EDITORIAL
Mr. Medvedev, Please Stop Lying!
She's the only one listening, Dima. The only one. Hat tip: Robert Amsterdam.
While being interviewed by the utterly clueless milquetoast Fareed Zakaria on CNN last Sunday, Russian “president” Dima Medvedev stated: “Whether some bosses like it or not, in the modern age of global information, there are no subjects you can conceal. You can sometimes be silent about or hold back certain things on TV, but remembering the fact that there are around 40 million Internet users in Russia today, people from across the country will learn the news within five minutes. Therefore, trying to curtail press freedom is a totally hopeless thing to do.”
He was, of course, lying. According to ComScore, in June 2008 Russia had less than 18 million total visitors to the Internet per month. That’s half the figure Medvedev quoted, and it’s a vast overstatment. According to ComScore, Russia’s level of Internet penetration was a pathetic 14%, the lowest of any country in Europe. That means that a whopping 86% (that’s right, eighty-six percent), of all Russians have no monthly access to the Internet at all. And Russia’s rate of per capita of Internet activity, because of its poverty and social repression, is far lower than in developed countries too. This means that a Russian who accesses the Internet each month spends far less time online than a European counterpart, and if you were to measure daily activity as opposed to monthly Russia’s Internet population would be far smaller than even the pathetic 18 million figure.
The “40 million” figure, by contrast, comes from a bizarre Russian source called the “Fund for Public Opinion.” The CIA explains how this absurd figure is generated: While in civilized countries the number of people who access the Internet on a daily or weekly basis is counted, in Russia the Kremlin attempts to use a yearly figure to cover up the government’s brutal crackdown on Internet freedom combined with the appalling economic poverty in which ordinary citizens live, all resulting in a total in ability amongst ordinary people to access the Internet. An organization like ComScore, of course, has no interest in such propaganda.
What it means in simple terms is this: Russia has roughly the same number of people accessing the internet at least once per year as France has who access it at least once per day. And France has a population one-third the size of Russia. So France has three times more people accessing the Internet each day as Russia has accessing it each year.
To put it mildly, Mr. Medvedev, a person who accesses the Internet once per year (or for that matter once per month), for just a few minutes each time, is hardly able to keep up on the news. If he watches state-sponsored Russian TV every night, he’s deluged with lies he will never be able to dispel by visiting the Internet for a few minutes each year. There’s virtually no free Internet access in Russia, such as you find in almost every American library, and little use of Internet in schools. Bloggers are routinely arrested, sued, harassed and persecuted in Putin’s Russia. Service providers experience the same fate. So those few who do manage to get online have to fight a daily war to get real information and express themselves.
And let’s be clear: Even under Medvedev’s own formulation, which is a shameless, lie, more than two-thirds of the Russian population is cut off frmo the Internet. Which is why, of course, Medevedev and Putin enjoy such high levels of public approva, and why Medvedev’s statement is so personally self-serving. It’s why he can tell such ridiculous lies on national TV and get away with it.
It’s pretty telling, of course, that Zakaria is so clueless that he wasn’t even able to call Medvedev on this ridiculous lie, so in fact it’s not only in Russia where Medvedev and his ilk can count on ignorance to protect them from exposure.
La Russophobe 
I hear that the letter ‘C’ in CNN now actually stands for the word “Communist”.
No wonder Medvedev can get away with “this ridiculous lie”.
Yes, and “F” in FOX stands for “Fascist”.
I sincerely hope that both of you have studied basic vocabulary and are able to understand what you are saying.
That your undersrtanding of humour is not as good as I first thought?
Basic vocabulary is still developing in the rooshan language, and they still do not understand what they are saying.
According to Levada opinion polling, as of January 2009 some 27% of Russians use the Internet daily or once per week and 35% used it daily.
http://www.levada.ru/press/2009020904.html
So you are wrong.
Would you care to apologize to your readers for your mistake or lie?
LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:
Your source says that 67% of Russians don’t even have a personal computer at home.
It says 16% of Russians use the Internet daily OR weekly and 67% never use it at all. And that 16% includes using it at work for business, where learning political information would not be possible. Excluding work activity, well over 90% of Russia’s population is unable to access the Internet at least weekly.
It’s YOU who are shamelessly lying. Apologize immediately or this is your last comment on this blog.
According to Levada survey some 13% of Russians use internet 1 to about 20 times per year. Which means that they are not really netliterate. Which means that 76% of Russians use internet never or extremely rarely.
And those 8% who use internet “about once a week” (just 50 times per year!) are not the ones who will “will learn the news within five minutes” as Dima claims.
Which leaves us 16% – the putinite upper-class.
You don’t need a personal PC at your side at all times to perform basic tasks like reading internet news once in a while.
So where’s that apology to your readers for your lies/mistakes?
How can 27% = 35%??? I guess moskali are convinced that 1+1 does not = 2??? The kremlinoids must believe kremlin disinformation!
I just took my own personal poll of Russian usage of the internet and they all concur that computers are for games and of no other use. From the horses mouth….not some third-party rag. You heard it hear first. Unbiased!
here=here
“poluchi fashist granatu” wrote:
> Would you care to apologize to your readers for your mistake or lie?
Why? Lies and mistakes are what attract her readers to her blog. If not for stupid mistakes and cheap lies, there would be no La Russophobe blob, nor any other russophobe forums.
Everybody knows that the number of Russian Internet users was 38 million one year ago, that its growth is in double figures, and thus today there must be over 40 million users:
——————–
http://www.internetworldstats.com/euro/ru.htm
Internet World Stats
Russia
Internet Usage and Marketing Report
Internet Usage Statistics:
38,000,000 Internet users as of Dec/08, 27.1% penetration
——————–
That is obvious. But for Kim (aka LR) to openly lie that Russia has “less than 18 million” internet users and to accuse Medvedev of “lying” for using the correct figure of around 40 million – that’s entertainment.
Nor is this the first time she has lied on this subject. Recently she claimed:
——————–
http://larussophobe.wordpressDOTcom/2009/07/18/editorial-russias-barbaric-internet/
80% of Russians have no access to the Internet
——————–
What is even more interesting is that LR is very much aware that she is lying about the Russian internet figures, as her own article a year ago admits that 31% of Russians use internet:
http://larussophobe.wordpressDOTcom/2008/10/11/editorial-blogging-dima/
A recent news item in the Moscow Times cites a VTsIOM poll (Russian language link) released a few days ago in connection with “National Internet Day” which reveals the following information about Russian Internet use:
http://wciom.ru/novosti/press-vypuski/press-vypusk/single/10753.html
31% of Russians use Internet, of which:
11% use it daily
9% use it several times per week
7% use it several times per month
3% use it episodically, but at least twice per year
In other words, this is no mistake on LR’s part. LR knows the real numbers, actually quoted these real numbers 1 year ago, but still chooses to lie, hoping that her brainwashed readers won’t notice.
LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:
Dude, do you even read what you write? You've just said we previously reported that ONLY 11% of Russians use the Internet daily. That's EXACTLY what we've said in this post, you hopelessly illiterate moron. And we said 80% have no access. AGAIN.
You're an utter ignoramus.
Apologize or you are banned from this blog.
> According to ComScore, Russia’s level of Internet penetration was the lowest of any country in Europe.
That’s severe problems with reading comprehension on your part, LR. Russia’s level of Internet penetration was the lowest only among countries that WERE SURVEYED by ComScore. But ComScore survey lists only 15 other European countries, all of which are developed Western European powers. There are at least 53 countries in Europe and some are lower than Russia. Even Ukraine has half of Russia’s percentages:
http://www.internetworldstats.com/europa2.htm
UKRAINE
as of Apr./08, 14.7%
R U S S I A (Russian Federation)
as of Dec/08, 27.1%
LA RUSSOPHOBE RESPONDS:
Uh, Mr. Doofus? You’re linking to the same source WE’VE ALREADY LINKED TO. Please put down the vodka bottle before you “comment” on our blog.
Ukraine isn’t a member of the G-8, Russia is and says it deserves to be. What’s more, Russia isn’t being persecuted by a much larger country the way Ukraine is being persecuted by Russia. Naturally it takes Ukraine longer to develop. Why do you try to change the subject to Ukraine? Is it because you know you don’t have a leg to stand on where Russia is concerned?
I think your Russian “pride” should require comparisons with France, Switzerland or Germany not with Albania or Montenegro. After all, we keep hearing that Russia is no different from the West, that stores carry everything we have in the West, that it is the best country in the world to live in and that her position in the G8 is economically justified, and we have to respect (or even submit to) the will of the Russians in the international affairs. So, since Russia is no longer the land of barbarians and savages, as you people claim, let’s compare Russia to civilized countries like Switzerland or Holland or Denmark (none is in the G8, by the way)
RV,
What idiot tells you this garbage that Russia is like Switzerland? All ex-socialist republics – even the historical bastion of advanced civilization Czech R. – will take a long time to equal Switzerland.
And how can you mention a civilised country like Montenegro in the same breath as Albania?
And as far as your reference concerning:
> we have to respect the will of the Russians in the international affairs.
goes – you should respect the rights of **all** countries, regradless of how closely they resemble Switzerland. It may come as a total revelation to you, but even the vicitms of American aggressions – Iraqis, Yugoslavs, Vietnamese, Afghans, Panamanians etc – have the same international rights as do US people. Yes, as amazing as it may sound to you, Latin Ameircans, Arabs and others – they have rights.
And, BTW, unlike Bush, Obama realises this.
Phobophobe, please answer the question
How do you, Phobophobe, as a self proclaimed Jew, feel about your Russian motherlands supply of weapons (high and low tech) and intelligence to Iran, Syria, Hizbollah and Hamas which directly effects the survival of Israel, not to mention Russia’s supply of nuclear tech to Iran and the shielding of Iran from international sanctions.
Furthermore, as a US citizen, how do you feel about the supply of advanced Russian RPG systems such as the RPG-29 Vampyr which has been used by Islamist militants in Iraq and Afghanistan to kill your fellow US citizens, and to kill your fellow Jews in the IDF?
Not to mention all the Israelis killed by Russian supplied MLRS weapons such as Katushya’s and Grads from Hizbollah.
The high tech devices used to control roadside bombs.
Etc, etc, etc.
If you support any of the above you are a traitor to the US, and a traitor to the Jewish people.
Once again, if you love Russia so much, I suggest you go and live there
Stop evading and answer the question.
Now Phobophobe, I am simply emulating your requests for information.
Poor little phobophobe, too busy being a Russian racist slagging off Albanians, Georgians, and Ukrainians, does not like having his own methods used on him.
What a typical gutless Russian wanker.
Boo hoo, poor little Phobophobe.
@Yugoslavs
There are no Yugoslavs. No, them “American aggressions” didn’t kill them all. Think again/for the first time.
No, not all countries have the same rights. Only five of them are on the UN Security Council (one, and probably two, without good justification in my view) and only they have a right of veto.
Also, neither Iraqis, Yugoslavs, Vietnamese, Afghans, Panamanians nor Latin Americans insist on having a special zone of privileged interests outside their board that Russia aggressively demands to have
Russian propaganda tells me that. Like one of the government officials stating that in 10 years or so Russia will be the most desirable country in the world to live in
La Russophobe – have you seen this article in The Moscow Times. Strange it seems that an American diplomat writes such positive things about Medvedev…
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/383726.html
There’s nothing strange about it at all! You should check out our last issue and our lead editorial about the chief of all America diplomats. The others are just following his lead.
Richard Lourie, a well-known American political scientist, the author of “The Autobiography of Joseph Stalin” and “Sakharov: A Biography”, predicts collapse of Russia.
In an article published on the Moscow Times website, Lourie notes that American inventors are experimenting to derive energy from various raw materials, including straw and stale beer. Since nearly two-thirds of Russia’s exports are gas and oil, Moscow should be more worried about where to get more ethanol than NATO’s expansion.
And how is Russia preparing for a future in which its main commodity may be rendered obsolete? – political scientist asks.
“Not well at all, judging by the way it is dealing with its infrastructure in general and its roads in particular.
Russia has less than 800,000 kilometers of roads and many of those it has are of poor quality, costing the country 3 percent of GDP per year.
In 2008, when the country was flush with oil revenues, Russia built 2,200 kilometers of new roads. That’s what China builds every 10 days. And because of corruption and ineptitude, the cost to build roads in Russia is nearly four times higher.
The long-predicted implosion of the rickety Soviet infrastructure may have begun with the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power plant. Chechen Mujahideen have claimed responsibility for the operation. A deteriorating infrastructure could be an easy target for the Caucasian Mujahideen.
As the Kremlin continues to try to modernize the country’s infrastructure, there will be more incidents like Sayano-Shushenskaya.
This is what happens when Russia tries to impose a new system on an old one. The Soviet Union collapsed when Mikhail Gorbachev tried to reform it, and the old Soviet infrastructure is collapsing as Russia attempts to repair it”, American political scientist indicates.
I agree Oleg, and I am not even a political scientist. What you describe is clearly obvious to all but “patriots” like some of those appearing on this board
> Richard Lourie, a well-known American political scientist, the author of “The Autobiography of Joseph Stalin” and “Sakharov: A Biography”, predicts collapse of Russia.
Oleg, back in the 1990s, **everybody** predicted the “collapse of Russia” before year 2000.
Some would say that none of these “predictions” were quite accurate.
As Mark Twain once wrote: “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
When I see Russia Today all I can think of is ” Four alarm fire in Moscow makes way for glorious new tractor factory. And in the lighter side of the news ……hundreds of capitalists to perish in shuttle disaster! I can almost see the gun at the side of the newscaster’s head! LOL Russians really do need the internet when you think of what is on their television. …….And in the lighter side of the news millions of Americans to go broke in new Great Depression! LOL
> Ukraine is being persecuted by Russia. Naturally it takes Ukraine longer to develop.
Assuming that Russia is indeed “persecuting” Ukraine (whatever this means), how would this “persecution” prevent average Ukrainians from learning how to use computers and the Internet? What evidence do you have that Medvedev is standing with a gun and telling Ukrainian consumers: “I will persecute and shoot anybody in Ukraine who tries to connect to the Internet!”
Blaming Ukraine’s low Internet awareness on “Russian persecution” would seem to be even more paranoid than most other articles in this blog.
And given that Ukraine is hailed in the West as being a “Western democracy”, and that Ukraine is a compact country – it is quite revealing that its Internet penetration is only half that of Russia with its huge underpopulated territory.
It would seem that if Yuschenko spent less time lying to his people about history, banning the use of Russian, and ramming NATO membership down the throat of average Ukrainians, most of whom oppose it – he would have more time and resources to make Ukraine more Internet-wired. However, more Internet access would mean that more Ukrainians will find out that Yuschenko is lying.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_complex
Persecution complex
A persecution complex is a term within psychological discourse afforded to an array of complex behaviours that specifically deal with the perception of being persecuted for various possible reasons, imagined or real.
See also
· Delusional disorder
· Paranoia
· Persecution mania
Paranoia
Paranoia is a thought process characterized by excessive anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. In the original Greek, paranoia simply means madness (para = outside; nous = mind). Historically, this characterization was used to describe any delusional state.
Unfortunately. Wiki has no photographs of prototypical a sufferer from paranoia and from the persecution complex, because LR wants anonymity and has never published her photo anywhere.
Phobot is delirious in his Russification, following Genocides, poisonings as well as propogating mental illnesses.
Rashan Savokia tolerates the murder of its own mangy kind, and in some instances solid citizens that get in the way. Thoses are murdered in pursuit of Kremlin policies that favor the privileged class. Ukraine’s opting out from the RaSSiyski zone of interest is not slowing down!
Aggressive policy relative to Ukraine is the result not of the actions of Kyiv, but of the requirements of RaSSiyski leaders.
So Ukraine’s policies will not lead to a significant correction in Russian policy.
The historical ‘window of opportunity’ relative to Ukraine for Moscow is quite short and may close already sometime after 2015 at which time there will be created a new generation of Ukrainian elites” and when the West may have changed its approach to Moscow and Kyiv.
A RaSSiyski Kremlinoid attack on Kyiv’ will develop in the nearest future and will be decisive and pitiless as it is already being waged.
http://georgiandaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14723&Itemid=65
Now for the Phobophobe,
http://tap-the-talent.blogspot.com/2009/09/russian-scenarios-ukraine-starts-war.html
Phobophobe well-known Russian FSB political scientist,
There has recently taken place “a round table” on subject: “What will be with Mother Russia and with us”.
Discussion proceeded mainly on two questions: firstly, what are we seeing today – a “bottom” of crisis or only a lull before a new impact of a storm?
Secondly, what can be expected in Russia in the nearest future?
In accordance of the illustration by known Russian writer Kalashnikov, the nowadays rumors about “the end of crisis” – only sessions of a psychotherapy, a shamanic spells. What we see today – not notorious “bottom” of falling, but only a plateau, a “platform” with small rise, on the edge of which – a new precipice.
The inevitable new wave of crisis will soon strike whole Russia by full force. Russia too strongly depends on a raw conjuncture of the world market, and in general from the Western economy. Russia is now – as a ship that has lost a course and heavy tides are breaking it’s board. Critical crisis in Russia is inevitable in connection with a new turn of world crisis.
Actually there are TWO crises developing in Russia. One is of consequences of global Vague-crisis (A.Fursova’s expression), and the second is – purely domestic, Russian crisis as of it’s state system.
Global crisis has pushed crisis in Russia. In any case present crisis in Russia would have broken out in second decade of 21 century even if all remained quiet and serene in the West.
Russian crisis is a bunch of crises. It is possible to name some its major components. First of all, it is crisis of physical deterioration of a techno-sphere. Crisis of huge lack of capital investments in it. Russia -1991 has approached times of global vague-crisis unbelievably worn out. The wave of technological incidents, failures and accidents is assured.
Average age of the equipment in Russia – 21,5 years in comparison with 9,8 years in the USSR of 1990s or in comparison with ten years in the developed world. A share of investments into a fixed capital of the developed countries is- 25-30 % of GNP, in Russia – it’s only 18 %. We are – fully corrupted and worned out to death country.
Russia’s future is infra-structural decline, and even new rise of the world oil prices if happens, will not save Russia. The fuel and energy complex is also worn out and requires massive investments.
After decline of a techno-sphere will follow administrative and management crisis.There has been absolutely incapacitated and corrupted state built in Russia.
One kilometer of four lane motor way costs in Russia four times more, than in China. Even considering all adverse climate factors, the difference is unacceptable. A why? Misappropriation of funds. If the state is unable to function and corrupt than there would be no development, no industrial or structural policy.
Crisis of innovations and impossibility of development is connected with corruption of Russian establishment.
The innovations meets a fierce resistance of the corrupted establishment, as well as an absence of demand for them in primitive raw economy.
Thus, innovative crisis – also a “rose” from the “bunch”.
Further, Russia will be in demographic and personnel problems threat. In second decade of 21st century there will be a shortage of work force in general, shortage of qualified experts and engineers, those who could deal with a techno-sphere of even 1980th years’ level. The “quality” of graduates of nowadays third level education in Russia is the most disgusting in the world.
There is expected severe social and economic, and then political crisis in Russia. It shall be quite comparable to the one that has destroyed the USSR at Gorbachev, even could be much worse.
In April, 2005, the then assistant to the leader of Putin’s administration Medvedev (Mendel) has come forward with a report about forthcoming fall of Russia, deceitfully intimidating people that supposedly Russia’s destruction would appear much more catastrophic, rather than the fall of the USSR. Now the designated then a problem has risen at new heights.
Thus many phenomena in a life of present Russia similar to last years of the USSR.
Director of Institute of problems of globalization Mikhail Delyaghin has noted, that the logic of development of Russia guarantees uneasy prospects. In conditions of economic depression the only way not even for development, but for a simple survival is – a replacement of decreased commercial demand with the state demand.
But, when you increase the last, it is necessary to supervise the state’s money. Unfortunately, in today’s Russia it is impossible, because the control over the state money undermines opportunities of corruption.
In other words, undermines a well-being of ruling class and basic principles of the political system recreated at the beginning of 21st century. Therefore, there will be no control, and money allocated by the state would go to currency market and wash away the international reserves of Russia.
This is what exactly we saw in the autumn of 2008. In the future, all would depend on oil prices and from intensity of friendship between our bureaucratic clans. At adverse development of events, all would end up already by the end of 2010. At favorable – the cycle will be done one more time.
This cycle is a primitive enough: the state gives money for support the economy, money, instead of the allocation, go to the currency market, the international reserves of Russia are being reduced. Inflation is raising, the state becomes hysterical, ruble weakens and does not earn money any more. Those money that has been given earlier, somehow reach a real sector of the allocation – and there is that shaky “stabilization” which reminds the present one. The factor of limit here is one: the international reserves of Empire.
There will be no Russia in 10 years. It will not be limited by loss of the territory like last time, – “Russian civilization”, “Russian culture” as such, thank God, will disappear, as so much hated in whole Empire. Russia is left with a maximum four years to live under the most favourable circumstances which are not to be expected. Under normal circumstances – a maximum two years.
Probably, the destiny of the post-Russia’s territory would be decided, as usual by very weak, indistinctly outlined groups replacing each other, in a distemper, chaotic and long collision way.
The independent analyst and the author of the theory of evolution of social systems Igor Boshenko has arrived to an opinion of death of Russia unusual He put himself on a place of a ruling class of the country. Russian elite perfectly understands, that present crisis will end soon enough by total failure. Interests of present Russian establishment consist in maintenance of personal safety through controllable, “top” partition of Russia. To make sure “there would be no Office of Public Prosecutor ».
The analyst Alexander Nagorny has declared, that today’s Russia is on the day before sudden historic turn, as it was in 1917 and 1991.
Oleg,
Good article, very hopeful that the end should occur sooner then later. 2015 is too long to wait for Ukraine to hold back this menace. I would be happy to see RaSSiya ooze back into the bacterial scum of Central Asia where it started next year.
Obviously Putin’s policies are desperate. Made no sense to turn over the country to the “clans oligarchs and warlords”. The policy of the world leaders treating the Rooshan condition as if it did not exist was not a good sign either.
With some luck the fallout will remain mostly in RaSSiya under another revolution. Attacking their neighbors will not suffice to keep the Roosysyski scum out of their cities for long. Been done already, by idiots shelling their own Parliament. Got them another dozen years only. Now competing world financial interests figuring out how to divide Moscovia as by the world leaders at the UN in New York today.
Hey, poluchi fashist granatu aka Sublime Oblivion what are you doing posting here at LR?
I’m surprised to see you here. I thought this was a site that you loathe if memory serves me.
Huh? Sublime Oblivion?
Is that true poluchi fashist granatu?
Visit SWP where poluchi fashist granatu has been posting, his activated link there goes straight to S.O.’s site. Here the link is dead, so what gives?
Let me correct myself, S.O. provides no active link here under that same moniker that he uses at SWP.
So, what’s the deal?
Thank you, I have recently been looking for info approximately this topic for a long time and yours is the best I have discovered so far.
But, what concerning the conclusion? Are you certain
concerning the source?