Allan Fineberg's blog

The Yiddish Policemen's Union to be a Film

Allan Fineberg — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:13:54 -0400

It's mind-boggling. The amazing, funny, fascinating book by Michael Chabon, The Yiddish Policemen's Union, is actually being filmed by the Coen brothers. What makes this of interest to Esperanto-speakers is this: some of the action in the film is set in the fictional Hotel Zamenhof, which has brass plaques set into the walls giving the Esperanto words for lavatory, elevator, stairway and buffet, among others.

Chabon's humor is kind of subtle, but read the book and it might grab you. And wait 'til you see the film: you'll doubtless find it a hoot and a half.

Invitation to a Picnic

Allan Fineberg — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:55:16 -0400

The following are messages I received from Stephen Karnik, of the Bahá'ís of Teaneck. I will be attending, as well as my wife, who doesn't speak Esperanto, but we're hoping that other Esperanto-speakers will be there also.
For travel directions, etc., contact me.

Dear Mr. Fineberg,

Esperanto in New Statesman

Allan Fineberg — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:23:27 -0400

This is the best article about Esperanto that I've seen in a long time: www.newstatesman.com/society/2008/05/esperanto-language-anti-world

Kunigi, says the Times, is Esperanto for Unite

Allan Fineberg — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:31:25 -0400

In The New York Times, an article on May 22 about furniture design:

"Mr. White was inspired by the Italian designer Andrea Branzi, whose mid-1980s series, called Domestic Animals, conceived of furniture as pets, though Mr. Branzi’s “animals” — all animal hide and prickly wood — seemed barely tamed. The soft-foam Kunigi — the word is Esperanto for unite, Mr. White said — you just want to cuddle."

And now for something slightly different

Allan Fineberg — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:00:38 -0400

This just in from

www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7317

"There have also been many attempts at inventing an international language: and one is presently gaining in popularity. In December 2007, Esperanto was added to the list of languages officially used by the European Union. It is very popular in Korea, Japan, China, Brazil and Canada, surprisingly welcome in parts of the United States, and getting known in Africa."

Not too late to climb on the bandwagon.

Amuza Video ĉe Ipernity

Allan Fineberg — Sun, 04 May 2008 09:49:18 -0400

La solvo de la lingvo-problemo en la mondo kiel spektebla en ipernity.com:
http://5percangol.hu/video/653.html

1a de Majo

Allan Fineberg — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:52:05 -0400

Hodiaŭ laboristoj kaj progresemuloj tutmonde sin redediĉas al la luktado de la laboristaro por pli bela, pli justa, pli egaleca kaj libera mondo.

Staru kun ni kaj batalu por tiuj idealoj.
Vivu la Verda Venk'! Vivu la Ruĝa Venk'!

Yale Daily News

Allan Fineberg — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:15:12 -0400

This is a funny article from the Yale Daily News.

Dua Vivo - Ne, Dankon

Allan Fineberg — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:49:43 -0400

Kiam mi la unuan fojon vizitis DV, mi tre interesiĝis pri ĝiaj multaj flankoj...povi renkonti aliajn samideanojn en grandaj grupoj, paroli kun ili permikrofone, submerĝiĝi en novan, allogan mondon ŝajnis al mi kvazaŭ mirakla afero.

Tamen, mi ekvidis ke en DV ankaŭ estas multa strangeco...viroj kiuj deziras aperi kiel virinoj, homoj kiuj ŝatas roli kiel vampiroj, avataroj kun flugiloj, sacerdotoj kiuj ne estas sacerdotoj, kaj kompreneble virinoj kiuj deziras havi avatarojn de viroj, aŭ bestoj, aŭ ambaŭ samtempe.

Snippet from a Theater Review in The New York Times

Allan Fineberg — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 11:51:40 -0400

Neil Genzlinger, a theater critic of the Times, reviewed a production called 'Six' on March ll. This is what he had to say in the penultimate paragraph.

"Joel de la Fuentes and Jennifer Ikeda play a couple whose relationship is on the rocks. He is a linguist (“Life without Esperanto is unimaginable to me”) prone to pondering what happens when a language vanishes from the face of the earth, as its final users die. Ms. Cho makes the connection to the language of love beautifully and subtly."