Windows to Russia

The sun is shining and the coffee is good. But it looks like our planned trip to Britain will not happen. It is just too much hassle and too many issues for Sveta to get a visa to Britain. She got halfway through the process and after talking to her cousin in Britain they decided that most likely it will not be an issue if Sveta does not show up at the wedding…

Her son Misha does not ever want to go through the terror of getting a visa to Britain again and so he said he will not go…

I thought it was bad getting a visa to Russia for me, but for a Russian to get a visa to Britain. Is not a fun process at all. It seems that Britain is so worried about how much you make, who you know in Britain, why you want to come, do you have plane tickets with return trip, must have an interview and so on and so on and so on. Besides I do not even think she could get a visa in time and she has been working on it for months. It was causing her to have bad nights of sleep because of the stress of trying to get a visa…

So Sveta has big plans now in her head about a trip to Turkey because she can swim and no visa required. I agree because Sveta and I have talked many times about countries that do not have visa free with Russia. We do not want to go… 🙂

I have talked about Turkey before and it looks like now that Britain is pushed aside. Turkey is in the limelight again…

It is a shame that countries like America and Britain who really need the tourists and their money make life so difficult to travel there for Russians. Now of course I being an American have no problem traveling to Britain. That really is discrimination against Russians in my eyes…

I know of more Americans who want to escape America, than Russians who want to escape from Russia…

Maybe Britain needs to think about that…

Windows to Russia!

This is exactly what Russia wants. China, Belarus are right now buying oil with rubles and one day Europe will be doing the same…

Ukraine has asked Russia to switch to rubles for payments for energy products supplied to the ex-Soviet republic, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday…

Slowly but surely one step at a time…

Buy your gas and oil in Rubles…

Windows to Russia!

Russian-born Kirill Makharinsky who is successful at Silicone Vally in America decided to come back home to Russia…

The question is asked why? He gives answers and much more. He also talks extensively about the entrepreneur situation in Russia…

I recently had an article about business in Russia and said that Russia was a very good place to start a business, but that Russians do not have knowledge’s about making a viable business: Coffee and That Dereliction of Russian Business…

Well this young man after succeeding in America, decided that opportunities are better in Russia. He says that Russia is basically wide open for entrepreneurs. Because the concept of being an entrepreneur is so new in Russia. He said something that made me laugh, “There is at most three people in all of Russia that understand early investment risk…” 🙂

I agree with him and from what I see Russia is the future for business…

Windows to Russia!

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he did not support the idea of increasing the working week recently suggested by a local oligarch.

“I have always been and will always be against increasing the working week, and using other absolutely groundless methods of generating profit, when working in an ordinary mode or in conditions of economic modernization,” Putin told the State Duma, Russia’s lower parliament house. “The effect could be contrary to what was expected,” he added.

Last year tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov proposed increasing the working week by 20 hours to 60 hours, an initiative which was sharply criticized.

Prokhorov later backtracked, saying he was misunderstood and noted a situation was emerging in the labor market favorable to the employee, due to the worsening demographic situation.

Prokhorov suggested adopting a new labor code which would include what he called the possibility of the employer managing his labor force freely. He said social guarantees and motivation should be tied to labor productivity, which is low in Russia compared to developed states.

MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti)

I just filled up the Volga and took note of what we are paying per liter. I wanted to figure out at home what that per liter price equates in per gallon amount. Sveta and I just paid 20 rubles per liter and we could have gotten it cheaper by one ruble a few kilometers farther away. Out in the country it is cheaper yet. We find the most expensive fuel as we travel is generally in Moscow. But I have been grumbling because the price has been going up and over the last year I have seen it go up by a few rubles…

So we will use that 20 ruble number per liter. Now this is 80 octane benzine (gasoline). I do not have to burn that high octane stuff and I can save a fortune. I see people with their new foreign cars trying to burn the 80 instead of the 92 and their cars do not do well with the cheap gas. But our Sammy the Russian Volga purrs with 80 octane…

Now lets see how many liters in an American gallon? Google says: 1 US gallon = 3.78541178 liters. So lets round it off to 3.79 to make life easier. We have 3.79 times 20 rubles per liter. That equals 3.79 X 20 = 75.8 rubles per gallon. It takes as of right now today: 28.15 rubles per dollar. So lets divide 75.8 by 28.15 and that equals $2.69 per gallon…

I don’t expect with Russian presidential election season coming in Russia, that price will change a whole lot until after the election. So since that will be in 2012. We have these prices for awhile…

The reason I also bring this up is that I was shocked today after reading an article that: Gas Prices Reach Five Dollars a Gallon in the Nation’s Capital That floored me because I only worry about what I pay in Russia and I was upset about the creeping price of fuel in Russia. After I started to look around the news and saw what is happening in America with gas prices. I will quit complaining. What I found in America and Europe is not good and you all are being taken for a ride. I do not know about Europe but I do know that America has huge reserves of oil and there is no shortage anywhere of any bulk crude oil. Saudi Arabia just pronounced no shortage of oil on the market and Russia has been stating the same thing. There is no shortage of oil…

If it has to do with refineries then America better get its act together…

I know that awhile back in Russia (6 or 7 months ago). Putin told Russia to get the price of gasoline under control or else. (Looks like they did.) How much are you willing to pay when there is plenty of oil around?

I grumble at 20 rubles per liter and drive much less than I would otherwise…

Windows to Russia!

Putin demands Russia join top five world economies in next decade:
Russia must become one of the world’s top five economies in the next 10 years to avoid interference in its affairs, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday…

Russia to double ballistic missiles production from 2013 – Putin:
Russia will double the production of ballistic missile systems from 2013, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

Putin says Air Force upgrade a priority for armed forces:
Upgrading the Air Force and air defense systems will be a priority in the development of the Russian armed forces in the near future, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

Russia to double Reserve Fund by end of 2011 – Putin:
Russia will double its Reserve Fund to 1.43 trillion rubles ($50 billion) by the end of this year, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

Nord Stream’s undersea pipe-laying to finish in Jul 2011 – Putin:
The laying of the undersea section of the Nord Stream pipeline will finish in July, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday in his annual address to parliament…

Defense budget funds should not go abroad – Putin:
The funds of Russia’s defense budget should not be spent abroad, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to parliament on his government’s performance on Wednesday…

Russian govt. to strive for 6% mortgage rate – Putin:
The Russian government will strive to create conditions for 5-6 percent mortgage interest rates, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said during his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

Russia needs new infrastructure base – Putin:
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on Wednesday for establishing a new national infrastructure base in the next ten years…

Putin urges creation of 200,000 jobs in single-industry cities by 2015:
Russia will create “at least 200,000 jobs” in one-industry cities by 2015, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday…

Russia to see $60-70 bln in FDI – Putin:
The level of foreign direct investment in Russia should increase to $60-70 billion “in the foreseeable future,” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday in an annual report on his government’s performance to parliament…

Russia’s stock market reaches $1.1trln – Putin:
The capitalization of Russia’s stock market has exceeded $1.1 trillion, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

U.S. debt rating downgrade harms world economy – Putin:
The recent U.S. debt downgrade by a leading debt ratings agency is harmful for the global economy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said during his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

Lawmakers cast critical eye over Putin ahead of parliament address:
Opposition parties criticized Russia’s powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in comments to the press ahead of his annual address to parliament on Wednesday…

Windows to Russia!

In Russia the term bifocal is known, but the availability is lacking of such glasses. Sveta just picked up my new glasses and that is what I am contemplating today over that wonderful cup of coffee…

When you get older, you one day realize that father time has been sneaking up on you. So now I have a set of glasses that compensate for what age takes away from us…

But in Russia getting those bifocals is not an easy process. In America I just would go to the local pharmacy chain store and find a whole rack of reading glasses. They would have bifocals there also. I found a pair of bifocal sunglasses before I left America years ago, but they are no good inside the flat…

Russia has access to lots of reading glasses but not bifocals. They look at you like you are nuts and bifocals are a very special order form the eye doctor. Other words, “What the heck do you need bifocals for?”

Well I wanted bifocals because that is what makes me happy and comfortable. But that really is not a good enough reason in Russia, except to my sweetie of course and she helped me get bifocals in Russia… 🙂

So we went to the eye doctor and got my eyes checked then went to an eyeglass place and I got fitted for glasses. It took a week and I had my bifocals. But not without the eyeglass place trying to sell me twenty different variations on my glasses. They said I should have no line bifocals, anti-glare bifocals, gradient bifocals and so on and so on and so on…

Actually everything was acceptable until we got to the price. At 5900 rubles ($200) I balked and really questioned the sanity of Russian eyeglass places. But these were prescription type glasses and the Luca brand frames and in Russia this was a special type of glasses and that means, “You pay out the nose for special…” I said no way but Sveta evidently thought that overriding my decision was in order in this situation and went and ordered them anyway…

So I now sit here and type on the computer and I can actually see the keyboard plus the computer screen as clear as can be. I guess Sveta was right, I needed them, whether I think they were too expensive or not…

That is why Sveta is my Sweetie…

Windows to Russia!

The lower house of the Russian parliament on Tuesday approved a bill increasing fines for bribes by up to 100 times the amount of the bribe given or accepted.

The offer or promise of mediation in bribe-taking, including the physical handing over of the bribe, carries a fine of 25,000 to 500 million rubles ($880 to $18 million) combined with a work ban of up to three years.

Over 60% of people convicted of bribery in 2010 received a bribe of under 25,000 rubles with about 3% convicted of accepting a bribe between 150,000 rubles ($5,000) to 1 million rubles ($33,000), according to presidential envoy to the State Duma Garry Minkh.

The bill provides for custodial sentence as an alternative to a fine, which has led critics to argue the new law is open to interpretation and could lead to abuses.

They have also suggested that the size of bribes might grow as a result.

President Dmitry Medvedev’s anti-corruption drive has so far yielded few practical results.

The number of corruption-related crimes involving top government officials and large bribes increased 100% in 2010 year-on-year, Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said in January.

The Berlin-based non-governmental anti-corruption organization Transparency International has persistently rated Russia as one of the most corrupt nations in the world. In the 2009 Corruption Perception Index, Russia was ranked 146 out of 180 countries, with a ranking below countries like Togo, Pakistan and Libya.

Windows to Russia!

A troy ounce of gold has for the first time exceeded $1500 dollars at the Hong Kong Exchange. Investors are turning to gold and silver as an alternative currency amid fears of an increase in the US state debt and the weakening of the dollar. Here in Russia we watch the gold make a slow but steady climb up the ladder. It is not a wild ride like we have seen in the past but a slow but impossibly steady rise that is ignored by almost everyone…

But in Russia and China they are hording gold as fast as they can. It seems that the warning signs are being ignored by the West except for the ones you all try to call crackpots. In the East it is seriously buy gold, then buy some more. In the East a crackpot is one who does not buy gold and silver. Also they do not believe in gold stocks or papers. It must be real gold and in your hand. For if it is not in your hand then it is not worth more than the paper it is printed on, in times of issues…

I remember in 2006 that Russia was silently stocking gold and silver. (Link) I remember in 2008 that Russian billionaires were moving into gold. (Link) I remember that in 2009 that Russia expressed a desire for gold to become a backing for world currency. (Link) I remember that Russia is increasing her gold reserves at a tremendous pace. (Link)…

All this time Russia, China, India and many many other countries are silently exchanging moderate amounts of worthless paper we call money, for gold and silver. They are doing this at a controlled pace and hoping to accomplish a change over in their holdings of foreign currencies before the world finances crash again. This is not well publicized and when it becomes publicized it will be too late…

I know that the holdings that Russia has of dollars is much less than a few years ago. The sting that happened when Americas finances crashed hurt Russia and she has decided to put a huge buffer between America and Russia this time…

Looks like we may get to see if Russia is better prepared than last time because things are looking real bad around the world as America and Europe struggle with debt that is only imaginable in horror stories and fairy tales…

Windows to Russia!

If it is from Siberia it has to be true – right? I could care less if this is real or not but when I find things about UFOs I just have to post it…

About a month ago this story was floated in the airwaves on a major UFO event that occurred in the region of Irkutsk in Russia’s Siberia. It was explained off as a most likely fake. But several hundred villagers say they saw a huge object, glowing pink and blue, hurtle towards Earth before loudly impacting the ground in a wooded area . The event received widespread coverage in Russia and was reported by Russia’s Inter-fax. An enormous team of Russian government officials, including military personal, secret service agents and science ministry officials made their way to the UFO crash site within hours of the event occurring. Now it seems a video has been leaked onto YouTube showing a dead Alien (see the video below), found in the Republic of Buryatia, not far from the site of the UFO crash…

Is the alien found in this video from that crash? Did it manage to leave the crash site only to die as a result of Russia’s harsh conditions and its injuries? I do happen to remember news about the sightings a month ago. The Russians blogs were lit up with posts…

Warning: the below video possibly contains graphic images…

What seems to be a tiny dead alien is becoming a YouTube sensation. It has gone over a million hits and climbing…

As I said whether it is real or not, is not the point…

But you have to say there has been some interesting stories come out of Siberia. It may have to do with the fact that they are frozen year around and have to do something to keep them busy…

I would say finding dead aliens would qualify as staying busy…

Lets hope they (aliens) don’t come to get their buddies body…

Windows to Russia!