May 9, 2008 Victory Day Coverage

Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the victory over Germany in World War II.
In Russia, the war is known as the Great Patriotic War, and May 9th is one of the biggest holidays of the year.

Russia today has English language coverage of this morning’s Victory Day parade on Red Square.

Watch the full video with English commentary and read about the event on the Russia Today website.

Victory Day – Russia’s most important holiday

Red Army soldiers standing victorious over the Reichstag

One Russian poet succinctly called Victory Day a holiday with tears. This is very true; in Russia May 9 is the day of triumph and gratitude to those who won the worst war – WWII. Russia played a main role in this war – no Allied country can compare in the number of destroyed enemy divisions, freed territories, or any other indicator.

But at the same time, this is a day of memory, a day of mourning, because it reminds one of the millions of Russian compatriots who were killed in action, tortured by the Nazis, died of hunger and backbreaking labor, or became disabled and suffered greatly. The last figure of the number of casualties is over 27 million, although it is probably closer to 30 million. Even China, which was involved in WWII seven years before it started in Europe, did not sustain such losses. The main victor of the war was also its main victim.

Sixty three years have passed since its end, but for many Russians this war is not a page in history but a part of their lives. It has left eternal wounds and mourning of losses in the hearts of people. This is why they innately feel it and pass to the generations to come.

There is probably no other country that cherishes so much the memories of WWII. In Russia, it is called the Great Patriotic War, similar in name to the 1812 Russian-French war called the Patriotic War, when the Russian people had to defend their independence in the fierce struggle against foreign invaders.

Every year on May 9, Russia honors its heroes. This is a special holiday for the country, which is shown through the polls that are traditionally conducted on the eve of May 9. The leading pollster, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM), has established that almost 60% of Russians lost their kith and kin in the war. Every fifth family had to leave its home. It is no surprise that today people remember the war years – relatives were killed or injured in 88% of families.

Of course, such memories mostly affect the older generations – those who went to war, worked at the home front, or who were children at the time. However, polls show that frequent complaints of seniors about the younger generation’s attitude towards the war, and different appraisals of it are not fair. Young people are interested in the war. Another poll by VTsIOM showed that in the last year, one third of Russians between the ages of 18 and 24 read books about the war, met veterans, visited war museums and memorials, and 86% saw movies about the war.

Recently, the St George Ribbon campaign has become a symbol of people’s memory about its heroic past. It was initiated by RIA Novosti and the Student Community youth organization four years ago. Now, on the eve of Victory Day, people attach ribbons with black and orange stripes to their car antennas, jackets, rucksacks, or beds in hospitals for veterans. Orange and black are the traditional colors of Soviet and Russian awards for achievements in combat. This is how the Russian people express their gratitude to those who have protected the independence of their state, and saved it from Nazism – both to those who are alive and dead, to those who are known and unknown.

This campaign is accompanied by the slogan “I remember! I’m proud!” and has won the hearts of millions. Last year, more than 10 million ribbons were distributed, and this year about four million have been handed out in Moscow alone according to a tentative estimate. Now many foreigners have also joined the campaign. According to some estimates, almost 50 countries are taking part in it this year.

Polls confirm the popularity of the St George ribbons. According to the estimates of the Public Opinion Foundation (POF), almost three quarters of Russians – 73% – support this patriotic action; last year one in five Russians took part in it, whereas this year, according to Bashkirova&Partners, 53% expressed their wish to participate.

Victory Day is celebrated in a big way in many countries, but probably only in Russia and the CIS countries is it a truly national holiday. This fact is borne out by a poll conducted by the research holding Romir on the eve of the holiday. More than 50% of those polled said that they will celebrate May 9 at home or at dacha (a summer house). A quarter of those polled are going to watch a military parade, and as many will go to watch the salute; one in seven intended to take part in holiday events.

Here are two more relevant figures. May 9 continues to be an important day for 92% of Russians (in the POF’s estimate); according to VTsIOM, 58% believe that the results of the war are Russia’s biggest victory in its entire history, and that its role will continue to grow in the future.

Russian society has not been so unanimous on any other event in its history.

The happiest places on Earth

In Pictures: World's Happiest Places

"Taking all things together on a scale of one to 10, how happy would you say you are?" With that question and global surveys, the folks at the World Database of Happiness have ranked 95 nations on a happiness scale.

Switzerland's citizens closely trail the Danish, each reporting an average happiness level of 8.1 (out of 10), followed by Iceland (7.8), Finland (7.7), Australia (7.7) and Sweden (7.7), all the way down to grim Moldova (3.5).

While the Netherlands ranks only 15th on the list of the world's happiest countries, its industrial capital, Rotterdam, is home to the database, housed at Erasmus University. Its director, Ruut Veenhoven, has made his life's work researching which nations are home to the happiest citizens.

Veenhoven's research shows that Scandinavian nations come out on top, making up five of the 13 happiest nations. Denmark tops the list as a whole--its citizens rank their average happiness as 8.2 on a 10-point scale.

Inspired by Veenhoven's rankings, former foreign correspondent for National Public Radio (and self-proclaimed grouch) Eric Weiner embarked on a quest to visit the happiest places on earth. In his book The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World, Weiner immerses himself in the cultural fabric of the world's happiest countries to pinpoint exactly why residents of some countries, like Iceland and Switzerland, are so downright satisfied with their lives.

The Swiss, Weiner discovered, are efficient and punctual, comparatively wealthy and face hardly any unemployment. Their streets, air and tap water are squeaky clean and chocolate is a national obsession. But Weiner saw no joy in their faces, and reasoned that perhaps it's better to live in this middle range than to vacillate between gleeful moments of elation and gut-wrenching spates of despair. Swiss happiness, he writes, is "more than mere contentment, but less than full-on joy."

Because the country is dark and cold, Weiner was initially sceptical about Iceland's ranking as the fourth-happiest nation in the world. He learned the small nation is quite literally a family; curiously, geneticists have found that all Icelandic citizens are related.

Certain phrases in the Icelandic language, Weiner writes, are even more telling. When people greet each other, the phrase they use roughly translates to "come happy," and when people part, they utter the equivalent of "go happy." The country is a favourite stamping ground of artists and cultivates a creative spirit; the government supports writers with generous subsidies.

To provide a stark contrast to Iceland and Switzerland, Weiner visited Moldova. The citizens of this former Soviet republic, according to database figures, rate their happiness at 3.5. The nation, sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, had been relatively prosperous, but since the fall of the Berlin wall, per-capita income has fallen to only US$880 per year.

But it's not just about money. Nigeria and Bangladesh are poorer and happier, Weiner points out, but Moldova compares itself to Italy and Germany. The country also lacks a distinct culture and any semblance of national pride. Government officials even speak Russian--the language of their oppressors for much of the last century.

So just how does the United States fit into this picture? "Happiness is there for the taking in America," Weiner writes. "You just need the willpower to find it, and enough cash." The surprising fact, though, is that America is not as happy--scoring 7.3 and ranking 17th in the database--as it is wealthy. U.S. residents are three times richer than they were in 1950, but the happiness ratings haven't shifted in the past decade. After Sept. 11, researchers found no significant decrease in measured levels of happiness.

"Americans work longer hours and commute greater distances than virtually any other people in the world," Weiner writes, but "they remain profoundly optimistic." Two-thirds of Americans say they are hopeful about the future.

Can we predict happiness based on a country's collective "personality"? Not quite. So far, the data reveal national happiness doesn't predictably track average income, type of government--democracy versus dictatorship--or even warm climate.

So with Moldova at the bottom of the happiness ratings are former Soviet republics Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, alongside such troubled African nations as Tanzania, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Thus, while wealth doesn't seem to generate happiness, extreme poverty is more likely to produce the opposite.

It's comforting, though, that most people in the world report being satisfied with their lives. "Virtually every country in the world scores somewhere between five and eight on a 10-point scale," Weiner writes. "There are a few exceptions." So while, admittedly, those Scandinavians have it pretty good, the rest of us aren't too far behind. And that's something to be happy about.

n Pictures: The World's Most Stylish Cities

In Pictures: The World's Most Stylish Cities

The world's most stylish cities

Paris has La Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. New York is home to Fifth and Madison avenues. And shoppers need look no further than Via Monte Napoleone in Milan, Italy, for the latest prêt-a-porter.

But none can match London's cosmopolitan vibe. One third of the city's population was born outside Britain; that's 2.3 million Londoners sharing their cultural style, fashion and cuisine. This mix gives tremendous vibrancy to the city, the world's most stylish according to a recent survey.

"The only downside to London is its safety and expense," says Simon Anholt, editor of the journal Place Branding and Public Diplomacy and author of the 2008 City Brands Index survey on which the rankings, released last month, are based. Anholt also consults with city and national governments on policies, investments and strategies for improving their national reputations. "But these two factors also help its image: If it was too safe people wouldn't find it as exciting, and if it was cheaper it would get less respect."

Sydney, Australia; Rome; Barcelona, Spain; Melbourne, Australia; Berlin; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Madrid, Spain, round out the top 10.

Behind the numbers
The Anholt City Brands Index surveyed 18,000 people from 18 countries. Cities were judged on lifestyle, buzz, multiculturalism, cultural life and attractiveness. Respondents, for example, were asked to rank 40 cities on climate and weather, pollution and the physical attractiveness of buildings and parks. They were asked how warm and welcome they expect the people of each city to be, and how important each city's contribution to the world has been over the last 30 years in the areas of science, culture and government.

"The smarter governments have always looked at their city as a brand that needs to be marketed," says Anholt. "But one of the effects of globalization is that competition has become incredibly intense between cities for tourists, investors, business [and] major events, so proper attention to reputation is now mandatory in a way it never was before."

Capitals of cool

London landed atop the list in part because almost one-third of the world's population (including those in Australia, India and Canada) has ties to the British Commonwealth and considers London the financial, fashion and music capital of the world. The announced 2012 Olympics also gives it a stylish stamp of approval.

Its ability to produce charismatic leaders doesn't hurt either. When he came to power in 1997, Prime Minister Tony Blair launched the "Cool Britannia" campaign positioning London as cool, hip and happening to a world audience. The advertising slogan was an attempt to re-brand Britain as progressive, forward-looking and diverse, while promoting "Brit pop" bands such as Oasis, the Spice Girls and Blur.

It seems to have worked. "It has history [and] a multi-cultural population," says Philip Kotler, professor of international marketing at Northwestern University and author of over 40 books on place marketing. "It's the world financial center, art center and antique center, and has a dynamic quality of energy."

While Paris came in second, Anholt says it's done less to deserve this elite spot than other cities. With no notable new buildings going up since the Arche de La Defense 20 years ago, and few new crowd-pleasing events of late, Anholt says that Paris, like Rome and Milan, is riding on its reputation.

"It's almost cliché that Paris is one of the most stylish cities," he says. "It's burned into the global, popular culture. Particularly in developing countries, people expect that in Paris they'll get the best food and fashion as well as a chic lifestyle. It could turn into an awful place for many years and it still wouldn't lose that reputation."

If you want to surround yourself with beauty, however, Paris is still the place to go. When asked to rate a city's beauty, 50% of survey respondents said that Paris was very attractive, 46% felt that way about Rome, 29% about New York and only 5% found Beijing attractive.

Milan, which scored 15th on the most stylish list, was selected as the city that made the most important contribution to the world--with fashion--followed by Washington with politics, Madrid with culture and Tokyo with technology.

Of course each city has its own unique reputation to maintain. While some governments aim for their city to be perceived as safe and clean, others work to crank up their cool factor.

"Holland is viewed as solid, reliable, efficient, wealthy and boring, but Amsterdam is considered much more stylish ... it's all about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, and the city governments want it to keep that edgy, cool appeal," says Anholt, who adds that Amsterdam, ninth on the style list, is one of the few cities that passes the "cool T-shirt test." "If you put ‘I heart Amsterdam' on a plain, white T-shirt, it will sell for more than if it were just a plain, white T-shirt."

Sydney also passes Anholt's cool T-shirt test and surprisingly to all but those who enjoy living in this vibrant city, it ranks third in the most stylish list ahead of New York, Rome and Barcelona.

"Everyone loves Australia," says Anholt. "It's a fantastic brand, and it basically all comes down to Crocodile Dundee. That film did wonders for the image of Australian cities. It's had so much airtime all over the world and Australia is now perceived as the perfect country: warm, rich, welcoming and civilized."

Median family income continues ascent between 2005 and 2006: StatsCan

OTTAWA - The median family income rose 2.1 per cent between 2005 and 2006, largely the result of strong economic growth fostered by employment gains.

That's on top of an 11.1 per cent increase the Census recorded in the pre-tax income median between 1980 and 2005.

Statistics Canada says government transfers also increased, leading to a similar increase in after-tax family income.

Families earned an after-tax median income of $58,300 in 2006, the third straight annual increase.

The agency says most family types benefited, including senior families - those in which the main income earner was aged 65 and over - and younger, working-aged families.

Senior families had a median after-tax income of $42,400, up 2.9 per cent, while working-aged families had a median of $62,000, a 1.8 per cent gain.

Both senior and working-aged family median after-tax income increased by roughly 18 per cent since 1996.

Persons living alone, or "unattached individuals," had a median after-tax income of $22,800 in 2006, up 4.6 per cent from 2005.

For the third consecutive year, Alberta families had the highest median after-tax income, at $70,500. They were followed by families in Ontario and British Columbia.

Market income for both senior families and lone-parent families headed by women were unchanged in 2006 after significant gains over 10 years.

Canadian military looking for Iron Man-type suits for overburdened soldiers

OTTAWA - Iron Man Canuck may be appearing soon at a theatre near you.

The Defence Department posted a contract tender Monday asking companies for proposals for high-tech body suits that could help Canadian soldiers carry bigger loads into battle.

"One of the key challenges faced by soldiers today is the large weight they must carry," says the notice.

Soldiers have been beasts of burden since the early days of the Roman legions, when the legionaries fighting under Gaius Marius laughingly called themselves Marius's mules.

Soldiers in the field today regularly tote loads of 45 kilograms, including water, rations and ammunition.

"A soldier carrying a large pack on their back will be limited in terms of speed and endurance. . . . Exoskeletons and other mobility devices may offer alternative solutions to the important problem of reducing load burden for the soldier of tomorrow," the posting added.

The contract, worth up to $204,000, is to be awarded in June and could include creation of a prototype and demonstration suit. The work is set to run until Jan. 31, 2011.

A spokeswoman for the military said the Dartmouth, N.S., scientific group ordering the research would not comment until after a contract has been awarded.

"They're . . . in the early stage (and) they don't really have any details that would be of any value to share," said Bobbi Jo Bradley. "They're not sure which direction it will take."

Exoskeletons and similar body-armour have been the stuff of science fiction for decades and have been under study by the U.S. military since at least the 1960s.

But in early 2001, the U.S. Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency began concentrated work on producing a working version, earmarking US $50 million for the project.

The Pentagon agency eventually awarded a contract to Sarcos, a Salt Lake City, Utah, company now owned by Raytheon, that produced a test version this year - not unlike the Iron Man suit of the blockbuster film that opened last weekend. Known as the XOS Exoskeleton, it uses a single engine and hydraulics to assist movement.

A spokesperson for Sarcos was not immediately available for comment. But an official who's in charge of the military program said a prototype worked well.

"I sort of felt like The Hulk and I'm a skinny guy," John Main told a media outlet last fall. "I wore a 100-pound weight on my back and it felt like I was carrying nothing like that amount."

The Canadian military has struggled for years to find a balance between the high-tech gear that's rapidly becoming available and the ability of its soldiers to actually carry the equipment in the field.

In recent years, for example, National Defence has ordered research on the neck strain caused by helmets weighed down with night-vision goggles.

Military researchers have set aside as much as $310 million for a so-called "integrated soldier system" that would, for example, connect radios, digital maps,, night-vision goggles and range-finding laser binoculars into a single system.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

The Magic of 8 Minutes Past 8PM on August 8, 2008 - that is 88888 - The 29th Olympiad in Beijing, China

Summer Olympic Games 2008, officially known as Games of the XXIX Olympiad (29th Olympic Games) will be held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from 8 to 24 August 2008. The opening ceremony will be held at 08.08.08 (8 o'clock, 8 minutes, 8 seconds in the evening) at Beijing National Stadium. In the Chinese culture the number 8 is associated with prosperity.

Beijing was selected as the Olympic Games host city on 13 July 2001, after surpassing Toronto, Paris, Istanbul and Osaka during the 112th IOC meeting in Moscow. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem "Chinese Seal", Dancing Beijing is filled with Beijing's hospitality and hopes, and carries the city is commitment to the world. Inspired by the traditional Chinese calligraphic art, the character "Jing" (the latter of the city's name) is developed into a form of a dancing human Beijing, reflecting the ideal of a "new Olympics".

Beijing Olympic 2008 mascots are five Fuwa (friendlies), which represent the colors of the Olympic ring. They are Beibei (blue), Jingjing (black), Huanhuan (red), Yingying (orange) and Nini (green). They are portrayed as Fish (beibei), Panda (jingjing), Fire (huanhuan), Tibetan Antelopes (yingying) and Swallow (nini). In the Chinese traditional culture, fish and water are symbols of prosperity and harvest, therefore Beibei is believed to be the blessing of prosperity. Panda brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. It is shown in his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and protected species, Pandas are adored by people from around the world. Huanhuan is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sports. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. The antelope carries the blessing of health and the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Nini's golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as blessing wherever she flies. When those five names are put together, they will create a Chinese phrase "Beijing huan ying ni" (Beijing welcomes you). The Olympic Games slogan is "One World, One Dream".

More than 10,500 athletes from many countries will compete in 302 events of 35 sports. Indonesia will take part 15 in sports.

The stamps issued for this event depict four sports, namely sailing, football, badminton and weightlifting, they are designed using Chinese painting style. The main character of the design is Barongsai, which symbolizes the spirit of sportsmanship, the beauty of physical power, the harmony of body movement and the teamwork at the same time. These qualities become relevant to sport world in general, particularly in representing the spirit of Olympic Games.