This and that

The bad news is that I am still sick.  The good news is that today I had a good laugh.  In Saint Petersburg, members of the political party PVO  or "Party of Great Russia" (I would describe them as "Stalinist patriots") have offered the US Consulate a Russian "karavai" (kind of traditional bread given to newly weds and to welcome friends) with the words "thanks to the USA for Crimea".  The reason for this gratitude comes for the popular joke in Russia nowadays that "the US paid five billion dollars to have Russia take back Crimea".  It goes like this:

Thanks USA!

"Israeli President Peres asks the Russian President: -Vladimir, are you of Jewish ancestry? -Putin: What makes you think so, Shimon? -Peres: You made the US pay five billion dollars to deliver Crimea to Russia. Even for a Jew, that is audacious!"

There is much truth to this:  it is a fact that only the rabid Fascism of the US-supported Right Sector, Freedom Party or Yulia "Nuke Russians" Timoshenko could trigger the awakening of Russian national identity both in Russia and the Ukraine. I myself, only a few months ago, wrote that "Russian speakers in the Ukraine are not pro-Russian, they are pro-Ruble", now this has dramatically changed and the credit for this really belongs to Obama and his hysterically Russophobic policies.

Sometimes it take as strong slap in the face to wake up somebody who is in a deep coma and that is what the USA did for millions of Russian people, especially the youth and there is a vast consensus amongst Russians that the US/NATO/EU achieved this by backing armed Nazi nationalists against a legitimate (if corrupt) regime and against the democratic will of most people not to live in a thug-controlled "Banderastan".

Here is some footage of the members of PVO expressing their gratitude to US diplomats:



Anyway,

I just want to let you know that I know I owe many of you emails and I will reply as soon as possible.  For the time being, it looks like I will spend the next 24 hours in bed.

Kind regards and thanks for your understanding and kind wishes,

The Saker

PS: while lying in bed, I am still thinking and I am pretty sure that I have an interesting topic to submit to your attention as soon as I feel better. Stay tuned :-)