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Showing posts with label Youtube. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youtube. Show all posts
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Monday, March 21, 2011
JAPAN - THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU.
Last year, my young musician friend, Kei, put this up on Youtube. My first thoughts when I heard about the tsunami were with Kei and his wife, Kazumi, their families and their friends. I contacted Per-Olov Kindgren (his music is here) and asked if Kei had contacted him. They are close friends. That's the amazing thing about Youtube and the internet...bringing people together. I heard from Kei, finally and let Per-Olov know. Kei lives in Sapporo, and he and his family survived but Miyagi was pretty much swept away.
I can only pray that they will escape the odorless, colorless air that invades the body and causes illness and death. I hope that God, whatever Kei calls him, is holding them close. Please pray for these people.
Do NOT FORGET JAPAN!
I can only pray that they will escape the odorless, colorless air that invades the body and causes illness and death. I hope that God, whatever Kei calls him, is holding them close. Please pray for these people.
Do NOT FORGET JAPAN!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Press ONE for English!
More later on this, from the granddaughter of LEGAL immigrants.
OK, I'm back.
My maternal great grandparents immigrated through Ellis Island in the 1800s, in their summer white clothing, clutching the hands of three children and a parrot in a cage. They arrived in the dead of winter. They had been a family of great wealth from sugar, and privilege. I am proud to say they were rebels, and hid many slaves in their cellar to facilitate their journey to America and find their freedom. Francisco LaPiedra went to work on Canal Street in the import/export business and his sons worked for steamship lines. The daughter returned to Cuba. My grandmother was born here. So proud were they of being Americans, and eventually citizens, that they began learning the language immediately. They were not Cuban-Americans. They were Americans.
My father's family immigrated from the Abruzzi region of Italy, also through Ellis Island They came steerage. Grandfather Paolo was a shoemaker and came alone first. Grandmother Elisabetta, had babies and cooked a lot of pasta. Nine in all. Uncle Nunzio came with her; the others were born here. They loved America so much that they learned the language although by the time I came along, my grandfather had died, and my grandmother reverted to Italian, but I was not allowed by my parents or my grandmothers to speak anything but English. It was out of the question. I was, after all, American. My father could have taught me some words in Italian, but as I remember, none of them wanted me to have an Italian accent. My grandmother Decker spoke fluent Spanish, but never spoke it. It was a dead issue. No foreign languages. I was an American.
English is the language of this country. If you, as an immigrant, cannot accept that you are living in America, the country of your choice, whose language is different than yours, do not expect us who were born here and know the language, to learn yours.
Maybe I am old and crotchety. But I am an American and I speak English. If you are a naturalized citizen from a foreign country, I expect you to love your new country and honor its language. I respect that you will use your native tongue at home. But don't be a stranger to me. We are Americans. We speak English here. Be my friend and do not self-impose isolation by not learning your new language. Speak to me in English
You need to hear this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEJfS1v-fU0
OK, I'm back.
My maternal great grandparents immigrated through Ellis Island in the 1800s, in their summer white clothing, clutching the hands of three children and a parrot in a cage. They arrived in the dead of winter. They had been a family of great wealth from sugar, and privilege. I am proud to say they were rebels, and hid many slaves in their cellar to facilitate their journey to America and find their freedom. Francisco LaPiedra went to work on Canal Street in the import/export business and his sons worked for steamship lines. The daughter returned to Cuba. My grandmother was born here. So proud were they of being Americans, and eventually citizens, that they began learning the language immediately. They were not Cuban-Americans. They were Americans.
My father's family immigrated from the Abruzzi region of Italy, also through Ellis Island They came steerage. Grandfather Paolo was a shoemaker and came alone first. Grandmother Elisabetta, had babies and cooked a lot of pasta. Nine in all. Uncle Nunzio came with her; the others were born here. They loved America so much that they learned the language although by the time I came along, my grandfather had died, and my grandmother reverted to Italian, but I was not allowed by my parents or my grandmothers to speak anything but English. It was out of the question. I was, after all, American. My father could have taught me some words in Italian, but as I remember, none of them wanted me to have an Italian accent. My grandmother Decker spoke fluent Spanish, but never spoke it. It was a dead issue. No foreign languages. I was an American.
English is the language of this country. If you, as an immigrant, cannot accept that you are living in America, the country of your choice, whose language is different than yours, do not expect us who were born here and know the language, to learn yours.
Maybe I am old and crotchety. But I am an American and I speak English. If you are a naturalized citizen from a foreign country, I expect you to love your new country and honor its language. I respect that you will use your native tongue at home. But don't be a stranger to me. We are Americans. We speak English here. Be my friend and do not self-impose isolation by not learning your new language. Speak to me in English
You need to hear this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEJfS1v-fU0
Friday, January 11, 2008
What the internet does for me...
As I write this, I am listening to Peo Kindgren who is a classical guitarist from
Sweden, living in Denmark playing "Cavatina". I just listened to his version of "Romance".
Before that, Maria Linnemann, and some of Keituji's new videos on YouTube.com. I confess that I am a YouTube junkie. I love music, and my taste is eclectic - from the bossa novas of Brazil (please meet Marcelo and Sinval Fonseca, who is also a fine artist) and all kinds of jazz ( listen to Bruno Marrazza, here) to Fred and Ginger, to bellydancing, and dogs like Skidboot. Because you can leave comments and return again and again to see what's new, you begin to get to know these artists (and other brave souls) who put their hearts into their hobbies and creative passions. And the same with photographers like my friend, Dwain Shaw and Randy Emmitt - people with the same interests as mine. The world is a big place, as no one needs reminding, but my ever-expanding circle of friends and knowledge, reaches out across a whole planet, to places I never thought of visiting, much less communicating with anyone, sharing our like minds, appreciation and respect for each other's talents.
The internet must remain unregulated and free for all people and all time.
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