#Stara Zagora

[illustratus]

The Varangian Guard defeats the Pechenegs at the Battle of Beroia 1122 AD

by Giuseppe Rava

[easternblocrelics]

Стара Загора - Stara Zagora Градската Градина Le Jardin de la ville Der Stadtpark Bulgaria

[travelew]

[lovelyballetandmore]

Jorge Barani | State Opera Stara Zagora

[guerrerense]

Brightness... por Petar Genchev Por Flickr: BDZ-PP 44 070 and 44 096 at Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

[a-modernmajorgeneral]

This golden funerary mask was part of the goods discovered in a grave in 2004, during archaeological excavations on the Svetitsata mound near the village of Kran in the Stara Zagora region. A noble Tracian man, aged about fourty, was buried in the grave. According to a local burial rite - usually associated with the Orphism - his body had been dismembered, the grave receiving only fragments from the skull and his legs.

The golden mask weighs 673 grams and images the face of an adult man, with clearly portrayed individual features. It was cast and additionally processed by forging and chiseling. The portrait is dated to the 5th century BC and, so far, the only mask of this kind from this period in Thrace and the Mediterranean area. It said it is the mask of the Odrysian King Teres.

Discovered during excavations on the Svetitsata mound (in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria), this gold funerary mask is of a middle-aged Thracian man. An incredibly rare artefact, the mask itself weighs 673 grams, and has been dated to about the 5th century BC. It seems to portray some individualized features, and some believe it to be the mask of the Odrysian King Teres.

Courtesy of & currently located at the National Archaeological Museum, Sofia. Photo taken by vintagedept.

[mariacallous]

A Bellingcat investigation has found that a far-right fashion brand affiliated with the white supremacist Active Club movement has its products designed by a streetwear shop in the Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora.

The decentralised Active Club movement was founded by American neo-Nazi Robert Rundo. It focuses on using fitness, fighting and fashion – particularly Will2Rise (W2R), the fashion brand Rundo founded alongside Active Clubs – to recruit young men and boys into the far right, normalise fascist ideas and prepare them for physical violence against perceived enemies. 

A 2022 Bellingcat investigation into far-right webshops detailed how fashion and merchandise sales can help promote racist ideas among youth, provide revenue for hate movements and help the far right strengthen bonds across borders and continents.

A geolocation by Bellingcat’s reporter in February 2023 led to our more recent discovery that the designs of almost all of the W2R brand’s recent merchandise – almost 20 separate products, ranging from fashion to flags and stickers – can be traced to a small streetwear shop in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. 

Bellingcat has also found that this Bulgarian streetwear shop lists other names from the international far-right movement as its clients. These include a Canadian far-right fashion brand, a 2024 far-right combat sports event that Bellingcat geolocated earlier in the year, as well as one of the most prominent Active Clubs in the United States.

W2R did not respond to Bellingcat’s requests for comment. 

[cetaceous]

'The Home of the Kestrel' A Common Kestrel (falco tinnunculus), Stara Zagora, Bulgaria Photograph by Vladislav Tasev Gold Winner: Urban Wildlife Category The World Nature Photography Awards 2022 image credit: Vladislav Tasev via: The Guardian

[iseo58]

Bulgarian traditional festive clothing from Stara Zagora area,

[goalhofer]

2024 olympics Bulgaria roster

Athletics

Bozhidar Sarâboyukov (Sofia)

Tihomir Ivanov (Pleven)

Mirela Demireva (Sofia)

Plamena Mitkova (Plovdiv)

Gabriela Petrova (Haskovo)

Badminton

Kaloyana Nalbantova (Parvomay)

Gabriela Stoeva (Haskovo)

Stefani Stoeva (Galabovo)

Boxing

Javier Ibáñez (Sofia)

Radoslav Rosenov (Ruse)

Rami Kiwan (Cherven Bryag)

Stanimira Petrova (Asenovgrad)

Svetlana Staneva (Sofia)

Canoeing

Yoana Georgieva (Sofia)

Fencing

Yoana Ilieva (Sofia)

Gymnastics

Kevin Penev (Penfield, New York)

Valentina Georgieva (Sofia)

Boryana Kaleyn (Sofia)

Stili Nikolova (Sofia)

Kamelia Petrova (Sofia)

Sofia Ivanova (Sofia)

Rachel Stoyanov (Sofia)

Magdalina Minevska (Sofia)

Margarita Vasilevska (Sofia)

Judo

Mark Hristov (Sofia)

Ivaylo Ivanov (Montana)

Pentathlon

Todor Mihalev (Stara Zagora)

Rowing

Kristian Vasilev (Plovdiv)

Desislava Angelova (Plovdiv)

Shooting

Kiril Kirov (Sofia)

Antoaneta Kostadinova (Targovishte)

Swimming

Petar Mitsin (Pandanski)

Josif Miladinov (Plovdiv)

Lyubimir Epitropov (Veliko Tarnovo)

Gabriela Georgieva (Sofia)

Taekwondo

Kīmiyā Zonūzī (Sofia)

Tennis

Viktoriya Tomova (Sofia)

Weightlifting

Ivan Dimov (Sofia)

Bozhidar Andreev (Sliven)

Karlos Nasar (Cherven Bryag)

Wrestling

Magomed Ramazanov (Khasavyurtovsky, Russia)

Aik Mnatsakanian (Akhalkalaki, Georgia)

Semyon Novikov (Sofia)

Kiril Milov (Dupnitsa)

Bilyana Dudova (Vratsa)

Yuliana Yaneva (Yambol)

[diemauermoved]

reminder that i do have a female soccer player here <3 she's open to ships. just a wee bit about her until i get her info and all up but :

full name : daniele heidi nikol dimitrova ( goes by heidi )

dob / age : january 9th , 26 years old . ( she was born in stara zagora , bulgaria )

height : 5'4

fc : nina dobrev

position : goalkeeper for bay.ern's women's team and the bulgarian women's national team. wears the # 1 .

orientation : bisexual tho leans more towards men.

small tidbits :

she was bought by bayern for €2 million from wfc lokomotiv stara zagora in 2022 during the winter transfer.

heidi is a bit of a spitfire though , she likes to joke and have fun.

she currently has a small cabin on lake tegernsee.  her hobbies outside of the pitch include wakeboarding, gardening , snowboarding and vacationing in italy. 

bulgarian accent is VERY noticeable. she knows bulgarian ( obvs. ) , german, russian french, italian and english.

[beardedmrbean]

More than 300 illegal migrants have been identified as part of the large-scale operation of the Ministry of the Interior, the State Police and the Prosecutor's Office against illegal trafficking, which began yesterday. 15 persons have been detained, more than 19 fast-track proceedings have been initiated, announced the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Petar Todorov.

This morning, the police in Stara Zagora discovered another large group of illegal migrants. After an operational signal, a heavy truck was stopped on the 177th km of the Trakia highway, in which more than 70 migrants were found in an extremely severe condition, reported the director of the Directorate General of National Police Atanas Ilkov. 10 of them received life-saving help and were transported to health facilities. The truck driver has been detained.

"The ingenuity of traffickers is becoming greater, so our actions will be directed with even greater efforts against them, so that we do not allow life-threatening situations," said Ilkov.

Yesterday, another group of about 40 migrants was found in the Sofia village of Chepintsi. Among them there were also children who were moving in extremely dangerous conditions.

"Our efforts to work against this type of criminal activity will continue, both in our border territory and on a purely operational plan to establish and document the criminal activity of the organizers of this type of crime themselves. This type of crime poses a huge danger, both for the transported persons, as well as for the rest of the citizens as a result of various cases of disobedience and other conflict moments, including for the employees," noted the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Petar Todorov.

[mbbsblogsblog]

Study MBBS in Bulgaria: Your Pathway to an International Medical Degree

 Dear MBBS aspirants, grab the opportunity of studying MBBS in Bulgaria!

MBBS in Bulgaria has been emerged as a preferred destination for many international MBBS aspirants. Bulgaria is a melting pot of many cultures, traditions, and nationalities. MBBS students in the medical universities in Bulgaria get the opportunities to study in learner–centred classrooms and develop their practical skills in well-equipped laboratories. Bulgarian universities have educated approximately 6,000 international students in medicine and other fields. Admission to Bulgaria's top medical university is simple. Students are not needed to take entrance exams or English language tests like IELTS or TOEFL. The country also boasts many well-known universities with international reputations.

MBBS in Bulgaria: Key Facts

Duration of MBBS in Bulgaria: 6 Years (includes a 1-year internship) Eligibility Criteria: 10+2 with 50% in PCB NEET Exam Requirement: Yes, students must qualify IELTS/TOEFL Test: Not required MBBS Course Fee: EUR 7000 - EUR 8000 per year (tentative) University Recognition: Approved by NMC & WHO Medium of Instruction: English Intake Month: September

The MBBS program in Bulgaria lasts six years. Bulgaria has two globally famous premier medical universities that are MCI and WHO approved, ranking in Europe's top thirty. Candidates who wish to pursue an MBBS degree in Bulgaria do not need to pass the TOEFL or IELTS language examinations. It is vital to know that persons interested in becoming physicians can apply to Bulgarian universities without making any donations. Bulgaria is one of the world's leading providers of outstanding MBBS degrees. This country is home to some of the world's best medical institutes, which offer extensive training opportunities for prospective physicians.

 MBBS in Bulgaria: Top Medical Universities in Bulgaria and Programs Offered

 Universities and Programs Offered in Bulgaria:

Medical University of Sofia: Offers Medicine (6 years, English and Bulgarian), Dentistry (6 years, English and Bulgarian), and Pharmacy (5 years, English and Bulgarian).

Medical University of Plovdiv: Offers Medicine (6 years, English and Bulgarian), Dentistry (6 years, English and Bulgarian), and Pharmacy (5 years, Bulgarian).

Medical University of Varna (Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov): Offers Medicine (6 years, English and Bulgarian), Dentistry (6 years, English and Bulgarian), and Pharmacy (5 years, Bulgarian).

Trakia University - Stara Zagora: Offers Medicine (6 years, Bulgarian) and Veterinary Medicine (5.5 years, Bulgarian).

Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski: Offers Medicine (6 years, Bulgarian).

 MBBS in Bulgaria: Tentative Fess in the Top Medical Universities in Bulgaria

Plovdiv Medical University: MBBS Fees: 7000-8000 Euros per year, Hostel Fees: 300-500 Euros.

Pleven Medical University: MBBS Fees: 7000-8000 Euros per year, Hostel Fees: 300-500 Euros.

Medical University of Sofia: MBBS Fees: 7000-8000 Euros per year, Hostel Fees: 300-500 Euros.

Medical University of Varna: MBBS Fees: 7000-8000 Euros per year, Hostel Fees: 300-500 Euros.

Trakia University Bulgaria: MBBS Fees: 7000-8000 Euros per year, Hostel Fees: 300-500 Euros.

Higher Medical Institute Pleven: MBBS Fees: 7000-8000 Euros per year, Hostel Fees: 300-500 Euros.

 Services Provided by Ria Overseas

·         We offer comprehensive document processing.

·         Phone help is available 24/7.

·         We only provide MCI-approved chairs.

·         We have been providing admissions help for the past 15 years.

·         Make travel plans.

·         Assistance in discovering appropriate food and lodging alternatives overseas.

·         We ensure that you stay healthy while studying medicine in Bulgaria.

·         We will keep in touch with you till the course is completed.

 For any more specific information about MBBS in Bulgaria contact us. 

[lovelyballetandmore]

Jorge Barani | State Opera Stara Zagora

[brookston]

Holidays 10.5

Holidays

Armed Forces Day (Egypt, Indonesia)

Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters

Be Nice to a Lawyer Day

Bonn Phchum Ben (Ancestors’ Day; Cambodia)

Catherine Park Day

Checkers Appreciation Day

Chic Spy Day

Commemorating the Victims of Prohibition Day (Cannabis)

Death of Prophet Mohammad (Iran)

Dirij Tereur (Elder Scrolls)

Do Something Nice Day

Education Day (Kiribati)

Engineer’s Day (Bolivia)

Feast of the Empire of Lies

Ganga River Dolphin Day (India)

Global James Bond Day

Goddard Day

International Charge Your Car Day

International Day of No Prostitution

International Day of Road Safety Education

Long Walk Day

Medicine Day (Peru)

Mignonette Day (French Republic)

Missing Ten Days Day

Monty Python Day

Most Common Birthday Day

National Above the Bus Day

National Be Nice Day

National Caribbean Civility Day

National Dildo Trick Shot Day

National Depression Screening Day

National Do Something Nice Day

National Family Fire Drill Day

National Get Funky Day

National Hackney Day

National Hypertrophic Olivary Degeneration Awareness Day

National Innovation Day (Thailand)

National Kiss a Wrestler Day

National Military Podcast Day

National Rhode Island Day

National Scissoring Day

National Storytelling Day

National Throat Goat Day

Pedal Boat Day

Peruvian Medicine Day (Peru)

Republic Day (Portugal)

Right to Food Day (Ottawa, Canada)

Sea Serpent Day

Semana Morazánica (Honduras)

Stara Zagora Day (Bulgaria)

Teacher’s Day (Pakistan, Russia)

Territory Day (Christmas Island)

Unicorn Questing Season begins

Victims of Marijuana Prohibition Day

World Dyslexia Awareness Day

World Meningitis Day

World Teachers' Day (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Brewing Industry Day

McIntosh Apple Day (Montana)

National Apple Betty Day

Noisy Munching Day

Pilsner Day

Rocky Mountain Oyster Day

Vranec World Day

Ziua Vinului (Wine Day 1 of 2; Moldova)

Independence & Related Days

Constitution Day (Vanuatu)

Outer Space Nation of Celestia (Declared; 1949) [unrecognized]

Portugal (from Kingdom of Leon, 1143)

1st Saturday in October

Bed & Breakfast Inn Mascot Day [1st Saturday]

Cadet Day (Nova Scotia) [1st Saturday]

Cephalopod Awareness Day [1st Saturday]

Dachshund Day [1st Saturday]

Datil Pepper Day (Florida) [1st Saturday]

Digital Scrapbooking Day [1st Saturday]

Inter-American Water Day [1st Saturday]

International Frugal Fun Day [1st Saturday]

Lumberjack Day (Calaveras County, California) [1st Saturday]

Madonna del Lume Celebration (a.k.a. Blessing of the Fleet; San Francisco, California) [1st Saturday]

National Blind Sports Day [1st Saturday]

National Bookshop Day [1st Saturday]

National Bowhunting Day [1st Saturday]

National Family Fire Drill Day [1st Saturday]

National Healthcare Entrepreneurs Day [1st Saturday]

National Ostomy Awareness Day [1st Saturday]

National Play Outside Day [1st Saturday of Every Month]

Sandwich Saturday [Every Saturday]

Satyr's Day (Silenus, Greek God of Beer Buddies and Drinking Companions) [1st Saturday of Each Month]

Six For Saturday [Every Saturday]

Sleep Over Saturday [1st Saturday of Each Month]

Social Saturday [1st Saturday of Each Month]

Sourdough Saturday [1st Saturday of Each Month]

Spaghetti Saturday [Every Saturday]

Surly Darkness Day 2024 [Saturday in Oct]

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day [1st Saturday]

Tarantula Festival and Barbecue (Morgan Hill, California) [1st Saturday]

World Card Making Day [1st Saturday]

World Hoop Day [1st Saturday]

Yakima Fresh Hop Ale Festival (Washington) [1st Saturday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 5 (1st Week of October)

Mental Health Week (Australia) [thru 10.13] (From Friday in Week including 10.10)

Steamboat Springs Restaurant Week (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) [thru 10.12]

Festivals Beginning October 5, 2024

Afton Apple Orchard Apple Festival (Hastings Area, Minnesota) [thru 10.6 & 10.12-13]

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (Albuquerque, New Mexico) [thru 10.13]

Apple Affair (Galesville, Wisconsin)

Applefest (Orleans, Nebraska)

Apple Fest (Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Illinois) [thru 10.6]

Apple Festival of Kendallville (Kendallville, Indiana) [thru 10.6]

Apple Harvest Day (Dover, New Hampshire)

Atwater Oktoberfest (Atwater, Minnesota)

BBQ On The Square (Union City, Tennessee)

Beach Haven Chowder Cook-Off (Beach Haven, New Jersey)

Big Bass Bash Tournament Fall Classic (Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri) [thru 10.6]

Big Crush Harvest Wine Festival (Amador County, California)

Black-Eyed Pea Festival (Mantee, Mississippi)

Blacksburg Brew Do (Blacksburg, Virginia)

The Bloody Mary Festival (Twin Cities, Minnesota)

Brushy Mountain Apple Festival (North Wilkesboro, North Carolina)

Calaveras Grape Stomp (Murphys, California)

Carolina Renaissance Festival (Huntersville, North Carolina) [thru 11.24]

Central Florida Peanut Festival (Williston, Florida)

Chili, Chowder, & Brew Fest (Bath, Maine)

Cider Days (Lakewood, Colorado) [thru 10.6]

CiderFeast East Coast Tour (Brooklyn, New York)

Corn Maze Beer Fest (Columbus, Indiana)

Cranberry Festival (Eagle River, Wisconsin) [thru 10.6]

Das Best Oktoberfest (Timonium, Maryland)

EGGtoberfest (Stone Mountain, Georgia)

Farm Festival (Owensboro, Kentucky) [thru 10.6]

Feast of the Hunters' Moon (West Lafayette, Indiana) [thru 10.6]

Fresh Hop Ale Festival (Yakima, Washington)

Fruit Shed Fest (Loomis, California)

Gaston Collard & BBQ Festival (Gaston, South Carolina)

Giant Pumpkin Festival (Elk Grove, California) [thru 10.6]

Grand Harvest Wine Festival (Morristown, New Jersey) [thru 10.6]

Great Cortland Pumpkinfest (Cortland, New York) [thru 10.6]

Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest (Taylorville, Illinois) [thru 10.6]

Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-Off (Allardt, Tennessee)

Harvest Daze (Watseka, Illinois) [thru 10.6]

Harvest Festival (Santa Fe, New Mexico) [thru 10.6]

Hilton Apple Fest (Hilton, New York) [thru 10.6]

Hood River Hops Fest (Hood River, Oregon)

Huntsburg Pumpkin Festival (Huntsburg, Ohio) [thru 10.6]

Huron Township Applefest (New Boston, Michigan) [thru 10.6]

Idaho Cider Fest (Boise, Idaho)

International Antalya Film Festival (Antalya, Turkey) [thru 10.12]

Kaw Valley Farm Tour (Douglas County, Kansas) [thru 10.6]

Kennett Brewfest (Kennett Square, Pennsylvania)

L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade (Los Angeles, California)

Lambtown Festival (Dixon, California) [thru 10.6]

Liquid Apple Night (Hamilton, Montana)

Little Falls Cheese Festival (Little Falls, New York)

Lviv International Literature Festival (Lviv, Ukraine) [thru 10.8]

McIntosh Apple Day (Hamilton, Montana)

Manchester Alive Harvest Fest (North Manchester, Indiana)

Manteca Pumpkin Fair (Manteca, California) [thru 10.6]

Metcalfe County Pumpkin Festival (Edmonton, Kentucky)

Miami Carnival (Miami, Florida) [thru 10.13]

Mission San Jose Olive Festival (Fremont, California) [thru 10.6]

Mississippi Peanut Festival (Collins, Mississippi) [thru 10.6]

Monterey Beer Festival (Monterey, California)

MSU Tollgate Pumpkinfest (Novi, Michigan) [thru 10.6]

National Apple Harvest Festival (Biglerville, Pennsylvania) [thru 10.6 & 10.12-13]

National Banana Pudding Festival & Cook-Off (Centerville, Tennessee) [thru 10.6]

National Fried Chicken Festival (New Orleans, Louisiana) [thru 10.6]

NB Oktoberfest (New Bedford, Massachusetts)

Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest (Nekoosa, Wisconsin) [thru 10.6]

New Bedord Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival (New Bedford, Massachusetts)

Northwest Chocolate Festival (Bellevue, Washington) [thru 10.6]

Obion County Fall Fest (Union City, Tennessee) [thru 10.6]

Oktoberfest (Savannah, Georgia) [also 10.12 & 10.19]

Oktoberfest (Highlands, New Jersey)

OysterFest (Shelton, Washington) [thru 10.6]

Penrose Apple Day (Penrose, Colorado)

Powder Keg Beer & Chili Fest (Exeter, New Hampshire)

Powhatan's Festival of the Grape (Powhatan, Virginia)

Rhodes Medieval Rose Festival (Rhodes, Greece) [thru 10.6]

Salmon Days Festival (Issaquah, Washington) [thru 10.6]

San Diego Sake Festival (San Diego, California)

SandwichFest Street Fair (Sandwich, Massachusetts)

Sonker Festival (Mt. Airy, North Carolina)

Spartanburg International Festival (Spartanburg, South Carolina)

St. Marys Seafood Festival (St. Mary's, Georgia)

Stone Lake Cranberry Festival (Stone Lake, Wisconsin)

Tiburon Wine Festival (Tiburon, California)

Treasure Coast Ribs Wings & Rock Festival (Vero Beach, Florida) [thru 10.6]

Turkish Food Festival (Little Rock, Arkansas)

Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival (Turnbridge, Vermont) [thru 10.6]

Wine on the River (Memphis, Tennessee)

World Championship Outhouse Races (Virginia City, Nevada) [thru 10.6]

World Cheese Dip Championship (Little Rock, Arkansas)

Yorktown Wine Festival (Yorktown, Virginia)

Feast Days

Anna Schäffer (Christian; Saint)

A. R. Penck (Artology)

Baptism of the Prophet (Mali)

Bartolo Longo (Christian; Blessed)

Bigmouth Fraggle (Muppetism)

Bob Thaves (Artology)

Carson Ellis (Artology)

Denis Diderot (Writerism)

Dionysiad (Wine Festival; Rumania)

Faustina Kowalska (Christian; Saint)

Festival of the Five Toes (Shamanism)

Festival of the Old Woman (Lithuania; Everyday Wicca)

Flann O’Brien (Writerism)

Francesco Guardi (Artology)

Francis Xavier Seelos (Roman Catholic Church; Blessed)

Friedrich Bernhard Westphal (Artology)

Galla (Christian; Saint)

Hor and Susia (Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria)

Hugleikur Dagsson (Artology)

James Rizzi (Artology)

Let Go Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Mania Mundus (Festival to remember departed ancestors)

Mundus Patet (Ancient Rome)

Nachum Gutman (Artology)

Nubaigai (Harvest Festival; Pagan Lithuanian)

Opening of the Mundus Cereris (Pagan)

Placid and Maurus (Christian; Saint)

Placidus (Christian; Martyr)

Pope Benedict IX (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Rossini (Positivist; Saint)

Slightly Naughty Day (Pastafarian)

Thesmorphoria begins (3-Day Women’s Festival to Demeter; Ancient Greece)

Thraseas (Christian; Saint)

Three Coffers Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Premieres

Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (Film; 1945)

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Disney Animated Film; 1949)

Age of Empires (Computer Game; 1997)

Alpalooza, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1993)

Antipositive, Pt. 2, by Little Big (Album; 2018)

Automatic for the People, by R.E.M. (Album; 1992)

Beach Combers (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1936)

The Black Sheep (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1934)

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Film; 1961)

Buster’s Last Stand (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1970)

Cats (Film; 1998)

Cleopatra (Film; 1934)

Crash, by J.G. Ballard (Novel; 1973)

Crazy Little Thing Called Love, by Queen (Song; 1979)

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Animated Aardman Film; 2005)

Dr. No (UK Film; 1962) [James Bond #1]

The Fire Chaser or Bullwinkle Goes to Blazes (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 307; 1964)

Flaming Arrows or Bullwinkle Meets His Match (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 308; 1964)

Frankenweenie (Animated Film; 2012)

Gilmore Girls (TV Series; 2000)

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, by Elton John (Album; 1973)

Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh (Novel; 1963)

Harrison Bergeron, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Short Story; 1961)

The Hector Heathcote Show (Animated TV Series; 1963)

Henry & June (Film; 1990)

I’m the Man, by Joe Jackson (Album; 1979)

Irish Stew (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1930)

Jack and the Beanstalk (Disney Cartoon; 1922)

Laugh-O-Gram Studio’s Goldie Locks and the Three Bears (Disney Cartoon; 1922)

Led Zeppelin III, by Led Zeppelin (Album; 1970)

Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong, by the Spin Doctors (Song; 1992)

Love Me Do, by The Beatles (UK Song; 1962)

Michael Clayton (Film; 2007)

Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gág (Children’s Book; 1928)

Monty Python’s Flying Circus (UK TV Series; 1969)

¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico (WB Animated Film; 2004)

Music Land (Disney Cartoon; 1935)

Music Land (Disney Silly Symphony Animated Film; 1955)

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, by T.S. Eliot (Poems; 1939)

One-Punch Man (Anime; 2015)

Right Ho, Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse (Novel; 1934) [Jeeves #6]

Romp in a Swamp (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1959)

The Saint Around the World, by Leslie Charteris (Short Stories 1956) [Saint #32]

Scooby-Doo! And the Witch’s Ghost (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie; 1999)

Serendipity (Film; 2001)

Skibidi, by Little Big (Music Video; 2018)

Skyfall, by Adele (Song; 2012)

10 (Film; 1979)

The Ten Commandments (Film; 1956)

Tunnel of Love, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 1987)

Venom (Film; 2018)

Today’s Name Days

Attila, Gallina, Herwig, Meinolf, Placidus (Austria)

Faustina, Mauro, Miodrag (Croatia)

Eliška (Czech Republic)

Placidus (Denmark)

Inga, Inge, Ingeborg, Inger, Ingi, Ingrid (Estonia)

Inka, Inkeri (Finland)

Camélia, Capucine, Daphné, Eglantin, Faustine, Fleur, Placide (France)

Gallina, Herwig, Meinolf (Germany)

Charitine, Charitini, Haritini (Greece)

Aurél (Hungary)

Placido (Italy)

Amālija, Male (Latvia)

Donata, Edvinas, Gilda, Palemonas, Placidas (Lithuania)

Bo, Boye, Brynjar (Norway)

Apolinary, Częstogniew, Donat, Donata, Faust, Fides, Flawia, Igor, Justyn, Konstancjusz, Konstans, Placyd (Poland)

Daniil, Haritina, Misail (România)

Viera (Slovakia)

Faustina, Froilán, María, Plácido (Spain)

Bror (Sweden)

Charita (Ukraine)

Chester, Cheston, Chet, Nia, Nyah (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 279 of 2024; 87 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of Week 40 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 7 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 3 (Ren-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 3 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 1 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 9 Orange; Twosday [9 of 30]

Julian: 22 September 2024

Moon: 7%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 27 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Donizetti / Bellini]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 14 of 90)

Week: Last Week of September/1st Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 13 of 30)

[mariacallous]

Major amendments to Bulgaria’s Law against Domestic Violence look set to enter into force on Monday in the face of fierce opposition from pro-Russian parties who say the changes promote LGBT rights at the expense of ‘traditional’ family values.

Responding to anti-violence protests following a brutal knife-attack on an 18-year-old girl in the town of Stara Zagora in late June, the amendments introduce the term ‘intimate relationships’, broadening the scope of the law beyond cases of domestic violence within marriage.

The amendment passed a first reading with the support of 144 of parliament’s 240 MPs – from the conservative GERB party, its long-time partners in the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and the pro-European We Continue and Change and Democratic Bulgaria.

The pro-Russian Revival party and Bulgarian Socialists voted against, incensed by what they called a bid to promote “gender ideology” and boost the rights of the LGBT community given that the term “intimate relationship” encompasses more than simply marriage between a man and woman.

The amendments are expected to pass a second reading later on Monday.

“This is an effort to legalise same-sex relationships,” Socialist MP and former cabinet minister Ivan Ivanov said, apparently unaware that same-sex relationships have been legal in Bulgaria since 1968. 

His party leader, Kornelia Ninova, said the amendments would open the door to recognition of a “third gender”. Other MPs warned the amendments were based on “perverse ideas” and represented an attempt to revive the Istanbul Convention on violence against women and domestic violence, which was struck down by a Bulgarian court in 2021. 

We Continue the Change leader Kiril Petkov, who served as prime minister between 2021 and 2022, condemned the tone of the debate. “In this hall, domestic violence is discussed in a very immature, limited and simple-minded manner,” he said.

The amendments, however, have faced criticism from both sides, with rights experts and activists criticising a stipulation that such ‘intimate relationships’ must have lasted at least 60 days to be subject to the law.

Whether a certain number of days indicating the length of a relationship should be specified remained a point of debate before the second vote.

As MPs arrived for the session, protesters surrounded the entrance to parliament holding banners that read, ‘Not One Woman Less”.

During a break in proceedings, GERB’s Vezhdi Rashidov, a former speaker of parliament, was caught on microphone saying:  “There are enough laws now, anyway. What is this nonsense? Every whore has suddenly woken up and decided they were raped years ago.”

Tempers are already running high following the knife-attack in Stara Zagora; the alleged perpetrator, a 26-year-old man, was initially arrested but then discharged, with the local court describing the wounds – which required over 400 stitches – as “minor bodily injury”. The man was on probation at the time for a yet undisclosed previous crime.

Amid public outcry, the man was re-arrested at the end of July and charged with making a death threat via text messages. He denies all charges, but the authorities’ handling of the case provoked a wave of anti-violence protests in around 40 towns.

An analysis by BIRN in 2020 noted that despite growing awareness, the institutional response to gender-based violence remains ineffective in Bulgaria, with the resistance from the country’s conservative parties to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention another major contributing factor.