Quote from jimclark:
Some parts of true of what you say or think. Not knowing when you were in Russia last time...but that has transformed a lot to say the least but it's not something you can compare to other Western countries just yet but eventially it'll surpase many of it's European counterparts, Putin's "managed democracyh" is exactly what Russia needs in the short-run, note I said short-run but eventially in the Long run this will need to change.
To make this an easy reading you can check few common facts - historically Russia was a strong country with strong boh intelectual and cultural background so ... this transition is just that transition. You don't have to go to Russia to see what cryniism is...plenty of it right in the good ol' US of A. Take G. W. for example...all this guy does appoint either his buddies or his dad's bodies to all government posts...
Rember when Harriet Mayers was nominated to atturney general...that did not fly with the congress...next was his legal councel..Alberto Gonzalez...
Next...his college buddy Michael Brown was head of FEMA was responsible for distaster in hurracain katrina fiasco and I am not even mentioning Halliburton which is "rebuilding and drilling" in Iraq.
Plenty of it here, Russia just starting out. Rubber barons of Russia are what it used to be in the US back in the 50's.
Go to Russia...buy something.
