What makes the FSU so interesting?

[Eduard]

"Нас мало, но мы в тельняшках!"

тельняшка is the striped shirt that is a part of sailors' uniform (which is a sourse of pride and inspiration). So "Нас мало, но мы в тельняшках!" translates as "There is few of us, but we are wearing тельняшка!". I think this phrase became famous from an old Soviet war movie about heroic deeds of Russian sailors, but I'm not entirely sure of it.

[mendeleyev]

 I didn't know about the movie connection, Ed, but wearing these shirts has taken on an almost cult status as former sailors and especially their family members wear them with great pride.

[ghost of moon goddess]

тельняшка is the striped shirt that is a part of sailors' uniform (which is a sourse of pride and inspiration). So "Нас мало, но мы в тельняшках!" translates as "There is few of us, but we are wearing тельняшка!". I think this phrase became famous from an old Soviet war movie about heroic deeds of Russian sailors, but I'm not entirely sure of it.

It is thought that the expression "Nas malo, no my v telnyashkakh!" first appeared during WWII. Every time when Soviet sailors joined foot solders to fight on land they proved to be formidable fighters:   We are few in number, but we wear telnyashkakh (meaning we are hard to beat!)

Later, the expression gained wide usage among civilians, and it was/is sometimes used in a humorous way (mostly by males). Its (hidden) meaning is: We are few in number, but we are Real Men...with all the ensuing consequences 

 

To be honest, I have the impression that nowadays,  telnyashkakh is often viewed by many young people as being the romantic symbol of the sea rather than the symbol of men's bravery...

[SANDRO43]

Blue-striped shirts for sailors are/were used in other navies, too, witness the Breton matelot shirts:

French sailors in the Breton top

History
The striped breton shirt as we know it today came into being shortly following the 27th March, 1858 Act of France  which introduced the navy-and-white striped knitted shirt as the uniform for all French navy seaman in Brittany. The shirt was originally known as marinière or matelot. The original design featured 21 stripes, one for each of Napolean's victories.

Since 1889, the garment was manufactured by Bretagne's Tricots Saint James in wool and cotton for sailors. It then become popular with Breton workers, for its ease of wear and practicality. The official striped navy-and-white shirt became more generally a working mariner garment as it was picked up by men of the sea; seafarers and sailors across the region of Northern France. The distinctive block pattern of stripes on the French striped shirt made them easier to spot in the waves. The garment usually had a boat neckline.
 
Fashion
Inspired by sailors, after a visit to the French coast, Coco Chanel introduced the design to the fashion world through her nautical collection in 1917

http://wikifashion.com/wiki/Breton_stripes

Coco Chanel (played here by Audrey Tautou)

Isn't the тельня́шка also worn by Spetsnaz units?

[ghost of moon goddess]

Isn't the тельня́шка also worn by Spetsnaz units?

Sandro, I heard of new Service (daily wear) Spetsnaz Uniforms approved this year. Whether the тельняшка has been replaced by some other type of shirts   I don't know, sorry. 
My guess is that the old good  тельняшка --- (slang terms for it: тельник, нательник) --- is remaining the "uniform item" still authorized for wear with Spetsnaz VDV (Airborne troops) working and combat uniforms.

[mendeleyev]

It is thought that the expression "Nas malo, no my v telnyashkakh!" first appeared during WWII. Every time when Soviet sailors joined foot solders to fight on land they proved to be formidable fighters:

Ghost of Moon Goddess, thank you. 

[ghost of moon goddess]

"Live broadcast is Freedom!", says Savik Shuster, a journalist and host of a live social political talk show "Shuster Live”.
Savik's original way of exploiting the тельняшка to look convincing as well as to convince viewers to believe IN him
has worked for him 

Ghost of Moon Goddess, thank you. 

My pleasure 

[mendeleyev]

On this day in history, 4 August 1941, the Mendeleyev Journal takes a moment to honour those who gave everything they had in defense of their homeland.

Нет больше той любви, как если кто положит душу свою за други своя.
(Св. Евангелие от Иоанна 15:13)

There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(St. John 15:13)



 

By early August 1941 the Nazi army was surrounding Kiev and already rounding up and killing Ukrainian Jews by the hundreds. Although outnumbered, the poorly equipped Red Army dug in and bravely made the Nazis pay for each meter they advanced.

On the following day, 5 August, the Nazi Army would overrun the battered Russian city of Smolensk.
     

[mendeleyev]

Today in the Mendeleyev Journal, Надзея Астапчук (English: Nadzeya Ostapchuk) won the gold medal Monday in the women’s shot put after a 21.36-meter launch. Unfortunately few international fans cheered her on and instead many were preoccupied with her looks. Calling her everything from ugly to a "man" the fan base of the Olympic chose to humiliate someone who achieved a milestone via hard work and effort rather than looks.



She finished fourth in the 2004 Summer Olympics. We're sorry that the world is full of jerks and offer to you Nadzeya, our sincere congratulations.

[mendeleyev]

С Днем Рождения, любимый город! (Happy birthday, dear city!)

 
(Lenin Street, Omsk.)


Omsk State Transport University (OSTU) is one of the oldest educational institutions in Siberia and serves to train Trans Siberian Railway managers and engineers. Tsentralny Airport (Russian: Аэропорт Центральный (IATA: OMS, ICAO: UNOO) is the main airport in the region.



(Arrival of Prime Minister Medvedev in Omsk.)

By Russian standards, Omsk is still a baby at just 296 years old. Nonetheless Omsk is an important part of the Russian Federation and has a great history to share with her citizens. For our student readers Omsk is spelled the same way in English and Cyrillic Russian, Омск, O-m-s-k.





East of the towering Ural mountains, Omsk is the second largest city in Siberia with over a million population. Is is both the seat of the Russian Orthodox Bishop of Omsk & Tara and the spiritual center of Muslims in Siberia, home to the Imam of Siberia.




Omsk is the junction point of the northern and southern branches of the Trans Siberian Railway, where the north-flowing Irtysh meets the Om River.

Prime Minister Medvedev is again in the region and Monday took the advantage of chairing a meeting on railway tariffs policy while riding the train from Omsk to Tomsk during his working visit to Siberia. The Prime Minister told his staff that “The railway pricing policy should be planned for a long-term period, which is something everyone is interested in: the railways, industry, the regions and all Russians as the end beneficiaries”.


 (

(Prime Minister Medvedev conducts meeting on a train.)

Famous Omsk residents have included writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky and the anti-Bolshevik "Supreme Ruler of Russia" Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak, commander of the anti-Soviet White Army who chose Omsk as his base and "capital of Russia" in 1918–1919.

The wife of one of our favourite photographers, Ilya Varlamov, is from Omsk.


 


Omsk is home to several Universities along with a symphony, ballet and theatre.

Today, Omsk is Russia's seventh largest city and at the breakup of the Soviet Union the region was included in the Russian Federation. The independence of  the Republic of Kazakhstan gave Omsk an international border to the south.





Omsk was chosen as the site of a fortress by Peter the Great during a expedition of the region. A wood fortress was established in 1716 and by they 1850s Omsk had grown to become the capital of Western Siberia. While the official birthday is 1716, the Russian history of Omsk can be said to begin with the 1584 arrival of a Cossack force which defeated local rulers and established nominal Russian control of the area.


 

Older style houses demonstrate what Omsk and Siberia was like in earlier years. Unfortunately, these houses are not protected as historical sites and officials sometimes seem eager to have them removed in favour of modern and taller buildings. Sadly, many of these treasures may be lost forever.
     

[mendeleyev]

In the current edition of the Mendeleyev Journal we are reminded that over the centuries, those who have invaded Russia have done so by land, by sea, in more modern times by air, and via by the vast network of rivers and waterways across this expansive land. So it is no surprise that part of Russia's defense includes protecting her rivers and waterways.




Can you find the operator of this floating gun platform? Look closely at the centre. Click on the photo for a closer view.

Russian naval personnel are trained to fight both on land and water.
               

[Eduard]

In the current edition of the Mendeleyev Journal we are reminded that over the centuries, those who have invaded Russia have done so by land, by sea, in more modern times by air, and via by the vast network of rivers and waterways across this expansive land. So it is no surprise that part of Russia's defense includes protecting her rivers and waterways.




Can you find the operator of this floating gun platform? Look closely at the centre. Click on the photo for a closer view.

Russian naval personnel are trained to fight both on land and water.
             

I want one!

[newjason]

Today in the Mendeleyev Journal, Надзея Астапчук (English: Nadzeya Ostapchuk) won the gold medal Monday in the women’s shot put after a 21.36-meter launch. Unfortunately few international fans cheered her on and instead many were preoccupied with her looks. Calling her everything from ugly to a "man" the fan base of the Olympic chose to humiliate someone who achieved a milestone via hard work and effort rather than looks.



She finished fourth in the 2004 Summer Olympics. We're sorry that the world is full of jerks and offer to you Nadzeya, our sincere congratulations.

That's why She has the Gold Medal and the fans do not.
Good Work Nadzeya.

[calmissile]

I want one!

A little large for the Rio Grande where it is needed, but a great idea.  LOL

[mendeleyev]

newJason:

That's why She has the Gold Medal and the fans do not.
Good Work Nadzeya.

+1


With sincere apologies, we failed to mention that she is from Belarus.

[mendeleyev]

In Russia BYOB means "Bring Your Own Bag."

When shopping in the former Soviet Union it is common for the customer to bring your own bag to the store. Western grocery stores provide plastic bags as a convenience, building the nominal cost into the price of goods. However in a Russian supermarket is it customary to provide your own пакет.  That word is "packet" and how Russians say bag, or the packet, in which you carry things home from the market.
 
A convenient way to carry groceries and other items is to bring several cloth shopping bags with you. These are popular but still not as common so be prepared to give them away as gifts before you leave. Cloth bags make it easy to carry groceries on the Metro or on the bus.



Of course a Russian supermarket will have plastic bags if you failed to bring your own, but you'll pay a small fee for the bag and most shoppers carry an extra plastic bag or two in a pocket or purse. A cashier may ask "пакет нужен" which is a way to inquire if you need a packet/bag. If you don't need a bag you may respond with нет, спасибо ("nyet spasiba") which means "no thanks" but if you need a bag(s), then да, пожалуйста ("da pazhulusta") meaning "yes, please" is the best answer.
 
In most Russian supermarkets, the large superstores being the exception, you'll bag your own items after paying the cashier. At some small neighborhood markets and kiosks one runs the risk of carrying vegetables home in your pockets without bring a bag.

Finally, be sure to check expiration dates on supermarket items. Often only one date, the production date, is stamped to indicate when the item was produced. If you see two dates, then the manufacturer has stamped the production date and the expiration date.

From the Mendeleyev Journal.

[Faux Pas]

newJason:
+1


With sincere apologies, we failed to mention that she is from Belarus.

Mendy, granted I tend to only watch the Olympic sports that interest me and ladies shot put isn't one of them. I can't imagine the negativity you mentioned. Who and where was that from?

[mendeleyev]

It seemed to have started when another athlete tweeted that he believed she was using drugs. He went on to say that he'd rather not win if he had to look like her. Apparently it snowballed from there.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/19165209

Here is a sampling of comments: http://twitter.com/AnthonyCumia/status/232707019830861826


The Blog "LeftFootForward" (with which I rarely agree on anything) put it best by writing:

On the surface it seems women are finally gaining the recognition and respect as sportswomen that they deserve. And in the case of Ennis and Pendleton, whose dominance of their respective sports has meant massive sponsorship deals and increased exposure, it would appear top women sports stars are close to, if not already enjoying, parity with their male counterparts.

However, any illusions sexism and prejudice were a thing of the past were dashed unceremoniously on Monday night during the women’s shot put event.

As a not very good middle distance athlete, I love the field events. The power, the explosive nature of the competitors and the fact it can all be changed with one throw or jump. And I have always had a soft spot for the shot put, which usually showcases traditionally the biggest most powerful athletes the world has to offer. But as I watched the women’s event, Twitter and Facebook became awash with derogatory and offensive comments about the competitors – not least the eventual winner Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus.

Calls for gender tests, comparisons with “ugly” famous men, and “jokes” relating these Olympic athletes with Miss Trunchbull – a big hideous fictional character who abuses children – dominated the discussion around the event.

[Faux Pas]

Thats pretty wild Mendy. I can't ever recall anything like that resulting from the Olympics

[mendeleyev]

Okay, here is a crossword puzzle using the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. For the first 2 members who can find these short and easy words, I'll mail you a nice Russian prize of some sort, likely Russian cookies or candy via my West Coast USA office. See rules below.




Find these words:

лет (years) "lyet"

бог (God) "bog"

интернет (Internet, so easy, i-n-t-e-r-n-e-t spelled and sounds the same!)

работа (work) "rah-bow-tah"

ночь (night) "noch"

суп (soup) "Sueph"

царь (Tsar, King, Caesar) "Tsigh" Think of "sigh" with a T in front, not like the common mis-transliterization of Czar. "Tsigh"

холод (cold) "kho-laud"

боль (pain) "bowl"

крест (a Cross) "Krest"

да (yes) "dah"

секс (sex) "seks"
                             
There are others but I wanted to keep the words easy as not to overwhelm new learners.

Rules:
1- You must NOT be a native Russian or Ukrainian speaker, neither have lived or currently live in the FSU.

2- You must circle the words you found and post a photo of the completed puzzle here.

The decision of judges (myself and native speakers on the forum) is final. Any additional rules set by forum administration will apply.
               

[SANDRO43]

 

[mendeleyev]

Almost there, but where is the soft sign for ночь?

Also, recheck your soup. It is somewhere else and no "p" (r) at the end. Otherwise, looking good!   

[SANDRO43]

The only SOUP I could find comes right at the end of SEX and partially overlaps it . Is that programmatical in Russia ?

[mendeleyev]

Sandro:

The only SOUP I could find comes right at the end of SEX and partially overlaps it . Is that programmatical in Russia?

  Yes, in lieu of a cigarette!

[Ranetka]

Rules:
1- You must NOT be a native Russian or Ukrainian speaker, neither have lived or currently live in the FSU.


             

Awwww.   Very disappointing!   I want cookies too!