Oh LJ...

[elisi]

A few links, since they're everywhere...

Interview with Nosik (can we have lizards running LJ? What do you say? *g*) in two translations: Translation 1 & Translation 2.

Also - thanks to peasant_, here is a post by the man himself, clarifying a lot of issues.

And romanyg has a short post that's definitely worth checking out.

(Thank you to peasant_ for the links.)

Anyway, then clearly someone has twigged what the main problem is:

The announcement last Wednesday was a mistake in regards to Basic accounts, as the change was not clearly stated, it did not allow for you to provide feedback, and went into effect immediately. Many of you have pointed out that the decision worried you less than the way it was communicated. You should have been given a voice, and you were not; we didn’t follow our own rules, and we apologize.

Whole post here. (Friend lj_2008 if you haven't already!)

Also a good and thought provoking post by technosage here. I don't know about the whole striking thing, since can't see that it'll do much good, but since it's Good Friday I might just not be here *anyway*.

***

But now for something GOOD - two vid-recs:

Affirmation by butterfly. A love letter to Doctor Who and Torchwood. *profound love*

Jack? Is keeping his baby (DW/TW) by fan_eunice and greensilver. I have not seen a vid so *beautifully* telling a story since charmax's Your Woman (which incidentally every single S/A fan should watch! Tis *brilliant*) ... But this one is set to Madonna's 'Papa Don't Preach' and it makes me incoherent with delight and joy. Go watch it! (Presuming you haven't already. It seems all of fandom has.)

(Spoilers up to TW 2.10 for both)

Oh and - in the name of randomness - Ianto really has *the* longest eyelashes ever. (Cap from 'Something Borrowed'. Yes I am that sad. And now I need to do some housework...)

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/peasant_/]

Some other relevant links for you about Anton Nossik:
Anton Nossik's own post in his own English words.

And some words about the man himself by romanyg.

[elisi]

Oooh thank you! Will add them to the post. :)

[ruuger]

but since it's Good Friday I might just not be here *anyway*.

I have to admit that I was all for the content strike right until I saw the date, which unfortunately proves that the people behind it are just as ignorant as the folks on LJ. Because even if there was some small effect from the strike, LJ can easily just chalk it up to the holidays.

[elisi]

the date, which unfortunately proves that the people behind it are just as ignorant as the folks on LJ.
*nods*

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the links! And yeah, I'm all for lizards running LJ. Hell, according to some people, they're already running the entire world anyway... ;-)

[elisi]

Thanks for the links!
Well sharing is what LJ is all about, yes?

And yeah, I'm all for lizards running LJ.
You can never go wrong with the Hitchhiker's Guide... ;)

Hell, according to some people, they're already running the entire world anyway... ;-)
Some people are scary!

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

I did a Google search on Anton Nossik (which seems to be his own favoured way of transliterating his name) and the first hit was a BBC report on cyberwarfare in Estonia where he was extensively quoted as a Russian expert on the Internet. The second was a news interview which again talked to him as a pioneer in setting up websites in Russia that were outside goverment control. Then there's romanyq's post you linked to about him being a Jewish dissident and political activist.

Sounds to me like he's a controversial, outspoken public figure in Russia that SUP have paid a retainer to to speak for them and to prove their commitment to free speech... and people reading his comments in the Anglosphere have got hold of completely the wrong end of the stick...

[elisi]

I did a Google search on Anton Nossik
All very interesting and thank you for pointing it out. I think that as with all things this whole business is shades of grey, rather than the black & white that everyone was saying at first. And right now I'm honestly not too bothered - as long as LJ stops trying to implement changes without telling anyone. And that really has nothing to do with Nossik.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

As a Russian I attest that the original article by Nosik was adequately translated both times.
The differences between both translations are just hair-splitting.
The original article in Russian had an air of arrogance and annoyance perfectly conveyed in the 1st translation. Reading it in Russian made me as insulted and annoyed as the 1st translation made the English speakers, it seemed. So I'd say the 1st one did a good job.

In his post Nosik is just trying to wriggle his way out of this and splitting hair again.
However I agree with the last post - he's rude and obnoxious, but not a fashist or a KGB agent. He's just an arrogant businessman.

I'll tell you: successfull business people in Russia are very rude and feel like they have to spit down on people once they got on top. It's part of the culture of success and popularity - at least it was when I lived in Moscow till 2002.
My boss was periodically lining up his employees - including Ph.D. and Masters etc. and shouted at them because on some dirt on the wall, or some unknown one missing a toilet bowl.
He also was rude to servers in a restaurant and we never had a company dinner/lunch there without a scandal and lining all the restaurant stuff up and shouting at them, heh. He just thought himself entitled to that.
Another boss, my distant relative, would make his employess (again, some people with Master degrees), walk his dog and wash his car after coming to work. And run to the store to do his shopping etc.

It's annoying and very unpleasant attitude, but it has nothing to do with stepping on freedoms and/or fashism. It's a different beast.

[elisi]

It's annoying and very unpleasant attitude, but it has nothing to do with stepping on freedoms and/or fashism. It's a different beast.
This is all very interesting, and seen in that light his remarks make a lot of sense. I just hope someone at SUP will realise that this attitude needs to be tempered somewhat, or he's going to annoy all 'Westerners' every time he opens his mouth!

[chloris67.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the links! I really wish the people at LJ would just stop talking. Every time they say something it turns into a huge deal with lots of posts, meta, and time expended. Though it does look like I should get my IJ up and running if I can figure out how to crosspost easily. There are enough people over there now to make it worth while.

[elisi]

Thanks for all the links!
My pleasure. I have a lot of people on my flist who find the good stuff, so I feel I have to pass it on. :)

I really wish the people at LJ would just stop talking.
Word.

And I've got an IJ too - I really ought to use it more, but I can barely keep up with LJ...