Staying fit with music
By Dāvis Valdnieks
Aerobics is a very popular activity among female students at the University of Latvia. Every year around 20 training groups are created and sessions are held in the Faculty of Economics at Aspazijas bulvāris 5.
There are different types of aerobic classes with detailed information about training programs and time schedule at http://www.lu.lv/sports/veidi/aerobika/trenini/
Men are welcome to participate but most participants are women. People who are interested are invited to visit the upcoming festival of aerobics this spring.
For more information follow these links: http://www.lu.lv/sports/veidi/aerobika/dejufestivals/ and http://www.aerobikavisiem.lv/pub/?id=108.
Baseball’s here
By Dāvis Va
ldnieks
Students at the University of Latvia can participate in baseball training twice a week in Grebenščikova str. 1. Everyone who is interested in playing baseball is welcome regardless of previous experience. There is even a league for beginners.
Training sessions are run by experienced Coach Igors Aleksejevs who has participated in coaching seminars in Sweden, Poland and elsewhere www.rigadiamonds.com
According to Aleksejevs, winter sessions are indoors, but in the summer players will use the field behind the building of the faculty of Social Sciences at 1 Lomonosova Street. It is the most advanced baseball playground in Latvia now.
More information about baseball in Latvia can be found here www.beisbols.lv
Brain sports
By Rūdolfs Andersons
Chess is one of the sports offered for students studying at the University of Latvia http://www.lu.lv/sports/veidi/sahs/. However, recently when this reporter checked it out at 6 p.m. on Tuesday the only thing he found was an empty training room.
Chess Coach Alberts Cimiņš says chess as a part of the University’s offered sports for students is long gone. Due to insufficient funds the University and Cimiņš no longer offer chess. However, students willing to play chess can still come to Merķeļa Street 11 and get some lessons and advice from the coach who said the problems started in 2004, when students could no longer get any credit for chess lessons.
Students who are interested in learning to play chess can do it through Riga Chess federation. For more see http://www.chess.lv/lv/ or call Alberts Cimiņš – 28804664.
Playing basketball
By Rudolfs Andersons
Basketball training is open at the Olympic sports centre in Grostonas street 6B on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays http://www.lu.lv/sports/veidi/basketbols/
Everyone is welcome regardless of skills and previous experience. However, it is often overcrowded and playing abilities vary greatly.
More serious basketball players should consider joining a Faculty’s basketball team. These teams not only train but also compete with each other in the LU basketball league http://www.lu.lv/sports/veidi/basketbols/sacensibas/lu-basketbola-liga/. Those interested should contact their student council.
The top level of basketball is played by the main basketball team which combines all the best players from all Faculties. This team plays in the SEB Latvian student basketball league http://www.sbl.lv/ and competes with all other Latvian Universities.
Those interested in trying out for the team should contact Head Coach Mārtiņš Zībarts via e-mail: martins.zibarts@lu.lv
Daugavpils Youth Association forced to die
By Gunta Kursiša
Daugavpils Youth Association in Riga (DYAR) was founded in the beginning of 2008 but vanished by summer 2009.
For NGOs it is difficult to survive if it doesn’t have deep roots and traditions,” – says Zane Kokina, the former leader of DYAR. The organization faced problems with fundraising. DYAR hold 12 active volunteers and approximately 350 youngsters participating in Contact Zone, an event sponsored by of DYAR. Compared to bigger and older it did well, however the economical and political crisis in Daugavpils led to its collapse, says Kokina.
“It is necessary to share resources and make alliances between similar organizations,” says Kokina. DYAR was setting up a project together with similar Youth organization from Liepaja, when it ended.
Being green or Biofuels in Latvia
By Aigars Lazdiņš
Biofuels and green energy generally are connected to highly developed Scandinavian countries. But Latvia also has its own good share of biofuel users and distributors.
Biofuels are made from renewable energy sources, usually plants. This has recently caused a lot of controversy around the world because of the possibility of farmers abandoning their food crops to grow government subsidized non-edible crops usable for the production of biofuels thus increasing famine around the world.
Depending upon their ingredients and refinement processes, biofuels can actually create 95 percent smaller CO2 emissions into the Earths’ atmosphere than ordinary fuels, “Statoil” claims on its webpage http://www.statoil.lv. Coincidentally, Statoil is one of the biggest fuel salesmen in Latvia.
Despite the controversy, biofuels are still becoming more and more widely used in the European Union (EU). Thanks to EU regulations, most fuel sold in Latvia also has to have at least five percent of biofuel mixed with it. This of course means good business for local biofuel retailers. Recently the government has decided that the five percent of biofuel should be required for winter diesel too.
That doesn’t mean all people in Latvia think green.
“I just buy what I can get. If it [the biofuel mix-in] will make the fuel much more expensive, I’ll just go to Latgale and buy some fuel that’s been smuggled in from Russia,” says one truck driver.
Don’t Apply if You’re Mad
By Aigars Lazdiņš
“I had to walk past windowed cellblocks holding mental patients. Luckily it is winter so I was wearing my fluffy winter coat, but anyway their shouts and catcalls made me feel naked,” says Laima, a 20-year-old woman who recently visited The Riga Psychiatry and Narcology Centre (RPNC) to get her certificate of mental health.
A note that certifies a person is not a drug addict and/or mental patient is required before any Latvian can qualify for a driver’s license or a permit to own, carry or use a gun. The note is also needed to work in certain professions, such as a security guard, airplane pilot or attendant.
Laima was applying to be a stewardess for a local airline.
“Most of my friends just went to their family doctors and got their notes there. If your doctor knows your medical history well enough, he can write up the necessary form himself,” she explains. But in her case, the doctor decided a real checkup was needed, and for that Laima had to go to RPNC.
The whole procedure is not unpleasant or very expensive (more information can be found at http://www.gvva.gov.lv/). In Laima’s opinion, the main problem is the outdated buildings where the RPNC is located.
Tvaika iela (Steam Street) has housed a psychiatric hospital (from which the RPNC was created) since Soviet times. Although the centers’ webpage proudly states, it has been renovated rather recently, the buildings remain mostly the same as they were a long time ago.
“You still have to get past the patients to see the doctors,” Laima says.
Sleeping on notes or students’ superstitions
By Ieva Cielava
Canadian research in 1989 found students pay enormous attention to superstitions. They are afraid of the unknown, and that’s why they rely on it – was the conclusion of the research.
To find out how important superstitions are, 19 students from University of Latvia , University of Vidzeme, School of Business Administration “Turība”, Riga Technical University and Riga Stradins University were interviewed. All of them agreed that they have certain beliefs and rituals which they try to follow.
The most popular way to prepare for an exam is to put books or notes under their pillow because the students believe this will help knowledge enter the mind. Many students also wear special things to exams – earrings, a red piece of clothing, or even special tights.
Marina Titova says hair is a positive channel connecting a person with a higher force. Before important examinations people should think wise thoughts while brushing their hair, Titova says. Edgars Kudiņs agrees that hair has an important role in pre-examination preparation. “You shouldn’t cut hair, shave, or cut your nails,” Kudiņš says warning that wisdom is lost for those who do.
Other students advise spending the night before examinations with friends having fun.
Jānis Ķemers says the best place to sit, if you are not prepared for the exam, is the first row, because professors never believe that students who are unprepared sit in the front.
Superstitions play an important role in lives of Latvians. Even if we don’t really believe them, it seems safer to follow the easy ones. However Latvians are not the only ones to follow superstitions. Many cultures across the whole world do.
The Bearslayer emerges on the silver screen
By Sanita Medne
Director Jānis Vingris presents a fresh and ironic view on current Latvia in the new feature film THE LAST BEARSLAYER (Lāčplēsis).
Long before the movie was released, it caused a brawl which lead to a dramatic cut on its finances. The director refers to this as “graphic political censorship”.
The movie is only 23 minutes long, but took three years to make. To finish the shooting most of the crew worked voluntarily and with the help of fan’s donations. On the official homepage the crew thanks fans personally and they also have a Twitter acount with more than 800 followers.
The film is playing at cinema Rīga, 61 Elizabetes street and during the next two weeks it will be shown every night. Tickets (cost LVL 2.00) and are available at cinema ticket box.
Watch trailer:
Frogs getting blogged
What happens when LU SZF students make friends with frogs? Frogs become yellow, and the yellofrog blog is created.
Yellofrog is a group of active, young and creative communication students who have decided to share what they do well – communicate. That is why with the help of a Fulbright professor from the University of Nevada, Dr. Ardyth Sohn, they have created a “froggy” blog.
The blog is about everything students care and about with main sections on social concerns, health, science, environment, sports and entertainment, of course. Full of bright, serious and funny ideas we are creating an intellectual yellow frog empire, where everyone can find something interesting. Hope everyone enjoys it!
Yellofrog 