Russian border guards proposes lifting visas for foreigners 01/03/2011The Russian Federal Security Service’s border guard department proposed on Tuesday introducing a visa free travel regime for foreign citizens amid falling numbers of visiting tourists from the European Union.Read More >>
Golly if that is true! That would be interesting. I am sure that it is only for Europe and an American like me will still have to jump through hoops to get things done…
It is official and I am not sure really what I think about it yet. In my world the word police is not really all that wonderful of a term. But this is not my world that I was born into and these people here might just need a change…
The video is the best English video that I could find. they have lots of Russian videos but that won’t help most of you…
So for good or bad, here we go with another change in Russia…
Looks like Medvedev not Obama should have run for president on the change word… 🙂
The Western world is lit up like a search light looking for its next victim…
West casts military net around Libya: The Pentagon is deploying naval and air forces around Libya as the US and UK governments consider tougher measures to force Muammer Gaddafi from power, including the possible establishment of a no-fly zone…
US invasion of Libya?: After the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that “nothing is off the table” when it came to Libya, the American Navy started to take tactical positions off the coast of that North African country. At this point, the possibility of any of the major forces in the region, like US military, NATO troops or even UN peacekeepers, setting their feet on Libyan shores should not be ruled out…
Libya: “Cameron Is Plotting Regime Change”: The Libyan regime has accused the British government of being behind the recent unrest in Arab countries. A spokesman for Libya’s Ministry of Information accused UK Prime Minister David Cameron of leading a campaign for regime change in Libya and neighboring countries. Khaled al Koabi claimed to have information that Britain is “planning to carry on some activities that can create an environment of instability in some Arab countries, for the sake of changing regimes”…
Libyan crisis: Britain and allies now risk over-reaction: Criticized for reacting too slowly to the Libyan crisis, Britain and its allies now risk a dangerous, ill-thought out over-reaction in raising the prospect of direct western military intervention. If any lesson has been learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is that while it is very easy to get into a war in the Middle East, it is difficult to control events once engaged, and harder still to find a way out…
I am concerned with a world that accepts killing a million innocent Iraqis and untold (10,000 and 13,000 ++) number of Afghanistan’s. I am concerned that we are seriously talking about entering another war in the Middle East. I am concerned that we seem to be unsatisfiable in our desire for blood-lust…
This is looking as bad as it can get and if the warmongers have their way then we will invade Libya and it looks like Obama is ready…
As insane as it might sound, the United States may soon be getting involved in another war in the Middle East. According to White House spokesman Jay Carney, “no options” have been taken off the table when it comes to the situation in Libya. By saying that “all options” are being considered, that is basically a way for the Obama administration to threaten Gadhafi without actually coming right out and threatening him. In recent days, news reports have been appearing all over the mainstream media hyping the possibility that we may have to take military action in Libya. This would not be happening if the White House did not want it to happen. The truth is that Barack Obama is apparently seriously considering U.S. military action in Libya. At first that would probably consist of air strikes and missile attacks, but if the Obama administration decides that it is going to take ground forces to get the job done then we could eventually see the U.S. military actually invade Libya. But the truth is that any military intervention in Libya would be a really, really bad idea. Is it really wise to stick our young men and women into the middle of an incredibly bloody civil war? Do we want to spill even more American blood in order to protect “U.S. interests”? Do we really want to spend young American lives to keep the price of oil low? The truth is that the world hates us enough already. How much more will they hate us if we decide to start bombing Libya into oblivion? Read More >>>
I remember getting scolded because one time I called Obama a war monger. I have been scolded because I feel that we should stay out of this type of situations. I have been scolded because I say that these situations are caused by our stupidity in the first place. The Western world has very scary tendencies. We seem to love war. From the president on down…
I am concerned that in the last few weeks we have killed two hundred or more civilians in Afghanistan and the world could care less: KABUL – More than 200 Afghans were killed in attacks and military operations during the past two weeks, Afghan officials said Saturday, calling it the deadliest period for civilians since the war began… (Read More >>>)
Where are the countries threatening to invade America because America is killing civilians in Afghanistan. By the thousands. Why is it OK for America to decimate Afghanistan for no reason? Why was it OK to decimate Iraq for no reason? (Yes, no reason!)
So are we really any better than Muammar Gaddafi? Why do we accept killing of thousands as OK in one area and then not OK in another area? Why is any death acceptable? Why do we care if Libya has a civil war? Oil…
Sveta said something to me that made sense. She said that it counts on who does the killing. If it is a powerful country killing, then that is OK. It is also OK when the little country has the backing of a powerful country. It is OK when instigated by a powerful country. Other words it is all in who you know and who you are and who likes who at that moment… (Iraq is a perfect example.)
Time to go with these words of parting from Chavez of Venezuela:
“The United States has already said it’s ready to invade Libya, don’t you see? And almost all the countries of Europe are condemning Libya … What do they want. They are rubbing their hands together. Oil is what’s important to them,” he said. 🙂
Come in to my parlour, said the spider to the fly…
Windows to Russia!
Libya: ‘Cameron Is Plotting Regime Change’ (news.sky.com)
*Updated: 02-28-2010 because of numerous emails asking questions about this from Russians living in America…*
While I was sipping my morning cup of coffee here in Moscow, Russia. I was thinking that I have been in deep thoughts over the last few weeks about a certain e-mails that I get on a regular bases. These e-mails are private so they will not be published but they all consist of the same basic theme.
They are from Russian’s who have gone to America to find a better life. They cut or severed their ties with Russia either during the Soviet era or just staying illegally in America since the fall of the Soviet Empire.
I counted the e-mails today and I have hundreds of e-mails asking if I know how they can get back to Russia. I say where there is hundreds of e-mails that I got, there is thousands more.
This post that I am doing has been triggered by an article that The Washington Post printed. That article was about an African that made it back home after coming to America. He is now at peace with the world after finding out that America was not such a real deal situation. (Link)
I want you to understand that I am not saying that they should come home or not. I am not condemning or condoning anyone in any way. I use the term: “The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence!” all the time in my life. I myself did not come to Russia to experience the green grass. In fact when I came here, I expected the worse. I came to Russia because my Russian Sweetie had no desire to come to America. (Now that was a shock to this American!)
That is when I found a fantastic world that I never dreamed was here.
Most of the e-mails are from Russians that had to give up their Russian citizenship when they got an American citizenship. Some of them never became legal in America and are just kinda hiding. Most have family that is still in Russia but no one has any easy answer to getting a new Russian passport since they gave up their last one. Many say that they have tried to get a passport in Russia and are turned down because of their leaving in the past. Some of them came in the Soviet era and they have spent 30 years wishing that they never came to America. Some have explained how church groups convinced then to go to America and when they got there they found themselves trapped. Some have explained how sects in America have painted this wonderful dream world of the American life style and prodded for them to come. Some just really thought that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”. The stories go on and on…
What they do have in common is that they do not seem to be able to get easy answers to their desires to come home. Another thing very common is that they found out that the American dream was not always a truth.
Svet would tell her favorite story right now: She was talking to a young man and they communicated about America. Svet gave her opinion and that she would never ever want to live in America.
The young man said “No Way! Even the dirt is shiny and bright in America.” 🙂
So I have not been able to do much good on digging up information for Russian coming back to Russia. I have a ton of information about an American coming to Russia though. 🙂
If someone knows about this type of situation and has some answers then leave me an e-mail (peppy200@gmail.com) and I will pass the information on to the individuals that have contacted me. Even leave us a comment, that information could help someone get home.
I realize that I will most likely get comments that say: send all foreigners home, good riddance commies. don’t let the door hit you in the rear and much worse. So before you go off the deep end, this article is about a select few hundred that have written me. I am sure that many Russians love America and will never leave.
But like everywhere in the world “The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence!”
Kyle
PS: Little tidbit of information – I have dozens of e-mails from Russians who have gone to other parts of the world and they are very happy living in areas like England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, China, Cuba, Israel, Mexico and etc etc etc…
Update: This is my article about the Russian program that helps Russians get to come home if they so desire.
Russians who want to come home are being given that chance and 18,000 have returned so far since 2006! Many Russians left when the Soviet Union collapsed and now the Russian government has set in motion the groundwork to help those that wish to come home…
(Video is excellent)
So pass the word if you know a Russian who would like to come home to the Mother Land!
Moscow is puzzled by the US statements to the effect that Washington sees the South Kuril Islands as part of Japanese territory. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a live broadcast at the Ekho Moskvy radio station that this kind of statement by the United States is devoid of any juridical grounds…
Everyone knows that the Russian Internet is full to the brim of free pirated mp3 and movie downloads. But Internet pirates should beware. The government’s battle with Internet piracy is going to be much more active starting tomorrow. According to Vedomosti the 1st of March, when the Russian militia officially become the Russian police, will see them adorned with new powers as well. One of those is the obligation to shut down illegal websites without a court order…
This morning I was doing some coffee thinking. I was thinking about several years ago (5 to be exact) when I wrote an e-mail to an American living in Russia. He had several good articles about how wonderful Russia was and how great it was in Russia. He had been in Russia for about 5 years at that time and I was excited to see someone with a good attitude about Russia. So I wrote him an e-mail…
The response I got back was one of confusion for me at the time. Now 5 years later I no longer am confused by what his response to my e-mail was…
I remember that my e-mail consisted of how happy I was to be able to come and live in Russia. I was interested in meeting him in Russia and was looking forward to knowing that there was an American in Russia that enjoyed Russia. I of course never considered that he would not be thrilled about another American coming to Russia to live and try to get to know what Russia is about. The response was one of, “Don’t come to Russia and push your American attitude and don’t mess it up for us (Americans) that are happy here…” 🙁
I remember that it was a long letter in reply to me and I could tell that he did not want me to come to Russia. He in fact, to put it in a nutshell, he wished that all Americans would stay away from Russia. For Russia is a wonderful and fantastic world that I (we) would only mess up royally in normal American fashion… 🙂
I remember seeing him twice on the metro over the years. (He had a picture of himself on his blog.) I left him alone and observed him from across the metro car. I knew on the second time that I saw him, that he realized I was an America. He escaped silently and quickly down the metro car and out the door at the next stop. He still writes about Russia and he still teaches English in Moscow. I can tell he will never go home to America again…
Now Sveta was sitting next to me in my American home when we received that letter and I remember she said, “He is stupid, do not listen to him, Russia is great place.” Of course Sveta and I were already an issue so the situation was final at that point anyway. I was just a few days from leaving America at that point. As you could tell Sveta was with me in America and I knew that staying in America was not going to happen. Sveta was disenchanted with America. Her first words were about how much of a police state America is and so many rules and regulations that interfered with life and fun…
I was actually confused by her feelings toward America at first. But I learned what she meant after a few months in Russia. I also started to understand about this gentleman’s response to me about the e-mail that I wrote…
I had an article a month ago that confirmed my thinking’s. It was an article and video from another American that triggered everything and made it congeal in my mind…
The clincher in the whole interview was the end when he said, “Don’t come here (to Russia)!” because well, “You will muck it up…”
That hit home with me and I realized that most Americans that I meet in Russia feel the same way. Paul Eng said what we all think in an interview with Russia Today. He tried to make it like a joke. But he was dead serious…
So I have found myself fighting that same feelings inside myself. I really think that it is a stage that we go through and I will grow out of it in time. But I find myself worried about Russia as I watch her become more like America everyday. That is why I cheer when Walmart decides to pull out and am saddened when I see how much control McDonald’s has on the management world in Russia. I have said this same thing multiples of times in Articles that I write. I do not want to see Russia become a controlled environment with police state tendencies…
Don’t get me wrong. I want you to come to Russia. I believe in my heart that your life here would be forward-looking over what you know in America. But then I feel that way if you went to most any part of the world. I know Americans who live in China, Panama, India, Korea, Ukraine and so on and so on. They all will tell you that the world is not what you are made to believe from America…
I could rattle on for hours, so we will end it with…
Russia is still the “wild west” and as far as I am concerned it needs to stay that way. That is what I love about Russia…
Maslenitsa 2011 will take place between February 28 and March 6th. This is a pre lent festival. So as Russian traditions are observed and people eat their fill of blini (Pancakes) the festivals help to bid farewell to winter. The idea is to dispel the cold with symbols of spring other words: Pancakes with their round shape and yellowish color represents the sun and an effigy (Man of Straw) is burned to welcome warmer weather. Other activities, like group fist fights (Ouch), sledding, and troika rides, are traditional Maslenitsa activities…
So look at the week of expectations!
Monday – is called “a meeting”. With the first pancake it is tradition to give to beggars for them to mention the poor dead.
Tuesday – is called “zaigrysh” (games). On this day, the morning begins with a funny game.
Wednesday – is called “gourmand” (A gourmand is a person who takes great pleasure in food.) On this day, the hostess act on saying: “What is in the oven, First of all delicacies, of course, pancakes.” On this day Mother in-laws invite Son in-laws to eat pancakes.
Thursday – “razguliay”. On this day begins Maslenitsa full strength. As well as helping to drive winter away and bring the sun into play again. Example to do this, like riding horses clockwise around the village.
Friday – “Teschin evening” (Inlaws). Son in-law invites Mother in-law and treat them pancakes.
Saturday – the “zolovkiny chat” Sister in-law invites female relatives of her husband. If the husband’s sisters were married, the daughter of guests invited and their unmarried friends. But if the sister was already married, she invited relatives married. Bride daughter had bestowed their gifts zolovok.
On Sunday – the last day of Maslenitsa is called “Forgiveness Sunday”. On this day, you should apologize to all relatives and friends for all the resentment, thus relieved of their sins before Lent. Also on the last day of Pancake week, you burn a man of straw – the symbol of winter. The ashes of the man of straw fly all over the fields – for a rich summer harvest.”
I now just love Russian pancakes (At first I had reservations about a Russian pancake) and this week is great because I will be making pancakes for almost every meal…
BRUSSELS, February 24 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned Moscow’s partners in the West against attempts at whipping up democratic processes in other countries in connection with the ongoing events in North Africa. He was speaking at a joint news conference with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, devoted to the results of the full-scale meeting of the Russian government and the EU Commission.
Asked by European media whether he felt any concern about events in the Middle East and their possible “echo” in the North Caucasus, Putin replied in the affirmative, but added that the impact of those shocks would be felt not only in the North Caucasus, but in all countries, including those in Europe.
“We are concerned, firstly, about the number of casualties in the events in North Africa. We are concerned about that despite the soothing claims a rise to power or growth in the influence of radical groups in northern Africa are unlikely.”
“And if that really happens, it cannot but affect other parts of the world, including, of course, the North Caucasus,” he said.
“As you may know,” continued Putin, “today we express concern about what is happening in Libya. Please, to take note of the fact that the North African cell of al-Qaeda, too, is concerned about what is happening in Libya. Is that just a coincidence?”
Having made this historical allusion, Putin recalled that the former leader of the Iranian revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, before his return to Tehran and the overthrow of the Shah’s regime had lived in Paris, and the Western policy of “inoculation of democracy” in the Palestinian territories caused bloody conflicts and brought to power Hamas, very unpleasant for many in the West.
“The people are to be allowed to decide their own fate and their own future,” he said. ”We must give them an opportunity to build their own destiny in a natural way without any interference from outside.”
“Society must move toward democratic institutions, toward self-regulation, towards its own system, with reliance on the internal processes of development,” underlined the prime minister.
![RIA Novosti](http://en.rian.ru/i/eng/logo_sml.gif" "RIA Novosti"){kind=logo}
![Russian border guards proposes lifting visas for foreigners](http://en.rian.ru/images/16261/52/162615202.jpg")
Russian border guards proposes lifting visas for foreigners
![](http://english.ruvr.ru/data/2011/02/28/1263611620/2RIA-387012-Preview.jpg")
Moscow is puzzled by the US statements to the effect that Washington sees the South Kuril Islands as part of Japanese territory. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a live broadcast at the Ekho Moskvy radio station that this kind of statement by the United States is devoid of any juridical grounds…
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_THosNXNQORw/S2mjZSiHHYI/AAAAAAAAJSQ/Jxqdi2Cmawg/s400/maslenitsa.jpg")
BRUSSELS, February 24 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned Moscow’s partners in the West against attempts at whipping up democratic processes in other countries in connection with the ongoing events in North Africa. He was speaking at a joint news conference with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, devoted to the results of the full-scale meeting of the Russian government and the EU Commission.