Energia was capable to carry more than 100 tons payload actually. And as Energia is modular there was a special (though not tested) Energia-M arrangement capable to carry 175 tons.
I don't see the contradiction. They have the right to assemble peacefully, "regular" folks have the right to use the streets and not get beaten up by protesters for no reason. That's why "regular" folks are protected from this thousand or so demonstrators by the riot police and that's why the city government issues permits It reminded me the Minority Report. Actually things are not that bad in Russia. At least I am not aware of such incidents since 1991 (where crowd would beat regular passers-by).
(rather freely, I might add) How do you know? Anyway, it depends on who asks such a permission. If it is Nashi they freely get one even if they are going to block up a foreign embassy, threaten their employees and detain people trying to get in. But if someone else not affiliated with the Kremlin administration tries to obtain such permission he is usually told that the place is already taken by Nashi or someone else who ostensibly was the first to ask.
Then they started provoking the riot police and trying to break through the cordons. Some folks got beaten up. Some got some jail time. ... according to official version (some policemen say there were 1.5K people with Kasparov while other say there were only 30 and officials say that no more than 1K overall came to the meeting). According to the other side Kasparov was walking towards the Central Election Commission and several dozens people (including journalists) joined. That was regarded as a march by the police.
As far as Putin is concerned, I believe he was appointed by folks in the Russian FSB/GRU - (which would be FBI/CIA in the US). This community is traditionally very strong in Russia, and it has dossiers on all of the nuveau rich, so they couldn't do anything about it. Ha! Many of those guys ARE "nouveau rich". And Eltsin's family was very "mixed" in particular.
Under Russian law, one must obtain a permission to do an event of this magnitude in a public place. The center of Moscow qualifies as a public place I believe. The event must then stay within the bounds outlined in the permission. Any provocations towards law enforcement personnel are met with sometimes asymmetric response, just like here in the US. The right to perform public meetings is actually granted by the russian constitution, not by arbitrary local authorities.
Article 31
Citizens of the Russian Federation shall have the right to assemble peacefully, without weapons, hold rallies, meetings and demonstrations, marches and pickets.
There is that recent federal law that literally states the contrary but is virtually impossible to contest it in court.
Putin is far less "mafia" than Yeltsin & Co were. OMG you don't watch russian central television, do you?
Putin was effectively appointed by Yeltsin as his successor and actually was a part of that "& Co". The first Putin's decree as a president granted inviolability to Yeltsin and his family.
Very funny. FYI, the history of democracy in Russia counts less then 20 years. There still are politicians in power that were in power back in USSR times. And "neolibs" actually can't be anyone else than "classical" Russian liberals.
They're more concerned about the abstract, Moscow-only bullshit like democracy (where "democracy" is defined much more radically than here in the US) and freedom of speech (which in their understanding is the freedom of the owner of a TV station to force the talking heads to constantly slam the president).
They are concerned about what Constitution states (of course you can call it bullshit but it is strange when a man supposed to be its "guarantor" acts like if he thought it was bullshit):
Chapter 1. The Fundamentals of the Constitutional System
Article 1
The Russian Federation - Russia is a democratic federal law-bound State with a republican form of government.
The names "Russian Federation" and "Russia" shall be equal.
Article 2
Man, his rights and freedoms are the supreme value. The recognition, observance and protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen shall be the obligation of the State.
Article 3
1. The bearer of sovereignty and the only source of power in the Russian Federation shall be its multinational people.
2. The people shall exercise their power directly, and also through the bodies of state power and local self-government.
3. The supreme direct expression of the power of the people shall be referenda and free elections.
4. No one may usurp power in the Russian Federation. Seizure of power or usurping state authority shall be prosecuted by federal law.
Chapter 2. Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen
Article 29
1. Everyone shall be guaranteed the freedom of ideas and speech.
2. The propaganda or agitation instigating social, racial, national or religious hatred and strife shall not be allowed. The propaganda of social, racial, national, religious or linguistic supremacy shall be banned.
3. No one may be forced to express his views and convictions or to reject them.
4. Everyone shall have the right to freely look for, receive, transmit, produce and distribute information by any legal way. The list of data comprising state secrets shall be determined by a federal law.
5. The freedom of mass communication shall be guaranteed. Censorship shall be banned.
1. 90% of the population in Russia are pretty poor.
Yes, it is true after 8 years of Putin's ruling given that oil prices were constantly rising since he came to power (from minimal back in Gorbachev and Yeltsin times BTW to historically maximal).
As far as I'm concerned, their only remaining issue is that the court system is in the crapper. A lot of issues would simply go away if this wasn't the case. If I were running the country, this is what I'd focus on, not on abstract issues related to whether the country conforms to the "american" model of democracy.
You are absolutely right: court system in Russia is the most important issue. And it is not going to be worked out as long as Putin is in power. Simply because good-working truly independent court system doesn't fit into Putin's-invented "Power Vertical".
Today in Russia violation of legitimate rights and freedoms of citizens became a general practice. Mobilization of people for fast and joint repulse to any signs of lawlessness on the entire territory of Russia is one of the main tasks for United Civil Front. People of very different beliefs agree that Putin's regime must be dismantled at the the shortest possible time. This means that ideological differences are not an obstacle to integration with UCF. The United Civil Front is neither right nor left organization. People who are aware that with Putin power Russia has no future, and ready to actively prove their commitment to freedom and democracy will join the United Civil Front.
Today we intentionally do not say what new Russia should become. It is merely clear for us that there should be no room for violence of special services, despotism of bureaucracy, total corruption, appointed tame parliament, irresponsible and incompetent government, Basmann courts, dependent on the authorities press, and fed up by the Kremlin oligarchs.
It says it all. I assure you (from all I've heard on the radio and remains of independent TV here in Russia) that recovery of democracy in Russia really is the main goal of Kasparov. It is amazing thing, but Limonov (who calls himself a National-Bolshevist and who also is a member of the Other Russia) is one of the most prominent supporters of democracy, freedoms and Russian Constitution (which is very liberal and democratic in fact http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-01.htm ).
PS Kasparov has just been sentenced to 5-day administrative arrest for... actually just for leading a demonstration without permission which actually is a constitutional right http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-03.htm#31 .
PPS Neither do I know why Western media (and officials) are reluctant to react on it...
Slashdot Mirror
Energia was capable to carry more than 100 tons payload actually. And as Energia is modular there was a special (though not tested) Energia-M arrangement capable to carry 175 tons.
Very funny. FYI, the history of democracy in Russia counts less then 20 years. There still are politicians in power that were in power back in USSR times. And "neolibs" actually can't be anyone else than "classical" Russian liberals.
They are concerned about what Constitution states (of course you can call it bullshit but it is strange when a man supposed to be its "guarantor" acts like if he thought it was bullshit):
Yes, it is true after 8 years of Putin's ruling given that oil prices were constantly rising since he came to power (from minimal back in Gorbachev and Yeltsin times BTW to historically maximal).
You are absolutely right: court system in Russia is the most important issue. And it is not going to be worked out as long as Putin is in power. Simply because good-working truly independent court system doesn't fit into Putin's-invented "Power Vertical".
It says it all. I assure you (from all I've heard on the radio and remains of independent TV here in Russia) that recovery of democracy in Russia really is the main goal of Kasparov. It is amazing thing, but Limonov (who calls himself a National-Bolshevist and who also is a member of the Other Russia) is one of the most prominent supporters of democracy, freedoms and Russian Constitution (which is very liberal and democratic in fact http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-01.htm ).
PS Kasparov has just been sentenced to 5-day administrative arrest for... actually just for leading a demonstration without permission which actually is a constitutional right http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-03.htm#31 .
PPS Neither do I know why Western media (and officials) are reluctant to react on it...