In Moscow and in Hollywood movies you will see Russian oligarchs and rich Russians driving a black Mercedes Benz and blow by traffic by using blue VIP lights on the top of their cars.  This has cause fatal accidents and is a sign that the class system is at work and not for the middle class but only for the privileged.

Russian VIP lights are so unfair. Can you imagine in the USA that some guy can blow by you in traffic because they have siren on their car that has no emergency purpose. This is one clear sign that Russia is no democracy. I am very pro-Russian people but not the abuses of the Russian oligarch and government. Something like this is a throw back to soviet times.

About a thousand or more Russians can ignore the laws of the road and:

• run red lights
• disobey the speed limit
• drive on the wrong side of the road
• pass on the left
• do anything they want and the law does not apply to them

For example Anatoly Barkov – LUKoil executive killed Vera Sidelnikova and Olga Alexandrina (both doctors) driving on the wrong side of the road with these lights. No charges where pressed and witness testimony was ignored.  Is this fair?  Is this democracy? Russia is no democracy. In Russia bureaucrats are free from the law.

Special license plates

In Russia there are also special license plates exist only for the people who have money. They pay someone and they get to drive under a different set of rules than the rest of the Russians. Is that fair?

This is one sign of many that the Russian government is not for the people of Russia. More Russians have to wake up and realizes this. Oh and if you are driving on a Moscow road, see if you can see these VIP lights.

Patriot Gary Kasparov talks about Putin’s affect on Russia in his call that Putin to leave amid Vladimir Putin protests. Kasparov does a better job than I do articulating the issue with Moscow’s politics.

What else can be said? Moscow’s future, Russia’s future and all the countries that interact with the CIS need to make this happen so the future of this great country can be one of world leadership for democracy and peace.

Kasparov write:

We declare that during the years of his rule, Putin has become the symbol of corrupt and unpredictable country that is pitiless in its treatment of its own citizenry. It is a country in which citizens have no rights and are for the most part in poverty. It is a country without ideals and without a future.

Russia, Putin and ideals

For me what hurts my heart the most is Russia is turning away from any idea other than thug run fascist like youth rallies. What about ideals of the enlightenment? What about ideals of truth, God, family values, free speech, non-violence?

Putin’s regime has used intimidation, blockage, legal power to crush any protests and support for democracy. His thugs have hacked into Internet site, arrested, assassinated those who oppose him. Is this a Christian? Is the someone who is idealistic?

Why did Moscow become so big if the climate is so hard? Maybe the first settlers and modern day migrations came in the Summer.

Climate of Moscow an American view

As an American in Eastern Europe, I can describe Moscow weather as dramatic.  November to March the temperature will rarely get above freezing. I would say it is comparable to Toronto, Canada, but a little bit colder and darker in the winter (if you were to follow the latitude of Moscow it would be up in the Hudson bay somewhere).  Remember that Russia is high north so the swings in daylight are pretty dramatic. So the weather in Moscow is dramatic.

Light in Moscow

If you have any problem with depression in the winter, than Moscow weather is not for you.  I would say that there are seven nice, even beautiful months in Moscow and five months were it is dark and cold.  The springs are much nicer than springs in the USA for example and the summers are also.  I know this is a bold statement but after such a hard, dark period of time during the Russian winter, I think at least relatively it feels much nicer than Spring or Summer in say the mid Atlantic states or the south in the USA. As an American, I think Summers in Moscow are nicer.  They are more mild and more sun light and have just a different feel.

In December you will average only 18 hours of sunshine the whole month. However, in August Moscow has 238 hours of sunshine.  So you can see that this is a huge difference in light.

I think light not cold is the most noticeable aspect of Moscow weather.

Rain in Moscow

The rain in Moscow is like in any northern region, it is most in the summer months and least in the winter months.You have the most in July and ironically the least rain in April.  This is because it is influenced by this dry arctic air masses in the winter.  If you live in the US you know what I mean this air masses in the winter sometimes hang over the whole northeast.  However, the USA is influenced by the gulf stream and makes it wet in the spring and often winter when the arctic air is not over the US.

Moscow summer winds

In the summer you have these very high wind thunderstorms also in Moscow. Which I find fun. It is almost like a mini hurricane season, you have about three or four high wind storms a summer. Again the weather in Moscow is dramatic.

Clouds over Москва – the sky

The buildings or blocks of flat are gray in Moscow. The skies in the winter are often gray. However, where there is a clear day the sky looks more blue, almost otherworldly.  I do not see such rich blue skies in the USA.  I think in the USA the sky is more ‘sky blue’. In Moscow the sky on a sunny day is deeper almost cosmos blue.

People of Moscow and the climate

First the weather is not that bad, but it really does influence your character.  I think people first came to the Moscow are because it was a rich forest with a river.  Even today Europe’s biggest city seems to be a city in the middle of a forest if you have ever flown over it. So the first people who came were very healthy hardy people.  There were no sloths living among the early Muscovite. They were hunters of northern animals that live in a cold climate.  Some people say the weather makes the Russians a bit serious as a people, but also more clever as a culture because you have to use your brain more to survive.

However, the reality is the weather is as bad as people say. However, it will make you more introspective as five months out of the year you are pretty much in your hobbit  hole in Moscow because of the weather.

Gary Kasparov is a Russian patriot

Gary Kasparov is a true Russian patriot. Many people think being a patriot is about drum beating and marching in line. I think it is just the opposite. Usually bright minds see this. In fact, Albert Einstein basically said the same thing, that people who glorify this imperial forced expansion and suppression thought are of a very primitive human nature.

Kasparov is right, the Russian people need a free press.  A country changes in their minds and hearts before their government changes.

Kasparov website The other Russia deals with the issues Russian should be aware of today.

Therefore, I think Gary Kasparov is a great man, not because of his mind on the chess board but because he has the courage his convictions.

Why I care about Russian politics

I am an American and EU citizen (Polish).  My family came from Ukraine and Poland.  Poland, Ukraine and America have all had their issues with Russian politics.  However, the reason I would like to see Russia change is not because of any advantage to me or my counties, rather, I have always had a passion for Russian culture.

Growing up in America I studied Russian culture as it was closely connected to Ukrainian culture.  I also had a love of philosophy. One guiding idea I have believed in is truth, all philosophy is based on this idea. Unless you are an extreme skeptic that believes there is no such thing as truth, but this is wrong because even that is a truth.   If a person or country can not operate from the point of view of truth all will suffer.

In Russia, the people of Russia suffer because their leaders manipulate the news to favor Oligarchs new Russians and Kremlin interests.

A free Russia – Gary Kasparov

Can you imagine how great Russia would be if there was truly a free exchange of ideas?  If there was truly a free movement of labor and capital and integration with the EU.  The Russian middle class would be rich, rather than the new Russians, Oligarchs and ex communists.

However, that is not the point, it is about a free exchange of ideas.  You can be rich as a person but if you operate under a web of lies you are limited in your ability for your soul to express itself. I think this is what Gary Kasparov is arguing for.

Many people suffer under Russian imperialism.  I think there are peoples in the country of Russia that are not fully accepted.  I think there are beliefs in Russia that are dangerous to have.  Am I even safe for writing this?

• A free Russia would allow expression of all beliefs and people would not live under fear.
• In a free Russia other towns and cities would grow rich not just Moscow which is like a black hole that draws all wealth and energy from a thousand miles around it, leaving other parts of the old Soviet Union or the CIS  on a path of slow development.
• In a free Russia science and art and the human mind would progress because open expression would be allowed.  If you ever want to really see what nonsense is allowed try reading the Russian website Pravda.

Is it that bad in Russia?

On one level, no, but on another level I am glad I live in a free USA and free EU.  I think most Russian people love Russia in their hearts an do not want to escape, they just would love a little more justice in their society. It is not about leaving Russia or comparing Russia, it is about truth and justice and freedom.  This is what Gary Kasparov is hoping for.

Siberian nature

Siberia is mostly forest and fields with bright blue sky’s. Maybe being so far north makes the colors seem richer and more intense.

Baikal Syberian sky

From the Urals the Eurasian Steppe go to the watershed between Pacific and Arctic drainage basins live the Siberians, including all the wild animals from tigers to bears.

Siberian lands extent from the Arctic Ocean to north-central Kazakhstan mountains.

Eastern Russian also borders Mongolia, China the Pacific, with the biggest city being Vladivostok, which is currently a post industrial city. I think in the future it will be a very avant-guard city like Vancouver once Russia changes its economy towards more free market and generally when East Asia develops more.

Most of central Siberia is taiga while the southern regions are temperate broad leaf forest and the northern Tundra, with the far south being steppe.

Mountains in Siberia

The if you have ever gone through Siberia on the train, the trans-Siberian railroad you will mostly see endless forests of birch and pine trees. Fresh green colors or white beautiful birches. These aromas are uplifting.  These are softwood trees, because hardwood trees usually grow in a warmer region.

You will see wildflowers with vibrant colors, deep purples and blues.

In fact there is not a lot to see in Siberia except nature.  And if you’re on the train for week you might get bored or not depending on your love of nature.  But the people who I have talked to all said they love the train Siberian railroad.  I have not been on it myself.

The air in Siberia is dry not like the desert but like a clean and fresh winter day.  Therefore, despite the cold it is very invigorating and refreshing to breathe clean fresh crisp Siberian air.

Siberian civilization

It makes up 77% of Russian land but only 25% of the Russian population. The region grew in population from the 1950s to 1980s, basically under the Soviet Union.

In Siberia of a art be their small villages which are agrarian or in some way is connected to an industrial purpose such as mining strategic minerals like copper ore Nickle.

There are mountains in Siberia however they are more on the perimeter such as the Ural mountains or the mountains to the south. and of course Siberia is surrounded by emotion and see but the sea is very cold and for all practical purposes is not accessible.

My childhood Siberian fantasy

One of my childhood dreams was always to go to Siberia and even have a small little house in Siberia and in and a wooden cottage in Siberia.  Of course is just a fantasy during and I would imagine in real life that’s very difficult to live there, but maybe not, as long as you have Internet.

Here is a beautiful mapping of Siberia.

If anyone has ever been to Сибирь please let me know and share this experience with me by leaving a comment.  if you have thought of going to Siberia also let me know.

It could be twenty below zero, however, Russians will be eating ice cream.  Further, Russians are not eating ice cream in  cafes, but rather walking around on the street in Moscow or the city of saint Petersburg with ice cream in their hands and a smile on their face.

The best ice cream in town is family hole in the wall kiosks with plastic spoons and to go cartons and eaten on the street in the middle of winter in Russia.

I know where this tradition of ice cream in winter on the street in Russia got started.

Russian word for ice cream

The Russian word for ice cream is мороженное. This is pronounced maroshenoye.

There are over 300 to commercial Russian ice cream producers in Russia.  However, of course there are many more small producers, mom and pop shops.

I think the best buy screen in Russia is found in this small privately owned Ice cream shops.  Not one of the large 300 producers.  The most recent trend in Russian ice cream is large international companies that we have in the west are trying to penetrate the Russian ice cream market.

Russian specific Ice cream

The strategies that Russian ice cream producers have is offering traditional flavors.  However, if you want to succeed in Russia you have to offer something that is uniquely Russian.  Therefore you have ice cream that has the colors of the Russian flag for example.  Or Russian named after a historic monuments in Russia.  Or something very unusual like birch tree flavored ice cream because birch is very common in the Russian forest.  You need something that is specific to the country of Russia for it to appeal to the Russians because they are very nationalistic and proud of their country.  This is in addition to the traditional flavors.

The basic ingredient in ice cream is milk, actually milk and cream.  Of course you add other things like rock salt, sugar, vanilla, and ice, however, a the primary taste comes from the milk.

Other quality of the milk will determined the flavor of the ice cream.  One of the good things about eastern European ice cream is, Slavic countries have very good dairy farming.  I think most milk comes from local farms.  Most of these are organic.  My wife’s parents have a very farm. Well it is not really a dairy farm, they just have their own milk. This organic home grown milk is the best and many small ice cream makers only use this.

Another component of the taste of Russian ice cream comes from the natural ingredients which they flavor it from.

Where do I recommend to buy ice cream in Russia?  Like I wrote in family owned shops. However if you are in Moscow one place I do recommend is the Pushkin cafe, it is a little more up scale. Go downstairs it use to be an old chemist.  The menus are written in old Russian.

Let me know what you think about my post on Russian ice cream and if you have ever tasted real authentic мороженное in the winter.

Although it is not directly an insurance payout, but rather a potential marriage dissolution settlement, it is insurance related none the less. Anna Khachaturova, the wife of Danil Khachaturov who is the head of the Russian Insurance empire Rosgosstrakh wants 50% of his insurance stock. Gosstrakh and its successor Rosgosstrakh was the first and is the biggest of the Russian insurance companies and succeeded in the Russian insurance industry because of brand name recognition. If this settlement is reach it will dwarf western settlements of this nature. Insurance is clearly a profitable business.

I live in eastern Europe and I see what has happened. The Russian economy is destroyed by the drop in oil. Moscow city projects are at a halt and it is panic. Russia will not go back to the stone age but close.

Russian de-privatization of the economy

This was a code word for giving Russian industry to friends in government. They focused on oil and gas and did not diversify and upgrade their facilities.

Russian economy will need outside help

The Russians can not bail themselves out. They need outside help, the damage is too deep. If oil does not recover the economy will collapse.

Russian economic solution

If Russia did not play this imperialistic autocratic game but rather a more free market open to Europe and Asia and real free markets Russia would be a diversified economy that bridged east and west and resilient. However, it is not in the Russian culture to respect economic and political freedom like we have in the west. I think they fear their culture, which is very beautiful will be corrupted by the west. This is the state of the Russian economy.

Origin of Rusalka

The word Rusalka is an interesting word. It comes from an ancient fairy-tale from Russia, Poland and Ukraine.

According to Slavic mythology Rusalka, is a beautiful female who seduces men to get their life energy. It would have been better if the film was made about this ancient and Slavic myth.

The Russian film Rusalka

Instead of the film was about a girl with a very unusual circumstances. She moved to Moscow on as a girl and encountered many people who had no redeeming characteristics. In fact, I would say that nobody in the entire film had any redeeming characteristics. Even the main character was only OK morally.

I am not going to tell you the whole plot because in case you see it by to want to spoil it for you. However, did and what I have written above, I can tell you that unless you like films with nothing uplifting or positive, you were not going to like this Russian film.

Photography of Rusalka -  Russian film

The images in the film and the actual filming of Russia is quite interesting to watch. The images were rich and almost surreal. The colors of the Film also very well done.

Have Russians changed?

Some people say it is the character of the Russian people to like dark nihilistic Russian films. however I think those times the past and the new Russians the new people of Russia of the youth prefer more optimistic but trails of life.

Therefore, if you wanna see a Russian film which has great photography but rather weak on the plot then you can see the film Rusalka.

Russia and its people have many positive and negative stereotypes connected with it.  This was written by a friend of mine, a Polish girl who is also Russian and Ukrainian.

Russian people in conversation

When a Russian person speaks with somebody or sits down near them, the distance between them and another people are usually shorter than in other countries.

If you meet a Russian person in the street and ask him about his life you will have to listen all about it. He will tell you all about his problems, illnesses, not only his but his relatives’.

The most favourite topic of conversation is politics. All Russians have their own views on political situation in their countries and want to share them with others.

However, they can criticise their country, their politics and life in them, but the nest day they can tell you that Russia is the best country in the world.

People of Russia

2. Russian person.

First of all Russians are romantic. He believes that there is success and happiness ahead of him, but he often does nothing to achieve them.

A typical Russian person is melancholic. He has a hope for the best, but prepares for the worst.

Russian people have a sensible perception of life. They need close relations and they are emotionally dependent on their environment.

Russians are also very dependent on the social opinion. That is why their behavior in public places differs from their behavior with friends and relatives.

3. National character of Russian people – positive traits:

- creative – they like to think in a non-standard way;
- generous;

- hospitable – they like to receive guests and to treat them;

- patient;

- frank – they can tell all their secrets and their life to an unknown person.

- very intelligent – the founder of Google is from Russia, the world chess champs are from Russia.

4. Negative traits of a Russian character:

I do not think these are true but here they are all true.

- lazy – they do not like to work.

- drink hard.

- curious. Russian people are very interested in details of other people’s life and to discuss them.

- like to complain to their life, government and their salary (this is true of Russian and Slavic countries in general).

- unpredictable. You never know what to expect from them.

- do not like to follow rules and like to break them when it is possible.

- unpunctual and always hope for “perhaps”.

Let me know what you think about Russian people.