Year: 2007

Russian News: November 8, 2007

{1}Russians prefer market economy, poll shows:
RBC, 08.11.2007, Moscow 17:43:53.The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) has released data on the type of government Russians want to have in their country in the future. Presently, as was also the case a decade ago, public opinion gives preference to a democratic market economy. Although the number of supporters of this approach has decreased from 48 to 42 percent, the share of promoters of a socialist government with communist ideology is almost three times smaller, at 16 percent (down from 20 percent in 1997). Somewhat more popular is the position that Russia should have a unique form of government, with 21 percent of respondents voicing their support for this viewpoint. A marginal 3-6 percent believe monarchy to be ideal for Russia.
The poll was conducted on August 18-19, among 1,600 people in 153 locations in 46 regions and republics of Russia, with the margin of error under 3.4 percent.

{2}Russia-US high level group on US missile shield to meet soon:
RBC, 08.11.2007, Moscow 13:51:19.The meeting of the high-level Russian-US group on the US National Missile Defense (NMD) system is expected to take place in November, Igor Neverov, head of the North America department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, told journalists today. He did not specify the dates of the meeting, nor the place. Neverov pointed out that it was important to receive suggestions from the US on the deployment of elements of the NMD before the meeting.

{3}Russia’s gold and currency reserves surge:
RBC, 08.11.2007, Moscow 10:25:32.The Bank of Russia’s gold and foreign currency reserves amounted to $447.9bn as of November 2, 2007, up $6.6bn, or 1.5 percent, from the previous showing. Combined with a $16.5bn rise on October 5-26, the reserves have climbed a total of $23.1bn, or 5.4 percent, in 20 days.
This rise in gold and currency reserves may be attributed to a sharp upsurge in the Central Bank’s foreign currency acquisitions on the domestic market. As a result, the reserves have reached their all-time high and Russia has been able to somewhat narrow the huge gap separating it from China and Japan, the world’s leaders in terms of gold and foreign exchange reserves.
Russia’s reserves have increased by more than $144.2bn since the beginning of the year, which is $29.3bn greater than the Bank of Russia’s forecast for 2007.

{4}Russia suspends arms treaty:
RBC, 07.11.2007, Moscow 13:51:53.The Russian State Duma has suspended Russia’s participation in the Treaty on the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE), although the President has the right to resume the country’s participation. The bill was ratified unanimously (418) and will come into effect once it has been published.
==================================

Kyle

Russia: Troop Build-Up On Western Border?


Russia’s Defense Ministry has not ruled out the possibility of building up troops on Russia’s western borders following the suspension of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. )
)

On July 14, 2007, President Putin signed a decree on Russia’s suspension of the CFE Treaty and related international agreements. Putin had stated earlier: “Russia’s missile testing programs and the suspension of the CFE Treaty were in response to unfounded actions by Russia’s partners, namely the United States, to build missile shield in Europe.” (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/03/europe)

The State Duma is due to consider a bill on the suspension of the CFE Treaty Wednesday. Duma Chairman Boris Gryzlov said on Tuesday that many: “European countries and the US have not ratified the treaty, and deputies considered it necessary to suspend it. European countries have had three years to express their attitude towards the treaty, but they have not done so.”
(http://www.asil.org/insights/2007/07/insight)

By the way Russia voted to pull out and have given their 150 day notice to NATO.

So all in all, The Games That Countries Play Go On!

Kyle

comments always welcome.

Russia: Computer to Every House Program!

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about the Russian computer program to get an affordable computer in every house hold in Russia.

The Computer to Every House Program is failing. Instead of 50,000 PCs being sold by summer of 2007, they sold no more than 1,500 PCs. So, the Ministry of IT and Communications has decided to make some changes.

When they implemented the program, they discovered that in the remote villages the people are rather unacknowledged about computers and have never heard of Microsoft. If they had heard of Microsoft, they had a fear of the Operating system due to past problems.

The Computer to Every House Program was initiated by Russia’s Ministry of IT & Communications. The original plan was to sell PCs to people with moderate revenues via more than 40,000 offices of Russia’s Mail Service. (Link to Site) All PCs were supplied with Microsoft software and Intel processors. The target was to sell about 50,000 PCs by the summer of 2007.

According the Ministry of IT and Communications. A second attempt at implementing the program will be launched in December of 2007. This time, Microsoft software will be replaced by Linux of a Russian development and the individuals will be able to get loans to purchase the PCs. The Ministry of IT and Communications is working with the biggest banks of the Russia to install loan programs.

This program is a wonderful opportunity for Russian people.

Kyle

comments always welcome.

American in Russia: Supports, Ron Paul!

Hello,

Today as I was drinking my coffee, I was thinking!

I am American and very proud of being an American! Who would I vote for president? This is my answer..

RON PAUL

My answer comes from the mess the country is in. The Republicans seem to have forgotten what being Republican means! The Democrat’s have forgotten what being Democrat means!

Both parties have forgotten that they all stand for the same country!

Kyle

Russian Consulate Locator!


Hello,

I found this very useful Site to find the Russian Consulates all over the world!

Hope this helps someone.

Kyle

comments always welcome.

Russia: Get That Residency Permit Updated!

“The Federal Migration Service confirmed on Tuesday that foreigners with old residency permits were being barred from leaving the country under newly enforced regulations.

A 2002 law requires foreigners to change their residency permits for new ones but does not set a deadline for the swap. The Federal Migration Service ordered border guards six months ago to stop foreigners with the old permits from entering or leaving the country, said Konstantin Poltoranin, a spokesman for the migration service.

Apparently, the border guards are now starting to enforce the order.

Among those caught off guard is, Carine Clement — the French director of the Institute for Collective Action, an NGO, and wife of State Duma Deputy Oleg Shein — who was prevented from flying out of Sheremetyevo Airport over the weekend. Clement, whose residency permit expires in May, said she was not informed about the change when she applied for a new permit in October. Moreover, she recently visited Rome without any problems.

Poltoranin said Clement should not have been allowed to travel to Rome and should have been informed about the problem with her old permit when she applied for the new one. He said a foreigner should fill out an application for a new permit at the passport and visa department in his local police station and would get a new permit within days.”(Moscow Times)

Kyle

comments always welcome.

Russia: People Want Vladimir Putin for 3rd Term?


Hello,

I was reading this article while drinking my coffee this morning, about the Russian People want Putin to stay as President. I do not know how true it is but I know that I myself want to see him stay in power! I think that the country and people need him to stay where he is at.

That is just my 2cents worth!

===================================

Regions ask the president to stay:

Russia undergoes a wave of public rallies in support of extending Vladimir Putin’s powers for the third presidential term. The opposition believes the rallies were organized by the United Russia party. However, both the Kremlin and the United Russia said the initiative is coming from the people.

Residents of Chechnya and Tver rallied in support of the third term for Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Earlier, there had been rallies in Volgograd and Kamchatka. Other regions are about to hold the rallies soon.

In Tver, the event was organized by “the ‘For Putin’ initiative group of citizens” who worded its purpose as follows: “We should by all legal means strive for the continuation of Vladimir Putin’s policy, the policy of national success and national pride”. Specially for the event, Tver city authorities lighted the torch on the Victory obelisk, which is normally done on very special occasions only. The rally gathered over 10,000 people. Nadezhda Afonina, head of Tver education department, said she was happy with how easily she managed to fill the quota of 3,000 people (teachers and students) imposed on her just one day before the rally. Attorney Pavel Astakhov, who arrived to take part in the event, could not refrain from agitation. He suggested that Tver residents should choose Putin at the December 2 election just like young women choose husbands: “Clever, energetic, reliable, with whom we all are safe and protected”. “We lawyers will definitely find a way to make all our hopes come true,” the attorney added.

In Chechnya, the rallies in support of President Putin took place in Grozny, Gudermes, and Achkhoi-Martan. The rally in Grozny consisted mostly of university students. “We have been warned that we should secure the attendance of all students,” said an employee of the University of Grozny. Files of young people dressed in T-shirts depicting Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and Vladimir Putin, and carrying banners with “Let’s give third term to Putin!” slogans, filled in Dinamo stadium guarded by police officers in parade uniforms.

The 20,000 people that gathered for the rally asked Putin to stay for the third presidential term. Kommersant’s reporter asked how they account for their slogans since the president had already said he would not change the Constitution and would not stay for the third term. One of the activists answered: “Constitution is the nation. What the nation decides is the law.” Similar rallies took place in Gudermes and Achkhoi-Martan. The participants urged their fellow young activists from other regions of the South Federal District to support the initiative of Chechnya’s president and parliament to prolong the powers of the current Russian president.

Volgograd mayor Roman Grebennikov gathered the city residents under the slogans “Putin, we stand with you” and “Working class for Putin”. He suggested signing an address that calls for considering the State Duma election as a “referendum of trust to Vladimir Putin”.

Several more regions are ready to join the action. Rzhev is to host the forum of Putin’s supporters on November 2; Vladikavkaz has scheduled the forum of North Ossetia’s public movements in the president’s support for November 3, and Yakutsk hosted on Wednesday the first session of the Pro President movement.

Activists of the latter already gathered over 5,000 people in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky a few days ago, so as to ask the president to stay for another term. The Fair Russia party believes that rally was so largely-attended due to the United Russia’s administrative resource. “The mayor gave orders to schools and kindergartens to gather for the rally. All employees there were disgusted. Naturally, the United Russia is behind all that,” said Sergei Pavlov, leader of the Fair Russia’s branch in Kamchatka. “Heads of city administration departments personally telephoned the directors of schools and kindergartens,” said Mikhail Smagin, second secretary of the Communist party’s regional committee. Smagin said the rally was organized by Vladislav Skvortsov, mayor of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and member of the United Russia’s regional political council. Meanwhile, one of SPS leaders Boris Nemtsov, referring to the experience of his campaign visits to dozens of cities, called people’s initiatives “pure grovelling”. “The most ecologically clean site in Russia is Putin’s body: it’s polished by licking,” said Nemtsov.

However, local rally organizers deny the United Russia is mixed in the action. “I am the United Russia’s supporter, but I’m not its member. They didn’t help us,” said Igor Zolotar, one of the co-founders of the Pro President movement in Kamchatka. Volgograd’s mayor (who is a candidate for the United Russia’s membership) said that the rally has no relation to the election, because there were no hints at any party during the event.

Valery Ryazansky, member of the United Russia supreme council’s bureau, denied that the party is mixed in the wave of rallies as well. “It is people’s initiative. We openly declare that the upcoming election is a referendum in support of Putin. Yet, we should keep in mind that people in the regions can have their own initiative. People feel the situation and understand that Putin means social stability,” he said. Ryazansky also reminded that the calls on Putin to stay for the third term have already occurred before, and “were articulated by regional parliaments as well”.

In spring 2007,Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov promoted the idea of prolonging presidential powers. Mironov suggested that regional lawmakers should discuss whether it is possible to introduce amendments to the Constitution. The United Russia said it is ready to discuss the issue as well after Putin personally agreed with Mironov that the presidential term can be reconsidered. By the way, the draft constitutional amendments have already reached the State Duma thrice: from Magadan’s lawmakers in 2002, from Ivanovo’s – in 2003, and from Chechnya’s – in 2006.

Regional lawmakers are ready to join the current wave as well. Deputies of Chelyabinsk’ and Tyumen’s regional parliaments plan to adopt the address to the president asking him to stay for the third term, initiated by local United Russia members. On October 16, Putin received the same request from the people of art: in The Russian Newspaper, on behalf of 65,000 art professionals, Russian Academy of Arts president Zurab Tsereteli and Russian Foundation of Culture president Nikita Mikhalkov asked the president to stay after 2008.
The Kremlin refrained from commenting on the nation-wide movement in the president’s support. A high-ranking source in the presidential administration said the Kremlin has no relation to the numerous regional rallies. Vladimir Putin’s personal reaction to the events is unknown as well.(Kommersant)

===================================

Some days I get in a political mood. These articles are for Americans to see what is going on over here. You see, while America is deciding who the next President is, so is Russia!

I want to add something:
The same games in Politics are played in Russia as in the USA. I find it amazing the similarities in Political structure. In many ways the Russian Political System seems less corrupt than the American Political System.

Kyle

comments always welcome.

10 Reasons: I Do Not Like Russia!

I am going to give plain and simple 10 reasons what I do not like about Russia! These are in no certain order.

1. The Russian Drivers SUCK!
2. The potholes in the roads! (They are fixed only when a tank gets stuck in them!)
3. The meanest mosquitoes I have ever seen!
4. Customer Service! (None – What customer service?)
5. The queue’s! (Lines have a life of their own!)
6. The pollution! (In certain areas only!)
7. The Cross Walks! (Death walks is better!)
8. The Road Police (half the time they are okay!)
9. The Mini Buses! (Always SUCK!)
10. Getting Visa’s!

These are not all, just what comes to mind in a few minutes.

Kyle

 

Soviet Union: Information on birth certificates…

The information that follows pertains to the Soviet Union prior to its dissolution as a state at the end of 1991.

In a telephone interview on 12 December 1994, a professor of history at Yale University in New Haven provided the following information. According to this source, if a child were born to a single mother, the biological father’s name would probably not be listed on the child’s birth certificate. The source was unsure whether the child would get his or her mother’s or father’s surname. There were numerous regulation changes on this matter from 1917 to the mid 1950s. It was fairly common until the mid 1960s for women to keep their surnames after marriage and also to give their surnames to their children.

In an interview on 12 December 1994, a professor at Rutgers Law School in Camden, New Jersey, provided the following information. The ethnicity/nationality of a parent listed on a birth certificate probably does not have to coincide with the nationality listed on that same parent’s internal passport. There were no published rules on that matter, but there were probably internal rules, and there were numerous cases of discrepancies. If a child were born to a single mother, the biological father’s name would not be listed on the child’s birth certificate unless a court order indicated otherwise. The source also indicated that it was possible that a fictitious name could be entered. The child would be given his or her mother’s surname, unless a court order indicated otherwise or the parents mutually decided to indicate the father’s name.

In a telephone interview on 13 December 1994, a professor of political science and criminology who specializes in Soviet and Russian law at the University of Toronto provided the following information. This source stated that the ethnicity/nationality of a parent listed on a birth certificate does not have to coincide with the nationality listed on that parent’s internal passport. If a child were born to a single mother, the child would be given the mother’s or the father’s surname, most probably the mother’s.

Please refer to the attachments for additional information.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to

be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Professor of history, Yale University, New Haven. 12 December 1994. Telephone interview.

Professor of law, Rutgers Law School, Camden, NJ. 12 December 1994. Telephone interview.

Professor of political science and criminology, University of Toronto. 13 December 1994. Telephone interview.

Attachments

INS Resource Information Center. Washington. September 1994. “Profile Series Russia The Status of Jews in the Post-Soviet Era,” pp. 4, 30-1.

Presentation by Dr. Oded Eran, Counsel of the Consulate General of Israel of New York, and by Professor Zvi Gitelman, Professor of the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan, to the Eastern Europe Regional Specialization Group on Jewish Refugee Claimants from the CIS (Transcript). 13 November 1992, pp. 37-8.

 

Copyright notice: This document is published with the permission of the copyright holder and producer Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). The original version of this document may be found on the offical website of the IRB at http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/. Documents earlier than 2003 may be found only on Refworld.

Svet Sunday: Witch-Doctors in Russia or Who killed Natasha?

Do you believe in witch-doctors?..I do not!

I believe that our body can recover itself, I believe that our body is like a river, cells renew constantly and any damage could be corrected by nature and your mind, your mind and great work on yourself.

Natasha died and I’ll tell you her story, just part of the story, but maybe it could help someone.

Just now I realize that she never liked doctors. Why? I really don’t know, just guess that she was a big girl and doctors might have told her that she needed to have diet and change style of life: more walking and do exercises… Don’t really know but think nobody likes to know that you (like you are) are not good enough and need to work on yourself hard. So Natasha did not like doctors and always tried something else, she heard about some witch-doctors, “doctors-psychotherapist” or future-tellers and went to them to ask help to loose weight or to find out the future.

Nobody expected this! But three years ago she really felt bad (she had something with belly, it became too big like drum), so my friends and me persuaded her to go to a hospital /do not forget that we live in Russia and still have free medicine here/. And she was told in hospital that she had cancer (in already 3-4 stage).

Now, I remember that she had “little” problems a year before the doctors told her she had cancer. Her response on her “little” problems was to call her witchdoctor-psychotherapist and she was always told: “It’s OK, I will cure it.” and Natasha always got relief sooner or later. I still can not understand Natasha had two witch doctors that time, and how they could not know /of course, if we suppose they can know or feel something../ about Natasha’s BIG problem – her cancer!

(Please, my reader, if you not feeling good, go to doctor at least sometimes just to know that it is not something really bad!)

What was next… One of these witch-doctors found a doctor in cancer-hospital and they asked her to pay American 2300$ per dropper every 3 weeks. (Remember that is free medical in Russia)

Natasha had the chemo for half a year then she was offered to have a surgery done, but she did not want (she still hoped to have a child one day). Then she met a “Teacher”, the “teacher” belonged so-called “School of Casualty” by Goch (Школа Причинности Василия Гоча). He told Natasha very beautiful words, he told her that she has not just physical but 7 thin bodies around physical body. One of these bodies is Body of Casual and that all in the world has Reason to be, and her illness has a reason so he promised “to work on her body of casual and remove the reason of her illness”. How I understand this man had a charisma and really could do some things like remove pain… He told Natasha that she must take responsibility for herself by herself. No ultrasound anymore – it’s bad for thin body, no chemo – she is already healthy and if she feels something wrong that just because she remember about illness what does not exist in her body anymore… I heard that and did not know what to tell Natasha I knew that was Religious Sect! But how to take away a sweet from baby, how to remove last hope? And Natasha took a decision those became her Way. She tried to study something, she tried to believe that she was healthy now… She was inspirited and happy. And even I’ve believed she was OK then.

Then terrible thing happened, Natasha called me in February and told that her “teacher” (pupil of Goch) does not want to work with her anymore. She told me that she had “little” problems since December and her “teacher” (pupil of Goch) told that he worked in her Casual Body, corrected all and already told Goch about this. She called him again and told that she had still the same – his reaction was: “I see nothing you think out a problem”, after her third call he told that he did not want to work with her because she could not believe. She was so lost then we discussed different thing what to do but she went back to the “teacher” persuaded him to take her back.

She felt really bad last month, when she had a temperature 40C she told that the “teacher” works on her this time. A week before she died the “teacher” told that her body escaped of under control and she needs to go to doctor. I can not imagine what Natasha went through since! But she tried she called her mother and asked her to help pickup things for the hospital. Then she asked her mother to leave. She called emergency and got in the emergency car. Her breath stopped during this ride, they still tried to save her in the hospital and put equipment what breathed for her. Natasha never breathed by herself again she died 3 days later.

When I worked on this article I found these links:
1) That is about the School of Causality…
(This link has been canceled.)
http://www.valeology.com/ (This is the new link, but only in Russian language now. They obviously do not want English reading people to see it.)

2) This is an article about one man who died from otitis (running ear), people should not die from that. But this man was got to the same sect where Natasha was.
Please read it:
(in Russian)
http://www.google.com/translate

Natasha died and I still believe – believe that our body can recover itself and that our body is like a river…..
Natasha died, where is she now, what she believes and what she knows…..
Svet
Comments alway welcome and we can discuss this problem in our Discussions as well.

PS: Our friend Alexey was shocked with the story he published his article in Russian in his live journal. He is sure the evil must be stopped! And he wants to make his investigation with our help about this case and the “School of Casualty”. Thank you Alexey! You are a real friend!
link to Alexey’s article in LiveJournal: