text:
4 COSAR members responded to assist BCAS,following reports of an intoxicated male throwing up
blood in a rock quarry off of Highway 97 North, near Kelowna. The subject walked out to BCAS on his own, and the SAR team was stood down.
7 COSAR members responded to rescue an injured female mountain biker from the Kettle Valley Trail. The subject was brought out by SAR and passed to BCAS.
15 Penticton, 4 Central Okanagan, and 4 Oliver/Osoyoos SAR team members responded to
search for a despondent male in Penticton. The male was located deceased, and was transferred to the police
248 SAR members from Creston, Kimberley,
Sparwood, Nelson, Elkford, Revelstoke, Penticton,
COSAR, Columbia Valley, Cranbrook, Kaslo,
Princeton, Oliver/Osoyoos, Castlegar and
Rossland, along with hundreds of convergent
volunteers searched for a teacher who went
missing while scouting out a location for a class
project, near Crawford Bay. After significant search
efforts were conducted over multiple days with
nothing located, the RCMP suspended the search.
6 COSAR responded to RCMP request to search
for a missing person at Drysdale Boulevard near
Kelowna. SAR was stood down after the subject
was located by the RCMP
37 COSAR responded to search for a missing
person at Okanagan Lake Resort near Kelowna.
After extensive searches of the surrounding area,
SAR was stood down when the RCMP advised that
the subject had been found at a neighbour's residence
10 COSAR members responded to rescue an injured mountain biker at Myra Bellview Mountain
near Kelowna . SAR was stood down when the Fire Department was able to access and assist the patient
14 COSAR and Vernon SAR members responded
to assist with an injured mountain bike rider on the
Myra Canyon Trestle Trail, near Kelowna. The
injured subject was rescued via heli - winch, and
was transferred to BCAS
16 COSAR members responded to search for a
despondent female in the area of Highway 33 and
Big White Road, near Kelowna. The subject was
located alive and well by SAR personnel and was
transferred to the RCMP.
2 COSAR and 16 Vernon SAR members
responded to rescue an injured dirt biker near
Grizzly Lake. SAR crews were able to land a heli
close to the patient who was then airlifted out of the
area and handed over to BCAS for transport to the


text:
New Zealand's magazine of the outdoors since 1991
know more, do more, live more
Keen Gypsum Hiking Shoes! (see p58)
photo issue 18 tips for taking better photos + Reader competition (win Canon cameras)
Land your dream job
The pros and cons of a career in the outdoors
How to
›Take perfect landscapes › Get that action shot › Compose compelling photos › Get the most from your compact
On your bike
Why there's never been a better time to take an off-road cycling holiday
september 2013
www.wildernessmag.co.nz NZ $8.95 Aust $8.95 incl GST
» Four weekend hikes to try right now! » Wild venison ragu recipe » Gear test: Lightweight waterproof/breathable jackets
contents September 2013
30 The journey or the destination With the Routeburn tunnel project scrapped, attention turns to the proposed monorail to Milford Sound 32 Outdoor jobs
School leavers need not apply – landing your dream job in the outdoors is all about personality and life experience
38 For the love of it
The Department of Conservation has been hammered by budget and staffing cuts in recent years. One former employee writes about working 'for the greater good'
43 Take better
outdoor photos Further your photography with these top tips and go in the draw to win Canon cameras
16 43
52 On your bike
With 2000km of backcountry track, there has never been a better time to take an off-road cycling holiday
WAYPOINTS 16 Places
Balloon Hut, Kahurangi National Park
18 See more
Pack the tent for a memorable trip to these three tarns
20 Top 3
The more rain the better when visiting these waterfalls
58 Subscriber prize
Subscribe to Wilderness for a chance to win a pair of Keen Gypsum Shoes worth $280
Your trips, your pix
What did you get up to last weekend?
Claire Ballance, Elizabeth Roberts and Todd Ballance biked the Heaphy
Dan Lee visited Mt Brown Hut on the West Coast
Lee McCracken visited Cape Foulwind and walked from the lighthouse to the fur seal colony
Jillian Triska climbed Iron Hill in the Lockett Range
Stephanie and Alan canoed the Clutha River from Roxburgh to Clydevale
The Corric sisters Paige, 8, Rylee, 6 and Miller, 4, tramped to Waihohonu Hut in Tongariro NP
Alex and James Kerr rowed the Gorge River mouth while tramping from Cascade River to Hollyford Road
Matt Swailes went climbing in Timaru
Craig, Keegan and Blake Hornblow tramped Rakiura's North West Circuit with Tracey Murray
Send your
Get your 'Las t weekend' photo publishe d here and you'll rece ive an original Spork courtesy of www.ampr o.co.nz. Head to www.wilderne ssmag.co.nz – se 'last weekend ' – for full subm arch ission criteria .
8 september 2013
Jordan Marshall, 12, spent two nights with his parents at Cecil King's Hut in Kahurangi NP
Chris and Edwina Dyson and Rachel Jones walked to Boyle Flats Hut
Emma Freeman and her granddad soaked in the hot tub at Mt Lyford Mountain Village
Take better outdoor photos
42 september 2013
Wild photography
Further your photoraphy with these top tips from outdoor photographer Mark Watson
Wilderness magazine readers visit some beautiful and remote places and have a chance to capture unique landscapes and situations in the outdoors. If you've ever felt like your shot fell short and you could have expressed a scene better, or you want to start to capture images with a view to submitting to Wilderness, this article's for you. The following tips are written to help you take your photography further and to help you creatively capture the amazing moments you see in the outdoors.
On your bike for a 2000km
backcountry ride
There has never been a better time to take an off-road cycling holiday in New Zealand, discovers Edith Leigh
Crossing a long suspension bridge on the Timber Trail in the central North Island
52 september 2013
ycling in New Zealand has hit boom time. Cyclists are so spoiled for choice when it comes to cycle trails says the man who knows all of our off-road trails inside out, that the face of cycling in New Zealand has changed forever. Avid cyclist and guide book author Jonathan Kennet says a $50 million investment by the government to create new cycle trails around the country, has transformed cycle holidays in this country. Known as Nga Haerenga, or the New Zealand Cycle Trail, the government millions have directly contributed to 19 new cycle trails built in the north and south islands in the past five years. "It's absolutely transformed New Zealand cycling holidays," Kennett says. "In the past, someone thinking of going on a cycling holiday didn't have a lot of options for a multi-day trip. That's not the case anymore.
"All of a sudden, the number of options has boomed. It's created a lot of interest in cycling, especially at the easier end of the spectrum." The demand for off-road cycle trails and cycling holidays is a global trend, Kennett says. While we're not world leaders when it comes to catering for cyclists, Kennett believes we have outstripped our Australian neighbours and it's attracting more Australians to cross the ditch. After Kiwis, Australian tourists are the second biggest group of riders on our trails, says Kennett, who is also a project manager for Nga Haerenga. The cycle trail project was born in 2009 when Prime Minister John Key's jobs summit spawned the idea of building a cycle trail the length of the country. Heady ideas of a continuous trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff were soon abandoned, but the government pledged $50 million to create a series of 'great rides' around the country, in the hope it would bring jobs, stimulate regional economies and enhance New Zealand's competitiveness as a tourism destination.
The grand plan is for 21 great rides, of which 13 are now fully open – including the Otago Central Rail Trail and the Queen Charlotte Track which have since come under the New Zealand Cycle Trail banner. The remainder are partially open, with most expected to be completed by the end of the year. Only one has yet to begin construction, however tenders for Southland's Around the Mountains Trail have been called for and work is expected to begin soon. For off-road cyclists, this means a bonanza of 2000km of trails to choose from. Project manager John Dunn says 600km of existing trails were incorporated into the Nga Haerenga network, but the $50 million investment, plus a further $30 million of community fundraising has seen 1000km of new off-road trails constructed, with another 400km still to come. "I have been lucky enough to ride all of them and I get pretty excited every time I jump on one of them," Dunn says.
Keen Men Marshall Mid WP $299.99
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Keen Wmns Marshall Mid WP $299.99
Use Hiking Upper Waterproof closed mesh Upper Construction KEEN.DRY waterproof breathable membrane, synthetic overlays, high-rebound PU midsole, EVA midsole, TPU stability shank, contoured heel lock for customised fit Outsole Non marking rubber with 4mm multi directional lugs Weight 760g.
Ahnu Mendocino $299.95
Use Tramping Upper Full grain leather Construction eVent lining, gusseted tongue, rubber toe rand, Numentum technology. Outsole Rubber Weight 1106g.
Ahnu Wmns Montara $299.95
Use Tramping Upper Nubuck leather Construction eVent lining, rubber toe rand, padded collar, Numentum Hike technology Outsole Vibram Weight 776g.
Kathmandu Terania Mid $299.98
Use Hiking Upper Wolverine and Scotchgard leather, mesh panels Construction Phylon midsole, NGX waterproof/breathable membrane, rubber toe bumper Outsole Vibram rubber Weight 1040g (m); 920g (w).
Teva Kimtah Mid WP Leather $299.90
Use Tramping Upper Waterproof leather Construction T.I.D.E. Seal waterproof membrane, full grain leather lining, Mush insole, ShocPad heel Outsole Spider365 Rubber Weight 1020g.
72 september 2013
Merrell Chameleon Arc 2 Rival Waterproof $299
Use Tramping Upper Waterproof full grain and nubuck leather Construction Waterproof/ breathable lining, EVA foot frame, moulded nylon arch shank, Merrell Q-form midsole, air cushion heel Outsole Vibram Chameleon Arc 2 Weight 964g.
season boots The do-it-all boots for the serious tramper, three to four season boots can handle all terrain types and provide an excellent platform for those multiday trips where you've seemingly packed everything including the kitchen sink. - Paul King Tongue
The tongue extends up the shin and has gussets to protect the ankle and lower leg, as well as to keep water and debris out of the boot. Tongues on one-piece leather boots are either sewn in or folded from the one piece of leather to improve water resistance and reduce snags and corners where detritus can gather.
The boot will usually have a toe bumper and rubberised protection across the vamp (the upper part of the boot over the forefoot) and a rand running around the outside to protect the boot against roots and rocks.
Hardware Toe box
When fitted correctly, the toe box should be roomy enough to wiggle toes – even on a hot day – without touching the end of the boot. Synthetic or rubberised materials protect the toe box.
Durable bronze or steel eyelets and lugs are common. The laces should flow smoothly through them to provide even tension all around the foot and prevent it sliding forward on downhills. A lace-locking lug allows the wearer to fine-tune lace tensions across the foot and around the ankle.
Boot care
Deep, multi-directional lugs and a sticky compound work together to grip any terrain, and quickly shed mud. The outsole has sharper edges than a three-season boot to dig into loose and slippery surfaces, making traversing steeper slopes and mossy logs easier.
Construction materials will be either EVA or PU (polyurethane) housing an anatomical three-quarter or full-length shank. PU is heavier but more durable over the long term, while EVA has greater shock absorbency. A medial post for stability and to control twisting in the length of the boot is also found here. Flexible crampons can be attached for above the snowline adventures.
Leather thickness varies from 2.2 to 2.8mm for the exceptional support and structural integrity of the boot's upper. Some extra break-in time may be required with these boots, but if cared for appropriately the leather will mould to your foot for long-term comfort and performance. The leather used around the ankle is lighter than the rest of the upper to reduce pressure on your Achilles tendon.
Throwing your boots into the cupboard without cleaning them after a tramp is the correct way to wreck your investment. Give them a scrub as soon as you get home, making sure you rinse the inside with fresh water and dissolved natural soap to wash away perspiration and body oils. Allow the boots to dry naturally –not in front of an open fire, in the hot water cupboard or direct sunlight. Once dry, warm them up to open the leather's pores and apply a conditioner recommended by the manufacturer. These steps only take a short while to ensure your boots give you years of supple, crack-free service.
Featured boot: Lowa Camino GTX WXL ($599). Distributed by Beattie Matheson Ltd, Auckland. www.lowa.co.nz. www.wildernessmag.co.nz
NAO REACTIVE LIGHTING: Beyond power... intelligence. The first of a generation......... New compact Reactive Lighting headlamps due November 2013
Photo Š Kalice
98 september 2013
www.petzl.com/NAO www.spelean.com.nz
Published on Aug 20, 2013
Preview the September 2013 issue of Wilderness

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Employment Law
Employment Law Questions? Ask an Employment Lawyer.
Thank you for trusting your question to JA today. I am a licensed attorney with over a decade of law practice and over 20 years of experience in the legal field. I'm happy to be of assistance.
The law doesn't actually require fairness in terminations. The fact that you were the only one terminated, by itself, is not enough to establish any sort of legal claim here. You can use that fact to fight for unemployment, but to have a claim of discrimination you'd need another fact.
You'd need to be able to say that the only reason you were let go and the others weren't is your race, religion, gender, age or disability. If you can't point to one of those factors, there is no claim here.
If you can, then you need to file a complaint with the EEOC in your state.If you have any further questions, please let me know. I invite follow up questions, so use REPLY for those. If you have no further questions then good luck going forward and please do not forget to rate my service with a three, a four or preferably a five star rating so that I receive credit for working with you today. Please rate me based on my service and not on your satisfaction with the law, which I am not in control of and I am just reporting to you. Also, feel free to request me in the future, if you have questions concerning a different matter.
Warnings are not required before termination in Florida, or most other states. This is called "at will" employment.
You can legally be terminated without there even being a cause.
So, while these things you are mentioning here certainly make your termination unfair, that doesn't make it illegal. I wish I could tell you differently, but that's just the way the law is on this matter.
Unless you can allege discrimination like I mentioned earlier, all you can do here is fight for unemployment.
Hello, I wanted to check in and make sure that there was not any additional information that you required after the response I previously provided to you. If you need further assistance, please use REPLY and ask me for any additional information you may need. If not, take care and have a great day.


text:
tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75166106547420145802017-06-26T12:25:46.236+02:00Inside out: Russian storiesUnusual questions about everyday life in Russia answeredLenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-79617379064612991442017-01-24T13:49:00.002+02:002017-01-24T13:49:28.451+02:00Russia and the subject of social networksStudying online, I try to engage as much as possible.

Right now I'm really into "Why we post" MOOC at FutureLearn (based on the same research as the "How the world changed social media" book).

So I try and write detailed comments as I go through course material. Why don't I share them here? The question of social media in Russia is not so widely discussed abroad. I can add my 2 cents.

VK.com, one of the main social networks in Russia

Social media platforms

There are some local platforms that surely get more attention from non-English-speaking people than Facebook.

Facebook in Russia is a place for those who speak English or have friends/family abroad or work at the media/IT or live in the biggest cities.

There are two other huge social networks: VK.com and odnoklassniki.ru ("VK" meaning "connecting" and "odnoklassniki" meaning "classmates").

Instagram and Facebook are also widely used.

Whatsapp and Viber are common ways to call for free which means a lot of people use them. Twitter is shrinking, Telegram is growing (it has an amazing broadcasting feature!).

Honestly I could connect with the same person in many ways online. Oftentimes I get a message via one network and answer via another. Thinking about messaging, I think in terms of people, not mediums or brands.

There are also many blogging websites that are also social media for me. Livejournal.com wasn't Russian originally but was bought several years ago and now is mainly occupied by Russian bloggers. There are also diary.ru, Tumblr and some more.

It's common when a person writes long posts at Livejournal website and shares the link to the new blog entry with friends via VK/facebook feed.

Social visibility

In Russia, people mainly try to show up online with the "prettiest" and the "most successful" things, looks and situations. I guess this happens because if you open up with vulnerability, there always are trolls that would have fun because of your situation. You cannot be safe in a public space sharing vulnerable issues so you rarely do.

The more likes you have, the more validated the thing you do becomes. A lot of posts happen because a person needs an outer validation (and I know it from my experience, too). You cannot just say "I'm lonely, please cheer me up". You'd rather post a smiling picture and collect likes for self-assurance (like Super Mario collects coins).

Sometimes when a person posts rarely, you understand there's some sadness and can ask in a direct message if everything is ok (but if you are not close, chances are you'd get "yes, thank you" answer).

If something really bad happens, people post it "under the lock" (within the few selected friends, not really public).

Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-55618258405994972772016-04-22T13:37:00.003+02:002016-04-22T13:39:43.527+02:00I was born in USSRI was born in USSR.
I'm living in Russia.

I remember reading all the "pioneer is a friend of grandpa Lenin" propaganda children books. I've also read works of Tove Jansson, Pamela Travers, Astrid Lindgren, Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and many others.

I remember growing up without Internet or cell phones. Was it dull and boring? Yes. Was I able to read novels without a need to interrupt myself? Indeed.

I remember being afraid of everything because I entered school about Perestroyka. No future, no past, no fancy stuff, no dreams, no close friends. It was scary and upsetting, being a teenager at that time.

It gets more and more complicated every year. News are awful, people are scared, there is too much information and too little strength.

But you know what? The random acts of kindness, the small details that count, the ability to travel and to write, the warmness in strangers — these are the best things I open up in life, from the childhood and onwards.

Maybe the more complicated it gets, the more I value humanity and other emphatic stuff.

Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-23547685280683051212016-03-28T07:00:00.001+02:002016-03-28T07:00:11.296+02:00Christian Guémy (C215) in St. PeteYesterday I got a huge portion of inspiration.

It happened in Erarta, the museum of contemporary art, during the workshop of Christian Guémy. This Parisian street artist (on the right in the photo, the man in the stripes was translating) is famous because of his meaningful stencil projects all around the world.

He was speaking on means of creativity (I've written down the whole talk in Russian), on how being creative is much the same as when you are not just a cook, but a chef. French food metaphors, you know.

I've asked Christian about him being in St. Pete for the first time. He's already been to Moscow 4 times and disliked the violent atmosphere (he showed how the passengers of the subway are kicking each other with elbows).

He said St. Pete is way more civilized, european-like city (and I can't agree more as I moved here from Moscow 9 years ago with the same thoughts).

He named Wassily Kandisky as his fav Russian artist and promised to stencil him, too.

He did that several hours later near Erarta and published on the Facebook page:

He'd also done some other typical stencils in St. Petes before the workshop, themes being "peace/world" (in Russian it's the same word, 'mir'), "love", "cats" and "Virgin":

All pictures used are taken either from my instagram, or from Christian's.Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-68124697043760349982016-02-12T07:38:00.001+02:002016-02-12T07:38:27.379+02:00You're not the real muscovite— Those Muscovites! — my colleague spills the angry word.

I raise the eyebrow.

— Not you, — he corrects himself. — You're not the real muscovite. You're like us.

**
"Us" and "them", this everlasting confrontation in every Russian soul who have been born in USSR.

This time it's about the cultural differences in two major cities. I've lived in both.

Moscow folk: uber-efficient, fast-responsive, overworking and loud in self-presentation.
The driver is excellence. And money, of course.

St.Pete folk: quiet, intelligent, thoughtful, snobbish, respectful, intellectual.
The driver is connection. Not the money. You can get along without high income here (never in Moscow).

**
I'm riding the city bus in St. Pete.

— Have you ever been to Moscow?

I turn off my pink iPod to enter the conversation. Ticket-collector lady is waiting for my answer.

— Yes, I did.

— They do not speak on the bus! Never.

— Maybe they don't have time. They are always in hurry, — I offer the common reason.

She nods. I smile.

Could she guess I was born in Moscow? Probably not. I'm living here for nine years already.

**
St. Pete was built by the powerful man, Peter the Great (he also loved the titles, as any tzar should).

I mean, St. Pete was built by the people of his country. Peter ruled feverishly, installing new (European-like) rules and changing the whole game play.

He moved the capital from Moscow to St.Pete in 1712. He borrowed many ideas from the Netherlands. He was thinking strategically. He used a lot of human resources to build a city «on their bones» (as history books say). It was all the swampiness and nothing else here before Peter came.

He founded the city on the swamp, he named it after himself, he «cut the window to Europe», promoted secular education, he sent youngsters to study abroad, insisted on translating books and founded the modern newspaper. It's amazing how good deeds go along with brutal, even butcher actions. You cannot like or dislike a power of this sort, you're just amazed by it. It's really impressive, how much have been done — and how many have suffered in the process.

Then he died. Even the most powerful ones are just humans in the end.

In 1728 the capital status was returned to Moscow alongside with all the government moving back (and many Peter's initiatives sweeping under the rug).

What was that? A glimpse of the parallel universe, a star from the unknown future, a missed opportunity, a wrongful direction?

All that we are left with is St.Pete.

Italian-like (it was built in stone with Italian architects), breezy (wind lives here all the year round), grey and cold, romantic and intellectual city. The cultural capital. The Northern Venice. The city I now live in.

**
— I've been thinking and I still can't get why do you live here, — a friend recently said to me. This conversation happens all the time but with different people.

— I cannot explain. I like it here. Moscow is so crowded, so hurried-up, so loud.

— But the weather… the winters are so long… the sky is dark...

— We call it «nine months of winter».

— The white nights in the summer are so disturbing! It's impossible to sleep when there's light outside!

— But then we have «dark days» in the winter if you miss the darkness. It's daytime only from 12 noon to 3 pm.

— I don't understand.

— I just love it.Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-4588543762124789232016-02-01T10:11:00.001+02:002016-02-01T10:17:22.253+02:00Alcohol map of kitay-gorodI've posted works of Katya Guschina in this blog earlier. Remember her Transsib drawings?

Now she went further:

this semester in my university had a special theme. we had to create a brand for moscow. my interest in maps and alcohol (dangerous) led me to this project. i knew from my friends that the kitay-gorod area is full of bars and restaurants, so the choice wasn't hard.

the map includes several types of information: from advices by experienced people and recommended places for visiting to phrases heard on the street and suitable drinks.

the naming "blue moscow" comes from the russian tradition to call a very drunk person "blue". that's why blue is the main colour there.

I made the guide in addition to the map. It has three routes: cheap, expensive and "get drunk fast" one. On the other side there is variety of benches where you could sleep until the underground opens.

have a light hangover!

More pictures on the project page: https://www.behance.net/gallery/32603043/alcohol-map-of-kitay-gorodLenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-37644920098057320542016-01-21T07:40:00.000+02:002016-01-21T07:40:49.023+02:00How to shoo away bad luck using wood. Russian superstitionsRussian superstitions are strange, funny, and though they are well documented, the topic remains a favorite for satire. The explanation is very simple: there are a lot — a lot — of superstitions in Russia. So many actually, that one cannot delve through all of them in just one go. If a black cat crosses your path, your day will be filled with bad luck. Don't offer someone an even number of flowers. Well, that is unless said person happens to be dead.

We bring you another compilation of Russian superstitions and the one universal solution on how to shoo away bad luck using wood, saliva, and a mirror.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

Here are a few recommendations to take you through the most important stages of life. For no other reason than this: growing up is hard and you will need all the help you can get!

On marriage

A bride should never wear open-toe shoes at her wedding because all of her blessings will leak through the slit.

On having children

No gifts before the baby is born. Women should not cut their hair throughout the pregnancy, but nobody really knows why. Finally, complimenting newborn babies may put them in the spotlight of evil forces. Don't do it. No one wants to harm an innocent child!

On life and death

It bodes well for a wedding party to encounter a funeral procession. Indeed who can argue that for new things to bloom, old things must die.

FOR ANIMAL LOVERS

Spider and Bird Droppings

Though a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen in Russia, animals can also turn your day around for the better. Spiders for instance, these multi-legged frightful creatures, are believed to bring good news. Similarly, the unfortunate experience of receiving bird droppings turns out to bring good luck. So here's to always looking at the positive side of things!

HOW IKEA ITEMS IN YOUR KITCHEN CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE

The Pursuit of Happiness

In Russia, breaking plates, cups and glasses supposedly bodes well for the future and brings happiness. There is a common wedding tradition requiring newlyweds to throw their champagne flutes over their shoulders after emptying them. Indeed, what wouldn't you do for love?

Fortune Cookie Cutlery

Russians are a hospitable bunch. This is why they use cutlery to predict who will be stopping by for tea. If you drop a tablespoon to the floor, expect a female visitor. If you drop a knife, expect a male guest. See that's how easy it is to be a fortune teller.

MAN IN THE MIRROR

Don't Forget!

If you leave the house hastily and find that you must come back for something you forgot, a mirror will come in handy. Turning back on your steps is a bad omen in Russia. If you absolutely must however, take a few seconds to stare at your reflection in the mirror and you'll be off the hook!

THE FRIEND ZONE

Friendships are Important

There's a saying in Russia: "Better to have a hundred friends than a hundred Roubles". Indeed friendships are important, and to protect these bonds from evil forces, certain rules must be followed.

How NOT to say goodbye

Don't say goodbye while standing on both sides of the threshold of a doorway, it will lead to an argument. The same will happen if you break a handhold by going around a lamppost from both sides. However, if the worst comes to worst , the relationship can still be saved if both parties say "hello for a 100 years" right after!

Lastly, if you step on a friend's foot, they have to step on yours as well to prevent an argument.

Salty Sweet

If you inadvertently pour salt on the floor while cooking, expect a quarrel. But since you were already in the kitchen, you can just pour some sugar over it and thus restore your karmic peace. Another alternative, just draw a cross in the scattered salt.

STUDENT HACKS

Exams

One should never go to an exam wearing new clothes. One may never wash their hair the day before an exam. This would risk washing away all accumulated knowledge.

Rituals

This one is a favorite in the Peterhof dormitories of Saint Petersburg State University. At midnight, on the night preceding important exams, one must open the window and scream 'Halyava pridi' ('Come thee freebie'). In this way they summon knowledge back to them.

Disclaimer: success not guaranteed!

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Abba sings: "Money money money! Must be funny! In the rich man's world", but Russian folklore offers concrete advice on how to manage your finances.

No Whistling

Whistling at night will bring one financial troubles and bad luck in general.

Poverty Purses

When you give someone a purse, make sure there is a coin inside. Unless of course it's an ill-intended gift and you wish endless poverty upon that person.

Million Dollar Baby

On the bright side, there are also ways to know whether being rich is in the cards for you at all. Unintentionally wearing your clothes backwards is directly linked to your financial prospects. Also, when someone you know sees right past you because of a new haircut, don't take offense. It is actually great news because not being recognized by friends and family is also a sign of future riches.

SAFE JOURNEY

Travelling is always a bit stressful. Packing, remembering your passport, and let's face it, turbulence is scary! Russians have devised a verified technique to ensure that all goes smoothly on a long journey.

Sit Down!

After the hassle of packing is complete, right before you step outside and officially begin your trip, you must always — always — sit in silence for a few minutes. But don't you worry too much if you forget to do it once or twice. Our colleague Valery, who almost never fails to accomplish the ritual says that you can still make it without doing this. Only it is never recommended to mess with in-flight safety!

Some of these superstitions are widely known and some were gathered interviewing people at random. Unfortunately, most are negative forebodings and perhaps that would explain why Russians are known to never smile. Who would want to smile when their day, friendships, nay, their whole lives are threatened on a daily basis?

But do not despair. We have uncovered a verified way to counter these evils. Olga, who studies International Affairs at SPBU knows a lot about superstitions. She believes in most of them and shared with us the "one universal solution" to turn one's luck around when faced with misfortune. Either knock on wood to keep away from harm or spit three times over you left shoulder. 'Better yet, do both, one can never be too sure!'

source: http://www.prospektmag.com/2015/11/friday13th/Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-62464987584557496382015-12-30T07:01:00.001+02:002015-12-30T07:01:18.032+02:00How do the Russians laugh online?Like the Greeks do:

Because we have cyrillic alphabet, obviously. Ха-ха-ха.

Compare with 555, jajaja and others here:
How People Express Laughter in Different Languages Around the WorldLenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-44295781686606675422015-12-26T10:26:00.002+02:002015-12-26T10:26:59.728+02:00Dance, siberian style at the stageYou may have watched several "So you think you can dance"-like reality shows. But wait to see the opening dance of this Russian "DANCE" project:

Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-83481052780430608382015-12-14T13:16:00.000+02:002015-12-14T13:16:00.739+02:00Anton Chekhov on the 8 Qualities of Cultured People… You have often complained to me that people "don't understand you"! Goethe and Newton did not complain of that…. Only Christ complained of it, but He was speaking of His doctrine and not of Himself…. People understand you perfectly well. And if you do not understand yourself, it is not their fault.

I assure you as a brother and as a friend I understand you and feel for you with all my heart. I know your good qualities as I know my five fingers; I value and deeply respect them. If you like, to prove that I understand you, I can enumerate those qualities. I think you are kind to the point of softness, magnanimous, unselfish, ready to share your last farthing; you have no envy nor hatred; you are simple-hearted, you pity men and beasts; you are trustful, without spite or guile, and do not remember evil…. You have a gift from above such as other people have not: you have talent. This talent places you above millions of men, for on earth only one out of two millions is an artist. Your talent sets you apart: if you were a toad or a tarantula, even then, people would respect you, for to talent all things are forgiven.

You have only one failing, and the falseness of your position, and your unhappiness and your catarrh of the bowels are all due to it. That is your utter lack of culture. Forgive me, please, but veritas magis amicitiae…. You see, life has its conditions. In order to feel comfortable among educated people, to be at home and happy with them, one must be cultured to a certain extent. Talent has brought you into such a circle, you belong to it, but … you are drawn away from it, and you vacillate between cultured people and the lodgers vis-a-vis.

Cultured people must, in my opinion, satisfy the following conditions:

1. They respect human personality, and therefore they are always kind, gentle, polite, and ready to give in to others. They do not make a row because of a hammer or a lost piece of india-rubber; if they live with anyone they do not regard it as a favour and, going away, they do not say "nobody can live with you." They forgive noise and cold and dried-up meat and witticisms and the presence of strangers in their homes.

2. They have sympathy not for beggars and cats alone. Their heart aches for what the eye does not see…. They sit up at night in order to help P…., to pay for brothers at the University, and to buy clothes for their mother.

3. They respect the property of others, and therefor pay their debts.

4. They are sincere, and dread lying like fire. They don't lie even in small things. A lie is insulting to the listener and puts him in a lower position in the eyes of the speaker. They do not pose, they behave in the street as they do at home, they do not show off before their humbler comrades. They are not given to babbling and forcing their uninvited confidences on others. Out of respect for other people's ears they more often keep silent than talk.

5. They do not disparage themselves to rouse compassion. They do not play on the strings of other people's hearts so that they may sigh and make much of them. They do not say "I am misunderstood," or "I have become second-rate," because all this is striving after cheap effect, is vulgar, stale, false….

6. They have no shallow vanity. They do not care for such false diamonds as knowing celebrities, shaking hands with the drunken P., [Translator's Note: Probably Palmin, a minor poet.] listening to the raptures of a stray spectator in a picture show, being renowned in the taverns…. If they do a pennyworth they do not strut about as though they had done a hundred roubles' worth, and do not brag of having the entry where others are not admitted…. The truly talented always keep in obscurity among the crowd, as far as possible from advertisement…. Even Krylov has said that an empty barrel echoes more loudly than a full one.

7. If they have a talent they respect it. They sacrifice to it rest, women, wine, vanity…. They are proud of their talent…. Besides, they are fastidious.

8. They develop the aesthetic feeling in themselves. They cannot go to sleep in their clothes, see cracks full of bugs on the walls, breathe bad air, walk on a floor that has been spat upon, cook their meals over an oil stove. They seek as far as possible to restrain and ennoble the sexual instinct…. What they want in a woman is not a bed-fellow … They do not ask for the cleverness which shows itself in continual lying. They want especially, if they are artists, freshness, elegance, humanity, the capacity for motherhood….
They do not swill vodka at all hours of the day and night, do not sniff at cupboards, for they are not pigs and know they are not. They drink only when they are free, on occasion…. For they want mens sana in corpore sano [a healthy mind in a healthy body].

And so on. This is what cultured people are like. In order to be cultured and not to stand below the level of your surroundings it is not enough to have read "The Pickwick Papers" and learnt a monologue from "Faust." …

What is needed is constant work, day and night, constant reading, study, will…. Every hour is precious for it…. Come to us, smash the vodka bottle, lie down and read…. Turgenev, if you like, whom you have not read.

You must drop your vanity, you are not a child … you will soon be thirty.
It is time!
I expect you…. We all expect you.

source: https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/01/29/anton-chekhov-8-qualities-of-cultured-people/Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-40513636200769061622015-12-11T09:42:00.000+02:002015-12-11T09:42:00.304+02:00Sushka is not a booblikWikipedia says that "Booblik is a traditional Eastern European bread roll.

It is very similar to a bagel, but somewhat bigger and has a wider hole. Bubliks often also have a much denser and 'chewier' texture than bagels. The bublik is acknowledged to be the progenitor of the bagel."

Also it says that sushka is the sister of the booblik. Which I doubt very much.

Take a look at sushka yourself:

It's small, crunchy and light in weight. You can eat it and crackle to the point where your coworkers hate the sound.

Or, you can brew hot sweet tea and throw it to the cup as my granny did. Sushka turns big and soft, so easy to eat when you so not have your teeth anymore (speaking of grannies).Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-42905930193948102822015-12-10T07:10:00.000+02:002015-12-10T07:10:21.673+02:00Instagram of regular RussiaI personally enjoy Instagram from 2010. So it's been already longer than 5 years of me watching how the life goes in many corners of this planet.

I have Spanish friends, Japanese friends, American friends, Australian ones and so forth. I can see the world with their eyes.

Let me show you one of Russian instagramers. He doesn't live in Moscow or Petersburg. He lives in Russia. The city name is Tomsk.

#tomsk

Фото опубликовано @vovadudarev <time datetime="2015-12-10T04:37:27+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Дек 9 2015 в 8:37 PST</time>

Есть че? #tomsk

Фото опубликовано @vovadudarev <time datetime="2015-11-26T09:38:21+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Ноя 26 2015 в 1:38 PST</time>

#tomsk

Фото опубликовано @vovadudarev <time datetime="2015-11-21T07:20:59+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Ноя 20 2015 в 11:20 PST</time>

#joetriptomsk

Фото опубликовано @vovadudarev <time datetime="2015-11-08T10:20:20+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Ноя 8 2015 в 2:20 PST</time>

#ронибароновна равнодушна к живописи, зато джаз слушает часами )

Фото опубликовано @vovadudarev <time datetime="2015-10-24T06:10:16+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Окт 23 2015 в 11:10 PDT</time>

#tomsk

Фото опубликовано @vovadudarev <time datetime="2015-07-28T15:07:42+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Июл 28 2015 в 8:07 PDT</time>

Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-17168844090607549362015-12-09T12:44:00.003+02:002015-12-09T12:44:30.810+02:00Four-day marathon public reading of War and Peace begins in RussiaA marathon four-day Russian public reading of Leo Tolstoy's vast classic novel War and Peace kicked off on Tuesday morning, with more than 1,300 people in more than 30 cities preparing to make their contributions to the record-breaking project.

Coordinated by Tolstoy's great-great-granddaughter Fekla Tolstaya, and featuring a number of cultural luminaries including the Polish film director Andrzej Wajda, the readings are being streamed by Russian state television channel Kultura. One volume of Tolstoy's fictionalised history of Russia during the Napoleonic campaign will be read each day.

The novel opens in 1805, as Anna Pavlovna Scherer, "maid of honour and favourite of the Empress Marya Fedorovna", is throwing a party with Napoleon being talked of as the man – and possible military adversary – of the hour. The mission to complete the reading of the novel's more than half a million words is due to conclude by the end of Friday.

"We're starting at 10am, and we will go through to midnight or two or three am, depending," Tolstaya told the Guardian. "They're extremely long."

As well as the Oscar winner Wajda, the readers were drawn from across Russia, including schoolchildren, politicians, professors and actors – as well as one cosmonaut. More than 6,000 people applied to be part of the project, said Tolstaya, with the successful candidates each given a two-to-three minute excerpt from the novel, to be read in carefully chosen museums, libraries and institutions across Russia. French readers are also being drafted in to read the many sections of the novel written in French.

"This is the biggest reading of War and Peace in the world – a four-day marathon, uniting the whole country and people all over the world. [And] it is very democratic: we can have a minister of culture reading next to a student from Vladivostok, a great actor then an old lady reading from a library in Siberia," Tolstaya said.

"For me it shows how we are all equal when we speak about literature, when we speak about books – everyone can find something for themselves in this book. Bearing in mind that my name is Tolstoy, I think you would allow me to say that War and Peace is the number one Russian book. And I say that not only because I am a Tolstoy, but because it is something special for every Russian. For me it is about love, about how the young grow up; and the older I become, the more philosophical I find this text."

The reading marks the culmination Russia's "year of literature", and Tolstoys from around the world are also participating, Tolstaya said. "My family is very big – there are descendants of Tolstoy all over the world, so there will be Tolstoys reading from the US, Britain, Brazil and France."

The Russian branch of the family will read from the Tolstoy family estate, Yasnaya Polyana, where he wrote War and Peace.

"For me it is extremely important to show the world that it is not only problems, and war and difficult things, happening in Russia, but that we can do something like this too," Tolstaya said. "People argue with each other when they speak about politics, [but] culture, our cultural heritage, great Russian literature – this is the place where we all unite."

As well as Wajda, other celebrities taking part include Andrei Konchalovsky, another director; Vladimir Urin, the Bolshoi ballet's director, and Valentina Matvienko, speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament.

source: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/dec/08/four-day-marathon-public-reading-of-war-and-peace-begins-in-russiaLenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-7909262710276893962015-12-06T13:27:00.000+02:002015-12-06T13:27:00.077+02:00Speaking about bosses...

(found on facebook) Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-67940371196444797122015-12-04T07:33:00.000+02:002015-12-04T07:33:00.786+02:00Why a pizza can't flyThe story of a world-shaking innovative enterprise should start in a garage. The story of a flying pizza is no exception to this rule. One day in the spring of 2014, a police department in Syktyvkar, a city in Northwestern Russia, got a call from a concerned person who reported that a few suspicious young men occupied a garage in his neighborhood. They were making a lot of noise and were bothering all the respectable citizens living in the area.

When policemen arrived at the location, they did find a few people in the garage, although the crime scene looked somewhat unusual. The gang wasn't smoking pot. There was no loud music. No half-naked girls. No parts of (probably stolen) cars could be seen. The space was instead filled with electronic equipment.

One of the men was Fedor Ovchinnikov, an entrepreneur and the founder of Dodo Pizza, a fast-growing Russian pizza chain established in Syktyvkar a few years ago. He was joined by Oleg Ponfilyonok, the founder of Copter Express, a startup company from Moscow.

The pizza guy and the сopter guy teamed up to find out how to make pizza deliveries by drones possible. The challenge was to do the real thing, for actual customers—not a performance for shooting a TV ad. Nobody had done something like this yet—not only in Syktyvkar or in Russia, but in the whole world.

The officer was evidently puzzled by what he saw. It was hard to articulate what exactly these people were doing that was against the law, since drones didn't even exist when the law was written. He did his best to find the words to voice a complaint.

"People say that your thing is flying around at night making noise, and they can't sleep," he said.

"So, your recommendation for us is not to fly after eleven?" Ponfilyonok asked.

"My recommendation for you is to stop doing whatever you're doing here," the officer said.

Luckily (for the sake of our story of a flying pizza), they didn't follow his recommendation. They didn't stop.

Read all the article with pictures and videos at dodo's websiteLenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-23203768205531904612015-12-02T17:44:00.000+02:002015-12-02T17:44:00.566+02:00Léonard Gianadda. Pictures from Moscow in 1957

Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-30298302520146227272015-11-30T17:43:00.000+02:002015-11-30T17:43:00.934+02:00Russian stereotypes of IT employees (with cute pictures)

Source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/31138923/IT-charactersLenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-85664118793925822272015-11-26T11:33:00.000+02:002015-11-26T11:33:01.277+02:00Weird design: apartment block with "chicken legs"This apartment block has 22 floors and 221 apartments. It's situated in St. Pete (see on Google maps). It was built in 1988.

More pictures of this remarkably grey building, including of apartments, you can find in this Russian article.Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-12684968055688152422015-11-24T11:37:00.002+02:002015-11-24T11:37:39.420+02:00The happiness scale: true story

Source: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/data/Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-18174537769147610332015-11-17T20:14:00.004+02:002015-11-17T20:14:54.350+02:00Russian artist Katya Guschina sketches TranssibShe says:

I am really keen on two things: travelling and sketching. When i started my first yeat at university, i got an opportunity to combine my interests in one project - sketchbook about Transsib.
Transsib is nearly 9000 km long and it is one of the biggest railways in the world. Starting its way from Moscow, it goes through Udmurtia, Ural, Siberia, lake Baikal and Far East. This journey takes five days by train. For this project i used sources about the Transsib, blogs, books and personal memoirs of my friend and family. Follow the railway to see all the Russian beauty from the window of the train.

She sketches:

All of her sketches:

first part

second part

Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-91753647476029144122015-11-12T13:07:00.000+02:002015-11-12T13:07:26.019+02:00A Bright Future - New Works from RussiaCanadian architect turned photographer David Burdeny presents a collection of images showcasing the stunning and elaborate Moscow and St. Petersburg Metro system in A Bright Future - New Works from Russia.

The photographer spent two weeks shooting the aesthetically amazing stations and, as far as he's aware, remains the only photographer in the world to have been granted permission to shoot at these locations after they had been emptied of passengers.

It took over a year for the photographer to gain permission to pursue this project, and he was forced to rent the stations by the hour and shoot only after midnight.

This station is my favorite, sometimes I come there just to look at these glass columns and to touch them:

source: http://hyperallergic.com/242843/opulent-propaganda-the-subterranean-paradise-of-the-moscow-metro/Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-4589418309507262472015-11-06T11:33:00.000+02:002015-11-06T11:33:01.457+02:00What do Russians and Italians have in common?Today I've found a nice post in my Facebook feed and ran here to share with you.

"It's been nearly two months since I moved to Italy. And in these two months I've learned that Italians and Russians have much more in common than it could possibly make sense, both geographically and historically. The things I'm about to write are coming from a generalization of the worst kind - the one based on nationality, but I hope I manage to get through this minefield without offending anyone or falling into superficial labeling.

So. What do Russians and Italians have in common?

Sarcasm
This was a wonderful discovery that immediately made me feel at home. Italians are great at sarcasm and they use it in pretty much the same way Russians do. It's not the English manner of: "Let me attempt to humiliate you as subtly as I possibly can, so that you don't have any valid reason to punch me in the face", it's a violent, cheerful irony targeted at everyone and everything that happens to be in sight. Italians use sarcasm as a way of bonding, and the closer you become with someone, the harsher it gets. Tough love here.

Caring
If you look hungry - you will be fed. If you look upset - you won't be left alone until you seem cheered up. If your house is invaded by aliens, there will be an uncle of a friend of a brother who once worked at disinfestation services and is ready to help: he is coming tomorrow at 7 a.m., stop arguing and get your protection suit ready. Caring is part of both the Russian and Italian DNA, and if someone likes you, he doesn't need an invitation to start solving your problems. It's a great thing when you need help and don't know how to ask, but can be confusing if you are into figuring things out on your own.

Throwing money to the wind (for noble reasons)
Buying dinner for 10 people, half of whom you will never meet again? Check. Lending a third of your lifetime savings to a friend who happened to be in a terrible need of a new motorcycle? Check. Counting cents to the next salary? Check. Russians do it, Italians do it better. I thought I was used to the generosity that almost borders on a proud detestation of having money, but even I had to adjust my meter to the Italian scale.

Expensive taste
Speaking of wasting money. Moscow and Milan are surely the two capitals of designer bags. One time I decided to count all the purses that cost over a thousand euros while going home by tram. Fourteen. And there could not have been more than twenty women on the tram. I bet half of those bags are good fakes, indistinguishable from the originals until you start examining them closely, but still - it means that 1/3 of all women on the tram own a real designer bag.

Loving your country, but not liking it
This is a dangerous topic, but it seems that both Italians and Russians are used to keeping detailed lists of everything that's wrong with their motherland. People here can talk about the beauty of Italy for hours – they are proud of it in the same way one is proud of his local football team – but many of those with whom I shared more than one bottle of wine have plans of leaving Italy at some point.

Inventiveness
Outsmarting the system for the pure joy of it is a national sport both for Italians and Russians. If there's any rule worth breaking - it will be broken, graciously.

Love of tragedy
If you're going to be stuck with a project late at night, make sure all the seven floors of your office know how bad it all is, how desperate you are, how deep the boss will bury your corpse if you fail to deliver. And then, when you happen to sell that line: "Buy one - get one free", you can celebrate gloriously, because you've just prevented the biggest catastrophe on Earth. I'm exaggerating shamelessly, of course, but, oh, it feels like home.

Low boiling point
If an Italian is unhappy about something - you will know it; if he is delighted - you will quickly be informed. Same goes for Russians. No poker faces needed – you won't get confused deciphering the mood of those around you. They will throw it all in your face long before you've even detected anything was wrong, and it might as well break your nose.

Passion
The wild prowess that, without a proper object, brings chaos and starts fights. You will see this glimpse of happy anger in the eyes of a Russian, as he drives his car 150 km/h into a snowstorm. You will find the same in the eyes of an Italian - even as he parks his Vespa in a quiet street. It takes one to know one".

Source: https://www.facebook.com/polina.zabrodskaya/posts/10204779617802128Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-18832603086723487922015-10-30T15:04:00.000+02:002015-10-30T15:04:00.057+02:00Things of the Soviet pastCollection of 61 things from Moscow Design Museum at the website of Thngs:

Lenochkahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-10758815158716572762015-10-28T09:25:00.003+02:002015-10-28T09:25:40.799+02:00Working in Russia: Finnish investor shares his impressionsIf you're working in international business, you have most likely participated in some kind of diversity or cultural training sessions. You know the kind. Those meetings where we learn that Germans are punctual, Italians are emotional and Finns don't talk — without some alcohol.

For me, the past 1,000 days of working in Russia have been a true deep dive into the Russian landscape, business culture and mentality. And I have gained an understanding that is impossible to get from these sterilized meetings, which tend to focus on stereotypes.

During this amazing journey, I have visited 59 Russian cities, embraced numerous governors and seen all 11 time zones of this enormous country. And it is worth mentioning that all my preconceived notions about Russia were wrong.

Before deciding to come to work in Russia, I had very little knowledge of it, even though my own country — Finland — shares a long border with it. I had been a tourist in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but as the Finnish and Russian languages share probably only three common words, my ability to communicate and get to know people was very limited.

So what are my observations so far?

I'm a nerd, so I was thrilled to see the level and quality of telecommunications across the country — in complete contrast to my wildest expectations. Russians truly love and use all the latest gadgets. The post-Soviet "PlayStation Generation" is particularly well connected. Social media is widely used, and news from all over the world is at everyone's fingertips. There is no "Great Firewall," on the Russian Internet, like in China, so it is very annoying to see even serious, informed people lump Russia and China together in the same category when discussing online freedom.

Despite all my doubts, the infrastructure of the cities I have visited more or less meets European and American standards. Yes, some of the roads are pretty bad, but airports, hotels, restaurants and other services are well developed. Starbucks is everywhere, and I use my credit card for almost everything. I pay my bills using the online services of Russian banks, and money transfers from my home bank can be arranged overnight. For travel I use mostly airlines like Aeroflot, which has a very modern fleet of Airbus planes. I am not a specialist in air travel by any means, but as an anecdote I must say that in the past 1,000 days, I have only had my flights delayed twice, and for 15 minutes at the most.

Of course the state of the Russian economy right now is not good, but this current turbulence is good for my business — promoting the culture of startups and innovation in Russia. If oil prices were high, it would be practically impossible to convince any local businesses to make difficult restructuring decisions.

Naturally, I don't wish hard times on anyone, but now, when I see the creation of new businesses and the modernization of big companies, I can't help but think that there are some benefits to the current situation.

Also from the standpoint of an investor, the devalued currency has created many opportunities — after all, our potential to make money occurs in the "buying" stage of the investment.

But I must mention the most beautiful part of life in Russia — the food. When I arrived in the country, the only Russian food I knew of was borscht. But in the first few days, I realized that Russians will spend a lot of money on two things — high-quality food and high-heeled shoes. In every city I visit, I just have to log on to TripAdvisor to see an amazing variety of restaurants and cuisine.

There is something for every taste — from sushi to Caucasian cuisine.

So, dear friends in the global business community, open your eyes to Russia. Take it from me — seeing is believing!

SourceLenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-47140834178514310102015-10-22T09:46:00.000+02:002015-10-22T09:46:10.004+02:00Anton ChekhovAs I re-read Chekhov's stories myself, I would love to share them with you. They are witty, clever, heartwarming and truthful. And short.

I found this website with several of them but I guess there are hundreds of possibilities. Chekhov was translated a long time ago and many people adore his work.

Lenochkahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516610654742014580.post-67760365797200909652015-10-15T17:29:00.000+02:002015-10-15T17:29:17.737+02:00Subway employees, St. PetersburgSoon there will be photo exhibition full of official subway peeps' shots. A couple of photographers worked for 6 months taking pictures of underground workers.

Just look at them:

Why are those Russians so serious, you think to yourself.
Because they're at work, that's why.Lenochkahttp://email@example.com


text:
Ocala man shocked by Taser twice in Gainesville arrest
Published: Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 6:03 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 6:03 p.m.
An Ocala man was arrested in Gainesville late Friday after police said he challenged an officer, who had to use a Taser twice to subdue him.
According to a Gainesville Police report, Corey Lawayne Mosley, 37, of 2420 NE 77th Loop, and an unidentified female were backing a vehicle into a vacant lot in the 1000 block of Southeast 6th Avenue when an officer approached them.
Mosley began throwing objects onto the ground and making movements as if trying to conceal something in his pants, the report said.
The pair began leaving and the officer told Mosley to stop.
Mosley asked the officer why he should, saying that he didn't have to stop, according to the report.
The officer grabbed Mosley's right hand to detain him, and Mosley pulled away. The officer attempted to grab Mosley again, but he took a fighting stance and told the officer that that he would come at him, saying that the officer wouldn't respond, the report said.
Mosley took two steps toward the officer, who shot him with a Taser. Mosley tried to remove the probes and after telling Mosley to stop, the officer cycled the Taser once more, the report said.
Mosley told police that he did not know the woman who was with him, and that he had been making arrangements with her for a ride home. He also told police that he had been trying to discard an open container of alcohol when the officer first approached.
Mosley was arrested on a charge of resisting arrest without violence. He was being held Sunday at the Alachua County jail on a $5,000 bond.
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