perhaps you you could help yourself to some geography book, pal; Russia, Baltic countries and Ukraine are all 2nd world , never mind how much the smaller ones want to whore themselves out to the West

Putting it cynically, if the goal is just to visit Russia, this could be a way to get visa (and may be even some free vodka and caviar:-). This is also a way to have first-hand impression on what some “soviet patriots” look like – but as a way to promote free software or to get significant financial support for it this idea does not sound very promising…

just my 0.02

alexander shen (shen@mccme.rum sasha.shen@gmail.com)

so have you got any response from FSF or RMS personally?

I would like to say lot of things as Latvian, but I think it is rather pointless – Russians and (mostly) Russian-speaking like Aleksey has very big crisis of identity and in such mind state, nothing will help. They still think that USSR was best thing happened to them. So I will resist to add some additional emotions to all this.

OK, now I see the line “my task is to help vlnv” (that posting appeared _after_ my blog record, doesn’t it?). But still Colonel fails to mention which state structures or universities will provide the official invitation…

“Could you please provide me with the exact link?” –
of course i do:

http://v-alksnis2.livejournal.com/73235.html#cutid1

Be prepared – colonel is upset on you…

Yes. Because all attempts (in any country of the world) to build “democracy, but not the western way” ended up so bad that I would not like to live there. And today I see the same with Mr. Putin.

> a lot of political lines just never be accepted here in Russia by anyone… just because we are the Russians.

That’s what I called ‘medieval state of the public mind’. This is so 1600s…

> you cannot deny what their idea of perlamentary government had much more democratic look than the presidental line

I can. Because for me it is all the same good old Soviet government, just without communist ideology. And Rutskoy & Co. were even more Soviet than Yeltsin was, to my taste (well, even by the name “Supreme Soviet”;)

> We here in Russia really need a real market,

Generally, I agree. But first thing “patriots” would do with the “real market” is protect locals from foreign companies. Which would immediately make it “unreal”.

> You in any case would migrates out of Russia, regardless of what happens here?

Good question, thanks. I think you are generally right. And there are two reasons (which is effectively one). First, the medieval state of the public mind, second, the government which will always be Soviet-style (as long at the medieval state of mind persists). Once I realized all this, I found there is no other way for me but leave, sooner or later, for the sake of my children. Actually, the answer is in “His History of a Town” by Saltykov-Shchedrin. That book is an eternal “legend” for the any state of Russian political map.

Though I must admit I really miss my Russian friends and St.Petersburg.

> Did you have noticed

Unfortunately I have not. Could you please provide me with the exact link? Because from his LJ (and from the forementioned LJ community) I got the impression that BOTH VA and VL are in charge. And that was the thing which made me raise my voice.

PS And of course I am still interested in any news regarding contacts with Alexey Novodvorsky…

“And again – how can people be tired of the market if, as you say, there is no market as such?” – Exactly! We are tired of fact there is no real market, but our politicals insisting what we are “have market economics”!

“FYI, there is no fully competitive market anywhere in the world any more. There are some governmental regulations everywhere. The difference is in the amount and sensibility of these regulations.” – i know what… and the most scaring fact is what our only “governmental regulations” – is the total corruption! We here in Russia really need a real market, and we really need it to be a some minor governmental regulation on what, but not these current “corruption rules”…

“Anyway, there are no facts which I did not know. The difference is in judgments.” – yes it is… but if i’m understand you right, then where is no question to you anyway? You in any case would migrates out of Russia, regardless of what happens here? I’m right?

And once again, returning to the main article… you telling you have seen an Alksnis LJ? Did you have noticed that that he are himself was writes what he just working on informational support of the visit, and what he really wants some Russian OSS to lead the preparations of the visit?

“Нейтральность данной статьи поставлена под сомнение.”

That huge article is somewhat fragmental. Sometimes it is neutral but some parts are strikingly biased against Eltsin. Anyway, there are no facts which I did not know. The difference is in judgments.

Anyway, if these guys would win, I would consider leaving the country much earlier. Because of the small “not really Western” thing.

Regarding the copyright thing – I agree, the laws current Russian Parleament is trying to push through is damn bad. But it has nothing to do with the market. And again – how can people be tired of the market if, as you say, there is no market as such?

FYI, there is no fully competitive market anywhere in the world any more. There are some governmental regulations everywhere. The difference is in the amount and sensibility of these regulations.