Thank you Russia

[Sean Hayden]

I want to thank any Russians who have ever placed a textbook online for some poor American college student to download.

May I make a request? Not wanting to stop stealing for even a minute, our publishers have started working with colleges to ensure that they can continue to steal by requiring "Access Codes" to online content. In some cases I have even seen this content replace work professors should be doing, eg everything from assigning homework to exams. Yes, it's pathetic. But if you're unlucky enough to be in one of these courses you will need the code to do the work, to pass the class.

Personally I think the professors should volunteer some of their income to pay for it since they aren't having to do the work of a professor in these matters.

So, if you could provide "Access Codes" in addition to the textbooks, I would be forever grateful, and so would many other poor Americans.

Thanks again for the great work you've done. If I could buy you a beer, I would.

[Rum]

Also all the music please.

[laklak]

Pazhalusta, tovarich.

[Sean Hayden]

It's crazy. I'd tell you how much I spent on textbooks this semester, but I am genuinely embarrassed. Only a fool would do this.

Incidentally, my best course "requires" a textbook, but the professor said not to worry about it if you don't want to because he'll give us everything we need in lectures.

I'm going to hold my tongue until the semester is over. But I absolutely plan on calling out my other professors for letting the school do this to students. It's unacceptable.

[JimC]

The best way to thank Russia is to send anonymous cash donations to President Putin, to assist his plan to make Russia great again...

[Sean Hayden]

Ah yes, Putin, the greedy tyrant who just so happened to be leading Russia during its remarkable recovery. It could have happened with anyone really.

[pErvinalia]

What remarkable recovery?

[Sean Hayden]

90s Russia vs Russia today. That remarkable recovery.

[JimC]

An economic recovery perhaps, mostly riding on the sale of natural gas. However, Putin and his government are and should be subject to criticism for a number of reasons:

* suppression of any and all political opponents, often violently

* treatment of neighbouring countries such as Ukraine

* interfering with other country's political processes (including your own)

[Sean Hayden]

Oil and gas profits that have been invested into the country eg some used to pay off enormous debt. But don't let inconvenient facts interfere with your portrayal of the man as a tyrant.

[Sean Hayden]

In America I'm asked to worry about Russian interference in elections through Facebook.

How have the US and its allies interfered with Russia, and more importantly, what role has that interference played in Putin's response to political adversaries?

Look at what some of us are prepared to do, I mean really think about it...and we experienced nothing like the collapse Russia did!

[pErvinalia]

90s Russia vs Russia today. That remarkable recovery.

Oh, the one where they because a mafia infested oligarchy..?

[pErvinalia]

In America I'm asked to worry about Russian interference in elections through Facebook.

How have the US and its allies interfered with Russia, and more importantly, what role has that interference played in Putin's response to political

42, you're back!

[Sean Hayden]

The problem with the idea of Russia being run by the mob is Putin's real efforts to reinvest in Russia. But this is an inconvenient fact.

Something else about that which is interesting is that when the US was warning us about Russia in the 80s and 90s, the reality was that Russia was falling apart because of corruption at the top. It was well known in Washington that its leaders were enriching themselves at every opportunity at the expense of the country. But now that Russia has made real gains again, and yes much of it has come from oil and gas --so what-- we see the popular opinion is to think of them as being run by the mob!

[pErvinalia]

Most of that economic gain has gone to the top. Russia is one of the most unequal economies in the world. As I said, it's an oligarchy.