Critical Information

[gm]

I don't have a problem with the Russian people. I just hate their government. The normal folk on the street were very kind to me on a visit in the early 70s.

[Pego]

Certainly the American entertainment industry has a big market here.

In 2005, my Slovak high school class had the fiftieth reunion. While there, a few childhood friends got together for the night of fun. This nationalist friend of mine (the best friend since we were 12) referred to this as "an American cultural imperialism". He was unable to answer my question, why do they keep buying it, if it's junk?

[lonewolf]

She came home with the impressions that ordinary Russians are just people.

Not even slightly evil?

Not the ones she got to know. She rented a room from a lady whose husband worked on the Black Sea and came home about four times a year. She suspects that the rent she paid was a major part of this woman's income.

[Daisy]

She came home with the impressions that ordinary Russians are just people.

Not even slightly evil?

[lonewolf]

My granddaughter spent her junior year at St. Petersburg (Russia) University, living "on the economy", as we used to say in the military, rather than in university housing.
She came home with the impressions that ordinary Russians are just people.

[TrackDaddy]

Thank you Bruce.

I'm a little surprised that the US has that level of entertainment presence. Although I believe in general people here underestimate how popular MJ was around the world.

I think the world has hope in Obama that he will listen to other nations and not just tell them the way it is. That seems to be his presentation so far. He wants to leave an impression that we havent given lately. That is, that we care. It's pretty evident that the war and other stances taken by our government in the last 7 years or so werent popular globally.

Also, I can see why they would think Americans dont respect them. Rarely if ever is there a positive story told here about that country. Post cold war residual and the need to suggest we won, fuels a condescending tone, IMO.

[BruceFlorman]

Evidently I’m not “banned” today. These periods have never lasted very long – maybe 24 hours or so – but they’re annoying nonetheless.

The average Russian’s attitude toward Americans seems quite positive thus far, although everyone clearly hopes that they’ve seen the last of a certain Texan. Within the first five minutes of meeting anyone – and frequently the first five seconds – I’m invariably asked: “What do you think of Obama?” As one fellow put it – “I love Americans; I’ve just hated your government lately.”

Certainly the American entertainment industry has a big market here. I haven’t done a scientific study, but I’d guess that something like 10-15% of the entertainment programming on the TV here is American. It’s a far higher percentage than British, French or German programming. I don’t know what the coverage of Michael Jackson’s death was like back home in Indiana, but it was BIG NEWS here, with at least a few minutes devoted to the story on the evening news every night for two weeks. Madonna is performing in St. Petersburg, and it’s a big enough deal that I’ve seen at least two stories about it on the news this week. Of the faces staring down from the billboards, I’d guess that an even higher percentage are American.

So I don’t think there’s much inherent animosity toward the USA here. Russians are, however, quite keenly aware of certain inconsistencies – and sometimes flat-out hypocrisy – is U.S. government policy. There’s also a sense, I think, that Americans don’t respect them, and it’s served me well to behave as a polite and respectful guest while I’ve been here. Of course, being polite is probably a good idea anywhere.

[TrackDaddy]

What are Russian attitudes toward Americans these days?

Sorry this doesnt address your banned problem ops: , but I'm curious.

[K.I.R.]

To clear this all up, can't you just bribe someone? You're in Russia after all.

[BruceFlorman]

Not quite. About 23.6km S/SW of there: http://preview.tinyurl.com/l596s8

I have to ask, what is that circle to the south east of your location? Looks like a rail track but why the circle? Is that a huge vegetable garden in the middle?

I had to ask about the big circle too. It is part of a railroad yard, but why it's a big circle, I couldn't tell you. Maybe just because it looks cool from space.

No, that's not a huge vegetable garden in the middle. It's a bunch of little ones. About 140 of 'em, apparently. That area is pretty clearly a collection of dachas, and (according to my understanding anyway) just about anyone with a dacha tends a vegetable garden there.

[Daisy]

Not quite. About 23.6km S/SW of there: http://preview.tinyurl.com/l596s8

I have to ask, what is that circle to the south east of your location? Looks like a rail track but why the circle? Is that a huge vegetable garden in the middle?

[jhc68]

You have been banned!!! We could get in trouble for reading your posts!!!!

[BruceFlorman]

Not quite. About 23.6km S/SW of there: http://preview.tinyurl.com/l596s8

[TrackDaddy]

Are you posting from the Kremlin?

[bhall]

We get a huge amount of forum spam registration. Off the top of my head I'd guess that 99+% of the attempted registrations we get are spammers. Some small number make it through 2 sets of filters and get manually validated. The majority of them come from the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, and China. Russia is the leading culprit for spam to our site. So big chunks of Russian IP space have been banned.

http://www.stopforumspam.com/stats/map