Monday, July 10, 2006
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Dimwits at Gazeta.ru quoted what dimwits at ITAR-TASS wrote about Crimean Tatars at 11 am today:
Diaspora, my ass.
Here's a quick Wikipedia reference on Bahcesaray:
There is a huge Azeri diaspora in Moscow, of course, and they do run many markets, and part of their business strategy is to keep the locals from selling stuff at these markets. This is just one of the reasons why they are disliked in the Russian capital: Muslim hordes invade the markets and chase Slavic babushkas away.
At 7 pm, Crimean Tatars were upgraded to "local residents" - by Interfax this time - and the Azeri scheme was given up:
About half a thousand people were involved in a mass fight in Bahcesaray today. To prevent bloodshed, a special unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Berkut, was summoned, said a Crimean law enforcement official.
The fight broke out because the Crimean Tatar diaspora decided to keep Russians and Ukrainians from trading at the local market.
Diaspora, my ass.
Here's a quick Wikipedia reference on Bahcesaray:
Bakhchisaray, first mentioned 1502, was established as the new khan residence by the Crimean khan Sahib I Giray in 1532. Since then, it was the capital of the Crimean Khanate and the center of political and cultural life of the Crimean Tatar people. After occupation of the Crimean Khanate by the Russian Empire in 1783, it was turned in an ordinary town, having lost administrative significance. However, it remained the cultural center of the Crimean Tatars until the "Surgun" (deportation on 18 May 1944).
There is a huge Azeri diaspora in Moscow, of course, and they do run many markets, and part of their business strategy is to keep the locals from selling stuff at these markets. This is just one of the reasons why they are disliked in the Russian capital: Muslim hordes invade the markets and chase Slavic babushkas away.
At 7 pm, Crimean Tatars were upgraded to "local residents" - by Interfax this time - and the Azeri scheme was given up:
[...]
As was reported earlier, a confrontation between vendors of the central market and local residents - the Crimean Tatars - grew into a mass fight. The cause of the conflict was that the market's owners began construction work in a reserve zone near an ancient Crimean Tatar mausoleum. Crimean Tatars have been demanding to shut the market for a long time and they went to court to solve this issue. Several hearings took place, but the final decision haven't been made yet.
Here's my tonight's Global Voices post - a roundup/translation hybrid:
Ukraine has been without a new government since the March 26 election. A coalition between Victor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko's Bloc and the Socialist Party was finally formed at the end of June, but it didn't last past yesterday, when Socialist leader Oleksandr Moroz unexpectedly joined forces with the Communists and Victor Yanukovych's Party of the Regions and received their votes to become the speaker. On Tuesday, the country is likely to get its new prime minister, though much isn't clear yet, and Ukraine-watchers may be in for another surprise or two.
Below are some bloggers' (emotional) reactions to what's now a certainty: the Orange Coalition has collapsed and Oleksandr Moroz is the speaker.
Adrian J. Erlinger of Leopolis calls what's going on in Ukrainian politics "uninterrupted hysteria." Here's his summary:
Petro of Petro's Jotter feels "unclean" after watching the "speaker chapter" of the post-election "drama":
Abdymok jots down the developments leading up to the speaker vote - "the un-coalition," he calls it:
Also, he criticizes the slow response of the English-language media:
Stefan of Dykun tries to analyze the situation and assign blame, despite feeling "dumbfounded, flabbergasted":
He gives up eventually, however:
And as Ukrainian politics is getting more and more confusing, the gap between political discourse and ordinary people's lives is growing wider. Here, for example, is an entry (UKR) on how much the state pays Kyiv kindergarten employees (posted in the LJ community kiev-child, by LJ user mg-g):
Ukraine has been without a new government since the March 26 election. A coalition between Victor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko's Bloc and the Socialist Party was finally formed at the end of June, but it didn't last past yesterday, when Socialist leader Oleksandr Moroz unexpectedly joined forces with the Communists and Victor Yanukovych's Party of the Regions and received their votes to become the speaker. On Tuesday, the country is likely to get its new prime minister, though much isn't clear yet, and Ukraine-watchers may be in for another surprise or two.
Below are some bloggers' (emotional) reactions to what's now a certainty: the Orange Coalition has collapsed and Oleksandr Moroz is the speaker.
Adrian J. Erlinger of Leopolis calls what's going on in Ukrainian politics "uninterrupted hysteria." Here's his summary:
Fast forward to yet another election. 3 months after that - no goverment, no constitutional court. Yu, Yulka, and Moroz refuse to speedily form a coalition. Eventually, a virtual orange coalition is formed, but then Yanukovich in snakeskin boots with sovok CPU allies also refuse to work. Like PORA activists, they begin a hunger strike and block the Rada. PR nominates former head of tax Mykola Azarov as speaker of the Rada, even though he cannot speak the state language. Moroz is elected speaker of the Rada by his opponents and former enemies. PR, CPU and SPU form an "anticrisis" coalition.
No end in sight for dramapolytyka in Ukraine.
Petro of Petro's Jotter feels "unclean" after watching the "speaker chapter" of the post-election "drama":
I am very glad I didn't waste time following the whole agonizing formation of the so-called "Orange Coalition", only to see it lay dying a week later.
Abdymok jots down the developments leading up to the speaker vote - "the un-coalition," he calls it:
(17:09) moroz takes podium . . . explaining his decision to leave the coalition with our ukraine and tymoshenko bloc. . . . says there is no way ukraine can be governed by people like poroshenko and tymoshenko . . . etc. blech.
Also, he criticizes the slow response of the English-language media:
it’s amazing how SLOW english-language media have been to cover this mess. there is NOTHING on the kyiv post site. i look at their issue for this week and get SICK.
such incompetence!
Stefan of Dykun tries to analyze the situation and assign blame, despite feeling "dumbfounded, flabbergasted":
I once again blame the incredible stubbornness of Our Ukraine that has resulted in a) its failure to accept its defeat at the polls and b) its continual support for people like Poroshenko for much of what happened today.
And of course, Moroz's cunning is also to blame. . .he is indeed a major political risk-taker and is very, very cunning; will this risk work?
He gives up eventually, however:
I don't know what to think about Ukrainian politics in Kyiv anymore. I think I will, from now on, keep completely to the grassroots, as I mostly do on this blog, anyway. . .
And as Ukrainian politics is getting more and more confusing, the gap between political discourse and ordinary people's lives is growing wider. Here, for example, is an entry (UKR) on how much the state pays Kyiv kindergarten employees (posted in the LJ community kiev-child, by LJ user mg-g):
Does anyone wish to work in a kindergarten?
We are sending our kid to daycare. They, however, lack teachers, don't have a nurse at all, et cetera.
This is how it is.
And here's more detailed info - maybe someone will find it useful!
Preschool Educational Institution #463
24-A Dobrokhotova St., metro station "Akademmistechko"
(phone number: 424-00-62)
Vacancies for Sept. 1, 2006:
Teacher - 4 vacancies, pedagogical education (490 hryvnias [monthly salary, $98])
Nurse - 2 vacancies (400 hryvnias [monthly salary, $80])
Music Teacher - 1 vacancy, special education (490 hryvnias [monthly salary, $98])
Teacher's Assistant - 4 vacancies, secondary education (430 hryvnias [monthly salary, $86])
Cleaner - 1 vacancy, secondary education (390 hryvnias [monthly salary, $78])
Nanny-Nurse - 1 vacancy, secondary education (390 hryvnias [monthly salary, $78])
***
libellule_fun: A teacher costs only 100 hryvnias [$20] more than a cleaner. And a nurse is 10 hryvnias more ($2). Amazing...
mg_g: :) The director hesitated for a long time before giving me these salary figures - like, they'll see it and decide not to call...
libellule_fun: But how is it possible to live on this money and not to collect additional fees from parents?
aksonova: They work two shifts. In our kindergarten there is one teacher, not two, and that's why she's making more. And they aren't asking any money from the parents. Well, maybe only for repairs.
libellule_fun: But working two shifts isn't adding up to $200, either. Horror-horror. They work with children. These professions are some of the most important...
aksonova: In our kindergarten, there's also a lack of teachers. They are inviting me to work there and I've learned about the conditions, little by little. God, how much they are demanding from them for this money! But I really admire our teachers who love kids so much and work there. [...]
Friday, July 07, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Mishah, currently in Moscow, is following the meaningless drama taking place in the parliament; I'm not, or not really, not enough to say anything about it.
Here're notes he's left in the comments section:
Funny how I can't make myself read the papers or even turn the TV on (we don't have Channel 5 here, believe it or not), but I find Mishah's digest totally digestible. Very interesting, even. It's like hearing a familiar voice or seeing a familiar face for Marta - pleasing.
I should figure out how to set up an account for Mishah, so that he could post on politics whenever he feels like it, in the body, not in the comments.
Here're notes he's left in the comments section:
meanwhile there's a real time thriller going on in the parliament now. after insidious fuck moroz refused to vote for poroshenko despite the previous agreements the coalition practically ceased to exist. moroz decided to become a speaker himself. poroshenko withdrew. region's azarov won't get enough votes since moroz is running too. moroz will get about 20 votes unless regions decide to vote against their own guy. all of this is happening right now.
i guess it's a matter of hours when we see nu-regions coalition.
***
wow, now moroz is explaning his act as preventing his fellow party members from voting for region's azarov. meaning their votes were already bought by regions.
very much like judas, now from the gospel of judas...
Funny how I can't make myself read the papers or even turn the TV on (we don't have Channel 5 here, believe it or not), but I find Mishah's digest totally digestible. Very interesting, even. It's like hearing a familiar voice or seeing a familiar face for Marta - pleasing.
I should figure out how to set up an account for Mishah, so that he could post on politics whenever he feels like it, in the body, not in the comments.
Went into a local store, saw this curious - and hideous - item:
Dekoratyvna mysha, 360 hryvnias
The verbatim translation (from Ukrainian) is "decorative mouse" - letuchaya mysh (flying mouse) in Russian, kazhan or letucha mysha in Ukrainian.
360 hryvnias is more than $70, someone's monthly salary.
***
I haven't been to the lake today, but mama tells me the garbage is still there. Haven't heard back from the newspaper; was too busy to call any of the bureaucrats.
Dekoratyvna mysha, 360 hryvnias
The verbatim translation (from Ukrainian) is "decorative mouse" - letuchaya mysh (flying mouse) in Russian, kazhan or letucha mysha in Ukrainian.
360 hryvnias is more than $70, someone's monthly salary.
***
I haven't been to the lake today, but mama tells me the garbage is still there. Haven't heard back from the newspaper; was too busy to call any of the bureaucrats.
At the city administration, that rude woman told me garbage collection's the districts' responsibility, not the city's. She didn't know what district Pushcha is - she asked me and I told her it's Obolon. The thing is, it became part of the city only recently, a few years ago, and before that it was a separate entity.
It all doesn't really matter, though. Garbage is a tiny problem compared to the land/real estate ownership one. I've never studied it closely, but just by looking around you sort of know what's going on: all the deserted buildings, sanatoriums, huge chunks of wonderful land turning into a Pripyat/Chernobyl look-alikes. Their new owners probably sit there quietly, waiting for the complete collapse, and then they can move in, fence the area off and build their mansions or whatever. And the brave/impatient ones are already building - just like they do in the center of the city: huge, ugly stuff squeezed in on impossibly tiny plots of land, and all those poor huts or ruined sanatoriums surround them. And the locals talk about it, too, curse the rich guys, are scared of them. A woman who works at the post office talked yesterday about some guy who recently died of a stroke because they wouldn't let him privatize his hut or something - most likely because someone rich wanted his land in order to expand.
I don't really want to get into all this: I don't want to ruin my first impression - that it's a paradise. I know it's more of a volcano, but I'll pretend it's not for the rest of the summer and then we'll move on.
As for Yushchenko, well, would you guys bother distracting George W. Bush from the war in Iraq to have him clean up the July 4 litter?
***
More garbage photos are now up but I still have to sort them. There are five containers - though it does seem as if there are more, both on the pictures and in reality.
It all doesn't really matter, though. Garbage is a tiny problem compared to the land/real estate ownership one. I've never studied it closely, but just by looking around you sort of know what's going on: all the deserted buildings, sanatoriums, huge chunks of wonderful land turning into a Pripyat/Chernobyl look-alikes. Their new owners probably sit there quietly, waiting for the complete collapse, and then they can move in, fence the area off and build their mansions or whatever. And the brave/impatient ones are already building - just like they do in the center of the city: huge, ugly stuff squeezed in on impossibly tiny plots of land, and all those poor huts or ruined sanatoriums surround them. And the locals talk about it, too, curse the rich guys, are scared of them. A woman who works at the post office talked yesterday about some guy who recently died of a stroke because they wouldn't let him privatize his hut or something - most likely because someone rich wanted his land in order to expand.
I don't really want to get into all this: I don't want to ruin my first impression - that it's a paradise. I know it's more of a volcano, but I'll pretend it's not for the rest of the summer and then we'll move on.
As for Yushchenko, well, would you guys bother distracting George W. Bush from the war in Iraq to have him clean up the July 4 litter?
***
More garbage photos are now up but I still have to sort them. There are five containers - though it does seem as if there are more, both on the pictures and in reality.
A tiny update (and a response to Sasha, sort of):
Instead of sending the flag photo to CNN, I've sent the woman-walking-through-garbage one to Gazeta po-Kievski. Who knows, maybe they'll come over and do a story, and then the assholes will show up and clean the mess.
I feel somewhat idiotic, like a babushka, writing letters to newspapers and all, but I really want something to be done about it!
The neighbor, by the way, said that maybe they should write to Yushchenko, and I thought it was so childish of her to hope he would help in such a (seemingly) trivial matter.
Instead of sending the flag photo to CNN, I've sent the woman-walking-through-garbage one to Gazeta po-Kievski. Who knows, maybe they'll come over and do a story, and then the assholes will show up and clean the mess.
I feel somewhat idiotic, like a babushka, writing letters to newspapers and all, but I really want something to be done about it!
The neighbor, by the way, said that maybe they should write to Yushchenko, and I thought it was so childish of her to hope he would help in such a (seemingly) trivial matter.
(Have been trying to post this for quite a while, but Blogger was down.)
I did take a walk there - decided to do some "citizen reporting."
"Dachnitsa reporting" is a better term.
Here's one picture and I'll post a few more later, to my Pushcha Vodytsya set at Flickr:
As you can see, there are people who don't give a shit. The woman on the photo just walked barefoot past the trash and into the lake. And I felt weird: who knows, maybe this is how it's supposed to be. Maybe I'm just spoiled. Maybe all those nice and clean places like the lakes around Iowa City don't exist. But after I was done taking pictures, I went back to the sanatorium, and of course, it's a different world there, sort of. And I am spoiled, of course.
More later.
I did take a walk there - decided to do some "citizen reporting."
"Dachnitsa reporting" is a better term.
Here's one picture and I'll post a few more later, to my Pushcha Vodytsya set at Flickr:
As you can see, there are people who don't give a shit. The woman on the photo just walked barefoot past the trash and into the lake. And I felt weird: who knows, maybe this is how it's supposed to be. Maybe I'm just spoiled. Maybe all those nice and clean places like the lakes around Iowa City don't exist. But after I was done taking pictures, I went back to the sanatorium, and of course, it's a different world there, sort of. And I am spoiled, of course.
More later.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Putin's internet conference will begin in less than half an hour. (Update: Oops. It's tomorrow, not today. Tomorrow's the 6th, right?) There are 116,228 questions to him now, and the most voted for will probably be passed to him.
I, along with four other people, voted for this question, from a 40-year-old woman named Rada:
(I found it via Marina Litvinovich, who had posted a link to the 28 questions about Beslan.)
I, along with four other people, voted for this question, from a 40-year-old woman named Rada:
Dear V.V.
In the spring of 2004 we decided to return to our Motherland, to Beslan, after living "abroad" for six years. We sent our daughter to school, found a job. Several months later, Beslan happened. Our daughter was in a different school, thank God. We left again. If you were us, would you have stayed?..
(I found it via Marina Litvinovich, who had posted a link to the 28 questions about Beslan.)
There were so many people here last Wednesday, for the Constitution Day, people and their cars, and then there was the weekend, but the weather, thankfully, wasn't too hot, so there were few people, and now it's hot again, and guess what - the garbage containers by the lake have been full and overflowing all this time and no one has bothered to come over and take them away. It's been over one week now.
I've called the Obolon regional administration and the city administration, have been redirected from one phone number to another, and sometimes a fax machine is turned on, and sometimes they aren't picking up the phone, and I've been almost yelled at once, and the same woman then spoke to me in this totally incomprehensible bureaucratic language, not sure if it was Russian or Ukrainian, not even sure what department she worked for, except for it must have been something pretty high up and I was sent there by mistake.
Anyway, it's impossible to walk in the forest now and it's not a nice place to have a picnic anymore - and even though I'm very lucky to be allowed into the sanatorium, the stench will reach there eventually, too.
Fucking pigs.
I've given the phone numbers to the neighbor - let her bother the bureacrats, too.
More on this later, maybe.
I've called the Obolon regional administration and the city administration, have been redirected from one phone number to another, and sometimes a fax machine is turned on, and sometimes they aren't picking up the phone, and I've been almost yelled at once, and the same woman then spoke to me in this totally incomprehensible bureaucratic language, not sure if it was Russian or Ukrainian, not even sure what department she worked for, except for it must have been something pretty high up and I was sent there by mistake.
Anyway, it's impossible to walk in the forest now and it's not a nice place to have a picnic anymore - and even though I'm very lucky to be allowed into the sanatorium, the stench will reach there eventually, too.
Fucking pigs.
I've given the phone numbers to the neighbor - let her bother the bureacrats, too.
More on this later, maybe.
Belatedly, a photo taken by Mishah from our window here in Pushcha Vodytsya:
For Ukraine, the World Cup is over: This Ukrainian flag (upside down) was left out to dry by a young couple from the building next door either Saturday or Sunday, following the Italy-Ukraine game. They'd been happily carrying the flag around on top of their 3-month-old son's stroller after the happy Tunisia and Switzerland games.
For Ukraine, the World Cup is over: This Ukrainian flag (upside down) was left out to dry by a young couple from the building next door either Saturday or Sunday, following the Italy-Ukraine game. They'd been happily carrying the flag around on top of their 3-month-old son's stroller after the happy Tunisia and Switzerland games.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
No time to write at all - and when I don't write for a long time, I often feel an almost physical discomfort. Notes made in my notebooks with one hand, while rolling Marta's stroller back and forth with another, don't count.
***
Mish jan, could you please send me the "World Cup's Over" picture and I'll post it here?
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