What makes the FSU so interesting?

[Gator]

I have not seen STOP signs in English.  All were in four Cyrillic letters that spelled S T O P.   

[Steamer]

I have not seen STOP signs in English.  All were in four Cyrillic letters that spelled S T O P.

I've seen a lot of English stop signs outside the Moscow area. I asked my wife and her parents why and they gave me a strange look like it was all normal but couldn't answer me.

[mendeleyev]

Mendy - why are some of the STOP signs in Russia written in English and look exactly the same as U.S.

Years ago I encountered my first of such just outside the Sergiev Posad monastery along the Golden Ring area. They started to appear in the early 2000s and whenever I'd spot one, it made me wonder if somebody in public works had somehow run across a clearance sale on American stop signs? :-)

More recently they've become much more prevalent, and especially as Russia was preparing for the Olympics. They are an international symbol recognized universally which is the best explanation that I've received. As to why they have not switched all such over is likely one of economics, first, and politics second. Even this long after the Olympic games, English transliterations on street and highway signs are slowly being rolled out. In addition to the economics of such a endeavor, given the backlash against anything perceived as American, such projects are slower.

[ML]

. . . the backlash against anything perceived as American . . .

Why . . . what did we do ?

[mendeleyev]

Why . . . what did we do ?

Other than being the target of intense controlled media pounding day after day...we didn't.

[msmobyone]

Other than being the target of intense controlled media pounding day after day...we didn't.

But you 'did' ..

America is the reason Yanu' needed a Russian escort to leave Ukraine 

[mendeleyev]

Actually, no Moby. When Yanu's MAJORITY Party of Regions in the Rada agreed to impeach, he needed to get out of town.

[msmobyone]

Hi Mendy,

excuse me

I was being ironic 

If folks don't realise that his own political party has disowned him....and his number was up ..

[mendeleyev]

Despite an overwhelming daily dose of anti-American pounding in media, where would many Russians want to live if given the opportunity?

You guessed it, the bad ole USA.

The most recent form of anti-American propaganda has to do with international trafficking of women and children. Most organizations fighting this legitimate fight will say that the worst offenders are Middle Eastern Muslim countries and Israel.

The new Russian narrative however is that the USA is the hot spot destination. To a degree, some of those claims are true, but Russian media conveniently overlooks the fact that it is organized crime in Russia that supplies "dancers" and "escorts" to Russian mafia groups in the USA, primarily via New York. Many of these are modern serfdom situations with girls lured by the promise that if they will "work" for a certain period of years, they will be released with proper documents, etc, to stay in America. Rarely are those promises of freedom realized.

All this is very interesting in light of a new poll taken by Moscow's English language radio station, Capital FM (formerly known as Moscow FM). Moscow listeners are being asked in a current survey the question that "if you could live in any city of the world, which city would you prefer?"

Program director Pete Cato says that so far, the overwhelming response has been--you guessed it, New York.

Pete also indicated that Russian listeners make active use of Viper and What'sapp (#capitalfmmoscow) to respond to radio surveys, requests, etc, these days.

[ML]

Pretty funny . . . the anti-Americans who would like to live in New York.

But almost as funny (or sad), are the number of anti-American Americans who make no effort to move to another country.

[mendeleyev]

The "White Nights" of Russian summers are returning. Saturday night we went to bed and it was dark. We have blackout curtains but I didn't bother pulling them shut. Well, I woke to very bright sunshine. It was Sunday morning and so I roused Mrs M and told her that likely we would be late for church.

She calmly suggested that I look at a clock because it felt like about 4-5am to her. Okay, but it looked bright and warm enough to be 10am to my eyes. As is most often the case in marriage--the wife was correct. It was only 4:30am upon checking.



We made it to church just fine after sleeping a couple more hours.

[mendeleyev]

Fourth of July in Russia



The 4th of July is celebrated in Moscow at Spaso House, the home of the US Ambassador to Russia since 1933. Spaso House is the Ambassador's residence, not the Embassy, and is located at #10 Spasopeskovskaya Square.

If memory serves correctly, there is a precise 7-step formula for celebrating the 4th in America: beer-BBQ-beer-hamburgers/hotdogs-beer-potato salad (potatoe for you Brits)-beer. In that exact order. Parades, flags, fireworks, apple pie and ice cream, etc, are merely garnishments (patriotic styled condiments) to the above, and optional.



Not being much of a drinker, well aside from the obligatory vodka and champagne toasts at the New Year, so admittedly this editor is out of sync with the American precise 7-step formula. My quest to acquire an American beer was a failure. There was a "Union Jack" beer, but it represented the wrong side of that conflict.

Some readers might suggest that it would be appropriate to ask "What Would Jesus Do?" That was no help either. Jesus had class--he was a wine guy. You must admit that he didn't turn the water into Bud Light any more than he turned it into Tang as some mistakenly believe. Judging from the comments recorded at the wedding feast, Jesus knew his wines.

With all other options exhausted, it was deemed necessary to settle for a Belgium IPA. Belgium succeeded in seceding (gawd, we are good!) from the Netherlands in 1830, and so it seemed that the revolutionary spirit might come alive in their "Rampant" Imperial IPA. Sadly, something is missing--maybe it is the fireworks-but if anyone wishes to try one, there is about half of a small 355ml bottle sitting in the fridge. Help yourself.

Now seems about time to join Jesus for a glass of wine.

Save

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[Anotherkiwi]

If memory serves correctly, there is a precise 7-step formula for celebrating the 4th in America: beer-BBQ-beer-hamburgers/hotdogs-beer-potato salad (potatoe for you Brits)-beer. In that exact order. Parades, flags, fireworks, apple pie and ice cream, etc, are merely garnishments (patriotic styled condiments) to the above, and optional.

How do you figure that one out, mendy?  Brits (and Kiwis and Aussies) spell potato just the same as anyone else.  The "e" is only added when it's a plural - potatoes.

[mendeleyev]

I've been trained wrong! Thank you for setting me straight. 

[Eduard]

Pretty funny . . . the anti-Americans who would like to live in New York.

just as funny as Americans voting for Hillary because they want "Change" ;-)
This must be human nature... have you noticed that many new immigrants to the US stay loyal and patriotic to their country of origin? They do not even try to assimilate. Given the opportunity many of them would turn this country into the same place they came from... try to make sense out of that one! LOL

[Eduard]

Why . . . what did we do ?

Russians respect and admire strength. America is no longer perceived strong in the eyes of Russians and other nations around the world. Combined with lots of subtle and not so subtle anti-American propaganda this explains the anti-American sentiment among Russians.

[msmobyone]

Russians respect and admire strength. America is no longer perceived strong in the eyes of Russians and other nations around the world. Combined with lots of subtle and not so subtle anti-American propaganda this explains the anti-American sentiment among Russians.

I think it is better explained by aspect of Russian media wanting to blame any negatives on anyone but the actual perpetrator....

[2tallbill]

Bump All newbies should read this thread

Note to mods: Why is Eduard still on the restricted punishment?
Hasn't he served his time?

[msmob]

+1

[Grumpy]

For those interested, there is some good content here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/russian/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Resource%22&restrict_sr=1

[2tallbill]

I have not seen STOP signs in English.  All were in four Cyrillic letters that spelled S T O P.

Me too, this is what they look like.

[ML]

STOP

This is one of the words that is same in English and Russian.

An interesting tidbit regarding this.

I took a UW to Antalya, Turkey for a month.

We rented an apartment that was in a complex where most of the units were purchased by wealthy folks from all around Europe.

It had a pool, club house, and a place where you could get Turkish baths.

I never much care for those Turkish baths, but usually the FSU gals love them, so this gal wanted to go.

She was in there a very long time.

I asked her how it went, in view of fact that the pictures on the wall showed the women going topless.

She went topless and, of course, got a male assigned to give her the treatment.

She let him wash her breasts.

Then he made moves to massage her pussy (she had on bikini there) and she said strongly STOP.

I said:  How would he know what that word was?

She said:  It's the same in English and Russian, so I am sure he knew the meaning; and he did stop . . . or so she told me !!

[Maxx2]

STOP

This is one of the words that is same in English and Russian.

They pronounce it here Shhh-topp


Stop is a good word to know for taxi drivers. Other words that are good know is Pre-yama (Straight ahead) Na-prava (To the right) Na-leva (To the left)