We Shopped For Cell Phones This Weekend!


Hello,

It has been a few days since I posted. We have been busy and had several things to accomplish this weekend. Svet and I got them all done and we are very pleased with the results…

One thing that we needed to do was replace the cellphone that got destroyed last week during the truck trying to run over me. That meant a trip to downtown Moscow on Sunday to get the best price. 🙂

I rely on a camera phone to bring you many of the pictures that are posted on Russian Photo Blog and Windows to Russia.

I had spent way too much money on the last phone and the accident broke it in half. I decided this time to look at Chinese Phones and try one of those variants out. Svet and I wandered to a huge market that has hundreds of cell phone shops and spent a few hours browsing the merchandise. After a while it became apparent that you had four ways to go when buying a cell phone in Russia. First way was to go to a big store and pay a fortune for the phone. Second was to buy name brand at the cell phone market and pay about the same or less as the big store. Third was to buy a used cell phone at same cell phone market. Or fourth was to shop what Svet calls the grey phones at same cell phone market. (Chinese knockoffs that run less than a quarter of the cost of the real thing…)

Yes there is a fifth way and that is to buy from some guys car on the side of the road, a hot stolen cell phone! Or even a sixth way take one from your friend or not friend and do not give it back. 🙂 (Nope not for me…)

So after eating at a wonderful little cafe and talking about what we were going to do. We decided on two little gems from the “grey models” that are fantastic phones. We got two phones with analog TV built in and the TV works great. The first phone is a Nokia TVC1000 and the second phone is a Nokia E71+. Svet needed a new phone and we had decided that since the price of two phones would be much less than half of one from the big stores we got her a phone also.

But Don’t let the Nokia part fool you. Nokia does not even know these phones exist according to their website. These phones are marked made in Finland and Finland has no idea that they make these phones. 🙂 I peeled off the made in Finland sticker inside the battery compartment and found made in China under that sticker.

So what did we get for a couple thousand rubles each?

We got two brand new Quad band(GSM850/900/1800/1900MHz) Dual SIM cards that work at the same time and support for Multi- Languages!

Features:
1. 3.1 inch screen
2. 500 group contacts
3. T-Flash Card support, 761K/256MB for free, support extend TF card to 8GB max
4. dual 2.0 Mega pixel camera for Picture & Video capability,
5. Stereo Loud speaker, 64 chord ring tone
6. MP3 & MP4 player
7. GPRS & WAP connectivity, MMS Transceiver
8. U disk support function to keep the information storage
9. Blue-tooth
10. FM radio
11. Calendar, To do list, Alarm, World Clock, Sport watch
12. Caller picture, caller Ring Tone, caller video
13. Telephone directories: 200groups of contacts, support incoming call with big head sticker, group ring an Messages &Multimedia messaging: SMS, support MMS; Can use downloaded MP3 as SMS rings
14. Schedule power on/off: Support to start/close under set time
15. Alarm clock: 5 groups, support alarm clock when machine’s closed, can set from Monday to Sunday
16. Games: 5 common games (we got three with the phone and installed 75 extra)
17. Mobile TV free… (it works great)
18. Language: English/French/Spanish/Portuguese/German/Indonesia/Vietnam/Turkish/Russian/Arabic/Persian
19. Gravity sensor (screen orientation) and a sliding lock (keypad).
20. It also has shake – which allows you to perform functions by shaking the phone…

The phones are considered identical in specs but they are not identical in real life. So after we set the phones up according to our personal likes and dislikes. We found that we had to trade phones!

Originally I had the phone on the picture on the left. (TVC1000) it was much lighter in weight and had an auto lock keyboard. The TV was also a much higher quality device. Svet’s phone (E71+) had a manual keypad lock and a better camera. So we switched and now are both happy. 🙂

Next post is the unhappy part of the weekend…

Windows to Russia!

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ceased Adoptions for Americans!

Building of Foreign Ministry

Officially announced in Russia today that adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens have been suspended for an indefinite period of time. This is according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko, the resumption of adoptions will be possible only after a series of negotiations and signing by both parties a bilateral agreement that addresses the situation.

Russia has requested this agreement for years and this last incident with Artem Saveliev being sent back to Russia improperly was the straw that broke the camels back.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education (data from 2007), the total number of adoptions of Russian children by foreign citizens, almost half are by the USA. The second and third largest number of adopted children is Spain and Italy in that order.

It was reported earlier that the foster mother Artem Saveliev abandoned the child because of the peculiarities of his mental state, as she did not warn the Russian authorities of his return. In connection with the incident Ministry of Education suspended the activities of the agency that organized the adoption. Now the suspension has been extended to the whole system interconnected with America…

Windows to Russia!

Ouch, Hit-N-Run in Russia and My Cell Phone Died…

I am drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking: Yesterday was a fun day!
I was walking to the store and a big truck backed into me and drug me three meters hanging on to the back tailgate for dear life. I sensed at the last second that something bad (because I was looking down at that moment) was happening and was able to look up and associate to the fact that I could grab these metal braces welded to the tailgate of this truck. That kept me from being drug under the wheels. Then they slammed it into first gear and took off down the street. As I was pulled back upright by the truck, I let go of the tailgate braces and was standing there watching the truck disappear into the city. It took a huge chunk of my jeans with it and had crushed my cell phone in my pocket…

No the truck did not have any license and it looks like anyone of millions of these trucks running all over Russia. Yes I hurt and had my pride hurt but I am alive and smiling…

Did they know I was there? Yes, I am 6’3″ and 300lbs of a grouchy bear and I could see the guys face in his rear view mirror and he was wide eyed and scared. He did what so many people have done many times in this world. “High tail it out of Dodge!” as we Americans say.
I was cussing in English at the top of my lungs and the whole neighborhood heard me. They really had no idea what I was saying but it caught their attention. They most likely have not heard that much terrible English all at the same time in their whole life and the driver of the truck could see by my face that I was going to beat him if I caught him…
The worse thing was my wonderful camera cellphone was destroyed. It was bent in half and that made me cry. 🙁
Several drivers did stop and ask me if I was OK. I was and no worse for the wear. As always in Russia if you are OK, life goes on. No one sues anyone, no one calls the cops and no one gets upset. That is the way it should be…
Windows to Russia!
PS: I am sore today! 🙂

CNN On Artyem Saveliev!

Interesting how Western Press can actually get it right: Seems that America has decided to straight shoot on this story and not lie. I am impressed and wish that they would always report like this on Russia. But that would be asking for too much. I noticed that the Western press has even given Artyem his old name back…
CNN has this really good video that they put together about Artyem:
The case of Artyem comes after the Russian media focused intense attention on several previous cases in recent years of abuse involving adopted Russian children in the United States. Not surprisingly, some Russians are calling for an end to the practice of foreign adoption.

“I am against the idea of sending our children abroad,” said a woman, who gave her name only as Alexandra, as she watched her grandchildren play on a sunny day in a Moscow park.

Russian officials have made public appeals for a temporary freeze of American adoption of Russian children until a proposed bilateral treaty has been signed to allow monitoring of children after they are brought to the United States.

“We don’t have any instrument or tools to control our children which are living in adoptive families,” said Astakhov. “In this situation we have a kind of legal vacuum … we have to freeze all activity in the adoptive process for the United States of America.”

{Read More From The Source}

Windows to Russia!

Mother Woman in Adoption Scandal wanted To Adopt A Georgian Child Next!

Mother in Adoption Scandal Was Trying for Second Child:
Lets have an update and it looks like the Western Press has taken the story on and is digging the dirt up…

The Tennessee mother who horrified the adoption community when she put her 7-year-old son on a plane back to Russia was in the process of trying to adopt a second child.

Tennessee woman returns 7-year-old boy, claiming he has mental problems.Torry Hansen had turned to a second adoption agency to bring home a child from the Soviet Republic of Georgia, a source with the sheriff’s department told ABC News.

She switched adoption agencies after the agency that arranged the adoption of her first child, World Association for Children and Parents, urged her to wait before adopting again, the source said. The association advised Hansen it would be best to settle in with the boy before adding to her family, the source said.

A few months later, Hansen, of Shelbyville, Tenn., and her mother, Nancy Hansen put 7-year-old Artyem Savilev on a plane back to Moscow in hopes of having the boy’s adoption annulled.

In a letter pinned inside Artyem’s pocket, Hansen told Russian officials that he was violent, had psychiatric issues and that she no longer wanted to be his mother.

{Read Much More From ABC}

A Hot Towel Luxury In Russia: Can you imagine that?

Everyday in Russia I use something that is very important to me now. When I lived in America I never dreamed that I would have such a thing to use everyday. The only time that I ever saw such a luxury device was at very expensive hotels as I traveled America and the World.
What am I talking about?
I am talking about a hot water heated towel bar. So far out of the three places that I have lived in or near Moscow Russia. We have a heated towel bar in the bathroom…
In America that simple device was not even considered an addition much less a necessity. It is not pretty, but it is wonderful. There is nothing like having a warm towel to dry yourself with after a shower. Or what better way to dry some cloths real quick…
I am sure that people have them in america. But for me, in all my life. I never had such a thing in my bathroom.

Of course we do not have such a device in our village but I have seen at the store, electric ones for those who can not live without… 🙂
Now you know a little more about Russia!
Windows to Russia!

One Little Boy Brings America to Her Knees! (Artyem)

Seems that the most powerful countries in the world do not cause America to worry. But a little boy who was adopted and then treated like a dog that no one loved has become the issue that caused America to backpedal and hesitate…

The little boy is Artyem (Artem) Justin Hansen or Russian name, Artem Saveliev. You should know what happened by now, but if not go to this link and you will be updated about the fate of this child. (Link) I have lots articles to read about him…
America is doing everything that it can to try to convince the Russian government to return the boy back to American soil. In fact America says the very fact that he stepped on American soil with his new mother means that he is an American.
So according to the acting executive director of the National Council of the United States for adoption Chuck Johnson. 7-year-old Artem abandoned by American parents, is a U.S. citizen. Also according to Chuck Johnson, a boy, automatically became a U.S. citizen when he found himself in the United States after the adoption proceedings in September 2009. From a legal point of view, the child needs to go back to the States, because the right’s of the adoptive parents are still in force. So America wants their kid back…. Oops!
Wait a damn minute! (rewind this) – “the right’s of the adoptive parents are still in force” does he mean to tell the Russians that the mentally unstable Hansen’s are considered to have rights? Didn’t they just send him to Russia like a discarded dog? That is what I thought….)
Also now it seems that Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Michael Kirby is going to visit Russia to try to get the child back to America.
Ok, now it looks like the Hansen’s did the impossible. By the Hansen’s unheard act of shipping a adopted child back to the originating country they have set in motion something that has not been done before and will most likely never happen again. If America changes some laws like I think they will do after this stupid act.
America has only one saving grace and that is to try to get the boy on American soil and cover up the damage that has been done in the International communities eyes. America does not like this kind of spot light shining on her and exposing the venerable skeletons that dance in the closet all the time…

In turn, lets see what the Russian side believes. They believe that the U.S. government has no right to take part in deciding the fate of Artema, because he is not a U.S. citizen. Pavel Astakhov, said that under Russian law, the boy is a citizen of Russia. Also the American side has not provided documents (even after Russia has asked for said documents) that would show the American citizenship of Artem. (It is said that the Hansen’s never filled out proper paperwork.) “Since the child is a citizen of Russia and even if he had dual citizenship, according to our law, he is still a citizen of Russia!” – so said Astakhov. This is making it clear that Russia is not in any mood to listen to crap from America, about what America thinks should be done so that America can get this story buried forever!

Russia looks at this case as being this simple:

Recall that on April 8 Artem, adopted in September 2009, an American Tory Hansen, unaccompanied by parents returned by plane from the U.S. to Russia. With a letter, in which foster mother said that the mental state of the boy is unstable. In this regard, she decided to give up on the adoption and return home Artema to protect themselves and their loved ones. The truth and simple…

Also in the orphanage in Guerrilla (Maritime Territory), where adoptive parent adopted the boy. This news came as a surprise to said orphanage. They stated that they had no difficulty with him. In addition, it became clear that mother (Hansen) had been aware of the health of the boy….

Last words by Pavel Astakhov the man in charge of this whole issue in Russia: “There are three Moscow families who wish to adopt 7-year-old Artyom, after he was sent back to Russia by his adoptive mother in America.”
I think Artyom needs to stay in Russia…
Windows to Russia!

Russia Is Not the Soviet Union! (Associated Press Does it again…)

I see this kind of stuff all the time. Almost everyday someone either prints this Freudian slip or speaks out loud about them Soviets…

Senators question future of US-Soviet nuclear pact
(AP) – 15 hours ago
WASHINGTON — The new U.S.-Russian nuclear arms treaty may have a problem getting the vote of at least one independent senator, as well as Republican lawmakers.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, says that America’s nuclear arsenal must be modernized. That might be difficult if President Barack Obama keeps to his pledge not to build new warheads or engage in underground testing.
Lieberman says he doesn’t think the new treaty right now has the 67 votes needed for ratification.
Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee says many questions must be answered before there’s even a vote in the Senate. And he doesn’t think a vote will take place this year.
Lieberman and Alexander appeared on “Fox News Sunday.”

No vote this year? Did I read that correctly? No vote this year…

Well if it on an Nuclear Pact with the Soviet Union, that would be true and in fact they will never sign a US-Soviet nuclear pact! 🙂

Windows to The Soviet Union… er uh: Windows to Russia!
Sorry

PS: Think they will correct it? It has been reprinted a thousand times now all over the blogs and other press… 🙂

Artyem (Artem) Justin Hansen: Someone Did Not Want Him?

Russian news:
Adoptive mother and grandmother took little Russian Artem Saveliev and sent the boy’s by plane home to Russia. They are now wanted by the police in Tennessee. The Hansen Family left their house in the town of Shelbyville, and their current whereabouts are unknown.

According to local newspapers, neighbors, that the foster family (Hansens) lived in isolation, did not attend church, where people meet to socialize. Shelbyville residents believe that if Artem encounter any problems, they should have been dealt within the city itself and Hansen should not have to send the child to Russia “as a defective product.”

Also in apperaing on the scene a Russian lawyer (Karina Krasnov), who said that the boy’s grandmother spoke to her in early March with the question of how to get rid of the child in a legal manner. Her daughter could not cope with her parental duties, and the child’s behavior frightened them: that the boy tried to light a fire in the bedroom and threatened to burn the house. According to Krasnova, she offered to send a Maritime Court application for rescission of adoption, and the family never raised the issue of sending the boy back to Russia again. So they must have considered that an unacceptable method. However, after consultation with counsel in question above. The grandmother bought the foster grandson, a plane ticket …

Could a foster mother have parted with her son a more humane way?

Material: Read More By Irina Finyakina

Windows to Russia!
PS: Starting to sound like Grandma was not a happy camper that daughter brought a kid home from a Russian vacation? This whole thing seems to be driven by the Grandma… Hummmm!

Artyem (Artem) Justin Hansen: The Story Continues…

Hello,

I just walked the dog and am now enjoying my morning cup of coffee! I was thinking while walking the dog and if you have followed me over the years. You would know that I sometimes grab onto a happening (story) and do not let go until I am sure that I have seen the truth.
This has been to several peoples dismay in America because Americans like to hear news and then have it go away and everyone just acts like it never happened. Unless it is about one of the chosen few like Tiger Woods. Then Americans seem to not care that they hear about how many mistresses that Tiger Woods had and has and they want to hear it a thousand times…
Well this is some of that news that Americans wish would go away and it has caused a huge international scandal on this side of the world.

The more information that I find out about this story the crappier that Torry Hansen and Nancy Hansen are looking…

Artyom Savelyev, the seven-year-old adopted son of Tory Ann Hansen, an American, flew unaccompanied from Washington to Moscow on Thursday. The boy carried with him a note from his adoptive mother that began “To Whom It May Concern”. She was sending the child back. Artyom was taken to the airport by his ten-year-old brother. He had to change planes on his way to Moscow. He is currently being examined at a Moscow hospital. He described how his adoptive mother treated him to RIA Novosti.
They are also claiming that the boy is a nut case! But there has been no evidence pointing to that and passengers from his flight said that he was:

A 7-year-old adopted boy being sent back to Russia alone by his American family seemed like “an average little boy who wanted to play,” a person on board the boy’s plane to Moscow told ABC News……

“He was very anxious and very active,” the person said. “He wanted to sing a Spider-Man song quite a bit. We sang with him in the back of the plane. We tried to keep him occupied. He was quite active — not running about, not disturbing anyone. He was very obedient. He sat when [asked].

“He drew some cartoon pictures of an airplane with passengers waving,” the witness on the flight added. “He drew another picture with crayon of something similar.” (Link)

Does he sound like a nut case?
How about this from the man (Arthur Lookyanov) that picked him up at the Moscow Airport:

I checked to be sure the boy’s seat belts were fastened and we left. Overwhelmed with a feeling of responsibility, I pressed the button to lock the doors as we stopped in front of turnpikes to pay for parking and leave the airport. The boy did well and was comfortable in the back seat. Despite the compact size of my car he had a lot of space, so he took toys and pencils out of his backpack and showed them to me. On the way into the city, I tried to speak to him in English, looking at him through the rear view mirror. The boy was in a good mood, and even tried to draw with his pencils. Artem liked a lot of the cars he saw in the city (but I didn’t) and he would occasionally get something from the package and show off the toys he had. He often said, “It’s from America. Do you have anything like this here, in Russia?” The boy told me about American big trucks, showing their size with his arms. We even sang the English alphabet, as they do in school. (Link)

Nothing points to this boy being an issue in anyway…
I have thought about the fact that at least they did not kill him. But the point is that they could have. I had a good comment left on one of my articles about this subject:
Wait a moment, so grown adults, send a child on their way, on their own, scared and vulnerable back to a country which he isn’t usd to, unsupervised..
and HE is the mentally unstable one????
How true of a statement that is. We are to believe that he is the nut case? I don’t believe it for a minute and am thankful that he made it back to his homeland alive. I could not imagine adopting a child and thinking that I would not be in for years of hard work to help that child adjust and become normal. I would never expect that child to have an inkling of adjustment for at least 2 to 3 years. When you adopt you take all the baggage and nothing less. Tory spent 4 days with Artyem before she adopted him. She made a decision based on those 4 days. When she took him home she took him as one of her own and that means all problems that occur from the situation…
I worked with several people in America that were foster foster parents other words they would take care of the children that had foster parents that abused the foster children. I have seen my fair share of foster nightmares in America. So pointing fingers at the Russian system is a NO GO Situation in my book!
Following this incident, angry Russian officials are calling for a halt to all U.S. adoptions until the two countries can hammer out a new agreement that spells out the conditions and obligations for such adoptions.
Good, because right now America is leaning toward the “We are not sure a law has been broke.”I call that “Crappy” and America needs to redefine the laws…
That is why Russia is upset because they know that the American government does not care and Russia has tried for years to get a coordinated effort to regulate adoptions between the two countries. So end the adoptions, until people in America, make America set up a set of rules with Russia…
The American government tried to intercede in this issue by demanding the return of the boy to their custody. Looks like America did not have a leg to stand on because it seems that Tory Hansen never took care of making him a USA citizen?
The boy still had a Russian passport and he was returned at the end of his visa expiration… (6 months)
People point at RAD as a good enough reason that Tory and Nancy Hansen are smart to have dumped the kid… Get a life people.
They will tell you that you have to have patience and work with the poor kid. If he is diagnosed with RAD then Tory and Nancy just made the condition much worse, much worse. How come they did not ask for help? Could it be that they were hiding something…
I said enough till next time!
Windows to Russia!