Enigmas, anyone?

It's the birthday of Vladimir Putin, born in Leningrad (now known as St. Petersburg), Russia in 1952. Russia was still part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Joe Stalin was still general chairman of the Communist Party. Little Vladimir went to technical school in St. Petersburg. He somehow got into the spy business, eventually becoming the head of the intelligence service. He went from there into politics.

I just finished a book by Anne Garrels titled "Putin Country: A Journey into the Real Russia." It confirms some of what we learned when visiting St. Petersburg a few years ago: Russians see Vladimir as a fierce defender of the motherland, yet they complain bitterly of ubiquitous political corruption and the kleptocracy of the powerful at the expense of the average Russian citizen.

Russia, no thanks to Putin, has given the world great literature, great art, and great music. I imagine Mr. Putin going to the Bolshoi Ballet and wishing he were somewhere else.

Putin should not be confused with poutine, although both are distasteful in their own way.