Windows to Russia

While I was in Ukraine, I had the unfortunate blessing of being in Ukraine at the same time as the U.S. Vice-President Joseph Biden. As Biden flapped his mouth with all earnest in Georgia and Ukraine. The Obama administration learned what kind of reject that Biden is or did they?

Seems that any administration that throws their full support behind the two presidents of Ukraine and Georgia has no problem allowing Biden to flap his same mindset jaws and stir up issues in this part of the world. I am starting to understand that the American Administration of the USA has a real lack of abilities to see past a cold war attitude or any attitude for that matter…

Of course Hillary Clinton came out quickly and said “Washington views Russia, as a great country.” Now if Russia had done something wrong in Americas eyes then they would have expressed that dissatisfaction 14,000 times and hour. But when the Vice President makes statements in Ukraine and Georgia against Russia. Causing issues that have negating effects to any and all work that Obama tried to accomplish in Russia. We get one – Hillary expression of wisdom.

Then this is when I realize that the American political system has reached the lowest levels obtainable for a government. (It is called the gutter and sewer)

I want you to realize and think that while Americans are losing their jobs left and right. That while the government is bailing out Wall street at every drop of the dollar.

Our government has just made sure that Georgia is going to be rearmed with more modern weapons to the tune of 1.4 billion and that Ukraine has been given billions (2) in military concessions to help Georgia and election money for the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine.

Since when did the American people become less important than countries like Georgia and Ukraine? Those billions are needed back home to care for the homeless and starving…

On any given night in all of America, anywhere up to 2 million people are homeless, according to estimates of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

On any given night in just New York City, an estimated 36,000 American children and adults will sleep in homeless shelters. Untold others sleep in the streets and parks and darkest corners of the American dream.

So lets build the military up in Georgia and Ukraine….

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

PS: Biden just said the truth about real feelings from the Administration. Biden is more trust worthy than the rest at least he tells it like it is. Nothing worse than a politician that smiles and says Hi – when he means “Go to Hell!”

Hey Everyone,

I was drinking that wonderful cup of coffee this morning and really was happy to be back in Moscow, Russia.

Today I am going to start talking about the arrival part of my Ukraine Visa trip. (Part 1) (Part 2)

We are going to start with having our wallet stolen…

I had just traveled all night on a train from Moscow to Kiev. I had a suit case in one hand and a computer case in the other hand. I had a pouch that held my passport around my waist.

I squeezed into a very crowded metro, (subway) car that was packed like sardines. That is when I got pick pocketed. I stepped off the car with about 30 other people and rushed with the crowd to the station exit. As I was exiting the station I always have a habit of reaching down and feeling for my pouch. As I did the worst feeling in the world came over me. My wallet was gone.

I felt like a fool. I had been taken by one of the oldest professions around. The pickpocket-er!

I was lucky – I have learned over the years to travel with important documents kept separate. Like keep your passport separate from your drivers license. Keep a copy of your passport separate from the original passport. Keep credit cards separate from money. Otherwise do not put all eggs in the same basket…

So I had my passport stolen, the migration card (that is so important when you cross the Ukraine border), pictures of my kids and my sweetie (Svet) and some cash.

After regrouping and checking out the damages, I realized that it could have been much worse. I had a copy of my passport in my computer case. (That got me into the hotel with no problems) My credit cards are in another wallet in the suitcase. (That was the money issue solved.)

I went to the metro police and reported it immediately, (but that is tomorrows story).

This was just the start of a long week of very interesting escapades. My motto became “Just take it one day at a time!”

Stay tuned because it gets interesting…

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

Hey everyone I am back and ready to start posting again. Over the next few days I am going to be posting a few articles on some information that has to do with visas and other important issues that can happen while you are traipsing around the world.

But today the main thing is for me to get the house organized and my laptop set up so that I can post again with comfort. As you know we have just moved and I never had a chance to organize or even unpack the house. In fact this is the first – real time – that I have been able to use the new internet at the house and it seems to be working fantastic.

Ukraine as always is an interesting place and this time it was no exception. I have some interesting tales and facts to tell. So stay tuned while I get organized today…

Thanks as always.

Kyle and Svet

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

Ouch this hurt big time in Obama land – Kyrgyzstan’s president has won reelection with 76.4% of the vote, the Central Asian country’s electoral authority said on Monday, citing final results from Thursday’s disputed election. In Ukraine this was one of the big deals. This was a sure win for the Obama administration according to Ukraine. In fact this was a huge issue at the American Embassy in Ukraine. Oops… 🙂

Russia’s Alrosa aims at $2 bln in diamond sales for 2009:
The new president of Russia’s largest diamond producer, Alrosa, confirmed on Monday the company plans to sell diamonds worth a total of $2 billion in 2009.

Russia celebrates Navy Day:
On July 26, Russia celebrated Navy Day. I will tell you that this wound up Ukraine in the city of Sevastopol in the Crimea!

Russian patriarch arrives in Ukraine on 10-day visit:
Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Church, arrived in Ukraine’s capital on Monday for what he called a “pilgrimage” to the birthplace of Russian Orthodoxy.

Russia reports 24.6% gold output growth in 1H09:
Gold output in Russia grew 24.6%, year-on-year, in January-June 2009 to 77.3 metric tons (2.5 million troy ounces), the Union of Russian Gold Miners said on Monday.

GM-AvtoVAZ plant in south Russia resumes work after holiday:
A GM-AvtoVAZ plant, which produces the Chevrolet Niva off-road model, resumed production on Monday following a two-week summer holiday, a company spokesperson said.

Russian Navy ends first stage of Nerpa sub trials in Far East:
The first stage of new sea trials of Russia’s Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident in previous tests, has been successfully completed, the Amur shipyard said on Monday.

Sometimes you understand…

Sometimes when everything is going wrong you understand how little you can plan in your life.
Sometimes when you’ve done as much as you could but things are still going wrong you understand how little depends on you in the life.
Sometimes when Life wants you to get a new experience you can not say “No” and it does not matter if you want such experience or not.

With best wishes,
Svet
(Windows to Russia)

Hello,

It’s Svet. I just got home after see off Kyle. Everything is OK here, we moved and finally got Internet working (one day later than we were promised). As you remember Kyle was leaving tonight for a visa trip to Kiev and we got Internet just 5 minutes before we left for the train. I promised Kyle to write a tiny post and tell you how we are doing. He told he would try to post something from Ukraine if it’s possible. He is going to be back in Moscow on Friday. So now all what we need a little more patience… and in few days we’ll see him again!

Best wishes for everyone!

Svet

Hello,

This will be the last post for about two days. On Monday the new internet service is turned on at the new place. This is just an update post for all the readers and to let everyone know that we are not going to disappear for very long. Lets have a look at some pictures of the mess called moving…

Found a four leaf clover today – That means good luck (right?)…

We travel by surface train now to get to Moscow…

Boxes and plastic bags and plastic bags and…

The pile just gets bigger and bigger…

PS: Anyone wanna help?

Auchan to push ahead with Russian expansion:
Leading international retailer, France based Auchan, says it is not planning to pare its Russian expansion plans with another 6 stores to open this year. RT spoke with Board Member of Auchan Russia, Ludovic Holinier.

New Bulava missile test results in failure – Russian military:
A scheduled test of Russia’s new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on July 15 was a failure, the Defense Ministry’s press service said on Thursday.

What the Russian papers say:
MOSCOW, July 16 (RIA Novosti)Russia tells OSCE not to mix Stalinism with Nazism / CSTO force could be deployed in south Kyrgyzstan / Georgia to withdraw from CIS this August / Stroytransgaz could sell stake in Algerian project to Rosneft

President Medvedev defends his European security proposal:
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday described as a mistake the attempts to detect “foul play” in Russia’s proposals for a new European security treaty.

Strasbourg court orders Russia to compensate Chechen family:
The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ordered Russia to pay 50,000 euros ($70,200) in compensation to the relatives of a Chechen who was abducted in 2003.

Medvedev says Russia not jealous of Nabucco:
Russia is not jealous of the Nabucco natural gas pipeline project, President Dmitry Medvedev said at a joint news conference after talks with the German leader on Thursday.

Miss Moscow beauty pageant crowns winner:
Yelena Obraztsova, 25, took the crown at the Miss Moscow 2009 beauty pageant on July 15, beating fellow contestants who included school and university students, as well as graduates.

Russia air carrier hopes to win U.S. military cargo transit tender:
The Volga-Dnepr Group, Russia’s largest heavy air freight carrier, is planning to take part in the transit of U.S. military supplies to Afghanistan, the company said on Thursday.

Human rights activist’s murderers will be found – Medvedev:
The murder of Russian human rights activist, Natalya Estemirova, cast a shadow over the Russian-German talks. However, President Dmitry Medvedev said he is sure the murderers will be found.

Fines and plastic bullets await Georgian protesters:
Protesting against the ruling political regime in Georgia has become harder as the country’s parliament has adopted new legislation imposing tougher penalties and stronger bans on rallies.

ROAR: Medvedev reaches out to Muslims:
The Russian president has promised Muslim leaders to assist in developing Islamic education and building a mosque in Sochi and asked them to help in fighting extremism.