Putin and the Cranes
September 5, 2012 5:08 PM   Subscribe

 
I'm pretty sure Putin is actually a Super-villain but I have to admit that he's got a certain amount of style. When does he get the powered armor and the mask?
posted by vuron at 5:12 PM on September 5, 2012 [11 favorites]


I'm disappointed he is not bare chested and armed with a rifle.
posted by Artw at 5:13 PM on September 5, 2012 [5 favorites]


Even Paul Ryan couldn't make shit like this up.
posted by argonauta at 5:16 PM on September 5, 2012 [13 favorites]


The link doesn't work for me, alas.
posted by Kevin Street at 5:17 PM on September 5, 2012


Link ends up at a domain parking site.
posted by awfurby at 5:19 PM on September 5, 2012


It's dead Jim.
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 5:19 PM on September 5, 2012


Do two birds really = a "flock" ? Just askin', with apologies to the Winged Migration creators...
posted by Dean358 at 5:19 PM on September 5, 2012


Later he will arm wrestle a babboon named Babboonshka while making borscht from blood of a 12 point stag he chased down and strangled during his morning coffee break
posted by spicynuts at 5:19 PM on September 5, 2012 [12 favorites]


different link to presumably similar content
posted by elizardbits at 5:21 PM on September 5, 2012


Maybe he'll inspire some rappers to make a song about him. (link works for me)
posted by cjorgensen at 5:21 PM on September 5, 2012


I know he is a monstrous evil despot but MY GOD THAT MAN IS SASSY.
posted by elizardbits at 5:21 PM on September 5, 2012 [13 favorites]


Thats weird, it works for me. Is Russia Today blocked by your filter?

Here is another link
posted by Cloud King at 5:21 PM on September 5, 2012


Pooty Poot likes birds that toot
posted by Flashman at 5:22 PM on September 5, 2012 [4 favorites]


If anyone was in any doubt that RT is the Putin propaganda channel...
posted by Sys Rq at 5:22 PM on September 5, 2012 [3 favorites]


I love that smug "I just threw a journalist to his death from my plane thingy" look he effects.
posted by laconic skeuomorph at 5:23 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


Communist Pate!
posted by hal9k at 5:29 PM on September 5, 2012


"Is Russia Today blocked by your filter?"

Looks like some kind of ip weirdness. "Russia Today" shows results on Google, but clicking any of the links goes to the domain parking site awfurby mentioned.
posted by Kevin Street at 5:30 PM on September 5, 2012


Putin is the closest thing to real life Bond villain.
posted by zeikka at 5:30 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


Vladimir Putin: Action Man!
posted by ChuraChura at 5:33 PM on September 5, 2012 [6 favorites]


I'm waiting for the ' accidently' leaked sex tape where he satisfies the entire female cast of the Moscow ballet. At the end they thank him profusely.
posted by The Whelk at 5:33 PM on September 5, 2012 [7 favorites]


Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia only so that he could reenact his favorite parts from Fly Away Home.
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:37 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


If anyone was in any doubt that RTMeFi is the Putin propaganda channel...
posted by laconic skeuomorph at 5:38 PM on September 5, 2012


Damn, I'd seen a bunch of those photos seperately ChuraChura but collected together the effect is pretty damned potent. I know it's basically pure propaganda but US politicians would kill for publicity shots like those.
posted by vuron at 5:41 PM on September 5, 2012




Putin is the closest thing to real life Bond villain.

Now that Kim Jong-il is dead and his son is proving to be a buffoon.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:43 PM on September 5, 2012


Vladimir Putin: Action Man!
Like Commodus, but sane.
posted by Jehan at 5:44 PM on September 5, 2012


In the US (or other western countries) that kind of thing would look really fake, especially if everyone was doing it. (Can you imagine a picture of Romney piloting a speedboat or petting a bear?) But in Russia they expect leaders to be manly men, hence the photos.
posted by Kevin Street at 5:45 PM on September 5, 2012


Obama doesn't too bad, but he's got an intentional irony thing going on.
posted by Kevin Street at 5:47 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


Who cares, when you've got Paul Ryan on team Blue?
posted by spitbull at 5:49 PM on September 5, 2012


He's adorable when he's not encouraging his cronies to murder journalists and rob the country blind.

Related: montage of Putin bad-ass images (SFW despite chan4chan in the URL).
posted by Nelson at 5:50 PM on September 5, 2012 [4 favorites]


(Can you imagine a picture of Romney piloting a speedboat or petting a bear?)

Almost
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:53 PM on September 5, 2012


So fucking awesome.
posted by ph00dz at 5:54 PM on September 5, 2012


The project is called Flight of Hope.

I'm pretty sure that Hope was hunted down and shot by ex-KGB agents some time ago.
posted by goethean at 5:57 PM on September 5, 2012 [4 favorites]


Obama "doesn't" look too bad. Apologies for the missing word.

Almost

Pft. He's not even the one driving the jetski.
posted by Kevin Street at 5:57 PM on September 5, 2012


Romney, what a putz.

Not saying Putin doesn't deserve an afterlife in one of the nether hells, but it's rather endearing how he seems to enjoy being with animals: hugging a puppy and nuzzling a horse, holding the tiger's head, looking at the leopard and the bear. Yes, he has a gun in one pic, and I'm sure he hunts, but I 'get' the idea that once can eat meat, hunt, and still enjoy the company of animals, so please let's not debate on that.

The company of journalists doesn't seem to appeal to him....
posted by BlueHorse at 5:59 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm trying to remember another tyrant with a love of animals, I'm sure Metafilter will remind me of who I'm thinking about.
posted by vuron at 6:01 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


Romney, what a putz.

What? He's just going to the bank.
posted by goethean at 6:02 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm trying to remember another tyrant with a love of animals

Hrm.
posted by Kevin Street at 6:04 PM on September 5, 2012 [3 favorites]


But in Russia they expect leaders to be manly men, hence the photos.

I'd be very surprised to see any pictures of Yeltsin or Gorbachev shirtless on a horse.*

*Statement is for rhetorical purposes only -- not a request. DO NOT WANT.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:05 PM on September 5, 2012 [4 favorites]


That's not a hang glider: it has a motor and is a "trike" paramotor.

Operation Migration in the USA has assisted with whooping crane migration. As noted by pracowity in a comment in 2007:
Like many birds, Whooping cranes learn their migration route by following their parents. But this knowledge is lost when the species is reduced and there are no longer any wild birds using the flyway. Until Operation Migration was asked by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to spearhead a reintroduction of the world's most endangered cranes, there was no method of teaching migration to captive reared Whooping cranes released into the wild.

In the first five years of the program, approximately 60 birds have been taught a migration route between Wisconsin and Florida.

posted by exogenous at 6:10 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


In the US (or other western countries) that kind of thing would look really fake

Mission accomplished.
posted by ersatz at 6:11 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


From the Russia Times facebook page, several hours ago:

http://RT.com/ is facing technical difficulties. Our team is working hard to bring the site fully back online, but it may not be available for all users for at least two more hours.

It looks like they messed up the domain record, and the fix hasn't propagated everywhere.
posted by zamboni at 6:15 PM on September 5, 2012


The (recently arrived in the US) Russian guy I work with had many unpleasant things to say about RT and Putin. He enjoyed this comment thread though.
posted by jeffamaphone at 6:22 PM on September 5, 2012


>I know he is a monstrous evil despot but MY GOD THAT MAN IS SASSY.

His stunts are sort-of endearing, in that few other politicians, let alone autocrats, pursue the nine-year old voter so relentlessly.
posted by darth_tedious at 6:24 PM on September 5, 2012 [20 favorites]


I just want to read the translation of what Putin thought the cranes tasted like.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:27 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


His stunts are sort-of endearing, in that few other politicians, let alone autocrats, pursue the nine-year old voter so relentlessly.
posted by darth_tedious


The Republicans still trot out Chuck Norris every year, and Herman Cain's stump speech included a stirring quote from theme song to the Pokemon movie.

So there's that.
posted by spitbull at 6:34 PM on September 5, 2012


He's like Destro made from the DNA of Stalin, Khrushchev, and Andropov.
posted by absalom at 6:40 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


>The Republicans still trot out Chuck Norris every year

That said, it's my understanding-- based on what I freely admit is relatively light research and what amounts to hearsay-- that Chuck Norris eats bears after hollowing their souls.

I would grant, however, that it's highly unlikely that Herman Cain could take one of the Pokemon; Pokemon are really just too strong, and it's essentially unfair to expect a middle-aged or older human-- even one well trained-- to have a fair chance against them, assuming the conditions under which one might realistically face one in battle.
posted by darth_tedious at 6:45 PM on September 5, 2012


In Post-Soviet Russia despot IS hero!
posted by blue_beetle at 6:57 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]




See his vest, see his vest...
posted by arcticseal at 7:02 PM on September 5, 2012 [3 favorites]


This really needs an epic classical composition in honor of it, really.
posted by symbioid at 7:02 PM on September 5, 2012


Oh man, Norris vs. Putin in the Thunderdome. Two men enter, one man reigns supreme.
posted by homunculus at 7:03 PM on September 5, 2012


Ah hell, Putin would be a few steps away from being elected governor of Minnesota if he caught a record setting walleye.
posted by jadepearl at 7:04 PM on September 5, 2012 [2 favorites]


"You think you're so special with your homebrew, Obama? Fuck that shit, I'm SAVING AN ENDANGERED SPECIES! In a TRICYCLE GLIDER!"
posted by A dead Quaker at 7:07 PM on September 5, 2012


PRESIDENT PUTIN SHALL ENCOMPASS YOUR DOOM!
posted by The Whelk at 7:08 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


"Chuck Norris threatens ’1,000 years of darkness’ if Obama wins"

I'd be careful. Norris might just be able to pull it off.
posted by Kevin Street at 7:11 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


If he punches the sun, that is.
posted by Kevin Street at 7:15 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]



I'd be very surprised to see any pictures of Yeltsin or Gorbachev shirtless on a horse.*


Yes but there are other ways of proving you are a manly man - drinking for one. Yeltsin was Russia's favorite drunk uncle. Everyone loved him. A different kind of manly man but still 'manly' in the Russian psyche. Gorbachev - no one talks about Gorbachev. He is invisible. Draw your own conclusions.
posted by spicynuts at 7:24 PM on September 5, 2012


Where does this guy find the time to orchestrate the abuse and murder of journalists and activists, with all this adventuring?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:58 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


Putin participates in sits like a sack of potatoes in an experiment....
posted by jet_silver at 8:11 PM on September 5, 2012


Stalin rides a Vespa.
Gromyko hosts saltwater taffy tasting.
Brezhnev masters ice dancing.
posted by Nomyte at 8:46 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


Khrushchev takes up Chinese calligraphy.
Bulganin wins a chili cook-off.
Chernenko buys a Harley, wrecks it.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:00 PM on September 5, 2012


But did he get a hummer in the oval office?

Okay, probably.
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:05 PM on September 5, 2012


C'mon. If you were in power of a country, wouldn't you suddenly realize you could do all sorts of cool shit (even if it was just propoganda)?

I wonder if any President has ever thought to himself, "So when do I get to ride a whale?" and "Area 51. Must schedule it as soon as possible. Gonna be AWESOME."
posted by DisreputableDog at 10:20 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


But did he get a hummer in the oval office?

You do realize that a lot of these photos are probably taken by his "persoal photographer", don't you?

And I seem to recall rumors of Putin putining it to some olymipic gymnast/contortionist or something too.
posted by Chekhovian at 10:40 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


Original link is down for some reason - here's one that works

That said, Putin is scum, period. He is a little man in spirit and deed, who has once again managed to take his Russian country-fellows down into the rabbit hole of fear, ignorance, and paranoia. All his shenanigans show his insecurity, and need for extreme attention. Putin is an empty man who has helped to re-hollow out the soul of Russia. Fuck you, Vladimir Putin!
posted by Vibrissae at 10:46 PM on September 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


Oh, when was it ever not hollow? The heady days of Yeltsin? The all too brief dalliance with Gorbachev?
posted by Nomyte at 10:53 PM on September 5, 2012


How many threads have we had here that was mocking how ridiculous and transparent the propaganda coming out of North Korea was under Kim Jong Il, and here we are eating all this Putin stuff up and asking for more.
posted by danny the boy at 11:02 PM on September 5, 2012


In a press conference given before the historical flight, Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Election Commission of Russia, stated that 146% of the flock had voted for Putin to be their new leader.
posted by daniel_charms at 11:17 PM on September 5, 2012


Well, Kim Jong Il would have led those cranes from an armored train.
posted by Skeptic at 11:18 PM on September 5, 2012


I really like this photo with The Surgeonfrom ChuraChura's link. The only one in the list where nobody there finds (or pretends to find) Putin the most interesting person there.

I also just noticed that the front rank of the Night Wolves are all on crutches. There is definitely something interesting going on there.
posted by fizban at 11:54 PM on September 5, 2012


...who has once again managed to take his Russian country-fellows down into the rabbit hole of fear, ignorance, and paranoia.

When has the Russian government not produced fear, ignorance and paranoia? Russia hasn't had a government that was both competent and democratically inclined since the assassination of Alexander the Liberator in 1881.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 12:43 AM on September 6, 2012


Heh. Now that I've watched the video, he doesn't even steer the glider himself, he's just dead weight. Even the camera mounted to the glider probably played a more active and important role in the process.
posted by daniel_charms at 3:01 AM on September 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


The Republicans still trot out Chuck Norris every year

Peak Chuck Norris was reached in 2006 with dangerous outbreaks in 2008 and late 2011.

That meme has overstayed its welcome.
posted by ersatz at 4:36 AM on September 6, 2012


Chuck Norris threatens ’1,000 years of darkness’ if Obama wins

Wha... is there a row of Klu Klux Klan costumes on hooks behind them?
posted by XMLicious at 5:24 AM on September 6, 2012


I wonder if any President has ever thought to himself, "So when do I get to ride a whale?" and "Area 51. Must schedule it as soon as possible. Gonna be AWESOME."

yeah his name was Teddy MuthaFuckin Roosevelt
posted by spicynuts at 6:44 AM on September 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


Chuck Norris threatens ’1,000 years of darkness’ if Obama wins.

I was absolutely 100% sure that was an Onion link. So sure that I didn't bother clicking it. And then I thought "wait . . . what if . . ." And then I clicked it. And it's real. And. . . I don't even. . . Speechless.
posted by The Bellman at 7:33 AM on September 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


Vladimir Putin is Forrest Gump with wit and forethought. But an equally fictitious character. If he goes before Mrs. Putin her memoir is likely to be a hoot.
posted by bukvich at 7:33 AM on September 6, 2012


...rumors of Putin putining it to some olymipic gymnast/contortionist...

*falls over*
posted by BlueHorse at 1:30 PM on September 6, 2012




Related: montage of Putin bad-ass images (SFW despite chan4chan in the URL).

The horse in the first one is wear grass reins which is the equine equivalent of training wheels. We use them when we're teaching 6 year olds so they don't get pulled off over the pony's head if he puts it down to eat grass.

Just saying.
posted by fshgrl at 12:06 AM on September 7, 2012 [2 favorites]


Vladimir Putin flies with cranes, likes sexy group fun, as bafflingly presented by everyone's favorite Taiwanese news outlet Next Media Animation.
posted by Nelson at 8:39 AM on September 8, 2012


Putin’s Latest Stunt Invites Ridicule, an NYT blog roundup of photoshops in the context of political dissent in Russia.
posted by Nelson at 9:10 AM on September 8, 2012




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