Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!hookup!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!MathWorks.Com!panix!news.columbia.edu!news.cs.columbia.edu!news.cs.columbia.edu!news-not-for-mail From: radev@news.cs.columbia.edu (Dragomir R. Radev) Newsgroups: soc.culture.bulgaria,soc.answers,news.answers Subject: soc.culture.bulgaria FAQ (monthly posting) Followup-To: soc.culture.bulgaria Date: 22 Apr 1994 20:45:23 -0400 Organization: Columbia University, Dept. of Computer Science, NYC Lines: 5972 Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu Expires: Sep 01, 1994 00:00 EST Message-ID: <2p9r33$ecv@dolphin.cs.columbia.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: dolphin.cs.columbia.edu Keywords: bulgaria culture travel monthly answers contact eastern europe Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu soc.culture.bulgaria:6557 soc.answers:1105 news.answers:18544 Last-Modified: April 22, 1994 Frequency: Monthly Version: 3.15 Archive-Name: bulgaria-faq SOC.CULTURE.BULGARIA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DISCLAIMERS AND NOTES Please read this FAQ list before posting to soc.culture.bulgaria. The names in parentheses after each question are the contributor's, which is sometimes a different person than the author of the quoted text. The FAQ is a collection of materials, rather than a complete reference. Some of the information may be out of date, so please be careful and take everything with a grain of salt. I don't assume any responsibility for wrong information. This FAQ is available through anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA Please read the answer to 1.2. for more information about this. In this site there is also a small archive of files which are related to soc .culture.bulgaria but I didn't want to include in the FAQ. Some FAQ have pretty long answers. I have put those FAQ in separate files. Currently, they reside in the ftp site (see 5. above). I need suggestions as to what parts of the FAQ to keep, what parts to move to the ftp site and what new parts to include. Of course, this FAQ (as well as all other approved FAQ) is available by anonymous ftp from rtfm.mit.edu in either of the following directories: /pub/usenet-by-group/soc.culture.bulgaria OR /pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/soc/culture/bulgaria This FAQ is available by mail server. You have to send mail to one of the following: - mail-server@cs.ruu.nl (in Europe) the text of the mail should include the following line: send news.answers/bulgaria-faq - mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu (in North America) the text of the mail should include the following line: send usenet/news.answers/bulgaria-faq The maintainer of this list is Dragomir R. Radev (radev@cs.columbia.edu) Any comments and corrections are more than welcome. So are contributions. Please help make the FAQ really helpful and interesting. TABLE OF CONTENTS 0. INTRODUCTION 1. THE SOC.CULTURE.BULGARIA NEWSGROUP 2. CONNECTIVITY 3. CUISINE 4. ART 5. LANGUAGE 6. CONTACTS 7. POLITICS 8. SPORTS 9. MEETING PLACE 10. HISTORY 11. TRADITIONS AND RELIGION 12. LITERATURE INTRODUCTION 0-0 Bulgaria - Ancient and Young 0-1 Bulgaria - consular information sheet 0-2 Major cities and universities in Bulgaria 0-3 Information about the Bulgarian industry 0-4 Information about the Bulgarian health care system 0-5 World Factbook on Bulgaria 0-6 GIF picture of Bulgaria 0-7 State System 0-8 The Bulgarian Educational System 0-9 Hotels in Bulgaria 0-10 Temperatures 0-11 Medical care for foreigners 0-12 Visa info for foreigners 0-13 Information for drivers 0-14 Time, office hours THE SOC.CULTURE.BULGARIA NEWSGROUP 1-1 How was this newsgroup created 1-2 How to get the FAQ from an FTP site CONNECTIVITY 2-1 What are the frequencies and schedules of radio stations related to Bulgaria (Radio Sofia, VoA, RFE, Deutsche Welle, etc.) (This article is in Bulgarian) 2-2 How to talk to other people and how to read on-line news from Bulgaria 2-3 How to get information about Eastern Europe (including Bulgaria) by fax 2-4 Which telephone company offers best deals for calling Bulgaria from the USA 2-5 Bulgarian E-mail addresses 2-6 How to subscribe to the Radio Free Europe daily on-line news bulletin 2-7 How to subscribe to the Eastern European Listserv bulletin 2-8 How to use the AT&T calling card to call from Bulgaria 2-9 How to read Bulgarian newspapers in NYC 2-10 How to play 'tabla' (backgammon) against human players on the Internet 2-11 What is the schedule of Scola OR How to watch Bulgarian TV news in the USA 2-12 How to join the #bulgaria channel on IRC OR Yet another way to talk to other Bulgarians on-line 2-13 The Bulgarian and Soviet (Computer) Virus Factories 2-14 X.400 Connectivity 2-15 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria 2-16 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria 2-17 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria 2-18 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria 2-19 Internet accesibility in Bulgaria 2-20 Computation in Bulgaria 2-21 Bulgarian Internet company CUISINE 3-1 Bulgarian cuisine 3-2 How to make baklava 3-3 How to make Bulgarian yogurt in the U.S. 3-4 Other Bulgarian Recipes 3-5 Kokteyli ART 4-1 Bulgarian music on CD's 4-2 Bulgarian musical instruments 4-3 Bulgarian folk dance 4-4 Bulgarian folk dance 4-5 Bulgarian records 4-6 Bulgarian music : 20th Century 4-7 Addresses of Bulgarian musical companies 4-8 Bulgarian Cinema 4-9 Bulgarian Music LANGUAGE 5-1 Modern Bulgarian Language courses 5-2 How to pronounce Bulgarian 5-3 Where can one get Cyrillic font drivers 5-4 Cyrillic font drivers 5-5 Cyrillic font drivers 5-6 Cyrillic font drivers 5-7 Cyrillic font drivers (This article is in Bulgarian) 5-8 Cyrillic font drivers 5-9 Transliteration 5-10 How to count in Bulgarian 5-11 Address of Hemus Publishing Co. 5-12 Cyrillic Fonts 5-13 Cyrillic Fonts CONTACTS 6-1 Voice/fax numbers of the bulgarian embassy in US 6-2 U.S. Information Sources On Bulgaria 6-3 Useful Contacts in Bulgaria 6-4 How to reach the Americal University in Bulgaria 6-5 What is the address of the Bulgarian chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery 6-6 How to reach the AAPBC (American Association for the Promotion of Bulgarian Culture) 6-7 What is the address of the Fulbright Commission in Sofia 6-8 Bulgarian Studies Association POLITICS 7-1 Bulgaria's New Cabinet (as of December 1992) 7-2 How much taxes do Bulgarians pay (This article is in Bulgarian) SPORTS 8-1 How did Bulgaria perform at the 1992 Olympic Games 8-2 How did Bulgaria perform at the World Football (Soccer) Cups 8-3 How did Bulgarian teams perform in the 1993-94 UEFA cups 8-4 Who are the most famous Bulgarian athletes of all times 8-5 How did the Bulgarian soccer team perform in the qualifications for WC 94 8-6 What is the schedule of the Bulgarian soccer team at WC 94 8-7 Bulgaria's qualification groups for Euro'96 Soccer Cup MEETING PLACE 9-1 Where's the Bulgarian club in Chicago 9-2 Some advice from an American who visited Bulgaria in 1991 9-3 Prices of buildings in Bulgaria (This article is in Bulgarian) 9-4 Prices of real-estate in Bulgaria (This article is in Bulgarian) 9-5 How to use credit cards in Bulgaria 9-6 How much does it cost to fly from the USA to Bulgaria and back 9-7 Can Bulgarians exchange leva for hard currency 9-8 Bringing electrical devices to Bulgaria 9-9 Visit to Varna 9-10 Visit to Bulgaria 9-11 Tourist Information 9-12 Visa Information Archive 9-13 Where is the Travel Information Archive 9-14 A Journey Through Romania and Bulgaria 9-15 Eastern Europe - travelogue 9-16 Eastern Europe - travelogue 9-17 Bulgarian Cafe in San Francisco 9-18 Bulgarian Folk Dance Club in Buffalo, NY, USA 9-19 Magazine for Bulgarians abroad 9-20 Rock Groups 9-21 Scholarship sources HISTORY 10-1 What did Leland Buxton write about Bulgarians 10-2 Book about Bulgarian history 10-3 Who is John Atanasoff 10-4 When was Bulgaria declared independent (This article is in Bulgarian) 10-5 Bulgaria and World War II 10-6 The Carnegie Report 10-7 List of Books on Macedonia, the Balkans, and Bulgaria 10-8 Quotes on Bulgaria 10-9 Quotes on Macedonia TRADITIONS AND RELIGION 11-1 What do Bulgarians celebrate on March 1 11-2 What is Gergyovden 11-3 What are Bulgaria's national holidays 11-4 What are the roots of Bulgarian Orthodoxy 11-5 What are the features of Orthodox religion 11-6 What is the origin of Petkovden (This article is in Bulgarian) 11-7 What is Theophany (Bogoyavlenie/Yordanov Den) 11-8 Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria 11-9 The Balkans, Orthodox Christianity and the Youth 11-10 Church 11-11 Orthodox calendar 11-12 Bulgarian newspaper in Chicago LITERATURE 12-1 Bulgarian Literary Archive 12-2 Books about Bulgaria 12-3 Crown of Thorns 12-4 Books about Bulgaria, part II ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-0 Bulgaria - Ancient and Young (by Rossen Zlatev) Note: This article is currently under review. Please send me your comments. For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-0-0.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-1 Bulgaria - consular information sheet To obtain similar information before your departure, you can call: (202) 647 5225 (USA). This is a 24-hour service. To obtain information about immunization requirements, call: (404) 332 4559. Have pen and paper ready with you. April 29, 1993 Country Description: Bulgaria is a moderately developed European nation undergoing profound political and economic changes. Impassioned debate, political rallies, and periods of strike activity are regular features of the scene. They do not typically pose a threat to U.S. citizens. Tourist facilities are not highly developed, aveloped, and many of the goods and services taken for granted in other European countries are not yet available. Entry Requirements: A passport is required. A visa is not required for tourist visits of less than 30 days. An AIDS test is required for those staying more than one month for purposes of study or work; U.S. tests are not accepted. For further information concerning entry requirements, travelers can contact the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria at 1621 22nd Street N.W., Washington, D.Cton , D.C. 20008, Tel: (202) 387-7969. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities are limited. Some medicines are in short supply. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers have found that in some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proved to be useful. Further information on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559. Crime Information: Bulgaria has a low rate of violent crime. Recently, however, street crime has increased, especially at night near major hotels and restaurants. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The Department of State's pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Eastern Europe" are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. They provide information on travel to the region and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use, or dealing in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Registration: U.S. citizens who register in the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy can obtain updated information on travel and security within Bulgaria. Embassy Location: The U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, is located at 1 Suborna (formerly 1 A. Stamboliski Boulevard); telephone (359-2) 88-48-01 to -05 . The Consular Section of the Embassy is located at 1 Kapitan Andreev Street in Sofia; telephone numbers are the same. No. 93-067 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated October 7, 1992, to give the new address of the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, and to add information on reporting the loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-2 Major cities and universities in Bulgaria (source: Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission) Sofia, the capital, is the largest city with a population of 1.3 million and a dominant position in the country's economic, political, and cultural life. The St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia is the oldest university in Bulgaria, having been granted its charter in 1909, and is the largest and most advanced educational and research center in the country. Students can select among fifty programs in the Humanities and Sciences, Social Sciences, and Business Administration. More than 20,000 students were enrolled in the sixteen faculties of the university during the 1992/1993 academic year. The main building of the University, which is architecturally one of the most remarkable buildings in Sofia, was designed by the French architect Breanson. The University Library plays an important part in the history of the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. The Library stock of books exceeds 1.5 mln volumes. Among the other higher educational institutions of Sofia are: The University of National and World Economics, The Higher Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering, The Medical Academy, The Academy of Fine Arts, The Higher School of Drama and many more. Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, is located in the Thracian Plain in Southern Bulgaria. Plovdiv was built on seven hills along the Maritsa River, and its ancient history and especially its picturesque old town, lend the city a characteristic charm. The University of Plovdiv was established in 1961. During the 30-year period of its existence, the University of Plovdiv has grown into a presti- gious institution of higher education offering a variety of majors combined with teacher training. Varna (ancient Odessos), is the third largest city and is often referred to as the sea capital of Bulgaria. It is internationally famous for its seaside resorts of Zlatni Pyassatsi (Golden Sands) and St. Constantine. Varna is a university city as well, with the following major higher institu- tions: The Higher Institute of Economics and The Varna Polytechnic. Veliko Turnovo, the former medieval capital of Bulgaria, is a university town in North-Central Bulgaria, also famous for its archaeological and architectural heritage. The Sts. Cyril and Methodius University is the second well-established University in Bulgaria with over 10,000 students. Blagoevgrad, about 100 km south of Sofia, is known for the American Univer- sity in Bulgaria (AUBG), founded there in 1990 and the Bulgarian South- Western University. At AUBG English is the language of instruction and eva- luation procedures follow the US academic system. Most of the faculty are American scholars. The other higher educational institution in Blagoevgrad is the Southwestern University where the emphasis is on the humanities and teacher training. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-3 Information about the Bulgarian industry (from the U.S. Embassy in Sofia) BULGARIA - ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY PROFILE - IMI930716 SUMMARY This article is derived from a telegraphic report dated 16 July 1993, prepared at the American Embassy - Sofia. It discusses the Bulgarian electronics industry. The article consists of 2 pages. For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-0-3.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-4 Information about the Bulgarian health care system (from the U.S. Embassy in Sofia) BULGARIA - HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY PROFILE - IMI930730 SUMMARY This article is derived from a telegraphic report dated 30 July 1993, prepared at the American Embassy - Sofia. It discusses health care in Bulgaria. The article consists of 3 pages. For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-0-4.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-5 World Factbook on Bulgaria (from the CIA World Factbook, 1991) ------------ Geography Total area: 110,910 km2; land area: 110,550 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee Land boundaries: 1,881 km total; Greece 494 km, Romania 608 km, Turkey 240 km , Yugoslavia 539 km Coastline: 354 km Contiguous zone: 24 nm; (nm = nautic mile) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Macedonia question with Greece and Yugoslavia Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and south Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land Land use: arable land 34%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and woodland 35%; other 10%; includes irrigated 11% Environment: subject to earthquakes, landslides; deforestation; air pollution Note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia ------------ People Population: 8,910,622 (July 1991), growth rate - 0.2% (1991) Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 12 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Bulgarian(s); adjective--Bulgarian Ethnic divisions: Bulgarian 85.3%, Turk 8.5%, Gypsy 2.6%, Macedonian 2.5%, Armenian 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, other 0.6% Religion: Bulgarian Orthodox 85%; Muslim 13%; Jewish 0.8%; Roman Catholic 0.5 %; Uniate Catholic 0.2%; Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5% Language: Bulgarian; secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown Literacy: 93% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.) Labor force: 4,300,000; industry 33%, agriculture 20%, other 47% (1987) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-0-5.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-6 GIF picture of Bulgaria (by Vassil Peychev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA The files are: FAQ-0-6.TXT (GIF format, uuencoded) BGMAP.GIF (GIF format) BGMAP.PS (PostScript (R) format) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-7 State System (source: Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission) Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. According to the Constitution, which was adopted in July 1991, the entire power of the state shall derive from the people and shall be exerted directly and through the bodies established by the Constitution. The Constitution proclaims pluralism of political views and freedom of religion. The supreme legislative body in the country is the National Assembly (Narodno Sqbranie - Bulgarian Parliament), which exercises parliamentary control over the government. The President is the Head of State. He is elected through direct and secret ballot for a five-year term of office, and he personifies the unity of the nation. The Council of Ministers is the supreme executive body for home and foreign affairs. The territory of the Republic of Bulgaria is divided into nine administrative regions and smaller municipalities. The municipality is the primary terri- torial administrative unit, being a legal entity where local self-government is exercised through a municipal council elected by the respective local community population for a for-year term of office. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-8 The Bulgarian Educational System (source: Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission) Education in Bulgaria is free at all levels and is supported by the state through the Ministry of Education and Science. It is compulsory for children from seven to sixteen years of age. The Bulgarian educational system falls within the continental European tradition. The main types of secondary schools in the country are: general educational, vocational, language schools, and foreign schools. Private schools are also being established and they are beginning to compete with the state schools. There are over forty Higher Education institutions in Bulgaria offering degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level. The academic year for Bulgarian universities begins on October 1 and consists of fall and spring semesters. Full-time study programme takes 5 years, or 10 semesters. The academic year covers 30 calendar weeks. University teaching is usually formally divided into lectures, seminars, and practical training, but flexibility is increasing. Attendance of seminars and practical training sessions is obligatory. The teaching load, depending on academic rank, averages twelve hours per week . Classes usually meet once a week for 75 minutes; some are double 45- minute periods. Bulgarian students are admitted after taking qualifying written exams for a number of state-commissioned places. Each exam is highly competitive and ensures a tuition waiver. Those who are not admitted in this way compete for an additional number of places, but are expected to finance their studies, either individually or by finding scholarships or grants. The qualifying written exams are held each year on previously announced dates . After each semester students take exams (in accordance with the curriculum of the respective program) in the course of the regular examination period. The exam period is 3-4 weeks. Many of the university students are a joy to teach. Bulgaria's specialized secondary schools produce some very well educated 18- and 19-year olds. Depending on the study program, students will be expected to take a graded exam (written or oral), a pass/fail exam (p/f), to defend a term project or paper. A six-grade system of marking is used, six being the highest and two- the lowest score. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-9 Hotels in Bulgaria (by Plamen Bliznakov) [Last updated: April 6, 1994] Bulgaria has some 400 international hotels with 100,000 beds, half of which are located in the Black Sea resorts. In all major cities and tourist places there is at least one good First Class hotel. Some of the hotels are built with Western partners and are jointly managed. In Sofia you can stay at Deluxe hotels like the Sheraton Balkan Hotel, the Vitosha Hotel or the First class Novotel Evropa, Rodina or Grand Sofia Hotel. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-10 Temperatures (by Plamen Bliznakov) [Last updated: April 6, 1994] Bulgaria offers a lot of sunshine. The climate is continental with four seasons and a Mediterranean influence in its southern regions. Although the Black Sea coast has mild winters, there is excellent snow for winter sports in the mountains. The winter temperature varies between -5 deg Celsius and +5 deg Celsius (+20 deg F to +40 deg F). The average summer temperatures are between +20 deg Celsius and +30 deg Celsius (+68 deg F to +86 deg F). Bring warm clothing in winter (especially, if you go to the mountains) and light clothing in summer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-11 Medical care for foreigners (by Plamen Bliznakov) [Last updated: April 6, 1994] Bulgaria has well-trained medical personnel. No charge is made for consultations about, or treatment of, emergency cases. There is a clinic for foreigners in Sofia. Its address is: 1 Evgeni Pavlovski Str., Mladost 1, Sofia; Phone (02) 75-361. The prices for the medical treatment and medicines there are reasonable. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-12 Visa info for foreigners (by Plamen Bliznakov) [Last updated: April 6, 1994] Visitors should have valid passports. No visa is required for Americans visiting up to 30 days. Entry or transit visas could be obtained at Bulgarian Embassies and Consulates abroad. Some Addresses : In the USA The Consular Office of the Bulgarian Embassy 1621 22nd Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008 Phone: (202) 483-5885 In Canada The Consular Office of the Bulgarian Embassy 100 Adelaide Street, Toronto, Ontario M5H 1S3 Phone (416) 363-7307 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-13 Information for drivers (by Plamen Bliznakov) [Last updated: April 6, 1994] Bulgaria is connected with neighbouring countries by a broad network of motorways. Motorists entering the country are required to provide valid driver's license (a regular US driver's license is sufficient), car registration, and an insurance policy covering third party liability known as the "green card". The latter can be obtained at the border, but buying it in advance typically costs less. Gas stations in Bulgaria are located 25-30 kilometers (15-20 miles) apart. Hours of operation in most cases are 6 a.m. (6:00) to 10 p.m. (22:00). Few gas stations in big cities and key junctions are open 24 hours a day. Unleaded gasoline is available at the border checkpoints, in Sofia and the large Black Sea and mountain resorts, and along the major motorways. Speed limits : for cars - 60 km/h (37 MPH) within city limits, 80 km/h (50 MPH) on roadways outside cities and 120 km/h (75 MPH) on highways. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0-14 Time, office hours (by Plamen Bliznakov) [Last updated: April 6, 1994] Time Local time: GMT+2 or EST+7. As in most European countries, summer daylight saving time is being introduced from the last weekend of March till the last weekend of September. Business Hours Shopping Usually open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. (9:00) to 1 p.m. (13:00) and from 2 p.m. (14:00) to 7 p.m. (19:00). Banks Typically work with customers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. (8:00) till noon (12:00). Museums From 9 a.m. (9:00) to 5 p.m. (17:00). Admission fees are $ 1 - $ 3. Restaurants Meals may be ordered until 11 p.m. (23:00). Government offices Monday to Friday 9 a.m. (9:00) to 6 p.m. (18:00) with a lunch break. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-1 How was this newsgroup created (by Ivan Petrov) The proposal was made on Oct.10 1991 and read as follows: "I am submitting a request for discussion to create a new newsgroup SOC.CULTURE.BULGARIA. Why: The country is being reborn. Politics, economy and culture are rapidly changing. History is being given a fresh look. Free exchange of information and ideas is essential. The input of everyone interested in Bulgarian society and culture is important. Besides: Older waves of emigration were followed by a new one. There is a need to create links between Bulgarians around the world and to sustain the connection with the home country. CHARTER: To promote exchange of information and ideas on all aspects of Bulgarian culture and society. STATUS: Unmoderated The proposal appeared in news.newgroups on Oct.16, opening a 30 days discussion period. Vassil and Luben were the most active participants. Voting took place between Nov. 21 and Dec. 15, 1991 and was processed by Svilen Tzonev and myself. Here is a portion of the announcement of the results: "I am happy to announce that soc.culture.bulgaria received a favorable vote. A total of 270 people voted of which 241 in support and 29 against. The numbers meet the criteria for a successful vote by a wide margin. YES - NO = 212 > 100 and YES >> 2 x NO" ... It is up to us now to make it an interesting and viable group by supplying information, asking questions, answering questions etc..." The group was created on Dec.24, 1991 (rozhdestvo Hristovo i Grupovo) and the first posting appeared on Dec.30, 1991. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-2 How to get the FAQ from an FTP site (by Dragomir R. Radev) 1. Type 'ftp shiva.cs.columbia.edu' 2. For login: type 'anonymous' 3. For password: type your e-mail address. For example: 'joe.doe@nowhere.bitnet' 4. Then enter 'cd BULGARIA' 5. Enter 'dir' to see a listing of the files currently available 6. Use 'mget ' to get a given file 7. Use 'mget *' to get all files 8. After you're done, enter 'quit' If you have problems with the above, please contact me at radev@cs.columbia.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-1 What are the frequencies and schedules of radio stations related to Bulgaria. (by Vladi, Samuel Haimov) Radio Bulgaria, Frequency Schedule 26.09.93 - 26.03.94 All times are UTC. Bulgarian: 0200-0500: 7455 9700 13645 0300-0400: 5890 6210 0400-0530: 1224 1200-1500: 13670 15080 1300-1600: 1224 6210 1700-2000: 5890 6210 7375 1900-1945: 1224 5895 6220 2245-0015: 6220 11660 13645 Albanian: 0530-0600: 1224 6220 1645-1730: 1224 5895 6220 1945-2030: 1224 5895 6220 Arabic: 1700-1830: 7150 11870 English: 0100-0200: 7455 9700 0500-0630: 9700 11720 1130-1300: 11645 13645 1330-1500: 11630 1515-1645: 13670 1830-2000: 7455 9700 2100-2200: 6085 9700 2245-0015: 7455 9700 French: 0015-0100: 7455 9700 0715-0800: 9700 11720 1745-1830: 7455 9700 2000-2045: 7400 9700 2200-2245: 7455 9700 German: 0630-0715: 9700 11720 1100-1145: 11720 11860 1700-1745: 7455 9700 2015-2100: 6085 6210 Greek: 0500-0530: 1224 6220 7455 (Sun only) 0600-0630: 1224 6220 13645 0900-1000: 1224 6220 13645 (Sun only) 1730-1815: 1224 5895 6220 2030-2115: 1224 5895 6220 Italian: 1915-2000: 6085 2200-2245: 1224 6210 6220 2330-0015: 1224 6210 Portuguese: 0015-0100: 11660 13645 2200-2245: 11660 13645 Serbo-Croat: 0630-0700: 1224 6220 13645 0730-0900: 1224 6220 13645 (Sun only) 1600-1645: 1224 5895 6210 1815-1900: 1224 5895 6220 2115-2200: 1224 6210 6220 Spanish: 0100-0200: 11660 13645 0400-0500: 11720 0500-0600: 13645 2100-2200: 9905 11660 Turkish: 0400-0500: 5890 6220 0600-0730: 1224 6220 13645 (Sun only) 1030-1130: 6220 13645 1600-1700: 7150 11870 1830-2030: 7150 11870 Horisont Home Service Relay: 0500-0800: 9905 0700-1000: 1224 (Mon-Sat) 0800-1000: 9905 (Sun only) 1000-1300: 1224 1000-1745: 9905 Address: Radio Bulgaria 4 Dragan Tsankov Blvd. Sofia 1040 Bulgaria Phone / Fax: 650 560; 871 061 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ British Broadcasting Corporation - BBC Ot 28 mart BBC vqvede nova programna shema za predavaniyata si na Bqlgarski. Novoto e delnichnata (ponedelnik - petqk) (sled-)obedna polovinchasova emisiya (13:30-14:00) 'BBC po obed'. Tya sqdqrzha ilyustriran osvedomitelen byuletin + 'Istoriya i politika' v ponedelnik (povtorenie NYAMA veche) 'Kulturna antena' vqv vtornik (i nedelya, 22:15-22:30) 'Nauka, biznes, medicina' v sryada 'Vie pitate, nie otgovaryame' v chetvqrtqk (i sqbota, 6:30- 7:00) 'Iz zhivota vqv Velikobritaniya' v petqk Za smetka na tova poslednoto vecherno predavane 'Svetqt v dejstvie II' (22:30-23:00) e veche sqkrateno na polovina. Osven vtoro izdanie na informacionno-komentarniya obzor, tova predavane vklyuchva i petminutnata rubrika 'Tema bez povod'. Eto i shemata na chestotite na izlqchvane: BBC na Bqlgarski +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ & 98,9 MHz; 94,9 MHz 'FM+' - Sofiya (_y :UTC(=GMT)+2: 49m: 41m: 31m: 25m: 19m:Band: 90,5 " 'Glarus' - Burgas k +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ 95,5 " 'TNN' - Plovdiv B_) : 6.30- 7.00:6050:7325:9750: : kHz: <-- 'London _Cmapm_' +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ :13.30-14.00: :9635,11710:15395: kHz: <-- 'BBC _no obeg_' (_noHege^Huk-nemqk_) +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ :19.00-19.30:6015: :11740:15135: kHz: <-- 'Svetqt v dejstvie I' +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ :22.30-23.00:6050: :9770:11780: : kHz: <-- 'Svetqt v dejstvie II' (_noHege^Huk-nemqk_) +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ :22.15-23.30:6050: :9770:11780: : kHz: <------------------------- (_cqboma u Hege^R_) +-----------+----+----+----+-----+-----+----+ Deutsche Welle (DW) na Bqlgarski +-----------+----+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+-----+----+ (_y :UTC(=GMT)+2: 49m: 41m : 31m : 25m : 19m : 16m :Band: + 95,7 MHz - Sofiya k +-----------+----+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+-----+----+ 90,5 " 'Glarus' - Burgas B_) :12.30-13.20: :9650 :11825,11835,11905:15370,15545: : kHz: ? " - G.Delchev +-----------+----+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+-----+----+ :19.00-19.50: :9640 :11785,11865 :15470 :17795: kHz: +-----------+----+---------+---------+-----------------+-----------+-----+----+ :21.30-22.20:6170:7130,7255: 9715: 11915: : kHz: +-----------+----+---------+---------+-----------------------------+-----+----+ The Voice of America VoA na Bqlgarski +-----------+----+----+--------------+----+---------+-----------+----+ (+ 97 MHz :UTC(=GMT)+2: AM : 75m: 49m : 41m: 31m : 25m :Band: okolo Sofiya) +-----------+----+----+--------------+----+---------+-----------+----+ : 6.00- 6.30:1197:3980:6040,6125,6150:7125:9505 : : kHz: <-- '_gobpo ympo_ BG' +-----------+----+----+--------------+----+---------+-----------+----+ :21.30-22.30: :5975 9735: : 9735:11720,11780: kHz: <-- '_gobqp Behep_ BG' +-----------+---------+--------------+----+---------+-----------+----+ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-2 How to read on-line news from Bulgaria (by Jivko Kolchev) Note: Currently, vestnik's subscription to news from Bulgaria is cancelled due to lack of financial resources. If you want to help, send mail to jivko@netcom.com -- Za tezi, koito ne znaiat da pripomnia, che 'vestnik' e 'login name' na 192.187.128.6, koito dava vqzmojnost da se chetat presni novini ot Bqlgaria. (Obiknovenno tam gi otpechatvat na sledvashtia den) Sqshto taka ima vqzmojnost da poluchite faylove ottam chrez anonymous ftp na adres 192.187.128.6 Veche ima vqzmojnost za organizirane na konferencii m/u do 32-ma chetiashti vestnik ednovremenno. V "What can I do here:Talk" e obiasneno tochno kak stava rabotata. Sqshto taka moje da se igrae santase. Koyto ne vyarva, da probva. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-3 How to get information about Eastern Europe (including Bulgaria) by fax (by James Reese) The US Commerce Department's Eastern European Business Information Center (EEBIC) provides a wealth of Eastern Europe business information by a fax delivery system. However, if you do not have a fax or if you live outside of the USA, this information is unobtainable. I have converted several of their documents to GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) files and have made them available for FTP downloading. Consult your computer center for the best way of viewing/printing GIF files on your system. For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-2-3.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-4 Which telephone company offers best deals for calling Bulgaria from the USA (by Plamen Bliznakov) There are several programs for getting discounts on international calls available with the three major long-distance carriers. You can select one or a combination of them depending on the amount for your calls, and preferred carrier and time of day to call. The basic rate is pretty much the same for all carriers (with a possible minor difference). For example, as of August 11, 1993 the rates of MCI were (please, note they have gone up around 10 % during the recent months): Rate Time of day Cost of the Cost of each (your local first minute additional time in USA) minute Lowest 2 am - 7 am $ 1.32 $ 0.83 Medium 7 am - 1 pm $ 1.67 $ 1.04 Highest 1 pm - 2 am $ 2.23 $ 1.34 Carrier Program Monthly Fee Rates to Bulgaria (BR = Basic Rate) AT&T Special Country None 15 % off BR (must specify in advance) Sprint The Most None 20 % off the number you call the most minutes (must be careful to have the most minutes to an international number) World-wide $ 3 $ 0.82 / min. (1 pm to 1 am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends) $ 1.39 / min. (1 am to 1 pm Mon-Fri); in addition brings low flat rate to many countries around the world + 20 % discount on the 2 international numbers you call the most minutes during the month (no need to set in advance), besides the 20 % discount to one domestic (USA) number MCI Friend & Family None 20 % off BR to two international numbers (must specify in advance) Around-the-world $ 3 15 % off BR (must specify in advance); in addition brings low flat rate to countries of Western Europe, Australia, and some in Asia (F&F and ATW could be combined to a total savings of 35 % on calls to 2 numbers in Bulgaria) You might want to look at that possibility of a paid plan if you regularly make enough calls to Bulgaria (and/or other countries as well) to justify the $ 3 fee each month. Another useful tip : you can use all three long distance carriers through the so called ACCESS CODES, no matter what is your (default) long distance carrier. Just dial 10222, and then the usual digits (say, for Bulgaria 011-359-...), and your call will go through MCI. The analogous code for AT&T is 10288, and for Sprint is 10333. So you can make use of all the free programs of all three long distance carriers, without switching from one carrier to another. For example, you can get 20 % discount for 2 numbers in Bulgaria from MCI (Friends & Family), one other number from Sprint (The Most), and place all the rest of your calls through AT&T and get 15 % discount from them (Special Country). Also, as you can see, it really doesn't matter what your long distance carrier is. So, if you are offered free calls, or money to switch to another carrier, don't hasitate to take them. You still will be able to use your old carrier (and, possibly, they even would not notice that you have switched). Plamen Disclaimer : I and my family members are not associated with US any long distance carrier. This posting doesn't represent an approval, nor is it a disapproval of any program for long distance calls. Use the information on your own risk ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-5 Bulgarian E-Mail addresses (from comp.mail.maps and by Daniel Kalchev) [Last updated: March 20, 1994] List of the EUnet sites in Bulgaria C domain Town Organization ---------------------------------------------------------------------- U acmbul.bg Varna Bulgarian Chapter of ACM U angel.bg Sofia Angel Ltd. U aubg.bg Blagoevgrad American University in Bulgaria U bstg.bg Varna Black Sea Technology Group U bulpac.bg Varna Bulgarian Telecommunication Company U cit.bg Sofia Computer & Information Technologies UP continf.bg Sofia Continental Information I danbo.bg Varna Bulgarian EUnet Backbone I digsys.bg Varna Digital Systems Co. U eltex.bg Sofia Eltex Ltd. U fadata.bg Sofia FADATA Ltd. IP fpbank.bg Sofia First Private Bank U hfi-sofia.bg Sofia High Forestree Institute, Sofia U iinf.bg Sofia Intstitute of Informatics, BAS U imsa.bg Varna IMSA Ltd. U infotel.bg Sofia Center for Telematic Services U libvar.bg Varna Public Library of Varna I meteo.bg Sofia National Meteorology service U mgu.bg Sofia University of Minning and Geolology U mt-mt.bg Varna MT & MT Co. U nbu.bg Sofia New Bulgarian University UP noac.bg Sofia NOAC GmbH U novecon.bg Sofia Novecon Ltd. U omex.bg Sofia Open Market Service U petrotecs.bg Sofia Petrotecs Ltd. U sirma.bg Sofia Sirma AI Ltd. U topteam.bg Sofia TopTeam Co. U tu-plovdiv.bg Plovdiv Technical University of Plovdiv U tu-russe.bg Russe Technical University of Russe UP tu-sofia.bg Sofia Technical University of Sofia U tu-varna.bg Varna Technical University of Varna U udbc.bg Sofia University of Delaware - Bulgaria U undpbul.uucp Sofia United Nations Development Program U uni-shoumen.bg Shoumen Konstantin Preslavsky University I unimasters.bg Varna Unimasters Logistics Ltd. U uspc.bg Varna US Peace Corps U usw.bg Sofia United Software Writers Ltd. U vacom.bg Varna VaCom Co. U virbus.bg Sofia Laboratory of Computer Virulogy ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: The first colimn reflects the connectivity to the backbone site: U - UUCP over dialup or X.25 I - TCP/IP (full Internet) connection P - Pending connection X - Disconnected You can contact the site administrator as postmaster@.UU or postmaster@ Department of Physics, Sofia University physfac1@bgearn.bitnet (comment: physfac2 physfac3 physfac4 physfac5 work also). Laboratory of Automated Systems in Education lasofmi@bgearn.bitnet Sofia Technical University tusnet@bgearn.bitnet (try also tusnet@bgcict.bitnet) Open Society Fund, Sofia ososo@bgearn.bitnet (For the @bgearn.bitnet addresses, you should include the name of the person the message is addressed to in the Subject: line of the message). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-6 How to subscribe to the Radio Free Europe daily on-line news bulletin (by Dragomir R. Radev) The RFE/RL Daily Report is a digest of the latest developments in Russia, Transcaucasia and Central Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe. It is published Monday through Friday (except German holidays) by the RFE/RL Research Institute (a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc.). Copyright 1993 RFE/RL, Inc. The RFE/RL Daily Report is produced by the RFE/RL Research Institute (a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc.) with the assistance of the RFE/RL News and Current Affairs Division (NCA). The report is available by electronic mail via LISTSERV (RFERL-L@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU), on the Sovset' computer bulletin board, by fax, and by postal mail. To subscribe: Send e-mail to: LISTSERV@UBVM.BITNET or LISTSERV@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU Your message should contain a single line: SUB RFERL-L To unsubscribe, send the following message: UNSUB RFERL-L ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-7 How to subscribe to the Eastern European Listserv bulletin (by Dragomir R. Radev) Send e-mail to: LISTSERV@PUCC.BITNET or LISTSERV@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU Your message should contain a single line: SUB E-EUROPE To unsubscribe, send the following message: UNSUB E-EUROPE ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-8 How to use the AT&T calling card to call from Bulgaria (by Dragomir R. Radev) Dial 00-1800-0010 and tell the operator your card number. Note: the operator is supposed to speak English (whether she speaks Bulgarian, someone please check...) Source: International Herald Tribune, September 20, 1993. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-9 How to read Bulgarian newspapers in NYC (by Dragomir R. Radev) Columbia University Lehman Library receives regularly the following newspapers: Demokraciya, Duma, (Zeleno) Zemedelsko Zname, Svoboden Narod, and Vek 21. Note: if you are not in NYC and know of another way to read Bulgarian newspapers, please let the group know. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-10 How to play 'tabla' (backgammon) against human players on the Internet Telnet to 129.16.235.153 4321 and then follow the instructions Note: If you are on a VAX, you might have to type: telnet/port=4321 129.16.235.153 instead of the command above ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-11 What is the schedule of Scola OR How to watch Bulgarian TV news in the USA SCOLA SCHEDULE REGULAR UPDATE Sunday, October 1, 1993 LOCATION: ASC-1 CH 23 H CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME WEEKDAYS: ***** 0000 SYRIA (Arab tv) Damascus: 5 DD ***** 0030 RUSSIA TV (news 1): R 0100 BULGARIA: 5 DD 0130 KENYA: 5 DD 0200 MALAYSIA (tv7): 5 DD ***** 0230 LITHUANIA (2ltv): 5 DD 0300 CZECH REPUBLIC (f1): 5 DD 0330 SLOVAKIA, Bratislava Aktuality: 5 DD 0400 ROMANIA (tvr 1) Actualitati: 5 DD 0445 CHILE (24 horas): 72 HD 0530 PHILIPPINES (tv5) Balitang Balita/The World Tonight: 7 DD ***** 0600 BRAZIL (Various): 4 DD ***** 0630 SWEDEN (Nyheterna): 5 DD 0700 MEXICO (eco): 'Live' 0800 FRANCE (France TV2): R 0830 ISRAEL (Channel 2)J 0900 TAIWAN, CHINA (cts, ttv, ctv): SD 0925 SCOLA SCHEDULE 0930 UKRAINE (yt-1) 1000 DW: Journal-Das Nachrichtenmagazin: 'Live' 1030 DW: Various Magazine Programs: 'Live' ***** 1100 JAPAN (Fujisankei): 'Live' ***** 1200 RUSSIA TV (news 1): 1DD 1300 CHINA, Bejing (cctv): SD ***** 1400 SAUDI ARABIA (Documentary) ***** 1500 ITALY (rai 1,2): 1 DD 1530 LATVIA (vhs): 5 DD 1600 TAI YUAN, CHINA (Yellow River tv): 5 DD 1700 CROATIA (dnevnik) Hrvatska Televizija: 6 DD 1730 SLOVENIA TV: 6 DD 1800 FRANCE (France TV2): SD 1830 UGANDA: 6DD 1900 POLAND Wiadmosci: 5 DD 1930 TUNISIA: 5 DD 2000 BEOGRAD SERBIA Radio-Televizija Beograd/biling: SD 2100 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 3 DD 2200 CANADA (tva-cftm) Les Nouvelles: 'Live' 2230 KOREA (The Asian Network): SD 2300 GREECE (Antenna tv s.a.) ***** 2330 IRAN: 6 DD SATURDAYS: 0000 Readings: Egypt, Saudi Arabia 0015 CANADA: TW 0100 CROATIA - Special programs 0200 LATVIA: TW 0300 LITHUANIA: TW 0400 CZECH REPUBLIC: TW 0500 SWEDEN: TW 0600 MEXICO (eco): 'Live' 0700 DW: Journal: Das Nachrichtenmagazin: TW 0730 DW: Various: TW 0800 DW: Boulevard Deutschland: TW 0900 TAIWAN, CHINA: SD 0925 SCOLA SCHEDULE 0935 TAIWAN: TW 1000 GERMANY-Deutsche Welle: 'Live' 1200 UGANDA: TW 1230 GREECE: TW 1300 CHINA, Beijing: 'Live' 1400 DUKE U: Nation, Identities, Cultures (Starts Sept. 11) 1530 ITALY: SD & TW (Starts Sept. 11) 1630 CHILE: TW (Starts Sept. 11) 1700 JAPAN (Fujisankei): TW 1800 FRANCE: SD ***** 1830 VOAW: Special Programs ***** 2000 RUSSIA: TW 2100 SLOVENIA Magazine 2130 BEOGRAD SERBIA: SD 2230 KOREA: TW 2300 POLAND: TW SUNDAYS: 0000 Readings: Egypt, Saudi Arabia 0015 ARABIC COUNTRIES: TW 0300 CANADA: TW 0400 GREECE: TW 0500 ISRAEL: TW 0600 MEXICO (eco): 'Live' 0700 CHILE: TW 0800 BRAZIL: TW 0900 TAIWAN, CHINA (cts,ttv,ctv): SD 0925 SCOLA SCHEDULE 0935 TAIWAN: TW 1000 TAI YUAN, CHINA: TW 1200 DW: Nachrichten Compact: SD 1230 DW: Various: 'Live' 1300 CHINA, Beijing: 'Live' 1400 FRANCE: TW 1500 DW: Various: 'Live' 1530 DW: Various: 'Live' 1600 DW: Drehscheibe Europa: TW 1630 HUNGARY (nbn) 1730 SCOLA SHOWCASE: special programs 1830 ITALY (rai): TW 1900 AFTAB Network (Sina Productions) Farsi 2100 BEOGRAD, YUGOSLAVIA: SD 2200 SLOVENIA: TW 2230 KOREA: TW 2300 KENYA (kbc): TW * * * * * * * * * Key: DD=Day Delay; HD=Hour Delay; R=Repeat; SD=Same Day; TW=This Week; *****=Changed or Added; *=Alternating DW=Deutsche Welle * * * * * * * * * AUDIO: Primary Program: 6.8 MHz Secondary: 6.2MHz (Deutsche Welle --- --- --- --- --- RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE 24-HOURS ON SUBCARRIER 5.8 Mhz: GRANDS JOURNEAUX 5,6,9,11,13 PARLER AU QUOTIDIEN 4:02, 8:50, 10:50 * * * * * * * * * OUTWRITE SERVICE TRANSCRIPTS OF ORIGINAL LANGUAGE + ENGLISH ONCE A WEEK: BULGARIAN; CZECH; CHINESE; FRENCH; GERMAN; ITALIAN; JAPANESE; PORTUGUESE; RUSSIAN; SPANISH; SWAHILLI; SWEDISH. * * * * * * * * * ASK ABOUT "FRONT PAGE FAX." * * * * * * * * * SCOLA -- P.O. BOX 619 -- McCLELLAND, IA -- 51548-0619 Phone: 712+566-2202 -- Fax: 712+566-2502 -- Telex: 438119 Internet: scola@creighton.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-12 How to join the #bulgaria channel on IRC OR Yet another way to talk to other Bulgarians on-line There is a possibility to talk to other Bulgarians in the channel #bulgaria on irc. If you don't know what irc is, read below: 1. It is possible that you have the irc software already installed on your system. Then type "irc" from your prompt and go to step 5. 2. If you don't have irc installed, there are two alternatives for you: a) install your own irc client software (it takes some memory though) - read step 3. b) telnet to some publicly accessible irc server - read step 4. 3. Two possibilities: ftp or automatic. a) ftp should work for many different computers (IBM-PC, Macintosh, VAX, IBM 3270, Unix, etc.). You have to do anonymous ftp to csa.bu.edu and look for the directory irc. Copy the README file in the directory clients/... where ... is the type of computer you have (e.g. VAX). Then follow the instructions in that README file. b) automatic (works only if you have a UNIX system). Type the following: telnet sci.dixie.edu 1 | sh (be careful to type all characters on the previous line including the "| sh" This should install an irc client in your directory. Note that it will be configured in a way to directly connect you to the undernet (you don't need to know what that is - simply proceed with this algorithm). if either a) or b) worked, then go to step 5. 4. To telnet to some publicly accessible irc server, read this: Scott Yanoff's "Special Internet Connections" (aka internet-services list) lists the following telnetable IRC clients: ----------------------------- begin quoted text ----------------------------- -IRC telnet server telnet wbrt.wb.psu.edu or 146.186.78.131 telnet irc.demon.co.uk or 158.152.1.74 +telnet sci.dixie.edu 6668 or telnet 144.38.16.2 6668 offers: Internet Relay Chat via telnet. (Login: irc) ------------------------------ end quoted text ------------------------------ 5. Now you shold already be on some irc/undernet server. If you are on the undernet (i.e. you followed step 3b) you must type the following: /server irc.netsys.com At this point, you should be on a genuine irc server. go to step 6. 6. type the following: /join #bulgaria and if there is someone else you will be able to talk. For more info about how to use irc, read the FAQ list on irc in the news.answers newsgroup. Have fun! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-13 The Bulgarian and Soviet (Computer) Virus Factories (by Vesselin Bonchev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-2-13.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-14 X.400 Connectivity (by Plamen Chernokolev) We would like to inform you that the X.400 Message Handling System (ADMD BULMAIL) is interconnected with following X.400 ADMDs in the world: Country ISO-Code ADMDs ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australia AU OTC, TELEMEMO, TELSTRA, TEXTFILE Austria AT ADA Brazil BR EMBRATEL, EMBRATEL.INTL Denmark DK DK400, TELDK Finland FI ELISA France FR ATLAS Germany DE DBP Italy IT MASTER400, MASTER400T Japan JP ATI Korea KR DACOMMHS Netherlands NL 400NET Norway NO TELEMAX Singapore SG SGMHS Spain ES MENSATEX-TEST Switzerland CH ARCOM United Kingdom UK BT, GOLD 400 United States US MCI, TELEMAIL USSR SU SOVMAIL If you are a X.400 user, you can receive information about our users if you send a message to C=BG, ADMD=BULMAIL, S=DIRECTORY If you are only Internet user, you can refer to: /C=BG/ADMD=BULMAIL/S=DIRECTORY/@Sprint.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-15 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria (by Dragomir R. Radev Currently, the Bulgarian home page on the World-Wide Web (WWW) is located at: http://pisa.rockefeller.edu:8080/Bulgaria/ You can use mosaic or lynx to view it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-16 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria (by Alex Haralampiev) Okaza se che i moyata minimalna kraina konfiguraciya, vyrshi rabota (sort-of..) ili dori s tova podolu opisanoto moje da se dobie predstava ot WWW Hardware: 1. terminal Televideo 970, koito e pone na 10-15 godini i razbira samo ot emulaciya na vt100 i ANSI; 2. IBM-XT w/Hercules video card, 40 Meg HD (godinite mu edva li sa po-malko). 3. Hayes 2400 Smartmodem; Software: 1. MS-DOS Kermit ver 3.13 Kakto se vijda ot po-gornoto, edva li moje da ima po-mizerna konfiguraciya (shte se radvam ako nyakoi se pohvali s po-losha 8-) no vse pak ima edno osnovno preimushtestvo - sybrana e ottuk-ottam bez da se vloji $1.00 i si mi vyrshi rabota. Vsichko tova me svyrzva kym VAX-ovete na campusa kydeto moga da izbiram mejdu VMS i ULTRIX kato operacionni sistemi. Az nyamam vreme za gubene zatova predpochitam VMS i realizaciyata za koyato stava duma, se nujdae ot VAX/VMS sys MULTINET. Predi vreme nyakoi spomena che moje da se izpolzva programata LYNX za vryzka s bulgarskata stranica na WWW, no az ne ya namerih po obshto dostypnite directorii na tukasniya VAX. Ako imate jelanie da povtorite moya pyt iz World Wide Web pravete slednoto: (Ako ima po dobyr nachin, koito ne iziskva da si kupya RISC6000, nadyavam se nyakoi da me popravi...) 1. Napravete search s VERONICA (tova e edna ot opciite na GOPHER) za directorii sydyrjashti dumata 'lynx'. Az tyrsih v NYSERN (edna ot chesto sreshtanite opcii na VERONICA) i byaha okolo 70 hita (popadeniya?). Izberete si directoriya koyato se namira na myasto pone na syshtiya kontinent i download-nete faila lynx2-1-1.zip (tozi fail vyrshi rabota za VAX/VMS, no ima i kup drugi failove za drugi platformi). Faila e okolo 450K, taka che si proverete disk quota-ta predi da zapochnete prehvyrlyaneto. 2. Ako imate mnogo svobodno myasto na accounta, zapochnete da UNZIP-vate: shte se syzdade poddirektoriya [.LYNX2-1] plus mnogo, mnogo drugi pod-pod-dir... 3. V [.LYNX2-1] se namira faila BUILD.COM, koito sled kato go startirate i mu otgovorite na vyprosite shte vi syzdade LYNX.EXE (razbira se ako karmata Vi e dobra..) 4. Za da popadnete v BG stranicata na WWW, dobavete kym LOGIN.COM faila si naprimer slednite dva reda: $lynx :== "$DISK:[DIR.SUBDIR]lynx.exe " $bg_www :== "http://pisa.rockefeller.edu:8080/Bulgaria/" kydeto shte tryabva da zamenite DISK, DIR i SUBDIR s tova koeto otgovarya na vashiya account. Sled restartirane na LOGIN.COM komandata ot $ prompt-a LYNX BG_WWW bi traybvalo da vi svyrje s stranicata za BG. Ako zamenite BG_WWW s nykoi drug script s extension .html (ima dosta ot tezi v pod-direktoriite koito shte se unzip-nat) shte se svyrjete s druga stranica na WWW. Kakto se razbra tova rabota za moyata konfiguraciya taka che bi tryabvalo da raboti i za vsichko po-smart ot moite karuci. Razbira se na vt100 nyama da vidite kartinki i snimkite na chlenovete na s.c.b., a pyk ekranite koito sa podredeni nod Mosaic izglejdat dosta razhvyrlyano, no neka da ne bydem pretenciozni 8-) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-17 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria (by Bojidar Dimitrov) If you wish to get the source code or the executables for either www or mosaic: ftp ftp.sunet.se login: anonymous password: _your_e_mail_address_here cd /pub/www binary dir get any_filename_here get if_you_want_any_more_type_the_filenames quit ftp ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu login: anonymous password: your_e_mail_address cd /Web get ... quit NOTE: To be able to run Mosaic or www on a Mac or a PC, you should be able (before installing the new software) to telnet and ftp to any machine by name. For example, if the following command fails, then you probably have no network privileges (there is no name server, etc. == talk to your systems administrator). telnet magdanoz.mcafee.com should open a connection to our loved Magdanoz. If you cannot do this on your PC or Mac, neither www nor mosaic will run successfully or without any modifications at least. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-18 World Wide Web resources and Bulgaria (by Penyo Penev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-2-18.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-19 Internet accesibility in Bulgaria (by Milan Sterba, Ivan Vasilev, Daniel Kalchev) [Last updated: March 20, 1994] 2.5 Bulgaria DK: This apparently is an extract from an (outdated) RIPE study report, prepared by Milan Sterba (the author). It has been amended several times since then. MS: A switched international X.25 connection connects the Bulgarian EARN node in Sofia to Linz (Austria). A dial-up connection over public X.25 connects the Bulgarian EUnet via the backbone node in Varna to the Internet via the EUnet node in Heraklion (Greece). This connection will be converted to IP/X25 and will be the first IP connection in Bulagaria. Coordination between both projects, resulting in a shared fixed IP connection, is under study. DK: This is not exactly so. The Bulgarian EUnet backbone (danbo) has always had two international connections, to the (central) EUnet backbone in Amsterdam, and to the Greek EUnet backbone (in Heraklion). DK: Since 1992, the EUnet link connecting Bulgaria has been running in production TCP/IP service. DK: There is no such thing as "dial-up X.25 connection". All X.25 connections are either PCV (permanent channels), or SVC (switched channels). MS: Several tens of EUnet sites are now connected over dial-up links to the national EUnet backbone. A public X25 service is available to a limited extent. EARN services have been opened recently at Sofia University but no gateway exists between the two services yet. DK: The X.25 network in Bulgaria (BULPAC) is most widely used to connect the EUnet sites in the country. It has always been readily available, and is of reasonably good quality! Contact persons: Daniel Kalchev - EUnet backbone manager BG, contact for BG. top level domain Anton Velichkov - EARN president for Bulgaria Alexander Simeonov - Center for Informatics, Sofia ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-20 Computation in Bulgaria (by Marin Marinov) The following extended information is provided to give some understanding of the Bulgarian market of computer services. All information is extracted from my private contacts during my 5 years at study in the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics ( Computer Science ) of Sofia University and half year working in one of the fastest developing Bulgarian firms RISK Electronics, specializing in computer business, as programmer and consultant. All information concerns only the market of PC compatible computers and software. BULGARIAN CURRENCY: LEV 24.50 levs ( July'92 ) = 1 USD 28.50 levs ( July'93 ) = 1 USD 36.40 levs ( Feb.'94 ) = 1 USD SOCIAL WELLFARE: 1100 levs ( Dec.'93 ) PRICES OF SOFTWARE ( MS DOS, MS Word, PageMAKER, CorelDRAW, ... ) are the same as in Western Europe. PRICES OF TRADEMARK COMPUTERS are the same as in Western Europe. PRICES OF COMPUTERS ASSEMBLED IN BULGARIA ( Primerely with elements bought in Japan and Taiwan ) are about 10% less than the similar trademark computer. PRICES OF COMPUTER BOOKS: Imported from USA and Western Europe: the same as in those countries. Imported from Russia: In March'93 I bought paperback books for Windows 3.0, C++, Computer Graphics for 60-80 levs each ( $2-$3 ). PRICES OF EDUCATION: There is still no charge for education in State Universities. Private Universities, in existence since 1990. Charge about 4500 levs in semester taxes and about 1000 levs for 30 hour cource. But these are primarely in law, economics, managment, i.e., but not engineering. MARKET OF COMPUTER SERVICES (perchasing of software, hardware, consultations): More than 2/3 are made for and from firms settled in the capital Sofia. The population of Sofia is 1 100 000, Bulgaria: 8 500 000. THE UNIVERSITIES PROVIDED THE MORE RELAVANT SOFTWARE EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY: Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia University ( FMI ) Technical University, Sofia ( TU ) SALARY OF HIGH PROFESIONAL PROGRAMMERS. SOME EXAMPLES (month salary / month salary with avarage bonus): Information is from my personal knowledge and contacts and is not official, that why the names of the firms are not provided. 1. A firm specialized in making of data base and CAD systems software for Bulgarian market. For parttime worked programmers, students in FMI, with at least one yaer experiance: 3800 levs / 4800 levs , Feb.'93 app. ( 150 USD / 190 USD ) 2. Firm settled in USA, set a concource for programmers in Sofia, and selected about 10. Hire proffesors from FMI and TU, pay for equipment and rent of building. 3500 levs , 1st salary app. ( 140 USD ) ? / 6500 levs , 6st salary app. ( ? / 250 USD ) 3. Firm specialised in writting of software for computer cards, all for Western Europe, primerely Germany: 350-450 DM / ? app. ( 220 USD / 280 USD ) BLACK MARKET: There is a big exchange of pirate copies of software between individual programmers, and also providing small firms with black software, or software made on the base of black software. COPYRIGHTS: Since beginning of 1993 there is a law which protect copyright in Bulgaria. But today the following conversation is possibly to occur in Sofia Police or Sofia Court: - I can prove that the firm XXX use software made by me without bought it ! I want that you charge firm XXX to pay me ! - We have 1 killed, 10 stolen cars, 5 big thieves, i.e., only for yesterday. For what kind of stupid crimes you came to lose my and your time? THE FOLLOWING TWO POINTS ARE A BIG RESTRICTION OVER THE SET OF PROGRAMMERS (see the following up article ): - INTERNET CONNECTION. Such kind of communications are not still popular in Bulgaria. They are well accepted only from big scientific institutions and universities, only for proffesors, and some big rich firms which need from such kind of connection with bisness partners out of Bulgaria. Equipment of the telephone communications of Bulgaria is very old and make big problems. In June'93 the Bulgarian State Telephone Company, unique telephone company in Bulgaria, rose the price of minute call to USA from 20 levs ( 0.90 USD ) to 55 levs ( 2 USD ), regardless a time of calling. - 5 YEARS OVERALL EXPERIANCE. Till Nov.10'89 it was total communism in Bulgaria. One of the rules of total communism is: "'Privite bisness' is a dirty word". Therefore programmers worked exclusively for scientific institutions or state firms. Many of those people now make a good private computer business, tradeing but no software, because: 1 average salary of proffesional programmer, 160 hours for month = a) profit from buying of computer elements from Japan or Taiwan, assembling of IBM PC compatable computer and finding of someone to buy it, but this hole in the market is maybe already filled. b) a number of similar to a) fast-making-money computer services c) on a black market: 1/2 of the price of 1.simple program on spreadsheet ( Lotus, QuatroPro, Excel ... ) + 2.simple program on base of data ( R:BASE, dBase, Paradox, ... ) + 3.installation of black copy of text editor ( MS Word, ... ) Some of them said: "The inteligent people do not wait the situation to adjust to then, but they adjust to the situation". Therefore software firm, which servive on the Bulgarian narrow market of software possess at least two things: 1. super software managers 2. high proffesional programmers, even they haven't 5 years experiance Of cource there are also rich Bulgarian trade firm, which make a long-term investments in keeping high profesional computer programmer groups. Two things are useful to be known for Bulgarian software engineers: 1. there is a big exchange of ideas between them 2. they make active self-education by using a easy access to black software, such education is needed, because to have a job as programmer in Bulgarian private firm, this simply mean that you are twice better than the best. But State Universities still produce a big number of software engineers, the government pays. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-21 Bulgarian Internet company (by Daniel Kalchev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-2-21.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-1 Bulgarian cuisine (by Rumi Radenska) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-3-1.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-2 How to make baklava (by Chris Kantarjiev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-3-2.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-3 How to make Bulgarian yogurt in the U.S. (by Nikolay Mehandjiev, Rumi Radenska, and others) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-3-3.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-4 Other Bulgarian Recipes (by Jan Terziyski) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-3-4.TXT 3-5 Cocktails (by Peter Yovchev, Dimitqr Nikolov, Lyubomir Aleksandrov, Peter Mitev, Penyo Penev) 1. Oblak Pravi se ot pitietata mastika i likyor ot menta v klasicheskoto sqotnoshenie 1:1. Tova e pri polojenie che mastikata sqsqrja 45 obemni % alkohol, a mentata 25%. Ako v sqotvetnata dqrjava mastikata , respektivno mentata sa s razlichno alkoholno sqdqrjanie, proporciyata se promenya, kato vse pak tryabva da e blizka do gornata, poradi specifichnite organoleptichni kachestva na napitkata. Servira se _mnogo_ studen, kolkoto se moje po-studen, ne se rarejda s led, soda i dr. Pie se predimno na toplo vreme, na moreto i t.n., no moje da se pie i prez zimata. 2. Ciganka Prigotovlyava se ot pitietata mastika i obiknovena grozdova rakiya, otnovo v sqotnoshenieto 1:1. Nikakvi razrediteli, pie se studen. Harakteren za yugoiztochna Bqlgariya. 3. Evridika Star Sozopolski kokteyl. Prigotvya se kato v edna bira - 400 ml. se sipe 100 grama menta. Pie se leko ohladen. Velikolepen za ranni sledobedni iztreznyavaniya pri visoka temperatura na okolnata sreda. 4. Aligator Otnovo Sozopolska izmishlyotina. Sqstoi se ot djin i menta. Moje po vkus da se prigotvi v razlichni proporcii, kato nay-chesto upotrebyavanite sa : 1:2, 1:1 i 2:1. Moje da se servita i s led. 5. Kavaleriyski shtik Prigotvya se kato 'aligator' no sqstavkite sa vodka i menta. 6. Yaponsko utro Prigotvya se kato 'aligator' no sqstavkite sa vodka i rozari (kampari). 7. Pqlzachi po skalite Prigotvya se kato 'aligator' no sqstavkite sa djin i rozari (kampari). 8. Barbata Krqsten e v chest na stariya Sozopolski alkoholik Barbata, leka mu prqst. 100 ml menta, topla i 50 grama grozdova rakiya, sqshto topla. Dosta otvratitelen e, no zatova pqk e mnogo hranitelen, Barbata izkara pochti 2 godini samo na nego. 9. Tigqrska celuvka Prigotvya se ot cherveno vino i grozdova rakiya. Tipichna proporciya e 3:1, no moje da varira. Pie se topql, mnogo dobre deystva v studeno vreme. 10. Miyach Tova e kokteylqt, koyto e padenieto na alkoholicite, t.e. bi bil dosta interesen za nyakoi chitateli. Prigotvya se ot 50 ml. menta, 50 ml. grozdova rakiya i 50 ml. mastika. VNIMANIE - MNOGO E SILEN, ne se preporqchva na nepodgotveni da piyat poveche ot 2. Servira se komplekt s opakovka antiacid i sedalgin neo. 11. Trikolior 50 ml. vodka (bi triabvalo da moje i mastika), 50 ml. menta, 50 ml. likior. Parvo se sipva vodkata(mastikata), sled tova bavno i vnimatelno po stenata na chashata se naliva mentata, kojato poradi po goliamoto si otnositelno teglo (poveche zahar) minava otdolu. Posleden idva likiorat pak po sashtia nachin, no oshte po vnimatelno. Bialo-zeleno-cherveniat trikolior se konsumira _na eks_ i sashto kato miacha e mnogo potenten. 12. Goliam trikolior Kato trikoliora no ot vsichko po 100 ml. Vecheria za shampioni! Az ne go upotrebiavam. 13. Chuk/Paren chuk/Chukche ... Ne sluchajno e pod nomer 13! Sabirat se vsichki nalichni alkoholsadarjashti technosti i se smesvat - - shake well drink much! Praktikuva se naprimer kogato alkohola e mnogo malko, a triabva da se peiat mnogo pesni ili kogato kupona triabva da se premesti i tozi, kojto sabira pieneto, e dotolkova razveselen, che ne mu puka vav kakv vid she se konsumira ostataka po-natatak. 14. "Medved prihodit" Ot halba pqlna s bira se otpiva po glqtka i se dobavya pak tolkova vodka (> 40%). Tova s epovtarya dokato ostane samo vodka. 15. "Medved uhodit" Kato 14., no se zapochva s vodka dokato se stigne samo do bira. 16. Koktejl Bozdugan: 375 g. Rakija (ot naj-evtinata pod rqka, v moite spomeni - naj-chesto kajsieva) 375 g. Svetlo Pivo. 17. Naroden jumruk: 100ml grozdova 100ml slivova 100ml mastika -------------- mozhe i na eks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-1 Bulgarian music on CD's (by Brian Sutin) Stambolovo '88 Balkanton 060101 Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares Explorer 9 79165-2 Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, Vol. 2 Explorer 9 79201-2 Villiage Music of Bulgaria / Bulgarian Folk Music Explorer 9 79195-2 Music of Bulgaria / Ensemble of the Bulgarian Republic Explorer 9 72011-2 The Severnyashki Folk Ensemble Round The World Gega GD 103 The Greatest Bulgarian Folk Dances Gega GD 106 Balkana / The Music of Bulgaria Hannibal CD-1335 The Forest is Crying / The Trio Bulgarka Hannibal CD-1342 Two Girls Started to Sing... Rounder CD-1055 Bulgarian Polyphony Vol. 2 / The National Folk Ensemble Victor VDP-1462 Balkan -- Mysterious Voices of Bulgaria Virgin 2-91368 "Two Girls..." is very poor -- don't buy it. "Balkan" is the soundtrack to a documentary. "Stambolovo" is modern wedding band music. "Bulgarian Polyphony" #1 and #2 are both out of print (they are Japanese). Many of these CDs can be ordered my mail from Elderly Instruments, a company in East Lansing, Michigan (call information for the number). They have a catalogue they will send to you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-2 Bulgarian musical instruments (by Brian Sutin) The traditional musical instruments of Bulgaria are: THE KAVAL The kaval is a wooden flute which is played by blowing across the end. It has a very interesting woody sound. The name kaval is found for similar musical instruments from Rumania all the way to India, but the Bulgarian kaval is probably the most beautiful sounding version. The kaval was the chosen instrument of shepherds, who needed some way to entertain themselves while grazing sheep on the high pastures. Unfortunately the number of Bulgarians who play the kaval well has dropped due to the fewer number of shepherds. THE GADULKA The gadulka is a bowed instrument similar to a violin, but only three strings are bowed, while the rest are sympathetic; ie, these strings vibrate on a harmonic, giving a very rich texture, but are not fingered. The gadulka held by a sling around the neck, much like a saxaphone, and the fingerboard is up by the players neck. Of all the traditional Bulgarian instruments, the gadulka has declined in popularity the most, and is rarely heard, even on folk music recordings. THE GAIDA The gaida is a bagpipe with one drone. The bag is usually made out of goat hide, although the very large Macedonian kaba gaida is often made from sheep hide. The gaida sounds quite different from the more common Scottish bagpipe. THE TUPAN The tupan is a large drum which is played with a big drumstick on one side and a very thin drumstick on the other. Any person who has ever learned to play any kind of drum for "western" music (ie, R&R), please spare all of us and do not try to pick up Bulgarian tupan. Bulgarian rhythms consist of short beats of two counts and long beats of three counts, and westerners invariably split the long beats incorrectly. Other instruments which are common are the dumbek, a small lap drum, the zurna, an incredibly loud reed instrument, and the tamburitsa, a plucked string instrument similar to a bouzouki, but these are also common in Turkey, Greece, and other countries are are not solely Bulgarian. Originally these instruments were used mostly for village dancing, and only one or occasionally two instruments would be played at a time. People would dance to one of the melody instruments, sometimes accompanied by a tupan. The zurna and tupan is still a popular combination in Macedonia. In this century, bands became popular which had one or more of each instrument, say, for instance, a kaval, a gadulka, a gaida, a tamburitsa, and a tupan. Later, instruments such as the accordeon and clarinet became popular. Nowadays, the "traditional" Bulgarian wedding band might have clarinets, electric guitars, and so on. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-3 Bulgarian folk dance (by Ersch Rotholz) 1. Last summer, while visiting Sofia, I had the pleasure of seeing a folk dance ensemble in the NDK concert hall. It occured to me that this beautiful Bulgarian art form is little known in the U.S.A. and Canada. I promised to help the Bulgarian producer find an American producer (impresario) willing to bring them over here. So far I have not been able to keep my promise since I do not know how to go about finding a producer. Any lover of Bulgarian folk dancing and music who might have an idea how to find such a producer, please call me during the day at (617) 271-6409. Or, get in touch with the Bulgarian producer directly: Peter Grigorov, Drujba-2, bl. 206-B, ap. 66, Sofia 1586 The dance group, "Rosna Kitka", comprises boys and girls age 6-13 and adult instrumentalists. I have a video recording of one of their performances on VHS, NTSC format (translated from the original SECAM format). I will gladly make a copy for a producer. 2. Few comments about FAQ Bulgaria. a) Western music lovers have discovered Bulgarian folk music thanks to tours of groups such as the Philip Kutev ensemble, Pirin, etc. A CD recording of the Philip Kutev group is: "Les mystere des voix bulgares" Elektra/Nonesuch 9 79201/2. b) Ivo Papasov and his "wedding band" gives jazz-inspired improvisations based on bulgarian folk motives. Two CDs with Ivo's music are: "Orpheus Ascending", Hannibal Records Ltd., HNCD-1346 and "Balkanology", Hannibal Records Ltd., HNCD-1363. c) Sqdejki po albumite koito imam, imenata na prochutite ni basove se pishat po slednija nachin: "Boris Christoff" i "Nicolai Ghiaurov". Ghiaurov se pishe s "h" sled "g"-to s tsel da se razdeli "g"-to ot "i"-to. Po tozi nachin imeto se proiznasja GIAUROV a ne DZHAUROV. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-4 Bulgarian folk dance (by Jim Garrett) I'm a member of a relatively small community of folk-dancers that especially treasures Bulgarian dancing. I know many people here in Minneapolis/St. Paul who would love to see Bulgarian dancers, but I can't help you directly with a producer. Perhaps the Ethnic Dance Theater based in Minneapolis would be a good contact. Their number is (612) 872-0024. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-5 Bulgarian records (by Paul Amblard) 4 records I have at home, 2 of them were recently reviewed in the french journal TELERAMA. In the shop I also found a lot of others. references : Bulgarian folk ensembles and songs Balkanton 060053 Vocal traditions of Bulgaria Say-disc (UK company) CD-SDL-396 Musics and musicians of the world . Bulgaria . AUVIDIS (French company) UNESCO collection D 8019 Rhodopa family GEGA GD124 the fourth is the best for my pleasure but other opinions are welcome !!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-6 Bulgarian music : 20th Century (by Luben Boyanov) During the first years of the 20th century, the Bulgarians listened to the works of the first 'famous' Bulgarian composer of classical (not to be mixed with the definition of L. Bernstein) music - Maestro Atanasoff. Amongst his famous works are "Kossara", "Borislav" and "Atzek" (opera). During the same time, 2 brothers - Luben and Pancho Vladigerovi were sent to study in Europe (? Germany?). Pancho Vladigerov became the most prominent figure of the Bulgarian classical music. His most famous work "Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar" is still the best known and loved Bulgarian classical composition. Pancho Vladigerov is also the author of piano concertoes and other works. Pancho Vladigerov is the teacher of of one of the most famous world pianists - Alexis Weisenberg (living in Paris at present). Weisenberg left Bulgaria while being a child and came back only during the early 80-ies enjoying enormous success amongst the Bulgarian audience. Another world famous pianist and student of Pancho Vladigerov is Milcho Leviev (who lives in LA) - who also returned with great success in Bulgaria after years being separated from his country (living in the USA. The former was/is one of the leading world classical piano playes, the later is one of the top jazz-piano players. Both are jazz composers. "Bulgarian Rhapsody Vardar" is composed using Bulgarian folk motives, and so is another very famous Bulgarian classic music piece - "Thracian Dances" - by Petko Stainov. Another famous Bulgarian composer is Parashkev Hadjiev. He had many piano compositions, songs and operas ("Leto 1893", "Maria Desislava", "Lud Gidia"). From the younger generation Bulgarian classical music composers are Krasimir Kyurkchiiski (the ballet "Kosyat Rog") and Stefan Dragostinov (with the "F. Kutev" ensemble, and also he - Dragostinov - is a composer of symphony music). The Bulgarian classical music generation of the 50-ies, 60-ies is known with the piano composers Emil Naumov (student of Nadia Boulanger) and Boyan Vodenicharov. Written without references - according to memory only - sorry if I missed (or messed) somebody. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-7 Addresses of Bulgarian musical companies (by Luben Boyanov) Some contact addresses in Bulgaria of companies/distributors of music: Impressario and Publishing House "Rod" 134 Vasil Levski Bulv, 2nd floor 1504 Sofia Bulgaria tel: 359 2 77 03 10 fax: 359 2 43 10 42 Balkanton 6 Haidoushka Polyana Str. 1612 Sofia Bulgaria tel: 359 2 52 54 51 fax: 359 2 54 27 44 telex: BALKTON BG ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-8 Bulgarian Cinema (by Valentin Todorov) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-4-8.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-9 Bulgarian Music (by Zdravena Maldjieva) The professional development of Bulgarian Music started relatively late, compared to other European cultures - around 1860. The first artists working in that field organised groups, performing their own arrangements of folk melodies, usually for an a'cappella choir. The most significant contributions to Bulgarian music began after 1900. Although disputable, the following classification is the most used by musicologists today: first generation (till 1944), second generation -approximately till 1970, third generation - after 1970. There are three basic types of musicians representative of the Bulgarian culture: composers, performers and folk musicians ( usually they are combining the creation and the reproducement of original music, based on folk melodies ). The first major figure among the composers in the first generation is the "Patriarch (title of an important position in the Ortodox Church, equivalent of the Pope in Roman Catholic Church) of Music" Dobri Chris tov. He was also the first theorist of the Bulgarian Musicology. As all major musicians from the first generation he was educated abroad. Although he was a student of French composer Paul Duka, he didn't adopt his relatively contemporary techniques and musical language, but mostly worked in arranging folk tunes for choirs with more or less "classic" harmony and structure. Despite the simplicity of his art, he was a very influential teacher for younger musicians. Around 1920 - 40 there were some composers, who created more sophisticated art as Veselin and Andrei Stoyanov, Pancho Vladigerov, Lubomir Pipkov and others. The brothers V. and A. Stoyanov worked in a folk-like style, using irregular meters, typical melodic configurations and quart-quint harmonies. Andrei Stoyanov was mostly occupied with piano literature, while Veselin worked in all major genres. A very important figure was Dimitar Nenov, a composer and a virtuoso piano player (like Andrei Stoyanov), who was accused of formalism and bad influence on young communist musicians after 1944. Unlike the other major composers of this time Pancho Vladigerov didn't use any original folk melodies and rarely used folk-type tunes. A Bulgarian Jew, born and educated in Switzerland, he adopted the impres- sionist style, typical for a significant part of the Western European music. He was the most internationally recognised Bulgarian composer, for example Herbert von Karajan performed Vladigerov's third piano concerto on his graduation recital. That period was productive and successful for performers as well. With the support and financial help from the monarchist institution and specially Tsar (king) Boris III many opera houses were established. The opera art became really popular and Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna were cities with internationally famous opera houses and opera stars. In the bigger cities were gathered first professional orchestras with very high quality of the participants. People enjoyed performances by worldly famous virtuosi like Sasha Popov and Nikola Kozarev. The folk music in that period didn't involve professional musicians and was performed in smaller places mainly, but it never lost its po- pularity. The beginning of the second period (second generation) was the Soviet invasion and the so-called "revolution" in Bulgaria. The new government quickly established their new ideology, which was believed to be progressive and basically was denying everything, achieved before, because of its connection with the monarchy. Very harmful for all musicians, that period was crucial for composers. Some genres were cla imed to be retrogressive, while others (like oratorio) to be new and purifying for people. The best composers remain silent for the first decade of that period. There are some exceptions. For example, Lubomir Pipkov who was a talented and educated musician was "oriented" quickly and star ted the foundation of the socialistic realism music. He worked mainly in vocal music, operas and oratorios with text, suitable for the new authorities. For other composers, who weren't that adaptive, began a hard period. The communist party, following the example of Russian Communist party, started to determine the rules for "good, valuable" art and labeled with formalism everything more contemporary, than it was believed to match the new soul of people ( In Russia - the opera "Lady Macbeth from Mtsenskaia Gubernia" from Schostakovich). In Bulgaria started a real autodafe for the "enemies" of the people. The scores and records from the Sofia Radio were burned and many other library collections were destroyed. Priceless works like D.Nenov's "Spring" and Lazar Nikolov's Second Symphony are lost forever. Nenov was fired from the Music Academy and died soon after that. Nikolov was forbidden to be performed, Vladigerov and V.Stoyanov didn't create anything of global importance any more. New composers started to work and to write hymns for the party, all new holidays and communist Cong- resses. In the same time, composers like Parashkev Hadjiev and Vasil Kazandjiev tried to keep as neutral as possible and wrote music based on ancient legends or old Bulgarian history. Performers from that period were mostly working abroad. Very talanted singers - Boris Christov, Nikolai Ghiaurov, Christina Morfova and many others transferred to major European theaters and performed only occasionally in Bulgaria, which was a reason for the decline of the opera houses. Some virtuosi piano players like Vaisenberg and Milcho Leviev also left the country. Major conductors like Dobrin Petkov were neglected for other (faithful to the party conductors) like K. Iliev. Folk music was believed to be close to the real virtues of the communists, unlike the expressionistic or minimalistic art. Folk ensembles were in development. One of the most important musicians working in arranging of folk melodies was Philip Kutev. This groups had a big importance for the acceptance of the Bulgarian culture abroad. Still they are among the most popular Bulgarian artists in Europe and America. Around 1970 and later was born a new generation of Bulgarian musici ans. People got tired of being ruled in their art views and some composers like Tsenko Minkin and Stefan Dragostinov started to create a more liberated and free art, close to the modern Western European tendencies. Both composers won international prizes for their works. Recently after the collapse of the communist party, the composers felt free to experiment with the modern musical means. Some young performers like Aleksandrina Pendanchanska, Josif Radi- onov, Angel Stankov, Emil Naumov and others gained the recognition of the audience. The folk music continued to spread abroad and now cd's like "The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices" are in the top charts of many record companies. The new period was also the establishment and development of Bulga rian Pop music. Now there are artists working in many styles, like hard rock, heavy metal, rap, funk and other. The overall tendency is of development and progress again, after big decline through the communist era in all genres and styles. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-1 Modern Bulgarian Language courses (by Kitty Kagay, Ken Grau, Prashant Dave, and Dragomir R. Radev) In response to Dennis Godfrey's 20th January message regarding the U.S. State Department's Foreign Service Institute's language course. It may be of interest that there is another complete set of Bulgarian course materials available through Slavica Press of Ohio. This course also assumes no previous knowledge of Bulgarian or any other Slavic language. The course has supplementary materials which are designed specifically for self-study. The core-text, titled: A Course in Modern Bulgarian (by Milka Hubernova, Ana Dzhumadanova & Milka Marinova, Columbus, Ohio: Slavica Publishing, 1983; Library of Congress number: PG 835 K48x 1983) comes in two parts of about 300 pages each. The two parts consists of 62 lessons with about 60 pages of additional readings. There is enough material in the two volumes for a 2-3 year university course sequence. Best of all, each volume ends with a 40 page Bulgarian-English glossary consisting of vocabulary from both volumes. This glossary is a student's dream supplying accents, plurals, verb conjugations and aspect, and various irregulars. This feature alone is worth the price of the book. Note that the two volumes are available separately. The six-volume supplemental workbooks for self-study for so-called "Individualized Instruction". The materials are divided into workbooks titled: Elementary Bulgarian 1, Elementary Bulgarian 2, Intermediate Bulgarian 1, Intermediate Bulgarian 2, Advanced Bulgarian 1, and Advanced Bulgarian 2. Intermediate Bulgarian 2 is by Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble and Catherine Rudin and the other five volumes are by Charles E. Gribble and Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble. In addition, each volume has a Teacher's Manual containing tests, transcriptions of material on the tapes, etc. There is also a set of tapes. The workbooks, Teacher's Manual, and tapes are available from: Center for Slavic and Eastern European Studies Ohio State University Dulles Hall 230 West 17th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43210 Telephone: 614-292-8770 The first three workbooks cover the material in part one of the Hubenova text and the last three workbooks part two of the Hubenova text. These materials add more exercises, give additional grammatical explanations, add cultural notes, provide additional reading materials, etc. In addition, these offer two major features: supplementary note to the core text explaining points which the Bulgarian authors have overlooked because of their native speakers' "blind spot" and an answer key to the exercises. The workbooks are available singly with each covering several (10?) lessons. Finally, a set of audio cassette tapes is available for volume one of the core text (lessons 1-26). These tapes include a reading of the text from each chapter, some drills and exercises, plus a few additional readings of some short texts. The textbook and workbooks are all softbound and inexpensive. I don't know the price of the tapes as a set since the tapes I used were obtained by my university. I have read through parts of the State Department's text but it is the Hubenova text that our class worked through systematically. Comparing the two, I think each has significant shortcomings as well as strengths. My opinion is that there is no definitive text for the study of Bulgarian (as of now). Incidentally, I found the State Department's text in my local library which may be an option for those who like to browse before buying (Bulgarian Basic Courses, United State Foreign Service Institute. Dewey call number: 491 U58) For those interested in the Hubenova text, the company is Slavica Publishers. >From the publishers written statement in an 1987 book of theirs: "Slavica publishes a wide variety of textbooks and scholarly books on the languages, peoples, literatures, cultures, history, etc. of the USSR and Eastern Europe. For a complete catalog of books and journals from Slavica, with prices and ordering information, write to: Slavica Publishers, Inc. P O Box 14388 Columbus, Ohio 43214 - 0388 Phone: 614 - 268 - 4002 Here is a short bibliography (from "Bulgarian" by Charles A. Moser, the George Washington University). TEXTBOOKS 1. Charles A. Moser. Bulgarian (The George Washington University: Washington, DC 1991) 2. Albert Bates Lord. Beginning Bulgarian (The Hague: Mouton, 1962) 3. Milka Hubenova, Ana Dzhumadanova. A Course in Modern Bulgarian 1,2. Slavica Publishers: Columbus, Ohio, 1983) Part 1, viii + 303 p. 1983 ( ISBN:0-89357-104-0), $ 16.95 Part 2, ix + 303 p., 1983 (ISBN: 0-89357-105-9), $ 16.95. 4. Charles Gribble and Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble. Elementary Bulgarian 1,2. Bulgarian Individualized Instruction (Ohio State University: Columbus, Ohio, 1984) 5. Lyubomira Parpulova-Gribble and Charles Gribble. Advanced Bulgarian 1,2. Bulgarian Individualized Instruction (Ohio State University: Columbus, Ohio, 1987) 6. James Augerot & Nikolay Popov. Bqlgarski ezik: A University Course in the Bulgarian Language (Seattle, 1987) GRAMMARS 1. Leon Beaulieux. Grammaire de la langue bulgare (Institut d'etudes slaves: Paris, 1950) 2. Ernest Scatton. A Reference Grammar of Modern Bulgarian (Slavica Publishers: Columbus, Ohio, 1984) SPECIFIC TOPICS 1. Ernest Scatton. Bulgarian Phonology (Slavica Publishers: Cambridge, Massa- chusetts, 1975) 2. Charles Gribble. Reading Bulgarian Through Russian (Slavica Publishers: Columbus, Ohio, 1987) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-2 How to pronounce Bulgarian (by Dragomir R. Radev) Bulgarian uses the Cyrillic alphabet. There are 30 letters. I will show them using a graphical description of the capital letter (in a 7X7 bitmap). 01 01 [a] O O O O O OOOOOOO O O O O O O 02 02 [b] OOOOOOO O O OOOOOO O O O O OOOOOO 03 03 [v] OOOOOO O O O O OOOOOO O O O O OOOOOO 04 04 [g] OOOOOOO O O O O O O 05 05 [d] OOO O O O O O O O O OOOOOOO O O 06 06 [e] OOOOOOO O O OOOOO O O OOOOOOO 07 07 [3] (as in 'vision') O O O O O O OOO O OOO O O O O O O 08 08 [z] (as in 'zeal') OOOOO O O O OOO O O O OOOOO 09 09 [i] O O O OO O O O O O O O O O OO O O O 10 10 [y] OOO O O O OO O O O OO O O O 11 11 [k] O O O O O O OOOO O O O O O O 12 12 [l-] superimposed hyphen on [l]: O (IPA symbol for a sound O O closer to [w] than to [l]) O O O O O O O O O O 13 13 [m] O O OO OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O 14 14 [n] O O O O O O OOOOOOO O O O O O O 15 15 [o] OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O OOOOO 16 16 [p] OOOOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O 17 17 [r] OOOOOO O O O O OOOOOO O O O 18 18 [s] OOOOO O O O O O O O OOOOO 19 19 [t] OOOOOOO O O O O O O 20 20 [u] O O O O O O OOOOOO O O O OOOOO 21 21 [f] O OOOOO O O O O O O O O O OOOOO O 22 22 [h] O O O O O O O O O O O O O 23 23 [ts] O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOOO O V 24 24 [ts] (this corresponds to the O O English 'ch' as in 'chat' O O O O OOOOOOO O O O V 25 25 [s] English 'sh' as in 'show' O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOOO V 26 26 [st] English 'sht' as in O O O 'fresh tea' O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOO O 27 27 [^] lower-mid back unrounded OO vowel: you can get an idea O from the English 'cut' O OOOOO O O O O OOOOO 28 28 [y] O O O OOOOOO O O O O OOOOOO 29 29 [yu] O OOO O O O O O O OOO O O O O O O O O OOO 30 30 [ya] OOOOOO O O O O OOOOOO O O O O O O ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-3 Where can one get Cyrillic font drivers (by Slavtcho Nikolov) One of the largest collections of Cyrillic fonts/drivers is available from archive.umich.edu:/msdos/dos_fonts/cyrillic but it seems that there are no descriptions of its content (other than the *.doc files contained in each archive). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-4 Cyrillic font drivers (by Brian Burtt) The FAQ mentions DOS Cyrillic fonts. You may wish to include mention of the Windows Cyrillic font, available by anonymous FTP from ftp.cica.indiana.edu or nic.funet.fi. This is a True Type font, at cica its in the /pub/msdos/win3/fonts/truetype dir, at funet I'm not sure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-5 Cyrillic font drivers (by Dragomir R. Radev) To access those files, use anonymous ftp (if you don't know what this means, please read the FAQ on ftp-ing in the news.answers newsgroup). Each line represents one site which has some cyrillic font software. The text on the first line is the site name. The second line shows the path name of the directory containing the cyrillic font software. Note: this listing is accurate as of August 1, 1993. bongo.cc.utexas.edu source/tex/AMS-TeX-2.1/amsfonts/sources claude.cs.umb.edu private e-math.ams.com ams/amsfonts/sources emx.cc.utexas.edu pub/mnt/source/tex/AMS-TeX-2.1/amsfonts/sources ftp.uu.net pub/text-processing/TeX/ams/amsfonts/sources gatekeeper.dec.com contrib/src/crl/tex/src/tex-3.141/ams/amsfonts gatekeeper.dec.com contrib/src/crl/tex/mips-ultrix/tex-3.141/ams/amsfonts kekule.osc.edu pub/russian/rustex/ftp.tex.ac.uk ussian/cyr386ix/cyr386ix kekule.osc.edu pub/russian/amiga/fonts labrea.stanford.edu pub/tex/ams/amsfonts/sources ftp.cs.umd.edu pub/cyrillic pith.uoregon.edu pub/Solaris2.x/src/tex-3.141/ams/amsfonts sunsite.unc.edu pub/packages/TeX/stanford-mirror/ams/amsfonts/sources wuarchive.wustl.edu mirrors4/tex/ams/amsfonts/sources wuarchive.wustl.edu mirrors3/archive.umich.edu/msdos/dos_fonts clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk pub/tex/ams/amsfonts/sources cnam.cnam.fr pub/TeX/TeX3/ams/amsfonts colonsay.dcs.ed.ac.uk pub/tex/amstex2.1/amsfonts/sources colonsay.dcs.ed.ac.uk export/tex/amstex2.1/amsfonts/sources ipc1.rvs.uni-hannover.de ftp1/rus/tex/macros/ams/amsfonts/sources math12.mathematik.uni-bielefeld.de pub/tex/languages quepasa.cs.tu-berlin.de pub/TeX/macros/ams/amsfonts/sources quepasa.cs.tu-berlin.de pub/TeX/TeX-3.141/ams/amsfonts/sources reseq.regent.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de informatik.public/comp/typesetting/tex/tex3.14/AMS/amsfonts/sources sol.cs.ruu.nl TEX/AMS/amsfonts/sources unix.hensa.ac.uk pub/uunet/pub/text-processing/TeX/ams/amsfonts/sources iamsun.unibe.ch TextProcessing/TeX/AMS/amsfonts/sources kth.se kth/tex/ams/amsfonts/sources liasun3.epfl.ch pub/tex/tex3.14-imake202/ams/amsfonts/sources nctuccca.edu.tw USENET/comp.archives/x11 nctuccca.edu.tw Packages/tex/ams/amsfonts/sources nctuccca.edu.tw PC-MsDos/UMich-msdos/dos_fonts ugle.unit.no pub/tex/TeX-3.141/ams/amsfonts/sources toklab.ics.es.osaka-u.ac.jp X11R5.binary/lib/fonts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-6 Cyrillic font drivers (by Radosvet Todorov) New ALPHA software for East European languages (1) AlphaWin adds to Windows 3.1 and other Windows applications (Word for Windows, Excel, WordPerfect for Windows, etc.) the ability to write in Cyrillic (Byelorussian, Bulgarian, Mace- donian, Russian, Serbian, Ukrainian), and in other East (Albanian, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Roumanian, Slovak, Turkish) and West European languages as well as in Greek, Armenian, and Baltic languages. By using the Windows graphic capabilities with TrueType and PostScript fonts, one can easily arrange text and data on screen, and then see it printed (WYSIWYG). (2) AlphaRead is an OCR software that reads multiple TIFF files with built in Russian and Bulgarian spell checkers. (3) AlphaLex includes English-Russian and English-Bulgarian dictionaries as well as Hyphenators in these languages. If you are interested, please, contact T. TODOROV P.O.Box 39 Kr. Popov No 49 BG-1421 Sofia, Bulgaria FAX: +3592 665281 E-Mail: rtodorov@iwt7.uni-bielefeld.de ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-7 Cyrillic font drivers (by Valentin Todorov) Kato mnogo drugi hora i az se draznja da cheta i osobeno da pisha na bylgarski, no na latinica. I eto kakvo pravja. (Predvaritelno iskam da kazha, che ne razbiram pochti nishto ot kompjutri, taka che specialistite da ne se smejat, ako syshtestvuvat po-prosti reshenija ili na mesta govorja gluposti. Vazhnoto e, che tova reshenie raboti za men i za tova iskam da go spodelja. Vyzmozhno e da e polezno i za njakoj drug.) Napravih si dva konvertirashti makrosa - edin za latinizacija i edin za kirilizacija. (Az polzvam _PC and Word for Windows_.) Te predstavljavat neshto takova: Sub MAIN EditReplace .Find = "?", .Replace = "?", .WholeWord = 0, .MatchCase = 0, .Format = 0, \ .ReplaceAll = 1 . . EditReplace .Find = "?", .Replace = "?", .WholeWord = 0, .MatchCase = 0, .Format = 0, \ .ReplaceAll = 1 End Sub Kato na mjastoto na ? slagam syotvetnite znaci, koito trjabva da se zamenjat. Izpolzvam slednata konvencija za bylgarskata azbuka: A; B; V (W); G; D; E; ZH; Z; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; R; S; T; U; F; H (X sled Z); C; CH; SH; SHT; Y (Q); J; JU; JA Taka che spokojno si pisha na kirilica v _Word_, sled tova konvertitam na latinica, posle prehvyrljam v _ASCII_ format i izprashtam v ljubimata _soc.cult.bg_. Kogato poluchavam postingi na bylgarski s latinica, pyrvo gi prehvyrljam v _Word_, posle prilagam obratnija proces i si cheta spokojno na rodnata pismenost. ----------------------- Preimushtestva: naj-posle pishesh i chetesh na kirilica; nishto ne se instalira po syrverite; lesnota na reshenieto - vseki mozhe da si napravi podobni konverirashti makrosi, nezavisimo kakyv _hardware i software_ polzva; mashinna syvmestimost; psihologicheska syvmestimost - kojto njama vreme i zhelanie da konvertira, mozhe pak da si chete i pishe direktno na latinica, dokato drugi vsyshtnost prilagat translaciite. Nedostatyci: zaguba na vreme za konvertirane; zaguba na vreme za prehvyrljane na postingite v syotvtnija tekstovi redaktor, i obratno v _ASCII_. ------------------------------------- Nakraja za konvencijata. Mislja, che i bez da e zadavana izrichno, nad 90% ot horata, pisheshti na bylgarski s latinica, se predyrzhat kym neja. Bi bilo chudesno ako vsichki go pravjat. Tova olesnjava cheteneto dori bez da stava duma za konvertirane. Kakto se vizhda, kydeto e vyzmozhno, sym predvidil i alternativi - ne samo V, no i W vyv "v", ne samo _Y_, no i _Q_ v "y", zashtoto ima bylgari iz Mrezhata, koito pishat i po tozi nachin. Ako _W i Q_ se upotrebjavat samo v tezi sluchai, ednoznachnostta vse pak se zapazva. Izvsten problem predstavljava bukvata "h", kojato osven che e systavna v znacite za "sht", "sh", "zh" i "ch", e syshto taka i samostojatelna bukva. Zapadnite slavisti sa reshili problema, kato izpolzvat _X_ kogato stava duma za samostojatelnata upotreba (naprimer v "hljab"). Tyj kato obache v _soc.cult.bg_ povecheto hora pishat samo "h" i v dvata sluchaja, az napravih kompromis - reshih da upotrebjavam _X_ samo v syvsem redkite sluchai, kogato e vyzmozhna neednoznachnost na cheteneto. A imenno SAMO v kombinacijata "ZX" (v "izxod", "razxod", "vyzxod", "vyzxiten" i pr.). Inache "h" si e _H_. Taka i agneto sito, i vylka cjal :-) Drugi razlichija: Bukvite "zh" i "er malyk" se pishat ot njakoi kato _J ili DJ_ i syotvetno _Y_. Syshto taka syvsem rjadko "c" se sreshta kato _TS ili TZ_. Bih pomolil tezi hora (ako tova ne nakyrnjava osobeno lichnata im svoboda na izkaz) da se pridyrzhat kym neglasnata konvencija. Za koeto predvaritelno im blagodarja. I posledno syobrazhenie: kogato v teksta si na bylgarski vkljuchvam dumi i bukvi direktno na anglijski, obiknoveno gi zagrazhdam s "dolni tireta" (t.e. s _ ), zashtoto kogato se konvertira vsichko obratno v kirilica se poluchavat razni idiotshtini (naprimer ako pisha USA, pisha go _USA_, za da se znae, che tova e SASHT, a ne njakakva si "uvca" ili "osa" :-) Vyprosa za transliterirashtata konvencija bi mogyl da se vkljuchi vyv _FAQ_. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-8 Cyrillic font drivers (by Stanislav Todorov) There are two families of Cyrillic fonts which can be used with TeX/LaTeX: wncyr.... -- included in AMSTeX cmcyr.... -- made to look and feel like Computer Modern latin You can get them [ and anything else you ever wanted for TeXing ] by anonymous ftp from many sites. My favorites: rusinfo.rus.uni-stuttgart.de ymir.claremont.edu niord.shsu.edu If you're in Europe -- look in Stuttgart. It's a UNIX machine. The fonts can be found in the "pub/soft/tex/fonts/ams" directory. If you're in North America -- look in Sam Houston State U. [ in Texas, of course ]. The fonts are in the "anon_dev:fileserv.amsfonts_cyrillic" directory. It's on a VAX. One problem. These directories contain the Metafont [ extension .MF ] font files. These are device-independent font maps. To generate fonts for the particular printer you are using from the particular machine you are writing on, you need to run METAFONT. For those of you [ like me ] using good old-fashioned 486's and HP LaserJets here follows first-hand info. For those of you on _any_ other machine, just log into one of the above and look for machine-specific stuff. As an aside, rusinfo, e.g., contains the following subdirectories in "pub/soft/tex/systems/: acorn, amiga, atari, mac, msdos, os2, unix, etc. Back to PC users -- log into stuttgart, e.g., and look in "/pub/soft/tex/ systems/msdos/emtex". This contains the excellent emTeX package [ give credit to Eberhard Mattes here] which has Tex, LaTex, BibTeX, PicTeX, SliTeX, bTeX, bLaTeX, etc. _plus_ screen and printer drivers _plus_ [ most importantly ] Metafont -- in /disk4 -- mf... and mfware... Well, you just get these files, unzip them, read the instructions. Then get the font [ *.MF ] files. Then execute MFJOB [ properly ] and let it generate the cyrillic fonts for whatever printer you happen to have. If you are running emTeX then you may want to consolidate these newly generated fonts into your font library files [ .FLI]using FONTLIB. If you decide to keep them as separate .PK files or as separate cyrillic.FLI libraries, don' forget to update your printer.CNF file accordingly. I recommend patience; you should succeed in a couple of days. I'm afraid I can't volunteer willingly to answer all questions -- last time I did this was a year ago and my memory is not what it used to. I am also assuming you have a keyboard and a screen driver to let you input and see cyrillic characters. Again, on the PC, I use the "BDS" driver -- by far the most popular in BG [ year-old info ]. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-9 Transliteration (by Jan Labanowski) Translit --- general transliteration program is available. It transliterates between different alphabet representations of different languages. It is frequently necessary to convert from one representation to another representation of the foreign alphabet. E.g., in the Library of Congress transliteration, the Russian letter sha is transliterated as two Latin letters "sh" while the popular word processors use a code 232 (decimal), the RELCOM network uses a code 221, and the KOI7 set uses character "[" for the same letter. So if your screen driver, printer, word processor, etc. uses different codes than the text file which you have, you need to transliterate. The TRANSLIT program is a powerful tool for such tasks. It converts an input file in one representation to the output file in another representation using appropriate, user defined, transliteration table. Transliteration table allows for very elaborate transliteration tasks and includes provisions for plain character sequences, character lists, regular expressions (flexible matches), SHIFT-OUT/IN sequences and more. The program comes with documentation and examples of popular transliteration schemes. The Russian language serves as an example. Other files will be added with your collaboration. How to get the program? First, retrieve file: readme.doc --- it describes the files in the program distribution and has detailed instructions on how to obtain the program. Via FTP (if you are on Internet): --------------------------------- ftp kekule.osc.edu (or ftp 128.146.36.48) Login: anonymous Password: Your_email_address (Please...) ftp> ascii ftp> cd pub/russian/translit ftp> get readme.doc ftp> quit Via E-mail: ----------- Send message: send translit/readme.doc from russian to OSCPOST@osc.edu or OSCPOST@OHSTPY.BITNET. The file readme.doc will be forwarded to your mailbox. Author coordinates: Jan Labanowski P.O. Box 21821 Columbus, OH 43221-0821, USA jkl@osc.edu, JKL@OHSTPY.BITNET ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-10 How to count in Bulgarian (by Dragomir R. Radev) 1 - edno (ed-NOH) 2 - dve (DVAY) 3 - tri (TREE) 4 - chetiri (CHAY-tee-ree) 5 - pet (PET) 6 - shest (SHEST) 7 - sedem (SAY-dem) 8 - osem (AW-sem) 9 - devet (DAY-vet) 10 - deset (DAY-set) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-11 Address of Hemus Publishing Co. (by Teodora Davidova) You can send a fax with your questions concerning Bulgarian books and peridicals about folk Music and Bulgarian culture to: Bulgaria Sofia 1000 1b "Raiko Daskalov" Sq. HEMUS Co.,Inc. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-12 Cyrillic Fonts (by Greg Knight) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-5-12.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-13 Cyrillic fonts (by Penyo Penev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-5-13.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-1 Voice/fax numbers of the bulgarian embassy in US (by Alex Haralampiev) phone (202) 387-7969 fax (202) 234-7973 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-2 U.S. Information Sources On Bulgaria (source: Department of Commerce of the USA, Eastern Europe Business Bulletin, and Dennis McConnell) [Last updated: March 31, 1994] Bulgarian Embassy Commercial Office Boris Ratchev, Commercial Attache 1621 22nd Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20008 Tel: 202-332-6609 Fax: 202-462-8051 Telex: 21-15-61 Eastern Europe Business Information Center Room 7412 U.S. Department of Commerce 14th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 202-482-2645 Fax: 202-482-4473 U.S. Department of Commerce Jeremy Keller, Lynn Fabrizio Bulgaria Desk Officers Room 3413 14th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 202-482-4915 Fax: 202-482-4505 Bulgaria-U.S. Trade & Economic Council Kay Larcom, Executive Director U.S. Chamber of Commerce 1615 H Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20062 Tel: 202-463-5482 Fax: 202-463-3114 Bulgarian-American Enterprise Fund 333 West Wacker Drive, Suite 2080 Chicago, Illinois 60606 President and CEO: Frank L. Bauer Tel: 312.629.2500 Fax 312.629.2929 Address in Bulgaria: 3 Shipka Street 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Tel: [359-2] 44.18.62 Fax: [359-2] 44.30.18 Managing Director, Bulgaria: L. Searl Vetter For Consular Services Only (visas, consular law, etc.) Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Peychinov, Consular Officer 1621 22nd Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20008 Tel: 202-483-5885 Fax: 202-234-7973 Consular Office hours: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. Monday-Friday ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-3 Useful Contacts in Bulgaria (source: Department of Commerce of the USA, Eastern Europe Business Bulletin) American Embassy Sofia John Fogarasi, Commercial Attache No.1 Bulgaria Square NDK Administration Building, 5th Floor Sofia, Bulgaria (APO NY 09213-5740) Tel: 359-2-65-94-64 (or 359-2-88-48-01 ext. 307) Fax: 359-2-80-38-50 (or 80-19-77) Telex: 22690 BG Ministry of Industry & Trade Boris Nachev, International Trade Specialist 8, ul. Slavyanska 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Tel: 359-2-80-37-28 Fax: 359-2-89-76-05 Evgeni Kharalanov, U.S. Desk Officer Tel: 359-2-87-24-20 Fax: 359-2-89-76-05 Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Vladimir Lambrev, President 11A, A.Stamboliiski Blvd. 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Tel: 359-2-87-26-31 Fax: 359-2-87-32-09 Bulgarian-American Enterprise Fund Ms. L. Searle Vetter, Managing Director 3 Shipka Street Sofia, Bulgaria Tel: 359-2-44-18-62 Fax: 359-2-43-89-47 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-4 How to reach the Americal University in Bulgaria. (by Karen Colburn and Gregory Gouzev) These two addresses are taken from a brochure on the American University in Bulgaria, established 1991. ( copied here without permission ) 4 year Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Administration, Applied Economics, Computer Science, History, English, Political Science/International Relations, Journalism/Mass Communications. Accredited through the University of Maine, TOEFL and SAT or ACT required. American University in Bulgaria Blagoevgrad 2700, Bulgaria Tel.: (359) 73-23 652 (359) 73-20 968 Fax: (359) 73-25 218 American University in Bulgaria Office of Development 3243 Sutton Place N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 Tel.: (202) 686-9890 Fax: (202) 686-4538 e-mail domain name : aubg.bg For e-mail: There are two variants to try first: @aubg.bg and @nws.aubg.bg Yet the American University in Bulgaria is NOT connected to Internet via an TCP/IP link, therefore, there is no way you can find aliases, or an IP address for it. Sometimes local mailers reject 'aubg.bg' as a valid domain for this reason. What I found to work is: %aubg.bg@Bulgaria.eu.net Here are some names to use in case you have specific questions: valentin@... Mr. Valentin Shopov, Office of Communications and Computing danche@... Iordanka Melnikliyska, Admissions Officer watkins@... Ms. Watkins, the President of the University pstmaster@... Gets forwarded to Mr. Shopov. Thanks to: vogel@cogsci.edinburgh.ac.uk, daniel@digsys.bg, Wiktor Gonet (GONET@klio.umcs.lublin.pl), and Jeffrey Goldberg (goldberg@nytud.hu) for their invaluable help. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-5 What is the address of the Bulgarian chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery. The e-mail address for the Bulgarian chapter is: postmaster@acmbul.bg ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-6 How to reach the AAPBC (American Association for the Promotion of Bulgarian Culture)(by Mincho Tsankov) A A P B C American Association for the Promotion of BULGARIAN CULTURE The American Association for the promotion of Bulgarian Culture (AAPBC) is an American non-profit organization, founded in Washington, D.C., with international membership, which shall foster the culture of Bulgaria to take a deserved place among the cultures of the world. It shall be guided by the following principles: 1. AAPBC shall invariably serve as a reliable source of information concerning the culture of Bulgaria. 2. AAPBC shall facilitate the explanation and interpretation of the evolution of the culture of Bulgaria. 3. AAPBC shall support the creation of valuable works of culture and the advancement and dissemination of the culture of Bulgaria in all its aspects. 4. AAPBC shall make impartial efforts toward the preservation of all Bulgarian cultural treasures. For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-6-6.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-7 What is the address of the Fulbright Commission in Sofia 17, Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd. 1000 Sofia (The Commission's office is centrally located at the above address in the building of the Ministry of Culture, 3rd floor. It is opposite the Ministry of Education and Science and within walking distance of the American Embassy and the American Cultural Center). Office hours - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday Phone and Fax of the Fulbright Commission: 88-45-17 The Bulgarian-American Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange was established in February 1993 following the signing of a binational agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Bulgaria in November 1992. Although the youngest in Europe, the Commission will base its policy regarding planning, selection, and administration of the Ful- bright program on the experience of educational exchange between the U.S. and Bulgaria accumulated during the last 25 years and the needs of the dynamic present. The principles we have adopted are fully in tune with the spirit of the Fulbright initiative. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-8 Bulgarian Studies Association (by John Bell) [Last updated: March 31, 1994] The Bulgarian Studies Association of North America was founded in 1971 by a group of American and Canadian scholars concerned with Bulgarian subjects. Its purpose is to encourage academic investigation of Bulgaria, exchange information, and develop relations with Bulgarian scholars. The BSA organized the first joint meeting of North American and Bulgarian scholars at Madison, Wisconsin in 1973. This was followed by meetings in Varna, Boston, and Smolyan. The Fifth International Conference will be held in Pittsburgh 27-28 May, 1994. The BSA publishes a newsletter, appearing about four times each year, with information on the activities of the organization and its individual members. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in Bulgarian studies. Dues are $15.00 per year. Requests for membership should be sent to its secretary: Martha Forsyth, 51 Davis Avenue, West Newton, MA 02165-1925. The current president of the BSA is Prof. Dennis P. Hupchick, Department of History, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766. For further information by email, contact bell@umbc2.umbc.edu (John Bell) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7-1 Bulgaria's New Cabinet (as of December 1992) (source: Department of Commerce of the USA, Eastern Europe Business Bulletin) Note: There have been changes to the cabinet. Please keep this in mind. Prime Minister (Chairman of the Council of Ministers) : Lyuben Berov Ministry Minister -------------------------------------------------------------------- Trade Valentin Karabashev (Deputy Chairman) Transportation Kiril Ermenkov Labor/Social Welfare Evgeni Matinchev (Deputy Chairman) Foreign Affairs Stanislav Daskalov Environment Valentin Bosevski Industry Rumen Bikov Finance Stoyan Aleksandrov Defense Valentin Aleksandrov Interior Kosta Bogacevski Justice Petqr Kornajev Science & Higher Education Marko Todorov Culture Ivaylo Znepolski Agriculture Georgi Tanev Health Tancho Gugalov Territorial Development & Hristo Totev Construction ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7-2 How much taxes do Bulgarians pay (by Yulian Donchev) Za mesechni dohodi ot zaplati do 2000 leva - 20% za gornitsata nad 1250 leva do 6000 leva 150 leva + 24% za gornitsata nad 2000 leva do 12000 leva 1110 leva + 28% za gornitsata nad 6000 leva do 200000 leva 2790 leva + 32% za gornitsata nad 12000 leva do 400000 leva 5350 leva + 36% za gornitsata nad 20000 leva do 800000 leva 12550 leva + 40% za gornitsata nad 40000 leva do 125000 leva 28550 leva + 44% za gornitsata nad 80000 leva do 225000 leva 48350 leva + 48% za gornitsata nad 125000 leva nad 225000 leva 96350 leva + 52% za gornitsata nad 225000 leva Za godishni dohodi ot svobodni profesii do 24000 leva - 20% za gornitsata nad 15000 leva do 72000 leva 1800 leva + 24% za gornitsata nad 24000 leva do 144000 leva 13320 leva + 28% za gornitsata nad 72000 leva do 240000 leva 33480 leva + 32% za gornitsata nad 144000 leva do 480000 leva 64200 leva + 36% za gornitsata nad 240000 leva do 960000 leva 150600 leva + 40% za gornitsata nad 480000 leva do 1500000 leva 342600 leva + 44% za gornitsata nad 960000 leva do 2700000 leva 580200 leva + 48% za gornitsata nad 1500000 leva nad 2700000 leva 1156200 leva+ 52% za gornitsata nad 2700000 leva ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-1 How did Bulgaria perform at the 1992 Olympic Games. (by Dragomir R. Radev) GOLD ---- Ivan Ivanov Weightlifting 52 kg Nikolay Boukhalov Canoe 500 m singles Nikolay Boukhalov Canoe 1000 m singles SILVER ------ Valentin Getsov Free-style wrestling 68 kg Vessela Letcheva Air-Rifle Nonka Matova Smallbore Rifle - 3 positions Nikolai Peshalov Weightlifting 60 kg Yoto Yotov Weightlifting 67.5 kg Tsvetanka Khristova Discus DANIEL BOJINOV BOXING 48 KG BRONZE ------ Valentin Yordanov Free-Style Wrestling 114.5 lb. (???? kg) Maria Zdravkova (Grozdeva?) Air-Pistol Yordanka Donkova 100 m Hurdles Svilen Roussinov Boxing 201+ lb. (????? kg) Martin Marinov, Blagovest Stoyanov Canoe 500 doubles Stefan Botev Weightlifting 110 kg Comments: A TOTAL OF 16 MEDALS (3 GOLD, 7 SILVER, 6 BRONZE) In weightlifting (after all events) : 4 medals ONLY. In rhythmic gymnastics : NO medal Spelling : according to the official spelling used in the newspapers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-2 How did Bulgaria perform at the World Football (Soccer) Cups (by Karel Stokkermans) *** World Cup 1962 (Chile, May 30-June 17) FIRST PHASE Group IV (Rancagua) Argentina 1-0 Bulgaria 1.HUNGARY 3 2 1 0 8- 2 5 Hungary 2-1 England 2.ENGLAND 3 1 1 1 4- 3 3 Argentina 1-3 England 3.Argentina 3 1 1 1 2- 3 3 Bulgaria 1-6 Hungary 4.Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 1- 7 1 Argentina 0-0 Hungary (England takes quarterfinal spot ahead Bulgaria 0-0 England of Argentina on goal average.) *** World Cup 1966 (England, July 11-30) FIRST PHASE Group III (Liverpool and Manchester) Brazil 2-0 Bulgaria 1.PORTUGAL 3 3 0 0 9- 2 6 Portugal 3-1 Hungary 2.HUNGARY 3 2 0 1 7- 5 4 Hungary 3-1 Brazil 3.Brazil 3 1 0 2 4- 6 2 Portugal 3-0 Bulgaria 4.Bulgaria 3 0 0 3 1- 8 0 Portugal 3-1 Brazil Hungary 3-1 Bulgaria *** World Cup 1970 (Mexico, May 31-June 21) FIRST PHASE Group IV (Leon) Peru 3-2 Bulgaria 1.WEST GERMANY 3 3 0 0 10- 4 6 Morocco 1-2 West Germany 2.PERU 3 2 0 1 7- 5 4 Peru 3-0 Morocco 3.Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 5- 9 1 Bulgaria 2-5 West Germany 4.Morocco 3 0 1 2 2- 6 1 Peru 1-3 West Germany Bulgaria 1-1 Morocco *** World Cup 1974 (West Germany, June 13-July 7) FIRST PHASE Group III (D"usseldorf, Hannover and Dortmund) Sweden 0-0 Bulgaria 1.NETHERLANDS 3 2 1 0 6- 1 5 Uruguay 0-2 Netherlands 2.SWEDEN 3 1 2 0 3- 0 4 Netherlands 0-0 Sweden 3.Bulgaria 3 0 2 1 2- 5 2 Bulgaria 1-1 Uruguay 4.Uruguay 3 0 1 2 1- 6 1 Bulgaria 1-4 Netherlands Sweden 3-0 Uruguay *** World Cup 1986 (Mexico, May 31-June 29) FIRST PHASE Group I (Ciudad de Mexico and Puebla) Bulgaria 1-1 Italy 1.ARGENTINA 3 2 1 0 6- 2 5 Argentina 3-1 South Korea 2.ITALY 3 1 2 0 5- 4 4 Italy 1-1 Argentina 3.BULGARIA 3 0 2 1 2- 4 2 South Korea 1-1 Bulgaria 4.South Korea 3 0 1 2 4- 7 1 South Korea 2-3 Italy Argentina 2-0 Bulgaria 1/8 FINALS Ciudad de Mexico Mexico 2-0 Bulgaria ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-3 How did Bulgarian teams perform in the 1993-94 UEFA cups (by Dragomir R. Radev) 1st round (Sept. 15 and Sept. 29): Botev Plovdiv - *Olympiakos 2:3 1:5 (UEFA Cup) Glasgow Rangers - *Levski 3:2 1:2 (Champions' Cup) *CSKA - Balzers Liechtenstein 8:0 3:1 (Cup Holders' Cup) Lokomotiv Plovdiv - *Lazio 0:2 0:2 (UEFA Cup) Note: the teams marked with * advance to the second round. 2nd round (Oct. 20 and Nov. 3): Levski - *Werder Bremen 2:2 0:1 *Benfica - CSKA 3:1 3:1 Note: the teams marked with * advance to the third round. Source: rec.sport.soccer ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-4 Who are the most famous Bulgarian athletes of all times (by Dragomir R. Radev) I am accepting nominations for this entry. So far (not in any specific order); Georgi Asparuhov (Gundi) - football(soccer) Dan Kolov - wrestling Manuela Maleeva - tennis Magdalena Maleeva - tennis Katerina Maleeva - tennis Stefka Kostadinova - track & field (high jump) Yordanka Donkova - track & field (100 m hurdles) Nurair Nurikyan - weightlifting Stefan Botev - weightlifting Antonio Krqstev - weightlifting Naum Shalamanov (Naim Suleymanov) - weightlifting Stefan Topurov - weightlifting Hristo Markov - track & field (triple jump) Tanya Bogomilova - swimming Hristo Stoichkov - football(soccer) Yordanka Hristova - track & field (discus) Anelia Ralenkova - gymnastics Iliana Raeva - gymnastics Lili Ignatova - gymnastics Petqr Georgiev - diving ...and a lot more ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-5 How did the Bulgarian soccer team perform in the qualifications for WC 94? Bulgaria - France 2:0 France - Bulgaria 1:2 Bulgaria - Finland 2:0 Finland - Bulgaria 0:3 Bulgaria - Israel 2:2 Israel - Bulgaria 0:2 Bulgaria - Sweden 1:1 Sweden - Bulgaria 2:0 Bulgaria - Austria 4:1 Austria - Bulgaria 3:1 GROUP SIX: ~~~~~~~~~~ P W D L F A Pts GD Sweden 10 6 3 1 19 8 15 +11 Bulgaria 10 6 2 2 19 10 14 + 9 -------------------------------------------------- France 10 6 1 3 17 10 13 + 7 Austria 10 3 2 5 15 16 8 - 1 Finland 10 2 1 7 9 18 5 - 9 Israel 10 1 3 6 10 27 5 -17 (source: rec.sport.soccer) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-6 What is the schedule of the Bulgarian soccer team at WC 94? The groups are: A: USA, Switzerland, Colombia, Romania B: Brazil, Russia, Cameroon, Sweden C: Germany, Bolivia, Spain, South Korea D: Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, BULGARIA E: Italy, Ireland, Norway, Mexico F: Belgium, Morocco, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia The games for our group will be: June 21 Tuesday Foxboro Boston Argentina - Greece June 21 Tuesday Cotton Bowl Dallas Nigeria - Bulgaria June 25 Saturday Foxboro Boston Argentina - Nigeria June 26 Sunday Soldier Field Chicago Bulgaria - Greece June 30 Thursday Foxboro Boston Greece - Nigeria June 30 Thursday Cotton Bowl Dallas Argentina - Bulgaria 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie. After this round, there are four possibilities for Bulgaria depending on our rank in the group. 1st place: July 5 Boston vs. third place of groups B,E, or F 2nd place: July 5 New York vs. winner of group E 3rd place (only the best four 3rd placed teams qualify): July 3 Los Angeles vs. winner of group A OR July 4 San Francisco vs. winner of group B 4th place: Good luck for Euro'96 in England. 16 teams will qualify for the finals of the European Cup. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-7 What is the draw for Euro'96 (by Tsiel Ohayon) The Draw is out for the European Championships to be played in England in 1996. Group I France Romania Poland Israel Slovakia Azerbaijan Group II Denmark Spain Belgium Macedonia Cyprus Armenia Group III Sweden Switzerland Hungary Iceland Turkey Group IV Italy Ukraine Croatia Lithuania Estonia Slovenia Group V Netherlands Norway Czech Republic Belarus Malta Luxemburg Group VI Ireland Portugal Northern Ireland Austria Latvia Liechtenstien Group VII Germany Wales Bulgaria Georgia Armenia Moldova Group VIII Russia Greece Scotland Finland Faroe Islands San Marino England + 8 Group winners make it directly. The 6 Best runner ups make it as well. The 2 runner ups with the poorest record play off on neutral ground ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-1 Where's the Bulgarian club in Chicago (by Vassil Peytchev) This article was supposed to be written long time ago, but my ability to be totally desorganized has prevented me from doing it. Those who went to vote for President of Bulgaria in Chicago may remember that next to the voting place there is a restaurant called "Play it again, Sam". When I was there I met the owner - Hamid Rousev. He invited me to go there again some other time when we would have time to chat. This happened when the Mistery of Bulgarian Voices Choir came to Madison. A friend of mine was here from Duke U. who had a car, so we took three of the singers with us and went to Hamid's place. Learning that my friends were Bulgarians and moreover, folk singers, we were met with the traditional Bulgarian hospitality. At the next table were sitting other Bulgarians, who decided that the first round should be on them. We had Slivova, Grozdova, Shopska Salata, wine, etc. Hamid came to us and we started talking about this and that, how things are going in Bulgaria, where he was from, are there many Bulgarians in Chicago. Gradually more and more Bulgarians came in the place and sat at our table - some have been in the States for more than 30 years, others have just come `na gurbet'. While we were talking, Hamid expressed many of the thaughts Luben Boyanov shared with us in his first letter on the Bulgarian mailing list - about the way Bulgarians abroad don't keep in touch with each other, the lack of cooperation among them (or us?), etc. So he told me about his idea: he turned out to be the owner of the place where we voted and he wants to turn it into a Bulgarian Club, where one could find Bulgarian newspapers, meet other Bulgarians, find information about different things, even come for help and advice. He wants to create a computer directory of Bulgarians troughout the US, so that if someone has to go to a new place, he or she will have an emergency connection there. The evening continued with hora and folk songs, with the help of Kolyo, who is the regular keyboard player at Hamid's place, and with the wonderful voices of the singers. After spending more than 5 hours there, Hamid refused to get any money from us and wished us good luck on our way home, which we really needed. If anybody is interested in this place or has the opportunity of helping the establishment of this club, here are the phone and fax numbers and the address of `Play it again, Sam': Phone: (312)889-6088 Fax : (312)237-5444 7150 W. Grand Avenue Chicago, IL 60635 If there are similar places in other cities in the US or in Europe, it will be interesting to here about it. I am ready to make a summary of the places, so you can either post it here, or you can mail it to me at vassil@cs.wisc.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-2 Some advice from an American who visited Bulgaria in 1991 (by Rick Speer) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-9-2.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-3 Prices of buildings in Bulgaria (by Peter Yovchev) Note: as of June 1993. Predi vreme imashe ideya grupata da predlaga osven kulturna i politicheska sqshto i delova informaciya. Eto moyta pqrva skromna lepta : CENI NA KV. M. APARTAMENT V SOFIYA Centqr 16800 lv. Belite brezi ,Ivan Vazov, Hipodruma - 14500 lv. Zona B-5, Pavlovo , Zaharna fabrika - 13800 lv. Iztok , Serdika - 13000 lv. Geo Milev, Bqkston,Borovo,Banishora - 12000 lv. Razsadnika,Suha reka,Poduene - 9300 lv. Slatina - 8600 lv. Svoboda - 7700 lv. Musagenica,Vitosha, Kr.polyana,Izgrev,Dqrvenica,Ovcha kupel - 10800 lv. Knyajevo - 6700 lv. Levski -6200 lv. Mladost - 9600 lv. Lyulin - 7300 -9400 lv. Nadejda - 8600 - 10100 lv. Drujba - 7600 - 8100 lv. Obelya - 7000 lv. Hadji Dimitqr - 7400 lv. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-4 Prices of real-estate in Bulgaria (by Plamen Bliznakov) Eto i ceni, po koito se predlagat parceli v i okolo Sofiya (ot v-k "Pari", 28 juni 1993): BGL / kv.m. - Gornobanski p`t, 1000 kv.m. 1 300 - zad Mototehnika, 735 kv.m. 1 000 - Knyajevo, 800 kv.m. 800 - Malo Buchino, 800 kv.m. 350 - Pobit Kam`k, 800 kv.m. 300 - Voynyagovci, 1 400 kv.m. 450 Predlagat se s`shto parceli v`v Florida, USA: - Florida, USA, 20 dka, pravo na stroej, shose, tok 39 BGL / kv.m. Kakto vijdate, parcelite v Malo Buchino sa dalech po- sk`pi ot tezi v`v Florida (e, Evropa si e Evropa !). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-5 How to use credit cards in Bulgaria (by Plamen Bliznakov) During my two-week stay in Bulgaria I tried to check how cash could be obtained from a cradit card account or by cashing a traveller's cheque. First, there was an office of American Express recently established in Sofia. It is located at Batemberg square, at the former office of Yugoslavian airlines JAT. One can obtaing emergency cash from his/her account in this office. I am not sure what is the commission they take for that service. Almost $ 1000 were available to me. Second, Balkantourist is a travel representative of AMEX, offering many services in their office on 1, Vitosha Blvd., including traveller's mail, cashing traveller's cheques, getting cash from AMEX credit card account, etc. They charge 1 % commission + 10 BGL per traveller's cheque for cashing the latter. If you want to use your AMEX charge card, it will cost you 4.5 % commission, and you can get cash only in Bulgarian leva, according to Balkantourist rate. Several other exchange bureaus also can give you Bulgarian leva charging your credit card account (AMEX, Visa, Mastercard), but all I have seen charge 8 % commission. AMEX traveller's cheques can be cashed in some banks as well. One of them is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which has an office on the 3 floor of EuropaPalace Hotel (former Hotel Rila) in the center of Sofia. First Private Bank also cashes AMEX as well as Mastercard traveller's cheques. You can check with Balkan Air Tours (the office of Balkan Airlines at Sofiyska Communa St.) for cashing AMEX and Eurocheques. Credit cards are accepted for payments of airline tickets at offices of Balkan Airlines, as well as by many travel agencies. Yoy can also use major cards for purchases at CUM and some other stores (e.g., Boujour chain of Stambouli brothers - Cypruss). You can certainly use a credit card at the duty free shops (e.g., at Sofia airport). In a TV interview they also said that a chain of private gas stations now under construction will also start accepting credit cards. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-6 How much does it cost to fly from the USA to Bulgaria and back (by Plamen Bliznakov) Flights on Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Effective Sep 01, 1993 Schedule : Eastbound Mon, Fri JFK-SOF LZ602 18:30 - 10:00+1 Westbound Mon, Fri SOF-JFK LZ601 11:00 - 13:45 Shoulder Season Low Season 9/01 - 10/31 11/01 - 12/10 12/10 - 1/04 1/05 - 3/31 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From JFK - Economy class Round-trip travel, Stay up to 1 month 669 640 2 months 734 691 4 months 840 798 6 months 924 882 1 year 1,300 1,300 One way 578 525 From JFK - Business class Round-trip travel 1,300 1,300 One way 700 700 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sofia-JFK, tickets issued in the USA - Economy class Round-trip travel, Stay up to 1 month 618 599 2 months 647 627 Pre-paid tickets Sofia-JFK, tickets issued in Bulgaria but paid in the USA 4 months 786 762 6 months 871 846 1 year 952 952 One way 537 537 Business class Round-trip 952 952 One way 619 619 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes - New York City Airport tax : $ 21 for round-trips, $ 9 for one way EB, $ 15 for one way WB - Departures - JFK Airport-International Building - East wing terminal (Air Lingus) - Infants (no seat) pay 20 %, children pay 67 % of adult fare - Tickets are restricted, cancelation penalties apply. Fare subject to change - Pre-paid tickets from Sofia : add $ 20 per person - Baggage allowance : 2 pieces, each max 70 lb. Extra piece : $ 81 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-7 Can Bulgarians exchange leva for hard currency (by Vassil Peychev) You can buy any amount of dollars from a "Change" office, which are everywhere in the bigger cities. However, to be able to get the currency out of the country you need a document, certifying where you have it from - for this, you need an international passport (no visa), and the limit is 10,000 lv. However, you can usually get away with a slightly higher amount, and in my experience the customs officers don't care. If you bring currency in, you can take it out with your entry customs form, so don't throw it away! P.S. Some numbers look suspicious to me (e.g., prices for a round-trip travel with a stay up to 1 year are the same for Economy class and for Business class; also, two one-ways are cheaper than one 1-year round-trip travel). However, this are the prices which the agency my wife works at received officially. I might ask her to verify some specific figures if there is interest. Also, soon the limit will be 50,000 leva, and if you need the money for medical care abroad or for education, there is no limit - but I guess this would involve some unpleasant amount of paperwork. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-8 Bringing electrical devices to Bulgaria (by Dragomir R. Radev) Be careful when bringing electrical appliances from the U.S. to Bulgaria. The voltage there (as in the rest of Europe) is 220 V. Don't lose your equipment to the high voltage! In addition to this, note that the frequency used in Bulgaria is 50 Hz, not 60 Hz. In addition to this, please note that plugs (and outlets) in Bulgaria are different than those in the U.S. So, even if your computer (VCR, or whatever) can operate at 220 V, you will still need a special plug (it's better to purchase it before coming to Bulgaria, since you might not be able to find one there). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-9 Visit to Varna (by Austin Kelly) Some advice from an American who lived in Bulgaria in 1992-1993 (by Austin Kelly) The following is based on 9 months of teaching at the Technical and Economics Universities of Varna, and a limited amount of traveling throughout Bulgaria in the 1992-93 academic year. While I can relate my experiences, bear in mind that there is an enormous amount of diversity in Bulgaria - take all advice with big grains of salt. First piece of advice - go there, and travel around. The Black Sea Coast is beautiful year round, and has excellent swimming from July through September (June or October if you are really lucky). The mountains are beautiful for hiking, hunting, or skiing in the Winter. And the art and architecture of the monasteries is not to be missed. Most of the large state-owned hotels charge rip-off prices ($100-$200) to foreigners. In Sofia the Sheraton, the New Otani, and to a lesser extent, the Grand Hotel and Park Hotel Moskva provide high standards at high prices. The other big hotels provide the high prices, but don't bother with the service. Private hotels provide a much better correlation between price and service. In Turnovo the Hotel Veliko Turnovo charges stiff prices ($80 dbl) but gives good service in return, as does the Grand Hotel Varna in Sveti Konstantin. The other big hotels in Sveti Konstantin and Golden Sands are badly overpriced. There are alternatives to consider. In Sofia there is a very small hotel between the airport and downtown attached to the Archeological Institute, called the Hotel Kedar (Cedar, as in Cedars of Lebanon). The rooms are small but clean, the prices are cheap, the staff speaks French or German, and its on a main tram line. Another alternative are private accomodation bureaus. BG Tours in Varna booked me into a wonderful room near Sveti Konstantin for $8.00 US a night - it was a short walk downhill (a LONGER walk back uphill) to the beaches, and the balcony looked out on the Black Sea. The owners spoke no foreign language that I recognized but we got along great. If you're really on the cheap universities will rent out any available dorm rooms at around $2 or $3 a night - the trick is connecting with the right person. If you speak Bulgarian or Russian ask a cab driver, etc. the way to the nearest obshezhitie (dormitory) and negotiate with the front desk. If not, try any coffee shop at the university for an English speaker and start asking around. Car rentals are not cheap ($30-$40 a day for a Lada with a manual) but are plentiful. They will advise you to remove your windshield wipers when parked, leave no valuables or packages in the car, and always set the alarm. TAKE THEIR ADVICE. Long-distance buses are fast, comfortable and inexpensive. In Sofia long-distance buses congregate around the Novotel Europa, in Varna they are either at the Cherno More Hotel or near the Cathedral. Trains are slow but generally not too bad (if you ignore the odor in the restrooms). You can probably get around pretty well without a car. Balkan flights between Varna and Sofia are frequent, several a day, more or less on time, and cost $65.00 one-way last time I checked. Balkan's Sofia JFK flights are extremely comfortable. Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Air France, CSA (Czech Slovak), Malev (Hungarian), LOT (Polish) all fly to Sofia. Lufthansa and Balkan treated me fairly well in Sofia, the staff at Air France were obnoxious, and CSA put me through hell like you wouldn't believe. Malev offers discounts to students under 26 for flights throughout E. Europe. In general, flights within E. Europe are much cheaper than to W. Europe. Balkan charged about $200 less r/t Sofia Bratislava than Sofia Vienna, for instance. In general, supplies for tourists are plentiful. If you have a favorite American brand of deodorant or shampoo, bring it. Most of the imports are Turkish, Italian, or German. There are plenty of places selling Kodak and Fuji film, Sony cassettes, etc. Outside of the expensive parts of Sofia fluffy white toilet paper is rare - always keep some with you. Money changing places are ubiquitous - most charge no commission for cash and deal in cash only. Banks charge commissions - some take traveler's checks - a few do credit card cash advances. The commission for these services can be stiff (5%- 8% for traveler's checks). Shop around a little for rates and commissions - there's not a lot of variability but a few places will try to rip you off. NEVER deal with the "change money?" boys, unless you want a handful of Yugoslav dinars, the most worthless currency on earth. Maps in German or English can be found in the touristy areas. The guide to E. Europe published in Berkeley has a pretty good section on Bulgaria. Many people in Sofia and on the Black Sea speak a little English or German - a few know French or Italian. If you know Russian you're all set. Try to at least learn the Cyrillic alphabet - it won't take long and it will make reading train and bus schedules a hell of a lot easier. Crime against persons is rare by the standard of someone living in Washington D.C. (me). I walked around late at night in Varna for 9 months and never felt threatened. The only "crime hotspot" that I know of is near the Hotel Pliska in Sofia. Don't be stupid - don't flash money or jewelry around, etc., and you should be OK. Property crime is more common, and thefts of or from autos seems to be a Bulgarian specialty. VOA and BBC are on FM in Sofia - VOA is on 89.3 FM in Varna, at least for a few hours a day. A small pocket short-wave radio is a good idea, but FM will get you the news in English in at least a few places. The International Herald Tribune is 1 day behind in Sofia, 2 in Varna. There are weekly business newspapers in English published in Sofia. The scarcity of goods in Bulgaria is pretty much over (although a scarcity of money remains!). The most appreciated gifts that I found were books in English (literature, travel, culture, and, especially, business), booze with official US or British tax stamps attached (so the recipient knew it wasn't adulterated swill), and cassettes or CD's of "uncommon" music, ie Blues or Bluegrass anthologies, rare Rock cuts, etc. Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, R.E.M. and Jesus and Mary Chain are available for $1.50 on cassette all over Bulgaria. In downtown Sofia, Veliko Turnovo, Nessebur, or Golden Sands people are pretty much jaded towards visiting foreigners. Many are quite friendly, a few are rude or hostile, and a lot are indifferent. If you go anywhere smaller, especially the places that Bulgarians think tourists should see, like the ruins at Pliska, the Madara horseman, or hiking the Rodope mountains, or if you ride the 2nd class train compartment to Varna you'll find a lot of people who are still fascinated that an American is kicking around in their country. They'll do all they can to help. Its worth the trip. By the way, to continue with a couple of threads that I read today: In June in Varna matchbooks were being used by shops in place of 50 stotinki pieces - a tram ride in Sofia was 2 lv, and jeans were around 500 Lev. Bulgarian folk music is alive and well. The Restaurant Liverpool on Ul. Dubrovnik in Varna has a live band on Fri. and Sat., the private radio station I worked for in Varna (Kannal Komm) played Bulgarian folk on week-ends and holidays, and in May and June every restaurant in Varna was booked on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for weddings, and every wedding had a band playing folk music. Country-western and Speed Metal haven't completely displaced Bulgarian folk. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-10 Visit to Bulgaria (by Jan Terziyski) The airport is 3km from the Sofia living areas (Druzhba, Iskyr, etc.). The buses depart every 20min, but in the rush hours you can get on for 5 min or so. Tickets ARE AVAILABLE on board, but one has to by a bunch of ten or five to ease the driver who may not have change. For the tourists who have reserved rooms in bigger hotels by travelling agency, there are buses going directly to the hotel(I know about Varna, but such a service should be available in Sofia). There are 4 main international roads, used by tourists and cargo-trucks: Kalotina-Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad, Vidin-Sofia-Kulata, Russe-Pleven-Sofia-Kulata and Russe-Sliven-(to Turkey and to Greece). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-11 Tourist Information Off-peak Europe in brief [...] During the winter, there's top skiing (Borovets has been the site of World Cup competitions) plus a Christmas and New Year's Festival in the country's 5,000-year-old capital, Sofia. Come spring, Black Sea resorts are magnets for vacationing Europeans. Year-round, Bulgaria is on of the best bargains in Europe. In fact, a seven-day air/land package (New York-Sofia) starts as low as $825 per person. Ski Bulgaria packages - offered by Balkan Holidays - start as low as $1,000 per person, including roundtrip airfare to Sofia, six nights' first-class accomodations, breakfast and dinner daily, equipment rental and lift passes, and ski-school tuition. Best shopping buys include antiques, leather goods, perfume, ceramics and woordcrafts. Bulgarian Tourist Information Center: 41 East 42nd St., Suite 508, New York, NY 10017, (212) 573-5530 Source: NYT supplement "Your invitation to Europe", October 10, 1993 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-12 Visa Information Archive (by Vadim Maslov) Use anonymous FTP to site: ftpv.cs.umd.edu directory: pub/cyrillic ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-13 Where is the Travel Information Archive Use anonymous FTP to site: ftp.cc.umanitoba.ca file description: rec.travel archives ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-14 A Journey Through Romania and Bulgaria (by Melissa Harris) Portico, The College of Architecture and Urban Planning Newsletter University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Spring/Summer 1993 A JOURNEY THROUGH ROMANIA AND BULGARIA by Melissa Harris While teaching for a semester at the Technical University of Vienna, Melissa Harris, an assistant professor of architecture, and three graduate students from the College took a two-week trip to Romania and Bulgaria. (...) So why go? Adventure. Yes. I was also interested in seeing the vernacular architecture of these countries. But most intriguing was a strong urge to be inside cultures which have been historically oppressed and yet remained beautifully productive. Being immersed in extremes often generates interesting revelations. Extreme contrast, engaging the edges and touching, even briefly, opposite ends of various spectra are the essential characteristics of this trip. First a quick introduction to my three companions on this adventure - all graduate students at Michigan studying architecture for a semester at the Technical University in Vienna. Ted, the forward man, confident and charismatic. Susan, a blossoming talent, thoughtful and analytical. And Dave, whose wisdom seemed to comfort us, like a blanket of security, at all the right times. It wasn't long before each of us realized that a larger group could take risks far too dangerous for someone traveling alone. (Part related to travel through Romania is posted on s.c.r.) Bulgaria welcomed us back to lands of negotiable travel. Everything was impressive about our introduction to Sofia. We got right to our destination by tram and within a half hour had secured two double rooms for the night, rented a car for the next morning and changed money. On the way to our great rooms in a family's apartment we picked up wonderful fruit. How very thankful we were for a shower and a bed. After showers and some fresh fruit, we set out to explore downtown Sofia. The city seemed to be prospering, with streets full of cafes, vendors and color. Though l am sure it is prevalent, hardship was not nearly so obvious as it was in Romania. What was prevalent were former monuments to fallen Communist leaders. Many of these buildings are being put to other uses or house new governments, but some remain empty. A specific monument, the former mausoleum which housed the embalmed body of Georgi Dimitrov (Bulgaria's first Communist leader) has now become an outdoor toilet. When protests mounted in 1990, his body was removed and cremated. The mausoleum sits on an elevated base with a surrounding arcade. Between the columns and the building, feces has accumulated. There isn't much trash, only human waste. Questions about the relationship between form and a building's successive uses resurfaced. Walking around the building, the new use seemed quite logical. The columns are wide enough to provide privacy and the width between them and the building just wide enough for passage while someone might be relieving themselves. It is slated to become a museum. After we had walked around in the rain seeing former monuments, the Alexander Nevsky church, more Roman ruins, and basically getting a sense of the downtown, we decided to eat in a fancy restaurant in the Grand Hotel Bulgaria built in the `30s. The circular dining space had a dated but somehow trendy feel with balcony seating around a two story space which opened to a great skylight. As the meal progressed and we became buddies with our waiter, he treated us to the main feature of the space. The huge circular skylight actually opened mechanically to the sky. Though it was still rainingabit, he opened it partially so we could get the idea. Must be glorious in the summer. The next morning we picked up our car and were reassured that it would be no problem that our only road map for Bulgaria was in the Latin alphabet not Cyrillic,which Bulgaria uses. Other maps and street signs we had seen were only in Cyrillic, an alphabet which at first glance to an uninformed Westerner looks like the swearing from a cartoon character's mouth. No, no problem, signs will have both. Rila Monastery was our first destination. We beat all the tourist buses by an hour and therefore had it to ourselves initially. Situated on a mountain cliff, the views were spectacular. Essentially a wall of rooms rings the church in the middle, forming a protected exterior court. The most impressive space was the kitchen. It was as though you walked into an oven, sized to cook whole humans. The ceiling scalloped as it rose nearly 45 feet into a chimney. The pans sat on large fire places and were more than eight feet in diameter. Before departure I got a bus driver to write out all the cities we would be passing through in Cyrillic. The car rental agency was quite wrong. We saw few Latin letters once we left Sofia. Despite the fact that we now had critical translations, we had to stop at the base of every major road sign so we could hold up our printed destination and compare it with the sign. >From Rila we headed to Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest but perhaps most beautiful city. Cobblestone streets twisted to accommodate the grade. An interesting attitude toward architectural history pervades the city. There are literally layers of time incorporated in the buildings. When a ruin is uncovered, they weave it into the current life of the city - assigning new functions like a cafe or a stair. Next stop was the Black Sea. We had no reservations, so it became a race to get to Nessebar before the Balkan tourist office closed. Ted was driving. We almost flew through the stunning countryside, traveling first through mountains and then rolling farm lands, ultimately ending in flat fields close to the sea. As in Plovdiv the night before, we convinced the hotel woman in Nessebar that we could fit four people in a double room despite the rules. She finally agreed as long as we were out before eight in the morning when her shift changed. She wanted no part of the story if we were caught. The actual sea coast was forgettable, but both Nessebar and Sozopol had hundreds of beautiful wooden seaside houses which sat on stone bases. The overhangs were large enough to protect the rooms from sun and wind, The wood frame was filled with tiny wood slats and overlaid once more with thin battens every two feet or so. These elegant structures represented at one time very progressive ideas about living, containing unprecedented spaces for women who had just given birth. We ate wonderful fresh fish that night. Our waiter took great care of us, even running out to a cafe to get us chocolate cake for dessert. Bulgaria rekindled my interest in vernacular architecture. In fact, it reminded me of what I love about the mountains of North Carolina. The buildings have a direct, clear relationship with the land and with the function they house. As we drove through the Valley of the Roses (near Veiliko Tarnovo), we stopped in many small towns - Arbanassi, Zeravna, Gabrovo. Each seemed to have a subtle and specific architectural response to its location. Our last night in Bulgaria was the best. It provided us a beautiful place to rest, to reflect, and to cook ourselves a meal. Now that the trip was almost over, we had learned to call ahead for accommodations. When the woman in Nessebar heard that we were traveling by car, she said, "I have a place for you." A small town she likened to a museum because of its houses, Bozenci was just a few miles outside Veiliko Tarnovo, our destination for the final day. Bring your own food, she advised, because there is nothing there. A man named Stephan will be waiting for you in the square. We tried to tell her we were not sure when we would arrive, but she insisted. He would be waiting. We stopped at a big roadside market near Gabrovo and bought eight pork chops, three loaves of bread, olives, and fruit. That was the entire choice. We had no idea if we could cook them at our place or not. Spring had exploded on the hills of Bozenci and the smell of white blossoms filled the air. We followed the map the Nessebar woman had scratched out for us. It didn't show much: a road, a center square with a well, a nother road and the house. We got out and walked up the hill which seemed to be the road of Stephan's house. Wonderful view from the top, but no Stephan and no house which looked like the photos she had shown us. We split up, with assigned territories to cover. My job was to understand the woman worKing in the post office, who had begun helping us. I was trying to decide if she was connected to Stephan. I began to draw as I spoke, illustrating each part of my narrative: calling from Nessebar, securing a house from Stephan, what the agreed price was, its location, etc. When she finally shook her head and led me out of the lobby, I heard Sue yelling from the top of a hill, "I found Stephan." And so she had, and with him our little two-bedroom house with a porch overlooking the mountain side. We moved in quicily, reveling in the luxury of our own place, the view, the cleanliness, and its intimacy. Dinner was started immediately. Cooking for ourselves was an indescribable pleasure. Dave's ingenuity with rice rewarded us with a terrific dinner overlooking the mountains, now dotted with perfumed flowers. We toasted our collective spirit of adventure and the amazing luck with which we had been blessed. You don't hear or read much about Bulgaria. But city after city, street after street, we uncovered stunning views and wonderful architecture preserved through layers of time and movements. We rarely saw other tourists. Bulgaria is a country where one can still afford to eat five course meals, have coffee in an outdoor cafe overlooking a Roman amphitheater and the entire city below, tour castles and museums, and dance all night for 50 cents. I will see Bulgaria again in my lifetime, Back in Vienna I saw this city in a new way, imagining it as home. Thinking back over our experiences in both countries, Bulgaria pales against Romania - not because of what either had to offer, but because, for me, people transcend place, architecture, and accommodation. Our personal experiences with people were all Romanian. It just turned out that way this time. Perhaps this addresses the question of how issues of the human spirit relate to architecture. The power of people to impart significant meaning, memory and experience far surpasses the ability of architecture to do the same. One is merely a stage for the other. But both possess a spirit which affects everyday life. The Arad waiting room will haunt my visions and inform my conceptions of public spaces for years. I relearned a valuable lesson for someone committed to visual education. Drawing not only connects people to their own thoughts and sights, but also to other people. Those people then frame the experience and experience structures the story. After all, as John Barth said, "The story of your life is not your life. It is your story." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-15 Eastern Europe (by Evelyn Leeper) This travelogue, as well as the one by Mark Leeper (see 9-16 below) are very long and include other countries as well. That is why I chose not to split the files but instead keep them in the ftp archive. For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-9-15.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-16 Eastern Europe (by Mark Leeper) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-9-16.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-17 Bulgarian Cafe in San Francisco (by Dimitqr Bojanchev) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-9-17.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-18 Bulgarian Folk Dance Club in Buffalo, NY, USA (by Barbara Dintcheff) Zdravai ot Buffalo, New York! Ako doidite v Buffalo, New York, ilati da igraite narodni hora i rachenitsi. Nie se sabranie vseki Petek ot 8 vecherta na Universitet na Buffalo. Nie znaem starite Bqlgari i mnogoto novite Bqlgari okolo Buffalo. Tuka e oshte informatsia: We are the International Folk Dance Club At the University at Buffalo Main Street (South) Campus Diefendorf Hall - Ground Floor, usually Room 2 Fridays 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. 8 - 9 = Teaching 9 - 11 = Request Dancing Free Admission Last Meeting of 1993: 12/17/93 Next Meeting: 1/7/94 Contact: Barbara Dintcheff (H) 716-675-0203 (W) 716-887-2520 dintchef@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-19 Magazine for Bulgarians abroad NOVO IZDANIE ZA BQLGARITE V CHUZHBINA Moja poznata, raboteshta v Agencijata za bqlgarite v chuzhbina, mi izprati pqrvija za 1994 g. broj na spisanie "Ek" - izdanie za bqlgarite v chuzhbi- na. Po nejna molba postvam sqdqrzhanieto na tozi broj, kakto i koordinatite na Agencijata - v sluchaj, che njakoi pozhelae da se abonira. Spisanieto e bogato iljustrirano i pokriva raznoobrazni vqprosi - kultura, politika, is- torija. Pqrvijat broj mozhete da poluchite bezplatno, ako pishete do Agenci- jata. Eto tekstqt na obrqshtenieto na redakcijata kqm bqlgarite v chuzhbina: Skqpi sqnarodnici, Spisanie "Ek" e nasheto novo izdanie, prednaznacheno za bqlgarite v chuzhbina i za vsichki prijateli na Bqlgarija, poznavachi na nejnata is- torija i kulturni tradicii. Vremeto, koeto otmina, ne mozha da zacherkne cennostite v nasheto minalo; tjah "Ek" shte izdirva i podnasja na svoite chitateli bez premql- chavane i bez retush. Nared s budnija pogled kqm staroto, kqm vsichki onezi sqbitija i imena, napravili vqzmozhna sqprotivata na duhovnostta sreshtu bezduhovnoto v godinite na totalitarnata dqrzhava, spisanieto shte osvedo- mjava za aktualnite javlenija v obshtestvenija zhivot na Bqlgarija, v sfera- ta na naukata, kulturata, socialnite otnoshenija, politikata, ikonomikata, biznesa, religijata i t.n. Sqshtevremenno namerenieto na spisvashtite e da predostavi tribuna na zaselnicite v chuzhbina i na vidni bqlgaristi za cho- veshki i profesionalni kontakti, za tvorcheska izjava. Shte se radvame, ako projavite interes kqm spisanieto. Tozi digest shte izliza v shest knizhki godishno, bogato iljustriran. Zhelaeshtite da go poluchavat redovno mogat da se abonirat za 1994. Cenata na abonamenta v US$ e: Severna i Juzhna Ame- rika - $52, Afrika i Azija - $48, Evropa - $45, Avstralija - $58, kato ce- nata vkljuchva i poshtenskite razhodi. Nomerqt na nashata bankova smetka e 621 422 060 300-1, BVTB (Bqlgarska vqnshnotqrgovska banka). Adresqt na izdatelite: Agency for Bulgarians Abroad bul. Dondukov 2, Sofia 1000 BULGARIA tel. (359 2) 800 955, 819 011 fax (359 2) 819 177 Dokolkoto uspjah da razbera, Agencijata polzva i E-mail, no ne razpolagam s adresa; znam samo, che sa vqrzani za @sprint.com; ako njakoj mozhe da im izdiri tochnija adres, njama da e zle. Eto i sqdqrzhanieto na pqrvija broj: Boris Hristov: spodeleni otkrovenija. (statija ot Georgi Danailov i intervju s golemija bqlgarski operen pevec malko predi smqrtta mu). Milcho Leviev: dvuposochen bilet do Los Angeles. Avtor: Vladimir Gadzhev. Statija za naj-izvestnija ni jazz-pianist. Konstantin Shtqrkelov - carjat na akvarela. Avtor: Maksimilijan Kirov. Boris Dimovski: Svobodata se meri po dqlzhinata na usmivkata. Izvestnijat nash karikaturist B. Dimovski pishe za sebe si i za smeshnite aspekti na vremeto, v koeto zhiveem. Ilinden v nacionalnata istorija na bqlgarite. Avtor: Hristo Siljanov Solunskite sqzakljatnici. Avtor: Georgi Danailov Misli na edin stoletnik - Hristo Obbov. Bojan Penev - nezabravenijat. (Za literaturnija kritik ot 20-te B. Penev.) Djavolska karuca (razkaz) - Ljubomir Kanov (USA) Apolonija '93. Avtor: Hristo Bucev. Pregled na festivala na iskust- vata "Apolonija". Intelektualecqt i politikata - interview s Vera Mutafchieva. Rilskijat manastir prijuti cqrceto na Car Boris III. - snimki i tekst ot okonchatelnoto pogrebenie na sqrceto na poslednija bqlgarski monarh v Svetata Rilska obitel prez 1993. Po sledite na stara Sofija. Avtor: Georgi Kanazirski. Spomeni ot zhivota na sofijanci prez 30-te i 40-te. Ako zazhalish njakoj den... (Stari gradski pesni). Za slona, boata, i oshte neshto. (Statija za njakoi bqlgarski obichai). Avtor: Cenka Jordanova. Tanc s letva (za Stefka Kostadinova, svetovna shampionka na visok skok) Kulturni vesti. Pravna konsultacija (Nedvizhima sobstvenost v Bqlgarija pri sto- panska dejnost na bqlgari ot chuzhbina) Politicheski pregled. List za zapoznavane s chitatelite. (neshto kato anketa - dosta inte- resna). Sqshtestvuva oshte edno specializirano izdanie za bqlgarite v chuzhbina - naricha se "Pismo ot Bqlgarija", izdava se ot fondacija "Otvoreno obshte- stvo" (Open Society Fund - Sofia) i mozhete da go poluchite chrez e-mailski request. Pishete do: ososo@bgcict.bitnet Subject: "Pismo ot Bqlgarija" ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-20 Bulgarian Rock Groups (by Peter Yovchev) Toku shto kachih na magdanoz novi dve parcheta bqlgarski rok. Tova sa parchetata 'Sladoledeno momiche' ot ednoimenniya album na grupa 'Okazion' i 'Emigrant' ot albuma 'MEDICUS vol 1.' na grupa "Medikus". 'Okazion' sa: Boreto Daskalov /bodaska/ - vokali, klavishni Georgi Anastasov /juji/ - bas Galin Popov - kitara priyateli - Niki Arabadjiev - kitari, Boyo - efekti i ritqm, moya milost - klavishni i dr. 'Medikus' sa: Niki Tankov - vokal, piano, klavishni, mouth thrumpet Koceto Georgiev - bandjo, ak. kitara, fleyta, kaval, vokali Venci Veznikov - el.kitara, bas, vokali Emo Mishev - barabani Iliycho Hristov - perkusiya i govorene na gluposti priyateli - Toni,Veso/Ekoto/,Doni i mnogo drugi. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-21 Scholarship sources (by Dennis McDonnell) The following suggestions are in response to the inquiry from Austin Kelly regarding scholarships/fellowships for students from Eastern Europe. For those of you affiliated with a univers- ity, the Office of International Programs is usually the best source of information. In addition to scholarships and fellowships, tuition waivers are often available for foreign students. Three inter- esting programs are the Alexander Hamilton Fellow- ship Program, the John Marshall Fellowship Program, and the Edmund Muskie Fellowship Program. The Hamilton and Marshall programs are exchange programs for graduate students, young faculty and profession- als from selected Eastern European Countries and the Baltics to come to the U.S. for research and train- ing. The program is administered by the Council for International Exchanges of Scholars in Washington. Ms. Katie Tremper is the contact at [202] 686-4016. The Muskie program provides graduate scholarships for study in the U.S. in business administration, economics, law and public administration. Targeted countries include the Baltics, Transcaucasia, the Central Asian Republics, Belarus, Moldova, and Russia. The program is administered by the American Council of Teachers of Russian [ACTR] and the con- tact is Pam Snyder at [202] 833-7522. An excellent continuing source of information is Funding Alert, published by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business every month. Most accredited business schools probably subscribe to the publica- tion [$425 per year]. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-1 What did Leland Buxton write about Bulgarians (by Luben Boyanov) From "The Black Sheep of the Balkans", by Leland Buxton, 1920. pp 94-96. Chapter IV - 'Vae Victis' "The Bulgarians, though believed to be of Turanian origin, have been so completely Slavised that they may now be regarded as a branch of the Southern Slavs, with whom they must eventually throw in their lot. So efficient have they shown themselves to be, during the last fifty years, in almost every field except those of propaganda and diplomacy, that many people besides themselves have thought them entitled to become the leading power in the Balkans. This was always an idle dream. Even if they had obtained possession of Macedonia it could never have become a permanent reality, for they are less numerous than the Serbs, the Romanians, or the Greek. But a Southern Slav Federation, including an autonomous Bulgaria and an autonomous Macedonia with ports on the Aegean, would be an effective barrier against any Central European Imperialism on the north and against Hellenic Imperialism on the south, thus insuring Slav predominance in the Balkans. It is unwise to express any other opinion, favourable or otherwise, of the Bulgarians, for any one who does so is suspected of being a dupe either of the Bulgarians themselves or of their enemies. To some people the Bulgar is so objectionable and inhuman that they become almost frenzied in their attempts to describe him; to others he appears to combine the virtues of Don Quixote, St. Anthony, and the Admirable Crichton. Impartial writers, however, usually describe him as industrious, practical, tenacious, patient, courageous, honest and truthful; but silent, unexpansive, grasping, and obstinate. He compels admiration rather than affection, but Englishmen generally find him, in spite of his impenetrable reserve, less irritating than some of his neighbours. He does not, however, possess the attractive manners of the Serb or the Albanian. To the French temperament he is antipathetic, and it was unfortunate for Bulgaria that the country has been mainly in French occupation instead of British or Italian. Middle class Bulgars, most of whom are sons of peasants, are often painfully self-conscious and too much aware of their lack of polish, and their unfortunate desire to keep up appearances sometimes creates an impression of snobbishness." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-2 Book about Bulgarian history (by Luben Boyanov) "The Bulgarians in their historical, ethnographical and political frontiers 679 - 1917" {"Bulgarite v tehnite istoricheski, etnografski i politicheski granitzi 679 - 1917"} Actually, the format is a bit "strange" (31x29) as this is a collection of 40 maps, each one commented in 4 languages: German, English, French and Bulgarian. THere are 14 pages preface in those 4 languages by D Rizov - Minister of Bulgaria in Berlin at that time (1917). The edition is excellent - the paper, the comments in 4 languages (BTW, the Bulgarian is in the old style) and I fear that there will be need of another reprint as the 5000 books, won't be around for a long time. The price is 37.70 leva but this is something definately worthed to have hold of, in case one has any interest on the history and problems of the Balkans in the past. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-3 Who is John Atanasoff (by Luben Boyanov) Subject: The inventor of the modern digital computer - of Bulgarian origin The name John Atanasoff is not very well known but this is the man who has created the modern digital computer. 50 years have passed since John Atanasoff has created the first digital computer. President Bush has awarded the 1990 National prize for Technical achievement, - the highest American Technical award (I've used non-English text to translate the name of the prize so the correct name of the award may be a different one) to Prof. John Atanasoff. For long time it has been considered that the first electronic digital computer was ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) and one can find that name in almost any Computer Science books as the first example of the first generation digital computer systems. ENIAC was built at the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of John Mauchly and J. P. Eckert. Work on ENIAC began in 1943 and it was completed in 1946. However, in the early seventies it was proven that the ideas behind ENIAC were taken from the ABC (Atanasoff-Berry Computer) computer. John Atanasoff was born in Hamilton, New York in 1903. He was educated at the University of Florida, Iowa State College, and the University of Wisconsin (PhD, physics, 1930). With the help of Clifford Berry, Atanasoff built a working model of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) in 1942. The ABC computer was a special-purpose machine for solving simultaneous linear equations. It was a serial, binary, electro-mechanical machine, and employed various new techniques that Atanasoff invented, including novel uses of logical circuitry and regenerative memory. Only recently has Atanasoff achieved recognition as one of the "fathers" of the digital computer. During his last visit in Bulgaria to the birth-place of his father - an emigrant orphan from the April Uprising against the Turks, John Atanasoff said: "Like a Bulgarian I am also a restless and creative person and the Slav root in my blood has helped me a great deal in life". John Atanasoff - junior, president of "Cybernetics Products, Inc" has also visited Bulgaria recently. He considers as good the chances of cooperation between his company and the newly emerging Bulgarian private businesses. It's not bad to remember that the inventor of the first modern digital computer is of Bulgarian origin. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-4 When was Bulgaria declared independent (by Luben Boyanov) (This article is in Bulgarian) Na 22 Septemvri 1908 godina, v Turnovskata cherkva "Sveti 40 muchenici" v turzhetvena obstanovka e obyavena nezavisimosta na Bulgariya. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-5 Bulgaria and World War II (by Luben Boyanov) Basically, the person who was taking the major decisions but not all !!! during the years around 1940 was King Boris III. Both points are important as there are some controvercies and also some propaganda. While it is true, that almost all general decisions were masterminded by Boris III, it is also true that the cabinet and the Prime Minister had some freedom to act and did not consult the King on so many of their actions. The entire story should be started back in the years 1932-35 when it turned out that it is only Germany who is buying the agricultural production of Bulgaria and in return was providing some high quality industrial goods on low prices, from Bulgaria. In several years time (Boris tried to convince Britain and France to allow more BG trade with them, to get more of their products on the BG market on competitive prices, but neither country gave a damn on that matter), Bulgaria was conducting something like 65% (o even more) of its export and import with Germany. The country became almost totaly dependent on Germany. The overall situation was not bad for Bulgaria, as gave a good market for BGs production and in return, the German tools/machines were very well regarded for their quality and reliability in Bulgaria. When WWII started, Bulgaria declared to stay neutral. Relations with all major powers were good. It happened that there was a chance to recover the purely Bulgarian land of Southern Dobruja, which was lost to Romania after the Second Balkan war and then again - after WWI. Russia, England, Germany were pressing Rumania but at the end it was under German pressure that Romania returned the land. So - apart from the huge economic dependance, a feeling of help and concern was received from the German action. Still Boris was determined to keep BG out of the war. There are numerous documents showing that Boris didn't like and even despised Hitler and he was also rather scared what will next decide to do the decorator from Austria. After some time, with the opening of the war in Greece, Hitler got determined to get his troops there (I think Gregory explained this well and why was so). . The German troops have moved in Romania (if I'm not wrong about the time) and at some time Bulgaria given 2 choices - to get on the side of the Germans, or to be crossed as enemy by the Vermaht. There was absolute no support from England or France (as far as I remember, Boris tried to get some help from there) and the internal situation (no anti-German feelings, huge economic dependency) was not helping at all. It was clear, that if Boris has refused to join the Germans, a pro-German pupet regime would have been installed in days, after the German army enters Bulgaria (BG had no army after WWI !!! but even if they had, I doubt what could BG army on its own, without British or French, or US help stand against the Germans) and full colaboration of that pupet regime would have started. Boris chose the other option. He put a lot of conditions to the joining of the Axis - like no BG soldiers for Germany, no interference of Germany in BG gov, etc, etc, then he appointed a Germanophille (or maybe it was earlier he appointed him) Prime Minister - Filov and he binded towards the pressure from Hitler. The memoirs of his Chief of Staff show how much upset he was for that decision. Still he was in some control of the situation, and for the next years, he managed to influence few major events, despite the oposite pressure from Germany and his own government - namely to help saving the Bulgarian Jews being sent to camps in Poland, to give soldiers to the German army, and to declare war on the USSR. Bulgaria was a unique country, where German and Russian missions (diplomatic) were together during the war. Of course, the King was not able to avoid many of the stupid things his pro-German PM did, but he couldn't do anything else, in order to play the game of cat and mouse with Hitler. And the game was to avoid doing anything Hitler wanted, and still to pretend being a true ally to him. Boris was extremely angry that Filov's gov declared war to Britain and the US but he was unable to avoid this. In 1943, after a stormy meeting with Hitler, when Boris refused again to give troops and to deport the Jews (under various explanations), Boris died from mysterious death. There are speculations whetgher he was poisoned and by whom, but from what Iv'e read, it seems that he just couldn't stand that pressure any more and had a heart attack. It is also documented, that earlier in 1943, Boris was preparing a pro-British/American government but if/how/when he would have broken with Hitler and joined the other camp is a mere speculation and mystery, which will be never solved as the death of the King ruined all plans he had or might have had. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-6 The Carnegie Report (by Luben Boyanov) The Carnegie Report about the causes and the behaviour of some European countries during the First and Second Balkan Wars was published again. "The other Balkan Wars: 1914 Carnegie Endowment Report..." contact The Brookings Institution Dept. 029 Washington, D.C. 20042-0029 or call: (toll-free) 1-800-275-1447 (for a credit card service) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-7 List of Books on Macedonia, the Balkans, and Bulgaria (by Luben Boyanov) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-10-7.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-8 Quotes on Bulgaria (by Luben Boyanov) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-10-8.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-9 Quotes on Macedonia (by Luben Boyanov) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-10-9.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-1 What do Bulgarian celebrate on March 1. (by Luben Boyanov, Vassil Peychev, and Tanya Vassilevski) On the first day of March, Bulgarians wish each other health and happiness with "Chestita baba Marta" - (in English "Happy Grandma Marta"). "Marta" comes from the word for March (Mart) in Bulgarian. This is an ancient Bulgarian (pagan) tradition (well - I can't tell you how old but I think that it's more than one thousand years old) and symbolizes the end of the cold winter and the coming of the spring. Usually we put something in red and white (a thread in the past and commercialized plastic junk at present) on ourselves (on our wrist or clothes) and when we see the first stork (supposed to come back from the south and not the one in the Zoo) we throw the red and white thread on a tree. The red and white colours symbolize the snow and the blood from an old story where, a stork brings the blessing for health to a small child from its parents, who are far away. The giving of the "marteniza" makes you feel to expect the Spring very soon. The "arrival" of the stork indicates that this has happened. I don't have time now to tell the entire story but I'm sure somebody will. The lack of "real" winter and "storks" (not a lot of them in the cities :-() raises some difficulties in implementing this tradition nowadays but Bulgarians are still celebrating and very fond of the 1st of March (in a traditional and "modern" way at the same time). __ __ | \ / | \ \ / / \ \ / / \ \/ / \__||_/ /\ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ /|\ /|\ //|\\ //|\\ ///|\\\ ///|\\\ ////|\\\\ ////|\\\\ /////|\\\\\ /////|\\\\\ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-2 What is Gergyovden (by Luben Boyanov) Gergiovden - St. George's day There are a lot of rituals and celebrations, concerning St. George's day (Gergiovden). It is celebrated on the 6th of May, although some calendar changes brought by the Orthodox Church (all dates for celebration of the saints have been changed some time ago). Saint George the Victorious ("Pobedonosez") was cannonized by the Church because of what he has done. He is usually painted on an icon as riding a white horse, holding a lance in his hand, stabbed in the throat of a beast - the dragon ("lamia"). According to the legend, a dragon used to attack the shepherds and their sheep and each time the dragon used to steal a sheep or a lamb. The shepherds were desperate. Then St. George appeared and killed the dragon. Since that day, the shepherds celebrate St. George everyyear and make a "kurban" - slaughter of a lamb (sacrifice for St. George). In every house of a village, a lamb is slaughtered. Before that some flowers are put on the lamb's horns and even a prayer is read. All village gates (doors) are covered with flowers. Early in the morning, people go to the river to wash themselves. On this days, people has to check their weight ("pretegliam se") - it has been the "only" day of the year when people checked their weight. There has also been a tradition that people goto a swing ("lyulka") on that day. St. George's day (Gergiovden) has been pronounced (some years after the liberation of Bulgaria) as the day of the Army - the Bravery day. The main Army parade used to take place on this day. Recently, this festivity has been restored. As far as the 1st of May is concerned, it hasn't been a traditional celebrational day. However, on this day everybody has been trying to cheat somebody else (like on the 1st of April, nowadays). If one succeeds (in his "cheating") - he says :"Mai, mai, zamayah te" (difficult to translate - a play of words meaning - I've cheated you). Traditionally on St. Paul's day (St. Pavel) - the 11th (or 29th) of June people don't work and don't lit fires ("ogniove"). The next day is St. Peter's day - when a chicken is to be eaten. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-3 What are Bulgaria's national holidays (by Dragomir R. Radev) New Year's Day Jan 1 National Holiday (Liberation from the Turks) Mar 3 Easter (not on the same day as in Western Europe) Labor Day May 1 St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day (Education and Culture Day, May 24 also Day of the Slavic Heritage) Christmas Dec 25 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-4 What are the roots of Bulgarian Orthodoxy (by Luben Boyanov) Bulgaria accepted Orthodoxy during the reign of Boris I. His son - Simeon I (the greatest Bulgarian King) made the Bulgarian Church independent from the Byzantine one. During the First Bulgarian Empire, the Bulgarian Church (Patriarchate) had 2 'headquarters' (sorry don't know more details now) - one in Turnovo and one in Ohrid. After the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire (the Bulgarian capital of the last Bulgarian king of the First Bulgarian Empire - Tzar Samuil was Ohrid) Emperor Basil II (the Bulgar-slayer) did not abolish the Bulgarian Patriarchate in Ohrid. It survived (and was called Bulgarian, even that it was headed by Greek clergy for a long time) until 1766 when it was abolished by the intrigues of the Phanariotes (this was part of the Megali-Idea persued by the clergy of Constantinopol). The Patriarchate in Turnovo was reestablished with the reestablishment of the Second Bulgarian Empire and abolished with its fall - in 1393 (or maybe it was 1396 - the year I remember given as the start of the Ottoman yoke). Due to different reasons, Bulgarians know little on the one of the greatest (and most important) events in their modern history - the reestablishment of their own national church in the Ottoman Empire. This came after several decades of struggle of the Bulgarians with the Phanariotes of Constantinopol (Istanbul) (and the Russian diplomacy). The struggle (which actually started in 1833 when the Bulgarians in Skopie and Samokov refused to continue accepting the Greek clergy) ended with success (even the treath of converting the Bulgarians to Catolicism was used) and on March 10th, 1870 (old style), the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire issued a famous ferman (order), which established the Bulgarian autocephalous Church under a primate entitled Exarch, whose residence was at Constantinopol. On the 16th of Sept 1872, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy declared the Bulgarian Exrarchate schismatic and the schism lasted until the late 1940-ies (or maybe early 50-ies, and after that Bulgaria's church leader is Patriarch). The jurisdiction of the Exarchate during its establishment was over 15 dioceses ('mitropolii'), including Nish, Pirot and Veles (but not Varna !!!). Other dioceses were to be added in case at least 2/3rd of the Christian local population so desired (this was a not well known but truly democratic act during the 19th century on the Balkans). In virtue of that, the Porte (i.e. the Ottoman administrati- on) subsequently allowed Bulgarian bishops in Ohrid, Uskub (at present - Sko- pie, Monastir, Nevrokop (at present - Goce Delchev), Dibra, and Strumitsa. The Bulgarian Exarch was resident in Constantinopol until the Balkan Wars after which (in 1913), he (at that time - Exarch Joseph) withdrew to Sofia. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-5 What are the features of Orthodox religion (by Jan Terziyski) Copied without authors' permission from a pamphlet of the "Sveti Nikolai" church (Ochanomizu, Chyoda-ku, Tokyo). FAIR USE ONLY. Our Guide Lines for Holy Communion Orthodox Christians are expected to take Confession before Holy Communion. Let us prepare ourselves with prayers and fasting from the night before. Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church is shared only by Orthodox Christians. Even though there are non-Orthodox Churches which encourage and permit their faithful to take Communion in the Orthodox Church, it is not allowed to do so in the Orthodox Church. Like wise, Orthodox Christians may not take Communion in non-Orthodox Churches. When you are taking Holy Communion in a parish other than your own, please notify the priest before-hand, no later than at the time of Confession. Due to the fact that we receive faithful from all aver the world, sometimes it is difficult to identify a person from other denominations, so please be sure to be able in some way to prove yourself to be Orthodox. Although we deeply regret that it must be, there may be some cases where it is impossible to fully verify the Orthodoxy of the visitor. Therefore, we may ask you to present some form of identification before we can give you Communion. Please be sure to talk with one of the priests as early as possible to avoid such unfortunate incident. Wee thank you for your cooperation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-6 What is the origin of Petkovden (by Peter Yovchev) v Na 14 oktomvri e Petkovden, denyat na Sveta Petka. Eto malqk otkqs ot BIP : Petkovden Prep. Paraskeva (Petka) pravoslavnata cqrkva chestva na 14 oktomvri. Tova e nepodvizhen cqrkoven praznik. Tja e rodena v grad Epivat-Trakija, prez X vek. Oshte na mladini se obricha v sluzhba na Boga. Naj-silno i povlijali Evangelskite slova, koito vednqzh chula v hrama: "Ako njakoj iska da vqrvi sled Mene, da se otkazhe ot sebe si". Celija si zhivot prep. Paraskeva prekarala v Jordanskata pustinja. Prez 1025 g. netlennite j moshti bili preneseni v Tqrnovo, a po-kqsno - v gr. JAsh - Rumqnija, kqdeto sa i do dnes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-7 What is Theophany (Bogoyavlenie/Yordanov Den) (by Plamen Sivov) BOGOJAVLENIE (JORDANOVDEN) OR THEOPHANY (MANIFESTATION OF GOD) - 6 January Chestit imen den na Jordanovcite (malko e ranichko, ama nishto). Eto nakratko smisula na praznika spored Pravoslavnata curkva: Na tozi den se praznuva krushtenieto na Iisus Hristos vuv vodite na reka Jordan (ottuk - Jordanovden). Subitieto e opisano ot vsichki evangelisti (Mateja 3:13-17, Marko 1:9- 11, Luka 3:21-23 i Ioan 1:29-34) i se naricha Bogojavlenie, zashtoto pred prisustvashtite na nego ednovremenno se otkrivat trite lica na Svetata Troica - Iisus Hristos - Sina Bozhi, krushtavan v rekata, Svetija Duh, slizasht vuv vid na gulub nad nego i glasa na Otca, proglasjavasht ot nebeto: "Tova e mojat vuzlyuben sin, v kogoto e moeto blagovolenie". ENGLISH: The Orthodox Church attaches a great importance to this feast, because of its deep theological significance. What is selebrated is not so much the historical fact of the manifestation of the Holy Trinity to the world for the very first time, nor the beginning of Christ's public life, nor again the baptism, administered by John the Baptist: it is rather the manifestation of God's glory, of His love for mankind, of His mercy and compassion expressed in the person of Jesus Christ, Who assumed flesh and became Man in order to become a sacrifice of salvation for the sake of all men. "The grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men" (Tit., 2:11). Inspired by the baptism of Christ and by this stirring of divine life, poured forth for the salvation and sanctification of mankind, the early Church reserved this day for the baptism of catechumens (in Slavonic "oglasheni", e.g. those who are preparing themselves for the sacrament of baptism, but are not members of the Church yet), increasingly repeating with St. Paul: "As many have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." ("Vie, koito se krustihte v Hrista, v Hrista se i obljakohte"). Na praznika se pravi Vodosvet, za da pomnim, che s krushtenieto si Gospod osveti vodata, a s neja i cjaloto Tvorenie. ENGLISH: Blessed water will be used by the priest to sprinkle the homes of the faithful. The priest thus consecrates to God their lives and works and sufferings. "O Lord, be in our thoughts, in our words, in our deeds, in our tears and in our laughter. O Lord, let your presence be felt in this house, and in those who enter therein, as it was felt by John as You were baptized in the Jordan River." (from the ritual) PRAYER, recited by the priest: "Today the land and the sea divide between them the joy of the world, and the world is filled with rejoicing. The waters behold You, O Lord: the waters behold You and they fear; the Jordan River turns back its course as it beholds the fire of the Godhead coming down upon it and entering it in the flesh; the Jordan River turns back its course as it beholds the Holy Spirit descending in the likeness of a dove, and hovering above it; the Jordan River turns back its course as it beholds the Invisible made visible, the Creator existing in the flesh, and the Master in the likeness of a servant; the Jordan River turns back its course, and the mountains shout with glee as they behold God in the flesh. And the clouds give voice, and are filled with awe by the One who is coming, Light of Light, true God of true God; the One who, in the Jordan River, has drowned the death of sin, the thorn of error, and the bond of Hades, and granted the baptism of salvation to the world. So also am I, your unworthy and sinful servant, encompassed by fear as I proclaim your great wonders; and I cry out reverently to you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-8 Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria (by Plamen Sivov) NEDELNO UCHILISHTE - S.C.B. DAY 1 - THE CREED (SIMVOL-VERUJU) Most of the systematic explanations of the Orthodox faith are based on the Nicene Creed, which is the ultimate expression and synthesis of the dogma of Orthodoxy and the basis of its teaching and sacramental life. The Creed was adopted between 325 and 381 A.D., shortly after Christianity was no longer persecuted in the Roman Empire. The adoption took place at an Ecumenical Council (Vselenski Subor), which is the only form, recognized by the Orthodox Church even until nowadays for the highest church authority. In this respect it differs very much from Rome, which historically has concentrated much spiritual power in the person of the Bishop of Rome, e.g. the Pope. The Orthodox Church recognizes 7 Ecumenical Councils in its entire history. Originally the Creed was used by the Early Church at baptismal services, when the person who was to be baptized, had to acknowledge his true Christian faith. This baptismal formula, however, later developed into a short, but extremely profound in its theological meaning statement of faith, which has ever since been used as a "testing paper" for any new teaching; in the Creed, it is often said, one can find the whole Bible condensed. In nowadays the Creed is recited (or sung) at every Liturgy, at the moment of the consecration of the bread and the wine. Here is the complete text of the Creed. (Our next topics will deal with the truths of faith revealed in each of its sections.) ENGLISH: 1. I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and of all things visible and invisible. 2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only- begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: 3. Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father; by Whom all things were made: 4. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man; 5. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; and suffered and was burried; 6. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; 7. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; 8. And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. 9. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the prophets. 10. I believe in One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 11. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the Life of the world to come. Amen CHURCH-SLAVONIC: Veruju vo edinago Boga Otca, Vsederzhitelja, Tvorca nebu i zemli, vidimim zhe vsem i nevidimim. I vo edinago Gospoda Iisusa Hrista, Sina Bozhija edinorodnago, izhe ot Otca rozhdennago prezhde vseh vek: sveta ot sveta, Boga istinna ot Boga istinna, rozhdenna, ne sotvorenna, edinosushtna Otcu, imzhe vsja bisha. Nas radi chelovek i nashego radi spasenija shedshago s nebes, i voplotivshegosja ot Duha Svjata i Marii Devi, i vochelovechshasja. Razpjatago zhe za ni pri Pontijstem Pilate, i stradavsha, i pogrebena. I vozkresshago v tretij den po pisaniem. I vozshedshego na nebesa i sedjashta otdesnuju Otca. I paki grjadushtago so slavoju, suditi zhivim i mertvim, ego zhe carstvie ne budet konca. I v Duha Svetago, Gospoda, zhivotvorjashtago, izhe ot Otca izhodjashtago, izhe so Otcem i Sinom spoklonjaema i sslavima, glagolavshago proroki. Vo edinu svjatuju, sobornuju i apostolskoju Cerkov. Izpoveduju edino kreshtenie vo ostavlenie grehov. Chaju voskresenija mertvih i zhizni budushtago veka. Amin. In the next days we will examine (very briefly) the meaning of all these somewhat extravagantly sounding sentences. Believe me, it is not as simple as it looks! SUNDAY SCHOOL - DAY 2 THE ACT OF FAITH I BELIEVE... Originally the Creed was recited with "We believe", affirming the "common mind and one heart", the universality of the Church and therefore the emphasis was laid on the collective, rather than the personal aspect of faith. Later, with the development of the Church consciousness and the refinement of the elements of personal religiousness, they started reciting it as a personal, rather than collective statement of faith. But is what is "to believe"? What is "faith"? Is it the self-deceiving whimsical picture of a world, governed by supreme powers, combined with subconscious fear of personal death, that stimulates the mind to create the images of Heaven and Hell? Is it just another ideology? Is it a psychological deviation? What is the relation between "I believe" and "I know"? These are questions, that have troubled the minds of many generations, including our own. Contrary to many people's expectations, the progress of science and technology did not bring about ultimate answers to the ancient questions; the only effect that the technocratic age has had upon the problem of personal faith and the existence of God is that it distracted the attention of whole generations from its clear realization. The result is not the problem's disappearance, but the decreasing number of individuals, who face it in their lifetimes. The Scripture itself explores the different aspects and proper modes of faith. But there is also in it a definition of faith, although very brief. It it to be found in the Epistle to the Hebrews, usually ascribed to St. Paul, one of the Twelve apostles: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders (i.e. the Jews in the Old Testament - P.S.) obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were fraimed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Heb. 11:1). This short statement is one of the most explored passages in the Bible, especially nowadays, with the recent development of gnoseology, the science of rational perception and knowledge. Therefore a statement a faith presupposes knowledge, but not the kind of knowledge we all know from our sensual or mental experience. As it refers to a reality different from our material world and beyond it (transcendental), the tools of natural science are useless, if we want to get to know it. The spiritual reality, the existence of God and the angelic powers cannot be "detected" with any technological means or by the rational means of analysis. The usual question of the non-believers "Where is God? Show Him to me!" thus has no meaning and is a consequence of misunderstanding of the difference between the two realities - the created and the uncreated one (e.g. the material world - the Universe), and the transcendent existence of God, which is beyond the borders of our knowledge and understanding. A natural question would be "Where do we get this supernatural knowledge about God, then? Since He is so unreachable by any human means, how would we even know of His existence?" This is the problem of the sources of the divine revelation. We can distinguish several such sources: - the material world itself. The law of cause and effect could be applied to trace the mere fact of the Being's existence (which in itself is an effect) to its pre- existential cause, which, according to the believers, is God himself. This is called "the ontological argument". - the moral law in Man. The ability to distinguish between good and evil, the subtle sensitivity about an ever- existing supreme justice; inspite of many behavioral explanations of the moral phenomena, still one of the most profound and convincing explanations are the theological ones. - the feeling of a purpose in the life of the individual and the existence of the Universe. This is the "teleological argument". - the recorded Revelation - the Bible or the Word of God. It consists of the Old and the New Testaments, the Old being the sacred writings of the Jewish nation, covering a long period of its history and actually regarding the events of this hisotry as a manifestation of God's intervention in human history in general. The New Testament is an account of the fulfillment of the expectations of a Messiah, a legendary figure, expected by the ancient Jews and foreseen in their prophetic writings. The Messiah is Jesus Christ the Nazarene, a real figure, who has lived during the rule of Herod, king of the Roman province of Judea. In the person of Christ, according to Orthodoxy, the ultimate revelation is to be completed - God Himself takes human nature and "walks among us in flesh". The meaning and purpose of this incarnation will be discussed later. Generally speaking, there is nothing in the physical reality that can not serve as some sort of revelation; all human cultures have developed different imagery, stories and beliefs to express something common for all mankind - the deeply rooted in every human being religiousness, i.g. the possibility, the potential of religious faith, of direct perception of the divine. Therefore, when an Orthodox Christian starts his/her statement of faith with "I believe...", he is not speaking to himself and is not proclaiming a desired state of things, having nothing to do with reality. He is rather answering a supernatural call for obedience and recognition, that comes from outside, and at the ame time from his own personal depths. It is the outward expression of Man's personal act of faith, carried out again and again, reaching to find his own self-identity in a complicated world. In those two simple words there is a whole ontology (vision of the essence of being) and a clear anthropology (vision of the essence of Man); a picture of a created Universe and a response from a living soul to the divine call from its Creator. The act of faith is a necessary first step on the path of Christian fulfillment. Without faith the secret knowledge of God will not be revealed; the virtues cannot be practiced effectively and salvation cannot be achieved. There are dozens of examples in the Bible on the importance of personal faith for receiving the grace of God, His loving- kindness and forgiveness. Strictly speaking the nonbeliever is in a different state or mode of being than the believer, he/she has a different supernatural status - not only in the eyes of God, but objectively, in his own nature. Reproachful, as it may sound, this is an argument, upon which many religions agree (I mean the status of Man before and after the personal act of faith). Believers know the difference and that is one of the main drives for evangelism (please do not associate it with street or TV evangelism), of sharing the Good News with others and thus helping them to partake in the divine nature and to perceive the truths from the "other reality" I already mentioned. In my next posting I will deal in brief with the other part of the first section of the Creed, namely, the dogma of the Holy Trinity and His three persons (hipostasis). VOCABULARY: Godhead - Bozhestvo. The Holy Trinity, regarded in its unity, rather than in the aspect of the differences between the three Persons. Religion - from re-legare, a Latin word for "to reunite", to join together something that has previously been broken or cut apart. Bible - from "biblia" (Greek word for "books"), i.g. the collection of the sacred writings of Christianity. A general agreement on the contents of the Bible was reached no earlier than the 3-4th century, when there was a need of a common written source for all Christians. This concerns only the books of the New Testament; the Old Testament is basically all the major books of the Jewish Torrah (The Five Books, ascribed to Moses) and the writings of prophets, poets, hitorians, etc. - but every book deals with some aspect of the revelation of God to the Jewish nation. NEDELNO UCHILISHTE - DAY 3 THE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY (I believe) IN ONE GOD... The first section of the Creed deals with the object of the Orthodox religious worship - the Holy Trinity, who has revealed to mankind His presence and role in the history of the nations, as well as in the personal lives of millions of people. All religions worship some sort of a divine Person, or Being, or Essence. Some tend to depersonalize the Godhead and often talk about the Spirit of Nature, or the Spirit of the Universe, who has not any aspects, similar to the Man's personality. This group of religions constitute the pantheism, the "all-is-God" view, associated mainly with the religious systems of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. The religious experience for them can be very strong, even ecstatic, but never personal, i.e. promoting the individual uniqueness and the person-to-person relation with God. For us Christians God is doubtlessly a Person, although not in the same sense in which man is a person. The psychological sciences have achieved a lot to explain the process of the formation of individuality and personality in Man; obviously, this process has a lot to do with the external influences (from the parents or the society). This is not the case with God. His Person has never been formed and is not a subject to any change or development (because God exists beyond Space and Time). More importantly, He has a Being-in-Himself, that is, he does not owe His existence to an external cause, as we all do; He is self-sufficient in His Divinity. The problem of the Person of God is one of the most difficult to understand. One of the reasons for this is that it is very much related with the problem of the Essence of God, which is beyond any human understanding. The other reason is the fact that we, having been granted human personalities by God, often tend to "create" a God of our own "image and likeness". No matter how tempting this may seem, it has ever to be avoided by the true seekers. The anthropocentricity, as this is called, can be overcome only by a real personal relation with God; a relation dominated not by pride, but by humiliation and an honest desire to know God better, which is a natural desire, implanted in every man's soul, no matter how distorted it may be. The detailed history of God's revelation as One God (opposed to the polytheism of most of the nations at that time) is to be found throughout the books of the Old Testament, since the very first page. ...THE FATHER... Now probably some people may think: "Well, if that is not anthropomorphism (ascribing aspects of the human nature to God), then I don't know what is". Calling the Godhead "a Father", and therefore ascribing to it human characteristics, may seem strange and primitive. Actually there are a lot of reasons for calling God "Father". First, our relationship with Him is very much like a fatherhood and a sonhood, as He is our Creator and we owe Him our existence. Second, the love of a father for his children is an image of God's love for every individual of mankind. There are also many other theological arguments for this name. But, above all, God Himself is calling us His sons and Jesus referred to Him as "Father". It has been become a fashion recently for some groups to talk about the "feminine aspect of God" and to address Him by other names. But for an Orthodox Christian, it is clear that God is above any sexuality and gender; nevertheless He Himself has taught us to address Him as Father. Sometimes, especially in the spiritual matters, obedience is more important than understanding and understanding of a spiritual truth comes after a certain period of obedience. Also, the Father is the name of one of the three Persons (hypostaseis) of the Godhead, the other two being the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. The relation between God's unity and diversity at the same time will be examined later. ...ALMIGHTY, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND OF ALL THINGS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. These are words, referring to some of the attributes of God. He is almighty, (omnipotent; in Slavonic: Vsederzhitel) that is, His powers and abilities transcend any human imagination or understanding. The omnipotence of God's divine nature expresses itself in the creation of the world, that is, the Universe. "Heaven and Earth" does not necessarily mean the physical sky and the planet Earth; it includes the whole Nature, the Cosmos, all dimensions, planets, stars and aspects of the material being, both known and unknown to Man. The things which are "visible" are the realities of the physical Universe, while "invisible" refers to the spiritual realities (for example, the angelic powers). The act of Creation is one of the ultimate self- expressions of God. Not that He needs such self-expression, but because it is a sign of His Divine Love. ("God is Love", the Gospel says, and through Love we find Him. Therefore, Christians view this world as an enigmatic signature of God; by exploring the material aspects of Nature many scientists have come to a greater faith in God - such as Isaac Newton, for example.) VOCABULARY: Omnipotence - the unlimited and unconditional powers and abilities of God to dispose of His own creation. Omnipresence (vezdesushtnost) - God is not "living" somewhere beyond the borders of the known Universe and actually He is not occupying any particular space at any particular time. Being above the dimensions, He is at the same time ever-present in all of them, everywhere and all the time. Being a "Superperson" He is also able to relate to each and everyone of all the human beings, without neglecting anybody and fully present any time we call on His holy name. Angelic powers - spiritual beings, created before the first men, which do not possess material shape or nature and only occasionally can appear as visible messengers of God. The angelic powers are not completely revealed to us; we know very little of them. But the Scripture makes it quite clear that: 1) they exist; 2) part of them have turned away from God, using their free will for disobedience; they are called demons; 3) there are multitudes of them and they form a certain hierarchy (the Orthodox church formally agrees on seven angelic ranks, although for some of them virtually nothing is known, except that they are mentioned in the Scripture.) It should be pointed out, that knowledge about the teaching of the Church on the angelic powers is extremely important today, when many people speculate with the spiritual hunger of the people and claim to be in contact with spirits, extraterrestrials, angels, etc. The Church has been dealing with such "paranormal" cases for centuries and has worked out many rules for our proper relation to such phenomena. 11-9 The Balkans, Orthodox Christianity and the Youth (by Plamen Sivov and Marian Stoyadinov) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-11-9.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-10 Church (contributed by Plamen Sivov) For more information, please read the entire article by anonymous ftp from shiva.cs.columbia.edu in the directory /BULGARIA file name: FAQ-11-10.TXT ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-11 Orthodox Calendar (by Plamen Sivov) PRAVOSLAVIETO I GREGORIANSKIJAT KALENDAR Tqj kato istorijata na kalendarnoto razminavane beshe veche nakratko izjasnena, shte opisha s dve dumi segashnata situacija - kakva e pozici- jata na Pravoslavieto po tozi vqpros. Pqrvo, ne biva da zabravjame, che vqv vsjaka svetovna religija kalendarqt ima osobeno mjasto. Za razlika ot svetskoto letobroene, koeto e poveche ili po-malko pragmatichno otchitane na vremeto na bazata na obshtoprieti standarti, cqrkovnoto vreme e neshto sqvsem drugo. Ne e sluchajno, che sq- vremennata civilizacija otchita vremeto si sprjamo tochno opredelena toch- ka vqv vremeto - predpolagaemata godina na razhdaneto na Iisus ot Nazaret. No dokato za sveta tova e prosto kulturen fenomen, za Cqrkvata toj ima dql- boko religiozno sqdqrzhanie; v razhdaneto na Hrista vjarvashtite vizhdat grandiozno sqbitie s kosmicheski izmerenija, tochkata na presichane na Bozhestvenoto i choveshkoto i nachaloto na spasitelnata misija za chovesh- kija rod. S edna duma za Cqrkvata vremeto ne e prosta fizicheska velichina, no izmerenie sqs sakramentalno znachenie. Sledvajki podobni sqobrazhenija nikoj ne bi obvinil v "konservatizqm" evreite, kitajcite ili mjusulmanite, che si imat svoj sobstven kalendar. Prosto vqprosqt ne e prjako svqrzan s pragmatichnata strana na neshtata... Taka praznicite v Cqrkvata se razlichavat ot svetskite praznici. Godishnijat cikql na bogosluzhenijata e zatvoren, kato tazi ciklichnost simvolizira bez- krajnostta na Boga, a vseki praznik ne e prosto pripomnjane na vazhno sqbi- tie, a prichastjavane s tazi bezkrajnost. Eto zashto vqprosite okolo kalen- dara ne sa ednoznachni i ne iziskvat zadqlzhitelno pragmatichnija podhod za razreshavaneto im, za razlika ot podobni razlichija v svetskite merni sis- temi (kontinentalnata metrichna i amerikanskata, naprimer). Oshte edin faktor trjabva da se otchita, kogato stava vqpros za kalendarni razlichija mezhdu Pravoslavieto i Rimokatolicizma - shizmata (razdelenieto), kojato razdeli ednata Hristova, Vselenska i Apostolska Cqrkva prez 11 vek. Vzaimnite podozrenija, obvinenija i nedoverie ne sa se prekratili nito za mig ottogava. I dori kogato Rim e pravil novovqvedenija, potiknat ne ot zla umisql, a ot sqobrazhenija za praktichnost, Iztokqt e predpochital da ne se sqobrazjava s nego. Obratnoto sqshto se e sluchvalo nevednqzh. Shto se otnasja do kalendara obache, v momenta v pravoslavnija svjat preob- ladavat novokalendarcite. Do kraja na I sv. vojna vsichki pravoslavni izpo- lzvat starija stil, ili Julianskija kalendar, kojto, kakto stana jasno, dnes izostava ot Gregorianskija s 13 dni. Prez 1923 Vselenskijat Patriarh (tradi- cionnata titla na episkopa na Konstantinopol (sega Istanbul)) svikva Mezhdu- pravoslaven kongres, na kojto prisqstvat delegati ot Sqrbija, Rumqnija, Gqrcija i Kipqr. Patriarsite na Ierusalim i Antiohija otkazvat da izpratjat delegati, Aleksandrijskijat Patriarh dori ne otgovarja na pokanata. Bqlgar- skata Cqrkva ne e pokanena. Sred njakolkoto vqprosi, s koito se zanimava kongresqt, e i kalendarqt, i po-tochno predlozhenieto za priemane na zapad- nija stil. Prez 1924 g. Konstantinopol vqvezhda novija stil i skoro sqshtoto pravjat cqrkvite v Aleksandrija, Antiohija, Gqrcija, Kipqr, Rumqnija i Pol- sha. (Bqlgarija priema novija stil prez 1968 g.) Cqrkvite na Rusija, Ieru- salim, Sqrbija, kakto i manasitrite v Sveta Gora ne priemat novovqvedenieto. Prakticheski obache cjalata Pravoslavna Cqrkva praznuva Velikden pochti vi- nagi ednovremenno sqs Zapada, a Finlandskata pravoslavna cqrkva izcjalo se sqobrazjava s Gregorianskija kalendar. Za mnogo pravoslavni priemaneto na novija stil se svqrzva s kapitulacija pred "shizmaticite", sirech, pred Rim i razumnite osnovanija za edna taka- va stqpka, kojato bi sqdejstvala za svetovnoto hristijansko edinstvo prosto se prenebregvat v imeto na starata vrazhda. V mnogo pravoslavni strani, vkljuchitelno i v BG, se pojaviha grupi na "starokalendarcite", nastojava- shti za vrqshtane kqm starija stil, pozovavajki se na argumenta, che spored kanonichnoto pravo promjanata na kalendara iziskva obshtoto sqglasie na vsi- chki pravoslavni cqrkvi i sledovatelno reshenijata, vzeti v Konstantinopol sa nishtozhni. No dokato monasite ot Sveta Gora, othvqrljajki novija kalen- dar, ne prekqsvat edinenieto si s Konstantinopolskija Patriarh, njakoi kraj- ni grupi se objavjavat za "istinskata" i "chista" pravoslavna cqrkva, iz- kljuchvajki se ot svetovnoto pravoslavno obshtenie. V Bqlgarija tova e gru- pata na Rosen Siromahov, provqzglasen za "Episkop Triadicki" i rqkopolozhen ot grqcki starokalendarski episkop. Amerikanskata Pravoslavna Cqrkva, makar che e pod jurisdikcijata na Ruskija Patriarh, sqbljudava novija stil, koeto pokazva, che kalendarqt ne e prob- lem, zaradi kojto si zasluzhava da se razdelja Cqrkvata. Taka pone mislja az. :-) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 11-12 Bulgarian newspaper in Chicago (by Pavlin Staikov) V Chicago se izdava edinstveniat v USA i Canada bqlgarski vestnik Good Luck. Vseki, koito jelae da sqtrudnichi, da se abonira ili se nujdae ot njakakva informatsia za vestnika moje da ce cvqrje s izdatelite: Orlin Krumov Simeon Todorov 2575 Victor ave. Apt.645 1562 Woodland #C Glenview, IL 60025 Des Plaines, IL 60016 Phone: (708) 486-1602 (708) 824-6478 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-1 Bulgarian Literary Archive (contributed by Luben Boyanov, Ivan Danchev, Gergana Haralampieva, Ivan Vassilev, Peter Yovchev, Martin Minchev, Dragomir R. Radev, and others) [Last updated: March 31, 1994] Here is the list of poems and fiction on the ftp archive. Files marked with a * in the leftmost column were added recently. File Author Title AGER001.TXT Aleksandqr Gerov Kopnej AGER002.TXT Aleksandqr Gerov Leglo AGER003.TXT Aleksandqr Gerov Golyamata tishina AGER004.TXT Aleksandqr Gerov Vishna BDIM001.TXT Blaga Dimitrova To be a Woman BDIM002.TXT Blaga Dimitrova Sama jena na pqt BDIM003.TXT Blaga Dimitrova Heroics BDIM004.TXT Blaga Dimitrova To the End BHRI001.TXT Boris Hristov Vecheren Trompet BHRI002.TXT Boris Hristov Samotniyat Chovek DOVA001.TXT David Ovadiya *** DDAM001.TXT Damyan Damyanov *** DDEB001.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov *** DDEB002.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov *** DDEB003.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov Molitva DDEB004.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov Bohemski noshti DDEB005.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov *** DDEB006.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov *** DDEB007.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov Pobeden DDEB008.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov Cherna pesen DDEB009.TXT Dimcho Debelyanov *** DJOT001.TXT Dobri Jotev Sebeprisqda * DVOE001.TXT Dimitqr Voev Dayte mi EBAG001.TXT Elisaveta Bagryana Potomka EEVT001.TXT Evtim Evtimov *** FOLK001.TXT Folklore Bilyana platno beleshe FOLK002.TXT Folklore Ayde, Vodenicharyu FOLK003.TXT Folklore Gradil Iliya Koliya FOLK004.TXT Folklore Cherveno Vino Snoshti Pih FOLK005.TXT Folklore Dve kokoshki FOLK006.TXT Folklore Kacnal Brqmbar na Trqnka FOLK007.TXT Folklore Ako Umra FOLK008.TXT Folklore Zemi me, Penke FOLK009.TXT Folklore Ludo Mlado FOLK010.TXT Folklore O, Spomnyate li si, gospojo GANA001.TXT Georgi Anastasov Shantav Svyat * GMAR001.TXT Georgi Markov *** * GMIL001.TXT Geo Milev Dnevnik HYAS001.TXT Hristo Yasenov Prez granitnite ogradi ICAN001.TXT Ivan Canev Mig IMIL001.TXT Ivan Milchev Pqrvi snyag IVAS001.TXT Ivan Vassilev A toy, jivota IVAZ001.TXT Ivan Vazov De e Bqlgariya * IVAZ002.TXT Ivan Vazov Ne davame ya! KDON001.TXT Kalin Donkov Zimna kqshta * KDON002.TXT Kalin Donkov Byag * KDON003.TXT Kalin Donkov Cena * KDON004.TXT Kalin Donkov Prag KHRI001.TXT Kiril Hristov Lyatna nosht * LMAR001.TXT Lamar Kqm Evropa NFUR001.TXT Nikola Furnadjiev Jena * NFUR002.TXT Nikola Furnadjiev Dqjd NHAY001.TXT Nikolay Haytov Mqjki vremena NLIL001.TXT Nikolay Liliev *** NLIL002.TXT Nikolay Liliev *** * NLIL003.TXT Nikolay Liliev *** NMAR001.TXT Nikola Markov Carsko Sqrce NMAR002.TXT Nikola Markov Iztochna geografiya NMAR003.TXT Nikola Markov Elada NMAR004.TXT Nikola Markov London * NMAR005.TXT Nikola Markov Entropiya * NMAR006.TXT Nikola Markov Rodinata NTAN001.TXT Nikolay Tankov Emigrant NVAP001.TXT Nikola Vapcarov Proshtalno NYOR001.TXT Nedyalko Yordanov Lyubov neobyasnima PMAT001.TXT Pavel Matev *** PODU001.TXT Poduene Bluz Bend Komunizmqt si otiva * PSIV001.TXT Plamen Sivov Ohrid PSLA001.TXT Petko Slaveykov Tatkovina PYAV001.TXT Peyo Yavorov Rodina PYAV002.TXT Peyo Yavorov Ela PYAV003.TXT Peyo Yavorov Zatochenici PYAV004.TXT Peyo Yavorov Ne si vinovna ti PYAV005.TXT Peyo Yavorov Dve hubavi ochi PYAV006.TXT Peyo Yavorov List otbrulen PYAV007.TXT Peyo Yavorov Epitafiya PYAV008.TXT Peyo Yavorov Na Lora PYAV010.TXT Peyo Yavorov Jelanie PYAV011.TXT Peyo Yavorov Mechta PYAV012.TXT Peyo Yavorov Na edin pesimist * RJIN001.TXT Rayko Jinzifov *** SCAN001.TXT Stefan Canev Molitva kqm Anna SCAN002.TXT Stefan Canev Himn SGRO001.TXT Stefan Gruev Korona ot Trqni (prolog) * TKUN001.TXT Trifon Kunev Noshtta se priblijava * TKUN002.TXT Trifon Kunev Umira pobeditelniy den TTRA001.TXT Teodor Trayanov Karpatskiyat vyatqr VBAS001.TXT Vladimir Bashev Spomen za pqrvata celuvka VBAS001.TXT Vladimir Bashev Risunka VHAN001.TXT Vesselin Hanchev Prqsten VHAN002.TXT Vesselin Hanchev Lyubov VKRQ001.TXT Vasko Krqpkata Kvartalno krqchme VKRQ002.TXT Vasko Krqpkata Kucheto ot krayniya kvartal VSID001.TXT Volen Siderov Avtobiografiya ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-2 Books about Bulgaria (by Charles Power) There are a number of relatively recent and readable books on modern Bulgarian history and related topics. Some are in print, and others should be available at larger libraries. Barnes, Julian. THE PORCUPINE. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992. 138p. Fiction: novella inspired specifically by the fall of communism in Bulgaria and the trial of its Communist ruler, Todor Zhivkov. Brown, J.F. BULGARIA UNDER COMMUNIST RULE. London: Pall Mall Press, 1970. ix+339p. Rather stodgy political and economic analysis. Constant, Stephen. FOXY FERDINAND: TSAR OF BULGARIA. New York/ London/Toronto/Sidney: Franklin Watts, 1980. 352p. Lively and irreverent history of Tsar Ferdinand (1861-1948), the monarch responsible for the restoration of Bulgarian sovereignty. Groueff, Stefane. CROWN OF THORNS. London/New York/London: Madison Books, 1987. xvi+411p. Unabashedly partisan biography of Tsar Boris (1918-1943), who struggled to keep Bulgaria, a nominal member of the Axis, effectively out of World War II. The author is the son of one of Boris's advisors. Markov, Georgi. THE TRUTH THAT KILLED. Translated by Liliana Brisby. New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1984. xx+280p. Essays by the famous defector and BBC commentator, victim of a poisoned umbrella wielded by a Communist assassin. Miller, Marshall Lee. BULGARIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. Stanford University Press, 1975. xii+290p. More detached viewpoint than Groueff's biography of Tsar Boris; shows how the war led to the Communist takeover. Mollenhoff, Clark R. ATANASOFF: FORGOTTEN FATHER OF THE COMPUTER. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1988. xv+275p. Biography of John V. Atanasoff (1903- ), son of a Bulgarian immigrant, who invented the first electronic digital computer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-3 about Stefan Gruev's "Crown of Thorns" (by John Bell) Stephane Groueff, Crown of Thorns: The Reign of King Boris III of Bulgaria, 1918-1943. Madison Books/University Press of America, New York and London, 1987. xvi + 512pp. L18.50. ISBN 0 8191 5778 3. Boris III did not have an easy reign. He took the throne at the age of twenty-four as his father, Ferdinand I, fled in the wake of Bulgaria's collapse in World War I, and he died as a defeat even more crushing for the Old Regime was approaching. The years between saw two coups d'etat, a Communist uprising and attempted assassination, and the movement of the country into the orbit of Nazi Germany. Stephane Groueff is particularly suited to tell this story from the king's perspective. He grew up in the circle of the court, and his father Pavel Gruev, executed after trial by a "people's court" in 1945, was chief of Boris's private cabinet. The author was able to utilize the memories and unpublished papers of many emigres, including members of the royal family and high officials who were close to Boris. His many years' experience as a journalist is evident in the fast-paced style and his eye for the telling anecdote. Some historians may object to his use of the format of "docudrama," with its reconstructed conversations, although Groueff is careful to document their substance. Groueff states that he did not intend to write an apology for Boris, but his sympathies are overwhelmingly with the king. He seems to share Boris's own outlook that enlightened monarchy is superior to democratic institutions, or at least that the Bulgarian people in the first half of the twentieth century were incapable of managing their own affairs. Boris's support for anti-democratic movements and his abolition of political parties are defended on the grounds that Bulgaria's party leaders were guilty of "excesses" or "partisan squabbles and incompetence." At the same time, the author states that Boris intended at some future time to restore constitutional government. This assertion, along with the belief, widespread in monarchist circles, that Boris, had he lived, would have found a way to extricate Bulgaria from the war with its regime and enlarged territory intact, must remain forever open to question. Groueff concludes that Boris's difficult relationship with his father and the insecurity of his position during the first years of his reign led the young monarch to refine to a high degree his ability to dissemble and to hide his real feelings. He rarely acted openly, preferring indirection and complex manoeuvres behind the scenes. Consequently, with regard to many of the key events in his reign, Boris's genuine intentions remain elusive, even in the light of the author's research. This is particularly evident with regard to Bulgaria's internal politics. Groueff believes that Boris was not involved in the 1923 overthrow of the Agrarian government, but he did nothing to discourage its perpetrators. He writes that Boris was taken by surprise by the military coup of 1934, but acted with amazing speed to replace its leaders with men loyal to himself. Boris's diplomacy is more clearly presented and documented than his internal policies, and the author shows how the king sought to reap the benefits of Germany's destruction of the old order in the Balkans, while avoiding active participation in the war. Groueff probably goes too far in assigning full credit to Boris for saving Bulgaria's Jews from deportation to Treblinka. While it is true that Boris took the responsibility of cancelling the deportation orders his government had prepared in consultation with the Germans, Groueff fails to point out that Boris acted only after energetic protests by a wide range of political leaders and the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. He also minimizes the fact that Boris did approve the deportation of the Jews from the area of Macedonia under Bulgarian occupation and at one point offered to compromise by deporting politically unreliable Jews from Bulgaria itself. Groueff is open-minded on the question of Boris's death, presenting the results of the official autopsy as well as various theories of murder and suicide. The author devotes considerable attention to the private life of the court. Boris's marriage, his daily routine and excursions, his estates and gardens are described with affection. Zbigniew Brzezinski is quoted on the book's dust jacket as saying that it recreates "the atmosphere of an age which now seems so remote but which in fact is only of the very recent past." I would certainly agree that it demonstrates the anachronistic character of the Balkan monarchies in the twentieth century. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-4 Books about Bulgaria, part II(by John Bell) [Last updated: March 31, 1994] In the discussion of voting systems, Penio Penev asked for some recommended books on the interwar period. Here are a few suggestions with brief commentary. They can supplement the bibliographic list that was posted a few days ago. Kosta Todorov, -Balkan Firebrand- Todorov was one of the most interesting figures in Bulgarian politics between the wars. Unfortunately, he spent many of these years in exile and then was made an "unperson" during the Communist period. His memoirs were published in English during World War II. Blagoy Popov, -Za da ne se povtori nikoga veche- The memoirs of a "left sectarian" and defendent at the Reichstag fire trial. They include his experience in USSR and GULAG. Petqr Semerjiev, several works. Former central committee member who left Bulgaria for Israel. He has several studies on the interwar and immediate postwar periods including: -The Real Georgi Dimitrov-, -The Trial of Traicho Kostov-, and a "counterbiography" of Todor Zhivkov called -Nishtojestsvo v dospehite na velichie-. Some books by US historians include: Charles Moser, -Dimitrov of Bulgaria-. This is, of course, Dr G.M. Dimitrov, not the Comintern fellow. Marshall Miller, -Bulgaria during the Second World War-. Fred Chary, -The Bulgarian Jews and the Final Solution-. Joseph Rothschild, -The Bulgarian Communist Party: Origins and Development-. Nissan Oren, -Bulgarian Communism: The Road to Power-. John Bell, -The Bulgarian Communist Party: From Blagoev to Zhivkov-. BTW, the questions raised by a contributor to scb about my views on the 1946 elections and other matters will find them fully documented here. I also like my own -Peasants in Power- which has just been republished in Bulgaria as -Aleksandqr Stamboliyski i BZNS 1899- 1923. Duncan Perry, -The Politics of Terror-. on the Macedonian Question. I know Luben has objections to this book, and I share them, but it still contains useful material. On an earlier period I can recommend -The Establishment of Constitutional Government in Bulgaria - by my old professor Cyril Black. He also has an interesting chapter on Bulgaria immediately after WW II in a book called -Witnesses to the Start of the Cold War-, whose editor I cannot remember at the moment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- __ ______ / /_______/ \ (Please someone help me draw a better map) \ _/ | / | \ | _______| \______/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Dragomir R. Radev Graduate Research Assistant Natural Language Processing Group Columbia University CS Department Office: (212) 939-7121 Lab: (212) 939-7108 Home: (212) 866-8548 http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev/home.html