An American tourist in Russia
Ian Kummer 
I recently re-visited the iconic 1996 alien invasion movie Independence Day. This was my first watch-through an adult, and I’m glad to say it was just as enjoyable as when I was a kid. My verdict for Independence Day is that most of the negative professional criticism is unfair, but I must also admit that … Read more
It has been 30+ in Moscow all week. On Sunday Maria and I took Spazz out for a long walk. We stopped for food and drinks at a little store outside the local amusement park. It was there I learned that the word for water (вода) is almost the same as the word for cotton … Read more
On social media, people frequently ask the question “Do Russians support Putin?” I find it curious how “freedom loving” westerners turn everything into a loyalty test. George Orwell’s 1984 comes to mind. It is not enough to tolerate Big Brother, you have to love him, and will be tortured until you do. If I love Big Brother, … Read more
Sorry it’s been a while since I posted an update. I’ve been active on Quora but neglected my own blog. Here’s a thought I wrote a couple of days ago. I would argue that American and British cultures were dead before multiculturalism was a thing. The first step to subverting a nation of people is … Read more
People tend to view the term “public relations” as a normal and even good thing, while “propaganda” is considered bad and almost synonymous with lying, the greatly feared “disinformation” we keep hearing about. But why? In truth, propaganda is not good or bad, it is the concept of public relations that is new, and insidious.