The State of Affairs in Russia

[DGuller]

I can see how that picture can be useful, if you don't want to use Russian hookers for fear of being honeytrapped, and don't want to use Russian Internet for fear of getting hacked.

[Malthus]

I can see how that picture can be useful, if you don't want to use Russian hookers for fear of being honeytrapped, and don't want to use Russian Internet for fear of getting hacked.

As mastrubation fodder, it's pretty limited in appeal. 

[DGuller]

Why, because he's not topless in that picture?

[Jacob]

Why, because he's not topless in that picture?

But maybe he's not wearing any pants.

[grumbler]

Stop stalking me, creepy old man.

Somebody's got sand in their vagina! 

[Liep]

Google joins in on the fun, not that any Russians will see it. Wonder if Yandex will change their logo?

[derspiess]

Okay, that's dumb.

[Valmy]

Okay, that's dumb.

There is also this little quote at the bottom:

The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." –Olympic Charter

Which seems odd since I did not think Russia was banning gay people from competing. 

Still anything that directs world outrage towards such a repellant bunch of assholes like the Russian Government is good.

[garbon]

Yeah, not discrimination if you know have people concerned about talking about themselves for fear of trumped up charges.

[Syt]

http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/feb/01/russia-gay-rights

An example of the gay propaganda law in practice.

Russian editor fined for breaking 'gay propaganda' law

A Russian court has fined a newspaper editor for publishing an interview with a gay school teacher who was quoted as saying "homosexuality is normal."

Alexander Suturin, editor of the Molodoi Dalnevostochnik, a weekly published in the far eastern city of Khabarovsk near the border with China, was ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 rubles (£870) for violating a law that bans "gay propaganda" among minors.

Suturin, who is to appeal against the ruling, published an interview with a geography teacher, Alexander Yermoshkin, after he had been fired because of his sexual orientation (see details in the Moscow Times).

After launching an investigation, an official of the Russian state's media watchdog, the Federal Mass Media Inspection Service, pointed to a quote by Yermoshkin: "My very existence is effective proof that homosexuality is normal."

She said: "This statement goes against logic. By offering it to underage readers, the author is misleading them about the normality of homosexuality."

The "gay propaganda" law has drawn strong international criticism amid calls for a boycott of the winter Olympics in Sochi, which is due to start on Friday (7 February).

Sources: Interfax via AP via NYTimes

[Razgovory]

I saw this cartoon a few weeks ago, and thought it funny.  This is as good a place as any to share it.



Mostly I like the idea of uncle Vlad having an inbox called "Putin" and an outgoing box labeled "Putout".

[Agelastus]

RoTW : Why you hate Olympics?

I'm amused that whoever compiled that table decided that "red button" coverage doesn't really equate to the start of "Live TV" coverage.

I watched quite a bit of qualifying for various events yesterday.

[crazy canuck]

Okay, that's dumb.

There is also this little quote at the bottom:

The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." –Olympic Charter

Which seems odd since I did not think Russia was banning gay people from competing. 

Yeah, they are just banning any attempt to tell young homosexuals that they are fine and leaving them to the tender mercies of the the Russian equivalent of Neil.  It hard to say on the one hand that everyone can compete in an enviornment of non descrimination in a country which makes it a criminal offence to say its ok to be gay.

To limit the meaning of clause 6 to simply not banning gay athletes requires a significant amount of Derspice Right Think.

[Grey Fox]

RoTW : Why you hate Olympics?

I'm amused that whoever compiled that table decided that "red button" coverage doesn't really equate to the start of "Live TV" coverage.

I watched quite a bit of qualifying for various events yesterday.

My guess is a Canuck who couldn't get any info on what red button is.

What's red button?

[Agelastus]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Red_Button#Availability

Which (since as this map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UK_digital_switchover.svg shows the digital switchover is complete) is virtually universally available on people's TVs.

Effectively it functions as an extra channel or two without having to connect to the internet and the main streaming feeds.

And it was showing live footage yesterday, at least as far as I could tell. Hence my amusement that the compiler of the table had to proclaim it not to be "real TV" to make his point*.


*My TV doesn't connect to the internet; it's a 12 year old or more analogue set with a set top box.