Euro 2012 guide. Destination Ukraine. Part 4 communicating with people: speaking to the authorities. 90% of policeman do not know english or any other language. It may be hard to speak to them. Ask somebody for help. Or authorities provided some lessons for our cops but... But you can't learn a language in several months, eh?! Also - policeman salary is from 160 EUR\month (LO-O-O-OL) up to 350 EUR\month so you can imagine their quality. A good educated person VERY rarely go to serve in the police. I know few people, but most of them are eeeerm... not very clever. Also - corruption is a common thing in Ukraine. Be afraid of rich scumbags (child of a minister\deputy, high-ranked police oficcers). They rarely obey the law and usually they avoid punishment for commiting crimes (even murders) copy to google "милиционер избежал наказания" use google translator and read all the interesting stuff you find. Also - making business in Ukraine is not very safe. Because those who hold the authority can simply take it from you ("legaly" with using court to prove that company is not yours, or taking it by force http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ43YsxxdBA no, it's not Afganistan, it's a raider attack in the center of our capital, and police don't do shit to stop them). Why? Because 99% of all deputys are businessman. And they make everything to make PROFIT! Raider attacks are usual here. Where to live?! Hotels are TOO expensive. And their quality really sucks. You can look to rent a private room or even a flat, that can be risky. Make friends with smb and then live with them :D I can house 2 people (better to take sleeping bags with yourselves) and find shelter among our friends. Random tips: 1) Streets are pretty dirty, lots of garbage. Why? Because people do not care about anything. And act like pigs. People do this when they are unhappy. And it is hard to be happy here. My salarys is 600 EUR (it's an average salary in region). New flat (2 rooms) costs approx 36 000 EUR. % for ipoteque is approx 20% a year. Yes, I can handle it, BUT - I have to eat something (no, really). Also I need to buy furniture and so on. And one more thing - situation is pretty unstable right now, and lots of people lost their jobs. And when you took a credit in bank... well it might be hard to find a new job, and you can be raped by bank :D Solution - DO NOT TAKE CREDITS! Also - ask questions. I'll try to answer them.

Euro 2012 guide. Destination Ukraine. Part 2 The following text can harm your feelings. It contains 1001 steretypes. Do not read it if U are very sensitive. Communicating with people: most of the ukrainians have basic knowledge of english or german. German can usually be found among people of age 40 and older. English is pretty popular among youth (16-35). But sometimes their level of knowledge is even worse than mine (and U tired to spot all those mitsakes, do you?!). The better way to know something is to ask. Our authorities will provide some volunteer services, but it won't be available always. Look for people who are dressed good (but not luxury and very sexually, hot chicks usually don't have brain at all :D). "Dressed good" means, that - asking direction a homeless will result in a trip to some sort of a hole. Keep in mind: most of the ukrainians are cheerfull and good people. Who like to help - If you made friendship with someone it is not and insult to ask him to give you shelter. We like to help. It' a part of our mentality. Tip: smokers have a tradition - if U're out of cigarettes you can ask somebody to give you one (and in reverse), and it is normal. With time this ritual is dying, but it will take a decade or so for it to vanish completely. Also - you can smoke almost everywhere, but not in subway, bus stops, elevators. It is not safe to smoke in front of a policeman - he may fine you. But usually he don't give a damn and will ask you to give him a light :D The cigarettes are pretty cheap here. Tip: ukrainian society is not gay tolerant, and we don't like races other than white. NO, we don't make parades with torches ans burn everyone who was black in the fridays night. But a look of two males kissing each other may result in very bad situation. Keep yourself in a line and nobody will harm you. Most of the youth (including me) are pretty friendly to everyone, but you agressive behaviour (showing yourself as the "uppermensh"(higher race) will result in agression in retreat. Don't bother anyone and you won't get bothered. I can be your guide also. Or provide some help.skype: agoliarepth.

Euro 2012 guide. Destination Ukraine. Hi guys. If you are going to visit Euro 2012, this note is for you. Or if you want to catch some lulz from a story about our life. Introduction: My name is Ivan. I'm 25 years old. I live in Kiev from 1987 and most of info I'll give you is true (I hope :D). End of introduction. Part one: About Euro in Ukraine. Our authorities do everything to make Kiev (Lviv, Donetsk etc.) look like a european city (we, ukrainians, love this word; to us it means perfect, good, better than ours :D) and they will fail. Believe me. Lots of workers currently work for 2 shifts a day to complete all of the repairs (roads, look of buildings, clean garbage) in time. And God only knows will they make it on time. Nowadays Kiev looks like a battlefield. All those trenches, lots of bricks and heavy vehicles (at least they are not tanks :D). But all this happens only to key parts of Kiev (center, historical monuments, main roads). Here, where we live, nobody cares sh*t about our roads. Lots of holes in asphalt (so if you have a car with low clearance be carefull). But enough or crying. You're not here for this. Part two: Arriving in Ukraine. I don't know, will situation with border control be improved on Euro 2012 but now it is horrible. You may stand in a line for 30 minutes - 1 hour or so. Also: tranferring from airport: I hope UkraineAirlines will provide services for you to get to the city, and I suggest for you to avoid using services of private taxis. They will demand lots of money for transfer. Remark: In Ukraine lots of people think that 99% of european people are very very rich. And in some minds, Euro 2012, is some kind of a treasure chest. From where they can pull tons of PROFIT! You've seen the prices for hotels, yourself. Most of them are way to big. Also - keep in mind that 1 EURO is approx 9-11 Hryvna's (local currency). So if you don't have Hryvna's don't pay the same amount in Euro. Also - use only currency exange posts (most safe option is to change money at the bank). DO NOT change money (at least big sums) from people at the street (even if U think that you know them, kapitalism brought us lots of running-for-profit-idiots). You may be fooled\receive fake money\or even robbed). Of course you may encounter fair businessman, but the risk is not worth it. Another problem - terminals (to pay with a credit card) are pretty rare. In center they are in common, but in the outskirts the seller will answer to you "lol wut?!" if he\she will understant you... To be continued

Airsoft: The Great Danger; Abuzel's notebook entry: Jun 25, 2010 I hope you've read my previous airsoft articles. So let us continue. Lots of people who have heard rumors about airsoft says "HOLY COW that must be PAINFUL, DANGEROUS, THERE'S maniacs with real guns and so on..." Yes, it is. We shoot those who disobey the rules with a .12 gauge shotguns in a head. BOOM! SPLAT. The brains are out. Kidding of course. :D The 6mm BB's has initial speed (and the speed fades with a distance) of 90-160 m\s. It is A LOT, you say and be right. But... it's weight is (generally) 0,2-0,3 grams. And it has very little impulse. Yes, catch a 130 m\s ball from 2 meters - sucks. In face - really sucks. In nose - you will cry a bit. But it DO NOT happens often. Last year I was hit in face only once. This year - one time also. Also - BB have VERY little penetrating ability. Wearing a leather jacket will reduce the hit in a "shhhk" sound. And thats it. "I've seen guys in armor vests they are sure for protection" some guys say. Nope. It's only for modeling some army, or using it as an ammo vest. "They use grenades". Yes we do. It is made from a firecracker. Those the children use (and more powerful also), damage from such grenade can be... mmmm.. mmm.. It can hit you with a pea... Really dangerous... Worst - it can stun you (it's very LOUD) for few secs. Worst things I've seen: cracked teeth - A BB can crack your tooth if it is fired close enough. Solution: do not scream: FOR MOTHERLAND!!! when you are attacking. Wear face masks (some think it is a bad taste, but I rather be a bad tasted guy with teeth). And you will be OK. cracked nails - wear gloves. bruises - wear clothes. Try not to be engaged in a close combat. Sneak better. Shoot faster. Lay lower. The real bugger is that you can get a trauma from a terrain you play a game at. Forsaken buildings may have no floors. Open hatches. Forests - deep pits. It may results in serious traumas. I was excited by combat and fell on a metal trudge. And if I was not in my armor vest I could be dead or even worse. :D So the main thing about evading dangers of airsoft - plug your mind on! And wear some protection. And you will be fine. Look where are you going to run. Be cautious, it will aid you not only in evading the great fall from a 2nd floor, but also to sneak to somebodies back and shoot him like a duck. And God damn it. Remember when you were kids - small traumas and wounds are fun :D Airsoft is less dangerous that riding a car. 8 years or airsoft in ukraine didn't took a single life. At all. Next one - about modeling and POKEMONS.

Airsoft: getting started. Abuzel's notebook entry: Jun 25, 2010 I suppose you've read my previous notes. So... You've seen\hear\been told of airsoft. And you want to try it. first of all - you should read the rules and agree with them (if not - you are free to go everywhere you want, but not in airsoft. We're suffering of rule breaking bastards already, even without you). Second - contact your local airsofters. Easy way - GOOGLE, type "Airsoft MYTOWN or REGION" and so on. Then read the forum. DO NOT create a topic "I'm a NOOB help me plizzzz". DOZENS of such topics annoyed people a lot. Read, read, read and read. In each forum there's a GETTING STARTED topic (or smth like that). Than - arrange a meeting (say HI to somebody) and start asking questions. Final part - go to a game. For the first time it'll be better for you to rent a AEG. It will cost you (in Ukraine) from 20$ (usually) to 50$ (somebody tries to rob you). You will receive a AEG, glasses and some BB's (ammo). Played a game? Nice. Want to buy stuff? Welcome! AEG - from 100$ to unlimited. Different AEG's (we call them guns, but they are not. And CAN'T be upgraded to shoot real bullets) cost different money. A plastic chinese AK costs 90$, and some m249 tuned up machinegun can reach level of 1000$ and higher... http://shop.militarist.com.ua/ http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/ shops for example. Ammo is cheap 11$ for a 3700 round bag. Glasses - 10$ and up. Do not try simple glasses. You can end up without an eye. And your glasses will be broken also. Use ballistic eye wear. And ALWAYS try out new glasses from high tuning at a minimum range. Your eyes are MORE valuable than 15$ you didn't wanted to spare. That's it. Now you have to decide for yourself - will you model some existing army, or you will join the second Picachu platoon of pokemons. Next chapter will be about dangerousness and the people who do not obey the rules. And then - about modeling.

The depths of ukrainian soul; Abuzel's notebook entry: Jun 15, 2010 Ukrainian is not a nationality. It is rather diagnosis of how you will live\think and love. Or I better say "not only a nationality". Be a ukrainian always means that you were born in Ukraine and\or raised by the ukrainians. But ukrainian blood (beginning from the Golden Horde times and ending with USSR) got mixed with SUCH a BIG (or I better say: HUGE) number of other nationalities that it is hard to imagine (and useless to find) the true 100% ukrainian blooded person. I'm more than sure that EVERY family may found a grand-grand-grand turkish, russian, polak or a jew (no offense to any of the nations) in their family tree. But still the ukrainian will hit his chest and roar like a big hairy monkey "I AM UKRAINIAN! ARGHHHHHH!" [img]http://kontrakty.com.ua/FOTOS/2008_02/36/92-93/kompashk.jpg[/img] national ukrainian dress (veesheevanka). A monolith colored shirt which is tuned up with red\blue\green\yellow patterns. A true ukrainian LOVES his veesheevanka. Loves even to death. But 70% of ukrainians don't have any. Because they are pretty expensive (true ukrainian never buys a chinese veesheevanka; those guys got themselves even here!). Because true ukrainian is always short on cash and a credit card (damn, he\me even don't know how to write this word) is always empty. to be continued... (to those who don't get it - it's filled with sarcasm. so if you think that I'm a racist, idiot or smth - keep it to yourself, because I feel the same. And I'm more than sure that we don't know each other, so being sincere in our feelings is too fast. First you must love me :D)

Abuzel's notebook entry: Jun 15, 2010 about airsoft pt.2 "С чего начинается родина?!" (from where does the motherland begins?!; a line from a USSR song) But where (or I better say from what) does the airsoft begins?! Of course from people. Those who play it, those who love it. I hope you've read my pt.1 http://www.italki.com/notebook/entry/6473.htm so I'll continue. You can encounter different people at game's (when people come together and play strikeball it is called a game). Different people with different life stories\jobs\social belonging. Some 18 years old student, bought a 100$ AEG (air electric gun) and glasses and run across a forest, and some company chief in his 30 spent 2000$ on equipment. But they both meet each other in the trench (or in a scope :D) and play the same game. Most of airsofters (usually old-school players) are kind people. When you need help or advice - they will aid you. If you're out of BB's they'll share with you with their own. Your AEG got broken (they are not invincible and got worn out or cracked from a fall) and somebody can give you his own. They will cover you, give you orders and will execute your's (if you have proved yourself a smart tactician). It is a big family. Nowadays (cause of the popularization) things changed a little, but I'll write about airsoft holywars later. Another important thing are the rules. As any game (in which serious people play) it has some. I'll won't get U bothered with precise retelling, so I'll stop only on main rules: 1) you must be 18 years or older (with some exceptions if somebody well known in airsoft will speak a word of you); 2) you must have a spring action\electric\gas powered gun, 6mm caliber; and you must use 6mm plastic BB's from 0,2 grams to 0,43 grams; 3) you must have (and wear them all the *** time) protective goggles\eye shades\mask with eye protection that can resist at least 160 m\s (meters\second) (approx 300 fps) shot made from a short distance; 4) your airsoft gun must feet the power table; 5) one hit with a BB, fragmentation grenade = death (some games have a complex system of hits, medics, lives) The last thing is of desire. You want to play the game, you want to obey the rules, you want to get some excitement. You want it, and later on you realize that you're in a desperate need of receiving a 6mm ball in your arse :D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tRvGwjWLOM good video