Updates from the autocracy

[Jesse]

The fact that he admits that they needed to avoid them in the first place I think points out the problem concisely.

[Phil]

Yeah, it's kind of interesting--Russia is figuring out ways to avoid putting people in prison, while the US is working on finding ways to put more of them there. I wonder if there's something we can do about private prisons, which are at least some of the reason. I wouldn't know where to begin.

[Alexander]

Yeah, it's kind of interesting--Russia is figuring out ways to avoid putting people in prison, while the US is working on finding ways to put more of them there.

Indeed, and both nations are wrong in symmetrically opposite ways, at least in the sense that the US criminalizes victimless offenses apparently in support of the alcohol and tobacco industries, while Russia is legitimizing organized crime and crimes of violence. But it does seem for what its worth that the American "war on drugs" is running its course and will soon wither on the vine, while Russian distortion of the usual rules of civil society is growing ever more extreme. On the other hand, Russian police militarization is already complete and has been for generations down to the use of military ranks like Colonel and General for police officers and MVD officials, while the American tendency in that regard is still on the increase ... as we have all so painfully just experienced.

I think corporatised prisons are both a clear expression of the essential American problem of corporate control of society and an interesting target for work to adjust the problem, because most citizens likely don't understand how they work and would be appalled by them if they did. But they seem to be very deeply integrated into state economies and hence will be difficult to work through legislatures due to the cash flow and the dependence of the state economies on this system of "criminal" exploitation. So I have no idea how to attack the issue either, sad to say.

[Jesse]

At least without back-meddling.

[Phil]

At least without back-meddling.

Don't even talk about it! I've had enough back-meddling for the next 6 lifetimes.

[Jesse]

That was my point.

[Alexander]

A wonderfully vicious account of government incompetence and implied corruption and theft in energy provision for Crimea, as recounted (very unusually) by state news agency RAPSI. A widespread 2-week blackout was just suffered throughout the region that should have been instantly addressed by specially-leased backup generators shipped to the region for just such an emergency.

The investigative reporter Vladimir Novikov never directly accuses anyone of malfeasance, just implies it with a rather dry humor; however in the event any official involved was not actually criminal, their mis- and non-feasance certainly is remarkable. 5 billion rubles down the drain and scores of mysteriously vanished diesel generators is a big deal, regionally speaking. Factional politics is again at work in the convoluted world of the anti-corruption departments of the MVD and the FSB, and whoever in the Duma and the judiciary happens to be concerning themselves at the moment. Considering this is RAPSI, someone fairly high Ievel must have authorized this story despite the black eye for the Crimean officials involved, which is of course indirectly very embarrassing to Moscow. I will have to arrange a lunch with Mr. Novikov soon to determine what is really going on.

[Phil]

Let us know if anything comes of it; I'm curious. Right now, it feels more like May of 1914 than any time I can remember since, and Russia is smack in the heart of it.

[Alexander]

I swear I had nothing to do with this birthday travesty, on either side....

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... er-existed

[Jesse]

Okay, that looks delicious!