Meanwhile .. in Red Square

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Play nice everyone.

And don't dabble too far into politics. We have let this thread go, but that can change.

 

[The Basket]

Propoganda is that Citroën make wonderful cars.
My opinion is that they don't. My facts are that they don't. I have proof.

However I go to Citroën website and its all happy shiny people doing stuff. Not once does it mention unreliable junk anywhere not one. It's like someone has been paid to deliberately lie! To deceive! To fool you.

So when people say Citroën are good cars, I have to say in my opinion they ain't. so they don't make mistake I did. More of a public service really.

But some people believe the propoganda! They say Citroën are great and look at the big smiles. But I have to shake my head in sadness. They will have to learn the hard way.

 

[GrauGeist]

Hi GrauGeist,

Yes I know about Vesti.

They (Vesti) are probably as bad as the BBC .....and others that you could make a long list of, no doubt.

It was the results from the EU websites that would be considered more informative.

наздраве

By the way, I should have also added that I was quite the center of attention, as Americans are not as common in Bulgaria as other nationals, especially a Californian.

So as you might imagine, I ended up in a great many conversations (fueled by Zagorka and rakia) and got some very in-depth insight into their thoughts and concerns.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

By the way, I should have also added that I was quite the center of attention, as Americans are not as common in Bulgaria as other nationals, especially a Californian.

So as you might imagine, I ended up in a great many conversations (fueled by Zagorka and rakia) and got some very in-depth insight into their thoughts and concerns.

I loved my time in Bulgaria. Great food, and the people were very friendly.

 

[GrauGeist]

I loved my time in Bulgaria. Great food, and the people were very friendly.

Loved the people and the countryside is identical to central California, especially in the region around Plovdiv.
Their beer is kickass, too...Zagorka and Kamonitza are based on Czech recipes from the 1800's.

And Rozi's dad (Mr. Stankov) makes his own Rakia!

 

[soulezoo]

I flew in and out of Sofia a couple of times in the mid 2000's. I didn't get to spend much time or get to wander around but I had a favorable impression.

 

[Dimlee]

It just show's how much people differ with their interpretation of written word.
In post #221 I thought I had explained it sufficiently


Different people just see what they want or expect to see.
I don't take sides. This whole thread started with knocking the Russians. They are fellow human beings just like everybody else, with feelings just like everybody else, yet myself and a few others were not ''Western'' biased, but had more moderate views .....and that is an obvious sin, is it?

Interesting... I am Russian and I don't see any "knocking" here. Am I too thick skinned ?

Some useful information. No politics.

The term "Russian" can be misleading in certain context. This Wiki article can help but it just scratches the surface.
Russian - Wikipedia
There are two nouns russkiy and rossiyanin in modern Russian language. The former can be translated as "ethnic Russian", the latter is the citizen of modern Russian state. Obviously, not all russkiys are rossiyanins and vice versa.
As for adjectives, there are russkiy and rossiyskiy. As one can guess, the former relates to anything ethnic (culture, language, etc.) while the latter relates to the country/state. Still, even in Russian language both terms overlap and being confused quite often. Not surprisingly those nuances are harder to recognise in foreign languages.
There are about 110 mln of ethnic Russians (russkiye) in Russian Federation and probably not less 40 mln in other countries.

To make it even more interesting...
Since XVIII century and until early XX century there was popular word velikoross which was equivalent of modern russkiy (applied to a person). And word russkiy was commonly used to identify anything related to the Russian state (Russian Empire at that period), same as rossiyskiy today.

And certainly russkiy should not be used as equivalent of everything sovetskiy (Soviet). Which happens to often even in the best historical researches. By the way, in WWII context it can be misleading, since ethnic Russians - russkiye were on both sides of the front lines.

 

[Sid327]

Okay,

I'll admit it. I'm biased......relatively speaking.

 

[GrauGeist]

And certainly russkiy should not be used as equivalent of everything sovetskiy (Soviet). Which happens to often even in the best historical researches.

I'm guilty of doing that on occasion, using "Russian" as a catch-all instead of using "Soviet".

 

[mikemike]

Wikipedia:
According to the most prominent theory, the name Rus', like the Finnish name for Sweden (Ruotsi), is derived from an Old Norse term for "the men who row" (rods-) as rowing was the main method of navigating the rivers of Eastern Europe.

One of the earliest written sources mentioning the people called Rus' (as Rhos) dates to 839 in the Annales Bertiniani. This chronicle identifies them as a Germanic tribe called the Swedes. According to the Kievan Rus' Primary Chronicle, compiled in about 1113, the Rus' were a group of Varangians, Norsemen who had relocated somewhere from the Baltic region (literally "from beyond the sea"), first to Northeastern Europe, then to the south where they created the medieval Kievan state.

So - apparently the real Russians are Swedes.

 

[GrauGeist]

I flew in and out of Sofia a couple of times in the mid 2000's. I didn't get to spend much time or get to wander around but I had a favorable impression.

If you ever get a chance, the Burgas airport (just south of town, on the road to Nessebar) has a great collection of Soviet aircraft from Bulgaria's cold-war years.

 

[Dimlee]

I'm guilty of doing that on occasion, using "Russian" as a catch-all instead of using "Soviet".

Yes, it happens. No problem when it's just a slip of the tongue. Also many historical materials used "russian" so it might be difficult to see the difference.

 

[Dimlee]

Wikipedia:
According to the most prominent theory, the name Rus', like the Finnish name for Sweden (Ruotsi), is derived from an Old Norse term for "the men who row" (rods-) as rowing was the main method of navigating the rivers of Eastern Europe.

One of the earliest written sources mentioning the people called Rus' (as Rhos) dates to 839 in the Annales Bertiniani. This chronicle identifies them as a Germanic tribe called the Swedes. According to the Kievan Rus' Primary Chronicle, compiled in about 1113, the Rus' were a group of Varangians, Norsemen who had relocated somewhere from the Baltic region (literally "from beyond the sea"), first to Northeastern Europe, then to the south where they created the medieval Kievan state.

So - apparently the real Russians are Swedes.

Just wait for Danes or others to step in.
I always enjoyed friendly discussions among my colleagues about who was "more viking". My knowledge of Norse history grew with each pint of beer consumed.

 

[The Basket]

England was Viking. Plenty Viking.
Just a Viking as the Vikings.

 

[michaelmaltby]

".. Just a Viking as the Vikings."
At first, ....

 

[swampyankee]

England was Viking. Plenty Viking.
Just a Viking as the Vikings.

The Danelaw?

The Vikings were everywhere in Europe, as raiders, conquerors, or mercenaries, and some of the last overthrew their erstwhile employers.

 

[The Basket]

England had Viking Kings. So don't get more Viking than having a Viking king.

 

[michaelmaltby]

[deleted]

 

[swampyankee]

Yes, it happens. No problem when it's just a slip of the tongue. Also many historical materials used "russian" so it might be difficult to see the difference.

I think another reason may be that the Soviet Union and Russian Empire were approximately the same territories ruled in approximately the same manner.

 

[michaelmaltby]

Opinion | Putin the Immortal

... the immortal autocrat