Putin to marry a 24 y.o. chick after booting his wife out of Kremlin

[Afro-European]

I got this news from the Bild,the most read newspaper in Germany,which got the news from "Moskowski Correspondent",which in its turn got the news from a "credile source" in St.-Petersbug City Hall.
The translation isn't that perfect but it basically says:

"A Russian newspaper reported over an alleged divorce of president Vladimir Putin as well as a forthcoming wedding with a 31 years younger skater.
The presidential press service in the Kremlin didn't confirm or deny the report of the newspaper „Moskowski correspondent “,wrote. It furhter wrote that the marriage between Putin in (55) with the skater Alina Kabajewa (24) is planned in June.
Putin and his wife of 25 years,Ludmilla,secretely divorced in late februari,the newspaper wrote.They have two adults daughters.
The newspaper based its info on a leaked story from a co-worker of the St.-Petersbug City Hall,where the wedding is set to be held".

Here is the chick who "stole" Putin's heart:

http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/politik/2008/04/15/putin-hat-affaere/9033719__IMAGO-02448871.jmh.jpg-1208276433.jpg

The link in German.
http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/politik/2008/04/15/putin-hat-affaere/mit-sportlerin.html

Can our Russian and Ukrainian friends shed more lights on this?

[Snoshi]

Kabaeja is not a skater but a gymnast.

[Holycrusader]

Kabaeja is not a skater but a gymnast.

and I dont see any politic involved here...

[playtym]

This story says her name is Alina Kabaeva, and that she's a gymnast...



Russian President Vladimir Putin to Marry Gymnast (http://www.myshares.ro/action/viewarticle/37/Russian_President_Vladimir_Putin_to_Marry_Gymnast/)

He apparently divorced his wife and plans to marry the 25-year-old Alina Kabaeva.... and she's really flexible!

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/4510/kabaeva7om0.jpg http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8084/1183600065frh7.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/2259/323257590e4972f9b2btb5.jpg

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2416/sp5oa0.jpg http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8660/kabaevaaavq5.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/4378/alinaro9.jpg

[equilibrium37]

save me from her eyebrows !!

[Buckeye67]

Damn, and here I thought I was going well being married to a 27 year old.

[equilibrium37]

Damn, and here I thought I was going well being married to a 27 year old.

i hope atleast your wife's eyebrows are better off than kabaeja's here..rofl

[Buckeye67]

Indeed they are. ;-)

I could put up with the eyebrows for that kind of stamina and flexibility though. p-)

[pacifist]

Putin is a pimp

[equilibrium37]

Hahahaha; i digg your style. Probably thats why Putin married her in the first place.

[Aussie Sapper]

I salute the man :)

[Afro-European]

^^^ Putin has some taste lol :).Her first daughter(23) is as old as his wife-to- be(24).Kinda bizarre.

[dacanadianbomb]

He is going to hit it all six ways to christmas.

[Flamming_Python]

^^^ Putin has some taste lol :).Her first daughter(23) is as old as his wife-to- be(24).Kinda bizarre.

lol man, i'm pretty sure it's a joke.

Best put this thread in 'Off-Topic & Humour'

[-Julik- 4.GdKp]

Putin goes Sarko's way...

[khukuri]

When I first read skater I thought skateboard skater. Was like wtf

[equilibrium37]

When I first read skater I thought skateboard skater. Was like wtf

Me too ....... rofl

[Rictor]

Wow. No...this can't be real. No way.

Rulers haven't been this uncaringly blatant about their power in a century.

[phoebus]

Is that for real? I always thought Putin needed a better-looking wife, but this is... wow

Sarkozy, Putin, who's next? Berlusconni? rofl

[pacifist]

Is that for real? I always thought Putin needed a better-looking wife, but this is... wow

Sarkozy, Putin, who's next? Berlusconni? rofl

Alpha males get the best broads.

[ZARDOZ]

"Here is the chick who "stole" Putin's heart"


I don't think it was his heart she stole....... Think lower.

[Abbadon the Despoiler]

Sarkozy, Putin, who's next? Berlusconni? rofl

minister Paroubek

he divroced Zuzana Paroubková

http://i.lidovky.cz/06/061/lncl/JEL136ac0_paroubek.JPG

..and married Petra Paroubková

http://i.idnes.cz/07/121/cl/LF1f765e_DSC_0134.JPG

[mj78]

Abb, you totaly ruined my whole day because of his face. :bash: don´t try to put here one of his swim suite photo. or I will commite suicide.

[phoebus]

minister Paroubek

Nice! At least our PM (http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/9552/7794normalcw0.jpg) made a relatively good choice (http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/346/7801normalsg4.jpg) from the beginning.. Lets see what the future holds for him.

European politics are starting to become rather interesting indeed. :)

[Abbadon the Despoiler]

dont worry ... he wont trouble you anymore

http://hansuv.net/img/paroubek_executed.jpg

[mj78]

yeaaaah, let him swing woot

[intelligenzija]

http://www.scripting.com/images/geraldTheUglySimpsonsBaby.jpg

[Breakfast in Vegas]

God... some many hot babes in Russia and he chose THAT? Putin not so bright after all.

[Eztyga]

save me from her eyebrows !!

Its a Russki chick thing, to maintain body warmth during those long winters, so I'm told.

Ezy

[Billy No Mates]

My oh my we have some picky types round here,put of by eyebrows when it seems this lady can get her heels behind her ears....i guess some people won't be satisfied by anything less than the moon on a stick,i bet she bounces about like a space hopper on a trampoline .

[Mackie]

Joschka Fischer an his wife:
http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,411538,00.jpg

[California Joe]

Wow. Just think of the possibilities.

How very French of comrade Putin.

Your right Billy, this thread is populated by nothing but male underwear models that can afford to be that picky.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

Wow. Just think of the possibilities.

How very French of comrade Putin.

Your right Billy, this thread is populated by nothing but male underwear models that can afford to be that picky.
The point is Putin can afford to be picky and he chose poorly. So disappointed.

Maybe she's an absolute brainiac and they enjoy stimulating evenings together playing chess. Bet she kicks ass at Twister too, although he's got reach on her. Looks Tatar though, he should be careful.. Crafty them.

[xav]

Well, for all I know Mc Cain is quite a pimp too.

Isn't his platinum blonde several years younger than him?


That skater chick is HAWT.
Funny there is an ad right now on the forum for http://russianbrides.com/ rofl

[Bongopete]

Putin STRONG!!!!!!!!!

[VPR]

if this is true, then i have no respect for Putin anymore

[Bongopete]

if this is true, then i have no respect for Putin anymore


Thats because youre 22.

[Vorian]

Damn, what's with this flexible body? I bet she is a CIA agent putting is going to kill himself with some weird stance

[Bongopete]

Damn, what's with this flexible body? I bet she is a CIA agent putting is going to kill himself with some weird stance

If she is, its the first thing the CIA has done right it seems.

[Arbody]

Thats because youre 22.

Brilliant p-)

[perdurabo]

Damn, what's with this flexible body? I bet she is a CIA agent putting is going to kill himself with some weird stance
lol if she's CIA spy then our first lady is miss universe :roll: if she's spy then she definetly is from KGB/FSB p-)

[Billy No Mates]

Your right Billy, this thread is populated by nothing but male underwear models that can afford to be that picky.

Maybe the chisel jawed demi-gods that constitute the rest of the MP.NET membership can afford to kick a half decent bit of clart out of bed over some errant eyebrow foilage,but like to think i have the maturity of character to see past such minor flaws and appreciate the beautiful ****monkey within......

[kutter]

I think a lot of you guys are too harsh on Putin. I think he choose well and much respect to him, he's a pimp in my books. :thumbs up:

[Vorian]

lol if she's CIA spy then our first lady is miss universe :roll: if she's spy then she definetly is from KGB/FSB p-)

LOL, I meant she is going to kill him from too much ***

[Bongopete]

LOL, I meant she is going to kill him from too much ***

But seriously...what a way to go!

[phoebus]

Just so I'm on the clear, I meant to say she's uber-hawt! Eyebrows are a non-issues for me. p-)


Is that for real? I always thought Putin needed a better-looking wife, but this is... wow

[jennery587]

save me from her eyebrows !!
she damn cute

[Bongopete]

Besides, eyebrows are useful for keeping away the flies.

[Snoshi]

I dont know what people are whining about.. She looks good..

[Bongopete]

I dont know what people are whining about.. She looks good..


And dont forget bendy!!! shes good looking AND bendy!

[Dercius]

And dont forget bendy!!! shes good looking AND bendy!

Yeah!, just image how many things old Putin will do with her during those long cold winter nights!!! woot

Seriously....... PUTIN STRONG!!!!!!!!

Now seriously, if they marry and they go for some kids, with her mothers flexibility and his fathers martial arts knowledge............. They will be the KGB/FSB asskicker commando:slap:

First Sarko, now Putin, tomorrow............... who knowsrofl

[Fade]

I'd hit it, like the fist of an angry god.

[jennery587]

Yeah!, just image how many things old Putin will do with her during those long cold winter nights!!! woot

Seriously....... PUTIN STRONG!!!!!!!!

Now seriously, if they marry and they go for some kids, with her mothers flexibility and his fathers martial arts knowledge............. They will be the KGB/FSB asskicker commando:slap:

First Sarko, now Putin, tomorrow............... who knowsrofl


lol gw bush and rosa

[CreepingDeath]

Yeah!, just image how many things old Putin will do with her during those long cold winter nights!!! woot

Seriously....... PUTIN STRONG!!!!!!!!

Now seriously, if they marry and they go for some kids, with her mothers flexibility and his fathers martial arts knowledge............. They will be the KGB/FSB asskicker commando:slap:

First Sarko, now Putin, tomorrow............... who knowsrofl

Its called French connection with Russian taste.

This might be a trend for Politicians nowadays. Presidents marrying women 30 years younger than them. youll predict that tomorrow's issue would be angela merkel getting a divorce and marrying a young man. here's a sign: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=132349 (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=132349roflroflrofl)

roflroflroflrofl

[Laworkerbee]

I'd hit it, like the fist of an angry god.

That was a good one.

[Kampfbaer]

Well, she looks hot, nice to know, that Mr. Putin has sth. to do, when politics become to boring.

BTW we might need to someone suitable for Anfie now to keep up with Sarko and Putin!

[Scar79]

Cancelled PAK FA, Putin who's married to Khabaeva. This is the looooooooooongest Fool's day in my life. :roll:

[Euroamerican]

Alpha males get the best broads.

QFT.....

And Props to Putin.....

And, she's a great lookin sk8ter gggirrl... Give's Avril a run for the money...

I expect to see more about this soon on hollywoodtuna.com or some place like that....

[Pleonasm]

I hope that's not true, that would ruin my appreciation for Putin. :-(

On the other hand, I think that my appreciation isn't as worth as some hours of, hm, gymnastical training with the mentioned madame. p-)

[Surf City]

But why's he gotta marry her? He's the most powerful man in Russia....just divorce the wife and be the ultimate playboy! I mean, how's she going to look after a few months of hot monkey love?

Just remember this about every hot woman:

[Mu-Meson]

I'm noticing a pattern here. Apparently, in the age of globalization, it is no longer sufficient to be really, really rich in order to get very much younger, hot gymnast/model trophy wives. Now you need nukes.
"Hey baby, I manage a hedge fund worth $4 Billion"
"Pssh, I have the worlds second largest nuclear arsenal"
I think this is Ahmadinejads real motive.

[Ichabod]

If this is true,then..... thumbs up for Putin,what a way to go woot

[Bongopete]

How many sons does Putin have now?

[Igor01]

How many sons does Putin have now?

None, as male offspring could threaten his hold on power. Instead he will use petro-rubles to clone himself a new host body once in a while so his rule on Russia may continue indefinetely.

[Bongopete]

None, as male offspring could threaten his hold on power. Instead he will use petro-rubles to clone himself a new host body once in a while so his rule on Russia may continue indefinetely.


Cool!! I want to clone a new body too......preferably his new girlfriend.

[Fifty Gut]

smart man, who the hell wants to be married to an old woman?

the whole point of marriage is be married to someone young as you grow old

[California Joe]

I think it's odd how many of our members here are worried about Putin doing "better". Cause he's so f*cking sexy or some sh*t, and dammit, he's the leader of a country. So, no matter how creepy and ugly or old, those guys deserve to make some hot young golddigger things life a living hell by rubbing their old guy balls on them. Try looking like him and working at Radio Shack and see how many broads he gets to nail.

[tomonator]

it is because he knows judo.

[dacanadianbomb]

I'd hit it, like the fist of an angry god.

That was brilliant

[Euroamerican]

I think it's odd how many of our members here are worried about Putin doing "better". Cause he's so f*cking sexy or some sh*t, and dammit, he's the leader of a country. So, no matter how creepy and ugly or old, those guys deserve to make some hot young golddigger things life a living hell by rubbing their old guy balls on them. Try looking like him and working at Radio Shack and see how many broads he gets to nail.

No way.. I don't care if he does better or not. It's just a fact that the powerful dudes can pull the hot chicas. I think he's probably an evil murderer, but we're talking about a two way street here. She can "select" a powerful, murderous man if she wants. 99 percent of us dude are totally out of luck , even if we are sent from heaven above!


I got my flower, I got my power, I got a woman who knows. NOT....

[Afro-European]

I hope that's not true, that would ruin my appreciation for Putin. :-(

On the other hand, I think that my appreciation isn't as worth as some hours of, hm, gymnastical training with the mentioned madame. p-)


How can his private life ruin your appreciation for him?
By the way that chick looks great to me. I'd hit that bendy coochie anywhere,anyday.:)

[The Black Watch]

He is a legend

[Bongopete]

How can his private life ruin your appreciation for him?
By the way that chick looks great to me. I'd hit that bendy coochie anywhere,anyday.:)


apparently in some circles he wears a white robe and walks on water...and Im not talking Obi Wan here.
Kudos to him though for the chick! Yes sir!

[Mamont]

This thread is EPIC.

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/4972/peacely3.jpg

[deadskull]

It's just a fact that the powerful dudes can pull the hot chicas. I think he's probably an evil murderer, but we're talking about a two way street here. She can "select" a powerful, murderous man if she wants.

So, not so Ronery anymore eh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apyB93-1FHk

[Afro-European]

apparently in some circles he wears a white robe and walks on water...

lmao:):):)

[Bongopete]

lmao:):):)
http://www.dreamstime.com/jesus-walking-on-the-water-thumb1896471.jpg
Putin.:)

I know Putin sir, and thats not him!

[Eokboy]

smart man, who the hell wants to be married to an old woman?

the whole point of marriage is be married to someone young as you grow old
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/9813/abdullahjeanneud2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

But he's a widower

Still... :x

[BadKarma26]

But why's he gotta marry her? He's the most powerful man in Russia....just divorce the wife and be the ultimate playboy! I mean, how's she going to look after a few months of hot monkey love?

Just remember this about every hot woman:

that chick looks like a tranny

[Afro-European]

It seems like many (ex)politcians are caught by this "wedding fever".
Ex-German chancellor,years old Helmut Kohl(78)to wed his girfriend(43)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2008/04/16/wkohl116.jpg http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/16/wkohl116.xml

[Afro-European]

I know Putin sir, and thats not him!

Yo Bongopete, i wanted to make a photoshop that failed.

[Bongopete]

lol, I knew that wasnt Putin! There was no halo around him.

[TR1]

This thread is win.

oh and props to fade for the comment.

[Ghostryder]

I think we have a word for this in English, I just can't quite remember what it is...






...Oh yeah...








Ballin'!

[Afro-European]

I think we have a word for this in English, I just can't quite remember what it is...






...Oh yeah...








Ballin'!

Another word: laying pipe.

[deagle]

i guesss she "bends over backward for him" (lol, cheesy i know)>

she's really flexy though, i'd break my back in multiple places if i were to try them.

[Kilgor]

Power being the ultimate aphrodisiac, good on him :)

This is one Putin policy no body can disagree with.

[raulv]

do anyone have pics of Putin's daughters!!!!!rrrrrr, ill love me some presidents daughters!!!

[beer_garden]

LOL, I meant she is going to kill him from too much ***

What better way to go than with a hardon and a smile on your face???

[arvo10]

do anyone have pics of Putin's daughters!!!!!rrrrrr, ill love me some presidents daughters!!!

just wait 18 years - bet that Putin and bendy will make one hottie of a daughter. But by then your balls would've shriveled and I'll be long dead.

[pacifist]

So is this true or just a german bull**** story?

Is it confirmed by official sources?

[Loki77]

MP.net needs of a tabloid section. :)

[Gulag]

maybe it's just a bad photo, but chcick???? but inhis age it's good trophy

[Afro-European]

So is this true or just a german bull**** story?

Is it confirmed by official sources?

The Kremlin press service didn't confirm or deny it.Doesn't that tell you something?

[perdurabo]

MP.net needs of a tabloid section. :)duh mp.net is one big tabloid and you wan't special section for this? :roll:

[ZARDOZ]

To quote Mel Brooks....

"It's good to be the king...."

http://www.infendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/history-of-the-world-part-i.jpg

[Brute]

do anyone have pics of Putin's daughters!!!!!rrrrrr, ill love me some presidents daughters!!!


http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa310/bz6568/mpnet/WPN-IMAGE-ID-1161743.jpg

http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/78215097.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1937B8C00E1EDBEE48CA0D71526774A0374A55A1E4F32AD3138

[-Julik- 4.GdKp]

Not bad at all.But Gorbachovs daughters are really hot!

[Surf City]

that chick looks like a tranny

Crap, I never got past the shoulders....she's got a head?!?

[Surf City]

I think it's odd how many of our members here are worried about Putin doing "better". Cause he's so f*cking sexy or some sh*t, and dammit, he's the leader of a country. So, no matter how creepy and ugly or old, those guys deserve to make some hot young golddigger things life a living hell by rubbing their old guy balls on them. Try looking like him and working at Radio Shack and see how many broads he gets to nail.

Thanks alot CJ. Excuse me while I stab myself in the brain to get rid of that mental image! http://www.themodelhangar.com/forum/images/smilies/vomit-smiley-015.gif

[IanSolo]

Is that for real? I always thought Putin needed a better-looking wife, but this is... wow

Sarkozy, Putin, who's next? Berlusconni? rofl


Berlusconi, with 1 N

and yeah probably, but it takes 4 more like them and one virgin called 'whitesnow' to make the fairytale come true ...short leaders are easy to find, but the virgin....

[Afro-European]

Not bad at all.But Gorbachovs daughters are really hot!

Gorbachev's daughters? He has only 1(Irina)
http://static.richardyoungonline.com/photos/16282_large.jpg

[Kilgor]

Not bad at all.But Gorbachovs daughters are really hot!

I think you mean granddaughters.

[Toddy1]

Putin 'to wed' young **** model gymnast

By staff writers
April 18, 2008 08:48am



Vladimir Putin reportedly to wed **** model gymnast
Putin "secretly divorced" 50-year-old for 24-year-old
Olympian and former model Alina Kabaeva in politics

RUSSIA'S outgoing President Vladimir Putin is reportedly planning to leave his wife of 25 years for a former Olympic gymnast and **** model half his age.
The 56-year-old President secretly divorced his 50-year-old wife Ludmilla two months ago so he would be free to marry gold medal-winning rythmic gymnast and one-time **** model Alina Kabaeva, 24, later this year, Britain's Evening Standard newspaper reported.
Mr Putin, a former KGB spy, had been flaunting his love in Moscow restaurants, Russian newspapers said.

Ms Kabaeva, a politician, entered Russian parliament last December.
She represented Russia at the Sydney and Athens Olympics. She also has posed for photographs wrapped in only fur and appeared in an action film.
Rumours of the relationship had been circulating in Russia for some time, according to London's Daily Telegraph but now a newspaper in Russia has published a story about it.
Moskovski Korrespondent cited a St Petersburg party planner who said they were organising the reception.
The wedding would take place in June, the paper said.
Ms Kabaeva and the Kremlin have refused to comment on the reports.

[Meatwad]

High five Mr.Putin!!

[Toddy1]

Mind you can you blame him?

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/toddylaw/alinakabaeva02.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/toddylaw/AlinaKabaeva2GrandPrix2006.jpg

[Toddy1]

I love this photo he is being so serious

"Please call me Vlad" :)

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/toddylaw/photo08.jpg

[Calanen]

Vlad the Impale-her. Never knew he was such a tool merchant.

[Fade]

Unfortunately, this topic is being discussed in great detail here (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=132449&highlight=putin) already. Also, I fail to see how this is related to the military, which is what the General forum is used for.

[Toddy1]

**** sorry about that, feel free to delete the post mods :)

[delio]

I love this photo he is being so serious

"Please call me Vlad" :)

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/toddylaw/photo08.jpg

HA HA! He looks like he was trying extremely hard to keep Mr. Stiffy from becoming too conspicuous there!

On a better note. ..she's a ..

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5992783,00.jpg

...http://youtube.com/watch?v=030aFu6fQbI

But I'm with Putin when he says, ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2A2Ia2x2tE&feature=related

[PennyWise]

Damn Vlad is lucky. I know how bad he wants to "Impale her". rofl

[GoSka37]

She'll probably end up like the chick from Seinfeld "I can only do this for performance... not in bed" kinda thing...

[Toddy1]

^^ trust me I have dated both a state gymnast and an Australian ballet dancer and they do not do that in bed...in the shower mind you is a different story :)

[RomanS]

if this is true, then i have no respect for Putin anymore

Dont argue about tastes! People have different tastes.

[Fade]

Dont argue about tastes! People have different tastes.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j228/balamars/0PBF10060BC-Skub.jpg

[IMTT]

Pimping ain't easy...I love this dude! This must be Russia's version of Hugh Hefner. Representing the Old guys club...Vald is the MAN! Bill Clinton, sit down and shut up please.

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04_03/AlinaKabaeva1L_468x317.jpg

[wagon]

It is all well and good until she wears him out! What a way to go. :)

[Delta Niner]

This thread is EPIC.

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/4972/peacely3.jpg

maybe thats not a peace sign but was just gesturing that he wants a second wife. :)

Anyways I think he made a good choice . . .

[KoTeMoRe]

This thread is EPIC.

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/4972/peacely3.jpg

I quote this for Epicness.

[Toddy1]

^^ nah its his bowling ball grip on the gymnast :)

[Fade]

Heh, more like:

http://i31.tinypic.com/6ntdgy.jpg

[Abbadon the Despoiler]

shes nice, good move by Vlad :)

http://www.nova.cz/Nova/archive/images/23520-web-4e663c.T1208338423.jpg

[SrB-23Q]

Power being the ultimate aphrodisiac, good on him :)

This is one Putin policy no body can disagree with.

besides his X - wifep-)

[neil1954]

Has anyone though he loves her for who she is? You know shes more than a body you guys know.

Ah sh*t im not fooling anybody think about the positions she could pull geezus who cares about the eyebrows when she turn herself into a pretzel for some fun.

[phoebus]

Apparently she's been in a videoclip :) (those blokes are annoying...)
http://www.youtube.com/v/-2L2B4sG0vU

That's her in parliament I guess
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/346/newpictureaj2.jpg

[Afro-European]

That's her in parliament I guess
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/346/newpictureaj2.jpg

Yes,she's a deputy in the Duma(Russian lower house)

[Afro-European]

Mind you can you blame him?

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/toddylaw/alinakabaeva02.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/toddylaw/AlinaKabaeva2GrandPrix2006.jpg

If my girlfriend could bend like this, I'd never leave the house:):):)

[Loki77]

shes nice, good move by Vlad :)

http://www.nova.cz/Nova/archive/images/23520-web-4e663c.T1208338423.jpg

Vlad rules!!!!11 :)

[Pleonasm]

*******:


Russia's Putin denies he plans to marry gymnast



PORTO ROTONDO, Sardinia (*******) - President Vladimir Putin on Friday denied reports he was planning to marry Russian Olympic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, telling journalists to keep their "snotty noses" out of his private life.
Media had reported that Putin had secretly divorced his wife, Lyudmila, and planned to marry the 24-year-old Olympic champion.
"In what you said, there is not one word of truth," Putin said when asked about the reports by a Russian newspaper journalist at a news briefing with Italy's Prime Minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi.
"I have always reacted negatively to those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others' lives," Putin said.
Putin, 55, has cultivated a tough-guy, manly image during his eight years in the Kremlin, posing for photos aboard fighter jets, firing weapons, competing in judo as a black-belt and fishing bare-chested in the Siberian wilderness.
The former KGB spy has kept his private life out of the media and reports about his family are very rare in the mainstream Russian press, which is careful to follow Kremlin guidance on coverage.
Until the news briefing in Italy, most of the Russian media had not touched the story.
Putin said media had mentioned a host of women including Kabayeva and Russian television journalist Yekaterina Andreyeva in articles about his private life.
"In other such publications other successful, beautiful young women and girls have been mentioned. I don't think it will be a surprise if I say that I like them all - because they are all Russian women," Putin said with a smile.
"I think no one will get offended if I say that I personally consider that our Russian women are the most talented and most beautiful. And if anyone can be competition for them then it is only Italian women," he said.
FIRST LADY
Moskovsky Korrespondent, a small newspaper founded by lawmaker Alexander Lebedev, ran a story last Saturday saying plans were being laid in Putin's home city of St Petersburg for a lavish summer wedding between Putin and Kabayeva.
Lebedev has since ordered journalists on the paper to either back the story up with proof or retract it.
Putin married Lyudmila, a former air hostess, in July 1983 and they have two daughters who are both in their twenties.
Lyudmila speaks three foreign languages and lived with Putin during his tour as a KGB agent in East Germany from 1986-1990. A fan of theatre, music and winter sports, she has at times looked uncomfortable with her official role.
Putin is not seen frequently in public with Lyudmila, 50, and he does not take her on most of his foreign trips.
Kabayeva, whose website www.alinakabaeva.narod.ru (http://www.alinakabaeva.narod.ru) proclaims her "the most magnificent gymnast in the world", was born in Uzbekistan. She won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens for rhythmic gymnastics, retired from the sport shortly afterwards and made a brief comeback attempt in 2006.
Recruited into Putin's United Russia party as part of a wave of young celebrities, Kabayeva was elected a deputy in the State Duma, parliament's lower house, last December.

http://www.*******.com/article/newsOne/idUSL1889958820080418?sp=true
I must admit that I'm happy Putin didn't evolve in a playboy, that's so misbecoming for a top class politician. p-)

[2Sheds_Jackson]

Meh. She may be attractive enough now, but just give her a couple of years of married life - she'll have an extra 120lb on her and untended hairs growing out of a mole on her face. If Putin is content to carry on with girls half his age, I'd recommend that he just bounce from one to another, or he'll quickly get bored with 'em.

[SOG]

Has anyone though he loves her for who she is? You know shes more than a body you guys know.


HAHAHA you're ****ing gay.


*******:

I must admit that I'm happy Putin didn't evolve in a playboy, that's so misbecoming for a top class politician. p-)

Your news is greatly displeasing.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

If Putin is content to carry on with girls half his age, I'd recommend that he just bounce from one to another, or he'll quickly get bored with 'em.
Words of wisdom. There's safety and content in numbers. rofl

[eskachig]

"I think no one will get offended if I say that I personally consider that our Russian women are the most talented and most beautiful. And if anyone can be competition for them then it is only Italian women," he said.Pretty classy that Putin ;)

[ArmyJonHall]

He is going to hit it all six ways to christmas.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9465/hitithardce4.jpg

[IMTT]

Like he would say something else? Hit again and again then find something new, go Vlad go!

[Sergei]

http://babruisk.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/19/putinka.jpg

[abhaz]

Is this some kind of new trend to post untruth news about mother Russia ?

First putin is the richest man, then Pak 5 th generation fighter cancelled in Russia and now Putin is going to marry Santa claus :roll:

[delio]

A
http://www.youtube.com/v/-2L2B4sG0vU


Evil Empire Football in Russia? Awesome!!!

[peterli]

I think it's not true,

[jokuvaan]

Moskovsky Korrespondent has now apparently been shutdown by Kremlin.

[IronFinn]

Freedom of the press doesn´t seem to apply in Russia.

[Arbody]

Moskovsky Korrespondent has now apparently been shutdown by Kremlin.
liar p-) , not by Kremlin , main sponsor after this BS pull out the money

[signatory]

Pure coincidence.


The National Mediacompany belongs to former State Duma deputy and prominent Russian businessman Alexander Lebedev.

http://www.interfax-news.com/3/386304/news.aspx


he soon transferred to the First Chief Directorate (Foreign Intelligence) of KGB. He worked there and at its successor Foreign Intelligence Service until 1992

After retirement as Lieutenant Colonel Lebedev created his first company: the Russian Investment-Finance Company (Русская инвестиционно-финансовая компания). In 1995, the company bought a small and troubled bank named National Reserve Bank that soon grew to become one of the largest Russian banks[3]. The National Reserve Bank and Alfa Bank were the only two out of the ten largest Russian banks that survived the Russian financial crisis of 1998. Now it is in the top thirty of Russian banks[3].

Among bank's assets are:


30% of the main Russian national airline Aefl (the largest private stock holder);
44% of the Ilyushin Finance Co, that owns a significant share of Russian aircraft-building industry;
significant parts of Sberbank, Gazprom, Unified Energy System.


wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lebedev)

[szr]

Putin Denies Reports of Divorce; Newspaper Suspended

By C. J. CHIVERS (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/c_j_chivers/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
Published: April 19, 2008

MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/vladimir_v_putin/index.html?inline=nyt-per), who during eight years of centralized rule has kept his private life largely sealed from view behind the Kremlin’s walls, on Friday bluntly dismissed rumors that he had secretly divorced his wife for the affections of a gymnast less than half his age.

The moment, prompted by a question from a Russian journalist while Mr. Putin held a news conference at an Italian villa with Silvio Berlusconi (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/silvio_berlusconi/index.html?inline=nyt-per), the prime minister-elect of Italy, was met with the mix of relish and confrontation that Mr. Putin has often displayed in his sessions with journalists.

He paused and answered another question, and then returned to the subject and pushed back. “What you are saying has not a single word of truth,” he said.

The question followed the publication on Thursday of an unusual article in Moskovsky Korrespondent, a Moscow newspaper owned by a former Soviet intelligence officer, which said that Mr. Putin, 56, planned to marry Alina Kabayeva, 24, an Olympic gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics who has been voted in polls as one of Russia’s most beautiful women. Interfax reported Friday evening that publication of Moskovsky Korrespondent had been suspended “for financial reasons,” according to its parent company, National Media Company.

Mr. Putin has been married to Ludmilla Putina, 51, since July 1983 — two months before Ms. Kabayeva was born. The couple has two grown daughters, but Mr. Putin and Mrs. Putina are not often seen together in public, which has long fueled rumors that Russia’s president has had a wandering eye.

Ms. Kabayeva has been a member of Parliament since she was selected for a seat late last year by United Russia, the political party Mr. Putin controls. She has not spoken publicly since Thursday, when the article appeared and its claims were picked up and circulated by newspapers and Web sites in Russia and beyond.

Her spokeswoman threatened legal action against Moskovsky Korrespondent if it did not run a correction.

After denying the article’s contents, Mr. Putin softened a bit and remarked that Moskovsky Korrespondent was not the first to speculate on his personal life.

“In other such publications other successful, beautiful young women and girls have been mentioned,” he said with a smile. “I don’t think it will be a surprise if I say that I like them all, because they are all Russian women.”

He also called Russian women the “most talented and beautiful,” adding that they could be challenged only by the women of Italy.

He then ruminated briefly on the limits of privacy in public life — a condition that he suggested was true even in the climate of limited civic discourse in Russia, which Mr. Putin himself has done much to produce.

“Society has the right to know how public figures live,” he said. “But even in this case, there is a limit: private life, which no one has the right to trespass.”

He added, in familiar form, “I have always disliked those who, with their infected noses and erotic fantasies, break into other people’s private affairs.”

Whether the article’s underlying assertion — that Mr. Putin was romantically involved with Ms. Kabayeva — would stand was not clear. But even the owner of the newspaper, Aleksandr Lebedev, distanced himself from it.

Mr. Lebedev wrote a follow-up article in the paper on Friday, saying that he had been away fishing, and without phone communication, when the original article was prepared and published. Upon his return to Moscow, he said, he had concluded that the article was false.

“I do not like when journalists pull sensations out of thin air,” he wrote. “Everything that is written there falls into this category.”

He called the report “nonsense” and said it was based on a source he described as the “O.B.S. news agency.” Those initials, he said, stood for “one babushka said.”

Interfax reported that the paper’s editor, Grigory Nekhoroshev, had resigned.

But the paper’s deputy editor, Igor Dudinski, said the staff stood by the article, adding, “We had information, and we reported it.”

Television viewers were spared the speculation, the denial and the backpedaling.

The evening news broadcast on the state-influenced television station NTV did not cover the rumor or Mr. Putin’s remarks. Instead, it devoted extensive coverage to Yuri M. Luzhkov (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/yuri_m_luzhkov/index.html?inline=nyt-per), Moscow’s irrepressible mayor, visiting a factory that makes fertilizer from cow manure.

NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/world/europe/19russia.html?em&ex=1208750400&en=68a870fff8032e41&ei=5087%0A)And there I was thinking Putin was The Freakin' Man, for a second. :(

[IMTT]

Freedom of speech doesn't apply either just ask???? O yea he's died.

[delio]

Apparently she's been in a videoclip :) (those blokes are annoying...)
http://www.youtube.com/v/-2L2B4sG0vU

That's her in parliament I guess


That's not the only video she has appeared on. Here's a perhaps more appropriate one, ..


http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ww_u8L13cac

[Flamming_Python]

Word got out about his hard-on and he is shutting down a newspaper?

Man I like Putin, but this is just stupid, fairly uncharacteristic of him.

[Digimon]

Word got out about his hard-on and he is shutting down a newspaper?

Man I like Putin, but this is just stupid, fairly uncharacteristic of him.

Unfortunately, it is much worse than that… The Kremlin does not have to shut anyone down: everyone is scarred enough to shut down themselves. If they won’t do it themselves, then, and without any orders, the bureaucracy, the courts, the tax collectors, the property landlords, the fire inspectors, the health inspectors, MVD, FSB, the prosecutors will find a proper cause to shut them down without help from any official censorship. This bureaucratic machine now has a life of its own – it does not distinguish itself, the civil servants corp., from the political appointees, and it reacts accordingly. This fusion between the administrative resource and the political establishment has subverted the democratic institutions in Russia.

It was, it seems, fairly inevitable given that the political administration used the power of this apparatus to pressure independent business to fight the tax evasions, broadcast media to stop public opinion manipulation, civil institutions and independent political institutions to prevent orange revolutions. Now, this apparatus does not see itself in any other role – its got the momentum.

[Afro-European]

Word got out about his hard-on and he is shutting down a newspaper?

Man I like Putin, but this is just stupid, fairly uncharacteristic of him.

I thought Vladimir "pooty-pot" Putin knew what tabloid meant.:):)

[Breakfast in Vegas]

Vlad likes boys.

[Snoshi]

Vlad likes boys.
http://voyage.typepad.com/lfc_images/Putin_Boy.jpg

[Flamming_Python]

Unfortunately, it is much worse than that… The Kremlin does not have to shut anyone down: everyone is scarred enough to shut down themselves. If they won’t do it themselves, then, and without any orders, the bureaucracy, the courts, the tax collectors, the property landlords, the fire inspectors, the health inspectors, MVD, FSB, the prosecutors will find a proper cause to shut them down without help from any official censorship. This bureaucratic machine now has a life of its own – it does not distinguish itself, the civil servants corp., from the political appointees, and it reacts accordingly. This fusion between the administrative resource and the political establishment has subverted the democratic institutions in Russia.

It was, it seems, fairly inevitable given that the political administration used the power of this apparatus to pressure independent business to fight the tax evasions, broadcast mediamedia to stop public opinion manipulation, civil institutions and independent political institutions to prevent orange revolutions. Now, this apparatus does not see itself in any other role – its got the momentum.

Well pretty much everything is under control of the same oligarchs. They all have a common interest in oppressing anyone below them.

[KoTeMoRe]

Unfortunately, it is much worse than that… The Kremlin does not have to shut anyone down: everyone is scarred enough to shut down themselves. If they won’t do it themselves, then, and without any orders, the bureaucracy, the courts, the tax collectors, the property landlords, the fire inspectors, the health inspectors, MVD, FSB, the prosecutors will find a proper cause to shut them down without help from any official censorship. This bureaucratic machine now has a life of its own – it does not distinguish itself, the civil servants corp., from the political appointees, and it reacts accordingly. This fusion between the administrative resource and the political establishment has subverted the democratic institutions in Russia.

It was, it seems, fairly inevitable given that the political administration used the power of this apparatus to pressure independent business to fight the tax evasions, broadcast mediamedia to stop public opinion manipulation, civil institutions and independent political institutions to prevent orange revolutions. Now, this apparatus does not see itself in any other role – its got the momentum.



Well in a sense they can get the boot in any "western nation" too. Anti-Defamatory indictements can bring quite the heat on any media. With a reasonable fine you can properly shut down any paper, radio, broadcast channel. All you have to do is call in defamation.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

Well in a sense they can get the boot in any "western nation" too. Anti-Defamatory indictements can bring quite the heat on any media. With a reasonable fine you can properly shut down any paper, radio, broadcast channel. All you have to do is call in defamation.
When was the last time that happened in the West involving a major political figure?

[Kak]

I don't know about anti-defamation lawsuits, but Pro-Government self censorship by news media does sometimes happen here too, although not anywhere approaching the extent it happens in Russia (but also Putin's approval ratings are like 60% higher than Bush's). Fox News is quite "selective" in its reporting and commentary, and Dan Rather was pushed out of CBS due to, like the case with this Russian newspaper, reporting incorrect information that is defaming to the personal character of the President.

[Mr.K]

Putin goes Sarko's way...

My thoughts, it's a political faux pas though, he will lose major points among the russian population.

[Digimon]

Well in a sense they can get the boot in any "western nation" too. Anti-Defamatory indictements can bring quite the heat on any media. With a reasonable fine you can properly shut down any paper, radio, broadcast channel. All you have to do is call in defamation.

Yes, they could, but it would not work (although, in this case there is nothing defamatory about divorcing one’s wife and marrying a gymnast), not because the laws do not allow it, but because people would not apply these laws for such purposes. If anyone tried to close a newspaper for writing a scandalous rumor about, lets say Bush’s drunk kids or his family’s association with Bin Ladens, the judges would throw it out of court and the political fallout, amplified by the independent media, would be enourmous and much more costly. In some ways the Russian laws, both Constitutional and Federal, are much more liberal than in many Western countries, but the way they are applied and the context in which they are applied is much more repressive.

An example: an opposition political party wants to have a party meeting; they try to rent a hall, but all the hotels in town turn them down because all of them, all of a sudden, “close for repairs”; they try to print out platform agendas but all of the printers refuse to take the order “because they are overbooked”. All of these businesses know that if they step out of line the bureaucracy will find a way to shut them down (health code, tax evasion, fire inspections), hence it is rational to play on the safe side. Another example: an opposition party wants to stage a demonstration and applies for a permit – they get turned down by the town administration because, all of a sudden, all of the major streets are booked by pro-government parties or kindergarten performances – the town administration wants to be on the good side of the governor, who is appointed by the President. An independent newspaper prepares to print a critical article, but suddenly they get raided by the police who confiscate all of their equipment for “copyright violations” – Minister of the MVD is appointed by the President. The private interests of the bureaucrats, the security of their jobs, their bonuses, their promotions fall in line with the political interests of the party in power – they serve the party, not the people.

Formally everything is legit, but in essence no independent or critical view, which is not wanted by the political administration, can survive in this system. If an opposition exists, it only exists because the administration, in its infinite kindness, permitted it to exist. In democracies, the current political administration can only see such powers in their wet dreams – the system itself, the people, will not permit it.

The problem is not that Russian political or administrative organization is different or ‘undemocratic” - it is. The problem seems to be the mindset of the people who occupy these roles: they (the bureaucrats) identify their own interests with the interests of the administration and see themselves as one with the party in power, whom they defend like ants defend the Mother Queen. But in a democracy they must be neutral and independent from it: political administrations come and go – the civil servants remain. If you replaced the Russian civil servants with British or Swiss, the same system would start working completely differently – there would be genuine political freedom, and a newspaper would not be shut down “for financial reasons” few days after publishing a scandalous but legally permissible article.

Interesting Source: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=884988&NodesID=7

[KoTeMoRe]

When was the last time that happened in the West involving a major political figure?


France? Two years ago?

Don't get me started.

Edit. Digimon: it could work if that was a last resort "weapon". And defamatory statements include lying on one's private life.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

France? Two years ago?

Don't get me started.

Edit. Digimon: it could work if that was a last resort "weapon". And defamatory statements include lying on one's private life.
Get started, I'm curious.

A paper got shut down in France by the government? Or got fined into bankruptcy? I vaguely recall a scandal but don't remember it ending so dramatically.

[KoTeMoRe]

Get started, I'm curious.

A paper got shut down in France by the government? Or got fined into bankruptcy? I vaguely recall a scandal but don't remember it ending so dramatically.

Oh they just kicked out the head redactor...just in case.

France in general has this vey bad habit of political medling within the press.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

Oh they just kicked out the head redactor...just in case.
What did he do? The only thing I could find was the editor of the Soir fired for reprinting the Mohammed cartoons. His employer was Egyptian. Oops.

[Afro-European]

Get started, I'm curious.

A paper got shut down in France by the government? Or got fined into bankruptcy? I vaguely recall a scandal but don't remember it ending so dramatically.

Nicolas Sarkozy launched legal action against the publication l'observateur(the observer)following the publication of an SMS he alledgedly sent to his ex-wife,8 days before marrying carla Bruni.

[Digimon]

I don't know about anti-defamation lawsuits, but Pro-Government self censorship by news media does sometimes happen here too, although not anywhere approaching the extent it happens in Russia (but also Putin's approval ratings are like 60% higher than Bush's). Fox News is quite "selective" in its reporting and commentary, and Dan Rather was pushed out of CBS due to, like the case with this Russian newspaper, reporting incorrect information that is defaming to the personal character of the President.

I agree, Rather is a good example, which goes to substantiate KoTeMoRe's view that such things do happen on occasion. Nevertheless, I suspect that their fears and motives were slightly different from the fears and motives of the media outlets in Russia - I do not think that CBS had reasons to fear that they would go the way of NTV.

[Calanen]

Fox News is quite "selective" in its reporting and commentary, and Dan Rather was pushed out of CBS due to, like the case with this Russian newspaper, reporting incorrect information that is defaming to the personal character of the President.


Dan Rather was pushed out because he relied on documents that could have been created by a kid with MS Word. And probably were.

Seems to be a lot more substance to these reports. And there are no falsified documents being relied on here.

[KoTeMoRe]

Nicolas Sarkozy launched legal action against the publication l'observateur(the observer)following the publication of an SMS he alledgedly sent to his ex-wife,8 days before marrying carla Bruni.

That was now lately.

We're speaking about the pictures of Madme Cecilia Sarkozy with Mr Attias (her friend) published while Mr Sarkozy was on his electoral tour (pardon ministerial duties).

I think France-Soir got hosed on that. VDS too received some much deserved heat.

Calanen: No matter what, extreme deep throat muckraking deserves aggravated financial spanking.

[Dercius]

None, as male offspring could threaten his hold on power. Instead he will use petro-rubles to clone himself a new host body once in a while so his rule on Russia may continue indefinetely.

LOLrofl

God Save the Tsar!!!!!

[Flamming_Python]

Yes, they could, but it would not work (although, in this case there is nothing defamatory about divorcing one’s wife and marrying a gymnast), not because the laws do not allow it, but because people would not apply these laws for such purposes. If anyone tried to close a newspaper for writing a scandalous rumor about, lets say Bush’s drunk kids or his family’s association with Bin Ladens, the judges would throw it out of court and the political fallout, amplified by the independent media, would be enourmous and much more costly. In some ways the Russian laws, both Constitutional and Federal, are much more liberal than in many Western countries, but the way they are applied and the context in which they are applied is much more repressive.

An example: an opposition political party wants to have a party meeting; they try to rent a hall, but all the hotels in town turn them down because all of them, all of a sudden, “close for repairs”; they try to print out platform agendas but all of the printers refuse to take the order “because they are overbooked”. All of these businesses know that if they step out of line the bureaucracy will find a way to shut them down (health code, tax evasion, fire inspections), hence it is rational to play on the safe side. Another example: an opposition party wants to stage a demonstration and applies for a permit – they get turned down by the town administration because, all of a sudden, all of the major streets are booked by pro-government parties or kindergarten performances – the town administration wants to be on the good side of the governor, who is appointed by the President. An independent newspaper prepares to print a critical article, but suddenly they get raided by the police who confiscate all of their equipment for “copyright violations” – Minister of the MVD is appointed by the President. The private interests of the bureaucrats, the security of their jobs, their bonuses, their promotions fall in line with the political interests of the party in power – they serve the party, not the people.

Formally everything is legit, but in essence no independent or critical view, which is not wanted by the political administration, can survive in this system. If an opposition exists, it only exists because the administration, in its infinite kindness, permitted it to exist. In democracies, the current political administration can only see such powers in their wet dreams – the system itself, the people, will not permit it.

The problem is not that Russian political or administrative organization is different or ‘undemocratic” - it is. The problem seems to be the mindset of the people who occupy these roles: they (the bureaucrats) identify their own interests with the interests of the administration and see themselves as one with the party in power, whom they defend like ants defend the Mother Queen. But in a democracy they must be neutral and independent from it: political administrations come and go – the civil servants remain. If you replaced the Russian civil servants with British or Swiss, the same system would start working completely differently – there would be genuine political freedom, and a newspaper would not be shut down “for financial reasons” few days after publishing a scandalous but legally permissible article.

Interesting Source: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=884988&NodesID=7

What in your opinion, must be done to rectify the situation?

Or is there no quick way around it (i.e. wait until the Soviet generation retires)?

[Digimon]

What in your opinion, must be done to rectify the situation?

Or is there no quick way around it (i.e. wait until the Soviet generation retires)?

How to fix this? Sometimes I feel that it is impossible to fix … since we are dealing with people’s minds, attitudes, and choices that we cannot control. But perhaps we can create structural conditions that elicit the right choices.

The main thing is to make the apparatus and its elements serve the people rather then the political power (party, administration, political appointees). The structural changes must be made which will re-subordinate the bureaucratic and political machine to the “court of public opinion”. The bureaucrats and politicians must not be afraid of their bosses or the presidential administration – they must be afraid of the people. This requires two-fold action: a) the weakening of the repressive aspect of the political power (power vertical) and b) the strengthening of the effectual role of public opinion on the lives and status of the bureaucrats and politicians.

The weakening can be done by additional structural steps which ultimately remove the coercive leverages from the hands of the bureaucrats: 1) rule of law (real financial and regulatory independence of the judiciary– these steps are in progress); 2) reformulating the anti-extremism legislation to exclude prohibition on criticism of civil servants; 3) reformulating or repealing the NGO registration legislation (thinking about it); 4) limiting (repeat) tax inspections and many other forms of state inspections (fire, health, and so on) that are used as coercive leverages; 5) reforming the prosecutor’s office by separating prosecution and investigative control from investigation (has been done!); 6) passing regulation of areas of activity not critical to national security or human lives to self-regulation through civil or business associations (e.g. insurance, professional associations – in progress) 7) removing the land and real estate from the bureaucratic ownership (taking away property and land is used to coerce entrepreneurs and media outlets – these steps are impending); 8) introducing anti-corruption legislation that prevents ambiguous reading or reinterpretation of laws and regulations (impending); 9) increasing the role of labor unions and tightening due process in hiring and dismissal policies of the civil service, to ensure civil servant’s independence from political pressure.

The strengthening of the role of public on the actions of the political administration and the state apparatus could be done in these ways: 1) ensuring public access to information, including state decisions and judicial proceedings (impending) 2) protecting, on the legislative level, institutions crucial to civil control, such as media, human rights NGOs, electoral monitoring or pollster – these institutions must be truly independent and have special status (not unlike judges) limiting their prosecution; 3) introducing public television network accountable only to the public chamber and with independent state financing, hiring and editorial policies; 4) empowering the network of state ombudsmen and regional outlets of the public chamber (possibly introducing a public HR rating system); 5) deregulating registration of media outlets, distribution of broadcast frequencies, and moving to self-regulation; 6) fixing the current legislative conundrum when election results falsifier cannot be prosecuted; 7) moving to electing wide range of civil officials in municipalities and regions (public transport, police, ZHKH, heads of various public service departments; school boards); 8) simplifying registration conditions and lowering the threshold for party entry into the Duma and regional legislations.

In general, if you can’t change people’s mentality to make them democratic, you must introduce conditions that make it rational for them to be democratic because it is in their interest. Their wealth and well being must depend not on bureaucratic corporate loyalty, but on transparency and public appraisal. Actions that are second nature to most civil servants in the West with its long democratic tradition must be given special incentives in Russia.

[KoTeMoRe]

How to fix this? Sometimes I feel that it is impossible to fix … since we are dealing with people’s minds, attitudes, and choices that we cannot control. But perhaps we can create structural conditions that elicit the right choices.

The main thing is to make the apparatus and its elements serve the people rather then the political power (party, administration, political appointees). The structural changes must be made which will re-subordinate the bureaucratic and political machine to the “court of public opinion”. The bureaucrats and politicians must not be afraid of their bosses or the presidential administration – they must be afraid of the people. This requires two-fold action: a) the weakening of the repressive aspect of the political power (power vertical) and b) the strengthening of the effectual role of public opinion on the lives and status of the bureaucrats and politicians.

The weakening can be done by additional structural steps which ultimately remove the coercive leverages from the hands of the bureaucrats: 1) rule of law (real financial and regulatory independence of the judiciary– these steps are in progress); 2) reformulating the anti-extremism legislation to exclude prohibition on criticism of civil servants; 3) reformulating or repealing the NGO registration legislation (thinking about it); 4) limiting (repeat) tax inspections and many other forms of state inspections (fire, health, and so on) that are used as coercive leverages; 5) reforming the prosecutor’s office by separating prosecution and investigative control from investigation (has been done!); 6) passing regulation of areas of activity not critical to national security or human lives to self-regulation through civil or business associations (e.g. insurance, professional associations – in progress) 7) removing the land and real estate from the bureaucratic ownership (taking away property and land is used to coerce entrepreneurs and media outlets – these steps are impending); 8) introducing anti-corruption legislation that prevents ambiguous reading or reinterpretation of laws and regulations (impending); 9) increasing the role of labor unions and tightening due process in hiring and dismissal policies of the civil service, to ensure civil servant’s independence from political pressure.

The strengthening of the role of public on the actions of the political administration and the state apparatus could be done in these ways: 1) ensuring public access to information, including state decisions and judicial proceedings (impending) 2) protecting, on the legislative level, institutions crucial to civil control, such as media, human rights NGOs, electoral monitoring or pollster – these institutions must be truly independent and have special status (not unlike judges) limiting their prosecution; 3) introducing public television network accountable only to the public chamber and with independent state financing, hiring and editorial policies; 4) empowering the network of state ombudsmen and regional outlets of the public chamber (possibly introducing a public HR rating system); 5) deregulating registration of media outlets, distribution of broadcast frequencies, and moving to self-regulation; 6) fixing the current legislative conundrum when election results falsifier cannot be prosecuted; 7) moving to electing wide range of civil officials in municipalities and regions (public transport, police, ZHKH, heads of various public service departments; school boards); 8) simplifying registration conditions and lowering the threshold for party entry into the Duma and regional legislations.

In general, if you can’t change people’s mentality to make them democratic, you must introduce conditions that make it rational for them to be democratic because it is in their interest. Their wealth and well being must depend not on bureaucratic corporate loyalty, but on transparency and public appraisal. Actions that are second nature to most civil servants in the West with its long democratic tradition must be given special incentives in Russia.

You're speaking about a revolution that already happened and failed. Why?

Material conditions were not present and aren't still present for Russia to dust off its muscles from old symbiots. Wealth and well being in Russia self are part of an interlock within different generations. Babushka's wealth is not the spouse's wealth nor the teenies wealth. What is blatant in Russia as well as in CIS and former WarPact/ SocBloc countries is that aspirations are still different. Some want order, some want bread'n'water , some want luxury. This in a "democratic" country does not exist. The huge majority has the same vision and values although some air bravados of "social justice" etc. That's why there is no "civil society". BTW a civil society is a worrisome sign of Spät-Kapitalismus. You simply don't want it on your nation.

[DRA]

Presidential hoax for dummies

http://www.kp.ru/upimg/logo/169977.jpg


Today it's clear how the biggest newspaper hoax of the decade was born. Ten days ago, Moskovsky Korrespondent reported that President Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry former rhythmic gymnast and current State Duma Deputy Alina Kabayeva. Putin refuted the claims while at a press conference in Sardinia with Italian Prime Minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi.

Shortly after, news agencies reported that Moskovsky Korrespondent was suspending publication.

I went to the Moskovsky Korrespondent editorial offices to meet the author of the hoax that has taken Western news outlets by storm. I also wanted to learn if the newspaper had actually been shut down.

"We just didn't have anything to put on the page, so we thought up this tall-tale," said columnist Lev Ryzhkov, who looks a bit like a reclusive bookworm. Ryzhkov was on vacation when the scandalous issue went to press. When he returned to work and learned what happened, Ryzhkov created another sensation by describing how the editorial team constructed the intricate hoax on his Internet forum.

It still smells like gunpowder in the editorial office's smoking room at the entrance to Moskovsky Korrespondent. Ryzhkov's colleagues greet him sullenly – some with reservations and others with pity.

"Lev! Take off your glasses!" said Sergey Topol, co-author of the misguided article on Putin's alleged marriage to Kabayev. Swinging his arm skillfully in the narrow corridor, Topol caught Ryzhkov square in the eye. "Take that, you bastard!"

I was dumbfounded. Hearing the noise, Ryzhkov's colleagues came out from behind their partitions and into the hallway.

"Did you see that?!" Ryzhkov said, jumping towards me.

In the next room Deputy Chief Editor Igor Dudinsky nervously spoke with Canadian TV. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Our sources are very serious! Everyone knows about the affair," Dudinsky said.

"Okay," the Canadian correspondent said and quickly put two and two together. "But they want to shut you down. Does this mean there's no free press in Russia?"

"How did you get in here?" the receptionists said, finally noticing me.

Through the door, I answered. I then asked them to explain how the hoax had come into being.

"Send an official request and we'll answer," they said.

Only National Media Company General Director Artem Artemov agreed to speak with me. His company owns Moskovsky Korrespondent.

"No one closed the newspaper. We've simply haulted print," Artemov said. "Go ahead and print that... This isn't connected with the story about Kabayev."

"What's it connected with then?" I asked.

"We're going to turn this newspaper into a tabloid for intelligent readers," he said.

Topol and Ryzhkov started fighting again in the hallway.

"The editorial team has been writing a lot about big politics lately. We want to make this a newspaper about the problems of residents living in a big city," Artemov said.

"Did you know a week ago that this article was being prepared for print?" I asked.

"No. I only saw the article on the day of the issue," he said. "I knew right away it was a hoax. The editorial group couldn't explain where they had gotten their information."

"And then what?" I asked.

"Well, they'll have to answer for their lie," he said. "The editorial team is responsible for spreading inaccurate information."

According to Artemov, Chief Editor Grigoriy Nekhoroshev was the first to leave the publication. He wrote his own resignation. Ryzhkov followed. He was called a traitor and asked to leave the company.

"So what did you acheive?" Ryzhkov's colleagues asked him about his confession on the Internet forum. "We made up the hoax and now what...?"

"I just wanted to tell the truth," Ryzhkov said. They grinned and took a step aside.

And I thought: "So this means Ryzhkov is right?"



Word for Word

Journalist's Confession

Lev Ryzhkov (columnist, Moskovsky Korrespondent)


Taken from Litprom.ru

After thinking about it I came to the following conclusion – why shouldn't I just say what really happened? I mean a big part of this whole scandal took place before my very eyes. I hope my info will help provide some finality to the issue.

For reference: I'm a staff journalist at Moskovsky Korrespondent – the same publication that published the hoax. I've worked as a columnist in the literature and arts section for 6 months already, basically from the moment of founding.

I learned about the sensation after our entire country. I'll explain why. I was on vacation. So I found out on Tuesday.

This is the real story about Vladmir Vladirmovich's wedding.

The newspaper was a 24-page daily. That's a lot of space. It doesn't matter how many huge articles you slap on the page, you'll always have small holes left over that need to be filled with something...

The evening when the sensation was born the situation was about the same – as far as I know. There was an empty space on one of the pages. The Hollywood stars that usually patch up these spaces didn't cut it this time. Why? Because the hole was on the front page – where we print political news. You can't put Dima Bilan or Filip Kirkorov there regardless of how much you want to.

I don't need to explain how tired journalists get rid of their stress and weariness. I don't know whose hot head came up with the idea to marry the president and Kabayev. Honestly. Officially the article was written by two journalists. But they didn't come up with the idea. That's for sure.

And that's how things unfolded more or less. They used Putin to fill the hole.

I don't know what went on in the first days following the sensation. I guess the country was quiet... (ed. shocked). Everyone all the sudden knew the publication where I worked.

When I came to work on Tuesday, I don't even know what I saw... The journalists were strangely excited.

"We've made some serious PR!" the smoke room beamed. "Now everyone knows us."

Initially, yes, I also felt some strange euphoria. The editor demanded that a continuation be written on the "successful" theme.

I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears how our journalists called the Presidential Administration: "How do you feel about the rumors regarding…" They also called poor Alina Kabayeva: "Alina! Please confirm or refute…" I'll say once again – this was their sick imagination. Kabayev's press secretary picked up the phone and politely asked our journalists to go to... Meaning, I'll explain this again for those who haven't yet caught on – they made up the ****-and-bull story about her and then called her nonstop demanding that she comment on the situation.

The smoke room was buzzing.

"They're refusing to give commentary!" our journalists said exultantly like little kids. "That means they have been in the jam pot!" Something must have really happened. Grisha (ed. Grigoriy) guessed right!"

Let's remember the name Grisha.

But in any event I was gone for two whole weeks and suddenly realized everyone had gone mad. It happens with creative people. I talk to writers often. Many experience very human feelings for their characters... It's the same with journalists. They all just believed in the story that they had come up with.

However, before long the euphoria passed. Some people in uniform came to the editorial offices. Really big guys. I don't who they were. Maybe the FSB, but I don't think so. My guess – they came to pick up the editor and take him to the owner of the newspaper. I saw him being taken away with my own eyes. He glanced around and said: "I'll be back."

After the "Hasta la vista," everyone was nervous. Me, too.

Then the editor returned. Jumping ahead, I'll say that he started to come to work only on rare occasions. Some international and national press still tried to reach him on his work number. They were given the same spiel: "The editor is being interrogated at Lubyanka." I should say he went to these interrogations without a convoy and with some strange glitter in his eyes – as if with pleasure. If there was such a thing as an interrogation-oholic, he certainly was one.

...On Friday, Japanese television showed up. The editor didn't greet them but prefered to see him in his office. He was preaching like a bombastic old man talking about free press, exclusive sources of information. After he finished he shook their hands proudly...

[RJMC]

lol so it was a fake news made to attract attention to theyr newspaper?

[Digimon]

You're speaking about a revolution that already happened and failed. Why?

Material conditions were not present and aren't still present for Russia to dust off its muscles from old symbiots. Wealth and well being in Russia self are part of an interlock within different generations. Babushka's wealth is not the spouse's wealth nor the teenies wealth. What is blatant in Russia as well as in CIS and former WarPact/ SocBloc countries is that aspirations are still different. Some want order, some want bread'n'water , some want luxury. This in a "democratic" country does not exist. The huge majority has the same vision and values although some air bravados of "social justice" etc. That's why there is no "civil society". BTW a civil society is a worrisome sign of Spät-Kapitalismus. You simply don't want it on your nation.

I am not sure I follow everything: I do not know what Spät-Kapitalismus is, and why civil society is a worrisome sign of it.


As to the rest, I am not speaking of any revolution – I am speaking of corruption, but in its political aspect. This is the proverbial “phone law” saturating the bureaucratic system; it works as easily to get illegal business favors as it does in stifling any political criticism. But its nature is the same: it is - as Medvedev put it - legalistic nihilism. The problem is that the legalistic nihilism is not simply a universal platform, but also a basic assumption of all players, who do not believe that they will be treated fairly even if they do everything within the law. As a result, they try to read the mind of the authorities, for they are not scared or the public – nothing depends on it.

The society has not discovered more effective means of fighting this corruption then by means of separation of powers and civil control (i.e. making power contingent on public opinion) – monolith power is incapable of policing or rejuvenating itself. The current political administration understands it very well, and as a result, they are attempting to create political pluralism (party clubs within ER, creation of the SR) and civil control (public chamber). But these artificial administrative creations never question its creator, on whose will they depend, and thus remain only partly effective. I am simply suggesting the means of creating these controls in the natural way: weakening the coercive power (by this I mean opportunities for its abuse: just like the failure to have a fire extinguisher or a emergency kit in the car can be used to extort a bribe, expiring rental lease with the municipality can be used to extort a political concession) of the state and empowering the public.

Has civil control and political pluralism failed in Russia? I do not think so, at least not in a direct way. One problem is that during crisis and socio-political and economic transformation such controls cannot always function properly; the other problem is that with decentralization the regions got extended legislative autonomy, which allowed them to wipe out pluralism and civil controls and create feudal totalitarian states (e.g. Kalmykia). In these regions, bureaucrats served neither public nor the president – they served the governor. Re-subordinating the regional branches of Ministries and Agencies (FSB, MVD, Prosecutor’s Office, etc…) to the Federal Government - the strengthening of the vertical of power - was a good idea; the problem is that with the re-subordination of the coercive instruments the loyalties of the bureaucracy simply moved to the center.

The aspirations of the public might be different, but they overlap in so far as the need for basic fair rules is concerned: corruption, bureaucratic extortion, controlled judges, repression of association and freedom of speech, ineffective and abusive public services, lack of transparency, politically motivated prosecution and electoral manipulation – these are not good things. Whatever else these people want – they all want these things, and pollsters confirm this fact.

[California Joe]

You retards realize this thread was created to show pictures of a chick with giant eyebrows that is so bendy she can go down on herself right?

[KoTeMoRe]

You retards realize this thread was created to show pictures of a chick with giant eyebrows that is so bendy she can go down on herself right?

That's what we're saying...Russia is not ready.p-):roll: