Engineers

"I am an industrialist; for 20 years I was working as a leader of various companies. And more than ten years have passed since I became a bureaucrat and, I'd like to say, I, uh, (from the crowd: have got to their swamp?) no, no, I'm in deep shit. [...] This is why I can't stand lies."

"Savik Shuster: The experience in prison, 1968-70 - does it make a person stronger or does it traumatise him after all?"

"There is a certain plan with concrete measures of how to do this [to get out of the economic crisis - note]. I don't want to announce it just yet for one simple reason: I don't want my opponents to make a mockery of it. We know them too well."

"The main resource we have at our disposal is trust and the understanding of the need to get over the temporary difficulties of the contagiousness of reform implementation. (Yanukovych said "зарази" instead of "заради", meaning "in order to")"

"I may say without exaggeration that this is a revolutionary approach; it is very painful, because this system of permission was the underpinning of the great bureaucratic system on all levels. And that democratic system, a corrupt one, it has been built for years and decades."

"(In Balaklia, Kharkiv Region) I hope that you, representatives of rural district, who have come here to Balaklava..."

"Veteran: What is the reason you've declared that Russian would become an official language in Ukraine? The native nation here is the Ukrainians. Language, in its turn, is the principal characteristic of a nation. If the language disappears - so does the nation... I wouldn't want the Ukrainian language to disappear!"

"I have said some time ago that we are against the policy of double standards. I was speaking of Serbia... Or rather, the recognition of the independence of Montenegro, indepen... erm, Kosovo, the recognition of the independence of Kosovo. [...] By then it was already apparent that the conflicts on the territories with frozen conflicts will only become more acute. I can point to another prominent example, that of North Ossetia. (In these cases, Yanukovych meant Kosovo and South Ossetia, respectively)"

"I would like to raise a toast for you, for the veterans [of World War II]... (looks down to see his cup) Hey, Sasha, pour me [more] so that I don't have to feel ashamed."

"(Announcing Israel's decision to introduce visa-free travel for Ukrainians) This is the first swallow from Europe. The first country to have decided to abolish visas with Ukraine."

"And another lie from the opposition - there is no revolution underway. And in the current conditions, it is not possible. During a revolution, a majority of citizens wants a change to the government structure. In fact, the majority of the Ukrainian people wants stability and improvement of their quality of life. It is not a revolution, it is political technology [abetted] by the uniformed special services, which is essentially being openly admitted by the organisers of the street protests."

"They are mistaken, people need an effective government that doesn't lie, that is always at the cutting edge. When the government is top notch, people feel the drive, they have the motivation, that's when life gets interesting... That's what people ask from the government."

"I think Russia should, and is obliged, to act, and knowing the character of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, I am surprised he is so restrained and keeping silent. As the current president of Ukraine, I want to say that Crimea should stay within the boundaries of Ukraine."

"Ukraine is our strategic partner."

"The people who've spent the New Year's Eve without electricity or heat, they couldn't have called anyone: not the Cabinet of Ministers, nor the Secretariat of the President, nor their municipal utility; the bureaucrats were hanging out and drinking alcohol."

"(Speaking of the Orange Revolution) What is happening in our country is a slow-motion coup d'état."

"The twentieth anniversary of our independence is only an instant in historical terms, yet the roots of our statehood can be traced back thousands of years. Since ancient times, Ukraine has been developing a European spirit and culture, while cherishing the traditions of tolerance and inter-ethnic and intercultural harmony in our society. We believe that straightforward and frank dialogue based on universal values is the only way to find a common language in each country and in international relations alike. "Speech at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly" (21 September 2011)"

"I don't believe the exit polls. This is some new modern technology that will be rolled out in Ukraine for the first time. And we don't know yet how to manipulate it."

"I'd rather go to prison for the third time rather than let the current government [of Yulia Tymoshenko] assume power. It would cost the country less for one person to suffer than for the whole country to suffer."

"A journalist from Ukraine: Just out of curiosity, are you being held captive?"

"(About his opponents) I believe that there are many more strong and healthy people than these assholes who are constantly troubling our lives!"

"Both the first and second Maidans were directed against former Donetsk governor Viktor Yanukovych, leader of Donbass and of non-nationalist, centrist political forces. His position enjoyed substantial electoral support as the people of Ukraine demonstrated little interest in becoming an ‘Anti-Russia’. President Viktor Yushchenko, who came in the wake of the first Maidan, very quickly lost the confidence of the people, for the most part, because of his anti-Russian policies."

"It is important for me to feel that the barometer, which the business is, helps me understand whether the winds blow the right way or not."

"Ukrainian citizens themselves must make a choice — should they fight ‘until the last Ukrainian’, or save what is left? It is important to give everyone who has constructive ideas the opportunity to speak and to give peace a chance"

"Yesterday we had a photography procedure with President Obama, and during that short visit [there was] a short exchange of information, [and] President Obama asked me about the progress of the delivery of equipment to the labs that we are building in Kharkiv [and] which are going to work on low-enriched Iran. I said that the equipment was arriving on schedule."

"But, as they say, whether [you take] a bull or a billie, you have no milk; but a bull is still a bull - it's strength after all."

"I would like you to remember this: the moment I saw the Constitution, of an unknown authorship, I immediately said: "This is going to violate the rights of the people in Ukraine, the infringement of the rights of the people...""

"We've made a deal with Dmitry Anatolievich, we won't be talking about bad things, we'd rather do them instead."

"We understand Comrade Y.S. Nasriddinova wants the Crimean Tatar people only as a labor force, without a national homeland and without national equality..."

"Crimean Tatars will not be returned to Crimea...You will live in Uzbekistan forever. There are decrees of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on this."

"I repeat, you will not go anywhere, we have a common homeland for the USSR. People live in Crimea, and there is no place for you there."

"Nasriddinova insists that we should eat Uzbek bread, in Crimea they think we are robbers and lazy people. Where should we go?! The moon?"

"One of the most wide ranging collections ever to reach the Library of the East India Company is formed by the manuscripts, translations, plans, and drawings of Colin Mackenzie, an officer of the Madras Engineers and, at the time of his death in 1821, Surveyor-General of India. Mackenzie spent a lifetime forming his collection which is exceptional, not only for its size, but also for the fact that materials from it are to be found in almost every section of the India Office Collections including Oriental Languages, European Manuscripts, Prints and Drawings, and Maps. Including manuscripts in South Indian languages held in the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library in Madras.... According to Mackenzie’s own estimate, no fewer than fifteen Oriental languages written in twenty-one different characters...according to a statement drawn up in August 1822 by the well known orientalist Horace Hayman Wilson who, after Mackenzie’s death, volunteered to undertake the cataloguing of the collection, there were 1,568 literary manuscripts, a further 2,070 Local tracts, 8,076 inscriptions, and 2,159 translations, plus seventy-nine plans, 2,630 drawings, 6,218 coins, and 146 images and other antiquities."

"For example, Robert W. Wink who talks about the “Jesuit policy of Theft, Confiscation and Purchase” of Indian Books, the particular case of Mackenzie becomes “the most impressive orientalist explorations [that] were collaborative, unofficial and voluntary. Among these, none matched the enormous privately funded venture by Colonel Colin Mackenzie. His teams of Maratha Brahmin scholars begged, bought or borrowed, and copied, from village heads, virtually every manuscript of value they could finally acquired. Collections so acquired, reflecting the civilization of South India, manuscripts in every language, became a lasting legacy – something still being explored.”"

"Mackenzie and his agents certainly collected a wide range of materials. Not the least of their contributions was to set down in writing a large body of oral tradition which might otherwise have been lost."

"All great and low, have their troubles, and we little men should not complain if we have our share. The only remedy is to move on in tranquility, guided by truth and integrity to the best of our judgement and avoiding all intrigue and chicanery."

"...much patronized, on account of his mathematical knowledge, by the late Lord Seaforth and my late grandfather, Francis, the fifth Lord Napier of Merchistoun. He was for some time employed by the latter, who was about to write a life of his ancestor John Napier, of Merchistoun, the inventor of logarithms, to collect for him... [information] from all the different works relative to India, an account of the knowledge which the Hindoos possessed on mathematics, and of the nature and use of logarithms. Mr Mackenzie, after the death of Lord Napier, became very desirous of prosecuting his Oriental researches in India. Lord Seaforth, therefore, at his request, got him appointed to the engineers on the Madras establishment."

"...it is necessary to recall the contemporary climate of [Mackenzie’s] times. To the Occident, the Orient was a dark continent inhabited by semi savages with no civilization or culture. A study of Orientology was the hobby of the eccentric. What was accepted as normal was to join the East India Company, make easy money by means fair or foul and return home to live in comfort or participate in politics on the security of the fortune made in India. That a few of the Company’s servants did not tread this golden path to fortune, but chose on their own, prompted by the love of learning, ‘to discover the east’ for the benefit of...the east itself was a lucky accident of great historical value."

"Mackenzie was a pioneer in his field. There was no precedent for his special field of research into the antiquities of India...he stood alone. The results of his work were a topographical survey of over 40,000 square miles, a general map of India and many provincial maps, a valuable memoir in seven volumes containing a narrative of the survey...of historical and antiquarian interest."

"A lot of investors (last time), when they come to Indonesia, they complain about labor law, tax and business permit. Now there aren't many complaints because we've what we call the online single submission. Before, if you applied for a business permit, you would need 6 months, 8 months or more than one year. Now it takes no more than 3 hours for 9 business permits with online single submission."

"Indonesia democracy is maturing. Our democracy grants us (inaudible), the freedom of speech. By the way, freedom of the speech is also guaranteed. Indeed, our media and social media have been instrumental in exposing corruption and demanding (inaudible) from our government officials. Our democracy’s public participation is every aspect of our lives. Only in a democracy the people are free to choose their leaders. Without democracy there is no President Joko Widodo."

"Development in the South China Sea also captures our attention. Tensions in the area must be diffused through peaceful means, especially based on (inaudible). Indonesia is not a party to the dispute, but we have legitimate interest in peace and stability there. That is why we call all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from taking action that could undermine trust and confidence, and put at risk the peace and stability of the region. We need to talk closely to ensure good order at sea, prevent incidents, and ensure freedom of navigation."

"We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on east look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like white and maybe people on South look like Africans."

"Now what is there to say about 1984? Talk about what you did in the last 5 years. What happened in 1984 happened. But what have you achieved?"

"I don't know what is the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has the habit of defining an enemy."

"That’s not how you deal with the world. Eight people come and do something and you don’t jump on the entire nation."

"Architecture"

"Thin-shell structure"

"In the early twentieth century was a new building technology. Its novelty inspired experimentation, both from architects, such as Le Corbusier, and from engineers, who dreamed up different applications for the new ferroconcrete. ...The German engineering firm of ['s]... design of the concrete dome for ’s Century [or Centennial] Hall in Breslau... in 1913... became the first modern building whose clear span exceeded Rome’s Pantheon. Other notable structures of this early phase are the elegant works of Eduardo Torroja in Spain, including the Algecira market hall (1934), and Freyssinet’s economical segmented system for an aircraft hangar at Orly (1921)."

"This was absolutely cutting-edge... about 1932, 33, 34 there are no laminar structures. ...[T]his was a huge step forward in and lamimar structures, and it is recognized as such. I compare it... with the . They were absolutely original and absolutely original structures, not only in their originality but in how they were calculated and built."