Man Builds His Own Rolls-Royce

This is pretty cool. Talk about gumption and taking an initiative. If more people made this kind of effort to achieve their goals, just imagine how different things might be.

Kazakhstan Auto Mechanic Builds a Rolls-Royce
Ruslan Murkanov doesn’t have enough money to buy a Rolls-Royce Phantom. So he built one instead.

According to Russian media, the 24-year-old auto mechanic from Shahtinsk, Kazakhstan, knew he wanted the $300,000 car, but didn’t make nearly enough money to cover the price tag. Using his own knowledge, mechanics tools, and an old Mercedes E-Class, Murkanov set about constructing his dream car.

Having received the Mercedes through connections in Germany, Murkanov took out the parts he didn’t need, replaced them with parts to mimic those of a Rolls-Royce, and after much hard work, his Mercedes Rolls was born.

Read the full story here.

In Soviet Russia, Kitchen Goes to You

Bold move . Or maybe it just seems bold by my American standards. I haven't been over there in a long time, but I think this kind of an attitude toward women is still commonplace in Ukraine. Still, it's amazing to think that if a politician said something like this in the U.S., he'd get slaughtered.

Yanukovych to Tymoshenko: "Go Back to the Kitchen"
Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday told his rival for the country’s top spot, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, to take responsibility for herself or “go back to the kitchen.”

The leader of Ukraine’s Regions Party, Yanukovych addressed supporters in the Kharkiv region Wednesday and proclaimed that he is unafraid to criticize Tymoshenko.

“I’m told that it is useless and wrong to argue with a woman,” he said. “I don’t agree with this. First and foremost, I think that if she is prime minister, she has to be held responsible for everything she says. And if she is a woman, she has to go back to the kitchen.”

Read the full story here.

Russia's Tennis Babes Represent at Australian Open

The Russian ladies clearly know how to represent it. I was a little sad to see Sharapova go so soon. But hey, one of these lovely ladies has to make it far ...

Russian Women a Strong Showing at Australian Open
Several Russian women have showcased strong performances in the early stages of this year’s Australian Open.

Dinara Safina stands out among several other Russian female players as the second seed in the world tennis tournament. On Thursday she achieved a straight sets 6-4, 6-3 second round win again Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

In a post-match interview with the tournament’s official Web site, Safina said she was pleased with her performance on the court, but noted she has room for improvement as she pursues further victories.

Read the full story here ...

Hot Girls of the CIS Countries

Okay, okay ... I know this is primarily a news blog. But I've posted pictorials before, like this one, and that one. And don't forget this gem and this fun collection. And now there's a new one. This only underscores my belief that women from Russia and the CIS are among the best looking in the whole world.

Women of the Former Soviet Republics (Lots of Pics!)
As our name implies, most of the lovely Russian ladies on HotRussianBrides.com hail from Russia itself. But many of our new members are pleasantly surprised to find that we feature beautiful women from all of the former Soviet republics as well, including Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

These women are just as stunningly beautiful as any of our Russian women. To highlight their presence, we bring you this pictorial featuring ladies from the three above named countries.

See the full pictorial here ...

Round One - The Winner Is ...

No surprises here. I'm curious to see whether the runoff election will go just as smoothly as the first round. Anyone want to take bets if there will be fraud allegations or other mishaps?

Yanukovych, Tymoshenko Advance to Ukrainian Presidential Runoff
Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych appeared to be the winner of the first round of the Ukrainian presidential election Sunday, with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko coming in second.

Exit polling showed that Yanukovych, who is a former prime minister and the current leader of the Party of Regions in the Ukrainian parliament, received approximately 35 percent of the vote. Polls showed Tymoshenko capturing about 25 percent of the vote.

Yanukovych and Tymoshenko will face each other in a runoff election, which is scheduled for Feb. 7. Read the full story here ...

Russia Wants to Get on the Wagon

I may have posted about this before (not sure), but it's back in the news again. While I don't like the fact that Russians are known as big drinkers, the libertarian in me says that the Russian government is wrong to try to kill all the alcohol in the country. The black market is one thing, but to reduce consumption by half is a lofty goal that can only happen if they start going after legitimate alcohol manufacturers. It just seems wrong. Besides, I bet Vladimir Putin knocks back a few brewski's now and then.

Putin Aims to Cut Alcohol Consumption by Half
If Vladimir Putin has his way, Russian alcohol consumption will be half of what it is today in 10 years time.

That’s the goal of Russia’s prime minister by the year 2020, according to an anti-alcohol strategy document that was posted on a government Web site this week. Under Putin’s plan, national demand for alcohol will be cut by 15 percent between 2010 and 2012 and then another 55 percent between 2013 and 2020.

Read the full story here.

Russian TV Shows Putin and Medvedev Cartoon

This video is pretty funny. A video of the actual cartoon is available if you click the link. I like the idea that they're apparently not afraid to show this kind of stuff on Russian TV. Though I question whether it actually is a sign that the government is getting more tolerant of free speech. I wonder if there is some hidden political motive behind their letting this one through. In any case, it's fun to watch.


Putin, Medvedev Featured in Russian Cartoon Show
For years the Russian media have shied away from making fun of the country’s leaders out of fear that the government would crack down on such criticism. But as the new year began, a Russian cartoon show left some wondering if times had changed.

President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin appeared on New Year’s Eve as cartoon figures on “Mult Lichnosti,” or “Animated Personality,” a humor show on Russia’s Channel One, which frequently pokes fun at top officials.

In a 2 and 1/2-minute clip, Medvedev and Putin dance around Moscow’s Red Square while singing a satirical number about Russian foreign relations and other political issues. Medvedev is seen playing an accordion while Putin shakes a tambourine and periodically slaps it against his backside.

Read the full story and watch the video here.