Estonian Independence Day

"In the course of centuries never have the Estonian people lost their desire for independence. From generation to generation they have kept alive the hidden hope that despite enslavement and oppression by hostile invaders the time will come to Estonia 'when all splinters at both ends will burst forth into flames' and when 'Kalev will come home to bring his children happiness.' Now that time has arrived." 

Tallinn, February 24, 1918

The quote above is the opening to the Estonian Declaration of Independence (known in 1918 as the Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia). After occupation by the Germans and the Bolsheviks, Estonia began to enjoy a short-lived 22 year period of freedom between 1918 and 1940.

This proclamation was delayed from February 21st until the evening of February 23rd, when it was printed, distributed, and read to the public in Pärnu, Estonia. The following day, February 24th, it was printed and distributed in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
The invasion of Soviet troops on June 17, 1940 ended this period of independence (the Nazis also occupied Estonia from 1941 to 1944). The terrible era of Communist occupation began.

Estonia has been newly free since 1991. We celebrate our Estonian Independence Day based on the 1918 Declaration of Independence, making this our 92nd year.

Elagu vaba Eesti! Long live free Estonia!

Mu isamaa armas

          

Mu isamaa armas, kus sündinud ma,

sind armastan ma järjest ja kiidan lauluga,

sind armastan ma järjest ja kiidan lauluga!

Ei seedrid, ei palmid, ei kasva me maal,

meil siiski kenad männid ja kuused, kased ka,

meil siiski kenad männid ja kuused, kased ka.

Ei hõbedat, kulda ei leidu me maal,

kuid viljakandvat mulda on küllalt igalpool,

kuid viljakandvat mulda on küllalt igalpool.

Oh, õitse veel kaua, mu isade maa,

see maa, kus palju vahvust ja vaimuvara ka,

see maa, kus palju vahvust ja vaimuvara ka.

Su hooleks end annan ja truuks sulle jään

nii kaua kui kord suren ja oma hauda läen,

nii kaua kui kord suren ja oma hauda läen.

Favorite Retronyms

From Wikipedia:

"A retronym is a new name for an object or concept to differentiate the original form or version of it from a more recent form or version. The original name is most often augmented with an adjective (rather than being completely displaced) to account for later developments of the object or concept itself."

• acoustic guitar
• AM radio
• bar soap
• biological parent
• black and white TV 
• brick and mortar store
• classical music
• cloth diaper
• cold water faucet
• dirt road
• field hockey
• home movie
• hot chocolate
• inground pool
• landline phone
• manual transmission
• optical zoom
• organic farming
• Orthodox Judaism
• hard copy
• push lawnmower
• raw milk
• real numbers
• regular coffee
• rotary telephone
• 78 RPM records
• silent film
• sit-down restaurant
• snail mail
• Viennese waltz
• whole milk
• World War I

It's "you and me", not "you and I"!

The official CTV Olympic song is flawed. The Olympics is all about the best - the pinnacle performance, the outdoing of not only one's competitors, but of oneself. It's not even about the bronze or silver medals. We only hear "Go for Gold!"

Well, the ungrammatical lyrics of this song chosen to represent the best, would not make the podium - heck, would be so left behind as to not even have the podium in its sights.

Didn't anyone proof the lyrics???

Picture a world without ...

... hate

... murder

... abuse

... envy

... humiliation

... fear

... anger

... war

... rage

... frustration

... suspicion

... regret

... pain

... poverty

... misery

... jealousy

... hostility

... guilt

... aggression

... depression

... disappointment

... alienation

... apathy

... hysteria

... paranoia

... judgement

... gossip

... worry

... angst

... anxiety

... suffering

... shame

... sadness

... pity

... horror

... embarrassment

... contempt

... vengefulness

... torment

... rejection

... dread

... cruelty

... stress

... doubt

... tension

Could this ever be possible? Would we be happy? Do we need any of the above in order to survive?

Things I've tried in my life but couldn't do...

Climb the ropes in high school gym class

Play the piano by ear

Sight-read

Remember long choreography at first run-through

Jog

Go underwater without holding my nose when I turned upside-down

Swim an entire length in the school pool

Play basketball

Paint a nice picture

Draw well

Drink milk

Pick up a worm

Touch a snake

Trick a child

Ice skate as an adult

Be uncaring

Have beautiful penmanship

Drink straight vodka