It's shocking that his words become truth in merely a day afterwards.
This event truly is baffling. It appears too well executed and professional to have been done by a bunch of nationalist radicals inspired by the recent flood of propaganda in Russia, which is what some skeptics are suggesting. On the other hand, if Putin was directly involved, then it looks way too conveniently obvious, and in the short term does him more political harm than benefit. Nemstov was simply not as significant a threat or high profile enough like somebody like Khodorkovsky himself.
There is a Chinese proverb that roughly translates as "killing chickens for the monkeys to see", which describe the strategy of punishing somebody weaker to demonstrate your resolve and ruthlessness to more powerful enemies.
This event truly is baffling. It appears too well executed and professional to have been done by a bunch of nationalist radicals inspired by the recent flood of propaganda in Russia, which is what some skeptics are suggesting. On the other hand, if Putin was directly involved, then it looks way too conveniently obvious, and in the short term does him more political harm than benefit. Nemstov was simply not as significant a threat or high profile enough like somebody like Khodorkovsky himself.
There is a Chinese proverb that roughly translates as "killing chickens for the monkeys to see", which describe the strategy of punishing somebody weaker to demonstrate your resolve and ruthlessness to more powerful enemies.
That's actually a very interesting theory, knocking off a minor opponent to let the bigger ones know just how serious he is. The fact he's personally 'Taken charge' of the investigation tells you all you need to know about what it will turn up. . .
Of course... I reckon Putin is just having a few lazy days... Taking over Crimea and half of Ukraine, arming rebels so they can blow civilian planes out the sky and avoiding the families of Russian personal who have died in the fighting is pretty tiresome...
Take a break Putin. I'm sure your state media will look after you when you get back (you do pay their wages after all...)
@Anduin Being a dictator is such hard work! Such an under-appreciated profession.
Seriously though, I'm afraid with places like Russia, we will never know what is really happening until it has been resolved. Putin could be fighting for his political life right now, which in Russia probably means his physical life too, or he might have just decided to take a little break from all that political intrigue.
Or... perhaps he is testing the loyalty of those around him. It's certainly something I'd do if I were a dictator. Feign weakness for a while, see who pokes their head above the parapet and tries to take advantage of my apparent weakness.
That's the internet for you: lay low for a couple of days and everyone assumes you are dead or worse. I can assure you that if there is a politician struggling for his political life at the moment, it is definitely not our beloved Bad Vlad.
Just watching the British elections when we get coverage and I have one TEENY question. . . . WHAT the HELL are those people wearing?! Giant top hats? Outrageously large badges and pins? Is this a British thing?
Just watching the British elections when we get coverage and I have one TEENY question. . . . WHAT the HELL are those people wearing?! Giant top hats? Outrageously large badges and pins? Is this a British thing?
When you say "badges" are you referring to the rosettes?
As far as top hats...I believe what you are seeing has to do with a candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party. Which also happens to be the single greatest political party name ever.
Personally what has surprised me about it is the fact that they seem to be broadcasting results from every riding in the country (or at least certainly more than just say the ridings of the major party leaders), with someone actually up at a podium saying the results. In Canada we'd just get our individual riding results on the television screen without there being someone at a podium announcing it.
Having spent a large part of the night watching the results come in here in the UK I'm again baffled as to why we Brits continue to delude ourselves into believing that we live in a modern democracy - the lack of proportional representation makes a farce of the results - SNAFU.
Having spent a large part of the night watching the results come in here in the UK I'm again baffled as to why we Brits continue to delude ourselves into believing that we live in a modern democracy - the lack of proportional representation makes a farce of the results - SNAFU.
I agree, if you live in an area that is already declared there's not much point in voting, for example both at home and in uni I'm in a labour stronghold and there's very little opposing them now that the lib dems have been crushed. Still at least Boris did well.
Just a video put together based on a report done at Princeton University about how closely our federal representatives in the U.S. actually represent our interests. It's pretty disheartening. I mean, I'm pretty cynical and expected it to be bad, but not that bad.
Just a video put together based on a report done at Princeton University about how closely our federal representatives in the U.S. actually represent our interests. It's pretty disheartening. I mean, I'm pretty cynical and expected it to be bad, but not that bad.
Having spent a large part of the night watching the results come in here in the UK I'm again baffled as to why we Brits continue to delude ourselves into believing that we live in a modern democracy - the lack of proportional representation makes a farce of the results - SNAFU.
I agree, if you live in an area that is already declared there's not much point in voting, for example both at home and in uni I'm in a labour stronghold and there's very little opposing them now that the lib dems have been crushed. Still at least Boris did well.
WAY back in high school, I did a political science thesis on this and a way to reform this.
The jiff of this was repersentation is needed on the local scale and votes would still be counted towards that as normally. However he second tier of government (Senate) would repersent he popular vote at a one to one scale.
It would fix the apathetic approach to voting if you support a minor party and true my makes every vote count.
Just watching the British elections when we get coverage and I have one TEENY question. . . . WHAT the HELL are those people wearing?! Giant top hats? Outrageously large badges and pins? Is this a British thing?
As @elminster already pointed out, this is the monster raving looney party. HOWEVER... In many cases it is just bad dress sense. Spoz of the greens (an acquaintance of mine) has a mohican and... piercings... yeah badges! Badges for the jumperless!
Plus Boris's hair actually stood for parliament against the rest of Boris... Luckily it had no chance of winning as it's policies were all over the place, and greatly determined by the winds of change, the one thing going for it was that it was determined to say it was a head and shoulders above Boris in many things...
As for proportional voting? It was really mooted, but a two or three party country would have benefited from the current system... Unfortunately we now have parties everywhere... And though this sounds like fun, democratic reform looks very likely. I suspect it will come through the english votes malarkey that they are trying to push through...
There seems to be a lot of people protesting the Tory win. Apparently people only complain about the unfairness of the British democratic system when their side loses. While I don't think the voting system is entirely fair it's not like labour have ever done anything about it either.
A lot of people are protesting about the vote, but there again the number of people didn't vote at all was larger than the number of people who voted for the winning (Tory) party - so 'we' have only got ourselves to blame for that. Also the concept of electoral reform itself is problematic as an incumbent government is unlikely to want to change a bent system that got it into power.
Comments
There is a Chinese proverb that roughly translates as "killing chickens for the monkeys to see", which describe the strategy of punishing somebody weaker to demonstrate your resolve and ruthlessness to more powerful enemies.
200% inflation this year. An expected 7-10% reduction in their GDP. Not even being able to find milk. Its crazy.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/12/venezuela-analysis/
http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21640395-government-offers-no-solutions-mounting-economic-crisis-empty-shelves-and-rhetoric?zid=305&ah=417bd5664dc76da5d98af4f7a640fd8a
But if this is a coup...
Get rid of the other popular guy may have been a reason for Nemstov being bumped...
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/13/opinions/ghitis-putin-where-is-he/
Of course... I reckon Putin is just having a few lazy days... Taking over Crimea and half of Ukraine, arming rebels so they can blow civilian planes out the sky and avoiding the families of Russian personal who have died in the fighting is pretty tiresome...
Take a break Putin. I'm sure your state media will look after you when you get back (you do pay their wages after all...)
Seriously though, I'm afraid with places like Russia, we will never know what is really happening until it has been resolved. Putin could be fighting for his political life right now, which in Russia probably means his physical life too, or he might have just decided to take a little break from all that political intrigue.
Or... perhaps he is testing the loyalty of those around him. It's certainly something I'd do if I were a dictator. Feign weakness for a while, see who pokes their head above the parapet and tries to take advantage of my apparent weakness.
I'm not Lawful Evil, I promise.
I can assure you that if there is a politician struggling for his political life at the moment, it is definitely not our beloved Bad Vlad.
As far as top hats...I believe what you are seeing has to do with a candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party. Which also happens to be the single greatest political party name ever.
Just a video put together based on a report done at Princeton University about how closely our federal representatives in the U.S. actually represent our interests. It's pretty disheartening. I mean, I'm pretty cynical and expected it to be bad, but not that bad.
The jiff of this was repersentation is needed on the local scale and votes would still be counted towards that as normally. However he second tier of government (Senate) would repersent he popular vote at a one to one scale.
It would fix the apathetic approach to voting if you support a minor party and true my makes every vote count.
Plus Boris's hair actually stood for parliament against the rest of Boris... Luckily it had no chance of winning as it's policies were all over the place, and greatly determined by the winds of change, the one thing going for it was that it was determined to say it was a head and shoulders above Boris in many things...
As for proportional voting? It was really mooted, but a two or three party country would have benefited from the current system... Unfortunately we now have parties everywhere... And though this sounds like fun, democratic reform looks very likely. I suspect it will come through the english votes malarkey that they are trying to push through...
So apparently Australian gamers aren't paying enough for games, Netflix, etc. Now they need a government created australian tax.
http://www.pcgamer.com/australians-may-face-10-tax-fee-for-steam-transactions/
and politicians wonder why people don't like them...