the ruskis were real friendly in ogre too, ‘cept they
assumed that my name was valyuta.

Posting this without comments to stimulate the discussion, from the Baltic News Service, today:

Latvian Security Police believes publishing of “Latvia’s disloyal car owners” list was unlawful
    RIGA, Feb 04, BNS - The Latvian Security Police believes that publishing of the “Latvia’s disloyal car owners” list was unlawful and the responsible persons could be fined for this offense.
    The Latvian Security Police (DP), which investigates crimes related to inciting ethnic hatred, believes that the list published on the Internet violates personal data protection requirements, DP spokeswoman Kristine Apse-Krumina told BNS. The list displays personal information on a number of car owners who have decorated their cars with various Russian national symbols.
    According to the police, Latvian State Data Inspectorate has already launched a probe over this case.
    “Latvian residents, who have displayed various Russian symbols in their cars, cause response from certain persons and organizations, and sometimes this response is radical. Such activities do not encourage a dialogue between groups of people with differing opinions,” said Apse-Krumina.
    Jana Saulite, representative of the Justice Ministry, which supervises the State Data Inspectorate, told BNS that a probe had been launched over an alleged breach of the Personal Data Protection Law regarding the personal information published on the Internet site
  http://www.latvietislatvija.com/AUTO/.
    “Investigation is ongoing to find the offenders and block the illegal circulation of personal information. Individuals can be imposed administrative fines from 50 to 400 lats [EUR 70-570] for such offenses, but organizations—fines ranging from 1000 to 8000 lats,” Saulite explained.
    She added that if the inspectorate found a breach of law in this situation, it would hand this information over to law enforcement authorities.
    BNS observed that the above Internet site contained a list titled “car owners (occupants) who are obviously disloyal to Latvia and decorate their cars with Russia’s imperial symbols”.
    The list contains car brands, license plate numbers, as well as car owners’ names, personal codes and addresses. Several entries also include photos of cars decorated with Russian Federation flags, coats of arms and St. George’s ribbons. Information about 118 car owners has currently been published.
    The Internet site http://www.latvietislatvija.lv does not contain any information about creators behind this site. Besides the car owners’ list, it also offers information about Latvian ethnic costumes and national symbols, various books about the history of Latvia etc.
    The site also displays a link to the website of the nationalist party Visu Latvijai (All for Latvia). Party co-chair Raivis Dzintars released a press statement on Thursday denying that the party was somehow related to this Internet site. Dzintars statement came as a response to an article published in the Russian-language newspaper Telegraf, which said that according to “unofficial information” the website was created by Visu Latvijai.
    Dzintars assumed that this false information could be a pre-election provocation to prevent Latvian parties from consolidation.
    Parliamentary elections in Latvia will take place on October 2, 2010.

Paldies, Ivar!  That was a very nice post!  And I did misunderstand the term “bang up job”; my husband wonders why I don’t understand American slang:-\  I didn’t know your mom spent all those years living in Russia, but then we all know she was a very accomplished woman.  But I do remember those many pleasant evenings your dad spent visiting with my parents—all the wonderful stories, adventures he would tell about his experiences—about the raw, wild beauty of the steppes, especially in the early spring, when it would be ablaze with yellow daffodils swaying gently in the breeze (just like the scene out of Dr. Zhivago, what was it, Lara’s theme?) 

We spend a lot of time here discussing, going back and forth about the Russians vs. the Latvians; but recently someone made a comment (and I wish I could recall who it was)  about “attitude”, which I thought was right on the money.  How your attitude toward people has so much to do with how they react, relate.  You readily demonstrated that during your walks in Latvia, by just trying to be friendly.  Go in with a chip on your shoulder, with preconceived notions, a negative attitude and you’ll most likely get back what you put in.  And this holds true not only with other Latvians, Russians but with most people.

Cheers,

Irena

Well said Irena and Ivar.  When you write about the beauty of the land both your parents experienced living in Russia, it also brought to mind similar stories my mom told me.  She was born in Chelyabinsk, Siberia and left during the Revolution for Latvia.  When I was growing up, she would also talk about the sincerity of the Siberians, their giving nature and the passion they felt for their land. Sometimes my dad would recite some epic poetry he learned by heart in school in Latvia (when it was under the Tsar). Everytime he would recite it in Russian, his eyes would tear up. My mom said it was too beautiful to translate or it would lose its beauty in translation. I wish I paid more attention and ask more questions. I don’t even know the title or the author but they dealt with the beauty and life on the Russia’s steppes.  As a teen, my mind just wasn’t on epic poetry.

Both PC and Irena convey a simple thought about wrong attitudes (i.e. going in with a “bad“ attitude and leaving with the same ...)

—-quoting now from “Alice in Wonderland“

Alice: I’m not a serpent.
Bird in the Tree: You’re not? Then just what are you?
Alice: I’m just a little girl.
Bird in the Tree: Little? Little? [laughs]
Alice: Well, I am… I mean, I was.
Bird in the Tree: And I suppose you don’t like eggs, either?
Alice: Yes, I like eggs, but…
Bird in the Tree: Aha! I knew it! I knew it! A serpent! Serpent! Serpeeeent!
Alice: Oh, for goodness sake!

All should realize that different cultures can promote different attitudes. But surely PC and Irena will both agree that when it comes to nature, there is “some” general divergence between the Latvian and Russian cultures. Yes, while some non-Russians can claim that they do “personally” relate to Russia’s natural nature, is this though “like” Russia’s own (claimed) relationship? (—-I am referring to the recent, yet still residual USSR times! Hmmm, but what of prior times? ...When Russia wanted to dump/unload that Alaskan “icebox” upon the “naive” US?)

Mikus E.

P.S. One has to wonder though if Latvia is having better relationships with Red China than with Russia? (—-Considering that Red China is “politically” even more intent in being “green”.)

The most skillful lemonade maker I have seen in many moons

“Latvijas Pastā izstrādātas prasības par vienotu Latvijas Pasta automašīnu dizaina noformējumu. Iekšējās kārtības noteikumi arī paredz, ka darbinieka darba vietā nedrīkst atrasties mantas, kas nav saistītas ar viņa tiešajiem darba pienākumiem

—- A spokeswoman for Latvijas Pasts (LP) commenting on the firing of a LP driver for having a St. George’s ribbon in his dashboard.

Aleksejs laments too often?...

The most skillful lemonade maker I have seen in many moons.

What is it with lemonade makers and you? (—-As this has not been the first time.)

Did you once in your childhood, setup a lemonade stand, only to find that your lemonade kept spoiling in the hot sun while some neighboring, competing lemonade stand was instead constantly “running” to keep their “cups” full?

Mikus E.

Mukis,

Ammm, what?

Hmmm, Aleksejs’ re-direction again?

...Or, hinting for some (self personal) help???

Mikus E.

Mikus reinforces his own redirection - with more redirection.

Hmmm, Aleksejs’ re-direction again?

Mikus, I believe Aleks was on topic until you, well, decided to redirect it to something off topic.

Aleks also provided a link to an earlier post where OJ preferred to the concept of creating good from the bad using the old “making lemonade out of lemons” inference in a previous thread.

Vidas

A complete idea that worked.
My friends and I were trying to figure out how to put more Russian Latvians aware of what the occupation was so with much input and brain twisting we came up with the following plot.
My friends in Latvia photographed cars in Riga with Russian symbols being portrayed and gathered a list of people who operated the automobiles. We put them on my website knowing that the Russians would in some form complain. They fell for the plot and when 45,000 people had visited my site I shut it down and all people looking for automobile records were being directed to the list of people deported to Siberia, Kalpibas Gadi, Baigais Gads, Karlis Ulmanis and other Latvian freedom books.
As of today as I write this 75,000+ people have visited my site (My server company keeps telling me that I am almost at the limit of my bandwith allocation) in four days and I expect more.
Anyone with other smart ideas can email me and we shall check it out. The major question is how to get Russians to go online so they see the real stuff. I have other ideas in the works but they will wait.

Courlander - maybe I am just being taken in too, but I want to ask (just in case you are telling a straight truth): If one or more of these cars or homes are vandalized or some of the owners, or families (likemaybe with small children) of owners are attacked, you are okay with that? Of course, they have put their feelings up front, but you directing people to where they can be found is of another sort.

Uh-oh, you mean to fight the evil russkies, you’re willing to make public personal information (such as personal code, the equivalent of their social security number)? That seemed in violation of their privacy. And it is against the law. Or does the law stand just beneath your righteous feeling to show those evil russkies?

And why all the secrecy? Why not have your site be registered at a normal registrar where one can see under whose name it is registered? Why hide your face when you spit into someone else’s?

And I hear the security police is preparing to launch a criminal investigation into the inciting of inter-ethnic hatred, which that site did. It was all over Russian _and_ Latvian newspaper. And I hear it may help Harmony Center to rake some votes (sadly) in the upcoming elections. Surely that’s not what you want, is it?

PS The Latvian language on your site of also of poor quality. One could tell it was not your first language ;)

The wannabee-ist ad hock “mouthpiece” (Vidas) miss-speaks again.

Mikus E.

P.S. “Inference”???—-OK stated it.

Some further reflections -
Courlander, please contact the police and tell them all that you know about this. In this crisis time, when police budgets are so strained, it is only right to help them make this investigation as quick as possible. Whatever the outcome.

On a personal note - one of these vehicles is parked (on a regular basis) quite close to my home. If something should be done to it (by some unhinged person prompted by your work) that hurts my family, friends or property, I will hold you responsible.