Archive for March, 2011

Mickey Michael

Dear Aage,

Your latest issue of VilNews about Spring in Lithuania in which you included my song "Lithuania Forever" filled my heart with joy!
Thank you for sharing my song with your international readers!

I look forward to meeting you in Vilnius this summer and having together a delicious local beer. Your editorial's positive outlook and belief in Lithuania's people's amazing rise from Soviet oppression gives me the greatest inspiration.
Kindest regards,
Mickey Michael, Canada

Amber is Lithuania's gold.

I would encourage everyone to visit Lithuania! There are many places to discover and eat some tasty food!
Barbara Rapaport

Excellent. Covers a lot of topics
Matthew Saweikis

FROM MADHUR IN INDIA:
Am planning for a trip to Lithuania very soon... The pictures which you have uploaded haunts me....they are so beaaaaaaautiful.. I fully agree it is Europe's best kept secret!
I am forwarding it to all my friends and acquaintances to promote Lithuania ... It's worth a venture... Honestly!

FROM SANDRA IN THE US:
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this issue
and using the links provided. Four of us are traveling to Lithuania in May and are very much looking forward to visiting the land of our ancestors. Thank you for the information.

FROM SHARON AND CHRIS IN THE US:
Thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to forward to the rest of the family so they have a chance to see how beautiful a place Lithuania is and maybe visit there to see where their ancestors lived.

FROM ALDONA IN SWEDEN:
Fantastic. Keep up the good work. That is the way to present a positive view of Lithuania.
Linkiu sekmes, Aldona is Svedijos

FROM ANTANAS IN AUSTRALIA:
Many Thanks for Your last Email with VilNews. Such beautiful present. I am not a stranger to Lithuania anymore. After 43 years of absence I managed to sneak in just before The Baltic Way (Baltijos kelias). Much water went under the bridge since. Lithuania is looking now like a paradise. Thanks to You and others who come to Lithuania and helped Lithuania to recover. Your Names ought to be written in gold in Lithuanian history books.
Antanas Kramilius

FROM VYTAUTAS IN CALIFORNIA:
Aage:
Let me say simply - you are an amazing person and the best foreigner that ever came to Lithuania. Your February 25 VilNews issue is the best presentation for publicizing Lithuania's culture, beauty and arts.
I will visit Lithuania for two months this late spring and early summer and would like to have the pleasure personally grasping your hand.
Thank you for loving the country more than many Lithuanians.
Vytautas Sliupas,
Burlingame, California

Tony Olsson

Apparently you have no vision; your President is being knocked for standing up to the USA; and your young people are leaving in droves for better job opportunities and education in foreign lands.

I have been visiting Lietuva since 2003, before you joined the EU. Previous to that I had contacts with Lithuanians who spent their holidays in England. In those eight years I have seen Lietuva changing, going places, advancing, taking its place in the modern world. At the same time, my country (Britain) has been going down the pan.

Clearly corruption in public life is a problem in Lietuva, as it is in Britain. The difference is that Lietuva impeaches its politicians, whereas we literally let ours get away with murder. It is virtually impossible to have corrupt politicians removed from the British Parliament. The new British Government has promised reforms to remedy this situation, but as recent events have shown that corruption is endemic at all levels in both our Houses of Parliament, the chance of a swift adoption of anti-corruption measures is unlikely...
Tony Olsson,
North Devon, United Kingdom

To read the rest of the letter and participate in the discussion, go to
Section 3 – CHAT AND DICUSSS!

Jeff Lewis.

Lithuania has no VISION ! riddled with corrupt practice - offer to help and even friends take advantage, poor education standards , and poor quality of life. They leave to achieve a better qualification and job opportunity. Let each company linking with schools produce a common policy to address corrupt practice, energy conservation and its still icy underfoot in the countries capital ...

Enjoyed this interesting VilNews issue. Especially, your article on Holy Grail and Sforza family connection even though you did not provided any supporting historical data to prove this. Nevertheless, legends do sell and we need them to market this country.

It is worth to mention that later on starting from 1779 Vilnius and the Lithuanian Grand Duchy, as many other nations around the world, was an invisible battleground between Jewish led Illuminati freemasons and Vatican Jesuits fighting each other in order to gain and maintain control. Maybe It is worth to mention some colourful names and their activities like Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna who was an exceptional Talmudist, Halachist, Kabbalist, and the foremost leader of non-hasidic world Jewry of the past few centuries. He is commonly referred to in Hebrew as ha'Gaon ha'Chasid mi'Vilna, "the saintly genius from Vilnius."
Arvydas Arnasius, Vilnius

Dear Editor
There has been a lot of negative commentary in Vilnews recently from some of your readers and even from Regina Narusiene in the recent piece about the need for change in attitudes toward what the Lithuanian diaspora can do for the country and what volunteerism can do within Lithuania.

I guess I don't disagree at all, however…

Sitting here on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland I'm reminded of the battle flag of Commander Oliver Hazard Perry, USN during the decisive battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. On the blue flag were the words "Don't Give Up the Ship" which he had to transfer from his sinking flagship to the sistership, Niagara. Commander Perry ultimately won that battle against the Royal Navy and altered the military balance on the Great Lakes. In his report to superiors he stated "We have met the enemy and they are ours".

To all my Lithuanian friends and friends of Lithuania I exhort "Don't Give Up the Ship" . And especially to my Lithuanian friends I quote the "Pogo" cartoon paraphrase of Perry " We have met the enemy and he is us!" Maybe our modern Lithuanian example of heroism needs to be Bishop Valancius who came to the conclusion that in the mid 19th century Lithuanians needed to sober up before they came to any national reawakening or effective resistance to Russian domination.

Dealing with Russian occupation, as difficult as it was, may have been easier than dealing with ourselves. But we have sort of been here before, haven't we? Onward!
Rimantas Aukstuolis, Vice President Structured Trade Finance Fifth Third Bank, Cleveland, Ohio

We want now to find young people with some sort of connection to Lithuania, preferably in the age group 13 – 23.
We hope to receive emails from you that belong to this age group around the world. What we want to know is:
- What are you doing, where do you live, what are your hobbies, etc.?
- What kind of connection do you or your family have to Lithuania?
- What kind of impression do you have of Lithuania and Lithuanians?
- Do you speak Lithuanian?
- If you do not live here - have you been to Lithuania ever?
- If not - do you want to come here?
- Would you like to get in touch with other young Lithuania-related people in different parts of the world?
- Do you have thoughts and ideas of and about Lithuania that you think could be of interest to others?
- Do you have suggestions for Lithuania's leaders?
- Do you have suggestions for our e-magazine, how we could help build bridges among young people etc?
You may of course also write about other things and issues having to do with this country or Lithuanian people/activities around the globe.
If you are less than 18, please ask one of your parents to confirm that we may publish your email and potentially a photo of yourself. We look very much forward to hearing from you!

Bravo on an excellent issue. I congratulate you on your courage and clarity. Whether people agree or disagree with whatever point, I do hope many understand how much love, care and constructive friendship you are offering to your adopted country. Nothing can be better for a new democracy than a spirit of free civic debate and encouraging more and more local people to.... stay and debate!
Professor Dovid Katz, North Wales

Thank you - I feel like I had a stroll through Vilnius (and also made me homesick) some beautiful photos...
Virginija Shimkute,
New Zealand

Excellent and interesting publication you have! I have been receiving copies of your publication through friends, and I would like to be added to your email list. I am an architect also, in Michigan, and do travel back to Vilnius every year and have an apartment on Ausros Vartu Street, where I experience a totally different rhythm of life than in the USA. Your perceptions about Vilnius and Lithuania, and architecture are insightful and accurate. Keep going! I would like to meet you next time I am in town, if possible.
Algimantas Bublys,
Michigan, USA

Thank you for this splendid tour. Here from Tashkent, Vilnius looks even more charming.
Anne Bauty,
Ambassador of Switzerland to Uzbekistan

In my very-limited knowledge of Ciurlionis, I remember reading something about that after his premature death, his friends/ associates supported his widow…
And, most importantly: that these friends/associates actively sought and purchased whatever graphics of Ciurlionis that they could find … and then put ALL such works in a bank vault …and, due to a flooding of the vault, some works were destroyed…
Perhaps someone may help to correct / amplify my minimal understanding???
* * *
But, what has intrigued me is: WHY would any group of friends/associates try to remove his graphic-works from the public???
What was their "motivation"???
Ken-Russel Slade

According to a new report from STATISTICS LITHUANIA there are now officially 3.24 million people resident in this country. That is about 100,000 fewer than a year ago.

If emigration continues at the same pace over the coming years, Lithuania will, in other words, be completely empty of people in 2043. And these are only the official statistics. Reality is probably even worse.

It is no longer a question of emigration but of evacuation...

FACEBOOK COMMENTS
(Ieva Vozbutaite's comment in bold chosen 'best comment of the day'):

Grant Gochin When this is the public face of LT, why would civilized people stay? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/
people/profiles/women-of-courage-rachel-margolis-2236081.html

Grant Gochin and when this is the conduct of the Government, why would anyone want any association with LT?
http://www.lrytas.lt/-12995610621297582122-auk%C4%85-vaizduojantis-valdininkas-ir-u%C5%BE-jo-ky%C5%A1an%C4%8Dios-m-murzos-retorikos-ausys.htm

Bo B. Randulff I guess that makes property investment a bad idea...

Sergey Kanovich sad

Irma Ramaskaite The smartest will still stay here, do not worry... :)

Thomas Sloan Wilbur You can watch a recent film on LT emigration here, "Shall I?" by Igor Drozdov, http://www.zebra.lt/lt/video/ar-verta-shall-i-dokumentinis-emigrantu-filmas.html

Aage Myhre My private prediction is that in 10 years there will be around 5 million people living here. Just make sure that your real estate agent speaks Russian :)

Sergey Kanovich Aage, then make it double:)

Thomas Danielsen What about all us expats that gave up and left also... The total number of people left the last years must be enormous! 
I will assume Irma is being ironic, or else I would comment quite differently...

Karenkay Ketcheson Sharp what is going on there/????

Knut Eirik Sletbakk where do they all go?

Ieva Vozbutaite
First of all, dramatic headlines attract attention, but very often are far from reality... First of all, just because people, especially young ones leave that does not mean that they leave forever. I think it is a very normal and even desirable thing to go, explore, learn, live in different cultures, societies, etc. Many, however, at least young people, have the plans to come back... And many have come back already... I am one of them and I know a few that have similar stories - came back with education, ph degrees and further develop very successful carriers here... Migration is a normal process... Of course, I am not saying that government does not need to pay attention to obvious facts, but... I would not make drama out of it... :)

Aage Myhre I wish you were right, Ieva. But in terms of emigration / evacuation from Lithuania, I am afraid we still see only the tip of the iceberg. Worst of all, it seems that many young people are so deeply angry and disappointed about the way their home country is managed that it will be very difficult to convince them to move back home again...

Inna Ivanova Hello Aage! that is sad!!!!!!!! 
but we are thinking about coming back to Vilnius - I will serve for Lithuania's wellbeing :)

Ieva Vozbutaite
Yes, very many people are angry... But on the other hand so many of us refuse to make that extra step or even simply start making Lithuania better by changing yourself... Lithuania is us... Are there many problems? - yes... who are going to solve them? hmmmm... guess what... us...:) we elect governments, but so many of us don't even show up to vote... we hate corruption, but so many take the easier way out and bribe the policeman... Change does not happen if don't make it happen... and to me the most disappointing thing is that people who could lead by example - expats, people in higher positions and better financials standing - they so often tend to take the easier way... I know so many foreigners - from Scandinavia, US, Germany - who allow themselves to act in Lithuania very differently then in their home countries... I ask them "why? you know better?"... and the answer is "because it is easier that way"... What have I done to change this country? Hm

Aage Myhre Very, very good, Ieva!! I believe your attitudes are 100% correct and I wish your understanding will start spreading rapidly! Also among foreigners living or visiting...

Thomas Danielsen
Nothing will change the next 30-50 years until those today 35+ die out... Ieva says that she knows many who is planning to come back. Well, I know equally many who says "I will never come back". 
The statistics speaks its case - the dark numbers are surely higher. 
Surely many expats are acting according to the local norm. Why should we not? We are called stupid if we do not... With attitudes like "if I manage to screw you, its your fault that you got screwed". Or like one Lithuanian who is presently in a Norwegian jail said: "All Norwegians can afford to be robbed for at least 100 000 kr" (about 40 000 Litas). You got a long, long way to go Lietuva...
Wake up, look at the facts, smell the reality! Lithuanians call us "stupid and naive". I say, have a look around yourself and shut up!
Ieva do certainly have a point, the country needs to be changed by the people themselves! And it will have to be the people with international experience that does it. However, they will not come back and try to change something which does not want to be changed.

Ieva Vozbutaite Thomas, Lithuania is a land of opportunity!... Is it easy? No; Is it convenient? No... Does it pay as much as US or Sweden? No... But there is no greater excitement and pleasure when you get to do things that you would only dream about in US and Sweden!!!

Thomas Danielsen Sure its a land of opportunity. But what you got to realize is that there are bigger opportunities elsewhere. Surely Lithuania is an entrepreneurial country - as long as you play by her rules (including the corruption and cheaters and all that goes with it). Its a rotten country - from inside to outside. Especially from inside.

Ieva Vozbutaite I am inside, and let me tell you - it is not that rotten... and many things at the end of the day depend on you and principles... I would use the word raw and not rotten... Raw in the sense of everything being very much in the open... From my experience in the US, thing are much better covered, and the core is not that exposed, but it does not mean it is not rotten :)... Also opportunity - of course bigger and better and there are no limits of learning more... I just want to point out that there are many possible different things here as well... I am glad I have the luxury to be able to compare... and learn and go forward...

A few days ago our Associate Editor, Vin Karnila, wrote a well-tasting article about 'kugelis'. In addition to presenting his favourite recipe, he also claimed that this is a national Lithuanian dish. Here are a few of his phrases that got several reactions from readers over the latest days:

"Once again I have been elected to share a traditional Lithuanian recipe with you..."

"I think that 'kugelis' has more variations for recipes than any other Lithuanian dish..."

"In spite of what you may have read about "traditional Lithuanian breakfasts" in books, I can tell you that in Lithuania very often what you had for dinner last night is what you have for breakfast (and lunch) the next day."

To read more, go to our
Section 21 – FOOD, WINE AND MORE

This not a Lithuanian dish.

Sorry, but this is yet another example of the erroneous assumptions made about things that are nothing to do with Lithuania and yet, generally because a couple of letters have been on the end of a word (in this case the addition of the letters i and s at the end of the Yiddish/German word kugel), people assume that they're Lithuania. This not a Lithuanian dish.
Richard Schofield

Indeed a cherished Lithuanian dish

In response to Richard Schofield – Potato Kugelis is indeed a cherished Lithuanian dish. It is also called "Bulviu Plokstainis" (flat potato dish). It often contains pork products (like bacon) as that is what was in abundance in Lithuania and still is, although you can find Plokstainis with chicken as well.
I'll bet that there is not one Lithuanian family, regardless of their religious beliefs, that does not have a Potato Kugelis/Plokstainis recipe that is passed from generation to generation.
Rima Raulinaitis

Kugel (or Kigel) is eaten by Jews all over around

I was really interested to read that kugel (or Kigel) which is eaten by Jews all over around, may be a Lithuanian dish, I'd be interested in more information on the source of Kugel(is).
If you are already doing a research on that, could you tell me if Tshulent does sound familiar to Lithuanians?
Gershon Lehrer, Antwerp, Belgium

Kugelis is a favorite with all our family

My cousin from Stakiai grates the raw onion into the potato mixture….she said it keeps the potatoes whiter. I've tried it and it seems to keep them from turning gray. Kugelis is a favorite with all our family and I've made both bacon and vegetarian options – all are consumed pretty quickly!
Sandy Abramovich

We should not confuse the Lithuanian Kugelis with the Jewish Kugel

We should not confuse the Lithuanian Kugelis with the Jewish Kugel. I think the only similarity here is the name. The Lithuanian Kugelis is made with potatoes, while the Jewish kugelis is made mostly with noodles. The Lithuanian Kugelis requires bacon bits (and perhaps bacon fat). So try serving Lithuanian Kugelis to a religious Jew (after you tell him what's in it), and see what reaction you get.
Val Ramonis