Russia: Is Really A Wonderful Country!

Hello,

Looks like I am not the only one to see that Mass Media has serious problems!
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Give Us a Break
http://mnweekly.rian.ru/columnists/20080214/55310093.html

14/02/2008

Russia has long been respected in global affairs, where it has long played an important role in influencing international politics. For many years its opinion was taken seriously, as it was a powerful empire with a wide sphere of influence. Yet the West, it seems, is always ready to chalk it up as a land of insignificant people. And once its power weakened, the reputation of the Russian people seems to have suffered even worse.

I don’t want to suggest that Russia is an example of unsurpassed innocence and harmlessness, but it seems that it is too often described from the worst possible angle. Today, Russians are believed to set the standards for inappropriate behavior and bad manners, and the West is always ready to blame Russia, no matter what.

I am worried most about the practice of national stereotyping. The Russian people have never been worse or better than any other people, and, like others, they want to be respected. But the way Russians are represented in the foreign media – at least from what I have seen – leads to a total misunderstanding of the Russian mentality (Note: not by every thinking individual, but by the general public and mass media. And mass opinion seems to play a big part in the shaping of the image of this one particular country). What is Russia today? I mean the people, not the nation state. What do others really think about us? I got my answer over the holidays in Rome. One night there was a feature on television about New Year celebrations around the world. Fantastic fireworks and marvelous decorations were shown in the spotless European countries. And then came the broadcast on Russia: shots of the young, the elderly – all age groups – drinking alcohol and falling over in the snow, totally drunk. Great. What image of Russia would people form from this? For how long will the Russian people be associated with vodka?

A popular joke runs as follows:

“A dog breeder sells a litter of puppies abroad. Which one goes to Russia? The one named Vodka.” Yet everywhere I see foreigners drinking alcohol. The Germans, for example, are famous beer lovers and drink it all day at the ski resorts. Why then is it accepted nonchalantly for them? Too many people forget that many Russians have no desire to drink.

Russian females face similar treatment. As one of them, I have the problem of being treated as a “typical Russian girl,” which automatically translates into: “you must want a western man.” Why would this be more true of Russia than of any other nation?

People are different and every family has its black sheep. There shouldn’t be one stereotype to pigeonhole all people. Appreciate a person’s values and not their passport. A nation is represented by the different faces of its citizens, and Russia continues to produce an amazing number of outstanding people and innovations.

I must add, however, that I do appreciate the respect some foreigners feel for Russia and its achievements.

By Daria Chernyshova
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I myself have been saying time and time again: Russia gets a Bum Wrap when it comes to the Press. The old saying “The Pot calling The Kettle Black!” is appropriate for the Media! Look at your own back yard first then see if you have a right to point fingers……..

Has any one heard of: Skeletons in the closet?

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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From Russia: Do 100,000,000 Plus – Americans say YES to Marijuana?

Hello,Windows to Russia!

The other day I was talking with my wife her in Moscow, Russia about how we are getting the illegal drug issue cleared up better in our building that we live in. I said to her, “I do not understand, Life is hard enough. Why destroy it with any drugs that you do not need to take.”

Then I have been just quiet and dumbfounded at the reports that I am seeing from all news sources. This subject is being supported by Mainstream Western News sources full force. The articles started out as “what if” articles and have now become, “Hey we can keep the money in America. Instead of giving it to the drug lords. Hip Hip Hurray!”

Watch this video from Russia Today and get an idea of what the world sees about America…

100 Million and More Americans Want Marijuana!



I can say, with all knowledge of the subject that one day you will be taking drugs to keep your life going. I take 20+ pills a day, everyday, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The effect of these prescription pills on my body is bad enough. I could not imagine being dumb or stupid enough to take illegal drugs on top of those 20+ pills.

In the last 6 months I have been following the marijuana issue in America. I have watch it spread from the Western press and now it has impermanent the Eastern press. I have watched it spread across America at a steady pace. What issue is this?

The legalization of marijuana in America!

It really looks like it will happen.

Back in the 60’s and 70’s we joked, “We are lucky to be alive , man! With as many drugs as we all do!” The 70’s was a High School nightmare for many. Heroin was rampant and pot was plentiful. Beer was dirt cheap and no laws to control it. (At least laws that were enforced.)

Then along came the 80’s and a massive drug clean up program was done.

Now: all in the name of the almighty $ Dollar we are going to legalize marijuana or also known as aunt mary, boom, chronic, dope ganja, gangster, grass, hash, herb, kif, mary jane, pot, reefer, sinsemilla, skunk, and weed!

I really wish that America would wake up. Seems that all the wasted life from the 70’s is going to come back now, But this time free from the law…

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

PS: You do not think this is happening? Then you need to look around… (It Is)

Ukraine Was Not Always So Big!

Hello,

My wife found this map of Ukraine and how it grew over the years. It seems that Ukraine was a tiny little country not that long ago.

Ukraine should have thanks for various eras of time especially the Soviet era: 1922, 1939-40 and 1954!

Seems like countries during the Soviet era had all kinds of boundary changes. No wonder there is so many issues around this part of the world.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

From Windows to Russia: Ukraine and Her Lies on the Gas Issue!

Hello,Windows to Russia!

Update this morning on the gas issue:

Ukraine keeps telling everyone that they have enough gas. Well they just shut the gas off to the Crimea. It seems the Crimea has its own gas supply that the Crimea runs their little area on. Ukraine has now taken Crimea’s gas. Crimea is in an uproar and trying to get their gas turned back on. Seems that Kiev is hurting so bad for fuel that they have resorted to stealing Crimea’s fuel. Other words Crimean gas has been redirected to Kiev!

It also seems that Ukraine can move gas all over Ukraine but will not transport gas to the European Union with out free transport gas from Russia. So it is as Gazprom says, another lie from Ukraine.

According to sources from Moldova and Bulgaria, Ukraine never sent gas to these countries like they promised. The fact is Ukraine does not have any gas and they are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Our hotel room is running just a few degrees above freezing and it seems to be the fact over the whole hotel except in the lobby where you check in. We sit here in the lobby working on an article in nice warmth and you step on to the elevator and the freeze starts. Seems to be the norm in all businesses we have gone to in Kiev.

One of the big issues in Kiev is the price of gas for cars and on the news gas (propane) is called “Gold” and you must stay in a queue (line) for days to fill up your tank. People use spend 12 hour shifts in the cars just to get gas. many cars in Ukraine run on gas and now the people not able to get it.

Discontent is huge in Kiev and looks like it will get worse everyday. I just told Svet that we need to get down with our business and get home. Ukraine’s government looks to implode at any minute.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Russia: Chinese Festival in Moscow!

Hello,

This weekend we went to a Chinese Festival in Moscow. It was not very big, but it was relaxing and quiet. Svet bought some fortune telling coins that you keep in your money pocket so that you will be rich! Yippy 🙂 The pictures below are of the of the Chinese Festival…..

Dragons everywhere , the little kids loved them!

The Chinese Lanterns hit me in the head all the time…. (But they are beautiful)

We then walked around the park after looking at all the Chinese stuff….

Kite flying everywhere! Park is dedicated to WWII.

All in all it was a fun weekend and we are glad we went. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Windows to Russia!

Is Georgia A Source For Terrorists?

For quite awhile now the Russian and Georgian press has been hinting at an issue that may come to a boil. Steam has been vented over the facts that Georgia may be training and permuting terrorist camps within the Georgian boundaries…

Remember that even the Georgian press is writing about this also…

The latest terrorist attack that hit Vladikavkaz has been stressed as a possible Georgia related terrorist attack. The Russian news is awash with…

Russian special forces can’t rule out Georgia’s being privy to the blast in Vladikavkaz…

The message was spread by the Moskovskiy Komsomolets, Ekho Moskvy reports. According to  the media, after the failed aggression in 2008 Tbilisi got a reason to struggle against Ossetians, and the blast was aimed to reveal the fragileness of Ossetian stability. Plus…

Also in March 2010, after two terrorist attacks in Moscow metro, Nikolai Patrushev, the Security Council Secretary, also claimed of the “Georgian Trace” in the terrorist crime…

I am watching this developing and thought I would make a mention of it here. That way when the Western press finally does exploit it as a “Poor Georgia” issue then you know that this is nothing new…

This is an old issue and problem and generates out of the heart of Georgia, Tbilisi…

Windows to Russia!
Thoughts about guerrilla warfare brought Tbilisi to terrorism camps:
Apprehensions about a whole network of special camps on militants training being created with the active participation of Mikheil Saakashvili’s regime have been voiced for a long time. If Tbilisi ignores the latest signals coming from Moscow and rejects the issue in its customary manner, the outcome of the situation may be sad for Georgian political elite.
Read More: читать статью полностью

Police Instead of Militia in Russia…

What....?

When my wife (Sveta) comes home and says,  “That is stupid!”  First thing that I try to do is think, what did I do wrong today or yesterday or even last week… 🙂

I said, “What!  What did I do?” Ready to defend what ever stupid thing I did…

Much to my elation it had nothing to do with me and I was off the hook…

So I then proceeded to be the caring partner and ask what happened. That is when I found out about how Medvedev wants to change the name of the Militia to Police…

Now I knew about this and to someone like me from America, who calls them police all the time anyway,  it makes sense. I just thought, Hey that is what I call them now…

But to Sveta it makes no sense. I know that Sveta dwells very little in politics and when a political issue comes up that she takes note of, then I listen to what she has to say…

I have heard this discussion in all the stores that I visit around the home front. This is a hot topic for Russians. While they want to see reforms made in the Militia they do not necessarily feel that a change in names is part of that reform issue…

The reason was vague to me at first, but after hearing a few issues of why not to change from Militia to Police it really makes more sense…

It seems that Police is the term used for German Militia in WWII. It is the term for Western Militia and It seems also that Police is the term for higher ranking Militia in Russia and that term is not used with love…

Other words the term Police is not the best choice of words to call the cops in Russia…

OK, so I do understand what Medvedev is thinking and understand the principles around his thinking. But the reality of it is that Russians are not European and not American…

They are Russians…

Windows to Russia!

“Burn The Koran” Something To Think About…

I have been following the “Burn the Koran” issue in America. How Americans have decided that this is a battle ground for human rights, the Constitution and such…

I just watched this video of a bombing that happened in Southern Russia. It is a real act of terrorism and is fairly common in Russia and is fairly common all over the world for that fact…

Common except in Americas own yard that is. Just watch the video, it will make you think. No – the video is not gory and all that, so it won’t make you sick feeling. But it does have some parts that will make you think and it is short. So give it a watch…

All I am going to now say is that America and her self-centered attitude is pushing it on this one. If this “Burning of the Koran” is allowed to happen I think that a line will have been crossed that will instigate big issues for America…

So while everyone is deciding about what part of the constitution that you break by squelching this act of stupidity. I remember what I have lived by all my life, to decide, is my expression of freedom worth it…

“Freedom is fine and necessary but when you perform a so called freedom that endangers mine, yours and our lives. Then what you are preforming is an act of selfishness. For you have deluded my freedoms by your act…”

This expression of freedom could bring the devil down inside of America. Just like he is roaming Russia at times…

Windows to Russia!

China, World Military Power???

Is China a world Military power that must be worried about? Does America have a reason to worry about China?

Yes and Yes!

The Chinese are one of those countries that keep their mouths shut and pocket books closed. They brag about nothing and silently churn out trillions of dollars of manufactured items, that are sold the world over. No one knows what the military is really like in China, No one knows much about China, as they think they do!

What do you think about China?

Kyle

Took 4 Years To Unwind in Russia and Read a Book…

A photo of a cup of coffee.
That Morning Cup of Coffee…

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and doing some thinking’s!

It had crossed my mind that I actually read a book. In fact I have read 5 books in a week…

Now you are saying to yourself, “So big deal…”

Well it is a big deal too me!

Once in my life, I use to read and read and read! I have consumed books from the Hardy Boys Series to The Holy Bible. I use to devourer a book in a single day and even took me only three days to read, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I had thousands of paper backs. I was speed reader…

Then that all ended once I graduated from High School and entered the Army and became more interested in tanks, weapons, missiles and staying alive in particular. (Not necessarily in that order…) Life became a blur of years that entailed saving the world and all that crap. Then I progressed (progressed?) to the American corporate world and became interested in how to destroy the competition and profit from that destruction. I never read again, except for internet and work related items. I lost the ability to read…

I tried numerous times to read a book. I really tried. My mind kept centering on business and making money, plus the bottom line. Nothing worked so reading became a lost part of my past…

I have a friend in America (Well I call him a friend, he might disagree!) He has a website about reading. It is called I’ll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book!

I have thought about and read his reviews on his site and tried many times to pick up a book again. I realized that I was missing an intricate part of my life by not reading because I had a passion to read once in my life…

I had just visited his site not long ago and said to myself that I need to read a book. I do not have to work 14 to 16 hours days anymore. (It only took me 4 years in Russia to realize that 🙂 ) I decided to take a book that I had seen the movie of, but never read and see what would happen…

Now I am a huge scifi fan so I grabbed the first title that I recognized. (Not a lot of books in English in the Russian book stores.)  The Chronicles of Riddick is the book I picked…

It was a struggle at first but then it was like riding a bike and swimming. The next thing that I knew I came up for air and the book was finished…

It took 4 years after majorly changing my life, to comprehend the fact that I could read a book again. To acknowledge that in me, was a strange feeling…

Don’t let 33 years pass since you last read a book…

Windows to Russia!