BABEL IN VILNIUS - Comments

Buildings – hostages of ideology - kaija

kaija — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:14:03 +03:00

Hi!
I´m doing a research in the field of planning ideology in Zolitude, Riga, and it was really inspiring to read this article.

Thank You!

May event guide for Vilnius - Erika

Erika — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:31:53 +03:00

For those, who want to enjoy a nice weather (let's hope so), to run their venture and scoop in good emotions a good event is http://www.neriesregata.lt
At the first time dozens of teams from Lithuanian universities will compete in the Neris river in Vilnius on the 17th of May.

Road without madness day - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:13:01 +03:00

Not sure that the highest rate of roadkill is a national identity component to be proud of....

If this is a European blog, note that the comment on 'the neighbour's ass' refers to 'the neighbour's donkey'. Probably that is what is meant, no? If it is a part of human anatomy that is meant, 'ass' is not the way it is spelt in European English.

A wider way for bloggers - Erika

Erika — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:28:13 +03:00

CB has very clear mission and goals. It is not a question about limited or not - but CB is different. We communicated our initiative and invited to join. Some Lithuanian writers have their own blogs in CB platform. But this organization of Lithuanian bloggers should be an individual unit and we would love to have a partnership with it. The vision, mission, goals, project etc. - they have to evaluate that and represent the interests of Lithuanian bloggers.

A wider way for bloggers - Hedgehog

Hedgehog — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:48:01 +03:00

Is CafeBabel wrong platform for the bounce of content raise? I don't think CB is so limited organization which cannot lead community (at least small). then it can develop separately. but why not using CB for gathering people at the beginning?

A wider way for bloggers - Erika

Erika — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:25:42 +03:00

Yes, I agree with you, Hedgehog, about the beginning, so this is why I called the first part of an article like this :) I think, that the mentality of people makes an influence on how things go, don't you think? And what I see - personal interests, no higher objectives. Sure, there are exceptions, I can not say this about every person, but I speak about the general situation and the results - good informing quality is lost...

On the other hand the progress could be more active with the leading association, who could envisage trends and pass them to the community, organize seminars and establish partnerships. I understand there were few initiatives, but the work, not only the wish, is needed to implement those ideas. Then we could talk about the higher quality of contents, etc etc etc.

A wider way for bloggers - Hedgehog

Hedgehog — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:34:03 +03:00

I don't agree that "It is a problem of our bloggers community ant it's mentality".
I'm not sure if there are any theories of blogosphere developing phases, but we're still somewhere at the beginning.
you cannot blame 5-year-old child that he doesn't understand square root operation. he doesn;t even know multiplication!
so maybe Vanessa should have recognized that she should start with more basics after those questions and not to repeat the same answer or elements of presentation.

on the other hand, I don't think all 400 participants have the same attitude and knowledge as the girl with questions.
I'm sure there were lots of people who understood what Vanessa wanted to say and her presentation was useful.
and you don;t always have to have basics (multiplication) to understand higher topics (root operation) - but there should be no expectation that this will happen after one presentation. so keep going and people will understand not only the advantage of being in a community but also that blog isn;t only a personal space for your thoughts.

A wider way for bloggers - Erika

Erika — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:09:04 +03:00

Adriano, the problem is not in the accent, neither Vanessa. It is a problem of our bloggers community ant it's mentality. A girl asked Vanessa three times about EYP and all three answers did not help her to see the difference between blog platform and European organization.

Personal interests are much more important for Lithuanian bloggers, but they do not realize, that in long term period to participate in an organization is very important for themselves and for their readers.

What could you say about that the only representatives from non commercial sector were Babel Lithuania and European Youth Press?

A wider way for bloggers - Adriano

Adriano — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:05:34 +03:00

Knowing Vanessa, it is strange to read this review... maybe her American accent was too difficult to understand...

Buildings – hostages of ideology - Dionizas

Dionizas — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:17:22 +03:00

Thank you, dear Beate. Are you saying that only soviet architects managed to place bathrooms near to the kitchen?

I am trying to understand how can such placement (and the kithcen itself) help during the power-cut?

Buildings – hostages of ideology - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:16:39 +03:00

Gropius was born in 1883, M Van der Rohe in 1886, both in Germany. I was not aware that Germany was then a totalitarian regime......

I must admit that Soviet Baroque is a fairly appalling building style. In Lithuania it's not so bad, what with the Scandinavian influences and few concrete ornaments, but the further south and east you go, the more appalling it gets.

It has an advantage, though. Even in a powercut you can find the toilet in any Soviet-built flat in any post-Soviet country! It's always beside the kitchen....

The Show must go on - Dionizas

Dionizas — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:06:38 +02:00

The first article is the most surprising proof of the censorship I have ever seen

http://www.freemuse.org/sw20898.asp

http://www.freemuse.org/sw12173.asp

The Show must go on - neSKAnu

neSKAnu — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:54:06 +02:00

Politicized music sells very well :) Take any half famous American punk band and it becomes clear. Say, for example, Green Day had the sales of their records falling until they released their newest album, which hit 8x platinum status! Why was that? Well probably, because it was titled American Idiot (guess who that title refers to :) ) and had quite a few political songs. Nearly all punk rockers have at least a few political songs in their albums and more serious underground rappers too... Why? It's obvious - politics sells.

March Event Guide Vilnius - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:10:13 +02:00

A friend who saw the fingers theatre in Tbilisi only a couple of days ago says it's brilliant!

The Show must go on - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:07:52 +02:00

What evidence is there for music being politicized in the US? I'm a bit surprised....

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - neSKAnu

neSKAnu — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:57:48 +02:00

First of all I would like to say that I am incredibly sorry that your relatives received that sort of treatment. I suppose it is only natural that non-whites are looked upon with suspicious eyes here in Lithuania. After all the locals are not used to seeing such people. Just ask my grandmother what she thinks should be done with non-whites... I won't continue, but you can imagine what her suggestions are. Incidentally she has always lived in big cities and is an educated woman... With grandparents like that it's not hard to see why present day Lithuanians act the way they do.

In any case the swastika is an ancient symbol and is not used by Lithuanian nationalists. Furthermore, the swastika the members or Romuva wear points leftward (i.e. counterclockwise) whereas the Nazi swastika points to the right. The leftward swastika is perfectly legal in all countries including Germany and the U.S.A.

Incidentally, Lithuanian Nazis use other ancestral Lithuanian symbols - the cross of Vytis (or more often two intersecting crosses) and the columns of Gediminas. Does this mean that we should ban our national symbols, because Nazis use them?

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:57:48 +02:00

that's all very well, and I know about the Indian connection. But in Lithuania it means that anyone can go and tattoo themselves with a swastika on their nexts, say 'Oh, I'm a member of the Romuva' ...
and then go and make monkey noises to, say, black people, attack them, call them names or laugh at them.

Lithuania is not exactly known for tolerance to those who are different. I know because I live there and my dark-skinned relatives have been thus treated in my presence.

If it were up to me, and especially given the history of Lithuania during WW2 - not a proud moment - I would make the swastika illegal in Lithuania, so-called mythology or not.

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - Indre

Indre — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:38:58 +02:00

According to Jonas Trinkūnas, swastika is an Indian tradition word and a swastika as a symbol is very popular in India. It means fortune, happiness. It was known in all cultures and in very old ones too.

This symbol was very common in Lithuania till Christianity. In Kernave (historical capital of Lithuania) archaeologists have found some rings which had swastikas in their eyes. What did they symbolize? This is a sign of fire and Perkūnas - God of Thunder. Lithuanians worshiped fire and Perkūnas, so this sign is also a symbol of idle religion.

Community of Romuva doesn't use square swastika as it was used by upholders of Hitler. Romuva uses a symbol, which is only similar to swastika. It's intercrossed grass-snakes, which is a symbol of fire. The symbol of Romuva means union of fire and water, which in mythology means life. So the symbol of Romuva should be called a symbol of life and happiness.

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:20:54 +02:00

'In all countries of the world the swastika is a sign of fire, light and happiness'

I'm not sure that this would apply to Israel, or Germany these days.

I would have expected some comment relating to current day use of swastikas.

Lithuanian Euro - Vyte

Vyte — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:59:46 +02:00

Jonas Trinkūnas, the leader of a neo-pagan movement Romuva, believes that in the Lithuanian mythology Vytis represents Perkūnas, a god of thunder.