Photo from Washington PostHey, I just work here. Or loaf here. Or play here. Whatever. I can only read a few words of this but I hope by this time next year to read it all or almost all.
"Вместе будем двигаться дальше. Вместе победим!"
Комсомольская правда - 19 мин. назад
В воскресенье поздно вечером, в самый разгар концерта «Вперед, Россия!», из Спасских ворот неожиданно появились Владимир Путин и Дмитрий Медведев. Они шли не торопясь, прогулочным шагом. Путин был в парадно-выходных брюках, но в кожаной куртке, а Медведев – в джинсах и почти точно в такой же, как и у Путина, «президентской» куртке. Хлестал дождь. А со сцены доносилась любимая многими песня «Любэ»: Именно после этих слов рядом со сценой, на гигантском мониторе, публика и увидела Путина с Медведевым. Все ...
So, I wandered over to the Russian-language Google News page, in honor of the Russian election, no matter how foregone its conclusions was. Here is the U. S. Google News headline:
In Russia, Medvedev Sweeps Presidential Election
Washington Post - 2 hours ago
By Peter Finn MOSCOW, March 2 -- After 24 hours of voting across 11 time-zones, Russians handed Dmitry Medvedev an overwhelming victory in the presidential election Sunday despite a lackluster campaign that was more coronation than contest from the ...
Medvedev Poised to Win by Big Margin in Russia New York Times
Medvedev, Putin vow Russian stability, continuity Reuters
The Washington Post goes on to say:
Medvedev won 70.1 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll, nearly matching Putin's tally in 2004 and infusing his victory with the kind of numbers he will claim as a genuine mandate. As expected, he crushed the anemic challenges of three opponents who never got to debate him and were drowned out by a deafening media drumbeat that Medvedev was "Putin's choice" and his victory would ensure the continuation of the popular president's policies.Just thought y'all should know who the new President of the Russian Federation is.
"I'm in a good mood. Spring is here," said Medvedev, 42, as he cast his ballot Sunday, referring to the rain that sprinkled Moscow and is regarded as an augur of Winter's end. "The season has changed."
He then headed off to a fish lunch with Putin, the country's prime minister and the leaders of both houses of parliament.
Oh, and "medved" is Russian for "bear" (my totem animal). An additional trivium thrown in for free.
--the BB
4 comments:
Last Monday we had a very interesting news roundup in my Liberation Theologies seminar. I am requiring the students to read or listen to the news (FoxTV does NOT count) at least twice a week and this is something they really didn't do before. So we took a chunk of the class to go around the circle and find out who was using what news sources (I'd recommended some but left the choice to people) and what news they had found out that was related to countries whose theologians we are reading (Peru, South Africa, Brazil, Ghana, et al.).
One student said that this was unrelated, but that since we'd been talking about dictatorships and lack of free elections and various things related to Latin America in the 70s and 80s, she had found this article on the Russian (I almost said Soviet, and really, some things have changed but some haven't -- and some of the same people are. Putin is former KGB, remember. We're not talking Nelson Mandela here.) election which was really scary. She sent us the link after class. This is one of the adult students, very smart woman, had been too busy until recently to read the news but now that I'm requiring it, she's doing it. Anyway, here it is. Have a look. It's a NY Times article.
I remember our tour guide telling us a bit about Putin's past when Bill and I were in St Peterburg (as the coach went past the old KGB building). The whole thing is quite chilling as he has been steadily consolidating power. I am not at all comforted that his anointed successor won overwhelmingly and that Medvedev will make Putin his PM. No question who the power behind the throne will be.
Plus ça change....
Glad your students are taking a look at the larger world.
... plus c'est la même chose.
So did you get to bring home gourmet chocolate with chillies?
Malheureusement, I did not bring anything home with me. I only worked Saturday. Sunday, at the end, all kinds of tradespeople are generous with samples of wares. Last year I got some gourmet jams and sundry hot sauces from other folks, and a nice package of fudges. But I went home an hour early on Saturday and had the good sense to stay home yesterday.
I like the complexity of chocolate and chile but it is a "variety" experience and not how I like my chocolate most of the time. I would prefer the butter pecan brittle (adore it!), and some fudges: chocolate pecan, Black Forest (chocolate and cherry), and maple (incredible confection!), and some lavender hot chocolate -- if I were to put together my fantasy "swag bag." Caramel corn has never been my thing, with or without nuts or chile.
Actually, though Chinese food in the Bay Area (Hunan, Szechwan) taught me to enjoy spicy food, the Fiery Food Show is not much of a temptation for me. I can walk up and down the aisles of all the many products and not feel drawn to taste 95% of it.
Though the last time I had Thai food here it could have been hotter. I asked for medium, thinking of "Thai medium" which is usually just short of stripping a layer off my palate and got "American medium" heat instead. What's the point if I cannot feel an afterburn on my lips for at least twenty minutes?
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