A red bucket (tribute to Isikava Takuboku)

WOW - R O T *****
Wasser aus der Wand :-)))))

Ein originelles Motiv, ganz toll finde ich die Rot-Töne!

Tolles Motiv!

Danke, Karl.

Excellent **************

Merci.

Striking capture!

Thank you, William.

Sehr gut! Gruß Günter

Vieln Dank, Günter.

Superb tribute.
I didn't know Isikava Takuboku, Maria

He lived more than 100 years ago.
There are verses on other languages I mean - I didn't find.
So I didin't learned japanese - I have a book on Russian.
I like this poet very much.

Perfect**************

Thank you.

great!

Thank you, Annemarie.

perhaps if the government would not finance bombs against civilians in other country, they could've build decent life for its own

In any system there are pessimists and rebels, but life is such that it's better to keep quiet — there are fines for 'sharp tongue'. Have you noticed that there are no Russians on the site anymore? You have to pay for membership — that's not a problem. But the problem is different: it's impossible to do it from Russia. I'm here thanks to a friend who pays for me. If this is not meanness — let me rephrase: this is very sad.

I’m still trying to decide what the saddest part of this whole picture is: that ordinary Russians are living miserably because so much of their country’s money is being burned on war, or that even in the middle of all this hardship so many of them still cling to the fantasy that they’re a “great” nation destined for more “living space”, fresh colonies, and a belt of obedient little buffer states with leaders who know how to bow on cue.

Well, the "great" ones have already been... the ones who ended their journey in May 1945.
I adhere to Buddhist principles. I see myself as part of space, and politics, generally, does not concern me. But this worldview has nothing to do with any particular nation.
For me, the real vileness lies elsewhere: when I am stripped of the freedom to choose who I am with. It is impossible to say without consequences: I am for science and God. For nature and reason.
When the Christian maxim "whoever is not with us is against us" dominates, the best strategy is to play the fool — then the chances of being noticed are minimal. Which is exactly what I do.

You invoke May 1945 as if that kind of madness belonged safely to another country and another time. When you look at where you live now – the same cult of “greatness”, the same crushing of dissent, children dressed as soldiers – do you truly think staying “apolitical” makes you innocent, or just comfortable?

I have made my position quite clear and do not intend to engage in discussions.

Russia behaves like an abusive power with a permanent victim complex. It inflicts suffering, denies responsibility, and then cries persecution when others finally resist. Its self-pity is not genuine; it is a tactic to escape guilt, reverse blame, and extract sympathy from those deceived by its propaganda.

I think I missed something. Would you mind explaining it again? I want to make sure I understand.

What I’m trying to say is quite simple. How can a country spend huge amounts on missiles and war, while its own people deal with poor services and a declining standard of living? It looks like the state cares more about power than about its citizens. Even basic problems, like fuel shortages, show that ordinary people come last.

Edit: Russian government has spent $1 billion in the last few days attacking Kyiv. Not building roads, hospitals or fixing the failing economy - on murdering civilians.

I understand why you stay quiet. In a system where speaking out can bring severe consequences, silence is often about safety. But that doesn’t change the reality.

To me, this is not new. For decades, Russia has tried to invade and occupy other countries—like Czechoslovakia between 1968 and 1990. And when it cannot control directly, it creates instability. There is this constant idea of being a “great power” that deserves more land and more influence.

You can see the same pattern clearly in Ukraine today: cities being bombed, civilian infrastructure destroyed, people deported, children taken away from their families, and occupied territories forced under Russian control. This is not abstract politics — it is happening right now.

When people question this, your answer is World War II. But that argument no longer works. Germany today is not Nazi Germany. It has changed and now plays a constructive role in the world.

What worries me is that people still believe a very simplified version of history — that Russia alone defeated evil — while ignoring facts like the pact with Hitler or the help from allies. At the same time, we see familiar patterns: propaganda, silencing critics, militarisation, and aggression against neighbouring countries.

So I would ask you to explain, when you say you are “apolitical,”: what does that really mean? Is it really neutrality, or just avoiding the issue? Because in a situation like this, staying neutral is not as neutral as it sounds.

Being apolitical doesn't mean I have no opinion. It means I choose not to discuss politics in a space where I come for photography and writing. That's a personal boundary, not a lack of awareness. I'm happy to talk about images, books, or ideas. But I won't be drawn into a debate about things I don't want to discuss here.