What will Obama's visit to Moscow really accomplish?
captain!
also, because the russians could not translate obama's comment about "one
foot in the old and one foot in the new" as well as putin's response to said
quote.
tadas, as many people know, often has great difficulty with language and
translation, so this is just to let him know that he's not alone...
/////////////////////////////
What will Obama's visit to Moscow really accomplish?
http://www.newsweek.com/id/205460
Translators were baffled by Vladimir Putin's recent response to President
Obama. Leading up to his summit in Moscow, Obama had announced that the
Russian premier had one foot in the old way and one foot in the new. "We
cannot stand v raskoryachku," Putin replied in a steely voice. Everyone
understands that this rarely used idiom refers to an awkward position, but
not even native speakers can visualize it. For some, it evoked nonconsensual
sex. For others, it suggested bowleggedness. The best translation was posted
by a BBC Russian Service producer on Facebook: "one leg here, one leg there,
with the bottom asking for trouble."
The mysterious elocution came in handy for reporters wondering what to write
about on the eve of Obama's visit to Russia, as they tried to decipher the
true nature of U.S.-Russian relations. While the countries gave every
appearance of concordance at Monday's meeting, the reality is that they are
v raskoryachku-neither friends nor enemies. In truth, they hardly have a
relationship at all.
How did we get here? Last winter, Joe Biden offered to reset relations with
Russia, and it looked for a while as though, by the time Obama arrived,
everything would be hunky-dory. In May, the reset agenda included
cooperation on Afghanistan and Iran, addressing piracy in Somalia, and
Russia's expedited entry into the WTO.
But the weeks preceding Obama's visit where marked by one setback after
another. Iran's combustible election demonstrated how far apart Russia and
the U.S. are on democracy and populist, color-themed revolutions: Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev was the first world leader to receive Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after his dubious victory. Soon thereafter,
Russia did everything to soften the resolution on Iran at last month's G8
foreign ministers' meeting in Italy.
Then Kyrgyzstan announced that it will allow the U.S. armed forces to keep a
military base on its territory, despite assurances it had given to Moscow
that the base would be shuttered in exchange for Russian loans. This move
put Moscow in a position that Putin might have called v raskoryachku, with
anonymous foreign ministry officials fuming in newspaper interviews and
Medvedev trying to save face by saying that the deal had been negotiated
with the Americans beforehand. In the meantime, the U.S. command in
Afghanistan announced that it will stop destroying poppy crops, which is
likely to lead to an increase in drug trafficking through Russian territory
this year. Moscow has long been criticizing coalition forces for the lack of
action against drug producers in Afghanistan.
And finally, Moscow surprised many nations by saying that it will now bid
for WTO membership only as a part of the Customs Union, which also includes
Belarus and Kazahkstan. There have been no precedents for blocs of countries
entering the WTO as one entity, and current relations between Russia and
Belarus are best described as terrible (the countries have only recently
concluded a trade war over milk), which suggests that the move may be
Russia's way of saying that Moscow doesn't need the WTO for now. In a way,
that's unsurprising, since many in the Russian political and business
establishment think joining the organization will harm national interests.
As truly pressing issues kept dropping from the reset agenda, U.S.-Russian
relations drifted into the more comfortable realm of nuclear disarmament.
Nukes are a safe virtual reality, since neither side can even think of ever
using them-everyone feels comfortable moving them from one pile into another
while ignoring actual problems, like last year's war in Georgia and Russia's
stab at regional hegemony.
Actually, even disarmament is to some extent a chimera. The START-1 treaty
assumes that all missiles, planes, and submarines are currently loaded to
their full capacity with warheads. But this is not the case for either side;
both the U.S. and Russia have been futzing with their arsenals and removing
warheads unilaterally since ratification. So even though both sides pledged
today to slash their stockpiles by roughly a third, the real reduction will
be much more modest.
In fact, the final figures may never be announced at all; some government
experts in Moscow believe that Russia didn't need a replacement for START-1,
which expires Dec. 5. They argue that the aging nuclear arsenal would
inevitably have shrunk to levels well below those set by the new deal. And
without the checks that START demands, the U.S. may never learn how small
the Russian stockpile has become. The nukes will be gone, but the threat
will remain, the experts insist.
Still, it will be extremely hard for the Kremlin to abandon nuclear
reduction outright, since it is the only remnant of Russia's superpower
status. Unlike in America, it's a matter of domestic importance: when
government TV shows Russian leaders fishing or picnicking with their U.S.
counterparts, ordinary Russians know their country still matters. But if
Russia is no longer a priority in Washington, they'll start asking
questions. At the same time, too much friendship with the U.S. can also sap
a leader's popularity at home. Anti-Americanism is a pillar of Russian
ideology. Without it, Russians would need a new enemy to blame for the
economic crisis and the confrontations with their neighbors.
It's not that Washington and Moscow have bad relations-by some accounts,
they have almost no relations at all.
Leonid Ragozin and Igor Prokopyev write for NEWSWEEK's Russian partner,
Newsweek Russky.
Vladimir Makarenko
It inspirited the young Russians (apart from Iran).
It demonstrated to the old, mine and Putin generation that the US is not
there plotting to screw up Russia, rob it and destroy it.
If anybody wants to accomplish more - turn to God for assistance.
Nothing is going to change overnight, but from now on Russians know that
to pull a trigger is not the only option. Instead they may just place a
call and talk things over.
With Cheney in White House they Russians became persuaded that the only
way to talk to the States is a sign language - showing a finger at any
opportunity - if necessary in process to kill somebody on their
perimeter, like bunch of Georgians.
I think their major feeling now is - relief. They don't want or have
potential for confrontation. Cheney was thinking - they are fucked up -
let's finish the job. Major miscalculation. When cornered Russians will
kill.
And it carries major implication for neighboring countries - they will
not anymore be regarded as front line stooges of the US. My educated
guess is that everything - inside Russia or on its borders will get a
slack now.
VM.
Rostyslaw J. Lewyckyj
> -with special mention to tadas, first because the article is about russia.
> also, because the russians could not translate obama's comment about "one
> foot in the old and one foot in the new" as well as putin's response to said
> quote.
>
> tadas, as many people know, often has great difficulty with language and
> translation, so this is just to let him know that he's not alone...
> /////////////////////////////
>
> What will Obama's visit to Moscow really accomplish?
>
> http://www.newsweek.com/id/205460
>
> Translators were baffled by Vladimir Putin's recent response to President
> Obama. Leading up to his summit in Moscow, Obama had announced that the
> Russian premier had one foot in the old way and one foot in the new. "We
> cannot stand v raskoryachku," Putin replied in a steely voice. Everyone
> understands that this rarely used idiom refers to an awkward position, but
> not even native speakers can visualize it. For some, it evoked nonconsensual
> sex. For others, it suggested bowleggedness. The best translation was posted
> by a BBC Russian Service producer on Facebook: "one leg here, one leg there,
> with the bottom asking for trouble."
>
How about a cartoon contest of Putin standing 'v raskoryachku' !
--
Rostyk
Vladimir Makarenko
Try it. Put your country on the Russia's "most hated list". Whatever
country you pledge your allegiance today.
But you do not care right?
VM.
Tadas Blinda
> -with special mention to tadas, first because the article is about russia.
> also, because the russians could not translate obama's comment about "one
> foot in the old and one foot in the new" as well as putin's response to said
> quote.
Why don't you stop pussyfotting around and say what you really think,
namely:
• All hail to glorious English monolingualism, the only hope for
salvation for this world.
As for the article:
> Anti-Americanism is a pillar of Russian ideology. Without it, Russians would need a
> new enemy to blame for the economic crisis and the confrontations with their
> neighbours.
Right on!
Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr.
> -with special mention to tadas, first because the article is about russia.
> also, because the russians could not translate obama's comment about "one
> foot in the old and one foot in the new" as well as putin's response to said
> quote.
>
> tadas, as many people know, often has great difficulty with language and
> translation, so this is just to let him know that he's not alone...
> /////////////////////////////
>
> What will Obama's visit to Moscow really accomplish?
>
> http://www.newsweek.com/id/205460
>
> Translators were baffled by Vladimir Putin's recent response to President
> Obama. Leading up to his summit in Moscow, Obama had announced that the
> Russian premier had one foot in the old way and one foot in the new. "We
> cannot stand v raskoryachku," Putin replied in a steely voice. Everyone
> understands that this rarely used idiom
>
Rarely used? "Raskoriachka" is one of typical higly descriptive
Russian words, meaning standing with one's legs far apart. The most
common position when taking a dump in an open field.
>
> refers to an awkward position, but
> not even native speakers can visualize it. For some, it evoked nonconsensual
> sex.
>
For exactly 2 people: Leonid Ragozin and Igor Prokopyev. I hope it is
consensual between them though.
>
> For others, it suggested bowleggedness. The best translation was posted
> by a BBC Russian Service producer on Facebook: "one leg here, one leg there,
> with the bottom asking for trouble."
>
The latter is close. The rest is stupidity.
>
> The mysterious elocution came in handy for reporters wondering what to write
> about on the eve of Obama's visit to Russia, as they tried to decipher the
> true nature of U.S.-Russian relations. While the countries gave every
> appearance of concordance at Monday's meeting, the reality is that they are
> v raskoryachku-neither friends nor enemies. In truth, they hardly have a
> relationship at all.
>
> How did we get here? Last winter, Joe Biden offered to reset relations with
> Russia,
>
Wasn't it Hillary?
Moussorgsky again?
captain!
the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of relations
will remain in neutral.
obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches will
only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of concession.
the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
shield.
if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
improvment in relations.
"Vladimir Makarenko" <vma...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:j_mdnday-9QlUc7X...@giganews.com...
captain!
"Rostyslaw J. Lewyckyj" <urj...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:ALQ4m.20663$Xl4....@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
lol
captain!
"Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr." <ostap_be...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:580dc41a-efd5-4357...@q40g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 7, 2:49 pm, "captain!" <whomsoe...@telus.net> wrote:
>
> For others, it suggested bowleggedness. The best translation was posted
> by a BBC Russian Service producer on Facebook: "one leg here, one leg
> there,
> with the bottom asking for trouble."
>
The latter is close. The rest is stupidity.
////////////
yeah, if that's their "best translation"... then even my level of russian
could possibly own them.
maybe by "best", the author meant the most funny.
Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr.
>
> i think that until the US makes a concession of some sort regarding either
> the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of relations
> will remain in neutral.
> obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches will
> only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of concession.
> the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
> shield.
>
> if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
> improvment in relations.
>
Wow, captain. That's the perfect analysis.
If both sides reduce offensive weapons, the missile defences will play
an ever increasing role, and nobody in Russia will be stupid enough to
reduce its offences while USA is busy building up its defences.
You are learning from me real fast. :-)
>
> "Vladimir Makarenko" <vmak...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >> Newsweek Russky.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Vladimir Makarenko
> i think that until the US makes a concession of some sort regarding either
> the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of relations
> will remain in neutral.
The US is not some second row country to make concessions to anybody.
That said - one can make a deal.
Russians just gave Shell a share in Sakhalin 3 and 4.
> obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches will
> only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of concession.
Obama's most important quality - he is predictable. Not some moron to
whom "God" speaks while he sleeps so you never know what it will be next
morning.
He is intelligent and ready to talk and he also explains very clearly -
I will negotiate this but that is off the table. Fair enough.
> the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
> shield.
It is not just "useless" - I feel unfair to argue that in absence of
Vello hwho strongly disagrees - but I repeat - it takes less than half
an hour to turn "anti missile" into ICBM. Five minutes flight time to
Moscow.
I think the whole idea of Cheney was it. Well, very clever. Fucking Dr.
Strangelove.
>
> if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
> improvment in relations.
I think it already strated. My guess is - right now there is "a war"
inside Russia - between "the old guards" and Medvedev team. "Obama is
just a sales pitch" vs "Obama is an opening into XXI cent."
But even the worst pessimists cannot ignore that Obama has power and brains.
VM.
captain!
> captain! wrote:
>> i think that until the US makes a concession of some sort regarding
>> either the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of
>> relations will remain in neutral.
>
> The US is not some second row country to make concessions to anybody.
> That said - one can make a deal.
> Russians just gave Shell a share in Sakhalin 3 and 4.
>
shell and BP are like leaches. they suck until someone flicks them off. then
they swim around waiting for the opportunity to reattach themselves. they
have both been flicked off several times with russia but their insatiable
hunger keeps them coming back for more.
>> obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches
>> will only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of
>> concession.
>
> Obama's most important quality - he is predictable. Not some moron to whom
> "God" speaks while he sleeps so you never know what it will be next
> morning.
> He is intelligent and ready to talk and he also explains very clearly - I
> will negotiate this but that is off the table. Fair enough.
>
>> the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
>> shield.
>
> It is not just "useless" - I feel unfair to argue that in absence of Vello
> hwho strongly disagrees - but I repeat - it takes less than half an hour
> to turn "anti missile" into ICBM. Five minutes flight time to Moscow.
> I think the whole idea of Cheney was it. Well, very clever. Fucking Dr.
> Strangelove.
maybe so, although i must question your half hour conversion time for the
warheads and the flight time to moscow :)
the US military is also well known for being willing to spend massive
amounts of money for any project that catches the attention of the
leadership. however, the job for an attack like that would be from submarine
wouldn't you say? they can get even closer and are not a stationary target.
>
>
>>
>> if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
>> improvment in relations.
>
> I think it already strated. My guess is - right now there is "a war"
> inside Russia - between "the old guards" and Medvedev team. "Obama is just
> a sales pitch" vs "Obama is an opening into XXI cent."
> But even the worst pessimists cannot ignore that Obama has power and
> brains.
>
heh heh, the worst pessimists can argue anything
Vladimir Makarenko
> "Vladimir Makarenko" <vma...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:8N2dndRGzssL4MXX...@giganews.com...
>> captain! wrote:
>>> i think that until the US makes a concession of some sort regarding
>>> either the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of
>>> relations will remain in neutral.
>> The US is not some second row country to make concessions to anybody.
>> That said - one can make a deal.
>> Russians just gave Shell a share in Sakhalin 3 and 4.
>>
>
> shell and BP are like leaches. they suck until someone flicks them off. then
> they swim around waiting for the opportunity to reattach themselves. they
> have both been flicked off several times with russia but their insatiable
> hunger keeps them coming back for more.
We can do nothing about it - but get mean and ugly as they are and turn
the tables on them.
Maybe one day we will live in a better world. Today we are offered an
offer we cannot refuse.
>
>
>>> obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches
>>> will only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of
>>> concession.
>> Obama's most important quality - he is predictable. Not some moron to whom
>> "God" speaks while he sleeps so you never know what it will be next
>> morning.
>> He is intelligent and ready to talk and he also explains very clearly - I
>> will negotiate this but that is off the table. Fair enough.
>>
>>> the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
>>> shield.
>> It is not just "useless" - I feel unfair to argue that in absence of Vello
>> hwho strongly disagrees - but I repeat - it takes less than half an hour
>> to turn "anti missile" into ICBM. Five minutes flight time to Moscow.
>> I think the whole idea of Cheney was it. Well, very clever. Fucking Dr.
>> Strangelove.
>
> maybe so, although i must question your half hour conversion time for the
> warheads and the flight time to moscow :)
I have NO DOUBT that it is how things are. Call me paranoid but I don't
see ANY tech difficulty to do that. If it can be done - it is done.
Flight time to Moscow from Poland - it was eight minutes from West
Germany. Do your math.
>
> the US military is also well known for being willing to spend massive
> amounts of money for any project that catches the attention of the
> leadership.
Every Military in the world do the same. Russkies especially - pointing
a finger across the pond - You see what these bastards have and we have
Nothing. Gives us Money. Let's start with my Dacha.
> however, the job for an attack like that would be from submarine
> wouldn't you say? they can get even closer and are not a stationary target.
You expect Generals to think rationally? Have you ever seen in person a
single General? I did.
Maybe just maybe there are few among them who are sane - the rest -
should be put in a mental hospital.
Seriously speaking - the only way to beat an opponent in their game is
to use an unpredicted move. In human language - to cheat.
>
>
>>
>>> if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
>>> improvment in relations.
>> I think it already strated. My guess is - right now there is "a war"
>> inside Russia - between "the old guards" and Medvedev team. "Obama is just
>> a sales pitch" vs "Obama is an opening into XXI cent."
>> But even the worst pessimists cannot ignore that Obama has power and
>> brains.
>>
>
> heh heh, the worst pessimists can argue anything
>
Let's separate idiots from pessimists.
VM.
>
>
>
>
Rostyslaw J. Lewyckyj
Unless you have no imagination!
Rostyslaw J. Lewyckyj
> On Jul 10, 11:35 pm, "captain!" <whomsoe...@telus.net> wrote:
>> i think that until the US makes a concession of some sort regarding either
>> the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of relations
>> will remain in neutral.
>> obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches will
>> only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of concession.
>> the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
>> shield.
>>
>> if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
>> improvment in relations.
>>
>
> Wow, captain. That's the perfect analysis.
>
> If both sides reduce offensive weapons, the missile defences will play
> an ever increasing role, and nobody in Russia will be stupid enough to
> reduce its offences while USA is busy building up its defences.
>
to defences, the free world: USA and others, should concentrate on
building up their offences (aimed at Russia, of course)?
> You are learning from me real fast. :-)
>
--
Rostyk
Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr.
> On Jul 8, 12:49 am, "captain!" <whomsoe...@telus.net> wrote:
>
> > -with special mention to tadas, first because the article is about russia.
> > also, because the russians could not translate obama's comment about "one
> > foot in the old and one foot in the new" as well as putin's response to said
> > quote.
>
> Why don't you stop pussyfotting around and say what you really think,
> namely:
>
> • All hail to glorious English monolingualism, the only hope for
> salvation for this world.
>
> As for the article:
>
> > Anti-Americanism is a pillar of Russian ideology.
>
Nothing of the kind. Originally, Russia was one of the most America-
loving nations on the planet. It was thanks to America's deranged and
rogue foreign and war policies that Russia, like so many other
countries, turned their love to fear:
>
> > Without it, Russians would need a
> > new enemy to blame for the economic crisis and the confrontations with their
> > neighbours.
>
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/06/world/europe/06russia.html?_r=1&hp
Over the past 20 years, Russia has gone from one of the most pro-
American countries in the world to one that is deeply wary of Western
intentions.
The fundamental dynamic is disillusionment. As the Soviet Union
crumbled, Russians pinned their hopes on the West; 80 percent of
Russians viewed the United States positively in 1991, and only 6
percent negatively, according to statistics from the Levada Center, a
public opinion and market research agency. Those warm feelings curdled
before the decade was out.
Russians blamed America for supporting the economic reforms of the
Yeltsin era and for the social chaos that ensued. They were infuriated
by American-backed wars in Yugoslavia and Iraq, by the expansion of
NATO eastward and most recently by the Georgian attack on South
Ossetia. Vladimir V. Putin, the former president and now prime
minister, transformed this anger into a doctrine, saying in 2007 that
Russia faced an enemy comparable to the Third Reich, with “the same
contempt for human life and the same claims of exceptionality and
diktat in the world.”
By this May, the same Levada poll showed that 36 percent of Russians
viewed the United States positively, and 50 percent viewed it
negatively.
///////////////////////
Which is still less negative than the way West Europeans viewed USA
during the Bush administration. Face it: Russia has been less outraged
with USA's crimes than the civilised parts of Europe have.
Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr.
<ostap_bender_1...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Jul 10, 11:35 pm, "captain!" <whomsoe...@telus.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > i think that until the US makes a concession of some sort regarding either
> > the missle shield, NATO , ukraine, georgia, etc... the state of relations
> > will remain in neutral.
> > obama is liked by the youth, as you suggest, but his flowery speaches will
> > only go so far until he hits a barrier that demands some sort of concession.
> > the best bet would be to ease up on the almost completely useless missle
> > shield.
>
> > if that could be accomplished, i woudn't be surprised to see a HUGE
> > improvment in relations.
>
It already looks like nothing will happen, as Obama's definition of
"reset" is:
Reset - when Russia admits that all USA's foreign and warmongering
policies are correct, and Russia starts abiding by USA's agenda and
orders.
That's what Obama expected from his visit: that his charm would
convert Medvedev into an avid fan of USA's polcies, from the Rape of
Iraq to the placement of "anti-Korean" missile defences in Poland.
Here is how the leader of the American New World Order movement
summarised these expectations:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124683525998697831.html
The expectations that Mr. Obama has inspired are substantial. Both
officials and ordinary citizens in Russia interpret the call for a
reset as an admission of U.S. guilt for ignoring Russia's interests...
In each case, any reset should be on the Russian side.
Clear, eh?
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr.
me quote from his speech in Moscow in front of highly intelligent and
educated young people:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/world/europe/07prexy.text.html?pagewanted=all
Text: Obama’s Speech at the New Economic School
Following is a text of President Obama's remarks delivered at the New
Economic School in Moscow, as released by the White House.
Yet unfortunately, there is sometimes a sense that old assumptions
must prevail, old ways of thinking; a conception of power that is
rooted in the past rather than in the future. There is the 20th
century view that the United States and Russia are destined to be
antagonists, and that a strong Russia or a strong America can only
assert themselves in opposition to one another. And there is a 19th
century view that we are destined to vie for spheres of influence, and
that great powers must forge competing blocs to balance one another.
These assumptions are wrong. In 2009, a great power does not show
strength by dominating or demonizing other countries. The days when
empires could treat sovereign states as pieces on a chess board are
over.
////////////////////////////////////
Now, I suspect that by "dominating or demonizing other countries",
Obama meant Russian defence of Ossetia from Georgian aggression. But
Russian students (like students all over the World) iterpreted his
speech as a denounciation of Bush/Clinton/Bush's foreign policies.
Who domintated Iraq, Panama, Haiti, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia etc? Who
demonised and stil demonises Cuba, Russia, Venezuela, Serbia/
Montenegro, Belarus, Iraq, Iran? Who, if not USA, is in charge of the
NATO block? Who, if not NATO, is trying to expand its sphere of
influence into Ukraine, Georgia, Central Asia, Armenia, Belarus, etc?
Who, if not USA, spends $500 billion per year on weapons (mostly
weapons of mass destruction) and another $200 billion on overseas
wars? That's more than what the rest of the World spends and 27 times
more than what Russia spends.
On Jul 12, 9:53 pm, "Ostap S. B. M. Bender Jr."
<ostap_bender_1...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Jul 11, 12:54 pm, Dmitry <dmitrijsfedot...@inbox.lv> wrote:
>
> > > But even the worst pessimists cannot ignore that Obama has power and brains.
>
> > He also has very likeable personality that most country leaders
> > don't. His diverse background is also a bonus.
>
> Do you recall the classical Russian saying: "Po odezhke vstrechayut, a
> po delam provozhayut"? "People start with you according to your looks/
> dress but finish according to your deeds"... Well, much of Obama's
> charisma around the World comes from his good looks and people's
> expectations that Obama simply cannot be nearly as horrible and
> horrifying as Bush, plus from the mass media. But so far, he has done
> absolutely nothing one way or the other. In today's jaded Russia, they
> reserve their opinion until you show your actual deeds:
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/world/europe/08russia.html?_r=1
>
> In Russia, Obama’s Star Power Does Not Translate
>
> Associated Press
>
> MOSCOW — Let other capitals go all weak-kneed when President Obama
> visits. Moscow has greeted Mr. Obama, who on Tuesday night concluded a
> two-day Russian-American summit meeting, as if he were just another
> dignitary passing through.
>
> Crowds did not clamor for a glimpse of him. Headlines offered only
> glancing or flippant notice of his activities. Television programming
> was uninterrupted. Even many students and alumni of the Western-
> oriented business school, where Mr. Obama gave the graduation address
> on Tuesday, seemed merely respectful, but hardly enthralled.
>
> “We don’t really understand why Obama is such a star,” said Kirill
> Zagorodnov, 25, one of the graduates. “It’s a question of trust, how
> he behaves, how he positions himself, that typical charisma, which in
> Russia is often parodied. Russians really are not accustomed to it. It
> is like he is trying to manipulate the public.”
>
> Others suggested that after decades of social turmoil, Russians were
> simply exhausted with politics, and had been so often disappointed by
> Western leaders that they were not inclined to get excited by the
> latest one. Asked by one Moscow newspaper what they expected to come
> out of Mr. Obama’s visit, most respondents had the same answer:
> traffic jams.
>
> Some Obama aides said they were struck by the low-key reception here,
> especially when compared with the outpouring on some of his other
> foreign trips. Even Michelle Obama, who typically enjoys admiring
> coverage in the local news media when she travels, has not had her
> every move chronicled here.
>
> Many here noted that Russia went through an enthusiastic phase with
> President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, when Russians were reaching out
> to Americans. Mr. Clinton conducted a town hall meeting in Moscow that
> was broadcast across Russia (and featured a woman in the audience
> jumping up and hugging Mr. Clinton on camera).
>
> Tom Malinowski, who was a speechwriter for Mr. Clinton, said Russian
> audiences were always the toughest to connect with. He said Mr.
> Obama’s facility with language gives him the ability to talk around
> governments directly to people. Mr. Obama, he said, has the talent to
> “do that in every part of the world, except possibly Russia.”
>
> Russians tend to view Mr. Obama not so much with hostility as with
> indifference. “Despite Russia becoming part of the rest of the world
> in the last 5 or 10 years,” Mr. Brilev said, “the interesting thing
> about Russia is that so many things which fascinate the American and
> European publics are Page 26 stuff here.”
>
> After relations with the United States curdled in the final years of
> President George W. Bush’s tenure, many people here were relieved by
> Mr. Obama’s election. But that does not necessarily mean they are
> overly optimistic about his pledge to improve ties.
>
> Valery Kanishev, 68, a designer for the state circus company, said he
> was pleased that Mr. Obama had brought his children with him to
> Russia. But Mr. Kanishev said Mr. Obama’s address on Tuesday would not
> get him far with many older Russians, who grew weary of political
> speeches after enduring the wooden recitations of Leonid I. Brezhnev,
> the former Soviet leader.
>
> “Russians are the smartest people in the world,” he said. “The main
> thing is results. Our people don’t trust anyone.”
>
> Younger people were generally more welcoming. Oksana Sytnova, 24,
> graduated first in her class at the New Economic School, an honor that
> was particularly sweet because Mr. Obama presented it to her at the
> graduation on Tuesday. “For my generation, he is a very attractive
> politician,” Ms. Sytnova said. “And today’s speech showed that.”