Russian Reflection

I've always been supportive and appreciative of the open society notion. Even if one is critical of the means used by Mr. Soros -- and I know many people can be -- the notion that people have access to information, travel and experience new places is a means to a better end, I have to believe. This is so different than other media outlets that use the pretty slogans, but then just try to drown out the opposition.

This video, Out Commitment to an Open Society in Russia, is a nice chance to hear from people who have been working on the principles of open society long before it was cool. I can't imagine these organisations not working in the CIS or Russia.

Re-writing History -- Kenya and Beyond

This Radio Lab story on the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya and British response is gripping. It seems like Radio Lab was a bit late getting the story since the importance of Hanslope Park, where the documents were stored, was discussed years ago.  But it appears from this article in Feb. 2014 that it will be a while before anyone learns much more...

Since its existence was quietly made public in 2012, the FCO has twice had to seek a special 12-month dispensation from the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, while it decides how much of the archive to declassify. The department announced in December that it will spend six years assessing 60,000 files from the archive, kept at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes and classified as "high priority".

The Radio Lab programme has an interesting section on why these documents were saved. Apparently, one idea is that Edward Snowden-esque people opposed the wrongs they witnesses and wanted to save the evidence in hope that the world would eventually find out.