I’ve got a pretty robust spam filter here on Siberian Light that usually keep the junk comments from making it onto the site. Sometimes I steel myself and take a quick look through the spam comments to see if a real comment has accidentally been caught by the filter.
There’s a trend for spam comments to be written by humans, to try and get around the spam filters, but usually they’re still little more than semi-literate nonsense. And then I received the following comment this morning:
HELP! I’m currently being held prisoner by the Russian mafia [SPAM LINK HERE] and being forced to post spam comments on blogs and forum! If you don’t approve this they will kill me. [SPAM LINK HERE] They’re coming back now. [SPAM LINK HERE] Please send help! nitip [SPAM LINK HERE]
So, what do you think? Is Nitip an inspired and slightly bored spammer? Or is he really being held prisoner by the Russian Mafia?
Russian Prime Minister showed off his manliness to an adoring press yet again this weekend by roaring into Sevastapol, Ukraine on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Although, at least this time Putin kept his clothes on.
Putin was in Ukraine to meet with President Viktor Yanukovich, but took some time out to visit an international bikers convention. There he defied type by telling his adoring crowd that he, like them, was a true democrat:
“Bike is the most democratic transport vehicle. Bike is the most daring, challenging as it gives its owner the tempting feeling of freedom, that is why one can say without any exaggeration, bike is a symbol of freedom
“You came here, because you are free people, and you can go wherever you want.”
And then displayed his understanding of modern machinery:
“There are such tricked out vehicles, such tricked out pieces of iron, like the one that I ride today,” Putin said.
RIA Novosti, the august Russian news agency, were so impressed that they briefly turned into drooling fashionistas:
The image of the premier was [like] totally matching the biker’s one. He was wearing black jeans, black shirt, sunglasses and biker gloves. [OMG!!]
OK – I may have tweaked that quote slightly.
Am I the only one who has noticed that, in order to prevent him from falling off, Putin was actually propped up on a tricycle?
Anyways. That’s our boy Putin. It’s just how he rolls.
Before I start this week’s roundup, thanks to everyone who suggested some new blogs that I should be reading (see the comments of last week’s roundup). There were so many great blogs on the list that I’m going to write a separate post later this week to highlight them all. In the meantime, if there are any more blogs out there that you think I’ve missed, please let me know in the comments.
This week’s been a quiet one for Russia blog posts – here are the best of them (according to me!).
Finally, moving out of country slightly, remember to check out Registan.net for the latest updates on events in Kyrgyzstan.
As I’m getting back into the swing of monitoring the Russia blogs for these weekly reviews it occurs to me that it’s actually been quite a while since I’ve updated my Google Reader subscription lists. So, before you read through the great links below, I’d like to ask a quick favour – please tell me about any top Russia blogs out there that I really should be reading!
And now, back to this week’s links.
And, finally, if that’s not enough of a roundup for you, check out Poemless’ June spring cleaning edition of Odds and Ends.
And, finally, finally, just before you go, check out these amazing pictures of a toy soldier parade in Red Square.
Now that Eurovision mania is all over and done with (Russia’s Peter Nalitch didn’t win, but did markedly better than my own country’s dismal last place!), it’s time for another roundup of posts from the Russia blogs.
And finally, moving slightly outside of the Russia blogs, a great intro from Blogging Pro on How to Blog in a Hostile Country.
Those of you missing the interviews of Russia bloggers that I’ve done intermittently on Siberian Light over the years will be pleased to know that Anatoly Karlin of Sublime Oblivion has now taken up the torch.