May 2, 2020 10:45 PM
(This post was last modified: May 3, 2020 12:03 AM by C C.)
Russians Still Obsessed with Disintegration of the USSR Because It Fell Apart So Easily
https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/20...-with.html
EXCERPT: Had the Soviet Union fell apart after a protracted battle, Russians might still be upset that it happened; but the ease with which it disintegrated has made it an obsession because they suspect that there was either some conspiracy behind the scenes or because there was a flaw in that state that may exist in the Russian Federation as well. [...] the USSR fell apart as it did because Lenin and the Bolsheviks at the beginning created national republics with institutions that resembled those of independent states ... As things spun out of control at the end of the 1980s ... “no one rose to the defense of the USSR: not the party, not the army and not the special services."
Instead, each of these groups saw benefits to itself from the disintegration of the country: republic party leaders got to become presidents, party and military elites in Russia got to grow rich through privatization, and the special services found that they could have even more power if the CPSU was swept away. In thinking about why the USSR came apart so easily and quickly [...] one must not deceive oneself into thinking that the country was destroyed by “democrats, Russophobes, Gorbachev or people from the outside. It was wrought by the very same people who had power in the Soviet Union” but wanted something more. (MORE - details)
Does Germany have an edge on coronavirus because Angela Merkel is a scientist?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-03/c...e/12200494
EXCERPT: Germany's battle against the spread of COVID-19 is far from over — like Australia, it fears a second wave of infection that could trigger thousands more deaths. The country has recorded more than 165,000 cases of the coronavirus and 6,700 Germans have died. [...] Yet the country seems to have weathered the pandemic far more adeptly than its European neighbours. While France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom have all recorded tragic death tolls above 20,000, Germany, with a larger population, has kept fatalities relatively low.
[...] Ms Merkel and her centre-right Christian Democrat party are now riding a renewed wave of popularity. "She's a very trusted and respected person, she's already dealt with several crises in the past..." Fronting her nation to explain the nature of the virus, former scientist Ms Merkel has been calm, methodical and factual.
According to Thomas Sparrow, a political correspondent at Deutsche Welle, this approach — and her insistence on relying on expert advice — has been especially useful during a pandemic. In fact, Ms Merkel herself was able to deftly explain how the coronavirus spreads so quickly, in a way that few other leaders have been able to. At a press conference this month, Ms Merkel — who has a doctorate in quantum chemistry — didn't need a medical officer or chief scientist to communicate the mathematical modelling.
[...] Ms Merkel's trust in science has been paramount — she's relied on the expertise of the oldest scientific academy in the world to guide Germany through the coronavirus pandemic. She has only lifted certain restrictions on the advice of Germany's National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina, which was established in 1687. Immunologist Professor Andreas Radbuch is a member of the Leopoldina and said Ms Merkel is a "natural scientist". "She understands what exponential growth means."
When Ms Merkel explained that the curve was flattening, she said the country had "achieved something … that by no means was a given at the start. Namely that our doctors and carers, all those in the medical field, in the hospitals, were not overwhelmed," she said.
[...] After 15 years at the helm, Ms Merkel won't seek another term as chancellor next year. As such, her Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic could become her lasting legacy. "Before the crisis, Angela Merkel herself and her party had been suffering somewhat in the polls," Mr Sparrow said. "In fact, many people had considered Angela Merkel as a lame duck in her last term. Her final challenge before she retires will be a delicate balancing act as Europe's largest economy faces its worst recession in decades. (MORE - details)
https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/20...-with.html
EXCERPT: Had the Soviet Union fell apart after a protracted battle, Russians might still be upset that it happened; but the ease with which it disintegrated has made it an obsession because they suspect that there was either some conspiracy behind the scenes or because there was a flaw in that state that may exist in the Russian Federation as well. [...] the USSR fell apart as it did because Lenin and the Bolsheviks at the beginning created national republics with institutions that resembled those of independent states ... As things spun out of control at the end of the 1980s ... “no one rose to the defense of the USSR: not the party, not the army and not the special services."
Instead, each of these groups saw benefits to itself from the disintegration of the country: republic party leaders got to become presidents, party and military elites in Russia got to grow rich through privatization, and the special services found that they could have even more power if the CPSU was swept away. In thinking about why the USSR came apart so easily and quickly [...] one must not deceive oneself into thinking that the country was destroyed by “democrats, Russophobes, Gorbachev or people from the outside. It was wrought by the very same people who had power in the Soviet Union” but wanted something more. (MORE - details)
Does Germany have an edge on coronavirus because Angela Merkel is a scientist?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-03/c...e/12200494
EXCERPT: Germany's battle against the spread of COVID-19 is far from over — like Australia, it fears a second wave of infection that could trigger thousands more deaths. The country has recorded more than 165,000 cases of the coronavirus and 6,700 Germans have died. [...] Yet the country seems to have weathered the pandemic far more adeptly than its European neighbours. While France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom have all recorded tragic death tolls above 20,000, Germany, with a larger population, has kept fatalities relatively low.
[...] Ms Merkel and her centre-right Christian Democrat party are now riding a renewed wave of popularity. "She's a very trusted and respected person, she's already dealt with several crises in the past..." Fronting her nation to explain the nature of the virus, former scientist Ms Merkel has been calm, methodical and factual.
According to Thomas Sparrow, a political correspondent at Deutsche Welle, this approach — and her insistence on relying on expert advice — has been especially useful during a pandemic. In fact, Ms Merkel herself was able to deftly explain how the coronavirus spreads so quickly, in a way that few other leaders have been able to. At a press conference this month, Ms Merkel — who has a doctorate in quantum chemistry — didn't need a medical officer or chief scientist to communicate the mathematical modelling.
[...] Ms Merkel's trust in science has been paramount — she's relied on the expertise of the oldest scientific academy in the world to guide Germany through the coronavirus pandemic. She has only lifted certain restrictions on the advice of Germany's National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina, which was established in 1687. Immunologist Professor Andreas Radbuch is a member of the Leopoldina and said Ms Merkel is a "natural scientist". "She understands what exponential growth means."
When Ms Merkel explained that the curve was flattening, she said the country had "achieved something … that by no means was a given at the start. Namely that our doctors and carers, all those in the medical field, in the hospitals, were not overwhelmed," she said.
[...] After 15 years at the helm, Ms Merkel won't seek another term as chancellor next year. As such, her Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic could become her lasting legacy. "Before the crisis, Angela Merkel herself and her party had been suffering somewhat in the polls," Mr Sparrow said. "In fact, many people had considered Angela Merkel as a lame duck in her last term. Her final challenge before she retires will be a delicate balancing act as Europe's largest economy faces its worst recession in decades. (MORE - details)