Week 10 of Tara's Gallery and the prompt for today was to paint a picture of the world we live in. I've titled this post 'Beauty and the Beast', so let's get the bad stuff out of the way first and start with... cue 'Jaws' type music... The Beast.
Doesn't look very beastly, does it? Just some yellow paint or pollen on the ground. Of course, this being Moscow, that's not what it is at all. What you see before you is the remains of the most recent 'cloud seeding' episode over the skies of the city. Husband used to tell me when he lived here in the mid-90's that before major celebrations the City would send planes up to shovel various substances into the cloud to disperse the rain and ensure fine weather for important events. Like, for example the forthcoming 65th Anniversary Celebrations of Victory Day in The Great Patriotic War (World War II, to you and I - more of which another time). I didn't really believe him. It sounds like something out of science fiction, right?
Wrong. They do do it. And whilst it doesn't seem to have any environmentalists up in arms right now, personally I can't believe that shovelling concrete dust, dry ice and and various other chemicals (which are apparently a closely guarded secret) into rain clouds can be such a good thing, either for the fabric of the city or the people living in it. Of course, I wouldn't want to rain on anyone's Parade - pun intended, obviously - but I can't shake the feeling I should be running around in a biblical styley shouting 'Doomed! We're all doomed! No good can come of this!' every time I notice the stuff on my car... (Click here if you want to find out more about this...)
And now, since this is the Gallery and you really came here looking for pretty pictures, here's some Beauty; a shot of the view this morning from the back of our house. Please note - this is not our garden...
I have read about them doing sttrange thinbgs to change and influence the weather before, it seems like so long ago.
ReplyDeleteOh, I bet the green makes a difference from the snow!
What a thoroughly amazing story - it is sci-fi - off to investigate and get all indignant :)
ReplyDeleteGot to love the communist states, they still believe they can control everything. What a relief to get rid of the snow though!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'll have to de-snow my mental image of your life now. I haven't quite caught up with the changing seasons. That's a beautiful view. So green.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It can't be good to throw lots of chemicals into the sky. Can't they just collect a bit of volcanic ash in great big bags, and sprinkle that on.
Well there I've learnt something new, and seen something new too!
ReplyDeleteCJ xx
How very very odd....this really is one to get my head around ! I look forward to hearing about the Great Patriotic War - after a recent trip to Normandy we are still debating whether William the Conqueror was actually English - 'but Daddy said....'
ReplyDeleteLovely green space for your boys - how is the oven ? xx
Glad to see that Spring has finally come!
ReplyDeleteBizarre and rather worrying about the weather control - I wonder if the UK has ever thought of trying it?
This is the creepiest thing I've read all day (and that's saying something...) x
ReplyDeleteGolly, how very sci-fi. I think you're right, it can't be very good.
ReplyDeleteLovely view in the second shot.
And did your husband mention that after three days of beautiful weather the temperature will plummet to a clammy, cold and miserable level and stay there for about a week?
ReplyDeleteMH, it certainly does!
ReplyDeleteMrsW, and yet nobody here seems to (get indignant, that is!)
PWN, (love your name, by the way!), they certainly do believe that... Or at least, make a very good front of doing so.
Iota, I'll mention that (although it may then be suggested I get to collect the stuff)
CJ, you know me - always glad to be of service!
BW, oven amazingly good actually - and will have to get back to you on the Great Patriotic War as I'm still info-gathering from the locals!
NVG, god, can you imagine the outcry if they did?
MLM - I'll take that as a sort of compliment!
Barbara, it is rather. Unlike much of the rest of life here.
Jennifer - like it is right now, you mean?