What’s not cool: The UNODC’s demand-side denialism on cocaine
A very quick reaction post this one. I just read through the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime’s World Drug Report 2014… and I’m unsure whether the writers are being disingenuous or intellectually dishonest, or how many revisions and blue-pencillings it went through on its way to publication. Consider this tweet. …
Free download: Listen to Matt’s BBC 5Live interview
Download and enjoy the full 25min clip of Matt’s discussion of the anti-heroes of his book Outlaws Inc. with BBC Radio 5Live‘s Giles Dilnot! It’s an M4a/iTunes compatible soundfile. Download here
Google, Skype, Hotmail & the FSB: Russia’s hidden heart
Very interesting city, Ekaterinburg. It’s known for a number of reasons, all of which are to do with its somewhat shadowy, secretive character. It was the scene of the Romanov family’s assassination by the Bolsheviks, and the fount of the whole Anastasia controversy/red herring. During World War II, the Russian government created a secret second…
What makes you think it’s not me, officer?
Happy memories of shopping for forged driving licences in Russia’s Urals…
The lighter side of Moscow’s customs officials
News from today’s Moscow Times suggests all that glaring and journalist-deporting Russian customs and border officials have been doing recently may just be a front to disguise their real fun-loving side. What other conclusion can we possibly draw from this video, showing a group of Moscow customs men and the mime-along pop video they made…