Please, Please, Please:

DO NOT EVEN THINK OF SENDING MONEY TO THIS YOUNG BUSINESSMAN FROM SOUTH
URAL, WHO IS USING THIS (AND VERY LIKELY-OTHERS TOO) DISCUSSION GROUP
TO GET MONEY TRANSFERRED TO HIS PERSONAL HARD CURRENCY ACCOUNT IN A
MOSCOW BANK.

It is very likely that South Ural people are sufferring from poor
communictations and bad quality outdated equipment. But it is also very
likely that your donations will be used to purchase a brand new 500
series Mercerdes. There are number of agencies that are working in
Russia, promoting Internet, and who has an ability to control the
distribution of the financial and technical assistance.

Eurasia, Soros, Ford, and some more does have offices in Russia. Let
this young businessman deal with them, instead of digitally begging for
money, which, if received, obviusly will be out of any kind of control.

Please, understand-I am not saying that there is no need for help. Last
week (10/21) National Public Radio aired a programm on the current
Russian museums economic crisis, with participation of the Hermitage
director, Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky. In St. Petersburg major museums are
on the verge of being closing down.

This situation is getting an international attention. British Know How
Foundation and Prince of Wales Forum recently (Last September)
sponsored a fundraising workshop for Russian Museum managers in St.
Petersburg. (Unfortunately enaugh Russian taxation law leaves very
little room for local businesses to serve as a reliable basis for the
Museum institutions).

Our company working with Russian National museum of Ethnography and
with Oakland University in establishing a training programm on the
Internet Museum Marketing. This programm will be performed in Russia.
We want to teach Russian Museum managers how to use Internet in
promoting their museum collections and other resourses. This way they
will try to earn money by their own, instead of sitting in a cold
palaces, with no electricity and no heat, begging for foreign help.

I am sorry to put such a long note on the discussion board, but I have
number of reasons to do so. First of all I am Russian, who is happened
to live and to work in the States. I am personally worried about the
terrible situtation with Russian cultural institutions and trying to
help in the way I could see such help will be usefull, even though my
main business interests are in a different field. Second-I have a
little doubt about a nature of this young South Ural businessman's
intentions-IT'S A SCUM! Anyway, I would advise him to contact local
University and convinced them to join the ROSKON program, sponsored by
the International Science Foundation (Soros Foundation). Soros provided
several millions earlier this year to establish an Intenet connections
for the Russian provincial Univesities.

Again=Sorry for taking your time!

DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY!

Ivan Bakhurin, EVP
Neva-Hudson, Inc.
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