Snowmans - Flash mob in Moscow

Today I find some details on my post "Have you ever made a snowman?". More than one hundred snowmans in the center of Moskow was a kind flash mob by Slava Polunin 25 of January 2005. You can read report on this in Bolshoy Gorod (Big city).

Today snowmans stayed on the Arbat street again! That's just like a fairy tale. =)

Propaganda - US and USSR

In fact, the distance between Bush administration rhetoric and observable reality in some areas is beginning to look almost reminiscent of Soviet Communism. And as in the Soviet Union, this gap is also becoming more and more apparent to the rest of the world.

Originally posted: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/30/opinion/edlie...

I am write about discrepancies in George Bush's foreign politics, yesterday. Now we had it in The International Herald Tribune.

I wouldn't say Bush is right or wrong. I'm just see growing misunderstanding in relationships between Russia and USA.

Shy flora and fauna of lake Seliger

Community Entertaining Russia was a very nice surprise for me. A lot of people there posts photos and interesting facts about Russia. Photo above, for example, is from lovely photo set "Shy flora and fauna of lake Seliger" by Aleksey. Best recommendations!

Propaganda

An experienced Soviet propaganda journalist had to go through a five-year university course as he needed extraordinary skills in order to have his articles published in Pravda. The most common requisition on "analyzing" international affairs was - (1) take facts about any event in the world, (2) consider conclusions that should always be like, "West is evil and is moving towards its collapse" and (3) construct any number of arguments to prove beyond doubt the inseparable link between (1) and (2).

Originally posted: http://konstantin2005.blogspot.com/2006/01/snarlin...

Konstantin in his Russian Blog explores propaganda in United States. In his detailed review of article by Anthony Robinson he finds a lot of discrepancies clearly visible inside Russia. That's very sad to see official position about Russia in major mass-media, looking absolutely similar Soviet propaganda 30 years ago.

Bloggers about Russia

There is some fresh positive:

I really loved Russia and I have a strong desire to go back. I dont think God would give me this passion if He didnt want to do something with it. When I first got to Russia, I thought it would be a one time trip and I could do something cool for God and say I've been there and done that, but thats not what happened. I fell in love with the people of Russia and I wanted to go back again, even before I had left!

Originally posted: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog...

That's why I love Russia--that and all the crazy things related to their vodka-induced stupors.

Originally posted: http://tinpatches.livejournal.com/21858.html

Time in Russia was great. We were there during a very cold week of the coldest winter they have had in about 30 years, but that was actually kind of fun (I'm kind of sick, I know).

Originally posted: http://www.xanga.com/vivir_y_aprender/432271198/it...

and negative opinions:

I'm shocked, shocked to read this morning that Russia caught British intelligence hiding a listening device under a fake rock!

Originally posted: http://empireofdirt.blogspot.com/2006/01/lets-just-ho...

After the fall of the communist menace, Russia has embraced racism and nationalism, and being of a racial minority (especially of African descent) is now very dangerous in Russia.

Originally posted: http://thoth.blogspot.com/2006/01/are-humans-worth...

Total score is 66%(+) vs. 34%(-). Thanks for trust!

Energy empire

Russia has staked out plans to recapture its Soviet-era space-race glory and start mining the Moon for a promising energy resource that scientists say could meet the Earth's power needs for more than a thousand years.

Nikolai Sevastyanov, head of Russia's giant Energia Space Corporation, has unveiled plans to build a permanent base on the Moon within a decade and to start mining the planet for helium 3, a sought-after isotope, by 2020.

Originally posted: http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article341273...

As for me, I support any space projects, because it unites people. Good luck.

Mountain Altai - Photo

Photo collection by Albert Shar.

Anna Karenina - comics

Very interesting symbiosis of pop-art and Russian classical literature.

Putin set up a committee for the repatriation of Stolichnaya vodka

The Russian authorities say the six Stolichnaya-related trademarks, estimated to be worth around $400 million and originally state-owned, were stolen when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Originally posted: http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/stor...

My town

Velikiy Novgorod is an oldest center of Russian democracy, christianity and home of the Russian statehood. It was a capital of Russia since 859 year. All center of Novgorod is a collection of historical monuments: cathedrals, monasteries, convents and defenses. Novgorod architectural monuments included in the List of World Cultural Heritage.

Novgorod is one the main tourists centers of Russia. We are allways glad to see our guests. Visit us. =)

And before buying a ticket, you should be interested in watching our Tourists portal and United Museum. =)

Cold War II?

In this narrative, a generous United States "spared" post-Soviet Russia the humiliation of total defeat and graciously allowed Moscow to continue to play the role of a major power even as its economy contracted and its military deteriorated. Brought into the Group of Seven, offered a substantive partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an ungrateful Russia tried to resurrect a sphere of influence in the post-Soviet space and presumed to place limits on the freedom of action of the United States to spread peace and freedom throughout the world.

In the Russian version of this tale, the Cold War came to an end because Moscow voluntarily renounced its bloc (the famous "Sinatra Doctrine") and because the Russian Federation - the largest constituent of the USSR - took the initiative in managing the "velvet divorce" of the Soviet Union. Instead of prolonging the Cold War to the bitter end, Russia's decision enabled the United States to slash its defense budget and laid the basis for the longest peacetime expansion of the American economy in its history.

Originally posted: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/25/opinion/edgv...

Russian Beauties - Maria Sharapova

Sharapova, Wimbledon champion in 2004 and a semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, now plays eighth seed Justine Henin-Hardenne in Thursday’s semi-finals.

Text from: http://mosnews.com/news/2006/01/24/sharapovase...

Russian yellow press headlines

• Masha Malinovskaya's silicone has frozen on a frost
• Yushchenko has died one year ago. Ukraine governs by the biorobot!
• Drinking earn on 10% more then nondrinkers
• The Ural tractor operator of 35 years carried in the body a germ of the brother-twin (PHOTO)
• After clinical death the dog became a medium
• Russian "weight-lifter" lifts weights with genitals! (PHOTO)
• In the Yaroslavl circus, elephants rescue from a cold with vodka (PHOTO)
• To not frighten passengers of the bus, the conductor has adhered a corpse to a mop

Russian brides

I paid for her to regularly visit an osteopath to treat her backache and to the dentist (to fix her teeth). I paid for her and her son to attend a summer camp. I paid for repairs to her electrical appliances, which burnt out during a power surge. I paid for a new toilet pan. I bought her designer clothes and a new mobile phone so that she could keep in touch with her parents. I paid for medicines for her mother. I bought taxi cards to make her life easier. I even helped her pay off a debt to one of her cousins (Natalia Loshilova). In total over a 12-month period I had sent her over $5,000 by Western Union.

Just a usual story of a dating scam.

Connecting people

There is a good news for someone, who talk with their Russian friends on ICQ. Now you can translate your messages just by sending it to special bot. Bot supports English-Russian and Russian-English translation.

Just add UIN 8-666-668 to your ICQ and write something. =)

World politics on toilet paper

Image text: Toilet paper "Political". Get real pleasure!

Vladimir Putin, Geogre W. Bush, Tony Blair and Viktor Yushchenko. What can unite them? New toilet paper "Political", of course!

See more "politics" on advertising portal Adme.ru.

Soviet posters

Poster text: Europe will be free!

Poster text: Don't be naughty!

Poster text: Both worked, and has earned.

See this and more Soviet posters on PosterShop.ru - Soviet Posters.

Deep immersion

I decide to make a short link list for Runet explorers. I suggest, it will be five points where you start your deep immersion in Russian Internet. So, what we have:

1. Search engine - Yandex
2. Dating service - Mamba
3. Goverment resource - Kremlin.Ru
4. Culture resource - Hermitage Museum
5. Ru-En Translator - PROMT

I am ready to see your suggestions and addings in comments.

Rate your Big Russian Soul!

Take a quiz to rate your Big Russian Soul. This is my result:

Your so-called "soul" earned 2 out of five troika matreshki.

Mysteriously, you have managed to attain a puny, but noticeable Russian soul. You must return to the motherland and eat bitter berries.

Not good enough for Russian, living in Russia, isn't it? Definitely, I should strongly work on yourself.

Have you ever made a snowman?

Top 10 of the most expensive Russian artists

(by auction record in million dollars)

1. Wassily Kandinsky - 20,9
2. Kazimir Malevich - 17,1
3. Mark Shagal - 14,9
4. Karl Faberge - 9,6
5. Ilya Mashkov - 3,4
6. Boris Kustodiev - 2,9
7. Ivan Aivazovsky - 2,3
8. Konstantin Somov - 2,2
9. Ilya Repin - 2,1
10. Konstantin Makovsky - 2,1
    

Photo from: The State Hermitage Museum

Composition VI - Wassily Kandinsky.

Russian Stereotypes

The way of life in Russia is very simple. Russians love to eat rye bread with herring and drink vodka the same way British drink their 5 o’clock tea. The fashion for fur coats and hats is at all times high and the cold winters are impossible to survive. The university professors have to sell matryoshkas to foreigners, and former teachers work as security guards and loaders. The average salary is $150 per month, but president Putin is still loved by all the nation. Playing balalaika and drinking vodka is their only entertainment and refuge from this hostile world. Especially, in light of the fact that at any moment there can be another explosion set up by the Chechens that will put an end to this miserable existence. The only hope is the children, who are keen fans of the band TaTu and dream of fleeing the country as soon as they are 18. A few dozen people who managed to make some money on the immense oil fields now live in exile, and Russia will soon go back to communism.

Originally posted: http://mosnews.com/guide/stereotypes.shtml

A good way to destroy your Russian stereotypes.

Underground palace in photos

People have called the Moscow Metro an underground palace. Bee is the only person who I think conveys that.

His photo series on apartment blocks gets extra points because the accompanying text is also available in Russian. His website also has photo series on dachas, hotels, cinemas, village interiors, and more. Keep it up!

Originally posted: http://maaskva.blogspot.com/2005/12/well-photog...

Best recommendations for photograph Bee Flowers and blog, where I find him Maaskva: nashimi glazami.

WalRUses

Russians had a tradition, that always was a shocking for foreigners. Some people, as named "walruses", used to swim in ice-hole at religion holiday "Christening".

There are "walruses" in each Russian city and they swim not only on holidays. =)

See swimming in ice-hole in photo report by Marina Fedoseeva.

Dating service

Some of you can be interested in meeting Russian friend or a "Russian bride". You should know that most popular dating services in Runet are united in one database. It very cool to had more than 2 000 000 active user profiles at one site.

Unfortunately, Mamba hadn't English interface now. You can ask me all translation questions in comments.

Good luck!

Once again about the weather on today

Minus 36 degrees Celsius

Two people froze to death in Moscow, officials said on Tuesday, as Arctic cold from Siberia descended on western Russia, sending nighttime temperatures to as low as minus 36 degrees Celsius and prompting warnings of power cuts to some
businesses.

Originally posted: http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaki...

Forecasters said cold is expected to last most of the week. It's terrible!

Local facism ;)

Let shout "the ugly creature"...

Some photos of provincial Russia by Vladimir Lipka.

National shopping

Still haunted by the spectre of empty shelves 15 years after the collapse of communism, Russia is in the midst of a full-blown love affair with retail. Luxury, bling, opulence and grandeur are the watchwords. New Moscow is all about new money.

Gone are the five-hour queues outside drab supermarkets. As well as a wealthy elite, there is a growing professional middle class that barely existed three years ago, and the emphasis is on living for the day.

Originally posted: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml...

Nigerian letters

Russia has more in common with Nigeria these days than just oil.

Following up on the politically charged jailing of oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a wave of scam e-mails in the style of Nigeria's notorious spammers have been popping up in inboxes from Moscow to Kentucky.

Originally posted: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RUSSIA_KH...

I received some this letters, half a year back. Also it is possible to expect letters from ex-president of Russia Mikhail Gorbachev and from the wife of the president of Chechen Republic Achmad Kadirov.

Be careful.

Russian animation

Let's start to discover Russia.

Strongly recommend to see blog Russia Insider. "Somehow we'll try to become your guiding light on history and the future of the Russian animation."

This is Winnie-the-Pooh (Russian version), for example.

Perviy nah!

I am Belyakov Sergey. Nice to meet you.

I am web-developer from Russia. Here I want to tell you about my native country. I think, each of you listened about "big cold country with beautiful women and bears walking on the streets". All this is true. ;)

So, Banzai!