Russian Intelligence

I could write quite literally pages and pages on the head-to-wall thumping reasoning, excuses, procedures and polices that occur daily in Russia, but whilst some would be sympathetic to my daily frustrations, it would most likely bore many of you. However, here is a funny slogan I noticed today posted up on the wall in our canteen. It was on the bottom of a HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) campaign poster regarding the health effects of smoking - which is rife here. I thought you might find this as funny as I did.

The slogan reads:

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life."

So, you've only lost a part of your life if you die?!? Perhaps the Russian believe in the life after...

And another thing i saw today... On the way out to an inspection i saw a car rolled over in ditch on the side of the road. This is not an unusual sight, the quality of driving here is dismal, with the road death toll on Sakhalin Island alone 10 times higher than the whole of the UK! But anyway, so i see this car rolled over and think nothing much of it as this is a nearly daily sight, and highly common with the first snows and ice on the road (you'd think the Russians are suprised each year when the winter comes - they're never prepared for it!).

But what really amused me was that on my way back from the inspection, several hours later, i pass on the road the rolled over car driving the other way, with its smashed up roof, most of its windows smashed out and all dented up. Incredibile! Oh and this was in a snow storm and he had no headlights.

Comrade Steve