Voices from Russia

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Violence in the Centre of London… Harper’s Government Fails No Confidence Vote in Ottawa… GOP Resorts to Extrajudicial Illegality in Wisconsin… Neoliberal “Conservatism” Shown Empty and Vacuous… Shall They Fall?

Filed under: Canada,EU,politics,USA — 01varvara @ 00.00

London saw the largest national trades unionist demonstration of the last 20 years, according to various estimates, from 200 to 400,000 people took part. British trades unions organised it in protest against the austerity programme announced in 2010 by the UK’s coalition government. It wasn’t without violent incidents, as marchers threw bottles of ammonia and paint at the police cordons. A group of men dressed in black broke away from the main body of demonstrators and began to throw paint on shop and bank windows on Oxford Street and New Bond Street. “There were at least two serious cases of property damage, but police think that they aren’t associated with the marchers”, a statement from Scotland Yard said.

Members of so-called “direct-action groups” damaged the popular Topshop store on Oxford Street, a busy shopping street, and a branch of HSBC Bank located nearby. British TV channel Sky News reported that another group of activists threw petrol bombs into the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly (in the City of Westminster, a central borough of Greater London), smashing windows on the ground floor. There are reports that protestors opposing capitalist “globalisation” entered and damaged property at branches of Santander Bank and Lloyds, shops carrying famous brands, and McDonald’s fast food restaurants. According to police, the attacks involved about 500 people; they moved quickly and sought to create as many problems for the police, in an attempt to overburden law enforcement agencies. Four policemen were injured, 13 protesters were arrested. In addition, demonstrators were hurt, as well; local media sources reported that 14 protesters received minor injuries.

In October 2010, the British government unveiled plans for cuts in state spending over the next five years of more than 80 billion UK Pounds to fight the disastrously growing internal debt of the country. The most tangible social consequence of this program may be the reduction of about 500,000 jobs in the public sector of the economy. Then, the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) announced plans to mount the most ambitious nationwide protest in 20 years in London. The march began at 11.00 UTC (14.00 MSK 07.00 EDT 04.00 PDT) along Victoria Embankment, where the participants proceeded to the centre of London’s Hyde Park, the focal point of the rally.

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On Friday, Canadian MPs expressed their condemnation of the Conservative minority government headed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. This step automatically opens the way for a general election, scheduled for 2 May. The No Confidence vote proposed by the opposition Liberal Party {the leader of the Liberal Party is Michael Ignatieff, a Russian Orthodox Christian: editor}, was supported by 156 MPs, and 145 voted against it {that means that only 2 non-Conservative MPs voted to uphold the present government, bad news for the “conservative” slimers: editor}. In particular, the draft budget proposed by the Conservatives on Wednesday caused a commotion. The Conservative minority Government was in power in Canada for five years. According to analysts, Harper’s party may lead in the May elections for the third consecutive time, Interfax reported.

26 March 2011

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2011/03/26/48001389.html

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2011/03/26/48027404.html

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Read this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_wisconsin_budget_unions;_ylt=Aj5Bbds_AHUi2XrERfkqaCOyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTJ2dXBsNjA5BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzI2L3VzX3dpc2NvbnNpbl9idWRnZXRfdW5pb25zBGNwb3MDNQRwb3MDMgRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDYW5hbHlzaXNnYW1i

Let’s keep this one to the point. The Speaker of the State Senate in Wisconsin had a law still pending in the courts illegally published on an official website. This proves that the GOP is a pack of criminals in the most literal sense of the word. This is gross and contumacious contempt of the law. Dropout Scott Walker and Weekend Warrior Scott Fitzgerald both belong in prison orange. The Republicans are desperate as they know that the demographic clock is ticking… their base is uneducated ignorant Protestant whites and single-issue white anti-abortion Catholics… two groups that form an increasingly smaller share of the electorate. I always knew that the GOP/Tea Party would resort to illegal and underhanded methods to retain power. It’s a sad day for America… taken with the demonstrations in the UK, Greece, and France, and the fall of the Harper government, it may mean a “crisis” for Neoliberalism… ordinary people now realise that only the rich benefited from Neoliberal “reforms”… they only got the “sloppy seconds”… and the rich want to take that meagre mite away.

If not attended to directly (by an immediate abolition of the tax cuts and perks for the rich), a blow-up in the USA (or any other Western country) would make 1917 seem a child’s exercise… too many people have lost their jobs (and run through their unemployment benefits). The Western media ignores them and acts as though they don’t exist… that doesn’t mean that they’re not there… they do retain the right to vote… the GOP should remember that.

BMD

Moscow Covered With Snow: When WILL Spring Come?

Filed under: Russian,science — 01varvara @ 00.00

Editor’s Foreword:

We had a glorious spring day (although cool at 2 degrees (36 F)) in the northeast. Don’t complain… in some places, like Moscow, it’s still winter!

BMD

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Today, a strong snowstorm covered the central part of Moscow today. During the day, the weather literally changed every five to ten minutes, “The sun was shining brightly, then, it became a solid wall of misting snow with strong wind gusts”, according to Interfax. Motorists faced serious problems because of the heavy snowfall. “Today, at 15.30, in Moscow, congestion on the roads began to rise sharply, apparently due to the snowfall. According to mobile users and Yandex, visibility on the roads has deteriorated significantly. After about an hour, congestion increased from 5 to 8 points”, said Leonid Mednikov, an analyst for Yandex. He added that traffic jams clogged the Garden Ring and the Third Ring, and that stalled traffic plugged the north-western part of the MKAD (Moscow Ring) for dozens of kilometres in both directions. “For a while, the traffic congestion was at 7 points, but by 16.30, it was back to 8 points with the commencement of the evening rush hour”, Mednikov concluded.

The GIBDD (Traffic Police) warned that there’d be an increase in the number of minor DTPs (traffic accidents). According to statistics, when snow falls over ice, it increases the number of incidents with pedestrians because of increased vehicle stopping distance and the number of minor accidents increases more than twofold. In snowy conditions, drivers on snowy roads simply can’t make sudden manoeuvres; especially, one can’t just jam on the brakes… it often leads to skidding and creates a hazard in traffic. The Moscow GIBDD urged drivers more to be more vigilant, observe the speed limits, and strictly comply with all traffic signs. They should be especially careful when crossing intersections, at pedestrian crossings, and areas near kindergartens and schools. Furthermore, police urge pedestrians to be mindful of the situation on the roads due to poor visibility and slippery road conditions.

Female policeman in Moscow bundled up against the cold… BRR! She LOOKS cold… poor dear… get inside as soon as possible, hon, and have a nice hot mug of tea with a shot of brandy in it… that’ll be good for what ails ya…

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Meanwhile, weather forecasters predict that warming won’t come until Monday, the weekend will remain frosty. On Saturday night, temperatures in central Moscow will be 9 to 11 degrees below zero Celsius (12 to 16 degrees F), in the outskirts it’ll be 8 to 13 below (9 to 18 F). Daytime temperatures in central Moscow will range from 3 to 5 below zero (23 to 27 F), in the outskirts, 3 to 8 below (9 to 23 F). Meteorologists predict light snow; it’ll partly cloudy, with light snow, a north-west wind blowing at 5-10 metres/second (12-24 miles/hour), with black ice on the roads. On Sunday night, the thermometer will drop in Moscow to 10 to 12 degrees below zero (11 to 14 F), in the outskirts, 8 to 13 below (9 to 18 F). During the day, there’s no precipitation predicted, the temperature in the central city will be 2 to 4 below zero (25 to 28 F), in the outskirts, 2 to 7 below (20 to 25 F). The wind will be from the west north-west at 3-8 metres/second (7-18 miles/hour), with sleet on the roads. However, on Monday, it’ll be a little warmer, the night temperature in Moscow is expected to be 6 to 8 below zero (18 to 21 F), and 11 below (12 F) in the outskirts, but it will rise during the day to zero to 2 degrees (32 to 36 F), and from 2 to 3 below (26 to 28 F) in the outskirts. No precipitation is expected on Monday. On Tuesday night, it’ll be 5 below to zero (23 to 32 F), and 5 above (41 F) during the day, with partly cloudy conditions, and occasional precipitation. On Wednesday night, it’ll be freezing, with temps at 4 to 9 below zero (16 to 25 F), but the day will warm up to zero to 5 above (41 F). Only a small amount of precipitation is expected on Wednesday.

25 March 2011

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2011/03/25/47982002.html

BBC Ceases Broadcasting Russian Language Programming on the Shortwave and Medium Wave Bands… Moves Completely to Internet Podcasting

Filed under: EU,mass media — 01varvara @ 00.00

Today, the BBC ended broadcasting of programming in the Russian language on the short-wave and medium-wave bands. After 65 years of existence, its Russian service will end its on-air existence, and move completely to Internet podcasting, according to ITAR-TASS. “We cease broadcasting with a sense of pride, as the legacy of our broadcasts remains in the hearts and minds of millions of listeners. We’ll continue to evolve and communicate with our audience through other platforms, primarily the Internet and mobile devices”, noted Sarah Gibson, the head of the BBC Russian Service. In addition, the BBC also stopped broadcasting to Russia in English on the short- and medium-wave bands. These measures are due to significant budget cuts, leading the Beeb to close several offices and make staff redundant. By the end of this year, its foreign broadcasting operation will lose 433 people, and, over the next three years, it’ll lose another 650 employees.

26 March 2011

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2011/03/26/48000093.html

Hermitage Cats Mark Their Professional Holiday

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The traditional spring event, “Cat Day in March” (День мартовского кота), dedicated to the cats at the Hermitage, was held Saturday at the museum, according to its press-service. At noon, in the Grand Courtyard of the Winter Palace, judging began of a school competition, Tales of the Hermitage Cats. The winning pictures, drawn by kids from St Petersburg, shall be on exhibit for a day in the Jordan Gallery of the Hermitage. All visitors to the museum are welcome to join in a game, A Journey with a Hermitage Cat, through the halls of the Winter Palace. In the attic of the palace, a photo exposition, The Magic Scarf of the Hermitage, and an exhibition of works by St Petersburg artists dedicated to cats will open, Interfax informs us. Cats first appeared in the Winter Palace at the time of Tsar Pyotr Veliki, when the tsar brought in a cat from Holland. Later, Tsaritsa Yelizaveta issued a “Decree on the Removal of the Court Cats”, which ordered, “Find the best and largest cats in Kazan, the ones most suited to hunting mice”. The founder of the Hermitage, Tsaritsa Yekaterina Velikaya, gave the cats the status of guardians of the picture galleries. Traditionally, there are 50 cats in the Hermitage; each of them has a passport with a photograph. These cats help the museum staff in keeping the building free of rodents.

26 March 2011

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2011/03/26/48010848.html

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