bujno
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 648
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Post by bujno on Nov 23, 2006 5:46:23 GMT -7
Most people cant. Few are conscious they can't. So - It is a very pleasant trait of yours to say so. But life would be easier if we'd all use more distance to our biases, especially those enlightened who are able to be aware of them. Kostia, may you stay with us long and merry!
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forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Nov 26, 2006 8:35:00 GMT -7
This Sunday we have 2nd round local election in Poland and last 3 or 4 days were without campaigning because of...days of mourning declared after the mine accident. Frankly I find it stupid. All the debates were canceled and due to postmen strike not even leaflets were distributed! I know that families of dead are in pain and many people around the country were really mourning but should it stop election champaign? And ... more people die in car accident every weekend I think.... (...)
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 29, 2006 14:29:55 GMT -7
It's not about Poland. The correct saying is: Kuritsa ne ptitsa, Bolgariay ne zagranitsa (Hen is not bird, Bulgaria is not abroad). And it is not a political saying. This colloquialism means only that Russians and Bulgarians are both too close in religion, roots, psychology, language and culture. Belive me it is not offensively OK, I believe you, you seem an honest person hahahahaha. Yet, whenever I encounter the saying in Polish books or media, it is always mentioned to illustrate the scornful attitude of Russians towards Poland. Such a Polish stereotype.....
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 29, 2006 14:40:03 GMT -7
Ironnically we are so different, Russians are slow-moving but persistent and Poles are quick and cocky. Yes, this difference between two nations, which are not only Slavic but also share the same genes, as it has been recently proved by scientists, has fascinated me for a long time. I am constantly trying to understand it. I asked other Russians about it, I will ask you, too. What, do you think, made Russians so persistent in their conquest in all available directions - eastwards (Siberia), southwards (Caucasus), westwards (Poland, Finnland)? Was it the climate, harsher than in Europe, that made Russians tougher than others ? Or was it the influence of Mongol invasion and control over Russian lands for 3 centuries, which finally imprinted in Russian minds the Mongol need for expansion and dominance? Or was it just Russian tsars` fancy to gather as many peoples and as much land under their rule?
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 29, 2006 14:45:03 GMT -7
Thanks to you I purchased this book (usually I prefer to read firstprimary sources). Hmmm, there are many interesting things on the history of Western Europe, but when it applies on a Russian subjects, it becomes a real pieace of sh...., sorry, very disputable. And most stupendous, that author dares to give an advices on the politics of the now existent country....it's not history it's foul and tendentious political pamphlet. Brrrrr Are we talking about the same book? I meant "God`s Playground," the history of Poland.
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Pawian
European
Have you seen my frog?
Posts: 3,266
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Post by Pawian on Nov 29, 2006 14:59:05 GMT -7
[ Well, a clever supposition, really hahahahaha. That is probably why de Custine`s book was forbidden not only in tsarist Russia, but also in the Soviet Union, where the author`s opinons about old times were poignantly valid, too. Those Russian/Soviet leaders feared the loop, propagated by Custine! You forgot to mention Lenin who died in the aftermath of an unsuccessful assasination and Stalin who was probably killed by Beria hahahahaha
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Post by constantine on Nov 30, 2006 3:55:43 GMT -7
Yet, whenever I encounter the saying in Polish books or media, it is always mentioned to illustrate the scornful attitude of Russians towards Poland. Such a Polish stereotype..... Well, what I hear, ...scornful attitude...? Russians may boil with anger towards nations or feel too adoration to another but not at all contempt or scorn. We remember all our teachers, Greeks, Poles, French, Germans, Swedes. Sorry, but it's western prerogative to be arrogant and to feel some cultural superiority over eastern hordes . BTW, in Russian we have word "GONOR", which have roots in pole's word "HONOUR", but in Russian it became synonym of arrogance.
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Post by constantine on Nov 30, 2006 3:58:37 GMT -7
Are we talking about the same book? I meant "God`s Playground," the history of Poland. I meant his History of Europe. But I can imagine author's brutish zeal to throw mud at Russia in his History of Poland.
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Post by constantine on Nov 30, 2006 4:28:03 GMT -7
Ironnically we are so different, Was it the climate, harsher than in Europe, that made Russians tougher than others ? Or was it the influence of Mongol invasion and control over Russian lands for 3 centuries, which finally imprinted in Russian minds the Mongol need for expansion and dominance? Thanks God, we had Mongol's yoke. It was a great but difficult school for Russians, it was a rebirth of the nation as for example civil war in England in the times of king Stephan or Hundred Years War in France. All feudal wars were forgotten.
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Post by constantine on Nov 30, 2006 4:46:13 GMT -7
I asked other Russians about it, I will ask you, too. What, do you think, made Russians so persistent in their conquest in all available directions - eastwards (Siberia), southwards (Caucasus), westwards (Poland, Finnland)? Was it the climate, harsher than in Europe, that made Russians tougher than others ? Or was it the influence of Mongol invasion and control over Russian lands for 3 centuries, which finally imprinted in Russian minds the Mongol need for expansion and dominance? Or was it just Russian tsars` fancy to gather as many peoples and as much land under their rule? All that we needed just safety. We don't live on the island, but we had vast and uninhabited spaces around our mother country. Poland and Finland never regarded as Russia, it was just acquisition in case of wars with Europe countries, Germany or France. Demoralized Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a real target for Prussian's influence harmful to Russia.
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Post by rdywenur on Nov 30, 2006 17:27:02 GMT -7
Constantine what is your take on the poisoning of the Russian spy. I think it is horrific and I think I don''t like this Putin guy very much at all. Sound like you guys are going backwards instead of forwards. Thank God I live in the land of the free.
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Post by constantine on Dec 1, 2006 1:59:01 GMT -7
Constantine what is your take on the poisoning of the Russian spy. I think it is horrific and I think I don''t like this Putin guy very much at all. Sound like you guys are going backwards instead of forwards. Thank God I live in the land of the free. Well, pardon me for my harsh opinion, but why do you think that you live in the land of free and other nations vegetate in tyranny? What is reason of American egocentrism? Why do you think that we don't have in Russia free press or free opinions? I know, it's so just becase you hear this postulates from American media ;-/. Why do you think that this murder was Putin's plot? Do you know who was Litvinenko :-(? I don't remember that there was a trial which pointed at Putin as a mafia boss. And what is a reason that you so dislike mr. Putin (exept that he is not a handsome man) ;-). So I think that all this cases are black PR and as a resalt - mass hysteria.
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Post by hollister on Dec 1, 2006 4:53:32 GMT -7
I think it best to leave the "my country is better than..." discussion off this board - no matter who appeared to start it. However I do think Chris brought up a valid question - How is the death of Litvinenko perceived in the press in Russia? It is no secret that outside of Russia there is suspicion over the role of Putin in his death (as well as others who have a history of disagreeing with him). Are there other suspects? Why would they poison Litvinenko in such a manner? Who would have had access to or capability to manufacture Polonium 210? How and why is the media coverage outside of Russia wrong on this story?
On a different note - I think Putin is not a bad looking man - I have seen worse!
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Post by constantine on Dec 1, 2006 5:07:21 GMT -7
Are there other suspects? How about Berezovskiy? On a different note - I think Putin is not a bad looking man - I have seen worse! [/quote] Did you mean Ukranian president - Iuschenko?
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bujno
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 648
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Post by bujno on Dec 1, 2006 5:11:04 GMT -7
I think it best to leave the "my country is better than..." discussion off this board - no matter who appeared to start it. Very well said. I have to agree however with Chris Rdy - and it is really unfortunate that what's happenig in Russia does look like going backwards.. And what will happen there once the gas is sold? Constantine, please excuse expressing this frank opinion, but its not AGAINST your homeland, if you know what I mean. Privet!
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