Congratulations to everyone involved in launching the magazine. It turned out very well indeed. I hope it will keep getting even better. In spite of Black Vovan (a mocking nickname) and certain skeptics. The only thing I really disliked was the publishers’ serious violation of Russian law. As I understand it, sidestepping all the rules governing the migrant labor market, the editors have hired the well-known guest worker, Moldovan citizen Natalia Morari (natmorar). Until now, she had only been offered unskilled work: she was a bricklayer at Don-Stroy construction sites, a waitress at the establishment "Second Wind," and press secretary of "Other Russia." One could turn a blind eye to all that. All of the above organizations would have an extremely hard time finding a decent Muscovite—or at least a Russian citizen—to work for them. But there are huge numbers of unemployed journalists!!! And they are all our citizens!!! And some of them even belong to the titular nation (though not many). Of course, I understand that the editors of "The New Times" are seriously cutting costs on salary—according to some reports, Natalia agreed to work for a bowl of mamaliga (a Moldovan cornmeal porridge), a uniform (blue homespun trousers), and a wooden pipe, which she now plays in underpasses to earn a little extra between investigative assignments. But surely it’s not all about money. What about conscience? How will the publishers look those dozens of unemployed quick-writing lads in the eye, the ones sitting somewhere in Bilingua (a well-known Moscow café/bar) plaintively begging people to buy them vodka? Will you have the courage to look into those cloudy pupils?! I don’t think so. Shame on you, dear publishers of "The New Times," shame, great shame!
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