URL: Latest posts
20 years ago..
The Economist carried a marvellous cover story called "The Bullies of Vilnius"(not by me)You can read it here...
Catholic Church and sex abuse (leader article)
The Catholic church and paedophilia Crimes and sinsMar 18th 2010 From The Economist print editionThe pope should say plainly and loudly that sexual abuse of children is not just sinful. It is criminalIT COULD hardly get worse. Sex scandals are breaki...
CEE economics--"leader" article
Eastern Europe's economies What went rightMar 18th 2010 From The Economist print editionIf Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece want a lesson in how to take hard decisions, they should look eastwardIN THE depths of the financial crisis a year ago, it wa...
CEE economics
East European economiesFingered by fateMar 18th 2010 | BUDAPEST AND RIGAFrom The Economist print editionA region that a year ago looked as bad as Greece does now has averted catastrophe—but is not yet completely safesee chart hereBELIEVE the headli...
Lithuanian diary
Here is a short (three-day) diary from last week's trip to LithuaniaLithuaniaBack on the mapMar 16th 2010From Economist.comHow an invisible country rocked the worldDay oneEARTHQUAKES are a horrible way of changing the physical landscape—but geopoli...
Lost in cyberspace
As I gradually get back into the swing of things after the distractions of the past year, I notice how the cyberscape has changed. Where is the Tiraspol Times? That website is no longer active. I hope somebody has saved some screenshots of their grou...
Ukraine--Andrew Wilson latest
Andrew Wilson is the best Ukraine-watcher I know. Here is his new paper, which argues that Yanukovych could be Ukraine's Nixon.
This is the most amusing thing I've seen for a long time
Have you ever wondered how the history of the 20th century would look if represented on Facebook? Well, look at this...
A Moscow-based friend has just received this letter from his hr department
Dear XXXXI need to ask you to bring me medical certificates about absence of the following diseases for Work permit:lepromatous leprosy chancroid tuberculosis syphilis Chlamydia limphogrannulema HIV test (HIV certificate is needed) test on the abs...
secret plan to expel Baltic states from Europe
The Kremlin is trying secretly to discredit the Baltic states by organising their public humiliation on television. This I suspect one of the opening efforts.
Latvia and history: Europe View 175
Europe.viewHarmony in RigaFor once, the anniversary of a wartime battle in Latvia should pass off peacefullyMar 11th 2010 | From The Economist onlineTHAT March follows February is not a state secret, but it sometimes seems to come as a surprise...
what's happened to axisglobe?
For several years I have been reading with enjoyment and some puzzlement a site called www.axisglobe.com/ It is a rum mixture of assiduously collected press cuttings and spin, mainly to do with the activities of security and intelligence services in...
Latvian SS commemoration
Has anyone else noticed how quiet the Kremlin propaganda machine has become as the March 16th anniversary approaches. I am writing on this for my online column this week but I have just come across this remarkable (to me) commentary on the normally v...
Why not extend and reverse Nabucco?
This just in from London-based Polish gas expert Greg PytelGreg PytelExtended and reversible Nabucco – competitive and secure natural gas market for Europe There has been an ongoing debate about constructing Nabucco pipeline: a pipeline designed to...
Germany's Lostpolitik
Constanze Stelzenmueller writes an interesting and thoughtful piece about German security and foreign policy here. She wants Germany to be less neurotic, less stingy and more decisive--with a new national security commission (ie council) to run thin...
New anti-Putin site
As attention on the Sochi Olympics grows, so do the critics' efforts, like this.
Applebaum-Sikorski
Long profile of Poland's power couple here in Polish Newsweek...
Russia latest--from ex-ambassador Sir Andrew Wood
Sir Andrew Wood was one of the most able ambassadors Britain has sent to Moscow. Here are ten punchy points about the current political outlook. Well worth a look...
Political writing at its best
Most politicians today talk like robots (I've just been watching Gordon Brown at the Chilcott inquiry) and when they write it's even worse. Even Barack Obama's "rhetoric" is more about delivery than real literary style. So (thanks Guistino) here is...
Katyn update
The Kremlin is gradually sorting out (or at least defusing) its historical rows with the ex-captive nations. First it was Putin's visit to Hungary on the anniversary of '56 (see this report). Then it was Prague for 40 years after the 1968 invasion se...
