2011 -- С Новым 2011 Годом!!! -- MMXI

С Новым 2011 Годом!!!

2011 --  С Новым 2011 Годом!!!  -- MMXI

С Новым Годом!!!


Счастливого нового года, всем нашим близким во всем мире, а также всем читателям нашего блога. Чтобы все било хорошо, здоровья, удача сопутствовала вам и вы получали удовольствие от жизни в новом году а также во всех последующих годах.

С Новым Годом!!!

2011 -- Happy New Year  !!!! -- MMXI

Happy New Year!!!!

The couple weeks before New Year, Winter came to Chicago, and we hope it will stay here at least for some time , so we could have real White New Year. The New Year should be cold , sunny and absolute must is a lots of snow, snow and ones more snow. We have several pictures of Aaroshka and the rest of Katzman family enjoying the arrival of the winter as well as arrival of New 2011 Year.
 
Happy New Year!!!

Еврейский юмор.

В одесской школе учительница задает вопрос классу:
 —Дети, кто знает, что было в 1799 году?
    Как вам не стыдно такого не знать.
    В 1799 году родился великий русский поэт Александр Сергеевич Пушкин!
    А кто знает, что было в 1812 году?
Встает Изя и отвечает:
—Мне кажется, в 1812 году у Александра Сергеевича была бар-мицва…


*******************************

Один человек пришел к раввину и сказал:
- Рабби, что мне делать?
  Моя дочь живет в такой нищете!
  Ее муж не работает, только молится и учит Тору.
- Ну и что? - удивился раввин. - Я вот тоже молюсь и учу Тору.
- Ты - другое дело, - возразил человек. - Это твой бизнес.
********************************

В банe:
- Вы из Бeрдичeва?
- А как вы узнали?
- Сразу видно - ажурная работа нашeго раввина.
 
********************************
 

The changing of the guards at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Let my people go. - Google Maps style. :)

Let my people go. - Google Maps style. :)

Recently during routine archaeological computer excavation not far from Eilat in Negev desert was found historical item, which proves existence of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt.   Here is a image of antic Google Satellite Map of Exodus led by Moses.

Rock Creek on Kankakee River.

Rock Creek is a tributary of the Kankakee River. It empties into the Kankakee River in Kankakee River State Park which is just west of the city of Kankakee. It starts in higher land and then drops into the Kankakee River Valley. Because of this, the river has cut through the rock, forming a gorge. The majority of this gorge is in the state park. There is also a trail in Kankakee River State Park that follows Rock Creek.

(info from Wikipedia).

Rock Creek is a true representation of the beauty  of the area where this small creek is going thought. Rocky banks of this small creek and and shallow fast moving streams of water give us image of mountain Creeks somewhere in Swiss Alps. The air is full of Oxygen from the trees of the forest where Rock Creek is going through. It is a beginning of November and weather is slightly chilly, however it really sunny and warm sun rays going through thick branches of trees reflect in a weaves of fast moving water in a creek, making resemblance to impressionist painting uncanny.

By being the true nature lover and outdoorsy enthusiast Aaron could not miss these beauties of nature, gathered members of his immediate family located near by and went to the forested bank of Rock Creek to enjoy the last days of the leaving autumn.

Aaron's First Halloween

Yesterday was first time for Aaron to do the Trick or Treating.  We pick a nice place to do that - Northbrook Court. Godiva store to be exact.  It was a night of fun (hundreds of trips on all elevators and escalators in a mall)  and of course candy, candy and candy. After mall Aaron visited his grand parents to get more candies.

Check out the cool movie from that day.
Enjoy!!!!!! The Video is finally  Here. URA!!!!!




Sorry for Delay, movie will be uploaded latter. Enjoy the picture!!!

Kankakee River in a late October.

Last week Aaron traveled to Bourbonnias, Illinois to visit his grand parents. In a waking distance from their home is a nice park with a Kankakiee river going through. It is a very scenic place and it hard to believe that only 35 miles away ( North-East  to be exact) is a "hosel and busel" of Chicago. This  mobile picture does not give the place a justus, but take a look anyway.

ABBAland (part2).

If you liked my ABBAland post, here is a trite for you, two more views of Europe from the eastern part of the continent - Russia and Poland, and as a bonus you can get an American view of its Southern Neighbours (South America).

Enjoy!!!

Double click on a map to see the details.

Russian View of Europe.



Polish View of Europe.

American View of South America

Greenland - the land up North.

On September 14 we were flying back from Europe by Crossing Atlantic, I have done it several times for last 10 years. And most of the times pilot will let you know then you are flying over Greenland. So I can say, I sow Greenland from high above ( 33 thousand feet or 10.000 meters to be exact) This time I had a camera with me and to make it memorable I got couple of pictures of the land probably most of us never going to visit. Here is a most southern tip of the biggest island in a world located north of N60 parallel.

Enjoy!

ABBAland and IKIAville is a same country, isn't it?

A stereotype or "stereotypes" is a commonly held public belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. Stereotypes are standardized and simplified conceptions of groups based on some prior assumptions.




The term stereotype (στερεότυπος) derives from the Greek words στερεός (stereos), "firm, solid" and τύπος (typos), "impression", hence "solid impression".



Recently I found several maps which represent these "solid impressions" toward the countries and areas in Europe in a minds of Americans, British, French, Germans and Italians. Take under consideration, assuming that the post and maps are scientifically correct is a stereotyping some sort.



American View of Europe.

 French View of Europe.

 German View of Europe.

 Italian View of Europe.

 British View of Europe.

Mo-uee went bau-bau.

It is almost 9:00 PM and it’s already dark outside. Aaron is overly excided and running allover the house once in a while venturing to the TV room. The moment he is where and sees a TV he is asking for cartoons by crying out phrases as “Mo-uee” or “Mutti”, which is in Aaron’s language, means movies or cartoons. The only way to make it stop and ask Aaron to prepare him to go to the bed for a night is to say – “Mo-uee are tired now, and went to sleep”. Aaron usually replies – “Ah Mo-uee Bau-Bau” – and satisfied with an answer goes to the bathroom to take a shower before the bedtime.

This is a lie we came up to make Aarosha to do things (like taking naps, or going to sleep for a night) which he dose not want to do. I think they are relatively harmless, and make kids do stuff which grown ups want them to do. Couple days ago, I noticed an article on CNN website which talks about small white lies like this which parent say to their kids to do or not to do certain things. So Aaron is not alone here. Check it out.

I say that the ice cream truck that drives through our neighborhood is the "music truck." It plays music for people to enjoy during the summertime.

--Breeze Watson; Lansing, Michigan

When I don't feel like playing with the toy that my toddler chooses, I tell her that it is out of batteries, even if the toy doesn't take batteries. It works with TV shows, too. "Sorry, honey, Dora must need new batteries. We'll check back later."

--Christine Stevens; Issaquah, Washington

I pretend fortune-cookie fortunes say things like "Your bedtime tonight will be 15 minutes earlier." Unfortunately, this works only until they can read.
--Rebecca Einstein Schorr; Fountain Valley, California

"Yes, we're having chicken for dinner." (I actually served fish.)
--Doreen Saiz Flores; Barstow, California

That the car won't start unless everyone is buckled in. I just jiggle the keys in the ignition until the last belt clicks.
--Jennifer Nilson; Roscoe, Illinois

When my daughter begged to stop at a playground, I said, "Sorry, all the playgrounds are closed now." She wisely asked why other children were playing at one we passed. I answered that they were not following the rules.
--Carol Catena ; New York, New York

My two-year-old believes that certain toys "live" at the store and are there to be visited.
--Cyn Rielley; Sutton, Massachusetts

"The tooth fairy didn't come last night because she was sick. Her substitute must have been very confused by the new route. I am sure she will come tonight."
--Julie Nichols Forrer; Plano, Texas

"Things in the checkout aisle are for decoration and we aren't supposed to mess them up."
--Erin Seebaldt Olson; Detroit, Michigan

To get our picky three-year-old to eat, we say that vegetables will make him super strong. At the table, we let him attempt to lift our arms. By the end of the meal, he can hoist our hands over our heads with one finger!
--Michele Buzek Bakker; McKeesport, Pennsylvania

"It's not red cabbage -- it's purple spaghetti."
--Anne-Marie O'Neill; Brooklyn, New York

My son had a crush on a girl on Barney. I made spinach balls -- something he wouldn't ordinarily touch -- and told him they were her recipe. He politely ate them!
--Christine Mills Searle; Cleveland, Ohio

When I'm getting ready in the bathroom and the kids start banging on the door, I pretend that it's stuck when I really have it locked.
--Sherry Whelchel Corbett; Bostic, North Carolina

"McDonald's is closed for a private party."
--Michelle Suchand Mcpherson; Virginia Beach, Virginia

I told my friend's son that the compass on the dashboard of my car was a tracking device so that his mom could immediately find us if he misbehaved.
--Rogenia Argoe Lembo
Manassas, Virginia

That I'm still 29.
--Deb Ward; Richfield, Wisconsin

"That lady on the cover of the fashion magazine is a drawing. No one looks like that in real life."
--Katie Penland; Dyersburg, Tennessee

"The sugar cookies that Grandma made are kind of spicy." (So I could have them all for myself.)
--Rebecca Scott; Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

My son thinks he has a heated seat in the back of our car, and I haven't had the heart to tell him the truth. I love to ask him if he feels his tush getting warm.
--Tracy Smith Goldberg; Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

Before moving into our house, I told my kids that we paid extra to have it sprayed for ghosts.
--Amy Talcott Kennard; Peoria, Illinois

"No, darling, I'm not upset that you ate SpaghettiOs in the living room and spilled them all over the tan couch and the beige carpet."
--Jennifer Thornton; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

"The vacuum cleaner will suck up all your toys." You should see my kids rush to clean up whenever they hear the vacuum going.
--Shasta Brucker; Buckley, Washington

Toronto Airport.

The weather in Toronto was awful, rain was puring, none stop. They told us, in order to get to the city we would have to take shuttle, which probably could stock in a Toronto Traffic, so we decide to spend the whole day in airport. Nice chicken sandwich and francophone Airport news TV this is Canadian Experience for a day. Check some cool pics from Toronto Pearson Airport.

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

No visa required. Who has most freedom to travel?

Recently I found very interesting information in Economist Magazine regarding freedom to travel without visa and sample list of countries with privileges like that.  Here is a link  and article below.

http://www.economist.com/node/16885221

THE ability to visit a foreign country without the cost and hassle of obtaining a visa is a welcome bonus for any traveller. It is also a barometer of a country's international alliances and relations. A report released on August 25th by Henley & Partners, a consultancy, shows that Britons have the fewest visa restrictions of the 190-odd countries (and territories) for which data are available. British citizens can enjoy a three-day stay for business or pleasure to 166 destinations without needing a visa. Generally, citizens of rich countries and trade-based economies have more freedom to travel than those of countries suffering from war or repression. Compare, for instance, the restrictions on South Korea with North Korea and Hong Kong with those on China.

Mark Spitz in a making

Check cool picks of Aaron at the pool. At the age 2 years and 4 month he is making a laps in a neighborhood pool. A true Mark Spitz in a making.

Go Aaron!!! Go!!! 

Aarosha Enjoys one of the summer evenings at the pool.
(Hosted on Fotki)


See now Aarosha is sweeming in a big pool.
Mark Spitz in a making.
(Hosted on Fotki)

The World 's Population by Lat and Lon

Harvard grad student Bill Rankin devised these fascinating maps, which show the sum of all population living at each degree of latitude or longitude circa 2000. As you can see above, there’s quite a northerly bias: According to Rankin, roughly 88 percent of the world’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere, with about half north of 27 degrees north.


Rankin: “Taking the northern and southern hemispheres together, on average the world’s population lives 24 degrees from the equator.”

www.oldmos.ru

Google Street View did not made it to Moscow yet, however bunch of the Russian Street View clone websites are popping out all over the World Wide Web. One of the coolest websites is not only help us to make virtual trip to the streets of Moscow, but also become a time machine to the Moscow past.

                                     The site is ---   http://oldmos.ru/

Here are some picks of  my Moscow - Sokolniki , Yuzhnoe Izmailovo, Sretinka of 1970s - 80s.

Club 'Burevestnik'   cr.1984

Sretinka in 1980s.

Sokolnecheski val , building 6 section 2, and a view of Riga overpass. ( 1980)

40 years together.

GQ 2

Aarosha at Lamb's Farms ( 9 month after first wisit)

Remember the October of 2009, back than 18 month old Aarosha went to Lambs Farms to enjoy the kiddy railroad, Mary-goes-a-round and farm animals in a pet's zoo.

http://katzmanyata.blogspot.com/2009/10/aaron-at-lambs-farm.html

On July 5, we return to the same place to experience all Lamb's farms offerings again. After 4 rids on a railroad, and 20 rids on Mary-goes-a-round, more mature Aaron was not afraid the cows and hyperactive goats, which tried to pock him into the touchy first time. Aaron was cosies but not scared. I believe it comes with an age. :)

Here are some pics of Aaron on Mary-goes-a-round.
Enjoy!!!


P.S. Just noticed it is my hundred post on a site. Haray!!!!! Ura!!!!

Энык-Бенык

Рисунок

- Что, Энык-Бенык,
На этой картинке?
- Видите,
Ночью
По горной тропинке
Олень к водопою
Ведет оленят.
На длинных рогах его
Свечки горят.

Вожак
Сквозь ветвистый
орешник
Проносит рога,
Как подсвечник,
Чтоб оленятам
С дороги не сбиться.
Ведь могут они
В темноте заблудиться.

________________________________________



Бабушка

-Ты кого рисуешь, Энык?
- Бабушку, - ответил внук.
- Почему же, Энык-Бенык,
На рисунке восемь рук?

Утром бабушка сказала,
Что замаялась совсем
И что рук ей не хватает,
Чтоб управиться со всем.

________________________________________


Кудри

Энык, чей это портрет,
Если это - не секрет?
Он ответил:
- Дяди Эли, -
Продолжая рисовать.
Я воскликнул:
- Неужели?
Разве вновь у дяди Эли
Кудри стали отрастать? - Нет, -
Ответил Энык-Бенык,
- Все такой же дядя наш.
Но чтоб вышел он
Похожим,
Нужен
Лысый карандаш.

________________________________________


Загадка

Что рисует Энык-Бенык,
Для меня - загадка.
- Это - не загадка.
Это куст и грядка.
Я рисую сад зеленый:
И тюльпаны и пионы!
Почему ж одна ромашка
У тебя на грядке?
- Тише, тише!
Все цветы
С ней играют в прятки.
И попрятались в бутоны
Все тюльпаны и пионы.

Longing for Yiddish

"Appeal of Yiddish was connected with a sense of yearning and longing for that being Jewish as well as identifying yourself with no longer large roots of Yiddish in Jewish culture. But like Alterman said she died but continued to go."

Speech of the Israeli President Shimon Peres at the Jerusalem literary forum on 06/24/2010.

In 1945 Maroushka Korczak, a Holocaust survivor, a leader of Jewish resistance in Vilna, was speaking on Histadrut convention and told to the shocked audience about the extermination of Lithuanian Jewry. She spoke in Yiddish. After her speech David Ben Gurion get to the podium and angrily joked to her with disregard to content of the speech, "a foreign and harsh language."



A storm arose in a audience and someone called out: "It's language that speak two-thirds of the Jewish people in recent times", but Ben-Gurion did not give up and continue to repeat: "strange and harsh, strange and harsh."

Ben Gurion was not a single sharp opposition to Yiddish. When the Hebrew University was founded there were those, who offered to establish a faculty of Yiddish Literature. The "Stars of the Hebrew language Battalion”, led by Ussishkin, David Yellin and Joseph Klausner, announced that if the faculty of Yiddish will be established at University, they will shatter the windows of school with stones.

This excitement comes at a time when Yiddish still seemed a competitor to Hebrew. University won. Yiddish is dying, but it still has a mystery in our hearts and hidden between the pages of wonderful history of the Jewish people.

Today Yiddish language is a longing for more. It is a unique cultural phenomenon. Yiddish is classic of the wanderer, who captured hearts of many. Its Beauty is not dull, its smell is not faded. Its wit has no equal. Since the beginning of the ninth century when the Jews moved to the areas of the German language domination, Yiddish was the language of European Jews, who defined their identity and maintained their uniqueness. Yiddish is spoken and written language, therefore, have a history of twelve hundred years. And we have to remember, Jews in a Middle Ages, unlike most nations around them, were literate. They also were certainly literate in Hebrew, the language of the Torah.

Yiddish has become a system of bridges between the German language, and the Hebrew letters; the Holy Tongue, in which we praise the Creator, and the daily language in which argue with him; the link between the prophetic dream and the daily routine reality; the Aramaic lexicon and an eternity. There are layers and layers of Yiddish literature were created during for many generations - from Jewish scripts, literary education and literature which went to modernity.

In the late 19th and early 20th century Yiddish was stronger and more powerful than the Hebrew. But the fate of the language likes a fate of the nation. In the words of Zhitlovsky: "Both (the people and language) have to prove that they were genuine. Jews must demonstrate that they are really a nation and Yiddish must prove that it is indeed a language." Destruction of the largest Yiddish-speaking concentration in Eastern Europe, which was done by the Nazis, periodic cultural oppression of the Jews in the Soviet Union, cultural assimilation of the descendants of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe in the new world - threatened to cut a kidney on Yiddish culture, the literature, the press of its speech.

Intense gravity of Yiddish culture was associated with yearning and longing for that sense of being Jewish. Yiddish being on his deathbed, still its appeal has not expired. Alterman ones said, "She died but kept walking."

The language steeped in memories and landscapes, shrouded in warmth of parent’s home, full of total simplicity, joy and sorrow, difficulties and hardships as well as life wisdom and wit, which is rich and poor at the same time.

Being the reality of Jewish life in many vibrant situations gave Yiddish its mischief, winking humor. Speech and language facial expressions were accompanied by - a body. Songs for its taste, its tongue did original art. Yiddish is a family language as well as global. Queue of laughter and tears, sad love and jokes, embroidering tales, fables is a Yiddish. Sometimes it brings tears to our eyes.

No Eastern European Jew can remain indifferent to Yiddish. I myself, absorbed the wonders of the Yiddish language, and its culture got a secret place full warmth and loving in my heart. Jacob Glatstein poet once said: "Mir Order tremor Yiddish, Yiddish Maine End, On How to Order Deir Talk and Hebrew anyway."



Interesting to see how Jewish writers and poets conquered the world, as far as United States and Mainland China. Artists like Shalom Aleichem, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Heinrich Heine, Brodski, Isaac Babel, Kafka, are all came from the old epoch called Yiddish.

Isaac Bashevis Singer once told me that he was sure his books are going to be bestsellers forever. I asked him, How come? And he answered "well how about resurrection." According to tradition, the first to rise again are certainly Jews of Jerusalem. And ask you, - what books are they going to buy, when they left the graves? Yiddish books, of cause.