history

The three once-counter-superpowers during the Cold War are now busy respectively with state (or interstate) affairs at their own choice -

        Russia has suddenly become much richer, owing to creeping high oil prices, and with new dual leadership, pledging to bolster the country's economy and order;
        U.S. is fighting the Iraq War, at the cost of $5 trillion, which increases each day;
        China, with rapid economic growth, is engaged in the Olympic Games.

A simple question: who is smart, smarter in terms of managing state or interstate affairs as a nation, again, with their power and at their own choice? And who will be stronger, more powerful in the eyes of Tomorrow’s history?

"MOSCOW (Reuters) - A diminutive, soft-spoken former corporate lawyer, Russia's new president Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is an unlikely figure to lead the biggest country on earth.

The first Russian leader in generations to have worked in the private sector, Medvedev, 42, was to be sworn in as president on Wednesday in a lavish televised ceremony in the Kremlin.

He secured the post after the popular outgoing leader Vladimir Putin endorsed him as his preferred successor, ensuring an overwhelming victory at the polls in March.

Medvedev has repeatedly cast himself as a continuity candidate who will follow the course set by Putin -- a popular line in Russia, where most of the population has benefited from rapid economic growth and rising incomes under Putin.

Further underlining continuity, Putin will stay on as Medvedev's prime minister and as leader of the United Russia party, which holds a big majority in the lower house of parliament.

But the two men differ radically in background, upbringing and style.

Putin was proud of his past as a KGB agent in former East Germany and loved posing for pictures flying fighter jets or standing aboard nuclear submarines. Medvedev has no known link to the secret services and has never served in the army.

A bookish child born to two university professors, Medvedev grew up in a modest, middle-class household. His speeches reflect his educated, lawyerly background and are laced with long, complex sub-clauses."

Photos courtesy of AP

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The 2008 Olympic torch’s 85,000-mile, 20-nation global journey is the longest in Olympic history. The 130-day round-the-world tour begins on Monday, March 24, with the lighting of the torch in ancient Olympia, Greece, an ongoing tradition from 766 B.C.

Image courtesy of Google LatLong

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Oliver Martin "Ollie" Johnston Jr., the last living member of Disney Animation’s "Nine Old Men," passed away Monday, April 14, 2008 at the age of 95 in Sequim, Washington. The generation of pioneers in developing and championing the distinctive Disney style of animation known as the "Illusion of Life" have left behind most memorable work which gives us so much hilarious laughter and many heartbreaking moments...

Johnston was an animator at Walt Disney Studios from 1935 to 1978, and became a directing animator beginning with Pinocchio, released in 1940. He contributed to most Disney animated features, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia and Bambi. He was recognized by The Walt Disney Company with its Disney Legend Award in 1989.

Disney's Nine Old Men
Les Clark (November 17, 1907 - September 12, 1979), who joined Disney in 1927. His specialty was animating Mickey Mouse as he was the only one of the Nine Old Men to work on that character from its origins with Ub Iwerks. Les did many scenes throughout the years, animating up until Lady and the Tramp. He moved into directing and made many animated featurettes and shorts.

Marc Davis (March 30, 1913 - January 12, 2000) started in 1935 on Snow White, and later he went on to develop/animate the characters of Bambi and Thumper (in Bambi), Aurora, Maleficent, and Diablo, the raven (in Sleeping Beauty), and Cruella De Vil (in One Hundred and One Dalmatians). Davis was responsible for character design for both the Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion attractions at Disneyland.  read more »