It takes a big man to admit they are wrong.
Check out this translation from two years ago:
Cowboy Friends, where I insulted Anna Politkovskaya mercilessly for her anti-Bush review of Fahrenheit 911.
It took certain world events (Iran & Venezuela), and some travel to make me understand my error. I keep that ugly article 'unpulled' to remind myself to keep an open mind.
I always confuse the Russian 'liberal' and 'conservative' for our own. In reality, a Russian liberal is for market deregulation, while a Russian conservative wants Alaska back.
Here's a humorous 'dictionary' of Russian politics:
http://rusref.nm.ru/indexpubvocab.htm
A brief online dictionary of the (Russian) liberal superman
Second edition, augmented and reworked*
(Using discussion materials from an SPS forum during parliamentary elections in 2003.)
SHEEPLE - a creature who is neither an SPS nor Yabloko Party supporter. SHEEPLE is the culprit of all misfortunes in RASHA.
RASHA - the country where SHEEPLE lives (Russia).
INTELLECT (versions include: INTILECT, INTILLECT) - that, which SHEEPLE are lacking in order to become supporters SPS or Yabloko.
BRAINS - a synonym of for the word INTELLECT.
INTELLIGENT (versions include: INTELLEGENT, INTILIGENT, INTILLEGENT) - a supporter of the SPS or Yabloko, i.e., a person who possesses INTELLECT.
LIBERAL - a mentally healthy and educated person. He possesses INTELLECT, and as a result he is INTELLIGENT and a supporter of the SPS or Yabloko.
RIGHT-WING - a synonym for the word LIBERAL.
DEMOCRAT - a synonym for the word RIGHT-WING.
DEMOCRACY - directly translated from the Greek word for a government by DEMOCRATS. It resists government of SHEEPLE.
GAIDAR - a DEMOCRAT, who saved RASHA from hunger; a brilliant economist.
CHUBAIS - a DEMOCRAT, the best manager of RASHA. Together with GAIDAR he is the saviour of RASHA from many different calamities, and for this he is hated by the dull SHEEPLE. The most important qualities of CHUBAIS - he is guilty of nothing and always has explanations for all his actions. He is the constant enemy of SHEEPLE's habit of TAKING EVERYTHING AND SHARING IT, he has proved his principles during his entire, difficult life. GAIDAR and CHUBAIS in their youth fought against the Communist Party and the Komsomol.
SHOCK THERAPY - a package of measures used by GAIDAR and CHUBAIS to save RASHA and its population of SHEEPLE. SHOCK THERAPY was developed and proposed by well-known benevolent philanthropists at the IMF and the US president's administration, who sincerely and graciously desire RASHA and its SHEEPLE to thrive and prosper. Unfortunately, SHEEPLE and BUREAUCRATS would not allow themselves to be saved. Note: not to be confused with 'shock and awe'.
PRIVATIZATION - the process of transferring Soviet property to EFFECTIVE OWNERSHIP. PRIVATIZATION was organized by CHUBAIS and carried out by strictly observing the law, and therefore it is not subject to revision.
PRIVATE PROPERTY - that which is holy.
COMMUNIST (RED-BELLY) - a person who is not a supporter of LIBERALISM and/or criticizes GAIDAR and CHUBAIS.
NATIONALIST (CHAUVINIST) - a not entirely sane person who does not agree with the self-evident assertion that Russians are predominantly SHEEPLE and that RASHA is the land of the SHEEPLE.
PATRIOT - a mentally backwards, absurd and extremely ignorant representative of the SHEEPLE, he is closely related to NATIONALISTS.
FASCIST - a NATIONALIST and a supporter of SOCIALISM simultaneously. Closely related to PATRIOTS.
GEHBUKHA (alternate version: GEHBNYA) - an incredible powerful criminal organization, which has covertly and overtly ruled RASHA from times immemorial (KGB).
TAKE EVERYTHING AND SHARE IT - the dream and main slogan of SHEEPLE, NATIONALISTS, COMMUNISTS, and PATRIOTS.
RENT - a quasi-scientific word, used by very sly representatives of SHEEPLE to hide their dream of TAKING EVERYTHING AND SHARE IT.
SHARIKOVSHCHINA - the doctrine of SHEEPLE, based on the thesis about the need to TAKE EVERYTHING AND SHARE IT. The name was given in honor of that idol of the SHEEPLE, the well-known revolutionary Sharikov (who is buried behind Lenin's mausoleum).
WORK - that which SHEEPLE do not know how to do.
EARN FOR THEMSELVES - the life-style of Russian LIBERALS. It resists the tendency of SHEEPLE to TAKE EVERYTHING AND SHARE IT.
OLIGARCHS - the most disenfranchised part of the population of RASHA. They need constant protection from the INTELLIGENT. Nevertheless, the OLIGARCHS hold the entire economy of RASHA, and they protect RASHA from total destruction by the dull SHEEPLE and BUREAUCRATS. OLIGARCHS are better than anyone in successfully EARNING FOR THEMSELVES.
OLIGARCHY - the highest form of DEMOCRACY.
EFFECTIVENESS - the parameter, which characterizes the success of one or another OLIGARCH. EFFECTIVENESS is equal to the ratio of the current market cost of an OLIGARCH'S company with the sum, which the OLIGARCH paid for this company at the moment of its PRIVATIZATION (for convenience still they use base ten logarithms). The EFFECTIVENESS of the GOVERNMENT accordingly is equal to zero, since the state cannot be effective.
EFFECTIVE OWNER - the particular owner of one or another company whose EFFECTIVENESS is much greater than 1 (i.e.: the company's value is more than 10 times greater than the purchase price).
OPENNESS (TRANSPARENCY) - a characteristic of OLIGARCHS, caused by their ability to EARN FOR THEMSELVES in the open. OPENNESS correlates with EFFECTIVENESS: the higher the EFFECTIVENESS, the greater the OPENNESS. SHEEPLE and BUREAUCRATS are alien the idea of OPENNESS.
ENVY - a basic feeling, which SHEEPLE experience with respect to OLIGARCHS. It is the only motivation for their disapproving statements about OLIGARCHS and the OLIGARCHY. The reason for ENVY is the inability of SHEEPLE to EARN FOR THEMSELVES.
BUREAUCRATS - the most harmful and parasitic portion of the SHEEPLE. They are in sharp conflict with the LIBERALS and OLIGARCHS. They are in symbiosis with GEHBUKHA (KGB).
WEST - a paradise, geographically situated to the West from RASHA, where there are no SHEEPLE. It is populated by LIBERALS who EARN FOR THEMSELVES.
MIDDLE CLASS - one of the main products of the MARKET. In RASHA representatives of the MIDDLE CLASS are all supporters and the SPS and Yabloko parties, who in turn look after the interests of the MIDDLE CLASS and protect it from the intrigues of the BUREAUCRATS.
MARKET - an ideal device of society, with which each of its members can EARN FOR THEMSELVES. The MARKET is most developed in the WEST and it is the reason for the prosperity of its numerous MIDDLE CLASS.
GOVERNMENT - a heartless, parasitic social machine composed of BUREAUCRATS who are occupied in the suppression of the INTELLIGENT, LIBERALS and OLIGARCHS. It was completely abolished in the WEST under MARKET conditions.
CIVIL SOCIETY - a system of public organizations that are occupied with the fight against the GOVERNMENT in the name of the ideals of DEMOCRACY.
VODKA - the most popular (alternate version: the only) beverage of SHEEPLE.
STEALING (SAWING OFF BUCKS) - that, which SHEEPLE and BUREAUCRATS do in between bouts of drinking VODKA. It resists the tendency of LIBERALS and OLIGARCHS to EARN FOR THEMSELVES.
SOCIALISM - a social system contrasting to the MARKET, and from which RASHA was saved by GAIDAR and CHUBAIS. During the time of SOCIALISM almost the entire population of RASHA did not WORK and continuously drank VODKA. SOCIALISM is deeply hostile to the WEST.
