Showing posts with label russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label russia. Show all posts
Sunday, May 06, 2018
Monday, March 30, 2015
Ivan the Swell Guy?
"Russian Museum Seeks a Warmer Adjective for Ivan the Terrible."
How about "Ivan the Devoted, Loving Father?"
Well...maybe not.
How about "Ivan the Devoted, Loving Father?"
Well...maybe not.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Treasure Blog: Ivan the Terrible's Sword?
Maybe.
A medieval sword found buried under a birch tree in Siberia may have belonged to Ivan the Terrible, archaeologists have claimed.
The rare 12th century blade, discovered in 1975 and nicknamed Siberia's Excalibur, was found three kilometres from where the lieutenant of a Cossack leader favoured by the tsar is thought to have died.
Until now the sword had been considered a spoil of war, but a new theory suggests it could have may have been a gift from the leader to Ermak Timofeyevich, and passed along to Ivan Koltso.
Pic:
The article later describes it as a "a massive sword, about a metre long with a typical iron hilt of medieval knight's swords with a clearly expressed crossbar guard and tripartite pommel."
It's a Viking-style sword. The Russians were part Viking in their ancestry.
A medieval sword found buried under a birch tree in Siberia may have belonged to Ivan the Terrible, archaeologists have claimed.
The rare 12th century blade, discovered in 1975 and nicknamed Siberia's Excalibur, was found three kilometres from where the lieutenant of a Cossack leader favoured by the tsar is thought to have died.
Until now the sword had been considered a spoil of war, but a new theory suggests it could have may have been a gift from the leader to Ermak Timofeyevich, and passed along to Ivan Koltso.
Pic:
The article later describes it as a "a massive sword, about a metre long with a typical iron hilt of medieval knight's swords with a clearly expressed crossbar guard and tripartite pommel."
It's a Viking-style sword. The Russians were part Viking in their ancestry.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Look What He Fished Up
It's 4000-year old Bronze Age pagan God-dude.
Looks like Father Jack from the old Father Ted BBC show, don't he?
Looks like Father Jack from the old Father Ted BBC show, don't he?
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Monday, December 23, 2013
Friday, September 06, 2013
Return of the Stylites
Monks who live atop pillars.
In this case a Russian Orthodox monk who was, in his youth, a criminal.
He lives atop this pillar:
And he's got a stupendous view of the wilderness of the country of Georgia:
The Christian practice of living atop pillars is an old one, dating back to the earliest days of Christianity, when the Desert Fathers were active. St. Simeon Stylites was the most famous of them.
Be sure to click over to the story, the accompanying photographs are stunning.
In this case a Russian Orthodox monk who was, in his youth, a criminal.
He lives atop this pillar:
And he's got a stupendous view of the wilderness of the country of Georgia:
The Christian practice of living atop pillars is an old one, dating back to the earliest days of Christianity, when the Desert Fathers were active. St. Simeon Stylites was the most famous of them.
Be sure to click over to the story, the accompanying photographs are stunning.
Monday, July 01, 2013
He'll Be Crying To Come Home In Six Months
"Putin Says Snowden Can Stay in Russia ‘If He Wants To’ – But Only If He Stops Damaging US."
I've seen this sort of narcissistic behavior before, back in the mid-1980's when I was living in Spain. During that time period there was a soldier in Germany that defected to the USSR - - the dumbass couldn't cope with military life and, rather than accept the options available - - serve out his time and get an honorable discharge, or be a shitbird and exit under a general or bad conduct discharge - - he decided that a third option was available, to defect to the USSR as a victim of oppression. The Soviets obligingly accepted him, and ran tests to see what sort of work he was suited for. Since he'd had pet reptiles as a teen the Soviets sent him to a venom lab to spend his days milking deadly snakes to make antivenin. This not being what he had envisioned when he defected - - he apparently thought he'd be given a Black Sea dacha (estate) and a pension of some sort - - he soon began clamoring to return to US custody and a nice Army jail cell. He was obligingly turned over by the Soviets to the Army, where he served a term in the brig and was given a Dishonorable Discharge.
I fully expect Snowden to be treated the same way - - once the interrogators in the FSSR (KGB's current title) extract all the information they can, of course.
I've seen this sort of narcissistic behavior before, back in the mid-1980's when I was living in Spain. During that time period there was a soldier in Germany that defected to the USSR - - the dumbass couldn't cope with military life and, rather than accept the options available - - serve out his time and get an honorable discharge, or be a shitbird and exit under a general or bad conduct discharge - - he decided that a third option was available, to defect to the USSR as a victim of oppression. The Soviets obligingly accepted him, and ran tests to see what sort of work he was suited for. Since he'd had pet reptiles as a teen the Soviets sent him to a venom lab to spend his days milking deadly snakes to make antivenin. This not being what he had envisioned when he defected - - he apparently thought he'd be given a Black Sea dacha (estate) and a pension of some sort - - he soon began clamoring to return to US custody and a nice Army jail cell. He was obligingly turned over by the Soviets to the Army, where he served a term in the brig and was given a Dishonorable Discharge.
I fully expect Snowden to be treated the same way - - once the interrogators in the FSSR (KGB's current title) extract all the information they can, of course.
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Volcano Blog: Tolbachik, Siberia
On the Kamchatka Peninsula, at the Pacific Ocean. Incredible interactive photography.
Click the link for the interactive photo.
Click the link for the interactive photo.
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Necessity...
...knows no law:
Two fishermen lost in Siberia are suspected of killing and eating their friend in order to survive, it was claimed last night.
A fourth man is also missing, leading to fears that he, too, was murdered and cannibalised.
Shipwrecked sailors faced this horrible dilemma often enough that it came to be codified as The Custom of the Sea, although that didn't mean that those who resorted to it were free from legal consequences.
So, think about it: lost in Siberia for three months in winter, and the rations run out after the first week, or month...what would you do?
Two fishermen lost in Siberia are suspected of killing and eating their friend in order to survive, it was claimed last night.
A fourth man is also missing, leading to fears that he, too, was murdered and cannibalised.
Shipwrecked sailors faced this horrible dilemma often enough that it came to be codified as The Custom of the Sea, although that didn't mean that those who resorted to it were free from legal consequences.
So, think about it: lost in Siberia for three months in winter, and the rations run out after the first week, or month...what would you do?
Sunday, August 05, 2012
Rare Photos of Pre-Revolution Russians
Circa 1860's-1870's.
Here's a sample pic, a knife sharpener:
There's also a pic of an abacus seller, which I guess would be sort of the Steve Jobs of the period. Click the link to see it, and a bunch of others.
Here's a sample pic, a knife sharpener:
There's also a pic of an abacus seller, which I guess would be sort of the Steve Jobs of the period. Click the link to see it, and a bunch of others.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Monday, March 05, 2012
Tears of a Crocodile
Czar Vlad wins the Russian Presidential election, weeps for joy:
"Come hither, Little One," said the Crocodile, "for I am the Crocodile," and he wept crocodile tears to show it was quite true.
Then the Elephants' child grew all breathless, and panted, and kneeled down on the bank and said, "You are the very person I have been looking for all these long days. Will you please tell me what you have for dinner?"
"Come hither, Little One," said the Crocodile, "and I'll whisper."
Then the Elephant's Child put his head down close to the Crocodile's musky, tusky mouth, and the Crocodile caught him by his little nose, which up to that very week, day, hour, and minute, had been no bigger than a boot, though much more useful.
"I think," said the Crocodile--and he said it between his teeth, like this--"I think to-day I will begin with Elephant's Child!"
- - Rudyard Kipling, Just So Stories
"Come hither, Little One," said the Crocodile, "for I am the Crocodile," and he wept crocodile tears to show it was quite true.
Then the Elephants' child grew all breathless, and panted, and kneeled down on the bank and said, "You are the very person I have been looking for all these long days. Will you please tell me what you have for dinner?"
"Come hither, Little One," said the Crocodile, "and I'll whisper."
Then the Elephant's Child put his head down close to the Crocodile's musky, tusky mouth, and the Crocodile caught him by his little nose, which up to that very week, day, hour, and minute, had been no bigger than a boot, though much more useful.
"I think," said the Crocodile--and he said it between his teeth, like this--"I think to-day I will begin with Elephant's Child!"
- - Rudyard Kipling, Just So Stories
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Names Change...
...the tactics don't.
"MI5 officer says MP Mike Hancock was 'honeytrap' victim of Russian spy, as politician steps down from Defence post."
They don't call the Russian spy service the KGB any more - - I think it's the FSB now - - but the honeytrap, one of the oldest espionage techniques in the history of the world is just as effective as it has always been.
"MI5 officer says MP Mike Hancock was 'honeytrap' victim of Russian spy, as politician steps down from Defence post."
They don't call the Russian spy service the KGB any more - - I think it's the FSB now - - but the honeytrap, one of the oldest espionage techniques in the history of the world is just as effective as it has always been.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Meanwhile, In Murmansk...
...they apparently have caught a Jeffrey Dahmer-style cannibal serial killer.
An aspiring chef, he liked to render his victims into sausage and meatballs and post his cooking recipes on the internet.
For you students of crime, there are similarities to the crimes of Fritz Haarman, the "Butcher of Hanover."
An aspiring chef, he liked to render his victims into sausage and meatballs and post his cooking recipes on the internet.
For you students of crime, there are similarities to the crimes of Fritz Haarman, the "Butcher of Hanover."
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Sometimes Bear Eats You
A Russian girl called her mother on her cell phone to let her know that she was being devoured by bears on Siberia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
The bears ate her stepfather, too.
Unlike a recent case in the US where a bear and cub that killed a hiker were allowed to go on their way unmolested, the Russians hunted down and killed the bears involved in these deaths.
The bears ate her stepfather, too.
Unlike a recent case in the US where a bear and cub that killed a hiker were allowed to go on their way unmolested, the Russians hunted down and killed the bears involved in these deaths.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Oh, Wow.
Check out these pics of an underwater cavern complex in the Ural Mountains of Russia:
There's also video at the link.
I'm using this one as my new desktop image. Magnificent.
There's also video at the link.
I'm using this one as my new desktop image. Magnificent.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Burger Summit
Remember the Beer Summit? Well, it was apparently so successful that it has spawned the Burger Summit.
How's Your Burger, You Communist Bastard? Fine, President Medvedev, How's Yours?
That's President Obama trying to stare down Russian President Medvedev while munching on a Hell Burger from Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, VA.
That's President Obama trying to stare down Russian President Medvedev while munching on a Hell Burger from Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, VA.
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