Karzai and Medvedev…


Karzai and Medvedev...

I found this interesting and see a deeper meaning in this situation. I have watched the situation on this side of the world and find it strange that America seems to ignore important issues and exasperate mundane issues. It seems to me that Medvedev has made huge head way into a relationship with Afghanistan…

President Dmitry Medvedev is hosting a summit on terrorism and drug trafficking in Russia’s city of Sochi with the leaders of Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan.

It is the second four-nation meeting of its kind. The first one was held in Tajikistan’s capital of Dushanbe last year. Back then leaders focused on cross border projects, security issues and economic recovery of the region.

This is one of those issues that America seems to be allowed to escape proper management of importance…

I have been watching a Russia increase her influence in Afghanistan over the last few years. This has been a one step at a time and being done on the governmental level…

I see a Hamid Karzai who is getting his ducks in order for when America walks away from the mess they created. Just like we are doing in Iraq…

Hamid has made a few interesting statements over the last few months and his thinking is starting to show. I really do not think he is as much of a puppet as we first thought and he definitely is not as dumb as the Western press tried to portray him as…

Just a few thoughts that have crossed my mind several times over the last few months…

Windows to Russia!

Kruzenstern has won the World Cup of Tall Ships…


Russian tall ship Kruzenshtern
The Kruzenstern…

Russia’s tall ship Kruzenstern has won the World Cup in an unprecedented regatta in the North Sea that has been underway since August 10th.

The race with a final destination in Amsterdam started 16 miles from Cape Skagen, involving the Kruzenstern and its only worthy rival, another well-known Russian sailing ship Sedov.

The whole idea was initiated by Stema, a German shipbuilding company, which believes there is not a single ship in the world capable of competing with the Kruzenstern.

I have several articles on this ship and I just am amazed at the beauty of this craft. I would love to be able to take a voyage on board the Kruzenstern…

Windows to Russia!

Some News From Russia on 8/17/2010…


Official drawing of Standard of the President ...
News From Russia…

Russia’s trade surplus amounted to $85.6bn in January-June 2010, having increased 1.99 times from $43bn in the corresponding period of the previous year, the Russian Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat) reported today citing the Bank of Russia’s data.

Russia’s foreign trade stood at $293.9bn in the reporting period, 41.5 percent greater than in January-June 2009. Meanwhile, exports surged 51.4 percent to $189.86bn, and imports jumped 26.4 percent to $104.2bn.

Earlier, the Bank of Russia indicated that the country’s trade surplus stood at $84bn, nearly double that from H1 2009.

Next…

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin thanked on Tuesday the foreign governments and pilots who have contributed to efforts to extinguish wildfires in Russia.

Pilots from Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Italy, France and Turkey took part in smothering the wildfires, while many other countries contributed rescue workers.

“It is particularly pleasant to know that when we are in trouble, we do not have to ask for help or support. Practically all of our partners responded, showing their solidarity with Russia,” the premier said.

Next…

A blast hit the Hermitage cafe in the city of Pyatigorsk at around 4.25 p.m. today. According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, there are casualties, but their number is still unclear. The city’s emergency authorities are already working at the explosion site.

According to preliminary data, 15 people died as a result of the blast. Meanwhile, authorities say an explosive device was hidden in a car parked next to the cafe.

Next…

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana Medvedeva are scheduled to pay an official visit to Yerevan on Thursday at the invitation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsian. Medvedev is expected to lay a wreath at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial and have a state dinner with Armenian leader, the Arminfo news agency reported today citing the Armenian president’s press office.

Next…

Russia’s capital was named the fourth most expensive city for foreign workers, or expats, according to a recent survey published by Forbes magazine.

The survey published on July 1 places Luanda, Tokyo and N’Djamena ahead of Russia in regard to the cost of living standards.

The results of the survey were based on four criteria: monthly rent for upgraded housing, the average cost of a cup of coffee at a cafe, the average cost of taking a date to the movie theater, and finally how much it costs to grab some fast food.

Next…

Confidence ratings in Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have grown again, according to a survey by Russian Public Opinion Fund released on Tuesday.

The levels of trust in the Russian leaders have risen in August compared to June but fell in comparison to January, the survey said.

A total of 57% of Russians said in August they trusted Medvedev (the figure stood at 53% in June and 62% in January).

Putin, the poll revealed, is again considered more trustworthy than Medvedev. The poll showed 64% trusted the prime minister (in June the figure stood at 61% and 69% in January).

The number of those who say they do not trust Medvedev is 14%, whereas 13% do not trust Putin.

Next…

A court in the Siberian city of Irkutsk has sentenced a woman driver to three years in jail to begin in 2024 after finding her guilty of killing one sister and leaving the other physically handicapped, a court spokesman said on Tuesday. Because she has a child…

The accident was caught on camera and shows Shavenkova getting out of her car after striking the girls. The driver did not run to the aid of the victims, but instead walked around the car to check out the damage done to her vehicle.

The case has caused much social outcry over the callus behavior of the woman…

Windows to Russia!

What Makes Me Mad In Russia…


I walk a lot in Moscow,  Russia. It is good for the dog and good for me and my heart…

But I see things that upset me and one of these things is this…

Damn Dirty Drug Needle...

That is a syringe and needle that was laying near a sidewalk that hundreds of people pass by everyday. I find a dozen or more of these everyday. I also destroy a dozen or more of these everyday…

I have a saying:  “I don’t care if you decide to kill yourself by your stupidity, but I do care if you kill others by your stupidity!”  This came from when I was in the army and what you do can kill us all…

Sounds crude, but it is the truth. Those drugs that you inject in your veins is taking your life on a slow slide to death. But that kid or person, that gets stuck with that needle that you left laying around. Gets to possiblely join you in that slow slide to death if they become infected from your dirty needle…

But – Oh I forgot, You do not care when you are on drugs…

Windows to Russia!

I want to go to a Russian Village!


7423 - Moscow - McDonalds Cheeseburger
Image by thisisbossi via Flickr

Hi,

I had a very interesting weekend. I took off Saturday morning at 8 am. I was on my way to a Russian Village to enjoy the Village life for a weekend. I was going to work on the garden. My better half (Svet) was with me and our dog Boza. We had a nice weekend planned.

We left Moscow and 3 km later stopped and got McDonald’s. That was a mistake, We spent about 1and half hours in McDonald’s. Now for you Americans, you have to understand that Moscow McDonald’s are 5 times busier than American McDonald’s. This was the sign of how things would be for the day!!

We finally left the McDonald’s, Full and only slightly grumbly. We pulled onto the main byway, and realized that there was around 4,000,000,000,000, Yes zillion, cars on the road. Then for the next 5 hours we tried to leave Moscow. We succeeded in getting only 50 km away from Moscow.

Now at this point, The dog (Boza) was laying in the back seat in a state of shock. I was grumbling, mumbling, and rumbling like a big bear. The only one who was happy was Svet. She was enjoying life, as she always does. She did not even care to tell me that we are lost. She was having too much fun.

You must understand about Russian drivers to understand why it was so much fun! Russian drivers do not look at a two lane byway as only two lanes. A two lane byway is 3 lanes, the shoulder for emergency is another lane. The dirt down the middle between the byways is a lane(median). Also the opposite side of the road is lanes, if no one is over there. Even if someone is over there. They do not care. So what I am saying is that a standard two lane byway becomes up to 8 lanes going in one direction. With all these lanes of traffic you would think that you would go some where. Alas, that is not to be.

After 5 hours of trying to go 50 km, we came to a town that the local police kept us from going through. Now this was the only way to the Village. We gave up, Turned around and drove 50 km back to Moscow in a half hour. The only thing we had to watch out for was Russian kamikazes driving at you because they think that they are going to get somewhere fast.

I still had fun, When I am with my sweety (Svet) she makes life wonderful. I am not sure how she puts up with my grouchiness. The dog has recovered and so have I.

We are leaving next weekend, at 4 am. No McDonald’s and finding a new way to the Village. (Maybe I can just drive down the opposite side of the road) The Russians do it!!!!

Kyle

Fires are Dwindling – Our Village Here We Come…


Our Village is a little bit of Heaven...

It looks like everything has stabilized enough that we are going to attempt a trip to our village this coming weekend. The village is located South Southeast of Moscow about 400 to 450 km give or take a few km. Counts on the way we go to get there…

I have written many articles about this village and it is one of the most magical places on earth. We are going to see if any damage has resulted of all the fires. The village at one point was between multiples of fires and we hope that nothing happened…

I am excited and have lots of plans to work on the village home that we have. It needs chalking, painting and cleaning. Some of the links are here to let you see all the pictures of the past from our village area. They all have links to see more articles of the same village…

http://kylekeeton.com/2007/10/russia-sunrise-to-freedom.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2007/06/life-in-village-is-it-too-crowded.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2007/05/sunrise-to-freedom-russian-village.html
http://windowstorussia.com/russia-sunrise-to-freedom-leaving-us.html http://windowstorussia.com/russia-beautiful-village_27.html

I will have lots of pictures and as usual I will post some good ones of our village…

Windows to Russia!

Update on The 2010 Wildfires in Russia…


A Wildfire did this...

The date is 8/17/2010. These are kinda the stated facts from the news agencies in Russia.

1. The wildfire area in Russia has more than halved in the past 24 hours, from 45,000 hectares to 22,000 hectares.

2. According to the Emergency Situations Ministry, all wildfires have been extinguished in the Voronezh Region.

3. The area engulfed by fires has shrunk in the Moscow, Nizhni Novgorod, Kirov, Ryazan, Vladimir and Sverdlov Regions, and also in the Perm Territory, and the Mordovia and Mariy-El republics.

4. The fire-hit area in the Moscow Region has decreased from 46 hectares to 33 hectares.

5. Still, the fire-fighting effort continues unabated.

6. Over 160,000 people are involved in putting out the fires, as well as 26,000 fire-fighting equipment units, including 62 aircraft.

Windows to Russia!

Medvedev Is Very Correct About the Russian Customs Border…


August 16, 2010, 16:00

The costs involved in crossing the customs border are sometimes unpredictable and discourage investors from opening new production facilities in Russia, Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting on the country’s investment climate.

Run – The Hurricane is Coming to Moscow…


Thunderstorms produce many hazards that put li...
Mother Nature is Not Done With Russia…

Today the weather is changing drastically. We are now staring at Thunderstorms with high winds. That is wonderful and once again I am in heaven. I grew up in the Midwest of America and these kind of storms are a treat to the senses…

But also once again people in Russia do not have the huge thunderstorms brought on by intermingling of hot and cold fronts like in America. That is until now…

So they really do not have good words to describe these storms. Sveta tells me that we are having a hurricane in Moscow! 🙂 I smile at the choice of words…

The news says hurricanes, monsoons and cyclones are destroying St. Petersburg…

Then they say 15 meters per second wind speed. Now that equates into around 30 mph for us Americans. That is a good wind but it definitely does not fall into the hurricane, tornado, cyclone or monsoon winds category. Even if it reaches 40 mph it is a tiny tornado…

But for a country that rarely has a tornado much less a hurricane on its seashores. 30 mph is good enough to cause issues because they are not secured for that type of weather. In fact that kind of wind is just plain scary to them…

The Russian Weather-Forecasting Agency and Emergencies Ministry have already declared a hurricane warning.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has ordered moves to be made to ensure the safety of the residents.

Construction companies should ensure the suitableness of tower cranes and other high-rise structures. All emergency services will perform round the clock. Muscovite’s have been advised against walking outdoors, stopping or parking their cars under the trees or beam-less plate structures.

The upcoming cyclone is expected to bring along the atmospheric front from the northwest. The hurricane that hit the Leningrad, Pskov, Novgorod and Tver Regions on Sunday made 96,000 residents of these regions suffer from blackouts.

I added a little excerpt above from all the news goings on. I have seen policemen running all around and all the workers are tying things down…

I just love living in Russia. It is never boring here. We are either being suffocated by smoke or burned alive by heat. But now add to that, blown away by hurricanes… 🙂

Russia is cool!

Windows to Russia!

Booming Babies in Russia…


The birth and death rates in Russia 1950–2008 ...
The Old Chart, Time To Update…

The word is out that Russia is having a baby boom with birth rates up by 21%! This has happened over the past three years, a welcome turnaround from the alarming setback in the 1990s…

From what I can tell after living here almost 4 years is that this statement is true. At least in Moscow…

I see many families that are now made up of two kids whereas in the past one child would be the norm…

Sveta is from the older Soviet era and they believed in only one child and give all to that child. As she sees many two or more child families she wonders and still asks how could you care for more than one kid? I just say that there is enough love for all. I had more than one my self and it was not a problem…

I have even seen a couple of two and three across strollers. So I see lots kids all over the town we live in and they make lots of noise… 🙂

How sweet it is…

Windows to Russia!