Russia Becoming U.S.S.R.

According to this article anyway. Didn't they learn anything the last time?

MOSCOW, April 21 — At their first meeting with journalists since taking over Russia’s
largest independent radio news network, the managers had startling news of their
own: from now on, they said, at least 50 percent of the reports about Russia
must be “positive.”
In addition, opposition leaders could not be mentioned
on the air and the United States was to be portrayed as an enemy, journalists
employed by the network, Russian News Service, say they were told by the new
managers, who are allies of the Kremlin

Wow. That's all I can say. Wow. That is not all however.

This month alone, a bank loyal to President Vladimir
V. Putin tightened its control of an independent television station,
Parliament passed a measure banning “extremism” in politics and prosecutors have
gone after individuals who post critical comments on Web chat rooms.

Wow again. Any chance Russian officials can stifle one of the world's fastest growing economies? Looks like freedoms didn't last too long in Russia. Maybe having a middle class makes government officials nervous.

Just a thought.