Wooden Sculptures Dating Back To the 3rd Millennium BC Found In the Urals

Belogorsky Monastery near Nizhny Tagil in the Urals. Nizhny Tagil is a large industrial city south of Yekaterinburg, with 400,000 residents. It is a centre for defence plants today, the first Russian locomotive was made here, and the plates for the Statue of Liberty may have been rolled at local mills.

In the city of Nizhny Tagil in the southern Urals, archaeologists found wooden sculptures of the 3rd millennium BC. Not all fragments allow an identification of the whole, but, one sculpture can be identified with certainty as an aquatic bird. These wooden sculptures were well-preserved because they lay in a peat bog where they were preserved from decay. Scientists have studied the Gorbunovo peat bog near the village of Gorbunovo for some 100 years. In the beginning of the previous century, traces of settlements of prehistoric man were discovered there. Archaeologists believe that most of wooden findings are from the Neolithic period, planking, branch-shelters, oars, part of a boat, a bone harpoon, silicon arrow ends, an axe, and appliances for making nets. The finding of these items led them to conclude that the main occupations of these prehistoric men were fishing, hunting, and, probably, primitive agriculture. Experts showed great interest in the art pieces of the period, idols, scoops with handles in the form of bird heads, and elk figurines. Archaeologists believe that the structures revealed during the excavations were not ordinary houses, but, served as temples. During the excavations of the Gorbunovo peat bog, items from the Bronze Age were also found on a regular basis. There were also pits filled with reddish ochre that may have been used in making pottery dishes. Certainly, not all mysterious of the peat bog have been revealed by archaeologists. For instance, they cannot say so far if the wooden planking has something to do with a settlement or an ancient holy place.

19 August 2008

Tatiana Kaperkina

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=31330&cid=62&p=19.08.2008

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President Medvedev: Russia Will Crush Anybody Who Threatens Russian Citizens

President Dmitri Medvedev (1965- ) with veterans of the Great Patriotic War in Kursk

“Anyone who threatens Russian citizens must be crushed”, President Medvedev said in an address to veterans of the Great Patriotic War in Kursk, the site of a celebrated battle with the Nazi invaders 65 years ago. “Russia is a peace-loving country. Both historically and recently, Russia was not in the habit of starting wars. At the same time, it needs combat-ready effective forces that command respect. You honoured veterans know that a nation reluctant to provide for an army of its own invites invaders. We shall not allow this, but, we shall not attack others either. On the contrary, Russian international peacekeeping forces, including in former republics of the Soviet Union, aim to protect human life and dignity. However, it is obvious to all that we cannot allow the killers of Russian citizens and peacekeepers to go unpunished. Russia has everything that it needs, politically, economically, and militarily, to exact appropriate retribution. If there are those who doubt this, they should part with such illusions”, he said.

“Russia does not seek tensions on the international scene, it only asks due respect for the Russian state, our people, and our values. Its peacekeepers are only protecting Russian citizens and foreign nationals caught in the web of a dangerous situation”, President Medvedev emphasised. “What happened in the South Caucasus on 8 August was an unprecedented act of aggression against Russian citizens in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, who are the majority in both regions. They faced an armed onslaught by a supposedly civilised nation that got the latest weaponry from another supposedly civilised nation. Shockingly, the attack was targeted at innocent civilians whom Georgia often calls Georgians. This is beyond our comprehension and must be stopped. Georgia has no right to endanger civilians or Russian peacekeepers in the South Caucasus. After all, these peacekeeping contingents operate under mandates from the Commonwealth of Independent States, the European Union, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Attacking them is a serious violation of international law. Russia shall not allow such”, Mr Medvedev stated.

18 August 2008

Aleksei Dyakonov

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=rus&q=80678&cid=22&p=18.08.2008

Editor’s Note:

If an American president were to say, “I’m going to find Bin Laden, and when I do, I’m going to hang him from the nearest available tree and let him hang there until his flesh rots away and his bones fall to the ground”, and mean it (GWB is a wussie on that score), let me assure you, that president would be hailed throughout the country. After all, one of the reasons that governments exist is to protect its citizens. So, if it is right for the US to protect US citizens (a reasonable thing, by my lights), it is right for Russia to protect Russian citizens.

Georgia invading South Ossetia would be like the Mexican army marching into southern New Mexico. Mexico does not do such because it knows that the US would blow it away. So, why are people surprised that Georgia is being slapped around? The US did likewise to Mexico in 1846-48, and walked off with the north-western section of it under the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo. Considering that the Georgians launched a sneak rocket strike on sleeping civilians in what is essentially a Russian city, they got off easy. How would you react if the Mexicans were to launch a rocket strike at 22.00 on a border town in Arizona or New Mexico (I am not saying they would, it is an illustration only!)? You’d be steamed. That is too mild an expression, but, as this is a family zone, all of you out there can add the needed colourful emphasis, I am sure.

All that aside, Russia has sent a division’s-worth of its troops to chase the Georgian division-equivalent that invaded and raped South Ossetia. Saakashvili is nothing but a Caucasian Hugo Chavez without the oil and with a nastier temper. As for his chances of getting into NATO, they are nil. Everyone is glad that this immature kid in diapers didn’t embroil Europe in a larger war. Who is to blame, ultimately? The chief culprit is Saakashvili, for committing the outrage, obviously. Bush and Rice get part as well for egging him on, knowing his temperament.

We should learn humility from this, to know our limitations. But, shall we? God willing…

BMD

Елена Исинбаева: Цaрица Олимпиада (Yelena Isinbayeva: The Empress of the Olympics)

Rarely has a sport been as dominated by a single individual as has women’s pole-vaulting been by Yelena Isinbayeva (1982- ). She intends to break the total of world’s records held by the great Russian pole-vaulter Sergei Bubka (1963- ). He had 35, so, Yelena needs 36… she is capable of it, I think. She has 24 to date, including her latest Olympic  performance of 5 metres 5 centimetres.

Here are some photos of her latest record-breaker, earning her a deserved Olympic gold medal.

BMD

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Well done, Yelena Gadzhievna!

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19 August 2008. Olympic Chronicle

Anastasia Davydova (1983- ) and Anastasia Yermakova (1983- ), world champion synchronised-swimmers, gold-medallists at the 2004 Olympics in Athens

Russian free-style wrestler Mavlet Batirov has struck gold in the 60 kilogramme (132 pounds) division, defeating Ukrainian Vasili Fedorishin. This is Batirov’s second gold in his Olympic career. The first came in Athens four years ago in the 55 kilogrammes (121 pounds) category. Another Russian, Besik Kudukhov got a bronze on Tuesday in the 55 kilogrammes division when he overcame Dilshod Mansurov from Uzbekistan. This was the first Olympics for 22-year-old Besik Kudukhov, but, already he has notched up victories at the last European and World championships.

Russian cyclists Mikhail Ignatiev and Aleksei Markov pedalled their way to a bronze in the men’s Madison. This was Russia’s first medal in the sport of cycling. Argentineans Juan Esteban Curuchet and Walter Fernando Pérez got the gold.

Talking about duets, Russians Anastasia Davydova and another Anastasia, Anastasia Yermakova showed the best result in the duo synchronised swimming qualifiers. The two Anastasias, who are Olympic champions of Athens fame, edged out a pair of Spanish girls for first place. A Chinese duo came in third. The final plunges for the gold in synchronised-swimming will be taken on Wednesday.

Russian gymnast Anton Golotsutsov, who won a bronze on Monday, voiced his indignation that on both occasions he was forced to be in the opening round of the finals. On the day before, Golotstskov performed with great confidence, without any serious errors. But, by tradition, the judges always hold back on giving high marks during the first contests, keeping a reserve for the later ones. “The judges lowered my points because I was in the lead”, Golotsutsov said. “In fact, everything went great. I went in first again today, and once again, that lowered my mark by a tenth. It was exactly the tenth that I needed to get the gold. Well, I’ll soldier on. I’m still young”.

Russian teams are amongst only a few at the Beijing Olympics that managed to make a clean sweep of the awards podium. The women’s tennis singles podium was occupied by Yelena Demenieva, Dinara Safina, and Vera Zvonareva. Three American girls were the best in one of the fencing events, the individual sabres. Another trio from the USA took the 400 metre hurdles. Finally, three young ladies from Jamaica followed each other to the finishing line in the women’s 100 metres sprint. The Chinese, although they are well ahead in the unofficial medals count, haven’t managed to make a clean sweep yet.

The Moscow city authorities have decided to immortalise pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and all her medals and records by putting up a fountain and naming it after her in one of the districts of the city. This seems to be the latest fad. Earlier, the city fathers decided to name four fountains after four Russian Greco-Roman wrestling champions. They are Islambek Albiev, Nazir Mankiev, Aslanbek Khushtov, and Khasan Baroyev.

19 August 2008

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=31338&cid=63&p=19.08.2008