Hello,
Just an update on the snow! (because I love snow)
It is now about a foot deep. Boza & I love it. We go for a walk & Boza spends his time freezing his nose. I am going to try to get a picture of Boza with his Ice Beard!
It is not so cold but the wind is blowing pretty good and that makes the snow pile up!
The last picture is our frozen car, Nelly! 🙁
Have a good day.
Kyle
comments always welcome.
Hello,
I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & thinking of an article that I read. This article was on the Forbidden Space City!
After reading the article, I want to go there. Not sure if they will let me? I am going to ask my wife about Forbidden Cities in the CCCP era and Russia now.
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Russia’s Space City Frozen in Time: The Associated Press
“Sunday, October 21, 2007; 12:40 PM BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan — In this remote and rusting town on the barren steppes of Central Asia, the space race and the Sputnik era seem much more than a memory. Rockets still pierce the heavens in a halo of smoke during launches, and engineers and military men still crack open bottles of vodka to celebrate a successful launch. What has changed are the passengers. Nowadays Baikonur embraces the world, from wealthy space tourists to the world’s first Malaysian cosmonaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who blasted off for the international space station on Oct. 10.
The city itself is a rusting relic of the golden age of Russian rocketry, yet if anything, its place in the space industry is heading toward expansion. For at least four years after the space shuttle program ends in 2010, the U.S. will completely depend on Russia and Baikonur _ to send its crews to the international space station. Facilities and equipment are workable but old.
Remnants of demolished buildings and pieces of rusty metal dot the landscape along the roads to the launchpads. Dozens of apartment blocks that were abandoned after the 1991 Soviet collapse stand in rows like tombstones, their windows bricked up. The launch pad used this month was the same one that blasted Yuri Gagarin into orbit in 1961 to become the first man in space. Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth, took off nearby in 1957. Even the technology hasn’t changed much. The Soyuz spacecraft designed in the mid-1960s is still in service, somewhat modified. It can only be used once, but costs just $25 million. The newest Endeavor space shuttle cost $2 billion, but is reusable. Life and work in Baikonur and its cosmodrome are also pretty much what they were in the Soviet era. The town of 70,000 _ unbearably hot in summer, freezing cold in winter and dusty year round _ is isolated by hundreds of miles of scrubland.
Baikonur, once one of the Soviet Union’s most secret cities, is still closed to outsiders and surrounded by barbed wire. Armed soldiers at checkpoints guard dozens of launch pads, five tracking control centers and a missile test range. The continuity is especially striking because the 1991 collapse left the cosmodrome stranded in what had become a foreign country, the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan. “We did not know what country we belonged to, but we kept on launching rockets,” said Sergei Kuzmin, a former military officer, now a city clerk.
Russia rents Baikonur from Kazakhstan for $115 million a year. The mayor is jointly appointed by the Russian and Kazakh presidents. “We live under two governments, but unfortunately get only one salary,” Kuzmin noted wryly as he walked the freshly renovated corridors of city hall.”
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When someone says that I can not go somewhere I want to go to that place. 🙂
What I find interesting is the USA needs the services of this City! After 2010 America will not be able to get to the International Space Station, without Russia! (Interesting)
Kyle
comments always welcome.
Hello,
I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & thinking to myself!
“It Is Winter!”
-5 degrees C. in middle of the day and -10 degrees C. at night.
The dog Boza is not sure what to think. He is just out of puppy hood and this really is his first winter. He sticks his nose into the snow and freezes his snout!
Kyle
comments always welcome.
Dollar rising vs. ruble for 2 days:
RBC, 13.11.2007, Moscow 11:51:35.After an hour and a half of today’s special dollar trading session for tomorrow deals, the weighted average exchange rate stood at 24.53 RUR/USD. The official dollar rate for November 14 may therefore be revised RUR0.04 higher. Combined with a RUR0.04 loss on Monday, the ruble has dropped a total of RUR0.08, or 0.3 percent, against the dollar in two days. The current developments on MICEX may be attributed to the dollar’s advance against the euro on international exchanges. The latter is now trading at nearly USD1.4620, down from almost USD1.4650 at the same time at the previous session. Consequently, the euro has edged down around 0.2 percent against the US currency on the global market since then.
Putin to chair State Council meeting:
RBC, 13.11.2007, Moscow 09:52:55.Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to chair State Council meeting in Krasnoyarsk today. President of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin and Transport Minister Igor Levitin are also expected to attend the meeting.
The meeting’s agenda includes discussions on the development of Russia’s transport infrastructure. The State Council’s working group has prepared a report, which outlines the main goals for the development of the country’s infrastructure and the current situation in this field.
Two thirds of Russians likely to vote in State Duma elections:
RBC, 12.11.2007, Moscow 17:42:14.About 75 percent of Russians are planning to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, a poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center showed. Among those, 35 percent said they were definitely going, and 40 percent said they would most likely vote. As a result, the number of Russians willing to vote in the election has gone up from the previous showing of 68 percent about a month and a half ago.
The share of potential voters increases proportionally to the voter’s age: 30-32 percent of respondents are under 44 years old, 35 percent are between ages 45 and 59, while 47 percent are retired people.
The poll was held among 1,600 people in 153 locations of Russia’s 46 regions. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4 percent.
Russia to invest in oil and gas industry:
RBC, 12.11.2007, Moscow 12:15:32.Russia needs to invest $3 trillion in the next 10 years in the development of the country’s oil and gas industry, Viktor Ivanov, Head of the Russian Chemical Union, said during a conference in Moscow today. He noted that the amount would allow Russia’s oil and gas industry to reach the level of European countries. Ivanov added that the country needed to introduce new technologies that would allow companies to boost the share of refined oil products in the total amount of refined oil at least by 10 percent. He also said that it was more profitable for Russian companies to export oil rather than export refined oil products. Therefore, Ivanov reiterated Russian companies’ need to invest in their own development, while the government needed to create favorable market conditions for such companies. He pointed out that cutting taxes for oil companies would be a reasonable measure.
Kyle
comments always welcome!
Hello,
So when I see an article on the decline of Bears (all except, Black Bears in America). I get Sad! 🙁
This is the article…………………
=========================![BBC NEWS](http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/printer_friendly/news_logo.gif"){kind=logo}
Habitat loss and commercial hunting have been blamed for a decline in the number of sun bears – the world’s smallest species of bear.
An assessment by World Conservation Union (IUCN) has re-classified the animal as “vulnerable”.
Experts estimate that sun bears, found in south-east Asia, have declined by at least 30% in the past 30 years.
The IUCN’s bear expert groups warn that six out of the world’s eight bear species are threatened with extinction.
“Although we still have a lot to learn about the biology and ecology of this species (Helarctos malayanus) , we are quite certain it is in trouble,” said Rob Steinmetz, a member of the IUCN bear specialist group.
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RED LIST DEFINITIONS:
Extinct – Surveys suggest last known individual has died
Critically Endangered – Extreme high risk of extinction – this means some Critically Endangered species are also tagged Possibly Extinct
Endangered – Species at very high risk of extinction
Vulnerable – Species at high risk of extinction
Near Threatened – May soon move into above categories
Least Concern – Species is widespread and abundant
Data Deficient – not enough data to assess
|
“We estimate that sun bears have declined by at least 30% over the past 30 years and continue to decline at this rate.”
Mr Steinmetz said deforestation had reduced the size and quality of the bears’ habitat.
“Where habitat is now protected, commercial poaching remains a significant threat,” he added.
“We are working with governments, protected area managers, conservation groups and local people to prevent extinctions of the many small, isolated sun bear populations.”
Until this latest assessment, the bears had been classified as “data deficient” because not enough was know about the state of the species.
Uncertain times
One of the iconic species for conservationists, the giant panda, remains listed as “endangered”, despite recent efforts in China to release captive-bred pandas into the wild.
“Even though some people have claimed that panda populations are on the rise, we still consider them endangered because too much uncertainty exists to justify chnaging their status,” explained Dave Garshelis, co-chairman of the IUCN bear specialist group.
Although the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) remains the world’s most threatened bear species, there are reasons to be optimistic about its long-term survival.
China has established nearly 60 panda reserves, a logging ban and begun a programme of reforestation.
Out of the eight species featured on the IUCN Red List, only the American black bear is considered secure throughout its range, which includes Canada, the US and Mexico.
With an estimated population of 900,000, there are more than twice the number of American black bears than all the other species put together.
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STATUS OF WORLD’S BEARS:
Giant panda – Endangered
Sun bear – Vulnerable
Asiatic black bear – Vulnerable
Sloth bear – Vulnerable
Andean bear – Vulnerable
Polar bear – Vulnerable
Brown bear – Least Concern
American black bear – Least Concern
(Source: IUCN) |
“An enormous amount of effort and funding for conservation and management continue to be directed at bears in North America,” said Bruce McLellan, Mr Garshelis’ fellow co-chairman of the group.
“It is unfortunate that so little is directed at bears in Asia and South America where the need is extreme.”
The assessment of the seven terrestrial bear species and polar bear (technically classified as a marine mammal) was published on Sunday following a meeting in Mexico.
The findings will be used to update the bears’ entries in the 2007 edition Red List of Threatened Species, which is considered to be the most authoritative audit of more than 41,000 species.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Published: 2007/11/12 10:44:58 GMT © BBC MMVII
=========================
Polar Bears are having a rough time surviving North of Russia. Humans keep taking their space and the ice is retreating.
Just thoughts for a Monday!
Kyle
comments always welcome.
Hello,I am glad to see that Moscow is trying to do something about the problem……
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22 Streets Become One-Way
Twenty-two centrally located streets became one-way streets Sunday, amid an ongoing struggle by Moscow city authorities to ease traffic congestion.
The change — largely involving streets in a west-central area stretching between Pushkin Square, Novy Arbat and the Garden Ring Road — came months after 49 two-lane streets in east-central Moscow were turned into one-way streets.
The latest move is expected to ease congestion in the city center by 10 percent to 15 percent, City Hall experts said.
Traffic jams are an enormous problem in Moscow, costing the economy billions of dollars in lost productivity and commerce every year. The average car travels at just over 16 kilometers per hour inside the Garden Ring. Citywide, the average speed is close to 25 kilometers per hour, according to city statistics.
Every day, around 200,000 cars clog the city’s 6,000 kilometers of roads, and some traffic experts fear a collapse when the number of cars hits 300,000 by 2012.
The streets that became one way on Sunday include five ulitsas — Bolshaya Bronnaya, Bolshaya Molchanovka, Malaya Bronnaya, Malaya Molchanovka and Spiridonovka — and 17 pereuloks — Bogoslovsky, Bolshoi Kozikhinsky, Bolshoi Patriarshy, Bolshoi Rzhevsky, Borisoglebsky, Bryusov, Granatny, Khlebny, Maly Patriarshy, Maly Rzhevsky, Medvezhy, Nozhovy, Skatertny, Spiridonyevsky, Stolovy, Tryokhprudny and Yermolayevsky.
The big problem with the roads is that they were built for public transport and very few cars.
I think that the statistics are wrong… Moscow has three million cars registered. It Feels Like two million of them are on the road, when we are out driving. 🙂
Kyle
comments always welcome.
Hello,
Today I want to congratulate all people who serves in Militsiya. (Police in America) Yesterday (Saturday) was the day to pay tribute to our Militsiya!
Recently (due to our car being broke into) I spent about 1+ hours in local Militsiya station and watched how hard they worked. They really were busy, Dispatcher called patrols cars every few seconds and gave the officers new orders. To go to fights, to check a situation somewhere and to a dispute somewhere, were just some of the few orders given.
I was so much impressed, his job was so intensive – I think even air traffic controllers don’t work that intensively. He just was getting more and more calls from Command Center. I heard: “Someone told that young people are too loud in the yard and he sent a patrol car to check, (then) someone complained on next door neighbors who was quarreled and fought,(then) someone call and told that he had smelled propane in his flat, yes Gas Service already had visited him and found nothing, OK – told the dispatcher – then cops will find ;).”
I’ve heard a cop talk to a man whom they kept in the camera room- that was nice kind talk even with some humor. So: I was impressed!
Before this day like many Russians, I did not think too good about Militsiya (never had deal with them- just it was like, Russian mentality).
Now when I’ve seen their real job I respect them very much! I’ve met just very kind and intelligent people at the Militsiya Station.
And one more thing what I would like to share with you: If you are in trouble call #02. If you see something what should not be call #02. (Russia of course)
Best wishes for all who serves in Militsiya!
They work hard in any weather any time!
They work for us!
Thank you!
Svet
PS That is the other emergency phone numbers in Russia:
01 – Fire emergency
02 – Militsiya
03 – Medical emergency
04 – Gas emergency
PPS More about Militsiya and why in Russia it’s called Militsiya (not Police like in many others countries) read here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militsiya
Hello,
I was drinking my morning cup of coffee. I was watching the snow fall & swirl in the wind!
So I thought lets look at some pictures from the scenery in Russia.
1. Driving to the Village.
2. Frozen Village!
3. How they display cigarette’s in Moscow windows.(expand the picture and you can see the prices) (25 Rubles = $1)
4. Gum Department Store on the Red Square. (with parade)
5. Last and far from least, My Sweetie standing on a stump of a big tree.
Just a lazy day in Russia.
Hope that you have a safe weekend!
Kyle
comments always welcome.