A couple of readers have expressed their concern about my well-being and I am here to assure them that I am still alive and (barely) kicking. Let me explain.
These are sad and gloomy days at “Sovok of the Week.” First of all, our funds are gone thanks to the crashing US stock market; our one remaining share of GAZPROM will not make much difference at this point. Secondly, I personally am dismayed by the recent resurgence of Barak Obama, a demagogue who sounds like a Komsomol leader from 1984. His “Yes We Can” campaign smacks of some Soviet railroad-building hysteria where “hope” would propel us to the new heights of achievements, unity, solidarity, and understanding. As my hero Bill Clinton said, “Give me a break.” Also, please tell me, how can a son of a Kenyan immigrant identify himself as a true representative of the African American community? I would think that someone with much deeper roots in the community would qualify to represent himself/herself as such much better (I, for one, have always said that we need Wanda Sykes as President).
Yes, you guessed-on the eve of Super Tuesday the feeble “Sovok of the Week” proudly endorses Hillary for President! Our reasons? We want the 90s back. We want Bill Clinton, Chumbawamba, Spice Girls, the Fugees, the Verve, and the Foo Fighters. We want to see Gap khaki commercials and Netscape Navigator back. We want to go back to the simple days when we used Windows 95 and played Tetris all day long.
Who am I kidding? Those days are gone.
Now, what is a sad Sovok to do? Of course, look on Youtube for dear-to-his heart hits of the yesteryear. Two of my most beloved findings I share with you, dear readers.
The first gem is by a little-known group from Sweden called “Secret Service.” Sadly, I used to study English by listening to their songs. This particular masterpiece presents us the past in all of its glory, the past when we actually (gasp!) wrote letters to each other. Now, we even break up by sending text messages. The second song is, of course, from Alla Pugacheva in all her Soviet-era extravagance. She has it all-big hair, enticing movements of a well-nurtured torso, and gapped teeth. Yet, I can’t get enough of a story in which an artist sells all of his earthly possessions to buy his love (unrequited, of course) a million of red roses. Brava, Alla, brava!
DJ VadimJ
4 responses so far ↓
1 Megan // Feb 10, 2008 at 3:42 pm
“Barak Obama, a demagogue who sounds like a Komsomol leader from 1984. His “Yes We Can” campaign smacks of some Soviet railroad-building hysteria where “hope” would propel us to the new heights of achievements, unity, solidarity, and understanding”
Wait, then shouldn’t Sovok of the Week ENDORSE him?
I like Obama. I mean, one shouldn’t pay much attention to any campaign’s rhetoric. But whatevs, I can respect your endorsement and the reasons behind it.
2 Vadim // Feb 10, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Good point, but as you might have noticed, this blog is about a post-Soviet man trying to make it in the land of plenty and his road is not simple. He tries to overcome his outrageous sovokishness but yet wants to preserve some of it. This contradiction is at the heart of a Sovok who lives in a foreign land-an attempt to embrace the West and keep himself in the East.
I am tired of Komsomol and empty rhetoric. I am tired of “freedom is not free” and “democracy for the Middle East” slogans-all empty words. What worries me is that Barak, the favorite of hipsters, vegans, and all the rest who call themselves progressive, might actually lose to McCain in November. All of his supporters sitting in trendy bars sipping microbrews will gasp in disbelief as a technocrat like McCain will be chosen by the American public as their next President. It happened before-remember Kerry? No one remembers him but he had fiery and inspirational speeches, too, and yet he was beaten by the pragmatic George Bush.
And, by the way, thank you for reading my blog, Megan!
3 Megan // Feb 12, 2008 at 3:41 am
Well, not that polls are entirely reliable, but Obama polls better against McCain than Hillary does, and that’s one major reason why I’ve decided to support him. Half the country starts hyperventilating as soon as they hear the name Clinton, so I really worry that she’s unelectable, or at least less electable. I wouldn’t mind a President Hillary, and if she’s the nominee I’ll do what I can from remote Sweden to support her.
4 Vadim // Feb 12, 2008 at 8:38 am
Yes, she is polarizing but wait till Obama starts sharing his platform and McCain beats him. This country is at the core very conservative (except for some urban areas) and it will rather elect someone predictable than revolutionary. We’ll see.
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