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As a Russian, I've noted that many foreigners only know of us by stereotypes, which are outdated and sometimes just wrong. It is funny when someone believes that every Russian family has a pet bear. Of course that's not true, lol.
I made this thread for anyone curious about Russian roads, and life in Russia in general. Feel free to ask me anything about it.

In the coldest inhabited parts of Russia, how many months a year do you need a coat or jacket, and what temperature do you start wearing one? From what I understand, the warmest months aren't that different from where I am (latitude 42°N, average high 29°C in mid-July); the huge difference is in the colder months. My personal jacket threshold is about 12°C. (We use °F in the US, but it's not that difficult to convert.)

As a coin collector: Is everything rounded to the nearest ruble, or do you still use kopeks?

And third: How jarring is it to cross time zones two hours at a time? Here, and in most of the world, adjacent time zones are only one hour apart.

Fourth: I seem to remember there are 85 oblasts and equivalents. Does everyone know the names of all of them? Here, all 50 states are well-known, but 85 is more than 50 and therefore harder to memorize. In addition, is Kaliningrad often ignored due to being disconnected?

Quote from: 1 on October 25, 2021, 08:18:37 AM
In the coldest inhabited parts of Russia, how many months a year do you need a coat or jacket, and what temperature do you start wearing one? From what I understand, the warmest months aren't that different from where I am (latitude 42°N, average high 29°C in mid-July); the huge difference is in the colder months. My personal jacket threshold is about 12°C. (We use °F in the US, but it's not that difficult to convert.)

As a coin collector: Is everything rounded to the nearest ruble, or do you still use kopeks?

And third: How jarring is it to cross time zones two hours at a time? Here, and in most of the world, adjacent time zones are only one hour apart.

Fourth: I seem to remember there are 85 oblasts and equivalents. Does everyone know the names of all of them? Here, all 50 states are well-known, but 85 is more than 50 and therefore harder to memorize. In addition, is Kaliningrad often ignored due to being disconnected?

1. I've never been to these parts myself, nor do I know anybody who's been to them, but my guess is you'd wear a jacket for 6 or 5 months.
Here, we switch to wearing coats and jackets as soon as the temperature drops to any negative temperature. I once was on PE outside without my jacket, there was snow, it was like 3 C, yet I wasn't very cold, just a bit cool.

2. We still use kopeykas. For example, in stores, the price tag might say 124,25 That means 124 rubles, and 25 kopeykas.

3. It's not as bad as it sounds. You just notice it, and eventually get used to it.

4. I know the names of most of them, but I imagine most people wouldn't know about the Jewish Autonomous Republic.
Everybody knows about Kaliningrad here.

The land we now call Russia has had an "Invade Me!" sign on it for many centuries.  Tribes on the move during the time of the Roman Empire.  Vikings and Mongols came along.  Wars with China and Japan in the Far East.  Wars with France, Germany, Austria and Poland.  The Great Game as played by the UK and Russian Empire in Central Asia.  Add in the two revolutions taking place in 1917, the Cold War and modern day terrorism.

With such a long past of violent disruption, Russia has good reason to worry about their external security.  Where do Russians think the biggest threat will come from these days?

For a second question, I see the double headed eagle from the Russian Empire is in use.  Is there any sentiment for having a Tsar either as a genuine ruler or constitutional monarch?

Last question: Are Zil limousines still being made? 

Rick

Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Quote from: nexus73 on October 25, 2021, 09:41:26 AM
The land we now call Russia has had an "Invade Me!" sign on it for many centuries.  Tribes on the move during the time of the Roman Empire.  Vikings and Mongols came along.  Wars with China and Japan in the Far East.  Wars with France, Germany, Austria and Poland.  The Great Game as played by the UK and Russian Empire in Central Asia.  Add in the two revolutions taking place in 1917, the Cold War and modern day terrorism.

With such a long past of violent disruption, Russia has good reason to worry about their external security.  Where do Russians think the biggest threat will come from these days?

For a second question, I see the double headed eagle from the Russian Empire is in use.  Is there any sentiment for having a Tsar either as a genuine ruler or constitutional monarch?

Last question: Are Zil limousines still being made? 

Rick

1. Most Russians would answer "the US" of course. Though Ukraine is still mad at us because we annexed Crimea, so that is also a possibility.

2. There's no such thing as a Tsar since 1917. I don't know that much about these topics, so can't really answer that question.

3. No. They stopped producing them in 2002.

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Some of them hate it, but nowadays most Russians are neutral towards it, or in other words, don't care.

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Here's another question for the OP: What are the highways like in Russia? Do you have freeways in rural areas sort of like our interstates, or are freeways mostly only in urban areas?

Where I live, there are no freeways. The closest thing to that are "motorways", and these don't exist in my Krai. We however have a Federal Highway which is divided near the city, and narrows to 2 lanes elsewhere.
There's no real need in motorways in this part of Russia tbh, as most of the population lives in the European part, and I live in the Asian part.
Even in the European part, there's not many motorways. I know that a few stretches of the "Don" highway have motorway status.
Federal highways are pretty similar to "U.S. Routes". They range from being as small as 2 lanes, to having over 6 lanes.
Usually only the busiest intersections are grade-separated. If, for example, it's a dirt road coming out of a forest or village, then it'll intersect at-grade.
In terms of road quality, federal highways are usually well-maintained. Though there are a few exceptions, like the infamous "Road of the Bones" from Yakutsk to Magadan, which is dirt and gravel for the most part.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 10:45:23 AM
Where I live, there are no freeways. The closest thing to that are "motorways", and these don't exist in my Krai. We however have a Federal Highway which is divided near the city, and narrows to 2 lanes elsewhere.
There's no real need in motorways in this part of Russia tbh, as most of the population lives in the European part, and I live in the Asian part.

Interesting! I sometimes forget just how huge Russia is, and how much of the population is concentrated in the west.

How are the roads that go from your part of Russia to the European part? Are they rugged and mountainous, or mostly flat? I would imagine it would be mostly two-lane roads until you get close to Moscow.

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 11:09:18 AM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 10:45:23 AM
Where I live, there are no freeways. The closest thing to that are "motorways", and these don't exist in my Krai. We however have a Federal Highway which is divided near the city, and narrows to 2 lanes elsewhere.
There's no real need in motorways in this part of Russia tbh, as most of the population lives in the European part, and I live in the Asian part.

Interesting! I sometimes forget just how huge Russia is, and how much of the population is concentrated in the west.

How are the roads that go from your part of Russia to the European part? Are they rugged and mountainous, or mostly flat? I would imagine it would be mostly two-lane roads until you get close to Moscow.

They're pretty flat. The Ural Mountains only divide the north half of Russia, the highways run south of them.

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

Quote from: SectorZ on October 25, 2021, 11:12:12 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

The incorrect stereotype here was against Western Europe, not against Russia.

I lived in Volgograd before the ruble was revalued.  Kopecks were antiquities then.  Glad they brought them back.

What Russia doesn't have in freeways it makes up for in rail.

I've got some questions that I hope aren't too dumb

- Did the high usage of dashcams well ahead of the rest of the world indeed stem from a lot of faked pedestrian accidents? If so, has the problem gotten better with more on camera?

- Is bicycling a big thing there?

- What is the car culture like there? Any particular cars have a strong popularity amongst car enthusiasts?

- Much going on in the way of electric cars penetrating the market?

Quote from: Rothman on October 25, 2021, 11:15:53 AM
I lived in Volgograd before the ruble was revalued.  Kopecks were antiquities then.  Glad they brought them back.

What Russia doesn't have in freeways it makes up for in rail.

Yes, we even go as far as transport the military and prisoners by train.

Quote from: 1 on October 25, 2021, 11:13:52 AM

Quote from: SectorZ on October 25, 2021, 11:12:12 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

The incorrect stereotype here was against Western Europe, not against Russia.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:59:45 AM
As a Russian, I've noted that many foreigners only know of us by stereotypes

Hello Russia.

Quote from: SectorZ on October 25, 2021, 11:16:23 AM
I've got some questions that I hope aren't too dumb

- Did the high usage of dashcams well ahead of the rest of the world indeed stem from a lot of faked pedestrian accidents? If so, has the problem gotten better with more on camera?

- Is bicycling a big thing there?

- What is the car culture like there? Any particular cars have a strong popularity amongst car enthusiasts?

- Much going on in the way of electric cars penetrating the market?

1. That is correct. It all began in the 90s, after the Soviet Union collapsed, and crime rate grew sky high. There's another reason related to that time, and that is police corruption.
Traffic cops would pull you over and claim you were speeding or breaking any other road rule, when in actuality you weren't. Back then it was the driver's job to give evidence that he was in the right. Usually these cops would also demand bribes from you, and so drivers resorted to dashcams to prove that they are in the right, and to catch cops trying to demand a bribe.
Thanks to the mass use of dashcams, these sorts of scams have become a thing of the past. Corruption is very rare among traffic cops today because of that, but it's not completely gone.

2. Not really. It is a thing in a few cities like Moscow, but for the most part, it's not common. In my city, cycling is actually regarded as recreation, and not transport.

3. I'd say Ladas are quite popular here. In slang we call them "тазы" (literally bowls), which is an abbreviation for the Tolyatti Automobile Factory, officially called the Volga Automobile Factory (VAZ). We use a lot of slang overall when referring to cars. We refer to certain Lada models by their last number (e.g a Lada 2107 would be called a 7 literally).

4. Electric cars aren't a commodity yet, but you can occasionally find them on the road.

Quote
3. I'd say Ladas are quite popular here. In slang we call them "тазы" (literally bowls), which is an abbreviation for the Tolyatti Automobile Factory, officially called the Volga Automobile Factory (VAZ). We use a lot of slang overall when referring to cars. We refer to certain Lada models by their last number (e.g a Lada 2107 would be called a 7 literally).

Ladas are certainly what we westerners think of as a typical Russian vehicle. In my own observation, I see a lot of videos of rear-drive 1990s Toyota sedans, particularly the Chaser, in Russia.

Quote from: Takumi on October 25, 2021, 11:45:32 AM

Quote
3. I'd say Ladas are quite popular here. In slang we call them "тазы" (literally bowls), which is an abbreviation for the Tolyatti Automobile Factory, officially called the Volga Automobile Factory (VAZ). We use a lot of slang overall when referring to cars. We refer to certain Lada models by their last number (e.g a Lada 2107 would be called a 7 literally).

Ladas are certainly what we westerners think of as a typical Russian vehicle. In my own observation, I see a lot of videos of rear-drive 1990s Toyota sedans, particularly the Chaser, in Russia.

Toyotas and most foreign brands in general are popular here. I've also seen a lot of Hondas, Hyundai's, and a few Fords.

A bit more specific question here... what exactly is this (https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9556987,92.5512868,3a,55.3y,239.3h,84.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soaw9uCuvSwVELhwICFiO6A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1)?

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 01:16:28 PM
A bit more specific question here... what exactly is this (https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9556987,92.5512868,3a,55.3y,239.3h,84.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soaw9uCuvSwVELhwICFiO6A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1)?

You mean the lines on the road? These are rumble strips.

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

Oh, bull crap. The stereotype of the "ugly American" existed long before then.

Quote from: hbelkins on October 25, 2021, 01:30:15 PM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

Oh, bull crap. The stereotype of the "ugly American" existed long before then.

Somebody got triggered.

Quote from: hbelkins on October 25, 2021, 01:30:15 PM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

Oh, bull crap. The stereotype of the "ugly American" existed long before then.

If you're looking for another interpretation, it could reference the "everything was fine before Trump" crowd. As much as I despise him, everything was not fine before him, as much as 54 year old wine moms on Facebook and Twitter might want you to think. I will not go into exactly what I think isn't fine since that isn't a debate anyone needs to have right now, including myself.

I have a strong disdain for pretty much every president though, including our current one, so make of that what you will. At least that means I don't have any bias for any one of them.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 01:28:15 PM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 01:16:28 PM
A bit more specific question here... what exactly is this (https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9556987,92.5512868,3a,55.3y,239.3h,84.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soaw9uCuvSwVELhwICFiO6A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1)?

You mean the lines on the road? These are rumble strips.

No, I was actually curious about the large overpass structure and the building on the left. I've never seen anything quite like it.

Does Russia have any well-known towns/cities that with the same feel as American mountain towns in the Appalachians, in that they're nestled in between/right up against the mountains?

Some of the more popular mountain towns in North Carolina are Waynesville and Boone (I currently live there).
Respectively, not my photos, for reference:

(https://d3m7xw68ay40x8.cloudfront.net/assets/2012/09/29140945/waynesville.jpg)
(https://i2.wp.com/blueridgemountainstravelguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Things-to-do-in-Boone-NC.jpg?resize=690%2C323&ssl=1)

And you really get this in a lot of West Virginia's mountain valleys with towns that are very sort of crammed in there, like Iaeger, Welch, etc.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 10:07:42 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Some of them hate it, but nowadays most Russians are neutral towards it, or in other words, don't care.

People equate governments with their people. Most average Americans don't give a crap about Russia, or China, or anyone else in their daily lives. The inverse is true of your average Russian or Chinese citizen, or any other nation.

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 02:31:29 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 01:28:15 PM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 01:16:28 PM
A bit more specific question here... what exactly is this (https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9556987,92.5512868,3a,55.3y,239.3h,84.82t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soaw9uCuvSwVELhwICFiO6A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1)?

You mean the lines on the road? These are rumble strips.

No, I was actually curious about the large overpass structure and the building on the left. I've never seen anything quite like it.

It's a bridge for pedestrians. They're safer than crosswalks across highways.
The building on the left is just a house, there's a small village on the left.

Quote from: index on October 25, 2021, 02:37:45 PM
Does Russia have any well-known towns/cities that with the same feel as American mountain towns in the Appalachians, in that they're nestled in between/right up against the mountains?

Some of the more popular mountain towns in North Carolina are Waynesville and Boone (I currently live there).
Respectively, not my photos, for reference:

(https://d3m7xw68ay40x8.cloudfront.net/assets/2012/09/29140945/waynesville.jpg)
(https://i2.wp.com/blueridgemountainstravelguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Things-to-do-in-Boone-NC.jpg?resize=690%2C323&ssl=1)

And you really get this in a lot of West Virginia's mountain valleys with towns that are very sort of crammed in there, like Iaeger, Welch, etc.

Gorno-Altaysk

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faltai-republic.ru%2Fupload%2Fiblock%2Fa4b%2F%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BE%25D1%2580%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B4%2520%25D0%2593%25D0%25BE%25D1%2580%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BE-%25D0%2590%25D0%25BB%25D1%2582%25D0%25B0%25D0%25B9%25D1%2581%25D0%25BA%2520%25283%2529.JPG&hash=c3ca28124ff4258d7b4a1c2e90df64e1dfe4751e)

One thing that Russia has a reputation for in the United States is cyber crime, like fraud/stolen credit cards, hacking/cracking, and spamming. (On my website I have a filter that automatically rejects blog comments that contain any Cyrillic characters that do not resemble Latin characters, because the presence of them pretty much guarantees a message is spam. Out of an abundance of caution, I don't accept orders from Russia, either.) Do these things affect the average Russian much, or are they mostly directed overseas? Is there any appetite in Russia for the government to crack down on these sorts of things, or is it just something that's tolerated as the way things are?

We've all heard of "polonium tea" and Russian political figures disappearing under "mysterious" circumstances. How much do you worry about the government not liking something you've written somewhere like here or on social media? Or is that sort of thing mostly likely to happen to high-profile politicians and dissidents and not really your average Russian? (Feel free to ignore this question if you don't feel comfortable answering it.)

How difficult is it to keep the pronunciation of similar-looking Cyrillic and Latin characters straight?

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 03:14:56 PM
One thing that Russia has a reputation for in the United States is cyber crime, like fraud/stolen credit cards, hacking/cracking, and spamming. (On my website I have a filter that automatically rejects blog comments that contain any Cyrillic characters that do not resemble Latin characters, because the presence of them pretty much guarantees a message is spam. Out of an abundance of caution, I don't accept orders from Russia, either.) Do these things affect the average Russian much, or are they mostly directed overseas? Is there any appetite in Russia for the government to crack down on these sorts of things, or is it just something that's tolerated as the way things are?

We've all heard of "polonium tea" and Russian political figures disappearing under "mysterious" circumstances. How much do you worry about the government not liking something you've written somewhere like here or on social media? Or is that sort of thing mostly likely to happen to high-profile politicians and dissidents and not really your average Russian? (Feel free to ignore this question if you don't feel comfortable answering it.)

How difficult is it to keep the pronunciation of similar-looking Cyrillic and Latin characters straight?

1. Our government isn't going to target some average Joe, unless that Joe is a politician they don't like, like Alexey Navalny for instance. Though there was controversy a few years back, when people would get arrested for reposting certain memes on VK (our equivalent of Facebook), usually those making fun of the president. The government no longer does that however.

2. As I've said again, the government doesn't really care what the citizens are talking about. I doubt anything bad is going to happen because of me posting here.

3. For me, it's not difficult at all. I've been learning English for about 9 years at this point, and my memory is very good.
For the average Russian who only knows some basic English words, or worse, doesn't know it at all, it'd be pretty difficult.

What is Russia's pacific coastline like compared to the more famous regions of the country?

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 03:22:14 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 03:14:56 PM
One thing that Russia has a reputation for in the United States is cyber crime, like fraud/stolen credit cards, hacking/cracking, and spamming. (On my website I have a filter that automatically rejects blog comments that contain any Cyrillic characters that do not resemble Latin characters, because the presence of them pretty much guarantees a message is spam. Out of an abundance of caution, I don't accept orders from Russia, either.) Do these things affect the average Russian much, or are they mostly directed overseas? Is there any appetite in Russia for the government to crack down on these sorts of things, or is it just something that's tolerated as the way things are?

1. Our government isn't going to target some average Joe, unless that Joe is a politician they don't like, like Alexey Navalny for instance. Though there was controversy a few years back, when people would get arrested for reposting certain memes on VK (our equivalent of Facebook), usually those making fun of the president. The government no longer does that however.

With my first question, I was referring more to non-governmental criminal organizations based in Russia that do things like hack into computers and install ransomware, steal sensitive information, take control of computers to send out automated spam emails, etc. It seems like most of it has a profit (rather than political) motive, and thus the government isn't involved with most of it. Is there much push to do anything about those non-governmental groups, and do they target victims inside of Russia as often as they do overseas?

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 03:36:10 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 03:22:14 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 03:14:56 PM
One thing that Russia has a reputation for in the United States is cyber crime, like fraud/stolen credit cards, hacking/cracking, and spamming. (On my website I have a filter that automatically rejects blog comments that contain any Cyrillic characters that do not resemble Latin characters, because the presence of them pretty much guarantees a message is spam. Out of an abundance of caution, I don't accept orders from Russia, either.) Do these things affect the average Russian much, or are they mostly directed overseas? Is there any appetite in Russia for the government to crack down on these sorts of things, or is it just something that's tolerated as the way things are?

1. Our government isn't going to target some average Joe, unless that Joe is a politician they don't like, like Alexey Navalny for instance. Though there was controversy a few years back, when people would get arrested for reposting certain memes on VK (our equivalent of Facebook), usually those making fun of the president. The government no longer does that however.

With my first question, I was referring more to non-governmental criminal organizations based in Russia that do things like hack into computers and install ransomware, steal sensitive information, take control of computers to send out automated spam emails, etc. It seems like most of it has a profit (rather than political) motive, and thus the government isn't involved with most of it. Is there much push to do anything about those non-governmental groups, and do they target victims inside of Russia as often as they do overseas?

Oh, sorry, I must've misread the first question. Our government tries it's best to track down these hackers. However it's not as easy as you may think, and they often remain undetected for years. These attacks aren't strictly directed at Western countries. Sometimes you can find similar bots advertising on Russian forums too.

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 25, 2021, 03:36:03 PM
What is Russia's pacific coastline like compared to the more famous regions of the country?

It's very mountainous and deserted (in the sense of that it's empty). The only known city on the Pacific coastline is Vladivostok. Moscow and St Petersburg is pretty flat on the other hand.

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Lol what? I never said anything of that sort. Of course they don't hate us to the point where they could realistically bomb us. Our government mostly gets along with those of western Europe.

Seriously, when did I ever say that there's a viable comparison between the Cold War and western Europe/USA in 2021?

Quote from: 1 on October 25, 2021, 11:13:52 AM

Quote from: SectorZ on October 25, 2021, 11:12:12 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on October 25, 2021, 10:12:57 AM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:11:30 AM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:04:41 AM
Do Russians hate the US and its people as much as western Europeans do?

Western Europeans? Since when have western Europeans hated the US?

This is just an approximation, but sometime around 12:01 pm on January 20, 2017.

I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Some people just have to be political brainlets on here at all costs. It's what they do.

It's no wonder Russians laugh at us and think we only understand them in stereotypes. They should.

The incorrect stereotype here was against Western Europe, not against Russia.

What was the incorrect stereotype? Western European civilians hate the United States. I didn't think that was a secret.

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 04:00:26 PM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM
I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Lol what? I never said anything of that sort. Of course they don't hate us to the point where they could realistically bomb us. Our government mostly gets along with those of western Europe.

Seriously, when did I ever say that there's a viable comparison between the Cold War and western Europe/USA in 2021?

The way your question was worded, it sure sounded like Western Europeans set the bar for hatred of the US, but as far as I'm concerned that couldn't be further from the truth.

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 04:09:48 PM

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 04:00:26 PM

Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2021, 10:32:19 AM
I don't want to derail this thread, but come on now. If I can keep the last few years in their appropriate context as someone in my early 20's, I would expect anyone older than me to be able to do so even more so.

There's simply no comparison between Western Europe and a Cold War rival like Russia in terms of feelings towards the US. To frame it as if Western Europe is suddenly somehow the pinnacle of hatred towards the US, as if it's comparable to a true long-standing rival like Russia or China, is simply untenable, bordering on bizarre.

Lol what? I never said anything of that sort. Of course they don't hate us to the point where they could realistically bomb us. Our government mostly gets along with those of western Europe.

Seriously, when did I ever say that there's a viable comparison between the Cold War and western Europe/USA in 2021?

The way your question was worded, it sure sounded like Western Europeans set the bar for hatred of the US, but as far as I'm concerned that couldn't be further from the truth.

If my question was concerning all of history, I would have worded it in past tense: "Do Russians hate America as much as Soviets hated America in the 60s?"

Right now, in 2021? From a governmental perspective, western Europe certainly does not hate America the most. From a civilian perspective, I would say they do. Like it or not, it's fair to assume that citizens of the majority of other countries wish they lived here. Then you have a lot of countries such as Russia, who are indifferent. I think Canada would fall into that category, as there's a wide range of Canadian opinions on the US. Finally you're left with people that don't like us. Disproportionately it seems like it's Dutch citizens who are the loudest, not sure what that's about, but they're far from the only ones.

From my experiences talking to Western Europeans online, they don't hate the United States. If anything, they feel sorry that we have to put up with the sort of nonsense that we do when it comes to the lack of government services that they're used to their own government providing. But in general they don't have much negative to say about Americans, even if they don't care for our government that much.

This is obviously just one city in one country, but here's an article from a Norwegian-language learning channel where they ask random people on the street in Trondheim what they think of Americans and the USA. However, their answers are not too out of line with what I see other European people post–and yes, that includes the Dutch people I've met online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDsRqUJj6H8

to the OP:

lets talk turkey. i'm a fat guy, which means among other things, i like to eat. tell me about some russian food that you think i should try, assuming i can find it stateside.

Quote from: zachary_amaryllis on October 25, 2021, 04:58:52 PM
to the OP:

lets talk turkey. i'm a fat guy, which means among other things, i like to eat. tell me about some russian food that you think i should try, assuming i can find it stateside.

Pelmeni are pretty good, basically round meat dumplings.

Western Europeans don't hate Americans, they just hate our government and certain aspects of the culture such as guns and extreme American exceptionalism. But Americans also hate our government, and many hate guns and other aspects of America.

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 04:45:15 PM
From my experiences talking to Western Europeans online, they don't hate the United States. If anything, they feel sorry that we have to put up with the sort of nonsense that we do when it comes to the lack of government services that they're used to their own government providing. But in general they don't have much negative to say about Americans, even if they don't care for our government that much.

This is obviously just one city in one country, but here's an article from a Norwegian-language learning channel where they ask random people on the street in Trondheim what they think of Americans and the USA. However, their answers are not too out of line with what I see other European people post–and yes, that includes the Dutch people I've met online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDsRqUJj6H8

There was no hate in that video, but there were at least many things listed that they don't like about the USA/its people.

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 05:38:05 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 04:45:15 PM
From my experiences talking to Western Europeans online, they don't hate the United States. If anything, they feel sorry that we have to put up with the sort of nonsense that we do when it comes to the lack of government services that they're used to their own government providing. But in general they don't have much negative to say about Americans, even if they don't care for our government that much.

This is obviously just one city in one country, but here's an article from a Norwegian-language learning channel where they ask random people on the street in Trondheim what they think of Americans and the USA. However, their answers are not too out of line with what I see other European people post–and yes, that includes the Dutch people I've met online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDsRqUJj6H8

There was no hate in that video, but there were at least many things listed that they don't like about the USA/its people.

If I was asked what I thought about the US I would say plenty of things I don't like, doesn't mean I hate America.

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 04:21:34 PM
Right now, in 2021? From a governmental perspective, western Europe certainly does not hate America the most. From a civilian perspective, I would say they do. Like it or not, it's fair to assume that citizens of the majority of other countries wish they lived here. Then you have a lot of countries such as Russia, who are indifferent. I think Canada would fall into that category, as there's a wide range of Canadian opinions on the US. Finally you're left with people that don't like us. Disproportionately it seems like it's Dutch citizens who are the loudest, not sure what that's about, but they're far from the only ones.

OK, sure, it's reasonable to separate out governmental and civilian perspectives, but the governmental perspective can oftentimes influence the civilian perspective, potentially strongly so in countries with propaganda and tight controls over what people can see and hear. Currently, this probably applies more to China, North Korea and parts of the Middle East than it does to Russia, but historically it can be applied to the Soviet Union as well. I'm not sure how much of that may have carried over to the present day. I'd imagine some people's views have become more neutralized over time, but also some carry-over.

As for people generally wanting to live in this country, certainly in many third-world countries an opportunity to live in the US would be viewed extremely positively.. but I'm less sure about other developed countries. That's one case where I think you maybe can point to the political situation of the last ~5-6 years and say that views of the US abroad as a very desirable place to live may have taken a hit.

As for Canada, I don't think there's a lot of true hatred between the US and Canada on any level - mostly just the competitive (mostly friendly) banter that you'd expect between neighboring countries... and even then, it's a lot less extreme than a case like the UK and France, where there's a lot more historical bad blood.

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 25, 2021, 04:45:15 PM
From my experiences talking to Western Europeans online, they don't hate the United States. If anything, they feel sorry that we have to put up with the sort of nonsense that we do when it comes to the lack of government services that they're used to their own government providing. But in general they don't have much negative to say about Americans, even if they don't care for our government that much.

Thanks, that's interesting and pretty well supports what I've been getting at. It also got me thinking.. there's really several distinct relationships to parse out here:

US citizens ↔ European governments - if I had to guess, I think many people here probably feel that our system of government is better (see: War, Revolutionary), but not necessarily strongly so, and that may be changing over time
US citizens ↔ European citizens - as mentioned, I don't think there's any hard feelings here, certainly not "hatred"

US government ↔ European governments - as our traditional allies, especially the UK and France, not much hatred here either
US government ↔ European citizens - certainly some dislike on this front

Now if I did the same sort of analysis for the US and Russia specifically, or the US and China specifically, the results would be much more negative across the spectrum.

Don't want to start a political argument but 45 was very unpopular in Europe which affected people's views on America.

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 25, 2021, 06:12:47 PM
Don't want to start a political argument but 45 was very unpopular in Europe which affected people's views on America.

I don't like Trump either, but you can say his name without being obnoxious and making people wonder who you're talking about.

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 06:48:49 PM

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 25, 2021, 06:12:47 PM
Don't want to start a political argument but 45 was very unpopular in Europe which affected people's views on America.

I don't like Trump either, but you can say his name without being obnoxious and making people wonder who you're talking about.

Didn't want to mention Trump by name as it could get the thread locked. Also most people probably know who I'm talking about.

Hello!

I grew up in an area in Canada with a lot of Russian-Jewish immigrants. I was wondering, how are Russian-Jews viewed in Russia? I had a non-Jew Russian classmate tell me that his mom envies how the Russian-Jews could go to the West easily via Israel while non-Russian Jews had to go through the "normal", more stringent immigration process. She also said that Russian-Jews discriminated against non-Jews. I don't know if that's a common sentiment, which is why I'm curious.

In addition, I was wondering if there's stereotypes of Russians who live in the far East, e.g. Vladisvostok.

Finally, how are Russians of Korean descent viewed in Russia? (I know of Viktor Tsoi, for example).

Quote from: andrepoiy on October 25, 2021, 07:28:46 PM
Hello!

I grew up in an area in Canada with a lot of Russian-Jewish immigrants. I was wondering, how are Russian-Jews viewed in Russia? I had a non-Jew Russian classmate tell me that his mom envies how the Russian-Jews could go to the West easily via Israel while non-Russian Jews had to go through the "normal", more stringent immigration process.

In addition, I was wondering if there's stereotypes of Russian who live in the far East, e.g. Vladisvostok.

Finally, how are Russians of Korean descent viewed in Russia? (I know of Viktor Tsoi, for example).

1. In Russia, people often joke about Jews. In all seriousness though, they're treated pretty much the same as any other person.

2. I don't know of any Far East stereotypes.

3. Same as any other person.

We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:36:05 PM

Quote from: andrepoiy on October 25, 2021, 07:28:46 PM
Hello!

I grew up in an area in Canada with a lot of Russian-Jewish immigrants. I was wondering, how are Russian-Jews viewed in Russia? I had a non-Jew Russian classmate tell me that his mom envies how the Russian-Jews could go to the West easily via Israel while non-Russian Jews had to go through the "normal", more stringent immigration process.

In addition, I was wondering if there's stereotypes of Russian who live in the far East, e.g. Vladisvostok.

Finally, how are Russians of Korean descent viewed in Russia? (I know of Viktor Tsoi, for example).

1. In Russia, people often joke about Jews. In all seriousness though, they're treated pretty much the same as any other person.

2. I don't know of any Far East stereotypes.

3. Same as any other person.

We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

Not my experience while I lived there.  Granted, it was a long time ago.

Out of all the Russian food I miss, I miss shchii the most.

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 25, 2021, 06:12:47 PM
Don't want to start a political argument but 45 was very unpopular in Europe which affected people's views on America.

Well, that happens when you do things like making those countries pay their fair share of NATO's budget.

Speaking of, I wonder if the Russian citizenry thinks that the rest of the world is ganging up on them via NATO?

About what percentage of Russians are fluent in English?

Is  This habitable?

https://www.google.com/maps/@76.2461005,69.2188909,6.67z

I remember an article in Russia there there were operating traffic lights at an "intersection".  The quotes were that no roadways were built at that location.  Is that an anomality or standard operating procedure there?

Quote from: tolbs17 on October 25, 2021, 10:39:25 PM
Is  This habitable?

https://www.google.com/maps/@76.2461005,69.2188909,6.67z

It's a national park... so nobody probably lives there

Quote from: thspfc on October 25, 2021, 10:32:34 PM
About what percentage of Russians are fluent in English?

I'd say 30%.

Quote from: Big John on October 25, 2021, 10:42:57 PM
I remember an article in Russia there there were operating traffic lights at an "intersection".  The quotes were that no roadways were built at that location.  Is that an anomality or standard operating procedure there?

I've seen it. It certainly is unusual here. Traffic lights are put up last usually here.
The city government planned to build a new road, but due to a lack of funding it was cancelled. However for some reason, they still installed the traffic light.

Have you seen these movies?  Dr. Zhivago.  Red Dawn (the original).  Rambo 3.  Fail Safe.  Seven Days In May.  All were made at various times during the Cold War.  If I was a Russian, the Americans would scare me a lot!

One time when the US TV series "Cops" was on, they did some episodes called "Cops In Russia".  The police in Russia seemed a lot less aggressive in their approach than the police in the USA. 

Is this a real Russian saying?  "Come to Russia as a friend and you can leave as a friend.  Come to Russia as an enemy and you will stay forever." 

Do Russians like foreign cuisines?  The USA has so many cultures with their foods much loved by many people.  Russian restaurants and cafes are quite rare in the Pacific Northwest. 

Khruschev gave Crimea to the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic in 1956.  Do you know why he made that move? 

Thank you for taking the time to tell us what the world looks like from your point of view in Russia. 

Rick

When you get mail order bride spam, what country do they claim to be from?

Quote from: nexus73 on October 26, 2021, 11:01:59 AMHave you seen these movies?  Dr. Zhivago.  Red Dawn (the original).  Rambo 3.  Fail Safe.  Seven Days In May.  All were made at various times during the Cold War.  If I was a Russian, the Americans would scare me a lot!

Hey, don't forget Rocky 4, even though Dolph Lundgren is actually Norwegian.

Quote from: NE2 on October 26, 2021, 12:26:40 PM
When you get mail order bride spam, what country do they claim to be from?

And just how many females are really named "Svetlana?"

Quote from: NE2 on October 26, 2021, 12:26:40 PM
When you get mail order bride spam, what country do they claim to be from?

I know this might not be a serious question, but I watched a documentary a couple years ago and most of them come from Ukraine.  It was a much sadder documentary for the men than even the women, who were obviously not in a great position.

Chris

Quote from: nexus73 on October 26, 2021, 11:01:59 AM
Have you seen these movies?  Dr. Zhivago.  Red Dawn (the original).  Rambo 3.  Fail Safe.  Seven Days In May.  All were made at various times during the Cold War.  If I was a Russian, the Americans would scare me a lot!

One time when the US TV series "Cops" was on, they did some episodes called "Cops In Russia".  The police in Russia seemed a lot less aggressive in their approach than the police in the USA. 

Is this a real Russian saying?  "Come to Russia as a friend and you can leave as a friend.  Come to Russia as an enemy and you will stay forever." 

Do Russians like foreign cuisines?  The USA has so many cultures with their foods much loved by many people.  Russian restaurants and cafes are quite rare in the Pacific Northwest. 

Khruschev gave Crimea to the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic in 1956.  Do you know why he made that move? 

Thank you for taking the time to tell us what the world looks like from your point of view in Russia. 

Rick

1. I'm not a big movie fan. I still watch movies, but not very often. I recognise Rambo, but I've never seen it myself.

2. Guns aren't as widespread here as they are in the US. In fact, the average citizen legally cannot own weapons for self-defence. Hunting weapons are permitted however, but you'd need to get a permit to buy one.
That might explain why our cops are quite relaxed compared to American ones.

3. Probably is, but I've never heard anyone saying it. There is some truth in that saying though, we are quite welcoming if you treat us with respect. If you are very rude and mean towards us, you won't be welcomed for a long time.

4. Yes. An example is Japanese cuisine, like sushi. It's quite popular here. I actually ate some homemade sushi earlier today. Shashlik is also popular here, it's basically skewered marinated meat, similar to shish kebab, which is grilled on a brazier. There's plenty of foreign cuisine restaurants in most cities here. More cuisines than one can count.

5. Crimea had a very good relationship with Ukraine, both economically and culturally. In other words, it was very close with Ukraine, both literally and figuratively.

You're welcome.

Quote from: hbelkins on October 26, 2021, 12:36:09 PM

Quote from: NE2 on October 26, 2021, 12:26:40 PM
When you get mail order bride spam, what country do they claim to be from?

And just how many females are really named "Svetlana?"

It's a common female name here, so I'd say a LOT. More than one can count.

Quote from: NE2 on October 26, 2021, 12:26:40 PM
When you get mail order bride spam, what country do they claim to be from?

I've never received mail order bride spam, I only remember receiving some African prince scam emails, so sadly I can't answer that question.

I have a travel related question.  A lot of us have our travel bucket list items and some of mine are doing the Trans-Siberian (actually the Trans-Mongolian) Railroad in Winter and driving the "Road of Bones".  Does the average Russian have any inclination to travel your own country like that?  Or is travel almost 100% treated as just a means to an end?

Chris

Quote from: jayhawkco on October 26, 2021, 01:03:35 PM
I have a travel related question.  A lot of us have our travel bucket list items and some of mine are doing the Trans-Siberian (actually the Trans-Mongolian) Railroad in Winter and driving the "Road of Bones".  Does the average Russian have any inclination to travel your own country like that?  Or is travel almost 100% treated as just a means to an end?

Chris

The Trans-Siberian railroad actually passes through my city. When it's quiet enough, I can hear trains on it despite living a few kilometers away from it.

There are a lot of Russians who do like to travel. I'm not really one of those people though. The majority of Russians travel just to get to their destination, and to return.

And then the important question -- what's your favorite brand of Vodka?

Chris

First off, welcome to the forum!

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:36:05 PM
We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

I've wondered why some areas of the world (Russia, most of Texas) don't really discriminate based on that while other parts (most of America, China) do it almost out of habit. I admire that Russia doesn't tend to discriminate like that.

Is there anything about America that Russians admire?

Quote from: jayhawkco on October 26, 2021, 01:14:41 PM
And then the important question -- what's your favorite brand of Vodka?

Chris

I'm afraid I cannot answer that, I'm 2 years below the drinking age (which is 18). Only drank a small amount of alcohol accidentally as a kid. I'll probably edit this answer when I get to try it when I'm older lol.

Quote from: CoreySamson on October 26, 2021, 01:15:24 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:36:05 PM
We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

I've wondered why some areas of the world (Russia, most of Texas) don't really discriminate based on that while other parts (most of America, China) do it almost out of habit. I admire that Russia doesn't tend to discriminate like that.

Not to offend our new member, but there have been a decent amount of racist incidents in some of the soccer (football) stadiums with things like monkey chants towards black players, etc.  Especially at clubs like Zenit St. Petersburg.  I don't know how widespread it is of course or if it's just football ultras that are idiots (in far more countries than just Russia).

Chris

Quote from: CoreySamson on October 26, 2021, 01:15:24 PM
First off, welcome to the forum!

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:36:05 PM
We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

I've wondered why some areas of the world (Russia, most of Texas) don't really discriminate based on that while other parts (most of America, China) do it almost out of habit. I admire that Russia doesn't tend to discriminate like that.

Is there anything about America that Russians admire?

Their roads. It's a stereotype here that our roads are bad, and despite being repaired often, wear out very quickly. It's not entirely true, of course.

Quote from: jayhawkco on October 26, 2021, 01:18:07 PM

Quote from: CoreySamson on October 26, 2021, 01:15:24 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:36:05 PM
We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

I've wondered why some areas of the world (Russia, most of Texas) don't really discriminate based on that while other parts (most of America, China) do it almost out of habit. I admire that Russia doesn't tend to discriminate like that.

Not to offend our new member, but there have been a decent amount of racist incidents in some of the soccer (football) stadiums with things like monkey chants towards black players, etc.  Especially at clubs like Zenit St. Petersburg.  I don't know how widespread it is of course or if it's just football ultras that are idiots (in far more countries than just Russia).

Chris

They are thugs. Most Russians do not act like that.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 01:21:01 PM
They are thugs. Most Russians do not act like that.

I'm sure that's the case.  One more question.  Here in the North America, we have certain stereotypes for different regions of the country.  Does Russia have similar things?  Moscow is a certain way... Siberians do this... ?

Chris

Quote from: jayhawkco on October 26, 2021, 01:25:21 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 01:21:01 PM
They are thugs. Most Russians do not act like that.

I'm sure that's the case.  One more question.  Here in the North America, we have certain stereotypes for different regions of the country.  Does Russia have similar things?  Moscow is a certain way... Siberians do this... ?

Chris

Not with Siberians, but yes, we have something like that. An example are Moscow and St Petersburg dialects, which are differentiated by different words for one thing. In St Petersburg, they call a curb "поребрик", while in Moscow and most other regions they call it "бордюр".

Given that this is a road forum, I was wondering how Russian roads are divided into.

For example, in North America, there are national routes (e.g. Interstates, US Routes, TCH), but they're still maintained by the states. Then we have state routes, county routes, and finally municipal roads.

So yeah, how does the road hierarchy in Russia work?

Quote from: andrepoiy on October 26, 2021, 01:47:38 PM
Given that this is a road forum, I was wondering how Russian roads are divided into.

For example, in North America, there are national routes (e.g. Interstates, US Routes, TCH), but they're still maintained by the states. Then we have state routes, county routes, and finally municipal roads.

So yeah, how does the road hierarchy in Russia work?

Road hierarchy here consists of a letter followed by a series of numbers, similar to British road numbering practice.

An example: P-254. It means "federal road not connecting Moscow, number 254".

Letter definitions, from top to bottom:

M - A road that connects Moscow with other regional "capitals", hence the M. It's maintained by Rosavtodor, the federal road construction and maintenance company.
In other words, it's a federal road.

P - A road that connects 2 or more regional capitals together, but doesn't connect Moscow, hence the P (Russian letter for R). It's maintained by Rosavtodor.
In other words, it's a federal road that doesn't connect Moscow.

E - A European route. It's not a classification by itself. For example, the E-20 route in Russia is designated A-180 for official purposes.

A - A road that connects major transport hubs. These commonly connect 2 federal highways together. It may be maintained either by  Rosavtodor, or by regional authorities.

K - A road maintained by regional authorities.
In other words, it's a regional road.

Н - A road maintained by municipal authorities.

Since you're still in school, how do Russian schools handle teaching kids about the era of Stalin?  In terms of dead humans, the guy was worse than Hitler and I wonder what learning history of one's own country is like with that kind of horrifying past.

We've done our share of bad deeds over here, particular to the indigenous population of North America, but it was mostly indirect and ignorantly unintentional through infectious disease.  Even with that lower scale destruction, it was not something I recall them dwelling on very much when I was in school with the subject quickly pivoting to European settlement.  In retrospect, it seems glossed over and somewhat white-washed.  So with that as the point of comparison, it makes me wonder how Russian schools handle Stalin now that we're about 7 decades removed from that era.

Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2021, 03:54:40 PM
Since you're still in school, how do Russian schools handle teaching kids about the era of Stalin?  In terms of dead humans, the guy was worse than Hitler and I wonder what learning history of one's own country is like with that kind of horrifying past.

We've done our share of bad deeds over here, particular to the indigenous population of North America, but it was mostly indirect and ignorantly unintentional through infectious disease.  Even with that lower scale destruction, it was not something I recall them dwelling on very much when I was in school with the subject quickly pivoting to European settlement.  In retrospect, it seems glossed over and somewhat white-washed.  So with that as the point of comparison, it makes me wonder how Russian schools handle Stalin now that we're about 7 decades removed from that era.

I have already graduated in May. Here in Russia, you can choose either to leave after 9th grade, or stay until 11th. I chose 9th because I'm tired of school. Will try to get into a college next year.
We were never really taught about Stalin. We were only taught Russian history between 16th and 19th centuries.
I think they teach you 20th century history in 10th and 11th grades.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 03:59:45 PM

Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2021, 03:54:40 PM
Since you're still in school, how do Russian schools handle teaching kids about the era of Stalin?  In terms of dead humans, the guy was worse than Hitler and I wonder what learning history of one's own country is like with that kind of horrifying past.

We've done our share of bad deeds over here, particular to the indigenous population of North America, but it was mostly indirect and ignorantly unintentional through infectious disease.  Even with that lower scale destruction, it was not something I recall them dwelling on very much when I was in school with the subject quickly pivoting to European settlement.  In retrospect, it seems glossed over and somewhat white-washed.  So with that as the point of comparison, it makes me wonder how Russian schools handle Stalin now that we're about 7 decades removed from that era.

I have already graduated in May. Here in Russia, you can choose either to leave after 9th grade, or stay until 11th. I chose 9th because I'm tired of school. Will try to get into a college next year.
We were never really taught about Stalin. We were only taught Russian history between 16th and 19th centuries.
I think they teach you 20th century history in 10th and 11th grades.

How do you get into college with only up to 9th grade?

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 26, 2021, 04:30:34 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 03:59:45 PM

Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2021, 03:54:40 PM
Since you're still in school, how do Russian schools handle teaching kids about the era of Stalin?  In terms of dead humans, the guy was worse than Hitler and I wonder what learning history of one's own country is like with that kind of horrifying past.

We've done our share of bad deeds over here, particular to the indigenous population of North America, but it was mostly indirect and ignorantly unintentional through infectious disease.  Even with that lower scale destruction, it was not something I recall them dwelling on very much when I was in school with the subject quickly pivoting to European settlement.  In retrospect, it seems glossed over and somewhat white-washed.  So with that as the point of comparison, it makes me wonder how Russian schools handle Stalin now that we're about 7 decades removed from that era.

I have already graduated in May. Here in Russia, you can choose either to leave after 9th grade, or stay until 11th. I chose 9th because I'm tired of school. Will try to get into a college next year.
We were never really taught about Stalin. We were only taught Russian history between 16th and 19th centuries.
I think they teach you 20th century history in 10th and 11th grades.

How do you get into college with only up to 9th grade?

Here in Russia, you get a certificate for completing 9 grades, and another one if you complete 11 grades. To enter a college, you only need a certificate.

What is the benefit of getting an 11-grade certificate rather than a 9-grade certificate? (Here in the U.S. we'd probably call them "diplomas" rather than certificates.)

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 26, 2021, 06:09:24 PM
What is the benefit of getting an 11-grade certificate rather than a 9-grade certificate? (Here in the U.S. we'd probably call them "diplomas" rather than certificates.)

There's no real benefit. Colleges here judge whether to accept you or not by the average grade in your certificate.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 06:15:54 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 26, 2021, 06:09:24 PM
What is the benefit of getting an 11-grade certificate rather than a 9-grade certificate? (Here in the U.S. we'd probably call them "diplomas" rather than certificates.)

There's no real benefit. Colleges here judge whether to accept you or not by the average grade in your certificate.

Does it help to have two certificates? Otherwise why would anyone stay on past 9th grade?

Quote from: webny99 on October 26, 2021, 06:20:12 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 06:15:54 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 26, 2021, 06:09:24 PM
What is the benefit of getting an 11-grade certificate rather than a 9-grade certificate? (Here in the U.S. we'd probably call them "diplomas" rather than certificates.)

There's no real benefit. Colleges here judge whether to accept you or not by the average grade in your certificate.

Does it help to have two certificates? Otherwise why would anyone stay on past 9th grade?

Those who stay past 9th grade are usually those who don't know what career they want. There's no real benefit to having 2 certificates. However there are some colleges that only accept those with 11-grade certificates.

Quote from: nexus73 on October 26, 2021, 11:01:59 AM
Do Russians like foreign cuisines?  The USA has so many cultures with their foods much loved by many people.  Russian restaurants and cafes are quite rare in the Pacific Northwest. 

There's a handful of Russian restaurants around Seattle, and I bet Portland has a good number given their larger Russian diaspora population.

I should go pick up something from Piroshky Piroshky.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 06:25:42 PM

Quote from: webny99 on October 26, 2021, 06:20:12 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 06:15:54 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 26, 2021, 06:09:24 PM
What is the benefit of getting an 11-grade certificate rather than a 9-grade certificate? (Here in the U.S. we'd probably call them "diplomas" rather than certificates.)

There's no real benefit. Colleges here judge whether to accept you or not by the average grade in your certificate.

Does it help to have two certificates? Otherwise why would anyone stay on past 9th grade?

Those who stay past 9th grade are usually those who don't know what career they want. There's no real benefit to having 2 certificates. However there are some colleges that only accept those with 11-grade certificates.

Is 9th grade in Russia more similar to 9th or 12th grade in the US?

Quote from: thspfc on October 26, 2021, 07:30:59 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 06:25:42 PM

Quote from: webny99 on October 26, 2021, 06:20:12 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 06:15:54 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 26, 2021, 06:09:24 PM
What is the benefit of getting an 11-grade certificate rather than a 9-grade certificate? (Here in the U.S. we'd probably call them "diplomas" rather than certificates.)

There's no real benefit. Colleges here judge whether to accept you or not by the average grade in your certificate.

Does it help to have two certificates? Otherwise why would anyone stay on past 9th grade?

Those who stay past 9th grade are usually those who don't know what career they want. There's no real benefit to having 2 certificates. However there are some colleges that only accept those with 11-grade certificates.

Is 9th grade in Russia more similar to 9th or 12th grade in the US?

More similar to 9th.

It's worth noting that many countries differentiate college and university, rather than use them interchangeably as we do in the US.  "University" is what we call "college" and "college" is what we call "community college".

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 01:21:01 PM

Quote from: jayhawkco on October 26, 2021, 01:18:07 PM

Quote from: CoreySamson on October 26, 2021, 01:15:24 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 25, 2021, 07:36:05 PM
We don't really discriminate based on ethnicity or descent as much as people do in North America.

I've wondered why some areas of the world (Russia, most of Texas) don't really discriminate based on that while other parts (most of America, China) do it almost out of habit. I admire that Russia doesn't tend to discriminate like that.

Not to offend our new member, but there have been a decent amount of racist incidents in some of the soccer (football) stadiums with things like monkey chants towards black players, etc.  Especially at clubs like Zenit St. Petersburg.  I don't know how widespread it is of course or if it's just football ultras that are idiots (in far more countries than just Russia).

Chris

They are thugs. Most Russians do not act like that.

Exact same thing could be said of racial/ethnic discrimination in the United States.

It does seem like citizens of most other countries think that racial divides in the US are much worse than what is really the case. Probably because our media almost certainly talks more about race than that of any other nation in the world.

Does Russia have cable TV/  Satellite TV?  What kind of formats does Russian broadcast radio have?  In the USA we have satellite radio from Sirius.  Is there such a setup in Russia?

More pop culture questions: Are there comic books and comic strips in Russia?  What kind of books are best sellers?  Do non-Russian movies attract an audience in Russia?

Rick

What's the deal with all the little amusement parks (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30161.msg2666499#msg2666499), then?

Quote from: nexus73 on October 26, 2021, 10:24:21 PM
Does Russia have cable TV/  Satellite TV?  What kind of formats does Russian broadcast radio have?  In the USA we have satellite radio from Sirius.  Is there such a setup in Russia?

More pop culture questions: Are there comic books and comic strips in Russia?  What kind of books are best sellers?  Do non-Russian movies attract an audience in Russia?

Rick

Yes, we do. Analog TV was recently shut down here. Our format is FM-only as far as I know. I've never heard of "Sirius radio" before.

Of course we do. I don't know that much about books. And yes, we do like to watch non-Russian movies, for example "Rambo" someone mentioned a few posts above.

Quote from: empirestate on October 27, 2021, 02:34:27 AM
What's the deal with all the little amusement parks (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30161.msg2666499#msg2666499), then?

It's just a low-budget amusement park. Probably temporary since they didn't bother to pave the paths and stuff like that. Temporary attractions are common here in the summer.

In the USA we have a storyline called Westerns.  Books, TV shows and movies saw many made which dealt with the westward expansion all the way to the Pacific coast.  Does Russia have the same thing for their expansion eastward to the Pacific? 

Is American football liked in Russia?  How about baseball?

Sirius is a privately owned firm which uses satellites to send a huge variety of radio channels to receivers with many of these receivers being in vehicles.  Read about them on Wikipedia.

Rick

Quote from: nexus73 on October 27, 2021, 09:48:47 AM
In the USA we have a storyline called Westerns.  Books, TV shows and movies saw many made which dealt with the westward expansion all the way to the Pacific coast.  Does Russia have the same thing for their expansion eastward to the Pacific? 

Is American football liked in Russia?  How about baseball?

Sirius is a privately owned firm which uses satellites to send a huge variety of radio channels to receivers with many of these receivers being in vehicles.  Read about them on Wikipedia.

Rick

1. We used to have something similar in Soviet times, "Osterns". "White Sun of the Desert" is an Ostern film. Though that genre has died some years ago, and most Russians don't even know that that genre even used to exist.

2. They're not as popular as for example football, but they're still played here.

I did wonder if they would be called "Easterns" in Russia.  Westerns were huge in the USA through the Seventies with some more modern movies coming along later.  Clint Eastwood made his mark in this genre.  Some Westerns were made in Italy, so they were called "spaghetti westerns". 

This thread has been one of the most interesting I have seen on AARoads.  Why not ask a real person what is going on?  That beats dealing with misconceptions and stereotypes. 

Rick

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 27, 2021, 06:11:03 AM

Quote from: empirestate on October 27, 2021, 02:34:27 AM
What's the deal with all the little amusement parks (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30161.msg2666499#msg2666499), then?

It's just a low-budget amusement park. Probably temporary since they didn't bother to pave the paths and stuff like that. Temporary attractions are common here in the summer.

Is that something particular to Russian culture, or more specifically to the post-Soviet economy? At least for that guessing game, the amusement park turned out to be a dead giveaway that it was Russia or a former SSR.

Quote from: empirestate on October 27, 2021, 10:20:26 AM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 27, 2021, 06:11:03 AM

Quote from: empirestate on October 27, 2021, 02:34:27 AM
What's the deal with all the little amusement parks (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30161.msg2666499#msg2666499), then?

It's just a low-budget amusement park. Probably temporary since they didn't bother to pave the paths and stuff like that. Temporary attractions are common here in the summer.

Is that something particular to Russian culture, or more specifically to the post-Soviet economy? At least for that guessing game, the amusement park turned out to be a dead giveaway that it was Russia or a former SSR.

It's a kind of business here. For example, in the summer, you can find bouncy houses in and around parks. Parents can pay the owner a small fee to let their child play in it.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 27, 2021, 10:34:10 AM
It's a kind of business here. For example, in the summer, you can find bouncy houses in and around parks. Parents can pay the owner a small fee to let their child play in it.

Thanks. I took that photo on my only visit ever to Russia, in Petropavlovsk 12 years ago. One thing I noticed was that, while the city overall seemed a little tired and worn-out (from the rusting ships and derricks in the harbor to the drab former Soviet architecture and the seemingly abandoned old theatre and churches), the people out in the streets tended to be well-dressed and gave an air of prosperity. My sense was that they represented an emerging middle class, but I don't know how much of that was perception and how much reality.

Is that something that might be seen in other parts of Russia, particularly outside the big European cities in the west?

Quote from: empirestate on October 27, 2021, 10:53:08 AM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 27, 2021, 10:34:10 AM
It's a kind of business here. For example, in the summer, you can find bouncy houses in and around parks. Parents can pay the owner a small fee to let their child play in it.

Thanks. I took that photo on my only visit ever to Russia, in Petropavlovsk 12 years ago. One thing I noticed was that, while the city overall seemed a little tired and worn-out (from the rusting ships and derricks in the harbor to the drab former Soviet architecture and the seemingly abandoned old theatre and churches), the people out in the streets tended to be well-dressed and gave an air of prosperity. My sense was that they represented an emerging middle class, but I don't know how much of that was perception and how much reality.

Is that something that might be seen in other parts of Russia, particularly outside the big European cities in the west?

Yes, in Moscow especially.

Regarding the 9th and 11th grade certificates, I'm curious as to the average ages of those who finish the 9th grade. Here, graduating high school seniors (12th grade) are usually 17 or 18 years old. I was 17; I did not turn 18 until the my first semester of college was nearly over). Do Russian kids start school later? Because here, a 9th grader is usually only 13 or 14.

Quote from: hbelkins on October 27, 2021, 01:44:55 PM
Regarding the 9th and 11th grade certificates, I'm curious as to the average ages of those who finish the 9th grade. Here, graduating high school seniors (12th grade) are usually 17 or 18 years old. I was 17; I did not turn 18 until the my first semester of college was nearly over). Do Russian kids start school later? Because here, a 9th grader is usually only 13 or 14.

Here you can enroll into school if you're between 6.5 and 8 years of age. Most people here (myself included) started going to school when they were 7.
I was 15 when I finished 9th grade, and I'm pretty sure most people would also be 15 when they are finishing 9th grade.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 27, 2021, 02:53:32 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on October 27, 2021, 01:44:55 PM
Regarding the 9th and 11th grade certificates, I'm curious as to the average ages of those who finish the 9th grade. Here, graduating high school seniors (12th grade) are usually 17 or 18 years old. I was 17; I did not turn 18 until the my first semester of college was nearly over). Do Russian kids start school later? Because here, a 9th grader is usually only 13 or 14.

Here you can enroll into school if you're between 6.5 and 8 years of age. Most people here (myself included) started going to school when they were 7.
I was 15 when I finished 9th grade, and I'm pretty sure most people would also be 15 when they are finishing 9th grade.

Interesting.  Here we start normally at age 5.

Chris

This has been an interesting read.  Some of my ancestors were Volgadeutsch from the area around Saratov and Engels.

I've done some poking around on Google street view on Russian roads, and they are quite interesting to see.  As for road quality, you folks have to put up with a road agency (DOT) that waits until holes show up in bridge decks like mine (Illinois Department of Transportation) does?

Quote from: Brandon on October 27, 2021, 04:19:46 PM
This has been an interesting read.  Some of my ancestors were Volgadeutsch from the area around Saratov and Engels.

I've done some poking around on Google street view on Russian roads, and they are quite interesting to see.  As for road quality, you folks have to put up with a road agency (DOT) that waits until holes show up in bridge decks like mine (Illinois Department of Transportation) does?

Pretty much yeah.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 03:59:45 PM
I have already graduated in May. Here in Russia, you can choose either to leave after 9th grade, or stay until 11th. I chose 9th because I'm tired of school. Will try to get into a college next year.
We were never really taught about Stalin. We were only taught Russian history between 16th and 19th centuries.
I think they teach you 20th century history in 10th and 11th grades.

See, this is fascinating. It makes some sense that 20th century history would be the... touchiest part, and therefore the one they'd want to hold off on talking about until the later years not everyone sticks around for.
Meanwhile I learned all about 20th century Russian history in school, but nothing earlier since that wouldn't be considered relevant to the US.


My own question: how common is it for people in your area to travel to the adjacent countries to the south (Kazakhstan, Mongolia)? What is the experience of crossing the border to go there like? Is it a lengthy/involved/intimidating process or is it more of a casual formality?

Quote from: Duke87 on October 27, 2021, 07:02:26 PM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on October 26, 2021, 03:59:45 PM
I have already graduated in May. Here in Russia, you can choose either to leave after 9th grade, or stay until 11th. I chose 9th because I'm tired of school. Will try to get into a college next year.
We were never really taught about Stalin. We were only taught Russian history between 16th and 19th centuries.
I think they teach you 20th century history in 10th and 11th grades.

See, this is fascinating. It makes some sense that 20th century history would be the... touchiest part, and therefore the one they'd want to hold off on talking about until the later years not everyone sticks around for.
Meanwhile I learned all about 20th century Russian history in school, but nothing earlier since that wouldn't be considered relevant to the US.


My own question: how common is it for people in your area to travel to the adjacent countries to the south (Kazakhstan, Mongolia)? What is the experience of crossing the border to go there like? Is it a lengthy/involved/intimidating process or is it more of a casual formality?

It is quite common. People here travel not only to Kazakhstan and Mongolia, but all the former Soviet countries in general. I've never crossed the border, so I can't tell you it from my own perspective. To cross the border, you'd need to get a "foreign passport" (there are 2 kinds of passports in Russia, the "internal passport", basically our equivalent of ID, and the "foreign passport"). It's quite a lengthy process.

Are mobster themed movies popular in Russia?  They do quite well in the USA and have done so for almost a century.

By the way, your ability to write in English is exceptionally good!

Rick

Quote from: nexus73 on October 28, 2021, 11:05:22 AM
Are mobster themed movies popular in Russia?  They do quite well in the USA and have done so for almost a century.

By the way, your ability to write in English is exceptionally good!

Rick

1. Yes. An example is the "Brigada" miniseries. It's set between 1989 and 2000. Crime rate used to be high in the 90s after the Soviet Union collapsed.
Another example are the "Bumer" movies.

Thank you.

Have you ridden the Sapsan high speed rail before. If so, how was the experience? Asking this as I noticed that the HSR line uses Siemens Velaro trains, which is my favorite general HSR rolling stock out there.

Also with railways, the Trans Siberian Railway seems interesting. I may have to try it out sometime in the future.

Quote from: SkyPesos on October 29, 2021, 02:10:44 AM
Have you ridden the Sapsan high speed rail before. If so, how was the experience? Asking this as I noticed that the HSR line uses Siemens Velaro trains, which is my favorite general HSR rolling stock out there.

Also with railways, the Trans Siberian Railway seems interesting. I may have to try it out sometime in the future.

No sadly. The farthest I've ever gone by train was Achinsk.

How much are the Russian people aware of what's going on in Ukraine?

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 07:34:58 AM
How much are the Russian people aware of what's going on in Ukraine?

Quite.  I just had a friend leave a cushy resort management position in Kazan' and bolt for Orlando, FL to do the same kind of thing because of the turbulence.

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 07:34:58 AM
How much are the Russian people aware of what's going on in Ukraine?

We're aware of it, but unlike the Westerners, we don't panic about Ukraine.

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on February 14, 2022, 10:44:17 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 07:34:58 AM
How much are the Russian people aware of what's going on in Ukraine?

We're aware of it, but unlike the Westerners, we don't panic about Ukraine.

Your country is about to invade another sovereign country without provocation and that doesn't concern you?

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 10:50:59 AM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on February 14, 2022, 10:44:17 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 07:34:58 AM
How much are the Russian people aware of what's going on in Ukraine?

We're aware of it, but unlike the Westerners, we don't panic about Ukraine.

Your country is about to invade another sovereign country without provocation and that doesn't concern you?

That does seem to match what we've come to expect from the different countries' viewpoints. Even Ukraine seems to be more laid back in its poise, for now.

Quote from: empirestate on February 14, 2022, 12:18:15 PM
That does seem to match what we've come to expect from the different countries' viewpoints. Even Ukraine seems to be more laid back in its poise, for now.

Yeah. The West is losing its shit and Ukraine is telling them not to because it's not helping. People on the ground in Ukraine seem to have accepted this possibility long ago and are just living their lives because they know there's nothing they can do about it.

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 14, 2022, 02:32:06 PM

Quote from: empirestate on February 14, 2022, 12:18:15 PM
That does seem to match what we've come to expect from the different countries' viewpoints. Even Ukraine seems to be more laid back in its poise, for now.

Yeah. The West is losing its shit and Ukraine is telling them not to because it's not helping. People on the ground in Ukraine seem to have accepted this possibility long ago and are just living their lives because they know there's nothing they can do about it.

There are plenty in the West who embrace the Russian/Ukrainian posture of nonchalance, too; in fact there's considerable controversy in this country on exactly that. (As a result, I guess we're not really allowed to discuss it here...)

Yeah let's keep the politics about Russia and Ukraine out of here as it's not directed to this thread.

Quote from: tolbs17 on February 15, 2022, 08:03:34 AM
Yeah let's keep the politics about Russia and Ukraine out of here as it's not directed to this thread.

Along with that, can some people stop beating on the one Russian here like this possible war is somehow his fault?

Quote from: SectorZ on February 15, 2022, 08:19:13 AM

Quote from: tolbs17 on February 15, 2022, 08:03:34 AM
Yeah let's keep the politics about Russia and Ukraine out of here as it's not directed to this thread.

Along with that, can some people stop beating on the one Russian here like this possible war is somehow his fault?

How do we know it isn't?

Quote from: SectorZ on February 15, 2022, 08:19:13 AM

Quote from: tolbs17 on February 15, 2022, 08:03:34 AM
Yeah let's keep the politics about Russia and Ukraine out of here as it's not directed to this thread.

Along with that, can some people stop beating on the one Russian here like this possible war is somehow his fault?

Yes, the OP

Franchise food question: Are there Russian chains and what are the meals they offer?

Rick

Here in the US, we have Walmart and Target as our discount retailers. Are there any big discount retailers in Russia that are similar?

Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 15, 2022, 10:12:41 AM
Here in the US, we have Walmart and Target as our discount retailers. Are there any big discount retailers in Russia that are similar?

GUM. :D

Quote from: tolbs17 on February 15, 2022, 08:03:34 AM
Yeah let's keep the politics about Russia and Ukraine out of here as it's not directed to this thread.

Don't tell people what to do. You're not a moderator.

Discussion of the average Russian's opinion about what's going is ruled to be on-topic so long as it doesn't become acrimonious. But do note this is done so for the purpose of educating yourselves as to how the Russian people feel about it, not for injecting your feelings on the matter as a Westerner. That is off-topic. If you'd like to find half-baked, badly reasoned Western opinions on the subject, you can do that here (https://www.facebook.com).

Here is a hockey Question, how big hockey is in Russia? Who is the 5 greatest Russian Hockey players (NHL, KHL, Olympics, etc)

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 15, 2022, 02:13:53 PM

Quote from: tolbs17 on February 15, 2022, 08:03:34 AM
Yeah let's keep the politics about Russia and Ukraine out of here as it's not directed to this thread.

Don't tell people what to do. You're not a moderator.

Discussion of the average Russian's opinion about what's going is ruled to be on-topic so long as it doesn't become acrimonious. But do note this is done so for the purpose of educating yourselves as to how the Russian people feel about it, not for injecting your feelings on the matter as a Westerner. That is off-topic. If you'd like to find half-baked, badly reasoned Western opinions on the subject, you can do that here (https://www.facebook.com).

Ever heard a chin sing?
(https://www.thebaseballjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/chin-music.jpg)

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 10:50:59 AM

Quote from: BuildTheRussian on February 14, 2022, 10:44:17 AM

Quote from: cabiness42 on February 14, 2022, 07:34:58 AM
How much are the Russian people aware of what's going on in Ukraine?

We're aware of it, but unlike the Westerners, we don't panic about Ukraine.

Your country is about to invade another sovereign country without provocation and that doesn't concern you?

Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. Who knows what to believe? Last reports I saw said that Russia is moving troops away from the border.

And as an aside, there were a whole lot of Americans who supported going into Iraq. That would be no different than our resident Russian friend supporting whatever happens.

So, uh...how are things in Krasnoyarsk?

Almost as before. The prices went a bit up, of course due to all the sanctions, but there's nothing bad happening here. The main mess is happening in Ukraine obviously.

Off-topic posts removed.

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 01, 2022, 07:58:31 PM
Off-topic posts removed.

Ehhhhhh...I guess.