Archive for February, 2008
Posted on February 29, 2008 - by Venik
Western Journalists in Russia: Dazed and Confused
I just finished reading AP’s “Putin is leaving presidency, but Putinism is now Russia’s political orthodoxy” (Associated Press, 2008-Feb-29). It is truly amazing how little Western journalists know about Russia’s politics, economy and history. It is equally surprising how perverted the concept of democracy has become in its American interpretation. Apparently, when a government leader [...]
Posted on February 25, 2008 - by Venik
BBC Looking for Kosovo Compromise
In its latest news report on Kosovo – Russia weighs options on Kosovo – BBC is wondering how Russia may respond to Kosovo’s declaration of independence. Russia is clearly weighing up its options. It must balance its desire to maintain reasonably cordial relations with its business partners in Europe with its new assertiveness abroad… In [...]
Posted on February 23, 2008 - by Venik
Russia’s Threat of Military Intervention in Kosovo
As I predicted (see Russia’s Kosovo Options post on Feb. 15), Russia’s response to Kosovo’s declaration of independence is spilling outside the usual diplomatic channels. The latest BBC headline reads “Russia could use force in Kosovo”. Russia’s ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin told journalists that “Russia does not exclude the possibility of a military intervention [...]
Posted on February 22, 2008 - by Venik
Journalistic Standards in Russia
While the overall quality of reporting in the Russian media is gradually improving following a complete collapse of journalistic standards during the Yeltsin era, Russia’s online news agencies continue to consider accuracy optional and to take liberty with facts. One of the most common problems in Russian media – both printed and electronic – is [...]
Posted on February 20, 2008 - by Venik
Freedom of Information in Russia
I find it annoying when I hear some BBC reporter talk about “government-controlled” media in Russia (as if BBC wasn’t government controlled). Just as media in any other country, Russian media is regulated – not controlled – by the government. Quality of work of Russian journalists is another matter altogether, but this problem has nothing [...]
Posted on February 17, 2008 - by Venik
Space Arms Race is Coming
The US decided to shoot down its own old spy satellite before it crashes into Earth. The official reason: the satellite contains about a ton of toxic fuel. Very few take this explanation seriously. In the entire history of the space age not a single human being has been hurt by the falling man-made space [...]
Posted on February 16, 2008 - by Venik
Shooting Back at College Bureaucracy
So why are American college students shooting each other? Well, the quick answer is: because they have guns. It’s actually pretty difficult to shoot someone if you don’t have a gun. The Second Amendment guarantees us the right to bear arms. The amendment was ratified in 1791 when the best gun around was a tripod-mounted, [...]
Posted on February 15, 2008 - by Venik
Russia’s Kosovo Options
An interesting opinion about Russia’s options regarding the Kosovo situation was published by Reuters in their “Russia’s options limited for Kosovo retaliation” (Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:34am EST). Fyodr Lukyanov, editor of the respected journal Russia in Global Affairs, believe that Russia’s immediate response to the expected proclamation of independence by Kosovo will be limited [...]
Posted on February 15, 2008 - by Venik
Kosovo Quagmire, Round Two
Western media is in a rush to point out that Russia’s support of Serbia on the issue of Kosovo is a result of cultural ties between the two countries, as well as Russia’s desire to regain its influence in international politics. Russia’s failure to protect Serbia from aggression by NATO in 1999 was a humiliating [...]
Posted on February 3, 2008 - by Venik
RIAA Offers to Self-Incriminate
An interesting timeline of the RIAA crusade against its customers has been published by P2PNet. In the face of continuing decline in music sales, RIAA and its members persist with their worn-out business models. RIAA excretes thousands of lawsuits against college students and senior citizens, war veterans and single mothers, teenagers and their grandparents – [...]
