Free Republic

Nizhny Tagil, despite a sprinkling of shiny new shops and restaurants, is largely a grim landscape of sooty neighborhoods, muddy, rutted roads and creaking government buildings. Disappointment with the state of the city’s roads, schools and hospitals led to Putin’s United Russia party earning a dismal 32 percent of the vote in December’s parliamentary elections in Nizhny Tagil — well below the national total of just under 50 percent. Putin needs to win more than half the national vote in March if he is to avoid a second round.

GOTTA SEE THIS -- SATELLITE IMAGING DURING OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM 7/10/02 BREAKING NEWS - The Big Picture: Fires and Rockets of July around the World and Universe ===== ROCKETS OF JULY 2002 ====== In Nizhny Tagil, 800 miles east of Moscow, a Russian-made Smerch 300 mm Multiple Launch Rocket System fires a rocket during an exhibition 7/9/02. Russia's weapons export agency Rosoboron unfortunately continues to offer this and other war technology to Iran. Better get your act together, Ivan. Kourou space base, French Guyana - European rocket Ariane 5 lifts off 7/6/02 with the European communication satellite Stellat-5 and the...