Dmitry Medvedev just made a visit to the Kuril Islands. The islands are Russian territorial, so there should be no reason for Japan to be hopping up and down acting like the big bear stole your candy!
But since Japan still lays claims to the Southern Kuril Islands as part of its northern mainland territories. This makes for a sensitive issue in Japan. Meanwhile in not so past history, the islands became part of the USSR as a result of WWII, with Russia’s sovereignty over them entrenched in the UN Charter and many other international documents. Japan though seems to not agree with those documents…
So on this Monday when Medvedev went to Kunashir Island, a island that is part of the Kuril Islands. Medvedev set off the chickens squawking in the hen house…
So now the rumors are flying that Medvedev did it on purpose, that Medvedev wants war with Japan and that Medvedev is showing that he is a tough guy like Putin is…
I have got to say that I give Medvedev credit. Japan said, don’t you dare visit the Kuril Islands and Medvedev gave his answer in his actions…
They are my damn Islands and I will go there if I want to… 🙂
Just look at the news articles below that have to do with the happening. This is just a few articles by the way…
Want a vodka beverage that will tempt your soul? How about a ruby red vodka that is fit for that special guest? Try Cherry Nalivka…
To make real cherry nalivka it is necessary to follow the rules…
1. Only use high quality vodka…
2. Only use ripened, pure, whole and undamaged cherries…
3. Only fill the bottle 2/3 full of cherries, the cherries must be not be squished into the bottle. So use a bottle with a big enough opening and it has a good lid…
4. Pour over the vodka make sure that the cherries are covered well…
5. Then seal and leave to brew for 2 months…(do not chill)
6. The next important step (after two months) is to strain the nalivka, but not squeezing juice from berries… (yes you can eat the berries and they are great on icecream)
7. Then sugar is added to the beverage, the amount of sugar is as a rule of thumb: 5% by volume for men to drink and 40% by volume for women to drink…
8. Now the mixture should be brought to a boil in a sauce pan with the sugar and cooled down very quickly such as in the refrigerator…
9. Now comes the final bottling of nalivka. Pour into clean sanitized bottles that have good sealing corks and this time you may use regular vodka bottles. Seal them tight after filling and store in the cellar or similar place, to wait for that special guest to stop by and have a drink…
Red Vodka...
10. Three months later in the cellar, cherry nalivka is absolutely perfect. This dark ruby palatable vodka doesn’t have high percentage of alcohol and can be kept for many years in the cellar. The nalivka is ready to drink immediately but the longer you wait the better it gets. Nalivka ripens to perfection by the amount of sugar you use. The more sugar the longer it takes…
Notes: Nalivkas are also served as dessert, with tea, coffee and are added to sweets, jellies and drinks. Nalivkas are also made from any all all fruits. Some very popular combination’s are cranberries and gooseberries. Mixed fruit is very popular. One note about Russian cherries and American type cherries. Russian cherries are very sour and not like the sweet American cherries. So the amount of sugar should be adjusted… 🙂
Iran opened a consulate in the Georgian port city of Batumi on Thursday along with the signing of documents that has made visa free travel between Georgia and Iran…
I guess I am confused! I thought Georgia and the USA were the best buddies in the whole world?
Looks like a new club, “The we hate Russia /America club…”
A glance at Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Russia:
_ WHO’S VOTING: 107 million people eligible to cast ballots for one of 11 parties to fill 450 seats in parliament’s lower house, State Duma. Polls predict United Russia, Kremlin-backed party whose ticket is topped by President Vladimir Putin, will win as many as 80 percent of seats.
_ WHO’S WATCHING: Officials from several international groups will monitor the vote, but none from Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, whose election reports are considered authoritative in West. OSCE blames excessive Russian restrictions; Moscow accuses Washington of pressuring the organization.
_ WHAT’S AT STAKE: Vote will be less a competitive election and more a referendum on Putin’s nearly eight-year presidency. If United Russia achieves expected overwhelming sweep, Kremlin could take that as mandate for Putin to lead Russia in some capacity after his second term ends next year.
Kyle
comments always welcome.
Windows to Russia!
Putin’s Party Wins in Russia’s Local Elections (nytimes.com)
Russia’s ruling party wins regional elections (sfgate.com)
1, 000 Back New Anti – Kremlin Bloc At Moscow Rally (nytimes.com)
No sooner had the observers from the CIS For Fair Elections international public organization promoting the development of electoral technologies, said that the Oct. 31 local elections in Ukraine were open and democratic. The USA announced that the elections in Ukraine did not meet standards for openness and fairness…
(Like America has room to talk! and, Just how nosy is America?)
This side of the world has a much different thought on the Ukraine elections. In fact the only ones that seem to be caring about what the American Government has said is Yulia and company. But we all over here know about Yulia the USA backed cry baby…
A quote from the local news, “It was a routine smooth process… This routine demonstrates one characteristic thing: they (the elections) were quite open. The work of the electoral commissions could also be described as open,” a representative of the mission of observers, lawyer Sergei Mirzoev (Russia), said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.
Now it seems that a little stupidity has just crossed the ocean from an administration that needs to worry more about their elections than Ukraine’s elections…
According to the Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych, the election did not differ from those in all other countries: “There were those satisfied and dissatisfied, winners and losers. That is life. “
He has got that correct!
Now America keep your nose out of Ukraine’s business…
Georgia, Iran agree visa-free travel: Georgia and Iran have agreed visa-free travel for their citizens for a period not exceeding 45 days. The document was signed by Foreign Ministers Grigol Vashadze and Manuchehr Motaki on Wednesday and will come into force next year.
Israel refuses to cooperate with UNESCO:
Israel has suspended cooperation with UNESCO over its recognition of Palestinian sovereignty over some religious shrines. Deputy Foreign Minister Dani Ayalon made this statement on Wednesday.
Chernomyrdin to be buried at Novodevichye on Friday:
Russians are paying their last respects to the former Prime Minister and former Russian ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin who died on Wednesday at the age of 72. His body lies in state at the Government Reception House at the Vorobyovy Hills. T he farewell ceremony will begin at 4:00 p.m.
Moscow hosts electronic entertainment show:
More than 90,000 visitors are expected at Russia’s biggest electronic entertainment show Igromir-2010 in Moscow. About 100 participants from Russia and abroad are expected to attend the annual exhibition to present their computer games. Moscow has hosted Igromir since 2006. Last year it attracted more than 80,000 visitors.
Medvedev, Karzai discuss anti-drug efforts:
The Russian and Afghan Presdidents Dmitry Medvedev and Hamid Karzai have come out for a tighter joint crackdown on drug trafficking. The two had a telephone talk on Saturday. They also spoke about a recent operation in Afghanistan, with assistance from the Russian and American anti-drug services, during which four heroin laboratories were destroyed.
Tokyo rejects calls for anti-Russian sanctions:
In Japan, supporters of a tougher stance towards Russia are calling for economic sanctions, for vetoing its accession to the World Trade Organization and for suspending funding for joint projects.
START ratification delayed:
The Republican takeover of the US House of Representatives in mid-term elections on Tuesday makes the Obama presidency a lame duck with little clout to pursue the lsquo;resettingrsquo; of Russian-American relations and push through the ratification of the latest Russian-American strategic arms reduction agreement, signed at a Prague summit on April 8th.
Russia celebrates National Unity Day:
Russia is celebrating National Unity Day. Established in 2004 on the initiative of the ruling United Russia party, it commemorates the feat of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky who led a volunteer army during the liberation of Moscow from Polish-Lithuanian invaders in 1612. Unity Day ceremonies and political actions are being held in Moscow and other Russian cities.
Iran confirms its willingness to begin talks on nuclear issue:
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki reiterated Tehrans readiness on Wednesday to begin negotiations on its nuclear program. We are ready to resume talks today.
http://english.ruvr.ru/
Next year, January 1st 2011 is the day that Russia will introduce a ban on the sale of deep-frozen poultry. The ban will cover both importers and producers. Deep freezing destroys the nutritional value of poultry…
Earlier this year (something like the 1st of January also) Russia introduced a ban on chlorine-treated poultry imports, which hit hard on US farmers. We had just semi solved that issue and now this little snag came into the works…
Looks like Russia really does not want American chicken…
Russian oil has started to flow to the city of Mohe, in the northeast of China via a new pipeline segment of the Eastern Siberia/Pacific pipeline. The oil is now on its way to the oil refinery in Daqing, China…
Before this historic moment, Russia supplied oil to China only by train. This has just been a moment of history and a tightening of the energy ties between Russia and China…
A well know rumor is that China has a real wish to procure all the Russian oil and gas that it can…
I do not think that is a rumor myself…
Windows to Russia!
Russia and China in energy deals (bbc.co.uk)
Putin hails China ties at oil pipeline completion (reuters.com)
This last few weeks I have received a whole lot of e-mails. These e-mails are not all the I hate you and Russia type of e-mails. Some of these e-mails are a change from that, but yes I do get the I hate you and die e-mails also… 🙂
The new e-mails have to do with, are there job opportunities in Russia? They are about what is happening in the USA. Unemployment is running out. This is the case in 6 e-mails and I have been told that they have been on Unemployment a year or more. I have e-mails also that express that they need to get out of a country that seems to be in a downward spiral…
I will not go into details because many of these e-mails are from friends that I would never embarrass in the least. Many more are from people I do not know and they are just grasping at straws. I would and will help if I am able. I will be answering some of those e-mails in the next few days and I will help anyone the best I can. If you show up in Russia because you went a little crazy and threw everything into the wind! I will be glad to at least find you at the airport, because the taxi drivers will drive you crazy… 🙂
I really hate to see that people are struggling bad enough that they have allowed the thought to cross their mind to leave America if the work is available somewhere else…
I did not leave America for a job. I left because I found someone who really cares about me, myself and I and I care the same back to her…
Russia is not a magic bullet of job security and the world here will leave you at a lessor level than you are use too. But that is OK with me because I am not a person who cares about material items to the extent that many people I know in America do…
The one area that seems to be available for English speaking people is teaching English. If you have the proper credentials then believe you me the jobs are here and there are many of them. Even for people who are just native speakers the jobs are here under the table so to speak…
Example is that we have had at least 4 English schools open up near where we live. This has happened in the last few months. The schools are packed and overflowing with students and teachers are few and far between…
Teaching English is not a piece of cake and I have done a little of it. I have many people that ask me to teach them English, once they find out that I am from America. It is a time consuming occupation and you have to have tons of patience. Many Russians have some English from their years in school and all you have to do is unlock those memories…
I am going to expound a little more on the English topic.
Ukraine, Russia and Georgia are in the middle of a huge English push. Russia less then Ukraine and Georgia. But Russia is starting to see a new need, that is growing because of their Silicon Vally Project…
Georgia and Ukraine have put out to the medias that they need thousands of teachers. They are making a huge push away from the Russian language and need the English teachers. This last trip to Ukraine brought me face to face with the prospect of Ukraine needing thousands of teachers to teach their doctors, lawyers, police and government officials. In fact the need is almost to the point of please we need teachers to learn English. Georgia has for a year now been doing the same and Georgia due to there issues lately have struggled to get any teachers of English to go there. Especially Native speakers…
What about other than English? Well the world is wide open. Russia is looking for the people to work at the Skolkovo Innovation Center and that is huge. Scientist, Engineers, Mathematicians, Computer Tech and so on and so on. Russia is a huge wealth of need as long as you are trained and can meet those needs. A person with a college (University) degree would do well in Russia…
Ukraine has abundant openings for web design, consultation and financial marketing. Ukraine is starting to get over being weaned off of America money and has started to stand on her own two feet again…
I want to end with these last few words. Yes the jobs are on this side of the world if you have what it takes to do those jobs. But it is more than a job. It is a whole new way of life and what I see as a downfall is that people come to Russia from America and or Britain (etc) and they cannot let go of the old. They find that life is squat toilets, no ice cubes, no Christmas, no Thanksgiving, trains, no air conditioners, no fans, no hot water three weeks a year (or no hot water at all in some towns), mass transit rules the road, Russians are some of the worse drivers in the universe, Russian do not smile, the Russian language is hard and etc etc etc etc etc…
They never get past the superficial things. So that means they are not capable of enjoying life on this side of the world…
![Kuril Islands](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Kuril_Islands.PNG/300px-Kuril_Islands.PNG" "Kuril Islands")
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