A Long Winter

It snowed in Moscow today.  I mean, it really snowed; it was dumping out there.  The ground was too warm for the snow to accumulate, but a nice, slick sheen of ice was everywhere afterwards, reminding everyone that Moscow indeed has a long winter.

A Long Winter by Stephen Datz

This winter, Moscow's first snow was on 13 October 2010.  If today's snow proves to be the last of the season (a doubtful speculation), then the winter shall have been 168 days long.

In case you need to be reminded of it, the year only has 365 days.  This only leaves 197 days for the remaining 3 seasons.

Russian Site Aims to Expose State Corruption - NYTimes.com

Russian Site Aims to Expose State Corruption - NYTimes.com

I wrote about Aleksei Navalny on 8 March. Sunday's New York Times has a featured article on the gentleman.

Here is a more ominous passage from the article:

The chief executive of Transneft, Nikolai Tokarev, a veteran of the Soviet K.G.B., has suggested that Mr. Navalny is a shill for the Central Intelligence Agency, ordered to smear the reputations of important Russian companies. 

Nothing has followed from these charges so far. Mr. Navalny, though, became so unnerved that he gave his wife a list of phone numbers to call if he disappeared — other lawyers, journalists and opposition politicians. 

“They could arrest me at any moment,” Mr. Navalny explained

Earth Hour 2011 | Earth Hour 2010 before and after images | Moscow, Russia

Earth Hour 2011 | Earth Hour 2010 before and after images | Moscow, Russia

The article is not terribly interesting, but the slider feature is not bad. More importantly, the picture will give you a decent view of one of the numerous nice views of the Moscow night.

The big building in the picture of one of the Seven Sisters.

Russia's regional elections: Attack of the clones | The Economist

Russia's regional elections: Attack of the clones | The Economist

It is Spring, Happy New Year

It is 4:21 pm on 20 March 2011.  It is now officially spring.

It is also Norouz, or the Persian new year.  Happy new year.

The Persian New Year is not just for Persians; it is celebrated by peoples in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Albania, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia (the one next to Armenia), Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Kurdish territories, and of course in Iran.

One of the celebratory emblems of Norouz is the Haftsin spread.  Haftsin includes seven elements, all of which start with the Persian letter s (س).  These elements symbolize rejuvenation, affluence, love, health, patience, sunrise, and medicine (I cannot figure out the last one - but it is health-related I suppose).

For those who are tracking, this spring marks the Persian year of 1389 (۱۳۸۹).  Happy Norouz to all.

Sex(y) Sells

Being in downtown Moscow is being in a thriving European city.  Downtown is pedestrian friendly and replete with small shops, boutiques, and restaurants.

Within two city blocks of my house, you will find dozens of restaurants, convenient stores, bars, specialty goods stores, and boutiques selling high-end gifts and clothing.  In the past year that I have lived in my neighborhood, I have noticed that there is high turnover.  These shops and restaurants go out of business quickly; and just as quickly, they are replaced by another with a different business model (hats off to capitalistic experimentation).

There has been one constant, however.  While shoe stores, coat boutiques, restaurants, and parfumeries all have come and gone, the women's sexy underwear store - appropriately named Agent Provocateur -  has been going resolutely steady.

Covers the Rent, If Not Much of Anything Else

From what I observe from outward appearance, Russian women are a sexy bunch.  From what is apparent from commerce patterns, that sexiness runs through and through.

It Must Be Love

A female staff member in the office recently had a freak workout accident on the treadmill.  The result was visible bruises and scars on her face, arm, and hand.

Two days later, as she was riding on the metro on her way to work, a babushka consoled her by saying "if he beats you, then he loves you."

I have heard that in pre-revolutionary times, it was commonplace for good Russian husbands to "discipline" their wives and show their "love" (wife beating was probably far more common in the US around the same time).  But, I wonder, if there is something deeper at play in the Russian psyche.

Russians are a remarkably patient and resilient people.  They put up with all sorts of abuse in all sorts of places - the kind that would break an American's spirit in any social quarter and lead to a new revolution and the dissolution of the country.  Yet, Russians manage to keep it together; they keep their chins up, and trot ahead as their country plods forward with uncertainty while being abused by gangs of robber barrons.

From Russia, With Love

It must be love.

Washington Post Editorial on Mr. Biden's Moscow Visit

In Mr. Biden's Moscow visit, a welcome mention of rights

Lack of Transparency: The Endangered Journalist

Russia is purported to be one of the deadliest countries for journalists.  This is a problem, least for the journalists who practice their profession inside this country.  The greatest problem is for Russians.

Former Russian Journalist, Now Safer in the North Pole

A free press is an essential pillar of a functioning democracy.  By reporting information, journalists arm citizens with the knowledge needed to guide the affairs of state through collective action (also known as voting, referenda , lobbying, etc.).  Journalists create transparency.  With transparency, individuals can make the best decision for themselves.  Through democratic action (and proper protection of minority rights), individuals create a stronger state - one that serves them and hopefully future generations for better outcomes than otherwise would be possible.

The problem with intimidating journalists that happen to report on the wrong topic (such as a new highway construction) is that it creates  a stinking funk of something that needs to be hidden.  If all was as it was supposed to be, no one would get beaten or killed. In other words, either a law or a long-standing social contract was being violated - and that violation needed to stay out of sight.

Laws may be unfair (I disagree with many US and California laws), but that unfairness should be open to public examination and subject to a process of public debate and change - if needed and as needed.  The lack of respect for the legal institution creates a two-tiered society, where one class is above the law and operates with impunity and the other who is subjected to the legal code on an ad hoc basis mainly for subjugation.  In the long term, this two-class system undermines the state and makes life worse for everyone.  Conversely, respect for law and the democratic process enhances the standing of the state and makes it a better and more favorable for everyone involved.

Russia is an incredible country with an enormous potential.  It it home to some of the best educated people on the planet with a deep culture of creativity and innovation.  It also is one of the richest country - if not the richest - on Earth, when measured by natural resources.

Broken Journalism, Broken Information Pipe

By allowing journalists to operate freely, Russian citizens can get a better picture of where their country is and where it is heading.  Armed with that information, Russians can make the best decision for themselves as to how they should forge their state in the twenty-first century and beyond.  Without the service of the journalists and the information they provide, the average Russian is subject to being robbed of his future, both literally and figuratively.

And Next On The Death List

Alexei Navalny is a popular Russian blogger.  He cleverly exposes government corruption through court action or instigating investigations where there are foul smells of governmental malfeasance.

For instance, he has exposed multiple instances of petty Russian officials' penchant to purchase very expensive luxury cars (like an armored Audi A8L) where a more modest and reliable vehicle (like a Ford Fusion) would have been more than plenty.

Hero, Maybe Martyr

Unfortunately, Russia has a disposition to kill its investigative journalists for relatively trivial exposés.  Mr. Navalny is not a journalist; he is a public activist.  But his mission puts him the crosshairs of harm's way.

His best defense may be his popularity and the fact that he could be more dangerous dead than alive.  The question then becomes what to do with a living Mr. Navalny:  Let him continue his crusade or buy him off?