This piece of news, "Moscow reportedly considers kissing ban", is pretty frightening. So much for freedom in Russia. I'm not exactly a huge proponent of public displays of affection, but Orwellian does seem like the appropriate term.

I like this bit:
"It's not uncommon for couples to kiss on the long, slow escalators leading down to Moscow's subway platforms -- the steps allow people of different heights to gaze directly into each other's faces, and it beats looking at advertisements during the ride. But the embraces are mostly reserved and few people seem to object -- at least until now. "

Almost a bit of poetry coming down the AP Wire. . .you can just see a pretty Russian girl, rosy cheeked and all bundled up with a jaunty woolen hat. She happily leans down instead of up to plant a kiss on her lover's cold nose. It's certainly the most romantic image I've had of Moscow in a long time.

Then again, subversion is itself rather romantic: "According to Stolichnaya Vechernyaya Gazeta, fines for breaking the rules, if they are adopted, would range from 300 to 500 rubles ($10 to $17). And if the kissing couples didn't have the money, the paper reported, police could hold them at the precinct house until somebody paid." Does the young couple get held together? A dreamy afternoon spent in jail. You can envision a musical comedy where the hero and heroine smooch madly while the hero tosses rubles at the angry police.