Well I see the ghastly old gnomes of the International Olympic Committee want everyone to know it's safe to attend the Winter Games in Sochi. So please don't even think of boycotting them.Because they won't be The Hate Games.Even if you're gay. Read more »
Continue readingTag: Russia
Cowichan Conversations: Edward Snowden Allowed Into Russia Weeks After Outing Himself as the NSA Leaker
The National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden has been given permission leave the Moscow airport where he has been stranded for over a month. Snowden applied for… Read More
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Contemplating A Trip To Russia?
You might want to consider these pictures before you make your decision. H/t Antonia Zerbisias Recommend this Post
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Syria – Is there nothing we can do?
In the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, as the world collectively tried to parse the abhorrent barbarism and purposelessness that had occurred, a new foreign policy doctrine was proposed: liberal interventionism. It was a policy that advocated for military intervention by the powerful west in situations where the humanitarian crisis was
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Bolivian President Evo Morales Plane Diverted Under US Pressure
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger We are experiencing a time where bizarre is the new norm. Bolivia’s President Evo Morales flight home from a Russian visit was detained, stalled, diverted. Some say he was kidnapped at the direction and pressure from the United States government. This international event was lamely justified by saying that
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: WikiLeaks: Suspected Snowden Plane Grounded & Embassy Bugged
Assange blasted Obama today for lying about his government’s interest in capturing Edward Snowden, the celebrated whistle-blower who exposed Obama’s administration as spying on all Americans (and the rest of the world). The plane of the Bolivian president was denied flight into previously friendly countries and diverted to Austria for
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Edward Snowden Flees Hong Kong for Russia
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden- Hero or Traitor? Here is an update from Democracy NowU.S. Files Espionage Charges The exact whereabouts of National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden are unknown after he reportedly left Hong Kong and landed in Moscow on Sunday. His flight came just days after the United States
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Smuggled samples from Syria test positive for sarin claim UK, France
According to a Guardian report “medical samples smuggled out of Syria have tested positive for the nerve agent sarin.“: The Foreign Office confirmed that body fluids collected from victims of one or more attacks in the country were found to contain a chemical fingerprint of sarin at the Ministry of
Continue readingChadwick's Blog & Commentary: Rasputin: Two Perspectives
Perhaps no character stands out in pre-Revolution Russia as much as that of Grigory Rasputin. He was influential, enigmatic, charismatic, secretive, held no office, yet had enormous influence on the events and people of the era. How could a barely … Continue reading →
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: How The US Used Pussy Riot And You Liked It
Why were you outraged over Russia locking up Pussy Riot but ambivalent over America bringing its full weight down on open access activist Aaron Swartz? Simple, because hating a Russian government is easier than improving your own. When Russian punk band Pussy Riot received 2 years for “hooliganism motivated by
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Russian Dash-cameras
The meteor strike last week made more people realize the prevalence of dash-cams in Russia. I’d seen shocking vehicle footage on YouTube before, one of a brick flying from a truck and killing a passenger in a car going the other way. The Guardian put together an assortment of unusual
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Russian Meteorite Injures People – UPDATED
Shocking, exciting news from Russia early this morning as coincidentally [maybe] on the same day a major 50m asteroid is set to fly by Earth, a meteorite has struck Russia. Reports are that there are injuries, which have been very rare for meteorite impacts until now. The camera person nearly
Continue readingArt Threat: Pussy Riot member denied appeal by Russian court
A Russian court has turned down an appeal by jailed Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina, who has requested to serve the remainder of her prison sentence in the future when her 5-year-old son turns 14. She had argued that their separation has damaging his development. Amnesty International criticized the ruling.
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Russia Goes After American Pop Divas
Less than a year ago, the Russian city of St. Petersburg passed a law banning “homosexual propaganda,” with expected hysterical results. From equal rights marches to rainbows on milk cartons, no one seems to be safe from the accusing eyes of the ruling United Russia party in their search for
Continue readingArt Threat: Pussy Riot videos banned by Russian court
A Moscow court has ordered Russian internet providers to block videos by Pussy Riot, calling them “extremist” and seeking to incite “mass disorder”.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Arms Race Update – Russian Lasers in Space
The Americans spent about 16-years trying to perfect an aerial laser system capable of taking down income ballistic missiles. Russia is now pursuing what it calls space laser counter-measures.The Russians are after a more modest target.&nbs…
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Undemocratic impulses? Who ya gonna call? Not Jimmy Carter!
When it comes to ensuring the integrity of foreign elections, take it from Alberta Diary, Jimmy Carter is outstanding in the field. Below: Alberta MP Linda Duncan and Ukrainian President Viktor F. Yanukovich. By the sound of it, the international observers of Sunday’s Ukrainian parliamentary elections did manage to catch
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Russian Anti-Gay Lobby Warns About Gay Milk
Other countries take note. If you enact crazy anti-gay laws forbidding any positive portrayals of homosexuality, here’s what you can expect to happen: A popular brand of milk is being accused of illegally promoting homosexuality in St-Petersburg, Russia. The milk, a PepsiCo-owned brand, features a jolly dairy farmer, standing in a lovely
Continue readingAlberta Diary: None dare call it treason: Jeffrey Delisle’s secret sale and Stephen Harper’s secret treaty
Harper in China: Not likely to be an opera any time soon. Below: Sir Alec Guinness as George Smiley, where is our Smiley now that we really need him? Sub-Lieut. Jeffrey Delisle, as himself; Sir John Harington. Is it only me that sees a certain irony in the fact a
Continue readingdrive-by planet: St Petersburg cartoon ‘tools’ guide for migrant workers called insulting
A cartoon style “advice” guide for migrants in St Petersburg, Russia, has attracted a lot of criticism. The guide has the title Labour Migrant’s Reference Book and according to Russia Today (RT) was published on the St Petersburg government’s website. The guide is available in Russian, Kyrgyz, Tajik and Uzbek.
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