Бухло / Bukhlo. Sampling the Best of Russian Beverages

Befitting a beverage named after one of nature’s best killing machines, ‘White Bear’ beer weighs in at an impressive 7.1% by volume, but is slightly more easy going on the wallet, costing 75rr (about 1.55GBP) for 1.5 litres of the stuff.

The 7.1.% leaves a fairly bitter taste in the mouth for the first glass, which is soon forgotten in as a warm fuzzy feeling takes hold. More detailed tasting notes have been forgotten.

After effects are not too bad (assuming you made it home safe and sound), avoiding the head-wreckingly-bad hangovers that normally accompany anything that comes in a minimum size of 1.5 litres with the word 'Strong' printed on it.

 

'Kruzhka' ratings out of 5

Irkutsk Fires cont...

Following the fire which destroyed the Shanghai market, several smaller fires have broken out over the last few days.

The fires appear to have occured near or in sheds where Chinese traders stored their goods. Yesterday morning Chinese traders were moving large amounts of goods out of storage areas, as fire crews continued to douse flames.

In the evening, several fire damaged containers could be seen from the road, and a large area of the pavement was covered in caps, as a result of the water pumped into the storage areas.

The site of the Shanghai market has already been completely cleared, leaving a large space for development. According to reports on babr.ru, the city mayor has announced a multi-storey car park for the site.

In conversation with a local shop assistant, little sympathy was shown for the traders' plights. 'They will get a new place or go back to China. Who knows who starts the fires? Less talk, longer live'.

Microsoft Reacts to Criticism over Baikal Wave computers

This article from the NY Times is worth a read. In January, officials from either the anti-extremist or anti-corruption (differs depending on who tells the story) branches of Russian law enforcement raided the offices of environmental pressure group 'Baikal Environmental Wave' and confiscated their computers.

Baikal Wave sent copies of their reciepts and certificates to Microsoft as proof that the software was legitimate, in the hope that the company would at least confirm the software was not pirated. However, Microsoft have declined to take a firm stand on this particular case, argueing it is a matter for the Russian court.

Microsoft responded via a lengthy post on the Microsoft Blog. Oddly no references to the story appear anywhere in the press releases or legal news on the main site. Key points are:

'Our first step is clear-cut.  We must accept responsibility and assume accountability for our anti-piracy work, including the good and the bad',

'To prevent non-government organizations from falling victim to nefarious actions taken in the guise of anti-piracy enforcement, Microsoft will create a new unilateral software license for NGOs that will ensure they have free, legal copies of our products',

'For this reason, we’re creating in Russia a new NGO Legal Assistance Program focused specifically on helping NGOs document to the authorities that this new software license proves that they have legal software.'

all of which are to be welcomed.

While Microsoft may change its approach to the problems of NGOs, there is no denying it is a difficult area. Intellectal property rights, copying, pirating, etc. are rife in Russia, and in many places enforcement is almost non-existent.

Several years ago in Moscow it was possible to buy pirate copies of Windows, Excel, and other expensive programs for a few quid a stone's throw from the Kremlin. Policemen could be seen rubbing shoulders with citizens whilst buying pirate DVDs and MP3s in one of the many sprawling markets stuffed with pirate software and music. A quick examination of the cases for entire backcatalogues would reveal a legally registered company producing the disks.

There is no doubt that illegal software use is rife here. If the state and enforcement agencies were to somehow get a hold on it, the rewards for Microsoft would be vast. Until then,  it is a shame that those that go out of their way to do everything right by Microsoft are not supported.

'Shanghai' Market Burns Down

Fairly major event in central Irkutsk last night - one of the markets in the centre of the city burnt down.

The centre of Irkutsk has several blocks of markets, with most traders appearing to be either Chinese or from Former Soviet Republics. The burnt section is called Shanghai, and houses mostly clothes shops run by Chinese traders.

According to local news site Babr.ru, the rumours about the causes of the fire are based around criminal gangs, control of the market and the desire to move Chinese traders out of the centre of the city. Apparently security may have been distracted by fake fights staged nearby.

The article references the semi-legal status of many of the shops, traders and suppliers that work from the market, the stories of criminal gangs controlling the land and the market, and also the city administration's frustration with getting traders to move out. When wandered up to see what was going on, a bulldozer was leveling the place. I am unsure whether a thorough investigation of the cause of the fire had been carried out

I can't say whether any of the allegations are true (although everyone I meet has the same opinion).

What I can vouch for is the reference to 'young men of strong physique blocking reporters, photographers and television crews'. I managed 3 happy snaps before a group of men told me to 'go away' in no uncertain terms.