Thoughts of Cheburashka!

$500 Million - "That is no problem. It is such a cool machine"

2007-08-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

A Russian business man recently attempted to puschase a B-52 from it's American crew at an air show in Russia recently. Get the rest of the story from Reuters.

Driving in Russia

2007-08-13T15:58:00.001-07:00

From Reuters Drunk halts cycle marathon

"MOSCOW (Reuters) - A man cycling from Taiwan to Moscow made it as far as Western Siberia only to be knocked off his bicycle by a drunk driver, Russian media reported Monday.

The 37-year-old Taiwan resident, who was not named, was nearly two-thirds of the way through his roughly 7,000 km (4,350 mile) trip when he was hit by a car in the Novosibirsk region, Interfax news agency reported.

"The victim is currently in a satisfactory condition ... The drunk driver fled from the scene of the accident," the agency quoted a police statement as saying."

Driving in Estonia

2007-08-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

From Reuters Blind driver caught again

"TALLINN (Reuters) - An Estonian man who was caught driving a car even though he is blind has been at it again, police said on Monday, and this time he faces jail.

Police first arrested the man, 20, a week ago.

"We arrested the same blind man driving his car again on Saturday in the town of Torvandi, near Tartu (in southern Estonia)," said Marge Kohtla, a spokeswoman for Tartu police district.

"He was drunk. There were three people in the car with him giving him instructions."

She said police wanted the court to jail the man for 30 days and confiscate his car."

Russia the Greatest.

2007-08-04T06:10:00.001-07:00

The mother country has again showed dominance in the far north...by planting a titanium flag on the sea-bed below the North Pole.

Cheburashka for Sochi 2014 Mascot

2007-07-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Attention all loyal readers! Attention all loyal readers!

I have proven to be a most excellent talisman for our Russian Olympic Team in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 Torino Olympics and now more than ever, I need your support in my campaign to become not just the mascot for Russia, but for all of the Olympic Games.

For many generations now, I have been known to and loved by Russians everywhere, but the rest of the world still has not discovered my cuteness. By becoming the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic mascot, I shall gain worldwide popularity and spread goodwill for all mankind and cheburashkakind.

When the Olympics last came to Russia Misha the Bear was the official mascot. Misha became the first sporting event talisman to gain widespread commercial success as merchandise. I was a big success in Athens and an even bigger success in Torino. I now need all of your support to take my success to the next level.

Please, leave comments in support of me or send a message below. All notes will be passed on to Dmitry Chernyshenko, director general of 2014 Sochi bid committee.

Remember, CHEBURASHKA FOR SOCHI 2014 TALISMAN!!!!!!!!!!!

14 year old's body found in pool pump

2007-07-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

Kommersant and CNN are reporting that a 14 year old pool believed to have been kidnapped from a Kazan water park has been found dead inside a pool pump.

How history judges Russia's leaders

2007-07-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

From the BBC: "How history judges Russia's leaders"

"Butka has always been Butka. The 250-km (155-mile) drive from Yekaterinburg took about four hours.

The distance we had covered looked tiny on the map.

This small village is the birthplace of Boris Yeltsin but you would not guess the identity of Butka's most famous son unless you already knew.

It is a monument to Lenin which stands in the centre of the village. And the main street is still named after the man who promised a bright future under socialism, not the man who resolutely rejected it. "

More people trying to kill Boris Berezovsky

2007-07-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

But it wasn't this woman

"I think Russia is always right. We Russians never ever do anything mean.

We are a very kind nation - and this is why other countries always attack us.

They know Russia is getting stronger and stronger, and they don't like it."

Rural Russia

2007-07-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

The BBC's James Rodgers explores the harsh realities of life in the Ural Mountains region, where a retail boom has done little to improve the lives of impoverished villagers.

"We found the place. Outside there was a notice warning that you could be fined if you let your cow loose in the village."

Flying in Mother Russia

2007-07-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

From the Reuters news service: Plane returns after drunken brawl on board

"...A Russian plane flying from St Petersburg in Russia to Doloman in Turkey had to turn back midflight after a drunken brawl over a young woman spun out of control, police said in a statement Friday.

Three young Russians boarded the plane drunk Thursday and 'continued their party on board'

'One of them took a fancy to a girl but she did not want to socialize with the new admirer,' police said.

On rejection, the passenger slapped the woman on her face several times. Another passenger immediately rose to defend her.

'A fight began, the situation started to get out of hand and the crew made the only right decision -- to turn back.'..."

I'm honestly surprise the crew bothered to turn back.

GO Putin!

2007-07-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

Our fearless and strong leader has withdrawn from the unjust and discriminatory Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. Putin recently met with Commander Bush in the State of Maine. This did little to ease tensions. I believe a meeting in Maine would only increase tensions.

Cosmos 95

2007-07-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Last week a NASA scientist announced that the agency may again consider nuclear rockets for interplanetary space travel. The US, and I am sure other countries, have sent nuclear powerplants into space before but glorious mother Russia has actually sent conventional nuclear reactors.

The Upravlenniye Sputnik-Aktivny (RORSAT) satellites used a nuclear reactor and in 1978 one crashed into Canada.

Chocolate!

2007-07-04T04:25:00.000-07:00

The Red October plant is moving!

Magnificant Mother Russia!

2007-06-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Again, I would like to highlight how strong our economy has become. Read this Pravda article and be amazed! Soon, my hometown of Moscow will rival London ,only it will be better because Moscow is not populated with fat, ugly British women.

Moscow to become Europe’s second biggest financial capital after London

My Электроника!

2007-06-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

I have recently acquired a Электроника. It's white and had what appears to be an illuminated defective orange on the back.

I have also discovered software named PhotoBooth which allows me to show how handsome I am!

Ghost Cheburashka!

Amazing!

We're a superpower.

2007-06-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

Russia's GDP has grown by ~7% annually since Putin took office, inflation fell and we have the third largest foreign exchange reserve in the world.

Gays in Russia

2007-05-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

In my mother Russia the police have come down hard on a gay rights in Moscow.

From the BBC

"Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov has called homosexuality 'satanic' and says he will never allow gay rights parades in Russia's capital."

A british gay rights advocate was also involved in an altercation as well;

"Veteran British gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was among those held.
Mr Tatchell was punched in the face before being detained."

Gorbachev and Mathias Rust

2007-05-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post is running a story on Mathias Rust , the then 19 year old wing nut who landed a small plane on Red Square 20 years ago.

Rust claimed he made his flight for "... because of my love for peace".

He most likely did not know the repercususions of his flight but, at least the Post claimes, that it gave Gorbachev an excuse to fire Defense Minister Sergei Sokolov and the commander of Soviet air defense forces, Alexander Koldunov for the "national shame" of having a 19 year West Germany fly a cessna through the Soviet Air defenses.

Having tea with Litvinenko's killer

2007-05-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

The BBC is running a story from their about Andrei Lugovoi; ex-KGB, bodyguard, and alledged killer of Alexander Litvinenko.

Not Ostankino television tower, again!

2007-05-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

The Ostankino television tower is destine to burn to the ground. This is the second time this decade that is has burst into flames. It appears that the authorities have managed to extinguish the fire before serious loss, unlike last time.

Acceptable Losses

2007-05-25T06:46:00.001-07:00

Russian Coal mines are wonderful sources of energy that supply the world wide industrial machine. Despite the more than occasional explosion, like this one in Novokuznetsk, I claim that Russian coal mines are perfectly safe.

Where would we be without this abundant source of energy?

Putin and Estonia

2007-05-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently at least some of Putin's Estonia hating can be attributed to an incident during World War II. Putin's father was serving behind German lines as a covert sabotage agent. They succeeded in blowing up a Nazi supply train and then hid in the Estonian forest. After running out of supplies they turned to the Estonians for help but were turned over to the Nazis. Only four in the group survived, including Putin's dad who escaped and hid in a bog.

The Moscow Times has a more detailed report

The EU and Estonia are out to get us!

2007-05-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

"The European Parliament on Thursday passed a resolution expressing support to the Estonian government and firm solidarity with Estonia in its row with Russia."

"The deputies said they were disturbed by the inadequate protection of the Estonian embassy in Moscow by the Russian authorities and physical attacks by Nashi demonstrators against the Estonian ambassador."

The Baltic times reports that the EU Parliment has sided with Estonia in it's latest row with Mother Russia.

Russian's Trapped in Estonia

2007-05-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

16 years after "independence" there are still a large number of my people in Estonia. Many only know Russian and do not identify with the Estonians.

Russian roots and an Estonian future - From the BBC

Estonian Cyber Attacks

2007-05-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

The Estonians claim that Mother Russia perpetrated a distributed denial of service attack against their government, police and banking website. I claim that Estonian government, police and banking websites are inferior because they are Estonian.