Windows to Russia

Hello,

The other night my wife and I had to make a trip to the center of Moscow on business. We decided to take a couple of pictures. So lets start…

As you leave a Moscow Metro Station the underground passages almost always have all kinds of shops to buy almost anything you desire. They are like mini malls. 🙂

Eyeglasses, trinkets, glass figurines, Cd’s, flash drives, anything is available.

Food by the tons.
Now this is an issue to me: I would suggest never eating the food in a Moscow Metro. I would say that it all looks wonderful, but remember these places are closed and this food will sit at room temperature all night then be sold to unsuspecting people the next day.

You will see a sign coming up that tells the operating hours of this business. 7 am to 9 thirty pm. At the time of the picture it was 10 pm. That means this food will sit there until 7 am before being consumed. There is all kinds of things inside one of these pies and blankets as I call them. From hot dogs to cabbage to ground beef and fish!

Hours of business.
I have a suggestion for people from out of Russia – do not eat the pies at the Kiosks. I promise that the pies are delicious just make sure that you get them from a reputable source.

Like I said they have little stores just packed with everything and anything. What a great way to shop. Just watch the pies! 🙂

Well we quit taking pictures and got out to the center of Moscow. I am always amazed when I see the Red Square, it really is awe inspiring.
So we had a good trip to the center of Moscow and did not get attacked, mugged, beat up or even yelled at. (I know you have all been told that Moscow is a crime riddled area that no sane person should walk around in the day time much less night time.)

As you see from the pictures there is not very many people out and about. This is a Saturday night and Moscow is and was very calm…

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

Last week I said that I had heard a rumor that Europe had a huge change of heart with Russia. I guess that I should say Europe wants the Nabucco Pipeline to be built but Russia has the only gas to fill the pipeline. (Oops)

Look at this article from Russia Profile.org

At last week’s Nabucco summit, the European Union took decisive steps by pledging the firmest possible political support for the project, in order to disperse any doubts that its intention to build a pipeline whose sole purpose is to supply Europe with non-Russian gas is indeed real. This week, the story took an unexpected turn. The Director of the Nabucco project Reinhard Mitschek said that the Nabucco consortium was open to Russia’s participation, and was ready to negotiate.

Two days before, it was reported that the European Parliament was considering inviting Russia to join Nabucco, with this proposal included in a report drafted for the EU energy security review.

Looks like I heard correct. This dead in the water pipeline can become useful if Russia supplies gas and they all bypass Ukraine.

Now a few days ago Ukraine has had several articles about the pipelines bypassing Ukraine. Ukraine is hopping up and down trying to get some attention that we are really a good transit country? (I question that!)

I have one thing to say to Ukraine: “Keep politics out of the pipeline transit because it looks like it has caused you to loose the biggest money making part of the Ukraine economy.” My grandma would have said something to the effect of: “They just opened mouth and stuck their foot in!”

Europe wants this pipeline built and Russia really does not want to build South Stream which cost almost twice as much as Nabucco. Both pipelines go basically to the same geographical area and Russia has been saying why compete lets join forces. Europe has just extended the invite.

Lets hope Europe is serious because Europe needs to have a reliable supply of gas. Russia can supply it but Ukraine can not seem to deliver it….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

While I was drinking my coffee today I was reading and thinking about the doomsday prophecies about Russia. The major news sources in America are trying to analyze whether Russia will collapse and default.

While I doubt that Russia will default and collapse any more than the USA will collapse and default. I doubt that any country is going to cease to exist because of this Global Financial Crises. I will say one thing…

Russia is in much better shape to survive than America! Take a look at this USA debt clock:

Russia may be hurting and like the rest of the world trying to simply survive. But America passed the simply survive stage a long time ago. The American debt is so vast that understanding it boggles the mind. Truly a human mind can not comprehend the debt numbers.

Here is an article that gives you a perspective on how large the debt is:

Maxing Out the National Debt Clock
October 09, 2008 10:14 AM ET | Katy Marquardt | Permanent Link | Print

Are you surprised? Times Square’s National Debt Clock, which has been tallying up money owed by the U.S. government since 1989, is running out of spaces.

In September 2008, the digital dollar sign was eliminated to make way for an extra digit—the “1” in $10 trillion (the national debt is currently $10.2 trillion). Now, a new clock is in the works that will make room for a quadrillion dollars of debt, according to the Associated Press. Anticipated completion is early 2009.(Link)

So while Russia is having her problems along with the rest of the world. I would say that my country is having a lot worse problems. Did any one see the January 2009, figures for job loss?

598,000 people lost their jobs in America for one month and according to how you look at these numbers or according to what you believe. The government figures are always skewed to the better side.

One thing that disturbs analyst from America is the fact that Russia has a small buffer of money and the Western press takes glee in seeing Russia spend this money. The press implies that this money is blood money, like some mafia money washing fund. Also that the only reason that Russia has any money is because of terrorizing the world over her oil and gas reserves.

At least Russia has money in reserve. The USA is broke, busted and can’t pay her bills. But we act like we can and keep on racking up the debt.

Russia is trying to keep her head above water and she is struggling against a really strong current. Today Russia has put into the news that they feel finally, for the first time in months that the ruble has a chance to stabilize against the dollar. They said that January was the first month in many months that the banks kept capital in reserve and did not have to send it overseas to America and such. The money flow is starting to stabilize in Russia.

The one thing that makes no sense to me is that why are there two different standards.

1. America has been allowed to spend like a spoiled brat of a child and no one has taken his credit card away. America owes everyone in the world past due debt but we don’t point a finger and say you are going to default.

2. The rest of the world is going to default if it looks like they are going to owe anyone money. No one allows the rest of the world to use the same credit card that America has. The rest of the world is suppose to keep within their budget.

Someone needs to take the rich kids credit card away from him and tell him Uncle Sam is broke…

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

A Chinese girl has stirred the hearts of China and the world. When a 14 year old girl found out that her father was dying of liver cancer, the young lady took it upon herself to create the conditions so that her father would get a liver and he would be able to live.

This has been big news all over Russia for this is the sort of thing that shows unselfish love for family. In the East family is very very important!

“I saw my daughter lying quite still, as if she were dead, with two empty bottles of pills beside her bed and a suicide note,” Cui Lan, 43, told Nanjing’s Modern Express newspaper.

The note read: “Mum, I am sorry that I could not be with you any more. Please give my liver to my father after I die.“

For eleven days the young lady came in and out of her brush with death. Death decided to keep trying to take her time and time again.

Believe what you want but she has survived and will take lots of time to recover. China has taken the girl to its soul. Multiples of people have paid her hospital bills and provided comfort for the family while this has been going on. Multiples of people have offered their livers so that the father can survive.

The saddest ending to this story is that the father can not use a transplant because the cancer has spread to the rest of his body. 🙁

So as the young lady comes to grips with the realization that her Father is going to die of liver cancer. China realizes that they have a young lady who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that her father could live.

What would you do, at 14 years old and you found out your father was to die in a few months?

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 15:21:51.Russia expects the United States to provide specific information on the amount and nature of NATO’s non-military cargo that it hopes to transport to Afghanistan through Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Vesti TV channel today. Just a few days ago, the United States asked Russia to allow such transportation in accordance with a relevant agreement signed by Russia and NATO in April 2008, Lavrov explained, and Russia “gave consent literally within a day.” As soon as the United States provides the necessary information, he added, Russia will issue permission.

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 15:01:53.In 2008, 34,000 corruption crimes committed by state and municipal officials abusing their position were registered in Russia, Prosecutor General Yury Chaika said during the Interior Ministry’s board meeting on the past year’s results. He added that 32,000 criminal cases involving corruption had been submitted to courts.

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 14:41:42.Passenger car imports to Russia grew 24.5 percent to nearly 1.993m cars in 2008 compared to the previous year and amounted to roughly $30.259bn, the Federal Customs Service reported today. To be more specific, nearly 1.839m cars worth some $29.101bn were imported from countries outside the CIS, and 154,300 cars were imported from the CIS for nearly $1.158bn. At the same time, Russia exported 128,400 cars worth $910.2m in 2008, virtually unchanged from the previous year. The figure included 14,000 cars exported to countries outside the CIS and 114,400 to the CIS, worth $104.2m and $806m, respectively.

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 14:02:20.In the wake of the financial crisis, Russia must improve its control over budget spending, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in his speech at an Interior Ministry board meeting on the results of 2008 today. “There is a lot of money, inflation has increased, and this is exacerbating the criminal situation,” the president said.

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 13:33:43.Russia’s machinery and equipment exports grew 15.06 percent to $20.475bn in 2008 compared to a year earlier, the country’s Federal Customs Service reported. Specifically, exports outside the CIS reached $11.503bn and $8.972bn to the CIS. Meanwhile, machinery and equipment imports to Russia increased 39.14 percent to $136.458bn, including $128.967bn from outside the CIS and $7.491bn from CIS member states.

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 13:28:46.Russia’s international reserves stood at $386.894bn as of February 1, 2009, a 9.4-percent fall from January 1, the Bank of Russia said in a statement today. Specifically, reserve assets in foreign currency amounted to $346.586bn, special drawing rights (SDRs) were little changed at $1m, and Russia’s reserve position in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stood at $1.018bn (down 3.1 percent). Gold included in international reserves exceeded $43.215bn (up 6.4 percent), and other reserve assets $23.823bn (up 4.5 times).

RBC, 06.02.2009, Moscow 11:40:14.In 2008, 3.2m crimes were registered in Russia, President Dmitry Medvedev said during the Interior Ministry’s board meeting as he summed up the past year’s results. He noted that 1.5m of them were economic crimes or those involving infringement on property rights. Among the Interior Ministry’s key priorities, Medvedev cited improving the investigative work required to bring criminals to justice. He reiterated that the perpetrators of 1.5m crimes, including 2,300 murders and murder attempts, were not identified in 2008, attributing it mostly to insufficient investigations.

RBC, 05.02.2009, Moscow 19:26:03.The Russian government does not think it expedient for the government to buy into tier I capital of private banks, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stated at a cabinet meeting today. The government, he said, has no intention to buy up shares of privately-owned banks, all the more so as it could impinge on the rights of minority shareholders.

Hello,

This is not the first time that I have mentioned about drivers using the sidewalks as roads. This is common in Russia. These pictures are from my trip in Ukraine but believe me they drive the same in Russia.

The second picture shows that the sidewalk is not for people to walk on, it is for cars to bypass traffic with. This taxi was honking his horn and flashing his lights to get people to move out of his way.

I stood over to the side of everything because I wanted to get pictures. So as I stood there the traffic became heavy on the sidewalk. The gray SUV that you see in the people is trying to back up because another car is ramming its way down the sidewalk.

Next here comes the car that has been honking and weaving amongst the people making the SUV back up.

So as the people stand waiting to cross the road the two cars line up with the people and wait for the crosswalk to change.

This next picture I threw into the pile because (Also same intersection) – This driver was going crazy honking his horn and flashing his lights. The people had a green arrow cross walk but he wanted to kill a few Ukraine’s before lunch and decided to force his way through the people crossing the road. Mind you they had the green and he was illegal. If you expand the picture you will see one guy looking at the car. That car had just bumped him while it was trying to force its way through the people.

I just thought that I would pass these pictures on. I am so glad I got my camera phone…

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/10/russia-i-really-wanna-say-goodbuy-to.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2007/12/moscow-cross-walks-are-deadly.html

Hello,

Grab a cup of coffee and do some serious reading. The Western Press has ignored this but I am here to tell you that this is a serious matter. That Military Base that America is upset about is going to be the new home to the East NATO?

CSTO news conference (Part 1)

CSTO news conference (Part 2)

CSTO – a NATO for the East?

CSTO’s rapid-reaction force will be equal of NATO’s – Medvedev

I am not going to write and make much in the way of comments about this other than the fact that the Western Governments does not take the CSTO serious. But on this side of the world the CSTO is going to be serious and the West will be caught off guard.

I wrote an article sometime back and I noticed that the CSTO was going to become the new security organization…

http://kylekeeton.com/2008/03/russia-new-card-game-cold-war-ii.html

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

I was drinking my wonderful cup of Russian Coffee and working on a new project for the website. We have finally gotten a good player and streaming set up to receive “Russia Today 24 Hour News Television”.

The Web TV player is located above. Just click on the play button. Unless it auto starts and that is causing me problems. I have all the commands but it seems to do what it wants. 🙂

Update: The player starts automatically and all you have to do is click the volume control if you desire sound. This is the only way I could get it to work in both Firefox and Internet Explorer.

If you are using Linux operating system you will just see a big Grey square, sorry unless you figure out how to get Windows Media Player 9 or higher installed you can not see it.

Repeat it requires Windows operating system and you have to have Windows Media Player 9 or higher!

Repeat if the TV Channel is not working please ensure that you have installed Windows Media Player 9+ or a higher version.

Other details

I hope that you all enjoy this addition to Windows to Russia!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

This meeting of Medvedev and Kurmanbek resulted in an interesting combination of events. Earlier in the week it was rumored that Kyrgyzstan was going to raise the rent on an American Military Air Base in Kyrgyzstan. Looks like that was just the forerunner to the real happenings. The contract for this American Military Base is over and America needs this base for much more efficient coverage of Afghanistan. Like a fly time of 1 and a half hours compared to 7 and a half hours to send jet fighters into Afghanistan.

So this meeting below:
——————————————————————————–
February 3, 2009
19:50

News
THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW.Dmitry Medvedev held talks with President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Within the framework of the Russian-Kyrgyz talks, agreements were signed on non-repayable financial aid by Russia to Kyrgyzstan, on providing a government loan to Kyrgyzstan, and on amortizing part of the government debt through material means and writing off the rest of Kyrgyzstan’s debt to Russia.

An intergovernmental agreement was also signed on constructing the Kambaratinskaya hydroelectric power station. Furthermore, the presidents signed a memorandum on mutual understanding regarding the development of economic and credit and financial cooperation between the two countries.

After the talks, Dmitry Medvedev and Kurmanbek Bakiyev answered questions by the press.
print
——————————————————————————–

Resulted in this happening:

——————————————————————————–
MOSCOW, February 3 (RIA Novosti) – Kyrgyzstan will demand the closure of a U.S. military base on its territory, used to support anti terrorism operations in neighboring Afghanistan, the Central Asian state’s president said on Tuesday.

Kurmanbek Bakiyev is on a two-day visit in Moscow, where he also secured deals to write off Kyrgyzstan’s $180 million debt and to receive a $2 billion discounted loan and $150 million in financial aid from Russia.

“The Kyrgyz government has taken a decision to terminate the rent of the base,” Bakiyev told a news conference after talks with Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev, citing Washington’s refusal to discuss a higher rent and reluctance to address the 2006 killing by a U.S. officer of a Kyrgyz man in an incident at the base.

“If we fail to ensure our citizens’ security, unresolved problems will cause legitimate public discontent,” Bakiyev said.

New U.S. President Barack Obama has announced plans to considerably increase troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. airbase was set up in 2001 as a transit point for NATO supplies to the international coalition in Afghanistan and now houses more than 1,000 military personnel. (Link)
——————————————————————————–

This is what Medvedev has been busy doing while Putin has been at the Davos: Medvedev has been working with multiple heads of states such as Castro in Cuba, Karimov of Uzbekistan, Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan and Lukashenko of Belarus.

Medvedev has also pushed through a very important agreement to the State Duma for ratification the Agreement on Operational Deployment, Use and Support of the Central Asian Collective Security Region Collective Rapid Reaction Force.

The agreement was signed on June 23, 2006, at the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) summit in Minsk. The CSTO member states are Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Rumor is that they will use the Military Base that the USA has 6 months to leave. (Ouch)

I also have heard a rumor that Medvedev has put a big hurt on Europe’s interesting excuse for a pipeline, Nabucco pipeline! Now Europe with cold hard facts staring them in the face have begun the thinking process that maybe Russia should help us build the pipeline in view of what Ukraine did to Europe. That way they at least will have gas to fill the pipeline with. As it is the pipeline is just 3,300 kilometers(2,050 mi)of empty tube! Russia’a Blue Stream Pipeline could boost the Nabucco pipeline into reality.

Medvedev has been a busy President…

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

PS:

America is jumping up and down over the Military Base Closing, main stream news has the article now. 🙂 Ouch!

US base closure may alter Afghan plans

Russia’s WBA Heavyweight Champion Nikolai Valuev has opened a professional boxing school in his hometown of St. Petersburg, the boxer’s website said on Tuesday.

Russia and Belarus will step up efforts to create a customs union and a common economic space, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

The European parliament wants Russia to join the Nabucco pipeline project, planned to pump gas from Central Asia to Europe, a European diplomatic source said on Tuesday.

The Russian and Kyrgyzstan presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Kurmanbek Bakiyev, are expected to discuss on Tuesday settlement of Kyrgyzstan’s debt to Russia and a further loan to the impoverished Central Asian state.

Russia’s most wanted footballer, Andrey Arshavin, has signed a contract with Arsenal, which will keep him at the North London club until 2012. The English Premier League must confirm the deal before it becomes official.

A seven-year-old boy who died defending his elder sister from a rapist has been honored with an Order of Courage medal. Evgeny Tabakov’s mother picked up the award for her dead son.

The fate of a US airbase in Kyrgyzstan hangs in the balance. The Americans have been told they’ll have to clear out if they don’t pay more.

The number of unemployed people in Russia has grown by 94,000 (6 per cent) in the past week. Official figures released on Tuesday show that 1,642,000 are currently out of a job and looking for work.