MetaFilter posts tagged with slovenia

1989, revolution in Eastern Europe

Kattullus — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:49:20 -0800

The BBC World Service has put together a special report on the 1989 revolutions in Eastern Europe (they also have a simpler portal). There is a wealth of material, including TV reports on key events from the BBC archives, interviews, a map timeline, a report on Catholicism's role in the 1989 revolutions, a first-hand report of what it was like to gather news in East Germany during that time and much more.

To the edge of human endurance, and beyond

filthy light thief — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:52:09 -0800

Jure Robič raced on bicycles in his hometown in Slovenia, skilled enough to race with small Slovene teams but nothing professionally, supporting himself with a sales job for a bike-parts dealer. It was with the death of his mother in 1997 and his subsequent depression that Robič discovered his calling: ultra-endurance cycle races, in which he competes with a methodical madness. (1 page print version, via). About ten years ago, a friend of his suggested he train for the Crocodile Trophy in 1999. Robič finished third, with 2 stage wins. In October of 2001, Robič completed a 24 hour time trial and covered 803.5 km (499.3 miles), and also qualification for Race Across America (RAAM). A year later, he quit his job and volunteered to join the Slovene military, undergoing nine months of intensive combat training (he surprised his unit with his penchant for late-night training runs). He earned a coveted spot in the sports division, which exists solely to support the nation's top athletes. For Robič, the post meant a salary of 700 euros (about $850) a month and the freedom to train full time. Robič continued with cycle racing, and his results continued to climb, placing second in the Crocodile Trophy in 2001 and 2002, 3rd place in Race Across the Alps in 2002, covering 550km and a 13500 meter ascent in 23:39.33 (the winner, Paul Lindner, made it in 22:47.25). In 2003, he dominated the men's solo category of the Silberreiher-Trophy 24 hour race, covering 911 km in 23h 41 min. He set the official European record at 2004 Kraftwerk Trophy - Krems Austria 24h road race, getting 1st place for covering 974,4km in 24 hours. 2003 was the year Jure Robič placed 2nd in the Race Across America, traveling from the 2921.7 miles from San Diego, CA to Atlantic City, NJ in around 9 days, losing to Allen Larsen's time of 8 days 23 h 36 min. Robič went on to get first in RAAM in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. In 2005, he also got first place in Le Tour Direct, which is also known as Tour de France in one stage and that name tells it all. Instead of tackling the route in sections, it's covered in one continuous go, all 4,022 km (2,500 miles) and 47,000 m (~140,000 feet) of climbing at once, first one there wins, whatever it takes. For Robič, that's a craziness of the most literal sort, and it's re-shaping the understanding of human limits. As told in the New York Times article linked above the break:

The craziness is methodical, however, and Robic and his crew know its pattern by heart. Around Day 2 of a typical weeklong race, his speech goes staccato. By Day 3, he is belligerent and sometimes paranoid. His short-term memory vanishes, and he weeps uncontrollably. The last days are marked by hallucinations: bears, wolves and aliens prowl the roadside; asphalt cracks rearrange themselves into coded messages. Occasionally, Robic leaps from his bike to square off with shadowy figures that turn out to be mailboxes. In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback. ‘‘Mujahedeen, shooting at me,’’ he explains. ‘‘So I ride faster.’’ ... He is not always the fastest competitor (he often makes up ground by sleeping 90 minutes or less a day), nor does he possess any towering physiological gift. On rare occasions when he permits himself to be tested in a laboratory, his ability to produce power and transport oxygen ranks on a par with those of many other ultra-endurance athletes. He wins for the most fundamental of reasons: he refuses to stop.

Research into fatigue and exhaustion initially assumed that it was the muscles themselves that reached their limit, but more recent studies have shown mental fatigue can affect physical endurance, though the definition and sources for muscle fatigue are complex, making studies of fatigue complex to say the least.

Umetnost

tellurian — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:12:10 -0800

The Digital Library of Slovenia has (among other things) music [like this] [previously], posters [like this] and photographs [like this].

Historical Slovenian Popular Music

tellurian — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:34:41 -0800

Slovenian compositions, mainly performed by solo singers (with piano or orchestra accompaniment) and by different orchestras and smaller vocal groups. The tracks are listed here. Might I suggest you start with Vinko Vodopivec and see if this the sort of thing you like?

The Cave Castle

jonson — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 11:49:22 -0800

The Castle in Front of the Cave is, unsurprisingly, a castle in Slovenia fully integrated with a cave system; built in several stages beginning in the 13th century, the castle serves as the front to a large network of caves in the side of a mountain. This excellent flickr photoset has plenty more detail about the castle's history, defense systems & more. For those who want more detail, a series of QTVR panoramic images of the insides of the castle available on this Slovenian site. Via.

Every Cover Tells a Story

tellurian — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:58:31 -0800

Some album covers with comments. [related]

Around Slovenia in 80 Seconds

Ljubljana — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:51:20 -0800

Piddle Around Slovenia. The country's tourist board has released this online game, allowing players to virtually wander around the tiny Alpine country, visiting popular sites while chatting with others.

Videoletters from the former Yugoslavia

Ljubljana — Fri, 29 Apr 2005 02:29:33 -0800

Hello to the Krilcic family. Ten years after we last saw you we are alive and well. And I hope you are. We would like to hear from you and see you. Goodbye.
In each episode of Videoletters, two former neighbors, friends or colleagues separated by the Bosnian war exchange video messages. Since 1999, two filmmakers have been helping people from across the former Yugoslavia find and reconnect with one another in this way, often with heart-breaking results. Watch a sample episode here about two young men, Vlada (a Serb) and Ivica (a Croat), whose families were close friends when the war began. [Bit more inside]

There's a random painted highway

Wolfdog — Fri, 15 Apr 2005 05:33:05 -0800

Painted beehive panels (accompanying article here) from the Museum of Apiculture [virtual tour, flash] in Radovljica, Slovenia.

"Take a virtual tour to some landmarks of Slovenia and a lot of fun!"

jokeefe — Thu, 25 Nov 2004 22:03:24 -0800

Virtual Reality Panoramas of Slovenia. This virtual guide is an attempt to present world landmarks with the point to - Slovenia. The goal of this project is to display the cultural and natural heritage of our planet with interactive Virtual RealityPanoramas. The project started in 1996 and is updated almost every week, so welcome to check it On-line! This presentation is a part of work in progress. Today it consists of 3610 Virtual Reality Panoramas, 1283 high resolution full screen QTVR-s and more than 16.000 photos (also wallpapers in three standard resolutions), which is about 80 % (hm..?) of the project (Slovenia Landmarks only) . By Slovenian artist Bostjan Burger.

Around the world in a motorglider

Ljubljana — Tue, 03 Aug 2004 02:26:30 -0800

Photographer and pilot Matevž Lenarcic is travelling around the world in an ultralight motorglider. Here are some of the pictures he's been taking.

The 25 Member EU

MidasMulligan — Fri, 30 Apr 2004 17:26:39 -0800

The European Union welcomes 10 new members! As I write this, the celebrations have started as Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia become members of the EU today. While some folks are gonna party like crazy, others are warning of doom and gloom. What do you think? Will this have significant effects on global culture, politics, and economics - or will it merely represent a paper change within the rarefied world of European diplomats, with little other than localized effects on day to day life?

Ljubljana — Tue, 10 Sep 2002 08:20:20 -0800

He came, he swam, he conquered. The swimmer Martin Strel braved whirlpools, snakes, gators and tankers to become the first person to swim the length of the Mississippi River in a single attempt. He swam for 68 days before reaching the Gulf of Mexico, drinking a bottle of wine/day and losing nearly 40 lbs in the process. Crazy? Heroic? You decide.

nonharmful — Mon, 18 Jun 2001 04:59:29 -0800

Should single women lose the right to have babies through in-vitro fertilization?