|
I used to scoff at talk of Moscow being called a hardship post. I don’t any longer. With at least 5,000
people dead as direct result of the Moscow heat wave and the smog, which many called a gas attack;
living in Moscow in July and August was almost unbearable. Coupled to this was a feeling of insecurity
due to an information black-out, something that John Harrison talks about in the cover story: The
Smog.
Last month we started to cover the year 1989, in our series of modern Russian history. This month,
we complete the year with a brief look at collapse of the Communist parties in Eastern Europe. Helen
Womak has contributed a personal eye-witness account of the collapse of the Rumanian regime
under Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu. History marches on, and next year we will be covering 1990. If
there is anybody who was here in that year and would like to contribute a Testimony to tyheir experiences
then, please contact the editor.
In this issue, Art Franczek follows up his article last month about a possible double-dip in the world
economy, with some positive aspects of the development of the Russian economy, in particular the
Skolkova high-tech development park. Elena Rubinova finishes off her sociological series on Soviet
Man with a frighteningly honest appraisal of the present situation illuminated by research from the
Levada Centre.
I hope there is something in this issue for everybody.
John Ortega
Owner and Publisher
|
