Local news

[xptrinity]

We're just not "sexy" enough, from a journalist's point of view. Tens of thousands of people, marching peacefully the streets, for the eighth evening in a row - no violence, no police brutality (actually, the police supports us) - just chanting and some dancing. It's a social gathering of angry and unhappy likeminded people of all ages and walks of life, their kids and pets. The spirit is lovely, the energy is great. I enjoy it, though the reason is ugly.

I don't know for how long it will last. I think the government is playing a game of exhaustion with us - it is hot, summer vacations are coming and perhaps they hope that people will grow tired and go to the seaside and the mountains to cool off and forget all about it. But it seems that this time the people are determined and will not leave them alone that easily.

Here is my favourite from tonight:

"Those are more brutal than Rammstein"

Of course, there are way more brutal bands than them, but, as we agreed, the people wouldn't have understood the message, if, say, Deicide were mentioned

In other news: Today the Sofia metro published on their official facebook page the following:



"We are insistently urging all passengers in the metro, as well as in the other means of public transportation, to maintain high levels of personal hygiene. Make your trip enjoyable not only for yourselves, but for the other passengers as well "

A considerable number of people in Bulgaria shower only on Sundays (they live mostly in the neighbourhoods serviced by the metro) and, as I already said, it's getting really hot and rather smelly already.
Someone on facebook rightfully pointed out that the people, addressed in the message, don't use internet.

 

[papajohnny]

Someone on facebook rightfully pointed out that the people, addressed in the message, don't use internet.

Actually, I'm somewhat doubtful about that.


Personal experience, is all.


Bulgaria and Serbia aren't same tho

 

[EddieGunner]

just step by to say hello after some time,
wattss local news, hmm im in stockholm right now, and i dont see news lol

 

[papajohnny]

In 2 days I'm (finally) taking my exams for a med school/university/college or whatever you'd like to call it.
I've been preparing actively for this for over 8 months, which is also the first time in my life I've actually studied (gotta love the education system), and I just can't wait to get it over with.

I'm taking exams in a town about 50 kilometers away from here, so there's time to go through the whole 'Circle' while I'm driving there. Perfect soundtrack for my Mission

 

[tuonelan]

Good luck. Throw in Escape for good measure.

Baaaaaaaaaaack Toooooooooooo Schooooooool!

 

[papajohnny]

Thanks!

Pass the exam or not, there are plenty of songs by Amo which would fit my mood after it hehe

 

[Eurynome]

Pass the exam or not, there are plenty of songs by Amo which would fit my mood after it hehe

Hopefully Sky Is Mine rather than Hopeless Days. Fingers crossed!

 

[papajohnny]

Haha, yeah. I'm fully covered.

Thanks!

 

[papajohnny]

The results came in.

Sky is Mine.

 

[tuonelan]

The results came in.

Sky is Mine.

Having made it through grad school I'd say it's more like Into Hiding or Leaves Scar but congrats!

 

[Eurynome]

Congrats & cheers!

 

[papajohnny]

Thanks!

 

[xptrinity]

Congrats, papajohnny! Welcome to the beautiful world of higher education!

The body of one of the more controversial bishops of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was found on a beach near his seaside villa this morning. His dealings with the mafia suggested that it may have not been a natural cause or a mere accident.
According to the postmortem, however, he drowned.
As a friend put it: "God collects his dues."

 

[Eurynome]

Our esteemed minister of the interior has publicly declared that people should follow the Bible rather than the Law.

In her honor, an updated version of an old Harry Potter meme. These two ladies are true sisters in spirit.

 

[papajohnny]

Congrats, papajohnny! Welcome to the beautiful world of higher education!

Thanks!

Let's see if I survive in that brand new world...





Also, Bible is actually a pretty cool book.

 

[Eurynome]

Oh, I have nothing against the Bible, it's one of the great myths of humankind and a significant part of our Western heritage. And it has some badass characters, like Judit for example. And I, too, have committed acts of civil disobedience on more than one occasion, although not for religious reasons. But we're talking about a high-profile member of the government of what claims to be a secular state.

Anyway, Ms. Räsänen's low regard for the law is nothing new as such. She's also been responsible for drastic cuts in the police forces, leaving for example Lapland with currently 1 police officer per 396 square kilometers, and in practice most of them are stationed in the three bigger towns. If you get mugged or raped in one of the more remote villages, you don't even bother to call the police because the next patrol car is likely to be some 400 km away. Might be a good idea to carry a big, heavy edition of the Bible on you in those areas to hit prospective assailants in the head with. For some reason, however, knives and guns appear to be more popular.

 

[papajohnny]

^

Gotta give it to her, she's a woman with a plan.
How the hell did she get in that position in the first place? What' the general public response?


Earlier, when I was a lot younger, I had this naive, kiddy...uhm, dream, that politicians in other European countries were pretty cool folks...
...yeah, long time past that...




Also, my favorite character from Bible is Cain. Not much about him though, but he is pretty badass.

 

[Eurynome]

How the hell did she get in that position in the first place?

Her party was needed in the government coalition in order to get the majority of seats in parliament, and as its leader she was practically entitled to a ministerial position. But why she was placed in such a central one is completely beyond me. They could have made her one of the two health ministers, after all she's a doctor by profession.

What' the general public response?

- 960 people leaving the church yesterday and already more than a thousand today (the count an hour ago was just short of 1200)

- more than 10 000 new signatures on the ongoing petition to remove said minister from her office since yesterday, raising the total count to more than 66 666. :Smokedev:

 

[papajohnny]

Hohoho, I love your people's response.


We should all be living in a secular society, with choice of religion being absolutely optional for everyone. Of course, that's pure idealism and won't happen.

Here in Serbia, it's a regular and normal thing for high ranking ministers and otherwise people of political importance to make similar statements - none has gone so far as to say "Church before Law", but some got pretty close. Church and clerics often have a say in politics and public matter, more than they are allowed and that they should have, and many support them, even though their demands and sayings are often completely outrageous and/or stupid.

So it's pretty awesome to see people going against that, at least somewhere.

 

[xptrinity]

Here in Serbia, it's a regular and normal thing for high ranking ministers and otherwise people of political importance to make similar statements - none has gone so far as to say "Church before Law", but some got pretty close. Church and clerics often have a say in politics and public matter, more than they are allowed and that they should have, and many support them, even though their demands and sayings are often completely outrageous and/or stupid.

So it's pretty awesome to see people going against that, at least somewhere.

We have a similar problem - clerics trying to meddle in secular affairs. But they are usually ignored - both by politicians and ordinary people. Of course, there are religious people who follow the clerics, but not the majority. This is perhaps the only one thing that we should thank the commies for - we got rid of religion. Some might say religion = morality, but I tend to disagree. You're either a good person, or not. Besides, we don't have many examples of clerics (especially the high-ranking) being good people. Or at least we don't get to hear of them.

Her party was needed in the government coalition in order to get the majority of seats in parliament

You got the extremist Christians, we got the loony Nazis. Which is worse?

Meanwhile, last evening there was a terrible car accident (a speeding drunk taxi driver slammed into a crowded bus stop - 11 people in hospital, one dead) on one of the main boulevards in Sofia, which is usually blocked by protesters. The prosecution accused the protesters of not letting the ambulances through and they were delayed by 12 minutes. According to some eyewitnesses and the head of the emergency services in Sofia, the ambulances were not delayed.
Here is a video:

http://youtu.be/HvfmflMy6Xg
From the place, where the video is taken, to the place of the accident, is about five minutes by car, if it goes fast, and having in mind that the rest of the boulevard was completely empty of people or traffic.

So far, we have been called drunks, drug addicts, lumpens, rich intellectuals, bourgeoisie, etc. One of the few things we still haven't been accused of is being satanists. Maybe because the Patriarch blessed the protests.