eureka...(6/6)

Yet another re-engineering exercise, but it took me a whole weekend to figure out the secret of this multi-lingual eureka. Life is always a trial-and-error mode of spoon-feeding attempts. When you look at every step in front of you, you become worried when the step does not bring you to the final destination.
Efficiency is achieved via consolidation. So one more thing is set at least for now!

uto possidetis...(3/1)

Under the internationally accepted “uti possidetis” principle, the rule of territorial integrity applies to the case of Georgia, and under the dismemberment of the Soviet Union, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, being recognized as part of Georgia, should go along with Georgia as an integral entity under the new administration of Georgia. According to the empirical studies of Zacher, such international-accepted norm widely affirms its applicability from the balance of power of the League of Nations to the retreat of Spanish governance in the Latin America. The UN Charter as well as major regional treaties like the Helsinki Declaration in 1975 since then strengthened “uti possidetis” as the international legal guiding principle to look at territorial integrity...
In the context of South Ossetia and Abkhazia demand for independence, the principle ruled out any recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, which Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and most recently Nauru did, and not to mention the bilateral recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia themselves. Unlike the Kosovo exception, the UN Security Council Resolution 1808 (April 2008) reiterated the territorial integrity of Georgia and the settlement of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict should be by peaceful means within the resolution provision. But less than 4 months, the conflict turned to be violent act at the Kodori Valley in Abkhazia.
The Russia-led recognition of the two new states clearly challenges the existing international law on sovereignty, and any impact of such could greatly influence the global policy on Israel and Palestine, Taiwan and Tibet or Montreal etc. Charles King commented that Russia’s bet for the independent South Ossetia and Abkhazia could also back-fire its own territory if any ethnic-concentrated areas would follow this powerful precedent, like the Chechnya, North Ossetia or Circassia. However, the current close social and economic relationship with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as reflected in their use of ruble currency, Russian language in lieu of Georgian, as well as the recent change of international telephone code to Russian prefixes, “upgraded” Russia’s power in the Caucasus region...

The other side of Dostoevsky...(7/6)

A very short and yet destined routing in St Petersburg brought me to the home of Dostoevsky, now the museum to commemorate the great Russian writer in town. Located at the corner of Kuznechny and Yamskaya, the address is now next to the local market where everyday life goes on. My memory is still in the freezing Moscow when I first visited to his apartment in childhood time adjacent to the asylum. Now here when he passed his last part of life with his family in St Petersburg. His surrounding always provided him with a visionary world of imagination with his faith and belief. His working table and chair, his cigarette case, the dimmy environment filled up with the soul of the karamazov brothers. A clock clicked still at the moment on 28 January 1881, the eternity of life and death...

Oh my soul...(26/9)

Though the album of Heart On Snow by Marc Almond got into my to-be-reviewed list at the time when it was released in 2003, it is until this week that I could have a chance to listen to the songs, and being a tribute to Russian music and its inherited subtle and still expression, I found Alla Bayanova (Алла Николаевна Баянова) in 'oh my soul'...the song is a very beautiful piece possessed of the fantasy of the moody sense originated from Russia and other adjacent regions in the nowadays Eastern Europe. It brings me the same feeling as when I listen to the soundtrack of The Gloomy Sunday. Bayanova, like many of the fugitives in her era, was sent into the concentration camp during the war period, and could only regain her citizenship in the 1980's granted by Gorbachev. She had also performed in the Hermitage Restaurant at Montmartre after migrating to Paris since the Russian Revolution. According to Marc Almond, the original record of this song is lost, but then we are lucky to have this version in the album.

(Lyrics translated into English)
Now my patterned handkerchief
Is accidentally torn
You're gone and I didn't feel the pain
And I'm not tormented
Oh my soul
We are not suited for each other
You were gone and I didn't feel such pain
I have yet my dear, my dearest guitar
And I never leave it alone
And when we say goodbye
You take my hand with strength
I sing you an ice song of farewell
Instead of caress
Oh my soul
We are not suited for each other
You were gone and I didn't feel such pain
I have yet my dear, my dearest guitar
And I never leave it alone

The Passion of Arts...(19/12)

Someone asked me a question about the logic of developing one's character, and I would say there is a high proportion that one's behaviour inertia is influcenced by the environment of one's surrounding...I immerged myself into arts galleries and exhibitions in the past few days, and surprisingly I found something I really have lost for long time - a passion to arts and appreciation. There are a few good exhibitions taking place in Paris at the moment, which include "l'Art russe dans la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle : en quête d'identité" at Musée d'Orsay; "Christian Bourgois, 40 ans d'edition" at Centre Pompidou; "Mélancolie" together with "Klimt, Schiele, Moser, Kokoschka - Vienne 1900" at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais (for inspiration of the events, pls refer to the other articles on the blog). Visiting artworks in a calm atmosphere is an enjoyment. In addition, there is no deny that the quality of management and organisation of exhibitions in Paris is excellent. With the illustrated information and reference notes provided, the experience of the tour becomes much educational and interesting. I feel like a good mood to start the planning of my exhibition in 2006...

The Eels Live @ Paris (10/10)

The Eels, who I would regard as 'a band' from US, though it consists of E his own now, played live in Paris Grand Rex tonight. With the music and creation wholly produced by E, the band is actually one of the groups which deserve more accreditation and recognition...The songs of the Eels has been philosophically sad and passive, the live performance was surprisingly more positive and joyful. Wearing a black suit and a hat, E appeared exactly as a gentleman in the concert. His stick on hand or the cigarette impressively decorated the visual effect of the stage. I would define this more like an acoustic session and his live band was mainly teamed by 4 violin players, a cello, a toy piano, and a lo-fi drum set. Playing mostly songs from their latest double album, the live of the Eels was touching, sentimental and also environmental. There was a session where E played something like the post-rock tune of Sonic Youth, and the part of encore was most entertaining. It was until the Eels played their last song of the concert when we could tell how the band could be so rock. After viewing the live of the band, I assure that E is an intelligent introvert, his songs tell.
While I was wondering before joining the show how a support act would be done before the concert, especially when it was held in Grand Rex, and without any imaginable thought, there was a Russian cartoon showing on screen before the band joined the salle. Well, I know how my Russian has gone now, out of sight, out of mind. True!

Спасибоза твоеэлектронноеписьмо...(19/3)

A message from my Russian teacher...oh, I forgot everything...what is this??
Спасибоза твоеэлектронноеписьмо. Думаю,чтоты оченьзатят. Яхочу,чтобы тымогпродолжатьтвоюучёбурусскогоязыка. Твоитоварищихорошоучатся.Сейчасони нетолькотоварищи,они ужехорошиедрузья.Оничастозаботятсядруг одруге.Желаютебеуспех!ТвояпреподавательницаКатя