text:
Be careful with what you say today and keep in mind that eavesdropping is a popular pastime for the folks around you right now.
They are all hungry for information -- and gossip.
Not only do you need to be conservative in what you say, but you have to be thorough as well, which is a tricky proposition.
Organize your thoughts and say what needs to be said -- and nothing more.
If you make sure you cover all your bases, you'll be well protected and sure to shine.
Verona, Veneto, Italy
Stoke On Trent, England, United Kingdom
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Gengenbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Zwickau, Sachsen, Germany
as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland
and in cities across the United States such as West Newton, West Chester, West Chicago, Westport and more.
Today is Wednesday, June 1, the 152nd day of 2011.
There are 213 days left in the year.
National Go Barefoot Day
Say Something Nice Day.
Posted by nacktman at 11:09 PM No comments:
Random Celebrity Photo
Happy Birthday Norma Jean
Bikers Foil Westboro baptist cult's Obama Joplin Protest
300 of them
When the Westboro baptist Cult tried to roll into Joplin, Missouri to protest President Obama, they were met by hundreds of patriotic bikers.
This is a great story. Truth Wins Out has a first hand account of what happened when the Westboro baptist cult tried to protest President Obama's appearance in Joplin, Missouri yesterday,
We all heard the Westboro idiots were coming to protest! And so did about three hundred bikers!! The bikers all showed up and parked across the street from the University where Obama held a ceremony for the many good people, friends and family we lost!! The only report of any Westboro people actually being there was one guy strolling through all the bikers, when they found out who he was it got ugly for him real quick his shirt got torn off and he was pushed around pretty good! When the police saw what was about to happen they grabbed him and tried to push the bikers back!! Then they told the guy "run you stupid mother fucker."
(Thanks to Politicus reader, Lisa Knappe) we have video:
'Run you stupid, motherfucker' about sums it up.
The Westboro baptist cult is infamous for their protests at fallen soldiers' funerals, and their desecration of the American flag, all in the name of gay hate. If there is anyone in America who deserves a good ass kicking it is Fred Phelps and religion camouflaged hate group.
The SPLC describes the Westboro baptist cult as, "Westboro baptist cult (WBC) is arguably the most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America. The group is basically a family-based cult of personality built around its patriarch, Fred Phelps. Typified by its slogan, "God Hates Fags," WBC is known for its harsh anti-gay beliefs and the crude signs its members carry at their frequent protests. WBC's theology is "Primitive Baptist," a doctrine that holds that God chooses a few elect humans to save, but will send everybody else to hell."
Bikers are tough and many are also very patriotic. These 300 bikers were not about to let WBC ruin the Joplin memorial. Once some bikers and truckers got word that Westboro baptist was coming into town, they converged in Joplin yesterday, and pinned down the hate cult until the memorial was over.
The last thing the people of Joplin needed was the WBC, and some great Americans made sure that Joplin got their moment of mourning and healing.
Patriotism doesn't have a look, race, gender, or partisan affiliation, and the story out of Joplin proves once again that you should never judge a book by its cover.
When the people of Joplin needed help, 300 bikers were there. In my mind anyone who challenges the hate of WBC qualifies as a patriot.
YouTube unblocks video of 13yo Syrian boy tortured, killed by government thugs
YouTube has reinstated access to a graphic, horrifying video of Hamza Ali al-Khateeb, a 13-year-old child who is reported to have been tortured, castrated, and killed by Syrian government thugs after being separated from his mother and father at an April protest against the Assad regime. A link to the video is here; it is extremely disturbing and not appropriate for viewing by children. The video was apparently blocked by YouTube due to its shocking content, then unblocked after reporters and human rights advocates petitioned YouTube administrators.
The boy's corpse was returned to his family a month after his arrest. As The Nation reports, they "risked their lives to produce the video."
The New York Times reports that his father was detained after the video went public, and he has since been missing.
The New York Times describes the video:
But the remains themselves testify all too clearly to ghastly torture. Video posted online shows his battered, purple face. His skin is scrawled with cuts, gashes, deep burns and bullet wounds that would probably have injured but not killed. His jaw and kneecaps are shattered, according to an unidentified narrator, and his penis chopped off.
More from The Nation:
By Tuesday, however, the video that shot from the web to Al Jazeera to the streets of Syria -- where people marched carrying signs emblazoned with the deceased child's portrait -- had been blocked on YouTube, the very site where it first launched. The temporary blockage of the brutal video, which YouTube has since restored, is another reminder that the same social media platforms which help spread protests can also seriously hinder activists.
Further on in that piece, EFF Director for International Freedom of Expression Jillian York says YouTube handled the matter of the video itself pretty well (for what it's worth, I agree):
Generally, I've found that YouTube does a good job at keeping graphic violence up when there's context. I've helped activists at times get their videos back up on YouTube by going through the appeals process and adding context.
Predictably, the Syrian state-controlled media went into full denial mode on this story, saying the boy is no 'Child Martyr.' From The Atlantic:
[To] Syria's state-run media, the tale amounts to nothing more than "lies and false accounts" spread by "satellite channels and websites." The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) has just published an article giving its version of events surrounding Hamza's death.
Europe's deadly E. coli outbreak
Unprecedented E. coli outbreak hits Europe
An unusual and toxic form of bacterium has killed 16 and sickened more than 1,150 people.
Mysterious source
More on the bacterium
U.S. inspecting imports
Food crisis warning
'Extraordinary' outbreak takes dire turn
Officials scramble to find the source as a deadly E. coli strain sickens hundreds more in Europe.
Victims in 9 countries
Spain threatens to sue
Beef recalled in Michigan
Prevent food poisoning
365 more sickened in bacterial outbreak
The number of people reported sick in Germany from a foodborne bacterial outbreak that has already killed 16 spiked over the last 24 hours, with nearly 100 more people suffering from severe and potentially fatal symptoms, the national disease control center said Wednesday.
Man Dies of Hypothermia in San Francisco Bay as Authorities Watch
Raymond Zack, 52, walked back and forth along the shore of Robert Crown Memorial State Beach for several minutes before he waded into the waves at about 11:30 a.m. on Memorial Day, only to die in the frigid waters within an hour, as authorities watched.
White working class alienated
America's white working class pessimistic
Demographic shifts make the influential bloc the most alienated group in U.S. society.
Reason for the worry
Economy still sluggish
The most unequal state
Obama's commerce pick
A Good One
What do you call 20 lawyers skydiving?
Perfect setup for skeet shooting.
Social Security cuts would disproportionately hurt our veterans and their families
Also a good question:
What does agribusiness have to hide in Iowa?
Repugican concerns about Obama 2012 in NC show how bad off the repugicans really are
Washington Post:
By any number of indicators, President Obama shouldn't have much of a chance in North Carolina next year. In no state was Obama's 2008 win closer — he won by just 14,177 votes, or 0.3 percent of the electorate — and he's less popular now. The economy, now Obama's economy, is in worse shape.
But if repugican activists are feeling confident, you wouldn't know it by what they're doing and saying.
Repugicans are poring over the details of how Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since Jimmy Carter. They are trying to pass laws in the legislature to restrict the early-voting system that Obama used to such remarkable effect.
Gotta love that last part. Yes, making it easier to vote helped too many Americans vote for Obama, so we'd better make it harder to vote next time. Classic repugican.
Democrats battle repugicans over school lunches
repugicans really, really hate people!
House repugicans are pushing back against Obama administration efforts to promote healthier eating.
Tag a No No?
From the "OK, this is a joke, right?!" Department:
My fifth-grade son loves to play tag with his friends and complains that it is banned from school. I found the ban odd, because I remember playing tag with relish growing up. Tag for me as a kid was exciting and physically demanding but also very social. I couldn't understand why it would be banned, so I made some inquiries.
I found that Marengo Elementary School has formal guidelines and rules that apply not only to tag but to all kinds of playground activities. Additionally, Marengo isn't alone in giving tag and other rough-and-tumble games a time out—games such as tag and touch football are being banned across the nation.
Ten days with no spending
Going ten days without spending a dime
This woman kept her wallet shut by planning ahead and hiding any temptations.
What about gas?
Say 'no' to credit
Save the middle class
Cut your grocery bills
Culinary DeLites
What do you hate most about cooking?
The $5 ingredient every chef should have
Homegrown Lettuce - Hold The E. coli
Thinking of nixing lettuce from your diet after reading about the deadly E. coli outbreak in Germany and domestic lettuce recalls? Not only can at-home growers skip this risk - you'll also save money, enjoy a nearly endless variety of organic and heirloom options and have fresh salads at their fingertips all year around - even without an outdoor ...
U.S. cities with the cleanest air
5 summer calorie-burners
17 foods to boost your brainpower
Manage your life
Betty White pushing 90: It's all in your attitude
7 cheap purchases that will make you pay
How to streamline your schedule
4 key features of an organized pantry
The Scottish Military Field Hospital
The new commander in Iraq hears that a Scottish regiment has a specialized field hospital that's doing fantastic things with the troops. He wants to know what is so special about the place, so he arranges a tour.
When he gets to the ward, it's full of patients with no obvious sign of injury or illness. He's perplexed, so goes up to the first bed and greets the soldier there.
The patient replies:
"Fair fa your honest sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin race,
Aboon them a ye take yer place,
Painch, tripe or thairm,
As langs my airm."
The general is confused, so he just grins and moves on to the next patient.
That soldier responds:
"Some hae meat an canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat an we can eat,
So let the Lord be thankit."
Even more confused, and his grin now rictus-like, the commander moves on to the next patient, who immediately begins to chant:
"Wee sleekit, cowerin, timorous beasty,
O the panic in thy breasty,
Thou needna start awa sae hastie,
Wi bickering brattle."
Now seriously troubled, the general turns to the accompanying doctor and asks, "Is this a psychiatric ward?"
"No, not at all," replies the doctor. "This is the Serious Burns unit."
Worried Britain
Stressed-out adults spend 36 minutes a day in despair
Stressed Britons spend 36 minutes every day wallowing in despair, a study has revealed.
Stanley Cup's strange travels
Oddest places the Stanley Cup has visited
Hockey's most coveted trophy has a rich history of showing up in unexpected spots.
Active war zone, baptism, more
Atlanta Thrashers moving
Pricey tickets for final
Stanley Cup coverage
Puerto Rican Arrested for Selling "Obama Condoms" on Times Square
The hilarious and entrepreneurial Hispanic street vendor proclaims his right to sell politician clad condoms under the first amendment.
Sharks Rock to AC/DC Music
The legendary rock band has sold 200 million albums worldwide, but now AC/DC has an unexpected new fan -- the majestic great white shark, The Advertiser reported Wednesday.
Plane returns after fistfight between passengers
Government and airline officials say a United Airlines plane with 144 people aboard returned to Washington-Dulles International Airport for an emergency landing escorted by two F-16 fighter jets after a fight broke out between passengers.
2 Iraqis charged in US with terrorism plotting
Two Iraqis living in Kentucky have been arrested on charges that they tried to send sniper rifles, stinger missiles and money to Al-Qaida operatives in their home country, according to court documents unsealed Tuesday.
Infamous tax man faces new trial over fake passport
An Indonesian tax man convicted of taking bribes from companies looking for lower bills, paid $20,000 to buy a fake passport for overseas jaunts while he was meant to be locked up behind bars, a court heard Tuesday.
FAA To Fine People Who Shine Lasers At Planes
The FAA has seen the light. And they want to put an end to it. Federal Aviation Administration officials on Wednesday plan to announce they will impose civil penalties on people who point lasers into the cockpit of aircraft.
Tribal crimes under-prosecuted
Half of reservation cases never prosecuted
Many Native Americans suspected of violent offenses walk free because the U.S. won't try the cases.
Tribal Law and Order Act
High teeth decay rates
Hopis showcase culture
Birdwatcher arrested for sage in botched marijuana bust
California woman spotted pushing trashcan of body parts down street is arrested for homicide
Carmen Montenegro, 51, was arrest on Monday after she was caught with human remains.
A California woman caught wheeling a trashcan full of body parts was arrested on Monday on charges of homicide. Carmen Montenegro, 51, of San Bernardino, Calif. was spotted with the macabre container around 2:30 in the afternoon and nabbed by police who were tipped off to her bizarre activities.
15-year-old boy kills 7-year-old girl to pay for his video game addiction
A 15-year-old Vietnamese boy has been arrested, accused of killing his seven-year-old neighbor in order to sell her earrings to pay for his video game addiction.
It's all in how you look at things.
Atlantic City's rapid fall
The meteoric fall of Atlantic City
The gambling mecca is caught in a fight for survival after ignoring signs of change for years.
It went so wrong, so fast
A risky new resort
Poker championship starts
Vegas casino's overhaul
Town bans FEMA trailers
Tornado-stricken town bans FEMA trailers
Cordova, Ala., won't allow homeless storm victims to occupy mobile homes within city limits.
Citizens are outraged
Offer of rental homes
Number of missing in Joplin
The rebuilding begins
'Phonehenge' faces bulldozer
Battle rages over 'Phonehenge' castle
Officials demand that a California man tear down his sprawling, 30-year labor of love — or go to jail.
Route 66 'guardian angel'
Reclusive heiress mystery
Avalanche batters chalet
Gorgeous pools, patios, yards
Jaw-dropping pools, patios, and yards
These multimillion-dollar mansions boast infinity pools, a fire pit, and even a pirate ship.
See the stunning photos
Dazzling indoor pools
Why homes don't sell
ARMs look more attractive
Seven dishwasher dilemmas solved
7 common dishwasher dilemmas solved
These simple tips can help you get rid of stubborn grease and prevent streaky dishes.
Soak glasses in white vinegar
3 ways to conquer clutter
Decorating rules to break
Essential laundry tips
Cell phones add cancer risk
Cell phone use may increase cancer risk
Experts make the controversial finding after analyzing details from dozens of published studies.
Cell phone dangers
Cancer guidelines unsafe?
Ways to avoid cancer
Food For Thought As The Future Heats Up
USA Drought Monitor Map, May 24, 2011.
Image credit:USDA
Texas farmers could potentially be rescued from the grip of drought by hurricane-delivered precipitation. (NOAA's 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook calls for a 65% chance of an above normal season,...)
The longer the delay in climate policy action by national governments, the greater the likelihood of severe global financial shock when the needed actions are taken.
Cities of the world continue to grow rapidly - in great part by immigration. Many city states are situated on sea coasts, where they host international ports and banking centers. Tsunamis and typhoons impact coastal areas primarily. And on we go...
Article continues: Food For Thought As The Future Heats Up
Cloud Computing The Largest Telescope Ever Built
Building the world's largest radio telescope will come with lots of infrastructure issues to start with. One of the biggest problems researchers will face is how to analyze the massive amount of data that will be collected. One solution may be to turn to the public for some extra computing power.
Australia wants to host the world's biggest and most sensitive radio telescope, and as part of its bid to land the $2.1 billion Square Kilometer Array (SKA) the joint Aussie-New Zealand effort is going go launch a massive cloud computing initiative in September to prove it can handle the data flow. The initiative could quickly turn into one of the largest scientific cloud computing networks in the world, tapping the computing power and storage offered up by desktop computers worldwide.
Out of dreams
When you run out of dreams he is always there.
This lady's name was Douglas
Not her surname. Her first (given) name was Douglas.
Lady Douglas (or alternatively, Douglass) Sheffield is most widely known as the mother of Robert Dudley, styled Earl of Warwick, the illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Some information from Wikipedia:
Douglas is a Scottish and English masculine given name which originated from the surname Douglas. Although today the name is almost exclusively given to boys, it was used as girls name in the 17th and 18th centuries, in the north of England... Linguistically, Douglas is derived from the Gaelic elements: dubh, meaning "dark, black"; and glas, meaning "stream" (also a derivative of glas, meaning "grey").
Yo-yo's amazing history
Astonishing facts about the yo-yo
The ancient Greeks were fans of the classic toy that dates back to at least 500 B.C.
A famous one cost $16,000
Learn yo-yo tricks
Singer a huge game fan
Top mobile games
Web buzzes about markings
Pyramid's secret chamber electrifies Web
Explorers find ancient markings in a tunnel that has been impossible to reach for 4,500 years.
How they got through
More on the pyramid
Jerusalem's hidden city
Statue of king found
Why Vikings left Greenland
Scientists discover why Vikings vanished
The famed tribe of warriors disappeared from Greenland more than 600 years ago.
Their 'Ice Age' theory
History of the Vikings
17 lost Egyptian pyramids
Surprising mammoth mates
Worker Ballet
Want to feel old?
The first commercial with the Taco Bell chihuahua aired 14 years ago.
The chihuahua has been dead for 2 years.
The Man Who Swims With Coelacanths
Marjorie Courtinay-Latimer was the young curator of a natural history museum on South Africa's east coast. Shortly before Christmas in 1938, local fishermen brought her a fish unlike any they'd ever seen. Caught at a depth of 240 feet, it was five feet long, covered in bony scales and had fins reminiscent of legs. It was a coelacanth. There was just one catch: Coelacanths were extinct, and had been for 70 million years.
In 1986, German explorer and then-freelance photographer Hans Fricke convinced a magazine editor to send him and a submarine to the Comoros Islands. Since then he's led more than 400 dives, helping to produce much of what is now known about coelacanths.
The Swedish Beaver Invasion
Swedish police were called to handle a wayward beaver for the second time in recent months yesterday morning after one of the industrious rodents made its way into a homeowner's garage.
Whether the beaver took a wrong turn somewhere remains a mystery, but the curious animal's journey nevertheless ended in a garage on Grindstugevägen in Nässjö in central Sweden.
Police have since contacted local hunters and animal consultants who plan to "return the beaver to freedom" later on Monday.
Back in April, police near Köping in central Sweden were called after an ambulance reported seeing a beaver lumbering down Glasgatan, the local Arboga Tidning newspaper reported.
Rather than put the animal in the back of the patrol car, however, police decided instead to simply point the beaver in the right direction.
What is a jellyfish?
Steven Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (let's all pause a moment to reflect on kismet of that surname/job combination) made this video about the wide world of creatures that we call "jellyfish." It's a great summary of the extreme diversity encompassed under one, catch-all name, and does a really nice job of explaining relationships between different species and families of jelly-like creatures.
And let's not discount the stop-and-gawk value. Check out 1:27 for a Hydromedusae that looks strikingly like Darth Vader's helmet. You'll also meet shell-less snails, jelly worms of the sort you don't find at the candy store, and even colony-dwelling creatures thousands of individuals strong.


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text:
Alcatrez and Confederate prisoners during Civil War
My friend is doing research of Confederate Army and Civil War. She read that Confederate soldiers were held prisoner within Alcatrez. We would be interested in whatever information is available. If you need physical address please send to Nancy Bixler PO Box 707 Seneca MO 64865 Thx
-- Nancy Bixler (beamer_98@kool1061mail.com), April 21, 2001
No Confederate "soldiers" were ever incarcerated on Alcatraz. Instead, numerous suspected pro-Secessionists were sent to the Island and confined in the guardhouse there along with the Army's soldier- prisoners. These included almost anyone who made anti-Union remarks or gave incendiary speeches, and at one point the Army even locked up the chairman of the State Democratic Committee for giving an anti-war speech.
In March 1863, the U. S. Navy seized the sloop CHAPMAN on San Francisco Bay and found it loaded with men and arms. The crew were all pro-Secessionists Southerners and their leader, Asbury Harpending, had a letter of marque signed by Jefferson Davis authorizing him to act as a privateer. They were confined on Alcatraz for awhile, and the leaders later tried and convicted of treason and sentenced to death. (Lincoln eventualy pardoned them.)
Although not really CNS sailors, the CHAPMAN's crew were probably the closest to Confederate military personnel ever sent to Alcatraz.
A highly dramatized account of the CHAPMAN episode can be found in the book "The Great Diamond Hoax and Other Stirring Episodes in the Life of Asbury Harpending" by (who else?) Asbury Harpending. (San Francisco: John H. Barry, Co. 1912)
-- John Martini (jamartini@earthlink.net), April 21, 2001.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Posted: Tue 8th Mar 2022
Trailblazing Flintshire Coach wants to inspire more women and girls into sport
This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Mar 8th, 2022
On International Women's Day, a trailblazing Flintshire coach wants to inspire more women and girls into sport
Georgina Roberts is sending a message that more needs to be done to support and empower women into coach or leadership roles – as a role model herself in a sport historically viewed as male-dominated.
At just 17, Georgina represented Great Britain at Olympic Trap Shooting, and in 2019, she received the prestigious Women of the Future award.
With Paris 2024 looming, she has her sights firmly set on this target – but wants to keep an eye on the broader picture too in inspiring the next generation.
Speaking on her journey, and doing more to fight stereotypes, she said: "We need to do more to empower women. We should believe in them and support their journey into sport and coaching. If we send out that message, we can break down barriers and encourage women to chase their goals, rather than seeking permission or waiting for someone to ask."
"Becoming a coach has increased my ability to communicate effectively and concisely."
"It's also developed my understanding of the technical side of shooting. All of this has helped build relationships with my coaches. This new understanding has helped my performances go from strength to strength."
"I think we can do more in sport to promote and celebrate stories from grassroots sports through to world class. We should talk about people's journeys and how they got started, how it hasn't always been easy and how often people suffer with imposter syndrome. We are all human and we all have to start somewhere."
Georgina wants to see an environment where sport is accessible and inclusive for all, and has urged aspiring female coaches to "grasp opportunities where you can":
"It's important to be a leader rather than a follower, and you need to have a real passion for what you are doing. I find it more empowering to lead when I am focused on the bigger picture, as it helps me find solutions that others cannot see."
"It's been so rewarding from a personal perspective. I'm still competing so I get the best of both worlds. I have loved helping those who are starting their careers and hobbies – it's a great way to show girls that if I can achieve it, then so can they."
"I didn't ever see myself as a role model, I do what I do. I like to stay in my lane and focus on what I want to achieve. But I'm very fortunate that people do see me as an inspiration, and that encourages me to work harder on making sport bigger and better for everyone."
"It makes me want to be my absolute best because we never know who is watching. I want girls to see my actions and I want them to be inspired."
That support system is there for Georgina in the form of her mentor, and she wants to encourage more females to pursue a career in coaching, while her own role within the coaching space is making it more inclusive and accessible all the while.
To find out more on how to get into coaching, increase your skills, or advance in your coaching role, visit the FREE #WomenWhoCoach digital toolkit www.ukcoaching.org/Women-Who-Coach-Toolkit.

Five new industrial units will capitalise on the growing logistics sector and bring 1,000 new jobs to Deeside


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When you hire my firm, I will conduct a complete investigation into the facts of your case. I will rely on you for an accurate account of the events leading up to your arrest as a basis for building your defense. I will review all of the police reports and evidence the prosecution intends to use against you. I will present the strongest possible case to protect your freedom and your future.
Contact my office today to schedule a free initial consultation about your drug sales and trafficking case. I represent clients in Elgin and communities throughout Kane County and the surrounding areas of the Chicago, Illinois region.


text:
Mandràgora (Mandragora) és un gènere de plantes amb flor dins la família de les solanàcies.

Particularitats
És una planta que creix arran de terra, les fulles es troben agrupades en una roseta basal. Les flors són violàcies o verdoses i el fruit és una baia groga o ataronjada. L'arrel té una forma especial que antigament hom considerava homínida.

Les mandràgores són originàries del sud d'Europa i de l'Àsia occidental. El nom de la mandràgora prové del grec, en què significa dolenta per al ramat. En àrab s'anomena luffâh, que vol dir poma de Satan, en al·lusió a la forma del fruit i a la seva mala olor.
Alguns botànics situen les plantes del gènere Mandragora dins del gènere Atropa (el de la belladona).

Tradicions
La mandràgora té una gran tradició en el folklore europeu i del Pròxim Orient. S'utilitzava tant a la medicina tradicional com a la bruixeria.

Antigament hom atribuïa a les mandràgores fortes propietats afrodisíaques, afirmant que provocava el desig immediatament. Així la mandràgora és una de les espècies vegetals esmentades a la Bíblia, al llibre del Gènesi 30:14-16, amb el nom de dudaïm (sg.: dudai, masc.):
Rubèn sortí al temps de la sega dels blats, trobà mandràgores al camp i les portà a Lia, la seva mare. Aleshores Raquel digué a Lia: "Dona'm, si et plau les mandràgores del teu fill!" I li respongué: "Et sembla poc d'haver-me pres el marit que encara em vols prendre les mandràgores del meu fill?" Raquel li digué: "D'acord: que aquesta nit dormi amb tu a canvi de les mandràgores del teu fill." Al capvespre, quan Jacob tornava del camp, Lia li va sortir a l'encontre i li va dir: "Has de venir amb mi perquè t'he aconseguit a canvi d'unes mandràgores del meu fill." I Jacob va dormir amb ella aquella nit."

També són esmentades al Càntic dels Càntics 7:14:
"¹⁴ Les mandràgores exhalen perfum, i a les nostres portes tenim tots els fruits saborosos:
de novells i de vells encara; els he reservats per a tu, estimat meu!".

Hom creia que les mandràgores creixien espontàniament als llocs on les gotes de semen d'un penjat havien caigut a la terra. Perquè la mandràgora no perdés el seu poder, el treball de desarrelar-la de terra l'havia de fer un gos famèlic, al qual després hom havia de donar carn.
Alguns textos que emfatitzen el poder guaridor de la mandràgora: .. .un home malalt d'un mal incurable per al qual és va cap remei, ni herba ni mandràgora.No obstant això, la mandràgora és una planta altament tòxica que pot provocar la mort d'aquell que la ingerís (fins i tot en petites quantitats).

El gènere té quatre espècies, de les quals la Mandragora officinarum n'és la més coneguda a les nostres contrades. Té propietats emètiques (productores del vòmit) i hom deia que afavoria la circulació de la sang. Malgrat llur prestigi en el passat, aquestes plantes ja no s'utilitzen actualment en la medicina.

 En la literatura
Nicolau Maquiavel va escriure una obra de teatre anomenada La Mandràgora.

 Bibliografia
 Bromfield, William: An account of the English nightshades, and their effects. With the original case of Dr. Lambergen, as delivered in his inaugural thesis. London: printed for R. Baldwin, and G. Woodfall, 1757.
 Foucaud, André: "Sur l'origine botanique du «dudaïm» ". Dins: Revue d'Histoire de la Pharmacie 49 (1961), pp. 153-155. Versió online.
 Heiser, Charles B. Jr (1969). Nightshades - The Paradoxical Plant. Pàgs. 131-136. W. H. Freeman & Co. .
 Thompson, C. J. S. (reprint 1968). The Mystic Mandrake. University Books.
 Ungricht, Stefan, i Sandra Knapp, i John R. Press: A revision of the genus Mandragora (Solanaceae). Dins: Bulletin of the Natural History Museum. Botany series. volum 28, Nº 1, 1998, Pàgs. 17–40, online.
 Zhi-Yun Zhang, i Anmin Lu, i William G. D'Arcy: Mandragora. Dins:  online, PDF-Datei (engl.).
 Wentzel, M.: Über die chemischen Bestandteile der Mandragorawurzel.'' Tesi de doctorat. Berlin: 1900.

Referències

Enllaços externs

 Erowid Mandrake Vault
 Mandrake in wildflowers of Israel
 Mandragora - Lithuanian metal band
 Translation of Grimm's Saga No. 84 The Mandrake

Solanàcies

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Obama Admin. Trying to Seize Info About VA Corruption From Whistleblower Website
Michael Allen
The Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a watchdog and whisteblower organization, was recently hit with an administrative subpoena by the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Inspector General to seize information from its encrypted submission portal.
POGO's submission portal has gotten more than 700 tips from whistleblowers in less than a month about the failures and abuses by the Veterans Administration (VA).
The VA and the Obama administration have faced harsh criticism because thousands of vets have allegedly been waiting for medical care for months at certain VA facilities such as the one in Phoenix.
"If they are successful, that defeats the purpose of trying to improve our online security with encryption," Joe Newman, of POGO, told ArsTechnica.com.
"We are certainly prepared to go to court," added Newman. "We are certainly prepared to go to jail to prevent any of that information from being released."
According to Wired, an administrative subpoena is not signed by a judge, but rather by a federal official who can force "all businesses... to hand over sensitive data on individuals or corporations, as long as a government agent declares the information is relevant to an investigation."
"Via a wide range of laws, Congress has authorized the government to bypass the Fourth Amendment — the constitutional guard against unreasonable searches and seizures that requires a probable-cause warrant signed by a judge," noted Wired.
However, on Monday, POGO informed the Obama administration that it won't give up its records:
Based on protections afforded by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, it is in the public interest that POGO protect its sources, methods, and unpublished information involving any matter related to any POGO investigation or sources, including our investigation into the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sources: POGO, Wired, ArsTechnica.com
politicsInternetVA Corruption From Whistleblower WebsiteObama Admin. Trying to Seize Info


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded its safety investigation into the Chevy Volt, giving the car a relatively clean bill of health. However, the Volt is still struggling to make it in the marketplace. Many Chevy dealers are refusing to take the plug-in hybrid cars off of GM's hands.
GM fell far short of its goal to sell 10,000 Volts in the U.S. in 2011. The automaker was only able to move 7,671 units last year. GM has cited the recent NHTSA investigation into alleged engine fires following side-impact collisions as the reason for the decreased demand.
However, sales were slow on the model even before the safety issues emerged. Now Chevy dealers on both sides of the U.S. are balking at buying the cars.
In December, GM had 104 Volts earmarked for 14 dealerships in the New York market. According to Automotive News, only 31 of those cars were actually accepted by the dealers. Some might blame the area for its lack of infrastructure to support electric vehicles, but the same thing happened in California.
Brett Hedrick, a dealer in Clovis, Calif., moved 10 Volts last year. GM has allocated six Volts a month to the dealership, but Hedrick passed on all of the vehicles in December and January.
"We've never sold more than two in a month," he told Automotive News.
GM said at the Detroit Auto Show last week that it would not be pursuing its previous goal of selling 60,000 Volts in 2012. Instead, the car maker will produce the hybrid electric vehicle as demand dictates.
Is U.S. ready for plug-in?
Jalopnik suggested Monday that the problem may simply be that the U.S. is not that keen on electric vehicles yet. Other research suggests the same. According to Bloomberg, a survey released in January from Pike Research concludes that the American public is showing a decreased interest in electric vehicles. Those expressing interest in EVs went down from 48 percent in 2009 to 40 percent in 2011, according to the survey.


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Why foreigners are buying U.S. homes at record levels
Getty Images | Tim Boyle
Foreigners are getting serious about "Buying American" real estate.
The National Association of Realtors released a report Tuesday that said foreign buyers and recent immigrants spent an estimated $153 billion on American properties in the year ending March 2017. That was a 49% increase over the previous year and the highest level since record-keeping began in 2009.
The purchases accounted for 10% of the total value of existing home sales in the U.S. The report did not include new homes.
The breakdown of sales between foreigners and recent immigrants was about 50:50.
America's neighbors to the north were one big factor behind the surge.
Canadian real estate investors nearly doubled their purchases of American homes over the period because of the relative affordability of properties in the States. Many Canadians have been squeezed out of property markets in cities like Toronto and Vancouver that have experienced rapid price gains.
Canadians were the second biggest foreign purchasers of homes after the Chinese. Buyers from China shelled out nearly $32 billion over the period, while Canadians spent $19 billion.
Trump turmoil?
Foreign buyers had to brush off U.S. political turmoil in order to make their purchases.
"The political and economic uncertainty both here and abroad did not deter foreigners from exponentially ramping up their purchases of U.S. property over the past year," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.
"While the strengthening of the U.S. dollar in relation to other currencies and steadfast home-price growth made buying a home more expensive in many areas, foreigners increasingly acted on their beliefs that the U.S. is a safe and secure place to live, work and invest," he said.
Nearly half of all foreign sales were in three states: Florida, California and Texas.
Canadians gravitated to Florida. Chinese buyers focused on California. And Texas was the preferred state for Mexican buyers.
New Jersey and Arizona were the fourth and fifth most popular states.
The report estimated foreign buyers typically paid just over $302,000 per property, up 9% from the previous year.
About 10% of foreign buyers paid over $1 million.
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What a wine! It's actually a little deeper in colour than all the preceding wines – until you reach the 1990. The sweet nose has truffles and subtle rose petals, slowly expanding to provide a wonderful panorama of notes. Again beautiful texture and volume in the mouth, there's even still a bite of tannin in the finish. Once again a wine that builds and builds in the mouth – Bravo. On this showing as good as the 1978 even if the 78 has a little more aromatic intensity.


"The family is the nucleus of civilization"
I was lucky enough to be born into an amazing family. There are seven of us, and we still love each other. There are two years between each of us, and I remember boasting as a teenager, that my Mother had been pregnant for pretty much a decade;)....Our brother, James, is the eldest, then me, and I have three younger sisters, Bridget, Anna and Kate.
We have very loving parents who have dedicated their lives to each other, and to us as a family unit. We have been blessed.
Not so for all families though. There is a fine line between loving a family member despite their behaviors or bad habits, or loving them at a distance, or not loving them at all. Some families hate each other, or allow one event to contaminate their relationship for a life time.
When I was at school, people would say "You are so lucky... You have a wonderful family".
They didn't see the internal struggles that we had, and some of the secrets that we kept, in order to keep the family together as a strong entity.
Even though we had our differences, we kept them from breaking the family integrity. We weren't perfect, but we successfully negotiated the path. We still have a strong bond between us, and make a huge effort to come together to celebrate special occasions. Next year it will be my parent's 90th birthdays, and they have been married for almost 70 years!
Friendship, we can choose. Often friends become family in our eyes. Many a friendship is born out of unusual circumstances, or hardship. Sometimes, people with no family, or estranged family, adopt friends as their nearest and dearest.
There are friends who become family no matter what. I have several very dear and close friends (you know who you are..) who my parents unofficially adopted and have remained Family throughout the years.As time passes, families go through their own evolution. Just as the earth goes through seasons, so does a family in the course of time endure change. Milestones such as marriage, births, university, career, divorce and deaths represent a new phase of life. In times of crises and hardship families tend to stay close together, help each other out and endure what comes. .With the support of friends and family, most things are bearable.
So there in lays the tragedy of civil war, and political strife, where families can turn against each other and even kill each other. Man has been fighting man, for centuries. It has happened throughout history, and civil war is the bitterest, and bloodiest.
The An Shi Rebellion took place during the Tang Dynasty from A.D. 755 to A.D. 763. It was one of the deadliest civil wars in Chinese history, and over thirty-five million people lost their lives during this blood-bath. It began with a family quarrel.
The Wars of the Roses, spilled family blood between 1455 and1485, and ended with the accession of King Henry VII, who founded the Tudor dynasty and symbolically united the White and Red Roses to create the Tudor Rose.
The War of a Thousand Days was a Colombian civil war between the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and its radical factions that resulted over 100,000 deaths, extensive property damage, and national economic ruin. Families fought families. Brother killed brother.
1975-2002 The chief cause of this war, was a power struggle between the popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola and the National Union for Total Independence of Angola. It was one of the bloodiest and most prolonged civil wars of modern history, lasting for nearly twenty-seven years.
After years of fighting, Somalia lies in ruins—and the UN continues to send peacekeeping forces to facilitate the distribution of aid and the rebuilding of Somalia's society. It is estimated that nearly a million of people have lost their lives.
The American civil war was fought between 1861-1865 when seven southern States declared secession from the Union of the "United States". The primary arguments were over slavery and Southern nationalism. Abraham Lincoln won the Presidential election of 1860 without being on the ballot in ten of the Southern states, and seven of those state's economies depended on cotton cultivated using slave labor.
Families disagreed between families on the principles of both slavery and the disunion of the country. Women were more educated and outspoken, and disagreed with their brothers. Families came to blows and were split.
"The poems and songs of the Civil War era are gripping and powerful.
Civil War is extremely difficult on the family unit. The American civil war was no exception.
Typically, the father and eldest sons were the primary breadwinners, and families suffered great hardship when sons and fathers left home to fight. After the American civil war, 620,000 fathers and sons failed to return. Thousands of those that did return were wounded and maimed.
The following poem is one of many that speak of the tragedy of family fighting family.
That shines on his breast like an amulet!"
There's music around when my barrel's in tune!"
And dead from his horse fell the ringing dragoon.
That gleams in the moon like a diamond stud!"
That my heart rose upon me, and masters me yet.
Of a beautiful lady in bridal array."
We must bury him there, by the light of the moon!
Load again, rifleman, keep your hand in!"
When I left Canterbury to come to America, 34 years ago, I left many friends behind. Some are like family. Some I have forgotten. Many, are still in the eves, waiting for me to re-establish connections.
One girlfriend, Jan, was like my sister. We shared many hardships and experiences. We had such fun, and did memorable and adventurous things together, and she and I went to Florida in 1979, which sparked my interest in travel to the United States.
It was hard leaving her for America, and she felt the same way.
Before I left, she wrote me a beautiful poem, which I have kept all these years.
Now is the time to share it.
To Have, to Take, to Return.
and always be found between us.
but offering additions to the connection between us!
the secrets burst to be allowed.
"I woke up one morning thinking about wolves and realized that wolf packs function as families. Everyone has a role, and if you act within the parameters of your role, the whole pack succeeds, and when that falls apart, so does the pack."
The next poem is a benign side-glance at a father who is autocratic, yet not very practical, and can't really practice what he preaches.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox hit the nail on the head even in the 1800's when she recognized and verbalized how we can be more hurtful to our loved ones than we are to strangers.
David Wilcox, a contemporary Folk singer/songwriter in the United States, wrote a poignant and sharply critical song about his own parents and family, who are hurtful to each other, yet try to disguise their behaviors in a façade. You can listen to the song here, by linking to his website.
Lastly I would like to add one of my own poems that I wrote on the train after leaving my parents on my last visit.
Go home and love your family"
Our souls will rise up like great waves, my love.
With the great migratory wave of refugees now breaking on the shores of Europe, I have to talk about humanitarianism, and the lessons we have not learned.
Clearly, over the centuries, humans have been at war with humans.
We have enslaved each other; tortured each other; persecuted each other; humans have carried out the worst atrocities towards other humans; and still it goes on.
Would we not be doing the same thing for our own families if we were subjected to the same persistent arduous living conditions? Has migration not always been based on looking for a better life?
Most of these people have had to leave their homes and all their belongings. Most of them are penniless. They have left behind their only means to earn a living.
Since World War II, the world has changed dramatically. Air travel, business globalization, cell phones and internet communications have brought about a revolution of increased interconnectivity. Yet the global movement of people has become increasingly restricted and contentious. Immigration laws have become stricter. Paranoia has grown collectively as a result of Terrorism and religious propaganda.
In the last few years, most of the refugees are fleeing from War; from the war in Syria, from the Boko Harem in Nigeria, from the oppressive and violent regimes in Africa, and in the Taliban and Isis in the Middle East.
Forced migration has been happening for centuries due to conflict and extreme hunger.
In her book, Forced Migration of African Americans by Jennifer Farley, she quotes this mournful poem….
With the criminalization of refugees and migrants who arrive on the borders of many countries in Europe, and Australia, the world seems to be turning its back on its' most vulnerable. Change can be uncomfortable, but it is imperative to ensure we meet the obligation of protection and human dignity.
The United Nations ask that we recognize Three Pillars of Human Security in order to properly care for the Human body and soul.
That is what ALL refugees are seeking. That is what all "civilized" nations should be able to provide.
In my poem, The Lost Boys,(2014) I try to convey the message of the United Nations within the context of Maslow's pyramid, and mourn those deviants who stray from moral norms and commit atrocities toward their fellow man..
The atrocities of war, and the grieving of the dead is recorded in Poetry, Art and Music throughout the Centuries. Ancient Egyptian and Greek cultures are packed with stories of war and depictions of battles, both glorifying victory, as well as mourning the consequences.
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
Soon the whole army was destroyed below the walls.
Are you dead, or alive, wandering some distant land forever?
A few horses returned with torn flags we couldn't make out.
I would have a ceremony for you, but what if you are alive?
So, all I can do is shed a few tears for you, lost at the end of the sky.
Skipping abruptly into the 19th century, a famous poem of the American civil war, The Blue and the Gray, talks of the futility of war, when it comes to "judgement day" .. we all end up in the same place, so what's the point…..
Each country, each culture has had its time to mourn the effects of war. Each culture has a trail of tears that it has shed about the atrocities of war. Each culture recognizes the pain of losing their loved ones, especially their children. Yet children are dying, of illness and injury, drowning, suffocating, and starving while their parents desperately try to relocate them to a better life.
In the well-known song by Pete Seeger "Where have all the Flowers Gone ", (made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary in the 60's), the lyrics ask that age old question. When will we ever learn?
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the song, it sings a simple message depicting the domino effect of war, and how the cause and effects are circular and repetitive.
Where have all the Flowers gone? Girls have picked them everyone; Where have all the young girls gone? Taken husbands every one ,Where have all the young men gone? Gone to soldiers everyone; Where have all the soldiers gone? Gone to graveyards everyone; Where have all the graveyards gone? Gone to Flowers every one….When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?
Last year, struck by the many wars in the world, based essentially on religious beliefs, I wrote a poem called Precious World, previously featured in an earlier blog. I now provide a link via #soundcloud, so that you may hear my own rendition.
And finally, I would like to bring you " Letter to an unknown Soldier", written and read to you by my sister Bridget Cousins, who is also a talented musician, composer and writer herself.
The letter was written as part of a collective project organized by BBC radio to celebrate and honor those lost in World War 1. Bridget's letter is based on a true story; a love story, another tragic consequence of war and conflict.


www.worldbank.org/ - April 11, 2014- Half of the population in Sub Saharan Africa is under 25 years of age. How to get this large number of youth, that are leaving school and entering the labor market, productively and sustainably employed? It's the subject of a seminar and a review of the report "Youth Employment in Sub Saharan Africa" held at the World Bank.


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A Glimpse Into Songs and Performances That Reflect the Times
Post author By Nana Ama
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Paulo de Carvalho at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton. Credit: Acousterr
Have you ever had that moment when you listen to one of your favourite Eurovision songs and you realise that it had a deeper meaning? Or that a song and its performance reflected a certain point in time for a country, Europe and even the world? Maybe you just like the song's social or political nature? Well, you are not the only one! Throughout the 65 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, we have seen many songs come and go. Some have made their way into the hearts of non-Eurovision and Eurovision fans alike but some do not, to put it bluntly. There have been songs about many themes such as love, peace, friendship and togetherness. Some songs and performances unintentionally or intentionally become social or political anthems because they become a symbol of the period they were in. For this reason, we will be exploring songs and performances that become a part of huge sociopolitical change. So let's get ready to learn a bit more about certain songs and the era they were in.
Paulo de Carvalho – E Depois do Adeus – 1974
'E Depois do Adeus' was the victor of the 1974 edition of Festival da Canção, sung by Paulo de Carvalho. Following this victory, the song automatically became the one to represent Portugal at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest held in Brighton, United Kingdom. At the time, Portugal was under an authoritarian regime that opposed anti-colonialism, communism and socialism. This regime, created by Antonio Salazar and headed by Marcello Caetano after Salazar's death in 1968, was known as the 'Estado Novo'.
The 'Estado Novo' promoted nationalism and did not want to give up its colonies of Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde and Timor-Leste. Due to the 'Estado Novo's economic policies, Portugal found itself in an economic crisis, with its per-capita GDP falling 52.3% of the European Economic Community average. Opponents of the 'Estado Novo' were killed by the PIDE, the regime's secret police. Because of this, the Armed Forces Movement of military officials and civilian groups came together to overthrow the government.
On the night of 24th April 1974 at 10.55 pm, a certain group of people decided to change Portuguese history forever. It was decided that 'E Depois do Adeus' would be one of two songs that would begin a military coup which would later become known as 'The Carnation Revolution". At 10.55 pm, Emissores Associados de Lisboa played 'E Depois do Adeus' on the radio, making coup leaders announce they had taken control of parts of the country. 'The Carnation Revolution' occurred without a single shot being fired. The Revolution saw the collapse of the 'Estado Novo' dictatorship. Many gave the soldiers carnations as a form of celebration, finally being free from an authoritarian government. As a result, carnations are now an important symbol in Portugal.
'E Depois do Adeus' drastically changed Portugal. The revolution is remembered every year on 25th April. The national holiday commemorates the revolution and many celebrate it as it paved the way for Portugal to become more modern and democratic. Its occasions like these where a road to a better society was the real winner, rather a position at the Eurovision Song Contest. For this reason, Portuguese people remember the events of 25th April 1974 by saying:
In English – "25th April Always"
Gigliola Cinquetti – Sì – 1974
Gigliola Cinquetti, the winner of the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, represented Italy at the 1974 edition held in Brighton, United Kingdom. She would go on to sing 'Sì'. The song was about a woman's love for a man and the excitement she felt at the thought of spending the rest of her life with him.
However, the song was censored in Italy as RAI executives believed the song would influence the May 1974 referendum on divorce. RAI executives believed that if the song gained popularity, the "Yes" side of the argument would win. The "Yes" side campaigned to outlaw divorce and the "No" side argued to retain the existing divorce laws.
On 12th May 1974, the "no" side won – 59.26% of Italians voted to keep the divorce laws. Cinquetti may have never anticipated that her song would be used by RAI as a vehicle to politically influence voters, but this was the outcome.
RAI censoring 'Sì' can be seen as a move to pander and not offend the Catholic Church. The Church in Italy was extra important in the 1970s, especially as the Pope was seated in the capital city, Rome. Cinquetti, whether she wanted to or not, tested the morals of an Italian society that was still influenced by the Catholic Church. The referendum of the divorce then led to an open discussion on abortion as well. Abortion and divorce go directly against the views of the Catholic Church, which believed every life was sacred and divorce was morally wrong. The Church noticed that Italians began to challenge these ideas and as a result, the nation became divided and debated the role of religion. At the heart of it was Cinquetti, whose song failed to crack the top 40 of the Italian Music Charts due to RAI's censorship. However, 'Sì' did achieve success outside of Italy, namely in the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium.
Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta – A-Ba-Ni-Bi – 1978
For almost a century, Israel has been the subject of fierce debate, with the majority of Arabic nations refusing to recognise the State of Israel. Now, this is where we welcome Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta. The Alphabeta was made up of members
Reuven Erez, Lisa Gold-Rubin, Nehama Shutan, Esther Tzuberi and Itzhak Okev.
A month before the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest in Paris, Israel invaded Lebanon following the Coastal Road Massacre on 11th March 1978. The Coastal Road Massacre saw the death of 38 Israeli civilians at the hands of Palestinian militants. In retaliation, Israel invaded South Lebanon and at least 2000 Palestinians and Lebanese people were killed. The United Nations Security were so concerned with the situation that they drafted two resolutions on 19th March 1978 demanding Israel withdraw from South Lebanon. South Lebanon was an important place for Israel as they knew many Palestinian groups and civilians resided in the area.
'A-Ba-Ni-Bi' was not political in nature. It was an upbeat disco song about children trying to understand love. However, the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest was broadcast in several Arab nations such as Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco (who all allied themselves with Lebanon). As of 2021, Tunisia and Algeria all still have no formal relations with Israel. However, Jordan and more recently Morocco in 2020, have both normalised relations with Israel.
However, back in 1978, the Arab nations who watched Eurovision all expressed disgust at Israel winning, so much so that Jordanian television cut its transmission and showed a picture of flowers. Shortly after, Jordanian television reported that Belgium (the runner-up) had won instead. For these nations, Israel winning was not the result they wanted as they all sided with the Palestinians and Lebanon. However, 'A-Ba-Ni-Bi' is now considered to be one of the best Eurovision songs and is highly regarded among fans. In 2019, Izhar Cohen said his and the Alphabeta's victory in Paris:
'Was like a revolution"
Insieme: 1992 – Toto Cutogno – 1990
The early 1990s saw immense upheaval and change. The Berlin Wall fell, the Soviet Union collapsed and Yugoslavia was on the cusp of splitting up. In terms of Yugoslavia, many lives were lost following ethnic conflicts and battles for independence. Another increasing change was the Maastrict Treaty, which formally created the European Union in 1992. Amid European conflict, changing borders and political upheaval, one song stood out.
The '1992' in 'Insieme: 1992' is a direct reference to the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. As well as this, Cutogno sings of the hope that Europe will stay together despite all the differences in nationalities and beliefs. Cutogno was joined by 'Pepel In Kri', a group of five singers from Slovenia, who represented Yugoslavia in 1975. The addition of the Slovenian group is very significant as Slovenia had its first free elections in April 1990, a further symbol of change sweeping Europe.
'Insieme: 1992' won Eurovision 1990, allowing Italy to host the contest in 1991. Times were uncertain for many Europeans in the early 1990s but Cutogno wanted to spread a message of hope in the face of adversity. He wanted to remind Europeans that they were better together, could work together and share cultures across borders even though the continent was changing rapidly.
However, a sad casualty of the conflict in Yugoslavia was Tajči, who sang 'Hajde Da Ludujemo' for Yugoslavia on the same night Toto Cutogno sang about Europe staying together. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, Tajči was forced to leave her life in the now independent Croatia in 1992 and move to the United States. It was no longer safe for her to stay in her homeland and she gave up her promising music career to seek safety. A cruel irony.
Eurovision 1990 symbolised two opposites of human nature: one that promoted solidarity and the other full of those who could no longer live life as normal. It was very ironic 'Insieme: 1992' won in Yugoslavia as the country completely collapsed by 1992. Therefore, Eurovision 1990 was a contest tinged with sadness.
Diva – Dana International – 1998
Dana International set off a string of events that we may have never seen following her victory at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest in Birmingham. Without Dana International, Conchita Wurst would have never been on the Eurovision stage. We also would have never seen Kritsa Siegfrids kiss one of her dancers on stage during her performance of 'Marry Me' in Malmö 2013. We might have been also robbed of the opportunity to see Måneskin's open support of the LGBTQ+ community after they won this year. Dana International's win was not only groundbreaking but also legendary as it inspired so many LGBTQ+ people. Another significant part of Dana International's win was that she solidified the Eurovision Song Contest as a safe space for LGBTQ+ people.
Before she arrived in Birmingham, Dana tried to enter the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest but was rejected by the bosses of the Israeli national final. When Dana arrived in Birmingham in 1998, she was at the receiving end of transphobia from Israel's Orthodox Jewish community. There were so many concerns about Dana's safety that British police installed 24-hour protection in case she was attacked. As well as this, Dana also needed police escorts throughout her time in Britain.
Dana went on stage to sing her Hebrew Eurovision entry 'Diva', ignoring all the hate and living her best life on stage. Dana was accompanied by four backing singers and there was no dancing. When singing 'Diva', Dana made references to powerful women in history. Examples of these women include Cleopatra (the last queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt), Aphrodite (the Greek goddess of love) and Victoria (the Roman goddess of victory, but some British audiences at the time thought she meant Queen Victoria). At the end of the night, Dana International came first with 172 points from a 100% televoting system. Dana said after her victory:
"My victory proves God is on my side, I want to send my critics a message of forgiveness: try to accept me. I am what I am".
After Dana did her reprise of 'Diva' in an extravagant outfit designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier, people began to recognise the significance of her victory. In the 1990s and decades before that, the trans community was not as visible as it is today. Especially in Europe, the trans community was neither seen nor heard in the 1990s. Dana's win raised discussions on tolerance and the "bravery" it took to sing on stage as a transgender woman. But Dana never thought of it like that:
"They care that I speak my opinion, without fear. They'll say I'm so brave, blah blah blah. I'm just living my life, and it's not an easy life."
However, Dana also said that she did not want to embarrass Israel as she felt her relationship with her country was "tense". But some countries were so outraged that they threatened to not broadcast her performance on the night or ever again. Despite all of that, 'Diva' is now considered to be one of the most classic Eurovision songs of all time. The song also gained global recognition and she appeared on MTV and on the British version of 'Top of the Pops' to sing 'Diva'. In 2005, the EBU ran a poll asking eurofans about the most important Eurovision songs ever. 'Diva' was chosen as one of 14 songs that made an impact.
If we delve into "impact", it has a lot of meaning. In this case, Dana's victory did make an impact. Not only was 'Diva' the last non-English winner until 2007, but she also drew attention to the transgender community in Europe.
Sameach (Be Happy) – PingPong – 2000
The 2000s promised so much; there was a New Millenium which promised sweeping changes for the new decade ahead. One example of this change was the removal of the orchestra, so Eurovision songs now had to take a completely different musical direction. In Sweden 2000, the Israeli pop group PingPong caused a stir among the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, which ceased to exist in 2017. PingPong comprised of Ahal Eden, Yifat Giladi, Guy Asif and Roy Arad and they waved the Syrian and Israeli flags together at the end of their performance in the final. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority was furious at this and the fact that the group decided to change the original Hebrew title (Sameach) to English. The English title was 'Be Happy'. 'Sameach' referenced wars and floods and discussed a person's love affair that had gone completely wrong.
When PingPing performed 'Be Happy' with the Syrian flags at the dress rehearsal and live final, Israeli newspapers and radio stations were overwhelmed with complaints. They came from angry members of the public who argued that the group and song were deliberately provocative as it occurred on Israeli Independence Day. Not only this, the Syrian government still did not recognise Israel and supported Hezbollah attacks on the Israeli militants. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority was so incensed that it withdrew its support for PingPong and said:
"They will compete there (Sweden), but not on behalf of the Israeli Broadcasting Authority or the Israeli people… They are representing only themselves".
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority was even angrier a month before Sweden 2000 as the music video for 'Sameach'/'Be Happy' included two men kissing and very suggestive acts with a cucumber. This is what the Israeli Broadcasting Authority argued after the publishing of the video and performance in the live final:
It started with sexual provocation and now it has turned to political provocation"
Eytan Fox, the artistic director of 'Be Happy' defended the song and the performance, going completely against the views of the Israeli Broadcasting Authority:
"The song is about love and peace so we thought it would be a good idea to use Syrian and Israeli flags, because we would like to have peace with Arab countries"
Eytan Fox
Fox added the group represented a new Israel that wanted to have fun and enjoy themselves, showing Europe they were nothing like their government. Most of the anger towards the song came from the Israeli right-wing media but it became a popular number one hit single in Israel. PingPong refused to put aside the Syrian flags for their performances and even visited a Syrian community centre in Stockholm to speak to Syrians in Sweden. 'Be Happy' placed 22nd at the end of the night. It did not take Europe by storm and it provoked a lot of discussion in Israel. People still regard 'Be Happy' as a political song but some argue it was only supposed to be a bit of fun.
Razom Nas Bahato – GreenJolly – 2005
Following Ruslana's win in 2004, Europe turned its eyes towards Kyiv as it would host Eurovision 2005. However, from November 2004 to January 2005, a wave of protests hit Ukraine and which later became known as the 'Orange Revolution. The 'Orange Revolution' came to be following the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election. People claimed the election was dominated by voter fraud, corruption and voter intimidation. These claims were then increased as it came out that the election was most likely rigged in favour of Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russia candidate. These allegations meant that Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-EU candidate, was already set to lose. The 'Orange Revolution' was dominated by civil disobedience, sit-ins, public protests and strikes. The Ukrainian Supreme Court then annulled the result of the original election and demanded a new one to take place. On 26th December 2004, Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-EU candidate won 52% of the vote. On the other hand, Yanukovych, the pro-Russia candidate, won 44% of the vote. On 23rd January 2005, Yushchenko was officially inaugurated, ending the non-violent 'Orange Revolution'.
You probably read all of that and you must be asking yourself "what does all of this have to do with Eurovision?" Well, that is when GreenJolly come in (and Ruslana too a bit). GreenJolly was a hip-hop duo comprising Roman Kalyn and Roman Kostyuk. Their song 'Razom Nas Bahato' became the unofficial anthem of the 'Orange Revolution, being heavily played on radios and television stations. The song was also played at protests, some of which were headed by Ruslana, who lent her support to the pro-EU candidate Viktor Yushchenko. GreenJolly were also pro-Yushchenko supporters and 'Razom Nas Bahato' was accepted as a late wildcard in the national final for Eurovision. GreenJolly was officially chosen as the host entry but their song had to be severely reworked as it contained clear political references, such as directly naming Yushchenko in the song.
The song finished 20th in Eurovision and was reworked to include translations of the title 'Razom Nas Bahato' in several languages such as Spanish, English, Czech, Russian and French. This was done to ensure the message of the song was hammered home to audiences all over Europe and for this reason, some parts of the song were translated into English. Even though eurofans may consider 20th to be a bad position in Eurovision, but the Ukrainians did not care. They were happy with a song that represented them and was keen to show Europe how much it meant to them. 'Razom Nas Bahato' was more than a song; it came to represent a new chapter in the history of Ukraine. This is the Eurovision version:
The video you see above is the original version of 'Razom Nas Bahato'.
Homens Da Luta – A Luta É Alegria – 2011
Like 'Depois do Adeus', 'A Luta É Alegria' by Homens Da Luta won the 2011 edition of 'Festival da Canção'. The song describes the struggles people go through to make sure their voices are heard. It calls for people to shout and join together for unity. In 2011, Portugal went through a huge economic crisis. Unknown to Portuguese audiences at the time, their economic crisis would continue until 2014, making people frustrated. Alongside the economic crisis, 11% of the population were unemployed. The last time a high percentage of people were unemployed in Portugal was twenty years beforehand as of 2011. Pensions were cut and the Prime Minister at the time, Pedro Passos Coehlo, advised young Portuguese people to leave the country as there were no jobs for them. It would be an understatement to say that Portuguese people had it difficult.
Now, let us return to the significance of 'A Luta É Alegria'. Even though eurofans were not keen on the song at the time (with some even leaving the arena where 'Festival da Canção' was taking place when 'A Luta É Alegria' was announced as the winner), the Portuguese public liked it. They liked it so much that they voted 'A Luta É Alegria' as the winner as it appealed to them. The Portuguese people were tired of their economic crisis, their government and rising unemployment. All they wanted for this era to end as they could no longer stand it. As a result, 'A Luta É Alegria' came to speak the feelings of a frustrated population that did not want to struggle anymore:
We represent the people that don't like the way things are in Portugal and in Europe and we are going to be in Düsseldorf to tell the world."
Jel – the lead singer of Homens Da Luta
Many eurofans consider the song to be a joke to "troll" Eurovision. Even though the song did not qualify for the grand final, it spoke to many Portuguese people. It did not matter that Europe paid little attention to the song but this protest on stage allowed audiences to understand the Portuguese situation a bit better, even though it was done in a very humorous way.
Koza Mostra – Alcohol is Free – 2013
Stop and pause for a minute. I would like you to imagine that you are in a country that is winning and hosting everything. You do not want this positivity to end as it is giving you some of the best weeks, months and years of your life. This was Greece in the 2000s. Being alive in Noughties Greece was special; they won Eurobasket 2005, became surprise winners of Euro 2004, won Eurovision 2005 and hosted the Olympics and Paralympics in 2004 in Athens. Greece also hosted Eurovision 2006 in Athens as well. When Helena Paparizou won Eurovision in 2005, there were wild celebrations on the streets as finally, Greece won Eurovision. As you can see, life in Greece was amazing and the country also benefitted from its booming tourism industry.
However, things behind the scenes were a completely different story. As early as 1999, the Greek government avoided tax payments and Greece's GDP went above the 60% average to become part of the Eurozone. Greece then got help from Goldman Sachs and then went through a period of prosperity and financial success in the early and mid-2000s (this era coincides with many of Greece's highlights, as listed in the paragraph above). But following the global 2007 recession, it came out in 2009 that the Greek government continuously lied about their budget deficit. The exposure of such government mismanagement created huge concern because it meant that Greece was in more debt than initially thought. Many feel the 2004 Olympics and Paralympics in Athens contributed immensely to the hidden economic crisis.
In 2010, Greece was in so much debt that it needed a bailout from the European Union to maintain some financial stability. The bailout failed. Suddenly, the joy of the early and mid-2000s was soon replaced by despair in the early 2010s as many young Greeks sought to leave their homeland. In 2012, Greece was plunged into more debt as the economy continued to shrink at an alarming rate. The Greek government was then forced to ask for help from French and German banks, which provided them with loans. But Greece needed to pay back those loans but it found itself in even more debt.
The financial crisis of the late 2000s that continued into the early 2010s and was so serious that Greece felt it had no choice but to withdraw from Eurovision. Greece could no longer finance their own Eurovision entries. At one point, Greece's national final for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku was staged in a shopping centre. Some eurofans tend to find this fact funny, but you need to remember that Greece was in such a huge economic crisis that they had no choice. However, ERT, a private Greek broadcaster, stepped in to aid Eurovision entries. ERT's move allowed international audiences to be introduced to Kosa Mostra, a ska-punk band and Agathonas Iakovidis, a legendary Greek folk singer.
'Alcohol is Free' is about a group of men who get into a massive drinking session, get drunk, think they are at sea driving a boat and crash. 'Alcohol is Free' is a very catchy refrain but the song makes very clever allusions to the Greek economic crisis and suffering, something Kosa Mostra confirmed themselves. Kosa Mostra said they wanted to give Greek people something to cheer about as life was hard. The band said they also wanted to escape from the difficulties of the situation at home and immerse themselves in the fun they were missing out on. Well, Europe was very impressed with the song that it placed 6th in the Grand Final. The song and the performance of 'Alcohol is Free' contrasted with the economic and social problems in Greece. So Kosa Mostra did achieve their objective of escaping the misery they and their country were going through.
Conchita Wurst – Rise Like a Phoenix – 2014
Now, where do we begin with Conchita Wurst? Well, every major Austrian record label refused to support and produce 'Rise Like a Phoenix' as they all assumed that the song would not do well in the charts. A huge mistake. However, the song was eventually composed by Alexander Zuckowski, Charley Mason, Joey Patulka and Julian Maas. Following the completion of production, the song was submitted to the ORF internal selection. Zuchowski was a huge believer in 'Rise Like a Phoenix' because:
"I knew that with this song still something great was going to happen"
Alexander Zuckowski
The song was then released to the public on 18th March 2014 and would represent Austria at Copenhagen 2014. The song earned praise from Udo Jürgens, the last Austrian Eurovision winner (he won in 1966). Conchita Wurst celebrated difference and one significant feature of this was her beard which she proudly wore. But Wurst came under huge controversy from conservatives in Eastern Europe and Turkey. Wurst did nothing wrong but her mere existence rubbed people up the wrong way. Conservatives in Armenia and Russia demanded their broadcasters edit any footage of Wurst's performances at Eurovision and for it to not be shown in their respective countries. Conservative Russians called Wurst a "pervert" and considered her to be the head of "homosexual propaganda". Even her fellow competitor from Armenia, Aram MP3, argued that her lifestyle was "not natural" and Wurst "should decide to be a man or woman".
Wurst remained defiant and comfortable in her own skin. Suddenly, 'Rise Like a Phoenix' became more than a song. 'Rise Like a Phoenix' became an anthem and Wurst a symbol of the two opposing attitudes towards homosexuality in Europe. Many media outlets based in Western Europe considered Western Europe to be "liberal" and "tolerant" as opposed to the "homophobic" and "backwards" Eastern Europe. Quickly, some felt that a vote for 'Rise Like a Phoenix' would be a symbol of defiance and support of LGBTQ+ people.
Conchita Wurst winning was a moment. For journalists, she became a symbol of a Europe that should be free from discrimination and celebrate differences. Stars such as Anna Vissi and Helena Paparizou praised Wurst's song and appearance but Vissi was disappointed at the criticism Wurst garnered from conservative circles. Wurst became the head of a movement of people who no longer felt ashamed of being different despite what the world thought of them. LGBTQ+ groups in Serbia and Croatia were disappointed with how their broadcasters treated Wurst. Criticism was so strong that RTS, Serbia's national broadcaster felt the need to apologise for their actions in a letter. Wurst was condemned by the Russian Orthodox Church who even considered Wurst as the reason people rejected Christianity. Although Western Europe is seen as largely tolerant, the former BBC commentator Sir Terry Wogan considered Wurst's performance to be a "freakshow".
Conchita Wurst was caught in the middle of two Europes who vehemently or agreed disagreed on homosexuality and transsexuality. She became a figure of hope and an icon for the LGBTQ+ community. At the beginning of Conchita Wurst's journey to becoming a Eurovision winner, no one predicted the buzz she would create. All of this started because a team of Austrian composers believed in a song that every Austrian label did not. This group of composers and Conchita Wurst sparked a chain of events that saw Europe question themselves and their values. No matter what you think or believe, LGBTQ+ people deserve the right to live, work and be a part of a world that should make them feel safe. But Conchita Wurst's victory proved that Europe still had a long way to go in being tolerant of difference.
Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro – Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente – 2018
The 2010s were difficult years for Europe. The earlier part of the decade was dominated by economic crises throughout the Eurozone and people were angry with austerity measures forced upon them. This then led to the rise of anti-austerity parties and more importantly, the far-right. Examples of prominent far-right figures and organisations include Golden Dawn (Greece), Jobbik (Hungary), Matteo Salvini and the Lega Party (Italy), Nigel Farage and The United Kingdom Independence Party (United Kingdom) and Front National headed by Marine Le Pen (France). These figures promised to limit immigration in their own respective countries and made immigrants, refugees and ethnic minorities scapegoats.
The European Union unity Toto Cutugno sung about came to an end as the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in 2016. These episodes saw Europe become more divided as people placed themselves in makeshift teams of "Us vs Them". "Us" being the native population and "Them" being ethnic minorities, immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and children of immigrants.
The late 2010s also saw an increasing occurrence of terror attacks, especially in Western Europe and outside the continent. There were attacks in London, Paris, Nice, Manchester and Cairo. Europe was dealing with violence and division on its shores. There was nothing to be happy about.
'Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente' won Sanremo in 2018. It was about the impact of terror attacks and violence but standing defiant in the name of adversity. The song was directly inspired by the terror attacks that dominated Europe and the world. 'Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente' had anti-terror, pacifistic and anti-war messages. In the grand final, the song lyrics were translated to many different languages via subtitles on the screen. This move was significant as it allowed viewers to further be inspired and engrossed by the anti-war and anti-terror messages, winning over televoters and finishing 5th in the Grand Final. For once, it seemed as if Europe was united to defeat terror and go back to an era of peace and serenity. The happiness of Eurovision provided a distraction from life's many difficulties once again.
Diodato – Fai Rumore – 2020
Hello, 2020. This was the kind of optimism that filled people about 2020 on New Year's Day. People looked forward to a new decade filled with new hopes, aspirations and vibes. Sanremo 2020 conveyed this as people enjoyed all the songs, the meme compilations and seeing their favourite celebrities. But the beginning of the 2020s later became many months of dread and sadness.
COVID-19 happened. Many people fell sick, and many families lost loved ones. Bergamo in Northern Italy became the epicentre of Covid-19 which then spread throughout the entire country. Hospitals and hospital workers became overwhelmed with patients and Italy became the first European country to be affected by Covid-19 the most. Life changed for many young university students in Italy as they were forced to return home as they could no longer stay on their campuses. They and many others were forced to partake in online learning classes, something completely different to the norm. Giuseppe Conte, Italy's Prime Minister at the time, called a national lockdown in March 2020 as cases skyrocketed to very alarming levels. Soon after, other European nations began to go into lockdowns (but not all of them did).
RAI kept the nation informed with the efforts of medical professionals. They also tried to keep people optimistic as many found themselves stuck at home unable to leave their regions. RAI broadcasted people singing songs such as 'Fai Rumore' by Diodato, the winner of Sanremo 2020, on balconies. Following his win at Sanremo, Diodato agreed to represent Italy at Eurovision and had a lot of enthusiasm for the contest as time went on. But the joy of early 2020 was soon replaced with uncertainty over the future. People were not sure what their futures would hold as normal life was on pause. But many did not know how long for. At the same time, the EBU had a huge dilemma on their hands; should Eurovision go ahead or not? On March 18th 2020, it was decided that Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam could not go ahead because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So the EBU decided to create an alternative programme called 'Europe Shine a Light'.
'Europe Sine a Light' divided opinion. People did not like the dreary, funeral-like procession of the programme that reminded Europe of everything that it had lost. Others liked 'Europe Shine a Light' because it reminded them of how much they loved Eurovision. The debate on the effectiveness of 'Europe Shine a Light' will probably never end but one standout moment from the show was by Diodato. In an empty Arena di Verona, Diodato sang 'Fai Rumore'. The performance struck a chord with Europeans who were reminded of the unnatural silences they struggled to get used to. 'Fai Rumore' had become an unintentional anthem for unity in Italy but it then spread to all of the continent via 'Europe Shine a Light'.
The performance of 'Fai Rumore' was also a sad reminder of lost opportunities created by the pandemic. Europe was united in grief over the death of many and the loss of what life used to be.
Manizha – Russian Woman – 2021
Now, we have to turn to the most recent song on our list. Manizha was born in Tajikistan to a doctor and psychologist. Tajikistan used to be a part of the Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991 (the same year Manizha was born) but the country descended into civil war from 1992 to 1997. On one side, there were groups from the Garm and Gorno-Badakhshan regions, where the traditional working-class parts of Tajikistan were. The other side was mainly from the old Soviet elite from the Kulob and Khujand regions.
One of the prominent figures from the old Soviet elite was Rahmon Nabiyev. Nabiyev's government was dominated by people from the Kulob and Khujand regions, supported by Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nabiyev's government was also supported by Denmark, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Ghana. On the other hand, the United Tajik Opposition opposed the communist, post-Soviet elite and they were supported by Al-Qaeda. Living in Tajikistan was dangerous at this point; there were mass killings, displaced people and entire villages being burned. 1.2 million Tajiks became refugees, some of which included Manizha and her family who went to Russia in 1994.
Manizha grew up to be an inspirational, open-minded woman. Manizha was open about her body struggles, created an app to help victims of domestic abuse, voiced her support for the LGBTQ+ community and was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. All of this happened in the space of 3 years. Manizha's singles were all independently released and they made references to social issues and feminism. In 2021, Manizha entered the Russian national final with the song 'Russian Woman', which won 39.7% of the public vote. Manizha's song was a clear feminist anthem about women being independent and ready to challenge stereotypes. Manizha says this herself:
"This is a song about the transformation of a woman's self-awareness over the past few centuries in Russia. A Russian woman has gone an amazing way from a peasant hut to the right to elect and be elected (one of the first in the world), from factory workshops to space flights. She has never been afraid to resist stereotypes and take responsibilities. This is the source of inspiration for the song. By coincidence I wrote it on March 8th, 2020 (International Women's Day) while on tour, but for the first time I perform it a year later."
Manizha speaking to Eurovision.TV
The 1993 Russian Constitution guarantees both men and women equal rights. But in 2017, first-time incidents of domestic abuse were decriminalised. What this means is that if an offender hit the victim for the first time without leaving a physical injury, the offender can only be sentenced to a maximum of 15 days in police custody. Before the law was passed, the offender would normally receive a sentence of two years in prison. If a family member hit the woman for the first time, they would be fined or get a suspended sentence. But if a family member hit the victim for a second time, this would then be seen as a criminal offence. Manizha's app was a direct response to this and her other acts of open-mindedness rubbed people up the wrong way.
Manizha winning the Russian national final with 'Russian Woman' caused controversy. Many found it bewildering and ridiculous that a woman of Tajik descent was singing a song about Russian Women. Bear in mind that Manizha has lived in Russia since she was three years old, so Manizha had every right to sing about Russian Women. As well as this, people were angry about Manizha being pro-LGBTQ+. As of 2021, there is still no legal protections in place that protect people from homophobia and transphobia in Russia and it has been publicised on several occasions that Russia is historically anti-LGBTQ+. After winning the right to go to Rotterdam 2021, Manizha received a lot of abuse and death threats, mainly from Russians on her social media. There were even calls for her to be disqualified.
Despite all of this, Manizha continued on her journey to Rotterdam 2021. With her, Russia got 3rd place in their semi-final and 9th in the Grand Final. Manizha's charisma and performance captured the minds of non-eurofans and eurofans alike. 'Russian Woman' allowed the world to gain an insight into the prejudice and stereotypes that Russian women face daily. One way she did this was by showing the faces of Russian women towards the end of 'Russian Woman's performance. What Manizha did was incredible; she was able to spread her message to an international audience and encourage Russian women to challenge the stereotypes they face to strive for something better.
Thank you for taking the time to read about songs and performances that became part of the sociopolitical background of the country they were from. All of the songs and performances featured here became intentional or unintentional symbols of a certain period they were in. For this reason, we cannot ignore their significance. Some of the songs and performances here poke fun at or tell a serious message about how difficult life was for a population. Some have become such classics that it has influenced the way eurofans and non-eurofans think about the Eurovision Song Contest. And as I have said before, some of the songs and performances here have no clear political message but were used by a country or countries or political movements to advance a certain cause (maybe causes too). Some of these songs and performances caused so much disgust in their homelands or elsewhere that they were even censored, robbing people of the opportunity to hear the beauty of an artist's voice.
I want you all to concentrate on the songs, the performances and the eras they came from. All of these songs are significant in their own way; not just for eurofans, but also a country (or countries). Sometimes, a song's position at the end of the night does not matter; instead a message is of greater importance than a "douze points" or a "nil points".
I hope that you have learned something from this article I have written and maybe even found some new favourites.
If you have any other songs and/or performances that show 'A Glimpse Into the Times', please let us know! It could be a song or performance and used to advance (or not advance) sociopolitical messages of a country or countries. Or one that tells the story of a people going through happiness or difficulties. Anything you think! We would love to hear your opinions and thoughts in the comments below.
Again, thank you for reading!
Tags Politics, Sociopolitical, Stories, Yugoslavia
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