Being closed for 23 years in a body

"I meditated, I dreamed that I was somewhere else"

That was the answer of Rom Houben to the question of a journalist (Spiegel Online) about how he could survive the last 23 years being closed in his own body as he was misdiagnosed for more then two decades. Doctors and caregivers thought he was in coma after a severe car accident since he didn't give any respond to the signs of the outside world. But in fact he was there for the entire 23 years being paralized but absolutely conscious, hearing and seeing everything.

(source of the photo)

I can't imagine something more scary...its like a nightmare....having the experience that you are there but nobody sees you and you are unable to give any signs. An ultimate loneliness, a very frustrating state and I think I would like to scream but it would make me even more frustrated since I can't do that, nobody can hear it.

A Belgian neurologist Steven Laureys discovered that this guy was conscious. The Spiegel's article interpretation was that it was a lucky coincidence that he discovered it, but I don't think so. Dr Laureys is a member of the Coma Science Group at the University o Liege and as the article reports he had long suspected that many patients who are in coma are in fact conscious.

So this guy is looking for these cases intentionally and he emphasize that the cause of the failure in diagnose is in the system:

"Once someone is stamped as being 'not conscious,' it becomes very difficult to get rid of that label."

Laureys's team discovered 103 patients in coma in Belgium and among them 44 were diagnosed as clearly vegetative by their caregivers. When his team examined these patients they came to a totally different conclusion. They found 18 people of the 44 as responsive.

In my opinion the whole story is a metaphor that warns us very seriously of how do we care about each other.

You do not have to be in a state of coma to get stamped with a label. And after that...whoever you are in fact, whoever lives behind your label you will be considered just by your stamp. Its a very long and tiring process to listen to each other and to discover who is really inside. And nowdays we do not have that amount of time for each other. We need quick messages, icons and labels to identify each other as soon as possible and as we are done almost impossible to change that view.

Campus shooting in Hungary:(

I hoped that it will never happen in my country. When I have heard about the campus/school shooting before in the US I always thought that this was the result of the liberal policy of having gun...Even emphasizing the rights having gun is a mistake in my opinion. Gun is for killing...there is no any other reason to use it! Giving the right to having gun is giving the right to kill!

And now it happened in Hungary, too.

"A man died in the shooting at a building of Pecs University in the south of Hungary on Thursday.

Police have arrested the attacker, a 23 year-old man, who entered the building of the university's biophysics research institute and opened fire with an as yet unspecified weapon. Earlier two people were reported to be in a critical condition, a third in a serious condition and a fourth was lightly hurt in the shooting. Ildiko Konrad, who works at the research institute, told MTI that she heard several shots. Later, a student emerged from the building, shouting that one of her fellow classmates was shooting inside the building. Police have sealed off the area. A briefing will be held later today. " (source) The Hungarian media wrote the guy was studying chemistry and his classmates considered him as a strange guy with almost no friends. He was described as someone interested in martial arts and shooting. He practiced shooting in a sport club and he had permission to own a sport gun. In Hungary is very rare to have permission to own a gun. Usually only soldiers, policemen can have it even hunter guns are not easily available. And spite of it.......

Stainless steel

Today we had our weekly meeting, after lunch I chanced upon Amber on the way back. It reminded me about our visit two years ago in Rome where she and her husband lives. Her home is with a very cosy ambience and I remembered very specifically the fireplace.

My wife is fascinated with her choice of blomus stainless steel for a lot of the interior decorations. For example, imagine a blomus stainless steel fireplace and lots of unique accessories from their letterbox to the blomus stainless steel toilet paper holder that comes complete with a brush set.

For that trip to Rome, we also visited the Vatican City and it was such an interesting place with a very special atmosphere. With so many items of historic interest, Zannnie was sightseeing that place with awe. Buildings such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel where the most famous art in the world by artists from Botticelli, Bernini, Raphael and Michelangelo.

And the amazing Vatican Library with collections that consists of the highest historical, scientific and cultural importance. Sometimes, these world heritage sites by UNESCO are really worth a visit. Futhermore, this is the ONLY one that is of an entire state!

Christmas is around the corner and its the time of the year when we start our christmas shopping. This year we may want to have a christmas tree that looks like this for a change :) It may not replace the sentimental feel of a real tree, but it does add a modern touch to welcome the 2010! What do you think?

The nature of racism

How the science was used as a tool of discrimination and racism in the XIXth Century. Here are some quotations from British-American books and journals that I found in Piers Berndon’s book about the „Decline and fall of the British Empire”:

John Hunt - On the Negro's Place in Nature (published in: 1863)
"Apart from a crude knowledge of metallurgy, Africans possessed 'no art'."

J. C. Nott - The Negro Race - Popular Magazin of Antropology, III. (July, 1866)

"The black man must be a servitor if not actually a slave - slavery is the normal condition of the Negro, the most advantageous to him."

Winwood Reade - Savage Africa - (1864) about an idyllic white future for the dark Africa:

"When the cockneys o Timbuctoo have their tea-gardens in the Oases of the Sahara; when hotels and guide-books are established at the Sources of the Nile, when it becomes fashionable to go yachting on the Lakes of the Great Plateau; when noblemen, building seats in Central Africa, will have their elephant-parks and their hippopotami waters; young ladies on camp-stools under palm trees will read with tears The Last of the Negroes; and the Niger will become as romantic as the Rhine.”

In contrary:

Cicero's advise to Atticus in the Ancient Rome after Julius Ceasar was landing in Britain:

"Do not buy slaves from Britain because these scantily clothed barbarians were the ugliest and most stupid creatures, quite incapable of learning music and other accomplishments."

Everybody is able to change and to achieve improvements as soon as you give a space for that.

the less is more

Here's the thing, how many clothing designers can you name? It could be a generalization but most women loves to define themselves by the brands they wear. And many of such brand names are the designer's name as well. Who doesn't know Vera Wang or DKNY or Burberry? I'm sure you know women‘s clothing designers such as Ralph Lauren. It is not just a women's clothing designer but also for the men. From Polo Sport, to Lauren.

On the contrary, these days my wife is into Eco-Fashion, she buys clothes made using organic raw materials. This means materials such as cotton grown without pesticides! Did I hear you exclaim 'What?' Yes, she looks out for clothing with tags that has the words ORGANIC, OEKOTEX or simply the EU ECOLABEL. Zannnie is also careful when choosing washing machines, paper towels and writing paper.

Recently, we are even more aware from the TV news articles about the type of light bulbs to purchase. We learn about these on the public education ads to remind us about the environmental criteria set by the European Union. We go for eco-labels which are awarded to products that do not contain CFCs (chloroflurocarbons since they are harmful and damages the ozone layer). Otherwise, we are so conscious to the extent of choosing products that can be recycled, OR are recycled. Especially those that are energy efficient.

The main point about women's fashion trends is that, it doesn't have to be full of glitters to show that she is a super beautiful woman. I think these days, women can choose from style resources for women simply with magazines available online to reduce the 'leg-work' :) Other than online newspapers with an international fashion and style section, fashion magazines such as STYLE, ELLE, Allure or Marie Claire are some of the good avenues for good fashion tips.

Figure flattering clothes can sometimes be a big headache for those who look shorter, bustier or less busty. Some women wants to narrow the waist or especially the hips. So with accessories they get the ideas. Well, I feel the most important about a woman's dressing is the overall appearance. So long she looks confident and comfortable, it would be the most suitable style for her. Not something overly flamboyant, or anything that makes them looks like an 'overdo' piece of 'artwork'.

I love creative people! Emily Connor

I do not really know who is this girl. Emily Connor. Zannnie has found her video on the youtube and I was totally mesmerized by her Japanese performance.:)

After a while I found out that she was a sort of Youtube celebrity which was a bit disappointing to me (because hard to decide what is she and what is the creative team behind her) .....but anyway... I still like the way she acts on this video.

I respect knowledge and talent combined with beauty:)

Her website: http://ameblo.jp/c-cedille/

Why queue?

I just read on the badgerherald a recent article about the TSO. TSO, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, has the sound of harder rock or symphonic metal. We hear it most of the time but perhaps did not notice it. If I tell you now, you are sure to say, 'ah...i know that one...:)!' Ok, it's what you mostly heard in holiday and classical tunes. Let's say it sounds like this:-

Got it?:) Watching such performance live is like soaking into the atmosphere. These days, such live performances are surely to include light show which are phenomenal, with the laser lights and synchronization with the music. The other day Zannnie was telling me about her experience at the first opera with her friend Christopher. Those days they were still teens and being able to see the Phantom of the Opera was such a big thing. I am personally not a fan of operas. She said that the tickets were hand delivered and packaged in an envelope that is thematic to the phantom. Believe it or not, to this day, she still keeps the ticket stubs. It is just her hobby to collect ticket stubs with the date of the events, even our movie tickets are kept earnestly.

The thing about buying of tickets should be improved. These days even queuing for tickets should be eliminated. They are simply a waste of time. I can't imagine those guys waiting in lines to wait for their idol's concert tickets. I believe ticket purchase should be done in a few seconds if not less than two minutes, no more. So if let's say to get the Kentucky Derby Tickets or Jersey Boys Tickets, instead of queuing for hours, I'll rather just click Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tickets for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Hey, really, it's just a click away!

Seasonal Shopping Spree

Our friends Frank and Joan are inviting us to their housewarming and my task is to begin the shopping of a practical and thoughtful housewarming gift. We have been brainstorming and items such as classic gifts, for the kitchen, practical gifts, for fans of feng shui popped into our minds. They are also wine lovers.

For home owners, usually a couple would appreciate Money Plants, or Bonsai trees. It is not that we don't know Frank and Joan so well, so things such as scented candles, picture frames, photo albums, soaps are not so suitable. The champagne flutes are great for any celebrations at home. We found all these ideas on the SHOPwiki and we intend to shortlist some items from here.

Our online shopping continues. Joan loves to cook, so I guess the kitchen utensils, coffee press, kitchen tools, oil and vinegar sets or salt and pepper shakers are out too. She would have chosen her favourite to match the style of her new kitchen. My wife suggested practical gifts that are useful. We both saw the Chenille Throws and agreed at the same instant that Frank and Joan will love it. Lately Zannnie is crazy for anything of any shades of green. So we short listed this too:-

In the SHOPwiki, we also found some suggestions for cleaning tools, basic tool kit, gardening tools and picture hanging kit. We don't really think these are suitable for them but Frank is a fan of Feng Shui. So we are really thinking about getting him the Chimes. As for aromatherapy oils or the Feng Shui Kit, I would think he would have it. The lotus lanterns and Lunaria or Silver dollar plant can be one of the choices too.

Finally our favourite items for them are the Chenille Throws and the Engraved Trio Wine Stopper Set. We also got them one of the Chimes wishing them good fengshui the new love nest. All at one stop convenience shop online SHOPwiki.

Portugal

I spent like two days in Lisbon (Portugal). It was one of my usual quick business trips. A crazy jump and short impression which makes me think a few days after: was it true or I just had dream?



I had prejudices. I imagined Lisbon like Athen or Naples. Nice, nice, sunny and historical but let’s be honest its dirty, messy and untidy. Thats what I expected from Lisbon, too.



But Lisbon has surprised me. Its a very nice, tidy city. Yes my first impression was that its a very clean place. Not like those German sterile "do not touch anything" places. Narrow streets, little one- eyed tramways, several cafés.



I felt so bad that I had only a few hours to look arround. To my melancholic mood that city was perfect. To sit in a Café watching the people and life arround. The colorful buildings the real blue sky with the white clouds. And Lisbon is not as crowded (yet) as for example Pragueis. No flows of tourists, you have your own place. I am sure I will be back there. Not alone. This place is the best for dates, every stone is romantic in Portugal.



Even in the country side those single churches, monasteries, the white painted family houses are like paintings became real.



So now I promise to myself…to take my wife to Lisbon. I will invite her to a Café or rather to a cozy restaurant and it will be like inviting her to the world to the athmosphere which is so often in my mind.

High Definition TV

What are the factors you would consider before deciding on the next TV package to sign up for? These days, I would ask for as many best channels as possible. For me, I want to watch my favourite programme at the time when I am available.

Nowadays, the competition on TV seems to be between satellite TV and the Cable TV. We are so much into the usage of the Internet and even while I am writing this post, or while checking my emails, the TV is surely on. Usually we enjoy the football matches or Formula 1 racing which are aired live. My wife likes to watch cooking programmes and she also likes the football matches broadcast 'live' such as the football champion leagues and the national teams. We both prefer English programmes. As for news, we watch both the CNN and the local Hungarian news channels to get the latest news.

Having another TV set in the bedroom has its advantages. Usually, that's where the language settings can be made for the audio output to be in its original language. HBO, HBO2 are the two popular channels with movies that we normally like to watch. I love stand-up comedy, talent search reality programmes and documentaries. We have been tossing about the idea to buy a flatscreen TV to better appreciate the high definition quality such as those available on Direct TV (DirectTV). My dream is to tranform one of our rooms so that it has a cinema experience. With Directv, those once-in a lifetime live sports programmes and Cinemax - will become a never before experience.

What's the best channel for you might not be the same and best for me. So a wide selection or having the widest selection of channels is crucial. For example, when we have friends who visits us and they have little children who likes the Cartoon Network and animations, it can be an important criteria to be sure that the children gets a fair share of entertainment too. Having said that, we definitely would choose a service that provides a cutting edge technology including allowing us to record all our favourite shows and movies for us to enjoy on our schedule.

gold coin?

Recently, Zannnie is starting to collect the new 200 forint coins which have been in circulation since June 2009. Somehow, this new coin has a more attractive appearance than the other Hungarian forints. Other than having the Chain Bridge on one of the faces of the 200 forint coin, it is made of base metal alloy so it is lighter, and it has a look similar to 'gold'. There are some fellow hungarians who said it does resembles a little like the Euro, maybe that is why it looks more 'favourable' :)

This coin being valued at 200 forint is now USD 1.0778. Just a thought ran through my mind, as I was

thinking what would happened if these coins are made of gold?

As far as I know, coin values are determined primarily by 4 criteria. Firstly, the rarity of the coin, secondly, the grade of the coin.

Thirdly the quality of the coin and lastly the popularity. The most important criterion for investors is of course the PRICE.

I supposed most people if not everyone will start collecting gold coins if they knew and understand the goodness of it.

Gold coin collection is somehow a kind of hobby for those who loves the rare and exclusive. However, the hobbyist who usually buy and collect coins not only take it as an investment. Many perceived these vintage coins as a pure work of art.

I have just read a piece of recent news in Bloomberg that headlined : Gold Mining Stocks May Underperform bullion. As the financial crisis caused by Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s bankruptcy, gold is traded at 11.5 times which is the most ever! Other than a stock market retreat yet it spurred investors to by bullion as a haven.

Back to reality, it will be hard to imagine the hungarian coins became gold bullion.

Countries I ever visited

create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide

Countries I have ever visited (35 countries):

North America

Mexico

Europe

Austria

Armenia

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Czech Republic

Cyprus

Estonia

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary (ok I live here):)

Italy

Lithuania

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Switzerland

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Vatican City

Middle East

Qatar

Asia

China

Indonesia

Kyrgyzstan

Malaysia

Singapore

Thailand

Liberty Bridge - Budapest

Again a photo of mine which was featured on Flickr Explore. I took it in 2009 July in Budapest while we were walking in the city on the Night of Museums. This is the newly renovated Liberty Bridge.