???

To the like two people who may or may not still read this: is this article interesting to you?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/world/europe/14moscow.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

And if so, can you please tell me why?

I realize that the whole "journal" rubric in the Times is, naturally, meant for an audience unfamiliar with the place in question, but come on . . . . Anne Barnard or one of the many bazillion smart people who would love to write something for NYT can't come with something slightly more compelling going on in Moscow than street cafes? Sure, they're a "big deal" here in summer, and that might be interesting---but the article doesn't actually deal with them very much, it just makes a few semi-sociological and economic points while talking to a few utterly unremarkable people. I suppose for those who know little to nothing about the country or city, these slight insights are interesting . . . . or are they?? ANYone who reads this, if you glance at the piece above, please let me know.

Sorry for the rather unclassy journalist-bashing. It's probably just jealousy, I realize. But hey---I and most everyone else at the Moscow Times could probably write a better piece than that. What makes Ms. Barnard so special, hmmmmmm???