December 13, 2007 archive

U.S. Representative Robert Wexler (D-Fl) had one or two interesting things to say last week at a Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee meeting.

From the Palm Beach Post, hat tip to Steven D at Booman Tribune and David Edwards and Jason Rhyne at Raw Story.  This was also caught by joe shikspack at DailyKos.

“The way we pass stem-cell research, the way we get implemented a children’s health care plan, the way we get higher CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards to bring our energy debacle into a better condition for generations to come is to have impeachment hearings,” Wexler said. “Because that’ll get the president’s eye. That’ll get the vice president’s eye. That for the first time will show that the Democratic majority is here and that in fact we have the courage of our convictions.”

I think Rep. Wexler has been reading buhdydharma!  And eating his Wheaties!

In addition, Wexler continued, hearings would strengthen America’s hand in dealings with Iran, China and others. Every day the House Judiciary Committee isn’t grilling Cheney is a day world leaders such as Indonesia’s Yudhoyono keep their distance, he said. He described Yudhoyono as someone who “wants to be closer to America, but he can’t because we are so negatively viewed. Well, let me tell you one more thing those impeachment hearings will do. They will make America more popular.”

In addition, Wexler criticized Speaker Pelosi for her “off the table” rhetoric.  

Video can be seen at the Palm Beach Post sitehere, and at Raw story, linked above.

Welcome to the second in the series about my trips to Russia with trivia about the people, culture and country and more photos.

If you did not read the prior essays, please do so before reading this essay. I STRONLY urge you to read the priors in this series.

NONE OF THE PHOTOS OR TRIVIA FROM ONE ESSAY OF THIS SERIES WILL BE REPEATED IN THE LATER ESSAYS. ALL OF THE NEEDED BACKGROUND ON MY TRIPS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION WILL ONLY BE IN THE FIRST ESSAY OF THE SERIES.

Here is the link to number one, so you can start at the beginning.

https://www.docudharma.com/show…

Each of the diaries ends with a link to the next diary in the series.

Pico, don’t be too tough on me today. I know you academic types like perfection-J I am a very sensitive guy.

Don’t forget POLL. Rec’s appreciated. ENJOY.

Let’s start with a couple photos. These are inside one of the bazillion (sp?) churches in Russia. These two are from a church in my wife’s hometown of Tomsk, Siberia. I got scolded by an old woman and told not to take photos in the church. I did stop, she looked like she would and could give me a good whippin. There are many, many amazing churches all over Russia with such beutifully hand painted areas. Photos are cockeyed (too easy, no comments-:) because of my scanning ability, not painters fault. Many photos are cockeyed, just tilt your head.

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MOSCOW TRIVIA

– Moscow is the New York City of Russia except no skyscrapers. It has a larger population than New York City. 10 to 11 million in Moscow,  NYC 8 million. It’s an interesting experience every time I go there.

– Red Square, public transportation (particularly the metro), the amazing architecture and churches. There is a memorial to World War II that is nearly the size of central park. At night red lights illuminate the hundreds of fountains that are there. There are 20 foot tall stone statues of concentration camp prisoners standing in line naked with their possessions (boots, shoes clothes etc) lying on the ground near them. They 20 or so statues are gradually falling backwards from front to back. It  is very moving and truly captures the brutality of the concentration camps. Unfortunately, I went there at dusk to get the fountains lighted and photos of these were too dark. Really, it is worth finding on the internet.

– Russians have an immense pride for having won the final battle to end World War II. Yes, the Russians struck the final blow to win the war when they took Berlin. They made the final march into Berlin sustaining a loss of nearly 400,000 troops in the process. Interesting story of how Stalin pitted his two greatest Generals against each other going in from different sides knowing immense pride would make each man press forward harder to beat the other. Russia lost over 8,000,000 soldiers and about 20,000,000 civilian lives in World War II. Yes, those numbers are millions. Their casualties were about half of the total in the entire war by all involved.

– Gorke park is interesting. Nothing like the movie. It is a large amusement park like great America or any of the others.

– Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world. In the last ranking I read it was number three. The first American city on the list was New York City and it is around 23rd. It doesn’t seem to me to be any higher than New York or Chicago or Los Angeles for a traveler regarding lodging, food or transportation. I think it’s expensive reputation applies more to those who live there and in relation to their incomes.

– There are more billionaires in Moscow than any other city in the world. These are the top of the “new” Russians. ‘New Russians” are the wealthy who made their money by jumping on the capitalism band wagon that started after perestroika. Many of the wealthy are those of the Russian Mafia which is rampant and their cruelty makes our mafia look like gentlemen. Many of the others were government friends of the times.  

– A fair percentage of people in Moscow speak/understand some English.

– Even after all the time I have spent in Russia, I would not want to try to go it alone more than a few days even in this city with the highest percentage of Russians knowing some English.

– Like any large city you must be cautious of criminals, thieves, pickpockets, scammers and the like. Americans stick out like a sore thumb and thus are a good mark for these people.

– The streets in the city center of Moscow at about 5am have cleaning crews sweeping up the thousands of beer bottles that are literally everywhere.

– The first time I saw this I was surprised but I learned it was not uncommon, a guy in a suit on his way to work at 7am walking to the train and drinking a beer.

The view of Moscow in this first photo better be good because it is taken from the window of one of the better hotel rooms in Moscow and cost me $300/nt.

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WORLD WARII MEMORIAL

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Street musician in Moscow

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Cop Car – Imagine this on a high speed chase. Cop came up and told me I couldn’t photo car, oh well, already got one. Ha ha.

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TRIVIA/STORIES

– Russia does nothing to promote their country for tourism.

– Having such a small percentage who speak English makes it difficult for a tourist to navigate their country.

– Very few people ever think of taking a vacation to Russia. That is unfortunate. Even without going there to see a specific person, this is an experience as rich as any place you could go. Besides the culture, history, sights and more, it has a great deal of natural beauty. There are an immense amount of forests and wooded areas. Maine, where I live, is known for white birch and pine trees. There is as high a percentage of these trees and forests in Russia as here.

– The problem for the average American about going to Russia is, if you don’t speak Russian and don’t have a guide who does, there are only two cities you have even a chance to really navigate. Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Although I like these cities (especially St. Pete.), these are my least favorite places of all places I have been in Russia.

– Russia’s population is about 150 million. About one half of the US. It’s geographic size is more than double the USA and that is after breaking the USSR into 15 countries in 1991.

– About 25% of the population lives in a half dozen cities.

– A majority of the population lives in the eastern one third of the nation.

– Each of the other 15 FSU (Former Soviet Union, including Russia) countries have at least 25% of their population in just a few cities.

– The history of Russia is endless. There are tons of interesting characters and stories and events. Think of all the people and events in our countries history that every American is familiar with (at least I hope they are). If our nation is an infant, Russia is an old man. Everywhere you go there are buildings, statues and reminders of an often troubled, often courageous and always interesting past.

– There are stories about why several cities are abundant with beautiful women. It is said that years ago some royalty had the most beautiful women in all their domain shipped to specific cities and thus their beauty was passed on to future generations. One of those type is on the Black Sea in what is now the Ukraine and this beauty importation was done to keep the sailors there that they needed. There was a shortage of women, so, simple, bring the most beautiful women there to keep these horny sailors here.

– Many Americans think Russians liked Stalin. At one time their internal propaganda forced them to. Today in schools he is taught as what he really was. A Hitler in his own right. He spread death and destruction through fear and force where Hitler “sold and convinced” his people to carry out his mad plan. Stalin forced them to do his cruel tyranny with an iron fist. Almost all Russians now loath Stalin. On one trip, my friend would not even take a photo in front of one of the many statues of him.

– For most Russians their personal past and its impact on them is not seen as important but rather a waste of time and “beating the air”.

PHOTO BREAK

First one, my step son on left, then me, Oxana, my mother in-law

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Next one, out to dinner with friends. Oxana and I on the right. I am the ugly one. Man on left is a neurologist and the ONLY man Oxana has ever know who after divorced, paid child support and saw his children. He was very interested in my brain surgery. When he picked up his steak knife, I got a little afraid as he may have thought I needed more work. Guys, Tanya in the back left nearest the wall is single and a very nice person. Phone number 1-7-002-3564-2957-658-142-258-3645. She asked me more questions about America than almost anyone I met in Russia.

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I know, these are not as interesting as the architecture and other stuff.

– If someone figures out how they decide apartment numbers, I hope they will also tell me this. I was in a seventh floor apartment and the apartment number was 28. A third floor apartment that was number 65. One apartment address I sent mail to was 1/36 Electric Street. Before I visited, I assumed the one was the building number in the apartment complex and the 36 was third floor. When I did go there, there was no building number and the apartment was on the ninth floor I don’t know why it is 36. Only in Russia! Maybe Pico knows.

– Maybe this address situation is the reason the mail is so slow. Even the mailmen don’t know what is where or why.  

Merriam-Webster has chosen 2007’s ‘word of the year’….and the winner is…

w00t

One tradition of the south I really like is Waffle House.  If you’re not acquainted with them they’re basically grill joints that only serve breakfast food 24/7.  Waffle House is always open.

They’re also pretty cheap.  For a couple of bucks you can stuff yourself full of greasy goodness.

When I travel it’s not that I don’t eat fast food, it’s that I want to eat something different from the ubiquitous McKing crap.

So Bojangles and Sonic, if you know where to look even here in the Northeast you can track down an A & W stand.

When I travel to places I go to a lot, I’ve got an agenda that revolves around cheap gas stations and food.  I like Sbarro’s pizza OK and fortunately it’s the kind of thing that’s easily found and quick to purchase.  I hate to spend longer than 10 minutes from Highway to Highway because that really shows up in your elapsed time more than the speed you drive because you’re basically standing still.

Driving is relaxing too.  I’m an AM guy and a summer’s drive with the Mets on the radio can be quite enjoyable.  Not much into music for some reason, perhaps because I’ve DJed a lot and I don’t much like today’s plastic celebrity artists.

I’d rather take what the road gives me though than hook up an cassette, cd, or ipod.  If I’ve heard it before I’ve heard it.  My Aunt on the other hand swears by books on tape and I’ve ridden with her and not been bored- it was new to me.  One thing I do wish I could listen to again is my copy of Alice In Wonderland as read by Cyril Ritchard.  Unfortunately it’s on vinyl.

Tonight’s quote comes from one of my favorite songs of the year, “Peyote” by Minnesota rapper Atmosphere.

She goes by the nickname peyote,

Her real name is Iris

Appearance doesn’t matter so I’m not gonna describe it

She was a dancer down at edit this portion

I cant name the spot they don’t merit the promotion

But I been there look like any strip club

Everybody slicked up trying to get they dick sucked

Smoke and mirrors you know fake magic tricks

Like these people didn’t come here just for ass and tits

But this one in particular was popular with midlife ballers

And white collar out of towners

Plus it attracted athletic individuals that came here to play against

The twins and the timber wolves

Safe to say she made the rent good

Twenty years of age a spot up in Kentwood

She had the car, the dog, and the kitchen sink

She had a drug free body didn’t even drink

She had a sister who wouldn’t stop giving her shit

For dropping out of art school to be a stripper

Iris was sick and tired of the questions

But big sis didn’t understand the perspective

She knows her little sister isn’t a slut

But she objectifies herself and contributes to the gluttony

Now here’s Iris stealin’ from the devil to buy some time

To make life something special

Where did you go? When did you fall?

That little one, you all grown up

Oh how they’ve grown, those days are done

Under the gun, now you are dealt

Where did you go? When did you fall?

That little one, you all grown up

Oh how they’ve grown, those days are done

Look at us, who you to judge?

Her oldest sisters name was Jocelyn

Awfully slim, on a diet of bottled water and oxygen

She lives on higher water by the Target

And she dates a photographer, that’s how she started modeling

She ain’t no supermodel, this is Minneap for that you’d have to move to Chicago

Or maybe move LA or NY

Now she does what she does here and she gets by

And her boyfriend gets a little currency

Taking photos for advertising agencies

Now he’s gonna steal from the devil

Stick it to the man, revolutionary rebel

One afternoon after work he went to the strip club

Just to loosen up that shirt

He and a couple job associates are gonna sink them drinks

Like they about to be extinct

Never met his girlfriends little sister

But she recognized him from cell phone pictures

Any other circumstances she’d have hollered

But topless in heels is a little bit awkward

Eventually his friends leave

And when he gets up, she grabs him by the coat sleeve

Too drunk to catch what she said

But he did offer her three hundred on some head, like

Where did you go? When did you fall?

That little one, you all grown up

Oh how they’ve grown, those days are done

Under the gun, now you are dealt

Where did you go? When did you fall?

That little one, you all grown up

Oh how they’ve grown, those days are done

Look at us, who you to judge?

When you do wrong it makes me want to do right

It also cancels out the guilt that makes the load feel light

It also gives some leverage to the morally impaired

So make mistakes for us to hold over your hair

And yes, the story is real.

The image above is a crop from an image found on lolpix, but the article is real — click the image to get to the online version.

Another related story by the same writer (Margaret Munro of CanWest News Service) can be found here.

The lolpix image of the print copy of the CanWest article was first pointed out to me by Aurora_Bird on DelphiForums.