The sky is high. The Czar is far.
Ukrainian baker makes delicious wedding dress for his bride.
I also love the following comments he made, in relation to the job-market in Ukraine and his own career potential:
“Here you can buy jobs,” he said. “You want to be president, governor, (parliament) deputy, OK. But my job you can’t buy — you have to do it.”
Good luck, khlopets’.
Today was the first time I’d ever leapt to the defense of one Paris Hilton, after this happened.
Here is the e-mail I sent to the Countdown team:
Dear Keith & Co.,
The Paris Hilton joke was below the belt. I’m a feminist with real job, and normally I wouldn’t give a rat’s behind about some heiress’ petty problems, but the slut-shaming needs to stop. I watch “Countdown” because I consider everyone on it to be the good guys, particularly when it comes to women’s issues. Based on the following lines, however:
“Paris Hilton claims she was punched in the face yesterday morning at a nightclub in Hollywood [pause] ‘Course she’s had worse things happen to her face …”
I am forced to assume that you are making fun of her for being in a sex video. I am also forced to assume that “worse things” = semen. Now why exactly is it better for a woman to get punched in the face than to have a man ejaculate on it during a consensual sex act?
We ought to stop tying sexual pleasure to humiliation. And “Countdown” can lead the way.
Best wishes,
Natalia Antonova.Durham, North Carolina.
Sure, I feel a bit ridiculous. But in a good way. As ridiculous as the captain of Serenity, when he goes about rescuing his courtesan friend while in drag.
TWO FIGURES
These figures moving in my rhyme,
Who are they? Death, and death’s dog, Time.– N. Scott Momaday
This woman did not get emergency contraception on time, and is now pregnant. She already has three kids, and plans on getting an abortion. She lives in a red state, in a red county, which means that in order to have her abortion, she will most likely have to pass through an abusive mob. She has received death threats, insults, and, in one case, a fake e-mail on how to cause a “natural miscarriage” using deadly herbs.
I too was denied EC once. And treated like a slut when I asked for it. And encouraged to lie about being raped. Luckily enough, I did not get pregnant, but if I had, I would have also gone to have an abortion. And you can bet that I would have been public about it. All the cowards hiding behind their computer screens, sending hate-mail to a mother, threatening to rape and kill her, they could have just as easily gone after me, which is why what’s happening to BB is more than horrible, it’s personal. It’s a rude reminder of the threats against American women’s rights and dignity. It’s a loud bloody wake-up call, like a foghorn to the ear.
In light of all this, idiots who claim that women in this country have “all the rights they need” really make me laugh.
I’m shocked and awed.
Not really, no.
Critically-minded writers are inevitable casualties in iron-fisted pseudo-democracies, with their corrupt politicians in ill-fitting designer suits and beggar senior citizens selling vintage cigarette packs to amused tourists, with their petty conflicts, murdered children, and always, always, the terrible hope that maybe tomorrow everything will finally go right.
If you are living in the States, you can e-mail the Russian embassy a response here: russianembassy@mindspring.com, ministry@mid.ru,
You can also try this site (it appears more useful).
You can write your own letter, or borrow mine:
Dear Sir or Madam,
As a person who cares deeply about the Russian Federation and its developing democracy, I would like to express my great concern at the news of Anna Politkovskaya’s violent death. Putting all politics aside, I wish to tell you that it is my hope that the murderer(s) will not escape judgement. A nation that is not safe for journalists is not safe for anyone.
Agree or disagree with Politkovskaya’s work, she attempted to keep people honest. She will be missed by us all.
My condolences go out to her family, and to the Russian people, for suffering yet another setback during this difficult evolution of their great nation.
I trust that the Russian government will continue to find new ways to protect its journalistic community, even when said community criticizes the government’s actions. After all, free speech loses all meaning if those who exercise their right to it can expect to be shot.
With regret,
(Your name)
Natalia A. 