Friday, October 19, 2007
Vote for Martin Zaimov
On Oct. 28, we are having local elections. It is high time for me to reflect this event. I am doing this on my brand new blog in Bulgarian. I don't see much sense to translate that post here, because the local elections are of interest to Bulgarians only. Indeed, since we are a EU member state, citizens of EU countries currently in Bulgaria also have the right to vote. But I don't think they read my blog. If I am wrong and you are a European currently in Sofia and wondering for whom to vote, just take my word: for Martin Zaimov. OK?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Bulgarian government - unit measure for arrogance
If there is a world-wide contest for worst government, Stanishev's cabinet currently ruling Bulgaria would be a strong candidate. It is not only incompetent and corrupt, but also arrogant beyond description.
Bulgaria's first year in EU is marked by double-digit inflation and frozen incomes of ordinary people. As a commenter wrote here, if this situation had happened in Japan, the Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet would do a ritual suicide on video. But our ministers are proud, as if they are doing a great job.
Teachers have been for a month on national strike demanding a substantial rise of their EUR 150 monthly salaries and the government says that there is no money for pay rise and teachers don't deserve it anyway because they don't want education reform (here, "reform" should be translated as "lay-off"). A week ago, BTV channel aired a scandalous video shot during the negotiations between government and teachers' union. Unaware that they were in the scope of microphones and cameras, finance minister Oresharski and education minister Valchev cynically talked to each other how to protract the negotiations, called by Oresharski "village party" (sedyanka). I cannot translate the entire conversation, but if you speak Bulgarian and haven't read it already, you can find it e.g. at Netinfo.
However, the special prize for arrogance perhaps should go to social minister Maslarova. BBC4 channel recently aired a documentary titled Bulgaria's Abandoned Children, showing how disabled children in a care home in the village of Mogilino are neglected and starved (I've blogged about it here). Minister Maslarova was interviewed by Bulgarian National Radio channel. Parts of what she said can be found e.g. here and I am translating them below.
"I know all institutions for children and adults in the country. I visit them regularly and know the situation in every single one of them. This is the job of the social minister," Maslarova said. "The conditions in our institutions in many cases don't match the conditions in e.g. the Netherlands. About the care home in Mogilino - unfortunately, there is a decision of the Municipality Council not to close this institution. So the municipality does not let the children leave the care home... What I know from my colleagues (the employees - M.M.) at the care home is that the BBC people have visited and filmed the institution over more than nine months and told the employees that the worse things are filmed and shown, the more foreign aid the home would receive..."
In other words, Maslarova said that the BBC documentary was so shocking because it was manipulated and deliberately showed only the most pathetic moments of the care home reality. As if in other moments the emaciated, starved children had normal weight!
However, I want also to add that our government's arrogance is encouraged by the friendly EU environment. Currently EU is pressing Bulgaria to - guess what! To close or at least improve institutions for disabled children? No, to begin writing the European currency in Cyrillic as "еуро" (Euro) and not "евро" (evro) as Bulgarian language requires. I wish to have the problems of Eurobureaucrats! I'll repeat what I wrote before: Europe, where are you when people need you?
Bulgaria's first year in EU is marked by double-digit inflation and frozen incomes of ordinary people. As a commenter wrote here, if this situation had happened in Japan, the Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet would do a ritual suicide on video. But our ministers are proud, as if they are doing a great job.
Teachers have been for a month on national strike demanding a substantial rise of their EUR 150 monthly salaries and the government says that there is no money for pay rise and teachers don't deserve it anyway because they don't want education reform (here, "reform" should be translated as "lay-off"). A week ago, BTV channel aired a scandalous video shot during the negotiations between government and teachers' union. Unaware that they were in the scope of microphones and cameras, finance minister Oresharski and education minister Valchev cynically talked to each other how to protract the negotiations, called by Oresharski "village party" (sedyanka). I cannot translate the entire conversation, but if you speak Bulgarian and haven't read it already, you can find it e.g. at Netinfo.
However, the special prize for arrogance perhaps should go to social minister Maslarova. BBC4 channel recently aired a documentary titled Bulgaria's Abandoned Children, showing how disabled children in a care home in the village of Mogilino are neglected and starved (I've blogged about it here). Minister Maslarova was interviewed by Bulgarian National Radio channel. Parts of what she said can be found e.g. here and I am translating them below.
"I know all institutions for children and adults in the country. I visit them regularly and know the situation in every single one of them. This is the job of the social minister," Maslarova said. "The conditions in our institutions in many cases don't match the conditions in e.g. the Netherlands. About the care home in Mogilino - unfortunately, there is a decision of the Municipality Council not to close this institution. So the municipality does not let the children leave the care home... What I know from my colleagues (the employees - M.M.) at the care home is that the BBC people have visited and filmed the institution over more than nine months and told the employees that the worse things are filmed and shown, the more foreign aid the home would receive..."
In other words, Maslarova said that the BBC documentary was so shocking because it was manipulated and deliberately showed only the most pathetic moments of the care home reality. As if in other moments the emaciated, starved children had normal weight!
However, I want also to add that our government's arrogance is encouraged by the friendly EU environment. Currently EU is pressing Bulgaria to - guess what! To close or at least improve institutions for disabled children? No, to begin writing the European currency in Cyrillic as "еуро" (Euro) and not "евро" (evro) as Bulgarian language requires. I wish to have the problems of Eurobureaucrats! I'll repeat what I wrote before: Europe, where are you when people need you?
Monday, October 15, 2007
Browsing the Black List
Today, Oct. 15, is Blog Action Day for environment and I find it an excellent occasion to write this post that has lingered for some time in my head.
It is strange how knowledge alters the way we look at things. At http://bgnature-blacklist.bravehost.com/index-en.html, you will find the English version of a document titled Black list of companies, organizations and individuals destroying Bulgarian nature. It is anonymous, for good reason. It contains no links, but I have cross-checked some of its statements with other sources and found them to be true.
The first entry in the Black List is as follows:
"Aleksander (Alexander) Kravarov - Mayor of the town of Bansko who advised the residents to poach openly if Pirin National Park is included in Natura 2000; together with Ulen Company created the Bansko Ski Zone inside Pirin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site."
The town of Bansko is featured below. It is the first entry in the section "Resorts with irreversibly devastated natural environment":
"Bansko: formerly an architecture reserve town, now a city illegally spreading to the town of Razlog and inside Pirin National Park."
One of my very first blog posts, Bansko and the modernization of Bulgaria, was about a short vacation in this town. My impression of it was quite good, despite some nostalgia for the old days of modest development. Indeed, I am not a fan of ski racing and didn't leave the town, so I couldn't know first-hand about its effect on the mountain of Pirin. So I advised the British (and other) tourists to come to Bansko. Now I would advise them to stay away, so that not to benefit Ulen company. To cap it all, I am sure that Bansko residents will not benefit for long from the development of the ski zone, because global warming will have the final word.
Let's see another person from the Black List:
"Dimitar Zorov - owner of Parshevitsa dairy. His company is the main culprit to blame for the destruction of Vratsa Balkan Nature Park. It pollutes the rivers of the park with sewage waters from the dairy, damaged the road to Parshevitsa hut, constructed illegally farm buildings and hotels and interferes with the normal pedestrian tourism in the area."
I used to buy Parshevitsa dairy products, but I don't intend to do it anymore and advise my readers to boycott Zorov's company as well. There are many other good dairy producers in Bulgaria.
The Black List contains also entries about seaside hotels and whole resorts (too numerous to list). I advise all tourists planning a sea vacation in Bulgaria to check the Black List before choosing their exact destination. Below, I am translating parts of Krastyo Krastev's essay I am a patriot - I am vacationing in Greece, published in the Sept. 14 issue of the saritical paper Starshel:
"Perhaps you wonder what this insolent title intends to say. I'll explain. Officials from the National Tourism Agency complained that last year 1 million Bulgarians prefered to have their summer vacations in Greece and Turkey and spent EUR 600 million in the foreign resorts. Eh well, in the present year these Bulgarians are likely to be even more numerous and I am one of them. I have just reterned from the beaches under Mount Olympus and I'll tell you that one must be crazy to pay 124 leva per day for all inclusive at Zlatni Pyasatsi when he can spend 7 days at Chalkidiki, Greece, for 365 leva... Seven days without chalga (popular awful Bulgarian music - M.M.) and mutri (thugs - M.M.) in Greece, how nice! You haven't to pay in order to enter the beach, bull-like young men with triangular heads don't force you to rent a sunshade or a chaise-longue and the sidewalkes are the best I've seen for years... The Greeks know that order and peace bring money. So do the nice hotels with no more than 4 storeys, the flowers, the greenery, the cleen sand without watermelon peels and cigarette ends, the quiet nights without noise from discos... No insolent prostitutes pulling your sleeve, no women thieves in the buses, no Hammer Jeeps at the beach. Therefore I think that every Bulgarian who vacations abroad is a patriot! If there are more such people, the concrete jungles from Shabla to Sinemorets will become deserted and their greedy owners will finally have to keep diet!"
(Shabla and Sinemorets are resorts at the north and south end of Bulgarian Black Sea coast, respectively.)
It is strange how knowledge alters the way we look at things. At http://bgnature-blacklist.bravehost.com/index-en.html, you will find the English version of a document titled Black list of companies, organizations and individuals destroying Bulgarian nature. It is anonymous, for good reason. It contains no links, but I have cross-checked some of its statements with other sources and found them to be true.
The first entry in the Black List is as follows:
"Aleksander (Alexander) Kravarov - Mayor of the town of Bansko who advised the residents to poach openly if Pirin National Park is included in Natura 2000; together with Ulen Company created the Bansko Ski Zone inside Pirin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site."
The town of Bansko is featured below. It is the first entry in the section "Resorts with irreversibly devastated natural environment":
"Bansko: formerly an architecture reserve town, now a city illegally spreading to the town of Razlog and inside Pirin National Park."
One of my very first blog posts, Bansko and the modernization of Bulgaria, was about a short vacation in this town. My impression of it was quite good, despite some nostalgia for the old days of modest development. Indeed, I am not a fan of ski racing and didn't leave the town, so I couldn't know first-hand about its effect on the mountain of Pirin. So I advised the British (and other) tourists to come to Bansko. Now I would advise them to stay away, so that not to benefit Ulen company. To cap it all, I am sure that Bansko residents will not benefit for long from the development of the ski zone, because global warming will have the final word.
Let's see another person from the Black List:
"Dimitar Zorov - owner of Parshevitsa dairy. His company is the main culprit to blame for the destruction of Vratsa Balkan Nature Park. It pollutes the rivers of the park with sewage waters from the dairy, damaged the road to Parshevitsa hut, constructed illegally farm buildings and hotels and interferes with the normal pedestrian tourism in the area."
I used to buy Parshevitsa dairy products, but I don't intend to do it anymore and advise my readers to boycott Zorov's company as well. There are many other good dairy producers in Bulgaria.
The Black List contains also entries about seaside hotels and whole resorts (too numerous to list). I advise all tourists planning a sea vacation in Bulgaria to check the Black List before choosing their exact destination. Below, I am translating parts of Krastyo Krastev's essay I am a patriot - I am vacationing in Greece, published in the Sept. 14 issue of the saritical paper Starshel:
"Perhaps you wonder what this insolent title intends to say. I'll explain. Officials from the National Tourism Agency complained that last year 1 million Bulgarians prefered to have their summer vacations in Greece and Turkey and spent EUR 600 million in the foreign resorts. Eh well, in the present year these Bulgarians are likely to be even more numerous and I am one of them. I have just reterned from the beaches under Mount Olympus and I'll tell you that one must be crazy to pay 124 leva per day for all inclusive at Zlatni Pyasatsi when he can spend 7 days at Chalkidiki, Greece, for 365 leva... Seven days without chalga (popular awful Bulgarian music - M.M.) and mutri (thugs - M.M.) in Greece, how nice! You haven't to pay in order to enter the beach, bull-like young men with triangular heads don't force you to rent a sunshade or a chaise-longue and the sidewalkes are the best I've seen for years... The Greeks know that order and peace bring money. So do the nice hotels with no more than 4 storeys, the flowers, the greenery, the cleen sand without watermelon peels and cigarette ends, the quiet nights without noise from discos... No insolent prostitutes pulling your sleeve, no women thieves in the buses, no Hammer Jeeps at the beach. Therefore I think that every Bulgarian who vacations abroad is a patriot! If there are more such people, the concrete jungles from Shabla to Sinemorets will become deserted and their greedy owners will finally have to keep diet!"
(Shabla and Sinemorets are resorts at the north and south end of Bulgarian Black Sea coast, respectively.)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Three cheers for Romanian teachers
As I briefly mentioned in my Sept. 25 post, Bulgarian teachers are now striking with demands for 100% pay increase. Their current wages are appallingly low. The government claims that the average teacher's monthly salary is about 400 leva (EUR 200). Teachers claim it is about 300 leva (EUR 150). I am more interested in the minimum salary fixed by law. I cannot find the actual current value of this minimum, because although Bulgarian laws are published in the Web, the access to them isn't free (don't you think that forcing people to pay if they want to read the laws they are obliged to keep says much about Bulgarian government?). However, at http://im.cablebg.net/clients/pms13705.htm you can see (in Bulgarian) what was valid in 2005. This act fixes the minimum teacher's monthly salary at 247 to 286 leva, depending on his qualification. (To obtain the salary in EUR, divide the value in leva by 2). There has been no significant increase in pay since 2005. (Update: The actualized document valid for 2006 is available here, the minimum teacher's salary is 272 to 315 leva.) Most prices in Bulgaria are comparable to those in Europe. Do you find it normal that teachers with university education are forced to survive on EUR 130 per month? Is it a great wonder that Bulgarian schools are plagued by carelessness, incompetence and corruption, and should teachers be blamed for this?
However, teachers receive outrageously little support by Bulgarian society. A legion of people, including university graduates, suddenly began to care about the aborted reforms in Bulgarian education, saying that there are many teachers who should be fired, that bad teachers shouldn't receive the same pay increase as good ones (though nobody finds it wrong that good teachers now receive the same fixed low wages as bad ones), that teachers are guilty for the absence of reforms, that those teachers who think they are underpaid should leave rather than protest and if they don't leave, it is because they cannot find other jobs, which proves that they are incompetent and don't deserve even their current wages! I prefer not to honour these opinions with links. The Bulgarian reader can easily find dozens of them by two or three clicks of the mouse.
European public and institutions are also silent. As my earlier post shows, I have been an Euroskeptic for quite a long time, but even I didn't think that things would be so bad nearly a year after we joined EU. For comparison, Europeans find it so important to secure wages for Palestinian teachers and other government employees that they subsidize the Palestinian Authority, knowing very well that a part of the funds will be diverted to terror (and even if they really go to the teachers, we all know what they "teach" at Palestinian schools). I tried to find in the Web how much a Palestinian teacher is paid. This site reports that back in 1997, a year that Bulgarian teachers began with monthly salaries of less than $ 10, Palestinian teachers were paid $ 250 - 450 and were striking to increase these "meager" wages. I would ask supporters of the European Union, especially those who deny the reality of Eurabia, to explain why EU doesn't issue even verbal concern when teachers in a member state receive EUR 150 per month and at the same time subsidizes a terror "state" on the reason to secure twice higher salaries for teachers indoctrinating children with Islamofascism. Europe, where are you when we need you?
However, there is a supporting voice in this silence. Teachers' representatives from a European country expressed solidarity with the Bulgarian teachers. The country in question is not, as you could guess, some of the prosperous and culturally prominent members of "Old Europe". It is the other new EU member, our neighbour Romania. I've watched on TV a Romanian teachers' union leader encouraging Bulgarian teachers to continue their strike. On Oct. 6, teachers from Giurgiu even "crossed Danube Bridge to express support for their Bulgarian colleagues. For reference, the average teacher's salary in Romania from 2008 on will be EUR 500 per month" (source, in Bulgarian; another source reports that the minimum teacher's salary in Romania currently is about EUR 260).
This activism of Romanian teachers is even more admirable if we take into account the relationships between Bulgarians and Romanians. As is common for neighbouring nations, they have little love for each other. In the first half of the 20th century, they had bitter territorial disputes and conflicts. When the Communist era approached its end, another source of conflict emerged: cross-border pollution. I'll tell the Bulgarian side of the story because I know only it, though I am sure Romanians also have what to say. Ceausescu's regime built a number of chemical plants along Danube. Ther were located at the proper distance from the nearest Romanian towns, but no proper distance was observed regarding the nearest Bulgarian towns across Danube. Years ago, visiting a friend in one of our oldest Danube towns, Nikopol, I personally "enjoyed" an orange-brown smelly cloud of toxic gas coming from Turnu Magurele across the river. The worst case of pollution was the city of Ruse, regularly chlorinated by a chemical plant near Giurgiu. In the late 1980s, this undeclared chemical war even sparked one of the rare protests against the Communist regime. In the early 1990s, a fire at the Giurgiu plant threatened the very existence of Ruse. A heroic worker saved the day by securing a plug and so preventing an explosion, at the cost of his life. The problem of Ruse was solved not by Romanian government, Bulgarian government or international intervention but by his majesty the Free Market. In normal economic environment, the Giurgiu plant could only accumulate losses. It was shut down and its utilities were cut to scrap.
In the postcommunist era, the main source of dislike between Bulgarians and Romanians were border, customs and police officers of both countries, who habitually harassed travellers from the other country and forced them to pay bribes. When a Romanian journalist used a hidden camera to document corruption among Bulgarian customs officers, Bulgarian authorities prosecuted not the corrupt officers but the journalist, who was sentenced in 2004 to a fine of EUR 500 (source Mediapool, in Bulgarian).
Tensions between the two countries only increased when they applied for EU membership. Because of their many similarities, Bulgaria and Romania were put together and regarded as a group. During the early years of the procedure, Bulgaria was ahead of Romania in many respects. This created speculations that our EU membership could be postponed because of lagging Romania. Soon appeared the idea that we must demand uncoupling from Romania and leaving it behind. But God punished Bulgarians for this ugly talk. In the later years, Romania developed better and now is so much ahead of Bulgaria that, as we say, we can only breathe its dust in the air. I think that this is because Romanians after 2000 tended to vote wisely while Bulgarians kept going to the polls without bringing along their heads, electing the charismatic swindler Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 2001 and the Bulgarian Socialist Party in 2005, not to mention our Turkish minority empowering the infamous Ahmed Dogan's party. So democracy in Bulgaria proved for the zillionth time that nobody can harm you as much as you can harm yourself.
Now, it would be very easy and logical for Romanians to mind their own business and forget us and our misery. But they voice their support for us. So three cheers for the Romanians and I wish them to be even more ahead of us than they are now!
However, teachers receive outrageously little support by Bulgarian society. A legion of people, including university graduates, suddenly began to care about the aborted reforms in Bulgarian education, saying that there are many teachers who should be fired, that bad teachers shouldn't receive the same pay increase as good ones (though nobody finds it wrong that good teachers now receive the same fixed low wages as bad ones), that teachers are guilty for the absence of reforms, that those teachers who think they are underpaid should leave rather than protest and if they don't leave, it is because they cannot find other jobs, which proves that they are incompetent and don't deserve even their current wages! I prefer not to honour these opinions with links. The Bulgarian reader can easily find dozens of them by two or three clicks of the mouse.
European public and institutions are also silent. As my earlier post shows, I have been an Euroskeptic for quite a long time, but even I didn't think that things would be so bad nearly a year after we joined EU. For comparison, Europeans find it so important to secure wages for Palestinian teachers and other government employees that they subsidize the Palestinian Authority, knowing very well that a part of the funds will be diverted to terror (and even if they really go to the teachers, we all know what they "teach" at Palestinian schools). I tried to find in the Web how much a Palestinian teacher is paid. This site reports that back in 1997, a year that Bulgarian teachers began with monthly salaries of less than $ 10, Palestinian teachers were paid $ 250 - 450 and were striking to increase these "meager" wages. I would ask supporters of the European Union, especially those who deny the reality of Eurabia, to explain why EU doesn't issue even verbal concern when teachers in a member state receive EUR 150 per month and at the same time subsidizes a terror "state" on the reason to secure twice higher salaries for teachers indoctrinating children with Islamofascism. Europe, where are you when we need you?
However, there is a supporting voice in this silence. Teachers' representatives from a European country expressed solidarity with the Bulgarian teachers. The country in question is not, as you could guess, some of the prosperous and culturally prominent members of "Old Europe". It is the other new EU member, our neighbour Romania. I've watched on TV a Romanian teachers' union leader encouraging Bulgarian teachers to continue their strike. On Oct. 6, teachers from Giurgiu even "crossed Danube Bridge to express support for their Bulgarian colleagues. For reference, the average teacher's salary in Romania from 2008 on will be EUR 500 per month" (source, in Bulgarian; another source reports that the minimum teacher's salary in Romania currently is about EUR 260).
This activism of Romanian teachers is even more admirable if we take into account the relationships between Bulgarians and Romanians. As is common for neighbouring nations, they have little love for each other. In the first half of the 20th century, they had bitter territorial disputes and conflicts. When the Communist era approached its end, another source of conflict emerged: cross-border pollution. I'll tell the Bulgarian side of the story because I know only it, though I am sure Romanians also have what to say. Ceausescu's regime built a number of chemical plants along Danube. Ther were located at the proper distance from the nearest Romanian towns, but no proper distance was observed regarding the nearest Bulgarian towns across Danube. Years ago, visiting a friend in one of our oldest Danube towns, Nikopol, I personally "enjoyed" an orange-brown smelly cloud of toxic gas coming from Turnu Magurele across the river. The worst case of pollution was the city of Ruse, regularly chlorinated by a chemical plant near Giurgiu. In the late 1980s, this undeclared chemical war even sparked one of the rare protests against the Communist regime. In the early 1990s, a fire at the Giurgiu plant threatened the very existence of Ruse. A heroic worker saved the day by securing a plug and so preventing an explosion, at the cost of his life. The problem of Ruse was solved not by Romanian government, Bulgarian government or international intervention but by his majesty the Free Market. In normal economic environment, the Giurgiu plant could only accumulate losses. It was shut down and its utilities were cut to scrap.
In the postcommunist era, the main source of dislike between Bulgarians and Romanians were border, customs and police officers of both countries, who habitually harassed travellers from the other country and forced them to pay bribes. When a Romanian journalist used a hidden camera to document corruption among Bulgarian customs officers, Bulgarian authorities prosecuted not the corrupt officers but the journalist, who was sentenced in 2004 to a fine of EUR 500 (source Mediapool, in Bulgarian).
Tensions between the two countries only increased when they applied for EU membership. Because of their many similarities, Bulgaria and Romania were put together and regarded as a group. During the early years of the procedure, Bulgaria was ahead of Romania in many respects. This created speculations that our EU membership could be postponed because of lagging Romania. Soon appeared the idea that we must demand uncoupling from Romania and leaving it behind. But God punished Bulgarians for this ugly talk. In the later years, Romania developed better and now is so much ahead of Bulgaria that, as we say, we can only breathe its dust in the air. I think that this is because Romanians after 2000 tended to vote wisely while Bulgarians kept going to the polls without bringing along their heads, electing the charismatic swindler Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 2001 and the Bulgarian Socialist Party in 2005, not to mention our Turkish minority empowering the infamous Ahmed Dogan's party. So democracy in Bulgaria proved for the zillionth time that nobody can harm you as much as you can harm yourself.
Now, it would be very easy and logical for Romanians to mind their own business and forget us and our misery. But they voice their support for us. So three cheers for the Romanians and I wish them to be even more ahead of us than they are now!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Online petition to help Bulgaria's abandoned disabled children
This petition is at http://www.bgpetition.com/izostaveni_deca/index.html. It is triggered by the shocking BBC film about a Bulgarian institution for disabled children (I've blogged about this film at http://mayas-corner.blogspot.com/2007/09/bulgarias-abandoned-children.html). Unfortunately, the petition is for Bulgarian citizens only.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
End of life in pediatric intensive care unit in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
"End of life" is an euphemism for passive euthanasia and means termination of life support for a patient in an intensive care unit. In pediatric units, end of life means that a premature baby is let to die because he seems unable ever to survive without life support, or will have too severe disabilities to be considered a valuable person by the society. However, the case in Plovdiv was different. Translating from Netinfo (http://news.netinfo.bg/?tid=40&oid=1106939):
"A blackout occurred after 9 pm on Saturday in the Multiprofile Hospital in the city of Plovdiv and endangered the lives of seven premature babies. The equipment keeping the babies warm and supplying them with oxygen, food and medications depended on electricity. The hospital has its own power generator only for the lighting. The personnel on duty wanted to ask when power supply would be resumed but nobody answered the emergency phone number of the electricity company EVN that was given to them. The blackout lasted for 1 hour 35 minutes. The patient in most critical condition was a newborn girl weighing only 800 grams who was on artificial ventilation. Six hours later, the baby died. The other six babies in the intensive care unit survived by a hair's breadth. The electricity company said that the blackout was caused by a damaged electric cable near the hospital. They also said they have new emergency phone numbers that can be found in Internet."
"A blackout occurred after 9 pm on Saturday in the Multiprofile Hospital in the city of Plovdiv and endangered the lives of seven premature babies. The equipment keeping the babies warm and supplying them with oxygen, food and medications depended on electricity. The hospital has its own power generator only for the lighting. The personnel on duty wanted to ask when power supply would be resumed but nobody answered the emergency phone number of the electricity company EVN that was given to them. The blackout lasted for 1 hour 35 minutes. The patient in most critical condition was a newborn girl weighing only 800 grams who was on artificial ventilation. Six hours later, the baby died. The other six babies in the intensive care unit survived by a hair's breadth. The electricity company said that the blackout was caused by a damaged electric cable near the hospital. They also said they have new emergency phone numbers that can be found in Internet."
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Petition for Bulgarian teachers
This is for Bulgarian readers only.
An online petition has been started on http://www.bgpetition.com/teachers/index.html to support the demands of striking Bulgarian teachers.
I can only hope that somebody from our dear government will look at the petition at the end!
Update: The problems in Bulgarian school are well covered by Marfa and this blogger (update - also by Nadya, Inat and Tisho).
An online petition has been started on http://www.bgpetition.com/teachers/index.html to support the demands of striking Bulgarian teachers.
I can only hope that somebody from our dear government will look at the petition at the end!
Update: The problems in Bulgarian school are well covered by Marfa and this blogger (update - also by Nadya, Inat and Tisho).
How to help the institutionalized disabled children of Bulgaria
Below, I am reposting a comment by Elizabeth Stubbins to my Sept. 17 post Bulgaria's Abandoned Children, with admiration to her work.
I'm so glad that Bulgarian bloggers are covering this issue. In 2006, I conducted a human rights monitoring mission to the social care homes at Dzhurkovo, Petrovo and the Sofia Home for Children With Mental Disabilities, and posted my findings at: http://warehousesofneglect.civiblog.org/blog
I still remember spending the first evening with my team (a translator, a Bulgarian lawyer, and a guy from Sofia who was helping coordinate the mission). The only man in the mission sat and cried after we visited Dzhurkovo - he was Bulgarian and had never seen an institution, not wanting to believe that conditions were as bad as they are.
I have posted ideas as to how people can help, and I would be very grateful if you could include my site in your blogroll, and re-post the five points below:
1. The Bulgarian charity Karin Dom (www.karindom.com) is the first Bulgarian organisation to work specifically for the rehabilitation and social integration of children with disabilities. They accept both donations and volunteers. If you are unable to give money yourself, then sponsored activities or local events might raise sufficient funds for a donation.
2. Other non-governmental organizations work to end mass institutionalization of people with mental disabilities throughout Eastern Europe and the CIS, and worldwide. Donating money to these organizations, and spreading awareness of their work may be helpful in the long-term. Three such organizations are: the Mental Disability Advocacy Center (www.mdac.info), the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (www.bghelsinki.org) and Mental Disability Rights International (www.mdri.org). MDRI has not engaged recently in advocacy or research concerning Bulgaria.
3. Spreading awareness and writing letters to your MEP may be a good way to help. The European Parliament Disability Intergroup is the EU forum to discuss issues relating to the treatment of people with disabilities. A Google search revealed that the Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne is strongly involved with the Intergroup, and she may well be interested in receiving a letter from you, even if she is not your MEP. Liz Lynne MEP's website is at: http://www.lizlynne.org.uk/pages/disability.html
4. Donating clothing, shoes etc. to the social care homes may not result in the change that is urgently needed. When I visited Dzhurkovo in June 2006, I saw bags and bags of donated clothing lying unsorted and undistributed in a downstairs storeroom, while the young adult residents of the home wore dirty clothing and mismatched socks (no shoes). The only soft toys I saw at Dzhurkovo (also donated by people in Western Europe) were in the Director's reception room, out of reach of the teenage residents. There are allegations by some Bulgarian NGOs that donated goods are "distributed" by the workers at social care homes into the villages, taken perhaps as "perks" of their jobs, rather than reaching the institutionalised children for whom the donations are intended. I did not see any direct evidence of this while in Bulgaria, but Bulgarian-based experts have assured me that corruption is a real danger.
5. My first priority for activism and reform in Bulgaria is skills-based, not political. I would love to see a team of European and US/Commonwealth experts in paediatrics, child development, child psychiatry and psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and special education travel to Bulgaria to each of the country's many social care homes, and to train workers in best practices for child welfare.
If this were to happen, the visits by experts must be accompanied by policy change and an honest and thorough approach to deinstitutionalization - dismantling the institutions and implementing community-based care alternatives that respect the right to health, the right to education, and the right of all disabled persons to live lives of dignity, self-reliance and community integration.
It would be helpful if volunteers could coordinate such a network of experts - by raising awareness in your workplace, among your friends and family, and in any community groups of which you are part. Online recruiting would be very helpful.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Stubbins
I'm so glad that Bulgarian bloggers are covering this issue. In 2006, I conducted a human rights monitoring mission to the social care homes at Dzhurkovo, Petrovo and the Sofia Home for Children With Mental Disabilities, and posted my findings at: http://warehousesofneglect.civiblog.org/blog
I still remember spending the first evening with my team (a translator, a Bulgarian lawyer, and a guy from Sofia who was helping coordinate the mission). The only man in the mission sat and cried after we visited Dzhurkovo - he was Bulgarian and had never seen an institution, not wanting to believe that conditions were as bad as they are.
I have posted ideas as to how people can help, and I would be very grateful if you could include my site in your blogroll, and re-post the five points below:
1. The Bulgarian charity Karin Dom (www.karindom.com) is the first Bulgarian organisation to work specifically for the rehabilitation and social integration of children with disabilities. They accept both donations and volunteers. If you are unable to give money yourself, then sponsored activities or local events might raise sufficient funds for a donation.
2. Other non-governmental organizations work to end mass institutionalization of people with mental disabilities throughout Eastern Europe and the CIS, and worldwide. Donating money to these organizations, and spreading awareness of their work may be helpful in the long-term. Three such organizations are: the Mental Disability Advocacy Center (www.mdac.info), the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (www.bghelsinki.org) and Mental Disability Rights International (www.mdri.org). MDRI has not engaged recently in advocacy or research concerning Bulgaria.
3. Spreading awareness and writing letters to your MEP may be a good way to help. The European Parliament Disability Intergroup is the EU forum to discuss issues relating to the treatment of people with disabilities. A Google search revealed that the Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne is strongly involved with the Intergroup, and she may well be interested in receiving a letter from you, even if she is not your MEP. Liz Lynne MEP's website is at: http://www.lizlynne.org.uk/pages/disability.html
4. Donating clothing, shoes etc. to the social care homes may not result in the change that is urgently needed. When I visited Dzhurkovo in June 2006, I saw bags and bags of donated clothing lying unsorted and undistributed in a downstairs storeroom, while the young adult residents of the home wore dirty clothing and mismatched socks (no shoes). The only soft toys I saw at Dzhurkovo (also donated by people in Western Europe) were in the Director's reception room, out of reach of the teenage residents. There are allegations by some Bulgarian NGOs that donated goods are "distributed" by the workers at social care homes into the villages, taken perhaps as "perks" of their jobs, rather than reaching the institutionalised children for whom the donations are intended. I did not see any direct evidence of this while in Bulgaria, but Bulgarian-based experts have assured me that corruption is a real danger.
5. My first priority for activism and reform in Bulgaria is skills-based, not political. I would love to see a team of European and US/Commonwealth experts in paediatrics, child development, child psychiatry and psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and special education travel to Bulgaria to each of the country's many social care homes, and to train workers in best practices for child welfare.
If this were to happen, the visits by experts must be accompanied by policy change and an honest and thorough approach to deinstitutionalization - dismantling the institutions and implementing community-based care alternatives that respect the right to health, the right to education, and the right of all disabled persons to live lives of dignity, self-reliance and community integration.
It would be helpful if volunteers could coordinate such a network of experts - by raising awareness in your workplace, among your friends and family, and in any community groups of which you are part. Online recruiting would be very helpful.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Stubbins
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Reptiles behind the computer
As a Bulgarian blogger writing in English, I have the duty to make important Bulgarian-born ideas known to the world, rather than languishing in the confined public space of my small country. Recently, I mentioned that many Bulgarian bloggers ironically call themselves "reptiles". It turned out to come from an article in the July 4 issue of 24 chasa newspaper, Vlechugi zad computera (Reptiles behind the computer), by Borislav Zyumbyulev. Bulgarian readers can find the text of the article e.g. at http://www.pressboard.info/Preview.aspx?articleid=88783. At http://marfieta.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/447498_orig.jpg, Marfa has uploaded a scanned image of the original publication. You can see that it occupies an entire A3 newspaper page and is illustrated by a photo of a cobra.
24 chasa (24 hours) is the second most popular daily newspaper in Bulgaria after Trud and has the same publisher, featured in my July 9, 2006 post. There is some division of labour between the two papers, Trud pretending to be more "intellectual" and 24 chasa more "popular". As commenter Hassi wrote on Grancharov's blog, a fairly typical reader of 24 chasa is an old gentleman "who cannot use a computer and hasn't the slightest idea of this technology, but knows that his 25-year-old granddaughter regularly writes in Internet".
The article author Zyumbyulev isn't an ordinary journalist but a Deputy Editor-in-chief. It is not quite clear why he dislikes Internet so much. Some bloggers speculate that he may have entered a Web forum anonymously and other participants have scorned him. Others think that the reason is the abundant criticism in the Web to his newspaper (see e.g. an article titled 24 chasa or the misery of journalism at http://e-vestnik.bg/1429).
I cannot quite understand why Zyumbyulev called Web forum participants "black". With the exception of an occasional student or soccer player, there are no black people in Bulgaria. The only subpopulation with darker skin (though far from being black) are the Gypsies, and whatever other sins they may have, they don't use Internet. So I come to the explanation that Zyumbyulev, similarly to some fairy tales, uses black as a symbol of evil.
I am aware that translating and posting almost the entire text of an article without informed consent by the author and the publisher is a violation of copyright. However, I hope that the utmost importance of the text in question allows my post to arguably qualify for the "fair use" label. After all, if a Bulgarian scientist discovers that some food component used by billions of people is very harmful, isn't it a duty of every decent person with the required linguistic skills to rush, translate and publish the findings? And what's the difference if the discovery is about Internet, which is indeed used by billions? The world must be informed about its dangers. So read, learn and enjoy!
Title: Reptiles behind the computer
Subtitle on red background: Short, black and village-born is the anonymous creep from the Internet forums. Anonymity in the Web devastates the personality and will be the main psychological problem during the following 30 years
Author: Borislav Zyumbyulev
Malice in Internet is so mighty that if somebody manages to convert it into megawatts, its energy will be enough for all light bulbs in Bulgaria to illuminate for at least 77 years. Most writings in Web forums are negative, directed against other participants or against some phenomenon in our life... When the text is about people, they are State Security agents, thugs, good-for-nothing and fools. There isn't a single decent person in this country. This is especially true about people who are popular. Everybody who is widely known or popular in fact is just a boar who deserves his blood to be sucked in a very painful way.
Let's not discuss popular politicians like Boyko Borisov or Georgi Parvanov and take as an example (popular TV show host) Slavi Trifonov. Slavi's concerts over a single summer have been attended by 200,000 people. However, in Web forums you cannot find a single well-intentioned word about him - only malice. It is evident that those who gloat over Slavi becoming blind have in fact bought tickets for his concerts. But they fall into some bizarre Internet schizophrenia.
In their normal lives, when these people haven't accepted nicknames, they almost look normal and don't call fool everybody they meet. But at the moment when they enter the little square, their faces distort as in a second-quality Hollywood movie and they turn into terrible zombies, plain scoundrels and reptiles.
What is the cause of this mass personality split? "Writers in forums are people with complexes, unsatisfied by their lives," explains behavioural psychologist Ray Cavallino from Boston University (not sure about the name spelling; I failed to find Dr. Cavallino in the Boston University Web site - M.M.). "Anonymity gives them courage which they lack in real life. It allows them to feel important, even if for a short time. To feel like people whose opinion matters. Unfortunately, nobody reads their opinions and Internet is a giant psychoanalytical monologue. Chatter of creeps," as Cavallino has called his study on the anonymous swear-words in Internet.
"Even the most innocent subject discussed, such as growing radish or breast-feeding, quickly turns into malicious, libelous and full of personal attacks against some participant in the forum...," writes psycholinguist Lance Winslow. According to Winslow, Internet communication resembles swear-words at an elementary school lunch: if a teacher doesn't interfere, things inevitably escalate to fighting...
"The anonymous author in forums resembles the anonymous murderer. He deprives himself of his personality... in order to carry out his criminal intent," says Boyko Ganchevski, an expert in criminal psychology. Ganchevski points out that not every forum user is a future murderer or has strong criminal motivation, he rather vents his complexes... But the personality split mechanism is the same as in murderers: evil is done with impunity and without burdening the conscience by taking another personality, under cover.
According to Winslow, anonymity and the weeds of malice and baseness in Internet corrode the tissue of human civilization. Because "even most oppressive regimes don't allow arbitrary insults between individuals... We don't know what will the situation be in 30 years, what will happen to mankind, after everyone is allowed to insult everyone else with impunity and to pour whatever libel he likes," wonders Winslow. He finds it the most important field of psychological research in the near future.
Will Internet anonymity change human personality? Will there be an epidemic of schizophrenia in the streets, after this is already the norm in the Web?...
Who is writing in the forums? Bulgarian Internet service providers say that the number of these people is limited - not more than 1500-2000, according to an analysis of their IP addresses... The opinion that Internet is the media of the young is wrong. Young people go to sites for dating, music, movies and other teenagers' entertainment activities. In the "serious" forums people are middle-aged and older. They have accumulated much frustration.
There are several types of know-alls. The first can be called Reptile - short, black and village-born subjects. They have survived a number of misfortunes and are the first in their families to do the village-to-town civilizational transition. Because of this feat, they live with the feeling that the world is their debtor. This leads to painful careerism combined with a lack of realistic personal self-estimate and typical village laziness... We call them reptiles because their writings are most venomous, the evil is most evident. In fact, these people need specialized medical help because of their sociopathy which often has dramatic consequences. They abandon their families, become alcoholics, commit domestic violence.
The other type is the Sad Gay. This group includes many women. Here, the frustration is a consequence of ambiguous sexuality, several failed attempts to lose weight, miserable personal life, acne, oily hair. Especially aggressive are the homosexual guys who have a double life - they photograph themselves in the company of naked female models but dream of butts of young boys. Neurosis is sure and soon comes bipolar personality disorder.
The third main type is the Professional Informer. The former State Security is believed to have had about 300 000 professional and volunteer agents in the early 1980s. Not all of them are now in the business elite... It may be just a coincidence but most of the newly created Bulgarian news sites and blogs have some connection to the former State Security Committee...
Hidden in the Web, the anonymous creep can be found out only with special skills and a lot of efforts. Therefore, he gets away (with whatever he is writing). This perhaps gives him joy but it ruins his psyche.
The anonymous scoundrel is in fact a seriously ill person who deserves pity. "This aggression has been accumulated for millenia, since human race began to socialize. Barriers have been erected to spontaneity. These barriers fall in the darkness of Internet... The aggression typical for Internet is generalized, claiming that everyone is stupid. It is pathological, a symptom of neurotic behaviour similarly to sadism and masochism. It needs help," says psycho-analyst Madlen Algafari.
24 chasa (24 hours) is the second most popular daily newspaper in Bulgaria after Trud and has the same publisher, featured in my July 9, 2006 post. There is some division of labour between the two papers, Trud pretending to be more "intellectual" and 24 chasa more "popular". As commenter Hassi wrote on Grancharov's blog, a fairly typical reader of 24 chasa is an old gentleman "who cannot use a computer and hasn't the slightest idea of this technology, but knows that his 25-year-old granddaughter regularly writes in Internet".
The article author Zyumbyulev isn't an ordinary journalist but a Deputy Editor-in-chief. It is not quite clear why he dislikes Internet so much. Some bloggers speculate that he may have entered a Web forum anonymously and other participants have scorned him. Others think that the reason is the abundant criticism in the Web to his newspaper (see e.g. an article titled 24 chasa or the misery of journalism at http://e-vestnik.bg/1429).
I cannot quite understand why Zyumbyulev called Web forum participants "black". With the exception of an occasional student or soccer player, there are no black people in Bulgaria. The only subpopulation with darker skin (though far from being black) are the Gypsies, and whatever other sins they may have, they don't use Internet. So I come to the explanation that Zyumbyulev, similarly to some fairy tales, uses black as a symbol of evil.
I am aware that translating and posting almost the entire text of an article without informed consent by the author and the publisher is a violation of copyright. However, I hope that the utmost importance of the text in question allows my post to arguably qualify for the "fair use" label. After all, if a Bulgarian scientist discovers that some food component used by billions of people is very harmful, isn't it a duty of every decent person with the required linguistic skills to rush, translate and publish the findings? And what's the difference if the discovery is about Internet, which is indeed used by billions? The world must be informed about its dangers. So read, learn and enjoy!
Title: Reptiles behind the computer
Subtitle on red background: Short, black and village-born is the anonymous creep from the Internet forums. Anonymity in the Web devastates the personality and will be the main psychological problem during the following 30 years
Author: Borislav Zyumbyulev
Malice in Internet is so mighty that if somebody manages to convert it into megawatts, its energy will be enough for all light bulbs in Bulgaria to illuminate for at least 77 years. Most writings in Web forums are negative, directed against other participants or against some phenomenon in our life... When the text is about people, they are State Security agents, thugs, good-for-nothing and fools. There isn't a single decent person in this country. This is especially true about people who are popular. Everybody who is widely known or popular in fact is just a boar who deserves his blood to be sucked in a very painful way.
Let's not discuss popular politicians like Boyko Borisov or Georgi Parvanov and take as an example (popular TV show host) Slavi Trifonov. Slavi's concerts over a single summer have been attended by 200,000 people. However, in Web forums you cannot find a single well-intentioned word about him - only malice. It is evident that those who gloat over Slavi becoming blind have in fact bought tickets for his concerts. But they fall into some bizarre Internet schizophrenia.
In their normal lives, when these people haven't accepted nicknames, they almost look normal and don't call fool everybody they meet. But at the moment when they enter the little square, their faces distort as in a second-quality Hollywood movie and they turn into terrible zombies, plain scoundrels and reptiles.
What is the cause of this mass personality split? "Writers in forums are people with complexes, unsatisfied by their lives," explains behavioural psychologist Ray Cavallino from Boston University (not sure about the name spelling; I failed to find Dr. Cavallino in the Boston University Web site - M.M.). "Anonymity gives them courage which they lack in real life. It allows them to feel important, even if for a short time. To feel like people whose opinion matters. Unfortunately, nobody reads their opinions and Internet is a giant psychoanalytical monologue. Chatter of creeps," as Cavallino has called his study on the anonymous swear-words in Internet.
"Even the most innocent subject discussed, such as growing radish or breast-feeding, quickly turns into malicious, libelous and full of personal attacks against some participant in the forum...," writes psycholinguist Lance Winslow. According to Winslow, Internet communication resembles swear-words at an elementary school lunch: if a teacher doesn't interfere, things inevitably escalate to fighting...
"The anonymous author in forums resembles the anonymous murderer. He deprives himself of his personality... in order to carry out his criminal intent," says Boyko Ganchevski, an expert in criminal psychology. Ganchevski points out that not every forum user is a future murderer or has strong criminal motivation, he rather vents his complexes... But the personality split mechanism is the same as in murderers: evil is done with impunity and without burdening the conscience by taking another personality, under cover.
According to Winslow, anonymity and the weeds of malice and baseness in Internet corrode the tissue of human civilization. Because "even most oppressive regimes don't allow arbitrary insults between individuals... We don't know what will the situation be in 30 years, what will happen to mankind, after everyone is allowed to insult everyone else with impunity and to pour whatever libel he likes," wonders Winslow. He finds it the most important field of psychological research in the near future.
Will Internet anonymity change human personality? Will there be an epidemic of schizophrenia in the streets, after this is already the norm in the Web?...
Who is writing in the forums? Bulgarian Internet service providers say that the number of these people is limited - not more than 1500-2000, according to an analysis of their IP addresses... The opinion that Internet is the media of the young is wrong. Young people go to sites for dating, music, movies and other teenagers' entertainment activities. In the "serious" forums people are middle-aged and older. They have accumulated much frustration.
There are several types of know-alls. The first can be called Reptile - short, black and village-born subjects. They have survived a number of misfortunes and are the first in their families to do the village-to-town civilizational transition. Because of this feat, they live with the feeling that the world is their debtor. This leads to painful careerism combined with a lack of realistic personal self-estimate and typical village laziness... We call them reptiles because their writings are most venomous, the evil is most evident. In fact, these people need specialized medical help because of their sociopathy which often has dramatic consequences. They abandon their families, become alcoholics, commit domestic violence.
The other type is the Sad Gay. This group includes many women. Here, the frustration is a consequence of ambiguous sexuality, several failed attempts to lose weight, miserable personal life, acne, oily hair. Especially aggressive are the homosexual guys who have a double life - they photograph themselves in the company of naked female models but dream of butts of young boys. Neurosis is sure and soon comes bipolar personality disorder.
The third main type is the Professional Informer. The former State Security is believed to have had about 300 000 professional and volunteer agents in the early 1980s. Not all of them are now in the business elite... It may be just a coincidence but most of the newly created Bulgarian news sites and blogs have some connection to the former State Security Committee...
Hidden in the Web, the anonymous creep can be found out only with special skills and a lot of efforts. Therefore, he gets away (with whatever he is writing). This perhaps gives him joy but it ruins his psyche.
The anonymous scoundrel is in fact a seriously ill person who deserves pity. "This aggression has been accumulated for millenia, since human race began to socialize. Barriers have been erected to spontaneity. These barriers fall in the darkness of Internet... The aggression typical for Internet is generalized, claiming that everyone is stupid. It is pathological, a symptom of neurotic behaviour similarly to sadism and masochism. It needs help," says psycho-analyst Madlen Algafari.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Double standard
This post, to some surprise of readers who know me, will criticize the USA.
Look at the two photos above. Are they familiar to you? My guess: the first one is, the second one isn't.
The first one is among the numerous photos taken at Abu Ghraib and documenting abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US guards. The prisoner, named Jabar, was "hooded, positioned on a box, had wires attached to both hands and his penis and was told that he would be electrocuted if he fell off. The army claims, however, that the wires were not live and that the prisoner at no time faced actual electrocution, only the threat thereof. This was later contradicted by Jabar, who stated in an interview that the wires were electrified and had been used to give shocks. There is no way to substantiate the claims of either party" (Wikipedia).
The second photo is from an Aug. 20 article in Mother Jones magazine titled School of Shock, by Jennifer Gonnerman. It is about "the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center, located in Canton, Massachusetts, 20 miles outside Boston. The facility, which calls itself a "special needs school," takes in all kinds of troubled kids—severely autistic, mentally retarded, schizophrenic, bipolar, emotionally disturbed—and attempts to change their behavior with a complex system of rewards and punishments, including painful electric shocks to the torso and limbs. Of the 234 current residents, about half are wired to receive shocks, including some as young as nine or ten... Employees carry students' shock activators inside plastic cases, which they hook onto their belt loops. These cases are known as "sleds," and each sled has a photo on it to ensure employees don't zap the wrong kid."
These two examples of abuse of defenseless people received quite different media coverage. Abu Ghraib immediately was blown up to national and then international proportions. Judge Rotenberg Center didn't make its way into any of the major media. I read about it in some disability-related Web sites. I shan't be surprised if a US reader learns of it from this very post. And of course it continues to function. Disabled children are being shocked now as I am writing and most likely will still be shocked as you are reading.
While both cases of abuse are unacceptable from moral point of view, my opinion is that Judge Rotenberg Center is worse. Because it is worse to abuse children than adults and it is worse to abuse disabled people, because of their vulnerability, than non-disabled people. Especially if their disability is the reason for the abuse. Well, this is just my opinion. If you don't agree, let's say that the two cases are equally bad. Then, why did the US media, authorities and public apply such double standard? If the reaction was driven by mere moral indignation, we would expect the outcry in response to Judge Rothenberg Center to be at least as strong as that to Abu Ghraib. This isn't the case. So let's see what factor, besides moral indignation, drew additional sympathy to Abu Ghraib prisoners.
It is good to keep watch over what your government and your army are doing. In fact, it is a duty of the good citizen. It is good to stick to your moral principles when dealing with an enemy and to regard detained suspected enemy supporters as innocent until proven guilty. But when there is too much of these good things, they cease to be good. Moreover, they play directly at the hands of the enemy.
One of the most devastating events of the 20th century was the Vietnam War. It lasted for decades and ended with US defeat, mainly due to lack of decisiveness and popular support. The antiwar opposition was heterogeneous, including non-specific pacifists, communists, people not understanding the communist threat and people simply not wanting US lives and resources to be lost on some presumed long-term US interests abroad and/or helping unimportant small yellow people. It is noteworthy that, while mainstream antiwar protesters were speaking of the Vietnamese civilian victims only, a significand minority carried the logic to its end and marched under the banner of Viet Cong. Perhaps it was psychologically more acceptable for a US citizen to think that his army retreated from the battlefield for moral reasons than to preceive it as a military defeat. So the US troops became the bad guys while, correspondingly, Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army became the good guys.
The grim legacy of the Vietnam War is that what used to be regarded as treachery became mainstream behaviour in the USA. People are extremely suspicious to the justifications their government uses to take part in a war, and the war tactics. In particular, it is largely thought that wars could and should be carried out without losing soldiers, without killing and maiming civilians and without violating any human right of enemy combatants. When the US army falls short of these very high moral and technical demands, US public withdraws its support and gives it to the enemy instead. Let's face it: although it is not justified to abuse even the doer of the most despiceable action, the abuse at Abu Ghraib is regarded as so horrible because the victims are thought to be innocent. Not innocent for technical reasons or in the sense of "until/unless proven guilty", but precisely because they are thought to have taken part in the resistance. At the moment when the war in Iraq turned out not to be so quick, easy and popular as it was hoped to be, the US public started to doubt its moral grounds. Soon it looked forward for every piece of news supporting the idea that US army is "occupier" and Iraqi Islamist terrorists (plus all foreign jihadis who sneaked into Iraq to kill Americans) are patriots and freedom fighters.
The media of course contributed much to this unfortunate turn, as they had to the defeat in the Vietnam War. They happily broadcasted each (proven or unproven) report of misconduct by US troops or their allies, even when it was clear that it would harm the US cause. The publicity given to reports and photos of the abuse at Abu Ghraib resulted, among other things, in the kidnapping and beheading of innocent US businessman and humanitarian Nicholas Berg. I hoped in vain that Berg's death would lead to some soul-searching by US journalists and other opinion makers. I talked about it with my brother who lives in the USA. He said, "I couldn't name a single newspaper or TV channel which would decline to publish hot news because of care about vital US interests."
In this situation, prospects for the future don't look very bright. As a Turkish general once said, "the main problem with having the Americans as allies is that you never know when they are going to stab themselves in the back."
Monday, September 17, 2007
Bulgaria's abandoned children
A documentary of this title, by Kate Blewett, was aired by BBC4 Channel on Sept. 13. It featured one of our numerous infamous institutions for disabled children. Bulgaria has more institutionalised mentally and physically disabled children than anywhere else in Europe (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/bulgarias-children.shtml). They are either abandoned because of their disabilities or become disabled as a result of institutionalization. I wanted to write a serious post about this, but I simply cannot, so I put together citations of strong words said by concerned people.
Gererd O'Donovan wrote in Telegraph, "Kate Blewett’s Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children (BBC4) contained another 90 minutes of undiluted horror. Anyone familiar with the Romanian orphanage scandals of the early Nineties will have stared in shocked disbelief that nearly 20 years on precisely the same pattern of appalling cruelty and neglect is being repeated in another former Communist state. The chief difference is that Bulgaria is already a member of the European Union... It is no exaggeration to say that most domestic animals are treated better than these unfortunate boys and girls, who get little treatment and no education or stimulation, and are condemned to rock silently and slowly waste away in body and mind. At times it was impossible to believe the cynicism of the staff. At others, it was impossible not to turn away from the pain and suffering on display. Nothing on television this year has brought me closer to tears" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/09/14/nosplit/bvtv14last.xml).
The "social care home" shown is located in the small village of Mogilino. Our authorities prefer to hide such institutions in far-away corners, so that to be as invisible as possible and also, as sometimes is openly said, to provide jobs for local people (!). The BBC team mentioned that the home is "the main employer" in the village. As an autistic American commented, "The jobs for local people is a big issue to politicians when the institution is in a small community, and, thus, a major employer in the area... The employment of people who don't live in institutions ranks higher than the human rights and dignity of those inside them, at least in many politician's minds."
Personally shocked by what she saw, Kate Blewett sent a letter to the Bulgarian ambassador. You can read it at http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/bulgaria-prod-letter.shtml. It says, "...We observed severe physical neglect. In one case a child's leg was broken, and carers seemed oblivious to the great distress they were causing the child by manhandling it with a broken leg. In other cases children became visibly thinner and weaker over the months of filming. Three children died during the period of filming (i.e. 3 children out of 75 died over a 9-month period - M.M.). The Director of the Institute said she chose the children's diets and that they were adequate. Yet the nurse said the children were suffering from malnutrition as a result of inadequate diets... As well as observing the physical abuse of children by workers, we were also made aware of allegations of sexual abuse...".
Ambassador Matev in his reply (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/bulgaria-embassy-letter.shtml) paints such a rosy picture as if he is describing a different planet. The end of his letter will tell you all you need to know about the arrogance of Bulgaria's ruling oligarchy: "Not a single Institution has received a bad or unsatisfactory assessment for the health services they provide... It is my sincere hope that the position of the Bulgarian government will be reflected in your documentary."
I haven't seen the film but here are random quotes from people who have, commenting the same Telegraph article:
"Unbelievable! Is Europe still in the dark ages. How dare a member state be guilty of such grotesque abuse! The unremitting physical pain some of these children were obviously in was unimaginable, the circumstances of their environment would not be permitted in the worst prisons in the world, some international outcry would have limited such atrocities. I would hope this documentary is broadcast again and again, and Again!! gut wrenching as it is, so that the public becomes aware of the disgraceful attitudes and ignorance of a country that has been allowed to join the EU."
"There are a lot of places with similar conditions all over Bulgaria. I hope EU will do something - because our goverment is blind for this problem. In every home for physically and mentally disabled persons in Bulgaria you can see the same situation. Posted by Man from Bg." (Note that he hasn't written his name. There is a growing tendency for Bulgarians who criticize to remain anonymous - M.M.)
"That director needs to be jailed! how can people get away with such atrocity? Lame excuses such as 'its just their disease,' and 'i've done everything i'm supposed to do' just doesn't cut, it's absolute evil and self-interest. Some of those images were as terrible as those we've seen at concentration camps. Those poor babies, something must be done! What can we do?"
"Since watching Bulgaria's unwanted children last night my heart has ached, the worst thing was that the people running the home think that they are doing a fantastic job! I saw how they force fed them so fast these poor children barely had time to swallow, then how the big boy (Milan) was beaten by the male care worker, the poor boy worked so hard to please and you could see his terror trying to get his chores done perfectly."
"I'm sure there was a lot more abuse physical and sexual. God, blokes were showering young vunerable women, and children were being battered and starved to death. God knows to what extent things were really bad, because they were putting on a good show for the cameras."
"I saw the prgramme two days ago. I couldn't believe my eyes. It just looked like Auschwitz. They were naked, emaciated and led to the showers. Moreover, the fact that the 'carers' were fat made me sick. The people running these 'care homes' must be brought befiore a tribunal for crimes against humanity."
"I have visited several of these orphanages over the last decade, and know that the story at Mogilino is common elsewhere. The responsibility for perpetuation of the problem lies with the central and local governments, and the orphanage directors, many of whom don't know how to change the situation, and some of whom don't want to."
"People who are thinking about going on holiday to Bulgaria should cancel holidays in protest and write to the government and explain that the apalling conditions in this care home along with the whole social care system must be addressed with extreme urgency. As Bulgaria has a thriving tourist economy and enjoy profits, the Bulgarian Government must realise that people will not enjoy their holiday if they know that children with special needs are left in cruel concentration camps."
"Take Action Now! why don't we all "BOYCOTT BULGARIA"? Just refuse to holiday, or buy property there, and then you will see Bulgaria 's Goverment get themselves together and spring to action. At the moment they DON'T CARE."
"Stop Saying "If only there was something I can do ...". There is! WRITE TO YOU Mep TODAY AND DEMAND THAT THIS IS ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY .. I have already done so via e-mail ... it costs nothing and if enough people do it they could act ... they are definitely the people who can make a change ... if you do have money DONATE IT TO THE CHARITIES LINKED ABOVE." (There are links to charities both at the Telegraph page and at the BBC page - M.M.)
"Please Please Help these People, the young and the old who are being abused and tortured. We all need to send out a strong message to Bulgaria whose Goverment does not care,and is rotten and corrupt. 1.Do Not Holiday there, 2.Do not buy Property there 3.Write a letter (a short one will do) if possible to the Bulgarian Goverment. Tell them you, and all your mates are Boycotting them unless all the instituitions for the vunerable are greatly improved and monitored by the E.U . including money, food and clothes from charities, because that too is stolen, from the vunerable."
"Shame - and indeed guilt - on us if we do nothing."
UPDATE: The film is available online. A commenter kindly sent me the link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9176914173325307126. I don't know whether the copy is legal, but even if it isn't, I think this case is worth some copyright violation. Go and watch the video, if your nerves are strong enough to endure.
Gererd O'Donovan wrote in Telegraph, "Kate Blewett’s Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children (BBC4) contained another 90 minutes of undiluted horror. Anyone familiar with the Romanian orphanage scandals of the early Nineties will have stared in shocked disbelief that nearly 20 years on precisely the same pattern of appalling cruelty and neglect is being repeated in another former Communist state. The chief difference is that Bulgaria is already a member of the European Union... It is no exaggeration to say that most domestic animals are treated better than these unfortunate boys and girls, who get little treatment and no education or stimulation, and are condemned to rock silently and slowly waste away in body and mind. At times it was impossible to believe the cynicism of the staff. At others, it was impossible not to turn away from the pain and suffering on display. Nothing on television this year has brought me closer to tears" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/09/14/nosplit/bvtv14last.xml).
The "social care home" shown is located in the small village of Mogilino. Our authorities prefer to hide such institutions in far-away corners, so that to be as invisible as possible and also, as sometimes is openly said, to provide jobs for local people (!). The BBC team mentioned that the home is "the main employer" in the village. As an autistic American commented, "The jobs for local people is a big issue to politicians when the institution is in a small community, and, thus, a major employer in the area... The employment of people who don't live in institutions ranks higher than the human rights and dignity of those inside them, at least in many politician's minds."
Personally shocked by what she saw, Kate Blewett sent a letter to the Bulgarian ambassador. You can read it at http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/bulgaria-prod-letter.shtml. It says, "...We observed severe physical neglect. In one case a child's leg was broken, and carers seemed oblivious to the great distress they were causing the child by manhandling it with a broken leg. In other cases children became visibly thinner and weaker over the months of filming. Three children died during the period of filming (i.e. 3 children out of 75 died over a 9-month period - M.M.). The Director of the Institute said she chose the children's diets and that they were adequate. Yet the nurse said the children were suffering from malnutrition as a result of inadequate diets... As well as observing the physical abuse of children by workers, we were also made aware of allegations of sexual abuse...".
Ambassador Matev in his reply (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/bulgaria-embassy-letter.shtml) paints such a rosy picture as if he is describing a different planet. The end of his letter will tell you all you need to know about the arrogance of Bulgaria's ruling oligarchy: "Not a single Institution has received a bad or unsatisfactory assessment for the health services they provide... It is my sincere hope that the position of the Bulgarian government will be reflected in your documentary."
I haven't seen the film but here are random quotes from people who have, commenting the same Telegraph article:
"Unbelievable! Is Europe still in the dark ages. How dare a member state be guilty of such grotesque abuse! The unremitting physical pain some of these children were obviously in was unimaginable, the circumstances of their environment would not be permitted in the worst prisons in the world, some international outcry would have limited such atrocities. I would hope this documentary is broadcast again and again, and Again!! gut wrenching as it is, so that the public becomes aware of the disgraceful attitudes and ignorance of a country that has been allowed to join the EU."
"There are a lot of places with similar conditions all over Bulgaria. I hope EU will do something - because our goverment is blind for this problem. In every home for physically and mentally disabled persons in Bulgaria you can see the same situation. Posted by Man from Bg." (Note that he hasn't written his name. There is a growing tendency for Bulgarians who criticize to remain anonymous - M.M.)
"That director needs to be jailed! how can people get away with such atrocity? Lame excuses such as 'its just their disease,' and 'i've done everything i'm supposed to do' just doesn't cut, it's absolute evil and self-interest. Some of those images were as terrible as those we've seen at concentration camps. Those poor babies, something must be done! What can we do?"
"Since watching Bulgaria's unwanted children last night my heart has ached, the worst thing was that the people running the home think that they are doing a fantastic job! I saw how they force fed them so fast these poor children barely had time to swallow, then how the big boy (Milan) was beaten by the male care worker, the poor boy worked so hard to please and you could see his terror trying to get his chores done perfectly."
"I'm sure there was a lot more abuse physical and sexual. God, blokes were showering young vunerable women, and children were being battered and starved to death. God knows to what extent things were really bad, because they were putting on a good show for the cameras."
"I saw the prgramme two days ago. I couldn't believe my eyes. It just looked like Auschwitz. They were naked, emaciated and led to the showers. Moreover, the fact that the 'carers' were fat made me sick. The people running these 'care homes' must be brought befiore a tribunal for crimes against humanity."
"I have visited several of these orphanages over the last decade, and know that the story at Mogilino is common elsewhere. The responsibility for perpetuation of the problem lies with the central and local governments, and the orphanage directors, many of whom don't know how to change the situation, and some of whom don't want to."
"People who are thinking about going on holiday to Bulgaria should cancel holidays in protest and write to the government and explain that the apalling conditions in this care home along with the whole social care system must be addressed with extreme urgency. As Bulgaria has a thriving tourist economy and enjoy profits, the Bulgarian Government must realise that people will not enjoy their holiday if they know that children with special needs are left in cruel concentration camps."
"Take Action Now! why don't we all "BOYCOTT BULGARIA"? Just refuse to holiday, or buy property there, and then you will see Bulgaria 's Goverment get themselves together and spring to action. At the moment they DON'T CARE."
"Stop Saying "If only there was something I can do ...". There is! WRITE TO YOU Mep TODAY AND DEMAND THAT THIS IS ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY .. I have already done so via e-mail ... it costs nothing and if enough people do it they could act ... they are definitely the people who can make a change ... if you do have money DONATE IT TO THE CHARITIES LINKED ABOVE." (There are links to charities both at the Telegraph page and at the BBC page - M.M.)
"Please Please Help these People, the young and the old who are being abused and tortured. We all need to send out a strong message to Bulgaria whose Goverment does not care,and is rotten and corrupt. 1.Do Not Holiday there, 2.Do not buy Property there 3.Write a letter (a short one will do) if possible to the Bulgarian Goverment. Tell them you, and all your mates are Boycotting them unless all the instituitions for the vunerable are greatly improved and monitored by the E.U . including money, food and clothes from charities, because that too is stolen, from the vunerable."
"Shame - and indeed guilt - on us if we do nothing."
UPDATE: The film is available online. A commenter kindly sent me the link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9176914173325307126. I don't know whether the copy is legal, but even if it isn't, I think this case is worth some copyright violation. Go and watch the video, if your nerves are strong enough to endure.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The perpetuum mobile of Bulgarian education
This post was inspired by a heated discussion on Marfa's blog (http://marfieta.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/negro-alabama/). Her post was a rant against Bulgarian government and the minority of riches who claim there is nothing wrong with the miserable wages of the majority of Bulgarians, including doctors and teachers. Some commenters said that Bulgarians had only themselves to blame for their low incomes because they were bad workers. I commented, "Unfortunately, the few Bulgarians earning decent (for Bulgaria) wages always ascribe their success to their professionalism only. And, doing so, they forget the wretched teachers with worn-out coats who have helped them become professionals."
Commenter Skoklyo replied, "I have never seen a teacher with a worn-out coat, so let's not write Proletarian prose in the style of newspapers from the Communist era."
I wanted to reply and in order not to bring the discussion off topic, I'm doing it here.
As a university assistant, I qualify to be called "teacher". And my winter coat surely qualifies to be called "worn-out". It has qualified for years. And this year, the year when Bulgaria joined EU, I had to give up yellow cheese for an indefinite period.
Let me instantly state that am writing this just to bring a relevant fact. I am not whining and don't need anybody's advice or pity. I will fiercely deny any suggestion that I am "poor". I am actually quite well off. I earn above the average for Bulgaria, my husband even more so. None of us is chronically ill. We aren't paying rent or mortgage. And we haven't done any of the follies people do to bring themselves to poverty, such as buying expensive things we cannot really afford or having numerous children (though many Bulgarians will say that two children ARE numerous). And this is the problem - that a well-to-do family cannot afford such elementary luxuries.
To write the above sentences, I had to collect myself, as non-courageous people do when they have to make a courageous step. Like confessing to a sort of poverty, writing under their real name in public space. In present-day Bulgaria, poverty is shameful, often regarded as a result of stupidity, incompetence or laziness. And so it should be, this is attitude required to "make poverty history". Unfortunately, the change of attitude still awaits the corresponding change in reality.
As a university teacher, I am better paid than a school teacher. The salaries at our Medical Faculty, though much lower than they should and could be, are considerably above the minimum established by law. I have had two promotions and my salary is correspondingly higher than it was when I began work. Besides the "basic" salary, I receive additional money for my specialty, for my PhD degree and for teaching in English. So I am among the best paid teachers in Bulgaria. What about the others?
Skoklyo may not have mentioned his teachers' worn-out clothes because he is a guy and guys are known for their habit to overlook details. However, there are alternative explanations. For many teachers, to be well dressed is required for dignity and they will deprive themselves of food to save for clothes. And government periodically pays teachers in public secondary schools special money for clothes. The teacher, after using them, has to supply invoices to prove that the money was indeed used for clothes and shoes! Otherwise, as you guess, some irresponsible teachers could spend it on meat instead.
I find the money for clothes to be a disgrace. It shows that government requires from teachers to be decently dressed at their workplace but doesn't intend ever to pay them decent salaries. And, besides, this money is not sufficient. I have accompanied my teacher friend to shops where she bought not only second-hand clothes but also second-hand shoes. (While second-hand clothes can be properly disinfected and washed, second-hand shoes cannot and carry the risk of fungal infection.)
When we come to this world, our minds are tabula rasa. Biologically, present-day newborns have the same brains as babies who gave their first cry in caves 20000 years ago. Our cultural environment, most notably family and education, brings children to the 21st century. It is wonderful that every individual in some 20 years catches up wigh the millenial human progress. At the same time, it's scary. Just let the system collapse and civilization may degrade to barbarism within a generation or two.
Our educational system receives as little support from government and society as if it's dealing with stray kittens, not with our children. As another teacher friend of mine said, the decline of school begins at home when the young child hears his parent disparagingly say of somebody, "You ask what she is working? Nothing special, she's a teacher." Although our educational system is in decline and people are right to criticize it, it still works amazingly well, taking into account how little resources and attention it receives from society. It is a working perpetuum mobile. How long will it endure?
When I began my work as assistant in 1994, I had to compete with five people. Now, when we have vacant positions, the candidates coming are usually as many as the positions. Sometimes the interview fails because the candidate doesn't show the qualification required by law for the position of university assistant. It is a sure sign that a job is underpaid when the only people willing to do it are not really qualified for it.
Today, Sept. 15, is a special date. The academic year at secondary schools begins. Proud parents bring their little ones in formal clothes and teachers end up with more flowers than they can carry. Oh, this year there is a peculiarity. Schools begin the ceremony an hour later - this is a "warning strike" with demands for better pay. Minister of education Daniel Valchev has threatened that headmasters of schools not beginning the academic year in time will be punished (http://news.netinfo.bg/?tid=40&oid=1097133).
Outside secondary schools, the academic year can begin at other dates. My colleagues at the Medical University have met their students on Monday, and last week my elder son returned to his kindergarten where great people teach him for no money.
Bulgarian students and teachers have a song that is a sort of hymn. It says, "Forward, knowledge is a sun shining upon the souls!" I am happy to say that for me, the sun shines as brightly now as it did 13 years ago when I first started my job, and as it did almost 30 years ago when I first entered school.
Happy Sept. 15 to all learners and good luck up the path of knowledge!
Happy Sept. 15 to all teachers! I hope you all, like me, are proud of your mission and don't regret your decision to remain in Bulgaria, awaiting and working for a better future.
Commenter Skoklyo replied, "I have never seen a teacher with a worn-out coat, so let's not write Proletarian prose in the style of newspapers from the Communist era."
I wanted to reply and in order not to bring the discussion off topic, I'm doing it here.
As a university assistant, I qualify to be called "teacher". And my winter coat surely qualifies to be called "worn-out". It has qualified for years. And this year, the year when Bulgaria joined EU, I had to give up yellow cheese for an indefinite period.
Let me instantly state that am writing this just to bring a relevant fact. I am not whining and don't need anybody's advice or pity. I will fiercely deny any suggestion that I am "poor". I am actually quite well off. I earn above the average for Bulgaria, my husband even more so. None of us is chronically ill. We aren't paying rent or mortgage. And we haven't done any of the follies people do to bring themselves to poverty, such as buying expensive things we cannot really afford or having numerous children (though many Bulgarians will say that two children ARE numerous). And this is the problem - that a well-to-do family cannot afford such elementary luxuries.
To write the above sentences, I had to collect myself, as non-courageous people do when they have to make a courageous step. Like confessing to a sort of poverty, writing under their real name in public space. In present-day Bulgaria, poverty is shameful, often regarded as a result of stupidity, incompetence or laziness. And so it should be, this is attitude required to "make poverty history". Unfortunately, the change of attitude still awaits the corresponding change in reality.
As a university teacher, I am better paid than a school teacher. The salaries at our Medical Faculty, though much lower than they should and could be, are considerably above the minimum established by law. I have had two promotions and my salary is correspondingly higher than it was when I began work. Besides the "basic" salary, I receive additional money for my specialty, for my PhD degree and for teaching in English. So I am among the best paid teachers in Bulgaria. What about the others?
Skoklyo may not have mentioned his teachers' worn-out clothes because he is a guy and guys are known for their habit to overlook details. However, there are alternative explanations. For many teachers, to be well dressed is required for dignity and they will deprive themselves of food to save for clothes. And government periodically pays teachers in public secondary schools special money for clothes. The teacher, after using them, has to supply invoices to prove that the money was indeed used for clothes and shoes! Otherwise, as you guess, some irresponsible teachers could spend it on meat instead.
I find the money for clothes to be a disgrace. It shows that government requires from teachers to be decently dressed at their workplace but doesn't intend ever to pay them decent salaries. And, besides, this money is not sufficient. I have accompanied my teacher friend to shops where she bought not only second-hand clothes but also second-hand shoes. (While second-hand clothes can be properly disinfected and washed, second-hand shoes cannot and carry the risk of fungal infection.)
When we come to this world, our minds are tabula rasa. Biologically, present-day newborns have the same brains as babies who gave their first cry in caves 20000 years ago. Our cultural environment, most notably family and education, brings children to the 21st century. It is wonderful that every individual in some 20 years catches up wigh the millenial human progress. At the same time, it's scary. Just let the system collapse and civilization may degrade to barbarism within a generation or two.
Our educational system receives as little support from government and society as if it's dealing with stray kittens, not with our children. As another teacher friend of mine said, the decline of school begins at home when the young child hears his parent disparagingly say of somebody, "You ask what she is working? Nothing special, she's a teacher." Although our educational system is in decline and people are right to criticize it, it still works amazingly well, taking into account how little resources and attention it receives from society. It is a working perpetuum mobile. How long will it endure?
When I began my work as assistant in 1994, I had to compete with five people. Now, when we have vacant positions, the candidates coming are usually as many as the positions. Sometimes the interview fails because the candidate doesn't show the qualification required by law for the position of university assistant. It is a sure sign that a job is underpaid when the only people willing to do it are not really qualified for it.
Today, Sept. 15, is a special date. The academic year at secondary schools begins. Proud parents bring their little ones in formal clothes and teachers end up with more flowers than they can carry. Oh, this year there is a peculiarity. Schools begin the ceremony an hour later - this is a "warning strike" with demands for better pay. Minister of education Daniel Valchev has threatened that headmasters of schools not beginning the academic year in time will be punished (http://news.netinfo.bg/?tid=40&oid=1097133).
Outside secondary schools, the academic year can begin at other dates. My colleagues at the Medical University have met their students on Monday, and last week my elder son returned to his kindergarten where great people teach him for no money.
Bulgarian students and teachers have a song that is a sort of hymn. It says, "Forward, knowledge is a sun shining upon the souls!" I am happy to say that for me, the sun shines as brightly now as it did 13 years ago when I first started my job, and as it did almost 30 years ago when I first entered school.
Happy Sept. 15 to all learners and good luck up the path of knowledge!
Happy Sept. 15 to all teachers! I hope you all, like me, are proud of your mission and don't regret your decision to remain in Bulgaria, awaiting and working for a better future.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Texas blogger remembers Sept. 11
I have written many times about disasters brought to the world by religions, including Christianity. At the same time, however, I have to admit that belief gives nice people strength and nobility that no atheist, however virtuous, can achieve.
A Christian from Texas blogs under the pen name of Big White Hat because, as his blog motto says, good guys wear white hats and never run out of bullets. I am copying below his yesterday post (http://bigwhitehat.com/?p=348).
Remembrance
Lord, I kneel and bow my head and ask for Your help.
I can’t forget that day. I can’t forget the fear. I can’t forget the anger.
This world is under attack by men that do evil in the name of righteousness. They despise and seek to kill all that do not promote their tyranny. They even kill those with whom they worship.
So now we are at war.
Lord, bless our nations in this time of trouble. Protect us from those that do evil in the name of righteousness. Give us mettle so that we will not quit.
God Almighty, bless the soldiers who protect us. Make their backs strong, their feet swift, their aim true and their hearts pure. Deliver Your enemies into their hands.
In all things may Your Will be done.
Bless Your little servant in the Big White Hat.
A Christian from Texas blogs under the pen name of Big White Hat because, as his blog motto says, good guys wear white hats and never run out of bullets. I am copying below his yesterday post (http://bigwhitehat.com/?p=348).
Remembrance
Lord, I kneel and bow my head and ask for Your help.
I can’t forget that day. I can’t forget the fear. I can’t forget the anger.
This world is under attack by men that do evil in the name of righteousness. They despise and seek to kill all that do not promote their tyranny. They even kill those with whom they worship.
So now we are at war.
Lord, bless our nations in this time of trouble. Protect us from those that do evil in the name of righteousness. Give us mettle so that we will not quit.
God Almighty, bless the soldiers who protect us. Make their backs strong, their feet swift, their aim true and their hearts pure. Deliver Your enemies into their hands.
In all things may Your Will be done.
Bless Your little servant in the Big White Hat.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Drawing faces
Non-parents are often amused or annoyed by the habit of parents to issue long speeches about the most banal activities and achievements of their children. But I assure you it is difficult to resist it all the time. So parents will appreciate this post. Non-parents are advised to skip it, they won't understand it anyway.
My elder son, who has just turned 4, has learned to draw recognizable faces during the last several months. Some of the drawings were spontaneous, some prompted. Unfortunately, he couldn't describe the details of his drawings himself.
Son and dad? Or two friends? (May 18)
A spiky-haired boy? (June 25)
A humanized baloon? (June 29)
The artist sitting in my lap (May 24).
My elder son, who has just turned 4, has learned to draw recognizable faces during the last several months. Some of the drawings were spontaneous, some prompted. Unfortunately, he couldn't describe the details of his drawings himself.
Son and dad? Or two friends? (May 18)
A spiky-haired boy? (June 25)
A humanized baloon? (June 29)
The artist sitting in my lap (May 24).
Sunday, September 02, 2007
No more Lurpak butter in Bulgaria
It may seem curious that, although Bulgaria has strong dairy industry, many Bulgarians prefer imported butter. This is a reaction to the habit of Bulgarian producers to "enrich" butter with plant oils and water. They are of course motivated by altruism - to keep consumer's cholesterol low and prevent dehydration. However, many people (including me) don't want to buy some water-saturated margarine under the label "butter" and at the price of butter. Every child can see that it doesn't look, smell, taste or melt like butter. So we buy German butter or the French President.
About a year ago, as I was shopping at a supermarket, I saw Danish Lurpak butter. I spotted it instantly, because I already had its image in my mind, created by Big Pharaoh's Feb. 19, 2006 post (http://www.bigpharaoh.com/2006/02/page/5/). You remember, after a Danish newspaper published cartoons depicting prophet Mohamed, enraged and carefully manipulated Arab Muslims imposed a boycott on Danish goods, mainly dairy products. Unwanted by its regular Arab buyers, some Lurpak butter had found its way to Bulgaria.
At that time, the appeal "Buy Danish" was read and heard all over the democratic world. I became a regular Lurpak buyer. It was similar in price and quality to the other imported butters. Then, in late January 2007, it became cheaper.
A decreased price must be a red flag to the consumer. It usually indicates that something is wrong with the product. Most often, it is approaching or even has passed its expiry date. However, I bought a package and didn't devote any thought to the situation. My attitude towards expiry dates is inconsistent. I know how important they are for consumers' health. I know that those consumers who check the date and protest and complain about expired products are good citizens and their actions benefit the whole society. However, I don't check the expiry dates even of baby foods. I also don't get along very well with people who pay attention to expiry dates. I simply refuse to occupy my mind with such boring things. I am a person of quite ordinary cognitive abilities. If I waste them to check what I'm buying, I'll remain without thinking capacity for more important things. You must be a genius to occupy your brain with everything and still to function. Though, frankly, it is difficult for me to imagine Darwin or Einstein checking expiry dates on products.
My mother in-law, on the contrary, has much respect to expiry dates and always checks them. After seeing my cheap Lurpak, she asked:
"Haven't you any other butter?"
"No." (The previous package had been eaten away.)
"Because this one is approaching its expiry date."
I looked at the butter's label. It was produced at Feb. 20, 2006, best before Feb. 19, 2007.
"Well, what's the problem?" I asked. "It's still January."
"Anyway, it's too near. I don't want to use this butter for the child's breakfast."
I told my husband I was going shopping.
"But you have just returned from shopping."
"Yes, but..." I explained the problem.
"Is that butter Bulgarian?"
"No, it isn't."
"This is what is important. The butter is good. I'll talk to my mother."
He went to her and had a heated and quite pointless argument, while I bought some stupid Bulgarian quasi-butter (but with an expiry date in the distant future).
Soon after these events, the Lurpak butter disappeared from our supermarkets. I still check for it when I'm shopping, but it's gone and unlikely to return.
You understand what had happened, don't you? Lurpak butter is too expensive for Bulgarian consumers. Normally it has nothing to do at our market. But when its usual Arab consumers boycotted it, the merchants found themselves overwhelmed by masses of unwanted butter. Then the boycott ended and newly produced butter found its way to the Arab world again. But the merchants wouldn't try to sell the stockpiled old butter to the Arabs. This would be regarded as disrespect and could lead to a new boycott, because there may be millions of Arab housewives checking expiry dates like my mother in-law does. So the old butter was sold to Bulgarians (and probably other poor people) at a knockdown price. Still better than discarding.
A short description of a possible better future: Bulgarians can afford Danish butter, so Danes don't need to sell it to Arabs who have different values and may decide to boycott it any minute.
A short description of a possible even better future: Bulgarians principally can afford Danish butter but prefer to buy Bulgarian butter which has, finally, become butter. Danes sell their butter mainly to Arabs who, finally, have the same values, ask each other "Did you ever hear the one about the Prophet's beard?" (http://www.signandsight.com/features/597.html) and wouldn't boycott.
About a year ago, as I was shopping at a supermarket, I saw Danish Lurpak butter. I spotted it instantly, because I already had its image in my mind, created by Big Pharaoh's Feb. 19, 2006 post (http://www.bigpharaoh.com/2006/02/page/5/). You remember, after a Danish newspaper published cartoons depicting prophet Mohamed, enraged and carefully manipulated Arab Muslims imposed a boycott on Danish goods, mainly dairy products. Unwanted by its regular Arab buyers, some Lurpak butter had found its way to Bulgaria.
At that time, the appeal "Buy Danish" was read and heard all over the democratic world. I became a regular Lurpak buyer. It was similar in price and quality to the other imported butters. Then, in late January 2007, it became cheaper.
A decreased price must be a red flag to the consumer. It usually indicates that something is wrong with the product. Most often, it is approaching or even has passed its expiry date. However, I bought a package and didn't devote any thought to the situation. My attitude towards expiry dates is inconsistent. I know how important they are for consumers' health. I know that those consumers who check the date and protest and complain about expired products are good citizens and their actions benefit the whole society. However, I don't check the expiry dates even of baby foods. I also don't get along very well with people who pay attention to expiry dates. I simply refuse to occupy my mind with such boring things. I am a person of quite ordinary cognitive abilities. If I waste them to check what I'm buying, I'll remain without thinking capacity for more important things. You must be a genius to occupy your brain with everything and still to function. Though, frankly, it is difficult for me to imagine Darwin or Einstein checking expiry dates on products.
My mother in-law, on the contrary, has much respect to expiry dates and always checks them. After seeing my cheap Lurpak, she asked:
"Haven't you any other butter?"
"No." (The previous package had been eaten away.)
"Because this one is approaching its expiry date."
I looked at the butter's label. It was produced at Feb. 20, 2006, best before Feb. 19, 2007.
"Well, what's the problem?" I asked. "It's still January."
"Anyway, it's too near. I don't want to use this butter for the child's breakfast."
I told my husband I was going shopping.
"But you have just returned from shopping."
"Yes, but..." I explained the problem.
"Is that butter Bulgarian?"
"No, it isn't."
"This is what is important. The butter is good. I'll talk to my mother."
He went to her and had a heated and quite pointless argument, while I bought some stupid Bulgarian quasi-butter (but with an expiry date in the distant future).
Soon after these events, the Lurpak butter disappeared from our supermarkets. I still check for it when I'm shopping, but it's gone and unlikely to return.
You understand what had happened, don't you? Lurpak butter is too expensive for Bulgarian consumers. Normally it has nothing to do at our market. But when its usual Arab consumers boycotted it, the merchants found themselves overwhelmed by masses of unwanted butter. Then the boycott ended and newly produced butter found its way to the Arab world again. But the merchants wouldn't try to sell the stockpiled old butter to the Arabs. This would be regarded as disrespect and could lead to a new boycott, because there may be millions of Arab housewives checking expiry dates like my mother in-law does. So the old butter was sold to Bulgarians (and probably other poor people) at a knockdown price. Still better than discarding.
A short description of a possible better future: Bulgarians can afford Danish butter, so Danes don't need to sell it to Arabs who have different values and may decide to boycott it any minute.
A short description of a possible even better future: Bulgarians principally can afford Danish butter but prefer to buy Bulgarian butter which has, finally, become butter. Danes sell their butter mainly to Arabs who, finally, have the same values, ask each other "Did you ever hear the one about the Prophet's beard?" (http://www.signandsight.com/features/597.html) and wouldn't boycott.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
It still isn't too late to save Kamchia
Kamchia is a river in Eastern Bulgaria. The area where it empties into the Black Sea used to be a protected territory. However, last year a holiday resort investor eager to build there successfully appealed Kamchia's protected status in court (mentioned in my July 9 post). When the same assault was attempted against Strandja mountain, protests by environmental activists prevented it, at least for the moment. But Kamchia remained in the dark. As I wrote in my Aug. 16 post, "This law (protecting Strandja) is an emergency measure and isn't a perfect piece of legislature. Worse, it cannot protect the Kamchia river which had already been removed from the list of protected territories. If the National Assembly decides to do something about Kamchia, it must be by a separate act. It can be voted no sooner than September (the Assembly is now in summer vacation) and surely much will be already built around the river by this time."
Now, I have a little more hope about Kamchia. My cautious optimism is based on reliable, although indirect, evidence.
Our best man Stoyan (not his real name) is an example of those too orderly and organized people who can never have real fun, no matter how hard they try. There is always something coming in the way. Several days ago, my husband came home and said,
"I have met Stoyan. He has had a sea vacation with his family at Kamchia."
"It was a protected territory until last year," I mentioned sadly.
"It still is," my husband laughed. "They are very disappointed. A sort of a miserable hotel far from the beach and some miserable restaurant far from both. No services. Quite undeveloped place. They had to travel around the wilderness all the time to obtain the most basic things they needed."
So, dear environmental activists and lawmakers, it seems that it isn't too late to save Kamchia! Any rescue efforts are welcome, their object is still alive!
Now, I have a little more hope about Kamchia. My cautious optimism is based on reliable, although indirect, evidence.
Our best man Stoyan (not his real name) is an example of those too orderly and organized people who can never have real fun, no matter how hard they try. There is always something coming in the way. Several days ago, my husband came home and said,
"I have met Stoyan. He has had a sea vacation with his family at Kamchia."
"It was a protected territory until last year," I mentioned sadly.
"It still is," my husband laughed. "They are very disappointed. A sort of a miserable hotel far from the beach and some miserable restaurant far from both. No services. Quite undeveloped place. They had to travel around the wilderness all the time to obtain the most basic things they needed."
So, dear environmental activists and lawmakers, it seems that it isn't too late to save Kamchia! Any rescue efforts are welcome, their object is still alive!
Friday, August 24, 2007
A rant about the buildings of our Medical University
Recently, as I was listening to TV news, I heard my workplace (the Medical University of Sofia) mentioned. On Aug. 11, the roof over the Department of Forensic Medicine was set ablaze by a lightning. Happily, there were very few people in the building (it was Saturday afternoon) and nobody was hurt. However, much of the roof and some equipment was destroyed. The above photo is copied from a Netinfo report (http://www.netinfo.bg/?tid=40&oid=1083744). Our Department of Biology is located in another part of the same building.
I don't understand how such a thing can happen. As far as I know, technology protecting buildings from thunderbolts is simple, cheap and centuries old. In the 21st century, I wish to think I am safe at my workplace even if there is a thunderstorm outside.
One of my earliest blog posts was devoted to a fire which devastated our Department of Pathophysiology (http://mayas-corner.blogspot.com/2006/04/department-of-pathophysiology.html). After this Department lost its home, the teachers were distributed to other departments to obtain temporary workplaces. Right from the beginning, there were rumours that the temporary situation would become permanent. There was a precedent: the Department of Physiology, which lost its territory decades ago (I don't know the exact circumstances) and is currently located in rooms scattered across all 4 storeys of our building. Now, the rumours are confirmed: the same fate awaits the pathophysiologists. Their beautiful building will never be rebuilt, it will be destroyed instead and their Department will indefinitely exist scattered in rooms taken from other departments. Our Department of Biology is ordered to give 2 rooms.
This development is not that surprising for anyone who knows the Medical University of Sofia from inside. Teaching and treatment facilities are left to deteriorate and new buildings aren't finalized. There are three quite large constructions in the Medical University campus that are "frozen" with zero probability to be ever finished. Sometimes they are referred to as "the Bermuda Triangle". As far as I know, the Department of Physiology had to be located somewhere in the Triangle. The constructions that ARE successfully finished are those housing administration staff. Our clerks keep multiplying exactly as predicted by Parkinson's law - and also becoming ever more powerful. They always think that the students and teachers of the University have too much funds, computer equipment, research equipment, working space etc. and rarely miss an opportunity to take these resources away.
For the moment, I have no problem with the lost rooms because I am still on maternity leave. But when I return, we'll have to walk on each other's heads. The only realistic solution is somebody else going into maternity leave. So, if any of my younger female colleagues is reading this - come on, girls, get to work on the matter, this country needs a younger generation :) !
Otherwise, it will be better for me if fewer Medical University employees read this post. It may put me in trouble.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Gypsy teenager murdered by Bulgarian teenagers
On Aug. 21 in the town of Samokov, two groups of teenagers met, one consisting of Bulgarians and the other of Gypsies. They started a brawl. One of the Gypsies, 17-year-old Asparuh (family name given by different sources Iliev or Atanasov) was beaten to death. The crime scene was in the range of security cameras and suspects were identified quickly. Four were arrested, of whom two turned 18 this year and the other two are juveniles. The authorities, again, are eager to dismiss any notion that the crime was motivated by hate (http://www.mediapool.bg/show/?storyid=131412&srcpos=1).
I remember a similar murder which took place in 1998 in Sofia. A homeless Gypsy boy was killed by skinheads, all aged 15-16. Then, a human rights activist said, "I cannot think of a crime more scary than murder of a child by children." I agree.
I never knew whether anybody was punished for the 1998 murder, but it is said that in Samokov alone, this week's murder has been the 4th murder of a Gypsy in 7 years and nobody has yet been convicted (http://big.bg/modules/news/article.php?storyid=50761). On July 27, 2007 Bulgaria was sanctioned by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for failure to bring to justice the perpetrators of another racist killing. The victim, a Gypsy man (28), was murdered in 1996 in the town of Shumen by seven Bulgarian teenagers, all but one of whom were juveniles. Although the case was fairly clear, investigation was protracted until the statute of limitation expired and nobody was convicted (sources, http://netinfo.bg/?tid=40&oid=1077473 in Bulgarian, http://www.idebate.org/roma/newsarticle.php?id=1855 in English).
I have been several times in Samokov, which serves as a gate to the Rila mountain. I remember it as a quiet town, I'd even say boring and sleepy. But it isn't quiet anymore.
When I heard of Asparuh's death, my first impulse was to pay a tribute to him by modifying or even deleting my Aug. 17 post, which is directed against his people. But then I thought over and decided to leave the post exactly as it was. Yes, it feeds stereotypes. But hate crimes aren't caused by stereotypes. They are caused by the idea that if The Other creates problems for us, we may solve the problems by getting rid of him.
People campaigning for minority rights often say, "We must fight prejudice, we must shake stereotypes." I don't find this a very good idea. Most stereotypes are firmly rooted in facts. Hence, "shaking stereotypes" means denial of reality and immersion in wishful thinking. Nobody needs a rosy picture portraying The Others as perfect people who they aren't. What is needed is acceptance. It doesn't mean that we may not want The Others to change and may not demand things from them. Rather, it means that no matter how problematic they are for us, we may never wish them away.
As for Asparuh, I hope that unlike the earlier cases mentioned above, this time justice will step in and perpetrators will be punished. Let me repeat what I added as a comment to the same Aug. 17 post: "To manage law and order... is the state's basic function and therefore the state is never allowed to abdicate of it."
UPDATE (Aug. 28): While police continue to deny that the murder in Samokov and the earlier riots in Sofia are motivated by ethnic tensions, psychologist Hristo Monov reported why the Bulgarian teenagers attacked: they thought that Gypsies mustn't be let into the central part of Samokov (source: Mediapool). Other sources said that the Gypsy youths went to the town center to buy ice-cream.
I remember a similar murder which took place in 1998 in Sofia. A homeless Gypsy boy was killed by skinheads, all aged 15-16. Then, a human rights activist said, "I cannot think of a crime more scary than murder of a child by children." I agree.
I never knew whether anybody was punished for the 1998 murder, but it is said that in Samokov alone, this week's murder has been the 4th murder of a Gypsy in 7 years and nobody has yet been convicted (http://big.bg/modules/news/article.php?storyid=50761). On July 27, 2007 Bulgaria was sanctioned by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for failure to bring to justice the perpetrators of another racist killing. The victim, a Gypsy man (28), was murdered in 1996 in the town of Shumen by seven Bulgarian teenagers, all but one of whom were juveniles. Although the case was fairly clear, investigation was protracted until the statute of limitation expired and nobody was convicted (sources, http://netinfo.bg/?tid=40&oid=1077473 in Bulgarian, http://www.idebate.org/roma/newsarticle.php?id=1855 in English).
I have been several times in Samokov, which serves as a gate to the Rila mountain. I remember it as a quiet town, I'd even say boring and sleepy. But it isn't quiet anymore.
When I heard of Asparuh's death, my first impulse was to pay a tribute to him by modifying or even deleting my Aug. 17 post, which is directed against his people. But then I thought over and decided to leave the post exactly as it was. Yes, it feeds stereotypes. But hate crimes aren't caused by stereotypes. They are caused by the idea that if The Other creates problems for us, we may solve the problems by getting rid of him.
People campaigning for minority rights often say, "We must fight prejudice, we must shake stereotypes." I don't find this a very good idea. Most stereotypes are firmly rooted in facts. Hence, "shaking stereotypes" means denial of reality and immersion in wishful thinking. Nobody needs a rosy picture portraying The Others as perfect people who they aren't. What is needed is acceptance. It doesn't mean that we may not want The Others to change and may not demand things from them. Rather, it means that no matter how problematic they are for us, we may never wish them away.
As for Asparuh, I hope that unlike the earlier cases mentioned above, this time justice will step in and perpetrators will be punished. Let me repeat what I added as a comment to the same Aug. 17 post: "To manage law and order... is the state's basic function and therefore the state is never allowed to abdicate of it."
UPDATE (Aug. 28): While police continue to deny that the murder in Samokov and the earlier riots in Sofia are motivated by ethnic tensions, psychologist Hristo Monov reported why the Bulgarian teenagers attacked: they thought that Gypsies mustn't be let into the central part of Samokov (source: Mediapool). Other sources said that the Gypsy youths went to the town center to buy ice-cream.
Political jokes in Communist Bulgaria
On Highlander's blog, commenter Adam asked, "I know that mocking of the leadership (in closed circles) was prevalent in countries such as these three (Czechoslovakia, Hungary and East Germany), but how was it in Bulgaria during the dark years (of Socialism)?"
I began to answer, but it turned out too long for a comment, so I decided to make it a post.
Mocking socialism and the current dictator (for the most of this period, Todor Zhivkov) was very widespread in Bulgaria, although political jokes were criminalized. Even people without pro-capitalist views enjoyed such jokes. Often, the subject was dictator Zhivkov's life expectancy and eventual death. In the absence of term limitations and free elections, nobody could predict that Zhivkov would be removed from power alive.
Here is one joke that is better told than written (because it includes body language):
In a crowded bus, a man is reading a newspaper. Some other people see on 1st page large black letters (VIP obituary?) and a photo of a semi-bald man with smooth hair remnants and a large nose. They get very excited. However, the paper owner isn't very helpful to his fellow travellers and holds the paper in a way not allowing others to read. Finally, a tall man manages to cast a look. He turns to the others, nods and makes a "tsk" sound meaning "no", then says a single word: "Pompidou".
(French President Georges Pompidou died in 1974.)
Another joke from the 1980s: Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev and Todor Zhivkov are invited to visit God, who promises to answer one question from each guest.
Reagan asks, "When will US astronauts set feet on Mars?" God answers, "In 2023". Reagan begins to weep and says, "What a pity that I won't be alive to see this."
Gorbachev asks, "When will Russian economy catch up with US?" God answers, "By 2060". Gorbachev also begins to weep and says he is weeping because he won't be alive by this time.
Zhivkov asks, "When shall I die?" God, instead of answering, begins to weep. (I.e., even He won't be alive by this time.)
Violin player Alexander Nikolov, better known by his nickname Sasho Sladura, liked telling political jokes. Somebody reported him to the authorities. They sent him to the Lovech labour camp where in 1961 he was beaten to death, the usual method of murdering inmates in this particular camp. The above photo, copied from http://www.slovo.bg/old/litforum/106/czhivkov.htm, shows Sladura bottom left.
Later in the 1960s, civil engineer Boris Chinkov was sentenced to prison for telling jokes. He was released before serving his full term, allegedly after French President de Gaulle entreated for him during a meeting with Zhivkov. The court papers from Chinkov's case listed the jokes constituting his crime. One of them was "the joke about the best Michurinist mother". Here it is:
Who is the best selectionist among followers of Michurin? - Todor Zhivkov's mother, who successfully crossed a pumpkin with a loudspeaker and obtained a fully viable hybrid.
("The Pumpkin" was one of Zhivkov's nicknames. As usual for dictators, he was fond of delivering long speeches. Michurin (1855 - 1935), whose Wikipedia page is a bit too sympathetic to him, was a Russian practitioner selectionist. He definitely had a gift and produced practical achievements, but his lack of education made him stick to theories disproved decades and centuries earlier, such as that species aren't real, can cross with each other and transform into each other. Michurin was made an icon during Stalin's repressions against geneticists, but he shouldn't be blamed for this turn which happened after his death.)
In fact, only a very small percentage of jokers were punished. The regime, especially in its later decades, realized that people need some harmless vent for their discontent and, besides, it is impossible to imprison the entire population. However, the modest attempts for free speech were closely monitored. Tens of thousands of professional State Security (secret service) agents and many more cooperating agents had the task to eavesdrop, report and record jokes.
After 1989, many of these agents found good postions in politics and business. When the State Security past of any of them is revealed, he first denies, then says that his activity as agent was directed only against true enemies of Bulgaria and never harmed innocent people. It sucks that nearly 20 years after the regime's collapse, the country is still in the grip of State Security.
Monday, August 20, 2007
The village of storks
The above photo is copied from a July 16 Pointless Spring blog post of the same title. It said, "At a less than 50 kilometers distance from Sofia, hidden in the lower parts of Plana mountain you will find the village of storks - Popovyane. Every second house in the village shelters a stork nest."
A week ago, we went to Popovyane. I wanted to show my elder son storks and had to find them elsewhere after the Rasnik pair had taken flight. Indeed, the village was full of stork nests. Most of the birds were away. Their young have grown up and there is no reason for them to cling by the nest all day just to enjoy eventual visitors. However, after hanging around for a while, we saw about ten storks in flight and one in his nest. Thanks to Pointless Spring for sharing the information!
The village is located south of Sofia. The road passes through Bistritsa, Zheleznitsa, Kovachevtsi and then comes Popovyane. It is a beautiful mountain road. As soon as you leave Sofia, you find yourself in another world, green and serene. However, for the same reason, these less than 50 kilometers seem longer. This is definitely not a road for fast driving.
If you haven't the convenience of a car - there must be regular public transportation, we saw many buses. Possibly some bus goes to Samokov using this road and can get you there without change.
If you are in Sofia, reading this post soon after its publication and considering whether to visit Popovyane, make up your mind quickly or you'll go there just to discover that the storks have migrated!
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