MS Paint and cryptic signs

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Putin, the ultimate bond villain?

From the Independent:

We had Putin the topless fisherman with a ripped torso, and Putin the fearless adventurer neutralising a tiger with a single tranquiliser dart. Yesterday, on his 56th birthday, we were introduced to yet another macho incarnation of the Russian Prime Minister – Putin the judo master.

In Let’s Learn Judo with Vladimir Putin, a 90-minute film shot over the past year-and-a-half, the former Russian president shares his favourite judo moves with viewers, who are intended to be young Russians learning the Japanese martial art.

Mr Putin told journalists that the DVD’s title is simply an “advertising trick”, and that actually viewers would be learning from Japanese masters. But in footage from the DVD shown in Russian news bulletins, Mr Putin is seen executing several deadly moves and repeatedly throwing much bigger opponents to the ground. Newsreaders told viewers that the DVD shows Mr Putin dispatching a Japanese Olympic gold-medallist in the sport.

But the film is not just a chance for Mr Putin to show off his prowess. There are also segments of the DVD where the Russian leader muses on the philosophy behind judo.

“The philosophy of judo envisages attaining the best possible result through small but effective efforts,” says a black-clad Mr Putin over a soundtrack of atmospheric Oriental music. “In a judo bout, compromises and concessions are permissible but only in one case: if it is for victory.”

Putin is fast becoming my favourite politician, following the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, who inflicted his personal eccentricities (such as naming days of the week after members of his family, and trying to build an ice palace) on the population of Turkmenistan.

The guy is almost a caricature of himself, really.  I’m sure he knows he is too, which makes it all the more amusing.

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