It will be interesting to see if the US give Gullen up to Turkey. As they are both in NATO then an attack on one party is deemed an attack on all - even if only by lip service.
OH -- I'D just like to say that i couldn't follow with everyone here -- wimbledon!!
though of course just tv news -- and am SO happy MY DEAR GIRL SERENA GOT HER 22 !!!! YAY -- now she matched MY previous dear girl STEFFI!! AND now serena can go for 23 and 24 and 25!!! yay!!!
and SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy also for ANDY MURRAY for his second WIMBLEDON
too bad for GREAT GREAT NOVAK as he was on his way to a grand slam too -- but that's OK -- NOLE -- you'll get MORE!!!
HEHE.
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just followed it in sports news in RUSSIA TV - because i was in ST PETERSBURG RUSSIA for a couple of weeks.
hehe.
and i just have to say -- RUSSIANS ARE NOT -- - i repeat -- NOT what the USA and BBC AND western media PROPAGANDIZE AND LIE about.
GRANDEUR AND BEAUTY is what describes ST petersburg.
MAGNIFICENT gigantic buildings everywhere so beautiful and artistic..and monumental churches everywhere...
and museums, museums museums -- that russians visit all the time -- they are a TRULY cultured people who teach their children -- to appreciate culture...posters everywhere about artistic and education programs for children -- they seem to be SO devoted to their children and very family oriented..i saw it daily right there from my hotel window or outside the hotel just watching them walk by ...
and OFTEN i saw TEENAGE BOYS holding their mothers' hands very protectively- the fathers holding the girls' hands...completely without any sign of ''embarrassment" from the teen boys like is the case elsewhere...
THEY ARE -- just to highlight:
WONDERFUL, wonderful, very HELPFUL people -- not a single day i was there did russians on the street or place FAIL to offer help to a stranger..even walking with me blocks to make sure i found my destinations...every single day, whether they spoke english or not! young or old person did that...
My first bus ride -- not knowing how to count their money and coins in my hands --
when i was waving my map so the bus driver could see me -- by the time he stopped the bus -- the door was already opening quickly and he was already smiling -- like amused...
and pointed to back where an older matronly woman with a belt purse came rushing to me - likely they all saw me already as a stranger -- and excitedly talking in russian -- ''da, da' '' yes yes" -
and proceeded to ''instruct' me in russian how to count money - one two, 3, four..rubles.etc..
with the little ticket she gave..and gesturing 3 streets more and go left - to my destination ..and gestured to sit next to her -- and HELD MY HANDS! with everyone else just nodding and smiling at me...
5 days later -- same bus -- same matron -- and she recognized me -- and gave me a HUG!~ telling others about probably the previous time1
That's just one of MANY such experiences...
they -- i observed closely -- are VERY EFFICIENT workers - who move like lightning - and then they relax -- but whatever work they did -- they always got right down to it - QUICKLY and efficiently -- in restaurants, laborers on the street, store keepers, bus drivers...offices, stores...ferry boat workers fixing their boats or ropes or helping tourists or passengers...
st petersburg is ULTRA clean - not a single time did i ever see a russian just throw cigarettes or pieces of paper on the street but always walked to the many small garbage cans in front of every establishment ...
they have weddings, weddings, weddings, every where -- they are making BABIES, in other words...they have a habit of holding hands a LOT, hugging a LOT..friends, groups, couples, children, families...
FOOD IS INCREDIBLE -- so good and sooooooooooooo cheap...all stores are PACKED with food -- food food - so delicious and NO GMO's allowed!!
college students EVERYWHERE - studying agriculture, technology, science, economics, philology is very popular it seems, and so is art and history...
russians WILL stop on the street to help a person ..i actually fell on the street once hurrying to an address with my face on the map and hit my head right smack on the pavement -- and in an instant a russian young woman and two men were on me picking me up - gathering my stuff -- before making sure i was OK -- AND I WAS insisting i was inspite of my scratch...
bought from a pharmacy that is always easy to find with its 'light green cross" - four bandages for 9 Rubles (which is like 5 cents in dollar terms.) ..
They are AFRAID of WAR -- because they have a deep memory of what hitler did in invading them....but they are NOT afraid of NATO if nato tries something funny...
in fact they are a bit AMUSED at the constant painting of them as ''aggressive" --
they are -= everywhere you look -- EXTREMELY HEALTHY AND VERY, VERY ATHLETIC -- it was SO shocking to see it...
EVERYTHING THE USA AND BBC say about russians is a LIE.
i say that from my PERSONAL experience.