Hostage etiquette

You can ask them for basic questions like –
toilet, drinking, eating
In case of failure, do not mind
You can try again later.
In any case you do not have to threaten terrorists
phrases such as ‘You will still all be killed’
‘Soon comes your end’
This could cause psychological disruption
and the worst consequences.
Do not humiliate the terrorists.
Do not take weapons thrown by the terrorists.
Often the terrorists hide among the hostages.
Therefore all are suspected.
Always remember
if you are ready
calmly and confidently
to resist to the misfortune,
it will never HAPPEN to you.



Taken from a list of instructions found in a Ykaterinburg hotel, as described in the Financial Times article, A grim warning in the Russian regions, 3rd December 2013. Submitted by Grace Andreacchi.

Russian Girls in Love

Hello, gentleman!
I will be honest with you
I tell that I can't see a future
that does not include you.

I feel great inspiration every time
when I see you I feel scared
that your heart isn't single
that you won't want to build
romantic relations with me.

But from other hand,
I try to forget about all fears
to believe that you are the man of my dream
that I am a woman beyond your dreams.

It was not the easy step for me
to write to you this letter.
I didn't used to get acquainted with strangers
especially through the internet.

But I am very disappointed into real life
where I can't meet a good man and
I can't build love and family.
I decided to change
something in my life
and this first change is
my letter to you.

you won't stay cold
you will be touched with
my sincere and romantic letter.
I am always ready to write
to you a reply to continue
our romantic acquaintance.



Taken from a spam email. Submitted by Karen Greenbaum-Maya.

From Russia With

'Linking the price of gas
to the one of oil is

an anachronism,'
argued Mikhail Korchemkin

of East European
Gas Analysis. 'There is an

oversupply of inexpensive
gas in the world, and the market prices

of oil and of gas often move
in opposite directions.'

From Andrew, spotted half way down this article on the Russia Profile web site.