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pope-francis-quotes · 6 years

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26th September >> (@zenitenglish) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis’ Full Text of Holy Father’s On-board Press Conference on Return Flight from Baltic Nations Conversation with Reporters on Flight from Estonia to Rome (Zenit on flight with #PopeinBaltics) #PopeFrancis

Full Text of Holy Father’s On-board Press Conference on Return Flight from Baltic Nations

Conversation with Reporters on Flight from Estonia to Rome

During his September 25, 2018, flight from Tallinn, Estonia, back to Rome, at the end of the Apostolic Journey to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (September 22-25, 2018), the Holy Father Francis met with journalists on board the plane for a press conference, which is transcribed and translated below. Greg Burke, Director of the Vatican Press Office, moderated the discussion.

* * *

Original Text

Greg Burke:

Good evening, Holy Father. Above all, thank you. Three countries in four days isn’t very easy, it’s somewhat tiring . . . It seemed a bit like four countries in four days, because on the first day there was the surprise of China, so we even did this: we got close to China. Let’s try to stay with the subject — we have said this so many times –, to talk about the trip. We will certainly begin with the local journalists of each country, but in the press conference, we will seek to talk about the trip to the Baltic countries. I don’t know if you’d d like to say something first.

Pope Francis:

First of all, to thank you for the work you did, because for you also three countries in four days is not easy. It’s tiring, especially, having to go from one place to another. I thank you so much for the service you offer to people about this trip, which is the most important thing of your communication: what happened there . . . There were very interesting things on this trip, and I expect questions in this connection.

Greg Burke:

Thank you. The first is Saulena Ziugzdaite, Bernardinai.LT, of Lithuania:

Saulena Ziugzdaite:

Holy Father, thank you for this time and for this whole trip. When you spoke in Vilnius of the Lithuanian soul, you said we should be a bridge between East and West. But it’s not easy to be a bridge: it’s always through others. Some say that our tragedy is that we are on the bridge. Perhaps some say: it’s decidedly better to become part of the West with its values. What did you intend — what does it mean to be a bridge?

Pope Francis:

It’s true . . . It’s obvious that today you form part, politically, of the West, of the European Union, and you did so much to enter the European Union. Immediately after independence, you carried out all the adjustments, which weren’t easy, and you succeeded in entering the European Union, namely, in belonging to the West. You also have relations with NATO: you belong to NATO, and this means the West. If you look at the East, your history is there — a harsh history; part of your tragic history also came from the West, from the Germans, the Poles, but especially Nazism, this came from the West. And, as regards the East, from the Russian empire.

To make bridges exacts strength; strength not only to belong to the West, which gives you strength but for your own identity. I realize that the situation of the Baltic countries is always in danger, always. There is the fear of invasion . . . because history itself reminds you of this. And you are right when you say that it’s not easy, but this is a game that is played every day, one step after another: with culture, with dialogue . . . But it’s not easy. I believe the duty of all of us is to help you in this. More than helping you, to be close to you, with the heart.

Greg Burke:

Thank you, Holy Father. The next question comes from Gints Amolins, Latvijas Radio (Latvia)

Gints Amolins:

Good day, Holiness. In the Baltic countries, you spoke often of the importance of roots and of identity. From Latvia and also from Lithuania and Estonia, there are so many people that have left for more prosperous countries and many are already putting down roots elsewhere. And then, there are also demographic problems, as in Europe in general, because of the low birth rate. So, in this situation what can or should our countries do, what should the leaders of our countries do and also each one of us personally? How should this problem be assessed?

Pope Francis:

In my homeland, I didn’t know people from Estonia and Latvia, whereas the Lithuanian immigration — in relative terms — is very strong. There are so many in Argentina. And they take there their culture, history and are proud of the double effort to insert themselves in the new country and also keep their identity. In their celebrations, there are traditional costumes, traditional songs and always, every time they can, they return to the homeland to visit . . . I think that the struggle to keep their identity makes them very strong, and you have this: you have a strong identity — an identity that was forged in suffering, in defense, and in work, in the culture.

And what can be done to defend one’s identity? Recourse to the roots, this is important. Identity is an ancient thing, but it must be transmitted. Identity is inserted in the membership of a people, and membership in a people is transmitted. The roots are transmitted to the new generations, and this <is done> with education and with dialogue, especially between the old and the young. And you must do it because your identity is a treasure. Each identity is a treasure but conceived as belonging to a people. This is what comes to <mind>, I don’t know if it responds to your question.

Greg Burke:

Thank you, Holy Father. And now Evelyn Kaldoja, Postimees (Estonia)

Evelyn Kaldoja:

Thank you. I would like to ask the question in English. In today’s homily, you said that there are some that cry out and threaten the use of arms and the use of armies, etc., etc. Considering where we find ourselves, on that same Square where NATO soldiers were sent to Estonia as protection. Many thought about the situation of the eastern borders of Europe. Are you worried about the tensions in that area and about Catholics on either side of Europe’s borders?

Pope Francis:

The threat of arms. Today, the global expenses for arms are scandalous. I was told that, with what is spent on arms in a month, all the hungry in the world could be fed for a year. I don’t know if it’s true, it’s terrible. Industry, the arms trade, also the arms contraband is one of the greatest corruptions. And before this, there is the logic of defense. David was able to overcome with a sling and five stones, but today there aren’t any Davids. I think that to defend a country, we need a reasonable and non-aggressive defense army — reasonable and non- aggressive. This way defense is licit, and it’s even an honor to defend the homeland so. The problem comes when it becomes aggressive, not reasonable, and border wars break out. We have so many examples of border wars, not only in Europe, to the East, but also in other Continents: they fight for power, to colonize a country. This is, in my opinion, the answer to your question. Today’s arms industry is scandalous in face of a starving world. Second, it’s licit, reasonable to have an army to defend the borders, because this does honor; as it’s licit to have the key to the door of one’s home — for defense

Greg Burke:

Thank you, Holy Father. The next question is from the German group: Stefanie Stahlhofen, of the German Catholic agency CIC (Germany)

Stefanie Stahlhofen:

Holy Father, in the ecumenical meeting at Tallinn you said that, in face of the sexual scandals, young people don’t see a clear condemnation on the part of the Catholic Church. In Germany, a new inquiry came out, in fact, today on sexual abuses and how the Church has addressed many cases.

Pope Francis:

I’ll speak about this later. I’ll answer first the questions on the trip. This is the rule. However, it will be the first question after those on the trip.

Greg Burke:

Let’s stay with the trip . . .

A journalist is coming from Lithuanian Radio-Television.

Edvardas Spokas:

I’ll speak in English. In all three countries, you expressed yourself in favor of openness: openness in regard to migrants, openness in regard to the other. But in Lithuania, for example, there was a confrontation on the affair of a girl who greeted you on landing, in front of the plane: in fact, she didn’t have a Lithuanian look. She was part Italian, with somewhat dark skin . . . My question is: in the Baltic countries, do they hear from you only what they want to hear, or do they listen to that which you are trying to say to them? Do they listen to your message on openness?

Pope Francis:

The message on openness to migrants is sufficiently before your people; there aren’t strong populist fires, no. Estonia and Latvia also have open people who want to integrate the migrants, but not massively, because it can’t be done, to integrate them with the prudence of the government. We spoke about this with two of the Heads of State, and they touched on the argument, not I. And in the Presidents’ addresses, you will see that the word “hospitality,” openness” is frequent. This indicates a will of universality in the measure it can be done, because of space, work, etc. in the measure in which they can be integrated, because of space, work, etc.; — this is very important — in the measure in which it’s not a threat against one’s identity. They are the three things that I understood of the people’s migrations. And this touched me very much: prudent and well thought out openness. I don’t know if you think something other.

Edvardas Spokas:

My question is how your message was received?

Pope Francis:

I believe it was, in the sense that I mentioned. Because today the problem of migrants throughout the world — and not only external migration, but also internal, in the Continents — is a serious problem; it’s not easy to study it. In every country, in every post, in every place, it has different connotations.

Greg Burke:

Thank you, Holy Father. We have finished the questions on the trip.

Pope Francis:

Very good. I would like to say something on some points of the trip that I lived with special intensity

The fact of your history, of the history of the Baltic Countries: a history of invasions, of dictatorships, of crimes, of deportations . . . When I visited the Museum in Vilnius: “museum” is a word that makes one think of the Louvre . . . No. That museum was a prison; it was a prison in which the detained, for political or religious reasons, were taken. And I’ve seen cells of the measure of this seat, where one could only stand, torture cells. I’ve seen places of torture, where, with the cold, there is in Lithuania, they took naked prisoners and threw water on them, and they stayed there for hours and hours, to break their resistance. And then I entered the hall, the large room of executions. The prisoners were taken there by force and killed, with a shot to the back of the head. Then they were taken out on a conveyor belt to a truck and thrown in the forest. They killed more or less forty a day. In the end, there were close to 15,000 that were killed there. This is part of Lithuania’s history, but also of the other countries. What I saw was in Lithuania. Then I went to the place of the Great Ghetto, where thousands of Jews were killed. Then, on the same afternoon, I went to the Monument in memory of the condemned, killed, tortured and deported. That day — I tell you the truth — I remained destroyed: it made me reflect on the cruelty. But I say to you, based on the information we have today, the cruelty hasn’t ended. The same cruelty is found today in so many detention places, it’s found today in so many prisons; the overpopulation of a prison is also a system of torture, a way of living without dignity. A prison today that doesn’t provide the detained with a prospect of hope, is already a torture. Then we saw on television the cruelty of ISIS; terrorists: that Jordanian pilot burnt alive, those Coptic Christians beheaded on the beach of Libya, and so many others. Today cruelty has not ended. It exists throughout the world. And I want to give this message to you, as journalists: this is a scandal, a grave scandal of our culture and of our society

Another thing I saw in these three countries is hatred [of the past regime] for religion, regardless of which it is. Hatred. I saw a Jesuit Bishop of Lithuania or Latvia, I don’t remember well, who was deported to Siberia for ten years, then to another concentration camp . . . Now he is elderly, he is smiling . . . So many men and women who were tortured and deported to Siberia, for having defended their faith, which was their identity, and they didn’t return or were killed. The faith of these three countries is great; it’s a faith born in fact of martyrdom, and this is something that perhaps you saw, speaking with the people, as you journalists do, to have news of the country.

Moreover, this very important experience of faith produced a singular phenomenon in these countries: an ecumenical life, which doesn’t exist elsewhere, <which is> so generalized. There is a true ecumenism: ecumenism between Lutherans, Baptists, Anglicans and also Orthodox. We saw it yesterday in the Cathedral, during the ecumenical meeting at Riga, in Latvia: a great thing; brothers, close, together in one church . . . , close. Ecumenism has put down roots there.

Then, there is another phenomenon in these countries, which is important to study, and perhaps you can do many good things in your job, studying this: the phenomenon of the transmission of culture, of identity, of faith. Usually, grandparents did the transmission. Why? Because the parents worked; father and mother had to work, and had to be enrolled in the party — whether in the Soviet or the Nazi regime – and also educated to atheism. However, the grandparents were able to transmit the faith and the culture. In the time when the use of the Lithuanian language was banned, when it was taken out of schools, when they went to religious services — be they Catholic or Protestant — they took prayer books to see if they were in the Lithuanian language or in the Russian or German language. And many — a generation at that time — learned the mother tongue of the grandparents: it was the grandparents that taught writing and reading in the mother tongue. This makes us think and some article, some television service would be good on the transmission of culture, of language, of art, of faith in the times of dictatorship and persecution. One could not think otherwise, because all the means of communication, which at that time were few – radio – were taken by the State. When a government becomes — wants to become dictatorial, the first thing it does is to take over the means of communication.

I wanted to underscore these things.

And now, I refer to today’s meeting with young people. Young people are scandalized: I introduce here the first question which was outside the subject of the trip. Young people are scandalized by the hypocrisy of the grownups. They are scandalized by the wars; they are scandalized by the inconsistency; they are scandalized by the corruption. And on this matter of corruption, there is that, which you stressed, of the sexual abuses. It’s true that there is an accusation of the Church, and we all know, we know the statistics, I won’t state them here. However, even if it has been only one priest that abused a child, this would be in any case monstrous, because that man was chosen by God to bring the child to Heaven. I understand that young people are scandalized by this very great corruption. They know it’s everywhere, but in the Church, it’s more scandalous, because children must be taken to God, not destroyed. Young people seek to make their way with experience. Today’s meeting with young people was very clear: they want to be heard; they want to be heard. They don’t want fixed formulas. They don’t want a directive accompaniment. And the second part of this question, which was the first beyond the trip, was that “the Church isn’t doing what it should in this, in cleansing this corruption.

“ I take Pennsylvania’s Report, for example, and we see that up to the first years of the 70’s there were so many priests who fell into this corruption. Then, in more recent times, they diminished because the Church realized that it had to fight another way. In past times, these things were covered up. They were covered up also at home when an uncle violated a niece when the father violated the children. They were covered up because it was a very great shame. It was the way of thinking in past centuries, and of the past century. There is a principle in this that helps me very much to interpret history: a historical event is interpreted with the hermeneutics of the time in which the event happened, not with today’s hermeneutics. For example, indigenism: there were so many injustices, so many brutalities. However, it can’t be interpreted with today’s hermeneutics, when we have another awareness. A last example: the death penalty. The Vatican also as a State, when it was a Papal State, had the death penalty: the last person was beheaded around 1870, a criminal, a youth. But then the moral conscience grew, the moral conscience grew. It’s true that there are always scapegoats, there are always hidden death penalties: you are old, bothersome, I won’t give you the medicines . . . , and then they say: “he went.” It’s a social condemnation to death today. However, I think that with this I have answered the question. The Church: I take the example of Pennsylvania, I look at the proportions and I see that, when the Church began to be aware of this, it tried very hard. And in recent times I have received so many, so many condemnations issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and I’ve said: “Forward, forward.” But, after a condemnation, I have never signed a request for grace. One doesn’t negotiate on this; there is no negotiation.

Greg Burke:

Antonio Pelayo of “Vida Nueva” (Spain)”

Antonio Peayo:

Holy Father, a few days ago an Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the Government of the People’s Republic of China. Can you give us some additional information on this, on its content? Because some Chinese Catholics, in particular, Cardinal Zen, have accused you of selling out the Church to Beijing’s Communist Government, after so many years of suffering. What is your response to this accusation?

Pope Francis:

This is a process of years, a dialogue between the Vatican Commission and the Chinese Commission, to sort out the appointment of Bishops. The Vatican team worked a lot. I would like to mention some names: Monsignor Celli, who went with patience, dialogued and returned…for years and years! Then Monsignor Rota Graziosi, a humble 72-year-old Curial Monsignor, who wanted to be parish priest but stayed in the Curia to help in this process. And then, the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, who is a very devout man, but he has a special devotion to the lens: he studies all the documents: periods, commas, accents . . . And this gives me very great security. And this team, with these qualities, went forward. You know that when a peace agreement is made or a negotiation, both parties lose something; this is the rule. Both parties and one goes forward. This process went like that: two steps forward, one backward, to forward, one backward…; then months passed without talking to one another, and then . . . They are God’s times, which are similar to Chinese time: slowly . . . This is wisdom, the wisdom of the Chinese. The situation of Bishops who were in difficulty were studied case by case, and in the end, the dossiers arrived on my desk and I was the one responsible for signing them, in the case of the Bishops. In regard to the Agreement, the drafts passed on my desk, we talked, I gave my ideas, the others discussed them and went ahead. I think of the resistance, of the Catholics that suffered: it’s true; they will suffer. There is always suffering in an agreement. But they have great faith and they write, send messages, affirming that what the Holy See, what Peter says, is what Jesus says: the “martyred” faith of these people goes forward today. They are great men I signed the Agreement, the Plenipotentiary Letters to sign that Agreement. I am the one responsible. The others, whom I appointed, worked for more than ten years. It’s not an improvisation: it’s a journey, a true journey.

And then, a simple anecdote and a historic fact, two things before finishing. When there was that famous press release of an ex Apostolic Nuncio, the episcopates worldwide wrote me saying that they felt close, that they prayed for me; the Chinese faithful also wrote, and the signature on this writing was the Bishop’s – let’s say so – of the traditional Catholic Church and of the Bishop of the Patriotic Church: together, both, and the faithful of both Churches. This was for me a sign from God. And the second thing: let’s not forget that in Latin America — thank God this has been exceeded! — we forget that for 350 years it was the kings of Portugal and of Spain who appointed the Bishops. And the Pope only gave the jurisdiction. We forget the case of the Austro-Hungarian Empire: Marie Therese got tired of signing the appointments of Bishops and gave the jurisdiction to the Vatican. Other times, thank God, which today are not repeated! However, the present case isn’t for the appointment of Bishops: it’s a dialogue on the eventual candidates. It’s done in dialogue, but the appointment is Rome’s; the appointment is the Pope’s, this is clear. And we pray for the sufferings of some people who don’t understand or who have behind them so many years of clandestinity.

I thank you so much! They tell us that supper is ready and the flight isn’t long. Thank you so much! Thank you so much for your work. And pray for me.

Greg Burke:

Thank you, Holy Father. Enjoy your supper and have a nice rest.

[Original text: Italian] [ZENIT’s translation by Virginia M. Forrester]SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 14:31

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years

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14 Things You Should Know About Stolichnaya Vodka

Stolichnaya (stow-LEECH-na-ya), better known simply as Stoli, is a familiar bottle on the liquor store shelf, and one of the top-selling spirits brands in the world. But there’s a lot more to the clear spirit than meets the eye — such as a murder mystery, a Russian or not-so-Russian heritage, and a checkered past with the LGBTQ community.

Below, here are 14 more things you should know about Stolichnaya.

Yes, it’s Russian.

Stolichnaya was trademarked in 1938, but it’s origins are a bit mysterious, and also austere (having a period of rigid state control in its past). The brand was born sometime around the turn of the 20th century, when the Russian government took control of vodka production and started distilling Stolichnaya in the Moscow State Wine Warehouse No. 1, also known as the saddest name for a distillery in the world. It didn’t stay in the state’s control. By 1999, it was being produced privately.

Born in Russia, made in Latvia.

Stolichnaya is Russian by name, but it’s not totally Russian. It’s produced both in and outside of Russia. The wheat used to make the spirit is grown in Russia at a place called Tambov, and partially distilled at a facility called Talvis. However, the major work is done at a distillery called Latvijas Balzams in Riga, Latvia.

Stoli is produced by an anti-establishment Russian billionaire.

You know how Whole Foods is owned by Amazon, which is owned by Jeff Bezos, who is in turn owned by one of the Kings of Jupiter (or probably something like that)? That’s somewhat similar to how Stolichnaya works.

The brand falls under Stoli Group, which in turn functions under the SPI Group, which is owned by Yuri Shefler. Shefler is a billionaire who has had some colorful vocal disagreements with the Russian government, including with Vladimir Putin himself. (When you’re that rich, you can get into arguments with governments and dictators, instead of the guy who made your sandwich wrong.)

Stoli’s parent-company founder may have been framed for murder… by Putin.

SPI Group purchased Stolichnaya in 1999. SPI Group is owned by Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler. Over the course of his opinionated billionaire-ship, Shefler came into the crosshairs of the Russian government, including none other than Vladimir Putin. Shefler even stepped down from the rolls of his own company, SPI, because of all the heat thrown his way by Putin and crew. Among the (maybe apocryphal) accusations: that Shefler had once “[threatened] to kill the former Russian Agriculture Minister.”

The LGBTQ community once boycotted Stoli, but it was kind of by accident.

Not very long ago, there was a big, misplaced anti-Stolichnaya boycott on behalf of LGBTQ rights. In 2013, Vladimir Putin passed the so-called “gay propaganda” law, supposedly “aimed at protecting children from information promoting the denial of traditional family values,” a very thinly veiled tactic to enforce the heteronormative lifestyle by banning visibility (and viability) of the LGBTQ lifestyle.

LGBTQ activists rightly responded with protests and product boycotts, but incorrectly included Stoli on the list, considering it a Russian product — when in fact it’s been made in a historic distillery in Latvia since 1948 and is owned by a man who is Russian but constantly at odds with Putin himself (see: framed for murder, above).

Stoli made it right, anyhow.

It co-sponsors a next-level LGBTQ bartending competition. Founded in 2013 by Stoli’s LGBTQ ambassador Patrik Gallineaux, the Key West Cocktail Classic has grown into a nationwide LGBTQ bartending competition yes, but it’s also a massive declaration of presence and pride for the LGBTQ/gay-bar community at large. The competition takes place over the year, with bartenders nationwide competing for a chance to make it to the finals at Key West Pride.

And while no bartending competition is ever easy, the Key West Classic adds elements of stagecraft and also asks participants to incorporate elements of an annual theme. (This year: The Stolimpics.) Add precision timing, humor, glamor, a Real Housewives of Dallas and Lance Bass, and it’s a next-level competition. Now we just have to hope we’re de-quarantined by the time Key West Pride rolls around this June (alternately, we’re happy to watch remotely as bartenders do their thing, as long as at-home Stoli supplies don’t go the way of TP).

Like delicious Borodinsky bread, it’s made with wheat and rye.

When you take a bite of traditional Russian Borodinsky bread, you absolutely taste the wheat and rye, and its magical mixture of dark and sour and spicy flavors. However, considering how vodka is made, it’s arguable whether Stoli’s base material of wheat and rye has an impact on the final flavor of the distillate. But in the spirit of pairing food and beverage with ties to the same region, this is the only time we’ll recommend vodka as a possible pairing for toast.

With all that wheat, it’s still gluten-free.

Yes, this vodka is made from wheat and yes, like Smirnoff, Stolichnaya likes to tout the fact that it’s gluten-free. How can that be? Since the distillation process involves repeatedly stripping away everything but ethanol, what remains in a bottle of wheat-based Stoli has as much to do with a grain of wheat as something Blue Razzberry-flavored has to do with a raspberry bush.

That said, although it’s generally accepted to be gluten-free, some gluten-sensitive people still report negative effects after drinking gluten-free booze, so it’s best to steer clear if it’s a sensitive issue. Remember, you can make vodka with anything.

Speaking of Blue Razz…

Stoli’s lineup of flavors reads like a tipsy trip to the produce department that trails off into the candy aisle. There’s Lime, Cucumber, Blueberi, Razberi (their spelling); and there’s also Salted Caramel and “Stoli Hot” (which has smoky Jalapeno heat and kind of begs to be tested out in some sort of Slavic spicy Margarita). Stoli also has a new gluten-free vodka, which it’s calling “THE Vodka,” certifiably gluten-free with 88 percent corn and 12 percent buckwheat in the grain bill. (Stoli also makes non-alcoholic Ginger Beer, which is presumably for the next day’s hangover cure.)

We once traded a bunch of Pepsi for a bunch of Stoli.

In the 1970s, PepsiCo penned an agreement with the Soviet Union to ship its cola concentrate to be bottled there in exchange for increasing U.S. imports of Stoli vodka. The deal was signed in 1972, and bottling began in 1974. PepsiCo later doubled down on the deal when, in 1990, the trade agreement expanded and increased retail sales of Pepsi in the Soviet Union and Stoli vodka in the U.S. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, PepsiCo called it “the biggest, longest-running agreement ever concluded by the Kremlin with a U.S. firm.”

And so, that’s how Pepsi became the first American product to be made and sold in the Soviet Union. It’s also how Stoli made massive inroads into the U.S. market in the 1970s (which might explain the emergence of the terrycloth bodysuit).

It was the first Russian vodka export.

Witness this uber-Russian Stoli ad which, despite appearing like Cold War-era propaganda, apparently aired in 2007. According to the ad, Stolichnaya was the first exported Russian vodka; per the above PepsiCo agreement, Stoli was shipped to the U.S. beginning in 1974 in exchange for Pepsi.

It’s made with artesian water. That’s not really important.

OK, to clarify: Artesian water is a real thing. Geology.com describes it as water that’s more the result of “an interesting geological situation” than anything chemically unique or delicious. However, considering artesian water has tremendous interaction with Russian rock and soil, there’s something to be said for the idea that it transmits elements of the strong, hard Russian turf to the finished vodka. (Is there a Russian word for terroir?)

Its many cameos include a James Bond movie, and a very uncomfortable Eminem/Rihanna music video.

Not every Bond favors Stolichnaya (we get it, Craig, you’re smoldering and different). But the one who did — Roger Moore — liked it a lot. In “A View to Kill,” he drinks some Stoli in an iceberg submarine, because that’s a thing, after taking a microchip out of the body of his fellow agent in Siberia (and that’s all within the first 10 minutes). AbFab fans already know that Stolichnaya is Patsy’s favored 11 a.m. tipple.

A bottle of Stoli also gets a (fun?) cameo in Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie” music video (it’s around 2:00 when a former Hobbit goes to steal a bottle).

Stoli makes regular, anachronistic appearances in ‘Mad Men.’

Roger Sterling was a fan of Stolichnaya (he even listened to the stuff). But the action of “Mad Men” took place in the 1960s and Stolichnaya didn’t make it to America until the great Pepsi-Stoli swap of 1974 (see above). So every appearance of the bottle was a little delicious oopsies. Or else, like so many characters involved in the making of “Mad Men,” they just stopped caring.

The article 14 Things You Should Know About Stolichnaya Vodka appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/stolichnaya-vodka-elit-stoli-guide/

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isaiahrippinus · 4 years

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14 Things You Should Know About Stolichnaya Vodka

Below, here are 14 more things you should know about Stolichnaya.

Yes, it’s Russian.

Born in Russia, made in Latvia.

Stoli is produced by an anti-establishment Russian billionaire.

Stoli’s parent-company founder may have been framed for murder… by Putin.

The LGBTQ community once boycotted Stoli, but it was kind of by accident.

Stoli made it right, anyhow.

Like delicious Borodinsky bread, it’s made with wheat and rye.

With all that wheat, it’s still gluten-free.

Speaking of Blue Razz…

We once traded a bunch of Pepsi for a bunch of Stoli.

It was the first Russian vodka export.

It’s made with artesian water. That’s not really important.

Its many cameos include a James Bond movie, and a very uncomfortable Eminem/Rihanna music video.

A bottle of Stoli also gets a (fun?) cameo in Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie” music video (it’s around 2:00 when a former Hobbit goes to steal a bottle).

Stoli makes regular, anachronistic appearances in ‘Mad Men.’

The article 14 Things You Should Know About Stolichnaya Vodka appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/stolichnaya-vodka-elit-stoli-guide/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/617552308339949568

0 notes

johnboothus · 4 years

Text

14 Things You Should Know About Stolichnaya Vodka

Below, here are 14 more things you should know about Stolichnaya.

Yes, it’s Russian.

Born in Russia, made in Latvia.

Stoli is produced by an anti-establishment Russian billionaire.

Stoli’s parent-company founder may have been framed for murder… by Putin.

The LGBTQ community once boycotted Stoli, but it was kind of by accident.

Stoli made it right, anyhow.

Like delicious Borodinsky bread, it’s made with wheat and rye.

With all that wheat, it’s still gluten-free.

Speaking of Blue Razz…

We once traded a bunch of Pepsi for a bunch of Stoli.

It was the first Russian vodka export.

It’s made with artesian water. That’s not really important.

Its many cameos include a James Bond movie, and a very uncomfortable Eminem/Rihanna music video.

A bottle of Stoli also gets a (fun?) cameo in Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie” music video (it’s around 2:00 when a former Hobbit goes to steal a bottle).

Stoli makes regular, anachronistic appearances in ‘Mad Men.’

The article 14 Things You Should Know About Stolichnaya Vodka appeared first on VinePair.

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official-latvia-blog · 7 years

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A response to the Latgallian anon: “It is hard for Latvians to balance Krievija. Latvians is sometimes intolerant but I think is more that we want to be Latvian only, because for almost all of modern time we have never been allowed to be Latvian. And Krievija is a threat to us. What they did in Ukraine they can do to us. What they did before they can do again. I feel like Krievi in Latvia should speak Latvian and become a new kind of ethnic group, a Krievi Latvia group. That's why when the mayor of Riga was fined for speaking - fined for speaking Krievu, I don't think he should be speaking Krievu at least on a government politic level because for long time Latvija has must not speak our language and we now must protect it from dying out or being taken over by Krievija. At least that is what I think. Many Latviešu is scared that we will lose out culture and people but we should not be so scared of others. I am bisexual and many don't like to talk about guy liking guy or something.”

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jeramymobley · 6 years

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Stoli Vodka Makes Its LGBTQ Support ‘Loud and Clear’

Stoli Vodka shows its support for the LGBTQ community with its “Raising the Bar” program, a brand platform dedicated to equality and supporting people and organizations that are advancing “diversity and originality” within the LGBTQ community.

It follows the brand’s new “Loud and Clear” global campaign that launched last week to encourage people to celebrate their bold and authentic selves: “Whatever drives you, make it bold, make it last, make it loud and clear.” Or as Stoli CEO Hugues Pietrini explained to Fast Company, “It’s a call to action to our consumers—or even those who aren’t our consumers—to praise people that lead their lives the way they want to and to be proud of what they do.”

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It isn’t about being cool but about finding your purpose. With today being Harvey Milk Day in the U.S., marking the 40th anniversary of Milk taking office in 1978 as the first openly gay elected official in California, Stoli launched a limited edition bottle with a label celebrating Milk. Stoli’s LGBTQ partner organizations include the Harvey Milk Foundation.

Designed to celebrate the life and legacy of Milk, each bottle is individually numbered and the bottle’s label was inspired by a mural by Paraguayan artist Oz Montania featuring the famed Milk quote, “Hope will never be silent.” The initiative will help raise funds for the Harvey Milk Foundation.

Available across the U.S. in 750mL and 1L sizes, The Stoli Harvey Milk Limited Edition bottle is 80 proof, or 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), and a suggested retail price of $19.99 for 750mL.

Stoli is unveiling the limited-edition bottle today at a kick-off event at San Francisco’s The Café, where Montania will unveil a new Harvey Milk mural inspired by his original mural at an LGBT community center in Paraguay.

The event will feature remarks by Global LGBTQ rights campaigner Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk’s nephew and the co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, who will speak about the impact his uncle has had on equality and freedom across the globe.

The Harvey Milk Foundation inspires individuals, communities and organizations to carry on Harvey’s values in a timeless vision for a better, more inclusive world. Stoli has worked with the Harvey Milk Foundation for years and is donating to the nonprofit to support its award-winning work towards global equality and acceptance. Proudly produced and bottled at the historic Latvijas Balzams, the donations from the Stoli Vodka Harvey Milk Limited Edition bottle will help support Harvey Milk Foundation’s LGBTQ programming in Eastern Europe and the Baltic nations.

“We are excited to take our partnership with Stoli to a higher level this year as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of my uncle’s historic 11 months of public service,” said Stuart Milk, Global LGBT advocate and co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation. “The Stoli Harvey Milk Limited Edition bottle recognizes our history and commemorates who helped lead us forward towards visibility, a visibility that will be enhanced by this wonderful tribute from a creative and passionate brand.”

“Stoli has a long-time history of championing the LGBTQ community and giving back through a variety of philanthropic initiatives,” said Stoli LGBT National Brand Ambassador, Patrik Gallineaux. “We couldn’t be more excited to continue our partnership with the Harvey Milk Foundation and honor one of the most important activists in the community.”

The post Stoli Vodka Makes Its LGBTQ Support ‘Loud and Clear’ appeared first on brandchannel:.

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visariga-blog · 8 years

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Supernova 2017: Live and In Person

By now, it's perfectly clear to anyone who's been reading this blog for a while that I'm an unabashed, unapologetic fan of Supernova, Latvia's yearly contest show that selects the country's entry into the Eurovision song contest. Created in 2015 in order to end six straight years of Latvia failing to qualify for the Eurovision “grand final,” the show's winners so far have found success on the continental stage with a 6th place finish in 2015 and a 15th place finish in 2016. 2017's winner will be chosen out of eight semifinalists that were selected from two quarterfinal rounds that were broadcast on February 5th and February 12th.

This year, it was time to take my fandom to the next level. Instead of simply writing another blog post about this year's competition, I set my mind on getting into the live studio audience for one of the show's four broadcasts. Thankfully one of my high school students who is connected with Latvia's music community showed me how to acquire tickets, and suddenly I found myself with two passes to the February 12th quarterfinal episode. So yeah, that's me you see in the grey shirt in the top right of the first photo.

Līga doesn't quite share my level of enthusiasm for cheesy TV song contests, plus she was probably worried that I would do something stupid to get on TV (a perfectly justified fear on her part). Luckily, her sister Vita agreed to go with me, who you can see with purple hair to my right in that first picture. Since she was coming from Jelgava, we agreed to meet at Centrala Stacija (Central Station) at 20:00 in order to make it to the studio for 20:30 when doors were supposed to open. I was excited to finally have an excuse to take the mysterious #20 trolleybus for the first time in my life.

We were joined by only six other passengers, all of who were headed precisely where we were. The journey took just over ten minutes, bringing us across Salu tilts (Island Bridge) to the towering LTV headquarters on Zaķusala (Rabbit Island).

Built between 1979 and 1986, the 22-story building stands impressively in the middle of the Daugava and is visible from much of Rīga's southern and central regions. I was excited to finally have a reason to visit the city's 17th tallest structure I had admired so much from afar, and now we were just in front of it. Unfortunately, my sub-standard phone camera wasn't able to take an acceptable picture of the building at night, so here's one I took during the day a few years ago for you to get an idea of what it looks like:

We followed a group of fans to the main entrance in the back. Inside, fans and contestants alike sat in funky chairs and sofas chatting and, of course, watching LTV as we all waited for the doors to the studio to open. A Russian-speaking journalist enthusiastically buzzed around asking audience members about their favorite participants, although I didn't recognize the logo on his microphone. A few people were also enjoying drinks and food from a fancy-looking café just next to the studio entrance.

At just about 20:50, thirty minutes before the show was to begin, the doors opened and people began to file upstairs to the studio. Some men just outside the studio checked our bags and took our tickets just as they would at a concert or festival, and then we were able to walk right on in.

I have to give Vita a lot of credit for not immediately bailing on me as soon as we walked in, as I probably seemed a bit too overly enthusiastic. This was my first time inside a TV studio, let alone for a show that I actually regularly watched, so it was a bit overwhelming at first. About ten minutes before the broadcast began, Rīgas Bebrs (beaver), Latvia's Eurovision mascot, came onstage and politely told us to stand in place while the show was live and to cheer enthusiastically after each song. While this may seem like a no-brainer, Latvian audiences have a reputation for being overly polite and quiet.

Although we were simply trying to find the spot with the best view, as it turned out we stood in the perfect position behind the judges to be quite visible on TV every time they commented after a song. This week the celebrity jury included Prāta Vētra drummer Kaspars Roga, former Eurovision contestant Intars Busulis, DJ Rudd from Latvijas Radio 5, and songwriter Guntars Račs.

Unfortunately, I was under the incorrect impression that we were not allowed to take photos or videos while the broadcast was in progress, so I don't have any cool behind-the-scenes pictures of the performances themselves. That might be all for the better though, because I wasn't there to watch the performances through a small screen and there's no way my phone camera would have captured anything revelatory.

The night was kicked off by Katrina Lukin's upbeat ballad Silhouette, which was pleasant but not memorable enough to make it to the next round. This was followed by poor Markus Riva's third consecutive attempt to make it to the final round, “Dynamite.” Markus Riva is a complete mystery to me: he is massively popular in Latvia and had by far the most enthusiastic fanbase in the studio, but he consistently fails to make it to the final round in a vote-by-SMS popularity contest. Līga was telling me that there's a saying in Latvian going around on Facebook along the lines of “on a scale from one to Markus Riva, how persistent are you?” At least that's something to show for all that effort...

After a commercial break during which we were entertained by Rigas Bebrs' attempt at creating poetry, Toms Kalderauskis and his group continued with the Imagine Dragons-esque anthem, “We Won't Back Down,” before things got weird with Up's Kill Bill-inspired “One By One” in which she stood still for three minutes threatening to kill people as interpretive dancers pranced sensually across the stage. Although the performance went over like a lead balloon with the audience and judges, I thought it was one of the more memorable songs from this year. In fact, I was a bit disappointed by 2017 in general that there really wasn't anything as over-the-top ridiculous as Electrofolk's corny “Miracle Drums” or refreshingly different like Catalepsia's pop metal “Damnation” from 2016 aside from last week's off-the-wall Bjork meets the xx “Escape” by Crime Sea. While there were much higher highs and lower lows in 2016, this year there was mostly a sea of pleasant but forgettable cuts, such as Miks Galanovskis' funky “Runaway” which led us into the second commercial break.

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After being taught how to create paper fans by the beaver, the contest continued with the Russian-language “Taju ot Lubvi” by The HiQ, an epic, saxophone-tinged Indie folk song that wasn't quite able to make it to the next round. Then the completely previously unknown Santa Daņeļeviča proceeded to blow the audience's socks off with her amazing pipes, becoming the first musician of the night to make it to the semi-finals. The video doesn't quite capture just how powerful and impressive her voice was in person; it permeated every corner of the room. I wasn't surprised to learn later that she made it to the second round, and I fully expect to see her in the finals.

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Next up were Laura Lo and graduate from the school I teach at in Jelgava Chris Oak with the cutesy "Little Weird,” a performance that wasn't quite enough to qualify for round two. After a commercial break in which the ever-instructive beaver taught us how to make an actually-sort-of-nice-looking elephant mask from a cardboard box, we were back to the final three songs, all of which qualified for the semi-finals. I don't know what it is about going at the end, but last year's first place “Heartbeat” by Justs was also the final song of his round. Maybe since it's at the end it's easy for voters to remember? Maybe the producers save the best for last? Anyway, up first were Supernova veterans MyRadiantU who bounced back from last year's final four performance “We Will Be Stars” with the indie pop rocker “All I Know.”

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Next up was 16-year-old student The Ludvig's slinky electro ballad “I'm In Love With You.” The judges and audience alike were impressed by the teenager's voice, and I'm sure that regardless of how he does in the competition that this isn't the last we'll be hearing from him.

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Unfortunately we had to leave the studio before the final song, so we missed Triana Park's colorful pop banger “Line.” The band is pretty popular and has a well-established fanbase, so it wasn't much of a surprise that they made it to the second round. I didn't think it particularly stood out among the other songs this week though, so I will be surprised if it goes much further than the semi-finals.

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And that was it for us! Luckily public transit was still fully running when we left (around 11:45) and it was no problem getting home. I tried taking one last picture of the view from the island of the night skyline, but of course my phone camera was not up to the task.

All in all, watching Supernova live and in person was a fantastic experience that I will definitely do again next year. Maybe next time I can even convince Līga to go with me! In the meantime, you can catch the semi-finals next Sunday at 21:25 (I know it's a weird starting time) either on LTV1 or as a live webcast here. Alone with the four songs chosen at the episode Vita and I went to, another four from last week will compete as well: Mīks Dukurs with “Spiritual Priest,” Lauris Valters with “Magic Years,” Franco Franco with “Up,” and Linda Leen with “Who's In Charge?” Take care!

#Eurovision #Supernova #Eurovision 2017 #eurovision song contest #Eurovision Latvia #Eurovision Ukraine #Latvija #Latvia #Riga #Rīga #Eirovizija #markus riva #Латвия #Рига #Latvian TV #Latvian

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wildlyhardphilosopher-blog · 5 years

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service puppy training | house training a dog

New Post has been published on https://dogtraining.dknol.com/english/service-puppy-training-house-training-a-dog/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr+%230+Freda+K+Pless&utm_campaign=SNAP%2Bfrom%2BBest+Dog+Training

service puppy training | house training a dog

Photo of the Day Total Wellness Plan Senior Dog Local Voices Take note of where your dog has done his business, and take him to the same spot each time you bring him outside to eliminate. Having said that, what should you do about house training when you aren’t at home: FACTS & FUN Furniture & Car Protection And there will always be a time or two so it’s best to prepare in advance. If you see your puppy have an accident, yelling, chasing, or physically punishing won’t be effective. In fact, this sort of behavior is likely to teach them to be afraid of you when they have to potty. Thailand – ไทย Belgian Malinois Quiz: What Do You Know About Dog Adoption? BUILT TO LAST. Media/Press Rules, Regulations & Policies Sign Up for Emails Receive our latest news and offers! Latvia – Latvija Your Shopping Cart is Empty Snohomish County Animal Services said they will continue their investigation starting next week. Best Cat Products • How to Train a Puppy 2.3 Snakes United States Q: Can I select a date in the future to send my eGift? And though a puppy biting, chewing, or mouthing on your or other people’s hands, limbs, and clothing sure is cute for now, imagine if you do nothing and your puppy continues the behavior as he gets bigger. It probably won’t be too cute or fun for very long. Therefore, it’s best to start teaching your puppy that biting is an undesirable behavior early on. More Birds Put your pup on a potty schedule Because food travels through your puppy’s system at a reasonably consistent pace, if you feed them at the same times every day, they will settle into a pattern of eliminating at the same times every day. These are the tell-tale signs that a puppy may have to potty: Jumble School Programs Rules Archive **Our partner PetPlus works hard to make it easier for you to take care of your pet, and they don’t want you to worry about costs. If you find a better price for an item from a U.S. licensed, .Pharmacy verified online pharmacy, PetPlus will do everything possible to meet or beat that price. Please call us at 1-866-893-0306 to speak with a customer care representative. Pet Friendly Listings Long-Living Dog Breeds In the video, a trainer aggressively hits a dog with the bat while reprimanding it, causing the animal to seemingly cower in fear behind a chair. The video was recently released online and has since gone viral. It led to an investigation of the dog school in June. Saturday 8:00am – 12:00pm Once you have brought your new puppy home you’ll want to get him potty trained as fast as possible! How to potty train a puppy is a complete guide to that process House training a puppy or adult dog may seem daunting, but almost any dog can be trained to wait at the door and relieve himself outside, instead of going in the house. Create a schedule for feeding your dog and taking him outside. Then, reward your dog with treats and praise when he relieves himself in the designated outdoor spot. When he makes a mess in the house, just clean it up and stick to the routine, since punishing a dog will simply make him afraid of you. Patience and a good sense of humor are all you really need to help your dog adapt to life as a pet. Cool Dog Tricks Take your dog out first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and every 2-3 hours during the day. Take him out after he plays, wakes up from a nap and eats. House Training Dogs Topics Protect your stuff: Crate training helps protect your furniture, floors, and the rest of your home while you’re out. Set an alarm clock. During the early stages of training, set a timer on your phone or an alarm to remind you to take your puppy or adult dog out every 1-2 hours. If accidents are happening, step up the frequency. This is the key to training your dog in 3 days. Repetition is key.

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fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); BONIES (4) 4. Shower him with praise when he does a good job. Make sure the treats and praise come right after he finishes eliminating, and make the praise enthusiastic and the food treat top-notch. You want to make it crystal clear that eliminating outside is a great thing. Don’t wait to get back to the house to give him the treat; he won’t connect the reward with what prompted it. Black Mouth Cur I hope that helps! Small Pet Costumes on orders over $25—or get FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime by Adrienne Janet Farricelli2 Breakfast Your veterinarian can help you determine the appropriate amount of food your dog needs and the number of feedings per day. For instance, some dogs tend to urinate when they get overly excited or during playtime. Add a photo Fear & Aggression 101 Allow the dog to continue using the puppy pads while you establish a cue word that means it’s time for her to relieve herself, such as “Toilet” or “Get busy.” Once she is using the pad in response to a command, you can slowly move the pad, inch by inch, as the days go by, to a different location, while instructing her that this is where you want her to toilet with your command. Now, keep a pad on you and place it on the desired toilet spot outside. Give her cue words, and when she goes, make a huge fuss of her. Then scatter a small amount of soil or grass or whatever substrate is your choice onto the pad. Gradually remove the pad. Cat Boarding (47) How to Potty Train To ensure your puppy understands he’s not to go in the house, you’re going to have to catch him in the act of having an accident. But if you can’t punish your puppy when you catch him, how do you communicate that going in the house is not allowed? Getting to know the Cane Corso Judges’ Directory Available classes National News Click a star to add your vote © Depositphotos.com / AOosthuizen Petrainer 998DBB Remote Controlled Dog Training Collar System, 1 count Canna-Pet Community Corner Wish list 0 Puppies vary in how long they can last at night without a wee. Many pups are nine or ten weeks old before they can last all night (say around midnight until 6 or 7 am) without a wee. To train a puppy not to bite, spray a taste deterrent on your exposed skin or clothing before play time. Give your pup teething toys during training sessions and never play rough, since this encourages biting. When the puppy bites, react with a firm “NO!” and walk away for a few minutes. For severe cases, fill a spray bottle with water and accompany your “NO!” with a squirt of water in the puppy’s face. Always give your puppy verbal praise and cuddles to reinforce good behavior! Dog Training Books Lost and Found As Seen on TV Walks and potty breaks are two different things, at least in the initial stages of house breaking. Potty breaks are trips to the yard specifically for the purpose of elimination. Walks are walks. A walk can be used as a reward for appropriate elimination, but never end a walk following appropriate elimination behavior. Provide rules, boundaries, limitations You may be reeling from all the information you’ve received on potty training, so here it is in a nutshell: Remove Warts on Dogs Symptom Checker This item:Puppy Training: How To Train a Puppy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Positive Puppy Training (puppy… by Carrie Nichole Paperback $12.47 It’s important with all dog training but especially with young puppies to use lots of encouragement, praise and rewards (positive reinforcement) in your training. Start your puppy training sessions as soon as your little puppy arrives at your home – it’s never too early. Set your puppy up to succeed, concentrate on developing desirable habits in your puppy and preventing undesirable behavior. It’s much a better alternative to put your puppy on the right path from the start, rather than trying to correct established problem behaviors later on. have a priority code? Up to 35% off Flea & Tick Toggle Search Calendar Hold him in your arms – or put him in a small crate for a few minutes before going back out to try again. Blue Dog Bakery Deli Bite Dog Treats | All-Natural | Grain-Free | Beef | 7.8oz (Pac… Our training approach is considered to be of the most advanced in the country. Our school has made motivational training the industry standard for dog training. Our staff attend conferences and constantly work on their ongoing education as they strive to improve techniques and training methods. If your puppy does something right, reward and praise him enthusiastically. If he does something wrong, make it clear you’re not happy or ignore him. CONSERVATORY / NATURE puppy dog on grass image by percent from Fotolia.com Colombia Contact Vet Solutions (3) One of the easiest and fastest ways to create a positive association with the crate is to hand feed your pup all her meals in the crate. It’s so easy, it’s almost cheating. Young puppies typically eat three meals a day, so this schedule buys you three periods per day of long-lasting happiness in the crate. Dole out the puppy’s meal in tiny handfuls (or even kibble by kibble if you’re patient enough!) until the whole meal is gone, and then let the pup out. For the first few meals, keep the crate door open, and gradually progress to closing the door partially, then all the way, delivering the kibble in a steady stream through the closed crate door. In this way, you are classically conditioning the association between crate and food. It is the easiest path to having your puppy make the leap that crate = happiest place on earth. 4.1 Koehler method Check your journal to see if it is time for a break. Conure, Parakeets & More BI INTELLIGENCE Not Helpful 3 Helpful 29 Our Service Commitment Terms of Use and Licensing Discover which action patterns-instinctual behaviors built around fight, flight, feeding, and reproducing-your dog has inherited for its own survival and what makes unlearning” them so challenging.” training pitbull puppies | best way to potty train training pitbull puppies | how long does it take to potty train a dog training pitbull puppies | house training dogs Legal | Sitemap

#house training dog #train my puppy

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