Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Kempe Quarterly 7

I read with great interest my friend Bob Kempe's latest submission. I thoroughly enjoyed his ideas and I hope you will, as well. Please feel free to weigh in with your thoughts.

Van Christo


THERE WAS AND IS THE IRAQ WAR.

WE INVADED IRAQ AND KILLED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WE BORROWED MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.
IT WAS ADVOCATED ON THE LIE THAT IRAQ THREATENED US WITH WEAPONS
OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

NOW WE HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR HEALTH CARE.

ITS AIM IS TO CURE MORE SICK AMERICANS.
WE MUST BORROW TO PAY FOR IT, AT LEAST AT FIRST.
THERE IS ROOM TO IMPROVE AMERICANS' HEALTH AND SURVIVAL.

SOME HEALTH CARE FACTS

LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE U.S.A.IS LOWER THAN IN CANADA, ALL THE OTHER ENGLISH
SPEAKINGS, SWEDEN, FINLAND, FRANCE, JAPAN, SPAIN AND GERMANY.
INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN THE U.S.A. EXCEEDS THAT IN ALL THOSE COUNTRIES.
THIS HEALTH CARE PLAN MAY WELL HAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE IT HAVE AT LEAST 3 WAYS TO RESPOND.

1. PROPOSE A BETTER ONE.
2. SPECIFY WHAT WE NOW DO IS GOOD ENOUGH.
3. RESPOND WITH NAME CALLING & PEJORATIVE METAPHORS.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, MITCH MCCONNEL, JOHN BOEHNER, & CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER:
FAVORED AND APPLAUDED THE IRAQ WAR.OPPOSE THE HEALTH CARE CHANGE WITH NAME CALLING & PEJORATIVE LANGUAGE.
OK TO BORROW TO KILL BUT NOT TO CURE.

ONE OF THE MOST INEPT ADMINISTRATIONS YET, HANDED OBAMA THESE PROBLEMS:
RECORD DEFICITS - RECORD DEBT - INCREASED SPENDING - CUT TAXES.
REDUCED AND/OR SOFTENED REGULATION OF FINANCIAL BUSINESSES.

SO: AIG, MERRILL-LYNCH, MADOFF, BEAR-STEARNS, LEHMAN.
BIG BONUS & SEVERANCE MILLIONS TO THE GUYS WHO TOOK THEM DOWN.
TARP, BAILOUTS/HANDOUTS IN THE BILLIONS TO THOSE & OTHER COMPANIES.
STOCK IN BANK OF AMERICA - TO BUY MERRILL-LYNCH: STOCK IN AIG.

A SAD, SAD LEGACY - REALLY SAD.

RUSH LIMBAUGH STATED SPECIFICALLY HE HOPES OBAMA FAILS. IS THAT WHY HE
OPPOSES OBAMA'S PLANS? MCCONNELL & BOEHNER IN SYNC WITH RUSH?
OR IS IT BECAUSE WE BLEW OUR WAD ON IRAQ & THE TARPS & IT'S ALL GONE?

I SINCERELY BELIEVE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND CAPABILITY TO GIVE EACH
US CITIZEN REASONABLE HEALTH CARE.



Robert A. Kempe

Kempequarterly 7

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Albania approves controversial wind farm

I had to read this a couple of times. If the information below is accurate, make your own feelings known about this controversial subject!

***

ALbania Approves Controversial Wind Farm
Original source is provided at end of article.

A few weeks ahead of crucial elections in Albania, the government has quietly approved the construction of Europe’s potentially biggest onshore wind-farm, a project that environmentalist warn could wreak havoc on the unspoiled coastline and others say could be a breach of law.

The government has transferred more than 97 hectares of land to Italy’s Moncada Energy Group including a one kilometre buffer zone through which its Albanian subsidiary, Enpower Albania, aims to build a 500-megawatt wind farm in the country’s south.

A BIRN investigation in December 2008 showed that the project risked wrecking one of Europe’s last unspoiled environments by allowing the construction of a wind farm on a coastal nature reserve and on national park territory.

The decision to grant the land and the subsequent environmental permit were considered illegal under Albanian laws aimed at protecting natural reserves.

Environmental groups are outraged over the Environment Ministry’s decision to issue a permit for the wind farm on the Karaburun peninsula – the site of the nature reserve park – as this is one of the most pristine sites in the Mediterranean.

The project will include the construction of a transmission line running from the port of Vlora in Albania to the Italian port of Brindisi. A 400kV power cable, stretching 145km under the Adriatic at a depth of over 900 metres, will allow electricity to be transmitted in either direction. The interconnection line and the wind farm have an estimated cost of 1.25 billion euros. Construction is expected to start in 2010.

Experts consider the Karaburun peninsula, which covers 62 square kilometres close to the city of Vlora, alongside the adjunct Llogara national park, one of the most important natural sites in the Mediterranean.

While presently designated a managed nature reserve, a series of studies has proposed upgrading the whole area into a national park. These include the MedWetCoast project of 2006, the Biodiversity-Strategic Action Plan of 2002, the Coastal Zone Action Plan for the Albanian coast of 1996, and the report on the activity of “Special Protected Areas and Implantation of SPA Protocol” for Albania of 1996.

Genuario Belmonte, professor of Marine Biology at the University of Salento in southern Italy, describes Karaburun as an unspoiled paradise. “Karaburun is a mythical place, a postcard of what the Mediterranean used to be,” Belmonte tells Balkan Insight. “The peninsula is the best asset for the region as a way to attract tourists from the European Union.”

Balkan Insight

23 June 2009

Monday, June 22, 2009


ARTA DOBROSHI in LORNA'S SILENCE

I wanted to bring to your attention a new movie that is opening soon in the USA. It is titled LORNA'S SILENCE, and it won Best Screenplay Award at the 2008 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL. It is the story of Lorna(Arta Dobroshi), a young Albanian woman living in Belgium, who wants to open a snack bar with her boyfriend Sokol(Alban Uka). It is a French/Belgian film about two Albanians, played by Albanian actors, and it is written and directed by award winning film makers: Jean Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

The directors auditioned young Albanian women from many cities in the Balkans, including Tirana and Pristina. They settled on Arta Dobroshi, a young woman from Kosovo who lives in Sarajevo.

These are some of the Media comments:

"Dobroshi is brilliant as Lorna"
Steve Watson, Film4

"Dobroshi gives a brave and affecting performance"
Andrew O'Hehir, SALON

"Dobroshi offers up a masterful performance"
David Nusair, REEL FILM

It seems like a film to watch for! In the Boston area, it opens on August 14th at the Landmark Theatre, Kendall Square. I look forward to posting your reviews!

Comment on Albanian Elections

Following the elections in Albania on June 28, 2009, exit polls indicated that Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party led Edi Rama’s Socialist Party with 47.5% and 38.8% respectively. For the first time in Albania's history, most international observers judged the elections to be free and fair showing a marked improvement over previous elections, though there were still some concerns. “I'm certainly happy about the progress we saw, but there is also a considerable number of issues that need to be tackled, in particular the polarized political climate," said Wolfgang Grossruck, Special Coordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission.

The 2009 elections brought to mind - in my 1991 commentary below - my hopes for Albania when it was about to hold democratic multiparty elections for the first time after it finally freed itself from the shackles of Communism (for those of you who are interested, an Albanian-language version follows my commentary in English:

Van Christo Addendum: As of July 27, 2009, Mr Berisha's Democrat party and allies won 70 seats in the 140-seat Albanian parliament. The opposition Socialists and an ally won 66.

***


Pavlov's Reflexes of Freedom/Obedience
(and how they may possibly relate to the upcoming elections in Albania)

Through one of the characters in his novel "RED SQUARE," author Martin Cruz Smith discusses a phenomenon observed by Pavlov -- a reflex of freedom. Pavlov said that this reflex was the reason he was unable to produce a conditioned response in some of the dogs he studied, and he proposed that the reflex also existed in human populations. As the character in Smith's novel puts it:

"In Western societies the reflex of freedom was pronounced. In Russian societies, however, (Pavlov) said there was a dominant reflex of obedience. 'This was not a moral judgement, only a scientific observation. And since the October Revolution and seventy years of communism. you can imagine how complete that reflex of obedience has become...so that expectations of any genuine democracy should be realistic."

It is my strong hope that the reflex of freedom will prevail in the upcoming Albanian elections. I trust that the country will persist in its drive toward complete democratization, and that it will eventually free itself completely of almost fifty years of Hoxha mind-set by enacting those reforms that would make Albania the inspirational example of true democracy in the Balkan nations.

History has been unkind to Albania since the Great Powers of 1878 reconfigured the map of Eastern Europe by ceding the major portions of the four vilayets that comprised Ethnic Albania to Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece.

By adhering to the noblest principles of democracy, and by making disparaging examples of those who do not, Albania can show Europe and the rest of the world just who the Albanians are and why they are worthy of an honored position in the community of free nations.

***

Reflekset e Pavllovit Per Lirine dhe Bindjen

Me ane te njeri prej personazheve te romanit te tij "Sheshi i Kuq," autori Martin Cruz Smith shqyrton nje fenomen te verejtur nga Pavllovi te quatur "refleksi i lirise." Pavllovi shrehet se ky refleks ishte arsyeja qe ai nuk mundi te gjente reagimin perkates ne disa nga qente qe ai studioi, dhe Pavllovi arriti ne perfundimin se ky refleks gjendej edhe tek njerezit. Personazhi ne romanin e Smithit shprehet lidhur me kete:

"Ne shoqerite Perendimore refleksi i lirise eshte i dukshem. Ne shoqerine Ruse, megjithate, shprehet Pavllovi, dominon "refleksi i peruljes." Ky nuk ishte nje gjykim moral, po nje vezhgim shkencor. Dhe qe nga Revolucion i Tetorit e gjate 70 vjeteve te sundimit kommunist, mund te imagjinohet se sa i plote eshte bere refleksi i peruljes...aq sa shpresat per nje demokraci te vertete duhet te jene realiste."

Kam shpresa re medha se refleksi i lirise do te mbizoteroje ne zgjedhjet e ardhshme ne Shqiperi. Kam besim se vendi do te vazhdoje me kembengulije ecen drejte demokratizimit te plote, dhe do te zhvishet plotesist nga mentaliteti pothuajse pesedhjetvjecar i Hoxhes duke vene ne jete ato reforma qe do ta benin Shiperine shembull frymezimi te demokracise se vertete ne gjirin e kombeve te Ballkanit. Historia ka qene e padrejte me Shqiperine qe nga viti 1878 kur Fuqite e Medha rikrijuan harten e Evropes Lindore duke shkeputur pjese te medha nga te kater vilajetet qe perbenin Shqiperine Ethnike e duke ua dhene ato Malit te Zi, Serbise, Maqedonise, dhe Greqise, Duke iu permbatjtur parimeve me te larta te demokracise, e duke u bere shembull per ato qe nuk i permbahen ketre parimeve, Shqiperia mund ti tregoje Evropes dhe gjithe botes se kush jane Shqipetaret dhe perse ata meritojne nje vend nderi ne komunitetin e kombeve te lira.

Father Arthur Liolin Presents Impressions of Faik Konitza and a Mystery!



A Copy of the Faik Konitza Bookplate that was appended within the books of his personal library


A few weeks ago, at a seminar held at Harvard University, Father Arthur Liolin presented impressions of Faik Konitza. I was particularly interested in the contrasts that he pointed out between Faik Konitza and Bishop Fan Noli. Below, I have presented Father Liolin's impressions that include a fascinating mystery that you are challenged to help solve!



Impressions of Faik Konitza

by Very Rev Arthur E. Liolin

Harvard University
Dudley House
Seminar on Faik Konitza: An Albanian Luminary
28 April 2009


It is a pleasure to be here. Thank you for inviting me.

It is altogether appropriate that this gathering meet in Harvard Yard,
where our Luminary Faik Konitza and his ideological, or rather patriotic twin: Bishop Fan Noli had studied early in the 20th Century.

As a matter of fact, it was in the 1940s that the Albanian Student Society "DRITA" gathered here. Outside the window of Dudley House, I notice several establishments that have once been Albanian-owned: Nini's Corner [a famous newsstand of the Nini Family], the Greenhouse Restaurant, the Harvard Valeteria [by the Nicholas Family of Belmont] and the GAP Insurance agency [owned by Arthur Kotelly.]

Literary Savant: Faik had inspired Noli and encouraged the priest and future bishop during the course of their writings, discussions, shared work for the newspaper Dielli, from 1909 onward and activities relative to the growing impetus toward an independent Albanian state. Both were once called: "Masters of Finesse," owing to their prowess in diverse languages and literary stylistics. Notably, Faik had become a close friend of the noted avant garde aesthetician Guillaume Apollinaire.

Others here are most competent and academically equipped to present scholarly perspectives of the singular figure we recall today. Permit me to share a few impressions to help flesh out aspects of the personality of the man, by means of contrasting him with Fan Stylian Noli. To my mind, since the two had worked so closely together from time to time they might be considered one another's alter ego.

Contrasts - although ofttimes simplistic - are yet interesting characteristics to plumb and can provide a fruitful idea of how life was back then both for Faik and for Theofan during the formative years of the early 20th Century.

Both men are often considered columnal twins of the Albanian national awakening. Both studied here at Harvard, albeit under different economic circumstances: Konitza with an imperial air, Noli as a mendicant monk. Both had a deep admiration for one another - despite an on-again and off-again relationship owing principally to differing points of view when it came to the political leadership in the homeland of the late 1920s and 30s.

Of Noli, Konitza would write: "The day on which Noli celebrated the first liturgy in the Albanian language was a turning point in the history of the Albanian Renaissance. We cannot forget it, nor let anyone else to forget it." Conversely, of Konitza, Noli had said of him: "he was my first real mentor and role model."

As well and interestingly, although a Muslim by heritage, it was Konitza who reportedly had suggested to Noli the patronal nomenclature of St. George when the Albanian Orthodox Church first formed in 1908. It bespoke of the respectful esteem, shared counsel and ecumenical spirit among them and others during the renaissance period of the Albanian leadership.

Noli and Konitza by Contrast

Always the reformer & revolutionary, Noli stayed on the left in politics.
Konitza, on the other hand - while espousing Albanian independence - eventually came toterms with King Zog's monarchy. It became a sore point between the two of them
between 1928 and 1939 [when then Fascist Italy invaded and annexed Albania.]

Different personalities: Konitza - an aristocratic bey & scion of Muslim
landowners, was raised in a life of advantage. Noli - by contrast, was born and bred in humble village origins. Interestingly, both were born in Albanian settlements outside the borders of present-day Albania:

Konitza in what is present-day Northwestern Greece; Noli in European Turkey.

Konitza loved the music of Richard Wagner - passionate impresario of the Conservative Right.Noli revered Beethoven - beacon of revolutionary democrats - and wrote a much-heralded biography of the musician.

Konitza was erudite, elegant and superbly attired; an aficionado of haute cuisine.

Noli was a pure scholar at heart, wore sandals most of the time, and was a vegetarian long before it became a fashionable trend.

Konitza, enjoyed the company of elegant and exotic women and for a time, reputedly had a relationship with the famed fan dancer, Sally Rand, where they would meet at a once known resort hotel in Swampscott.

Noli was a celibate whose contact with women was pro forma and excruciatingly correct: educated women such as Edith Wilson [the President's wife], Dr. Demetra Tsina Elia, the first Albanian female physician, Berta Schoenstein - an Austrian scholar and Mary Johns: his secretary during the last twenty years of his life and scion of the London Theatre, as well as others who assisted him with his translations.

Although considered the preeminent Albanian literary stylist of his times, Konitza actually published few works - notably what shall be mentioned by others here today. While Noli - the ever prodigious writer - left over 42 books when he died: translations, compilations, history, biography and a vast liturgical compendium in both English and Albanian.

Noli delivered the Funeral Oration for Konitza in 1942. In it, the venerable bishop and friend credits Konitza with finding the hitherto unknown stema - coat of arms - of the 15th Century Kastriotis from a Latin history of Skanderbeg by Martin Barletius, presumably found, if I am not mistaken, at the library of the University of Louvain in Belgium.

A MYSTERY: I leave you with a Mystery. Hopefully, you may help to solve it, as I know that students and scholars make excellent detectives. And that mystery is the missing whereabouts of Konitza's Library, presumably of several hundred volumes, many of which ought to be rare. Further, in this detective search, I offer you a clue.

That is of a bookplate. Being a classic bibliophile, Faik had his own bookplate, that one must rightfully assume he had appended, as is the custom, on the inside cover of each of his possessions. Only the initials: "F.K." denote the owner, with an inscription below the initials in classical Greek: "Let them conjecture and calumnize me to their hearts content. It bothers me not at all."

In this regard, it would be most appropriate to disseminate on the internet, a copy of this bookplate with the added option of informing antiquarian book dealers of our inquiry.

The copy of the bookplate is reprinted here as a courtesy of the Archbishop Fan Stylian Noli Library and Archive, located at the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America, 523 East Broadway, South Boston, Massachusetts 02127

Sunday, June 21, 2009

"Rescue in Albania" Published in Croatia



Photograph of the front cover of "Spas U Albaniji" (Rescue in Albania).

As co-publisher of the book "Rescue in Albania" by Harvey Sarner that depicted Albania's heroic salvation of Jews during the Holocaust, I authorized its translation into the Croatian language as "Spas U Albaniji" by Forumi i Intelektualeve Shqiptar ne Kroaci(Forum of Albanian Intellectuals in Croatia) in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2008. At the request of Harvey Sarner, I was privileged to write the FOREWORD in his new book.

If you would like a copy of this book, please send me an email: vanchristo@frosina.org and I will forward your request to the publisher.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

An Albanian School in Venice, Italy, in 1479?

Would you believe that Albanian refugees, fleeing from the Turks after the fall of Shkodra in northern Albania, established an Albanian School in Venice, Italy, way back in 1479?

My wife, Jane, and I didn't quite believe that so a few years ago while visitng Venice, we were determined to locate this little-known "Albanian School." After 5 or 6 fruitless inquiries, we finally came upon a very friendly policeman who knew exactly where the Albanian School was, and, as it turned out, informed us - to our great delight - that it was located only a few short blocks away from where we were then standing!

After expressing our profuse thanks to the kind policeman, Jane and I, following his directions, raced to the address where, to our disappointment, we saw that the "Albanian School" was now just an old apartment building.

Yet, just above the front entrance of the building was a completely intact, relief sculpture commemorating the seige of the fortress in Scutari (Shodra) in 1474 and 1479!

To learn more, please visit the link below where you will also see a photo of the interesting relief sculpture identifying the building as the location of the "Albanian School of Venice!"

Visit http://www.frosina.org/about/infobits.asp?id=20 - punch "infobits" then scroll down to "The Albanian School of Venice"

Monday, June 15, 2009

Worthy Fundraising Event at Vlora Restaurant on Friday, June 19th

The V. Rev. Arthur E. Liolin, Dean of Saint George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral in South Boston, posted the upcoming fundraising event described below that is most worthy of support by Albanian and non-Albanians alike on Friday, June 19th, at Copley Square's Vlora Restaurant!

***

aeliolin@juno.com

You are welcome to a worthy fundraiser that Jetmira Kaziu is organizing for her brother, Eugert and his medical expenses next Friday, June 19 at Vlora Restaurant at 7 PM. Any support from the Albanian community is most appreciated.

The link below describes the lad's dilemma.
www.maasbesa.org/files/eugert_kaziu_charity_event3.pdf

Directions for the event is here:
www.vloraboston.com


.

Friday, June 12, 2009

A Very Petite History of Durres, Albania

Founded in 627 BC, Durres was known as Epidamnus - a name believed to have been given by local Illyrian tribes. Under Rome, it became the terminus for the Via Egnatia.

When the civil wars broke out in Rome, Pompey evacuated his troops from Rome in 49 BC and established himself at Dyrrachium (as Durres was then known after the Romans conquered the Illyrians). On November 29 of that year, Caesar's army was attacked by Pompey at Pila, and Pompey's troops advanced from Lake Ochrid and reached the line of the Shkumbini river. Shortly afterwards, Mark Antony landed near the modern town of Shengjin and attacked the fortress at Lezha, taking it on 3 February 248 BC.

Caesar made a detour through the Krrabe Pass and placed his forces between Pompey's position and Dyrrachium. On May 5, Caesar's army was attacked by Pompey's forces but the battle proved to be indecisive. All the troops moved south into Greece where, eventually, Pompey was utterly defeated at the battle of Pharsala.

Source: Page 216, Durres, BLUE GUIDE Albania, James Pettifer, A&C Black, London / WW Norton, New York, 2004

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Teaching English to Albanians at home

I came across the following "Teaching English" announcement by the British Council Albania and thought it might also be helpful to Albanian newcomers to the USA and Canada. It could be worth exploring especially for older Albanians who don't have the time to attend English classes, so check it out!

Teaching english - Your Global Home

Your Global Home is one of the British Council global products that has been highly promoted in Albania by the English Language Teachers Association with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science, Regional Departments of Education, Universities, high, secondary and primary schools in Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Shkodra, Vlora, Berat, Gjirokastra and Korca.
Teachers and future teachers of English find this product very helpful. As result more than 100 teachers of English have signed in and are using this web site: www.teachingenglish.org.uk

For more information of this product please refer to BC website of the above link.