About The Radio And Being In Direct Reach

reflections 1 Minute

I just think that people in the US can’t really understand the concerns of the European nations regarding potential Russian aggression. Yes, there was a Cold War. Yes, there was “duck and cover,” building bomb shelters, and such. But the US never experienced an actual Russian aggression, so all these scares were and still are very abstract.

I thought about that when Boris showed me his recent purchase last week. It was more like a joke for him, but the backstory is worth mentioning.

This is a Philips radio, which also has a large flashlight and a built-in siren. It can be charged from a wall outlet or a USB port, but it also has a built-in solar battery and, as a last resort, a rotating handle that you can turn to generate some electricity by hand. And in addition, it can be used to charge other devices via USB.

Overall, it can be viewed as a perfect “rescue me if I am lost in the woods while hiking” device, except for one small thing. The first time this radio appeared in a store was when the Finnish government was seriously preparing for potential Russian aggression and asked all citizens to have a three-day food and water supply, and to note the location of their nearest bomb shelter.

Half of Europe experienced direct Russian aggression over the last hundred years. Many cities were shelled and partially or almost completely ruined. Many countries lost big chunks of their territory. It’s very real and very close. It’s in people’s memories. And I don’t know how to get it into my countrymen’s heads that it’s not OK.

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Published by Hettie D.

My name is Henrietta (Hettie) Dombrovskaya. I was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russian (actually, back then – Leningrad, USSR) in 1963, and immigrated to the United States in 1996. I love Saint Petersburg, the city I was born and raised in, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. Similarly (but differently) I love Chicago, and can’t imagine myself moving somewhere else in the observable future. I have three children, Igor, Vlad and Anna, all adults living on their own, and one (so far) granddaughter Nadia. I also believe that my children are the best thing that happened in my life. As for my professional life, I am working in the field of Information Technologies. When I was twenty, I’ve declared that the databases are the coolest thing invented and that I want to do them for the rest of my life. Thirty plus years later, I still believe it’s true, and still, believe that the databases are the best. These two statements together imply that I think a person can have it all, and indeed, I think so! Keep reading my journals to find out how I did it.

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2 thoughts on “About The Radio And Being In Direct Reach”

  2. Мне больно непрерывно, и остро стыдно, и еще умноженное на два. Потому что я не могу не ощущать себя ответственной за то, что сейчас происходит в России, не только за само развязывание войны, но и за все, что сделало это возможным. Да, таких, как я было много, но тем не менее, политическая активность в Америке меня очень хорошо научила тому, что каждый человек влияет. А за то, что творит наш сукин сын – тем более, потому что даже на молодость не спишешь. В прошлом году была слишком сильно занята своим NFP, и делала мало для того, чтобы не случилось то, что случилось. Но если у себя дома я могу реально что-то делать, чтобы больше не повторилось (Анна все равно делает больше), то за все остальное мне так и останется по гроб жизни стыдно. Особенно за свое собственное поведение в условной молодости.

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