Russian Life and Media

[ML]

I have already seen the Moscow Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker in another city.  The performance was really terrible.  They send the third stringers on these tours to USA . . . because we won't know any difference anyway!!

[mendeleyev]

Wow, sorry to hear that ML.

As a traveling troupe I'm not certain that unless you're in a small town that they have 3rd stringers.

The performance in Phoenix last year was splendid.

[mendeleyev]

Question: I've heard that Red Square becomes a giant skating rink in December. Really?

Answer: Yes, but don't just take our word for it. Photographer and Moscow guide Olga Boiko would say that you need to come and see for yourself!



Moscow guide Olga Boiko enjoys Red Square in winter!

Olga Boiko is a well known guide for those who want to see Moscow and when it comes to winter experiences Olga says that, "My absolutely favorite place for winter outdoor skating in Moscow is certainly the ice skating rink on Red Square."




Moscow guide Olga Boiko recommends a visit to Red Square in winter! You can ask Olga questions yourself about Moscow at her website: www.askmoscow.com

[mendeleyev]

From today's Mendeleyev Journal:


There are some pretty cool political advertisements leading up to the 4 December election to Russia's DUMA (parliament). It's just too bad that you won't see most of them.

First it was national TV ads being pulled. For the opposition that is, as most were judged to be "inappropriate" for various reasons. Next was the Moscow Metro which pulled down signs for the Yabloko (Apple) party.

We liked this apple ad: "Tired of being represented by vegetables...vote for Apple!" Metro officials said it was offensive so the ads were removed.

This next video ad however remains on TV. Apparently it isn't offensive, well at least it promotes the ruling United Russia party and strangely none of their ads have been banned. Take a look for yourself:





Reacting to a new Kremlin poll leaked to Gazetta newspapers by an unknown source, the poll reveals that even close to home--in the Moscow region--United Russia will garner around 29% of the vote, a far lower number than the 55%+ the Kremlin had wanted. United Russia officials are banking on younger voters, thus the rationale for commercials like the one above, in the hope that young voters will make up the difference.

Time will tell.

[mendeleyev]

Happy anniversary, of sorts.





It was on 8 December 1991 that the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed the Belavezha Accords, which began the dissolution process for the Soviet Union.  That action also established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).









On 21 December 1991, the representatives of all Soviet republics except Georgia signed the Alma-Ata Protocol confirming the accords. On 25 December 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as the President of the USSR and declared the office to be extinct, turning power over to the individual states.

On 26 December the Supreme Soviet, the governing body of the Soviet Union, voted to declare itself dissolved.

[mendeleyev]

Random thoughts...

- What time zone is it anyway? Today President Medvedev took a phone call from President Obama. Mr. Obama is concerned about the attitude of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as of late. Listen Barack, it isn't just as of late. He has disliked you from day one and it won't go away. Don't bother with misspelling another reset button, as he wasn't that amused by the first botched attempt and would be even less tolerant of a second. Buy a pair of gloves and wool overcoat cause the world could get chilly again.

Mr. Obama congratulated President Medvedev on Russia's entry into the WTO. About time. The two made meaningless small talk of continued good will and cooperation; exchanged New Year and Christmas greetings, etc. They talked about another meeting but no dates were set. Have my peps call your peps, etc.


- Off the phone call, Mr. Medvedev got back to the business at hand--the meeting with India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. That guy comes to Moscow every time he gets a chance and he is always smiling! That is what is so striking-- every time he arrives with that head covering and he is always smiling. Perhaps up top is where one hides the vodka?

On a more serious note, India is a very important trading partner with Russia. In fact, bilateral trade increased to a figure of $7 billion over the first nine months of 2011 and that figure will increase in coming years. India is buying Russian military technology and Russia is building nuclear plants, dams, and railroads in India. The two are also planning a joint rail project in China and have invited Ukraine (trying to get the Ukrainians interested in big brother again) to join in some small role in the China rail deal.

This is the 65th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries and it has been beneficial for both. One of the more "kodak moments" of the early Medvedev presidency was the Indian visit to the Kremlin Grand Palace and the state dinner for President Smt. Pratibha  Devisingh Patil. You might have thought it was the Obama visit when he astonished Medvedev by bringing the entire family along with hundreds of additional staff. You couldn't fault him for the kids as I would have done the same. Nor was it the moment when "W" (George Bush) dropped his jaw as President Medvedev escorted him thru those hall doors leading to the splendor of the Kremlin Palace.  Hey, when it comes to palatial splendor, America just has nothing like it.



- Did you realize that yesterday (16 December) was the 20th Anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence? President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has been in power all that time. If you think that Russia's elections were rigged...and at least Mr. Putin has not declared himself as a president for life.

Kazakhstan was the last Soviet republic to declare independence. Hard to believe that Uzbekistan, who received a fax from Moscow confirming the breakup of the CCCP (and nobody in Tashkent noticed the fax for a day!) actually beat them to the punch. Kazakhstan is a Turkish country and the women have that blend of Asian and Russian features--breathtakingly stunning at times.

 Kazakh is the official language but Russian is spoken and understood in every nook and corner and with the Customs Union with Russia and Belarus things are likely to stay that way. Over 70% of the country is Muslim and Orthodoxy most of the remaining percentage. Geographically it is a very large country but the population is less than 18 million.


- It isn't a Christmas song at all, in fact it is a funeral/memorial part of the liturgy, but for some reason "Pie Jesu" just fits at Christmas. Perhaps it is the part of "lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" that makes the song so appropriate this time of year.

So I stepped into the "Smooth Favorites" radio studio (www.MyFavoriteChannel.com) to see how many versions of the song is played around Christmas. Answer: Celtic Woman, Sissel and by Gregorian, the new age group.

Here is a sample:





I wondered why the version by Anna Netrebko, the beautiful Russian singer hadn't been included? That prompted some action and apparently it will be added soon. If you had to choose to listen to Pie Jesu by either Sissel and Gregorian, which would you choose?





Shameless plug: If you don't mind having to put up with listening to my voice all day and night, you might enjoy the jazzed up Christmas favourites on "Smooth Favorites" (jazz and pop oldies) radio at www.MyFavoriteChannel.com, and during the Christmas season several international songs, including "Silent Night" and a couple of others are interspersed in Russian.



- Finally, it was Russia's turn last week and so yesterday in Ukraine President Yanukovich met with the diplomatic corps in a presentation of credentials ceremony.

If you've never attended one, it is a ceremony in which each Ambassador presents his credentials (as if one of them might be there by mistake!) to the president of the host country. The host president welcomes the Ambassadors, introduces the new envoys to the rest of the assembled diplomats, and then they stand in a long line to shake hands with the president and foreign minister of the host country and are handed a toast.

You may be interested to know that presidential staffs do track this sort of thing and a Muslim diplomat or a teetotaler is handed a flute with juice for the toast. It is amazing that the host president is still standing on his own after greeting and toasting a line full of Ambassadors from around the globe. Shoot, events like this were right up Boris Yeltsin's alley...

Speaking of Ukraine, former President Kuchma will literally get away with murder. This week a Ukrainian court threw out murder charges against the man who ruled Ukraine in such a fashion that more than a small number of opposition candidates and independent journalists routinely died in mysterious circumstances. Simply mere happenstance one can suppose?

I think the term "murder" more closely fits his profile. But what I think doesn't matter in a Ukrainian court.

[mendeleyev]

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD - черный хлеб


The Mendeleyev Journal tracks how readers find us. Since we added this recipe in 2007 it has been consistent in bringing 35-50 readers a day via various search engines. We had no idea at the time that it would be so popular and have gone on to build a Russian culinary section around it which has not only brought new readers, but given the Journal a "sticky" factor of helping readers stay longer and read more than just one page. In 2009 we gave the bread a page of all its own.

Also amazingly, this recipe fits within Nativity fasting guidelines and is a popular Russian staple. Few foods are as important to a Russian table as bread, especially back rye bread. For centuries across the region black bread has meant the difference between starvation and life itself during times of trouble.




In times of plenty and celebration, Russian black bread is a symbol of wealth and health.  And so we present one of the very best recipes for hardy, thick, deliciously healthy Russian black bread.

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups unsifted rye flour
3 cups unsifted white flour
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 cups whole bran cereal
2 tbsp. crushed caraway seed
2 tsp. instant coffee (or powdered, used, coffee grounds!)
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. fennel seed, crushed
2 pckg. active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup vinegar (or 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar)
1/4 cup DARK molasses
1 square (1 oz) UN-sweetened chocolate (or Baker's Redi-Blend)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup COLD water (*icy* cold!)

Combine the rye and white flours.  Mix thoroughly (use a large bowl) 2-1/3
cups of the flour mixture, the sugar, salt, cereal, caraway seed, coffee,
onion powder, fennel seed and *undissolved* dry yeast.

Combine 2-1/2 cups of water, vinegar, molasses, chocolate and margarine in a
saucepan.  Heat over LOW heat until the liquids are very warm.  Margarine
and chocolate do NOT need to melt.  Gradually add the mixture to the dry
ingredients and beat for about two minutes with your mixer, scraping the
bowl from time to time.  Add 1/2 cup of the flour mixture. Beat at HIGH
speed for about two minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.  Stir in enough
additional mixture of the flour to make a *soft* dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board.  Cover and let it rest for
about 15 minutes.  Then knead until smooth and elastic - where it gets that
special sheen well-kneaded dough gets, about 10 to 15 minutes.  The dough
may be sticky, but that's OK.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to
grease the top of the dough as well as the bottom. 

Cover and let it rise in a warm place, free from any draft (I stick it in the oven - the pilot light keeps it warm enough....if you use an electric stoves turn the oven to about 100 degrees and keep the door SHUT.  When the dough has doubled in
bulk (usually about an hour), punch it down, turn it out onto a lightly
floured board. Divide in half.  Shape each half into a ball about 5 inches
across.  Place each ball into the center of a greased 8-inch round cake pan.
Cover, and let it rise in the same warm place, free from draft, until
they're both doubled in bulk again.  Usually about another hour - depending
on the weather outside.  Don't laugh. It's true.  Never try to bake bread
while it's raining.


Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until done (depending on
the weather).  Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and the ice water.  Cook
over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just starts to
boil; continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another minute.  As soon as
the bread is baked, brush the cornstarch mixture over the top of the loaves.
Return the bread to the oven and bake for another two or three minutes,
until the glaze is set. 

Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.

You can LIVE on this bread, with nothing else to eat, for months.
Leningraders did it for almost three and a half years........

[acrzybear]

Mendeleyev
 
 I never liked rye bread (my only experience was the American version) until I tried Russian rye bread in 2008-totally different taste.  I will try this recipe with my wife- thanks

[mendeleyev]

I hope you like it. 

[mendeleyev]

As featured in today's Mendeleyev Journal:

One wonders why it takes so long but we imagine that even in this day of computerization, statistics take time to compile and organize. So this past Friday the government statistics service released the final numbers for the all-Russian census taken in 2010.

In total population Russia slipped to 18th internationally, with a population of 142,905,200.

It is interesting to compare historical data. For instance, in 1959 the percentage of Russians who lived in urban versus rural communities was 52 to 48 respectively. By 2010 that figure had changed to 74 to 26 percent, with over 105 million Russians now city dwellers compared to 36 million rural inhabitants.

Unfortunately in any society there is one statistic that is dependent on economic conditions: infant mortality. In 1992 during the terrible economic conditions as Russia was moving to a market economy, the infant mortality number was 29,200. Thankfully by 2010 that number had improved, dropping to 13,400.

Live births have also increased over that period from 1,587,600 in 1992 to 1,789,600 in 2010. Deaths however outpace 1992 with 1,807,400 then to 2,031,000 in 2010. The number of deaths however has decreased from highs during the years 1995 to 2006.

As for the causes of death, heart disease is on the rise as are deaths from infectious and parasitic causes. Homicides and suicides are decreasing as are death rates from highway accidents. Russia has a reputation for extraordinary high numbers of deaths which are automobile related. This number has dropped steadily from 1992 (30,000) to 2010 (20,000). That is a significant improvement in safety as the number of roadway accidents has increased steadily since 1994.

Russia's railway system, a major form of passenger transport, continues to improve as the number of rail accidents involving passenger injury in 1994 was 34,000 as compared to just 1,000 in 2010.

For those interested in the ongoing debate of the ratio of women to men in Russia, here's your sign:





On the economic numbers the government estimates that roughly a quarter of the population has no access to telephone service whether by hard line or mobile, mostly within rural areas and among the very elderly in urban areas.

The cost of food and basic necessities continues to rise as well:



There is a lot of great data now available after Friday's release so here is the main link for those readers interested in even more detail.

[mendeleyev]

We're expecting between 15,000 and 20,000 readers to visit the Mendeleyev Journal online pages of "Christmas in Russia" and "New Year in Russia" over the next week to 10 days and invite you to come join the fun!

[mendeleyev]

From the Mendeleyev Journal:

As part of the last minute voting before the holiday recess, the United States Senate on Saturday confirmed Michael McFaul, President Barack Obama's top adviser on Russia, to be the next USA Ambassador to Moscow.

The Senate used a voice vote procedure to approve McFaul to the ambassador's post came after several months of delay. A former Stanford professor, McFaul was a campaign adviser to Obama on Russia and Eurasia before being appointed to the National Security Council to become the president's chief Russia adviser.

The Mendeleyev Journal regrets this appointment, not out of malice for Mr. McFaul, but because of the special relationship the current Ambassador John Beyrle has with the Russian people.

Beyrle is a fluent Russian speaker and a frequent guest on Russian radio. He also writes a blog in Russian and his father was the only known US soldier to fight for both the American and the Soviet Army. After his US fighter plane was shot down by the Germans while flying a mission over Russia, the elder Beyrle joined the Red Army in fighting the Germans until the end of the war.

[Chicagoguy]

It is a shame that talent and experience is not the main requirement for being an Ambassador. Politics and $$ are often a help. But remember, the Ambassador can have excellent advisors and in this case the ear of the President.

[SANDRO43]

For those interested in the ongoing debate of the ratio of women to men in Russia, here's your sign:

It does confirm Eduard's 8:1 contention...in the 80 y.o.+ age area .

[mendeleyev]

As featured in the Mendeleyev Journal:

(Saint George Hall, Kremlin Grand Palace, Moscow)

In an address that some say was meant to assure the opposition that political reform would be coming in Russia, President Dmitry Medvedev addressed the Federal Assembly in the final months of his presidency this past Thursday.

The address was delivered in the prestigious Saint George Hall of the Kremlin Grand Palace. Mr. Medvedev entered the hall accompanied by Federal Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Russian Patriarch Kirill. Prominent opposition leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky of Russia's Liberal Democratic Party was in the audience.


(President Medvedev at his final Federal Assembly address. To the right on the front row is current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and to Medvedev's left are Federal Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.)

We must admit some surprise that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev quoted Dwight Eisenhower in his annual (and likely final) annual address to the Federal Assembly. During the 90 minute speech President Medvedev proposed a number of initiatives to further develop the country's political system while outlining his positions on the topics of domestic and foreign policy, economic modernization and social development, defense and security.

He began by thanking his citizens and his supporters and listing a number of his accomplishments. Soon thereafter he addressed the wave of protests across Russia following the Duma (lower house of parliament) elections on 4 December by saying, "Civil society has become more influential, significantly increasing the activities of public groups. This is confirmed by the events of the past few weeks."

He also said, "Following the parliamentary elections in Russia, various statements were made regarding their results, both in Russia and abroad. Some people were pleased with the elections’ results, others were not entirely satisfied, and still others were not happy at all. It was the same after the previous elections. This always happens."

"I would therefore like to stress that we treat any criticism of state institutions and individual officials with the utmost attention and respect. We draw relevant conclusions where criticism is valid, restore justice where laws had been broken, take the necessary decisions in consultation with the main political forces, openly state our position and justify it if the criticism is unfounded."

Repeating a theme heard often during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's recent nationwide call-in show, the President said, "People have a guaranteed right to express their opinions using all legitimate means but attempts to manipulate Russian citizens, to mislead them and incite social discord are unacceptable. We will not let instigators and extremists involve society in their reckless activities, and we will not allow foreign interference in our internal affairs."

Mr. Medvedev that "Russia needs democracy, not chaos; it needs faith in the future and justice" and pledged that political competition from a viable opposition forces government to be accountable and to focus on common issues.





As part of his proposals for reforming government, he proposed the restoration of direct elections for regional governors, and to simplify the complex system of registration for political parties and to reduce the number of signatures new parties would need to gather in order to be registered.

The president said that the economic recovery was currently pegged at a growth rate of 4% per year which has grown Russia into the sixth largest economy in the world. Russia's official inflation rate stands about 7% per year, the lowest in recent years.

Mr. Medvedev defended Russia's reliance on natural reserves by saying, "the economic crisis has clearly shown that setting aside a part of the oil revenues to make reserves has been and remains a successful policy."

In discussing his economic achievements, President Medvedev also stressed that the number of unemployed Russians over the past two years has decreased by almost two million people. He also said that Russian life expectancies have increased every year since 2006 and now stands at an average of 69, with the average woman living to age 75.

He ended his address by saying, "I am fully aware of my responsibility for everything that remains to be done. I believe in each of you and I know that we will succeed."

The full text of the Medvedev speech can be read here.

[mendeleyev]

Okay, I'm going to have to apologize for this one...so may as well apologize in advance. While understanding that it is supposedly bad luck for celebrating a day or holiday early (close your ears if you're from Russia/Ukraine/Belarussia/Moldova/Armenia/Georgia/Bulgaria (dang...I am surely forgetting somebody!) and don't listen to this next paragraph.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

While you're at it, you can listen to the Mendeleyev Journal's Christmas specials. There is one in Russian and one in Ukrainian. Both have some English.


http://soundcloud.com/mendeleyevjournal/...

If you listen to the Russian feature (with Miss Russia!) it will play for 8.5 minutes and then transition into the Ukrainian program which is also 8.5 minutes.

Your lady may find this very fun so send her a link.

Russian: http://snd.sc/shCui2

Ukrainian: http://snd.sc/vY5snx



Irina Antonenko, Miss Russia 2010.

[mendeleyev]

Learn more about New Year traditions and celebrations in the FSU: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/stories-of-life-in-russia/new-year-in-russia/


С Новым годом! ("sno-vim go-dom" means Happy New Year! in Russian)





Learn more about Christmas traditions and celebrations in the FSU: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/religion-in-russia/christmas-in-russia/


Счастлйвого Рождества! (Merry Christmas!)



A "New Year Tree" in Moscow.


With a tip of the hat to our friend Viktoria from www.funrussian.com we'll teach you a couple of useful Russian Christmas phrases.


Рождество (n.) [razh-dees-TVO] = Christmas

Example:
 Рождество – мой любимый праздник. (Christmas is my favourite holiday.)
 [razh-dis-TVO moy lyoo-BEE-miy PRAZ-neek]


ёлка (n.) [YOL-ka] = Christmas tree

 Example:
 Вы будете наряжать ёлку в этом году? (Are you going to decorate a tree for New Year’s this year?)
 [vee BOO-dee-tye na-rya-ZHAT’ YOL-koo v E-tam ga-DOO]