Sunday, November 10, 2019
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Friday, October 5, 2018
Saturday, March 25, 2017
How One Historian Views American Politics
Bill Maher was covered over at RawStory as he hosted Yale historian Timothy Snyder who talked about his new book Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century. If you don't want to link to RawStory or Bill Maher I have a YouTube link from a C-SPAN interview below as Blogger doesn't support VIDME embedding, the video format used by the RawStory post. But you should watch them both as it gives a much better picture of what prof. Snyder is most likely trying to convey. From RawStory:
1) Don't obey in advance,..“don’t follow what everyone else is doing… figure out what you stand for and be yourself.”
2) Defend institutions. Many anticipate that “the institution will save us” but Snyder said that this kind of thinking is wrong. “We have to save the institutions. They don’t do it on their own. This is the moment of ‘ask not what the institutions can do for you. Ask what you can do for the institutions.'”
3) Believe in the truth. “Without truth, we don’t have trust. Without trust, we don’t have the rule of law. Without the rule of law, we don’t have democracy.”
And the books table of contents from C-SPAN wherein they discuss #17 in some detail:
I guess you should just purchase the book.
But none of this is rocket science unless you are living in an alternate reality where whatever you want to believe in is a fact. Because you want it to be, a fact. It's very much like thinking that the organic disrupting power of electricity above a certain voltage & current will stop your heart. It's a cool edgy position until you are forced to test the theory. Then you are dead.
There is nothing shocking being discussed here unless you are living in one of the two bubbles that dominate the discussion. The right, or the left. There are subtle nuances to the two party reality which count not at all. ALL of the positioning is occurring within the two parties, not outside.
1) Don't obey in advance,..“don’t follow what everyone else is doing… figure out what you stand for and be yourself.”
2) Defend institutions. Many anticipate that “the institution will save us” but Snyder said that this kind of thinking is wrong. “We have to save the institutions. They don’t do it on their own. This is the moment of ‘ask not what the institutions can do for you. Ask what you can do for the institutions.'”
3) Believe in the truth. “Without truth, we don’t have trust. Without trust, we don’t have the rule of law. Without the rule of law, we don’t have democracy.”
And the books table of contents from C-SPAN wherein they discuss #17 in some detail:
1. Do not
obey in advance. 17
2. Defend
institutions. 22
3. Beware
the one-party state. 26
4. Take responsibility
for the face of the world. 32
5. Remember
professional ethics. 38
6. Be wary
of paramilitaries. 42
7. Be
reflective if you must be armed. 47
8. Stand
out. 51
9. Be kind
to our language. 59
10. Believe
in truth. 65
11.
Investigate. 72
12. Make
eye contact and small talk. 81
13.
Practice corporeal politics. 83
14.
Establish a private life. 87
15.
Contribute to good causes. 92
16. Learn
from peers in other countries. 95
17. Listen
for dangerous words. 99
18. Be calm
when the unthinkable arrives. 103
19. Be a
patriot. 111
20. Be as
courageous as you can. 119
I guess you should just purchase the book.
But none of this is rocket science unless you are living in an alternate reality where whatever you want to believe in is a fact. Because you want it to be, a fact. It's very much like thinking that the organic disrupting power of electricity above a certain voltage & current will stop your heart. It's a cool edgy position until you are forced to test the theory. Then you are dead.
There is nothing shocking being discussed here unless you are living in one of the two bubbles that dominate the discussion. The right, or the left. There are subtle nuances to the two party reality which count not at all. ALL of the positioning is occurring within the two parties, not outside.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Edgars Goes To Washington
As the Kerry fluff tour of Latvia ends we are now informed that the foreign ministers of the three Baltic states will meet with US Sec. of State Rex Tillerson in Washington March 28 to discuss, among other things one hopes, the strengthening of NATO which we can safely assume is a non-starter. I doubt even staying in a Trump hotel and spending bigly at the bar will get them anywhere.
Tillerson after all no doubt following express direction from the orange child monster POTUS has blown off the first meeting of NATO and will rather pointedly be visiting Russia instead. That is a thumb in the eye even though it is now being reported that an alternative date for a meeting with NATO may be found. The message is clear and completely in line with President Donald Trumps oft stated contempt for the organization.
A word of advice to all three ministers. Don't mention President Obama. The US commitment of troops and equipment in Europe you are seeing right now is an Obama initiative and not easily reversible. If Trump could roll it back he would.
But good luck anyway.
Tillerson after all no doubt following express direction from the orange child monster POTUS has blown off the first meeting of NATO and will rather pointedly be visiting Russia instead. That is a thumb in the eye even though it is now being reported that an alternative date for a meeting with NATO may be found. The message is clear and completely in line with President Donald Trumps oft stated contempt for the organization.
A word of advice to all three ministers. Don't mention President Obama. The US commitment of troops and equipment in Europe you are seeing right now is an Obama initiative and not easily reversible. If Trump could roll it back he would.
But good luck anyway.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Russian Bots Drive The News
The latest over at Rawstory is that Breitbart and Infowars are under investigation for ties to Russia.
Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as "bots," to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.
The bots' end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said.
Sputnik News was banned in Latvia one year ago by Latvia's domain registry which was promptly sidestepped when Sputnik adopted a .com url. Just recently Sputnik was dealt another blow:
On 1 March, Sputnik Estonia reported receiving a letter from the Baltic News Service (BNS) announcing the unilateral termination of a contract for news delivery. A similar letter was received by Sputnik Latvia from Latvian news agency LETA, informing its Russian counterpart that all services would be terminated from 1 March.
Sputnik News has been very vocal in it's coverage of the annual March 16 Legionnaires march painting it with lurid prose as a Waffen SS tribute march which is invariably picked up by lazy media. Sputnik News is also generally acknowledged along with RT as Kremlin propaganda tools. In collusion with these state organs is Julian Assange and WikiLeaks which was responsible for the Snowden NSA document dump and the Podesta email dump. A trifecta of dumps when you factor in the DNC hack.
Bots, fake news, hacks. All parts of the new war, cyberwar. And make no mistake! Russia is at war with us.
EDIT: I just read the Speigel Online interview with German Intelligence Chief Bruno Kahl. His response to the question of whether WikiLeaks is partially controlled by the Russians.
Kahl: It is, at the very least, rather conspicuous that the propaganda I have just described reaches the public through three channels: the television channel RT, the website Sputnik and the whistleblowing platform WikiLeaks.
Operatives for Russia appear to have strategically timed the computer commands, known as "bots," to blitz social media with links to the pro-Trump stories at times when the billionaire businessman was on the defensive in his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton, these sources said.
The bots' end products were largely millions of Twitter and Facebook posts carrying links to stories on conservative internet sites such as Breitbart News and InfoWars, as well as on the Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News, the sources said.
Sputnik News was banned in Latvia one year ago by Latvia's domain registry which was promptly sidestepped when Sputnik adopted a .com url. Just recently Sputnik was dealt another blow:
On 1 March, Sputnik Estonia reported receiving a letter from the Baltic News Service (BNS) announcing the unilateral termination of a contract for news delivery. A similar letter was received by Sputnik Latvia from Latvian news agency LETA, informing its Russian counterpart that all services would be terminated from 1 March.
Sputnik News has been very vocal in it's coverage of the annual March 16 Legionnaires march painting it with lurid prose as a Waffen SS tribute march which is invariably picked up by lazy media. Sputnik News is also generally acknowledged along with RT as Kremlin propaganda tools. In collusion with these state organs is Julian Assange and WikiLeaks which was responsible for the Snowden NSA document dump and the Podesta email dump. A trifecta of dumps when you factor in the DNC hack.
Bots, fake news, hacks. All parts of the new war, cyberwar. And make no mistake! Russia is at war with us.
EDIT: I just read the Speigel Online interview with German Intelligence Chief Bruno Kahl. His response to the question of whether WikiLeaks is partially controlled by the Russians.
Kahl: It is, at the very least, rather conspicuous that the propaganda I have just described reaches the public through three channels: the television channel RT, the website Sputnik and the whistleblowing platform WikiLeaks.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Poor Putin, Poor Russia
How galling it must be to be anointed a God in human form and if not then certainly a Grand Chess Master without parallel. A Machiavellian leader sitting astride the resurgent Russian State wearing the gleaming armor of righteousness provided by his old chum Patriarch Kirill. Adored by ovulating women. Admired, bigly, by all real men. Rich beyond rich, corrupt beyond corrupt staining everyone around him, and all the while producing one misfire after another. A wobbly path that leads to his currently being mired up to his neck in the upcoming Trumpian turdnato that he has, almost certainly, without much doubt helped create.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin's accomplishments are legion! He barely missed his calling as a taxi driver and through a series of lucky breaks and murder became President of the Russian Federation and rode a surging resource based economy into the hearts of his countrymen and women while doing absolutely nothing at all to modernize or diversify it and instead setting up a Kleptocracy with himself as the Godfather overseeing a massive brain drain and capital flight that continues. Blew up a couple of apartment blocks of innocent families along the way. Brazenly killed off his enemies at an appalling rate both at home and abroad, the ones he couldn't be bothered to feed to his servile judiciary which stocks his mini-gulag. Corralled the Oligarchs for future disposal. Burned Chechnya, slapped down Georgia, annexed Crimea and set up Ukraine for failed state status by starting a war and promoting anything and anyone who could bring down the EU. We're still not sure how Syria is going to end but I would bet dollars to donuts that it will sink Russia further all the while being hailed as a master stroke of asymmetrical warfare by a canny opponent with limited resources.
That's why Putin is considered a "strong" leader even though he has actually failed at everything he has tried to do. He is seen as having given the Russian people their pride back. He has lifted them off their knees and handed them the tools to "Make Russia Great Again!" And he has shown them that the only way to do that is to drag down everyone else. To disrupt, corrupt, and burn the world if that's what it takes.
But he appears to have very seriously overreached himself when he meddled in the American election which resulted in the man child Trump. This will be his undoing. One can only imagine the feeling of contempt that Putin would have for someone like Donald Trump but to have invested so much into this mentally ill puff bag just to end up watching the slow motion collapse of what was to be his greatest triumph must sting. Because eventually all of Donald's dirty laundry will be hung out on the line for public viewing and Putin's visage will be there just like the Shroud of Turin and Americans will finally have had enough of Russia's meddling. They may be divided right now but as Putin knows nothing will pull together a society like a shared enemy. And Russia is about to become that enemy.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin's accomplishments are legion! He barely missed his calling as a taxi driver and through a series of lucky breaks and murder became President of the Russian Federation and rode a surging resource based economy into the hearts of his countrymen and women while doing absolutely nothing at all to modernize or diversify it and instead setting up a Kleptocracy with himself as the Godfather overseeing a massive brain drain and capital flight that continues. Blew up a couple of apartment blocks of innocent families along the way. Brazenly killed off his enemies at an appalling rate both at home and abroad, the ones he couldn't be bothered to feed to his servile judiciary which stocks his mini-gulag. Corralled the Oligarchs for future disposal. Burned Chechnya, slapped down Georgia, annexed Crimea and set up Ukraine for failed state status by starting a war and promoting anything and anyone who could bring down the EU. We're still not sure how Syria is going to end but I would bet dollars to donuts that it will sink Russia further all the while being hailed as a master stroke of asymmetrical warfare by a canny opponent with limited resources.
That's why Putin is considered a "strong" leader even though he has actually failed at everything he has tried to do. He is seen as having given the Russian people their pride back. He has lifted them off their knees and handed them the tools to "Make Russia Great Again!" And he has shown them that the only way to do that is to drag down everyone else. To disrupt, corrupt, and burn the world if that's what it takes.
But he appears to have very seriously overreached himself when he meddled in the American election which resulted in the man child Trump. This will be his undoing. One can only imagine the feeling of contempt that Putin would have for someone like Donald Trump but to have invested so much into this mentally ill puff bag just to end up watching the slow motion collapse of what was to be his greatest triumph must sting. Because eventually all of Donald's dirty laundry will be hung out on the line for public viewing and Putin's visage will be there just like the Shroud of Turin and Americans will finally have had enough of Russia's meddling. They may be divided right now but as Putin knows nothing will pull together a society like a shared enemy. And Russia is about to become that enemy.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Is LinkedIn About To Be Blocked In Russia?
...and what does this mean for other internet companies as almost none of them follow the law as regards keeping servers in Russia? As Russian membership represents only 1.25% of LinkedIn's user base how will they respond?
Роскомнадзор собрался добиться блокировкисоциальной сети LinkedIn
22:13, 25
октября 2016
Надежный
источник
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roskomnadzor going to achieve blocking social network LinkedIn
Kommersant 22:
13, 25 October 2016
Nadezhny source
Roskomnadzor going to achieve blocking
social network LinkedIn. The department argued that the company does not store
the personal data of Russians in Russia, as provided by law.
As it turned out October 25, 2016, in
August of this year, the Tagansky court agreed with the Roskomnadzor that
LinkedIn should be blocked. Now the sides are preparing for the appeal. As
stated in the RNS Roskomnadzor, a meeting of the Moscow City Court will be held
on 11 November.
Because LinkedIn has no official representation in Russia,
Roskomnadzor asked for access to the network restriction in court.
→ Kommersant
LinkedIn is a social network designed for
business networking and job search. In it hundreds of millions of people are
registered, including five million Russians.
In accordance with the amendments to the
law "On Personal Data", which act from September 1, 2015, all
companies that handle personal data of Russians who should keep this
information in Russia.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Donald Trump Likes Pussy
American politics. What a show! Even as the Putin caravan of penis envy continues to provoke conflict everywhere that might conceivably bring it up against US interests it is still eclipsed by America's preoccupation with being entertained by an orange monster so thoroughly despicable as to defy description.
Donald Trump was born for one reason and one reason only and that was to run for President of the United States as the Republican nominee in 2016 and by doing so drag America's face through a bag of hammers. Lady Liberty is going to wake up from this party with smeared mascara and a split lip.
But will he make it? His act is so outrageous he may not survive to the finish line on November 8 being replaced by Mike Pence in a last minute hail Mary by an imploding GOP. Realistically (HA, does not apply here) I don't think that will happen. I think The Donald will pull one final act of pure crazy and simply walk away from the whole thing at the very last minute after declaring it "rigged against me."
Not likely you say? The man is remarkably thin skinned and doesn't seem to think anything he does or says can negatively impact his brand. He's 70 after all and has been in character for a long time, maybe he just doesn't care what he leaves behind. I wonder what his feral kids think about that?
EDIT: Added...at the very last minute...
Donald Trump was born for one reason and one reason only and that was to run for President of the United States as the Republican nominee in 2016 and by doing so drag America's face through a bag of hammers. Lady Liberty is going to wake up from this party with smeared mascara and a split lip.
But will he make it? His act is so outrageous he may not survive to the finish line on November 8 being replaced by Mike Pence in a last minute hail Mary by an imploding GOP. Realistically (HA, does not apply here) I don't think that will happen. I think The Donald will pull one final act of pure crazy and simply walk away from the whole thing at the very last minute after declaring it "rigged against me."
Not likely you say? The man is remarkably thin skinned and doesn't seem to think anything he does or says can negatively impact his brand. He's 70 after all and has been in character for a long time, maybe he just doesn't care what he leaves behind. I wonder what his feral kids think about that?
EDIT: Added...at the very last minute...
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Give It Up, VVP In Da House!
As much as I try to find exciting subjects in my locale that interest and directly affect me I keep getting side tracked by the ongoing antics of the international political class and it's commercial media. While there are many doomed and pitiful leaders that amuse daily, I am instead constantly directed to hyper active and surprisingly effective Doctor of Jurisprudence, international evil villian extraordinaire, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. I am usually not too surprised by the acts attributed to the Kremlin because I acknowledge the high level of Putin's conflict generating apparatus even at the expense of his citizens who he professes to represent but clearly cares not a wit about. Can you imagine what he could achieve if he were to be constructive? I am just deeply embarrassed that they can pull off even half of the acts attributed to them given the condition of the Russian Federation and the combined forces aligned against them. The West/EU has become flabby and it just goes to show that shiny toys and platitudes from fickle politicians won't carry the day against a dedicated enemy. As if that should surprise anyone! A thinking person would give credit where credit is due. So, well done Mr. Putin. You have become everyones bogeyman which I am sure serves many different agendas but most importantly, your own.
Living in a Baltic State you could forgive me for obsessing about Putin but we consider him a hot local issue and a real danger in spite of the Kremlin's attention currently being directed elsewhere in it's pursuit of Empire. You just have to listen to the ethnic Russians voice their support and feel their anticipation. Listen to the local Russian language news channels and the perpetual outrage conveyed therein, count the pro Putin tee-shirts, Saint George ribbons, Russian flags, Putin cell phone covers, Russian Federation automobile license plates, note the superior attitudes and denigrating conversations when out and about on the beach in Jurmala, on public transport or in the shops and cafe's, etc. But now Putin has even injected himself into the greatest shit show on earth, the US Presidential race. I'm speaking about the Hillary Clinton email hack if you haven't been keeping up. The Kremlins involvement is far from a fact at this point in time but you have to admit the circumstantial evidence is starting to pile up and it would be irresponsible on our part not to speculate.
Not to be outdone by competition for the gaze of the masses the psycotically narcissistic Trump in his usual damn the torpedoes style has climbed over Putin in an attempt to reclaim the ever moving spotlight and inadvertedly (or more likely not really caring in his crack head single minded promotion of "The Donald") removed any doubt that he is a Putin apologist and more. By actually inviting Russia to get involved in a presidential race he has in the minds of many committed an act of treason.
The thing that all of this has in common is Putin's involvement real or imagined. Since Russia is actually at war with the West and has been for quite some time I would opine that it is more real than imagined. Call it an asymetrical non-shooting war or whatever makes you feel good but when everything is weaponized war it is.
I hate to bring it up but you Mr. Trump are hardly unique in your man love of Mr. Putin and must join a long and varied list of fellow apologists and sycophants ranging from the far left to the far right and the evangelicals, all of whom hate the current system and think that they and they alone in true fascist style could do better.
A short list off the top of my head:
pretty much anyone at Opednews or Alternet ;)
Living in a Baltic State you could forgive me for obsessing about Putin but we consider him a hot local issue and a real danger in spite of the Kremlin's attention currently being directed elsewhere in it's pursuit of Empire. You just have to listen to the ethnic Russians voice their support and feel their anticipation. Listen to the local Russian language news channels and the perpetual outrage conveyed therein, count the pro Putin tee-shirts, Saint George ribbons, Russian flags, Putin cell phone covers, Russian Federation automobile license plates, note the superior attitudes and denigrating conversations when out and about on the beach in Jurmala, on public transport or in the shops and cafe's, etc. But now Putin has even injected himself into the greatest shit show on earth, the US Presidential race. I'm speaking about the Hillary Clinton email hack if you haven't been keeping up. The Kremlins involvement is far from a fact at this point in time but you have to admit the circumstantial evidence is starting to pile up and it would be irresponsible on our part not to speculate.
Not to be outdone by competition for the gaze of the masses the psycotically narcissistic Trump in his usual damn the torpedoes style has climbed over Putin in an attempt to reclaim the ever moving spotlight and inadvertedly (or more likely not really caring in his crack head single minded promotion of "The Donald") removed any doubt that he is a Putin apologist and more. By actually inviting Russia to get involved in a presidential race he has in the minds of many committed an act of treason.
The thing that all of this has in common is Putin's involvement real or imagined. Since Russia is actually at war with the West and has been for quite some time I would opine that it is more real than imagined. Call it an asymetrical non-shooting war or whatever makes you feel good but when everything is weaponized war it is.
I hate to bring it up but you Mr. Trump are hardly unique in your man love of Mr. Putin and must join a long and varied list of fellow apologists and sycophants ranging from the far left to the far right and the evangelicals, all of whom hate the current system and think that they and they alone in true fascist style could do better.
A short list off the top of my head:
pretty much anyone at Opednews or Alternet ;)
Australia;
Tom Switzer, a journalist and lecturer at Sydney University
America;
Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif, Putin arm
wrestler.
John Mearsheimer, a professor at the University of Chicago
Stephen F. Cohen is
professor emeritus of Russian studies, history, and politics at New York
University and Princeton University
Sen. Amy
Klobuchar Minnesota secretary of state
Gilbert
Doctorow, a like-minded Brussels-based
U.S. expatriate and self-styled “professional
Russia-watcher,” has had a long career in multinational business as well as
scholarship and punditry.
James Carden, the formerNational Interest columnist who is now editor of
ACEWA’s website.
Robert Parry (Consortium News)
Italy;
half the country
Germany;
former chancellor of the
SPD, Helmut Schmidt
former chancellor,
Gerhard Schröder
Philipp Missfelder, the
foreign affairs spokesman for the parliamentary group of Chancellor Angela
Merkel's conservatives
German feminist
intellectual leader Alice Schwarzer
Armin Laschet, who heads
Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in the populous state of North
Rhine-Westphalia, has even warned against anti-Putin populism
Gregor Gysi, the head of
the Left Party and former head of the successor party to East Germany's
communists which preceded the Left Party
Left Party. Gysi's party
ally, deputy chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht
conservative
politician Alexander Gauland as well, if he were still in parliament. Gauland
spent many years as an influential politician with Merkel's conservative CDU.
Today he's a senior official with the euro-critical, conservative, Alternative
for Germany party (AFD).
Klaus von Dohnanyi would
question the inviolability of European borders. Dohnanyi is a conservative
Social Democrat and enjoys widespread respect among CDU politicians as well. He
is the personification of Germany's political center.
German
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has said the European Union should
phase out sanctions against
Russia. Steinmeier has also criticized NATO military exercises in Eastern
Europe,calling
them "warmongering."
Britain;
Liam
Halligan, author of a weekly Economics Agenda column in The Sunday Telegraph.
He has lived in Russia and between 2007 and 2013 was Chief Economist at
Prosperity Capital Management - the world’s largest asset-management company
that specialises in Russia/CIS investments.
Alastair Crooke, former
MI6 agent http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/spy-who-loved-hamas-and-hezbollah-and-iran
Austria;
Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has also called for a phasing
out of sanctions and for the EU to improve
relations with Russia.
Canada;
University of Ottawa Russian Studies
professor Paul Robinson
And on and on it goes. Feel free to add to that list or submit that someone should be removed and why you think so.
Why is it that so many westerners fall for the Kremlin propaganda and blame Russia's bad behaviour on NATO or western leaders various and sundry? It is clear that Putin made a calculation a long time ago that to achieve and maintain power he was going to have to build a cult of personality that criminaly cannabalized itself while he blamed his inability to drag Russia into the modern world on the west or the EU or whoever was convenient on any particular day. Drag down the enemy at any cost so Russia and Putin's shortcomings are not so readily apparent.
Look long down that road you apologists are travelling and don't be surprised at what comes your way when it finally hits the fan because you will be on record. Looking long and hard at you Mr. Trump.
<EDIT> Add to the list one Michael Flynn – former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Trump flunky http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michael-flynn-trump-classified-briefing_us_57b3939fe4b0edfa80da28ca?
<EDIT> Add to the list one Michael Flynn – former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Trump flunky http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michael-flynn-trump-classified-briefing_us_57b3939fe4b0edfa80da28ca?
Friday, July 8, 2016
Four Sites Calling For Boycotting Russian Elections Blocked
Russian state censor blocks 4 political websites for calling on voters to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections
Russia's government censor, Roskomnadzor, has blocked four political websites on the grounds that they published calls to boycott the country's parliamentary elections this September.
“In addition to calling on citizens to boycott the elections, the Web resources facilitated the coordinating activities of citizens organizing protests to be held in violation of civil statutes,” Roskomnadzor announced in an official statement, saying its actions are a response to orders from the Attorney General's Office.
Roskomnadzor's press release does not specify which four websites it blocked.
Activities to organize disruptions of elections in the lower house of parliament undermine the constitutional foundation of the Russian Federation, according to which the highest direct expression of authority of the multinational people of Russia is referenda and free elections.
http://www.newsru.com/russia/08jul2016/block.html
Роскомнадзор заблокировал четыре сайта,
призывавшие бойкотировать выборы в Госдуму
|
||||||||||
Роскомнадзор заблокировал четыре сайта, на которых
были размещены призывы бойкотировать выборы в Государственную Думу,
намеченные на сентябрь 2016 года. Названия ресурсов в сообщении ведомства о
блокировке не приводятся.
С требованием ограничить доступ к сайтам в
Роскомнадзор обратилась Генпрокуратура РФ. "Указанные в требовании
публикации содержат материалы агитационного характера с целью
популяризировать среди населения России идею бойкота выборов в
Государственную Думу Российской Федерации", - сообщает пресс-служба ведомства.
Помимо призывов к бойкоту выборов в Госдуму VII
созыва на заблокированных сайтах "осуществлялась координация действий
граждан по организации протестных акций, проводимых с нарушением
установленного порядка", говорится в сообщении Роскомнадзора.
Указанные в требовании Генпрокуратуры ссылки
включены в единый реестр запрещенной информации, отметили в ведомстве. С двух
интернет-ресурсов к моменту написания заметки противоправная информация была
удалена. Доступ к двум другим сайтам блокируется операторами связи.
В Роскомнадзоре предупредили, что, в соответствии с
требованием Генпрокуратуры, ведомство проводит мониторинг распространения
указанной информации в интернете. "В случае копирования противоправной
информации на других сайтах, они также будут включены в реестр, доступ к ним
будет ограничен", - подчеркивается в пресс-релизе.
Кроме того, в Роскомнадзоре отметили, что
"деятельность по организации срыва выборов в нижнюю палату парламента
подрывает основы конституционного строя РФ, согласно которым высшим
непосредственным выражением власти многонационального народа РФ являются
референдум и свободные выборы". О том, что высшим непосредственным
выражением власти народа являются референдум и свободные выборы, говорится в
статье 3 Конституции РФ.
Двумя днями ранее председатель Центризбиркома РФ
Элла Памфилова сообщила, что 24 из 74 российских партий, имеющих право
участвовать в выборах, уведомили ЦИК о проведении своих предвыборных съездов.
Глава комитета напомнила, что в полночь 13 июля завершается первый этап
избирательной кампании: партии, выдвинувшие федеральные списки кандидатов и
списки кандидатов по одномандатным избирательным округам, должны представить
их в ЦИК России, сообщило РИА "Новости". По
данным ТАСС, первой партией, чей предвыборный список был заверен
Центризбиркомом, стала ЛДПР.
Выборы в Госдуму седьмого созыва состоятся в единый
день голосования 18 сентября. Впервые после долгого перерыва они проводятся
по смешанной системе: 225 депутатов будут избираться по партийным спискам,
225 - по одномандатным округам. Одновременно в 39 субъектах пройдут выборы
депутатов региональных законодательных собраний, в семи субъектах - прямые
выборы губернаторов и глав республик.
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Saturday, June 25, 2016
Brexit, A Stroke Of Incredible Idiocy. Or Just Brits Having A Stroke?
Two recent events which have awoken me to the precarious state of affairs in this part of the world, as if I needed any more examples.
Now I have always had a good chuckle watching Nigel Farage chew up the pompous blowhards in the European Parliament as he has a vicious tongue and it is a real joy to observe it used against parasitic bureaucrats, but the man is a dangerous idiot. As is that lumbering bag of cottage cheese ex-mayor of London Boris Johnson. I woke up yesterday to discover to my absolute amazement that these two cretins had actually convinced 52% of the UK voters to vote for Brexit, this after going to sleep peacefully the previous evening having being informed by the exit polls that Remain held the lead and all was well. Even Nigel Farage had forelornly admitted things were not going his way. I have come to the conclusion that polls are for dogs.
The UK has had a day to reflect upon the consequences of this vote and eyebrows are starting to twitch and noses curl at the can of worms that has been opened. What have we learned?
Attempting a spectactular save the idea is now being floated by some that the referendum is not legally binding and is just a suggestion requiring further negotiation. Infinite negotiations. The Danes have had eight referendums on very specific questions regarding the EU after all. And this is why Jean-Claude Juncker and pretty much everyone else in a EU leadership position are saying clearly and loudly that it's a shame you voted to leave but get it over with and lets move on. You have two years.
Well done lads, well done.
<EDIT> Now they want a 2nd referendum. 2.5 million sign a petition to redo the thing.
- First was the recent vote in Russia's State Duma regarding ultra-conservative Irina Yarovaya's anti terrorism bill which is a hugely repressive bill that should have all Russians feeling the fear. But it's what was stripped from the bill that is the eye opener and promises that there is more to come in future. From the link:
Revoking people's citizenship. Before the second reading of the legislation, Yarovaya and her coauthors proposed various grounds for revoking Russians' citizenship. This would have applied in several circumstances, including anyone convicted of terrorist or extremist crimes, and even Russians who cooperated with certain kinds of international organizations.
Revoking people's right to leave the country. The legislation's first reading also proposed banning foreign travel for anyone who received an “official warning” regarding “the inadmissibility of illegal actions committed.” This would have applied extrajudicially. For the second reading, lawmakers changed the amendment, proposing foreign travel restrictions only on Russians with outstanding or unexpunged convictions for certain crimes (namely, terrorism and extremism). In the end, the State Duma decided to drop these reforms altogether.
Why these amendments appeared in the legislation after its first reading and disappeared on the eve of the second reading remains unknown.
If you aren't a Russian living/working abroad You probably won't see how dangerous these two amendments were, but trust me. It's bad.- The second is the Brexit win in the UK's referendum.
Now I have always had a good chuckle watching Nigel Farage chew up the pompous blowhards in the European Parliament as he has a vicious tongue and it is a real joy to observe it used against parasitic bureaucrats, but the man is a dangerous idiot. As is that lumbering bag of cottage cheese ex-mayor of London Boris Johnson. I woke up yesterday to discover to my absolute amazement that these two cretins had actually convinced 52% of the UK voters to vote for Brexit, this after going to sleep peacefully the previous evening having being informed by the exit polls that Remain held the lead and all was well. Even Nigel Farage had forelornly admitted things were not going his way. I have come to the conclusion that polls are for dogs.
The UK has had a day to reflect upon the consequences of this vote and eyebrows are starting to twitch and noses curl at the can of worms that has been opened. What have we learned?
- Well, to no ones surprise far right leaders across Europe are now clamouring for their own referendums. From the Netherlands Geert Wilders, Hungary's Victor Orban to Frances Kremlin financed Marine Le Pen. Soon to come Austria, Italy, Greece... everyone else? Putin is rolling around on the flying deck of one of his yachts off shore of one of his palaces Silvio Berlusconi helped him purchase rubbing his hands together at the self-destruction he is witnessing. "Sanctions, what are these sanctions of which you speak?" Followed by insane laughter as he peels off his shirt and leaps into the Med to wrestle a Bull shark.
- The UK is by no means uniform in it's desire to leave which is normal enough. But since the UK is cobbled together in a rather messy fashion it should surprise no one that Scotland wants to stay in the EU and to accomplish this now wants it's second referendum on leaving the UK, Ireland is talking about reunification between North & South meaning, well who knows? London wants to be a city-state remaining in the EU. New desires are manifesting themselves by the minute.
- Taking the prize for short sightedness Cornwall which voted Brexit expects the subsidies it used to get from the EU development fund to now be financed by the British taxpayers. Between 2007 and 2013 alone, the region received 654 million euros (512 million pounds) in subsidies, with an additional 604 million euros planned by 2020. That's just Cornwall!
- And it's hard not to note how society has been split by this issue, this referendum result. This poorly conceived power play by David Cameron. Old and young, regions and cities, political parties. Yes, quite a mess that will now have to be cleaned up, but by who?
Attempting a spectactular save the idea is now being floated by some that the referendum is not legally binding and is just a suggestion requiring further negotiation. Infinite negotiations. The Danes have had eight referendums on very specific questions regarding the EU after all. And this is why Jean-Claude Juncker and pretty much everyone else in a EU leadership position are saying clearly and loudly that it's a shame you voted to leave but get it over with and lets move on. You have two years.
Well done lads, well done.
<EDIT> Now they want a 2nd referendum. 2.5 million sign a petition to redo the thing.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Latvian Independence Day 2016
Best thoughts go out to Latvia on it's 26th Declaration of Independence Day on this sunny spring May 4th morning. As of July 2, 2015 it is no longer mandatory to fly the flag on residential property as it was found by the constitutional court to be (wait for it) unconstitutional. Previous to this a fine of 40 Euro was applied to those who did not comply of which there were some 248 fines levied in Riga alone for 2014. Even though some fine citizens felt that not forcing folks to honour the national symbol of the countries flag would cause a general erosion of civil society after some years here I have observed no decrease in flag flying, waving, wearing or what have you on this day since the court made it's ruling because one faces some pressure from ones neighbors to comply and this is no small thing in such a small conservative country as Latvia. We aren't even citizens but Mrs. TRex & I have a tiny one in our window. Just to be safe.
So let your freak flag fly today Latvia! Just play safe if you know what I mean, and I think that you do. ;)
So let your freak flag fly today Latvia! Just play safe if you know what I mean, and I think that you do. ;)
Friday, January 1, 2016
Always Twirling Twirling Towards Freedom.
I cannot stand it anymore. I am tired of lurking around the comment sections of other blogs picking at the crumbs which fall from thier table. If I want to debase myself publically I should have enough self-respect to be in total control. Of my debasement. In public. The Twitter is a quick 140 character fix for what ails me but like crack you are loading the pipe for the next hit even before you've peaked from the previous one.
And while I haven't gained any more credability than I had before I've come to grips with the fact that no one else has any eigther. It's a mark of our times.
So I figure it's just easier to fire up the old blog and start this horrible year off with as little effort as I can muster, because mark my words. It is going to be a horrible year.
And while I haven't gained any more credability than I had before I've come to grips with the fact that no one else has any eigther. It's a mark of our times.
So I figure it's just easier to fire up the old blog and start this horrible year off with as little effort as I can muster, because mark my words. It is going to be a horrible year.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Moving Onwards
This is my last post on this site which I shall retire as opposed to delete because I think the links in the side bar are still worthy, as long as they stay up. I previously deleted a Russian site which I regret as many informative posts were lost, informative to a very small & select crowd I will admit but there was a lot of pictures and narrative covering my experiences from 2004 onward in Moscow. Marriage. Family. Love.
When I have it together, using either ELLO or WordPress I will post a follow up link on this site so those who care to continue following can do so. My twitter linked to this site will stay active as it takes little effort and given the political situation may be be worthy. And as always we never really leave, we still have a flat in Moscow & will always have a financial connection to Latvia, that's just life.
I have spent around 9 years in Latvia. I have few good things to say so I will say nothing. Good luck Latvia, you will need it.
Onwards!
When I have it together, using either ELLO or WordPress I will post a follow up link on this site so those who care to continue following can do so. My twitter linked to this site will stay active as it takes little effort and given the political situation may be be worthy. And as always we never really leave, we still have a flat in Moscow & will always have a financial connection to Latvia, that's just life.
I have spent around 9 years in Latvia. I have few good things to say so I will say nothing. Good luck Latvia, you will need it.
Onwards!
Monday, January 12, 2015
Justice Chases Viktor Yanukovych?
One would hope so! I always wondered if Interpol was worth anything. Maybe we can get Henry Kissinger, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz & Donald Rumsfeld on that list!
Interpol Declares Ousted Ukrainian Leader Yanukovych a Wanted Man
KIEV — Interpol has put ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on the international wanted list on Ukrainian charges of embezzlement and financial wrong-doing, according to a notice on the international police organization's website on Monday.
Ukrainian authorities said Interpol's publication of a so-called red notice against the 64-year-old Yanukovych, who has been living in Russia since being ousted by street protests almost a year ago, empowered any police force to hand him over to Ukraine if he was detained.
In Moscow, the Russian Interfax news agency quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying Russia was unlikely to grant any request to extradite Yanukovych to Ukraine.
"Today, several months after Ukraine sent a request to Interpol in March 2014 with the arguments and explanations prepared by the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor General's Office and the Security Service of Ukraine, an Interpol special commission has come to a decision," Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on his Facebook page.
Yanukovych fled across the border into Russia in February last year after months of street protests in Kiev against his decision to back away from a deal that would take Ukraine towards integration with Europe and tighten economic ties with Russia, Ukraine's old Soviet master.
The pro-Western authorities who took over have accused him and a coterie of relatives and close allies, known as The Family, of accumulating huge wealth by robbing state coffers and plundering national assets through corrupt deals.
Yanukovych has denied that he or members of his family were involved in corruption.
After he fled, Russia said Yanukovych had been the victim of a "fascist" coup and went on to annex Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
In confrontation with Kiev's pro-Western leadership, it has supported separatists in Ukraine's industrialized east in a conflict in which more than 4,700 people have been killed, though Moscow denies its forces have been involved in fighting.
Interpol Declares Ousted Ukrainian Leader Yanukovych a Wanted Man
Ukrainian authorities said Interpol's publication of a so-called red notice against the 64-year-old Yanukovych, who has been living in Russia since being ousted by street protests almost a year ago, empowered any police force to hand him over to Ukraine if he was detained.
In Moscow, the Russian Interfax news agency quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying Russia was unlikely to grant any request to extradite Yanukovych to Ukraine.
"Today, several months after Ukraine sent a request to Interpol in March 2014 with the arguments and explanations prepared by the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor General's Office and the Security Service of Ukraine, an Interpol special commission has come to a decision," Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on his Facebook page.
Yanukovych fled across the border into Russia in February last year after months of street protests in Kiev against his decision to back away from a deal that would take Ukraine towards integration with Europe and tighten economic ties with Russia, Ukraine's old Soviet master.
The pro-Western authorities who took over have accused him and a coterie of relatives and close allies, known as The Family, of accumulating huge wealth by robbing state coffers and plundering national assets through corrupt deals.
Yanukovych has denied that he or members of his family were involved in corruption.
After he fled, Russia said Yanukovych had been the victim of a "fascist" coup and went on to annex Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
In confrontation with Kiev's pro-Western leadership, it has supported separatists in Ukraine's industrialized east in a conflict in which more than 4,700 people have been killed, though Moscow denies its forces have been involved in fighting.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Latvian Corruption Or Incompetence?
Just another example of Latvian corruption. I suppose some would call the following an example of incompetence but if the State Audit Office were to turn this over to KNAB for investigation I'm sure it would quickly reveal sticky fingers on the part of the administrators of these funds, half of which are from the EU. So don't laugh too hard, that's your taxes being spent. Of the ten municipalities audited only one (Liepaja) was deemed as having distributed funds properly. Pretty awesome by any metric one would care to apply!
"A poor family" owned apartments in Riga and Jurmala house with land
The audit examined 59 Sigulda families, of which the poverty status was granted to 39 families. Of these, 11 low-income families poverty status was deemed reasonable, but 24 families had no right to obtain such status.
The auditors found that families who had wrongly been given assistance failed to meet certain conditions to be taken into consideration for the granting of the status of poverty. For example, nine families in the audit owned a vehicle, two families owned shares in companies.
Three of the investigated families income exceeded the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations setting the level of low-income families to receive the poverty status. From these families for one person the municipality did not take into account income from operating activities and sale of real estate, as well as the Rural Support Service received subsidies for agriculture. One family a owned vehicle and real estate.
The poverty status was granted to the two families that owned the vehicle for more than three real estate and shares in companies. Furthermore, the level of family income in excess of the statutory order to get the status. One of these families owned two vehicles, five real estate, one of which is the apartment in the city center and the land with a house in Jurmala plus shares in two companies. Yet this family two months before acquiring the status of a needy family had sold two apartments in the center of Riga, gaining income of 192,087 euros.
What other recognized as needy family member was issued a loan of several tens of euros.
As reported, during the audit of ten municipalities of social assistance, the State Audit Office concluded that there is a drastic difference in social welfare policy. There are municipalities with quite easy to be poor personality, but there are also those in which such status is granted or at a set number of limitations status.
Also found that social services officials do not check what is the status of prayers level of income and material situation, thus allowing for the needy family status is granted to those who own without housing is still only six real estate or even a family owned nine vehicles.
I wonder if any of the recipients of these poverty assistance funds are sitting members of the Seima, it seems like too good a deal for them to pass up. ;)
"A poor family" owned apartments in Riga and Jurmala house with land
One of the richest "poor families" having received poverty assistance lives in Sigulda - owning apartments in Riga and a house in Jurmala according to the State Audit Office's audit results for the provision of social assistance policies.
The auditors found that families who had wrongly been given assistance failed to meet certain conditions to be taken into consideration for the granting of the status of poverty. For example, nine families in the audit owned a vehicle, two families owned shares in companies.
Three of the investigated families income exceeded the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations setting the level of low-income families to receive the poverty status. From these families for one person the municipality did not take into account income from operating activities and sale of real estate, as well as the Rural Support Service received subsidies for agriculture. One family a owned vehicle and real estate.
The poverty status was granted to the two families that owned the vehicle for more than three real estate and shares in companies. Furthermore, the level of family income in excess of the statutory order to get the status. One of these families owned two vehicles, five real estate, one of which is the apartment in the city center and the land with a house in Jurmala plus shares in two companies. Yet this family two months before acquiring the status of a needy family had sold two apartments in the center of Riga, gaining income of 192,087 euros.
What other recognized as needy family member was issued a loan of several tens of euros.
As reported, during the audit of ten municipalities of social assistance, the State Audit Office concluded that there is a drastic difference in social welfare policy. There are municipalities with quite easy to be poor personality, but there are also those in which such status is granted or at a set number of limitations status.
Also found that social services officials do not check what is the status of prayers level of income and material situation, thus allowing for the needy family status is granted to those who own without housing is still only six real estate or even a family owned nine vehicles.
I wonder if any of the recipients of these poverty assistance funds are sitting members of the Seima, it seems like too good a deal for them to pass up. ;)
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Latvia Just As Corrupt As It Ever Was!
I get a good chuckle every year when the various corruption indexes come out which invariably show Latvia's standing improving somewhat from year to year. Anyone who lives here knows better. The latest;
Foodie Fraud: Latvian Restaurant Chain Suspected of Tax Sam
Latvia's Asian restaurant chain Gan Bei has been accused of cooking more than delicious stir fry.
Financial police arrested seven people on Wednesday, including the wife of a member of parliament, on suspicion of cooking the firms books in a scheme that allegedly benefited them US$ 870,000 a month.
The suspects were held in connection with tax fraud and a scheme to under report earnings. At least two other people were taken into custody.
Officers of the State Revenue Service (SRS) searched at least 30 locations including the offices of catering company Lade Ko, it's subsidiary Gan Bei, and an unidentified cash register manufacturer. Gan Bei, which serves Japanese, Indian and Thai-inspired cuisine has ten outlets in and around the capital Riga.
Kaspers Podins, chief of the SRS, said at a press briefing that the cash register company under investigation had offered software to it's clients that let them fake having lower amounts of money in the registers, allowing them to skim off the remainder. The suspects, he said, had kept some of the money for themselves and used the rest to pay employees under the table.
Police also received parliamentary approval to search the house of MP Sergejs Potapkins, whose wife Galina Karmaca is a co-owner of Lade Ko and is one of the arrestees. When asked about the case Potapkin complained of "political speculation."
SRS General Director Kaspirs Cerneckis said that evidence obtained in the investigation could result in further charges against other retail and service companies.
Lade Ko confirmed to LETA that all Gan Bei locations have now reopened.
The salient points here;
My interest in this is kind of personal, one of the accountants is my neighbour who I witnessed being taken away by the SRS on Wednesday morning after showing up at 7:15 am and staying for two hours. A nice enough person but knowing the rest of my neighbours as I do I feel sorry that this person is now in the belly of the beast. Illegal schemes are rampant here as the number of knowing participants in this one would indicate.
Foodie Fraud: Latvian Restaurant Chain Suspected of Tax Sam
Latvia's Asian restaurant chain Gan Bei has been accused of cooking more than delicious stir fry.
Financial police arrested seven people on Wednesday, including the wife of a member of parliament, on suspicion of cooking the firms books in a scheme that allegedly benefited them US$ 870,000 a month.
The suspects were held in connection with tax fraud and a scheme to under report earnings. At least two other people were taken into custody.
Officers of the State Revenue Service (SRS) searched at least 30 locations including the offices of catering company Lade Ko, it's subsidiary Gan Bei, and an unidentified cash register manufacturer. Gan Bei, which serves Japanese, Indian and Thai-inspired cuisine has ten outlets in and around the capital Riga.
Kaspers Podins, chief of the SRS, said at a press briefing that the cash register company under investigation had offered software to it's clients that let them fake having lower amounts of money in the registers, allowing them to skim off the remainder. The suspects, he said, had kept some of the money for themselves and used the rest to pay employees under the table.
Police also received parliamentary approval to search the house of MP Sergejs Potapkins, whose wife Galina Karmaca is a co-owner of Lade Ko and is one of the arrestees. When asked about the case Potapkin complained of "political speculation."
SRS General Director Kaspirs Cerneckis said that evidence obtained in the investigation could result in further charges against other retail and service companies.
Lade Ko confirmed to LETA that all Gan Bei locations have now reopened.
The salient points here;
- a Seima MP possibly benefited from this scheme
- said MP's wife is deeply involved and arrested
- the scheme is well thought out & organized over time
- many ppl involved from employees to cash register mfg
My interest in this is kind of personal, one of the accountants is my neighbour who I witnessed being taken away by the SRS on Wednesday morning after showing up at 7:15 am and staying for two hours. A nice enough person but knowing the rest of my neighbours as I do I feel sorry that this person is now in the belly of the beast. Illegal schemes are rampant here as the number of knowing participants in this one would indicate.
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