This is a very well-crafted post that made for interesting reading @purpleprose. Thank you for posting.

I had never heard of that very sad incident of the monkey hanging. O_o It just goes to show that the power of ignorance is as awesome as it is depressing.

While I would certainly agree that the political class ought to be regarded with greater mistrust and even disdain, I feel that there is enough hatred in the World. We needn't emulate their villainy through honoring them with the same level of inhumanity that they would have us visit upon others at their whims.

Oh - and as an aside - Russia also produced Tetris. ;c)