Putin Youth, Part 2

The Putin Youth, which I commented on earlier, are starting to sound more and more like their Soviet and Nazi counterparts. They're being taught the Western ideology is evil, and that the great Mother Russia should regain her power. So, you have the enemy identified, and the means of fighting it, mixed in with strict indoctrination and nationalism.

If Putin needs a group of willing jackbooted thugs, he's doing a good job of building it.

Putin as Soprano

This Wall Street Journal commentary makes the interesting claim that Putin's Russia is essentially run like the mob: part oligarchy and part feudal society. Some quotes:

Mr. Putin's government is unique in history. This Kremlin is part oligarchy, with a small, tightly connected gang of wealthy rulers. It is partly a feudal system, broken down into semi-autonomous fiefdoms in which payments are collected from the serfs, who have no rights. Over this there is a democratic coat of paint, just thick enough to gain entry into the G-8 and keep the oligarchy's money safe in Western banks.

If you are in a real hurry to become an expert on the Russian government, you may prefer the DVD section, where you can find Mr. Puzo's works on film. "The Godfather" trilogy is a good place to start, but do not leave out "The Last Don," "Omerta" and "The Sicilian."

It's a fascinating read, and, incredibly, makes a bit of sense.

Putin Establishes Economic Policy for his Upcoming Hiatus

Odd that essentially outgoing President Putin would put together Russian first 3-year economic plan (which, yes, sounds like the old Soviet 5-year plans). So, he's essentially establishing economic policy until his return.

How convenient.

Spielberg to Pull Out of Olympics as Darfur Protest?

Celebrity Report: Steven Spielberg is considering to threaten to pull out of the Chinese Olympics as artistic advisor if China doesn't take more action in Darfur.

It's a nice gesture, I suppose, but given China's tremendous financial investments in the region, I imagine they'll find someone else to direct.

Digg Report

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 3444 Diggs, is a link to a "brilliant" photo of a "Stop War" sign.

First, I don't find it particularly brilliant. Second, a "Stop War" sign is kind of like a "Stop Murder" sign. I don't know anyone who wouldn't love to see an end to both, but since there are evil people in the world, there's not much to be done about it.

China vs. The Pope

Here's a strange one. It seems that the Chinese government appoints (Catholic?) bishops in the "official church," which of course the Vatican has taken offense at for years. In its turn, the Vatican recognizes Taiwan, which has always had China in a tizzy. The new Pope hopes to turn things around, though.

Geopolitics and religion make strange bedfellows, I say.

Putin's Self-Esteem Needs a Tune-Up

Putin has a real self-esteem problem (that I believe extends to Russia as a nation). In this story, he says about Stalin's butchering millions of people:

President Vladimir Putin said last month that although the 1937 purge was one of the most notorious episodes of the Stalin era, no one should try to make Russia feel guilty about it because "in other countries even worse things happened."

I'm not that familiar with anyone trying to make Russia "feel guilty" about the purges, because Russia isn't supposed to be synonymous any longer with the Soviet Union and Communism. Of course, Putin is doing everything to make them synonymous again, but that's fodder for a longer discussion.

And, one would have to delve deeply into his psychology to explain the notion that guilt shouldn't be felt because "in other countries even worse things happened."

Putin's Delusions of Grandeur

It's ironic that Putin--who is doing everything he can to suppress information, in particular by stifling anti-Putin sentiment in the press and via association--should tout Russia's intentions to become an information technology leader.

The money quote:

“Free exchange of technologies and information is an important factor to strengthen democratic institutions and democracy as a whole,” (Putin) said.

Chavez and Ahmadinejad: Bound by Collectivism

It would take an Objectivist, probably, to recognize that what unites Venezuela's Chavez and Iran's Imajihadi (or whatever his name is) is collectivism. For Iran, the collectivism is Islamic totalitarianism. For Venezuela, it's secular socialism. But fundamentally, they're essentially the same ideologies: the subservience of the individual to the group.

They just happen to worship different gods, Allah and "society." Otherwise, there's absolutely nothing surprising or odd about their alliance. Oh, and as this story suggests, anti-Americanism might also play a small part.

Digg Report

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 4095 Diggs, is a link to a graph that completely distorts the fundamental difference between accidental death and death by natural causes, and death by terrorism. Or, rather, it creates a false equivalence between them, and then makes the 3,000 people killed on 9/11 merely a drop in the bucket of people who've died since then.

In other words, why do we care that a terrorist group purposefully killed 3,000 Americans in a heinous act, when so many more Americans have died from other causes?

Daily Kos Says Democrats Should Tank the Stock Market

Here's my second post on the Daily Kos, but again, it's worth it. It's a Forbes story about a Daily Kos poster suggestion that Democrats should do everything they can to cause the market to drop before the elections, so that the tax increases that the Democrats plan to enact won't be blamed for the subsequent drop (which, of course, they would cause).

Truly bizarre. But worth a read.

Russia Building Military to Counter US "Threat"

Russia's building up its military in part because it sees the US as a threat. Now, in my book, when someone sees you as a threat, there's a real possibility that they're merely projecting their own hostilities. Russia is making power plays in so many areas it's impossible to presume any longer that they're just trying to restore some "strategic balance of power."

Digg Report

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 3466 Diggs, is a link to a picture of a cardboard box mod of a Linux desktop.

The main idea: Linux users are cheap.

Alrighty. As a social aggregator of important stories and ideas, Digg continues to impress.

Cox and Forkum on Chavez and His Hospitality

The immortal (we wish) Cox and Forkum on Chavez and his promise to expel foreigners who speak unkindly about him and his dictatorship. Go check it out and get a chuckle.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Genius on Display in the Desert

One of the advantages of living in Southern California is that Frank Lloyd Wright's Teliesin West home and architectural school are only a few hours drive away. I'm still kicking myself for not taking the time to stop by during my last trip to Arizona, but I was in a bit of a rush.

The linked story puts me in a serious mood for a road trip.

Ferarri 430 Scuderia Berlinetta

My, my, my, but this is a beauty. 2.45kg per HP. God, but that has to be fast. It's even sort of fuel efficient, when you consider that it's so light that it requires a smaller engine to achieve supercar performance.

Take a peek. She's purty.

Constitutional Right to Experimental Drugs? I Don't Think So

There are two things terribly wrong with the idea of a "Constitutional right" to experimental drugs. First, such a right is impossible, because one can't have a right to something that someone else must produce. Second, we should already have the right to access experimental drugs (at our own costs), but the FDA stands in the way. All that needs to happen is that the FDA is disbanded, or at the very least its restrictions on experimental drugs need to be lifted.

Just as it's wrong for government to try to create a "right" that requires expropriating the property of one person to give it to another, it's wrong for government to prohibit individuals from accessing any product they want to buy.

There's a grievous misconception regarding the Constitution and rights in this country, and it's not getting any better.

Turkey Votes Down the MIddle

Well, it looks like the Turkish election turned out lukewarm--the Islamists won, but not enough so that they could overturn the largely secular Turkish constitution. But, that's for now, and things certainly seem to be heading in the wrong direction.

So far, Turkey's been an example of a largely Muslim population living under secular rule. We should all hope that doesn't change any time soon.

Update: Cox and Forkum have a bit of a different take.

Putin Youth

This seems a lot like the Hitler Youth and the USSR's Pioneers. Putin's putting together his own little group of "Putin Youth," who, as in the previous examples, may very well represent the "shock troops" for, at the very least, spreading the propaganda he needs to continue grabbing power.

Things in Russia keep growing more and more ominous.

Chinese Spies Caught

I know, I know, we all have spies. But it's still news when they get caught. These Chinese spies were smuggling out CDs full of information from a US defense contractor, which is of concern for two reasons.

First, it seems that the Chinese might be a little more into industrial espionage than most, since they don't have the sort of socioeconomic system that by itself can create the sorts of inventions required by a truly first-world industrial nation.

Second, this is information from a defense contractor, which given China's already significant military build-up just gives more reason for alarm.

But, at least these two were caught, and I suppose that's some good news, after all.