Kyrgyzstan, former USSR

This is a photo of the famous women vodka (that's what everybody calls it) "Shpilka", which is one of the alcohol products of Kyrgyzstan that will be exported to the US. I was amazed to see the lines written on the back of the bottle that read "a product of kyrgyzstan, Former CCCP (USSR)". It is rather amusing that Kyrgyzstan was officially identified with former USSR on the label of a product.

I don't know whether it is an attempt to associate our product with Russia (which is famous for vodka) or just make it easier for an average American to identify where our country lies. And yet 16 years later we're still a former USSR.

Sign on the door "Here lives a psycho"

Today, I read that residents of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, can call a "psychiatric ambulance" in case of stress and depression (domestic conflicts, problems at work etc.). With the support of one of "Soros-Kyrgyzstan" foundation, city centers of family medicine will have a brigade of psychotherapist, nurse, social worker (whatever that is!) and several other medical personnel that you can call home for free (!).

As one of my collegues noted, calling such an "ambulance" is the same as putting up a sign that says "Here lives a psycho" on your front door. Apart from jokes, it is sad that more and more people are coming up with rather ridiculous ideas to feed on grants, while there are so many other ways to give real help to people in real need.

My first post...

This is my first post in my blog. I hope I will have the will and patience to keep my blog up, in which you will find many things ranging from politics of Kyrgyzstan to my personal feelings.

I also hope that it will help me develop my writing skills, give me a different perspective on me and my ideas with the help of you, my dear readers. Also, let me express my gratitude to the people who got me interested in this increasinglly popular activity by showing a great example of blogging- Azamat, Mirsulzhan Namazaliev and Azamat Imanaliev.