Windows to Russia

Smugglers can be the smartest dumb people on earth, they seem to know no bounds or limitations of how to make money. A Russian / Estonia crime ring of 11 people have been arrested and charged with pumping vodka from Russia into the Estonia – through an underwater pipeline.

Prosecutors in Russia and Estonia say they’ve uncovered an extraordinary crime. The accused include both Estonian and Russian citizens who were apparently on to a nice money making proposition. Smuggling Vodka into Estonia, Once Estonia joined the EU, the price of vodka has risen by almost 30 per cent and created conditions for bootlegging.

It’s claimed the gang pumped at least 6.2 thousand liters (1638 gallons) of vodka from Russia to Estonia through a 2km (1.25 miles) long homemade pipe.

The smuggling ring was uncovered after a truck with a thousand liters of illegal vodka was found in Tallinn, according to police, the smugglers tried to sell the booze in the Estonian capital. But the low quality of the drink made it difficult to find a buyer.

I think that it would be easier just to make the vodka in Estonia…..

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

I just thought I would make a thought known:

It looks to me as if Medvedev is at that crossroad of making the right decisions. He has to balance the games going on that are being played right now, by America. If he gets to caught up in the excitement (so to say) and things turn sour it will not set well with the Russian people. I hear comparisons being made to a past leaders. (Gorbachev and Yeltsin) Many feel that Gorbachev and Yeltsin had sold out to the Western World and that is still fresh in Russia’s mind. But if Medvedev can play chess better than Obama can play checkers, then Medvedev can take the reins of Russia and guide her into a new future…

My Grandma use to say, “One stupid decision, over rides 10 wonderful decisions because people never remember the good as well as they remember the bad…”

I have sensed that Putin has let his prodigy walk on his own two feet alone for the last 6 months and I have been watching how things have been unfolding here in Russia. Medvedev is tackling multiples of issues that have destroyed past leaders. Issues such as Alcoholism, drugs, cigarettes, corruption and bribery…

I guess we will find out how smart and resourceful Medvedev is!

Windows to Russia!

Article after article has been printed in the last few days about Obama pushing the issue of the “Alleged North Korea Torpedo Sinking The South Korean Ship” President Obama says he has had what he called blunt talks with President Hu Jintao of China on the issue of the sinking – “allegedly” by North Korea – of a South Korean warship in March.

Main Entry: Alleged
Pronunciation: \ə-ˈlejd, -ˈle-jəd\
Function: adjective
Date: 15th century

1 : asserted to be true or to exist
2 : questionably true or of a specified kind : supposed, so-called
3 : accused but not proven or convicted

— al·leg·ed·ly \-ˈle-jəd-lē\ adverb

We have as a world become pathetically unable to understand a reading ability above a certain grade level. Many articles in America are written at a 4th to 8th grade reading level. Even that is sometimes too much for people to understand… (Link) (Link)

If you have kept an eye on main news articles you then understand that they use occasional words that are beyond the normal reading level…

A word such as “Alleged”, This word is passed over by most people because it means nothing to them.

So an original statement such as “President Obama says he has had what he called blunt talks with President Hu Jintao of China on the issue of the sinking – allegedly by North Korea – of a South Korean warship in March.”

Becomes, “Obama says he has had what he called talks with the President of China on the the sinking – by North Korea – of a South Korean warship in March.”

This rewrite may even be above a lot of people in the worlds ability to read…

We have a media full of: Tiger Woods’ Alleged Mistress – alleged drug lord – alleged Mafia hit man – Alleged ATM Hacking Spree – Jesse James’ Alleged Mistresses – report alleged Wikileaks “Collateral … These are some of the thousands of uses for the word alleged in our daily lives. We use the alleged word when we do not have facts or evidence that backs up what we say…

The word alleged has a meaning that is very blurry and not a focused situation. Anyone can allege. Anyone can point fingers. Anyone can accuse. But it seems that the ones who base life on facts are few and far between…

One thing alleged does not mean is that it is a “fact“

Main Entry: fact
Pronunciation: \ˈfakt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin factum, from neuter of factus, past participle of facere
Date: 15th century

1 : a thing done: as a obsolete : feat b : crime c archaic : action
2 archaic : performance, doing
3 : the quality of being actual : actuality
4 a : something that has actual existence b : an actual occurrence
5 : a piece of information presented as having objective reality

— in fact : in truth

Night and day between these words and we have Obama and company using “Alleged as Fact”. People in control of our destiny (so to speak) such as politicians have to deal with facts but they do not and that is part of what is wrong with the world…

But then most people do not care because they accept “hook, line and sinker” what the media tells them…

Windows to Russia!

Coca-Cola is launching sales of the Russian fermented drink, kvas, in the United States, under the brand name Krushka & Bochka.

So what do you think will Kvas have a market in America?

Link to Russian Blackbread Kvas (Link)

Windows to Russia!

Hello,

Moscow’s Mayor Yuri Luzhkov is at it again….

Notorious for his rhetoric, the Moscow mayor urged Tbilisi to recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the interview that he gave to Georgia’s reporters during the summit in St. Petersburg. The arguments of Moscow mayor are that the nations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia don’t relate to the nation of Georgia and the sovereignty process is underway in the world.

Now Georgia will not allow him to cross its border. Just like Ukraine has done. 🙂

No one seems to like Mayor Yuri Luzhkov very much! Could be he says what he thinks….

I think he is correct.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Hello,

Russia has made it official. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are considered independent.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced Tuesday on Russian TV that he has signed a decree recognizing the independence of the breakaway Georgian territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Medvedev said Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili had forced Russia’s hand by launching an Aug. 7 attack to seize control of South Ossetia by force.

“Saakashvili chose genocide to fulfill his political plans,” Medvedev said. “Georgia chose the least human way to achieve its goal – to absorb South Ossetia by eliminating a whole nation.”

After Russia’s parliament urged the move Monday, the U.S. State Department said recognition of the two areas would be “unacceptable” and U.S. President George W. Bush urged the Kremlin against it. (Link)

I guess I will say it one more time: Neither Russia or Medvedev could care less what Bush or the USA has to say…….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Summer finally hit Russia or Moscow to be more exact. It is a beautiful 30 degrees Centigrade (86F) during the day. This is a wonderful temperature and coupled with a lack of humidity, makes it unbelievably Spring Like…

People in Moscow laugh at Winter and it can hit the exact opposite temperature at -30 degrees Centigrade and they will still play chess, drink vodka and smoke cigarettes outside. So what is a little cold?

Russians will laugh at America when the going gets cold…

Now the Americans can laugh at Russia when the going gets hot…

Muscovite’s are just not use to the heat. The playgrounds are empty during the day, no one playing chess outside and you find out that Russians do own shorts and sleeveless shirts. Why they even have to mow the grass…

Just a week ago everyone had coats on and it looked like winter was going to make a attempt at a come back. Svet was bundled up in a coat and even I was wearing a long sleeve shirt!

It really is all in your perspective. Russia is so huge that it has very hot humid areas and very frozen cold areas. All at the same time year around. But Moscow has finally welcomed Summer and I hear talk of “When is Winter coming back?”

Not long, so enjoy while you can…

Windows to Russia!

OK so I was wrong about Medvedev’s trip to America having the best part yesterday, when he met Arnold Schwarzenegger in San Francisco….

Looks like Medvedev is being treated like a king in America and he is having the time of his life. The video is really good and it was very strange to hear Medvedev speak and understand English…

Top it all off Medvedev has the newest iPhone before anyone else in all of Russia…

Windows to Russia!

One veggie that Russians love is pumpkin. Svet just adores it when I cook pumpkin for us to eat. We like it mashed or just big chunks plain boiled with a little real butter on top. But this recipe will tantalize the pumpkin lovers taste buds, just about anywhere in the world…

Lets make Baked Pumpkin:

Ingredients:
1lb pumpkin (peeled and chunked)
1 tbsp real butter
1/2 cup real cream
3-4 tbsp dried and finely ground bread-crumbs (prefer black bread)
2 eggs (hard boiled)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp almonds ground

Method:
Boil pumpkin chunks in a sauce pan with slightly salted water, a pinch of salt will do.

Put the boiled pumpkin in the bottom of a baking dish.

Sprinkle the top of the pumpkin with the dried, finely ground bread crumbs.

Dice the eggs and spread over the top of bread crumbs.

Then pour the cream over top of everything.

Add the spoon of butter to the middle of the dish, to allow it to melt and spread as it bakes.

Bake in the oven at 250 degrees (F) for a half an hour. Watch closely because cream burns easily.

Before serving sprinkle with sugar and ground almonds. I like to grate a little cinnamon on top also…

Yummy!

Windows to Russia!