One of my favorite series of all time; The Tudors. Contains everything a good movie or series need: sex, intrigues, violence, jealousy, drama, tons of exposed breast, attractive men and women and a little blood. Brilliant.

This time, the blogger has read some Belgian comic books, De Rode Ridder (The Red Knight) no. 195, called “Olavinlinna” and “De Lieve Lilleham“, an album in the series of the adventures of Suske & Wiske (Spike & Suzy / Bob & Bobette / Willy & Wanda); in both comic books, published by the Studio of Willy Vandersteen, the Olavinlinna Castle and its history play a role, giving exotic color to the story. In the adventures of the Red Knight, though, the past and present are combined in a way that may amuse a Finn, or at least a historian. More about Suske en Wiske in English. In Nordic translations, by the way, Suske and Wiske translate into Finn & Fiffi.

Kun belgialainen sarjakuvasankari Johan, De Rode Ridder (“punainen ritari”, The Red Knight) eräänä kauniina keskiajan kesäpäivänä ratsastaa Olavinlinnaan, hän ei aavista, millainen juonittelujen verkko hänen ympärilleen kiristyy.  Iloinen linnanpäällikkö Risto (!) ottaa hänet vastaan ystävällisesti, mutta hänen vaimonsa Frida (!) ja kaksoisveli Mika (!!) juonittelevat hyväntuulisen, vahingossa puukolla itseään viiltävän päällikön kuolemaa. Mustalaisnaisen varoitukset eivät auta – Risto kuolee petollisen veljensä käsissä. Paha saa kuitenkin palkkansa, ja lopulta Mika kaatuu juhannuskokkoon suomalainen puukko rinnassaan. Hehkeissä harsoissaan uimasille heittäytynyt Frida puolestaan joutuu Olavinlinnan vesissä elävän hirviön kitaan.

De Rode Ridder ei tässä 195. albumissaan (Olavinlinna, 2003) ole parhaassa iskussa – vaikka kannessa komeilee alkuperäisen piirtäjän, Willy Vandersteenin nimi, kirja on hänen studiolleen työskennelleen Karel Biddeloon käsialaa. On kuitenkin hauska jäljittää tarinantekijän lähteitä ja sitä, millaisista elementeistä hän on tarinansa rakentanut. Paikallisväriä tarjoavat Osmo-sepän keittelemä paloviina (“ei nautittu Olavinlinnassa keskiajalla”, mutisee lukija) sekä taitavasti taottu puukko (“Een PUUKKO! … Wat zouden we zonder Puukko beginnen?”), jolla Johan-ritari kostaa Riston kuoleman.

Kuten yllämainituista esimerkeistä jo huomaa, nimistö (Risto, Mika, Jyrki, Osmo…) on modernia tai keskiajalle epätyypillistä, ja moderni on myös linnan ympäristö. Linnan tornit ja rakenteet on kuvattu nykyisessä asussa (mukaanlukien 1700-luvun lisäsiivet), ja 1800-luvulla istutetut lehtipuutkin viheriöivät keskiaikaisella linnanpihalla. No, mutta mitä pienistä. Vesihirviö (käärme) näyttää kehitellyn Olaus Magnuksenkin raportoimasta vetehisestä/näkistä, joka soittelee linnanpäällikön kuolemaa ennustellen Olavinlinnan vesistöissä 1550-luvun puupiirroksessa (Olaus Magnus, Pohjoisten kansojen historia).

De Rode Ridderin seikkailu on perinpohjaisin kansainvälinen seikkailu, jossa Olavinlinna on tullut vastaan, vaikka suomalaisittain tunnetumpi kansainvälinen vaikute on varmaan Olavinlinnan käyttö Tintti-albumissa Ottokarin valtikka, erään kuvitteellisen linnan esikuvana. Olavinlinna ja sen vanhat tarinat tulevat vastaan myös erässä varhaisemmassa, Willy Vandersteenin nimissä julkaistusta albumissa, lapsille suunnatussa sarjakuvassa Anu ja Antti (holl. Suske en Wiske, ransk. Bob et Bobette  – nimet eri kielillä löytyvät täältä, ja englanninkielinen muistelupläjäys täältä).

Olavinlinna komeilee 1980-luvulla suomeksikin ilmestyneessä sarjakuva-albumissa Seikkailu pohjoismaissa (De lieve Lilleham, 1984, piirtäjä Paul Geerts, keskustelua täällä). Albumissa Fantasian maasta saapuu nuori vaaleakutrinen Hanseman (Lilleham), jonka juonien seurauksena päähenkilöt seikkailevat pohjoismaissa. Oudossa pohjolan maassa juhlitaan juhannusta ja kohdataan kaikenlaisia maahisia ja menninkäisiä. Loppukamppailut käydään modernin karussa Olavinlinnassa ja sen pihalla, missä kuuluisa musta pässi ja Eerik Akselinpoika Tott saapuvat kurmottamaan petollista Hansemania. Toki Olavinlinnaa on käytetty kotimaisissakin yhteyksissä – vuoden 1965 Lumilinna on edelleen sangen vinkeä laulu- ja fantasiapotpuri.

I Staterne hedder “Vild med Dans” – “Dancing with the stars” – og en gammel favorit af min, faktisk helt fra da jeg var teenager, er også med på den. Donny Osmond! Han gør det fabelagtigt, som her i Charleston og er nu i finalen. Jeg hepper på ham. Se ham danse nedenfor og bliv i godt humør. Han er helt sikkert en fantastisk preformer og danse kan han også. Go, Donny go!

In English:

In the States the Danish “Vild med Dans” is called Dancing with the stars – and an old favourite of mine from way back when I was a teenager is dancing too. Donny Osmond. He is doing a great job as here in the Charleston and is now in the finals. I’m cheering him on. See him danse and feel your mood going up. He is most certainly a great preformer and he can dance too. Go Donnny go!

call it what you want but it looks like I will never learn my lesson about Alan…I did it again…it’s been more than 2 years already of this hide and seek game of us…how do we do that? no matter how strong my promises to myself are, that never ever again…? why? and it’s always so good with him and so much fun…untill it’s gone…silly me…some few times more and we might as well call it: a habbit…of spending nice time together…go with the flow…

This proposal assumes construction of the Šaľa – Nitra rail line. That link would allow trains from Bratislava to enter Nitra from the south, over a shorter route (about 85 km), via the Bratislava – Budapest line.

Via a new tunnel in Nitra, and a new line eastwards, they could reach the existing line along the Hron valley – the line to Zvolen. It is possible for trains to do that already, but the route is indirect and inconvenient. The existing line runs in the ‘wrong direction’ at first, and then over the Tribeč mountains, passing north of Mount Zobor to Jelenec. From there, the existing line passes through Zlaté Moravce, and joins the Hron valley line at Kozárovce. In general the existing route follows the edge of the mountains. Most of the new alignment would be somewhat further south, but it would join the Hron valley line at Psiare, 2 km north of Kozárovce.

The first requirement is a new eastern exit from Nitra. Since it would be used by trains coming from the south, it would logically run north from Nitra station, and then east. That is only possible with a tunnel, of about 3 km. This option would allow a new station in eastern Nitra, and possibly under the city centre as well. With 85 000 inhabitants, Nitra is large enough to justify extra stations. Two possible alignments are shown. The southern option (blue) would enter tunnel just before Nitra station, with underground platforms alongside the existing station.

The new line would then parallel the main road out of city to east, Zlatomoravecka cesta. It would parallel this road for 14 km to Jelenec, where it would join the existing rail alignment (line to Zlaté Moravce). Probably, a short tunnel under ridge at Kolíňany would be necessary.

Passing Jelenec, the new line can follow the existing straight alignment. It would then run parallel to the existing line, rejoining it at Choča. From Choča, trains could use the existing line to Zlaté Moravce station. (The town has 13 000 inhabitants, the Zlaté Moravce district 43 000). The new line would diverge at Choča, south-eastwards toward Kozárovce. The alignment shown is only schematic, but the geography implies a route north of Tesárske Mlyňany, south of Volkovce, and north of Kozárovce. The alignment shown crosses several ridges and valleys: the ridges are 30-50 m higher than the stream in the valley. Some viaducts and short tunnels may be necessary.

North of Kozárovce the line would split. The south fork would turn into the existing Kozárovce station. Trains would continue over the relatively straight and level line to Levice. This town has 35 000 inhabitants, and is capital of the Levice district (118 000).

The north fork would join the Hron valley line at Psiare, where the valley narrows before passing through the mountains. The line in the valley must be upgraded, as part of the total route to Zvolen, but that is not considered further here. On the image, the corridor along the Hron valley is clearly visible, with the basin around Žiar_nad_Hronom. The larger town of Zvolen (population 43 000) is 20 km further.

The total length of the new alignment from Nitra station to Psiare, would be about 42-44 km. It would improve inter-regional services from Nitra to 4 other district capitals (Zlaté Moravce , Levice, and Zvolen).

byron was fgrat, were all fucken burnt p (specially Lucys towel) and my back hurts and im fucken tired. But it was worth it! YAaay motherfucker

Dr. House: It’s a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what. The weird thing about telling someone they’re dying is it tends to focus their priorities. You find out what matters to them. What they’re willing to die for. What they’re willing to lie for. <Three Stories, House, M.D.>

Today I met an American. He lived in Taiwan for around a year before (Hualien is one of his favorite place in the world now) and can speak good Mandarin. Someone asked him why he wanted to live in Taiwan and learn Mandarin. He said he once felt illness and went to see a doctor. That doctor told him that he needed to have big brain surgery. He was shocked, but later luckily his doctor told him that his diagnosis was wrong. This event made him realize that he might not have the chance to fulfill his dream, which is to live in a foreign country and learn a different language. That’s why he made his mind to act soon.

Actually, few days ago, I met someone who just recovered from a big brain surgery. He had a benign tumor removed from his brain and after the surgery he permanently lost his taste for food. He told me that his dangerous surgery made he have a new perspective on life.

Few days ago, a friend of mine told me something he read from a book. The book says if you want to plan your life, you can start it by imaging your funeral. Imaging in your funeral what you want other people to say about you?

Presented tentative results from the.GTO.project at the 7th Cyberspace conference (Brno) today. The theme was “Construction of gender online among young people in Estonia and Sweden”, with data from bilddagboken.se and rate.ee.

I crave sex; I have always been a very sexual creature. It can be soft and slow, with someone I care about or rough and hard with a complete stranger (and of course the other way around). The important part is that I have decided never to be ashamed over my sexuality. Because I love fucking!

Sex is something natural, which sprouts at an early age, something wonderful and exciting. Being a woman (and everybody knows this), you are told by society not to be over sexual; you should of course enjoy sex, but not too much…!?! But what would be the perfect sex drive and what’s normal? There is no answer to this question, it’s different for everybody and this is what makes the world a wonderful place; all the differences.

I’ve always despised humans who think that one thing excludes another, why not have it all? Because you can… or at least you can strive for it.

I am at an age where I have stopped caring about people’s opinions about me and my sexuality. I am young, I am hungry and I am willing….

FEED ME!

underraged

Ignorance of the music from your country

I’ve been in Brazil 6 or 7 times, in addition to good adhesion of the people who always welcomed me with great affection, we love foreigners, Americans in particular.Another thing that delighted in Brazil is the music. when I was in Moscow I stayed at the house of the people who speaks Esperanto, and during a dinner, the background music was Brazilian music, sung in English by a fellow countryman of mine (a Canadian). Although sung in English, Brazilian music is unmistakable, the rhythm, the swagger. When I refer to Brazilian music, I do not mean to MPB, because to me Ignorance of the music from your country

I’ve been in Brazil 6 or 7 times, in addition to good adhesion of the people who always welcomed me with great affection, we love foreigners, Americans in particular.Another thing that delighted in Brazil is the music. when I was in Moscow I stayed at the house of Esperanto, and during a dinner, the background music was Brazilian music, sung in English by a fellow countryman of mine (a Canadian). Although sung in English, Brazilian music is unmistakable, the rhythm, the swagger. When I refer to Brazilian music, I do not mean to MPB to me, MPB means: Pseudo Brazilian music, I say this because I’ve heard music of the American composers sung   in Portuguese like Brazilian music, it is difficult to understand, I think Brazilian music (the real one: Samba, Chorinho) is much more beautiful and richer than that of my country. It’s sad that most Brazilians do not recognize the music of their music, (I found during my research for this article, that the Brazilians do not study music in school) did a short survey, asked ten names of Brazilian singers sings  brazilian music. From the twenty people who I asked, only one hit eight singers.The same survey was done in the United States and Canada, with much better results. I will not mention name because of character, during one of my vacations in USA, I went to a show of Brazilian music in New York, “on stage one was a singer in Brazil as an artist was nithing… she …. how shall I say ‘ she sings world music’, but in the USA she chose thereal Brazilian music! It’s always like that, the artist sings the trash ever, when gets the bottom, she/he record, or go outside to sing  Samba. Fortunately there are those who do not follow fashion, are faithful to Brazilian music, that’s why I surrender to talented people like, Almir Guineto, Biro do Cavaco, Alcione, Dona Ivone Lara, Beth Carvalho, Jorge Aragão.

Jeanne  Piedrosis

Safety is a choice. Here’s a simple gizmo to install on any surfski or kayak that makes a steering system fully functional again if a cable breaks. 

Google: I am relative young. You already have large territories on both Desktop/Notebook OS and Microsoft Office. So, I don’t attack your main territories. Instead, I attack the areas you are not that good at. For document software, I have Google Docs that focus on online collaboration. For OS, I target mobile phones first. It’s easier to have new and better software (service) in these areas and if we do a good job, more and more users will use them. The trend is on our side because more and more people get online and mobile. When the time comes, I start the invasion on your territories. For OS, we will have the version for Notebooks then maybe Desktops/Notebooks. For Google Docs, I can have new versions for companies. If I fail to take your territories, it’s OK because I already have my territories now. If I make it, I can hurt you.

Microsoft: I am rich. From my point of view, you are only good at Search Engine. I will attack your foundation directly by using lots of my resources. If I make it, I can hurt you deeply. If not, I get almost nothing, but I will try it again.