Ed Casabar @edcasabar@qoto.org

Reposting my (long) #introduction since I’ve migrated to a new instance.

My career at BJC HealthCare / BJH included #antimicrobialstewardship; #infectiousdiseases #pharmacotherapy; #vaccines; #medicationsafety; #patientcare; #teaching; research; lots of administrative stuff.

Former editor BJH Tool Book on the #Dorsata platform.

Still doing human research review with the #IRB and #genetherapy studies review with the #IBC at #WUSM.

In addition to science, I believe in democracy, the important role of journalism, and a round Earth.

#LanguageLearning

My language learning journey started in jr. high school with #Esperanto, attempting to self-learn it from a public library book and short-wave radio. My #Russian and #Spanish are passable. My #French and #Italian are fading. Still a beginner at #Japanese. #Kanji is a slow death for me, but #bushido / budo and #Zen culture keeps me engaged. Putin’s war crimes convinced me to start learning #Ukrainian.

Russian sparked my interest in #ColdWar history and to volunteer for the St. Louis-Samara #SisterCities Committee, for which I’ve hosted Russian medical and cultural delegates in my home.

#Travel

In 2010, my language and Cold War interests combined with my hospital’s changing ETO retention policy got me to travel more internationally. In 2015, I completed my original travel goal of going to the last 5 Communist countries. In order of visit: #China, #NorthKorea, #Vietnam, #Laos, #Cuba.

My country count so far is only 33. Hoping to grow that during retirement. My 3 most remote places: Pyongyang and the DMZ, #DPRK; the Eastern Highlands of #PapuaNewGuinea; and Bayan-Ulgii, #Mongolia. Still need to visit 2 more continents - Antarctica and Africa. I’ve been to 42 US states, including AK and HI.

#Photography

I became a photographer early in my travels. My kit is a #Canon 5DM3, EF 16-35 mm; f2.8, and EF 70-200 mm f2.8 and #iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Currently, drawn to international #festivals. I’ve hauled my heavy glass to photograph the #Goroka Sing Sing (PNG); Kazakh golden eagle hunters (Mongolia), Aboriginal singers at the #DesertMob Festival (Alice Springs, #Australia) and Yabusame / mounted archers (Nikko, #Japan).

If you got this far, thanks for reading all of this. Here to learn, be social and feed my wide variety of interests.

Photo:

This #Kazakh #eagle hunter surprised the hell out of me by standing next to me as I photographed the competitors at the 20th anniversary of the Golden Eagle Festival. Taken at the base of the Altai Mountains, just outside Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia, about 100 miles/160 km from the nearly intersecting borders of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and China. October 8, 2019

The Great American Eclipse, April 8, 2024, Jackson, Missouri. I was lucky enough to capture the brief second when the Diamond Ring appears.

#Eclipse, #Eclipse2024, #EclipseSolar2024, #EclipseAcrossAmerica

A powerful piece. On the 2nd anniversary of #Russia 's invasion of #Ukraine, an American veteran, volunteering in Ukraine, describes what Ukraine is fighting for not only for themselves, but for all democratic nations.

https://shorturl.at/pqwBH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNRAprCZxcg

"About The Days". Singer, Serhiy Babkin calls for Ukrainians to sing — as loud as they can, about everything that cannot be said with words, about unconcealed goodness, about not crying with tears, about Dnipro.

A powerful wartime song that's quickly become one of my favorite Ukrainian songs.

As part of my #Ukrainian #LanguageLearning, my translation below.

Ukrainian friends, feel free to make corrections. Much appreciated.

Про Дни
Сергій Бабкін

About The Days
Serhiy Babkin

Люди, нумо заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song

Підіймемо рівень кисню
Let's raise the oxygen level

Хай він покидьків злісних стисне міцно
Let it (our song) tightly squeeze the scum of the wicked

Що в них аж пика трісне
So that even the look of their face cracks

Люди, ну ж бо заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song

Не забуваючи колишнє відганяючи смуту,
Not forgetting the former, driving away the turmoil,

Маючи все в прагненні новими бути
Having everything in the desire to be new

Люди, давайте заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song

Гучніш, що є сили, навмисно
Be as loud as you can, on purpose

Наша зірочка надії сяє дивовижним блиском
Our star of hope shines with amazing brilliance

Від їхньої поразки вже слизько
Their defeat is already slippery

Люди, разом заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song together

Країна солов’їна голосами барвиста
The country of the nightingale is colorful with voices

Ми є перлини зібрані в одне намисто
We are pearls gathered in one necklace

Нас чекає свято урочисте
A solemn holiday awaits us

Про все, що не промовити словами
About everything that cannot be said with words

Про не виплакати зі сльозами
About not crying with tears

Про все, що на душі і про що пульсує серце
About everything that is in the soul and about what the heart beats

Про дотик аркуша олівцем
About the touch of a sheet with a pencil

Про небо блакитне над нами
About the blue sky above us

Про найніжніші руки мами
About the most tender hands of a mother

Про неприховане добро
About unconcealed goodness

Про дні, про, дні, про дні, Дніпро
About the days, about the days, about the days, Dnipro

Люди, нумо заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song

Кожному воїну в душу особисту
Every soldier has an individual soul

Людині, що змогла все це знести,
To the person who was able to endure all this,

Крізь бетонні плити квітами прорости
Flowers sprout through the concrete slabs

Люди, заради Бога заспіваймо пісню
People, for God's sake, let's sing a song

Хай вона у всесвітньому просторі зависне
Let it float in the universal space

Раз за разом повторюючись як мантра
Repeated over and over like a mantra

Від старого вчора до нового завтра
From the old yesterday to the new tomorrow

Люди, гайда разом заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song together

Лелеки крик, верба, калина, вишня
The cry of a stork, the willow, the viburnum, the cherry

Суперечень не маємо попри сум
We have no disagreements despite the sums

Якщо далеко хтось, може співати через зум
If someone is far away, they can sing through Zoom

Люди, нарешті зайспіваймо нашу пісню
People, let's finally sing our song

Заб‘єм козацьким духом огидну русню
With our Cossack spirit, we will kill the hideous Russians

Розповсюджуючи кольори та коріння
Spreading colors and roots

Нехай лунає з нами сонячне проміння
Let the sun shine with us.

Про все, що не промовити словами
About everything that cannot be said in words

Про не виплакати зі сльозами
About not crying with tears

Про все, що на душі і про що пульсує серце
About everything that is on the soul and about what the heart beats

Про дотик аркуша олівцем
About the touch of a sheet with a pencil

Про небо блакитне над нами
About the blue sky above us

Про найніжніші руки мами
About the most tender hands of my mother

Про неприховане добро
About undisguised goodness

Про дні, про, дні, про дні, Дніпро
About the days, about the days, about the days, Dnipro

Про, про
About, about

Про дні, про, дні, про дні, Дніпро
About the days, about the days, about the days, Dnipro

Про все, що не промовити словами
About everything that cannot be said in words

Про не виплакати зі сльозами
About not crying with tears

Про все, що на душі і про що пульсує серце
About everything that is on the soul and about what the heart beats

Про дотик аркуша олівцем
About touching the sheet with a pencil

Про небо блакитне над нами
About the blue sky above us

Про найніжніші руки мами
About the most tender hands of a mother

Про неприховане добро
About unconcealed goodness

Про дні, про дні, про дні, Дніпро
About the days, about the days, about the days, Dnipro

Люди, давайте заспіваймо пісню
People, let's sing a song

Нашим захисникам та захисницям.
To our defenders and our protectors.

Нехай вона з’явиться лінією на руці
Let it appear as a line on the hand

Кожен з нас, ми всі — долі своєї митці
Each of us, we are all the destiny of our artists

#Ukraine, #Україна
#SlavaUkraini, #СлаваУкраїні
#УкраїнськаМова, #UkrainianLanguage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT2ZFTEEaeo

Russia's war in Ukraine and their support of Hamas makes it hard for me to continue my Russian studies. But once in blue moon, I come across a Russian song that I actually like and gets me back to my former habit of using song lyrics as a way to improve my vocabulary.

Russian friends, feel free to correct my translation.

Острой Бритвой / Sharp Razor
Дима Билан / Dima Bilan

Разделяю стихи на цитаты,
I divide poems into quotes,

Где слова за горло берут,
Where words take you by the throat,

И часы – бессмысленный круг.
And the clock is a meaningless circle.

Своё сердце отдам я в подарок.
I will give my heart away as a gift.

Я готов в любви утонуть,
I'm ready to sink in love

Дай немного счастья вдохнуть.
Let meі inhale a little happiness.

Ты одета в мои объятья,
You are dressed in my embrace,

Я заставлю о прошлом забыть.
I will compel you to forget about the past.

Через день я живу на распятье,
Every other day I live at the crossroads

А ты? Что же ты?
And you? What about you?

Ревёшь и считаешь ошибки,
You wail and count your mistakes,

Твои чувства, как слёзный ручей.
Your feelings are like a stream of tears.

Ты – ничья, и я – буду ничей.
You are a draw, and I will be a draw.

Острой бритвой по сердцу пишу роман.
I write a novel with a sharp razor to my heart.

Тебя ревную к чужим улыбкам,
I'm jealous of you and other people's smiles,

Ревную к чужим глазам.
I am jealous of other people's eyes.

Острой бритвой по сердцу твои слова.
Your words cut like a razor to my heart.

И я услышу послушное «да»,
And I will hear an obedient “yes”

Услышу послушное «да, да, да…»
I will hear an obedient “yes, yes, yes...”.

Не надейся, чужой ты не станешь,
Don’t hope, you won’t become a stranger,

Посмотри в глаза – я жду.
Look into my eyes - I'm waiting.

Я живу и не живу.
I live and I don’t live.

Тень надежды моей угасает.
The shadow of my hope is fading.

Я скучаю, не могу.
I am bored, I can't.

Возвращайся, очень жду.
Come back, I am looking forward to it.

В зазеркалье моё пространство,
Through the looking glass is my space,

Залетаю ночами в сны.
I fly into dreams at night.

Без тебя ничего не надо,
I don't need anything without you,

А ты? Что же ты?
And you? What about you?

Ты плачешь, считая ошибки –
You wail, counting mistakes -

Твои чувства, как слёзный ручей.
Your feelings are like a stream of tears.

Ты – ничья, и я – буду ничей.
You are a draw, and I will be a draw.

Острой бритвой по сердцу пишу роман.
I write a novel with a sharp razor to my heart.

Тебя ревную к чужим улыбкам,
I'm jealous of you and other people's smiles,

Ревную к чужим глазам.
I am jealous of other people's eyes.

Острой бритвой по сердцу твои слова.
Your words cut like a razor to my heart.

И я услышу послушное «да»,
And I will hear an obedient “yes”

Услышу послушное «да, да, да…».
I will hear an obedient “yes, yes, yes...”.

Острой бритвой по сердцу пишу роман.
I write a novel with a sharp razor to my heart.

Тебя ревную к чужим улыбкам,
I'm jealous of other people's smiles,

Ревную к чужим глазам.
I am jealous of other people's eyes.

Острой бритвой по сердцу твои слова.
Your words cut like a razor to my heart.

И я услышу послушное «да»,
And I will hear an obedient “yes”

Услышу послушное «да, да, да…».
I will hear an obedient “yes, yes, yes...”.

#russian
#russianlanguage
#languagelearning
#русскийязык

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jC-sW5l4_g

😲 Probably one of the best first-person-view (#FPV) #drone #travel videos I’ve ever seen.

Incredible #cinematography and wildlife fly-bys. Video by Ellis van Jason.

#photography
#tanzania #africa

Just announced today. The mounted samurai horse race, the Soma Nomaoi, that I attended at the end of July in Minamisoma, Japan, has been moved, starting 2024, to the last Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of May. This was due to the deaths of 2 horses and a number of the samurai suffering from heat exhaustion at this year's event.

#japan
#SomaNomaoi

Photo 4 of 4

#Travel
#Photography
#PhotoMonday
Photo 1 of 4, ©️Ed Casabar | Photography

Photo 3 of 4

#SomaNomaoi
#Travel
#Photography
#PhotoMonday
Photo 1 of 4, ©️Ed Casabar | Photography

Photo 2 of 4

#Travel
#Photography
#PhotoMonday
Photo 1 of 4, ©️Ed Casabar | Photography

Two years of planning. I finally attended the #SomaNomaoi in Minamisoma, #Japan, a small agricultural city about 1.5 hrs south of Sendai in Fukushima Prefecture. Photos taken during the Nomaoi (“wild horse pursuit”) July 30, 2023. Following a tradition that goes back centuries, mounted modern samurai, carrying battle flags attached to their body armor, race at the Hibarigahara horse track and festival site. Thus honoring the samurai history and tradition of capturing wild horses and revering them for their power and will.

#Travel
#Photography
#PhotoMonday
Photo 1 of 4, ©️Ed Casabar | Photography

Some of the photos I've taken these last few days in #Fukuoka, #Japan for the #Hakata #Yamakasa Festival.

Oisa!

(Roughly translated as “Let’s go!”, “You can do this!”, “Push!”

#Travel
#Photography
#TravelPhotography

Basashi (horse sashimi) at Hatsu-uma, Fukuoka, Japan. Very delish! 5 stars to Chef Kenta Hikawa's cuisine and service.

Google Translate his website: https://hitosara.com/0010002164/?fbclid=IwAR26L8EDpRQmDvRBuQqBcNnRw3Ac0bpE_EiZTsEK2p4gdhfSwS1k8KkaPcc

#travel
#sashimi
#bizzarefood
#Fukuoka
#japan

On #Day500 of #Russia ’s war on #Ukraine, video of President #Zelenskyy paying tribute to the fallen soldiers at the recaptured #SnakeIsland. A testament or reminder:

1. Of Zelenskyy’s bravery and compassion for his soldiers

2. That Russia does not have air or sea superiority over Ukraine

3. That Ukraine does not have a navy, and the UAF were able to get him there and back safely.

#StandWithUkraine
#RussiaIsATerroristState

Fellow Americans, on this #July4th , remember that 247 years ago, a highly motivated, but outnumbered, under-equipped volunteer army defeated a larger, more powerful imperial foe. Then think about the parallels to #Ukraine.

Attached pic: the Motherland Monument in #Kyiv, lit up by the Ukrainians in red, white, and blue for July 4th.

#russia
#russiaisaterroriststate

Russia's and Putin's rats are fleeing their sinking ship.

Former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul is calling it a #civilwar.

#russia
#russiaiscollapsing
#ukraine
#prigozhin