Watch the video! No really watch the video then come back…
This really is an unbelievable video and is chocked full of surprises for NATO lovers! NATO has done a 180 degree turn around on Russia…
Now is it a real stance? Or is it a face of a dying organization that really needs Russia to become part of the game so that it can prolong NATO’s viability in the worlds eyes?
Madeleine Albright does help give it some credibility and her speech was very good and sounded sincere. Does she have the power to really make it happen?
Remember Russia has a different plan for European security and that is a major threat to NATO. As Medvedev has said, NATO is not Russia’s friend and is a threat to Russian security.
Time will tell and we shall see what happens. Right now this is either an historic event or…
Sometimes you have to tell it like it is and this is one of those times. The article mentioned above got slammed and a news site printed it also, called Mizozo. I also sent emails to anyone that I could to express my dissatisfaction to as a American reader in Russia. This combination gave me a flurry of e-mails that seemed to all have a general sense of we are sorry but we had you blocked because of bad IP activity on your IP! (But they never really say they are sorry)
Here is one of the emails:
Dear peppy200,
It was brought to our attention that we had inadvertently blocked IP’s from certain Russian sections of Russia Moscow.
It was a non intentional default of protection software.
This e-mail is in response to an inquiry that directed our attention to our error and hope that this opens up ability to view said content.
This is a non reply e-mail
This e-mail was sent to peppy200@gmail.com, based on initial correspondence.
Please note that you must use this e-mail address to any future correspondence.
To manage your e-mail preferences, update your account settings.
Message Category: Miscellaneous
I like the fact that I become peppy200 instead of Kyle as is how I signed each letter. Then they say this is a non reply email but down farther they say use this email address to contact them, if any more questions. But that is OK. At first I thought is this an automated response, then after I saw that access was opening back up to certain sites, I knew that humans were involved somewhere.
So what is blocking an IP about? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_blocking This article will tell you and it seems that I was on a area specific type of IP ban. That means that I was banned by the area I live in. Usually banned due to country web style attacks. Other words I was not blocked because of who I am. I was blocked because of were I live. 🙁
I definitely stirred up the DC crowd again and this time instead of comments. I got emails! (To comment on Windows to Russia now asks for positive ID and if you do not have a verifiable email then your comment never appears. This has saved me tons of issues lately. Anyone say Censor?) These emails were in the same wonderful format that their comment would be but at least I am the only one who has to see such statements. 🙂 (Yes one of them even threatened to come to Moscow and ****** slap me silly!)
I will never be able to get everywhere that I want, but my only goal was to get to news sites unrestricted. You Tube will be a censored nightmare because individuals make up a decision as to what countries they want to view their videos and most people are prejudice even though they will not admit it. I succeeded in what I want to do…
So to summarize all this: Censorship is here to stay. It seems that censorship is in all forms. We censor comments, we censor countries, we censor areas, we censor cities and we censor individuals. (So on and so on) I understand certain restrictions because some humans seem to be unable to control their outbursts of rage without using vulgarity and threats. These same humans have forced me to control comments beyond the point I want to. But I have many school children that use the website and the last thing I need is the comment section having cuss words and death threats. Yes – because of a handful of “rotten eggs”…
I was censored because of being part of a perceived bigger problem. It is called blacklisting! Because you are on a blacklist does not mean that you can not be put on a white list. At least I will see less of the picture above!
DMITRY MEDVEDEV: I visited the Best of Russia 2009 photo exhibition. Given my personal interest in the subject, I wanted to say a few words about photography.
In historical terms, photography is a relatively young art, only a little more than 150 years old. All art forms share the common function of helping to represent the surrounding world, see something new in it, something we hadn’t noticed previously, learn something we hadn’t known earlier.
Photography also has a specific function of its own. Whether daguerreotype or digital, taking photos is a fairly straightforward procedure and photography can therefore seem a simple affair, just a form of amusement that gives us all the chance to snap away on anything from the best camera to the most basic model. But as the years pass, each negative created, or each digital file, takes on special significance in that it remains an exact copy of a particular moment in life, and in this sense creates a particular atmosphere for the photographer, for those in the photo, if it is a photo of people, and for those simply viewing the photo.
I think that the main sense of photography, of photos as an art, lies in that they capture the special sadness of moments already gone and never to be returned. This is photography’s real meaning, I think.
People often ask me how long I’ve been interested in photography. My interest dates back a long time. I first got into it probably almost 35 years ago, as a child, when I spent time at the Pioneers’ Palace. I had a marvellous camera – a Smena 8M. Anyone involved in photography back then will know that this was the cheapest, most basic model of Soviet camera, with the worst optics – well, with the most ordinary optics, shall we say – and probably the most difficult to use. It was hard to use because there was no range finder. You had to do everything by eye, decide on the exposure. The camera had none of the features needed for taking good quality photos.
But this very lack of features was a good thing really because it meant you had to put effort into taking photos, learn to judge the exposure, the light, the contrast. It meant learning by trial and error. Then there was working with the negatives, the whole process of developing, fixing, printing, repeating these procedures, drying the photo, and this is all a part of my life that I will never forget. Perhaps it is for this reason that photography still interests me so.
True, there was a long period when I stopped taking photos, and then I started again, as an adult this time, probably after 30, and I got really interested in it once more after it became possible to buy modern cameras.
What to take photos of? Anyone who picks up a camera asks themselves this question. I like to photograph nature, architecture, and of course, people. Though, to be honest, photographing people is no easy task for me because, given my job, it would look a bit strange if I were to suddenly turn up with a camera in my hand and start taking photos of people. I’m afraid it would make people wonder what on earth I think I’m up to. But I enjoy photographing all other kinds of objects. Of course, the results vary, as is the case for anyone taking photos.
As far as technology goes, people also often ask me in blogs what kind of camera I use. These days we are lucky in having such a big range to choose from. Around ten years ago, I bought several decent Canon cameras, the ones that use film. These days, I mostly use digital technology, but sometimes I still like to use film. It is more complicated, true, but it has its own special appeal.
I like to use different kinds of cameras. Here is one of them, one that your average person would find rather complicated to use. This is a Leica, a classical Leica, and this is the new M9 digital version. I use other cameras too – Canon and Nikon, for example, good digital wide-lens cameras. I recently got the chance to try out the new Leica, and I must say that this is a good camera, and I notice that photographers have praised it. It is quite a complicated camera, but has high resolution capability and a very good matrix – in other words, it has a large number of pixels.
When I get a free moment I try to take some photos. I don’t just take photos at home, but take my camera with me on practically every trip. To tell the truth, I often don’t end up getting the chance to actually use it, and if I do, I usually end up photographing mostly the views from the residences or hotels I stay at, or even out the car window, but when I do get the chance the resulting photos have an interest for me as memories of the places I’ve visited, and I travel a lot.
That is about all I wanted to say about my interest in photography. I hope that this art will continue to develop. This excellent exhibition that I just visited presents a picture of our country, a picture of the specific moment in time that was 2009. These photos represent photography at its highest, when each photo is a work of art in itself. These are random shots, but what is most important is that they are all little pieces of our country and our life in 2009. I think these exhibitions are of interest for everyone and they attract all kinds of people, from masters in the art with years of experience to those taking their first shots on an inexpensive camera. Here, they are all equals and this is really good to see.
I wish you all good luck with your photos. I think this is a fine art and also a fine way to pass the time.
I have several articles about the fiasco that GM made in Germany over the sale of its division Opel. Now GM is trying to continue the fiasco and play games with Germany. This is months after saying that GM will keep Opel and can make it better.
Hummmm…
General Motors Europe on Tuesday finally announced the details of its plan to restructure German car-maker Opel. In addition to thousands of job cuts, GM wants 2.7 billion euros from European governments. Opposition to the plan is building in Germany. (Link)
This is the same deal being drug into the mud after GM refused to sell Opel to a Canadian/Russian group called Magna/Sberbank. Germany had approved the Magna/Sberbank for buying and saving the Opel company with the least amount of disruption of the German country.
But GM being also know now as Government Motors (GM) due to huge bailouts by the government from peoples tax money. Said that they can turn Opel around.
This has gone over like a dead fish on the beach and Germany is having real issues with Government Motors (GM) and the lies.
Looks like Germany needs to tell GM and America to stick it where the sun do not shine! Then just tell GM to do what they said they could do. Save the Opel company – Since it does still belong to GM (America) and if they can not save it, then sell it to Magna/Sberbank like they should have in the first place…
I realize that many American people do not notice this sort of thing and if I still lived in America, I would not care either. But since I live in Russia and rely upon local and national news sources in America for my news. There is a problem that has developed with American Press.
I have watched over the last few years, a slow but noticeable censorship of videos and websites coming out of America. I try to watch videos from local news stations all over America and half the time get a well worn message: “sorry the content is unavailable in your country.” This applies to websites and videos!
I can get around this issue by using a proxy that tells everyone that I am from the USA. “But doesn’t that seem like censorship?”
This does not always work if I use a proxy from the UK and other parts of Europe. In fact I have found that the dividing line on news is now more closely related to American news against the rest of the world. I see a tightening of American borders in all aspects including media…
I was just hunting down some information on the statement by America that we will supply radioactive isotopes to Iran and are calling Iran’s bluff… 🙂
Out of 10 websites of news, I got one video to work without telling me that famous quote above. I was told that I could not even view the printed material on 3 of the sites.
Now let me search the Eastern websites and I find no restrictions and have all the news at hand. I try to use American press because that really is all that Americans will begin to believe, but as time goes by the American news is getting harder to get because of censorship.
So looks like European and Eastern news sources are going to become the way to knowledge.
That is OK by me!
Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.
Update: Yesterday when I wrote this article I also decided to mail off multiples of emails to all sites that I had issues with. We will not get into who and what they are (right now) because I am getting responses back already. Last night I received three emails that all had about the same basic content! There was no apologies, but there was a release of my IP and I can say truthfully that I now have access where I did not have access yesterday: (Don’t you like how your name becomes your email.)
Dear peppy200,
It was brought to our attention that we had inadvertently blocked IP’s from certain Russian sections of Russia Moscow.
It was a non intentional default of protection software.
This e-mail is in response to an inquiry that directed our attention to our error and hope that this opens up ability to view said content.
This is a non reply e-mail
This e-mail was sent to peppy200@gmail.com, based on initial correspondence.
Please note that you must use this e-mail address to any future correspondence.
To manage your e-mail preferences, update your account settings.
Message Category: Miscellaneous
So maybe my grandma was right: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease!” 🙂
Looks like I was just part of a blanket IP block most likely due to virus issues and such..
The playground is a clear as it is because the kids pack the snow even tighter. The park bench is getting ready to go under. The train floats on the surface.
I find it interesting how American press has just gone crazy on the snow in East Coast America. As I sit here in Russia and watch it snow again and again! I would say out of the last 60 days it has snowed 55 of those days. The multiples of feet of snow is packed down to about a foot and a half. It is like a solid sheet of ice now. All areas can virtually be transversed safely (pertains to not sinking out of sight) because the surface is like rock. The sidewalks are sometimes two feet higher than in the summer and stepping off the side walk can be a very dangerous proposition. The work crews have big metal rods with a strong steel blade on the end and they chop for hours trying to clear a path for people to walk. My favorite thing is when they chop a set of stairs from the road surface to the sidewalk. Sometimes it can be several stairs high…
I would imagine that the people who live in Michigan and the Dakotas plus other states in America really wonder what is wrong with some people at times! I have friends in the North part of America, that are use to having so much snow that their car disappears every year and they never complain about the snow. (Really it seems to me that the normal people are not really complaining, but that the Government and press are making a big deal out of it?)
The big difference is that in America the snow melts, except maybe the farthest North areas. In Moscow Russia the snow just keeps getting deeper. We have what seems to be about 6 months of Winter. The temperature just never goes about 0 degrees for months and months…
I never realized what snowpack was about because I do not ski, but now I know. Most snow that I have seen in the Midwest America was heavy and deep but within a week it was gone and ready for the next snow…
I said to Svetlana the other day, “Either I am getting taller or all these trees and road signs are getting much shorter!” As a tree limb was trying to poke me in the eye that in summer would have been at least two feet above my head. 🙂
Boza loves it because he can dig anywhere (He has a lot of terrier in him) and not get in trouble. He likes to dig as fast as he can into the packed snow, throwing ice everywhere. Then he sticks his head way down into the hole he dug and growls at what ever imaginary creature he is digging for. Then he runs and digs another hole. So far, he never hits dirt and when he does, I will know Spring is coming.
As I sit here writing this and the snow falls outside…
I have been posting about the fact that Russia wanted to buy a French made Mistral-class amphibious assault ship! I have posted about the fact that the French agreed to sell said ship to Russia! Now we get to post about France having to defend her decision on why she sold the ship to Russia:
French President – Sarkozy told U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates at a brief meeting on Monday that in his opinion the sale did not pose a military problem because Russia should be treated as a real partner. “One cannot expect Russia to behave as a partner if we don’t treat it as one,” Sarkozy said.
NATO is in Moscow right now and this subject is sure to cause a few rumbles. NATO wants Russian help but wants it on NATO terms. So just days after NATO and Russian officials clashed at the Munich Security Conference, a group of prominent experts from the NATO alliance is to arrive in Moscow on Tuesday. (Feb. 9th 2010)
The Western press lit up with astonishment over the fact that France sold this ship to Russia! It seems that all the previous letters and demanding statements from America and NATO did not curtail the sale. The opinion type articles, about how Russia can use this craft for evil and destructive intentions to control the world at large has flourished in the media and still evince the networks.
Now lets see what else can Russia buy, to have more NATO toys to play with…
Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.
PS:
“French Defense Minister Herve Morin said on Monday it was time to turn the page on Cold War-era antagonisms with Russia and start a new relationship with Moscow through new exchanges.”
“Yulia Tymoshenko’s bloc has said it will contest in court the conduct of the Ukrainian presidential election she appears to have narrowly lost.
Deputy leader Elena Shustik said the bloc would contest results at some polling stations and ask for a recount, Russia’s Interfax news agency reports. Another bloc official accused Viktor Yanukovych’s party of falsification.”
A really big mistake that Viktor made was to threaten Yulia with her job as Prime Minister in front of the world. I see the push for a third round of voting coming. She has nothing to loose and will go down fighting. Taking Ukraine with her…
Russian Doughnuts (Ponchiki) is a wonderful treat and easy to make. Very likely you have all these ingredients available in the household and on a snowy winter day or night these doughnuts are a great treat for kids young and old! So when you can not drive to the store to get your favorite doughnut, try these Russian doughnuts – They may become your new favorite…
Lets gather the Ingredients: 2 eggs 4 tbsp sugar quarter stick softened margarine or 25 grams (butter is better) 1/2 cup milk (I like to use sourcream) 2 cups self raising flour (or 2 cups plain flour and heaping 1 tsp baking powder) 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon (no sugar in it) 1/2 cup vegetable oil (for the skillet to fry the doughnuts)
Lets Mix them there doughnuts:
Melt the margarine or butter. Pour into a mixing bowl with the eggs and sugar until creamy smooth.
Then add the milk and mix another 30 seconds.
Add 1 1/2 cups flour and the cinnamon into another mixing bowl and make sure mixed into a blended product. Then gradually stir in the liquid from the first mixing bowl until you make a bread like dough.
Continue to knead the mix to make a smooth elastic dough, while adding half the remaining flour and then add the rest as needed to create a dough that does not stick to the sides of the bowl. (This mixing should be done by hand.)
Roll the dough out to around quarter inch thick. Cut out rings of dough using two concentric cutting circles. Two different cookie cutters are great as long as there is about a half inch difference in circumference.
Lets cook them there doughnuts:
Heat a skillet with the vegetable oil on medium – not too hot.
Drop the dough rings into the oil when oil is hot and cook until lightly golden. Flipping doughnuts over as one side browns and get the other side.
Temperature is important because the doughnuts will puff up and cook only on the outside. (Better to cook more slowly then fast!)
Remove the cooked doughnuts from the skillet and set aside onto a plate covered with paper towels.
Lets eat them there doughnuts:
Eat them while still warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar and dip in your favorite icing.
France OKs carrier sale to Russia: 08 February, 2010
France has agreed to sell the Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia. The Russian Navy also has its eyes on three more similar vessels in the future.
The approval of the defense deal was announced Monday by Jacques de Lajugie, the international development director of France’s armaments board Delegation Generale pour l’Armement (DGA). He added the possible addition of three more helicopter carriers has only been discussed on the technical level, not on the political.
Russia’s Navy voiced its intention to buy a helicopter carrier last year. The goal is to study the technology and tactical advantages of such a ship.
The French warship Mistral is the main candidate for the purchase, and she even paid a three-day visit to St. Petersburg in November so that top brass could examine it personally. However, the final decision has not yet been made and Russia is considering alternatives.
France currently has two vessels of this class deployed, which means additional warships will have to be commissioned if Russia wants an extra three. Some Russian Navy officials also speculated that the Mistral can go with a license to build similar vessels in Russian shipyards.
Hummmmm! That was not surprising to me and most on this side of the world but now lets see what good ole America prints about this predicament…
This really is an unbelievable video and is chocked full of surprises for NATO lovers! NATO has done a 180 degree turn around on Russia…
.jpg)
