Putin Arrived at Biker Rally in Sevastopol on a Harley Trike… Ease on Down the Road, Vladimir Vladimirovich!

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (1952- ), riding his Harley trike at a biker rally in Sevastopol…

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During a brief visit to the Ukraine, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrived at the 14th International Bike Show, which took place at Lake Gasfort, riding a Harley tricycle at the head of the bikers. Mounted on a modified Harley Davidson Le Mans, decorated with the Russian and Ukrainian flags, Putin wore a black shirt, black jeans, a baseball cap, dark glasses, and black gloves. Vladimir Vladimirovich called his trike his “iron growler”, and called the participants in the rally, “brothers”, during his opening speech. “Where else can you see such cool machines, such cool hardware, as I see today? Bikes are the most democratic form of transport. Bikes are daring and brash, they give a rider a sweet feeling of freedom, and, therefore, it’s no exaggeration to say that the bike is a symbol of freedom. You came here because you’re free, you can go where you want, and that there are a lot of people gathered here from all over Europe is highly symbolic. That tells us that we already live in a single space, as Mayakovsky said, a single human race in a single human society”, Mr Putin said. He spoke with the bikers, and he signed autographs on motorcycle postcards, the seat of a motorcycle, and even signed a banknote for a biker from Prague. One of the girlfriends of the bikers asked him to sign her hand, but Vladimir Vladimirovich wouldn’t sign it, he kissed her hand instead.

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here’s a song by Alisa… they’re as popular amongst Russian bikers as Steppenwolf is amongst American riders…

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According to organisers, the event brought together bikers from Belarus, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Serbia, the USA, and Israel. The Bike Show was dedicated to the Russian Black Sea Fleet of Russia (it was held on the eve of Navy Day) and the 65th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. “Tomorrow, Russian and Ukrainian sailors will stand together, as our nations were united for many centuries. For this, I give many thanks to the Ukrainian leadership, especially President Viktor Yanukovich, for their decisions concerning the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and for the [good] atmosphere it created in relations between our fraternal peoples, of Russia and the Ukraine”, the prime minister said. For the second year in a row, the International Bike Show was held in Sevastopol. Amongst the organisers of the event was the Night Wolves MC from Moscow. Last year, Mr Putin visited the Moscow clubhouse of the Night Wolves MC, and gave the head of the club, Aleksandr Zaldostanov (“the Surgeon”), a Russian flag. The Night Wolves MC was the first biker club in the USSR, and, then, in the RF, being founded in 1989 in Moscow.

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PM Putin with Aleksandr the Surgeon, the head of the Night Wolves MC in Moscow

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Later, Mr Putin conveyed greetings from the bikers to Ukrainian President Yanukovich, whom he met at the Ukrainian presidential summer residence in Foros. “I want to convey to you their greetings and thanks, they understand how difficult it is (to arrange a personal visit), what an additional burden it is for the authorities, when there are thousands gathered from all over Europe”, he said. When it was time for him to leave, Vladimir Vladimirovich led a procession of bikers, mounted on his trike, whilst the bikers held a race on the Sevastopol ring road.

24 July 2010

RIA-Novosti

click on the first link below… the page has a 2-minute vid in English:

http://english.ruvr.ru/rtvideo/2010/07/24/video_13302817.html

http://rian.ru/politics/20100724/258054821.html

http://www.rian.ru/politics/20100724/258014897.html

Putin Met with “Spyware Scandal” Spies

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (1952- )… don’t forget that he has a black belt in judo… and judo uses the strength of one’s opponent against them…

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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with the Russians deported from the USA because of the recent “spyware scandal”. At a meeting with reporters in Foros at the residence of the Ukrainian president, responding to a question whether he met with the spies, Mr Putin said, “I met with them . We talked with them about life”. In response to a question whether or not, during the meeting, he had sung in a karaoke session, he said, “They did sing, but not karaoke, it was live music, they sang С чего начинается Родина (Where Does the Motherland Begin?)”. Vladimir Vladimirovich confirmed that Anna Chapman was one of those in the group. “There is nothing particular to comment upon. I have already said that this is the result of treachery and traitors always come to a bad end, they end usually from drunkenness or from a drug overdose lying under a fence. Recently, one of them ended up that way. You wonder why they do that”, Mr Putin said. He also confirmed that he knew all the names of the traitors. When asked if he was going to punish [the traitors], he said, “That’s irrelevant… you know that I can’t answer that at a press conference. [Intelligence operatives] live by their own laws and these laws are all well known to everyone in the field”.

I’ll give you two versions of С чего начинается Родина (Where Does the Motherland Begin?)… the other is below.

When asked what would be the fate of the returned spies in future, the Prime Minister noted, “They will go to work. I’m confident that they will work at decent jobs, I’m sure that they will have an interesting and happy life. These people (Russian intelligence officers) have a very tough row to hoe, all of them. Just imagine, first, you need to learn the language like your mother tongue, you have to think in it, and speak it. You have to do your duty in the interests of the country for many, many years, not counting on a diplomatic cover, exposed to daily danger, both to yourself and to your family, who may not even know about who you really are and who you are working for. It’s not my task to evaluate their work; it will be done by professionals, their managers, and the end-users of this kind of information”.

This Soviet-era patriotic song is still popular… patriotism is not mocked in Russia as it is in the USA…

The scandal erupted in late June, when ten agents were arrested in the USA. Soon after, an eleventh suspect was detained in Cyprus. The most famous figure in the scandal was Anna Chapman, whose real name is Kushchenko. The 28-year-old Russian woman had dual Russian-British citizenship, as she was previously married to a Brit. The Russians admitted their guilt in espionage, they admitted they spied for Russia, and were exchanged at Vienna’s airport for four other Russians who were convicted previously in Russia for spying for the west. These four are now in the West.

24 July 2010

RIA-Novosti

http://rian.ru/politics/20100724/258091350.html

Editor’s Note:

Do note PM Putin’s talk of “traitors”. I remember one of the things that surfaced before the spy exchange was a press rumour that one of the spies had asked to be part of the Witness Protection Programme. Of course, none of the ten arrested had done so, but it is probable that, given Vladimir Vladimirovich’s words, there was a turncoat or two who ratted on their fellows. Such a person or persons WOULD flee into the Witness Protection Programme… the FSB is known for its VERY long arms. That could be or not… but given VVP’s public utterance, it’s not without the realm of probability. As for the US claims that no secrets were blown… that’s boilerplate… it’s always said. Did they find out anything? We’ll never know… perhaps, that’s one reason why the American side didn’t want this to go to court…

Things are never boring, are they?

BMD

A Photo Essay. “It’s a Hot Time in the Old Town, Tonight”… Moscow Beats the Heat

Kids beating the heat in the fountains at the VVTs (all-Russian Exhibition Centre)

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There’s plenty of fountains at the VVTs…

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Here’s two girls with the right idea…

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Having a cold Bochkarev… that’s a nice cold pivo (beer)… can’t ya just taste it going down? Nice!

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Queueing up for a pop outside the GUM…

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There’s fountains in the Kremlin, too!

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Yep, it’s right inside the city… Borisovskye Ponds…

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Taking a drink in the Metro…

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Ice cream in Red Square… Muscovites are eating 200 metric tons of the stuff daily… I just gained two dress sizes just thinking of that!

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Can you imagine the heat on the platforms? I know what Times Square Station is like in August… whew!

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Here’s a couple in the Aleksandrovsky Gardens near Shervud’s State Historical Museum on Red Square

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At the Moscow Zoo… “Mommy, what’s that you’re carrying?”

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“Mommy! Is that your new hat?”

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Papa Bear sez, “What Heat? It’s nice and comfy in here!”

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The Temperature in Moscow is Reaching Absolute Record Levels

Here’s one way to beat the heat…

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Moscow reached a new temperature record, the air temperature was 36.7 degrees C (98.1 degrees F), the Moscow Meteobyuro reported. It didn’t only beat the record for a single day, but it also beat the record for a month, which was 36.5 degrees C (97.7 degrees F) in 1936. The Moscow Meteobyuro noted that we would have to wait for all reports until we can definitively say that this was the hottest summer on record. In over 130 years of meteorological records, the previous high temperature record was 36.8 degrees C (98.3 degrees F), recorded in 1920. Meanwhile, the heat in the metropolitan area increased, a thermometer placed along the rails near Moscow near the entrance to the city showed a reading of over 40 degrees C (104 degrees F). For almost a month, there has been a period of abnormally hot weather in Moscow. Over the entire history of weather observation, a heat wave of such duration and intensity is unprecedented.

24 July 2010

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2010/07/24/13319799.html

Patriarch Kirill: MP to be “Absolute Antithesis” of Ukrainian Schismatics

Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias (1946- )

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Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias, speaking in Dnepropetrovsk on Saturday, criticised schismatical elements and called upon the MP to be their “absolute antithesis”. “There is no grace or truth in schism. Therefore, they cannot give a salvific message. The MP must be the antithesis of the schismatics, we need clear teaching from the clergy, work amongst youth, and charitable deeds in society”, he said at the meeting with local clergy. In addition to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is a self-governing Church within the MP, there are the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Kiev), headed by Philaret Denisenko, who was excommunicated by the MP, and the so-called Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, neither of which is recognised by any other legitimate Local Orthodox Church.

During his visit to the Ukraine in summer 2009, Patriarch Kirill spoke much on the idea of overcoming the schism and restoring the unity of the Orthodox Church in the country. However, Viktor Yushchenko, who was the Ukrainian President at that time, maintained relationships with all the Orthodox groups, but he favoured the schismatical Patriarchate of Kiev. Repeatedly, he called for the creation of a single Local Orthodox Church in the Ukraine. In the summer of 2008, during the celebration of the 1,020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, Yushchenko invited Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to the celebration, without seeking the proper consent form the MP. The MP hopes that with the coming to power of Viktor Yanukovich, who expressed clear support for the canonical UOC MP, the political causes of the schism in Ukraine will disappear, RIA-Novosti reported.

24 July 2010

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2010/07/24/13294515.html

Editor’s Note:

There is going to be NO compromise with schismatics in the Ukraine… or anywhere else, for that matter. Paffhausen should take note… he is up to his neck with Episkies, papists, and Mormons. It’s not very bright… but it’s his choice. He’s playing a shell game with the Centre, but sooner or later they’ll get wise to him (if they haven’t already done so and are simply biding their time). Note well that the MP continues to fund gallivanting by Hilarion Kapral, but hasn’t done so for JP… that is, the first is accounted a “good investment”, whilst the latter has been found an “empty suit”… actions DO speak louder than words, kiddies…

BMD

New Taliban Attacks in the Afghan Province of Nuristan

The Taliban… the bastard child of the neocons… isn’t that so luvverly?

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In the early hours on Saturday, radical Taliban militants launched a new massive offensive on the border with Pakistan in Barg-e-Matal, in Nuristan province in eastern Afghanistan. According to Jamaluddin Badr, the provincial governor, militants launched attacks on the few police units stationed in this district, starting at 04.00 local time (02.30 MSK 23.30 Friday UTC 18.30 EDT 15.30 PDT). According to RIA-Novosti, the attack involved several hundred militants. Governor Badr, in an appeal broadcast on local TV stations, urged the Afghan government to send reinforcements to this troubled district with no delay, adding that the battle between the security forces, police, and the Taliban continues to rage.

24 July 2010

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2010/07/24/13261398.html

Editor’s Note:

The neocons tell you that all the USA needs is more money and troops in Afghanistan… the last time that I looked, Afghanistan is peripheral to major American interests. The neocons and “conservatives” opposed 34 billion bucks (1.034 trillion Roubles 26.333 billion Euros 22.039 billion UK Pounds) for the unemployed tooth-and-nail… but an extra 30 billion (911.577 billion Roubles 23.235 billion Euros 19.446 billion UK Pounds) for this war… no problem! Methinks I smell HYPOCRISY. Talk about the deficit is just that… bootless talk. The US has spent a trillion dollars (30.386 trillion Roubles 775 billion Euros 648 billion UK Pounds) on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (mostly on tick, pumping up the deficit more than any other factor)… and all it has done has been to cement Islamofascism. Hell, in Afghanistan the USA directly props up an openly Islamofascist junta… it calls itself the “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan”, after all.

What is the result of it all? The Taliban is stronger than ever… as the present news indicates. It’s why I read the Russian press… it reports things that the Western Corporate Media refuses to cover. Reflect well on this… the teabaggers have powerful backers… in the 80s, those backers bankrolled Osama bin Laden and smoothed his way… there would have been no 9/11 without such backing. Interesting thought, no? Do think hard on this…

BMD