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by Pavel Antonov
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Wednesday, 23 April 2008 |
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There was once a time when many in
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) looked to
theWest for inspiration andmodels to follow.
Western Europe’s democracies, while far from
perfect and with many of their own problems
to solve—willingly or not—nonetheless
stood as role models for their Eastern neighbours. |
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by Pavel Antonov
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Wednesday, 06 February 2008 |
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Anthropologists generally claim that group thinking is deeply embedded
in human nature. If this is true, the ‘groupthink’ trait became even
more encouraged
within the Soviet system of working class domination, Communist Party
leadership, collectivisation, pioneer teams and pensioners’ clubs.
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by Pavel Antonov
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Friday, 19 October 2007 |
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The present political/environmental situation calls to mind a folk tale
that is well known in parts of Europe. The tale tells of a peasant who
grows a splendid, enormous turnip, but the turnip is so big that the
lacks the strength to pull it from the ground; so the peasant turns to
asking help from family members, then from friends living nearby, and
finally from various farm and field animals. |
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by Pavel Antonov
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Friday, 19 October 2007 |
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This summer I learned a lot about avalanches during a journalism seminar in the Russian Caucasus—at the foot of Mt. Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak. There, just like anywhere else, snow piles up slowly day after day until critical mass is reached. Then it starts tumbling down, triggered by an unpredictable, often insignificant event.
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by Pavel Antonov
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Monday, 23 July 2007 |
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How might one best convey the image of 13,500 children? How about 30 average-size primary schools full of kids? Or 10 big movie theatres – I mean the oldtype, before shopping malls and multiplexes– full of school-age children making noise and popping bubble gum? Or,maybe easier, enough kids to fill 200buses – roughly the entire public transport fleet of a mid-sized city? Numbers are, of course, crucial forgaining clear understanding, but often fail in communicating a truly effective picture. |
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by Pavel Antonov
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Thursday, 17 May 2007 |
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Two people wrote this editorial: me,and my six-month-old daughter. A squeal-ing, babbling and kicking baby on myknees doesn’t make for perfect writingconditions, but certainly lends sharp per-spective. In the coming decade, the healthof millions of children will greatly dependon the quality of environment; but even asthe EU continues to expand, some politicalleaders appear far removed from the envi-ronmental concerns of so many parents in CEE. |
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EDITORIAL 
