(Photo by David Orban) In the bleak days of the Soviet Union, consumer goods were scarce, but wise shoppers knew they could head to the local Универсам (supermarket) and pick up some mystery meat for supper. Soviets with a little pocket money might make a beeline to their favorite кафе (cafe) for a hearty bowl of борщ (borshch). All of that changed on January 31, 1990, though, when arch-capitalist McDonald's opened their first ресторан (restaurant) in Москва. Микки Дc (Mickey D's) was soon the hottest thing since sliced хлеб (bread), serving 30,000 people on the first day alone. The McDonald's in Pushkin Square is still the company's busiest outlet, and the chain has expanded to 103 locations, serving more than 200,000 hungry Russians a day. But the Биг Мак isn't the only convenience food option for Muscovites on the go. Ronald McDonald has been joined by such chains as Subway, TGI Friday's, and even the homegrown Rostik's. So if you're ever in Moscow, drop by; you never know who you might see. Suggested Sites... McDonald's Russia - Я люблю его! (I'm lovin' it!) Rostik's - serves Southern (Russian) fried chicken and "potato segments," just like babushka used to make. Muscovites Mad for McDonald's - watch a video report on McDonald's first day in Moscow. Rosinter Restaurants - offering Russian coffee, sushi, barbeque, and other taste treats. McDonald's - Ronald's home on the Web.

Directory categories: McDonald's, Hamburger Restaurants, Fast Food Restaurants, Moscow Travel Guides

Archived under: Anniversaries, Fast Food, Food and Drink, Moscow, Regional, Restaurants, Russia

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The fully electric Tesla Roadster (Photo by Jason Fraser) Someday the combustion engine car will be obsolete, or so the supporters of the electric vehicle (EV) would like to believe. Since the invention of the first electric locomotive in the mid-1800s, EV enthusiasts have built an assortment of electric carriages, trains, solar cars, and commuter vehicles. But, it wasn't until California created a Zero-Emissions Vehicle Mandate that major automakers began to mass-produce electric cars (like GM's famous EV1) and briefly test the appeal of environmentally-friendly, plug-in automobiles. Yet, they were all discontinued, according to the makers, because consumer demand was low and lacked commercial viability. Hundreds of customers who leased them may beg to differ. Now, smaller automakers have stepped up by building newer designs with the latest battery technology. From the Eliica's eight-wheeled concept wonder to the power-packed Tesla roadster, the future looks promising for the EV market. But, will it ever cut into the profitable and popular gas-guzzling industry? Suggested Sites... Phoenix Motorcars - releasing a new 2007 electric SUV with a range of 250 miles per charge. Wikipedia: Venturi Fétish - a rare electric sports car from Monaco with 250 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds. Myers Motors - selling a single-seater, 3-wheeled auto aptly called NmG (No More Gas). Wrightspeed Inc.: The X1 Prototype - the highest performing EV prototype we could find that will probably change the future of auto racing. The Electric Vehicle Photo Album - check out converted and ready-made EVs through images and specs from all over the world.

Directory categories: Electric Vehicles, EV Organizations, EV Makers

Archived under: Autos, Business, Electric Cars, Environment

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(Photo by Stacey Bry) The Seeing Eye school for dogs was established in 1929. Its pioneering founder, Dorothy Harrison Eustis, witnessed the benefits of using trained dogs to assist blinded World War I veterans in Germany. Seeing Eye dogs are carefully bred for intelligence, temperament, and sound health with German Shepherds, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers leading the pack. The puppies spend their first 18 months with a foster family to be socialized and another four months training at the school. They learn how to lead on a harness without becoming distracted and develop "intelligent disobedience" which allows them to disobey a command if it would lead into danger. After that, the dogs are carefully matched to their new owners for an average service of about eight years. There are now many fine guide dog schools (even guide horse schools!) in existence today, but only graduates of this institution are properly called Seeing Eye dogs. The phrase "man's best friend" was never more fitting than when applied to these hard-working canines. Suggested Sites... The Seeing Eye, Inc. - how it all started; their mission, programs, and services. How Guide Dogs Work - a working dog's life from puppy socialization to training to retirement. Guide Dogs of America Access and Etiquette - hey, I'm workin' here! What you should know when you meet a guide dog team.

Directory categories: Guide Dog Organizations, Service Dogs, Blindness, Dogs, Dog Training

Archived under: Animals, Disability, Dogs, Health, Transportation, Work

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Yellowfin tuna Consider the life of the tuna. Mr. Limpet wished for such an existence: "A fish can swim," he sang. "That's all they ask of him." While its life may seem blissful, the tuna has much to deal with. It takes everything our finny friends can do to avoid the fisherman's net. (Of course, there are exceptions.) Even if they do escape, they still face being poisoned. And for that unlucky number who are caught, the humiliations don't cease even upon their deaths. Their corpses are tossed around like sacks of potatoes and their flesh is subjected to strange recipes. There's even a town in Australia that devotes an entire weekend to the ritual humiliation of the noble Thunnus, offering prizes to the sadist who tosses the tuna's carcass the farthest. With no safety on land, in the air, or in the sea, the tuna may need to take a cue from the catfish and start digging. Suggested Sites... Tunarama Festival - toss a fish, win a prize! Wikipedia: Tuna - facts about a tasty fish. Pike Place Market - Seattle landmark where fish fly and tourists duck. U.S. Tuna Foundation - more facts about tuna than you ever thought possible. PETA: Top 10 Reasons Not to Eat Tuna - maybe it's best if some things are left alone.

Directory categories: Tuna, Tuna Recipes, Fishing, Australian Travel, Food and Drink Events

Archived under: Animal Rights, Animals, Australia, Events, Festivals, Fish, Fishing, Food and Drink

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The changing of the Doomsday Clock on Jan. 17 (From Reuters) Last week, the world edged two symbolic minutes closer to nuclear annihilation. The "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists" (BAS) ceremonially moved The Doomsday Clock's minute hand from 11:53 to 11:55 -- the first change since 2002, and the closest to midnight we've been since the height of the Cold War. But the dire news left many people wondering less about the all-too-familiar threats to life as we know it, and more about the clock itself. The ominous timepiece was designed by artist Martyl Langsdorf and first appeared on the BAS' cover in 1947, representing the urgency the scientists felt about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Its hands tick closer to (or further from) the symbolic end of the world based on global events and after careful deliberation by a BAS board that includes 18 Nobel laureates. With this latest tick, the threat has expanded to include other manmade threats to human civilization. 2007's forecast for increased doom was provoked by the long-term effects of unchecked climate change, as well as nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran that may be the start of a "second nuclear age." Those in power, please take note. For the rest of us... well, maybe it's time to party like it's 11:55. Suggested Sites... 5 Minutes to Midnight - the official site of the Doomsday Clock from the "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists." Why Do Scientists Think We're Nearing the End of the World? - an explanation of the Doomsday Clock from HowStuffWorks.com Midnight Never Came - the history of the Doomsday Clock and the BAS. Top 10 Ways to Destroy Earth - after all that doom and gloom, this humorous countdown shows just how tough the planet really is.

Directory categories: Doomsday Clock, Nuclear Weapons, Cold War, Disarmament, Nuclear Energy

Archived under: American History, Death, Global Warming, History, Iran, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, War

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