Mike on February 13th, 2010

I just ran across this on the internet. It’s pretty amazing and gives a look into a part of the Soviet/Stalinist way of thinking: massive projects that capture the imagination.
In 1940s and 1950s, right after the World War 2, Russia had to recover from the consequences of the Nazi invasion. Much had to be done, [...]

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Mike on February 9th, 2010

Wait for it . . . .

Ice fishing!

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Mike on February 4th, 2010

Another note from Stoneworks missionary Liz Hulley –
This week, Russia celebrates 20 years of….McDonald’s!
I would like to leave the fast-food (health) debate for the moment and comment on the culture implications. This kind of anniversary is interesting when looked at in the light of what was going on the world at [...]

Continue reading about Another kind of anniversary

Mike on January 26th, 2010

Our friend John Bull, missionary here in St. Pete, posted this –
When I was in the 6th grade I received 8 spankings (maximum allowed by the state of Arkansas) at school for selling fireworks at school.
This year, Melissa’s second grade teacher gave the kids a gift for the Christmas holidays.
It was . . [...]

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Mike on January 20th, 2010

Not much more to say –

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Mike on January 6th, 2010

From Dima and Vova –

Op-pah!

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Mike on December 27th, 2009

Here’s an interesting post from Liz Hulley –
I figure a trip to the library is a success if at least one book (out of 5-6) is a good read. This time I enjoyed “Inside Russian Medicine: An American Doctor’s First-Hand Report,” by William A. Knaus, M.D. (New York: Everest House, 1981)
The book is an autobiographical [...]

Continue reading about A Look Back at Soviet Medicine

Mike on December 19th, 2009

I recently told some Russian friends about something I did before I moved to Russia, and they asked if I’d post it on the web:
Years ago, when I was an old bachelor, I had the idea that it would be funny to have a different family each Christmas on my Christmas card.  One year at [...]

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Mike on December 17th, 2009

OK.  This is very fun.  The ‘wrong ball’ play:

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Mike on December 16th, 2009

Over 100 years ago,  Burton Holmes (1870-1958) traveled to Russia.  Holmes was an American traveler, photographer and filmmaker, who coined the term “travelogue”.  Travel stories, slide shows and motion pictures were all in existence before Holmes began making his travel films, but he was the first person to put these elements together into documentary travel [...]

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