TresSugar

Do, Dump, or Marry? Vladimir Putin

TresSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:00:03 -0700

Welcome to Do, Dump, or Marry - world leader edition. Today, I'd like to know your opinions on Russian prime minister/badass Vladimir Putin.

When the powerful leader isn't overseeing a pair of Russian nuclear submarines currently patrolling the eastern seaboard of the US (should we be freaking out?), he can be found riding around shirtless in Southern Siberia. Does Vladimir do it for you?

Front Page: Obama Heads to Russia With Love

TresSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:00:42 -0700

President Obama arrived in Moscow today with hopes of reaching a deal to cut stockpiles of nuclear weapons. - New York Times
After her surprise resignation as Alaska's governor on Friday, Sarah Palin continued to twitter against rumors this weekend. - Sarah Palin's Twitter
Riots in China's western province have left 140 dead and at least 828 people injured. - AP
Robert McNamara, the former US defense secretary and architect of the Vietnam War, has died. - Washington Post
After 1.6 million people registered for the chance to go to Michael Jackson's Staples Center memorial tomorrow, 8,550 fans have been chosen at random to attend. - LA Times

Picture It: Communist Obama Found in Center

CitizenSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:30:02 -0700

Sasha and Malia aren't the only Obamas darling enough to have dolls based on them. Along with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, President Obama is now a matryoshka, a traditional Russian nesting doll. You know the kind that have doll after doll inside each other until you get to the tiny-doll center. Both leaders will meet in London tomorrow during the G20 economic summit; it will Obama's first trip overseas as president.

Source

More in Misguided Obama Ads: Russia Gets It Wrong

CitizenSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:30:17 -0700

Busy week on the unintentionally-racist-foreign-marketing beat! An ad agency in Russia unveiled the racially flavored ad of our week. But like Germany, Russia didn't mean it. It meant, a black is in the White House. Yay! Not, a black is in the white, oh, nevermind. Пизданутый!

Lighten Up! Hillary Clinton Overcharges Russia

CitizenSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:21:40 -0800

Hillary Clinton's message that the US wants to reset its relations with Russia got lost in translation today.

Like all good diplomats, Hillary brought along a prop to her meeting with Russia's foreign minister.

What prop, you ask? A bright red symbolic "reset button" to give to Russia's top diplomat. Only problem - "reset" was mistranslated into Russian as "overcharge." How do you say "oops" in Russian?

Source

View 5 Photos ›

Front Page: President Obama Sends Russia a "Secret" Letter

CitizenSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:57:29 -0800

President Obama has reached out to Russia, telling it that the US would consider halting plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Iran drops plans for producing nuclear weapons. - CNN
Two US officials are headed to Syria to explore US relations with the country. - Bloomberg
RNC Chair Michael Steele apologized to Rush Limbaugh yesterday, explaining that he did not intend to diminish Limbaugh's voice or leadership during a critical interview. - Atlantic

Gunmen in Pakistan have attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team, killing six police officers and two bystanders. - New York Times
President Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown canceled a news conference today "because of snow." - UK Telegraph

Source

Out With the Old? Russian Professor Predicts US Collapse

CitizenSugar — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:29 -0800

A Russian professor who's been predicting the end of the US for years is starting to get attention. His argument? Immigration, the economy, moral degradation (whaa?) will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the US. Oh, and he says there's a 45-55 percent chance this will happen by next year.

Maybe his timing is dubious, but the argument that's been disregarded for years in Russia is starting to be taken seriously. At least if you consider the state-run Russian media, where it's been getting considerable coverage, serious.

So if the US is breaking up, where will we live? To find out, read more.

California Republic: Formed by the Western states, this area would be controlled by China or be under Chinese influence
Texas Republic: A cluster of states in the Southwest would go to Mexico.
Atlantic America: Eastern states, from South Carolina to Maine, will join the European Union.
Central North American Republic: Northern Midwest and Great Plain states will go to Canada.
Hawaii: The state will become a territory of China or Japan.
Alaska: Putin will rear his head into Alaskan air space, making Russia the proud new owner of the great state of Alaska.

It's easy to laugh this off, until we're reminded that the French political scientist was met with laughter when he predicted the Soviet Union's collapse 15 years before it. Happy New Year!

Stalin Voted Third Most Popular Russian in History

CitizenSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:01:26 -0800

Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin was voted Russia's third most popular historical figure in a nationwide poll that ended this weekend. Stalin's notable superlative comes despite the famine and purges (which included sending people to labor camps and millions of deaths) that marked his dictatorship.

The "Name of Russia" contest was run by the Rossiya state television channel for about six months and closed Sunday night with a final vote from the Internet or cell phones. It drew more than 50 million votes out of the nation's 143 million citizens.

Stalin was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee from 1922 until his death in 1953. Millions of Soviets died from famine during forced collectivization, were executed as "enemies of the people" or died in hard labor camps during his rule.

Source

Front Page: Iran Claims to Test Missile Within Israel's Reach

CitizenSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Iran announced today that it tested a new surface-to-surface air missile, adding that it is ready to defend itself against an attack. - Reuters
John McCain will go to Georgia tomorrow to push for Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, who is stuck in a tight race there with a Democratic challenger. Three Senate races, in Georgia, Minnesota, and Alaska, have yet to be called. If they go Democrat, the party will significantly widen its majority in Senate. - USA Today

Lobbyists will be restricted from participating in President-elect Barack Obama's transition to the White House. Under self-imposed ethics restrictions, Obama will not allow lobbyists to work in areas in which they have worked for clients in the last year.- New York Times
The US and Russia will begin talks on nuclear proliferation tomorrow, working toward a new treaty to replace the expiring Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). The Bush administration also is planning to minimize Russian objections to a US missile defense program in Europe. - Associated Press

Source

Front Page: US Unemployment Reaches Grim High at 6.5%

LibertySugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

The US unemployment reached a 14-year high of 6.5 percent today. About 240,000 nonfarm jobs were lost in October alone. So far this year 1.2 million US jobs have been lost.- Bloomberg
The still being recounted Minnesota Senate race between Al Franken and Senator Norm Coleman came within a margin of 236 votes at the end of Thursday. - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Georgia's claims that it acted in defense against Russian aggression last summer are being called into question. - New York Times
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi started "suntan-gate" yesterday when he called Barack Obama "young, handsome, and tanned." When asked if the comment might have been misunderstood as undiplomatic or even racist, the Prime Minister told his opponents to get a sense of humor.- BBC News

Source