Jan

28

Moscow Costs but Pays

January 28, 2008 | 29 Comments

The fact that Moscow is expensive city is well known. For the second consecutive year, the Cost of Living Survey, which is conducted by the Mercer Human Resource Consulting has ranked Russia’s capital as the most expensive city in the world. Expensive it is. For western expatriates. But what […]

Popularity: 5% [?]

Jan

25

Vladimir Vysotsky Turns 70

January 25, 2008 | 13 Comments

Today would have been the famed Soviet bard, actor, and conscious of a generation Vladimir Vysotsky’s 70th birthday. Vysotsky, who died in 1980 at the age of 42 from heart failure, perhaps proves once again that “its better to burn out, than to fade away.” True enough. Vysotsky’s great cultural impact in […]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jan

23

Russian Markets on “Rollercoaster Ride”

January 23, 2008 | 22 Comments

Stock markets around the world continue to fall despite the Bush Administration’s preemptive strike before the New York Exchange opened on Tuesday. The Federal Reserve tried its own version of shock and awe as it cut interest rates a “dramatic” 0.75 percent. The monetary defibrillator worked for a bit. The New York Exchange […]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jan

22

“The Massacre”

January 22, 2008 | 14 Comments

What a way to start a campaign.  Dmitri Medvedev officially becomes a candidate for President of Russia and the stock market tanks.  Probably not the soundtrack he would have chosen for his coming out party.  The Russian press is screaming in terror.  I’m sure someone will eventually blame it on the Americans.
The Russian stock market […]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jan

21

Medvedev Little Cash and No Ride

January 21, 2008 | 10 Comments

Last week, the Central Electoral Commission released information on the wealth of Gennady Zyuganov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Today we got a glimpse at how high presidential favorite Dmitri Medvedev’s paper stack is. According to papers Medvedev filed for his candidacy, in the last four years he earned $71,000, owns a 367.8 sq. meter […]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jan

20

Nashi Persona Non Grata in EU

January 20, 2008 | 9 Comments

Natalia Morar is persona non grata in Russia. More and more Nashi activists are becoming persona non grata in the European Union. The origins of Nashi’s visa problems begin way back in April when its activists from Russia and in Estonia protested the removal of the Bronze Soldier from the center of […]

Popularity: 5% [?]

Jan

20

Paper Pauper Politicians

January 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment

One of the strange rituals of political campaigns is the wealth disclosure.  Not because I think that politicians shouldn’t declare their wealth when they run for office.  They should.  In full.  Even the offshores.  And their families too.  If there is a third cousin with a bank account, I, as a voter, wanna know.   Better […]

Popularity: 3% [?]

Jan

19

“A Danger to the Safety and Security of Russia”

January 19, 2008 | 53 Comments

Novoe Vremya journalist Natalia Morar reports on her blog that she has been “officially designated as a danger to the safety and security of Russia.” Readers will remember that the Moldovan born, permanent Russian resident was refused reentry into Russia in December. According to Kommersant, when she tried to enter Russia through […]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jan

17

Mapping Freedom

January 17, 2008 | 61 Comments

Russia is not free. That’s the conclusion Freedom House has made in its new report “Freedom in the World 2008.” According to its scorecard, Russia received a “6″ in Political Rights and a “5″ in Civil Liberties. The scale puts “1″ as the most free and “7″ as “not free.” The […]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jan

17

Down but Not Out

January 17, 2008 | 5 Comments

It seems that I was led astray. Or I didn’t read the fine print. I was under the impression that the Moscow News had ceased publication. I found out about this from a story in the Toronto Star by Kelly Toughill which Robert Amsterdam posted on his blog. In her article […]

Popularity: 3% [?]

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