HAPPY NEW YEAR! BOLDOG UJEVET

LABARAOZSA - A HUNGARIAN CHRISMAS SONG

REVISITING CLEVELAND'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE MUSEUM FOR CHRISTMAS

HUNGARIAN HERTIAGE MUSEUM link here!

 

 

EXCERPT FROM THIS PAGE :  If they have been "good," they might get candies, tangerines, or chocolates, and sometimes small presents, toys, or books. (This custom may sound similar, but children in Hungary do not hang stockings by the chimney for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve.)  

WISHING YOU LOVE AND PEACE

IS THAT PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE HUNGARIAN?

WDFA-WA.GOV on HUNTING UPLAND BIRDS AND THE GREY PARTRIDGE

Excerpt from this article :

Making their American debut in the late-nineteenth century, these European imports were first released in Washington and California but are now found in huntable numbers in about a dozen Western and Midwestern states and most Canadian provinces. The first birds released in this country came from Hungary, so the gray partridge is also commonly known as Hungarian partridge, or Hun.
Gray partridge, which grow to just over a foot long and weigh about three-quarters of a pound, eat both cultivated grains and a variety of weed seeds, as well as clover and other green, leafy material. As is the case with pheasants and other upland bird species, young partridge feed heavily on crickets, ants, grasshoppers and other insects. They often inhabit the “margins” where agricultural fields and native shrub-steppe habitat meet. Classic Hungarian partridge country might be a field of corn or wheat stubble bordered or intersected by a couple of brushy draws or a gently-sloping hillside dotted with sagebrush. A small stream, pond or wetland nearby would likely make such a spot even more attractive to a covey of Huns.

SAINT NICK WAITING FOR YOU TO GO TO BED

KRAMPUS THE DEVIL - SAINT NICKS SIDE KICK - A HORRIFYING DEMON

Krampus: The Christmas Devil  : PICTURE from

December 10, 2011 by ppmhungary

 AND FROM THIS YOUTUBE CONTRIBUTOR DOCUMENTARY

HUNGARIAN (MAGYAR) CLUB OF CHICAGO - CELEBRATING 90 YEARS IN CHICAGO!

HUNGARIAN CLUB OF CHICAGO  link here!

The Hungarian (Magyar) Club
of Chicago
takes pleasure in extending to you
a cordial invitation to attend the

90th Anniversary Dinner Dance

 

in early January.  Should it be your new years resolution to meet more Hungarians and Hungarian Americans?

THANKS GIVING - FOR FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, and ahmmm MEDICAL CARE

I'm not one to give thanks on a daily basis, but I've been thinking about my life in the United States and what I/we have to be thankful for.  It's easy to be a citizen of the United States and feel confident that we have it better than the majority of the world when it comes to food, shelter, clothing, medical care... Well, I do anyway.

Right now we are as a nation dealing with the implementation of Obamacare, as it's called, health care for well, everyone.  It's not working out too well so far.  Poor people are signing up to get the benefits that they have gone without, rich people are angry at higher rates, youth are skipping it because they can't afford it and are mostly healthy and would rather pay the IRS fine for going without.  It's government supplemental medical care for many, and the loss of insurance plans and doctors one trusts for some others.  And the illegal immigrants are going to get free medical care anyway in California so, that's got a lot of anti illegal immigration people crazy mad.

I'm thankful I'm not dealing with these choices, this transition, while sick!

As for shelter, my place is drafty and too expensive to keep warm with a single gas wall heater which costs about $20 a day just to kill the dampness, but I do wear sweaters and sometimes knit hats indoors.  (Even my dog wears sweaters and gets under the covers.)  We are thankful for the roof over our heads at a time when the average one bedroom apartment in our city goes for $1000 a month and we see so many families living in RV's, Vans, and Cars, parked in the lots of 24 hour Ralphs grocery or a big box store that has lights on at night, and thankful that six months out of the year the place is just fine without heat, and that we didn't stick like glue to the sheets in the summer when we had temperatures that convince you of Global Warming and Earth Changes, even when tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, tsunami, and storms should be enough.  We are thankful we don't live in the Philippines where they are still finding bodies in the rubble.

As for clothing (and whatnot), I was fortunate enough to put a lot of things I no longer wanted out on the sidewalk with a sign that said "FREE STUFF" rather than have a yard sale last week.  The dog and I went for our 40 minute walk around the block and by the time we came back IT WAS ALL GONE.  I was fortunate enough to take a bag of Christmas decorations I don't need to a senior center and fortunate enough to take a bag of children's toys to the Police Department, where they will be wrapped and distributed to kids whose parents can't afford gifts for them.  I have spare so I must have plenty.

As for food, guess who needs to loose ten pounds?

I'm thankful that I have so very many choices about what I eat, that I can go to a Farmer's Market that features free range chicken eggs and Organics, to Trader Joes, where I buy cheeses and their canned Turkey Chili, which I have a hankering for.  I'm making Apple Crumble with fresh apples and brown sugar for my Thanksgiving meal contribution.  My dog recently indulged in Paul Newman's Organic Chicken dog food.  Some people don't eat as well as my dog.

And you?

BEDSHEET AND BUTTER YOU'LL LOVE THIS HOW TO MAKE HUNGARIAN CHERRY STRUDEL RECIPE

Dramatic music = a sense of humor.  Hungarian Cherry Strudel according to the technique of the late Mrs. Engel of the Park View Hotel in Sharon Springs. Mrs. Engel made strudel for her guests every Sunday morning, and as a child, Ross Wassermann sometimes sat in her kitchen and watched.
Plus the person who makes this strudel has the perfect touch!  Ready to make this for Thanksgiving!

CHERRIES

THEY'RE ALL MILL HUNKS : STEREOTYPE OF HUNGARIAN - AMERICANS

 

This stereotype comes from the Industrial Revolution, the early 20th century, and the immigration of so many Hungarians who were leaving rural areas and rural work for the next new thing - factories. 

Of course, for the people, mostly men, who had been master craftsmen in Hungary, this wasn't too much of a change, because they had performed hard physical labor and were hands on and detail oriented before they left the country.  As many family story goes, they were sold on the idea that the streets here were paved with Gold, thought they would make some money and go back to Hungary, and many of these men did go back and forth to Hungary, working home farms and wineries in season.  Some came to the United States after working in manufacturing, including steel making, and had technical educations in Hungary before they came to the United States.

However, there were Hungarians in early America - some - and there were Hungarians who marched with Freemont when he came to California to claim it for the United States. 

Hungarians who spoke German, and that was the language they went to school in once Maria Theresa instituted public education during the time when Hungary was part of the Austrian empire, could find work where Germans also worked.  This was true in Texas and in New Jersey.  Perhaps it's the prevailing settlement pattern.

There is nothing negative about hard work and enterprise, it's the notion that many other Americans had and still hold in some cases that the MILL HUNK is NOT INTELLIGENT.  Despite the fact that factories required SKILLED LABOR, and that the working conditions were killing - split shifts and six day work weeks for starters - pollution and heat as well - and these men labored without the representation of Unions for some time - some people simply want to believe that others are less than them somehow.

These days the manufacturing that once was has left America.  The Steel Belt became the Rust Belt long ago when the steel making was sent to Japan.  Many sons and grandsons of MILL HUNKS have found themselves following the next new thing - computer technology.  Some remain Blue Collar Workers while others have chosen college educations and white collar careers.

Be it that he's wearing a muscle shirt or is suited up, these men "clean up nice."

We are thankful to be here because of them.

C Magyar American 2013  All Rights Reserved

THE CORVIN OR HUNYAD CASTLE IN ROMANIA IS THE HOME OF VLAD THE IMPALER

The YouTube video presenter wrote quite a bit about his video and this Historical Castle.  He disabled his comments or I would have liked to congratulate him and tell him I was running his video on MAGYAR AMERICAN blog.  I hope he won't mind that I'm excerpting some of his writing here!

***

The Hunyad Castle (Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor or Castelul Corvineştilor, Hungarian: Vajdahunyad vára) is a castle in Transylvanian Hunedoara, present-day Romania. Until 1541 it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, and after the Principality of Transylvania.

It is believed to be the place where Vlad III of Wallachia (commonly known as Dracula) was held prisoner for 7 years after he was deposed in 1462.

The castle is a relic of the Hunyadi dynasty. In the 14th century, the castle was given to John Hunyadi Serb, or Sorb by Sigismund king of Hungary as severance. The castle was restored between 1446 and 1453 by his grandson John Hunyadi. It was built mainly in Gothic style, but has Renaissance and Baroque architectural elements. It features tall and strong defense towers, an interior yard and a drawbridge. ...  In the wing of the castle called the Mantle, a painting can be seen which portrays the legend of the raven from which the name of the descendants of John Hunyadi. ...

***

ARE THERE GHOSTS?  THE PLACE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SIGHT OF A LOT OF PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

VAMPIRE MAZE

HUNGARIAN SUICIDE SONG

The URBAN MYTH is that thousands have commit suicide after hearing this song.  Now I don't think this song drove anyone to it, but if you want to be DRAMATIC about committing suicide, you might make this your last song!  Really, it is most courageous to keep on living, but I don't put anyone down who is in terrible pain.

ARPADHON HUNGARIAN SETTLEMENT - A BOOK BY ROYANNE KROPEG

ALBANY LOUISIANA - LINK TO NEW MUSEUM BEING FOUNDED

Arpádhon - Hungarian Settlement, Louisiana claims to be the largest rural Hungarian Settlement in the United States today. This is the site for information about the new Hungarian Museum planned for Albany, Louisiana. Presently our plans include restoration of the old Hungarian school in "Hungarian Settlement" Louisiana. Our goals are to raise funds and membership to aid in the project. Tax deductible donations can be made to Hungarian Settlement Historical Society (or HSHS) and mailed to P.O. Box 1909 Albany, La. 70711. All donations will be used for the restoration project. Donations to our museum restoration fund are tax exempt. Contact us for more information.

The Story of Arpadhon, Hungarian Settlement, Louisiana - 1896 - 2006

 

by Royanne Kropog

 

Through adversity and hardship, and a cash crop of strawberries, they carved out an existence and thrived.  The result is Hungarian Settlement -- the largest rural Hungarian Settlement in the United States today.

STEREOTYPE OF HUNGARIANS - THEY'RE SPOOKY! (ALL THOSE HAUNTED CASTLES?)

 

This morning, laying in bed, I was thinking about the upcoming Halloween Holiday, which came out of a spiritual, religious celebration affiliated with ALL SOULS DAY in the Catholic religion, and has now become a HORROR FEST. 

I can do without the horror.  Horror films may just be my least favorite genre, though in real life I'm very interested in SPOOKS - ghosts, apparitions, poltergeists. 

(Yes, I have seen a  full color ghost, many years ago!) 

A few years ago I decided to light candles for some people who I learned had passed into the next life (Yes, I think there is one!) and some of those candles flickered, while others did not, leading me to believe that something or someone was effecting them besides the non-existent draft in the room!

When I say that a STEREOTYPE of Hungarians is that they're SPOOKY, I mean that these people are associated with fiction characters such as Dracula (technically a Romanian!) based on the real character VLAD THE IMPALER who cut off heads and lined the roads with the heads on sticks to scare the living hell out of everyone.

One time I told someone who knew I was into genealogy that I was related to both VLAD THE IMPALER and KATO KAILIN (of Simpson Murder Case Fame) and they believed me!

Along with the idea that we all have some genetic link to barbarians and invaders of one type or another, which means a genetic propensity to bloody violence, there is the idea that we are depressed, that we sulk and are moody, that we're all ready to commit suicide (if we don't drink ourselves to death with WINE), maybe throw ourselves off a bridge or a turret, which is another way of being SPOOKY.

Here's a classic song, by the Zombies (I think they were British), that has another definition of SPOOKY!

HUNGARIAN SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON HUNGARIAN CLUB

The Hungarian Society of Massachusetts, Inc., is a community of individuals of Hungarian descent, and those with an interest in Hungarian culture who, without regard to political or religious affiliation, and in accordance with their talents, opportunities and interests, support the Society and take part in its activities.

Our Mission and Goals

Foster and impart our Hungarian language, culture, identity and traditions to our descendants and to interested individuals through programs, meetings and gatherings;

Propagate Hungarian culture in as many American circles as possible, thereby developing and maintaining strong ties between Americans and Hungarians

Support one another as we build and sustain our lives in America

Cultivate and nurture ties with Hungary and Hungarian émigrés around the world

Provide moral, spiritual and occasional financial support for Hungarian causes.

NOELL S. OSZVALD - HAUNTING SELF PHOTOGRAPH PORTRAITS

IMAGING RESOURCING : NOELL S OSZVALD HAUNTING SELF PORTRAITS by DAN HAULIK

If you haven't seen these on Flickr, you absolutely must click on the link! 

EXCERPT "Noell S. Oszvald does not want to be called a photographer, claiming she's "not yet one" in a message to Imaging Resource when we contacted her about her work. While the 22-year-old, Hungarian artist is, perhaps, being modest, the reaction to her surreal, black-and-white self-portrait photos has not been.

After Oszvald's Flickr page attracted thousands of fans, her haunting images, which recall a Bergman film mixed with a Salvador Dali painting, have been featured on photo blogs and art sites around the world. That's pretty amazing for an artist who only started taking photos and creating image manipulations a little over a year ago.

While we weren't able to get Oszvald to explain her process for creating her striking work -- a message to her via her Flickr page about what camera and technique she uses went unanswered -- that could be in keeping with her philosophy about her photos.

"I don't want to tell people what to see in my images," Oszvald told My Modern Metropolis. "This is the reason why I never really write any descriptions other than titles. It shows what I wish to express but everyone is free to figure out what the picture says to them. It's very interesting to read so many different thoughts about the same piece of work."

THEY'RE ALL NAZIS (OR NEO NAZI'S) : STEREOTYPES OF HUNGARIANS

 

Recently I was reading around the Jobbik party, watching some YouTube video postings that would have it that all Hungarians are Nazi's or Neo Nazi's, and this was based on incidents of Jewish people and Roma people being terrorized or the victims of violence in recent times.  Yes, these things are happening in Hungary.  I also read comments that were disturbing, including posters on YouTube, calling each other names like "Jewish Pig" and one poster, from Romania, that said all Hungarians are Mongols who "only have Lake Balaton."  For me it was upsetting reading.

I learned a lot about Hungary historically and about the people of my genetic line through research.  I know that Hungary was a very class identified society, and then in the mid 19th century it began to break from the rule of nobility. I know that Hungary is a country that may be striving to re-identify itself nationally because over historical time the borders have changed and people who self-identify as Hungarian live in other countries, as do people who self-identify as Romanian, or Slovak.  Yet, here in the United States some of you, reading this blog from Europe, may be surprised to learn that many people are "mixed" and are Hungarian, and Slovak, and German, or German and Romanian.  (I've also met a great number of people who are one half or one forth Jewish.)

I posted this video long ago and am posting it again!  (The music is interesting even if you don't understand the language and the pictures speak quite well.) I think the spirit of this video is in the right direction, and I think that from a spiritual perspective.  I'm not claiming to be religious.



As I understand it, the Jobbik party is the 3rd largest party in Hungary.  Some consider it radically RIGHT WING.  What is meant by LEFT OR RIGHT WING in Hungary?  Probably not the same thing as in the United States, because while the Right Wing in the United States is considered CONSERVATIVE or TRADITIONAL values and most associated with the Republican Party, it would be unusual to find it openly associated with Nazi Rallies.

Can people have a NATIONAL IDENTITY that is not about KILLING OFF PEOPLE OF ANOTHER NATIONAL IDENTITY?  I think so.

Certain Jews became Zionists and thus came into being the Nation of Israel.

Where do you suppose the Roma could found their own nation?

Note: this post edited July 2022 VIdeo that was hear expired and was taken down

C 2013 Magyar-American BlogSpot

COLORADO FLOODS - HUNGARY FLOODS - FLOOD NEWS

Last June the flooding in Hungary was such that hundreds of people helped to sandbag and thousands had to relocate.  The water of the Danube did not peak until a couple weeks ago.  In past weeks the state of Colorado, United States of America, has also been deluged. 

Here is a web site called FLOOD LIST that updates on floods all over the world.
FLOOD LIST . COM  Reading this site you'll learn that flooding is challenging people all over the world, causing destruction and damage.

Believe it or not, earthquake country, Southern California, is also challenged by the rise in water levels.  Here is an article about the beaches of Malibu which are eroded.

Nantucket and Malibu, Disappearing : VANITY FAIR ON MALIBU and NANTUCKET BEACH EROSION  August 2013

DANUBE SWABIANS and HUNGARIANS OF MIXED/GERMAN ANCESTRY

UNITED GERMAN HUNGARIAN CLUB FOUNDED 1910 Danube-Swabians.

They're working on their OCTOBERFEST and it will be SEPTEMBER 28 -29th!

SAINT ELIZABETH MANUSCRIPT PAGE from THE FIRST PRAYER BOOK OF MAXIMILIAN

 

Workshop of Master of the First Prayer Book of Maximilian (illuminator) 

(Flemish, active about 1475 - 1515)   

             Manuscripts Medium: Tempera colors, gold, and ink on parchment

              Place Created: Bruges, Belgium, Europe Place Created: Ghent, Belgium, Europe

  Date: about 1510 - 1520

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum

HUNGARIAN DUAL CITIZENS LIVING OUTSIDE HUNGARY MAY VOTE IN 2014!

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR : HUNGARY SEEKS VOTES FROM ABROAD  full article link here!  VERY IMPORTANT NEWS! By Valentina Jovanovski, Contributor / September 3, 2013

"
For the first time, ethnic Hungarians living abroad will have the right to vote in Hungary’s national elections next year... The government says that 480,000 people have applied for citizenship, and thousands have registered to vote, after a 2010 law allowed non-residents with Hungarian ancestry to become citizens and participate in national elections... Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is betting these new citizens will support his Fidesz party. The government’s populist, nationalist message includes frequent reminders to a policy of uniting ethnic kin that live beyond Hungarian borders."


This means that thousands of  those who have applied for dual citizenship in countries such as Romania and Slovakia will vote in 2014, and interestingly, those of you who are American Citizens but who wish to also have Hungarian citizenship may apply for this and also vote.

To get the citizenship you must be able to speak HUNGARIAN.

HUNGARIAN AMERICAN CLUB OF THE PALM BEACHES

 

AMERICAN HUNGARIAN CLUB - OF THE PALM BEACHES FLORIDA THIS CLUB APPEARS TO HAVE A LOT OF DINNER DANCES as well as PICNICS and ENTERTAINMENT.

WOODEN BOX FULL OF CATS

HUNGARIAN CLUB OF NORTHEAST OHIO - ST STEPHEN'S DRAMATIC CLUB and DEAUGA MAGYAR CLUB MERGER

HUNGARIAN CLUB OF NORTHEAST OHIO - HIRUM OHIO link! Hungarian Cultural Center Of Northeastern Ohio Formally: St. Stephen's Dramatic Club (1904-2001) & Geauga Magyar Club (1975-2001) 12027 Abbott Road - Hiram OH 44234 330-274-2786

CLICK ON THE LINK FOR ACTIVITIES!  Hey they roast pigs!

Link is still good!  April 2022

SUNFLOWERS : A HIGH PROTEIN SEED and SPROUTS

A version of the sunflower, or maybe a distant cousin, a wild and small version, sprouts along disturbed earth near road beds in Southern California. Called "Black Eyed Susans," these wild flowers remind me of the tall plants with huge seed beds which actually rotate to follow the sun across the sky in summer..

A couple sunflowers in a garden attract birds who eat the seeds and these days there are a great variety of seeds you can buy with some variation of color - the yellows to oranges and reds - and height - five feet or more is very common. So I was wondering if there is such a thing as a "HUNGARIAN SUNFLOWER." .



To my delight there is! I found this "Heirloom" Hungarian Sunflower Organic Seed for sale on the Internet. SUSTAINABLE SEED CO : ORGANIC HUNGARIAN SUNFLOWER which says "
Large single heads with yellow petals, large black seeds of good flavor, good for sprouting because the sprouts are huge and nutritious.

Add sprouts to salads or sandwiches.

Excellent roasted.


Hungarian heirloom.


Popular protein-rich food in Eastern Europe.


From Martin Ringhoffer, Hungary.

I had no idea people sprout the seeds to eat the sprouts!



A little more reading and I learned that the Hungarian Black Seeded sunflower may have been started long ago from seed brought from the Americas to Europe.

SUNFLOWER

HUNGARIAN CLUB OF ATLANTA GEORGIA!

GEORGIA HUNGARIANS ORG link here!

Welcome to the HCGA! The HCGA repesents the 15,000 people of Hungarian descent in Georgia and presents information on local and national events and resources. Our mission is to foster appreciation of Hungarian culture, history and language in our local community. This is the community for you if... •you were born in Hungary or to Hungarian parents, •you like to use paprika in your cooking, •you are inspired by the story of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, •you have a vague recollection that your Grandmother was Hungarian, •you have spent countless hours trying to master the Rubik's cube, •you are concerned about the human rights of ethnic Hungarians living in Romania, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine.

Link checked July 2022  All is Well!

SICK AS A DOG? MINE IS!

I've dedicated a post to Hungarian Puli dogs, and Weight Pulling Hungarian dogs, but my dog is simply a mixed breed. 

Her medical information says her dad was a Mini Poodle and her mom was a Maltese.  She's about the size of the Mini Poodle and overall looks more like a Poodle, but with that Maltese hair ; neither breed shed which is a plus. 

Recently I went to pay her licence fee for the year after getting her yearly shots and a three year Rabies shot,  and when I got the receipt home I noticed it said she was a one and a half year old white female.  I called Animal Services to tell them that this was wrong.  My dog is overall off white and apricot and she's going to be 5.  They told me that it was just the beginning of the record, that she was actually first adopted there when she was a year and a half old, meaning that I'm her third owner and that she's been in the pokey three times; no wonder she had such bad separation anxiety and a lot of fears when I got her.  We've worked some of those out over time. I used to chase her around to give her a bath but now she comes to the tub and puts her feet up on it.  She likes the towel dry and runs around trying to help me dry her.

It's been hot and usually when I open the door it's cooler inside than out.  Then one day I came home and the dog was there to greet me as usual, but she was avoiding spots of vomit on the floor.  One spot lead to the other.  She had thrown up six times!  Let's put it this ay - the way a person would if they had food poisoning.  I realized that she had not digested her food and been violently ill while I was gone.

This dog has proven to me in the past that she will do things and not do things to please me.  She has a sense of place.  Sometimes I think she waits until I'm home to drink water, which worries me.  I notice that when I get home she races to her water bowl.  I took her to a animal shelter benefit in a small dress (she usually goes without) and the whole time she didn't pee or poo.  She waited until we were on our way home.

Immediately I wondered exactly when she had thrown so much up.  Was it soon after I left for the day?   Had she waited, sick, until I left to vomit when I couldn't see her do it?  Had she been punished in the past for being sick?

The spots were so stinky that the dog herself was avoiding them.

I took her out and she peed.  She seemed to be drinking water and peeing OK. 

Her breath was really bad. 

It was late, she was animated when she saw me.  Was she still sick?

The next morning I took her out for a walk and she chased a squirrel.  How sick could she be? 

I made her plain white rice, which she gobbled.  I stayed home, holding her to me and rubbing her tummy.  We made it to 3 in the afternoon and no vomit.  So I left.  When I returned around 8 PM, she had thrown up the rice, and it looked undigested.

Now I began to really worry.  She lay close to me and I rubbed her belly and told her I loved her and how good she was.  She seemed slightly dull to me.

Had she become allergic to her flea collar or managed to lick it?  Were there any chemicals laying around that I didn't realize were there in her range?  Had her dry dog food gotten bad in the heat? Or did she simply get a virus?

Where things stand right now is that she wants to eat treats especially Greenies and not her dog food.  She's peeing and she's pooping and her morning energy is high.  On the way home I'm going to by jars of BABY FOOD, meat. She is going to be fed baby food and white rice for a few days, unless when I get home she has vomited again.

Then it will be to the vet we go.

I wonder often about her life before me.  I wonder if she was bred more than once.  I wonder if she roamed the streets and killed birds and squirrels for her food. 

C 2013 Magyar-American BlogSpot

EDWARD SNOWDEN and ARCHBISHOP JOZSEF MINDSZENTY : HAS SNOWDEN APPLIED TO LIVE IN HUNGARY?

Link to an article from the GUARDIAN : EDWARD SNOWDEN STATELESS and
Archbishop József Mindszenty, the Catholic primate of Hungary, who spent 15 years in the US embassy in Budapest. EDWARD SNOWDEN WHERE CAN HE GO?

Like most Americans I've been keeping up on the news about the NSA and whistle blower Edward Snowden.  (I don't think what he did qualifies as espionage.)  I also agree that based on all that has been reported in the news and all the responses to it, including some people calling for his execution, that he cannot get a fair trial here, which makes me sad.

I've been thinking about the Soviet Union, and about Russia today.  I've been thinking about the fact that he applied for asylum in 21 countries, of which 6 we do not know.  Is Hungary one of the six that he has chosen not to reveal?

The United States wants him stopped.  He cannot travel over our airspace of the airspace of certain of our allies.  His passport, but not his citizenship has been revoked.

MY QUESTION IS DOES HE QUALIFY FOR CITIZENSHIP in ANY COUNTRIES BASED ON HERITAGE, such as Poland or Hungary?

RECENT HUNGARIAN HERITAGE DANCE PRESENTATION AT THE SMITHSONIAN 2013

ERDOS THE MATHMETICIAN CELEBRATED

ERDOS CENTENNIAL JULY 1-5 2013 in BUDAPEST  link

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematic, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Eötvös Loránd University and the János Bolyai Mathematical Society announce that a conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Paul Erdős will be held from Monday, July 1st to Friday, July 5th, 2013, in Budapest, Hungary.


The distinguished main patron of the conference is József Pálinkás, the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.


The topic of the conference includes all basic fields that Paul Erdős contributed to:
Number Theory, Combinatorics (including Combinatorial Algebra, Combinatorial Geometry and Theoretical Computer Science), Analysis (including Approximation Theory and Ergodic Theory), Probability Theory, and Set Theory among others. The main goal of the conference is to explore Paul Erdős' wide ranging contributions to mathematics, and to survey the trends of development originating in his work.

REMEMBERING THE DAYS WHEN WE WANTED A TAN! A BLOGPOST MEMOIR!

Don't know about you, but I can remember the days when we WANTED a tan.  We didn't want to burn because that looked and felt terrible and peeled - icky! - but who hadn't gotten a few burns in pursuit of a tan?  Some of us only burned, some of us, like me, could slowly deepen in color until we were very dark - and we prized those tan lines!  

Laying in the sun for hours felt GOOD even if it was on the concrete of a pool side and we thought we looked good.  Better to show off those summer clothing colors like WHITE, LIME, PINK, better to show off the pink lipstick and nail polish . 

It felt healthy and athletic to be tan.  No one was worried about skin cancer.  We used lotion to make us tan like Coppertone; the smell of it still says SUMMER to me! 

We also used BABY OIL!  (Talk about treating your skin like steak!) 

Maybe we cherished tanning so much because we were indoors for 9 months of the year, in school, and in the snow belt.

Now I live in a place of ENDLESS SUMMER - Southern California and guess what?

I tan without trying to. 

I tan without going to the beach!

I don't have "tan lines."  It's as if my skin has adjusted to a different weather system!

Now I wonder, why is it that I tan but many of my family members burn?  Is it my Hungarian DNA?

YOU?

CROWS! UTNE READER WRITER LYANDA LYNN HAUPT WROTE THIS FANTASTIC ARTICLE!

UTNE : AS THE CROWS FLY 

The urban wild's most resilient creature shows us what's beautiful, what's ugly, and what's missing.  By Luanda Lynn Haupt, from the book Crow Planet

November-December 2009

EXCERPT:

" I heard of a crow that accompanied a mail carrier on his daily route every day for more than two years, walking behind him like a golden retriever before inexplicably disappearing. I heard from a Benedictine nun that a crow in the woods surrounding her monastery befriended a large black, green-eyed cat named Ashford, and that the two shared in feasting on the birds that Ashford caught and killed. I heard from a friend that she was watching a crow work for some time to balance a medium-size stone atop a larger stone. “Was it making art?” she wanted to know. I heard from a pilot friend that his friend (for many crow stories spiral compellingly through some kind of lineage in this way), also a pilot, watched the Snowbirds (the Canadian Forces’ equivalent of the Blue Angels) practicing for an air show, and afterward, a crow in the trees near the airfield practiced flying upside down. Am I incredulous? Certainly, somewhat. But can I deny it? Who hasn’t seen a crow do something we do not expect of “simple” birds, or any animal, for that matter? Who doesn’t have a crow story? And the more attention we offer, the more the crow stories spring up around us, like grass..."

A MURDER OF CROWS : NATURE FILM

Crows are seen on many a Hungarian surname/family crest or shield.  The image begins with the early people of Hungary who fought against the Turks - the Muslims - and saved Hungary for Christianity. I wanted to know more about the crow.  This is why I decided to watch a film called "A MURDER OF CROWS."  The video could use a better title, though there is a reference to murder somewhere in the film.


Actually, this film is about the latest scientific research about crows, which is so revealing of their nature and aptitudes.  It made me proud to think that early Hungarians were thought of as crows.  The surname Corvin or Corwin is the Latinized version of the word crow, as in Mathias the Crow, the first King of Hungary.


Crows turn out to be one of the most intelligent animals alive3, smarter than dogs, and on par with apes!


They must be to survive because 50% of them don't make it to their second year of life, though they have been known to live up to 20 years.  Crows live in family groups and sometimes parents have help feeding their young by brother and sister crows. These days many of them get hit by cars and are killed.  Scientists believe that when a crow dies, its group holds a silent vigil for the departed!  The crows mate for lie and raise their young for up to five years.  This long period of time is thought to have aided in their mental development.

Crows recognize individual faces and inform their fellow crows if someone is a friend or enemy.

Scientist have proven that this information is transmitted to younger generations.

They are always watching and learning.  They even memorize the garbage truck routes so that they will arrive in prime time to forage from the garbage bags!

Hawks are their natural enemy.  Crows will remember a field where one of their members was attacked and avoid it for a couple years.

Perhaps most fascination was the way scientists have set up experiments to let crows prove themselves.  One of these experiments shows that a crow not only uses tools but makes them and can think ahead to a third move in using tools to get a prize piece of food.

TONY CURTIS AND THE EMANUEL FOUNDATION FOR HUNGARIAN CULTURE

BOHEMIANINK : TONY CURTIS LEAVES A LEGACY IN HUNGARY link to full article and pictures...

EXCERPT:

"So saddened to hear about the death of Tony Curtis yesterday. In Budapest, Curtis, who is of Hungarian descent, is as well known for his generosity as he is for his movies.  In 1998, he founded the Emanuel Foundation for Hungarian Culture, a New York-based organization that works for the restoration and preservation of synagogues and 1300 Jewish cemeteries in Hungary.

Within the confines of Budapest’s Great Synagogue exists the Tree of Life Holocaust Memorial, funded by the Emanuel Foundation, in memory of the 600,000 Hungarian Jews who were murdered by the Nazis. The tree, which is made of stainless steel and silver, is fashioned to look like a weeping willow. The shape of the tree resembles an upside down menorah. Inscribed on its 4000 metal leaves are the names of Hungarian Holocaust victims. And on the top of the black granite double archway that sits in front of the tree, a Hebrew inscription asks: “Is there a bigger pain than mine?”

Updated February 2021  I'm sorry but I don't find the link... The name Emanual Foundation brings up a different organization.  Some years have passed.  So maybe the work has been completed.  October 2022 Since this is a popular post, I tried again to find the TONY CURTIS EMANUEL FOUNDATION and it does not appear.  From past research I know it was located in Brooklyn New York.  For those of you intent to find this foundation, perhaps Brooklyn is the place to look.  Another idea is to get in touch with Jamie Lee Curtis...

BLUE DANUBE WALTZ : JOHANN STRAUSS

BLUE DANUBE WALTZ : JOHANN STRAUSS   new video August 2022  

THE DANUBE FLOODS : EARTH CHANGES?

DANUBE FLOODING EFFECTS 10 NATIONS article

"Winding 2,850 kilometers (1,777 miles) across 10 nations, the Danube is the second-longest river on the continent, making its way from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea bordering Romania and Ukraine. Only the Volga in Russia is longer."

SARAH JAROSZ : BLUE GRASS DEBUTANT

SARAH JAROSZ official site

Just got the CD called "Follow Me Down" and listened to it over and over again, the way some of us used to singer-songwriter albums in the 70's.  Listed as BlueGrass, Sarah is known for her Americana.  Produced by Gary Paczosa and Sarah Jarosz, this singer-songwriter is also capable of playing several instruments.

To quote the bio on her site, "Sarah Jarosz has as rich a skill set as anybody in acoustic music. She plays, not just one instrument, but enough of them to be a one-woman string band: mandolin, octave mandolin, clawhammer banjo and guitar. She sings – in supple tones that transcend the boundaries between folk and pop – and she writes – old-timey ballads and modern singer-songwriter ruminations alike."

SZELKER-HUNGARIAN RUNES : 7000 YEAR OLDS WRITING

CHICORA VOICES CONCERT : THREE HUNGARIAN FOLK SONGS

HUNGARIAN MUMMIES DNA MAY SOLVE RIDDLE OF TB

EXCERPT FROM ABC RADIO SCIENCE SHOW ABC RADIO: Ancient DNA specialist, Mark Spigelman, biopsied 176 Hungarian mummies  link here!

EXCERPT: "What I did note was that every one of them was in a coffin made of pine and lying on a bed of pine shavings, and there is a turpinoid type material in the pine which can act as an antibacterial...This is a wonderful group, totally untried, no antibiotics, not AIDS, no nothing - the only significant reason why one member gets TB and the other one doesn't, it's strongly possible that it's due to genetic differences.

SONOMA WINEMAKER AGOSTON HARASZTHY FOCUS OF HUNGARIAN MTV FILM

HUNGARIAN TV VISITS SONOMA CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY - SPECIAL FILM link

"The crew from Hungary's national channel "MTV" was filming a documentary on Agoston Haraszthy, the winery's founder. The channel is not to be confused with the American "MTV" music channel, Judit Koltai, one of the crew, explained...."

PREMIER MTV HOME LINK - HUNGARIAN

"Koltai said the documentary will be called "Hungarian World Star—Portrait of Count Agoston Haraszthy...

Haraszthy was a Hungarian immigrant, who established the winery in 1857. The location is a State Historic Landmark, considered the oldest premier winery in California. Haraszthy is known as the father of the California wine industry, having brought vines back from Europe to plant here...

The documentary is due to air on TV on March 15. It will likely appear on the TV channel's website after that, so anyone in the world can see it via the Internet, Koltai said."

If anyone can lead me to the link for the show, I'll be glad to post that.  I haven't found it yet myself!

THE HUNGARIAN PROBLEM : THE TRIANON TREATY

In the United States, so many of us are of mixed ethnicity/ancestry that is isn't always easy for us to understand the problem of being an ethnic (European) minority in Europe.  We have the problem of being an ethnic minority in the United States that is not well understood or respected.

A WORLD HERITAGE SITE : HOLLOKO HUNGARY : PALOC ETHNIC GROUP

 pronounced Ho-low-koo, meaning raven stone.
https://holloko.hu/  Updated web site link Dec 2023

HOLLOKO VILLAGE - IN HUNGARIAN AND ENGLISH

EXCERPT: Hollókö is the treasure of Palócland, and it presents the uniform Palóc style of architecture in an intact form. The most precious part of the village is the central area with 58 protected buildings, which preserves masterpieces of 17th century vernacular architecture.

The local ethnic Palóc people lived in the same houses for several generations. The houses were built on undivided, long and narrow plots, and this style of life remained unchanged for centuries because of the relatively isolated nature of North Hungary. The houses usually have three main parts (front room – porch – bedroom), and they are surrounded by porticos facing the street and the back yard. They were built on top of cellars, which compensate for differences in ground level and give the whole building an image of harmony. On the narrow plots pantries were built next to the houses, while the pigsties and sheds were further back in the yards. Stables for large animals were at the end of the village, in the so called Valley of Stables.

FOWLER MUSEUM LOS ANGELES : SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN DRESS EXHIBIT NOT TO BE MISSED

This is a great opportunity for those of you who live in Southern California or who are here to do research for your family history or are going to visit Hollywood.  FOWLER MUSEUM at UCLA is off the tourist trap route, and until July 14, 2013 they have an exhibit you'll want to see. 

This museum is always free, on the UCLA campus which you can get to by bus if you want to avoid the $11 parking fee, and is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon till 5, with Thursdays being open until 8 PM.


RESPLENDENT DRESS FROM SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE features clothing that girls and women spent hundreds - thousands - of hours hand sewing, embroidering, and decorating, so that they could participate in the village dances.  We think of these dances, and these clothes as "costumes," now but they did have a purpose then - Guess what?

EXCERPT :

"Bright red fringe in particular ― a feature originally evolved from the string skirts of the Paleolithic era ― stood out at dances as a symbol of fertility when worn by young women of marriageable age. Today, this dress continues to be worn on festive occasions and by older people in rural areas. In addition, folk festivals featuring dance performances ― popular with both locals and tourists ― have stimulated a revival in the wearing of regional dress. As such, dress, dance and music continue to be a mainstay of life for many."

OK, if you were walking down a street in the Old Country you could tell what ethnic group and class another person was by their dress.  Like in India today; women wear saris that identify them.

EXCERPT:

"Resplendent Dress From Southeastern Europe" features 50 stunning 19th- to 20th-century ensembles from Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Serbia, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Montenegro and Romania ― nearly all from the Fowler Museum's substantial collection ― plus 100 individual items, including aprons, vests, jackets and robes. To complement the outstanding examples of women's dress, the exhibition also includes several men's garments."

GUARDIAN ANGEL

MEET UP IN SEATTLE TO LEARN THE HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE

MEETUP IN SEATTLE TO LEARN HUNGARIAN!  and maybe, while you're at it, you'll want to SWAP SOME SOUP!

"Jo lesz talalkozni es osszejonni!'

ISLAMIC POPULATION IN HUNGARY

ISLAMIC POPULATION WORLDWIDE SITE - HISTORY OF RELIGION IN HUNGARY link here


After the Bombing of the Boston Marathon by two radical Islam (i.e terrorists who hate the United States) it's again been difficult for me to accept the idea that most Moslems are not hateful people, though yes I have met Moslem people in the United States who seemed nice enough.

I found this site and though it would be of interest to my readers.

In old Hungarian language the Muslim were called Böszörmény...the town Pest (today part of the capital Budapest was established by Muslim/Shiite/Ismaili people.

SPRING WIND : Hungary-Tavaszi szél / Spring Wind [Hetalia] .

ALL HAPPINESS TO YOU!

ALONG THE DANUBE BLOG ABOUT HUNGARIAN PAGANISM ADDED TO MY BLOG LIST!

ALONG THE DANUBE link!

Found this one while researching about ancient hungarian pagan fertility rites, speaking of Spring time.  Very interesting and well written!

STRANGER THAN PARADISE : JIM JARMUSCH FILM ABOUT ROOTLESS HUNGARIAN IMMIGRANTS

STRANGER THAN PARADISE is a film by Jim Jarmusch with John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson.  Came out in 1984, is in black and white, and under liscense from Cinesthesia Productions.

Wanting to be more informed about Hungarian made films, I feel lucky to be able to use a library that actually has a few, but I have to admit that the dreariness of this film was such that I could not go through with watching much more than a half hour of it.

If the film maker wished to convey the dismal, almost useless life of a particular Hungarian immigrant to America, one who refuses to use the language, has adopted American football, eats TV dinners, and is unwelcoming to another Hungarian immigrant, his cousin, he did an excellent job.

Any screenplay or book can be about a particular character rather than a whole experience.  While I know that many Hungarian immigrants had a very hard time adjusting to life in the United States and experienced prejudicial attitudes that held them back, this particular character seems to be a lazy layabout who is expecting more to come to him.  I have to think of if that way because I also know that Hungarian immigrants to America have brought with them an excellent work ethic, talent and skills, and so much else to the "Melting Pot."

N is a NUMBER : FILM REVIEW : PAUL ERDOS THE MATHMATICIAN

Math being my worst subject, I wondered if I could follow this DVD/ Film (C 2004) that I found on the shelf of my local library.  "N is a Number" is a documentary by George Paul Csisery about Paul Erdos, one of those geniuses living in their own mind - obsessed with math to the exclusion of much else.  Luckily the film didn't require that I follow along on any formulas that I would get lost in and never find my way out of.  Instead I learned about this unique human being who liked to throw out problems to others and speculate, and was not overly concerned with his theories or ideas being proven.

Paul Erdos (1913-1996) had no home and no job.  He never married or had children.  He was close to his mother and may've had a romance that went nowhere.

He Traveled from place to place sponsored and patronized by various other mathematicians, and before it was all over he had published over 1000 papers and received an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University, Great Britain.  The film held my interest without my having to understand the math.

C 2013 All Rights Reserved  Magyar-American BlogSpot

EASTER BUNNIES

WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE EUROPE HAS BECOME MORE SECULAR?

Reading around the new Pope Francis, I've come across many articles that would suggest that Europe has become Secular Humanist and doesn't have much patience for the Old Ways of Catholicism, or perhaps Christianity or perhaps ANY religion. 

In the United States, at least on the West Coast which I can speak of, it seems to me there has been a lot of religious or spiritual exploration and experimentation.  I see that people are not so much about what they were born into but what seems to be a better fit as they live their lives.

THE HISTORY OF THE FRANCISCANS IN HUNGARY : BUDAPEST GUIDE

BUDAPEST GUIDE : A HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS IN HUNGARY link!

"The Franciscans founded their first community in Hungary 1224, in Esztergom. Bela IV appreciated the work of the Franciscans so much, that he made sure to get buried in the monastery in Esztergom himself. He also supported the Franciscans work preaching and converting heretics like Bogomils in Hungary. Just like the other orders the Franciscans experience decline in their number in the 14th century, but they were more fortunate than the other monastic orders during the Ottoman rule, as they were allowed to keep up their pastoral work.

Like the other monastic orders the Franciscans suffered during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, though some monks made big sacrifices to keep on living acording to their monastic ideals.

Before the First World War the Franciscans consisted of five provinces in Hungary, though after the peace treaty of Trianon only two of these remained. During communism several monks suffered and were killed for their faith and life as monks, and 18 monastic communities were closed down. Some Franciscan schools were allowed to operate during communism."

THE FRANCISCANS IN HUNGARY : ST ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY

Since the new Pope, Francis or Francesco, took his name to honor Saint Francis of Assisi, though he is a Jesuit, I've been wondering about the Franciscans and the Jesuits in Hungary.

"Franciscan Friars of St. Elizabeth of Hungary " is the name of the order.  This order is in Ireland, thus the Irish bread.

POPE FRANCIS NEWS AND MORE STRAIGHT FROM THE VATICAN

THE VATICAN OFFICIAL WEB SITE in many languages.  Click around a bit and you can find all kinds of interesting information including a calandar of services.

ELECTION OF THE NEXT POPE : GOOD PEOPLE NEED TO STAND AGAINST EVIL AND CORRUPTION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Over the last days I've been following the media - television, radio, Internet - and the reportage of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the upcoming conclave to elect a new Pope.  This morning on AM radio, one of the Jewish broadcasters I listen to said the program would be following and reporting the story as well.

I feel that the election of a Pope is an important event not just for Catholics but all the people of the world.  Non-Catholics and Catholics alike are interested in the secret processes, rituals, and politics of selecting a new Pope.  Though various names have been mentioned as front-runners, I am also reminded that there can be surprises.  Whomever is elected will have to be super-qualified for a very difficult job in an evil world.

Will the next Pope be American (I doubt it!), Canadian (Maybe), African, or from South America?  A diplomat?  A theologian?  A businessman?  A saint?

The scandals revolving around the issue of clergy involved in homosexual acts involving adults who consent (but disobey their vows) and child molestation, a horror, in the last several years, have hurt the Catholic Church and will greatly influence this election.

  However, I think the resurgence of Anti-Catholicisms by Protestants and others who think the fiction work of author Dan Brown (DaVinci Code, etc.) has possibly more damaging.

I've read Brown's books and I've seen the movies.  As fictions I find them interesting and well written GOTHIC NOVELS.  In college studying literature I learned that since the Protestant Reformations in Europe fictions in which nuns and priests fornicate and indulge in Black Magic practices have long been popular among those who want to believe novelistic scandal.  In other words, nothing new.

The terrible truth that so very many children experience molestation, even infant rape, and that so very many women also experience a rape in their lifetime; the statistics are such that we must know certainly all this evil is not via Catholic clergy!  In other words, the revelations of these occurrences will not, in the future, be limited to just this one church or organization.  The molester or rapist is usually not a stranger but a step-father or date.  They are not just hiding out in one Church.

I would love to live in a better world, a heaven on earth.

It's time that the majority of people who are good, stand to conquer evil, whatever their belief or lack of in God!

C 2013 Magyar-American blog  All Rights Reserved including International and Internet rights.

CARDINAL

A HUNGARIAN POPE? PETER ERDO? FASCINATING NEWS!

Over the last several days I've been reading around the Vatican, and the resignation of the present Pope, Benedict XVI, as well as the upcoming enclave that will elect a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.  Among the things I have heard on radio and read on the news, are theories of a "Saint Malachy," who is credited as a prophet who foresaw the ordination of 210 Popes and says the 211th - the next Pope - will be the last.  One of the most interesting news blurbs I read included a photo of lightening appearing to strike the dome of the Vatican in a storm that occurred after the Pope gave his resignation.  All of this, as well as Global Warming and Earth Changes have given some people the idea that we are in "End Times."  I apply caution to such ideas.  I'm more concerned about the human beings who WANT the End Times and want to make them happen.

Reading around this subject, here is an article I found from the Italian Insider paper, Italy's first English Language news paper:

PETER ERDO : FAVORITE EUROPEAN TO BECOME POPE

EXCERPT: By JAN FILIPOWICZ

"VATICAN CITY – Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő, is considered the European frontrunner to become the next pope, sources close to Benedict XVI’s entourage said today. “Nobody had thought of this until now,” a well-placed source close to the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace told Italian Insider, “but Cardinal Erdo looks very much like the favourite to succeed Benedict among Europeans.” At age 60, Erdo, would be considered a candidate for a lengthy pontificate to provide stability after the surprise resignation by Benedict rocked the Roman Catholic Church..."

At this time, I'm looking into the subject of religion in Hungary today.

BALINT NAP! HUNGISH ORG TELLS YOU IN ENGLISH HOW VALENTINES IS IN HUNGARY!

HUNGISH ORG : VALENTINES DAY IN BUDAPEST  full article here!

OK, so florists decided to make this an official holiday in recent history 1989! Still, there's no reason why you have to give in to commercial interest to celebrate.  After all, a home made card, an original love poem, some flowers you plucked yourself, all these things are traditionally romantic!

"In Hungary it is generally only young married couples and young lovers who exchange gifts on this day while in America there is a card for just about every love connection from couples to grandparents to their grandchildren. Hungarian cards say a few things differently than what Americans will find in Hallmark shops. Typical Hungarian cards for Valentine’s Day say things like: “To the world’s most adorable blue-eyed real man” to “Your little sex mouse.” Other expressions are “Send word to the country hag that I love her” or “I wish my pocket piggy a joyous future from his ever-loving pocket kitty.”