posted 11-25-98 04:41 AM ET        

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There's actually only one thing I noticed in 27. At one point it says, "Raymond ran his hands through his white hair and sat down gingerly." But later says, "You know I will remain on my feet as long as you do." Also, in the previous episode "landing pods" are used to describe both the colonization pods and the set of probes being sent ahead. Some clarification is needed there. I don't mean to nitpick, but I want to see those straightened out. Thanks.

Shep

posted 11-25-98 08:35 AM ET            

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I stated before that the episodes seem to be a little rushed lately .. I guess what you found just proved my point !!! lol

Although I'm sure if you were to comb through the story, you'd find a few more things !!! Like there is NO registrars office on the Unity .. so how did Sarotov/Zakharov change his name midflight ???
Answer me that ??? Hey ... hey ???�

posted 11-25-98 09:37 PM ET            

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If you wish to check such little details...

There is some error in Zakharovs way of drinking vodka. Russian has almost subconscience training in this process - we drink vodka by great gulp - [preferrable one gulp, but for large glasses (150-200 ml) sometime 2 or 3 is neccesary] - and ALWAYS use something to move away its taste.
The best deodorator is salted/marinaded cucumbers or cabbage (alas, Deirdre don't like him ). But you can also use some light drink - cola, lemon/apple/tomato juice even clear water, or some sweet or chocolate bar. Or you can simple sniff something with a strong smell - for example slice of black bread or even back of your hairy palm .
But Zakharov drink its vodka and then simply sit and listen to its 'warmth'. Maybe it is american way, but for russians it is very incredible.

posted 11-26-98 01:37 AM ET            

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Andrew, I was under the impression from somewhere that Russian Vodka(and not the stuff for export) tends to be spiced, similar to Akvavit. True of false?

As an aside, I've notice that you usually call me "SpoC" not "SpoE". Is there some sort of wierd character translation happening or something? Not that I'm complaining, just curious.

posted 11-26-98 05:15 AM ET            

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Zakharov, being a scientist, would refrain from drinking vodka "...in great gulps." In fact, being so obsessed with science, I find it weird that he drinks at all, knowing the harmful effects.

But he _is_ russian, isn't he?

What attitudes would the other faction leaders have towards drinking? (Hey, that could be expanded into a thread...)

posted 11-26-98 05:41 AM ET            

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Hrm. Odd. I never drink vodka by sipping -- whiskey, yes, but not vodka. Just never seemed like a sipping drink to me.

"Russian Techniques for Drinking Vodka", maybe? Reads a little better.

posted 11-26-98 06:55 AM ET            

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"...and ALWAYS use something to move away its taste."

So... why vodka at all ?

posted 11-26-98 10:08 AM ET            

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I have to say that I just love getting this lesson in Russian culture. Russians are such a mystery to me, it is nice to get some input on how things work over there, even if it is only a lesson on how to drink vodka.

Maybe it would be a good idea for Firaxis to consult with some of our Russian friends here about Zakharov's behavior paterns.

Regarding the story, I noticed the same things... that there are errors in the writting, but like I said before, I know that they are very busy. If the story is rushed, that's probably because they are spending most of their energy working on the game so that we won't have to wait for it any longer!

posted 11-26-98 08:43 PM ET            

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Vodka+beer is standard russian coctail, we call it ehm, I can not even spell it with english letters! Something like 'yortsh'. There is another such armor-piercing coctail - 'chifir' - it was invented in our labor campes. Main components - VERY STRONG tea(~50 g of tea leaves/200 ml boiling water) + medicine alcohole. Try it, if you wish. I could not take such risk...

And best medicine for 'next morning alcohole intoxication' is 'rassol' - some marinade, i.e. liquid which use to marinate cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, even some fruits. There has to be some vinegar in it, and maybe salt and dill. But I dont know, really, have you made such food or not...

posted 11-27-98 03:21 AM ET            

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After some discussion in another thread I think I find another glitch in 27 episode:

Why Zakharov think, that it is problem - to make vodka? Is it so hard to any chemist to make etanol? And to mix it with water in neccessary proportion? I think it is more problem to Morgan - to make good wine you need plant grape and raise it, but to make etanol you need only sugar - and sometime you can even use sawdust... And this is _scientist_! Incredible.

posted 11-27-98 06:56 AM ET            

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LOL ... I liked Borcht !!! Yummy ... Look awful the first time you look at it, but it's soooo yummy when you taste it !!!

Andrew ... What Do you think about the H in ZakHarov ??? In my opinion, it shouldn't be there, it's a hard K, yes, and it should even be pronounced with the H, but not written with it !!! Am I not right ???

posted 11-29-98 11:23 PM ET            

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DJJRebel:

Hmm, maybe I try to explain to you, how Zakharov is pronounced, and YOU will try to spell it right.
1. all 'a' is like 'u' in 'cup'. Strong and open.
2. 'h' is like 'h' in 'hammer', but stronger... I think you simply doesn't have nessesary letters.
3. 'o' is like in 'bottle'. But
4. 'v' is a hard 'v' - like in 'violet'.
I really cannot remember english words with such endings.
Bortch is one of my favorite food. It's main feature, that it is becane better with age - on second day it is better, than on first, on third - better, than on second... On fourth day there are nothing left usually... Even if you began with 5 lt of it on small family of 4... But I've heard that it is very hard to find beetroot in USA, and it is impossible to make REAL bortch without it...

BoomBoom:
I know, that it is possible to make alcohol from cellulosa by hidrolisation. I know that most vodka in former USSR was maded from such alcohol. And it is possible to get some strong drink from ANYTHING, that contains sugar in any form.

posted 11-30-98 04:14 PM ET            

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Yes ... I agree, borsht is super yummy ... I remember when I was in Russia in 1990, I saw it for the first time and thought yuck .. but then I tasted it ... and yuuuumy ... it was really good !!!

As for Zakharov, that was my point, it should be pronounced Zakharov, but spelled Zakarov !!!

posted 11-30-98 05:54 PM ET            

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tOFfGI,

I'm a scientist (it is my primary occupation) and I know about its harmfull effects, but I still drink in great gulps

posted 11-30-98 06:12 PM ET            

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You can find beetroot in most big supermarkets in USA. My wife cooks bortsch about once a month. The problem is time, not supplies. Good bortsch is not a simple thing to cook.

Oleg

posted 11-30-98 09:40 PM ET            

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Hangover avoidance 101:

1. Drink as much water as you do alcohol while on the drink (i.e glass for glass - obviously not just a shot of water...). This dilutes the alcohol at stomach level and keeps you hydrated - alcohol sucks up body fluid like nothing else - and you are less likely to suffer the dry horrors the morning after. From personal experience, this is most effective prevention you can possibly use.

2. The *nicest* (though not 1000% effective) wake up mix is espresso coffee with a couple of berocca tablets - tastes vaguely like jaffa. If you still have a hangover, get some anti-histanmine tablets (I'm not sure asprin counts...) - many drinks, especially red wine, contain these and they often contribute just as much as the alcohol to the
headache you get.

P.S
There is definitely nothing intelligent about scientists attitudes to alcohol - the postgrad members of the Physics/Chemistry block have been awarded M.V.P (most valuable patrons) for the last two years running at our university bar.

posted 12-01-98 04:26 AM ET            

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A Lithuanian (dunno for sure) way for drinking vodka. It's called "bear comes in, bear comes out".

Take a glass of beer. Drink some. Fill it back up with vodka. Drink again. Fill'er up. Drink. Fill. Drink. Fill. Is the "ex-beer" almost clear as vodka? No? Drink, fill, drink, fill. Is it? Ok, drink, fill it up with beer and repeat the "drink-fill" sequence as many as needed to get back to beer again. But after the bear (the beer - it's brown, you know) comes back, you usually are in the restroom puking or asleep on the bar.

Hell, this drinking stuff needs a new thread!

posted 12-01-98 04:32 AM ET            

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Does anyone else have an opinion on how Zakharov should be spelled ???

I still think it should be written Zakarov, but pronounced Zah-Kha-rov !!!

I'd still like to hear the opinion of an actual Russian though !!!

posted 12-01-98 05:16 PM ET            

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Hmm, I think I already posted it somewhere, but just in case: My high-school sweetheart had a name Zakharova, so I can be trusted as a sort of an expert in this question
It is pronounced with 'H' like in home, Hamilton and so on. There is no any trace of 'K' in this name !! How should it be spelled - not sure. Either Zaharov or Zakharov. But obviously not as Zakarov.

Oleg.

Without carefully stewed tomatoes and cabbage, bortsch is not a bortsch but a simple soup. That's why it takes quite a time to prepare. And yes, sour cream and choped garlic are must ingredients.

posted 12-01-98 08:55 PM ET            

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DJRebel:
It seems to me, that you don't read my posts. I already (and several times) explain in detail HOW Zakharov should be pronounced. And I'm russian, I live in Russia, in it's Far East, that farther, than Siberia and near China and Japan. There is NO WAY to spell it correctly, so you can use ANY spelling you wish. But, as Oleg said, 'h' is 'must be'. 'K' is optional.

Oleg:
In my family bortch are prepared by my mother, my father, my wife and by me. All they are different. Father prefer lightly stewed cabbage sliced by great pieces and tomato juice, mother use onion, I prefer all vegetables thoroughly sliced and sometime does not stew them at all, but use stewed _tomat-paste_ (it aquire very special taste) and catchup, I prefer majoran and pepper powder, use garlic only in summer, my wife prefer laurel leaves and pepper 'peas' (don't sure about term). And all those are BORTCH. The main distinctions of bortch are: beetroot , cabbage, potatoes and tomato. All others are optional, you can use what you like

posted 12-02-98 03:40 AM ET            

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Firstly, yes, "real men" (exuse the expression) drink Vodka in shots (and that applies to sicentist too) But this was the last bottle of Vodka ever made, and the only one in existace. It was sacred, it was more important than the Unity. They drank it slowly because they know its significanse.

Secondly, DJ there are two kinds of borsht, there's white borsht and there's red borsht. Now I wouln't go into deitails here so, red is good, white is bad. Try the red.

posted 12-02-98 04:47 AM ET            

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Mortis

Under 'white bortch', I think, you mean 'schty"? (Oh, damnation, how I have to spell this letter?!!) Bortch without beetroot and maybe with mushrooms. It is also could be very good, depends on chef...

And this definetly WAS NOT last bottle of vodka, as any good russian know. If you had some organic (cellulosa, for example) you can made alcohol). Mix it with water and voila! - your vodka, please.

posted 12-02-98 04:51 AM ET            

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Yes .. I already tried RED borcht when I was in Moscow !!!
It was ummm ummm goood !!!

As for the pronouciation of Zakharov, I know how it is pronounced, I was just curious as to how it should be spelled, I though Zakharov didn't look right !!! As it was said though, I guess it doesn't matter since it is in fact a translation !!!

posted 12-02-98 06:56 AM ET            

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I've never heard of "schty", but yes, it can have mushrooms in it (even though I hate mushrooms) and usualy has some sort of sausage. I've just learnt that the main ingredient of white bortch is flour. Red bortch gets its flavor from beet roots and had "ears" in it.

Never in my life did I expect to talk someone about soup over the internet We are seriously running out of topics here!

posted 12-02-98 08:58 PM ET            

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DJRebel:

It is interesting situation - you ask ME, russian, to spell to you some russian name. But I know your language mostly 'by eyes', I always doubt in right grammar and pronouncation! I explain to you, how it sounds in russian, the rest is up to you...

posted 12-03-98 01:52 AM ET            

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I'm Polish maybe Polish bortch is different from Russin bortch.

I just reilised that the biger mistake how the vodka was stored, rather than how it was drank. You see, in the story Raymond pulled out the vodka from the drawrer. In reality vodka should be stored in a freezer. The alcohol prevents it from freezing. You should also be eatin heering.