I can't even figure out which one is which anymore, because their preferred format is to film something with a beginning and an end and then air it every day for a month and move on to something else. My wife likes watching some of the shows.
The Putin/police points just show how the Czech Republic is very different from Russia. There are a lot of things that Russians and Czechs have in common (not just language) due to a common Slavic cultural heritage. On the other hand, the Czechs have that German sense of order and propriety that keeps police, politicians, etc. from amassing too much power. In Russia, it's the opposite. I suspect it's because it's a facet of Russian life that a failure to have strong, even oppressive control over people leads to total anarchy. The 1990s showed that once again.
It also might explain why my wife sometimes says I act just like a Russian but then will say from time to time, "You're so typically German", particularly in matters like keeping the house clean, etc.
The Putin/police points just show how the Czech Republic is very different from Russia. There are a lot of things that Russians and Czechs have in common (not just language) due to a common Slavic cultural heritage. On the other hand, the Czechs have that German sense of order and propriety that keeps police, politicians, etc. from amassing too much power. In Russia, it's the opposite. I suspect it's because it's a facet of Russian life that a failure to have strong, even oppressive control over people leads to total anarchy. The 1990s showed that once again.
It also might explain why my wife sometimes says I act just like a Russian but then will say from time to time, "You're so typically German", particularly in matters like keeping the house clean, etc.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Russian Book Club: Chapaev and Pustota or Buddha's Little Finger
16/05/2010 03:42:07 PM
- 964 Views
I'll have my full thoughts up in a few hours
16/05/2010 04:33:54 PM
- 623 Views
Could you give me a better reference as to where that was in the book?
17/05/2010 03:09:16 AM
- 604 Views
Chapter 5, just before Kocurkin appears for the first time. *NM*
17/05/2010 02:34:30 PM
- 279 Views
In Russian it says "succubus" became the Russian "suka" or "bitch" *NM*
17/05/2010 02:49:03 PM
- 355 Views
Ahh, so the English version is closer.
17/05/2010 07:38:35 PM
- 640 Views
This reply is mostly empty of thoughts.
16/05/2010 05:37:54 PM
- 620 Views
I'll wait until it is substantially empty but nominally full, then. *NM*
17/05/2010 03:09:52 AM
- 320 Views
OK, here's what I wrote for the OF Blog on this book
17/05/2010 02:22:18 AM
- 646 Views
I like the way your review is an un-review.
17/05/2010 03:08:20 AM
- 568 Views
That's what I wanted to convey, since it's hard to be definitive with such a work
17/05/2010 03:16:19 AM
- 673 Views
I wouldn't term it "fantasy".
18/05/2010 02:24:40 PM
- 599 Views
My thoughts.
17/05/2010 02:16:11 PM
- 644 Views
Pelevin isn't a real Buddhist, he's a superficial pop-culture Buddhist.
18/05/2010 02:33:37 PM
- 663 Views
Re: Pelevin isn't a real Buddhist, he's a superficial pop-culture Buddhist.
18/05/2010 10:37:36 PM
- 591 Views
Russian TV spits out soap operas almost daily now.
19/05/2010 03:19:22 PM
- 629 Views
It is apparently called Clay Machine Gun in the UK.
17/05/2010 02:41:41 PM
- 619 Views
It's Čapajev a Prázdnota (Chapaev and Emptiness) in Czech
17/05/2010 07:46:14 PM
- 658 Views
In Russian prazdny or prazdnost' would mean "lazy, inactive" *NM*
18/05/2010 02:21:42 PM
- 301 Views
Bah. No bookshop in Edinburgh has it. Amazon will have to be my saviour.
18/05/2010 12:56:28 PM
- 517 Views
I like this passage about 10 pages from the end of the book on Russia
17/05/2010 02:56:49 PM
- 642 Views
I think the pseudo-Buddhist bit is not as good as the Russian vodka psychology.
18/05/2010 02:35:07 PM
- 606 Views
Perhaps
18/05/2010 02:38:24 PM
- 558 Views
All and none. Russia is a paradox, but one that can be explained.
19/05/2010 03:30:58 PM
- 612 Views
Re: I think the pseudo-Buddhist bit is not as good as the Russian vodka psychology.
18/05/2010 11:12:10 PM
- 662 Views
And I still don't have a copy of this book!
17/05/2010 07:37:35 PM
- 667 Views
I'll bet you could find a Russian version online if you searched rambler.ru. *NM*
18/05/2010 02:35:49 PM
- 315 Views
Re: I know a weird "lending library" sort of site that can give you the English version.
20/05/2010 12:48:57 PM
- 757 Views