tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36117932481534725712024-03-13T16:38:19.428+03:00An American in MoscowAn American's point of view of an expat's life in Moscow.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-79982499720958433672013-03-28T06:05:00.000+04:002013-03-28T06:11:16.704+04:00Welcome Tourists?A recent <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TT_Competitiveness_Report_2013.pdf">survey</a> by the World Economic Forum asked people in 140 countries this question:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
How welcome are foreign visitors in your country?</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8CMB31_eUg/UVOmh4XlP2I/AAAAAAAAYc0/Vd-9csWnVb8/s1600/openness4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8CMB31_eUg/UVOmh4XlP2I/AAAAAAAAYc0/Vd-9csWnVb8/s400/openness4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
According to the World Forum Economic survey, the most welcoming countries are Iceland, New Zealand, and Morocco. The same survey identified Bolivia, Venezuela, and Russia as the least welcoming.<br />
<div>
<br />
More details on the survey are <a href="http://www.theworld.org/2013/03/foreign-visitors-welcome/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/03/21/a-fascinating-map-of-countries-color-coded-by-their-openness-to-foreigners/">here</a>.</div>
Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-41188461908171751412012-12-27T02:49:00.001+04:002012-12-27T21:37:20.269+04:00What's Wrong with This Picture? Part IIIAmericans are generally oblivious to foreign exchange rate fluctuations. This is because the US dollar is one of the (used to the "the only") de facto international currencies. <br />
<br />
In countries where this his not the case, like Russia, foreign exchange rates are widely publicized to the public. After all, whether you are 5% richer or poorer on any given day compared to your neighbor in the adjacent country, while meaningless, does much for nationalistic feelings (and, if you are smart, for solid macroeconomic policy making). <br />
<br />
I snapped this picture in a bank lobby two days ago: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--fDhrQtvP98/UNt6X4IIYkI/AAAAAAAARN4/4iwP_m_3tFI/s1600/Sberbank+Folly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--fDhrQtvP98/UNt6X4IIYkI/AAAAAAAARN4/4iwP_m_3tFI/s400/Sberbank+Folly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The first digitized column is the bank's buying rate; the second is the bank's offer rate. Notice that the offer rate is higher - as it should be - for the euro, Australian dollar, and British pound. However, not only it is lower for the US dollar, it is much lower. <br />
<br />
If these buy/sell rates were true, someone with a $100 could become a $11 billion+ man in just after 36 roundtrip trades. After all, he would be selling high and buying low. And, in the age of rapid on-line transactions, these trades would take less than 1 second.<br />
<br />
The moral of the story is that in Russia, as many government officials have clued in, it is possible to make big money fast with just a few trades and as many slights of hands. Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-90511989158970858122012-12-26T02:57:00.000+04:002012-12-27T02:58:20.419+04:00What is 50 Grams to You?50 grams, to most people around the world, is a weight measure. In Russia, it is a volume measure: Specifically, it measures a shot of vodka.<br />
<br />
I was given a test recently and failed miserably. I was asked "what is 20 times 50 grams?" I quickly responded "1 kg." My inquisitor told me that I failed miserably and definitely do not qualify to be a Russian after having lived here for three years. You see, most Russian men would respond "1 liter," as in 1 liter of vodka.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfqIopM2n-g/UNuAwc77uAI/AAAAAAAARWY/3T3igyyBHiA/s1600/killer_russian_vodka_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfqIopM2n-g/UNuAwc77uAI/AAAAAAAARWY/3T3igyyBHiA/s400/killer_russian_vodka_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
See my blog: <a href="http://usa-moscow.blogspot.ru/2010/11/live-fast-and-die-young-alcohol-tobacco.html">Live Fast and Die Young: Alcohol, Tobacco, Heroin</a>. No more comments needed.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-71791403825266889752012-12-24T10:55:00.000+04:002012-12-24T10:55:08.925+04:00Frozen Inside and Out<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It's cold in Moscow: -23 C or -10 F. This is a picture of my front door, <i>from the warm and toasty interior </i>where the ambient temperature is 24 C or 75 F.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-__Jv_tYIN8A/UNf756pdGkI/AAAAAAAAOy8/CBzl5HjubqM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-__Jv_tYIN8A/UNf756pdGkI/AAAAAAAAOy8/CBzl5HjubqM/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Where there is a slight perforation allowing a sliver of air to seep in, we have a nice chunk of frozen precipitation (see the white stuff). </span>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-2031187570238649782012-11-02T14:54:00.001+04:002012-11-02T14:55:38.230+04:00The Kremlin’s New Internet Surveillance Plan Goes Live Today<br />
Read the full article on Wired <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11/russia-surveillance/">here</a>.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-72521066327030064332012-11-02T14:33:00.001+04:002012-11-02T14:33:30.252+04:00WSJ: Jesus Backs Pussy Riot on ‘South Park’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kw5lBMkkV9U/UJOhP-HVMuI/AAAAAAAAGy8/K34MMHKl06M/s1600/Jesus_Pussy_Riot.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kw5lBMkkV9U/UJOhP-HVMuI/AAAAAAAAGy8/K34MMHKl06M/s400/Jesus_Pussy_Riot.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Read the full article <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/11/01/jesus-backs-pussy-riot-on-south-park/">here</a>.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-7802008901948225282012-09-29T16:54:00.000+04:002012-09-29T16:54:24.340+04:00Cultural Clash: To Compliment vs. To DesireIt was three years ago when I arrived to Moscow. It did not take long to realize that relationship between men and women were radically different here than back home. It took me a while to get used to the differences. But, I became so used to them that I forgot about where I had come from.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the US, there is a heightened sensitivity to a man's compliments of a woman. Compliments often are taken as coded desire signals. "You look beautiful today" can be construed as "I like you. Can we go to bed?" The same compliment in Russia is seen just as that: a nice statement intended to be appreciated by the recipient.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A few weeks ago I was in the US and meeting with a good friend. It has been a while, so there was much to catch up on. At one point, and apropos to the conversation, I remarked to my friend that she was "beautiful." She then asked: "Are you hitting on me?" I stated that I was not, and reiterated my negation for her reassurance. Then I realized that I was back in the US and had to remind myself of the gender relation rules.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Back in Moscow, I was having lunch with a male colleague. A female colleague walked up to us to discuss a business matter. Once the conversation was over, I looked over to my male colleague and indicated that I wanted to conduct an experiment. After that point, I turned to our female colleague and said: "You are a very nice, beautiful woman." She, flattered, said thank you and smiled. I then explained how the same interaction would be interpreted in the US.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
More recently, I was attending a multi-national wedding in Asia where I struck up a delightful conversation with an Israeli woman about various topics. When it came to say goodbye, I decided to test the can-be-interpreted-as-a-come-on-in-America statement to the lady. After saying goodbye, I told her that she as a "nice, beautiful woman." Flattered, the lady appreciated the comment and left the party.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There it is: There is just something strange about how men's compliments to women are interpreted in the US. There is a difference between complimenting and desiring, but that difference seems to be lost in the milieu of the American culture. This is somewhat sad.</div>
Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-89499775405368368502012-09-27T09:01:00.001+04:002012-09-27T09:01:38.551+04:00A Russian-American Reflects on Life in Moscow<a href="http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/107651/departing-russia-love#.UGPdjmCw0o4.blogger">What I Will (and Won't) Miss About Living In Moscow | The New Republic</a>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-2254874810025038482012-09-16T22:55:00.000+04:002012-09-25T12:10:46.630+04:00The NFL, and RussiaI like American football (NFL). It is a complex and rich sport. The 2012 season has barely started, this Sunday marking this second of seventeen weeks. Dynasties - team empires - are in the process of being made and dismantled every week of this football season.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w0GhxLQfTEI/UFYZN6st0tI/AAAAAAAAGaw/HR7nAuV17uM/s1600/Joe-Montana.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w0GhxLQfTEI/UFYZN6st0tI/AAAAAAAAGaw/HR7nAuV17uM/s320/Joe-Montana.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Joe Montana and the San Francisco Forty-Niners: An Empire Eventually Lost</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YoekMgHmKOQ/UFYZO6Qj8nI/AAAAAAAAGa4/IeRJ96jXGlY/s1600/rodgers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YoekMgHmKOQ/UFYZO6Qj8nI/AAAAAAAAGa4/IeRJ96jXGlY/s320/rodgers.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> Aaron Rogers and the Green Bay Packers: An Empire In the Making</b></div>
<br />
To the uninitiated, the American football game looks like bunch of big, fat, armored men colliding into each other at full speed while some egg-shaped object moves around the field in strange increments. In fact, it is a microcosm of a military battle being played on the field, where strength, agility, precision, strategy, and tactics come together time and again over a one hour (play time) period to determine a winner. Extrapolate this over a season, and the team coach is a general commanding an army to win most battles and, ultimately, the war in the Super Bowl. Luck plays a part, but luck favors the prepared: those who have the more potent combination of strength, agility, precision, strategy, and tactics. Over a multi-season timespan, how dynasties (winning football teams) maintain their edge or lose is akin to how empires are born and eventually dismantled. It many ways, football has analogs the arc of human history being played out in the sports arena.<br />
<br />
Like human history, football has its ugly underbelly: In pursuit of speed, mass, agility, and durability, players sacrifice themselves in search of glory. Week after week their bodies are pounded and abused. Some of those abuses come on the game day on the field; much of the affliction is inflected off the field through voracious diets and what is drug abuse: Asides from the constant medication needed to mask over injury symptoms, players rely on performance enhancement drugs to keep themselves worthy of a cut-throat league where only the best of the best play.<br />
<br />
The end result, according to a <a href="http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/29/Sports/A_huge_problem.shtmlcomm">1994 study of 7,000 former players</a>, is an average lifespan of 55 years while <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy">the average american male lives over 75 years</a>. In other words, the average NFL player lives one generation shorter than the average American. This is an American human tragedy: A few men, in search of glory, shorten their productive lives by a generation.<br />
<br />
This being said, my current surroundings - Russia - forces me to ask the following question: Why is a country, potentially as developed and advanced as the one that I am living in now, only affords a<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy"> 64-year lifespan to its men</a>? <br />
<br />
Could it be that half of the men in Russia are NFL players? Are there empires being won and lost? Or are there other significant life abuses that sap the productive life of the Russian man out of him, at least 10 years before his time?Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-53965809613787453542012-08-28T20:23:00.002+04:002012-08-28T20:23:46.070+04:00Taking a Seat on His Wide CushyThe decorator at this higher-end restaurant seems to have had a sense of humor - or poor judgment - when choosing seat cushions. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvA-o-VDx9U/UDzwDL5W9DI/AAAAAAAAGZU/GM8ubyP5Si4/s1600/Funky_Cushion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvA-o-VDx9U/UDzwDL5W9DI/AAAAAAAAGZU/GM8ubyP5Si4/s320/Funky_Cushion.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Sitting On My Wide Cushy</b></div>
Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-1590398327180402742012-08-18T04:58:00.000+04:002012-08-18T04:58:00.736+04:00Fresh, New PerspectiveI have visitors from Tehran, Iran here in Moscow. This trip to Moscow marks the first time that he has traveled internationally. <br />
<br />
He took a ride from one of Moscow's main airports (SVO) to downtown, where I live. Two hours into his stay, he asked if Russia was similar to Germany or the US. Puzzled, I asked him why he asked the question. He said: "The roads here are just like the ones in Tehran. I was wondering if the roads in other countries were like this*."<br />
<br />
Although I frequently complain about the roads here, I did not expect this observation from a "third-world" country citizen who is living with an economy crippled by severe international sanctions and decades of internal mismanagement. Basically, I thought that roads would be much were better here. Macroeconomic data indicate why:<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableLightGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 2.25pt; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Metric
(2011 estimate)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 2.25pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Russia<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 2.25pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Iran<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: silver; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">GDP
(purchasing power parity):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: silver; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
$2.414 trillion<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="background: silver; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
$1.003 trillion<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">GDP -
real growth rate:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
4.3% <o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
2% <o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: silver; border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">GDP -
per capita (PPP):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: silver; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
$17,000 <o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="background: silver; border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal">
$13,200 <o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Source: <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/">The World Fact Book</a><br />
<br />
A quick scan of photos on the web appears to prove my visitor correct. The roads are, indeed, very similar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_x3PzPhdz8/UCswv8atmBI/AAAAAAAAGXY/ZoTxOwHWkEM/s1600/tehran-to-yazd-096.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_x3PzPhdz8/UCswv8atmBI/AAAAAAAAGXY/ZoTxOwHWkEM/s320/tehran-to-yazd-096.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_b7uT5GQ3HI/UCswxMcmEkI/AAAAAAAAGXc/cadcajZ0ZYM/s1600/tehrantomove2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_b7uT5GQ3HI/UCswxMcmEkI/AAAAAAAAGXc/cadcajZ0ZYM/s320/tehrantomove2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpzdXT7dgcU/UCswx_FDy4I/AAAAAAAAGXk/APUZJaISP50/s1600/bageri_d20091112175805718.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpzdXT7dgcU/UCswx_FDy4I/AAAAAAAAGXk/APUZJaISP50/s1600/bageri_d20091112175805718.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KCDZHaz82go/UCuXCisJhjI/AAAAAAAAGYY/Y7NVhuzO0-4/s1600/huge-traffic-jam-moscow-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KCDZHaz82go/UCuXCisJhjI/AAAAAAAAGYY/Y7NVhuzO0-4/s1600/huge-traffic-jam-moscow-2.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Tehran or Moscow: Can You Tell The Difference?</b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/world-8217-s-worst-traffic-jam/9006/"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">According to Tom Vanderbilt, the author of </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, “Traffic behavior is more or less directly related to levels of government corruption.” Vanderbilt cites a clear correlation between traffic-fatality rates per miles driven and a country’s ranking on Transparency International’s corruption index. (In terms of road safety, the Scandinavian countries fare the best; Nigeria is near the bottom of the list.)</span></a></blockquote>
<a href="http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/">Per Transparency International</a>, Russia is as corrupt as Nigeria, ranking 2.4 on a scale of 10, where 10 is as honest as could be. Iran, by comparison, is a slightly less corrupt place, scoring a 2.7 on the index. Maybe Iran's less corrupt rating compensates for its worse economic picture when compared to Russia.<br />
<br />
---<br />
* The visitor does find Moscow to be a nicer city than Tehran. He finds it scenic, pedestrian friendly, and replete with fresh air.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-21520759782600580472012-08-14T10:26:00.000+04:002012-09-16T23:16:37.204+04:00Unfortunate, Unsightly ... Anywhere!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you look closely to what's hanging out of this unfortunate man's trouser cuff, you'll notice a urine-filled sack attached to a catheter. This man is obviously afflicted with a miserable condition - and this miserable condition is an awful sight anywhere, especially in an eating establishment.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zG9aP1PtD-I/UCjCP8tY6kI/AAAAAAAAGWs/dOtRPXFQvgQ/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zG9aP1PtD-I/UCjCP8tY6kI/AAAAAAAAGWs/dOtRPXFQvgQ/s400/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>At Least, He is Wearing Comfortable Shoes</b></div>
<br />Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-68917432113347544922012-08-13T12:54:00.000+04:002012-08-13T19:29:09.087+04:00Cyber SoapAs demonstrated here, this "ON LiNE Kitchen Soap" comes with a special cache that allows it to function in the physical world, without network connectivity. It also works well online, when you might have to wash out your textually active teenage kid's filthy thumbs. <strike>lmao</strike> lol.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-smGJqpYoMx0/UCi_99KRm4I/AAAAAAAAGWk/JT-DyLMVE_U/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-smGJqpYoMx0/UCi_99KRm4I/AAAAAAAAGWk/JT-DyLMVE_U/s640/photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-36797191785309911942012-07-18T01:06:00.000+04:002012-07-18T01:06:33.386+04:00Wasting Away Glamorously<a href="http://uilliams.ru/">Ulliam's</a> a relatively new but trendy restaurant near my apartment in downtown Moscow. The likes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marat_Safin">Marat Safin</a>, winner of US Open and Australia Open, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinara_Safina">Dinara Safina</a>, finalist and semifinalist in all four tennis grand slams, fashion models, actors and literature icons are frequently spotted there. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This place attracts quite a crowd. This crowd is mostly interesting. At times, it is annoying because the crowd is as it blocks my path on the sidewalk, forcing me to wade through bodies drenched with cigarette smoke. Often, however, there are a few unexpected clients: Anorexic women waiting for their chance to patronize the restaurant.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--pePm4RDxhE/UAXStFtuqzI/AAAAAAAAFAY/AqKKzcL9oCU/s1600/Slim-skinny-and-anorexic.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--pePm4RDxhE/UAXStFtuqzI/AAAAAAAAFAY/AqKKzcL9oCU/s400/Slim-skinny-and-anorexic.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Suitable for Ulliam's Glam Scene</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am and old fashion type. If I go to a restaurant, I expect to eat. So, the frequenting of the joint by the ultra-skinny anorexic types is a bit of a puzzle to me ... then again, food is probably secondary to the primary goal of rubbing shoulders with glamour.</div>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-25966395891102005792012-07-12T05:51:00.000+04:002012-07-12T05:51:07.519+04:00Moving Forward Towards the PastFrom New York Times: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/11/world/europe/wikipedia-shuts-site-to-protest-bill-for-firewall-in-russia.html?smid=pl-share">Bill to Restrict Web Content Is Assailed in Russia</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="columnGroup first" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 7px; text-align: left; width: auto !important;">
<h1 class="articleHeadline" itemprop="headline" style="color: black; font-size: 2.4em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.083em; margin: 0px 0px 8px;">
<nyt_headline type=" " version="1.0">Bill to Restrict Web Content Is Assailed in Russia</nyt_headline></h1>
<nyt_byline><h6 class="byline" style="color: grey; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 2px 0px;">
By <span itemid="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/david_m_herszenhorn/index.html" itemprop="creator" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/david_m_herszenhorn/index.html" itemprop="name" rel="author" style="color: #666699; text-decoration: none;" title="More Articles by DAVID M. HERSZENHORN">DAVID M. HERSZENHORN</a></span></h6>
</nyt_byline><h6 class="dateline" style="color: grey; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px;">
Published: July 10, 2012</h6>
<div class="articleBody" style="margin-bottom: 1.7em; margin-top: 1.5em;">
<div itemid="http://www.nytimes.com" itemprop="sourceOrganization" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Organization">
</div>
<nyt_text><nyt_correction_top></nyt_correction_top><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em;">
MOSCOW — Major Internet sites and human rights advocates sharply criticized a proposed law that would grant the Russian government broad new powers to restrict Web content, ostensibly to protect children from pornography and other harmful material. Critics said the law could quickly lead to repression of speech and a restrictive firewall like the one in China.</div>
</nyt_text></div>
<div class="articleBody" style="margin-bottom: 1.7em; margin-top: 1.5em;">
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/" style="color: #666699;" title="Wikipedia’s hompeage">Wikipedia</a>, the free online encyclopedia, shut its <a href="http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/" style="color: #666699;" title="Wikipedia’s Russia homepage">Russian Web site</a> on Tuesday to protest the proposed measure, and instead posted a large warning on its home page: “Imagine a world without free knowledge.” The notice said the proposed law “can lead to the creation of extrajudicial censorship of the Internet in <a class="meta-loc" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/russiaandtheformersovietunion/index.html?inline=nyt-geo" style="color: #666699;" title="More news and information about Russia and the Post-Soviet Nations.">Russia</a>, including the closure of access to Wikipedia.”</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The new measure is part of a wider effort by the Russian authorities to crack down on the opposition since <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/world/europe/vladimir-putin-returns-to-presidency-in-russia.html" style="color: #666699;" title="Times article">President Vladimir V. Putin’s inauguration</a> in May. They have adopted a law sharply increasing financial penalties on protesters who take part in unsanctioned rallies, begun criminal investigations into several political opposition leaders and considered a plan to require nongovernmental organizations receiving foreign aid to register as foreign agents and face additional auditing and reporting requirements.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
With television networks in Russia — and most newspapers and other media outlets — under tight government control, the Internet has emerged as the primary medium for political discourse. Citizens using cellphone cameras<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/world/europe/russian-parliamentary-elections-criticized-by-west.html" style="color: #666699;" title="Times article"> documented fraud</a> in last December’s parliamentary elections, then posted video to YouTube and other sites. Organizers of the<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/world/europe/jailing-opposition-leaders-russia-moves-to-quell-election-protests.html" style="color: #666699;" title="Times article">huge anti-government protests</a> that followed turned to Facebook and other social media to draw tens of thousands of demonstrators on to the streets of Moscow.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The bill has been moving quickly through the Duma, the lower house of Parliament. An initial version was approved last week and a second version, including some amendments, is scheduled for debate in the chamber on Wednesday.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
On Tuesday, Wikipedia was joined in opposing the legislation by <a class="meta-org" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/yandex-nv/index.html?inline=nyt-org" style="color: #666699;" title="More information about Yandex N.V">Yandex</a>, the Russian search engine, and Live Journal, the country’s most popular blog-hosting site, which provides a platform for a number of Russia’s most outspoken political commentators and opponents of Mr. Putin’s government.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site, stripped a message across the top of its home page saying, “the State Duma is considering a law to impose censorship on the Internet.” It directed visitors to Wikipedia’s Russian site, where the only information available on Tuesday was criticism of the legislation. While supporters of the law said it would create new protections for children against illicit content, critics said the Internet was so porous that such content could never be fully stopped while sites like Wikipedia, which has encyclopedia entries on all sorts of adult topics, would be vulnerable to government repression.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
“The legislation in its current form will be ineffective,” said Ochir Mandzhikov, a spokesman for Yandex. “At a minimum it is necessary to work further on a conceptual framework and clearly write out the procedures,” he added, “in order to preclude possible abuses.”</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Earlier this year, the English-language Wikipedia, American Web sites and technology companies participated in a similar protest effort against two bills in the United States Congress that were aimed at cracking down on piracy. The effort helped derail the legislation.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The proposed law in Russia would establish a registry or so-called “black list” of Internet content that is prohibited for publication, and it would create procedures for blocking Web hosting companies that do not block the banned material.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Law enforcement agents would be empowered to add sites to the registry of banned material, in some cases without obtaining a court order. The bill would allow sites to be blocked using domain names and IP addresses. It would effectively require access to banned material to be cut off within 72 hours, though some details of how the government would enforce the restrictions were not laid out in the bill.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Natalya Kaspersky, chief executive of InfoWatch, a software company that provides data protection services, said some new restrictions were needed in Russia to protect children and that the fears of government censorship seemed overblown.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
“We might argue if such ‘black list’ approach is efficient in the modern Internet assuming the sites might quickly move to another address,” Ms. Kaspersky wrote in an e-mail. “However, it is better than nothing.”</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
She added, “Right now we have a tremendous freedom of speech in mass media, with no prohibited topics at all.”</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The Presidential Council on Civil Society and Human Rights, an advisory body, issued a statement sharply criticizing the legislation, saying “the list of resources to be blocked is too broad.”</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The group said the law would allow “restricting access to information which is prohibited or undesirable for children, for all users of the Russian segment of the Internet, with no possible appeal procedures and re-examination.” The group added, “Many bona fide Internet resources with legal content may be affected by the mass block since the system would impose severe restrictions on the basis of subjective criteria and assessments.”</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
“The Internet is the only thing that stands between Russia and the Spiral of Silence,” said Ivan Zassoursky, the chairman of the New Media Department in the Faculty of Journalism at Moscow State University, referring to a theory put forward by the German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, in which people, feeling isolated, silence their own political views.</div>
<div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
“The Internet has been a very strong force to counter that,” Mr. Zassoursky said. “It has given life to political discourse in a very free and independent way.”</div>
<nyt_author_id><div class="authorIdentification" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em;">
<div style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.467em;">
Andrew Roth contributed reporting.</div>
</div>
</nyt_author_id><nyt_correction_bottom><div class="articleCorrection" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em;">
</div>
</nyt_correction_bottom><nyt_update_bottom></nyt_update_bottom></div>
</div>
<div class="columnGroup " style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 7px; text-align: left; width: auto !important;">
<div class="articleFooter" style="margin-bottom: 16px;">
<div class="articleMeta">
<div class="opposingFloatControl wrap">
<div class="element1" style="float: left;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-39569723093355012582012-07-03T02:50:00.001+04:002012-07-03T02:50:05.750+04:00Who Moved My Cheese?And why did he move it?<br />
<br />
I have come to conclude that there is a broader psychological experiment going on; moreover, I and any other person dealing with the Russian bureaucracy is a subject of that experiment. Someone in a white lab coat is watching us <b>rat</b>s grope and grovel our way through an endless maze with continuously changing conditions. Because there is no predictability, the objective of the experiment appears to be gauging reactions to situations that prevent conditioned learning. There can be no other <b>rat</b>ional explanation.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4dLjYQgpqjc/T-69-0rnvWI/AAAAAAAAE-w/nchYIkJekIg/s1600/Rat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4dLjYQgpqjc/T-69-0rnvWI/AAAAAAAAE-w/nchYIkJekIg/s320/Rat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Humbly Yours, Serving the Russian Bureaucracy</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The <a href="http://usa-moscow.blogspot.com/2012/06/keynesian-economics.html">agonizing saga of reimporting my car back into Russia</a> continues. Twice, I have been rejected by the Transportation Authority. The second excuse for not processing my paperwork was a masterstroke. <br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The pencil pusher with seemingly magical powers to either grant me some piece of paper or continue to give me the runaround did the latter: He rejected my application on the grounds that my Russian automobile insurance had my name in Latin letters and, because he was unable to read Latin letters, he could not be sure that the insurance was in fact in my name. The argument that my passport number on the insurance form matched the number in my passport and the Latin letters in both documents also matched did have any sway. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASEJVmAvSmo/T_CSo-8_ujI/AAAAAAAAE_U/2uRJesH-WQ8/s1600/Cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASEJVmAvSmo/T_CSo-8_ujI/AAAAAAAAE_U/2uRJesH-WQ8/s320/Cheese.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>My Cheese: A Stamped Document from a Bureauc</b>rat</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Instead of yielding to common sense, the bureauc<b>rat </b>instructed me to go to a specific insurance kiosk and buy a new policy that inscribed my name in Cyrillic letters. Once I went there, I suspected that the insurance agent and the Transportation Authority bureauc<b>rat</b> had a kickback agreement - where the agent would reward the bureauc<b>rat</b> for new business. Disgusted, I refused to go along, went to my original agent to request the change, and wasted another day on this dreadfully inefficient and inane process.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ygT6Nljd2Ts/T_CSskjBTII/AAAAAAAAE_w/o7oPgHpn1wY/s1600/white_rat_rattus_norvegicus_in_a_maze_bh1293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ygT6Nljd2Ts/T_CSskjBTII/AAAAAAAAE_w/o7oPgHpn1wY/s320/white_rat_rattus_norvegicus_in_a_maze_bh1293.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Who Moved My Cheese?</b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
Here is the rub: Last year, the same guy with the same paperwork did not have any problem giving me the paperwork needed to keep my car in Russia for another year without paying a $15,000 "import" tax. This year, the game was completely different. A seemingly random barrier was erected to prevent the job from getting done. Someone moved my cheese!<br />
<br />
Ultimately, the question is why the rules are different this time around? Is it because bureauc<b>rats</b> are trying to do as little as possible while making a coin on the side? Or is that explanation way too blatant to be true and, in fact, something grander and sinister is going on? Could it be that someone is doing a vast experiment, with the subjects being subjects of the Russian bureaucracy, and the premise of the experiment being just how far the subjects could be pushed until the break, play dead, or rebel? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xbjOl9n1Lo/T_CSqvzWd7I/AAAAAAAAE_k/iZSO2fwx1JU/s1600/Rat_in_Maze_Destruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xbjOl9n1Lo/T_CSqvzWd7I/AAAAAAAAE_k/iZSO2fwx1JU/s320/Rat_in_Maze_Destruction.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
</div>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-63177661747458494632012-06-24T10:10:00.000+04:002012-06-24T11:46:58.606+04:00Life is a Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nTX8qw1wok/T-at3132tqI/AAAAAAAAE-E/PFVGLj4E8Z4/s1600/Begging_Dog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nTX8qw1wok/T-at3132tqI/AAAAAAAAE-E/PFVGLj4E8Z4/s320/Begging_Dog.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-toJ8e8UNUi4/T-at5D2uFnI/AAAAAAAAE-M/FyCUVNLHsU8/s1600/Wellfare_Dog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-toJ8e8UNUi4/T-at5D2uFnI/AAAAAAAAE-M/FyCUVNLHsU8/s320/Wellfare_Dog.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
I found this trained begging dog on the grounds of Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy (ВДНХ) in Moscow. The irony, of course, is a beggar dog on the grounds of "Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy."<br />
<br />
The youngster was very well-behaved and cute. I take it that the irony of the situation was part of the art portrayed by the dog - whose job can be defined as a street performer, social commentator, or political activist under better interpretations.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-84890604703844876422012-06-23T13:53:00.001+04:002012-06-23T13:53:10.422+04:00Something To CelebrateHere is a bit of self-organization to perform something fun and amazing. With this spirit - if sustained - Russians could take their country far into the future.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KgoapkOo4vg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-39718732729918917412012-06-03T19:48:00.000+04:002012-06-04T12:05:39.463+04:00Keynesian EconomicsKeynesian economics, among other things, posits that an active participation by the public sector (government) is needed in certain points of the economics cycle to eliminate uncertainty, stabilize the system, and incite national growth. In particular, the government may be called upon to create jobs, no matter how inefficiently, to put money in consumers' pockets and stoke spending.<br />
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lm2d4ic-Ux4/T8xsL92PrmI/AAAAAAAAE8U/VTArEPebI2g/s1600/san-francisco-golden-gate-bridge-c-1937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lm2d4ic-Ux4/T8xsL92PrmI/AAAAAAAAE8U/VTArEPebI2g/s400/san-francisco-golden-gate-bridge-c-1937.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
The construction of the fabled <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge">Golden Gate Bridge</a> has aspects of Keynesian economics: Assembled in San Francisco, the bridge's parts were constructed on the US East Coast and transported via railroad across the country to spur economic on a wide geographical basis on the tails of the 1929 market crash and ensuing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_depression">Great Depression</a>.<br />
<br />
I am sort of witnessing my own version of Keynesian economics here in Russia, except the Russian version appears to be a public-private partnership: You see, several jobs are protected to secure a simple outcome, no matter how inefficiently.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NJV_AcqZ3XU/T8uFXphr5xI/AAAAAAAAE74/q6m2ZiJwG7Q/s1600/john-maynard-keynes-1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NJV_AcqZ3XU/T8uFXphr5xI/AAAAAAAAE74/q6m2ZiJwG7Q/s1600/john-maynard-keynes-1-2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>John Maynard Keynes: A Giant Among Men</b></div>
<br />
As a foreign worker in Russia, I have the privilege of bringing a personal car with me to Russia without paying import duties. That privilege has to be renewed annually by, effectively, reimporting the car. This means that I have to drive my Toyota minivan across international borders and drive back into Russia. The closest border to Moscow is Belarus, but Russia and Belarus have a common customs regime, making that border impractical. The next closest border is Ukraine, but I have been advised that border officials (on both sides) behave more professionally at the Finnish border, some 600 miles (1,000 km) away and back.<br />
<br />
To drive the car to the border, I have to reclaim my California license plate (I used to have two plates, but someone stole one of them) from the Transportation Authorities. As in almost every case when on deals with Russian government authorities, one has to show legal residence (this applies to Russian citizens as well). In foreigner's case, legal residence is established through a registration process, and that process needs to be kicked off upon every entrance into the country. Because of my job, I travel abroad frequently, so I have to register frequently.<br />
<br />
Except, that I did not register last time I entered Russia. Realizing this, the good folks around me urged me to quickly register before the end of the day. I kid you not, but the process was like this:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>A helpful and knowledgeable HR professional took on the responsibility to register me.</li>
<li>The registration requires the CEO's signature. The CEO was out of the office, so we had to get a courier to take the forms to him. The courier was not reachable, so we used a driver to do the same thing.</li>
<li>Once the forms were signed, they were to be taken to the right authorities for finalization; except that drivers only drive. Because the courier was unavailable and because time was running out, the HR professional, her director, and I had a firefighting meeting to discuss what to do.</li>
<li>We called my wife and asked her if one of her employees would be able to intercept the forms from the driver and deliver them to the authorities before 5:00 pm. </li>
<li>She reached out to two people, and got one of them to sign on.</li>
<li>He sprinted from my wife's office to the authorities (about a 2 km run) and got into the door at 4:57 pm.</li>
<li>Once the forms were signed, the brave runner handed back the forms to my wife, who handed them back to me so that I can hand them back to the helpful HR professional.</li>
</ol>
<div>
It took seven people, several calls, a couple of meetings, and a mad dash to get me registered (hats off to Keynesian job creation). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The next day, I accompanied my driver to the Transportation Authorities to exchange my Russian plates for my California one (singular). My driver had already scouted the Transportation Authorities to ensure that we understood the process there. Luckily, things went smoothly:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>We showed up at one window to make a petition;</li>
<li>We then drove to a nearby inspection site to ensure that all was OK with the automobile;</li>
<li>We then went back to the same window to await to be called with the final forms;</li>
<li>With the final forms, we went to another department to get the California plate and answer questions of why we only had one.</li>
</ol>
<div>
This phase took six people.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now comes the drive to Finland. <a href="http://usa-moscow.blogspot.com/2010/01/perils-of-passage-part-i.html">I have developed a phobia of sorts here: I limit my driving whenever I can</a> (hence my driver and the extra cost that goes with it). To take the car across the border, I will ride a couple of trains to a border town, pick up the car from my driver, exit Russia after completing some customs forms (it will take two customs officials per my experience last year), drive to Finland and get through their customs (it involved three Finns last year), and then drive back to Russia and engage another two Russian customs officials over an hour or so. This leg takes nine people.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BqNGgH7vqCM/T8xrrN4P2vI/AAAAAAAAE8M/B2VEHSiFqfY/s1600/Lange-MigrantMother02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BqNGgH7vqCM/T8xrrN4P2vI/AAAAAAAAE8M/B2VEHSiFqfY/s320/Lange-MigrantMother02.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Dorothea Lange's <i>Migrant Mother:</i> I wish I were living in Russia!</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Eliminating duplicate heads, the entire operation involves some 19 people. That is a lot of time, people, and expenses for something rather simple: Allowing me to keep my personal car without a $15,000 import duty for my family's private use. Apparently, comparing personal effects import and export manifests when a foreign worker moves into and out of Russia, and collecting taxes at that juncture if needed, is too efficient and does not create or protect enough jobs. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
John Maynard Keynes is rolling his his grave now.</div>
</div>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-11713427947912250642012-06-03T00:29:00.001+04:002012-06-03T00:29:05.809+04:00You Can Take a Boy Out of Russia ...But you cannot take Russia out of the boy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kjwy7C08W70?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Here are some street performers playing in Salzburg, Austria, Mozart's hometown, on 1 June 2012.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-81629173091082226602012-05-29T12:05:00.003+04:002012-05-29T12:05:52.299+04:00From Safety to Comfort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1CI99UhR5U/T8SDOuLSPOI/AAAAAAAAE7g/lLC5wX81u5I/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1CI99UhR5U/T8SDOuLSPOI/AAAAAAAAE7g/lLC5wX81u5I/s320/photo.JPG" width="297" /></a></div>
They use to put airbags inside the steering wheel; now they are stuffing them with pillows.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-61728262757929421432012-05-28T10:56:00.001+04:002012-05-28T10:56:41.785+04:00Dancing Girls with Big Jugs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qAk8KbS7rWA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The girls' jugs were on their heads, and each dancer only had one; nonetheless, it was a good show.</div>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-63896923092448856392012-05-15T13:51:00.001+04:002012-05-15T13:51:20.958+04:00My Bank Thinks “I” Means Idiot, not Interest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
They also think that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>red</b></span> is a good color in finance.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alfa Bank (<span lang="RU" style="mso-ansi-language: RU;">Альфа
Банк) </span>is my bank in Russia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
case you are wondering, I have not misspelled “alpha.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My bank choice is as unfortunate as the
idiotic and intentional English misspelling of the bank’s name.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S5xBQefmPlw/T7IhfjYrGdI/AAAAAAAAE0U/zu2EorAnbHc/s1600/Alfa_Bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S5xBQefmPlw/T7IhfjYrGdI/AAAAAAAAE0U/zu2EorAnbHc/s320/Alfa_Bank.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My bank account hit by what appears to have been a
systematic fraud operation in Russia:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Somehow, my debit card information and PIN number were compromised and
the result was a multi-thousand dollar theft loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same appears to have been true for many
other people, including a few acquaintances, at various banks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> To be fair</span>, this
could happen anywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alfa Bank was good enough to detect fraud after the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seventh thousand dollar</i> left my account
but, per a branch manager, the bank could not guarantee the safety of my funds
in the bank at any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words,
the bank manager admitted that Alfa Bank is of the same safety grade as any
random hole in the ground, except that because the word “bank” is in Alfa
Bank’s name, it is a bigger target. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is not OK and should not happen anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s award “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>1</sup></b>” to
the bank manager for the insanely idiotic nature of her statement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>2</sup></b> is
awarded to the same bank manager idiot for instructing me to file a police
repot for a breach in a bank that she manages, so that the police can
investigate the crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then said to
wait for 9 months to get the results back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am starting to wonder whether I should report her to the police for
criminal negligence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fxba56Toc7M/T7IiJ0vpv9I/AAAAAAAAE0c/wLR49ytymXw/s1600/Hot_Girl_VIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fxba56Toc7M/T7IiJ0vpv9I/AAAAAAAAE0c/wLR49ytymXw/s1600/Hot_Girl_VIP.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Welcome to the Alfa VIP Lounge</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>3</sup></b> is
awarded to whichever idiot that designated me as a “VIP Client.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unsatisfied with the idiot in charge who got
the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>1</sup></b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>2</sup></b> awards, I went to a
separate branch to push my case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
bank staff, having identified me as a VIP Client, put me in a private office
and asked a pretty 19-year-old girl to tend to my needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told the girl that she was very nice, but I
needed someone competent and asked her to send the branch manager in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5KWGkEAbaOg/T7IidsxiqVI/AAAAAAAAE0k/rFE7t7uGRGA/s1600/bozo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5KWGkEAbaOg/T7IidsxiqVI/AAAAAAAAE0k/rFE7t7uGRGA/s320/bozo.gif" width="245" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>At Alfa Bank, We Select Our Managers Carefully</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Out walked the girl and in walked in a clown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He deserves <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>4</sup></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>5</sup></b>,
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>6</sup></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>4</sup></b> is
for his shirt:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This pudgy self-designated
Romeo was wearing a very tight, multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo over his
budging belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I say multicolored,
I mean that each sleeve had a different primary color, as did his collar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for some weird reason, his shirt was
stitched together in the middle with yet fabric of different color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like watching a TV color test
screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Befittingly, he disseminated
just as much useful content.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcnAVMog3iQ/T7IioVNrPqI/AAAAAAAAE0s/XbvntEMRCRg/s1600/TV_Test_Screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IcnAVMog3iQ/T7IioVNrPqI/AAAAAAAAE0s/XbvntEMRCRg/s1600/TV_Test_Screen.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>My Fashion, My Brain</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>5</sup></b> is
for the clown’s necktie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As if his shirt
was not offensive enough, dumbbell the banker also sported a weirdly knotted
tie that was just long enough to fit only an 11-year-old choirboy properly,
with the tip just hovering above his protruding tummy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as difficult as it seems, none of the
colors of his tacky tie matched any of the gazillion colors of his stupid
shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The clown noticed that I was agitated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard my story and tried to console
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This effort gets him an<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> I<sup>6</sup></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without reviewing any documentation, he said
to come back after 70 days to know where the bank investigation has led.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bank investigation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I thought I had to file a police so that they could analyze the bank’s
failings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the bank have any
sort of process, or train any of its managers on process?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is a tidbit for others who find themselves in a
similar situation as me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Russian law,
a bank is obliged to answer to a consumer demand similar in nature to mine within
10 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the bank refuses to
compensate the consumer for fraudulent losses, the consumer has the option of
suing the bank in a Russian court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
most cases, the court sides with the consumer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How did I learn this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span> former Alfa
Bank operations manager, who left the company for greener pastures, confirmed this information
nugget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, existing Alfa Bank
managers seem to be oblivious to this.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe the first bank manager was right, and my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I<sup>1</sup></b> award was
undeserved:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alfa Bank is about as good
as a hole in the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any case,
the bank deserves a new, more descriptive logo (luckily, it still preserves
their red color scheme).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1B7Ub0e-law/T7IjaNpIHOI/AAAAAAAAE08/GISVJXu3p2c/s1600/idiot-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1B7Ub0e-law/T7IjaNpIHOI/AAAAAAAAE08/GISVJXu3p2c/s320/idiot-26.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Alfa Bank:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Operational Excellence</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alfa Bank, just FYI:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/RED">Red in financial parlance means “loss.”</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At least, your color is accurately descriptive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-51054917449668978992012-05-07T23:41:00.000+04:002012-05-07T23:43:00.389+04:00Made in China, Almost Mexican<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TrOGyxNjtdI/T6gk6fQbTHI/AAAAAAAAEvU/kspK5dEoqc0/s1600/tacos_steamroller.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TrOGyxNjtdI/T6gk6fQbTHI/AAAAAAAAEvU/kspK5dEoqc0/s400/tacos_steamroller.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Here comes the TACOS steamroller. Sorry, my error. It is the TC4OS kind.Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611793248153472571.post-66574336438032461692012-05-07T15:17:00.000+04:002012-05-07T15:17:29.516+04:00Thievery, Mastery, and Artistry<b>Approximately one year ago</b>, I was walking in downtown Moscow, less than half a mile away from the Kremlin. Three men, without any apparent connection, were walking towards me almost in a single file. The first dropped something as he passed me. The second picked up the dropped package, appearing to be a stack of $100 bills, and asked me, with an innocent smile and a bushy tail, whether this were my money. As I was explaining that he package probably belonged to the first man, the third man approached the second man and me, showed a police badge, and started to interrogate me. The expectation was that I pay a "bribe" to the police, bogus or real, to get out of the sticky trap. I just walked away. The thievery attempt was clumsy by common street crooks and cons trying to make a quick coin.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Category: Thievery</b></li>
<li>Expected Loss: Multiples of tens of dollars</li>
<li>Actual Loss: $0</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Approximately a month ago</b>, I returned to Russia from abroad with two new, unopened iPads in my luggage. The Russian customs at Domodedovo, a flagship airport in Russia, asked me to place my suitcase in the X-ray machine. I complied. A customs official ordered me to open my luggage and took intense interest in a single, white tube sock. Puzzled, I asked why thy liked my sock so much. The focused changed immediately to a handful of vitamin pills I had in the luggage. Puzzled again, I explained that those were vitamins. The customs official was then satisfied, quickly zipped up my bag, and allowed me to enter Russia. I arrived home, opened my luggage, and found that the two iPads were missing. The focus on the tube sock and vitamins, however brief, was a diversion. This is more than common thievery by street hoodlums; this is mastery by government law-enforcment officials. Hats off to Russian Customs.</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Category: Mastery</b></li>
<li>Expected Loss: $0</li>
<li>Actual Loss: Multiples of hundreds of dollars</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Exactly yesterday</b>, I received a call from my Russian bank asking if I had made multiple, large ATM withdraws in quick succession. I answered "no" and asked for my account to be blocked. As it turns out, someone had replicated both my ATM card and matched it to my PIN code, thereby getting unfettered access to my account. The probable methods of getting both pieced of information are: (1) someone in the bank leaked the information; (2) someone hacked the bank's security and stole this information pair; or (3) someone hacked an ATM to get the card data as well as using surveillance of some sort to get my PIN code, and then went to town with it. If (1) is true, then this is a case of bank fraud. If (2) is true, then we have a case of negligence by my bank. If (3) is true, and because I only use large, well-known bank's ATMs, there is a fundamental problem with the integrity the banking system here. There is no good possibility. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I presented the case to a bank manager yesterday shortly after the event. Her response was: "Sorry, the bank cannot guarantee the safety of your funds." Her statement was tantamount to "one cannot reasonably expect that his money will be in his account tomorrow or the next day. Caveat emptor, and good luck." </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This situation is so mind boggling and unsettling that it can only be explained as artistry. This artistic presentation makes a clear impression that nothing can be taken for granted.</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Category: Artistry</b></li>
<li>Expected Loss: Negative dollars; in actuality, one should earn interest.</li>
<li>Actual Loss: Multiples of thousands of dollars</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Summary: </b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: bold;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px;" valign="middle"><b>Category</b></td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><b>Expected Loss</b></td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><b>Actual Loss</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px;" valign="middle"><b>Thievery</b></td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Multiples of tens of dollars</span></td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">$0</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px;" valign="middle">Mastery</td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">$0</span></td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Multiples of hundreds of dollars</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-color: #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb #cbcbcb; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px;" valign="middle">Artistry</td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">None; actually a gain is expected</span></td>
<td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;" valign="middle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Multiples of thousands of dollars</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />What's the next growth echelon after artistry? Whatever it is, I do not like where this is going.<b> </b></div>
<div>
</div>Amir Sharifhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13797129323386861182noreply@blogger.com1