This column, about what it meant to be branded a “cosmopolite” or “cosmopolitan” in the Soviet Union, says it is from March 3, 1988. But I’ve read all five Straight Dope books many a time, and I’ve been hanging out here for many a year, and I don’t ever recall seeing it before.
Was it in one of the books? If so, which one?
Maybe I’m just forgetful, but I can’t remember seeing this one anywhere. Do we sometimes get old columns that haven’t been published in the books?
Lemme tell ya a secret. See the URL for that column? Notice that it’s “a3_238.html”? That means it’s in the third book (Return of the Straight Dope), on page 248.
Not all of the classic columns have been published in the books. But those that have will all follow that pattern.
AWESOME! Thanks, Chronos. I always wondered if there was any meaning to those classic column filenames. Now I know. That’s really handy!
This is from the piece linked in the OP:
Hooliganism covers more heinous crimes than I was aware of.
The BBC showed a programme last night entitled The Russian Newspaper Murders. Alexei Sidorov, the editor in chief of the Togliatti Observer, was stabbed to death on 9 October 2003. Three days later a man was arrested for his murder. A senior government official gave a statement on the incident.
He said that the stabbing was an act of hooliganism and that the criminal responsible had been arrested.
Hooliganism truly is a catch-all in the Russian justice system.
So the Russians use “Cosmopolitan” as a euphemism for Jews. And here in America you’ll often see things being categorized as “Urban” when people don’t want to say Black. Do other cultures have minority groups that are refered to by their supposed city origins?
Is it possible in this case that the official wsan’t referring to the crime of hooliganism, but rather pointing out that the murder was just an act of hooliganism (i.e., just a random street crime by a random street thug) rather than a planned assassination?
I mean, that’s how I’d interpret it from your summary, but obviously you know more about what was actually said by the official.
I wish I’d recorded it now. 
Anyway, I agree the official was most likely referring to the reason for the stabbing (criminal rather than political) and not the crime itself. Nevertheless he openly connected murder with hooliganism which demonstrates the point. I hope.
This is beyond the scope of this thread but the use of the words hooliganism and criminal were used, I am sure, to deflect suspicion from those who benefited the most from Sidorov’s death. Most of Russia’s 22,000 newspapers are owned or strongly influenced by the government or the oligarchs. There are a few independent organs, such as the Togliatti Observer, which are willing to take some risks and report frankly on contentious issues.
Eighteen months earlier Sidorov’s predecessor was also murdered and the journalistic death rate in Russia stands at 100 during the past 20 years, according to the programme. Hooligans seem to have it in for that particular profession.
Apologies for the digression.
No, “urban” means “urban”. White people in the cities are part of the same culture as black people in the cities, and black people in rural areas are part of the same culture as white people in rural areas. An inner-city white is more likely to listen to rap, for instance, than is a black farmer. The problem isn’t people saying “urban” when they mean “black”; the problem is people saying “black” when they mean “urban”.
I’ve often heard “urban” as code for “black.” I’ve even heard it mocked as “PC-speak for black” by some of my less-than-nonracist acquaintances.
Go into a record store and look in the “urban” music section. You’ll find rap, soul, r&b, and maybe some modern jazz. What do these have in common?
Check out an “urban” movie and you’ll notice it stars Wesley Snipes or Martin Lawrence or one of the Wayans brothers.
When politicians talk about the “urban” crime problem or the “urban” drug problem, do you think they’re talking about white muggers and junkies?
Urban = 99% black with 1% token