Landslide wins by ruling party United Russia reinforce concerns of opposition parties and many voters that Russia’s Sunday elections were illegitimate and unfair.

I have been reading a new book this week called “And Party Every Day” by Larry Harris. It tells the story of Casablanca records and how they went from nothing to becoming one of the most powerful labels in the music business. Casablanca, as you may recall, is the label that brought KISS to the world, although they were somewhat of an anomaly to the label. Casablanca became known as the “disco” label at a time when disco was king of the charts. Being a lifelong enlistee in the KISS Army it was inevitable that I would be drawn to this book written by the late Neil Bogart’s second in command. It is a very revealing read.

Although the book is excellent, this is not a book review. In reading the book it becomes clear that Neil Bogart, the founder and President of Casablanca, was one of the most innovative and effective propagandists since Joseph Goebbels. In the music business, it would be reasonable to suggest that selling a lot of records will get you to the top of the music charts. In the world of Casablanca records the equation would be reversed. If you are at the the top of the charts, you will sell a lot of records. Casablanca’s promotion department was masterful at creating the illusion of success. Often times, ethics would take a back seat to the creative engineering and manipulating of  music charts, as well as the fabrication of awards, in order to create the perception of success. Later, the reality of success, in terms of hit songs and albums, would occur as a natural consequence of their manipulations. To be fair, they were usually correct, the reality of success, more often than not, soon followed. And to be more fair, it isn’t like they were the only ones doing it. Likewise, no one should doubt such manipulations are ongoing in an industry that thrives on illusions.

I cannot help but see a connection with the “engineering” of the music industry that Casablanca was so adept at in the 1970’s, and the social engineering being attempted by socialists today. This is particularly obvious in the ludicrous announcement this week that our President. Barack Hussein Obama, has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. It is the classic example of attempting to manipulate reality through illusion. But of course, this is no surprise. Socialists live in a world of make believe and are always stunned at their repeated failure to turn fantasy into reality. So just grab yourself a Donna Summer record and enjoy the ride.

Reaction all over the world to the announcement has been predictable: a resounding chorus of “for what.” Whatever credibility this award had remaining, after being bestowed upon such arbiters of peace as the likes of Yasser Arafat, has been dealt a final, fatal blow. Obama had been in office only 12 days when the Nobel nominations were due. That’s a mere 288 hours for Obama to have been deemed award worthy. Apparently this is an example of “affirmative action” going international.

Our glorious leader was sound asleep in the White House when the Norwegian Nobel Committee made the announcement. The committee claimed that he was being honored for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.” The committee also praised the “change in the international climate” that the President had brought, along with his cherished goal of ridding the world of nuclear weapons. “Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” it added.

Ahh, I get it. He deserves the award for not being George W. Bush. It seems to me that this is something that Obama can truly credit to his predecessor, as clearly this award was a swipe at him. Yet I have yet to hear Obama “blame” Bush for this like he does every thing else…reckon why? Perhaps our President’s sizable ego tells him that winning a Nobel Prize was inevitable. The justification is not important.

The award is also an example of the growing aspirational trend of Nobel committees over the past three decades, by which awards are given not for what has been achieved but in support of the cause being fought for. The United Nations is making a tremendous push to get an international agreement on global warming. They are in a hurry as the fraudulent science that this international income redistributionist scheme is built on, is crumbling in the face of a decades worth of evidence of globally cooling temperatures. Everyone knows there will be no meaningful agreement without the co-operation and involvement of the United States.

Any fool can see that this is an obvious attempt at manipulating the United States by international socialists. By boosting Obama’s international prestige with this award, they hope to manipulate the United States into passing significant carbon emission reducing legislation. They are Hell bent on redistributing the wealth of the United States to the rest of the world. Obama managed to get an extortionist cap and trade climate bill through the House of Representatives this summer…but at great cost. The bill barely passed with a lot of White House arm twisting. The President used up valuable political capital, yet the bill now finds itself stalled in the Senate where Senators have no appetite for it. In the eyes of the Nobel prize Committee Obama needs help, and they have given it to him. Like Casablanca before them, they have created the illusion of success in hope that the reality of it will follow. If only Barack would dress like a cop and sing “Macho Man,” this might come to pass.

However, for those of you seeking some thread of justification for this award, let me comfort you by providing it. President Barack Obama has effectively eliminated the United States entire arsenal of nuclear weapons. His cherished goal of worldwide nuclear disarmament may be out of reach but by electing him we have helped him make the first move. Don’t believe me? Well, consider this: Our Commander In Chief received a request for more troops for the Afghanistan conflict from his handpicked General Stanley McChrystal over five weeks ago. He waited three weeks before he even acknowledged that the request had been made, and only then after word of it it had been leaked. Now he is said to be deep into discussions and deliberations as to his next move on a war he claimed was the “right” war as opposed to Iraq being the “wrong” one.

And how is that decision coming along? Any soldier can tell you that indecision is a greater danger than making an incorrect one. Apparently we have a Commander In Chief that suffers from indecision paralysis. In war, time and speed are often the important ingredients that make the difference in success or failure. Commanders in the field should be handicapped by deliberations and war councils far removed from the fighting. That is a recipe for defeat. Perhaps Obama feels he has the time for excessive deliberation considering the nature of the Afghanistan battlefield. However, leaders throughout the world are observing the paralysis of Obama’s decision making process…and they are taking notes. they have discovered that when it comes to decision making, he is no George W. Bush.

Don’t be too impressed by the supposed collapse of the old Soviet Union. All of those intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM’s) that were pointed our way during the cold war are still there, and they are still aimed at us. Though tensions between the United States and Russia may seem to have eased in the aftermath of the Soviet collapse, there is a lot of ill will and resentment within Russia over the loss of prestige and influence that their superpower status once entitled them to. Such feelings are at the core of the relationship to Vladmir Putin and the United States. Obama recognizes none of this.

It takes 25 minutes for an ICBM to reach the United States from Russia. Is a man who is paralyzed when confronted with a decision about committing troops to an ongoing conflict the man to give the order for a retaliatory strike against Putin’s Russia? No. For all practical purposes, the United States has no nuclear arsenal as the Commander in Chief has not got the will to use it. All the firepower in the world is useless if there is no one willing to give the order. Our enemies know this. We may not survive this administration.

World leaders from Putin to Ahmadinejhad and Kim Jong Il have been bullying our President without fear of reprisal. Such weakness only serves to promote war. To a proud and resentful old KGB agent like Putin, the opportunity to lay waste to his greatest enemy may be to great a temptation to pass up. Our survival depends not on our President’s willingness to defend us, he won’t, but on Putin’s sense of morality and fair play. To attack the defenseless amounts to murder. Can he, or will he, murder us?

Unfortunately for us, the answer is probably, yes. Our President has been making the case since before he was elected that the United States exploits the world and its resources for its own selfish desires. Our own President has made the justification for our execution in the name of “social justice.” He has humbly bowed before the world and pleaded our guilt for crimes against humanity. By betraying his country to its enemies he will be a hero to the rest of the America hating world. Certainly the man responsible for placing us at the mercy of the world’s judgement is entitled to a Nobel Peace Prize. By giving him his award in advance, we can celebrate it with him. After all, we won’t be around to celebrate after he actually earns it.

The world has given him his reward. They have proclaimed him a great man. Now he must turn that perception into reality by delivering us to our enemies. Just envision your destruction to the tune of the decadent seventies most decadent band singing “Macho Man.” A symphony of destruction for the United States of Mystery Babylon.

The Russian constitution like the American constitution bars the president of the Russian Federation from holding office for more than two terms in office. This point was put into the Russian constitution to prevent the excesses that were committed during the Soviet era. Mr. Vladmir Putin however has circumvented the Russian Constitution by standing down as president and then asking his friend and buddy Mr. Medvedev. After holding the president’s office for for one term, the seat warmer president Mr. Medvedev is expected to step down so that Mr. Putin can become president again. While this meets the letter of the law, it certainly would be considered a ploy and scheme to avoid the Russian constitution. Russia’s Putin–the next president keeps the West guessing

Islam Karimov: President of Uzbekistan and Russian Prime Miniser Vladmir Putin (soon to be president)

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has reportedly said he may consider taking part in the Russian presidential election in 2012. The news comes from a participant of the Valdai discussion club.

Putin apparently gave a signal that he “is considering the possibility of returning as president in 2012,” according to Aleksandr Rahr, director for Russia and Eurasia at the German Council on Foreign Relations, who is attending the event.

“Answering our questions, he didn’t say that he won’t return, even though the occasion was there. I believe it’s the first time he has given such a signal,” Rahr told Itar-Tass news agency. Russia Today. Putin “is considering the possibility of returning as president” September, 2009, 00:41

The proposed 1306-kilometre long road enters Afghanistan from Chitral via the 4550-metre Durrah pass and meandering its way through Iskatul-Ulkhana- Ishkashim-Khorugh-Kulaikhumb-Kulab-Kofirnigan before entering the Tajik capital of Dushanbe. The joint declaration signed by the presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan on the last day of the visit they committed their countries to "construction of rail roads and highways" so as to give "Tajikistan access to the sea through the Pakistani sea ports". Pakistan and Tajikistan sides discussed in detail four options for building the road link. Out of the four options the NHA had recommended the option of building the road link form Chitral-Durrah pass-Iskatul-Gulkhana-Ishkashim. The total distance from Chitral to Ishkashim is 200 kilometres out of which 82 kilometres is in Pakistan and 118 kilometres in Afghanistan.

There is much to said about Mr. Putin. He has restored part of the glory of the Soviet empire, and used his new found oil and gas resources to build the economic and social fabric of Russia. He is immensely popular in Russia and will comfortably win the next elections. He can then stay as president for two terms. After 8 more years, Mr. Putin can again become prime minister and let Mr. Medvedev hold his seat for 4 years…and so on and so forth.

Mr. Putin has started the process of normalization of relations between Pakistan and Russia. The most visible symbol of this is the new road and rail link that is being built

Thank you Michelle Collins at Best Week Ever for finding this.  There are no words to describe how wonderful this clip on Vladmir Putin is.  Just watch.

now, typically when you see the letters NWO you are in for some wicked crazy conspiracy theories.  people like alex jones take it too far, imo.  but, there is clearly something going on – those in power have made no secret of it, outright saying “new world order” in their speeches, and it’s a totalitarian democracy that is based around military might, washington thuggery and full spectrum dominance of the rest of the world.  it’s bad for the rest of the world and it’s bad for those of us here in the u.s.  globalism and geopolitics are all too frightening to someone raised with a premillenial, pretribulational (aka the “left behind” nonsense) worldview, and who has expected the end of the world since i was a 5 year old kid.  it’s frightening b/c i don’t believe it to be true, and certainly don’t want it to be true, but fear that it is.  and when seeing all that is going on, that fear becomes exasperated.  damnit.  but, i can’t recommend this youtube channel enough: the real news

perfect timing for the film battle for seattle to come in the mail.  God bless netflix.

Pale Politics

• Jeb Bush the future of the Republican party? In all honesty why not? Nobody else is stepping up to the plate with any success, let the man have a few swings. But with his last name it may be a little while before he’s politically viable for the higest office in the free world. That being said his popularity in Florida is high after a successful gubernatorial stint, why not Congressman or Senator Bush? That is of course assuming he doesn’t become Ambassador to Russia or something. (Stupid President and his intellegent political maneuvering)
• Russia is almost certainly the key to Afghanistan and a stable central Asia. They can assert broad socio-political influence in a region that the US and the rest of the Western World are still trying to figure out. Russia is the natural geographical bridge between the West and Asia, but it can be much more. That is if Russia could ever get on the same page as the US, hence the President’s current trip. Either way, Vladmir Putin may be the only world leader who can be intimidating holding a tea cup.

We didn’t get sugar in KGB

• To Sarah Palin, I thought you were leaving? The Andrea Mitchell interview makes me think that she actually believes resigning an important role like Governor isn’t an inditment of her abilities as a political executive, and that her lack of widespread appeal is a media conspiracy against her. Further, an interview like this fuels the story. So why did she announce on a Friday again? I just don’t get it.
• RIP Robert MacNamara. While certainly a controversial figure, not enough has been made of his honest and seemingly heartfealt ability to say that he was wrong about vietnam. While it was a late to the party kind of conversion, given his position in the administratons he served, I can appreciate his loyalty to the Presidents he served.

All right, everyone, let’s get back into the swing of things. TODAY:

- Obama visits Russia
- Magnanimous Monday
- Funny/Adorable Pictures

President Obama meets Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

In what looks to me like his biggest diplomatic success yet, President Obama has come to some agreements on nuclear reduction and loosening airspace restrictions for the war in Afghanistan.

Obama: *through clenched teeth* "Are you sure Papa Putin's okay with this, Dmitry?" ... Medvedev: "Just keep smiling, Barry."

AP article:

MOSCOW – President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a preliminary agreement Monday to reduce the world’s two largest nuclear stockpiles by as much as a third, down to the lowest levels of any U.S.-Russia accord, and counter what Obama called “a sense of drift” in the countries’ relations….

The document signed by the two leaders at a Moscow summit, Obama’s first in Russia, is meant as a guide for negotiators as the nations work toward a replacement pact for the START arms control agreement that expires in December. The joint understanding also commits the countries to lower longer-range missiles for delivering nuclear bombs to between 500 and 1,100.

The limit for warheads would be in a range of 1,500 to 1,675 each. However, there are disagreements on what to count…

…Among the side deals meant to sweeten Obama’s two days of talks here and show progress toward improving badly damaged U.S.-Russian relations was permission from Moscow for the United States to transport arms across its land and airspace into Afghanistan for the war there. Obama said the deal will save the U.S. “both time and money,” to the tune of $133 million a year, by waiving transit fees and shortening flying time….

…Yet, the two sides remain stalemated over the U.S. pursuit of a missile-defense system in Europe, pushed aggressively by Bush and still under review by Obama’s 7-month-old administration. Both sides hardened their positions ahead of the summit, and Obama gave a lengthy rationale for the system at Medvedev’s side.

Obama suggested the United States has a right to pursue defensive systems separate from the offensive weapons that are the subject of most arms control negotiations. Obama repeated the U.S. position that the planned system is aimed at intercepting missiles from Iran and has nothing to do with countering” a mighty Russian arsenal,” as many in Russia suspect.

Medvedev called it “a difficult area for our discussion,” but suggested that the new openness between the two countries could help.

Obama said he trusts the Russian leader to follow through on the agreements they struck. And he refused to be drawn into a debate over who really holds the reins of power in Russia, widely believed to be Medvedev’s predecessor and mentor, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. “My understanding is, President Medvedev is the president … and Prime Minister Putin is the prime minister,” Obama simply said.

Wow…have we just had our first Bushism from Barack Obama?

"Now, I'm not sure about this, but my understanding is that I am the President and Vice President Joe Biden is the Vice President. Also, that Cthulu continues to be the overlord of the United States of America. But that's just my understanding."

So, on the surface, this would all appear to be looking much better than it seemed it would go last week, with Obama claiming Prime Minister Vladmir Putin had “one foot in the old ways” of the Cold War. But, assuming Medvedev is speaking with any authority (either his own or granted by Vladmir), this could be a real step in eliminating the threat of nuclear weapons. And, while I’m not a big fan of faciliating the killing of innocent Afghanis, it’s nice to at least come to some sort of military agreement which indicates Russia isn’t scared of us using their airspace against them.

Still, all doesn’t seem entirely legitimate in the great state of Russia. Here’s Wikipedia’s facts on Medvedev’s presidency:

Dmitry Medvedev
Elected May 7, 2008

Medvedev was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian government on 14 November 2005. Formerly Vladimir Putin’s Chief of Presidential Staff, he was also the Chairman of Gazprom’s board of directors, a post he had held, for the second time, since 2000. Medvedev’s candidacy was backed by then President Vladimir Putin.^[3] On 10 December 2007, he was informally endorsed as a candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections by the largest Russian political party, United Russia and several pro-presidential parties, and officially endorsed by United Russia on 17 December 2007. A technocrat and political appointee, Medvedev had never held elective office before 2008….

On May 8, Dmitry Medvedev appointed Vladimir Putin  Prime Minister of Russia….

…In his first address to the Russian parliament on 5 November 2008,^[53] Medvedev proposed to change the Constitution of Russia in order to increase the terms of the President and State Duma from four to six and five years respectively (see 2008 Amendments to the Constitution of Russia).

…In May 2009 Medvedev set up the Historical Truth Commission to counter what he considers as attempts to rewrite history unfavorably for Russia.^[55]

Historical Truth Commission? That sounds familiar…

Well, regardless of the specter of corruption, we do ourselves no favors by snubbing Russia during times of war in the Middle East. Getting them on the same page for nuclear arms reduction should be top priority and it seems that, so far, talks are going well. Obama will be meeting with Putin tomorrow.
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Magnanimous Monday: Global Medical Relief Fund

Today’s Magnanimous Monday comes to me from a combination of sources: Idealist, Reddit’s Idealist News, and Razoo.

Alketa from Kosovo

The Global Medical Relief Fund raises money to bring children in need of reconstructive surgery or prosthetic limbs to the U.S. for the treatment that they need. Often, these children are the victims of war violence, landmines, or natural disasters. The success stories are so touching and the organization’s mission is so direct, I can’t find any cons to donating to them and this will be the first Magnanimous Monday that I will follow up by making the small contribution that I can to help their efforts in giving children their lives back. I urge readers to check them out and do the same.

Some words from the site:

The GMRF is committed to bring hope and help to children who are missing or have lost use of their limbs, have been severely burned, or are otherwise damaged due to the atrocities of war, naturall disaster or illness.

The GMRF reaches out both locally and worldwide in search of children in desperate need, with little or no resources to better their condition. We prepare necessary travel documents for both child and guardian, and arrange transportation to the United States, where candidates are fitted with prosthetic limbs and receive medical and/or surgical care. We also provide the patient and his or her guardian room and board for the duration of convalescence.

Since 1997, we have endeavored to give back to children what has been so unfairly taken away. It is often impossible to fully restore the child’s physical condition, but with our help they can regain self-sufficiency and optimism for the future.

Not only do these children gain immeasurably from our organization, both physically and mentally, but they also stand as ambassadors for the United States, reflecting our nation’s generosity, ingenuity, freedom and opportunity.

We at the GMRF feel that it is our obligation as human beings to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to answering those tiny voices around the world whose faint cries call out for our help.

Moises and family from El Salvador

And the organization’s history from the Razoo article by Jennifer Haupt:

Elissa Montanti launched GMRF in 1996, after learning of a 12-year-old Bosnian boy, Kenan, Malkic, who had lost his two arms and leg to a landmine. She helped him to get the prosthetic limbs he needed, and became very close with the child through the years. Kenan is now a 26-year-old web designer living in the US, and helps Montanti to run GMRF…

Since 2004, Montanti has brought more than 50 other children from Iraq, the tsunami earthquake (Indonesia), the Pakistan earthquake, Nepal, China, Bosnia, Kosovo, Niger, Liberia and other war-torn countries to the U.S. GMRF is the only organization that not only brings children here for prosthetic limbs, but is committed to bringing them back for new limb fittings as they grow until age 21. To date, Montanti has helped nearly 90 children through her organization.

You can support GMRF by donating directly on its site or through Razoo. These are the children currently waiting on operations.
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And finally, photo spam. Something from Graph Jam and Pixadus.

What do you think?

Should the U.S. be actively seeking nuclear disarmament by reducing its own nuclear arsenal? Are we leaving ourselves more vulnerable if we eliminate all nuclear weapons? Is it worth finding new forms of defense in order to ensure that we avoid nuclear war?

Quote of the Day

“The prettiest girls in the world live in Des Moines.” – Jack Kerouac

Fredagens sol lyser med sin frånvaro och min bil är full av fågelbaaaajs! och inte hinner jag tvätta den heller, jag har ett par timmar på mig att städa lägenheten för emmas skull innan jag börjar jobbet (klockan 12) oh innan det ska jag hinna försöka hitta något nytt klädesplagg att bära!stressigt stressigt!

EMMA OCH JAG TOG HÄ OM DAGEN FARVÄL AV KÄRA VLADMIR “SUSHI” PUTIN. RIP

Can you resist this face?

Can we have a little more love for the small, cuddly creatures that inhabit nature’s watery wilderness?

As a girl with a golden retriever and three kittens, I found this article to be of top importance. (DO NOT click if gory sights make your stomach flip.) In “Russia Bans Hunting of Baby Harp Seals,” we learn that following Vladimir Putin’s public criticism of the “bloody industry” known as seal hunting, Russia’s Ecology Ministry has banned the practice. Here’s a quote from the Russian Ecology Minister, Yuri Trutnev:

“The bloody sight of the hunting of seals, the slaughter of these defenceless animals, which you cannot even call a real hunt, is banned in our country, just as well as in most developed countries. This is a serious step to protect the biodiversity of the Russian Federation.”

Russia’s harp seal count, which a decade ago was at about 300,000, has dropped to 200,000 due to their savage hunting and to the diminishing Arctic Ice in the White Sea Region (where a good chunk of the Russian population can be found).

While Russia may have banned the practice of hunting baby seals under the age of one, Namibia, Greenland, Sweden, Finland, and Canada, to name a few, are still hunting carelessly, The Guardian reports. Canada? Our neighbors?? Boo Canada! Apparently, they are the biggest hunters of harp seals. The hunting season is set to kick off at the end of this month. To boot, the Canadian government upped the ante by raising the kill quota to 280,000 seals this season, which is up by 10,000 since 2007!

Cooler than Andre 3000.

Anyone else find it a tragedy that these people who literally live right next door can not be persuaded to stabilize the Arctic ecology? Didn’t anyone else see the 1994 classic, Andre? (Not a harp seal, and also not the point.) There aren’t even markets for seal products and these critters are completely indefensible.

Worse yet, they not only kill these seals but abuse them in the process. Canadian hunters have been known to club the creatures repeatedly before dragging them across the ice by hook, often while they are still alive. They even skin them alive, according to IFAW. And 95 percent of the pups are only days or weeks old. 

There is a silver lining. Senator Harb met with IFAW to create a landmark bill looking to STOP the cruelty and the killing once and for all. He is looking for 200,000 e-mails of support - one for every seal expected to be killed this year – to prove to the Canadian Senate that the people are done with this sadistic behavior. Start by filling out this short survey and you too can support the Senator’s campaign. 

If you want to help fight the Canadian slaughter of seals, contact IFAW or visit Harpseals.org, a non-profit that is desperately trying to stop the brutality. Something this criminal should most definitely be a crime.

Yours, The Green Gamine

Aside from the fact that Russian bears at the Moscow Zoo really were not hibernating because of the lack of snowfall in Moscow, Russia seems to be gaining headlines for other “more serious” reasons (at least where the Europeans are concerned). In a show of power, the Russian government shut down natural gas lines running through the Ukraine, which cut off natural gas supplies to much of Eastern and Central Europe. According to Russia the government the Ukraine was “stealing Russian gas destined for Europe.” The BBC has been reporting on this, and says that since Wednesday, when the pipelines were shut down, European countries like Serbia, that run almost exclusively on gas from Russia, had been severely affected.

Apparently though, Russian and the European Union have signed an agreement that will secure the flow of gas to Europe. The only catch is that the Ukraine has to sign the agreement. But since the relationship between Russia and them have deteriorated so, I wonder if they will sign the agreement (a bit of posturing for face saving is in order here). Maybe under the weight of the European Union the Ukraine will come round and sign the agreement, thus opening up the flow of gas from Russia.

This growl by Russia just underscores why we need alternate fuel sources. How can Europe be at the mercy of Russia? It’s like The United States and oil from The Middle East. We are addicted like a junkie to heroin. Use natural gas, but don’t be a slave to it.

This is not the first time Russia has done this, and Prime Minister Vladmir Putin has asserted that the days of cheap natural gas are over. He is obviously laying the rhetoric for more gas wars with the Ukraine, Europe, and the rest of the world; agreement or no agreement.

I wonder when the growl of the Russian bear will be actively heard in the United States? And how will the U.S. government respond to such growls because this Russian bear’s growl comes with a pretty stunting bite…this is no cub we’re dealing with. Beware.

Peace

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/06/world/europe/06prexy.html?ex=1338782400&en=cb1551982a5019d4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

After reading the article highlighted above, I began to think very deeply about the state of affairs between Russia and the US.

Back in June, at a conference on democracy in Prague, President George Bush spoke in Czernin Palace. This was in front of 17 nations with their advocates for democracy present. He spoke about moral imperatives and presented his case for freedom. More notably however, and sticking to topic, he summarily linked Russia with China with respects to their human rights practices, or lack thereof . Bush probably didn’t make Russian President Vladimir Putin feel especially ingratiated. My sources tell me that Putin has since moved Bush out of his “Top Ten” Myspace friends.

This tension between the two superpowers has been brewing for more than two years. It was only yesterday it seems, when Vladimir was visiting Bush at his ranch in Texas and all was going so well. So well, in fact that Bush then made the misappropriating, unintentionally satirical comment about looking into Putin’s eyes and seeing his soul. While this was just Bush, well….being Bush, it did appear that they were warming to each other.

But as this summit in Prague reminded the world, things have since then chilled coolly. Currently they are attacking each other wherever they may go. It’s kind of like nuclear Rosie vs nuclear Donald Trump. Bush has firmly stated that he is concerned with Russia’s commitment to freedom and democracy. Putin’s response is usually measured, candid, and goes along the lines of ” mind your business” Mr. U.S. President, you are not the boss of me!!

The plans by the US Defense Department to build a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic has much to do with it. Although not the power it was at the height of Cold War USSR, Russia is still more than capable militarily. They do not take lightly a renewed interest by the US to ignite tensions by slighting their own interests in the region.

Putin also knows very well the low poll approvals of Bush in the US, due to fallout from the sustained occupation of Iraq, and failure to stimulate the economy. He responds to Bush with his own jabs about the US President’s own crisis both home and abroad.

So where is all this leading? Is Russia going back to the bad habits of KGB hardliners? How do the Russian people feel about all of this? How should the average Joe feel about Russia?

To get my answers I decided to interview a former Professor who is considered an expert in Russian politics. Professor Jasper Sumner teaches a Russian politics/political science class at IUPUI. He has written thesis papers on the subject and is a well respected opinion on post-communist Russia. I e-mailed him and explained my subject matter for this blog. He agreed to take a few minutes to be interviewed.

Thanks for meeting with me Professor Sumner, I really appreciate your time…I guess my first question is a simple one. Is Russia friend or foe?

(chuckle) I would say that the American, I guess foreign policy apparatus, probably does not know what to make of Russia, from a cultural stand point. If you’re talking about the American people, I think a lot of people see Russia as a foe. You see, there is this distrust, borne from cultural misunderstanding of Russian history, present and past. Now, if you ask government and foreign policy elites in power positions, there is evidence of both [trust and mistrust]. Only here they hope its not right, and there are probably some in elite circles who think that is accomplish able[to be allies]. Although,probably more in the next administration given the time constraints of the current [one].But the everyday American? Probably misunderstood as a foe.

Yeah. I don’t mean to attack people for not knowing more, I just feel like it’s our personal responsibility to enlighten ourselves about the world around us. I mean do you really think Bill or Ted from Indiana has any true understanding of Russia both politically and militarily?

No. I doubt that they do, I think a lot[are ignorant of Russian matters] due to the kind of media exposure that Russia has had in our mainstream, particular the type of coverage that the Kremlin gets for its policies are usually not good in American media circles. I think a great example of that was back during the spring semester when I was teaching my Russian politics course. During the semester there was a sort of five or ten minute story on, I believe the nightly news, talking about how Russia is rolling back the democratic process. Which is kind of true, to some extent, more importantly it showed Putin in as negative a light as possible, it showed him very militaristic, doing martial arts [chuckles}, wearing dark sunglasses, looking like a spy. And they linked him with the rise of the FSB, [which is] kind of a carryover of the KGB, of the old Soviet Union. Most of this is somewhat distorted by some in the US media.

Well, it does appear, from my readings that Russia isn’t taking to the Democracy as well as it could. Or is that our perception? What is going on over there?

(Sighs) Boy. There’s a lot going on. I guess the highlights are that certainly, Putin has rolled back certain elements of Russia’s fledgling democracy, no question about that. Also I guess the big debate going on right now [regarding Putin] is whether or not he’s going to change the 1993 Constitution. The constitution limits the Russian presidency and he is coming to the end of his term [as president]. There has been some suggestion that he would tinker with or outright change elements of it to allow him to stay in power indefinitely. Which would really set a difficult precedent for a young democracy to survive.

I think that’s a major concern in the west, particularly the United States…however, honestly I don’t think that’s going to happen. I don’t feel that’s the real issue here. The issue I think that is playing out right now, that’s important, and I may be completely wrong about this, is Putin’s actions regarding executive power. Not unlike his predecessors, Yeltsin and Gorbachev before the collapse of the Soviet Union, all three leaders did quite a bit to the constitution to increase presidential or executive power, at the expense of judicial or legislative power. He obviously wants to be in a power position post-presidency? So how does he become a strong ex-president and sort of lurk behind the scenes and influence the next president if he reconstructs the constitution.

That would make any new president so powerful he would not need, or desire a Vladimir Putin shadow. So how will he pull that off? How will he be a powerful political figure and have that influence? To me that will be the most important part of political tension to play itself out over the next few months, into the New Year. Because constitutionally, what would make the next president listen or be influenced by Putin?

Are the Russian people, as far as Putin’s expansion of presidential powers,–Are people concerned about it there? Is it endorsed broadly? How do they feel in a fledgling democracy?

That’s a fantastic question!! And the short answer to that would be something along the lines of …clearly we are talking about something [Russian democracy] that hasn’t had a tremendous amount time to take root, culturally, institutionally or otherwise. We’re also talking about something that doesn’t have a historical precedent to build on if that makes sense, there have been moments in the past, but they are few and far between. Certainly there has been a Russian democratic movement and Russian liberals throughout their history, so not to say that they haven’t won the day [during brief periods]. It’s just been few and far in between in their history. For the most part it’s been this very autocratic, conservative regime, the czarist period, Romanov Dynasty, and what ultimately happened with the Bolsheviks and the Communists after 1917 that became authoritarian, autocratic.

Even recently there have been times when the liberals were more boisterous such as in the early nineties with Boris Yeltsin, and even Putin supporting democratic reforms early in his career. The greater part of Russia’s history has been of conservatives. That is the backdrop. Now there are Russian liberals, a minority, whom are pro-western, who do not like the scaling back of democracy, who want to see the reforms continue? However, if you look at the numbers, the polls, Putin’s approval ratings are astronomical!! They are the envy of the west. Leaders like Gordon Brown [British Prime Minister }or the former Prime Minister Tony Blair, or George Bush, they could never imagine those types of ratings!! That tells you something important about the Russian people. Overwhelmingly they prefer a strong leader as opposed to democratic reforms. Remember the oligarchs, the wealthy Russian liberals who owned businesses in the nineties? They made a killing financially and bought political influence in Peters burg and Moscow, more particularly in Moscow.

Obviously this was not cherished or liked in any meaningful sense, so the Russian people equate the liberals with that and their own weakening on the world stage. They link the reforms and democracy to chaos, a fear that has always been apart of the Russian experience. They seem to have said “ We’ve done all this liberal reform…. and look where it got us?” So when it comes down between pro-western, democratic reform and a strong leader. The polls speak to the latter, to the strong leader.

So what is the most important thing to watch over in Russia right now regarding all of this, in a capsule?

I’ll leave you with this, because it’s important. Putin has sort of made a trade-off with the Russian people. He’s basically saying… I’ll grow the economy, I’ll make a strong Russia, you people stay out of the politics. I’ll make us strong economically again, but stay out of the business of the Kremlin. It’s a cultural trade-off. They are in effect saying, “You want wealth and western quality of life, stay out of our affairs”. Let us do our job.

Some might argue that the Bush administration has expanded their powers to the detriment of the American people, in the name of security for its people. Is there a parallel there?

I’ve heard that. I’ve definitely heard that type of argument. It’s not to the extent that we see in Russia, but yes I’ve heard that sentiment. It’s interesting because some of the wrangling between Bush and Putin over the summer, kind of where this recent tension stems from, and what it speaks to leads down that road. In responding to the US and Western Europe, who critique him for rolling back the political progress, he [Putin] is very quick to point out to them their own political maneuverings. The European Union has been criticized for many years for letting un-elected elites, not representatives of the people, have power positions and influence over London, Madrid, Berlin, Brussels, etc.

And Putin points the finger right back at them, asking “ who are you to say something about me?” He does the same thing with the Bush administration regarding their recent attempts to broaden executive power. He more interestingly points to not just that administration, but goes back a half-century to America’s presidents. He comments on how they historically increased executive power at the expense of power for the people, or elitist democracy as opposed to popular democracy.

We’ll just have to see how these tensions affect the dealings between Russia and Europe, and the US. It should be interesting and definitely bears watching. Not to mention the importance of Russia’s oil and gas reserves. Russia is flirting with being one of the top five economies in the world, just years removed from an economic recession. It all depends on how they spend their so-called petrol dollars, if they reinvest in their infrastructure, or diversify their economy. So logically, if they do not reinvest or parlay that oil wealth…Russia could be in dire straits. Which bears watching indeed……

Jasper Sumner joined the Department of Political Science in 2006. He primarily teaches political theory, comparative politics, and occasional courses in Marxist theory and Russian politics. His research interests include the role of ideas in political economy and the welfare state, political culture, identity politics, and European politics. Jasper has presented professional papers at national conferences such as the Midwest Political Science Association and the Southwestern Social Science Association.

Jasper lives in the Blue River Valley with his wife, Natalie.

As we settle in for a bit of hot chocolate, twinkling lights and a blazing yule log, I thought it might be appropriate to consider some of the Christmas songs that became popular in 2008:

Santa Claus is Seeking a Bailout
“You better watch out, he’s caught in the red, the elves are on strike,
holiday sales are bout dead. . . Santa Claus is seeking a bailout”

Grandma Got Runover by Foreclosure
“Grandma got runover by foreclosure, tried to refi her interest only loan.
Now she can’t afford to buy her groceries, and she’s reduced to skin and bones.”

Jingle ‘Bama Rock
“Jingle bam, jingle bam jingle Obama,
jingle the white house, jingle the congress,
snowin’ and blowin’ the left and the right,
he’s leading down the center line”

Away in a Motown -
“Away in a Motown, no funds to go on, the big 3 automakers can no longer press on.
They fly to DC in their private jets to beg. The 3 auto CEO’s seek millions today.”

We wish you a Czarist Russia -
“Oh, bring back Vladmir Putin, oh bring back Vladmir Putin,
he’s still our leader anyway and mother Russia loves him.”

I Saw Bin Laden Just Last Ramadan
I saw Bin Laden just last Ramadan,
Laughing at our U.S. intelligence,
He hides beneath the mountains, of northern Pakistan,
He lives inside a big cave, with lots of his henchmen.

Please add your 2008 Christmas favorites in the comments section.

Russia amends treason law, allowing for a much wider interpretation, and removes trial by jury for treason cases. Considering sanctions against journalists.  Masked agents raid human rights organization, taking twenty years of research.

Source: FrontPage Magazine

Russian President Dmitri Medevedev: “The state bureaucracy is governed by the same distrust of personal freedoms as it was 20 years ago. That logic is pushing it towards dangerous conclusions and dangerous actions.”

By Stephen Brown

It was an act of Soviet repression in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Memorial, a leading Russian human rights organization dedicated to keeping alive the memory of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin’s victims and to investigating political persecution in the former Soviet Union, had its St. Petersburg offices raided recently. Acting on a spurious accusation by the Prosecutors Office, masked security agents stormed the internationally acclaimed group’s premises, seizing computer hard drives containing 20 years of work documenting Soviet crimes.

But while Stalin would have disliked the absence of arrests of those documenting his crimes, that may soon change. Almost simultaneous with the Memorial raid, new legislation was submitted to Russia’s parliament, the Duma, that reflects a return to Russia’s sinister, communist past. Concerning a new amendment on the treason law, critics fear the bill will broaden the law’s definition so much it will be used against anti-government dissenters.

According to Russian political analyst, Yevgeny Kiselyov, under the old treason definition one had to commit “a hostile act” that damaged “the external security” of the state to be charged. In the current amendment, the words “hostile” and “external” have been removed. With the words “act” and “security” now standing alone, critics say this allows for a much wider interpretation of the law. Also included as a traitor in the new bill is anyone who renders “financial, technical, consultative or other assistance to a foreign state, international or foreign organizations or their representatives in their activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation…”

Due to this loose definition, some believe the state may now even interpret the new treason legislation any way it pleases, much like in Soviet times. It is suspected the new measure is also meant to curb Russians’ dealings with foreigners, especially with journalists. Contact with foreigners was strictly prohibited in the Soviet era. Even before the new amendment, Russians, especially scientists, had experienced legal difficulties regarding what is considered elsewhere as normal exchanges with foreign colleagues.

Also indicative that a political climate already existed for the new legislation was a recent announcement by the Prosecutors Office in Yekaterinburg that it is considering “sanctions” against journalists who have written about Russia’s current economic troubles. According to the Prosecutors Office, the press, one of the foundations of a democratic society, is actually part of the problem since it is “contributing to the panic.”

The treason amendment, which has passed the Duma’s lower house, is not the only legislation causing Russian human rights activists concern. The Duma also voted recently to ban jury trials on charges of treason and terrorism in favour of a panel of judges. Such charges include “involvement in armed units, violent seizure of power, armed rebellion and mass riots.” Jury trials disappeared in Russia after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, but were restored in 1993.

Some believe the Russian government is pushing the anti-treason legislation at this point in time because it is preparing for any civil disorders that may arise from the economic crisis sweeping the country. Russia’s is an energy-exporting economy which, one analyst said, relies on a $70 per barrel oil price to stay afloat. Currently at about $50, if the oil price ever dropped to $20 per barrel, there would be “a revolution.”

Although Prime Minister Putin’s popularity rating is high among Russians, much of it is due to the fact the people received a share of the oil riches the last eight years. If this wealth evaporates, and Russians again experience the economic hardships and disorders of the 1990s, then all bets could be off regarding social unrest.

Others believe Putin, a former KGB officer, is simply using the economic crisis to pass legislation to enhance his authority and that of his many former secret police colleagues in the government. They cite the fact that Putin rolled back democratic measures while president; and the latest anti-democratic measures are simply a continuation of this trend.

But the main reason for the new legislation, as well as the biggest obstacle to establishing a democratic order based on the rule of law in Russia, is that the general attitude regarding a free society has changed very little since Soviet times. Russian President Dimitri Medevedev alluded to this in an address to the nation last November when he said: “The state bureaucracy is governed by the same distrust of personal freedoms as it was 20 years ago. That logic is pushing it towards dangerous conclusions and dangerous actions.”

Just as responsible for this damaging attitude is that for decades after the 1917 Russian Revolution the Russian people saw those in power devising and using the law simply to further their own, sometimes murderous, ends. This immoral and twisted use of legal systems discredited and undermined any faith in them, both among the rulers and ruled. Under Soviet rule, the only law both learned, like in many totalitarian states, was that might is right, which is also the law code of the gangster world.

And these gangster values still persist today, as is evident in some Russian politicians’ use of language. According to one writer, the gangland term, “rubbed out”, was gaining “popularity in Russian politics” in 2006. Even Putin, Russia’s prime minister, was not averse to this trend. On national television, he warned a sick business owner, who missed a meeting and whose dealings Putin didn’t like, to get well soon “or we will have to send him a doctor to clean up all these problems.” And Andrei Lugovoy, a Duma member and former KGB officer accused of murdering a Putin critic in London with a radioactive substance, told a Spanish newspaper this month anyone seriously damaging the state “should be exterminated.”

Since Russia’s leaders have refused to explore and analyse the evil of their country’s Soviet past, it is not surprising some of its aspects are being repeated today. Ironically, the one organization, Memorial, that could have led the way in publicising Soviet crimes and leading the country back to a healthy political and economic life was itself “rubbed out.”

Russia amends treason law, allowing for a much wider interpretation, and removes trial by jury for treason cases. Considering sanctions against journalists.  Masked agents raid human rights organization, taking twenty years of research.

Source: FrontPage Magazine

Russian President Dmitri Medevedev: “The state bureaucracy is governed by the same distrust of personal freedoms as it was 20 years ago. That logic is pushing it towards dangerous conclusions and dangerous actions.”

By Stephen Brown

It was an act of Soviet repression in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Memorial, a leading Russian human rights organization dedicated to keeping alive the memory of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin’s victims and to investigating political persecution in the former Soviet Union, had its St. Petersburg offices raided recently. Acting on a spurious accusation by the Prosecutors Office, masked security agents stormed the internationally acclaimed group’s premises, seizing computer hard drives containing 20 years of work documenting Soviet crimes.

But while Stalin would have disliked the absence of arrests of those documenting his crimes, that may soon change. Almost simultaneous with the Memorial raid, new legislation was submitted to Russia’s parliament, the Duma, that reflects a return to Russia’s sinister, communist past. Concerning a new amendment on the treason law, critics fear the bill will broaden the law’s definition so much it will be used against anti-government dissenters.

According to Russian political analyst, Yevgeny Kiselyov, under the old treason definition one had to commit “a hostile act” that damaged “the external security” of the state to be charged. In the current amendment, the words “hostile” and “external” have been removed. With the words “act” and “security” now standing alone, critics say this allows for a much wider interpretation of the law. Also included as a traitor in the new bill is anyone who renders “financial, technical, consultative or other assistance to a foreign state, international or foreign organizations or their representatives in their activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation…”

Due to this loose definition, some believe the state may now even interpret the new treason legislation any way it pleases, much like in Soviet times. It is suspected the new measure is also meant to curb Russians’ dealings with foreigners, especially with journalists. Contact with foreigners was strictly prohibited in the Soviet era. Even before the new amendment, Russians, especially scientists, had experienced legal difficulties regarding what is considered elsewhere as normal exchanges with foreign colleagues.

Also indicative that a political climate already existed for the new legislation was a recent announcement by the Prosecutors Office in Yekaterinburg that it is considering “sanctions” against journalists who have written about Russia’s current economic troubles. According to the Prosecutors Office, the press, one of the foundations of a democratic society, is actually part of the problem since it is “contributing to the panic.”

The treason amendment, which has passed the Duma’s lower house, is not the only legislation causing Russian human rights activists concern. The Duma also voted recently to ban jury trials on charges of treason and terrorism in favour of a panel of judges. Such charges include “involvement in armed units, violent seizure of power, armed rebellion and mass riots.” Jury trials disappeared in Russia after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, but were restored in 1993.

Some believe the Russian government is pushing the anti-treason legislation at this point in time because it is preparing for any civil disorders that may arise from the economic crisis sweeping the country. Russia’s is an energy-exporting economy which, one analyst said, relies on a $70 per barrel oil price to stay afloat. Currently at about $50, if the oil price ever dropped to $20 per barrel, there would be “a revolution.”

Although Prime Minister Putin’s popularity rating is high among Russians, much of it is due to the fact the people received a share of the oil riches the last eight years. If this wealth evaporates, and Russians again experience the economic hardships and disorders of the 1990s, then all bets could be off regarding social unrest.

Others believe Putin, a former KGB officer, is simply using the economic crisis to pass legislation to enhance his authority and that of his many former secret police colleagues in the government. They cite the fact that Putin rolled back democratic measures while president; and the latest anti-democratic measures are simply a continuation of this trend.

But the main reason for the new legislation, as well as the biggest obstacle to establishing a democratic order based on the rule of law in Russia, is that the general attitude regarding a free society has changed very little since Soviet times. Russian President Dimitri Medevedev alluded to this in an address to the nation last November when he said: “The state bureaucracy is governed by the same distrust of personal freedoms as it was 20 years ago. That logic is pushing it towards dangerous conclusions and dangerous actions.”

Just as responsible for this damaging attitude is that for decades after the 1917 Russian Revolution the Russian people saw those in power devising and using the law simply to further their own, sometimes murderous, ends. This immoral and twisted use of legal systems discredited and undermined any faith in them, both among the rulers and ruled. Under Soviet rule, the only law both learned, like in many totalitarian states, was that might is right, which is also the law code of the gangster world.

And these gangster values still persist today, as is evident in some Russian politicians’ use of language. According to one writer, the gangland term, “rubbed out”, was gaining “popularity in Russian politics” in 2006. Even Putin, Russia’s prime minister, was not averse to this trend. On national television, he warned a sick business owner, who missed a meeting and whose dealings Putin didn’t like, to get well soon “or we will have to send him a doctor to clean up all these problems.” And Andrei Lugovoy, a Duma member and former KGB officer accused of murdering a Putin critic in London with a radioactive substance, told a Spanish newspaper this month anyone seriously damaging the state “should be exterminated.”

Since Russia’s leaders have refused to explore and analyse the evil of their country’s Soviet past, it is not surprising some of its aspects are being repeated today. Ironically, the one organization, Memorial, that could have led the way in publicising Soviet crimes and leading the country back to a healthy political and economic life was itself “rubbed out.”

Yeah thats right George McFu!ing Bush, cloning, super soldiers and Russia, not in any particular order. Advertising agency: Advico Young & Rubicam’s latest campaign for Sonntags Zeitung, is an plethora of eye candy, the question is what do the eyes tell your brain?

Sonntags Zeitung is a news network and publication I think in Germany? Anyhow it looks like they’re pushing the envelope with news reporting, advertising anyways!

I mean come on it doesn’t get any better then this, what a great concept… from cave man to super soldier!

Good ol boy Vladmir Putin has been getting a lot of crazy negative press lately, ever since he took his hunting/fishing trip and the pictures of him where leaked bare backing it… the press has been on him like glue!

I think musician Jamiroqui said it best in his song “Virtual Insanity”… oh yeah this cloning thing isn’t to far off I’ll bet you that. I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t already started cloning humans in Japan.

Truly,
Mr. Echo

Since it’s a holiday weekend, you don’t have to spend your Sunday catching up on homework. Why not use the extra time to do something for fun?  Bake some brownies, go for a run, or…learn judo!