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.

Rubbing Alcohol

2007-05-17T18:40:00.001-07:00

I love Rubbing Alcohol. I'm handsome.

I want to fly.

2007-05-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

I have not posted in awhile except for earlier today, as I have been on vacation in our excellent Kaliningrad. It is a true Baltic paradise. I do recommend everyone to go there. The world has been impacted by many events since my postings in early April. Boris Yeltsin has died and our war memorial in Tallinn has been moved, which is a great shame to our fallen heros. I have also been practicing to learn how to fly. Imagine flying Cheburashka!

Plasma Jack is an Estonian and I am a national hero and a true Soviet legend. I am also intensely handsome.

Handsome Cheburashka!

2007-05-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

I'm Handsome!

Fearless Russian Police!!!

2007-05-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Kremlin's fearless Special Police, OMON, have been showing their skill in strength lately; and not just by beating protesters. With Daggers!, and broken glass and nails.

'"This is a warning," said an OMON colonel who called himself Vladimir Antonovich as he watched three policemen smash flaming bricks with their bare fists.

"We want to show off what we can do."' - Reuters

Thanks to our fearless OMON we in Russia dont't have to worry about protect disrupting.

Birthday Cake

2007-04-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

I like birthday cake. It is such a shame that birhtdays only come once a year.

Such a Shame

2007-04-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have obtained this article from out excellent publiation Pravda. It was originally publised on 7/4/05.

The tombstones of the Russian soldiers killed in WWII were desecrated across the country

Controversies over the matters relating to the situation of Russian-speaking minorities in the Baltic States give rise to a great deal of comments. Those comments are normally charged with emotion. There have been more infringements on the rights of minorities in Estonia and Latvia as opposed to neighboring Lithuania. The authorities and some of the public of Estonia and Latvia often say that the problem is far-fetched and the Russians are deliberately putting special emphasis on it to smear the reputation of those two states.

They say Russia had better mind its own business and tackle its own problems such as skinheads, neo-Nazis etc. Well, the argument looks just amazing in its simplicity. Russia has, without doubt, a lot of ethnic problems to deal with. Russia is a multiethnic country therefore problems and conflicts are likely to occur. It is the duty of the authorities to take effective steps in curbing the conflicts if they fail to prevent them from breaking out. We have to admit that the Russian authorities sometimes fail to take measures in a speedy and effective manner. Yet the Russian authorities take measures. And what about the authorities in the Baltic States? Do they really take any steps to combat nationalism and neo-Nazism?

Allow me to remind you of the shameful events that took place in Estonia last year. The tombstones of the Russian soldiers killed in WWII were desecrated across the country. The abhorrent acts were apparently well-planned and committed soon after the dismantling of a monument to the Estonian SS-men. The police did not make any arrests. No perpetrators were brought to justice. Was it a kind of “compensation” paid by the authorities for the dismantling of the monument? Another incident happened not so long ago when some morons sprayed abusive graffiti over the walls of a building populated by ethnic Russians. The “mildest” writings included “Russians, respect Estonian traditions or go home!” and “Why didn't Germany win the war?”

Sure thing, Estonian neo-Nazis used four-letter words and swastikas (displayed in the wrong way, by the bye). Looks like it never occurred to those Estonian neo-Nazis that they would have never put any graffito in Estonian on the walls if Germany had won the war. Because no Estonian would have been left alive. But this remark seems irrelevant to the case. The reporters of Molodezh Estonii (Estonian Youth) asked Helin Taala, a spokeswoman for the local police station, if the painting of swastikas could result in criminal proceedings. She answered that everything depended on the context. “If there were only writings meant to incite ethnic hatred, it would be sufficient for taking legal action,” said she. According to her, it is unlikely that perpetrators were not trying to specifically stir up animosity because they sprayed a lot of obscenities on the wall. I wonder if an Estonian policewoman will be able to stay so cool should her own dwelling get sprayed with offensive anti-Estonian graffiti.

The results of an opinion poll published by Molodezh Estoniii show that the Estonians and Latvians take a highly negative stance on the issue of multicultural society and equal rights to minorities. 51% of the Estonians believe that it is bad for society when society is composed of different ethnic groups. 59% of the Estonians believe that immigrants should absorb the local laws and traditions regardless of their social and cultural differences.

Aeroflot shall rule the skies

2007-04-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

Aeroflot is the most superior airline on the planet. They shall take over Alitalia and show those Italians how to fly a plane. Italians are pussies and they have never managed to send a man into space, like our great Russia has done.

Do NOT go to Estonia !!!!!

2007-04-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

Attention viewers,

Our government advises us not to go to Estonia. We must support Mother Russia and her heros of the Great Patriotic War and not go to Estonia. Go to Kaliningrad instead. It is quite a nice port city.

This is from the British Pravda, also known as the BBC.

Russians advised to shun Estonia

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov has urged Russians not to take holidays in Estonia.

Russia has criticised Estonian plans to remove a Soviet-era monument to the Red Army in the Baltic state's capital.

Mr Ivanov said Russians should also consider alternatives to Estonian dairy produce, although he said he was not calling for a boycott.

The Bronze Soldier monument in Tallinn commemorates the Red Army's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

"I'm not calling for a boycott," Mr Ivanov told armed forces veterans in Moscow. "It's not a question of state sanctions. I'm talking about the individual citizen's stance. Don't buy Estonian food, don't go on holiday in Estonia, go to our Kaliningrad instead for a holiday."

Most ethnic Estonians regard the monument as a symbol of Soviet oppression.

In February, Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves vetoed a parliamentary bill calling for its removal within a month, but Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said the authorities could still have it removed under a law on war graves.

Correspondents say that nothing is likely to happen until a new coalition is formed after last month's elections.

Mr Ivanov also said Russia should complete construction of the Ust-Luga port on the Baltic as soon as possible, "so as not to fatten the budget of Estonia, in whose ports 85% of the cargo is Russian".

Aliens

2007-03-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

There are many aliens in Russia. They often land there because Russia is the greatest civilization in the world. It has the greatest history and the brightest future.

I got this story from Pravda.

Russian fishermen catch squeaking alien and eat it

Village residents from the Rostov region of Russia caught a weird creature two weeks ago after a strong storm in the Sea of Azov. The shark-looking creature was producing strange squeaky sounds. The fishermen originally believed that they had caught an alien and decided to film the monster with the help of a cell phone camera. The footage clearly shows the creatures’ head, body and long tail. The bizarre catch was weighing almost 100 kilograms, the Komsomolskaya Pravda reports.

However, ufologists and scientists were greatly disappointed when they found out that the fishermen had eaten the monster. They said that they were not scared of the creature so they decided to use it as food. One of the men said that it was the most delicious dish he had ever eaten.

Chairman of the Anomalous Phenomena Service, Andrei Gorodovoi, stated that the creature, which he could see on the short video, was an anomalous being. However, it could hardly be described as an extraterrestrial form of life, he added. Gorodovoi rejected the version about mermaids too. “There are many legends about mermaids living in the Sea of Azov. Nevertheless, specialists of the Service for Anomalous Phenomena have never confirmed those fairytales. On the other hand, we do not deny the possibility of other forms of life in the Sea of Azov,” the ufologist sad.

A spokesman for the Rostov-based zoo, Alexander Lipkovich, contacted local ichthyologists and asked their opinion about the Azov alien. “They said that the fish bears resemblance to a sturgeon. It was an extremely interesting individual. I have never seen anything like this before in my whole life,” the specialist said.

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov
Pravda.ru

Fire at Nightclub.

2007-03-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

A Moscow night club caught fire. It is unfortunate. I enjoyed disco dancing at this particular club.

Night Club Fire

Again, I found this article from Pravda. Pravda is the greatest newspaper in the world.

Yet another extraordinary break-through discovered by our Russian scientists.

2007-03-24T18:39:00.000-07:00

Russian geneticists to reveal alien’s DNA mystery

I got this from our excellent paper Pravda.

Scientists may soon unravel the mystery of the “Uralian alien,” a tiny creature found near the town of Kyshtym in the Urals. Scientists carried out five series of laboratory studies investigating the DNA samples of the creature’s biological material.

The latest study conducted by a Moscow-based Institute of Forensic Medicine produced sensational results.

“A gene discovered in the DNA samples doesn’t correspond with any genes pertaining to humans or anthropoid apes,” said Vadim Chernobrov, a coordinator with the public research center Kosmopoisk. “No gene samples available at the laboratory match the gene. The experts in DNA research haven’t come across any creatures with such an elongated DNA molecule,” Chernobrov added.

Scientists have been looking for an explanation of the Kyshtym phenomenon for more than ten years. The story began in the summer of 1996 after a miniature creature was found in the Chelyabinsk region. The find was soon dubbed the “Kyshtym alien.” A local medical examiner who performed an autopsy concluded that the dead body was neither human nor animal in nature.

Ufologists regarded the Kyshtym dwarf as a clear-cut case of the extraterrestrial. The clergy believe the dwarf was a demon. The creature was still alive when it was found by an old and barely literate woman. She was the only one who gave the dwarf a human name – Alioshenka (a diminutive of the Russian name “Alexei” – ed. note).

The curse of Alioshenka

The dwarf from Kyshtym did not do any harm to anybody while he was in the land of the living. Some really weird things began to happen following the death of the creature. The old lady, a “godmother” of Alioshenka the Alien, died in a hit-and-run accident. The woman was knocked down by a car just a few days before a team of researchers arrived in the town from Moscow.

The body of the dwarf vanished without a trace. An investigator assigned to the case is reported to have handed the corpse to some perpetrators who walked off with it. A Japanese TV crew arrived in Kyshtym to do a documentary on Alioshenka. The Japanese posted a reward of $200,000 for information on the whereabouts of the stolen creature. However, their attempts to locate the body of the dwarf ended in failure. A minute piece of the dead body was the only hard evidence the Japanese somehow managed to recover. The Japanese displayed the object for the benefit of the cameras.

Academician Mark Milkhiker looked into the Kyshtym phenomenon on location. He carefully examined the area in which the dwarf was found. Milkhiker fell seriously ill shortly after he returned to Moscow. He died of a sudden heart attack while in hospital.

Near my home

2007-03-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

The other shopping mall near the Kremlin was bombed many year ago. I am still thankful it wasn't the GUM.

Justice

2007-03-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I reported that my favorite MacDonalds on Nevsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg. Apparently those responsible have been caught.

Oranges

2007-03-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

I have retrieved this excellent ariticle from Wikipedia. It contains very relevant and useful information that I can take with me in my everyday life.

Orange—specifically, sweet orange—refers to the citrus tree Citrus sinensis (syn. Citrus aurantium L. var. dulcis L., or Citrus aurantium Risso) and its fruit. The orange is a hybrid of ancient cultivated origin, possibly between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata). It is a small angiosperm tree growing to about 10 m tall with evergreen leaves, which are arranged alternately, of ovate shape with crenulate margins and 4-10 cm long. The orange fruit is a hesperidium.

The word "orange" ultimately comes from Sanskrit narang or Tamil "naraththai". Oranges originated in southeast Asia, in either India, Vietnam or southern China. The fruit of Citrus sinensis is called sweet orange to distinguish it from Citrus aurantium, the bitter orange. In a number of languages, it is known as a "Chinese apple" (e.g. Dutch Sinaasappel (China's apple)).

Contents [hide]
1 Fruit
1.1 Production
1.2 Juice and other products
2 Etymology
3 Gallery
4 References

[edit] Fruit
All citrus trees are of the single genus Citrus, and remain largely interbreedable; that is, there is only one "superspecies" which includes lemons, limes and oranges. Nevertheless, names have been given to the various members of the citrus family, oranges often being referred to as Citrus sinensis and Citrus aurantium. Fruits of all members of the genus Citrus are considered berries because they have many seeds, are fleshy, soft and derive from a single ovary. An orange seed is sometimes referred to as a pip.

The Persian orange, grown widely in southern Europe after its introduction to Italy in the 11th century, was bitter. Sweet oranges were brought to Europe in the 15th century from India by Portuguese traders, quickly displaced the bitter, and are now the most common variety of orange cultivated. The sweet orange will grow to different sizes and colours according to local conditions, most commonly with ten carpels, or segments, inside.

Portuguese, Spanish, Arab, and Dutch sailors planted citrus trees along trade routes to prevent scurvy. On his second voyage in 1493, Christopher Columbus brought the seeds of oranges, lemons and citrons to Haiti and the Caribbean. They were introduced in Florida (along with lemons) in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, and were introduced to Hawaii in 1792.

A peeled sectioned navel orange. The underdeveloped twin is located on the bottom right.A single mutation in 1820 in an orchard of sweet oranges planted at a monastery in Brazil led to the navel orange, also known as the Washington, Riverside or Bahia navel. A single cutting of the original was then transplanted to Riverside, California in 1870, creating a new market worldwide. The mutation causes a 'twin' fruit, with a smaller orange embedded in the outer fruit opposite the stem. From the outside, the smaller, undeveloped twin leaves a formation at the bottom of the fruit, looking similar to the human navel. Navel oranges are almost always seedless, and tend to be larger than other sweet oranges. They are produced without pollination, through parthenocarpy. A newer variety of the navel orange, with pink flesh, is the Cara Cara navel.

The Valencia or Murcia orange is one of the sweet oranges used for juice extraction. It is a late-season fruit, and therefore a popular variety when the navel oranges are out of season. For this reason, the orange was chosen to be the official mascot of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Spain. The mascot was called "Naranjito" ("little orange"), and wore the colours of the Spanish soccer team uniform.

The blood orange has streaks of red in the fruit, and the juice is often a dark burgundy colour. The fruit has found a niche as an interesting ingredient variation on traditional Seville marmalade, with its striking red streaks and distinct flavour. The mandarin orange is similar, but smaller and sweeter, and the scarlet navel is a variety with the same diploid mutation as the navel orange.

[edit] Production
Orange, raw, Florida
Nutritional value per 100 g
Energy 50 kcal 190 kJ
Carbohydrates 11.54 g
- Sugars 9.14 g
- Dietary fiber 2.4 g
Fat 0.21 g
Protein 0.70 g
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.100 mg 8%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.040 mg 3%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.400 mg 3%
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.250 mg 5%
Vitamin B6 0.051 mg 4%
Folate (Vit. B9) 17 μg 4%
Vitamin C 45 mg 75%
Calcium 43 mg 4%
Iron 0.09 mg 1%
Magnesium 10 mg 3%
Phosphorus 12 mg 2%
Potassium 169 mg 4%
Zinc 0.08 mg 1%

Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database
According to FAOSTAT, the top producers of oranges (in tonnes) in 2005 were:

1. Brazil 17,804,600
2. USA 8,393,276
3. Mexico 4,112,711
4. India 3,100,000
5. China 2,412,000
6. Spain 2,294,600
7. Italy 2,201,025
8. Iran 1,900,000
9. Egypt 1,789,000
10. Pakistan 1,579,900

[edit] Juice and other products

Oranges and orange juice.Oranges are widely grown in warm climates worldwide, and the flavours of orange vary from sweet to sour. The fruit is commonly peeled and eaten fresh, or squeezed for its juice. It has a thick bitter rind that is usually discarded, but can be processed into animal feed by removing water using pressure and heat. It is also used in certain recipes as flavouring or a garnish. The outer-most layer of the rind is grated or thinly veneered with a tool called a zester, to produce orange zest, popular in cooking because it has a flavour similar to the fleshy inner part of the orange. The white part of the rind, called the pericarp or albedo and includes the pith, is a source of pectin and has nearly the same amount of vitamin C as the flesh.

Products made from oranges include:

Orange juice, one of the commodities traded on the New York Board of Trade. Brazil is the largest producer of orange juice in the world, followed by the USA.
Sweet orange oil, a by-product of the juice industry produced by pressing the peel. It is used as a flavouring of food and drink and for its fragrance in perfume and aromatherapy. Sweet orange oil consists of about 90% d-Limonene, a solvent used in various household chemicals, such as to condition wooden furniture, and along with other citrus oils in grease removal and as a hand-cleansing agent. It is an efficient cleaning agent which is environmentally friendly, and much less toxic than petroleum distillates. It also smells more pleasant than other cleaning agents.
The orange blossom, which is the state flower of Florida, is traditionally associated with good fortune, and was popular in bridal bouquets and head wreaths for weddings for some time. The petals of orange blossom can also be made into a delicately citrus-scented version of rosewater. Orange blossom water is a common part of Middle Eastern cuisine. The orange blossom gives its touristic nickname to the Costa del Azahar ("Orange-blossom coast"), the Valencia seaboard.
In Spain, fallen blossoms are dried and then used to make tea.
Orange blossom honey, or actually citrus honey, is produced by putting beehives in the citrus groves during bloom, which also pollinates seeded citrus varieties. Orange blossom honey is highly prized, and tastes much like orange.
Marmalade, a conserve made usually with Seville oranges. All parts of the orange are used to make marmalade: The pith and pips are separated, and typically placed in a muslin bag where they are boiled in the juice (and sliced peel) to extract their pectin, aiding the setting process.
Orange peel is used by gardeners as a Slug repellent.
Since oranges are susceptible to frost damage, growers commonly use sprinklers to coat them with ice when temperatures go below freezing. This practice protects the crops by regulating temperature.

[edit] Etymology
Main article: Orange (word)

Orange derives from Sanskrit nāraṅgaḥ "orange tree", but another explanation tries to establish a link to a Dravidian root meaning “fragrant”. Compare Tamil narandam [நரந்தம்] “bitter orange”, nagarukam [நாகருகம்] “sweet orange” and nari [நாரி] "fragrance". The Sanskrit or Dravidian word was borrowed into European languages through Persian nārang, Armenian nārinj, Arabic nāranj, (Spanish naranja and Portuguese laranja), Late Latin arangia, Italian arancia or arancio, and Old French orenge, in chronological order. The first appearance in English dates from the 14th century. The forms starting with n- are older; this initial n- may have been mistaken as part of the indefinite article, in languages with articles ending with an -n sound (eg. in French une norenge may have been taken as une orenge). The name of the colour is derived from the fruit, first appearing in this sense in 1542.

Some languages have different words for the bitter and the sweet orange, such as Modern Greek nerantzi and portokali ("Portuguese"), respectively. The reason for these is that the sweet orange was brought from China to Europe during the XVI century by the Portuguese. For the same reason, some languages refer to it by "Applesin" which means "Apple from China".

Satan!!!!

2007-03-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Devils in the barcode. At least in Bogolyubovo.

Border Crossing Incident.

2007-03-21T12:35:00.001-07:00

I found this in the Tiraspol Times newspaper. It is funny.

Ukraine arrests Belarus nat'l rowing team training in Pridnestrovie

Members of the national rowing team from Belarus have been arrested by Ukraine border guards while training. They are charged with having crossed into Ukraine's side of the Kuchurgan lake shared by Ukraine and Pridnestrovie. They are in Pridnestrovie to practice for the upcoming world championship.
By Times staff, 21/Mar/2007

Ukraine's coastguard arrested 11 rowers from Belarus who mistakenly crossed into Ukrainian waters from PridnestrovieDNESTROVSK (Tiraspol Times) - Ukrainian coast guard officials arrested eleven members of the national rowing team of Belarus for paddling across an international frontier. The border patrol arrested the members of Belarus's national rowing team for illegally entering the country on a flotilla of eight boats.

The Belarusians had been invited to train for the world championship in Pridnestrovie as reservoirs in their ex-Soviet state, further north, were still covered in ice.

The incident took place near Ukraine's Gradenitsy checkpoint in the south-west corner of Ukraine on the waters of the Kuchurgan Liman, a saltwater lake on the border between Ukraine and Trans-Dniester (Pridnestrovie). The lake is located in the southern part of PMR, and is home to a beach which is popular with swimmers in the summer.

Officers aboard the Ukrainian navy motorboat also took into custody eight rowing shells and a motorboat used by coaches. The border guard service said a coast guard vessel was dispatched to intercept and detain 10 rowers who had crossed into Ukrainian waters on the border with Pridnestrovie. The lake is located in the southern part of Pridnestrovie, a short drive from Tiraspol, the country's capital.

The rowers were 300 meters inside Ukrainian waters when arrested. Since they were training, they did not carry passports. Their passports were left in their hotel rooms in Dnestrovsk, near Tiraspol.

Entering Ukraine's side of the lake by mistake
" - We're trying to clarify the situation," said Vladimir Gustvistov, a team spokesman. "We're not sure yet which of our athletes was arrested."

According to a statement by Ukrainian border troops, the Belarusian sportsmen illegally entered Ukrainian waters while training.

They now face charges in court. If the charge stands, each member of the Belarusian team would face deportation and a small fine, but could also lose their expensive rowing shells. Ukraine frequently confiscate valuables which have been used in crimes as well as misdemeanors.

On their way to jail: Members of the national rowing team of Belarus
The Belarusians were being held in a border troops jail Tuesday pending a court hearing. They were charged with violating the Ukrainian law entitled "About the illegal intersection of Ukrainian state border", and will be deported to the territory of Pridnestrovie.

Gustvistov said the side had not been aware where exactly the international border crossed the lake. High winds prevailing in most of Ukraine on Tuesday could have contributed to a navigation error, he said.

More than one hundred members of the Belarusian national rowing team are currently living and training in Pridnestrovie; also known as Transdniestria or Transdnestr. They stay for the season in Dnestrovsk, the country's eight-largest town, on the Kuchurgan Liman lake.

Invited by PMR's national rowing team
Gustvistov said that the Belarusians use the Kuchurgan Liman facility because the lake - only a few kilometres from the Danube delta - rarely freezes. In contrast, waterways located in northernly Belarus easily remain frozen for up to five months of the year. He said they are training in Pridnestrovie near the Dniester river for the upcoming World Rowing Championship as Belarus’ rivers are still covered with ice. Pridnestrovie's own national rowing team invited their Belarusian colleagues to come and stay for the duration of their training.

As a CIS country, Belarusian nationals may move between Moldova, Pridnestrovie and Ukraine freely, but only at designated crossing points according to local statute.

The detainees say that they knew that a state border between Ukraine and PMR runs across the Kuchurgan lake, but that there were no demarcation signs in the area. Team members told officials they were unaware they had crossed the border in the southern Ukrainian region.

Only PMR border officials enforce the border with Ukraine on the Kurchurgan Liman lake. Although neighboring Moldova maintains a seventeen year old territorial claim, it has no authority over Pridnestrovie or over the 400 km long border between Pridnestrovie and Ukraine. It is patrolled by border troops from PMR and from Ukraine, as well as by European Union staff which has been in place since 2005 and which has repeatedly confirmed that there has been no signs of organized weapons trafficking or drug smuggling from Pridnestrovie.

Russian-speaking Pridnestrovie, which in Romanian is called Transnistria, seceded from Romanian-speaking Moldova in September of 1990. Although its independence is still unrecognized by the international community, it has been a 'de facto' sovereign state for most of the past 17 years. Pridnestrovie meets the requirements for statehood under international law and its 555,000 residents are overwhelmingly opposed to unification with neighboring Moldova. (With information from wire services)

Fire!!

2007-03-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

A fire broke out at a nursing home in Kamyshevatskaya. 62 old people were burned to death. I once burned my ear on a candle. The fur was charred. I still like to play with fire though. Fire is orange like an orange. I like oranges. 62 people died.

My Party!!!

2007-03-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

You should join Коммунистическая партия Российской Федерации

Bosco Sport

2007-03-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Look at Me. Watch the video as I showcase my fantastic athletic abilities.

Mine Explosion

2007-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

I found this article by the BBC. The BBC is also a state TV station like NTV, only the BBC is vastly inferior. The causualties were acceptable losses because Mother Russia gains very much from mining.

Siberian mine explosion kills 25

A methane explosion at a coal mine in Siberia has killed at least 25 people, Russian officials have said.
They said 88 miners, several of them injured, had been rescued after the blast at the Ulyanovskaya mine in the Kemerovo region.

The officials said at least 168 miners were underground at the time of the blast. Dozens still remain trapped.....

Tupolevs

2007-03-19T08:15:00.001-07:00

I have taken this article from the British Pravda. I do not agree with Tupolevs being phased out. They are perfectly safe and were engineered to the most exacting standards. The Western media just likes to highlight such indicents to downplay Russia's vastly superior aerospace industry.

Tupolevs

2007-03-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

I once flew to Germany in a Tupolev.

Apartment Shortage

2007-03-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

I think that flats in Moscow are wonderful. Many families often share large 65 - 92 square meter (700 - 1000 sq/feet) aparments with grandparents, parents, and children. Apparnently this woman disagreed (from Reuters)

"MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian woman paid a former convict to kill her 17-year-old son because she was fed up with sharing her small one-room apartment with him, the newspaper Izvestia reported on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old crane operator paid the man a 2,100 rouble ($80) deposit to kill her son, Izvestia said. But the would-be hitman told the police who set up a sting operation and arrested her when she handed over the 900 rouble 'completion' payment....

Deception Fruit.

2007-03-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

The grapefruit is a sub-tropical fruit, which resembles the orange. Oranges are tangy, zesty and sweet. They taste like sunshine, sugar and radiation. They are good for me. They make me smile. Grapefruits look like oranges. They are round like oranges and when I open them up with my box cutter, they again look like oranges causing me to taste them. But they don't taste like oranges. They taste like rancid cow urine and rainwater that dripped off of a rusty Lada Samara. I don't like grapefruit. They are an evolutionary trick, designed to deceive me and jeopardize my health. Grapefruits you see are poisonous. Stay away. They are Deception Fruit. DECEPTION FRUIT, DECEPTION FRUIT, DECEPTION FRUIT.

Polyhexamethylene Biguanide Hydrochloride

2007-03-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

UK Pravda (aka BBC) writes about Vodka made with medical disinfectant polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride. They claim it causes the yellow death.

Happy Bus

2007-03-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

My favorite television show is "Happy Bus". US Pravda (aka Washington Post) wrote an article about "Happy Bus"!

Deer Hunger

2006-12-31T22:42:00.000-08:00

Today I went hunting and I shot a deer with my Kalashnikov. I cut off the deer's ear for a momento, but I left the body for the bacteria to eat.

This is what I sing every morning

2006-12-07T06:31:00.000-08:00

Союз нерушимый республик свободныхСплотила навеки Великая Русь.Да здравствует созданный волей народовЕдиный, могучий Советский Союз!
ПРИПЕВ:
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Дружбы народов надёжный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!
Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы,И Ленин великий нам путь озарил:Нас вырастил Сталин - на верность народу,На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил!
ПРИПЕВ:
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Счастья народов надёжный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!
Мы армию нашу растили в сраженьях.Захватчиков подлых с дороги сметём!Мы в битвах решаем судьбу поколений,Мы к славе Отчизну свою поведём!
ПРИПЕВ:
Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Славы народов надёжный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведёт!

My first post

2006-12-06T14:44:00.000-08:00

Today is my first post. I am posting on this with my Электроника БК-0011. The Электроника БК-0011 is an excellent machine and a testament to the great engineering capabilities that Mother Russia has to offer.

Russia is a great producer of technology. Take, Sputnik for example. It is a fine example of the masterful work produced by our space heros.