______________________________
On Thursday, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavitsky said that the Ukraine ceased buying natural gas from Europe; instead, it’d purchase it solely from Russia, as it offers the lowest prices. He said that Russian gas is “the most profitable [supply option] for today”. Kiev bought gas from Poland and Hungary over the last two years and was close to striking another gas deal with Slovakia in a bid to reduce its dependence on Russian supplies, amidst political tension over the Ukraine’s previous policy of gradual economic alignment with Europe. In November, most observers expected the Ukraine to sign an association agreement with the EU, but Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich dropped the deal at the last minute, instead, negotiating a 15 billion USD (500 billion Roubles. 16.3 billion CAD. 16.9 billion AUD. 11.1 billion Euros. 9.2 billion UK Pounds) aid package and gas discount agreement with Russia in December. Russia agreed to drop its gas prices for the Ukraine from 400 USD (13,316 Roubles. 435 CAD. 450 AUD. 295 Euros. 244 UK Pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres (35,315 cubic feet) to 268 USD (8,922 Roubles. 291 CAD. 302 AUD. 198 Euros. 164 UK Pounds) starting 1 January, in a deal between Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz and Russian gas giant Gazprom formalised on Thursday. According to the agreement, the partners must confirm the new price level confirmed every quarter, giving financial advantage to Moscow to deter Kiev from seeking closer ties with the EU in future. On Wednesday, UNIAN reported that the Ukraine stopped buying European gas at the start of January, citing operational data from gas transmission systems in Hungary and Poland.
10 January 2014
RIA-Novosti
http://en.ria.ru/world/20140109/186369996/Russia-to-be-Ukraines-Sole-Gas-Provider–Minister-.html
Voices from Russia 
10 January 2014. Western Media’s Latest Potyomkin Village… “Russia’s Church Urges Gay Sex Ban Referendum”… Plus, an Excursus into what the Church REALLY is
Tags: Christian, Christianity, Darrell Issa, Eastern Orthodox Church, Justin Amash, Leonid Roshal, morality, morals, Moscow, Moscow Patriarchate, Orthodox, Orthodoxy, political commentary, politics, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, Rush Limbaugh, Russia, Russian, Russian Orthodox Church, Sarah Palin
______________________________
Explosive headline, wot? Well, it’s much less than it seems on the surface. The zapadniki fucked up again, kids. Click here to read the article. Supposedly, Vsevolod Anatolyevich said that we need a gay ban. Well, I checked the Russian media. There was NOTHING on RIA-Novosti. There was NOTHING on Voice of Russia. There was this on RT. All three are state outlets… I wanted to see what the “official” take on it was. The reference for what the RF Gosduma actually said in reply is here. To make this a short submission, the UK (Criminal Code) isn’t going to be changed.
Oh, what did the Church say on this? NOTHING. NADA. NICHEVO. I checked patriarchia.ru… click here to see the head story. Guess who co-sponsored the Yolka with HH? The Moscow Profsoyuz (Trade Unions Federation)! They team up every year, in fact. HH doesn’t suck up to the likes of Darrell Issa, Justin Amash, Willy Romney, Rush Limbaugh, and Sarah Palin. He stands tall for the LEFT! You’ve seen the images on this site. I don’t need to post them again. HH CHOOSES to hew left… he disagrees with every political whimsy held by certain well-known people. After all, didn’t he just give a high church decoration to Iosif Davydovich Kobzon? The Church also honoured Dr Leonid Roshal in the past. What this means is that the Church isn’t going to push for any gay ban in any real way (nor is it going to bless Hard Right lunacy, either).
If I have to choose between the Left and the Right, I choose the Left because it hurts the least number of people. After all, it was the Bushies, not the Obama administration, who tortured people at black sites. That’s why I oppose people who like to use ad hominem tactics… cruelty’s not my thing. I don’t pry into certain people’s private affairs… word does get around about certain blogposts (as a Christian, I’m required to show a certain restraint when attacked).
In short, the Church shows oikonomia towards most gays… that’s the way it is. The Church doesn’t “crusade”… the papists and their illegitimate Proddie offspring do that. We don’t do that. What DO we do? St Serafim Sarovsky said it best:
We should emulate St Serafim Vyritsky, who prayed on a rock during the VOV for the victory of the Red Army… not certain priests who urge us to support those whose ravening greed is anti-Christian to the bone.
Be good all… I couldn’t be more specific as to my interlocutor. I don’t fling personal poo. I know that this world can be crank… but sometimes…
BMD