August15, 2012

It has been 15 days since I have made a contribution to the blogosphere.  I had considered retiring entirely, but the chorus demanding a new contribution has been overwhelming, therefore, for the good of humankind I yield to the entreaties of the masses--President O'bama.

Oops, I let my objectivity get away from me.

Having seen the some of the effects of the vestiges of Communism a bit up close lately I have lost my patience with the folks who want the government to do more and more for the helpless citizenry.

Here is a thought-experiment for any statists who might read this post:

• When someone proposes that "the government" will do something (anything) for the citizens--who do you think they talking about?
• Aren't they talking about some average Joe, just like you and me, making decisions for the rest of us?
• Do you want me making decisions for you?
• I doubt it.
• I certainly don't want you making decisions for me (except for Becky), but she is an exception.

Why would any sane and sentient person want to give over to 'the government' the option to tell you how much water to put in your toilet, or which doctor you should see, or how much money you can make?

You should be here, if you think giving the government more authority, is a good idea.  There is a reduction of creativity, ambition, personal responsibility, and liveliness in these good people--a function of 'the government' controlling a vast portion of their lives.  I don't want any part of any plan to give the government more power over me ... or you.

Well, that was fun.

Here are some pictures.

Marlene is with the Naegle's in a very interesting road-crossing bridge.  We are on our way to ride the boat on the Moscow River at the Kievskaya Metro stop.

More bridge.  Striking.

The babe on the boat, scarf matching the furniture.

In case the Naegle's children ever see the blog.  They live in St. George and work in the CES effort in the Area.  Good folks.

The one Metro stop that hovers over the water.  Sparrow Hill, where we saw all the motorcycles in the spring and where Napoleon overlooked Moscow in 1812 is to the right of the boat.

I missed an earlier beach scene with a bunch of guys (some old) in Speedo's.  Diane, sorry I missed that shot for you.

Peter the Great's statue sits right in the river.  He is supposed to have been a navigator, a man after my own heart.

Christ the Savior church, a Moscow icon.  Stalin has it torn down when he came to power and made a swimming pool on the site.   After the Commies gave up the ghost the Orthodox Church was able to rebuild it--bless their souls.

The SW corner of the Kremlin wall.  Inside the Kremlin are a series of administration buildings and churches.

One of the churches inside the Kremlin.  You will see if from the inside shortly.

An interesting building.

I have seen this church from afar, and thought the blue domes were interesting.  It was nice to see up close.

I got an infection in my eye so went to see an ophthalmologist at the European Medical Clinic.  It is very nice by Moscow standards.

This is the ortho department's wall of athletes.  That's Andrey Kerilinko in the middle of the picture.

I got one of the nice receptionists to tell me which sub-specialties they had in the department.

The babe cleaning out Ikea.

The front door of the clinic.

A Mercedes just outside of Papa John's.  Pretty striking.  I think this is the car that Nathanael has always wanted.

Nothing but fun in the office.  I think this is leading up to another party.

A garage near our building.  Fine structures everywhere.

This is how the ladies greet me every morning.  They are happy to do it.

I am surprised there are any chickens left in Russia, what with the number we consume in the office.  This is the party to which I referred earlier.

We are loosing three friends at this party.  This is Sharon and Harvey Hatch.  He is the Area doctor and she has done marvelous things with the patriarchal blessing given in the Area.  They leave for Cedar City on Friday, after about 20 months in Moscow.

This was Olga's last day, there in the middle.

Olga, Sister J., and Oksana, Olga's replacement.  Oksana served her mission on Temple Square.  Arlen Crouch, who lives in the ward was one of her two mission presidents.
(Emily, when you see Brother Crouch you might mention this picture to him.)

Eat more Chickin'.  Ben's dream job.

My friend Ken Sasine came with his wife and daughter to visit us for a couple of days.

The obligatory hand-over-head picture with some of the good partisans in the background.

On our way to the Old Moscow Circus.

We were looking for anyplace to eat and decided to try this bar.  Actually, we did not know it was a bar, but being the rubes from America we are, they found something to feed us.

Would you think this was the name of a bar?  Of course not.

Fun at the circus.  I think Sasine is watching a babe on the trapeze, but it could be the flying pig.

Two old guys on the Moscow Metro.

We are at Izmaylava looking for trinkets, and shelter from the rain.  There were several brides looking for cover also.

A carved bear on a roof with some kind of appendage.

The Old (Moscow) West.  Dead cows, or faux dead cows.

St. Basil's was the one thing the Sasine's had on their list of 'must-see's."  We took care of them.

Red Square McDonald's.  Marlene had to beat up a young couple to save this table for us, and she was up to the job.

Several roses.

A endoscopy procedure.

Just at the moment the guards get ready to change positions they cock their heads at a funny angle and make eye contact.  It's strikingly funny.

One would think the Ruskie's saw enough goose-stepping when Germans were in town, but I guess not.

Goom (gym pa Ruskie.)  Fancy schmansy.

For Rachael.

Everyone's best buddy.

Lubyanka prison.  This is were the KGB, it's successors and predecessors, learned their trade.  It sits three or four blocks from Red Square.  The guidebook says the Commie's killed hundreds of thousands of people in the basement of this building.

Starbucks, across the street from Lubyanka.

On the way to church.

This is where the ward meets.  The Tsar's wooden palace.

Some unusual roses.

Roses and ground cover.

We are now in the Victory Park museum.  This is mother Russian mourning her dead defenders.

I've mentioned before that 26 million Russian's died in The Great Patriotic War.
There are 2.6 million pendants hanging from the ceiling of part of the building.

The symbol of the "Hero of the Soviet Union" the highest medal that one can earn.  There are the names of about 12,000 recipients carved into the wall around this statue.

I believe this is the medal, up close.

Three buddies, at Yalta I think.

We are waiting to buy tickets to get into the Kremlin.  We thought of asking Sister Johnson to hold a cup with some pencils for sale -- to make up for the money the children are not sending us.

About to enter the heart of darkness.

One of the many church tops inside the Kremlin (which means, fortress.)

The Tsar's over-sized cannon.  It would take Ben to lift those 'bullets' into the barrel.  Never fired.  

Another church.  There were five or six inside the walls.

I don't know how this got in the mix.  Rachael's front door.

The Tsar's bell.  It weighs 200 tons.  The piece that Marlene knocked off, by itself, weighs 11 tons.

Four weary tourists.

We are headed toward St. Basil's for a close up.  We passed these horses who apparently lost their way to the barn.

Rachael's chimneys.

The last meal in the mall, just ahead of us heading to the barn, exhausted.