bauhauswerk

Just an ordinary economist who loves leatherworking, photography and video. Love cooking. Eating I love even more. I travel. I drink as well

Dear Coilers, in this post I will tell you a story about something which is amazing on many levels.

I am sure you are familiar with the Chinese calligraphy, or at least you have seen it in movies or documentaries or... I mean it is famous...

Chinese calligraphy is the writing of Chinese characters as an art form, combining purely visual art and interpretation of the literary meaning.

Here is my name written by some kid, somewhere in Beijing. I remember him called my sister and me to his home and made a calligraphy for each. He was proud of his calligraphy work which he was studying, first learned from his grandfather and later in classes. One of the rare who didn’t want to sell us something but gave us as a present.

But there is a special way of making calligraphy art, the art which lasts just for a few moments before it is gone forever, it is...

DISHU – (地书, writing calligraphy on the ground or writing street calligraphy) is very popular form of calligraphy art written on the ground with water.

Dishu artists first started practicing this art in Beihai park in Beijing in 1990s, and this art form soon spread throughout China.

Thousands of anonymous street calligraphers come to parks and streets every day to write, the different pavements becoming a large paper surface. Displaying literature, poetry or aphorisms, these monumental letterings, ranging from static regular to highly cursive styles. The calligraphic practice corresponds to a research of self accomplishment or improvement, this improvement modifying our perception of the world.

Many passers stop for a second but the moment they start observing the artist the time stops too and a second becomes minute, a minute can become an hour... Beautiful artwork to which one was gazing at, soon vanishes and it can only be kept in the memory of the viewer and in heart of the artist.

Every now and then, Chinese viewers start clapping with enthusiasm. Westerners maybe can’t understand why, but are sure that the artist just made a masterpiece... which, a minute later, is just part of a history, never to be seen again.

Enjoying Dishu can help you start enjoy small things, not material but transcendental.

Some things in life we can see and enjoy just for a moment. Observe the world around you and stop for a second if you see some interesting sight, a bird, a flower, sunset or just a plain letters on the ground. Soon they will not be there and that same sight you will never be able to see again. Ever.

Thanks for reading,

Srdan

Dear Coilers, do you know what brain drain is?! It is the emigration of highly trained or qualified people from a particular country. It is the greatest factor of some country staying poor while enriching the other.

As professor Miodrag Zec, a master of economics thoughts put it:

We have a perverse attitude towards knowledge. We persecute knowledge throughout the Balkans. And you import goods and you export knowledge. Imagine how much it costs to have a child, then to preserve it, then to teach it, and in the end it to leave and do nothing for anyone who invested in it. And something nonsense is imported, like chewing gums.

In my country, Croatia, there was a “brilliant mind” highly positioned politician, Ivan Milas, who said in Croatian Parliament:

Dear Gentlemen, here, the mouths are full of the European Union, we are all competing in this House to praise the European Community and to become a member of that society as soon as possible. Unlike many here, I have lived and worked in Europe. And many think that entering Europe immediately ensures wealth and a better life. In Austria, veal brain (served in restaurants) costs two German marks (cca. 1€), and soon we'll see how much our costs...

It ended that in Europe, Croatian brain with high education in engineering or medicine costs much more than that, yet the price of it in Croatia wasn’t valued much more than the veal brain.

The same is in all countries which do not value knowledge. Even worse, where commons make laugh of educated people who work for relatively lower salaries while smugglers and criminals earn zillions and become the cream of the society.

In countries, mostly western, who highly value knowledge, those people are welcomed and well payed so they emigrate from their native countries and contribute to their new homelands.

When those people become successful and well known, people from their native countries compete in praising them and brag with what people from their country achieved.

Like Nikola Tesla, a guy born in the village of Smiljan, 149km from the place I write these words at, is known as an American scientist.

Born in Draganić family which had nickname Tesla, and his ancestors, thru marriage became Eastern Orthodox and became Tesla family, is in these days called “OURS” by both Serbs and Croats.

Yet it doesn’t really matter was he one or another, The United States made him the TESLA who is known throughout the world.

If he hadn’t left Croatia, he would probably be just a weird teacher in some village school, who was talking nonsense about free energy distributed wirelessly.

He would be an object of laugh in a local bar where drunk peasants would mock him during his daily bottles, with which he would calm his genius but misunderstood mind.

And in the end killed in WWII as not being a Catholic Croat...

Trust me, I know how my people are. There are no people more evil than the Balkan Slavs.

In these days, which are going to be the hardest for the economy since 1920s, great minds will make the difference from those societies which will somehow survive and those which will drop dead in its own sewer.

Those who value knowledge and pay it well have collected the greatest minds throughout their institutions and companies, they will rule the future.

Others will just be able to say: “That guy is of our genes”, while searching for a piece of bread in a trash bin in front of the local general store.

Dear Coilers, knowledge is everything.

Economics is simple, economy is logical... if you have great minds to run it, keep them and praise them. Don’t let them emigrate because there are those who will let them immigrate.

Thanks for reading,

Srdan

Dear Coilers, this one is your choice!

You have decided which cheap blended whisky should I review so here it is...

Considering its history, one would expect something decent...

The Clan MacArthur, which gives this Select Scotch Whisky its name, is one of Scotland's oldest and most respected. From the banks of the majestic Loch Awe on Scotland's west coast the MacArthur's stood for their freedom alongside Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn and Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden and have left their mark on the history of their land. Today, a new kind of MacArthur Clan is growing. Like-minded people around the world are discovering this “wonderful” whisky.

As people from InterBev, holder of MacArthur’s brand would say:

The MacArthur's blend is appreciated by those connoisseurs who enjoy a medium bodied, uncomplicated whisky. It is a softly aromatic blend with a smooth, mellow palate and a fresh lingering finish. Carefully selected regional malts and superior grain whiskies have been expertly blended to create this robust and full flavoured Scotch which has become a firm favourite with consumers around the world.

They are lying, at least partly. This whisky really is uncomplicated but there is NO connoisseur who enjoys in those kind of drams. Body is more thin than medium.

It maybe doesn’t have any off notes nor flavours but it cannot hide cheap and young grain whiskies in the blend. The grainy fire which burns your palate can’t be covered.

Let’s be honest, I can recommend this one as cheap bottle of alcohol only.

mediocre cheap but not rotten and undrinkable SOLD – Thomas Jefferson (Cinnamon employee)

Nose is flat with stronger grain, suppressed malts, some vanilla and fruit, mostly pear and some apples, caramel, and something sweet like plain sugar.

Taste is not pleasant, Young grainy alcohol bites and the peppery feeling lasts. Pretty empty, cereals, some malts open up when diluted, fruit, sweet,... mediocre cheap but not rotten and undrinkable.

Finish is short, very. Oak from the refill ex bourbon casks stays to remind you that you can add a dollar or two next time you buy a bottle.

But for $8,5(!!!!!) there is no chance to get any better than this.

Dear subscribers, feel free to watch a video review of this “masterpiece”

My mark: 73/100

Read more...

Dear Coilers, this time I take you to the place of beauty and peace, one of the places which were among favourite to me in Beijing...

YONGHEGONG LAMA TEMPLE

Lama Temple is the largest Tibetan Buddhism Temple in Beijing. Situated in the northeast part of the City, it covers 66.4 thousand square meter, houses more than one thousand temples

pavilions. Lama Temple features five large halls and five courtyards with beautifully decorative archways, upturned eaves and carved details.

It houses a treasury of Buddhist art, including sculptured images of gods, demons and Buddhas, as well as Tibetan-style murals. Treasures in Lama Temple include woodcarving mostly, cast-bronze XuMiShan, Shaft iii Buddha, Bhavacakra and Traditional alleyways.

Temple fair is a main activity in spring festival eve. As a famous tourist attraction and important religion activities place, Lama Temple has already received celebrities from more than 170 countries. Each year more than 2million tourists come to Lama temple from all over the world.

Lama Temple was originally the home of Qing dynasty Prince Yong before he became the Emperor Yongzheng, which is why you can see the golden roof tiles of an imperial residence. After his elevation in 1723 he kept with tradition by making a portion of the grounds into a lamasery for Tibetan monks, and another part became the headquarters for his terror posse and secret intelligence agency.

The temple is invariably filled with equal parts monks, worshippers and tourists. At Spring Festival it teems with the devout praying for luck in the coming year. On the last day of the first lunar month, monks perform “Devil Dances” wearing fantastic masks of huge animal heads. The incense burners are authentic cultural treasures – the one in the second courtyard dates to 1746.

Impossible to miss is the 18-meter high statue of Maitreya, a messianic Buddhist figure, in the last building. It was made from a single piece of sandalwood given by the Dalai Lama to Emperor Qianlong in 1750 – it took three years to ship from Nepal to Beijing.

The building that houses this Buddha of the Future was erected after the statue was carved. If Maitreya looks shorter than 18 meters, it's because part of the statue is underground.

1694: It was built as the Royal Court of Prince Yongzheng.

1722: Elevated to imperial palace status when Yongzheng became emperor for short stays away from the Forbidden City, its name was changed to Palace of Eternal Peace (Yōnghé Gōng).

1744: It became an official Tibetan Buddhist temple, and became the Beijing office of Tibetan Buddhist affairs, run by the Qing government.

1949: Yonghe Temple was declared a national monument.

1966: It was closed for the Cultural Revolution.

1981: It was reopened to the public as a Tibetan temple for tourism and worship.

Read more...

Dear Coilers, do you know how much worth your passport is?!

Henley & Partners give you the answer.

For some people, a passport is a portal to the world. For others, it is a barrier to the travel freedom they seek. Where do you lie on the spectrum of mobility?

The Henley Passport Index is the most rigorous and sophisticated measure of global access. It goes beyond a simple ranking of passports to provide you with an in-depth picture of your travel freedom, including which countries you can access with which type of visa, how your passport has changed over the last 14 years, how your passport compares to other passports, why your passport has the level of access it does, and which additional passports would improve your mobility.

The Henley Passport Index is the only passport index that is based on IATA data, enhanced by extensive in-house research, supported by expert commentary, and updated regularly throughout the year, making it the most robust, credible, and reliable index of its kind.

Croatian passport (the one I hold) is ranked 19th according to the Henley & Partners index for this half of the year. With a Croatian passport without a visa, you can travel to 170 countries. This is a certain increase compared to January 2020, when Croatia was in 20th place, but it is still a worse result compared to two years ago, when Croatia was in 16th place. The coronavirus pandemic contributed to this.

After the air transport industry grew for decades, there was a sharp decline with the covid-19. Before the pandemic, it was as easy to travel the world as unrestricted in history, and then the bans came.

The strongest passport in the world at the moment is Japanese, whose owners can travel freely to 191 countries, followed by Singapore (190), while the third place is shared by South Korea and Germany (189).

Fourth place is held by Italy, Finland, Spain and Luxembourg with 188 unrestricted travel destinations, and the fifth place by Danish and Austrian passports (187). Sixth in strength are Swedish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Irish passports with 186 countries where it is possible to travel without a visa, followed by seventh place shared by Switzerland, The United States, Great Britain, Norway and Belgium (185).

In eighth place are the Greek, New Zealand, Maltese and Czech passports (184), in ninth place are the Canadian and Australian (183) passports, and in the tenth place is the Hungarian passport (181) which rounds out the ten strongest in the world.

Read more...

Dear Coilers, I am sure you have noticed that last few days the only purpose of Coil blogging platform (plus Cinnamon too) is to talk about Coil itself and it’s boost program.

To make it short, it is ALL about money!!!

As you know (if you know me) I am politically incorrect and I always say what I think. Openly and without wrapping it in nice colourful paper.

Bitching about Coil can be heared from two groups of people. The first one are those who are not in the boost program, yet they feel they are unjustly left out, and the second are those whose boosts dropped much, yet they feel that they have to get big boost and it is understood as something that has to be given to them.

If there was NO money in this all Coil story, nobody would say a word. – Thomas Jefferson

I myself dropped in boost much last month. But I still say I get what Coil and it’s algorithms say I deserve. Not a cent less, not a cent more. Every cent I got was the cent more over the amount I asked for.

The best thing is that they do support content makers thou they do not have to do it!

I started writing on Coil about a year ago, to give my two cents to the XRP use case. I think there was no boost program then. But one day my XRP TipBot account showed some 800+ XRP out of nowhere.

I messaged Master Wietse to ask if there was some transaction which was sent to my account by mistake?! Few hours later I’ve recieved a mail that I was boosted by Coil?!

I have not applied for the program myself, nor I knew there was an application possible. I was chosen by Coil staff. I am thankful to them till the end of time. (That’s why I feel free to say whatever I want, haven’t asked to get, I was given as the chosen one)

I’ve continued creating content, searching for niches I can cover, developed my posts portfolio and enjoyed in it. I still enjoy it. More than ever.

Every month since then I’ve received boost. Sometimes high amount, sometimes less then half of the previous month...

Never said a word about it nor blamed Coil that they have given me less of the money they even didn’t have to give me.

The only thing I was angry about was Coil staff not featured some of my posts which took hours or even days to compose. Especially I was angry (completely mad) for them not featuring my Liverpool F.C. post.

LFC won the title after 30 years and I’ve made an article about it and it passed under the radar. I’ve even openly asked them in the end of that article to feature it. That one ment life to me... yet they haven’t...

So, bitch about the good quality not being recognized, not because you got less money.

If any Coil creator is not happy with the boost, or not happy with the support or whatever... one is free to leave the platform just like one is free to join!

There is always a place in McDonald’s. If one thinks they pay better...

There are some amazing articles on Coil, written by the “unknown” and not popular creators. Discovering them is a pure joy. I always follow the creator I discover and try to support by reading and UV. Adam tha Aussie is the master of discovering good stuff and his tweets are great source if you want to find the quality.

But not only quality is what is needed for the success. Marketing is selling the product.

We all know that Coil left the promotion to ourselves. So don’t expect them to bring readers to you. In the end they pay us to do it ourselves.

Even the micropayments work that way. Bring people to your content, make them read and be interested to read locked content. Make them interested in browsing other creators’ content. Make the platform grow.

I was a solid football player but never made a pro career. I went to uni and haven’t decided to live a life of a pro athlete. I simply haven’t chosen that path. I’m I sorry?! Maybe sometimes, but it was a choice I’ve made and I’m not gonna cry for it. Being good in sports doesn’t bring you payment. Being good in sports and playing for a pro team does.

Dear Coilers. If you are not happy with what Coil gives you, you are free to leave.

If you think you deserve more, know you get what you deserve.

If you think that you should get into the boost program be sure that Coil staff reads ALL posts and if you are persistent in creating content of good quality, they will notice you and you will enter the program.

If you need advice and help (not declarative one but real) feel free to DM me on Twitter. And I can assure you that there are other Coilers who will help you with their advices. You can even find great posts about it on the platform.

At the end of this post I just want to tell you not to write for money but for joy. If you get payed, be thankful for what you get. Coil doesn’t have to pay, they’ve chosen themselves to.

If you think you are not payed enough, there is always McDonald’s.

Thanks for reading,

Srdan

Dear Coilers, Brew! is back with something more special than ordinary, example of which you will be able to taste in Coil’s taproom for the subscribers. For the price of a pint you can enjoy the content monetized thru Coil and help building the future of Internet.

We are back to England and the old brew style. Thou English ales often cross the borders of the exact styles, and the styles themselves can overlap in some parts, Bitters are brew which are as English as it gets. This one developed from pale ale and gets into the bitter style. High alcohol in the brew I’ve chosen to present you puts it into...

STRONG ALE (English Strong) -

Strong ales are sometimes referred to as old ales, stock ales or winter warmers. These beers are higher alcohol versions (typically between 5.5-7 percent ABV) of pale ales, though not as robust or alcoholic as barley wines. Usually a deep amber color, these brews generally have a sweet malty palate and a degree of fruitiness. If bottle conditioned, strong ales can improve for several years, in some cases eventually obtaining sherry-like notes.

If put into the Extra Special Bitter style, a sub style of English Bitter, you can expect it to have both hops and malt dialed up, but again with a goal toward balance (very similar to an English Pale Ale).

KING GOBLIN by Wichwood brewery

This deep ruby coloured true King of Beers delivers aromas of treacle toffee and dried fruits. Brewed with a blend of the finest Crystal and Chocolate malts and with Fuggles, Sovereign, Styrian and Cascade hops. Packed full of sweet caramel, coffee and earthy roasted malt flavours for a warming seal of approval.

A full, rich, sublimely fruity & satisfying indulgent beer; a beer for the connoisseur of the finer things.

STYLE: STRONG ALE

ALC VOL: 6,6%

BITTERNESS: N/A IBU (30ish)

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Malawi Lake Fish Tank

Dear Coilers, have you known that I am master of at least one trade beside my useless university education?!

I am a member of Zagreb Chamber of Trades and Crafts and proud of being among the world’s best in what I do... The work is completely handmade using traditional tools only. I have also invented my own process od dying leather with natural pigments...

Let me show you...

Interesting?!

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Dear Coilers, let me continue a story about the squares/parks of the “Green Horseshoe” in Zagreb, Croatia. One of the gems of the city I love with all my heart.

The Croatian National Theatre is located here. This square is the last in the arc of eight green squares that formed “Lenuci’s Horseshoe” (Green Horseshoe), the central component of 19th century Zagreb’s urban plan. Well-known Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Herman Helmer, who designed forty other European theatres, were responsible for the plans for the building, employing a rich Neo-Baroque style that was at the time thought most suitable for theatres. Officially opened in 1895, the building brings the national opera, ballet and drama companies together under a single roof. With a repertoire that ranges from classics to contemporary pieces, and with both Croatian and international works well represented, the theatre occupies a central place in the cultural life of the capital.

Placed in front of the National Theatre in 1912, “Well of Life” is one of Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović’s most popular works. Dating from Meštrović’s youthful, playful period, it is a sensual piece of work that many believe to be among his best. It basically consists of a circular pool surrounded by a bronze frieze of intertwined nude figures. From children to loving couples and old people, the figures appear to be reaching over the lip of the fountain to scoop up the water, suggesting a universal theme of human zest for life and interdependence.

Running along the north side of the square is the main administrative building of Zagreb University. Founded in 1669, it is the oldest university in Croatia, and also one of the oldest in Europe. It currently consists of 29 faculties, three academies and one university centre.The administrative building, built in the 19th century, was originally used as a hospital, and for a time even served as a tobacco factory. In front of the entrance is Ivan Meštrović’s “History of the Croats”, a seated figure of a woman (based on the sculptor’s mother) which eloquently symbolizes the calm strength of the nation. The sculpture was placed here in 1971, and has served as a popular patriotic symbol ever since.

Occupying the west side of the square is the Museum of Arts and Crafts, founded in 1880 and one of the first institutions of its kind in Europe. It was originally charged with the cultivation of traditional crafts and their use in modern design and manufacture. As a result, the School of Decorative Arts (the present day School of Applied Arts and Design) was established next to the museum. The permanent exhibition at the museum covers three floors and presents the development of applied arts from the Gothic period right through to Art-Deco. The display includes clocks and watches, metalwork, glass, ceramics and textiles. The museum also organizes themed exhibitions about the history of design as well as contemporary art shows.

The theme of St George killing the dragon has been a popular motif since medieval times, symbolizing the struggle between good and evil and the victory of Christianity over paganism. This particular portrayal of the saint was produced by Austrian sculptor Anton Fernkorn. The original made its way to a noblemans palace in Vienna in 1853, although a zinc cast was brought to Zagreb. This bronze copy was placed at its current location in 1908, the virtuous knight has been on display killing the dragon for just over a century.

The latest addition to the square is a building of the Academy of Music, the largest and oldest musical institution in Croatia. Tracing back its origins to 1829.

Seeing that at that time Croatia was a part of the Austrian Empire the musical school was modelled after the Musikverein in Vienna.

After World War II the Academy was recognized as a higher education institution, as a result, it became a part of the University of Zagreb. Today the Academy is situated in the reconstructed Ferimport building which was the ugliest building in the whole city, not that the present look is any better.

Dear subscribers, a short video of the square for you... if you cannot see it, please subscribe and help Coil build the future of Internet...

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