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Anti-Semitism and Russia
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bobs12



Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 310
Location: Saint Petersburg

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Castro- I'm not even Jewish, and I have no intention of setting foot in America! Anyone seen the documentary (think it was documentary) 'Bowling for Columbine?'
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Trojan Horse



Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 61
Location: Europe

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

double posting! couldn't delete it...

Last edited by Trojan Horse on Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:03 am; edited 2 times in total
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Trojan Horse



Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 61
Location: Europe

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Angstrom

I'm not Jewish but I have had quite a bit to do with Russian people via my husband. Where we live these days there are a lot of Russian Jewish emigrants, so I've formed my impressions of what it is like to be Jewish in Russia through talking to people; I haven't experienced it first-hand as you have. When I was in Russia, I didn't hear anything much that struck me as anti-semitic but maybe my Russian just wasn't up to the jokes, most of which have to be explained to me twice anyway.

By the way, liked your website - blogs or something like that? You seem to have a real thing about power stations.

And yes, ok, I said we "think" of the US being a dangerous place. Talking about impressions, you know, not stating for a fact that it is so much more dangerous. Maybe Russia is less dangerous that we think from the outside, dunno. I didn't think you guys would be better at dodging bullets. I think I'd be ace at that myself but I'd say if you lived in a big city in the US you would have a feeling for dodgy situations and where not to go.
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angstrom



Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 27

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi trojan horse,

Thanks for taking a look at my site. It's true, I do have a soft spot for power stations... However, I have switched gears and started photographing central Moscow and its people. One might call it an homage to the common Russian man...

http://beachballs.blogspot.com/
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Veritas_Aequitas



Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Posts: 88
Location: Jalisco, Mexico

PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all of the feedback, guys. Like I said earlier, I could care less if people are principally anti-jewish, just as long as they don't treat me as an inferior, otherwise I get violent. I don't take things personally, unless they are meant to be. If I can go to Russia, and be treated like an individual, with Russian roots I might add, I will not try to be in anyway 'unique.' I don't look 'jewish' at all, I might add, nor do I know the least bit about the culture. It's a precarious situation that half breeds like myself face however, be it that we have none of the benefits of cultural inclusivity, and all of the downfalls.

VA
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zaneth



Joined: 31 Mar 2004
Posts: 545
Location: Between Russia and Germany

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 6:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not an actor (but I play one on TV). Smile

In America and in Russia I've never seen a gunfight, an explosion, a robbery, a mugging, never had a gun pointed at me, never heard a gun go off within city limits. Never seen anyone beaten up or murdered. Don't remember ever seeing a fire. I did ride in a car with someone once who told me his brother had recently been killed in some gang violence, but that's the closest I've come. Have seen some traffic accidents.

Of course, if you count television, I see all of these things (and more) on a regular basis (in America, at least).

Speaking of traffic, now that I think of it, you'd probably be wise to be a bit afraid of traffic in Russia. Land of 'hold the safety belt over your chest with one hand when you pass the police checkpoint'.
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bobs12



Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 310
Location: Saint Petersburg

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Traffic accidents: almost every day.

Gunfire: only in Volzhskiy, in the middle of the day, though I did once wonder whether I was hearing gunshots or firecrackers near my home.

Violence: once every couple of months, no more than back in Glasgow.
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Castro



Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 57
Location: still Russia

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:14 am    Post subject: watch out Reply with quote

Guys, you are safe from car accidents.... being here... Comparatively.
Don't worry, your secret is safe with me Cool

1. http://www.unece.org/trans/roadsafe/rs3accibua.html
Country Total number of accidents involving personal injury
Number of accidents / Persons killed / Persons injured
Russian
Federation 156,515 / 27,665 / 177,924

Germany 380,835 / 8,549 / 501,094

United
States 2,222,000 / 41,967 / 3,400,000 /

United
Kingdom 240,046 / 3,599 / 323,945 /

Canada 152,689 / 3,064 / 221,186 --- --- ---

2. SOMEWHERE in America, it�s happening right now, on average, once every two seconds, 1,500 times an hour. In all, there are likely to be nearly 13 million auto accidents in the U.S. this year.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/592080.asp?cp1=1

3. In 2002, there were an estimated 6,316,000 car accidents in the USA. There were about 2.9 million injuries and 42,815 people were killed in auto accidents in 2002. in 2004 .... still more.

http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html

WESTERN EUROPE is not much better.

P.S. as for Gunfires ... sorry guys ... eloquent silence (see the Bowling).

P.P.S. Bobs12, (is it right ? i mean comma), well, violence: once every couple of months, much less than back in Glasgow. ups... Glasgow is not Moscow ... just like Volgograd ( i see you've been to Volzhskiy) where it is much less.

P.P.S. just one notice. please, do not be so cruel anymore... or at least do not shut your eyes to FACTS.
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bobs12



Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 310
Location: Saint Petersburg

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cruelty? FACTS? Sorry, really didn't get that bit, honestly. I'm not at all cruel, if that was aimed at me. I'm actually a very kind person, though you wouldn't know purely from reading a slightly nippy exchange with someone who was obviously slightly overflowing with her own self-importance and had decided to make a character judgement against me on the basis of a harmless comment. Crying or Very sad There should undoubtedly have been more commas in that sentence. I really didn't understand the FACTS bit.

On the subject of this thread:

Look at the statistics for Russia- fatalities, the middle figure, and compare it to Canada, which has a similar number of overall accidents. If I interpreted the figures correctly, Russian fatalities are six or seven times higher.

The number of minor 'bumps' without significant injuries in this country is colossal, but serious accidents are very often fatal simply because no-one wears seatbelts. Add that to a growing number of airbags (airbag + no seatbelt = certain death) and you get the idea Shocked Plus the fact that many accidents are caused by speeding BMW X3's ploughing into and overturning OKA's and Moskviches. Russians' grim fascination with carnage on the road doesn't help either. The look of wicked glee that comes on people's faces when they spot an accident and bay for "мясо" says a lot. Sad

The significance of 'Glasgow' was that it is a city of one million, compared to Saint Petersburg's five million. Oops to you too, I'm quite aware that Glasgow is not Moscow, it's not even in Russia. I was very surprised to see no more violence on the streets in a city five times bigger and reportedly much more dangerous. Besides which, my words were 'no more than', not, as you said, 'much less than'.

PS- I have a suggestion- avoid starting mini-vendettas against people you don't know based on little or no knowledge of their character or behaviour, and never misquote them to support your stance as it can make you look very silly and ill-informed. I don't use this forum to argue with people or cause offence. I use the forums on this site both to seek and to offer support and advice, just like everyone else.
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Castro



Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 57
Location: still Russia

PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 3:48 pm    Post subject: КАЗНИ& Reply with quote

КАЗНИТЬ НЕЛЬЗЯ ПОМИЛОВАТЬ
(Put comma yourself)

That means: interpretation always depends on your goodwill or not good will.

If you see this country and people like you do that is ok.
That is your choice. Even though you are still here. Rolling Eyes

I hope I am not right. But it seems to me you speak slightingly.

Just some doubts are cast upon it: "I use the forums on this site both to seek and to offer support and advice, just like everyone else".

P.S. I guess to know arithmetic is not an ESL teacher advantage over one's rival. Russian fatalities are not six or seven times higher but nine. Sapienti sat.

no vendetta. just "advice".

Lost in translation.
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Trojan Horse



Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Posts: 61
Location: Europe

PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I always thought bobs was a sweetie, myself.

PS bobs, how did you post in green?
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Castro



Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 57
Location: still Russia

PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:17 am    Post subject: september the first Reply with quote

My best wishes for the new academic year in Russia.
To all sweeties. Very Happy
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bobs12



Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 310
Location: Saint Petersburg

PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I must be stupid, but the FACTS in capital letters still bewilders me. I must say that I'm beginning to tire of this childish pedantry. Six or seven was not a bad mental guess- like I mentioned before, I'm not really into being so anal as to analyse everything down to the last grain. I'm not looking for advantages over anyone in here.

As for my signature, I know fine well what it means, thanks. It's meant to be written without the comma. Thank you for spotting the irony of my not wanting to point that out to the frustrated woman.

As for this:
Quote:
If you see this country and people like you do that is ok.
That is your choice. Even though you are still here.


I really have no idea whose donkey you were flogging while you wrote this. I understand that although your English is very good you are not a native speaker of the language. Please, if you're trying to make smart comments at least don't hide them in a cryptic code that dummies like I can't understand. I have my own reasons for being here which are none of your business. I may speak 'slightingly' as you put it, but doesn't everyone? I speak a lot more 'slightingly' of my homeland and many other countries that I've been to recently. I'm not obliged under international law to bestow praise on every wonder of God which crosses my path, or whose path I cross. Are we not allowed to criticise the Russian Federation here? Are we not allowed to speak openly about our experiences, about our disappointments as well as our delights? Would you prefer to close your eyes to the FACTS and pretend that nobody ever has a bad day in Russia? If you don't want to read about such things, just avoid this particular forum.

Lost in translation? You bet.


Trojan Horse- when you're writing a message there is a Font colour box above the text entry field. Highlight text, then select a colour. I thank you for your comment in my support, as it seems I have otherwise entered a realm of the internet playground where people leave their intelligence at the door and just vent froth and steam at the first likely victim. I'm a nice guy, although nobody who hadn't met me would know, but if I wanted to be 'cruel' as Castro put it, I would write something really nasty and be done with it.

Castro: since you are such a lover of facts and figures and statistics- take a look at all the messages you've posted (as well as that frustrated woman you were getting on at me for correcting.) See how many of them contain remarks that are either inflammatory or intended to 'cast doubt' over another forum user's character. Go on, do it, check that other woman's too, and then divide each by the overall number of posts. Then see how many people I've aimed such nonsense at, and do the same with mine. In fact, why don't you read my posts to get an idea of what you're talking about, before making yourself look even sillier by further misrepresenting my words and my character? Or are you one of these convenience-smart-asses who doesn't like to check her FACTS before getting uppity on the hope that others will jump on her bandwagon?

A quick bit of cereal-box psychology would suggest that you are a loner trying to gain acceptance into a new community by openly supporting others in challenging what you see as a potential outsider in the target community. Ostracism is a commonly used tactic in the animal world (and the playground) for strengthening bonds where social acceptance is important. Only this is not that kind of 'community'- it's not exclusive, people here don't cast auspicions over one another's character or challenge aspects of others' lives without invitation, and we don't sniff each other's backsides in mating season. We're mature adults here (well, allegedly.)

You have a clear attitude problem (along with that other frustrated woman, whatever her name was) and you have to ask yourself- why are you writing in this forum, why are you involving yourself in my affairs and why are you getting so wound up?
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tbiehl2000



Joined: 22 Jul 2004
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow! This is some good stuff. And some pretty darn good writing as well.
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bobs12



Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 310
Location: Saint Petersburg

PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The woman is bonkers, she doesn't even understand what she's reading, never mind what she's writing. No fool can mix up 'no more than' with 'much less than'. On second reading of the tripe she's posted I've realised that most of it really doesn't make sense. Admittedly that probably makes me equally as daft for trying to get sense out of her. I suppose 'sapienti sat' is her get-out clause for the fact that very little of what she writes is actually intelligible. I think she may have crossed the wisdom barrier into the dark realms of insanity.

On first reading this is obviously a challenge to the validity of my statement, but read again... can you actually figure out the point she is trying to make?

Quote:
P.P.S. Bobs12, (is it right ? i mean comma), well, violence: once every couple of months, much less than back in Glasgow. ups... Glasgow is not Moscow ... just like Volgograd ( i see you've been to Volzhskiy) where it is much less.


The woman should be a politician.

I once met a drunk man called Oleg. Nice guy, came and joined my friend and I as we were having a beer in an open-air cafe. Unfortunately, all he could talk about was pike (the fish.) Me and my friend are chatting away about cars and the joys of the infernal combustion engine, and he keeps butting in with bizarre connections to pike fishing.

"So are you going to fix this car or flog it?"

"Yeah, I need to fix that bearing, can't go above 40k without this hellish grinding noi..."

"Yess, but a lot alsso deepends on se power off see engine. Take pike, for ekssample..."

A lot like Castro, methinks.
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