Mirar el cielo

From what I read:

"Imi place numele acestei sarbatori, in spaniola, mirar el cielo, pentru ca ma duce cu gandul la oglinda cerului. (...) In ajunul sarbatorii, fiecare trebuie sa se pregateasca. Nu facand o munca anume, ci, dimpotriva, incetinandu-si viata. (...) nu stelele conteaza, ci cunoasterea vidului. (...) Inchipuie-ti ca aceasta noapte este cea mai lunga din viata ta. Lasa-te purtat intr-o alta lume, ghiceste-o ca greierul, prin porii pielii tale, nu doar cu odaile goale ale ochilor, ci cu tot trupul. Respir-o, bea-o. Daca ai impresia ca stii ceva, uita tot ce stii. (...)priviti cerul si pierdeti-va in spatiu in aceasta noapte . (...) raman nemiscati, cu ochii deschisi, pentru a intra in spatiu. Am intrat din prima. Deasupra mea s-a deschis o poarta mare si am simtit ca alunec prin ea, nu in inchipuire, ci cu privirea, o miscare ce pornea din centrul corpului meu si se infunda in intuneric. (...) Mi se parea ca eram totodata aici si acolo, foarte aproape, foarte departe." / I like the name of this holiday, in Spanish, mirar el cielo, because it reminds me of the sky mirror. (...) During the holiday's eve, everyone should prepare for it. Not working, but, by contrary, slowing down their life. (...) not the stars are important, but the meeting of the emptiness between them. (...) Imagine this night as the longest night of your life. Let yourself carried in another world, guess it like a cicada, through your skins' pores, not just through your eyes' empty space, but through your whole body. Inhale it, drink it. If you think you know something, forget everything you know. (...) Look to the sky and lose yourself in space this night. (...) they stay still, with their eyes open in order to enter the space. I entered from the first try. Above me, a big gate opened and I felt slipping through it, not in my imagination, but through my look, a movement that started inside of my body and died in the darkness. (...) It seemed like I was there, and here at the same time, very close and faraway." (Urania, J.M.G. Le Clezio)

"Myself, I had never been to the ocean, and it was on the growing list of places I wanted to visited before I died. Not just to visit but be a part of; my idea of visiting the ocean was to be a sailor, and my idea of visiting Alaska was to work the pipeline, and my idea of Africa was to hunt and guide and explore, and my idea of Texas was to die at the Alamo, and my idea of Paris was to be in a room and write all this down". (Stay Here With Me, Robert Olmstead)

"Needing to learn something can become the best reason to do nothing in your life. You are always waiting around, always afraid to step or speak, afraid to do what people have been doing for thousands of years". (Stay Here With Me, Robert Olmstead)

"A remarcat: Dar, daca mergi in linie dreapta, nu vei putea intalni oameni". / "He observed: But, if you go straight, you won't be able to meet people". (Urania, J.M.G. Le Clezio)

Break the Silence

Ruuuun!

"I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done" (Snow Patrol, Run)

Cu televizorul, tampim poporul!

Nu mai suport. N-am vrut sa zic nimic si am vrut sa ma abtin si sa imi vad de gandurile mele, dar nu mai suport. Mi-e scarba si trebuie sa dau tot afara din mine. Ce televiziune de rahat esti, cum naiba crezi ca o sa se mai uite cineva la emisiunile tale acum si in veci pururea, daca ma crezi prost, idiot, tembel, tampit si mai crezi ca inghit tot ce imi dai??????????????

Chiar orice buletin de stiri trebuie sa inceapa de cinci zile cu filmul cu Basescu lovind sau nelovind un copil???? Si astazi prezinti protestul anti-comunist din Timisoara ca un miting in care se cearta pdl-isti cu psd-isti si vorbesti de violente cum vorbea televiziunea romana de Piata Universitatii in '90??????????????????????? Mi-e scarba de Realitatea TV si de Antena 3! Sa le scada audientele pe cat a crescut apa in Venetia in ultimele zile!!! (de stirea asta ati auzit? nuuuuu? oare de ce?)

Vreau partialitate, nu tin cu Basescu, mi-am anulat primul vot, dar nu mai suport atata aroganta si atata partinire! Si m-am saturat sa vad doua televiziuni care ii considera pe romani prosti!

In aceste zile, sper ca romanii, aia pe care cele doua canale ii cred prosti, batuti in cap, idioti, tembeli, usor de manipulat, sa fi citit stirile pe net sau sa le fi trait pe pielea lor sau in cel mai prost caz sa se fi uitat la acasa tv, sport.ro, hallmark etc.

Si sa nu indrazniti sa imi spuneti ca nu stiu eu ce e aia jurnalism si obiectivitate, ca va mananc!

No End Story

Pentru versiunea in limba romana, faceti click aici.

I took my bad cough, my hot tea and I went to a movie with a long title, in which Nicholas Cage plays the main role. He played quite well, so he might be nominated for an Oscar: he is a drug-addicted police lieutenant from New Orleans who suffers from severe back pains. In his delirium generated by his addiction and pains, he sees crocodiles, iguanas, he obtains the drugs illegally through bribes, misusing his authority, but meanwhile he is still capable of making justice in the world and solving his personal problems.

This lieutenant is like a drunk man who can barely walk, but he never falls. He brakes the law, he gets high, he "places" evidences, he threats old ladies, he f**ks rich and drug-addicted ladies on the street, he loses his money in gambling, smokes marijuana in the front of those he arrests, but he is still a hero. He catches the killers, and some drug dealers, and revenges the death of an almost innocent family of illegal aliens. Moreover, he has to deal with some personal issues: an alcoholic dad, an alcoholic and drug-addicted step-mother, a dog, a girlfriend who is a "luxury" prostitute, her clients, a dog and his debts from gambling.

The end is almost a happy-end, Cage swims through life like fish without dreams. But the story is not perfectly built, there are some small mistakes in at least two parts of the movie related to a silver spoon and a "lucky" pipe. At the same time, there are some good characters which are played well, and the dialogues seem real. The end of the movie gives the impression that the script writer wasn't really sure about it, he seems like he played with several "the-ends" and finally he picked up one, randomly, because he had to finish the story.

Film fara sfarsit

Mi-am luat tusea seaca, nasul infundat si ceaiul cald si m-am dus la un film cu titlu lung si cu Nicholas Cage. A jucat bine si ma gandesc ca poate va fi nominalizat la un Oscar pentru rolul sau: un politist dependent de cocaina din cauza durerilor insuportabile de spate. In delirul sau, in care vede iguane, crocodili si isi obtine ilegal drogurile, prin mituire si abuz de putere, face dreptate in lume si isi rezolva problemele personale.

Precum un om beat care, chiar daca se impiedica in propriile picioare, arareori cade, asa e si cu locotenentul asta. Desi incalca legea, desi se drogheaza, falsifica probele, ameninta batrane, le-o trage consumatoarelor fitoase de droguri, isi pierde timpul si banii pe pariuri, fumeaza marijuana in fata arestatilor, ramane tot erou - prinde cativa dealeri importanti si razbuna moartea unei familii aproape nevinovate. Mai mult, are pe cap un tata alcoolic, o mama vitrega alcoolica si drogata, o iubita prostituata de lux si clientii acesteia, un caine si datoriile lui imense catre casa de pariuri.

Finalul e aproape fericit, Cage inoata in viata precum un peste fara vise. Povestea insa scartie pe alocuri, pe la o pipa si pe la o lingura de argint, dar are cateva personaje bune si bine jucate, dialoguri destul de reale. Sfarsitul insa e un pic cam nehotarat si iti da impresia ca scenaristul s-a blocat, s-a jucat de cateva ori cu cateva "the-end-uri" si pana la urma a ales unul, ca trebuia sa puna punct.

Off-topic: jumatate din oamenii veniti la film au plecat inainte de final. Nu stiu daca din cauza filmului sau se grabeau la ceva eveniment din mall, ca era mare vanzoleala prin zona. Sigur insa au plecat cativa idioti care s-au apucat sa rada de ritualul de inmormantare senegalez - o scena dramatica din film. Si cred ca erau aceiasi idioti care se inghesuiau la cumparat bilete la film (poti sa pui cate bariere, linii galbene, indicatoare, afise vrei, ca romanii astia tot nu se prind cum se sta la coada in mod civilizat si tot nu pricep pe unde se intra si pe unde se iese).

Missing U2 :)

Clear mind, clear water

If you want to see more pictures from the Black Sea, go here: http://picasaweb.google.com/beudean/TheBlackSeaClearWaterClearMind2009#

“What’s your name soldier?”/ “No trust, no deal” cu Tarantino

For the English version of this article, click here.

Mai tineti minte bancul acela cu Titanic si Bruce Willis? Ce s-ar fi intamplat daca Bruce Willis ar fi jucat in Titanic? Ar fi salvat vaporul si oamenii si … adio poveste si istorie. Cam asa e si cu filmul lui Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds – o poanta cu scene bune, filmata bine, cu actori cu roluri scurte si “esentiale”. Razboiul se termina cu un an mai repede si in stilul lui Tarantino si al filmelor americane in care binele infrange si razbunarea se realizeaza inainte de “the end”.

Mi-a placut, desi nu pot spune ca nu m-am simtit un pic prost razand la bancul lui Tarantino. Cum pot sa rad de cruzimile din al doilea razboi mondial? Si ma intrebam ce or fi simtit germanii, evreii, vazand filmul acesta? Si oare razbunarea “dinte pentru dinte” nu e de condamnat?

Razbunarea? Pana la urma si evreica moare, intr-un fel e pedepsita pentru planul diabolic. In ceea ce priveste, suferinta evreilor, primul capitol o trateaza cu respect si surprinde perfect esenta lucrurilor si cruzimea evenimentelor, iar apoi aceasta coarda nu mai este atinsa. Apoi, filmul nu vorbeste de nemti, ci de nazisti, si oricum nemtii sunt prezentati ca niste persoane extrem de educate, care cel putin vorbesc mai multe limbi decat americanii. Iar cu americanii e ironic, dar reda caricatural si bine implicarea lor in sfarsitul celui de al doilea razboi mondial cand au venit si au curatat “rahatul” din Europa.

De fapt, toate personajele sunt niste caricaturi. Brad Pitt? Joaca bine, a inteles ca e vorba de o gluma si face bine pe nebunul. Si vorbeste italiana extraordinar! (Sigur ca da.)

M-am dat un pic si pe net si m-am uitat la criticile primite de film si unii zic ca Tarantino este intr-o pasa proasta, ca filmul nu are actiune, ca rolurile sunt prea scurte, ca unele lucruri, cum ar fi accentul de sudist al lui Brad Pitt, sunt exagerate si artificiale, ca schimba istoria, ca actorii europeni au primit roluri mici, ca e crud fara rost, dar totusi nu pana la capat s.a.m.d. Eu zic ca a fost un banc bine construit si ca trebuie privit doar din aceasta perspectiva si atat. Relaxati-va si aveti incredere in Tarantino.

“What’s your name soldier?”. “No trust, no deal” with Tarantino

Do you remember the joke with Titanic and Bruce Willis? What would have happened if Bruce Willis had played in Titanic? He would have saved the boat, the people… and that will be the end of the story and of the history. Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is quite similar – a good joke, with great scenes, shot well, with small, but complete roles. The war ends up one year earlier, in Tarantino style or in an American style in which the good wins and the revenge takes place before “the end”.

I liked the movie, but I cannot say that I felt completely comfortable laughing at Tarantino’s joke. It is still a “sensitive” joke about the cruelty of the world war II, and what did the Germans or the Jews think about this? And shouldn’t we condemn the “tooth for tooth” revenge?

Revenge? In the movie, the Jew woman,who planned the diabolic event, to burn the Fuhrer and hundreds Nazis, is punished, so she gets killed. Then the Jews’ suffer is well and respectfully treated and mentioned in the first chapter of the movie, and then this side of the war is not “touched” anymore. In addition, the movie doesn’t speak about Germans, it speaks about Nazis, and still the Germans are presented as very well educated men, who at least speak more languages than Americans. The movie is ironic with the Americans, but still it presents, in a very synthetic and funny way, how they got involved in the war and how they came to clean the European “shit”, following their democratic values.

All the characters are funny as some caricatures. Brad Pitt? He plays a good role, and he understood that the movie is a joke and he loves to play a crazy man. And he speaks a very good Italian. Lol.

I searched the Internet and I found out that the film critics were not so impressed by Tarantino’s movie. Some of them say that he is in a bad shape, that the movie has no action, that the roles are too small, some things are artificial and exaggerated (such as Brad Pitt’s accent), that the movie is too cruel or not cruel enough, that the European actors got only unimportant roles, etc. I say that it was a well built joke, and it has to be seen only from this perspective. So, relax and enjoy it and trust Tarantino.

L(i)(o)ve Cinema

For the English version of this article click here.

Ma uitam pe programul de filme de la cinema acum 5 minute (atemporale). Nimic interesant. Se fac filme de zeci de ani… inca nu sunt o suta, nu? Si eu am inceput sa ma indoiesc de faptul ca ar mai fi subiecte care nu au fost atinse, perspective care nu au fost impartasite, scene si modalitati de filmare care sa nu fi fost incercate.

Am vazut in filme trecut, prezent si viitor. Ultimele filme bune pe care le-am vazut mi-au placut pentru ca: unul era ironic cu prezentul, unul avea o perspectiva bine exprimata asupra vietii, unul avea o actiune si un scenariu bine construite si unul mi-a adus aminte ca viata e gri si ca si cel mai mare criminal poate fi iubit. L-as iubi? Care sunt filmele? Nu conteaza.

Vorba unui prieten, nu ne mai speriem la filme de groaza. Nimic nu ne mai poate surprinde. Ne plictisesc povestile de iubire, comediile ni se par stupide, filmele SF - excesiv incarcate si fara consistenta, filmele politice – tot politice. Stiu ca am zis ca nu mai merg la Von Trier, dar el aduce in scena subiecte “bolnave” pe care altii fie nici macar nu le gandesc, fie nu au curajul sa le puna in film. Si e nou, revoltator si genial ce poate iesi dintr-o idee “vomata”.

Si cum n-am gasit niciun film de vazut, astept momentul noului film al lui Tarantino. Oare are ceva nou?Poate mi-ar placea sa ma duc la cinema ca sa ma uit la o transmisie live din Time’s Square… sa vedem ce fac new-york-ezii chiar acum, la ora 17. Si ce fac la 17-05. Spectatori din Romania sa urmareasca ce fac oameni din SUA. Si cei din Africa - ce fac cei din Asia si asa mai departe. Si fara stiri si meciuri de fotbal la cinema, va rog.

Oare poti inchiria de ziua ta o sala de cinema (cu popcorn cu tot) si sa alegi tu ce filme vrei sa le pui invitatilor? Oare ar veni cineva la o astfel de petrecere?

L(i)(o)ve Cinema

I was looking at the list of the movies running in the theaters this week. Nothing interesting. There are less then one hundred years of cinema history (correct me if I’m wrong), and I began to think that there are no new subjects for the movies – all were discussed and presented over and over again. There are no new perspectives, scenes or ways of shooting a movie. Nothing can surprise us enough.

I saw the past, the present and the future in the movies. I liked the last movies I watched because: one was ironic with the present time, another one had a very good and well presented view over the life in general, another one had a very good script, and the last one reminded me that life is gray and even the biggest criminal can be loved. Would I love a criminal? Which are the movies? It doesn’t matter.

As one of my friends says the horror movies are not scary anymore. Nothing can surprise us anymore. We get bored when we watch a love story, the comedies are stupid, the SF movies don’t have consistence, but are based on excessive special effects, the political movies are too political. I know that I promised to never watch Von Trier’s movies again, but at least he has new subjects (quite “sick” topics) that others don’t dare to transform in movies or that others don’t even think about. And he is able to make from a “vomited” idea an original, and shocking movie.

So, I didn’t find any movie to watch. I’m waiting now for the new Tarantino’s movie. Would it have something new? Maybe I would love to go to the theater to watch a live movie/reality show from Time’s Square… just to see the New York people at 5 pm, or at 5:05 pm. So people from Romania will watch people from USA. And those from Africa will watch people from Asia and so on… But news and football games would not be projected in the theaters (please!).

I wonder if one can rent a theater for his/her birthday and pick up the movies he/she wants to share/watch with his/her guests. Would anyone come to such a birthday party?

U2 day - my unforgettable fire

My favorite U2 song - Unforgettable fire ... is again in their concerts :)

The Unforgettable Fire
1984!!!

Ice
Your only rivers run cold
These city lights
They shine as silver and gold
Dug from the night
Your eyes as black as coal

Walk on by
Walk on through
Walk 'til you run
And don't look back
For here I am

Carnival
The wheels fly and the colors spin
Through alcohol
Red wine that punctures the skin
Face to face
In a dry and waterless place

Walk on by
Walk on through
So sad to beseige your love so head on
Stay this time
Stay tonight in a lie
I'm only asking but I...
I think you know
Come on take me away
Come on take me away
Come on take me home
Home again

And if the mountain should crumble
Or disappear into the sea
Not a tear, no not I

Stay in this time
Stay tonight in...
Ever after, this love in time
And if you save your love
Save it all

Don't push me too far
Don't push me too far
Tonight
Tonight
Tonight...

Ganduri de Intercity

For the English version of this article, click here.
Am inteles in sfarsit de ce ma obosesc calatoriile din ultimul timp. N-au fost multe, dar suficiente sa imi dau seama ca imi place sa plec si sa nu ma intorc mai devreme de cateva luni. Dar in ultimul an, n-am facut decat sa ma intorc spre acelasi si acelasi loc - orasul in care mi-am cumparat cele mai multe genti. Si asta ma oboseste. Nu, nu sa imi cumpar genti, ci sa dau apa la moara locului din care cred ca vreau sa plec.

Tot in ultimul timp imi spun ca, de fapt, nu imi doresc altceva de la viata decat sa calatoresc nonstop, fara opriri de lunga durata, sa cumpar vederi, sa scriu vederi si jurnale de calatorie si, eventual, sa pictez. Ce o sa fac cu ce am agonisit pana acum? O sa port discutii interesante cu oamenii interesanti pe care sper sa ii intalnesc pe parcurs.

De ce nu ma uit si eu pe geam cand sunt in tren si ma pune ala mic si negru sa ma sprijin intr-un cot si sa ma uit asa, in fata, printre scaune? Atunci imi vin toate gandurile astea si nu ma pot concentra nici pe romanul care imi sta pe genunchi, nici pe muzica din casti si nici integrame nu pot sa fac. Pentru ca pe "culoarul" asta in V mai vezi o mana, jumatate de zambet, margine de sacou, colt de rucsac, gesturi fara sens. Si imi dau seama ca asta e tot ce vezi si in viata din ceilalti oameni. Niciodata nu ii poti vedea pe de-a-ntregul si atunci cand se apropie de scaunul tau pot sa iti ofere prea multe surprize.

Mai bine m-as uita pe geam si v-as spune despre ce a mai ramas din Romania. Am fi cu totii mai castigati dintr-o analiza a garilor, a campurilor de porumb si a ruinelor de la Copsa Mica.

Train thoughts

Finally I understood why I get so tired when I'm traveling. I traveled enough in the last few weeks - long enough to realize that I don't like the fact that I have to come back. I love to leave and, if it's possible, never come back for good. But in the last year, I came back over and over again in the same place - the city where I bought a lot of purses. And this makes me tired. No, I'm not speaking about the shopping. I'm tired because I feel that coming back to the same old place strongly connects me to it - to the city I think I want to leave.

At the same time, lately, I tell myself that the only things I want from life are: traveling, buying postcards, writing postcards and journals, and, probably, painting. What would I do with all the knowledge and work and life experience I got till now? I would use these for all the interesting conversations I would have with interesting people I would meet.

I cannot understand myself. Usually people that travel put their eyes on the train's window and... look at whatever they see. That's not me. I look to the chairs symmetrically aligned in front of me and that's the moment when all these thoughts come into my mind and I cannot focus anymore on the novel I read or on the music I listen to. Looking to the chairs perfectly aligned, making a perfect passage where I can see parts of the travelers: a hand, half of a smile, a part of a jacket, the corner of a bag, some nonsense gestures. And I realized that's life. A passage where you can see or meet only parts of people, a passage where you can never get a person with all his/her details. And when a person gets up and comes to your chair you can have a lot of good or bad 'surprises'.

It would have been better to look out of the window, and now to tell you about what left from Romania. We probably would be happier with an analysis of the railway stations, corn fields or Copsa Mica ruins.

Cand minti cel mai bine? Atunci cand spui adevarul.

For the English version of this article, click here.

Nu sunt psiholog si nici nu am cautat vreodata sa inteleg cum inregistram lucruri in memorie si pe baza caror criterii inmagazinam amintirile. Dar am e explicatie, de fapt un rationament emotional.

Nu cred ca memoria noastra e selectiva, in sensul ca tinem minte doar lucrurile de care avem nevoie mai tarziu. Nu cred in asa ceva. Tinem minte doar adevarul si uitam miile de minciuni pe care le spunem, in care traim sau pe care le credem la un moment dat.

Stiti voi pe cineva care poate sa isi controleze memoria precum hardul unui calculator si sa stearga sau sa pastreze doar ceea ce vrea? Am o noua teorie nascuta in miez de noapte si intr-un moment in care mi-e sila de anumite lucruri, de oameni si prietenii. Iar nu pot dormi.

Eu cred ca inregistram si suntem capabili sa redam doar acele lucruri care spun adevarul despre noi, despre cine suntem noi. Si daca analizezi amintirile oamenilor iti dai seama cine sunt ei si cine si ce e cu adevarat important pentru ei.

Tinem minte momente pe care le-am trait intens si uitam penibilitatile si momentele in care am pretins ca suntem altcineva. Sau le tinem minte si pe acelea daca ceva ne-a marcat in acele momente, precum diferenta grotesca dintre ceea ce vroiam sa fim si ceea ce eram cu adevarat.

Eu imi aduc aminte conversatii intregi cu persoane la care tin foarte mult, dar nu tin minte nici ce mi-a spus cineva acum 5 minute, daca nu ma intereseaza. Si nici macar nu mai pun intrebari atunci cand nu ma intereseaza ceva. Adica opresc ciclul ce faci?-bine, tu?-bine la ce faci?-bine sau vrei un mar?-nu, multumesc, ca ma doare stomacul la vrei un mar?-nu. Si daca spun nu, nu mai insista. Accepta faptul ca mi-esti indiferent/indiferenta si nu mai astepta politeturi, ca nu le fac decat in mod exceptional.

Cel mai demoralizant e cand constati, intr-o relatie cu o valoare mai mare de zero, ca tu tii minte totul si celalalt nimic. Dar nimic. Nu din ce ai spus tu, ci din ce a spus el/ea. Oamenii care uita tot sunt oamenii goi pe dinauntru, care niciodata nu sunt ei, mai mult, care habar nu au cine sunt si traiesc constant intr-un fals prezent. De astia, mi-e sila.

What’s the best lie you can tell? The truth.

I’m not a psychologist and I never tried to understand how we record things in our memory and what criteria we use to record the memories. But I have an explanation which is more like an emotional reasoning.

I don’t believe that we use our memory only to deposit the things which we can use later in our lives. I think we record only the truth about us, and forget thousand of lies we tell, live or believe at one moment in time.

Do you know someone who can control the memory records like she/he can control his/her PC’s memory? I have a new theory created in the middle of the night and during a time when I’m sick of so called friendships, nice people and things. I cannot sleep again.

I believe that we record and we are able to re-play only the things which can talk about the real us, about who we really are. And if we analyze the people’s memories, we can draw a great portrait of who they are and what/who is really important to them.

We recall the great moments which we intensively lived, but we forget the awkward moments in which we pretended to be someone else. We might remember the awkward moments too, but just because in those seconds/minutes/hours something traumatized us, like the grotesque difference between what we wanted to be, and what we were.

I can remember full discussions with the persons I really care about, but I cannot remember a thing from the conversations took 5 minutes ago, if I’m not interested in the person or in the conversation. In other words, I break the chain How are you? – I’m fine. How are you? – Great, and I stop to How are you? – I’m fine. Or Do you want an apple? – No, thanks. I have a stomachache is transformed in Do you want an apple? – No. And if I say NO, please believe me, don’t buzz me anymore. Accept that I don’t care about you, and do not expect me to be polite, because I won’t be (only in some exceptional cases).

But the worst of the worst cases is when in any kind of relationship, you observe that you have a good memory, meanwhile the other cannot recall a thing. Nothing. Not from what you said, but from what she/he said. People who forget everything are empty inside, they are never themselves, they never know who they are and they live constantly in a false present time. I’m sick of these people.

VPT

For the English version of this article, click here.

Viitorul este mut.

Un cercetator american de 93 de ani construieste orasul viitorului. Si inca din anii ‘70. Jaque Fresco ii aseaza pe oamenii viitorului in cercuri, lanseaza avioane radiant, creeaza masini aerodinamice, genereaza energie prin chestii fotovoltaice, integreaza tehnologia in natura si ne deplaseaza in aparate de zbor VTOL (vertical take-off and landing). Mai mult, viseaza la gradini exuberante si la zone rezidentiale cu case izolate. Vrea sa inlocuiasca actualul sistem social. Si cica filmul Demolatorul, pe care eu nu l-am vazut, a pornit de la ideile sale. Centrul de cercetare si design al lui Jaque este in Florida, iar primul oras experimental ar putea sa fie construit undeva in America de Sud.

Curiosi? Despre viitorul mut, proiectul Venus aici: Beyond politics, poverty and war. Credeti ca oamenii viitorului vor accepta sa traiasca intr-un astfel de oras? Credeti ca acest proiect va reusi? Credeti ca merita sa se investeasca carute de bani intr-un astfel de proiect?

Prezentul e galagios.

Inchid geamul de la masina si ascult in continuare Snow Patrol. Nu pot sa il mai aud pe copilul care imi lipeste de geam un bilet in care imi spune povestea lui de cersetor. Cobor in centru in ritm de clanxoane, vorbesc la telefon in care urlu ca sa fiu auzita, in timp ce in dreapta mea, Mihai de 9 ani imi cere bani de mancare.

Ne plimbam linistiti pe trotuar, in ritm de week-end si de centru, in spatele nostru un copil plange isteric. Parintii se agita sa il calmeze. Inot pe spate, cu urechile in apa, ca sa potolesc zgomotul din jur si sa traiesc linistita prezentul. Pe o terasa izolata ascultam muzica franceza veche, in timp ce de la bar urla un dance-disco-house combination. Ma avant din nou in apa. De data asta, incerc sa inot spre fundul bazinului. De prea multa liniste nu pot respira. Revin, tanti de la autogara canta in microfonul – still anii ‘80 – ca microbuzele si autobuzele vor pleca spre… “la orele 7”, de langa jumatatea de trotuar pe care ea o numeste peron. Plec. Imi pun castile in urechi, ascult Kabaret – Patricia Kaas si citesc Zorro.

Trecutul e o tragedie comica.

Am vazut astazi Nunta Muta a lui Horatiu Malaele. Un prezent plin de vaduve si de lumanari si ruine. Un trecut comic, colorat, dar cu final tragic. Un film devenit mut din cauza regimului comunist, adica din cauza povestii, si nu din cauza unei tehnologii primitive.

Merita vazut.

FPP

The future is in silent mode.

An American researcher (93 years old!!!) builds the city of the future world, and he has been started in the ‘70s. Jaque Fresco places the future human beings in circles, launches the planes in a radiant way, develops aerodynamic cars, creates energy through photovoltaic things, relates the technology with the nature, and provides VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) flying machines. Moreover, he dreams at beautiful houses with huge and exotic gardens, isolated from neighbors. He wants to replace the current social system with a new one. And I heard that his project inspired the movie Demolition Man (I didn’t see that movie, did you?). Fresco’s lab is placed in Florida, and the first pilot city would be built somewhere in South America. Are you curious? If you want to find more about the silent future, and Venus project, click here: Beyond politics, poverty and war. Do you think that people will accept to live in such a city? Do you think that the project will be a successful one? What do you think, is it fair to invest this huge amount of money in such a project?

The present is on high volume

I close the car’s window and I continue to listen to SnowPatrol. I cannot listen anymore to the child who puts on my window a note with his story as a beggar. I get down from the car in the city, in the horns’ sound, I talk on the phone and I scream so that I can be heard, meanwhile next to me Mihai, who is 9, asks me for money or for food.

We were walking on the street, downtown, in a beautiful week-end. Behind us, a baby screams hysterically. The parents are angry in their effort to calm down the baby. I swim, with my head under the water, to leave the sound behind me and to live quietly the present. In a nice and isolated restaurant we listen to some French old music, meanwhile in the same restaurant, at the bar the people listen to some dance-disco-house combination. I jump again in the water. I try to swim going deeper and deeper in the water. It’s too much silence, I cannot breathe and I come back. The lady from the information office from the bus station sings in the microphone that buses will leave at 7 am, from the almost invisible sidewalk that she officially calls gate. I leave the bus station. I put my headphones on and I listen to Kabaret – Patricia Kaas and read Zorro.

The past is a comic tragedy

I saw today The Silent Wedding directed by Horatiu Malaele. The present is full with widows, candles and ruins. There is a past which is comic, colored, but with a tragic end. The movie is a mute one not because of a bad and primitive technology, but because of the communism. Watch it!

Anti-Lars Von Trier

Iesind de la Antichrist, am spus cu voce tare si cu o oarecare furie rationala: Nu mai vreau sa vad niciun film de al lui. Si nici nu am sa mai merg la vreun film Von Trier. M-am pregatit psihic, am stiut ca va fi dur, dar nebunia regizorului, de data aceasta, a depasit limita.

Ca spectator m-am simtit agasata, fara vreun scop. Daca in celelalte filme ale lui, vazute de mine, vedeam unde vrea sa ma duca si de unde vroia sa ma faca sa ma intorc un alt om - cu sentimente mai multe, mai variate, cu limite si momente depasite - de data asta nu i-a mai mers cu mine. Refuz sa mai caut explicatii, sa inteleg mesajul filmului, imi accept limitele psihice si spun ca pentru mine e prea mult si fara sens.

Ii recunosc genialitatea ca regizor, pe care nu si-o pierde, dar refuz sa mai intru in lumea lui care devine din ce in ce mai nebuna, cu fiecare film, doar de dragul de a fi nebun.

Coming out from the theater (I've watched Antichrist, directed by Lars Von Trier), I said with some rational anger in my voice: Never. I don't want to see any of his movies. And I will keep my promise: I will never go to one of Von Trier's movies. Before going to Antichrist, I prepared myself, I knew it will be an emotionally hard movie (as all the others I've seen), but this time the director's madness went beyond any limit.

As a movie watcher I felt emotionally abused, for no reason. If in his other movies I knew that there was a reason for all the "shocks" received - I knew where the director wants me to go, what new feelings I should explore, and what limits I should break - this time he wasn't able to convince me of his other intentions beside madness. I refuse to look for explanations, reasons. I refuse to understand the movie's message. I accept my psychological limits and I say it's too much for me and it doesn't make sense.

I recognize Von Trier is a genius, and he remains a genius for me, but I refuse to enter in his world anymore, a world which is crazier than ever, only for the sake of being crazy.

Home - stop thinking about money, and start thinking about your life

Home - watch this incredible documentary and change your way of thinking and action! :) It's the first documentary / material / movie I see that presents the links between pollution and poverty, and provides the whole picture, with causes and effects, of our own home destruction which happens "faster and faster". We have only 10 years left to change the way in which we developed ourselves and this world in which we live. After 10 years there will be no way back.

The producer Luc Besson has released the new documentary online entirely for free. It is available on youtube till June 14th. Watch it, at least for the breathtaking images!

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

Garapa

For the English version of this article, click here.

Apa fiarta cu zahar. Asta e hrana de fiecare zi a copiilor din satele sau suburbiile sarace din Brazilia. Nu m-a socat nimic din acest documentar - Garapa. Modul de viata, mentalitatea familiilor, preocuparile lor seamana perfect cu cele ale familiilor din Romania care traiesc in saracie.

Am invatat inca o data ca saracia este la fel peste tot in lume. Oamenilor le e foame, copiii sunt bolnavi, dezbracati, nu au parte de scoala. Adultii nu gasesc de munca, cu totii traiesc in case mizere, nu au apa, imbracaminte. Alcoolism, dependenta de tutun, boli venerice, hepatita, infractionalitate sunt doar cateva dintre problemele care se repeta comunitate cu comunitate.

Ce am invatat nou? Cu burtile lipite de spate, oamenii nu fac nicio legatura directa dintre situatia in care se afla si faptele lor. Sunt saraci si rabda foame pentru ca nu ploua, pentru ca Dumnezeu vrea (“God gives”), pentru ca nu sunt locuri de munca, pentru ca orasul este departe, pentru ca statul nu le da nimic, pentru ca nu au acte. Si au dreptate. Solutiile care i-ar putea scoate din saracie ii depasesc. Si de ce i-ar asculta pe altii? De ce ar crede in cei care ii condamna sau dispretuiesc?

Nu sunt educati, nu au avut modelele potrivite pe care sa le urmeze si de la care sa invete, nu au resursele si puterea necesara sa treaca peste barierele pe care le vad la tot pasul. Lumea se uita urat la ei si in urma cu mai putin de un secol unii doreau sa ii extermine de dragul speciei umane si al teoriilor adunate in “eugenics”.

Aduna frustrare sau se resemneaza sa manance cat de cat normal 12 zile din 30. Tac, inchid ochii si intorc spatele copilului care plange de durere de dinti, pentru ca nu au ce sa ii faca – bani de medicamente nu sunt, orasul e departe, doctorul costa. Nu e nimic de facut. O sa treaca. Copilul sa va lupta singur cu durerea, cu boala, cu foamea. Cei ce pierd aceste lupte mor si mor in jur de 16.000 pe zi in intreaga lume.

Imagine: Alexandre Lima

Garapa in Brazil and anywhere in the world

Boiled water with sugar. That’s the main meal of the children living in poor villages or suburbs from Brazil. Nothing shocked me in this documentary – Garapa. Their way of living, their mentality, their habits are very similar with those of the Romanian families living in poverty.

Once again, I learned that the poverty is the same wherever you go in this world. People are hungry, the kids are sick, undressed and they don’t go to school. Their parents have no job, they live in dirty houses. Drugs and alcohol addictions, STDs, hepatitis, crimes are only some of the problems that affect every single poor community.

What did I find out? With the hunger in their bones, these people don’t make any connection between their actions and the situation they are living in. They are poor and hungry because: there is no rain, “God gives”, the government doesn’t help them, the city is far away, there are no jobs for them, they don’t have IDs. And they are right. They are not able to see any solution for themselves. And why would they listen to others? Why would they trust people who judge or hate them?

They have no education, they had no positive adult models in their childhood, they don’t have enough power and resource to cope with their problems. Besides these, people living around treat them bad, and just one century ago others were making plans to exterminate them, in order to clean the society and put in practice “eugenics” theories.

These poor people get frustrated or resign, eating normally only 12 days out of 30. They close their eyes, and turn their back to their own child when this one is crying because his/her teeth hurt. There is no money for medicine drugs, the city is far away, and the doctor is expensive. There is nothing they can do for him/her. He/she has to deal with the pain, the illness or the hunger alone. Those who lose these every day battles are dying, and every day, around the world, 16,000 children are defeated.

Image credit: Alexandre Lima

Trifoi cu patru foi rupte

For the English version of this article, click here.

Niciodata nu am spus-o cu voce tare, dar sunt o norocoasa. De obicei, tramvaiul pleaca din statie chiar in fata mea si ploua aproape de fiecare data cand ma imbrac in alb. Apoi, in momente unice, de maxima importanta sau prestanta, se intampla ceva minunat precum cazutul intr-o balega uriasa de vaca (nu e doar o metafora, chiar am cazut) sau datul cu nasul de asfalt - si pe asta am patit-o.

O parte din deciziile importante din viata mea le-am luat urmandu-mi acest noroc chior demonstrat mai sus. Adica, in momentele de cumpana, chiar am avut noroc. Si am urmat “semnele” care mi-au intarit deciziile, pe care poate le luasem deja, sau mi-au adus aminte cine sunt, unde ma duc, ce vreau, cum zambesc, cum privesc, cum glumesc/ironizez, cum gandesc si ce visez.

Acum aproximativ un an, am intalnit, pura coincidenta, in autobuzul New York-Philadelphia, cel mai interesant si destept barbat roman de pana atunci. In trei ore de calatorie, am vorbit ca si cum ne-am fi cunoscut de o viata. Fara intentie si fara urma de banuiala, Oscar din Tecuci angajat in Manhattan, mi-a intors viata pe dos si m-a adus in trei ore de calatorie acolo unde un psiholog bun m-ar fi adus in 2 ani de terapie de canapea. A fost prima mea vizita in New York, care a inceput cu un… accident de masina. Si accidentul ne-a tinut in loc, noroc ca am intarziat, ca sa intarziem si sa prindem ultimul autobuz in care aparea Oscar.

Dupa un an, recunosc un moment de mari intrebari care se tot intind, repeta, reformuleaza de ceva vreme si care culmineaza cu: merita sa mai traiesti in Romania asta unde “nimic nu mere bine, tati fura?”; esti fericit(a) in Romania? Raspunsurile sunt din ce in ce mai grele, chiar mai grele decat realitatea. Dar cum sunt o norocoasa, ieri am primit o palma (acum asta e doar o metafora).

Un punct de vedere la care nu m-am gandit nicio clipa: de fiecare data, cand eu ma plang de Romania, jignesc pe cineva pe care il respect pentru munca si ideile sale, pe acel om care se lupta in continuare sa schimbe tara asta in ceea ce ne-am dori noi toti sa fie. Il jignesc pe acel om care doarme putin si se plange si mai putin sau chiar deloc, munceste mult si care chiar a reusit sa schimbe lucruri si oameni in ultimii ani. Multumesc unui alt roman extrem de interesant si destept (si arogant, ca sa il citez), pe care l-am intalnit de curand. Mi-a adus aminte de cum gandeam acum doi ani si de “Emigratia-n fata-verso” si de atunci, surprinzator, Romania a evoluat. Deci, de ce ma plang? De un progres? Si nu, de data asta, nu am facut niciun accident, dar tot am avut un mic ghinion.

Bonus: Cum stiu ca am intalnit o persoana interesanta? Simplu: incep sa ma balbai, sa spun tampenii, sa inteleg tot mai putin din ceea ce imi spune, sa transform orice lucru interesant din viata mea in cea mai naspa experienta, sa ma impiedic, sa dau semne de blonda, sa umblu in balerini ca intr-o pereche de pantofi cu tocurile rupte, sa scap lucruri pe jos, sa fac ochii mari de incantare, sa raman muta de uimire si fara argumente. Si atunci stiu ca omul din fata mea e imprevizibil ca un film foarte bun si ca merita toata atentia mea.

Lucky bloody clover

I never really recognized it, but I’m a lucky person. Usually, I miss all the buses, and it rains when I’m dressed in white. Then in the most important and formal moments, something bad happened, like I slip on caw’s shit or simply on the street (both happened).

I made some of my life’s decisions following this good luck proved above. I was really lucky in the most difficult moments of my life. I followed the “signs” which supported my decisions or which reminded me who I am, where I go, what I want, how I smile, how I think, laugh or what I dream about.

Approximately, one year ago, I met, by coincidence, the most interesting and intelligent Romanian man I ever met till then, in the New York-Philadelphia bus. We talked three hours like we knew each other for a long time. Without any intention and without knowing, Oscar from Tecuci working in Manhattan put my life upside down and helped me in three hours in a way that a psychologist would have helped me in two years of hard work on her/his couch. It was my first visit to New York which started with a… car crash. The crush made us to be late, and lucky we were late and we caught the last bus… also caught by Oscar.

After one year, it’s the moment of hard questions such us: is it worthy to live in Romania where nothing goes well and everyone steals? are you happy in Romania? The answers are hard to give and these are harder than reality sometimes. As I’m a lucky person, if you remember, yesterday I was slapped (it didn’t happen, it’s just a metaphor).

I was slapped with a point of view that I never thought about: every time I complain about Romania I hurt someone with my words and attitude. This someone is a man whose ideas and actions I respect, he is the man who still fights to change this country in a way that all of us want. I hurt the man who sleeps few hours per night, complains almost never, works a lot and who succeeded to positively change things and people. I have to thank to this extremely interesting and intelligent (and arrogant, to quote him) Romanian man that I met recently. He reminded me how I was thinking two years ago and, surprisingly, Romania made a lot of progress in these last two years. So why do I complain? Am I mad on the progress? This time there was no crash, but I did have a small accident.

Bonus: How do I know that there is an interesting person in front of me? That’s simple: I start to lose my words, to say stupid things, to understand little from what she/he says, to transform every interesting thing of my life in the most boring one, to act as a blonde, to walk in a funny way, to look as a hypnotized person, and in the end I’m mute. And then I know that the person who is in front of me is unpredictable like a good movie and he/she deserves all my attention.

Criza-n V(ant). Mugur vs. Joseph

Dati sfoara in tara, scrieti pe facebook, rulati pe twitter: Romania isi revine din criza. De ce? Cum? Simplu. La noi criza a fost (deja putem spune ca a fost) in forma de V. Cu alte cuvinte, am dat repede cu capul de fundul bazinului, dar ne ridicam la fel de repede la suprafata. Si pana la sfarsitul anului o sa iesim pe plus.

Intre timp, tari mai mari, mai tari, lideri globali inoata fara aer pe fundul negru al oceanului financiar. Faliment dupa faliment, ultimul s-a produs in raiul din Florida. In tarile astea, in general "unite", oamenii (ghinion! a trecut pisica neagra!) traiesc o criza de lunga durata. Si criza lor nu ne ajunge pe noi. Nu, nu... noi il avem pe Mugur - un specialist plin de optimism - si un guvern si o piata financiara cum rar mai gasesti. Masurile anti-criza au fost rapide, bine gandite si am avut bani pusi la ciorap.

Numai ca un laureat nobel in economie si specialist cu experienta, clar-vazator al crizei (un Joseph), spune ca criza va fi de luuunga durata si nu numai in tarile alea unite. Si clar, dar foarte clar si limpede nu e in forma de V. Dar din politete, cu mult tact si cu un zambet fortat, ne spune noua romanilor si altor oameni din economii slab dezvoltate ca poate-poate nu ne va fi asa de greu, cum economia noastra era deja destul de aproape de fundul bazinului. Adica n-am cazut de sus. Incurajator.

Man's world

"barbatii nu faceau nimic, doar stateau de vorba la cafenea. Magari, camile, autobuze..." (foarte subtila si ironica Isabel Allende) ;)) / "the men were doing nothing, except chatting and drinking coffee. Donkeys, camels, buses..." (Isabel Allende seems to be very ironic and smart in writting) ;))

O afacere profitabila ce trebuie oprita de consumatori

Afacerile cele mai necurate si cele mai profitabile nu sunt nici cele cu arme si nici cele cu droguri. Fiinta umana traficata pare sa devina afacerea viitorului pentru organizatiile criminale. Cateva grame de cocaina se vand si se consuma o singura data, femeia sau copilul traficat se vinde de cateva ori pe zi si poate la nesfarsit sau pana la sfarsitul vietii lor – mor in chinuri sau reusesc sa se sinucida.

27 milioane de oameni sunt traficati pentru munca fortata sau pentru sex in fiecare an. 80% dintre victime sunt femei, mai bine de jumatate dintre cei traficati sunt copii. De obicei, victimelor li se promite un “dus” de bunastare, fericire, vise ce pot deveni realitate. Sunt prostite, luate de pe strada sau vandute de cei in care aveau cea mai mare incredere – parinti sau rude sau prieteni apropiati. Se simt vinovate ca au crezut in cineva sau ca au visat. Cu cutitul la gat in fiecare zi, vandute de 10-20 de ori pe zi, brutalizate de stapani si clienti, nu se mai simt oameni. Se supun, pentru ca cei care le controleaza ii controleaza si pe cei dragi lor sau pentru ca spera ca suferinta lor nu poate dura la nesfarsit si vor doar sa supravietuiasca.

Mor. Si daca nu mor, cum va fi viata lor dupa aceea? Atunci cand se arunca de la etajul unui hotel de cartier prost faimat si sunt gasite moarte pe strada fara acte si imbracate provocator – asa cum le-au obligat “stapanii” – sunt tratate ca prostituate, cadavre pe care nu le revendica nimeni. Atunci cand reusesc sa fie salvate, nu primesc mai multa consideratie, iar compasiunea nu le ajuta. Ce ai putea sa le spui? Ce ai putea schimba in acel moment? Nimic.

Cand nu ne place un produs, nu-l mai cumparam.  Ar fi capabili consumatorii de fiinte traficate sa renunte sa le cumpere si/sau consume? Daca am reusi sa privim acest subiect ca un subiect de economie internationala, ca o piata cu cerere si oferta, asa cum o fac organizatiile criminale, ne-am concentra nu doar pe “stapani”, pe cei care vand, cat si pe cei care cumpara – clientii. Ei trebuie opriti.

Mapendo

Few days ago I started to read Paula by Isabel Allende. Yesterday evening I found this speech where she “tells tales of passion” – passion that makes people to change themselves and the world.

It’s also a speech about… women. I learned that saying “it’s not fair!” is not enough, and you have to find “mapendo” – the great love or passion that helps you make a difference.

Revolutie sau tacere democratica?

For the English version of this article, click here

Daca maine creierul vostru ar organiza alegeri ce ati vota?

a) Sa vorbesc  si sa nu ma gandesc la NIMIC

b) Sa ma gandesc si sa nu vorbesc NIMIC

c) NIMIC

Tanjesc dupa discutii interesante care sa ma scoata din maruntisurile discutiilor despre pantofi cu nasturi. Ultimele idei extraordinare, puse in discursuri simple si inteligente, le-am auzit / impartasit in urma cu trei luni. Una dintre discutii, care a durat cateva ceasuri - mutate dintr-un restaurant intr-o cafenea si apoi pe strada - era despre cum sa ajuti oamenii care traiesc in saracie sau tari “in curs de dezvoltare” fara sa ii/le umilesti. A doua a fost un schimb de emailuri despre filmul The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. De atunci, nu imi aduc aminte nicio alta idee sau conversatie care sa imi zdruncine neuronii.

Ma simt ca un fumator care nu a mai fumat demult, iar atunci cand pune intre buze prima tigara tremura, scapa bricheta, se arde si tuseste inecandu-se cu extaz. Cand gasesc omul potrivit, cel cu care altadata aveam discutiile cele mai interesante, ma pierd si il pierd intre greseli de copil care invata sa vorbeasca.

In ultima saptamana insa mi-am hranit creierul cu discursuri de pe www.TED.com/talks. Ma uit la trei-patru discursuri in fiecare seara si apoi pot sa dorm linistita. Mi-am luat drogul care ma ajuta sa rezist o zi intreaga in discutii care, in mintea mea, se incheie intotdeauna cu “bla, bla, bla” sau sa tac gandind si regandind ideile care imi fac ochii sa sclipeasca a multumire.

Aici aveti unul din discursurile hranitoare, fara E-uri sau coloranti artificiali (a fost greu de ales unul cum toate pe care le-am vazut pana acum mi s-au parut foarte bune):

 

Revolution or democratic silence?

If tomorrow your brain organizes elections what will you vote for?

a) I want to talk and think about NOTHING

b) I want to think and talk about NOTHING

c) NOTHING

I miss interesting discussions/meetings as much as I miss heaven. I want these to get me out from daily talks about shoes with buttons. I heard or shared the last good ideas, put in simple and wise speeches, three months ago. An eternity. There are two talks I can clearly remember from this period of time: one was about how we can help people living in poverty or country less developed without humiliating them – I spent couple of hours at lunch, in a cafe and then on the street talking about this issue with one of my friends; the other one took place online, using emails, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was the main topic. Since then I cannot remember any other extraordinary idea which could “shock” my neurons during an interesting conversation.

I feel like a smoker who didn’t smoke for a while and when s/he touches the first cigar with his/her lips, s/he shivers, drops the lighter, burns his/her fingers and coughs because of too much pleasure. When I find the right man for an interesting talk, even if I have something good to say, I lose myself and lose him/her too.

But in the last week, I tried to feed my brain with speeches from www.TED.com/talks. I watch three to four speeches every night and then I can sleep like a baby. It’s like taking some pills that help me to survive 24 hours of those small talks which end, in my mind, with the common “bla, bla, bla”. Or I can stay in silence all day long and I can think about the TED ideas and my ideas which make my eyes to glow in a thankful and peaceful way.

Here is a sample of a nurture speech that has no artificial ingredient (it was very hard to pick one, as all the speeches I watched were great):

Despre Auschwitz si alte "calitati" umane

For the English version of this article click here

Cel mai bun mod de a te ascunde e sa fii prezent peste tot, dar totusi sa nu stai niciunde prea mult timp, incat sa fii recunoscut, cunoscut sau dat in vileag.

Am vazut aseara din nou The reader. (De o vreme, vad prea multe filme de mai multe ori, desi nu imi place acest lucru. Chiar aveam o "regula" sa nu pierd vremea cu cititul unei carti de doua ori sau cu vazutul unui film de mai multe ori). Nu s-a intamplat nimic diferit fata de prima vizionare. Nu radeti, ca stiu si eu ca nici "la reluare" nu se da gol. Ce vreau sa spun este ca am observat aceleasi lucruri, nimic nou. Asta e primul indiciu ca nu e neaparat un film extraordinar.

Totusi e un film greu, care se zbate intre moralitate, lege, iubire si drama si care nu te lasa sa iei o decizie finala unica. Daca ar fi sa sacrifici filmul de dragul fiecarui personaj, scenariul s-ar schimba pentru fiecare dintre personajele principale. Acest lucru este valabil pentru orice film, dar aici e mai evident decat in oricare altul vazut de mine pana acum si, ca si privitor, mi-am dorit sa am un singur unghi din care sa ma uit si sa judec stramb, pentru un oarecare confort emotional. Oricum, pana la urma am ales. Am lasat individul si legea deoparte si sustin moralitatea si binele comun.

Nu pot sa mint si sa ascund o oarecare admiratie care mi-a fost starnita si de film si de vizita mea din toamna de la Auschwitz: admiratie pentru calitatea muncii, pentru organizarea extraordinara a nemtilor si pentru indarjirea lor in urmarirea obiectivelor. Si daca stim atat de multe despre ceea ce s-a intamplat in lagare e posibil, in mare parte, datorita acestor "calitati". Pe de alta parte, ma sperie cum aceste "calitati" au fost folosite pentru eficienta industriei de omorat oameni.

Lectiile invatate si din acest film si din vizita din toamna sunt: viata nu poate fi privita in alb si negru (aceasta e in primul rand "reala" si de cele mai multe ori gri); supravietuirea multora, si a victimelor si a calailor, se datoreaza momentelor "roz" din viata - acelor momente tinute in cutiute pictate marunt si dosite departe de ochii tuturor celor din jurul tau. Nimeni nu e de incredere. "Victime" sau "calai" devin inamicii tai, doar pentru ca pretuiesc viata si "cutiuta" lor mai mult decat pe tine sau orice prietenie/relatie "profunda".

Si lagarele nu au facut decat sa scoata in evidenta aceste caracteristici ale fiintei umane mediocre. Acest tip de fiinta ar raspunde la intrebarea ofiterului SS-ist adresata judecatorului "tu ce ai fi facut in locul meu?": "la fel ca tine". Cati dintre noi pot sa spuna ca in conditii similare ar reactiona moral si nu s-ar supune autoritatii sau instinctelor de supravietuire? Cati dintre noi ar rezista instinctelor de supravietuire cand isi controleaza cu greu instincte/hormoni mult mai usor de controlat? Cati dintre noi ar rezista torturii fizice sau psihice? Cati dintre noi ar rezista presiunii autoritatii? Cati dintre noi ar rezista foamei? Cati dintre noi nu si-ar dori moartea? 10%? Ati fi printre cei 10%?

Ca sa citez un personaj din film, lagarele nu au fost universitati unde oamenii au invatat cum sa supravietuiasca. Din lagare nu iese nimic, spune victima, iar eu adaug ca totusi iese durerea care spala tot pe dinauntru si te lasa apoi gol.

M-am dus la Auschwitz din intamplare si multumita unei dragi prietene. Am intrat in lagar, seara tarziu. Ploua si trageam o geanta mica dupa mine prin balti. Mi s-a parut sinistru. Am dormit in fostele birouri SS-iste si mi-era groaza sa deschid geamul care dadea spre "baraci". Asta pana in prima zi, cand mi-am dat seama ca acolo e multa durere si ca studiam o masina de ucis oameni. Am vrut sa invat cum sa supravietuiesc si n-am reusit decat sa uit complet de mine si de cei dragi pentru trei zile. Lagarul e plin de povesti si durere. Nu pleci cu nimic mai mult. Tot nu stii cum sa supravietuiesti si tot nu stii cum ai fi reactionat in locul victimelor sau chiar al calailor.

About Auschwitz and other human "qualities"

The best way to hide is to be everywhere, but still do not spend too much time in any place, you do not want to be recognized, known or denounced.

I saw again The reader last night. (I started to watch too many movies for more than once, even if I don't like this thing. I even had a rule not to lose my time re-reading a book or re-watching a movie). Nothing happened differently. It was the same movie. Don't laugh, I know that it should be like that. What I want to say is that I didn't observe anything new. That's the first sign that the movie is not so good.

But still it's a hard movie that struggles with morality, law, love and drama and which does not allow you to make any final and unique decision. If you had to sacrifice the movie for the well-being of each character, then you would have changed the script for every single main character. Maybe this could happen with any movie, but I believe that this issue is more obvious for this movie than for any other movie I saw until now. As a movie-watcher, I wanted, more than ever, to be able to use only one angle, one point of view in understanding the story... for my emotional comfort. Anyway, in the end I chose to leave out the individual story and the law and to support the morality and the well-being of the human society.

Moreover, I cannot lie and I cannot hide my "admiration" for the Germans involved in the camps work: they were very well organized, their work was high-quality, and they were focused and firm on their objectives. This admiration appeared in my mind during my visit to Auschwitz from last autumn and I felt guilty for it. But we are able to learn so many things about the Nazi camps, because these "workers" had all these "qualities" I mentioned. At the same time, I was and I am terrified to find out how these "qualities" were used for the efficiency of a killing-people industry.

The lessons I learned from the movie and from my visit: life is not "white" or "black", it is real and most of the time it is "gray"; most of the victims or SS men survived in these camps because of the "pink" moments from their lives - moments crowded in a small painted tea caddy hidden from everyone. Nobody could be trusted. Victims or guards are your enemy, just because they might value their live and their painted tea caddy more than you or your friendship/"strong" relationship.

The Nazi camps only made these "characteristics" of mediocre human beings more obvious. This non-entity, this mediocre human being would have had a simple answer - "I would have done the same" - to the SS man's question "what would you have done if you had been in my place?". How many of us can say that in similar conditions we would have reacted in a moral way and we would have refused to obey the authority or our survival instincts? How many of us would have resisted to our survival instincts, when, now, we cannot resist to other instincts/hormones which are easier to manage? How many of us would have resisted to physical or psychological torture? How many of us would have resisted starvation? How many of us would have not wished for our death? 10%? Would you be one of these 10%?

I will quote one of the movie character: the Nazi camps were not Universities where people learned how to survive. From these camps nothing can come out, says the victim, and I will add that only pain comes out from the camps. This pain washes everything inside you and then leaves you empty.

I went to Auschwitz by coincidence and thanks to one of my dear friend. I entered in the camp late in the evening. It was raining and I was carrying a small bag through the rain water. It was dreary. I slept in one of the ex-offices of the SS men and I was afraid to open the window and to observes the barracks during the night. Then I realized that there is a lot of pain and I was studying a killing-people machine. I wanted to learn how to survive and I only succeeded to forget completely about me and my dear family and friends for three days. The camp is full with stories and pain. You cannot get more than that, and that is more than enough. You cannot learn how to survive and you cannot find yourself and learn how you would have reacted if you had been a victim or a SS guard.

Look right, look left

... and enjoy the space between right and left. That's London for me. I'm not in the "right" mood to describe my "left" impression on London or on my trip. I'm still in the space between right and left. Enjoy these pictures:









If you want more pictures from London, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/beudean/Londra#

Ce se intampla, doctore? (partea a doua)

For the English version of this article, click here.

"The talks may seem high-minded and maybe even irrelevant to the person in the street: nothing could be farther from the truth. This summit has to start to lay a creative map for the world ahead.

Past economic collapses have one particularly unfortunate consequence - they often end in conflict, in war. It would be welcome if this time, human beings could crack that model."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7907780.stm

Da, v-ati prins, este vorba despre viitorul summit-ul G20 din Londra, din 2 aprilie, cel pe care eu il astept inca de la articolul "What's up doc?". Atunci eram foarte revoltata ca cei 20 de lideri mondiali nu se misca destul de repede si nici nu prea stiu ce sa faca si... asteapta.

Discutiile astea ale lor poate ca sunt irelevante pentru salariul meu si al celorlalti, dar mi-e teama ca cei 20 de lideri o sa uite de niste lucruri extrem de importante. Poate ati auzit de bancul ong-istilor cu acei copii aruncati in rau a carui morala era ca trebuie oprita acea persoana care arunca pruncii si nu sa tot sara cate un ong-ist dupa fiecare copil aruncat in rau, sa il salveze. Acum mi-e teama ca, in timp cei 20 de lideri cauta "ucigasul de copii" si gandesc strategii care sa impiedice alti oameni sa arunce copiii in rau, tot ei o sa uite de "copiii" care sunt deja in rau sau chiar de raul poluat. Adica o sa lase pe ultimul plan saracia globala care se adanceste, mediul care se murdareste tot mai tare, resursele care se scurg si nevoia de a "inventa" constant a omenirii.

Pe de alta parte, imi place atitudinea pe care o adopta, exact contrara crizei anilor '20-'30. Cel putin tarile UE vor sa lupte impotriva protectionismului si sustin ca criza trebuie rezolvata prin planuri globale bazate pe incredere si cooperare. Acum, pot sa spuna una si sa faca alta, desi nu prea cred ca au incotro si musai sa faca ceea ce spun.

SUA, Franta si tarile din Asia de Est nu prea sunt de acord si vor protectionism national si si-au cam facut de cap, daca nu ele ca tara, atunci companiile lor. Insa chiar daca acestea adopta o politica de protectie a economiilor nationale, cati consumatori "globali" vor alege sa cumpere un produs doar pentru ca asa ar incuraja economia nationala ??? Stiu ca nu e vorba doar de consum, ci si de productie, de importuri si exporturi, dar nu cred ca se mai poate pune stavila globalizarii, atata vreme cat aceasta a devenit extrem de accesibila la nivel individual, iar intermediarii - cei care ar putea initia regulile jocului - au disparut sau sunt pe cale de disparitie. Ce o sa faca? Ne taie Internetul? Ne confisca telefoanele? Opresc televiziunile? Distrug avioanele? Inchid granitele? Sau le scumpesc pe toate?

What's up, doc? (2nd episode)

"The talks may seem high-minded and maybe even irrelevant to the person in the street: nothing could be farther from the truth. This summit has to start to lay a creative map for the world ahead.

Past economic collapses have one particularly unfortunate consequence - they often end in conflict, in war. It would be welcome if this time, human beings could crack that model."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7907780.stm

Yes, you got it. I want to talk about G20 summit from London (April 2nd), the summit that I'm waiting for since "What's up, doc?" article. At that time I was mad that the 20 leaders don't work fast enough, they don't really know what to do and they just... wait.

Their meetings and discussions may not be relevant for my income or others' income, but I'm afraid that those leaders will forget some really important things in this process of getting the world out of the financial crisis. Maybe you heard the nonprofit joke/story with those babies thrown into the river. The conclusion of the story is that it is better to catch the one who throws the babies into the water than to wait for babies on the river and save them.

I'm afraid that while these leaders will look for "the babies killer" and build strategies to prevent any other incident like this one, the same leaders will forget about the babies who are already into the water or about the river which is strongly polluted. In other words, they might forget about the global poverty which is getting worse, the environment which is dirtier and dirtier, about the resources which are less and less, and about the constant human need for inventing and re-inventing itself.

On the other side, I like the new attitude which seems to be the opposite of the one from '20s-'30s crisis. At least, it seems like the EU countries are decided to fight against national protectionism and they suggest that the financial crisis must be solved through global plans based on trust and cooperation. Now, they can "talk" this, but they can "walk" it differently. I hope and believe that they cannot do it in another way - they have to stay globally.

USA, France and East Asia don't really agree the previous idea and they took some actions and established some protectionist rules. But even so, how many "global" consumers will change their habits/tastes only to support the national economy? I know that it's not everything about consuming, that it is also about imports, exports, production, etc. But still I do not think that we can stop the globalization, as it is already "on the street", and it's working not only for countries, governments and companies, but also for individuals. What will "they"(the powerful leaders) do? They will cut the Internet? They will take our phones? They will stop the TV channels? They will destroy the planes? They will close the borders? They will increase the prices for all these "networking" and "communication" global services?