It is something what I got today and I have to say, I really like it. One chinese proverb, which I found very interesting and true...
"Go to the people
Live with them
Love them
Learn from them
Understand their problems
Start with what they have
Build on what they have
When the task is accomplished
With love, let them say
'We have done this ourselves'."
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Obama's Inauguration Speech - my comments
It was yesterday, the 44th president of United States took his office. There were millions of people in Washington's Mall and much more watching him in TV or most probably online (as I did).
I watch the “show”, today in the morning I red the whole speech one more time. And I would like to write about my first impression, parts that everyone is writing about because it looks like they will be famous, parts of the speech which are a bit more questionable for me and the general meaning.
Enjoy reading...
1. My first impression
I don't know what I was expecting from this speech, maybe to be great, maybe to be memorable, I wanted from this speech to surprise me. I was a bit disappointed. For the first time when I was watching Obama's speech I had the impression that he was very stressed. He was not smiling at all, his face was showing rather anger or maybe it was his seriousness. Instead of empathy he showed us that right now he is the most powerful man in the world.
The speech in general was good. He done, what he had to. He spoke about peoples' responsibility, how great is America and people living there, no matter of race, sex, level of education etc. He showed that he knows what people needs, he address his father roots and talked about the world policy (but not in this way that America will really get involved, it was rather call to other leaders for action). It was about everything he had to talk.
The thing that impressed me was his good relations with Bush, I was watching them meeting in White House then going together to Capitol and then after the change had happened. They looked like a good friends and somehow I was very happy about it.
2. What the world will remember
From this kind of important speeches there are always some parts that world will remember like:
"Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression
“My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” John F. Kennedy (1961)
“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” Bill Clinton (1993)
So what was special in the Obama's speech and why?
I have chosen three quotes that I think will be remembered for a long time. Sentences written with passion, important for Americans and “smart”.
3. What I don't like or don't understand
and in the end quotes that surprised me or just I want to comment.
I was shocked that he address Muslim world at first. And I don't know how to understand this words. Let's say Obama make a move to the cooperation, talks about mutual respect and that US is willing to help, but I don't like how those words are formulated. I have this impression that Obama has very negative opinion about this part of the world. And for me this words are rather words of criticism than encourage to cooperation.
I don't get this part either. I think that the aim of this was to show how strong America will be under the Obama's administration. Just I cannot imagine that he could say that “we will not apologize for our way of life”, he said as well that he won't defense it, but the meaning for me is clear. He doesn't take the responsibility for global warming, and for the wars Bush started, he doesn't think that it is US fault. Maybe Americans would like it, I don't know, I would like to hear any comments, but my understanding of this is rather negative.
4. The meaning
I think that this speech will be commented for a really long time. I like what I red today in the polish newspaper. That Obama is not to black but also not to white, he is not to young and not to old and he has not too much experience but also not to little. And I can say following this words he had chosen the right time to be a president:)
I watch the “show”, today in the morning I red the whole speech one more time. And I would like to write about my first impression, parts that everyone is writing about because it looks like they will be famous, parts of the speech which are a bit more questionable for me and the general meaning.
Enjoy reading...
1. My first impression
I don't know what I was expecting from this speech, maybe to be great, maybe to be memorable, I wanted from this speech to surprise me. I was a bit disappointed. For the first time when I was watching Obama's speech I had the impression that he was very stressed. He was not smiling at all, his face was showing rather anger or maybe it was his seriousness. Instead of empathy he showed us that right now he is the most powerful man in the world.
The speech in general was good. He done, what he had to. He spoke about peoples' responsibility, how great is America and people living there, no matter of race, sex, level of education etc. He showed that he knows what people needs, he address his father roots and talked about the world policy (but not in this way that America will really get involved, it was rather call to other leaders for action). It was about everything he had to talk.
The thing that impressed me was his good relations with Bush, I was watching them meeting in White House then going together to Capitol and then after the change had happened. They looked like a good friends and somehow I was very happy about it.
2. What the world will remember
From this kind of important speeches there are always some parts that world will remember like:
"Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression
“My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” John F. Kennedy (1961)
“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” Bill Clinton (1993)
So what was special in the Obama's speech and why?
I have chosen three quotes that I think will be remembered for a long time. Sentences written with passion, important for Americans and “smart”.
“Today, I say to you that the challenges we face are real, (...) They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America, they will be met.”- after this as far as I remember he got an applause; somehow many people said it before that this sentence has to be in the speech; it is good formulated and it will be memorable because of the content. Right now everyone expected Obama to say it, but in few years the reality will be just a history and the words will stay.
“To all other peoples and governments who are watching today, (...) from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.”- tis was important because of the US position in the world. As we know there was a huge anti-Bush movement around the world which influenced the status of US. Moreover Americans truly believe that they can and should rule the world (somehow I can agree because they have money they want to spend), but they want to have this feeling that they are someone special (who doesn't). This words says America will be once more the world's superpower that everyone will respect.
- Obama address here in the very touching way the issue of race, somehow no matter who you are now it is not like 60 years ago, now we are equal. He proof it by being chosen as the 44th US president
“a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.”
3. What I don't like or don't understand
and in the end quotes that surprised me or just I want to comment.
“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,(...) To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history — but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
I was shocked that he address Muslim world at first. And I don't know how to understand this words. Let's say Obama make a move to the cooperation, talks about mutual respect and that US is willing to help, but I don't like how those words are formulated. I have this impression that Obama has very negative opinion about this part of the world. And for me this words are rather words of criticism than encourage to cooperation.
“With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in it's defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.”
I don't get this part either. I think that the aim of this was to show how strong America will be under the Obama's administration. Just I cannot imagine that he could say that “we will not apologize for our way of life”, he said as well that he won't defense it, but the meaning for me is clear. He doesn't take the responsibility for global warming, and for the wars Bush started, he doesn't think that it is US fault. Maybe Americans would like it, I don't know, I would like to hear any comments, but my understanding of this is rather negative.
4. The meaning
I think that this speech will be commented for a really long time. I like what I red today in the polish newspaper. That Obama is not to black but also not to white, he is not to young and not to old and he has not too much experience but also not to little. And I can say following this words he had chosen the right time to be a president:)
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Before Barack Obama inauguration
It is about 3 hours before the ig change in US politics, as hopefully in world's politics as well. I felt the enthusiasm of people while being in US and it makes me follow what happens now.
Because the elections of 2008 are the topic of my master thesis, I would like to make same small analysis, just before the inauguration.
1. What will be in Obama's speech
There are of course many topics which will be covered in the speech. Obviously the economy, and most probably Obama will repeat parts of his speech from the election day. He will address the issue that he needs help from all Americans to make a change and it won't be a easy tasks, and all Americans had to get prepared for not easy times.
Secondly he has to address the issue of country's security, hopefully he will mention something about closing Guantanamo prison (as a human rights lawyer I think he should do it). I am still curious what he will say about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have still in my mind his words from the campaign "We have to take the nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists" (only countries has nuclear weapons!). It makes me think what will be his position in the relation with Iran, Israel, Pakistan?
I don't think he will say a lot about world politics or international relation besides the security issue. I just hope or rather would like to hear about his plans for the global politics, his plan for fighting with global problems, helping the failed states, eradicating poverty, improving security in the developing world. And as the first Afro-American president who even during the campaign was traveling to Kenya, to the country of is father origins, I think he should do it (and that is not American point of view:) ).
There might be one more thing, very important in the speech - the bipartisanship. I think (or rather hope) that Obama wants to seek for the wide cooperation within the country. He wrote about it in his second book - "The Audacity of Hope". He wrote about his first time in the Capitol meeting the politicians and only the few of them, the oldest generation could easily cooperate for the better future. This situation used to be normal just after the second world war, because the politicians had the some background (most of them were soldiers in the was). In the last cupple of years both parties couldn't cooperate with other almost at all. In the book Obama dislike it, and hopefully bipartisanship will the the direction where his politics would go.
2. The meaning of Obama's speech
There is right now more then 2 million people in Washington or maybe even more already. In the universities students are organizing watch parties, many people watch the news at home, most probably the speech will be seen by most of the world.
There are very high expectations towards Barack Obama. What make this day even more special he will be the first Afro-American president in the history. He takes the country after the second less popular president in US history (first one was Nixon who had to resign because of Watergate). There is a lot of things to fix in US (economy and the biggest crisis in the last years) as well as in the world (Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo, Energy crisis, failed states).
All of this leads me to the thought - Americans expect that this speech will be as important as "I have a dream speech" of Martin Luther King in 1963. Those two events will be compared and connected. Barack Obama will be standing in the some place as Martin Luther King, and he will be speaking as a first Afro-American president, while Martin Luther King spoke of his desire for a future where blacks and whites, among others, would coexist harmoniously as equals.
Maybe Obama's speech will be the last stage of Martin's Luther King dream being realized.
Or maybe he is just good selling product for all media, and this whole enthusiasm is caused by good PR?
Because the elections of 2008 are the topic of my master thesis, I would like to make same small analysis, just before the inauguration.
1. What will be in Obama's speech
There are of course many topics which will be covered in the speech. Obviously the economy, and most probably Obama will repeat parts of his speech from the election day. He will address the issue that he needs help from all Americans to make a change and it won't be a easy tasks, and all Americans had to get prepared for not easy times.
Secondly he has to address the issue of country's security, hopefully he will mention something about closing Guantanamo prison (as a human rights lawyer I think he should do it). I am still curious what he will say about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have still in my mind his words from the campaign "We have to take the nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists" (only countries has nuclear weapons!). It makes me think what will be his position in the relation with Iran, Israel, Pakistan?
I don't think he will say a lot about world politics or international relation besides the security issue. I just hope or rather would like to hear about his plans for the global politics, his plan for fighting with global problems, helping the failed states, eradicating poverty, improving security in the developing world. And as the first Afro-American president who even during the campaign was traveling to Kenya, to the country of is father origins, I think he should do it (and that is not American point of view:) ).
There might be one more thing, very important in the speech - the bipartisanship. I think (or rather hope) that Obama wants to seek for the wide cooperation within the country. He wrote about it in his second book - "The Audacity of Hope". He wrote about his first time in the Capitol meeting the politicians and only the few of them, the oldest generation could easily cooperate for the better future. This situation used to be normal just after the second world war, because the politicians had the some background (most of them were soldiers in the was). In the last cupple of years both parties couldn't cooperate with other almost at all. In the book Obama dislike it, and hopefully bipartisanship will the the direction where his politics would go.
2. The meaning of Obama's speech
There is right now more then 2 million people in Washington or maybe even more already. In the universities students are organizing watch parties, many people watch the news at home, most probably the speech will be seen by most of the world.
There are very high expectations towards Barack Obama. What make this day even more special he will be the first Afro-American president in the history. He takes the country after the second less popular president in US history (first one was Nixon who had to resign because of Watergate). There is a lot of things to fix in US (economy and the biggest crisis in the last years) as well as in the world (Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo, Energy crisis, failed states).
All of this leads me to the thought - Americans expect that this speech will be as important as "I have a dream speech" of Martin Luther King in 1963. Those two events will be compared and connected. Barack Obama will be standing in the some place as Martin Luther King, and he will be speaking as a first Afro-American president, while Martin Luther King spoke of his desire for a future where blacks and whites, among others, would coexist harmoniously as equals.
Maybe Obama's speech will be the last stage of Martin's Luther King dream being realized.
Or maybe he is just good selling product for all media, and this whole enthusiasm is caused by good PR?
Friday, January 2, 2009
Drinking games
Maybe it will sound stupid, but this is one of the things I can say I learnt in US - how to play drinking games. At first I was rather sceptical about it. I didn't like the idea of drinking to be drunk (and still I don't like this idea), but my perception on drinking games changed. I really have to say that I had a lot of fun playing them and I want to share with u the whole story and some rules.
1. Beer-pong
This is classic. Played everywhere, in each big party, very popular in Martin Hall. What u need is just big table, two ping-pong balls and 12 or 20 caps (ussually plastic caps are used). Cap with hot water would be also useful.
How to play: make 2 pyramids out of caps on the opposite sites of the table and then fill all the cups with the beer (or something else, everything is possible); choose person who is going to play with u. Stand in fron of yours caps, take a ball and through the ball into the other persons cap. If u will do it, your oponent has to drink what is inside. Then swich:)
Here u can find funny movie with instructions:
2. Card game with tasks.
One of the first drinking game I remember it was a card game. The rules are simple: place all cards on the floor and take one card.
Each card have a hiden task; depends on the number u choose u have to:
As - waterfall - u start drinking and the rest of the circle start, they will drink untill u stop:)
2 - youx2 - so choose the person who drinks twice:)
3 - me - u drink:)
4 - ... - girls drink
5 - make a toast - u make a toas and everyone drink
6 - dicks - so all guys drink
7 - guess + add - I don't remember what's that
8 - ticket mate - so u drink with one more person choosen by u
9 - rime $ relate - that is kind of roll game, one person has to choose word, then next one rime to it like chick and pig, second one has to relate like pig and animal then next one rime to animal and so one; who makes mistake drink.
10 - categories - u choose a category and people in a roll has to add something to this category - like US presidents, or capitals in Europe; why doesn't know drinks
jack - gesture master - person who has this card establis a gesture, when anyone make the gesture all has to make it as well; who will do it as last one drinks
queen - question - I don't remember how it is, but we can say person ask questions how answer first chooses person who drinks
king - make a rule - person can make any rule s/he wants to like noone can go to the toilet, or when I drink person X drinks with me and so one...
3. Game with hands:)
This game is very hard to explain but I will try because we had a lot of fun with this.
So sit in the circle and put both of your hands on the floor (it might be on the table). Then u have to mix hands a bit. The easiest way is to put the right hand behind the hand on your right and left hand behind (or maybe better say under) the hand on your left.
The whole game is about clapping. One person clap on the floor then the next hand in the circle has to clap and the next one and the next one... There is the possibility of changing the direction by clapping twice. Whoever makes mistake (even put the hand up) drinks a shot!
It was really amazing game. That night a lot of people pass out:) but still we end up still playing in the TV room around 5 am :)with people with good drinking condition
4. Every minute game
I think that this game has better, more proffessional name but I will stick to this one:) Well I wouldn't call it even game, it was rather kind of custom, always during the Wendensday fest in Martin Hall.
The rules are easy. You have party and the music change every minute, when music change you drink:) Usual time of playing is either one hour or 100 minutes. Enjoy!
5. "Never have I ever"
Game I have found boring but we played it few times with different people so I will write few words.
Rules are easy, one person says "Never have I ever..." and something they have never done in their life, and all people who done it drinks. Thats all.
6. Quarters game
Very popular game played by my roomate as well as in many of our parties (mostly on Huntington street). We have created many variation of this game.
Basic rules: All players stand around a table, and, in turn, try to bounce the quarter off the table into the shot glass. If successful, the player tells any other player to have a drink. If the player fails, play passes to the next in the circle.
Variations:
Because after a long play it becomes very difficult to place a quarter in the shot glass, the variation of this game is person whos turn it is, choose person who drinks, and in this way we have eliminated the difficult part - putting quarter in the shot glass:)
7. Pyramid game
Very interesting game. It was created during one party when it was already late at night, but my roomates were in the room and cupple of my guests. There is the game called pyramid, where u have to take cards and place them on the floor in the shape of pyramid. But when we have done it, we didn't know what to do next.
So we created our own rules. One person was choosing card from pyramids and turning it to see what card is it. Then the rest in the roll were choosing cards not from pyramid. And of course who had the lowest number was drinking.
IMPORTANT: this game is good to play late at night. When we tried to start one party with this game it was very boring.
8. Flying cards game
This is the most stupid game I ave ever created. But somehow it was fun:)
You take all cards u have, through them up and let them fall all over the room. The task is to collect as many cards as possible. Who will collect the biggest amout choose 3 people who drinks.
9. Red or Black:)
As well very stupid game. One person have cards and in the roll people have to choose if the next card will be black or red. If person will not guess, drinks. If person will guess, person on his/her right drink.
Very important in this game is that after each shot person has to howl to the full moon as laud as s/he can.
10. Game we have never played
The game we have never played, but I have found it in internet and find in interesting. It is called Drug diller. It is very entertaining.
the rules u will find here
_______________________________________________
I think that my history with drinking games has ended for a while. I am back in the adults world. In the beginning I have found the idea of drinking games very stupid, but with time I liked it a lot. There is one more thing very important - drinking games are not to get drunk! It is good to drink things U like! The most important thing is to enjoy your time and stop in the right moment. Not to get drunk and loose all the night of amazing party.
1. Beer-pong
This is classic. Played everywhere, in each big party, very popular in Martin Hall. What u need is just big table, two ping-pong balls and 12 or 20 caps (ussually plastic caps are used). Cap with hot water would be also useful.
How to play: make 2 pyramids out of caps on the opposite sites of the table and then fill all the cups with the beer (or something else, everything is possible); choose person who is going to play with u. Stand in fron of yours caps, take a ball and through the ball into the other persons cap. If u will do it, your oponent has to drink what is inside. Then swich:)
Here u can find funny movie with instructions:
2. Card game with tasks.
One of the first drinking game I remember it was a card game. The rules are simple: place all cards on the floor and take one card.
Each card have a hiden task; depends on the number u choose u have to:
As - waterfall - u start drinking and the rest of the circle start, they will drink untill u stop:)
2 - youx2 - so choose the person who drinks twice:)
3 - me - u drink:)
4 - ... - girls drink
5 - make a toast - u make a toas and everyone drink
6 - dicks - so all guys drink
7 - guess + add - I don't remember what's that
8 - ticket mate - so u drink with one more person choosen by u
9 - rime $ relate - that is kind of roll game, one person has to choose word, then next one rime to it like chick and pig, second one has to relate like pig and animal then next one rime to animal and so one; who makes mistake drink.
10 - categories - u choose a category and people in a roll has to add something to this category - like US presidents, or capitals in Europe; why doesn't know drinks
jack - gesture master - person who has this card establis a gesture, when anyone make the gesture all has to make it as well; who will do it as last one drinks
queen - question - I don't remember how it is, but we can say person ask questions how answer first chooses person who drinks
king - make a rule - person can make any rule s/he wants to like noone can go to the toilet, or when I drink person X drinks with me and so one...
3. Game with hands:)
This game is very hard to explain but I will try because we had a lot of fun with this.
So sit in the circle and put both of your hands on the floor (it might be on the table). Then u have to mix hands a bit. The easiest way is to put the right hand behind the hand on your right and left hand behind (or maybe better say under) the hand on your left.
The whole game is about clapping. One person clap on the floor then the next hand in the circle has to clap and the next one and the next one... There is the possibility of changing the direction by clapping twice. Whoever makes mistake (even put the hand up) drinks a shot!
It was really amazing game. That night a lot of people pass out:) but still we end up still playing in the TV room around 5 am :)with people with good drinking condition
4. Every minute game
I think that this game has better, more proffessional name but I will stick to this one:) Well I wouldn't call it even game, it was rather kind of custom, always during the Wendensday fest in Martin Hall.
The rules are easy. You have party and the music change every minute, when music change you drink:) Usual time of playing is either one hour or 100 minutes. Enjoy!
5. "Never have I ever"
Game I have found boring but we played it few times with different people so I will write few words.
Rules are easy, one person says "Never have I ever..." and something they have never done in their life, and all people who done it drinks. Thats all.
6. Quarters game
Very popular game played by my roomate as well as in many of our parties (mostly on Huntington street). We have created many variation of this game.
Basic rules: All players stand around a table, and, in turn, try to bounce the quarter off the table into the shot glass. If successful, the player tells any other player to have a drink. If the player fails, play passes to the next in the circle.
Variations:
Because after a long play it becomes very difficult to place a quarter in the shot glass, the variation of this game is person whos turn it is, choose person who drinks, and in this way we have eliminated the difficult part - putting quarter in the shot glass:)
7. Pyramid game
Very interesting game. It was created during one party when it was already late at night, but my roomates were in the room and cupple of my guests. There is the game called pyramid, where u have to take cards and place them on the floor in the shape of pyramid. But when we have done it, we didn't know what to do next.
So we created our own rules. One person was choosing card from pyramids and turning it to see what card is it. Then the rest in the roll were choosing cards not from pyramid. And of course who had the lowest number was drinking.
IMPORTANT: this game is good to play late at night. When we tried to start one party with this game it was very boring.
8. Flying cards game
This is the most stupid game I ave ever created. But somehow it was fun:)
You take all cards u have, through them up and let them fall all over the room. The task is to collect as many cards as possible. Who will collect the biggest amout choose 3 people who drinks.
9. Red or Black:)
As well very stupid game. One person have cards and in the roll people have to choose if the next card will be black or red. If person will not guess, drinks. If person will guess, person on his/her right drink.
Very important in this game is that after each shot person has to howl to the full moon as laud as s/he can.
10. Game we have never played
The game we have never played, but I have found it in internet and find in interesting. It is called Drug diller. It is very entertaining.
the rules u will find here
_______________________________________________
I think that my history with drinking games has ended for a while. I am back in the adults world. In the beginning I have found the idea of drinking games very stupid, but with time I liked it a lot. There is one more thing very important - drinking games are not to get drunk! It is good to drink things U like! The most important thing is to enjoy your time and stop in the right moment. Not to get drunk and loose all the night of amazing party.
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