Windows to Russia

Hello,

A good video that gives some information on how Russia and America need to proceed with their relationship.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about how far apart the thinking’s of Russia and America are.

The Western Press is alight with articles about the reset button given to Lavrov by Clinton. They have acted like it was a terrible thing. It was not a terrible thing because Lavrov was partly wrong and just being Lavrov. The word was correct to a point and Svet my wife says that Lavrov should have been more considerate and said the word is fine. Svet says that the word used is a word for restart or reset on a computer.

So while America was worrying about a reset button, they forgot about this tiny issue.

What Russia cared about is the fact, that again: Hillary Clinton can not say Medvedev’s name.

She was embarrassed last year at a presidential debate when she struggled to name the favorite to follow Putin as Russian President and in the end said: “Medvedveda, whatever”.

And it looked like déjà vu at the media conference after her first official meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, in Geneva on Friday. The U.S. Secretary of State said Barack Obama is looking forward to discussing a range of important issues with “President Meddev… Medevev”.

She didn’t say “whatever” this time, however, instead laughing and continuing her speech without trying to pronounce the Russian head of state’s name correctly. (Link)

Now my thoughts are, I would not get caught with that mistake again. I would practice until I had it correct. Seems like an important issue to know the name of the President of the country that you need help from.

So the reset button was a non issue in Russia but what was important was given no airtime in America…

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about the visit that Gordon Brown just made to America. There is nothing I like better than when the Russian press wakes up and catches a story about Europe being slighted by America. In this case the treatment of Gordon Brown by Obama Incorporated.

This link will take you to an article that explains the snubs or oops things that Obama did. (Link) The original version in all its glory! (Link)

Seems that Obama has snubbed the Prime Minister Gordon Brown from England and Russia has taken it to town. (So to speak.) The snubs were issues of common courtesy or etiquette and even a backwoods redneck like me knows better than the actions that became predominate at the meeting between Brown and Obama.

A quote from a Russian news source: “It is unfortunate, the Obama administration was sleepwalking through Brown’s visit. Hopefully, this is not a sign of things to come.”

Good Job Obama – You have definitely started Changing things.

Now I would suggest getting a book on Russian etiquette because other cultures have expectations from you. Whether you visit or have a visitor you must know the correct things to do and say.

Here have a link to 17 articles on Culture awareness from an expert in the field.
http://intercultural-training.blogspot.com/search/label/cultural%20awareness

Lets hope that you have better sense when meeting Medvedev…

Windows to Russia
Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

PS: The American press finally started to print some articles about the snubs. A day late and a dollar short. They let the British press in the Oval Office and they all got eye and ear full of the happenings. It was said 40 reporters in all squeezed into the Oval Office. They also say that the DVD’s are a bad gift because as Obama should have known (homework) is that Gordon Brown has very bad eyesight.

The average monthly wages in Moscow according to government figures stands at RUB 30,109 (approx. USA $839) from January-December 2008. RBC

We get asked for this information all the time. This is not a figure for Russia but for Moscow only.

People who live in rural Russia are making closer to $100 to $200 a month…

Windows to Russia!
Kyle & Svet

RBC, 06.03.2009, Moscow 13:35:53. Economic growth has slowed in the Russian capital, the Moscow government told RBC today. GDP grew only 6 percent in 2008 against 7.7 percent a year earlier, while industrial production growth amounted to a mere 0.5 percent in 2008 compared to 11.5 percent in 2007. Similarly, fixed investment edged up 0.6 percent in 2008 against 6 percent in the previous year, while the average wages grew 28.6 percent in 2007 and 25.6 percent in 2008. The average monthly accrued wages stood at RUB 30,109 (approx. USD 839) in January-December 2008, while the price rise on the consumer market reached 11.9 percent. The purchasing power of working Muscovites grew 1.12 times, and retail trade increased 5.3 percent in 2008 against 5.1 percent in 2007.

RBC, 06.03.2009, Moscow 11:14:40.Russia’s trade balance surplus has allowed the Central Bank to sustain the ruble exchange rate against the basket of two currencies, the euro and the dollar, within the specified band and even purchase the U.S. currency on the market. The regulator’s net purchases of dollars exceeded $860m in February. According to expert estimates, if the global oil prices remain at their current levels, Russia’s trade balance surplus is likely to go up $50bn. If these forecasts are true, the RBC Daily newspaper reports, the ruble is not projected to see any further devaluation.

RBC, 05.03.2009, Moscow 19:07:40.The net foreign currency amount purchased by the Bank of Russia as currency interventions stood at USD 861.8m and EUR 98.97m in February 2009, with all he purchases made on a regular basis, the bank indicated in its documents.

RBC, 05.03.2009, Moscow 18:48:52.Gazprom has confirmed that Naftogaz of Ukraine has paid off the entire amount it owed Gazprom for gas supplies in February 2009, the Russian gas giant said in a statement. Earlier, Naftogaz of Ukraine reported that it had transferred the $50m for the gas shipments still due after it remitted the first payment of $360m yesterday. In February 2009, Naftogaz of Ukraine used around 1bn cubic meters of gas.

RBC, 05.03.2009, Moscow 17:46:22.Russia has not yet received official explanations for security agencies’ actions at Naftogaz of Ukraine on Wednesday, and the government is currently receiving all the information from the mass media, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told a government meeting today. “We are receiving information mostly from the mass media, while Gazprom’s attempts to obtain an official explanation about the operations by security agencies at Naftogaz of Ukraine have failed,” the deputy PM was quoted as saying.

RBC, 05.03.2009, Moscow 15:49:45.Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced at a government presidium meeting today that he had signed a governmental decree extending a $500m loan to Belarus. He commissioned the Finance Ministry to carry out the decree with no delays.

RBC, 05.03.2009, Moscow 14:39:15.Inflation ran up to 1.7 percent in Russia in February 2009, and 4.1 percent for the year to date. A year ago, similar figures were at 1.2 and 3.5 percent, respectively, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) reported.

Hello,

I keep track of every new country that goes visa free with Russia. This is a requirement that Svetlana and I use on where we travel when we take a vacation.

Now Venezuela has become the fifth state in Latin America to scrap visa requirements for Russian citizens, following Cuba, Peru, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. Agreements are also expected to be signed very soon with Brazil, Colombia and Argentina.

This is a good thing and it shows that Medvedev has been busy down in those countries when he visited not long ago.

Windows To Russia!
Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

Yes they golf in Russia and Moscow just opened a new driving range and par three course in Kapotnya, located in south-eastern Moscow.

Since there is a lack of golf courses in Russia the men were lined up to play and the weather did not cooperate. But it is Russia and what do you expect?

In Russia as I have said before you just accept the weather, be it what may and do what you want.

Let it snow – Let it snow!

Tee Time…

Kyle & Svet

A Very Simple Borsch
400g – beef 2 – average size red beets 200g – cabbage 4 – potatoes 1 – carrot 5g – garlic or to taste 2 – tomatoes 1 – tsp. vinegar salt and pepper, to taste parsley to taste or several pinches dill to taste or a pinch onions to taste or 1 onion
Borsch is like a soup, but do not call it a soup. When you travel the Ukraine or Russian countryside you will always find a wonderful borsch simmering at a local cafe in a small village. ‘Borsch’ is Borsch and no one calls it soup in Russia. With out a doubt Borsch was and is still one of the most popular dishes in Russia, Ukraine and any of the CIS countries. The main ingredients are red beets and meats from beef, fish and or smoked sausages. People also use cabbage, onions, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes and spinach. You can also eat borsch with pancakes, pies, salads actually anything. But Borsch is considered a stand alone meal by many. People with less money made borsch without adding meat, only with vegetables grown in their garden. Preparing the meat: Put beef into a large saucepan and cover with 3 liters cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Remove the grease froth from the broth surface with a spoon. Add one onion. Cook at low heat for 1-2 hours. Preparing the Red Beets: Melt 1 Tbls. butter in a saucepan. Cut red beets into small chunks and add them into the cooking pot. Add tomato paste or sliced tomatoes. Simmer at low heat for 1 hour. If there is not enough liquid, add some. Add vinegar. Pan-frying the Vegetables: Melt 1 Tbls. margarine in a frying pan. Add chopped onions and carrots that are cut into small chunks. Cover and saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Heat broth to boiling. Add chopped cabbage and potatoes that are cut into small chunks. Cook for 5 minutes. Add saute and cook another 10 minutes. Add simmered red beets. Cook another 5 minutes. Add salt and black pepper. If you like garlic, you can add garlic now. (It is supposed to be in borsch.) Borsch is served with a tablespoon of sour cream. Svet and I never pass up the local borsch when we travel because there are so many varieties. Yummy! Kyle & Svet comments always welcome.

Hello,

I am drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about the play that Svetlana and I saw last night in downtown Moscow, Russia. It was a play for the employees of the Gazprom Bank. Ever year Gazprom Bank has a special event for International Womens Day that falls on the 8th of March. One year we went and saw “Mama Mia” and this year we saw “Beauty and the Beast”!

It was a fantastic musical of a play that enlightened the heart and soul! “Beauty and the Beast.” Took place in the Moscow Palace of Youth. In Russia, the musical is presented by Stage Entertainment and Disney. This is the first stage production by Disney in Russia and they have done a fantastic job. The place was packed with no more than a couple of empty seats.

We had appetizers before the show with desserts at intermission. The champagne was flowing non stop and for non drinkers like Svet and I they had lots of fruit juice.

It was a true to character play that as Svet said: “It was a fairy tale of huge proportions!”

That it was: For a few hours the world cease to exist, as a land of strange characters filled the stage to whisk you away to forget about the world and her problems.

Thanks Gazprom!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.