Brazen?

For those interested in military matters this longish article on the current Russian military might be of interest. 

In particular I want to focus on the word chosen in the subtitle by the author for propaganda purposes.

"Vladimir Putin's brazen moves in Syria and Ukraine."

The United States destabilizes the whole Middle East--and Putin's decision to help an ally is brazen! The fact that most readers will not even notice the pejorative term "brazen" shows just how effective US propaganda has been.

No leader of Russia is going to allow its only warm-water military ports to be seized by NATO. This is exactly what was at stake in Ukraine. Victoria Nuland gave a speech a few years ago at the National Press Club where she admitted that the US was spending 5 billion dollars to destabilize Ukraine. She was also caught in an intercepted phone call planning Ukraine's transitional government. When asked what the EU might think about this her response, again caught audibly, was "Fuck the EU."

But yet Putin is the brazen one!

Naturally, nations have differing interests, and nations will do what they feel is in their own best interests. Russian and US interests are not the same. The idea that Putin wears a "black hat" and Obama a "white hat" is very humorous. What is not humorous is that the propaganda masters of the US are largely getting away with it.

So when you read articles such as the one I linked to at the beginning of this post, read critically. Think about the word choices the author of any article uses. Ask yourself the question, "Am I being played?"

Of course you are. Don't let it happen.

What?

This is the dumbest statement by any presidental candidate of any party. Well worth the one minute of your time. 

Putin at the UN

Looks like I was wrong to be sceptical on a Russia intervention in Syria, although for now this intervention is small. Here is the Putin Doctrine. 

What Is Happening in the Ukraine?

Interesting perspective on the situation in Ukraine similar to my own. 

Movin' On Up?

A Russian multi-use building on the Moscow river. I doubt I can afford. From an American perspective, apart from Moscow and other large cities, housing is cheap in Russia. While we were in Murom we looked at a very nice apartment. It was a spacious two-story four-bedroom apartment--you might even call it a penthouse as it was the top two floors of a five story building. It had all the modern appliances included. There was a spot for a sauna, but that was extra. Utilities, except for phone but including cable TV, are about $200 a month. Reasonable internet speed is cheap. The cost for this deluxe apartment in the skies? The day we looked it was $95,000. Before we left Russia the price had dropped, in dollars, to $89,000. Right now it is $92,000. In a suburb close to Moscow one can get an apartment with two bedrooms for that price, still relatively cheap. Since my guess is that the Ruble is trending lower, it will only get cheaper. 

So if we decide to move to Russia, housing will not be an issue, not even if we live in a big city.

In a sense if we move we are "moving on up."