Edward Snowden (born June 21, 1983) is an American computer professional, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee, and former contractor for the U.S. government who copied and leaked classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013 without prior authorization. His disclosures revealed numerous global surveillance programs, many run by the NSA and the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance with the cooperation of telecommunication companies and European governments. On June 21, 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges against Snowden of two counts of violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and theft of government property. Russian authorities granted him one-year asylum, which was later extended to three years.
Note: Edward Snowden’s principled whistleblowing has fueled important debates over mass surveillance and government secrecy. It’s been three years now. Snowden is still in Russia, but since September 2015 has been an essential voice on Twitter. Check out this Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) article: “3 Years Later, the Snowden Leaks Have Changed How the World Sees NSA Surveillance.”
Garry Kasparov (born April 13, 1963) is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer and political activist, considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time. From 1986 until his retirement in 2005, Kasparov was ranked world No. 1 for 225 out of 228 months. His peak rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by Magnus Carlsen in 2013. Kasparov also holds records for consecutive professional tournament victories (15) and Chess Oscars (11). In 1997, he became the first world champion to lose a match to a computer under standard time controls, when he lost to the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue in a highly publicized match. Kasparov devoted his time to politics and writing following his retirement. He formed the United Civil Front movement, and joined as a member of The Other Russia, a coalition opposing the administration and policies of Vladimir Putin.
Maria Sharapova is a Russian professional tennis player. She is currently ranked No. 2 on the WTA Tour. A U.S. resident since 1994, Sharapova has competed on the WTA tour since 2001. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions. She became the world No. 1 for the first time in 2005 and last held the ranking in 2012. Sharapova’s 34 singles titles and five Grand Slam titles—two at the French Open and one each at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open—rank third among active players, behind Serena Williams and Venus Williams. Sharapova is the reigning champion in singles at the French Open. She won a silver medal for Russia at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987.
My wife, daughter and I returned to Oregon late last night after visiting family in Pennsylvania. Today we will be attending Linework NW, a free illustration and comics festival in Portland. It starts at noon at the Norse Hall, which is in Northeast Portland near Voodoo Doughnut Too. Last night we stayed at the Nordic Motel (fairly close to the airport), so I guess between Norse and Nordic we’re accidentally pretending to be visiting Scandinavia today?
Vladimir Putin is the current President of Russia. He won a third term in 2012 amid an unprecedented wave of street protests stemming from allegations of widespread vote-rigging in the parliamentary election. Putin previously served as President (2000-2008) and Prime Minister (1999-2000, 2008-2012) of Russia. He served as an officer in the KGB for 16 years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring to enter politics. Putin joined the administration of President Boris Yeltsin in 1996, and was named Acting President in 1999 when Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned. Many of Putin’s actions are regarded by the domestic opposition and foreign observers as undemocratic. He has cultivated a strongman image (including black belts in Taekwondo and judo) and is a pop icon in Russia with many commercial products named after him. Putin was born on this day in 1952.
Note: In 2014, Russia was excluded from the G8 group as a result of its annexation of Crimea, Ukraine. Earlier in the year, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, proved to be the most expensive Olympic Games ever, with a wildly overrun budget of $51 billion. The lead-up to the Olympics was marked by controversies over Russia’s problems, including organized crime, state corruption, embezzlement, kickbacks, Putin’s anti-gay campaign, and terrorist threats tied to the insurgency in the North Caucasus. Thank goodness for Putinka vodka, I guess.
The 2014 Winter Paralympics, officially the XI Paralympic Winter Games, will be held from March 7-16, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. Ray of Light (Fire Boy) and Snowflake (Snow Girl) were selected as the two mascots of the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games. The story goes that Ray of Light flew down to Earth from a planet where it was always hot.
The 2014 Winter Paralympics, officially the XI Paralympic Winter Games, will be held from March 7-16, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. Snowflake (Snow Girl) and Ray of Light (Fire Boy) were selected as the two mascots of the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games. The story goes that Snowflake flew down to Earth from an icy planet.
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, are currently taking place from February 6-23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. The European Hare (designed by Silviya Petrova, Chuvashia) was selected as one of three 2014 Winter Olympic Games mascots. The other two mascots are the Amur Leopard (by Vadim Pak, Nakhodka) and the Polar Bear (by Oleg Serdechniy, Sochi).
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, are currently taking place from February 6-23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. The Polar Bear (designed by Oleg Serdechniy, Sochi) was selected as one of three 2014 Winter Olympic Games mascots. The other two mascots are the Amur Leopard (by Vadim Pak, Nakhodka) and the European Hare (by Silviya Petrova, Chuvashia).
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, are currently taking place from February 6-23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. The Amur Leopard (designed by Vadim Pak, Nakhodka) was selected as one of three 2014 Winter Olympic Games mascots. The other two mascots are the Polar Bear (by Oleg Serdechniy, Sochi) and the European Hare (by Silviya Petrova, Chuvashia).
Vladimir Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years (1917-1924), as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a socialist economic system. He was born on April 22, 1870.
Note: Happy Earth Day on Sunday! In Soviet Russia, Earth Day celebrates you.
A former Soviet statesman, having served as head of state of the Soviet Union from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991. Gorbachev also led the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. His attempts at Soviet reform and collaboration with U.S. President Ronald Reagan contributed to the end of the Cold War. Gorbachev was born into a peasant Ukrainian-Russian family on this day in 1931.
I once had a sarasa comet goldfish that was all white with a red splotch on the top of his head. I named him Gorbachev. He reformed the corrupt political climate of the 10-gallon aquarium.
A Russian writer of novels, short stories and essays, and one of the greatest psychologists in world literature. He is best known for his novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov. Dostoyevsky’s works explore human psychology in the troubled political, social and spiritual context of 19th-century Russian society. He died on this day in 1881.
The first President of the Russian Federation (the USSR’s successor state), serving from 1991 to 1999. Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev’s most powerful political opponents. Yeltsin resigned in 1999, leaving the presidency to then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He was born on this day in 1931.
A Romanian Communist politician who ruled Romania from 1965 to 1989. Born on this day in 1918, Ceausescu was the country’s second and last Communist leader. His rule became increasingly brutal and his repressive regime was among the most rigid in the Soviet bloc. His government was overthrown in the December 1989 revolution, and he and his wife were executed on Christmas Day.
A Russian Orthodox Christian and mystic healer (and/or debauched religious charlatan) who influenced the latter days of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. Some people called Rasputin the “Mad Monk.” It is believed that Rasputin helped to discredit the tsarist government, leading to the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917. He was born on this day in 1869.
A wooden nutcracker carved like a toy soldier that comes to life. This character is featured in the famous two-act ballet The Nutcracker, which was scored by Russian composer Tchaikovsky and premiered in 1892. The libretto is adapted from the 1816 story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann.
Maria Sharapova – No. 863
Maria Sharapova is a Russian professional tennis player. She is currently ranked No. 2 on the WTA Tour. A U.S. resident since 1994, Sharapova has competed on the WTA tour since 2001. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the WTA on five separate occasions. She became the world No. 1 for the first time in 2005 and last held the ranking in 2012. Sharapova’s 34 singles titles and five Grand Slam titles—two at the French Open and one each at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open—rank third among active players, behind Serena Williams and Venus Williams. Sharapova is the reigning champion in singles at the French Open. She won a silver medal for Russia at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987.
My wife, daughter and I returned to Oregon late last night after visiting family in Pennsylvania. Today we will be attending Linework NW, a free illustration and comics festival in Portland. It starts at noon at the Norse Hall, which is in Northeast Portland near Voodoo Doughnut Too. Last night we stayed at the Nordic Motel (fairly close to the airport), so I guess between Norse and Nordic we’re accidentally pretending to be visiting Scandinavia today?