Only in Russia ...

Here's something to inspire in you a little holiday cheer. From a fellow blogger: scenes you would only witness in Russia. Enjoy!

See the rest here ...

Happy Birthday ... You Hot, Hot Thing!

I like how this story makes reference to Yulia and Vlad being BFF's. I bet she has him right under her finger.

Putin to Tymoshenko: Happy Birthday
In a sign that the two leaders are closer than ever before to being official BFF’s (Best Friends Forever), Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this week wished a “Happy Birthday” to his hot Ukrainian counterpart, Yulia Tymoshenko.

The Ukrainian lady turned 49 years-old on Nov. 27. Putin accordingly wished her a “Happy Birthday” via a telegram and a phone call while he was on a working visit to Paris. Read the full story here ...

No More Swine Flu! You Can Take Off Those Face Masks

Hey! Swine Flu is over! Just like that. There's no more threat. Thank you, Ukrainian government. What ever would I do without you?

Kiev Officials: Swine Flu Epidemic is Over
According to recent news reports, Kiev officials have announced that the swine flu epidemic is over in Ukraine’s capital city.

Kiev’s sanitary and epidemiological station has stated that the “indicators of the epidemic growth are 1.6 times lower than the epidemic threshold.” Officials also reported that the number of swine flu victims dropped dramatically from November 23-29. On November 25th, the Mayor’s Office officially reopened the city’s schools and universities, though students are encouraged to wear protective masks until at least December 10th. The city’s educational institutions have been closed for about three weeks. Read the full story here ...

Svetlana Loboda - Ukrainian Dream Girl

Here's a nice profile of Svetlana Loboda, my Eurovision dream queen. Feel the hotness!

Sexy Svetlana Loboda Wants Us to Be Her Valentine
She has been described as having an in-your-face style sexy stage presence. Her performances are also known for their over-the-top scenery. And if her lyrics are to be believed, she wants us to be her valentine.

She is Svetlana Loboda, the sexy and talented Ukrainian woman who was among the stars of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Read the full story here ...

Cruising the Boulevard in the Hitler Wagon

Here's an interesting one. Apparently some Russian billionaire anonymously purchased the car Hitler used to cruise around in. I wonder if it was the same guy who spent 50k on lunch in New York. I also wonder if he actually plans to drive the car. If so, will he tell anyone who the previous owner was? If it belonged to someone else, maybe it would be a good way to pick up chicks ...

Russian Billionaire Buys Hitler's Old Car
An anonymous Russian billionaire has purchased a car that once belonged to Adolf Hitler, according to Express, a German newspaper.

The newspaper reported that a middleman for the billionaire approached German vintage car dealer Michael Froelich and inquired about tracking down the 1935 blue Mercedes convertible. Froelich said he found the car in a collector’s garage in Germany and was able to indentify it through old automobile documents and photos of the vehicle.

While Nazi memorabilia is illegal in Germany, Froelich was able to take possession of the car due to the fact that it did not bear any swastikas. Read the full story here ...

Why Russian Women Leave Their Country in Droves

Much as I love my country of ancestry, after having spent considerable time there, I understand why so many women would want to leave. It's a sad fact that many Russian men don't know how to treat their women. It's also sad that wars and other factors have caused the male population to dwindle, leaving women no choice but to look for love abroad. On the plus side - more Russian hotties for me.

Russian Women Still Look Abroad for Marriage
Russian dating agencies are reporting that Russian ladies are as interested in meeting and marrying foreign men as ever before.

As reported on RussianProfile.org, many Russian women are still taking to the internet to find a foreign gentleman, contradicting recent reports that Russian women lately are less likely to marry foreign men. Read the full story here ...

That Fool, Stalin, Had an Eye for Architecture

Stalin was a dope. But he definitely had an eye for good architecture. I always enjoyed these buildings whenever I was in Moscow.

Stalin's Seven Sisters
They’re not actually his sisters. But these seven towering Russian ladies remain a testament to Joseph Stalin’s grandiosity and the vision he had for Moscow and the Soviet Union.

The seven towers of Moscow were assembled in the years immediately following World War II as Russia under Stalin was eager to build itself up in the midst of the earliest cold war tensions. Their original purpose was to show the symbolic strength and power of the Soviet Union. Read the full story here ...

Russians Can't Stop Bitching About "Call of Duty"

Russian gamers are apparently upset about the way their country is portrayed in the new "Call of Duty" game. The company that makes the game had to edit out certain scenes for the Russian release.

As one whose knowledge of video games doesn't go much beyond Nintendo's "Punch Out" from the early 90's, I don't really see what the big deal is. It seems like the video game industry has done a lot worse than this with certain games in the past - though admittedly, I couldn't point you to any specific cases of video-game-inspired outrage. Like I said, I'm not into them.

I guess even the gamers themselves couldn't stay upset for too long. The article says that nobody really bothered to boycott the game in Russia. Apparently once the gamers got their hands on it they quietly quit bitching and retreated to their parents' basement to play.

Russians Upset Over New "Call of Duty" Game
An American video game maker has made significant edits to the Russian release of the new hit game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” as Russian gamers expressed anger over the game in internet forums.

Russian players were reportedly upset about the portrayal of their country in the game, which grossed a record-breaking $550 million in sales in its first five days of release. The game puts players in a world in which the Russian government has been taken over by ultranationalists seeking to spark a war with the U.S. Read the full story here ...

Shabayeva Wins "Project Runway"

It's always nice to see success stories like this. Especially when they involve Russians. Especially when they involve HOT Russian women ...

Hot Russian Woman Wins TV's "Project Runway"
Hot Russian fashion designer Irina Shabayeva was announced Thursday as the winner of season 6 of the hit Lifetime network TV show “Project Runway.”

The reality TV series focuses on fashion design and pits contestants against each other to create the best clothes, while restricting their time, materials and theme. The designs are judged and one or more contestants are eliminated each week. The show is hosted by model Heidi Klum. Read the full story here ...

I want to Throat Sing All Night and Party Every Day

I bet these guys rock ...

Throat Singers of Tuva, Siberia
In the depths of Russia’s Siberian wilderness, the whistling of the wind, the crashing of river waters, and the cry of animals in the wild are the sounds of nature one would not normally associate with the human voice.

But for the people of Tuva, these are sounds that are mimicked in the art of throat-singing – a vocal musical style unique to this part of southern Siberia. Read the full story here ...

Soviet-Style Cold War Hysteria

This place is kind of interesting. I've heard about it before. I think Americans tend to think of the cold war strictly from their own perspective, but it's fascinating to see that the Soviets also had their own worries and hysteria. Imagine living your whole life on this base - not just living there, but having everything you do centered around it. All your friends and neighbors work there. In the event of an attack, you'd all take shelter there together. You'd die there together ... Now I'm getting really morbid.

Must See Places in Ukraine: Balaklava Submarine Base

Nestled in the seaside hills of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, the city of Balaklava holds within it a secret that has become a monument to 20^th-century history. The city’s high hills conceal an underground military facility that served as base for nuclear submarines during the cold war.

This fascinating piece of not just Russian, but world history, is one of Balaklava’s main attractions. Read the full story here ...

Redhead Russian Ladies - An Enticing Pictorial

My favorite Russian dating blog has once again presented us with an irresistible pictorial featuring nothing but redheads. What do you suppose makes this better - the fact that they are redheads or the fact that they are Russian? Whatever it is, I like it. Enjoy!

Russia is Apparently Full of Cannibals

Maybe it's something in the water, but Russians seemingly can't get enough of each other when it comes to dinner.

I didn't post it, but I found this story last week about a man who ate his own mother. Then this morning there is this story about three homeless men who ate one of their own and sold parts of his body to a meat shop. (On top of all else, I have to wonder what kind of a meat shop just buys unidentified meat from homeless guys off the street.) Parts of the victim's body were later found at a bus stop near the Russian city of Perm.

The three real-life Hannibal Lecters are believed to have killed their 25-year-old brother in homelessness with knives and a hammer before chopping up his body and eating it.

The story in Pravda states that it is unclear whether any pieces of the corpse were sold to customers of the meat shop, which specialized in shwarma (a type of meat sandwich) and pies.

I wonder how the folks at HotRussianBrides.com might feel about this.

Russia sure is a crazy place. I love it.

For Friday the 13th ... Russian Superstitions

In the spirit of Friday the 13th, I thought this would be an appropriate article for the blog. From first-hand experience I can tell you that Russians are a very superstitious people. Enjoy these fascinating - and quite ridiculous - Russian superstitions.

Russian Superstitions
The Western world is full of superstitions. Who hasn’t heard the dire claims about Friday the 13th? So many people fear this allegedly ill-fated day that there is even a name for the condition: paraskavedekatriaphobia.

Russia, too, has its share of superstitions. While some are similar to those in the West (a black cat crossing one’s path = bad luck), many Russian superstitions may take Westerners by surprise. Below you will find a random selection of Russian superstitions as well as superstitious beliefs Russians share with Westerners.

Read the rest of the story here ...

Putin Almost as Powerful as Obama ... Almost

Maybe this goes without saying, but I find it funny that Putin, who officially is on a lower plain as prime minister than Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, actually possesses a lot more power and influence than the president himself.

On another note, does Putin strike you as the kind of leader who regularly has people killed? He has always struck me that way ... no pun intended.

Putin Named Among Top Three Most Influential People
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is the world’s third most influential person, according to Forbes magazine, which published the list of the world’s 67 most influential politicians, business leaders, and other individuals.

Read the full story here ...

Tall Russian Women ... I Can't Get Enough ...

Usually I try to keep this blog on the serious side, but I couldn't resist posting this. Found it on one of the sites I frequent for quirky news items and such - Sexy Tall Russian Women ... See the full pictorial

Little Big Man Defeats Giant Monster

In other news ... I didn't see this one coming. Good thing I didn't bet money on this one.

Haye Slew the Giant
Most boxing matches don’t live up to the hype but Saturday night’s bout between Nikolay Valuev and David Haye had the all the drama, all the excitement and all the entertainment of a blockbuster Hollywood movie.

Going the distance, Haye won the 12 round boxing match on points over the Russian Giant. In more than 50 fights, it was only Valuev’s second-ever loss. Read the full story here ...

Drunken Forklift Operator Destroys $150,000 Worth of Booze

Now this is just sad ... and hilarious at the same time. What a waste of perfectly good booze - and all because one guy couldn't handle his own ... Tragic.

Drunken Moscow Man Destroys $150,000 Worth of Booze

Think you had a bad day at work? One Moscow man is surely out of a job after he destroyed nearly $150,000 worth of vodka and cognac in a drunken forklift crash.

Read more ...

Ghosts of Russia

Just in time for Halloween ... I enjoyed this piece about the ghost stories of Russia. The hauntings at the Kremlin are particularly interesting. It's not mentioned here, but I heard a story once about Vladimir Lenin's ghost being seen in the Kremlin shortly after his death. However, there were conflicting reports, with some saying that the ghost was seen while he was in fact still alive and on his deathbed. Interesting stuff, nonetheless ...

Hot for Words

Here's a nice piece about my favorite internet guru, Marina Orlova. I don't know if it's her or if I'm just really into words (likely the former), but I can't get enough of this site.

Hot Russian Lady Makes Internet-Goers “Hot for Words”
Meet Marina Orlova. Maybe you know this beautiful Russian woman already. If you don’t, you’re missing one of the hottest internet sensations around.

Marina, a professional philologist and etymologist (in English, that basically means a person who likes words), is the brains behind the popular Web site known as HotForWords.com and its corresponding YouTube channel. On the site, Marina posts short videos explaining the meaning and origins behind some of the most common English language words as well as some less common (but still interesting) ones. Her tagline for each of the videos – in which she often appears scantily clad and makes flirtatious glances at the viewing audience – is “Intelligence is Sexy.”

Read the rest of the story here ...