It's been a long time since I made a blog post, and in the spirit of the upcoming NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers I have been researching basketball history for a relevant mega-post. However, I couldn't help but notice some interesting chemistry between the Phoenix Suns' Slovenian Point Guard Goran Dragic and the Los Angeles Lakers' Slovenian Shooting Guard Sasha Vujacic. Apparently, these two countrymen don't like each other.
Some amusing online articles about the Slovenian rivals:
Goran Dragic and Sasha Vujacic Star in the NBA's Most Hilarious Rivalry.
Surprisingly, Sasha Vujacic and Goran Dragic are not best friends.
The Slovenian rivalry between Goran Dragic and Sasha Vujacic.
By the way, I got those three articles using Google. And as for the seriousness of the rivalry, I suspect it's hyped up. But it's still totally amusing.
Slovenia is going to start World War III via the NBA Western Conference Finals. Calling it now.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
May 9 - День Победы
For many people, May 9 is a very important day. In the United States, it is important because it is Mother's Day. However, for many others, May 9 is significant for a different reason. May 9 marks Victory Day: the day that Nazi Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union in the Second World War (Second Great War to Russians). For those of us born and raised in America, this may come as a surprise. The Germans surrendered to the Allied nations on May 7, not May 9. May 7 is what we commonly refer to as VE Day, or Victory in Europe. The reason the Germans did not surrender to the Soviet Union at the same time was because when the Germans surrendered on May 7, Joseph Stalin was frustrated with the lack of a Soviet envoy at the treaty-signing. Believing that the Soviet Union deserved more attention for bearing the brunt of Germany's attacks during World War II, Stalin insisted on having a Soviet-run ceremony for Germany's surrender a day and a half later. Thus, the former member states of the Soviet Union celebrate Victory Day on May 9.
Some related facts:
* The Soviet Union mobilized 20 million soldiers during the course of the war. In comparison, the United States and Germany each mobilized approximately 11 million soldiers, and Japan mobilized less than 8 million.
* Over 14 million of the Soviet Union's soldiers lost their lives during the conflict. Germany had the second highest military death toll at under 3 million.
* Although the data is inconclusive, rough estimates put Soviet civilian casualties from 7 to 14 million people. Only China can claim a comparable number, ranging from 7 to 16 million civilian lives lost during the war.
* Scholars from all over the world commonly consider the Soviet counteroffensive at the Battle of Stalingrad in November 1942 (corresponding to the Allied offensive in North Africa) to be the major turning point of World War II. Both the Soviets and the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Romania, and Hungary) lost approximately 1.1 million soldiers in that battle alone.
Sources:
1. World History Atlas, edited by Jeremy Black.
2. Encyclopedia Britannica, Battle of Stalingrad.
3. My Calculus teacher, born and raised in Soviet Russia.
Some related facts:
* The Soviet Union mobilized 20 million soldiers during the course of the war. In comparison, the United States and Germany each mobilized approximately 11 million soldiers, and Japan mobilized less than 8 million.
* Over 14 million of the Soviet Union's soldiers lost their lives during the conflict. Germany had the second highest military death toll at under 3 million.
* Although the data is inconclusive, rough estimates put Soviet civilian casualties from 7 to 14 million people. Only China can claim a comparable number, ranging from 7 to 16 million civilian lives lost during the war.
* Scholars from all over the world commonly consider the Soviet counteroffensive at the Battle of Stalingrad in November 1942 (corresponding to the Allied offensive in North Africa) to be the major turning point of World War II. Both the Soviets and the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Romania, and Hungary) lost approximately 1.1 million soldiers in that battle alone.
Sources:
1. World History Atlas, edited by Jeremy Black.
2. Encyclopedia Britannica, Battle of Stalingrad.
3. My Calculus teacher, born and raised in Soviet Russia.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
This is the Story of a Yurt
In response to an innocent question in a game of online scrabble, I am now prepared to post about the mysterious Yurt. A Yurt is portable, like a tent, but much more durable than typical tents. It is a favorite form of housing for nomads and the Turks of Central Asia. To illustrate what a Yurt is, here are two excerpts from the manga Otoyomegatari (read right to left):
The dwellings in the above pages are Yurts. However, I did not learn of Yurts from a manga. I learned about them when I was in middle school, playing a computer game called Age of Empires. In the game, you can create maps and scenarios using various items and units. Among the items were dwellings, some of which were named Yurts. From there, I learned that Yurts were for nomads, but it would not be until I started studying history for fun that I became familiar with them.
So, now you know.
The dwellings in the above pages are Yurts. However, I did not learn of Yurts from a manga. I learned about them when I was in middle school, playing a computer game called Age of Empires. In the game, you can create maps and scenarios using various items and units. Among the items were dwellings, some of which were named Yurts. From there, I learned that Yurts were for nomads, but it would not be until I started studying history for fun that I became familiar with them.
So, now you know.
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