ago to shut all of its nuclear reactors between 2015 and 2025.
Mr Magnette said Belgium lacks alternative energy sources to replace nuclear power, which accounts for 55 percent of the country's electricity output.
By comparison, wind power generates only 1.4 percent of Belgian electricity production.
Belgium has seven nuclear reactors in two plants. The three oldest are due to be closed in 2015. There was no immediate word on the fate of the newer reactors, which are to close in 2025.
Keeping nuclear options open will be at the expense of renewable energy sources
Environmental organisation Greenpeace is very critical of the proposal by Environment Minister Magnette. A network of wind turbines in the North Sea is an alternative to nuclear energy, says Greenpeace campaign director Jan Vande Putte.
"The North Sea is the best location in the world for an off-shore wind turbine park," stresses Mr Vande Putte, adding, "We have to go ahead and take advantage of this. Keeping nuclear reactors open longer will avert the further development of renewable energy. Who will invest in renewable while there is still lack of clarity regarding an end to nuclear energy? The government is thinking only in the short-term - to close the hole in the budget."
Another point of criticism is that the nuclear reactors were apparently designed to be operational for 30 years. Not a single country in the world has ever decided to allow them to run for 50 years.
Home again
Businessman escapes Qatar
Home again after daring boat trip
Bogaert went to Qatar in October of last year to work for the local subsidiary of a Belgian company, Dialogic, to develop media coverage of the Qatar Marine Festival. Although employed as a media specialist, he took over as CEO of the subsidiary when the existing CEO was sacked. When the Qatari partners pulled out of the contract, Dialogic Qatar became bankrupt, and Bogaert resigned. Under Qatari law, he was only allowed to leave the country if a release form was signed by his sponsor, a former business partner. He refused, leaving Bogaert without a job, without an income, and with no way to leave. When his apartment lease ran out, he was given shelter in the Belgian Embassy and made some money playing piano in hotels.
In the meantime, Bogaert was sued for €3.2 million in damages following the bankruptcy of the company, sentenced to three years in prison for writing bad cheques, and finally sued for €10m for defamation. Last week, he was reluctant to reveal details of his escape, in case he exposed those who helped him to reprisals or legal action. He stressed that his flight was not a sign of guilt. “I had the choice,” he said. “I could escape, or I could wait for an unfair trial. I might have waited until my whole life had gone by.” The escape took about four months to plan. Two of Bogaert’s friends flew from Belgium to Mumbai and chartered a yacht which they sailed to Qatar. Bogaert was taken on board, and the three travelled back to Mumbai over a period of three weeks, with little food or water and a constant fear of being pursued and brought back to Qatar. They even constructed an emergency hiding place in case customs should investigate the boat. The voyage was a catalogue of disasters: the engine gave out; the GPS stopped functioning for a time; and half of the 200 litres of fresh water taken on board in Qatar leaked away. During this time, messages kept appearing on Bogaert’sTwitter page, which he used to communicate with the outside world, giving the appearance that he was still in Qatar. The last message is dated 19 September. It reads: “Looking forward to celebrate Eid with my Qatari friends (yes, I still have some). Back for more on Tuesday.” In fact, his boat docked in Mumbai on Tuesday, and the three men took the first flight to Europe. But Bogaert’s troubles weren’t over yet. “I’d flopped down in my seat on the plane and was feeling great. Ten minutes later as we still stood on the tarmac, some security people came on board and made directly for me. I thought that was it. I had to get off and point out my luggage. It seems they were looking for something suspicious. But then they let me go back to my seat. That feeling I had as we took off – simply fantastic, really.” Though the lawsuits against him are still active, Bogaert will only have to appear in court is if he goes back voluntarily, as Belgium does not have an extradition treaty with Qatar and, in any case, does not extradite its nationals. “Would I go back to Qatar? Maybe in another life,” Bogaert said. “I had to wait for a year in Qatar, let them wait for me now.”
Stretch your mind, debate, consider
"Stretch your mind, debate, consider.
Take your time, it's an education and the entertainment.
It's us, our past and our future...Times are changing, things are not the same it use to be, - you will not deny.We moved forward from human sacrifices and slavery, from the primitive knowledge to advance one. World today is already a much better place.
Nothing prevent us from making another step forward except our fear and conditioning.And if you think "democracy, clever politics , but not technology will set us free, think again. All our problems are technological problems and have nothing to do with religions or political parties. There is no "conservative" or "democratic" way to invent a toaster, airplane or computer.Learn, stay open for the new ideas, regarding your pre -programmed stereotypes "
Go (take some time, or split and watch in parts, or make an audio file and listen as audio - book with your mp3 player)
1.10.09
Unesco news B
Holy Blood Procession in Bruges recognized by Unesco
Examples include crafts, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festivals.According to UNESCO supplements the lists of the material world, where hundreds of natural and cultural sites belong. The Holy Blood is a religious festival which is held every year on Ascension Day. It always attracts thousands of spectators to Bruges.
Unesco news A
Tango is protected by Unesco, French cuisine not.
Chinese carving and Tibetan opera
No less than 22 traditions from China, including Chinese paper and wood-carving, were also included.The Tibetan opera shines today on the UNESCO list, and aside from Croatia and the Cypriot city Lefkara were given the same honor.
Malian traditions
As regards Africa, UNESCO selected two Malian traditions: the Charter of baskets, one of the oldest constitutions in the world, and an annual ceremony at the seven Kamablon, a building that served as Senate and dates from 1653.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires and Montevideo plans a festival weekend to celebrate the tango had made it. "It is a recognition for all those who have supported since its inception, tango and the poetry and dance from generation to generation have passed," said Hernan Lombardi, responsible for culture in Buenos Aires.
European immigrants and African slaves
The Argentine and Uruguayan tango tradition, which now has conquered the world, originated in the early twentieth century in the vicinity of the Rio de la Plate, the river that flows between Argentina and Uruguay. "In that region, where European immigrants mingled with the Creoles and African slaves, is a strange mix of customs, religions and rituals created, which resulted in a cultural identity", says UNESCO.
The annual Holy Blood Procession in Bruges is also now also part of the list.
30.9.09
29.9.09
WORLD SOUNDTRACK AWARDS CEREMONY & CONCERT
the Filmfestival is comming to Ghent and this time I'am not gonna miss it!The Ghent Film Festival — Where music sets the tone
The Ghent Film Festival was established in 1974 as a students' film festival, and has since developed into one of Europe's most prominent film events. Every year in October, the festival presents some 120 features and 50 shorts from all across the world. A range of different film programs are showcased, attracting over 100,000 viewers each year. The International Federation of Film Producers Associations (IFFPA) recognises this festival as a competitive festival primarily geared towards the 'impact of music on film'. There are 4 awards up for grabs and around 15 entrants.
With its focus on film music, the Ghent Film Festival has its own unique place in international festivals. Every year, the festival organises film music concerts, giving composers of film scores the platform they deserve. Composers such as Ennio Morricone, Gabriel Yared, Elmer Bernstein, Michael Kamen, Patrick Doyle, Howard Shore, Georges Delerue, Hans Zimmer, Maurice Jarre, Craig Armstrong, Harry-Gregson Williams, Michael Danna, Gustavo Santaolalla are some of the many film music legends who have already taken the stage at Ghent.
Since 2001, the Ghent Film Festival has also organised the World Soundtrack Awards, the most prestigious soundtrack awards in the world. Each year, the best soundtrack composers are honoured and receive international recognition for their work. This pioneering role has certainly had an impact. Ghent has grown into a meeting point for established and up-and-coming musical talent and ever greater numbers of festivals play soundtracks from the wings. Since 2004, even the European Film Academy – encouraged by the Ghent Film Festival - has honoured the best European soundtrack composers.
Trade paper Variety placed the festival in it's top 50 must attend festivals of the world because of this focus on (film)music. American financial news paper The Wall Street Journal called the festival one of the five European Film Festivals with character!
Yet there is more to the Ghent Film Festival than just soundtracks alone. Every year, numerous international guests from the world of film flock to Ghent to present their films to the general public. Over the past years, the festival has welcomed filmmakers such as Kathleen Turner, Viggo Mortensen, David Cronenberg, Mike Leigh, François Ozon, Jeanne Moreau, Gina Lollobrigida, Tom Tykwer, Lord Richard Attenborough, Todd Haynes, Sir Peter Ustinov, Walter Hill, Danny Glover, Sidney Pollack, Jane Birkin, Luc Besson, Mike Figgis, Morgan Freeman, Faith Akin, Andy Garcia, Melanie Griffith, Robert Altman, Juliette Binoche, Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt, Ken Loach and Michael Haneke.
In addition to the screenings, the Ghent Film Festival also organises film-related exhibitions. Thus the prestigious Stanley Kubrick exhibition, which was previously shown in Berlin, Melbourne and Frankfurt-am-Main, was brought to Ghent before other world cities such as Rome, Paris and London. Film fanatics have also been able to see exhibitions of film maker Peter Greenaway, animation film maker Raoul Servais, and the large exhibition Cités-Cinés with over 450,000 visitors. The Ghent Film Festival will continue to keep a close watch on international film developments in order to organise a festival that is as captivating as possible. To this end, a fresh, young team works hard day after day.
The 36th edition of the Ghent Film Festival is scheduled for October 6th-17th, 2009. Once again 'The impact of music on film' is the overall theme. More than 200 films will be shown at Kinepolis Gent, Sphinx, Studio Skoop and Arts Centre Vooruit.
The Ghent Film Festival was established in 1974 as a students' film festival, and has since developed into one of Europe's most prominent film events. Every year in October, the festival presents some 120 features and 50 shorts from all across the world. A range of different film programs are showcased, attracting over 100,000 viewers each year. The International Federation of Film Producers Associations (IFFPA) recognises this festival as a competitive festival primarily geared towards the 'impact of music on film'. There are 4 awards up for grabs and around 15 entrants.
With its focus on film music, the Ghent Film Festival has its own unique place in international festivals. Every year, the festival organises film music concerts, giving composers of film scores the platform they deserve. Composers such as Ennio Morricone, Gabriel Yared, Elmer Bernstein, Michael Kamen, Patrick Doyle, Howard Shore, Georges Delerue, Hans Zimmer, Maurice Jarre, Craig Armstrong, Harry-Gregson Williams, Michael Danna, Gustavo Santaolalla are some of the many film music legends who have already taken the stage at Ghent.
Since 2001, the Ghent Film Festival has also organised the World Soundtrack Awards, the most prestigious soundtrack awards in the world. Each year, the best soundtrack composers are honoured and receive international recognition for their work. This pioneering role has certainly had an impact. Ghent has grown into a meeting point for established and up-and-coming musical talent and ever greater numbers of festivals play soundtracks from the wings. Since 2004, even the European Film Academy – encouraged by the Ghent Film Festival - has honoured the best European soundtrack composers.
Trade paper Variety placed the festival in it's top 50 must attend festivals of the world because of this focus on (film)music. American financial news paper The Wall Street Journal called the festival one of the five European Film Festivals with character!
Yet there is more to the Ghent Film Festival than just soundtracks alone. Every year, numerous international guests from the world of film flock to Ghent to present their films to the general public. Over the past years, the festival has welcomed filmmakers such as Kathleen Turner, Viggo Mortensen, David Cronenberg, Mike Leigh, François Ozon, Jeanne Moreau, Gina Lollobrigida, Tom Tykwer, Lord Richard Attenborough, Todd Haynes, Sir Peter Ustinov, Walter Hill, Danny Glover, Sidney Pollack, Jane Birkin, Luc Besson, Mike Figgis, Morgan Freeman, Faith Akin, Andy Garcia, Melanie Griffith, Robert Altman, Juliette Binoche, Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt, Ken Loach and Michael Haneke.
In addition to the screenings, the Ghent Film Festival also organises film-related exhibitions. Thus the prestigious Stanley Kubrick exhibition, which was previously shown in Berlin, Melbourne and Frankfurt-am-Main, was brought to Ghent before other world cities such as Rome, Paris and London. Film fanatics have also been able to see exhibitions of film maker Peter Greenaway, animation film maker Raoul Servais, and the large exhibition Cités-Cinés with over 450,000 visitors. The Ghent Film Festival will continue to keep a close watch on international film developments in order to organise a festival that is as captivating as possible. To this end, a fresh, young team works hard day after day.
The 36th edition of the Ghent Film Festival is scheduled for October 6th-17th, 2009. Once again 'The impact of music on film' is the overall theme. More than 200 films will be shown at Kinepolis Gent, Sphinx, Studio Skoop and Arts Centre Vooruit.
| WORLD SOUNDTRACK AWARDS CEREMONY & CONCERT |
 | Tickets: 17/10 20:00-22:00 in Muziekcentrum De Bijloke Gent |
| The composers Alexandre Desplat and Marvin Hamlisch will be the guests of honour at the 9th World Soundtrack Awards, the key event of the 36th Ghent Film Festival on Saturday 17 October in Music Centre De Bijloke in Ghent. The Brussels Philharmonic will be playing music from The Girl with the Pearl Earring, The Queen, The Painted Veil and Lust Caution among others. The American composer Marvin Hamlisch, who created unforgettable music for films such as The Way We Were and The Sting, will receive the World Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation of the World Soundtrack Awards and the accompanying concert of film music is an annual highpoint for lovers of film music. The international film music world will be there in Ghent to hear the best film music of the moment performed live by the Brussels Philharmonic. This year the programme will include music by Alexandre Desplat and Marvin Hamlisch. Alexandre Desplat is part of the new class of French film music composers and made his reputation in 2003 with the soundtrack for The Girl with the Pearl Earring. This was followed by impressive scores for films that included Birth, Syriana, The Queen and The Painted Veil. He won the Golden Globe in 2007 for the soundtrack of the latter. The same year he was named Film Composer of the Year at the 7th World Soundtrack Awards. On Saturday 17 October, the Brussels Philharmonic, under the direction of Alexandre Desplat himself, will perform the music from The Girl with the Pearl Earring, The Queen, The Painted Veil, Lust Caution, Birth, The Golden Compass and Benjamin Button. In addition to Alexandre Desplat, the American composer Marvin Hamlisch will also take the spotlight. He will receive a World Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award for the contributions he has made during his rich career. Hamlisch is a much-lauded composer and arranger who has composed music for films, musicals and television. He won three Oscars, two for The Way We Were by Sydney Pollack with Barbra Streisand and one for the music forThe Sting by George Roy Hill with Paul Newman. Hamlisch also wrote the music for the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me and for the famous musical A Chorus Line. Together with composer Richard Rodgers he is the only artist to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize. Other winners of the World Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award include Angelo Badalamenti, Mikis Theodorakis, Peer Raben, Maurice Jarre, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Sir George Martin and Elmer Bernstein. Young film music talent is also represented with the composer Marc Streitenfeld who carried off the World Soundtrack Discovery Award last year with his soundtrack for American Gangster by Ridley Scott. The Brussels Philharmonic under the direction of Dirk Brossé will also play music by the winner of the first composition competition organised by the World Soundtrack Academy for young European composers with the support of Sabam. Tickets for the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony and Concert are now available. All tickets (€75/€55) are reception afterwards included, in presence of the composers. Please mail todaniella@filmfestival.be for more info. |
|
Official site: World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert
28.9.09
Museum M
Amid circuses and princesses, Leuven opens Museum M
The opening on 20 September is under royal patronage, with Princess Mathilde of Belgium and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands lending the initials of their names to the official ceremony. This entire week, the city hosts a festival of music and arts, culminating in a circus performance at the museum.
IN FLANDERS, YOU'RE NEVER FAR AWAY
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Flanders is a region teeming with history and atmosphere and wherever you wander you will find café terraces, lively markets, gastronomic restaurants and great shopping.
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Supporters of precedent Obama are worrying about his image in conservative media.
Supporters of precedent Obama are worrying about his image in conservative media.
Quality of Belgian illegal drugs is very bad
"Quality of Belgian illegal drugs is very bad"
Minister Onkelinx gets her old plan back : illegal party drugs check.629 samples were sampled and checked by minister and her crew . " The quality of the drugs in Belgium appears to be much poorer t them the last year" said Health Minister Laurette Onkelinx (PS),
.Senator Paul Wille (Open VLD) asked the results of the tests and was stunned."Even the cocaine circulating in our country, has components that are more dangerous than ever."
Phenacetin
Besides traces of codeine, derivatives of more sedative drugs, also include the remains of the phenacetin were
found. In addition, new substances has been detected, such as the synthetic drug 2C-C. This is a designer drug that is virtually unknown.
The 629 controls were implemented in our country, its a easy business compare to the 6200 samples analyzed last year in the Netherlands The massive control of illegal party drugs took place in the nightclubs and dancing partyes. In the past few pilot projects were already launched in Brussels and Wallonia, but now more controls are going to be made all over the country .Everyone , who wishes to test new drugs should apply as a volunteer to the Health Minister office.
headscarves in secondary schools?
The clash of the headscarves
Should Muslim girls be allowed to wear headscarves in secondary schools?
Belgium usually walks a middle ground between the strict French neutrality and the open pluralism of Britain, where public servants with headscarves or turbans are not uncommon.and we don't want the disaster happening with the newish kids in Antwerp -they attempt to there own religious schools in protest.
Nadir Of Western Civilization To Be Reached
Nadir Of Western Civilization To Be Reached the next Saturday
WASHINGTON—An international panel of leading anthropologists, cultural critics, biologists, and social theorists announced this week that Western civilization will reach its lowest conceivable point .
"From the prehistoric Lascaux cave paintings to the stirring symphonies of Mozart to today's hot-dog eating competitions and action films with comical gerbils, culture has descended into a festering pool of mass ignorance," said Yale sociologist Paul Riordan, who has spent his career analyzing western civilization's fall into the depths of depravity. "If our calculations are correct, this complete erosion of all that is enlightened and unique will reach absolute rock bottom .
Added Riordan, "It is scientifically impossible for civilization to sink any lower than it does."
The panel said the upcoming nadir will be precipitated by a string of smaller devastating events.
At 9 p.m. Wednesday the ABC sitcom Modern Family will premiere, marking the least-inspired creative endeavor ever attempted by modern man. This will reportedly be followed Thursday by the release of a new energy drink marketed exclusively to U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thursday night, when the social networking tool Twitter will be used to communicate a series of ideas so banal they will instantaneously negate the three centuries of the Renaissance.
"The sciences, the arts, the humanities—all aspects of society as a whole will reach their respective low-points in just a matter of days," said anthropologist Robert Davidson, gesturing toward a nearby line graph illustrating western society's collapse. "We've been charting this cultural descent for generations now, from the advent of New Wave music, to the rise of scientific creationism, right through to the trampling death of several Wal-Mart greeters on the morning after Thanksgiving. ."
According to the panel, a Russian tourist, believing the impressive structure to be a giant mall, enter Louvre in Paris, and, not finding what he is looking for, ask where "the damn strong drink section is supposed to be."
The man, dressed in Crocs and sweatpants and determined by researchers to be the final catalyst in humanity's epic downfall, will then loudly expel gas.
"This horrible but inevitable day has been a long time coming," said Davidson, before picking up a black marker and, seemingly without thought or intent, drawing a long, thick phallus on his chart. "And by the looks of things, it's almost here."
Some analysts believe the coming cultural sinkhole—the most intellectually and spiritually degrading moment conceivable by science or philosophy—will signal the end of mankind's decay and lead to a steady upward climb. Still, they warned, the event itself could be catastrophically lowbrow.
"With each passing minute, we're getting closer to a second Dark Ages," said noted art critic Mark Lefevre, tearing out pages from his report, folding each into a paper airplane, and tossing decades of hard work around the room. "Unless something is done to protect what little sophistication and refinement we have left, Western society may soon regress to a point of no return. We need to act, and act fast."
Despite the panel's findings, many are skeptical that humanity will reach its lowest depths on Friday, claiming the humiliations are likely to continue as ever-smaller terrier breeds begin to outsmart their owners.
"We're talking about a society in which the name Newton is now more often associated with a fig-filled dessert than the scientist who revolutionized modern thought," biologist Howard Thurston said. "The human mind is endlessly inventive, and our species will always find new ways to completely discredit and embarrass itself."
Scientists have found out where from the beautiful women are comming
University of Helsinki researchers found that during evolution, women have become more beautiful and attractive, while men are still somehow stay at there looks at the level of a caveman.At least this is the case in Finland and neighboring countries.
In addition, researchers learned that beautiful women tend to have more children and mostly girls - which further increases the number of beautiful women.
According to experts, the reason for this - in the struggle for survival. Beautiful girls have a wider selection of "fans", and therefore the future for themselves and their children. As for the men, their appearance often compensated by material well-being.
27.9.09
Putin on the Ritz
Certainly, being a precedent of the country,that passing trough the turbulent currents of the History, is quite a challenging task.But if there is a place for some fun and dance..?
According to this video, (made on 80s remake of Andrews Sisters 'Putting On The Ritz' by artist called Tako ), defiantly -" yes !"
The Red Navy Singers, Dancers & Musicians perform "Let it be"
Nice, funny and touching moment in the history
of the" clash of the cultures."
Beatles song sang by The Red Navy Singers,
Dancers & Musicians in 1989...Look at all this costumes and the
incredible devotion of the soloist - priceless !!!!.
Currently voted on "you tube" as a worst "Beatles" cover ever.
Iran tests short-range missiles
Iran tests short-range missiles
Iranian state television is reporting on Sunday that Iran has test-fired short-range missiles as part of military exercises.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times online edition claims U.S. President Barack Obama knew about Iran's covert uranium enrichment site almost a year ago.
The paper claims that Obama was briefed about the secret facility when he was elected late last year.
The newspaper notes that he sought a policy of engagement, in a shift from a strategy of isolating Iran.
The online report also says that Iran had found out that Western intelligence agencies knew about the secret plant.
Obama then ordered a detailed dossier to be compiled which could be used in negotiations with Tehran – or, if required, to enlist the support of other countries in imposing sanctions against Iran, The Sunday Times says
Are we on a brake of another war?
Why don’t you give me something for the memory
Putin runs out of timepieces at weapons factory
For the second time this year Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has parted with his watch. Earlier, he presented one to a shepherd’s son, and this Monday he gave his new one to a weapons factory worker.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L)
visiting the KBP Instrument
Design Bureau )
The incident described in detail by Kommersant newspaper happened during Putin’s visit to Tula’s famous “Instrument Design Bureau”, the manufacturer of precision weapons from sniper rifles to air defense systems. The prime minister was touring the factory handling different small arms produced there and talking to employees.
One of the workers, Viktor Zagaevsky, after a conversation with Putin suddenly suggested: “Why don’t you give me something for the memory.”
Putin showed that he had no suitable memorabilia with him and said: “What could I give you?”Putin inquired. “Maybe your watch,” the worker replied bluntly. “Take it,” the prime minister said, adding that he gave a similar watch to a shepherd boy when he was on vacation in the Tyva region.
Tula’s Instrument Design Bureau worker
Viktor Zagaevsky displays a watch
presented to him by Russian Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin
Zagaevsky was later asked if he felt awkward about twisting Putin’s arm into giving him the present.
“Why should I? I’ve met the man for the first time in my life. And probably for the last time,” the newspaper cites him as saying. He added he was aiming for Putin’s pen when he raised the issue initially.
Vladimir Putin gave a laundry list of presents on various occasions both to officials and ordinary people, many of them quite peculiar. Those included a Christmas tree for a city in Russia’s Far East on a small girl’s request, Russian citizenship, Labrador pups and plumbing repairs.
NY on the UN
Building up new world or just traffic jams? NY on the UN
This week, hundreds of world leaders descended on New York for the UN General Assembly session. Lori Harfenist, also known “The Resident”, hit the streets to check out what people thought about the global gathering.
Do people care? Do they think these kinds of meetings make a positive difference in the world, or do they consider it just a nuisance and a traffic jam?The big event has turned the city into a hotbed of protests, traffic gridlock and heightened security measures
Even those who were not among the participants at the meeting of UN General Assembly could feel the scale of the event as they appeared in front of the closed doors of the Metropolitan Museum in NY.
People were coming up excited, but after a short while had to turn away and leave, no wiser than before.Local art lovers and guests of NYC were deprived of a chance to visit one of the most renowned Art museums of the world, and the museum thoroughly apologized for any inconvenience, saying that on September 23 it was accommodating a United Nations event.
Here is a photo collection of the bewildered, disappointed and blinking eyes of those surprised and bemused passers-by who came to realize they would not see Jan Vermeer’s exhibit on that day, send to me by a friend from NY.
Kirill Pokrovsky - Divine Divinity OST - Roads Shaded By Green Eaves
Kirill Pokrovsky Divine Divinity OST Roads Shaded By Green Eaves
The Crop Circle Phenomenon
The Crop Circle Phenomenon
Strange and Elaborate Geometric Shapes Around the World
Who is responsible for the creation of crop circles? Are they messages from extraterrestrials? This post takes a look at some possible explanations.
These enigmatic designs found on rural properties around the world are a constant source of puzzlement and wonder to the human race. Just what are these unusual formations meant to communicate? Are alien beings trying to tell us something? Or are they the result of natural forces? Like the debate surrounding the possible existence of extraterrestrials, the crop circle phenomenon has many questions but few answers. However, it's clear there are forces at work which we can scarcely understand.
A Long History
There is a documented case from 17th century England which tells of a farmer who refused to pay the fee demanded by the man who mowed his field. He then said "I would rather have the devil himself do the job." According to the story he got his wish. The next morning he looked out to his field and there were several circular patterns which were so exact that nothing within was left standing. Since then these peculiar designs have popped up all over the globe, especially in the United Kingdom near Stonehenge. Other countries have had their share too, including the United States and China. People are asking why they are appearing, and who or what is creating them.
There Are Many Ideas About How They Are Made
Some say it's the work of aliens. Others believe they are a sign from God. And still others have claimed to have done it by hand, but the results have been invariably sloppy and geometrically imperfect when viewed up close. One accepted theory is they are made by natural forces such as whirlwinds and tornadoes. If this idea is feasible then it stands to reason that corn stalks would be yanked out of the ground and strewn several hundred feet in all directions, but virtually no crop circle discoveries have pointed to a powerful storm as a source of creation. If you take a closer look at some crop circle images photographed from the air, you'll notice most of them are incredibly complex and intricate. It's not likely these designs could be done quickly without the aid of special tools and equipment. In fact, these strange drawings are for the most part flawless with perfect symmetry and not one stalk of corn broken, much less damaged in any way, and some witnesses have insisted they can appear almost spontaneously. One example is a sighting near Devizes, England which took place very early in the morning on August 11, 1996. The photographer recorded about 18 seconds of footage which clearly showed a crop formation appearing near Oliver's Castle.
So, the question is, excluding the obvious hoaxes, what kind of machine could produce these images in so short a time?
The Mystery Continues
Another unexplained aspect is the altered state of electromagnetism within crop circles. If you had a compass it would not point in a northerly direction inside a crop circle. Cameras and cellular phones do not work when standing inside crop circle boundaries, and radio frequencies go up and down constantly. Farm animals will avoid going near the site of a crop circle and there are reports of mechanical failures within jets and airplanes when pilots fly over them
There are many theories for their existence:
- Whirlwind Vortex
- Plasma Vortex
- Earth Energies
- Extra-Terrestrial Origin
- Underground Archaeological
- Chemical Applications (no longer considered)
- Hoaxes
- God Force
- Military Experimentation
The Führer's Obsession with Art
The Führer's Obsession with Art.
'Hitler Considered Himself an Artistic Genius'
Experts like German art historian Birgit Schwarz believe that Hitler considered himself an artistic genius. However the future dictator failed to gain a place at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts because of his lack of talent
Dr.KeyReal : Ms. Schwarz, countless books and academic papers have been written worldwide about Hitler, the Third Reich and the Holocaust. Now you are claiming that it's time to correct our image of Hitler. In what sense?
Birgit Schwarz: In my opinion, people have underestimated the notion that Hitler considered himself an artist, in fact, an artistic genius, and that much can be deduced from this self-image, this overheated artist's ego. However, this has hardly played a role in the research to date. That's the starting point, from my perspective, because it can help us gain a better understanding of Hitler as a person, as well as his system of power. Hitler's deluded view of himself as a genius is based on the confused system of thought emerging in the late 19th century, which centered on the idea that a genius -- a strong personality who outshone everything else -- could do anything and could do anything he pleased.Dr.KeyReal : That sounds like a debatable view. Historians will complain.
Schwarz: Perhaps. But I believe that it's important to amend the history of his personality. Aside from that, I'm looking forward to the debate.
Dr.KeyReal : Hitler's relationship with art is well-documented. He earned money with his watercolors and wanted to become a painter. Later he became an insatiable collector, a passion which turned into the most brutal art theft of all time. All of this is well known. What, then, is supposedly incorrect about the current image of Hitler?
Schwarz: There is a widespread view that he was not truly fascinated by art, and that although he collected art and used it to cultivate his image, he then hid it away in basements and mines. Someone like Göring was constantly bragging about his collection, but many believe that Hitler wasn't actually that interested. But it was very deeply ingrained in his personality.
Dr.KeyReal : What makes you so certain?
Schwarz: The previously underestimated observations of his contemporaries, for one. For example, there was the Italian archeologist and art historian Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli, an accomplished expert who was not on Hitler's side. He became one of Italy's great intellectuals after the war. In 1938, Bianchi Bandinelli was asked to play the role of tour guide during one of Hitler's state visits, and Hitler spent hour after hour admiring paintings. According to Bianchi Bandinelli, it was evident in Hitler's body language that he was truly entranced by the art.
Dr.KeyReal : But Mussolini was simply annoyed by the time Hitler spent looking at art.
Schwarz: Yes, but sources like Bianchi Bandinelli's account show that there is something important missing from our picture of Hitler, something we still need to understand and that hasn't been taken into account until now. In fact, a very different image was built up over decades, namely of Hitler and his fight against so-called degenerate art.
Dr.KeyReal : But that too is an important part of his relationship with art.
Schwarz: Of course, and it was probably fueled by real hatred. At the same time, art was very important to him throughout his entire life.
Dr.KeyReal : Doesn't the perception of Hitler as an artist make him seem less evil?
Schwarz: No. In fact, his love of art led directly into the heart of evil. But neither is it the root of everything else. His fanatical pursuit of his own cause, and his self-image as a genius, contributed to his powers of persuasion and, therefore, his success. Art was part of his life until his last hours, even playing a role in his private will, in which he mentions his collections. This was someone who issued the so-called Nero Decree (Ed's note: Hitler's Nero Decree, issued in March 1945, ordered the destruction of any infrastructure which could be of use to the Allies.)while at the same time making sure art treasures were rescued. But no one is willing to admit to his obsession with art.
Dr.KeyReal : But the story of how Hitler flew to occupied Paris and visited the main sights at dawn is legendary.
Schwarz: This obsession with art was interpreted as nothing but a cultivation of his image and propaganda. When you look at his biography, you understand that art was vitally important to him much earlier, and that he needed it for self-affirmation.
Dr.KeyReal : Prominent historians, particularly the brilliant Ian Kershaw, see the young Hitler primarily as a failed painter. He wanted to study painting, but he was rejected by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts twice, in 1907 and 1908. Why don't you accept this interpretation?
Schwarz: Of course, being turned down was a fundamental shock to him. But the Hitler research community believes that he accepted his failure, and that he gave up the artistic world. But in reality he always retained his self-image as an artist and as someone obsessed with art. The rebuff from the academy was probably what prompted him to consider himself a genius.
Dr.KeyReal : In your opinion, he saw himself as someone who had been underestimated. But where is the difference between "failed" and "underestimated," which is so critical to understanding Hitler?
Schwarz: If he had seen himself as failed, he would have had to abandon his idea of being an artist. That's what Ian Kershaw, for example, claims. And (German historian and Hitler biographer) Joachim Fest didn't take Hitler's self-image as a genius seriously enough. Many believe that Goebbels didn't start consistently referring to Hitler as a genius until later on.
Dr.KeyReal : And that was indeed the case.
Schwarz: But for Hitler it was more than a propaganda strategy. He seriously believed he was a genius, long before Goebbels referred to him as such. And it makes sense that Goebbels constantly described him as a genius. A genius shouldn't refer to himself as a genius. He needs a community of admirers. His conviction that he was a genius, in my interpretation, was at the center of his entire worldview.
Dr.KeyReal : For a time, Hitler survived by painting watercolor scenes of Vienna. He was apparently fired by an architecture firm where you believe he worked, because his performance wasn't good enough. He then moved to Munich, where he hung around in cafés. That doesn't sound like someone with the creative urges of a genius.
Schwarz: On the contrary. Let me give you an example. A competition for an imposing building project of the late Kaiser period was announced in Berlin. The opera house was going to be rebuilt. We don't know if Hitler attempted to officially enter the competition -- in fact, it's unlikely -- but it appears that he did draw some of his own designs. He believed that he could hold his own with the most famous architects.
Dr.KeyReal : Why didn't he seek public attention?
Schwarz: A genius can shine in secret, hoping that he will make a big splash one day.
Dr.KeyReal : Could Hitler seriously have considered himself a genius? His talent as a draftsman was moderate at best.
Schwarz: He apparently felt differently, and it was important for his ego that he was self-taught. After the humiliation of being rejected by the academy, he developed an aversion to all professors, and to all academic study. He referred to himself once as a minor painter, but that was at a time when he believed he was a great architect. On the whole, he saw himself as a creative genius. You mustn't forget that the concept we have today of a genius is so much more harmless than it was back then.
Dr.KeyReal : In what sense?
Schwarz: We define a genius on the basis of his talent. At the time, talent was not the main focus. A genius had to have a strong personality. He was a larger-than-life talent who was permitted to do anything, including evil things. The genius has outstanding ideas, and they must be implemented, even if they are completely amoral. Hitler admired the work of dour philosophers like Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche. One important aspect is often overlooked, namely that the concept of genius had long been colored with racism. Houston Stewart Chamberlain, a Briton by birth who had married into the family of Richard Wagner, was a significant figure. He published his views in a book, which became a bestseller. Chamberlain, who promoted the great Aryan personality, was a key figure for Hitler.
Dr.KeyReal : Are you going so far as to draw a line between the concept of genius and the Holocaust?
Schwarz: Let me say it one more time: The genius was allowed to be above morality. The amorality of the Nazis represents taking this position to its unthinkable extreme. Goebbels wrote the brutal sentence: "Geniuses consume people." Part of Hitler's concept of a genius was the image of an enemy. In his case, it even needed to be a mortal enemy.
Dr.KeyReal : But his worldview was strongly influenced by World War I and his own drastic experiences at the front.
Schwarz: Naturally that was a turning point. However, he believed that the world war proved that it was possible to overcome all odds. But I don't see an absolute shift in his life. Even before World War I, he had the self-image of a genius, and he kept it up after that. That's continuity. In the early 1920s, he even declared that what was needed was "a dictator who is a genius." Of course, the population also yearned for a genius.
Dr.KeyReal : But shouldn't the word "genius" be replaced with "Führer" ("leader")?
Schwarz: No. The Führer concept arose from the genius concept in the first place. Once again, too great a distinction has been drawn between Hitler the artist and Hitler the politician until now. The research describes Hitler as a man who was a failure during his first 30 years before suddenly, as if in a new life, managing to captivate the masses as a politician. It's a divided biography, in other words. But the question is: Where did he get his self-confidence, and the certainty that he was an exceptional figure?
Dr.KeyReal : Hitler himself described a split in his biography, "Mein Kampf," in which he famously wrote: "But I decided to become a politician."
Schwarz: It wasn't a split, but a development. His career as a politician doesn't contradict his self-image as a genius by any means. And that was what he considered himself to be, first an artist, and then a politician and strategist. But without the self-image as an artist, he would never have been able to see himself as a genius. That's why he constantly had to reaffirm his love for art.
Dr.KeyReal : You describe which paintings Hitler hung, re-hung or removed in his private and official rooms, including works by the Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin and the German painter Carl Spitzweg. These two painters represent very different styles: overblown and aggressive versus detailed and contemplative, respectively. And then there were the neo-classical portraits of women by painters like Anselm Feuerbach. How does all this fit together?
Schwarz: It doesn't fit together at all. I have reconstructed his collection of paintings, including the ones in his private rooms. Hitler's taste cannot be pinned down. There is no aesthetic lowest common denominator. But what his favorite painters do have in common is that Hitler saw them as misunderstood geniuses.
Dr.KeyReal : Does a genius need a muse? If so, was Hitler's muse Eva Braun -- or perhaps his favorite architect, Albert Speer?
Schwarz: Perhaps an artist needs a muse, but a genius doesn't, because a genius's creative strength comes from within. And a genius, as Hitler explained to his secretary, could not have any children. However, he did have role models, including Frederick the Great, who became increasingly important to him. Hitler felt that he was an incarnation of this art-loving ruler, who was both a collector and a military strategist. He imitated everything about him, including his love for dogs and, later, his shuffling walk and stained uniform. It was even obvious to the terribly banal Eva Braun, who chided him for his excessive efforts to imitate Frederick. In the end, he insisted on having a portrait of the king nearby at all times, even in the bunker. Academics are familiar with this adoration and with how alarmingly deep it went, but it probably hasn't been adequately studied.
Dr.KeyReal : In the end, how much did he retain of his belief that he was a genius?
Schwarz: It was everything at the end. In fact, Hitler, in his delusions of being a genius, is best understood by studying the last months of his life. The period in the Führer's bunker is very illuminating. It was only a few steps from his quarters to the cellar of the New Reich Chancellery, where the model of his architectural plans for Linz was displayed. He had to reaffirm his status as a genius, and he could only do so through his close connection to art and architecture. These final attempts at creating a certain image for himself had a fatal effect. He made a strong impression on many of the people around him. Many believed that Hitler would succeed in the end, just as his role model and supposed fellow genius Frederick the Great managed to win certain battles, even emerging from wars as the victor despite having suffered military defeats.
Dr.KeyReal : So art never opened Hitler's eyes -- he saw only what he wanted to see?
Schwarz: That was always his intention, right from the start.
Dr.KeyReal : Ms Schwarz, thank you for this interview.
dpa
Three watercolours painted by Hitler are due to be auctioned off in Nuremberg on Sept. 5. The paintings are all landscapes from 1910 and 1911, entitled "Bullet-riddled Mill," "Weissenkirchen in der Wachau" -- an Austrian place name -- and "House by a River with Bridge."
This is not the first time Hitler's artwork has gone under the hammer -- a number of auctions have seen his paintings sold for thousands of euros. This drawing is attributed to Hitler.
One 2006 British auction sold 21 pieces for £118,000 (€126,000). Pictured here are the lots sold at an auction in Britain on April 23,
This self-portrait of Hitler, dated 1926, was auctioned on Aug. 13, 2009, finally selling for £12,300 (€14,190) 2009, which raised over €100,000
dpa
Art historian Birgit Schwarz told SPIEGEL that, for Hitler, art was "very deeply ingrained in his personality."
Onion news
The U.N. Headquarters in New York has flags from all over the world and enough uranium to wipe Israel off the map.
News of the nuclear weapon first surfaced late last week when the United Nation's own watchdog group, the International Atomic Energy Agency, released startling new satellite photos of the uranium-based device. Shortly thereafter, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a short and brazen list of demands, calling on all nations to "bow down at once to social progress."
"Tremble before the awesome might of this cooperative assembly of appointed representatives," said Ban, boldly holding a stack of diplomatic resolutions in his hand. "At last, when the United Nations calls for the development of more sustainable agricultural practices, the world at large will listen."
Added Ban, "We will no longer be ignored."
The warhead, an Oralloy U-235 thermonuclear detonator encased in a long-range ballistic missile, is believed to be currently housed beneath the parking lot of the U.N. complex in New York. According to Pentagon officials, it is likely that the United Nations has already tested the weapon, and may in fact be prepared to deploy it if its demands for global harmony are not met.
"All efforts are being made to engage this nationless threat in diplomatic talks, but so far, they remain uncooperative," U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said. "However, I can assure you that the United States will not be pushed around. We will not be bullied into limiting our carbon-dioxide emissions or honoring the conditions established by the Geneva Conventions. The United States will not bend."
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, President Bush echoed Chertoff's sentiments.
"This rogue group of unbiased mediators will not be tolerated," said Bush, who has promised to continue his eight-year pledge not to negotiate with the United Nations under any circumstances. "If the U.N. thinks it can force the world to appreciate the equality of all people and their right to live free of poverty, hunger, and inhumane treatment, I say to them, 'Bring it on.'"
While no country has admitted to selling enriched uranium to the United Nations, experts claimed that acquiring the necessary materials was probably fairly easy, as the U.N.'s own Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has been largely disregarded since being signed in 1968.
"The Russians, the Israelis, a rogue Pakistani arms trader—there are plenty of people out there who could have done it," said Katherine Boushie, a world politics professor at Columbia University. "After all, who knows better than the United Nations where someone can find nukes? They've spent years watching nation after nation illegally stockpile arms. Might have been what pissed them off, actually."
Despite outspoken concerns from many nations, including North Korea, Iran, and Serbia, Secretary-General Ban has assured the international community that the U.N.'s nuclear arsenal will only be used for deterrent purposes. Chief among these is deterring other countries from thinking they can sign a chemical weapons ban and then act like the whole thing never happened, and coming to the U.N. only when it's convenient or profitable for them to do so.
"I will say this as clearly as I can, so you all can hear me," said Ban, his finger hovering inches away from the small red button on his podium. "Either attend the next Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, or prepare to suffer the consequences."
Many, however, refuse to be intimidated by the peacekeeping organization's threats.
"They're bluffing," Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said. "The United Nations is still 15 years away from a nuclear bomb. Hell, they're 20 years away from achieving universal primary school education, and knowing them, they'll probably focus on that first
Sexy Career Woman To Take Hot Bath After Stressful Day
Sexy Career Woman To Take Hot Bath After Stressful Day
Moscow — Following a particularly stressful day at her high-powered job, sultry career woman Olga Lugovaja, 34, announced Tuesday she would take a hot, steamy bath upon returning to her spacious Arbat penthouse.
Olgat momentarily lets herself get lost in the distant promise of warm suds gently caressing her naked body.
"Shortly after I arrive home this evening, I will draw a lavender-scented bubble bath in my antique, claw-foot porcelain tub," said Olga, pulling a bobby pin from her hair and releasing a cascade of shimmering auburn hair down the nape of her neck. "Once I have deemed the temperature of the bathwater to be just right, I will allow my terry-cloth robe to slip slowly off my shoulders and gather seductively around my feet, leaving my firm, nearly flawless body completely exposed."
"At this point, I will most likely take a moment to look into the mirror and think about how there are times in my busy life when I just want a man—any man, really—to satisfy my every sexual desire," Olga continued. "Because, while I may be a no-nonsense career woman who should be taken seriously, I am, after all, still a woman."
According to Olga, following a long day spent competing with men on her own tough and uncompromising terms, she deserves some time to pamper herself and express her femininity. Because she is such an unrelenting perfectionist when it comes to her profession, Olga said that her other, softer qualities—such as her gourmet culinary training and her years spent as a semiprofessional ballet dancer—are often overshadowed.
Thoughts of work seem to float away as Barrett tenderly kneads her skin with scented lotion.
"When I'm lying in the tub, the bubbles just barely covering my perfect pink nipples, I can feel all the pressures of my high-paying, fast-paced job just melt away," olga said. "Maybe it's George Michael's 'Careless Whisper' playing on the stereo, or the gentle nighttime breeze blowing through the curtains of my 37th-floor apartment, but as I'm washing every contour of my impossibly lithe frame, I really begin to feel like myself again."
"And when I slowly submerge my head beneath the water, letting the telephone ring unanswered, that's when I truly transform into a gorgeous, sensual woman with a strong libidinal appetite instead of just some incredibly successful female professional," Olga added.
In addition to celebrating her femininity, Olga said she would use her time spent bathing to reflect on her decision to delay starting a family, a lifelong dream she has had to put on hold in order to focus on a career that can be ruthless and even cutthroat.
It is also Olga's intention to close her eyes, smile in a rather suggestive manner, and let out a small, feminine sigh of satisfaction while in her bathtub tonight.
Though the sexy, take-no-prisoners career woman did not specify how long she would remain in the bathroom, she did confirm that after completing her ablutions and air-drying in the nude, she would carefully apply a rich, apricot-based lotion to her supple frame, despite the fact that her unblemished skin is already taut and butter-smooth.
"Every once in a while, I need some time for myself to recharge," Olga told a crowd of reporters, her fingers absentmindedly undoing the third button of her tight silk blouse to reveal the smallest hint of a delicate black-lace bra. "It's important to me that I reconnect with my womanhood so I can wake up the next day, put on my short, formfitting pantsuit and black 6-inch patent-leather stiletto pumps, and confidently reenter the no-holds-barred, male-dominated field in which I excel."
Before leaving her office for the evening, Olga added that she hopes some day she won't have to choose
Ups! Practical joke.
.Russian man pretends to be sexy girl to win beauty contest
The Internet today is full of fake and trash. One of the latest incidents showed that net surfers can only believe what they see. Online beauty contest Miss Virtual Yakutia has quite a long history and is quite prestigious. However this year witnessed that it is not necessary to be a beautiful young female to win the beauty contest.
Angela Adamova e-mailed her photo to the contest organizers. They quickly agreed to put it up for voting on a website. The site visitors were browsing sexy girls’ photos submitting their votes and comments. At the end of the contest Angela managed to obtain 369 points and found herself among top 10 finalists.
Rumors appeared later that the sexy Russian girl named as Angela Adamova was actually a 25-year-old male whose name was Oleg Goncharov. The young man apparently had a bizarre sense of humor.
When the true sex of the online beauty queen was revealed, Angela Adamova was disqualified.
It turned out later that Oleg Goncharov just wanted to play a joke. He asked a stylist to change his appearance and then turned to a professional photographer.
Oleg wrote in his new portfolio: “I’m just trying to make every step in life brighter and more remarkable for myself and for people who surround me. Give me your vote and I won’t disappoint you!”
Bon appetit ! The success story of the Belgian Chocolate
The Story begin with an ancestral Aztec's drink 
 The Aztecs known the chocolate as a bitter and spicy drink | The discovery of chocolate, the drink of the god.Christopher Columbus discovered the chocolate in the new world at the end of the15th century. Indeed, the Aztecs drank chocolate well before everybody. It was a bitter drink based on roasted kernels seeds of cocoa blended with spices. |
The chocolate conquered the old world.Even if the chocolate recipe was kept secret by the Spanish aristrocrates, the succes of this drink was so that it went through the european borders. |  |
The famous Belgian Chocolate : " praline " and " ballotin ".From the beginning of its history in Belgium, the chocolate was considered as a gift.
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 The decoration is still today manufactured by hand. | The chocolate manufacturers take care to select the best cocoa as well as the finest components in order to produce the Belgian chocolate - or " praline "- filling. Indeed, the chocolate quality is determine by the cocoa seeds choice and the components quality which give it all its characteristics (its parfume, its color, its touch, ...) The Belgian artisan manufactures almost all the " praline " by hand, especially the decoration. And it becomes a unique articles as he gives a personal touch to all of his creations thanks to his long experience. Then, the " praline " follows the distributioon channels before taking its place amongst the finest luxe products. |
The chocolate virtues 
"When somebody has drunk it, he is able to travel all day without tiredness and eating."
(Diaz del Castillo, companion of Cortes)
Energy
The nutitional and energy qualities of the chocolate were very appreciated by the Spanish during the early New World colonization.
Today, it is used by the sport competitors as chocolate is an excellent energy booster thanks to its constitutes (iron, magnesium, ...)
AphrodisiacSince the time of Aztecs & Mayas who have initiated cocoa consumption, the chocolate has always been considered as a sexual stimulant. Even the aztec emperor Moctezuma drank it to " have women access ".The theologian Fransiscus Rauch wrote in 1624 " that beverage drank in convents inflame passions ". |  The Emperor Moctezuma |
Anti-depression
In the 16th century, the Spanish aristrocatic ladies consumed chocolate everywhere even in church. Did it help them supporting the too long Masses ?
Today, we know that chocolate contains " pheryletylanine " which would have a positive action in case of nervous depression.
The chocolate for diabetics -
This is a great news for diabetics : sugar-free chocolate exist !
The traditional sugar - which is a important constitute of chocolate taste - may be substitued by " maltitol ".
The " maltitol " is a sugar extracted from germinate barley and is better for the stomach and the intestines. And it has the great advantage to be harmless for diabetics (see your doctor for more information).
The best recipes 
Chocolate mousse
| Contents : 7 oz of black chocolate 5 oz of fresh cream 1.8 oz of butter 5 eggs 1 pinch of salt 1 oz of powder sugar |  |
Heat the cream in a small saucepan. When it boils, pour it on the chocolate you have crushed before. Mix them until the chocolate is completly melt. While mixing, add first the butter and then yellows of the eggs one by one. Let the whole mixture cool down.
Whip the salted whites of the eggs to a froth and while whipping add progressively the sugar. Put this froth third by third into the chocolate while you are mixing.
You may serve the chocolate mousse in individual dishes covered by a piece of orange peel.
Let it cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving it. Bon appetit !
Chocolate truffles
| Contents : 7 oz of cream 10 oz of black chocolate 1.8 oz of bitter black chocolate 3.5 of cocoa |  |
Boil the cream before mixing it with the chocolate. Cover it and cool it in the refrigerator.
With the help of a spoon, make small balls from that preparation. Do not hesitate to round those balls inside your hands. Put them again in the refrigerator for a while.
After having melted the bitter black chocolate, you soak the truffles in it with a fork and just after that, roll it in the cocoa.
Keep the truffles in a cool area but not in the refrigerator.
Bon appetit !
The chocolate cake
| Contents : 6 eggs 6 oz of sugar in fine powder 6 oz of flour 1 oz of cocoa 1,4 oz of butter |  |
Whisp the eggs and the sugar. Add the melted butter then the flour and the cocoa. Mix it gently. Put the pastry obtained in a mold. And place it in the oven at 400 ｰF (200 ｰC) during 25 minutes.
Check the cooking of the cake sticking a knife into it. The cake will be ready when the knife remain clean.
Let the cake cool down and sprinkle it with cocoa as trimming.
Bon appetit !
Transferring an images into the music
Transferring images into music
I am playing an images like the written music. Concept Dr.Keyreal Vladimir Kaygorodov (Com-Post)
Know your heroes - "Headpfone" from Ghent.
It was out of nowhere that 'Ghostwriter', the first single of the debut album of Headphone, came to our ears, only to decide it would stay there for a long time. The first thing you have to notice, while listening to 'Ghostwriter' (the album), is the obvious resemblance to Oxford's finest, Radiohead. It contains a similar mix of rock and electronica, the same urban melancholia and singer Ian Marien even sounds like Thom Yorke. The second thing you have to note, is that 'Ghostwriter' is a damn fine debut record. The lovely 'She Is Electric' is contrary and catchy at the same time, 'Girlie' is made out of nice electronica, 'Film' contains the French vocals of the whispering guest singer Julie O, while single 'Ghostwriter' is one of the best things happening in Belgian rock in quite some time.And yes, I happen to know Jan for 10 years here in Ghent, that only adds to the pleasure of listening to this fine music. Go there for more http://www.headphone-music.com/My favorite song for today and some wonders of "stop-motion"
Shipped me back home from the secret location.. ....Learning to live,like I'm under sedation..Learning to like I' m already dead....
American troops are at risk of being defeated in Afghanistan
American troops are at risk of being defeated in Afghanistan if additional troops are not sent, says the special report that has become available to the Washington Post.In his confidential report, Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan says that the lack of resources may cause lengthy military operation that will be much more expensive and will likely result in a failure.
"Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term (next 12 months) -- while Afghan security capacity matures -- risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible," the newspaper quotes.
Stanley McChrystal warned that the military campaign will result in failure unless more forces will arrive to Afghanistan next year.
Since May 2009 more than 30 thousand soldiers have been sent to Afghanistan, which doubled the number of American forces there. By the end of this year the number of American military people staged in Afghanistan is expected to reach 68 thousand.
In August another report emerged in NATO and Pentagon. The report stated that Afghani people lose trust in the international forces since their presence and the war against Taliban do not improve the life of civil people.
The authors of the report did not directly call for the increase of American forces.
However, last week Admiral Mike Mullen , the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told in the Senate that additional forces are required to fight Taliban.
American campaign in Afghanistan more and more reminds the Vietnam War. But as the experience shows, in guerilla wars (like in Vietnam and now Afghanistan) the increase in the number of soldiers will not guarantee successful military operations.
The US President Barack Obama says that prior to sending additional troops to Afghanistan, the USA have to make sure they have an effective strategy for eliminating al Qaeda and preventing terror acts against the US and their allies
"The first question is . . . are we pursuing the right strategy? If supporting the Afghan national government and building capacity for their army and securing certain provinces advances that strategy then we'll move forward. But if it doesn't, then I'm not interested in just being in Afghanistan for the sake of being in Afghanistan," Obama said.
Republican leader, Congressman John Boehner stated in an interview with “Meet the Press” that Obama changes his goals and only talks about demolishing al Qaeda in Afghanistan in Pakistan. Although before he used to say that the US will not allow Taliban and al Qaeda to have a safe training base for the militants.
Panetta says the Taliban attacking NATO troops are still getting help from across the border in Pakistan.
"Well, we think that they continue to receive encouragement from al-Qaida in Pakistan, and they continue to receive encouragement from the terrorists who are located in Pakistan, and that because of that relationship we view them very much as a threat to peace in Afghanistan," Panetta said.
Do these statements mean that Americans sooner or later will expand their military presence to Pakistan? Today only CIA agents hunting down al Qaeda act in Pakistan.
If Washington decides to move its military pursuit of Taliban fighters to Pakistani territory, it may be catastrophic for the coalition forces upset by lengthy Afghan War
USAF designed flying disk to bomb Soviet Union
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