mais maçons

PR on ‘anti-Vaira’ website picks up

RIGA — A website promoting an upcoming book on what it claims to be the darker, lesser-known side of Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga’s past has made available new, original source material.

The site – www.vairasvirtuve.lv – is operated by journalist Lato Lapsa, who is currently penning a book about the former president that, in his words, will throw light on aspects of her past that were previously glossed over.

(...) “Mr. Lapsa knows how to hint about something terrible that really isn’t that bad,” Kārlis Streips, a political commentator, told Baltic Reports.

Streips said he feels there is less altruism to Lapsa’s book project on Vīķe-Freiberga and more urge to make money. The book’s content, he said, will likely be a boon for the ex-president’s critics, particularly oligarchs such as Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs and Latvians on the fringe right.

“Ultranationalists have always wanted to believe that she is a wicked freemason,” said Streips. It is unclear when the book will be released.

Esta mulher que eu tanto estimo é acusada de ser maçon. Ignóbeis iznogudes. Até já imagino o nome da operação de investigação criminal: Friports, ou quiçá Slēptās Sejas.

atitude acertada

Zatlers: stop using word ‘occupier’

RIGA — Latvian President Valdis Zatlers has said that it is time to stop using the word “occupier” in relation to the country’s minority Russian population and that the Baltic state didn’t need integration, but a sense of togetherness in order to fully develop.

“I want to stress that the occupation of Latvia ended when the last Soviet soldier left. Therefore we need to agree that the word ‘occupier’ is no longer used in Latvia,” Zatlers said while answering questions from the readers of the Russian-language daily newspaper Telegraf.

“Occupier” is a favored epithet that Latvians hurl at the ethnic Russian minority. The latest instance occurred in September when Saeima member Juris Dobelis, a member of the nationalist For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK union, lashed out at Harmony Center lawmaker Alexander Golubov.

taipou*

Consta que os letões andam numa loucura de marketing para arrastar turistas até lá. A crise não é fácil de ultrapassar pelos "bons alunos" do neoliberalismo, então fazem campanhas caras para anunciar que Rīga é bom de visitar. A sombra da corrupção paira sobre a iniciativa, mas isso não espanta ninguém, pelo menos por estas bandas.

Sucede que eles são medíocres e dão erros em inglês.

“Live Riga” can’t escape controversy

(...) But “Live Riga” campaign has received criticism at the get-go. Besides corruption allegations, the visual campaign materials that were sent to journalists included posters with the slogan “Riga city: easy to go, hard to live!” instead of “Riga city: easy to go, hard to leave!”

Later the bureau corrected the posters and sent out the right version, but the original posters have already been published by media outlets and social networking sites.

Só tenho a declarar que concordo com ambas as fórmulas. É difícil viver lá e é difícil vir embora. Não é assim tão fácil ir lá, porque é longe comó caralho. O que é bom, para refrear os meus impulsos parassuicidas. Mas qualquer dia volto ao local do crime.

*type-o

quando a demagogia ultrapassa o aceitável

Latvian prison chief wants to rent out cells to EU inmates

MOSCOW, November 6 (RIA Novosti) - Latvia could rent out its prisons to take in inmates from other European Union countries, the head of the country's Prison Administration Board told the Panorama news program on Friday.

"If we can't export anything other than our own workforce, then I have an idea - we could build several prisons to accommodate EU inmates," Visvaldis Pukite said on the Latvian program.

(...) However, the country's justice officials have reacted with surprised to the proposal, pointing out that Latvia's prisons are already overcrowded.

State Secretary Martins Lazdovskis also dismissed the idea, saying that most Latvian prisons do not correspond to EU prison standards.

Para saber mais acerca das condições prisionais na Letónia, sugiro falem com alguns destes gajos.

prioridades bem definidas

Latvia to stage 'retaliatory' military exercises in summer

RIGA, November 2 (RIA Novosti) - Latvia is to hold large-scale military exercises next summer, in response to the Russian-Belarusian strategic exercises, held in September, the Latvian TV3 channel reported.

The TV channel quoted Latvian Defense Minister Imants Liegis as saying the decision to hold the drill was already taken, although it had not been yet set what military units would be involved.

The Russian-Belarusian drill, called Zapad (West) 2009, was held on September 18-29, involving about 12,500 service personnel, 40 aircraft and 200 pieces of military equipment.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the plan for the exercises, which was developed in the late 1990s in a bid to achieve greater political, economic and military integration between the two neighbors, was "purely defensive."

However, the Baltic States expressed their concern over the drill. The Latvian defense minister claimed the exercise scenario concentrated on attacking the Baltic countries.

Até porque têm dinheiro que chegue para isso... Um país na miséria, "comprado" pelo FMI, vai realizar exercícios militares para assustar a Rússia, que deve andar cheia de planos para invadir um membro da NATO.

marketing abusado

Latvian mobile operator says involved in staging meteorite hoax

RIGA, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - Latvian mobile operator Tele2 was involved in staging a hoax on a meteorite allegedly falling in the country on Sunday as reported by local media, the operator's marketing and sales director said Monday.

Janis Sprogis' confession to the Leta news agency followed a statement by the country's interior minister, Linda Murniece, vowing to recoup the costs of investigating the reports of a meteorite strike.

"I think they [those who staged the story] will have to pay for the work of all special services involved in the case. The sum will be big. People should be held accountable for such jokes," Murniece said.

Sprogis promised to compensate the state for its losses.

Já fui cliente destes chanfrados...

esmiuçando o FK Ventspils

Estava eu à espera que uma equipa letã estivesse pejada de gajos chamados Jānis, e vai-se a ver e não! Variantes desse nome, há duas: João Martins, português e produto das escolas do Sporting, e Jean-Paul Ndeki, camaronês. Estes dois competem claramente pela alcunha de Melnais Jānis. E eu vou para o Inferno por ter feito esta piada.

Em compensação, o clube conta, no seu plantel, com uma cambada de Alex's, quase todos eslavos:

16 Aleksandr Kolinko
2 Aleksei Soleichuk
21 Alessandro Dzamperini (italiano)
35 Aleksandr Baturinskiy
11 Alexey Vishnyakov
6 Aleksandr Misikov (russo)
20 Alexandr Dedov (moldavo)

A profusão de nomes eslavos, mesmo quando identificados como letões, leva-me ainda a supor que boa parte destes mânfios é bem capaz de ser portadora de alien passports, uma das aberrações mais imbecis que aquele belo país tem para oferecer...

Entretanto, e já que o Manuel Fernandes foi treinar o Setúbal, espero ver o meu Sporting a dar uma trepa a estes troncos amanhã, pelas 20h05 (22h05 locais), e se assim não for, o Paulo Bento que vá para o Jānis que o pariu.

centro comercial maringá, ao domingo

Portugal vai comprar créditos de carbono à Letónia

A "onda verde" que se vive neste mundo, de há uns anos a esta parte, tem consequências curiosas. As quotas de emissões atribuídas a cada país, podendo ser vendidas e compradas, têm o mérito de ajudar a controlar a porcaria que expelimos pelas nossas chaminés e tubos de escape. Infelizmente, ajudam à propaganda.

Dizia há uns tempos o nosso primeiro que Portugal cumpre as regras de emissões de carbono. Pois deve cumprir, já que esgota a sua quota e vai comprar quota alheia para continuar a emitir. Assim, o dinheiro do contribuinte, quer meu quer do leitor, não é gasto na modernização das empresas por forma a reduzir as emissões, mas sim na compra de créditos de carbono para emitir mais sem ser acusado de estar a poluir mais que a conta.

Além disso, comprar quota de emissões à Letónia? Que falta de jeito. Isto é gente que não tem faro para o negócio. A Letónia é um país completamente falido, onde as emissões foram reduzidas porque tudo faliu e ninguém pode pagar a conta do gás lá de casa, onde tudo está a ser vendido ao desbarato, e vão comprar títulos de fumaça?

E as putas giras?! Não compram essas porquê?!

guia para ser feliz II

Aqui as fotos da Blonde Parade em Riga :)

guia para ser feliz

Blondes to hold parade to cheer Latvia up

RIGA, May 27 (RIA Novosti) - Some 2,000 blonde women are to hold a parade in the Latvian capital of Riga as a cheer-up event during the ongoing economic crisis, the head of the Latvian Blondes association said on Wednesday.

"People need positive emotions, and I hope this event will cheer them up," Marika Gederte said.

Sunday's blonde parade, to be held under the motto "Make the world a brighter place," will involve an orchestra composed of fair-haired women, the organizer said.

The parade will be followed by a ball and contests to find the best "blonde lawyer," "blonde journalist," and others.

Polish postman refused 'license to thrill'

MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti) - A Polish postman who wants to change his name to James Bond as the first step in getting a new life has been refused permission to do so by local authorities, national media said on Wednesday.

Rafal Jarosinski, from the central Polish town of Radomsko, who is also a computer science student, is convinced that "to begin a new life, one should first of all change his first and second name."

Explaining his stance, Rafal said: "First, it is to prove that nothing is impossible. Now at my work I am no one and I have got nothing. When I will become James Bond, I will be someone."

The postman first started applying to local authorities a year ago, but his requests have been denied on the grounds that changing his name to that of the secret agent could be used with criminal intent.

vilnius revisited V

Conheci uma miúda de Borisov, cidade bielorrussa bem representada pela equipa sensação do BATE.

vilnius revisited IV

Hare Krishna!

vilnius revisited III

Resolvi repetir uma série de fotografias que tinha tirado aquando da minha anterior visita, com uma luz diferente, vá. Uma das coisas que me chamou a atenção foi o molde único das estátuas de timbre soviético. Molde, digo eu. Eis aqui, à moda do grande José Milhazes, o meu contributo para a História de Portugal:



Digam lá que os operários de bronze não são a cara chapada deste bravo resistente antifascista:


imagem retirada daqui

Sim, Cunhal era o Homem Novo Soviético!

vilnius revisited II

Automóveis americanos são bastante comuns no Báltico, há toda uma fixação por tudo o que seja anti-soviético a todos os níveis (possivelmente fruto de 50 anos de enrabanço, figurado ou não), de modo que um Pontiac só chama a atenção pela sua aura. Coincidência infeliz: foi a 29ª fotografia que tirei naquela terra. 29, Número fatídico. Era um sinal:

Pontiac RIP

Pontiac has become the highest-profile victim of the crisis in the American car industry.

The decision this week by General Motors to discontinue the brand shocked a generation of petrol heads who fell in love with the all American muscle cars the company developed in the 1960 and 70s.

We are talking about cars like the Pontiac Firebird, The Grand Am and the GTO.

Like Route 66, roadside diners and baseball all of these vehicles have become genuine artefacts of U.S. culture.

"If ever a car company defined swagger - Pontiac was it," says Peter DeLorenzo who runs the Autoextremist.com blog.

vilnius revisited

Já vos disse que fui a Vilnius?

Outra vez?

Para os mais desatentos, passei por Vilnius em meados de Junho de 2007, durante uma pequena epopeia ao volante dum jazigo com rodas. Recentemente, graças ao meu envolvimento no programa Campus Europae, tive a oportunidade de lá voltar (com mais tempo absoluto e menos tempo livre) e gostei muito.

Queria só partilhar isto convosco.

E vou partilhar bem mais nos próximos dias, à medida que a preguiça me abandona.

sinais de maturidade

Voters gain ability to dissolve Saeima

RIGA - Latvian President Valdis Zatlers has signed off on constitutional amendments that will make Latvia the only country in the EU where the electorate can directly dissolve the parliament by popular vote.

The Constitution's Article 14 now states that no less than one-tenth of voters can initiate a national referendum on dissolution of the parliament. If a majority of referendum participants, and no less than two-thirds of the number of voters who participated at the previous Saeima elections, votes for dissolution, the parliament will be deemed dissolved.

Não deixa de ser triste como naquele país de paus mandados, onde toda a gente tende a encolher os ombros quando a sua casa desaba, se chega ao ponto de ruptura e se toma uma atitude... Quem imaginaria que uns motinzinhos dariam resultado?

Em Portugal a democracia vem apodrecendo há algum tempo, estes últimos anos têm trazido machadadas incríveis nos direitos das pessoas, está instalado um clima de bufaria, e esses filhos da puta vão voltar a ganhar as eleições, graças a um bando de mentecaptos que preferem queixar-se todos os dias a tomar uma atitude. País de merda, povo de merda.

Vou voltar para a Letónia. Por isto e pelas gajas.

exacto, maçãs

Polish lawmaker blames apples for drunken driving claims

On Sunday Marek Latas, a lawmaker for the conservative Law and Justice Party of former prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was stopped by traffic police for a routine check and failed a breathalyzer test.

The breath test indicated the politician had 0.7 units of alcohol in his blood while the legal limit is 0.2 units. He claimed that he had eaten too many apples prior to getting behind the wheel, saying that apple juice is used to make alcoholic drinks such as cider.

"I am diabetic," he said, "and I did not drive while drunk. I ate several apples before driving."

The lawmaker, however, admitted that he "probably had a couple of glasses [of alcohol]" the day before he drove.

sempre tive um fraquinho por bancarrotas

Latvian debt is given junk status

Calha bem, salvo imprevistos vou lá passar o Verão...

motins.lv

Anti-government rioting hits Riga

Over 30 protesters injured in clashes in Latvian capital

gostava de lá estar agora... isto vem anos atrasado

um exemplo a seguir

Some 400 Latvians ask Russia's Abramovich to buy their country

RIGA, December 29 (RIA Novosti) - Over 400 Lativans have signed a letter addressed to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich asking him to buy their country, Latvia's novonews.lv website said on Monday. (Richest Russians - Image gallery)

The letter, posted by an unknown person on the petitonline.com website, reads, "Dear Roman Abramovich. As you may already know our homeland Latvia went bankrupt and is currently holding talks with the International Monetary Fund on the sale of our country for 7.5 billion euros ($10.7 billion)."

"I would like you to consider the possibility of purchasing Latvia: the population are hard working and pleasant, environmentally clean area and plenty of space to dock your yacht," the letter said. (...)

Earlier in the year some 2,000 Latvian residents, the country has a population of around 2.3 million, posted a petition on the internet asking the government of Sweden "to occupy" their country.

A solução para Portugal poderia também passar por algo desta natureza. Russos ricos, é coisa que não falta por aí, e quando a propaganda do magalhães rebentar na cara do nosso primeiro teremos a publicidade ideal. Francamente, andar a fingir que este país anda a frente é uma piada de mau gosto.