Boris Yeltsin : February 1, 1931 - April 23, 2007

[ag]

What is truly regrettable is that the man responsible for so many of Russia's problems today died without facing justice for his actions.

RIP - Russia's first and last democratic post Cold War leader.

Indeed, storming the parliament because it doesn't agree with you and stealing elections is the height of democracy.

He stormed parliament because his own vice president tried to carry out a coup to restore the good old days.

If only it were that simple.

[The Dowager Mod]

I wasn't interested in going into all the details.

[ag]

I wasn't interested in going into all the details.

Alas, the details are important.

You know, the old Chinese curse: "for you to live in interesting times!"

[??????????]

I think it's really sad to see what's happened with Russia. They seem to be a nation full of good people who just keep getting the bad luck of the draw and I really hope the future can be brighter for them, but I don't see how anytime soon.

[ag]

I am actually rather surprized (positively) by the public reaction.  He wasn't popular in recent years, and the public wake was sharply circumsribed: they started letting people in, with barely a few hours' notice, today at 5 PM local time, and early tomorrow morning the access will be stopped so that the oficial ceremonies can be held before the funeral the same day. But, it seems, people came out en masse to say good-bye. The line of mourners is snaking accross much of the Moscow city center (it's nearly three in the morning local time and it's cold), people are staying for hours to get into the Cathedral where his body lies in state.  I don't think Moscow has seen such an outpouring for a funeral of a public person in many years.

[??????????]

AG, if I remember correctly, you're Russian?

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I'll always remember the time that his staff had to call off a visit to Ireland because he was too pissed to get off the plane. RIP.

^^^^^^^^^^

Though it must be said his reputation over here and his legacy over there are two totally conflicting things. Perhaps that's because there was something always very loveable about Boris Yeltsin, he was like an always-pissed Uncle you sort of knew - he always meant well, but it was clear that three-quarters of the time he had no idea what he was actually doing. Meanwhile Vladimir Putin certainly looks like the dictator type...

EDIT: Anyone here (long shot) ever read "Babylon" by Victor Pelevin? (Yes this is sort of related to the topic.)

[ag]

EDIT: Anyone here (long shot) ever read "Babylon" by Victor Pelevin? (Yes this is sort of related to the topic.)

A read a lot of Pelevin, though not this one.  Anyway, I don't need Pelevin to understand the goings on there

[Tetro Kornbluth]

EDIT: Anyone here (long shot) ever read "Babylon" by Victor Pelevin? (Yes this is sort of related to the topic.)

A read a lot of Pelevin, though not this one.  Anyway, I don't need Pelevin to understand the goings on there

LOL. Yes. It's funny though that it was certain parts of that book that came to mind once I heard that Yeltsin had died.