Catalonian parliamentary election 2010

On Sunday, November 28th of 2010 Elections to the Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, Spain, were held. For weeks Catalonian towns were full of huge and small billboards with the faces of the leaders of the parties, but the overall view was quite modest, which can't be compared to any elections in Estonia. In here you just see those faces of to be elected wherever you go and will be sick of it all very fast. Anyway, little (or not so little) gatherings of different parties were all over the region. People participated and were eager to hear what was offered, but the reality is that locals tend not to agree with any programs these parties are offering. This doesn't leave much positivity or energy for the changes in Catalonian future. Spain is still in deep economic crisis and the unemployment rate is still pretty high, nearly 20%. The Socialists (Red) have been ruling the region for the last seven years. Many people believe it is the reason why the situation doesn't look so good in Spain now. The biggest winner of the election was the right wing Catalan Convergence and Union (CiU) coalition (Blue). 62 Blue seats to the Reds 28 seats looks like goodbye to Socialists. Probably after when the Parliament has been created, the new President of the Catalan Government will be Artur Mas i Gavarró, but this is yet to be decided. So is the future.

No connection

Few days ago I heard a broadcast over the radio about what if you would not HAVE a mobile connection for a day, would you feel alone, desperate and cut out? If the answer is yes, then you must be working too much. When was the last time you called to a friend to say "what's up?"? Do we do this? What kind of question is that?

Lost in translation

Many things can get lost in translation. Somebody said something - I hear, I think, I take a stand. I may take a stand different than the somebody had meant. Who to blame? Me? That somebody? Noone. Fact is that we are different and things do get lost in translation. And the lesson here is from the broadcast I heard today from the Christian radio: don't hate, think of the end.

Dog behavior

Having a dog for 17 years never made me think of any of the things I heard today while participating in a seminar about dog behavior. None of things that seemed so natural never did pass my mind when I had a dog, now it all clearly makes sense. Too late, unfortunately, but it is never too late to learn, as we learn as long as we are alive. Like if dog is chewing your shoes then it is not because she/he is bored, but because she/he needs your attention or if you take your dog too often for a walk, then it may start peeing indoors etc etc. Plenty of things to explore, but the main focus should be on yourself, i.e. owner of the dog, as with our behavior we influence dog the most and most of the times not in a positive way.

This dog is living happily (hopefully) in a new home.

Heaven has no favorites

As in Remarque's book, so in the movie "My Sister's a Keeper" the main characters, though they were constantly under the shadow of death, they still had great amount of positivity and strength. Strength to live and strength to die. The book and the movie portrayals of fights with leukaemia in an enjoyable, but of course in a sad way make us to think of many fights we have to take in life. Small or big.

NYPD

Have you ever wondered that Times' Square New York Police Dept, doesn't really quite look like a r e a l police department, but rather than a candy store. Well it is real and fits perfectly to the sea of city lights. If you see a cop around there, go ahead and ask for a picture together. Maybe you get a smile :)

Icelanders

What is the first word what comes to your mind, when you think about Iceland? Frost, isolation, emptiness etc? You are pretty correct, but it is not definitely the subject when it concerns to Icelanders, as they are complete opposite how country could be characterized. They are the warmest, open and friendliest people I have ever met in any country, but then again, maybe I had the opportunity to get to know them more because of my long stay there.
Anyway 66 North is warm.

Countryside?

On past years many farms in Estonia have been abandoned or they have just become empty after the elderly owners have passed away. Homesteads are becoming less popular, villages perish and young people move to towns, not only but also abroad. Who could blame them? There is not much Estonian Republic can offer to them today. Country people don't have means for income, because there are no more small herds which would help them to cope. In isolated areas it is hard to find a job, so there is not much to do, but to put your home to sale and get away from there. Most of the times there are no buyers or inheritors, so households just stay empty. Like this one, which have been empty for about ten years and the shiny yellow is fading away…

I don't think this is problem only in Estonia, but in many countries on these days, but the smaller the country, the bigger the problem. That is why it hits Estonia so painfully. They say agricultural policy is where the problem lies. This may be it, but if you really start thinking about the problem, then there are many factors that really deepen the situation.

God Bless America

The leading geopolitical ideologist of Russia's current authority, Alexander Dugin believes, that relations with the Baltic countries in Russia can only be bad or very bad, and if something ever happens to the U.S., Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will be occupied again.

Read more (in Estonian).

Father's Day

Thanks Jez.

Estonian men/boys doesn't hug much. If they do, then it mostly happens on Friday's and Saturday's in the nightclub and they hug themselves. Go figure it :P Yeah, yeah of course it happens because they want their photo to be taken. And what a photo is telling besides the colorful t's?

Roosi

Tervitustega Enarile!

In the end comes...winter

Talv tuleb pika ilu peale.

Married

Fishing...

...is not for me.

Philadelphus

How are you?

Karolin Kuusik

Kama

See päris Eesti oma.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Rõhk mäel.

Parquet

IIDA Gallery

Two heart-broken guys and Walter

Thorshöfn

Sees ja väljas

Hannaliisa Uusmaa

Kadriga kontserdile.