Beautiful evening here in the Chicago area. Chamber of Commerce day as they say…. After a hard days work - I settled in to enjoy an after dinner cigar. A God of Fire Carlito 2006 in fact. Excellent smoke.

Ligo Ligo !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3xBEPhZE78

Vidas,
Are you done telling us about your day yet?  Have you finished watching the un-funny ligo ligo video, have your lungs had enough of your foul cigar, has your dog hidden under the bed to avoid the second-hand smoke, have you stopped guffawing about the alcoholism problem in Latvia and Lithuania while polishing off a six pack that possibly deprives you of another “six pack?” Then here’s my suggestion for your bedtime reading: http://www.studykaunas.eu/?q=node/576
Labanaktis

Latvia as a role player. Sunītim et al.

Vysu lobu,
/P

And another one for Ambersun. Lithuanian ties implied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlUItR9GFHE

Andrejs

P.S.

For the record. I did watch fifteen minutes of Soviet Story. That’s all I needed to know that there is nothing the Soviet Story can tell me that I didn’t already know. The only real criticism I have of it is that its preaching to the choir. It will appeal to such as Ambersun, but unfortunately will not cross over to a broader audience which is ultimately what I hope any documentary dealing with the subject will do. Reinforcing what I already know and belive in is something I do not have much time for. I can think of better ways of spending it.

Andrejs,

If “been there, seen it /done it” is your wiseacre attitude, then it would be pointless for anyone to post another youtube video of “drunks in the Baltics.”  Maybe you or Vidas can find some new youtube videos for amusement that feature “drunks among the American Indians” and post them instead so that you’re not bored.   

It seems odd that a “Latvian” would so strongly resist seeing the one and only documentary film available about the Baltic tragedy caused by the diabolical collaboration of national communist Russia (“Soviet Union”) and national socialist Germany.  It’s amazing what interest there is among non-Latvians to see this film and what positive reviews it has received when the film is reviewed without anti-Latvian prejudice or pro-“knee-jerk-left” bias.  Maybe you just need a vacation or a pet to see the world and the old through new or different eyes.

Now the following link with 101 comments that are not found on this “Latvian” forum may just provoke either your interest or ire but hopefully arouse you out of “Soviet somnambulance” or “Soviet nostalgia,” whatever:
http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/essel-on-the-soviet-story/

I recommend buying the film or renting it but here’s an opportunity to download and read more “others” comments.  It appears that just about anyplace I look for info about The Soviet Story, non-Latvians are more worked up and have more to say than Latvians.  No sense in staying on this “laughing out loud” thread for further comments on The Soviet Story.
http://onebigtorrent.org/torrents/3479/The-Soviet-Story-2008

Anything for a fellow “latvian”.

Andrejs,

If “been there, seen it /done it” is your wiseacre attitude, then it would be pointless for anyone to post another youtube video of “drunks in the Baltics.”  Maybe you or Vidas can find some new youtube videos for amusement that feature “drunks among the American Indians” and post them instead so that you’re not bored.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZmxovBKoE

It seems odd that a “Latvian” would so strongly resist seeing the one and only documentary film available about the Baltic tragedy caused by the diabolical collaboration of national communist Russia (“Soviet Union”) and national socialist Germany.  It’s amazing what interest there is among non-Latvians to see this film and what positive reviews it has received when the film is reviewed without anti-Latvian prejudice or pro-“knee-jerk-left” bias.  Maybe you just need a vacation or a pet to see the world and the old through new or different eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXXGep9RB34

Now the following link with 101 comments that are not found on this “Latvian” forum may just provoke either your interest or ire but hopefully arouse you out of “Soviet somnambulance” or “Soviet nostalgia,” whatever:
http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/essel-on-the-soviet-story/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM8yHb19jhQ

I recommend buying the film or renting it but here’s an opportunity to download and read more “others” comments.  It appears that just about anyplace I look for info about The Soviet Story, non-Latvians are more worked up and have more to say than Latvians.  No sense in staying on this “laughing out loud” thread for further comments on The Soviet Story.
http://onebigtorrent.org/torrents/3479/The-Soviet-Story-2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_I4WgBfETc

Andrejs

P.S.

I did see Red Dawn. Wolverines!!

P.P.S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teMlv3ripSM

Are you done telling us about your day yet? 

Us ? God help us if there’s more than one of you. My post was directed to Andrejs, my brother in enjoyment of tobacco.

My day ? Didnt really post much about my day - which largely involved doing denial of service post mortems on various networks. Very messy.

Have you finished watching the un-funny ligo ligo video, have your lungs had enough of your foul cigar, has your dog hidden under the bed to avoid the second-hand smoke, have you stopped guffawing about the alcoholism problem in Latvia and Lithuania while polishing off a six pack that possibly deprives you of another “six pack?”

I could say as much about your penchant for babuska level scolding of everyone about everything. Run on sentences of truly epic length and your near total detachment from everything Balt besides whats copy and pasteable. But, spitting into the wind is lousy sport. I accept you for what you are.

No six pack - but a white Burgundy from Santenay. Pretty good for the minority grape of that part of the Cote D’Or.. Cigar was very fine actually. My favorite brand gifted to me for my birthday. A rare treat.

Then here’s my suggestion for your bedtime reading: http://www.studykaunas.eu/?q=node/576

Been there. Read that. It’s difficult for me to moralize from 3000+ miles away - you go right ahead though.

Vidas

It seems odd that a “Latvian” would so strongly resist seeing the one and only documentary film available about the Baltic tragedy caused by the diabolical collaboration of national communist Russia (“Soviet Union”) and national socialist Germany.

Snark off for the moment… Soviet Story has been covered in many places. I’ve seen it and frankly it wasnt very good. The delivery the film used was propagandist in nature - much dark accent music and gore for gores sake. Right idea about telling a tragic story - but the delivery was totally lacking.

A much better film is “Red Terror on the Amber Coast” which is more truly documentary in style using first person recollection to tell its story. There’s a good chance PBS will pick it up and show it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYET4bk0gvU

There’s plenty of printed material on the Soviet era - much of it not concentrating on a “blame the rooskies and germans for all of our ills current and former” point of view. The latter isnt a very grown up point of view. The Baltic governments that failed going into WW2 were positioned to fail (actually, were already failures) regardless of Molotov Ribbentrop etc.

Acknowledging the past is important. Living in it is poisonous. You consider the history as a lesson learned in a nations need to move forward.

You need to move forward Ambersun - desperately.

Vidas

Vidas,
If your mind was not clouded by yesterday’s stale wine and thinking not impaired by the cigar smoke wafting around your head, I doubt that I still would find any reason to pay attention to your film reviews and recommendations. Maybe Father O’Rourke will next tackle homophobia and misogyny in the Catholic Church. He’d have a much better chance of PBS picking that up than a film about little Lietuva.  At least Snore knew to go beyond Latvia’s borders for his documentary and attract the old fellow-travelers and WWII history buffs who are always drawn to the Stalin/Hitler theme.

If your mind was not clouded by yesterday’s stale wine and thinking not impaired by the cigar smoke wafting around your head, I doubt that I still would find any reason to pay attention to your film reviews and recommendations.

If my mind is clouded by stale wine and cigar smoke - I’m still -way- ahead of you.

Whats your excuse ?

Maybe Father O’Rourke will next tackle homophobia and misogyny in the Catholic Church.

Father O’Rourke could cover homophobia and misogyny just as effectively as Babuska Ambersun could me thinks. Feel free to go first in explaining that very real Latvian point of view. From 3000+ miles away. It’s certainly your style.

Like I said Ambersun. You need to find a way to move forward - desperately. Your posts are totally regressive and add zero to the discussion. All you look for are points that you can use to break things down as opposed to building things up.

He’d have a much better chance of PBS picking that up than a film about little Lietuva.  At least Snore knew to go beyond Latvia’s borders for his documentary and attract the old fellow-travelers and WWII history buffs who are always drawn to the Stalin/Hitler theme.

Red Terror also covered the experience beyond Lithuanias borders Ambersun - hence the titles reference to the Amber Coast. You havent even bothered to see the film - but yet you judge its content out of pure ignorance. Your total ignorance has become like a callus at this point so I cant say I’m surprised by it per se - but your feigned indignation in the face of reality is truly insane.

Forget using your anonymous online persona Ambersun. This one is so much more appropriate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yFSpml8oSw

Enjoy !

Vidas

Andrejs,
Here’s why a little latvian like you needs to think about the Russians coming.

Balts fighting among themselves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhJQp-q1Y1s

Russians fighting among themselves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjZKFKvMXII

Not so little.

A graphic example of a Russian evil doer doing evil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3QXBHYRhpw

Andrejs