The verdict in the Pussy Riot case is due to be announced next Friday, August 17^th. I am thrilled with the wide international support, that the world cares, what is going to happen to Pussy Riot, the Russian protest punk band, currently on trial for a 40 second song and dance… Read full post »

Town of Krimsk in the Krasnodar region in the south of Russia had population of 50 thousand people. Tonight it was engulfed by what can be described as a tsunami.

At the hight of the wave water was almost reaching the ceiling of the second floor.

 … Read full post »

Today the Russian opposition marched again in Moscow, on this day 31 years ago Russia has declared the intention to leave the USSR to become an independent state. Now it is a public holiday, the Russia Day. The number of participants is estimated about 70 thousand people, though Moscow police has… Read full post »

Having lost to Walker in the election in 2010, Tom Barrett should not have been ever put in another election against him. That's not just bad karma, that's negative psychological impact right there. It was bad enough, that they did not have a charismatic person like Russ Feingold in the running.… Read full post »

Something is seriously amiss lately in the Russian system of justice, namely, justice. Is it really fair to sentence anyone to 15 days in jail for sneezing on the portrait of a leader? Precisely that has happened to Dmitry Karuev from Cheboksary. He was staging a protest on May 6th and… Read full post »

Russian government and United Russia party officials like repeating, that the election is over, Putin is the winner and opposition should just get over it. However, interesting things can be found right on the website of the Central Election Committee, www.cikrf.ru

 There are three counts, one… Read full post »

The last couple of weeks have seriously undermined my ability to get surprised. I already knew, that one could get arrested for wearing a white ribbon (a symbol of civil movement for fair elections) in the Red Square. But since May 6^th the list of offences punishable by arrest and possible charg… Read full post »

Today Vladimir Putin has been sworn in as the President of Russia for the third term. Many argue, that he is an illegitimate president, because the Constitution stipulates, that no one can serve more than two terms. That has been conveniently interpreted as “no more than two CONSECUTIVE terms&r… Read full post »

Officially, Vladimir Putin has won 64% of the votes during the presidential election back on March 4th. However, various fraudulent schemes were widely deployed, including voting multiple times, known in Russia as “carousel”, ballot stuffing, faking figures in final protocols, absentee… Read full post »

It had been almost 4 decades since I came to the small town of Zhukovskiy for the first time, a 40 minute train ride from the Kazansky Rail Station. I have been there many more times and I have never ceased to admire a beautiful pine forest full of old regal… Read full post »

20 people are on hunger strike for 22 days now. They are dying and they know it. They are dying for democracy and fair elections. For the truth. The only way for me to help them is to tell their story so more people hear it.

On March 4, 2012 the… Read full post »

I am not the first one to come up with this novel idea, but I do not think it gets repeated enough. 

Why? I am glad you have asked. Because our taxes fund the budget and the significant portion of it is  for the defense. Our taxes keep our brave men… Read full post »

It is a very sad day. A Democratic politician is shot in the head and at the time of the post doctors are still fighting for her life. A dozen more people are shot dead or wounded. It is yet unclear if the shooter is just a deranged person or a… Read full post »

There is a wonderful thoughtful post at the regular Salon.com today:

http://www.salon.com/life/real_families/index.html?story=/mwt/pinched/2011/01/05/wish_i_hadnt_opted_out 

Basically, a woman is relaying her thoughts and regrets regarding quitting her full time job 14 years ago in order to rais… Read full post »

Michelle Duggar is a very stupid woman.

I did not start this post just to insult her, I am going to prove the point. Basically she has announced that she is ready for baby number 20. In case somebody does not know yet who she is, she is the star… Read full post »