2 October 2013. Sergei Yolkin’s World. A Dialogue of Civilisations

A Dialogue of Civilisations

Sergei Yolkin

2013

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The text in the original Russian is “Как стоишь салага?” Literally, that’s “How’re y’ standing, newbie?” It’s slangy and colloquial to the max. So, to put it correctly using idiomatic (and slangy) English, one would say, “How’re things shakin’, newbie?”

The “PA” on the soldier’s pogoni are “RA” in Cyrillic letters, the initials for “Russian Army” in Russian. Besides that, the title of the whole post (“A Dialogue of Civilisations”) is a lift from the historical concepts of Sergei Solovyov (human society is made up of discrete, yet intermeshed, civilisational blocs). This is a common theme in Russian intellectual and political circles. The title’s a sly dig at the Americans… can’t get along with other humans, let alone alien races. As for Russians, though, it’s a different story…

BMD

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Our aerospace defence forces won’t attack incoming extraterrestrial civilised life forms… they’re not prepared for any such eventuality. Sergei Yolkin gives us a possible outcome…

2 October 2013

Sergei Yolkin

RIA-Novosti

http://ria.ru/caricature/20131002/967343914.html

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Poll Sez Internet Has Little Influence on Most Russians’ Life

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According to a survey by VTsIOM published on Tuesday, nearly half of all Russian Internet users are convinced that their daily lives would be almost the same without access to the web. 19 percent of respondents said that their life would be absolutely the same if they suddenly lost the opportunity to surf the web, whilst 45 percent said that their daily routines would “change slightly”. However, nearly a third of respondents said that their life would “change drastically”. When asked what they’d lose without Internet access, 26 percent said that they’d “lose nothing”. Popular answers to that question also included a “source of information” (35 percent), “a chance to communicate with relatives and friends” (24 percent), “help in studies” (7 percent), and “recreation and hobby” (6 percent). The most popular answer to what would you gain by staying offline was “more free time for other activities”, mentioned by 26 percent of respondents, whilst 23 percent said that they’d “gain nothing”. 63 percent said that they knew at least one person who’s addicted to surfing the web. VTsIOM conducted the survey on 15 September amongst 1,500 adults in 100 Russian towns and cities. The pollster stated that its statistical margin of error was +/- 3.6 percent.

1 October 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://www.en.rian.ru/russia/20131001/183887074/Internet-Has-Little-Influence-on-Most-Russians-Life–Poll.html

Toronto Police Lay Seven More Sex Assault Charges Against Romanian Orthodox Priest

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Toronto police said that a Romanian Orthodox priest faces seven more sexual assault charges in addition to one laid earlier this month. Police arrested Ioan Pop, 54, of Toronto in early September and charged him with one count of sexual assault after a woman was allegedly assaulted at All Saints Romanian Orthodox Church in the city’s east end. At the time, police released a photograph and said that they believed there might be more victims. Detective Teresa Curtis of the sex crimes unit said that several more women came forward with allegations against Pop, who’s now charged with eight counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement. She said that the new charges relate to alleged incidents that happened between 2005 and 2011, and that the additional seven complainants were between 24 and 43-years-old at the time of the alleged offences. Curtis said that Pop is in custody. Police still believe that there may be more complainants and are asking anyone with any further information to come forward.

30 September 2013

CTV News

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/toronto-police-lay-7-more-sex-assault-charges-against-orthodox-priest-1.1476948

 

Russia Allows Draftees to Serve With Pets

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Ahead of the autumn draft, which began on Tuesday, General Yevgeni Burdinsky, deputy head of the General Staff‘s Chief Organisation and Mobilisation Directorate, said that Russian conscripts whose dogs have training in certain activities are welcome to do their mandatory year of military service with their pets. He said, “If a conscript and his dog have undergone special training courses and have acquired certain skills, then, such specialists are in demand with the Russian forces. During our draft we pay attention to a conscript’s request to do military service together with his pet”. Contrary to popular belief, German shepherd dogs aren’t the only ones in demand. Burdinsky observed, “For example, a spaniel is a hunting dog. It has search abilities and can locate drugs. We seek out such dogs. The dog’s breed isn’t important, but its training is”.

1 October 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://www.en.rian.ru/russia/20131001/183889934/Russia-Allows-Army-Draftees-to-Serve-With-Pets.html