Keletas minčių

alfa.lt turi gana įdomius V.V.Landsbergio pamąstymus Lietuvos tūkstantmečio proga. Noriu pacituoti keletą minčių:

<...>

Buvo, tarkim, tokie patys nusmukusiausi žmonės, padugnės - stribukai. Ir šiandien jie dar tebevaikščioja. Kai žmones išvežė į Sibirą, tai jie viską pasiėmė – žemes, gyvulius, karves. Bet po metų, po trejų viską pragėrė ir liko tokie pat pliki, kaip buvo. Bet ir šiandien jie pirštais rodo į tuos, kurie dirbti stengias. Sako – va, tas yra buožė! Dar jie laukia to momento, kad galėtų pakelti galvas.

<...>

Naujų metų išvakarėse Keistuolių teatre šnekučiavomės su apšvietėjum Darium M. Klausiu jo – ar eisi pasižiūrėt fejerverkų prie Katedros? Atsako, kad ne. Kodėl, klausiu. O jis taip paaiškina - nesinori pamatyt, kaip per dvidešimt minučių į orą išlekia 250 vietų teatras su nebloga įranga. Arba mokykla. Arba ligoninė... Bet teatras – lyg ir arčiausia kultūringos sostinės užmojų.

<...>

Vilius Orvydas dar teigė, kad nieko nėra nei gera, nei bloga. Pratęsiant mintį – Lietuva irgi yra nei gera, nei bloga. Blogam žmogui visur bus blogai.

E.Lucas on Lith TV

Among other things in this show, The Economist's Edward Lucas discusses the Lithuanian situation:

http://www.lrt.lt/archyvas/?channel=234940&section=1&filter=&record=4806592_1232996400

Looking into the Crystal Ball

So far, this was the stuff of fairy tales, but now George Friedman attempts to do this in his new book "The Next 100 Years". From the extensive book reviews I like the reasoning behind the predictions - it is logical, on the other hand very frequently on this planet things have happened that no one predicted.

The main prediction is that the US will remain the main World power. I think the case is well made, I also think the US has the inner will and the belief that it can lead the World and remain the shining city on a hill. This is influenced by the "Yes we can" attitude that is so prominent in President Obama's speeches. As far as I know, not many countries exhibit this kind of attitude.

Closer to home, Poland is predicted to be a major power in Europe - and this is due to the close cooperation with the US - and I suspect the Baltic states (esp. Lithuania) will benefit from it - since as G.Friedman mentions the history repeats itself.

Consider "Pan Tadeusz" by the one of the best known Polish poets A.Mickiewicz :
"O Lithuania, my country, thou
Art like good health; I never knew till now
How precious, till I lost thee. Now I see
The beauty whole, because I yearn for thee."

On the oher hand, he predicts the Russian demographics will add to the decline of Russia, Turkey will increase in significance and the West Europe will decrease in significance. All this makes sense - and I am curious how it will progress. Are we going to see more cooperation between the New Europe and the US? Or is the "New Europe" too broad a definition - since it includes some very dissimilar cultures of various countries in the Balkans, Central Europe and the Baltic states. Also, is there a prediction about another big country - Ukraine - that is very tightly related to the two countries (Russia and Poland) that figure prominently in his analysis?

Below is a YouTube presentation of the book by G.Friedman himself:

Apie Pasaulinę krizę

Įdomus pokalbis su Financial Times korespondentu S. Wagstyl apie tai, kaip pasaulio finansų krizė paveiks Lietuvą:
http://www.delfi.lt/news/economy/business/article.php?id=20201129

Kitas, ne mažiau įdomus pokalbis su Edward Lucas (The Economist) apie šios dienos aktualijas Lietuvoj:
http://www.lrt.lt/news.php?strid=2838146&id=5103327

Dar vienas įdomus pokalbis su V.Socor is Jamestown Foundation - apie Rusiškų dujų tiekimą į Lietuvą:
http://www.delfi.lt/news/economy/energetics/article.php?id=20219822

Jedinstvo - 2

There is an interesting opinion by Č.Iškauskas regarding the last Friday events. An interesting opinion - he calls this 'a swan song' of those who wish ill for Lithuania ...

Here is a discussion with V.Landsbergis regarding the current government and the events.

It happened

After the riots in Greece, Iceland, Bulgaria, and Latvia today was Lithuania's turn. Labour unions were protesting the freezes in pay due to recession, and some angry protesters started hurling stones, eggs etc at the Police, Parliament and Government buidings. Delfi.lt provides some pictures and statistics: 82 arrested, 15 injured.

An interesting feature emerges in this event. There is a lot of young men participating - some of them seemingly under influence of some kind (e.g. drunk), the footage on Delfi.lt shows some of them speaking in Lithuanian, some of them not, and some with an accent (or is it my Samogitian ear?). No problem with this - everybody has a right to come to a meeting.

Be as it may, but how come some of these people came with smoke bombs and other things that hint to a pre-meditated action that is not related to the intent of the labour unions? Normally these hoolingans are not that organized, or are they (that would make it the first one in Lithuania)?

Even though some people could start talking about Kremlin's hand and/or the fifth column - I believe this is far fetched. I think our own stupidity should not be underestimated.

Here is a discussion with the Prime Minister, Chairman of the Parliament, former Prime Minister and some others regarding the events:
http://www.lrt.lt/archyvas/?channel=234940&section=1&filter=&record=5105449_1232132400

As the recession is just starting, and since there are many angry people around, should we expect more to come?

Here is an interesting video conference with PM Andrius Kubilius regarding todays realities.

Lietuviakalbiai

Prof. V. Landsbergis savo straipsnyje jau ne pirmą kartą daro atoskyrą tarp lietuvių ir lietuviakalbių.

Kiek aš suprantu - lietuvis yra tas kuris stato savo tautos interesus pirmoje vietoje, lietuviakalbis (nors ir etninis lietuvis) - tai tas kuris to nesugeba padaryti. Šioje savokoje šiek tiek jaučiu flirtą su anksčiau šio žmogaus įvesta "šunaujos" sąvoka.

Geras pastebėjimas - juolab kad Sovietų Sąjungoj augę dauguma mūsų yra susidūrę su 'homo sovieticus' sindromu.

Mano nuomone V. Landsbergio pastebėjimai skaudūs, aštrūs, žeidžiantys, bet teisingi. Gal todėl jie verčia susimastyti ir sukelia pykčio priepuolius kitaip galvojantiems?

Sausio 13-tą prisimenant

LTV apie 1991 sausio 13tą:
http://www.lrt.lt/archyvas/?channel=234940&section=1&filter=&record=4806592_1231786800

Delfi.lt:
http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/article.php?id=20039212

Gana tinkama daina šia proga - Hokshila ("Kur dingo vienybė"):
http://muzika.frype.lt/music/musician.php?mid=12310

Slovakia re-starts nuclear reactors?

The message on Delfi.lt indicates that Slovakia is re-starting the nuclear reactors that were shut down as a part of the accession agreement with the EU. This is a tough situation for the EU and a test case for Lithuania. In this case - Slovakia, not Lithuania, blinked first.

An interesting parallel between Lithuania and Slovakia was related to the adoption of the common European currency. Slovakia uses Euro since January 1, 2009 and Lithuania was not allowed to make the switch because of a small (fraction of a percentage point, 0.17% if memory serves me right) variation from the "official" inflation rate criteria.

What will the EU's reaction be?

As the January 13 commemoration approaches

As the commemoration of the of the January 13, 1991 approaches, I thought it would be nice to dig up a link a poster from 1991 - a really cool one - depicting a young person (perhaps 16 or 17 years old) being raised above the crowd and holding the Lithuanian flag. The striking feature of this picture was that the foreground showed a big group the Soviet soldiers, in straigth lines, in helmets and AK-47s. I guess that was one of these pictures that IMHO catch the moment really well - and for some reason it stays in my memory. Alas, I could not find it.

But I found a nice article by T. Venclova, a good friend of Cz.Milosz. It is called "The best way to love our identity" - it touches upon modern Lithuanian history and culture and present realities. So, here it is - for your reading pleasure:
http://www.lituanus.org/2006/06_1_04%20Venclova.htm

4/17/09 Update: I was provided a link to the picture I was referring to -
http://www.lietuvele.com/osc/images/pabudome_ir_kelkimes_atgimimo_dainos.jpg

Žemaitija - svarbus Lietuvos regionas

Daug kalbų būta apie Žemaitijos atsiskyrimą nuo Lietuvos - kai kas tą priima visai rimtai. Manau kad nieks iš to neišloštų, nors kaip žemaitis aš norėčiau matyti daugiau pastangų tarmės išsaugojimui.

Na o tiems kur vis dar bijo Žemaitijos didesnio savarankiškumo, siūlau pagalvoti apie simbolines istorines paraleles su arkliu ir meška Simono Stanevičiaus poemoje ;-)

Arklys ir meška

Kur Nevėžis nuo amžių pro Raudoną Dvarą
Čystą vandenį savo ing Nemuną varo,
Tenai, kad vasarvidžiu saulelė tekėjo,
Juokės kalnai ir vilnys kaip auksas žibėjo,
Ilsėjos pančiuos arklys ant žolyno žalio,
Minėjo vargus savo ir sunkią nevalią:
Kaip sunkiai vakar mėšlus per dieną važiojo,
Kaip maž naktį teėdė ir maž temiegojo.
“Štai jau tek skaisti saulė ir lankos jau švinta,
Ir rasa nuo žolynų kaip sidabras krinta,Ir man jau reikės kelti ir prie darbo stoti,
Ir vėl ratus kaip vakar per dieną važioti."

Kad taip dūmojo arklys vasarvidžio rytą,
Staiga jis ten išvydo daiktą nematytą:
Valkiodama lenciūgą po žalius žolynus,
Vaikščiojo skardžiais kalnų meška po lazdynus.
Šokosi nusigandęs žirgelis bėrasis.
“Nebijok,- tarė meška,- nieks pikta nerasis!
Tėvai mūsų nuo amžių sandaroj gyveno,
Drauge gimė ir augo ir drauge paseno.
Štai ir dabar vienokia mus laimė sutiko:
Man lenciūgas ant kaklo, tau pančiai paliko."

S.Stenevičius "Arklys ir meška"
~1829

The New Year's Light Show

The Lith TV provides a coverage of the light show by Gert Hof at the National Cathedral in Vilnius. Enjoy!

http://www.lrt.lt/archyvas/?channel=234940&section=1&filter=&record=5084124_1230760740