Stalin, Russia's New Hero ~ New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/13/opinion/sunday/stalinist-nostalgia-in-vladimir-putins-russia.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
Photo

School textbooks and state television programs, even if they briefly mention his human rights abuses, celebrate Stalin as a great leader.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mask_of_Sorrow

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bykivnia_Graves

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyń_Memorial_(Jersey_City)

Politics: stranger than fiction

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/c764675e-e6c7-11e5-a09b-1f8b0d268c39.html


How can television shows compete with the sensationalism of real-life political drama?

The future of computing ~ The Economist

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21694528-era-predictable-improvement-computer-hardware-ending-what-comes-next-future

The era of predictable improvement in computer hardware is ending. What comes next?

The Economist explains ~ Why fashion week is passé

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/03/economist-explains-5


As soon as models sashay down the runway, photographs are posted online and shared endlessly through social media. Fast-fashion brands copy designers’ styles (though the industry prefers the euphemism “interpret”), often stocking look-alikes in their shops before designers’ own clothes make it to department stores. When designers’ clothes do arrive, they seem stale . It is no coincidence that the world's top two retailers are TJX and Inditex. TJX buys brand-name clothes from stores that can't sell them at full price, then offers them at a deep discount. Inditex owns Zara, the pioneer in fast fashion.

Meet the People of Transdnistra, a Stuck-in-Time Country That Doesn't Exist

http://www.wired.stfi.re/2016/03/meet-people-transnistria-stuck-time-soviet-country-doesnt-exist/?sf=ybdryy

TRANSNISTRIA IS A thin strip of land wedged between Moldova and Ukraine. It is home to more than 500,000 people and has a parliamentary government, a standing army, and its own currency. It has all the trappings of an independent nation—but isn’t

Nike suspends relationship with Maria Sharapova after she fails drugs test - live

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/mariasharapova/12186863/Maria-Sharapova-fails-drugs-test-at-Australian-Open-live.html

Nike suspends relationship with Sharapova

The first of her sponsors has gone public with a decision. Nike is suspending its relationship with the star while the investigation continues. In a statement the company said: 

We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We will continue to monitor the situation.

Europe’s new cold war turns digital as Vladimir Putin expands media offensive

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/05/europe-vladimir-putin-russia-social-media-trolls

Russia is deploying social media trolls in an attempt to effect political change, and Britain is not immune

 

10 years on Twitter ~ FT

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/930b3e7c-e070-11e5-8d9b-e88a2a889797.html

Its 320m users include pop stars, politicians and revolutionaries. So why does the site’s future look so unsure?

Podcasts create golden age of audio ~ FT

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/cd1b444a-e160-11e5-9217-6ae3733a2cd1.html?siteedition=intl#axzz425BqNjSc

The low-cost medium has allowed niche-interest communities to thrive in a way old media never could

Organisation that runs internet address book to declare independence

http://www.economist.com/news/international/21693922-organisation-runs-internet-address-book-about-declare-independence-we

Premier League clubs 'meet to discuss breakaway super league'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/news/12180296/Top-Premier-League-clubs-meet-to-discuss-breakaway-super-league.html


Executives from Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal 'met American billionaire Stephen Ross to discuss joining competition for Europe's elite'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/champions-league/12171643/Nine-reasons-why-the-Champions-League-is-a-bit-rubbish-anyway.html