Was Russia Involved in Hacking the US Power Grid??

Even the Russians love The Little Mermaid

2003 Murder Case Closed

The investigation into the mysterious death of investigative reporter Yuri Shchekochikhin closed on April 9, 2009. Reports claimed that his death was no more than an allergic reaction. Oddly, two of his other colleagues from the Novaya gazeta were also shot down in 2006 and as recently as January 2009. All three of the victimes were reporters covering the situation in Chechnya, specifically the capturing of Russian soldiers. Of course there is no proof of a link between these murders and ex-president Vladimir Putin's intense hunting of overly expressive media, but everyone is entitled to their own theories, at least until they get shot.

http://www.rferl.org/content/Case_Closed_On_Suspicious_Death_Of_Moscow_Journalist/1605792.html

Russian Journalist dies...shocker

There is much controversy over the latest attack on Russian journalist Sergey Protazanov. Reporters without Borders finds the whole situation to be alarming and disappointing in today's fight to protect journalists living in countries with poor press freedoms. The police have filed reports claiming the death took place due to poisoning by an unknown substance rather than the attack that landed Protazanov in the hospital. It is quite interesting that Protazanov was covering a story about the irregularities regarding mayor-elect Victor Strelchenko. It leads all to wonder what ties this new mayor may have with the Russian mafia given their infamous involvement in dead end murder cases. What secret did Protazanov uncover??

Russian Cinema

Ten Films Recommended by Russia Today:


1. Beloe solntse pustini (The White Sun of the Desert)
2. Semnadtsat mgnoveniy vesny (Seventeen Moments of Spring)
3. Mesto vstrechi izmenit nelzya (Can’t Change the Meeting Place)
4. Sherlok Holms i doktor Vatson (Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson)
5. Kavkazskaya plennitsa (Kidnapping Caucasian Style)
6. Stalker
7. Brilliantovaya ruka (Diamond Arm)
8. Kin-Dza-Dza
9. Sobachye Serdtse (Heart of a Dog)
10. Ironiya sudby, ili s legkim parom! (The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!)

Moscow Fashion Week 2009

Here is a clip of one of the top designers from Moscow Fashion Week, Ursula Pelt...please notice the initial cig at the end of the catwalk? I wonder if that would EVER happen at NYC Fashion Week?

Russian billionaire bailout...will it work?

Read this Reuters report to see if you think this plan will work...

Thomson Reuters

MOSCOW, March 23 (Reuters) - Billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia's richest man, has offered to bail out indebted financial news provider RBC, investment bank Renaissance Capital said on Monday, boosting the media firm's stock over 30 percent.
Renaissance Capital, half-owned by Prokhorov, said it was proposing upping the share capital at RBC. The mining tycoon's Onexim investment group would buy 65 percent of the new share capital for $35 million, the bank said in a statement.
'Such a decision will not only save the business of RBC and regain the trust of advertisers, partners and employees, but also create new opportunities for the development of the company during the crisis,' said Ruben Aganbegyan, chief executive of Renaissance Capital in Russia.
RBC declined to comment on the proposal.
Renaissance Capital said the $35 million would finance operations and partial repayment of debts. A source close to RBC, who declined to be identified, estimated the company's total debt at between $200 million and $230 million.
At Friday's close, RBC's market capitalisation was about $52 million. RBC shares, which have been creeping up in recent days, soared 31.3 percent on Monday to 16.58 roubles.
Renaissance Capital said that, under its plan, creditors would be offered a three-part settlement. First, all creditors would simultaneously receive 8 percent of the total sum of their debt in cash.
They could then choose to write off 65 percent of RBC's debt with the remainder to be repaid in three years, or write off 45 percent with the remainder to be repaid in seven years.
Third, all creditors would receive a proportional stake of the company's new share capital. The total share to be held by creditors would be 10 percent of the new share capital.
Rosbank, another financial institution owned by Prokhorov, already owns 12 percent of RBC.
Prokhorov secured his place at the top of Russia's rich list by selling real estate interests and a quarter of Norilsk Nickel before the financial crisis took hold.
RBC must repay a 1.5 billion rouble ($45.05 million) bond with a $5 million coupon payment on Tuesday. Another RBC bond issue was trading at an average price of 15 percent of face value on Monday. It rose to 21 percent on the news.
(Reporting by Melissa Akin, Anton Doroshev and Olga Popova; Editing by Andrew Macdonald)
($1=33.30 Rouble) Keywords: RUSSIA RBC/RESCUE
(melissa.akin@reuters.com; +7 495 775 1242)
COPYRIGHT
Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.

Russian Fashionistas await Moscow Fashion Week

Stylish women around the world have one indulgence in common...they simply cannot wait to see what exciting new fashion is unveiled during Fashion Week. Most people think of the major fashion capitals as being New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London and Milan, but many forget about the largest fashion week in Eastern Europe; Moscow Fashion Week attracts some 50,000 guests!! Top Russian designer Slava Zaitsev is set to open the week, which starts March 29th, with his collection that is dedicated to the 100th year anniversary of Dyagilev’s Seasons in Paris. If his new collection is anything like 2008's, then guests are sure to be mesmerized. I posted a picture of a look from Zaitsev's show last year, so take a look and hold your breath for whatever fantastic haute couture is revealed March 29th...

Click here for a full press release on Moscow Fashion Week 2009

http://www.pressreleasenetwork.com/newsroom/news_view.phtml?news_id=2785

Is America doomed?

Apparently Igor Panarin has analyzed the current global situation and feels that America is basically screwed. The scholar at the Foreign Ministry school in Moscow is of the opinion that Russia and China are soon to be the world's next super powers. SCARY THOUGHT. All of this is predicted to happen in a rather timely fashion as well, by 2011 or even 2010. Might I add that part of his reasoning for our demise are the overly crowded prisons and gay men? Panarin didn't seem to worry about sounding offensive. However it is food for though, is our current situation partially a result of a country that has gone morally bankrupt? America has always gone through phases where we were not doing so hot, but is Panarin on to something? Have we hit such a low economically and morally that we cannot find our way back out of this hole? Below is Panarin speaking on the issue, watch the video!!

Russian Roulette...I mean journalism

When you think of being a journalist here in the states, you think of an exciting life filled with traveling, investigative reporting and hopefully winning a pulitzer prize some day. Go to Russia to become a journalist and you get all of that, plus an added bonus! A bullet in the head if you cross the government. Even better, you might wind up fighting an illness that mysteriously no one can explain or cure. Sounds like a great job, eh?

This other link takes you to a page that discusses the issue of Russian journalism as a human rights crisis, which it pretty much is considering the lack of protection for the media.

WARNING

1.2 million was stolen from a bank courier right out of his car while on the highway. The oh-soo clever men were dressed as traffic police. Note to travelers carrying cash: if you go to russia and rent a car keep the doors locked AND possibly request bullet proof windows AND avoid traffic police.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/22/Armed_robbers_heist_12M_in_Russia/UPI-33461235341789/

waiting...waiting...waiting

Will Russia close the Manas military base in Kyrgyzstan? Currently keeping NATO guessing, Russia is slow to make a decision about a crucial American military base and the possibility of shutting it down. There is great uncertainty regarding Obama's plans for rebuilding a positive relationship with Russia and because of that no one is sure what will happen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/weekinreview/22levy.html

What freedom of the press??

As a jumping off point for my journey into the curious world of the Russian media, I found an article about the irony of people claiming that there is no longer free press in Russia.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Russia-s-Free-Press-Hoax-by-William-Dunkerley-090215-778.html According to media analyst William Dunkerley, when was there ever freedom of the press under Russia's government? Media there has always been financed by corporations and political figures, creating very little independence for the media to report honest news but rather open avenues to push agendas. Dunkerley seems to think that Western news outlets have been painting untruths regarding journalism under Putin's government. Having investigated the death of Alexander Litvinenko, Dunkerley feels it is quite apparent that the lack of knowledge on Russia's media is rampant among Western writers. Like his article questions, is it all a big hoax?