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Little known facts about two dictators

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So lockdowns are being decreed by the hour as that most evil of evils, Covid 19 strikes Sri Lanka in its second onslaught. The first was so efficiently stymied by the Presidential Task Force but the present contagion is among ordinary people going about their everyday business. Thus the much dreaded state of social contagion.

With it the mind is impregnated with induced fear of dictatorship and an all powerful President who can just say off with its head to the PM, Parliament and all 225 MPs and single- handedly appoint all heads, including judges of the highest court; and one has to stomach the explanation that we the voters voted for the 20th Amendment when we cast our vote for the SLPP contestants. So according to the political pundits of a certain hue, the government is doing what the voters wanted and they are hurriedly attempting to make the 20A law and an accepted adjunct to the Constitution, till it is overhauled to correspond to 20A in its entirety!

To distract the mind I took a book that had been lying on my shelf for long. It encouraged dipping in at random having hundreds of snippets of people ranging from tyrants to heroes; women and natural disasters. You name it or him/her, and the book obliges with an anecdote. Authored by Giles Milton it is: Fascinating Footnotes from History. On the cover is added the fact that the Daily Mail judges ‘he hits the bullseye’ while The Spectator says he has a ‘terrific eye for detail that brings the past to life’.

 

Adolf Hitler

Surprise! Surprise! Hitler had an English girlfriend. I thought Giles Milton was writing imaginary fiction, but no, it’s historical narration judging from praise excerpts.

Unity Valkyrie Mitford, a young Brit girl of no beauty and less clout, admired the rising Hitler so much that she had to go to Munich. With her father’s permission she journeyed to the city in 1934. There she tailed Hitler, who was then seen much in public and sat every noon at the Osteria Bavaria which the Fuhrer patronized. Finally she succeeded in being invited to his table and then became a constant companion to the jealousy of his mistress Eva Braun. She wrote in her dairy: “She is known as the Valkyrie and looks the part, including her legs. I, the mistress of the greatest man in Germany and the whole world, I sit here waiting while the sun mocks me through the window panes.” Unity was popular as she openly derided the Jews.

MI5 alerted itself. Even after war was declared the woman refused to leave Germany. But knowing MI5 planned to get her back to England to try her for treason and considering what it would do to Hitler, she shot herself in a park with a pearl handled pistol Hitler had gifted her. Only injured, she was treated in a Munich hospital; bills paid by Hitler. Then she was transferred to Switzerland where her sister Deborah arrived to take her home to Swinbrook, Oxfordshire. She was later able to walk but died of meningitis in 1948. That’s the official story of her end. The gossipy one is of course spicier. She was taken to a private hospital in Oxford where she delivered Hitler’s love child, who, Milton writes, may be walking about anonymous as war time births were sometimes not registered.

Another story that is pertinent to us at this stage of druggies being caught by the shoal is that Hitler had been injected a cocktail of drugs including strychnine, amphatemine and cocaine which Hitler came to rely on increasingly. Other pills – testosterone, opiates, sedatives, laxatives, were all piled in by his personal doctor –Theodor Morell – who was devoted to him. Other medical men turned suspicious but by now Hitler was hooked, and even had Morell inject him the extract of young bulls’ prostrate glands when he was to spend nights with Eva Braun. He suffered stomach cramps, flatulence and other disorders.

Reading about this I remembered an incident of two large a dose of stimulant taken by an ageing politico which became a public secret! We used to hear of a miracle worker by the name of Dr White, (wasn’t it?) who even medically assisted some cricketers. Others were skeptical and refused him. Also, a wise woman recently opined that probably Trump became euphoric taking all those not completely tested drugs for Covid 19. Otherwise how explain his being driven around the hospital he was in to wave to crowds. Crazy!

 

Joseph Stalin

The other most hated dictator is also written about in the chapter The mysterious death of Joseph Stalin with two other stories. Milton writes that Stalin suffered unusually high blood pressure which caused dizziness but went ahead with his crowded schedules including naming of persons to be eliminated, often dragged out at night. Those were human purges of the most horrendous kind. One night Stalin invited several persons to his dacha and went on drinking light wine and talking till 4.00 am. Three duty guards were present and the dacha’s deputy commander. Stalin always gave the order for his guests to leave; dictator that he was. They could not move out on their own initiative. One guard – Khrustalev – then told the others that Stalin had ordered them to retire to bed as he would not need them. They became alarmed when even at midday, Stalin had not awakened. But they dared not disturb him.

When finally they did, they found Stalin lying on the ground, dazed. Politburo members Beria and Malenkov were summoned but took long to arrive. By now he was vomiting blood. Doctors were summoned but they were terrified to examine the man. (Such the fate of dictators!) Svetlana, his daughter. arrived and later said: “The death agony was terrible. It was a horrible look – either mad or angry and full of fear of death.” Death was due to natural causes it was stated. But modern analysis suggests otherwise; vomiting blood could not be caused by high blood pressure which causes haemorrhage in the brain. It was later proven that Beria had mixed Stalin’s diluted wine with tasteless, warfarin, a blood thinner which had just become available in Russia in the 1950s.

These tales are far removed from us, and our times, but not exactly so. They are told not to merely pass the time or fill this column with an article. They are pertinent as history is prone to repeat itself. We had poisoning of three Russians, the latest an opposition leader to Putin.

We have persons becoming too confident and too power hungry meeting with ignoble ends. Even quirky historical stories have relevance. One sure lesson is that the higher you ride and the bigger the ego grows, the more horrendous the final downfall is. The worst is, you are not mourned or remembered with affection and gratitude.



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BRICS’ pushback against dollar domination sparks global economic standoff

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BRICS leaders at the recent Summit in Brazil. /United Nations

If one were to look for a ‘rationale’ for the Trump administration’s current decision to significantly raise its tariffs on goods and services entering its shores from virtually the rest of the world, then, it is a recent statement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that one needs to scrutinize. He is quoted as saying that tariffs could return ‘to April levels, if countries fail to strike a deal with the US.’

In other words, countries are urged to negotiate better tariff rates with the US without further delay if they are not to be at the receiving end of the threatened new tariff regime and its disquieting conditions. An unemotional approach to the questions at hand is best.

It would be foolish on the part of the rest of the world to dismiss the Trump administration’s pronouncements on the tariff question as empty rhetoric. In this crisis there is what may be called a not so veiled invitation to the world to enter into discussions with the US urgently to iron out what the US sees as unfair trade terms. In the process perhaps mutually acceptable terms could be arrived at between the US and those countries with which it is presumably having costly trade deficits. The tariff crisis, therefore, should be approached as a situation that necessitates earnest, rational negotiations between the US and its trading partners for the resolving of outstanding issues.

Meanwhile, the crisis has brought more into the open simmering antagonisms between the US and predominantly Southern groupings, such as the BRICS. While the tariff matter figured with some urgency in the recent BRICS Summit in Brazil, it was all too clear that the biggest powers in the grouping were in an effort ‘to take the fight back to the US’ on trade, investment and connected issues that go to the heart of the struggle for global predominance between the East and the US. In this connection the term ‘West’ would need to be avoided currently because the US is no longer in complete agreement with its Western partners on issues of the first magnitude, such as the Middle East, trade tariffs and Ukraine.

Russian President Putin is in the forefront of the BRICS pushback against US dominance in the world economy. For instance, he is on record that intra-BRICS economic interactions should take place in national currencies increasingly. This applies in particular to trade and investment. Speaking up also for an ‘independent settlement and depository system’ within BRICS, Putin said that the creation of such a system would make ‘currency transactions faster, more efficient and safer’ among BRICS countries.

If the above and other intra-BRICS arrangements come to be implemented, the world’s dependence on the dollar would steadily shrink with a corresponding decrease in the power and influence of the US in world affairs.

The US’ current hurry to bring the world to the negotiating table on economic issues, such as the tariff question, is evidence that the US has been fully cognizant of emergent threats to its predominance. While it is in an effort to impress that it is ‘talking’ from a position of strength, it could very well be that it is fearful for its seemingly number one position on the world stage. Its present moves on the economic front suggest that it is in an all-out effort to keep its global dominance intact.

At this juncture it may be apt to observe that since ‘economics drives politics’, a less dollar dependent world could very well mark the beginning of the decline of the US as the world’s sole super power. One would not be exaggerating by stating that the tariff issue is a ‘pre-emptive’, strategic move of sorts by the US to remain in contention.

However, the ‘writing on the wall’ had been very manifest for the US and the West for quite a while. It is no longer revelatory that the global economic centre of gravity has been shifting from the West to the East.

Asian scholarship, in particular, has been profoundly cognizant of the trends. Just a few statistics on the Asian economic resurgence would prove the point. Parag Khanna in his notable work, ‘The Future is Asian’, for example, discloses the following: ‘Asia represents 50 percent of global GDP…It accounts for half of global economic growth. Asia produces and exports as well as imports and consumes more goods than any region.’

However, the US continues to be number one in the international power system currently and non-Western powers in particular would be erring badly if they presume that the economic health of the world and connected matters could be determined by them alone. Talks with the US would not only have to continue but would need to be conducted with the insight that neither the East nor the West would stand to gain by ignoring or glossing over the US presence.

To be sure, any US efforts to have only its way in the affairs of the world would need to be checked but as matters stand, the East and the South would need to enter into judicious negotiations with the US to meet their legitimate ends.

From the above viewpoint, it could be said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the most perceptive of Southern leaders at the BRICS Summit. On assuming chairmanship of the BRICS grouping, Modi said, among other things: ‘…During our chairmanship of BRICS, we will take this forum forward in the spirit of people-centricity and humanity first.’

People-centricity should indeed be the focus of BRICS and other such formations of predominantly the South, that have taken upon themselves to usher the wellbeing of people, as opposed to that of power elites and ruling classes.

East and West need to balance each other’s power but it all should be geared towards the wellbeing of ordinary people everywhere. The Cold War years continue to be instructive for the sole reason that the so-called ordinary people in the Western and Soviet camps gained nothing almost from the power jousts of the big powers involved. It is hoped that BRICS would grow steadily but not at the cost of democratic development.

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Familian Night of Elegance …

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The UK branch of the Past Pupils Association of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya went into action last month with their third grand event … ‘Familian Night of Elegance.’ And, according to reports coming my way, it was nothing short of a spectacular success.

This dazzling evening brought together over 350 guests who came to celebrate sisterhood, tradition, and the deep-rooted bonds shared by Familians around the world.

Describing the event to us, Inoka De Sliva, who was very much a part of the scene, said:

Inoka De Silva: With one of the exciting prizes – air ticket to Canada and back to the UK

“The highlight of the night was the performance by the legendary Corrine Almeida, specially flown in from Sri Lanka. Her soulful voice lit up the room, creating unforgettable memories for all who attended. She was backed by the sensational UK-based band Frontline, whose energy and musical excellence kept the crowd on their feet throughout the evening.”

Corrine
Almeida:
Created
unforgettable
memories

Inoka, who now resides in the UK, went on to say that the hosting duties were flawlessly handled by the ever popular DJ and compere Vasi Sachi, who brought his trademark style and charisma to the stage, while his curated DJ sets, during the breaks, added fun and a modern vibe to the atmosphere.

Mrs. Rajika Jesuthasan: President of the UK
branch of the Past Pupils Association of
Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya
(Pix by Mishtré Photography’s Trevon Simon

The event also featured stunning dance performances that captivated the audience and elevated the celebration with vibrant cultural flair and energy.

One of the most appreciated gestures of the evening was the beautiful satin saree given to every lady upon arrival … a thoughtful and elegant gift that made all feel special.

Guests were also treated to an impressive raffle draw with 20 fantastic prizes, including air tickets.

The Past Pupils Association of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya, UK branch, was founded by Mrs. Rajika Jesuthasan née Rajakarier four years ago, with a clear mission: to bring Familians in the UK together under one roof, and to give back to their beloved alma mater.

As the curtain closed on another successful Familian celebration, guests left with hearts full, and spirits high, and already counting down the days until the next gathering.

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The perfect tone …

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We all want to have flawless skin, yet most people believe that the only way to achieve that aesthetic is by using costly skin care products.

Getting that perfect skin is not that difficult, even for the busiest of us, with the help of simple face beauty tips at home.

Well, here are some essential ways that will give you the perfect tone without having to go anywhere.

Ice Cubes to Tighten Skin:

Applying ice cubes to your skin is a fast and easy effective method that helps to reduce eye bags and pores, and makes the skin look fresh and beautiful. Using an ice cube on your face, as a remedy in the morning, helps to “revive” and prepare the skin.

*  Oil Cleansing for Skin:

Use natural oils, like coconut oil or olive oil, to cleanse your skin. Oils can clean the face thoroughly, yet moisturise its surface, for they remove dirt and excess oil without destroying the skin’s natural barriers. All one has to do is pick a specific oil, rub it softly over their face, and then wipe it off, using a warm soak (cloth soaked in warm water). It is a very simple method for cleaning the face.

* Sugar Scrub:

Mix a tablespoon of sugar with honey, or olive oil, to make a gentle scrub. Apply it in soft, circular motions, on your face and wash it off after a minute. This helps hydrate your skin by eliminating dead skin cells, which is the primary purpose of the scrub.

*  Rose Water Toner:

One natural toner that will soothe and hydrate your skin is rose water. Tightening pores, this water improves the general texture of your skin. This water may be applied gently to the face post-cleansing to provide a soothing and hydrating effect to your face.

* Aloe Vera:

It is well known that aloe vera does wonders for the skin. It will provide alleviation for the skin, because of its calming and moisturising effects. The application of aloe vera gel, in its pure form, to one’s skin is beneficial as it aids in moisturising each layer, prevents slight skin deformity, and also imparts a fresh and healthy look to the face. Before going to bed is the best time to apply aloe vera.

Water:

Staying hydrated, by drinking plenty of water (06 to 08 cups or glasses a day), helps to flush toxins and its functions in detoxification of the body, and maintenance the youthfulness of the skin in one’s appearance.

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