General Talk!!

[Daniil]

@ katana
Thank you for back compliment, girl. Really nice and interesting to talk with you.

If speak about corruption - it just causes hate and annoys. Sometimes I think that it'll be better if government's services becomes payware, in that case we can just have a fixed table of bribes, for the end...

If about historical places - whole Piter is one big historical place. Anywhere in center of the city you can make 100 steps and found a next famous place. Black and red stone, well-known light yellow "classical" buildings, and gold of Imperial churchs and Soviet emblems everywhere. And any place can tell a story - about Emperor family, about crazy Lenin, about Great War or about poets and artists of city.

Very nice and interesting to talk with a girl about computers. And what config (hardware) of your PC?

@ humbert
Crossing the Volga couldn't cut Russia in halves, it could cut an oil transportation from Caucasus, and Kaspian sea shore. And not Zhukov beat Friedrich Paulus army, but Vasilevsky. Zhukov in fact was only a field commander, who only could roar loudly and "throw yet another thousand into battle", but knew very little in science of strategy and tactics.

If about heat and ocean - pool is good, but ocean smells great. 
And I, just at Tuesday, found a way to reduce heat here in room without a conditioner. Blinds made from metallized cloth! Take a two large piece of cloth, take a metalized duct tape, and ducttaping the cloth!   It reflects most of sun rays, and in a room temperature is at 5 - 8 degrees less than without them. In +30C here, in my workroom, was 23C.

[Daniil]

@ humbert
And some more, before I forget.

I can name you a country without corruption. North Korea! No corruption, no crime, no drugs and prostitution... Food is also not. 

And, humbert, where you work, i mean, what is your profession?

[humbert]

Daniil - according to the Corruption Perceptions Index of 2011, North Korea is the 2nd most corrupt country on Earth - only Somalia is worse! It's clear that the fact that the conditions in North Korea are deplorable is no deterrent to corruption, if fact it just makes it worse.

As for me, I worked for many years at a company that sold refrigeration and A/C parts and equipment. In 2006 I came down with cancer, but managed to escape after some very rough chemotherapy and radiation. When I returned to my job, I found that I had been essentially replaced and there was nothing more to do. They retired me and I'm now living on a government pension, plus a part of what my mother collected from selling her share of the company.

As for the war, the historical inaccuracies are incredible. I never heard of Vasilevsky despite the fact that he was the true hero of Stalingrad. Was Zhukov Stalin's kissass or what? I imagine he must have been, he (and Vasilevsky) both managed to survive Stalin's bloody purges. Also, by "cut Russia in two" I meant exactly what you said, i.e., create a situation where the north and south would be essentially separated at Stalingrad.

I'm curious as to how you got your little A/C to work. Certainly the shade blocks the heat from the sun, but if your room is already hot it won't cool it down. Let me ask you - what are the typical nighttime temperatures in St Petersburg - or at least where you live? Also, how often does the temp reach 30°C or higher?

Very interesting everything else you posted about St Petersburg. Let me ask you - when did it become Russia's capital? I know the Bolsheviks moved the capital back to Moscow in 1917, and I also know Napoleon went after Moscow precisely because it was the capital - so obviously at one time someone must have changed the capital from Moscow to St Pete.

[Daniil]

Daniil - according to the Corruption Perceptions Index of 2011, North Korea is the 2nd most corrupt country on Earth - only Somalia is worse! It's clear that the fact that the conditions in North Korea are deplorable is no deterrent to corruption, if fact it just makes it worse.

Oh!.. Well, actually, it was expected. Socialism cannot exist without corruption, in USSR there was the same...

As for me, I worked for many years at a company that sold refrigeration and A/C parts and equipment. In 2006 I came down with cancer, but managed to escape after some very rough chemotherapy and radiation. When I returned to my job, I found that I had been essentially replaced and there was nothing more to do. They retired me and I'm now living on a government pension, plus a part of what my mother collected from selling her share of the company.

Sympathy to you, buddy.

As for the war, the historical inaccuracies are incredible. I never heard of Vasilevsky despite the fact that he was the true hero of Stalingrad. Was Zhukov Stalin's kissass or what? I imagine he must have been, he (and Vasilevsky) both managed to survive Stalin's bloody purges. Also, by "cut Russia in two" I meant exactly what you said, i.e., create a situation where the north and south would be essentially separated at Stalingrad.

Well, actually Stalin used them two like a parts of one mechanism. Vasilevsky was a "brain" of the company, he was a strategical genius and served as Chief of Staff. Also, as can be expected in USSR, he was a classified person, and most of peoples never even heared about him.  Zhukov was a Stalin's "scarecrow for naughty children", like a very big comissar. If somewhere begun another great massacre, Stalin was needs someone for terrorizing officers, to maintain the rate of advance. And Zhukov was a best person for that - violent, aggressive, angry, and ready to shot anyone who dare to contradict.
So, Vasilevsky invents the plans, and Zhukov had provide them to life.

I'm curious as to how you got your little A/C to work. Certainly the shade blocks the heat from the sun, but if your room is already hot it won't cool it down. Let me ask you - what are the typical nighttime temperatures in St Petersburg - or at least where you live? Also, how often does the temp reach 30°C or higher?

The idea of "reflecting blinds" is to reflect sun rays and heat. Well, sun here in St.Petersburg is lower to horizon than somewhere at the south, and it rays flow into a room under angle. They heats floor very fast. If we set up a standart, "cloth only" blinds, they blocks direct light, but they'll be heated and will transfer heat into a room. But if we set up my blinds with metallic foil cover, they blocks the direct light, and also they reflects sunrays and not be heated. And they don't transfer heat into a room. One detail - we must raise foil blinds early in morning, before sun turns to windows.
In summer here typical night temperatures is about +18 - +20 C. At day temp rises to +25 ... +27, rare more than +30.

Very interesting everything else you posted about St Petersburg. Let me ask you - when did it become Russia's capital? I know the Bolsheviks moved the capital back to Moscow in 1917, and I also know Napoleon went after Moscow precisely because it was the capital - so obviously at one time someone must have changed the capital from Moscow to St Pete.

St.Pete becomes a capital in 1703.

[humbert]

Oh!.. Well, actually, it was expected. Socialism cannot exist without corruption, in USSR there was the same...

True, but keep in mind that corruption is everywhere. Even the cleanest country according to this report (New Zealand) isn't 100% free of it.

Sympathy to you, buddy.

Thank you. Fortunately, I'm OK. My health is fine, the cancer never returned and, while I am not rich, I do eat every day. 

Well, actually Stalin used them two like a parts of one mechanism. Vasilevsky was a "brain" of the company, he was a strategical genius and served as Chief of Staff. Also, as can be expected in USSR, he was a classified person, and most of peoples never even heared about him.  Zhukov was a Stalin's "scarecrow for naughty children", like a very big comissar. If somewhere begun another great massacre, Stalin was needs someone for terrorizing officers, to maintain the rate of advance. And Zhukov was a best person for that - violent, aggressive, angry, and ready to shot anyone who dare to contradict.
So, Vasilevsky invents the plans, and Zhukov had provide them to life.

That's interesting. Stalin did a very good job of hiding Vasilevsky. I never even heard that name except from you. By comparizon, Zhukov is on every show about the war. I even remember watching a victory celebration is Moscow - Zhukov was riding a beautiful white horse. It was explained that Stalin was afraid of falling off the horse if he had ridden it.

The idea of "reflecting blinds" is to reflect sun rays and heat. Well, sun here in St.Petersburg is lower to horizon than somewhere at the south, and it rays flow into a room under angle. They heats floor very fast. If we set up a standart, "cloth only" blinds, they blocks direct light, but they'll be heated and will transfer heat into a room. But if we set up my blinds with metallic foil cover, they blocks the direct light, and also they reflects sunrays and not be heated. And they don't transfer heat into a room. One detail - we must raise foil blinds early in morning, before sun turns to windows.
In summer here typical night temperatures is about +18 - +20 C. At day temp rises to +25 ... +27, rare more than +30.

Preventing the sun's heat from getting in is certainly very important to keep your room from getting hot. In your case, given the fact that it's not too hot, the room cools off at night pretty fast, and especially if the sky is clear. I envy your summertime night temps - here summertime night temps are 26° to 28° - day is 38° to 40°. Without the A/C you're dead, especially since houses here don't have a tropical construction.

St.Pete becomes a capital in 1703.

Why did Napolean go after Moscow in the early 1800's if St Pete was the capital? In those days invading armies almost always went after the capital first since doing so would effectively knock out the enemy's government and put his resistance in disarray.

[katana]

Katana: If you think corruption is bad in the Phillipines, you haven't been to Colombia. Over there corruption is the only thing that works and doing things legally is next to impossible. In Miami where I used to live, it's out of control.

Yeah, it's bad here. I have seen people here who practice it while justifying their actions without compunction. Some acquaintances, even friends, do it like it's normal. Somehow I believe that corruption is as rampant in Colombia as it is in my country. I have seen & read it in the news, though I know that there are always other sides of the stories that reach the outsiders.

lol We both sound really jaded, no?

As for me, I worked for many years at a company that sold refrigeration and A/C parts and equipment. In 2006 I came down with cancer, but managed to escape after some very rough chemotherapy and radiation. When I returned to my job, I found that I had been essentially replaced and there was nothing more to do. They retired me and I'm now living on a government pension, plus a part of what my mother collected from selling her share of the company.

You have my sympathies. I lost relatives & close friends from cancer. I cannot even begin to imagine what you went through.  But I hope all's well with you now.

@katana
Thank you for back compliment, girl. Really nice and interesting to talk with you.

If speak about corruption - it just causes hate and annoys. Sometimes I think that it'll be better if government's services becomes payware, in that case we can just have a fixed table of bribes, for the end...

If about historical places - whole Piter is one big historical place. Anywhere in center of the city you can make 100 steps and found a next famous place. Black and red stone, well-known light yellow "classical" buildings, and gold of Imperial churchs and Soviet emblems everywhere. And any place can tell a story - about Emperor family, about crazy Lenin, about Great War or about poets and artists of city.

Very nice and interesting to talk with a girl about computers. And what config (hardware) of your PC?

Hi there, Daniil! Pardon me if sometimes I become absorbed with my opinions.

History is an inspiring subject. With it, we learn so many things from our past but it branches out to so many occurrences & events that it sometimes become daunting. I wish I have my bro's penchant for history, he can talk anything about your history. One day... I may visit Russia. One day...

I will agree with you on that one if I come across another girl who will talk about computers & other things related to it all day just like some of my boy friends...

Oh. The one I'm using right now is a really old model, I think it's even extinct! Built by Samsung, one of their DeskTop System models. It runs on Chief Maher's XP with Pentium 4 3GHz, 1 Gb RAM, only 80Gb HDD. Kinda hate it... 

[humbert]

Yeah, it's bad here. I have seen people here who practice it while justifying their actions without compunction. Some acquaintances, even friends, do it like it's normal. Somehow I believe that corruption is as rampant in Colombia as it is in my country. I have seen & read it in the news, though I know that there are always other sides of the stories that reach the outsiders.

In Colombia [for example], the authorities do nothing more than create problems and threaten you with getting into trouble. That is, of course, until you take the guy to a corner and grease the wheel. From the very start they're looking for a bribe. One thing that causes this is the low pay and horrible conditions under which these guys work. If they don't solicit bribes, simply putting food on the table becomes difficult.

lol We both sound really jaded, no?

Naaah... I enjoy all this. Helps to vent frustration .

You have my sympathies. I lost relatives & close friends from cancer. I cannot even begin to imagine what you went through.  But I hope all's well with you now.

I too lost my father to pancreatic cancer some 12 years ago. Sitting there and helplessly watching him die was no fun. Fortunately, I was luckier - the treatment was rough, but it worked and eliminated the cancer entirely. Doctors say that if by now - 6 years later - the cancer hasn't come back, it probably won't.

If speak about corruption - it just causes hate and annoys. Sometimes I think that it'll be better if government's services becomes payware, in that case we can just have a fixed table of bribes, for the end...

This would probably do it, but only it would create a situation where those who receive the bribes get a decent salary and better working conditions. Even so, you'll never get rid of people who are just plain dishonest.

If about historical places - whole Piter is one big historical place. Anywhere in center of the city you can make 100 steps and found a next famous place. Black and red stone, well-known light yellow "classical" buildings, and gold of Imperial churchs and Soviet emblems everywhere. And any place can tell a story - about Emperor family, about crazy Lenin, about Great War or about poets and artists of city.

20 years later the hammer-and-sickly hasn't been replaced by the double-headed eagle?? What are they waiting for?

History is an inspiring subject. With it, we learn so many things from our past but it branches out to so many occurrences & events that it sometimes become daunting. I wish I have my bro's penchant for history, he can talk anything about your history. One day... I may visit Russia. One day...

I totally agree. It's almost impossible to understand how people are today unless you know where they've been. And of course the lessons to be learned from history are incredible. I wish I could visit Russia, especially in the winter. I haven't seen snow in 12 years. 

[Daniil]

@ humbert
As for replacing Soviet symbols to modern russian ones - it's not so easy. First, there is enormous count of that symbols. In districts, built at 1940-1960, stars, hammers, Stalin portraits and granite banners like "Слава XVIXLVID съезду КПСС!!!" ("Glory to can't-understand-what-number meeting of Communist Party!") is almost on every big building. All that stuff built with crude stone, and built very well. And sometimes it's just economically uneffective to destroy something like this.

As for your question about Zhukov and Stalin - no, that rumors about Stalin was afraid to fall off the horse is just rumors. He never liked horses, and he probably could met the troops on the Red Square on some monster like IS-2.

But it looks like that Stalin just didn't want to go to peoples at victory celebration, because he understand that massive defeats in 1941 was his fault. As you may know, soviet propaganda before the war promised that the war will flow only on enemy territory (Looks like that soviet leaders themselves wanted to begin the war, to bring the Red Revolution far to Europe and America. But nazis attacked before commies could started the war, and all Stalin's preparing falls to hell, with millions of russian soldiers).
And Stalin sent Zhukov, beacuse Zhukov was an "expendable material" after the war.
And, if to talk about Vasilevskiy - a lot of famous russian commanders known bad not only at Western countries, but even here in Russia. This is because of Zhukov actions after Stalin death. Zhukov had understand, that in eyes of Stalin and many other communist leaders he is a criminal (and he really was, because millions of casualities in his military operations is his crime). When party leaders "helped" Stalin to become dead, "gang" of Zhukov and Khruschev started to fight with other "gang" leaded by Beria. And Khruschev asked Zhukov, who had power in army, to help him to get on the top of power, in exchange to cover Zhukov's crimes. And since that time Zhukov was "become" a "Victory Marshal". He always tried to refined his image in books, firstly because he covered his crimes under unreal heroism, and, secondly, because his sore ego. At the end of Soviet Period there where so many literature about Zhukov's victory, that the other, really good commanders was known only for the historical scientists.

As for Napoleon - he wanted to attack Moscow because at that time it was an economic center of Russian Empire. And he could not attack St.Petersburg, because of climate and topography of the city. There is woods and swamps for hundreds of kilometers around here, and at the begin of XIX c. here was almost no roads, and very cold northern winter without any covers, in swamps and under the meters of snow.

And a new question. You mean a "tropical construction" of the houses. What that means?
And one more. In theme about forum bots you mentioned "drink" of alcohol. I heard about them, but don't know what it is. Is it a volume measure, or what?

[Daniil]

@ katana
I understand, there is sometimes is boring to read that "Stalin, Zhukov, nazi, Smolensk, T-34, KGB, vodka, war, war, war", and other my talks with humbert. 
I agree with you, history is very interesting thing, but, as you implying, there is a lot of other interesting things.  As for me, there is always interesting to know, how people lives in other countries. You say that you lives in Phillipines. And, as i know now, there is a lot of bad official guys, which wants to get a bribe even when they asleep.
Tell us more about your city, about your territory, what it is, is there a warm sea and how far it is from your home, is there a rainy season (I heared that they are present in tropical countries). In news I heared that here is flooding on Phillipines now, and somewhere all power and electricity is shut down and some of cities is up to meter water on the streets. Is that right? Tell us about sky of your beautifull country, it's always interesting, sky is an "mirror of nature". Tell us about religion of your country, I remember that you mentioned russian "Ortodox religion", what you mean? Tell us about anything you want. 

Your notebook isn't so old. Well, objectively it's old, but I often meet PCs with configs like this among my customers PCs. Just at 7 of August I repaired PC like this, it had a trouble with Windows (a teenager wanted to install XP by himself, so I got a HDD with 3 partitions and with a copy of Windows distribution folder on each.)
My PC is like your, an old and big steam loco too. It's a dual Intel Xeon 3GHz with two videocards and bunch of turbine-sounded fans. Scream like hell, but it's good in winter. Came to room from a frost, starts it, play about a hour in UT2k4 or something like this, and - that's it, i can take off shirt! 

[humbert]

@ humbert
As for replacing Soviet symbols to modern russian ones - it's not so easy. First, there is enormous count of that symbols. In districts, built at 1940-1960, stars, hammers, Stalin portraits and granite banners like "Слава XVIXLVID съезду КПСС!!!" ("Glory to can't-understand-what-number meeting of Communist Party!") is almost on every big building. All that stuff built with crude stone, and built very well. And sometimes it's just economically uneffective to destroy something like this.

Makes sense. What I'm wondering about is that number they put. Clearly it's a Roman numeral. I'm familiar with them but this one I just don't understand. I wonder why people continue to use them at all.

As for Stalin, we all know that he was a madman with horrendously errant policies. How many people starved under the massive famines his policies create - especially this business of collectivization? We all know he knew the exact date and time of the German invasion but pretended the whole thing simply didn't exist. I even heard he order the death of some spies who told him about this. It's also well known that it the Soviet Union, Lenin's desire to spread Communism to the whole world was central - I think it was finally under Gorbachev that this sort of thing came to an end. Tell me more about Zhukov's crimes - you said he did a few bad things but didn't go into specifics.

As for Napoleon - he wanted to attack Moscow because at that time it was an economic center of Russian Empire. And he could not attack St.Petersburg, because of climate and topography of the city. There is woods and swamps for hundreds of kilometers around here, and at the begin of XIX c. here was almost no roads, and very cold northern winter without any covers, in swamps and under the meters of snow.

Makes perfect sense. What good was having a Russian government in St Petersburg when it was in a situation where leadership was impossible? Also, even if Napoleon had gone after St Pete, the scorched earth policy used by the Russian military would have decimated his army in the depths of winter.

And a new question. You mean a "tropical construction" of the houses. What that means?

If you've traveled to a place sufficiently close to the Ecuator where the sun's rays are more direct, you'd notice that the sidewalk and street hold the sun's heat whereas the grass (or trees) don't. In a tropical construction the houses are made with materials that don't hold heat and allow breezes to flow freely inside the house. I've been to quite a few of them and I've noticed that despite the fact that the temp is easily 32° or higher, you are comfortable and not suffering from the heat despite the fact that there is no A/C. The big problem with this is that if the temp drops to as little as 18°, you're in trouble - heating this type of housing is next to impossible. This is why here in San Antonio air conditioning is almost mandatory -- due to the fact that winter temps here go well below 18°, structures with tropical construction are impossible.