The State of Affairs in Russia

[Sheilbh]

Russia's got a solid point here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/winter-olympics/10632071/What-about-Britains-gingers-Russia-attacks-Channel-4-over-gay-rights-film.html

[Malthus]

Russia's got a solid point here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/winter-olympics/10632071/What-about-Britains-gingers-Russia-attacks-Channel-4-over-gay-rights-film.html

How's that anti-ginger-minger-propaganda law comming in the UK? 

[garbon]

I'll willingly adopt a British ginger.

[Syt]

From the Russian news agency:

GENEVA, March 03. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia calls for strengthening and developing the legal base in the field of human rights, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the 25th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Russia intends to submit a draft resolution "Judicial System Integrity" to the Council's session and hopes that the document will be supported, Lavrov said.

"We call for taking into account cultural and historic particularities of different people and note the importance of the UNHRC resolution saying deeper understanding and respect of traditional values will help encourage and protect human rights and freedoms," the Russian minister said.

"We hope that the UNHRC will pay attention to all categories of human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural," he said.

"Lately supporters of ultra-liberal approaches have stepped up activities. They propagate policy of all-permissiveness and hedonism, saying moral values, which are common for all religions, should be revised. Such actions are destructive for the society and for the generations. Children should be shielded from information that harms their psychology and humiliates dignity," Lavrov said.

"I would like to say the provisions of the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights envision legislative instruments to restrict the rights and freedoms in favor of the population, public security, law and order," the Russian minister added.

I'm sure some 3rd World Hell Holes will support this.

[viper37]

I'll willingly adopt a British ginger.

?
weird.

[garbon]

I'll willingly adopt a British ginger.

?
weird.

No pretty sure it'd make more sense if she adopted me.

[viper37]

I'll willingly adopt a British ginger.

?
weird.

No pretty sure it'd make more sense if she adopted me.

[Syt]

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/arts_n_ideas/article/culture-ministry-affirms-russia-is-not-europe/497658.html

Culture Ministry Affirms 'Russia is not Europe'

A state commission working on a much-discussed report titled "Foundations of State Cultural Politics" will release their findings in two weeks, presidential advisor Vladimir Tolstoi announced last week, adding that the basic formula of the report could be summarized as "Russia is not Europe."

"Russia should be examined as a unique and distinctive civilization, belonging neither to the 'West' nor the 'East,' Tolstoi said, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported.

The formulation of the document was announced earlier by President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on March 25 at a ceremony presenting prizes for young cultural figures. "In Russian society, it is necessary to form the kind of culture and values which could buttress our history and traditions, unite times and generations and allow for the consolidation of the nation," Putin said.

While the Culture Ministry has released few details about the reasons for the formulation of the report, the excerpts revealed thus far seem to suggest that the report calls for the protection of "traditional Russian values."

"It appears necessary to include in the draft document a thesis on the rejection of the principles of multiculturalism and tolerance," says an excerpt released by Nezavisimaya Gazeta. "The preservation of a single cultural code requires the rejection of state support for cultural projects imposing alien values upon society."

"The document under discussion is a serious project," said Mikhail Shvydko, presidential adviser for cultural cooperation, remarking on the importance of culture in education and the need to preserve Russian language as "not only a language of inter-regional communication, but as the foundation of a general multiethnic state."

While Putin's government has traditionally supported the development of diverse ethnic cultures on the territory of the Russian Federation, the report may represent a concession to the increasingly powerful Russian nationalist movement.

The report also comes as Putin has expressed irredentist sentiments regarding populations of Russian speakers abroad, like those in Crimea, where Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine after a referendum held by the local government found residents in favor of joining Russia.

[Admiral Yi]

If the shit goes down, do you get called up Syt?

[Syt]

First of all I doubt it'll come to that.

Even so: unlikely. When I was discharged in '96, I was still recovering from my broken knee cap, so my degree of fitness was rated "4", meaning I'd need medical re-evaluation before commencing duty.

Similarly, I was never called up for a reservists' field maneuver (first of all, the regiment I served in no longer exists - possibly not even the brigade; and secondly I think after the end of the cold war the regular reservist action was phased out).

[Syt]

They'd also have to train me on the new weapons. While I served using a 30 year old G3 and a 40 year old MG-42 MG-3, the rifle at least has since been replaced. (I think the MG-3 is still in use).

EDIT: Seems the MG-3 is supposed to be replaced by the HK121:



That looks rather more complicated than this old beauty (WW2 aficionados will admire the classic design):

[Iormlund]

Jesus, that's an awfully ugly MG.

The H&K one, obviously, not the MG3.

[Razgovory]

First of all I doubt it'll come to that.

Even so: unlikely. When I was discharged in '96, I was still recovering from my broken knee cap, so my degree of fitness was rated "4", meaning I'd need medical re-evaluation before commencing duty.

Similarly, I was never called up for a reservists' field maneuver (first of all, the regiment I served in no longer exists - possibly not even the brigade; and secondly I think after the end of the cold war the regular reservist action was phased out).

What regiment did you serve in?

[Syt]

Artillery Regiment 6, attached to the 6th Division.

Battalion 61 was missile artillery.
Battalion 62 (my unit) was recon - 1st battery was staff & logistics, 2nd battery (my unit) was the recon part, 3rd and 4th battery were 155mm field howitzers.

Our job was to recon enemy artillery, using sight and sound. For the sound bit you would place a string of listening posts who would signal when they hear enemy artillery. Using weather data from our weather balloon team you could then guesstimate where the enemy arty is at. A few recon cars would operate far forward, possibly behind enemy lines, to get visual (muzzle flashes). I was a surveyor, meaning I would measure out the coordinates of our microphone positions.

When I served in the unit the army started to introduce a new recon vehicle, operated by 4 or 5 men, that could do alone the job of our battery.

[Tonitrus]

Sheesh, by the time you guys figured out where the Soviet arty was at, they'd probably be knocking on the French border.