The world according to Medvedev
At a meeting with the Valdai club, the President of Russia has told about his vision of a new world orderA new war in the Caucasus Dmitry Medvedev compared with the tragedy of September 11. According to him, from the terrorist attack seven years ago the world has learned "many lessons". Certain conclusions must follow from the evaluation of events August 8. In particular, the world should recognize that the existing security architecture does not work, hence the need to create a new one, which would correspond not to the right of the strong, and international law.Participants in the international club Valdai are about 80 political scientists, experts and journalists from Russia, USA, UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Canada, Japan, China, India, Israel and Iran. On Thursday morning members of the club met with the presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and in the late afternoon - with the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin."A polycentric world - the only way to deal with contemporary challenges" Finally, on Friday, a discussion was held with the participation of the Russian head of state Dmitry Medvedev. At the very beginning of the conversation, the President of the Russian Federation categorically stated to protect the life and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are, is the Central task of the state."We should not create any illusions for concern, but it is our task," he said. Читать полностью -->
Sensation: 20% of Russians belong to the middle class
Andrey Bilzho, NewsIn our country now have a middle class. Its representatives make up 1/5 of the population of the country, and in the future in their ranks can still join up to one third of the citizens. However our sredneoblastnymi very different from their counterparts in the West. In order to identify these features, scientists have summarized the results of studies of this question in the analytical report of the Middle class as the social basis of competitiveness of Russia.Not a single rubleA stumbling block for many scholars and ladies, who studied for the last years the features of the Russian middle class was the issue of the appropriate level of income. Say, it primarily allows you to label the category of the successful representatives of the developing capitalism. Some researchers have proposed to start the countdown with 300-500 American monetary units per family member per month, others would raise the bar to $1000 or more. Читать полностью -->
About death and grace
Pastor Jacob Epping (Jacob Epping gave 63 years of life Church service)I'm dying. Die from cancer. Last Christmas was my last. Spring has always been my favorite time of year. Now, as I write these lines, I really hope to see the spring of 2008.I have always loved basketball. Today the doctor said that probably I will be able to watch on TV the opening of the season with my favorite team the Detroit Tigers. Читать полностью -->
The dialogue with the West on lake Seliger failed: Europeans look at the Nashi as psychos
The rapprochement between the West and Russia in the framework of the youth camp Seliger organization "Our", failed, say participants in the international session, which was attended by representatives of 80 countries in the world. As stated by the results of the dialogue Pro-Kremlin activist Yana Starikova, Western youth "very long and carefully brainwashed", so "to sow some new thought is simply impossible".It is worth noting that the online community largely did not support this review about the brainwashed Europeans, said "New region". For example, blogger nick2305 wrote in reply: "It's not they're stubborn, and you are there on lake Seliger. Here Africa and other countries who know about freedoms, just like you, only from his mouth ventriloquists, this is your company. Correctly look like a psychiatric patient, and you have patients who complete lobotomy, after which obvious is not perceived".Activist Starikov was surprised that in the West think in terms of "freedom, democracy and liberalism" and oppose Russia itself, where there are no democratic freedoms, the opposition is not allowed to speak, where a totalitarian police state. "We, at first, very actively rushed to persuade them otherwise, but then just waved his hand - it's completely USELESS", - quotes the letter of the girl, her namesake, Nikolai Starikov in his blog.Thus in the debate, defending his point of view on Russia, they, according to the girl, rather monotonous: there is constant talk about the suppression of opposition protests, the arrest of former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky as the manifestation of tyranny and manipulation of gas as a way to put pressure on Europe. Читать полностью -->
Democracy in the genre of melodrama
Dmitry TravinToday the individual forms of fighting for your pocket quite real, whereas forms of collective to the majority of citizens seem outright adventurism 0Twenty years ago, on 18 December 1989, the funeral of academician Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov turned into a mass popular demonstration. This day was a peak of democratization of our country. A huge number of people out on the street in Moscow and in St. Petersburg. U.S. Ambassador Jack Matlock noted in his memoirs that he had noticed in the crowd even a lone figure of Marshal Sergei Akhromeeva of a man who clearly did not share the political views of Sakharov, but for some reason found it, probably, his duty to honor the memory of the Creator of the hydrogen bomb.Matlock drew attention to the fact that the camera up above a crowd of demonstrators. Читать полностью -->
The Russians and the new anti-alcohol company
Just recently, the President of the Russian Federation said that, despite the measures taken to reduce alcohol consumption in the country, alcoholism in Russia has turned into a national disaster. Having attended the problem of consumption of alcohol, the government has expressed the initiative to expand the state program on fight against corruption, as well as other unhealthy habits.However, still more adequate than in the 80-ies of the last century. As previously stated the head of state, the situation in this sphere cannot be solved by bans, but decisions on remediation should be taken. However, how wide are supported new anti-alcohol campaign and what action the Russians would support the most?For a start all the same, let us mention that all the same is going to take the government and what issues it discussed at a meeting on the fight against alcoholism held on August 12.In particular, opening the meeting, Medvedev said that in recent years had already taken a number of measures, but qualitative changes are. And of course the President has proposed a number of measures that should reduce the consumption of alcohol.So, according to the head of state, it is necessary to restore order in the work of retailers and retail outlets and to toughen the penalties for selling alcohol to minors. Medvedev noted that it is prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages near schools, leisure centres and sports facilities.Among the possible measures is a ban on the sale of all alcoholic beverages in the stalls and kiosks. Читать полностью -->
Many Orthodox resources and blogs rolls from hatred — Okhlobystin
On 22 December 2009. 12:57The priest Ioann Okhlobystin depressed by the level of hatred some Orthodox sites and forums."If I were the devil, I would have labored selflessly blogger on the Internet along with the entire writing staff of the underworld at some papariello Orthodox resource. The level of hatred to the environment in General and, in particular, the level of damage done to the faith of Christ, equal to such resources is not," writes John in his Internet blog.This remark of the priest is entitled "If I were the devil". "On the one hand, I, probably, have no moral right to talk about it, with another - reason about it and nobody says or said, but not heard," said father John.He concludes that "already at the moment for most civilian visitors to the Internet the word "Orthodox" is synonymous with "evil", "there is no forum in which a "delegate" of the Orthodox resource someone not cursed and insulted"."God, I thought: how do we look in the eyes of ordinary people?! A good word from us will not wait, to turn back to us dangerous, and so on accession to the good will of the satanic celebration under Orthodox label and can be no question," writes father John.The priest immediately shares with readers his own speculation: "it's not ours, we do not do our good, I with our God, praying that all was better, and that the spirits of malice, decent bodies mastered for Subversion"."So, dear reader, if you meet in the note, after which it will want to wash your hands, do not believe that it was written by an Orthodox, even if he signed up for. It is not our. Groom mishandled. Читать полностью -->
In Europe
Tamara ShkelPresident Dmitry Medvedev has introduced yesterday in the state Duma on the ratification of the European social Charter. This is a new, revised 1996 version of the Charter, which was signed on behalf of Russia on 14 September 2000 in Strasbourg.Together with the European Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms European social Charter is a unique mechanism for the protection of human rights. The first document of our country ratified 30 March 1998. And now we have reached the second. Ratification of the European social Charter in Russia said. It was one of the main points of the election program, with which electoral associations and individual candidates went to the Duma elections ten years ago.But right now, in a period of protracted economic crisis, when the state waives certain programs, highlighting its social obligations, this target proved to be particularly relevant. Читать полностью -->
Putin Valdai again puzzled experts: they saw emerging in tandem conflict
The journey of Vladimir Putin to the Far East and new initiatives of Dmitry Medvedev has forced political scientists to speculate that either the tandem forced to react to the growth of social tension, or the Prime Minister and the President began early election campaign. Yesterday's meeting of Putin with participants of the discussion club "Valdai" intensified public discussion of the intentions of the first persons of the state and the balance of power within two years before the presidential election of 2012.Whatever it sought the Prime Minister and the President, it looks like they have already achieved approval of the Russians. If at the beginning of August in connection with the fires popularity both began to fall, the end of the month both Putin and Medvedev, has managed not only to regain lost interest, but to multiply them. However, as experts warn that the increasing rivalry in tandem can lead to confrontation teams of the Premier and the President and eventually to the destabilization of the political and economic situation in the country, writes Nezavisimaya Gazeta.According to political analysts, the task of Putin and Medvedev has not changed. The Prime Minister went all of August in Russia, told off governors and calmed affected by the fires. In late August, he took an 11-day tour to the Far East, during which not only met, but met with ordinary Russians.Medvedev is the same as before, sought to justify liberal hopes a certain part of the population. Читать полностью -->
Ukraine and Georgia are far ahead of Russia in the fight against corruption.
International organization Freedom House has released its annual report on the situation in "transition countries". Only 29, and more than half of them are former Soviet republics.Worst of all, according to the researchers, the situation in Russia over the last 10 years there has been a decline in all the major indicators - the level of democracy, human rights and corruption. At the same time, Georgia and Ukraine, except for the Baltic States, only two countries in the post-Soviet period, which saw no signs nor authoritarian or semi-authoritarian rule.However, as usual, in the Russian media those sections of the report, which refers to more prosperous neighbors, interpreted in their own way. So, Interfax noticed that the level of democracy in Georgia from 1999-2000 to date has increased only slightly, and the rate of corruption and does remain at the same level.During the same period, has not changed in Georgia and the level of development of civil society. However, declines in the level of democracy in local government.If we refer to the original document, here's what you can see: the level of corruption in Georgia in 1999 and 2000 and in 2010 it really is equally valued - 5 points (page 228). However, below these figures, indicated that the fight against corruption is one of the most successful actions of the current Georgian leadership.To this conclusion international analysts attract the attention of the Georgian politicians and the media. Читать полностью -->